(Trixie POV)

I give a huff as I trod down the path through the market, doing my best to ignore the stares that would be going by my way. It is always so annoying trying to go about my own life with these other neigh sayers grumping over me and just making it that much more difficult for me.

I give myself a mental shake of the head to clear out those nasty thoughts, holding my head up high and proud. Happy thoughts Trixie, don't let them see you down in the dumps, otherwise they will take advantage. I think to myself. Looking at my list, I see that I have only a couple of things left to get, some carrots and an apple pie.

A quick look around the market shows me just where the carrots are, and walking to the stand, the yellow orange mare standing behind it is finishing up with her last customer.

"Five bits please." She says to the rather large white pegasus, who gives the coin over to her. He then takes the carrots and gives it a quick look before flexing his muscles and shouting, "YEA!" then heading off, his tiny wings flittering ever so slightly.

I just raise an eyebrow as he walks by, still not used to the ponies that are living here, even if it has been a couple of weeks now since I moved in here...temporarily. I walk up to the mare and look at the carrots she has before saying, "I'll take two bundles of carrots please."

The mare at the time was pretending to be busy behind the stand before she looks up at me...and frowns. "If you insist...though I was getting ready to close." She says before grabbing the carrots I asked for and placing them on the table. "Ten bits please."

I narrow my eyes as I hear this. "Ten bits?! You just gave the same amount to the other pony for five bits! It even says two for five on your board!" I state, pointing at said board with my hoof.

She looks at it before back at me. "And your point is?"

"This is extortion! How dare you try and rip off the Great and Power-" I start to say before she slams her hoof on the stall, getting me to pause.

"And you listen here. Not every pony is still happy with you being here, especially after you made all of us your slaves. You may have gotten some to apologizes, but I still remember what happened like it was yesterday, and I don't forgive so easily, so either ten bits or take a hike!" She says simply, giving me a very deep glare.

I just stare at her with wide eyes, mouth agape. I know what I did was rather bad, and that some of the ponies still haven't forgiven me for it, but to go to this extent? I've had a few that tried to raise prices on me, but once I caught them they always brought it back down, yet here this mare is not backing down an inch. With a glare, I just raise my nose and turn away, trotting away from the stall.

"Good riddance, damn mare is too stuck up for this place." I hear her say as she gets to work closing her store. I keep walking a bit farther before I start to slow down and lower my head, letting out a small sigh.

"Damnit Trixie, don't let those ponies get to you." I start talking to myself in a small tone. "That's the third time today that you almost blew up in front of some pony, and you know that if you get into any more trouble here that the landlord will kick you out of the place." I sigh, remembering that the only reason I was staying there was cause of a favor that the stallion had for me...even if it was kind of broken with the whole slaving the town incident.

I take a deep breath and let out a small sigh before digging into my bags and pulling out all the bits I had. Counting them all up gave me a total of seven. Just as I thought, I wouldn't have enough to pay that mare even if I wanted to. I was starting to run out of my reserves, and I knew I had to find a job and quick, but...what pony would hire me here? It's not like I can just walk up and let my reputation do the work. In fact, it's my reputation that caused me to get into this mess to begin with. And there is no way I was going back to that damn rock farm again. I don't even think I could make it there now even if I wanted to.

Focus Trixie! Enough wallowing. Let's just get by today before worrying over tomorrow. I think to myself again, and with a determined nod, I start to head down the road, already seeing the next stop...and wincing.

Of course, if somepony were in need of an apple or apple product, they would have to go to the only mare here. Seeing her orange coat and remembering what happened did get me a pause, wondering if I should even try. The last time we met I hog tied her during my show with her own rope. Taking a deep breath and letting it out once again, I walk on over to the apple stall and do my best to look like myself at the blonde mare.

"Trixie? What are you doing here?" Applejack asks, a confused look on her face.

"Isn't it obvious? Trixie is here to shop for food, and while apples are beneath her, she has decided that she may as well give it a try." I tell her, not even bothering to look at her as I talked.

The farm pony just raises an eyebrow. "Uh huh, and that's why you've been going from stall to stall and NOT buying anything, right?" She asks, my eyes going wide for a moment before I recovered.

"Pff, they don't have anything that is worthy for the Great and Powerful Trixie!" I exclaim. "Now, she demands to have one of your finest pies."

