The streets were dark with only a few lanterns lighting the cobblestones. Groups of guards patrolled the streets and pathways between the houses and stores that lined the way. It was tough going but my raven dark coat was great for blending in with the nighttime darkness. A few stars dotted a sky with a few clouds and the moon blinked lazily at its zenith casting the dimmest glow down at me.
I slinked from a shadow, pausing to look up and down the street. Seeing nopony nearby, I dashed across running through the light cast by a streetlamp. It highlighted my dark red and green mane and tail and flashed off the small stone that hung around my neck on a grey chain. A single symbol in the shape of a crescent moon was on its smooth surface.
I was so close; I could hear the clunking of the train not far away from me. But of course just as I thought I was in the clear something happens to turn the tide. “Halt!” I turned and looked at the guard standing not far away from me in a glow of light from a nearby lamp. He was large, larger than me with gleaming gold armor and a pure white coat.
Damn, I quickly looked away and started to run. I put everything I had into my hooves as I charged down the stone roads. I could hear him behind me and a thought crossed my mind. What if he’s a Pegasus, or worse a Unicorn? I couldn’t risk looking behind me but I didn’t feel any magic surround me or hear the sound of wings beating the air.
I rounded a corner and stumbled in shock. A small group of guards stood before me, and by small I mean four of them. They turned to look at me eyes narrowing at my out of breath appearance. I didn’t wait to see if the other guard was close to me I just turned and ran. I ducked into a small pathway and started to weave my way around the sharp corners.
I could hear the guards struggling to follow but the narrow space forced them to run single file and their already large frames were made larger by the golden armor they wore. Sneaking out wasn’t new to me, running from the guards wasn’t new for me either, I was thankful that I knew they alleys so much. I took a turn I recognized and knew would help me and ducked under a low hanging clothesline.
Sliding to a stop I paused at the rails of an ornate balcony. The alley had led me down behind a café that overlooks the side of the mountain city. The train tracks ran just under it and continued down the mountain to the fields below.
I could feel the train approaching, the ground started to shake under my hooves as it got closer. I turned watching the glint of gold as the guards got closer. I could see the light of the train cars getting closer. It won’t be long now, but the guards will also get here before the train does. Just as I predicted the guards ducked under the line, the single piece of cloth catching on ones helmet for a second.
They lined up blocking the only path out aside from the locked door to the café. “Who are you?” A guard asked. I recognized the earth pony as the first guard to start chasing me.
I bit my lip as I backed up. I won’t answer him, he wouldn’t believe me, I don’t even think my cousin would recognize me now. “Answer me!”
“No,” The train was close now, almost around the bend that will bring it right by me. The rumble in the ground grew and a dull roar sounded in my ears. “I’m sorry but I must be off.”
I decided to do a mock bow before I did my daring jump. Something caught my eye; it was the pony that got the cloth stuck to his armor. A dull white glow had highlighted his face and that was when I noticed the horn that stuck up from his helmet.
Cursing under my breath I dived to the side and over the balcony rail. Wind whipped through my short red and green mane and tugged at my cut tail as I fell. My eyes started to water making my vision blur.
Blinking I saw the black slate roof of a train car under me. My hooves hit the roof with a bang that shook up my bones and into my spine. I rolled when I hit the train passing under me until I was sliding along the last roof of the train. I slipped off falling the short distance with a cry until my front hooves latched onto the metal rail of the caboose.
I groaned dangling there with my hind hooves just an inch above the tracks.
“Hang on Ah got yah!” Hooves grabbed my own and I felt myself get tugged up and over the rail onto the flat floor. I looked up gasping for breath only to pause. A mare stood before me looking down at me with bright green eyes. She had a coat of a sweet golden brown and a bright blond mane and tail both of them tied back with a red ribbon into a pony tail.
“Thank…You,” I panted setting my head down on the gently rocking floor for a moment. Thinking I finally had the use of my limbs back I slowly stood up. I turned out to be taller than her by a good hoof* and looked down at her with a smile.
