Ink Well's eyes slowly crept open in the mid-afternoon light. He tried to sit up, groaning from the effort of it and the stiffness in his body. On his second try, he managed to prop himself up in the bed, taking in the unfamiliar room around him with a confused air; the dusty-rose walls, the vases of flowers, the scents that swirled through the air, the simple paintings, the pile of sheets in the corner, and finally the end table next to his bed. Sitting on the table was his golden ink pot, dented far from its original round shape, and his blue pen, scratches all along its surface and nib bent and broken. He picked up the ink pot, examining it with a weak smile on his face.
It was then that he noticed the state of his hoof. He put the ink pot back down, careful not to knock over a stick of incense that was burning with the pleasant scent of an ocean breeze, and looked over the bandages on his hoof. He brought it close, a faint, soothing lavender smell wafting off of them, hiding the ashen smell beneath. He looked at his other front hoof, finding it bound in a cast and supported by a metal brace. He tried to flex both legs, surprised as no more than a dull throb came from the one in the cast as the brace caught before it bent too far. He then tried to flap his wings, the left spreading out with some stiffness, but the right singing out in pain as it strained against the bandages holding it down. He stopped working against them, shrugging. “Guess I'm grounded for a while.”
Just as he was working up the courage to get out of bed, a yellow and pink head crested the stairs against the wall. Fluttershy turned, walking a few steps into the room before she noticed Ink Well's movements. Her face lit up as she ran over to him, embracing him in a tight hug. “Ink Well! You're awake! I was so worried when I found your house burned down, and then I when I saw how hurt you were, I just didn't know what to do! Oh, I'm so glad you're alright.”
Ink Well grimaced in her hooves. “Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Though if you could loosen your grip...”
“Oh, sorry...” Fluttershy took a step back, letting Ink Well go to a sigh of relief. There was a muted joy in her eyes. “I guess I was a little too excited...”
“No, it's fine. I'm glad to... see you... too...” Ink Well's train of thought derailed as he coughed, frowning at the wraith like sound of his voice. “Is that me? That horrible scratchy thing is my voice?”
Fluttershy placed a hoof on his bed. “That doesn't matter. The important thing is that you're okay.”
Concern flashed onto Ink Well's features. “Rainbow Dash is okay, right? Nothing happened to her?”
Fluttershy nodded. “Yes, she's fine. There was a minor problem, but your warning came just in time, and nothing has been tried since.”
Ink Well leaned back in the bed, relieved. “Oh good. I couldn't have lived with myself if she'd been hurt...” He looked around the room again. “Is this your house?”
Fluttershy shook her head. “Oh, no. This is Rose's home, above her shop. She said you turned up here four days ago. Don't you remember?”
Ink Well's brow furrowed as he tried to recall. “Not... really... After I crashed from the smokescreen I only remember that I needed to get to Ponyville. The rest is a blur...” He shook his head, trying to jog his memory.
Fluttershy waved her question away. “It's alright. You don't need to worry about that. You just need to take care of yourself.”
Ink Well nodded. “Yeah... Where's Rose?”
“She's downstairs. She had to open up her shop again. I'll go tell her you're up.”
Ink Well held up a hoof. “You don't have to. I don't want to bother her if she's busy working.”
Fluttershy shook her head, smiling. “Nonsense. She'll be happy to see you. I'll be right back.” The yellow pegasus trotted from the room, leaving Ink Well alone in the burgundy bed. He sat alone for a few minutes, tapping his hooves on the bed and taking in the many varied scents around him. Just as he was getting bored and was thinking of trying to get out of bed again, Rose's mane appeared at the top of the stairs, followed soon by the pony herself.
“Ink Well? Are you really awake?” He waved at her, habitually trying first with his left hoof before the cast proved too cumbersome and he swapped to his right. She walked over, standing next to his bed. “Oh, I'm glad to see you up again. Do you need anything? Are you comfortable?”
Ink Well shook his head, smiling. “No, I'm fine. I'm wonderful.”
She still looked worried. “Are you sure? Because if you're in pain I could go get Nurse Redheart. Or if you don't like the scents in the room I could switch out the flowers. I was going for calming, but I'm sure I've enough to pull up an energetic mix. Or if you need a drink-”
“No, no, really, I'm fine.” Ink Well raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you alright? You're getting worked up into quite the tizzy.”
She took a step back. “Well sorry for being worried. A friend collapses in your doorway and you try to help and he just gives you lip.” She sat down next to the bed, looking out the window. “Everypony was so worried about you. Nurse Redheart wasn't even sure you would pull through.”
Ink Well shook his head. “Wow... You were that worried about little ol' me? I'm nothing special...”
“Don't say that. You're an amazing writer...” She tilted her head to a book sitting on a small bookshelf near the window. “I finished your book last night. I didn't want it to end, I felt so much like I was in it... But I'd decided I was going to reopen the shop when either you woke up or the book ended... Sorry I wasn't here sooner.”
Ink Well smiled. “It's no biggie. I've been in worse...” He stopped, looking at himself. “That's a lie. I've never been in worse shape. But you've already done a lot, four days and all... I can't be monopolizing your attention. I'll be fine, if you need to get back to your shop.”
“Fluttershy agreed to watch the shop for a while, so I'm here for you if you need anything.”
“No, I don't need-” His stomach rumbled. Rose smiled smugly as Ink Well looked down, blushing as it contradicted what he was going to say. “Well, I guess I'm a little hungry...”
“No problem.” She walked over to the kitchen, preparing a quick salad. “So, what happened to you? When you came in you were in horrible shape...”
Ink Well stared at the bed. “I don't want to talk about it... I think it was the National Equirer getting back at me. Didn't think it would go that far...”
“The Equirer did this to you?” She brought over the salad, placing it on the bed in front of him. “Are you sure?”
Ink Well shrugged. “I'd guess so. The Enforcer was looking for the file I'd stolen from the Equirer, so I'd assume so, but I can't prove it...”
Rose looked shocked. “You stole from the Equirer?”
“Eh, not the first time I'd snuck into a place. Didn't think they'd react so harshly about it...” He leaned forward nibbling slightly on the leaves.
Rose looked at him strangely. “I can't believe you'd do that. You don't seem the type.” Ink Well was eating ravenously, stopping when she looked at him and gulping down what was in his mouth. He smiled nervously. “Enjoying that?”
“Yeah...” He put down the empty bowl, placing it over to the side of the bed. As he did, a thought occurred. “Oh geez, I'm in your bed aren't I?” He made a move to get up.
“No you don't.” Rose held him back with one hoof. “You're staying right there. Nurse Redheart doesn't even want you moving until the end of the week. Though she said your wing should be working again by then if you don't hurt it anymore.”
Ink Well looked relieved. “Oh good. Not sure how long I could take being land locked.”
Rose looked interested, though she seemed to be trying not to. “Oh what's so special about flying? Many of us get along just fine without it.”
Ink Well looked appalled at the idea. “I don't know how you do. Flying is just... amazing. It's impossible to describe the exhilaration as the wind catches your wings and the cool air flows through your mane, the shine of the moon on the ground below...” He looked over at her, rubbing his bandaged head with his hoof. “You read the book, I tried to capture it there... That's about as much justice as I can do it, and it's so weak when compared to the real thing. I wish you could experience it, then maybe it'd make more sense.”
Rose sighed. “No use dreaming. The description in the book was such an image...” She stood up, heading towards the stairs. “I'll just have to be content with that.”
Ink Well looked at her, confused. “Where you going?”
“I need to let Fluttershy go. We've been talking for a while. When the day finishes I'll be back, alright?”
Ink Well nodded, smiling. “Sure. See you then.”
Rose walked downstairs and into the main shop to find Fluttershy just finishing up with a customer. “Thank you for shopping at Rosewater. Have a good day.” Fluttershy turned around, smiling at Rose. “Hello. How is he?”
Rose frowned. “He's fine. Actively refusing help, but fine. Why do you think he's being so difficult?”
Fluttershy shrugged. “He probably wants to look strong. The animals try it all the time when they're sick. If I were you, I'd make sure he knows that you're doing it to help him. That always makes the bunnies calm down.”
Rose shook her head. “He's not a bunny, Fluttershy. You can't treat him like some animal. He's a pony!” She walked around the counter, looking at the displays around the shop. Many little bottles were missing. “Wow. You sold a lot while I was gone. How'd you manage that?”
“Just a little bit of kindness, pointing them towards scents they might like.” She walked over to a small, empty display. “You need more wood based options, by the way. I had difficulty once those sold out.”
“Wow? The woods sold out? There were only two customers when I left.”
“They had big orders.”
Rose looked at her suspiciously, nodding slowly. “Okay then. Well, I've got a grip on things here if you want to leave or go upstairs or anything.”
Fluttershy shook her head. “No, I'll stay around. When do you close?”
Rose looked out towards the clock tower just as it started to toll. “Oh, only an hour... You want to keep running the shop? I'll start work on restocking the wood bases.” Fluttershy nodded, and Rose walked into her distillery, setting rosewood in the vat to begin the maceration process.
