Chapter 7: A rose in the wasteland
“And you sure are up for another run?” I asked her in slight concern.
“Of course I am! I only have three months to practice for the test; I still have to improve if I want to impress somepony in the stadium!” she claimed.
“Okay, just be careful. I don’t want you to break your back.” I urged her.
“I’m always careful, dad! You know me!” she ensured me and turned around, tensing the muscles in her wings.
I looked up for a second: the bunch of clouds was in perfect order and floated a few meters above our heads; the five cloud rings were adjusted to the size of those used in the official test, and a single cloud indicated the last discipline of our little probational test.
My look fell back on my daughter: her concentrated glance was focused on the construction above our heads as she asked: “Can we begin already?”
“Sure!“ I stepped aside and gave her a serious look, “Just make sure to stretch your wings in time.”
She nodded determined: “Of course I will! I won’t fall again, trust me!”
I nodded and began the countdown: “Alright, the stage is yours in … 3 … 2 … 1 … GO!”
Instantly, she shot upward and hurried towards the bunch of clouds, giving each one of them a hard, targeted kick. After only a few seconds, the clouds were completely gone and she hurried to the next discipline - five rings, all stacked and floating in the sky right above my head.
I could hear her take a deep breath before speeding towards the first ring and passing it in a split-second.
“GREAT, FIRESPARK! YOU CAN DO IT!” I cheered my daughter; she turned her head towards me and gave me a quick glance, her eyes shining with joy.
In the moment our eyes met, I felt a sudden twinge in my chest - the painful reality overhauled me: this was just a dream; I was just re-experiencing an old memory. Firespark was gone; she’d already failed her test.
For a few seconds, I stiffly stared into the distance, unable to get a grip.
But I quickly shook my head and mumbled: “No! No, I won’t accept that! This isn’t a dream! It’s the bucking reality! Firespark will pass her test! And she’ll impress every bucking pony in the bucking stadium!”
I hastily looked up and focused her again: she’d managed to pass the rest of the rings without any issues and hastily shot upwards.
As she rested at about 60 feet above the ground, her body suddenly stiffened in tension.
“COME ON, THERE’S NO REASON TO BE AFRAID!” I yelled, encouraging her.
She hastily closed her wings and dropped down, narrowing her eyes from the airstream. As I saw her coming closer and closer to the ground, I shouted: “NOT YET … NOT YET … NOW!”
Instantly, she stretched her wings and her speed decreased massively.
“Alright, now careful!”
She slowed down even further and softly landed in front of my hooves.
I stepped towards her, a satisfied smile on my face: “GREAT! SIMPLY GREAT!”
She span around and faced me, her face teeming with pride: “I did it!”
Overwhelmed by pride, I flung my forelegs around her neck and shouted: “Yes, you did!” I took a deep breath, “I’m so proud of you!”
“Thank you, dad! I sure wouldn’t have succeeded without your help!” she responded happily.
“Do you want another run?”
“No, I think we should head back home by now; it’s getting late.”
I slowly loosened myself from her and turned around, grabbing her hoof: “Okay then, let’s go.”
“I’m right behind you, dad!”
As we trotted along the lonely scenery of Cloudsdale, I couldn’t loosen my look from the filly next to me: she did it! She finally did it! After so many hard months of practicing, she finally did it! She passed the test run for the flight test; now, she definitely was ready for the actual test in three months.
Firespark noticed my look and turned her head towards me, asking: “What’s wrong?”
I smiled brightly and looked back into the distance: “Nothing. Nothing’s wrong, I’m just so proud that you finally got it! I can’t wait for the test; you’ll win over all of Cloudsdale!”
“I hope so! I mean … I’m … good, am I?”
I looked back at her: “You’re freaking perfect!”
“Thank you, dad.” she responded modestly.
Still unable to stop smiling, I looked into her eyes and said: “I love you.”
She returned the smile: “I love you too, dad.”
I just wanted to add something as I noticed a wall of all too well-known darkness in the distance, quickly coming closer and surrounding us from all sides.
“No! … No, this can’t be!” I yelled in horror; Firespark slowly disappeared in the flood of gloom.
“No! Not yet!” I desperately protested, but knew that resistance was futile - my dream was over.
Firespark had been swallowed by the darkness and only her shining green eyes seemed to remain. “See you, daddy.” She whispered before completely disappearing.
“NO! No, for buck’s sake! It can’t be over yet!” I desperately yelled into the darkness, but knew that there was nopony to hear me.
