To New Horizons

It felt like hours have passed since you started crying, but you soon regained your composure and started to pull away from the warm embrace of your friends. You sit up on your own and bury your face into your forehooves, mostly out of embarrassment for crying in front of so many ponies. You sat there shaking for a few more minutes before the sound of somepony sitting next to you catches your attention.

You look over to see Starfire, her eyes are red and puffy. Probably mirroring your own. Your eyes wander over to the dead timberwolf again and you start to shake at the sight. Her gaze follows yours before she sighs. “Buck… That's haunting.” Starfire says visibly shivering at the sight.

“You’re telling me. Worst of all it’s given me an idea for the bar’s name.” You say before burying your muzzle into your hooves again. “Oh? And what's that?” Eclipse asks as he takes a seat next to your left. “You're going to hate it, but, how about we name it the Timberwolf tavern?” You say eliciting a long pause before Eclipse and Starfire sigh. “The problem is that it has a ring to it… Sure I vote yes.” Eclipse says as he rubs his muzzle with his right forehoof. “Then Timberwolf tavern it is.” Starfire sighs before a purple unicorn approaches the three of you.

“Sky?” Twilight asks, prompting you to look up at her. “I’d suggest staying off that hoof for the rest of the night and most of the morning tomorrow. My magic healed most of the wound but. Walking on it could reopen some cuts. Don’t worry it won’t scar and I don’t think it's infected, but I do want to take a look at it tomorrow. So if you have time, please drop by the library around noon or so.” Twilight said prompting you to nod.

“Thanks, Twilight, really.” You say in a defeated tone as exhaustion quickly catching up to you. You're about to bury your muzzle again before you see Applejack approach you, her eyes sorta look red but at this point whose isn't. You weren’t even sure why others were crying for you. You aren’t that important. “Hey… Sky.” Applejack started quietly as she looked down to her hooves and idly kicked at the dirt.

“You put out the fire on the hill?” You say bluntly, eliciting a sigh from Applejack. “Ya, Rainbow and Rarity put it out a while ago. Luckily it didn’t spread to any of the trees. But that's not what I’m here about.” She continued, gaining your full attention. “How bad is it?” You ask earning a chuckle from the orange mare. “Nah, nothing like that sugar cube. Was just going to tell ya you look like you need a mug of cider. You all do.” She said with a hint of sorrow in her voice as she motioned to the three of you.

“Ya, I need to get plastered if I wanna sleep tonight.” You state bluntly earning a chuckle from Starfire. “Same here. I’m going to have nightmares about that wolf for months.” She states as she gives you a light punch in the shoulder. “Guess you can count me in then,” Eclipse says rather dully, but you blamed that on the emotional nose dive you all’ve just been through.

“Great, anypony else wanna get wasted on some good old last season cider?” Applejack asked as the Rainbow mare lifted her hoof, along with Twilight. The purple maned unicorn, who you assume is Rarity just shrugs and starts making her way back toward town “Great. Everypony inside who wants a mug.” Applejack says as she made her way past the three of you and inside the farmhouse.

You slowly turn around and crawl up onto the porch before lifting your right hind hoof up. You then start limping to the door, stopping once you realize you can’t really open it without falling down. “Um…” You start, but with the lighting up of Eclipses horn, the door magically opens in front of you. “What a gentlecolt.” You tease, causing Eclipses white coated cheeks to turn slightly crimson.

You and Star chuckle at this as you enter into the small farmhouse, out of courtesy you unhook your swords sheath and carefully lean it up against the wall by the door along with your shield. Prompting Starfire to do the same. When entering the farmhouse, you enter into a sort of hallway where you leave wet clothes from a long day walking back and forth from town in the rain. Though the name of it escapes you.

To your left is the Apple family living room where three ponies were sitting. An older mare was sitting in a rocking chair on the far side of the room, While Fluttershy and Applebloom were sitting on a couch in the middle of the room. Applebloom was silently crying and the Pegasus and older mare were giving you death glares the moment you entered the house.

“Good Morning lady’s.” You say as you look toward Fluttershy, “You two ma’am.” You say with a nod as you address the older mare, who smiles and nods back. “In all my years, I never expected a sword to be so polite.” The older mare said, not only shocking you that she knows your family history. but doing a complete one-eighty from how she appeared not even ten seconds prior.

“W-why thank you ma’am. I try.” You say as Applejack steps out of the kitchen on your right. “Got the mugs all set up, go ahead and… wait. Why wouldn't he be polite? Have you two been listening to the rumor mill again?” Applejack asked as Eclipse and Rainbow Dash peered their heads in. “The rumors are true AJ.” Rainbow Dash stated matter of factly giving Applejack a deadpan look.

