//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: To Roan and to Ruin // Story: The Red Knight // by PhantomBulwark //------------------------------// With a cracked pauldron Sunset was in dire need of a smith who would take pity on them or else agree to fix her armor on credit. She stalked from tent to tent, speaking with each and being turned away. The last in the line shook her head and gave a half-laugh, “you’ll get no work from anyone here without money girl. Didn’t you just win this tournament?” “Yes but I need every penny if I’m going to make it to the next one! I’ll have enough to pay if I-” “If you manage to win the next tournament,” the blacksmith cut her off, “there’s no guarantees you’ll win again kid, and I can’t work for free.” “But I can’t compete with broken armor!” The blacksmith sighed and jerked her head toward a tent set apart from the others, “there’s a lad over that way that might do it. He’s young but he does a decent enough job, soft hearted boy too so maybe he’ll take pity on ya.” Feeling defeated and with her shoulder beginning to ache again she stomped toward the solitary tent. Inside she found a boy, yes; he was definitely a boy and not a man. He had badly cropped blue hair, tan skin, and the round face of youth. He looked seventeen at most and he gave a boyish smile the moment he saw her. “Hello! How can I help the Red Knight today?” She raised a brow at the title, “Red Knight?” “That’s what they’re calling you,” he replied cheerfully, “the Red Knight from Trotland. I reckon it’s the hair. What can I help you with?” “I don’t have the coin for your work but I need my pauldron repaired or I won’t be able to compete.” She thrust the two pieces of the armor at him, “will you fix it on credit?” “I can’t work for nothing, Red Knight…” Sunset hung her head… “But I’ll do it for you… if you take me along.” Her head snapped up, “what? No! I’ve already got enough faces to feed without a kid and his entire forge following me around.” He smirked and pulled himself up to his full, lanky height, “you aren’t really in any position to bargain Ser Solaris.” He took the armor from her and shook his head, “this is probably beyond help at this point.” He looked her up and down, “your armor must be an heirloom or something, huh? It’s clearly not made for you… If you take me with you, I’ll make you a new set… something better fitted and suited to you.” Sunset opened her mouth to argue but he cut her off again, “you need me.” “You’ll have to feed yourself,” she snapped, “you aren’t riding our horses and I’m not giving you a cut!” “I have my own wagon, Master Solaris” he snarked, with the smug smile of someone who knows that they’ve won. “I’ll ready my things, where are we going next?” She glared as fiercely as she could manage, “Roan. Make sure you keep up.”Sunest had no way of knowing that this would not be the only stray they picked up on their journey. As they road toward Roan Sunset could feel AJ’s eyes boring into her head as the boy, Flash was his name apparently, chattered on and on. Apparently, AJ reminded Flash of his mother and he had latched onto her the moment they set out. Applejack was unimpressed to say the least. The fact that Flash had offered to let Rainbow drive the wagon if he could ride next to AJ had not helped anyone’s sanity. Desperate to avoid yet another fight about letting the kid join their company, Sunset stayed several feet ahead. This proved to be a mistake when she was the one who came across a very peculiar sight. It was a woman, a very, very naked woman. She was walking, no, she was skipping and singing as she made her way down the road. When you're rife with devastation, there's a simple explanation You're a toymaker's creation trapped inside a crystal ball And whichever way he tilts it, know that we must be resilient We won't let them break our spirits as we sing our silly song! When I was a little filly, a galloping blaze overtook my city- Reluctant to interrupt but needing the strange woman to clear the way for the others, Sunset called out, “uh- excuse me… uh, miss?” The woman stopped and turned with a wide, somewhat off-putting smile, “Hello fellow traveler!” “Uh, hi? Why… why are you naked?” Her smiled dimmed, if only a little, and she shrugged, “call it… an involuntary vow of poverty.” “Could you make way please? My company is behind me with a cart.” “Sure thing,” she smiled, “if you tell me your name, Ser Knight.” “Uh- Sun-Solaris. Solaris Incarnate.” “That’s a lie.” The woman smiled brightly as she said it and there was an unnerving air about her, “I’m Pinkie Pie, the writer and bard! Why are you lying about your name?” Sunset opened her mouth to respond but was cut off as Pinkie exclaimed, “oh, I know! You’re not really a knight; you’re faking it so you can compete right? And I bet that he doesn’t know that cause he looks super surprised!” As she spoke she thrust a finger toward Flash, who had just approached in time to hear Pinkie’s scarily accurate guess. “Wow, you’re really shocked huh? You didn’t notice that a supposedly Trotish knight had an Equish accent?” Flash merely gaped at her. In an instant Rainbow Dash had leapt from her saddle and her dagger flashed in the noon sun. She pointed the weapon at the bard’s face. “Keep your mouth closed or I’ll sew your jaw shut!” Pinkie merely smiled at her, “Now that… was the truth.” Applejack, still perched coolly in her saddle eyed the stranger for a moment before giving Dash a curt nod, “let her be Rainbow.” Annoyed but obedient, RD sheathed her blade and settled for glaring at Pinkie. “Fine. Move aside, we’ve got a long ride ahead.” “You’re going to Roan.” It was not a question, and Pinkie’s unnerving, knowing, smile had returned. “Yes,” said Sunset. “Then you won’t get much farther without help,” she replied smugly. “They’re requiring patents of nobility at Roan, and most tournaments north of Hoofshire. Of course… if you do a favor for me… I’d do a favor for you.” Applejack practically fumed as she glared down at her. “And what favor might you offer to us?” “I’m a writer. If you were to maybe… give me some clothes? Maybe a meal? And a ride to Canterlot?... I might be persuaded to help you with your 'paperwork problem,'” She said with air quotes. The ride to Roan was a long one. Apparently Pinkie was very good at writing and very quick about it, Sunset had patents of nobility within the hour. Pinkie also knew a great number of songs, and as a bard, she liked to sing… a lot… for hours. While Applejack seemed unbothered, Rainbow Dash was alternating between threats of great violence… and incoherent screams of fury. Sunset kept her attention on pleading with a confused Flash to keep him quiet about her nobility, or lack thereof.