//------------------------------// // Fourteen? // Story: One by One // by DreamWings //------------------------------// The train pulled up in the station; the police anxiously searching each carriage before any of its passengers could get off. After the murder on the train searches had to be done all over Equestria to make sure it couldn't happen again too easily. The ponies on board sat patinetly waiting for the precaution to be over with. A yellow mare with big amber eyes watched as a large police-stallion checked her bags. She nibbled on the side of her lip; no clue as to why she felt so nervous, it's not like she had anything to hide. The stallion pulled out a hammer and thrust it towards her with a questioning glance. She showed her builders cutie-mark to him as an answer. "Yes, well," he said, sweat pouring over his forehead much to the mare's discomfort, "I'm going to have to take this away from you until it's checked out. You can collect it from the station in two days." The mare nodded and let out a sigh of relief when he carried on to the next passenger. All of this was very scary to the young pony-- everything had happened so fast. It seemed only a few months ago that she'd left Ponyville to start her apprenticeship. She thought for a second. Actually it was only a few months ago that she'd left to do her apprenticeship. Time flies when you live in fear. Her head fell into her hooves. If only she'd been brave enough to come back before when the murders started happening; she could have been with the ones she loved instead of running away and hiding like a silly foal. Thankfully she intended to make up for that now-- she could only hope it wasn't too late. "Okay, you may leave now. Thank you for your cooperation," a police-pony's voice sounded over the train radio. Everypony ambled onto their hooves and off the train. The yellow mare looked around the platform. For how big the town was the train station always was quite empty; yet now it was full of ponies. Both the police searching new passengers, and many ponies desperately wanting to leave, their luggage right beside them. She'd never seen something quite like it. Actually it was quite funny-- here those ponies were wanting to escape, while others had just come to Ponyville to escape from something else. It was a never-ending loop of fear. Something she knew all too well. "Be careful with that bag," said a mare nearby. Wait, she was sure she knew that high-pitched squeal. "Sweetie Belle?" The other mare's head turned towards hers. Her purple and pink hair stood up on end-- styled in the most ridiculous way her friend had ever seen. And her outfit was even more peculiar-- she looked like a duck, and not a cute one. "Apple Bloom?" Sweetie answered back. The two ponies walked up to one another awkwardly. It had been a while since they had seen or heard from each other; their past was something both had wanted to forget-- especially now all this trouble had happened. They shook each others' hooves. "Miss Belle," an usher called, "where would you like your luggage?" "In the boutique please Jaque." The colt bowed and walked along with the large amount of luggage out into the streets. Apple Bloom blushed, not quite knowing what to say. "So-- you're staying in the boutique?" "Yeah-- well, you know, Rari--" A tear rolled down the white mare's face. Apple Bloom lowered her head. "Yeah-- ah'm so sorry about tha' Sweetie. It must be hard for you." "Worse for you Apple Bloom." Sweetie looked into her friends eyes. "I'm so sorry about Big Mac-- and now what with Babs going--" Both friends went quiet. Neither one of them felt comfortable talking about the latest murder discovery. Apple Bloom's favourite cousin had been found unconscious in an alley-way. It was pure luck that she hadn't died-- if she hadn't been wearing that jacket the razer would have cut clean through her body. She chose the right day to wear her least-liked outfit. Still it wasn't nice to think that somepony had tried to get rid of her. Now all they could hope was that the Doctor's could save her before it was too late. "So-- you're here to see how AppleJack is I guess?" Sweetie questioned. Apple Bloom nodded then shrunk back, remembering how hurt Sweetie must be because of losing her own sister. Why Sweetie didn't really have anypony anymore; at least she had a whole large family to back her up. "Ah'm also here to see Scoots if ah'm honest," Apple Bloom admitted, holding up a letter. "Seems she needs to see me." "I know, I got the same note." Sweetie showed her own envelope to the yellow mare. "It's strange, she hasn't wrote to me since I left. I thought she was upset with me; I knew she'd thought I'd made the wrong decision." "Did you?" Apple Bloom asked, taking in the costume her old friend was wearing. Sweetie giggled. "Sometimes I really don't know. But Rarity said it would be good for her own business--" she stopped. "Don't suppose that matters anymore." A long queue of ponies barged through their conversation area, jostling to get on a seat nearby the carriage which the police were guarding. The two friends stepped outside of the station. " 'Suppose ah'll have to go to Apple Acres now." "And I'd better get to the boutique to see what's left there." They both sniffled, their cheeks wet from the tears that fell. "Well ah guess ah'll see you tonight when ah go meet Scoots near the Everfree. Funny place to meet but-- it'll be nice to be together again." Sweetie nodded and they both moved off. Wait until tonight, then everything may get a little better. The CMC would always look out for each other-- even if two out of three of them already had their cutie marks. And both of them wished the exact same thing as they walked-- please let Babs live. Fourteen?