57th of Warm Season, 1005 BA
The good news: nopony had found Rarity sleeping next to the delightfully warm Ophelia that night.
The bad news: things were not at all clearer. In fact, the rising sun woke her to a dreadful sense of finality. Cranky was still in jail, and she had no idea how she was going to get him out. He was in the wolf’s den. Rarity had enough of an ego to accept that she was a skilled gunpony, but humble enough to know better than to take on the mage capable of producing that shield in the mines. Bullets meant nothing against somepony like that.
She pondered her options while stretching out the kinks brought on by sleeping on the hard ground while squeezed within a Dust Devil’s curled form. She couldn’t just abandon Cranky to his fate, even if he encouraged her to do so – and he would. Going to Hoofington for assistance was out of the question, as it would put an end to her pursuit of Sweetie and Coco. This problem needed resolving, and it needed resolving today.
If she went into town, would she be attacked? Maybe. They had no proof she’d been out here, but they’d probably know she’d never returned to the inn last night. And with Cerulean still in the stables, they’d know she was out and about somewhere nearby. What would she do if ponies started shooting the moment she was back at Bitter Ergot?
She glanced at Ophelia, who watched her with a lone eye. “Pardon my language, Darling, but this entire situation sucks.”
Ophelia let out a low rumble and shifted her head a little closer to Rarity. She had the vague impression that the creature was agreeing. And pleading. She indulged the lizard, reaching down to scratch behind her frills. Ophelia’s eye rolled back and she let out a complacent trill. Her mouth widened in a grin full of small, sharp teeth. Rarity had never seen a sand lizard – any sand lizard – make such an expression. She smiled and decided to put both hands to the task. “Oh, you’re just precious, aren’t you? Far more pleasant than that sourpuss Cerulean.”
“What are you doing out here?”
She went for Silver Lining, whipping around in the direction of the voice. She restrained herself upon seeing Green Talon’s youngest son, a colt of maybe twelve years, standing not far from her. He carried in both his green hands a large metal bucket full of lizard feed. He studied her with an innocent curiosity, apparently not bothered at all by her aggressive reaction.
“I’m, uh…” Rarity’s mind ran circles. “…here?”
The boy nodded slowly, as if accepting some great wisdom. “Were you ‘here’ all night?”
“Er…” She shifted in place, letting go of Silver Lining in favor of rubbing her necklace. That calm comfort was nowhere to be found, of course. “Yes?”
“Huh.” As if he’d learned all he needed to, he made his way to Ophelia. He had to waddle due to the weight of his bucket, taking big, slow steps that made his dark green ponytail sway. Paying Rarity little mind and not so much as grunting with the effort, he eventually deposited the bucket before the lizard, who promptly dug in. That task complete, the boy clapped his hands as if to free them of dirt and turned to Rarity. “Knuckle Head and Sizzle Teeth were looking for you last night.”
Knuckle Head and Sizzle Teeth? Those poor colts, no wonder they’d gone bad. Assuming they were who she thought they were, that is. With a sigh, she stepped over Ophelia’s tail. “Did they say why?”
He shrugged. “Only heard half of what they said. Say, are you really a drifter gunslinger?”
Rarity raised an eyebrow at the child’s directness. “And who told you that?”
Another shrug. It seemed to be his go-to response. “Ponies in town. They say you and that donkey that supposedly killed Dad are friends.”
Supposedly? “We are,” she admitted, seeing no advantage in denying it. “Does that bother you?”
“Nope.” The answer came quick and without any emotional baggage. “He killed Dad, not you. Or so they say.”
There it was again! This time Rarity couldn’t just dismiss it. She knelt down to look the colt in the eye. “You don’t think he killed your father?”
“Oh, no. He did it,” he replied, and his expression darkened. It was a subtle thing; a faint furrowing of the brow, a slight bit of tension in the shoulders. “But I don’t think he’s a bad guy, either.” He leaned forward to peer at her. “So, are you a drifter gunslinger?”
If he wanted to be direct, she’d be direct right back. She pulled her vest aside to reveal Ruby Heart. “Yes, though I don’t want to be.”
His eyes locked onto the gun, his expression caught somewhere between concern and awe. That didn’t stop him from blurting out, “Why?”
She was starting to like this little guy. Rarity had never been fond of children, but his directness and honesty were refreshing. “Because having ponies try to kill you isn’t fun at all, and neither is killing them. What’s your name?”
“Line Walker.” His eyes flicked to hers. “Are you gonna get our water back?”
And just like that, Rarity wished this conversation were over. She cringed and let her vest fall back into place. “What makes you think I could?”
“Because Dad said the water is just turned off. He said he’d turn it back on later.”
By Luna’s starry mane, talking to this boy was like being thrown around by a tornado! Rarity leaned closer, heart pounding at this sudden revelation. “Did he happen to say how?”
That shrug nearly toppled her from her momentary pillar of hope, but she didn’t fall off just yet. “Then did he say why it had been turned off?”
Line Walker’s little face, now mere inches from Rarity’s, scrunched up as he thought about his answer. “Dad said when the water came back, we wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. Said the mayor would make us all happy.”
So Rarity’s suspicions had been right: Green Talon had been in on the scheme. But she still didn’t know what the scheme was! And Line Walker probably wasn’t privy to it beyond his father’s casual conversations intended to cheer the family up. She was convinced that mine held some sort of secret now more than ever, and it had to be something involving why the town’s river had dried up.
But that didn’t answer why the water was so important to the sheriff’s scheme.
“Uh, lady?”
She blinked, realized she was still practically muzzle-to-muzzle with Line Walker, and promptly stood up. “Sorry about that. I have a lot on my mind.”
“Oh.” Line Walker rubbed his hands together in an anxious display. “Are you gonna bust your friend out of jail?”
Rarity chuckled bitterly. “I don’t think I’m quite good enough a gunslinger to do that, Darling.”
“Oh,” he repeated, this time with a look of disappointment. “Drat. Thought I’d get to see a fight.”
You might yet. Sighing, she turned her gaze towards the hill that hid the town. “Were Knuckle Head and Sizzle Teeth angry? Will I be in trouble if I go back?”
Again with that noncommittal shrug. “Dunno. They did seem a little mad, but they’re always like that. I think it’s because they work for the mayor.”
That was hardly encouraging. She had a chance of getting into town without being an immediate target, at least. From where she stood now, she didn’t see any way of avoiding it. She had to talk to Cranky, get his input. She couldn’t figure this out on her own. She reached down to unbutton the safety on Silver Lining’s holster, then did the same with Ruby Heart.
“Can I come?”
She eyed the colt, who was now staring at Silver Lining as if it were some holy relic. “Are you that eager to see a gunfight, Line Walker?”
“Walker,” he sharply replied. “And yes. This town’s boring.”
So much for dissuading him with simple reasoning. Boys will be boys. Crossing her arms and giving him a stern look, she replied, “I’m afraid you’ll have to ask your mother. I wouldn’t dream of making the decision for her.”
He groaned and started rubbing his hands again. “She’ll say no. She always says no to the good stuff.”
“Smart mare.” Rarity patted him on the head and was rewarded with a scowl that made her grin. “Well, I’m going to head back now. You’d best hurry along if you want to get your mother’s permission before any of the ‘fun’ starts.”
He gave a little snort and crossed his arms, sulking. “Ain’t no way she’ll let me go.”
“You never know until you try.” She gave a little wave and turned away. “Tata.”
She got about five steps away before something bumped her shoulder. Startled out of her thoughts before they could properly form, she turned back to see Ophelia standing behind her. The sand lizard stared at her expectantly. “What’s this?”
“Whoa!” Line Walker ran up to her side and reached up to Ophelia. The lizard indulged him, lowering her head so he could rub the tip of her nose. “She got up. She hasn’t been away from that spot since Dad died.”
Rarity might have smiled at this were she not so confused. “That’s lovely, Darling, but why is she nuzzling me?” When she took a few steps back Ophelia promptly took one step in pursuit, easily making up the distance. “Is she… following me?”
“Huh.” The colt looked between her and the Dust Devil a few times, rubbing his hands as he did. “You were here all night, right?”
Ophelia pressed her nose against Rarity’s stomach and trilled. Perplexed, Rarity took the hint and rubbed the creature’s face and chin. “I was. She was quite warm.”
Line Walker’s shoulders sagged. “I guess she liked the company. Maybe she wants to be with you now.”
