Hoofington wasn’t all that unusual in appearance. Covering several square miles of space, the inner city consisted of two and three storey buildings. Most of the inner roads were paved with gray slate stonework, on which Rarity now walked with Shining Armor. The surrounding buildings were crafted from a variety of stone materials, although the occasional clay or brick structure was not uncommon. On a cool Warm Season morning such as this one they were surrounded by a small crowd of local citizenry consisting mostly of earth ponies, although Rarity noticed a number of unicorns and pegasi. Also among the throng were thestrals, goats, sheep, cattle, deer, even a couple of minotaurs. Clearly, Hoofington wasn’t called the racial stewpot of Equestria for nothing.

Rarity held her hands tightly behind her back. It prevented her from rubbing the nub on Silver Lining’s handle. “Are you sure I need to be here for this?”

“You deserve the recognition,” Shining said without looking back. “Don’t worry, nothing terrible is going to happen.”

“That’s easy for you to say,” she grumbled. “You’re not the one with ponies looking for you.” She cast a wary glance at a trio of infantrymen in their yellow coats. They walked on by without casting the two of them so much as a glance, despite Shining’s officer’s jacket. Then again, it was rather threadbare, not unlike Limestone’s coat, which Rarity now wore for the sake of convenience. It looked a lot better after her expert repairs, but one could only do so much with just a traveler’s sewing kit.

Shining tugged gently on her arm, guiding her through a particularly dense throng while turning down a major street. “The odds of them picking you out in a place like this are practically zero. I’ve spotted at least a dozen mares since we’ve arrived who are similar enough in appearance to make a pony second guess. Trust me, Rarity, nopony’s gonna come after you.”

If only she shared his confidence. She reached out on instinct, swatting a small hand away before it could snatch Silver Lining from her at the same time that Shining’s did the same thing. Within seconds, the street urchin had disappeared back into the crowd. In another, they were out of the mass of ponies and going down a less heavily-trafficked street.

“Nice reflexes,” Shining said without looking back. “Where’d you learn to do that?”

“I grew up in Mooisville,” she replied with muzzle held high. “And the poor side of town, at that. One learns the signs of impending loss.” She hated admitting that, but it wasn’t as if her reputation could go any lower. What was an unpleasant background as a pauper compared to being a wanted drifter? Well, ‘pauper’ might be a tad excessive, but she hadn’t thought so in the wild exaggerations of her youth. Looking back on her past behavior as a teenager, Rarity couldn’t resist the thought that she’d been a spoiled little brat. If only she’d known back then how good she’d really had it.

“Here we are.” Shining stopped them before a two-storey building of brick squashed between two larger ones. A sign spread over the wide front door declared the site to be the Little Angels Packaging and Messenger Service. So… it was like a post office? Rarity held her questions back as she was led inside.

They entered a small lobby, which was pleasantly clean and brightly lit by magilights. The floor was a plain brown concrete worn from excessive use with a number of visible hairline fractures, suggesting to Rarity that the building was quite old. A trio of ceiling fans kept a light breeze going – no sign of magical cooling here – and the plain walls were decorated with simple images of scenery from what Rarity suspected were different parts of Equestria.

As she followed Shining to the desk, her gaze fell upon a curious sight. A grey unicorn filly, perhaps no older than six, sat on the countertop wearing a disturbingly plain blue dress. Before her was a tower of smooth stones shaped into little rods. A red stallion with windswept orange hair and lots of stubble sat at the counter opposite the filly, watching the tower with narrowed eyes.

Just as Rarity and Shining reached them the filly’s horn lit up and, with extreme care, pulled one of the long, thin stones from the tower. The structure wobbled a little, but remained upright. The filly grinned and bounced in place, rump never leaving the counter. “Told ya it wouldn’t fall!”

The stallion let out a low growl, though there was a hint of a smile on his lips. “That ya did. One moment.” He turned to the visitors with a ready smile, which only broadened upon seeing Shining. “Heeey, if it isn’t our favorite drifter. Come to report to Boss on that gem delivery?”

Shining exchanged fistbumps with him. “Yep. Things didn’t go as smoothly as they could have, but the delivery was made.” He stepped aside and looked to Rarity. “Rarity, meet Brumby. Brumby, Rarity.”

Rarity inclined her head slightly and smiled, though her attention was more on the foal. “A pleasure.”

“Pleasure’s all mine, miss.” Brumby tipped his maroon top hat to her, the goggles on top rattling at the motion. “What can we do for ya? Or is she with you, Shining? Always knew you’d net a dame in your travels someday, but this one looks like a fighter. You like em rough?”

Rarity was too taken aback by the upfront, honest nature of Brumby’s suggestion to react. Shining, fortunately, was more than prepared. His smile turned sad as he spoke. “She’s a fighter alright, but she’s not my girl. I want her to meet the boss. She was a big help in getting the shipment brought over safely, so I think she deserves some compensation.”

“I already told you, that’s not at all necessary.” She reached up to rub at her necklace, averting her eyes to the foal.

As if on cue, the child whined, “BC, it’s your turn!”

“Right, right.” Brumby paused to eye the tower. With his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth, he reached up and pulled one of the stones out with exaggerated slowness. He made a soft ‘aaaah’ sound as the stone was almost out and the tower began wobbling. At last, the piece was freed. The tower sagged slightly, making all present wince, but remained standing.

Brumby grinned – “Hah!” – and slapped the stone onto the countertop.

The tower promptly collapsed.

“Yes!” The filly threw both fists into the air. “I win again!”

Brumby gaped at the chaotic pile of stones, then at his hand still flat on the counter. “Aww, come on, that’s not even fair. Rematch!”

“Rematch,” the filly agreed soberly, then smirked. “I still want the cookie.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he mumbled. “I’ll go buy you one when I’m on lunch, alright? Now set the tower up while I deal with Mr. Armor.”

While the filly obediently began rebuilding the tower – with her hands, not her horn – Brumby turned back to his visitors, flashing a conspiratorial wink as he did. “So, where’s the gems?”

“At the Southroad Warehouse,” Shining replied, smirking all the while. He put a paper receipt down on the counter. “How’s it feel to lose to a kid?”

“My dignity can take it,” Brumby replied with confidence as he marked something on a clipboard. “I’d like to see you beat her at Jenga. Take my advice: don’t try it.”

Rarity watched the foal reconstruct the stone tower. Jenga, was it? It looked like a wonderful way to train a young unicorn in fine magical control. She had to wonder where the game had come from, seeing as she’d never heard of it before.

“Alright, everything’s in order.” Brumby shook his head while putting the clipboard away. “But geez, looks like you guys had a rough time of it.”

“Would have been a lot rougher if Rarity hadn’t come along for the ride.” Shining gestured to the door beside the counter. “So, she back there?”

“Oh, yes, in her office, doing office things.” Brumby waved them to the door. “Go on in, she could use the break, though she’d never admit it. Pleasure to meet you, Rarity.” He promptly turned to the completed stone tower, fixing the filly with a devilish smirk. “If I win this one, I’m eating your cookie.”

The filly countered with a smirk of her own. “If I win, I get two cookies!”

“You’ll have to clear that one with the boss.”

“She’ll say yes. She likes when I win, and I’m gonna win!”

“We’ll see, kid. We’ll see.”

The door closed behind Rarity, who couldn’t stop smiling. “That filly is delightfully self-assured. Reminds me of another little filly I once knew.” She only hoped that one didn’t make similar mistakes to her own.

Shining’s face mimicked hers as he led her through the wide hallway past a number of doors. “She’s certainly smarter than the average pony her age. Better with magic, too. Her mom hopes to send her to the university in Seaddle someday.”

“Hmm. Ambitious mother, then.”

“You have no idea.” Chuckling, Shining brought them up a staircase, bringing them into a much broader room filled with three desks, each with a pony working furiously at a typewriter. They paid the two of them little mind. Continuing past the noisy room, they entered another hallway and walked towards the front of the building once more. At the end was a door like all the others, on which Shining knocked lightly. At a call from the other side, he stepped through.

The office wasn’t half as big as Rarity anticipated, being perhaps as large as her bedroom back at her old shop. The thought gave her a moment’s pause. Since when did I start thinking of it as my ‘old’ shop? I’ve been doing this too long…

Filing cabinets made up two corners of the room, stacked atop one another to the ceiling. A small drinking fountain, topped by a large glass jug, took up another corner, and a bookshelf filled with binders and folders lined the wall on the left. Pictures of a family of three adorned the remaining walls, lending the entire room a comfortable, welcoming feel beneath a lone ceiling fan with attached magilights. Set before an open window was a small wooden desk, its top weighed down by a massive amount of neatly organized paperwork.