I treaded forcefully: “BUCKING SHIT!”
The darkness swallowed me and forced my eyes close.
Firespark was gone. Again.
“How long is he asleep already?” a pitchy voice suddenly sounded to my ears.
“For a bit more than twelve hours; it was shortly after noon when we arrived here.” another, somewhat familiar voice answered.
“Shortly after noon!? Did you look outside already? The sun should be down for hours now!”
“I know, sister.” The voice sighed, “It probably has something to do with the war: I think the two Princesses finally stopped giving a buck about their population and don’t collaborate in raising the sun and the moon any more. But I’m not sure about that … we can ask him as soon as he’s awake.”
“Why did you bring him here anyways? I thought you said we wouldn’t take any rovers!”
“Sweetie Belle! That pony isn’t a rover! I’ve heard his story: his daughter got abducted, he seemed to have hurried throughout Equestria for the past few days to search for her!”
“…So what?”
“Just look at him: when I found him, he was tuckered out! He fell asleep on the road! And just look at his wounds: I can only imagine what he has taken on himself to search for his own flesh and blood! He really needed our help.”
The higher voice huffed unimpressed.
“And he has supplies in his bag, so we won’t have to feed him from our rations.” The deeper voice added.
“Yes, that bag … did you give it a closer look?”
“Yes, I did. Why do you ask?”
“Don’t you recognize it!? Those are the bags the guards of the Republic use! That pony is a guard!”
“Where’s the problem with that?”
“You said you hated guards!” the voice screeched, “That was the actual reason for us to lock up here: to stay out of that war! And now you brought one of them here! Can you imagine what that means?”
“Sis, he really needed my help! And as long as he and his army don’t march in here, I have no problem with keeping him here. He should just keep his military thoughts out of here.”
The higher voice sighed and, after a short break, noticed: “Oh look, he’s waking up!”
I slowly opened my eyes; the first thing I saw was the bruised face of the unicorn I met on the street the other day. Giving me a slightly relieved look, she said: “Finally you’re awake.”
Instantly, I sat up and hastily looked around. “Where am I!?” I yelled, noticing that I was sitting in a bed - a very expensive one with thick, pink pillows.
The unicorn didn’t loosen her look from me, answering: “In my house.” She made an inviting gesture, “Welcome to Carousel Boutique!”
I rolled over and painstakingly left the comfortable bed; my wounds still hurt, not to mention my wings. “Do you feel better?” the white unicorn asked me.
Oppressing a yawn, I nodded slowly: “Much better. Thanks for helping me, errr…” I gave her a questioning look.
“Rarity,” The unicorn introduced herself quickly, “And I’ve heard your name is Fippo.”
“Yes,” I answered and looked around slightly confused, “I thought I’ve heard you talking to somepony before.”
“Probably with me.” The pitchy voice sounded again. Looking for its origin, I turned my head and focused an armchair at the other end of the room; a young, white unicorn had just gotten up from it and now walked towards me.
The young mare stopped next to the bed and gave me an inspecting look with her green eyes. Finally, she nodded approving and set up a friendly smile, introducing herself: “Sweetie Belle, nice to meet you.”
I gave her a friendly nod: “Hello, Sweetie Belle.” I looked at her sister again, “So, where did you say are we?”
She made a comprehensive gesture throughout the room: “At Carousel Boutique, my home.” A weak smile spread over her face, “If you would have come here before the war, you could have bought some fabulous new clothes. But now…” she sighed deeply, “It’s just a sanctuary for the two of us; a place to escape the war out there.” She finished; her smile vanished again.
Letting my glance wander throughout the surprisingly tidy bedroom, I said: “But how do you get by? I mean, a boutique isn’t the best place to grow food if you ask me.” I said with a slightly ironic tone.
“I admit: it’s hard to survive, but you have two choices,” Sweetie Belle answered my question soberly, “You either look for yourself by all available means, or you join the army of the Republic or the Empire and risk your life for a pointless war between two stubborn sisters! Your choice.”
Being reminded to the slaughter I saw the previous day, I jugged and noticed something missing in my face: “Wait. Where are my sunglasses?” I asked shocked.
Rarity made a bow towards a small beside-table next to the bed: “There they are.”
I hastily grabbed them and put them back on. Rarity gave me an unbelieving look: “Why do you wear sunglasses inside?”
I hesitated - the major reason for me to wear them was simple: due to their size, they completely hid my emotions; whenever I wore them, nopony could guess what I was thinking or feeling - that made it a lot easier for me to speak to other ponies.
