Chapter 13: To New Appleoosa

The following morning I found it hard to sit up as all my muscles and joints ached with pain from the day previously. My body had obviously not agreed to all the running, freezing, shooting and drowning I did the day before. Everypony else was already awake and talking.

Instead I sat in the corner and isolated myself with last night’s dream still hanging over my head. Alyshia seemed to have forgiven me but that didn’t leave the nagging reminder that my friends were probably going to leave me after what I did the day before. I pulled out a tin of corn and sprouts then levitated a spoon and started to eat by myself while sitting on my haunches.

When I was done I did not know what to do with myself. Why was I so fucked up? I thought to myself, why was I so clumsy? Why was I so switched off? Why couldn’t I be like Alyshia, Twilight or Fluttershy?

I hung my head feeling tears bead. I felt a hoof on my shoulder and I jumped slightly.

“Are you ok?” Alyshia asked softly.

“Yeah I’m fine, just angry at myself” I grumbled. I did not dare say what I had on my mind. Instead I got up and walked over to Midnight who was eating, her wing in a splint, bloody but normal. She looked up to me and she cocked her head with a mouthful of beans. I told her “I’m sorry about yesterday. I didn’t mean to hurt you more. I should have taken you straight back here instead of using you… Again.”

Midnight swallowed and looked confused “Huh?”

I shook my head and I now felt confused “I didn’t mean to… Ahh, you know. Drag you through all that and…”

Midnight shook her head “none of that’s your fault Amethyst. What in Equestria gave you that idea? If I wanted to go back I would have gone back. I nearly let you drown remember. I made mistakes too.”

“Amethyst nearly WHAT?” Alyshia barked looking from me to Midnight.

Midnight gave a nervous laugh “Yeah Amethyst fell from the cat walk and fell through the ice while I… Umm… you know what, don’t you worry Alyshia. Everything went fine.”

Alyshia blubbered looking to Brax who merely shrugged.

“Leave it” I told her. I felt my heart lighten somewhat. Midnight didn’t blame me at least. But that still begged the question was Brax and Midnight secretly together? Surely not I thought, Brax was a lot older than Midnight and Midnight was the one who kept telling me I was too young for her despite our hardly five year differences in age. Midnight and Brax would be more than double the difference and if she was seeing Brax that would make her a hypocrite.

I shook my head clearing it. Midnight wasn’t even a fillyfooler. Why did I keep thinking about her like that? She was out of bounds, sure she was beautiful, soft, warm and her kiss tasted like sweet apple whiskey. How could I not want her?

“Amethyst, are you alright?” Midnight inquired.

“What? I” I said stupidly, I felt drool leak down the side of my mouth which I quickly wiped with a hoof.

“It’s just that you have been staring into space for so long that you began to drool” Midnight said “You sure you’re alright? What’s on your mind?” she asked kindly.

I saw Alyshia take a glance at me from the corner of my eye and I saw Midnight’s eyes bore into me. I flushed and said “Nothing really, just stuff.”

“Just stuff?” Alyshia laughed, “What stuff?”

“Nothing” I said quickly, “just filly dream stuff really. Nothing for anypony to worry about.”

It wasn’t lying, it was just avoiding telling the truth, I did still have feelings for Midnight but I was not going to act upon them. Just push them to the side.

“Let’s go” I said getting up and strapping everything in place.

Without further ado everypony else got up and followed closely behind.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

The blizzard outside had stopped which left about a foot of snow on the ground. We left the building and walked down the steps, my pipbuck clicking softly again due to being so close to the New Saddle balefire bomb crater.

I saw a red blip appear on my EFS but it vanished as quickly as it had come.

I stopped and felt Alyshia walk into my rump “Ooff. Sorry Amethyst” She gasped.

“Why have we stopped” Brax asked “What’s wrong?”

“I saw a hostile” I replied, “but it vanished.”

“I didn’t see it” Brax replied “probably just a radroach.”

That same sentence reminded me of the raider at the place I got caught. She died only seconds after she said that.

Bang

Bang

All I saw was two bullets pass through Brax from above and he keeled over and hit the snow with a ground shaking thud.

I looked up, my heart pounding and saw three griffins with large guns held in their claw like talons. I pulled out my Magnum and slid into SATS.

SATS did not recognise the griffins at all. My EFS was blind. I attempted to shoot them manually but they were as agile as Midnight despite their size. Unfortunately Midnight was grounded due to her injured wing and couldn’t fly up there to shoot them.

I saw that Alyshia was attempting to tend to Brax but she didn’t know how to open his armour.

Crack

A shot missed Alyshia by about an inch and she jumped back. I instead pulled out my shotgun and sprayed the air with bullets. I emptied the gun into the air and a male griffin hit the snow all bloody. I looked up and I missed the others, or maybe their barding stopped the bullets.

I heard the sound of a series of extremely high pitch sqeeks and the rustling of snow. It sounded kind of like a bat from behind. I turned to see an insectoid looking pony thing. It had holes in its legs, it was black and had moth like wings. It fell into a battle stance and bared its fanged teeth. It then blurred and morphed. I shook my head and blinked.

I was looking at a carbon copy of myself.

“Gahh” I shouted, “What the fuck is that?”

I saw my other self’s horn flare green and a livid green shield envelope my doppelganger which was not unlike my own, except mine was transparent and clear.

“Whoa Amethyst there is two of you” Midnight shouted running to my side. Midnight blubbered before saying “What the hell is that?”

