“We’ve reached the border of Araphen,” Hector announced to the group as they crested a hill. He pointed down as the rest of the group gathered around him. “We can rest at the inn tonight.”
Fluttershy looked down to where he was pointing. At the bottom of the hill stood a quaint, two-story building constructed mainly of wood but with a touch of brickwork and a stable set right next to it. A plume of smoke rose from its brick chimney. The building stood out prominently against the lush green landscape and rocky hills all around them for miles. It looked very homey.
“Finally! We can sleep in a real bed!” Rainbow Dash wailed, collapsing to the ground. She breathed a few short, ragged breaths, her face redder than an apple and wings dropping at her sides. “Camping is one thing, but going three whole days doing nothing but walking and without a real bed is just torture!”
“I gotta concur,” Applejack said. She didn’t look much better than Dash and the tired slur to her words certainly reinforced that notion. She shook her head, casting away some of that tiredness. “Ah didn’t think it’d get this rough.”
Twilight just nodded her agreement, also looking quite exhausted.
Fluttershy wasn’t feeling much better herself. She’d been camping a number of times, but this was a brand new, very arduous experience. Her legs felt about ready to buckle from all the stress she’d been putting on them— three whole days of walking would certainly do that to a pony, even one who was used to it more than flying such as herself.
She glanced to the fox snoring softly on her back. He had fallen asleep a few hours ago and was quite clearly content with himself. She lightly stroked his head, causing him to twitch his tail in response.
It suddenly dawned on her that she hadn’t given him a name. After a couple of moments of thought, she decided Rusty sounded nice.
“Well, lucky for you all, we have enough coin to afford several beds,” Hector announced. “But savor it while you can; the next inn on our route won’t be for a while.” He turned towards Fluttershy, his eyes fixated on Rusty. “Animals aren’t allowed in inns, sorry to say.”
“Oh, um, that’s okay,” Fluttershy replied. She gently nudged Rusty, bringing the fox out of his slumber. He stared back at her with confusion and slight annoyance in his eyes. “Sorry, Rusty, but you’re gonna have to stay outside until morning. Be safe, okay? And don’t wander too far away.”
Rusty yawned before hopping off of Fluttershy’s back and scampering away. It disappeared in a small cluster of bushes nearby, out of sight.
“You named it Rusty?” Hector asked.
Fluttershy nodded. “I think it’s a cute name.”
“You ponies have strange definitions of cute,” Serra remarked. “‘Rusty’ sounds more grizzled than cute.”
“Well, we are from an alien world,” Twilight pointed out. “And besides, it would be boring if our worlds were too similar. Studying the differences between them is what makes this journey so exciting. I’ve already learned so much just in a few days!”
“I… suppose so,” Serra replied.
The group made their way down the hill. The sun was just below the horizon by the time they reached the inn, filling the sky with the brilliant pink and orange hues of twilight. Florina split from the group to take Huey and the supply wagon to the stable while everyone else went inside.
Fluttershy was pleased to see the inn’s interior was every bit as nice and inviting as the exterior. Directly in front of them was a receptionist desk with a bored-looking human woman with long brown hair sitting behind it. To their left was a seating area sporting a number of chairs and a small fireplace with a fire crackling inside it. A man with brown hair and a mustache sat in one of the chairs, facing toward the fireplace. He briefly turned his head to acknowledge the group’s arrival. Past there was a hallway leading to what Fluttershy presumed to be some guest rooms with a similar hallway immediately to their right. Candles set along the walls lit the main entrance, giving it a calming, serene vibe.
The woman perked up upon noticing the group enter, donning a bright, friendly smile. “Welcome, travelers, I'm the innkeeper here,” she said. “How many rooms will it be?”
The group approached the desk. Hector produced a small bag of coins and set it down in front of her. “Four rooms for one night,” he said. “Plus dinner and breakfast in the morning.”
The innkeeper nodded then extracted the coins from the bag before taking four brass keys off the rack behind her. “Here you are,” she said, handing them to Hector. “It’s the first four rooms down the left hall. Enjoy your stay.”
