Lessons in the Dark

Chapters

Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X
Chapter XI
Chapter XII
Chapter XIII

Chapter I

“Alright, my little ponies! I think it’s time for recess.” No sooner had the words left Cheerilee’s mouth, than the uproar of scraping chairs and the excited clamor of young fillies and colts filled her ears. The purple mare smiled as she watched her pupils scurry out of the classroom towards the playground.

Though she loved everything about teaching, nothing in Cheerilee’s profession was a greater reward than seeing her students beam with joy. True pride would come from making her students smile because she taught them something that excited them, but since she had decided to devote the day to mathematics—a subject that only a select few foals were truly enthusiastic about—she was content with the grins that recess brought.

When Cheerilee stepped outside, her eyes had to adjust momentarily to the intense sunlight. It was an exceptionally bright day. The sky was completely cloudless, and a gentle breeze caressed her coat as she blinked to adjust her eyesight from the relatively low light in the classroom. It would be an injustice to call her classroom dark, though. Cheerilee made it a point to keep her windows unblocked. Learning had to be fun, and no young foal wanted to learn in a classroom reminiscent of a dungeon.

Though it isn’t like some don’t consider it prison anyway, Cheerilee thought with a chuckle, her eyes falling on her two goofy students Snips and Snails, who were playing hide and seek with a group of other foals and miserably failing to properly conceal themselves.

The excited cheering and laughter filled the playground as the students went about playing games together. Cheerilee sat down on a bench, closing her eyes to take in all the different sounds. It was then that she began to notice a sound that stood out from the rest. A familiar, high pitched voice was sobbing loudly. The teacher opened her eyes to look for the source, to see a distraught Sweetie Belle running towards her.

“M-miss Cheerilee!,” the filly cried out through her sobs. Without hesitating, the purple mare responded, approaching Sweetie Belle and placing a comforting hoof on the white unicorn’s head, stroking the pink and purple mane in a comforting gesture.

“There, there now Sweetie Belle. It’s alright, I’m here. Why don’t you tell me what’s wrong?,” Cheerilee said in a motherly voice, trying to soothe the crying filly, “What happened?”

Sweetie Belle didn’t answer right away, her sobs making it difficult for her to speak. “I-it’s Diamond Tiara and Silver S-Spoon, they tackled me a-and said they were going to g-give me a cutie mark, and then they, they-!” Cheerilee frowned as another set of sobs wracked the little filly’s body. She pulled the unicorn into a hug, when she noticed something on Sweetie Belle’s flank. Cheerilee frowned, tilting her head to get a better look.

The teacher let out a startled gasp as she looked upon the crudely painted, obscene picture that defiled Sweetie Belle. She ran her hoof across the mark to find that the paint had mostly dried. The strong scent of oil penetrated her nose, indicating that the drawing would not easily come off with water and soap.

“Did Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon do this?,” Cheerilee asked with a deep frown. Sweetie Belle only nodded. Carefully the purple mare broke the embrace with the unicorn. She had been aware of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon for a while. It was no secret to Cheerilee that the two bullies had it out for blank flanks, as tales of the troublemakers had reached her ears more than once. This was the first time they had committed something this excessive, however.

“Diamond Tiara! Silver Spoon! Get over here now!,” Cheerilee called out to the playground in a stern voice. After a while, the two fillies trotted towards Cheerilee. They looked dirty and bruised, but there was a subtle hint of a smirk plastered on Diamond Tiara’s face. They were followed by Applebloom and Scootaloo, who looked equally roughed up. It wasn’t hard to guess that they had been fighting. Cheerilee figured Sweetie Belle’s two friends must have truly lost their temper after she had been hurt so much. The four fillies began to talk at once.

“Miss Cheerilee, look wha’ they did ta Sweetie Belle!,” Applebloom began.

“What makes you think we did this?,” Silver Spoon sneered back.

“Don’t you lie! We saw you do it! You’ve gone too far this time!,” Scootaloo snarled through hissed teeth, having more difficulty to keep a lid on her fury in front of her teacher than Applebloom.

“Ugh, like, you have any proof-.” Diamond Tiara’s sentence was cut off by a screaming Applebloom.

“Shut yer lyin’ mouth Diamond Tiara!”

“Like, you attacked us first, blank flank!” Diamond Tiara retorted.

“And you deserved-!” Scootaloo was cut off mid-sentence.

“Enough, all of you!,” Cheerilee roared, “I am very, very disappointed in all of you. Applebloom, Scootaloo, I´m going to talk to your parents about this. I will not condone my students solving their problems by fighting amongst themselves.”

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon grinned smugly. The two Cutiemark Crusaders were about to object, but Cheerilee cut them off. She turned to the two bullies, whose grins immediately faded upon seeing their teachers´ furious expression.

“And you two!,” Cheerilee continued, “You two will be staying in detention after school for the coming week! You have gone way out of line, both of you! I am going to have a serious talk with your parents about this. Never, ever in my entire career have I seen two fillies your age do something so despicable. Now, you will apologize to Sweetie Belle and then you will find your seats in class. I don’t want to hear any sound from the both of you for the rest of the day! Am I understood?”

“Ugh, like, detention? But I’m busy, I have-,” Diamond Tiara started before being cut off.

“I want to hear nothing of it! Inside, now.” Cheerilee fumed, stomping her hoof on the ground to emphasize her point.

“But-,” Diamond Tiara tried to protest once more.

“Now!”

It was quiet for a while. Though Silver Spoon was looking at the ground remorsefully, Diamond Tiara still had a glint of defiance in her eyes. Nevertheless, both of them turned to Sweetie Belle, made their apologies and trotted inside the classroom. Cheerilee let out a heavy sigh. She hated having to fall out against her students, even when it was entirely deserved. She looked up when she began to notice the lack of sound around her, to see every foal on the playground staring at her in open mouthed silence.

Cheerilee motioned with her head towards the entrance of the classroom. “Recess is over.”

The only sounds that were audible inside the classroom were the soft ticking of a clock, the scribbling of pencils on paper and the rustling of leaves outside the window. Cheerilee busied herself by grading biology tests, occasionally looking up from her work to look at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon.

The two fillies sat at a pair of desks that were placed directly in front of Cheerilee, so she could keep an eye on them while they wrote an essay about what they did wrong. Silver Spoon was writing quickly, bowed low over her paper. Cheerilee could just make out that she was on the verge of crying by the trembling lower lip, moist eyes and the occasional sniff that came from the filly.

She seems to be remorseful at least, Cheerilee thought. She felt a pang of sentiment for Silver Spoon. She will learn her lesson. I might even let her off the hook early.

Diamond Tiara was a different story, however. She had been moping throughout her entire detention, a look of annoyance and anger on her face. Glancing down at the essay, Cheerilee could make out that she had barely made any progress, and was drawing random pictures instead. The teacher frowned.

Suddenly the silence in the room was broken by Diamond Tiara. “Can we go yet?”

“I told you that you can go when I say you can. I also told you that I did not want to hear you, so go back to work,” Cheerilee responded sternly, but calmly. Though she had far from forgiven the fillies in front of her, much of the anger had ebbed away over the course of the day.

“But we’ve been sitting here for hours.” Diamond Tiara moaned. Cheerilee gave her a stern glare in return.
“And you will be sitting here for several more if you do not get back to your essay, young lady.”

At this, Diamond Tiara grudgingly got back to her writing. In truth, only three quarters of an hour had passed since the detention started, and they had only fifteen more minutes to go. If Cheerilee had her way, she would have kept them for another hour. Instead she decided to wait until she had properly spoken to their parents, to ensure they would not be worried about the whereabouts of their children.

Silence returned to the classroom, and Cheerilee returned her focus to the tests in front of her. Moments after the silence was once again broken by Diamond Tiara.

“I’ll make you regret this.”

Cheerilee briefly looked up from the papers in front of her. “I believe I told you to be quiet, Diamond Tiara.”

“I’ll really make you regret this.” Diamond Tiara said again, louder this time, looking up at her teacher defiantly. Silver Spoon gave her friend an incredulous gaze. Cheerilee frowned in return.

“Watch your language, young lady,” she replied, “and I believe your essay would benefit more from your writing than your attempts at threatening me.”

“My father will hear of this!” Diamond Tiara nearly shouted.

“I should hope so. I intend to have a long talk with him about your behavior. Now get back to your essay, and I do not want to hear you again.”

Diamond Tiara’s eyes shot venom at Cheerilee, who simply returned her an unimpressed raised eyebrow. The filly huffed with disdain, before getting back to her work.

Despite being upset with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, she had decided to wave them goodbye with a smile. She was fond of all her students after all, even if they were a little wayward. By now the anger that she had felt at the two fillies had been replaced by a sense of worry. She was concerned about what had driven her students to such an act, and what this would mean for them in the future.

Silver Spoon, who was no longer able to keep her tears, gave Cheerilee a wave and a hesitant smile in return. Diamond Tiara never bothered to face the teacher, merely huffing in anger and spitting on the ground as she walked away from the schoolhouse. The teacher waited until the two were out of sight before she slumped against the doorframe and hung her head.

I hope I never have to do something like that again, Cheerilee thought. She felt exhausted. Teaching was never easy, and she always felt a little heavy lidded at the end of each school day. Today she felt exceptionally drained, however. The rewarding happy glow that came from the enjoyment of her work was missing, leaving her feeling cold and empty, like she had been standing in the middle of a downpour. She deadpanned as she began to feel raindrops on her nose.

You just had to jinx it, didn’t you. Cheerilee locked the schoolhouse behind her, swiftly making her way home. She was thankful that she lived close to her work, making it just inside her house as the clouds began to shower in earnest. She silently cursed the weather Pegasi and their strange weather schedules as the door fell shut behind her and she was enveloped in the comforting warmth of her house.

Cheerilee didn’t exactly live like royalty. Her house was on the small size, and modestly decorated. It had a cozy feel to it, though, that made the purple mare unwilling to trade it for anything. She was happy where she was, doing what she did. Teaching was her special purpose, represented in the cutie mark on her flank. She had a loving family and good friends. She was particularly fond of the academic unicorn Twilight Sparkle, who lived in the library. The studious mare always knew to point her in the direction of a good book. She didn’t have a special somepony, but that didn’t matter to her.

For a moment Cheerilee thought about the time when the Cutiemark Crusaders had tried to match her to Big Macintosh on Hearts and Hooves day with a love potion. She smiled slightly at the memory as she chewed on the dandelion sandwich she had made for herself. Her smile faded when her thoughts inevitably brought her to Sweetie Belle and her new decoration. Poor dear, I hope she’s alright.

Cheerilee found herself staring a little too long at the plate in front of her, her eyes falling shut on their own accord as the pitter-patter of rain on the window mesmerized her. She suddenly remembered how much the day had worn her out. Deciding that a quick afternoon nap couldn’t hurt, she moved towards her couch and dropped herself on it. She let her eyes fall shut, and sleep overtook her.

When Cheerilee woke up, it was not because she was rested. Groggily she opened her eyes as she heared the sound of a heavy hoof knocking roughly on her door. She could still hear the rain clattering against the window, though it had vastly diminished in intensity from the afternoon.

“Who could that be?,” she asked nopony in particular. Once again, the hoof pounded on her front door. A look at the clock revealed it was half past nine. Though it was already dark out, Cheerilee noticed flashes of blue light, and the murmur of a crowd of people. “I’m coming, I’m coming,” she called out.

Cheerilee stretched her limbs before moving to open the door. The moment she did, she came face to face with a bulky, gray stallion sporting a thick moustache and a blue jacket and cap. The stallion roughly pulled her outwards, after which another placed cuffs connecting her front and rear hooves together. When she registered what was happening, Cheerilee began to panic.

“What is the meaning of this?!,” the purple mare called out. She looked around to see that a crowd of shocked onlookers had gathered around her house. There was a carriage that had the letters ‘P.P.D.’ printed on it. Questions spun through her mind, though she was unable to voice them in her shock.

“Miss Cheerilee, you are under arrest for sexual harassment of a foal below the legal age of consent,” the stallion with the moustache spoke, “you have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you.”

The rest of the stallion’s words did not register in Cheerilee’s mind as she was escorted to the police carriage, the source of the flashing lights. She looked around the crowd, noticing the expressions of horror and disgust. She saw some acquaintances in the crowd, including her friend Twilight Sparkle, who looked at her in a mix of disgust and disappointment. Cheerilee tried to call out, but no words would leave her throat. She felt like she was being choked, the air itself tying itself around her neck like a noose.

Two ponies stood out from the crowd. Filthy Rich was talking to a female police officer, pointing his hoof at Cheerilee.

“That’s her,” the teacher could see him mouth. Next to Filthy Rich stood his daughter, Diamond Tiara. She locked eyes with the little filly. Somewhere she had expected to see a smug grin and an evil glint in her student’s eyes. She did not. All that Cheerilee could see in Diamond Tiara’s eyes and face was horror. The contact was broken when she reached the police carriage, and was roughly shoved inside. She felt the carriage begin to move, and the din of the crowd faded away. Only now did the situation begin to dawn on Cheerilee, and tears began to stream from her eyes as she wept.

Author's Note

Chapter one. Since I'm new at this, constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!

Chapter II

The past two months had passed in a crawl for Cheerilee. The monotonous routine of her days caused time to go by in a slow, nightmarish blur. She had not yet truly come to terms with the reality of her situation, and every night she was pondering as she stared at the ceiling from the cot in her prison cell. She touched the prisoner collar around her neck, wincing as it chafed slightly.

Cheerilee had not expected to fare well in court. She did not have the bits for a top of the line lawyer. Nor did she have conclusive evidence in her favor. Filthy Rich may not have had the latter either, but he certainly had the former. Diamond Tiara’s father had not spared in expenses to see justice done for her little girl, and had hired Slander Mane, one of the most notorious lawyers in Equestria.

The trial had been a disaster from the start for the now disgraced former teacher. Lies became terrible lies, and terrible lies became vicious lies. In the end, she had gotten the maximum sentence for the crimes that she did not commit. Cheerilee had foolishly hoped that Silver Spoon would have testified in her favor, but the filly never appeared in court. She suspected foul play on Slander’s end for that little hitch.

However, her biggest yet most brittle hope was that Diamond Tiara would speak up and end the charade, telling everyone that Cheerilee was innocent. Instead, her former student had sat pale-faced throughout the entire session of court, each answer from her mouth further dragging the former teacher to the abyss.

Life in prison was hard on Cheerilee. She did not belong there, and embarrassingly tried to plead with her jailors that she was innocent. She had cried her first night, and her second, and her third. She was the subject of ridicule to her fellow inmates for it. As days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months the pain began to dull to a throb, not as noticeable, but ever present. The joke of her sobbing had gotten old to the other prisoners, and she made it a point to draw as little attention to herself as possible.

Cheerilee ate her meals alone, feeling no desire to communicate with the other prisoners. When she was not obligated to work, she spent her days exercising in the gym or reading in the library. Anything she could do to keep her mind from her ordeal, she did. This is why the nights were the most difficult, where she was forced to lie in her cot in silence, allowing her mind to wander.

Cheerilee squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself not to burst into tears as her memories threatened to flood her mind once again. She had cried enough, it was time to come to terms with her life as it was to be for the coming years.

The next day, Cheerilee was in the library once again. She was trying to focus on a historical novel about Star Swirl the Bearded, but found herself unable to focus on the words before her eyes. Each time she passed a paragraph she couldn’t remember what she had read. She closed the book with a dull thud and buried her head in her hooves.

“One of those days?,” a voice from across the table said. It was a little raspy, tomcoltish. Cheerilee raised her head to look at the source. A white mare of roughly the same age as herself was looking at her from across the table with a raised eyebrow. She had a pair of piercing magenta eyes and a two-toned electric blue mane that was in dire need of a brush. In her hooves was a book on advanced musical theory, which fitted her cutiemark of a bridged eighth note. Cheerilee simply nodded her head in response to the question.

“You know,” the white mare continued, “I’ve seen you around for a while now. You were the one that cried for three nights. That’s a new record. I see you’ve begun to settle a bit, but you never seem to talk to anypony.”

“Why would I want to talk to anypony?,” Cheerilee asked in a gruff tone. The other mare frowned.

“Because it’s dangerous not to,” she replied, “If you don’t start to make some friends you could end up claimed. That’s bound to get you some poor company in the long run.”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow. “Claimed?”

“You don’t know what that is? Buck, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised if you’ve never talked to anypony.” The white mare grinned, before continuing. “Maybe I can show you the ropes, though. Come on, let’s get out of the library so we can talk properly.”

Cheerilee felt apprehensive about going with the mare. She didn’t feel at home, and she certainly didn’t want to get involved in prison life. Getting claimed didn’t sound like a pleasant ordeal, however. She nodded, putting down her book and following her new acquaintance.

“I’m Vinyl Scratch, by the way,” the previously unknown mare introduced herself as they walked through the corridors. She stuck out her hoof for Cheerilee to shake.

“Cheerilee,” the purple mare replied, taking the hoof, “nice to meet you.”

“Don’t know about that yet,” Vinyl replied with a grin, “So, what are you in here for anyway?”

Cheerilee frowned. “I’d rather not talk about it,” she replied darkly.

“Come on, it’s the first step to trust around here.”

“Look, I do not belong here,” the former teacher snapped, “I did nothing wrong!”

Vinyl Scratch merely looked amused. “I don’t belong here either. I should be out there making music, entertaining the masses. Yet, here I am. I bucked up, you bucked up. Shit happens.”

Cheerilee rolled her eyes and groaned in response. She felt stupid for hoping the mare would believe her, or at least leave the subject alone. She was about to tell when Vinyl spoke again.

“I mean, it’s not like you’re in here for being a foalophile or something. Usually, you can tell right away. When we find them they get picked out for a solid beating. Many of the inmates here are mothers themselves, after all.” Vinyl chuckled and shook her head.

Cheerilee was mortified. Not only was she falsely accused, she was going to be beaten by the other inmates for it. Her mind was racing, and she felt droplets of sweat beginning to form on her forehead. She had to think up a convincing lie and make sure nopony found out. Vinyl had noticed the change in Cheerilee's demeanor however, and as green eyes met magenta, Cheerilee saw the disgust in the white mare’s face.

“Oh, buck me,” was the only thing Cheerilee heard before she felt a stinging pain on the left side of her face. Before she could recover, she felt a hoof roughly plant itself in her stomach as she lay on the ground, causing her to let out a choked gasp.

Vinyl spat on the purple mare as she spoke. “I should’ve known. I knew there was something off about you.”

“I didn’t do it,” Cheerilee groaned, though it came out as barely more than a hoarse wheeze.

“Shut the buck up!,” came the reply as Vinyl’s hoof once more connected with her face “Filthy piece of shit!”

“I didn’t do it,” Cheerilee said again, louder this time. All she got was a kick to her ribs, causing her to cry out in pain.

“Save it! You’re here for a reason, and I’m going to make sure the lesson sinks in!”

It was something about that last sentence that caused a surge of anger to well up in the former teacher. Her mind was filled with flashes of her previous life. Lesson. Teaching had been the joy of Cheerilee’s life, and she would never be allowed near a foal again, let alone teach them. She felt tears began to well up in her eyes as she stood up with a speed she did not know she possessed and swung her hoof towards Vinyl’s face. It connected with the white mare’s nose, causing a few droplets of blood to fly through the air. The blow knocked her prone.

“I didn’t do it!,” Cheerilee screamed as she pounced on Vinyl and started to beat away in earnest, “Everything was taken from me! Everything! Don’t you talk to me about lessons! Teaching was my life!” She was interrupted by a swift kick to her stomach. Hoarse cries and dull thuds filled the corridor as the two mares went at eachother, beating and biting until they were broken apart by a group of jailers and dragged away.

Somewhere in her mind Cheerilee was grateful for the week that she spent in isolation, and she dreaded the moment it would end. She wasn’t allowed any contact with the other inmates, left alone in her cell with her thoughts. It gave her time to think about her situation, and what she was going to do once she was let out.

There’s no way I’ll be able to defend myself forever, Cheerilee thought. Though she noticed she had gotten stronger over the past two months, it was nothing to brag about. She could handle herself in a fight against Vinyl, but that was rage-induced and against just one mare. She dreaded to think how she would fare against a group of inmates that had been doing a regime in the gym for a lot longer than she had.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard the loud grind of a turning lock. She squinted against the light that was suddenly let into the dark isolation cell as the door swung open.

“Time to get out, precious,” a green jailor mare dressed in the usual guard uniform said, “you can have dinner with the others again. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”

Cheerilee didn’t reply, stepping out of the cell and following the jailor to the mess hall. Just outside the door she hesitated, stopping in her tracks. Panicked thoughts began to fill her brain.

Did Vinyl tell everypony already?, Cheerilee thought, a lump of ice forming in her stomach, Was there a group of angry inmates waiting for her behind those doors?

“Move it, precious. Today, if you please,” the green mare that escorted her spoke with impatience. Cheerilee swallowed heavily, walking forward to push open the doors. She expected a sudden hush to fall over the crowd in the hall the moment she stepped inside. She expected to be stared at with fierce and hating eyes. She expected threatening gestures, and Vinyl Scratch leading a group of bulky ponies to rough her up.

None of those thoughts were correct. A few inmates that were eating near the door lazily turned their heads to look at her for a moment, before turning back to their food. Hesitantly, Cheerilee began to make her way towards the line in front of the kitchen to receive her dinner. Nopony in the entire hall gave her a second glance as she moved. She found Vinyl sitting at a table, who looked up and locked eyes with her. Cheerilee felt her pulse rise for a moment, droplets of sweat forming on her brow. Vinyl lowered her head again, without pointing out her presence to the other prisoners.

