After the Surge: Las Pegasus

by Nanrite

Chapter 9: Blue Mane

The lights of New Las Pegasus were ablaze as the sun finally set over the desert. An older mare watched from her office on the top floor of The Trots, as more and more ponies rushed to her many bars and casinos. Every night brought in more than the last. The older mare, known only as Blue Mane, let out a soft giggle at how ironic her situation was. She liked to think of herself as a mare who gauged every outcome before addressing a situation, yet she ran a town based on luck and risking it all. Blue brushed her crystal mane out of the way before smiling and turning to face her office’s entrance—she was expecting company.

Within only a few seconds, a young brown unicorn mare with a black and brown mane was escorted in by two stallion bodyguards. The mare had a bandage on her head and looked incredibly nervous, but not due to that—it was as if she was worried about something else entirely. Blue nodded to the stallions and they returned to their posts outside Blue's office. As the door to the office was shut, all of Blue's attention went to the young mare in front of her.

"It's nice to meet you Six Shooter," Blue began. "My associates call me Blue Mane, for obvious reasons." Blue reached a hoof up to her mane and moved a strand of it out of the way.

Six stared at the unicorn in front of her. The captivating sapphire eyes and mane, and the pure white coat! This mare clearly kept looks in high regard. That's when Six noticed something—a faint glow radiating off of Blue Mane.

"Why are you glowing?" Six asked bluntly. Blue Mane laughed as she remembered some ponies around here had never laid eyes on a crystal pony before.

"I was born in the Crystal Empire in the north," Blue stated with a warm smile. "I am what is known as a crystal pony."

"Crystal... pony?"

"That's right. Before the Surge, most of my race was enslaved and brainwashed to fight for Sombra." Blue closed her eyes as she recollected her youth—but stopped and merely nodded. "You won't see many of us anymore. Especially this far south of the empire."

"Ms. Blue Mane... is Lucky going to be okay?" Six asked.

Blue suddenly sported a very serious look. "He is recovering from a broken right wing and two broken ribs. He will make a full recovery, but it'll take time."

Six looked down at the floor. Last night had been hazy because of the alcohol but she remembered what she tried to do. The fall, the air whipping at her back as she descended, Lucky yelling... then a crash.

"Six." Six looked up to Blue again—the older mare's expression was still as serious as before. "Lucky is an associate of mine, one with a lot of value to me. Thanks for your stunt, he’s out of commission for a few weeks."

Six frowned and looked to the floor again, ashamed about what she had done. Not only had she put her own life in danger, but also that of another.

"Ms. Blue Mane... I am so sorry."

Blue smiled warmly to the young mare. Six caught it and looked to her in surprise. She expected anger, or maybe even to be killed. But Blue Mane was just... smiling.

"It's a setback, but I like to leave nothing to chance," Blue started. "I would like-"

The door opened again. This time a stallion with a bulletproof vest with a massive revolver strapped to it trotted through the door. Six turned and froze upon seeing him.

"Ah, Snow, thanks for finding time to report back to me," Blue said to the grey stallion. Snow didn't seem to hear her. Instead he stared right at Six like he was seeing a ghost. Quickly, Snow gathered himself and looked to the smiling older mare.

"You bastard!" Six screamed. Without thinking, Six jumped at him, her horn already sparking. Snow's own horn quickly sparked to life as he began to draw his revolver, but he wasn't fast enough for the frenzied mare. Six tackled him to the ground and delivered a powerful right hoof to his muzzle.

Snow could already taste blood in his mouth but quickly ignited his horn once again, bringing the butt of the massive revolver to Six's ribs. Six wheezed and fell to her side. As Six opened her eyes she saw Snow standing over her, his revolver pointed right at her. She gave him a confident smile before whispering.

"Go ahead... f-finish the job," Six began "You already killed my family."

"Six I-I..." Snow started but quickly turned his attention back to Blue Mane. "If you're going to blame their deaths on somepony, blame them on her!"

Six looked at Blue Mane, who was still just smiling.

"I tasked Snow with an important mission, Six," Blue began. Six glared at her. "His mission was to kill a pony named 'Gus', an ex-employee of mine, and bring back what Gus had stolen from me. I never once asked Snow to kill your family, nor did I ask him to involve drugged-out raiders." Blue closed her eyes and sighed.

"That's a lie and you know it! Y-You knew her family was there and you still wanted the mission carried out!!" Snow screamed.
Blue Mane stared at Snow for a moment. "I did. That is why I sent you. If you had gone in alone, quietly, you could have secured Gus and the package. But you involved the Raiders... why was that, Snow?" The older mare smiled to him, but the room was silent.

Slowly, Six stood up. Snow watched her carefully as she stared him down.

"She has a point... Snow," six spat.

"Y-You can't be serious Six!" Snow yelled. "I-I..." But no answer came. Slowly, the revolver slid back into its holster. "Please Six I didn't-"

Smack

Six glared at him. Her hoof stung but not as much as Snow's face did.

"You left Reins and I out there Snow." Six began. "He is dead now... my family is dead now... and it's your fault, Snow."

Snow froze for a moment. He hadn't even thought about Reins not being here.

"I-I'm sorry Six... I should have helped you two... I just didn't think-"

"You can leave, Snow," Blue Mane interrupted. "Don't bother coming back."

Snow looked to her, then to Six.

"I am sorry for all I've done to you, Six," Snow said. His horn ignited and he unfastened the vest and dropped it to the floor. He started to walk out when Blue spoke up.

"I'll need my revolver too."

Snow stopped and turned to his former boss with a glare. She just smiled back at him. The thought of shooting her then and there entered his mind... but Blue Mane had planned all this. Six being here to surprise him was no coincidence. He looked down to his Colt Python one last time, then dropped it on the floor as he left the office.