Chapter 8: Racing Death's River

Ah'm gonna die! This was the thought that ran through Applebloom's mind in a rapid loop as the raging torrent swept her along on her little raft. She held tight to the small mast erected in the center, fighting just to stay on. The raft bucked and shook where it struck rocks or roots, and several times she was nearly thrown off. She shut her eyes tight and waited for the end.

Bourbon's hooves pounded against the earth as he poured on all the speed he could muster. His injuries hurt, and the stitching on his leg was coming loose, but he didn't care. He was exhilarated, and oddly enough, happy. He had found Lewis. Somehow that meant that everything would be fine. The only problem was that Lewis was clearly distraught. The flood expanding the stream that they ran beside seemed to have swept something of great value away. There was no time for explanations, and ultimately, none were needed. Something Lewis valued had been taken. Bourbon would help him get it back, whatever it was. Lewis was his friend.

Lewis tried desperately to keep his eyes on the raft. Bourbon was giving his all, and they were gaining, but Lewis knew that at any time, their luck might run out. A large rock midstream, or a waterfall, even a small one, and Applebloom would have very slim odds for survival.

It was then that Lewis recalled something his father had once said. "Lewis, if you're faced with an impossible task, and failure ain't an option, then even the dumbest, craziest idea you have will do just fine, 'cause whatever it may be, anything beats the tar outta givin' up." Lewis reached for the lasso on his belt.

Bourbon noticed the gesture, and saw what Lewis intended. He risked a great deal getting as close to the water as he could, to give his rider the clearest shot possible. Lewis swung Applebloom's final lifeline over his head, lining up to throw. Then, the unthinkable happened.

Applebloom opened her eyes again, shocked to still be alive. Her situation had not improved, but she was still breathing. However, the deck of the small raft was shuddering beneath her. "Oh-," was all she had time to say, before the flimsy craft that had never been designed for anything rougher than a quick paddle downstream, shattered beneath her, throwing her into the roiling stream. The shock of hitting the icy water stole the breath from her lungs, and the current forced her down. She tried to kick her way back up, but she could no longer tell which way that was.

After a brief eternity, she breached the surface, inhaling a mix of water and air. The water smelled foul, and what got in her mouth had a chemical taste that made her gag. She kicked with all her might, knowing the current could drag her under again at any second. By chance, she saw the most unlikely thing she had ever seen; Lewis, on the back of a giant pale pony, waving a lasso at her.

When Applebloom had gone under, Lewis almost despaired, but he still urged Bourbon on, hoping against hope. Moments later, when she surfaced, he barely took the time to aim before making the throw. The rope seemed to move in slow motion, hanging in the air as the world stopped around it. It reached the apex of its flight, and then dipped. Lewis pulled Bourbon up short and secured the lasso as best he could without a saddle horn, hoping that he had judged the throw well, and that it wouldn't wrap around Applebloom's neck. If he hadn't been straining against the sudden weight, he would have sighed in relief when the rope went taught, and Applebloom surfaced again, secured by her foreleg.

It took what felt like hours to drag Applebloom safely to shore. She coughed and sputtered as the filthy water left her lungs. Lewis picked up the shivering filly, and sat in the sun, trying to warm her up, as he wiped the odd-smelling water from her coat. He noted that something about the water was off. It seemed to be severely contaminated.

Of somewhat greater concern was Applebloom. He checked her and found several cuts, scrapes, and a nasty patch of developing bruises on her side. But she was alive.

Bourbon sat beside Lewis. He was getting more accustomed to sitting by now, and found it relaxing. His sides heaved as he recovered from his exertions, weary but cheerful, especially upon finding what it was they had worked so hard to rescue. The trio rested there for a good long time, watching the flood as it ran its course.

"Lewis," Bourbon said, looking down at his friend fondly. Lewis looked up at his horse.

"Bourbon," he responded, "Y’all got some 'splainin' to do."

Bourbon scuffed the dirt sheepishly. "I know," he said, "but it's good to see you again. I have a question to ask though."

"Yeah?"

"Did you always speak so strangely?"

Lewis chuckled dryly. "Ah'm surprised to hear you a-talkin' the way you do. Always figured you for a fellow country boy. Point of fact, I'm surprised to hear you talkin'. When did this happen?"

