I had to admit that the apartment like room was actually very cozy and just a little small. There were two couches that faced each other with a large black coffee table separating them. Full alcoves and nooks lined the walls along with two large bay windows. A modest little kitchenette with a stove, an island, a few cabinets, and sink, were on the far right near the corner. One small little door to left of the kitchenette was what I guessed to be a hallway.
"Wait a second! Kickstar always has a box of maps for when she's taking those messages to little towns just outside of here. I think it's in this box." he said with his signature little smile before snatching a cardboard box from a nook and emptying it's contents on the sleek coffee table.
"That's a whole lotta maps, Blade." I said in awe as the load spilled off the table and onto the floor. It was practically a mountain of paper, ink, and words, but Blade still seemed very confident.
"It'll more than likely be on the top since she uses it a ton." he said with his regular optimism. We started looking through the maps and putting any that didn't seemed to make any sense back into the box. Blade looked at me with a puzzled look before he opened his mouth to speak.
"You're not actually sixteen and a half are you?" He said with an upraised brow and a small look of interest. I shook my head and continued to look through the maps as if they were the most precious things in all of Equestria. I really didn't want to get into the subject of age since I had just been called a "toddler" not a few minutes ago. Blade did not take the hint at all.
"How old are you then? Fifteen...fourteen...twelve?" he said with even more curiosity. I could feel his gaze being held firmly on me as I fidgeted uncomfortably in my seat. I really didn't want to answer but I guess I had to.
"Ahm fifteen but...in a three months I'll be sixteen. How old are you?" I whispered quietly but continued to look through the papers. Blade gave a chuckle but seemed more amused than disgusted.
"I just turned sixteen about three weeks ago. I knew you were lying but thanks for trying to stick up for me. I just really hate Thunder Flare." he stated calmly but I could hear his emotion bubbling up from inside him. I knew I shouldn't ask but I was so curious I found myself doing it anyway.
"Why do ya hate him? He didn't seem ta wanna hurt ya or anything." I asked uneasily of how he'd respond. Blade seemed to regard me for a second before blowing his floppy mane out of his eyes with a quick puff of air.
"The guy's a jerk. He'll steal your friends, family, and stuff, then he'll act like he owns you. It makes me sick just thinking about it!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "I was just glad Kickstar was able to see what he was doing before it was too late."
"What happened?" I asked with interest. Blade seemed very reluctant to tell me but I looked him in the eye and he finally broke.
"When he started dating Kick he seemed nice but...then he started pushing it. He would insult me from time to time as well as push me around. I told Kick he was was a bully but she kinda just brushed it off as if I were jealous." he murmured. Just telling me all this showed it was opening some of his old wounds.
"That's when he started stealing from our shop. It was small stuff at first but then it got bigger and more valuable. I tried telling Kick again but she gave me a cold-shoulder and told me to stop being so jealous of the attention she was getting. I might have just ignored it if he hadn't started messing with my life." he growled, seething at the teeth. I didn't blame him so far, it sounded like a really bad position to be in.
"He started hanging around my best friends and slowly turned them into jerks like him. My friend Razor Sharp started bullying me and so did my galpal Fizzle Driz. I don't know how he manipulated them but they made my life a living hell until I got Thunder pissed." he snorted in outrage. I could only imagine how it felt to have your friends and family turn against you.
"They beat me up...like really bad. Tendercare had to burn out her magic five times trying to heal me up because it was that bad. Kickstar immediately dumped Thunder when she realized I had been telling the truth. Now she and the shop are all I have, except for the few enemies I gained." he whimpered, obviously still shaken about the whole thing. I didn't blame him at all.
"I'm sorry. I'm just dragging you into my problems now." Blade whimpered while fumbling with the papers to avoid my eye contact. No wonder he had been so eager to spend time with me. He didn't have anypony else to talk to.
"Don't be. Those ponies are complete foals if they don't see how great of a pony you are. Ah haven't even been in Appleloosa for a whole day and yet yer the friendliest pony I've ever met so far." I gushed, much to Blade's dismay. He sat there blushing and looking through the papers as vigorously as I had before except he seemed much more humiliated.
"Er...I...th-thank you Applebloom. That m-means a lot to me." he babbled as he tore throught the moutain of papers. In a few seconds there was only one map on the table. "Heh. It looks like we found it."
* * * *
"What's this place called so I can look it up real quick for ya." Blade said with another one of his sure little smiles. I found myself hesitant to tell him after what Tendercare and Applejack said but...he didn't even know him.
"Braeburn's farm." I said quietly. Blade's smile dropped and his mouth hung open in pure disbelief. His green irises shrunk down to pinpricks as his ears plastered back against his head. He shook his head slowly in doubt before he spoke.
"I CAN'T LET YOU GO THERE!!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. I shrunk back in fear as he continued to look at me like I was a leper. "I can't! That place dangerous."
"No it ain't! Mah cousin Braeburn is perfectly fine no matter what anypony says!" I snorted in frustration. I could feel tears forming in my eyes because I was just so fed up with ponies doubting him. He wasn't dangerous! He was my family.
"Applebloom..." Blade whimpered, pushing up his bangs so that I could get a good view of the base of his horn. "Braeburn did this to me."
It was bloody, bruised, and almost shattered. How he was able to do any magic was beyond me. I could feel myself gaping at the wound that my cousin had supposedly caused. There was no way in Equestria that my cousin could have caused that but...Blade wouldn't lie to me. Would he?
