There was quite a view at the top of the gorge. The entire ravine lay spread out beneath. Sweeping vistas, epic landscapes, a view to remember. Tarnished Teapot snapped a picture of the scenery, and of his wife as well, who stood near the edge. The picture, taken at a perfect moment, captured Maud when the wind gusted, blowing her somewhat curly mane and tail. She had her nose lifted a bit, her jawline and her neck created a beautiful curve that Tarnish found appealing. He wanted to run his snoot from her chin down to her chest scruffle, the little whorl she had on her chest where the different grains of her pelt met together, leaving little kisses along the way. To do that, he would have to pull off her smock first… which was easy enough to do. He snapped another picture, hoping to capture this perfect pose. She was like a graceful, beautiful statue.
The wind, which gusted, howled as it climbed up out of the ravine, and there was the barest suggestion of chill in the wind, just enough to leave a hint that summer was waning and that fall would be here soon.
“I feel like a mare,” Maud said as she continued to gaze at the beautiful scenery.
“You’ve been a mare the whole time I’ve known you,” Tarnish replied, chuckling as he did so. He set down the camera, stowing it away back inside of its storage container, and then walked to Maud’s side.
“No… something is different.” Maud shook her head. She lifted up her left hoof and scratched at her right front leg’s elbow. “You’re pretty funny though.”
“What’s different?” Tarnish, feeling affectionate, nosed Maud’s neck.
“I got married. I traveled with my husband. I’ve faced dangerous weather. I’ve helped strangers. I battled a hydra. I had to deal with the idea of losing you when you got petrified. I must confess, that unnerved me a great deal.” Maud paused, took a deep breath, and then continued: “I went into a cave infested with spiders because you went into a cave infested with spiders. I helped more strangers. I nursed you back to health. I’ve been teaching you how to dance. I’ve been watching you as you learn. I tested my strength and my endurance… and found that I was even stronger than I thought I was, but I think it was because I had you with me. You give me strength. I think I’ve grown as a pony, and I feel like a mare.”
Eyebrows furrowing, Tarnish stood there, pondering Maud’s words, and thinking about how much he had grown. He had started off on this journey as an angry colt, forced out of Ponyville. Now he was here with the most perfect mate that he could hope for. “Our time together has only just started.”
“I wonder what we’ll be like twenty years from now. I keep thinking about my mother and my father. They love one another a great deal. I think about my family. I’m wondering how Marble is doing with Sonneur. Is she happy? I wonder if Limestone will find love. I am still wondering who Pinkie is seeing, because she won’t tell me. I want my family to grow larger. I want to know that they are happy. And I want us to be a part of that. A part of me wants to go home right now. Another part of me is disappointed with myself because I know I won’t. We have work to do and going home will have to wait.”
“I’m thinking that twenty years from now, our foals will be grown up, or almost grown up. I think you’ll be a famous, respected professor of some kind. I don’t know what I’ll be.” Tarnish shrugged as he continued speaking: “You and I might be an aunt and an uncle. We might even be grandparents at that point. The only thing I know for certain is that after twenty years with you, I’ll be a damn fine dancer. It’s the only real long term plan I have.”
“I love you,” Maud said, glancing at Tarnish as she said it.
“Eh, I love you more,” Tarnish replied. “I’m going to fix dinner. We’ve had a long day. You should come and rest your legs. I don’t even know how you are standing.”
“I am The Rock...”
“Well hello there… don’t be shy, we don’t mind sharing our fire,” Tarnish said as he looked at his guest. The setting sun illuminated the brown earth pony with the darker brown mane. The earth pony was pulling a small two wheel cart and a bright orange feather was lodged behind his ear.
“I know you,” the pony said, looking at Maud. “You’re Doctor Maud Pie.”
“Yes I am,” Maud replied. She was laying on a blanket by the fire, which was reflected in her half opened yes. “This is my husband, Tarnished Teapot, the Spider Slayer.”
“Um, Maud…” Tarnish’s face split with a sheepish grin.
“My name is Feather Quill. I was sent here to the Ghastly Gorge to study quarray eels and how they bore through stone,” the earth pony replied as he began to unhitch himself. “If I’m not too forward, would you mind if I interviewed you? I mean, for science… there are a number of magazines and science related newspapers that I work with. I once did a fantastic interview with Twilight Sparkle… it was so good that it ended up in the regular newspapers, the ones read by layponies.”
“I am not adverse to giving an interview,” Maud replied as their guest began to settle in. “If you don’t mind me asking, how were the quarray eels?”
“Unpleasant!” Feather quill shuddered and blinked a few times, looking disturbed.
“Care for some tea? Maybe a bite to eat?” Tarnish asked.
“Oh, a bit of civilisation out here in the wilds, that would be lovely,” Feather Quill replied. “I hope it’s no trouble… it’s very kind of you to invite a stranger to stay with you.”
Tarnish shrugged. “It’s kinda what we do.”
Feather Quill held his teacup between his front hooves and inhaled. He looked at his hosts, smiled, and stifled a belch. He was full, he was comfortable, and he was safe. The tea was fantastic. Maud and Tarnish were quite engaging, and it was shaping up to be a nice evening of not getting killed.
“Poison joke tea… you don’t say… I might have to try and get this on a regular basis,” Feather Quill said after he took another sip. “This is divine… I’ve had just about every tea blend that Canterlot has to offer, but this is exquisite.”
“I’m glad you like it.” Tarnish, sitting beside Maud, bowed his head.
“Forgive me my curious nature, but I must know… now that I understand Maud’s purpose on the road and what she hopes to accomplish, what about you, Tarnish? You seem smart enough. Surely you have some goal.” As Feather Quill spoke, a bright orange feather moved over an open notebook, copying down everything that was being said.
