Chapter 39 - Where Truth and Lies Overlap
Sunbeam looked up, and over, her left shoulder at the mid-morning sun and smiled. While the others had blankets draped loosely over their backs, trying to fight the chill of the cool mountain air, she was personally finding the conditions quite pleasant.
The high-altitude path they were on ran along the base of a dark-stone cliff that towered above them. The path itself was just wide enough to allow three ponies to walk side-by-side, provided the one on the outside didn’t mind being quite so close to the steep gravel slope that led a all the way down to a copper-blue lake beneath them.
‘Eyes on the track missy.’ Sunbeam lowered her head.
All of them had to watch their step. The path was strewn with loose debris and several times already one of them had stumbled when a loose piece of rock had shifted under their weight. The wagon just in front of her, being pulled by Applejack, seemed to be doing better than they were, its weight pushing most of the debris out of the way.
Glancing up, Sunbeam noticed the other group, a little way ahead of the wagon, were paying little attention to the track now.
With a relived smile, she turned to look at Fluttershy who was walking next to her. “Judging from the way the others are all chatting now and not looking at the path, we're nearly out of the scree zone. That’ll be…”
Not looking where she was treading, her left fore-hoof came down on a loose rock, precariously balanced on top of another. Under her sudden weight, it shot out to the side, taking her foreleg with it.
“...Niceeeeeuuucckkkk...!”
Sunbeam pitched forward onto the track, her right foreleg becoming pinned between her barrel and the ground as she went down. Hitting the ground, her leg took the brunt of the impact before the momentum sent her rolling onto her side.
Fluttershy rushed to her side. “Oh my gosh Sunbeam, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Sunbeam rolled back onto her belly, extending her forelegs out in front of her as she did so and took a slow, deep, breath in.
‘Oh, I don't want to look. Okay, pull yourself together and let’s see what the damage is…' She sighed in relief. 'The left one's okay, a little bruised but that’s all. The right…’
She winced. ‘Ohh, that’s a big flap of skin hanging off there. Ewww. Not deep, but raw… Oh and there's the blood… And here comes the sting... Buck, buck, buck.’
Looking up at Fluttershy, Sunbeam gritted her teeth. “For the record, I award this hotel only one star. There is a distinct lack of Jackie Dee and pizza on the menu. The beds are hard; the washing facilities are minimal and the entertainment package is a joke.” She slapped the ground with her left hoof and winced with the impact. “Ugh! And let’s not forget to mention the floors are bucking dangerous.”
Fluttershy lifted her right foreleg up to examine it.
Sunbeam whimpered. “Okay, that’s starting to hurt now… Oh I hate pain.”
Looking round she saw that Applejack had stopped and was looking over her shoulder at her. “You okay sugar?”
Sunbeam forced a smile. “My pride took the brunt of the fall, I’ll be okay. It’s more messy than…” She ground her teeth. “Painful.”
Fluttershy looked up at her. “This needs to be cleaned out and covered. After that, you really should get back in the wagon and rest it.”
‘You’ve been mothering me to death all morning Flutters. What -is- up with you?’
Sunbeam pulled her leg back. “Fluttershy, please. I’m not made of glass. I can handle a few knocks and bruises you know. I can still walk.”
Getting up into a sitting position, her foreleg quivered for a second before she unconsciously shifted most of her weight off it. Sunbeam smiled through clenched teeth. “See, only a little pain. Once it’s cleaned up, I’ll be fine.”
Applejack looked at Sunbeam with suspicion. “Are you sure you’re okay sugar? You’re shaking like a newborn foal there… and that's just sitting down." She pointed a hoof. "You’re bleeding.”
Closing her eyes, Sunbeam ground her teeth as she resisted the urge to stamp her hoof. Her tone was calm and controlled. “I’m fine, thank you everypony for continually asking. Look, watch.”
Standing up, she took a step forward, putting all her weight onto the foreleg.
“See… Ungh!”
Immediately sitting back down, she brought her foreleg up to her chest and cradled it with the other “Okay, t - that’s a lie. I think I’ve done something! Oh buck t-that hurt.”
Fluttershy marched up to her. “You get right back in that wagon little missy!”
Sunbeam looked around at Fluttershy, her retort dying as she looked into those eyes. She managed to hold the stare for a moment longer before her head fell. “Okay. I’ll get back in the wagon.”
‘Yay, new personal best, I didn’t fold -instantly- under that look. In a few years I may even work up to a full second of resistance. I’ll get some banners made up and…”
Applejack took a step forward. “I’ll just bring the wagon round…”
Sunbeam’s head snapped round. “I can still walk to the bucking wagon!”
She took a calming breath before painting on a smile. “Sorry AJ, I really don’t handle pain well. But thank you for… continually thinking of me, continuously.”
Sunbeam rolled her shoulders before hobbling towards the back of the wagon.
‘Ow! Ow! Bucking pride! Ow-www!’
***
Fluttershy watched Sunbeam as she lay in the wagon, staring off into space out the back of it. Ever since she’d cleaned, and bandaged, her leg the mare hadn’t said much.
Fluttershy tried to break the silence. “The dye Rarity put on your back is starting to fade. I can see the white coming through.”
Sunbeam grunted and kept staring off into space. “It’s never lasts. Nothing ever does. Kinda given up on even trying to dye it these days. Too much work for it to fade so quickly.” Turning to face Fluttershy, she gave her a small smile. “Frankly I’m surprised that whatever Rarity put in it lasted this long. I’ve tried all kinds of things, even damn paint once.” She snorted. “I swear I actually got a little high from the fumes that time.” Sunbeam looked away. “No, the magic they used just won’t let anything stick to the fur, not for any length of time anyway.”
Fluttershy tilted her head and opened her mouth.