I heard the crunch of snow and the two remaining griffins landed behind me and Midnight.

“Well, well well…” The older lady griffin said “If it isn’t the stable mare that has pissed off half the equestrian wasteland.”

“Who the fuck are you two?” Midnight asked rudely “and what the fuck is that?” she said pointing a hoof at the second me.

The male griffin with amazing speed and agility drew a gun and pointed it at my head.

I felt a push and I fell into the snow as the gun fired. I got up, Midnight had pushed me away from the gun and, thank Celestia had avoided the shot herself.

The doppelganger me however levitated me into the air and the griffin then pointed his gun at me with a smirk on his face “Its payday Christine” he said jubilantly.

I braced for bullets to pass through my body. What I was not prepared for was the explosion that followed, I saw light flow through my eyelids and shrapnel sprayed my face followed by the feeling of fresh glutinous blood run through my face and mane. I felt myself drop to the ground and I opened my eyes.

The griffins were gone and all that remained was a hole where snow was, blood stained snow nearby and Alyshia standing about thirty feet away. She grinned and shouted “How do ya like them apples.”

I laughed and as I did so I heard a loud bang, followed by the feeling of a bullet enter and exit my body. I felt myself collapse onto the ground and there I saw who shot me. It was me, my other me who still had her fluorescent green shield up.

Ratata tatatata

The shield broke and Midnight filled it with bullets. It was probably a good thing that my shield wasn’t all that powerful.  I saw it flash between me and the insectoid thing it was before. It then flicked back into the insecoid and fell into the snow with a soft crunch.

Somepony was tending to me but I shook my head attempting to get up “Brax? Is he going to be ok?” I asked worried “He is going to die.”

“Shut up Amethyst, were tending you first” Alyshia muttered attempting to push me down. I could feel blood leaking through my side which felt extremely painful.

I shook my head and I fell over again. “No” I shouted “Brax first, me second.”

I saw Midnights face loom into view above me “No you first, you are- most important“Midnight paused. I saw her look away.

My heart filled with emotion, but I shook my head “No, Brax… He has been hurt longer” I felt myself beginning to shout.

My vision began to swirl and as it did so I heard a heavy hoofstep followed by the loud grumble “I’m fine.” Everything then went black.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

I sat up my head spinning slightly. I was in Alyshia’s hooves and she was smiling at me “See Amethyst, your fine” She said happily.

“What about-?” I began.

“Fine” came a grumble to my left. There was Brax, he was indeed fine. He looked normal in his heavy enclave armour “Armour like this comes with special features” he advised.

“You might want to take a look at this” Midnight said looking worried.

“What?” I inquired.

Midnight hoofed a piece of paper into my hooves which I wrapped in magic and held it in front of me. It was some kind of contract. I read it out loud:

This is a Private Contract;

Xenzorth has requested for the destruction of the white stable mare who is known for taking out the whitetail raiders, assaulting the bandit station near Hoofling and killing of Xenzorth forces at the slave drop off point in New Saddle.

Twenty thousand Cap reward for the head of the White Stable Mare also known as “Amethyst,” last seen leaving New Saddle Tower.

No caps to be paid until her head is on my desk.

-Xenzoth

I gasped. I had a bounty on my head, which was worth twenty thousand caps. All I knew was that was a lot more than what we all had combined.

“Is that a lot of money?” I asked hoofing the figure on the page.

“Yeah” my companions said together.

“Twenty thousand is about twenty five slaves” Brax advised “It’s quite a haul.”

“Great” I mumbled “Now I have to look out for some crazy pony who wants my head on his office desk.”

“Don’t worry, Amethyst” Alyshia mentioned, “If this is the best they can do?”

“I guess” I surmised.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Back in New Saddle Tower, Alyshia booked us a room for two nights before we headed off to New Appleoosa. Apparently we could use a zeppelin which went to Manehattan and Alyshia advised that she could probably get the stallion that operated it to take us to New Appleoosa along the way.

I for one would love to take the zeppelin; my hooves were sore and a little cracked from all the walking. Exercise was not my forté, not that I had ever really needed it being of a lighter build.

“Amethyst, would you like to come to the spa with me honey?” Alyshia piped up while looking for an appropriate dress to go out in the tower in.

“Would I ever” I burst out, “Coming Midnight?” I asked looking at the white pegasus lounging on the lounge.

She put a hoof in the air “Nah, I don’t do hooficures, or for that matter anything involving mud, gets stuck in the quills.”

“Aww, come-on down Midnight” Alyshia begged, “I’m sure Amethyst would really love you to come.”

“I’m sure she would” she said looking at me suspiciously “thanks but no thanks.”

Alyshia finally got dressed and I followed her around while she got ready to go. “You’re not going naked are you” she asked looking at my bare coat and fixing a glance on my cutie mark.”

“I have no clothes, remember?” I proclaimed, “unless I go in that extravagant dress.”

“What about your barding?” she suggested.

“It’s dirty and needs to be cleaned”

“Oh right, anyway are you ready?”

I nodded laughing silently that I did not need to do anything anyway.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

I felt a little nervous when I first got to the spa, it was filled with mares and many of them were my around my age. I focused on Alyshia and kept answering her questions and talked to her so that I would not get caught looking.

“Amethyst are you listening?” she questioned as I was looking at a mare across the spa getting her hooves done.

I shook my head “uhh, sorry” I mumbled sinking into the steamy water until my chin touched the water. Alyshia and I were soaking in the hot water bath and we were talking about our favourite gems and jewellery but I had clearly lost my train of thought.

