//------------------------------// // Far From Home // Story: Amethyst Star Isn't Prepared For This // by MagicS //------------------------------// A lone pony stood at the edge of a cliff and looked at the world in front of her. The late afternoon sun cast an orange glow across the landscape from the edge of the horizon. It painted a beautiful picture, illuminating and shadowing the mountains, rivers, forests, plains and so much more that dotted and covered this unmapped country. Directly beneath the red cliff an untamed jungle grew with abandon, past it a large river separated the jungle from flowing yellow grasslands, and beyond even that was a mountain range bordered by thick evergreen forests. As far as the eye could see it was a wild and unknown place. The Undiscovered West. Amethyst Star had come out here on purpose. The pink and purple unicorn had silently and motionlessly been staring out at it all for a few minutes now. A whole new world she was unfamiliar with. At her side was a saddlebag with some of the necessary essentials for lone travel like this inside it. A flower-print canteen, a compass that she didn’t actually know how to use right, a map of Equestria that was now useless since she was a full day off its borders, an empty box of cupcakes, and a few other things. She looked behind her, back to the east that she had come from. Only two days previously was she taking a train all the way to the end of the line before starting her walk westwards. The conductor was the last pony she had seen so far and the train station the last sign of civilization. He had been confused and concerned about what she was doing but Amethyst Star brushed him off. She knew what she was doing and why, although by the definition of “Undiscovered” she couldn’t exactly say she knew what she was getting into. But that was fine. She’d deal with anything that came her way. Or so she at least thought when she stepped off that platform. And off the map. The time since then had been spent with her struggling through the red rock formation she was currently at the back end of and all the canyons, ridges, streams and other obstructions inside of it. The unicorn had found herself too cold when the sun went down and then too hot when it came back up and the physical exertion wasn’t something she had been used to. Still she trudged on through because she wasn’t about to stop and give up from a little thing like that. It was only when she made it out to the cliff that she realized there was probably no way she’d be able to safely find her way back the way she came. Not only was the rock formation a dangerous maze but she had made no markings while traveling through it, took no notes (mental or otherwise) on any unique landmarks or paths, and she just wasn’t sure if she had the strength to go back through it all. So the only way she could go was forward and down this cliff. She looked back down it and again at the landscape below and further west, blinking. And even though she didn’t want to admit it and would be horribly embarrassed to return home so quickly, there was only one thought passing through her mind right now: “This was a bad idea.” Several days previously… “You’ve all noticed it too right? I mean, I can’t be the only one, can I?” Amethyst Star asked the table of her friends as they all dined inside one of Ponyville’s restaurants. It was late in the evening and the restaurant was packed with chattering ponies and full tables. This one was no different. Berry Punch sat across from her, a bored expression on her face. Strawberry Sunrise sat to Berry’s left, looking like she wasn’t paying attention at all. Sea Swirl sat to Amethyst’s right and she noncommittally nodded along while tapping her hoof on the table. The last member of the group was Cherry Berry, sitting to Amethyst’s left with a frown on her face. At the lack of a real response, Amethyst continued. “There are way, way, way, too many amazing and super special ponies in Ponyville. Doesn’t that seem weird to you?” “Ponyville’s a weird place. Always has been,” Berry Punch shrugged. “Yeah but still, if it was just one or two I’d get it but how did every single Element of Harmony or whatever end up living in the same place?” Amethyst frowned at her berry Cutie-Marked friend. “Technically Rainbow Dash lives in Cloudsdale,” Cherry Berry corrected. “Whatever,” Amethyst Star waved her off. “She’s here all the time. She might as well be a resident. And now it’s like their families too are all incredible. The Cutie Mark Crusaders? Maud Pie? Have you met them? They’re all amazing too! And then there’s Shining Armor, he may not live in Ponyville but still!” Sea Swirl sighed and started rubbing her hoof around the rim of her drink. “Amethyst. What’s your point? We’ve listened to you rant about