The Trials Of Misfortuneby Sonia Star SongChaptersRoutineAgainAttemptRoutinePuddles underneath the hooves of a cyan furred filly with blue, white, and red patterned mane in stripes in that order, the soft pitter-patter of the rainfall droplets on the rough gravel ground. The filly trotted, soaking up the rain that fell on the lush coat of fur like a trotting sponge, her mane getting drenched. She had been walking for over forty-five minutes through the drizzle. The filly carried two large bags of food she had obtained from the nearest homeless food bank. She let out a low groan, trying to keep herself moving through the growing muddy roads towards the forest that used to be a thriving small town till it was all demolished and left with trees in its place. Well, most of the buildings were demolished. The filly sighed heavily as she entered the forest from an untrailed area. She moved further in with the trees emptying all the built-up rain onto the head of the toothpaste-maned filly. She was slightly irritated but continued instead of stopping to hide from the rain. A full ten minutes of agile and precise navigation and trotting through the otherwise difficult to navigate forestry. Moving quickly and quietly the entire time until reaching the front yard of a large two-story house. The house was isolated in the forest. The windows were mostly broken except for possibly three on the second floor. Most of the broken windows downstairs were boarded up. The second floor’s windows were all covered up by several layers of plastic wrap which were slowly deteriorating. The filly walked towards the front door, turned her head, and looked behind her into the rain-covered forest. She opened the door and stepped in, her right ear twitching as the bushes ever so slightly moved. She made her way in and closed the door behind her, unable to lock it due to the rusted and chipped lock not allowing her to twist it to engage it into place. The filly sighed heavily, moving deeper into the house. She turned to her right and into the dining room connected to the kitchen. She peeked past the wall to see if anything or anypony was in the kitchen. Nothing and nopony. Trotting over to the roughed-up dining table and placing the bags on top of it, letting out a loud groan of relief and yelling, “Blueberry! I’m home!” Blue’s light steps could easily be heard through the thin walls as she walked out of her room and down the creaky, old stairs. Blue was a year younger than the toothpaste filly and was much more cheerful. Her fur and mane were both blue, her mane being a darker shade of blue, of course. Blue turned the corner and spotted the toothpaste maned filly and smiled brightly, running over to the ten-year-old filly. “Minty!” yelled Blue. Minty smiled and hugged back, her day’s trials all going away as she felt the little blue pony tighten her hooves around Minty. Minty embraced her, “Hehe, hey there Blue. Miss me, huh?” she asked. Minty looked down at her embracing friend. Blue looked up at Minty and nodded, letting go of Minty and running over to the ragged table and peeking at the contents displayed in front of her. Minty walked over and spilled the canned food onto the table. Taking out other smaller packages, Minty looked over at Blue staring in awe at the generous feast. Minty looked at it and then looked over at Blue, who at this point was jumping in place, like the pink mare in the bakery just ways from the food bank. “Somepony gave me those cookies so I could bring it back here for you, Blue,” said Minty. Minty collected the cans and left the bread and cookie box on the table as she went into the kitchen and began to put away the canned goods in the run-down cupboards. She had done her best to clean up the place over the year of allowed peace. “Can I have one of the cookies?” asked Blue. “Sure, but only one, ok?” responded Minty. She finished up putting all the cans away. She turned her head and saw Blue open the box and take a cookie out, staring at it with stars in her eyes. Minty grinned childishly, proud to be able to make Blue happy. Sadly, happiness was a luxury she would have to wait to savor. Three flashlights suddenly beamed at the house, one directly at the dining room window. Minty’s grin quickly disappeared as she ran over to Blue and picked her up, quickly putting her under the table. The beam of light moved closer to the window and aimed closer towards where she was. She had to react fast. The house was dark due to bad lighting and no lanterns, and trees blocked out most sunlight, so candles had to be lit now and then. Luckily the only candles in the house that were lit were upstairs where Blueberry slept. Minty rushed to hide the bread and cookies. Blueberry didn’t say anything as she saw Minty dodging the light and hiding the foods in the cupboards. Blueberry knew the situation, she had seen it play out before her three times before. Blueberry was calm, quiet, but slightly scared. Minty quickly rushed over to Blueberry and signaled her to come out from under the table. “Stick close to me and we’ll be ok, ok?” Minty said. Blueberry nodded in response and saw as the flashlight moved from the dining room window to the front door. Minty moved into the kitchen, Blue right behind her. Minty looked around before spotting the only window in the room. She knew it was the only viable option before they came in to get out of the house. “We know you fillies are in there! Come outside or we’re going in! Please, we only want to help you!” yelled an unknown but familiar mares voice. Minty nodded towards the window. Blue quickly hopped onto the countertop, peering out into the backyard. She spotted two more flashlights, both looking up at the second floor. Blue hopped down, “Two more bad ponies outside.” Minty yelled internally before turning around and quickly but silently moving into the living room where an old ripped-up couch resides. The backdoor was being peered into by a third pony from the backyards group. “I see them!” yelled the unknown stallion. Minty froze in place as she had the flashlight beam on to her and Blue who was barely hidden behind Minty. “Blue, upstairs!” commanded Minty. Blue was terrified. This was not the first time they had been searched for, but this was the first time they had been caught. Blue was scared and shaky but still did as she was told. Blueberry quickly ran upstairs, the front door quickly bashing open as she was halfway up the stairs. She turned to look behind her and saw Minty buck a stallion trying to reach for her. Minty yelled, “Run! Run! To your room!” Blue was shaking from fear but ran upstairs. “Detain them, but DO NOT hurt them!” yelled the familiar mare. Blue heard Minty yell and rush into the kitchen. Blueberry ran into her room at the end of the hall and closed her door. Her door had a working lock, but it was flimsy. Blueberry was always told to grab her necessities and escape from her window. Her window had a bit of the roof just under it so she would be able to walk and slide off the roof onto the soft yet wet grass. The drop after the slide wasn’t high up from the ground, knowing she’d be fine. She collected her bag stuffed her plushies, snacks, and a few pencils inside the bag before heading over to her window. BANG! BANG! BANG! Her door was being pounded on. “Open up! We’re here to help you!” yelled a sweet mare’s voice. Blue ignored them and opened the window then hopped out. She walked a bit before sliding down the roof and onto the grass. She ran into the forest towards the place Minty told her to hide out in case this very thing happened, ignoring the sounds of stallions yelling inside the house. Minty, however, was having it a little rougher to escape the house. Two stallions had her cornered in the kitchen. Minty heard the upstairs door being pounded on but hoped Blue had already escaped. “Come on, we’re only here to take you back and find you a home.” said the familiar mares voice as she stepped into the kitchen. Minty glared at her and looked over at cupboards. One of the cupboards had a small makeshift knife. Now if she could only get to it. “I’m not coming with you, bitch!” Minty retorted, angrily. “Well, that’s no way to speak to your savior’s sweety.” said the mare, now less sweetly and more deviously. “Saviour? You only want me to go back so you can sell me like some merchandise!” Minty said angrily. Minty looked up at the window and then at the rusty pipes sticking out of the wall next to her. “Detain her.” said the mare with a grin on her face. She snatched the pipe and pulled as hard as she could, ripping it off its weakened adhesive. She ran forward and hit the stallion closest to her in the shins and knocked him back, using the bought time to climb up onto the countertop. “Get her! Get her!” yelled the mare. Minty bucked at the window then ran into the window, slamming it open and falling out of the window. The sound of yelling behind her didn’t sway her mind as she collapsed to the muddy grass and ran behind the house, she couldn’t leave just yet. A couple of stallions could be heard running outside from the backdoor. Minty grabbed a lob of mud and threw it into a shrub in the forest, causing a loud rustling. The