Keeper, or Caretaker, Friend, Owner? The words drifted through my mind as I thought back to those thin wisps of memory. There was a word for the relationship between horse and rider, there was... a feeling that I tried to grasp at, something that would make me feel better.

Something that would tell me that, in that place I'd come from, that the one I'd left behind was alright, that she was being treated well, that she was happy... or as happy as she could be. Part of it was agonizing, knowing that she couldn't be like I was, couldn't experience things that way I could, that she hadn't become more.

Part of it was shame, that I'd run instead of fought, that I'd left her to the wolves while I'd run and run and... been rewarded with this. The shame, the guilt the... friendship. I couldn't even remember her face, and here I was with a bunch of ponies who actually cared and wanted to help and... I felt like i didn't deserve any of it.

"I awoke on the roadside, in the land of the free ride, and I can't pull it any longer..." I softly sang to myself, the words coming from... somewhere else, a memory, of a life long past...

"Miss Maggie?"

I blinked my eyes and shook my head. I was forgetting the other half of my penance, Twilight had been...

Creative. That was the word for it; to repay my indiscretions I was going to be spending time with Scootaloo, and to that end, her friends. All... two of them. I couldn't judge, it was more than I'd had until... how long had it been?

"Yes?" I asked finally as I looked down to the filly.

"You've been just staring into space for like ten minutes, are you okay?"

I nodded my head, "Sorry I was... Just thinking. I've been doing a lot of that lately." I was supposed to be spending time with her, not feeling sorry for myself and I was even screwing that up. I was not being a very good pony. Or for that matter a good friend.

That is what I was supposed to be doing after all: Making friends. ...and fitting in, and being a Good Pony, and making my way. I'd come a long way in... not even months. I was making friends, making my own way, working even! Although... I'd been press-ganged into that, and if I didn't see an apple tree again for a few months I'd be alright.

And I was ignoring Scootaloo again. I shook my head, I'd been doing that a lot lately, and looked in the immediate area for the little pegasus. My ears swiveled, I heard hoofsteps but the cadence was off. One-two-three-two-three-one-two-- it wasn't one pony. One-two-three-four. One-two-three-four. One-two-three-four. Twelve.

I turned my head, my ears snapped up, my heart sank. Scootaloo was a fine, a joy even. Applebloom was equally pleasant to be around, and Sweetie Belle was a charming little filly. But... The three of them together? I'd heard stories. Stories about things and stuff and the real reason the mayor's mane was gray!

Granted, that was only rumor, but I still had a legitimate fear. My mane was already white though, so maybe I was being ridiculous after all. I steeled myself against the probable calamity I was sure to endure and opened my mouth, "Hello... girls."

"Hey Miss Maggie, are you busy?" Sweetie Belle asked me with... the widest eyes.

I blinked. "No, just... standing here with Scootaloo..." I ventured cautiously, "Why?"

"Well, Applejack said we needed 'Adult Supervision'," Applebloom started, putting special emphasis on the words, "and... well you're an adult... and Scootaloo is already with you... so we were wonderin' if you could help us!"

'Well that's not too bad' I thought privately while I stared down at the little pony. I sighed, 'I'm going to regret this...' "Okay." I said finally.

The three little ponies' eyes lit up with glee and they grinned, "Cutie Mark Crusaders: Mane Stylists, yay!"

'I immediately regret this decision.'

I wanted to tell them no, that I'd changed my mind, that I had other plans, anything to get myself out of it but... I was a sucker for that gleeful look on their face, and I imagined I wasn't the only victim to that either.

I was not a vain pony, far from it, even then I could hardly care about appearances--they just weren't important. But, as that mirror hovered in front of my face I couldn't even begin to suppress my despair. All of the hushed tones and uncomfortable glances I'd seen directed at those three made sense, fully and completely in a way that struck home more firmly than I could have ever imagined.

A... head... covering? The word was on the tip of my tongue, the thing on Oran--Applejack's head. A hat, that's what I needed. A distraction, something to draw attention away from... I didn't want to think about it anymore.

The girls stared at me expectantly at me, and I was at a complete loss for words. My tongue worked over my lips as I struggled for the words. I wasn't the most 'with it' pony, but I knew enough even then not to be too harsh on them, they were just children.

Although in a way, I imagine I wasn't much different. Age and experience I had, long term interaction I... had less of. I gave them an expressionless stare while my brain worked desperately for some way to get out of the situation without upsetting them, and I was coming up empty.

I watched in growing apprehension as their expressions went slowly from ones of glee to one more fitting of watching their plan go horribly, horribly, wrong. My eyes snapped back and forth between them, Scootaloo started to eyeball the door, Sweetie's eyes were glued to the floor, Applebloom was... I wasn't sure, I couldn't figure out what she was thinking.

I heard the sound of bells in the distance, four chimes. Four in the afternoon, that's what Twilight said the chimes meant. An excuse! "Girls I... Have to... Go. Purp--Twilight needs me... for... things," I ground out awkwardly as I turned and ran for the door.

I heard their voices behind me as I fled, but I was committed to avoiding anymore awkwardness, no matter how much of a fool I had to make of myself in the process. I cleared the threshold of their tree house and ran straight off the end of the ramp.

My hooves hit the dirt and I took off like a shot, maybe if I ran fast enough no one would notice. Twilight's home was in the middle of town, but that wasn't my destination. Getting out of the clubhouse had given me a moment to think, and I knew what I had to do.

It took a few minutes before my hooves finally touched the cobblestone road leading away from the farm, and that's when I pushed myself harder. Time was of the essence, the longer I was out in public, the greater my exposure would be, and there was only one pony that could save me.

I could see the roof of my destination after only a hundred or so paces down the road, the sound of my hooves clacking against the ground was almost deafening, my muscles ached and my lungs burned, but still I pushed. Some things were just worth it.

This... may have not been one of those things, but at the moment, I didn't care.

Houses and shops went past in a blur, my eyes locked in on my target, I adjusted course. The door was open, I jumped over the fence, angled up the sidewalk, and shot past the threshold. My hooves hit a smooth hardwood floor and I slid, nearly falling over as I passed from the prying eyes of a public setting into the relative safety of my destination.

"Maggie, what in Equestria..?" The voice asked.

I turned, Rarity was here. Salvation! I shook the sweat from my eyes and felt my ragged mane brush against my neck. I looked at her with pleading eyes. "Sweetie... Scootaloo... Applebloom..." I panted out, gesturing at my head with a forehoof.

Recognition and mounting horror were painted on the unicorn's face, I watched her eyes widen and her pupils dilate. I should have known she'd take it worse than I did, but if she was taking it this badly then perhaps I wasn't over-reacting after all.

"Please help."

Author's Notes:

Try to be quicker on the next chapter, I'll end it on this cliffhanger if only so I don't leave you till mid next year without an update.

While you're waiting, check out some of my other stories, like The Equestrian Hitcher