Hector nodded, taking the keys and the now lighter bag.
The group turned to begin making their way to the rooms.
“Oh, wait!” the innkeeper said.
Everyone turned back to her. “Yes?” Hector said.
A worried frown split the woman’s mouth. “I’ve heard tell of bandit activity not too far over the border. Best be prepared.”
“Not to worry,” Hector replied, a little smirk crossing his face. “We’re well-equipped to take care of any lowlives that cross our path.”
Fluttershy grimaced. She’d been dreading this possibility since they set out on this adventure. A knot formed in the pit of her stomach while anxiety clouded her mind. One look at her friends indicated they were feeling similarly. Oswin and Serra wore confident smiles— undoubtedly, they were used to this.
The group made their way to their rooms. Hector handed a key to Oswin and told the ponies and Serra to split into two groups if they all wanted beds for themselves.
“Actually, Lord Hector,” Serra spoke up, drawing his attention, “I would rather share a room with Oswin tonight.”
Hector’s and Oswin’s eyes bulged, shock filling their faces while the latter’s cheeks flushed red.
“Wait, why?” Hector asked, sounding like he was on the verge of crying out in alarm.
Serra cast a sideways glare toward the ponies, specifically Twilight. “A lady of my stature deserves respectful company. Having facial hair was horrendous enough, but being turned into an orange is going too far! I’d much rather sleep with a gentleman than them.” She waved a dismissive hand towards the ponies.
Twilight held a hoof to her mouth, stifling a round of giggles.
Hector darted his gaze between Serra, the ponies, and Oswin, who seemed to have recomposed himself a little but still looked quite flustered.
“Are you okay with this, Oswin?” Hector finally asked him.
Oswin shook his head to clear his thoughts, a nervous grimace crossing his face. “If she’d be comfortable, then so be it. But I expect her to behave,” he said shakily.
“Okay then.” Hector turned to the ponies. “So, who will be sleeping with whom?”
“Reckon I’ll bunk with Dash,” Applejack said.
“I’m down for that,” Rainbow agreed.
Twilight turned to Fluttershy. “You okay sharing a room?” she asked.
“Oh yes,” Fluttershy replied with a nod. “I’d like that just fine.”
Hector handed a key each to Rainbow and Twilight. “I imagine they’ll be serving dinner soon; I’ll fetch you all when it’s time.”
Twilight turned to look back down the hall. “Florina sure is taking a long time. You don’t think something happened to her?” A hint of worry crept into her voice.
“Nah, she’s probably just practicing her ground-based combat forms outside,” Hector said. “She’s improved a lot in the past two years. Good thing too; attacking from the air isn’t practical in a forest. That’s where bandits tend to hide out and ambush unsuspecting travelers.”
“How likely is it that we’ll get ambushed?” Applejack asked.
“I can’t say for certain, but regardless, we need to be prepared.” Hector smiled. “But like I’ve said, I promise no harm will befall any of you.”
“Well, we trust you’ll keep that promise,” Twilight said, smiling in return.
Hector nodded before turning toward his room while Serra and Oswin retreated to their own. The ponies decided to gather together in Twilight’s and Fluttershy’s room. Immediately upon entering the room, Rainbow Dash spread her wings and took to the air. “Ugh, finally I get a chance to stretch my wings!”
Applejack walked over and threw herself onto the bed, burying her face in the silky sheets. A muffled sigh of content escaped from her mouth. Fluttershy and Twilight quickly joined her, both relishing in the soft texture. Unconsciousness threatened to fall upon Fluttershy, but for the sake of getting the most out of that night’s sleep, she stayed awake. But the temptation was difficult to resist.
The four ponies stayed like that for several minutes, recuperating after their almost non-stop trek across Elibe. Rainbow Dash continued hovering in the air above their heads, the little gusts her wings made blowing their manes and sending pleasant little chills racing across their backs.
After a while, Applejack sat up on the bed. “Y’all still awake?” she whispered.