flashlights quickly pointed towards the noise. “Over there! She went this way!” yelled a stallion. Three stallions ran into the forest, leaving one stallion and two mares behind. “Search the house, find anything that belongs to them, and take it back to the cart!” yelled the leader mare. Minty walked over to the backdoor and looked inside to the battered living room, spotting the mare that was banging on Blue’s door. The mare swung her flashlight around the living room aimlessly. “Celestia help me. How did they manage to live in this horrid space?” muttered the mare. Minty grabbed some mud and tossed it towards the kitchen. The mare turned and looked over at the kitchen entrance. “Guys? I think I got something.” said the random mare. “I’m on my way!” announced the stallion upstairs. Once he was downstairs he turned into the kitchen and looked at the mare, waving her over. Minty took this opportunity to run inside and sneak her way upstairs. Once upstairs she slowly moved towards Blue’s room when suddenly; “Surprise you brat!” yelled the leader mare. Minty took a quick-step back and narrowly evaded the mares reaching hooves. “She’s still here!” yelled the mare. “On our way!” yelled the pair downstairs. Minty grabbed the nearest throwable, in this case, a couple of rags. She tossed them at the face of the mare and ran past her, shoving her inside Blue’s room and dashing to her room. Slamming the door open she grabbed her bag and picked up her makeshift knife made out of scissors and tape. She looked over at her window with her bag on her back, she opened the window only to be hit by vertigo as the grassy floor grew further from her grasp. She turned around and began to head to exit her room when suddenly the pair came to the door. “No chance hon, this is the end of the line for you.” said the stallion. Minty looked at the pair and saw as the leading mare came in between them. Minty turned to the window and gulped. “Remember when I said I wouldn’t go with you peacefully?” Minty said, matter-of-factly. The leading mare tilted her head and nodded. “Yeah, I wasn’t lying you bitch.” With this final say from Minty, Minty turned and ran to the window. “No- Wait!” yelled the stallion. A loud crash and a few glistening shards of glass later, Minty found herself hovering a story above the ground. She felt a few pieces of the glass cut her face and body and front hooves. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion as the rain picked up its pace. “Ahh!!” Minty yelled as soon as she felt herself falling. She hit the ground and let out a gasp as the wind was knocked out of her lungs. Minty grasped her bag and picked up her knife again. “After her, you idiots! Go!” yelled the leading mare. Minty stood up and limped into the forest, sprinting as soon as she recovered enough. “Run. Run. Run. Celestia helps me. She watches over me.” Minty muttered to herself as she ran. Blue hid inside a small broken-down carriage, the roof was intact but the door was slightly broken. The carriage was abandoned near a much more populated homeless zone. Minty had always said this was the last resort. How could in the two years since they ran from the orphanage, they were already brought to their final stand? Blue felt tears gently well up at the edges of her deep lapis lazuli-colored eyes. She look down at her little backpack and watched as her own pony-made rain hit the tops of the bag. Peacefully weeping, she passed the next few hours waiting for Minty to arrive, up until the night began to peer its ugly face on the cold raining night. Rain by now had begun to pour, some of it seeping into the carriage. Though, that did not wake Blue from her deep depressed slumber. The sounds of hoofsteps approaching the carriage were the only thing that woke her. "M-Minty?" Blue said, opening her sorrow-filled eyes. Minty emerged from the outside downpour, opening the door and closing it behind her, opening her bag to pull out some tape and apply it to the door. Finally, the rain had another barrier to surpass to get to Blue. Minty turned to face Blue and speak but before she had the chance, Blue had already tackled hugged her to the ground, weeping. Blue did not care how drenched Minty had become from the downpour outside, right now and right then all she needed, was a hug. Minty did nothing to stop the little filly from hugging her. All she did was embrace her back, rubbing her blue coat gently in a comforting manner as the rain patterned dots all along the roof of the carriage. Finally, sleep could envelop them in a comforting embrace for the new day to come. At least, that would be the case if around four in the morning the sound of glass crunching outside hadn't awoken Minty. "Huh?" Minty murmured as she slowly opened her eyes. At first she laid her eyes on Blue who had moved away in the middle of the night to sleep comfortably on the carriage seat. However, she eventually looked up at the door and froze at the sight that befell her eyes. A stallion stood just outside their door with a devilish grin on his face, eventually muttering, "Rise and shine, sweetie." AgainThe pitter-patter of the rainfall hitting against the smooth outer wood finish made reason to stay indoors. Many ponies already lay under their covers, sleeping, dreaming, enjoying the warmth of their homes. It was a shame not everypony had this simple luxury. Minty scooted up against the opposite side of the carriage and yelled, “Wh-What the fuck!” The stallion was difficult to see, but his presence could not be mistaken. The darkness made it difficult to make out any striking features, but Minty knew that by the way he looked, he was going to find a way to take them and do what he wanted to them until he was satisfied. The stallion attempted to open the carriage door but, luckily, the door was jammed and kept shut. By this point, Blue was already waking up and sitting up on her seat, rubbing her delicate eyes. Minty watched in horror as she saw the stallion continuously attempt to barge in. “Come on little fillies, open up. I only want to rest with you.” He said with a devious grin on his face. Minty looked around the carriage frantically searching for any means to defend Blue and herself. Blue looked over at the stallion and let out a shriek of terror as she similarly crawled away from the door. “Oh! Rise and shine, sweetheart! Come and open the door will you, sweetie?” said the stallion, still giving off his terrifyingly calm and soothing voice to try and persuade her. Minty looked at the floor of the carriage frantically, eventually spotting her makeshift knife poking from her bag. Minty slowly moved over to the door and looked at Blue motioning to the knife. Blue got the idea and slowly gripped the base of the knife and held it close to herself. The stallion saw Minty scoot closer and reach for the small wood chunk that blocked the door and grew a shit-eating grin on his face. “Good girl, open the door for daddy,” said the stallion. Blue gulped as Minty slammed her hoof on the plank and stepped back quickly. The stallion didn't hesitate as he barged in and slammed his hoof into Minty's chest, forcing her onto her back. He licked his lips as she looked down at her with frenzied eyes. "Gotcha! Finally! Fresh meat!" He said as he gently rubbed his hoof against her cheek. Minty gasped a bit as her air was shot out of her body, grasping at his hoof. Once she caught her breath, she built up her willpower and brought herself to yell one word. So, she yelled, "Blue!" Blue let out a warcry and stabbed the stallion directly in the jugular of the stallion. He let out a loud chocked gasp as the sharp pain coursed through his entire upper body. He collapsed and tried to breathe just for him to be stopped by the scent of his blood and the immense amount of blood pouring into his throat and windpipe. Blue stepped back, leaving the knife in his neck. Minty coughed and slowly stood up, reaching over and pulling the knife out of the stallion. Blue and Minty's hooves were now covered in his blood. The entirety of the knife was almost caked in blood. The stallion writhed on the floor for a bit before eventually laying with lifeless eyes. Blue felt her body shake as she looked on in horror at what she had just done to the stallion. Minty watched with an expressionless gaze as the stallion bled out. She had already come to understand the reality of death. Blue, on the other hoof, was tearing up and welling up in emotion she could not describe or understand. Blue collapsed on the other end of the carriage and just curled up into a little blue ball. Minty proceeded to loot the stallion, stealing his pouch of bits and a bottle of an unknown chemical. "Look, I think it's that thing that makes ponies go to sleep," said Minty. No response. "Blue?" Minty said, turning to her small companion. Blue sat there with her eyes fixated on the bleeding stallion. Her stomach churned with her blood running still. "Did I kill him? I didn't mean it," She muttered, "I was just trying to get him off of you, I promise, I promise!." She began to break. Her sentences were becoming less and less composed and more unintelligible as her weeping began to seep through. Minty put the