//------------------------------//
// The Bully 
// Story: Trailblazer The Rescuer 
// by Trailblazer Rocker 
//------------------------------//

A month has passed ever since Silver Soul's plot to conquer Equestria was thwarted. Trailblazer, along with the help of AppleJack, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Fluttershy, put a stop to his plans. For the first time in a long time, he could take it easy. He felt no pressure on him to protect anyone from any threat, and it was that which made him feel at ease.
Tonight, there was a campfire at AppleJack's farm. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applebloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Trailblazer were with AppleJack that night to relax and eat s'mores around the fire. Everypony was enjoying the presence of their friends all in one place at a relaxing time. While they were there, they told stories that were either about their past, funny events that happened between a select few from them, or gossiped. Trailblazer simply strummed an acoustic guitar he bought a few days ago as he sat and listened.
"...So Prince BlueBlood is going after Candace's sister now?" asked Pinkie Pie.
"But of course. I swear, the way he's going, he keeps on getting rejected by every mare he meets!" exclaimed Rarity. "Not that I'm surprised. He was just unpleasant to be around because of his, well, immature mannerisms at the gala."
"From what I've caught, this Blueblood guy sounds like a complete pansy," remarked Trailblazer.
The rest of them laughed and spoke in agreement.
"Say, sugarcube, do ya got anythin' interesting to share with us?" asked AppleJack.
"Well, what else is there to tell?" he asked. "You all know my cutie mark story, I escaped death when Silver Soul took over..."
"Do you have anything about the place you grew up in, at least?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Yeah, tell us a story about your hometown!" Scootaloo yelled, trying to imitate Rainbow Dash.
"Come to think of it, there IS this story that was passed down from generation to generation in Tethleon... But I'm not sure if this story about ancient Tethleon is completely credible..." pondered Trailblazer.
"It sounds interesting enough. Let's hear it!" said AppleJack excitedly.
All the others agreed to hear the story.
Trailblazer saw this and agreed to share it. "Okay, here's how this story goes..."
"Way back when, two millenniums ago, many ponies crossed paths and began to know each other. They set up a camp for themselves in that area. During their stay, they began to build some houses and started to open some shops for any other traveler that came by. More and more ponies began to gather at that site, and they started to build a sophisticated city there. That place became known as Tethleon in the ancient times. I know for a fact that one of my many grandfathers was one of the first campers there."
"But one day, a great cataclysm struck the city, and it fell into ruins. It was feared by all, and many ponies lost their lives in it. Darkness filled the sky, and a formiddable power was in their presence. Tethleon was wrecked, and only a few stood up to that powerful catastrophe. It then swept the rest of the world during it's wrath. At some point, it subsided... But what that cataclysm was and how it stopped is unknown. It has been forgotten over time due to the few survivors that stood in it's wake."
"Many moons rose and set, and the city was rebuilt. There have been rumors about what happened during that pseudo-Armageddon. Some say that a big storm swept the area. A few say that it was the work of a demon. What is known is that after that catastrophe, a group of survivors carried away a chest and buried it. Whatever the case, there is one thing that can make it an archeologist's gold mine: Somewhere in Equestria is that well-preserved and valued treasure locked deep within the earth. Where that place is exactly is unknown, again, because this is a 2,000-year old treasure. Even more theories spread from ponies that lived in Tethleon about what it is: it could be a giant treasure hoard, ancient money made in gold, a magical item of some sort, some scrolls that tell us what actually happened during that disaster, or some personal belongings, like a time capsule. Me? I don't have plans on making it a lifelong goal to find that treasure chest and discover what it actually is, but it does keep me up at night whenever I think about it..."
"Wow, that's pretty interesting!" said Twilight. "It sounds like whatever they buried and hid away must've been really important."
"From what I've been told, it is. If only there was some sort of place to get started, like a first clue, to get started on finding that treasure..."
"There HAS to be some sort of thing to start such an expedition, isn't there?" asked Rarity.