Giving her a simpler and less personal explanation, I answered: “After my daughter had been abducted, I did some things that some ponies may consider as ‘illegal’. I interrupted the flight test in Cloudsdale, attacked an employee of the Cloudsdale stadium -that bastard who actually foalnapped her- and ‘trespassed’ into Canterlot Castle because I wanted to ask Celestia for help.”
Rarity couldn’t hold back an amused grin: “Oh you bad, bad boy. Anyway, why are you wearing those glasses then?”
Giving her an unbelieving look, I asked: “Don’t you understand? After my actions, I’m sure that I’m not welcome -not to say wanted- in Canterlot and Cloudsdale. Luna gave me the glasses to stay undetected, so that I can move without attracting attention.”
Rarity chuckled amused: “Really? Your ‘great leader into liberty’ isn’t as smart as I thought.”
“What?” I asked slightly confused.
She finally calmed herself: “Look, if I recognized you with those glasses, how big do you think are the chances for a guard to recognize you?”
I gulped, realizing that she was right: my disguise wasn’t that sneaky; after all, even Derpy recognized me.
Rarity gave me a serious glance, saying: “I admit: I take to you, so I’ll make you an offer.”
I silently raised an eyebrow.
“You leave half of your provisions to us, and I’ll make you stay really undetected.” she explained generously.
My first impulse was to deny: my rations were limited already - I would need all of them if I wanted to continue my journey. Apart from this, how did she plan to ‘make me stay undetected’? She didn’t look like a plastic surgeon, and just giving me a new haircut certainly wouldn’t help me.
But then I paused and reflected for a moment: what use did I have of provisions when I wouldn’t be able to move in Cloudsdale or Canterlot without problems? If I wanted to find the factory, I had to go to Cloudsdale. And regarding the unambiguous letter from Spitfire, I definitely needed a disguise if I didn’t want to press my luck once again.
So I hesitantly nodded and said: “Alright. As long as you’ll do good work, we have a deal.”
Rarity’s face brightened visibly and she smiled complacently: “Oh darling, puh-lease! As soon as I’m finished with you, even you daughter wouldn’t-“ she cut herself off, “Sorry. What I wanted to say is: nopony will recognize you – in no case!”
I nodded soberly: “I hope so.”
Rarity happily trotted towards the single exit of the room and looked over her shoulder: “Please come with me, darling!” My look fell on Sweetie Belle, still standing next to the bed. “Oh, and Sweetie Belle! Be a darling and water the plants, will you?” Rarity added.
The young pony rolled her eyes and walked towards the door, passing her sister with an annoyed moan.
Not minding her little sister, I followed Rarity through a narrow staircase and finally found myself in a big, round room in the main floor.
Walking behind the white unicorn, I took a look around: Rarity didn’t seem to have joked when she said that this house used to be a boutique: several mannequins of ponies were standing or lying around in the untidy room, some of them had small scraps of cloth tied around them; the floor was dusty and littered with single papers. The large windows were nailed up with big slats; the single entrance door opposite to me had been barricaded with multiple locks and thick iron chains.
Noticing my glance throughout the room, Rarity sighed deeply and said: “It’s not what it used to be. After the first riots appeared in Ponyville and Celestia started to enrage, life started to get really hard – Celestia’s taxes were overwhelming, and clothes are the last thing you buy when you’re short on money, you know?”
Remaining silent, I gave her an understanding nod.
“I always tried to stay out of the riots,” she continued, “I didn’t sympathize with Celestia, but I wasn’t against her reign either. However,” she carefully stroked her scarred face, “The guards didn’t care. Those deadheads just strike, no matter who they’re facing.”
“You have a point there.” I confirmed, remembering the events of the previous day.
“After the last riot and several weeks without any customers, I decided that life in public had become too dangerous for the two of us - I barricaded the house and started to grow food on the balcony.” She sighed, “It isn’t easy -and the hard work strains both of us- but it’s enough to survive. All we can do at the moment is hope for the war to be ended soon. No matter which side wins, this has to be brought to an end!” She hastily shook her head, “But I’ve let the memories get the better of me. Please, come with me.” She said and headed towards a small door at the other end of the room.
I stepped through the door behind Rarity and found myself in a small chamber. The pink color on the walls was bleached; the bright daylight shone through a small window and revealed the sight on a cosmetic chair in the middle of the room, covered in a thick layer of dust. Rarity oppressed a cough and pointed to the chair, saying: “Please sit down. I’ll get what I need.” She turned around and walked to a big shelf in the back of the room, filled with every kinds of colorful bottles.
