A comment-driven tale detailing the various misadventures of a transformed woman lost in Equestria's wilds.
While going out for a drive, a young woman named Cassy becomes inexplicably lost in a strange new world beyond her imagining. The fact that she has also somehow been unwillingly turned into a weird spider monster is not helping either, especially as far as a few of the locals are concerned. And she only has so many cigarettes.
This story is a comment-driven tale, wherein the events that take place throughout are decided by the readers themselves. Conflicting tags: Adventure/Slice of Life. Potentially many others, but that remains to be seen as of now. T rating for some tobacco use, particularly early on, though I don't necessarily endorse it. Cover art by yours truly. Also it is a Displaced
‘I’ve been driving for a while now,’ Cassy thought to herself. ‘I should’ve found a gas station by now, right?’
The question went unanswered as Cassy scanned the banks of the dirt road for any sign of a Conoco, or any sort of structure for that matter as she leisurely piloted her vehicle in a straight path along the dirt road; a somewhat listless task, as her thoughts were more or less concerned with why there had been no sign of civilization for the past hundred miles or so. She didn’t go that far, or at least, she didn’t mean to.
It was entirely possible that during her drive she had become distracted and summarily lost her way. It would not be the first time she had accidentally gotten herself good and lost in an unfamiliar location. It would, however, be the first time that it had placed her in some sort of desert in the middle God knows where.
All she could see was dirt, sand, and the occasional cactus as she drove, and she had long since started to become a bit concerned with ever finding a road leading back home in a timely manner. Cassy glanced at the clock on the dashboard. Five thirty-eight. It had been three hours and counting since she left her home for a quick drive outside of the city, and had since started to become rather concerned with the prospect of finding her way in a timely manner.
Cassy sighed heavily, rubbing her eyes with her right hand, keeping the other firmly on the wheel. Her other other hand casually reached over to snag the open box of cigarettes from the passenger seat, flicking the lid open while her other other other hand fumbled with a small lighter, her remaining two other arms neatly folded in her lap, resting on her red rompers that she was sure she had not been wearing this morning.
Cassy didn’t consider herself to be addicted by any stretch, no matter what her friends told her. After all, she only ever smoked when she started to feel overly stressed, and right now seemed as appropriate a time as ever to call upon the soothing powers of nicotine as she ignited the tip of the cigarette and took a long drag of it before exhaling a putrid cloud of vapor and smoke.
It didn’t offer too much help, but it was at least enough to keep Cassy’s thoughts from descending into full blown worry. She glanced at rearview mirror, ignoring the five shiny black eyes staring back at her in favor of inspecting the road behind her, partially obscured by the cloud of light brown dust kicked up by the wheels.
“I should just turn around,” she mumbled bitterly to herself, unhappy with the turn that recent events had taken. If she were wise to any degree, she would have already done just that a few hours ago. In fact, she might not even be in this situation in the first place if she had heeded her own advice. However, for some reason she kept going, stubbornly keeping her small foot firmly pressed against the gas pedal. She took a number of slow draws at the bundle of tobacco, before flicking the stump outside the window into the barren expanse outside her microbus.
Another half hour or so passed, and Cassy was beginning to feel the increasingly tempting desire to heed to the wisdom of hindsight and just turn around right then and there. That is, until she spotted something in the distance, partially obscured by the thin layer of dust that had collected on her windshield. Cassy squinted her eyes, unable to quite make out what it was other than it was some type of structure. A gas station maybe? That was her initial guess, although the closer she got the more apparent it became that is was not some errant Conoco in the middle of nowhere.
Cassy pulled to a stop in front of the building, inspecting it through the passenger window, and found herself to be summarily perplexed by the sight before her. Old wooden siding, a windchime that jangled softly. There was even what appeared to be a spittoon of all things. The place reminded her of some sort of wild west tavern or bar, like the movie sets she saw in some old cowboy films. There was no sign or anything, leaving her wondering what it was doing all the way out here.
Curious to find out if only for the sake of knowing, Cassy killed the engine, stepping out of the microbus to investigate. “Hello?” she called out, shielding her eyes from the sun with her three left hands. “Anyone here?” She waited briefly for a response, and when none was forthcoming it made her question whether is was worth bothering to check out any further. It didn’t seem to be abandoned, judging from how clean everything seemed to be. There was clearly somebody around to tidy up the place and keep it presentable.
Shrugging away her doubts, Cassy approached the swinging doors, the pointed feet of her thin legs clicking on the wooden flooring. She overheard snoring emanating from within, confirming her suspicion that there was at least one person here. Maybe if she introduced herself, quickly explained that she was not there to eat them, whoever they were might be willing to give her directions.
Pushing aside the doors, Cassy found herself greeted by the musty scent of old cigars and various alcohols that almost knocked her off her feet from how overpowering it was. Looking around, she immediately noticed rows of shelves filled to the brim with dried goods and various bits of gear suited for travel. And there were potted plants everywhere, occupying every spare corner in sight.
Again, the distinct din of slumber made itself known to Cassy, and she looked to her left to find. . . perhaps one of the strangest sights she had ever seen, not counting herself. Behind the counter, slumped over with her head resting on folded hooves was a mare with fur the color of grass, and a mane tinted a deep shade of emerald with streaks of turquoise that spilled out all over the counter, obscuring her face beneath waves of flowing locks as she snoozed, blissfully unaware of Cassy’s presence.
“Okay. . . that’s new,” Cassy muttered dumbly, the statement doing very little in properly conveying the confusion she was currently experiencing, let alone the mental gymnastics her brain was pulling in attempting to process the odd sight before.
The mares loud snoring was not helping in the slightest, as Cassy tried to decide what to do. Was. . . was this horse thing some kind of animatronic? Did she come across some distant roadside attraction? That was her first guess, but that begged the question of where the person operating this joint was. Plus, unless they had had absurdly deep pockets to spend on something almost no one would ever see, the mare was simply too life-like, minus a few discrepancies from what a horse actually looked like, to be the product of machinery.
Her next guess was that the pony was somebody’s pet, though again, that did not answer where the owner was. Or why it was green. Hoping to find the answers to her growing list of questions, Cassy cupped her multitude of hands around her fanged mouth, calling out, “Hello? Anyone here?”
What followed in the moments after the words left her mouth was something that the young woman had not been expecting in the slightest as the mare jolted awake at the provocation of her elevated voice, her head snapping upward while she exclaimed in a bleary tone, “Huh? Whuzzat? Who’s there I’m. . . busy.”
Cassy froze on the spot, staring wide-eyed at the pony. The talking pony. The talking green pony that she only just now noticed had a blunt horn roughly the same shade of green as her fur spiraling out of her forehead. So. . . talking green unicorn really.
Cassy blinked, rendered completely dumfounded by the absurdity of what she was witnessing as the mare contorted her left forelimb in a way that physically should not have been possible given her equine physiology, placing a hoof against the side of her head to ward off an impending headache.
“Ugh,” she groaned. “Last time I let Flinty talk me into another late night.”
Just then, one set of eyes met two and a half sets of eyes, and the mares face transformed from an expression of pained annoyance to one of blank uncertainty.
Cassy blinked.
The green mare followed suit.
“Well you’re an odd one.”
The statement was so unexpected and out of the blue that Cassy practically recoiled in surprise as soon as she heard it, and she was unable to decide whether to feel irked by it or nod in agreement. The only thing she knew with any certainty was that it was woefully underexaggerated.
“I should say the same about you,” she replied cheekily, feeling a grim satisfaction at seeing the weird pony frown at the rebuttal. Before she could get a chance to come up with a witty retort of her own, Cassy interrupted her by saying, “Listen, I don’t want to cause any trouble, alright? Can you just. . . tell me what the heck is going on here?”
Raising an eyebrow, the mare replied with a question of her own that was laced heavily with caution. “What do you mean?”
Cassy gestured at her surroundings. “I mean everything. I have no idea what’s going on, alright? I go out for a drive, and all of a sudden, I’m here in this wasteland. Not to mention I’m stuck like. . .” Cassy trailed off, looking down at herself with something akin to contempt. “Like this. I don’t really know, your guess is as good as mine.” Suddenly feeling rather worn out, Cassy leaned against the counter, putting one of her three fingered hands against her brow, mindful not to accidentally poke herself in one of her eyes. “Listen, miss talking horse lady-“
“Chamomile.”
“I don’t drink tea, but thank you for the offer. Anyway, if you can, I could really use your help. If you could just point me in the general direction of Denver, I would really appreciate it.”
