“We know,” Glitter Drops said. “And we know your horn is going to grow back soon. It’s only a matter of time. But we felt like we had to take the exams this moon. The term starts in the fall.”
“So you’re going?” she asked as she tried to steady her voice.
“Yeah,” Spring Rain said. “But you’ll come next moon. We’ll all be together again soon. And we’ll come back to visit all the time. We’ll still be friends.”
“Right,” the young Unicorn said. “Of course. We’ll always be friends. I’m happy for you.”
The young Unicorn put on her best smile, even though she was hurting. Glitter Drops and Spring Rain looked relieved that she was being so nice about it. She said good-bye to her friends, and they promised that they’d see one another the next day. She told them they were going to have the best time at Princess Celestia’s school. Then she closed the door and started to cry.
The young Unicorn put on the cloak she had pieced together and stared at the bag on the floor. She pulled it onto her back, knowing she had no other choice. If she stayed, she’d always be different. The Unicorn with the broken horn. The Unicorn without magic. The Unicorn whose friends left her behind. What kind of life would that be?
She stepped outside, pulled up her hood, and turned back one last time to say good-bye to her cottage. She’d leave tonight, for good. There were other places she could go, and other ponies who might accept her. She couldn’t keep pretending she was happy here. This town no longer felt like home.
As she started off into the night, she reminded herself of the worst part. She’d been the brave one that day in the forest. She’d volunteered to go into the cave to get the ball so her friends didn’t have to. She’d yelled to Glitter Drops and Spring Rain, telling them there was an ursa minor inside so they wouldn’t get hurt. She’d done everything right.
And what did she have to show for it? What did she get for being a good friend?
Nothing, she thought as the lights from the town grew smaller in the distance. There’s nothing left for me there.
CHAPTER FOUR
After days of traveling, the young Unicorn’s bag was nearly empty. She had only a few apples and carrots left, plus a small jug of water. It was hard traveling alone. She could only carry so much by herself, and she ran out of supplies faster than if she were traveling in a group.
She’d wandered through the White Tail Woods, spending nights under trees that gave her cover while she slept. After that, she’d made a wrong turn, crossing the train tracks into the San Palomino Desert. She’d been there for four days and had drunk almost all her water. Now she stood on the outskirts of Appleloosa. She’d have to venture into town if she wanted more food.
She pulled the hood down over her broken horn and held on to the edge so it wouldn’t blow off. The town was flat and windy, with tumbleweeds rolling across the streets. A few ponies waved as she walked past. She waved back, enjoying how normal it felt to be there. She was just another pony, strolling through the town. There was an apple orchard just beyond the buildings. Rows and rows of apple trees, all in bloom. It reminded her a little of home.
The young Unicorn ducked inside the general store, looking for supplies. She grabbed three bundles of carrots, a big bag of apples, and another jug of water. It would last her a week, at least. She dropped them all on the counter in front of the clerk.
“You’re not from around here, are you?” the pony asked. She was purple, the same color as the young Unicorn, and had a beautiful blue mane. “First time in Appleloosa?”
“Yup, first time. I’ve been on the road for a while,” she said, paying for the supplies with some bits. “I needed to stop somewhere to get more food.”
“Well, I hope you’ll stop for a lot more than that,” the clerk said. “Appleloosa has so much to offer. Every week we have shows on the town stage, and there are plenty of Wild West dances. Everypony’s welcome.”
“Wild West dances?” the young Unicorn asked.
“Oh, they sound more complicated than they are. It took me only a few minutes to learn, but much longer to get good. I think there’s one tonight.… Would you like to be my guest?”
She stared at the pony, not sure why she was being so nice to her. She’d gotten used to ponies staring at her broken horn a little too long, or inviting her to things because they felt bad for her. But this pony seemed like she genuinely wanted to be friends.
The young Unicorn shook her head, remembering where friendship had gotten her before. “I better head out soon,” she said. “Thank you, though.”
“Well, at least promise me you’ll stop by the Salt Block before you leave,” the pony said. “It’s my favorite place in town. They’ve got the best apple cider on this side of the Rambling Rock Ridge.”
“I promise,” the young Unicorn said, remembering the cider at home. She’d have to stop in just to see for herself. She put the supplies in her bag, fastened it shut, and said good-bye to the nice clerk. Then she strode out into the street to find the Salt Block.
It was impossible to miss. It seemed like the busiest place in town. A crowd of ponies stood under the green-and-beige-striped awning, while others pushed through the swinging doors. She could hear ponies laughing and talking from outside.
She went in, and immediately, she felt better. She’d forgotten how much she missed being around other ponies. Everypony seemed to be having a great time. She grabbed a stool and ordered an apple cider.
“What do you think?” a pony with a blue western hat standing next to her asked. He watched as the young Unicorn took a sip. “They say it’s the best apple cider on this side of the Rambling Rock Ridge, but I’m not totally convinced.”
“It’s pretty good.”
“Ah.” He paused, looking at her bag. “Where are you headed?”
She stared into her mug. She couldn’t tell him the truth: that she’d only know where she was going once she got there. So she looked at the map on the wall and picked somewhere random.