Alyshia glanced at where I was looking and giggled “Oh Amethyst, you remind me of me when I was your age.”

“What?” I stammered, “What do you mean?” I felt myself going red.

Alyshia merely smiled kindly “Well, when I was your age I used to check all the good looking stallions out, looking for my own special pony.”

“Oh” I said glumly, “What happened?”

Alyshia shrugged “love seemed to never find me, I’ve been with a few stallions but none of them charmed me, none of them were what I could consider special.”

“Yeah… I know the feeling” I murmured.

I felt a hoof touch me and Alyshia pulled me into a hug which broke when I slipped on the bottom of the spa tub.

“I love her” I advised Alyshia. She looked over to where I was looking before clearly confused, “Midnight” I intoned.

“Oh, right, sorry” Alyshia said, “Yes Amethyst, you told me before. But-“

“Her barn doors don’t swing that way” I finished for her “Yeah I know. Like every other mare.”

Alyshia stuttered at first but continued “Well… that’s one way to put it Amethyst. But, maybe there is somepony out there for you? Somepony you could settle down with?”

“Yeah maybe” I said shrugging as I ran a hoof through the water.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

After the Spa, we were going to have a massage, this was the part I was looking forward to the most and probably rather nervous about too. My muscles were tight and sore from all the walking, running, falling, not to mention the things that had fallen on top of me. What I was nervous about was getting touched up by a mare without getting all flustered.

I need not to have worried as it was the most relaxing thing I had ever done before. The masseuse mare worked her hooves over my forelegs and back.

“This feels sooo good” I told Alyshia who was on the table next to me. Remind me to come back sometime.”

She laughed before saying “I knew you would love this part. Your body must be ever so sore.”

I nodded shivering slightly from the release of pain as she passed her hooves over the middle of my back.

Before I knew it the masseuse was rubbing her hooves over my hind legs and for the love of Celestia I felt so uncomfortable that I fought not to move my hind legs away.

“Are you ok dear?” my masseuse asked me “you look tense and you’re sweating a lot.”

“Yeah I do that” I muttered, propping my head up slightly; when I have ponies touching my ass I finished in my head.

“Yeah, she does that when you touch her flanks” Alyshia advised.

“Would you like me to stop?” the masseuse asked me.

I shook my head and rested it back down and relaxed a little, allowing my head to clear and thought of the day ahead.

That was until the masseuse started to massage the base of my tail. My head propped up and I gasped.

“Stop it Amethyst” Alyshia told me “Relax.”

I put my head down and she continued to massage around the base of my tail which was a place I would deem nopony to go unless they were either me or my special somepony.

I relaxed a little but that did not keep the distraction away. By the time she was done I felt hot, horny and uncomfortable at the same time. Alyshia and I then went into the sauna; this did not help me in the slightest. Inside were about five other mares all around my age, each were giggling, playing with the towels in suggestive ways and pushing each other.

Alyshia just tutted and I felt more heat build inside me. I tried to ignore them but could not help but glance. The steam made me all woozy and I felt my mind blur and I saw Midnight on the forefront of my vision. As if an optical illusion I saw Midnight come out through the steam walking as she moved her flanks in a sexy way.

“Amethyst? Snap out of it” Alyshia said tapping my cheek with a hoof. I felt drool run down the corner of my mouth. I coughed and wiped a hoof across my muzzle. The other mares were no longer playing; some of them glanced at me awkwardly. I did not know what caused them to glance at me but when I looked at them they looked away and sat on the benches doing what they are supposed to be doing…. relaxing.

I buried my face in my hooves in shame. I felt so turned on at that moment that I turned to Alyshia “Alyshia I want to go” I whispered to her.

“What why?” she asked shocked.

I dropped my voice and said through gritted teeth “I don’t know about you, but getting my ass touched up, my hind legs rubbed and seeing cute mares whipping each other with towels is like…” I broke off unable to make any comparisons, “I’m a fillyfooler” I whispered to her feeling ashamed “How do you think I feel?”

“You should still be able to go to a spa and not feel uncomfortable” she hissed at me “If you don’t like being touched there then tell them.”

I looked away and nodded.

“Come on Amethyst, at least let us get our hooves done” Alyshia said reassuringly.

“Ok” I muttered.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

After having a shower which I kept short so as to not allow myself to release the pressure that had built up inside me, we went to the hooficure mares and they began to file and tend to my cracked, dry and sore hooves. Alyshia said it was very relaxing and she proved that right, I even felt the pressure ebb away to nothingness.

When the filing was complete they moisturised my hooves which tickled a little as they rubbed the ointment on before sealing the work with a lather of substance that hardened, leaving a thin film of protection over my hooves.

Alyshia and I paid for our day at the spa. When we were done I left feeling more satisfied than I would have been if I had left when I was in the sauna.

When we got back to the room, it was to Midnight still lounging around, her now clean white wings out on either side of her. When she saw us she jumped to her hooves and trotted over “How was the spa? I expected you two to be gone for another few hours.”

Alyshia glanced at me “Amethyst got nervous.”

I facehoofed and felt my face heat up. Midnight said glumly “Nervous? How can you get nervous at a spa?”

I merely scowled and didn’t say anything but Alyshia came to my rescue “Look Midnight, she was uncomfortable having ponies touching her around her… well-“

“-Ass” I finished for her, “Anyway where is Brax?” I inquired steering the conversation out of dangerous and embarrassing waters.