looted items into her bag and moved closer to Blue, wrapping herself around her small feeble body. Blue continued to weep and plead to whoever would listen that she didn't mean to kill the stallion. She was usually so cheerful and composed. So innocent but now... now she was beginning to crack and slip away from happy filly to traumatized wreck. Minty gently held her and shushed her woes. "It's ok, Blue, don't worry. You saved me, okay? You saved me." Minty stared at the stallion while pressing Blue's head into her chest, "It's ok, don't cry. You're safe. You're safe." Three hours later, after immense cleaning and cradling. Minty walked through the muddy streets of Ponyville with Blue sleeping on her back, the bags on her back as well. Though, she felt weighed down more than usual. Maybe it was the pouch of bits. It was, after all, a while since Minty had held pure bronze and silver bits last. Ponies stared at the two fillies as Minty walked through the crowds. She had managed to clean most of the blood from herself and Blue using caught rain from last night as shower water. ACHOO!! She sneezed as she walked through the frigid narrow streets, growing closer to the plaza. Minty gently tilted her head back and nudged Blue. "Hey, Blue, wake up," Minty whispered gently. Blue gently raised and perched her head on top of Minty's. She slowly opened her eyes and looked onward. "We've made it to the plaza! And since we have some bits to spend, I decided to bring you here so you can pick out some things for yourself!" Minty said energetically. Blue perked up ready to say, "Wow! Yay! Thanks, Minty!" and proceed to list off things she wanted but... found herself silent. Minty looked dejected but thought that maybe it would take a little more than material to cheer her up. Minty searched for a suitable gift for a while before stumbling upon a shop that sold accessories. Once inside, she noticed that many of the accessories were charms and talismans made for tourists who visited Ponyville. What the charms and talismans meant was a mystery, as Minty didn't go to school to learn about the history of Ponyville. Minty was captured by a small necklace of a blue butterfly with white polka dot wings outlined by gold. She picked it up and stared at it. "I see you like the butterfly. Want to know what it represents?" A sudden elder mares voice chimed in. Minty jumped and turned, facing the elder mare. She had her mane in a bun, it was greyish while her fur coat was a delicate snow white. She had a warm smile. Minty nodded. Blue was a little unresponsive but perked her ear up. "Well you see, for centuries since the age of the great ponies, butterflies have symbolized change! It's a wonderful gift for someone who could use a little change once in a while." She proceeded to chuckle as old ponies do. Minty stared at it for a while before pulling three silver bits, "I'll take it." Blue gently held the necklace that was now around her neck tightly. "The old mare said that if you wear that, things will change for you. So, I got it for you." Minty giggled and continued, "Who knows, maybe we'll become rich and live in a big mansion with a bunch of blueberry bushes!" Blue stared at the necklace and smiled for a bit. "I hope so..." Blue murmured to herself silently. The slugging of the mud was growing more prominent as the road quality began to grow worse and less treated against the weather. Minty felt the eyes of every pony peering from their homes as she walked through the street. Ponyville had known about the running issue of missing fillies and colts. Once the two supposed missing fillies finally just walked into the street, well, it was strange, to say the least. "We can't stay here too long. It won't be long till they fan out across this town and try and find us." Minty said looking around at the peering eyes. Blue gently pressed her snout against Minty's ears one at a time and said, " Where are we going to sleep today?" Minty didn't answer. She didn't have an answer after all. The carriage was supposed to be their temporary home till she figured out where to stay again. "We can try and head back to the house," Minty suggested, before thinking for a bit, "but they'll know that we might do that." "We left all the cookies there..." Blue muttered. "That's true. We left all our food there." Minty said, still thinking. She murmured to herself for a bit. In the meantime, Blue was busy looking around at the poorer side of Ponyville. There were a few ponies who were sleeping in the alleyways with boxes and newspapers as makeshift roofs and blankets. She lowered her ears and gently pressed herself closer to Minty. "We'll go back," Minty said with conviction. "Won't they catch us?" Blue inquired. "We'll go back but this time-" Minty pointed at a small shop that specialized in hunting equipment, "-we'll surprise them if they come to try and find us, again." Blue opened her maw to speak but decided to keep quiet. With no objections, Minty entered the shop and purchased a few items. A hunting knife, a gas canister, and a 5000 Lumens flashlight. Alongside a few boxes of matches. Once she was at the front counter, the stallion looked at the toothpaste filly, then at Blueberry. "What do y'all plan on doin' with this here stuff?" asked the clerk. "School project," Blue responded, placing a small candy bar on the counter, "and, uhm, this is for the school project, too." The clerk sighed and muttered something about not being paid enough. Monday, 12:32 PM The heavy droplets slamming themselves into the roofing of the old wooden house could be heard even from the lowest level. Once Minty and Blue had gotten the items, they made their way straight to the house, avoiding any unwanted attention and even purchasing a newspaper that had the forecast of the week's weather. "There's some big storm coming," Blue said, holding the newspaper sideways. "Then we'll stay here, out of the storm," Minty responded, continuing to glue nails onto the floor, facing upwards. "Are we going to be okay?" Blue asked, putting the newspaper away. Minty stood up and let out a quiet huff, "If we prepare well enough, we'll be fine." "How do you know?" Blue asked, this time more concerned. Minty turned to Blue and sighed, "I don't." Blue stayed silent and stared at the trap. "If we fail, then I love you. If we don't, I still love you. Got that?" Minty reassured Blue. Blue nodded and turned away, walking to the kitchen. Minty stood in the living room alone. She looked around the living room and took in the scent of the stale air. The doors were boarded up so they couldn't be opened. The floor in front of the doors was covered in nails. Minty held her makeshift knife and looked back at the living room coffee table. On to table sat a small makeshift flamethrower. Well, it was an exaggeration to call it a flamethrower. In reality, it was a tiny camping gas tank with a long tube attached to its nozzle and a few matches at its end bunched up together. She let out a little prayer and walked out into the main hallway. "Everything seems to be in place," Minty muttered. She peeked through the boarded-up window and waited. Blue watched from the kitchen, holding the hunting knife tighter for each passing minute. "This is a bad idea..." Blue said, staring down at the knife. Minty looked back at her and then back out to the outside. "It'll work. We can end it here. We can finally just go through life as normal if this works." Minty quietly responded, staring at the rain pouring outside. It was raining harder than it was the night before. No smart pony would be out at this time, not even for an emergency. "Can I go to my room?" Blue timidly asked. All she got as a response was an, "Mm" and off she went. Mint couldn't help but feel somewhat off-put by the idea of facing them head-on but by her logic, she had already come too far to back down now. "It's dark outside," Minty mumbled to herself. The outside grew darker and darker as the clouds took on a more ominous black color. Had the storm come earlier than expected? No matter. Mint walked over to the living room again and laid on the couch, taking in a deep breath and staring up at the ceiling. Maybe a little nap couldn't hurt. Besides, even they wouldn't be that stupid to search the same place twice, right? Of course not. Of course. Mint slowly closed her eyes and yawned, murmuring to herself one last time, "Of course... not." The room went pitch black and the world became white noise. With all that's happened, Celestia had to have given her some luck to at least get some sleep. Finally, she could rest. Rest... now. AttemptThe light of the setting sun was always the most beautiful thing to Blue. She enjoyed taking long trips with Minty in the past to visit the nearest hill to get a better view of it setting on the edges of the forest. So, now that she couldn't see it past all the rain and clouds, she was beginning to get nostalgic. Seeing the rays of the bright star hit the earth for one last time as it was hidden behind all the trees and shrubs helped her see a little bit of beauty every day. It made her feel funny, almost like she wanted to cry, only not of sadness. Minty said it was called hope, but Blue had