Hunched over the desk was a petite grey pegasus, her blonde mane pulled back in a ponytail as she banged away on a typewriter that barely fit what little space remained. She wore a neat grey business suit more typical of a stallion. The wings were a surprise, but not so much as the golden eyes that aimed in two directions at once. One of those remained firmly on the typewriter while the other swiveled up to observe Shining and Rarity.

“Oh, Shining! Thank goodness.” The mare had a light, almost childish voice that stood in stark contrast to her professional appearance. “I was worried about the Pie shipment. It’s good to see you’re as capable as ever.” She finished up whatever she was writing and turned both eyes to her guests. “Please, sit. Can I get you something? Water?”

“I’m good, thanks,” Shining said as he sat in one of the wooden chairs that were a little too small for his bulky physique.

“I as well, but it is appreciated.” Rarity sat next to him, not sure if she should feel curious or anxious. She couldn’t stop looking at the mare’s eyes, which now watched one of them apiece. Was she capable of controlling their individual directions?

Without looking down, the mare pulled the paper from the typewriter and set it, neatly, atop one of the many piles. She then leaned back comfortably in her seat and nodded. “Well, Shining, aren’t you going to introduce me to your new friend?”

“Right.” With a sheepish look, he gestured to Rarity. “Rarity Belle, allow me to introduce Ditzy Doo, owner of Little Angels and my employer. Rarity was vital in making sure the Pie Sisters’ delivery was made safely.”

Rarity shrank a little in her seat. “Shining, please don’t exaggerate. My role was minimal, really.”

“Bull. If you hadn’t spotted the flanking bandits, we’d have been torn apart. And,” he threw in as she was opening her mouth to retort, “you took down a Leaper up close. That is way above ‘minimal.’”

“A Leaper? Really?” Ditzy’s brow shot up as both eyes centered on Rarity. “He’s right, you’re really underselling yourself.”

When Rarity only looked at the desk in response, Shining sighed. “As you can see, Rarity’s humble about her abilities. But since she directly suffered thanks to Roma’s crew and kept us from getting surprised from behind in a bandit raid, she deserves some special recognition.”

“Roma?” Ditzy’s eyes narrowed, her feathers bristling. “What did she do this time?”

“Treated us like trash, but that’s normal for Roma.” He grimaced, his hands balling into fists. “One of her boys tried to—”

Rarity shot him a brief glare. “Shining.”

“If you’re not going to say something, then I am.” He crossed his arms and gave her a challenging look. “This isn’t going unspoken.”

The memory of Panting’s hands on her brought a fresh heat to her cheeks. She didn’t want to think of it, much less talk about it. Still, Shining appeared determined, and after a moment’s hesitation she turned her face away.

Taking that as the permission it was, Shining proceeded to relate to Ditzy how Rarity had been forced to defend herself, along with the ensuing confrontation and the rebellion of the drifters against the traders. The businessmare listened to the story without expression, her lips set in a thin line. Her wings, however, trembled with emotion.

When the story ended, she said nothing for a time. Her eyes drifted about seemingly of their own volition, her breathing coming at a slow, steady pace. When she finally spoke, it was in a tone of barely suppressed anger. “I will pay Roma and her remaining crew what they are owed, but I will not be compensating them for their lost members, and I can assure you they will not be doing business with Little Angels again.”

With a sharp turn of the head, she focused on Rarity. Both eyes. “I apologize, Miss Belle, on behalf of the Company. Roma and her team have always been profoundly frustrating for me, but I never thought they’d cross such a line. I know I can’t make up for what they tried to do to you, but I hope you’ll accept a share of the payment they would have gotten as a start.”

Rarity wanted to object, but as she met Ditzy’s gaze she recognized the determination behind those strange eyes. She had the distinct impression that Miss Doo wouldn’t budge to her rejections. And the extra funds would be a nice padding should she ever decide to purchase some proper ammunition for the Ruby Heart.

So, with a weary sigh, she nodded. “As much as I’d rather not, I suppose I will accept. But please, no more than that.”

“If that is your wish.” Ditzy snatched up a sheet of paper and scribbled something on it. Folding the sheet neatly in two, she offered it to Shining. “Would you take that to Printed Letter for me? She can see to the arrangements. Rarity can give her the appropriate account number when she leaves.”

Shining accepted the letter, but there was a brief pause before Ditzy released it. The two shared a look that Rarity suspected included an entire conversation. Then she released, and he promptly stood. “Will do. Miss Belle, it’s been a pleasure. I hope we have another opportunity to work together.”

Rarity got the message and remained seated, though she couldn’t stop fidgeting and rubbing her necklace. “I hope so, too. Good luck with your search.”

He reached out to squeeze her shoulder. His blue eyes met hers, conveying a sadness that stilled her tongue. After a brief pause, he nodded. “And good luck with your family.”

The door closed behind him, leaving the two mares alone. Ditzy offered a warm smile as she leaned forward. “So tell me, Miss Belle: what is it that you do?”

“I’m a—” She felt a pin prick her heart as the word caught in her throat. Closing her eyes, she took a slow breath. Once the ache faded a bit, she opened them once more. “I was a clothier. I owned a shop in a small town called Spurhoof. Now?” She leaned against the armrest, fist against her cheek as she stared out the open window at the blue sky. She didn’t even try to muster any enthusiasm in her tone. “I suppose I must accept that I am a drifter.”

Ditzy frowned, her gaze sympathetic. “Business didn’t do so well?”

“Oh, no, the business was a smashing success.” Rarity felt her lips twitch upwards at the thought. “I was one of the town’s more successful ponies.” The half-smile retreated as quickly as it had come. “But that’s all over. It seems like another life entirely.”

“I… see. I’m sorry to hear that.” Carefully pushing some papers aside, Ditzy set her elbows to the desk and rested her chin atop her steepled fingers. “If I may ask, what made you decide to join Roma’s caravan?”

“Necessity.” Rarity’s eyes snapped back to the businessmare’s. “My family is in trouble, and it wasn’t safe for me to leave Rockstead on my own. Maud and Marble arranged for me to join the wagon train.”

Ditzy’s ears perked. “You know the Pies?”

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “You know the Pies?”

“We’ve been business partners for a few years now. I handle all their deliveries. I don’t have many regular customers, but the Pies and I have come to trust one another.” Ditzy returned her attention to Rarity. “And you?”

“I stayed at their farmhouse a couple times as a guest,” Rarity replied, seeing no reason to lie. “We grew… fond of each other, I suppose. They’ve offered me free room and board for any future visits, and I’ll likely take them up on it.” She smiled at the thought of the strange siblings. “They’re a most unusual duo, but Marble is a sweetheart, and Maud is pleasantly reliable.”

“That sounds like them, all right.” Ditzy chuckled and sat back once more. “Have you met Pinkie yet?”

Now it was Rarity’s ears that perked. “I have not, but I’ve heard of her. She’s in the Hoofington Army, is she not?”

“Yeah. She’s off on assignment right now, but if you know Maud and Marble, you’re just about guaranteed to meet Pinkie.” Craning her neck against the back of her seat, Ditzy grinned at the ceiling with a nostalgic air. “Trust me, there’s no mistaking an encounter with her. It’d be like not realizing the sky is blue.”

“Umm… okay?” Rarity had no idea what that was supposed to mean, but she figured she should just roll with it.

Refocusing her attention on Rarity, Ditzy gained a little more seriousness in her youthful voice. “Moving on. Let me be blunt: any mare who gets Shining Armor’s endorsement is one I want on my payroll. Would you be interested in doing some jobs for me?”

Ah, so that’s what her silent discussion with Shining was about. Rarity sat up straight and shook her head, feeling a touch of guilt when Ditzy’s wings drooped. “I am sorry, Miss Doo. The offer is appreciated, truly, but I must get back to Mooisville. My family is in very real danger and I don’t have time to take up a job as a…” She hesitated, not sure what word would be most appropriate.

“Escort,” Ditzy supplied, already rebounding from her disappointment. “You’d be an escort. I could really, really use some more.”

Cocking her head, Rarity asked, “Shining seems to do a good job.”

“Shining is just one stallion,” she countered, her attention turning to one of the photos on the wall. It showed Ditzy and the filly Rarity had seen downstairs. With them was another pegasus, taller than Ditzy and sky blue in color. “He’s one of only four who do the job continuously. The others you met were temp hires trying to make a quick bit and not likely to work more than three or four times. I’m trying to expand to all the city states and the rurals. I need permanent, skilled, reliable escorts. Hired guns aren’t as easy to come by as you might think.”