“Not a problem. My names Applejack,” She told me dipping her Stetson and crossing her front legs.
“Arcing Breeze,” I told her dipping my head in a respectful bow. “I do believe I owe you my thanks fair Applejack, for rescuing me from what would be possibly my end.”
She giggled a slight tint of red taking her cheeks. Backing up she flicked her mane from her face and gestured to the still open door. “Ah have ta say it was mighty intrestin’ seein’ a Pegasus like yer self fallin’ from the sky.”
I froze, casting a quick glance at my back to indeed see my large strong wings. Looking down at my neck I saw that the stone on my necklace had a chunk missing from it. “My wings are recovering from an injury so I didn’t want to use them unless I had to.”
“Sorry tah ‘ear tha’,” Applejack told me sitting down on one of the seats in the car. I followed her sitting down on the soft red cushions of the overstuffed couch.
“Don’t be, it was a stupid mistake I made. Now I don’t mean to be rude to someone who just saved me, but you don’t seem like the type of pony to live in this fancy-pancy city?”
“Shoot no! Ah jus’ came ‘ere to settle up some trade work with da merchan’s in town, gotta make the bits someho’.” She scuffed at the thought taking off her Stetson and blowing off some imaginary dust. “What ‘bout you sugar, seems like yer a little too rough ‘round the edges fer this place?”
“Ha!” I laughed throwing my head back and letting my wings relax on my back. “I wish I could say I grew up in the country, nope I grew up here. Ran the streets in the night and in the day became a sophisticate. Was buying my time till I could finally get away, now here I am.”
“Yer a runner?”
I sobered thinking of my cousin, the only family I have ever really known. I left her a note telling her what was going on, how I wanted to get out and try something new with my life. I didn’t want her to worry too much, I wasn’t much to worry about anyways. I know in the morning she’ll freak out and try to set the guards after me worried that I was kidnapped and not just run away. “What ‘bout yer family?” She continued.
I scuffed gently flopping back on the couch so I was laying on my back, my head to the side to look at her. “Sure they’ll worry that’s what families do, but I’m old enough to take care of myself, I can do what I want.” Pausing I bit my lip wondering if I should continue. “Plus I wrote a note, they know what’s going on.”
She frowned at me, her light green eyes narrowing as her brow drew down. “How old are yah anyways Breeze, yah don’ look to be older then twenty*?”
I blushed, turning my head to face the roof as if to hide it. I was thankful for my black coat, the fur only showing the most extreme of shades. “Sixteen,”
“Sixteen!” She cried startling me. “Why that ain’t no older than a highschool pony, what are yah doin’ runnin’ from ‘ome at that age?”
“Hey!” I yelled rolling onto my side to point a hoof at her. “I’m not running away! Not really! I just want to see different places! I don’t want to be stuck in the walls of that city anymore, it isn’t fair!” I sighed setting my head down on the couch. “All my life I have been stuck in the walls of a city, stuck behaving as befitted one of my standings. Its suffocating, I haven’t been allowed to be my age, to have fun and enjoy life.”
Before she could reply the train jolted, a slight screech playing with our ears and making them lay back at the sound. I could feel as the train slowed to a halt before a voice cried out faintly through the walls. “First stop Ponyville!”
“This is my stop,” Applejack told me getting to her hooves and walking to the door we came in through. She paused as she was about to slide it open. “Yah wanna come with, Ah don’ have room at my place but Ah’m sure I know someone who’ll take yah on.”
“Really?” I asked jumping onto the floor.
“Yep, now come on, ‘for they decide tah leave with us on the train.” She left ahead of me as I paused to think. I just met her, should I really be doing this. Looking out the door I could just faintly see Canterlot in the brightening morning. The train had been from the late schedule so it was supposed to take its time, taking hours to do the run instead of just a single hour.
Shrugging to myself I figured what the hey and jumped onto the platform. I could see Applejack not far away, standing with a large red stallion with a harness around his neck and a small filly with a bright rose colored mane and light cream coat. Also with them was what I think was another mare, she had a cyan colored coat and a rainbow mane and tail. A cutie mark showed on her flank depicting a cloud launching a rainbow colored lightning bolt. By the wings on her back she was also a Pegasus.
