Not even a glimmer rose above the horizon that night. Cold, soaked, and on the brink of their sanity, both ponies strode with sorrow deep down in their hearts across the concrete sidewalks of shops once open. Even at this time of the morning, the roads lay barren, quiet as a mouse, not a soul in sight, save for the occasional sounds of liveliness inside the upstairs homes of the shop owners. From unprecedented wealth to a weak survival, it had only been an hour since they departed the household in search of refuge, since Rosetti put his fur on the line for both of them. Tears were the delicacy of this very early morning and in the dark of night no less, It was a surprise the two weren’t rounded up by the coppers out of disturbing the peace alone.
“So…this is how it ends…” Silver murmured, tears still readily streaming down her cheeks.
“This is not how it ends Silver…we just…we just need to find a safe place to rest…clear our heads.”
Reality, cause that’s what she wanted to hear right now. “Clear our heads? I’m more worried about our brains staying in them rather. W-We were shot at, we were almost killed. In my father’s home no less at the behest of that greedy and unruly fat bas--”
“Silver please,” the pony uttered out fast as she could clamp two hooves around Silver’s muzzle. “The least we can do is grieve without such unbecoming language.”
“If there were a time for it, this would most certainly be it. I just can’t believe it Diamond…my father, hospitalized, and Rosetti…he hadn’t even gotten a chance to go to college yet…and what of his little brother, how do we tell him he’s all alone now…”
“Shhh Silver, in due time. We can’t even begin to fathom these things until we reach refuge. It’s only thanks to his sacrifice that we even have a chance to do so.”
“What does it matter…I’ll die out here alone and unloved by anything else living…just a wet and sick mess eventually.”
Even as the earth pony worked to keep hopes high, Silver slumped down onto the pavement, pudding on the ground as if she were ready for anything to run her over and put her out of her misery. In the low light of the street lamps, Diamond reviewed their only hint of safety. “Darn, we must have gotten turned around in the river, I don’t think we went the right way. Silver, do you see anything that can help us locate our whereabouts?”
There was a deafening silence, save for the groan of helplessness at Diamond's hooves. A glance down was all she needed, watching the pony slump into a ball, tears beginning to stream ever more down her cheeks. As much as she wanted to maintain the optimism of both of them, her spirit was beginning to weaken in response to the sight as well. What fate this was, to be trapped on streets they barely knew, lost in feelings and crying out sorrows. At this point, might as well have a robber or two join the party and make it a done deal.
Perhaps that thought shouldn’t have been brought into the brain, bad juju came true and all that. Slinking at first but then very casually, a figure began to approach them, “Excuse me, couldn’t help but notice you girls out here all alone, especially your…friend there. Is she alright?”
Diamond almost jumped out of her mane at the sudden realization of conversation but responded as kindly as she could showcase. “Why y-yes actually, we are quite ok. Don’t mind her, she’s just…a little drunk, you know how it goes these days.”
“All too well, I'm afraid. But don’t let the coppers see you like that, they’re liable to jail anything with a pulse on a night like this.”
“Your concern is most appreciated. Actually, I was hoping maybe you could point us in the right direction. We’re looking for 24th Street?”
“24th Street? Ha, lady, you’re clearly a little lost.”
“R-really?”
“Sorry to say, the 24th is in the clear opposite direction. You’re on the east side.”
“Oh shoot, I know we were going the completely wrong way. You have nothing but my utmost thanks, sir."
What looked to be a cordial stallion tipped his hat in respect, Diamond attempting to pick up her friend after nearly a minute of unsolvable sobbing on the ground. But I do believe this is what you call naivete, the girls not even noticing the hint of venom dripping off the voice of this so-called respectful individual who would be so keen as to approach random figures in the middle of the night, alone as they are in the middle of the night and unknowing on whether you are friend or foe. His eyes drifted to the box, the very same box that held their key to salvation. "I hope you don't mind me prying, but I can't help but notice that you two seem a little worse for wear. I'd be more than happy to take you to where you need to go."
