• Published 9th Feb 2012
  • 2,025 Views, 12 Comments

My Little Western - Laurence Brown



Trixie, looking to start over after the events in Ponyville, finds herself in Appleloosa

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Unforgiven

Braeburn felt the first drops of the summer squall start to fall when he finally arrived at the source of the pillar of smoke. He stopped to take in the devastation in front of him. Railroad ties had been ripped from the ground, warping the tracks in the process. The engine of the train looked to be okay, but the cars behind it were charred hulks, some of them still glowing red from the fires that that destroyed them. As he looked around, he was relieved to notice that there were no bodies lying around; either the ponies that pulled the train had escaped without injury, or they had been able to take care of their own.

A loud whistle cut through the wind, and Braeburn saw one of the train ponies waving at him. Braeburn trotted over and saw that they had all gathered together into the cramped confines of the engine car to escape the weather. Several of the train ponies sported burn marks on their bodies, but none seem to be seriously injured.

"What happened?" Braeburn asked, trying his best to fit inside the train engine without pushing against any of the other ponies already inside.

"It was an ambush," said a large brown earth pony, wearing a blue and white pinstriped conductor's hat. "We could see from a distance that something had messed with the tracks, so we were able to slow down in time to avoid wrecking the train. Just when we had started to repair the tracks, balls of fire came flying in and exploded against the cargo cars. We saw a unicorn was the one responsible, and we set off after him. When he started to toss his attacks at us though, we backed off and hid, I'm not ashamed to admit."

Braeburn nodded. "That would be The Coyote Colt. He's been giving us a bunch of problems in Appleloosa that last few days too." The rain was now falling in full force, and Braeburn had to raise his voice to be heard over the sound of raindrops striking the roof of the engine car. "So, what are your plans? I'd be more than happy to lead you back to Appleloosa after this storm has blown past."

"Thanks for the offer, but we'll be taking back what's left of the train to Equestria proper. We need to spread the word about the damaged tracks, and get a repair crew up here. We'll likely need some guards too, so we can't be attacked again like today."

"How long do you think that will take?" Braeburn asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I reckon that it should be a somewhat easy trip back home," the conductor said with a wry smile. "A lot less weight to pull. A couple of days at the most, weather permitting. I don't know how long it will take to get the supplies needed to fix the tracks though. Might just take a day or two, might take up to a week."

"I don't suppose I could ask a small favor of you then?" Braeburn dug around in his saddlebags. "I have a letter I'd like to have delivered to my kin in Ponyville. I don't suppose I could bother one of you to get it to a post office for me once you're back in the mainland?"

The conductor chuckled. "Oh, I imagine we'll find room for it somewhere in here. Hoof it over, and I'll see to it myself."

"Thank you kindly!"


Trixie floated in darkness until the sensation of being gently placed down on something rocky brought forth a groan from her throat and forced her to try to focus on her surroundings. Her horn throbbed in pain from base to point, but she took solace in the fact that she could feel the point of it. She had heard somepony somewhere flippantly state that pain meant you were still alive. Only now did she see the stark and grim truth of those words.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. She was in a very poorly lit cave. Her state of mind was so frazzled that she didn't notice that she was no longer wearing her cape until she saw that it had been used to build a makeshift door to the cave. This stirred her thoughts some more, and she realized that she wasn't alone. Lifting her head, she looked around until she saw Douglas the diamond dog, hunkered in the back among the shadows and eyeing her cautiously. The sight of the outlaw helped bring her mind back into focus quickly.

"Ah, good. You do live." Douglas said. "I was a bit worried about you for a moment there. That was quite the unusual entrance you made, if I may say so."

"It certainly wasn't one I had intended to make," Trixie admitted. "Let me just say that it was more a matter of necessity than of artistry." Her lips turned downward. "And while I'm not complaining about your assistance or your concern, Trixie does wonder why you should care," she said, distrust evident in her voice.

Douglas chuckled softly. "As improbable as it may seem, not every outlaw is by nature bloodthirsty or evil."

Seeing Trixie about to voice disbelief, he raised a paw to stop her protest. "No, no, you are correct. My motives are by no means entirely altruistic. But what am I to do when a prize such as yourself literally falls from the sky in front of me? Let such a wonderful opportunity fly on by?" He shook his head and chuckled. "If nothing else, presenting you to The Coyote Colt should keep him happy."

"If that's what you call 'nothing else'," she asked, "what do you plan to do with me?"