“Gone to get laid” Midnight advised casually.

“What” I barked, “You don’t mean?”

Midnight just shook her head and said “Yeah, said he’s going to the brothel.”

“You mean-“I began.

“Yes, the place you pay caps to have sex. And I’m not showing you where it is by the way” Midnight said looking at me.

“Like I would go” I told her rolling my eyes.

Midnight snickered but Alyshia put a hoof on my shoulder “Amethyst is too smart to pay caps for sex Midnight.”

I grinned and gave a little laugh, “I’m not that desperate Midnight, my hoof is still in working order.” I held up my right forehoof and gave it a little wave.

“Oh Amethyst, that is way too much information” Alyshia babbled, Midnight had collapsed onto the floor laughing.

I looked at Alyshia and she put a hoof over her eyes and shook her head. I looked at her glumly and shrugged before letting off a little giggle.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Later that night we began our preparations for the next day. Our plan was to get to the zeppelin platform tomorrow morning, Alyshia advised that it left every Saturday at dawn so we made sure we were at least a little early. Alyshia knew the pilot and believed she could get him to land in New Appleoosa.

Brax finally returned, very late at that. He stepped over the threshold and made his way over to me.

“How was your- uhh day?” I asked. Brax looked tired but nonetheless relaxed.

“It was good” he mumbled scratching his blue mane. “I need to talk to you” he advised.

“About?” I inquired.

He shook his head and trotted into Alyshia and I’s room, I followed him and he shut the door, looking out the window over the destroyed city he said “I’m done. I’m leaving.”

I blinked before I asked “Why?”

“Because” he growled.

“Because? Why?” I pressed. I had a feeling if anypony was going to leave it would be the stallion before me. And I knew why, I just wanted him to confess it.

Brax sighed and he turned to me “You’re not a very good leader Amethyst, you don’t know what you’re doing and now you have ponies hunting your hide and I’m not going to go down with you.”

I knew it was a leader issue but this I did not expect. I scoffed, “if that’s the best they can do-“I began.

Brax stomped a hoof, his voice rising “Best they can do? Amethyst, you are acting like an eleven year old filly. Even after a few weeks out here you should have some idea what to expect, to at least show the wasteland some respect.” He pointed a hoof out the window “If you think the best they can do is send four griffins and a fucking changeling then you are stupid and you will die. You have no idea. You walk out there like it’s a day in the park; you get shot, then saved by your friends and you laugh in the face of death.”

He took a deep breath and look back to the window before saying “The wastes corrode ponies, I see it with you already Amethyst, and I can see your kind heart being eaten from the inside out. Like a lump of concrete dissolving in acid.”

“What?” I babbled. I felt my heart constrict slightly “No-”

“Yes” Brax surmised looking across the wasteland over to the tower and crater on the horizon, “I have seen much, you have seen nothing compared to what I have seen, yet you doubt me. This is exactly what I’m talking about Amethyst.”

“But, were friends” I mumbled. As much as I doubted Brax, as much as a pain in the ass he was, he was still my companion and friend.

Brax looked at me with an odd expression “Friend?”

I nodded and told him “You’re our friend Brax, what about Midnight and Alyshia? And we need your combat expertise.”

He shook his head and said “I will not continue to travel with you Amethyst, I value my life and I won’t be risking my life for a filly who’s barely an adult yet, a filly that can’t make basic decisions that doesn’t involve getting everypony killed.”

I felt my mouth go agape then I closed it again, I felt some anger edge slightly in my chest. I opened my muzzle and told him with some fury on my tone “Excuse me? Are you saying that I don’t value my own or my friend’s lives?”

“Yeah, maybe I am” he retorted.

I heard the door open. I turned to see Alyshia and Midnight trot in “We thought we heard raised - voices” Alyshia tailed off glancing at me. Only now did I notice that I was in an aggressive stance and Brax was snarling at me.

“Brax is leaving” I announced.

Midnight glared at Brax “Why?”

“Ask Amethyst” he interjected looking out of the window again.

Midnight turned to me and I glanced into her scarlet eyes which were starting to weal. I looked away before saying “I’ll tell you later.”

Alyshia finally said “Why were you not going to tell us Brax? Why only Amethyst?”

“Because” he grumbled, “Amethyst is the reason I’m leaving, she is also the reason I stayed and I cannot and will not travel with a pony that has a bounty on her head, especially from him.”

“What?” I stammered “Xenzorth? I don’t even know who he is.”

Brax’s face filled with lines and he sighed “Exactly.” He then turned and left through the door with a swish of his blue tail.

Midnight charged after him as she yelled “Get back here you, don’t leave. Come back!”

Midnight returned, her head held down and tears forming in her eyes. Finally she stopped and faced me; her face was filled with anger as she growled “What did you say to him?”

“What?” I said shocked “I said nothing, he just-“

Midnight unfortunately looked devastated and she just shook her head. Alyshia however piped up “Well. I’m personally not at all surprised Brax left to be perfectly honest.”

Midnight looked offended but I was clearly shocked. Alyshia must have seen the signs as well. “What makes you say that?” I asked trying to spare Midnight.

Alyshia merely shook her head and said “Oh Amethyst, please don’t even try to lie. You are so bad at it.”

I scowled then said “Fine. I have noticed that Brax has been cold shouldering me a lot, problem is he never talks and was always questioning my ability to lead.”