this so many times. We can all look out our windows to know Ponyville’s a special place. What’s the big deal?” “The big deal is it’s not fair!” She slammed her hooves down on the table, drawing a few annoyed and surprised looks from other patrons in the restaurant and making her friends blush in embarrassment. “Uhh… what?” Strawberry Sunrise ventured to ask. “Doesn’t it bother any of you? Am I just crazy?” She looked at each of her friends. “I’m sick of them always taking up the spotlight! Am I really the only one bothered by how no one cares about just the little things in Ponyville anymore or the average pony that lives here? It’s always all about Twilight Sparkle, or Rarity, or that new school, or something else having to do with them. We’re all special aren’t we? Don’t you think it’s unfair how they overshadow us?” “Wow, Amethyst,” Berry Punch looked at her in worry. “I had no idea you resented them so much.” “Weren’t you wearing all that Fluttershy fan paraphernalia back when everyone was going crazy from the Friendship Journal thing?” Cherry Berry asked. “That was mob mentality! And I don’t… resent them,” the pink unicorn rubbed at the back of her neck and bit her lip. “I know they’re great, and they’re nice, but it feels like my life—I’ve just become less important.” “Ohh, so that’s what it is,” Berry Punch rolled her eyes. Amethyst Star frowned. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” “She’s saying you’re jealous,” Strawberry Sunrise said as she popped a strawberry into her mouth. “Well so what if I am jealous?” Amethyst Star asked her friends. “Who wouldn’t be jealous and feel inferior around ponies like them? You know before Twilight Sparkle came here people used to ask me for help and to organize things. Like the Winter Wrap-Ups! That used to be my thing! I also used to do parties too before everyone started going to Pinkie Pie.” She pouted and slunk down in her seat, folding her forelegs over her chest. “Um, Amethyst? You do remember how none of the Wrap-Ups you were in charge of were completed on time, right?” Sea Swirl reminded her. “That’s not important!” Amethyst growled. “Sweetheart, that’s very important...” Berry Punch gave her a pitying look. “So you’re just saying I’m not as good as Twilight Sparkle or the rest of them?” Amethyst Star narrowed her eyes and glared from friend to friend. The resulting answer was a series of averted gazes and innocuous whistling before Cherry Berry finally took the plunge. “Well… yes. That’s exactly what we’re saying. Shouldn’t you have already realized and accepted that, like, years ago?” She raised an eyebrow at her annoyed friend. “Ugh!” Amethyst Star threw her hooves into the air. “Traitors! Of course I know that already but you don’t have to say it to my face.” “Look, I get where you’re coming from,” Cherry Berry said to her. “I really wish that I could fly but I just have to accept the fact I wasn’t born a pegasus and make do with what I have,” she then got an excited sparkle in her eyes. “For instance I’ve been working on designing a new helicopter and-” “Okay!” Berry Punch interrupted, sticking her hoof over Cherry Berry’s mouth. “One crazy pony at a time.” Cherry Berry frowned at her but kept quiet. “So is this just going to be our new usual thing?” Strawberry Sunrise asked. “Every time we go out for dinner you’re just going to rant about how Twilight Sparkle overshadows you? I mean, I get it too. I think Ponyville has terrible tastes in fruit but the Apple family were still the ones who founded the whole village,” she shrugged. “Just gotta get over it and annoy Applejack whenever I see her on the street.” “No it’s not going to be our new usual thing. Cause guess what!” Amethyst Star grinned at her friends. None of them wanted to guess but thanks to proximity Sea Swirl figured she might as well be the one to ask. “What?” The dolphin Cutie Mark unicorn asked. “I’ve thought of a great idea! I refuse to be overshadowed and forgotten any longer. Twilight, Applejack, Starlight, Rainbow Dash, they’re always going on adventures and saving Equestria, right?” The manic look on her face as she spoke to her friends was somewhat disconcerting. “Er, right?” Berry Punch allowed. “That’s why I’m doing the same thing!” Amethyst Star stood out of her chair and clapped a hoof to her chest, she was grinning widely as she looked at her friends. “Oh no. Oh no, no, no,” Berry Punch buried her face in her hooves and shook her head. “Uh, I’m with Berry Punch on this one,” Strawberry Sunrise said. “I’m not sure what exactly you mean but that doesn’t sound like a good idea.” Amethyst Star sighed and sat back down. “What I mean is that I’m going on an adventure too. To the Undiscovered West! I’ve already decided on it.” The other mares at the table all shared looks of varying