"I'm still deciding, to be honest," the diamond dog replied. "And with this storm moving through, I've got some time to think about it. I'm warning you though, try any more of that magic stuff, and you'll regret it."

"If you only knew just how," the blue unicorn muttered softly, recalling how much pain her last spell has caused her.

Douglas tilted his head towards her. "What was that?"

"I said, what do we do now? Simply wait out the storm?"

Douglas shrugged. "Pretty much. Why, did you have some pressing need to attend to?"

Trixie snorted. "No, but I was thinking that this storm could last for some time, and I've got something of a headache. Some sort of diversion, even talking to you, would be preferable to simply passing the time in silence."

"Your idea has merit," the outlaw agreed with a slow nod, "but what would we talk about?"

The unicorn paused to consider the question. "Trixie admits to having some curiosity about how you came to be out here in Appleloosa, instead of back with others of your kind."

Douglas spat off to one side. "I parted ways with my kind long ago. I had no use for them, and they were happy to see me leave."

"So, you're an outcast? What little I have heard of diamond dogs paint them as a rather brutish group. What sort of things does one have to do to be forced away from such types?"

"The same as most outcasts the world over. Be different enough from the rest of the group to not be welcome. For me, that meant that I was willfully and blatantly intellectual and mannered. If there is one thing that those who are in charge do not appreciate, it is being constantly reminded that they are not the smartest or cleverest of the group." Douglas gestured with his paws. "As smart as I was though, I failed to take into account that I wasn't just aggravating those in charge, I was also making myself unwelcome to everyone else. As so, after refusing to dumb down my act to fit in, I was given the choice to either spend the rest of my life doing the most menial and physical of jobs for the tribe, or to leave and try to find someplace else to fit in."

Trixie nodded slowly. "I can... relate." She frowned for a moment as she stared at the floor of the cave, a bit put off by finding some uncomfortable common ground with the diamond dog, and then returned her attention to her current companion. "So, what brought you out here then? I would have thought that any being, showing an honest desire to be peaceful, would have been able to find a place amongst the ponies of Equestria."

Douglas grimaced. "What makes you think I wanted one? But yes, I tried. As smart as I thought I was, being alone and away from society, any society, was hard. It was difficult getting others to trust me, but I finally found a place in Canterlot. While my height may not have made it easy for me to find a house or furnishings that were comfortable, it did help me find employment." Douglas leaned back against the wall of the cave and looked upward. "Then he showed up..."

Trixie waited patiently for the diamond dog to continue, but the only sound came from the howling wind outside. After a few minutes, she grimly asked, "By him, do you mean The Coyote Colt?"

Douglas grunted. "I'm not certain if I should continue. I fail to see how sharing anything else about this with you would be of any benefit to me."

"Well then," Trixie said after a short pause, "how about a trade? You tell me about your history with The Coyote Colt, and I'll tell you about my past."

Douglas barked out a laugh. "And why should I deign to trade for something that I'll be able to take from you as soon as I get you back to the rest of the gang?"

Trixie grimaced. "Well, why should I deign to tell you and your group the truth, or anything at all? Which would you trust more, a freely given story, or one forced out by whatever means you or The Coyote Colt may decide to use?"

Trixie watched the diamond dog intently. Douglas seemed to be struggling with something, and Trixie didn't like not knowing what he was agonizing over, or not knowing the proper move to make to influence things to go her way. She was about to give up hope when Douglas softly spoke, "You first."

Trixie was wary about Douglas holding up his end of the bargain, but realized this might be her only chance to learn something about the outlaws she found herself working against, and so she quickly gathered her thoughts. "Where Trixie grew up," she haltingly started after a short pause, "was in Hoofington. A place that others ponies would call average, if they had need to talk of the town at all. It was one of many small, interchangeable towns that dotted the land and filled in the gaps between the cities of the realm.

"My parents were nothing special either, if I am to be honest. Oh, we loved each other, but as for being unicorns, their talents and magical abilities were nothing that made them stand out from the herd. Indeed, when my magic finally started to develop, and I showed a level of affinity for magic that is rarely seen, it came as a shock to all of us. Who would have expected that little Trixie would be a magical prodigy, given her surroundings?"

