A Disparate Bond

by the7Saviors

A Trot Through Town

One of the things that hit Twilight and Starlight first was the smell.

As they reached the town itself, Starlight couldn't help but wrinkle her nose in disgust at a smell she couldn't quite describe. It was like a mix between blood, sweat, soot, dust, and some kind of mold.

In all honesty, the smell actually wasn't that overpowering, but for two fillies who had never been around such an odd concoction of scents, it stood out like a sore hoof. Twilight covered her muzzle with a hoof and looked over to Burning Comet, to see that he hadn't reacted at all.

If the smell bothered him, he didn't show it -- in fact, if anything, he seemed amused at the fillies reactions. The stallion looked at them and gave a brief chuckle before turning his gaze back to the town they were nearing, his expression once more serious.

"Trust me, kids," he began with a single shake of his head, "the smell of this place is gonna be the least of your worries if you don't do as I say and stick close, got it?"

The two fillies nodded before taking in the town around them. Up close, the town around this area looked a bit nicer than what the fillies had seen further back near the outer walls of the city.

It seemed as though the town got progressively more shabby the further away from the Fortress they got, but as a whole, the town generally looked more rundown than it had from a distance.

Despite being so close in proximity to the Fortress, many of the buildings in this area were still in various states of disrepair -- at least to a minor degree -- and the ones that weren't still looked at least a little worn and rusted.

It was also packed with creatures that paid them no heed as they passed by. Twilight and Starlight had to try very hard not to get pulled apart by the crowd, and it made following Burning Comet's order that much more difficult.

Still, with some effort they managed to keep together and on Burning Comet's tail well enough. The stallion eyed them for a moment as he trotted before raising his head up to look at the surrounding buildings. He frowned slightly as he spoke, his voice booming somewhat over the loud buzz of the crowd.

"This is the nicer part of town, which isn't saying much," he said with a glance back to the girls, "but here you're much less likely to get a knife in the throat if you wander too far."

Twilight's and Starlight's eyes widened and they both looked at each other in horror before looking back to Burning Comet, whose grim expression hadn't changed in the slightest.

The two resolved to stick as close to Burning Comet as possible, his idle statement quashing most of their enthusiasm if not their curiosity. Burning Comet nodded once before sweeping his gaze over the throng of various creatures as he continued.

"The city itself isn't very big, and there's only two real districts in the Grey Asylum, the market or merchants district and the residential area," Comet explained, "Defenders are generally spread throughout each district so that we can respond quickly to any attacks from the outside."

Sure enough, Twilight and Starlight could see the occasional griffon, pony, or diamond dog walking or trotting around in armor, weapons holstered at their sides or on their backs. They would stop every now and then to scan the crowd with narrowed eyes.

As the two curious fillies observed the Defenders, Burning Comet turned slightly and gave them both a wry grin.

"We're also supposed to be keeping the peace within the city," he commented with a slight chuckle, "but the citizens of this town still manage to get away with some pretty... devious things from time to time."

For some reason the memory of seeing the two griffons and the stallion following the diamond dog female came unbidden to Starlight's mind, and she frowned. After a moment of indecision, she shook her head and looked around the various creatures working the shops and stalls before looking up at Burning Comet.

"I don't really get it," the light pink filly said with a bemused frown, "you make it sound like there's all sorts of bad pon -- er, creatures here in town, but why is that? If the town is getting attacked all the time, why aren't they helping each other more?"

"Yeah," Twilight agreed, nodding towards Starlight before looking at Burning Comet, "I still don't know a lot about what's going on, but if everypon -- ah, every creature here worked together more, wouldn't it be easier to fight against the monsters?"

"It probably would," Comet replied with a shrug, "but life out here doesn't work that way, Purple."

Twilight frowned at Burning Comet's repeated use of the nickname, but the stallion ignored her annoyance as he continued speaking.

"The constant attacks against the Grey Asylum often leave many injured, dead, or without homes or jobs," he explained, "the sadness and despair generally turns to anger, bitterness, and in many cases, desperation," he looked down at the two with a solemn expression, "they do what they feel they have to to survive."

"But... but what about the Defenders?" Twilight asked pleadingly, "aren't they supposed to keep everyp... everyone safe?"

"We are," Comet replied with a single nod, "but there's a lot of townsfolk and not nearly as many Defenders, Purple. Sure we manage to save a lot of lives, and a lot of us are good at what we do, but you can't expect us to save everyone in town. It can't be done, especially with some of the more deadly monsters and demons that attack."