"Yeah, but I JUST don't know where, or WHAT, that first clue is... If only anyone knew what it was... If only..."

***

"Hey, Trailblazer!" Rainbow Dash said as she met him in Ponyville Square. "That story you told last night... I've been thinking that it could be an adventure tale just like Daring Do's adventure!"
"Who's Daring Do?" he asked her.
"Oh, she's an archeologist character that I read about when I was hospitalized for a few days." she said. "Someone should write a story about her based off of the one you told last night! Could be that for something that's been passed down through your family, you could make a lot of money with a top seller like that!"
"You really think so??"
"Yeah, I do! Since you seem to know about it so much, you could write it the most fluently!"
"Well, I guess so..." Trailblazer felt unsure about the idea.
"What's wrong?"
"I do know a lot about it, but I don't know EVERYTHING about it. These chaotic events that happened 2,000 years ago actually happened, but the details on what that chaos was and what the treasure is remain vague."
"So, just make it fictional!" reasoned Rainbow Dash.
"That could work."
"THERE you two are!" said Pinkie Pie as she spotted and ran up to the two ponies. "Didn't you get the announcement?"
"What announcement?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"The mayor has an announcement to make at town hall, and she's about to speak in a few minutes!" answered Pinkie Pie. "Follow me!"
Pinkie Pie led the two ponies towards town hall. There, they saw nearly all of Ponyville's residents standing before a vacant podium, waiting for the mayor to show up. Pinkie led them to their friends, who were all standing near the platform in front of them all. Even the Xutie Mark Crusaders were standing with them.
"There you are!" said Twilight Sparkle as they met up. "Where were you two, and how did you not hear about this announcement?"
"I never even heard about it," said Trailblazer.
"We were at the center of town," Rainbow Dash added.
"Well, how did you not know about it? We're the ones that the mayor will be talking about."
"Really??"
"Yeah!"
"Shh, quiet everypony," instructed Fluttershy. "She's coming right now."
All the ponies saw the mayor walk across the stage, and they quieted themselves down. She made her way to the center and began to make her announcement.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, it is with my pleasure to announce that a dinner party will be held at Canterlot Castle, honoring the heroes that thwarted King Silver Soul's plan for world domination. I'd like to bring them all up here on stage with me right now. Twilight Sparkle, AppleJack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Trailblazer!"
All seven of them walked on stage and stood to face the crowd.
"And, as our special guest for this announcement, and the host for this dinner party, please welcome, Princess Celestia!"
At that cue, Celestia slowly descended onto the stage from the sky. "Yes, my little ponies. This dinner dance will be held at Canterlot Castle this upcoming Friday starting at 7:00 p.m." she announced. "Please make arrangements to be there, to be in the presence of such ponies that kept us safe last month."
"So, look your best as well, everypony!" the mayor ended with. "You are all dismissed."
All the ponies disbanded, leaving the seven of them on their own before town hall.
"This isn't going to be another Grand Galloping Gala, is it?" asked Fluttershy.
"Maybe, maybe not," thought Twilight. "They might've fixed their mistakes by now on how to make it work."
"True."
"Well, dears," Rarity said. "You still have those dresses I made you, right?"
All of them said yes, except for Trailblazer.
"Oh, that's right. You weren't here at that time."
"You don't need to make me anything, I have a suit that I can wear," said Trailblazer.
"Fair enough," replied Rarity. "On that note, I should make outfits for Applebloom and Scootaloo too."
"Okay!" Applebloom said.
"Yeah..." Scootaloo replied, uninterested.
"Well then, I'd say that this will be a great opportunity for us to be known for our accomplishments! Let's make this dinner party worth every minute!"
All of them exclaimed in agreement, and they headed back to their homes.

It was now the day of the Canterlot Castle Dinner Party. The seven ponies and their three fillies had their own private escort via Princess Celestia's guards by chariots. When they arrived, they saw that they were all wearing the same dresses that they wore at the gala, along with the Cutie Mark Crusaders in their own new ones. But Trailblazer was not there when they all arrived.