Trixie looked at her cloak, now soaked through as it hung in the mouth of the cave, keeping the inhabitants inside dry. "In retrospect, that in itself may have been the problem. If my family had lived in Canterlot, for example, my parents could have enrolled me in one of several schools built for the purpose to help those like me become accustomed to their talents. Or if my parents possessed similar skills, they might have known how to raise me better.

"Not that I blame my parents." Trixie hastily added. "The worst crime that I can pin on them would be wanting the best for their filly. They were always ready to praise me whenever I learned a new way to use my magic, and they always encouraged me when I performed for others.

"I remember coming home from school one day. It had been a hard day, filled with tests to take and reports to give in front of the class. I had completely forgotten that it was my birthday. Imagine my surprise when I came home to find the party that had been planned for me." Trixie closed her eyes, and a small smile appeared on her face. "My mom had made for me the first of the many cloaks I would wear, and my father had built a crude stage behind the house. I then proceeded to put on my very first show, and all the other colts and fillies at the party loved it."

Trixie fell silent. Slowly, the smile faded, and she opened her eyes again. "Of course, it didn't last. Some ponies may say that dragons are the cruelest of creatures, and others will name different species known for their heinous ways. But the truth of the matter is that children are the worst of all, simply because they don't know how hurtful the things they say truly are.

"The next day, I wore my cloak to school. And, of course, I was mocked and laughed at for doing so. Nothing attracts a bully more than sticking out from everypony else. Finally, at the end of of the lunch break, I got angry. If they wanted to paint me as a show off, and too good to play with them, I decided that I would do just that! That was where 'The Great and Powerful Trixie' was born, I suppose, out there by the sandbox and the rope swing. By the time I was done, two colts had to be sent to see the nurse, and my parents had to come talk to the teacher. They agreed to talk to all of us kids to make sure that we knew what we had done was wrong, and we promised to not do it again.

"Of course, that just meant that we made sure we weren't caught doing those things again. I may have had the advantage of skill and talent, but they had numbers. Whatever friends I may have had I soon pushed away from me due to my new attitude. In the end though, it didn't really bother me. Even back then, I was already making plans for my future. I was going to see the world, and dazzle ponies everywhere with my feats of magic. I would save others with my talents, and be hailed as a hero. I would perform for Princess Celestia herself, and be granted a title to let others know just how truly amazing I was. When I wasn't practicing my magic, I was in the library, studying maps and making up travel routes in my head.

"My parents, bless their hearts, did all they could to help me follow me dream. Father's carpentry skills improved, and he helped me build my first wagon. It took us almost two years to finish it. Mom, I could tell, was torn. She wanted me to be happy, and she could tell that my future wasn't in Hoofington. I wasn't blind to the fact that seeing her only child leave would hurt her, however. I almost stayed, but she insisted I leave."

Trixie sighed. "I need to go visit them again. It's been too long." She silently stared at her cloak for a moment before continuing.

"While leaving Hoofington may have let me escape the ponies who went out of their way to harass me, it didn't let me escape from myself. My role as a show pony grew, and soon I became quite the braggart. My shows changed, from displays designed to entertain into nothing more than me standing in front of a crowd, goading them into making foals of themselves as I 'proved' myself to be the superior pony. Of course, it couldn't last."

"You finally met your match?" Douglas asked, his voice showing interest where his posture didn't.

Trixie laid her head down on the ground. "And then some. And I hadn't even made it to Canterlot yet! How was I to show the world how great I was if ponies like me weren't as rare as I thought? How could I be special? What was my dream worth?" Trixie turned her head to look at Douglas, leaving a small trail as she swept it across the dirt. "For all that I had learned growing up, there was one lesson that I hadn't been taught. What it was like to lose, to fail.

"But it was a wake up call that I needed, I suppose. I lost everything overnight, and the months that followed were difficult. And yet, free from having to prove myself to others, I actually found myself enjoying life again. I had forgotten how much fun it had been as a filly to come up with new tricks to perform." Trixie chuckled softly at herself. "I had forgotten simply how much fun it was to perform, instead of trying to belittle others.

"And so, after finally rebuilding my wagon, I was ready to try starting over. I set off, and over the last few months I traveled until I ended up out here in Appleloosa. It was the farthest I could get from where things had fallen apart for me while still being in Equestrian lands." Trixie lifted her head off of the ground, and brushed off a few stubborn pieces of dirt that clung to her chin with a foreleg. "I think you know the rest of what happened."

"Indeed." With a grunt, Douglas stood up from the wall he had been leaning against. "Well then, I suppose it is my turn now, hmm? Very well.