As that soaked, she moved over to a separate distillery, pulling a flask from the steamer. During the brief period the flask was opened, the room flooded with the scent of lilacs. Somewhere she'd read that something distilled from lilacs was useful on burns. Now she wasn't a medical pony, so she did her best with what she had at hoof. She took the full flask to some clean bandages, dripping the liquid inside across them until it soaked through. As they dried, she reset the steamer with some fresh flowers and an empty flask.
Soon after the clock in the room alarmed, signaling the end of the work day. Rose walked back to the main shop just as Fluttershy was closing the door behind the last customer. Rose took inventory while Fluttershy went to check on Ink Well. A few minutes later, Fluttershy came back smiling. “He's asleep again. I was going to ask about bringing the others by, but...”
Rose led her to the door opening it and letting her out. “You just bring them by tomorrow, I'll make sure everything's ready. Thank you for watching him and the shop today.”
Fluttershy nodded. “Of course. It was fun. I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Yup. Have a safe flight home.” She watched Fluttershy fly away, then finished inventory and cleaned up the shop. She checked on the wood scent, leaving it overnight before heading upstairs. Ink Well was indeed asleep, so Rose quietly checked that his bandages were good for the day, took a book from her bookshelf. She read for a few hours, keeping an eye on Ink Well's sound sleeping before laying herself down for bed.
The last thing she did was look up at him, sleeping comfortably and animated, not like his previous unconscious motionlessness. She smiled from her vantage point at the floor. “Goodnight Ink Well.”
“Goodnight Rose.” It had come as barely a murmur, and Rose had to shake her head to be sure she'd heard it, but it was clear. Her smile grew as she nuzzled into her makeshift bed, drifting off to sleep.
---
The next morning Rose awoke with the early morning sun falling on her face. She got up, stretching to remove the stiffness from laying on those the blankets, and looked over at Ink Well, glad to see him still sleeping peacefully. After she walked downstairs, going into her shop to get ready for the work day. She made sure everything was clean, then turned on the distilleries to prepare to create her aromatic concoctions.
As she finished up she went to the front door, opening the shop for the day. As she did, she noticed the pile of mail on the floor, the top of which was covered with what was labeled as a 'Special Edition' copy of the National Equirer, touting news 'Too important to wait for the end of the month!' She brought it inside, flipping open to the table of contents while she waited for customers. The list of stories contained the usual subjects, with titles like 'Hoity Toity, Fraud?' and 'The Great and Powerful Trixie's Battle with Horn Rot' and 'Conspiracies in Canterlot', but at the bottom, almost insignificant and hidden away with smaller type, 'We Remember a Writer: Ink Well'.
She flipped to it, the last story in the magazine and just one page long, half of which was dominated by Ink Well's head, with his confidant smile and his old beat up hat. Next to it was a picture of his burned down house, merely the skeleton of a house and a scorched spot, and a list of stories he'd written. Rose began to read. “Earlier this week Ink Well, a prolific writer for the Equirer, was tragically killed in a devastating house fire. It is assumed that a candle ignited the blaze as he fell asleep at his work desk...” The story went on to talk about how he was always such a diligent writer and that he would be missed. It almost seemed mellow the story, none of the grandiose rumors or conspiracy theories, just simple, if wrong, facts spiced up with flowery descriptions. And, of course, they didn't bother to mention anything he did outside of the Equirer or did for fun or his book or anything about him other than 'a writer.' She reached the end of the piece, frowning and tossing the magazine aside. “It's like they didn't even know him.”
As she steamed over the article, Lily burst into the shop. “Rose! Rose! What are you doing still sitting around here?”
Rose rounded the counter, confusion on her face from the sudden appearance. “What do you mean?”
“Didn't you get the new Equirer?” Rose nodded. “Read the 'Conspiracies in Canterlot' article, you'll see what I mean. Daisy and I'll try to save you a spot!” Lily bounded from the room, running over to Daisy before they both galloped down the street. Rose looked puzzled, running over to the discarded magazine and flipping to the story.
Her heart dropped as she saw the image on the first page. “Oh no...” Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity stood on the front page, each looking very mean in the heavily altered pictures, the red under-lighting and the fiery background not lending itself to positive interpretation. Below them ran the title 'Conspiracies in Canterlot: Ponyville Six Plots Revealed!' Rose's ears drooped sadly as she scanned through the article. “Ink Well isn't going to like this.” She grabbed the magazine, running upstairs to where Ink Well was still sleeping soundly, unaware that anything was wrong. She pushed against him, shaking him awake.
He started in the bed, scrambling back against the wall before looking at Rose with sleepy eyes. “What?! Who? I... Rose? What's going-?” She tossed the magazine down on the bed, flipping it open to the article. Just one look at it and his eyes narrowed. “They didn't...” He skimmed through the article, his look turning to shock and anger as he read through the four pages of slander, rumor and lies. Everything from poisoning to assassination attempts, not just hinted at or said, but laid out blatantly before him. As he neared the end of the article, he flipped the magazine to the front page. “'Special edition?' What the hay is this? Why won't they just let it die?” He put it down on the bed. “Nopony can possibly believe this stuff, right?” Rose looked down, kicking the floorboards and avoiding the question. Ink Well looked absolutely disappointed. “Don't tell me. There are already crowds.”
Rose looked out the window, seeing a rush of ponies past her shop. “I learned about it when Lily burst in. She was rushing out already.”
Ink Well was furious. “Help me up. I need to get to the others.”
Rose held up a hoof. “Hold on Ink Well, Nurse Redheart said you shouldn't move for at least a week.”
He shook his head, pushing himself past her hoof and up and out of the bed to stand unsteadily on the floor. “I can't stay here. I can't let this rest. I need to get to them.”
Rose took a step back, ready in case something happened. “Why? What'll you do out there? What'll you accomplish?”
Ink Well started limping towards the stairs, Rose shadowing him to make sure he was safe. “I don't know. More than I can in here. Maybe I can get the crowds to leave. Maybe I can convince them these are all lies. Maybe I can at least comfort them in a moment of need.” He stopped, turning back to her and looking at her with saddened eyes. “I have to do something.” He stepped down onto the first step, wincing as his oozing hoof took the brunt of the weight. As he took his next step, his leg brace caught on the floor, causing him yell as he tipped forward and tumbled down the rest of the stairway. He tried to flap his wings futilely to keep balance, tweaking them further as he landed at the bottom with a loud crash, groaning in pain as every part of his body protested.
“Ink Well!” Rose hurried down after him, pulling him from the mass of lavender flowers he'd landed in and supporting him as he stood. “Are you alright?” He nodded weakly, taking a step forward before his leg gave out beneath him. Rose caught him, helping him over to the work table and sitting him down. “You don't need to do this. You're not proving anything! You need to rest.” He started to shake his head, and Rose glared him down, not anger but worry in her eyes.
He sighed. “Alright... I'll stay here.” Rose smiled, relieved that she had won. “But I still need to know what's happening out there. I'll go crazy if I just sit here.”
“I'll go out and see what I can do. Just tell me what you want.”
He turned to the desk, scanning over it with blank eyes as his mind ran. “I'd like to talk to them, if I can, ask them what they want me to do. But I can't talk if the place is swarming, so I hate to ask it, but, can you sneak them here? Or at least ask them to make their own way here? I know it's a lot to ask...”
Rose nodded. “I'm on it. I'll do my best.” She started to walk from the room when Ink Well called her.
“Wait, do you have a pen or a quill and some paper? I'd feel better if I could start writing.”
Rose thought about it for a moment. “I have a pencil in the drawer on the work table, and... ah!” She walked into the store, coming back with a notepad. “Here you go, spare receipt pad.” She placed it down on the desk next to him as he found the pencil.
Ink Well smiled at her, pencil already in mouth and poised to write. “Thank you. Be careful out there.”
Rose nodded, returning his smile. “I will. I'll be back as fast as I can.”
---
Not five steps from her shop Rose found herself on the edge of a large crowd of ponies. She circled the crowd, squeezing through alleyways and around buildings just to see where it was focused, as the wall of bodies was much too thick to try to push into. After three different streets were packed with ponies, it seemed to her to be centered around Sugarcube Corner. On the fourth street she tried, there seemed to be a weakness in the barricade of flanks, so she tried to edge her way in, sliding between ponies and doing her best to avoid bumping or shoving. After just a few feet, however, she was bumped into by a shifting pony and accidentally bumped against a blue colt, who swung around and glared at her. “Hey! Quit your shoving! You aren't getting to Pinkie's Party before I am!”
The crowd surrounding her started to focus on her, murmurs and talking springing up around. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-”
“Have you been cutting your way in line?” A chorus of disgruntled voices rose around her, the attention turning angry.
“Cutting?”
“Who's cutting?”
“Can I just get to my house? My groceries will go bad.”
“They need to wait like the rest of us!”
“Pinkie's Party isn't going anywhere, relax everypony!”
“Wait? This is around Pinkie's house? Which crowd for Fluttershy?”
“Cutters can't get in faster!”
“Back of the line with her!”
Rose found herself in a mass of bodies and hooves, shoving her back to the edge before the ponies turned their attention back towards the middle, completely ignoring her to listen to the music now pounding from the house.
Rose walked away, brushing herself off with her tail and frowning. “Looks like I'm not getting in there. But it sounds like a party, so she can't be too worried.” She left to check the homes of the other ponies, since that seemed the most likely place to find the rest of them.
