38 - Passing Through
As they entered the city, Apple Bloom's ears perked up. "What happened to tha horses?"
Their guide looked over his shoulders. "Big brown ones with white spots?""
Apple Bloom bobbed her head. "They were fixed up to tha wagon."
Applejack grit her teeth, preparing for the worst.
The guide shook his head. "We saw some horses bolting away from the fire. They must have tore free when it started."
Willow nodded. "They'll do fine, but if anyone does catch them, they can have them. We couldn't take them past this point."
Apple Bloom looked relieved to hear the horses were alright, if loose, a sentiment shared by the other girls. Of course, the thought that a horse couldn't take care of itself all that well compared to the average Equestrian animal didn't really register.
They were led by the weather team to a small inn. "Good luck!" He took off into the sky, and the group scattered off, likely to their various homes.
Sunflower looked to his mother curiously. "Why don't we have any weather teams? We can fly too, can't we?"
Willow pushed the door open and headed inside. "The trick of cloud magic is something the pegasi hold quite close to their chests. We don't have that gift, and never did, to the best of my knowledge."
Apple Bloom raised a hoof as she walked. "Ah read somethin' about that. The pegasi around here learned it from the griffons."
Scootaloo snorted loudly. "That's stupid. Pegasi could always push clouds around and stuff."
Applejack shook her head. "Maybe back home, but this here's a different world entirely. Tomatoes and apples."
Sweetie tilted her head. "Oranges?"
"No, thanks." Applejack trotted up to the counter and got them a large room to share and ordered a meal to be sent in. "Make most of it vegetarian, but not all of it. We got two cats ta feed n' all." The attendant, a larger stallion, bobbed his head and they all retired to their room. It had three large beds that were soon occupied by tired bodies.
The girls wouldn't leave Applejack alone and made her serve as their cushion. Though she grumbled, she quietly enjoyed the presence of the girls and was glad they were close at hoof. They all looked up at the soft knock, and a little foal came in with several trays balanced on his back. The smell got them moving, and they quickly relieved the colt of his cargo and got to eating ravenously. No matter how good a trail ration was, real food always won out.
Apple Bloom flopped against Applejack with a full belly and an improved outlook on life. "So what's next? We have ta find a boat?"
Willow nodded from where she plucked some meat off a skewer and popped it into her mouth. "I will scout the dockside and see what can be scrounged up on our budget. It's either take a boat down, or get a new wagon and keep going over land. The boat should be much faster. If we're lucky, someone's headed that way already and we can just get a ride."
Applejack put a hoof around Apple Bloom, holding her close. "Boat it is then. Sounds almost peaceful after guarding a wagon fer weeks."
Sweetie moved over beside Sunflower and smiled at him. He glanced around with growing nervousness. She wanted something, but what? "Uh, you're looking especially lovely this evening."
Sweetie giggled at his awkward compliment. "Thank you."
Willow raised a brow at the both of them with growing suspicion. "Is everything alright, Sunflower?"
Sunflower looked aside at his mother, then at the smiling Sweetie. "Better than alright." He moved in and pressed nose-to-nose with Sweetie, and they nuzzled gently a moment before he sat down. "I have a girlfriend."
Sweetie lit up suddenly. Was she a marefriend? She supposed she kind of was... Searching through her feelings with a frown, she found she was alright with the idea and the smile returned. "If you're going to be my coltfriend, you need to protect me a little better. I was so scared when all those ugly things started with their arrows."
Sunflower bobbed his head. "I was fighting them."
Sweetie lifted a hoof. "Then I was trapped in the wagon."
Sunflower sagged a bit. "Sorry..."
Willow snorted gently. "You should not hide during a conflict. Your friends are counting on your support."
It was Sweetie's turn to look ashamed and she went quiet.
Sunflower moved over beside Sweetie and rested against her. He softly whispered, "You're a very brave lady. A proper lady should be nice and safe, away from fights."
Sweetie took this as the best answer possible and snuggled against Sunflower warmly.
Scootaloo joined Apple Bloom and flopped down, soon using Applejack as a warm pillow along with her. "Look at her."
"Who?"
Scootaloo gestured with her snout at Sweetie. "I never saw her fall so hard."
Apple Bloom tilted her head. "It's all fer fun. What's the harm?"
Scootaloo raised a brow. "Remember what happened with your brother?"