"No please, you've been generous enough as it is."
"Oh no no, not at all. I'm just going to need a little something for payment."
"If you're referring to what I think you're referring to, I'm more than happy to pay you, I can spare the bits."
"You know what, that's my fault, perhaps I should have clarified. Bits do sound rather nice but I'm not entirely too sure how much you have on you in this dire situation. And as much as the other thing seems to fit the situation, I’m not without a little integrity I assure you. If you want a ride, all you gotta do is hand over that box.”
It was the instinct of hearing those words that caused Silver to grip the box tight enough to pop its delicate lock off. Diamond’s eyes followed that suggestion to his eyes, standing up to view on his level. “I’m sorry sir but that is quite a steep price, given the circumstances. You see, we need that box to attain our refuge so if you were to say, take it, we’d certainly be well out of luck.”
“That’s not really my problem, little miss, all I care about is the payment. And seeing as how you don’t have the bits on you right now, that box is the only bargaining chip you got. So I’ll ask again, you just let me get a peek at the inside and we’ll be on our way.”
“And I’ll say it again, if you require bits so much that you can’t overlook an opportunity then I’ll happily decline your offer.”
Lost in her confidence, the pony found it mostly replaced by a palpable fear when the stallion began to inch forth unto her presence. “I don’t think you quite got me the first time so this time, I’m not asking. And here I was trying to do a nice thing for you, give you a ride across town, get you to where you need to go. All you had to do was give me that box. I'm a nice stallion, good with kids, and love my ma with all my heart until someone disrespects me or her. Now we've got a problem. You tell your mess of a friend there to kick the box over here to me and I won't be forced to do what I was originally going to do."
"Am I allowed to ask what that might be?"
"Like I said, integrity. I'd rather you not hear it for peace of mind. Go on now, give me the box." The stallion's face scrunched up in annoyance as sobs were the only thing that were given to him at that moment. "Really? You really want to test me on this one?"
"L-Look, you don't want to mess with us. We are very lucrative individuals and if you even so much as touch us I'll have you in chains before you can blink."
"Ooh, a threat, which means that you two must be rich ponies, which means that you'll fetch an even bigger price then I thought you would. Should have kept that information to yourself, now I'm about to call your bluff."
At an agonizingly slow pace, the stallion began to approach with an undisturbed sense of confidence. His smiles and chills down the spine of Diamond especially considering that it seemed like Silver wasn't even paying attention to the situation. Under the pale moonlight still invisible in the sky, a true act of debauchery was aiming to take place. Each clack of his hoof across the cold ground reignited the terror in her eyes but still, for her friend, she stood tall.
This was a brutally inappropriate time to have a memory flash before her eyes. A time from back in the day, when they were still kids. The very same setup actually, wild time that was. Now it was no secret that the two of them were rather brats in their younger days, a duo of absolutely rich posh fillies who used to their status anywhere and everywhere they could, especially when it came to their school. Diamond Tiara was the head of that little round of idiocy, forcing kids left and right to do her bidding. Well one day, one kid finally got the courage to up and deal with Silver Spoon who seemed to be pushing her authority without her leader. I'll save you the details of the event and simply tell you, it was something that a teacher was certainly needed for. But no one called one, because this was just desserts coming to bite them back in the flank.
But thanks to the little show the kids made of it, Diamond took notice and stood for her friend's defense. It was there that she took the cruelest assault of verbal communication that she'd ever heard. That was the moment that she noticed her behavior, when she turned her life around. With the help of a trio of individuals who seemed to be dedicated to helping many of the children get their cutie marks, she realized just how precious life was outside of her own. That's how she came to be the voice of reason. Celestia be damned if the world thought she was going to deny Silver that same enlightenment so just like before, she was going to stand here and protect that girl with all she had even if it cost her life.