Rarity stiffened at those words, her fingers faintly brushing against Silver Lining’s handle. “I have very little interest in being a hired gun.” She practically spat the last two words. “I’m a lady of…”

But then she deflated, arms slumping with her shoulders and head hanging. Who was she kidding? The only thing anypony knew her for now was her skills with a gun. Despite her own desires, she’d become something of a gunslinger. The thought left a hollow feeling in her chest.

“Are you okay?”

She looked through her bangs at Ditzy, who watched with a concerned expression. Slowly, she pulled Silver Lining from its holster and stared at the gun. It truly was a thing of beauty. She traced the name with her fingers, a chaotic mix of disgust and pleasure filling her at its familiar texture. “This is all I am, now,” she muttered. “I used to be a proper lady. I hated guns and the ponies who lived by them. Now look at me. Always on the run, afraid somepony will start shooting at any moment.”

She held the gun out, tried to make herself drop it. But no matter how much she tried, her fingers remained firmly wrapped about the handle. In the end, she hadn’t really put much effort into it. With a sigh, she pulled it close once more. “I feel like such a failure.”

“Oh, no, no.” Ditzy turned up her muzzle, her confident tone grabbing Rarity’s attention. “That’s all wrong.”

“Wrong?” Rarity peered at the pony. “How could it be wrong? I was a mare of sophistication, and now I’m some ruffian.”

“Are you?” Ditzy curled her wing before herself and placed a finger on one of her primary feathers. “Do you love to kill?”

“What? No! How could you even suggest—?”

Ditzy tapped a second primary. “Did you commit a major crime for no reason other than you could?”

“Of course not! I had no choice but—”

A third primary. “Would you rather spend an evening polishing your guns?”

Rarity sputtered. “N-no, but I don’t see what that has to do with—”

A fourth. “Do you frown at the thought of using soap?”

Shoulders slumping, Rarity glowered at the businessmare. “Now you’re just being ridiculous.”

Ditzy grinned and retracted her wing. “I could go on, if you’re not convinced. Feel any urges to spit on my floor?”

Rarity shuddered and glanced at the ground, half-expecting to see a stain in the stonework. “Does anypony actually do that?”

“More than you’d believe.” Ditzy rolled her eyes, lips twisted in a brief scowl. “The point is, you’re not some violent desperado. I’ve met my fair share of outlaws and mercenaries, and you don’t fit the bill at all.”

No matter how much she wanted to be encouraged by those words, Rarity could only stare a little more at Silver Lining. The weapon seemed to shimmer in the dim lighting. No enthusiasm could form in her next sentence. “What, then, would you consider me?”

“Open-eyed.”

A blink. Another. Rarity raised her eyes to the smiling mare and responded with a deadpan “What?”

Ditzy’s expression didn’t fade. If anything, it grew brighter. “You were a ‘proper lady’ once. If the old you had met the new you, would she have given you the time of day?”

No consideration was required. “Not a chance. I mean, look at me.”

“Indeed, look at you.” Ditzy resumed leaning against her desk, chin on her palms. “You can defend yourself. You can survive when so many ‘proper’ ponies never could, but you still hold on to your dignity.” She paused, perhaps to let this concept sink in. Rarity had to admit, she’d not looked at things quite like that before. Her principles were indeed still intact… even if she was seeing them through a slightly muddier prism.

She opened her mouth, but Ditzy spoke over her. “Have you ever considered that maybe it was the old you whose view of the world was flawed?”

Rarity hesitated; that was indeed a new idea for her. But, as she rubbed her hand along Silver Lining’s barrel, she thought about ponies she’d hurt and killed. Being proud of blowing ponies to giblets with their own dynamite. Making that blue pegasus kill her friend. Piles’ face erupting in a splatter of blood.

Her duel with Cayenne, probably not to be her last.

“I survive only by this gun,” she whispered, heart heavy.

Ditzy’s ear flicked. “Is that so bad?” To Rarity’s glare, she said, “You really hate it.”

Fingers gripped the gun’s handle. “How can you speak of it so flippantly?”

The mare’s smile returned, but it was warm this time. “And that’s why you’re better than them.”

Perhaps this was meant to be encouraging. If so, it trailed off Rarity’s mind like water on a pegasus’s wings. All she could think about was the blood on her hands. If anything, she felt the need to take a long, hot shower.

Yet that was not in her immediate future. Possibly not in her future at all. With a sigh, she holstered Silver Lining and stood. “I’m afraid I haven’t the time for philosophizing and debating the merits of my new lifestyle. The offer is appreciated, Miss Doo, but I’m afraid I must decline. I have a family to rescue, and must be off immediately.”

Ditzy’s ears folded back, but she stood up and offered her hand regardless. “Alright, but the offer will be on the table should you change your mind later.”

The handshake was accepted even as Rarity said, “I find that unlikely. Thank you for your time.” She turned to leave.

“Miss Belle?”

Hand on the doorknob, she lingered.

“I know things seem bleak. But if you live long enough, you might find peace with this new life of yours. You might even find that you’re exactly the kind of pony Equestria needs right now.”

Such odd, wishful thinking. Especially for a businessmare. What was Rarity meant to say to that? She could think of nothing.

So nothing it was. She left the room without looking back.

She’d stumbled across a Howler’s Bank on her way through the city. She’d be remiss if she didn’t at least update Spike on her whereabouts. The ponies there had a response waiting for her from when she’d written him at the Lonely Mountain. It was filled with encouragement and kind words. They rang hollow, but she appreciated the gesture regardless. She made sure to keep her letter to Spike as positive as she was able under the circumstances, and didn’t dare bring up the bandit raid.

She took the time to write Maud and Marble, too. They deserved an update. Like Spike’s, it was watered down to make things seem more positive than reality allowed. She suspected Maud would see right through it, but Marble might buy it. She sent the letter onward and left, wondering if she shouldn’t ask directions to a local grocer so she might resupply for the next leg of her journey. She’d need to restock on bullets too, to her chagrin.

She was three steps out the bank’s wide doors when a zebra stepped into her path. It happened smoothly, but with such suddenness that Rarity felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Her hand wrapped around Silver Lining’s handle before she had time to consider the need.

The zebra stood a full foot taller than her, a mare in a formal green dress that suggested she belonged to aristocracy. White collar, long, billowing sleeves, matching white belt, and the fabric appeared to be cotton. The buttons… were those emeralds? Definitely wealthy. A zebra amongst the elite was not likely, but also not beyond the bounds of possibility in Hoofington. The mare, her mane a mass of braids, met Rarity’s gaze with a firm but expressionless stare. Her green eyes seemed to look right through her.

“Rarity Belle?” She had a deep but curiously melodious voice.

A quick scan of the busy street revealed nothing. If the zebra had friends watching the encounter, they were hiding well enough. “I apologize,” she said with slow caution. “I have places to be.” She turned to walk away, determined to put some distance between the zebra and herself. She couldn’t fathom what the mare would want with her or how she recognized her, but all her instincts screamed that she needed to get away quickly.

“You wield Silver Lining.”

She paused. Her dodge hadn’t mattered; the zebra definitely knew who she was. Why had she never thought about Silver Lining as a giveaway before? Half-turning back, Rarity studied the zebra again with one eye while her palm pressed against the gun’s handle. The zebra was lean, but the high neckline and opaque cape sleeves made it impossible to tell her musculature. If the mare was armed, Rarity couldn’t tell.

Not feeling at all comforted, Rarity kept her tone cool. “Who are you, and what do you want?”

“I am Maono,” she replied neutrally. “My lady has learned of your presence in this city and desires your company. I have been tasked with retrieving you.”

Her ‘lady’. A servant, then? Either this lady wanted Rarity to feel safe by only sending one servant to ask this, or Maono was expected to be able to force Rarity along no matter what. “And should I refuse?”

“You are free to do so.” Maono crossed her arms, which had the curious effect of making them seem to disappear in the many folds of her sleeves. “I would encourage you to reconsider. The Lady does not see guests often.”

The tension remained in Rarity’s stance and voice. “Who is this lady?”

“I do not speak her name in public.” Green eyes flicked to Rarity’s hip. “I will say that she is intimately familiar with your weapon of choice. She would meet with the pony who wields it.”

The air left Rarity’s lungs as the implications struck hard. She permitted herself a glance at Silver Lining, then met Maono’s eyes yet again. If what she said was true, then could Rarity really pass up such an opportunity? But then again… “How do I know your words are true?”