“I’d like to be something like a botanist. I’m using the world as my classroom. I don’t know what I will make of myself, but I’ve learned a lot already. I had a very educational encounter with vomiting violets,” Tarnish replied, glancing at the self writing quill as he spoke.
“And is that all you hope to accomplish?” Feather Quill blinked and peered at Tarnish.
“I suppose I’d like to be something of an adventurer as well. Maud and I have talked about it, just a bit. If we can do good deeds or help out strangers, we will. Like with Gorgonzola and Grey Owl. Or Ortzi the griffon… or Quakehoof and Flying Grace.” Tarnish’s gaze fell down into the fire. “I went to Dodge City Junction and I encountered some of the worst ponies you could imagine. That city is awful. And to be fair, it did bad things to me, too. I did some stupid stuff while I was there. After seeing bad ponies… I’ve decided that I want to do more to help the world. So… it’s life on the road with Maud, learning what I can, doing good deeds, and I guess trying to leave my mark upon the world.”
“So you’re saying more ponies should leave home, pack up what they need into a wagon, and hit the road? Take a road trip? See what the road and the world at large has to teach them?” Feather Quill tilted his head off to one side and the scratching of a quill could be heard.
Maud glanced at Tarnish and saw a thoughtful expression on his face.
“Yeah… they should. On the road you’ll never know who you’ll meet. I met a pony named Longhaul. He helped me out. Shared his walnuts with me. He told me to be kind, polite, and respectful.” Tarnish paused and shook his head. “I’d heard those words said to me for most of my life, but coming from him… I guess I was a point in my life where I was receptive to them. They sank in and I took them to heart. They meant something.”
“Hmm.” Feather Quill took a long sip of tea and waited for more words.
“The world has been an excellent classroom for Tarnish… for both of us, actually.” Maud blinked and then let out a sleepy yawn. “But I’ve watched Tarnish grow as a pony. He’s changed. He’s grown in confidence. He’s becoming the pony that I hoped that he could be.”
Blushing Tarnish looked away for a moment, glancing off at the lingering shadows that existed outside of the circle of light created by the campfire. “I think that everypony my age should spend a bit of time on the road. I’m glad that Twilight Sparkle tossed me out of Ponyville. It was the best thing she could have done for me. I’ve had a chance to meet ponies that I would have never have met otherwise. I met my wife. I’ve seen and done things that I can feel proud about, like going into the spider cave with a magical sword. I don’t want to boast about it though. It was just something I did because… well, I guess because it needed to be done and I was there. If it was me trapped inside of the spider cave, I’d want somepony to rescue me. So how could I not do the same? It actually makes me uncomfortable that Maud called me the spider slayer earlier because I don’t want ponies to have some expectations of me… I just did what was right because it needed to be done.”
“Adventurers build reputations though,” Feather Quill said to Tarnish. “Like it or not, Gorgonzola is going to talk and tell stories. Ponies will remember you charging into a spider’s cave and going medieval upon a bunch of eight legged terrors. And she will probably tell this story over and over to anypony willing to listen.”
Tarnish shrugged. “Maybe, but that’s not how I want to be remembered. I’d rather be remembered as the nice pony with a funny hat and a magic sword that glows pink that has a lovely wife and helps ponies… I don’t want ponies coming to me and begging me to help them with their spider problem.”
“I think I understand,” Feather Quill replied. The brown earth pony leaned forwards a bit, closer to the fire, and sipped his tea as his phoenix feather quill continued to write down everything being said.
The fire popped and crackled, sending a shower of sparks up into the night. In the distance, coyotes howled, causing a nearby owl to start hooting. The sound caused three sets of ears to perk.
“I hope those are just coyotes. I do know there are wolves about… both regular wolves and timber wolves… those of the reanimated tree spirit variety.” Feather Quill turned his head and glanced around in the darkness. “Worst part of being on the road alone is that there is no one to guard you while you sleep.”
“I’ll leave Flamingo out of her sheath tonight and give her instructions to guard us. I think she can do that,” Tarnish said. “You could try talking to her, but she’s… kinda… well, you’ll find out soon enough.”
Maud nodded. “I think that’s a good idea.” As Maud spoke, there was more howling.
“I’ve never spoken to a sword before.” Feather Quill glanced at said sword. It was sitting with Tarnish’s saddlebags. “I wonder if I can get some history out of her?”
“You’re welcome to try,” Tarnish replied, grinning. “But she’s more likely to tell you how afraid of the dark she is or how gross and icky spiders are, or how icky blood is.”
“But… she’s a sword… how can she be afraid of the dark? Or blood?” Feather Quill asked.
“Ask her and find out.” After speaking, Maud yawned again. “I think I’m going to turn in. I’m exhausted.”
“Not to be rude, but I think I’ll do the same. We can talk more in the morning.” Tarnish, also yawning, pulled Flamingo from her sheath. “Flamingo, can you guard us?”
“Sure thing Rusty! I guard real good! All I have to do is stand in one spot and scream if I see danger. It’s a little dark though. Can you keep the fire going?” Flamingo floated closer to the fire to be in the light.
“If the fire goes low, wake me up.” Tarnish glanced at his sword. “This is Feather Quill. Keep him company. Try to keep it down though, cause Maud and I will be sleeping.”
“Stand guard, keep company.” Flamingo bobbed in the air as she spoke. “Hello… I’m Flamingo… I’m a pegasus! I’ve never spoke with something you write with before. What is getting dipped in ink like? Clover the Clever once yanked out one of my feathers so she could have something to write with. I got upset with her but she turned off the lights and left me in the dark and that wasn’t very nice at all. You’d better keep the lights on.”
Wide eyed, Feather Quill stared at the floating sword. “Oh my…”
“How is a pegasus like a writing desk?” Flamingo asked.