Taking a seat, I turned my head and looked at the window, asking: “If I got you right and I really slept twelve hours, shouldn’t it be night by now?”
Rarity turned around, lifting a white plastic bottle with her magic: “It should be night indeed. I actually thought you’d know what was wrong, since you seem to have talked to the Princesses recently.”
Getting her point, I looked through the window confused: “Yes, I talked to both of them recently, but none of them said anything about letting the day-night-rhythm fade. Why should they even do that? I mean: just think about the consequences for the population!”
The unicorn narrowed her eyes in disgust: “Do you really think those Princesses give a damn about us? This whole war is just a foalish showdown between them, and we are the ones who suffer from it!”
In lack of a response to that, I moaned compassionately and looked back to her.
She approached me, carrying two large bottles, and stopped next to me. Presenting me the bottles, she said: “This should help you stay undetected!”
I leaned forward and looked at the label, reading: “Mane- and fur-colorant?”
Rarity nodded: “Yes, this will change your appearance drastically, trust me!”
Not excited by her plan, I moaned in discomfort: “Coloring my fur? I’m not sure about that.”
She gave me an annoyed look: “Now do you want to stay undetected or what? I can stop if you wish to be caught and imprisoned by the royal guards!”
Facing my hopelessness, I let out a deep sigh: “Fine. But do it quick! I can’t waste a second; I have to search for Firespark!”
“It’s alright, darling! I’ll do it as fast as I can!” Rarity ensured me. She grabbed a large plastic can standing next to the door and unscrewed it, sniffing at its content. She recoiled: “Ugh, that water must have been standing here for a while. But it should be enough for coloring your mane and fur.” She showed me the bottles again: “I thought about a hazel mane and brick-red fur, what do you think?”
I let out a huff, slowly getting impatient: “Hell, just get this over with! I can’t sit here and chill while my daughter is somewhere out there! I have to go and see Fluttershy!”
“Calm down, will you?” She responded and put some of the paste on her hoof, removing my sunglasses with her magic. “Now lean back your head, please!”
Still hesitating, I relaxed the muscles in my neck and felt her surprisingly soft grip on my head, massaging the paste into my mane. Overwhelmed by the comfort her soft touch brought over me, I was tempted to close my eyes, but suddenly startled as I felt a cold, sticky mass dropping on my stomach.
My head shot up and I saw that Rarity had emptied the second bottle all over my body. “No need to fall asleep right away! If you really are in a hurry, then lend me a hand and slather your body with the colorant!” she urged me gently, but determined.
Obeying her, I sat up and tried to get the sticky paste at every visible place. Trying to start a conversation, I asked: “And you’re really living alone with your sister? All alone?”
Rarity nodded absentminded.
“Don’t you have some friends?” I asked and turned my head, looking at her unbelieving.
That question seemed to have hit a nerve; she froze and looked out of the window stiffly: “Friends? … No. No, I don’t have any friends. In those times, friends are a luxury only least ponies can afford. … But I used to have friends - five of them to be exact.”
“So what happened to them?” I asked curiously.
She snorted dryly: “If you really want to know: one of them died during a riot; one of them became a tyrant, and one of them has lost every kind of interest in her friends and never showed up again.”
“And the other two ones?” I asked confused.
She sighed deeply: “Applejack and Fluttershy … I hardly know them anymore. I suppose they live in their old homes - Applejack is far too rooted to leave her farm, and Fluttershy is just … to shy.”
I nodded understanding: “Oh, so Fluttershy is a former friend of yours?”
My hostess nodded, a touch of melancholy in her look: “Yes. That’s why I know where she lives. … We’ll depart as soon as we have washed out the colorant, alright?”
“Fine.” I said and nodded approving.
After several minutes of silence, Rarity finally arose and stepped in front of me, raising the plastic can and saying: “Now hold your breath for a moment!”
As I saw her intention, I wanted to jump up and protest, but got cut off by a flood of stinking water taking my vision away.
It took me a couple of seconds to open my eyes again. Focusing Rarity with a furious look, I shouted: “Seriously, was that necessary!?”
She nodded soberly: “Of course! How did you think would we get the rest of the colorant out of your fur?” With that, she turned around and passed the small door leading into the main chamber. Giving me an inviting look over her shoulder, she said: “Now come with me please!”
