Chapter 49: Filament and Filigree
After almost three weeks of work, Bryce and Bait were on their last load of debris that remained of the barn. It had been a tedious task, due in part to having to take a day to clear the inner section of wild animals who had taken residence within the pile. This would have taken the pair a lot longer, if Fluttershy had not been so ready to help. But even though all the animals had left, the evidence they'd been there continued to waft through the air the entire time afterwards.
Within the same time frame, Bryce and Bait had become good friends, to the point where they exchanged hilarious stories and less than couth inside jokes.
It was something Bryce had wanted for the longest time. Bait was someone he could say off-color comments around and not get an eye roll in return.
As Bryce was dropping his last armful into the wagon, Bait was regaling him with the story of, in the tan colt's opinion, his and his uncle's worst heist. "So, there we both were. The old mare had invited us both in to her living room to have a cup of tea while while we went over the possible 'returns' from her 'investment'. Now don't get me wrong, even Uncle Ponz had doubts the old mare would fall for it this easily. The house we were in was pretty far outside of the nearest town so we were both pretty laid back. While my uncle reviewed the information with her, I looked around the room. It looked like a nice place, complete with a fireplace and pictures over the mantle."
"That's when I noticed there wasn't a single picture of this mare; not a single one. The pictures on the mantle were of a fancy looking unicorn couple. By then my uncle had gone through a twenty minute overview, and had gotten a sizeable pouch of bits from the mare, when we all heard something that made us stop. It was the front door closing. You'll never guess who it was."
Bryce began to chuckle. "I think I have an idea, but go on."
"Well, when that happened the old mare started to freak out, saying things like: 'Oh buck! They weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow' and 'I'm going to kill their gardener for this'. A few seconds later two unicorns, the same ones from the photos on the mantle, came into the living room wearing fancy clothes. When they saw the three of us we all froze, including the unicorn couple and the old mare we'd thought owned the place."
Bryce laughed out loud. "I knew it."
"Wait, that's not even the best part. After about a minute, the mare who actually lived there pointed to the old mare and said: 'Wait, I know you. You're the maid we fired two months ago for trying to steal my grandmother's jewelry'," Bait said in a posh mare's voice. "Then her husband said: 'You're right, she is'," The tan colt said in a gruff voice. "Then they noticed us, Uncle Ponz and I. 'So I see you brought minions with you as well. Who are they, lowlifes you promised an uneven share of bits?' Bait said in the same gruff voice.
"Before we could even get a word out, the stallion said: 'You better explains yourselves, or I'll have the Guard take you both away'. So, acting fast, my uncle began to apologize for intruding. About halfway through his apology, my uncle grabbed the teapot and threw it at the stallion. With the stallion distracted, my uncle told me to get the buck out of there and to grab the bits, so I did."
Bait took the time to strap himself into the wagon before continuing. "You would have thought his wife would check to see if her husband was okay, but instead she ran after Uncle Ponz and I. Now this was before we had the boys to back us up, so we were on our own. We must have gone a mile before my uncle and I were able to hop onto a moving train. It was hard for me since I was a little smaller than I am now and I had the pouch of bits in my mouth. But any way, let me tell you, that mare wanted to catch us. She ran beside the train for the better part of a minute before she hopped on herself."
"What happened then?" Bryce asked.
"Well, she didn't know until she had jumped on, but my uncle and I had already jumped back off on the other side. I can't really tell you what happened after that, but when my uncle and I looked towards the train we noticed something: There was a train station about a quarter mile down the track. Wanting to get out of there before she could alert the Guard, or before she got the idea to come and find us herself, we turned tail and ran the opposite way. We had ran a whole mile before I realized I had left the pouch of bits on the train."
Bryce shook his head as they both walked to the end of the driveway. "Well how mad was your uncle about that?"
"On the contrary, he was so happy to be alive that he forgot about them. Afterwards I told him what I had done. He chalked it up to an accident and left it at that."
Bryce gave a throat laugh. "Well that was a good one, I have to say. How old were you when it happened?"
Bait and Switch used the time it took for him to unstrap himself to think before saying, "I was about 11 or 12."
