The Road Not Easily Traveled.

by Mes Amis

Cry Me A River

"Shy, wake up." said the rainbow maned pegasus. After catching the last express train to Canterlot, they arrived at the station during the wee hours of the night. "Come on we're here, now get up."

"I'm sorry Rainbow Dash." responded Fluttershy after getting up. They exited the train and the only luggage they carried was a saddlebag full of bits, an umbrella, and other essential items.

After walking around and asking for directions from a royal guard on patrol, they finally arrived at Canterlot General Hospital. They entered and walked over to the front desk.

"Hello, how can I help you?" asked a red mare with a white mane.

"We're here to see Jason Mason." responded Rainbow Dash.

"Sorry ladies but visiting hours ended hours ago." said the nurse.

"Please we really need to speak with him." pleaded Fluttershy.

"I'm sorry but..."

"It's fine nurse, you can let them in." called a calm Hispanic voice.

"Mr. Mick, are you sure? I was told by Mr. Stitch to not any guess in." muttered the nurse.

"It's fine, and he has any problems I'll talk to him." Micky responded, leading the mares towards the staircase.

"Thank you." muttered Fluttershy quietly.

"It's not a problem, Ms. Fluttershy. And you must be Ms. Rainbow Dash. It is a pleasure to meet both of you."

"How do you know who we are, and who are you anyways."

"I shall not seem offended by that remark. If you do not know I am Tricky Mick, but you can just call me Micky. If you want to know how I know both of you, I'll just say a specific stallion used to tell stories of his foalhood love interest and her best friend with a rainbow mane."

"Dante mentioned us to you?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"He wouldn't shut up about his days back in Ponyville, or he used to. The guys couldn't stand it but I always listened out of curtesy, but now he's not the same."

"What isn't the same?" wondered Fluttershy.

"After he came back from Ponyville, he hasn't mentioned it or any of you. And whenever the idiot we're here to see said something about Ponyville or you Ms. Shy, Dante would attack him."

"What would he say to make Dante attack this guy?"

"I'd really not like to say."

After a bit of time, Dash came to a conclusion. "Why that bastard, how dare he say such things about Fluttershy! When he gets out of this hospital, I'm going to send him back in." Dash said with fury in her eyes,

"Please don't Dash. We're here to find Dante, not hurt Mr. Mason."

"If you're here to find Dante, then you came to the wrong place. He's in his room at the hotel, most likely drunk off his ass."

"Why would he be drinking? He said he would never drink unless he was celebrating something extravagant."

"Well from what Slide told me, Scarlet's boyfriend said somethings to Dante to piss him off and start yelling in a restaurant before leaving. After that, Scarlet's boyfriend felt guilty and left." Micky said as they arrived at the hospital room door. Before Micky could knock on the door, Montana opened the door to find Micky, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash outside.

"Hello Mic, who are your friends?" Montana wondered.

Fluttershy hid behind Rainbow Dash as Montana turned his attention to them.

"I'm Rainbow Dash and this is Fluttershy."

"Fluttershy? You mean..."

"Yes, that Fluttershy." Micky answered.

"Ah see. What are ya doin' here miss Shy?"

"I-I'm h-here to see D-Dante." Fluttershy said afraid of Montana's figure.

"You're heading back to the hotel right Montana?" asked Micky.

"Yea, why?"

"Could you take these two with you?"

"Now exactly why should Ah do that?"

"They've come this far to see Dante and we know this might be the only chance of getting him back to his old self."

Montana stood there thinking. "Fine. Come with me ladies."

"Thank you Micky." said Rainbow Dash.

"It was no a problem. Now please it's better if you see Dante sooner than later." Micky said as he walked into the room and shut the door.

The mares followed the large stallion out of the hospital.
_____________________________________________________________________________

"Come on Mitch, You don't have to watch over me. I'm fine I was just having a few drinks, nothing else." Dante said as he tried to get pass his English pal.

"I can't let you leave until you tell me or one of the chaps what's wrong."

"There's nothing wrong Mitch."

The door behind Mitch opened, hitting and moving him to the side. Dante tried to exit only to bump into a large brown stallion.

"Now where are ya goin' Dante?"

"For a walk, that's all."

"Really? Ah brought a couple of your ol friends who came to see you." Montana said moving aside to reveal Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy.

"W-what are you two doing here?"

"It seems they've come to talk to you about something important, mate."

"Thanks for that observation Captain obvious." Dante said sarcastically, while turning back to his guest. "So what do you want to tell me?"

"Um, well I'd like to speak with you alone Dante." Fluttershy said.

"Okay, guys could you give us some privacy."

"Sure mate. Come Montana, let's go check on that wanker friend of ours." Mitch said passing the large stallion.

"But ya righ' here." Montana said with a chuckle.

"Ha ha very funny, now let's go."

"Fine."

Dante shut the door and went into the kitchen. "Do you two want anything? A drink, food, anything?"

"We need to talk Dante." Fluttershy said sternly.

"Okay then, shoot."

"About the fight we had in Ponyville, I finally feel that I can trust you."

"Hmp."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash said, finally interjecting.

"I understand that you finally trust me, but that doesn't mean I can trust you." he said as he opened a beer. "Look its been months since I left town and everything was fine up until I got here. I attacked the guy who was my best friend, hospitalised him, made my sister hate me even more, and had an argument with my childhood best friend about my life. So that leaves me a little bit of trust left and that's only for music and my band."

"So what do I have to do to regain your trust? I've spent so long suffering and there is no way I'm going to just leave." Fluttershy said angrily.

"I don-" Dante was cut off by a tackle.

"It's all your fault!' Scarlet screamed as she pounded her hooves against Dante's chest. "It's all your fault. It's all your fault." she repeated those words until she broke into tears.

"Scarlet what's my fault? What did I do?" Date said before looking at her hooves. She was holding something that looked like a letter. He took the letter and read it out loud.

'Dear Scarlet

Look I know you hate long stories so I'll just get to the point, I'm leaving Ponyville. After what happened with Dante I feel that I've made things worse between him and Marcy. Please don't think that what happened is the reason why I'm leaving, that is only the final push I needed to fully understand that all I've done is cause trouble for your family. It's been like this from the start of my friendship with your brother. We were always causing some sort of trouble like play music extremely loud or beating somepony's ass for no reason and we always got caught by your father. Sorry I got carried away with that tale, but the point is that all I've done around your family has been a bother. So to put an end to this I've decided to take a job I was offered to teach musical theory in Appeloosa University. Scarlet I know this is sudden but I think it is time we move on with our lives. You have school and I will only be a bother if we continue to date, you know that as much as I do. I guess this is the last time you'll ever hear from me so I wish you luck and hope your family finally becomes stable after I'm gone.

Sincerely Reda.'

"Scarlet..."

"Why? Why did he leave me behind? Why couldn't you be the one to disappear from my life? Why Reda? Why? It's all your fault!"