Fact or Fiction

by Mocha Star

14) Hello, Dew Berry

Pea Gravel was sitting away from her camp drowsily. The early morning sky barely lit up the hilly expanse around her. Behind her the two Equestrians were sleeping soundly, huddled together for extra warmth. Pea looked around sleepily, not expecting to find anything. The thought of the night before still rung in her head, blaring with guilt. She tried to shake it off for a little comfort. It did little but warm herself up in the crisp morning air. Her ears flicked up when she heard the faint sound of soft hooves against the ground.

"Hand em' over," a feminine voice whispered behind Pea Gravel. The grey mare felt the cold point of steel on her neck and froze. "Your food and money, now," The voice demanded.

"Let's not be hasty now..." Pea said casually.

"Give me it now or I'll cut you," the voice growled.

"Easy, easy," Pea Gravel said. She turned around to see a pony wearing a burlap cloak with a dagger in her red hoof, her face was hidden from view. Pea eyed the dagger pointed at her nose, "I don't have any money, and what little food I have is for my slaves."

The pony grunted with disapproval, "Don't think you can fool me. You're wearing plate armor on your legs, that's expensive stuff."

Pea nodded slowly, "Right… you caught me..."

The pony gritted her teeth. Before she could say anything Pea bit the dagger blade and ripped it away from the mare. The cloaked mare lunged at Pea Gravel and swung at her face. Pea flung the knife away and smacked the mare's hidden face with the back of her metal hand. The two rolled on the ground in a flurry of kicks and punches like a pair of alley cats at each other's throats.

The commotion woke Rainbow Dash up, followed by Daring Do. While Daring put her hat on, Rainbow Dash snapped into action. The cyan mare bolted to the tussle and threw her weight into the cloaked pony. Rainbow knocked her away from Pea Gravel and held a hoof out to help the cyber mare up. Pea accepted wordlessly and both of the mares looked to the cloaked pony. She was laying on the ground writhing from the impact.

"Who is that?" Daring Do asked.

Rainbow sauntered over and tore the hood off. She saw the mare's face; a pair of big blue eyes that were desperate, with a set of clenched teeth and a sky blue mane. Rainbow Dash smirked, "Some red and blue pony. What should we do with her Pea Gravel?"

Pea walked over to see the mare's face. There was a moment where she looked, another where she realized. Rainbow Dash was astonished to see the jaded mare kneel down and wipe tears away from her face. The red mare inched away from Pea Gravel, clenching her side.

"Guilty, freak?" The red mare spat.

Pea Gravel forced out a whimper through a choked smile, "...k-kinda...do y-you recognize me?"

The mare grimaced, "I've met lots of ponies, you're no different. Just beat and kick a desperate mare cuz she's trying to survive."

Pea inhaled sharply, her face was quivering from joy and sadness. Rainbow Dash leaned over to the cyber mare, "Uhhh… Pea, what's the matter with you?"

Pea Gravel held her metallic hand out to the red mare, "...I know I… I look a little different… b-but it's still me..." The red mare looked at Pea like she was crazy. Pea Gravel took one of the red mare's hooves in her hands, "Dew Berry, it's me! It's Pea Gravel!"

The red mare, Dew Berry, blinked. She was shocked, "Wha… how? I thought you had… had died!" She dived at Pea Gravel and hugged her old friend tightly.

Pea Gravel hugged tight back. She didn't say anything, she just kept crying happy tears at seeing her friend after ten long years. To her, the world opened up and hope flooded back to her. Dew Berry was equally emotional, she nuzzled into Pea Gravel's shoulder while joyful tears flowed down her face. In silent embrace they ignored the world around them and the bruised left by each other. The Equestrians looked to the tender sight with mixed feelings.

Daring Do walked up to Rainbow Dash, "She's Dew Berry? I'd imagine she'd be taller," A smile on her face crept up from the tenderness that the jaded mare was showing.

Rainbow Dash shrugged, "I dunno, this means we're one step closer to getting back home," she was not as excited as the other mares, for reasons unknown.

Daring Do moved more into Dash's view, "She just found her friend alive, you're more worried about getting back home? Don't you care about Pea Gravel?"