At last, Maono’s unreadable façade cracked: she smiled. It was a surprisingly warm expression. “A test of knowledge, perhaps? My Lady claims there is a small distortion on the left side of the handle. A ‘nub’, so to speak. Surely you know of it.”

Rarity was rubbing the familiar spot with her thumb before Maono finished speaking. So very few ponies could possibly know that. It was enough, at least, to let her believe what she was hearing. Part of her wanted to reject the offer and move on. She needed to get to Mooisville sooner rather than later. But then again, if she could land the support of Maono’s ‘Lady’… surely that would make the coming fight far easier. She could use all the help she could get.

“Alright.” Rarity nodded, at last releasing Silver Lining and facing Maono properly. “I’ll go with you.”

Maono’s smile broadened. “Ah, good. Please follow, and I shall lead you to her directly.”

The zebra promptly marched into the street, heading east. Rarity followed, praying she wasn’t making a mistake.

Rarity might have made a mistake.

Oh, she had no proof of that just yet, but the fact she was currently in an elevator alone with a mare of questionable trustworthiness didn’t make her feel confident. She couldn’t bring herself to let go of Silver Lining and made sure to keep at Maono’s back. The elevator belonged to a narrow building that reached a solid four stories, which might have made it the tallest in Hoofington. From what she’d seen in the lobby, she suspected it to be a condominium for the wealthy.

If Maono thought anything of Rarity’s skittish behavior, she gave no indication of it. Her arms remained hidden within the folds of her wide sleeves, her gaze set straight ahead. All attempts at conversation had been politely rebuffed or ignored, which hadn’t eased Rarity’s concerns.

Could it be that this was a trap? The Bad Apples were said to have friends in high places, although nopony could confirm the extent of the situation. Rarity had to acknowledge the possibility that this was a ruse to corner her in some confining space. She should have been more cautious. Silver Lining was a famous handgun, she should have known that it would be recognizable beyond past owners. Too late to turn back now. All Rarity could do was keep a firm grip on her weapon and hope she’d not made a very foolish decision.

The creaking cords of the elevator ceased, bringing the platform to a smooth stop. Maono reached out to pull the lever at her side, and the doors opened to the tinkling sound of magic. At the same time, a silver bell above the door rang. Rarity peered through the opening and felt her heart flutter.

If there was an ambush to be staged here, it would be an expensive one. The floor was plush, dark grey carpet. The walls consisted of a similarly dark wood paneling with silver filigree. From her limited view she could not see how wide the room was, but the opposite wall suggested the space could easily fit her old shop’s entire floor plan, both storeys. A quartet of red velvet lounge chairs and one massive purple couch surrounded a coffee table of granite. The entire space sported a presence both severe and austere.

Maono’s voice cut through her thoughts. “This is where we part ways. I shall leave you to enjoy the Lady’s company.”

Rarity shot her a questioning look. “You’re not coming?”

The zebra shook her head in a slow, graceful motion. “I have not had the pleasure of meeting the Lady. Few do. You are whom she invited. You alone will meet with her.”

“I…” Rarity cast another glance, wondering if she should feel honored. So the Lady was a recluse? It only made her question the purpose of this meeting all the more. Still, she found it doubtful that this was the trap she’d come to fear. This seemed like the worst possible place to do such a thing, if only because of the potential financial expense.

“Very well.” She stepped out of the elevator, leaving Maono behind. “Thank you for the escort.”

“Of course.” Without another word, but still sporting that warm smile, her guide pulled the lever once more. The door closed, and Rarity found herself alone in what was easily the largest and most luxurious place she’d ever had the pleasure of visiting. Now that she took a proper look around, she saw that the room wasn’t as wide as she’d suspected, though her shop’s lower level would have still fit within these walls with ease.

The apartment consisted of two floors, stairs to her left and right leading up to second level balconies. A trio of ceiling fans spun lazily, but she suspected they were more for show as her magical senses could readily detect the cooling enchantment set upon the place. Her eyes roamed the living room. The sparse décor consisted of a few portraits of regal, commanding and stern-looking ponies, and a couple nighttime scenery paintings of the city from high vantage points. It was all a little too severe for her tastes, but that didn’t mean Rarity couldn’t detect the aesthetic appeal. This was a room decorated by somepony who knew exactly what she was doing.

There came movement in the corner of her eye. Rarity faced the stairs to her left and looked up. At the top of them stood a middle-aged unicorn mare, a gentle blue with a mane almost black, but with the faintest hint of blue. It seemed to pour like water down her shoulders, ending in silky curls at her hips. Her attire consisted of a violet overbust corset topped by a black blouse with Juliet sleeves and a long skirt of violet silk and silver highlights that glittered in the dim lighting. One hand upon the railing, chin tilted slightly back, her poise was as regal and commanding as that of the figures in the portraits. The mare stared at Rarity, her eyeshadow giving her an almost sultry appearance despite the almost bored expression on her face.

A moment of tense silence passed between them. Rarity couldn’t help the smile she wore; this mare might have had a style very different from her own, but she still had style. The old fashionista in her was just begging for an opportunity to design a dress for her unique coloration and dignity! She really hoped the mare would speak up soon before her mind caught up with her tongue, because she knew the first question out of her mouth would involve taking measurements.

At last, the mare spoke, her voice cool and raspy. “So it is true. Silver Lining has a new owner.”

Only now did Rarity realize that the mare’s gaze had shifted to the weapon at her side. Rarity’s fingers brushed against the weapon. “Yes. It was a gift.” The momentous nature of this meeting at last settled in over her initial excitement, and she had to swallow to moisten her throat. “And you’re… the Shrouding Midnight?”

The mare’s eyes narrowed, the intensity of her gaze only growing. “I do not go by that title anymore.”

By the Sisters, this was real. Rarity was gazing upon one of the only two members of the Rainbow Gang to still live. A legend among drifters, and one of the best gunfighters to have ever journeyed Equestria! And, perhaps most importantly, the original owner of Silver Lining. Rarity felt her heart sink at the notion. Was she here only so that she could give up her preferred weapon?

Forcing her combined anxiety and excitement down, Rarity somehow managed to keep her tone even and polite. “Then what should I call you?”

The mare once known as the Shrouding Midnight seemed to hesitate, but at last began to descend the stairs at a slow, elegant pace. “My name. Moonlight Raven.”

“Miss Raven.” Rarity smiled as she watched her delightfully refined movement. “I am Rarity Belle, and it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Is it.” Raven at last reached the bottom of the stairs, but didn’t approach. Though her face betrayed no emotion, her anxiety was revealed by the way she toyed with a bracelet made of long white blocks on her left wrist. The thing clashed terribly with the rest of her ensemble. She said nothing for a time, and Rarity couldn’t determine if she was being judged or if the mare simply didn’t know what to do next.

It seemed it would be up to Rarity to take the next step. As much as the thought made her heart ache, she reached down to lightly grab Silver Lining’s handle. “Did you want to… get reacquainted?”

Raven blinked, her calm manner betrayed by slightly parting lips and a shine in her eyes of… fear? She licked her lips, made as if to reach out. The instant Rarity started to pull the gun from its holster, however, the former drifter took a step back, hand settling on her shoulder as if to keep it from being burned.

“I… I do not want it.”

“Oh.” Rarity looked from Silver Lining, half out of its holster, and back to Raven. “Are you sure?”

Raven opened her mouth, but said nothing for some time. With a heavy breath, she turned and walked for the chairs in the middle of the room, her pace swift and some of her grace lost. “Let us sit, shall we?” Even her voice had a slight quaver to it.

Now it was Rarity who hesitated. “I just came from the Southroad. I’d hate to get sand and dirt all over your furniture.”

“Furniture can be cleaned.” Raven’s voice had returned to its cool, commanding manner. “Sit.”

Seeing no good reason to deny the order of an Equestrian legend, Rarity obediently sat in the chair opposite Raven’s, although she tried to settle on the very edge so as to soil the lovely cushions as little as possible. Oh, but these were soft!

Apparently recovering her stride, Raven wasted no time leveling her with a judging stare. “I have heard many rumors about you.”

“Rumors?” Rarity countered with a short, feeble laugh. “W-what rumors might those be?”

“Rumors that say you have been using Silver Lining extensively. Rumors that you are one of the most capable drifters to hit Equestria in a long time.” Those amber eyes became piercing. “Rumors that your heart is bulletproof.”

Rarity released a long, low groan, closing her eyes and bowing her head. “Has that stupid story really followed me all the way here?”

“So it is true? You are the Bulletproof Heart?”