Sunbeam cut in before she had a chance to speak. “Please don’t ask me Flutters. I wouldn’t enjoy lying to you.”
Fluttershy dropped her head. “Oh. O-okay. I-if you don’t want to talk about it.”
Sunbeam cringed and turned back to look at her. “Sorry.” She put on a forced smile. “But bear in this mind, if I didn’t like you, I would have flat out lied to you... and not thought twice about it.”
“Oh. Well if you’re sure you’re okay.”
Sunbeam turned her head away, before sighing. “I’m fine. Thank you for asking... Again.”
***
Sunbeam felt the wagon stop. Opening her eyes she could see that the track had moved away from the cliff face and they were out now on a grassy plain. Taking a deep breath, and using her left foreleg as much as possible, she pushed herself up into a sitting position.
Once up, she looked over her shoulder to see Fluttershy standing next to Applejack and both of them looking at the lead group. That group had stopped on the crest of a ridge and seemed to be quite excited about something that was on the other side. Pinkie turned round to face them and beckoned them forward.
Turning so she was facing forwards in the wagon, Sunbeam watched curiously as Applejack hauled the wagon up the ridge towards them.
Twilight didn’t look round as the wagon stopped next to her. Lifting a hoof she pointed. “Is that…?”
Sunbeam smiled. Using the backing board of the wagon as a step, she stood up on to get some extra height. “Yep, it’s as far as the eye can see.”
Twilight just nodded, not looking away, almost afraid that the sight would disappear if she did.
Sunbeam focused on getting down without hurting herself before looking up with a grin. “Ladies, I give you a mountain prairie... full of Wheat Thorn.”
They all stared at the green prairie covered with red spiky plants in silence.
Sunbeam settled back down into the wagon, holding her bandaged leg out in front of her.
“Thank you, you’re all welcome.”
***
Standing by the wagon, Applejack watched as Rarity levitated several more plants into the back of it.
Picking up a plant, Sunbeam held it up to her eye briefly before tossing back into the pile. “So how many do we need Twi?”
Twilight didn’t look up, her voice quiet. “Twenty-eight.”
Applejack did a quick count. “I make that forty-one. Guess we’re covered.”
Rainbow sat down, spitting another plant into the wagon. “Forty-two.” She looked around at everypony. “So that’s it? We can head home now?”
Twilight slowly nodded.
Rainbow shook her head. “Well that’s kinda… Kinda...” She waved a hoof as she searched for the word. “Ummm… anti-climatic? Yeah, that the word! Anti-climatic!”
Rarity looked up. “Oh well done darling, such an advanced word.”
Rainbow stuck her tongue out at her to which, and in a most unladylike manner, Rarity stuck hers out in reply.
Applejack smiled at the display before putting a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. “So what were you expecting partner? To find the plant in an abandoned castle filled with undead guards? Perhaps a tomb filled with all sorts of deadly boobytraps?” She smiled and prodded Rainbow. “Maybe even protected by a huge monster, one that you’d have to fight?”
Rainbow shook her head. “No! Well… maybe something. Not just...” She rubbed the back of her head. “I wasn’t expecting to be: ‘there it is’, we can all go home now!”
Smiling, Applejack lowered her head and shook it. “It’s a plant Rainbow. Not even a magical plant at that. Just a normal plant that needs light and water and everything else that a normal plant needs to grow.” Looking up, she prodded her. “You read too much Daring Do Sugar.”
Rainbow scowled at Applejack before turning to look at Twilight. “So, are we heading back now?”
Twilight nodded. “We have enough now, twenty-eight plants is the minimum needed to cure everypony. We have more than enough now.”
Applejack looked around at Twilight’s morose sounding voice. “You okay sugar? This is it; we have enough to cure everypony.”
Twilight didn’t look up. “To cure everypony at the Gala that was poisoned, we need thirty-two plants. Thirty-two would have been enough to make enough antidote for everypony... and to have a bit spare. By the time we’re going to get back, twenty-eight will be sufficient to make enough antidote for everypony that’s going to be left.” Her head fell. “I - I should have...”
Rarity cut her off rapidly. “Don’t you dare go down that road Twilight Sparkle!”
Applejack nodded. “Yeah partner. We could not have got here any sooner.”
Twilight looked up. “But all the delays, I should have...”
Rarity stepped up and put her head on Twilight’s neck. “Done what? You can’t see the future Twilight dear. There was nothing you could have done to prevent those delays. We didn’t dally; the delays were forced upon us. You couldn’t have done anything about them darling.”
Twilight lowered her head. “I just feel like I could have done more. Maybe done something different. I should have...” Twilight pulled herself up. “But! We still have ponies to save. We can sort out blame later. We still have some hours of daylight left, so let’s be off.”
Applejack and Rarity shared a look.
***
Twilight had seated herself away from the others with a cup of coffee as Pinkie prepared supper. Fluttershy seated herself down next to her and together they watched the sun set over the rocky plain.
Fluttershy frowned and pointed a hoof. “Twilight, did the sun wobble just then?”
“Yes. It happened yesterday as well. It means that the poison is starting to affect the princesses a lot earlier than I would have predicted. But they will be fine. In the long run.” She lifted the coffee cup in her hooves up to take a sip.
Fluttershy nodded before turning to look at her. “How are you doing Twilight?”
