Rite to Live

by Total Eclipse

ch. 2 Leaving Home Arc - Ponyville Expanded/Animal Lovers Cottage

Ponyville Expanded

His daily errands in his mind as he left the boutique, Unity looked about, as if lost in the sunlight. The extra task his father gave him was no inconvenience to him…Heck, it was an honor being the first person to see the Heroes’ Memorial. This would be the highlight of his week. He could easily work his schedule around in a way that he could get to Cloudsdale in time for his one-on-one with the display.

But first he decided that he needed to stop by Fluttershy’s cottage—it was nearly noon, and Unity was absolutely sure that the animals who couldn’t feed themselves were likely belly up crying in the small cottage, or randomly scavenging the ground outside.

It was quite the walk to Fluttershy’s cottage from the boutique (a little over 2 kilometers). Ponyville’s expanding borders had encroached and overtaken her domicile by this point, but in relation to Old Ponyville that cottage was extremely “outskirty”. He knew Fluttershy was rather introverted, but it still seemed a bit much to him.

He had about a thirty minute trek ahead of him, and with nothing to make the walk more enjoyable, his mind began to slowly drift off into thought…

Ponyville.
I was born here, and here I’ve lived for as long as I could take care of myself. It’s strange really… as I grew, so has this humble town. Once dotted with cottages and family-owned businesses, Ponyville is now a bustling city: nearly six kilometers in radius complete with multistory business offices, popular franchises, hotel chains, and prominent visitors nearly every week.

The more I think back on this town’s history, the more surprised I am that it took this long for Ponyville to become “the place to be”. One would think that with my mother and her friends living here ponies would be flocking to Ponyville in droves. I mean, they’re the Elements of Harmony— in the flesh! They saved the world from Discord and led the year-long war against Nightmare moon, threats that Celestia herself couldn’t deal with.
You’d think that would be enough, but nope—the small one-pony town still needed more prestige.
It wasn’t until I was five or six years old, the year when Twilight Sparkle was deemed Arch Mage and Pinkamena Diane Pie deemed Arch Machinist by both the Princesses that the swarms of mouth-breathing, brown-nosing ponies acknowledged Ponyville as a place to live, rather than just a labeled drawing on the map. So they flooded into our little town to gawk at Twilight and Pinkie Pie, and with them came change.
But whatever. It is what it is. Still, the rate of expansion was quite startling: in a mere ten years, the town’s borders have expanded to just outside the Everfree Forest. When I was a kid, the roads were dirt or a simple cobblestone, not very advanced or impressive or even smooth—but it had heart, dammit. They had stories and history.
I wasn’t there for that history, but everypony knows about the dirt road to Sweet Apple Acres. Ponies lining up as far as the eyes can see for cider and zap apple jam, then the year when the Flim Flam Brothers showed up to show out with their cider machine just to get shut down by AJ, her family, my mom and their friends.
And who can forget about the main road out of Ponyville? The road Pinkie Pie used to draw the parasprites away and save the town, yeah… nopony will forget that. Alas, all things change in time, as Pinkie Pie’s magic powered vehicles started to gain popularity those roads were paved over, funded by Equestria’s infrastructure council in Canterlot.
They said it made trade and travel easier, but I’m not sure sacrificing character for convenience is really worth it.

Unity had been deep in thought for nearly twenty minutes; he had trotted through the city streets mostly on mental autopilot, and had it not been for a random butchered spot on the streets pavement he’d still be absorbed in his mental machinations. He soon found that his foot struck the pothole, surprising him and bringing him down onto one knee.

Unity yelped as a sharp pain raced through his ankle and knee. What was that gut-wrenching crunch?

He felt moisture build up in his coat around his knee.

He could’ve sworn that he heard something snap, and that intense burning sensation a split second ago…
Unity’s mind raced: he was certain that he was hurt pretty badly and that he’d spend the rest of the month with his ankle bound and elevated. He instinctively grasped at his knee, images of a giant blood pulsing gash and claws pointing in totally incorrect angles flooded his mind. His coat was stained crimson and matted at the joint as expected, he hastily brushed the fur to the side…no gash, no cut, no wound whatsoever.

“Not out of the woods yet,” he mumbled to himself, beads of sweat starting to form on his forehead.

Continuing his inspection he ran his hands down his right leg, until he reached his ankle; he already had it in his mind to expect his foot on backwards—or worse, dangling by a single tendon.

Nothing.

He hadn’t twisted his ankle at all. He was rewarded for his worries with wasted time and a self-induced headache.