“I was just going to visit friends near Galloping Gorge,” she said.
“That’s a long way from here,” replied the pony. “But you’re in luck. Me and my band of ponies are headed to Vanhoover. You could travel north with us if you like.”
The pony pointed to a group sitting at the table behind him. They were eating apple chips covered in caramel sauce. They looked like a friendly bunch. One of the girl ponies was telling jokes, and the whole group laughed loudly.
“I could go with you?” the Unicorn asked, not sure if she’d heard that right. She’d been alone on the road for so many days, and for so much longer before that, when she was back home. The idea of traveling with others did sound appealing. She wouldn’t have to worry about supplies nearly as much.…
“Why, sure!” the pony said. “I’m Tumbleweed, by the way. Come on over and I’ll introduce you to my friends.”
“I’m… Caramel Chip,” the young Unicorn said, not wanting to tell the stranger her real name. She followed him over to the table and smiled when she saw the group.
“Hi, all,” Tumbleweed said. “The young Unicorn here is going to join us on our way to Vanhoover. She’s heading up to… where did you say you’re going?”
She glanced at the map, trying to remember the place. “Galloping Gorge! I’m heading up there to see friends.”
“Ahhhh,” a pony with a purple mane said. “Well, we’ve got plenty of supplies, and we could always use extra company. The more the merrier.”
The young Unicorn was about to sit down when the swinging doors of the saloon blew open. A gust of wind ripped through the room, blowing her hood right off her head. She stood there, in the center of the saloon, her broken horn exposed for everypony to see.
“Say, what happened to your horn?” one of the ponies asked.
She pulled her hood up to cover it. Her whole face turned from purple to red. She’d come so many miles from home, but she was still the same pony, still the Unicorn with the broken horn.
She darted out of the Salt Block before anypony could say anything else. She ran through the street, her head down, not stopping until Appleloosa was far behind her.
CHAPTER FIVE
The young Unicorn walked for days across the desert. She kept going, putting one hoof in front of the other, through dozens of sunrises and sunsets. She tried not to think about what had happened at the Salt Block in Appleloosa. She tried to stop picturing the other ponies’ faces when they saw her broken horn.
She couldn’t figure out how many days had passed. How many weeks had it been since she’d traveled through the outskirts of Equestria? She was out of food, and she only had a few drops of water left in her jug. There was a small city in the middle of the desert, just a cluster of buildings against miles and miles of sand. She’d have to stop there. If she didn’t get water soon, she’d be in trouble.
Most of the buildings were boarded up, and there was only one small restaurant with dirty windows the young Unicorn could hardly see through. The streets were lined with different creatures who appeared to have come down on hard luck. They were sleeping in alleyways and doorways. Many of them had tattered shawls covering their head and shoulders. The young Unicorn couldn’t even see their faces.
She crept to the window of the restaurant and peered inside. Through the dirt and grime she could just barely make out a few figures sitting around tables. Some were drinking cider; others were eating plates of gross-looking food. She tugged extra tightly on her hood as she stepped inside.
As soon as she sat down, she realized she had much more to worry about than her horn. The place stunk of sour cider and rotting food. Everyone in there seemed sad. Their clothes were ripped and torn. Many of them were sitting alone.
Behind her, two rough-looking creatures ate the last of their food. One was looking at a newspaper. “Ugh… more news from Equestria. Can’t stand it.”
“Makes me mad,” the other said. “They’re up there, sparkly streets and fancy clothes. Princesses and princes. It’s like the rest of us don’t exist.”
The young Unicorn swallowed hard. “Uh, yeah…” she muttered under her breath. She hated to admit it, but she understood what the creatures meant. Since she left her town, every day had been a struggle to survive. She’d tried so hard to forget about Canterlot… and Celestia’s school… and the three princesses. It was too painful to think that other ponies had easier lives. That they lived in castles with views of all Equestria.
The waiter came over, and the young Unicorn ordered something off the menu, which was stained with bits of food. She struggled to eat the meal, even though it tasted horrible. After she was done, the waiter let her fill up her jug of water. When he finally put the bill down on the table, she went into her bag, looking for her bits.
“No… this can’t be…” she said, pushing her hoof through a hole in the bottom of the sack. She must’ve ripped it at some point on her journey. All her bits had fallen out of the bottom. “I’m sorry—I’ve lost my bits. I don’t know how I’ll pay.”
A customer at the table next to her laughed. “Likely story! We’ve heard that one before.”
It seemed like the whole restaurant was laughing now. The waiter, an older creature with just a few teeth, shook his head. “You’ll have to work off your meal, then.” He pointed to a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. “Plenty for you to do around here.”
The young Unicorn glanced around the dingy restaurant. She hadn’t wanted to stay even an hour in this city, and now she’d have to stay days. Her stomach twisted at the thought. She stood and went to the sink, starting her first shift at the tiny place.
The young Unicorn ended up working in the restaurant for moons. She lived on the streets of the small city, which was called Drungar. She ate food she’d take home from the restaurant and slept in an abandoned shack she’d discovered in an alley. It had taken her only a week to work off the bits she owed for her meal, but she never seemed to make enough to leave the city. It felt as if it took forever to build up enough savings to buy supplies and continue her journey.
