//------------------------------// // And So It Begins Part 2 // Story: Spry and the Falsicorn // by AImostpure //------------------------------// Equestria's farming communities were mostly the same. Family owned farms surrounded sparse buildings that formed the towns. The sporadic nature of the town's structure would gain some resemblance to order the closer to main street and the farmer's market. Some towns were gifted to have large hospitals, Barnyard Bargains, and even multi-room school houses, but these were rarities. These sleepy hollows were never the cause for news in the big cities save for the town of Ponyville which appeared weekly in national newspapers. Neighberry was one such farming town. It was one town away from Fillydelphia and boasted the highest peach crop in Equestria. Peach wine, peach cobbler, peach salad, and peach moisturizer were just a few of the products constantly being shipped out to other places and sold locally. Unlike the infamous Ponyville, nothing out of the ordinary ever occurred in this peaceful little hamlet. Neighberry's farmers market was established just beside city hall. Rows of stalls and carts, with a few set up in the middle of the road, were filled with produce and wares to be sold each day. At the center was a permanent booth established by City Hall to assign spaces and collect sales taxes at the end of the day. Ponies who came to the market this morning were there not just to buy their daily bread, but to see a most curious creature. Minea was situated in one of the premier spots of the farmer's market. Stacks of books, their covers hand drawn in crayon, surrounded her acting as her booth and merchandise. A sign in front gave the price at ten bits a book. She was an unusual being. Minea could have easily been two and a half feet in height. Her body composed of no fur, just bare, lightly tanned skin. Minea's 'mane', a name she didn't use herself, was composed of streaks of reds and blues and kept in a high angled ponytail. Upon her back large, smooth crystalline wings laid motionless. Slender arms curled just beneath two small mounds concealed beneath a crimson red and silver bodice. Long legs were crossed; the left on top of the right and left to dangle along its sister. Blue jean capris hugged her feminine curves tighter than Minea liked, but it had to do for now. Beneath her was a solid black lock box acting as her throne. Spry and Deacon better have gotten the laundry done. This top and these jeans go horrid together. Her thoughts portrayed on her face through a curled bottom lip blowing a strand of hair from her face. This morning had been calm so far. Not a single pony had approached her. Those she saw seemed content to keep their distance exchanging whispers and awkward glances. Minea didn't care for this suspicious display. It made her easily anxious that her plan had been discovered sooner than she would like. Geez. Yesterday everypony here came running to see the 'cute little insect'. All I had to do was bat my eyes and tell some sob story about Spry and I being orphans and they bought these books without question. A sly smile upturned her lips. Yesterday was a beneficial and fulfilling day. A few ponies marveled at the talking creature and she got a spot to sell her books with ease. From there, all it took was misting her indigo eyes, repeating a false tale of Spry's heroism recorded in the books, and the ponies flocked to spill their bits for her. At her request they were not to read the books for a few days until she left. Minea led them to believe it would cause her too much heart break to verbally recall the events of her past. She moved her hands in front of her ringing her palms together. It was too easy to manipulate the trusting. Sometimes it wasn't even fun. Tapping the lock box beneath her with her heel, she remembered that this wasn't one of those moments. It was a moment that it was rewarding. Swinging her arms besides her, hands going flat against the smooth metal, she leaned back to survey her surroundings. The noise, rather lack of, was unsettling. Yesterday the farmer's market was bustling with activity. Every stall was rented by vendors and ponies flocked in to buy what they wanted. It looked like nopony had decided to come out leaving many of the small wooden structures barren of activity. A lack of pony presence unnerved Minea. It wasn't until she heard the trampling of angry hooves and the tell tale signs of rambling voices and wisps of smoke from torches that the silence was broken. She knew in that moment that her luck in this town had run out. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Not far from the growing riot in the market Spry and Deacon were in the process of walking to that very place. Spry had wanted to get to Minea as soon as the sun was up, but Deacon's insistence that she rest and eat a good breakfast left her with little choice. Tent and sleeping bags were rolled up then placed at their destined home on the large hiking pack Deacon wore when they were in transit. The pack held all their worldly belongings; clothes, pots and pans, trinkets, bits, dried foods, and other day to night accessories. Once Deacon gave Spry an inspection and was satisfied she was not suffering any lifelong injuries, they had departed. Every step forward was a reminder of what Spry did. Her joints and muscles felt sore, possibly swollen in some places, after her daring escape. She lowered her head down close to her chest, sucking