The Journey From West Artax

The two mares continued walking through the town's lines of buildings; matching each others pace step for step amongst the cold morning air.

Breeze walked along absent-mindedly; paying more attention to the decrepit houses and shops around her, that held a abhorrent gloom that contrasted greatly against the soothing light the Sun had gifted upon it. Breeze carefully traced the remains of each building, although most of what was left was little more than rubble; She could faintly make out an aura of what each building was.

She found herself in awe of a runned down bakery that had a dusty teddy bear lying abandoned on it's mossy wood floor: perhaps a small foal had forgotten it once upon a time, just as the foal themself was forgotten by history many moons ago.

Breeze recentered her attention on the path as she rounded a corner with Butter Crème in tow; she stopped only briefly to take in what was left of the Town's Main square. looking over it she felt as though she could hear the faint laughter and cheer of the foregone inhabitants that were bastardized to time.

Breeze looked further into the town noticing the buildings beyond the square, and the decay they were in: the look of which in that moment seeming more as the result of a horror story with each building having windows broken or boarded up or doors broken down or sealed tight. Breeze's eyes danced to and fro with great horror: catching with each glance a new picturing of a lost soul or object that was abandoned in great strife. amongst the town she only seconds ago presumed full of laughter and cheer: she found it very clear that something malevolent happened here long ago.

In the middle of it all sat a broken fountain; the water in it somehow still flowing charismaticly. The slow pooling of water inside it carried an eerie flow of drips and drops into the somber silence of the town.

Butter Crème ran ahead, stopping next to the fountain, before giggling and tossing a single coin into it. She closed her eyes and sat over the fountain for a moment, before opening them and turning back to Breeze asking "Hey, Breeze? Want to make a wish"? Butter Crème giggled once more amongst the carrion that once was a town "I always love making wishes here: they feel so special." She said with her voice almost echoing in the silence.

Breeze stopped and stared at Butter Crème terrified, before turning back to look at where they had walked from: thinking back to the teddy bear and the foal who owned it; Breeze responded while taking a hesitant step away from Butter Crème "B-butter Crème...? W-what happened here? This place looks like it was ravaged."

Butter Crème who had held a smile throughout Breeze's questioning; now slowly dropped her childish grin, before looking down and continuing with a gutting sigh "I figured you would ask eventually. an elder of mine once told me a story of a magnificent town: a town named 'West Artax' that arose during the peak of Twilight Sparkle's reign over Equestria. All four races lived there so peacefully that the terms 'unicorn, pegasi, earth pony, and...' uh... oh dearie me I always forget the last one but either way; the names were almost lost to time."

Breeze stared in bemusement before interjecting "that was over a hundred years ago, what's that got to do with this town now"?

Butter Crème stared at her numbly before rolling her eyes and continuing "fine then, Breeze, I will skip over the boring parts for you. The peace continued for decades until one day: from over the west horizon came a mighty ruler. He demanded each pegasi give themselves up for his kingdom: demanding their wingpower for his military." Butter Crème suddenly stopped talking; carefully sitting down next to the fountain, before propping her back hooves up on its cold stone walls, and then laying her head on the grass path below, closing her eyes gently.

Breeze stared at Butter Crème in confusion: waiting for her to continue, but alas the mare watched as Butter Crème sat silently resting her head. She questioned "then what happened"?

Butter Crème opened one eye looking at Breeze, before laughing to herself and saying "they said yes, and the town did not like that"

Breeze looked at her with a showing frustration.

Butter Crème quit laughing and continued "well if you wanted details you should not have interrupted me, love". Butter Crème huffed slightly before mumbling off to herself "it is very rude you know"?

Breeze sighed and loosened her look of anger before continuing with slight frustration "I'm sorry, will you please tell me the rest of what happened".

