The Colours of Life

Loyal rolled and squirmed as she usually did while she slept. Rhythm laid sprawled out on a separate bed like a rag doll. Quicktune was stoking up the fireplace that left the room warm and cosy. He occasionally fed the two mares small amounts of oats. Quicktune sat hoping that they would recover sooner. Equestria was in riot from the asteroid that landed nearby. Everyone was frantic about its presence.

Quicktune stood outside going to listening to the ambience of the forest. Except today it was silent. The animals of the forest were quiet and the wind was still. This wasn’t good, the forest was always lively with noise and movement. Why did it stop?

From inside the cabin movement was starting to erupt. Rhythm was starting to awaken. Quicktune always knew she was a lively one, always one to recover the quickest. He trotted over to welcome Rhythm back, however she did not care of his presence. As she awoke she asked a question to Quicktune not even taking notice that it was her father. She asked, “Is that you Loyal.”

Her Father quickly replied, “No it’s me your dad, Loyal’s asleep.” Rhythm hesitated and jumped off the bed. She wandered over to where Loyal was resting.

She jumped up onto the bed and trampled up along Loyal’s belly. She laid there still exhausted, Loyal moved to her presence but didn’t awake. She had relaxed with the company of Rhythm knowing that she was safe. They both slept together knowing that each other was safe.

Quicktune watched as the pair cuddled together, he often wondered if his daughter loved Loyal more than her own father. She was never excited to neither see the presence of her father nor spend any time with him. However he admitted that this was his fault. His job never allowed him to spend time home and always had him moving from one place to another.

What else could he do? He needed the money just so he could allow his daughter to live the happy life she always wanted. However he always felt that maybe he had put work more important than his family. Maybe if he had put family first then perhaps she could enjoy her father’s presence.

Quicktune slumped back to the table and sat down with his head on the desk. “If only…” he said to himself as he drifted off into sleep.

Hours passed by, Quicktune woke to the morning sunrays that came through the window. Everything seemed quiet, the fireplace had only a few embers still glowing brightly from last night and a scent of forest dew that drifted by every morning.

Quicktune gazed around towards the beds hoping that they were still resting peacefully. Instead what he found was the bed empty. He rose quickly rubbing the crust from his eyes that have formed during his slumber. He took another look this time to be certain of what he saw. Once again the bed was empty.

Quicktune stumbled quickly out the door hoping that they didn’t run off again. He jumped across the forest hoping to see a clue to where they possibly went.

“Daddy, what are you looking for?” said a little voice in the corner of the porch.

Quicktune jumped at the sudden voice and quickly glanced at where it had come from. He felt a rush of relief as he saw his daughter sitting their taking in the morning’s rays.

“I thought you had left in the night and that you wanted to run off again!” Quicktune said frantically.

“Why would I do that?” Rhythm wondered.

“Well I presumed that since you ran away from Bridalday with Loyal that you would of kept, well, running. Also where’s Loyal?”

“Loyal went on into Appleloosa to collect a few things for breaky’. Don’t you get hungry, because there is nothing in the kitchen at all worth eating.”

“Oh, well that’s good. So what is for breakfast?” Quicktune asked as his stomach started to growl.

“Hear ye’! Hear ye’! Come one come all everypony! What if I could tell you that there is a place you can wish for anything of your wildest dreams! Anything at all!” There was a murmur of agreement among the crowd.

“Ever heard of something called a ‘Golden Wish’?” Once again there was murmur of confusion arising from everypony.

“Well some say it falls from the sky, in a crash of burning colours! They say it grants any wish to those who find it. However it only falls every 1000 years and it doesn’t stay for long. But last night, a miracle happened? 1000 years has past and it have landed here once again!” The crowds started to erupt in conversation and it grew louder and louder. Loyal however was silent, she was still paying attention to the travelling pony hoping to know more.

A question came from a stallion within the crowd, “So where can we find this ‘Golden Wish’?”

The presenter hoped for somepony to ask that, “Ah, well glad you asked! There are rumours drifting in the wind that it has been spotted to land somewhere in the Frozen North!”

Loyal had heard enough, she emerged out of the crowd and started to head off to start her shopping. Loyal was hoping for a market where she could collect fresh produce however in this dry town there was no way fresh fruits and vegetables could grow in the harsh land.

As she wandered further down the road she noticed a General store. It was peculiar to see one of these as usually there was a store for all of the amenities at separate shops.

There was a sign outside the store, ‘Fresh fruit and veg, 12 bits a kilo’ it read.

