Failure was always a difficult thing to deal with. Everybody had to do it, some more than others, some found it easier over time and some found it harder. Some ponies would deal with it right as it came while others would try to ignore their issues and just will the problem away. Whether dealing with it or not the very prospect or concept of failure could erode someone’s confidence and courage. Even the best ponies in a moment of failure still got hurt. The test of their character was to see how it affected them, how they overcome it, and what they do so in the future it doesn’t happen again.
Amethyst Star found herself in a quaint little village of cobblestone roads and wood and stucco houses. It was a nice and quiet place that she was already finding more than relaxing. Considering what she had been through ever since stepping off that train this was something she really needed. She for once didn’t have any grand plans and wasn’t looking for anything special or adventurous, she was taking a vacation in the middle of her journey. And as she repeatedly told herself; there was nothing wrong with that. She was sure heroes took breaks while they were on epic adventures all the time. How could they not?
The village she was now in was fairly small and nestled at the edge of a quiet forest that Amethyst Star had briefly walked through, it was far more pleasant than most of what she had seen in the Undiscovered West so far. The villagers were friendly too, always offering a smile or wave or “Good morning” when they saw her even though she was a complete stranger. That kind of hospitality was really something.
It kind of reminded her of Ponyville in that way even though a lot of other things were different and this town was a bit smaller and clustered closer together. The streets were narrower and there were more houses and buildings bunched up alongside them that made it seem like a suburb of a big city or something. There weren’t a lot of open areas to just wander around in.
Her hooves were growing slightly tired so she looked for a bench or something to rest on when she came to a circular part of the street. It had a small fountain in the middle of it and seemed to work as some kind of intersection with multiple other streets branching off from it. With a shrug, Amethyst Star sat down at the edge of the fountain and watched other ponies go by for a minute. The locals had to know she didn’t live here but no one seemed to mind that some strange pony had walked in out of nowhere.
“Lot of unicorns...” Amethyst Star said to herself as she pony watched. There were definitely a lot more unicorns in this place than you would find in Ponyville too.
She took a big yawn and stretched, looking at it all she wouldn’t mind staying a day or two here just to relax, maybe she should look for an inn or place to stay before it got too late? Her stomach then growled. A bright blush spread on her face and she quickly looked around to make sure no one had heard that.
“Maybe I should get some food first.”
Amethyst Star got up and then wandered down another street, keeping her eyes peeled for anything that looked like food or a cafe. She peered inside some shops out of curiosity but for the most part there was nothing here that she couldn’t find in Ponyville. It made her feel a bit nostalgic but she certainly wasn’t feeling homesick. Nope, not at all.
A rather tasty smell then wafted into her nose. Freshly baked bread of some kind.
Amethyst Star’s whole body perked up and she went in the direction of the smell. Turning down a different street she entered an even narrower side road where two ponies could hardly stand side by side, more like an alley than anything, but that didn’t deter her at all. The pleasant smell was only stronger and more enchanting now. She unconsciously licked her lips as she floated along to its source.
At the next corner she found her destination. A shop built right into the side of another building in the middle of the alleyway with an open counter and a shuttered window that could be opened or closed whenever needed. Amethyst Star couldn’t see a way in or out of the shop so there must’ve been another street or something on the other side of the building that employees could access it from. There was a signboard out in front of it that had a description of what was being sold today on it and a long line of ponies had formed up at the counter, waiting their turn to get the presumably delicious food.
“Looks like I hit the jackpot,” Amethyst Star said and got in the line.
It moved fast enough but there were a lot of ponies ahead of her and she was really hungry now. She poked the shoulder of the stallion in front of her. “Hey? So this place sells bread?”
The yellow stallion with bright green eyes looked back at her with a surprised expression that quickly turned into a smile. “Oh, yes. Are you from out of town? Chaffey’s makes the best bread you’ll ever taste.”
“I am, I just wandered in earlier. It certainly smells good,” she smiled. The ponies here were so nice.
“Well be sure to tell Chaffey that, she’ll be happy to give you a discount, especially if you promise to tell your friends about her,” he winked.
“Heh, well I’m a bit far away from home but I’ll be sure to remember that.”