"I had found a job working in one of the many libraries in Canterlot. It was the perfect place for me. I could easily reach and replace books even on the highest of shelves, and when I was not needed to perform such tasks, I was allowed to read the books around me. The place where I worked was somewhat small compared to some of the great libraries in the city, but its location helped to ensure that it had a steady stream of visitors. It was situated right across the street from a school sponsored by the Princess herself for talented young unicorns. And while such a place had an impressive library of its own, it never seemed to be able to keep up with the demands of its students.

"It wasn't just the current students that frequented the place either," Douglas continued, slowly pacing around the cave as he spoke. "Those who were applying for the honor of attending such a prestigious academy were always trying to learn more, hoping to increase their chances of being accepted. The entrance exam was very difficult, I was told. It was so challenging that fewer than half of the applicants earned a passing grade.

"Many of these hopefuls were cut from the same cloth. A few, however, still stand out even now in my memory. The one filly, who though I never knew her name, I will always remember for the unique coloring of her mane, orange with dozens of bright purple stripes. The one pony who constantly fell asleep at her desk. And, of course, there was the one colt who had grand aspirations, and loved to share his dreams with anyone who would listen. His name was Firecracker."

Trixie head slowly turned to follow Douglas as he meandered about the cave they were sheltering in. "I take it Firecracker is The Coyote Colt?"

Douglas nodded. "Or, to be more accurate, who would become The Coyote Colt. Back then, however, he was still just a young unicorn, just starting to come into his magic. He had so many things he wanted to do when he grew up. One day he wanted to be a guardpony for the Princess. While his coat was lighter than what the unicorns who worked for the Princess had, I could see how he came to wanting to do that. Other times, he wanted to go explore the world, discovering lost civilizations. He also wanted to be a hero of the land, one who used his magic to protect others and save Equestria."

Douglas raised a paw to forestall a question from Trixie. "How did such an energetic colt with such dreams become The Coyote Colt?" Seeing the blue unicorn nod, he continued, "It all started on a day that, from what I have been able to learn, was a day of joy for most young ponies. It began on the day when he gained his cutie mark."


The relative silence of the library was briefly broken by the sounds of ponies walking and chatting on the street as the front door opened to admit a young stallion inside. Douglas turned and, seeing who it was, raised a paw to wave a greeting to Firecracker. The young pony was wearing a set of saddlebags, and looked very glum and downcast instead of being his usual cheery self. Putting down the small stack of books that he had been in the process of restocking onto the shelves, Douglas motioned to the young colt to follow him into the back of the building.

Once the two were far enough back that they wouldn't disturb the ponies out front who were perusing the books, Douglas asked his pony friend, "What's wrong?"

Firecracker sighed. "Do you promise not to laugh at me?" he asked, staring at the floor.

"Of course I won't!" Douglas said. "Why ever would I do that?"

"Because I'm being stupid." the young colt said. "Or, that's what my parents and friends are saying, at least. They just don't understand."

"Well," Douglas said, sitting down on a wooden crate, "there are still many things that I still do not understand about pony society, so I may not understand either. But I promise not to call you stupid out of hand if you share with me what's wrong."

Firecracker opened his mouth, but seemed to have lost his voice. Several times, he tried to start talking, but each time seemed to reconsider what he was going to say and closed his mouth. Finally, his voice full of frustration, he muttered, "Maybe this will make more sense if you see it." Turning his head around, he grabbed the strap of his saddlebags in his teeth and yanked them off of his back, revealing for the first time his flanks. Instead of being blank, Douglas could see that a picture of a small stick with sparks of light erupting from a glowing end now adorned his side.

"Ah!" Douglas softly exclaimed, "your cutie mark finally came in! You've been waiting a while now for it, haven't you?"

"Yeah," Firecracker said in a discouraged tone, "but it's... it's WRONG."

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

Firecracker sighed. "How much do you know about cutie marks?"

"A small amount," Douglas admitted. "I know that they are for the most part unique, that it is rare for any two ponies to have the same one. Also, they represent in some way or another what a pony's special talent is, if I remember correctly?"

Firecracker nodded. "You do. And that's why I hate mine. It's a sparkler. A stupid, silly sparkler!"

Douglas paused to consider and choose his words carefully. "I am afraid that you are correct, that I do not understand. What is wrong about your cutie mark being a sparkler?"