degrees of worry. Sea Swirl turned to Berry Punch. “You’ve known her the longest, you wanna take this one?” The nautical themed unicorn asked the purple of the three berry ponies here. Berry Punch rubbed her eyes but nodded. She took a deep breath and stared into the eyes of her unicorn friend. “Amethyst. I say this as your friend. Why?” “I’m doing it because I can. I know I’m special and just as capable as anyone else, why can’t I do something like save the world?” Amethyst Star frowned. “And yeah, you’re my friends, so you should be supporting me in this, right?” “No, we should be trying to convince you not to do something so stupid,” Cherry Berry told her. “What are you even going to do in the Undiscovered West?” Strawberry Sunrise tilted her head in question. “Adventuring,” Amethyst Star shrugged. Sea Swirl facehooved. “Amethyst, please. How much have you thought this through?” The pink and purple unicorn grinned again and smugly leaned back in her chair. “Enough that I’m ready to leave tomorrow morning!” The atmosphere at the table was now well into the negative. Did they handle this gently? Or did they lay into her? It would definitely be for the best if they convinced her to not go on this ill-conceived journey. But if they did that she’d probably stay grumpy and go back to complaining about her life having no meaning again. Either way something bad was probably going to happen. If she did go on her adventure they could at least relax since she wouldn’t be around for a while. But that was undoubtedly the more dangerous and careless thing to let her do. Decisions, decisions. Finally, Berry Punch’s conscious got the better of her. “I really don’t think this is a good idea, sweetheart. You’re talking about doing something really dangerous… Isn’t it enough that we all think you’re special?” Strawberry Sunrise, Cherry Berry, and Sea Swirl all smiled and nodded along with Berry Punch, trying to show that even if Amethyst Star thought less of herself because she was comparing herself to the, admittedly, amazing ponies that populated Ponyville it didn’t mean that they didn’t love her and think she wasn’t amazing in her own special way. That’s what friends were for. “No,” Amethyst Star plainly responded, her brow furrowing. “It’s not. Not anymore. I’m doing this and I’m going to have an epic adventure that ponies will be talking about for years, just like what Twilight and everyone else have all the time! Maybe you all think I’m not prepared, but I can do this. I know I can.” “I really still don’t understand why you’re so upset about all this in the first place,” Sea Swirl shook her head. “I never minded living the simple life. Sure maybe I was a little envious of the types of ponies that get stories written about them but Ponyville is such a nice and, er, mostly quiet place to live. I don’t think you’re appreciating how lucky and well off you are.” “And I really don’t think you have it in you to be the kind of pony to save Equestria or go on grand adventures like that. Just saying,” Cherry Berry told her. “I mean really, Amethyst. What makes you think you’re capable of anything like that?” Amethyst Star snorted. “Well what made Twilight Sparkle and all of them think they were capable of defeating Nightmare Moon?” Seeing that they were at an impasse, Berry Punch finally decided to pull out the big guns. She sighed and looked at her friend through tired, half-lidded, eyes. “Amethyst, aren’t you forgetting something? What about Dinky?” “I didn’t forget about my little sister!” Amethyst shouted in indignation, scowling at the table. “In fact she’s the reason why I wanted us to all have this little dinner before I left,” She coughed into her hoof and took a deep breath—and then clapped her hooves together and bowed to Berry Punch. “Please, please, please, please, please, please take care of Dinky while I’m gone. She and your sister are friends, she’ll love staying at your place while I’m away!” It occurred to Berry Punch that she could at the least delay Amethyst’s trip if she refused, and the sidelong glances she was getting from the others at the table were telling her that’s what they wanted her to do. But Amethyst really seemed dead-set on doing this no matter what… What was she supposed to do? Her stubborn friend had an absurd goal and if she couldn’t be dissuaded then, well, she should support her. Right? “Ughhh,” Berry Punch sighed and collapsed into her chair in defeat. “Alright, I’ll watch Dinky while you’re away.” The others groaned in disappointment while Amethyst Star squealed in delight. “Thank you! And seriously, don’t worry about me. I’ve got my itinerary planned and everything already. Ponies around here didn’t used to come to me for organizing stuff for nothing you know?” She tried to reassure them all. It didn’t work.