Midnight finally spoke up, “He had that right Amethyst, you are a woeful leader but-“

“Not you too” I said heatedly “I thought you knew what you signed up for. I told you that I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“I didn’t say that” Midnight said looking apologetic, “Brax was special in his own special way. All I’m saying is that you suck at leading and he didn’t wish-“

“No” I retorted “He left because I’m being hunted by somepony I don’t even know.”

“Really?” Alyshia and Midnight inquired together.

My stomach squirmed and my fears had been confirmed. My companions thought I sucked at leading. I was a follower not a leader.

“I’m not that bad am I?” I asked timidly.

“No” Alyshia advised.

“Yes” Midnight retorted.

“Come on now Midnight” Alyshia cooed “Amethyst is not-“

“Yes she is. She lost Brax” she snapped.

“Look, I’m sorry for losing your boyfriend Midnight but I-“I began

“Excuse me Amethyst?” Midnight growled “What the fuck did you just say?”

“Ame-“ Alyshia began but I cut across her as my anger finally began to increase.

“You heard me Midnight, don’t think I thought otherwise. I’m not stupid, how could I not have noticed.”

“How dare you suggest that” Midnight roared “How dare you even think… He’s like, old enough to be my father.”

“Exactly” I told her feeling a smile break across my muzzle “You spend more time with him than me, how can I not notice?”

I saw Midnight facehoof before saying “I’ve had enough. I’m going to bed.” She then turned tail and stormed into the room she now had all to herself.

“You shouldn’t have said that” Alyshia told me.

I merely shrugged and said “Well. It’s true isn’t it?”

Alyshia gave me a look that told me I was wrong.

Alyshia sighed, “Sometimes Amethyst you need to hold your muzzle. I for one haven’t seen them up to anything at all.”

“Haven’t seen?” I asked “It could have been secret?”

“What does it matter?” Alyshia inquired “Who cares?”

“I do” I responded “It makes her a hypocrite.”

“No it doesn’t” she said reasonably “She could be making up that excuse to not hurt your feelings.”

Alyshia was right, I knew it. Once again, I was made out to be a dumb filly who could not act like a grown mare.

“Alyshia, can I ask you something?” I mumbled to her feeling tears weal in my eyes.

“But of course dear, what is it?” she responded.

“Is it normal to hate yourself?” I asked trying to make it sound as innocent as possible.

Alyshia look at me quite concerned “No dear, why do you hate yourself?”

I sighed and told her “Why can’t I be more like everypony else, why can’t I be mature like you? Good at making decisions, or awesome like Midnight? Why can’t I just be… Normal.”

The purple unicorn pulled me into a hug and said “You told me that you were late in getting your cutie mark, late in learning magic? Correct?”

I nodded resisting the urge to cry.

Alyshia said to me reassuringly “Well, let’s just say that maturity sometimes comes later for some ponies. But really Amethyst, you are so very young and in such a horrible position, you have shown maturity beyond with what I would expect from a nineteen year old filly.”

“Nearly twenty” I corrected.

Alyshia nodded before she continued “I mean, I could not dream of doing what you are doing when I was your age.”

“Why what were you doing at my age?” I asked curiously.

Alyshia looked down at me with a smile “Sex and Alcohol, just like every other filly at my age.”

I let out a little laugh that sounded almost like a gag despite my teary eyes “That’s what everypony was doing in my stable too.”

Alyshia giggled too but advised “You are mature Amethyst, in most ways. In others you need some work. As for Midnight, she has no interest in somepony like you, and getting jealous with her being with any stallion will do nothing but tear the two of you apart.”

I nodded and Alyshia pulled me closer before saying “You are a good girl, you know that right?”

I scowled “Alyshia you do remember I’m not six? Right?”

“I know. I’m just playing” she replied “Now it’s off to bed.”

I nodded and threw myself into bed levitating the sheets onto me, as for Alyshia she got into bed like normal and with a glow of her horn the lights went out.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

I felt somepony shake me awake. “uhh” I groaned, “it’s four o’clock in the morning” I moaned and looked at my pipbuck, my eyes stung with the light, “Why do we have to get up so early?”

“Because” Alyshia croaked, she sounded tired too, “the zeppelin leaves at around 5am.”

Alyshia went off to wake up Midnight. When she came out she acted as if I was invisible. After a few minutes though she started to shoot me vicious looks whenever I came near her, my only hope was that her anger at me would wear off by the time we got on the zeppelin. I had no intention of hiding from Midnight for the eight hour trip.

When we were all ready we took one last glance at our room, I placed the keys on the table and I led my companions to the door. I pulled it opened and stepped forwards. My forehooves caught something soft and warm and I fell face forwards, face planting the floor of the corridor outside our room.

“Amethyst are you—“ Alyshia began but she stopped.

I got to my hooves and looked at what I had tripped over while rubbing my nose. The thing I tripped on was actually a middle aged grey pony who was stirring. It took me a second to remember who it was.

“B-Brax?” Alyshia stammered.

I heard Midnight squeal “Brax” and she helped the stallion to his hooves.

Brax looked very tied and he shook Midnight off him who was attempting to give him a hug. He straightened up before saying “Heh, I’m sorry about last night you guys, I didn’t mean to be such an ass. I’ll go with you lot… That is, if I’m still welcome,” he glanced at me and I smiled back.

I nodded and said “you’re forgiven.” I then gave the grey stallion a hug and he wrapped his forehoof around my neck.

“I sometimes forget what it is like to be young” he mumbled, but I have never been as innocent as you Amethyst, I can still learn a lot from you.”