“I’m so confused.” You state bluntly as you stand in the ever-crowding hallway. “You know what, let's get it straight from the pegasus himself. Sky. Can you tell us about your family?” Applejack asks, starting off pissed at her friends, but slowly changed her tone to calm and collected as she addresses you.

You let out a deep sigh. “Fine, but I’m going to need a cider first, I’ll need to be good and drunk if I wanna talk about THEM.” You say with no shortage of wrath in your voice as your ears flatten on top of your head. This stuns Applejack for a few seconds before her ears flatten as well. “Sky, If you don’t want too…” She starts, but you cut her off.

“Nope, ponies are going to keep looking at me like a serial killer till I tell them, so let me at least drink half a cider before I’m bombarded with questions.” You state a little calmer as you look Applejack in the eyes. “Alright, let me go get the chairs then and we’ll drink in the living room.” Applejack said solemnly as she made her way back into the kitchen.

“I’ll help.” Twilight quickly said as she quickly followed AJ. You and your companions quietly make your way into the living room, leaving Rainbow Dash to stand alone in the hallway. On the right of the room was a few bookshelves filled with apple related antiques and paintings of a forest, in front of the couch was a fireplace with another painting. This one being of the orchard itself.

Behind you was a window, that looked out to the carnage you all caused defending the farmstead, under that window sat a small corner table and two chairs. Finally to the left side of the room was a couple closed wooden doors and a staircase up to the second floor.

“Just went through the most physically painful moment of my life and now they want me to recount my most emotionally painful one. I’m so getting plastered.” You murmur to yourself as you lower your head a little. Starfire gave you a mournful look before gently patting your shoulder.

The door to the farmhouse opened again a few moments later as Big Mac made his way into the house, forcing Rainbow Dash to leave her spot in the hallway, and make her way into the ever crowding living room. Feeling your exhaustion taking over again, you decided to sit down on the chair furthest from the hallway by the corner table and proceed to blankly stare out the window.

Starfire followed your lead and sat across from you, leaving Eclipse to stand alone behind her. You let out a long sigh as Big Mac takes his leave into the kitchen, leaving the living room in a near silence. The only thing breaking that silence was the muffled cries of Applebloom and the soft coo’s of Fluttershy as she gently tried to calm the crying filly.

“She ok?” You gently ask, trying to keep the exhaustion out of your voice as you look over to Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus gives you nervous glare before replying. “Physically y-yes.” She said in a barely audible whisper. You nod to that before allowing the near silence to resume.

It didn’t take long after that before Applejack, Big Mac and Twilight made their way into the room. Carrying tankards of cider, a barrel of cider and spare chairs for everypony to enjoy. At this point, Applebloom was quickly rushed to bed with a promise of a scolding later from, who you came to realize was Granny Smith.

Once everypony was sorted with a chair and drink, the barrel of cider was set up close by to you for easy access. Since your leg was buggered and all. Briefly, you close your eyes and take a long hard gulp of the frothy liquid. The strong taste of apple's combined with the harsh burn of alcohol easily relaxed you from your stressful day. You then lowered your tankard and let out a calm sigh before opening your eyes again, giving the room a quick once over before speaking.

“Right, what would you all like to learn about this bartender?” You ask as you gently rest your right foreleg and tankard on the table. “Who are your parents?” Rainbow Dash blurted before anypony else could speak, earning a glare from Applejack. “Jax Sword and Cherry Top.” You reply rather bluntly as you take another drink from your cider.

“Ha! Told you!” Rainbow Dash yelled as she practically chugged her drink and pointed at Applejack. “Hush now.” She started, giving Rainbow Dash a hard glare before looking at you with a gentle one. “What did they do for a living.” She asked as she started to drink from her tankard. “My mom was a baker and my dad is a pirate.” You continue rather bluntly. Applejack choked on her cider and Twilight gasped at the response as you take another calm drink from your tankard.

“Come again?” Applejack asked as you lowered your tankard and looked into it, seeing it was about half full. “My mom was a baker up in Cloudsdale, made the best chocolate cake for me as a foal and...” You say, sarcasm riddling your voice in an attempt to avoid the subject, but Twilight cut you off. “No, your father. He's actually a pirate? There hasn’t been anything like that in Equestria for a hundred years.” She says, more than a hint of surprise filling her voice. Though the reaction hardly surprised you.

“Your right, There hasn’t been one in Equestria for a hundred years. He’s raided down in the griffin highlands since…. Gosh… Since before I was alive.” You reply as you try and fail to remember how many years he’s been at it. “Must’ve been plenty hard living with a stallion like that.” Applejack says as she took a sip from her tankard.