never heard the term, let alone known what it meant. Today she must not have had a lot of hope. Monday, 4:29 PM. Blue hopped down, away from her window, heading outside into the hall. Outside her room, she spotted a small white glimmer coming from the window at the end of the hall. That wasn't right, how could light shine in on the second floor during this weather? She walked over to the window sill and peeked outside. Four, no, eight large beams of light were coming from the forest. They were coming from Ponyville. She gasped and fell onto her rump. She got up scrambling and ran downstairs to warn Minty of the lights. "Minty! Minty! They're coming!" Blue shouted frantically, running to get her knife from the kitchen. No response. "Minty! Lights are coming from the bad pony's place!" She blurted out. Once more; no response. She bolted to the living room and found Minty laying on the couch, dead asleep. Blue gently grasped her shoulders and began to shake her frantically. "Minty! Wake up! Wake up! They're coming!" Blue shouted desperately. Mint slowly opened her eyes and groggily asked, "What? Who's coming?" "The bad ponies! The bad ponies! They're on their way! I saw lights and-," Blue stopped. The lights were closer now. They were seeping in through the window now. Voices of multiple ponies shouting orders over the loud rain could be heard. Mint now understood the gravity of what was going on. She bolted up and quickly grasped her makeshift flamethrower. Blue walked stealthily to the kitchen, peering outside and spotting a large group of ponies. Minty grabbed a match and ran over to Blue, peering outside with her. There are multiple ponies this time, more than the last time. She backed off and turned to Blue. "Head upstairs," She commanded. "But-," Blue muttered. "Go. I'll be up in just a second. Remember the plan and it'll all be okay." Minty said turning away and heading to the living room. Blue looked outside then obliged Minty's demand. She went upstairs and sat beside the stairs, just out of view. Outside, the ponies began to separate into groups; Two went to the backdoor, another two went to the front door, three surrounded the outside, and for the Overseer? Well, she would wait till it all settled down to claim her prize. Minty hid behind the couch as the pair outside the backdoor lurked. She grasped her little canister and gulped, shaking from what she assumed must've been cold. The handle for the doors began to jiggle simultaneously. The front door was the first to be slammed into. The weight of a full-grown stallion was enough to bust it open on the first try. Minty yelped and shook harder as the screams of the stallion filled the house. Her trap had worked and it had impaled the stallion's front hooves almost instantly. The second one ran inside and tried to pull his buddy's hooves out of the trap only to be met by a sudden blow to his head. Blue had tossed a brick from the top of the stairs and knocked him unconscious. Almost instantly, the backdoor was slammed open, though the first stallion overestimated how much force he needed to use to break it open and fell onto his side. He smashed his side with full force onto the nails and began to yell in agony. Minty whimpered and held her flamethrower even tighter, preemptively trying to light the end of the flamethrower to get it ready. She stood up and peered over the couch, her eyes locking with the eyes of the stallion on the ground who had begun to cry. She felt her blood run cold, now unsure if it was really because of the weather. The mare behind him cried out in shock, falling on her rump before running off. Minty heard some yelling outside and gulped as she braced for the rest to join them. She got up and bolted to the stairs as soon as the trio began to head towards the backdoor, one of them yelling after her to stop. Minty reached the stairs and looked up at Blue, panting. She stepped forward but suddenly felt a yanking on her back right hoof. "You're not going... anywhere!" Mumbled the trapped stallion. Minty yanked and pulled before pointing the thrower at him and opening the valve. All she could hear was the WOOOSH of the flames being pushed out the end of the tube and loud screaming. She turned it off once the hoof let go, the stallion being burned but not scorched. The trio of ponies all charged her as she made her way up the stairs, Blue yelling for her to hurry. Mint felt her tail be yanked and she let out a loud yelp, dropping the gas canister and breaking it in the process. Blue cried out, "No!" Minty heard as the gas began leaking, the matches still on fire. She cried out and reached towards Blue as the trio all began to help in pulling her down. Blue made her way down with the knife, yelling at the trio to let Minty go before, suddenly. FWOOOSH!! The gas canister ignited and exploded, causing Blue to yelp and trip, falling in place. She opened her eyes and witnessed as the stallions fought to keep Minty under control as she continued to fight against them. Blue tried to climb down the stairs to reach her but now, the stairs were being lit to flames as the gas canister had lit up all the matches and allowed the rotten stair wood to catch fire. "Let go of me! Let me go!" Minty cried out, fighting tooth and nail in an attempt to escape their grasp. By now, one of them held both her front hooves down while another held her lower hooves. Minty continued to fight, eventually looking up at Blue who was now staring at her with tears in her eyes. Minty, while trying to escape the stallions, yelled out, "Run, Blue! Run!" Blue began to cry and held the knife even tighter. She felt her chest begin to hurt as she stared longer at the scene that was unfolding. Blue closed her eyes and raised the knife with one of her hooves, taking a stance. Minty stared on in horror, piecing what Blue was about to do almost instantly. "No! NO! Don't!" Minty cried out desperately, but it was too late. "LET HER GO!!" Blue yelled one last time. She charged and ran through the flames, burning the tops of her fur a bit. She yelled in pain but pursued as she jumped and fell onto one of the stallions, the knife digging into his back. He jolted in pain and stumbled backward as the knife got stuck inside of him. This gave Minty enough time to get up and fight back against the other stallion while the third went for Blue. Minty put all her willpower behind one punch and hit the stallion right on the chin, causing him to revolt in pain. Minty followed up with a quick buck and took this time to get up. Her heart was thumping in her throat as she got up. She pushed the stallion back, causing him to stumble and trip over. He collapsed onto an old cabinet that had a couple lit candles on it, making them fall on the ground onto the wooden floor. Minty turned to Blue's aggressor who was now attempting to choke Blue, yelling "DIE!" as he did so. Minty ran, pulling out the knife from the first stallion and driving it into Blue's aggressor. The knife went through his side and he revolted in pain, letting go of Blue. He did not fall like the others, instead, he pulled the knife out and stared at Minty. "You fucking brats, I don't care if you're an "example"! Die!" He yelled, slashing the knife upwards in an attempt to cut Minty. Minty braced for a blow that would never come, closing her eyes until she heard a thump to her right, and then she opened them again. She turned to her right and there she was, lying on her side with a hoof over her right eye. Blue had protected Minty at the expense of her necklace and eye. "O-Oh fuck." Stuttered the stallion as he stared at Blue. "What... have you...," Minty charged the stallion and yelled, "DONE!!" Her hooves grasped the knife and he grasped her throat. The two of them fought for a while until eventually Minty smacked the knife away and drove it into the neck of the stallion. She stood over him as he grabbed at his neck, desperately trying to cover it. Minty lifted the knife again and prepared to drive it into his chest. "RAAAAAGH!" Minty felt the sudden force of a mare hit her back. It was the mare that had run away earlier. Minty dropped the knife watched it slide into the now burning living room. She stumbled to get up and was quickly punched in the gut by the mare. Minty collapsed and gasped for a breath of air. Minty stared at the mare who was panting over her. Minty slowly tried to crawl away but the mare just kicked Minty onto her back and began to try and choke her. Minty slapped her hoof away but to no avail, another took its place. The mare forced her hoof down onto Minty's throat and firmly pressed. Minty began to writhe on the ground, kicking and flailing. Her mind began to go blank as air refused to enter her lungs. Her eyes grew teary and her ears pressed against her head. 'Am I going to die?' Minty wondered. Her mind began to race for any solution as her head grew foggy. 'I don't wanna die!' Minty shouted in her mind. She began to go limp and fight less. 'Please! Please don't let me die!' She yelled louder in her mind. Her movements slowly came to a halt, her eyes slowly beginning to close. 'I... still have to let Blue... know...' Her hooves slowly began to fall to her sides. BANG! BANG! BANG! The mare fell to the ground.
