//------------------------------// // Episode 07: Rockstead // Story: Bulletproof Heart // by PaulAsaran //------------------------------// 31st of Falling Heat, 1005 BA Rockstead was supposed to be the primary trading hub of the Rambling Trading Company, or so Rarity had been told. She’d anticipated a booming town in the hills, perhaps not a city but certainly a sprawling center of civilization. When she got her first view of the place however, her expectations were quickly quelled. That’s not to say the town wasn’t large. It was probably the size of ten Spurhoofs, for example. But that still meant only around a thousand citizens, and the large rows of geode farm fields were far from what she’d imagined. The town itself pressed into the side of a lone foothill that might have been large enough to be considered a mountain itself, barely. The buildings were mostly made of stone, many of which appeared to use the hill as part of their support structure. A few wooden constructions dotted the lower reaches, but they couldn’t have comprised more than a fifth of the total town. And that was as much as she could make out, at least so far. It was impossible to determine any further details with the town shrouded in night. Then again, the sight of so many lamps, candles and magilights glimmering through the town’s windows made the hill seem to sparkle. It wasn’t hard for Rarity to imagine the place as a majestic extension of the starry sky. Even through her grim haze, she had to acknowledge that the sight was beautiful at this time of night. Stifling a yawn, she regrettably elected to cut her viewing short. Her first step would be to find an inn. A town that acted as a trading hub would most certainly have a few to accommodate wandering merchants. If only she hadn’t come to fear that she was growing used to the hospitality of Spike and the Diamond Dogs. Maybe one more night wouldn’t have crushed the last of her resistance. Still, she could have left a little earlier. Would any of the inns even be open at this hour? She passed between the first buildings. She’d half expected them to be lower class housing, and perhaps they were given their small sizes. But if they were lower class, then it spoke wonders to the town’s wealth that the buildings appeared so well maintained. She soon found herself walking along a dirt road that ascended the hill in a shallow climb. By now the side of the hill rose high above her, like a slumbering giant studded with glistening yellow gems. A few ponies wandered the roads, but Rarity avoided them. She wasn’t eager to advertise where she’d come from or entertain any questions. No, she’d get closer to the center of town before asking directions. It would be easier that way for everypony, especially if it kept the Bad Apple Gang from deciding to investigate the caves. Why they’d do that when she was coming from the caves, Rarity couldn’t say, but the logic still felt right. The dirt road became gravel as she reached perhaps a fourth of the way up the hill. The wooden buildings were far less frequent here, grey and red stonework and masonry gradually becoming the norm. With the steady increase in slope, the structures lost width and gained height. True to her suspicions, many had their first floors embedded within the hillside itself. She was beginning to recognize areas that might be akin to Mooisville’s blocks, albeit narrower and longer. Clearly, the townsfolk had adopted a town planning format suited to work with their chosen environment. After over an hour of walking, Rarity finally felt comfortable asking directions. It helped that she appeared to be nearing some sort of commercial sector. There were small storefronts ahead and she could hear the soft rumble of a crowd in one of the structures. She couldn’t see the sign well enough in the dark, but it certainly sounded and looked like a saloon. Almost a dozen sand lizards were tied up outside, dozing or enjoying the water trough provided. The saloon might have been fine if not for the two mares beside its entry, laughing together and puffing on extract sticks. A pegasus and an earth pony, they wore low-cut dresses that their voluminous breasts threatened to spill out of. The earth pony wore a skirt with a slit raised up to the hip, while the pegasus sported tight knee-length pants with a diagonal hole cut in the flanks. Both outfits were clearly designed to show off their cutie marks, which is what really brought the scowl to Rarity’s lips. Only one kind of mare would parade her mark around so flagrantly, and if that was the kind of clientele the saloon sported she wanted little to do with it. Fortunately, she was spared the necessity of seeking a more decent establishment by the timely arrival of a couple earth pony stallions. Judging by their apparent ages and companionable silence, she guessed they were either father and son or journeyman and apprentice. Either way, they seemed safe enough, so she made to intercept them before they could get to the door of the saloon. Putting on the best smile she could – but avoiding anything flirty – she called out. “Excuse me boys, but would you mind giving a lady some directions?” Flirtatious tone or no, the younger of the two gazed upon her with wide eyes and a goofy smile. “I just might, miss!” He swept off his hat and bowed in what was probably meant to be a flamboyant manner, but was too clumsy to properly pull it off. The older stallion grabbed the back of his collar and jerked him upright. “Forget it, boy. That one’s way out of your league.” He had a grisly voice that reminded Rarity – painfully – of Cranky. Tipping his hat politely and ignoring the youth’s glower, he pulled the extract stick from his lips and blew smoke before speaking again. “What you lookin’ for, missy?” “Just an inn,” Rarity replied casually, making sure not to look at the eager young stallion. The last thing she wanted was to give him ideas. “Preferably someplace quiet, but I’ll take…” Her eyes flicked to the saloon doors as a particularly loud round of shouting burst from within. “…something like this if I must.” The young stallion looked to his companion. “The Pies?” “Should work.” The elder turned to point to a nearby street. “Head down that way. When you get to the well, turn left. There’ll be a big two-story by its lonesome, all grey. That’s the Pie Farm. They got extra rooms.” The young stallion nodded so fast his hat almost flopped off his head. “They usually got rooms available for rent. Don’t come quieter than there.” A private residence? Rarity pursed her lips as she considered this idea. “Will they even be awake?” “Marble will be. Mare’s a nightowl.” He grinned as he added, “Good luck getting her to say much, though. Will you be staying in Rockstead for a while, miss?” At his companion’s grunt, he shot the old stallion a scowl. “What? It’s just a question.” Rarity suppressed the desire to smile. “I’m afraid not. A day or two, three at most.” “Hey, that’s plenty of time!” The elder stallion performed an