The mare did not reply right away much to Cassy’s dismay, choosing instead to look her up and down with an air of skepticism about her, apparently attempting to gauge whether or not Cassy was about to eat her.
“Well,” she finally answered after a while, “I’m afraid I can’t really tell you where, uh. . . Denver is at. But I can at least give you directions to Dodge Junction if that helps. Or Klugetown, if that’s more your style.” She gave Cassy another onceover. “You definitely look like Klugetowns’ style, that’s for sure.”
Cassy had no idea what the weird pony was talking about, and was left unsure if she should feel insulted by the statement, and she made her displeasure known with an impatient grimace. “Can you help me or not?” she questioned, straining not to let her annoyance get the better of her.
“The mare shook her head. “Sorry. Not unless you want to know which sort of tack is good for trips or the best way to get a deal at Flinty’s, then you’re asking the wrong pony.” Cassy groaned, not even bothering to offer a response as she proceeded to throw her multitude of arms up into the air and make her exit. “W-wait!” the mare called after her. Cassy halted, hoping that the mare had finally decided to be helpful. “Aren’t you going to buy anything before you leave?” Cassy held her gaze for a moment, then left. Nope. Her need to sell stuff just overrode her paranoia it seemed. As soon as the strange spider lady had left, taking with her any chance of making a purchase the mare muttered to herself, “What a weirdo.” Shaking her head, she rested her head on her hooves, eager to return to her nap.
Outside the building, Cassy from practically fuming with aggravation as she stepped into her vehicle, frustrated not only by how very unhelpful the talking unicorn pony had bee, but also by the fact that she was no closer to making it back home in timely manner, never mind the fact that she had next to no clue on how she was going to handle the inevitable questions and potential screams of terror when her friends and colleagues saw what became of her.
Cassy decided to set that dilemma off to the side for later consideration as she started up the engine, performed a probably illegal U-turn, and started heading back the way she came, lighting another cigarette along the way to remedy her tense attitude.
The way things were going, she was probably going to need a lot more.
“Come on, come on. Work you damn thing!” Cassy muttered angrily, keeping the microbus going straight with four hands on the wheel while she used her other two to fiddle with her cell phone in an attempt to get a signal as she sped down the dirt road. It was more than likely that she had long since violated the speed limit in every way possible, but at this given time Cassy was too rattled and desperate to really care.
Much to her continued and ever escalating frustration, Cassy’s phone was being rather uncooperative with as it struggled to find a signal, and no matter how many times she refreshed it, it yielding the same unsatisfactory result it had been giving her for the past ten minutes since she left the talking pony behind: the words “no service” pasted next to a faded out wi-fi symbol.
Cassy growled bitterly, certain that it was working just fine a short while ago. Why was it now deciding to act up all of a sudden? There had to be a cell tower somewhere around here, right? Glancing at the road to ensure that she didn’t crash into anything, Cassy made one more attempt to get the device working as she removed the casing and took the battery out.
Praying against all odds, Cassy reinserted the battery hoping that it would finally kick into working order. “Please work. Please work, come on,” she pleaded, her anxiety levels nearly at their limits as she nervously waited to the device to lazily turn back on, and she caught herself holding her breath. Almost teasingly, the screen lit up briefly, displaying the distributer logo before finally going to the lock screen, whereupon Cassy’s myriad of eyes immediately darted to the upper right corner.
No service.
“Dammit!”
Cassy threw the phone onto the passenger seat, casting it away for its failures as she put a hand to her brow in an attempt to assuage an oncoming headache. This only resulted in her making it even worse when the little block of glass and plastic that was her phone collided with her cranium. The resulting pain and surprise nearly made her swerve off the road, prompting her to hit the breaks as the microbus skidded to a halt, kicking up a plume of dust. She looked at her hand, dismayed to find that her phone was now stubbornly stuck to her fingers despite her making no effort to hold onto it. Her anger building, Cassy shook her hand, almost yelling in her efforts to pry it off her person. She tried to use her other hands, but found them to be equally tied up as they remained fastened to the steering wheel.
“Oh, for fucks sake!” she screamed, ready to completely throttle the phone and the wheel, and chuck both out the window with extreme prejudice.
She stayed her hand however, taking deep breaths in a conscious effort to calm herself. “Okay. Okay, let’s just. . . take it easy. Everything’s going to be fine, just. . . don’t lose your head.” Her own attempts to convince herself of this were hardly very convincing, but it did the trick as Cassy felt her stress and anxiety lessen as she forced herself to relax, if only slightly. A moment later her phone pried itself from her palm with a sound akin to velcro, startling her slightly as it thudded into her lap. Likewise, her remaining hands were also released from the stranglehold she had on the steering wheel. “Huh,” she mumbled with slight interest, taking a moment to inspect her appendages in closer detail, running a pointed finger along the palms.
Deciding that she needed some fresh air to properly think things over, Cassy shut off the engine as she stepped out, hands on both her hips and chin and skull as she mulled over everything that occurred in the past few hours. The hot sun beat down on her relentlessly, but at the moment she preferred it to the cramped interior of the microbus.
Her curiosity taking hold of her, Cassy gave into it as she proceeded to inspect the rest of her changed body. Her outward appearance was the most obviously affected by whatever happened, as evidenced when she peeled back bits of clothing to reveal stiff skin the color of light lavender, as well as certain aspects of her body being drastically altered. This left her wondering what else about her had changed, particularly in regards to her organs and such. She didn’t feel any different, so there was some comfort in that.
Unsure if she wanted to know the answer to her rapidly growing list of questions, Cassy refocused her thoughts on how she was going to fix all of this. The obvious answer was to get back home, see a doctor, maybe even a psychiatrist. Unfortunately, this came with the equally obvious hurdle that she currently had no idea where she was. She looked around, scratching her head. Hoping to get a better look around, she clambered up to the top of the microbus, ignoring the hot metal as she stood on the tips of her small feet, surveying the area. and as far as she could tell, there was nothing for miles save an empty wasteland, with only the distant silhouettes of snowcapped mountain peaks in both directions to offer any sort of waypoint. Neither held any familiarity for her.
“Great,” Cassy muttered, her shoulders sagging. She checked her phone one last time, finding it to be as unhelpful as ever before shaking her head, trying to decide her next move. Within moments, her brain went into survival mode as she hopped down and summarily began rummaging through whatever belongings she may have had inside the vehicle. She lifted the seats, hopeful to find something worthwhile.
The entire process took about five minutes, at the end of which she had a depressingly small pile of various items that she could only hope would be able to serve her. She had a spare blanket, two extra gallons of gas, snow chains, a small tool box, a flashlight, some winter gear left over from a camping trip, and a box of raisins. She also had a spare set of clothes which she was tempted to exchange her rompers for, but decided to hold off in case they no longer fit her in this state.
She remembered to count her cigarette lighter as well, so she had that going for her.
The only problem now was food and water, which she had basically none of. The singular box of raisins didn’t count. Thinking of a way to remedy this issue, it was only a matter of time before Cassy’s thoughts eventually returned to the little building, and the mare who could potentially offer her some help. Cassy found the thought of going back displeasing, but soon came to the conclusion that it was her only option. In short order, Cassy had the vehicle started up. She checked to dial on the dashboard, seeing that she had burned away well over a quarter of a tank. She tried not to think about it too much however, making yet another possibly illegal U-turn to go back the way she came.
Cassy burst through the swinging doors in a rush, nearly tripping over a potted plant in the progress and startling the green mare into wakefulness. The talking pony nearly fell over in surprise, flailing her limbs as she blurted out, “It wasn’t me, I swear!”
Cassy hurried over to the mare, whereupon she was greeted with a “Oh, you’re back? Did you decide to buy something?” “No, not right now,” Cassy replied urgently, then shook her head. “I mean yes. Maybe. We’ll see, but listen. I could really use your help right now.”
The mare leered away from Cassy. Appearing slightly put off by being in such close proximity to the woman. “Okay, um, I would like to do that, but like I said I don't really know where the place you want to go is, so I really can’t help you there.”
“That’s fine, you don’t need to worry about that,” Cassy insisted. “I just need you to give me a general direction I can start heading in, anywhere that I won’t be just sitting out in the middle of nowhere.” Cassy paused in her rambling when she took notice of the mare not so subtly reach a hoof under the counter, and only then she realized how off putting it likely was to have a distressed spider monster in ones’ vicinity. Taking a moment to steady her frayed nerves before she got herself too worked up, Cassy attempted to come off as nonthreatening as she could muster.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Cassy explained, “Look. I ‘m just really out of my element here. I have no clue where I am, and no idea where to go. I know you’re not obligated to, but any advice you could give would be really helpful.”