She’d finally taken off into the desert, hoping she’d find somewhere else besides Drungar. Anywhere would be better than that place. The dank, dirty streets. The smell of rotting garbage everywhere. The piles and piles of dirty dishes that she could never get totally clean. The only good thing about it was that no one seemed to notice her horn was broken. Or maybe they simply didn’t care.
The sand stretched out in every direction. Up above, the stars were shining brightly in the sky. It seemed like the best night she’d had in a very long time. As she walked, she noticed a glowing light appeared up ahead. She climbed over a hill and saw a burning wreck in the valley below. It looked as if some sort of ship that had caught on fire and crashed there in the desert. She started toward it, looking down at some of the charred pieces. There were burnt supplies and giant chunks of the ship deck. She walked deeper into the wreckage, noticing something sparkling in the blackened sand.
There was a large gem sitting in the rubble. She picked it up and turned it over in her hooves. It looked like it was worth more bits than she’d ever be able to make at that restaurant. Even better, when she held it, she could feel that it possessed some sort of special power. But for what? How could she use it?
Before she could think about it more, there was a rushing sound overhead. She turned to see a huge airship floating above her. A long plank was lowered, and a small, round creature started down it. He was short with a tuft of white hair. He had piercing blue eyes and wore black armor with a strange symbol on the front—almost like a face. When he set foot on the sand, he pointed in the Unicorn’s direction.
“There it is! The Misfortune Malachite! That gem belongs to the Storm King!” he yelled.
The young Unicorn tucked the gem into her bag, not wanting him to take it away. Maybe she hadn’t figured out what it was for, but she’d found it. It was only fair that she get to keep it.
“Does it?” she said. “He should have taken better care of it, then.”
“Hand it over, lady!” the creature said. “Or face the Storm King’s wrath! That gem’s got a lot of magic, and he needs it!”
So she was right. The gem did possess a special power. Maybe she could use it to grow back her horn. She turned and started off again, but the creature called after her.
“Halt! Stop right there!” he yelled, but the Unicorn continued on. “Not another inch! Seriously, I’m telling you to stop walking. Do not go any farther. You must give that back.”
She only walked faster, trying to get away. The creature didn’t look like he would hurt her (or that he could hurt anyone, really), and she’d never seen him before. Who was he to tell her what she “must” do?
But before she could go any farther, she heard the sound of footsteps. Many, many footsteps. She turned, realizing the creature wasn’t alone. There was a small army behind him. These creatures were taller and much scarier looking. Some had horns; others had long claws. They all had white hair and scraggly faces with sharp teeth.
The Unicorn had no time to think. She took off across the desert, running as fast as she could. It wasn’t long before one of the creatures caught up to her. She spun around to face him. The creature looked surprised that she was ready for a fight. He was twice her size, with a hunchback and two sharp fangs. He sprang forward and tried to grab her bag from her back, but she darted out of the way at the last second. He tumbled headfirst into the sand.
Before she could take off, another creature came at her from the other side. She bucked back, landing a kick in the creature’s stomach. He folded over in pain.
There were more creatures pouring out of the airship. She turned and ran as fast as she could. The creatures were much bigger and slower, and it wasn’t long before she had a good lead. She turned back one last time to see the small, round creature watching her. She stared at him, daring him to follow, then took off into the night.
Leaving the desert wasn’t easy. She’d bee
n able to outrun the scary creatures with the white fur, but then they’d followed her in the airship. She had to hide beneath a rock and wait as they circled above. It took an hour before they finally left.
As soon as she was sure they were gone, she made her way out of the desert. She couldn’t travel through the open stretches of sand anymore. Now that the small army knew she had their gem, they would be searching for her. And the desert would be the first place they’d look.
Instead she continued on until she came to a small village. A sign outside the main gate read KLUGETOWN. Tiny cottages and shops lined the narrow streets. She walked, keeping her head down, and ducked into a store to buy some supplies.
She set her haul down on the counter and listened to the two creatures working there. They were busy and hadn’t noticed her when she walked into the store. “There are rumors that the Storm King’s expanding his empire,” a large purple creature said. “He wants more power.”
“How much power does he need?” the other creature asked. He was shorter, with long green hair. “I feel like I already see those airships everywhere.”
They both turned, suddenly noticing the Unicorn waiting. The purple creature was silent as she put a few bits on the counter. They didn’t start talking again until after she left the store.
Once she was outside, she ducked down an alleyway and pulled the gem from her bag. They’d spoken about the Storm King and his airships.… This gem was his. But what kind of magic did it hold? And how could she use it on her own?
As she held it between her hooves, she tried to focus. It had been so long since she’d used her broken horn. It glowed and shot sparks across the alley. Then she stared at the gem, hoping she could activate it. Suddenly, she heard someone say something.
She turned, thinking someone was behind her, but no one was there. It took her a second to realize the voice was coming from the gem itself. She leaned closer, listening to the quiet whispers. “Beware the Misfortune Malachite,” the voice said. “As soon as I held it, terrible things began to happen.”
My Little Pony, The Movie: The Stormy Road to Canterlot Page 2