First was the library, it's normal dark but friendly exterior hurt by all of the windows being dark. There was a crowd surrounding it, but it was not a solid ball, but rather a few hunting parties spreading from the source. Following their lead, she left to check somewhere else, stopping in on Rarity's boutique to find a similar even occurring there, the carousel apparently being closed for business. After that, she gave up on the Ponyville houses, searching instead for crowds, as a wall of ponies like that near Pinkie would be where the rumored ponies would be found. She started down the road to the Everfree Forest, hesitant to go farther than she had to towards that dark place, but it was soon apparent that there weren't many admirers at all along the road, and the few that were were searching as intently as those back in town. Stopping herself from going much further, she cut across the fields, making a bee line towards Sweet Apple Acres.
From her position in the fields the rainbow river of ponies was prevalent on the path; all of the earthbound ponies formed a solid line right to the gate while the pegasi flew excitedly, criss-crossing the skies and crowding the airspace above the entrance to the farm. Where Rose was she could hardly tell what was going on, but the size of the crowd could only mean that Twilight and her friends would be found there. But how to get in? She paced back and forth, the living obstruction in front of the gate not going anywhere. She glanced up at the pegasi flying freely above. How much easier this would be with wings...
After a while, Rose let the simple thought become the dominant one. Why just sneak out? Rose looked at the commotion by the gate. Everypony was there, and apart from the circling pegasi, who themselves didn't seem to wander too far from the gate, nopony at all could be seen inside. From her place in the fields she circles the farm, trying to keep attention from herself. Not that difficult considering how nopony wanted to take their eyes from the possible show.
Once she was out of sight of the crowd and far from the patrolling pegasi above, she found a promising section of fence. Moving up to it and seeing the gaps too small to squeeze through, she tried to climb the fence, hooves faltering for a grip on the rounded wood. They slipped, landing her hard on her rump. Sore from the landing, she tried again, leaping up to grab onto the top beam of the fence. She managed to hook her legs over it, but slowly slid down the side again, hooves scrabbling for grip on the wood. Despite her best efforts, she eventually did slide off, falling onto her back and knocking the wind out of her. From the ground she glared up at the fencing. “Why did they make this thing so high? Do apples try to escape or something?”
Ready for one more try, she picked herself up, taking a few steps back for a running start. She counted down in her head, then sprinted towards the barrier before launching herself into the air. Her front hooves easily cleared it, but her back legs nicked the top, causing her to tumble head over hooves into the apple orchard. Dizzy and dirty, she pushed herself up, smiling. “I'm in!” She placed a hoof over her own mouth, running up to the nearest tree, a skinny sapling that offered little cover, and placed her back against it. After a moment of tension, she peeked around. There was nopony in the orchard and nothing to suggest that anypony was alerted to her presence. Still, she walked cautiously towards the house, initially hiding under each tree, but gradually just trotting as it was obvious nopony was looking her way.
As she neared the edge of the grove she slowed her pace again, hiding behind the last tree before the house. From this vantage point she could clearly see the crowd looming at the gate, held up by a couple of overturned wagons guarded by the old green-furred Granny Smith and her grandson Big Mac. Granny had a pitchfork in her mouth and was stabbing it at ponies as they got too close, while Big Mac's size alone created a buffer away from the barricade. Granny Smith jabbed the pitchfork up, barely missing a yellow pegasus that flew right above her. “Get away from here you varmint! You ain't gettin' Applejack 'n her friends! She didn't do none of those things, and you ain't bothering her with your lies! Now git!”
Being careful to be as silent as possible, Rose ducked around behind the barn, creeping low along the ground on her way to the house. On her way there, she heard a noise come from within the big red building. It was quiet, like the coo of a dove, almost impossible to hear behind the roar of the crowd. She crawled over to one of the shuttered windows, pulling it ever so slightly open.
Inside were the five ponies, Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity. Rainbow Dash was pacing the edge of the barn, wings extended and hooves stomping the ground with every step. Twilight was reading over the magazine with Rarity, while Applejack sat with Fluttershy, a hoof around her shoulder. Fluttershy herself was sitting, shaking and trying not to cry, to little effect. Every so often a small hic would escape from her, a heart melting sound. Applejack tapped her back again. “It's okay sugar. They're just bein' mean. They don't know what they're doin'. We'll be free and clear in no time. I'm sure Ink Well's already working on sumthin'.”
Rainbow stomped the ground again. “It's no time for writing! It's time for action! We need to get up there and kick their flank!”
Rarity yawned from the barrel she sat on, kicking a small pile of hay. “You'd think that they'd be bored of this sort of thing by now. Scandal around us is becoming almost common with this magazine's help.”
Twilight closed the magazine angrily. “That settles it. I've finished the preparations for the trial, I'm sending the letter to the Princess as soon as I can get back to the library.”
A gust of wind pushed against the shutter, causing it to creak and drawing everypony's attention. Rose tried to duck away, but the flash of red hair caused Rainbow to shoot over, grabbing Rose and yanking her in the window. She raised a hoof to strike the intruder, but dropped it when she saw who it was. “Rose?”
Fluttershy looked up at the mention of the name. “W-What are you doing here?”
Rose pushed herself up from where she'd fallen gracelessly. “Ink Well sent me. He wants to talk to you, get your opinion on what to do. I'm supposed to get you back to my shop without anypony seeing you, if you can believe that.” She shook her head. “But there's a huge crowd out there. You can hear it from here. The only way I got through was because they aren't looking for me. Between the scanning pegasi and the bevy of rumor lovers I doubt we'd even make it out of the barn.”
Twilight smiled. “Luckily, I have a spell for just such an occasion. Mass teleport, it'll get us there in a flash. It's going to take me some time to prepare, though.”
Rarity looked over at her, annoyed. “And when were you going to mention you could do that? We've been in this dusty old barn for hours!”
“I had to make sure I remembered everything, and ideally have everything ready. I didn't want everypony getting excited and then letting you down.” She got up, walking to the side and thinking it over. “It's going to take me a little while to get the energy needed, but I'm sure I could get us to your shop. Are you coming along Rose, or can you make it back on your own?”
Rose shook her head. “I'll walk. They don't seem to much care about me. I'm sure Ink Well will be glad to see you when you get there. Travel safely!”
“You too. I'll see you back at the shop.” Rose hopped back out of the window, hurrying back to the cover of the apple trees and quickly making her way back to the shop.
---
Rose trotted back into her shop and right into the back room, proud of a job completed. “Hey Ink Well, I got to the others. They're going to try to teleport in.” Ink Well didn't respond, the sound of the pencil scraping across the paper the only noise, interrupted by the sound of wood hitting wood as it dropped to the table. Rose walked up behind him, looking over his shoulder. “Everything alright?” Ink Well leaned down, grabbing the pencil in his mouth again and continuing his writing. Rose glanced down at the paper, eyes widening as she looked upon his work.
The notepad itself was much thinner, the workspace littered with papers, balled up and torn and thrown aside, each with wet, dark red stains on them. The page Ink Well had beneath him was covered with wavy scribbles going every which way, small red drips and wet spots punctuating them and soaking the paper through. As she watched, the pencil in his mouth slipped once more, slapping into the paper and leaving a red line across it that spread into the fibers. He leaned forward slowly, moving shakily as he gripped the pencil in red stained teeth. Halfway from the page, the pencil slipped, landing once more with a wet slap as a few thick red drips chased it.
Ink Well's head drooped forward, shoulders shaking as he gazed upon the paper. Rose reached out a hoof carefully, placing it gently on his shoulder. “Ink Well? Are you okay?”
His shoulders stilled, the shaking transferring to his head. “No...” A grim smile spread across his face, revealing his stained teeth once more.”I'm not okay.” He laughed mirthlessly, head popping up to look at her with red rimmed eyes and bloodstained lips. “Do you know what's going on?” Rose shook her head, scared of the manic smile in front of her. “It's the smallest thing, the silliest thing, really...”
He coughed, drops of blood splattering out on the table before him. He stared at it, eyes hardening at the sight and tears welling beneath them. “What are you talking about?” Rose took a step back, looking towards the door. Would Redheart be available?
He smiled, tears now dropping freely from his eyes. “I can't write.” He grabbed the paper on the pad, ripping it up and tossing it aside. It landed on the floor with a wet splat, stained dark where he'd bitten it. “My mouth... I burned my freaking mouth!” He started laughing again, tipping backwards in his chair so far that Rose feared he'd tip. Then, suddenly, he shot forward, smacking his forehead against the table. Rose jumped after him, trying to catch him. “Stupid!” He dodged her try, bringing his head into the table once more. “Idiot!” He sat up again, threatening to attack the desk once more, blood trickling down his forehead. Instead he started giggling, slumping forward onto the table, tears falling as he muttered to himself. “Stupid, stupid, stupid...”
A flash of light streamed from the stairs, shining into the darkened workroom before slowly fading. Hoof steps were heard, accompanied by the voices of Twilight and most of her friends. Rose look to the stairs, then back to Ink Well. “Should I send them away?”
Ink Well shook his head, not rising from the table. “No, no... Bring them down. I'm ready for them.”
Rose gave him one final worried look as she ascended the stairs into the room above. The five ponies from the barn were assembled around the room, looking disoriented and confused. Fluttershy was the first to notice her. “Rose, where's Ink Well?”
