//------------------------------// // Separated by a Dream // Story: Arcadia // by Sir Alexander Wolfgang //------------------------------// The breakfast was considerably dull. Applebloom would keep pestering Spike, forgetting to call him Spike, and instead 'Weseluck.' Applejack kept looking out the window, towards the baskets of apples outside, soon to be taken away by a group of brutes. After breakfast, they simply lounged about. Applebloom sat in AJ's lap, her head resting in the crook her sisters neck. Spike, still wondering why they weren't in orchards, sat between Fluttershy, and Twilight on the couch. Twilight sat cross-legged, reading a book. Fluttershy sat as compacted as she could, hands intertwined. And Mac, was no where to be seen. It was so strange how a man his size, could just disappear without a trace. They sat like this for a solid twenty minutes, nearly boring Spike to death, before a stir was heard outside. Twilight looked outside. Applejack rose quickly, setting Applebloom down in the recliner she had just vacated, and walked to the door, stopping once for a full glance out the window. She did not open the door, she instead pulled on her boots that were next to said door. "Ya'll best get ready," she said, not looking up. Twilight joined Applejack,"Should we help them?" she asked, reffering to the men loading apples onto a cart. "No." Applejack said simply, staring out the window. The group found themselves being pulled in a cart, so slow they probably could have walked faster. Twilight was giddy, much to the drivers annoyance, as she asked him many questions ranging from his age, to his religion. Spike would have listened, if she wasn't speaking in the drivers language. Instead Spike looked the man over. Like the others in the two carts in front of them, he wore short, white robes occasionally covered by leather and bronze armor. They were tan, not as dark as Twilight, but tan. Their hair was long and black, though braided as if to mimic a diadem. His gaze shifted to the trees. They all stood tall, straight, and jutting up into the sky. They almost seemed to stare back at him. He felt a chill run across his spine. They sway, almost human like, and their branches seemed to curve down, as if to pluck him from the cart. Satisfied, or perhaps too frightened to continue his study of them, he looked away from the trees, and back at the driver, before settling on Applejack. "Do these guys speak our language?" He asked her. She looked up to him, "Some do. I don't think this'n does." He nodded, and settled in for a ride like he always does. With sleep. Fluttershy prodded Spike awake. He slowly opened his eyes, emerging from sleep so deep he felt as if he had died, and come back to life. All he remembered was a low hum. As soon as she saw the first glimmer of his emerald eyes, she stepped down from the cart. She looked up again, seeing the "town," as Applejack had put it. This town, was no town, this was a city. A city in a canyon, its building seeming to have been etched from the landscape. Fluttershy looked in awe, as did Twilight. They had not yet stepped into the city, as their cart had been stopped while the others went ahead. They lingered in a bizzare, apparently having emerged from the forest to a much sandier, and noisy place. All around them people walked from stall, to stall, going about their business. "Here's town," Applejack said. "Y-you mean t-that," Twilght stammered. "No we aint allowed there. This is were I buy things, and this is where them fellas that wanted to meet big Mac, are gonna meet us." She said, reffering to the silent hulk behind her. Spike stepped down, rubbing his eyes. "Where are we, exactly?" "'Bout four hours from the farm." He sighed, leaving an unimpressed look on his face, until his eyes bulged as they met where the yonder cliff split, revealing its city inside. "Is that town?" He asked. "Darn it, no! This is town." "Sorry," Spike replied, shocked at having been scolded. Applejack helped Applebloom out of the cart, just as Spike stepped away. "D-do you mind if we split up? I mean, I'd love to get a chance to study these peoples culture." Twilght spoke up, having been muffled by another conversation. "I guess that'd be fine, long as yer back 'fore the sun hits the horizon. And just remember, that I called these folks bastards for a reason." Twilight almost squeaked with excitement as she hurried off into the mass of people, leaving the rest behind her. Spike and Fluttershy decided to leave too, though sticking together. It didn't matter one way or another to him. He hated people. And people were everywhere. One of them just so happened to be sticking by him, like a lost puppy. The two wandered, only sometimes stopping to browse at stalls. Most of them sold something animal related, so naturally Fluttershy avoided those. But one thing caught the attention of both. In the distance, about thirty yards or so, there were large logs, jutting from the sand. They were aligned in the formation of a circle, and as the two gravitated closer, they realized they were spaced. Getting closer they saw a cart backed up to the only opening. This cart was like their own, only it had a built in cage. In the cage were three men, each in rags. Spike and Fluttershy were mere feet from the logs, and found that a crowd was forming around it. Spike looked in through the spaces between the logs. He saw a lone woman. Her skin, far paler than anyone else's in this place. Her hair, a swirl of colors. She sit in the middle, clothed only in simple rags, as did the men in the