The purple mare let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, closing her eyes in relief for a moment and making her way to get her dinner. She realized she wasn’t home safe, but the fact that Vinyl had not yet told anyone about her was a good sign.

Several days had passed since Cheerilee was released from isolation, and there had been no incidents. Few ponies she ran into bothered to give her a second glance, and her cellmates had not made an attempt on her life in her sleep. She had begun to take Vinyl’s advice to heart, and opened up to her fellow inmates. She still didn’t speak much, but it was progress. She had found that her cellmates weren’t even that unpleasant.

Cheerilee hadn’t spoken to Vinyl Scratch again, though. She had run into the musical mare during laundry duty, but beyond the exchange of a simple hello they had not spoken.

Perhaps it’s for the best, Cheerilee thought as she lifted the weights attatched to her hooves. The moment she was released from isolation she had returned to her regime in the gym. She always felt better afterwards, even though the exercise no longer blocked out her thoughts.

“Looks like you have a visitor, precious,” a voice behind her spoke. Cheerilee turned around to see the green mare that picked her up from isolation. “Get a move on, don’t want to keep her waiting.”

Cheerilee’s heart soared. She finally had a visitor. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was starting to succumb to the fear that nopony would want to see her after what she had been accused of, and to hear that there was somepony here to visit her brought a big grin to her face. She dropped the weights into the racks and followed the guardpony to the booths that would allow visitors to speak to the inmates with a little spring in her step. Cheerilee picked up the telephone horn, holding it awkwardly in her hooves. She looked through the glass at the pony on the other end.

Holding the telephone in a violet aura of magic was the spitting image of Cheerilee, except that she looked older and her coat and mane were toned bright pink instead of purple. Cheerilee smiled brightly, shedding a few tears of joy.

“Mother,” the purple mare spoke hoarsely, “I’m so glad you’re here. The past few months have been awful. I was so afraid nopony would believe me. Oh mother, I’ve been so alone. I just wish I was home and none-.” Cheerilee cut herself off mid-sentence as Cinnamon Breeze lifted a hoof.

“First of all, I’d prefer you keep your excuses to yourself. Second, I am not your mother, so I would prefer you do not call me that way.” The older mare spoke with a hint of venom in her voice. Cheerilee’s smile faded.

“M-mother, what are you-,” Cheerilee began.

“I told you not to call me that,” Cinnamon Breeze cut off, “My husband and I have decided to disown you. You have brought shame and pain to the family that we have no need of.”

Cheerilee’s world began to crumble around her. She could not believe her ears. She wanted to say something, anything, but the sound was stuck in her throat.

“My mother had a heart attack after she heard what you did,” the unicorn continued, “With a growing list of sins weighing your conscience down like that, I’m surprised you can even live with yourself.”

“M-mom, momma please,” Cheerilee begged in a shaky voice, reverting back to the childhood term she had for her parent. She put her hoof against the glass, desperately looking at the pink mare on the other side.

“I am sorry, Cheerilee. You are no longer part of my family. I think I’ve been hurt enough for a lifetime.” Cinnamon Breeze’s speech grew more somber and colder with each word. She put down the telephone horn and turned to leave. Cheerilee pressed herself against the window of the booth.

“No! Momma, please! I didn’t do it! Please, come back!,” she cried, knocking on the glass.

Cinnamon Breeze was gone. Cheerilee felt a hoof on her shoulder, pulling her away from the window and guiding her back inside the prison. She hardly noticed returning to the mess hall. She felt numb, as the visit had crushed every hope that she had of ever regaining a semblance of her former life. If not even her family supported her, then who would? She could drop down and die for all she cared, as everything from her life she valued was now well and truly lost.

She had no idea how long she sat there. From the puddle that was forming on the table from her tears, she reasoned she must have for quite a while. She noticed someone sitting down close to her right, placing a hoof on her shoulder and stroking in a comforting gesture. Cheerilee looked up from the table, into a pair of familiar magenta eyes.

“Hey,” Vinyl said.

“Hey,” Cheerilee croaked in return, her voice all but gone from shouting and crying.
They sat in silence for a moment. Cheerilee didn’t know what to say, and even if she did she probably would have been unable to phrase it coherently. She began to turn her head back to the table when Vinyl spoke again.

“I believe you.”

Cheerilee turned her head back towards Vinyl with a surprised expression. “What?”

“I believe you,” came the reply, “I believed you after I had a little time to think about that hissy fit of yours during our little fight. I saw it in your eyes. You loved your life, and teaching was your passion. I know that look, because people tell me I look the same when I work on my music. You don’t belong here.”

Cheerilee swallowed for a moment, unsure whether she heard correctly. Vinyl sighed, turning her head away.

“Listen, I heard what happened. With your mom. I’d have said you were acting pathetic, but I know what it’s like.”

Cheerilee wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “What happened?,” she asked.

Vinyl looked Cheerilee in the eye again, the hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. “I guess I never did get to tell you that, did I? Too eager to pummel your face. Sorry about that, by the way.”

Cheerilee nodded. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Vinyl replied, “but I’ll make it up to you. Anyway, I’m in here because I made a stupid mistake.” The musical mare frowned slightly as she began to recount her tale. “I was the owner of a big time club in Manehatten. I’m the best DJ this side of the equator, so I knew immediately that it was what I was meant to do. Business went decent at first, but after a while the expenses began to rise. The club dug into my reserves as I put every bit I had into my life’s passion.”

Cheerilee listened intently. She sniffed and cleared her throat, nodding her head for Vinyl to continue.

“I had a special somepony back then. Very special. Beautiful gray coat, brilliant amethyst eyes. And oh, did she play a mean cello.” Vinyl grinned slightly at the memory. Cheerilee arched an eyebrow.

“She?”

Vinyl simply grinned. “What, you hadn’t guessed? Anyway, I was approached by a few people who offered me a way to increase the income from my club. Cocaine.”

Cheerilee frowned slightly, but didn’t comment as Vinyl continued.

“It went well at first. There are a lot of people in night clubs that are looking for that little extra kick to make their night that much more special. The income from my club began to soar, and I was finally able to treat my marefriend to the life she deserved.

It wasn’t meant to last, though. Over time, the drugs that I began to deal in became heavier and more dangerous. I didn’t care. People bought them, and I was able to keep my club and live a life of luxury. If I had left it at that, I might have gotten away with it. In hindsight I should have stopped while I still could. Instead, I made the most stupid mistake a dealer could make. I began to use from my own stash, and got hooked.”

“You’re an addict?,” Cheerilee asked with a worried tone.

“Was an addict, thank you very much,” Vinyl replied, “these two years in prison have kept me as clean as the royal kitchen. That, and they forced me into treatment. Anyway, I was living a life of bliss. The drugs were starting to addle my brain, and I thought I could take on the world. When the police found me wandering the streets as high as Canterlot mountain, they began to grow suspicious. The investigation didn’t take long, and I was found out. I had quite the trade setup, so now I’ve been in prison for a few years, with a few more to go.”

Cheerilee nodded solemnly. “Do you regret what you did?”

“Are you kidding me?,” the DJ asked in a sad voice that seemed so uncharacteristic it almost startled Cheerilee. “Every moment of my life I regret it. A few weeks after I got in prison my marefriend came to visit. I was so happy to see her, so glad that she came to visit. She was in tears, though. She had come to tell me that she couldn’t bring herself to call me her marefriend anymore. I had lied to her, and I had committed crimes for which I’ll be in prison for a long time. She said she wanted to wait, but couldn’t bring herself. It hurt too much. She needed to forget.” By the time Vinyl was done there was a pained expression on her face and she hung her head.

Cheerilee swallowed difficultly. She hesitated for a moment, before moving closer to the white mare and embracing her. Vinyl tensed briefly, but then relaxed and wrapped her forelegs around Cheerilee in return. They sat like that for a little while, simply enjoying the comfort the other brought.

“I guess it doesn’t really get any easier, talking about it,” Cheerilee said softly in the motherly voice she had always used to soothe her students.

“Of course it gets easier,” Vinyl spoke as they broke the embrace, “but that doesn’t mean it heals completely. It always hurts to be reminded of your mistakes. I’m just hoping to win her back some day, when I get out. It won’t be easy, but I have to try.”

Cheerilee smiled slightly. “I’m envious of your optimism, Scratch. I wish I had some of that.”

Vinyl smirked slightly. “Can’t help you with that, but I can help to make things easier for you around here.” Vinyl began to look around the dining hall. Cheerilee did the same, though she wasn’t sure what she was looking for.

“Alright, the coast is clear,” the white mare spoke again, “do you trust me?”

Cheerilee thought for a moment as she regarded Vinyl. So far she could feel nothing but sincerity from the DJ, not to mention that she opened up about what she was in prison for. She recalled Vinyl telling her that was the first step of showing trust.

“Yes. I trust you,” Cheerilee said with a nod. In an instant, Vinyl leant forward and planted her lips on Cheerilee’s. The purple mare’s eyes shot open in surprise, and she opened her mouth to protest. This only resulted in Vinyl slipping her tongue into Cheerilee’s mouth, immediately seeking out hers and swirling around it in a sensual dance. The purple mare wanted to pull away, but found that her body had stopped responding to the commands from her brain. It wasn’t a romantic kiss, but it was good nonetheless.

“What the buck was-,” Cheerilee exclaimed when Vinyl finally pulled away, before being cut off by a white hoof on her mouth.

“Don’t get any ideas, Cheers. All I did was tag you. It’s how things go around here. I may not be very influential, but I do have some friends. I just significantly reduced the risk of you getting claimed by most of the nasty groups around here. I just had to make sure we weren’t seen by the guards. Fraternization is forbidden.”

“Thanks, I guess,” Cheerilee replied uncertainly, a hot blush adorning her cheeks, “I suppose claiming is a really bad thing, then?”

“It’s a sign of dominance. The big players in this prison claim people to be their playthings of sorts. This has several meanings, but for some of the weaker inmates it has meant losing their freedom twice over. There are a few big groups in this prison that you really do not want to be part of, let alone get on the bad side. They usually go for ponies that stick out and show dominance. Y'know, since they’re a threat. But once in a while they pick somepony who catches their eye. Sometimes because they’re an easy target, and sometimes because they just want to.”

Cheerilee shivered, then smiled. “In that case, thank you Vinyl. Thank you very much. Friends?”

“I think I can live with that,” Vinyl replied with her trademark grin once again plastered on her face, “I think I wouldn’t mind a kiss from time to time either. You taste nice.”

Chapter III

Chapter III

Cheerilee’s eyes were closed. She tried to focus on something, anything. Instead a persistent ticking noise kept penetrating her ears, smashing her attempts at ignoring it. She opened her eyes to look at the Newton’s cradle on the desk in front of her that she had come to regard as her arch nemesis.

For the past four years Cheerilee was obligated to visit a prison psychiatrist once a month. Case Study was a decent therapist, and not unpleasant to speak to. Over the years Cheerilee had become frustrated with the constant visits, however. She had had several therapists by now, of which Case Study had definitely lasted the longest . The others lasted but a few sessions before they referred her to a colleague. Cheerilee was honestly beginning to think they would run out of therapists at some point.

This would be her eighth session with Case Study, which was double the amount of most of the other therapists, and it wasn’t looking like he would give up. Every session was the same. He would ask her how she was feeling, she would say she was fine. He would then ask if she was sure, and she would reply she was. Then he would do some tests to determine her mental health, like Rorschach pictures. Then, at the end, he would ask if she was really sure that she didn’t want to talk about anything, before she would leave. She doubted today was going to be any different.

Cheerilee let out a heavy sigh, looking around the therapist’s office. It was sparsely decorated, little more than a bookcase with scientific books and journals on psychology, a file cabinet and a desk. And, of course, the Newton’s cradle. Cheerilee’s mouth curled downwards as her eyes fell on the Celestia-damned contraption once more. With a huff she rose from her chair and used her hooves to silence the device, sitting down again with a smug grin.

“Good morning, Cheerilee,” a voice came from behind. Case Study walked around her to take place on the other side of the desk in front of her. He had an off-white coat with a teal mane, and a pendulum for a cutiemark. Cheerilee always suspected he was rather old, from the streaks of gray in his mane and the wrinkles that were forming on his face. His stance and voice threw her off, however. He had a youthful gait, and a voice that lacked the gravel that came with age.

To Cheerilee’s great frustration, the therapist lifted one end of the Newton’s Cradle, triggering the device once more.

“How are you feeling?” Case Study said with a smile. Cheerilee simply rolled her eyes in return.

“I’m fine, thanks,” Cheerilee responded, “can we just get this over with?”

Case Study turned around on his chair, reaching behind him. He opened the drawer of the file cabinet labeled with a ‘C’, digging out Cheerilee’s file and placing it on the desk in front of him. “Do you have anything you’d like to talk about?” he asked.

“No.” Cheerilee responded curtly.

Case Study scribbled something in Cheerilee’s file before speaking. “What about your incident?”

“That was two months ago, doc,” Cheerilee responded with a frown, “I told you already, I’m over it.” In truth, she still felt afraid when she thought about it. The close friendship she had with Vinyl Scratch and the friends she had made after that had not prevented some of the big players in the prison to take an interest in her. A big brown mare who went by the name of Garrote—whose body was closer to Big Macintosh than any female—had chosen to claim her. Vinyl had warned Cheerilee about her. She had a life sentence for a triple equicide, and had been in prison for nine years already. Cheerilee had resisted, of course, which had a most unpleasant result.

Case Study frowned. “You were almost raped, Cheerilee,” he said, “there is no shame in admitting that bothers you.”

“I would have been alright,” Cheerilee responded stubbornly.

“You were a sobbing and shivering wreck when we found you, and it took three guards and a stun dart to subdue Garrote.”

Cheerilee frowned. She had been deadly afraid that day, and even though Garrote was kept in isolation for two months, she had been afraid to close her eyes at night in the time that came after, worried that the fiend would grab her. “I’m fine,” Cheerilee concluded with an annoyed sigh. She took a pencil from a cup on Case Study’s desk and absently began to chew on it.

“Very well,” the therapist responded, frowning. He scribbled a few more words in Cheerilee’s file. The room was silent for a moment as he was lost in thought. He raised his eyes, looking directly at Cheerilee. “Let’s see how far we’ve come, then. I want to do some word association. We’ve done this before, you know the drill. I say something, you say whatever pops into your mind first.”

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “Fine.”

Case Study nodded. “Alright then, let’s begin. House”

“Home,” the purple mare replied with disinterest.

“School”

“Purpose”

“Foal”

“Student”

“Lawyer”

“Scum”

“Garrote”

Cheerilee hesitated at this. She looked up at Case study for a brief moment, before giving her answer. “Avoid.”

Case Study nodded, making a note. He was silent for a moment, letting out a sigh through his nose in thought. When he looked up he locked his eyes with Cheerilee and spoke two words. “Diamond Tiara.”

Cheerilee heard a crack, and the bitter taste of wood and graphite filled her mouth. Her jaw had clamped shut on the pencil she was absently chewing, and her pupils dilated at hearing the name. She calmed down a moment later, only to see Case Study give her a sympathetic smile.

“Low blow, doc,” Cheerilee grunted with a frown, spitting out the remains of the broken pencil.

“I needed to see how you would react.”

“I’m not a foalophile! Never was!,” the purple mare beat her hoof on the armrest of her chair in frustration. Case Study was unfazed.

“It is neither my job nor my place to question court sentences, but from your results so far you are indeed free of foalophilic tendencies. That doesn’t mean there aren’t other traumas that require treatment, though. There is a lot that still troubles you, and needs to be treated before I can legally proclaim you fit for society again.”

“You make me want to hit you,” Cheerilee replied darkly.

Case Study merely chuckled. “I wouldn’t recommend it, I’m a trainer at a dojo in my spare time.”

Cheerilee’s eyes widened, and she looked up. “You’re a trainer?,” she said in a weak voice.

“Mixed martial arts. I do it for the fun rather than the bits,” the therapist responded, not taking his eyes from Cheerilee.

“You teach?,” the purple mare said in an even softer voice, staring at Case Study with a hollow expression.

“Yes,” Case Study simply replied. He stood up from his desk to walk over to Cheerilee. He raised a hoof, placing it on her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Cheerilee, for the past eight months that you have been coming here, I have been unable to get you to talk to me. I see that I have finally discovered the root of your troubles, and you need to discuss it. I’m not your enemy. Please, let me help you.”

Cheerilee stared at Case Study for a long time. A thousand thoughts were raging through her head. Memories she thought she had finally left behind were once again at the forefront of her mind. She felt like she could burst into tears the same way she did when she came to prison, and she hated it. After a solid minute, she spoke.

“It’s my talent. My special purpose represented in my cutiemark. I was meant to teach, and it has been taken from me. Taken from me by Diamond Tiara. I will never be able to work at a school again.” Her shoulders slumped as she said it. She wasn’t sure what to feel. She had thought about this fact before, but she hoped that if she never spoke about it she would forget in time. On one side she felt relieved. She was able to speak her troubled mind in private, to somepony who listened to her and took her seriously. On the other hand it was torture, as she was forced to acknowledge her problems and how much they truly bothered her. She suspected that Vinyl would have listened to her, but it was exactly that pain that prevented Cheerilee from talking. She had never given Vinyl any reason to suspect anything, so the DJ had never asked.

“I won’t lie,” Case Study spoke in a matter of fact, but soft voice, “It won’t matter if I declare you mentally healthy, you will more than likely never work with children again. This is something you are going to have to come to terms with. But this doesn’t mean you can’t be a teacher. There are more ways to teach than just a schoolhouse, after all,” Though she didn’t want to hear the words, Cheerilee couldn’t help but appreciate the therapist’s honesty.

“How?,” she asked shakily.

“I don’t know,” came the reply, “but I will help you find out. We’ll get you through this.”

Cheerilee nodded her head in response. She let out a deep sigh. “Thank you, doc. I guess it had to come out at some point.”

“I’m glad it finally did. I think we can leave it at that for today. We’ve made a lot of progress.”

“D-do you think we can have our next meeting a little earlier than usual?,” Cheerilee asked hesitantly, her tone hopeful. Case Study merely smiled in return.

“Of course. How about two weeks from now?”

The purple mare smiled, nodding her head. “Sounds good. See you then.” She got to her hooves and began moving towards the office’s exit. Before moving out she briefly stopped in her tracks, turning her head with a slight grin. “I really hate that thing on your desk, though.”

Cheerilee spent the next hour in the library, trying to focus on the book in front of her. She felt worried now that she had decided to open up about her troubles, not just to Case Study, but to herself as well. She had been happy to avoid and repress them in the past, but was forced to confront them now. She had to think about what she was going to do with her life in this new situation.

She noticed somepony taking a seat next to her, sitting rather close. She raised her head to look at the newcomer and found a pair of lips pressed against hers. She wasn’t romantically involved with Vinyl Scratch, they were both clear on that. That didn’t mean they couldn’t share a kiss every once in a while, when the guards weren’t looking. Prison life can get very lonely, after all. They had also decided that after the event with Garrote two months ago, Cheerilee could use a little extra tagging. Vinyl had been the reason her life in prison was bearable, especially when it came to keeping the reason for her imprisonment under wraps. Together they had spread countless of rumors of her crimes, making sure they were all plausible. Nopony was sure of the truth.

“Hey, Cheers,” the white mare spoke in a voice that was far too loud for a library. She raised a comforting hoof to Cheerilee’s shoulder before continuing in a softer tone. “Something’s bothering you. Did the shrink finally get into your head?” Vinyl emphasized her point by lightly tapping on her own noggin.

“It’s alright,” the purple mare responded, “I was just hit in the face with a dose of reality.”

“Want to talk about it?,” the DJ asked. It wasn’t just out of courtesy, Cheerilee knew that Vinyl was genuinely interested. She was about to say she was fine, but changed her mind. She was going to have to deal with her problems, and with Vinyl's offer she wouldn't have to do it all by herself.

“I’ll never work at a school again,” she spoke, “It won’t matter if I have served my sentence or if a thousand therapists declared me healthy, I won’t be trusted. Teaching is my special purpose. My passion. I’m worried that I never will again.”

Vinyl was quiet for a moment. The white mare’s eyes fell on the book in front of Cheerilee. “Then teach me,” she spoke after a while.

“Teach you? What do you-,” Cheerilee replied.

“Yeah. I mean, you don’t have to be a foal to learn. And you’ve been spending so much time in this library, I’m sure you can tell me a thing or two that I don’t know.” Vinyl was grinning widely at her own idea, which affected Cheerilee. She chuckled.

“I wouldn’t know where to begin,” Cheerilee said after a while, “I mean, what do you want to know about?”

“Why don’t you start with that?” Vinyl pointed towards the book in front of her friend.

The purple mare arched an eyebrow. “History? Are you sure?”

Vinyl cringed for a moment, but quickly recovered her enthusiastic grin. “Positive.”

Cheerilee smiled and began to speak. She wove tales from the past, explaining politics and customs in pre-classical Equestria. She spoke of the exploits of notable figures such as Star Swirl the Bearded and Commander Hurricane. She spoke of wars and battles, and of economy. All the while Vinyl was listening carefully. Cheerilee would have thought she was acting, if the DJ hadn’t actually stopped to ask questions once in a while.

As time passed, other inmates began to take an interest in Cheerilee’s stories, taking a seat somewhere nearby. She recognized some friends, as well as some ponies that she had trouble with in the past. By the time they had to leave the library to get dinner and return to their cells, Cheerilee had gathered quite the crowd. It was almost like a class.

In the mess hall, Cheerilee looked around to see if she spotted any guards. Convinced she was safe, she pulled Vinyl in a hug, resting her head on the other mare’s shoulder. “Thank you, Vinyl,” she said quietly.

She received a smile in return. “It’s okay.”