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Once Brax had gathered his things and put his heavy armour back on we made our way to the roof of the building via Elevator. We all stepped out to the freezing darkness; the sun did not show any sign of rising, it was snowing lightly with not a hint of a breeze, perfect weather for flying.

Tethered to the huge spire of the building was an extremely large brownish armoured balloon with what looked like a huge rusty ship hull tied to the balloon with massive thick steel rope. “What the hell is that?” I whispered to Alyshia, “We can’t fly that. It’s just a big steel balloon.”

Alyshia shook her head and whispered back “this has been flying since I was a filly, I can assure you that it is safe.”

When we approached our ride an elderly brown stallion was seen to be loading the zeppelin with freight with a large crane.

When he saw us he stopped and clambered down the ladder, “Ahaha Alyshia my dear girl, good to see you.”

“Good to see you too Mr Grain” Alyshia said happily, “So you can take us to New Appaloosa in this?”

“Ahh Yes” the elderly earth pony said looking at his air ship, “You did mention. Big Betty here’ll have no problem with a little detour, might need to take the Cantal route, the South West Mountains are blowin’ from what DJ said.”

“Which way do you normally go?” I inquired of the old stallion.

“Who are you?” he asked rudely.

“I’m Amethyst” I said simply.

“Sorry” Alyshia put in, “Mr Grain, these are my friends. Amethyst,” she pointed to me, “Midnight and Brax.”

“Ahh” he nodded “A friend of Alyshia’s is a friend of mine as I always say. Anyway girl, I normally take the splendid valley route to Manehattan which is where most of my stock goes, then to Friendship city and then I do a loop around the coast picking up supplies. But y’know how it goes during winter, weather can fuck up some trips.”

“Oh right’ I said glumly. He talked to much was what went through my head. But finally he finished “Let me get the last of the load on and we’ll jump aboard the old girl.”

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

Once Mr Grain had finished loading all his supplies he activated the ramp into the hull of the ship and we all stepped aboard. The inside was much like a normal ship that would float; everything was made of rusting steel.

“Make yerselves at home, trip might take a few hours” Mr Grain barked as he went off no doubt to the control room to fly this giant balloon.

“The deck might be a bit cold” Alyshia mentioned, “We can always stay inside?”

I nodded; it was too cold to be on deck. Alyshia guided us into a sitting room. The floor was made of steel with a torn square of rug, the walls were all made of steel and had a single circular port hole which looked out onto the edge of New Saddle Tower and a fire place also made of steel. A small fire was already crackling in the grate, in the corner was a pool table and I could see Brax eyeing it off already. We all took a seat on the faded lounge.

“How did you come to know Mr Grain?” I asked Alyshia.

Alyshia replied “My father used to work on the Zeppelin with him; I used to live in Tenpony Tower when I was a filly and my father would always be doing his rounds with Mr Grain, I used to live with mother while my father worked. He retired a while ago but Mr Grain here says he doesn’t want to retire. Here he is still doing his supply rounds.”

“Oh” I said glumly, “So where are your parents?” I asked cautiously, mostly because I hated it when ponies ask me the same question.

Alyshia gave a little laugh “They still live at Tenpony tower, I visit them from time to time, and that brings us back to Mr Grain, he normally can get me a ride there.”

“Oh” I mumbled, “that’s very nice of him.”

All of the sudden I felt a little lurch and I jumped to my hooves; I was the only pony to do so. “We’re just moving, sit back down Amethyst” Alyshia laughed.

“Up for a round of pool?” Brax finally asked Midnight.

Midnight shrugged and said “Why not.”

I sighed and pulled out my collection of memory orbs. I had a vast collection and I kept the ones I viewed separate to the ones I hadn’t viewed. I still had three memory orbs I had not yet seen.

“You have quite a collection there” Alyshia piped up.

I gave a forced laugh and said “Yeah well, I can’t really help myself. The lives these ponies lived were a lot better than the life I have lived, so it’s like an escape from reality, like reading a book but more real.”

Alyshia cocked her head, “Why do you say your life sucks? You have lived peacefully without the stress of war hanging over your head.”

I looked at her slightly offended, but I didn’t get angry, I merely said “Well, I doubt they have been picked on and laughed at for their whole lives, as for me…” I sighed and said “I know many ponies, especially ponies like Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy had it hard because of the war. I’m sure ponies gave them a hard time too. But it just gets me away from my own life.”

“Look Amethyst” Alyshia said, I braced myself for a lecture but all she said was “If that’s what you need to do to keep yourself going, then by all means go ahead. Just don’t get yourself lost with those memory orbs ok?”

I nodded and said “Well, I’m going to view some now, I have only seen four so I can get through these ones while on the trip.”

Alyshia nodded as I pulled out the first orb. I put it on the cushion and allowed my magic to touch it. I felt myself get sucked away.

========OooO…OooO========

The moment the memory came into view I knew something was terribly wrong, my vision was all colourful and exaggerated, I felt that my host was brimful of energy, so much energy in fact that she must have been  on some kind of drug.

I felt my host open her muzzle as she was talking to a very pretty, or should I say stunning white unicorn mare with a curling purple mane.  “So anyway Rarity I saw Twilight last night and she was all like” I heard my host put on a whining voice as she said “Oh Pinkie you are too high on mintals, blah blah blah, I’m Twilight Sparkle and I know everything and those drugs are going to screw you , you take way too much.” Her voice changed to being its normal high pitched tone “if it wasn’t for the Mintals I would never have stopped those meany zebras from opening fire within that school in Fillydelphia or many other things.”