Rose's eyes betrayed her worry as she talked. “He's below, but he's not really... himself. It might be better if you waited a little before talking to him.”
Rainbow Dash pushed past her, flying down the stairs. “No way. He's going to answer for this one now.”
Fluttershy reached futilely after her. “Rainbow, don't be too harsh. He only woke up yesterday.” The others followed Rainbow down the stairs, running into her at the bottom. She was staring at Ink Well, slightly shocked to see him smiling so calmly, blood trickling seemingly unnoticed down his face and staining his lips and teeth.
“Hello everypony.” He said, his smile not wavering, unnerving in its steadiness. “Are you alright? I trust you read the article.”
Rainbow shook away her shock, taking a step forward. “Yeah! I thought you were going to stop that from happening! What the hay?”
Ink Well nodded. “Yes, I was going to stop that. In fact, I started writing something to send to them...” His eyes drifted to the many papers laying around the work area, the other ponies unable to help following his gaze over them.
Twilight cleared her throat, pulling Rainbow back and taking her place at the front of the group. “I started a legal case against them. All I need to do is send it to the Princess and she'll investigate and call them in. If you were to testify about what they did to you and what you found, we could shut them down completely.”
Ink Well stood up and paced, wincing every time his brace collided with the ground. “Yeah, we could... but don't you think they might get past that? They are a giant, powerful organization with millions of bits to throw around on lawyers, while we are seven meaningless little ponies.”
The group looked confused, Twilight voicing their thought. “What are you-?”
Ink Well held up a hoof, wincing again as more pressure fell on his broken leg. “Let me finish. When this all started, I was on the magazine, and you all were suffering from one story. Since I got involved, since I started trying to fight them, I lost my job, you all have been the target of a second article, Rainbow was attacked in her own home, and all we have to show for it is a file that, while damning, isn't even entirely illegal.” He stopped pacing, looking each of them individually with tired eyes. “I don't know about you, but I think we might as well quit before we fall any further behind. We haven't helped anything. We've only accomplished the opposite of our goals and...” He sat down on the spot, back to the others. “... I'm done.”
Rainbow looked furious. “So after everything you did, after everything they did to you, you want to turn tail and run? They attacked us! Doesn't that mean anything?”
Ink Well waved it away, refusing to turn back around. “A secret organization attacked us, and while the connection is obvious, we can't prove anything.”
Rainbow took another angry step forward. “A pony working for them attacked you! Attacked me!”
Ink Well turned, tear-rimmed eyes furious. “Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I'm acutely aware of what happened? Do you think that makes it any easier?” He took a step for them, pain flashing on his face as he put weight on the cast. “I've done everything I could! I put everything on the line to help six ponies I didn't even KNOW until I started what was supposed to be a simple article, and I lost it. I lost more than that... Everything my pen graces is destroyed, everything I work on abandoned or torn to shreds... Even the pinnacle of my work is an abject failure... Perhaps it was for the best that I lost my ability to write, now nopony else can get hurt for my dumb mistakes...” He sat again, head hanging as tears splashed on the floor. “I have nopony to blame but myself, and nopony but myself should suffer for it. It was more than I could possibly hope to accomplish, taking them on, and I'm tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of writing. Tired of failing... I've already failed you all, let me just take that and hide in shame.”
Fluttershy sat in the back, sadness over all her features. “But... you Pinkie swore...”
Ink Well hung his head lower. “I did. An unbreakable oath from an unreliable pony... Bring me the cupcake if you want, my eye is ready. Otherwise, leave me be...” He started to limp slowly to the stairs, walking between the other ponies, who stared at him as he walked with emotions ranging from barely contained anger to barely contained tears. As he struggled up the stairs, he stopped a few steps up, looking over the group. “I have no place to ask this of her, but Rose, would it be alright if they hid out here for a while? At least until it's safe for them to head home?”
The eyes in the room swiveled onto her. Surprised, she nodded. “O-of course. It's no problem.”
Ink Well nodded solemnly. “Thank you.” He took the rest of the stairs slowly, each step a struggle, with the rest of the room still staring after him, not quite sure how to react. Eventually he disappeared from the steps, the sound of his brace slowly dampening as it clinked across the floor above.
As the sound of the brace faded, the faces in the room turned to each other. Rose took a nervous step forward. “Uh, well, make yourselves comfortable. You can stay here as long as you-”
“He chickened out!” Rainbow paced angrily, stopping Rose's sentence in its tracks. “He's running away! How can he let us down like that?” She looked over the rest, each of them avoiding her eyes. She snorted, stomping a hoof on the ground. “I'm not giving this up! I'm going to fly out to Cloudsdale and take this into my own hooves!”
Twilight shook her head. “No Rainbow. Don't do that, you already know what's going to happen. I'm working on the legal case, and I'm not letting this end here. He's already done enough for us. We can take it from here.”
“Well this trip was a waste of time.” Said Rarity, walking towards the door to the shop. “Can I leave? The combination of smells is giving me a headache.”
Rose piped up from behind her machines. “I could turn on the fans if you-”
Applejack ran past Rarity, pushing her from the door and closing it. “No way sugar. There are way too many crazy ponies out there. Besides, how can you even think about leavin' when Ink Well's so down? We've got to do somethin' to help!”
Rarity frowned at her. “What do you want me to do? I'm not Pinkie Pie. Unless a suit is going to cheer him up I'm afraid I don't know what to do.”
Applejack nudged her. “Nuts Rarity. How can you be so mean?”
Rarity took a step back, offended. “Mean?! Look here you! I care about quite a lot! But we have bigger problems right now than a depressed writer. I have orders to finish at my shop, and I simply can't keep them waiting.” She walked past the earth pony and over to her unicorn friend. “Twilight? Can you do one of those teleports on another pony? I would be so appreciative if you could get me to my boutique.”
Twilight looked up from where she was staring hard at the floor. “Huh? Oh. Yes, just give me a few minutes to concentrate and I can get us all home.”
Applejack looked disappointed at her. “Not you too, Twi! We can't just leave him here. He's a friend.”
Twilight shrugged. “He doesn't want us here. He'll be fine. We should focus on our own problems.”
Applejack stomped a hoof in disgust. “I can't believe you two bein' so pig headed about this! Sure, this attention ain't no walk in the park, but we can spend some of our time helpin' a friend who ain't us, right?” The unicorns looked unimpressed, Fluttershy just watching the scene from the side, looking depressed. Applejack shook her head. “Oh, come on. You're with me, aren't ya Rainbow?” There was a silence that hung in the room. “Rainbow?”
The ponies in the room looked around for the missing pegasus, nowhere to be found. The door to the shop hung slightly open. Applejack ran over, peeking her head out to see the main shop door swinging open as well. “Consarn it, Rainbow! Why'd she go an' do a thing like that?” She was about to go out the door when she stopped, closing it in front of her. “Ah, she'll be fine. She can outrun 'em, and she knows better to go after the Equirer again.”
Rarity fixed her hair with a shake of her head. “So, what, you have time to worry about Ink Well but not your friends?”
Applejack's eyes narrowed as she looked back at the white unicorn. “What're you trying to say?”
Rarity blinked, looking surprised. “Me? I'm not saying anything. I was just noticing how Ink Well's state seems to worry you but Rainbow's doesn't.”
Applejack walked over to her, staring her down. “No, yer sayin' somethin' Rarity. Do you think I don't care about Rainbow?”
Rarity just looked at her, smiling radiantly. “Not at all. I think your obsession on your colt friend is rather amusing.”
Applejack scowled at her. “Colt friend? You best not be starting rumors about me too.”
Rarity's smile turned smug. “Rumors? With all the time he spent at your farm before, helping you out, pulling your cart, I thought it was common knowledge.”
“Why you-!” Applejack reared up, ready to kick her.
Rose stepped between the two, pushing them apart. “Now, I'm sorry, I may not be in the right to say this, but you shouldn't be fighting amongst yourselves, don't you think?” The two ponies still looked angry, but backed down from each other. With that defused, Rose smiled at the group. “Feel free to make yourselves at home. I'll be upstairs if you need me.”
---
Rose walked up into the house portion of her shop, leaving the others below to their own devices. Upstairs she found Ink Well laying in the bed, back to the world and shoulders shaking. Rose took a few tentative steps forward.
“Go away.” A hoof raised from the bed, waiving her off. “I've put in my two bits. I'm done.”
Rose tapped a hoof on the floor. “You can't shoo me from my own house, Ink Well.”
He turned over, revealing his red eyes and tear stained face. “Oh. Rose. It's you...” He flipped back over, facing the wall again. “Leave me alone. I'm not worth talking to right now.”
Rose walked over, sitting on the bed. “Ink Well, I want to help, just talk to me.” The two sat in silence. After a brief pause, Rose spoke. “Well?”
Ink Well rose a hoof, quieting her and pointing to the floor. Heated voices called out at each other, raising to a din before the dimming once more. Ink Well let out a long held sigh. “It's all my fault.”
Rose looked confused at him. “How is this your fault?”
He sat up on the bed, staring on the bed sheet. “I let them down. I wasn't good enough... I couldn't write their corrections, couldn't stop that darn magazine from targeting them...”
“You can't control the magazines! How could you have stopped them?”