exaggeratedly slow facepalm, his face scrunched up in a combination of annoyance and what might have been physical pain. The younger didn’t notice, being too busy grinning at Rarity. Until he noticed her glare. The hairs on the back of her neck bristled and her shoulders tensed. He backed up when she leaned a little closer to speak in a quiet, harsh tone. “Enough time to do what, exactly?” He paled and glanced at the gun on her hip. Only then did Rarity realize that her thumb was rubbing the tiny nub in the grip. The damage had been done, but she still crossed her arms, which allowed him to relax a little. At last he managed to fumble over some words. “J-just to, um, see the sights?” He laughed, a hollow, forced sound. “Indeed.” Rarity held him in her gaze for a couple seconds longer. “A bit of advice, boy: try not to be so obvious in your intentions next time.” She turned her eyes to the older stallion, who had the disdainfully patient look of somepony accustomed to the foolishness of youth. “My thanks for the directions, sir.” After his polite nod, she turned away sharply and marched down the road, leaving the bright windows of the saloon behind. She wasn’t five paces away before the elder stallion was giving the younger one a lecture. She might have been amused, had she not been so annoyed. Was that what the stallions of this town thought of mares? How dare he insinuate that she would be so easy! The boiling anger kept her going for a while, but as she moved on in the darkness of Rockstead’s streets her ire steadily faded. She reminded herself that, regrettably, there were mares of ‘that’ nature out there. On the opposite side of the bit, it would be wrong of her to think negatively of all stallions in Rockstead just because of the one bad encounter. The colt’s companion hadn’t looked at her in that way, now had he? And yet, the meeting was a stark reminder of the kinds of stallions that could be out there. Her thoughts turned to Braeburn and what he’d nearly done to Coco and herself. The memory left a hollow feeling in her stomach. She’d stopped him, and while she still felt a lot of guilt about that, she’d long come to accept that her actions had been necessary. Unpleasant, but certainly necessary. There had to be others out there like him. Others who would take one look at her and come to the same conclusions, make the same decisions. Her hand was on Silver Lining’s grip once more, her thumb rubbing over the small nub again and again. Part of her said she was being silly, that she’d probably never find herself in such a situation again. The other part had her scouring the dark alleys and corners of the street with sharp eyes. As much as she tried to lecture herself, to steadfastly reaffirm that no Braeburns would ooze their way out of the shadows, she couldn’t help but feel a rush. She wanted to get off the street. Urgently. Time passed at a crawl, and she wondered if she’d taken a wrong turn or been given bad directions. The thought sent chills down her spine. Was it just her, or was the street unnaturally empty? There were still lights in many of the windows – mostly candles and gem-burning torches – but the road itself was bare and oppressively quiet. Then she noticed the quiet of her own hoofsteps. Blinking, she looked down to discover only dirt. She’d left the gravel roads behind. Once understanding struck, Rarity felt her shoulders sagging. Of course there was nopony on the streets, she was reaching the edge of town. All the activity would be further in, where the bars and taverns and such were. The thought gave her some comfort, though the butterflies in her stomach hadn’t left quite yet. A wave of relief washed over her when she looked up. She’d reached the town border once more, the buildings falling behind her. Some thousand feet ahead, in the midst of a substantial geode farm and about a hundred yards from a massive boulder, sat the two story abode she assumed was meant to be her destination. The structure appeared solid, but the faded paint on the wood suggested the it was also quite old. A barn sat not far behind, its color indeterminate in the dark. Both buildings were largely undecorated, with practical but uninteresting designs. Rarity found that she wasn’t too bothered by this as she might have been in the past. At the very least she might be able to avoid sleeping on the hard earth for a few more days, and that was worth all the unfashionable blandness the world might offer her. Besides, the inside might not be so… plain. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Rarity strode to the front door and rapped on the doorframe with the back of her hand. There were candles in the windows, but only in a select few rooms. Most of the residence remained dark, and not a sound arose. Her ears fell flat against her skull as she tried again, hoping she wasn’t disturbing them too much. It was after sundown, after all. She’d be wary of visitors herself under such circumstances. Time passed. Rarity rubbed her arm and began to fidget. Maybe this wasn’t the right house after all? She glanced at the windows, but saw nothing to indicate she was being watched. Chewing her lip, she reached up to knock again— There came the sound of a lock unbolting. She stood tall and tried to appear unassuming, forcing a smile onto her face as the door creaked open just enough to reveal turquoise eyes beneath a straight-cut blue-violet mane. The grey pony beyond spoke in a low voice devoid of any emotion that ground slowly through the air. “Can I help you?” Taken aback by a greeting neither defensive or welcoming, it took Rarity a moment to formulate a proper response. “Y-yes, how do you do? My name is Rarity, and I heard that you offered temporary rooms.” Her attempt at enthusiasm petered out at the complete lack of reaction from the mare. “I was hoping I could… rent one out. For a few days?” The mare blinked with excruciating slowness. Her eyes drifted to Silver Lining. With the same emotionless tone, she asked, “Are you a drifter?” Flinching, Rarity clasped her hands behind her back. Perhaps she’d put the pony at ease if her hands were kept well away from her weapon. “I’m only passing through.” The eyes snapped back to her. “Passing through to where?” Rarity opened her mouth, but found she couldn’t answer. The butterflies made a return to her stomach as she wilted. “I don’t know yet.” She withered beneath the mare’s impassive gaze, feeling like a bug under a microscope. After what seemed like an eternity, the mare reached a hand out. It was startlingly large, with long but supple fingers. “Fifteen bits a night. Up front.” The tension fled from Rarity with a long exhale and she nodded. She fiddled with one of the zippers on her backpack and, after some digging, extracted two sapphires, one a brilliantly dark blue and the other a light green. “Two nights, and if I need one more I’ll pay you then. Is that fair?” The door opened fully, exposing the mare properly. She was an earth pony, slightly taller than