"Well, how old are you now?"
"I'm 17."
"So how long have you been doing jobs like that?" Bryce asked as he picked up an armful of wreckage.
"I went to live with my uncle when I was 5, maybe 6. Then he took a year to train me in his way of life. So about 10 years, I'd say."
"10 years? You must be a rich one, then."
"You'd think that, but Uncle Ponz would give the boys and I two-and-a-half percent a head from each job. Said something about a foal and his money."
"Was it a fool and his money are soon parted?"
"Yes, that's it. My uncle took the remaining ninety percent and hid it somewhere. If I'm right then there's a few million. Maybe more."
"Yeah, well, this type of work doesn't pay that much, but you'll find it more rewarding in the end."
Bait gave a smirk. "Sure, you may say that, but you'll find life a lot easier in my line of work. But there is one thing I will admit: In the month I've been her I've never smelt cleaner air." Bait followed by taking a deep whiff before letting it out with a sigh. "That's the stuff."
Bryce and Bait continued emptying the wagon, neither saying anything to the other. When they were done, Bryce pulled out his watch and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Well, it's not even noon yet, but there's nothing more we can do with this. I'd say take the rest of the day off, but we should check with Granny Smith first. If she says yes then maybe we can head into town. How's that sound, Bait?"
"It sounds swell. Between you and me I would like to get off the farm, if you catch my drift."
"Well it'll do you some good. Not good for the mind to stay in one place for so long." And I know about the mind better than anyone. Heading back to the house, Bryce waved to Amethyst, who was busy playing tag with her sister and Apple Bloom. "Hey, Bait, have you had the time to meet those two yet?" Bryce asked, pointing to the two sisters.
"No, I haven't had the pleasure of learning their names, but we have shared words."
"Well, today you'll learn'em... You'll learn their names," Bryce said as Dinky came running to meet him.
When the gray toned filly reached the pair she started jumping in place. "Bryce, Bryce, are you done for the day? Please say yes! Please say yes!!!" Dinky said, a wide toothy grin on her face.
"We're both done, Dink, but first we want to make sure there's nothing else. Okay? But before I do that, I would like you to meet my friend, Bait."
Dinky stopped bouncing and said, "Oh, hello. Are you the pony Miss Applejack keeps calling a no good, smooth talking, pile of-"
Amethyst arrived in the nick of time to interrupt her little sister. "Dinky, you shouldn't eavesdrop on adults when they're talking."
"I wasn't eavesdropping. Me and Apple Bloom were listening to you and Miss Applejack talk from the top of the stairs."
Amethyst gave the filly a light noogie, getting a protest from Dinky in the process. "You shouldn't do that either."
"And, Dinky, you should say: Apple Bloom and I," Bait corrected. "'Me and Apple Bloom' isn't proper Equestrian."
"What's the difference? Amy knew what I meant."
"Yes, but it's proper Equestrian to say it in the way I told you."
"But what's the-"
Amethyst interrupted her sister a second time. "Dinky, don't question the Apple family's guest. Go and finish playing tag with Apple Bloom, I'll be back in a sec." With Dinky occupied, Amethyst turned her attention to Bait. "I'm sorry about that. She can be a chatterbox when she wants to."
"It's no problem, no problem at all." Bait ran a hoof through his greasy black mane. "By the way, I don't think we've had the chance to properly meet." The tan colt held his hoof out to Amethyst. "My name is Bait and Switch, but most call me Bait. And your name is... Amy?"
"No, that's just want my sister calls me." Amethyst took Bait's hoof and shook it. "I'm Amethyst Star. Most ponies call me Amethyst, though."
Bait gave a smile. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Amethyst Though."
It took a second for Amethyst to register Bait response. "No. Just Amethyst."
"Oh, my apologies, Just Amethyst."
"No, Ame..." Amethyst let out a sigh at Bait's cheeky grin. "So you're that kind of colt?" Amethyst asked, looking to be not the least bit amused. "You must think you're funny."
"I used to.There was a time when I found myself funny. But today you have proven me wrong."
Amethyst continued to stare, a slight scowl on her face.