Twilight froze, the cup not quite at her lips. Closing her eyes she lowered the cup. “I... I'm not good. Now and again I forget that my magic is... temporarily gone. Without even thinking about it, I go to perform some magic, like levitation, only to find nothing happens.” She turned to look at Fluttershy. “The worst thing is, is that it still feels like I’ve reached out and picked up the cup. I feel that I actually have hold of it. I go to take a sip only to find it’s still sat on the ground where I felt it. That I never even picked it up...” Her jaw trembled before she looked around at her wingless sides with a scowl. “Look at me Fluttershy! Without any magic I can’t even pick up a cup of coffee! Let alone change myself back into an alicorn. Some Princess I am! What use am I? What good am I without magic? I’m useless… I’m a waste of space. I'm…”
Fluttershy wrapped her wings around her. “Don’t you dare say that Twilight Sparkle. You are not useless.”
Twilight lowered her head. “I’m sorry Fluttershy. I didn't mean to vent like that, but all the frustration just started coming out. I just couldn’t stop myself… I’m sorry.” Looking up she gave Fluttershy a small smile. “I try to tell myself that this is only temporary state of affairs. I try to be strong Fluttershy. For everyponies sake, I’m trying to be strong. But deep down I’m so scared." She smile fell. "I can’t stop wondering 'what if it isn’t temporary'. It terrifies me to even think about....” Twilight shook her head. “Ugh! No! I can't worry about myself right now. I’ve got to focus on getting back with the antidote. Getting the antidote back is my main… is my only concern right now.” She turned to look at Fluttershy. "Once I’m back though, Celestia will know how to cure this.” She gave Fluttershy a brittle smile. “She’ll know just what to do to cure me, right?”
Fluttershy hugged her a little tighter. “Of course, she will Twilight. She’ll know just what to do.”
***
The road had taken them into a hilly, forested area. Rainbow found herself with the company of Sunbeam as she sat next to the fire, on watch for that night.
Rainbow finished her coffee. “I don’t mind the company Sunny, but shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
Sunbeam shrugged as she took a swig of her coffee.
Taking the hint, Rainbow looked around the natural campsite next to the road. “So, how’s the leg?”
Sunbeam lifted the bandaged leg up. “I can walk now, just smarts if I go for too long. The bandage makes it look worse than it is. How’s your wing?”
“Feels okay. A bit numb at times.” She looked away. “Best not to put any strain on it until I see a doc. Learnt that one the hard way.”
Sunbeam nodded before looking up the track. The only sound was the wind in the tree tops and the crackle from the fire for a minute before she pointed up the road. “Tomorrow we’ll reach where the road splits. One way takes us into the town we went into for supplies. The other is quicker but takes us along the path where I encountered the troll. Which do you think Twi will take?”
“The quickest.”
Sunbeam nodded. “That’s what I thought.” She looked into her coffee. “Good! To be honest, I’d rather meet a troll again than go back into that town.”
Rainbow gave her a surprised glance.
Both sat in silence, looking into the fire for before Sunbeam reached out for the coffee pot again
“You’re not going to be able to sleep if you do that.”
Sunbeam paused, staring into her coffee. ‘That’s the plan. My dreams scare me.’
***
The young, dark-blue earth-pony stallion lay on the grass under the only tree on the top of the hill.
He’d been there from just before sunrise and from his vantage point, he had a clear view of the road and the natural campsite by the side.
Midnight Driver brought the telescope up to his eye again. ‘Careful, the sun is in front of me, so keep this thing pointed downwards. Don’t want to look into the sun by accident.’ He counted the ponies he could see again. ‘Four. Five, Six… Six. Where’s the pony with the white back gone? She went into the trees a while ago. Okay. Seven ponies total, seven mares… plus one wagon loaded with supplies. A good catch. I’ll head back to camp and let Uncle Driver know to prepare for...’
Something heavy landed on his back, knocking the wind out of him. It took a second to regain his composure enough to even think of reaching for his dagger.
He found the scabbard empty.
“Wha…?”
There was a sharp object pressed against the side of his neck.
Midnight froze. ‘That’s my own dagger. That’s my own bucking…’
The voice in his ear sounded out of breath. “Buck, that was a long way to hobble.”
It perked up before addressing him. “Oh, hello by the way. Please don’t do anything heroic. I’ll kill you out of nothing more than general principle if you do.” A hoof tapped his head. “If I may offer some tips: first off, avoid isolated cover, it stands out; second, avoid sunlight glinting on glass. It totally gives your position away.” The voice sniggered. “I would have been here earlier, but you were being so obvious I had to go round making sure it wasn’t a trap.” There was a pause. “So, now for the big question. Why are you up here with a telescope?”
“I’m... I’m…” Midnight’s breathing became rapid. ‘Think of something… Think...’
The dagger pressed against his neck a little harder. “Tick tock, time is slipping past faster than you think..."
He found himself only able to focus on the dagger tip. “I… I…”
The voice sounded amused. “Having trouble thinking of a good lie are we?”
Midnight closed his eyes, his ears falling out to the sides. “P-please…”
“My guess is that you’re here watching the road for somepony else.”
He took a sharp breath in.
There was an exasperated sigh. “Oh come on, it’s not that hard to figure out. So why don’t you just give me the details.” The voice got closer to his ear. “It’ll save time and effort in the long run.” The voice picked up a hint of menace. “Trust me, you’d prefer that.” He could feel the smile by his ear.
The voice pulled back. “So, first off, how many of you are there?”
“T-t-twelve.” He blinked in surprise at having replied so readily.
“Where?”
Midnight closed his eyes. “About a mile up the road. They made the campsite look like an official guard camp so nopony would know until it’s too...” He slapped a hoof over his mouth.
The voice became cold. “Made it look official? Are you bandits?”
Midnight said nothing.
The pressure on the dagger increased.
“Y-yes.”
The voice was flat, now lacking any of its previous humor. “I see.”
There was silence.
Midnight squirmed. “Please… I’m only fifteen… I don’t...”