She rolls her eyes as she just turns around and searches through the items for a few moments before bringing out a rather large pie. I can't help but to take a large sniff from it and sigh a bit dreamily. Apple pies from the Apples are certainly one of the best things that I had in my life...not that I would ever mention it to her. Speaking of which, seeing her smirking at my reaction causes me to shake my head and return my expression to normal.

"I suppose that will do, thanks." I say, pulling my bits out. "How much for it?"

"Ten bits." She replies.

I pause as I hear her say that, once again knowing that I wouldn't be able to pay for that much. However I may be able to haggle with her this time. "That is too much for Trixie. She will only pay for five bits and no-"

"Trixie, sorry to burst your bubble but in case you haven't noticed, read the sign." She says, getting me to look to where she is pointing. To my shock, the sign not only said the prices of the products, which I had missed, but it also says, in bold words, *NO HAGGLING*

I give her a surprise look. "What, but...but you Apples love to haggle I thought."

"We do, and most of us still do, ah just...you see, my sister kind of took over for a bit one time and when ah came back, most of the apples were gone...and we didn't make a single bit." She explains, rubbing the back of her head. "So ah kind of have to limit the amount of haggling that we do, at least when selling the apples in the market."

I think over for a bit as I try to think up of something, anything to get her to lower the price. "I, I wasn't...I mean, Trixie wouldn't dare to say that just cause it's a lower price means that it still isn't worth it, she just...she just..." I try to say something, but nothing comes to mind to say. Letting out a small sigh, I thump my forehead on the stall.

I don't hear anything from Applejack for a few moments before she gently taps my shoulder. "Uh, Trixie? You ok?"

I don't bother saying anything, just taking a few breaths to calm myself down before looking back up with a slightly strained smile. "Yes, I...Trixie is fine, it won't be the first time that she had to...had to decline." I say, looking away for a moment as I realize my eyes are tearing up. "Trixie...Trixie has to go, sorry for taking your time..." I say, wiping the tears away. Before I can take a step away, however, my stomach gives a rather large growl, making me pause and blush.

"Let me guess, you haven't eaten anything all day?" The farm pony says.

I curse at my empty belly for showing this sign of weakness as I try to play it off. "What, nonsense! Trixie has been eating plenty of things, like...uh..." I pause as I try to think of what I have eaten recently, but only one thing comes to mind. "Rocks! Yes, plenty of those...hard chewing...things..." I give her a small smile, but I know that the look came out sheepish.

"Uh huh." She simply replies. After a few moments she lets out a small sigh as she says, "Look, if you really are that badly off, then I can at least let you have a couple of apples for free. I know it's not much, but it should-"

I give her a small glare at this. "Trixie does not want your pity gift." I state, turning my nose up and away from her. I may be in a dire situation, but even then I just can't accept such things. If I did it would hurt my pride, and that is one of the few things that I have left.

Once again, there is silence, neither of us saying anything to each other. I question why I was even staying here, and shaking my head, I say. "Trixie...has to go. Many ponies to adore her and such." As I take another step she calls back to me.

"Trixie, wait." I look at her with a more annoyed look on now, but allow her to continue. "How about this. Instead of a whole pie, you can have half for half price. It would still be the same amount if you bought it whole, just buying less." I go to open my mouth to tell her again that I don't want her pity, to which she stops me with a wave of her hoof. "Listen here, it isn't a pity gift. It's actually something I've been meaning to do, just...never got around to doing it. So, whaddya say?"

I think it over for a bit, rubbing my chin slightly. It does make more sense to buy half the pie then a full pie, and if it's half, that would make it five bits, which I can most certainly afford. My stomach once again rumbles softly, reminding me that this may be my only chance to get some food for a good while. Looking back at the mare and then around us for a moment, I sigh and give a small nod. "Ok, Trixie accepts."

Applejack smiles as she grabs a cutter and cuts the pie in half while I dig the bits out and place them on the counter. Once she is finished, she takes half the pie and places it somewhere to keep it fresh while handing me the other one. "Here you go Trixie, half a pie for only five bits."

I push the bits to her as she takes them and, after a quick count, places them in her bit bag, me taking the pie in my magic as I look it over, nearly breaking out in a small smile, but I contain myself...for now. "Trixie thanks you and wishes you a good day." I tell her, remaining calm as I turn around, though the inner me couldn't help but dance and sing happy joy as I looked at the pie. It seems I get to eat for one more day at least.