What they didn't know however was that Silver was indeed listening. Still lost in her thoughts, she seemed unable to even move her hooves to do something, anything. That girl was scared to death, scared of the stallion, scared of the future, scared of ending up just like Rosetti. Or worse, some type of slave or object lost in a system that would never see her home. In a town full of nothing but ruffians, what could she do? Here she was again, letting someone else protect her. Did she really want to lose another friend so soon? Could she stand losing both her closest friends in one night?
Unbeknownst to either of the two ponies above her, this drove her to begin fiddling with the lock on the box until eventually, it dropped off, forced open from Silver's squeeze attack earlier. She cracked the box open with a sorrowful curiosity and her eyes meant something she didn't expect to see.
"All right all right, I've teased you enough. It's just funny you know, seeing that last little hint of pride when I know for a fact you'd much rather run for the hills." With a quick motion, the stallion's muzzle found the short ponytail of Diamond, yanking her to the ground with force. Her ability to regain her composure was immediately haunted by a hoof crashing down on her mid-area and keeping her firmly on the ground. "I told you to give me the box and you didn't want to listen. That's grounds for punishment."
Through her cries of pain, Diamond desperately tried to chunk out her resolution. "W-wait… you don't have to…W-we'll give you the--"
"None of that now." He uttered increasing pressure on her body. "I gave you a chance and you didn't want to take it. I can't have you just thinking that you can beg your way out of every situation. No no, that is something that we have to break on day one or you just won't sell well." Diamond's eyes widened at the realization of what she had just done. "Oh I'm sorry did that catch your attention? I'll be more than happy to say it again, I'll even elaborate. Two mares, alone on the street, without a place to go or place to sleep, whatever could they do? And that's where I come in with the whole fancy routine, you get in my car, and I drive you to a place non-disclosed. It was supposed to be an easy snatch and then you went and got all confident. Who knows, we might have let you go within the first couple of days but you just had to be a hero. Now I'm gonna have to do a little conditioning before I take you or the boss will definitely have my flank. Might take you a couple of days to get better but when you do, then you have to work. And if you don't live up to those expectations, well…I won't get into the specifics of that, too gruesome."
"P-please I'm s--"
An absolute guttural cry of pain echoed out of her muzzle as the stallion once again increased the pressure on her midsection, this time with the intent to elicit a scream. "I didn't give you permission to talk, did I? No, I didn't. Gonna keep going until you learn your lesson rich girl."
And continue he did. It almost felt like an eternity, to hear your friend being assaulted only for you to not even be able to move. Her friend was in danger, why couldn't she move? Any young gal worth their worth would be up and shoving hooves into his eyes right now but she just couldn't. That is until her eyes once again fell upon the contents of the box. In her sphere of fear, she damn well forgot about her only chance. Drawing from the anger of her emotions, she finally managed to break through her paralysis and slowly rise from her sorrowful stupor, unbeknownst to the assailant who was still actively torturing her friend.
"You two going to play nice or do I have to keep hurting you? I mean, I'd rather you say you say you're going to cooperate, kind of hurts my pride to be doing this to a fine little lady like yourself. Still, doesn't mean it's not the first time I've done it. I'll survive through the grief."
He could spy the pony's lips beginning to move and was poised to enact another hint of torture that is until the sound of a click behind him drew his attention. Before he could even turn his head to the source of the sound, the sight of a flash and something fast damn near grazed his muzzle. It was so effectively close to hitting him that he toppled over from the shock. When his eyes once again readjusted to the situation before him, he drew his attention back to where he was trying to look and saw something he didn't expect to spy. The pony once sobbing on the ground like a lost case was standing to her hooves, a common pistol in her possession and aimed directly at him.
She didn't say anything, just stared at him with tearful and tired eyes. Her breaths were heavy and fast, unsure of what she just did and how to do it again, but the assailant didn't know that. Instead, it's almost like his confidence flipped on a dime. "Whoa whoa, why don't we just talk for a second no need to get all trigger hap--"
"Shut...S-shut up." She uttered, inching the gun closer to him. There were so many things she wanted to say, so many things she needed to vent and get out but her mouth clamped shut the minute the thought entered her head. Instead, the gun continued to inch closer under the control of a tearful lapse in judgment.