The lizard made a rumbling hum of a sound. It reminded Rarity of a cat purring. She frowned at Ophelia, who had her eyes closed and that silly, toothy smile. “But I already have a Dust Devil. And I wouldn’t want to take her from you.”
“Take her?” Line Walker shook his head, even as he stroked Ophelia’s side. “Ophy was Dad’s. Dad’s gone. I think she can pick who she’s with.”
“And what would your mother say about that?” Rarity asked firmly, despite how she continued to rub at the lizard’s face. It was oddly therapeutic, like the act alone was enough to lessen her worries a little.
“Don’t think Ophy cares what Mom thinks,” Line Walker replied in his ever-straightforward manner.
Oh, this just wouldn’t do! Slowly, Rarity released Ophelia’s face and began to step away. The sand lizard’s eyes opened wide to watch her. She got five steps away before Ophelia began to follow, uttering a soft trill as she did. Rarity stopped, and Ophelia’s nose was against her belly once more.
Line Walker met her glance with a wan smile. “She really seems to like you.”
Heaving a sigh, Rarity rubbed the lizard’s chin some more and listened to that rumbling purr. “Yes, it seems she does.” What in Equestria was she going to do with two Dust Devils?
“Just go,” the colt grumbled. “I’ll tell Mom she’s following you around. We’ll wrangle her back to the ranch later.”
That seemed like a lot of extra work for little reward, but Rarity had no time to dally around the area waiting for the boy’s family to corral the beast. With yet another sigh, she nodded. “Very well. Please tell your mother that I am deeply sorry for the imposition.”
“Eyup.” With one last pat of the lizard’s flank, Line Walker turned and went to pick up his bucket. Rarity, not wanting to lose any more time, started immediately for town. Ophelia followed, her head ever close to Rarity’s shoulder.
“You are giving me one more headache, you know that?” But Rarity couldn’t resist smiling and scratching beneath the lizard’s jaw, earning her an affectionate trill. “But I suppose I’ll forgive you.”
She had to admit, it was nice having a Dust Devil around that was friendly. She wondered if Mrs. Talon would be interested in a trade.
By the time they reached Bitter Ergot proper, Rarity had come up with no ideas beyond heading straight for the jailhouse and talking to Cranky. How fortunate, then, that her worst fears went unrealized. The few ponies wandering the dirt roads this morning didn't flee as if expecting a fight. Indeed, they paid her little mind at all, going about their business like normal. Assuming ‘dreary’ counted as normal. There wasn’t a smiling face in sight! Then again, what should she expect when the town was dying?
Since nopony seemed interested in shooting her this morning, Rarity allowed herself to relax just a little. She couldn’t consider herself entirely out of the woods though. She still had a sheriff to contend with, and any henchponies she might have with her at the station. That was an encounter Rarity wasn’t looking forward to.
No greeting, violent or otherwise, occurred when she stepped onto the porch of the police station. She took that as a bad sign.
Ophelia made a snort, not following her onto the porch. Seemed she was smart enough to know better. Feeling a touch guilty, Rarity stepped back and rubbed the tip of the lizard’s muzzle. “Don’t worry, Darling. I’ll be out before you know it.” One way or another. This seemed to placate Ophelia some, for she settled onto her belly and watched Rarity expectantly. Guessing she’d done all she could, Rarity returned her attention to the door before her.
What would be waiting on the other side? An ambush? Or perhaps that wouldn’t be necessary. Sheriff Glimmer was clearly a powerful unicorn. Perhaps she wouldn’t need more than her own horn to fight Rarity. And how would Rarity fight back?
The bitter reality was that she had no idea. She was used to fighting ponies with guns, not magic. Her own was geared almost entirely to levitation, though she was getting fairly decent at basic shields. She doubted that would be of much use against a pony like Starlight Glimmer.
Her stomach churned. She took her air in slow breaths. Looking down at her necklace, she whispered, “If you are some powerful ancient relic like Spike says, now would be a good time to give me some special assistance.” The necklace offered no response, of course.
But she still felt a little calmer. Raising her head high and sucking down one last breath, she gripped Silver Lining. “Alright, Rarity. Let’s do this. For Cranky.”
All that preparation had her ready to face just about anything… except what she met on the other side of the door. Which was nothing. Nopony waiting for her, no wall of guns, no magical fireball attempting to fry her where she stood. The sheriff’s office was calm, quiet, and empty.
With a disdainful sniff, Rarity used her magic to close the door behind her. “This is a lot more disappointing than it should be.” She really was getting too accustomed to this gunslinger role. She imagined Line Walker would have been most displeased with these results.
Granted, just because the sheriff wasn’t at the front of the building didn’t mean she wasn’t inside of it at all. Keeping a hand on Silver Lining, she prowled towards Starlight Glimmer’s office to the left. The place was neat and tidy. Starlight was a fastidiously clean and organized individual, or so it seemed from the few times Rarity had met her.
Stopping at the door, she leaned in and tried to listen for any movement on the other side. She was met with silence. After granting a considerable amount of time to make sure she wasn’t getting tricked in some way, she pulled open the door. The office was as empty as the lobby.
Had she somehow arrived when Starlight was out and about? Talk about lucky. That luck wouldn’t last, and the little pony in the back of Rarity’s head told her to hurry before it ran out. For once, she decided to follow its advice, moving quickly for the door leading to the cells in the back. The next big surprise was that the door was unlocked. Starlight had made a great show of locking and unlocking it when Rarity had visited before, giving her the impression that it was always locked.
The little pony got very quiet. Rarity didn’t blame her. For the first time since stepping on the porch, she was no longer worried about herself. She pushed the door open, cringing at the noisy squeak of the hinges. Couldn’t the sheriff have been just as fastidious about keeping the thing oiled? She paused just long enough to ensure nopony would open fire due to the noise, then stepped inside.
There was nothing unusual about the three cells. In fact, everything was as normal as could be. Cranky lay on his cot in the corner, hands clasped on his belly as he stared at the ceiling. When she approached, he turned his head to look at her and gained a smarmy smile that froze her in place. “Didn’t catch ya, I see.”
Grasping the bars, she asked, “Who didn’t catch me?”
“Them hired guns.” He shifted, set his hands behind his head, stared up at the ceiling once more. “Two of them. Looked mean and acted mean, but none too bright. Wanted to see if you’d come by sometime last night. Couldn’t get anything from me, so they ran off.”
A niggling feeling in the pit of her stomach led her to ask, “And the sheriff?”
“Glimmer?” He scowled, an expression that seemed far more appropriate on his wrinkled visage. “Naw, she wasn’t with them. Why?”
“If those goons you spoke to are who I think they are, then they caught me snooping around the old mine back at Green Talon’s place.” Noting his uncertain expression, she elaborated, “There was one right over the hill where you killed him. An abandoned mine, along the path you were taking from the river cave. I think the sheriff and her minions are planning something related to it.”
That made him sit up, albeit slowly. He swung his legs over the side of his cot and rubbed his chin. “Can you get in?”
She shook her head. “There’s a magical shield over it. Pretty sure the sheriff put it up, hence her probable involvement. In fact,” she added, looking him in the eye, “I think she’s behind everything. But I still don’t know what ‘everything’ entails. I was hoping you could help me with that.”
Cranky huffed and scratched at his left ear, making it flap about a bit. “Great. I stumbled into something I never meant to stumble into. This is what I get for trying to help ponies out a little. Tell me what you know.”
So she did, detailing her stake out of the mine and subsequent spying on the mayor and her two henchponies. It wasn’t a very long story, partially because she was trying to hurry lest the sheriff return. She also swiftly mentioned her other discoveries, including why she suspected the sheriff and Mr. Fluffed were in on it. She left out the part where she spent all night snuggled up to a pleasantly friendly sand lizard who was now following her around like a lost puppy.
He listened intently, only interrupting once or twice to ask a few brief questions. When it was all said and done, he nodded to himself. “Well, the scheme’s obvious. I’ve seen or heard of it being tried in at least three different places, but this is the first time I’ve seen it with water. Thought Hollow Shades was one, but I don’t think so anymore.”
She glowered at his confidence. “Glad you find it so easy. Would you care to enlighten me?”
“I would.” He reached into a pocket of his coat and pulled out an extract stick, them started rummaging through his other pockets for a lighter. When his search proved fruitless, he sighed. “I’d ask you for a light, but I know how you feel about these things.”
Her horn lit up, and she conjured just the slightest hint of orange magic. The spell arranged, she cast it, engulfing the end of his stick in the tiniest flash of blue. The tip promptly glowed a bright red and wafted smoke. “There you go.”
