Eraser

Thunders clash and rain drops down the stained glass window of a purple alicorn and her five friends. And on the other side, that same alicorn stood and glared at the somber weather.

Her mane was lustrous, black, and long, with a strip of purple that waved slowly in the wind. She was bigger and wider than any other pony, with horns longer than unicorns and wings wider than pegasi; she was genuinely more majestic than the others.

Knock,knock. The sound came from the door on the farthest side of her chamber, where two guards are stationed and await her orders to welcome the would-be knocker.

"Enter..." she calmly asked.

The guards bowed their heads and did as they're told.

And on the other side of the door, another guard was there, holding a scroll, and hurriedly delivered the letter to her.

He bowed, "Princess Twilight Sparkle. News from Neighpony. They request our assistance on a joint search on Prancific Ocean as two ships have gone missing from the storm. One is from a cargo ship heading to Saddle Arabia, and the other... is from General Storm Bringer." The guard was doubtful at the letter, not sure if there was a mistake or typo.

This also caught the alicorn princess's interest.

"General Storm Bringer, a powerful unicorn who can control the weather, was taken out by a storm, you say?" The alicorn asked, questioning if what she heard from the guard was correct.

The guard looked at the letter once more. "Yes, ma'am." He was confused as well.

The alicorn's head was filled with doubt. "When did this happen?" she asked.
.
"This was sent by dragon breath princess." He bowed.

"Recently then, probably a day or week? No. Perhaps it has something to do with her." The princess's mood gloomed.

"That fool."

The elegant Alicorn stood up and went to her table. There, she wrote a letter and burned it with her magic, where its dust began to glow and zoomed out of the window. "I have sent our air force the details and is heading there right away. Please inform our navy and the ports of Equestria."

The guard saluted and quickly left the room.

She then approached one of the guards in her room, "You, call in General Gallus and Star Seeker Smolder. We have to show our support to Neighpony. Three fleets would do."

"As you command, princess," one of the guards left, leaving only one to guard the room.

"A message to my niece perhaps. Handling Equestria for a week shouldn't be a problem for her, right?" She asked the lone guard, who just shrugged at her question.

"Hmm..." the princess was a bit displeased by his reply.

She then waited patiently once more at her window, where a jet stream of rainbow color can be seen, destroying the bad weather and leaving a trail of clear sky as it passed by.

______________

The calming winds blow as the birds chirp on the fields, the grass as green as it can be, while the trees tower and give shade to the ones who need it. And there on a path walks a lone dark figure, ruining the scene.

A pony who wears all-black attire is tired and sweating.

"Damn it." She frustratingly huffed and puffed as she struggled to travel along this peaceful road. The sun, although not as hot as Zebrabwe, was more humid, and the breeze was strong enough to drag her behind because of her clothes.

She then rests at the side of the road, where a giant tree helps and comforts her from the sun's strong rays.

She began removing her black cloak and veil and removed some of her heavy clothing, revealing her white silky body, and shiny black mane.

"I feel stupid for wearing this."

Now bothered on what to do with her clothes, she knows that this attire was not suited in Equestria, particularly in the day as it was humid.

While she rested, she pondered over what to do with these clothes, as carrying them would be a burden.

The black cloak and veil would be important for her in the night, in case she needed to sneak, but her navy suit would just way her down, and she decided to leave it beside the tree. Now all that's left is her white sleeveless undershirt and refreshing black navy shorts that easily let in the breeze.

She looked at her clothes that she left once more, reminiscing about the days she had with them, and gave her final farewell as she continued on her journey.

Now she was lighter and more relaxed; no need for heavy clothes as the sun does not bite, and the insects here are no pest. The breeze does not drag her any more, as it aids her with its calm and gentle touch. A smile can be seen in her face, but that would not last as her past would bother her once more.

Her once jolly skip through the path became heavy and dragging. Her face began to sour, and her breathing started sighing. This must be some trick to lower her guard once more and regret her actions later on, just like last time. She does not want to be tricked again.

She will not be tricked again.

Her eyes frowned once more as she concentrated her mind that the past is gone and you have learned what the true world is. Don't be a fool, Kesu, or you'll repeat your mistakes, she chanted in her mind.

But soon enough, a fork on the road would stop the mulling unicorn.

Just up ahead, if she continued north,
A sign presented itself. "Welcome to: San Palomino Desert! 100 km: Somnambula."
And in the distance, no trees can be seen, only the yellow scorching sands.

And at her right, a path heading through a forest where a sign of a red X mark presented itself.

The forest was a no-go for her, as she'd probably just get lost there. While the path going north has a village waiting for her.

Seeing her attire, she knows she's screwed when the sun is this high, so she waited for it to sink down from the ground. She perched at the nearest tree and decided to rest because once the sun had started to sink down, she had to run as fast as she could to Somnambula, as the night of the desert is much harsher than the day, as its cold grip does not relent and is more brutal.

___________________

Knock, knock.

"Brother, I came to give you your meal."

"Here in my room? Surely I can get if fer m'self, i ain't that old, ya know?" he replied.

"Just let me in already."

And so the brother entered the room.

" So there be a reason for this then? Spill it."

The brother gave him a scroll.

He looked at the scroll and back to his brother, giving him a confused look.

"It's from the princess."