"Well I'm, uh, going to see if Granny Smith has anything for us to do," Bryce said. "That'll give you both some time to talk. So..." Bryce took a few short steps away towards the house.
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True to his word, Bryce was able to take Bait into Ponyville and show him around. It wasn't the town, however, which drew the tan colt's interest. He was more interested in a certain magenta mare. The tan colt hadn't paid any attention to anything else since he'd met her.
It was hard for Bryce to hide his smile. Bryce wasn't too surprised to see how close Amethyst and Bait had become. He knew they would click, but he didn't expect it to happen this quick. When he had crept off, the magenta mare had her usual stern face, but upon his return the pair were chatting like old friends. Amethyst even giggled at Bait's terrible jokes. With Bait's jovial and carefree personality counteracting Amethyst's persistent gruff and somber mood they were a good pair, if they could get past any rough patches that may arise.
Dinky, on the other hand, found it strange. All her life she'd never seen her sister laugh at anything, most especially not at terrible jokes somepony would find in a foal's joke book. Dinky was of course happy to see Amethyst so happy, but it was something the young filly wasn't used to nonetheless. "Bryce, what's going on with my sister?"
"She's talking with a friend."
"No, why is she talking to him so much? And why is she laughing? She's never laughed this much."
"Yeah, she's actin like a filly from a..." Apple Bloom paused to cringe in disgust. "From a kissy kissy love movie, ick!"
"Well, she's just might have found the one that's right for her," Bryce answered.
"What does that mean?"
"Well, it means she might have found the one she'll slowly grow attached to and, before you know it, you can't see one of them without the other."
"Are you saying they're in love!?" Dinky asked, a but excited at the prospect.
"No, not yet. Right now they're more or less interested in each other. You just wait, by the end of the year they'll either be together, or just good friends."
From behind, Pinkie said, "You're right about that. When my heart starts a thumping it means two lovebirds are a bumping."
Bryce jumped in shock, not expect the pink mare. "Okay, we have to put a bell around you, Pinkamena."
"Oh, is it so ponies can know where the party is? I mean, I can already be pretty loud, so if I had a bell I wouldn't be that much louder. But if I have a hundred bells I could be even louder. Or maybe-"
"Before you go on a tangent, Pinkamena," Bryce interrupted, "I'd like you to meet a new friend of mine. Bait."
Bait, who was too preoccupied with Amethyst, didn't hear Bryce.
"Bait... Bait...! BAIT!!!" Bryce shouted.
"WHAT!? I mean, pardon?" Bait asked.
"I'd like to introduce you to-"
Pinkie bounced forward between Bait and Bryce. "Hi, my name's Pinkie Pie. Hey, you're a new face. I know every face in town, but I've never seen yours before so you must be new. How long have you been here? Is this your first time here? How are you enjoying your time here? Wait, if you're new then I have to throw you a welcome to Ponyville party. Darn, that was supposed to be a surprise. Forget that part. I'll see you later, I have go get everything ready for an unrelated party. See you there!" Pinkie bounced off.
Bait could only watch as the pink party mare hopped away, not catching a single word she had said. "Who might that be?"
Bryce opened his mouth to speak, but Amethyst beat him to the pnch. "That's Pinkie Pie. As you can see she gets excited when she meets somepony for the first time."
"She seems rather jocund, I must say."
Amethyst smiled at Bait's words. "That's nothing. You should see her on a good day, not that I could tell you what a bad day is to her."
"While she seems fun, I find somepony else more... desireable," Bait said, giving the magenta mare a smoldering grin.
Amethyst gave the colt a light slap on the shoulder. "Oh, you!"
Before the pair could get themselves lost in conversation, Bryce said, "Hey, Amethyst, since you both seem to be hitting it off so well how about you show Bait around? I'll take the girls."
Amethyst was quick to reply. "That sounds terrific. Just make sure you watch them closely. I know you will. Have fun, Dinky. Stay close to Bryce." And just like that, Bait and Amethyst were off to explore Ponyville.
Dinky was somewhat upset to see her sister leave, but at the same time happy. She hoped the pair would work out well together.
"So, what do y'all want to do?" Bryce asked.
