Chapter 1: Top of the Hill
Setting: Ruby's smithy workshop / home. Late afternoon.
Showanne Telle gazed out the shop window with unseeing eyes. She might have been a statue, austere in the shifting orange glow of molten metal; the revery of her flesh betrayed only by a twitch of the ear making time with each strike of Ruby’s hammer. The moments were lived as millennium, each punctuated by meaningless ticks on the celestial clock, but even an eternity comes to an end. The yawning maw of reality consumed her too quickly to react; Showanne could only stare petrified into its belly as the cacophony of her thoughts were replaced with Ruby’s sweet voice. Her head snapped towards the diminutive mare like a steel spring.
How long has she been talking? “Excuse me?”
Ruby was peering up at Showanne through an intricate web of iron with a weary look of resignation. “I asked if you were going to Canterlot with those friends of yours.” Her horn flashed, and in a moment the thin tendrils of metal slapped against the spear she had been shaping, wrapping the hilt in an ornate pattern, and producing a deafening pop.
Showanne couldn’t help but jump a little at the display. “Heh, jealous are we?” Grinning, Showanne slid out the alcove, adrenaline seeping into her hooves as they moved toward Ruby. “Would you rather I stayed here with you, my little pony?” She cooed, reaching over the hot tools to stroke the mare's cheek. It's none of your business twerp.
A dangerous light flickered behind Ruby’s eyes as she cast her magic about the room; The spear snapped back and was quenched in a nearby trough; The anvil between them sped blindingly fast to the side, and was hurtled into a storage place; disappearing almost without sound, the evidence of her work collapsed into the nooks and crannies of her workshop more quickly than seemed possible.
As quickly as they had arose the flames in those orbs were extinguished, the powerful unicorn tilted her head into Showanne's still outstretched hoof. “No.” Ruby might have felt a tremble as she nuzzled the stiffly held limb. “I'm just worried about you; you've always been like a sister to me.”
Showanne's smile faded, forced back by the wild beating of her own heart. Perhaps it isn't wise tease some ponies. She didn't know quite what happened to Ruby's sister Garnet, and neither did any-pony else, but Showanne could not bear to retreat from the blacksmith, from any pony.
She sat on her haunches instead, throwing her withers back in a gesture that looked far more relaxed than it felt. “Worried,” the word tasted like bile, “what could happen?”
A shadow of regret flickered across the small ponies face, “Why would they take you Anne?” and was replaced quickly with an accusing look. “You are an insufferable harpy; No-pony could take friendship with you seriously, so why are you putting your neck out?”
Surprise and anger welled up in Showanne's chest; she barked a hollow laugh. “Says the Orphan creep.” She leaned into the words. “How could you ever pretend to know what goes on in another ponies head? You just sit on your flank all day making shoes and shiny toys for the 'Royal Guard!'” You’re pushing it Showanne... “and worried? Please, you would rather us all dead if you could feed your little sociopath stomach. You're just jealous that I have...”
Ice water filled her gut as her eyes registered what she saw then. A quivering lip; moisture in the eyes; Ruby's body vibrated with intensity. Showanne could only watch in abject horror as the tiny unicorn shook on the spot, their eyes locked in a battle of wills of which neither side knew the objective.
I wonder if they'll find my body... Showanne willed her mouth shut.
***
The ordinarily calm plain of Ruby's thoughts had become a turbulent sea. She forced down on the innumerable waves with all the fortitude of her will, pressing the ocean into a degenerate sheet of obsidian; around her swam a thousand tons of earth and metal, screaming, pleading that Ruby should let go, that she should let the obsidian flex and shatter, that they should quench another thirst.
She stood rooted to the spot, staring into the deep blue pools of Showanne's eyes; every muscle was clenched in her struggle for control. She would not move, would not breath, until the tide had subsided. Time compressed as her mind was deprived of oxygen, and suddenly the pressure seemed to disappear; the last thing Ruby noticed before she hit the ground was that every metal object in the shop had stopped rattling in their hideaways. When did they even start?
***
Sensation seeped back into Ruby's world; the sounds of the void were overtaken with the pounding of drums; the earth rushed up and caught her, dragging pins and neetles across her rump; most unsettling of all were the whispers; curses, grunts, and questions that fell into the gaps between drum-beats.
She soon became conscious that she was being dragged. Peeling her eyelids open, a shadow of vision returned; Ruby mumbled a question at the amorphous shape that pulled her “why wont you-” she had trouble controlling her tongue “-show me...” The shape stopped, and in a moment was upon her, wrapping her in a long silky embrace.
“You're alive!” Memories of the day fell into back into place, replacing Ruby's disorientation; suddenly she was all to aware that she was outside and Showanne was laughing hysterically into her shoulder.
The larger pony convulsed as each mirthless hiccough wracked her body; Gradually the caricature of joy gave way to heavy sobs. Ruby wrapped her hooves around Showanne's neck. “I'm ok, Its ok.” What did I do... what do I do? Never since foal-hood had she been embraced, and further then before she had wished to return one.
Showanne mutely enveloped the unicorn in a cocoon of lilac fur; there in the lengthening shadow of the smithy the two mares let time slip away.
***
Ruby stared at the constellations with unseeing eyes. Long ago had been forgotten the heavy breaths softly rising with her own; The obnoxious green mane ticking her nose. An errant moment had consumed her mind, and no kick came to move it aside.
That is until Showanne shifted her weight, raising her head to speak. “I don't expect them to care.” She make a dismissive gesture with her hoof, “They just pity me, the stupid foals.” Her brow made soft furrows as she made eye contact with Ruby, “I never expected you too either.”
“You aren't invincible Anne.” Showanne twitched involuntarily as if struck. “Please move.” The larger pony looked confused for a moment, and with realization quickly scrambled off the unicorn with a small grin.
“Sorry, I didn't notice you down there.” The walls rose higher as Showanne regained her composure.
Ruby rose to her hooves. Something more had to be said, “I don't want them to hurt you.” This is absurd, she'll never listen “You-”
A hoof interrupted her mouth. “I know Ruby.” Showanne's expression betrayed the emotions of a more delicate mare. “I will get hurt...“ Her face contorted as if she was lifting twice her weight in stone. “but I know I'll always have a mare with impenetrable armor; to stand behind.” Showanne clumsily knocked her head into Ruby's in what might have been a nuzzle before galloped off into the darkness; leaving the Blacksmith standing in the night.
For the first time she could remember, Ruby smiled alone into the darkness. Not caring that there was no-pony there to see it.
