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// 111 
// Story: My Little Fortress: Dawnpick 
// by Paaaad 
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Summer was bearing down on Dawnpick, but the ponies worked on in the heat. Sadly, for today it may have been a mistake. Amor was sweating under her smock and the resting rough gabbro stone on her back, the rock was a part of the old southern wall that was being deconstructed. Her job was to collect salvageable rubble that was knocked down and take it to the Mason shops for repurposing. Dejectedly, there was an overhanging pier that had to be decommissioned too. Because of the skywalk’s construction, it would be dangerous; the Unicorn mare suggested wooden scaffolding but was rejected. She would soon come to regret not pushing for her idea.

Amor finished making blocks of the stone, she went back to collect more but was stopped in her tracks by the sound of crashing stone and the sight of dust thrown into the air. The copper Unicorn pauses for a moment and then speeds off in a gallop and stops cold when she sees the destruction. Amber who was no longer a foal but not comply a mare yet, along with Cross Stitch were being hauled to the hospital, Amor’s heart dropped. Amber’s mother Hickory was following the pony that carried her child; she was yelling prayers to Etom the goddess of generosity to let her daughter live.

Later after following the injured to the infirmary the Unicorn mare waited outside of the wooden building thinking in storms. If only we had more ponies overseeing the deconstruction, double-checked the plans or if only I objected to the original more. The remaining family members of the injured finally find themselves to the hospital. Splinter, Amber’s father and her five sisters and only brother arrive and look at Amor, each having a different face but all full of the same sadness, fear and loathing. “Sorry.” The mason mouths incapable of voicing the word, Panacea then sorrowfully welcomes the family in, the Pegasus wishing they met in better circumstances.

Amor leaves to where the pier collapsed and found no-pony there but Mortar; he was humming to the stone a repentant melody that caused the gabbro to resonate apologetically. The mare holds back her emotions as she whispers. “Life might be one long song… even with all its sad parts… in the end you will be calling for encore.” The mare starts to clean up the wreckage, continues till bed time and starts back again before sunrise. This goes on for the next two days until Amor is stopped by Indigo and he talks her into teaching the maimed Unicorns to live without their horns. “Indigo, I’m more then willing to do this. I can do things employing magic or not if desired, while Amber and Cross Stitch no longer have the comfort of a option. Not to add that Cross Stitch has had a century to grow fond of magic, this could be most difficult for him.” The mare informs the stallion.

Next few days Amor frequents the hospital in attempt to talk with the patients, their family and doctor. Although agreed on, it is going to take time to recover before acclimatizing them on living without their horns. After two weeks past, Amor and Indigo visits and are witness to a dying Amber. The adult Unicorn mare made her peace with the event and was moving on for the sakes of Amber and Cross Stitch. The confronting overtones of Amor’s father, voice in her head. Whom the gods favor die first, and at heavens’ gate they are the first to be welcomed. Amor was doing much better then Indigo as he was seeing the young mare at her worse yet and after awhile they both leave with the sensation of being drained.