A hoof tapped the top of his head. “Shhh, I’m trying to decide what to do with you. Now I will admit that retiring you is my first instinct here. Don’t worry, I’d make it quick. Leaving you alive and behind us is a huge tactical mistake. Retiring you is the right…” There was a pause. “Is the correct thing to do.”
Midnight’s breath became short and sharp. The seconds ticked by as nothing happened.
The voice sounded somewhat surprised and genuinely apologetic. “I’m terribly sorry about this. Keeping you waiting in anticipation of death is undeniably cruel. I do try not to cruel. Mostly anyway. So, for keeping you waiting like this, I apologize.”
He whimpered.
The pressure on the dagger fluctuated. “You know, this is odd. Normally I wouldn’t hesitate and make it quick for both of us. But honestly, I don’t want to. Argh, why am I hesitating like this? You are a threat.” There was another pause. “I’ve already apologized about keeping you waiting haven’t I?”
Unable to help himself, he nodded.
“Yes? Oh good!”
Still nothing happened.
“Ugh, this hesitation isn’t doing either of us any favors, is it? Okay, let’s do this you stupid mare...”
The dagger pulled back from his neck.
Midnight could feel the muscles move in the body that was on top of him. He heard the grunt of effort.
The grass was so green. He could see every single blade. The shadows under them.
The dagger plunged down and buried itself up to the hilt with a no sound.
Midnight stared blankly forward his mouth opening and closing.
It took him a few seconds before he could turn his head to look at the dagger, its blade buried in the soft earth next to his head.
A hoof grabbed his forehead and pulled his entire head back. The voice was so close now he could feel its breath ruffling the fur on the inside of his ear.
“I’m giving you a chance here. I’m giving us both a chance here. You buck this up... and you will soooo wish I had only killed you just then. Now listen very carefully to what I am about to say: buck... off... Be somewhere else. But do not go back to your bandit friends. I don’t care where you go, go home to your mummy and daddy, go to a big city by yourself… I honestly don’t care! Just don’t be here. Do you understand?”
“Y-yes.”
“Say the important bit.”
“Don’t go back to my bandit friends.”
A hoof patted his head before the weight on top of him rolled off.
It took Midnight a few minutes before he could even bring himself to look around.
The pony seated behind him, glowering at him, was a dark green unicorn mare. Her right forehoof was bandaged and he could see she had a faded white back.
Sitting up, Midnight relaxed a bit. “W-wheat Gatherer, is that you? That wasn’t funny at all. Uncle is still waiting for...”
The mare held up a hoof, looking a little taken back. “Excuse me?”
Midnight looked at her up and down. “Wheat Gatherer? Buck, what the heck happened to you?”
She blinked at him slowly and then shook her head. “I’m not Wheat Gatherer. And your second guess would be...? Hint, I’m a dark green unicorn with a white back. They're cant be that many around.”
***
Sunbeam watched as the young stallion fled in terror.
She shook her head with a smile. “Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!” Sunbeam frowned as she watched him gallop away. “On the second attempt though. I feel kinda insulted.”
Lifting her head, she watched the adolescent stallion stumble, roll, get back up and keep running.
‘Huh, new career high there. Scaring the horseapples out of a teenager. They’ll certainly be carving -that- on my headstone. Oh I feel soooo proud of myself right now.’
With a sigh, Sunbeam turned to head back to camp. Taking a step she winced and pulled her bandaged foreleg up to her chest.
Her ears fell to the sides as she looked at her forehoof, then at the distance back to the campsite.
Her voice was flat. “Buck.”
***
Sunbeam lay on the grass, trying to ignore the flat stare Twilight was giving her as she cradled her aching foreleg.
Twilight huffed. “So, are you sure about the bandit camp Sunbeam?”
Sunbeam nodded.
“He wasn’t lying?”
“He was too scared to lie.”
Twilight rubbed her eyes. Her voice was distant. “At least you didn’t… Can we go round it?”
Sunbeam shrugged. “Sure, but it’ll add days.”
Twilight sat back, muttering under her breath.
Fluttershy leaned forward and pointed a hoof at Sunbeam. “You didn’t hurt him did you?”
Sunbeam rolled her eyes. “For the record: I did not hurt him. He may have turned white and, I believe the term is, ‘fled in terror’... once he’d worked out who I was. But no physical damage was inflicted on him by myself.”
She rolled her shoulders. ‘Fled in terror after he -eventually- worked out who I was. Honestly, I’m gone for a few months...’
Rarity nodded. “Running in terror would be quite the sensible reaction, for a normal pony that is. I do remember being regaled with some of your past… exploits.”
Sunbeam pointed her hoof at her. “Hey! Most of those are outright lies and exaggerations.”
Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Most, darling... Most. But you can't deny that you have built up quite the terrifying reputation.”
Sunbeam dropped her hoof and looked away. “Yeah, well, I did kinda encourage that a bit. Single mare, traveling by herself out in the big bad world. I needed a way to discourage unwanted attention. Something to make ponies think twice about tangling with me.”
Twilight lifted her head and stared at Sunbeam. She suddenly smiled. “Oh yes! I have an idea how we can get past.”
***
Sunbeam gave Twilight long a flat stare. “So, let me get this straight. You want me to just saunter into the middle of a bandit camp. And then proceed to scare the horseapples out of them, enough so they let us just walk through?”
Twilight nodded. “It’s called bluffing.”
She shook her head. “No, its called being bucking stupid. My reputation will probably scare them alright. Right up until the point where they notice they outnumber me twelve-to-one. A little voice will then start whispering into their ears about just how many bits there is in my bounty. Contrary to popular myth, being a bandit is not a well paying profession. They will all be probably tired, hungry and wanting a soft bed for the night. ” She prodded Twilight’s chest. “I’ve see greed and desperation burn through fear and good sense more than once.”
Twilight’s ear fell to the sides.