Bourbon shrugged. "As soon as I arrived. I just started thinking. Before, I just felt things, but now it’s so different. Is this what it’s like to be one of the others?"

"Others?" Lewis asked, curious.

"Whatever it is you and Joe are," Bourbon clarified.

"Human," said Lewis, "We call ourselves humans." Bourbon nodded. "And yes, to answer yer question, bein' able tah think is part of what makes us human. Welcome to the club, ah guess."

Bourbon smiled widely. "Who's this?" he gestured to the semi-conscious filly in Lewis' arms.

"That would be mah younger sister, big feller,' said Applejack as she Fluttershy, and Big Macintosh came trotting up, huffing and puffing. They each carefully inspected Applebloom, whom was just recovering the ability to speak.

"Applejack, Lewis saved me," she said, looking up at her savior with adoring eyes, "He's gonna stay with us, right?”

The adults exchanged glances. Princess Luna was due the next day. None of them knew what would happen then, or where she might take Lewis, and now Bourbon as well. Fluttershy sat beside Bourbon, eliciting a smile from the pale giant. He didn't know what had everypony else upset, he had Lewis, and he had Fluttershy. All would be well.

Fluttershy glanced at Big Macintosh, and was shocked to find that the butterflies that used to infest her stomach around him were gone. Bourbon really had become her very special somepony, and he had done it within the span of less than a day. What she would never know was how much of her initial attraction was due to the powerful stallion’s genetic inheritance, his scent signaling his fitness as a mate to the more primitive portions of her mind. Not that it would ultimately matter. Love is funny that way.

All that mattered then was how very glad she felt. She was very glad that Applebloom was well. But she acknowledged the concerns of her friends, though she didn't understand them yet, she would be sure to figure out what was going on. She looked at the little filly. And then her eyes properly focused on the creature holding her.

"Is that Lewis?" she whispered to Bourbon.

"Yes," he said back, "that is my friend. My human." Fluttershy would have been fearful ordinarily, but knowing that this new thing was so dear to Bourbon, and seeing him show such tenderness in caring for Applebloom . . . her customary "EEP!" went unuttered.

"Well Lewis," said Applejack, having determined that her little sister would survive, "Ah don't rightly know how to thank y’all fer this. All ah can say is that there'll be a place fer yah at Sweet Apple Acres, whenever yah need it." She blushed, the deep red of her skin showing through the orange of her coat, and her gaze didn't quite meet Lewis' eye. He recalled what Applebloom had said before.

"Marefriend . . . ?" he muttered quietly. Then he shook himself slightly, grateful that nopony appeared to have heard.

"Yeah," said a contented voice in his lap, so only he could hear, "marefriend." He looked down, and Applebloom smiled up at him. He couldn't help smiling back.

"Okay, here's the deal," Lewis announced suddenly, so that they could all hear him, "Ah don't know what Princess Luna is gonna have planned fer us. She might want us taken away, or gotten rid of. But I promise every one of yah, me 'n Bourbon will be back! No matter what!" Everypony smiled at that.

"Good," said Bourbon, placing a hoof around Fluttershy's shoulders, "Fluttershy is a fine mate. I'd hate to leave her alone for too long."

Every eye turned to the pair as Fluttershy's face turned red and she started to sputter. Bourbon looked at their shocked expressions, and then at Fluttershy, who seemed to be having some kind of fit. "Is it something I said?"

That evening, there were many congratulations and proper introductions going around. Twilight and Spike came to check on Lewis and were shocked to meet the mighty Bourbon, prompting another letter to Celestia, and many astonished questions. Granny Smith had outdone herself, creating a feast to put the previous night's repast to shame. All present ate and ate until they could hold no more, and were happy in one another's company.

Big Macintosh and Bourbon faced off with several feats of strength, and Big Mac was shocked to find that Bourbon defeated him at every turn, whether dead-lifting, hauling, or anything else. He was horrified to find himself looking up at somepony. Big Mac had always said that size didn't matter, deflecting comments on his physique with modesty, but now he realized how much confidence it had given him through the years to be the biggest pony around.