“Mhmm,” came Twilight’s soft reply.
“I am,” Fluttershy answered.
“That bed comfy enough for you?” Rainbow asked from above.
“And how,” Applejack answered, shifting her body. “Feels mighty nice ta have a real bed again, not that sleepin’ on the ground’s all that bad.”
Twilight flipped over onto her back. “Easy for you to say,” she said. “You don’t know how tempted I am to skip dinner so I can stay in this bed until morning.”
Rainbow Dash laughed. “Yeah, eggheads aren’t really the outdoors-y type, are they, Twilight?”
Twilight pouted but didn’t say anything in response.
Another few moments of silence passed between everypony. The air seemed to grow thicker with tension as time went on. Fluttershy looked between each of her friends. Other than the half-closed eyelids, they all seemed fine and content. And yet, as Fluttershy looked closer, she saw something else buried deep within their eyes, unnoticeable to anyone other than a close friend.
Concern.
“... Girls?” she ventured.
Everyone turned to look at her, eyes opening wide and attentive. “What's up?” Rainbow asked.
Fluttershy took a few moments to choose her next words carefully— she didn’t want to insinuate anything about the humans.
“Do you girls think that, I don’t know, maybe the humans are a little too comfortable with killing?” Only after the words came out did she realize that maybe she hadn’t put in enough thought. “N-not that I mean to say they’re bad people or anything. It’s just that…” She trailed off, words escaping her.
She started to turn her head away from them in shame when Twilight spoke up. “Fluttershy, it’s okay if you’re upset about that.”
“Yeah, Flutters,” Rainbow said. “I mean, I don’t think any of us are comfortable, and that includes the humans.”
Fluttershy returned her full gaze to them. “You think so?”
“Sugarcube, Ah can darn near guarantee they don’t like it,” Applejack said, swiping her hoof for emphasis. “Good people don’t take pleasure in killing others, even if it’s outta necessity. An’ while I wouldn’t bet my bottom bit the same holds true in every world, I’m willin’ ta bet it does here in Elibe.”
A hopeful smile spread across Fluttershy’s lips. “Maybe we can convince them not to take to swords so easily, then?” she asked. “I-I mean if it’s alright with all of you to ask.”
Her friends all briefly shared a curious glance. “Well, it would be nice,” Twilight said. “But here’s the thing, Fluttershy; we don’t know how practical diplomacy is in this world. At least as far as brigand groups are concerned.”
The hopeful smile fell from Fluttershy’s face. “Oh, I… I see.”
“If diplomacy could work, I imagine the humans here wouldn’t be so accustomed to carrying along weapons during their travels,” Twilight continued. She scooted across the bed and laid a comforting hoof on Fluttershy’s withers. “I understand if it’s too horrible a thought for you. But Florina, Hector, and Oswin don’t strike me as the sort of people who would kill in anything other than self-defense. You agree?”
Fluttershy slowly nodded her head. “Yes.”
“And remember, Hector said we wouldn’t have to fight,” Rainbow said. She flew lower and wrapped a comforting wing around Fluttershy. “But if worst comes to worst, I don’t need a weapon to protect the ones I care about. My hooves are just as good as any blade and non-lethal to boot. If any dumb bandit makes it past the humans, you can be sure I’ll keep them from laying a hand on any of us.”
“I can agree with the sentiment,” Twilight said. “However, remember that contact with a human breaks the illusion spell. If we’re going to fight back, we’ll need to be careful about it.”
“Oh, right.” Rainbow took a moment to rub her head, an unsure expression briefly crossing her face. “Well, whatever it takes, we’ll all come out of any scrape in one piece." Her confident smile returned in full force. "And I’ll do my part to make sure that happens!”
“Count me in on that too,” Applejack said, voice brimming with determination
Fluttershy felt a surge of comforting warmth spread through her chest at her friends’ words. She knew they were right; the humans were good people. She might not approve of using lethal means against enemies, no matter how unforgiving they could be, but she couldn’t expect the humans to suddenly change their ways just to please her.