"Could we go get some ice cream?"
"Well, maybe later, Sprout. We can get that almost any time. Let's go do something we can still do before summer starts and it gets too hot."
"Oh, OH!!!" Dinky shouted, raising a hoof in the air. "Could we go to the playground?"
"Sure, that sounds better."
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When they reached the playground Bryce saw it was a simple setup: A pair of swings, a sandbox, a slide, and a large round disk of a merry-go-round.
Upon their arrival, they found it already occupied by a slender, light cream colored unicorn mare with a long, wavy, chocolate mane and eyes that matched. The mare was pushing her two fillies on the swings. At their approach, Bryce recognized the fillies he'd seen at the nut stand during market days.
As it so happened, they recognized him as well and came running to greet him. "Old Man Bryce!" They both yelled in unison.
Bryce played along. "Old? Me? No! I'm not an old man with a pot gut, no teeth, and a hunchback." Bryce bent his shoulders, sucked in his lips, and stuck out his belly. "You kids better have stayed off my lawn," he said in an elderly voice. "If I catch you on it for even a second I'll make lawn ornaments outta both of you. Meh!"
The two almond colored fillies got a kick out of Bryce's antics. Dinky laughed as well, but not as much as Apple Bloom who knew what Bryce was referencing.
"Amande, Pécan, who is this étalon?" Their mother asked in an accent Bryce would have called French.
"Momma, this is Bryce," one of the fillies replied.
"Oh, so you're the étalon who helped with my cocoa spread, no?" She tapped herself on the forehead. "How could I not have known. My filles have, how you say, told me much about you." The mare gave a light hearted laugh. "Oh, where are my manners," the mare said as she stuck out her hoof. "My name is Cocoa Beurre."
Bryce shook the cream mare's hoof. "Say, how did that chocolate spread turn out?"
"It was very magnifique. It is a great success, no?" She asked Almondine and Butter Pecan.
"Yeah, mom," one said.
"It's really great," said the other, finishing her twin's sentence.
"Haha, you see. I had wanted to sell it at my Kernal's stand, but he convinced me it would be better to, how you say, keep in the family. He told me it would make it more special to have as a Hearth's Warming gift than to sell it for worthless coin, and I agree."
"Well, that's great. Glad I could help," Bryce said.
"Maybe I should make some for you. After all, without you it would have been another batch of merde."
"If you want to, but I promised I'd take these two girls to the playground."
"Oh! Of course. I shall let you, how you say, get to it."
"Momma, can we play with Old Man Bryce, too?" One of the twin fillies asked.
"He's a lot of fun. Please say yes," her sister said.
"Okay, mes noix, but do not get rowdy because your friend is here." Cocoa looked up to Bryce. "And please do take care not to hurt them, Bryce. Play nicely."
While the twin fillys' mother took a seat on a bench overlooking the playground, they introducd themselves to Dinky and Apple Bloom. "Hi, this is my sister, Almond," said one of the almond colored fillies.
"No I'm not, you're Almond. I'm Pecan," the matching almond filly
"Oh, right, I keep mixing us up."
"Well it's nice ta meet yuh. I'm Apple Bloom."
"And I'm Dinky."
"It's nice to meet you, Apple Bloom."
"And you too, Dinky."
"So what do y'all wanna do?"
"Our mom was pushing us both on the swings. We can do that."
"But there's only two," said Dinky.
"Then how about we push each other? We push you first, then we'll switch and you can push us," Pecan said.
"But what about Old Man Bryce? What's he gonna do?" Almond asked.
"He can push us pushing them."
Almond raised an eyebrow. "How would that work?"
"Old Man Bryce pushes us towards the swings, then we push Apple Bloom and Dinky. Simple."
"But couldn't he just push us ta begin with?" Apple Bloom asked.
Pecan rested a hoof under her chin. "I guess, but where's the fun in that?"
Almond gave a laugh. "Good one, sis." They gave each other a high five.
From out of the corner of her eye, Dinky spyed something that could break the debate. "I have an idea. What if Bryce pushed all of us on the merry-go-round?"
"I can do that," said Bryce.
