Winter Bloom's Story - Part 3
"There I stood upon the mountain, with all the world below to see. I felt not like a giant. I felt very small."

"...And on this spot, we consign Tail Wind's memory to the pages of history. May his soul rest in peace."

"An empty spot of dirt and a metal pipe. *sigh* How is it that this is all that's left of Tail Wind's life?"

"There's more than that, you know. There's you, you're his son, and you and Winter Bloom turned out alright, right? That counts for something."

"Thanks..."

"He was a good stallion, Hazel. Even though life dealt him a bad draw, he never gave up. But at the same time, I know he wanted you to be able to live your own life, not to be stuck caring for him forever. Going peacefully in his sleep, that's better than most ponies can ask for."

"Oh, Winter Bloom, is there anything you want to say? I..."

"This... isn't the first time I've lost family, and it still isn't easy. All the ponies who said he was useless, that he was a waste of space because he couldn't walk. They didn't realize how lucky they were. I... I'm sorry."

Solemn silence hung in the air between Winter Bloom and Hazel as they walked back to the compound. Winter Bloom had a lot of things on her mind, but she felt she could work through them herself. She was certain that Hazel was taking his father's death harder than she was. Having lost family before, the coldness gripping her heart was familiar, but Tail Wind wasn't her real father. Even though she knew he had tried his best, there was no replacing the real thing. Every time she thought that she had it easy compared to Hazel, she immediately felt guilty. This isn’t a contest… Could I have tried harder?

Inevitably, such thoughts brought her back to the things she had been doing while out on patrol. She never talked with Tail Wind about them, and he never asked, though she was certain he knew she was holding back. At the time, she thought that it was for the best, but now that he was gone, she found herself wishing that she had asked him for advice. And now I can't...

Making their way to the mess hall for dinner, Winter Bloom was eager for the chance to take her mind off of unpleasant thoughts. When River Bolt waved her over to sit with a small group though, she wasn't sure if company would be a good alternative. Promise me you won't forget how to smile. Hrmm, I shouldn't need to remind myself to smile for my friends. What is wrong with me?

Wellspring and Rosebud had been sitting close together, but when Winter Bloom approached, Wellspring quickly finished the last of his food and excused himself. Winter Bloom couldn't really blame him for not wanting to get on Limelight's bad side, she knew what it was like. Thankfully, Rosebud and River Bolt didn't seem to mind, and Summer Wish was her usual distant self.

"How are you getting along, Hazel?" River Bolt spoke with a casual tone, the kind one would use to discuss the weather.

"I'll live..." There was an edge of anger in Hazel's voice, but it wasn't directed at River Bolt, "But still, it pisses me off that they won't even tell me what they did with the body. That just ain't right."

"It was a shame." Rosebud spoke up reassuringly, after finishing an apple slice. "But it's the same thing that happens to everypony who dies in Shattered Hoof. They all disappear without a trace. I'm sure it's nothing personal."

"Maybe they don't want to spread disease or something." Winter Bloom nibbled at her own meager can of apple slices, not feeling thrilled by the topic of conversation.

"I hear Mr. Topaz sells them to the griffons, so they can eat 'em." River Bolt's little smirk was a sign she knew she was pressing buttons.

"Well, I hear that they're used to make more healing potions. Certainly that isn't such a bad thing." Rosebud took the bait.

"That is the dumbest thing I've ever..." River Bolt was in the middle of what was sure to be an irreverent masterpiece, but Winter Bloom thumped her hoof against the table and cut her off.

"Can we not do this right now?" Winter Bloom held the hoof up to her forehead and closed her eyes with a sigh. "Look, it's a little bit too soon. Sorry. Can we maybe talk about something else?"

"Did you hear the latest news from DJ Pon3?" Summer Wish spoke up quietly, not bothering to look up from her meal.

"Whoa, she does speak!" River Bolt chimed in with mock disbelief.

"The one about the Stable Dweller that went and gave Red Eye a black eye before taking a dive off a cliff?" Hazel jumped in, apparently happy to switch topics too.

"Yeah, that's the one." There was a hint of disappointment in Summer Wish's voice, "Sounded like a decent pony, and it would have been nice to have someone distract Red Eye for a while longer, can't be long now before he makes a move."

"Or, maybe she was just nuts." Winter Bloom's remark got an approving nod from River Bolt but a confused look from Hazel and Summer Wish, so she continued. "I mean, anypony who thinks it's a good idea to go blasting their way across the wasteland, claiming to be some sort of Heroine from the Stables, or whatever, isn't exactly right in the head if you ask me."

"And all the ponies she saved?" Hazel pressed the question with an intense look.