in a deep breath only to recoil in disgust. Spry decided not to bother changing clothes nor bathing. She had wanted to reach Minea as soon as she could. With her luck, Minea would be able to smell her before they even had sight of her. “Ya know, Deacon, she's gone too far this time. Usually she just winds up getting us ran out of a town, but this is too far.” Calm with a low smile lining his leathery muzzle, Deacon kept his face forward but crept his visions towards Spry. “Schwester, did you so quickly forget the time with the spiderlings beneath the Kobold Nation? She attempted to procure jewels from their queen in exchange for my servicing her in her bed chambers.” Deacon wore the same garments as he did everyday. His black cassock, pressed and wrinkle free, covered most of his body. Rounded rim, black hat sat low on the ridge of his forehead blocking the brightness of Celestia's sun from his eyes. Each hand was pushed into opposing sleeve and hovered in front of his waist. Settled on his back was his hiking pack. Its length nearly passed his head and went down to just above his knees. The straps were comfortable enough. Well tailored to survive the weight they had to carry. “Like you couldn't have used it.” Deacon wearily turned his head to Spry when she spoke. “Listen to your sister. You're stiff enough as it is and need to let loose. Some time with the spider queen may just have done that.” Confidence was not in short coming for Spry and her nodding with her statement showed just that. She thrust a red hoof over thumping Deacon's thigh. “At least you didn't dislocate most of your body in order to avoid being tied up. Now that stuff hurts.” Choosing one's battles was a key strategy to survive life. Deacon knew from many arguments and misadventures that while he could be the voice of reason to Spry, it often went unheard. There was much on his mind to say, but he left it with just a grunt. Before Spry could continue on the path of Deacon's lack of infidelities, the farmer's market came into view. An uproar of shouts and chants echoed from a large circle of ponies. The mob surrounded a single spot waving torches and flyswatters in the air. In the center of it all, a glowing blue and red sphere was bouncing around like a pinball. When it went up a pegasus was there to block its escape. When it tried to go down a unicorn or earth pony was prepared to keep it in the circle. It was not hard for Spry and Deacon to decipher what they were seeing. They had seen it many times in the past. “Spry.” Spry seemed to ignore Deacon. His tone of voice hinted that they should hurry to their friend's aid. “Spry.” He said again seeing the red earth pony remain fixed in her spot. Spry seemed pleased at the sight of the glowing sphere bouncing around. It was justice for the many times she had to endure some hardship or defend her innocence due to some backwards scheme. “Spry.” “Yeah yeah, let's go.” Finally giving in, Spry leaped forward. Acrobats would be jealous of what Spry did. From one pony's back to another she jumped with ease seeing to land for a brief moment then moving onto the next. Her body flipped forward and twisted so she could land facing where she was to jump next. Bounding off the head of a tall stallion, Spry ended her leap frogging right in the middle of the crowd. With her hooves settled she felt the anguish of her muscles and joints. Doing such feats so soon after her escape left her unmistakably sore. Twisting about, she raised her hooves up to the crowd. Waving back and forth, she yelled out, “Calm down everypony! Calm down!” For a being of his size, Deacon did not have to go to such measures to reach his goal. “Pardon me.” He would say each time he set his hands to a pony's waist lifting them up and to the side. Voices rose up in protest but little could be done to fight the strength of the imposing figure. When it was realized there was a dragon in their presence, ponies began to move out of the way instead of being picked up like a foal. He joined Spry at the center of the ponies and raised his hands, palms out, to try and ease their aggressions. In time, and out of fear for Deacon, the ponies became calm. From the sky the glowing sphere came down to settle on the black lock box throne. Magic dissipated revealing the frazzled and relieved Minea. Her wings lowered along her back, “You're here! My saviors!” She exclaimed throwing her arms out to them both. All she got in return were two nasty glares. “Um... Ehehe...” “That fly ripped us off!” One pony yelled. “These books are just Daring Do novels!” Another chimed in. “Plagiarist!” “Swindler!” In a matter of seconds the mob returned to its former unruly persona. A dire situation had developed and Spry, Deacon, and Minea were at the center. “Look, we'll make this right, trust us.” Spry pleaded. “Why should we trust you!” “What proof do you have!” Spry looked out at the crowd seeking some sign or friendly face when she saw them; the three stallions who tied her up. Pointing her hoof in their direction, she yelled out as loud as she could, “Hey! We promised we'd be here to fix things and here we are! Just ask those three! We told them last night!” Sure enough, Spry's assailants stepped forward. Three proud stallions kept their heads raised and moved in front of the crowd. The talkative one spoke up, “That's right. We blamed the filly for this little act and they said they'd make it right and that's why we're here. Now,” fixing his attentions to Spry, “How