For a long while the mare regarded Cassy with a raised eyebrow, making her afraid that she would just be turned away. To her relief to the mare seemed sympathetic to her plight. “Alright,” she sighed. “Alright I’ll help. Did you have any particular place in mind that you want to go?”
Cassy thought for a moment, putting a hand to her chin. “You mentioned there were a few towns or something around here, right? Dodge Junction and. . . what was the other place?”
“Klugetown.”
“And what are they like?”
The mares brow furrowed slightly at the question. “Well, Dodge Junction is about fifty or so miles to the West, which is. . . that way,” she said, gesturing with her hoof. “It’s a nice place, if a bit small. It’s mostly kept afloat as a stopping off point for ponies traveling by train. If you head there, then I suggest getting in touch with a mare named Cherry Jubilee if you can. She can help you better than I can.”
“Assuming I don’t get chased off with torches and pitchforks, right?” Cassy said jokingly with a dark chuckle. The lack of any sort of humorous response from the mare was somewhat concerning. She cleared her throat, putting it out of her mind. “Ahem, and uh, Klugetown?”
“Ehhh. . .” the mare mumbled, suddenly looking much less eager. “Klugetown is. . . well, it’s Klugetown.”
Cassy’s eyes narrowed worryingly. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Well, for one it’s a trade city right on the border of the badlands in Storm King territory, a hundred miles or so in the opposite direction of Dodge. It’s kind of a rough place, and believe me, that’s putting it mildly. It's outside of Princess Celestia's jurisdiction, so if you happen to find yourself there, you better be on your hooves. Folks there will do whatever they can to sell something to you, and if not they might end up trying to sell you instead. You look pretty fancy, so they might even like you, assuming you have the money. That’s pretty much all I know.”
Cassy blinked, attempting to process the information she had just been given, left unsure how much of it to trust. Storm King territory? Badlands? Princess Celesti-something-or-other? Not once in her life had she ever heard of anything like those before, which only served to make her feel that much more lost and clueless.
At least she had some sort of goal in mind now, that being getting to Dodge Junction. If the talking mare could be trusted, then it at least sounded like a somewhat friendlier destination. She also wanted to conserve on gasoline, which only made it sound that much more appealing. She wasn’t sure what to do from there, but it was a start. And right now, a start was the best she could hope for.
Cassy was pulled out of her thoughts when the mare mentioned, “I um, I hope that helps you at least.”
“Oh, d-don’t worry about that. You’ve been plenty help, trust me.”
The mare beamed with delight at the praise, appearing slightly bashful. “Oh, well, glad to be of assistance. On that note, is there anything you wanted to grab before you head out? It is a bit of a trip to Dodge Junction.” Unexpectedly, the mares’ horn lit up in a shimmering aura of sparkling emerald, and little cloth bag, encased in similar emerald glow, floated upward from somewhere beneath the counter to rest in front of Cassy. “We do offer complimentary portions of dried apples to new customers. Homegrown.”
Cassy did not answer right away, staring hard at the bag of dehydrated fruit. She blinked a few times, attempting to process what she just saw. The mare coughed into her hoof, fidgeting nervously when no reply was immediately forthcoming. Cassy shook her head, clearing away her moment of bewildered stupor and arriving to the conclusion that it was better to simply not question anything anymore.
“Y-yes. Thank you. That’d be nice. Yeah,” she mentioned somewhat warily, accepting the offer as she slid the bag over to herself. Trying not to overthink it too much, she summarily began gathering up at least one of everything she felt she would need in the foreseeable future, and before long she had a small pile of various dried goods and jugs of water on the counter while the mare rung her up. It was only when she was about to reach into her pocket that she realized a crucially important detail that she overlooked in her haste. “Uh,” she said bashfully. “I don’t know if I have anyway to pay for this.”
Putting a hoof to her chin in thought, the mare suggested, “Well, do you have anything you’re willing to trade? We do barter.”
Cassy took a moment to think, wondering if she had anything on hand that the mare would be interested in. She was hesitant to give up anything essential, which left her options woefully limited. Just when she was about to give up on being able to buy anything, a thought entered her head.
“Well, I do have one thing. . .”
After loading up her microbus with as much supplies as she was able carry in her six arms, Cassy hopped into the drivers seat, taking the time to bid her farewells to the mare, who watched from the door with a lit cigarette floating next to her. “Thanks again miss talking unicorn,” she called, and with that she began making her way westward, following the mare’s directions to Dodge Junction.
Watching her leave with a mixture of mystification and sullied appreciation, the mare took another draw of the strange little cigar the spider lady provided her, rolling her eyes as she watched the odd visitor roll away in her magic metal carriage. “Chamomile,” she muttered, trotting back inside and out of the sun.
“Would you mind hurrying it up Pit? We are on a schedule here in case you didn’t know,” Peachy called up to her partner, tapping her hoof impatiently on the dusty soil for the past few minutes. The baskets of cherries slung over her back were not getting any lighter, and their shift was rapidly approaching its end.
“Just give me a moment, I’m almost done here,” the amber stallion called back, busily taking his sweet time filling his own baskets set beneath the boughs of a yet to be picked cherry tree. Only, despite his efforts to free the little fruits from their stems, his efforts had yet to yield any meaningful results, leaving him frustrated and Peachy impatient. She was not looking forward to getting chewed out by their boss again.
For as much effort as he was putting into his kicks, the tree stubbornly refused to deposit its treasures, yielding only a scant few with every hard buck Pit put into the trunk. Despite the impatience in her previous statement, Peachy still could not help but laugh quietly at the sight, hiding her mirth behind a hoof when he shot her a hard scowl.
“How about instead of sitting there like a loon, you come over and help me,” he suggested none too politely. Peachy proceeded to oblige, though not without an appropriate of snickering as she assisted him in bucking the tree. Eventually with their combined efforts the cherries were finally freed from branches and plummeted into the waiting baskets, whereupon Pit slung them over his shoulder, following Peachy back to the sorting station. Along the way Pit asked, “Didn’t Jubilee manage to get a new hire a little while ago? Why isn’t she out here helping us?”
“She’s making sure that she meets all the qualifications. We don’t want just anypony off the streets out here bucking trees, so for now she’s on sorting duty. And she doesn’t start ‘til tomorrow anyway, so it’s just us ‘til then.”
Pit nodded in understanding, and their conversation faded into silence as they made their way over drop their load of cherries off, trotting along a path that cut straight through the orchard, connecting with the main road. Both ponies were eager to be done with their shift, and Pit was about to ask what she planned to do when she stopped him with an outstretched hoof.
“What?” he questioned, only to be silenced when Peachy shushed him. She looked around, leaving Pit unsure what the cause behind her sudden desire to check their surroundings. Just then, he heard it; a sound like the low growl of a train engine, if only drastically tempered. It started quiet at first, but steadily grew louder with every passing second, accompanied by the sound of wheels rolling over dusty soil.
“What is that?” Peachy muttered, to which Pit had no answer. The only thing that either pony could definitively tell for certain was the it seemed to be coming from somewhere behind them. Their heads turned in unison as they glanced down the dirt road, finding a plume of dust kicked up by. . . something heading straight towards them. Neither could readily tell what the object was supposed to be, or if they should be concerned as it drew closer, its metallic surface gleaming in the sinking sunlight.
They hurried to stand off to the side of the road, having no desire to be in the objects path. Just when it seemed that it was about to pass them, the object, which appeared to be some sort of carriage despite the lack of any ponies to pull it along, rolled to a stop before them. The tinted windows prevented them from seeing anything too clearly, though it was obvious there was at least one passenger within. One that was not equine in nature.
Pit and Peachy glanced at each other nervously, both of them unsure if they should stay or hide somewhere. Before the decision could be made, one of the glass panels slid downward. A head poked out of the opening, rendering both ponies stiff and their hearts racing within their chests.
Light lavender skin.
Needle sharp fangs poking out from the upper lip.
Five slanted eyes, each the color of glittering obsidian.
To say that the creatures’ appearance gave them pause was a horrendous understatement as a sense of fearful panic coiled within their stomachs. A scream started to well up within them, and their limbs quivered in preparation to bolt as fast as they could.
“Hey, sorry to bother you, but can you help me for a sec’?”