The fillies all piled onto the merry-go-round. It was divided into six even wedges by hollow metal bars. While the twins took two seats on one side, Dinky and Apple Bloom took the seats on the opposite side of the metal disk.
"Okay, let's go over the check list," Bryce said. "Are you all holding on tight?"
"Yeah!" The four girls yelled.
"Are all forehooves inside the vehicle?"
"Yeah!"
"Are you ready to spin till your sick!?"
"YEAH!!!"
"Alright then!" Bryce grabbed one of the bars. "One for the money..."
The girls gripped down on the merry-go-round.
"Two for the show..." Bryce slowly spun the ride back.
Pecan and Almond held each others hooves, mentally preparing themselves for the ride of their lives.
"Three to make ready..." Bryce ceased spinning the disk and got himself into a ready position.
Apple Bloom began to think of the face she would make.
"And four to... go." Bryce gave a gentle push forward on the merry-go-round.
When that happened the twins and Apple Bloom narrowed their eyes. Dinky was happy. She didn't particularly enjoy go at too high a speed.
"Bryce!" Apple Bloom yelled as she went past the human.
"Didn't you want to go slow?"
"We thought you would push us, not snail us," Pecan said.
"Yeah, go faster!" Her twin added.
"Oh, you want fast?" Bryce asked in a playful tone. "Okay, how about... this?" He pressed the merry-go-round to go at a slightly higher rate.
The stares Apple Bloom and the Nut twins gave were grave.
"What? That's not what you call fast? Alrighty then." Bryce gripped down a passing bar, making the ride come to a halt. "If you want fast..." He pulled the merry-go-round a quarter rotation back. "... I'll give you fast!" With all his might, Bryce pushed the disk to where it was going a full rotation per second.
Three of the fillies squealed in excitement; Dinky screamed as well, but more out of excited fear.
Every few seconds, Bryce would push the ride clockwise, making it turn at a higher rate with each new push.
It didn't take long for the individual colors of the girls' coats and manes to become a blur.
In an attempt to make the ride go even faster, Bryce caught a grip on a metal bar and ran in circles around the spot.
It had the desired effect.
The girls screamed in that much more amazement.
Even Dinky had taken a liking to the fun.
After a few renditions of running around the disk, Bryce was dizzy.
His vision became so hazed that he didn't even see the thing that tripped him and he came crashing down; his hand still firmly attached to the merry-go-round causing it to come to an abrupt stop.
Bryce tried to push himself up, but a sharp, cutting pain on his knee reacted to his movements. He looked around, trying to see if the girls were any better off, but all he saw was the sun on a dark sky.
As his vision began to come back into focus he realized it wasn't one, but two suns. When the suns let out a wicked, childish laugh he was able to discern what the suns actually were: The mare's eyes.
"You...!" Bryce muttered as he made a grab at the demonic, baneful creature. As soon as he made contact the thing's eyes recoiled in shock before disappearing in a plume of inky smoke.
The dark foal was immediately replaced with a yellow one. "Bryce, are yuh alright!?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Sprout..." Bryce shook his head to clear his mind. "Forget me, are you all alright?"
"Yeah, Ah'm fine. So is everypony else. Can yuh stand!?"
Bryce pressed himself up. His leg again cried in pain, but he pushed through it and sat himself on the merry-go-round. He saw there was a long scrap running down his right leg. He also saw Apple Bloom, her pupils sunk in fright. Dinky's were as well. But he shivered in feared when he saw they were one filly short. "Where's your twin!?"
Pecan looked around when she heard that, but Almond was no where to be seen. The almond filly began to hyperventilate, not knowing what to do. When she saw her mother approach, who had a stern look on her face, she thought the worst.
Bryce looked around, as well. When he saw the sandbox he forget about his leg and ran towards it. As he had hoped the matching almond colored filly was lying in the sand on her belly.
She wasn't moving.
"Oh shit, oh shit! Which ever one you are, please be fine." Bryce bent down and carefully flipped Almond over.
The filly was breathing, but she didn't respond to his touch.