cage. A man stood on a box, shouting in his native tongue. People now flocked to what the two foreigners realized was an arena. Many produced pouches of coin, while others scowled and walked away. Fluttershy wanted to leave. But Spike was purely interested in seeing what was about to unfold. The man shouted across the arena, to the cart. He smiled. The gate on the back dropped. The three men rushed out, as spears were thrust in to the cage. The man shouted at them. Spike could see fear on their faces. The woman stood up, and looked at the man, as best she could through the logs. She yelled in a language Spike still could not understand, but could tell that neither could the people around him. The man laughed. He gave a final yell, and the woman turned around. Spike saw that she had wings, but they were bound to her back with leather, and some light chains. The most bold of the men swung at her, she stepped out of the way, slamming the palm of her hand into his throat. Just as he hit the ground, another came up from behind and grabbed her. She flailed about, as the third man approached. She kicked him in the stomach, when he was close enough. This apparently surprised the man holding her, as he let loose enough for her to escape, and send an elbow to his face. And then another. And then, one last time, before grabbing him by the neck, and flinging him into the other man, doubled over in pain. They both went to the ground. The first man she had struck was at his feet again, but soon fell again, as the woman kicked his knee. Spike cringed. The man howled in agony. He clutched his useless leg, screaming. He rolled over on his side. The woman walked over to where he laid his head. She put her foot on his neck. Rags that had once served as footwear, hung from her ankles. She applied pressure. Then more. Spike could here the pop from where he stood, almost twenty feet away. Fluttershy grabbed Spikes shoulder. He turned, to face her. "I think we should go," she said, as firmly as she could. Tears fell from her eyes, her body trembling. He looked back back to the arena, and past the logs. He saw nothing but brutality. He looked back to Fluttershy. "Yeah, lets go." He masked his uneasiness, as they slowly, fled the scene. Two men walked, their robes mocking the common cloth that those around them dressed themselves in. They saw a man, he was obviously not from around here, as his height greatly surpassed anyone else's. Yes. This was who they were after. They approached, finding him to be sitting on the back of a cart. Next to him stood a woman, and little girl, exchanging words, and smiles. The younger man walked up to her, "Excuse me, you Applejack?" His accent still clinging to his native tongue. She looked at him, her smile faded, "Yeah." "Excellent! Come with us, and bring you brute." Reluctantly, she complied, bringing the behemoth of a man, and her sister. They walked, for about thirty minutes, through crowds of mostly bearded men, all rushing to different places, all very frightening to the little girl. She squeezed her sister hand as tight as she could, fearing she would abducted if she let go. She whispered into her ear, " baby, don't say nothing in there okay? Theses are bad men." Applebloom quickly nodded her head. The two men led the three into a small adobe building, inside was only a desk, and several chairs. The older of the two sat on the far side, the younger stood off to the side. "Sit," he said, gruffly. The three did. The man sat awkwardly, both hands at his sides. "Minotaurs. Do you know what they are?" "Um, aint it a bull?" "Half man, half bull." "Right." "That man, he could kill one." He reffered to Mac. "Uh, I s'pose. Why?" "There is a island in the lake past the canyon, and in that island is a tower. In that tower is a minotaur. Reward goes to anyone who kills it." "What did this minitaur do?" "Nothing." "Then I don't think he'll wan to-" "We will be keeping the reward, but will stop harassing you for apples." Applejack swallowed. Big Mac looked up from the piece of floor he had been examining. The old man cleared his throat, "The minotaur has killed all people that have come after it. But none of them have been anything like your friend. Do you agree?" Applejack looked at Big Mac. Big Mac slowly turned his head to meet her eyes, and nodded. Applejack turned back to the man across the desk, "Yeah, he agrees." "Good. Prepare yourselves. At this time next week we will be taking to the island." He extended his arm across the desk, its palm waiting for Applejack to grasp it, and shake. "We still aint on friendly terms, you know." He withdrew his arm, "Yes, but civility is paramount." The two foreigners and Big Mac rose, and they left. Once they were out of earshot, and deep into the crowd Applejack finally spoke again. "That man is fuckin' slime," she said in only beneath her breath. "Who was they?" Applebloom asked. "They was bad men, that do bad stuff." "Like what?" "All kinds of things. Don't you ever talk to 'em sissy, aint nothin' they say will do any good for you." Applebloom only nodded. She looked around her, noticing all these people looked like those men to her. Twilight was beside her self. She was overjoyed with the amount of activity around her, studying everything. The different dialects, and merchandise being sold at each stall. The different scents that permiated the air. She smiled, sure she stuck out some what, but she had seen others here, that dressed like equestrians. Still though, her mind lingered on that she had basically been lied to by Danial. These people