Then whose blood is this on the concrete, and for the love of Celestia what was that bone crunching snap!? He just couldn’t shake the thoughts for a minute, eventually he just decided that perhaps somepony else had tripped as well but wasn’t as fortunate as he, and that was their blood on his coat, and the crunch could’ve been anything in this city.

The trip and subsequent panic had taken Unity out of his mental world and allowed him to take in the city like he had learned not to years ago. He would’ve been within visual range of Fluttershy’s cottage had a huge obnoxious building not been in his face, jutting up from the ground like it owned the sky.

Its glowing green neon sign read “Canterlot International Banking”. The building was a dirty beige, and stood 6 stories high. Its shape was like a half-donut, and in its center, a courtyard of false grass and trees implying fake serenity.

He watched as the monkey-suited ponies walked in and out of its spinning doors as if that’s all they were programmed to do. So many ponies, so little heart. So much concrete—but at least the city hadn’t lost its color, since the structures came in every color conceivable. Every color, except character.

“Sometimes I really hate what this town has become.” Unity shook his head in disappointment at the building and groaned.

This was a well-travelled area of Ponyville, ripe with traffic from magic bikes and scooters; there was also a hub for the large twenty pony transport to and from Canterlot a few blocks from where he stood. The vehicles vented charged magic into the air, and with so many running at a time, it made the area smell as if one was boiling fur and skin flakes. Anyone used to a city wouldn’t even notice—hell, asking them to care would be like trying to get someone concerned that a glacier was moving too fast.

The entirety of New Ponyville was completely opposite to his nature. Sure, Unity didn’t consider himself a pushover in any way, but he definitely didn’t make unnecessary noise, encroach on people, or force his ideals on others—this city did all of that. Most of the new parts of the city all had the sound of clopping hooves, clanking machinery and hissing, venting magic propagating through the streets at all hours like an obnoxious couple arguing at the top of their lungs, completely ignorant of sleeping neighbors, tranquility all but gone.

This town steals everything. Soul was being replaced by efficiency; every fresh-faced hopeful pulled into this place was soon transformed into a suited robo-pony within weeks as they try to make a living. As they transformed, their hearts began to shrink until finally, it faded away.

This town steals everything.

Leaving the noise and pollution behind him, Unity finally entered the clearing that signaled his arrival at Fluttershy’s. As per Celestia’s orders, the area one hundred yards in all directions from the cottage had remained completely untouched and fenced-in. Twilight even used a spell to diminish the sounds from the city within the fence.

The natural beauty here always made the journey worth it to Unity, despite being so close to the city. The trees and grass always gave it the smell of an untouched forest. It was a small self enclosed ecosystem, a single living heart in a body of machines. It was Unity’s home away from home. As he unlatched the gate and walked into this miniature utopia, he tilted his head to take a quick peep over the top of the cottage.

Buildings. More buildings. Unity remembered that this place use to border the Everfree Forest, but where had that gone? Along with everything else this selfish creature called New Ponyville had devoured, respect for nature was gone.

This town steals everything.

Animal Lovers Cottage

Fluttershy’s cottage was a paradise to Unity: green grass, wildlife, the smell of wind blowing through foliage, birds chirping, it was all just perfect. Besides Celestia, Luna, and himself, only Fluttershy’s closest friends were permitted to enter this place and partake in its splendor.

He began to slowly trot through the lush grass and beds of flowers. He knew he could stride over them and not harm a single blade of grass or precious petal—an ability his mother called “gentleness”, an ability he took great pride in.

The young dragon slowly began to approach the stone bridge that crossed the small brook on the grounds. The bridge, once new and pristine, was now covered in moss. The city ponies would have looked down upon it, but the fact that nature was merely reclaiming what it lost would be over their heads.

As he crossed the bridge, Unity stopped in the middle. Standing on his back legs he peered over the side of the archway and into the crisp blue water below. The stones of the bridge felt cool on the bottoms of his forefeet, not having been victim to the body warmth of the city’s hordes.

His reflection peered back with an identical and equally lazy gaze. A sudden movement in the water distorted his image; he leaned over a bit more to see what rippled his reflection.

The zap apples would have to be set down for a moment, as Unity didn’t want to risk dropping them into the water; he was curious but not irresponsible. He placed his precious cargo down gently on the bridge next to him.

“This will only take a second,” he thought as he turned around to continue peering over the bridge. “Uhh, quit fooling around under there... hmph… ” He thought he saw the reflection of bird feathers in the water.

Unity was now so far over the side of the bridge that he could reach under its arch (he even had to grip the bridge with his knees to keep from going complete over). There, on a little ledge under the bridge, was a duck’s nest, a single duckling preening in the waters while another was asleep in the straw nest.