“It doesn't matter how, I promised I would. I Pinkie swore! I gave them my word, an oath, hope... I might as well have kicked them in the teeth for all the good I did. All I ended up was a burden on you and a tumor on their happiness.” He paused for a moment as another yell came from below, accompanied by a sad, high pitched coo that tugged at the heart strings. He shook his head, staring at the floorboards. “I even got them fighting among themselves... I'm the worst...”
“Ink Well, you did everything you could. You gave everything for them. Your job, your house, and you kept fighting. What more could you do?” She saw him still staring at the floor, sadness permeable around him. Rose frowned at it. “Ink Well, when you got here you had a broken leg, two bruised ribs, a badly sprained wing, burns all over your body AND a stab wound, and the first thing you did was ask if Rainbow was alright. Today, you read that they were targeted again and you jumped out of bed despite the nurse's and my own wishes, fell down the stairs refusing help and wrote until your mouth was bleeding in an attempt to help them!” She lifted his face to look into his desperate eyes. “You've done enough. It's okay that you think about yourself for once. They have no right to ask you for more.” As she spoke, a cacophony slowly rose below, growing almost understandable before being abruptly cut off with a loud 'Enough!' and a splash of blinding light spilling up the stairs.
Silence rang throughout the building for a few moments, the two ponies just sitting there and listening. Eventually Rose smiled at him, wiping the blood from his forehead. “There, you see? They're gone. Everything will be alright, even if you take a break.” Ink Well looked at her for a moment, the desperation in his eyes gone and a smile edging his face before he broke out into a deep yawn. Rose smiled once more. “You must be beat. Get some rest. It'll all be better in the morning.”
---
Clink. Rose heard the noise, out of place as she soared over the open valleys. She moved it to the back of her head. Clink, tap, clink, tap, clink, tap, clink, tap... She alighted on a cloud, looking around for the sound. At least it had stopped... Thunk! Tap, Thunk! Tap, Thunk! Ugh! That racket! The cloud beneath her shook, the world fading and tearing. Eventually the noise stopped, but the damage was done. The world around her faded to black to the faint sound of a bell.
Rose's eyes slowly dragged open, blinking blearily in the dark room. Moonlight came into the room from a low angle, the sky outside the window deep blue tinted pink. She looked around, wondering where the noise had come from until her eyes fell on the bed. There was a form in the bed, but it wasn't moving, wasn't breathing. This was a solid, lifeless lump. She got up, walking over to the blanket covered body and pulled it back. The pillows of her bed were arranged in pony shape, Ink Well nowhere to be seen.
Now wide awake, she ran to the stairs, hurrying into the dark room below. She flicked on the light, the pipes and machines gleaming in the clean electric light and casting strange shadows where the bulb's glow didn't fall. Amid the shapes and shadows nopony moved. She weaved between the distillers, pushing open the shop door and seeing her front door hanging slightly ajar, the bell tinkling lightly in the cool breeze flowing into the room. She ran from her shop, closing the door behind her as she went into the early morning air of Ponyville.
She started by scanning the sleeping streets around the area. Unfortunately, due to the hubbub surrounding the 'Ponyville 6,' there were multiple ponies already moving around the streets, with dozens more laying in doorways or on the ground. Rose stood stock still as she scanned the streets, still amazed at the amount of sway one article had.
When none of the ponies in the dim moonlight appeared to be the proper injured one, she took off, picking a road at random to begin her search. She moved methodically, street by street looking down all of the little alleyways and into hiding spaces for Ink Well's bandaged flank. As the moon sank and the sun slowly rose on the day, Rose's searching area widened, including the entire market and residential areas. Even after searching those, he was nowhere to be found.
“How can one injured pony move so fast?” She said as her search further expanded to the park. The morning was now in full swing, and there were townsponies and visitors alike wandering the pathways. She moved between them, asking around for the parchment furred pegasus that had wandered off, but nopony seemed to have seen him. She sat down on one of the benches, serious worry threatening to overtake her. To calm herself she breathed deeply, taking in the smell of grass and wild flowers. “Easy girl. He's a strong pony. He'll be fine. Sure he's not in the best shape, but he got all the way to your house in worse shape than this.” She took another breath, running over who she could ask for help searching in her head. “He can't have gone too far down a leg and a wing. If you just organize a search party, you can probably...”
Her thoughts trailed off as the faint scent of lilacs floated past her. She sniffed the air, looking around to see the source of the familiar smell. The flowers in the park were daisies, dandelions and tulips, so it wasn't coming from them, and nopony had walked by recently, so it wasn't a perfume or cologne. Yet the smell still hung in the air. She got up, following it off the path and through the trees, eventually coming to a bush which reeked of the flower, with just the subtlest hint of ash beneath.
Excited, she pushed a clump of leaves aside, revealing Ink Well curled up around the trunk, his bandages all askew and a pained expression on his sleeping face. Letting out a sigh of relief, she shook his shoulder. He started, his wing straining under the bandage and his brace bouncing against the ground as he tried to push himself up. Rose shook her head, trying to stop him with a hoof. “What's with you and hiding in bushes?”
After a few moments of confusion, he looked up at Rose, recognition dawning as his gaze dropped to the ground. “Oh... Hello Rose.”
Rose looked at him sternly. “What the hay were you thinking, sneaking off like that?”
Ink Well looked away from her, purposefully avoiding her gaze. “Oh geez, I worried you didn't I? I was hoping I could just disappear and stop burdening you...”
Rose's look softened. “Ink Well, you're no burden, and I don't know where that talk if coming from! Sure, maybe it wasn't fun cleaning up your bandages and keeping an eye on you, but that's because you're hurt, and that's the part I don't want to see. And why wouldn't I be worried about you? Plenty of ponies are!”
Ink Well shook his head. “Were. The others don't need me anymore now that I'm not helping them.”
“Are. They may be a bit distracted now with their own problems, but that doesn't mean they like seeing you all injured and beating yourself up. Come on! You're better than this.” She took a step back, offering a hoof. “Now get up. A bush in the park is no place for a conversation.” After a few moments, Ink Well took her hoof, and with her help got up to standing and eventually out of the bush, though not without a few snags and scrapes. Once he was out he let go of Rose's hoof, taking a few steps away and still looking ashamed. Rose just smiled at him. “There. Much better. Now let's get back home and fix you up.” She looked him up and down, frowning. “You really look a mess.”
Ink Well limped ahead. “Yeah, thanks. You really know how to make a guy feel better.”
Rose gave an exasperated sigh, nudging him on his way as they headed from the park. “You really need to snap out of this funk you're in Ink Well. So you can't write. There's more to life than one thing! Even if it is your special talent, a few days off of it won't hurt anything, will it?”
Ink Well shook his head. “It's not just that, it's everything. I mean, I'm just useless now, I lost so much, I can't even help the other ponies out after I swore I would, and even once I'm fully healed I've got nothing to return to... And all this focus on me. You, the others, the article... I'm just some little pony, I'm not important. Why all the attention?”
Rose shook her head. “Oh, you saw the one for you? And I thought it would cheer you up. You, sir, suffer from a poor self image. It wasn't just drawing attention to you or anything, it was a memorial from the ponies that remembered you and were sad you were gone. Granted, I'm pretty sure nopony bothered to actually talk to any of them when writing the piece, but it wasn't meant at all in hatred or in spite. And yes, you lost a lot, but there's nothing to be done about that. At least you have your life! You can't return to anything, but you can start over, a fresh start without all the issues you used to have.”
He nodded slowly. “Sure, sure, but that still doesn't explain you or the others.”
Rose stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. “Darn it Ink Well, we care about you, isn't that enough?” She turned around, stomping off with a huff.
Ink Well was shocked, standing stock still for a few moments before he remembered that they were walking somewhere. As he started walking again, he shook his head. “Good going Ink Well. Said the wrong thing there.” He followed Rose, lagging a fair bit behind. When he rounded the next street corner he saw Rose talking with Daisy and Lily, and he hung back behind the wall, listening in to their conversation despite himself.
“... yesterday? We thought you'd have been around the Library or something. Didn't you read the article?”
Rose rolled her eyes. “Yes Lily, I read the article. I just don't think that gossip is that big a thing. Besides, I was a bit busy with my own problems while that was going on.”
Daisy gave an exaggerated gasp. “You not caring about gossip? Something must be wrong with you girl! Weren't you the one dragging us around those few weeks ago?”
“No Daisy, that was Lily. I was just the one that introduced you to the writer. You remember Ink Well, don't you?” She gestured behind her, only then realizing that Ink Well wasn't right behind her.
Lily tapped a hoof against her head as she thought, not noticing Rose's confusion. “Ink Well... Ink Well... Oh!” Her face saddened a bit. “He was the one they wrote about, wasn't he? I'm sorry. He was your friend, wasn't he?”
“Is. He's fine, they were wrong about him dieing. I already told you not to trust them.” She looked around again, still not seeing the bandaged pony. “If he'd stop hiding, I'd prove it to you.” She wandered away, trying to look down the street ahead of her. As she did so, the other ponies gave each other a look.
Lily walked up to her, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “Sure Rose, sure. We believe you.”
Rose looked at her, completely confused. “Huh?”