They kept moving in the line for a bit, the stallion growing quiet for a minute before restarting the conversation. “Sooo, you just coincidentally came into town today? You didn’t make any plans to come here?” He asked, glancing back at her.
Amethyst Star raised an eyebrow at him but nodded. “I did. Why?”
“Nothing really, just so happens that you came here right before a big Bocce tournament. We hold one every season and this one starts up tomorrow,” he told her.
“Bocce?” Amethyst Star had no idea what that was.
“It’s a sport where-”
“Make way everyone! Your champion has arrived!” A booming voice shot out from behind them.
The stallion Amethyst was talking to groaned in frustration. “Oh no...”
The both of them looked back down the alley to the source of the voice. Amethyst Star saw a large unicorn stallion proudly standing at the entrance to the alley, completely blocking it for anyone else who may have wanted to pass, sporting a wide grin on his face. He had impossibly pearly white teeth that matched his coat and a single tuft of orange hair on his head with a shiny tail that Amethyst Star was certain had glitter thrown in it. This outrageously pompous looking stallion stood for a second longer to allow everyone to take in his appearance before he marched past the ponies in line to the counter of Chaffey’s.
“Uhh, what’s going on? Who is that?” Amethyst Star asked her new friend.
He sighed and shook his head. “That’s the Bocce champion for 9 tournaments running. Him and his team have consistently won every tournament for years now.”
Amethyst Star watched as the champion ignored every other pony in line and stood at the window, beaming at the proprietors that Amethyst Star couldn’t actually see from her angle.
“Madam,” the champion began before casting a smirk at every other pony in line. “I would like every last piece of your daily special.”
The reaction was immediate. Every other pony in line started yelling and angrily stamping their hooves at the champion. But he didn’t care. In fact he seemed to be relishing in the hate lobbed his way. Chaffey, the elderly pink mare behind the counter, stared at him with a bored and unimpressed look on her face.
“You really have to do that?” She asked him.
“Yes I do!” He puffed out his chest.
Chaffey sighed and rolled her eyes, turning back into her shop for a second. “Coming right up...”
In a minute she had deposited several large bags full of bread on the counter and the champion happily grabbed them up in his magic and walked away down the alley. Laughing the whole way.
“Hahaha, sorry fellow citizens, better luck next time!” He sarcastically remarked.
Amethyst Star gawked in disbelief. “What was that all about?!” She pointed her hoof at the disappearing form of the champion.
“I’m so sorry,” her friend gave her an apologetic frown. “That’s just one of the perks of being the Bocce champion around here.”
“Huh?” Amethyst Star was still just as confused.
“We take Bocce very seriously in this town. The champion is given special privileges as a prize, such as priority at any establishment. And unfortunately our current champion is a huge jerk as you just saw,” he rubbed the back of his neck.
“You’re telling me,” Amethyst Star frowned and watched the champion still laughing as he carried his bread away.
Although that whole event put a sour taste in her mouth (as well as the mouths of everyone else in line) Chaffey still had plenty of regular bread to give out and Amethyst Star was more than hungry enough to wait for it. Everyone was silent and in a foul mood so there was no more talking and as soon as Amethyst Star reached the counter she got her bread and left down the alleyway, eating as she walked and checking out more of the town. The bread was warm and delicious so that was a nice consolation, it really was just as good as that stallion had said. Soon enough her stomach was filled and Amethyst Star was back to smiling and enjoying this quiet little town.
With the sun getting lower in the sky, Amethyst Star figured it was time to find a place to stay. Aside from that one jerk the town seemed really nice and she still wanted to stay here for a bit. In the time spent after eating her bread she had wandered around to see if there was anything else here. But apart from some empty fields at the far end of town, and a grove of orange trees beyond that, she didn’t see anything else notable.
Yawning for the second time that day she trotted along one of the cobblestone roads towards the center of town, figuring it would be her best bet to find an inn.
“I’m so tired today.”
It was weird to think of considering how she had done much more taxing stuff on other days. And here she was in a rather civilized part of the Undiscovered West ready to crawl into a bed. Maybe her fatigue had all caught up to her at once. Well if that was the case there was pretty much no better place for it to happen. She was certainly pretty mentally fatigued too and she couldn’t wait to sleep tonight.