RoutinePuddles underneath the hooves of a cyan furred filly with blue, white, and red patterned mane in stripes in that order, the soft pitter-patter of the rainfall droplets on the rough gravel ground. The filly trotted, soaking up the rain that fell on the lush coat of fur like a trotting sponge, her mane getting drenched. She had been walking for over forty-five minutes through the drizzle. The filly carried two large bags of food she had obtained from the nearest homeless food bank. She let out a low groan, trying to keep herself moving through the growing muddy roads towards the forest that used to be a thriving small town till it was all demolished and left with trees in its place. Well, most of the buildings were demolished. The filly sighed heavily as she entered the forest from an untrailed area. She moved further in with the trees emptying all the built-up rain onto the head of the toothpaste-maned filly. She was slightly irritated but continued instead of stopping to hide from the rain. A full ten minutes of agile and precise navigation and trotting through the otherwise difficult to navigate forestry. Moving quickly and quietly the entire time until reaching the front yard of a large two-story house. The house was isolated in the forest. The windows were mostly broken except for possibly three on the second floor. Most of the broken windows downstairs were boarded up. The second floor’s windows were all covered up by several layers of plastic wrap which were slowly deteriorating. The filly walked towards the front door, turned her head, and looked behind her into the rain-covered forest. She opened the door and stepped in, her right ear twitching as the bushes ever so slightly moved. She made her way in and closed the door behind her, unable to lock it due to the rusted and chipped lock not allowing her to twist it to engage it into place. The filly sighed heavily, moving deeper into the house. She turned to her right and into the dining room connected to the kitchen. She peeked past the wall to see if anything or anypony was in the kitchen. Nothing and nopony. Trotting over to the roughed-up dining table and placing the bags on top of it, letting out a loud groan of relief and yelling, “Blueberry! I’m home!” Blue’s light steps could easily be heard through the thin walls as she walked out of her room and down the creaky, old stairs. Blue was a year younger than the toothpaste filly and was much more cheerful. Her fur and mane were both blue, her mane being a darker shade of blue, of course. Blue turned the corner and spotted the toothpaste maned filly and smiled brightly, running over to the ten-year-old filly. “Minty!” yelled Blue. Minty smiled and hugged back, her day’s trials all going away as she felt the little blue pony tighten her hooves around Minty. Minty embraced her, “Hehe, hey there Blue. Miss me, huh?” she asked. Minty looked down at her embracing friend. Blue looked up at Minty and nodded, letting go of Minty and running over to the ragged table and peeking at the contents displayed in front of her. Minty walked over and spilled the canned food onto the table. Taking out other smaller packages, Minty looked over at Blue staring in awe at the generous feast. Minty looked at it and then looked over at Blue, who at this point was jumping in place, like the pink mare in the bakery just ways from the food bank. “Somepony gave me those cookies so I could bring it back here for you, Blue,” said Minty. Minty collected the cans and left the bread and cookie box on the table as she went into the kitchen and began to put away the canned goods in the run-down cupboards. She had done her best to clean up the place over the year of allowed peace. “Can I have one of the cookies?” asked Blue. “Sure, but only one, ok?” responded Minty. She finished up putting all the cans away. She turned her head and saw Blue open the box and take a cookie out, staring at it with stars in her eyes. Minty grinned childishly, proud to be able to make Blue happy. Sadly, happiness was a luxury she would have to wait to savor. Three flashlights suddenly beamed at the house, one directly at the dining room window. Minty’s grin quickly disappeared as she ran over to Blue and picked her up, quickly putting her under the table. The beam of light moved closer to the window and aimed closer towards where she was. She had to react fast. The house was dark due to bad lighting and no lanterns, and trees blocked out most sunlight, so candles had to be lit now and then. Luckily the only candles in the house that were lit were upstairs where Blueberry slept. Minty rushed to hide the bread and cookies. Blueberry didn’t say anything as she saw Minty dodging the light and hiding the foods in the cupboards. Blueberry knew the situation, she had seen it play out before her three times before. Blueberry was calm, quiet, but slightly scared. Minty quickly rushed over to Blueberry and signaled her to come out from under the table. “Stick close to me and we’ll be ok, ok?” Minty said. Blueberry nodded in response and saw as the flashlight moved from the dining room window to the front door. Minty moved into the kitchen, Blue right behind her. Minty looked around before spotting the only window in the room. She knew it was the only viable option before they came in to get out of the house. “We know you fillies are in there! Come outside or we’re going in! Please, we only want to help you!” yelled an unknown but familiar mares voice. Minty nodded towards the window. Blue quickly hopped onto the countertop, peering out into the backyard. She spotted two more flashlights, both looking up at the second floor. Blue hopped down, “Two more bad ponies outside.” Minty yelled internally before turning around and quickly but silently moving into the living room where an old ripped-up couch resides. The backdoor was being peered into by a third pony from the backyards group. “I see them!” yelled the unknown stallion. Minty froze in place as she had the flashlight beam on to her and Blue who was barely hidden behind Minty. “Blue, upstairs!” commanded Minty. Blue was terrified. This was not the first time they had been searched for, but this was the first time they had been caught. Blue was scared and shaky but still did as she was told. Blueberry quickly ran upstairs, the front door quickly bashing open as she was halfway up the stairs. She turned to look behind her and saw Minty buck a stallion trying to reach for her. Minty yelled, “Run! Run! To your room!” Blue was shaking from fear but ran upstairs. “Detain them, but DO NOT hurt them!” yelled the familiar mare. Blue heard Minty yell and rush into the kitchen. Blueberry ran into her room at the end of the hall and closed her door. Her door had a working lock, but it was flimsy. Blueberry was always told to grab her necessities and escape from her window. Her window had a bit of the roof just under it so she would be able to walk and slide off the roof onto the soft yet wet grass. The drop after the slide wasn’t high up from the ground, knowing she’d be fine. She collected her bag stuffed her plushies, snacks, and a few pencils inside the bag before heading over to her window. BANG! BANG! BANG! Her door was being pounded on. “Open up! We’re here to help you!” yelled a sweet mare’s voice. Blue ignored them and opened the window then hopped out. She walked a bit before sliding down the roof and onto the grass. She ran into the forest towards the place Minty told her to hide out in case this very thing happened, ignoring the sounds of stallions yelling inside the house. Minty, however, was having it a little rougher to escape the house. Two stallions had her cornered in the kitchen. Minty heard the upstairs door being pounded on but hoped Blue had already escaped. “Come on, we’re only here to take you back and find you a home.” said the familiar mares voice as she stepped into the kitchen. Minty glared at her and looked over at cupboards. One of the cupboards had a small makeshift knife. Now if she could only get to it. “I’m not coming with you, bitch!” Minty retorted, angrily. “Well, that’s no way to speak to your savior’s sweety.” said the mare, now less sweetly and more deviously. “Saviour? You only want me to go back so you can sell me like some merchandise!” Minty said angrily. Minty looked up at the window and then at the rusty pipes sticking out of the wall next to her. “Detain her.” said the mare with a grin on her face. She snatched the pipe and pulled as hard as she could, ripping it off its weakened adhesive. She ran forward and hit the stallion closest to her in the shins and knocked him back, using the bought time to climb up onto the countertop. “Get her! Get her!” yelled the mare. Minty bucked at the window then ran into the window, slamming it open and falling out of the window. The sound of yelling behind her didn’t sway her mind as she collapsed to the muddy grass and ran behind the house, she couldn’t leave just yet. A couple of stallions could be heard running outside from the backdoor. Minty grabbed a lob of mud and threw it into a shrub in the forest, causing a loud rustling. The flashlights quickly pointed