The Life of Handsome Bowtie

Sunlight poured through the hole in the ceiling, shining on my face. I moaned and rolled over onto my back, staring up through the hole. The fire died a few hours ago, I assumed, and Silver's bed was... empty. I lowered my shield.

"Silver!? Where'd you go?" Maybe another bathroom break, come to think of it I really had to relieve myself as well. I went where Silver wandered off. Right as I rounded the corner I spotted a stone figure of a small pony. Hmm that's an odd place to put a statue. I walked over to the peculiarly placed statue. It looked just like Silver... no, there was a skittering sound behind me, No, the skittering drew closer.

"NO!" I whipped around thrusting my hoof out smashing a cockatrice in the face. I could feel its beak shatter against my hoof. Blood splattering my entire foreleg, the cockatrice laid out sprawled on the floor. It quickly rose up and started to flap its wings. "Oh no you don't!" I said menacingly. I put a barrier around the monster and threw it towards myself. I released it from the barrier then I smashed my hoof into its neck making it viciously slam into the ground with a sickening crunch. It was bleeding profusely most of it was on my hooves and face. It again tried to escape but I trapped it in another shield lifting it high up in the air then rapidly dropping throwing it across the room quickly dispelling the shield it crashed into my saddlebag shattering a few bones. One of which pierced through its thick hide gushing out blood. I then picked it up with yet again another shield but this time I floated it in front of Silver. It tried to claw its way out, but to no avail. "Now then your going to turn my friend back to normal OR I could just crush you into little pieces." I said this without looking at the cockatrice's eyes. I turned to look at Silver, he was still stone, "Alright then have it your way." I started to shrink the shield around the cockatrice. It squawked frantically, trying to escape its prison of death. "How about you reconsider my offer and I'll even let you go free." With that I drastically shrunk the shield and almost immediately it started to reverse its curse on Silver. Within a few moments Silver was back to normal. "Thanks," I smirked, "now to hell with you." I shrunk the shield to the point where the cockatrice's bone's split simultaneously tearing open the thick hide turning it into a magical ball filled with blood guts and broken bones. I laughed at the final screech of the beast. I have no clue what came over me, but I just found the whole ordeal funny. I lifted the sphere of blood and guts outside of the ruins so Silver wouldn't have to see.

"Ugh," Silver rubbed his head, "What happened?"

"You got frozen by a cockatrice," he laughed, "very mature," I responded, "I saved you."

"I guess I can forgive you for the bridge thing now. What happened to the, um, what was it called again?"

"The cockatrice?" He laughed again, why does a colt of his age even know what that word is? Unless he's laughing because of something else, I patted him on the head and said, "The monster is in a better place." I didn't want to tell him I just killed the monster in a blind rage.

"Why didn't you kill it?" What? Well I already decided to lie about killing it.

"Well, um... I promised it I wouldn't kill it if it changed you back."

"You should have killed it." What in the hay? He's probably pissed about almost being dead.

"Are you feeling well?" I asked.

"Yeah now that I'm not made of stone."

"Good because we should go now, so we can leave this forsaken place." I levitated Silver onto my back and went to retrieve our stuff. We... well I was making good distance. Hopefully we could get to Dodge City by the end of the day, or at least outside of this forest. We left the ruins going in the opposite direction of the canyon. We were both quiet for a while, but Silver eventually broke the silence.

"Soo... could you tell me about your family?" Silver asked.

"May I ask why you want to know?"

"Jus' wondering."

"Oh, well waddaya want to know?"

"Anything really," That's helpful, I thought sarcastically, "what are they like?"

"Well my filly, Ember, is a very energetic and curios little foal. She loves to lie on my back, she says it's really comfy."

"It is." Silver confirmed snuggling himself into my back.

"My wife, Sundance, is more beautiful than Princess Celestia herself," Well she is to me. Please Celestia don't strike me with a lighting bolt or whatever it is you do, "she's kind, caring, and sometimes over emotional. I'll probably end up getting a whack across the face if I were to keep a secret from her." I chuckled.

"I thought you said she is kind."

"She is, and over emotional, but it's understandable. I know she loves me more than I love her, which I find hard to believe." We continued our conversation for a while until all the trees just abruptly stopped and a desert stood before us.

"Is that it over there?" Silver pointed to a series of buildings.

"I think it is." I stood there a while staring at the buildings.

"Well? Are we gonna go?" I realized that with deserts there most likely wouldn’t be water.

"We're gonna have to get water."

"Do we have something to carry it in?"

"Yeah the canteen, remember?"

"Oh yeah. I gave you some water with it when you were freak'in out." Yeah don't remind me. I pulled out the canteen and noticed a crack in it.

"Shi- shoot." I exclaimed. Must have happened when I threw the cockatrice into my saddlebag.

"What?"

"It's cracked." I responded grumpily.

"Well what now?"

"Uhh... we can make something?" I said not to reassuringly," I think there's a river nearby." I could partially hear the trickling of water some distance away. "Come on lets go." As we walked, I went through countless was of how we could carry the water. Maybe some sort of bowl made out of leaves? It was a stupid idea, but it was the best I had. We reached the river with ease. I looked around for some leaves that could be strong enough to make a bowl. "Silver help me look for something to make some sort of bowl."