"W-wait, you really don't have to do that, I'm sorry. Look, you need money? I got it. You guys need a place to stay? I'll take you there free of charge. I'll even take your friend to a hospital. God knows I made an absolute utter mistake doing what I did and I think I will turn myself into the police tonight. All you gotta do is let me go, come on now, I know you're not a killer."
There is a saying that silence is deafening. Well, The silence of a broken pony who's had a hell of a night was damn near akin to the void. Just as he finished that sentence, Silver pushed that cold metal against his temple and looked him directly in the eyes. There was a moment of understanding in her eyes that she was going through with this and with a shaky motion, the gun almost falling out of her hooves, she pulled the trigger.
But just as quickly as she was ready to end it, the click of an empty magazine made her double-take in disbelief. Even more so when the sight of a large hand snatched the gun from her possession. In a flux of emotions, she spun around to wildly assault the attacker but found her attacks to be completely useless. Now if this had been a friend of the assailant, that would have been a done deal right there but thankfully, it wasn't. As a matter of fact, it was the last person they expected to see on this side of town, Mr. Sell. He casually placed the pistol into his pockets and huffed the stallion by the collar of his jacket. A look to Diamond told him all needed to know and his eyes drifted back to the stallion's. At the very least, a bullet to the head would have been quick and painless. For this assailant, however, Mr. Sell was not so keen on quick, tossing the assailant with the force of a jackhammer into the side of presumably his car a ways away. Whether or not he would wake up later, who knows, who cares.
“Thought I heard a bunch of commotion going out here. What did he do to you two, especially you Diamond girl?”
Held firmly in the arms of the old bear, the pony groaned to respond but responded nonetheless. "W-would you believe me if I said that this isn't the worst I've received before?"
"You ain't gotta fool no one Diamond girl, he damn near broke ya ribs on that one. Least your silver friend was feisty enough to flash an alternate end or you would’ve been spitting blood.”
“I-is…that how…you found us?”
"Mmhmm.” he heartily hummed. "Heard the gunshot before I even had a chance to settle down. Saw the flash too. Now my question to you two, what in the hell are you two doing out here in the middle of the night like this?"
"It's a…rather long story to explain. I don't think that any of us are in any condition to tell it either." Just then, his attention turned back to the silver pony, her face stricken with shock and fear as she eyeballed the bullet hole in the ground just a few feet away.
"I know that look all too well from the war, your girl's in shock. Am I wrong to assume that you two need a place to stay, Cher?”
As much as she strained to speak, it seemed that she couldn't choke out the words anymore and instead simply nodded and pointed to the strange box. Now opened, he was able to view the contents and noticed the location written on the piece of paper. "Well now, you two are mighty far from where you need to be, clear on the other side of town. If that's where you were planning on taking shelter, you went in the completely wrong direction. C'est bon, we'll take my car."
With the care of a nurturing mother, bound from the hospital, he placed the two ponies in his car but just as he was about to step into the driver's seat, he found himself thinking. Out of the driver's seat he stepped once again, slowly approaching the assailant on the ground. To his surprise, the stallion was still conscious. Good, he had words. "I know you ain't kicked the bucket yet, didn't throw you that hard. Just wanted to give you a heads-up. Judging by the display I saw when I showed up, you must be a little low on the totem pole. I can only imagine that means you think you can run back to your boys and tell them about this whole thing. Here's the deal. You keep your mouth shut and I won't have to shut it for you. Simple as it sounds, I do like to keep my promises, it's kind of an integrity thing you know. j'ai compris?
Even if the old bear didn't receive a response from the battered and broken little stallion, he knew full well that he understood. With that, he piled back into his car and took off for the west side of town.