towards the noise. “Over there! She went this way!” yelled a stallion. Three stallions ran into the forest, leaving one stallion and two mares behind. “Search the house, find anything that belongs to them, and take it back to the cart!” yelled the leader mare. Minty walked over to the backdoor and looked inside to the battered living room, spotting the mare that was banging on Blue’s door. The mare swung her flashlight around the living room aimlessly. “Celestia help me. How did they manage to live in this horrid space?” muttered the mare. Minty grabbed some mud and tossed it towards the kitchen. The mare turned and looked over at the kitchen entrance. “Guys? I think I got something.” said the random mare. “I’m on my way!” announced the stallion upstairs. Once he was downstairs he turned into the kitchen and looked at the mare, waving her over. Minty took this opportunity to run inside and sneak her way upstairs. Once upstairs she slowly moved towards Blue’s room when suddenly; “Surprise you brat!” yelled the leader mare. Minty took a quick-step back and narrowly evaded the mares reaching hooves. “She’s still here!” yelled the mare. “On our way!” yelled the pair downstairs. Minty grabbed the nearest throwable, in this case, a couple of rags. She tossed them at the face of the mare and ran past her, shoving her inside Blue’s room and dashing to her room. Slamming the door open she grabbed her bag and picked up her makeshift knife made out of scissors and tape. She looked over at her window with her bag on her back, she opened the window only to be hit by vertigo as the grassy floor grew further from her grasp. She turned around and began to head to exit her room when suddenly the pair came to the door. “No chance hon, this is the end of the line for you.” said the stallion. Minty looked at the pair and saw as the leading mare came in between them. Minty turned to the window and gulped. “Remember when I said I wouldn’t go with you peacefully?” Minty said, matter-of-factly. The leading mare tilted her head and nodded. “Yeah, I wasn’t lying you bitch.” With this final say from Minty, Minty turned and ran to the window. “No- Wait!” yelled the stallion. A loud crash and a few glistening shards of glass later, Minty found herself hovering a story above the ground. She felt a few pieces of the glass cut her face and body and front hooves. Everything felt like it was going in slow motion as the rain picked up its pace. “Ahh!!” Minty yelled as soon as she felt herself falling. She hit the ground and let out a gasp as the wind was knocked out of her lungs. Minty grasped her bag and picked up her knife again. “After her, you idiots! Go!” yelled the leading mare. Minty stood up and limped into the forest, sprinting as soon as she recovered enough. “Run. Run. Run. Celestia helps me. She watches over me.” Minty muttered to herself as she ran. Blue hid inside a small broken-down carriage, the roof was intact but the door was slightly broken. The carriage was abandoned near a much more populated homeless zone. Minty had always said this was the last resort. How could in the two years since they ran from the orphanage, they were already brought to their final stand? Blue felt tears gently well up at the edges of her deep lapis lazuli-colored eyes. She look down at her little backpack and watched as her own pony-made rain hit the tops of the bag. Peacefully weeping, she passed the next few hours waiting for Minty to arrive, up until the night began to peer its ugly face on the cold raining night. Rain by now had begun to pour, some of it seeping into the carriage. Though, that did not wake Blue from her deep depressed slumber. The sounds of hoofsteps approaching the carriage were the only thing that woke her. "M-Minty?" Blue said, opening her sorrow-filled eyes. Minty emerged from the outside downpour, opening the door and closing it behind her, opening her bag to pull out some tape and apply it to the door. Finally, the rain had another barrier to surpass to get to Blue. Minty turned to face Blue and speak but before she had the chance, Blue had already tackled hugged her to the ground, weeping. Blue did not care how drenched Minty had become from the downpour outside, right now and right then all she needed, was a hug. Minty did nothing to stop the little filly from hugging her. All she did was embrace her back, rubbing her blue coat gently in a comforting manner as the rain patterned dots all along the roof of the carriage. Finally, sleep could envelop them in a comforting embrace for the new day to come. At least, that would be the case if around four in the morning the sound of glass crunching outside hadn't awoken Minty. "Huh?" Minty murmured as she slowly opened her eyes. At first she laid her eyes on Blue who had moved away in the middle of the night to sleep comfortably on the carriage seat. However, she eventually looked up at the door and froze at the sight that befell her eyes. A stallion stood just outside their door with a devilish grin on his face, eventually muttering, "Rise and shine, sweetie."
AgainThe pitter-patter of the rainfall hitting against the smooth outer wood finish made reason to stay indoors. Many ponies already lay under their covers, sleeping, dreaming, enjoying the warmth of their homes. It was a shame not everypony had this simple luxury. Minty scooted up against the opposite side of the carriage and yelled, “Wh-What the fuck!” The stallion was difficult to see, but his presence could not be mistaken. The darkness made it difficult to make out any striking features, but Minty knew that by the way he looked, he was going to find a way to take them and do what he wanted to them until he was satisfied. The stallion attempted to open the carriage door but, luckily, the door was jammed and kept shut. By this point, Blue was already waking up and sitting up on her seat, rubbing her delicate eyes. Minty watched in horror as she saw the stallion continuously attempt to barge in. “Come on little fillies, open up. I only want to rest with you.” He said with a devious grin on his face. Minty looked around the carriage frantically searching for any means to defend Blue and herself. Blue looked over at the stallion and let out a shriek of terror as she similarly crawled away from the door. “Oh! Rise and shine, sweetheart! Come and open the door will you, sweetie?” said the stallion, still giving off his terrifyingly calm and soothing voice to try and persuade her. Minty looked at the floor of the carriage frantically, eventually spotting her makeshift knife poking from her bag. Minty slowly moved over to the door and looked at Blue motioning to the knife. Blue got the idea and slowly gripped the base of the knife and held it close to herself. The stallion saw Minty scoot closer and reach for the small wood chunk that blocked the door and grew a shit-eating grin on his face. “Good girl, open the door for daddy,” said the stallion. Blue gulped as Minty slammed her hoof on the plank and stepped back quickly. The stallion didn't hesitate as he barged in and slammed his hoof into Minty's chest, forcing her onto her back. He licked his lips as she looked down at her with frenzied eyes. "Gotcha! Finally! Fresh meat!" He said as he gently rubbed his hoof against her cheek. Minty gasped a bit as her air was shot out of her body, grasping at his hoof. Once she caught her breath, she built up her willpower and brought herself to yell one word. So, she yelled, "Blue!" Blue let out a warcry and stabbed the stallion directly in the jugular of the stallion. He let out a loud chocked gasp as the sharp pain coursed through his entire upper body. He collapsed and tried to breathe just for him to be stopped by the scent of his blood and the immense amount of blood pouring into his throat and windpipe. Blue stepped back, leaving the knife in his neck. Minty coughed and slowly stood up, reaching over and pulling the knife out of the stallion. Blue and Minty's hooves were now covered in his blood. The entirety of the knife was almost caked in blood. The stallion writhed on the floor for a bit before eventually laying with lifeless eyes. Blue felt her body shake as she looked on in horror at what she had just done to the stallion. Minty watched with an expressionless gaze as the stallion bled out. She had already come to understand the reality of death. Blue, on the other hoof, was tearing up and welling up in emotion she could not describe or understand. Blue collapsed on the other end of the carriage and just curled up into a little blue ball. Minty proceeded to loot the stallion, stealing his pouch of bits and a bottle of an unknown chemical. "Look, I think it's that thing that makes ponies go to sleep," said Minty. No response. "Blue?" Minty said, turning to her small companion. Blue sat there with her eyes fixated on the bleeding stallion. Her stomach churned with her blood running still. "Did I kill him? I didn't mean it," She muttered, "I was just trying to get him off of you, I promise, I promise!." She began to break. Her sentences were becoming less and less composed and more unintelligible as her weeping began to seep through. Minty put the looted items into her bag and moved closer