He blinked, eyed the stick’s tip, then took a small puff. “I didn’t know you could do that.”
“One of the tricks I learned while on the road,” she answered with a smile. “It was after I lost my matches in a sandstorm. Had to learn to make fire myself or freeze to death at night.”
He nodded, took another puff. “You’re adapting better than I thought you would, kid. I’m impressed.” He tapped away some ash directly onto the floor. “Now, the scheme. Basically, it’s land fraud. The water goes away, everypony has to leave. The town buys the land for dirt cheap under the guise of helping the ponies resettle. Once the whole place is emptied out, voila, water’s back! A prime trade hub is back in business, and the town can sell the land to new prospective owners for ten times what they paid.”
Rarity heard it, but she wasn’t sure she bought it. “Wait, that’s the scheme? I don’t know…”
He eyed her as if she might be holding back some dark secret. “What? You got somethin’ better?”
“No,” she admitted, sagging against the bars. “But it just seems ridiculous. There’s nothing here, Cranky. It’s just a little town. Why would ponies flock back?”
“The water is everything, kid,” he replied after taking another puff. “On this passage there ain’t any places to stop for a top off of the old H-two-oh before the next big settlement, and that’s more than a week away by sand lizard. This place is important. Without it, ponies will have to either invest in bigger caravans to handle the extra water load or take longer routes to Dodge Junction with better water access. You better believe ponies will come back, and fast.”
The more she thought about it, the more Rarity agreed with his conclusions. The buyback would make the sheriff and her assistants rich, and Mr. Fluffed would look like a genius in Spike’s eyes for sticking around and not closing the branch. It all fit well with what she’d seen so far, right up to Green Talon telling his family they’d be living well soon.
“Alright,” she muttered. “So now we know what’s going on. The question is what we are going to do about it.”
Cranky blinked, blew smoke, and said, “You mean you want to do something about it? I thought you were just trying to get me outta here.”
“Of course I want that.” She stood up tall and flicked her mane, taking on a haughty manner. “But I’m not about to let the ponies of this town get kicked out and start life anew because of Sheriff Glimmer’s greed. It would be uncouth!” She met his gaze once more, her stance firm. “Will you help me?”
He studied her for a moment with a hard scowl, like he might be judging her. Rarity didn’t flinch. By this time in her life she’d faced far more intimidating things than his unpleasant demeanor. But then he smiled – twice in under an hour! She was starting to wonder what had happened to the Cranky she used to know.
“You’re really somethin’, Miss Belle. Alright, I’m in. If you can get me out of here, that is.”
She grinned and turned for the door. “I’ll be right back, then.”
Or so she’d thought. It was an easy enough idea to grab the keys to the cells and let Cranky out. That idea floundered when she proved unable to locate said keys. She searched everywhere! All the drawers, in obvious hiding spots, even places she knew were ridiculous, such as behind picture frames. It stood to reason that Sheriff Glimmer would have the keys on her person, but surely there had to be a spare set somewhere.
If there was, it was proving elusive, and Rarity was wasting time. She spent nearly an hour in her search, every minute of the clock driving her to greater highs in anxiety. She just knew that at any moment Sheriff Glimmer would step in and she’d have to either explain herself or get into a fight. She wasn’t ready for that yet; even if she won, it would be her word against the dead body of a major figure of the community. It was not something she expected to be able to win, not yet. She needed proof!
And she wanted Cranky out of that cell. Yet the more time ticked by, the more convinced she was that she’d not be able to pull that off. She went back to the cell block in defeat.
“I don’t suppose that bone sticking out of your head can be adapted to picking locks?” Cranky asked when she imparted the news to him. At her deadpan frown he issued a long, pained sigh and lay back on his cot. “Then I’m sorry, kid, but you’re on your own.”
“But I wanted your help!” She grabbed the bars and pressed cheeks to them, watching as he settled down in apparent comfort. “Just once, I’d like to know I’m doing things with some backup. I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to do next.”
“Go back to the mine,” he replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “If the sheriff isn’t here, maybe she went to put the shield down so her ponies can do what they need to down there.”
That… made a lot of sense, actually. It would certainly explain why Starlight hadn’t returned despite Rarity having been here for nearly two hours. “But what am I supposed to do against her magic, Cranky? She’s clearly my superior in that area. I don’t know that I can beat her one-on-one, and I’m sure she won’t be alone down there.”
He set his jaw and stared at the ceiling like it held a deep and troublesome puzzle. “Only a few ways to win those odds,” he said after a while. “You either take down the magic user first, or bring your own. I suppose some enchanted bullets can help, but I doubt you’ve got anything like that.”
“No,” Rarity grumbled, “I don’t.” She really wished she had some proper ruby-tipped ammunition for Ruby Heart.
Cranky’s voice took on a hard tone. “Then hit the sheriff first, before she can get a spell off. Catch her by surprise if you can.” He met her stare with a hard glare. “Shoot to kill. Anything less is too risky. You can do that, right?”
A heavy emptiness settled in Rarity’s gut. She recalled her flight from Hoofington, when her fighting had been less about survival and more about the need to hurt somepony. Was this the same thing? Maybe not on the surface. Maybe not at all. She didn’t like it regardless.
But if she had to, she had to. Starlight Glimmer’s scheme couldn’t be allowed to proceed. Ponies were not going to be forced to start over from scratch like she had, not if she could do something about it. She could only hope that this decision didn’t lead her down a dark path beyond redemption. She pulled out Silver Lining and Ruby Heart, studying them for a good while as the consequences of her intentions filtered through her mind.
“Cranky?” she whispered. “I’ve been drifting for a while now. I’ve killed more ponies than I care to admit. This feels different.” She looked to him, found him watching her as if he’d never seen her before. “If I do this, does that mean I’m a different pony? Have I gone from surviving drifter to gunfighter?”
He stood up once more, tall and firm and focused as his eyes met hers. “You’re talking about fighting for others instead of yourself. There’s only one pony in Equestria today who still does that.”
Rarity pondered that for a moment before his meaning hit her. “The Flaming Vermillion…”
He shook his head. “No, not her. She fights only for herself.” He stepped closer, eyes narrowed. “She’s an Apple. She’s the Apple. Granddaughter of the Mighty Celadon herself.”
“An Apple?” Rarity’s shoulders drooped. “Cranky, it’s the Apples who are out to kill me.”
“Not the point,” he countered with no less resolve. “The point is, gunfighters are a thing of the past. Ever since Ponyville, it’s been seen as too risky. The age of that sort of folk is over.”
Rarity looked to Silver Lining and Ruby Heart again, then back to him. “So… you’re saying this is a bad thing?”
“No.” He shook his head. “I’m saying that what you’re suggesting you’ll become is no safer than what you’ve been. It may even be worse. Ponies chase after you now because of a grudge and a bounty. Ponies chase after gunfighters because they can.” He reached through the bars to grip her arm. It wasn’t a tight hold. More reassuring than anything. “You don’t have to do that. This doesn’t mean you become that. Don’t jump into that lifestyle without giving it some serious thought.”
At this, Rarity could only smile. “Come now, Cranky. You see what I intend to do. Help these ponies without them even asking me to. Possibly die trying. If I’m doing it now, for no other reason than I’m here and think I can, what’s going to stop me from helping the next town that needs some outside assistance?”
At that, Cranky heaved another long sigh and turned away. “That’s the thing about gunfighters. They’ve all got bleeding hearts.” He started back for his cot.
Licking her lips, eyes on the back of his head, she whispered, “I met Moonlight Raven.” He went stiff. “Was she a bleeding heart too?”
He said nothing at first. She wished she could see his face, to know what he might be thinking. When he finally spoke, she detected a hint of pain in his words. “Sometimes I think her heart bled more than anypony’s. Beware you don’t end up the same way.”
He didn’t turn back. He didn’t have to. Rarity understood that the conversation was over without having to be shown or told. Quietly, she put away her weapons and left the cells. She was only a little disappointed when he declined to say anything before she was out the door. A final peek back at his cell showed he’d not moved from that spot, as if he’d been frozen in place.
Rarity was mildly surprised to find Ophelia still waiting for her outside the station. Indeed, the Dust Devil hadn’t moved from that spot at all. The lizard raised her head and fanned her short frills, that silly smile full of teeth appearing on her muzzle. Rarity indulged her by rubbing her snout, but her mood was too dour for it to help under the circumstances.