That night, Cheerilee beamed as she stared at the ceiling of her cell. She couldn’t sleep, not because she was sad or afraid, but because her heart soared. She had been teaching. Case Study had told her that there were other ways to teach. She could almost imagine his I-told-you-so kind of expression. She wouldn’t have minded. She felt better than she had in what seemed like a lifetime.

Author's Note

Happy new year, everyone! Hope you all had a nice holiday. Anyway, the next chapter is already in the works. I'm hoping to have it up at least by next week.

Chapter IV

Chapter IV

Case Study sat at his desk, across from Cheerilee. He rested his head on his hooves, looking at her expectantly. “Well?,” he asked.

Cheerilee snapped from her thoughts, blinking and shaking her head. “I’m sorry, you were saying?,” she asked groggily.

“I asked how you’re feeling,” came the reply.

Once again, Cheerilee fell silent. How do I feel?, she thought. She had had no trouble answering this question before. Even after she had opened up to Case Study, and started being honest about her feelings she always had an answer ready. Today was different, though. “I feel nervous. Very nervous,” she decided.

Case Study nodded sympathetically. “I’ve seen it before. Many people are when they’re getting close to being released.”

Being released. Cheerilee could hardly believe it. She had been in prison for just over seven years now. Vinyl had been set free two years earlier. It had left a stinging feeling at the time, and she was worried it would mean the end of their friendship. To her relief, it didn’t. Vinyl had promised that she would come visit, and she had proven to be a mare of her word. At least once a month, for as long as the guards would let them they had been keeping in touch. And now she was going to be released herself.

She couldn’t quite figure out why exactly she was nervous. Perhaps it was the daunting prospect of building up a life again, or maybe she was feeling some sort of giddiness at the thought of being able to walk the world on her own, with its trees and hills and mountains.

Or perhaps you are afraid of the ponies out there. You have ponies that you know here. Out there, you’re just the former convict. Cheerilee swallowed difficultly. “I’m thinking I should be happier.”

Case Study arched an eyebrow. “You mean you’re not?”

“No. I mean, yes. Of course I am. But I’m also afraid.”

The stallion gave her a nod. “I understand. You’ve been here for a long time, and you’ve become familiar with your surroundings. Used to it. It has become home. You’re uncertain about what’s out there, whether the world is still like you remember it.”

Cheerilee nodded. “Yes. How-,” she hesitated for a moment, “how are things out there, doc?”

“Well, a few things have changed here and there, but nothing drastic,” the therapist replied with a smile. “I have faith in you. You’ll be a productive member of society again in no time.”

Cheerilee began to smile herself. “Thanks. That’s good to hear. So, was there anything else?”

“Yes, actually,” Case Study replied, reaching for Cheerilee’s file and opening it. “You have made amazing progress over the last few years, but I’d like to do a last minute test with you, just to make the record complete.”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow. “Ehm, sure.”

Case Study nodded. “Alright, then. You know the drill. Foal.”

“Student.”

“Lesson.”

“Teach.”

“Education.”

“Purpose.”

“Diamond Tiara.”

Cheerilee fell silent. She hadn’t really thought about Diamond Tiara of late, and she wasn’t sure how she really felt. There was a slight boiling somewhere deep within her, but nothing like the surge of rage she had felt before her therapy with Case Study. She looked the psychiatrist straight in the eye. “History.”

He nodded, making a final note on Cheerilee’s file before closing it and stamping it. “Alright. I’m sure of it, you’re ready to get out into the world again. I noticed some apprehension there at the end, but perhaps that cannot be helped. Some wounds just need a lot of time to heal.

When you get out you will be under surveillance for a while, and are obligted to report to a designated post every once in a while. You will also have a restraining order around schools for the coming year and a half.”

Cheerilee frowned and grunted slightly.

“I’m sorry, Cheerilee. It’s standard procedure. There’s nothing I can do.”

“It’s fine,” she replied grudgingly.

Case Study nodded. He sighed through his nose before continuing. “Finally, you will be forbidden to seek contact with Diamond Tiara and her family. I believe it will be for the best if any temptation to do so is removed.”

“Temptation. Right,” Cheerilee deadpanned.

“Forgive me, poor choice of words.” Case Study got to his hooves to return Cheerilee’s file to the cabinet. “Well. I guess this is it. I think I’m going to miss our conversations.”

“Yeah. You’re a good guy, doc.”

The therapist grinned. “Don’t know about that, but I do try to help my patients.”

“You did,” Cheerilee said with determination.

Case Study stuck out his hoof with a smile, which Cheerilee took and shook firmly.

“Goodbye, doc.”

“Take care, Cheerilee.”

The next weeks passed in a blur for Cheerilee. Much of her time was spent taking last good looks around what had been her home for the past years, and saying goodbye to friends. She was honestly going to miss some of them, and made promises to hook up once they would get out. She had even pushed herself to say goodbye to Garrote, who just told her to piss off in return. There was never any love lost between her and Cheerilee, but after the attempted claim and the months in isolation that followed there had been no other attempts. Garrote had left Cheerilee alone, and in return she was happy to make sure she saw as little of her as possible.

Once the big day came, she couldn’t believe how quick the procedures had been completed. The release papers were signed and approved, and an apartment and job had been arranged for her. She received a saddlebag with necessities, some of which had been her possessions before she went to prison.

Before long she stood outside the dull gray walls. She hadn’t actually known what the building looked like from the outside until then. It wasn’t like she was paying attention at the time she got in. It was a dull thing, gray stone walls in a square shape, with bars in front of the windows. What did you expect from a prison anyway? Cheerilee shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked around. It was cloudy that day, and rather windy. Autumn had begun to set in, and it showed in the dull gray weather. She was alone save for a single figure that approached her. Cheerilee grinned.

“Heya, Cheers,” Vinyl said once they were within speaking range of eachother.

“Vinyl!” Cheerilee rushed towards her friend and wrapped her foreleg around the other mare in a hug, which was happily returned.

“Finally out, huh?” the DJ said with a grin.

“Yes. It feels so weird. What are you doing here, though?”

“Well, I had a friend waiting for me when I got out of prison as well, and I thought about how much it would suck if I had been alone. I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be alone either.” Vinyl looked around. “I’m glad I did.”

Cheerilee beamed, once again wrapping her forelegs around the white mare. “Me too.”

“Ahh, think nothing of it,” Vinyl replied, “you knew I wouldn’t leave you out in the cold. Speaking of which, let’s get moving. We can just catch the eleven fifteen to Manehatten. That’s where you’ve been assigned, right?”

Cheerilee nodded.

“Then let’s go.” Vinyl began to trot away. Cheerilee cast one last look behind her, taking in the prison’s exterior. She whispered quietly, “goodbye,” and then trotted after her friend.

Cheerilee stared out of the train windows with a gaze of wonder during their entire voyage, to the great amusement of Vinyl. The purple mare didn’t mind her friend’s laughter, though. She hadn’t seen the outside world with her own eyes for so many years, she couldn’t help but take in the sights. In the distance, the tall skyscrapers of Manehatten came into view.

The station was crowded. Ponies of all shapes, sizes and genders moving from platform to platform were all around. Manehatten was a big city, with plenty of travelers from all corners of Equestria. From beyond Equestria as well, Cheerilee thought as she saw the occasional griffin and zebra. Vinyl appeared to be pretty at home in a crowd, as she deftly guided herself and her friend through the mass of commuters to the station´s exit.

The city was overwhelming. The biggest place Cheerilee had been to in her life had been Canterlot, and it had nothing on Manehatten when it came to size. She suddenly understood the meaning of `urban jungle´ as Vinyl showed her around. The DJ dragged her friend to a barbershop, insisting that she looked everything the part of a former prisoner and needed something fresh. She wanted to return to her old curls, but her friend insisted that it simply wasn´t done in this day and age. She found the haircut Vinyl picked out for her an outrageous monstrosity, though, and exited the shop with what could best be described as a compromise that was a little spikier and a lot shorter than Cheerilee would have liked. Despite this, it took only a few peeks in the mirror to convince her that she didn’t look half bad.

By the time they were done with the tour and filled their bellies with a typical Manehatten hot-dog—which was, of course, made out of plants—the sun had begun to set, and the magically powered neon lights began to come to life. Cheerilee decided she wanted to get to her apartment and rest.

After Vinyl escorted her to the door and left her contact details they parted ways with a lengthy hug. Her apartment was located in one of the less fancy neighborhoods of Manehatten. It was small, and looked rather dilapidated. Cheerilee was glad to find that it was mostly clean, however, as was the furniture. Her bed was simple, but looked comfortable, and she decided to read over the description of her new job before hitting the hay.

She lay in her bed for a while, pondering. She knew she should probably sleep, as she was due to start in the cardboard box factory tomorrow morning. She had been happy to find that the wage, while low, was reasonable for the work in question. She figured she could always apply for a new job anyway. A final thought passed her head before she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep. How hard can it be?

Author's Note

Small chapter, this one. I was hoping to get more writing done, but aside from exams I have been struck with a fever. I really wanted to get this tidbit out the door, though, so here it is. With my head full of fluff from the fever I doubt I'll get any proper writing done, so I'm just going to watch a few MLP episodes and hope it goes over soon. In the meantime, forgive me if the next chapter is going to take a little longer to write. There'll be more words in it though! \o/

Chapter V

A sharp whistle resounded through the large factory, indicating the end of the day’s shift. Cheerilee raised her hoof and rubbed her eyes with a groan. She was tired and sore, having spent another long day at the conveyor belt folding cardboard boxes. It was monotonous work, starting at nine and ending at five each day. For the past two years Cheerilee had dragged her hooves to this place to make sure there would be be food on the table.

Though she had looked for other employment wherever she could, she was always turned down for one reason or another. Ponies in suits would tell her a different lie each time she was refused a job, from being too old to missing certain qualifications that they were looking for. Cheerilee knew the truth, though. The world doesn’t forget a criminal record after just two years.

She followed the stream of her co-workers to get her saddlebags from her locker, clock out for the day and move home. Looking around, Cheerilee noticed she couldn’t connect names to even a tenth of the crowd. A blue mare who worked right next to her on the conveyor belt was walking beside her. She had a soft yellow mane with green highlights, and a cutiemark of a folded scroll. Cheerilee couldn’t remember her name if her life depended on it.

“Rough day, huh?,” the purple mare said. The other pony gave her a glance.

“Yeah,” came the reply.

“Well, at least it’s over. Can’t wait to put my hooves up,” Cheerilee tried again, cracking her best smile. She frowned as she received no response. “So, do you-,” she began, but was interrupted.

“Look, I don’t really feel like talking. I just want to get my stuff and go home, okay?,” came the reply. The blue mare increased her speed, seeming eager to get away from the unwanted company. Cheerilee let out a groan and hung her head as another attempt at communication had failed.

She had not exactly been trying to communicate with ponies when she just started out. Most had just given her weird looks, or outright ignored her. Nopony was ever mean or unkind to her, but there was a coldness to all of them. The only conversation she ever had at work was work-related, when absolutely necessary. She contemplated her bleak existence for a moment. Is this really my future?

There was a loud crash of a door that snapped the purple mare from her thoughts. As everypony in the locker room was staring at her, she figured she must have been a little too rough with her locker. She muttered an apology, before quickly making her way through the crowd. She decided that couldn’t be home soon enough.

Her apartment wasn’t far from the factory. Twenty minutes tops, if she wanted to take things slow. She sauntered through the dodgy streets of Manehatten’s outer neighborhoods. There were a few open shops here and there, mostly ones that were part of a larger chain. It was difficult for small retailers to get a stable business going in this part of the city. Many of the shops and buildings had fallen into decay, sporting broken or boarded windows. Obscene graffiti decorated many walls, and taking a peek inside certain alleys revealed reeking, overflowing trash containers. There were bars here and there, and the occasional shady nightclub that was located in the basement of some dilapidated building.

Cheerilee wasn’t far from home now, and she sighed inwardly at the thought of what she would find. She expected an abundance of fake apologetic letters from possible employers that had turned her down, as usual. She had given up trying to find a job in education long ago. A few of the places she had applied at had plainly told her that they feared her particular criminal record would cause a riot of concerned parents. It was painful to hear, but hardly as painful as the excuses she had to put up with so much more often. In a way, she admired and appreciated the honesty. Most of all, she felt foolish for trying.

Her nose picked up a smell. There was a small baker shop in this particular street. It was quaint, and it’s cheery exterior stood out from the rest of the neighborhood like a sore thumb. Cheerilee had often passed it, longingly. She almost fell to the temptation to buy herself a delicious, scrumptious cupcake. However, the rational part of her mind won. She had to save every bit that she had if she ever wanted to try and live in a better neighborhood, perhaps somewhere in the brighter center of Manehatten. It would be dry oats and milk just past its expiration date for her. Her stomach clenched involuntarily.

Cheerilee’s ears perked up. She heard groans and dull thuds originating from an alley just in front of her. She frowned as she listened carefully. She heard muffled voices, one of which was sobbing. She couldn’t make out the words. Careful to keep her hoofsteps as quiet as possible, she tried to move closer. She winced each time her hoof touched down with a particularly loud thud, stopping in her tracks and listening carefully if she was heard. She wasn’t. Cheerilee reached the edge of the alley and carefully peeked around the corner.

She was now able to clearly make out what was said. A big, burly Pegasus was snapping at a sobbing wreck of an earth pony mare that lay on the ground. He was accompanied by an earth pony stallion and a unicorn mare with several piercings through her ears, nose and lower lip. They laughed at something the Pegasus was saying.

“Look at that. Are you having regrets yet?,” the Pegasus sneered. The mare on the ground didn’t respond, but simply continued to sob. Cheerilee saw that she was badly bruised, and her snout was bleeding profusely.

“P-please, no more,” she tried to beg, which earned her a kick from the Pegasus. The other two roared with laughter.

“This is too rich,” the unicorn said. “Look at her, she’s breaking like porcelain.”

“I don’t think she understands quite yet,” the Pegasus spoke. “I think we need to make sure the lesson sinks in good and proper.”

Cheerilee’s eyes snapped open. She felt a sudden need to intervene. This scum was allowed to freely walk around Equestria, while she had been in prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Her life had been destroyed, and these figures were about to destroy another. She remembered Case Study’s words. There are other ways to teach, ran through Cheerilee’s head. Her eyes narrowed, and she turned the corner. These people were in dire need of a lesson themselves, and she would give it to them.

“Leave her alone!,” she shouted forcefully. The thugs were startled, but began to chuckle shortly afterwards.

The unicorn mare spoke. “Look here, boys. The meat has a guardian angel, it seems.”

“You should probably mind your own business and forget you ever saw us, lady,” the Pegasus threatened. Cheerilee was sweating. She swallowed, but didn’t budge. In a voice that was shakier than she would have liked she replied.

“I said, leave her alone.”

The earth pony rolled his eyes. “I’ll handle this,” he said as he began to trot towards Cheerilee. She crouched, baring her teeth threateningly.

“You should have stayed out of this,” the stallion said as he lifted his hoof to bear down on the purple mare. Cheerilee was faster, though. With surprising speed she turned on her hooves and stretched her rear legs, giving the other earth pony a solid buck in the chest. The kick sent the stallion flying several feet back into the alley. He fell on his back, gasping for air as the wind was knocked out of him. Despite having spent nearly each day of her life in prison in the gym, she was surprised at how strong she had become. She was big. Her legs were solid muscle, and their full force had been directed at the thug’s chest.

Cheerilee cried out as she suddenly felt a searing pain in her right foreleg as a flash of light grazed it. She looked up to see the unicorn, horn aglow to charge up another spell. Cheerilee ran forward, narrowly dodging the next magical assault, and raised her forehoof to strike. It connected with the other mare’s jaw, causing the unicorn to mewl in pain. The purple mare flared her nostrils and turned to assault the Pegasus that remained.

She didn’t get the chance, however, as a powerful hoof connected with the side of her head and sent her world spinning. The Pegasus had been faster. She tried to get up, but was unable to as she received a solid kick to the ribs, blowing the wind from her. Another hoof connected with her snout, making her cry out in agony. She felt something wet run past her mouth, and as she stuck out her tongue she encountered a coppery taste.

The earth pony had gotten back to his feet by now, and moved over to roughly pick up the purple mare. He stood upright, holding Cheerilee in his forelegs, exposing her belly. She felt like vomiting as one of the Pegasus’ fore hooves connected with the weak spot. She lifted her hind hooves to kick the winged stallion in the face. The earth pony holding her fell backwards with Cheerilee on top of him. With effort she managed to get to her hooves again and kicked at the earth pony stallion with her hind leg, causing him to grunt in pain.

Suddenly, Cheerilee was surrounded by a flash of light, after which she dropped to the floor like a ragdoll. The unicorn mare had gotten up by now, and Cheerilee figured she had been the target of a paralyzing spell. That’s advanced magic, where did she learn something like that? She was barely able to ask herself the question, before the thugs thoroughly began to assault her. She was unable to cry out due to the spell, but she felt every stab of pain as hoof after hoof connected with her body. Cheerilee could barely open her eyes as they pummeled her face.

Suddenly, the assault stopped. She heard a siren that sounded like it was coming closer.

“Cops!,” the unicorn mare exclaimed.

“Put miss Luckwink in the carriage, we’ll finish with her later,” the Pegasus snapped.

“What about her?,” the other stallion asked. Cheerilee assumed they were talking about her.

“Leave her! Shove her behind the trash container or something, but get moving!”

Cheerilee felt herself being dragged across the filthy alley floor and dumped between a pile of trash bags. The earth pony gave her a last stomp in the ribs before galloping out of the alley with his associates. As she regained control of her limbs, the torment that Cheerilee felt intensified. She tried to get up, which only caused an intense stab of pain to surge through her body. She couldn’t move without hurting herself. She felt lightheaded, and the world began to spin before she blacked out.

Cheerilee woke to the sound of heavy breathing and a tickling sensation at her left hind hoof. She panicked slightly when she found she couldn’t open her eyes, before remembering what had happened. The thugs hadn’t spared her face from their pummeling, and it took all of her willpower to force her lids to part. As her senses started to come back to her she noticed that she still had her saddlebag, which was good. What was bad that she was in a very uncomfortable position, on top of the bag that contained her lunchbox. She looked downwards to find the source of the tickling.

She was startled to find that a ragged green stallion with a light brown mane was licking and sniffing at her hooves and calves. He wore a tattered bowler. His neck was adorned with a filthy, ripped scarf. There were spots and stains on his coat, and each time he opened his mouth to stick out his tongue Cheerilee could just make out a row of yellow and brown teeth.

“What the buck do you think you’re doing?!,” Cheerilee tried to scream. Instead she was merely able to utter a nasal squeal. She jerked her hooves and tried to get up, but groaned and cringed at the attempt. Stabs of pain shot through her body, and she started to feel faint. Sheer willpower alone got Cheerilee too her hooves.

“Mrhh, you smell good. Taste good too.” The stallion had a breathy, rather high pitched voice that immediately got on Cheerilee’s nerves.

“What the buck makes you think you can just harass me like that?!”

“Would have been a shame to let it go to waste. You were just lying there with your beautiful hooves just splayed out like that. How can a stallion resist?”

Cheerilee grunted in disgust. She would have made a face if it wouldn’t have pained her to do so. She willed herself to move, limping out of the alley.

“Won’t you tell me your name?,” she heard the tramp call out.

“Buck off,” she replied curtly. She increased her speed, exiting the alley. As she left the street she turned her head to make sure that the creepy stallion wasn’t following her. Finding out he wasn’t, she let out a sigh of relief and began to make her way home.

Cheerilee was glad that she didn’t live that far away. She opened the door to her apartment, dropped her saddlebag in the hallway, and made her way to the bathroom. As the light flickered on and she was able to take a good look at herself in the mirror, she sighed. There were bruises all across her body, blood had caked to most of her face. Her eyes were both dark blue, and she could barely keep her lids apart to see. Her snout was ragged. She looked, in one word, horrible.

Opening the water tap of the shower she carefully proceeded to wash the filth from her body. The stream of water that disappeared down the drain was coloured a rusty red as she carefully washed her snout, wincing each time she put just a little too much pressure on it. She felt that she had trouble breathing, and figured that some of her ribs must have been bruised, perhaps even broken. Somewhere in the back of her head she knew that she should probably see a doctor. Instead, she decided to ignore what she might need and go for what she might want. She swallowed several painkillers, exited her apartment and hailed a cab downtown.

Cheerilee had gotten plenty of strange looks on her voyage, which she blatantly ignored. From the corner of her eye she could see groups of ponies point and stare at her. At the moment she couldn’t care less, though. The bright illumination from the magically powered neon lights of downtown Manehatten hurt her bruised eyes, and she could feel a headache coming up despite her painkillers. She trudged on until she stood in front of her destination.

Cheerilee cringed slightly at the obnoxious sign that decorated the ‘Fillay Foolerz’ club. She found it cheesy and stupid, but entered anyway. Inside, she could barely see. The only sources of illumination were the stage and strobe lights, and her ears were assaulted with dubstep that was playing at a deafening volume. She looked over the crowd of mares inside the club, locating her target at the other side of the hall. A white unicorn with an electric blue mane and big purple shades was standing behind the DJ table.

As she tried to make her way through the crowd, Cheerilee felt herself being touched on the flank multiple times. Mares were trying to scrape against her while uttering promises of a ‘good time’. They all startled and backed off when Cheerilee turned and her battered exterior was revealed to them, however. After what felt like an age, she managed to reach the DJ platform.

The purple mare managed to get behind the stage and climb up to the turn tables where Vinyl Scratch was working her music. She crouched low, as to remain hidden from the view of the dancing crowd, reaching out a hoof to tap Vinyl on the flank. If not for the situation, Vinyl’s reaction would have been nothing short of comical. She jumped slightly at the touch, giving Cheerilee a glare, then a grin of recognition before finally gaping in shock when she saw the state of her friend.