to Blue, wrapping herself around her small feeble body. Blue continued to weep and plead to whoever would listen that she didn't mean to kill the stallion. She was usually so cheerful and composed. So innocent but now... now she was beginning to crack and slip away from happy filly to traumatized wreck. Minty gently held her and shushed her woes. "It's ok, Blue, don't worry. You saved me, okay? You saved me." Minty stared at the stallion while pressing Blue's head into her chest, "It's ok, don't cry. You're safe. You're safe." Three hours later, after immense cleaning and cradling. Minty walked through the muddy streets of Ponyville with Blue sleeping on her back, the bags on her back as well. Though, she felt weighed down more than usual. Maybe it was the pouch of bits. It was, after all, a while since Minty had held pure bronze and silver bits last. Ponies stared at the two fillies as Minty walked through the crowds. She had managed to clean most of the blood from herself and Blue using caught rain from last night as shower water. ACHOO!! She sneezed as she walked through the frigid narrow streets, growing closer to the plaza. Minty gently tilted her head back and nudged Blue. "Hey, Blue, wake up," Minty whispered gently. Blue gently raised and perched her head on top of Minty's. She slowly opened her eyes and looked onward. "We've made it to the plaza! And since we have some bits to spend, I decided to bring you here so you can pick out some things for yourself!" Minty said energetically. Blue perked up ready to say, "Wow! Yay! Thanks, Minty!" and proceed to list off things she wanted but... found herself silent. Minty looked dejected but thought that maybe it would take a little more than material to cheer her up. Minty searched for a suitable gift for a while before stumbling upon a shop that sold accessories. Once inside, she noticed that many of the accessories were charms and talismans made for tourists who visited Ponyville. What the charms and talismans meant was a mystery, as Minty didn't go to school to learn about the history of Ponyville. Minty was captured by a small necklace of a blue butterfly with white polka dot wings outlined by gold. She picked it up and stared at it. "I see you like the butterfly. Want to know what it represents?" A sudden elder mares voice chimed in. Minty jumped and turned, facing the elder mare. She had her mane in a bun, it was greyish while her fur coat was a delicate snow white. She had a warm smile. Minty nodded. Blue was a little unresponsive but perked her ear up. "Well you see, for centuries since the age of the great ponies, butterflies have symbolized change! It's a wonderful gift for someone who could use a little change once in a while." She proceeded to chuckle as old ponies do. Minty stared at it for a while before pulling three silver bits, "I'll take it." Blue gently held the necklace that was now around her neck tightly. "The old mare said that if you wear that, things will change for you. So, I got it for you." Minty giggled and continued, "Who knows, maybe we'll become rich and live in a big mansion with a bunch of blueberry bushes!" Blue stared at the necklace and smiled for a bit. "I hope so..." Blue murmured to herself silently. The slugging of the mud was growing more prominent as the road quality began to grow worse and less treated against the weather. Minty felt the eyes of every pony peering from their homes as she walked through the street. Ponyville had known about the running issue of missing fillies and colts. Once the two supposed missing fillies finally just walked into the street, well, it was strange, to say the least. "We can't stay here too long. It won't be long till they fan out across this town and try and find us." Minty said looking around at the peering eyes. Blue gently pressed her snout against Minty's ears one at a time and said, " Where are we going to sleep today?" Minty didn't answer. She didn't have an answer after all. The carriage was supposed to be their temporary home till she figured out where to stay again. "We can try and head back to the house," Minty suggested, before thinking for a bit, "but they'll know that we might do that." "We left all the cookies there..." Blue muttered. "That's true. We left all our food there." Minty said, still thinking. She murmured to herself for a bit. In the meantime, Blue was busy looking around at the poorer side of Ponyville. There were a few ponies who were sleeping in the alleyways with boxes and newspapers as makeshift roofs and blankets. She lowered her ears and gently pressed herself closer to Minty. "We'll go back," Minty said with conviction. "Won't they catch us?" Blue inquired. "We'll go back but this time-" Minty pointed at a small shop that specialized in hunting equipment, "-we'll surprise them if they come to try and find us, again." Blue opened her maw to speak but decided to keep quiet. With no objections, Minty entered the shop and purchased a few items. A hunting knife, a gas canister, and a 5000 Lumens flashlight. Alongside a few boxes of matches. Once she was at the front counter, the stallion looked at the toothpaste filly, then at Blueberry. "What do y'all plan on doin' with this here stuff?" asked the clerk. "School project," Blue responded, placing a small candy bar on the counter, "and, uhm, this is for the school project, too." The clerk sighed and muttered something about not being paid enough. Monday, 12:32 PM The heavy droplets slamming themselves into the roofing of the old wooden house could be heard even from the lowest level. Once Minty and Blue had gotten the items, they made their way straight to the house, avoiding any unwanted attention and even purchasing a newspaper that had the forecast of the week's weather. "There's some big storm coming," Blue said, holding the newspaper sideways. "Then we'll stay here, out of the storm," Minty responded, continuing to glue nails onto the floor, facing upwards. "Are we going to be okay?" Blue asked, putting the newspaper away. Minty stood up and let out a quiet huff, "If we prepare well enough, we'll be fine." "How do you know?" Blue asked, this time more concerned. Minty turned to Blue and sighed, "I don't." Blue stayed silent and stared at the trap. "If we fail, then I love you. If we don't, I still love you. Got that?" Minty reassured Blue. Blue nodded and turned away, walking to the kitchen. Minty stood in the living room alone. She looked around the living room and took in the scent of the stale air. The doors were boarded up so they couldn't be opened. The floor in front of the doors was covered in nails. Minty held her makeshift knife and looked back at the living room coffee table. On to table sat a small makeshift flamethrower. Well, it was an exaggeration to call it a flamethrower. In reality, it was a tiny camping gas tank with a long tube attached to its nozzle and a few matches at its end bunched up together. She let out a little prayer and walked out into the main hallway. "Everything seems to be in place," Minty muttered. She peeked through the boarded-up window and waited. Blue watched from the kitchen, holding the hunting knife tighter for each passing minute. "This is a bad idea..." Blue said, staring down at the knife. Minty looked back at her and then back out to the outside. "It'll work. We can end it here. We can finally just go through life as normal if this works." Minty quietly responded, staring at the rain pouring outside. It was raining harder than it was the night before. No smart pony would be out at this time, not even for an emergency. "Can I go to my room?" Blue timidly asked. All she got as a response was an, "Mm" and off she went. Mint couldn't help but feel somewhat off-put by the idea of facing them head-on but by her logic, she had already come too far to back down now. "It's dark outside," Minty mumbled to herself. The outside grew darker and darker as the clouds took on a more ominous black color. Had the storm come earlier than expected? No matter. Mint walked over to the living room again and laid on the couch, taking in a deep breath and staring up at the ceiling. Maybe a little nap couldn't hurt. Besides, even they wouldn't be that stupid to search the same place twice, right? Of course not. Of course. Mint slowly closed her eyes and yawned, murmuring to herself one last time, "Of course... not." The room went pitch black and the world became white noise. With all that's happened, Celestia had to have given her some luck to at least get some sleep. Finally, she could rest. Rest... now.
