//------------------------------// // Ends Justifying the Means // Story: House that Heartbreak Rebuilt // by Jet_Black1980 //------------------------------// Chapter 22 Ends Justifying the Means What?! I turn to the window next to me and catch the slight reflection. There are slight blushes on my cheeks. How the fuck does blush go through fur like this? I... don’t... know... But fuck! FUCK! FET! I need to do something about this! Anything! I cough harshly. "I am not.” Yup, denial, that’s sure to work. Jeez, I feel like an idiot... “But back to the topic about stars and what I was going with about their light..." Starchaser rolls her eyes and smirks, her voice almost turning musical. "Whatever you say, darling...” She looks thoughtfully over what I have just said. “Well, yes, they do produce light, but it is awfully faint. Though some of them also appear to move at times. If we watch them carefully, it seems that they tend to have a pattern of sorts." I feel like I’m getting talked down to. I know that stars produce light, I know it’s faint and I know if you watch the stars long enough, they appear to move in the sky. Darn it, H.B.! Bite your tongue here! Be nice and make her think that you are only slightly ignorant of the subject. “After all, once ponies find their special talent, they start studying the shit out of it and then don’t expect any other pony to take interest in their field of interest, if that field of interest is outside their special talent...” Ugh, overly complex and wordy thought is overly complex and wordy. I eye myself in the window again. Whew, good the, ‘blush,’ is gone. Alright, let's get those seeds of wonderment going. "I only ask cause back in school, the chemistry teacher did an experiment where he burned different chemical salts, containing different metals. They would burn at different colours. We could look at the light produced through special filters and see these different band.. Stripes of colours, and it would identify the metals being used. You think you could do that with star light?" I watch her expression... I really hope I don't get burned at the stake for being a witch or something... or heretic.. yeah, heretic is a better word. Starchaser taps her hoof on her chin and her ears point straight up. "Hrm... possibly... I'd have to check with the Royal Canterlot University, I'm afraid I don't have the materials for something of that scale, but if we focus it sufficiently then..." Whoot! No burning at the stake for being a heretic! "Maybe a long term exposure? Uhm, seeing that you are going to be in Ponyville, and if we might bump into each other, maybe we could work on it together?" I ask. HA! Rarity says that I can’t have a normal conversation, eh? “Just as long as she doesn’t find out that it was you who nearly clipped her wings that day,” What? You think I am just going to bring that up in casual conversation brain? Uhm, hello? No. “The others might accidently let it slip...” Look brain, I am sure that Twilight and her friends are smart enough to not let something that would cause a horrible light to be cast over their precious pretty, pretty princess cake-eater. But... yeah, I guess mentioning it to them to make sure they don’t let it slip would be a good idea... "Oh, are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't want to be a bother, I'm sure you're busy with your... art and stuff... not that I'd mind the company or anything!" She replies enthusiastically. Maybe a little too enthusiastically. Then again, she’s moving to a new place from everything she knows. And, ‘lucky me,’ I’m the first, ‘pony,’ she’s met from there. I just hope this doesn't turn into something I will regret. "Uhm. It's no bother... I don't do much... I am kinda in the middle of things... you know, finding myself and trying to figure things out... The only reason I am on this train is because the others feel I need a house, and we're going to some auction in some city to see if we can get a deal on a house or some streusel.... They won't even tell me what city we're going to..." Starchaser nods. "Oh, finding a home is always nice." She tilts her head. "Why didn’t they set you up with an appointment with Rael? That seems like it would be easier...” Do I have to make up a reason for this? No, there’s some truth in the explanation I can give. “I don’t currently have a job or stable form of income... And if you don’t have either of those things? Finding an actual place to live and not a, uhm, ‘group home,’ or other ponies that will give you a h-hoof till you get standing are pretty much your only options,” I finally admit scratching my head. “Well... they’re my only options...” I really hope she doesn’t judge me for that. Canterlot ponies tend to be the rich snobby type that might say, ‘Let them eat cake.’ “So, the p-ponies I’m with are hoping that we’ll find something at an auction that we’re going to.” “An auction? At this time of year and they won't tell you...?" She rummages in her bag, pulling out a map of the train routes. Yes! And opportunity to beat that marshmallow at her own game! "Well, based on the direction of travel and the distance, number of stops, etc., I believe we're headed for... wait, it's not a surprise for you, is it? I wouldn't want to spoil anything." She pulls it back a bit. Blinking I think about my drink on the other table. I hope there wasn’t any real magic in that drink. Cause I’m feeling... bubbly. Maybe it’s getting out and actually talking to some... pony outside of the small circle of Twilight and her friends. But I would rather not risk this strain of thought going through my head. I mean, I could say, ‘nah,’ and shrug it off, but seeing what happened the last time I did that? No, I’m going to ask Pop Fizz the next time she comes by. “Well, you see...” I try to get a look over the map and only see a few stops before she pulls it away. Come on! I just want to know where we are going! "You know, if your friends are keeping it as a surprise, I really shouldn't spoil it... after all, anticipation is half the fun!” She smiles, folding up the map. “Well... I wouldn't call them ...fffriends... they're more like teachers." I almost say this without thinking. It’s like I’m unconsciously distancing myself from even Twilight and crew. Wow... I hadn’t even thought about how the girls would feel if I lost any of my memories... would they even take care of me? Could I take care of myself? I didn’t have too much of a focused thought about this when Twilight suggested me using my journal... but I didn’t think about it all in too much depth. Starchaser puts her map back in her saddle bags. "Then I'm sure it's part of an important lesson!" Son of a bitch. Well, I totally screwed that up. And if I get all defensive or angry at her for this, she's going to tell the others... or get angry about it and do a Rarity on me... then I'll be totally alone with my thoughts in this cart. My miserable, horrible, depressing thoughts. And I hate to admit this - despite the fact that I have shared what some would call, ‘just five minutes of screen time,’ with this individual - Star does kinda, sorta, maybe, might be, could be, perhaps is, somewhat is an interesting-ish individual. "Y-y-yeah I guess you're right... it just being foreign to Equestria makes it hard for me not to ask questions..." ============================================================== Starchaser's eyes lit up. “A foreigner!? I wonder where she’s from? She doesn’t sound like she is from Prance or anywhere really far away. But oh, this is so exciting!” "You're foreign?! Where are you from? I don't get to travel much. Please tell me all about it!" Heartbreak nearly jumped away from the overly enthusiastic mare. "Eeep!” Starchaser blinked at the sudden skittish behavior. “Are you alright? Did I do something wrong?” Heartbreak rubbed her ankle against her neck. “No, you’re going to have to forgive me. I’m from... Minneighsota. It's in the far north from the Crystal Empire. It's cold and has lots of lakes. We've been isolated for a long time and pretty closed off.... both in mind set and in location. Magical ice blocks... Only recently anyp-pony realizes that there was something up there and that we could get messages out. But being pretty xenophobic they are very reluctant to let outsiders know anything..." “There are places to visit in the frozen wastes?!” Starchaser nodded along. "Min-neigh-sota? I have never heard of such a place...” “It’s a place with a weird history that I don’t really want to go into right now,” Heartbreak quickly interjected. “It’s really long and complicated, I’m sure that the next stop is pretty soon and if you’re going to be around Ponyville anyway? I don’t see any reason to overload you with such things...” Starchaser nodded. This was the most odd conversation she had had with anypony. But... Heartbreak seemed an overall nice pony. Not like some of her, ‘friends,’ in Canterlot that sometimes pretended as if she didn’t exist at all... “I have not heard of much up there... must be very cold, unless you have some sort of magical field to protect yourselves... does seem an odd place... I'd love to visit it sometime.” She grinned at a passing idea in her head. “ Tell you what, I'll show you around Canterlot some time and you can show me Minneighsota some time as well! It'll be fun!" "That... that might be hard to do. The ice has refrozen and cut Mineighsota off for a while...” Heartbreak replied looking apprehensive. “Plus there isn't anything that is very interesting up there. Just lots of snow and ice along with old prejudices regarding other ...tribes up there. I got out cause I was one of those younger p-p-ponies who question that sort of nonsense and recognizes that it only will lead to stagnation... I think that the only time that it will even be open again is in a year... such a long ways away..." "Well, I can wait... especially if it means a chance to see the auroras from that far north!" Starchaser clapped her hooves in excitement. "I bet it's beautiful up there! And with it being so isolated, I bet the view of the sky is simply to die for!" Her ear twitched. “How could they sustain a proper education system up that far north for so long? Though... that could explain the odd notion that the stars are suns... Oh my, what a silly theory! However would they move!? Intertribal prejudice? That hasn’t existed since before the time of the Princesses! How long could they be isolated for? Oh! This is so exciting! Not even a day out of my observatory and I have met a mare of mystery and intrigue!” Just then the time that a bell went off in the train car. The conductor comes into the cart. "Next stop... Bumbuck! Tickets ready! Tickets ready!" ============================================================== Star is giving me a weird look. Or weird as I define it. She is resting her head upon her hooves and smiling at me. I seriously hope that she doesn’t really go looking for Minneighsota. I would hate to be responsible for one of these ponies deaths... particularly a frozen death involving a wild goose chase for a place that doesn’t exist... "Well... it was really nice to talk to you, Star. I guess this is where you are getting off, I mean if you want to head back to Ponyville." "Oh... right, I need to tell the conductor