---

(Applejack POV)

I can't help but chuckle as I watch the show mare head out, shaking my head. "She may be brash and uppity, but she isn't all that bad, just needs a push in the right direction ah think." I say to myself as I do a quick count of all the products I have left.

"Afternoon AJ, sales going well?" I blink as I look up, seeing a familiar human walking towards me, the large wooden stick in his hand. I smile as I wave a hoof at him as he comes over.

"Howdy there Drak, pleasant day isn't it?" I say, resting against the stall a bit. "Not too slow, but still having a stream of customers, makes it right relaxing don't you think?"

Drak nods in understanding. "Sounds like it."

I take a closer look at his staff curiously. "So, why you out walking with your stick thing?"

He tilts his head before looking at said stick. "My staff? Since regaining some of my memories, at least the ones with Aryas and I during my training, I thought I would give it a try and see if I could practice any of it." He rubs his back as he gives a sheepish smile. "It's...a bit harder than it looks."

I sigh and shake my head. "Now, don't go hurting yourself just for some practice. Even Rainbow knows not to overdue it too much if she is hurting too much most of the time. Plus, didn't we just get your bandages off a week ago?"

He nods as he removes the left shoulder of his hoodie, revealing the bare skin underneath. Indeed there are no bandages, just some heavy scars left from his encounter with the large serpent. "A bit sore, but besides that I'm fine, and besides the workout with Dash, I've started getting a bit more...bored I guess? There isn't much for me to do around here but read some of the books or chat, and I know you girls are busy."

I give him a closer look, and was about to let him off the hook when I noticed a darker patch on his side. "Hold on, what's that?" I say as he starts to close his hoodie.

He pauses as he looks down at what I saw before giving a sigh. "Like I said, it's a bit difficult, and doesn't come without some...bruises..."

I give a groan as I shake my head. "Celestia's sake, Drak! And ah thought Rainbow was bad at keeping herself uninjured."

"Didn't you just say that she knows better?"

"Ah also said that she knows better most of the time."

Drak chuckles at this as I can't help but to laugh a bit myself. "Ok, but I do know my limits, and I promise there are nothing more than bruises. Spike helps to keep me in line thanks to Twilight, so I can't really overdue it even if I wanted to." He explains.

I think it over for a few minutes before letting out a small nod. "Ok, if you insist. Still, be careful." I say, the human nodding again. "Now, what brings you to my stall, here to buy an apple?" I smile as I pull out a rather large one. "I would say fresh from the tree, but...can't really be fresh since it's still winter, so...fresh from storage."

Drak chuckles at this as he shakes his head. "Thanks AJ, but not what I'm here for."

"Oh?"

"I actually saw Trixie at your stall just as she was leaving, and notice that she only left with half a pie." He explains. "I thought you were going to start doing that in a couple of days when you made more of the pies to sell?"

I pause, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. "Ah was, but she was so down in the dumps with barely any bits that ah...ah kind of just decided to start with it today, just for her." I fall silent for a moment before speaking up again. "Ah tried selling her apples for a lower price, but she wasn't having it. That damn mare's pride is going to get her in trouble one day."

Drak nods as he rubs his chin for a few moments. After a while he speaks up. "Well, you know where she went? I was kind of hoping to talk to her, and...got distracted with us talking." He admits.

I chuckle as I give a nod. "Of course, she went, let's see..." I pause as I look around before spying where she went, seeing a small group of other ponies wearing some thicker coats going in the same direction. "Right that way, in fact, where those others are." Drak looks over and freezes up, his eyes seeming to be locked on the group of ponies as they entered the street. "Drak, you ok?"

He remains silent for a few moments before speaking up. "It's nothing, I just...got a bad shiver down my spine is all. Something about them..." He falls silent again as they walk away from us.

Curious, I took a closer look at them as well, though I don't see anything strange or out of the ordinary. Sure their coats are thicker, and a few of them have some rather strange manestyles...I think it would be punk like, from what Rarity told me about them. Three earth and a pegasus, by the looks of it as well. I turn my attention to the human again and shrug. "Again, they don't look like anything bad. Maybe off, but that's just cause ah'm not a huge fan of that style."

He stays silent still as he watches them disappear from our sight, and then starts to walk after them. "Drak, where you goin?"