Vinyl shouted something in Cheerilee’s ear, but she couldn’t understand over the music. She made an indication of this, after which Vinyl turned to her mixing table and tapped several buttons to create a playlist, ensuring the music would continue for a while. She motioned for Cheerilee to follow her. They passed through a door backstage, which muffled the sound from the club once it fell closed. They entered a small room with a sideboard, a table and a drinks dispenser.

“What the buck, Cheers, what did you do to yourself?!,” Vinyl exclaimed once she was able to make herself understood.

“Got mugged,” Cheerilee muttered nasally. She felt bad for lying to her friend, but knew that if she told Vinyl she had tried to stop a group of thugs there would be lecture about staying out of trouble that she really didn’t feel like listening to.

“Buck me, Cheers, they beat you to a pulp for a bunch of bits?,” Vinyl replied. “And why are you bothering me at work instead of finding a doctor?” Vinyl sounded worried rather than angry, which caused a surge of guilt to erupt in Cheerilee’s mind.

“I just needed to talk to you,” she replied weakly.

“About what?”

“I don’t know, I just really want to talk.”

Vinyl sighed through her nose and regarded Cheerilee in silence. After a moment she groaned and rolled her eyes. She grabbed a cloth from the sideboard and moved over towards the drinks dispenser. She pushed a button, which caused ice to fall from the machine which she caught with the cloth. The musical mare walked over to her friend, pressing the ice against Cheerilee’s head.

“Hold that. I’ll let my boss know where I’m going, we’ll talk in the cab.”

“Where are we going,” Cheerilee asked?

“To the doctor.”

About fifteen minutes later the two of them were riding a taxi through Manehatten. Silence reigned, at first. Cheerilee stared out of the window of the carriage, watching the city pass before her eyes.

“You said you wanted to talk, so talk.” Vinyl broke the silence rather abruptly, slightly startling Cheerilee. The DJ’s glasses were resting just above her horn, and her magenta eyes were looking expectantly into Cheerilee’s green orbs.

“I-I’m not sure,” Cheerilee said.

Vinyl frowned. “So why come to me, then?”

“I just needed a friendly face. I felt so frustrated, being overpowered like that. I’ve felt powerless for the past two years, unable to make any progress with my life. I’m still stuck in the box factory, living in some crappy shithole of an apartment.” Cheerilee huffed slightly, her eyes stinging as she spoke. She felt a pair of hooves wrap around her form.

“Hey,” Vinyl said in a soft voice, “we talked about this, remember? You’ll get there sometime. You will.”

“It just hurts so much,” the purple mare mewled.

“I can imagine. You look horrible, Cheers. They really did a number on that pretty snout of yours.”

“I don’t mean that!,” Cheerilee snapped. Vinyl frowned, and a guilty feeling sunk into the purple mare’s stomach. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap like that. And, well, my face does hurt a lot too.”

“I imagine you’ve had a knock or two too many to the head this evening, so I’ll let it slip,” Vinyl jabbed playfully. Cheerilee couldn’t help but smile. She rested a part of her head that didn’t hurt on her friend’s shoulder.

“You know, you should probably take some self-defense classes or something. Some kind of awesome kung-fu moves in your pocket would probably boost your self-confidence immensely,” the DJ continued.

Cheerilee thought about this for a moment. Learning martial arts would allow her to fight much more effectively. She knew she had raw strength, she had found that out the moment she landed the first kick, but she needed an edge to put that strength to its optimal use. In some part of her brain she had felt satisfied. She had tried to teach those thugs a lesson, and the frustration didn’t so much come from the fact that she lost but the fact that the lesson wasn’t learned. The more Cheerilee thought about it, the more she liked the idea of training. She knew exactly who she was going to ask, too.

“Yeah. I think I’ll do that, that sounds like a good idea,” Cheerilee replied after a while.

“I know, I’m a genius,” Vinyl grinned.

“From time to time.” They both laughed.

“You know, once the doctor is done with you, why don’t we go to my place for a while? I have a few sick new beats I just know you’ll love.”

Cheerilee, in fact, did not enjoy the music her DJ friend typically worked with. She thought about declining, but decided that she could really use the company. Though she had her quirks, Vinyl Scratch was truly a good pony at heart, and one of Cheerilee’s closest friends despite their differences.

“Yeah, that sounds good,” Cheerilee answered with a smile.

“Sweet,” the DJ said. “Oh, and by the way.”

Cheerilee looked up at her friend, raising an eyebrow as best as she could with the condition of her face.

“I’m going through a lot of trouble for you with this. You owe me quite a few drinks.” Vinyl Scratch’s grin threated to split her face in two.

Cheerilee rolled her eyes. “You’re horrible.”

“I know.”

Author's Note

I think I may have slipped up in editing this chapter here and there. If you find any mistakes, please don't hesitate to point them out.

Chapter VI

Chapter VI

“Good morning, mister Solid,” Cheerilee spoke as she exited her apartment. A big burly minotaur lumbered past, muttering some obscenity before entering the apartment next to Cheerilee’s and slamming the door behind him. The purple mare rolled her eyes, trotting out of the building.

It was a lengthy walk to the train station from her home, but that didn’t bother her. It was quite a nice day out. The temperature was pleasant, and only a few cumuli dotted the sky above.

Besides, I’ve been resting my flank for long enough, she thought, I could use the exercise. The doctor had told her to take it easy for at least another few days, but it had been over a week since her ordeal in the alley and she had things to do and people to see. The bruises on her face and body had not yet faded entirely, but they didn’t hurt as much as they did before. She had decided to wear a simple green dress and a pair of shades to cover most of them. I’m fit enough for work, so I’m fit enough for this.

The train station was crowded. The weekends weren’t as bad as the weekdays, but she still had to squirm her way through quite a few ponies to get to the ticket booth. Cheerilee groaned at the sight of the rather long queue, but got in line anyway. Though she knew it was rude to eavesdrop, Cheerilee couldn’t help but focus on the conversation between a mare and stallion in front of her.

“-but I would be worried, you know,” she picked up from the stallion.

The mare responded. “Oh, I do. I am very worried. I’d say the city is falling into decay if things like that are starting to escalate.”

“Quite true, dear. Disappearances have never been uncommon, so an increase is very disturbing. Well, I hope they’ll take care of it before it really gets out of hand.”

The mare put on a fearful expression. “My sister lives in one of those neighborhoods. Owh, I hope she’ll be alright.”

Disappearances?, Cheerilee thought, frowning. “Excuse me,” she said to the two ponies in front of her, “I’m very sorry, but I couldn’t help but overhear. You were talking about an increase in disappearances?”

The couple turned to her, the male answering with an arched eyebrow. “Indeed, miss. Manehatten has never been the safest city to live in, especially in the neighborhoods on the edge of the city. Authorities suspect it’s abduction. Apparently there’s some kind of gang that roams the city. They’re said to take foals, especially. Street urchins, or the occasional schoolfoal that’s on its way home."

Cheerilee felt nauseous. The thought of innocent children being snatched because they walked from school alone absolutely sickened her.

“Miss, are you quite alright?,” a female voice said. Cheerilee looked up to see the couple she had been talking with giving her worried glances. “You’re starting to look rather pale.

“I’m alright, sorry,” Cheerilee replied, “I just-, that’s absolutely horrible.”

“Oh, I agree. Here, why don’t you take this. The paper has the whole thing covered quite well. We already read it, so you’re free to take it.” The stallion reached into his saddlebag, handing Cheerilee a newspaper. She nodded, taking it and putting it into her own.

“Thank you,” she said.

“That’s quite alright, miss,” the Stallion smiled. “And don’t worry about it too much, I’m sure the authorities have it quite under control. Manehatten will be rid of those pests in no time.”

Cheerilee smiled, but wasn’t convinced. She had little faith in law enforcement, but didn’t want to dishearten the couple in front of her by showing it. They turned away from her, leaving the mare to her thoughts. She had been witness to an abduction just a week ago, and she couldn’t help but wonder whether there was a connection. She shook her head to clear her mind. She had other things to worry about for now. She would remember.

*****

It was a half hour train ride from Manehatten to one of the small towns that lay a little while from the edge of the city. The martial arts school that Cheerilee was looking for was located in a place called Hoofington Springs, which was little more than a few houses and a grocery store in the eyes of the mare. She was pretty sure it was smaller than Ponyville. She passed several quaint but cozy looking houses before reaching a building that stuck out like a sore thumb. It was square, made out of red brick. There was a sign on the front that said ‘Hoofington Springs Martial Arts School’, with a list of styles underneath.

The building was isolated very well, for the moment she opened the door the silence that reigned outside was replaced by the clamor of laughter and grunting, combined with frequent dull thuds. There were several training groups at work, some consisting of just adults, some of just foals and some that were mixed. Cheerilee walked up to the reception desk where a gray mare was filing her hooves.

“Afternoon, honey,” she said with disinterested, nasal voice. “Beginner, intermediate or advanced?”

Cheerilee looked confused for a moment. “I’m sorry, what?”

“What level do you want to take a course in?,” the reception mare spoke in a chiding tone, like she was pointing out the obvious.

Cheerilee frowned, her mouth forming an annoyed pout. The mare behind the desk was too busy with her hooves to see. “Actually, I’d like to see someone. Case Study, is he in?”

“Ya have an appointment, sweetheart?,” came the reply that was dripping with the same disinterest as the rest of the conversation.

“Well, no, I-.”

“Nothing I can do for ya then. Sorry.”

Cheerilee frowned. “Now look here, surely there’s a moment where you can-.” At that moment a door to the right opened and a familiar off-white stallion with a teal mane stepped through. He was wearing a simple white vest, with a black belt secured around his midriff. He addressed the receptionist.

“Miss Summershine, could you call Cheery Trail’s parents? She hurt her hoof and-.”

“Doc!” Cheerilee exclaimed, causing Case Study to turn his head in surprise.

“I’m sorry, do I know you?,” the stallion replied.

“It’s me! Cheerilee!” She removed her sunglasses before continuing. “Remember? You treated me several years ago, when I was in-.” The purple mare stopped herself from completing that sentence, coughing uncomfortably.

Case Study narrowed his eyes for a moment in thought, looking Cheerilee over. After a moment his eyes opened wide in recognition. “My goodness, Cheerilee. Yes, I remember you. What happened? You look awful!” He raised a hoof to point at the bruises across Cheerilee’s face, particularly around her eyes.

“It’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about, doc. Do you have a minute?,” she asked hopefully.

“I do, but not right now. I have to finish this class, and then I have two more groups for today. But, if you aren’t short on time, I have a moment we can talk in an hour or two.”

Cheerilee nodded eagerly. “Yes, that would be great. Thank you, doc.”

He nodded. “See you in a while, then,” he said before turning back to the receptionist who hadn’t lifted her eyes from her hooves throughout the entire exchange.

“Recommend us to your friends,” she said. Cheerilee just rolled her eyes.

*****

The town was explored quickly, small as it was. Walking around the picturesque little streets roused some pleasant memories for Cheerilee. Since she had already spent money on a train ticket, and would be spending more on fighting lessons, she decided that it couldn’t hurt to treat herself a little. She doubted she was going to be moving out of her current apartment any time soon, so she bought herself a big portion of hayfries with a smoothie at a local café. She peered at the clock, noticing that two hours had passed already, so Cheerilee began to make her way back for her meeting with Case Study.

He was already waiting at the reception desk when she entered. He motioned with his hoof, indicating for her to follow. He led her to a small training room that had padded floors. He sat down on a bench along the sides, indicating for her to sit down as well.

“So. You said you wanted to talk about something. Given the situation, I assume this isn’t about therapy,” Case Study began, regarding Cheerilee with a neutral expression.

“It’s not. I came here because of, well, this.” Cheerilee pointed at her face with her hoof. “I remembered you telling me you taught martial arts, back from therapy. I was hoping you could teach me.”

“Wait, first tell me what happened.”

“I passed the wrong alley at the wrong time. A group of thugs was beating on another mare, I wanted to help. They roughed me up and left me in the trash,” Cheerilee said. She really didn’t want to explain more than that, so she quickly continued. “Look, Manehatten is dangerous. I want to be able to defend myself out there.”

The stallion sighed through his nose, folding his forelegs and looking at the ground for a moment. “Do you have any experience at all?,” he asked after a moment.

Cheerilee shook her head.

“Yes, I figured as much. That means you need to be put in a beginner group, and I can’t do that. Not here.”

Cheerilee’s expression fell. “What? Why not?,” she asked in a dejected voice.

“Because of your criminal record. We have no adult-only beginner group, I can’t put you in with them without bringing all sorts of potential trouble for this school. I’m sorry.”

Cheerilee felt like she had been stabbed. Again, her record got in the way of her goals in life. She grit her teeth to keep her tears from flowing. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“Isn’t there anything at all that you can do?” She looked the stallion in the eyes with a pleading look. He simply regarded her for a moment, frowning slightly.

“Maybe. But before I look into that, answer me something,” he replied.

“Anything.”

“Why me?”

Cheerilee fell quiet at this. She looked at Case Study, her mouth opening and closing as she struggled with the answer. Why him?, Cheerilee thought again. There were other schools that could teach her martial arts that didn’t have foals, or simply wouldn’t care. Most likely closer to home, as well. She wanted to be taught by Case Study, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Come on, Cheerilee, you have to come up with an answer. He’s one of the only ones that-. Oh.

She looked up to look Case Study directly in the eyes as she spoke. “Because you are one of the few people that I trust. One of the few who I know will respect me, take me seriously. And, most important, because you know that I’m innocent.”

Case Study was quiet for a moment, before replying. “You know that I can’t disagree with a court-.”

Cheerilee cut him off with a gesture of her hoof. “I know. But I also know that you believe me. You don’t have to tell me for me to see. I want to be taught by you. I trust you, and I respect you, and I know that I’m making the right choice with this. I can feel it.”

Case Study stared at Cheerilee for a moment longer, before getting on his hooves and walking towards the window, looking outside.

“Alright, Cheerilee. Let’s have a look at what you’ve got.”

The purple mare raised her head, the corners of her mouth curling up. “You mean you’ll do it?”

“We’ll see. Take off that dress and stand over there.” Case Study pointed towards the middle of the training room. Cheerilee did as she was told, quickly removing the green garment and placing it on the bench. She never saw what the trouble was with changing clothes in a public area. Most ponies didn’t usually wear any anyway. Once she was ready, the stallion spoke again.

“Alright. I want you to hit me,” he said.

“Ehm, what?,” Cheerilee asked, her eyebrow raised.

“You heard me. Give me your best shot. Don’t hold back.” Case Study wore an unreadable expression as he looked his ‘opponent’ in the eye.

“Alright, if you’re sure.” The purple mare brought up her right foreleg as fast as she could, aiming for the stallion’s torso. Before she hit, however, Case Study’s hoof was up and blocking her blow. Her eyes widened.

“Whoa.”

“Try again.”

Cheerilee did as she was asked, this time aiming for her opponent’s head. Again, her hoof was blocked. She stepped back, her mouth slightly open in surprise.

“Did I tell you to stop? You’re not giving up, are you?,” Case Study asked. Though his face was a mask of neutrality, Cheerilee could detect the taunting in the stallion’s voice. She grunted in annoyance, repeatedly bringing up her hooves to strike. Each and every attack she made was either blocked or deftly dodged by Case Study. She tried to feint, but that too was anticipated by her much more experienced adversary. Even though the stallion didn’t retaliate or even spoke, Cheerilee found herself becoming more and more annoyed. After several more failed attempts, she let out a loud cry and reared on her hooves to try and deliver a solid buck to Case Study’s chest. For a moment, it felt like she was floating as Case Study grasped her hind legs with his front hooves. He used her momentum against her as he rolled on his back and planted his hooves into Cheerilee’s chest, sending her flying over him. She landed on the ground with a groan.

She figured it wasn’t supposed to hurt as much as it did, but her previous injuries sent stabs of pain through her body. As she lay on the ground, Case Study stepped towards her and tapped her on the nose. “Boop.”

What was meant to be a playful nudge on her snout caused a searing pain that brought tears to the purple mare’s eyes and made her cry out in pain. She brought her hooves to her face to protect the sensitive organ and rolled over to face away from the source of the pain.

“Oh my, I’m sorry,” Case Study said apologetically. He carefully helped Cheerilee back to her hooves. “I didn’t realize you were still sore, there.”

“It’s fine,” she mumbled, “I should have been more careful.”

“That you should’ve,” came the reply. When no more words came, Cheerilee hesitantly spoke up.

“So, how did I do?”

“As I expected,” Case Study replied matter-of-factly. “You’re incredibly strong, I’ll give you that, but you lack precision. You’re sluggish and your strikes are uncontrolled. Next week, I want you to bring a statement from the doctor that you’re ready for physical exercise. You will meet me here every evening at nine. You’ll pay the standard lesson fee, plus ten percent extra for the additional expenses and time.”

Cheerilee nodded, a wide grin on her face. “Agreed. Why the ten percent though, if you don’t mind my asking?”

Case Study smiled. “I don’t. It’s because I’m going to give you private lessons, after hours. There’s some administrative costs involved in that. Also, you’re keeping me away from my family.”

Cheerilee nodded before pulling her dress over her head. “Didn’t know you were a family man.”

“We married shortly after you were released. I couldn’t be happier to this day.” Cheerilee saw the stallion’s smile widen for a moment, a glint appearing in his eyes. “Speaking of which, I should go and see them. I’ll see you next week, given you can get that statement from the doctor.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’m tough. See you next week, doc.” She turned around, making her way to the door to leave. She halted for a moment as he spoke.

“Honestly, Cheerilee. You can just call me ‘Case’, you know.”

*****

Reluctantly, Cheerilee’s doctor had declared her completely healthy, which meant she could begin her training. For several weeks she would visit Case Study every other evening, finding that while he was an effective teacher, he was not a pleasant one. Case Study had insisted that they would be unable to train every single evening, and though Cheerilee had initially protested, she had come to understand why. The exercises were rigorous and repetitive, leaving her with barely enough energy to find her way home and collapse on her bed after each training.

Cheerilee, by nature, was sluggish. When it came to physical labor, she was used to relying on strength alone to get the job done. This made initial progress slow, leaving the mare incredibly frustrated. This usually led to a scolding by Case Study, followed by another exercise involving patience and discipline. However, as the weeks turned into months she began to notice the progress that she had made. Her body felt more supple as she moved, and her stance now possessed a certain grace and elegance. Her reflexes had developed significantly, and though she wasn’t as fast as she herself would have liked, Case Study seemed very pleased with her progress. She had absolutely mastered the basic techniques, and had a good grasp of a great deal of the more advanced moves.

Still, the lessons continued, until one day her teacher didn’t finish their lesson with the usual exchange of goodbyes.

“I am amazed, Cheerilee,” Case Study said with a smile. “Despite your rough start, you have truly made leaps in your training the past few months. I’m proud of you.”

Cheerilee gave him a small smile in return, a slight blush forming on her cheeks at the compliment. “Thanks, Case. I was about ready to choke you a few times, but you’re truly an amazing teacher.”

Case Study laughed. “And you’ve been an amazing student.”

Cheerilee chuckled as well, though her smile faded after a moment. “Wait. ‘Have been’?”

“Cheerilee, for the past months you’ve been training with me several times a week. You’ve become good. Very good. There’s honestly nothing more for me to teach you.”

Cheerilee was speechless for a moment. Beside the fact that the past months had passed before she even realized, she had now come to a point where her training was complete. It felt surreal, almost impossible. “B-but, you’re still so much better than me. There’s still so much that I don’t know.”

Case Study’s smile faded, sighing through his nose. “Cheerilee, your abilities far excel those of the average street tough. They won’t stand a chance if anyone ever tries to mug you again.”

“Case, I want to learn more. I want to finish what I started.”

The stallion frowned, his eyes becoming hard as he glared at the purple mare. Cheerilee swallowed, but didn’t break eye contact, meeting the gaze defiantly. After a moment, Case Study spoke quietly.

“Cheerilee, skills like mine take practice outside of a training room. Practice like that is very dangerous. You should count yourself lucky if you never have to put what you have learned to use.”

Cheerilee shook her head. “No. I want to learn.” Case Study didn’t respond, instead just staring Cheerilee in the eyes. Though she felt her resolve waver, the purple mare made sure not to break eye contact. After what seemed like hours, her teacher spoke again.

“You’re serious, aren’t you?”

Cheerilee nodded, causing the stallion to relent and close his eyes with a frown.

“You are by far the most headstrong pony I have met in my entire career,” he said with a weary voice. The youthfulness that usually graced him was gone, making him look old and tired. “Fine. There is a trial that I once took, a long time ago. I was still cursed with the arrogance of youth back then.” The last sentence was uttered with emphasis as he gave Cheerilee a look. “It will test what you have learned here, and more. Ingenuity, resourcefulness, determination and discipline.”

Cheerilee couldn’t help but widen her eyes. Without really thinking, she spoke. “I want to take the trial.”

Case Study almost gave her a pleading look. “Cheerilee, that trial is very dangerous, not something you undertake on a whim. You’ll be out there on your own, left completely to fend for yourself. You could get injured in all sorts of ways, perhaps even permanently. You could die.”

This gave her pause for a moment, a frown appearing on her features. She hadn’t considered the prospect of losing her life. Was she ready for that? Was it really worth it?

What do you have to lose? The thought suddenly invaded Cheerilee’s mind. The knowledge that it wasn’t some reckless part of her brain that was asking the question sent a shiver down her spine. What did she have to lose? Aside from Case and Vinyl she had nopony that she truly considered her friend. She had no relationship, nor did she have relatives. She was more than likely going to be stuck with her dinghy apartment and her crummy job at the box factory. No, she wanted to do this. She was going to finish what she started.