Rarity and with a surprising amount of muscle on her despite a small build. She wore a simple grey frock with a lowered hood, a small rope tied around her waist. Rarity bit her tongue to keep from gasping at the mare’s disturbing lack of fashion sense. The mare raised the gems up in her palm to study them up close with those emotionless eyes. She remained that way for some seconds, not so much as blinking, then closed her fingers around the stones. She lowered them and turned her steady gaze upon Rarity. “The corundum possessing titanium and iron is unusually valuable at twenty-seven bits. The corundum possessing only iron is substantially less valuable at only twelve bits. Together they come out to be thirty-nine bits, so the trade is sufficient. I can offer you bits in change if you choose not to stay the third night. Does that meet with your approval?” Rarity blinked. She blinked again. “You can tell the Accurate Value of the gems just by looking at them?” “It’s a gift,” the mare droned. “Rocks are my friends. I spend most of my free time studying them.” A long pause. “I love my work.” “Right.” Shaking herself out of her stupor and hoping she hadn’t appeared rude via her silence, Rarity nodded and offered her hand. “I think we have an agreement. Am I to take it you are Marble Pie?” The mare accepted the offered handshake, squeezing so hard Rarity struggled not to cry out in pain. By Luna’s stars, this pony was strong! “Maud Pie. Marble is my little sister. She’s hiding in her room.” Freeing Rarity’s hand from its excruciating prison, she turned and walked into the house, leaving the door open. Rarity took a moment to rub her throbbing palm. She’d not been invited, but Maud had left the door open and had taken the gems. I guess that means it’s okay. She stepped inside gingerly, closing the door behind her. She found herself inside a large room, perhaps a dining room, which opened into a kitchen near the back of the house. A set of stairs to the second story ran along the wall on her left. The house’s age was more apparent from the inside, but not from a lack of maintenance. Rather, the place was filled with the trappings of longtime habitation: a fireplace filled with ash and coals, a dining table with a worn and rugged surface, ancient-looking wooden chairs, a frayed rug, and pictures that covered nearly every available space. Rarity’s eyes landed upon one such image on a nearby end table, which depicted a solemn family. A pair of parents perhaps ten years Rarity’s senior at the time the black and white photo had been taken, standing tall over four fillies of varying demeanors: annoyed, blank (That must be Maud.), grinning, and anxious. Judging by Maud’s apparent age, the photo was probably twenty years old. She noted Maud watching her from a hallway and flinched. “You have a lovely family,” she noted, smiling and hoping her observation wouldn’t be seen as prying. Maud glanced at the photo. “Thank you.” She turned and pointed. “You can have Limestone’s room on the right. Bathroom across the hall. Don’t mind the creaky second floor. That’s Marble’s room. She tends to pace a lot, especially when there are visitors.” “It’s alright.” Rarity glanced up the stairs, wondering about the mysterious sister. “I hope I’m not imposing.” “She’ll be fine.” Maud tilted her head to study the gun at Rarity’s hip once more, then stepped a little closer. Her next words had no more emotion than before, but she spoke them in a whisper. “Don’t let her see your weapon. She has a fear of guns.” A meticulously slow blink. “Don’t let her know you brought one inside the house. She’ll be very upset.” While her tone gave her nothing to go by, Rarity was perceptive to the faint suggestion that upsetting Marble would lead to a ‘problem’. She nodded slowly and actively resisted grabbing Silver Lining’s grip. “I understand completely.” Maud didn’t move or speak. She maintained that close proximity, her dull eyes seeming to bore into Rarity’s soul. The longer the visual exchange lasted, the more Rarity’s ears folded back, until they were once again flat against her skull. She couldn’t put a reason on it, but something about this mare disturbed her, and she knew that it was on purpose. At last, Maud stepped back. “I think we’ll get along fine. Have you had dinner yet? Marble and I already ate, but I have some leftover rock stew if you want some.” Rock… stew? Rarity shook her head with what she hoped was an appreciative smile rather than a disturbed grimace. “Oh, no. I had a decent-sized meal before coming into town. Really, I’m good.” And it was the truth, courtesy of Spike. She sent a silent thanks in his direction at the thought of trying to eat a stew made from rocks ran circles around her brain. “All right, but you don’t know what you’re missing. Rock stew is the food of the Sisters.” Maud turned to face Rarity fully. “There aren’t many rules. Don’t scare Marble. Don’t take anything without asking first, except the water. Stay out of the master bedroom at the end of the hall. Don’t touch Holder’s Boulder.” Another one of those pauses. “Don’t scare Marble.” Rarity could feel her cheeks twitching with the effort of holding her smile. “G-got it, don’t scare your sister. I promise not to.” As an afterthought, “At least not on purpose.” Maud nodded, a slow movement like a tough tree bending in the wind. “Good. She tends to forget her strength when she’s scared. I have to get up early tomorrow. Did you need anything else?” “Oh, no, you’ve done quite enough as it is.” A perfectly accurate statement, seeing as all she’d needed was a roof over her head. “I should probably get some sleep myself, all things considered. Thank you for your hospitality.” “Good night, then, Miss Rarity.” Maud made for the stairs, leaving Rarity alone before the hallway. She was out of sight in seconds. Rarity set her hands to her hips, eyes on the stairs. Well, that was certainly a strange encounter. Her attention drifted up to the ceiling. This is an awfully big place for just the two of them. Where are the rest of the family? After ruminating on this for a while, she shrugged and went to investigate her temporary living quarters with a long yawn. “I wonder if her sister is anywhere near as… ‘interesting’.” Rarity learned one thing very quickly: the Pie sisters were loaded. She’d already been impressed by the four bedrooms and two baths, and in the morning she’d spotted over a dozen ponies working the geode fields. But the thing that had really thrown her for a loop? Indoor plumbing. Not even Spike’s caves offered that. Her shower that morning was nothing short of heavenly, and the presence of an honest-to-Luna toilet seat dazzled her. It seemed highly unlikely that they were connected to any sort of system in the town, which meant a home system with some sort of magically automated water well. The house might look old and worn, but it hid some astounding advancements more expected of a Manehattan mansion. Which begged the question: if the Pies were so wealthy, why