Equestria Divided: Faceless Legion

by ArthurGabriel

Chapter 3: The Settling

Arthur felt relieved once on the inner walls of Ponyville. He'd hear so much about the place: the streets were made of silver, the apples were fresh as if they had been picked right off the tree, even the hay was supposedly soft and fulfilling. Well, it wasn't, spot on per say.

As they entered the city, the streets were made of cobblestone, and covered in various leavings and trailings. There was even some blood trickling down in the gutters. The apples, seemed fresh. Arthur gave the vendor a bit and took an apple, he bit into it and it was sweet. He gave him a few more bits and his daughter quietly ate them. There wasn't hay at the time unfortunately so he couldn't test that.

However, the survivors were welcomed. Tin personally took Arthur and his daughter to his place. The home was, nice for a sergeant ranger. There he saw a mare getting a table ready. Her coat was as white as snow, yet her mane was the color of gold. She looked up at them with emerald eyes. She was rather relieved when she saw Tin. She looked over and said, "who are you?"

Before Arthur could get a word in, Tin nervously chuckled, "yeah…they were, survivors of a raid. I know, you usually don't like me bringing strangers in. But, he's a real nice guy. Plus, I figured a couple of days here, I'll get him situated a place of his own and, we'd be fine with that, okay?" He had a rather nervous smile.

She lightly smiled and said, "of course…as long as your not escapading with that troublemaking pegasus, I'm fine." She looked over and saw little Aurora stuffing her face with apples, "are you hungry sweetie?"

She giggled and feverishly nodded. "Well then…My name is Ebony. Our home, is your home…now, how bout you three get washed up now, I'll have dinner ready when your out."

Several minutes later, Tin walked down and sat next to Ebony. Arthur finished drying his mane and helped Aurora dry hers. Arthur and Aurora ate as if it was there last meal. Arthur looked up and apologized for their mannerisms.

Ebony waved it off and completely sympathized with them. Aurora started falling asleep at the table. Arthur sighed and asked where the bedroom was. Ebony guided him there and got Aurora settled in. He sighed happily. When he returned, both Ebony and Tin had, rather gaunt looks to them.

"Is, is everything alright?" He asked. Ebony replied, "is…is your daughter, a unicorn?" "Yes, yes she is. Just like her mother…why do you ask?" Ebony nudged Tin.

"Well…its…Earthborns are required by law, to dispose of any unicorn, by any means necessary. Even if, it meant dehorning them…" Arthur thought he was out of the woods, guess he was wrong.

"Come on guys, she's just a filly. She hasn't even been enrolled into the arts. Please. We've been through enough. She watched her mother die at the hands of a griffon. She saw her filly friends and neighbors being mauled by Pegasai beserkers. She even saw her childhood friend being carried off by the Laughing Dead…we've, been through enough. Please. Don't do this to us. She's…she's all that I have left. Please."

Ebony and Tin gave into Arthur's plea. They'd help them either out of town if things got out of control, or would help them get seen into the council. They tried the council first. Tin told him they'd try that first thing in the morning. He thanked them for the dinner and their generous hospitality. For once, Arthur was able to put his mind at ease about everything that's happened.

Arthur quietly laid in his bed and as he heard Aurora's snore, so much was going through his head. He had no idea how he was gonna get his life back together. Everything he had known, was in that village. His friends, loved ones, and his very life was back there. The thought of how he was going to get his art business and support his daughter was gonna be hard.

He wasn't a pegasus and couldn't fly to Pegastapolis or the now heavily fortified capital of Cloudsdale. He wasn't a unicorn and couldn't open up business in Manehattan. Even if Arthur and Aurora could make the trip, the unicorn community doesn't have a high tolerance for earth ponies. At least from what he heard. He heard Aurora whimper a bit and felt a tug on the sheets, he looked over and saw Aurora trying to get in the bed.

Arthur leaned over and gently hoisted her up, "what's wrong babe?"

Aurora snuggled into him, "I miss mommy." Arthur quietly sighed and gently patted her mane, "I miss her too sweetie. I miss her too." Aurora fell asleep in his arms and the two of them slept soundly that night. Feeling a bit safer now.

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[AgentKorpsman]

Aurora snuggled into him, "I miss mommy." Arthur quietly sighed and gently patted her mane, "I miss her too sweetie. I miss her too." Aurora fell asleep in his arms and the two of them slept soundly that night. Feeling a bit safer now.

I don’t like where this is going.