Firecracker sighed. "It means that my talents lie in fireworks, just like my parents. It means that, instead of being able to to do something with my magic that would let me have great adventures, that all I'll be able to do is be able to make pretty, colorful explosions. It means I probably won't be able to get into Princess Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns, that all my dreams are ruined."

Douglas was taken aback by how bitter the colt was. While he felt that the young pony in front of him was overreacting, he could also tell that he was honestly hurting. "Surely it can't be as bad as all that." Douglas said, hoping to mollify the youngster. "After all, it isn't like your magic just changed overnight, right?" The diamond dog's face turned pensive. "Or did it?"

"No, it hasn't," the colt admitted. "I'm still able to do everything that I was before. The problem is... how do I explain this?" Firecracker looked up at the ceiling, looking for all the world like he was trying to find what he wanted to say written above him. "It's that, now that I know where my talents are, all those other things I wanted to do, they just aren't there for me anymore. How can I be an explorer, or a guard, or a hero of some sort, if all I can do is make a brief explosion in the night sky? Instead of being able to use my magic to help me overcome ancient traps, or defeat fearsome foes, I'll only be able to help prepare the celebrations for the ponies that can.

"That's what bugs me, I guess," Firecracker continued. "Maybe not even the fact that I won't be able to go and do all those things, but that my talent puts me in a place where, when they celebrate the ponies who can do those things, I'll have to watch from the background. That instead of being the center of the celebration, I'll have to watch from the outside."

"That's one way to look at it," Douglas said. "However, I do wonder if you might be looking at this all in the wrong manner. While I can see how you came to your conclusion, isn't it possible that you looking at things from the wrong angle?"

"Oh, like how?" Firecracker sullenly asked.

Douglas thought for a bit, very aware of the frustrated look Firecracker was giving him. "Well, what exactly is it that sparklers do? They create light, and allow anyone to have fun with them. Perhaps that is what your cutie mark represents, not so much an ability to use fireworks, but the potential to enable others to also join in the experience? Maybe instead of you being cast to the background unnoticed like you think, your cutie mark means that you'll be front and center?"

Firecracker's face turned sour. "I understand what you mean, I guess, but that still isn't what's bothering me. I don't want to be pigeonholed into spending the rest of my life with fireworks. Do I enjoy them? Sure! I've grown up with them, after all. And last night! Dad let me handle the whole show, and hearing everypony ooh and aah, knowing that it was my work they were cheering for... that was something else altogether," he admitted, his anger momentarily replaced by the joy of the memory of last night.

"But it doesn't change the fact that it still isn't what I really want to do!" Firecracker spat out, the happiness of last night quickly replaced once again by his current dark mood. "Guardponies don't stop criminals by making them stop to watch a fireworks display! Adventurers don't escape from certain death by creating glowing balls of light!"

Douglas stood up suddenly. "Ah! That's it! You are looking at things in the wrong way!"

Firecracker looked at his friend with a confused look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, instead of looking at how your magic might limit what you can do, you should instead think about how to utilize your magic to do the things you want to do! Maybe a guardpony can stop a criminal with fireworks, if he uses it to distract the culprit and allows others to capture him! Maybe glowing balls of light is exactly what the adventurer needs to light his way through the dark hallways of some buried tomb!" Douglas smiled. "Just because fireworks don't seem to naturally lend themselves to great feats of action and daring doesn't mean that you can't still use them. And who's more impressive, the pony that accomplishes those deeds with ease because his magic made it easy for him, or the one who used ingenuity and intellect to overcome odds that few others would even dream of attempting?"

Firecracker nodded slowly. "You're right!" he said with a small grin on his face. "Thanks, Douglas! Especially with my entrance exam coming up in a couple of weeks, I can't let this get me down! I just needed someone to help me look at this from a different view is all!" The young colt rubbed his muzzle against the diamond dog's side. "Thanks for cheering me up, and helping me see that things aren't as bad as I was making it out to be. I guess I just got caught up in the fact that they didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted them to."

Douglas smiled. "I understand. It's never fun to realize that your dreams aren't going to come true exactly the way that you want them to. But look at me! I was still able to find a place where I fit in and could do what I love. Surely if I can do that, you'll be able to also, right?"

The 'ding!' of a bell from out front caught the attention of the two friends. "Looks like I'm needed," Douglas said.

Firecracker nodded. "And I should go and get some more practice done with my magic for my upcoming exam. Thanks again, Douglas!"