I missed my stop." She noses into her bag, producing a ticket marked from Canterlot to Ponyville. "Well, that'd probably be best, make sure to look for me when you get back from your little trip! Hopefully I won't be in the hospital again..." In the hospital? I feel the need to inquire a bit more about that... no. If I see her again in Ponyville... maybe... but that all depends on what happens in the mystery city that we’re going to. The conductor looks at me. Shit! My ticket! "Uhm, my ticket is with Rarity... fet... I don't... know.. " The conductor smiles at me. He reminds me of a grandfather-like figure. Which isn’t all good, but isn’t all bad. "It's alright, I already talked to the pony in question, so you're alright regarding your ticket. Though next time you might want to ask her for your ticket, instead of having her hold on to it." Starchaser winks at the Conductor. "It's because her destination is a surprise for her! Oh right! I completely missed my stop back in Ponyville, so can I get let off here?" “I know all about the surprise destination for this particular pony in question.” He grins and looks me in the eye winking. Alright, kinda creepy. “Miss Rarity was apt to make a particular note that I am not to tell you where we’re going.” Fuck. And fuck you Rarity... is this some sort of game to you now? ‘How long can we keep H.B. in the dark?’ I just wish she would tell me already instead of playing this little game. I mean the game will be lost if I hear the name in passing conversation! The conductor turns his attention to Starchaser. "That you can, miss. Just talk to the pony at the gate and they'll get you a return ticket free of charge. Please, excuse me," He moves to the next cart. “Now arriving in Bumbuck! Now arriving in Bumbuck!” He calls out moving to the next cart. "Oh, thank you!" She smiles at me. I got her to smile at me and even have a, ‘normal,’ conversation. Ha! Take that stay puff-marshmallow butt! "Well, hope to see you in Ponyville!" She gathers up her supplies her quills, pens scrolls and parchments before almost half haphazardly putting them in her saddlebags. A small peal of envy curls through me as I watch her using her wings a bit like secondary fingers. "Yeah,” I scoot out of my seat and walk back to my old seat. “See you around. And think about what I said about starlight!” “I think I will!” She replies walking out the door. I slip back into my old seat and look at my drink. It’s still fizzing and bubbling. A small wave of panic hits me about my saddlebags. Wait. Still there. I take a deep breath. Good, last thing I need is losing everything I own on the train to Nowhere, Equestria. I take a good long deep sip of my drink. A nice cherry-vanilla rush hits me and the cup is nearly drained. Yeah, this conversation was everywhere and it did happen just to spite Rarity, but I... I feel good that it happened. Even if it does raise a good number of questions. Just then a line of new passengers start to file into the cart, I try to not pay them any mind. They put their belongings in the overhead compartments and then all start heading out the same way that Spike went when he left. “Must be heading to the dining cart.” I feel the hollow ache that comes just before a stomach sets to rumbling. “I should head that way myself shortly...” I close my eyes and smile a bit. “Yeah, I think I like how that conversation went though...” Just then, I hear the sound of cushions from the other side of the table deflate a bit as they are sat upon. Fuck, come on, one conversation with a random pony is all I can- Upon opening my eyes I see who it is. Rarity. Great... No, wait! Rarity! Great! HA! I did it, marshmallow! She looks indigent and narrows her eyes at me. “So,” she begins. “So,” I reply smugly. Yes, I can be smug about this. Looking around I am half tempted to just rub it in her face. ...Wait, what the fuck? I never used to feel that way about things. That’s what horrible jocks and assholes do. But still, I feel like I accomplished something. And besides, how would Starchaser feel about being used like that? “What was that all about?” She finally asks. Put it tactfully, H.B. Don’t lose your cool here. “Oh, nothing. I just wanted to know what time it was and didn’t see the clock on the wall. So, I woke up the p-pony behind me and asked.” Fet. Stop sounding like a snide matter of fact bitch, H.B. Tone it down... “You were sitting there for quite some time to merely ask for the time...” Rarity replies looking at me questioningly. “Well if you must know,” Calmly, calmly. Don’t sound too excited. I don’t want her actually knowing that I did kinda sort of enjoyed parts of the talk, “we had a small conversation too. A perfectly normal conversation,” I reply as neutrally as I can. “She’s moving to Ponyville from Canterlot and is a celestial cartographer. Her name is Starchaser.” Yeah! Ha! I learned about some random pony and was able to hold a conversation with them! Now what, Marshmallow Fluff!? Rarity takes a sip off her drink and peers at me. “Was that all you learned?” She asks me. “No, I learned more. Like how Equestria is stuck in the Dark Ages of science and progress... Unless everything here is based on the laws and rules of a roleplaying game... or the actual rules and laws set up by Lauren Faust...” “Other than the fact that she is going house hunting in Ponyville? Yes. Did I mention that we had a relatively normal conversation?” Rarity sets her drink down before looking up at me. “I knew you could do it, H.B.” She says, smiling coyly. Her words and expression hit me like a cold hard smack to the face. Son. Of. A. Bitch. I’ve been played again.