“Yikes.” Loyal whispered to herself. These prices where ridiculous, she could buy 4 kilos of apples for 12 bits. Loyal’s stomach grumbled with hunger. She needed something for breakfast and she needed something quick.

Loyal decided to wander in even though she distasted the price. As she entered she noticed the shelves piled with canned goods as well as alcohol, chewing tobacco and a strange odour. She hated booze as it reminded of her father. However much she wanted to forget she knew there would always be something prompting her to remember.

As she walked up to the counter the stallion clerk was busily staking up cans of corn on the shelf behind the counter. The stallion didn’t notice Loyal walk in and Loyal didn’t want to disturb his work. So she continually tottered past and kept browsing. There were shelves piled with strange goods and even a strange food called chapulín.

The general store was filled with weird and wonderful trinkets as well, like lucky horseshoes, 4 leaf clovers and even a lucky rabbit’s foot – even if the rabbit wasn’t so lucky.

Loyal decided to grab one of the rabbit’s feet as a trinket as a reminder of the new adventure she has begun, which included so many strange and wonderful things.

There was a jar on the shelf by itself, it was clouded with some dark liquid. Loyal peered he eyes trying to see if something was in it. As she looked at it she saw something. She wasn’t sure of what it was. It looked like as if it was staring at her back. “What is it?” she mumbled to herself.

“Can… I, help you?” said a deep voice from behind her.

Loyal jumped as she heard the noise and stumbled back on her trotters. She turned around and saw the pony clerk that was behind the counter.

She noticed that the stallion had an eye patch covering his left eye, or was it right. She couldn’t remember her left and rights. He had a gruelling face, one covered in scars and bruises. His mane was a dark brownish colour and it contained large amounts of dirt. His coat fared no better. It looked like as if he hadn’t had seen a bath for months. A stench even erupted from his coat which smelt like the diapers she used to change on Rhythm, even though she old enough now to not wear any.

“Woah, You scared me! But not with your voice but with that… oh gawd what is that, a dead skunk? Geez man when did you last have a bath?” Loyal gawked at the smell - she knew something smelt strange in here.

“Excuse me lady, but aren’t you a bit young to be poking around in here throwing judgements to everyone you meet? Why don’t you go back to your mommy or did she reject you?” Grunted the stallion back at Loyal.

Loyal was angry now, how dare he talk about her mother. Loyal wasn’t going to back down, no one tells her to where and where not to be and especially no one talks about her mother.

“For your information, I am allowed to be in here and I will stay in here and don’t you say that my mother rejected me. How would you like it if I said your mother was an overgrown cow? Huh?” Loyal stood her ground and wasn’t going to lose her step.

Every word she said she took a strong, sturdy step towards the stallion, pushing him further and further back in the room. Then she stopped. The stallion had done so as well but his expression was no longer one of power and aggression but instead of a little puppy who couldn’t find their mommy.

“That really hurt you know? In fact my mother was a cow, well a buffalo, and she is a wonderful mother.” The stallion whimpered.

Loyal stumped for a second just realising what she just said. She felt stupid, how could she say such a thing.

“Look I’m sorry, I bet she is a really nice mother. But it really hurt when you talked about my mother, I lost at birth ya’ know.” Loyal confessed.

“Oh well, I probably too should of not said anything as well. It’s this big tuff pony act you have to do. If you want respect in this town you need to be tuff.”

“I see, well you don’t have to act in front of me you know. Being tuff doesn’t prove anything?” replied Loyal.

“But, if you want the mares to respect and like you, you need to be a brute and a strong stallion.”

“I’m a mare and did I like it when you acted tough? Do you really think acting tough will get you bonus points? Mares like a sensible man, especially a clean one.”

“Really, so all this time…”

Loyal interrupted, “Yes, they want a gentlepony. So how about it, gonna change your way?”

“I guess I could try.” He said reluctantly.

“Good. Now, can I order or is there some special code I have to know or something?”

“Oh yes, yes right? So what is it you want?” Said the stallion politely.

“Well a kilo of apples would be a good start, as well as this.” Loyal places a rabbit’s foot on the counter. The stallion stares at the foot peculiarly then continued the transaction.

“Okay that will be 8 bits thanks.”

“8? But outside it said 12 bits.” Questioned Loyal.

“On the house my lady, can’t let good apples go to waste.”

“Well thank-you.” Loyal payed the 8 bits and left out towards the door. The stallion waved to the mare good-bye, Loyal returned the action.