“I don’t want to be.” She turned her eyes to the side and chewed her thumb as she imagined the stories reaching all the way to Mooisville. “It was a fluke. I’m not some mighty drifter hero. I was just trying to survive.”

“That is what makes heroes.”

Rarity turned to Raven, her ears perking. “Pardon?”

The former drifter had her eyes closed as she leaned back heavily in her chair. “Nopony among the Rainbow Gang ever desired to be a hero. We just did what we had to.” She toyed with her bracelet once more, lips descending to a solemn frown. “Ponies do not always get to choose their legacies.”

That did seem to make sense, as much as Rarity didn’t want to admit it. It didn’t make her feel any better about her situation. Perhaps she was being foolish, but she wasn’t interested in listening to her logical side regarding the matter. So she pouted and leaned back in her chair… at least until she remembered how dirty she still was and straightened up once again.

“How is Cranky?”

Depressing thoughts drifted away as Rarity refocused on Raven. She couldn’t resist a smile. “So it’s true, you two really did know one another.” At Raven’s bored, expectant expression, she coughed and added, “The last I saw, he was fine. Still a deputy at Spurhoof.” She licked her lips in anticipation. “You did meet in Spurhoof, yes?”

“That is none of your concern.” The answer was harsh, and Rarity’s ears folded once more. She fidgeted as her host examined her once more. “How did you come by Silver Lining?”

There could be no denying that this mare intimidated Rarity. Yet the question, snapped like another command, made her tense. Legend or no, she wasn’t going to let Raven bully her. She narrowed her eyes, meeting the mare’s gaze directly. “If your relationship with Cranky is none of my business, then my relationship with him is none of yours.”

Her counter was answered by a cool glare, which Rarity took on without hesitation. A tense silence passed between them, and the longer it lasted the more confident she became. She would not let this pony control the conversation. She’d been through her fair share of tough situations, and there was no reason at all for one of them to dictate the flow of information. True, Raven could probably teach her a few painful lessons if she wanted to, but Rarity hadn’t allowed herself to come here to be treated like an inferior.

She didn’t expect Raven to break. At best, they’d continue this glaring match for a few minutes more and she would be asked to leave. Not a pleasant first impression, but at least she wouldn’t go with her tail between her legs.

Raven closed her eyes and heaved a sigh. “Cranky saved me.”

It took a moment for Rarity to realize what had been said. She gaped, blinked, gaped some more.

“You are correct,” Raven said after a moment. Her expression softened and she seemed to deflate, sinking into the soft cushions of her seat. “I am not being fair. So I shall tell you this much: Cranky found me after Ponyville. He kept me… sane. Brought me back from the brink. Then I left.” She gestured. “Your turn.”

That was hardly satisfying, but Rarity had no intention of pressing her luck. “I lived in Spurhoof for a few years. A member of the Bad Apple Gang tried to… do things to me and my assistant. I didn’t let him. Before I left to escape the Gang’s retribution, Cranky gave me this.” She pulled out Silver Lining. “He taught me how to use it and sent me on my way.”

Raven tilted her head, silky locks drifting over her eyes. “Just like that?”

“Just like that.” Silver Lining was replaced, but Rarity couldn’t resist rubbing the little nub on the handle with her thumb. A flick of Raven’s eyes revealed she caught the motion. Perhaps she’d done it herself just as often. “I don’t know what possessed him to do it, but I am immensely grateful for it. He said I wouldn’t survive the night without it, and he was right.”

With a hum, Raven tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling, or perhaps beyond it. She loosely clasped her hands together, taking on a thoughtful expression. “Interesting. Cranky would not have given my weapon to just anypony, regardless of the need. Not when any old handgun would have sufficed. What did he see in you?”

“I have no idea,” Rarity confessed. She saw the old donkey’s face in her mind’s eye, ever scowling. She realized that, even though she’d hardly known the deputy, she missed him. And Coco and the shop and Cleric Walker. She missed Spurhoof. To her surprise, she missed it almost as badly as she missed Mooisville. In a way, she might even miss it more.

“Whatever Cranky saw in you, it is clear you have something to work with.” Raven brushed her mane back, her cool expression returning. It had lost a lot of its edge, though. “After all, I have heard a great many things about the Bulletproof Heart. You are not some simpleton who happened to get her hands on a gun.”

Rarity sniffed and crossed her arms. “You shouldn’t believe everything you hear.”

Raven cocked an eyebrow. “So you did not help a bunch of traders escape griffon slavers?”

A flinch. “I… helped. But I didn’t do it on my own.”

“And you did not survive a shot to the heart?”

Her ears folded back. “I had protection.”

“And you did not survive the tunnels beneath the Dragon’s Teeth?”

Rarity’s ears shot right back up. “How did you know about that?”

“Or lead the diamond dogs on a wild chase, or survive for weeks in the Great Salt Plains, or single-handedly defeat an ambush of five Bad Apples, or assist in putting down a gang on the Southroad?” Her host’s neutral expression didn’t budge. “I have my sources.”

And Rarity would love to know about them. Rubbing her necklace, she found herself averting her gaze yet again. “Okay, all of that is… technically true.” She couldn’t help but notice that the Apple Family caravan hadn’t been brought up.

“Then I think it stands to reason that you, Miss Belle, are not just anypony.” Raven sat up straight once more. “Whether you like it or not, you have the talent to thrive as a drifter.”

“Like it or not.” That with a touch of bitterness. Rarity looked to the legendary gunslinger. “Why did you ask me to come here?”

“I needed to make sure of things.” Raven paused, perhaps to consider her words. “I needed to be certain that Silver Lining was in worthy hands. That gun is special, and I will not allow just anypony to use it.”

Rarity’s hackles rose and a cold feeling found its way into her gut. Her hand instinctively went to Silver Lining, not to pull it out but… to protect it? The thought only made the chill inside grow worse. “By Luna’s Stars,” she whispered. “Am I actually growing attached to this damnable thing?”

Raven stared at her with all the emotion of Maud. “Is that a bad thing?”

“It is.” Forcing herself to let the gun go, Rarity crossed her arms once more and squeezed herself. “It really is. I’m supposed to be making clothes, not putting holes in them. I want to be better than this.”

“There you go again.” Her host shook her head, never taking her eyes off Rarity’s. “Having to fight, being able to kill another pony. It is not an evil or uncultured thing, nor is it uncouth. When you are defending yourself and those you love, it’s—”

“It’s what? Good?”

“It is acceptable.”

Scowling, Rarity shivered. “I’m not inclined to agree.”

“I see.” Raven leaned on her armrest, fingers covering her lips as she peered at her guest. “Then die.”

Rarity flinched. “I beg your pardon?”

“Then die,” Raven repeated casually. “If your life is not worth the lives of murderers, outlaws, and thieves, let them kill you and be done with it.”

“Their lives are not worth more than my own,” she snarled back. “But that doesn’t mean their lives are worthless!”

The glare was met only by a quiet, calm stare. With her hand over her lips, it was even harder to gauge Raven’s expression. Rarity imagined her frowning. She was taken aback, then, when the fingers lowered to reveal a soft smile.

“I have seen enough.”

Rarity’s most eloquent response was something along the lines of “Bwuh?”

“I have seen enough,” Raven repeated, sitting back in her seat with a sigh. “You are not quite ready for the life you are set to lead, but you are most certainly worthy of Silver Lining. Keep it, with my blessing.”

“I… um…” Rarity looked down at the gun, then back to Raven. “Thanks?”

“You are welcome.” She waved her hand to the side. “So have you met the Vermillion?”

Still mentally scrambling from the approval and change in topic, it seemed like ages before Rarity was able to forge a proper response. “The Vermillion?”

Raven nodded, her smile fading. “The Flaming Vermillion. You two were in very close proximity. Have you met her?”

A moment to swallow the lump in her throat. “No. I heard she was nearby several times. I even went looking for her, briefly. But we never crossed paths.”

“I see.” Raven’s eyes dropped to her lap. “Perhaps that is for the best.”

Rarity shifted, waiting for her to elaborate. When no explanation was forthcoming, she ventured a query. “Are you looking for her?”

Those yellow eyes drifted to her, thoughtful and uncertain. “No. But I do worry about her. She was my friend once. I hear about what she does nowadays and I do not recognize her actions as hers. It is as if an entirely different pony was masquerading around Equestria using her name.”

Rarity cocked her head at this. “And you are certain you have the right pony?”

“Oh, yes. It is her. She is merely…” A heavy sigh. Raven’s gaze dropped once more. “Angry. I fear she might do something irrational, and soon. Perhaps with you in mind.”