She noted Flintlock jogging towards her from across the street and had to repress a groan. The last thing she needed was him following her around! “Not now, Flintlock. I’ve got things to do.”
He paused, brows rising as a hurt expression crossed his face. “What? Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not you,” she admitted, making her way to the stables. She’d want to have Cerulean outside the mine and ready for running if things went south. “Suffice to say it’ll be safer if you keep away.”
“Safer?” His hurt switched to concern in a heartbeat. “Are you about to get into a fight? Do you need help? I can go home and arm myself, we can—”
She turned on him so fast he almost fell in his hurry to stop. “The last time you aimed a gun at a pony, you could barely keep it pointed straight. This isn’t shooting at cans on a hill, this is shooting at ponies. It’s killing ponies. You are not ready for that, and hopefully you never will be.”
That said, she resumed her fast walk down the street, Ophelia hot on her tail. She hoped that her harshness would keep the boy at bay, but to her frustration he was soon back at her side. “Flintlock, what are you doing?”
He stared at her intently as they walked. “I’ve gotta help somehow. I still owe you for saving me out there.”
“I don’t expect you to do anything for me,” she countered hotly, her hand rubbing the nub on Silver Lining’s handle. “And what makes you think what I’m doing is even the right thing? For all you know, it could be illegal.”
His hand caught her arm. She turned to glare at him, but his serious expression didn’t budge. His forwardness was just enough to make her hesitate.
“I haven’t known you long,” he admitted, words steady and confident. “But I’ve seen enough to know that Rarity Belle, the Bulletproof Heart, only does things for the right reasons. If there’s something happening here, in my hometown, that you feel needs your intervention, then I’ll help. You would only want what’s best for Bitter Ergot.”
He had such a sweet, naïve view of her, didn’t he? If he knew what she’d done outside Hoofington… No, best not to bring that up. For now. There were other ways of dealing with this foolish colt.
“First of all, don’t call me that in public unless you want bad ponies after you. Second…” After taking a look around to see that nopony was in the area, she whipped out Silver Lining and pointed it at his head. Flintlock yelped and ducked, covering his face behind an arm.
Sighing, she replaced the gun and waited for him to dare to look at her again. “Second, if that’s the reaction you have to me pulling a gun on you, you won’t survive what is likely to happen in the next hour or so.” She strode past him, head held high. “Go home, boy. You aren’t ready.”
It seemed she’d finally got to him. She didn’t hear his hoofsteps behind her, and she didn’t look back in case such would encourage him. It was better off for both of them this way.
Such thoughts were dashed when he came running to her side again. She had to bite her tongue to keep from snapping at him. Not deigning to grant him even a glance, she acerbically asked, “Flintlock, what did I just say?”
“Won’t you at least tell me what you’re doing?”
“No.” She gave the word as much finality as she could pour into it. “That would take time, and I don’t have it.”
He rushed forward to stand before her, clearly intent on becoming a solid barrier. She’d dealt with that kind of thing before, easily sidestepping him without breaking her stride.
“Damn it, Rarity!” He was back at her side in less than a second. “Look, I get it, big bad warrior’s gotta go a-huntin’. But if you really are doing something illegal, don’t you think you need a witness at the very least?”
The suggestion dug deep into Rarity’s mind, scraping away all her defenses and reservations to find a single little chord that promptly went ‘snap’. It was like having a fireball explode in her brain. She whirled on him so fast he really did fall, which was good because if he hadn’t she’d have rammed into him. She stood over him, fists shaking and breath coming from between her teeth in sharp hisses.
“A witness?” It was a wonder the words didn’t come out as flames. “Is that what you think I am, boy? A glory hound hunting villains so that ponies can shout her name to the heavens as a hero? I don’t want this life. I want to go home and make dresses. I want to go back to my little shop in Spurhoof and never, ever look at a gun again. I want to go back to the time when I knew my most dangerous days were behind me and my greatest fear was seeing the disappointed faces of my parents. I wish that cursed Apple bastard hadn’t tried to rape me and my assistant and forced me to kill him in self-defense. And more than anything, I wish that stupid griffon had never shot me so that those Luna-damned buffalo had never spread the idea that there is such a thing as the fucking Bulletproof Heart!”
They stared at one another, him in wide-eyed shock and her a huffing engine losing its steam. Her shadow covered him, looming. She panted, mind empty now that her long-bottled fury had been let loose, if only for a moment. She spent as much time wondering what he would say as she did trying to re-apply the cork to her pent-up emotions. There could be no denying that letting herself go a bit felt good, though.
Her death-grip of Silver Lining reminded her of what would happen if she let it go on for too long.
At last, she looked up. The street was still wide open, but a few ponies had poked their heads out to watch the debacle. She cursed and backed away from Flintlock. “Wonderful, now everypony in town will know.” With a snort, she turned away from him, but didn’t start walking just yet. “Don’t follow me, Flintlock,” she snarled. “You don’t want to know what it’s like to be a threat to ponies around you just for saying ‘hello’.”
Not waiting for a response this time. She marched away, ignoring the eyes of the ponies upon her and the heavy steps of Ophelia at her back.
Flintlock didn’t appear at her side again.
Cerulean seemed pleased to be out of the stable. He wasn’t so pleased that Ophelia was following wherever they went. For her part, Ophelia didn’t seem to care about Cerulean’s cold staring one way or another. Rarity wondered why Mrs. Talon had never come along to corral Ophelia like Line Walker had said she would.
They soon reached the mine entrance. The Dust Devils probably could have fit inside even with her on them, but there would have been no room to maneuver them or turn around, so that was pointless. Besides, they would have made easy targets, and just the thought of another Piecazzo left her nauseous.
Piecazzo. She still hadn’t told Cranky what had happened to Piecazzo. The nausea came back threefold. But it was a problem for later. Right now she had a mine to investigate.
Of course, everything hinged around the idea that the shield had been lowered since last night. If it hadn’t, she’d mentally prepared herself for a fight for nothing. Still, she hadn’t seen head nor tail of Sheriff Glimmer. If that pony were out and about, Rarity had to assume she’d have come running to take Rarity down the instant her whereabouts were known to the public. Surely she had to be in the mine.
To her immense relief, Ophelia did not attempt to follow her inside. Was it proper training or an aversion to being indoors? No time to ponder that. Rarity focused her attention on the darkness ahead of her, moving slowly and with Silver Lining in hand. She wouldn’t have been surprised to find a guard at the shield this time, considering Starlight and her cohorts suspected she knew about it.
And yet, when she reached the corner and glanced through, Rarity found nothing. The shield was gone, but there was also nopony standing guard. Strange, she took Starlight as the type to be more cautious about such things. A mistake? A lack of horsepower?
A trap?
Banking on that third one, Rarity didn’t rush her way through the tunnels. Her ears remained perked, constantly swiveling about in search of noise. Her hoofsteps sounded inordinately loud in the darkness, but she had no means of masking the sound beyond her slow, careful steps. Steps that echoed. Steps that might give away her position. Steps that could go on forever…
Oh, Goddess, what if this was a trap? What if they watched her go in and raised the shield? She’d never get out. It’d be the Dragon’s Teeth all over again! She should go back, back before she got lost and—
“No,” she hissed, coming to an abrupt stop and closing her eyes tight. “Get ahold of yourself, Rarity. This isn’t the Dragon’s Teeth. You won’t be trapped. Sheriff Glimmer and her henchponies need something that is down here for their scheme. They wouldn’t seal it away just to get rid of you.”
She stood there for some time, taking slow, heavy breaths and fighting down the fear. Gradually, she opened her eyes and found she could see a little in the darkness now. That gave some relief, but only some. She had to move forward. Cranky was depending on her. An entire town needed her, whether they knew it or not.
And I need to stop talking to myself. I am trying to be sneaky, am I not?
Letting out a growl, Rarity snatched the little pony in the back of her head, hogtied and gagged her, then threw her into a closet labeled Abandoned Career. Maybe that would teach her a lesson about snark.
At last calm and back in control, she resumed her exploration. The mine was straightforward for a time, not giving her any options for direction. Any branching paths were boarded up, as evidenced by how her hand on the right wall kept running over obvious wood. Rarity had to take every step with caution, for the floor was not even at all. Lighting her horn was obviously not an option.
She was relieved, then, when a flickering light appeared up ahead. Relieved until she realized that the flickering light almost certainly indicated somepony was up ahead. At least her search had been easy. Now to just figure out a way to defeat a highly powerful magic user with nothing but her own meager horn and a pair of guns.