"I'm sorry Applebloom but it happened yesterday when I was giving him some old pies the bakery wasn't going to sell. It was my fault since I criticized his drinking habits and well...this happened." he muttered while wiping something away from his eyes. I could feel my jaw drop to the floor when I realized he had been wearing makeup.
"Is it really that noticeable?" he said with a sigh. The dark bags I had originally thought were shiners...actually were shiners. "I'm just glad Kick had some makeup for me to borrow. I really didn't want to look like a freak today."
I swallowed and looked at the beaten young buck. On one hoof I wanted to believe my cousin was a belligerent, angry, drunkard. On the other hoof...I wanted to believe he was still a humble apple farmer. What was I supposed to believe?
"I can't let you go there. You can stay here for the night if you'd like." he offered quietly. I wasn't sure how to feel at that point. An injured young buck I barely knew would rather I stay at his house than go to my cousin's for fear of my own safety. How could somepony like him be so...selfless?
"Ahm sorry Blade but...ah really gotta get home. Ah really appreciate that ya care about me but ah need to go." I murmured, not meeting his expectant gaze. I knew he was scared for me, especially by the way he was squirming in his seat.
"It's not that ah-" was all I could say before my stomach gave a low hideous growl. I looked up to Blade who was stifling his laughter with a hoof as my cheeks burned. Blade snickered and burst out into unfiltered mirth. I rolled my eyes as he recovered and looked at me with amusement.
"If you want we could split those pies Kick said I could have. I certainly won't be able to eat them alone. Then if you want...I could walk you to Braeburn's farm. I would feel terrible if anything were to happen and I could do something about it." he said with a sheepish smile. I wasn't sure if I wanted to take him up on his offer but if he really cared...
"Alright Blade, but ah promise ya nothing bad will happen." I said with a sly wink. Blade blushed slightly and ran off to the kitchenette to get the pastries. I chuckled at how uncomfortable he had gotten in less than a few seconds.
Maybe Appleloosa wasn't that bad after all.
* * * *
"Woah. That's beautiful." I gasped as I looked out the one of the bay windows. We were pretty much done eating but the sunset had really gotten my attention. The cushions on the windowsill were very comfortable and I found myself growing sleepy but I knew I couldn't stay with Blade no matter how much I wanted to.
"I know right. Usually Kick and I sit here every afternoon to watch the sunset but I'm glad I have somepony new to watch it with." he said with a small smile while his eyes never left the pastel beauty before us. We just sat there and watched as the colors dipped below the horizon leaving the room instantly dark and cold.
"Sorry. I guess I forgot to tell you about how cold it gets here." he said with a awkward chuckle. Maybe it was just me but I thought I could see his breath in the air. "Let me get something really quick."
A few minutes later he appeared with a lantern and two jackets draped across his back. One looked black while the other was an unmistakable red. Blade put the two jackets down on the windowsill along with the lantern and gave me a smile.
"Here you can have this one. One of Kickstar's old boyfriends bought it for her and it was too small. I actually want to see it go." he smirked while helping me put the red one on. It was very comfortable and warm, not to mention it had a hood! "You look nice in it. It's called a peacoat."
I twirled in my new jacket because I found myself really liking it. In Ponyville we never needed clothes because the weather was controlled, but they were certainly needed in Appleloosa. I admired the dark crimson color that didn't clash with my vibrant red mane and gave Blade a grateful smile. He was already in his own black jacket.
"Thank you so much Blade! Nopony's ever given me something like this before!" I squealed as I wrapped my forelegs around his neck in excitement. I had never thought I'd be so happy about clothes before but I was certainly jumping for joy!
Blade stood there for a second before his cheeks turned even redder than my mane and coat combined. I chuckled as I took in the features of the black one he was wearing. It looked sleek and yet large for his frame. It was mostly black but had strips of gray around the collar, shoulders, and forelegs. I thought he looked very handsome in it.
"This? This is called a soft shell jacket and it's my favorite." he gushed while making sure it was zipped up. "You ready to go Applebloom?"
"Eeyup."
* * * *
The trail leading to Braeburn's farm was barren and a little bit spooky. If Blade hadn't been there with a small lantern in his teeth I probably would have run the whole way and gotten lost in the apple trees surrounding us. Let's just say I stayed close at all times.
Our breaths rattled as we caught sight of the little shack illuminated by a few lanterns hanging on the outside. I felt Blade tensing up as we reached the doorstep. I wanted to say something...anything to calm him down but I didn't know what to.
"Erm....ah guess this is goodbye. Maybe I'll visit ya tommorow if ah don't have anything else planned." I flushed slightly while shuffling my hooves. He was my first actual friend since Scoots and Sweetie went off on their own, not to mention he had shown me kindness I never thought anypony besides my family could show.
Was I actually going to leave him on the doorstep when he single hoofedly helped me feel at home in a strange new place? Not to mention I felt I owed him something for the wonderful day I had experienced...even if there were a few rough spots.
His ears flattened back against his head as he gave a small defeated nod and began to walk away. There was no way in Equestria I was just going to let him walk down the dirt trail and out of my life. Whether I wanted to or not...he was my friend and I was going to play that part.
"Wait, Blade!" I called as he continued to trot into the night. "I'll visit ya tommorow if it's the last thing ah do!"
Even in the dark I could see the grin on his muzzle as he reared up on his hind legs. I chuckled as he gave a dramatic flip of his mane before galloping down the road. What a ham!