Rainbow Dash sighed like a whole different pony, "I'm sorry if I'm not being sentimental. While you three are being all soppy I'll pack up."

Daring Do was a little taken back at Rainbow Dash's harshness. While the cyan pegasus trotted away, Daring Do tapped Pea Gravel's shoulder. She slowly pulled away from Dew Berry, "Oh… sorry, sorry. Daring Do, let me introduce you and," She saw that Rainbow Dash was out of earshot,"...er Rainbow Dash to my best friend. This is Dew Berry."

Dew Berry stood with wobbly knees and shook Daring Do's hoof, "Sorry about the mix-up. I've been going through some hard times and well… I didn't even recognize Pea."

Daring Do shook her head with a smile, "Don't strain yourself, I saw that you gave and got a beating earlier," She giggled, "You're not hurt are you?"

"Never better," Dew Berry smiled while Pea rubbed her face where the red mare's hoof hit the hardest, "I think Pea is okay too," Dew Berry laughed.

Dew Berry looked over to Rainbow Dash and their gear ,"Pea Gravel… where's Tuff? He's supposed to be with you."

Pea Gravel smiled proudly, "He's in a very safe place, it's name is called Equestria!"

"Equestria?" Dew Berry gasped,"That place was just a myth right? It's a real place?"

"Yes it is," Daring Do confirmed,"Rainbow Dash and I are living proof. Your son is very safe, don't worry about him."

Carrying their gear, the two Equestrians followed Pea Gravel and her re-found comrade. The four mares walked through the dried looking ground and dusty hills, the sun rising behind them. As they walked trees became more frequent and showing signs of Autumn. Dew was leading them to a farmland where she had taken refuge. Pea was abuzz with questions, as well as her friend.

"Where have you been?" Dew Berry asked, "I've seen some of the Bevy members from time to time, even Oza. Where did you go off to?"

"You've seen Oza?" Pea asked amazed, "How is the old lizard?"

"He's been looking for you," Dew Berry said, "He was the only one strong enough to handle himself after the Bevy was broken up," She shook off the heavy memory, "He's going to be so happy to see you when he comes back."

"What about Rochi?" Pea blurted, "Wouldn't my mercenaries follow him after me?"

"He's gone too," Dew Berry lowered her voice, "I haven't heard from him in a long time. Last I heard he was off hunting… you know who."

In her mind, Pea was unsure of how to relay the news of their group's mortal enemy's new location. She decided to switch the subject, "That blue bastard won't stand a chance with our Rochi after him, "I know he can do anything, just you wait," She beamed. Pea smiled a bright smile, one that hadn't been on her face in years. She relayed the story of her in Equestria to her friend, even some of the local stories and legends of magic and friendship. Dew Berry wasn't sure if these stories were fact or fiction, but she didn't care. She was just amazed and relieved to finally see her best friend again.

Dew Berry was still shaken up by reuniting with her old friend, "I-It's a bit much to take in at once...if only Joe was here to see you..."

Pea Gravel's eyes widened, "What did you say?"

Dew Berry shrank a bit, her happiness wore off to show her loneliness, "He… he died five years ago. We couldn't go back to a farm life after meeting you, so we took off on our own. He helped me and I helped him… then..."

Pea Gravel grabbed Dew Berry's cloak collar desperately, "Then what? Tell me goddammit!"

"We came across some centaurs… they were part of the Torrent," Dew Berry was choked up again. This time from a horrific memory, "I… I can't tell you Pea, this is such a happy moment..."

Pea Gravel's green eyes burned an angry mint color, "What happened to Joe?"

Dew Berry shoved Pea Gravel away with a crestfallen look, "They executed him, alright? Happy?"

Dew Berry's push barely moved the cyber mare, "How did he die?" she asked flatly.

"He didn't want to work for them… so… so they wanted to make an example for everypony else," Dew wept, "They gutted him, Pea Gravel! He gutted him like a butcher's pig!" She collapsed again from remembering the sight she was forced to watch.

Daring Do looked at Pea Gravel, she had a murderous look in those green eyes. Daring Do had seen this look when a few lizards attacked her and Rainbow Dash and when the abominable Lepuric attacked all three of them, it was a look that would make any right thinking fighter think twice. She looked down to her weeping friend who meekly looked up at the grey mare.

