//------------------------------// // Pause and Apology // Story: Prevention // by Mind Matter //------------------------------// PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE. “They aren’t getting married.” Twilight said. The group of four had walked in silence for a time; Twilight had chosen to wait until they were out of Ponyville limits before bringing the topic up. Broken turned his head to face her, eyebrow raising. “Really.” She nodded. “Applejack had bought the ring and was planning to give it to Rarity before the Princess’ decree.” “Mmhm.” “And she wasn’t willing to not give Rarity a gift just because it looked like an engagement ring.” “Understandable.” “And Rarity didn’t want you going around telling anypony that they were getting married. Or about the ring at all.” “Right.” “Because some ponies might come to the wrong conclusions like you did.” “Sure.” “Any questions?” “Are you the maid of honour?” “Of course not, Sweetie i-“ Twilight slapped her hoof over her mouth as Broken’s smirk cracked into an open grin. She glared at the stallion, and he started sniggering. “So, wait, what’s going on?” Spike asked. Pip put his eye on the young dragon. “I believe that Miss Applejack and Miss Rarity are to be married, but did not wish for anypony to know about it at this point. Miss Twilight is attempting to support their wishes, but Broken Shield is unwilling to.” “Hey, weddings are happy occasions. Don’t see any reason to hide them.” Broken shrugged, then started giggling again. Twilight maintained a glower at him. “Just don’t tell anypony. She was very clear on that point.” Twilight grabbed Broken in her magic, lifting and turning him to stare him in the eye. “Got it?” “Got it.” Broken nodded furiously, his grin not leaving his face. Twilight maintained her hold on him. “Are you… ‘mad’, right now?” “Frustratingly so.” Broken’s eye twitched as he laughed breathlessly. “Had about a dozen urges to kill you since we left the Boutique. Really hard to hold them.” He barked another laugh before biting his lip. Pip positioned himself halfway between the stallion and Twilight, and Spike thumbed at the small emergency note tied to his wrist. Both stopped when Twilight waved her hoof at them. “Broken, do you think you can calm yourself down?” “Already trying.” The scarred stallion muttered, seeming to gag a few times after the words. He closed his eye and took several deep breaths, twitching and retching after each. Then he shook himself, breathed again, and went still. “Broken?” The white unicorn exhaled, opening his eye and staring at Twilight. “Feel better now.” She let him go, and he stumbled slightly as he landed. “Damn, I owe Path fifty bits.” “He made a bet with you on your treatment?” Twilight asked, disgusted. “No, I just said I’d pay him if that actually worked.” Broken stretched himself up and hitched his cloak around his shoulders. “Where are we going, anyways?” “That’s up to you.” Twilight stopped the group as they reached the edge of the Everfree. Broken and the other two gave her almost-identical odd looks. “What?” “I want you to show me where the main Loyalist base was.” “…What.” Broken raised a hoof to his head, glancing between Twilight and the forest. The mare cleared her throat. “I had an idea on what to do with you while I was talking with Rarity. I want you to show us where the main base of the Loyalists was.” “And why in Faust’s downy subplot would I be stupid enough to show you?” Broken threw his hoof from his head to the air. “The Everfree’s bucking dangerous, especially if you go off the path, and we stuck to the deepest parts because of that. You’re asking me to take you on an at-bare-minimum-one-point-five-hour-long hike through one of the most unnaturally-violent areas inside of Equestria to a spot that looks exactly like the rest of the hundred or so square kilometres surrounding it?” Twilight blinked, then nodded. “Why?” “Because I think it’ll do you good to visit there, maybe spark some ideas or memories that you’ve forgotten. And I want to see the area for myself.” Broken snorted. “Right, and why exactly should I show you the area that the Loyalists hid from Dawn in? So that when she comes out she knows where they are?” Twilight ignored the ‘when’. “If Dawn appears, everypony’s going to be ready for her. I highly doubt that there’d need to be a secret hideout out here at all. Plus, I’m sure Pip knows where it is-“ “I do, Miss Twilight.” “-and thus if you refuse I can just have him knock you out and drag you along.” Twilight gave Broken a grin, and after he recovered from his surprised look he gave her one back with a laugh. “Right then. First we need supplies.” He glanced expectantly at Twilight’s saddlebags. The mare blinked, then facehoofed. Broken gave her an incredulous stare. “You didn’t bring-“ “Miss Twilight, I have a stash of supplies a fairly short distance from here. There is more than enough for a three hour Everfree hike.” “That would be great, thank you Pip.” Twilight said quietly, still hiding her face in her hoof. The stallion nodded, disappearing for a minute before returning with several saddlebags and a dozen bottles of water strapped to him. Broken quickly walked over and checked the contents. “Apples, carrots, wheatstalks, apples, apples…” Broken glanced at Pip. “Applejack know you’re poaching from her?” “The apples here are wild-grown. None were obtained directly off of the trees of Sweet Apple Acres.” “Why did you have a food stash in the first place, anyways?” Spike asked. Pip turned his head at the dragon. “…My metabolic rate is somewhat lower than a regular pony’s, but I do require sustenance. Where did you think I obtained food from?” “The library? I doubt Broken ate all the food he had Twilight buy.” “You’d be surprised.” Broken closed the saddlebags, putting his focus back on Pipsqueak. “You bring something to mark the path?” In response, Pip raised his hoof and placed it on a nearby tree. He shifted himself slightly, and there were suddenly several cracks and a hoof-shaped indent in the trunk of the unfortunate plant. The other three stared at the mark for several seconds before Broken laughed and glanced at Twilight. “Let’s get going, then.”