Still, it didn’t sit right with her. She hadn’t seen what bandits in this world were like, but it seemed hard to believe they were so inequine as to take pleasure in killing others. They were probably just confused and feeling inadequate, otherwise, she saw no reason they couldn’t live happy, normal lives in society.
“I’m going to go take a walk,” she announced, lightly shrugging off her friends.
“Where to?” Twilight asked.
“I think I’d like to go talk with Florina about all of this.” Fluttershy hopped off the bed
“That’s probably a good idea. Hope you feel better afterward.”
Fluttershy waved goodbye as she exited the room, gently shutting the door behind her. She took a moment to breathe deep before setting off down the hall, quickly coming into the main lobby. The receptionist was mysteriously absent— probably just off to use the little filly’s room or something. The mustachioed man was still sitting by the fire. He turned to acknowledge her as she walked past. Fluttershy instinctively picked up her pace, refusing to meet his gaze as her stomach twisted itself.
“Hiya, lass!” he said.
Fluttershy squeaked, jumping into the air
The man laughed. “Scared you, did I? Sorry, ‘bout that.”
Fluttershy was unable to respond as her heartbeat settled down and legs stopped trembling. Hesitantly, she met the man’s gaze. “I-it’s okay,” she stuttered.
The man gestured toward another chair. “Mind chattin’ a friendly word with me, lass? I haven’t had much company in my travels.”
Fluttershy glanced between the man, the chair he was pointing towards, and the front door. She wanted to meet up with Florina right away as a fireside chat with a random stranger was at the bottom of her list of interests right now. But the man was being friendly, at least, and she didn’t want to be impolite in return.
“Okay,” she said. “But not for too, long, okay? I have somewhere I need to be.”
“Of course.”
Fluttershy took the chair next to him. She struggled to make herself comfortable on the hardwood seat and was extra careful not to unfold her wings from her sides lest Twilight’s spell be broken and her identity be exposed.
“So, um, you’re a traveler?” she asked, more out of a desire to be more socially active than genuine curiosity.
“No other reason to be staying at an inn,” the man said matter-of-factly.
Fluttershy felt her face flush and she hid her face behind her mane. It was a stupid question, now that she thought about it. “I-I guess not.”
The man gave a hearty chuckle. “It’s alright, lass. I’m on my way back down to Pherae after visiting some family in Sacae— anxious to see how my daughter Rebecca’s been doin’, now that she’s workin’ in the castle.”
Fluttershy’s eyes lit up. “Rebecca?”
“You heard o’ her?”
“I’ve heard about a girl named Rebecca who’s a great cook.”
The man nodded. “Takes after her mother. I imagine she’s hard at work even now, preparing dinner for everyone at Castle Pherae.” He gave her an inquisitive look. “Where’d you hear about her from? I doubt you know her personally unless she hasn’t been telling me who all she knows these days.”
“I heard about her from Hector of Ostia and his... close associates, I guess.”
The man’s own eyes lit up with surprise. “You know Marquess Ostia?”
Fluttershy pointed down the hall she’d come from. “I’m traveling along with him and his wife and some friends of mine to Ilia.”
“Ah, is that so? I thought he looked familiar. You all must be on official business, then.” The man paused for a moment. “You heard about the bandit activity down the road, didn’t you?”
Fluttershy shifted uncomfortably. “Y-yes, we did.”
“I imagine Marquess Ostia is well prepared for anything, what with his reputation as the greatest fighter among all the lords of Lycia.”
Fluttershy shifted again. “I suppose so.”
Another few moments of silence passed between them before the man spoke up again. “Hey, guess what?”
“What?”
“Money is really important,” he answered. “Do you know why?”
Fluttershy blinked. The question came out of nowhere and was quite random. “Um, other than the need to buy things?”
“Without it, your weapons will rust.” He leaned forward, his gaze intensifying. “And you can’t fight without your weapons.”