"Sure, she might not be all bad, don't get me wrong." Winter Bloom held up a hoof defensively, "But you remember how well that other heroine from the stables turned out. Even the DJ says that every hero falls eventually, so I don't know why he was getting his hopes up."

"I dunno, you're always helping ponies out around here, Winter Bloom. Maybe you'd better be careful too." Rosebud said it as a joke, and even got a chuckle out of River Bolt.

Winter Bloom took a deep breath, gave Rosebud a deadpan stare for a few seconds, then very deliberately turned her head and changed the subject again. "So, Bolt. Do you know when we're going out on patrol next? I haven't heard anything in days."

"I don't know either." River Bolt shrugged, appearing unconcerned. "Deadeyes is being real tight lipped lately, I can't get anything out of him. How about you Hazel?"

Hazel set his jaw and pressed his lips together into a thin line, which caused River Bolt to light up with excitement. "Ooooh, you do know something! Tell me, tell me, tell me, what's going on?"

"Yeah, I do know something. But I'd like to keep my head on my shoulders, so if Deadeyes doesn't want you to know, then I'm not about to piss in his coffee by telling you."

River Bolt slumped back and scrunched up her face into the sourest possible expression, which got a giggle out of Rosebud, who tried to change the topic yet again. "So... I hear they're gonna play an old film reel tonight, I think it's supposed to be the one about making weather in Cloudsdale. Are you going?"

Having finished his food, Hazel stood up onto all fours and shook his head. "I've got some work left to do tonight."

"Fair enough. Anyway, it was nice talking to ya again, Hazel." Rosebud nodded politely as Hazel started walking away.

"Likewise." Hazel stopped as he was passing by Winter Bloom and turned to her as if suddenly remembering something. "Oh, I almost forgot. Winter Bloom, there's something I need to talk to you about. Could you come find me later? Maybe after the film, or something."

"Sure." Winter Bloom nodded, and watched as Hazel trotted out the door.

When she turned back to her other friends, she got a big, conspicuous wink from Rosebud. "So you're not a helpless little filly anymore, eh? What's the story between you two now?"

"Between us? Whaa-a?" Winter Bloom felt her face turning red and quickly dodged the question. "What about you and Wellspring? You two seem to be getting along pretty well these days."

With that, the discussion quickly became animated, as the three of them make a game out of poking fun at each other, while Summer Wish just rolled her eyes and quietly listened. They continued on like that until some ponies started setting up the projector and they had to move to a different table to get a better view of the film.

The film was as ridiculous as ever. No matter how many times she watched it, she still couldn't imagine a bunch of pegasus ponies up in the clouds crafting snow by hoof. Spending time with her friends did help distract her from sad thoughts, but it was only a temporary reprieve. She could distract herself and ignore them for a while, but that never made them go away. Seems they’re always waiting just around the corner.

Winter Bloom stepped lightly down the hallway in Hazel's cell block, not wanting to wake anypony who was already asleep, and as she got closer to her destination, she tried to focus on the present. Hazel seemed more like his usual self after the memorial service, but she wondered how he was really feeling. He was there for me, I need to be there for him.

The door to Hazel's room was open, and Winter Bloom peeked her head inside. Hazel was sitting on his bed with a clipboard and pen, writing something down with an intensely melancholy look on his face. Unlike his usual calm and collected self, she saw a sort of vulnerability in him that made her heart ache, and made her want to give him a great big hug.

Her hooves took a step forward before she even realized what she was doing, and then it was already too late to stop. Hazel noticed her and looked up, and she stepped forward and wrapped her forelegs tightly around his neck, pressing her cheek against the back of his mane. She hadn’t planned to do that, but when she realized what she’d done, she felt a flutter in her chest.

Letting go and pulling back, Winter Bloom was preparing to apologize for thoughtlessly barging into Hazel's personal space like that, but when she looked him eye to eye, there was no sign of anger. There was something else, somewhere between hope and pleading, but words failed her entirely. Before she had a chance to second guess herself, she closed her eyes and leaned forward.

Lips met and parted. Winter Bloom didn't know what to expect from a kiss, the taste wasn't exactly pleasant, but the texture and the gentleness were something else entirely. It felt good, and the ache in her heart was pushed away somewhere deep inside. She wanted to hold onto that feeling, but only a moment later, Hazel gently pushed her away.

"... We shouldn't. Neither of us really wants this." Hazel looked down, trying to hide the guilt written across his face.

"But... I thought we..." Winter Bloom felt like she'd just drawn a breath of freezing smoke, and the words choked up in her throat. "I thought you liked me, like you know..."