She could still hear no voices, but one sound did reach her ears. It took no time at all to recognize it as running water. Once she was closer to the torch in the wall, she realized that she could see the water, too. It ran down the walls in thin, wide streams and dripped from the ceiling. She applied her cupped hand so that some of the liquid could pour into it, then took a cautious sip. Fresh.
Had she ended up under the underground river? But that made no sense! She hadn’t gone down far enough… had she? Perplexed, she continued onwards, following a long trail of torches set in the walls of the mine. Now that she could see a lot better, she noticed that some of the path went through parts of the mine that had been boarded up. The former blockades of timber lay in shattered splinters along the walls with each shifting path. In some cases there were passages broken into with no torches, suggesting that whoever used this route had figured it out by trial and error.
“How long is he gonna stay down there?”
Rarity hurried to a supporting beam against the wall, back flat against the watery rock. That voice had been familiar…
“As long as he wants,” another voice replied. “They can stay down there forever.”
“I know, I’m just nervous. The longer he’s gone, the longer we go without knowing anything.”
The voices weren’t getting any closer, and so Rarity moved further down the tunnel. She hurried from pillar to pillar, the thick beams just large enough to hide her as long as she stood with her side to them. Eventually she noticed a spot ahead where the path seemed to widen out. A cavern, perhaps?
“I hear ya. And while the Boss is doing that, this damn place could come crashing in on us at any time.”
“Don’t talk like that! Now you’ve got me thinking about it, ya shit.”
The new area was right behind what appeared to have been a metal wall. Solid copper, from the looks of it, about half an inch in thickness. Whoever was in there had managed to cut through it, probably using magic given how clean the edges were. Rarity stepped through, glanced around, and promptly made her way to a large outcropping of rock along the wall nearby.
Within seconds, she realized that what she’d thought would be a cavern was actually an entirely different tunnel running at a sharp angle to the mine. The walls were smooth and shining wet in the torchlight. Smooth walls? The mine she’d been through had been all rough and random. Did that suggest a different method of creation?
“Hey, the bitch is waking up.”
So they had a captive. Rarity grimaced, realizing that this situation just got a lot harder. Who would it be, Green Talon’s widow? Avoiding any puddles and stepping lightly, Rarity followed the line of torches along the wall. This tunnel was at least three times the width and height of any in the mines, so she had no trouble seeing that there was something up ahead. Another wall set right across the path. This one didn’t look the same as the rest of this place, though. Sandy, and full of boulders. An artificial wall, perhaps?
As she got closer, she could make out ponies walking around the wall. Despite having not seen them too well the night before, Rarity was sure these two were the same ponies she’d spied on. The big, muscle-bound pony had to be Knuckle Head, if she were to guess, which meant the skinny, long-legged one had to be the atrociously named Sizzle Teeth. They approached a pony bound to a plain wooden chair and gagged. Rarity realized with no small shock that their captive was Sheriff Glimmer, who sported a black eye.
At least now she knew she wouldn’t have to defend herself against a mighty mage after all. This made things so much simpler. She was tempted to laugh at how afraid she’d been before. Granted, the two ponies still had guns, but at least she was familiar with those. If Starlight Glimmer wasn’t part of their scheme… who was the real leader?
Starlight met the stallions’ approach with a glare that could have melted iron. Now that Rarity was paying her full attention, she noticed a black ring on the unicorn’s horn. She’d never seen such a thing, but she’d heard of them. Tartarus Stone. Its anti-magical properties would prevent Starlight from using any magic, regardless of how powerful she was. Where had a bunch of uncouth brutes like these gotten ahold of something as rare as that?
Paying Starlight’s venomous stare no mind, Sizzle Teeth stepped behind her and loosened the cloth gag. “Finally ready to talk, Sheriff?”
The captive mare wasted no time. “You cretins are gonna pay for this! When I get free, I am gonna rip your hides off!”
“That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?” Knuckle Head asked conversationally. “I mean, I punch you out, you rip my hide off. Ain’t even a little fair.”
“Shut up!” The sheriff squirmed in her bonds ineffectually, kicking her legs as if she hoped to strike his knees. “I didn’t survive the worst Seaddle has to offer just for some hillbilly meatheads to get the best of me! Let me go this instant!”
Her efforts were rewarded with a backhand from Knuckle Head. The force of the blow made her head twist sideways, and even from fifty feet away Rarity could see the blood on her lip. “Keep it up, Sheriff. I’ll introduce you to some more pain for your trouble.”
Sizzle Teeth, not noticing Rarity as she moved closer, leaned heavily over Starlight’s shoulder. “Come on, there’s no need for all this struggle. All we want to know is where your little outsider friend is.”
Starlight’s brow knitted up in confusion. “The outsider? What’s she got to do with this?”
Another backhand from Knuckle Head. “Don’t play dumb. We know you hired that unicorn drifter to keep tabs on us last night. Now where is she?”
“I didn’t hire her to do shit,” Starlight snapped back before spitting a wad of blood to the side. “She decided to look into Green Talon’s death on her own because that damn donkey’s her friend. I haven’t even seen the mare since yesterday afternoon.”
Sizzle grabbed Starlight by the horn and jerked her head back, hard. She hissed as her neck stretched taught. He raised a knife to her throat. “That aint’ what we wanna hear, Sheriff.”
“What do you expect me to tell you?” she growled back, seemingly undaunted by the blade nicking her skin. “Why would I hire some outsider to look into you guys? I could have easily done it myself!”
“As if we understand the minds of law ponies,” Knuckle Head said with a roll of his eyes. “You folk don’t never make no sense.”
“That’s rich coming from the likes of you,” Starlight countered. She eyed Sizzle with a scowl. “Look, we all know where this ends. If you’re gonna kill me, just fucking do it already.”
Knuckle Head frowned, eyes narrowing as he studied her. “Ain’t you afraid to die?”
She scoffed. “I used to be somepony important! When I was in Seaddle, there were ponies that served my every whim! Now what am I? A sheriff in some dying backwater. You ask me, my life ended three years ago.”
The stallions shared thoughtful looks. Sizzle grinned and pulled the knife from her throat, but didn’t let go of her horn. “Alright, so we can’t scare ya into talking with that. No problem, we got other methods.”
Starlight rolled her eyes. “Right. So now what, you gonna talk me into submission?”
“I was thinking something more direct,” Sizzle replied casually. He set the edge of his knife to the base of the sheriff’s horn. “You’re a big magic pony, right?”
Her eyes grew to the size of saucers. “You wouldn’t.”
By now Rarity had maneuvered herself through the rocks and debris to within ten feet of the ponies. Seeing what was coming stole her breath. Where they really going to cut off Starlight’s horn? The very idea filled her with a fresh horror accompanied by a sickening twist of her guts. It was the only fate she could think of that would rival being raped, and she couldn’t let them do it.
Knuckle Head laughed at Starlight’s expression. “That got her attention! Hey, Sizzle, how many saws you think it’ll take before I can knock the whole horn off with a punch?”
“Only one way to find out,” Sizzle declared gleefully.
“No.” Startlight wriggled and kicked, but was unable to prevent the knife from being placed on her horn once again. “Stop. Don’t!”
Rarity leapt up from behind the cover of a large pile of dirt, Ruby Heart and Silver Lining aimed and ready. “Let her go, you—”
A brief rumbling was the only warning she had, and then the ground disappeared from beneath Rarity’s boots. She cried out as she fell, landing stomach-first on the edge of a brand new hole in the ground. Before she could properly get her bearing, something big and hard grabbed the back of her head and slammed her face into the rocks. Stars exploded in her vision and the world swam. She raised her weapons, but her head smashed into the stones again before she could fire.
The world spun, and for a little while everything was a daze. She could feel herself being lifted by the waist and dropped back onto the ground somewhere nearby. Voices swirled through her head, muffled and noisy and meaningless. The little pony in the back of her head poked its face out of the closet to let her know that she had a concussion. That was useful information, so she let the little pony out as a reward.
A blink. A shake of the head. Rarity was just able to make out her position. It seemed she’d been set against the artificial wall a couple feet to the side of Sheriff Glimmer. She looked up at the sheriff. “Oh. Hello. What are you doing here?”
Starlight appeared worried for some reason. “Are you okay?”
Rarity shrugged. “The little pony says I have a concussion. A minor thing. Sure I’ve had worse.”
“Right.” The sheriff turned her attention away, her eyes narrowing. “Thanks for the rescue attempt, I guess.”