He pauses as he looks back, almost as if he was in a daze as he gives me a friendly smile. "Oh, just going to say hi to Trixie, that's all. It's been a while since we've seen each other, and I want to see how she is doing." He explains as he heads off.

I look at the human suspiciously as he walks on, following the group and vanishing around the corner. I can't help but get the feeling that he wasn't telling me something, but again, he has been rather hard to read with him always avoiding eye contact. While I respect it now and understand why, it doesn't make it any easier for me. Still, he wasn't lying, and with a sigh, I began working on my sign, writing the new half pie sale that is now in process.

---

(Trixie POV)

I can't help but to hum a small tune as I nearly prance down the road. Normally I would be holding back, but this is a deserted way back to my room, and I felt I deserve to have something to show my happiness. For once I won't have to eat damn rocks! I could already taste the pie as I held it closer to me, taking another sniff and sighing in satisfaction.

"Mmm, Trixie is going to be enjoying you very much." I say softly, almost able to taste the pie now. I allow myself to give a small giggle of delight as I pass by an alley...

...and then get yanked by my cloak into it, gasping as I nearly drop my pie.

Coughing from the pull, I adjust my cloak as I look around. "Who dares to drag the Great and-"

"Oh shut up already, you stupid bitch!" A voice shouted back, causing me to fall silent, more stunned than afraid. Before I can even adjust myself properly, a hoof comes sailing across and smacks me on my face, making me gasp. Rubbing my cheek at the hit, I glare at who did that, only to get another smack on the back of my head, nearly knocking me out.

Thankfully it wasn't that hard, but it still brought me to my knees, my pie falling down to the snow, though still in one piece. Plus the attack caused my neck to pinch as well, sending a small shock down my spine. At this point I finally look up and took a look at my assailants, wanting to see just who would dare to attack me. Upon seeing them, my eyes widen as I realize just who they are.

It was four of them in total, three Earth and a pegasus. Two of them were average builds, one male with a blue coat and yellow mane, another female with different shades of brown for her coat and mane, some black stripes dyed in her mane and tail as well. The pegasus, a mare as well, had a much smaller look then the rest, her coat pink and her mane pink with green stripes. She was also wearing one of those bikers jackets I've seen in Manehatten.

The third Earth pony and final pony in total was a much larger then the rest, just shy of that large red farm pony that I've seen with AJ. He was white with a sleek black mane and tail, a couple of earrings on his left ear as he stands before me, the rest hanging behind him. However, they soon started to spread out and surround me.

"Look who we found boys. The Stupid and Insulting Whorse." The large male said, a grin on his face, the rest of his group chuckling with him.

"It's Trixie, not Whorse, White Dagger." I tell him, glaring back.

He just shrugs, not giving a damn as he looks me over. "Doesn't matter to me, you're still the same bitch that came over to Trottingham all those years ago and nearly caused us to loose the town hall cause of your stupid bragging."

"Yea, and not only that, but then you stole from the vendors there, so not cool!" Stated the earth mare, Sally Salt.

"And then trying to fake it off and pretend it was my brother that did all the stealing!" Said the other male, Yellow Jacket.

The final one, Star Rock, gives a snort as she hovers close by. "And then you slept with my sister, the fucking nerve of you it just...RRRRR! Just grinds my gears so damn much!"

"I thought you don't have a sister?" Salt asked, clearly confused.

"Shut up Sally, let a pony be mad at this dumb mare for her own reasons!" She retorts, the earth mare rolling her eyes.

"Settle down mares, one thing at a time." Dagger scolds, getting them both to shush. With them quite, he turns his attention back to me. "In any case, we've had enough of your shit, with you always prancing about and bragging about how 'Great' and 'Amazingly Powerful' you are."

I raise an eyebrow, finding this to be rather amusing. "Oh no, Trixie's shaking in her boots she's so scared." I pretend to cry before letting out a laugh.

"But...you aren't wearing any boots." Sally says, clearly confused...again.

"Damnit Sally, just...just stay quiet!" Star says, glaring at her.

Dagger just rolls his eyes as he continues. "In any case, we had followed you for quite some time, and now that you are finally alone and weak, we jumped you, and now you have no where to run." He says, snorting out the last words before spitting at my hooves.

I roll my eyes as I just look at the four of them. "Please, no matter what happened to you guys in the past, it's not worth trying to take it out on Trixie. She is way stronger than any of you. Observe!" I say, focusing my magic into my horn to simply levitate the three earth ponies and throw them against the wall.

