The Ties that Bind

by the7Saviors

A Belated Realization

The Vardo slowly made it's way through the single path splitting the dense foliage within the forest.

Ancient Scroll was no genius when it came to Healing spells, but he had picked up a few over the years that would help greatly in a pinch. It was thanks to these spells that he was able to disinfect and close the wound on Rouge's arm.

Unfortunately none of his Healing spells could regenerate the blood she had lost and, once he had requested some privacy, he had performed an on-the-fly blood transfusion using a bit of Blood Magic -- something he found highly unpleasant, but necessary at the moment.

The Abyssinian was now resting in the sitting room while Ancient Scroll and Yojimbo stood vigil on the platform just outside the caravan as it moved through the thick forest.

Ancient Scroll's plan was that the fillies stay out of sight until both he and Yojimbo gave the okay to come out once more. The old stallion had kept the girls busy by having them watch over Rouge while she rested.

Thankfully none of them had run into any more undead in the past couple of hours or so, and they had eventually made it out of the forest just as the Sun was starting to rise. There had been no more incidents since they had started back on their path to Little Trot, though the smell of the undead still lingered according to Yojimbo.

After another hour or so of traveling across the open fields, Ancient Scroll could make out various buildings in the distance -- along with a few wisps of smoke rising high into the sky here and there.

Ancient Scroll furrowed his brow in concern as they moved closer to the town.

"This isn't good..." he muttered, "I don't know what in Tartarus happened in that town, but it looks like whatever -- or whoever -- caused this did quite a bit of damage."

Yojimbo remained silent as he kept his good eye locked onto the town ahead, the clenching and unclenching of his paws the only indication of his anxiety regarding the situation.

"Yoji," Ancient Scroll began cautiously as he gave the tense husky a side glance, "you might have to accept the fact that--"

"We might be too late," Yojimbo finished with a grimace, "I know, Scroll. Don't worry about me."

The old stallion nodded and returned his gaze to the town.

They didn't speak again until they were just outside the gates of Little Trot. Now that they were closer, they could see that the town wasn't in as bad a shape as they had initially believed. It looked like a few buildings had suffered from a recent fire, but the majority were still whole and untouched.

What they didn't see however, were the townsfolk of Little Trot.

Ancient Scroll brought the Vardo to a stop a few yards away from the town. Without waiting for Ancient Scroll to make any sort of comment, Yojimbo hopped over the railing and took off towards the gate.

Ancient Scroll sighed and headed back inside the caravan. He gently pushed the door of the sitting room open and poked his head inside to see the three fillies piled on top of each other in the armchair and sound asleep.

Rouge sat awake on the couch, staring out the window. A single twitch of her ear was the only sign she gave that she had heard the door open. Ancient Scroll couldn't see the look on the cat's face as she continued to look out the window and her voice was quiet as she spoke.

"I have to thank you again for helping little Blue Moon and Corona with their rather noisy sleeping habits," she said with a hint of amusement in her voice, "I was able to get some decent rest because of it."

Ancient Scroll chuckled a bit as he stepped inside the room.

"Ah, it was nothing," he replied as he glanced at the quietly sleeping fillies, "to be honest, I should've done something about that ages ago, but I found it rather adorable so I didn't bother."

"It seems you and I have some differing opinions on what constitutes adorableness," Rouge responded, finally turning to the stallion with a smirk, "but that aside, I'm guessing you didn't come here to talk about how cute the fillies are when they're sleeping."

Ancient Scroll nodded with a small frown.

"I came back to see how you were feeling," he replied, "and to tell you that we've reached Little Trot. Yojimbo's already gone ahead to check on the town and presumably find out what happened to his nephew."

"Ah... I thought as much," Rouge answered with a single nod, "well I'm not quite sure what you did, but as far as my health is concerned, it appears I'll be okay for the time being," she frowned and turned away from Ancient Scroll with a slight shudder, "though it'll take me some time to process this morning's... excitement."

"I completely understand," the stallion replied, "I'm sure it wasn't easy for you. From what Yojimbo told me, I'd imagine you don't have much experience fighting for your life like that?"

