Equestria; UNDEAD

by runningtoastgirl77

Chapter Twenty Six: Reflecting

The last gargled words of the rotting pony blocked my mind as I scoured the library. I got a lot of strange looks from the locals, mainly the librarian, and heard whispers of things like, 'why isn't she wearing her frock?'

After finding a good amount of magic books and one fiction novella for my own pleasure, I trotted to the front desk. "So, am I going to need a library card or something like that?"

"No need." Said the librarian. "Your from that group of visitors, right? You won't need a card. just take the books."

I scrunched my face. "Just... take them? Isn't that stealing?"

"You should go home and put your frock on, lil' pony." Said the librarian. "People don't find it very... nice if you don't."

"Oh... okay..."

"Come again."

I trotted out of the library, carrying my books on my back and over flowing bag. "Oh my! You poor dear, do you need any help?" said an old mare on the way back to the inn.

"Oh, um... no, I'm fine."

"Nonsense! Here, take this saddle bag, those books will break your back!"

"Oh, thank you, but I think I'll be okay." I started to walk past her, but she blocked the way.

"Please, I insist." She said, levitating the bag over to me.

I decided to just take it. I didn't want to be rude to the towns... strange ways. Or, at least, I didn't want to piss anypony off before I find out what's happening. Once I trotted back inside the building, I saw the group talking in the lobby, dressed to join in the festivals... well, festivities. Tea Rose trotted over to me. "Oh, your back! Willow brought this for you if you wanted to come with us..." She levitated out a sort grey hooded cloak, and a simple while frock with red embellishments. "Isn't it cute?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I think I'm gonna just stay in and read my new books."

"Well... take it anyway." Tea rose smiled as I took the dress. "If you change your mind, we'll be at the town square."

"I think I'll be fine," I repeated, starting up the stairs to my room, then I paused and turned back. "Actually, Pepper Belle, mind if I talk to you for a second before you go?"

She bounced back slightly. "Oh, um... okay..."

"I'm curious..." I sat at my rooms desk, stacking the books and glancing to Pepper Belle. "I wanted to ask you about... the war?"

"The war? Don't you know about it already?"

"No, not really."

Pepper Belle sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Geesh, your town's school system must have been terrible!" She laughed, as if to lighten the mood. "Well, where do I start?"

"Um... what did Willow mean by bat pony war refuges, or something like that?"

"It was a tragedy." She frowned. "Mainly because of those changelings. Ya see... bat ponies used to be more contained in the settlement protected by Luna, the Hallow Shades. Changelings saw it as an opportunity for quick meals, because we were even more excepting back then to most others. They easily harvested our love and annihilated like half of the bat ponies in Hallow Shades. I wasn't there, my family was living in trotting ham at the time."

"Whoa, wait... when did this happen?

"Geesh, you ARE ignorant." Pepper giggled. "Only, like, 20 years ago. You slow or somethin'?"

I chose to ignore that statement. "Okay, so what happened next?"

"Well, Luna and the royal guard stepped in and drove the changelings back to the hives! Of course, Hallow Shades was pretty much abandoned, so the bat ponies had to find new places all over Equestria to live, and Desmodus was just a small section of that."

"About that..." I narrowed my eyes. "How did you know about this place?"

"Oh, um..." She glanced away. "I heard about it. I heard there was a town in the Everfree for bat ponies."

"So you were going on a whim when you had us trot through the forest?"

"I know..." she sighed. "Now... I have some questions myself, in fact, if you don't mind."

I was intrigued by the change of pace. "Yeah, what is it?"

"How do you know Tea Rose?" She almost glared at me.

"Huh? Well, she and I are fillyhood friends."

"Oh... I see," She made a more relaxed face as if she had heard that before, no doubt from Rose herself, "did something happen when you visited Stone Whooves, then?"

"Well, I got her out of her job at Champagne's and she got in an argument with my marefriend."

"Marefriend? Mean girlfriend?"

"Yeah I just wanted to lighten the mood with a witty pony pun." I shrugged.

"Well it was a bad one." She smiled. "So, who is this special somepony, hmm?"

"Oh, she's this really nice exotic zebra, her name is Zian."

"Ooo, a zebra, huh? Don't see do many of then in Equestria." Pepper smiled, getting up. "I think I'm gonna Catch up to Rose and the others."

After Pepper left I locked the door and went back to the books, as well as my thoughts. 'So that's why,' I thought, opening my book. My mind hurt from today's events. I started to read on the 'scientific properties of magic', which I found to be a bit of a contradiction of itself, after all, it's magic. Kinda complicated to explain, let alone with science. My contemplations were cut short by the loud grumble in my stomach and the stench meeting my muzzle. I glanced at the door to the bathroom. 'Oats and a bath it is.'

I decided on a long bath first. I had to admit, it was nice. The water actually felt nice and smelt nice- as in there wasn't a horrible after smell eventually sinking in like river water. That, and I even had free soap to use! I sighed and rinsed off my mane. It had been so long since I had the opportunity to have a nice bath. And it was at that time, I realized how long my mane and tail had been getting. It sure had been through so much, and it even felt nice to think of all the adventures it had been on, all it had seen... at that thought, my smile lessened. "You know you just need to let it go," I said to myself.

My stomach tightened. Could I ever let go of what I've seen? That pony... had feelings. It was alive... Those thoughts haunted my psyche the the past few hours. I needed to just go on with my life, but should I just let it go? I soaked in the bath for a while.

'Nah', I thought, mentally doing a Grella impression. "Just how it is now." I sighed, getting out of the bath and draining the water. "Yeah... just another part of life in this apocalypse of ours, huh?" I smirked at my reflection, drying off my coat. "Wait, no, Zian's probably off saving the world now, huh?" I finished towel drying my mane and shook out the rest. My mane fell heavily down over my face and muzzle. I sighed, brushing it out and grunting with frustration of the tangles. "Maybe I should fix this."

Comments

[NewKerbalEmpire]

I get the feeling that the entire town is going to go beserk and try to kill our main character here because of some secret conspiracy involving the frocks. That is something that I never thought I would say.

[runningtoastgirl77]

7328990 well, we'll jut have to wait and see... :3