Chapter Seventy-Five: Child of Pain

It was quiet in Las Pegasus when Princess Celestia pulled the sun over the horizon, casting the first rays of the morning upon the Equestrian inhabitants below… Or, at least, about as quiet as the metropolis could be. The sounds of the city provided a fairly atmospheric effect of a perpetual party, as music from clubs coincided with the noises of the casinos-of ponies gambling away their entire worlds. To a native, it would have sounded relaxing.

Beneath the privacy of the rear of the big top and behind the rows of cages, Pendulum had just finished putting Smokey under another hypnotic spell in preparation for the first show of the day, turning him into a savage beast all over again. Roaring and snarling, the dragon lunged again and again at the equine on the other side of the bars of his cage, but the shackles and chains retained him.

Of course, a dragon like him would have been able to break his restraints, but they had been enchanted by a non-breakable spell by one of the employees.

Pendulum watched the raging reptilian with a mixture of concern and remorse etched upon his face. Several times he considered just letting Smokey go… but what would he tell him? What was done was done. There was no going back, he surmised with a sigh. He was filled with even more concern as his mind trailed back to the late night audiences-or, more specifically, the ponies who didn't seem very impressed with the dragon. He couldn't let that happen again-the survival of his attractions and his employees depended on him. Sure, he was wealthy, but they could only survive on his funds for so long.

His eyes traveled to a stack of crates and the bull whip that laid coiled up on top of them. He bit his lower lip as his horn glowed to magic over the whip. He had never used it to strike anyone before… And he didn't like the idea of it… but he needed Smokey at maximum hostility, he rationalized in his mind.

Unrolling it in his cloud of mana, he sent the length of the object sailing through the bars, the sharp tip making contact with the dragon's nose with a loud crack.

Terra Cotta had evaded her sister for the morning-although she had no choice but to get ready for the first show when one of the other clowns informed her. Flinching, but reluctantly had entered the dressing car where her sister and the other clowns were. She had been terrified-but lucky that Stormy Skies either didn't notice her, or decided to let the issue from yesterday drop, as she didn't start screaming at her again.

Still, she didn't wish to remain around her for any length of time. Once she had gotten ready, she had made a mad dash out of the car to spend a little time with her new friend.

Weaving through the rows of cages, she paused upon hearing a vicious roar. Gasping, she turned around the final cage and hid herself behind the stack of crates-just on time to see Pendulum strike Smokey across the face with the whip.

Enraged, the dragon snapped his fangs at the whip each time it struck him, and missed. The stallion's stomach clenched with every crack when the point of the whip grazed the brilliant red scales. He really didn't want to be doing this, but felt it was the only way for the draconic creature to reach maximum hostility.

Watching, Terra Cotta was absolutely horrified at what her eyes beheld. Pendulum-sweet, caring, nice Mister Pendulum-was whipping… beating her friend! Eyes shining with tears, she took a step forward to cry out, to stop him…

However, she found that she couldn't. She was frozen to the spot with terror, images of what might happen had she attempted to stop him. Would he turn on her? Whip her as well?

Stormy Skies already did that… She could still feel the lashes on her rear. She didn't want to be beaten again. She didn't want to be a bad pony!

Whirling around, she sprinted off-tears streaming down her face and ruining her makeup. The child made her way to a small alcove-one of her other hiding places she often liked to duck into and one of the few constant ones she knew about despite the fact her home and her "family"-as it were-were almost always on the move.

Shivering, she sat upon her haunches and held herself. It couldn't be true! Pendulum had always been a nice pony to her! He had never hurt others! Why now? Had he… done it before, she wondered?

"Hey, kid," voiced one of the clowns as he approached Terra Cotta's hiding spot, cigarette clenched between his teeth. He had been about to accost the filly when she ran off. Having followed her in order to find her safe haven, he peeked into the space, blowing smoke out of his nostrils. "It's almost show time. What're ya doin' here?"

Just because the spot was constant, it didn't mean it was secure. Terra Cotta jumped, more surprised at the fact she'd been found than anything else. Whimpering, her eyes large and wet, she shook her head.

"Skurd," she said, trembling. "Mista' Pendum was hurten mah fren'!"

The red and dark green-haired earth pony inhaled another breath of his cigarette and exhaled a wisp of smoke before speaking again.

"Your friend? Ya mean the new guy? The dragon?"

