“Come on, you’re already in here!”
“No. Being here for water is far enough.”
The room’s equine ears prickled at the shrill giggle that followed.
“Bat!” The slurring accent of the barkeep boomed, buzzing a few ponies to consciousness. He trot along the edge of the counter toward the two seated mares. “Drink?”
“I’m fine, thank you,” the more sweetly-spoken earth pony replied.
The bat pony cackled. “Drinks!” she emphasized. With a hoof, she slid a few golden coins forward. She tapped twice. “Two.”
“I—” The mare saw the stallion’s grin, and switched gears. “Okay. Drink. One.”
“Drinks,” the stallion corrected. He dropped a clay cup in front of her, and stepped away.
The pony turned to the battier of the two, expression neutral.
“Why are you such a prude whenever it ain’t the two of us?” The bat snickered. “You don’t have a reputation to uphold out here.”
The mare rolled her eyes. “I have standards.”
“That why you don’t want these fine, fine drinks?”
“No, it’s why I put up with you.”
Hotfang clucked her tongue, and settled back into her chair. “Okay. Good answer.”
“But it’s mostly because we’re tied together.”
“Aw… wait. You didn’t…” She glared at her lightly smiling companion. “Yeah, real funny, Heart.”
“You bats always know what we’re thinking, hm?”
She shivered. “H-hey, I only like it when the civvies call me bat.”
Heart cocked her head at Hotfang, but said nothing.
After a moment, Hotfang’s cheeks flushed, and she turned to her empty cup. “…C’mon, you know I don’t like that, either.”
“You slipped. Again.”
“Slipped? Again?” She glared into the remaining drops of her previous drink, then groaned. “Oh.”
Heart fussed with Hotfang’s mane with a hoof; the mare’s blush deepened. “You’re lucky that we’re the only foreigners in here.”
Hotfang’s wings flickered, and her voice rapidly flattened. “Hold that. Got an odd one.”
Heart leaned over the counter. “Where?” She spoke smoothly, but Hotfang knew about the anxiety beyond the shroud.
“Right. Far end.”
Heart sat up and looked to the left, just in time for the barkeep’s return. She slid her cup over, and dipped her head in a bow. The silent stallion tilted out a pour for her and Hotfang, and left with the jug. Heart took a sip of her water, and set it aside from her new drink. “Threat?”
“Cloaked.” Hotfang brought her refilled cup in, but didn’t drink. “They’re staring.”
After an unsigned countdown, the two mares drowned their drinks simultaneously. The citrus-punching flavor of the drink washed down Heart’s throat, and she gave a vigorous shake. “Oh,” she murmured. “Strange tea.”
“Yeah, it’s good orange juice. Got some of it to go while on my supply run.” Hotfang paused, and dialed her voice down again. “Still staring.”
“Orange juice?” Heart leaned back in her seat, and looked about the right side of the room. “Interesting stock for a tea café.”
“Think it’s from that orchard we saw on the way in.”
Heart surveyed the decorated walls before leaning back to the counter. “Well, that makes sense.”
Hotfang sipped at her orange juice. She turned to train her eyes past Heart. “What do you think?”
“They’re definitely overdressed.”
“And we aren’t?”
“We’re not hiding anything. They are.”
“Well… if we’re not hiding.” Hotfang sat up, and looked directly to the right. “Stare any longer, and a mare’ll get thoughts.”
“…Sorry,” a masculine voice weakly replied. “I, er…”
“C’mon, bring you and that drink over. I’ve got straying eyes, too.”
Heart looked over. “Take it easy, Hotfang.” She didn’t receive a reply.
The great brown cloak draped over the figure was clearly not of the highest craftsmareship. It got the job done in shading the wearer beneath, but it was over-sized, and split in places. At the bottom of the cloak, frayed and weathered ends of the fabric dragged across the packed-clay floor, coating it with an ever so-slight dusting of orange and red. Nonetheless, the eyes in the dark recess of the hood were the only remarkable landmarks to the naked eye.
A normal pony’s eye, that is.
“Hang on...” Hotfang hunched over; Heart recognized the form of the bat’s trademark squint. “Take that hood off, greenie.”
With an admirable lack of hesitation for a cornered pony, he lifted his hood, airing his green muzzle and red horn for them to see.