"Kay." He looked low while I looked high. Nothing.

"Silver you got anything?" I guess I could carve one out of a tree, but that would take too much time.

"Mhmf." He said with a mouthful of flowers. Good, sort of. I guess if we could fashion these into a bowl I would have to waste my time carving a bowl.

"Ok how do you propose we turn these into a bowl, type thing?"

"Welf ifs very ethsy-" I pulled the flowers out of his mouth.

"Come again?"

"We just have to weave them." Because I do know how to weave, I rolled my eyes. Silver noticed and took the flowers and began to work as I watched intently. After a few minutes he was done with a makeshift bowl.

"Amazing," I was astounded, "how did you know how to do that?"

"My teacher taught us." How convenient, now lets see if it works. I levitated it over to the river and scooped out a large amount of water. It works!

"Well done Silver." He beamed with joy, "Let's get a drink before we go." We both gulped down some of the river water, it did not taste good, but we drank anyways, "Ready to go?"

"Yup!" Silver happily hopped up onto my back, I sighed, "What? I'm kinda tired." Sure.

"It's not that. It's just that this has been one long and tiring journey," I responded, "I just want to get this done with." We reached where we left off. The desert sand was dry and hot.

"Well that's not a good attitude. You should try to have fun with what you're doing!"

"Fun?" I scoffed, "I'll try to remember that when I'm being torn to shreds."

"Waddaya mean?" Oh shit, that's right, I haven't told him the whole story.

"Oh nothing." I know that I'll end up telling him anyways. I can't keep any secrets like I could before.

"Come on~. Tell me!" He whinnied.

"You don't need to know."

"Pwease~?" Well I have already told him most of my life why not this. Plus I have already told him that Sundance and Ember were foalnapped. I guess I didn't say why Fancy Pants was after me or that it was Fancy Pants who was after me. Ha! I knew I'd tell him. I shook my head shamefully.

"Fine, but I'm going to shorten it up. Basically, when I was younger, I made a bet and lost everything. I went into hiding eventually met my wife and had a foal. I assumed that the bet was forgotten, so I thought we could move into town from the Everfree Forest. We got ambushed and Fancy Pants took my family. And now I have to go kill a dragon, named Xorthaul Yinarri, for him to repay my debt." We walked in silence, me in my self-pity and Silver just silently lying on my back.

"I'm sorry I asked," Silver finally spoke up, "I didn't know."

"Well that would be odd if you did know," I said jokingly, "and don't blame yourself, it's not your fault." I magically ruffled his hair. We continued our walk. It was still early in the morning and we covered a fair amount of ground. Silver was now walking beside me. So much for being tired. We stopped to rest and drink what was left of the water. The sun evaporated most of it.

"What are we going to do when we get to Dodge City?" Silver asked.

"Well I am going to the Badlands, but you are going to have to find a place to stay."

"All by myself?!" He sounded shocked.

"No, I'll find you one." He looked extremely saddened by this.

"Why can't I go with you?" His eyes started to tear up. Stay strong Bowtie.

"Because it's going to be dangerous and I want you safe."

"So.. you're leaving me." He sniffled.

"Nonono, not exactly. I will be leaving you, after I find you a place to stay, and if I can deal with this dragon and live I'll come back for you." I tousled his hair. He backed away annoyed, I guess I have been messing with his hair a lot.

"How can I know you will come back." He said even more teary eyed now.

"I promise I will."

"But-"

"Silver. I promised. I never break a promise." He was still sniffling, but seemed a little at ease, "Now lets get moving." We continued towards the city, Silver was being all mopey. I didn't like to see him like that, so I tried to cheer him up, but to no avail. I stopped trying after a while, I wish I could bring him with me, I truly did, but I knew he would be in danger and a danger himself. It was getting hotter and we needed to get to the town soon. Both Silver and I were sweating and panting lightly.

"Silver why don't you hop up onto my back, so you can rest." He didn't say anything, but still hopped up onto my back with a sigh. His added body heat didn't help, but I had to remain strong so he didn't have to. We were a few kilometers away, I could already see the city full of ponies doing their daily chores and what not. I wonder if I could find somepony to foster Silver for a little while. As we neared the city, I noticed the differences between the ponies here from the ponies in Ponyville. For one many of them were wearing clothing, mostly hats, vests and dresses, whereas in Ponyville barely anypony was wearing anything.

"Howdy 'ere!" A voice appeared out of nowhere. Scaring me shitless.

"Gah!" I yelled turning to see a light gray, wrinkly, old pegasus stallion. He was wearing a brown vest with a ridiculously oversized cowpony hat. He laughed at my reaction with a raspy laugh.

"Ah guess ah scared ya 'ere. Ah'm the mayor 'round these here parts." He said vigorously shaking my hoof, he stopped, but my hoof was still doing the motions until Silver hopped off my back and embarrassedly stopped my hoof. "Well who's this lil' fella?" He must of not noticed Silver before.