Apple Bloom snorted softly. "That was a love poison. Sweetie Belle's not poisoned, she's just the regular kinda in love." She paused. "Shoot."
"See, exactly." Scootaloo looked triumphant a moment before returning to seriousness. "What if she wants to stay with him forever and leaves the Crusaders?"
Applejack, though not spoken to directly, couldn't much help but to overhear and perked an ear at the two fillies. "Ah don't think there's much risk of that."
Apple Bloom looked up to her big sister. "Whattaya mean?"
Apple Jack gestured at Sweetie, who was too busy to notice. "If anything, ah'd put money on him following her. He's gonna break his mother's heart is what he's gonna do, but ya'll ain't gonna lose Sweetie Belle."
Scootaloo brightened as she thought it over. "I guess having him on as a permanent member of the Crusaders isn't so bad."
Apple Bloom bobbed her head. "He's fun to be around." She yawned widely. "Gonna hit the hay."
She flopped against Applejack, and Scootaloo soon joined her in slumber. Applejack held the precious foals gently, and slipped into dreams alongside them.
Sweetie and Sunflower were curled up beside Willow in their own ball of warmth, and peace fell over the room.
The next morning, Willow was already gone. The rest had a big breakfast. Apple Bloom smiled at her sister. "Can we go and play?"
It was a pony city. Surely it was safer than the cat city? "Sure, but be back by noon, ya hear? And don't cause no trouble."
The Crusaders dashed out of the inn with excited cheers. Looking around, they saw that most of the ponies out and about were earth ponies, but this only made Apple Bloom happier. Where there were earth ponies, there were... She found them after some searching. A great gathering of foals of various ages had taken over a grassy clearing and were playing all manner of childish games, from jump rope to a swing set, hide-and-seek and some of the older ones were around a table playing cards. There was no shortage of entertainment options. Scootaloo spread her wings and took to the air, joining some of the other pegasi up there. Apple Bloom, Sweetie and Sunflower stayed together, approaching the card game.
All three hopped up onto available seats and were looked over by the other ponies present. One, a large mare, pointed at Apple Bloom and Sweetie. "Your friend's a cat, so that makes sense, but where're your brands?"
Sweetie blushed through her fur. "Uh, we don't have one."
"Cool." A colt tilted his head at the two blank flanks. It was not a sign of immaturity, but a strange and unique trait. "What does it mean?"
A pegasus clopped the table lightly. "Duh, it means the gods don't know what to do with them."
A unicorn stallion perked his ears at the blank flanks with obvious curiosity. "Is that possible? I guess you could be anything you want to be. That has to feel so weird."
The youngest girl there bobbed her head as she shuffled the cards with amazing skill for working with hooves. "I just have to follow what my brand says to do." General murmurs of agreement rose up, except one dissenting voice.
A scrapper of an earth stallion crossed his forelegs. "I'm gonna do what I want. The gods can kiss my flank." He leveled a hoof at Apple Bloom. "You have the right idea!"
Apple Bloom flicked an ear back. "Uh, yeah, it... wasn't exactly my idea."
Her words went largely ignored as the foals began arguing about fate and determinism. Despite the heavy conversation, cards were dealt and the game began. It took a few hands for the Equestrian ponies to get a hang of it, but soon they were playing competently, and enjoying themselves. Scootaloo joined them on the fourth hand and played boldly and aggressively, which served her fairly well in bluffing her opponents into giving up early.
Eventually the pony who owned the cards stood up and took them with her. "Have to go! Bye everyone!" Waves were exchanged and she left. Sunflower looked up at the sky. "It's almost noon, we should get back to Applejack before she gets mad."
The Crusaders agreed it was a good break point and set off back to the inn. As they went, Sunflower looked to Scootaloo. "You're very brave."
Scootaloo puffed her chest out proudly. "I learned from the best pegasus in all Equestria! Maybe you'll meet her some day. She's so awesome, I can barely describe it. I wanna be like her when I grow up. She does amazing stunts and she's great at flying and nothing can keep her down!"
Sunflower gave a light bobbing. "You do pretty cool stunts, and nothing keeps you down. Out of everyone here you're the least worried about any danger."
Scootaloo threw a leg over Sunflower, hugging him close. "You're alright, cat." She burst into laughter and let him go, trotting ahead of the group.
Apple Bloom took her place. "You know she wasn't always quite this fearless. She's really changed. I think adventuring's really grown on her." She gave a little smile. "I hope she doesn't lose it."