“He was the nicer of the two. Never took anything I said seriously and beat the Tartarus outta me during our sword practices. Even taught me how to sail an airship. He even bought me my sword when I finally kicked his flank and earned my cutie mark. Told me it was the mark of a conquer. Sure, cause ponies who’s destiny’s are raiding airships totally have a picture of the galaxy on their flank with their weapon.” You say bitterly as you take another drink from your tankard before continuing.

“Now my mother. Oh boy, if she wasn’t pissed enough that her son was a Lunist, or didn’t blame me enough for her life going to shit, now her son was destined to be a murderer. Cause you know. Murderers totally have a galaxy on their flank. She used me as a verbal punching bag for years after I got this!” You say briefly pointing at your flank. Tears starting to form in your eyes before you continue.

“But hay, least she just, abandoned me and my father in Cloudsdale. Leaving me to be completely alone when my dad had to go out on his “business trips”.” You air quote with your left hoof as you chug the rest of your cider before continuing.

“The only good thing that happened to me in my foalhood was when I met a pegasus named Dizzy Doo. She was my best friend all through school. She accepted me for liking stallions. Tartarus she even scored me a job in her father's land-based caravan company as a caravan guard when I was old enough. So, I took the job, ran off and met Starfire on my first caravan. She was day shift and I was night.” You continue to rant, looking over at Starfire as tears continued to roll down your face.

But you don’t stop yet. “Spent what. Two years on that caravan route?” You ask as you look Starfire in the eyes. “About.” Is all she said, seeming stunned at your actions. But you continue. “We talked and decided to open up an adventuring guild. So we saved our wages and on our last stop through Canterlot, we met Eclipse. He learned what we were doing after our run and signed himself up. A few months later. Here we are…. With the tavern and my bandaged leg….” You finish, leaving the room completely silent as you feel tears continue to roll down your cheeks.

Quickly you fill your tankard again from the barrel and chugging it down. Once your tankard is sufficiently empty again you look Applejack in the eyes before breaking the silence again. “I don’t wanna be a damn pirate. I REFUSE to be! I rather find a lost rusty helmet in some dingy ruin than kill an innocent Griffen for a chest of gold…” You say pointing your tankard at her before you bury your face in your shaky hooves and cry.

You barely noticed the sound of hooves approach you before you were pulled into a warm embrace. Without looking, you lean into the embrace and continue to cry. “I ain't-a killer.” You whimper between your tears as a hoof carefully brushes your main. “I know sugarcube. I know.” Applejack cooed as you cried into her shoulder.

“Now come on…. We’re done asking ya questions alright?” She asks, prompting you to nod and pull away from the hug to look her in the eyes, only to receive a concerned smile from her. “Alright... You and your group drink to your heart's content. I got some ponies I need to talk two.” She continued, adding a little emphasis on the last part as she glared over to Rainbow Dash, who turned away from the glare and casually drank her cider.

“Thanks, Aj.” Is all you can muster as she takes a few steps away from you, tipping her stetson to you before walking over to the rainbow-maned mare. You pour yourself a third tankard of cider before you turn to face Starfire. Eclipse gingerly moves his chair from behind Starfire to the empty space at the table, both of them looking at you with an astonished look as he sits down. His cider levitating in the air next to him.

“You ok dude?” He asked as he looks you in the eyes and sipped on his cider. “I’m in pain, exhausted, and I’m really missing my cloud bed at the guild hall about now.” You say as you take a sip out of your tankard. “I don’t blame ya, it’s been one Tartarus of a night.” Starfire said as she sipped at her tankard. “Who’s staying sober to walk us home? Cause I’m certainly not.” You ask as you continue to sip from your tankard.

“I’ll walk us home. You two need the drink, to be frank.” Eclipse volunteered as he continued to gingerly sip on his tankard. You briefly scan the room, seeing Big Mac and Granny Smith idly chatting with each other while Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were in their own group chatting. Applejack looked a little teed off. But you decide it was best to just let that situation handle itself.

The room had a sense of dread about it like you were at a funeral. But a quick tap on your foreleg from Starfire caught your attention. “Eclipse fill me up, I wanna do a thing.” She says with a devilish smile across her face, prompting Eclipse to levitate her tankard over to the barrel. Filling it with cider before returning it to her. “What do you got in mind?” You ask cautiously. Knowing that smile all too well.

“This mood blows. We’re alive! We should be celebrating, and I got just the song to liven this place up. I just need somepony to improv with me.” Is all she said as she gave you a smile. You don’t know if it was the alcohol talking or not. But you were done crying, time to make a right fool of yourself. “I got your back if you lead.” You say as you match her smile. “Eclipse?” She asks as the two of you looked over to Eclipse.