Rouge shook her head slowly.

"I've been in fights before, but never anything like... that," she responded with another shudder, "it was an experience I'd much rather not have to go through again if I can help it."

"Well hopefully you won't have to," Ancient Scroll said, trotting over to the window. He gazed out at the scenery for a moment as he spoke, "I had thought all this madness was long since purged from the land of Equestria under the Princess' rule, but apparently I was very wrong."

He hung his head and gave a melancholy sigh.

"I've seen a lot of suffering in my lifetime, but all of it had been in the lands outside of Equestria's borders. Never once did I entertain the thought that corrupt Dark Mages still existed.

"Nor did I ever believe that Celestia might not be the perfect Princess she appeared to be, or that foals could go through so much pain and heartache in their young lives."

Ancient Scroll looked back to Rouge with a wry smirk.

"It's funny, looking back on it," he mused, "I'm very well traveled -- both within and outside of Equestria, but never once in my travels around Equestria did I ever see even a hint of the disharmony around me," his smirk dropped into a frown and he looked away again, "just goes to show how blind I really am..."

He went quiet as he ruminated on his thoughts. Rouge watched him with a sad expression for a few moments before speaking up softly.

"We're... not so different in that regard, Ancient Scroll," she responded, "when I left my little corner of Equestria, I was certain I could handle anything the world threw at me. I had assumed everywhere was like Equestria -- happy, peaceful, and full of Harmony. I found out only too late that I was wrong... very wrong."

"Really now?" Ancient Scroll replied, turning to Rouge with an inquisitive raise of his brow.

Rouge nodded with a solemn frown.

"The world can be cruel, no matter where you are, Ancient Scroll," she said morosely, "I believe we've both learned that lesson the hard way."

"Maybe you have, Rouge," Ancient Scroll answered with a slow shake of his head, "but I had to hear how cruel Equestria could be from three... four little fillies who did nothing to deserve the hoof they were dealt in life."

"And though you did not suffer as they had, the knowledge still haunts you, does it not?"

Ancient Scroll thought for a moment before giving another slow, thoughtful nod.

"I suppose it does..."

Rouge smiled mirthlessly and shook her head.

"When it comes to life lessons, you're never too old to learn," she said before turning to the sleeping fillies with a sad frown, "...or too young it seems."

"As much as I hate to agree with you," the stallion replied, eyeing the fillies himself, "the evidence speaks for itself."

For a few moments neither of them spoke as they each mulled over their predicaments -- both current and past.

"So what are you planning to do now?" Rouge asked after a minute, "with the threat of a corrupt Dark Mage so near, we can't very well take the little ones into Little Trot, can we?"

Ancient Scroll hummed in thought as he looked from the fillies to the window.

"I was planning on keeping them hidden in the Vardo until we could determine that it was safe to enter the town," he answered with a stroke of his beard, "I had also planned on joining Yoji in determining the state of the town, but with him gone and you still recovering, I didn't want to leave the fillies alone..."

Rouge tilted her head and frowned before glancing at the still snoozing fillies on the armchair. She then addressed the stallion with a simple shrug.

"You know what? Maybe we should take them with us into Little Trot," she suggested, "if you want to protect something, keep it close at hand, right?"

Ancient Scroll was about to argue the point, when he stopped himself and actually thought about it. If he needed to defend himself or the fillies he was fairly sure he could do so without too much effort on his part as he still had quite a bit of mana left -- despite this morning's exertions.

He was about to answer the Abyssinian with an affirmative when the door opened and a grim faced Yojimbo stepped inside.

"I need you in town, Scroll. There's somethin' you gotta see."

Author's Note:

I was feeling a bit dramatic when I woke up today, so now you get this chapter filled with dramatic dialogue.

Comments

[FullMoon]

Feeling dramatic... haha, I can understand feeling like that

[Russian Bank Teller]

*DRAMA INTENSIFIES*

[Birribi]

After another hour or so of traveling across the open feilds

fields

to see the three fillies piled on top of each in the armchair and sound asleep

Pretty sure you're missing an 'other'

he was fairly sure could do so without too much effort

Missing 'he'