Sunflower looked confused. "Why would she lose it?"
Sweetie came up on the other side of Sunflower. "She can't fly back home... She's going to be really sad when she gets back if she stops being able to fly."
Scootaloo wheeled on the group. "Stop talking about me like I'm not here! Sheesh." She sat on her haunches, glaring at them challengingly. "I'll face it like a real pegasus. Do you think Rainbow Dash would stop being awesome if something terrible happened to her wings? No! She'd keep right on being awesome." She turned back away from them. "I'll be awesome..." She rushed off back to the inn without waiting for reply.
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Ah, the tension of fate and free will. And really, if anyone could leave the gods befuddled, it'd be the Crusaders. I just hope they don't end up trading Scootaloo for Sunflower when the time comes to go home...
(Also, the horses are okay.
)
CURSE YOU TYPO NATION!!!
Nice little callback here.
Another great chapter. Lets see if they find boat and does it have typos on board.
too, can't
hold
that
view of or outlook on
Anyone who has played Oregon Trail knows the implicit 'but' in that statement.
The done is not needed and y'all not should be y'all ain't
5981399 Typos fixed, may the river monsters be satiated.
Long ago, in a far off land, warriors from the typo nation atishoed.
Bless you.
Things, didnt quite go according to plan.
There are two spaces between "pressed" and "nose-to-nose."
Change the phrase "look shamed" to either "look ashamed" or "be shamed."
There are two spaces between "awesome" and "I."
This should be "I think adventuring's really grown on her."
5984759 All fixed, thanks!
5984776 The group reaches the next major population center, and manages to get in some rest and relaxation. Once again, I'm a little surprised by just how fast they're moving along from here, though. Are they really that eager to leave Everglow behind that they can't be bothered to spend a single, entire day relaxing? Given how much they've been on the road, and with this being the first really pleasant and safe location they've found yet - Everrain wasn't exactly a hospitable metropolis, and even Murrage was a rather dangerous city - I'm shocked that they don't want to spend two or three days taking it easy and recharging their batteries.
In that regard, it's notable that Willow seems to be the one most dedicated to pushing them along. I suspect that they ponies would indeed like to rest for a few days, but she's the one apparently ready to book them a ship the very next morning. It's enough to make me the teensiest bit suspicious; I don't think she has any ill intent, but it's starting to become like that host who is trying to usher the last of the guests out - in other words, it seems like she wants the ponies gone. That's a rather odd sentiment, not just because they helped resurrect her, but also because it's been implied that she's coming around to their way of thinking. Maybe it's for Sunflower's sake? That is, the sooner they're gone the sooner he can get over being stuck on a pony girl? She was notably silent when Sunflower announced that he and Sweetie Belle were a couple. I get the feeling that she's biting her lip more and more...at what point will she decide that she can be silent no longer?
Speaking of which, the commentary that Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had with regards to Sweetie Belle's crush was rather awkward. More specifically, they shouldn't have said "I've never seen her fall so hard," since the phrase "so hard" implies that she's fallen before, just not as deeply; which obviously isn't the case - this is her first romance.
Moving past that note, however, I was quite charmed by the interaction between Sweetie Belle and Sunflower here! It seems like we're finally getting some of the youthful romance that I've wanted to see for a while now! Squee!
Sunflower declaring that Sweetie Belle was his girl, and her being pleased with that, was such an adorable moment...one that was topped just a moment later when they snuggled together. Keep up the good work, Sunflower, and protect your girl!
I was also quite pleased with the way the story addressed head-on the idea of someone either staying behind on Everglow, or going with them to Equestria. That felt very honest, with the characters thinking things through, rather than proceeding along in total ignorance of what seems obvious to the readers. Will Sunflower follow his new girlfriend back to Equestria? Had Willow thought of that, and that's why she's so quiet? I'm wondering if we'll be surprised here.
As it is, I do think that there's a twist in the works, but that it's not about the young lovebirds. Rather, I'm starting to wonder if Scootaloo won't want to go home. Think about it: on Everglow, Scootaloo is, in her own words, "awesome." She can fly, and there's endless opportunities for adventures, real adventures, not like what the Crusaders usually do back on Equestria. There, she's just a pegasus that can't fly, running around having schoolyard antics with her friends. She has the heart of an adventurer, and I'm starting to wonder if she'd really be happier in Equestria.