“¿Por qué demonios los traes aquí sabiendo muy bien que ya no tenemos nada que ver con esa vida, viejo oso estúpido e idiota?”
It was with an elusive smile that the bear found himself watching, waiting, taking in the beauty of the large and rotund canine as she strode about the restaurant floor cursing his name and what he did. Wasn’t no secret he was smitten with her, even if he couldn’t understand half of what she was saying or that she would rather much pull the trigger so to speak for what he’d just done. “And here I thought you liked a little fun in ya life mama. Ya done?”
“Claro que no he terminado, I’m not taking your stowaways.”
“It’s a…little more complicated than that Cher.”
With a hint of effort and a little help from the bear, Diamond was finally able to stand to her hooves and approach. Thankfully, she had regained some sense of her situation on the car ride over. Even more so, nothing seemed permanently broken, maybe bruised, maybe even a little cracked, but her spirit remains as high as ever. "Apologies for the inconvenience ma'am but it's not just a coincidence that we're here. We were specifically requested by a certain individual to seek out your shop and show you the contents of this box."
From one hoof to a paw, the box switched ownership, minus the gun for obvious reasons. “Dios mío, Is that…” Two fingers reached to handle the picture deep within, her arms seemingly trembling at the sight of it. Depicted upon the photo was a very old memory, straight out of the past it was, showing her, Rosetti, and two more individuals as they had fun about their day. "I thought I'd never see this picture again. It was the only picture we ever had of the four of us all together."
"I feel I must relay some bad news to you then. Believe me, when I say that we have had our fair share of tears shed about the situation but…"
"D-Diamond, let me…" silver uttered, finally finding her place to take the reins of the situation. It was with a weak attempt that she attended to protest but eventually found herself drawing back in preparation. "It is with a weak heart ma'am that I inform you of the tragedy that has taken place. Rosetti was one of my most trusted associates. Among anybody else, he stood at the top of my circle of friends. He would do anything for me and I, anything for him. However, I never expected that anything would include his death." There was a sudden widening of her eyes, the words seemingly not registering in the canine's brain. "There was a mutiny at my manor, one of which I never saw coming. Rosetti put his life on the line, that we might escape here for safety. I'm sorry."
For as close as the two seemed, it almost felt like an underreaction to see her sitting at the table, eyes closed, but not shedding a tear. There was the occasional tangent of Spanish but nonetheless, she seemed to be taking it much better than Silver or even Diamond. "I just never thought this day would come. That boy was so full of life and energy, I almost thought him invincible…but just like that other boy, he did have his hook or two in that life. When he told me he got a new job that would keep him out of trouble, I didn't think it was as a butler to ponies. Still, it kept him safe and I supported it. I kept telling him that he should have gone off to college but he kept insisting on doing it himself, regardless of the circumstances. Dulce Celestia, that boy had his whole life ahead of him.”
"For someone who seems to be so close, you are taking it much better than we were," Diamond uttered.
"Es una lástima, This wouldn’t be the first I’m afraid.” as she stood up from the table and finally reapproached the front counter, she motioned to the array of pictures set on the walls all around the restaurant. "My family was one of many different outfits that ran the city many years ago. However, that all came to a close when prohibition went into effect. This restaurant was met with the lowest low it had ever experienced in our entire lifetime and because of that, my family began to find new ways to make money. Of course, that did not end so well and as you can see, here we are, their pictures hanging on the walls but most of them are either dead or in jail. At this point I've lost the ability to feel completely down for any losses I may occur, I've come to expect it."
Silver's eyes drifted over the pictures on the wall one by one, taking in the amount of family that Rosetti apparently had. But seeing as how his particular pattern didn't match any of them, she damn well had an inkling oven assumption that he was most likely an orphan or adopted. Tears began to well up in her eyes once again as she went over the family tree until her eyes spotted something strange, a very specific photo that housed an all too familiar character.