However, just as I felt the magic start to tingle in my head, a sharp spike of pain shot through my spine at the base of my neck, causing me to cry out and collapse.

As I slowly get up on my shaky hooves, I see the four of them all laughing at my plight.

"What's the matter, oh 'Great and Powerful'? Having trouble with your magic?" Dagger smirks.

I glare at him and focus on just zapping him with lightening, but again I get the same shock, knocking me down once again face first into the snow. For the second time I get up, and sitting there this time, I just try to light my horn, a very simple spell any unicorn can do...but once again, a shock of pain sends me gasping as I stop any kind of casting.

I pant, my eyes wide with shock as I try to comprehend what just happened. "My...my magic...w-what..." I slowly look up, my body still shaking in the aftereffects, seeing them all laughing loudly, Sally even rolling in the snow. "W-what did...you do!"

"You think we wouldn't come prepared to take you down a notch?" Jacket said, being the first one to collect himself from the laughing group, the rest slowly recovering as well. He then looks up at Star. "Why don't you go ahead and tell her."

"I had to pull in a lot of favors to get one, but I think it worked out in the end" She says, reaching into her jacket and pulling out an empty packet, tossing it over to me. As it landed, I looked close at the name.

"M-Magic...Inhibiter?" I say confused. On the front it had a picture of some sort of metallic square with claws on the corner, and in the center was as small needle. "But...but when-"

"Did you really think me hitting you from behind was just for me to calm my nerves?" The pegasus says, and that is when it hits me. Reaching back, I feel around my neck and sure enough, there it was, the cool steel against my hoof, and the claws digging into my skin. Any sort of firm tug or pull on it just causes me to get another shock, and I was still recovering from the other ones as well.

Finally I stop, panting and gasping for air, my eyes still wide as I look at the four once more, only this time, instead of them laughing, they were all staring at me, their smiles ever so creepy and intense. It was then I knew I was finally powerless to do anything to stop them, so that left me with only one option...

Turning tail and running.

Sadly, I didn't get very far, for as soon as I took a few steps, Star was already in front of me, tripping me on my hooves as I fall face first into the snow. I groan as I try to get up, only to get kicked in the side, making me gasp in pain, coughing. I rolled over to try and sit up, but this time another blow ends up hitting me in the chest, knocking the wind out of me. I gag and cough even more, trying to breath, one of them picking me by the cloak and pulling me up, making it even harder to get any air.

Looking up weakly, I see Dagger before me, his smirk still there as he holds the pie that I dropped. "Is the poor whorse feeling tired and hungry now?" He teases, waving the pie before me. I instinctively try to grab it with my magic, but once again the shock makes me stop, laying limp in my captors grasp. I pant, my head starting to fall limp only to feel a tug on my cloak to make me look back up at the white stallion.

Grinning, he holds the pie before me, making me smell its tasty aroma, before finally pulling it away and smashing it against the wall, smearing it all over the brick and mortar. I can feel my stomach rumble once again as I see my one good meal in almost a week slowly get destroyed.

After a while he finally finishes, the broken bits sliding down the wall and into the snow, a dirty mess. "That will teach you not to go around telling lies to everypony that you meet." He states. I can feel my eyes watering now as he leans in, grinning. "Aw, gonna cry now? In that case, let me give you something to really cry about."

He then reels his hoof back and, with huge thrust of force, punches me right in the eye, making me gasp. Once I feel the pain, I finally scream.

The one that was holding me up drops me into the snow, and I just roll onto my back, holding my injured face as I moan and cry, their laughter echoing above me. Even then, that wasn't the end of it as they started to taunt me more, every so often kicking me in the side or stomach, or even the flank, the marks slowly starting to show through my coat.

I tried to defend myself, putting my hooves up to block the shots, but with only one eye, it was nearly impossible, unable to see when one was coming till it made contact with me. I don't know how long they kept on beating me, but it felt like an eternity, their hooves landing blow after blow, their voices ripping a hole in my mind and heart. After a while I didn't know if I was crying from the words or the pain...or both.

After a few more hits, Jacket and Sally hold me up by my forelegs, making me look at their leader once again, my left eye swollen from his first hit. "Man, that was some good stress relief. Now, time to really push the message in." He says. He digs around in one of his pockets for a few seconds before pulling out...a knife.

