The Travelling Argument

"Sky, Swift believes that I might be able to fix your wings. I think it's almost impossible with what your wing has been through, but... there is hope that it could be mostly restored to flying status. It would be quite the task however," said Valhalla.

"I guess it's worth a try!" said Sky.

"I suggest we move out, we've been staying in one place for far too long. The nearest town is about an hour's trot away, shorter if we gallop. We can gather supplies to replenish our stock there," said Swift.

"Works for me. I need some new sleep darts before I can start stea... helping poor little ponies with insomnia problems!"

"Right. I will run ahead of you guys and make sure the paths are safe. If trouble comes around I'll alert you," said Maboo, taking point at the front of the group once they had all gathered their belongings. "To Fillydelphia!" She began trotting off in one direction, but quickly changing as she realized it was the wrong way.

"She will not last long, that is still the wrong direction," said Valhalla.

"Well, she's bound to make the trip more interesting, if nothing else!" commented Sky.

Maboo finally got her wits together and began marching in the correct direction, staying ahead of the group a short distance and singing along the way.

"Now this is the story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down and I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there, and I'll tell you how I became the bard of a town called Bel Mare. In west Fillydelphia, born and raised, on the playground is where I spend most of my days. Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool, and all shootin' some p-ball outside of the school, when a couple of griffs, who were up to no good, started makin' trouble in my neighborhood. I got in one little fight and my mind got scared and said 'You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel Mare.'"

"I have to admit, she's a very good singer, if her choice of words is a bit... strange," said Valhalla as they overheard her song.

"Man, what IS she smoking? I want some!" said Sky.

"I heard that!" yelled Maboo. She zipped up into Sky's face with the speed of a bullet. "I'll have you know that the song I was singing was an earlier part of my life! It was very traumatic, and I am not very happy that the only nearby town happens to be Fillydelphia. The song is like the way it is because I want to try and remove the bad memories of the place. So you'll excuse me if it sounds a little weird." She walked back ahead of the group with a frown on her face, and didn't sing anymore.

"Well that was unexpected, to say the least," said Valhalla.

The group continued trotting to Fillydelphia without speaking. They arrived to the medium sized city within an hour, able to spot dozens of earth ponies running around and conducting business.

"We've arrived," said Swift.

A pony at the edge of the city came up to the group with a large smile on her face. "Hey there, fellas! Welcome to Fillydelphia, what can we do ya for?"

"Hello. Can you give us directions to the nearest inn? We've been travelling a while."

"Certainly, you can choose from a few over in that direction," the mare pointed down another street. "Enjoy your stay!"

The group followed down the road and searched for an inn.

"So this is Fillydelphia? It's so much different from Canterlot and the Monastery. Look at all the earth ponies!" said Evening.

"Fillydelphia, the center of pony industry and technology. Forged only from the hooves of earth ponies, with no magic or flight to help them," said Swift.

"Really? Earth ponies are amazing!"

Maboo grunted. "Yeah... amazing."

"It is truly astounding to see the amount of work and progression that has happened in this town. I believe I will have to browse some of the fine shops, all those ingredients and spices look very high quality," said Valhalla as they passed through the market areas.

"I have to agree with Valhalla on this, Maboo. I never knew Fillydelpia had so much to offer," said Willow.

Swift branched away from the group and approached a weapon shop. A unicorn was stood behind a desk with an arsenal of weapons mounted onto a wall behind her.

The mare had multiple pieces of tech attached to her body, a bionic leg with a strange set of metal claws attached to one of her hooves.  "What's up, mare? You looking for a blade? We've got all kinds," she said.

Swift looked at the storekeeper's claws nervously.

"Yeah, the metal throws a few ponies off sometimes. I lost a couple of bits when I was a foal. Went to this cool unicorn and got replacements. You like them? "

Swift kept staring at the claws. "Uh... yeah. Some new throwing knives, please. Ten or twenty should do. "

"Well, somepony likes to be prepared. Give me a sec, I'll be right back." The mare went into the back of her shop to fetch some throwing knives.

"She seems familiar... like I know her from somewhere," thought Swift.

Evening walked in a moment later, eyes wide and full of wonder and excitement.

"It's... beautiful. The blades are expertly folded steel, the hafts of the spears are strong yet flexible," Evening gasped. "I should ask the smith to do something with the bar we took from the prison!" She looked over at Swift. "Swift? You look like you've seen a ghost."

The storekeeper came back front with a claw full of throwing knives. "Here's your knives, bud. That'll be 30 bits all up."

Swift gathered up all the blades and stored them in her pack, quickly hoofing 30 bits onto the table. "Thank you."

The storekeeper looked over to Evening. "Oh, hey, another customer! Can I help you?"

Evening excitedly put her large rod of metal over the desk."Yes you can! I came into possession of this adamantium rod recently, and I was wondering if you had an experience working that metal. And where did you get those claws? I wouldn't even need telekinesis with those."

The storekeeper grabbed the rod and looked at it closely. "Well hello, beautiful, where have you been all of my life?" She put down the rod and looked back at Evening. "Sure, I can work something for you. It'll take a little more bits than usual, but I'm sure I can do something with it. The claws were courtesy of a unicorn that felt sorry for me. He found me in a wheelchair a few months after I lost a couple major parts of my legs in an incident a decade or two back, and offered me a chance to get out of it. Needless to say, I accepted the offer."

"Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I mean, thank you. How much will be fair?" asked Evening.

"Heh, I know a warrior when I see one. Most smithing jobs are about 50 bits each, covers materials and labor. I'd charge about 80 for something like this, but seeing as the materials are provided, I can knock it back down to 50 for you," answered the storekeeper.

"That sounds fair. Is this enough?" Evening pulled out a bag full of gems and put them on the counter.

"Let's see," she picked out several gems and floated the remainder back into the bag. "There we are. Come back in a day or two, it should be done by then."

"I will! Thank you!" Evening happily trotted back outside to see what the rest of her companions were up to.

The storekeeper looked back at Swift curiously. "Yo, hornless. Do I know you?"

""I'm not sure... I feel I should know you from somewhere," said Swift. "What town were you born in?"

The storekeeper made a frown. "The patch of ground where it used to be is Trottingham."

Swift's eyes widened. "Impossible. No-one else survived that inferno, no matter how hard they tried."

"I wasn't there. I heard what happened, but... I'm so sorry. How did you get out?"

Swift sighed. "I ran."

"Did they get what was coming to them?"

Swift extended her hidden blade to show. "I made sure of that myself."

"Good to know. Just... tell them what happened."

"I'm sorry?"

"The ponies you're traveling with... make sure they know the full story."