“Me?” Rarity leaned forward, suddenly very interested. “Why me?”

“You are famous now. The Apple Gang is after you.” Raven’s unusually soft expression radiated concern. “My friend, what is left of her, may try to take advantage of that.”

Rarity balked. “Are you suggesting she would threaten me in some way?”

“I am more concerned about you being collateral damage than anything,” she confessed.

“I see.” Rarity didn’t, not really, but she supposed she shouldn’t press the issue. She doubted she’d come across the Flaming Vermillion anyway.

A lull in the conversation left Rarity wondering what would happen next. The thought reminded her that she really needed to be on her way. She’d had an ulterior motive for coming here though, and now seemed as good a time as any to bring it up. The idea was still intimidating. Exciting, but intimidating.

She couldn’t waste this opportunity. After much fidgeting and shifting, she at last managed to force the words out of her throat. “C-could you help me?”

Raven seemed to come out of a daydream, her eyes refocusing on Rarity as though she’d forgotten her presence. “Help you?”

Rarity nodded eagerly. “I need to rescue my family. I am certain the Bad Apples are holding them hostage. I could really use some assistance.”

For a moment, Raven seemed confused by the question. Then, her eyebrows shot up and she flinched back as if avoiding a flame. “No.”

Had the response not come out so quiet, Rarity might have taken it harder. Instead, she felt more surprise and confusion than anything. “But—”

“No.” Raven turned away, her arms shaking before she hugged herself tightly. “I cannot. I am not… I cannot.”

Scooting a little closer, wishing she could reach out, Rarity asked a quiet, “Miss Raven?”

Pinprick pupils glanced at her over trembling lips. “I have not fired a gun since Ponyville.” She faced the wall once more, perhaps avoiding Rarity’s gape. “I… I do not have it in me to fight anymore. That is why I left Silver Lining behind. I c-cannot risk…” She fiddled with her bracelet, the shaking threatening to take over her entire body. “I will not lose everything again.”

Rarity wanted to argue. She wanted to snap at her for being so submissive, especially after putting on such high and mighty airs and encouraging her so much. And yet, as she gazed upon the mare once known as the Shrouding Midnight, she realized it would do no good. The Rainbow Gang, once seven strong, was now down to two, and those two hardly interacted anymore.

What must it have been like, for Raven to watch all her friends die? And now Rarity was here, another drifter of undesired, growing fame, asking her to go back into the fray and risk it all again.

She looked about the room. It was large. It was lavish. But… Raven was a recluse. Even those who worked for her never saw her face. This place was more like a cage than a home, but also a sanctuary from the very real dangers of reality. Rarity didn’t think it healthy, but what right did she have to ask her to give up that safety? Raven had already done so much. She’d paid her dues.

Who could blame her for not wanting to give more?

“I apologize,” she whispered, rising to her hooves. “I didn’t mean to be any trouble.”

The Shrouding Midnight, just moments ago a proud and regal figure, now seemed little more than a skittish, frightened child. She looked up at Rarity with haunted eyes. “You did not,” she whispered. “I j-just…” Her fingers continued to toy with the bracelet.

With a heavy sigh, Rarity nodded. “I’m going to go. I don’t want to cause you any more pain.”

Just as she was moving to leave, Raven spoke up, her words hesitant. “I hope you are a stronger mare than I, Bulletproof Heart. I hope you are able to achieve what the Rainbow Gang could not.”

Rarity, half-turned away, considered the suggestion. “I’m not trying to be some noble fighter, Miss Raven. I’m only trying to survive.”

A moment’s silence. When Raven next spoke, her words had regained some of their firmness. “I think you shall find that the Sisters have something greater than that in store for you.” At Rarity’s questioning look, she dropped her gaze. “Ponies like us tend to do more than we ever intended.”

When it became clear she would say nothing more, Rarity nodded. “Thank you for the warning. And the blessing. Goodbye.”

The answer was barely audible as she walked for the elevator. “Farewell, Bulletproof Heart. May your title be prophetic.”

Rarity had never understood how terrible a place Equestria could be. It had taken her away from both her homes. It had forced Spike to live isolated from the rest of the world, forever in anonymity. It forced Coco Pommel to flee for her life. It took Maud’s and Marble’s family away from them. It left Fluttershy a miserable wreck in the desert. It split the Apple Family, once the most powerful and beloved of agricultural elites, in two in a bloody family war.

And Equestria had broken the will of the Shrouding Midnight. That was what she’d just learned, wasn’t it? A pony, once a legendary combatant known for standing up for the less fortunate, now paled at the very thought of wielding a gun. She sat alone in her cage, too scared of the potential of loss to dare peek outside and maybe make a new friend. Moonlight Raven, former owner of Silver Lining.

If the Shrouding Midnight couldn’t stand up to the world, what chance did Rarity have?

These thoughts and more had been plaguing her for the last hour. Now she found herself standing by a cobblestone street, staring up at the familiar symbol of the combined crescent moon and sun. It towered above her head, blazing in the fading sunlight over a church with midnight blue night torches already lit. It was too early for evening mass, and yet there were two Stardust Clerics, a unicorn and an earth pony, at the door, speaking quietly to people as they passed by.

Rarity examined her wrist. There, flat against her pale coat, sat the onyx sigil Marble had gifted her in Rockstead. She raised it up, looked at it and the one atop the church side-by-side. Celestia and Luna. They’d never deign to speak to a creature as lowly as herself. Rarity could feel the foundations crumbling beneath her as she reflected once more on all she’d faced, on the death and pain and frustration of Equestria.

She felt so… vulnerable. Isolated. If she went inside, would she even feel comforted by the presence of the divines?

“Why?” she whispered, eyes focused on the onyx sigil. “Why do you permit these things to happen? The Rainbow Gang is long dead, even if two of its members still live.” She sighed and lowered her arm. “If you can call what Raven is doing ‘living’.”

She looked at the sigil above the church. “There’s a reason, isn’t there? Some grand scheme?” After a long, solemn study, she lowered her eyes to the stones at her boots. She wanted to believe things would get better. Surely the Sisters wouldn’t let things continue as they were. Equestria wasn’t meant to be a lawless, miserable place.

So why did everything seem to be getting worse?

After a time, she looked to the church doors. The earth pony was watching her, his expression solemn and concerned. But when their eyes touched, he offered a sad smile. He raised his hand, his palm flat towards the ground, and extended it towards her.

With lips tugged slightly upwards, Rarity imitated the motion. They held the position for a moment, then gradually pulled their hands towards themselves. Even at a distance, the traditional greeting of the Church was simple to do. The cleric nodded, stepped aside and gestured invitingly to the door.

She hesitated. What good would this do her? There might not be any point, and she did have to get going again. And yet, maybe talking to one of the Shroud would help. She needed… Rarity had no idea what she needed. But she was out of options. Perhaps Marble was right. Perhaps. Was she not a devoted believer? Celestia and Luna couldn’t be blamed for Equestria’s shortcomings. She could make life what she wanted it to be…

Except she couldn’t.

No! That wasn’t the way to think!

I need the help.

Swallowing her pride with this final thought, she began to walk across the street. The doors became her focus, her world, her goal. She could make out the cleric’s encouraging smile on the peripheral of her vision. Yes, this was what she needed. If anypony could pull her out of her rut, it was—

A roaring cacophony blunted her thoughts and pierced her brain. Rarity came to a sudden stop, cringing at the noise that suddenly had everypony in the street looking around in curiosity and alarm. Whatever the sound was, it was loud and coming closer. Rarity noticed some of the ponies covering their ears, but she didn’t follow their lead. She didn’t need to, since she’d heard it—

She’d heard it before! A sudden, brilliant warmth and excitement tingled through Rarity as she tried to determine the direction of the growling noise. Nopony else in the street seemed to have figured it out either. The sound was echoing among the tall buildings, making it impossible to pinpoint. Where? Where was it? Her eyes caught sight of a thestral, saw which way she was looking. Thestrals, with their superior hearing, could be relied upon in situations like this. So, with the roar growing louder by the second, Rarity turned to follow the thestral’s line of—

Something slammed into Rarity’s midsection with such force it took her off her hooves. She might have screamed, but since the impact knocked all the air from her lungs she managed only a weak grunt. The world spun, the noise acting as a hammer bouncing inside her skull! She could make out enough of her situation to know she wasn’t falling, but the world was too much of a blur to determine anything else. Up was down, the road was the sky and vice versa, and something was pulling her!

At last, the spinning stopped, although the world continued to rotate in her eyes. Her mane whipped about in a wild wind and she could feel something holding her up by the waist and legs.