"I do. I do..." Hazel struggled to find his voice too, and Winter Bloom held her breath, waiting for him to say something, anything. "You're beautiful, and smart, and maybe we'd be a good match if only... Come with me, Winter Bloom. We can leave tonight. It's only a few days to Manehattan, and there's probably caravans running that we could join up with."

Time seemed to stand still as Winter Bloom tried to process what Hazel was saying. "You don't mean... You can't be serious. You're really leaving? B-but, what about our friends? We can't just abandon them."

Hazel wrapped a foreleg around Winter Bloom's shoulder and held her close, not daring to look her in the eye. "You see? We're just not going in the same direction, and if we get too close, I would have to stay. And I can't stay here Winter Bloom, and you can't leave. We both know it."

"I don't understand." Every time Winter Bloom felt like she could grasp what was happening, comprehension slipped out of her hooves. "Shattered Hoof isn't perfect, but they took us in when we had nowhere to go. We owe them..."

"You don't owe them anything! Except maybe a friendly smile. Not Deadeyes, not Mr. Topaz. They don't get a medal for not killing us." The harshness in Hazel's voice left as suddenly as it arrived. "Sorry. I'm just... I'm sorry."

Winter Bloom could feel tears building up at the corners of her eyes, and she started to get up, hoping to escape before they burst free.

"Wait. Please..." Hazel held her close again, and when she saw the tears already running down his cheek, she gave up trying to flee. "Please stay. Just like this... for a little while."

Leaning into the embrace, Winter Bloom rested her head on his withers. She listened to the sound of his heartbeat, the sound of his breath as it slowed and deepened, and smelled the unique combination of dirt, ash, and sweat that was unmistakably Hazel with each breath of her own. As their tears dried and they drifted off to sleep, Winter Bloom thought she heard a voice whisper, "You of all ponies, deserve a place to call home."

Diluted morning light pressed gently against Winter Bloom's eyelids, but when she lazily opened them, an unfamiliar sight jolted her wide awake. She hadn't been plagued by dreams the night before, but waking up in a vaguely familiar, yet unfamiliar place left her searching for danger.

Memories of the previous night returned to her slowly as she began to calm down. The room looked like her room, it was a cell and they all looked similar, none of her things were there because it was Hazel's room, but none of Hazel's things were there either. She felt the hairs on her back stand up as she looked beside her. Hazel was already gone, and in his place was a carefully folded slip of paper. Holding her breath, she carefully unfolded the note and read.

Winter Bloom, by the time you read this, I will already be gone. I am heading to Friendship City, where I aim to sign on with a caravan. If you should change your mind, look for me there. I'm sorry I couldn't stay any longer, but something big is going to happen in the next few days, and I need to stay ahead of it. Stay strong, stay safe, you deserve to be happy. I hope we will see each other again someday. Love, Hazel

Winter Bloom felt her face scrunch up into a scowl. She crumpled up the note and tossed it against the wall with all her strength. Being a piece of paper, it simply bounced harmlessly back onto the bed.

"Jerk."

Several minutes passed as Winter Bloom thought about what to do next, but the more she thought about it, the more she knew she wasn't going to go chasing after him. Instead, she un-crumpled the note, carefully folded it back up, and wedged it behind her ear. Then she got up and unlocked the cell door, determined to carry on the same way she always had. It's not the first time I've lost family...

What should have been an ordinary day, by Winter Bloom's estimation, started with a rude awakening and was only getting worse from there. When she left Hazel's room, she didn't get past the neighboring cell before she heard somepony calling out to her, "Hey, Winter Bloom. If Hazel isn't interested, I can show you a good time."

Shame and anger punctuated each hoofstep as she stormed out of the living quarters, and made her way to the mess hall. Damnit, they must have heard everything we said last night. Could today get any worse?

As if on cue, another stallion whose name she didn't even know, trotted up beside her. "I hear you're looking for a real stallion, so how about it, sugar cube?"

"You heard wrong. Go away." Winter Bloom scowled and picked up her pace.

The nameless suitor stopped following her, but he did take the time to call out, "Bitch!" before trotting away himself.

She was late arriving in the mess hall for breakfast, and there wasn't a lunch scheduled that day, so she was at least able to avoid the crowd. For once in her life, she found herself actually grateful for the Meal Mare's surly demeanor. Snickerdoodle placed a can, a biscuit, and a small packet of oats on the counter, one of the perks of being a scout. "Pears, biscuit and a ration. Next."

Winter Bloom felt a swell of empathy for the tired old mare, and though tired herself, her "Thank you," was as sincere as it had ever been.