“I’m sure about this. I want to do it,” she said with utter surety and determination. Case Study sighed deeply.

“I really shouldn’t let you do this.”

“Then why are you?” Cheerilee asked with a frown, and a little more venom than she really intended. He winced.

“Because if I don’t, I know you’re going to go look for it yourself. This way I can be sure you have a fighting chance. Don’t let this get to your head, but you were better than I was back when I did the trial.”

Cheerilee smiled slightly. “That’s reassuring, at least.”

“For you, perhaps. I hope you have a lot of vacation to cash in, you’re going to be gone a long time once you start.”

Author's Note

Well, well. Looks like we're getting somewhere.

Chapter VII

Chapter VII

Though she hadn’t taken a single day off—a day or two after being beat up excluded—during her time at the box factory, it was difficult to get the amount of free time that she wanted. In the end, she had been able to negotiate six weeks, two weeks shorter than the minimum she had hoped for. It would have to do. When she had told Vinyl she was going on a vacation she had been ecstatic. “It’s about time you’re gonna relax and live a little. Be sure to have fun out there!,” had been the DJ’s words. Cheerilee hadn’t exactly lied, but she had definitely left out some details concerning the danger that was involved in her trip. She didn’t want to cause her friend worry while she was gone.

She didn’t really have to pack anything. Case Study had told her that he would provide her with what she needed during the trial. Surviving with only the bare necessities was part of the test, after all. On the train to her destination Cheerilee began to feel uneasy. She felt very nervous and very excited at the same time, causing her stomach to tie itself into a knot.

Upon arriving at her destination, she was greeted by an unexpected sight. Cheerilee’s mouth fell open at the large, green hot air balloon that was secured to a pole. Case Study stood next to it with a pair of saddlebags that were hardly half full. When he saw Cheerilee approach, the stallion moved towards her.

“Alright. Everything is set. Are you still sure about this?”

The mare nodded. “I am. What’s the balloon for?”

“To get you to your starting point,” came the reply.

Cheerilee swallowed. She picked up the saddlebags and hoisted them into the balloon before stepping inside, closely followed by Case Study. He turned to her with a piece of cloth in his mouth, which he proceeded to wrap around her head so it obscured her vision.

“Ehm, Case, what-,” she began, but was interrupted.

“So you don’t see where we’re going. I told you, this is going to be difficult and very dangerous. The moment we arrive you are completely on your own, and there’s no turning back. You’ll have to defend yourself against the worst that nature has to offer, so I’m going to ask you one last time. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then take a seat and get some rest.”

She didn’t know how long the voyage took, but she suspected it was several hours. She felt strangely calm in the gently swaying basket. She tried to engage in conversation with Case a few times, but it usually fell flat after a few sentences. Finally, she felt a sensation in her stomach as the balloon began to descend. With a thud they touched down on the ground.

“You can take off the blindfold now, we’re here,” came Case Study’s voice.

The first thing Cheerilee noticed when she pulled off the blindfold was that there was surprisingly little light for her eyes to adjust to. She could see the daylight shining through the canopy, but it wasn’t enough to truly illuminate the forest floor outside of the clearing in which they landed the balloon. Cheerilee stretched her limbs, took her saddlebags and stepped out.

“This forest is looking awfully familiar,” Cheerilee spoke uncertainly.

“It should,” Case Study said without further explanation. “Get out of the forest safe and sound, and you’ll have passed the trial. Cheerilee, for the love of Celestia, be careful out there. Don’t take any unnecessary risks, and I’m confident you’ll be able to make it through this. Good luck, alright?”

Cheerilee nodded in return. “Thanks, Case. I’ll see you soon.”

“I hope so!,” the stallion hollered as the balloon began to ascend once more. She watched as it passed from her sight, before taking a good look at her surroundings. It was somewhere around early midday, but despite that fact the forest outside of the clearing was looking dark and ominous. She began to notice the cacophony of the woodlands, from the songs of different kinds of birds to the various squawks and squeaks of woodland critters. Somewhere in the distance she could hear an ominous roar, echoing through the forest, and Cheerilee was beginning to wonder whether she had made a mistake by coming here.

No. None of that. You have to do this, Cheerilee. She looked towards her saddlebags, taking out the contents and putting them in front of her on the ground. The first step would be to see what kind of materials she had available. It was quite the basic survival kit, with a knife that concealed a small magnesium stick, compass, canteen and a tightly wrapped blanket. There was also a book on common plants that were edible and nutritious. Leafing through it she already recognized many of the plants growing around her in ample supply, meaning food would not likely be a problem.

Thank Celestia for small favours, she thought. Her eyes finally fell on a strange device. It was a pair of metal bands, big enough to fit over a hoof. There was a construction like a claw on the side of each band. Thankfully, they came with instructions. She picked up the leaflet and began to read.

“Climbing gear?,” she wondered aloud. Indeed, the bands were meant to fit on her forehooves, and would allow her to grip relatively soft materials such as wood. Cheerilee felt a sudden surge of giddiness as she slipped the devices on. Ponies didn’t often resort to the use of climbing claws, simply because more often than not there was no need for them. Pegasi could fly, and unicorns could levitate, making pretty much every corner of Equestria reachable for everypony. Earth ponies were often dependent on the other pony types for that kind of travel however, and though there were balloons, wearing the climbing claws gave Cheerilee a sense of freedom and independence. She made her way over to the nearest tree.

Climbing proved to be a tiring and difficult task, despite her fit and muscular figure. Though the climbing claws gave her forelegs a solid grip, her hind legs often slipped. After a while she was able to keep her hind legs steady as she made good progress up the tree, and as she reached the top she let out a loud, resounding cheer. She took a good look around, hoping that the tree would provide a vantage point.

It didn’t. The roof of the forest stretched out as far as she was able to see. She also noticed that the sun was getting rather low. She must have spent several hours climbing the tree, instead of making progress in her journey or finding shelter. She found that the descent was far easier than the journey upwards, and quickly made her way down to her saddlebags. She picked up the compass, using it to find true north. Cheerilee once read a book that said it was imperative for survival in the wilds to determine your direction and stick to it. Even though it might have been a trick on her eyes, Cheerilee believed the forest wasn’t as thick in the north as it was in the other directions. She strapped on her saddlebags, picked some of the edible plants that she had seen earlier and started to make her way.

The forest became increasingly darker as she continued. It wasn’t just the receding light of the setting sun, it was the forest itself. The trees became gnarled things with tangled roots that stuck out and hindered her progress. The leaves began high on the trunks, and were a depressing dark green in color. The chirping of birds had been replaced with far more ominous sounds. Scraping and scratching, growling and the occasional howl somewhere in the distance. The climbing claws also proved to be a necessity, rather than a luxury, as she was often faced with ridges that would otherwise force her into an immense detour.

Cheerilee praised her luck when she came across a shallow cave just as the last rays of sun were starting to fade. It was less than six feet in depth, but it provided plenty of cover. She found a branch not far from her new campsite, and was able to light a fire using the knife in her saddlebag and some dry twigs and leaves from the forest ground. After a little struggle, Cheerilee found herself sitting at a small fire. She had the blanket from her bag wrapped around her, and was absently chewing on the plants she had picked earlier. They had a bland taste that reminded her of the porridge they sometimes served in prison.

Cheerilee’s night was restless, sleeping close to the fire while wrapped tight in her blanket. The forest was anything but quiet and she often found herself startled awake by a particularly loud or menacing noise that seemed a little too close for comfort. Sleep did not come easy amidst all the hardships, and though she didn’t feel rested in the slightest, she couldn’t be happier to see the sun rise and continue on her way the next day.

*****

As the days passed, Cheerilee lost track of time. Each day she rose with the sun, traversed the forest, and found herself shelter at dusk. Every so often she checked her compass, to see if she was still going north, and despite a few minor deviations she had held her course fairly well. Ironically, it was this success that concerned Cheerilee. She had been travelling for a long time, but the forest didn’t seem to end or even thin. She felt filthy. Her coat and mane were matted and stained, the occasional twig and leaf sticking from her hair. Though she had found tiny streams of clean water that she could drink from and wash her mouth with, the ponds and pools that she passed that would have been big enough to bathe in were murky and reeked of swamp and decay.

Over time, she found herself able to sleep at night, getting used to the din of the creatures and the discomfort of sleeping on hard surfaces. Climbing had become second nature to her as she made her way across shortcuts, impassable terrain and into fruit bearing trees. The claws, although dirty, didn’t show the slightest sign of wear. Whatever material it was made from, Cheerilee was infinitely grateful for it.

“I think I hear something,” Cheerilee spoke to nopony but herself. Though she was still sound of mind, the amount of time spent in solitude was starting to take its toll. More than once Cheerilee caught herself speaking her thoughts out loud. However, as she quieted down she did hear an unusual sound through the din of the forest, low and rumbling.

“That sounds like a river! Water!,” she exclaimed before quickly making her way to the source of the noise. Cheering, she clambered her way through the forest, finding her way to a broad, wild stream. Immediately she shed her saddlebags and climbing claws, and ran into the cool river. It felt amazing, and though the cold water wasn’t enough to really clean her, most of the grime and filth washed right off. Grinning like an idiot, she rested on the riverbank to dry off, looking up. Where the river ran, there were no trees to obscure the sky, so she was actually able to dry in the sun.

Cheerilee figured she had been lying there for a few hours. Her coat was dry again, and she felt rested enough to continue her voyage. She checked her compass and saw that the river was flowing in the general direction of north. She smiled, slipping on her climbers and saddlebags, before she perked her ears at the rustling of bushes nearby.

“Hello?,” Cheerilee tried as she peered in the direction of the sound. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she turned to move on, but halted as her nose burned with an awful stench, causing her to gag. She turned as her ears once again picked up the sound of movement in a nearby shrubbery. Just as before, Cheerilee saw nothing out of the ordinary, until her eyes picked up on two glowing green dots, shaped like leaves. A figure stepped forward, its body made of twigs, logs and leaves that had molded together to form the shape of a large wolf.

Cheerilee stood stone still as the timber wolf moved towards her, a smell of decay becoming stronger with each step. Out of impulse, Cheerilee roared at the top of her lungs, making the timber wolf stop in its tracks, staring into the purple mare’s eyes. Cheerilee swallowed difficultly, surprised at having halted the beast. However, when she tried to take a step back the beast pounced on her, jaw wide open, ready to sink the wooden stakes that served as its teeth into her flesh. As Cheerilee instinctively raised her foreleg, the timber wolfs jaw locked around the climber claw.

She screamed. She expected excruciating pain as her limb would be torn off by the vicious beast. To her surprise, she felt nothing. The metal that encased her limb held fast under the pressure as the Timber Wolf tried to tug at her leg. With a loud yell, Cheerilee brought her other foreleg for a swipe across the Timber Wolf’s muzzle, the climber claw latching onto the wood. The beast whined and released its grip on Cheerilee as the blow loosened twigs and other bits of wood from its jaw.

As Cheerilee’s senses came back to her, so did her training with Case Study. She jumped and rolled to flank the Timber Wolf. With a powerful kick from her hind legs, she knocked the beast on its side. As the blow landed she heard the sound of snapping twigs and cracking wood. Dodging and blocking the wolf’s swiping claws, she managed to dig her climbing claw into the beast’s muzzle, and with a mighty pull she tore off the head, temporarily dispelling the magic that kept the creature together, causing it to fall apart into a pile of sticks and leaves.

Cheerilee panted and spat on the ground. She felt a surge of euphoria at her victory, giving her new energy. The feeling was short-lived as the scent of rot once again filled her nostrils. Three more timber wolves howled as they sped towards her, and the twigs and leaves that formed the wolf she had just vanquished were already beginning to stir.

Cheerilee ran as fast as her legs would carry her, panting heavily as she pumped her limbs to their limit. She was following the riverbed, trying to outrun her pursuers, and though she was fast the mare knew she couldn’t keep this speed up for a long time. In an instant, she darted to the left and made her way into the forest. It was a risk, but she had no chance to outrun the timber wolves on a flat track.

With her heart beating in her throat, she sped across the forest floor, dodging low branches, jumping over fallen trees and balancing on protruding roots. Despite her training with Case Study, she was surprised at the ease with which she sped along. She was nearly overtaken by one of the smaller wolves as it jumped from a ledge just beside her. It managed to sink its claw into her back, just above her cutiemark, prompting a scream from the purple mare. The offending timber wolf received a buck to the muzzle in return, quickly followed by the climber claw being buried in its head, causing the beast to fall apart.

Hastily, Cheerilee looked around. She wouldn’t be able to outrun the timber wolves, so she would need to find a place to hide instead. She spotted a narrow cave entrance in a nearby ridge. Without thinking she sprinted towards it, hearing the heavy steps of the running timber wolves just behind her. Inside, she sped through the narrow corridor until she found something she did not expect. She could have encountered a dead end and be fodder for the beasts that were chasing her, or she could have entered the lair of an even more terrifying creature. Instead, she found herself without ground under her hooves. With a yelp of surprise, she fell.

*****

Cheerilee groaned. She was hurt. Aside from the general throb in her head and limbs, there was a sharp stinging sensation just above her flank. She felt that she was lying in a puddle of something, uncomfortably resting on her saddlebags.

Water, I hope, she thought. Due to the dripping noises she heard it was a reasonable assumption. She suspected she was in a cave of some sorts. She opened her eyes, but met only darkness. A trickle of light came from a hole in the roof of the cave a good twelve feet above her. I must have fallen through there.

She tried to move her limbs to get up, but a sharp sting of pain interrupted her. She gasped as she lay down again, shivering. With a grunt of effort she rolled to her back, enabling her to take a look at her surroundings, though it sent a stab of pain from what she assumed was a wound just above her cutie mark. The faint light from the hole above her illuminated a portion of the cave. She was in some kind of round chamber that split into several tunnels that ran in different directions. Though the tunnels were too dark to look into, she could see a faint dot of blue light in one of them. Her eyes widened, and she willed herself to scramble to her feet. She stared at the dot, a lump forming in her throat.

Did it just move? Cheerilee swallowed.

“Hello?,” she called, her voice shaking. There was no reply or movement from the dot of light.

“Hello?,” she managed again, a little louder this time. Again, the dot of light in the distance was motionless. Cheerilee sat on her haunches, closing her eyes to do a breathing exercise she learned in training. Steeling herself, she began to make her way towards the speck of light. Her limbs felt sore as she moved them, but she was relieved that she found she could stand with relative ease, indicating that her legs weren’t broken. Approaching the dot of light, she began to notice that it wasn’t small, but rather that it was far away. The tunnel went on for a long time, before she found herself in front of a brightly glowing, blue gemstone the size of a tangerine.

She looked at the mineral for a moment, awestruck. Hesitantly, she reached out a hoof to touch it. It felt warm, pulsating with some kind of energy. She looked around, noticing that the cave was beginning to curve and twist. She was going to need a light source to navigate the tunnels, and she wasn’t about to turn down one that was presented to her on a silver platter. She got to her hind legs, grasping the glowing stone between her forehooves and began to count to herself.

“One, two, three!” She pulled on the stone as hard as she could, causing her to stumble backwards and fall on her back, the gemstone clutched in her forelegs. Cheerilee arched an eyebrow.

“Well. That was easy.”

Cheerilee carefully looked the stone in her hooves over. The blue glow illuminated several feet in every direction, enough to navigate the caves without having to resort to touch. Something swirled inside the stone, making it look like a container for some kind of liquid. Taking the stone between her teeth, she set off to try and find a way out of the caves.

Cheerilee spent an hour navigating the dark tunnels, each crossroad filling her head with doubt, and each corridor looking like the last. Though she wasn’t able to see much, she had the feeling that she was going deeper into the ground, as where there had been traces of mud and roots of trees before, there was only rock now. Fear was beginning to take a hold of her as she didn’t seem to make any progress towards finding an exit. The noises around her didn’t help in shaking off the growing terror in her gut. She heard dripping water everywhere, and she was sure that something was skittering in the darkness behind her, following her. She increased her speed as her mind began to succumb to panic, when she saw another light up ahead. It was similar to the light of the gemstone that she still held between her teeth, only this one was green.

She made her way towards the source, which revealed that there was indeed another gem wedged in the wall, which came loose just as easy as the one she already had. Despite the colour and shape, it was exactly the same as the blue one she used to illuminate her way. She decided it couldn’t hurt to bring it along, slipping it carefully into her saddlebag. As she turned to continue her way, she saw something that made her heart thump. Three more gems were illuminating the tunnel a little ahead, almost forming a trail. She made her way towards them, taking each of the gems from its socket and placing it into her saddlebag. She began to notice that the gems were beginning to increase in number as she followed their trail. She could clearly see where she was going now, different dots of light illuminating the path. Cheerilee let out a little cheer, dropping the gem she was using to navigate from her mouth. She worked her jaw to get out the cramps, before slipping the blue gem into her saddlebags as well.

Cheerilee increased her speed, the gems illuminating her way. Just around a curve ahead of her, she saw that the light was exceptionally bright.

“Daylight!,” she exclaimed, galloping towards the source. Rounding the corner, she stopped dead in her tracks as the sight in front of her made her open her mouth in awe. She had not, in fact, found the exit. Instead, the light came from a massive cave that was illuminated by hundreds of glowing gemstones, the amount of different hues illuminating the cave in a bright, white light. Cheerilee spoke the one word that came to her mind.

“Whoa.”

She sat down for a moment, simply looking at the sight before her. She was standing in the middle of one of the marvels of the world, and judging by the pristine condition of the place she suspected that she was also the first. Right then, nothing mattered. She was lost in the beauty of the moment.

A sharp sting in her backside woke her from her reverie, reminding her of her purpose. She set out to gather as many of the gemstones as she could fit into her saddlebags. She had no idea how long she was going to be stuck in the caves, so an ample source of light wasn’t an unnecessary luxury.

Her ears perked up when the skittering sound that she had picked up in the tunnels reached her ears. She had been blaming the noise on her nerves, a result of the growing panic. This time, she was clearly able to make out the scratching sound coming from different ends of the cavern, indicating that there was more than one source. She spotted a tunnel ahead with an upward slope. Before she could make her way, however, the sound of something rapidly moving towards her made her turn her head just in time to see a creature charge in her direction. She was able to react quick enough to give it a solid buck to what she perceived as its head, causing the creature to whine in an unnatural two-toned shriek. As she had a moment to look the beast over, she saw it was reminiscent of a spider, but not quite like it. The body was broad and flat, covered in scales that formed a pattern of green and orange, that was the size of a large foal, and had seven legs on each side instead of four.

Without thinking, Cheerilee turned tail and ran towards the tunnel with the upward slope, only to be stopped by two similar creatures in different color patterns, noticing several more of the creatures on the ceiling. Despite the situation, she felt oddly calm, adrenaline giving her a clarity she had not yet experienced before. As the spider-like beasts moved, it seemed like slow-motion to the purple mare. When one of the creatures lashed out with sharp, barbed forelegs she was easily able to parry the blows with the metal climbers—that were thankfully still attached to her hooves—and retaliate by aiming a blow for what she thought were the creatures’ eyes. Though her bag was filled with gemstones from the cavern, she barely felt their weight as she jumped over the beast, bringing down her hind legs on its lower body for an extra burst of speed as she sailed to the air towards her destination. The insect, as that was what Cheerilee believed it to be, that blocked the exit was rewarded with a solid right hoof to the noggin. The purple mare buried the climbing claw into the softer part of the beasts underbelly, getting a grip to lob it in the direction of is fellows with a loud yell. With nothing to obscure her, she made her escape.

The next moments passed in a blur for Cheerilee as she sped through the tunnels. The walls were still lined with gemstones that illuminated her way. Her pursuers hadn’t given up their chase either. Every so often one of the spider-like beasts tried to flank her as it came from a side-passage. One even succeeded in jumping her from a ledge above, surprising her. Each of them was rewarded with a flurry of well-aimed kicks, leaving them a screeching pile on the cave floor. The creatures had managed to hit her several times, but hadn’t left much more than scratches. They stung horribly, though, as Cheerilee’s sweat seeped over them.

Despite the fact that the gems became fewer in number as she galloped, she could still see clearly. She also began to notice that the air was notably fresher than further down the cave, and after a few turns she was indeed met with the receding light of day. She sprinted towards the exit, only to stop herself just in time to see what lay a little ahead. There was no ground beyond the exit, but a cliff. Looking down, she could see a small pond at least sixty feet below her. Behind her, the creatures were rapidly closing in. Cheerilee had no choice. Bracing herself, she jumped. Time seemed to slow down as she fell, but she soon felt a sting of pain followed by cold as she breached the water. Thankfully, the pond was deep enough to support her fall, and she was able to make her way to the edge, where she simply collapsed. Without even shedding her saddlebags, she closed her eyes.

Author's Note

Stay tuned, I'm publishing the next chapter in a minute as well.

Chapter VIII

Cheerilee’s voyage became more difficult with each passing day. Though most of the scratches had healed over time, the larger cuts had only begun to sting with greater intensity. The gash that the timber wolves had given her were now looking an angry red and hurting constantly. Touching the wound caused a stab of pain to surge through her that made her want to scream, and left her hoof covered in a yellow, foul smelling ooze.

By then, she had become feverish. She felt tired, had to force herself to eat, and was prone to dizziness to the point where she was almost constantly seeing double. She became delusional, continually talking to herself, not even noticing that she was. At first the words had been encouragement to continue, but had since degenerated to inane babbling. Her legs felt like lead as she kept up her trek through the forest, her mind solely focused on her next step, and her next step only. Cheerilee had not even noticed that the Forest had become less dense with each passing day, and the sun was actually starting to show.