"Dew Berry," Pea Gravel said gravely, "Where is 'He'?"

"I don't know! It's been a whole two years," Dew Berry shouted, "They could be anywhere!"

"A name," Pea Gravel gritted her teeth.

Dew Berry was to shaken up to think quickly, "He… his name… his name w-was N… Naditabirus. He's a disciple of Tirek, like Belial."

Daring Do was timid to ask the cyber mare, "P-Pea Gravel… what are you planning on?"

Pea Gravel popped her neck,"I'm gonna gut that mother fucker, just like he did to Joe. If you want to sightsee, stay here with Dew Berry. I'm going after him."

Dew Berry wiped away the tears that were in her eyes, "Wait a second, have you lost your mind? You're gonna leave me after ten damned years? Where are you going, you don't even know where they live!"

"I won't watch you run off again," Daring Do shook her head defiantly, "No way in hell! We came to help you, we're going to finish that to the end!"

Without looking to the other mares Pea Gravel called to them,"Get your shit together then. We're off to the Centaur's kingdom."

Rainbow Dash hurried up next to the cyber mare, she didn't stop while Rainbow tried to talk to her, "Hold on a second, what about your friends Oza and Rochi?"

Pea Gravel glared at her, "They've taken care of themselves before, they can wait."

Rainbow Dash landed in front of Pea Gravel, "'They can wait'? Are you hearing yourself?"

Pea Gravel shook her head with a grim smile, "Don't tell me you're trying to stop me are you?"

"No I'm not, you just need to slow down!" Rainbow Dash shouted, "Just think for a second!"

"I have," Pea Gravel growled, "And that Naditabastard needs to die. I'm going to kill his ass with or without you!"

Rainbow Dash tried to keep calm. 'Knocking some sense' into a mare like Pea Gravel was pointless,"If we found Oza and Rochi first, we'd have them to help you avenge Joe. He's their friend too you know!" Rainbow Dash wasn't sure how Pea Gravel would react so she kept on yelling, "When you kill that Nati guy then maybe you could help us too by killing Belial, remember? That guy's trying to get in my home, Tuff's out there and my friends are too."

Pea Gravel stood there breathing heavily, glowering at Rainbow Dash. The cyan pegasus was intimidated by the mare before her because of what she knew what she could do to someone. Rainbow Dash still stood though, "Pea Gravel, are you still going?"

Pea Gravel reached into her pack and rummaged around a bit. She fished out a jar and took out one of the small green fruits inside, "Give me a second," She growled. Pea tossed one of the fruits into her mouth and chewed while putting the jar back in her pack. In seconds her anger and bitterness melted away and was now giggling like a drunkard, "Whut where we doin'?"

"Never mind," Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her shoulder, "Let's find a place to sleep, okay?"

Daring Do grabbed her gear and Rainbow's and met up with them, "Dew Berry?" She asked, "Do you know of a place we could stay the night?"

Dew Berry trotted up to the front of the group, "Sure thing, I'll show you to the farm I work in."

The hills the four mares were walking through grew less dry, now bearing trees and tough grass. Behind them was a expanse of hills that led to a savanna they had encountered a monster in. Ahead of them the world looked almost...civilized.

At the rear of the party a fatigued Rainbow Dash groaned, "How much further to your place?"

Dew Berry looked back, "No no, sweetie it's a human's place, not mine. They're… nice, once you get to know them."

Pea Gravel smiled grimly, "You want me to help you 'inherit' that farm?"

"You haven't changed a bit," Dew shook her head, "We're tied to the land, the lord of the keep would have us killed if we tried to leave..." she suddenly became quiet.

"Can he regrow torn off heads?" Pea asked with a wild look, "I doubt it."

"It sounds like living with humans is tough… how have you managed it?" Daring Do asked.

"We don't live with them," Dew Berry to the others, "We just do farm work and they provide some protection. It's a very simple system when you think about it."

"When do you think we'll see Oza again?" Pea Gravel asked, "We need to find him."

"I'm not sure," Dew Berry said solemnly, "I just hope you can find him."