Bryce stared at Almond for a few seconds. Thank God, she's okay. Better give her a little, just to make sure. He began to vigorously rub his palms together, a dim glow springing forth from the site.
From out of nowhere, Cocoa Beurre shouted, "GET AWAY FROM HER!!!," and used her magic to push Bryce out of the way. When she saw her daughter lying in the sand she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Amandine!"
By then the three remaining fillies had gathered around; Butter Pecan tried to get a better view of her sister.
Almond coughed, showing signs of life. "Momma...?"
"Amandine, Celestia merci!"
Almond slowly sat herself up.
"Amande, are you okay!?"
"Yeah, mom, I'm fine. Is Pecan okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, sis." Pecan replied.
"Oh, good. Did you go flying too?" Pecan shook her head. "Oh, well, you really should have," Almond said as she got to her hooves, "because it was AWESOME!!!" She raised her forehooves in the air.
Cocoa was thrown back.
"You have got to try it! I was like *vroom* and then smack. And it was just so awesome!" Almond hopped out of the sandbox and made her way for the merry-go-round. "Let's do that again!"
Cocoa, however, would have none of it as she grabbed the filly in her magic. "Oh no, Amande, you are NOT doing that again!"
"Mom, come on, it's fun."
"No, you could have gotten hurt. And I'm not going to take any chances a second time."
"But mom-"
"Je dis NON!" Cocoa said, silencing her filly. "Come along, Pécan, we are leaving."
Bryce stepped forward. "Look, ma'am, I'm-"
"And you! What were you thinking!?"
"I- I didn't mean for-"
"You could have killed her! I told you to play nice!"
"I'm sor-"
"Je me sens comme à aiguiser ma corne et l'enfiler dans votre trou du cul, vous gros porc!"
Bryce was thrown back. He didn't understand everything she had said, but he knew enough from when Sidney would shout at others in her native language.
"Now good day!" Cocoa said before turning around and walking off; Almond still held in her magic. "Let us get you to the hôpital, Amandine. When I tell your papa..."
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The walk back to the farm was not a good one for Bryce, but he could take solace in that he was not the only one who had had a bad day: Bait and Switch had a not so pleasent encounter with Amethyst, as indicated by the red mark on the left side of his face.
After the five had rejoined Amethyst immediately took Dinky home. With nothing left to do, Bryce and the two ponies decided it best to return to the farm.
Bait, however, wasn't as distraught with his day. In fact, he regaled Bryce and Apple Bloom with what had happened.
"So, I could tell Amethyst was a little upset after that colt said her rump looked big, but I didn't expect her to want my opinion, nor to shove her backside into my face. She asked me: 'Bait, you don't think it's big, do you?' Immediately, I tried to draw out the moment, but she started crying."
"So, trying to say 'no' in the nicest way I knew how, I said: 'No, it's not fat. It's a very nice color. It's a color which goes quite well with the purple tones of your tail. And I won't say your flank is 'big', on the contrary. I think it's of superb form, and goes well with the rest of your body.' By then, she looked rather happy, but what I said next didn't give the outcome I'd expected: 'It is rather... voluptuous.'"
"Well, does that explain the mark on your face?" Bryce asked.
"Yes, she slapped me. Rather hard."
Bryce bit on his lip. "I'm sorry, Bait."
"For what?"
"I thought you would go well together, but I guess..."
"Wait, are you telling me you purposely left me with her this morning!?" Bait firmly asked.
Bryce nodded.
"Well then... I must thank you for finally introducing us. I may not have a snowball's chance in Tartarus, but after the short time I spent with her I will not give up as she expects." Bait gave a cheeky grin.
That left Bryce dumbfounded. "Really?" He pursed his lips. "Well, I wish I had your courage."
"It is not courage which drives me on; it is the thrill of the hunt. It's like my uncle would say: If you want something you have to keep pursuing it until it yields. And I must say, I 'want' her."
"Well, you'd make a good couple. That's why I left you alone."
Bait gave a smile. "One day I intend to return the favor. You can mark my word for it."
"Yeah, wouldn't that be nice."
"Come now, I'm sure there's somepony out there for you. Now tell me, in your opinion, what kind of mare would be right for you?"
