John’s perspective:

Jeeze… Daring was so… pissy right now. I kept trying to tell her that if she was in Brixie’s position than maybe she’d see why we were doing this. “I’m just saying Daring… She probably needs our help.” I tried convincing her but she still wouldn’t listen.

“You know what? I’m just sooo glad that one of my closest friends likes some two timing mare!” Daring scoffed and I raised an eyebrow. Jeeze she was acting prissier than… Brixie.

“What the hay’d I do?” I asked in a confused voice but Billy simply slapped me upside the head. “What the hay was that for?!” I nearly yelled and Billy rolled his eyes. Billy simply shook his head and trotted a few feet in front of us to give Daring and I some room. ‘Way to go Billy, leave me alone with the crazed mare. You’re a real friend.’ I thought to myself with a chuckle.

“So how was it? Did you enjoy it?” Daring asked sternly and I raised an eyebrow.

“Enjoy what?” I asked with curiosity flowing through my voice but this time it was Daring who slapped me upside the head.

“What the hay!? Would every-pony stop slapping me and just tell me what the hay is the matter?!” I yelled and Daring rolled her eyes.

“The kiss! You obviously enjoyed it. I mean you stood there for almost a full minute just… tongue wrestling with her!” She scowled and I snickered.

“If by minute you mean… a whole two seconds… than yeah it was a full minute.” I said with a laugh.

“It was a minute!”

“Wasn’t. Well maybe two and a half seconds, wasn’t counting.” This somehow got Daring more angry. Christ what the hay’s here problem. Are we dating and I wasn’t informed?

“Are you kidding me?! You sat there for what seemed like forever!” She yelled at me and Billy snickered from upfront.

“Yeah… maybe for you. It was only two seconds… three tops.” He stated and Daring shot him a cold glare. “Yeah, I’ll just stay out of it.” He replied then turned back around.

Daring looked back to me. “So? Did you enjoy it or not?” She asked and I shrugged.

“Well… a little I guess. Had I known she was going to do that then I probably wouldn’t have agreed but… why is this such a big deal?” I asked and she face hoofed.

“Because… because… you made out with a mare!” She exclaimed like it was some world altering piece of information.

“Yeah but… seriously? Why is it so bad if I got kissed by another mare? It’s not like I go around telling you who you can and can’t kiss.” I told her and she raised an eyebrow.

“Oh so it doesn’t matter huh?” She asked and I shook my head. Celestia, was she ever acting weird. If she hadn’t called me a ruffian and said that she would never settle for me than I’d think she was coming on to me or something… maybe she was trying to mother me or something.

Suddenly she quickly galloped up to Billy, grabbed him, spun him around then forced her lips upon his. His eyes went wide then he quickly pulled back as she stuck her tongue into his mouth. She shot me a glance.

“So how do you feel?” She asked… was she asking me or Billy? I wasn’t quite sure.

“Uhm… what the buck was that?” I asked and she smiled.

“See I told you. Not so great when it’s happening to you, is it?” She asked then Billy pitched in.

“I’m on John’s side… why the buck did you just kiss me… and try to stick your tongue in my mouth?” He asked and at this point I guess that Daring realized she had gone a little overboard. She quickly got her bearings, blushed furiously then stepped away from him. It would’ve been better if we had taken our horses… I think.

“Sorry guys I… I just wasn’t thinking straight for a second.” Daring stammered. Both Billy and I looked to each other with a raised eyebrow then just shrugged and continued to the local police station.

Once there we went directly to the front desk. “Can I help you?” Asked an older stallion with a cigarette hanging out the side of his mouth. The cigarette had been burning for quite a while because there was a long piece of ash still attached.

“We’re here to pay bail for our friend. Her name is Brixie.” I told him and he rolled his eyes.

“Come this way… finally some-pony picks up that annoying bitch.” Muttering the last part under his breath, so faintly that I barely caught it. He led us to another room where a finer dressed stallion sat in an office chair.

“Capt’n, these ponies are here to pay Ms. Brixie’s bail.” The desk attendant informed who I presumed to be the captain of local police. He nodded then motioned for him to leave. He then looked to us.

“That’ll be three hundred bits… precisely.” He informed me and I gasped in shock from the amount.

“What!? For fraud?!” I gasped and he nodded. “I figured it’d only be… thirty at most.” I told him and he chuckled.

“Yeah well she’s played her little… game, in many other counties. She’s also wanted for…: Resisting arrest, fleeing captivity… never mind you get the point. Now will that be all?” He asked. I rolled my eyes and groaned as I tossed him the bag of bits.

He called out to another stallion then told him to go get Brixie. Soon enough he returned with Brixie who was struggling and demanding to know where they were bringing her. As soon as she saw us she must’ve known what was happening.

She went to leap on me in happiness but I grabbed her by the shoulder and quickly led us all out of the police station without word. As soon as we got outside Brixie broke the silence. “Thank you so much Mr. John. You are a true gentle…” Was all she managed before I interrupted her.

“Your bail was three hundred…” I trailed off my sentence with a sound of slight irritation. She simply gulped and gave me an apologetic face.

“Brixie is sorry… wait no that won’t do it…” She trailed off and tried to give me a kiss but I held her back.

“Nononono, no kisses. That was for the stage act. Brixie, that was a grand buck up… I’m not one to hold debts with any-pony so I won’t hold it against you but never-ever-ever-EVER, do something like that again.” I told her sternly. She gulped then nodded solemnly. I smiled, “Okay let’s go.” I said casually, almost like nothing had happened.

“WHAT!?” Daring exclaimed and I looked back to her with a thought of curiosity. “That’s it? Just a ‘Don’t do that again’. No severity, no real punishment? John, you should be giving her the boot, you shouldn’t have even paid her bail.” Daring yelled. I just scratched my head and looked dumbfounded.

“She can cook.” I told her and Daring just scoffed.

“We could have easily just gotten another cook!”

“She’s a friend. I don’t leave my friends behind.” I told her more sternly. To this comment Brixie’s ears perked up in happiness.

“I’m… you still consider me a friend?” She asked hopefully and I gave her a quick heartwarming nod.

I looked to her and nodded. “Yeah, it’s hard for me to stay mad at ponies.” I said quickly then turned my attention back to Daring whom I was arguing with.

“Gee John, you know I kind of miss the old you. The one who was shy and timid around me and would barely peep a word.” She scolded me and I rolled my eyes.

“Because… because…” I trailed off as my shyness started to set in. I didn’t like arguing unless I absolutely had to. Ooh how I despised myself sometimes. “Okay Daring… you win. I should’ve left her… but I didn’t. I bucked up. Can we please just move on?” I asked in a very shy tone. She let out a saddened sigh.

“John I… I’m sorry. I don’t like yelling at you. It’s just… never mind… let’s go.” She said, both of us defeated. Billy spoke up and answered a question we both hadn’t thought of yet.

“Where are we going. We haven’t the slightest clue to where Black Mane is?” He asked.

Now it was Brixie’s turn to speak. “Brixie knows!” She exclaimed and Daring was about to argue with her but I waved my hoof. Daring looked to me and I shrugged. We had no better option so we might as well listen to what Brixie had to say. But she didn’t say anything. She just started trotting towards the bay.

Author's Notes:

Not gonna spoil anything but I have this feeling that the next chapter is gonna blow the minds of all the people still reading. Two hints: Think 1912 and think water... okay that might've spoiled it just a little bit... Shall release the next chapter tomorrow or tomorrow-tomorrow... the day after tomorrow, depending on how work goes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cd_Fdly3rX8