Sunbeam rubbed her eyes. “Look, I want to help Twi, I really do. But they will resort to violence... And will do so a lot more quickly and easily than you could possibly think. Oh, I will scare them... just not for long enough. The promise of a soft bed and a hot meal is one heck of a motivator.” She rolled her shoulders. "Personal experience.”
Twilight took a breath in, a determined look on her face. “Perhaps if we could increase your intimidation factor then. Something would scare them enough to prevent them from even thinking about attacking you in the first place. Something that would make their superior numbers irrelevant.”
Rarity lifted a hoof. “Ooooh, idea!”
***
“So have you got all that Sugar?”
Sunbeam nodded morosely.
Twilight looked up from her notes. “Will you be able to remember it all?”
She nodded again. “It’s all true isn’t it? So it’s not like I’m gonna forget.”
“Remember, its how you say it…”
Sunbeam turned to look at Twilight and raised an eyebrow. “And just where did the princess of friendship learn about the finer points of lying?”
Twilight shuffled uncomfortably. “Well, some of the lessons Celestia taught me were about politics…”
Sunbeam held up a hoof. “Ah, I retract the question. I naturally defer to a master of the subject then.”
Twilight scowled as the others sniggered behind hooves.
Sunbeam turned to Rarity. “Right, I need to get the rest of the dye out of my back. I need to look the part. I need to look like me.” Rarity nodded.
She turned to look at Twilight. “And I need this bucking ring off my horn.”
Twilight pulled back in surprise. “I don’t know… it is there for a reason…” Her head fell. “Of course you will.”
Sunbeam put a hoof on her shoulder. “Look, Twi, I can’t show any weakness. Not for one second or they’ll be all over me like timberwolves. How seriously do you think they’ll take me if it’s obvious I can’t do magic.” She looked down. “I may even have to give a little demonstration as well. It won’t be anything fancy or too big, but I need to know if I’ll be up to it.”
Twilight nodded. “You’ll be fine for a little amount, for the moment. Just remember you’re still recovering, the less magic you use the better. None at all would be best.”
***
Sunbeam lowered her head and closed her eyes. Sitting motionless she took several deep breaths as she faced down the track.
“Okay, let’s do this.” She looked up, a lopsided smile forming on her face. “Let’s go scare some ponies.”
Standing up, she took several steps before stopping as her eyebrows shot up. “Of course, they might just attack me on sight. Yeaaah, that would be a problem...”
With a snigger, she turned and headed off into the undergrowth.
“I need to pee, again.”
***
Blue Stone watched the dark green unicorn walk boldly up the track towards him. He could see her white back from a distance and knew immediately who it was. He readied his horn but didn’t power it up.
Stopping just in front of him, the mare looked him up and down. “Hi, I‘m…”
“Late. You’re two days late... and the boss hates being kept waiting!” Turning away, he gestured for her to follow. “Just so you’re aware he’s got some ‘anger management issues’ so tread lightly. He’s in a good mood right now, so you might be okay, but just bear that in mind when you’re talking to him.”
Leading the mare into the camp, he didn’t see the mare’s mouth hanging open as she followed him.
***
Impact Driver, a smaller-than-average yellow earth pony, stormed out of his tent and up to the mare in the middle of the camp.
Everypony was watching them, even the ones on guard, all awaiting the inevitable fireworks.
Blue Stone watched as Impact started prodding the mare’s chest. “You were supposed to meet up here two days ago. And where are the other two? Are they still in town?”
The mare looked at him and tilted her head.
Taking a step back, Impact looked at her. “You look a little different to the last time I saw you rookie.” He smirked as he pointed to the burnt patches where her cutie marks should have been. “Hah! Looks like you got caught and they had a little fun with you before running you out of town.” He leaned forward, a fake solemn expression on his face. “And did your two friends get killed in the process? Or did they just abandon you when it all went to Tartarus? Awww…” He pulled back, a smile on his face. “Not that I really care, but I guess your plan to impress us has failed.”
The mare looked at Impact in confusion.
Impact didn’t seem to notice. “Here’s the thing Wheat Gatherer, the wagon train raid was a bust. Way too many guards. So we’re looking to your plan to get supplies now.”
He leaned in close to her, an evil smirk on his face. “So I’m gonna send you right back into that town to get those supplies, regardless of what happens to you. If you don’t come back…” He shrugged. “Guess we’ll do it the hard way then. But I believe you promised to impress us by, and I quote: ‘scaring the townsponies so much that we could march right in there and take what we wanted. All with a little impersonation act’.”
Blue watched as the mare blinked, a tiny smile forming on her face.
Impact jabbed her again with a hoof. “Well, we want those supplies Miss Gatherer. We are all tired, hungry and annoyed at you. So if you don’t go back in there, I’ll turn you over to the rest of my little happy family. Trust me, taking your chances with the townsponies is the way better choice here. Who knows, if you live, I may even let you join us.”
The mare looked at Impact for a minute an odd expression on her face. “I don’t suppose you have any more… white dye... for my back have you?”
Impact shook his head. “Fresh out. You took all we found in that wagon.”
Blue pulled his head back when the mare suddenly grinned. “I think I understand what’s going on now. Oh I’m gonna enjoy this way more than I really should.” She turned to look at Blue. “But first off, can you do truth spells?”
Giving her a puzzled look, he nodded. The mare put a hoof on his shoulder. “Whew, this wouldn’t have been quite so effective if nopony here could do that.” She turned to look back at Impact. “Okay, let’s get this show on the road.” Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t want anypony to think I’m lying now, do I?”
Blue Stone's horn lit up blue.
A few seconds passed before she turned to look at him and sighed theatrically. “You know, it would be awfully nice if you explained how the spell works old chap.”