She hoped that finding a seat in the corner would help ward off any unwanted company while she ate, and with the way she was feeling, any company promised to be unwanted company. Without any orders from the boss, she was planning to gobble up her food and then go hide in her room for the rest of the day. So when she saw Rosebud walking in her direction, she just closed her eyes and prayed. Please. I can't do this today. Can't I just have one day?

"Winter Bloom!" Rosebud had a hesitant smile on her face as she sat down at the same table. "I heard you went to see Hazel last night. So, what happened?"

"Nothing happened." Winter Bloom focused her attention on the pears, hoping that Rosebud would take the hint. She didn't.

"Did he shoot you down? ...Or did you shoot him down?" Rosebud continued on, not picking up any of the clues that Winter Bloom was trying hard to hide, and missing the hints she was trying to drop.

"I don't want to talk about it Rosebud." Winter Bloom groaned wearily.

"He... He didn't hurt you did he?" Rosebud misread Winter Bloom's expression and straightened up menacingly. "If he did, I'm gonna..."

"Will you just shut up!? He's gone, alright?" Winter Bloom hurried out of the mess hall, leaving Rosebud and a half eaten breakfast behind.

"Sorry I asked."

For Rosebud, Winter Bloom's words stung. She'd only been trying to help, but the burning indignation was tempered by an equally painful sense of guilt. Part of her wanted to chase after Winter Bloom and tell her off, tell her that's what you get when you care about someone, but as Rosebud watched Winter Bloom storm away, another part of her knew that she did care, and she couldn’t change that.

Scooping up Winter Bloom's uneaten food, she decided she would need to apologize, but only if she got an apology too.

Winter Bloom had been worried earlier that she might start crying in public, an unacceptable show of weakness in a place like Shattered Hoof, but as angry as she was, those worries were a distant memory. Feeling like a stranger in her own home, she tried her best to avoid running into anyone, especially anyone she knew.

"So, I heard Hazel tried forcing himself on you last night, and you had to fight him off. Weren't you into him, or are you into mares or something?" Summer Wish caught Winter Bloom completely by surprise, trotting up from behind while she was focused on avoiding any obstacles ahead.

"Arrr, for crying out loud. No! That's not how it..." Entirely too late, Winter Bloom noticed her friend's poorly concealed hope turn crestfallen, and a bunch of dots suddenly connected in her mind. "I... Sorry. I'm just not... I didn't realize you..."

"No. Its my fault, I shouldn't have thought..." Summer Wish looked absolutely mortified, and it was a bucket of cold water on Winter Bloom's anger.

The two of them trotted along side by side for most of the courtyard in awkward silence, but when they finally reached the cell block, Winter Bloom turned her head and grumbled. "I'd better go. I need to find a dark hole to curl up and die. Cry. Curl up and... ugh, forget it."

After the two parted ways, Winter Bloom walked through the familiar corridors towards her room, but they no longer provided any sense of comfort or security. Instead, they felt like they were boxing her in. She didn't even want to think about what kind of rumors were circulating about her, but she felt like the walls had eyes and ears.

She didn't pay much attention to the confused looks of ponies not used to seeing her so upset. Those few ponies who smirked at her and made cat-calls, they were hard to ignore. Most of the ponies didn’t treat her any differently though, and for once, she felt thankful for all the cold-hearted bastards who wouldn't have cared one way or another. At least they leave me alone.

Once Winter Bloom got to her room, she locked the door closed and threw herself onto her tattered old bed, and tried to hang onto the sliver of anger from earlier as if it might keep her afloat. They couldn't have at least waited a day? Summer could have said something before, it's not like I'm Hazel's property. I don't belong to anypony. ...I don't belong.

"Hey Winter Bloom, we got orders." It was River Bolt speaking through the door, but Winter Bloom didn't really hear what she said.

"That's too damn bad. I'm busy." Winter Bloom curled up in bed and tried to block out the world.

"Oh... kay then. I'll, uh, just come back in a few hours, and uh, we'll go from there. Ok? Good. Glad we could talk." River Bolt slowly backed away and left Winter Bloom to herself.

Finally alone, Winter Bloom found that she wasn't in much better company after all. She tried to think of anything other than the memory of Tail Wind's piercing stare, and once again her mother's words came back to her. Promise me you won't forget how to smile.

Only this time, there was no burst of courage and determination. The words simply rang hollow in the back of her mind. Why am I the one who always has to brighten every else's day? Don't I deserve a little happiness too?

Iron Sight's angry, accusing eyes stared back at her the moment she closed her own. She tried pressing her face into the mattress, as if that would block out the unwelcome memories, but her mind only jumped track to the memory of his lifeless body, flopping against the floor. Do I... Do I deserve this? Do I deserve to have friends?