Pangs of discomfort struck every nerve in Fluttershy’s body. She shirked away from the man, nearly falling off of the chair as a result. “Um, I guess that makes sense?” she said nervously.
The man retained his intense gaze. Then, as if a switch had been flipped, his face turned jovial and he laughed while pressing his hands against his chest. “Merely a jape, lass. But truly, I wish you and your group safe travels.”
“Uh, right, um, thank you.” Fluttershy got up out of her chair. “I should get going now.”
“You’re welcome, lass. And thanks for taking the time to chat.”
Fluttershy awkwardly waved goodbye to the man as she exited through the front door. She took a moment to breathe deep the fresh evening air, clearing her mind of any and all mounting worries and anxiety.
Looking up, she smiled at the sight of twinkling stars overhead. Even in a different world, the night sky was so pleasant. So peaceful, calm and tranquil. A full moon graced the sky amongst the stars, casting illuminating rays upon the land, enough that she wouldn’t need a lantern to safely make her way around.
She ventured around the inn to where the stable was. Turning the corner, she spotted Huey and what she assumed was the man’s mount poking their heads over the doors to their stalls, but Florina was nowhere to be seen. Then the faint sound of wood being thwacked brought her attention beyond the stable through a cluster of trees.
She continued forward, stopping for a moment to gently pat Huey on the head, earning her a happy snort from the alien pegasus. Passing through the treeline, Fluttershy quickly found Florina with her back turned, staring at a tree which had been marked into a three-ringed target pattern. A javelin was embedded into the tree, just between the outer and middle rings, attached to a length of chain which led to a metallic strap sporting a crank-like device around Florina’s right wrist.
Florina gave the chain a hard yank, and, after a few tugs, managed to wrench it from the tree’s trunk. She then began turning the crank, making the length of chain retract and bringing the javelin back into her waiting hand.
Florina gave a satisfied nod and reeled her arm back for another throw. Fluttershy watched as she adjusted her arm’s positioning, steadying her aim before hurling it at the target once again. The javelin whistled through the air, flying in a blur and embedding itself into the target about an inch closer to the center. Florina gave a delighted hum of approval.
Deciding now was a safe time to speak up, Fluttershy said, “Hello.”
Florina gave a startled gasp and whirled around, eyes wide with surprise. “Who is— Fluttershy?” Her features visibly relaxed and she let out a deep, relieved sigh. “Y-you startled me so!”
“Oh! Um, I’m sorry.” Fluttershy felt her face flush again. She scuffed a hoof across the ground, averting her eyes from Florina. “I just assumed you’d heard me approach. Sorry if I wasn’t loud enough.”
Florina spent the next few moments breathing deep, hand held to her chest over her heart. “I-it’s alright. I was just so absorbed in my training that I probably wouldn’t have heard a dragon’s roar.”
Fluttershy looked to the target, cringing a little by how many marks were in the wood. She hoped it wouldn’t upset some poor critter who’d claimed the tree as its home.
Florina retracted the javelin again before approaching Fluttershy with a friendly smile. “Did you need something, Fluttershy? I hope you and your friends have found the inn to be comfortable.”
“Oh, oh yes, it’s very nice.” Fluttershy nodded. “We’re all fine. I just came out here because I wanted to talk with you about something.”
“Is that so? Well, I’d be happy to hear it.”
Fluttershy shifted a little. “The receptionist inside told us there’s bandit activity in the area.”
Florina nodded. “I see. Well, it comes as no surprise; bandits prefer to hide out along popular traveling routes, so it’s best to be prepared for that possibility before setting out.”
Fluttershy gave no reply. Her wings twitched and her lips pursed.
Florina knelt down to eye level with her, a concerned frown crossing her mouth. “Are you nervous about the possibility?” She put a hand to her chest. “I am too. I’ve never once gone into battle without being afraid that I won’t live to the end. But I’ve always had great friends fighting by my side and that fills me with the confidence I need to fight my best.”