"I see..." He grabs the scroll and slowly reads it.

A hint of worry and a heavy burden can be seen and felt by the captain as he read what the princess asked for his brother.

"You sure am supposed ta read this, brother?" he asked.

"I did say I'd protect you, brother."

He'd then return the scroll by tapping it directly to his brother's chest.

"No need ta be worried; there were no unicorns aboard ma ship. You can check the rest of me crew."

"And what of eraser?" he asked worriedly. "She might not take this lightly; in fact, she might take it violently."

"True, which is good that she left."

"What, when!? No... Where did she go? She couldn't have gone far."

"Why chase her brother? She is not wanted by the princess. It's clear she was looking for a unicorn. Ya seen her already, right? She has no horn."

"True. Well then, if this did not bother you, then I guess my worries were for not." He took the scroll back.

"No, but thanks fer the heads up, brother."

"A pleasure." The brother left the room so he could eat his meal at peace.

" Hmm... A decision needs to be made."

____________

Blinding white light can be seen in the black, wide sky as the moon shines brightly at the cold and harsh desert. And at the spec of it all was Kesu, running for her life.

"Damn. It. This. Is. Not! One. Hun-dred. KL-OM-E-TRS!!!"

Eventually she'd see the light on the dark horizon ahead of her.

Slam! Kesu rammed herself inside the bar and tripped herself. Everyone there was shocked and scared at who was the one who made the commotion, but eventually turned to worry as it was just a mare.

Cold and tired, Kesu could barely stand up. But luckily the ponys there were kind and helped her up.

"Quickly, the poor thing is shivering!" They placed her in a seat and gave her a warm soup and blanket.

A mare that tended her noticed the state she was in and scolded her. "What were you thinking running at night at the dessert with that kind of outfit? Not only that, you looked like ya ran nonstop. If you were ill prepared on going through the desert, it would've been best that you've headed back than gamble your life just to get here." The mare frowned.

"Thanks for the worry, Miss, but I have my own situations."

The mare looked at her curiously, looking at her closely and squinting partially. "I, see..."

She didn't like how the mare particularly took her curiosity towards her and was set aback a bit, forcing her to distance her face from hers as it got close. "Anyway... what's in it for you for asking too much about a stranger such as myself?" She glared.

"Well, I happen to be the innkeeper here. So I can say if you can stay or not in my establishment, STRANGER."

"Oh." Her attitude and tone turned a 380, and she became more respectable to the innkeeper. "Forgive my manners, ma'am. I'm just a wanderer and wasn't prepared for a desert to be in my way, and I couldn't afford to turn back because... I got nowhere to turn back to, to be honest." She explained.

"Well then, it looks like you can cooperate after all. Now that's said and done, I may be kind, but you can't stay for free here, vagabond. But seeing your ordeal, you'd either pay up to stay here or work here to stay." She then presented her hooves to her, gesturing to pay up.

She looked at her hooves and back to her face. " Seriously?"

" MMM."

Kesu pondered over this as she can easily pay for her stay, but she doesn't have unlimited wealth and would soon dry up. Rest and waste money, or save and earn a bit of bits before leaving?

She took a bit of time before answering, "I ain't saying I'm poor, but work would help dearly to me."

And with that answer, she quickly grabbed her hooves, "Good to hear! We actually need the extra hoof, you see." She then drags Kesu to the second floor and into her room. She was shocked and taken aback that she could only go with her flow.

"Here's your room, miss. Now have a goodnight sleep coz tomorrow we'd be working! Details will be given to you tomorrow, bye!"

Slam!

The door closed at her back as the innkeeper left.

"Damn Wench didn't even wait for me to finish my soup."

"Yup, she could be pretty much up your rear in a second, I tell ya," a voice of a mare could be heard in front of her.

https://www.deviantart.com/kujamih09/art/Bluebell-the-red-mage-1127125996

She then tensed up as she was caught by surprise.
"Oh! Sorry, i didn notice you there for a secnd, um, roomy?"

"Just call me Bluebell, Roomy." The mare then came out of her bed and revealed that she was a red unicorn with a white mane.

"Oh, uh... I see your parents have a nack of, um, giving names to their foals, yes?"

"They named me based on the plant they like, okay?" The mare answered, unamused.

"Oh? Ah, yes. Sorry, I still don't get it."

"Well... Roomy, I've pretty much introduced myself to you; how bout a name there partner?"

"Yeah, right..." She somehow didn't wish to give her name, but the last thing she needs is an awkward situation with the pony she'd be sharing a room with for probably more than a day.

"It's... Eraser."

"And you call my name weird."

"Hey, it's because of my cutie mark!" She then showed her rear, and there, a rectangular, pinkish thing can be seen, resembling an eraser.

" We'll that was lucky. Imagine if you're cutie mark WASN'T an eraser." She shrugged.

Kesu would try to comment on that but she'd eventually pause and ponder on that too. How did they know?

"Well, buddy of mine, its time we get some Zeez as we have a long day tomorrow, gnight!" The mare quickly hoped back in her bed and tucked herself in, leaving Kesu confused and bothered.

"Uhm, goodnight?" She too would follow suit; putting her things down and go to bed as she pondered about home, her mother, and her father, eventually dreaming of the past that she wished she could have.