The scream died in their throats and their shivering ceased as nervous terror was replaced by startled confusion.
“. . . Huh?” Pit uttered, vocalizing the only thing that could come to his mind at the moment.
“I was told that a place called Junction Dodge Junction was somewhere around here. You see, I’m looking for someone named Cherry. . . Jubilee was it? Yeah, Cherry Jubilee. If you don’t mind could you point me to where she’s at?”
A moment of silence passed. The creature coughed into a three-fingered hand. Peachy and Pit looked at each other, their confusion reflecting in each others faces before they both slowly raised their left hooves, pointing farther down the road.
“Uh, yeah. She’s uh. . . she lives just down. . . over. . . there,” Peachy answered. “It’s a two-story house. Only one around here. You, um, you can’t miss it.”
Briefly glancing in the indicated direction, the creature them very politely said, “Alright. Thank you for the help.” And with that, the glass panel covered rose, obscuring the creature from sight as she began to roll away in her metal carriage, the sound of its engine gradually getting quieter in the distance.
For a long while both ponies stood in place, gazing with a cocked eyebrows and open mouths after her.
“What just happened?” Peachy muttered. Pit merely shook his head, unable to come up with a good answer.
“No wonder her name’s Cherry,” Cassy muttered through a mouthful of raisins, keeping all five eyes peeled for a building hidden among the veritable forest of cherry trees that sped by her windows in a blur of vibrant reds and yellows.
Eventually she ran out of raisins, and she tossed the empty box into the back seat. As she drove, her thoughts were a bit distracted as they were abound with the many potential possibilities that might be upon meeting this Cherry Jubilee. Although she was somewhat loath to admit it out loud, Cassy could not deny that she felt anxious at what kind of reaction she would get, as her interaction just minutes ago lingered on her mind.
The looks of fear and nervousness directed at her had not gone unnoticed, leaving Cassy to second guess herself on whether it was a good idea to even come here at all.
Before she could decide if she wanted to simply turn around and park her microbus in some distant corner of the orchard where she wouldn’t be bothered, she saw the top of a roof appearing over the grove, and upon rounding a corner she found Jubilee’s place of residence, assuming she hadn’t misunderstood its description.
A quaint looking house, with red siding and a shingled roof, it had obviously been around for a number of years but had been well taken care of. She rolled to a stop about dozen feet from the house, but did not shut off the engine as she sat in the drivers, busily contemplating if she should follow through. Eventually Cassy figured that she’d already come too far not to, and stepped out of the vehicle, cautiously making her approach.
Soon enough she was standing before the front door. She took a moment to steady her frayed nerves with a few deep breaths, brushed herself down to ensure that she was least presentable before gently rapping her knuckles on the aged wood in quick succession.
She waited, her six hands clasped behind her back as she rocked back and forth on her heels.
“Just. . . smile and be friendly Cassy. Smile and be friendly.”
Moments later she overheard the muffled din of hooves clicking on hardwood floor, and she tensed up in preparation to introduce herself. A lock unlatched, and the door swung open to reveal. . . empty space. Momentarily flummoxed, Cassy’s sight eventually found its way downward whereupon she found herself confronted by a small pink filly with a bright blue ribbon in her mahogany mane. She stared upward at Cassy wide emerald eyes.
Quickly getting over her surprise, Cassy began to say, “H-hello there. I was wondering if-“
That was as far as she was able to get before the filly suddenly ran away screaming into the house. “Aunt Cherry! Aunt Cherry there’s a monster at the door!” she yelled in a tinny voice, leaving Cassy standing at the doorway with a raised finger. She looked back to her microbus, pondering if would be wise to leave while she could.
“Now Bloom, I already to ya once,” an older voice said from somewhere inside, getting clearer as its owner approached. “Ya can’t be callin’ every stranger ya meet monster. We already went over this.” Soon enough a cream coated mare trotted into view, her ruby red mane bouncing with every step she took. “Now, come along and let’s properly greet our. . .” The mares voice faltered into a grim silence the moment her sight landed on Cassy, and the woman felt an involuntary crawl up her spine as she was looked over. “Uh. . . guest,” she finished uncertainly.
“See? I told you Aunt Cherry!” the filly stated from her hiding place behind the legs of the older pony, regarding Cassy with no small amount of suspicion.
Figuring that she should speak up before they brought out the torches and pitchforks, Cassy cleared her throat and said shakily, “Um, yes, hello there. I was just wondering if you were perhaps a miss Cherry Jubilee?” Cassy felt the question was unnecessary, as the cherry shaped mark on her flank was incriminating enough. She felt it was polite to ask though.
“. . . Yeah. Who wants to know?” Jubilee answered, cocking an eyebrow at Cassy and subtly putting herself in front of her niece.
Clearing her throat and trying to appear as friendly as possible, Cassy proceeded to explain. “You ma’am, I’m a little bit lost. Really lost actually. I happened to meet another pony, and she told me that I could come to you for help.”
Jubilee did not answer right away, instead taking the time to look Cassy up and down a few times, even glancing at the microbus. “Uh huh, right,” she replied skeptically. “And this other pony? What was their name?”
Scratching the back of her head, Cassy already could tell that her chances were not looking too great as she said sheepishly, “I don’t really know. She was a green unicorn manning some little shop in the middle of nowhere. She was nice enough to trade for some supplies, though she kept offering me tea for some reason?”
“You don’t mean Chamomile, do you?” Jubilee asked, her eyes widening slightly as she seemed to brighten up a bit.
“Yeah, that’s the kind. I don’t drink tea though, can’t stand it.”
“What? N-no, that’s her name. Chamomile. She’s a friend of mine.”
“Really? That was her name? You mean she wasn’t. . ?” Cassy uttered, then proceeded to place a palm to her face in embarrassment. “Oh God, I feel like an idiot.”
Jubilee seemed to not care about Cassy’s self-deprecation. “So what you’re tellin’ me right now is that Chamomile trusted ya enough to send ya over to me. Am I getting’ that right?”
Sighing, Cassy nodded solemnly. “Yes, that’s right. I’m. . . I just. . .” Cssy shook her head, struggling to find the words to explain her feelings. Ultimately she said, “I got nowhere to go ma’am. If you could help me out, it would mean the world to me.”
For a good long while, Jubilee simply looked at Cassy, seeming to judge the strange woman before her. Cassy could not help but feel self-conscious during the tense silence, considering what she looked like. Truthfully she could blame the mare for having trust issues, especially since her niece was right there. Finally let out a sympathetic sigh.
“Alright. Fine,” she said. “If what you’re sayin’ is true and Chamomile trusted ya enough to send ya here, then I might as well hear ya out.”
At that moment Cassy released a breath she did not know she had been holding, and the vice that gripped her midsection loosened a bit as she said sincerely, “Thank you thank you thank you! You don’t know how much this means to me.”
“I can imagine,” Jubilee responded. She took a moment to glance at their surroundings, presumably to determine if there were anyone watching their conversation, then added, “Why don’t ya come on inside. Ya can explain yourself in there.”
“But Aunt Cherry!” the filly whined from behind the mare, which was quickly silenced by a harsh look from Jubilee.
“Hush now, Bloom. I don’t want to hear any of your belyyachin, ya hear. Now go on upstairs, its almost your bedtime.”
Bloom dipped her head in admonishment, unable to fight her aunt on the matter. She did not part without stopping to stick her tongue out at Cassy however, to which the woman balked.
“Pardon her manners. She’s a bit jittery around strangers,” Jubilee apologized as she stepped to the side, allowing Cassy entry into her home.
“I don’t know if I can blame her honestly.”
Once Cassy was inside, Jubilee took one last look outside before shutting and locking the door.
“I don’t think I got your name yet,” Jubilee stated, taking a seat on a comfy looking chair set low to the floor. Cassy followed her example having to scrunch down a little bit in order for the small chair opposite the pony to accommodate her taller form.
“Right, sorry,” she apologized, clearing her throat. “My name is Cassy. Well, it’s actually Cassidy, but most of my friends just call me Cassy for short.” The mention of her friends brought melancholic feelings upon Cassy, making her wonder how they were doing. For that matter, she wondered how her family would cope with the news of her being gone.
She shook her head, putting the thought out of her mind in favor of taking in the interior of Jubilee’s home. It was rustic and well kempt domicile, with picture frames taking up almost available space on the walls. A fireplace constructed of quartered stone was the main focal point of the living room, and the scent of cinnamon lingered in the air. Everything conveyed a feeling of comfort and peace, putting Cassy at ease somewhat.