Fluttershy met her gaze. Florina’s eyes were so soft and kind; nothing at all like her mental image of a hardened soldier who’s seen so much death and carnage. There wasn’t even any hesitation in them. The girl before her was like Fluttershy in so many ways, yet a polar opposite in many others.
“Why did you become a pegasus knight?” Fluttershy asked. “You don’t seem to enjoy fighting, so why do you do it?”
“Ilia is a poor country and many citizens decide to become mercenaries in order to raise money for their families,” Florina explained, brushing a lock of hair from her eyes. “Pegasi are native only to Ilia, but they only allow women to ride them, so almost all female mercenaries end up becoming pegasus knights. Both my older sisters are pegasus knights too. And I don’t enjoy fighting, but it’s necessary to put food on my plate.” She paused for a second. “I mean, it was necessary, but now…”
“I understand,” Fluttershy said with a nod.
“But I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect the ones I love,” Florina continued, “even if it means ending another life that threatens theirs.”
Fluttershy grimaced. “Are bandits really that threatening?”
Florina bit her lip. “I guess it depends on the group. Most of the ones I’ve fought seem more interested in taking captives than viciously slaughtering innocents, but I’ve heard stories of bandit groups that are much more ruthless. One of my best friends from Sacae lost her entire tribe to a group who poisoned their drinking water in order to easily overpower them.”
Fluttershy took a sharp gasp, covering her mouth with her wings. The thought that such an action would break Twilight’s spell didn’t register against the horror Florina’s words struck her with.
Florina didn’t say anything more for a few moments, only speaking up again after Fluttershy managed to recompose herself. “I understand things are different in Equestria; I’m sure life isn’t as great of a struggle over there, from what little I saw of it. But why did you want to come if you feel so strongly against killing? I’m grateful you decided to come along, but I wouldn’t have thought any less of you if you decided to stay home.”
“Well, um…” Fluttershy trailed off. Truthfully, even she didn’t know exactly why she decided to come along. She’d said she wanted to see another world, but she didn’t know the true root of it. It was little more than a gut feeling she’d had that prompted her to offer to tag along.
“I… I guess I just wanted to spend more time with you,” she finally answered after a few moments. She shook her head. “It was stupid of me, I know. I shouldn’t have agreed to come if I couldn’t help aid Ilia.” She hung her head, mane obscuring her face. “My weather working magic is nowhere near as good as Rainbow Dash’s,” she muttered, letting out a choked sob.
She closed her eyes as a steady stream of tears began flowing down her face, staining her coat and dropping to the ground. More choked sobs wracked her body. Her mind turned into a whirlwind of sorrow and regret.
She continued on like that for a couple of minutes before she felt Florina wrap her arms around her and pull her close. Fluttershy sniffed and returned the hug, burying her face in Florina’s shoulder. She felt Florina pat and stroke her back while she cried, almost like how her mother would do when she was a filly.
Finally, they broke the hug and locked eyes; Florina’s were soft and compassionate.
“Maybe you’re not good at working weather, but you can still be useful by supporting your friends,” she said. “And I enjoy spending time with you as well. I’ve met very few people that I can speak as easily with as you, so the fact that you came along means I have a great conversation partner with me at all times.”
Fluttershy sniffed again and wiped some snot from her nostrils. “What about Hector?”
Florina’s cheeks turned a little red and she twirled a lock of hair. “I-I mean as a friend. I love Hector very much, but I’ve missed the company of another girl. And I don’t get to casually chat with the lords and ladies of Lycia or the castle servants.”
Fluttershy smiled. “I guess that makes sense. Well, I’m happy to have you as a conversation partner as well.”
They shared another brief embrace before Fluttershy continued. “I guess I can live with it, but I really wish there was a way we could make it to Ilia without having to kill anybody.”
“I would love that too,” Florina said. “And as much as Hector prefers action, I’m sure he’d say the same. I would hear any ideas you may have for how we can achieve that.”
“I wonder…” Fluttershy put a hoof to her chin as she thought. After a few moments, her eyes sparkled and she let out a soft, delighted gasp. “I think I have just the solution we need.”