She felt something against her hoof, followed by pain in her chin and pressure on her chest. She had tripped over a root and was now prone on the forest floor. When she tried to get up, she found that she was unable to do so. Cheerilee hardly even cared any more, the fever addling her thoughts. She barely noticed that she was being picked up and carried.

The mare’s mind began to register the change in scenery. Whoever was carrying her had brought her to some kind of shelter. She couldn’t really make out her surroundings, but picked up the smells of all kinds of different herbs. Sweets, bitters and sours assaulted her nostrils as she was put down to lie on something soft. There was a strange noise near her ear that she figured she was supposed to understand. She opened her mouth to speak, but could only utter nonsensical noises. Moments later, she began to take notice of a figure standing over her. It was holding something to her nose that smelled strong, but not unpleasant. She inhaled the scent, making her eyes flutter momentarily and, surprisingly, gave her a brief moment of relative clarity in her mind.

“Now, you will answer me loud and clear,” a deep but clearly female voice said. There was an exotic quality to her accent. “Tell me what you are doing here.”

“I was taking the trial,” Cheerilee replied slowly and hazily. She tried to focus on the figure before her, but she still couldn’t pierce the haze.

“What is this trial of which you speak, that it has brought you to a place so bleak,” the voice spoke again. It was calm, but there was a stern urgency to the questions.

“I wanted to get better, so I can teach. I need to learn. I had to get better.” Cheerilee felt her focus beginning to waver, returning to her rambling. The figure bent over her pressed something against her snout once more, causing her to inhale the strong scent of before. She regained a bit of lucidity.

“There is something that I wish to know, about a crime you committed a long time ago. Tell me the truth, whole, why did you abuse that poor little foal?,” the voice asked sternly. Cheerilee detected a dark undertone in the question.

“I didn’t do it,” she squeaked.

“I should warn you that telling me lies, is something that only fools would advise,” came the reply. “In your answer you should be prudent. What drove you, Cheerilee, to abuse your student?”

“I didn’t do it,” Cheerilee replied, annoyed. “I was set up. I did nothing wrong. Lies, lies all of them.”

The other figure was silent for a while. Cheerilee, having given up on trying to focus, closed her eyes. She could hear rummaging to her left. Hooves were moving across a stone floor, and several cabinets were opened and closed, before the figure moved back to her, placing something next to her head.

“You will tell me, one more time. Did you, or did you not commit that crime? Diamond Tiara claimed your abuse, was it true or was it a ruse?!” The mare’s voice was urgent. Her head cleared again as the strong smelling substance was once again placed against her snout. Though her limbs felt weak, she flailed her forelegs as she spoke.

“I didn’t do it!,” Cheerilee exclaimed as loud as she could. “It’s all lies. All of it. I didn’t do it, I swear. I didn’t do it!”
As she spoke, she noticed a sound similar to the soft ring that could be heard whenever a unicorn used magic. Afterwards, there was silence.

“Masimba,” the figure uttered quietly, before hurrying about the room with a spring in her step. Within moments, Cheerilee felt something press against her lips. A sweet, syrupy liquid was poured into her muzzle. Too tired to resist, she swallowed, after which she fell into a dreamless slumber.

*****

Cheerilee had no idea how long she was drifting between wakefulness and sleep. She tried to open her eyes several times, but found herself unable to focus her eyes each time, making her dizzy and nauseous. She had felt a sharp stinging sensation in her flank at some point, but began to feel gradually better afterwards. The figure that had been talking to her occasionally spoke to her as she was required to ingest something once in a while, and although she couldn’t understand her words, she felt comforted by them.

When Cheerilee finally began to regain proper conscience, the first thing she noticed was a hoof, decorated with several golden bands, on her forehead. For the first time in what felt like ages she opened her eyes, to find the world come into focus. She was in a bed, in a room with a multitude of strange masks adorning the walls, smelling strongly of herbs. She had been washed, and there were bandages around her wounds. Cheerilee was looking directly into a pair of teal eyes that belonged to a familiar, striped face.

“Zecora?,” Cheerilee asked quietly, her voice hoarse from lack of use. She tried to sit up, but the Zebra placed a hoof on her Chest, urging her to lie down again.

“It is good to see you are getting well, but most of the fever you have yet to quell.” Zecora gave her a friendly smile, her voice having taken the cheery sort of tone that Cheerilee remembered.

“Fever? I-I.” The purple mare struggled with words for a moment. “Thank you. I’m afraid I don’t remember what happened. How long have I been out?

“When I found you, your wounds gave off quite the fetor. You might have succumbed had I come across you later. I hope what I will tell you will not cause you despair. For seven days you have been in my care.”

“Seven days?” Cheerilee brought a hoof to her forehead.

“The infection ran deep and your fever was high, many a cure I have had to apply. You are in luck that your body is strong, for others may not have lasted as long.”

Cheerilee opened her eyes to look at Zecora again. She was stirring the cauldron that stood in the center of her home, a minty smell filling the room. Her eyes fell on a flower that was standing next to her, with pink leaves and a white center.

“Seeds of truth,” Cheerilee mumbled. “I remember this plant. You cured Apple Bloom’s cutie pox with this.” Zecora simply nodded in return. Cheerilee brought a hoof to rub at her temple.

“You interrogated me.” It wasn’t a question. Though she remembered little of the past days, those few moments were still very clear in her mind. Zecora let out a sigh, nodding again.

“Why?”

“I apologize for what you had to endure. Of your innocence I wished to be sure,” the zebra replied. “Your words caused the Seeds of Truth to sprout. Of your honesty I now have no doubt.”

“You had to be sure? For what? You mean you would have left me to die otherwise?”

At this, Zecora’s head snapped towards Cheerilee with a look of shock on her face. “Though I would have had a reason to shun, that is something I could not have done.”

Cheerilee nodded slightly.

“What would you have done, though?”

The zebra looked thoughtful for a moment. “I can honestly tell you that I do not know. Perhaps I would have nursed you, then told you to go.”

“I see,” Cheerilee responded. Zecora had returned to stirring her cauldron. Suddenly, Cheerilee’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute. Zecora, if all it took for you to discern the truth was to make those seeds grow, why aren’t they used in court?! If we had one of those I would never have been sent to jail!”

“There are many in Equestria who are eager to persist,” Zecora began to explain, “that the seeds of truth do not exist. Though the flower is sweet and fair, it is also extremely rare. The seeds here that I possess, combined, took me almost eight years to find.”

Cheerilee tried to speak, but no words would come out. She remembered when Zecora had parted with some of her seeds to cure Apple Bloom’s cutie-pox without hesitation or even hinting at the prospect of recompense. She had admired the zebra’s generosity, but the value of the seeds put the gift in a whole new light nevertheless.

“If they are so rare, why did you waste one of them on me?”

Zecora turned to Cheerilee with a raised eyebrow. “I do not know on what you have based, the idea that I have put one of my seeds to waste. Even though a seed I have lost, to find the truth was well worth the cost.” The zebra frowned, her eyes turned to the ground. “The memory of your actions burned like an ember. There are many in Ponyville who still remember.”

This caused Cheerilee to flinch. Ponyville was the only town that was within reasonable distance of her location. She would have to pass through there sooner or later to catch a train back to Manehatten.

“Zecora, now that you know the truth, could you-,” She bit her lip, hesitating for a moment. “Could you help me?”

“It would be my pleasure to help you, but what is it that you want me to do?”

“I need to catch a train in Ponyville, back to Manehatten where I live. Which means I need some sort of disguise.”

“There will be a time to think about stealth, once you have returned to good health,” Zecora said reassuringly.

Cheerilee nodded slightly, resting her head. After a brief moment, Zecora spoke up. “I do have a question, if it would be alright. Why is it that your saddlebags glow with light?”

Cheerilee frowned for a moment. “My saddlebags? Oh! The gems. I had completely forgotten about those.” She turned her head to see Zecora giving her a curious look. “I’m surprised you didn’t search through my bags when you brought me here.”

“I had my suspicions and the urge was strong, but I convinced myself that it would have been wrong.”

Cheerilee smiled. She had only spoken to Zecora a few times when she still lived in Ponyville, but hadn’t really given her a lot of attention. She started to regret neglecting to truly get to know her before as she found out what a noble soul the zebra really was.

“That was very considerate of you, Zecora. Thank you. You can have a look. It’s just a few gemstones that I found.”
Zecora arched an eyebrow as she nudged open the lid of the saddlebags, gasping audibly, her eyes wide as she lifted one of the gems to her eyes between two hooves. “I can hardly believe what my eye sees, where in Equestria did you find these?”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow. “They’re just a few stones. I got stuck in a cave a few days ago that was full of them. Why, what’s wrong with them?”

The zebra didn’t reply for a moment, frowning at the gem-filled bag. “I think, Cheerilee, that you should be aware that stones like these are extremely rare. Glimmerstones they are named, and for their properties they are famed.”

Cheerilee tilted her head. “What kind of properties are those?”

“From stones like these one can make jewelry, that will allow you to resist sorcery.”

“Wait, really?” A confrontation with a certain unicorn putting her under a paralysis spell came to the forefront of Cheerilee’s mind. “Are you able to do that?”

Zecora nodded. “Though it is a difficult process, I believe I can achieve success. If you will allow me a stone or two, I can fashion one for you.”

Cheerilee thought for a moment. She looked around Zecora’s hut, her eyes drifting across the many bottles with potions and ingredients of all sorts. With all of the books she had read, Cheerilee was no stranger to plants and some of their properties. A smile made its way to the purple mare’s muzzle as she decided to sweeten the deal.

“I’ll take that jewel, though I have a better idea. You take as many of those stones as you like, within reason. In return, I want to learn about potionmaking.”

Zecora brought a hoof to her chin in thought. “Though I cannot teach you all that I know, there is much knowledge that I could bestow. The offer you make has great appeal.” The zebra smiled warmly, nodding her consent. “You have yourself a deal.”

Author's Note

What's this? Two chapters on a single day? I'm spoiling you! ...Okay, not really. The previous chapter and this one were actually written as a single chapter. I just felt that they worked better when split up.

Quite frankly, this chapter was a pain in the patoot to write for one reason, and one reason only: Zecora. She's an awesome character, but writing her dialogue made me want to tear out my hair. RHYMES EVERYWHERE!

Also, about the concept of glimmerstones...Especially after the 'Just for Sidekicks' episode that aired recently, I have simply idea how currency works in Equestria. The whole point was that I needed a gem that was considered rare, but had properties as described in the chapter.

Finally, 'Masimba' is, from what I gathered, the Zulu word for 'crap'.

Chapter IX

Chapter IX

Cheerilee stood outside of Zecora’s hut, wrapped in a drab, brown cloak. Despite the fact that both her cutiemarks were still concealed by the bandages on her flank, they both decided it would be best not to take any risks when it came to recognition. Though the gemstones didn’t weigh that much, she could feel the difference as a lot of them had been replaced by an abundance of scrolls that contained Cheerilee’s notes on various plants and recipes. The zebra had refused the offer at first, uncomfortable with the value of the glimmerstones. After Cheerilee’s fierce insistence however, Zecora relented.

“Thank you, Zecora,” Cheerilee said, turning around with a smile, “for everything you’ve done.”

The Zebra nodded her head, smiling sadly. “It was the least that I could do, for someone who has suffered like you.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ve managed all these years. This time I wouldn’t have made it without you though. So, thank you for that. And for believing me, I guess. There aren’t many ponies who believe me.”

Zecora chuckled. “Even though I have saved your flanks, there truly is no need for thanks. When you find yourself in a twist, I am happy to assist.”

Cheerilee nodded. “I should get moving. Ponyville is still a good few hours, and I really need to get back to Manehatten.”

“Before you go, allow me real swift to present you with a gift.” Zecora moved into her hut, appearing again with a wrapped package in her muzzle. She passed it to Cheerilee. “I would like to give this to you, for words spoken honest and true.”

Cheerilee carefully unwrapped the package to look at the contents. There was a scroll, as well as a familiar flower. Her eyes widened. “The flower from the seeds of truth! Zecora, this, I don’t know if I can accept this!”

The zebra shook her head. “I want you to have this flower. Much good can be done with its power. Included is a recipe, that will coax the truth as you will see. Go now, and safe travels.”

Stepping forward, Cheerilee wrapped her foreleg around Zecora’s withers, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you.” Stepping back, she put the flower and the recipe with the other scrolls in her backpack and made her way towards Ponyville. Before rounding the corner she turned to wave one last time. After a moment, Cheerilee stopped in her tracks and frowned.

Her last sentence didn’t rhyme.

In front of her hut, Zecora watched as Cheerilee turned the corner, vanishing from sight. “We will meet again, after your destiny unravels.” She turned around to enter her hut, shutting the door behind her.

*****

Though the path from Zecora’s hut to Ponyville had some twists and turns, it was in no way the obstacle course that the bulk of her journey had been. The forest was already thinning, and she could make out the top of the town hall in the distance. Despite the fact that Cheerilee was eager to get home, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread forming in her gut. Ponyville held memories, both good and bad.

Though it had been a good ten years since she last set foot in Ponyville, Zecora had told her that the ponies hadn’t forgotten what had happened. In fact, it had become something of a village trauma. Cheerilee wondered if the disguise she was wearing would keep ponies from recognizing her, despite the fact nopony had laid eyes on her for such a long time.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she found herself no longer surrounded by trees, but looking straight at a familiar cottage. It always reminded her of a shrubbery with windows and decorated with countless bird houses. Fluttershy was a shy pony, and was more likely to run away from her than to approach and chat. Nevertheless, Cheerilee found herself hastening her step, eager to get to the train station as soon as possible, the ice in her gut growing with each passing moment.

Reaching the outskirts of Ponyville, she found herself encountering more and more ponies, going about their day-to-day business. She put on her best smile, looking strained to somepony who would bother to really look. So far, nopony did. She received several waves and friendly greetings, returning each with what she hoped seemed like equal cheer.

As Cheerilee made her way through the streets approaching the town center, she began to take note of how little had changed. It was almost as if time had been standing still. She recognized the houses of several old acquaintances, despite new paint jobs, colorings or decorations. Cheerilee pulled the hood of her cloak a little further over her face as she began to encounter ponies that she actually remembered. Most seemed to pass her by without sparing her a second glance, but some actually looked in her direction with what she was convinced was recognition. Nopony tried to stop her, however and confidence in her disguise grew a little.

As long as I don’t run into Pinkie Pie, I’ll be alright, Cheerilee thought as she rounded the corner that led to Ponyville’s town center. She would just have to cross that area, and she’d be at the train station. Except crossing was going to take longer than she would have thought.

Market day. Why did it have to be market day?

A large crowd obscured the town center as many and more salesponies were offering their wares in quaint little stalls. The smells of fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods filled her nose, and the sound of the dense crowd would have brought back pleasant memories if she wasn’t on the verge of panic at the prospect of having to make her way through it. Keeping her head low, she stepped forward.

Though her instincts told her to run with all her speed, she knew that she’d stick out like a sore thumb if she suddenly bolted off. Instead, she forced herself into a calm trot that felt agonizingly slow. The ice in her stomach had moved to the rest of her body, and she was sure she could feel the burn of staring eyes, scrutinizing her. She had to pardon herself through crowds that obscured her passage, receiving nothing but polite nods that her mind turned into accusations.

Cheerilee had almost reached the other edge of the market, and could already see the street that would take her directly to the train station. She allowed herself a nervous grin. She lowered her head and increased her speed slightly. Nearing the last market stall, she suddenly felt herself collide with something. The impact caused her to fall to her flank, whipping the hood from her head. A voice began to speak.

“Oh my goodness, I profusely apologize. I simply wasn’t looking where I was going, and I-.” The voice was suddenly cut off, replaced by a loud squeal. Cheerilee snapped her eyes open to see a pony with a pristine white coat, flowing purple mane and piercing blue eyes staring at her with an expression of absolute horror.

No, the purple mare thought to herself. No, no. Not now. Not when I was so close. She felt numb, her limbs refusing to respond to her brain’s commands to get up and run. Panicked thoughts were rushing through her head.

“Oh, darling. I do not mean any offense, but your mane is an absolute disaster. You look as if you have been going without a brush for weeks!” Rarity picked up the items she had dropped in her magical aura, replacing them in their bags and holding them afloat. “You simply must allow me to help you. Free of charge, of course.”

It took a moment for Cheerilee to find her voice again. She doesn’t recognize me. She wants to give me a makeover? Stammering, she replied. “I-It’s quite alright, miss R-. Miss.” She mentally facehoofed for the close slip-up. “I wasn’t looking either, it really isn’t necessary.”

“Not necessary?,” Rarity exclaimed in absolute shock. “My dear, it is as necessary as breathing! Truly, dear, I insist. I bumped into you, and it is only fair that I do something to make it up. I can assure you, it will only take a moment, and you will feel much better afterwards.”

“I-I really don’t think-.”

“Nonsense. It would be my pleasure. Come now, let me get those bags for you.” The fashionista extended her aura to envelop Cheerilee’s saddlebags as she tried to lift them. She groaned, but despite her best efforts, the bags wouldn’t budge. “Goodness, that is one heavy load you are carrying.”

The glimmerstone amulet! It must be interfering with Rarity’s levitation spell. Looking around, Cheerilee saw that they were starting to draw attention from the nearby ponies. She had to do something. “It’s quite alright, miss. I can carry my own saddlebags, and I really should be moving on.” She was answered by Rarity taking Cheerilee’s hoof in her own and dragging her along.

“Truly dear, there is nothing to worry about. I will make you look fabulous, or my name isn’t Rarity!”

Cheerilee wanted nothing more than to pull away and make a beeline for the station, but with Rarity making a scene as it was, she really didn’t want to draw any more attention. Great plan, Cheerilee. Trying to refuse a gift from the Element of Generosity. With a groan, she pulled her hood over her head and resigned herself to her fate, pondering how she was going to escape this mess.

*****

Carrousel Boutique looked exactly the way Cheerilee remembered. Round, and pristine. The paint job of pink and purple hues had been maintained to perfection, giving the place a luster that many new buildings were unable to attain. The inside was, however, not in the slightest how Cheerilee remembered it. Though the layout had remained unchanged, the interior had been adapted to compliment the latest fashion trends. Daring outfits were displayed on meticulously arranged mannequins, surrounded by lavish mirrors.

“Here we are! Welcome to Carrousel Boutique, where everything is chique, unique and magnefique!,” Rarity chirped as she pulled Cheerilee into the building. “Now, do you have any preference in style, miss-. Ehm.” Rarity’s eyes suddenly shot open. “Oh my goodness! Where are my manners? I haven’t even properly introduced myself! My name is Rarity, proprietor of this little shop and fashionista extraordinaire!” The alabaster mare struck a proud pose as she spoke. “And what is your name, darling?”

Cheerilee swallowed, a fake grin on her face. Pearls of nervous sweat were forming on her forehead. “Vinyl,” was the first that popped into her head. “Um, Case. It’s Vinyl Case.” She mentally facehoofed at the name, but Rarity seemed to buy it.
“Well then, miss Case. Do you have any preferences in style? Colour? Oh, I think you would look most stunning in something light blue.” Rarity put a hoof to her chin as she levitated her designer glasses, perching them on her snout. “But first, why don’t you take off those bags and cloak? The wardrobe is over there.”

Cheerilee swallowed, undoing the straps of her saddlebags and the cloak, letting them fall from her form. She wasn’t surprised when Rarity let out an audible gasp that made Cheerilee cringe.

“My word, miss Case! Those bandages! Are you quite alright?”

The purple mare let out a silent sigh of relief. “I’m quite fine, miss Rarity.”

The Fashionista nodded. “Well, it doesn’t matter. I’ll find a way to make you look stunning. Now, let’s see what we have to work with here. Hmm.” Rarity began to circle around Cheerilee, levitating a measuring tape which magically wraps itself around different parts of her body from time to time. “Yes. Hmm. I see that you work out. A lot, actually. I’ll have to factor that in.”

“Ehm, anything is fine, miss Rarity.”

“Nonsense, my dear. Only the best is good enough. Now, let me see what I have in the back. Don’t move a muscle!” Humming a tune, Rarity disappeared into an adjacent room. The moment the alabaster mare was around the corner, Cheerilee took her chance to grab her cloak and bags and be off, only to be met with another interruption.

An extraordinarily smooth mare’s voice rang through the boutique. “Rarity! Are you in? It’s me, Sweetie Belle! I-, oh! Hello!” In the door to the boutique stood a rather pretty young mare with a white coat, two-toned pink and purple mane, and a cutiemark of a microphone adorned with a pink musical note.

“Oh, ehm. Hello there.” Cheerilee said coolly, trying not to sound strained. She realized that this could be a death trap. If there was anypony who was likely to discover her true identity, it would be one of her former students. Though Sweetie Belle had grown to maturity, she still recognized the little filly she taught in school so many years ago. She had to swallow a lump as she looked the white mare over. “You, ehm. I’m guessing you are a relative of miss Rarity?”

“Oh, yeah. She’s my sister,” Sweetie Belle replied with a smile. “Are you one of her clients?”

“Oh. I guess. I’m not a regular.”

“Really? You look kinda familiar.” The younger mare arched an eyebrow as she looked Cheerilee over, critically. “Wait! I know,” she suddenly exclaimed. Cheerilee’s heart skipped a beat. “You look a lot like Marelyn Monroan! Only, your mane is the wrong colour.”

Cheerilee let out a forced laugh. “Yes, I hear that often. Good eye. Haha.” I have to get out of here. I’m going to have a nervous breakdown if this keeps up. At that moment, Rarity trotted back into the room with a sky-blue dress floating behind her. The fashionista’s eyes lit up the moment they fell on her sister.