Daisy walked up too, smiling. “Yeah. When I lost Granny Dandelion, I used to see her all the time as well. You remember that, don't you Lily?” Lily nodded, and realization began to dawn on Rose. “If you want, we were just going to Sugarcube Corner. Pinkie is throwing a party and answering questions and I'm sure that would really cheer you up.”
Rose pulled away, scowling at them. “No! I'm not imagining this! I'm not grieving! He's just a little slow on his feet since the fire. Here, follow me.” She walked back down the street, rounding the corner to find Ink Well leaning against the wall nonchalantly. “There, see?” As the other two rounded the corner, he waved at them.
They took one look at his ripped and pus stained bandages, the burned skin and charred fur beneath, the blood stains on his head, around his mouth and in his smile, and ran, screaming. “Ghost! Undead writer pony! Everypony run for the hills!” They galloped off, a few ponies nearby panicking as well and running in terror.
Ink Well raised a hoof, trying to call them back. “Wait! I'm not...” The street around them was cleared. Ink Well dropped his hoof. “Dead...” He looked back at himself, the burned flesh and bandages, and sighed. “Though I sure do look it... No wonder your friends ran.”
Rose shrugged. “Between you and me, they've always been excitable.” She looked at him, still frowning from her conversation earlier. “We heading back to the shop or what? It's already way past opening...”
Ink Well nodded. “Yeah. Let's get going.” They slowly made their way back to the shop, both of them quiet the entire walk. As he walked up to the door, he looked over at Rose, who'd checked her pace to match his but was otherwise lost in thought. She seemed... troubled. “Roseluck? Something on your mind?”
She looked over at him, slightly miffed. “Please, Rose. Roseluck's the name on my bills.” She walked past him, opening the door.
He ducked through it. “Sorry... didn't mean to bring something up...”
Rose shook her head as she went past him, opening the door to the workroom. “No. Sorry. I don't mean to snap. I just... I used to be so close to Lily and Daisy, but,” she sighed, “I guess I changed or something... We're just not so friendly.”
Ink Well shrugged, slowly making his way to the work table. “Everypony changes. Sometimes it's a way of thinking, sometimes it's just circumstance, but nothing stays the same.” Bloodstained papers were still scattered around the area. As he got himself seated, Rose walked up, placing down a bowl of water and bringing over the clean bandages.
“Maybe you should take your own advice, Inky.” She smiled at him, then moved behind him, removing the old pus and bloodstained bandages from his side, head and hooves. As she did, Ink Well washed himself off, feeling uncomfortable for the attention being given him. As she removed the last bandage from around his wing, revealing the straps holding it steady and the stitches along his side, her thoughts took over again. “It hasn't just been happening lately, though the Equirer issue was the final straw. It started a while ago. Ever since they became all... intimate a few months back. I've just become a third wheel.”
Ink Well frowned, examining his burned flesh worriedly. “You seemed friendly enough when I met you three.” He moved to stand and Rose kept him sitting, beginning to bandage his hooves.
Rose shrugged, continuing her task. “It's not like we're not still friends. I've known them forever. It's other stuff getting in the way...”
Ink Well's hung dropped. “It's me isn't it. I'm taking up all your time and keeping you from your friends...” He winced as the bandage tightened, then relaxed as the lilac smell hit him.
Rose moved to the next hoof, continuing her work. “No, no, not at all. This has been going on for years, ever since they started getting all lovey-dovey. I was jealous and felt left out, and they tried to solve it by asking me to get in on it and, well, I just don't swing that way, so I had to decline, but that caused some uncomfortable times...” She tightened the bandage, moving to the last one. “And it's hard being a single filly in this town. There's, like, six colts, four of which are taken, one who just isn't interested, and one who'd be more interested in you than me. There just isn't a date to be found.” She tightened the bandage to a slight yelp, blushing slightly as she loosened her grip. “I'm sorry, I went way too far there, didn't I?”
Ink Well shook his head as he waved the pain out of his hoof. “No. It actually answered a question or two I had.” He stood up, letting Rose get to work on fixing the bandages around his midsection and wing. As she did, Ink Well kept talking. “And I get where you're coming from, though not for the same reason. Relationships just never work out for me. Not that I went searching, but I always got distracted with a story or a deadline or some manuscript I was working on... Not conducive to filly friends.” Rose tightened the bandage, setting it into place, tapping him on the back and smiling at him. Ink Well smiled back. “Thank you. And there, now we're even in embarrassing revealed facts.”
Rose motioned him to lower his head. “Sure.” She fixed the bandage, glad to see his mane trying to grow back in already. As she finished it, she looked up to the clock in the room. It was well past noon. “Oh well, much too late to open the shop...” She looked at him, all spiffy in his new bandages, and smiled. “Looks like it's going to be a slow day today. You cause me a lot of trouble, you know.”
Ink Well rubbed the new bandages on his head with his good hoof. “I know. I'll make it up to you.” He put his hoof down, walking to the stairs, and turned back as he reached the bottom of them. “I promise.”
---
The next morning Rose woke up to see Ink Well sitting on the side of the room, touching his front hooves to his lower hooves and stretching side to side. Unfortunately, every time he moved the hoof in a cast it fell lower than the other one, the brace clinking against the wood floor. Despite this, Ink Well was smiling. Rose got up, stretching herself to remove the kinks before walking over to him. “Well somepony's happy. Why are you up so early, and what are you doing?”
Ink Well looked at her, smiling. “Oh, just limbering up. Today's flight day, isn't it? Got to make sure I don't pull anything and get grounded again.”
Rose tapped a hoof against her forehead. “Right! Your wings are free today aren't they? You sure you're ready for this, because the nurse said that waiting before flying wouldn't be a bad thing.”
Ink Well shook his head. “No way. I am so tired of being grounded. I haven't been on the ground this long since I pulled a wing in mom's dance class, and that was because I didn't stretch beforehoof. But this time I'm ready.” He stopped stretching, placing down his braced leg and pushing himself to standing. “Let's do this.”
“Alright.” Rose walked over, untying the bandages around his right wing and removing what held it down. As soon as she stepped back, Ink Well tested the wing, moving it up and down and wiggling the singed feathers. “Anything wrong?”
Ink Well tried it once, smiled, and then pushed himself into the air with his good legs and flapped hard. He sprung into the air, making a quick lap around the room before hovering before Rose, a giant grin on his face. “Nope, everything's fine! My, I'd missed this...” He flew out the window, carefully the first few feet into the open air, but soon zipping out into the sky and circling the building, laughing the whole time.
Rose watched him spiral through the sky and couldn't help but smile herself, but something about watching him zip and turn around her building caused her heart to sting. Oh what she would give to be up there with him... “Be realistic girl. It just isn't going to happen.” Ink Well flew back through the window, fluttering to a soft landing in the middle of the room. He turned, smiling a smile that seemed to proclaim to the world that nothing could go wrong. Rose smiled back, unable to fight the joy radiating from him. It was the happiest she'd ever seen him since his second visit, and yet her heart twinged again...
She ignored it, walking over and bumping against him playfully. “Now that you've had your fun, it's time for you to make it up to me.”
Ink Well looked at her, smile not fading at all. “Oh? And what do you wish of me, Miss Rose?”
Rose shrugged. “Nothing big. Just helping me restock the shop. Yesterday I lost a lot of time looking for you when you ran off, I wasn't even able to open. I'm running behind on my perfume making, so I need you out front running the store.”
Ink Well's smile faltered. “You sure about that? You saw what happened when your friends saw me. How do you know I won't go scaring them off with my looks?”
Rose looked him up and down. “True, you look a mess, but at least today it's a clean, newly bandaged mess. You'll be behind the counter most of the time anyway, ideally they'll only see the one on your head.”
Ink Well raised an eyebrow. “Well what if somepony needs help or something? I don't know anything about perfumes.”
Rose smiled smugly. “You aren't getting out of it for that. You honestly don't need to know much. It's all their preference, you just facilitate.” Ink Well looked unimpressed with her response. “Look, don't worry about it. If you really need help, I'll be in the back and you can come get me, alright? Please?” He still wasn't convinced. “You promised.”
Ink Well looked at her asking him and, after a moment, smiled. “Okay, I'll do it. I did promise, and I do kind of owe you a lot.”
Rose nodded. “Thank you. I'll open up and everything, you just get set up behind the counter, alright? It's not like I'm expecting any big rush. It'll probably be a quiet, boring day.”
---
It most certainly was not a quiet, boring day. Within minutes of the shop opening Ink Well had his first customer, and while the customer did not run screaming, she was put off by Ink Well's injured look. But, in spite of this, she made a purchase and was on her way with no trouble at all. However, how he looked didn't seem to be a problem at all, as within an hour there was a small crowd within the shop, and by midday Ink Well was well overrun. Customers were flocking in with requests and purchases and questions to the point that Ink Well just couldn't take it, so he ducked into the back room. There Rose was working overtime to keep the front stocked.
He closed the door quickly against the sound of dozens of customers asking questions, putting his back against it to keep the noise out. “What the hay Rose, I thought there wouldn't be a rush!”
Rose ran between two machines, adjusting one with a back hoof as she read the dials on another. “Look, I have no clue what happened, is there some big day I don't know about?”
Ink Well backed slowly away from the door, watching it for any sudden moves. “I don't know, but I think it's about now I should tell you I don't really do well in crowds.”