Blue blinked at the mare. “A blue glow means the truth is being told. If it turns orange... someponies lying.”
He frowned. ‘I don’t remember her being quite like this before.’
With a nod she turned back to look at Impact, her smile growing. Taking a deep breath she projected her voice so it carried over the camp.
“I’m afraid that Wheat Gatherer, and her friends, won’t be joining us today. They met an unfortunate end a little while ago. A little bit after meeting me would you believe?”
She grinned and looked around at everypony staring at her. “Hello all, I’m Icefang.”
***
Blue could feel everypony in the campsite looking at his horn. At the blue glow.
‘Oh horseapples… It’s her… It’s...’ He tried to take a step back, but found his legs wouldn’t move. ‘The stories can't -all- be true. They can’t all be...’
Icefang shook her head sorrowfully. “Imagine my surprise when I went into a town and found myself already there. And such a poor imitation it was… I mean, I could see her roots.” Sitting back on her haunches she put her hooves over her chest. “My feelings were hurt.”
Somepony behind Blue dropped something with a crash.
A gust of wind told Blue Stone that his back was suddenly damp. ‘Oh buck, look at that smile. Thirteen to one... and she’s still smiling. She must be as nuts as her reputation says. Or as powerful… Or both!” He blinked as a new thought occurred to him. “Oh buck… nopony mention her bounty… Nopony make her think we're after her bounty! We’ve all heard what she does to bounty hunters… Oh horseapples, look at that smile!’
No pony moved.
Impact lifted a hoof to point at her, and while he was still smiling, his voice lacked his usual confidence. 'She’s only one pony everypony and there’s twelve of us. She’s got a huge bounty, we could live like kings for a while.”
There were a few sounds of weapons being uncertainly drawn from sheaths.
Blue slowly turned his head to look at Impact, tone flat was flat when he spoke. “Does the phrase: ‘they buried only what they could find’ mean anything to you?” He cringed. ‘And I don’t want to think what she did to the bits they -couldn’t- find.’
Blue watched as Icefang shook her head, a rueful smile on her face. “Well, that was even shorter than I expected.”
‘She’s not even worried… Why did you have to pick her Gatherer? I hope you died slow and painful for this.’ He looked at Icefang’s grin. ‘Oh that’s a given you died slow.’
Blue turned to see several ponies hesitantly approaching Icefang. Nopony seemed eager to be the first pony to reach her with a drawn weapon.
He turned his head back to Icefang. ‘I’m not a threat. I’m not a threat. See, I’m not doing anything. Certainly not reaching for my dagger… no sirree. Let some other brave… suicidal... pony be the hero.’
Lifting up a hoof, she projected her voice again. “Now, before anypony does anything that would cause me to... exert myself… I do believe you should all be made aware of a fun little fact.”
She put a hoof on Blue’s shoulder making him flinch. “Keep that spell up, Mr... Mr…?” She turned to look at him then shrugged, turning back to look at the ponies creeping towards her. “First off, are you all aware of the cult up in the mountains? The one that harvests magic?”
This time Blue wasn’t the only unicorn to flinch.
She smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes then. May I now direct your attention to Mr… Mr Blue-glow’s horn here for the next part.”
Pointing to Blue’s horn, she took a breath in. “They're all dead. They all died… just after meeting me.” She smirked. “Strange how ponies seem to die just after meeting me... isn’t it?”
There was silence in the camp as they all looked at his horn again. The blue glow remained.
Her tone turned bored. “One spell from me, and bang, every single pony in the same room as me was dead.” Sunbeam polished a hoof on her chest, a half-smile on her face. “All two hundred plus of them… I killed every single bucking pony in the room and not one had a chance to react.”
Blue noticed a tiny twitch on the corner of her muzzle and her head fell forward. Just for a second, Blue swore she looked sad...
Icefang looked back up with a scowl. “So once again, for the hard-of-thinking among us. In a room filled with a couple of hundred ponies, I killed all of them, and that's before any of them managed to react.”
The creep towards her had stopped.
Icefang sat up straight and looked around the camp again. “Now it happen that there were a few that weren’t in the room at the time. Those I hunted down. I went from room to room… Not one of those bags had a chance.”
Blue felt his mouth go dry. He stared at the big grin on Icefang’s face.
‘She’s enjoying this… She’s actually enjoying herself right now.’
He flinched when she tapped him on the shoulder.
“So, am I telling the truth Mr Blue-Glow? About retiring all those ponies in the room in one go? About none of them being able to react? About me hunting the others down. Even those in red glasses?”
He nodded.
She lifted a hoof up to her ear. “Loud enough so those at the back can hear, if you please Mr Blue-Glow.”
Blue started. “Y-yes… She’s… You’re telling the truth, Miss Icefang!”
Icefang beamed at him.
“Now then, does anypony feel like being a…” She frowned as she swept her gaze swept over the campsite, causing most ponies to flinch as it passed over them. “Hero... I apologize in advance if you’re stood next to one. I can be a tad, indiscriminate at times.”
No pony moved. An earth pony mare slowly reached out and knocked the dagger out of a pegasus stallion’s hoof who was stood next to her.
Icefang clapped her hooves together. “Excellent, now for the good news for all you buckers. I am not interested in you in the slightest. I just want to pass through here... with a few ponies I do have an interest in, and get to my destination. I do not care about you in the slightest. So, you’re all going to be able to say you met Icefang... and lived. Isn’t that just wonderful?”
Her tone turned cold. “Of course… if anypony does want to delay me, I’m more than willing to oblige. If I’m going to be delayed, I will make sure that the delay is worth my time.” She looked around the campsite. “Any takers?”
Blue could only hear the sound of the wind in the trees.