Heart gasped. “A kirin!” She held a hoof to her chest. “Amazing! I haven’t seen one of you in-pony before. I’ve wanted to meet one of you.”
The kirin nearly jumped at her words; he looked to the front door. “You… have?”
Hotfang rolled her eyes. “She says that about every non-tribe pony she sees. Trust me.” She pat the seat. “Take a seat, feller.”
“Okay…”
He sat.
The mares stared.
He stared back.
“Wow,” Hotfang started. “Are all you guys this awkward?”
The stallion opened his mouth, but Heart cut in with an informative, chipper voice. “Maybe their magically-induced silence had a greater biological effect than what was reported.”
“No! It’s—” The mares stared at his outburst. His ears wilted. “Not… like that. Sorry.”
Hotfang laughed. “Don’t worry, we’re not so good with ponies, either. Or so I’ve heard. Maybe it’s just Heart…” She simmered down. “’Magical silence’, huh?”
“…Yes.” The stallion bent his head down, and lapped at his cup.
The bat allowed him to finish his drink before she continued. “Well anyways… I’m pretty sure you were listening, but the name’s Hotfang.”
Heart received a look.
“What? You’re the one who slipped up.”
“Oops,” Hotfang playfully peeped.
Heart shook her head. but leveled a smile on the kirin. “And I’m Gildheart.”
“…My given name is Forest Rain.” He paused, his eyes trailing down… again. “I’m sorry but, is there a reason for the… metal, you wear? Are you not uncomfortable?”
“It’s armor,” Hotfang clarified. “We’re… adventurers, by trade, so it’s better to have it than to not. But you,” she booped him, “are not.”
Forest’s muzzle scrunched. “By… trade, no…” He lightly pushed her hoof away. “But, I am adventuring.” A small smile touched his lips.
“Fair enough,” Hotfang shrugged. “But you sure as hay look lost.”
His smile drooped ever so slightly. “That is part of any… great adventure, I’m sure.”
“Eh, depends on the stakes. And I’m getting the feeling that they’re not so high for you.”
He looked away. “Yes… I suppose.” He tapped his hooves on the counter. “I haven’t… adventured far, really.”
“Far enough to get lost?”
Forest fell further into sheepishness. “Well, far enough for that.” He looked up. “How far is Appleoosa from here?”
Hotfang laughed. “You pulling my tail?”
“No? And I would never.” He licked his lips. “It was my hope to see the plains. I have heard much of their vast fruit-bearing orchards.”
Heart blinked. “You’re… you’re nowhere near Appleoosa. You’re very, very far past the end of the line. Far west of Appleoosa.”
“Oh.”
“’Oh?’” Hotfang’s tone turned bemused. “There’s no way…” She stared. “You… you did.”
Forest clicked his cloven hooves together on the counter. “I eventually had to get off…”
“Sweet Celestia,” Heart whispered. “How did you not know?”
“Your books did not prepare me for the Equestrian railroad. It is… strange and… complicated.”
“What?” The irate and confused bat teetered in her seat. “But it’s so simple! Even a bunch of foals could go it alone! How did you manage to get this far? You’re treading the borders to the Undiscovered West!” Hotfang slipped to her drink. “By Luna’s stars… we need to get you back home.”
He winced. “But… you are… adventurers,” Forest began. “I only wish to see Equestria as you do. I can feel that it is what I truly wish to see. You are kind mares, please…” He swallowed thickly. “Will you allow me to join you?”
“What?” Hotfang shook her incredulous words out. “We can’t just—”
“Please, if only until you return to greater ponykind.” He bowed his head.
“We travel alone,” Hotfang stated flatly. She glanced over at Heart. “You heard me, right? We need to… get somepony to take him back.”
The earth pony sat with pursed lips.
Hotfang frowned. “Heart…”
Forest lifted his head. “I feel your hesitation...” He brightened. “But I can aid you! I have foraged long for my supplies. Foodstuffs. Plantstuffs. R-rockstuffs! Much of Equestria’s natural bounty is of use in my hooves. I have lived and trained in such a way. ”
“It doesn’t matter, this is no place for a pony like you. You’re not trained for… this land. You’re not an adventurer!” Hotfang took a slow breath. “Heart, come on, sweetbite, tell me what you’re thinking.”
“…You’re willing to assist us, Forest Rain?”
“Yes, to my best abilities.”