AttemptThe light of the setting sun was always the most beautiful thing to Blue. She enjoyed taking long trips with Minty in the past to visit the nearest hill to get a better view of it setting on the edges of the forest. So, now that she couldn't see it past all the rain and clouds, she was beginning to get nostalgic. Seeing the rays of the bright star hit the earth for one last time as it was hidden behind all the trees and shrubs helped her see a little bit of beauty every day. It made her feel funny, almost like she wanted to cry, only not of sadness. Minty said it was called hope, but Blue had never heard the term, let alone known what it meant. Today she must not have had a lot of hope. Monday, 4:29 PM. Blue hopped down, away from her window, heading outside into the hall. Outside her room, she spotted a small white glimmer coming from the window at the end of the hall. That wasn't right, how could light shine in on the second floor during this weather? She walked over to the window sill and peeked outside. Four, no, eight large beams of light were coming from the forest. They were coming from Ponyville. She gasped and fell onto her rump. She got up scrambling and ran downstairs to warn Minty of the lights. "Minty! Minty! They're coming!" Blue shouted frantically, running to get her knife from the kitchen. No response. "Minty! Lights are coming from the bad pony's place!" She blurted out. Once more; no response. She bolted to the living room and found Minty laying on the couch, dead asleep. Blue gently grasped her shoulders and began to shake her frantically. "Minty! Wake up! Wake up! They're coming!" Blue shouted desperately. Mint slowly opened her eyes and groggily asked, "What? Who's coming?" "The bad ponies! The bad ponies! They're on their way! I saw lights and-," Blue stopped. The lights were closer now. They were seeping in through the window now. Voices of multiple ponies shouting orders over the loud rain could be heard. Mint now understood the gravity of what was going on. She bolted up and quickly grasped her makeshift flamethrower. Blue walked stealthily to the kitchen, peering outside and spotting a large group of ponies. Minty grabbed a match and ran over to Blue, peering outside with her. There are multiple ponies this time, more than the last time. She backed off and turned to Blue. "Head upstairs," She commanded. "But-," Blue muttered. "Go. I'll be up in just a second. Remember the plan and it'll all be okay." Minty said turning away and heading to the living room. Blue looked outside then obliged Minty's demand. She went upstairs and sat beside the stairs, just out of view. Outside, the ponies began to separate into groups; Two went to the backdoor, another two went to the front door, three surrounded the outside, and for the Overseer? Well, she would wait till it all settled down to claim her prize. Minty hid behind the couch as the pair outside the backdoor lurked. She grasped her little canister and gulped, shaking from what she assumed must've been cold. The handle for the doors began to jiggle simultaneously. The front door was the first to be slammed into. The weight of a full-grown stallion was enough to bust it open on the first try. Minty yelped and shook harder as the screams of the stallion filled the house. Her trap had worked and it had impaled the stallion's front hooves almost instantly. The second one ran inside and tried to pull his buddy's hooves out of the trap only to be met by a sudden blow to his head. Blue had tossed a brick from the top of the stairs and knocked him unconscious. Almost instantly, the backdoor was slammed open, though the first stallion overestimated how much force he needed to use to break it open and fell onto his side. He smashed his side with full force onto the nails and began to yell in agony. Minty whimpered and held her flamethrower even tighter, preemptively trying to light the end of the flamethrower to get it ready. She stood up and peered over the couch, her eyes locking with the eyes of the stallion on the ground who had begun to cry. She felt her blood run cold, now unsure if it was really because of the weather. The mare behind him cried out in shock, falling on her rump before running off. Minty heard some yelling outside and gulped as she braced for the rest to join them. She got up and bolted to the stairs as soon as the trio began to head towards the backdoor, one of them yelling after her to stop. Minty reached the stairs and looked up at Blue, panting. She stepped forward but suddenly felt a yanking on her back right hoof. "You're not going... anywhere!" Mumbled the trapped stallion. Minty yanked and pulled before pointing the thrower at him and opening the valve. All she could hear was the WOOOSH of the flames being pushed out the end of the tube and loud screaming. She turned it off once the hoof let go, the stallion being burned but not scorched. The trio of ponies all charged her as she made her way up the stairs, Blue yelling for her to hurry. Mint felt her tail be yanked and she let out a loud yelp, dropping the gas canister and breaking it in the process. Blue cried out, "No!" Minty heard as the gas began leaking, the matches still on fire. She cried out and reached towards Blue as the trio all began to help in pulling her down. Blue made her way down with the knife, yelling at the trio to let Minty go before, suddenly. FWOOOSH!! The gas canister ignited and exploded, causing Blue to yelp and trip, falling in place. She opened her eyes and witnessed as the stallions fought to keep Minty under control as she continued to fight against them. Blue tried to climb down the stairs to reach her but now, the stairs were being lit to flames as the gas canister had lit up all the matches and allowed the rotten stair wood to catch fire. "Let go of me! Let me go!" Minty cried out, fighting tooth and nail in an attempt to escape their grasp. By now, one of them held both her front hooves down while another held her lower hooves. Minty continued to fight, eventually looking up at Blue who was now staring at her with tears in her eyes. Minty, while trying to escape the stallions, yelled out, "Run, Blue! Run!" Blue began to cry and held the knife even tighter. She felt her chest begin to hurt as she stared longer at the scene that was unfolding. Blue closed her eyes and raised the knife with one of her hooves, taking a stance. Minty stared on in horror, piecing what Blue was about to do almost instantly. "No! NO! Don't!" Minty cried out desperately, but it was too late. "LET HER GO!!" Blue yelled one last time. She charged and ran through the flames, burning the tops of her fur a bit. She yelled in pain but pursued as she jumped and fell onto one of the stallions, the knife digging into his back. He jolted in pain and stumbled backward as the knife got stuck inside of him. This gave Minty enough time to get up and fight back against the other stallion while the third went for Blue. Minty put all her willpower behind one punch and hit the stallion right on the chin, causing him to revolt in pain. Minty followed up with a quick buck and took this time to get up. Her heart was thumping in her throat as she got up. She pushed the stallion back, causing him to stumble and trip over. He collapsed onto an old cabinet that had a couple lit candles on it, making them fall on the ground onto the wooden floor. Minty turned to Blue's aggressor who was now attempting to choke Blue, yelling "DIE!" as he did so. Minty ran, pulling out the knife from the first stallion and driving it into Blue's aggressor. The knife went through his side and he revolted in pain, letting go of Blue. He did not fall like the others, instead, he pulled the knife out and stared at Minty. "You fucking brats, I don't care if you're an "example"! Die!" He yelled, slashing the knife upwards in an attempt to cut Minty. Minty braced for a blow that would never come, closing her eyes until she heard a thump to her right, and then she opened them again. She turned to her right and there she was, lying on her side with a hoof over her right eye. Blue had protected Minty at the expense of her necklace and eye. "O-Oh fuck." Stuttered the stallion as he stared at Blue. "What... have you...," Minty charged the stallion and yelled, "DONE!!" Her hooves grasped the knife and he grasped her throat. The two of them fought for a while until eventually Minty smacked the knife away and drove it into the neck of the stallion. She stood over him as he grabbed at his neck, desperately trying to cover it. Minty lifted the knife again and prepared to drive it into his chest. "RAAAAAGH!" Minty felt the sudden force of a mare hit her back. It was the mare that had run away earlier. Minty dropped the knife watched it slide into the now burning living room. She stumbled to get up and was quickly punched in the gut by the mare. Minty collapsed and gasped for a breath of air. Minty stared at the mare who was panting over her. Minty slowly tried to crawl away but the mare just kicked Minty onto her back and began to try and choke her. Minty slapped her hoof away but to no avail, another took its place. The mare forced her hoof down onto Minty's throat and firmly pressed. Minty began to writhe on the ground, kicking and flailing. Her mind began to go blank as air refused to enter her lungs. Her eyes grew teary and her ears pressed against her head. 'Am I going to die?' Minty wondered. Her mind began to race for any solution as her head grew foggy. 'I don't wanna die!' Minty shouted in her mind. She began to go limp and fight less. 'Please! Please don't let me die!' She yelled louder in her mind. Her movements slowly came to a halt, her eyes slowly beginning to close. 'I... still have to let Blue... know...' Her hooves slowly began to fall to her sides. BANG! BANG! BANG! The mare fell to the ground.