“Hey little one,” Unity said softly, “where’s your mo-”
A loud noise erupted from behind him, like a horn being bleated to break the tranquil silence.

He yelped like a scared little foal as he flipped tail-over-head into the brook—making quite the splash.

He sat up in the river, coat soaked through and through; his mane, now flat on his head and drooped over his eyes, dripping with water.

“Irene! You think that’s funny?” he called, looking up at the perpetrator.

A small brown and grey feathered duck looked down on him from the bridge with a conceited looked as it cackled almost villainously.

“I bet it’d be real funny if I stopped bringing you that special oil that you like to use in your feathers,” he said, folding his arms and glaring at her accusingly.

“QUACK!”

Unity opened his mouth to respond but didn’t have time to get any words out before he got a face full of abdominal feathers. The force that the fowl had leapt at him with was astounding; the big, strong dragon was utterly flattened by tiny Irene. He lay on his back in the water of the little brook as Irene had made herself comfortable on his scaly belly. He stroked her back and mumbled to himself.

“Seriously! I don’t know who’s worse with the jokes, you or Pinkie Pie.” He gave the duck a hardy pat and sat up. “Well come on girl, let’s get to the cottage so I can feed everyone.”

If he had time, he would’ve stayed in the cool, refreshing place all day, but he had things to do and places to be. As he stepped out of the brook he shook himself vigorously, evacuating any freeloading water hoping to get a free ride from his coat. His head and back felt strangely heavy…

“Really? You two?” he inquired. Irene and her duckling had decided that Unity would be their taxi. He groaned, knowing Irene too well: her mind was made up, and there would be no vetoes or recounts. “So you’re gonna just be lazy and ride me up to the cottage. Fine.” He rolled his eyes in disbelief.

Unity took the short trot back up to the cottage, carefully swiping up the zap apple blossom bouquet as he crossed the bridge to the cottage. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the figure of somepony… familiar.

He squinted a little to make out the features: an orange mare with blonde hair, she was standing near a white marble headstone looking down with a Stetson held over her chest. It suddenly clicked in his mind who she was. He came over the crest on the small hill after the bridge and gently let the ducklings down at the front door of Fluttershy’s grass-roofed cottage. He then made his way to the mare by the headstone.

“Hey, Applejack,” he called out happily, “Long time no see!”

The orange earth pony met his emerald eyes with her own forest greens. She was slightly taller than his mother and definitely more toned. Years of apple-bucking had done wonders for her: the mare was built like a world-class athlete, yet still extremely feminine in figure. Her mane now hung free, and her tail was fully braided.

Applejack’s outfit just screamed of Rarity’s work: the Stetson she wore on her head was dark brown, adorned with an image of a sliced apple on it, and embroidered around the base and rims with golden twine. She also wore a vest of the same brown as the hat, with green lapels also embroidered at the seams with gold twine. It complimented her natural colors perfectly.

“Unity?” she asked, peering at him more closely. “Gosh, it’s been months since Ah seen ya. Seems like y’git two times bigger ever’ time we meet.” She gave him a warm smile. “Well what ya waitn’ fer? Gitcherself ov’r here and gimme a hug!” Like Unity was going to decline that offer!

The two were locked in a powerful embrace for a moment; the warmth of two friends who missed each other deeply. Few things could match the feeling in the air around them. Eventually, Applejack broke away.

“So? Have ya b’n keepin’ yerself outta trouble wit’ hard work? Ah see th’ place Ponyville is now, an’ Ah’d rath’r not see ya hangin’ ‘round without no purpose,” she said with a slightly concerned smirk.

Unity returned her smirk, his more wily and playful than hers. “Hard work? HA! Have you MET my parents? Mom’s idea of hard work is walking up stairs. Heck, if it’s not fashion-related, it’s ‘hard work’—and with Dad, anything that’s not eating every type of exotic gem within arm’s reach is considered hard work.”

Applejack laughed a little, as if she knew she shouldn’t be laughing about her friends’ shortcomings. “Well Ah ‘spose yerright, but Ah also know that they ain’t th’ ones who watched ov’r you since childhood, otherwise you’d be juss as prissy an’ overbearin’, or lazy and cocky. Qualities that Princess Luna don’t got—and might Ah say she rubbed off on you som’n’ fierce.”

“I guess so, but I don’t see it,” said Unity. It was true Luna was like a second mother to him, but her regal and powerful presence was a tough act to compare to. “Anyway, what brings you around Ponyville? I thought you were out in Appleloosa with Braeburn, overseeing a joint harvest of apples and oranges?”

