//------------------------------// // Starting a journey // Story: Fact or Fiction // by Mocha Star //------------------------------//         Pea lay in the brush half exposed, waving at any caravans that paid her any attention.  She was beginning to grow concerned waiting for Spark to complete his shopping, especially as the random centaur minion would pass by.         She had lined, counted, resorted, and even begun stacking a pile of dead leaves between her foreleg, using the dexterity of her fingers to the best of their usage.  A random naughty thought crossed her mind with the crossing memory of Rochi played through her mind.  She smirked at indulging the rare free time, ease to solitude with risk of being caught, and fantasy… just as a panting pony approached her.         “Ah, I’m… I made it.  I did it, I shopped alone, in the city.  I did it,” Spark said proudly as he collapsed beside her pulling her back to earth with a puff of detrius around himself.  “Here, I have bits left, I didn’t barter prices.  I was so scared at first, Madam.”           Pea looked him over and noticed his bulging saddlebags, her smile returned. “Pass the pack while you regale me with your first shopping experience.”           He complied, albeit excitedly, and levitated the saddlebags to Pea while he lay down and began to tell her about what it was like shopping.  Pea opened the right pocket and begun removing items.         ‘Rope; enough to make a couple harnesses and an extra fifty feet, magic so they stretch.  Check.  Flint.  Mortar and pestle, small.  Seasoning pouch with,’ she grinned and sniffed the closed cloth bag, ‘Stremmings spices.  They go with everything.  No more bland bread or boring grazing for a few weeks.         ‘Wow, he even found some Twim Root!  I should have told him to find a spell… wait, he can’t read yet.  Some magic crackers would really help our journey.’         “...and the market maiden was most kind!  She assisted me in finding the camping items and some of the non-perishable snacks you see at the bottom of the bag.”         Pea moved to the other bag and her heartbeat slowed at what she saw.  Two medium jars of Jade Cactus Fruit.  She sniffled and looked to Spark who was looking intently at the ground and drawing the path he’d taken around the market area, not paying attention to Pea showing deep emotions.         “...rest of the shoppers helped me with making a map.  I checked and checked again, but nothing was stolen from me.  They genuinely wanted to help.”         “There are many good ponies in the world, Spark.”         “Weren’t you listening?  The centaurs helped me, that’s what was so amazing!  I thought the small ones were going to foalnap me and nibble my entrails, but they have laws against stealing and they have to help those in need.  I asked her while we were shopping and she told me that the bigger the centaur the less they care about the smaller creatures.”         Pea tapped her chin and looked over him and toward the city. “Well, that’s fortunate… Anyway,” she snapped her head to the latest caravan of two wagons, a cart covered with a leather tarp between them, to pass, now nearly a quarter mile away and no others coming anytime soon.  “Let’s catch a ride.  No point wearing ourselves out before we get to where we’re going.”         With assistance from Spark the saddlebags were repacked and while Pea took a quick trot, he stayed behind to make certain the bags were tight on his body before galloping at full speed after her.         “Ahoy,” she called as she approached the caravan from behind, galloping on all fours, “we wish to join you.  We can pay our way, offer protection, and need nothing but a rest for my friends’ soft hooves.”         A stallion called her ahead to the front of one of the wagons being pulled. He was a black earth pony with a brown mane that reminded Pea of cinnamon bark.  “Female pony?  I thought you were another minion looking for freedom from this place,” he asked as he aided another stallion in pulling the wagon.  Both stallions looked her over.         “Well,” Pea said softly, “I am most certainly more than capable of taking care of myself and my charge, but he is soft and isn’t used to long treks.  Isn’t that right, my Lord?”         Spark stumbled as he caught up. “Lord?  Who on earth are you talking to?” he asked trying to catch his breath and peek around the cart to the ponies pulling.                  “Oh, my mistake, ‘Spark’,” she bowed her head slightly while keeping pace.  The stallions tried to crane their necks around to see behind them before huffing.           “What, you expect us to believe some royalty is traveling across the land with a cybermare?”         “Ha! Don’t be absurd,” Pea shook her head as she chuckled. “He’s just some rich son of a plantation owner.  He’s, honestly, so wimpy he can’t go an hour without whining.  I’m willing to pay a quarter of my purse for him to ride silently to the Sun Kingdom.”         “Ha!  Now it’s our turn to laugh.  We go no further than Becar to the west.”         “Madam, my fetlocks are tensing, can we slow down and rest for a minute,” Spark whined as he slowed slightly.         “Take me half way and I’ll pay you ten bits just to drag him behind the wagon!”         Both stallions laughed heartily and the black one unhitched himself after an approving nod from his partner. “Name’s Gunner,” he said with a wink, “I’m the only one you talk with.  Any funny business and we kill the wuss and take all he has.  Anything you have.  Then we leave you with a quart of water and the blessing of whatever god you worship.”         Pea grinned widely. “Name’s Rainbow Doo and I like your style.  We have a deal.  Hey, ‘Lordship’,” she called to Spark as the wagon slowed, “get in the wagon and don’t do anything stupid.  For example, don’t be yourself and we’ll do just fine.”  Gunner laughed and brought a hoof to Pea’s shoulder.         “I have one more condition.  You have to run guard duty.  The charge is fixed at fifteen bits a week and you’re on your own for food and drinks.  You want from our caravan, you pay,” he licked his dry lips, “however you can.”         “Don’t worry about that,” Spark chimed in as he caught up to Pea, “my father gave me enough to cover the trip.  I’ve never been to Sun Kingdom, and it’s a pilgrimage more than a trip.  My father always sai-”           “Gah, how far have you traveled with this pus sack?”         “Sir?!  I am most certainly not a, whatever you called me,” Spark said, aghast with a haughty accent, playing his role very well that even Pea believed him.         “Really?  Then why do I feel the need to pop you one?  Get in and shut up.  Miss, Rainbow, was it?  Payment now and you walk ahead of us.  We could use some good scenery on this forsaken trip.”         Pea smiled through a disgusted feeling in her gut. “Fine.  You’re going to take a week off our journey just by carrying him  It’s worth it.  Just don’t touch, or I’ll break your leg and shove it up your plot after I lubricate it with the blood of your friend over there.”         A second of silence befell the small group before the caravan stallions and Pea burst into laughter.  “Very well.  We have an accord.  Take the lead, mighty defiler.”         Spark opened the door and climbed into the wagon, greeted by four mares and a filly who were playing cards.  “Hello.  I’m-”         “We heard and don’t care.  Touch us and we’ll cut you into pieces and feed you to your marefriend out there,” one of the younger mares said in a deep, threatening voice as two others pulled daggers from sheathes on their legs.         “Ah, uh, I-I’m sorry,” he whimpered and backed as far as he could away from them, curled into a small white ball, and looked away, not daring to make eye contact.