“Wonderful.” She pointed back up the track. “Now is somepony would be kind enough to go inform…”
Impact looked down the track where she was pointing. “We had a guard down that way.”
She turned to look at him with an annoyed expression. “Young stallion, blue in colour?”
Impact nodded.
She turned to look at Blue’s horn, before a slow smile spread over her face. “Okay, I’ll tell you exactly what happened to him, but first off…”
Before he could react, she suddenly reached over and jabbed Blue’s horn with her hoof.
***
Impact watched as Blue Stone lay on the floor, clutching his horn with his forehooves and whimpering. The glow from the truth spell now long gone.
Icefang turned back to look at Impact, carrying on as if nothing had happened. “Let’s see. What did I do…?” She tapped her chin before suddenly smiling at him “I let him go.” She nodded to herself, grinning. “Yes, yes that’s exactly what I did. I crept on him without him noticing, took his own dagger, put it to his throat... gave him some career advice, and then let him go. I watched him skip merrily off, now all the wiser for the advice I had imparted to him. I certainly didn’t do anything nasty to him.”
Putting a hoof on her chest she looked at Impact with a solemn expression. “Honest. That’s exactly what happened…” She tilted her head for a second. “Okay, the skipping part may not be exactly true.”
She turned to look at Blue Stone as she lay on the ground and frowned. “Oh, you can get that truth spell back up anytime you like now Mr Blue-glow.” She shook her head as she looked back at Impact. “You just can’t get the staff these days can you? I mean, with that spell down no pony can’t tell if I’m lying or not. Can they?”
Impact Driver looked in confusion at her, at Blue’s inert horn, then back at her.
***
Blue looked up, even through the pain he could see what was going to happen.
Oh buck! Midnight was Impact’s nephew. He’s gonna go spare… Owwww that really hurts.... And then he's do something that’s gonna get us all killed. Somepony stop him, I can’t move right now!’
Impact’s lips curled back as comprehension dawned. He reached for his dagger and...
A pegasus dove into him from the side, sending them both tumbling.
Two more ponies quickly dove on top of him.
Blue turned a terrified gaze on Icefang as she gave the pile of ponies a long, slow blink.
‘Oh buck, look at her. How can she be so calm?’
***
Sunbeam gave the pile of ponies a long, slow blink.
‘What the buck just happened?’
Pointing a hoof, her tone was filled with disbelief. “Did he really just try and attack me?”
The unicorn looked like he was going to be sick. “Y… y - yes.”
She blinked at the ponies holding Impact down. ‘I… I missed that. I totally missed that!’ Her lips curled back. ‘You were having too much fun and missed a clear threat... You stupid, moronic, mother-bucking, bitch-whorse… You just -had- to try to be clever, didn’t you!’
***
Blue watched as Icefang's ‘cheerfully insane’ smile faded, only to be replaced by an expression of pure fury.
He couldn’t look away from that face, even as Impact started screaming insults at everypony. “Let me up you bunch on buckers! I’ll kill her! I’ll kill her!”
One of the ponies on top of Impact brought his hoof down hard on his muzzle, silencing him.
He looked up at Icefang. “See dudette, no problems here. No need to… to… to look that angry.” He cringed back. “Ohhhh we’re soooo bucked!”
Blue hadn’t looked away from Icefang, his gaze still transfixed at the expression. ‘Oh buck, oh buck, oh buck… We’re all gonna die, we’re all gonna...’
Icefang forced a smile, her tone now carefully cheerful. “I’m terrible sorry about that, I was thinking…” Her right forehoof started to twist itself in the ground. “Unpleasant thoughts about a certain pony just then.”
Ponies around the camp started edging away from her, all throwing the tree-line longing looks. Only the possibility of ‘decidedly unwanted attention’ kept them from bolting en mass.
Taking a deep breath, she turned to look at Blue while pointing a hoof at Impact. “So, what is his deal?”
“Midnight... I mean the pony up the track, that is… that was... his nephew.”
Icefang didn’t flinch. She just gave him a long slow blink before sinking her face into a hoof.
Impact had recovered enough to start screaming again. “I’m gonna kill you, you whorse! Your friends, your family! I’m gonna kill everypony who’s close to you. I swear it you…”
The rest of Impact’s screamed threats faded into the background for Blue. All his attention was now focused on those glacier-blue eyes now peering over the hoof.
At the malice they now held.
***
Twilight looked around the abandoned camp site silently before looking questioningly at Sunbeam.
Sunbeam shifted uncomfortably. “My reputation, coupled with telling the truth... the way you suggested... worked a lot more effectively than we could have hoped for.” Looking down she shuffled a hoof. “I had to power up my horn and give a little demonstration. It was only one small thing.” She held out her hooves, outlining an object about the size of a hoofball. “After that, they seemed eager to leave.”
Sitting back on her haunches, Sunbeam clapped her hooves together and looked around. “So, resupply anypony? I think I saw some proper coffee back there.”
They all looked at each other then back at Sunbeam, who was smiling hopefully at them.
Applejack took a step forward and, to her surprise, Sunbeam flinched.
“Partner…”
Twilight stepped forward. “We really can’t stay too long girls. We’re behind schedule already. Gather anything quick and easy, but remember, we’re only a few days away from Ponyville now.”
With a nod everypony turned to see what they could find. Sunbeam slumped, letting out a deep breath.
Twilight reached into her saddlebags before calling out. “Sunbeam. Can I see you?”
With a bright smile, Sunbeam lifted her head and walked up to her. “Yup Sparkles?”
Twilight brought out the inhibitor ring.
Her smile faltered and she took a half step back. “When I - I powered up my horn, I didn’t feel anything bad…Everything felt totally normal in fact. A-are you sure I have to put that thing back on?”