It isn't that big of a knife, most likely a pocket dagger, barely a couple of inches, but the size wasn't what had me worried. The fact that he has a weapon at all, and that he plans on using it on me...that is what scared me. My one good eye goes even wider than I thought possible, and I hear Sally talking in a hushed tone behind me. "Wait, we're going to kill her? But...but the guards will have us for sure!"

"Yea, I don't know that's such a good idea Dagger." Jacket agrees. "I mean, she is a real bitch, but...but killing her? That's just way too extreme!"

"Please, it's the least she deserves. Oh, make it as painful as possible for her to endure!" Squeals Star, clearly getting into it.

"Relax guys, I'm not going to kill her." Dagger assures, getting a few confused words from behind me. "I'm just leaving a message, like I said." he slowly slides his knife against my coat, the point making me shiver as I can feel him nearly pressing it against my skin. "I think maybe...here." He decides, stopping the dagger at my chest. "Yea...four large letters, spelling out liar. I like it, what do you think dear?"

I can barely say anything, my mind in a twirl, the panic almost setting in me. However, in a last ditch effort, one last thing comes to mind, so that I can at least feel I didn't go down without a fight.

Gathering what energy I can, I take a deep breath and spit right in his face.

He just chuckles, wiping the spit off as he twirls the dagger. "I'll take that as a yes." He says. Slowly, he starts to press, my one good eye looking down, unable to look away, even though everything told me that I should...

"HEY, GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM HER!" Dagger pauses as he turns to look behind him...only to get slapped across the face by a large staff.

He gets sent flying off, hitting a wall as he lands there in a daze. As he gets his senses back, the staff swings around, landing a blow at the pony on my left, getting what sounds like Salt, making her cry out as she falls into view, holding her shoulder. Before it can aim right, the pony left holding me, Jacket I'm guessing, drops me, making me land with a groan in the snow.

Free at last, I struggle to my hooves and start to backpedal away till my flank hits the other wall. Rubbing my good eye, I soon look at my savior, my eye blinking the tears away.

Before me, his staff already aimed at the last two standing ponies, was the human. The two ponies, Star and Jacket, stared at him as if they have seen a monster, eyes wide with shock.

"W-what...what the FUCK are you!?!" Yells Star, slowly hovering backwards to make some distance.

The human, Drakalian I think he told me, just stared right back, his eyes narrow and fierce. When I tried to look, I could feel his rage lighting up, making myself scared of him. "Doesn't matter who or what I am. What matters is the four of you trying to kill this mare for no reason, and I won't allow that." He says, his voice low now as he takes a step closer, both of them backing up.

At this point I notice Dagger getting back up on his hooves, snarling as he stares at the human from behind. He starts to charge, dagger out as he aims to stab him.

"Drakalian, behind you!" I call out, before gasping as I fall a bit in the snow, the pain from the beating still very raw. He glances at me for a moment, and I can see the worry spread on his face before he turns around, just as Dagger leaps at him. Instead of getting the stab off, the human swings his staff across, hitting his forehoof and knocking the weapon out.

With a cry of shock the earth pony lands on the ground, shaking his hoof from the hit. Looking at the other two who are still up, he shouts, "Don't just stand there, get him!"

Jacket is quick to follow his order, rushing forward to topple him over. The flying mare, however, hesitates before she slowly flies forward.

Drakalian narrows his eyes as he looks at the incoming attack, and I see him take a deep breath. This guy is crazy, he's going to get us both killed! Why doesn't he just run! I thought to myself. However, as he exhales, he starts to swing his staff.

Twirling it before him, he begins with a strike to his right, getting Jacket in the chest before he swings up, uppercutting the pony and sending him to the snow in one fell swoop. The next swing he does goes down, landing in front of Dagger, who was charging in, only to get tripped over by the staff. With him falling over, the human twirls his staff some more before hitting him in his flank, sending him forward and into Jacket with an oomph.

The two ponies start to get up once again as they glared at him, though the bruises shown on their coats told me that they were starting to get worn out. Yelling, Jacket dashes forward, circling the human as Dagger does the same on the other side. They both start to dart in and out, trying to land a hit on the human, but he either dodges the blows or deflects them, landing another hit for each four that they missed.