"Now, where could have my little sugarcube gone to?" AppleJack wondered.
"He was at the same announcement, and he heard the same things we did..." Pinkie Pie said. "Did he go loco in the coco and forgot about it?"
"No, he would've been reminded, he got the same kind of escort we got."
"Sorry that I'm a little late, everypony," they heard Trailblazer say.
All of them looked up to see one of Celestia's guards carrying him by a chariot and landed on the hall floor next to them. Trailblazer jumped out to reveal that he had a black suit, complete with a white undershirt, black tie, and rose on his chest. His mane was also nicely combed, without a messy appearance.
"I stopped to pick these for you, AppleJack." He pulled out a funnel of lilacs and handed it to her.
"Awww, Trailblazer!" AppleJack was awestruck and happy at the sight and thought. "Ya shouldn't have!"
"Well, how could I show up without a little gift for you, 'ma petite chou-fleur'?" he asked her.
"Oh, stop it!" giggled AppleJack. "Still, how thoughtful!"
"Dinner is served, everypony," said one of the waiters. He led all the guests to the dining room and got more of the waiters to take the guests to their seats. The nine ponies had their own big table reserved for themselves.
"If you'd like, we have a buffet set up for all of you," the same waiter announced to the entire resteraunt.
After an hour passed in the castle when all of the ponies had their fill, Princess Celestia showed up on stage in front of a red carpet.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, as the princess of this fair kingdom of Equestria, it is with my pleasure to present our heroes of Equestria once again to you all. Would Twilight Sparkle, Trailblazer, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, AppleJack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity please come join me on this stage?"
All seven of them got out of their seats and headed towards Princess Celestia.
"More showering of praise, 'si vous plait'," said Trailblazer, quietly to himself.
As they were just about to walk up on the stage, many armored pegasi broke into the resteraunt, shattering the windows that they all crashed through. Everypony was startled by this, as they were focused on the princess and the seven ponies that he brought up with her. An entire army of other large ponies covered in armor barged in through the doors, blocking all the exits. They held spears in front of them, ready to impale anyone who dared to escape. All the dinner guests looked around in surprise and fear; none of them knew what was going on. Just then, an indigo-coated unicorn with a pitch-black mane floated down through the broken glass ceiling, laughing evilly as he did so, and stopped when he landed. All eyes were on him, all of the ponies wanting to know what was going on.
"Well, well, well. I'd never thought we'd met again, Trailblazer," he said.
Trailblazer jumped off from the stairs that led to the stage, and looked at him intensely.
"You...! I remember you from somewhere...!" he thought.
"Pfft, I knew you would. I was never good enough for you when we first met each other, was I?" he questioned.
Trailblazer strained to think, and then the memory hit him. "I remember now! You're Black Hole!"
"Impressive, you thug," the unicorn known as Black Hole responded. "I told you that I'd come back, and now I have. I'm going to get my well-deserved revenge!"
AppleJack ran up to Trailblazer. "What is this colt talkin' about, sugarcube?!"
Trailblazer ignored her question. "What, for bringing on a bunch of misdeeds on yourself that I had to address?"
Black Hole chuckled at him. "Surely, you jest. Clearly, it was you that made my life hell. I never had to suffer those injustices if it weren't for YOU!"
"WHAT injustices?!"
Black Hole laughed again. "Just as I expected, Trailblazer, You're too proud. So, it looks like I'm going to have to remind you."
As he talked, the events played back in his head, recalling all the happenings that took place from his point of view.
"Back before the Rising Warriors guild was made, we were all fillies at that time. We went to the same school, and had the same classes. And there was you, bullying all the other fillies."
"You're lying!" Trailblazer interrupted.
"Oh, so you don't remember the time that you squirted glue down my throat?"
"Well..."
"Or the time that you broke my nose with that baseball bat the year before the Rising Warriors were made?"
"Now that..."