That ease was kept tempered however by the knowledge that she was under heavy scrutiny from Jubilee as the mare seemed unwilling to take her eyes off the woman for more than a few seconds, something that Cassy was unfortunately all too aware of.
“Cassy, eh? Sounds nice,” Jubilee said, the compliment sounding a little disingenuous. “Now then, if you don’t mind, would ya be so kind as to explain a few things to me? Like where you’re from, and what you’re doin’ here?”
Understanding that it was probably going to be an uphill battle in earning Jubilee’s trust, Cassy nodded and proceeded to explain her situation, being sure to stress the point that she was not there to cause any trouble. She considered including the fact that she was not exactly the right species, but chose to leave it out for now in favor of being succinct. When she finished her abbreviated tale, Jubilee remained silent for a good long while, a hoof placed to her chin in thought. Realistically only a minute or so passed while the mare considered Cassy’s words, but it felt longer to the woman as she waited anxiously, nervously wringing her small hands in silence.
Finally, Jubilee seemed to come a conclusion as she flashed Cassy a sympathetic look and said, “Well, I don’t know what exactly I can do to help ya with that whole. . . lost your home business and whatnot. But I suppose I can a least let ya stick around here for a bit while ya figure that out. Ya seem an honest sort.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, the last little bit of Cassy’s tense nerves loosened, and she began to thank the mare for her assistance, to which she responded, “Eh, you probably have Chamomile to thank the most. She and I go back a bit, so if she’s comfortable enough to refer ya to me by name, then who am I to turn ya away.” She paused for a second, then added, “Even if you’re a bit strange lookin’.”
Cassy shrugged, unable to argue against the observation. “So, what should I do in the meantime?” she asked, hoping for guidance. “I mean, I’m more than happy to sleep out in my car, but I’m just not sure what to do tomorrow.”
“Ya want my advice?” Jubilee began. “Take a stroll around town for a bit. It’s just a quick trot away from here. Introduce yourself to folks, let ‘em know that I vouched for ya. That way you’re less likely to start a panic if you make a familiar face of yourself.”
Cassy dipped her head in understanding. Truthfully however, she was unsure if she was at all comfortable with the idea of walking around in broad daylight for all to see. Again, her interactions with those two ponies just a short while ago sprung to mind, making her increasingly hesitant to heed Jubilee’s advice. Even with Jubilee’s insistence, she was not too confident in her ability to convince any of the residents of her trustworthiness.
A yawn escaped her lips, interrupting her thoughts and replacing them with a weariness that she did not know had been weighing on her until now. She had been so distracted just trying to regain some semblance of control over the errant turn her life had taken, that now that it was no longer such an immediate concern Cassy felt ready to pass out from both mental and physical exhaustion. The change in her demeanor did not go unnoticed by Jubilee, who flinched upon bearing witness to Cassy’s splayed fangs before glancing at the clock hanging above the fireplace.
“I uh, I take it ya might want to rest up for a while,” she suggested, to which Cassy dipped her head, suddenly unable to arrange her thoughts in a cohesive manner. “I suppose I should let ya go then.”
With that, Jubilee guided Cassy to the front door, parting with a quick, “Come see me again if ya have any questions,” then shut the door after the woman exited the home, making her way to her microbus. Overhead, the sun had sunk low into the horizon, gradually disappearing behind the distant mountain range. She considered moving her vehicle to a different place where it would not be as conspicuous, then decided that it could wait until the morning. For now, she was too tired to do much than fold the back seats down and break out the blanket. By the time she finished the sun had disappeared entirely, and a field of stars appeared in the darkening sky above. Before laying her head down for the night, Cassy realized that she was still dressed in her new red rompers.
With some fiddling with the buttons, she exchanged them for her spare shirt and undergarments, tossing them off to the side. A she undressed she took the time to inspect her changed body, as the brief onceover she gave herself earlier had not been enough to satisfy her grin curiosity. Although she was already expecting to see drastic changes, what she found still left her feeling a sense unease at seeing her body replaced with a thin torso covered in hardened skin akin to chitin. She ran a hand down her midsection, her pointed fingers scratching across purple flesh.
With a shake of her head, Cassy threw on the spare shirt. She removed the bows from her raven hair, undoing the pigtails allowing her hair to fall in a wave down her back. She laid herself down, using the discarded rompers as a makeshift pillow, dragging the blanket over her thin frame.
Just as she was about tp close her eyes, she noticed an oddly shaped shadow resting next to her. Think she might have had a spy on her hands, she looked up. She found a spider, no bigger than a golf ball, had planted itself firmly on her window, rendered a dark silhouette by the rising moon.
“Hope you enjoyed the show, you little bastard,” Cassy muttered bitterly, rolling over so she wouldn’t have to look at it, and closed her eyes. Despite how tired and worn out she felt, she wasn’t sure if she would be able to get any rest that night.
Cassy awoke to the din of something crashing in the distance, stirring her from her rest as her bleary black eyes blinked open, only to summarily shut tight the moment they were exposed to the blinding sunlight. She moaned in irritation, desiring nothing more than the sweet release of slumber, but was denied the luxury as the crashing sound persisted at regular intervals, drawing her further away from the realm of her dreams and forcing her to confront the day.
When Cassy finally gave in and sat upright, she did so with no small amount of complaining as a headache throbbed within her skull, unaided by the clamor outside.
Blinking in confusion, it took Cassy a moment to recognize the interior of the microbus. It took another moment for her to remember exactly why as the events of the past day resurfaced in her memory, leading to her uttering an exasperated sigh at knowing that that it was not some strange dream. No, it was all very real, and demanding that she address it.
Scratching at her head and rubbing the remaining dregs of sleep from her eyes, Cassy noticed something odd. Well, odder. Her hands felt strangely tacky, like she had been sweating profusely despite it not being that warm throughout the night. She glanced down at her palms, finding them covered in some filmy substance. "What the. . ?" she said under her breath in confusion, until she realized with a jolt what it was.
Webs.
And they weren't just on her hands either. The thin layer of thread extended down her arm, past her elbow, across her torso. Throwing off the blanket, a quick glance confirmed that they had enveloped her thin legs as well.
Cassy felt there was only one appropriate reaction to the development.
Kicking the door open, Cassy burst out of the microbus in a flurry, rapidly brushing herself down while uttering, “Ew ew ew ew ew get it off get it off get off!”
After much shouting and hollering most of the webs were removed, leaving Cassy panting wildly and standing miserably in her shirt and skivvies as an involuntary shudder creeped up her spine. She quickly took notice of a pony a short distance away. He had been in the middle of pulling a midsized wagon full of red and yellow cherries, but apparently had arrived at just the right time to witness her antics as he looked on with raised eyebrows and a flustered expression across his muzzle. She recognized him as one of the ponies she met yesterday.
“The hell are you looking at?!” she hollered at him, feeling her cheeks heat up in anger and embarrassment. In response the stallion jumped in startled mortification, and promptly continued on his way, taking the wagon with him.
Cassy rolled her eyes, patting herself down and removing the last little bits of thread from her person, wondering where it all even came from. Did. . . did it come from her? Cassy glanced at her hands, noticing thin strands glinting in the sunlight, still attached to the tips of her fingers. She pulled at them, feeling an odd sensation run through her appendages until she had at least a foot of the stuff dangling from her fingertips. There was no question, the webs were of her own doing. The revelation left Cassy feeling all sorts of uncomfortable, making her shudder in distaste.
Having no desire to dwell on the matter any further, Cassy hurried to get changed, sequestering herself in her vehicle. A few minutes later she reemerged, having donned the rompers once more, sans the ribbons in her hair. Leaning against the side of the microbus, she absentmindedly nibbled away on a portion of dried apples, contemplating what to do with the time she was given as her thoughts turned to Jubilee’s advice.
As much as Cassy disliked the idea of walking around in an unfamiliar area, she couldn’t deny that it was the best way for the locals to become accustomed to her presence, as well as for her to become accustomed to them. She had a feeling she was going to be seeing a lot of ponies in her future. Not to mention, she was not too keen on the notion of simply sitting around with nothing to do but twiddle her three pairs of thumbs.
Just as Cassy was about to finish her breakfast, another crash sounded off, startling her a bit and nearly making her choke on the fruit. “What the hell is that?” she said through her fit of coughing, starting to become fed up with the noise. Looking over to where it seemed to be coming from, she saw that the tops of one of the trees was shaking rather noticeably before going still. All was quiet for a few moments, before another crash echoed through the orchard as a different tree shook from the impact.