“Tough hoof beats, that's how it is today. Geez, even the Gala rush wasn't this bad!” She finished capping a row of glass bottles, arranging them carefully in the box before jamming it and the half-dozen under it into Ink Well's hooves. “Here, these are the florals, back row, go get 'em.”
Ink Well hovered back towards the door, braced hoof making carrying the tower of boxes difficult. “Are you sure you don't want to help me out there? I could really use it.”
“Sorry I can't be more helpful, but I've got two more batches coming out for most of the scent bases. If we sell out of those, we're done for the day, alright? Now go!” Before Ink Well could answer, Rose pushed him through the door, shutting it on the sound that flooded in. She cringed slightly at the loud clinks of glass that came after her action, but was relieved to hear no breaking.
Ink Well was just happy he didn't have to balance the boxes long, as before he'd hardly flown over the counter the bottles began to empty from the boxes, quite the queue forming before the register. By the time he got to where the perfume belonged, there were only two containers left, both snatched away right under his nose. With a huff, he flew through the nearly barren aisle ways, attending to the mob before the register as fast as he could.
Another few frantic hours passed before the crowd thinned, not due to a lack of demand but due to lack of supply. Rose brought out her newest batches, not fully confident in their quality due to their rushed nature, but the ponies ate them up and they disappeared as quickly as anything. It took both Rose and Ink Well behind the counter to take care of everypony there, and even then it took another fifteen minutes after closing time before the last satisfied pony left, flying into deepening afternoon light, 'Rosewater' bag held gladly in her teeth. “Thank you! Come again!” Rose called after the pegasus before closing the door and flipping the sign to 'Closed.' She sighed, leaning against the wall. “Wow, who would have thought that was going to happen? I normally have enough stock for everyone in Ponyville four times over, and I ran out!” She laughed. “Did you catch why they were buying so rabidly?”
Ink Well flew from aisle to aisle with broom and dust pan in hoof cleaning broken glass. A million mixed scents clogged the air from the test sprays and spills of all the ponies. Between two aisles he paused, answering her. “I think one of them mentioned something about getting close to Rarity, but that was hours ago.” He dumped the glass shards from the pan into a trash bin with a horrible crash, then landed next to it, visibly tired. He looked over at Rose, the bandage on his head soaked with sweat and the others on him disheveled, and smiled. “Slow day, huh?”
Rose smiled back. “So I was wrong. At least it's not all bad. With the haul that came in I think I can finally afford that compressor I wanted.” She pulled herself off of the wall, stretching out before gesturing to the door. “Would you like to go get something to eat? I'm buying.”
Ink Well shook his head. “It's wonderful offer, but right now I sort of want to spread my wings. Being locked in here all day really was kind of anticlimactic after they were freed, you know?” He looked at the injured look on her face and frowned. “Sorry, is that alright?”
Rose's expression softened, but the previous look burned itself on Ink Well's mind. “Yeah, of course it is. Who am I to stop you? You get out there and fly.”
Ink Well took a hesitant step forward. “Are you sure? It's not like it's-”
Rose cut him off. “No, no, it's fine. You go have fun soaring. I'll just... go start on restocking or something.” She walked from the front door to the back one, opening it. “I really shouldn't stop working just because I had a good day.”
Ink Well walked after her, frowning. “I didn't mean it like-”
“I know you didn't. Now you go out and fly. Have a good time.” The door slammed shut, leaving him alone in the shop.
Ink Well looked at the door, a puzzled and sad look on his face. “Good job Ink Well, wrong words again...” He walked out of the front door, closing it behind him to the slight tinkle of the shop bell. After a few steps, his face lit up and he stomped down a hoof. “I know! That's it! That'll be perfect!” He lifted off, flying quickly into the rapidly dimming light.
---
As evening turned to night Ink Well hobbled upstairs, smiling playfully. Rose looked at him suspiciously. “Ink Well, what did you do?”
Ink Well looked hurt. “Now why would I do anything? I know I touched a sore nerve earlier, and I just thought of a wonderful gift to make it up to you. But if you don't want it...”
Rose raised an eyebrow. “Gift? I don't see a gift.”
Ink Well smiled. “Of course not. It's too special to have me fumble it up the stairs. Come on down, it's waiting in the shop.” He hovered in the air for a moment, grin only spreading before disappearing into the workroom. Rose followed, curiosity getting the better of her. She walked downstairs through the long quiet distillery, opening the door to her shop.
Behind the door stood Ink Well and a slightly annoyed Twilight Sparkle. As Rose entered the room, Twilight circled her, seeming to size her up. After a few moments of silent scrutiny, Twilight nodded. “Yes, I think I can do it. But I'm only doing this once.”
Ink Well landed next to her, shaking her hoof. “Thank you so much. It means a lot.”
Twilight let go of his hoof. “Just stick to your end of the bargain and everything will be fine.”
Ink Well nodded. “Of course, of course. I'll be a witness against them in your trial.”
“Good. Glad we're all clear.” She looked at Rose. “You ready?”
Rose looked confusedly between the two ponies. “Um, ready for what? What are you two planning?”
Twilight braced herself on the floor. “Alright. This is going to feel a little weird, but you need to stay relaxed, okay? This takes a lot of energy and we only get one shot.”
Confusion turned to worry on Rose's face. “One shot at what? What are you planning?”
Ink Well moved next to her, still smiling. “Don't worry. It's a surprise, and you're going to love it. Just close your eyes, everything will be alright.”
“But-”
He placed hoof on her shoulder. “Trust me.”
Rose looked into his eyes, drawing strength from his assurance. She nodded. “Alright go for it.”
Ink Well smiled. “You won't regret it.” He took a few steps away as Twilight's horn began to glow. Rose closed her eyes, trying to breathe deeply and keep calm as a tickle ran through her body, a bright light bleeding through her eyelids.
Ink Well's smile faded to awe as he watched the power emanating from Twilight's horn. Bright blue tendrils surrounded Rose, radiating light as they slowly enveloped her in a cocoon. The tendrils lifted her in the air, brightening as Twilight redoubled her efforts to maintain the spell. As he watched, the light brightened further, blinding him as he tried to look upon it, then to a point where it burned through his eye lids.
A flash, shooting almost solid beams of light from the windows and far into the Ponyville night. Ink Well opened his eyes, blinking as they slowly adjusted back to the normal lighting of the room. Twilight stood in the same place looking shaky and tired. Across from her, standing and blinking as her own eyes adjusted, was Rose, two magnificent butterfly wings adorning her back. They glittered spectacularly in the dim light, cream bodied with rose colored patches within and ivy green trim along the edges.
Everypony in the room was stunned with the beauty of the wings, including Rose herself. She tested them out carefully and giggling with glee as she rose in the air. “Oh, wow! This... this is amazing!” She fluttered over to Twilight. “Thank you! Thank you so much!”
Twilight shook her head, woozy. “Don't worry about it. But be careful, those are made of gossamer and morning dew, so they aren't very durable. But the spell lasts for three days, so enjoy them while you have them.”
“I will!” As Twilight left, Rose flew around the room, glee on her face as she spun and danced in the air.
Ink Well stood at the door, watching her joyful flight. “Hey, I know you're having fun in this shop, but wouldn't you rather feel the wind in your mane?”
Rose came to a stop, hovering just before Ink Well. “What? Now? But it's dark out.”
“That's the best time to fly. Nopony else in the skies, cool air rushing past, stars above and clouds below...” He held out his hoof, smiling. “There's a storm over the Everfree Forest, and I was wondering if you'd give me the honor of your first flight.”
Rose hesitated. The wings were one thing, but flying at night, especially over a storm, having never flown before... And over the Everfree Forrest no less... But there was that smile Ink Well had on. It said that everything would be okay, if you just gave him a chance to make it so. Against that... what could a pony do?
She put her hoof in his, letting him lead her out of the door and into the street. The streets themselves were beautiful, bathed in the cool light of the moon and sparkling as the last of the magic seeped from the air. The lights of the houses in town painted warm mosaics on the land, turning even the most mundane aspect of the sight into a work of art. In this dark wonderland, Ink Well's wings slowly flapped, lifting him into the air for Rose to follow. A gentle breeze blew from the Everfree, rustling against her wings as she flapped them tentatively, slowly hovering from the ground. Slowly, gently, the two light ponies took to the skies, drifting against the currents of the air.
The wind carried the sound of thunder to the two ponies, causing Rose to grab Ink Well's hoof more tightly. Ink Well pulled his hoof away, flying slightly ahead and urging her onward. “Don't be scared, it's just a signal of rainfall to come. We have much bigger plans, a little thunder can't stall us now.” He spun away before her, laughing and prompting her to join. She soon followed, the duo spinning and twirling through the skies of the outskirts of town.
Ink Well had been right, and Rose had no real words to describe what she was feeling now. Exhilarating was really the best word for it, just an unbridled joy that extended all around as the world opened up above and below, curving away to lands far beyond. Even though she wasn't moving fast, she felt like she could reach the stars from here, or just keep going forever, seeing everything the planet had to offer... It was wonderful, the urge to just go, the freedom given to her as the wind picked her up... Breathtaking...