Terra Cotta let out a whimper, nodding vigorously. She drew back further into her cranny, leaning up against the wall behind her back.

"He's mah fren'!" she squeaked out. "Mista' Pendum wasn't bein' nice! He was hurtin' him! Like Skies does me!"

"He probably just wanted the dragon to look as scary as possible. That's all," he theorized. Ears rotating backwards, he picked up the faint voices of other employees calling to him that the show was due to start soon. "C'mon, kid. It's almost show time."

"Nooo!" she cried out, now appearing angry. Pendulum just wanted him to look MEAN? How could he do something like that?!

No, she wouldn't stand for it. She wouldn't condone it. She remained firmly put, tearing her vision away from the larger equine and turned her back to him.

"You're only gonna make your sister pissed by not comin'," he reminded her.

Terra Cotta growled, lowering her head.

"Don' care. Buck h'r."

She knew she shouldn't use such language-she had been admonished for it a couple of times before, but Stormy Skies used it almost constantly around her… and she didn't seem to be told off for using such words. Only her!

All it did was anger her further, and she turned her head over her shoulder to reveal eyes full of rage.

"Ya shouldn't use such language, kid."

The stallion wasn't a fan of such foul language and often wanted to tell Stormy Skies off for using such words, especially around her younger sister.

"Don'. Care!" the filly repeated, staring down at the ground between her hind hooves. She snorted, pulling herself up from the earth. Knowing she couldn't stay, she sprang up from her spot to head butt the clown in the leg, bouncing back then galloping off as fast as she could.

As the evening fell upon Equestria, Smokey steadily came out of his hypnotic state. Like every other time he had been spellbound, he wasn't able to remember anything, but had been told on several occasions how much he frightened the audiences. Curling up into a ball of scales, he allowed himself to cry.

After a few moments elapsed, Terra Cotta slipped underneath the tarp covering the cage. She hadn't gone to any of the shows held that day, having found another place to hide from her sister and co-workers. Since she was the smallest clown in the entire troupe, a few of the gags that involved her had to be cut, but the group had been able to improvise and the crowd didn't seem to notice-or largely care-she was gone.

She arrived to check if Smokey was all right. She had wanted to see him during the show… but sneaking around to the other cages and watching from a distance had shown her that she wouldn't have been able to get close.

Now that it was over, she finally had her chance, and silently, fitted between the bars. Approaching the weeping dragon, she lowered her head to nuzzle him.

Not expecting anyone to visit him, the dragon jerked in surprise as he lifted his head to acknowledge the filly. His eyes were misty and his cheeks wet with tears.

"H… hello, T-Terra."

"Huhwo, Smokey," she greeted, moving closer to press her head against his side. Snuggling up against him, she revealed herself not wearing her makeup at all, or her uniform that she originally donned that morning. She had been carrying a stick with a bag attached to the top end, and placed it down next to the dragon, resting on her stomach.

"Hiding from your sister again?" he questioned, knowing very well what the answer was. Opening his arms, he drew the small pony against his torso for a comforting cuddle.

"What are you doing with that?" he queried, pointing his nose at the stick and sack. "You're not planning on running away, are you?"

Returning the hug, she appeared surprised when he asked her if she was intending on running away. She shook her head and turned around to dig into her bag, fishing out a book and an assortment of crayons. Laying it out in front of him, she opened the box of coloring utensils.

"No. I dun wan leave. I wannid to makew fil bedda."

Despite Smokey's emotional pain, he couldn't help but smile at the notion.

"You are a sweet little girl… It is too bad you have to stay with your… fellow employees. You deserve to have a real family. One that will take care of you, love you… and… not beat you."

Terra Cotta seemed to be somewhat saddened by this… and slightly confused. Frowning, she leaned forward and flipped open the cover of the drawing pad she had brought…

Inside were drawings that were, surprisingly, rather detailed for a young filly's work. It wasn't professional by any stretch of the imagination-it was still fairly crude, but the level of work laid down in the sketchbook was obviously far beyond the level of a mere child. There were pictures of a bearded muscular pony… A purple mare decked out in glimmering gems and a shawl… A yellow stallion wearing a pair of coveralls and a straw hat and strumming a banjo while kicked back in a wooden chair. Of Pendulum. The trapeze ponies.

Without a word, she chose a few colors-and, gazing up at Smokey, she picked up a red one in her mouth and proceeded to draw.