"Well, someone that's small."
"No problems there, you're one of the tallest things in Equestria." Apple Bloom said.
"Quite right, Apple Bloom. Go on."
"Someone who's nice to everyone, and doesn't yell unless she has to."
"Somepony soft, yet strong? Go on."
"And this is the most important one. She's someone that will stick by me, no matter what dumbass thing I get myself into, and accept me in almost every way possible." Even the parts I hope she'll never find out about.
"Thaaaaat might be an example of your reach exceeding your grasp."
"Yeah, but I get myself into a lot of jams."
"Buck up, Bryce, I'm sure there's somepony looking for a stallion like you out there somewhere. Perhaps even closer than you might think."
Bryce sighed. "If you say so."
"Cheer up. If I have the will to keep after Amethyst then you have the will to find and win your mare, whomever she may be. Tell you what, if you help me with Amethyst then I'll help you with yours." The tan colt held out his hoof. "Deal?"
Bryce was hesitant to take it.
"Come on... Come on... Come on...!" Bait prodded.
"Fine, if we can stop talking about this." He shook Bait's hoof.
"We're in agreement then. Now, why don't you tell me what happened in your day."
Before Bryce could get a word out, Apple Bloom said, "He tripped and hurt a filly."
Bait's mouth dropped open. "Bryce Smales!?"
Bryce raised his palms out in front of him. "Look, it wasn't that bad. The kid's fine." He placed his hands back in his pockets. "Besides, it's not as bad as what her mother wanted to do to me."
"Look, you don't have to say anything if you want to." Bait said.
"No... I want to. It began after you and Amethyst left."
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Bryce was in a playground. A playground he'd been to that afternoon. The same play things were there, except the slide appeared to tower past the clouds, the ground under the swings had been replaced with a pit of broken glass, and the sandbox's contents were replaced with hot, blistering coals. The merry-go-round, however, had been left unchanged.
For some reason, Bryce was turning the merry-go-round clockwise. It was as if someone didn't want him to stop; like an unheard voice was telling him to 'go faster'.
And, just as the voice told him to do, he pressed the cyclical instrument of childhood amusement further onwards, quickening his pace as the bars passed.
Even though Bryce was a man of habit, and could keep going with ease, he was beginning to find the situation boring.
He wanted to stop spinning the merry-go-round, but an unseen entity refused to allow it.
All of a sudden, Bryce felt his labor become weighted. He continued to turn the merry-go-round, nonetheless, but now he had to put more force behind his turns to keep it on its current course .
Sneaking a peek, he saw the one thing he had seen every night for close to a month. It was the black foal. The one with both a horn and a pair of wings and piercing, glowing embers for eyes. The foal held on to one of the bars of the carousel as Bryce continued to spin it around.
Since his last night at the hospital the mare had appeared in his dreams. It wasn't too much of a problem; as soon as the foal appeared he would force himself to awaken. Bryce had tried to capture the creature when he awoke, but before he could move the foal would dissolve in a column of smoke and disappear.
Tonight was the night Bryce decided he had had enough. He had had enough with this foal, most especially after what it had done in the real world. Because of its constant meddling he had lost a good portion of sleep, and now it was tampering with his real life.
Something had to give.
Taking a deep breath, Bryce threw out all the stops on the merry-go-round. Once it was turning fast enough, he grabbed one of the bars as it went past, bring it to a stop and sent the black foal flying through the air.
The foal hadn't expected this as it landed in the sandbox, the contents cushioning its landing.
Grasping the merry-go-round until his knuckles were white, Bryce asked, "What. The H. Do you want from me!?"
Phasing itself to turn and look at Bryce, the foal scanned the human with its ember eye.
"Suddenly lost your voice? Fine, I've tried to be nice, but my kindness is at an end."
The foal narrowed its eyes and let out a low growl.
Bryce gave a smirk. "Cut the act. You can either talk this out, or I can crush you. You forget whose domain this is."
The foal stopped its growling, and aid in a low tone, "But you know not with who you deal."
In an instant, the cold metal of the merry-go-round was replaced with a slimy, gummy, contorting mass. Looking down, Bryce was met with an indescribable, tentacled monstrosity.