"I take it that things didn't improve after that?" Trixie asked softly, hoping to keep the diamond dog talking.

Douglas shook his head. "No. He was in good spirits until up to the day of the entrance exam, but he bombed the test... literally. The school staff wanted him to use his magic to assemble a model. The stress of the situation got to him and his firework magic, which he didn't have mastery of yet, seeped into what he was doing with his telekinesis, and..."

"Boom." Trixie said, with a small shake of her head. "I can only imagine."

"Even after that though, he didn't give up. He simply became more... focused. He dedicated himself next to becoming a guardpony. On top of working hard to master his magic, to avoid a similar disaster as the one that happened during his entrance exam at the school, he began working out and getting his body into excellent shape too. And when he failed to make the grade there, he still kept on trying other ideas, hoping to overcome what he saw as his main hindrance, his cutie mark.

"I tried to do my best encourage him, to cheer him up, but I could tell that I was starting to lose him. I went and talked to his parents, but they seemed to be at a loss for what to do also. I think part of the problem with them was that they couldn't understand why their son thought being in the firework business was bad. It was good enough for them, after all, so why not for their son as well?"

"I think I can see where this is going," Trixie said, "but there's still one thing that puzzles me. How is it that you decided to leave your job at the library to end up with The Coyote Colt out here?"

Douglas sighed. "Is it really so hard to believe that I too was brought down by my own hubris? I wasn't just a diamond dog, I was an intelligent one. I was the one who had risen above his kind. Surely, if anyone could find the solution, it would be me! And so, I spent my spare time in the stacks of books, looking for ideas and inspiration. After my initial attempt of trying to tell Firecracker's parents what was happening, I kept everything to myself. I was going to be the one who found the solution! And for a while, I thought I was succeeding. He seemed to be slowly unwinding, becoming more like the colt I knew from before.

"And then, one evening, it all just fell apart..."


Douglas had just finished eating his dinner when he heard his front door slam with a crash. Jumping to his feet, the diamond dog left his kitchen to see who was there and was shocked to find Firecracker (he still couldn't believe how much his young friend had grown over the last year) standing in his house. Douglas could tell right away something was wrong. Firecracker's eyes were open as wide as they could be, and yet the pupils had shrunk so small, they were almost invisible.

"Douglas," Firecracker spoke softly, in a flat tone. "I... I think I made a horrible mistake."

The diamond dog moved slowly. He didn't want to risk scaring his friend away. "Well then," Douglas replied, "why don't you sit down and tell me about it?"

Firecracker slowly sat down on a pillow, and Douglas pulled a chair in from the kitchen to sit on. After a moment of silence, Douglas softly asked, "So, what happened?"

"I... I hurt somepony."

Douglas frowned. "How? Are they all right?"

"I don't know." Firecracker started to tremble, and his voice began to crack. "I was walking home, when I saw some ponies pulling a prank on a little filly. She was starting to cry, and the other ponies weren't stopping... I had to do something!" He looked at the diamond dog with tears starting to well up in his eyes.

Seeing Douglas motion with a paw, Firecracker said, "I trotted over and told the bullies to stop, but they just laughed at me too. I used my magic like you suggested, and created a few fireworks above us, hoping to either scare them off or attract some more help to the area. But it didn't work. There were four of them, and they started circling me and the filly..."

Douglas waited for his friend to continue, but the unicorn simply lay there, staring ahead at something that the diamond dog couldn't see. Finally, he cleared his throat, which seemed to focus Firecracker's attention again.

"They started nipping at us," Firecracker continued. "They were focusing on me, which is what I wanted, but they would still try to harass the filly. I didn't know what to do! I knew that if somepony didn't come along soon, I could get hurt badly, and I didn't want to think about what might happen to the filly if they got out of control. So I tried gathering my magic again. I was trying to intimidate them, to get them to back off... But I was so nervous, and they kept on nipping at me, poking at me, taunting me... I couldn't concentrate.

"Instead of just letting my spell go, though, I struggled to hold onto it. It was the only thing I could think of to help us, and if I let it get away from me..." His voice dropped to a whisper. "I would be a failure. I would have let that filly down. So I tried my best to ignore their barbs and bites, to weave together some sort of spell. I was able to gather the energy, but in my panic, with all of the distractions, I couldn't shape it... I lost my hold on it."

Douglas frowned. "What did it do?"