were they renting out rooms? She had no opportunity that morning to find out. Maud was in the fields leading the workers, and Rarity was loath to approach lest she find herself performing a kind of labor she knew she was not meant to handle. As for the mysterious Marble Pie, there remained no sign of the elusive mare. But they’d been kind enough to leave out a bowl of what Rarity assumed was rock soup. It really did have a rock in it. Rarity elected to be adventurous, on the grounds that Maud would probably ask about it later and she didn’t want to lie about having tried it or not. It wasn’t exactly high quality cuisine, but at least it didn’t taste like dirt as she’d anticipated. It served well enough that she could finish the bowl, although she did not intend to ask for any more. She did wonder what purpose the rock served. With one host busy working and the other nowhere to be seen, Rarity decided to head into town. She hadn’t elected to stay multiple days just for her comfort; there were things she wanted to see to before starting the next leg of her journey, not least of which included figuring out in which direction that journey would lead. So, after storing a few necessities in her vest, Rarity braved the blistering heat of the late morning sun and headed for the center of Rockstead. The town was much more lively during the daylight hours, more so than she had expected considering the midday temperature. By the time she reached the commercial district she was surrounded by citizens going to and fro about their daily business. This place was a far cry from the quiet doldrums of Spurhoof, reminding her far more of the busy streets of Mooisville. In another age, she might have relished the situation as an opportunity to mingle, build a social network, and make friends. Today, however, Rarity kept her hat low over her face and moved with purpose. She was polite and friendly to those who did greet her as she passed, but refused to be held back by any of them. Despite the many weeks that had passed since the death of Braeburn, she was still acutely aware that the Apples had a price on her head, and there were far too many ponies in this area to keep track of. If even one of them was part of the Apple Family or Bad Apple Gang and recognized her… Best not to think about that. She’d handle it when the time came, assuming it ever did. But for now, she needed to get her information and get back to the Pie House. Despite her fear of being recognized, Rarity still needed directions. She asked a couple friendly mares about where she might find a gunsmith, and they kindly pointed her to where she needed to go. They didn’t seem at all alarmed by her request. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been so surprised. Surely crime was a factor in a place of this size, and who’d blame a mare for wanting to defend herself? Perhaps it had been her attitude in Spurhoof that had been odd. The gunsmith was found high on the hillside. Apparently the upper elevations were used as an industrial district for mining and other production work. She came to a shop that was startlingly complete in its operations, even having an outdoor smithy for custom metalwork. She found the proprietor and master smith in the interior of the shop teaching an apprentice the finer details of carving out a gun handle. After leaving the young colt with a task, the short, bulky brown earth pony mare approached Rarity with an endearing smile. “Hello there, missy. What can old Bullet Harvest do for you today? Cleaning? Inspection? Ammo?” Rarity accepted her handshake, relieved to learn that not all Rocksteadians possessed bone-shattering grips. “Rarity Belle, a pleasure to meet you. I’m here for some information.” Inspired by the mare’s query, she added, “And maybe some advice.” Harvest beamed as if she’d just been told Princess Luna was paying her shop a personal visit. “You’ve come to the right place! What’s on your mind?” “Well, for starters, I was wondering what you could tell me about this.” Reaching into her vest, Rarity pulled out a lone bullet, one of those that Spike had given her along with the Ruby Heart. She displayed it between two fingers, tip up. The gunsmith’s eyes widened. “Is that a gem on top of that bullet?” “Ruby, yes ma’am.” She let Harvest take the bullet in her hands and inspect it up close. “A friend gifted me with a gun recently, one that is supposedly enchanted to do special things when firing ruby-tipped bullets. I have plenty now, but I was wondering what it would cost me to get more at a later time.” Harvest whistled between her teeth, turning the large 45 caliber bullet to inspect it from every angle. “This is a thing of beauty. Adding the gem to the tip only makes it that much more lethal. It’s one thing if it hits a pony, but imagine what would happen if the gem got lost amongst all the blood. You might never get it out, and those sharp edges would do nasty things to somepony’s insides.” You have a disturbing concept of beauty. Managing to keep her smile intact, Rarity nodded. “It is rather daunting, I must admit.” “You got the gun that goes with it?” Rarity nodded and retrieved Ruby Heart from within the left side of her vest. That was a relief, for the thing’s weight was terrible when placed there. She held it up, but pulled back when Harvest reached for it. “Please be cautious. It was a gift, after all.” The gunsmith rolled her eyes. “Missy, if I didn’t know how to be careful with things that might kill me, I wouldn’t be around to run Rockstead’s best shop.” She took the gun and inspected it with just as much care and focus as she had the bullet. “Automatic bolt action. Don’t see a lot of those yet. Hard to reproduce right now. Unusually long barrel… oh, rifled. You’ll get some fine distance with this baby. Sliding ammo cartridge in the grip? Efficient. Made one or two of those in my time. Real tricky, lots of little parts. Better take good care of it or the repair bill will be steep.” She glanced at Rarity with a wry smile. “Dunno who gave you this, but he must have really loved you to drop the kind of bits this thing would have demanded.” “That’s another thing,” Rarity said. “I’m still fairly new to guns. I need to learn how to care for them.” She pulled back the right side of her vest, revealing Silver Lining tucked away in a large pocket. “For this one, too.” Harvest gave a curt nod, her eyes still set longingly on Ruby Heart. “I’ll be happy to show you. I’ll even give you a discount if you let me fire a clip from this baby.” She glanced at Silver Lining, then did a double take. “Wait, are you carrying them like that?” Rarity grimaced. “The place I’m staying at has some rules about having guns out in the open, so I had to forgo Silver Lining’s harness today.” She shot a pout towards Ruby Heart. “I don’t have a harness for that one yet.” “That won’t do at all! It’s gotta be crazy uncomfortable.” Harvest trotted towards a back wall, on which hung a half-dozen harnesses. “I’ll get you fitted for