The memories of snapping at Rosebud and Summer Wish drew in a pained breath. I do have friends that care about me, and look how I repay them. Why aren't they enough? What makes Hazel so special? They were trying to help, and I... I am a terrible friend.

Winter Bloom started out trying to think how she would approach her friends and apologize, but the fantasy quickly jumped the rails and before long she was envisioning herself rising up to lead Shattered Hoof, discovering lost magic to clean the wasteland, and locking away all the wicked ponies in a prison on the moon until they could learn the error of their evil ways. Slowly, the line between daydreams and dreams blurred away.

The sound of somepony knocking on her cell door jolted Winter Bloom from her sleep. She felt less terrible and more grounded, like a fog had been lifted. Her head was no longer a jumble of conflicting thoughts and feelings all vying for her attention simultaneously, and she immediately scolded herself for losing her composure. I can't be throwing tantrums like a little foal, and I can't go around feeling sorry for myself. As long as I'm alive, I can worry about everything else later.

The knocking rang out louder, accompanied by a familiar voice. "It's been a few hours. Do you need me to call the doc?"

Winter Bloom rolled out of bed and unsteadily lifted herself to her hooves. Seeing River Bolt standing in the doorway, she groaned and held a hoof against her face to prevent her brains from leaking out. "Uhg. Sorry about that, I'm feeling better now. What's going on?"

"Heh, don't worry about it." River Bolt laughed it off like nothing had happened. "I told Quickfire you were hurling in the bathroom, and he totally bought it. Just hurry and get suited up, we're on guard duty soon."

"Guard duty?" Winter Bloom blinked as tried to make sense of it. She had been on a few patrols, but scouts didn't usually get picked for guard duty. Although, with Red Eye breathing down our necks, everyone is getting nervous. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

"Yeah. Apparently there's going to be a live concert tonight and everyone's invited." River Bolt grinned at Winter Bloom's confusion and clarified "Yup, even the griffons. Everyone."

"You're pullin' my tail." Winter Bloom smiled nervously, waiting for the punchline.

"I kid you not. I swear, I heard Deadeyes talking about it, and he actually sounded excited." River Bolt shifted to a mocking impression, "If she's as good as advertised, I can't wait."

"Deadeyes? Excited? Now I'm really worried." Winter Bloom's nervous smile didn't fade, the cause of her anxiety just shifted around a little.

"Ha! That's more like it." River Bolt tapped her hoof on the bars again for emphasis. "Now grab you gear and get a move on. They're already getting things set up in the mess hall.

Tables and furniture were moved around, extra tables brought in for the big performance, and an early dinner was being served as the crowd started filing into the mess hall turned auditorium. Winter Bloom felt that she was once again playing an unfamiliar role, someone other than herself. Still accustomed to stepping out of the way, she was instead supposed to get in the way and order people around, telling them what to do and where to sit.

Unfamiliar as it was though, Winter Bloom found herself enjoying the opportunity to be someone other than herself, especially after the events earlier that day. Not that anypony made any comments about it this time, as far as she could hear. Instead, everyone was talking about this Velvet Remedy, and her supposedly amazing voice. Would she really hold a candle to Sweetie Belle? Easy come, easy go I suppose. I'll just have to try harder to stay out of the gossip circles from now on.

When she first regrouped with her team, Winter Bloom tried to apologize again to Summer Wish, but her friend acted like nothing happened and pretended she didn’t know what Winter Bloom was talking about. Not keen on another argument, Winter Bloom forced herself not to think about it. I can worry about that later, but for now, work.

Dinner was served, a surprisingly more generous meal than usual, and afterwards, those ponies and griffons with caps to spare bought drinks. Once everyone had settled down, the curtains opened and standing on the stage was a mare with charcoal colored fur, a bright mane, and a dazzling dress. A murmur rolled through the crowd like a wave, and Winter Bloom felt a twinge of jealousy, she was gorgeous. Most of the stallions and some of the mares are probably feeling a twinge of something else right now.

"How can I fix this? How many times must I try?
Please, this time, let me get it right..."

When she started to sing, everything else fell away. The murmuring of the crowd, now sitting in stunned silence, and Winter Bloom's own train of thought was replaced by an intense focus on the moment that was happening right in front of them. It was like something she'd heard on the radio, an echo of a better happier time, melancholy as it was, only it was happening right then and there. Not some distant past, but the present.

Winter Bloom felt something tug at her heart, and suddenly, tears were running down her face. For a moment, she didn't recognize the feeling, it had been so long since she felt it, that she couldn't remember the last time. Hope. Hope that maybe the next day would be better than the last.