Applebloom regaled Spike with tales of Lewis' brave rescue, amazing him with wonderful theatrics and astonishingly realistic sound effects. Her antics were rewarded with laughter and applause at the conclusion of her performance, and she took a bow, to the delight of all.

Lastly, there were some carefully couched questions directed at Bourbon and Fluttershy. They recounted their experiences for the last day or so, and Lewis bowed to his friend before the assembled witnesses, and formally apologized.

"You are the best friend I've ever had. We've been through so much, and grown together. But the fact remains, in our home-world, you were legally speaking, my property, and therefore a slave. I hope you can forgive me. Know that you are free now to go your own way the moment you want to." There was a long tense moment of silence.

Then, Bourbon began to laugh. He laughed loud and hard, the vibrations of his voice carrying up into the night sky, disturbing several birds roosting on the roof of the barn for the night. "Lewis," he said, putting a hoof gently on his friend's shoulder, "There is nothing to forgive. I never felt I was a slave, and if you had left the gate to the pasture open every day, I would not have run away. Not far anyway, and I would have always come back. You were kind to me, you trusted me, and you cared for me. If I had possessed the ability to ask, and I wanted it, you would have granted me my freedom at any time, and we both know it. That is not the way a master treats a slave. It is how one friend treats another." And with that, Lewis found himself scooped up into the biggest rib-crushing bear hug he had ever received.

"Thanks buddy," he whispered, a single tear rolling down his face.

As the night wore on, Applebloom was put to bed, and Twilight left with a sleeping baby dragon on her back. Lewis noticed Applejack wandering outside several minutes later. He knew where to go. He said goodnight to Bourbon and Fluttershy, and secured a promise that they would return the next morning. Then he walked out into the night.

Sure enough, Applejack was out on the hill, looking at the sky. She didn't look down when he approached and sat beside her. They watched the stars together.

"Yah know," she finally began, "Tomorrow yer gonna have tah go with Luna. There ain't no way she'll just leave yah here. Ah mean ah understand why, it'd be irresponsible to just have yah hidden away here forever. At some point, somepony's bound to find yah here. And fer all them promises yah made earlier, none of us got any idea whether either of ya will ever get tah come back."

Lewis waited quietly for her to continue. His silence left her flustered. "It ain't as though ah'm angry at yah, ah'm sure you meant what yah said 'bout comin' back, but ah feel upset 'cause ah don't see it bein' that simple, and ah really . . . want yah to come back." This last part she said looking at Lewis at last. Her eyes seemed to hold the spark of some realization. She quickly glanced away. "So, uh, thing is . . . if this is gonna be the last time you're here, ah don't want to say somethin' stupid that's gonna leave us both upset, but ah also don't wanna spend the rest of mah life upset fer not sayin' anythin' so –MMMPH!"

Applejack's spiel was cut off when Lewis cupped her face, guiding her back to face him, and kissed her on the lips. "Applejack," he said as they parted, their faces bare inches apart, "Ah'm comin' back. For you." She looked into his eyes, and was astonished by what her senses as the element of Honesty revealed. This was more than just the truth. A pony could tell what they thought was the truth, and be wrong. They could make a promise, and by no fault of their own, be unable to fulfill it.

What she saw in Lewis was more than that. It was a solemn oath to return. It was the kind of truth that, once uttered, could alter reality in order to make itself so. Lewis would return, even if he had to dig straight through a mountain range and defeat both of the alicorn princesses in single combat to do it.

Applejack kissed him back, harder than she meant to. He overbalanced, and she fell on top of him, still kissing him passionately. They lay there like that until they were unable to continue, sharing a new love under the stars that twinkled as they bore witness to the beginning of something beautiful. Love is funny like that.

Celestia and Luna walked side by side as the elder sister went over Twilight Sparkle's most recent missive. Apparently there was a new arrival in town, a pale giant that outmatched even the largest pony for size, a native to the same place as the strange creature, Lewis. What was more, the two knew each other, and were dear friends apparently. Together, they had saved a filly from certain death, and the newcomer had also won the heart of the Element of Kindness, impressive feats for such a short span of time.

"What does it mean sister?" Luna asked, clearly troubled.