“Rescue attempt?” Another few blinks. Rarity at last followed her gaze, noticing the two stallions staring at her with leers that made her want to close her legs tight. She hated those expressions. But what really caught her attention was the Diamond Dog between them, wearing nothing more than some dirty brown pants. “Ah. Mr. Fluffed. What happened to the tacky suit?”
The bank manager gave her a toothy grin. “Mr. Fluffed knew drifter pony would figure out dog’s plan. Good questions. Good ears.”
“Thanks?” She sat up, not paying much attention to how the two stallions reacted by pointing her own guns at her. She shook her aching head in a fruitless attempt to clear it. “My apologies, Sheriff.”
Starlight Glimmer eyed her warily. “For what?”
“For…” Rarity frowned, trying to snatch a stray thought. It eluded her like the most adept of butterflies. At last she gave up and said, “I have no idea, but I feel like I owe you an apology, so there it is.”
“Uh, thanks?” Starlight sighed and looked to their captors. “You might just wanna sit back and relax until they kill us.”
Despite the throbbing headache, a grin came unbidden to Rarity’s lips. “Oh, they won’t be killing us. Those are my guns. They can’t kill me with my own guns. It’s a rule.”
Knuckle Head chuckled and pointed Ruby Heart at her. “Why don’t we test that?”
“Plus they haven’t taken time to monologue their evil scheme,” Rarity added pleasantly. “I mean, what proper villain skips that part?”
Now it was Sizzle who laughed. “I like this mare. You sure we can’t keep her?”
“And do what with her?” Knuckle Head asked with no small amount of disdain. “Stop thinking with your balls. When this is over we can buy all the mares we want.”
While they bickered, Rarity decided it would be a good opportunity to ready a spell. Now, which one? Something familiar…
“Enough for now, ponies,” Mr. Fluffed growled. “Drifter pony has been caught. Sheriff pony, too. Kill them now. No more worries.”
Ah! Shield spell. Perfect. Hold on… “So you are the leader of these rubes?” she asked the Diamond Dog. “Not the mayor?”
Mr. Fluffed flashed his toothy grin. “Surprised?”
“More like disappointed.” She shook her head, which had the unfortunate effect of making the caverns spin and agitating her headache. She wobbled sideways but managed to stay upright… barely. “Spike had me thinking you were all good employees of the bank. Poor Spikey, he’ll be mortified when he finds out.”
The bank manager’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. “Y-you know Boss’s real name.”
“Did I tell you?” She blinked, cocked her head. “No, really, did I? I’m not exactly sure.”
A low grumble of a growl arose from Mr. Fluffed’s throat. “The Boss can’t know. Kill her. Kill them both!”
Sizzle and Knuckle Head obliged, firing at both ponies with a combination of Rarity’s guns and their own. How fortunate that she still had her shield spell readied in her head, especially since she’d briefly forgotten why she was doing so. It came up in a flash of blue, sending bullets ricocheting through the tunnel. The villains did a little dance as some shots struck the ground around their hooves.
Rarity was too busy cringing to care. Deflecting shots with a shield spell while having a concussion was proving to be a poor combination. It was enough to make her forget step two of her plan, albeit briefly. When her vision cleared, the shield was gone, more due to her loss of concentration than their bullets. She tried to stand, but her legs wobbled as the world spun some more and the fire in her skull intensified. Already, the two stallions were getting ready for a second attempt.
“Hey, morons!”
Everypony and dog paused. All eyes went to the entrance of the mines. Rarity’s jaw dropped at the sight of Flintlock, shaking in his boots and trying in vain to aim a rifle at the bad guys. He fired a lone shot that went laughably off the mark.
Mr. Fluffed snarled and pointed at the intruder. “Gun the pony down!”
Rarity was on her hooves… somehow. “Flintlock, run!”
He nearly dropped his rifle as a shot hit the wall over his shoulder. Wide eyed and pale, he tried to take aim again. The fool didn’t even have enough sense to get behind cover!
The little pony in Rarity’s head helpfully slammed part two of her plan back into place, and she promptly turned to Starlight. The mare was still tightly bound to her chair, magic nulled by the ring on her head. How fortunate it was that Mr. Fluffed had neglected to tie Rarity up as well. “Sheriff?”
Starlight, who had been watching the joke of a gunfight with a grim expression of surrender, looked up at her. “Yeah?”
“Make me a dog-skin coat.” Rarity plucked the ring off.
The sheriff’s eyes went cross as she looked up at her horn.
Then she gained a predatory grin. In an instant, her ropes snapped and fell to the floor. She jumped to her hooves as an intense aura of turquoise light emanated from her horn. As her eyes settled on the backs of their brief captors, she let out a snarl that would have made Cerulean back away. The others noticed this at the last minute, and every one of them went white as a sheet.
Rarity’s eyes landed on Silver Lining and Ruby Heart, and her own heart hit her throat. She spun to Starlight, paying no heed to the bout of pain it caused. “Please don’t hurt my guns!”
A bolt of lightning-like energy shot from Starlight’s horn, striking Mr. Fluffed first and branching from him to Sizzle and Knuckle Head. The three shrieked in agony as their bodies convulsed. As soon as the bolt stopped, a small beam landed amongst the trio and exploded in a shockwave that sent them flying in different directions. The two stallions struck their respective walls, bodies splaying out like flies just hit by a swatter before tumbling to the floor. Mr. Fluffed was propelled into the deeps of the tunnel, landing somewhere beyond the light of the torches.
For a time, everything was silent. Starlight didn’t even appear winded from her massive attacks, glaring at where the Diamond Dog had disappeared with an intense scowl. Rarity stared at her smoking horn, now fully aware of just how outclassed she was by this pony. “That was… something.”
“That was nothing, except a relief.” Starlight pointed just over Rarity’s shoulder. With a crackle and a flash, Silver Lining and Ruby Heart appeared, levitating in the air. Rarity eagerly took them back. “I haven’t used my magic like that in ages.”
Rarity decided they could celebrate and talk later. First… “Flintlock? Are you—”
A loud splash overwhelmed her words. On her left came a thick stream of water cascading from the wall behind them. Starlight and Rarity shared wide-eyed looks, then turned about. Another section of wall became a watery torrent. Then another. Then a fourth.
“It’s the river. Those fools dammed up the river!” Starlight grabbed Rarity’s shoulder and pulled. “Run!”
Rarity didn’t need to be told twice! The two of them charged for the exit as the wall’s structural collapse hastened. Starlight didn’t have her speed, so she grabbed the mare’s hand and pulled her along as best she could. “Cranky, if we live through this I will kill you!” She looked back in time to see the dam break apart completely, a wall of water rushing at them. “Diamond Dogs should be able to make better dams, damn it!”
The noise was deafening, a cascading cacophony that grew louder by the second. Rarity pumped her legs for all they were worth, even as she knew they’d never make it out of the tunnels in time. She could only hope she wouldn’t get smashed to pieces against the walls. Her body twisted as she fought to make the turn into the exit, only for her mind to freeze up at the sight of Flintlock on the floor.
Starlight flew past her an instant later. “Don’t stop, go, go, go!”
Rarity pulled herself out of her shock, but couldn’t bring herself to leave the boy behind. She grabbed him with magic and her arms in tandem, cringing at the blood, and dragged him into the tunnel. She got only a couple steps in before the massive wall of liquid smashed into her back and sent her tumbling head-over-heels.
Her immediate thought was to try to keep herself oriented forward. That proved her ignorance of the situation; her body spun about wildly and so quickly that she soon lost all sense of orientation. When her shoulder smacked hard against something she had no way of knowing if it was floor, wall, or ceiling. It might even have been a piece of dislodged wood or stone. The world was darkness and noise and chaos and the ever-present throb of pain in her head.
Rarity flailed at first, desperate to grasp something that might make sense of the world. She abandoned that idea entirely the third time her legs struck the wall and sent her tumbling in an even more chaotic manner. She had to protect herself, and so she tucked her body into as tight a ball as she could, head between her knees and arms wrapped around her legs. In this form she bounced around solid rock like some giant’s toy ball, her body screaming with agony from every fresh impact.
That pain was soon dwarfed by the sting in her lungs. Maybe she could revise her expectations. Drowning might be better than being turned into a smear against the tunnel walls. Her chest made its opposition to this idea known, but she didn’t dare come out of her tight posture, not with the water still raging. As her lungs burned like a pair of hot coals, she wondered if Sweetie and Coco would be okay without her. And Cranky, still in his cell. Would ponies figure things out, or would he be sent to Hoofington to hang despite everything? And her parents, sent on a journey to a distant town with every expectation of her meeting them there. How long before they started to realize?