When the song ended, Winter Bloom quickly glanced around for her friends, trying to see what everyone else thought of the performance and hoping that no one noticed her crying. She caught a glimpse of awe from the crowd, and more than one other pair of misty eyes, before the room erupted into cheers and applause. Winter Bloom could scarcely believe what she was seeing and hearing. Shattered Hoof, dreary, sarcastic, unfriendly, everypony-for-themselves Shattered Hoof was coming together to support something positive, something beautiful.

The second song was full of energy and passion, and roar of the cheering crowd only got louder. If Velvet Remedy had come along one day earlier, Winter Bloom might have been shouting along with everypony else, but today she was content to just sit back and smile. Buoyed by an almost tangible positive feeling surging throughout the room, the crowd was half the experience.

"...Don't be lazy; just go crazy!
Why don'tcha get that it's a PARTY?"

BLAM!! BLAM!! KRA-KATHOOM!!

The stage exploded, sending fire and slivers of wood in all directions. In an instant, hope turned to despair, despair was quickly shoved aside to make room for rage, but as she reached for her lance, a sudden realization stopped her. Rosebud was in the front row!

She rushed forward, pushing and shoving through the throng of ponies stampeding the other direction. Some of the guards were running out to fight, while almost everyone else was running for shelter.

She heard ponies and griffons shouting, some in panic, some trying to mobilize a coherent response, but generally failing. "It's the slavers! They're attacking early! ...Remember the plan, lure them into the courtyard. ...They're already coming in!"

When she finally reached the front, she saw carnage. Over a dozen ponies had been cut down in an instant, while others were still moaning pitifully and writhing on the ground. She wasn't the only pony to come to their aid, but there were far too many injured and far too few to help, if there was anything that could be done to help at all.

Winter Bloom saw Rosebud lying in a heap to the left of the stage, and hurried over to her, trying not to think about the bodies she was stepping over to get there. Rosebud was still breathing, unconscious, taking shallow, ragged breaths, but somehow still alive.

"Luna's unrequited generosity." Winter Bloom reached into her pouch and pulled out her healing potion. She realized she might have needed it later, but her friend needed it immediately.

As she forced the warm red potion into Rosebud's mouth, she looked around at some of the others nearby, she looked one stallion in his pleading eyes, but she only had that one potion. Winter Bloom furrowed her brow, trying to mask the worry that was worming its way around her. "Stay there, I'll get help."

Crouching down and grabbing hold of Rosebud's tail, she draped the still unconscious mare over her back and raced towards the infirmary, holding her fears at bay with a brand of burning anger. Whoever did this is going to pay!

On her way to the infirmary, Winter Bloom passed by a couple of ponies who were just standing around in a state of shock, rock breakers no doubt. She tried yelling at them, hoping to get some help moving the injured to the infirmary, but they paid her no attention and she didn't have time to stop. I just hope this makes a difference. Doc isn't the worst doctor in the world, but it would be nice to have someone with a gift for medicine.

The infirmary itself was already filled with ponies, most of them having dragged themselves in, but Doc was nowhere to be seen. The only pony that looked uninjured was Wellspring, and he was dashing back and forth, trying to help out, but looking entirely overwhelmed.

Winter Bloom gently slipped Rosebud onto the ground, in as comfortable a position as she could. To her surprise and relief, Rosebud opened her eyes, but Winter Bloom felt herself cringe when she noticed that one of those eyes was dilated wide, and the other was a normal. She didn't know what that meant, but something in her gut told her that it was very wrong. "Rosebud? Are you ok?"

"There's something I need to tell you." Rosebud's voice was weak. "You are a mean old hag that delights in ruining everypony's mornings with your incessant, demonic cheerfulness... But I think you're losing your touch, you look so sad."

Winter Bloom choked on a laugh that got caught in her throat. "And you're a wicked, evil mare, who likes to toy with the hearts of helpless little fillies."

"I brought your breakfast. You left it behind earlier." Rosebud was speaking in a daze, seemingly unaware of the screams and gunfire echoing through the open door.

"Nevermind that. I'm sorry. Just sit tight and rest, I need to get to work." Winter Bloom forced herself not to look at her friend as she stood back up.

She didn't want to leave her side but the thought of her other friends fighting the slavers out there, needing her help, spurred her along. She was about to make a dash for the courtyard when the memory of one stallion's pleading eyes, and her promise, pushed its way to the front of her thoughts. "*sigh* ...damnit."

Winter Bloom turned to Wellspring and shouted to get his attention. "Hey! Do you have any healing potions left?"

"Do I look like I have any bucking healing potions left?" Wellspring had a frantic look in his eyes as he tried to pull a piece of shrapnel out of an unconscious pony's leg.