a proper harness to carry this beauty around. If you’ve got the time, we can get it done within a few hours.” This seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up, and so Rarity spent a good chunk of her day following Bullet Harvest around her shop, learning the ins and outs of gun care. It was informative and unexpectedly interesting. Rarity had never known about the inner workings of sidearms and the assorted parts that made up a gun. By the time the lesson was over, she could name – or at least identify the use of – most of the parts of a typical pistol and had a good understanding of their care. The grease and cleaning lotions weren’t exactly pleasant, but worth it for preserving her two exquisite firearms. She’d also gotten an estimate on what new bullets for Ruby Heart might cost her. The answer was nothing short of staggering. A single ruby had an equivalent value of twelve hundred bits on its own. It would take her six hundred sapphires to match that! Throw in labor and the other materials and Rarity could see herself going broke after two or three ammo runs. She promptly resolved to hold off on firing the Ruby Heart unless she really needed the extra range and firepower. And then there was the holster. Rarity elected to go for a shoulder-variety. Seeing as Silver Lining would be her primary weapon and was already set on her right hip, she had the shoulder holster set on the right as well so she could pull it out with her left hand. She couldn’t imagine she’d have good accuracy dual-wielding the guns, but something told her it would be better this way. Of course, it would also put a lot of weight on her right side, something she’d have to learn to cope with. By the time Rarity left the gunsmith she was hungry and had a bank account with far fewer bits, but was also confident that she could maintain her weapons on her own now. As she made her way back to the Pie House, she pondered the greatest of her issues: ammunition. One of the most troubling things she’d learned was the cost of it, and not just for the Ruby Heart. On the positive side, Spike had ensured she had plenty of rounds for Silver Lining – a good three times that of Ruby Heart – and she had little intention of firing her guns quite that much. On the negative side, she had no idea how determined the Apples were to catch her, and therefore couldn’t fathom a guess at how long her current bullet count would last. She’d not seen anything of the Apple Family since Spurhoof, but was that because they’d given up or just dumb luck? It was while she walked through a market square packed with traders and shoppers that her contemplation was interrupted. The words hadn’t been aimed at her, but they still caught her perked ears and dragged her attention to a pair of mares standing by a public well. “What are you going on about this time?” “You know, that caravan in the Scorched Plains! A survivor came through town two days ago.” Pretending to rest against the well, Rarity kept her eyes on a distant shop sign as she listened intently. “Really? I heard something had happened, but couldn’t get any of the juicy stuff.” “Well, I heard that the caravan got captured by slavers.” “No! How did the pony escape?” “He didn’t. He was rescued!” “The buffalo? I know they don’t like us much, but they like griffons a lot less.” “Actually, they say the buffalo found them after the rescue.” “But if the buffalo didn’t do it, who did?” “The Bulletproof Heart.” Rarity stiffened, the words of Pounding Sands echoing in her ears. I apologize for making my fireball of a niece your escort, Rarity of the Bulletproof Heart. “The what now?” “A mare! They say she took a bullet to the heart – and survived. Shook it off like it was nothing.” “Miss Prattler, I think you’re pulling my leg.” “No, really! She helped defeat the griffon slavers, and even forced a flight of them to carry her back to the Dragon’s Teeth. A buffalo herd saw the whole thing. They’re the ones that gave her the name.” “And you’re basing all of this on the word of one survivor? You believe it?” “I sure as hay want to! Can you imagine it? A skilled drifter mare, beautiful but tomcoltish, out to right the wrongs and defend the innocent? It’s like something out of a book.” “I’ll say.” “But what if she’s real? Equestria could use a hero like that.” “Even if this ‘Bulletproof Heart’ is real, I doubt she’s what you’re thinking. Probably got real lucky and was in all the wrong places. You know, doing what she had to do to get by and whatnot.” “Isn’t that what all heroes are, at least at first?” “Well… maybe. But I doubt she has any intention of going out and slaughtering slavers, chasing bandits and stopping train robberies. Heck, she probably just wants to find a place to settle down.” “Nope. She’s a drifter hero, a princess of our time! That’s what I’m gonna believe, because that’s what I want her to be.” “Miss Prattler, you go on believing whatever you want to.” Rarity had heard enough. She moved on, heart thudding in her chest as the consequences of what she’d just heard circled around her head. Her actions were getting embellished to the point of ridiculousness. ‘Forced’ a flight of griffons to carry her? Rescued the caravan entirely on her own? And that annoying name. ‘Bulletproof Heart.’ The shot had been too low for that! Granted, ‘Bulletproof Spleen’ didn’t have quite the same ring to it. She rubbed the necklace beneath her shirt, realizing as an afterthought that it was indeed in a good position to protect her heart now that she wore it correctly. That didn’t make her any happier about the situation. She had half a mind to correct the record, but Rarity was familiar with the ways of rumor and gossip. At this point the stories of her supposed heroism were on the lips of a few dozen busybodies getting circulated all over Rockstead with no chance for denial. All she could hope for was that it didn’t go further than that. This could prove problematic. The mares hadn’t said a thing about her description, but if that was getting around then the rumors would serve as a lightning rod for the Bad Apple Gang. She would have to get out of town, and soon. No later than tomorrow. Would being dubbed a hero make the bounty on her head go up? She found it unlikely the ponies setting said bounties would care about her feelings on the matter. With even less an interest in being outdoors than ever, Rarity took to the alleyways between streets and made for the Pie House as quickly as she could without drawing attention. She arrived with an hour yet before sundown. Aside from rocks having clearly been moved around, the geode farm looked the same as it had yesterday evening. Checking to ensure Silver Lining and Ruby Heart were both safely concealed beneath her vest, Rarity entered through the front door. She was startled to see an unfamiliar pony in the kitchen. Her hackles rose for all of two seconds, but then she remembered that Maud had a little sister on the premises. So… this was Marble Pie? She had a lighter coat