Cassy tilted her head, wondering what in the world was going on over there. Eventually her curiosity overrode her need for caution as she stored away what remained of her breakfast and went over to investigate. Did Jubilee have vandals or something?
As she approached, Cassy noticed the other pony from yesterday trotting up, pulling a wagon like her companion had been. With an extremely sour look plastered across her muzzle, she seemed to take no notice of the spider lady as she muttered darkly, “Stupid farm mare and her efficiency. Thinks I don’t know how to buck a Celestia-damned cherry tree. Stupid new-hire ain’t got no right to tell me how to do my own job.”
This and other obscenities, some that Cassy was unfamiliar with, flew from the mare’s mouth as she stomped past, passing her by without so much as a glance.
Cassy scratched her head, her list of questions ever growing before she once more became distracted by something impacting on solid wood with a thunderous crack. Following the commotion, she soon found the source of the disturbance: a mare with sunset orange fur, blond mane and tail, and a Stetson hat atop her head. Standing before a cherry tree, the mare pivoted onto her front limbs and gave it a hearty kick, resulting in the same crashing sound that had awoken her earlier and somehow causing numerous bright red and yellow cherries to be knocked off their stems and fall into a cluster of empty baskets below.
“Wha. . ?” Cassy mumbled quietly with narrowed eyes, unable to quite process what she was seeing as her brain performed the mental equivalent of a blue screen. She saw it. She saw the results of it. But she didn't understand it.
With a few more kicks that should have left enormous gouges in the bark, the baskets were filled to capacity with cherries, whereupon the mare proceeded to grab the handle in her mouth and drag them over to a waiting wagon. Her emerald eyes flicked over to Cassy. She seemed not to pay her any mind however as she went about her business in loading up the wagon.
Barely a moment passed before the mare paused in her work as her body went rigid, her ears standing up on end. Slowly, her head turned to stare at the newcomer, her eyes as wide as saucers and her pupils shrunk into tiny pinpricks.
Swallowing the lump that had inexplicably formed in her throat, Cassy slowly raised a hand, giving a little wave.
Within the past year, Applejack had both witnessed and been involved in a number of odd occurrences and events. A fair number of those events were such that she could confidently claim that most any other pony in Equestria would be hard pressed to match. Between facing off against a dragon, confronting an omnipotent spirit of chaos and stopping eternal night from descending upon the lands, Applejack felt there were few things left in the world that could actually faze her.
However, the moment that Applejack realized there was six-foot tall bipedal spider. . . monster. . . thing standing not ten feet away from her, the farm pony was quickly reminded of a saying that her Granny Smith would tell her: Just because one apple is ripe doesn’t mean the rest of the tree is.
The saying didn’t hold much meaning to ponies outside of her family, and it was mostly a cautionary bit of advice to keep from harvesting too early, but it had another meaning as well, that being the moment you thought you'd seen everything in life, it will always find a way to surprise you. The point was proved yet again when the monster raised one of its many thin arms, gave her a little wave and greeted shyly, “Hey there.”
Staring at the creature in wide-eyed alarm, Applejack’s thoughts soon turned to the question of whether or not she was in any imminent danger, and her eyes darted around in search of anything she could use to defend herself should it, or rather she judging from the tone of her voice, decide to attack. Realizing that she should probably answer, Applejack let out a wary, “H-hey.”
The monster stepped a bit closer, and Applejack felt her entire body tense up. The only reason she hadn’t either bolted or made a preemptive move to defend herself was that she could tell the creature appeared to be just as wary of her, which planted a seed of doubt in Applejack’s mind and stayed her hoof as the creature seemed to inspect her hoofwork, looking oddly confused.
“If you don't mind me asking, what are doing?” she asked, to which Applejack responded with a raised eyebrow, unsure what the newcomer was getting at.
Guessing that the question was in reference to the baskets of cherries, she answered with a gesture towards the tree she had just finished kicking, “Bucking a cherry tree. Ain’t it obvious?”
“Okay. . . why?”
The followup question caught her completely off guard, and Applejack couldn’t help but narrow her eyes at the monster. Was she playing dumb to get her to lower her guard, or was she really that clueless to what she was doing? Whatever the case, Applejack shook her head, deciding that it didn’t really matter as she cleared away some of her befuddled thoughts and proceeded to list off her own questions.
“H-hold on, wait a sec’,” she exclaimed. “I’m sorry, but am I missin’ somethin’? Who’re you, and what’re you doin’ here?”
Rather than react in anger, the monster instead appeared rather bashful, and for a moment Applejack felt slightly guilty for being a bit rough in her wording. She stowed the feeling to hear what the monster had to say.
“Oh, s-sorry,” she apologized timorously, holding up her multitude of arms in a defensive manner. “I didn’t mean to scare you, really. I was just coming to see what all the noise was about.”
Applejack looked the creature up and down, trying to decide if she was telling the truth or not, and the more she thought about it, the more she doubted that her fears had any merit to them. Everything, from the creatures’ mannerisms to her fancy looking attire, highlighted to the mare a lack of any sort of malice.
“That so?” she said, then shrugged and let out a sigh as most of the tension welling up within her seemed to disappear. Not completely though, Applejack was not stupid enough to completely let her guard down with this. . . stranger hanging around her. “Alright fine. If you say so.” With that she went back to work, hauling the filled baskets of cherries over to the wagon, keeping a close watch of the stranger through the corner of her eye.
‘Guess I gave an audience now,’ she thought when the creature made no move to leave, seemingly content to stand and watch as she worked. She seemed especially intrigued when Applejack moved to the next tree, setting out empty baskets and relinquishing it of its cherries with a few well placed kicks.
“So, um, quick question,” the creature stated. “What are you doing?”
Hefting a basket up into the wagon, Applejack's impatience was beginning to mount. “I just said, buckin’ cherry trees. Jubilee wanted this section done and sorted by evenin’, and the workers she had were havin’ some trouble. Figured I ought to help with the buckin’ part. I’m better at that than I am sortin’.” Another basket went in. “Why do ya ask?”
The creature opened her mouth, apparently having trouble explaining as she glanced incredulously between the mare and the tree, all while Applejack regarded her with a raised eyebrow and a growing sense of confusion until she said at last, “It’s just. . . how? How are doing that?”
“Ya mean buckin’?" the mare said, gesturing to the tree she just finished. “Eh, it’s not exactly anything special really. Been doing this kinda thing my whole life, and cherry trees ain’t that much different from apple trees. It just takes a bit of effort and technique. That answer yer question?”
The creature did not immediately reply, instead fixing her with a look that the mare could only guess was a baffled understanding of her succinct explanation. “No. No, not really,” she finally said. Applejack rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. Just try not to get in the way,” Applejack stated, doing her best to ignore the newcomer in favor of getting as much work done as possible. She already had a lot on her mind, and didn’t need some weird spider monster distracting her. However, as she worked Applejack noticed the creature was now standing before the trunk of a tree, hands on her chin and hips and her myriad of black eyes narrowed in contemplation. After a minute she gave the trunk a light kick, whereupon a singular bright red cherry fell, bouncing off her noggin.
It was all Applejack could do to contain her amusement while she watched the creature pluck the cherry off the ground, looking at it like it had just offended her and shaking her head.
“Nothing makes sense anymore,” she muttered, tossing it over her shoulder before addressing Applejack again. “Um, you wouldn’t happen to have seen Jubilee, would you?”
“Earlier this mornin’, yeah,” Applejack said, clearing her throat and continuing on with her work. “Haven’t seen her since though, I think she might be in town for business or somethin’.”
The creature nodded slowly, still looking like she had something on her mind as she turned to walk the way she came. Applejack watched her for a second, wondering why she had asked for Jubilee before deciding it wasn’t important as she focused her attention on the task at hoof. She still had an entire wagon to fill, and she had already wasted enough time to think on it too much.
Just as she was about to get back to work, hopefully without any further distractions, Applejack’s ears flicked as they picked up the sound of footsteps approaching, and she looked back to find that the creature had returned.
“What do ya want?” she demanded, starting to become fed up to the point where she was seriously considering chasing the creature off if it meant even a moment of peace and quiet for her. The creature flinched at the harshness of her words, and for a moment Applejack felt a little guilty for being so forceful with her question. After all, it. . . she hadn’t done anything to warrant any hostility just yet, so the least she could was at least be courteous.
It was at this moment Applejack realized she might be spending too much time around Rarity.