Hesitatingly, I got up, left the chamber and entered the main hall where Rarity just lifted a brown blanket from a large mirror in the middle of the room. She turned the dusty furniture towards me and said: “Take a look at your new appearance!”
I looked at the glass and froze. It wasn’t the dark red fur or the chocolate brown hair that horrified me - it was the exhaustion reflecting in my eyes: big pouches hung underneath my eyelid; my irises had turned vacant, and my face was contorted with bitterness and desperation. This was one of the moments when Firespark would have come and brightened my mood; when she would have just smiled and infected me with her happiness. But I didn’t have to look around to know that the red filly wouldn’t appear to make my day; I was all alone.
“Are you satisfied with the result?” Rarity asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I nodded absentmindly while stroking a single stripe of blue fur around my eyes: “Sure. … Be right back.” I said and hurried back into the chamber I came from.
A few seconds later, I returned into the main room, wearing my sunglasses again. I gave the mirror another glance: I didn’t know who the pony was that stared back at me. By all means, I knew that it wasn’t me: I would have never worn sunglasses, I would have never colored my fur or mane, and I would have never hidden my emotions behind a pair of shades. No, that pony staring back at me couldn’t be compared with me – by no means. I wasn’t sure whether that was a good or bad development.
My attention got attracted by the sound of hooves coming closer and I turned my head: Sweetie Belle came down the stairs, carrying a red piece of cotton with her magic. Approaching me, she handed me the object I quickly recognized as my saddlebag and said: “I colored that bag for you. A blue bag with the emblem of the Republic on it would attract unwanted attention; this should help you to stay undetected.”
Unable to hide my surprise about that service, I put the bag on my shoulders and gave the little unicorn an appreciating smile, saying: “Thank you, Sweetie Belle!”
She nodded with a weak smile and went back up the stairs.
Giving Rarity an asking look, I said: “So, can we go?”
The unicorn nodded hastily: “Sure, darling! Just let me get something!” she said and hurried up the stairs.
I heard the high voice of Sweetie Belle again: “Are you departing?”
“Yes, I’ll accompany him to Fluttershy’s cottage.”
“Watch your back, sis! Those imperial douches are everywhere!” Sweetie Belle warned her sister.
“I know. Don’t worry, I’ll watch out.”
Rarity hurried the stairs down again. As my look fell on her, I noticed that she wore her black sweater again; the hood hid her face for the most part.
As she walked past me and approached the door, unlocking it with a few targeted movements, I asked: “Why are you wearing that thing again? Did you commit a ‘crime’ too?”
She gave me a quick glance over her shoulder: “No. No, I just don’t want ponies to see my face. They may … recognize me and … ask for help and..." she hastily shook her head, "No. I don’t want to be recognized!” she held the door open and asked: “Do you intend to come someday?”
I quickly nodded and hurried towards the exit.
After we had stepped outside, Rarity quickly locked the door again with a big padlock and pointed into a direction leading away from her house, saying: “Fluttershy’s cottage is that way. Be warned: it’s near the everfree forest, so it will take a while to go there.”
Looking past her and into the distance, I nodded in silence.
“Oh and there’s one more thing you should know about the colorant in your mane and fur: it’s not the newest anymore, so I don’t know how durable it is. You won’t have to watch every single of your steps, but you should avoid water!” she warned me seriously.
Hunching my shoulders, I gave her an unimpressed nod: “Sure. I’m not a fish, you know?”
Rarity rolled her eyes and silently turned around, heading away from Carousel Boutique.
Driven by my curiosity, I gave the building a closer look: indeed, it looked just like a carousel: it was round; the higher levels were getting smaller, forming a tip. It seemed to have had a blue coating, but the color was mostly peeled off; the windows seemed to have looked really fancy a long time ago, but now were covered with massive wooden slats, leaving no sign of the building’s former grace.
Letting out a deep sigh, I shook my head pitying: this is what the disharmony between the two Princesses had made out of this country. For a second, I doubted whether it had been a good idea to join the Republic and become a guard, but the doubts vanished as I thought of Firespark again: “As soon as I’ve found her, the Republic will charge the factory and let the Empire pay for her abduction! They will all pay! It’s been a necessary step to join the Republic, and it’s definitely worth it!” I told myself again, blocking out every kind of doubts.
“Will you come already? I have more important things to do than to stand around and wait for you!” Rarity shouted annoyed.
I nodded absentminded and hastily turned around, hurrying after the disguised mare.