Twilight's ears folded back and she remain silent as she thought about Burning Comet's words. Starlight frowned contemplatively as she looked over to Twilight, the stallion's words making perfect sense from her perspective.

It was ridiculous to think every life could be saved, or else she doubted the town would be as rundown and filled with strife as it apparently was. The two of them continued to follow after Burning Comet in silence as the stallion continued to explain about the various shops and stalls in the market.

They passed by food stalls, blacksmiths, outfitters, tailors, and the occasional seller of miscellaneous odds and ends. Just as the trio were about to make their way to the residential district, a loud raspy voice called out from somewhere to their left.

"Oi! That you, Comet?"

The stallion in question froze, his ears perking up and his eyes narrowing as he turned to face the owner of the voice. The fillies looked about in confusion for a moment before following Burning Comet's gaze to a nondescript stall near a small alleyway.

A thin, dirty looking brown and white pit bull terrier wearing a black vest and a large maroon scarf leaned over his stall casually. One arm rested on the counter and the other on his hip. He flashed Burning Comet a fang filled smile when he realized he had caught the stallion's attention.

"Well I'll be damned to the darkest pits o' Tartarus, it is you!" the diamond dog laughed a moment before his laughed turned into a loud hacking cough that did nothing to deter his apparent cheer as he spoke again, "haven't seen you 'round these parts in ages, mate!"

Burning Comet gave the diamond dog an unamused frown and sighed. Twilight and Starlight just stared at the diamond dog behind the stall with matching looks of bemusement before Twilight looked back to Burning Comet.

"Do you... know him?" she asked, furrowing her brows in confusion, "it looks like he knows you."

"We have a history," Burning Comet replied shortly, "...unfortunately."

"Well don't just stand there!" the pit bull shouted, waving them over, "come on over, let's talk awhile! Maybe check out what I got for sale why don'tcha?" he frowned in confusion as he finally noticed the two fillies at Burning Comet's side, "oi, what's with the runts, Comet?"

Before the stallion could reply, the diamond dog's eyes suddenly widened and he gave Burning Comet a shocked look, "no way... Comet, did you--"

"No, Bannon, they're not mine," Comet interjected wearily, rubbing a temple in frustration, "I'm showing them around town on Aeon's orders."

"Ah... newcomers, eh?" the pit bull -- Bannon, replied with a knowing nod and a smirk, "well then, here's hoping you love the Grey Asylum as much as we all do."

The two fillies didn't know how to respond to that. Looking around, Twilight didn't see one single creature that looked anywhere close to happy that they were here. Starlight on the other hoof, could hear the sarcasm dripping from Bannon's words and frowned.

"Anyway," Bannon continued, turning his attention back to Burning Comet, "me and you should catch up sometime, Comet," he flashed another grin as he gestured to the 'wares' in front of him -- most wares looking like nothing more than junk picked up from the streets, "we ain't seen each other since you moved into the Fortress, but I kept the business alive old pal. Sure I ain't got the knack for findin' the good stuff like you, but I do well enough."

"What's he talking about?" Starlight whispered to Burning Comet, "what even is all that stuff?"

Rather than answer, the stallion grimaced and started trotting off towards the residential district once more.

"We're moving on," he replied curtly, "there's still more to see, and I've wasted enough time already."

Twilight looked to Starlight in confusion and saw that same confusion reflected back at her. The two went to scramble after Burning Comet when Bannon's angry snarl rang out, startling the two and causing them to turn back to the diamond dog.

"So that's it then, is it?" he sneered, glaring at the retreating stallion, "ya get a fancy new job in the Fortress an' suddenly your old mates back in the slums don't matter anymore?" he slammed a paw down on the counter, causing the random junk to clatter loudly, "I HOPE A RED FANG CLAWS YOUR EYES OUT YOU DAMNED TRAITOR!"

The girls flinched back at the pit bull's shout and decided now was a good time to hurry after Burning Comet.

Neither of them noticed the stallion tense up momentarily, his jaw tightening and his brow furrowing in some kind of dark emotion he was visibly struggling to hold back.

By the time the fillies reached him, Burning Comet had calmed once more, and the three of them continued their trot into the residential district.

Comments

[Venerable Ro]

Hard times make for hard people. Sounds like the town needs something to believe in. Something to work/live for.

[The Cynical One]

9022453
Like the next day? This is essentially one slightly more advanced primitive camp. Would you give a stranger your food if you weren’t sure you would eat tomorrow? It’s a fend-for-your-self kind of place... which doesn’t breed the most pleasant of folks. Isn’t it nice a story gets us talking like this? A cheer for the author!