Just when her lungs were reaching their breaking point, the rush of water faded. In an instant, she righted herself and swam. Her hands bumped something she hoped was the wall, and a moment later her head burst from the water’s surface – whacking against the ceiling of the tunnel in the process. The sting added to the her already present pain to force a hiss through her teeth. Rubbing the back of her skull and sucking down greedy lungfuls of precious oxygen, she thanked the Sisters, both individually and together, for her ongoing survival.
The world was black, but Rarity could feel via her hand still on the wall that the water level was falling. Brushing her mane from her face, she waited until her boots touched solid ground to start walking forward. Her entire body burned from the brutal treatment it had been through, but nothing felt broken. Once the water was low enough she dropped to her knees, then lay on her back and just stared at the darkness, sucking in air and rejoicing in yet another escape from seemingly unavoidable death.
Someday, Rarity, your luck is going to run out.
The water continued to recede, until she was left a sopping mess of a pony in the middle of a dripping, black tunnel. When the fire in her lungs finally faded to mere ashes and the throbbing in her skull became mere background noise, she dared to light her horn. This didn’t cause her any extra pain, so she sat up and brightened its glow.
Naturally, she was still in the mines. Exactly where in the mines, she couldn’t be sure. It was entirely possible the waters had sent her smashing through the old wooden barricades she’d passed by on the way in. This idea nearly stopped Rarity’s heart. What if she was trapped down here forever? She’d starve. She’d dehydrate! She’d… no. She reached up with both hands to her necklace and rubbed it, quietly begging for its soothing mental balm. Her mind did indeed keep the panic at bay, and for once she was perfectly willing to accept the jewelry as the reason.
Slowly, legs shaking, she climbed to her hooves. She looked one way, then another. “Sh-Sheriff? Are you out there?”
There came an echo of a groan in the distance. “Ms. Belle? That you?”
“Yes!” The fear dropped down significantly as Rarity’s entire body went limp. “Oh, thank the moon and stars! Are you okay?”
“I feel like I’m part fish,” Starlight called back. “My arm’s broken. Other than that, I’m okay. You?”
“Just sore.” Rarity started walking, leaning heavily against the wall of the tunnel. “Hold on, I’m making my way to you.”
In truth, her direction was a guess; it was hard to determine exactly where Starlight’s voice was coming from with the echo. They called to one another a few more times however, and soon Rarity was certain of her direction. She was relieved to find that while the flood had indeed washed her through a branching path in the tunnel, it hadn’t taken her very far in. She found Starlight standing with her back to the wall and holding her right arm tight to her side, appearing as sodden and feeble as Rarity felt.
Even so, the sheriff gave a wan smirk when Rarity approached. “I know you drifter types like to have fun, but the next time you decide to go swimming please leave me out of it.”
Pausing to rest against the opposite wall, Rarity returned the smile. “Spoilsport.”
They shared a companionable silence for a short time, both taking the opportunity to catch their breaths. Eventually, Starlight asked, “What were you doing down here?”
“Looking for you,” Rarity admitted, averting her gaze. “To be honest, I, um, thought you might have been the one responsible for all this. I was quite startled to see that you’d been kidnapped.”
Starlight moaned and pressed her good hand to her forehead. “Great. Ponies don’t even know me and still think I’m up to no good.”
That prompted a raised eyebrow from Rarity. “What did you do that was so bad?”
“That’s a story for another day,” the sheriff replied without heat. She issued another groan and stood up from the wall. “Water’s flowing that way, so the exit’s probably this way.”
Rarity followed her through the darkness, the combined light of their horns making it easy to see their path. They stumbled and leaned on one another, Rarity keeping one arm around Starlight’s shoulder as a means of support. As they traversed the increasingly familiar passage, she glanced back the way they came. “Do you think Mr. Fluffed and his goons are dead?”
“Probably.” Starlight eyed herself, then Rarity. “Then again, I don’t know how we survived. Maybe they did, too. I’ll gather up a search party once we’re back in town.”
A mare’s work was never finished, it seemed. Rarity wondered if she shouldn’t help. Then again, she had a sister and close friend to rescue. And a lot of pain to deal with. “I think the first order of business is to get a doctor.”
“There are no doctors in Bitter Ergot,” her companion muttered darkly. “He left town two weeks ago, the damn profit monger.”
Rarity frowned at this, but came to a solution within seconds. “Cranky’s got experience in field medicine, or so he once told me. He can help. Assuming you’re willing to let him?”
Starlight caught her meaning immediately and nodded. “Yeah, he’s free to go. Knuckle Head and Sizzle were talking about how Green Talon was in on their scheme from the beginning. From the way they talked, it looks to me like he attacked your friend to keep him from finding the mine. Besides,” she added with a grim smile, “you saved my life back there. I owe you one.”
“Thank you.” They turned a corner, and Rarity was relieved to see the circle of light marking the exit. For once, something proved easy. “I can’t wait to put this behind me and get back to finding my sister and friend.”
The grim smile became a knowing smirk as Starlight eyed her. “You intend to take your little boy toy with you?”
“Boy toy?” Rarity laughed at the idea. “Surely you don’t mean—wait.” She slowed to a stop, letting go of Starlight as she turned to stare at the darkness.
“Where’s Flintlock?”
The search party found him in one of the side tunnels. Aside from the three bullet holes in his body, he’d hit his head in the flood hard enough to crack his skull. Even if he’d been alive when the flooding ended, he’d never stood a chance of surviving before they discovered his body. Rarity sat at Starlight’s desk, head in her hands and tears in her eyes. She couldn’t get Mr. Stock’s sobs out of her ears. Mrs. Stock had been far worse. She’d not said a word, but the look she’d given Rarity – a perfect combination of disappointment and weariness – tore at her heart.
“I t-told him not to come,” she muttered through her ragged breaths. Her voice was quiet, and she hadn’t yet broken into full of crying. “The fool. Did he not listen to a word I said?”
Cranky stood at her side, his hand on her shoulder. “It’s not your fault, Ms. Belle.”
“I know it’s not,” she growled without much force. “That doesn’t make me feel any less responsible.” Leaning back heavily in her chair, she let out a low moan. “I thought he would stay behind. I thought… Cranky, he was so naïve.”
The old donkey didn’t look at her, instead staring at an empty space on the wall. His characteristic grim frown was back, a firm mask against whatever he might be feeling. “You weren’t much different once. Some ponies…” He swallowed audibly. “Some make it. Some don’t. That’s just how it is.”
Sheriff Glimmer sat in her chair opposite them, arm in a sling. She gave Rarity a sour look. “I don’t think that’s very comforting, codger.”
“Not meant to be comforting,” he replied. But then he glanced at Rarity and his face softened. “Sorry.”
It sounded gruff, but she knew he meant it, so she reached up to grasp his wrist to let him know that. She didn’t pay too much attention to either of them, though. She thought about the last twenty-four hours, how she’d helped the remaining townsfolk search the abandoned mines. They found Sizzle and Knuckle Head first, both still floating in the section of river connected to the mine. The bodies had been fished out immediately, but still everypony agreed to boil their water for the next couple months before using it for anything. None had recalled the mine having met with the river, but then the mine predated everypony living there by some four hundred years.
Yet the water was flowing again. Bitter Ergot was back on the map as soon as word could get out. It seemed a pitiable reward for the death of a colt on the edge of becoming a stallion. Rarity hadn’t even been the one to find Flintlock’s body, a point that bothered her far more than it probably should.
Of Mr. Fluffed, there was no sign. Rarity would have to send a letter to Spike about him. Once she was up for it.
“I know things seem down.” Starlight leaned forward to meet Rarity’s gaze, her expression full of concern. “I get that. But don’t forget what you’ve done for Bitter Ergot. The ponies of this town owe you a debt of gratitude. They’ll remember that. I sure will.”
Rarity rubbed her eyes clean and blew her nose on the handkerchief she’d been given. “I… I appreciate that. Really, I do. I guess I’m just not in the mood to be cheered up right now.”
The sheriff and deputy shared a glance, hers despondent and his grim, and said no more. The office lapsed into silence, which Rarity welcomed. She couldn’t get Flintlock’s grin out of her head. His eagerness to please, his laidback manner, his complete lack of comprehension regarding the dangers he’d been warned about. A good boy, and an innocent one. There was so much he could have done with his life. And then he met her.