“Yer dad dragon-fired me a message about them pegasi finishin’ the Heroes’ Memorial in Cloudsdale. Ah thought Ah might go have a look at it ‘n pay respects, but when Ah got here I knew I wouldn’t have time to git there. So I sentcher dad that zap apple blossom bouquet.” She wasn’t looking directly at Unity anymore, and her words came out heavy and quiet, like something weighed on her mind.

“Well you’re here right now…” Unity fidgeted. Even though he was comfortable around Applejack, he knew his next sentence sounded weird. It was as if he were asking her out on a date. “Why not just come with me?”

Applejack didn’t seem to construe Unity’s sentence as an offer. “Ah have to git back in time to manage the harvest, an’ th’ only transport that’ll git me there’ll be leavin’ in about a half-hour.”

Slowly, her eyes, green and kind, looked aside to meet his. “Thanks f’r th’ offer…” A clever grin spread across her face, her adorable freckles almost dancing around her eyes. “… Handsome.”

Unity’s face flushed and he looked away, embarrassed. Applejack giggled. Couldn’t help it, Unity was just too cute sometimes.

Unity tried to get the conversation back on track. “You don’t sound like you have it in you to leave, what’s on your mind?”

Applejack turned around to the marble headstone in the ground. It had been naturally overgrown by wild flowers (Again, nature taking back what it lost) but all the writing remained in view and untouched by corrosion. Her head hang low as she and Unity looked at what was written. A heavy silence overtook the two, slowly squashing their playful moods.

“Y’know,” Applejack said after some time had passed, “Ah never told nopony this, but…Ah just can’t accept that she’s gawn. She left so long ago, an’ without no body, ‘r any sort o’ confirmation, she’s juss declared dead?” At this last word, Unity shivered. It was one thing for somepony like Applejack to be unsure, but another thing to hear her speak in heartbroken anger. It just wasn’t right.

“Ah juss don’t accept it! Until Ah see a body Ah will always believe th’t thur’s a chance she’ll come back t’ us. Don’t tell th’ others, Ah don’t want ‘em worryin’.” She had her Stetson pressed to her chest again, and whether AJ knew it or not, she had started to cry.

Unity absorbed all Applejack had said, deeply drawing in her spilled heart. It hurt to know how badly this was breaking her, and Unity, for a few seconds, had nothing to say.

“That’s a pretty heavy thought to carry alone,” he finally said, his voice almost a whisper. “I’m happy you shared it with me. It must feel good to say it out loud and tell someone. I’ll keep it to myself.” He patted Applejack’s shoulder and turned around. A few animals had gathered around them. They all appeared much better off than he expected.

“Since you weren’t here yet, Ah fed em,” Applejack said, knowingly.

“Thanks for picking up my slack,” Unity chuckled. He turned to look Applejack in the eye, so suddenly that Applejack fought the urge to take a step back. “By the way,” he asked, “have you seen Pinkie?”

“Yeah sugarcube, Ah stopped by Party Tech earlier t’day; she should still be aroun’ thur, workin’ on s’me crazy gizmo she’s gonna us t’ change life as we know it. Ag’in.”

“Thanks for the heads-up, AJ.” Unity turned to leave. At least, that’s what he hoped Applejack would think; he had really turned to hide the fact that he was crying. Dragons don’t cry. Not even in memory of friends they’d never see again, not even when the world was changing around them much too quickly. “Remember, the offer’s still on the table if you want to come… otherwise I’m off to get Pinkie to take me up to Cloudsdale.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout me, Ah’m fine.” Applejack’s face softened. She knew Unity was crying. He was still only a child (At least, for a dragon), and trying to grow up, and a big boy, and not let girls catch him crying. But sometimes…

… just sometimes…

… she wished he’d let his tears cleanse him, that he’d realize tears weren’t a sign of weakness, that he’d eventually realize it was okay to cry in front of those who shared his pain. Instead of saying any of this, Applejack respected Unity’s desire to appear macho, and merely said, “Thanks f’r listenin’.”

Unity started to walk off towards the front gate. After a few minutes, Applejack was alone again in this field, this lonely piece of the past. Applejack turned to face the stone once more, a solemn expression painted her face as she stared upon that marker and read its engraving, one more time.

Here Lies Fluttershy, Element of Kindness
Ponies and Animals alike flocked to her
As if she were a Beacon of Hope and Love
Her Deeds helped to bring the World from the Brink of Oblivion to Salvation
All of Nature Mourns her Loss, Earth, take her into your Gentle Embrace
Hold and Warm her forevermore
Here Lies Fluttershy
Element of Kindness
Friend

Comments

[Brony_Fife]

Blah, I still see a bunch of errors I missed! Ah well, it's pretty good as is.