“Why?” Heart set her hoof on the nape of Hotfang’s neck. The bat pony bristled at the touch, but didn’t move. “We’re two strangers.”
“I see two friends.”
Hotfang blinked. “Yeah, so?”
“You do not understand… and that is warranted, and just.” He took a deep breath. “I left my village to seek out the wonders of the greater world. Equestria, as I have read from your finest books, is said to be the land of friendship and magic. These are your wonders. Wonders which I have sought to capture and record.” A pained look crossed Forest’s face. “My village… many have chosen to stay. They fear the exploration of the unknown wonders. The exploration of the proverbial wilderness beyond our ancestral home. I wish to change that. To show my kin that Equestria and its ways is a a world we can thrive in. But first, I must experience what I wish to provide.” He bowed his head. “Friendship is wonderful, but I wish to know it better.” Forest lifted his whole self up in his seat. “You ponies are adventurers. You thrive on this exploration of the unknown. Together. I have seen so little of friendship in the time I have spent crossing your land. Your wonders… many of you appear to have taken for granted. A… an adventuring party is what I feel I need to experience to bring friendship and magic to the light.”
“I offer you my service, for I wish to see your world as you do.”
The sounds of the café slowly filtered back into being.
“Look… don’t take this the wrong way, but…” Hotfang wriggled away from Heart’s hoof. “That’s making an awful lot of assumptions about us, Forest.” She gave him a strained look. “We’re not your typical… adventurers, and I really don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for if you stay with us.”
Forest nodded. “I… understand.” He looked to Heart. “…You still hesitate?”
Heart frowned. “I wish I could give you an easy answer, Forest Rain. But… Hotfang’s right. We’re probably not what you need. We’re just two mares on a mission.”
He cracked a smile. “I am a stallion on a mission.”
“Yes, yes you are.” Hotfang smirked. “You’ve certainly got attitude.”
There was a small, amiable pause.
“You know what? I think we could make this work.”
“Really?” Hotfang looked to her left. “But we’re active. On the trail. That was mainly why I didn’t want a plus one.” She looked back at Forest Rain. “It’s not against you, it really just isn’t… how we operate.”
“We just kicked off this season, so we won’t be back for a check-in for a while,” Heart muttered. “We can afford to slack on protocol for a while. But my bigger thought… is just how much we really, feasibly can offer you, Forest Rain. We can keep you safe out here, and get you close to… things most ponies don’t know, but… we’re really not all that special.”
“You ponies work closely together, but I can see that you are good friends, even if you are not explicit about such a notion.”
“Being friends is one thing, but you’re asking for us to set an example for your whole home? A whole village? We’re… adventurers, first and foremost.”
“Yeah, we’re adventurers.” Hotfang chuckled darkly. “Let me be the first to say we’re not exactly the finest friends you could ask for.”
“Regardless of your work, you are good friends, you don’t deny it. And still, I may not know much about friendship, but I know that good friends are hard to come by.” He smiled. “I don’t wish to intervene. I only wish to aid you, and learn more about you on a more intimate level.”
Hotfang snorted. “Phrasing.”
Forest tilted his head. “What?”
“Nothin’.”
“So…” Heart snuck her hoof back onto Hotfang’s neck. “What are you thinking, now?”
Hotfang groaned. “I’m thinking you’re getting too big for your harness with all the touching.”
“Quit stringing the stallion along, Hotfang.”
“Okay, okay.” The bat pony nibbled on her lower lip, sporting her fangs for Forest to stare at. “Well… I guess if he’s been able to avoid trouble for this long, then when push comes to shove, he’ll keep his head down and out of our way.”
“Then I think that’s settled.” Heart aimed her smile at Forest. “So, you really want to stick with us?”
“Nothing would humble more than to be able to see Equestria from a position such as your own.”
“Okay, Forest Rain.” She reeled her hoof back in, and wrapped it around her cup. “I don’t regret many things, but I would hate to regret this, because you’re so sweet.” She tilted her cup to him with a playful smile. “You better behave yourself, because if not, know that we’re trained, red-ribbon mares, alright?”
“…I don’t understand.”
“We’ll buck you,” Hotfang replied. She picked up her own cup. “Like, to hurt you. For real.”
“Ah… Then these are agreeable terms.” He lifted his cup with a wisp of magic. “To… friendship, in lieu of pain.”
“To pain!”
Heart rolled her eyes. “To friendship.”