Maybe he would have been better off if she’d left him in the wilds to fend for himself.
“Hello? Is anypony in here?”
Rarity tensed up. Her hand reached for Silver Lining.
Not noticing this reaction, Starlight groaned and stood. “I’ll deal with it. You two stay in here.”
“But—” Cranky’s argument was silenced when Rarity caught his arm in a white-knuckled grip. She shook her head slowly. He noticed her hand on her gun and nodded.
Still unaware of their silent communication, Starlight opened the door to her office, stepped out, and closed it again. Rarity immediately got up and stood by the door, ears perked and listening intently. Cranky joined her, gripping his revolver in its holster.
The familiar, feminine voice asked, “Are you the sheriff?”
“Yes,” Starlight replied gruffly. “I’m Sheriff Glimmer. Is there something I can help you with?”
“I hope so. I’m looking for somepony.”
Cranky shot Rarity a questioning look. She shook her head again. Explaining now was out of the question, not with her enemy so close. She’d had enough excitement for one week.
The newcomer maintained a friendly tone. “You might have heard of her. Goes by the Bulletproof Heart.”
Cranky’s eyebrows shot up. He examined Rarity as if seeing her for the first time. That high-browed, startled expression had Rarity simmering, but still she kept her mouth shut.
Starlight’s tone grew frustrated. “Look, lady, I just got finished putting the town’s mayor in jail. I’ve got a lot more important things to do right now than entertain some outsider’s pointless search for legendary ponies that don’t exist.”
“Don’t tell me she doesn’t exist,” the stranger snarled. “That bitch shot me and killed my stud! The Bad Apples want her, so you better be able to help me.”
A long, tense silence followed. Rarity raised her weapons. She couldn’t believe that Cayenne would be here now of all times. If she fought, would the entire town of Bitter Ergot become a target for the gang?
Starlight spoke, anger and hesitation mixed in her voice. “You’re with the Bad Apple Gang?”
“That’s right,” Cayenne replied aggressively. “We tricked that mare into coming this way. We know she was headed here, and we’ve had an ambush waiting for her in the route to Dodge Junction for the last three days. She didn’t show, and I want to know why.”
A trick? Rarity’s heart sank at this notion. It might mean that Coco and Sweetie hadn’t been brought this way. And if that was the case… Where they lost forever? She thought of her dear little sister in chains, working for those brutes. Or Coco, who was such a delicate thing. Two young mares being led around by a bunch of grungy gang members, the things that might be done to them…
“Alright,” Starlight said, sounding understandably weary. “Can I at least get a description of her?”
“White unicorn. Purple mane. Rides a blue Dust Devil. Carries a silver-and-blue revolver and a red pistol.”
No, it wouldn’t come to that. Cayenne was here. She beat the mare twice, she could do it a third time! And this time she’d force the foul mare to bring her to her sister and Coco. Whatever it took, she’d—
Her intentions must have been painted on her face, for Cranky abruptly leaned heavily against the door and pressed a hand to her shoulder. He shook his head firmly and pressed a finger to his lips.
“The mare did come into town,” Starlight admitted. “Don’t know where she is now, though.”
Rarity jumped up, Ruby Heart aimed at Cranky in warning. He didn’t so much as flinch. She mouthed for him to move. He replied by lowering his head and setting his shoulders, daring her to act with his eyes.
“You better be telling me the truth, Sheriff,” Cayenne snarled. “We want that pony dead, and we’ll take down anypony who gets in our way to do it. This little town isn’t exactly ready to defend itself.”
“I’m not lying.” If Starlight felt threatened by Cayenne’s words, her tone certainly didn’t show it. “Look, why don’t you talk to our mayor? She’s back there in a cell. It was your Bulletproof Heart that put her back there. She’ll tell you what she can, then you can go around asking the citizens in town. But I’m too busy dealing with the local meltdown of Bitter Ergot’s most prominent citizens to be paying attention to the goings on of a single outsider.”
Gun still aimed at Cranky, Rarity glanced at the wall from which the voices were coming. What was Starlight doing? Protecting her, certainly, but she wasn’t clear on the how of it. Maybe she intended to ambush Cayenne while she was talking to the former mayor?
After some grumbling that could be heard despite the wall, Cayenne finally replied, “I’ll do that. But if this is some sort of trick—”
“I have no intention of letting this town become another Ponyville,” Starlight barked. “I’m busy. You’re busy. So can we please just get this over with?”
“Fine. I’m headed back there. You stay here. I won’t have you coaching the mayor or anything. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
Casting one more glare at Cranky, Rarity slowly lowered her gun and waited. He watched her warily for a few seconds, then carefully backed away. Not a second later, the door to the office opened and Starlight rushed in. She started at seeing her two guests by the door, but recovered quickly. “You heard?”
“Indeed.” Rarity glanced through the open door, but saw no sign of Cayenne. “I take it you have a plan?”
“Yeah. You stay here.” The sheriff turned to Cranky. “You. Go through town and warn everypony. They’ve got to get their stories straight, and now. Rarity came to town, solved the problem with the Mayor and Mr. Fluffed, then went back into the Bowl. Get as many ponies as you can to spread the word.” She hurried to her desk and tossed him a badge from one of the drawers. “Use that to convince ponies. Go, now, you don’t have much time.”
Cranky caught the badge and was out the door without so much as a word.
“No.” Rarity made for the door to the jail. “Cayenne knows where Sweetie and Coco are. I need to get the information now, before—”
Starlight caught her wrist and jerked her back. “You’re staying in my office.”
An instant later, the barrel of Silver Lining was pressed under Starlight’s chin. Her eyes widened, and Rarity delivered all her frustration and dedication through her eyes. “They have my sister. Cayenne knows where she is. I’m going in there.”
Very slowly, Starlight raised her good hand up as if in surrender. She spoke slowly, carefully. “Listen to me, please. You fighting that mare puts this entire town at risk. We can’t take a raid right now, it would destroy us.”
From what Rarity had seen, that was probably true. She grit her teeth, eyes drifting to the door to the jail. Was an entire town worth the lives of her sister and Coco?
“Wait in my office,” Starlight insisted, her voice pleading. “I’ll go with her. I promise, I’ll figure out where your sister is. Nopony has to die today.”
“I…” Could Starlight do that? What if she couldn’t? Coco and Sweetie would be lost for good. But if she did go after Cayenne, would the Bad Apple Gang respond? The little pony in the back of her mind was frantically begging her to lower her gun and go with Starlight’s plan. Starlight could fail, though. She needed to do something. Something more than just waiting.
Gradually, Starlight lowered her arm to her side. “You’ve done good by this town. Please, don’t ruin that. If you really are the Bulletproof Heart, then be what the stories say you are.”
Rarity met her gaze, all her inner arguments having gone quiet. “W-what do the stories say the Bulletproof Heart is?”
“From what I’ve heard?” Starlight didn’t smile, but her eyes shone with respect. “A noble mare.”
A second passed. Rarity tightened her hold on Silver Lining, but her ears folded back as doubt ate at her. “Nobility won’t save my sister and my friend.”
“It might yet.” The sheriff took a daring step forward. “Look at what you’ve done for this town. Imagine that happening Equestria-wide. You’re the start of something good. Don’t end that here.”
Rarity sagged and let her hand drop. “I’m not a hero, Starlight.”
Tentatively, as if afraid of retaliation, Starlight reached out to grip her shoulder. “Maybe Rarity isn’t,” she whispered. “But the Bulletproof Heart could be, if you give her a chance.”
She shook her head. “Don’t make me out to be better than I am. Heroes don’t exist in Equestria anymore. Not since Ponyville.”
“That may be so. But what I’ve seen of you so far is pretty heroic.” Starlight gestured to her office, her expression pleading once more. “Let me do this. I promise, I’ll find out what you need to know.”
A hero. Surely Starlight didn’t really think that. Rarity certainly didn’t see anything heroic in herself. But she’d lost her energy, that precious momentum that kept her going no matter what. If she went after Cayenne now, the consequences for Bitter Ergot could be terrible. No matter how much she wanted to act, Sweetie and Coco wouldn’t want to be rescued at the expense of an entire town.
The death of Flintlock was already on her conscience. That was more than enough for her right now.
She turned to the office door, but paused. “Why don’t you ask Mr. and Mrs. Stock how heroic they think I am?”
Starlight had no response. Rarity hadn’t expected one.