"I don't know," said Celestia, "The fact that either of them is present makes no sense to me. I have journeyed, on occasion, to the borders of our reality, and glimpsed some of what lies in the next world over. It is a place of great sorrow, and madness. That these two come from such a place worries me, but Twilight's letter describes these two as honest, kind, even heroic." The great alicorn sighed. "I just don't know what to make of it."

Luna nudged her sister's shoulder. "Try not to be so glum. Maybe they really are as Twilight describes. There may be no cause for alarm at all." Celestia looked at her younger sister and mussed her mane affectionately, which made Luna pout, although she was secretly happy that she and her sister had come to the point where such displays of sisterly love were comfortable again. She had missed Celestia very much.

"You may be right," said Celestia, all business once more, "but we can't take any chances. If you see any indication that they might be dangerous, then you must be ready to do anything that is necessary to protect our subjects." Celestia gave Luna a significant look. "And I do mean anything."

Luna was shocked. Was her sister saying that if the mysterious new arrivals were getting out of hand, she was to kill them? She could interpret it no other way. Celestia saw Luna's expression. "No no dear sister, please don't misunderstand. I don't expect it would ever get to that point, and neither of the creatures has shown an aptitude for magic, so a simple containment spell should be more than sufficient to control them."

Luna was relieved. Big sis Tia, as she sometimes still thought of Celestia, always seemed to know what to say to make her feel better. She strode down the corridor, ready to handle her duties for the night. The next day, she would deal with the problem of how to handle an alien and a giant.

Author's Note

I wrote this little author's note last year when I was starting out with this story on FanFiction, and it seems that many people responded strongly to what I said. I thought it might resonate with people here on FIM Fiction as well.

A Special Address to My Fellow Bronies

I want to talk. To you, my readers, reviewers, fellow bronies and most of all, my friends. My message is simple enough, but it comes from the heart: I love you all. Friendship is Magic, and we bronies, we pegasisters, we happy and accepting few, are living, breathing proof of that. I am forced, due to circumstances beyond my control, to conceal my nature as a Brony during my day to day life, even from some of the people closest to me. Watching the show on the sly, writing these fan fictions, and hearing from you all when you respond, are my only real outlets. Without you, I'd be slowly losing my mind.

Before I saw the show for the first time, I was angry. I was angry at everyone and everything, blamed the world for my problems and did little to solve them. I wrote stories that were dark and angry and nobody wanted to read them. I HATED people. I never want to feel hate or any of those other things again.

When I first became a brony, I was disgusted with myself. I thought I was a freak, a loser. I know you've heard all of this before and some of you have lived it. But that's why I can put this out there, because I know you understand. I was alone, for so long, confused and frightened. What would happen if my friends found out? My family? My boss, my teachers? Who could I tell? Nobody. I couldn't risk it. I didn't take much of an interest in the internet then, so it took longer for me to find the brony culture that was just sitting there, waiting for me. All of you, just waiting for me.

Even with things as bad as they were, I knew I was better off. I was a happier person, I wan't angry anymore. I could let go of so much that had haunted me. I was lucky enough to fall in love with a girl that turned out to like MLP when I worked up the courage to tell her about it, she's now catching up with the show. Fluttershy is her favorite. Then, a miracle happened. I stumbled across this website. I was doing research for a paper and somehow wound up reading fan fiction, right here. I barely recall which one I started with, but it was right here that I found the truth; I really wasn't alone. There was so much more than I had imagined, not just a few fringe lunatics with a fetish, but a thriving culture, all centered around this thing that had done so much to make me feel so much better about myself.

I never imagined that my writing would take off the way it has, that I would be surrounded by so much love. I'm happy now, and that isn't something I've often enjoyed in the past. But I'm also greedy. I love you all, but I want to see the faces of my comrades, to shake your hands, to talk about our lives and loves together.

So, I'm putting out this message: if anyone reading this is a brony or pegasister, and they feel alone too, feel like they have nobody to talk to, and lives somewhere near Houston Texas, send me a private message. Talk to me. Meet with me. We are a herd, brought together through our love of something beautiful and kind, in a world that has forgotten beauty and kindness. We can bring those concepts back. We can be strong, and caring. Friendship is Magic. Let's share it.