Firecracker closed his eyes tightly. "It simply exploded, right there at the end of my horn. It was as if somepony had tied a massive firework there and let it go off. It bowled the bullies away, sent them tumbling. It threw me backwards into a wall. and the filly... the filly..."

In a barely audible whisper, he said, "There was so much blood. The bullies sat where they landed, mouths wide open in shock and fear. The filly was howling in pain. Finally, somepony else heard us and they came rushing over to see what the commotion was all about. But they asked the bullies what had happened, they didn't ask me, and they, they lied! They blamed everything on me, and everypony just glared at me angrily. I was too shaken by everything, I couldn't talk, and so I ran away.

"I know I shouldn't have, but it was the only thing I could think of! Nopony followed me, they were all trying to help the filly, and I don't know what I should do!" he looked at Douglas, eyes filled with desperation. "What do I do now, Douglas?"

Douglas closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "Oh, Firecracker. I don't think you'll like to hear this, but you need to go back and tell your side of the story. I'm sure that the filly will vouch for you, right?"

Firecracker's eyes lit up. "Of course! I'm a foal! I do need to go back, why didn't I think..."

BAM BAM BAM! A loud knock interrupted the unicorn and echoed throughout the small house. "This is the Equestrian Guard, open up in the name of the law!" an authoritarian voice yelled.

Douglas and Firecracker stared at each other in amazement. The diamond dog called out, "Coming!" and got up from his chair.

Firecracker jumped up from his pillow and stood in front of Douglas. "What are you going to do?" he whispered.

"Let them in," Douglas softly explained. "You were going to go back to explain what happened, right? Well, this works just as well. You'll just need to explain to them what happened, and they'll sort it all out." The diamond dog stepped around the unicorn and walked to the door.

He opened the door to reveal a pair of white pegasi wearing polished metallic barding. "Out of the way," one of them said as he shouldered his way inside the house. The other gave an apologetic look to Douglas as he followed his partner inside.

"You there! You match the description we were given of the unicorn Firecracker," the first guardpony said in a loud voice upon seeing the young stallion. "You are under arrest, and are to come with us..."

"What?" exclaimed Firecracker. "But, but it wasn't my fault! I'm as much a victim here as that filly was! Ask her!"

"We will when we have the chance," the other guard replied, "but as of right now she's on her way to the hospital. She should pull through, but we don't know if or when she'll be able to describe what happened. Until she recovers, we're going to have to put you in a holding cell."

"What about those other ponies? The ponies who were bullying us? They're the reason all this happened!"

"You're the first to say that," the first guard gruffly replied. "You're the only pony that others have described as the one who caused the explosion and hurt the young filly. Nopony else has been accused."

"Is there anyway for us to go back to the scene, and at least get these other ponies names?" Douglas asked. "I'm sure once this filly has recovered, she'll be happy to collaborate what my friend here is trying to tell you."

The second guard tried to answer, but was cut off by his partner. "What, you think we don't know how to do our job, is that it? And just what are you supposed to be anyway?" The calmer guard stepped in and tried to defuse the situation, while Douglas stood staring in shock at the naked hatred the one guard was displaying at him.

Firecracker, momentarily forgotten amongst the heated words, watched as things fell apart around him. Visions of being in jail, his parents coming to see him, crying, asking what he had done, what they had done wrong... The abuse his friend was receiving from the guard... And the sight of that filly, lying on the ground, blood on her flank, slowly spreading out from her...

"I'm supposed to provide joy to others," he whispered to himself, "and yet, all I can seem to do is bring pain. Well, no more. I'm tired of this. I tried helping others, and all it did was get me in trouble. From here on, all I'm going to think about is myself." Looking up, he saw that the gruff guardpony was in Douglas's face, having shoved his meeker partner to the side. Making a quick decision, the unicorn quickly prepared a spell, closed his eyes, and shot a giant firework effect at the guardpony, hitting him square in the side. The resulting explosion blinded and deafened the others. Firecracker dashed forward, grabbed Douglas's paw in his mouth, and led him outside.

Douglas shook his head, trying to clear it. Still dazed by what had just happened, he let himself be led away. Finally regaining his senses, he came to a stop, and in a disbelieving voice asked, "What are you doing?"

"They don't care!" Firecracker spat out. "They think they already know everything that happened, and don't want to do anything that would ruin their tidy little solution. You saw what happened when you tried to even suggest that there was something else they could do! I wouldn't be surprised if they were going to take you in too, just because you're different!"