"Oh, um this is Silver Rock." I was still stunned by the mayor's abrupt arrival.

"Wat a cute lil' foal, is he yer colt?" Silver blushed a little.

"Uh no, he isn't." I'd rather not explain Silver's traumatic experience in front of him. The mayor was looking at me with a slightly disgusted look. I moved over close to him and whispered what happened to Silver, so I didn't look like a foalnapper. His face just looked grim, he simply nodded his understanding.

"So wat brings y'all ta Dodge City?" He started to walk into the city, Silver and I followed.

"Well I'm here just for a short while. I need to find a place for Silver to stay while I'm gone. I also need supplies."

"Ah know a wonderful place will'in ta take 'im in, but it's gon' cost ya." Well shit.

"Yeah we don't have any money." I half chuckled rubbing the back of my head.

"Ah see," he said stroking his chin, "how about ya stop by mah office, ah reckon we c'n work somethin' out." What a nice offer, "Fer now make yerselves comfortable, meet some of the town folk an' meet me in mah office in about an hour." He flapped his wings and flew off. Amazing he can still fly, I could only assume his age, so maybe he is younger or I just assume all old ponies are frail weaklings. Silver and I went around the city talking to ponies, they all had a similar accent to the mayor. Some worse than others to the point where I could just simile and nod. A few of them were shocked that I didn't have a cutie mark, but the majority of them didn't say anything. Silver was still mopey when it was time to go find the mayor and talk about our deal. I walked up to a middle-aged mare.

"Um excuse me? Can you tell me where the mayor's office is?"

"Why ah sure could darlin'!" She responded happily. She just sat there with a blank stare on her face.

"Well? Are you going to tell me?"

"Oh sure, it's right o'er 'ere." She pointed to a building that looked somewhat like a bar. It had two young mares dressed in seductive looking dresses that put far to much emphasis on their flanks.

"Thanks," I said rolling my eyes. I don't think she noticed, "Come on Silver lets go." Silver still wouldn't respond to anything anypony said, "Come on Silver cheer up." Still nothing. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't hug him and it seemed impossible to comfort him. Whatever I give up for now. Silver and I walked into the bar. The shades on the windows were closed but they let through strips of light. I could see the dust floating around in front of my face. There was the main bar to the left and on the right side there was a tall sickly yellow pony playing the piano. There were also more young mares dancing up on a stage dressed even more revealing then the mares outside. Multiple stallions were surrounding each dancer throwing bits up on the stage. One of them noticed me looking at her and blew me a kiss and started doing a very seductive dance. I felt my face getting red hot and immediately looked away. I should not have brought Silver here. I had to crank his head away from the attention of the dancers so he didn't get mentally scarred. He was curious as to why they were dressed like that. I chose to ignore his persistent questions and go find the mayor. I spotted the mayor sitting at the front table chugging an alcoholic cider.

"Pretty nice office you got here." I went up to him and touched his shoulder. He jerked away spastically looking frightened.

"Oh. Yea. My real office is up 'ere." He pointed up past the balcony to a room, "Must o' lost track o' time" His accent wasn't what it was before and his voice wasn't raspy anymore. Strange, I thought

"You do'in alright?"

"Yea, yea. Now then let me first buy y'all a drink." He waved his hoof and the bartender slid three mugs full of alcoholic cider our way. Silver was just about to take a drink before I swiped the drink away from him.

"Uh don't you have something non-alcoholic for the colt." The bartender slid down what looked like regular cider, but the differences between alcoholic and non-alcoholic cider were so subtle. I skeptically gave Silver the mug and allowed him to drink. The mayor chugged his down immediately, while I was just measly sipping mine. It tasted great except for the horrid after taste it left. It went from a sweet taste of a ripe apple to a sour rotten apple dipped in alcohol.

"Now about our deal. I'll set ya up with supplies and a free hotel room fer yer foal," He's not my foal, "if you agree to do what ah say. 'Ere's been some strange occurrences down in the ol' coal mine and ah want ya to investigate." I didn't like the sounds of that.

"What do you mean strange occurrences?"

"Anypony who was work'in in the mine would disappear and some foals went miss'in an' they were last seen near that mine."

"Why can't somepony else do it?" Not that I was afraid or anything.

"They're all pussies," Right in front of the colt. Nice, "Even our strongest stallions fear that place."

"Ok. Well I basically have no choice, so I'll do it." We shook hooves and Silver and I left the bar. Avoiding the attention of the attractive mares. Ok this I cannot tell Sundance about. She'd kill me, even if I weren’t purposely looking. I wasn't, was I? I looked back at the mares in the front. I cranked my head back shaking my head vigorously. I was a bit dizzy from drinking not even an eighth of the alcoholic cider. "You want to go with me into the mines?" I asked Silver. It probably wasn't the safest thing to do, but I was hoping it would cheer him up. He just glumly nodded his head in agreement, I rolled my eyes. "Then lets go Mr. Mopey. To the haunted mines!" I tried to do in a funny voice and enthusiastic tone.