The pair danced over treetops, pulling higher as the rains began to fall to weave and hop between the clouds. The moon moved slowly above them, a multitude of stars guiding its path. Amid it's light they came upon the roiling sea of fluff that made up the storm, lightning jumping between the clouds. Without a hint of reservation Ink Well came in close, landing on the moving wisps. Rose landed beside, careful as her hooves slowly sunk into the plush vapor beneath her, relieved to feel the odd sensation of the cloud holding her weight.
She marveled at the crispness of the stars twinkling above her, her breath glistening as it crystallized in the high altitude air. She turned to find Ink Well limping along the cloud ocean as though he were looking for something. She followed curiously as he disappeared down a slope, part of a basin in the clouds. A hole was formed beneath, giving a clear view of the untamed wilds of the Everfree forest as lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the treetops below.
Ink Well flew to a small cloud in the center of the basin, motioning for Rose to join him. As they stood, there, the storm winds increased, whipping about them in every way. Rose was worried, the rain whipping against her and stinging. But Ink Well held her steady with a wing, shielding the rain until the wind changed once more. Rain drops were pushed upwards, swirling just above them before freezing and drifting around them in perfect snowflakes. The water splashed at their hooves and fur, quickly covering them with a thin layer of ice as the frost around them swirled with the air. At the center of the flurry of activity, the moonlight shone down through the ice crystals, breaking into a rainbow that surrounded them on all sides.
The earth pony stood enraptured, not willing to move lest the spell be broken. “This is beautiful... Far more so than I ever could have imagined...”
The pegasus beside her just nodded slightly, watching the clouds shift and the snow cease its movement, falling below the cloud layer once more. “This is what I'm challenged with getting across in ink. One moment that only a third of the ponies who ever live will be able to see, if they are lucky, and in the right place, and even then only if they really look...” He stood, the moon glistening off the frost what little there was of his mane. “I try to build in words a memory so strong that ponies across time will be able to experience it... And I don't think I'll ever truly succeed.”
Rose turned to him, finding him looking down at her, a sadness in his eyes. As they stood in that moment, piercing winds blew from the clouds around them, chilling her to the bone. She took a step closer, moving against him as she shivered in the cold. “Thank you for giving me the chance to experience it.”
His right wing folded around her, shielding her from the wind and knocking off part of the sheen of ice that had formed on her mane. “I couldn't let you not.” He gave her a smile, the sadness in his eyes edged with a hope that hadn't been there before. “Everypony deserves a chance to fly.” Their eyes locked, a common thought passing between them for just a moment. Ink Well leaned in...
And was caught off balance as the cloud dissipated beneath his cast. He slipped, tumbling into a shower of ice rain falling beneath. He pulled himself up from his dive, getting soaked as he made his way back up through the hole in the clouds and onto the moonlit mass above. Rose flew over to him, worry first on her face for the fall, but leaving quickly as she stifled a laugh. Ink Well stood shivering, soaked to the skin with all of his fur and what had grown back of his mane and tail pulled by the flight and frozen out behind him. As she laughed, he flew over, bumping her playfully with his side and crackling some of the ice from himself. “Yeah, yeah. Very funny. Now let's get back to the house before I shiver apart the storm.”
She nudged him back, a warmth seeming to emanate from within as she looked upon his frosted face. “Whatever you say, Ink Fell.” Ink Well started laughing at himself before he'd even taken off, and the two ponies sailed back to Ponyville that night amidst the constant reverberations of mirth.
---
Twilight awoke the next day to the sound of things being moved downstairs. “Spike sure is being loud this morning.” She grumbled as she got up in the early morning light, brushing her hair and getting ready for the day.
A loud crash from below pulled her from her preparations. “What is he doing down there?” She went out the door to her room and down to the main area of the library, annoyed at her assistant. She turned into the room and said, “Spike, what's going on?”
As her eyes fell over the room and her jaw dropped. It was a mess, the books and decorations flung every which way, with the door to the basement ajar and papers trailing across the ground. The drawer on her desk was sitting upside-down in the center of the room, even the ink pot and quill thrown aside and spilled. She ran to the back room, seeing it in a similar state, the wood horse statue overturned and thrown next to two bundles of rope that sat in the corner.
At the very back of the room tossing books left and right were two strongly-built earth ponies with red masks over their mouths. As Twilight entered, they looked at her, startled by her presence. One of them made a move at her with a length of rope. While caught off guard by the aggressiveness, she reacted quickly, magicking the rope back around on him. As she did so, the partner tossed the book he was holding, hitting her on the head. As she was stunned, the two ponies bolted, shattering a window as they made their escape to the streets below. Twilight ran after them, looking out of the shattered window with a mixture of anger and confusion. “What was that all about?”
A muffled noise came from the two rope bundles in the corner. Twilight walked over, seeing green spines poking out of one. Worried, she untied the bundles, releasing Spike and Owlowiscious from their bonds Spike jumped up, hugging her tightly as Owlowiscious returned to his perch. “Oh Twilight! It was terrible! They came in while I was trying to make your breakfast and they just started ransacking the place! There wasn't anything I could do!”
Twilight hugged him back, shushing him. “There there, Spike, everything's okay now. Did you get any information from them? Who they are? Where they're from?”
Spike shook his head. “Nothing. I heard one of them say something about a file, but that's it.”
Twilight stiffened where she stood. “A file?” Spike nodded. Twilight trembled with anger. “That is it! I'm not waiting any longer. Those ponies are getting what's coming to them!” She ran over to the writing desk, levitating a piece of parchment, a quill, and a new bottle of ink from where they were strewn around the room.
She put quill to parchment, preparing to write when the door opened, Rainbow Dash flying in. “They came back! Those ponies tried to attack me again!” Behind Rainbow walked in all of Twilight's friends, each looking equally angry.
“I found those meanies in the bakery! There was frosting everywhere! It was a waste of good sugar!”
“All of the animals warned me about them. I asked one of the bears to lead them away.”
“My Boutique was in shambles! All of those dresses, torn and strewn about. It was the worst possible thing to ever happen!”
“They almost pinned us down at the Acres! Big Mac had to come in and show 'em what for! I tied 'em up, but they got out somehow.”
Twilight frowned at her friends. “Yeah, they were rummaging through my house too. This is the last straw. I'm sending my letter to Princess Celestia. The Equirer is going to have the royal guard to deal with.” The quill whipped across the paper, the letter forming rapidly beneath it. “With all of us testifying they're going to be shut down immediately. The Princess won't possibly let them continue even for a day after attacking her student!” The quill tapped the final punctuation in place, then the parchment folded itself up and sealed itself. “Spike! Send it!”
Spike grabbed the paper, torching it with his fire breath and sending it out in a flurry of green fire and ash. “It's on its way!”
Twilight smiled to the rest of the ponies. “There we go! It looks like this is all finally over.”
Pinkie bounced next to her. “I hope so! It's getting hard to stock all of these parties! So many ponies to feed!”
Rarity looked at her funnily. “Really? That's where you complaint came from? Not the mobs or the rumors, but the food?”
Pinkie looked at her like she was crazy. “The Equirer is a good magazine! Why would I be angry with its fans?”
Rarity looked about to let loose a storm when Applejack put a hoof on her shoulder. “Don' bother Rare. You know she's a few apples short of a bushel.”
“Ow!” Pinkie jumped up, looking at her left front hoof. “Ow ow ow ow stop stop stop stop owwwwwwwwwww!” She hopped around the room holding up the hoof.
Fluttershy hovered behind her, worried. “Pinkie? What's wrong?”
She hopped in place, spinning round and round. “My knee is pinchy! My knee is really really pinchy! Owwww!”
Applejack's ears dropped. “Pinchy knee? Now? Here? Where's it at? When?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow at her friend. “Applejack, why are you so worried?”
Applejack grabbed a book and dropped down to the ground, holding it over her head. “A pinchy knee means there's a fright comin'! Don' you remember yer Pinkie senses?” The other ponies all looked worried as they recalled.
Twilight walked over to Pinkie, stopping her hopping with a hoof. “Pinkie, when is this scary thing going to happen?”
Pinkie concentrated for a moment, slowly moving her leg up and down and testing her knee. “Tonight, right near nightfall.” She pulled her knee up again, keeping weight off of it. “And it's a big one!”
Twilight pushed the issue. “Who's it happening to? Where will it be?”
Pinkie shook her head. “I don't know! I can't figure out the center of it!”
Spike belched to the side of the room, a scroll forming from the spout of green fire that came out. Twilight floated it over, opening it. “It's from the Princess! 'Twilight, I have read your letter, and these are very serious accusations. We can not close them down just on your rumors unsubstantiated, so I sent the head of the Equirer a letter detailing yours and your six friend's complaints and letting them know that they will be under guard investigation until proven innocent or guilty. They sent back a letter saying they would try to settle your grievances with them on their own. I will contact you again when a decision has been made.'” She dropped the letter, looking worriedly at it. “That was not what I expected.”
Applejack looked puzzled. “Wait, your six friends? Who's the sixth?”
“Ink Well.” Said Twilight and Pinkie in unison. Twilight looked at her, confused. “How did you know it was him?”
Pinkie shook her head. “No! That's where the feeling is centered from! Something scary is going to happen to Ink Well!”
Twilight looked at Pinkie, then at the letter. After a few moments, she folded it up. “Looks like it's time for us to help him.”