than her sister, more of a turquoise grey, with a two-toned mane as straight as her sibling’s, but noticeably longer. Wearing a greenish-grey dress, the mare had yet to notice Rarity’s arrival, busying herself with kneading a large lump of dough on the kitchen table. At the sound of the door closing, the mare looked up and lost her cheerful smile in an instant. She took a step back, as if to run, but stopped herself. Her violet eyes, one hidden behind her mane, spoke of something that wasn’t quite fear, but definitely anxiety. Moving slowly so as not to startle the poor thing, Rarity smiled and gave a small wave. “Good evening, dear. Miss Marble Pie, I believe? I didn’t mean to startle you. I am Rarity, the pony renting the room?” Her dainty fingers entwined, Marble lowered her head and averted her eyes. Her response came as a quiet “Mm-hmm.” Rarity resisted the urge to frown. It seemed Marble wasn’t one to open up to just any pony. Even so, the fidgeting mare disturbed Rarity, as she didn’t want anyone to fear her for any reason. Placing her hands behind her back, she spoke in as calm and quiet a voice as she could. “There’s no need to be nervous, Darling. I promise, I’ll be out of your mane by tomorrow. Please don’t mind me.” “Mm-hmm.” She felt her eye twitch. Surely she could find some way to loosen the pony up. Moving with caution, Rarity took a step closer and gestured to the loaf. “Do you need any assistance? I’m rather handy around a kitchen, if I may say so.” Violet eyes widened. Marble took another step back. Though the shift of her head was so small as to almost be imperceptible, Rarity had the strange suspicion that it was as good as a furious shaking for the mare. “W-well, alright then. I…” Her tongue fumbled for some kind of recovery, but nothing came to her, so she elected to beat a hasty retreat. “I… have to get some things in my room. I’ll, um, see you later.” “Mm…” Marble blinked, her eyes shifting to Rarity’s left. Following her gaze, Rarity turned—and let out a gasp, jumping back a little at the sight of Maud standing at her side and facing her. Holding a hand to her chest and another grasping for the gun not at her hip, Rarity met the mare’s gaze and fought to regain her breath. Maud spoke, her voice as monotonous as ever. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to barge in here like a stampeding buffalo, but I had to make sure you weren’t frightening my sister.” A beat. “Were you frightening my sister?” “Oh, it’s q-quite all right. I don’t think so?” Rarity cast a glance at Marble. The young mare, hands still clasped as if in prayer, gave a tiny shake of her head. “Mm-mm.” “See?” Rarity gave Maud a strained grin. “Just introducing myself.” Maud gazed at her for some time, expressionless and immobile, before finally saying, “That is good to hear. I did not want to have to save you from her.” Her eyes briefly roamed Rarity’s body. “Did you get everything you needed in town?” The tension in Rarity’s shoulders finally faded. She nodded and rubbed a hand over her vest where Ruby Heart was hidden. “I got most of it done. I’ll have to visit the nearest post office tomorrow, but I don’t see me spending a third night under your roof.” “That is disappointing.” A slow blink. “I hope Marble and I haven’t scared you off with our wild mannerisms. It’s nice to have somepony else to fill up the old place.” Maud marched for a nearby desk. “You paid for more than two nights. I’ll get you some change.” “Oh, no, that won’t be necessary.” Rarity waved dismissively as she headed for her room. “Keep it, in thanks. I am the one imposing upon you, after all.” She noted that Marble was back to working on the bread, albeit with hunched shoulders and averted eyes. “That’s very generous of you.” Maud turned back to her. “You should have supper with us tonight. It’s the least we can offer. We’re going to be having cactus flower sandwiches. Don’t worry, there won’t be any needles.” Then, as if in afterthought, “Or rocks. Unless you want some. Because they’re good for you. Do you want rocks on yours?” Rarity almost refused the offer of food outright, but stopped herself at the last instant. She had to acknowledge that sandwiches sounded better than rock soup. Despite the knowledge that she’d be leaving soon and probably wouldn’t meet these ponies again, she felt a desire to get to know them a little more. Perhaps it was her old social butterfly ways resurfacing, but she didn’t mind. Besides, she was certainly curious about the pair. Maud hadn’t budged. If Rarity hadn’t known better, she’d have mistaken her for a statue. Was she even breathing? With a cough to straighten her thoughts, Rarity declared, “Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Pie. I’d love to dine with you two tonight. But, er, I’ll take mine without rocks, thanks.” “Suit yourself, but you don’t know what you are missing.” Maud walked past her for the kitchen. “And call me Maud.” Dinner was a quiet affair. The three mares sat around a table clearly intended for many more ponies. Marble sat as far from Rarity as she could, half her face hidden behind her mane as she focused on nibbling her sandwich. Maud and Rarity, on the other hand, sat directly across from one another. Rarity wished she could call this a comforting thing, but Maud’s relentless, emotionless stare left her wondering if she’d done something wrong at any point in the day. Her worries faded quickly after taking a small bite of her sandwich. The flowers had a certain citrusy flavor to them that melded well with the small layer of lettuce. A thin slice of cheese Rarity was unfamiliar with added a nice kick that reminded her, strangely, of rosemary, and the homemade bread was a thick, grainy rye. Altogether? “My compliments, Miss Marble. I don’t think I’ve ever had anything quite like it.” Marble’s eyes went wide. She looked to Rarity in silence, then glanced away. Her mane failed to hide her small smile as she offered a barely discernible “Th-thank you.” The elder Pie sibling nodded. “Marble learned to cook very early. It was either her or me, and I had to run the farm.” Detecting the perfect segue, Rarity focused her attention on Maud. “I understand. Living on your own must have been hard.” Maud blinked and said nothing for a time. Slowly, she turned her head to look at Marble, but the younger sister was staring down at her sandwich as if it were the most fascinating thing in the world. “I guess it was obvious. Yes, it was hard at first, but only because we made it so.” Rarity cocked her head. “I don’t follow.” Maud took a bite of her sandwich, chewed with excruciating slowness and the loud crunch of what Rarity presumed were rocks. The sound made her teeth ache. At last, Maud swallowed and continued. “Mom and Dad left us with a sizeable inheritance. We could have lived easy lives if we were careful. But we wanted to keep running the farm, so we worked.” A sip of water. “We pulled it off.” Despite the monotone voice, Rarity thought she detected a hint of