"It's just me and the last two little ones I can call family. They're still fairly young so I dare not send them out to be picked off like the others. My grief aside, I can put two and two together and realize that Rosetti sent you here to make sure that I knew what happened to him. But I have a strange feeling that that's not all you need."
"The people," Silver began. "The people who did this to Rosetti are still out there, housed in my manor like they own the place. It's…no secret that one of them is rather close to me and knowing that they know what I do, they will not stop trying to hunt me down. Rosetti, my friend, said this would be the safest refuge for us. Would you be so kind as to allow us to stay here for a couple of days, just until the storm blows away?"
There was a hint of regret in the canine's eyes, her mind wanting nothing more than to go off on a Spanish tangent but with a heavy sigh, she digressed back into the caring and nurturing mama she knew she was. "I'm going to regret a lot of things in my life, especially when I die but if Rosetti was so keen on saving the two of you, I can't say no. He might not have been one of our own, orphaned and alone as he was along with his little brother, but I trust his judgment enough to at least do my part. But, if I catch wind of your so-called assailants knocking at my door, I will not hesitate to throw you to the wolves to protect the others. This is my life you are intruding on and only with Rosetti's world do I take you in, understand?
With that tone of voice, the two ponies found themselves unable to disagree with her terms of any good conscience. However, she had forgotten to address a certain old bear. "Now I do believe that I am at least owed a little kiss for bringing them here, don't you think?"
"I just lost one of my closest little ones and you want a kiss? Do you truly think you're worth that much?"
"At the very least ma'am, I can keep you company, help you get through your grief."
Completely inappropriate, absolutely did not mean to happen, but Diamond found herself giggling under her breath at the situation, the first time in many hours she'd even feel a hint of happiness. Mr. Sell was always a bit of a smooth talker, according to many of the customers who entered his store. It seemed that he and this mother of many had a certain dynamic and she was in the business of keeping her stance on it. "I enjoy your company, I really do, but if you do not leave my shop right now, clavaré tu hermosa piel en mi pared!”
"All right all right, I can take a hint Cher, no need to get all hostile. Ms. Diamond, and Ms. Silver, I bid you both adieu."
The bear took his lead with a quickened pace, knowing full well that she meant what she said. Mama recaptured their attention quickly as can be motioning them towards the back of the restaurant. "Well now that we are free of that idiot, come along, I will show you to your room."
"I-I'm sorry, did you say room? As in a singular room?"
"I did. Unfortunately for you, the other two rooms are currently in use as most of my family live all over the city. We only have one big room and you two are going to have to share it."
"Ma'am, I don't believe you know exactly who…"
"We are," Diamond interrupted with a nervous smile. "The most generous ponies on the planet because of this lovely canine decided to take us in out of her own free will." There was no mistaking the growl in her voice as she looked to Diamond with a hint of 'get your act together,' look she's shot all too commonly back in the day.
The three of them slowly trekked through the small restaurant household, eventually coming to a hallway containing a series of doors, 4 doors to be exact. One obviously belonged to the mama, and the two belonged to two others staying there. With a huff, the mama turned the door knob on the last door in the corridor and allowed the ponies entry. It was a little hard to see in the darkness so their first impressions were all but nonexistent. That is until Mama flicked on the light. "I must apologize for how unorganized it is, it's been quite a while since this room has been used. Do not hesitate to make yourself comfortable, however, and I will see how you're doing when the sun rises."
With that, Mama shut the door and left the ponies to their own thoughts. Of course, like clockwork, the first thought that came out of Silver's mouth was a slight scoff. "I do not believe this is up to our standards."
"Really Silver, you're going to complain now? It's not like we can go back to the manor anytime soon."
"I feel as though I might take my chances with that regardless of the circumstances, look at this place. There's so much dust, I could build a mountain out of it. What reason could they have for not properly cleaning every day?"
"We do not know the circumstances which have barred that woman from cleaning this room. I say we take it and stride and worry about that later. Besides, what would you have us do, go back to my home?"