"I don't believe they would have been that rash," Douglas said, looking behind him to see if the guards were chasing after them yet, "but I fear that your latest actions have all but guaranteed that we will both be locked up behind bars should they catch us." The diamond dog frowned as he considered his options. With a sigh, he turned back to face Firecracker.

"This is your last chance. While things will be tough on you until that filly wakes up, I still feel confident that when she comes to, you'll be cleared of any charges, and those other ponies will get their due. And life on the run from your own kind is not easy. I know this all too well."

"No," Firecracker answered. His knees were trembling in fear, but his voice was strong and steady. "I've made my decision, and I'm not going back on it."

Douglas nodded sadly. "Then I better come with you. C'mon, lets get moving before those guards call for help." He started loping off down the street, only to stop and turn around when he noticed that Firecracker hadn't moved. "What are you waiting for?" Douglas called back, beckoning the unicorn to follow.

Firecracker raced up to the diamond dog, a sad look in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you into this."

Douglas shrugged. "What's done is done. I'll miss the job, but I'm sure I can find another like it elsewhere. What's more important is helping out one of the very few friends I have. We'll get out of town and lie low until this all blows over. Like I said, I've done this before. We'll be okay, as long as we get out of Canterlot before the guards get their act together."

Firecracker nodded, and the two companions ran down the street, leaving their old lives behind.


Outside the cave, there was silence. The storm had finally ran its course. "I think that's more than enough for now. It wasn't the complete tale, but it was more than I planned to share, to be honest." Douglas said. "Now that the storm is over with, I think it's time we head back to The Coyote Colt."

"Or," a voice called from outside, "you can get on out of here while you still can, and let me take Trixie home!" The cloak was torn down to reveal Little Strongheart, soaked through from the rain but still standing proudly in the mouth of the cave.

Douglas froze, and then slowly stood up straight. "And what makes you think that I can't take both of you back with me?"

Little Strongheart nodded. "There is a chance that might happen. Just as there is also a chance I could end up beating you, and drag you all the way back to Appleloosa. Or," the buffalo scout continued as she entered the cave, "You can leave now, and nobody gets hurt, and we can settle things later."

Douglas nodded, and slowly circled around the cave, keeping to the walls. After a few tense moments, he was at the entrance, and Little Strongheart was standing over Trixie. "Until later then, ladies." Douglas gave a curt wave, and loped away.

Little Strongheart breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the diamond dog disappear from sight. "Thank goodness. While I felt confident that I could beat him in a fight, the prospect of dragging him back to town while carrying you was not something I wanted to try." She looked Trixie over. "Are you able to walk on your own, or will I need to carry you?"

Trixie was able to slowly stand upright, but found she could do nothing more than balance there, legs wobbling. "I am afraid that I will have to let you carry me. I am sorry. My recklessness has placed us all in a terrible position."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Little Strongheart said as she slid underneath Trixie to carry the unicorn crosswise on her back. "You may have hurt yourself, but you did learn some valuable information about the pony that we are up against, right?"

Trixie stared in surprise at the buffalo. "You heard all of that? How long were you there? Why didn't you come in out of the weather?"

Little Strongheart gave Trixie a smile. "You seemed to have things well in hoof. I saw where you landed, but that dog thing got to you first. I was worried at first, but he seemed to go out of his way to make sure he didn't hurt you when he was moving you. I figured anyone who was willing to go to such lengths to be careful wasn't going to turn around and try something right afterwards.

"Also, I was worried that if I made my presence known, he wouldn't be as open with you as he was. You've been trying to find out more about who we're up against, and while this might not have been the method you had in mind, I didn't want to ruin your chance. As long as Braeburn was able to get to where that smoke was coming from, we'll have not only succeeded in what the Sheriff sent us out to do, we'll have hopefully gained some valuable insights into our opponents too!"

Trixie smiled weakly. "Thank you very much. Still, I feel like a foal for doing what I did. And now, I'm afraid to even try to use my magic. I fear that I will have nothing to contribute when we face them down."

"Let's worry about that later. For now, our only concern is getting back to Appleloosa." Little Strongheart walked out of the cave, carrying Trixie on her back. "Please let me know if I'm hurting you, or if you need to stop for some reason." Trixie nodded weakly, and then closed her eyes. Before too long, she had fallen asleep, lulled there by the slow but steady gait of her buffalo friend.