Butter Crème smiled before sitting back up; carring her innocent demeanor back with it. "Shortly after Twilight's ruling ended in the civil war, it did not take long for the tension between the pony races to start rising here as well. as each generation passed, ponies grew more angry at each other. In the peak of the tension the foreign king arrived; demanding the pegasi fuel his army. The pegasi were very eager to join the king: due to the discrimination the unicorns had been placing upon them here, however the earth ponies were very unhappy about that since they paid the pegasi for their wing power: to use in their mill graining and powering their windmills, when alot of the pegasi left with the king, the earth ponies had barely anypony left to work those jobs, and as such blamed the unicorns for the absence of their pegasi workers. Soon after that began a hate group referred to as the 'Ponies Against Unicorns' or 'PAU' for short". Butter Crème's face turned to a look somberness as her eyes began wandering the town. She continued "what you see before you, is the result of a civil war that took place here many moons ago... I cannot say for sure how many innocent lives were lost, but the towns cemetery has been full ever since I could remember..." Butter Crème looked towards the ground with sadness.

Breeze felt the silent morning air pass between them as she stood in shock; never having heard anything about this town or any "civil war" it was involved in. In desperation for words to comfort Butter Crème: she looked over at a nearby storefront. In the display window sat stacks of toys placed neatly in rows of ten, each were now drenched in dust and rot. She flinched slightly as she imagined the yelling of foals in the street, the screams of ponies fighting their once friends, and the sound of mothers crying: soulfully begging for the mercy of their young. Breeze casted her gaze downward: seeing that there was not an ounce of comfort to be found in the town that surrounded her. She slowly turned back to look at Butter Crème before stating in an unsteady voice "B-butter Crème, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize this was such a sore topic for you. I'm sorry I was so pushy"

Butter Crème looked at Breeze empathetically before consoling her as well "It is quite alright, Breeze, History is r-really important. I am glad I got to tell you about it. Can- can we get going now"? Butter Crème sniffled slightly as she wiped her eyes.

Breeze walked up to Butter Crème before warmly saying "Of course we can, Daisy, come on"

Butter Crème looked at Breeze bewildered for a moment, before questioning "Daisy"?

Breeze blushed a bit, before laughing nervously saying "I just thought it was a cute little nickname, I mean, I saw your cutiemark and just thought- uh I'll just call you 'Butter Crème' if that's weird".

Butter Crème carefully looked at the Beeze's nervousness, before smiling and laughing "I think it is quite a cute little nickname" Butter Crème paused her laughter for a second before questioning "wait, If you are trying to give me a nickname...? Does- does that mean that you want to be friends"?!

Breeze helped Butter Crème to her hooves before responding "I don't see why not? you seem like a great pony to be friends with. Also, I'm sorry, but Butter Crème is just way too long", Breeze said with a benevolent giggle.

Butter Crème's face lit up with excitement as she quickly began prancing around; letting out a happy squeal. Suddenly Butter Crème landed in front of Breeze with a gracious thwomp, before stating "Oh my I have never had a friend before! This is so cool! And my first friend is a pegasus! Oh my celestia! I may faint!"

Breeze rolled her eyes, before hugging Butter Crème gently with one of her wings and giggling out "you're just about as hyper as my sister". Breeze relinquished the embrace and began walking again, before turning back to Butter Crème with a smile "now come on, let's get moving, I don't want to ruin the moment, but uh... West Artax makes me feel really uncomfortable".

Butter Crème watched as Breeze continued to canter off, before gathering herself and beginning to follow after her; stopping briefly to turn back to the fountain and whisper a happy "thank you", and then running to catch up to Breeze.

Breeze continued walking the path; as she did she exited the town into a grassy field. With Butter Crème following close behind her. She soon found herself walking into the lair of a woodland treeline that once appeared to her ages ago on the outskirts of West Artax.

The forest's outline presented itself with an utmost ethereal mist: The mist danced circles around each tree, flirting along with each of their movements, and shifting ghastfully around the two ponies as it floated to the ground.