Nervously wringing four of her hands, the stranger answered demurely, “Well, the thing is I’m kind of at a bit of a loss at what to do. I mean I could head into town and find Jubilee, but looking like this. . .” She glanced down at herself, and for brief second Applejack thought she saw an expression of dismay on her face. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that just yet, but I also don’t want to just sit around doing nothing either.” Looking at Applejack she added, “Is there anything I can do around here? Something to keep my mind off of. . . things?”
Applejack was silent for a moment, her trepidation gradually fading as she considered the creatures’ words. She had only been working on Jubilee’s orchard for less than a day, and so wanted to err on the side of caution before doing anything she might regret, especially when it concerned somepony. . . someone as strange as the creature standing in front of her. Applejack knew she was probably already going to be in hot water for overriding her coworkers, and had no desire to add more fire if she could avoid it. She needed that money.
And yet, Applejack could not bring herself to turn the stranger away on that reasoning alone as pangs of sympathy reverberated within her chest, reminding her of the last time she distrusted somepony based on their appearance. With a sigh of defeat, Applejack began considering what she could have the stranger do for her, and her eyes turned to the baskets still sitting beneath the tree. “Ya mind getting those for me then?” She suggested. “It would help things go faster.”
“Yeah, yeah sure, no problem,” the creature said, wasting no time in coming over. She wrapped her hands around the handles of one the baskets, testing to see how heavy it was.
“Be careful now,” Applejack cautioned. “Those things can be a pain if you don’t-“
The words died on her lips when Applejack saw the creature lift the basket with seemingly minimal effort. She then went on to grab two more, a pair of hands on each basket, her thin arms somehow not breaking in half from the load as she carried them over, depositing them into the wagon. “Like that?” she asked the farm mare.
Applejack shook her head, then asked, “What’s yer name again?”
The gentle rumble of the wooden wheels on the dirt lulled Cassy into a sort of trance-like wakefulness as she walked, accompanied by the orange mare, who had been kind enough to introduce herself as Applejack. However, even as they walked together, with Applejack pulling the wagon behind her, Cassy was not ignorant to the fact that she still regarded to woman with a sense of suspicion, keeping her distance. The observation was somewhat sobering for Cassy, but she supposed it would be too much to ask for her complete trust right now. She had followed Jubilee’s advice, and she was more than willing to be thankful that it didn’t end with her getting chased off.
“So, if ya don’t mind me askin’,” Applejack piped up, “Where’re ya from anyways? ‘Cause I can’t really say that I’ve seen anythin’ quite like ya before in my life.” She stammered, her ears falling against her skull. “Er, no offense.”
“None taken,” Cassy said, unsure how to answer the question without sounding like a lunatic. “You know, I’m not really sure myself anymore.”
“How’s that?”
Sighing, Cassy wracked her brain for a response, then proceeded to explain as best she could, “The thing is that I’m not really from around. . .” She paused, gesturing to their general surroundings.”. . . here. At this point I don’t even think I’m in the same general landmass as where I live, much less the right body.”
“I ain’t followin’ ya,” Applejack said, fixing Cassy with an incredulous stare. Cassy couldn’t say she was surprised by the reaction, and decided to simply bite the bullet and explain her situation in full, regardless if it made her look crazy.
Before she could utter so much as a word, they were both halted as the familiar voice of Cherry Jubilee called out to them, the mare approaching at brisk trot. “Miss Applejack, can I please have a word with ya,” she said, the tone of her voice, coupled with the disgruntled look plastered on her muzzle indicating that she was anything but pleased.
“Oh boy,” Applejack mumbled, readjusting her stetson as her ears flat against her skull in a clear show of dismay. She turned to address Cassy. “Ehm, ya go on ahead. I’ll catch up with ya later.”
“You sure?”
Applejack nodded. “This ain’t your problem, trust me. Best if ya didn’t get caught in the crossfire.”
Cassy considered arguing against the point, but she also had no desire to become caught up in whatever beef Cherry had with Applejack. It wasn’t her place, and she conceded the point that her intervention would likely only make things worse. As such, she gave Applejack a nod and walked ahead, being sure to stay well out of Cherry’s path as the mare trotted by, receiving a passing glance from the mare. Seconds later she could overhear the sound of a somewhat heated conversation taking place behind her, and did her best to ignore it as she headed for her microbus.
Leaning against her microbus and taking a draw of a cigarette, Cassy wondered what she was supposed to do, as the assistance she lent to Applejack had not taken up nearly enough time as she was hoping. The only thing she could think of following Jubilee’s suggestion of going into town, but even after introducing herself to Applejack Cassy still had her doubts.
She breathed out a puff of smoke, hoping it would take at least some of those uncertainties with it.
With a deep inhale the cigarette was depleted, whereupon Cassy flicked it onto the ground, grinding it into the soil her heel. She did so just in time to notice none other than Applejack walking up, her countenance looking rather grim.
“So. . . how’d it go?”
Applejack raised a hoof, rubbing the back of her neck. After letting out a heavy sigh she replied, “Well, the good news is I ain’t fired, thank Celestia. But I ain’t allowed to work for the rest of the day, and tomorrow Cherry’s gonna be givin’ me instruction on how to ‘properly buck a cherry tree’, so I got that to look forward to.”
“Sorry to hear that,” Cassy mentioned. Applejack deflected her sympathy with a wave of her hoof, coming to sit next to the woman.
“Eh, don’t be. Serves me right for shootin’ above my station. I’m lucky to still have a job after that. I just don’t know what I’m gonna do for the rest of the day, I don’t like sittin’ on my hooves.”
“Looks like we’re in the same boat then,” Cassy commented with a halfhearted grin. “Cherry’s letting me bum around her place while I figure things out. She said I should go into town to start, but. . .” She gestured down at herself, crossing her arms sourly.
“I can see how that’d be complicated,” Applejack commented, and the only suitable reply Cassy could give a slow nod and a taut expression. Quiet ensued between the two, with only the distant chirp of insects, punctuated by the occasional crack of a pony bucking a tree. Another one of Cherry’s workers, Cassy assumed, still flummoxed by thought of picking fruit via kicking. She was reasonably certain that was not how physics worked, but she was a spider monster in a fancy dress. What did she know?
Cassy exhaled, feeling both tired and restless at once and entirely uncertain what she was supposed to actually. . . do. Regardless of Cherry’s advice, Cassy was still felt lost and uncertain what to actually do with herself, a sensation that continued to build up within her being and threatening to drive her insane under its weight.
“You know miss, um. . . Cassy” Applejack spoke up, saying her name like she tasted something bitter, and breaking Cassy out of her moment of increasingly panicked pensiveness. “Since I seem to have been forcibly given the day off, I was actually thinkin’ ‘bout headin’ over to the tavern. I. . . wouldn’t be too opposed if ya happen to want to tag along.”
At this Cassy fixed the mare with a cockeyed expression, the effect doubled by her multiple eyes. “You sure?”
Applejack shrugged. “Not really, but I ain’t got anythin’ better to do.”
Cassy was silent for a moment, quietly contemplating Applejack’s generous, if a bit hesitant, offer, finding it difficult to see any notable downsides to it. If she had company, it would absolutely help to mitigate the potential panic she might cause the moment someone saw her, to say nothing of the usefulness of having a guide to pose questions to. As such it didn’t take long for Cassy to make up her mind, and she gave Applejack a nod. “Sure, why not. Lead the way.”
Applejack obliged, started at a brisk trot with Cassy following close behind. Along the way she said, “So what was all that stuff you were sayin’ ‘bout that right body thing?”
After about ten or so minutes of walking through Cherry’s orchard in silence, Cassy and Applejack eventually left the orchard behind, making their way towards Dodge Junction proper by way of an old dirt road that, from Cassy’s unprofessional opinion, seemed to go rarely used. To their right she could multiple small mounds dotting the terrain, some with small furry heads of prairie dogs poking out, eyeing them warily as they passed.
Cassy kept her hands neatly folded in the small of her back, taking in the scenery in an attempt to focus on anything else besides the mare trotting beside her, the pony’s muzzle contorted in an expression of mild bewilderment that seemed to border on the edge of total disbelief as she quietly mulled over Cassy’s explanation, or at least her attempt at it. Unlike the previous night when Jubilee had granted Cassy her ear, the woman felt no inclination to leave out details pertaining to her situation, seeing no reason to lie to the mare.