If Pea wasn't as high as a kite she'd keep talking, but the effects of the Jade Cactus Fruit were powerful and suppressing. The four mares became silent as they continued through the green hills. The trees and grass showed that summer was coming to an end in 'The Wild', Autumn was coming and with it all of it's harvest bounty. Through the yellowing leaves, the faint outline of several houses and large fields came into view with a large square building at the center.

The fortress had a keep it it's center three stories of brick and stone, matching the walls that surrounded it. Around the walls was the farmland; here stretched fields of corn, wheat, some gourds and apple orchards with farmers and ponies tending the fields and orchard trees. Ponies pulling plows with a human keeping the plows straight or simply whipping the ponies into 'shape'. As the four mares walked through the dirt paths that led through farmer's huts, Rainbow Dash noticed that there were very few unicorns and pegasus, for what reasons she didn't know. In fact the equines in she saw were much bigger than any she had seen, bigger than even the Saddle Arabians. As they traveled further, she felt like a very little pony.

"Which house is yours?" Daring Do asked.

Dew Berry smiled sheepishly as they approached an empty looking wooden hut, "Here it is."

Pea Gravel and the two pegasi followed Dew Berry as she opened the door to her hut. The interior was simple looking at best. There was a stone fireplace with a large face for cooking, a dirt floor, a window across from the door, dried plants and vegetables hug on the ceiling's rafters, and a few chests with Dew's belongings. Built near the fireplace was a set of walls with a door.

Rainbow Dash wasn't expecting such a plain house, "Umm...nice place you got here."

"That's very kind of you," She looked at the bedroom door with a worried face,"Girls… someone's here..." The door was half open and the house was quiet.

The drug's effects began wearing off on Pea Gravel, "What do you mean?" she whispered, "What would you have to steal?"

"I made sure to close that door, I checked twice" Dew Berry looked frightened. Negative thoughts and worse case scenarios rung in her head, "Not many of the villagers like us here, we've gotten several threats" she gasped, "Maybe someone's trying to murder Wheat Biscuit while he's sleeping!"

Daring Do shook her head, "Who's Wheat Biscuit?"

Dew Berry blushed with embarrassment, "I… I've been lonely okay? I needed someone!"

A low noise came from the room, almost a yawn. Pea Gravel dropped her gear, grabbing a sword she bolted to the door. She shouted as she jumped into the room and held her sword up to the first thing in front of her. Her adrenaline slowed and she took in her candle lit surroundings, the room was small and cramped with a large bed at the other end of the door.

On it was this 'Wheat Biscuit', a handsome looking orange farm pony. He slept peacefully, Dew Berry's light blue bandanna was tied around his gold mane. She didn't realize that Dew Berry would be with other stallions after Joe, even though she knew Dew needed somepony to live with...it made her sick to her stomach.

Pea Gravel nodded and left the bedroom quickly. She stumbled out of the bedroom and shut the door behind her. The other mares stared at her with worried looks, "Was there a murder in there?" Dew Berry gasped,"Did you get him?"

Pea Gravel glared at her old friend,"Who's that candy ass faggot in there?"

"Wha..." Dew Berry looked a little guilty, "I'm lonely out here, Pea Gravel! You expect me to live alone happily, while you have my son?"

"I'm not saying you should be lonely but," She looked back to the door, "He's such a...cream-puff."

Dew Berry stamped her hoof, "You have a lot of damn gall Pea Gravel, telling me how to pick my men. What about Rochi, eh? Where's he?"

Before Pea could lash back a little sound came from the door. The four mares looked to see a little red-orange colt with a gold mane, he looked about five or six years old. Pea Gravel looked closer at the timid little foal and saw that his eyes were the very same blue eyes as Dew Berry's and Tuff's. The colt looked to Dew Berry with a sheepish look.

"Mamma, who're they?" the colt asked.

Dew Berry bit her lip, "Come inside, mommy need to talk with one of her friends outside."

"Okay!" The colt chirped.

Dew Berry smiled as she watched the colt trot inside. She saw the heated glare from her grey furred friend, "Who's kid is that Dew?" Pea Gravel asked quietly.