Even with all the dodging and blocking, he was still facing against two ponies, and it was clear that he was still new as they start to land more than a few hits on his arms and chest, Dagger even managing to get a few slashes across his right arm. However, even as they smile from the blows, the human, barely phased by them, jabs the staff forward, landing a hit on his chest, the wind getting knocked out as he doubles over. That is when Drakalian takes his advantage, staff twirling once again and landing two shift blows on top of his head, knocking him out cold.

Jacket, for his part, takes this to his advantage as he jumps at him, landing on his back and wrapping his hooves around his neck. Gagging, Drakalian stumbles back before slamming Jacket into the wall, making the yellow pony shout from the hit. He still manages to hold on, however, and slowly starts to choke him out. Gasping for air, the human takes a step forward before slamming back against the wall, then doing it again, and again. With each hit, the pony's hold gets weaker and weaker, till finally with a groan, he slides off, unconscious as well as he lands in the snow.

Star, much less inclined to fight, stays out of reach as the human just takes out her two buddies one after the other, her eyes wide as she slowly lands before her friends. Drakalian, breathing heavily as he recovers from the last attack, moves closer, his staff swinging up high to be brought down on her before she holds a hoof up. "Wait, please don't hurt me!" She begs.

This gets the human to pause, his staff just a few feet from hitting her in the head. "Why? If I remember right, you're the one who wanted to really kill her." He states, making me shiver at the thought.

"Yea, but that's cause she's a total bitch and a cunt! She hasn't done anything for any of us without causing pain, so why should we allow her to continue living with us, or at all for that matter!" She states, Drakalian's eyes narrowing as he readies for a swing again. "Wait I-" She doesn't get enough time as he swings his staff down, hitting her head and knocking her out right with the others.

With three of them out, that just leaves Sally, who had gotten up in a sitting position nearby, still rubbing her shoulder where she got hit. The human looks over at her and walks over, the mare whimpering as she takes a few steps back. "M-M-Monster..."

The human pauses as he hears this, seeming to hesitate as he looks back at her. He takes a few more steps before kneeling down, eyes locked on her. "What's your name?"

"S-Sally...Sally Salt." She replies, clearly shaken after seeing him take out her friends.

The human stares at her for a good while, the intensity of it all making her shiver even more before she just stops. Slowly, he stands back up, staff raised and pointed at her. She doesn't move an inch as he slowly brings it closer, getting it to touch her head...and gives a gentle push, lightly tapping her.

"Go on, get out." He simply says, getting confused looks on both of us. He starts to stand up as the mare sputters out some words.

"But...b-but I hurt her too. I hate her as well, she's just so damn mean and ignorant of everypony else. W-why...why spare me?" She says.

"Do you want to kill her?"

She pauses at this before slowly saying, "N-no. No pony has the right to take another life."

Seemingly satisfied with the answer, he nods as he says, "Then go, and tell someone of importance about this, now.." With a nod, she gets up and slowly limps away.

With that settled, he looks at me and quickly rushes forward, falling to the snow to better look at me. "Trixie! Are you ok?" He asks, causing me to cough a bit more as I stare at him with my one good eye.

"Trixie's battered, beaten, bruised...and *cough* now with one less pie, hungry. What do you...*cough cough* think?" I tell him, showing him how upset I am.

"You need-" he starts to say, but I stop him before can finish it.

"Trixie is fine! She can...get herself...h-home..." I try to tell him, slowly getting up on my legs. However, the pain from getting hit so many times washes over me, and I fall back down, exhausted. Before I can hit the snow, Drakalian is already catching me with his arms, lifting me up onto my hooves as I have yet another coughing fit.

"Trixie, let me help you." He asks, and as I start to open my mouth to protest, he continues. "I don't give a damn what you think, you need my help. Now tell me where you are living, and I'll bring you there."

I stay silent as I stand against the human, leaning a bit, one hoof still covering my injured eye. Finally, I sight. "Trixie...Trixie will allowing you to help me. But just this once!" I say, getting a small smile from him. "Now just...just let Trixie lean against you..." I say, panting lightly.

Drakalian just nods as I take a step, then another, the human walking with me the entire time. Soon, we get into the street, and once out there, I point in the direction from my home, motioning him to stay close as I use him as support. Soon, we start walking down the road once again, this time with me one pie shorter...and one human more.

Next Chapter: Chapter 21: A New Mare? Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 54 Minutes