Twilight nodded. “Medical reasons. It’s to stop you using magic so your reserve has a chance to fully recover. It is for your own good.”
Sunbeam hesitated before lowering her head. “I-if you’re sure I need it.”
Twilight slipped the ring over her horn and watched it slide down to the base, catching momentarily on the notch before settling at its base.
Sunbeam eye’s scrunched up tight before letting out a whimper. Her ears fell out to the sides. “I can’t feel my magic anymore.”
Twilight put a hoof on her shoulder. “It is the best for you.”
Sunbeam nodded her head low.
Twilight smiled at her, trying to ignore Applejack’s stare burning a hole in the back of her head.
‘It is for the best. It is for the best for all of us...’
***
Rarity seated herself down next to Sunbeam as she watched the sun set. One of her ears was twisted towards the campfire as Pinkie made supper. ‘My, all this exercise and fresh air is certainly good for the appetite. I feel quite hungry.’
They both watched the sun wobble at it neared the horizon.
Sunbeam pointed a hoof. “That’s…”
“Disconcerting?”
“Not the exact words I was gonna use, but close.” Sunbeam lifted up a bottle of Jackie Dee and took a swig. Rarity turned to look at her, but said nothing.
Sunbeam shrugged. “I found it in the campsite before you ask. It was all alone and scared, so I heroically took on the burden of giving it a good home.”
Rarity eyed the nearly empty bottle. “How much of that have you had?”
“There was about half a bottle in there when I found it.” Sunbeam took another swig.
“And you’re still sitting upright?”
She got a sidelong glance for the remark. “Pfft. Please… You insult me if you think a mere half-bottle of Jackie will get me falling-over drunk these days.”
Lifting the bottle she took another swing before wiping her mouth with the back of her hoof. “I’d offer you some… But I’m not going to.”
Rarity turned to look at her, both her ears now focused on Sunbeam. “You seem out-of-sorts darling, are you okay?”
“I’m fine… I’m…” There was a grunt and her head fell forward. “I’m not fine… I’m…” She waved a hoof in front of her in a vague manner. “Something is bothering me.”
“Oh dear, was it something you had to do in that camp darling?”
Sunbeam paused, giving the matter some thought before shaking her head. “Nah! At least not in the way I think you mean. I’m annoyed more than anything else about that.” Lifting the bottle she took another swig. “I got carried away back there. I started having fun and got careless. The situation had gone sideways before I even knew it.”
Sunbeam lowered her head, her ears pinning themselves back as she snorted. “But with all the fear they had of me, coupled with an obscene amount of luck, I got away with it.” She turned to look at Rarity. “Trust me when I say ‘I did nothing to deserve to be sitting here right now, drinking their Jackie’.” She looked away. “I simply fluked it... and improvised from where the situation crash-landed. Nothing to feel proud about.”
Sunbeam looked away, looking like she was deep in contemplation.
She suddenly swung her head round to Rarity. “In the camp, all I did was what was necessary, nothing more.” She nodded to herself. “Yes… that’s all I did. I kept you all safe. While I may have bucked up the…” Her mouth twitched. “...Execution of the plan, you are all safe so ‘the how’ doesn't matter.” There was a pause before she smiled. “You are all safe, that's all that matters. So I’m good. Yes… I can live with that.”
Rarity gave her a suspicious look. “Then whatever is troubling you so, dear?”
Her smiled dropped. Lifting the bottle, Sunbeam emptied it before tossing into the undergrowth.
“I’ve started thinking about a promise I made myself a little while ago Rarity. Something I promised to do once you were all safely back in Ponyville. I’ve been ignoring it so far, but as we get closer to home I find don't have that luxury anymore.” She looked away. “It seemed the… correct thing to do back then. It still does even now. But... “ Sunbeam sighed. “I lack the courage of my convictions Rarity. It would make the world a better place. But honestly... even back then I think I knew I wouldn’t be able to do it." Sunbeam rolled her shoulders. "So, I've decided to release myself from the promise... provided there's still a chance.”
Rarity tilted her head, but said nothing.
Pulling herself up she looked at Rarity. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course darling.”
Sunbeam looked at the horizon as Rarity waited. There was a long silence before Sunbeam spoke again.
“Pinkie said she’d show me how to cook some of her muffins when we get back. In exchange for me showing her some of my pizza skills.”
Rarity pulled her head back, surprised at the sudden change in subject.
Sunbeam was silent for moment. “Tell me, is that is normal behavior for ponies? I… I don’t trust my judgement in that area, I’m biased. I... I need somepony to tell if it's normal or not.”
Rarity blinked at a loss for words.
Sunbeam’s ears fell to the sides as the wait for the response lengthened. “R-Rarity? Please… I need to know. One way or the other, please tell me.”
Pulling herself together, Rarity shook her head before looking at Sunbeam with a smile. “Even given the ponies involved, yes, yes that is quite normal behaviour for ponies and...”
Rarity pulled her head back in surprise. “Are you okay dear? You’re shaking like a leaf! Do you need a blanket?”
Sunbeam waved her off. “I’m fine thank you. Really, I’m good. Thank you.”
She lifted her head to look up at the night sky. “It’s good to know that part of me still wants to do normal things. I’m good! I’m so...”
There was a pause before she suddenly turned to look at Rarity. “How does a pizza evening sound? Once we get back that is. It’ll be a girls night in, just us, round my place. I’ll pull out all the stops. Say, what wine do you like?”
“Darling…”
Sunbeam waved a hoof. “Oh I know you’ll have lots to do when we get back, Element of Harmony stuff, but you will consider it once things have settled down. R-right?”
Rarity looked at her small, hopeful, smile. “Of course dear.”
“No rush." Sunbeam beamed. "I’m not going anywhere.”