The Pegasus looked over at me before turning back to Applejack as she explained something. Sighing the cyan mare hung her head, giving a small nod which Applejack replied to. Another nod followed before the group split.
The stallion and filly left towards town as Applejack and the Pegasus trotted towards me. I stood up straight, shifting my wings so my feather’s sat straighter, holding my head high I waited for the mares to approach.
“Arcing Breeze this ‘ere is Rainbow Dash,” Applejack introduced. “Dash ‘ere ‘as agreed to take yah in till yah can figure out want yah want ta do.”
“Yeah, sure.” Rainbow Dash sighed. Applejack frowned and elbowed the cyan mare making her jerk and send a small glare her way. “I mean it should be fun, I have another flying buddy at least.”
I grinned, “If you can keep up that is,” I smirked letting my wings stretch out a bit before laying them on my back again. “I mean thank you for taking me on.”
“Keep up?” Dash asked incredulous. “I’m the fastest flyer in Ponyville, no one can beat me!”
“Wanna bet?” I asked leaning forward. I was taller than her, about a hoof like I am with Applejack. Rainbow Dash was sleek, not muscular though she carried a strength with her that told of hidden power. I could tell she was fast but so am I.
I was lean for a stallion and my wings were large. Not many had beaten me in a race since I was able to get to great speeds without struggle because of my wingspan. “You’re on!” She cried jumping into the air to gently float in front of me. “If you can beat me, or tie with me you can sleep in my spare room. If you lose its good bye Arcing Breeze! Got it?”
I grinned rolling my head to crack my neck and stretching my wings wide to show her their length. They didn’t look it when folded on my back but each wing was the size of a full grown pony. “Wowee them are some big wings!” Applejack whistled walking up beside them. She stood length wise to them so her head was by my back. Standing like that you could tell my wings were the same length as her.
Rainbow Dash gulped but continued to smirk confidently. “On your mark,” She began.
“Get set,” I continued holding my wings above me.
“Go!” She took off leaving a streak of rainbow behind her and I followed. Wisps of storm clouds funneled behind me cracks of lightning lighting their depths. I was right behind her but town square was approaching fast. At least I think it was town square.
The houses and shops seemed to circle it, a large ornate water fountain sat in the centre with a big domed building before it that I took to be City Hall. Despite the early hour a morning market was already in full swing, many ponies Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasus alike roamed trading and buying wares.
I pumped my wings harder feeling the strain as I worked harder. I wasn’t used to having to fly this fast, but it doesn’t mean I can’t. Soon I was flying nose to nose with Rainbow Dash and she turned her head to look at me in shock.
I winked and started to fly faster soon pulling ahead. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her smirk and start to fly even faster. We were both holding back, I could tell, and I think she could tell to but man was it fun.
She pulled up right beside me just as we passed over the fountain and started to circle to slow down. She lost her rainbow streak and the clouds that formed under my wings slowly dissipated into nothing, small shocks of electricity running the length of my feathers to disappear into the air. We slowly lowered to the ground, panting from exertion but grinning ear to ear in our excitement. My heart pounded in my ears and I could feel my blood singing in my veins.
“A tie?” I gasped.
She nodded slightly; head slumped as she struggled to regain her breath. “A tie.”
“Oh thank Celestia!” I cried falling back onto my flank with a gasp. I leaned against the fountains rim letting the mist from the spraying water wash over me and cool me down. Rainbow Dash soon joined me.
“I’m impressed not many ponies can keep up with me like that,” Rainbow Dash told me, her words still breathy but starting to gain strength again.
It took me a bit to get enough air to reply but when I did I smiled at her. “Thanks, same with me. In Canterlot there aren’t many Pegasi, and the ones that are there are really slow, or guards and they don’t like to race.”
“Ha!” Dash laughed leaning back more. “Well a deals a deal. We tied, so you didn’t lose and that means that you can have my spare room.”