"Bandages?" Winter Bloom was grasping for straws. She knew that the guards carried most of the healing supplies with them, and she would be hard pressed to find somepony willing to give theirs up, if they hadn't already used them.

"Here!" He tossed a small bundle of cloth across the room. Winter Bloom caught it, stuffed it in a pouch, and nodded in appreciation before galloping back to the mess hall.

Winter Bloom was almost to the mess hall, but when she turned the last corner she saw two griffons with talon markings on their armor, taking cover in the doorway. The one with brown feathers was sprawled on his back, wincing in pain as he rummaged through a satchel for something, while the one with grey feathers took potshots through the doorway with her rifle. Realizing the danger ahead, Winter Bloom skidded to a stop and ducked back behind the corner.

From that vantage point, Winter Bloom couldn't see much. The crowd had plenty of time to clear out by then, but the chaos from the courtyard had spilled inside to fill the space. She saw one Shattered Hoof guard pinned down behind the serving counter, but she couldn't get a clear view of anyone else, including the ponies near the stage. There's no way I can reach him like this, if he's even still there.

Her strategy suddenly felt like a losing battle, the wounded were piling up faster than she could reach them, and she wasn't sure if she could help them even if she did. As she tried thinking about her other options, she felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she took a deep breath trying to shore up her courage. I'm not a coward, I'm not trying to avoid my responsibility. I'm not. I killed somepony before. I... I can do it again.

"Hey, Talons!" Winter Bloom called out the griffons, trying her best to sound confident. "There's a balcony over on the left, we might be able to use it to get behind them."

The griffon at the doorway gave Winter Bloom a quick glance out the corner of her eye. "Whoa there. There's no we in this plan. As soon as I get an opening, I'm getting out of this deathtrap and into the sky where I can move. Whose idea was to come in here anyways?"

"Don't start." The griffon on the ground growled, then pulled out a couple of pills from his satchel and swallowed them in one gulp. "If that sniper is still out there, you're going to have a real short trip."

Winter Bloom poked her head around the corner for a second, pulling back just as a bullet went zipping past her ear. The guard behind the counter hadn't moved. If I can just reach him, we could do... something.

"If you can give me cover, I'll try to return the favor. What do ya say?" Winter Bloom took another quick look, trying to determine the best path across the mess hall.

"I'd say you're crazy. But if you want to get yourself shot at, who am I to argue?" The griffon paused to reload her firearm, then gave Winter Bloom a nod.

Bolting into the open, Winter Bloom jumped the corpse of one of Red Eye's slavers, and made a sharp turn around a table. Out of the corner of her eye, another slaver leaned out from behind an overturned table and took aim, only to be thrown backwards, apparently hit by a long shot from the griffon. Several others saw her and opened fire, just as she was sliding to safety behind the sturdy metal fixture.

"Are you alright? We need to..." Before she could get started, Winter Bloom was interrupted by a terrifyingly loud noise.

Echoing off the stone walls from somewhere nearby, it was something she had never heard before, never even imagined before; a deep, furious roar that made her want to cover her ears. Moments later, a wave of flame burst over the countertop, followed by thick smoke and a swarm of glowing embers. The heat was a slap to the face, and even though she immediately slammed her eyes shut, they started to water anyways.

Screams of agony followed close behind, as ponies friend and foe alike were undoubtedly burning nearby. The guard pony and Winter Bloom were spared the worst of whatever just happened, but the smoke and heat were already threatening to smother them, protected by cover or not. Memories of being trapped in a hot, cramped space came rushing to the front of her thoughts, and her heart became a jackhammer.

"Run. Get out. Get out!" Her thoughts became the words on her lips.

Winter Bloom opened her eyes and looked out over the countertop, searching frantically for a way out. The way she came in was blocked by a burning table, and the exits weren't much better. On the opposite wall was a clear path to a flame free hallway, and without thinking, she jumped the countertop and galloped for the opening. Her panicked mind didn't stop to think why the burning debris had been pushed out of the way to make the clear path, and the faint voice pleading for her to wait didn't register.

Once she was away from the inferno, Winter Bloom's panic started to fade. She was working her way through a part of Shattered Hoof that she'd never been before, one of Deadeyes' restricted areas. The tunnels under Shattered Hoof were so much bigger than she thought possible, and after searching a while for another exit, she only found herself lost. Damn, this is getting worse by the minute. What if there was only one way out? I could be trapped down here.

She had felt a short lived flicker of hope when she came across a massive vault door, but with no way to open it, it was useless as a refuge for survivors, and any weapons inside might as well have been a pile of shattered hopes and dreams.