Getting closer to the center of town she was looking for any sort of inn or bed and breakfast and lo and behold when her eyes caught sight of a building with a sign hanging over its door that so helpfully read: Inn.
“Awesome,” Amethyst Star grinned and pushed open the door.
The front desk sat to her left while a staircase led up to the second story on her right, directly ahead of her there was a lounge area with a couple chairs centered around a table and a half empty bookshelf on the side, what few books remained on it looked torn and tattered as well. Another table to the side of the front desk held a coffee machine and a small tower of cups and napkins.
The young unicorn mare at the front desk looked up with a smile on her face when she heard Amethyst Star enter. Young indeed, she looked barely old enough to be out of school, her aquamarine coat was well kept and her violet mane was loose and had her bangs falling over her eyes.
“Hi, can I help you?” She asked Amethyst Star.
Amethyst Star smiled back at the friendly young mare. “Hi, you certainly can. I just came in from out of town and I’m looking for a room to spend the night or maybe two in. Do you have any?”
“We sure do!” The mare beamed. “Will it just be you staying here?”
Amethyst nodded. “Yep. You know I really have to say this is such a nice town, everyone has been so friendly and it’s so pretty and quiet, it reminds me of home.”
“Fellow small-towner?” The mare grinned.
“Yep again! Hay, when I get older this might almost be the kind of place I’d retire to or something.”
“Most of the town skews a bit older honestly. And unicorn too. You’d probably fit right in.” She reached to the wall next to her where a few keys were kept. “You’re kind of lucky, there are only a few rooms left and the local Bocce tournament starts tomorrow if you want to watch that.”
“I heard about that, I don’t know what Bocce is but watching something like that seems pretty fun. It’s not too intense is it? I kind of want to relax,” Amethyst asked.
The mare giggled and shook her head. “No, no. Bocce isn’t intense at all. Well, the players take it very seriously but it’s not like it’s some kind of contact or fighting sport you know?”
“I get it, I guess I’ll go watch it,” Amethyst Star mused, cupping her chin.
“I’ll probably see you there too then. Here, let me give you your key,” the young mare grabbed a key and was about to give it to Amethyst Star when-
“Excuse me!” A loud and unfortunately familiar voice rang out as the inn’s door was thrown open.
Amethyst Star looked to see the Bocce champion waltz into the inn, followed by a large group of other ponies clad in fancy outfits and carrying all manner of instruments. The group filled up the lobby, forcing Amethyst Star away from the desk, as the Bocce Champion stood smiling at the young receptionist.
The white stallion cleared his throat and then gestured at the ponies with him. “This minstrel troupe I have hired to sing my praises at the tournament tomorrow requires room and board, they will need every available room you have.”
Amethyst Star’s jaw dropped.
The young mare at the desk sighed, glancing over at Amethyst and shrugging, silently telling her that there was nothing she could do. “Alright, we have a few available rooms, let me give you the keys.”
“Splendid!” The champ turned to his minstrels. “Rest up well now, I shall accept nothing but the best from you.” And without a second thought he planned to leave the inn.
Well Amethyst Star wasn’t having that.
“Hey!” She stepped forward and yelled at the Bocce champion.
Everyone else in the lobby froze. The Bocce champion calmly looked over his shoulder at her and raised an eyebrow. “Are you talking to me?”
“Yeah! I am!” Amethyst Star angrily walked up to him. “I was getting a room before you barged in here. What gives you the right to just take them all, huh? What am I supposed to do now?!”
He yawned. “Being the champion gives me the right of course, and I’m about to solidify my greatness for all time by winning my tenth straight tournament tomorrow. As for what you’re supposed to do, well, since I don’t recognize you it’s clear that you are not a Bocce player. And I don’t concern myself with the worries of lesser commoners. Why don’t you go sleep outside? That would be far more fitting for you I think.” He chuckled and walked right out the door.
Amethyst Star fumed, growing red in the face with steam billowing out her ears. She stomped out of the inn and watched him walking away. “Jerk!” She yelled. Unfortunately he didn’t even give her the pleasure of responding, ignoring her completely.