do you plan to do that?” What did she plan to do? Spry didn't have the first thought on how to fix things. A look at Deacon found him more focused on the crowd then her. If it wasn't for him they may have been trampled already. Minea wouldn't be much help. Spry spied her now behind her lock box ready to hide behind metal and book if things went south. The ticking of an imaginary clock counted down seconds in Spry's mind until it came to her. The lock box was their salvation. If she lowered her head it may have been seen as a sign of surrender. Spry needed to be steady and clear if she was to reach these ponies. “Listen! We'll give everypony here a refund!” It wouldn't be enough. Surveying found they calmed some knowing they would get their bits back. “Plus, everypony who bought a book will get an additional two bits. It isn't much but it's something.” Seeing most of the ponies appeased by the proposal, Spry turned around to the stacks and books and, most importantly, the lock box. “Minea, open it up.” “Wait just a minute, Spry, I never said I would give refunds for any of this. It's their fault for believing a stranger! Buyer beware and all that!” The fairy leaned forward pushing her palms down against the cold metal. “I shouldn't have to give up my hard earned mon---” Her words were cut off with Spry's hoof pointing at her face. “Save it. Open the box, you couldn't have spent that much in one night and with the bits we have, we can make everypone happy and us not, well dead. Now open it.” Minea stuck out her bottom lip in defiance. Immune to her pouting, Spry simply looked away to Deacon. “Deacon, pull out the bits we have... plus what I got from dad for my birthday.” Again, she spun around to address the crowd. “Everypony, please form a single line, we'll get the bits sorted out and begin handing them back.” While some straggled behind the rest, a rainbow of ponies lined up to get what their refunds. Deacon felt calm wash over him seeing the danger pass by. Joining the other two, he relaxed his shoulders letting the heavy pack drop down. Leather weighed down by a multitude of items gave a mighty thud that had some looking on in wonder. He crouched down bringing his clawed fingers to dig through the various pockets to find two jingling bags of coins. “Minea, how many books did you sell?” Minea fluttered her wings out carrying her up and down in front of her prized box. Fingers ran along the area around the lock releasing bolts of magic out dancing against the tumblers inside. “Maybe thirty or forty. So we'll need what, four hundred eighty bits?” Hearing the satisfying click of the lock releasing, magic lifted the lid back. “Is this it?!” Spry's voice reached shrill levels. What she expected to be two to three hundred bits had been reduced to eighty overnight. “Well,” Minea quickly trailed off rolling her head to look away from Spry. “First I got the best hotel room in town. And there were some things I always wanted to try.” Right hand shot up, fingers curled down against her palm. Her index finger extended first, “So I ordered enough chocolate pudding to bathe in. Then ordered enough peach wine to bathe in after taking a bath. There was the massage from their unicorn masseuse.” Each time Minea listed an item, a index extended out. She seemed in deep thought recollecting each transaction she made. “So yeah. That's it. Gotta say, food can get expensive when you don't eat flowers or hay.” Flies could have made a nest in Spry's mouth with how long it hung open. There were not enough words in her vocabulary to explain the rage that was bubbling over in her brain. Critical thinking saved her from overloading. Screaming and shouting now would only intensify what she was trying to deescalate. Endorphins released setting her at ease. Feeling that pressure release give her a moment of cooling, Spry resigned herself to fix the situation. “How many bits do we have, Deacon?” “Between your gift and our own funds... One hundred fifty.” Solemn were his words. Deacon reached his arm out dropping both bags down into the box with the eighty inside. Spry set a hoof against her forehead. Exhaling out, finding it the only way to steady her nerves, she reached a hoof over to Deacon. “Give me the mirror dad gave me. There's a pawn shop around the corner I can sell it for the other two fifty we need.” Averse to the plan Spry had, Deacon shook his head. “Your vater would not be pleased if you sold such a gift. There maybe another way to secure funds.” “Yeah! Just write a letter to your old man and we wont even have to get rid of our bits.” Minea chirped waving her hand dismissively. A stare that could freeze the ocean zeroed in on the fairy. A scowl painted on Spry's face as her voice spoke in a low, haunting tone. “I will not write him. Even if he's an important pony and has money, I'm not going to write him again to get me out of another mess. I can explain the mirror away as long as I keep the brush that came with it.” The line of ponies was becoming restless. If they didn't sell the mirror then the bits would have to come from someplace else. The fore mentioned brush wouldn't bring in enough to turn the tides, and finding work would delay them from their next destination. Without any other options to turn to, Deacon reached into the pack to dig out the mirror. It was buried deep wrapped around by clothes so it took an effort to yank it out without having to empty all the contents. A gift from Spry's father, the mirror had