She was just passing by a familiar half collapsed section of tunnel when she heard the sound of hoofsteps coming from up ahead. With no way to know who it was, she pulled out her lance and held her breath. Whoever it is, there must be an exit that way.

Just then, someone stepped around the corner and she came face to face with a young mare in a vaguely familiar blue and yellow outfit. Dozens of thoughts and feelings raced through Winter Bloom's mind in the blink of an eye, shock, surprise, confusion, and the memory of Rosebud's wounded form, but were swept quickly away by one simple deduction. She's a stranger, she's not supposed to be here, she must be one of them!

"Wait..."

The short mare spoke, but Winter Bloom was already in motion. A quick thrust with her lance caught the stable dweller off guard, staggering into a nearby wall as the glowing tip glanced across the side of her neck. The mare cried out in pain and Winter Bloom felt her heart skip a beat to hear it. Taking a step back, Winter Bloom willed herself into motion, knowing that any hesitation could spell the end for her. She couldn't let herself fall for any tricks.

The stable dweller ducked underneath Winter Bloom's swing and tossed a set of saddlebags at her face with a quick burst of unicorn magic. Stumbling backwards, she felt a bubble of panic well up from her heart, and an old memory surfaced unbidden. Winter Bloom, taking cover in a tiny drainage ditch, watching a small unicorn standing over her mother's body, while Hazel prodded her to keep moving. It can't be the same mare. She died!

Winter Bloom quickly pushed her fear back down and focused on the mare in front of her. Whoever she is, she's still my enemy, and my friends are counting on me. Don't run away, not again.

The stable dweller had pulled out a wicked looking weapon of some kind while Winter Bloom was recovering, and had almost brought it to bear. Winter Bloom didn't recognize the specific model, but it appeared to be some kind of advanced magical energy firearm, and she didn't dare let the short mare get a shot off with it. Winter Bloom made a quick thrust at the mare's head, desperately hoping to end the fight quickly, but the mare deflected the blow with her own weapon. Adrenaline surged as yet another strike missed it's mark. She's too fast!

She reeled, putting her whole body into another swing. A fraction of a second too late, she realized her mistake as the stable dweller charged in close.

Winter Bloom felt something slam against her chest, knocking the wind out of her, and then a moment later she felt a strange pressure against her chest. When she tried to inhale though, her world was replaced with fire and agony. She opened her mouth to scream, but all that did was drop her lance to the ground, leaving her defenseless. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she'd been stabbed, but all she could do was push away, trying frantically to escape the sudden indescribable pain.

The stable dweller pressed forward with her though, twisting the wound deeper. Some thread inside her chest snapped, and suddenly her whole body turned against her. Every movement of her legs bundled up a new tremor of agony and clubbed her with it. After the first convulsing aftershock, all she could do was let herself go limp.

Stepping back, the short mare let Winter Bloom collapse to the ground. Moving and escaping were forgotten as she focused instead on breathing in and out, and even that simple task took effort. Winter Bloom looked up and saw the mare, covered in her blood, looking down with an unexpected expression. Is that pity?

Bracing herself against the pain of exertion, Winter Bloom drew another breath and tried to speak, but all she could manage was a weak whimper. "...I don't want to die..."

"It's too late. I'm sorry." The mare spoke in a soft voice, "I can't save you."

The short mare stepped over Winter Bloom and out of sight. She considered turning her head, not wanting to let her foe out of her sight, but didn't dare move so drastically. Instead she focused on applying pressure to the wound and listening to the mare's hoofsteps as she walked away. Moving her legs hurt more than she expected, but while the pain in her chest never dimmed, she realized she was also losing the feeling in her extremities.

A sudden shiver of cold worked up her legs, but was driven back by something warm and soft, gently pressing down on top of her. Winter Bloom didn't bother opening her eyes to see what it was, looking at things was only distracting her. Gotta apply pressure. Gotta. Pressure.

Steeling herself for the inevitable, she pressed against her chest, and the darkness spun in around her.

A glimmer of awareness dawned upon Winter Bloom as she heard the sound of hoofsteps approaching from somewhere far away. At least I won't die alone... Or am I already dead? Mom, dad, is that you? Is this real?

There was no reply, no sensation, but a familiar memory floated up to greet her. Promise me you won't forget how to smile.

The glimmer was fading, and darkness descended upon her one more time, but she had no good answer for herself. Mom... I think I made a mistake...

Author's Note

To be clear, this chapter draws heavily from Kkat's Fallout: Equestria. This was, in fact, the seed from which this entire story sprouted. The character of Winter Bloom, who was she, and why was she there, was the question that got stuck in my mind. I can only hope that the answers will prove interesting to you.