The Trials Of Misfortune

Puddles 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."