A hearty gasp of realization loud enough for the neighborhood to hear, Silver's hooves wrapped around Diamond with a complete and utter lack of restraint. "That's exactly what we should do, why didn't we think of that in the first place? Come along, we'll make sure to thank her for the generous opportunity but the accommodations are lacking and I refuse to stay here."
As quick as Silver was, Diamond was even quicker, taking a bite of her tail and yanking her backward like stopping a kid from going to buy candy. Of course, that action was much to her detriment as she yelped in pain at the feeling of her body still reeling from the assault. "O-ow, that's not going away for a while. Silver, take a second would you? You know full well that if your uncle is the one putting out this hit on us, he will have checked my home first and foremost. We can't go back to anywhere familiar until we understand the entire situation."
"Y-you…expect me to stay here then?"
"If Rosetti recommended that we stay here for refuge, I think this is the best we can do, don't you?"
Silver's mind swam with thought, her mind desperately trying to fight between what she had to do and what she wanted. Could she drop her posh pride for long enough to get some sleep after all the crying that she had done? It almost felt unreal, impossible, some would say, uncouth. But truth be told, she was damn tired, especially after the night they had. Despite seeming like her old self, her hooves still trembled when she thought about holding that gun and almost shooting that stallion. The last thing she wanted to do was end up in a situation like that on the way to Diamond's abode. It was with a heavy sigh and an instant acceptance that she agreed to the terms. "Fine, fine, I know we're not in the best situation right now and I am willing to admit that. If we must stay here for our safety, I will…" she uttered, making a face of disgust. "Attempt to stow my reservations."
"Good, you can help me do a little cleaning before we eventually go to sleep. I'll go ahead and start on the dusting and you can go ask for a broom to sweep it all up, alright?" There was a silence she did not expect to hear. In the midst of her words, she found herself turning away from Silver and procuring a duster from the other side of the room, surprisingly conveniently placed. But in that time, she failed to notice Silver flopping onto the bed and with the ease of comfortability, knocking out like a light.
Diamond found herself finally at peace watching her friends finally find her rest. From learning her father's fate to being chased through her house by a gunman to almost shooting a stallion herself, there now finally stood an aura of peace surrounding them, and she'd be a fool to deny the chance to finally get some genuine rest. She gently placed her friend in a more comfortable position under the covers and figured she might as well save the dusting for later. Contempt as could be, she flicked off the light and hopped in right beside her, determined to find her escape from the pain of her own injuries. Knowing full well that it was going to be light out in just a few hours, they'd be damned not to get as much as they could.
Even this early in the morning, mama still found herself awake and alert. Her eyes drifted over the picture frames lacking Rosetti before finding themselves back on the picture in the box. It was a dream to believe he was gone but here it was, real as all real can get. She was trying her darndest to come to terms with the fact but how could she possibly tell the others? They would break like twigs under that pressure. Or so she thought, the scritching behind her noting telltale signs of one of them venturing down into the kitchen. With a whip and a snap of her body, she quickly ripped around to place her eyes upon the second oldest of her adopted children, a silver cat by the name of, "Sterling, you scared the hell out of me!"
"Don't worry your head none mère, I just came down for a little drink…and to ask a question. Is…is what I heard true? Did Big Brother Rosetti finally meet that silver gun waiting for him?
"W-wait, when did you--"
"Peony woke up and was listening to the doorway. I managed to get him to sleep but in return, I overheard your conversation instead."
A sigh escaped Mama. "Then yes, it's true. I don't know what happened or why it had to happen but that boy chose those two ponies' lives over his own but En mi vida, I will make it my mission to find out. Get some rest while you can, we open in a few hours little one."
And so she did, bounding up the stairs with that drink in hand but making sure to stop before the ponies' door. She spared a few moments of staring but none besides herself could pinpoint the feeling deep down in those eyes. Was it curiosity or was it hatred? Only time would tell come first light.