“Hey, babe! Fancy running into you here.”

Blue arms. Blue face. Ruby eyes beneath a wildly waving rainbow mane.

“You!” Rarity might have pushed away were the bounty hunter not the only thing keeping her from falling off the high-speed vehicle. She glanced over to see that, indeed, they were riding Little Lightning. Ponies were diving out of the way as the pegasus somehow kept the machine running straight without hands. “W-what are you doing? Are you trying to get us killed?”

“I was just going for a ride and saw a hottie I could grab.” The one-winged pegasus smirked. “What? You looked like the type for high-speed romances.”

Only a strong self-control, won by a glance at the cobblestones blurring past her vision, kept Rarity from reaching for Ruby Heart. “Get me off this thing before I do something we’ll both regret!”

The mare responded by tightening her hold on Rarity’s shoulders and legs. “No need to fake it for my sake, babe. I know I’m too awesome to refuse.” She glanced over her shoulder, smile fading to a scowl. “Buuut I’m afraid it just wasn’t meant to be. I’m sorry, it’s not you, it’s me. Say ‘hi’ to the tailchaser for me, would ya?”

“Tailchaiser? What are you—?” Rarity shouted as she was tipped head-first over the mare’s shoulder. She spotted Little Lightning’s pack-laden backside and had to reach out to keep from smacking her muzzle on the hard metal. The weight of her backpack flipped her hooves-over-head. She went airborne, screaming all the while. The world blurred yet again, and she had just enough time to see something golden and grey flying at her.

Whatever it was, it collided with her in midair, stealing her breath and slowing her downward momentum. Tangled up with another body, she hit the ground on her hip and cringed at the feel of the roadway biting into her. After a few painful bounces, Rarity was on her side in the middle of the street. The other body slid a little further away, and Rarity recognized it instantly. She opened her mouth to speak, but had no air in her lungs with which to do so.

A.K. Yearling was back on her hooves and taking wing in an instant. She looked back at Rarity, face set in a grimace. “Hey Princess glad you’re alive and kicking gotta go bye come back here you brainless blue bandit!” In a blur, she was gone, curses and insults echoing in her wake.

Rarity stared, chest heaving, as the pegasus disappeared around a corner, the roar of Little Lightning gradually fading. When her breath finally came back she sat up, flinching as tiny loose stones stuck to her hide and her bones informed her of their displeasure. Even after being properly seated, she could do nothing but stare at the darkening horizon. Citizens were slowly going back to their business, although several were gaping at Rarity as if she could somehow explain what just happened.

“Are you okay, miss?”

She turned her eyes to the teenage mare that was now kneeling beside her. Instead of locking on her face, however, Rarity’s gaze fell upon a saloon just down the street.

“Fuck it.”

She climbed to her hooves, ignoring the queries of the good samaritan, and trudged for the swinging doors.

Rarity was a lady of fine wines. She preferred to take dainty sips to check the texture and quality of her alcohol, only accepting larger swallows when sure nopony was looking. She would conduct herself with class and sophistication, and never drink so much as to ruin her thinking and risk making a fool of herself in public.

Hard whiskey, then, was far beyond her capacity to handle.

A full glass slid across the counter, stopping neatly beside five empty ones. Rarity sucked down half of it, swaying in her seat. The world had decided to start spinning at the slightest motion, but she just added it to the growing list of things wrong with said world. She hunched over the glass, ignorant of the music, the empty glasses at her elbow, the way her frazzled mane hung around her face, or the barstool next to her as it was abruptly occupied. She just stared into the amber liquid, hunched over and feeling a hundred times heavier than usual. Or was it lighter?

One more thing to confuse her. “What’s the matter, Equestria?” she slurred through her frown. “Still haven’t figured out how to beat this mare down?” Another sip. “I’ll… outlast you. I won’t fall until I’ve drowned every sorrow in this nasty nectar.” She turned, ready to gesture for another glass.

Her actions came to a halt at the sight of what was beside her. A dog. A… What were they called? Broader collee? Hoarder collar? Dumb, brown dog. There, that sufficed. Perhaps she was hallucinating. Could too much drinking make you hallucinate?

She watched in quiet fascination as the bartender set a wide, shallow bowl before the dog and poured it some booze straight from the bottle. The dog wasted no time lapping it up.

Yes, she had to be hallucinating. She turned from the dog to peer at her quarter-full drink, leaning heavily against the counter. “What in Equestria am I drowning my sorrows in?”

“Ya’ll sure you ain’t trying to drown yourself instead?”

Blinking was hard, what with her eyelids being weighed down by invisible bricks. Without sitting up, Rarity risked the vengeance of a swirling world to tilt her head left. An earth pony mare sat beside her, orange coated and blonde. Had she been there a second ago? A lovely pair of sap green eyes met hers. Three pairs. No, just one. Closing her eyes tight, Rarity looked back down and waited for her stool to hold still. “I’m the last pony who’d drown in booze.”

She would also be the last pony to drink booze, but here she was.

“Dunno, looks like the booze is winnin’.”

Growling, she chugged the rest of her glass, slammed it on the table and signaled… somewhere… for another. “Nonsense. I never lose. I only regret winning.”

A deep, pleasant chuckle. “You’ll be regretting it, alright.”

“And who are you to…” Half-turned to her companion, Rarity had to pause as her body tilted far to the left. She held a glass high in her hand, determined to protect the unholy substance within as she fought to right herself. An indeterminate time later, Equestria decided to cut her some slack and slowed down. Properly seated, she lowered the glass and used the same hand to point at the Stetson-wearing mare. “Who are you to lecture me? The booze sheriff?” She tried to take a sip, only to find that, somehow, Equestria had stolen her whiskey.

The mare tapped the counter and signaled something. “Friends call me AJ.”

“And what do your non-friends call you?” Rarity poked the mare’s shoulder before putting her glass back down. She noted that a fresh glass had miraculously appeared while she’d been turned away, and she promptly snatched it up. She raised it to her lips, but paused as the smell struck her nostrils. “Why am I drinking this trash again?”

“What you need,” AJ replied, raising a tall bottle in her hands, “is some proper nectar.”

It took a lot of squinting, grumbling, and a couple sips of whisky before Rarity could make out the label on the bottle. Well, the picture was a fuzzy blur and the words indecipherable, but she got the gist. “Looks like an apple. I hate apples.”

“No ya don’t.” AJ poured some of the liquid in two fresh glasses that had materialized out of nowhere. Her cheeks were real pink for some reason. “Y’all just haven’t tried the right apple. Now this, this is premium Apple Family cider. High on taste, a bit lower in the kick.”

Leaning precariously towards her, Rarity finished off her glass and set it aside. “I’ve had enough ‘kicks’ to last…” She paused, counting on her fingers. Why did she have so many fingers? “One whole lifetime.”

“This is the good kinda kick, promise.”

“Promise, promise, promise. You know the problem with promises, AJ?” Rarity slapped a hand on the big mare’s shoulder and pointed at her again. “They sound so… so pretty. They’re not pretty. They’re ugly and uncouth and don’t understand the meaning of fashionably late.” A bleary blink. “What were we talking about?”

A glass of dark liquid appeared before her muzzle. “Apples.”

“Apples!” She swiped the glass with a scowl. “I hate apples!” She took a big sip, paused. Licking her lips, she wondered about the pleasant liquid abruptly assaulting her gums. She peered at the glass, half expecting it to explain the abrupt uptick in quality. “Why are you so good? You’re not supposed to be good.”

AJ flashed a smirk in the corner of her eye, cheeks still rosey. Like a pleasant sunrise. Or that ugly dress Sweetie made for herself once. “Well, looks as if ya like apples after all.”

“I do not! Whoa…” In her hurry to point at AJ, Rarity almost fell off her stool. Stupid thing, why wouldn’t it hold still? Gripping AJ’s arm for support, she gradually righted herself and took another sip. “But I might like these apples,” she admitted begrudgingly, raising the glass slightly.

The young mare smiled warmly. She had a very nice smile. Nice like her eyes. “Glad to hear it, miss. And what would your name be, if’n I might ask?”

Rarity peered at the pony. “Who wants to know?”

“AJ.”

“Oh.” She teetered back on her stool and looked forward once more. “Right. Forgot.” Sip. “Oh. Empty. More apple, please?”

Another one of those pleasant-sounding chuckles. “I’ll give ya more ‘apple’ if you give me a name.”