been specially crafted for her birthday. A gilded hand mirror crafted from white gold. Spry's father chose a flower motif to decorate it. Wrapped vines constructed the handle and the frame of the mirror and four roses were set above, below, and to the left and right of the reflective center. On the smooth surface on the back was an inscription, 'To my precious daughter. Never forget that you are the star in your father's night sky'. The mirror was enchanted. With a touch of unicorn magic, it could seal an image. Touching the handle brought he image to appear then fade seconds later. This mirror held a picture of Spry as a baby being held by her father. A touching memory from long past. “Hand out what bits you can, I'll go sell the mirror then be back.” At that, Deacon lowered the mirror down to Spry's face level. She parted her lips carefully taking the prized item against the safety of her muzzle. Spry hung her head forward. She didn't want to sell it but any other idea wouldn't work. Without acknowledging either of her companions, she departed from the group. “Deacon? I messed up this time, huh?” Minea's voice trembled. She positioned herself beside the lock box, standing on one of the smaller towers of books. “Minea,” Deacon shrugged his shoulders forward and guided his hands to grip the sides of the metal box. Easing his palms to the side he raised it up against his stomach protectively. “Do you remember last year when you had Spry pose suggestively? You told her you were practicing a spell that would place a still frame image on paper.” “Yeah I remember...” “You then sold those pictures to a mare who became obsessed with Spry. The mare then kidnapped Spry and kept her in her room where she held a false wedding with her stuffed toys as guests, correct?” Minea couldn't look at Deacon. Heat blasted her cheeks turning them crimson. She recalled it easily. The good amount of bits she earned from the drooling mare, the frantic search for Spry, and the final confrontation that found her tied to a chair wearing a tattered wedding gown. They were lucky that nothing unsavory had happened to her prior to Minea and Deacon's arrival. “Yeah I remember...” “This is worse than that.” Deacon finished coming about to begin handing out what bits they could to the ponies in line. Minea faltered at Deacon's final words. She stumbled back as if shot down by a blast of magic. Arms flailing catching herself on the books around her. Minea looked again in the direction Spry trotted off. Her heart fell down to her shoes; the weight of it far heavier than she could handle. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Spry did not dilly dally in her return, galloping back with her teeth clenched around the binding of a sack filled with bits. She had been able to sell the mirror for just enough to handle their problem but not a single coin more. On her return, she would find things remained peaceful. Deacon stood at the front of the line of remaining ponies while Minea stood on his shoulders watching for Spry's return. A bouncer's stance was taken by Deacon. His arms folded across his chest to give himself an imposing stature. When a pony tried to move ahead of the line, his grunt sent them back. “Schwester,” Deacon spoke when he heard the approach of hooves drumming the ground, “Did you gain what we need?” He lowered his left arm down upturning his palm to accept the bounty. “Yeah. The owner heard of us already and tried to only give me fifty bits. I turned to leave and he raised it to what we needed, but wouldn't budge further.” The sack of bits dropped from her mouth into Deacon's palm. “I'm going to go get some water...” She managed to mumble. Spry became apathetic to the final process. Now she went to wallow alone with a quick drink. Fluttering her wings out, Minea went to follow after Spry. She stayed mute when she landed on her back. Minea outstretched her arms pulling her body against her friend's neck. She hoped that while she knew not how to say it, her action would convey her apology enough. Spry only glanced back partially smirking at the display. One by one each pony was paid their refund plus two bits. The sack became lighter until not a single bit remained to jingle. Spry and Minea stood off to the side giving room to Deacon and the ponies leaving. As the crowd dispersed, only one pony remained standing expectantly in front of the three. Deacon looked down confused. They had no more money to repay this final pony, but he was certain that those who were suckered had been repaid in full. Spry took notice of this last pony. A unicorn mare kindly smiling at them. Dark olive coat groomed and brushed without a single hair out of place. Her bleach blond mane curled down sweeping equally on either side of her neck. Tail curling around her right hind leg then unraveling just to coil around the other. On both sides of her flank a silver star, balls at each tip, proudly displayed her position in town. “I heard there was some commotion in the market today. I decided to come take a look to see if I could assist.” Feeling uneasy, Spry went to stand beside Deacon. Eye brows arched as she examined the mare. “Can we help you...? We paid back all the ponies... If we missed you I'm sure we have something we can give you instead of bits.” A cool smile curled on the dark olive green pony's lips. “Oh not at all. I can smell a scam when I see one. Name's Flathoof. I'm the law in this town and I'd like for you three to come with me.”