Breeze swallowed deeply: trying to hide her fear, while also trying to simultaneously fall back to Butter Crème's side: who was carring on seemingly carefree. Breeze sheepishly turned to Butter Crème as she began walking next to her. Breeze spoke quietly to Butter Crème fearful of something hearing her "B-Butter Crème? I know I kinda sound like a broken record here, but this place is terrifying. Do- do you always walk home this way?"

Butter Crème swallowed deeply: trying to hide her fear, while also trying to hold a warm smile as they walked "of course, it is the quickest way, and besides it is not too bad". Butter Crème giggled slightly and added "trust me, love. it is more bark than bite. I have been coming through these woods ever since I was a filly".

Breeze stared at Butter Crème for a moment, before continuing on in silence. Inside her head unsatisfactory thoughts brewed relentlessly: telling her to run, fly, and get away from that forest no matter what, but something in her gut told her to stay, that "it was okay", "she was on the right path", and "just keep going". A gut feeling was something she never doubted in her whole life, and somehow she felt safe amongst the horrific forest: secure next to Butter Crème. The only time prior she truly felt that way was in the company of her sister: who was always the more brave one. Breeze watched Butter Crème's smile as she walked through the woods. Butter Crème's smile seemed so charismatic, she practically glowed amongst the dreary surroundings the forest offered.

Breeze marveled at Butter Crème's bravery; she seemed so fearless. It was like a beam of warm light casted down on her, and with it, it carried every feeling of delight: more precious than that of the sweetest cupcake or the most brilliant night sky. Her presence felt almost like that of a guardian angel.

Breeze watched, Butter Crème, so enthralled with her radiance, that she failed to notice her sheepish posture relax into that of a skip: that followed suit with Butter Crème's happy cantering. Her frown vanished into a happy smile, and with it all her worries vanished: a feeling akin to some kind of fairytale.

Butter Crème looked back at Breeze; seeing her smiling happily behind her. She turned back forward with an even brighter smile as she cantered along. Butter Crème was very happy to have helped Breeze's fear, even if she herself was a little afraid going through the woods: she didn't want to scare off her first real friend, that wasn't just a flower or an old librarian.

Butter Crème found herself distracted as she continued along: memories of her foalhood flashed in her head. She remembered getting lost in these very woods for hours, the endless nightmares she had as a foal of the countless monsters that inhabited the forest around her: Although all but any of those monsters were real. She found it hard to sway such strong thoughts of terror. Again she looked back at Breeze, who was happily skipping beside her along the path: the sight of which offered an undescribable comfort upon her.

Breeze noticed Butter Crème staring at her and questioned "what's up?"

Butter Crème laughed slightly before saying hesitantly "oh um... well you seem happy"

Breeze embarrassingly slowed her skip down to a walk; more like that of an old mare on the way to a knitting circle, before laughing awkwardly "yeah... just uh... felt like skipping I guess"

Butter Crème laughed a little bit "Oh yeah? Well how bout this?" Butter Crème smiled a devious grin before saying "I bet you cannot catch me!" and running off

Breeze watched as Butter Crème ran off shouting in shock "W-wait"! She continued watching Butter Crème vanish into the mist that layered over the path in front of her, before rolling her eyes and chasing after her.

Breeze eventually caught up with Butter Crème, who was now wheezing in front of an old looking cottage that was covered in moss and dust. Breeze stopped to catch her own breath for a moment before walking up to Butter Crème and saying "what the hell is wrong with you! I could've got lost"!

Butter Crème continued to wheeze before saying back "but I won though... slowpoke" she giggled slightly.

Breeze stared down at Butter Crème angrily saying no more than "really...?" followed by a slight huffing noise.

Butter Crème looked away shyly before whispering "s- sorry, I will not do that again".

Breeze sighed before rolling her eyes and saying "It's fine, come on, let's just go inside".

Butter Crème smiled and said "allow me to welcome you to my cozy little home". She eagerly opened the door and led Breeze into the cottage, stopping only once to place the key into the door handle.