“You’ve got a name. Don’t you? Ah.” She slouched towards AJ and offered her glass with a pleading pout. “You meant mine. Apple?” When her pleading tone only earned a smirk and a teasing shake of the bottle, she huffed. “Fine. It’s Rarity. Or—” she raised her hands and made quote marks “—Bulletproof Heart, if you prefer. And you don’t prefer, thank you very much.” She thrust out her glass expectantly.

With a light huff of a laugh, AJ refilled the proffered glass. “That’s a mighty fine name ya got there, Miss Rarity.”

“Of course it is! It’s mine!” She slammed her glass on the table and cast a one-eyed glare at the mare, not easy considering that pretty blur of a head kept wobbling around in her vision. She maintained the glare for a few seconds(?) longer, then abruptly leaned back. “I have no idea where I was going with that.” Sip. How’d she get apple cider on her fingers? How terribly unseemly.

AJ grinned, leaning with elbow on the counter and cheek in her palm. “You’re a funny drunk, Miss Rarity.”

“I am not a—!” The world tilted wildly. AJ caught her shoulder, keeping her from falling forward. Rarity’s eyes settled on the half-empty glass in her hand. Gradually, her gaze drifted to the empty glasses already on the counter.

Her entire body felt as if it was sinking into the floorboards. She set the glass aside and leaned heavily against the counter. “What am I doing?”

“Uh, taking a break?”

“A break.” She let that idea stew in her head for a moment. Maybe more than a moment, her head was awfully slow tonight. A quiet giggle left her, bitter and short. “Yes, that’s what I need. A break. A break from running for my life. A break from failing to be a good friend. A break from shooting half the ponies I meet.” Wobbling a little, she turned to AJ. “I’ll probably end up shooting you before too long. Just to keep the odds straight.”

AJ was pouring another glass of cider. That cute little fire was back in her cheeks. “I don’t think I’d mind bein’ shot by you.”

Rarity cocked her head to one side, an act that had her leaning precariously. “I thought I was supposed to be the drunk in this conversation.” She grabbed one of the empty glasses and offered it with a hopeful “Apples?”

That warm smile returned. More cider poured into Rarity’s glass. “Don’t you worry none, little darling.

“There’s plenty more apple where that came from.”

The dog let out a bark.

Was that a marching band using Rarity’s skull for practice? And wearing iron hooves, no less. She groaned, pulling the quilt over her face to block out the hot knife that was the sunlight. She’d had a hangover before, but this was brutal. What in Celestia’s name had she been thinking?

She tried to be as still as possible. It didn’t help much. Gritting her teeth, she risked pushing the covers down and taking a peek. The sun sliced at her eyeballs, but she did her level best to keep her lids at least open enough to take in her surroundings. She was in… a rented room? Plain wood walls, not-quite-closed blinders on a window, one dusty dresser where her shirt lay discarded.

Her shirt?

Moving with extreme slowness lest she upset the alcohol gods, Rarity lifted the quilt and sheet and looked at her nude form. When had that happened? Last night was such an abysmal blur, she couldn’t even remember renting the room. And where were her guns? Not having those made her feel more naked than the lack of clothes.

Hissing through clenched teeth, she forced herself to sit up, the covers slumping off her shoulders. Blinking to clear her vision a little more, she gingerly stretched, then rubbed her temples with both hands. She’d never gone on such a binge before, and based on her experience this morning she had no desire to do it again. Now she would have to continue her journey while dealing with—

A sigh rose through the air. Rarity froze upon realizing it hadn’t been her own. Body tense, she tentatively turned to her right. Lying in bed next to her, face down, was a muscular orange mare with a blonde mane, nude as the day she was born. Her cutie mark of an apple cut into five even pieces by a bullet was out in the open and everything!

With a squeaky yelp, Rarity clutched the quilt to her chest and sidled away from her unknown guest. Her heart slammed against her ribcage as she stared at that pretty orange face. The mare didn’t seem to notice, or to even be awake.

Oh, Luna. Please tell me I didn’t.

Slipping out of the bed, she stepped away until her back hit the wall. Trembling, she sank to the floor and wrapped her arms around her naked self. Eyes closed. Eyes opened. The mare was still there. A few more tries failed to get rid of the sight. Gradually, it became more and more clear that this was no nightmare.

Her first time. It was with a mare. While so drunk she couldn’t even remember. Tears welled in her eyes as she pressed her hands to her cheeks, unable to rip her eyes away from the bed and its lone occupant. What had she done? How could she let herself descend to such… such depravity?

She rocked in place, vision blurring and head pounding. Her throat constricted, her thighs burned. The last trace of her innocence, the one piece of sanctity she had left, gone! She clamped her lips closed against the sob that tried to escape her aching lungs. Spreading her legs like a common whorse. What would her parents think of this? She didn’t deserve to see them again. Maybe they were better without their sinful, murderous slut of a daughter. And Sweetie… poor, loving Sweetie. She’d never be able to look into those adoring green eyes again!

Green eyes?

Green eyes. She remembered, faintly… green eyes. From last night?

Rarity’s gaze centered on the mare in the bed, sleeping blissfully. Smiling. Happy. Rarity thought she should be angry, but all she felt was the ice in her veins and the dirt on her coat. Her skin itched with a fresh feeling of grit and nastiness. She could take a hundred baths and not feel clean again. And that mare, that… that pervert had done this. She’d taken advantage of her!

Breathing erratic, legs barely able to support her weight, Rarity stood and sought out her belongings. The motion caught the attention of a Border Collie lying in the corner atop a rug, who watched her move about with a face that seemed mockingly happy. Everything was there, intermixed with the stranger’s things. Two small guns with ammunition cartridges that reminded her of harmonicas, a long coil of rope. The mare’s clothes in a mess, suggesting they’d been thrown off with wild abandon. The thought only made Rarity feel more like dirt. No, less than dirt. Her first time…

Clothes on, weapons reacquired, Rarity found herself standing at the door and staring at the handle. Suddenly, just the act of leaving the room seemed like an impossible hurdle. She was supposed to be going to Mooisville to save her family. Instead, she’d wasted a night letting some stranger treat her like a cheap hooker. If she couldn’t protect herself from this wickedness, what chance did she have at protecting them from anything?

Her thoughts drifted to the Shrouding Midnight cowering in her suite. Another pony broken by the drifter’s life. Maybe… Maybe Rarity was doomed to these miseries. She squirmed, remembering the feel of Braeburn, the probing touch of Panting. This mysterious, evil mare had gotten to the places they couldn’t.

She turned to stare at the stranger, who remained unconscious. The dirty, tangled blonde mane, the muscles of her exposed back, the soft, smiling face. So many stallions had tried, but all that mare had to do was be at the right place at the wrong time. And why? Why had Rarity let it happen?

Rolling back her sleeve, she took a good, long look at the sigil Marble had gifted her. She thought about her family, about the Pie siblings, about Fluttershy and Spike and Shining Armor. She glanced at the sleeping mare and considered how easy it would be to put a bullet in her head. And though a new fire was rising in her chest, threatening to make something nasty inside boil over, Rarity refused to grab either of her weapons.

This mare might have taken her marehood, but there was still one thing Rarity had. By the Sisters, she would preserve that last bit of decency. She was not a killer.

“I hope you enjoyed it, you bitch,” she hissed beneath her breath. “Because if I ever see you again, I won’t be so kind.”

She stepped out, mind blocking out her shame by focusing on the road ahead.

While not technically the geographic center of Equestria (it’s actually north of that), many of the continent’s citizens see the Bowl in a similar light. Given its central position it acts as the prime trading point for all corners of the continent, making it the most trafficked land of all. It is surrounded by the Sunpeaks to the west, the Eerie Cliffs to the east, and the Crystal Hills to the north. On land maps this topography gives the Bowl the look of a massive valley, hence the name. To the south lies the vast and inhospitable Great Salt Plains. The Bowl is considered the political territory of the city state of Hoofington.

The mountains surrounding the Bowl are so high that they block most cloud formations from passing into the valley, and thus the Bowl is a dry, arid land of hill and rock. Communities tend to be centered around water sources like rivers, ponds, and lakes, with a lot of barren, untouched wilderness in between. Despite these rough conditions, people are drawn to the Bowl for its less stringent policies regarding race and species – so lax in fact that non-ponies can and frequently do take part in local governments. This is a far cry from areas like Manehattan, Seaddle, and Cloudsdale, which tend to limit the power to a particular race of pony. Hoofington also enjoys less crime than the other city states, which tends to make it one of the more welcoming regions of the continent. Promoters claim this is because of the city state’s policies, but critiques argue it’s more likely because the Bad Apple Gang doesn’t maintain a significant presence in the Bowl. Promoters take the credit for that, too.