Looking at Applejack now however, Cassy was prompted towards wondering if perhaps it would’ve been a better idea to simply make up an explanation for her appearance, and summarily imagined that being a traveler from Klugetown would’ve been an easier pill for Applejack to swallow. At this point Cassy found it be more believable, but this was the bed she made for herself. She may as well lay in it.
Eventually the silence became to too much for Cassy to put up with as it was doing no favors for her anxiety, and she her lungs deflate as she blurted out the first thing that came to her mind.
“Pretty weird right?” she said suddenly, breaking the silence with all the care and grace of an airborne brick.
Applejack flinched at the question, caught off guard by the suddenness of it before quickly regaining her composure and clearing her throat. “Eh, y-yeah. Yeah it really is.” Narrowing her eyes she added, “I mean. . . it ain’t the strangest thing I’ve heard. . . or seen for that matter, but it’s up there. It’s definitely up there.”
Cassy frowned upon hearing the confession, her five blinking in rapid succession. She opened her mouth to ask a question before it became caught in her throat, deciding that it was likely better for the continued preservation of her mental health if she was not made privy to whatever Applejack was alluding to. That was already worn thin as it was. As such, Cassy kept quiet, happy to remain blissfully ignorant.
“So, let me see if I’m followin’ ya so far,” Applejack said. “Ya were out on the road, ridin’ around that big metal thing or whatever, and somehow you got. . . transported, and ya got no way back home. Am I with ya?”
“Well. . .” Cassy began to answer. “I don’t actually know if there’s no way back for me. I got here somehow right? Must mean there’s a way back.”
Cassy didn’t believe a single word that came from her lips, knowing them to be the product of naïve suppositions with little to no basis. She tried to hide the grimness of her thought behind a blank look, hoping Applejack wouldn’t notice, then proceeded to wonder why she even cared.
Applejack shook her head, muttering quietly under her breath, “The girls ain’t gonna believe a word o’ this when I get back.”
Soon afterward the tops of buildings could be seen in the distance, and by some unspoken agreement he two cut the conversation short, sending the remainder of the trek in silence as they approached Dodge Junction. The glint of steel in the distance indicated a set of train tracks leading into and out of the town. Soon they passed a series of empty pens of decayed wood, home to little more than arid weeds. From what Cassy could tell from her initial inspection, at least from a distance, about a third of the buildings in Dodge Junction seemed to be relatively new, albeit in need of some serious Spring cleaning, while other structures looked ready to crumble into tinder at the slightest provocation. One of the houses they passed by while entering the perimeter of the town was in the latter category, yet still had a resident. A solitary mare with a coat of light green, sporting a wide brimmed sun hat while she busily watered a series of potted plants on her porch. Cassy paused, her attention caught by the pair of feathery wings sprouting from the mares back, which she used to carry around the watering can, displaying a level of dexterity that Cassy found to be equal parts fascinating and unsettling. They were almost like hands.
Inevitably the mare’s eyes flicked upward at the two newcomers. She did a double take upon seeing Cassy, and her entire body went rigid as the watering can slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground with clatter. Cassy felt her innards tighten a little at the reaction, and she attempted to assuage any fears the pony was no doubt developing with a greeting in the form a friendly wave of her hands, but did a poor job of disguising her nervousness as she said, “Hey there. How’s it going?”
She never got an answer as the mare backpedaled away, her eyes never leaving the six armed spider woman before disappearing into the structure, the shutting with a hard slam.
For a moment Cassy just stood there, not at all encouraged by the encounter. She looked to Applejack standing beside her, who seemed more embarrassed than put off. Cassy found comfort in this, curiously enough, as it gave her the hope that perhaps the mare was simply skittish around strangers, and that her reaction had nothing to do with the talking spider monster in her vicinity. Surely that was all there was to it.
Leaving the outskirts of Dodge Junction behind them, Cassy followed Applejack up a side street that led between two older looking buildings while the mare presumably kept an eye out for the tavern she mentioned. Doing a little bit of sightseeing of her own, Cassy glanced inside the windows as she passed them by, straining to see past the caked-on layers of dirt and grime, and could barely make out the faint silhouettes of tables, chairs, and bits of rustic machinery with blankets of cobwebs adorning them like delicate tapestry. She could not help but wonder how many other places there were in town like this; abandoned and home to naught but spiders and cobwebs.
Realizing what she’d just thought, Cassy felt a grin gently tug at the corners of her fanged lips.
Progressing further into town, Cassy noticed the distinct clamor of conversation happening ahead of them. Multiple conversations in fact, becoming progressively louder with each step they took. Soon afterward the side street dumped out on what looked to a main road cutting a swath through town.
Cassy poked her head to survey the scene.
Immediately she ducked back into the side street, pressing herself against the wall, become inexplicably lightheaded all of a sudden. There must have been at least a hundred of them; mares and stallions of every different shade and type and age group, gathered in large clusters. It almost seemed as though a little girls’ toy chest had been unceremoniously dumped into an old western, and the sight of so many ponies made her multiple limbs lock up while started to heavily second guess the decision to come here.
Giving her a strange look, Applejack also took a peek around the corner. “Huh. Must be market day,” she stated, snapping her out of torpid state. Risking another glance, seeing that Applejack was correct when she saw various carts and stalls set up along the sides of the road, catching brief glimpses of their wares, mainly vegetables, through the throng. For the most part, many pones seemed content to merely converse with each other in conversations that Cassy could hardly make out, only being able to pick up a random word or sentence every now and again.
Any hope that Cassy had of entering town without too much fuss crumbled into a pitiful mote of dust, and summarily blown away by her increasing trepidation. The moment she stepped out of the relative safety of the side street she would be noticed. Her heart began to tremble within her chest. At least, she thought it was her heart doing that.
Did she even have a heart in the traditional sense anymore?
Something prodded Cassy in the side forcefully. “Ow,” she blurted, casting an annoyed look at Applejack. “What?” She muttered sourly, massaging the sore spot on her torso.
“Ya good?” Applejack asked, one of her eyebrows raised. “Ya kinda zoned out there.” Just then Applejack’s gaze shifted downward, and her dubious expression deepened as she added, “What’re ya doin’?”
Reciprocating the look, Cassy glanced down, only just now realizing she’d been unconsciously rubbing her palms. As soon as she noticed she ceased the act, pulling her hands apart, finding some resistance as a thin veil of silvery thread stretched between her fingertips.
Since when did she develop that habit?
Groaning frustratedly, Cassy brushed away the unwanted material, ignoring Applejack as the mare watched, her vexation not at all helped when the mare stifled a chuckle. As much as she wanted to, Cassy had too much on her mind to come up with a biting remark, turning away to inspect the crowd. Everything in her screamed that this was a bad idea, that anything was better than willingly throwing herself into that, out in the open and with everything looking at her.
Instinctually she reached for the pack of her cigarettes in her right pocket, then remembered she'd left them back in her vehicle. Tentatively she asked over her shoulder, “Um, I hate to be a bother but. . . isn’t there another way we could go that’s less. . . crowded?”
Upon being asked, Applejack’s ears fell slightly, and she nervously massaged her neck. “I gotta be honest with ya,” she began. “I don’t exactly know my around the place just yet.”
“What do you mean?!” Cassy demanded, before realizing her error and quieting down. “You’re telling me you don’t even know where you’re going? Don’t you live here?”
“I never said I did,” Applejack replied heatedly, her tail swishing from side to side. “I told ya before, I only started workin’ for Cherry a couple days ago, an’ I’m only doin’ that until I can. . . ugh, forget it.” Attempting to relax, Applejack took a breath and continued. “Listen. If ya wanna get in good with ponies like Cherry said, yer gonna have to get mingling with ‘em, and the only way yer gonna do that is if ya get your buggy flank out there.”
Again, Cassy tried to come up with a counterargument, remembering the incident with the mare not ten minutes ago. However, as much she heavily disliked being coerced into doing something she didn’t want, Cassy could not deny that Applejack did have something of a point.
She hated that, but could do nothing more than heave an exasperated sigh, not bothering to hide her distaste. “Fine,” she muttered bitterly. “Fine, whatever. Lead the way. Just don’t expect me to be all sunshine and rainbows about it. As soon as it starts to go south, I'm out.”
“As long as you don’t bite anypony, that’s fine by me.” Applejack answered flippantly. Cassy frowned, miffed by the remark as the mare trotted past. “Ya comin’ or what?” she said expectantly, goading Cassy to follow. Sagging her shoulders, Cassy acquiesced, trudging behind Applejack onto the main road, already picturing all the possible ways it could go wrong.