pride. She cast a long look around the kitchen. Even here she could see the signs of a home well loved; spotless walls and cabinets, shining cutlery in a rack, the faded dish towels neatly hung, and all beneath photos, heirlooms and antique décor. The rock theme hardly suited her sense of taste, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t detect the life that must have once kept this place animated. Her ears folded back as she took in the near silence of the place. “If you don’t mind my asking, what happened?” Maud tilted her head just slightly, seeming to think on the question. “Our parents and our big sister took a trade caravan for Hoofington. They never arrived. The wagons were found a season later. No survivors.” Shoulders tense, Rarity asked, “Bandits?” Maud’s nod had her gritting her teeth. She’d been a victim of such ruffians herself once, but somehow Maud’s brief, blunt story only made her frustration worse. “Pinkie said Limestone wouldn’t mind you staying in her room.” The words caught Rarity flat hoofed, and it took her a moment to grasp their meaning. Which didn’t help her at all, really. “I beg your pardon?” Maud’s gaze offered no insights as she replied, “Pinkie Pie. Marble’s twin sister. She mentioned you in her last letter.” “But… who?” Rarity shook her head as though to clear it of cobwebs. “I don’t know any Pinkie Pie.” “I know.” Maud took another bite, forcing Rarity to wait once more for an explanation. She glanced at Marble, who wasn’t even a third of the way through her sandwich. The young mare looked to her big sister, then at Rarity. Hiding behind her mane once more, she muttered, “You’re staying in Limestone’s room.” Rarity sank in her chair at the realization she might be violating something sacred to the young mare. When Maud finally finished swallowing, she spoke as if there’d been no pause at all. “Don’t worry. If Pinkie says Limestone wouldn’t mind, Limestone wouldn’t mind. And neither do we. It was a very long time ago.” The dry manner of the declaration did nothing to ease Rarity’s nerves, but she forced herself to sit up and continue her meal. “And where is Miss Pinkie Pie?” “She joined the Hoofington Armed Services.” A long drink of water. “She wanted to protect ponies from bandits.” “I see.” Rarity lifted her sandwich, but found herself unable to take another bite. After a few uncertain moments, she put it back down. “You must worry about her.” “Not even remotely.” Her head snapped up to meet Maud’s unflinching, unreadable gaze. “What?” Was Pinkie’s departure unwelcome? Had the mare been ostracized for leaving the farm? The poor thing! But Maud did something that knocked Rarity for a whole new loop: she smirked. “Pinkie Pie can take care of herself. She’ll be fine. It’s the bandits who should be scared.” Still rocked by the brief display of emotion, Rarity could only nod in response. She looked to Marble Pie, half expecting to see the young mare visibly disagreeing with Maud’s assessment, but for once she appeared confident. The unexpected unison of the pair’s opinion of Pinkie made Rarity wonder what the long lost sibling was capable of. “So where are you going tomorrow?” It took a moment for Rarity to register the question, and another for her to shift gears and think in the new direction Maud had started down. “The post office. I need to… test something.” Maud stared. And stared. “I meant when you leave Rockstead.” “Oh.” Rarity took a quick drink of water to buy time. It wasn’t enough, so she was stuck with the inevitable truth. “I don’t know. I thought about heading to Mareami, but… it really doesn’t sound like my kind of place.” “It’s not that bad,” Maud said. “As long as you can handle the robbers. And the scam artists. And the gangs. And the retirees. I take it back, Mareami’s terrible. I wouldn’t advise going there.” “W-why…” They both turned to look at Marble, who squeaked and turned away, face bright red. With a smile, Rarity waved her hand invitingly. “Come now, Darling, don’t be afraid to ask. I won’t hold anything against you.” Fingers entwined in what was becoming a familiar display of anxiety, Marble glanced between the two of them and gave a tiny nod. “Umm, I… I was wondering w-why you… you travel in the f-first place.” As soon as the last word was out of her mouth, the impenetrable wall that was Marble’s mane shielded her face once more. “I must admit that I am curious about your reasons too,” Maud said as she refocused her unflappable stare upon Rarity. Ah, there were those butterflies again. Hello, Darlings, where have you been? Rarity considered dodging the question. Even lying seemed like an option. And yet, the more she thought on it, the more she realized it would be unfair to do either one. They’d told her their history, and Marble should be rewarded for finally speaking to the scary, gun-toting stranger. She’d have to be cautious with her answer, but that didn’t mean she had to be dishonest. Bracing for the worst, Rarity forced her lips open and let the words come out. “I… did something. Something unpleasant. I didn’t mean to, but it seems intent is of no consequence to some ponies. So now my choices are to either hide, die, or keep moving.” Not daring to get any more detailed, Rarity waited and hoped they wouldn’t ask too many questions. “Who is after you?” She groaned at Maud’s query. You just had to ask, didn’t you? Sinking a little further down in her seat, she muttered, “The Apples.” By now Rarity had come to expect a complete lack of reaction from Maud, and she was not disappointed. Marble, on the other hand, let out a quiet gasp and stared at Rarity as if she’d just said their sandwiches had been poisoned. She looked away and prepared for the lady of the house to throw her out on her tail. Instead, Maud asked, “Have you asked for help?” “Help?” Rarity leaned forward. “From who?” “The Flaming Vermillion was in town just yesterday.” A blink. Rarity felt her jaw drop. “She was?” Maud nodded. “She hates the Apples. Really hates them. She might have traveled with you if she thought it would give her the opportunity to kill some.” “I… That’s…” All Rarity’s past ideas came to a screeching halt in her brain. The last active member of the Rainbow Gang. A legend among drifters, survivor of the Battle of Ponyville, and established arch-nemesis of the Bad Apple Gang. To have somepony like that on her side… “Is she still in town?” “Probably not.” Maud focused on her meal, but before taking a bite added, “She’s known to leave as quickly as she arrives.” “Maybe I could find her.” Rarity rubbed her necklace beneath her shirt. The flame of hope in her heart grew hotter with every passing word. “Follow her, catch up, e-explain my situation. If the Bad Apple Gang thinks I’ve got her with me, perhaps they’ll back off. Then I could go wherever I wanted and settle down.” A smile was worming its way onto her face. “No more running. I could start over!” “You are excited.” Maud’s deadpan way of saying that seemed so totally contradictory to the meaning that