“Sweetie Belle! Oh, you should have let me know you’d come to visit! Miss Vinyl Case, this is my sister Sweetie Belle. She is the next big thing in music, if you ask me. There’s nopony in Equestria with a voice like hers!”

“Oh, stop it, sis,” Sweetie Belle replied. “You’re embarrassing me. Nice to meet you, miss Case.”

“Likewise.” Cheerilee smiled. Her teacher’s instinct flared up inside her, filling her with pride as the purple mare found out her former student’s occupation. She had always suspected Sweetie’s talent had something to do with her voice. Now she even got to see her cutie mark. She had to bite her cheek to keep herself from asking about Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, knowing it would be a dead giveaway.

“Why don’t you try this on for size, hmm?,” Rarity chirped, interrupting Cheerilee’s thoughts. “You can change over there, behind the curtain.”

Cheerilee nodded as the garment was draped over her back, disappearing behind the curtain. She found herself in what didn’t look so much like a dressing room as a roomy storage area with a large standing mirror and a hatstand. There were bolts of fabric and thread, stacked neatly against the wall, and even more mannequins dressed in various different outfits. Though they looked rather old, none of them were filthy or ruined in any way. As she looked around, her eye fell on one particular piece. It was a dark purple one-piece body suit with a wide-brimmed hat in the same colour. It was adorned with dark blue hoof-wraps and a long, flowing cape. The most prominent feature was the fact that it sported a mask that hid the wearers entire face, including the eyes. Cheerilee recognized it immediately. Mare Do Well.

She recalled the time Rarity and her friends set out to snap Rainbow Dash out of her delusions of grandeur by posing as a mysterious vigilante. Even though Mare Do Well’s identity had been revealed after that whole episode, she became a bit of an urban legend amongst the children she taught. How could it not? It is simple, yet elegant. It inspires awe. It will protect my identity, allowing me to-. Cheerilee cut off her own thoughts. Was she really ready to resort to this? She wanted to teach, more than anything. Ever since that moment in the alley she had been subconsciously driven to learn how to fight, to be better than anyone, going as far as to risk her life in the Everfree Forest. But becoming a masked vigilante? Punishing those who did wrong, while protecting those who did right, the mask hiding her identity to protect herself and those she cared about? Cheerilee shook her head. Nothing is so black and white. Life isn’t a comic book.

Her mind brought her back to the alley, how a few thugs had left her for dead while dragging somepony to Celestia knows what kind of fate. She remembered the newspaper articles as more and more violence terrorized Manehatten, foals snatched from the streets never to be heard from again. More than that, she recalled the frustration at being unable to do anything about it. What else have I been training for? I knew it was going to come to this at some point. There was no use denying it. This is what she wanted. I need that suit.

“Are you quite alright in there?,” came Rarity’s voice from behind the curtain.

“I’ll be out in a minute!,” Cheerilee replied, quickly slipping into her outfit and stepping back into the shop. Immediately Rarity began to make adjustments, a pin cushion floating next to her head.

“So, Sweetie Belle, you haven’t told me the reason for your visit,” the Fashionista began.

“Oh, right! I was hoping you could help me look for some of my old records. I want to include a few ‘golden oldies’ in my next recording,” Sweetie Belle said with an enthusiastic smile.

“That sounds like a fantastic idea, Sweetie. But I have a customer now, so it’ll have to wait until another time.” Rarity replied without looking up from Cheerilee’s dress.

Cheerilee, for her part, arched an eyebrow. “Ehm, how long do you think you will need exactly?”

“Oh, several hours at least,” Rarity replied, “After all we do have to style your mane as well. And, we’re going to need accessories! Mhh, perhaps a brooch? Or a flower for your mane? And let’s not forget the make-up.”

Cheerilee cringed at the mention of ‘hours’, but saw an opportunity in Sweetie Belle’s appearance. “Actually, I don’t mind waiting for a moment. After all, who am I to come between sisters. It will give me a moment to, ehm, admire the dress and, ehm, look for other interesting designs in your collection.”

“It’s okay, miss Case. I can wait,” Sweetie Belle interjected.

“Oh, no. I insist. I will be just fine.” Cheerilee gave the pair her biggest grin, which earned her a raised eyebrow from Rarity. The fashionista relented, however.

“Oh, well. I suppose it can’t do any harm, if you think you have the time, miss Case.”

“Absolutely. Don’t worry.” The purple mare resisted the urge to pump her hoof.

“Alright then!” Rarity levitated her designer glasses from her nose, and placed them on a counter nearby. “In that case, follow me Sweetie. I kept your old records in the storeroom upstairs.” She turned to Cheerilee. “We’ll get to styling your mane when we get back. Oh, I have just the perfect shampoo and conditioner that I know you will love.” She let out a squeal of delight, before heading up the stairs with her little sister trailing behind her. The moment they were out of sight, Cheerilee bolted behind the curtain. She found that there were actually more Mare Do Well outfits than the ones she saw. Two for earth ponies, one with a hole in the forehead for a unicorn’s horn, and one with sleeves for pegasus wings. She went for the nearest earth pony suit, struggling to get it off the mannequin. When she finally held the clothes in her hoof, she listened carefully for activity near the stairwell. She could hear muffled voices, barely able to make out a muffled ‘found them yet’. She rushed over to her saddlebags, taking out several of her glimmerstones and stuffing the outfit in their stead. Placing the jewels on a nearby table as payment, Cheerilee began to scribble a note on a nearby piece of paper with her apology. Despite Rarity's insistence, it didn't feel right to leave without leaving some compensation, especially with a suit that wasn't part of the bargain.

I hope she’ll like the gems. If there’s anypony who can make something beautiful with them, it’s Rarity, she thought before slipping on her cloak and strapping the saddlebags to her back. She left the boutique just in time to hear hoofsteps coming from the stairwell. Cheerilee felt bad for dashing without so much as a goodbye, but she figured it was for the better. She needed to get home. She needed to get started.

Chapter X

Chapter X

Upon coming home, Cheerilee was faced with several difficulties as she tried to return to daily life. The first thing she noticed was that somepony had apparently broken into her apartment during her absence. There was a note on the table from her landlord with the information that her door had been replaced, and that Cheerilee would be held responsible for the costs. Luckily, the only thing the burglar had done was make a mess, as there had been nothing worth stealing in her apartment.

She also found out that she had been gone for a little over five weeks, a feat that surprised her. It meant that she even had a few days left on her vacation. She could go back to work without anypony suspecting a thing.

Cheerilee decided that the first order of business was to let Case Study and Vinyl Scratch know that she was back in Manehatten. Vinyl was her usual cheery self, tightly embracing her friend and nuzzling her mane upon their reunion. The bandages around her flank raised the topic of the timber wolves and the creatures in the cavern, though she decided to downplay how close she had truly come to death.

“Whoa, Cheers,” Vinyl said with a mixed expression of awe and horror. “When you told me you were going on vacation I didn’t think you’d be off to re-enact Daring Do!” To make up for missed adventures, Cheerilee decided to bring a tub of chocolate ice cream and stay the night at Vinyl’s apartment. This meant, of course, listening to some of Vinyl’s music, but it was a small price to pay for the cheery DJ’s company.

Case Study, who was surprised at Cheerilee’s swift return, didn’t seem to be the slightest bit fazed as she spoke of her experiences. If she got any reaction from her teacher, it would come in the form of understanding nods and arched eyebrows. After she finished her story, Case grasped her forehoof in his own and shook it with a big grin.

“Congratulations, Cheerilee. You did it.”

No other words were needed to make the purple mare’s heart soar with pride.

*****

Once properly settled at home, Cheerilee unpacked her saddlebags. Most of the equipment she had brought was still in decent condition. Only her book on edible plants had become unreadable. Upon inspecting the climber claws, Cheerilee mentally cursed herself for forgetting to ask Case Study about their origins. Though they were filthy, there was no sign of any wear or rust, despite the punishment they had received upon her trek. She put them aside, deciding to clean them later.

Her eyes fell on the wrapped bundle she had brought along. The flower that blossomed from the seed of kindness, and the scroll that Zecora had provided. As it turned out, the scroll was a recipe for a potent truth serum. Detailed instructions, pictures, and especially warnings on its use. Cheerilee recalled Zecora’s words on the value of truth, and thanked the zebra inwardly.

Last of all, she pulled out the Mare Do Well costume. She stared at it for a moment, taking in its features, before folding it up and placing it in her wardrobe. Not yet. There are preparations to be made first.

As it turned out, those preparations were easier to accomplish than she had thought. Pawning several of the glimmerstones she found in Everfree earned her enough bits to buy her food for a year. Selling the stones in small bundles didn’t only keep suspicion on the low, but it also increased the amount that purchasers were willing to pay. Soon enough she found she had enough bits to make a few adjustments to her apartment. Zecora’s discomfort at accepting the amount of gems that Cheerilee had insisted on became a little more understandable.

She also realized she could have easily purchased a new apartment in a better neighborhood, yet she decided against it. For what she was about to do, she needed to lay low. No need to alert anypony to her newfound wealth. Second of all, it was important to keep your enemies close, and how could she become closer than living in the very neighborhoods that was their territory?

Cheerilee couldn’t help but chuckle as she saw the situation she had created in her living room. She had emptied the bedroom to make place for the equipment she was going to need if she was to take up the mantle of Mare Do Well. Despite the fact that her bed and all of her possessions were now placed in a single area, there was still plenty of room to move about. It showed what few possessions Cheerilee had to her name. Until now.

First of all, Cheerilee decided to take a few security measures. She replaced her bedroom door with the sturdiest door she could find, outfitted with an intricate locking mechanism. She covered up the window to prevent people from looking inside, and bolted a set of steel bars on the inside to prevent anyone from entering. The window could now be opened only slightly, to allow a breeze of fresh air into the room when necessary.

Next, the area had to be made soundproof. She ended up padding the entire room, including the ceiling, and the floor was covered in a thick carpet that cushioned and muffled her hoofsteps. With a cringe, Cheerilee realized that her security measures made the room look like a cell in a mental institute.

Shaking the thought, she continued her preparations by installing an expansive chemistry table, complete with a large assortment of books on the subjects she believed she would require. Second, she was going to need tools and materials that would allow her to maintain the condition of her costume. She was no expert seamstress like Rarity, but felt confident enough in her abilities to patch up holes and tears. Finally, she installed a wide array of training equipment. Though there was little training she was going to need, she thought it best to be prepared for the occasion.

*****

Several nights later, with everything in place, Cheerilee decided that it was time. There were no more preparations to be made, no more excuses to delay this. Apprehensively, she put on her glimmerstone amulet and slipped the dark purple bodysuit on her form. She noticed it was definitely made for an earth pony, made specifically to be put on with ease for a pony that did not have the benefit of magic. She slipped the mask over her head, adjusting the eye holes for optimal vision, before setting the wide-brimmed hat on her head.

Cheerilee suppressed a gasp as she looked at herself in the mirror. The skin-tight suit hugged her form, showing off the tight musculature that she had accumulated over the years. If it weren’t for the shape of her muzzle and the unmistakable curves of her body, she figured she could have been mistaken for a stallion. The cape was designed in such a way that it didn’t hinder the freedom of movement that the suit offered, another sign of Rarity’s genius when it came to designing. Looking herself over in a mirror, she came to the conclusion that she looked, in one word, frightening. Her grin was hidden by the mask that covered her face, as she opened her living room window and sneaked out of her apartment, into the night.

Manehatten’s rooftops provided a whole new perspective of the city. In the distance, she could see the brightly illuminated skyscrapers that made up most of the city’s center. In the city’s outer rings the buildings were lower, but still high enough to have a good vantage point. The ease with which she got to the top was surprising. Her climbing claws proved, once again, to be invaluable. Though a lot of buildings in Manehatten had stone walls, there were still plenty of wooden support beams she could use to climb up. Once she was up, it was easy to jump from rooftop to rooftop, as the differences in height weren’t enough to match the jumps that Cheerilee’s strong legs could make.

A cold wind blew, causing her cloak to billow around her as she sat on the edge of one of the taller buildings in the neighborhood. Summer was starting to make way for autumn, and though it was far from freezing, a distinct chill could be felt in the nighttime air. She knew perfectly well what she wanted to do: find a couple of thugs, and teach them the error of their ways. The problem was that Cheerilee had no idea where to begin looking. She cursed to herself for her naïveté. The last time she had run into trouble, it had been mere coincidence. She was in the wrong—or right, arguably—place at the wrong time. Her best bet, for now, would be to simply roam the seedier neighborhoods and hope for the best.

She jumped to an adjacent building, landing with a soft thud. From this point, she had a good view of a twenty-four-seven store in the street down below. She decided to keep an eye out for a while, but even though there were a few seedy types that visited the store, none of them actually made any trouble.

As hours went by, Cheerilee was starting to lose hope and motivation. Her eyes drooped with fatigue as her patrol proved fruitless. What am I doing here?, she thought as she adjusted her hat. She was about to turn home when a nearby scream made her eyes snap open, her fatigue forgotten entirely. She shot up and raced towards the source of the sound. Fortunately for her, whoever was screaming, was now wailing continuously, allowing her to track the sound with relative ease. Within a minute, she found the scene. A group of five stallions stood around another, yellow-coated stallion. The yellow stallion looked bruised, and trickles of red ran from his nose and mouth. The wailing came from a light blue mare wearing a rather racy outfit, who was groveling before a rough looking, grey-coated stallion.

“Please! Please, it’s not his fault! Just let him go! Please, Switch, please!,” the mare sobbed, tears causing her make-up to run down her face in thick black streaks. The gray stallion seemed unfazed.

“I warned you what would happen. I thought I made it clear that you’re mine, yet here you are giving away your services for free,” the grey stallion who was apparently known as Switch replied coolly. “Give him another one in the ribs, boys.”

The yellow stallion that was sprawled on the ground instinctively raised his forelegs to cover his face, as one of the stallions from the group broke the circle to plant one of his hind hooves firmly on his victim’s ribcage, resulting in a guttural squeal.

“Please! Enough! I understand now, I’ll pay for everything! Just leave him alone, it wasn’t his fault! He didn’t know!,” the blue mare wailed again.

Switch turned towards the mare, cupping her chin in his hoof. “His mistake was not knowing. Besides, this is as much your punishment as it is his. I had to do something to make you see, as I would never intentionally hurt a woman.”

At exactly this moment, Cheerilee dropped from the roof, landing on one of the stallion cronies surrounding the yellow pony on the ground. In the lowest, raspiest tone she could muster, Cheerilee spoke. “Lucky me.”

She didn’t give the group a moment to recover from their surprise as she brought up her foreleg for a swing, hitting a second pony in the muzzle with the metal of her climbing claw and knocking him cold. By now, the other stallions had sprung to action, two of them aiming to kick her with their hind legs, the third turning tail and running. She ducked, avoiding the legs, and brought up her own hoof to strike a solid blow to one of the stallions’ stomach, which knocked the wind out of him. Spinning around, she flanked the other pony to deliver a solid buck to his haunches, which gave a solid ‘crack’ followed by an ear-splitting wail.

Turning her attention towards Switch, she found him shakily brandishing a hoofblade. Typical. Big attitude when he has cronies around, but shaking like a leaf once you catch them alone. Couldn’t ask for more. Cheerilee’s grin was hidden by her mask as she stalked towards the grey stallion.

“Stay back! I work for Maul, you don’t want to make an enemy of him.”

Cheerilee feinted, causing Switch to instinctively attempt a stab, allowing her to knock the stallion’s hoof out of the way, while bringing up her other hoof for a solid hit to the head, knocking him to the floor.

“Pathetic,” Cheerilee spat. She looked around, five stallions sprawled across the alley floor, some groaning in pain, others out cold. She felt a sense of euphoria that spread from her stomach that reinvigorated her. She turned her head towards the blue mare, who was now cowering against the wall, hyperventilating as she regarded Cheerilee with wide eyes.

“You can come out. These guys won’t hurt anyone anymore,” Cheerilee rasped, turning to the yellow stallion that the group had been beating on. She briefly checked on his wounds, before turning back to the mare. “He’s going to need help. You need to take him to a hospital.”

“Wh-what have you done?!,” the mare spluttered.

Cheerilee instinctively arched an eyebrow, before realizing the gesture would be lost due to her mask. “I taught a group of low-lifes, that’s what.”

“They’re n-not going to accept this. They w-will hurt us. And you. Maul will hunt you.”

“Who is Maul?,” Cheerilee inquired.

“Y-you don’t know? Maul is the griffin that rules this neighborhood. His real name is Maurice. He’ll send people after you! Switch is one of his lieutenants!”

“Was,” Cheerilee corrected. “He’ll be a jailbird now. Listen, your coltfriend needs help. Stay with him while I call the guard and a medical carriage.”

“Aren’t you listening?! He will-,”

Cheerilee cut her off. “I heard you perfectly fine. Frankly, I think you should take this opportunity to get out of Manehatten and start a life where you don’t have to sell yourself for the profit of some low-life pimp.” Cheerilee peered at the prostitute for a moment. The nearly anorexic, trembling figure and running make-up made for a pitiful sight. Taking a good look at the mare, she saw she was more of a filly than an actual mare, probably barely of the legal age for this sort of work. The masked mare suppressed a sudden maternal instinct that wanted to offer the filly a hug and a place to stay. Don’t. Nothing good is going to come from that. Can’t blow my cover.

“I can’t make you do anything,” Cheerilee continued. “Nor do I have any desire to do so. If you insist on staying you can tell this ‘Maul’ that Mare Do Well will be waiting. And if he hurts anyone again, I won’t be waiting. I will be hunting. His rule is over.”

She turned to leave the alley, the blue mare immediately rushing towards the yellow stallion to cradle his head and whisper sweet nothings. Cheerilee turned her head momentarily to regard the sight.

“Class is in session.”

Author's Note

And here. We. Go.

Chapter XI

Cheerilee looked towards a group of ponies that was idling in front of a run-down building. Some of them were smoking, others were entertaining themselves with a deck of cards. She was perched on top of a tall apartment complex across the street, silent and motionless. It was a little before midnight, which usually meant that the darker side of Manehatten was waking up. She knew what group the ponies she was watching belonged to, and she knew what they were planning. Cheerilee would only have to play the waiting game, a game she had become exceedingly good at over the course of the past few weeks. The moment of quiet allowed her mind to wander.

Her first few nights as Mare Do Well had been quiet. Lack of experience and knowledge of common scenes made finding actual crime to fight difficult. Yet with each successful bust, she learned. She discovered certain routines, habits, and even hideouts. As time progressed she found herself able to anticipate certain actions her opponents would resort to. Eventually there wasn’t a night when Mare Do Well didn’t leave some low-life with bruises and a bloodied muzzle.

She became something of an urban legend. Because she only worked at night ponies weren’t sure of her existence, and those that got a good clear look were usually in panic or recipients of her hooves. Some of the more amusing speculations had recently reached her ears. According to those stories, she was an undead guardian, Nightmare Moon’s redeemed spirit or a giant crow that was looking for injustice to punish. Ponies with their head on straight gladly dismissed the rumors of some sort of violent guardian angel. Until the photograph.

To combat crime more effectively, Cheerilee purchased a subscription to every newspaper that would deliver to her apartment. She paid particular attention to reports of abductions and disappearances that still plagued Manehatten, but generally kept any information of criminal activity at close hoof. It was this way that she discovered a crafty reporter had witnessed one of her escapades. Her masked mug was displayed in most of the major newspapers as she was in combat with a group of gangsters. Headlines like ‘masked vigilante spotted’, ‘Manehatten’s new hero’, and ‘small town prank finds way to Manehatten’ showed her that public opinion was hardly unified. One thing was certain, however. She was no longer an urban legend. Mare Do Well was a known fact.

This also meant that Manehatten’s underworld was now fully aware of her. She had expected to make enemies, and had in fact already made several crime bosses very unhappy, but Cheerilee didn’t expect to find every low life in the city arrayed against her in such a short amount of time. The result meant a drastic change in tactics. She needed to work harder to maintain the element of surprise, which meant she was starting to rely on gadgets more and more. Using Zecora’s lessons as a solid foundation, Cheerilee had begun developing several tools that would help her continue her work. Smoke bombs, flashbangs and stun darts now adorned her belt, easily accessible to give her the edge she was going to need in a fight.

A mixed blessing was the fact that her targets began to seek her out in an attempt to ambush her. Ranging from poorly laid traps to intricate schemes, she now had to cope with the fact that ponies were actively trying to get rid of her. Magic had been their first solution. The memory of the look of terror on one unfortunate unicorn’s face as his spell fizzled harmlessly brought a smirk to Cheerilee’s face. Her hoof briefly brushed the amulet across her neck.

She also had to adjust to the fact that criminals began to move their hideouts. It was like a crooked, intricate contest between gangs and herself, to see how long they could hide before she discovered them. All in all, she was the subject of fear and anger for most of Manehatten’s lowlifes. To ensure her safety she needed to keep up appearances, which meant keeping her job in the box factory. This meant that her days usually consisted of working, sleeping, and roaming the rooftops as Mare Do Well. Fortunately, none of her coworkers cared to ask about the frequent cuts and bruises that recently adorned her body.

Then there were, of course, the authorities. Opinions expressed by the Manehatten guard corps ranged from ‘nuisance’ to ‘dangerous lunatic’. The kindest she ever heard from the mouth of an official was ‘an unpredictable but useful tool’. But despite the harsh criticism displayed in public, the guard was generally happy to let Mare Do Well do as she please. On a particular night she found herself face to face with a unit of guards just after she had beaten down a pair of robbers. Instead of taking her in, they just watched with raised eyebrows and waited for her to leave, before picking up the crooks and going on their way. While she received no outright support, it was good to know the guards were able to distinguish when they were being helped. That, or they realized it wouldn’t be a good idea to try and arrest a mare who makes a hobby out of fighting dangerous criminals, and wins.

