Sanguine’s P.O.V.
“So, you thought you could take my daughter away from me did you?”
I freeze as I hear the far too familiar voice coming from the grey pegasus mare in front of us. Malice filled her eyes as she looked over my new friends and I.
No, no, no. I knew she would do this! She can’t ever just let me live my own life. All I want is to be happy but she always keeps everypony from me. No! I stomp my hoof to the ground. I won't let her stop me this time. I’ve made friends now and they want me to come with them. There is no way that I’m going to let her stop us.
“Mother!” I shouted. The figure in front of our little group flinched, having never heard me raise my voice at her like this. “I’m leaving and there is nothing you, or your lackeys can do to stop us!” I said, my voice raising in strength with each word.
I looked over to my friends and smiled wide at their shocked faces before looking back at the mare I shouted at, her face a visage of pure, unadulterated anger.
“Nopony speaks to me like that you stupid little filly!” She shouts back before ordering her compatriots forward. “Take down her friends and bring my daughter to me, even if you have to rough her up a little. Do whatever you have to to her ‘friends.’”
The line of pegasi took off straight upwards before changing angle and swiftly attempted to dive bomb our group.
“Sanguine! Get behind Eric, they can’t come close to him!” Twilight called out to me.
Twilight and I jumped behind Eric’s large form as the first three of the pegasi dive bombed us, the ones who had attempted to hit us impacted the ground moments after we dived out of the way before bounding back up into the air. Their wings easily bringing them back up to altitude before they turned around, waiting for another chance to strike. The one that attacked Eric however wasn’t so lucky, the moment it moved within range of his arms he swung his hand with the palm faced forward. His hand was covered in a golden aura that when it impacted with the attacking pegasus, blasted it backwards. By the time our foe had hit the ground halfway between my mother and us, it had long since fallen unconscious.
I looked up at the crowd of pegasi surrounded us, apprehension on their faces at how quickly their friend had been dispatched by Eric. Smiling widely, I looked back up to my mother.
“Do you really think you can stop us, Mother?” I asked, then continued before giving her a chance to answer. “This is just what Eric can do, Princess Twilight Sparkle hasn’t even cast any spells yet.” I said, heavy emphasis on Twilight’s royal status.
“I don’t care if Celestia herself was here you little bitch!” She seethed. “You’re coming back with me if I have to drag you myself.”
I stood there shocked, my smile breaking. Never had she used an insult like that on me. Trying to hold it together I stood there, unmoving as tears threatened to spill from my eyes.
“Nopony speaks to my friends like that!” I heard shouted from beside me. Looking to my side I see Twilight looking at my mother with fire in her eyes.
Twilight’s P.O.V.
“Nopony speaks to my friends like that!” I shouted, anger coursing through my mind as I stepped forward.
I lit my horn and angled it towards a powerful looking dark blue pegasus stallion. A dark purple beam shot out and struck my target directly between the eyes before he ever had a chance to react. He dropped from the sky and I grabbing him in my magical aura, laying him gently to the ground, already deep asleep.
“You don’t buck with a Princess, no matter who you are!” I growled at the instigator of this bad situation. “Now stand down before I get more inventive.” I added while feeling my eye twitch in anger.
The pegasus’ face suddenly ghosted over, the grey coat covering her face turned almost white with fear. For a few seconds she just stood there before shaking herself from her stupor and in her loudest voice she called out to the other pegasi. “Bucking run!” She screamed these words in pure terror while flying off towards the town behind us.
I sighed in relief as our assailants flew away. “That was close everypony.” I said before looking around at my friends.
Sanguine looked fine but her smile appeared a little forced, a valid guess considering how rapidly her ears were flicking and Eric looked… angry? Scared? Hungry? I have no idea. As much as I would like to understand this human, everytime I try I just get more and more confused.
“Eric, Sanguine are you two okay?” I asked nervously, the adrenaline of our encounter wearing off.
“I-I’ll be okay Twilight, I just wasn’t ready for that. But with you two by my side I can handle it!” Sanguine answered, her smile slowly becoming more genuine.
“I’m not sure what to feel Twilight, I purposefully struck at another pony. That might be fine for you but here I’m a monster!” Eric exclaimed, fear filling his voice.
“Don’t worry Eric, if this ever comes up I’ll just say you were trying to protect me. Which is the truth isn’t it?” I answered honestly.
As Eric and I looked at each other his frown started to lessen before turning into a small nervous grin. At least I know that expression. “Thank you Twilight, I really needed to hear that.” He said with a slightly larger smile.
“Don’t worry about it, what are friends for?” I answered. “Now let’s get to that caravan!”
We cantered and walked over to the trade caravan a few hundred metres past where the towns pegasi had stood, an older looking earth pony stallion was leaning against one of the wheels watching us approach. His charcoal coat and grey mane stood in stark contrast to the area around him.
“Excuse me gentlestallion, would you happen to be heading towards Ponyville?” I asked the earth pony.
“Eeyup little missy, I be travellin’ under the shadow of Mt Canterhorn ‘afore headin’ towards Ponyville.” He said in a thick accent.
“Do you think we could get a ride to there?”
“Well I aint see why not. But ah have jus’ one condition.”
“What would that be?” I asked while narrowing my eyes in suspicion.
“Nothin’ bad or nuttin, y’all jus’ look like a mighty strange group. All ah wan’ is a few stories for the road.” He answered and my suspicion waned with his answer.
“I don’t see why that would be a problem good sir.” I answered happily.
“Well ah better be headin’ off, with that group of pegasi ah thank ah lost any customers ah was gunna have from this here town.” He said with a frown before continuing. “Y’all better jump in.” He advised while pointing to his carriage before attaching himself to the front.
We all climbed into the back of his heavily laden carriage, attempting to keep enough distance between ourselves so Eric wouldn’t have to worry about his barrier. Once we had ourselves settled we called out to the earth pony that we were ready to go.
“Let’s make trails, y’all. Oh an y’all can call me Stick.” He replied while moving from a canter to a light gallop. “Now why don’t y’all tell some o’ those stories y’all promised me?”