Bryce tried to pull away, but the monstrosity had whipped out more of its vile appendages and lifted him off the ground. Bryce struggled in the thing's grip, but it was no use. Every time he freed himself from a tentacle there were always two to take its place. Just the feel of the monstrosity's tentacles on his skin made him want to vomit. It was sickening, causing him to imagine how the inside of a Jell-O cup felt.
By then, the foal had taken its large equine form. The heat that came off from its mane and wings caused Bryce to sweat profusely. It lowered its head to Bryce's own, and its dagger-like horn came with it. "I may reside in a world of your creation, but it is still 'I' who is god of it," the mare said. "If you had made my work easy then I would have made your death painless, but after the trouble you have given me I shall savor what I am about to do to you."
Bryce ceased struggling and stared the dark being straight in the eye. "Fine, but may I have a last request?"
The dark being smile. "I suppose I can grant you this, but if is to free you then I shall prolong your death that much longer."
Bryce took a breath to calm himself. "Why? Why have you come after me?"
The dark equine came in close, and whispered into Bryce's ear, "For that which binds your soul to this plane: Your life force."
Bryce gave a smirk. "Well, that's all I needed to know."
From out of nowhere, a set of chains sideswiped the ink colored mare and sent it down to the ground. In an instant, the chains entwined themselves around the equine's body. It attempted to move, but as it struggled the chains became that much heavier and tighter. "You despicable thing, release me. NOW!" It shouted in a demonic voice. Its flames began to slowly fizzle out.
Bryce smirked and repeated its words, "But you know not with who you deal." He then unhooked himself from the monstrosity's tentacles and dropped down to his feet. "Now, why are you working for the catoblepas?"
The dark horse struggled, but failed to find a foothold. "I shall never tell!"
"You can make this easy for yourself."
"You deal with things with which you have no understanding!"
"Story of my life!" Bryce bent down, and said in a calm tone, "Tell me what I want to know and I will let you go free."
The being stopped struggling and stared up into Bryce's gray eyes. "Were it so easy."
Bryce looked back in the being's eyes. They were like staring into the sun. After a while Bryce stood back up and shook his head. The chains slowly snaked themselves off the being. "I give you this one warning. If I see you in my dreams again I will kill you. I deplore the thought of taking a life, but I will do so."
The mare pressed itself up on its forehooves. The flames that had before made up its wings, mane, and tail had become little more than dying flames. "You are weak then if you cannot do so now."
"Do not take this display of mercy as a sign of weakness. I had wanted to turn the chains which bound you into white hot razor wire, but I am no sadist. If you care for your life then do as I say: Leave me, and those I care for alone."
"You say that with ease," the mare spat back, "but I know what you did to the bull."
After the mare said that, Bryce made a spade appear out of thin air.
He raised the blade over the mare's neck.
The mare stared up at the human, preparing itself for what was to come.
Bryce brought the spade down, yelling out as he did.
The mare was instantly filled with fear, knowing this was the end.
Instead, the spade missed her entirely as it sank into the dirt behind her. When it looked back, its heart raced; the flames along her back flickering with each beat.
Bryce's heart was going as well. In a low voice, he said to the mare, "I know what I did, but I ended its life because it would have come at me again, and again, and again, until it had taken mine. The bull was a mindless, inexorable beast which had NO choice. You have the choice."
And again, the mare said, "Were it so easy."
The world around Bryce disappeared and was replaced with the guest room at Sweet Apple Acres. Bryce didn't give an immediate reaction, instead choosing to lie there.
When Corn noticed his boy shifting under the covers he raised his head and gave a look of concern.
In the dim light of the rising sun, Bryce could see the German Shepherd's concern. Giving a smile, he said, "Don't worry, boy. Everything's fine." Reaching over to the nightstand, Bryce felt for his wrist watch. When he found it he pressed down on the crown, causing the front casing to unlatch and reveal the clock face within. It was close to six in the morning.
Taking great care to place the watch back onto the night stand, Bryce decided to get up. "Come on, Corn. Let's let you out so you can make your peeps and poops."