“I swear the two of you are bipolar. Fine. On you Star.” He replies with a sigh. Prompting Starfire to nod before starting tapping her hoof. The two of you quickly matched it, creating a loud steady beat for the Starfire to start at. “ Let's raise our tankards high! and tell our tales of joy. Lets drink and drink and drink and drink and then let's drink some more! Let's dance and sing and cry until we all fall off our hinds! Cause tonight we nearly died!” She sang, garnering all eyes on the three of you as you started tapping. Though she kept in rhythm to the old drinking song.

“I thought we were all goners on the hill to the north!” She sang, prompting the three of you to slam your free hooves on the table. “The boy’s were all out fighting while I fumbled with my torch.” She continued prompting another hoof slam on the table. “A timber found me easy prey but much to my delight.” She said, allowing a long pause before she continued.

“I fired a flame arrow and I lit the wolf alight!” She finished, chugging her tankard of cider while you and Eclipse yelled “Aye!” “ Let's raise our tankards high! and tell our tales of joy. Lets drink and drink and drink and drink and then let's drink some more! Let's dance and sing and cry until we all fall off our hinds! Cause tonight we nearly died!” The three of you sing, though the hoof beats got louder, signaling a few other ponies joining in.

“I thought I was a goner as I peered into death's eyes!” You sing as Starfire and Eclipse slam their free hooves onto the table. “He had me on my back and I assumed my demise!” You sing as the action repeats, though being a little louder this time as more ponies join in. “But thanks to an orange coated mare with emerald eyes.” You say eliciting another long pause. “I heard a thwack and watched as the timber wolf took flight!” You sing, chugging the entirety of your tankard as the room yells aye.
“ Let's raise our tankards high! and tell our tales of joy. Lets drink and drink and drink and drink and then let's drink some more! Let's dance and sing and cry until we all fall off our hinds! Cause tonight we nearly died!” Everypony in the room now sang, joining in on the song.
“I thought we were all dinner when we ran back to the farm.” Eclipse sang as everypony slammed their hoof on something. “Sky was on his hind again and Star was on the run.” Eclipse continued, earning a chuckle from you and Starfire as everypony else yelled “Aye!” “But despite the odds against us and our luck through the night.” Eclipse sang, earning a long pause.

“The three of you came running and saved all our hinds!” Eclipse sang, lifting his tankard toward group of mares as the whole room yelled aye. He then proceeded to sip on his drink as everypony continued to sing. “ Let's raise our tankards high! and tell our tales of joy. Lets drink and drink and drink and drink and then let's drink some more! Let's dance and sing and cry until we all fall off our hinds! Cause tonight we nearly died!” Everypony sang as you could start to feel the effects of the three-ish ciders you drank. You and Starfire happily giggled to yourselves as the two of you poured yourselves some more cider.

“To the guild!” You yell, holding your tankard up to a toast. “To a long life!” Starfire yelled back meeting your toast. “To a safe walk home!” Eclipse teased, causing you and Starfire to laugh before the two of you chugged your respective tankards. “How many was that now.” You thought to yourself as you started to feel a pleasant warmth flow through your body.

You happily giggle to yourself as you feel your cheeks flush. “We look like idiots.” You giggle, causing Starfire to giggle two. “Good.” Is all she giggled as Eclipse filled your tankards for the both of you. “Last call.” He said with a bemused smile across his face.

“Aww. Come on….. Clipsy….Loosen up.” You slur between giggles as you then proceed to take another long drink from your tankard. “Ya... Eclipse loosen up.” Starfire slurred as Applejack and Rainbow Dash approached your table. “You look like your enjoying yourselves.” Applejack mused with a smile across her muzzle.

“Helllloooooo Aj!” You slur as you continue to giggle to yourself. “Brought somepony who wants to apologize you ya.” Applejack said as she gestured over to Rainbow Dash. “Yaaa…. Sorry for being a jerk and telling ponies about your family. It was uncool of me.” She said, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck as she apologized.

“Water…. Under the bridge.” You slur before you and Starfire down the rest of your drinks. “Ya, But if you….. Do it again…. You’ll have to deal with me.” Starfire giggled as she gently punched Rainbow Dash's shoulder. “Alright, time to go home. Bar rules, no cider when you get touchy.” Eclipse sighed as a dark purple aura surrounded Starfire who was then lifted into the air.

“Noooo I wanna waaaaaalk.” Starfire whined as Eclipse stood up and nodded at the two mares. “You aaaaaain’t a wolf. Are yooou Eclipse?” You tease in your drunken haze, earning a slight blush and an eye roll from Eclipse as your vision is tinted dark purple and you too are levitated into the air.

“Cya everypony.” Eclipse said as he floated you and Starfire out into the cool night air. Despite the tinted vision, you felt comfortable and thanks to the cider you felt warm. “I loooove you guy’s.” You slur as you soon feel exhaustion sweep over your body once more. Before anypony could reply. You slowly drift off to sleep under, Luna’s night sky.