The beautiful white unicorn then said in a very posh like accent “Well Pinkie, I think that you ought to watch what you put in your mouth; I agree with Twilight, you need to watch how many of those awful things you take.”

“Not you too” Pinkie said in her high pitched tone “Why doesn’t anypony understand that I need these to enhance my pinkie sense? I need to do this to save ponies.”

“Well Pinkie, I can’t stop you from taking them. I’m just trying to give you some good general advice from a friend. The mintals make you all… Funny and messed up.” Rarity sighed and said “do what you want Pinkie, just try to understand that Twilight dear is just trying to help you.”

“Well, I don’t need any help” Pinkie snarled before storming off.

The memory faded out

========OooO…OooO========

When I was back I shook my head, this was clearly the memory orb of the pink pony who took the Party Time Mintal drugs, but it wasn’t her that I was interested in, it was the white unicorn. She would have been about Brax’s age but she looked very hot for such an old mare. Not only that but I swear I had seen her before, somewhere at my stable. But I still could not quite put a hoof on it.

“Amethyst are you ok?” Alyshia inquired “You are starting to drool.”

I wiped my muzzle and shook my head “Sorry I-“

“Lost in thought?” Alyshia asked.

I nodded.

I finally put the memory orb aside and picked up another. I wrapped it in magic and I fell into its depths.

========OooO…OooO========

The first thing I saw was a white hoof moving some furry and familiar feeling material through a sewing machine. My host was humming merrily to herself as she sewed, every so often cutting some thread or adjusting the pitch of the needle. I could tell she had done this many times before.

“Raaaaaarity” came a whining and annoying moan from the stairwell. Rarity looked up to find a pretty, or should I say HOT white filly that would have been in her late teens with a bubblegum pink and purple mane, “When are you going to make my prom dress? You have been working on that all day.”

“Not now Sweetie” my host snapped “this is for our Aunty Pearl, she’s about to have a foal and I absolutely must have a gift ready for her.”

Sweetie Belle had come over to take a look. She merely sneered at her sister and looked down at the toy. She said in a rude tone “You’re giving her a stuffed toy… of yourself?”

“Oh Sweetie, look what you made me do” Rarity moaned pulling the stuffed toy out and showing a piece of stitching which ran off the edge at the hoof.

“Well, sorrrrrey” Sweetie Belle moaned, “I forgot that you must always be perfect Rarity.” She then rolled her eyes and stormed up the stairwell assumedly to her room. Rarity sighed and continued her work. My host started muttering “She has no respect, I will get to her dress when I’m done this. Her prom is in two weeks. It can surely wait.”

Sweetie Belle came back down the stairwell and said flatly “I’m going to Applebloom’s.”

Rarity muttered “Good.” She then looked down at the stuffed toy which I could instantly recognise and said “I can’t concentrate; I have to take a break.”

Rarity got up and the memory faded away.

========OooO…OooO========

I emerged from the memory orb dumbfounded. That toy Rarity made was the same toy I owned at home. It even had the stitching mistake on the hoof, in the same spot.

“You’re drooling again Amethyst” Alyshia giggled.

I wiped my muzzle with haste and asked Alyshia, trying not to sound too excited “Would it be possible for me to be related to Rarity?”

Alyshia looked dumbfounded at the question I was asking her “Well, I don’t see why not? But really Amethyst, the chances that you are related to her is so small. What in Equestria makes you think that?”

I shook my head and told her what I saw “In this orb” I pointed at the orb I just entered; it has Rarity making a stuffed toy of herself. I have a stuffed toy of Rarity at home. In the memory she made a mistake on the hoof. My toy has the same mistake on the same hoof.”

Alyshia still did not really look convinced “I s’pose but, did she say who it was for? She could have sold it.”

“She said it was for her Aunt Pearl” I responded remembering what was said.

Alyshia thought for a moment. “I don’t know Amethyst; it could have been given away. I guess you could have the genes, you have a white coat for one and I guess you could say that your cutie mark is a gem stone.” Alyshia shook her head “Why are you asking me this? This is a question for your mother.”

I scowled, and Alyshia sighed, “Well fine. But I don’t know.”

I pulled my third memory orb in front of me and I was taken away by a touch of magic.

========OooO…OooO========

My host was lying on a bed on her stomach, reading a magazine. She was reading the part on making a certain type of sweet. There was a knock on the door.

“Come in” my host said in a bored tone and the door opened.

She looked up over the magazine and to my surprise was a mint coloured unicorn filly, she would have been in her late teens, around my own age. But that was not what surprised me. She was wearing a set of frilly socks and a beautiful white and gold flowing dress. Her mint and white coloured mane was done up to perfection and she had a beautiful sapphire necklace and earrings in the shape of a lyre.

“L-Lyra?” my host stammered “W-what are you doing? Why are you dressed like that?”

Lyra’s face turned a shade of red and she moved over to my host with a strut, swinging her flanks in an exaggerated manner and as she did so she said “because you’re playing hard to get and because I want you to be my marefriend that’s why.”

“We’ve discussed this” my host said flatly. Despite her saying this I noticed that heat was rising around our neck.

“Yes” Lyra said nervously, “I want to take you out for dinner.”

My host put the magazine down and looked into Lyra’s yellow eyes, “Look Lyra. I don’t know if I can do this. You’re a mare and… What would other ponies think?”