"And most of all, the time that you sabotaged my chances of becoming a Rising Warrior, by deliberately hurting yourself, and framing me?!"
Trailblazer grew worried that he recalled all of these times. "...But I..."
"I had terrible self-esteem, and I was put in tears. You made me miserable."
"...When I became part of the Rising Warriors, I saw all the things that I did that were wrong, and I tried to find you so I could correct all of my wrongdoings..."
Princess Celestia, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and the other six gasped. Obviously, they now saw that Trailblazer was no perfect pony.
Black Hole scoffed at him. "You made my life such a living Hell, that I ran away from Tethleon, with what little self-esteem I had. I even set up my own little campsite in the most desolate area I could find, contemplating suicide. However, I was given time to think. I thought, and I thought, and I thought, but all I could think about was you..."
"Sugarcube, did you really do all those awful things to him?" AppleJack asked Trailblazer.
Trailblazer turned away from her, ashamed at himself. "...Yes..."
AppleJack gasped again. "How could ya have done such terrible things?! That just ain't right!"
"So, you see, Trailblazer. I have big plans for your punishment," Black Hole spoke up.
Trailblazer immediately looked back at him with disgust. "Like what?"
"Are you familiar with the story of the 2,000 year-old treasure of Tethleon?"
"Yes?"
"Well, I have discovered what that treasure is, where it's at, and what I need to unlock it."
"What?? How?! And you'd better tell me what it is!"
"You know, I would, but... Why ruin surprises?"
"You dirty little...!" Trailblazer yelled as he charged him. Black Hole set up a force field around his body using his unicorn magic. It felt as if Trailblazer ran right into a concrete wall as he collided with the barrier, and he fell backwards, stunned.
"You've made my life a living Hell, you thug. And now, I'm going to return the favor."
"You listen here, ya party crasher!" AppleJack yelled at Black Hole. "Ah know that no pony's perfect, but Ah've seen a lotta good in Trailblazer! Ah've seen that he's learned from his mistakes, and that's what matters now! Can't ya see that he has remorse?!"
Black Hole looked at AppleJack with contempt. "What, are you his marefriend, trying to defend that scumbag you're calling a gentlecolt?"
"Stay out of this, AppleJack..." warned Trailblazer as he tried to pick himself up.
"That's not an option. I'll need a vessel for our plan for world domination," said Black Hole. "And seeing how you care for Trailblazer that much..." Using his horn, he shot out a dark blue rope-like magic beam that wrapped itself around AppleJack's body, constricting her as it did. She couldn't move as she was wrapped, and she was dragged back to Black Hole. "You'll make the perfect one," Black Hole said, finishing his sentence.
"No... AppleJack!" Trailblazer got up and charged him again. Black Hole deployed his force field again, knocking Trailblazer back like last time.
"Hear me, Trailblazer!" he yelled. "I'm going to make your life an even bigger hellhole than the one you put me through! Once that treasure is mine, you will be tortured so badly that you'll wish you've never born! The world will be mine, and it will be against you!" Black Hole began to levitate, laughing maniacally as he did so, carrying AppleJack with him.
"Trailblazerrrr!" a desperate AppleJack cried out.
"AppleJack!" Trailblazer yelled back as he tried to stop Black Hole. Before he could, his horn began to glow, and in a flash of light that was left behind by the entire army, all of them disappeared into thin air, along with AppleJack. Trailblazer looked at the last place he saw her, in disbelief.
"AppleJack..." he called out. "AppleJack! AAAPPLEJAAACK!" he cried out, stressed. He had to accept the fact: AppleJack was gone.
"AAAAAUUUUUUUuuuuggh..." he screamed towards the sky, and then it grew to a small strained moan as he crouched down, shut his eyes tight, and covered his face with his hooves. He then collapsed on the floor with his legs sprawled out, teeth grit, and with solitary tears flowing from both of his eyes. He was in shame, and in quite a lot of it, reflecting on how his mean youthful self came back to haunt him after all.