it jarred Rarity from her momentary high. “I understand. But please calm down. You can’t find out where she went until tomorrow. If at all.” The mare had a point. Rarity closed her eyes and took a few slow, calming breaths. “Yes, you’re right of course. Tomorrow I can go into town and ask around. Maybe somepony knows which way the Flaming Vermillion went.” She bit her lip as a new, worrying thought came to mind. “Oh, I hope she’s not riding a sand lizard. I’d never catch up to her if so.” Marble stood up quietly and took her own and Maud’s plates. At her questioning glance, Rarity shook her head and grabbed her sandwich. Now that her fears had abated, her hunger was back in full force. Perhaps she could ask for another? No, too demanding. She had bread in her backpack if she really needed more. “You could buy a sand lizard,” Maud said as she blindly handed her empty glass to her sister. Yes, yes she could. Rarity certainly had the funds. But… “No. I m-mean, yes, but no. I won’t.” She wasn’t about to risk another Piecazzo. If she had to do that again… She put her sandwich back down and hid her shaking hands under the table. Maud, ever unreadable, stared at her for some time before finally asking, “Then how do you plan to catch her?” “I’ll find a way.” I hope. Apparently Maud Pie’s name held some weight, and she was willing to throw it around. When Rarity got ready to say goodbye, Maud announced that she would be heading into town with her to help her ascertain the whereabouts of the Flaming Vermillion. Rarity had tried to talk her out of it, of course, but it seemed that once Maud had made up her mind there was no changing it. So, after a kind goodbye from Marble, the two went into town together. Rarity started with a visit to the nearest post office, where she attempted to use the Message Orb Jewelbone had given her. The local manager had been dubious at first, expecting Rarity to have stolen the thing. A message was sent by magic to confirm the story of how she’d come by it. When the response came in from the ‘Boss’ of Howler’s Bank directly, however, he abruptly was bending so far back to accommodate her it was a wonder he couldn’t see his own tail. Rarity accepted his apology and left, satisfied she could contact Spike any time she need to, be it at a bank or a post office. Next, Maud brought her into the commercial district. That proved an interesting event. Rarity had anticipated ponies knowing who Maud was, but she’d not expected to see the crowds literally parting like water before her. There was no question that the mare was highly respected in this town. When she spoke, ponies listened, and it didn’t take long at all for them to get information on the Flaming Vermillion. Unfortunately, the rumor mill had made its rounds. For every pony who claimed one thing, two others would say something else. After an hour of questioning, they had ten different directions that the Flaming Vermillion could have gone. By lunchtime they’d eliminated half of those potential paths, but discovered twice as many more. Rarity came to the conclusion that further investigation would be fruitless, and Maud agreed. So now she was stuck trying to decide where she’d be going next. Maud offered to give her one more night on the house, but Rarity refused. She’d spent too long in Rockstead as it was, and the Apples may already be in town looking for her. “So,” Maud said as they walked away from the commercial district. “Have you decided where to go next?” With a long sigh, Rarity nodded. “I’ve been debating with myself for a while now. I think I’ll go west. Maybe Las Pegasus will prove a good place to lay low for a while.” Maud glanced at her. “That’s a long walk. Are you sure you don’t want a sand lizard?” A vision of a mutilated Piecazzo staring up at her with one eye, a gun barrel pressed to his forehead, shook Rarity from horn to hoof. “I’m sure. And I won’t be taking any caravans, either. Something tells me that they’d be too easy to track in a town like this. No, I’d rather get to the next town on hoof and see if I can’t join a caravan there.” “The nearest town in the west is called Sun Lake. I don’t know why. It doesn’t have a lake.” A moment’s pause. “It’ll take you about seven days to get there. That’s only a guess. I don’t know how fast you normally travel.” “I’ve enough food and water on me to last that long easily.” Rarity cast a glance at the sun from under her hat. “It won’t be a pleasant week, but I’ll make do.” “I think you’re overburdening yourself. There’s no reason not to take a sand lizard. It would cut your travel time down to three or four days.” With a deep sigh, Rarity turned to her host. “Maud, I appreciate the…” Concern? Was Maud concerned? She couldn’t tell. “Advice. Really, I do. But I assure you, I have my reasons and I know what I’m doing.” Maud’s eyes narrowed. “Do you?” Wincing, Rarity glanced away. “Okay, maybe not, not really. But I’ve made my decision.” The mare continued to stare at her. And stare. And stare some more. Rarity fidgeted, one hand rubbing her necklace. What was the pony thinking? If only Maud would be a bit more… emotional! “You should write.” Rarity’s ears perked. “Beg pardon?” Maud nodded. “Marble. She could use a pen pal. It would be good for her. She’ll worry about you if you don’t.” “Oh.” Why would Marble worry? Then again, she did seem the gentle sort. Rarity had no idea what she might say to a pony as shy as Marble, in pony or in a letter. The mare simply hadn’t given her much to go by. She supposed there was nothing wrong with trying, though. The idea sounded more appealing by the second. Spike was supporting her by correspondence. Marble could be a second point of contact. After all, there were certain things a mare didn’t wish to speak of with anypony but another mare. Not that she even knew her and Marble would ever be close enough for that kind of personal communication, but it was a thought. “Alright.” Rarity smiled and nodded. “I’ll write. It’ll be nice, having somepony to communicate with every now and then.” “Good. I’m sure Marble will be happy to hear it.” Maud looked towards the sun, shielding her eyes. “You should go soon. Do you have everything you need?” “Indeed, I do,” Rarity replied, fingers drifting across Silver Lining’s grip. She adjusted her backpack and offered her hand to Maud. “Thank you for all your help. I don’t know what I did to warrant your kindness, but it is greatly appreciated.” “You needed help. Pinkie said you deserved it.” Maud accepted the handshake, and her grip was much gentler this time – though still harder than the average stallion. “Pinkie’s usually right about these things.” “Er… right. Well, perhaps someday I’ll meet your dear sister in Hoofington.” “Maybe. Good luck. Don’t die.” And then Maud was off, walking at a slow pace back towards the Pie House. Rarity watched her go for a time, wondering about the Pie Family and its strange mares. Still, they had helped her out when she’d needed it, and she was happy to have met them.