"You and I are coming outside," Dew Berry huffed angrily. The two mares walked out of earshot and the red mare let out what she had to say,"I don't see why you're have a problem with me having a new family. I was so lonely without Joe… Wheat… he filled the gap," She smiled like a love-struck foal, "Before I knew it I had a home with a stallion who provides and protects me and our son."

"How can you sleep at night?" Pea Gravel punched the ground, "Joe's probably rolling in his grave while you're getting rutted by some pretty boy farmer!"

Daring Do and Rainbow Dash knew that the talk between them was only going to get worse. The two mares set their packs against the wall of the hut and sat next to the fireplace, safe from the barrage of shouts between the mares. The little red-orange colt looked at the two Equestrians as if he had never seen ponies with wings before. They smiled awkwardly, as the two mares argued with each other outside.

Meanwhile outside, the two mares continued shouting at one another, "'Rutting me'?" Dew Berry asked with a venomous scowl, "What are you trying to get at? Are you trying to say I'm some whore who would just ride any boy's cock for a place to sleep?"

"At least, I've been trying to get the Bevy back together!" Pea Gravel snorted, "You've been playing mother dearest with some limp dick dirt digging land crawler."

Dew Berry glared, "'Land Crawler'? Are you serious? That's what holier-than-thou warlords call ponies like us. What happened to you, you're no better than those Centaurs who've been marauding the countryside," Her body shook with disbelief and anger. She had no idea reuniting with her old friend would be this strenuous.

"I've been trying to get us back together," Pea Gravel said with half a smile, "I wanted to take all of you back to Equestria where we could just grow old together and not worry about wars or monsters..."

"You can't be serious," Dew Berry shook her head, "I have a family now, I can't just leave them!"

Pea Gravel groaned, "Fine! We'll take them too."

Dew Berry folded her arms with a frown, "Why didn't you mention that earlier, could've saved us a lot of grief."

"So you'll come with me?" Pea Gravel asked as if their argument never happened, "You'll ride off with me one last time?"

"I'll have to talk to Wheat Biscuit," Dew Berry put a hoof to her chin and pondered, "And get an apology from you."

Pea Gravel lifted Dew high into the air with glee,"Alright!"

Dew Berry frowned and Pea put her back down, "I'm still mad at you. I'll go talk to Biscuit, you wait here."

The cyber mare sat on her haunches quickly while Dew Berry went back inside to the sleeping stallion. She sat for awhile just waiting, not sure how long Dew would be in there. Thoughts of her relaxing with what was left of her former crew on some Equestrian beach made her smile, even if she had to be around these two strangers. Thinking more she wondered how Tuff would react to his new found step brother, would he be okay with it or be bitter to him.

Pea Gravel grew wide eyed thinking about Oza and Rochi. The orange and white dragon was older now, he was on the edge of being a teenager when she met him. As they fought in the Breakneck Bevy together he had become bigger and sometimes walked on all fours like an adult dragon. Had ten years pushed him into adulthood? Would he even remember her or would he just eat her?

What about Rochi? He had wanted to make a kingdom of his own, a road like that is a dangerous one. He may have already become wealthy and powerful already and not need Pea Gravel or care to see her, or he may have died on the way to a throne. Dew Berry had mentioned that he was hunting Volm, had he made it to Equestria too? If not… how would Dew Berry react to hearing about him in the same area as her son?

Pea pawed at her head as these negative thoughts burned into her brain. In the doorway was Wheat Biscuit and the colt, they may have been there for a while but she hadn't noticed. Pea Gravel pulled away from them in surprise. Now getting a better look he was a large equine, almost as big as Celestia. He was no Joe but being a horse his stature was enough. Pea internally groaned at the idea of Dew Berry only being interested in larger stallions.

"Hold on there friend," he smiled, "Can't have my girl's best friend be afraid of me. My name's Wheat Biscuit, but Dew probably already told ya that."

Pea Gravel nodded hesitantly, "Yeah… she did mention a new boy in her life."

"You mean Cardinal?" Wheat Biscuit motioned to the small colt, "He's our pride and joy."

Pea Gravel forced a smile to them, "Can I talk to you for a moment… alone?"

"Of course," Wheat Biscuit nodded, "Cardinal, head back inside okay?"

Once the colt went inside Pea Gravel kept herself from pummeling the farm horse, "I have an offer for you..."