got along fine on their own. She could only find content, in the fact that Applejack did indeed need help. But she had been told that she would be helping natives. They still needed help though, she supposed. She had been through the bizzare, and found herself somewhere filled with performers, knife jugglers, magic performances, and anything in between. She found herself staring in awe at one person in particular. Partly because of how out of place her clothing seemed, and the rest because of the amount, and speed of the blades she juggled. Instead of the mundane robes that everyone else wore, she was wrapped in a single, long, black scarf that reminded her of Mac. It covered mostly all of her body, save for the ends and heels of her feet, and fingers, which were bare, and the occasional strip of exposed flesh, her eyes, and the top of her head. Her head was crowned with vibrant, pink, completely straight, hair. Twilight almost felt a twinge of melancholy just from looking at her. Twilght looked at the spinning, and twirling blades. One was a spatha. The other was a makhaira. The pink headed woman quickly stepped through her circle, maintaining the blades cycle, as people around her clapped. Many dropped some kind of currency in a wicker basket a few feet away. Twilight took notice. She wished she could some kind of payment, but alas the only money on her person was likely useless to "tribals." Regardless, however, she felt she needed to give something. From the pocket of her faded, brown pants Twilight withdrew a bit. Compared to the coins the locals were slinging about, it was, aesthetically, crafted by gods. It was golden, one hundred piece bit. Stamped with a sun on the surface, and a diamond in the center. When near light, it appeared as if an actual sun was shining. Or rather reflecting. She looked back up to the performer, she was balancing the makhaira on the tip of the spatha. A true feat. Twilight looked back down at the basket, she dropped her coin. It made a noise distinct from the others dropped in the basket. And apparently, the woman had noticed. The pink haired one caught the makhaira, as it fell. She dropped it in the sand, and with her now free arm she reached up to her face, and pulled the bit of cloth covering her mouth down. Her face was almost child like. "You're Equestrian?" She asked. "Yes." Twilight responded, almost surprised to here her native language. "I haven't seen some one from back home in super, long time." She flashed a segment of a smile, picked up her fallen sword, and continued her show. Twilight didn't know what to think. She smiled back at the woman, now fully focused on her blades, and carried on. The sun had almost found its place to hide behind for the night, and there was so much more she wanted to see. The sun had long since fled the view of Arcadia, and with that the group of travelers were being escorted home, by the same man who had brought them, in the same ox cart that had pulled them. All around them was darkness, and with darkness came the fear of the unseen, and with fear came a frightened Fluttershy. She hid it well, but Twilight knew her too well for her to hide anything of that nature from her. Twilight had contemplated using the words Danial had given her, but after a discussion with Applejack, decided against such a plan. Besides. Applejack was a person. And her job was to help people. Nothing as meager as a persons background would stop Twilight from coming to a persons aid. The farm was finally in view, and Spike woke from his slumber, having dreamed of nothing but a low hum, same as before. Applejack paid the driver, paid him something no one saw, and they all made way for the house. The driver turned back. Had he not worked for the soulless men who practically controlled her, Applejack would have invited him to stay. But he did work for them, and she almost hoped one of the creatures that dwelled within the forest would drag him into it, kicking and screaming. But she didn't have enough time left to fill her head with such hateful thoughts. She tried to keep them as pure as she could. Everyone entered the house, giving each other a simple "goodnight," and raced off to their respective beds. Save for Mac who, as expected, disappeared. Spike was the first to nod off. He dreamed of the rainbow haired slave. Dreamed it was he that she was beating. And then, a nervous Fluttershy saved him fro his nightmare. He rolled over, blinking several times. Fluttershy stood there, holding a pillow. She looked alone, and afraid. "I-I'm so sorry, Spike, but, I just," she swallowed, "After seeing that place today, I'm scared, an-" "Scared of what?" Spike interrupted. "I-I don't know. It's just, seeing those poor people forced to kill each other, an' all of that, I j-just can't sleep." "What'd ya' want me to do about it?" he rubbed his eyes. "I-I was hoping, maybe I c-could sleep with you." She looked down at her feet. "Really?" "She nodded." "I'm barely fifteen. How would I protect you?" "I just want to feel safe." Spike almost turned her away, but decided against that. A sad Fluttershy would make even his heart ache. "What ever, get in." He raised the sheets, allowing her to slip in. She did, soundlessly. Spike turned his body, facing the wall. He felt Fluttershy, huddled against his back. Then her arm drape over his shoulder. Her soft breath caressing his neck. He wanted to wake her, but he remembered how adorable she looked when she slept. He didn't want to ruin that masterpeice. He laid there, slowly slipping into a blissful sleep with Fluttershy.