Lyra looked a little hurt but she didn’t give up “Look Bon Bon” she said “I love you. I don’t care what other ponies think. Who cares, as long as I’ve got my beautiful yellow coated Bon Bon.”

I felt Bon Bon blush and she said nervously “Lyra I really like you too, but-“

Lyra looked up and before Bon Bon finished she asked hopefully “You do?”

“Yes I like you, in a romantic way. But I’ve always been afraid of what other ponies would think” Bon Bon mumbled.

Lyra moved up to my hosts face an inch from her muzzle “Bon Bon, it doesn’t matter what other ponies think. As long as we’re in love, I would do anything for you. Please Bon Bon?”

My host looked down clearly thinking. She finally looked up to Lyra and said softly “close your eyes Lyra.”

“What?” Lyra looked a little perplexed but she obeyed. Bon Bon moved closer and planted a kiss on Lyra’s muzzle which she returned with her eyes still closed. When my host and Lyra broke apart she said softly “I love you Lyra.”

Lyra looked extremely cheerful and she said happily “So does that mean were going out for dinner?”

Bon Bon shook her head and Lyra deflated “It means we are going out with each other.”

Lyra’s jaw dropped and Bon Bon moved closer for another kiss. But as she did so the memory faded away just as their lips locked.

========OooO…OooO========

When I came out of the memory I myself felt a little hot around the neck but I wasn’t thinking about Lyra or Bon Bon. I was thinking about Midnight. Maybe I could try the same thing? Maybe I could seduce Midnight to give her my love? Maybe Midnight was just worried what other ponies would think of her? I must try something I thought.

“Amethyst you’re-“Alyshia began but I wiped my muzzle before she could finish. “Why are you looking so pleased?” Alyshia asked curiously.

“Umm… Nothing” I replied thinking about how I could win Midnight over.

“Up for a game of pool?” Midnight and Brax asked me noticing that I was finished with my memory orbs.

I shrugged and got up to join them. Unfortunately I was terrible. I had more control over the pool cue being a unicorn but I made clumsy shots and after about four games I gave up and sat back down on the lounge with Alyshia again.

I sighed and laid down resting my head on the cushion, the tip of my horn only just touching Alyshia. I drifted off to sleep.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

I was running around my room in my stable as a six year old filly. I had my Rarity toy on my back, her forelegs tied around my neck. I pounced on another stuffed pony, a pegasus. I picked her up and pretended that she was flying. My leg caught the bed side table and knocked the alarm clock off. It read 10:00PM, I couldn’t tell the time, all I knew was bed time was when it read 7:30PM. Mummy wasn’t home yet, she said she would take me to get some food that night so I thought I would wait in my room.

At that point, I heard the door open and close. My ears perked and I said hopefully “Mummy?”

I pushed the door open and stuck my head out “Mummy?” I asked quietly, I saw her but she was with a stallion and was wobbling around like she did a lot after work. She then kissed the stallion and I closed the door again and withdrew. Mummy would sometimes bring a stallion home after work and kiss or hug him a lot before going into her bedroom. I had never met one of mummy’s stallion friends and she would normally bring a different one each time.

I felt my stomach rumble, I was really hungry and the only source of food was normally mummy. I opened the room and pranced out to her, “Mummy!” I shrilled, “Mummy I’m hungry.”

Mummy looked at me and she swayed slightly, “Amethyst go to bed” she snapped.

My ears perked back and I felt my tummy rumble again. I went back into my room as mummy said “Let’s go into the bedroom so we don’t get interrupted.”

When I was back in my room I opened my school saddlebag and found an apple from two days ago. It was a little soft but I ate it anyway.  I then gave a little sigh and picked up a glass from the table. It was empty so I took it outside and attempted to get a drink of water. One problem, I could not reach the tap.

No problem, one pony in here could get me water and mummy was tall enough for that so I went to her bedroom door and reached a hoof to the knob and opened the door. “Mummy I’m thirsty” I told her, but mummy looked preoccupied. Her stallion friend was on top of her and was doing something completely weird.

“AMETHYST” Mother shirked, “I told you to go to bed!”

“But I’m thirs-“I began but she got up and wrapped me in magic before marching me into my room and placing me on the bed. She tapped my flank with her hoof and shouted “BED, NOW.”

“Y-Yes Mummy” I stammered and she left me in the dark on my bed making me wonder what I had done wrong.

I felt a hoof touch my face and I woke up.

“Ops sorry Amethyst” Alyshia apologised.

“No it’s ok” I muttered, my eyes felt a little wet and sticky so I rubbed them.

“How long was I asleep?” I inquired of her.

“About two hours” Midnight said aiming her pool cue at a ball while hovering above the pool table and whacking the ball into the socket.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes again.

“You ok?” Alyshia asked.

“Yeah I’m good” I replied, “Just a nightmare.”

Now did I realise that I missed my mother a lot less at that point. She was not a very good mother, she always seemed to look at me as a liability, even when I left my mother and lived by myself, sometimes she would knock on the door and order me around like I was ten.

*                                        **                        **                      **                                                *

About eight hours later the zeppelin began to slow down. I looked out the porthole and it was dark outside. We would likely have to find someplace to stay for the night. I checked my pipbuck and it was just 5:30pm. I smiled slightly knowing that night I could execute my plan. When I was done and I had Midnight in my hooves, I would thank Bon Bon and Lyra for such a brilliant idea.

Footnote: Level up

New Perk:  My little companion – When you are with all your friends you deal 10% more damage.