Cheerilee was snapped from her thoughts when the group of ponies was joined by a newcomer who made a motion with her hoof, which caused the group to spring into action. Cheerilee assumed she was the one in charge. Due to the poor illumination in the street she couldn’t make out the pony’s features, but from the looks of her gait the mare had some kind of trouble walking. She made a mental note to use that to her advantage as she jumped to the next rooftop to start the chase. Two of the ponies buckled themselves into the harness of a carriage, making off in a different direction. Cheerilee cursed inwardly, but quickly decided to follow the group led by the mare that seemed to be in charge.

*****

The chase through the city had been difficult. It was clear that whatever the group was doing, they didn’t want to be seen doing it. They took advantage of dark, narrow alleys, twists and turns, and even split up a couple of times. Several times, Cheerilee found herself worried that she was going to lose track of the main group, but each time she managed to identify the mare with the strange gait and pick up the trail of what she thought was the lead group. They came to the very edge of the city, where Cheerilee perched herself on one of the lower buildings, peeking over the edge of the roof. The rattling of wheels on pavement announced the arrival of the carriage that had split off earlier. The entire group now stood in front of a concrete building the likes of which weren’t uncommon in Manehatten, but stood out amongst the older, brick buildings that surrounded it. She noticed several spotlights on the roof that were turned off.

The mare in charge said something, but Cheerilee couldn’t make out the words. She looked around for a better vantage point. She saw a support beam on a nearby building, cloaked in shadow, that she could hang on to by using her climber claws. It would be uncomfortable, but she would have a much better vantage point to see and hear the proceedings of the group below while remaining unseen.

“-Carriage. I want to be sure we can make a quick getaway.” The mare spoke. Her voice carried a slight rasp.
Cheerilee narrowed her eyes as she could now distinguish the mare’s features. It was a unicorn, her face adorned with several piercings. Cheerilee had only seen her once before, but it was enough to burn the unicorn’s likeness into her memory. She hadn’t forgotten the paralysis spell, the abuse, or the pleading mare that she so eagerly tortured. Back then she had no training. Now, the tables had turned.

She tilted her head slightly. Earlier she had noticed the mare’s unusual walk, but now saw that her face repeatedly contorted in a nervous twitch as well. In fact, her entire body seemed to spasm periodically. Even though Cheerilee was at a disadvantage when it came to numbers, she knew it would be easy to cut off the head this time. Her eyes fell on a stallion as he began speaking.

“Seriously, would you cut it out? Boss adjusted the guard’s patrol schedule. We won’t be bothered tonight. This is going to be easy.”

The pierced mare turned towards the speaker and snapped. “Even if we aren’t going to be bothered by any official authorities, it doesn’t mean we aren’t going to get bothered at all. I hate to burst your bubble, but he doesn’t control everything. Ma-“

“Mare Do Well is going to pop out of a cloud of smoke and hand our flanks to us,” the stallion interrupted, sarcasm dripping from his voice. “Yeah, I read the papers. So she busted a few amateurs, big deal. We have three unicorns and several hoof-to-hoof combat specialists, including an ex-royal guard.” He grinned smugly. “Even if she shows up, she won’t stand a chance. We put the kiddo’s in the carriage and we bust this joint. Bam. Job well done.”

The pierced mare’s expression became furious. Her spasms seemed to grow in frequency, and her horn started spluttering with barely contained magic. “D-don’t make me angry, Stiff Drink. Remember who’s in charge here. We’re doing this my way. Now get the foals out here.”

Cheerilee clenched her jaw. Overhearing the conversation had given her an idea of the situation, and it wasn’t looking good. She could count the unicorns as an advantage. If they didn’t know she had an amulet that protected her from magic, they were in for a nasty surprise. However, if they really had hoof-to-hoof specialists amongst them she would be in for a tough fight, especially with the mentioned ex-royal guard.

Most cities usually employed civilians for their guard forces and put them through a training program involving basic combat. The royal guards of Canterlot, however, were another story entirely. Because they were tasked with the safety of some of the most important ponies in all of Equestria, including—but not limited to—the two princesses, they underwent rigorous training involving many combat techniques that would turn a pony into a groaning mess in a matter of seconds.

Then there was the last matter, sending a cold shiver down Cheerilee’s spine. Hostages. Foal hostages. Whatever these people were doing, it had to end, but Cheerilee wasn’t ready to deal with collateral damage, especially when that would mean children might get hurt.

Any hope that the mention of foals might have been a codename for something else was squashed when a group of ponies was escorted out of the building. The foals looked scruffy and unwashed, with grim looks on their faces and cloth gags in their muzzles. Their hooves were locked in manacles and chains. Some of them were crying, and most others looked like they had recently run out of tears. A chunk of ice formed in Cheerilee’s stomach at the sight. She had to act. Now.

Reaching for a belt, she dislodged one of the flashbangs she recently started to employ, tossing it into the middle of the group. Immediately after, she dislodged herself from the support beam and began her descent. Once she was certain of her shot, she jumped down and landed on one of the ponies standing on guard.

“Boo.”

Chaos erupted around her. The group of foals started screaming through their gags. Some of the crooks were rubbing their eyes, trying to get their bearings after the flashbang. Others were either looking for the source of the commotion, or had found it and were locking their eyes on her.

“Damn it, she’s here! Get the bitch!,” the pierced mare screamed while rubbing her eyes. Apparently she had been looking towards the blast as well. She dodged a sizzling bolt of light blue energy from one of the other unicorns. Though the amulet would have protected her from the hit, she felt it was best not to make her adversaries aware of her advantage yet.

Cheerilee jumped, making her way towards the group of foals. She dodged the blow of a lithe Pegasus mare, bringing up her own hoof for a blow to the muzzle. She found her strike blocked by a swift hoof. The Pegasus grinned, spinning around and aiming a kick that Cheerilee was able to dodge. Though the Pegasus wasn’t an exceptional fighter, Cheerilee definitely noticed the training behind her movements. She wasn’t able to knock her adversary down, and had to get out of the way to pay attention to the other ponies that were starting to bear down on her. Cheerilee briefly turned to the foals.

“RUN!” She could barely say the word before being forced to roll out of the way of another magic missile. While on her back, she was able to kick up and connect her hind hooves with the jaw of a pony that was unlucky enough to stand above her, knocking him out cold.

His friends weren’t so easily deterred, however. Making some distance between herself and her adversaries, she managed to reach for her belt and aim a dart towards one of the ponies. A Pegasus stallion caught the dart in his neck with a look of surprise on his face before falling unconscious.

A pair of big gray forelegs managed to wrap themselves around her and almost pin her down. She narrowly managed to squirm through an opportunity to escape, losing her hat in the process. The retaliatory blows she dished out were easily matched by her adversary. That would be the ex-royal guard.

In her peripheral vision she noticed that several ponies were trying to get around to flank her. She realized that she was running out of room to maneuver, and the ex-royal guard was closing in on her. Another bolt of energy soared past her head. Her eyes narrowed as an idea started to form in her head.

Another magic missile came for her, but instead of ducking out of the way, Cheerilee let it hit her full in the chest. She let out a pained grunt and sunk to her haunches. Carefully she slid her hoof down towards her belt and waited. Her mask proved to be valuable for more than just hiding her identity, allowing her to keep her eyes open and wait for the ponies to approach her. She could see the guard looking unsure, and she let out another pained grunt for good measure.

That seemed enough to convince him. He let down his guard, a smirk appearing on his lips as he approached her. She felt herself being lifted on the stallion’s back to be carried, at which point she jabbed the poison dart she was holding into his withers. With a grunt, he fell to the ground. Wasting no time, she used the moment of surprise to spin around, delivering a series of swift kicks to the other ponies that had approached in the meantime.

Though the barrage of magic missiles resumed their stinging, they were rendered harmless by the amulet around her neck. She turned to look at the carriage. The stallion called Stiff Drink was roughly guiding the screaming and panicking foals towards the carriage, cramming them inside. Some of them were trying to wobble away, but they were quickly lifted back in the magical aura of the pierced unicorn mare. Cheerilee let out a cry of rage, before charging. The unicorn began to power her horn, her face twitching and limbs spasming. Cheerilee continued her charge, knowing her amulet would protect her from the spell.

Except it didn’t. As the bolt hit her, she was sent flying by a blast that knocked the wind from her lungs. She grunted in pain as her body collided with the wall of a building, and once again as she hit the ground. With effort, she lifted her head to see the mare screaming orders as the last of the panicking foals was packed into the carriage. She got to her legs, trying to give chase, but she found herself drained of energy. Her hooves stung fiercely each time she put her weight down on them, sapping her strength with each step. She sunk to her haunches in defeat. They were gone.

*****

When she was a little more comfortable with moving, she went to retrieve her hat. She saw one of the pony thugs trying to crawl away. Within seconds Cheerilee was on him, pressing her forehoof into the stallion’s neck.

“Where did they go?!,” she growled. The stallion mumbled incoherently in return. Cheerilee turned him around on his back, shaking him by the shoulders.

“I asked you a question! Where did they go?!”

Instead of providing a reply, the stallion’s mouth began to foam. His eyes bulged out of their sockets, and a strained breath left his swelling throat. After gurgling for a moment, he stopped breathing, his blue lips covered in froth.

Cheerilee swore. Poison capsules. Who in Tartaros are these guys?

As she sat down, she brought one of her hooves to her neck, feeling the amulet hidden underneath the fabric of her suit. She frowned as she tried to figure out why it didn’t work. It had functioned just fine throughout the entire fight, and she didn’t recall Zecora mentioning the amulet would run out of energy at some point. Perhaps she forgot to mention that little detail?

Cheerilee looked around again. She was going to have to make sure the guard would come to pick these up before they woke up, to make sure they couldn’t use the poison capsules that the rest of them no doubt had. One of her ears twitched. There was a sound of breathing somewhere behind her. She spun around, facing a ragged stallion standing in the entrance of an alley a little away. He had a green coat with a light brown mane. There was a tattered bowler on his head, and a filthy scarf was wrapped around his neck. He spoke with a breathy voice as he approached her.

“You’re stronger than I remember.”

Cheerilee, glad for her mask hiding her facial expression, tried to keep her voice neutral in her reply. “We never met.”

“Sure we did,” the stallion replied. He flashed her a grin, showing off his brown teeth. “Only last time you were the one left beaten bloody in an alley. I remember your coat. And your hooves.” He walked past her, checking out one of the unconscious mares, lowering his snout to lick at her hooves. Cheerilee cringed inwardly at the display.

“She has nice hooves,” the tramp continued. “Not as nice as yours, though.”

“You’re being delusional,” Cheerilee grunted in return.

“No. I remember you. I remember everypony I smell. I remember the pierced one too. She was there, that night. I think she has nice hooves. Not as nice as yours, though.” He gave her another grin.

Despite her disgust with the figure before her, she couldn’t help but be impressed at his nose. Not to mention his memory. Regardless of his ragged exterior, she recognized the look he was giving her. Aside from plainly checking her out, his body language suggested he had a proposal.

“Is there a point to this?,” Cheerilee asked, deciding to hear him out without making her interest too clear.

“I know where she is. The pierced one. You want to know, yes? I saw you ask that pony. I could tell you.”

Cheerilee sat silent for a moment, processing the information before making a calculated reply. “But you won’t.”

“No. I won’t.”

“Why?”

The stallion chuckled, though it sounded more like balking. “Because I want something in return.”

“And what would that be?”

The tramp locked his eyes on hers, or at least on the eye sockets of the mask, as he spoke. “You. It’s been a while, you see. And it’s so much nicer when they’re awake.”

Cheerilee didn’t have to wonder what the stallion implied. She grit her teeth and lunged forward, tackling the tramp and placing the spikes of her climber claw on his throat. “Give me one reason not to beat you bloody until you tell me where she is?”

“Because she’s never in one place. None of them are. I could tell you where she is now, but she might not be there once you get there.”

Cheerilee frowned. In the distance, she could make out the sound of approaching sirens. Seems there was no need to inform the authorities. Instead, she had to wrap this up quick and get out. “What about the foals? Can you guide me to them?”

“I am quite sorry about what happened with the foals,” he said, his voice dripping with insincerity, “but their scent isn’t strong enough for me to follow. Besides, what use would I have for it? I don’t swing that way.”

Cheerilee stomped the stallion in the stomach, if only for that remark. “Tomorrow. Eight o’ clock, my place.”

The stallion grinned, once again baring his brown teeth. “Smart choice. And where would this place of yours be?”

“If your nose is as good as you say it is, you should have no problems figuring that out. Consider it a test.” It was an insignificant victory, but it felt good nonetheless. She looked up at the sky. Though it was never truly dark in Manehatten, she could see that the sun would be rising soon. She had been up longer than she expected. Good thing it’s Saturday.

Jumping and climbing, she made her way to the rooftops. Though she was relatively far from home, she was fast, and it wasn’t long before she slid open the window to her apartment and slipped inside, closing it behind her.

Only to face two sets of eyes, one of which concealed behind purple sunglasses.

Crap.

Author's Note

Due to increasing college activity, updates might be a little slower. Doesn't mean I'm going to give up on this story, though, especially since we're getting to a part that I'm very much looking forward to. I know how the story is going to go, and I know how it's going to end. Bear with me, everypony!

Chapter XII

“I can’t believe you. I cannot believe you!” Case Study was fuming, pacing Cheerilee’s apartment as he let out a series of frustrated swears. “I should have seen this coming. I should have known you would do something stupid!”

Cheerilee swallowed a lump in her throat. The moment she had entered her window, Case Study had burst into flames, giving her an angry earful. Vinyl Scratch sat on her couch, still staring at Cheerilee through her sunglasses. The purple mare looked towards her friend, hanging her head at the disapproval that the corners of her mouth displayed.

“And will you take that damn mask off, already?! It feels like I’m talking to a mannequin!,” Case Study snapped, making the purple mare aware of the fact that she was still clad in the Mare Do Well costume. She placed her hat on the table, before pulling away her facemask, remorse evident on her features.

“That’s better,” Case Study spoke softer, but no less angrier. He stared at Cheerilee expectantly. She swallowed, all moisture drained from her mouth and throat.

“H-how did you know?,” she croaked quietly. She had to fight to maintain eye contact with the two. As a result, she focused on Vinyl more than she did on Case, as she couldn’t see the other mare’s eyes through her sunglasses. The DJ was the first to answer.

“I didn’t until just now. I tried to call you last night. Several times, actually. I got worried when you didn’t pick up. You never told me of any reason you wouldn’t be home, and well, neither of us live in the greatest neighborhoods. I know what can happen.” Cheerilee grimaced. Her friend’s worry wasn’t exaggerated, which made her feel guilty. “I got in with the key you gave me and decided to wait. I guess I fell asleep. When I woke up, this guy was banging on your door.”

Cheerilee turned her head to Case Study, doing her best to look him in the eye. He snorted, before taking out a newspaper and tossing it on the table, revealing a picture of Mare Do Well in action. She had to give the photographer credit, the picture was good.

“I don’t understand,” she began, before noticing her position. She was suspended from a balcony using her climber claws. She looked down at her front hooves, then back up at Case Study.

“There aren’t many who use those,” the stallion began. “I was worried when I saw the picture in this morning’s newspaper. I guess I was right.” Case Study stared at her for a moment longer, before turning towards the exit.

“Case, wait! You don’t understand!” Cheerilee called out after him.

“You damn bet I don’t understand!,” he snapped back. “I taught you martial arts because I thought you wanted to protect yourself in a dangerous environment. I thought you wanted to take the trials because you needed a goal. Because you needed confidence. Damn it, in all my years I haven’t made such a stupid mistake! Tell me something, Cheerilee, and be honest. Was this your plan all along?”

The purple mare sat on her haunches, her eyes directed on the floor. She swallowed before answering, almost whispering. “Yes.”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve been doing? Any idea what you got yourself into? You’re in a personal vendetta with the entire Manehatten underworld! People want your head, Cheerilee! And what about the people next to you? What if they find out I trained you? That we’re friends? Do you think these types you’re waging your one-mare crusade against won’t come after us if they find out?!”

“I-I just-,” Cheerilee choked, tears starting to sting her eyes.

“You just what?”

“I couldn’t just do nothing!” Cheerilee shouted, tears really starting to flow now. “I had to do something to help. Something, anything!”

“And at what cost? To what end?”

“I-,” Cheerilee began, but was immediately cut off.

“Save it. I’ve had enough of this. I don’t want to see you anymore, Cheerilee. Not near me, or my family.”

Cheerilee’s eyes went wide, snapping her head up to look at Case as he walked away. “Case, wait! Please, just-.”

“Look at it this way, Cheerilee. One less thing to worry about.” With that, Case Study closed the door behind him, his hoofsteps producing a series of dull thuds down the hallway.

Cheerilee gritted her teeth. She wanted to cry and scream, throw a tantrum. She wanted to fall to her hooves and beg for forgiveness. Instead, she just sat and watched the stallion she looked up to, one of her only friends, walk out of her apartment, and her life. She turned her head to Vinyl, who had been silent until now. The DJ had propped her glasses onto her forehead, looking at her with an expression of doubt.

“Vinyl, please-,” Cheerilee began, but was cut off by a hoof gesture by the white mare.

“Cheers, just-.” Vinyl began, struggling to form the words. “Why? Why all of this, why didn’t you say anything?”

Cheerilee sniffed. “I wanted to protect everypony. I wanted to protect you. I didn’t want you to have to carry my secret. I didn’t…I didn’t want you to worry.”

“And that worked out just fine, didn’t it.” Though Vinyl’s tone suggested it was a playful jab, it made Cheerilee cringe.

“I’m sorry. I’m just…I’m sorry.”

Vinyl lifted a hoof to Cheerilee’s cheek, gently wiping away a rolling tear. “It isn’t too late to quit, Cheers. Just bury that suit in some dark corner and get on with your life.”

Cheerilee shook her head. “I can’t.”

The DJ’s hoof dropped slightly, a frown forming on her face. “Why not?”

“It’s just…It’s what I’m meant to do.” Cheerilee turned her head to look at her flank, still covered by the suit she was wearing. “There are so many ponies who need my help, and so many more who need to learn.”

“This again? Cheers, surely there’s another way you can-.”

“No!,” Cheerilee snapped, before frowning apologetically. “I mean, no. I tried. They won’t let me. Anywhere.”

“Isn’t there something else you can do? You don’t have to-.”

Again, Cheerilee felt her anger flare. “That’s easy for you to say,” she growled. “You could get right back to your passion. Nopony cares about the drug abuse of some DJ in the world you come from.” Cheerilee’s eyes widened as she slapped her hooves in front of her mouth. The hurt expression on Vinyl’s face was like a punch to the stomach. “Vinyl, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean-.”

“That hurt, Cheers.”

Cheerilee swallowed difficultly. She suppressed the urge to scream in frustration at her outburst.

The DJ let out a heavy sigh, before continuing. “I should go.” Vinyl got to her hooves, moving towards the door.

“I witnessed a carriage full of foals being abducted tonight.” Vinyl stopped in her tracks as Cheerilee spoke. “At least twenty. I must have stumbled across some kind of operation of the ponies that are behind the recent disappearances. They were frightened, locked in chains. They had bribed the authorities. I was their only chance, and I failed.”

Vinyl turned around and sat down. “You can’t help everypony, Cheers. Trying will only drive you mad.”

“You don’t understand, Vinyl. There was nopony else. Nopony who would have helped them.” The purple mare swallowed, rubbing a hoof across her eyes before continuing. “I may have a lead. I think I can put a stop to this. I have to, Vinyl.”

There was silence for a while. Vinyl had lifted her sunglasses to her forehead again to make eye contact with Cheerilee. She could read every emotion on the DJ’s face as she processed the information. Eventually, her eyes spoke only one thing. Pity.

“You’re right, Cheers. I don’t understand.”

Cheerilee hung her head, staring at the floor. She could hear the DJ move again. She expected Vinyl to leave, but instead Cheerilee found herself wrapped in an embrace, the white mare’s head resting on her shoulder. She let out a shuddering sigh before wrapping her own hooves around her friend.

“I just need some time to think about all this. It’s a lot to take in, and I just don’t know how I feel about all this.”

Cheerilee buried her muzzle into Vinyl’s mane. “M’sorry,” she mumbled.

“I know.” Vinyl smiled slightly as she broke away the hug. “Just give me some time to think about all this. I’m just confused. Confused and worried.”

Cheerilee just nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“I know.” Vinyl repeated. She leant forward and planted a kiss on Cheerilee’s forehead. “I’m still your friend, okay? I just need some time.” The white mare stood up and turned towards the door, closing it behind her with a soft click. Cheerilee, feeling well and truly drained, dropped herself on her bed and fell asleep.

*****

Cheerilee felt strangely serene, considering what she was about to do. The clock showed it would be only minutes until eight o’ clock. She sat on her couch with crossed forelegs, facing the door. The curtains were drawn, and several candles were lit throughout the room, creating just the right atmosphere for what she had to do. In addition, she was wearing a sky-blue see-through gown, with a set of socks in matching color on each of her legs. She never fully understood what made stallions go wild about attires like that, but looking at herself in the mirror she had to admit the outfit did seem to make her more appealing. It gave her an air of mystery that brought confidence.

It was also somewhat helpful in hiding all the cuts and bruises on her body.

It was now several minutes past eight, and Cheerilee started to wonder whether her appointment was going to show up. She didn’t know whether such a development should make her happy or annoyed. Perhaps a bit of both. It seemed she wasn’t going to find out. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she listened to the stream of knocks on her door. Steeling herself, she walked towards the entrance and swung it open.

“You look pretty,” came the voice of exactly whom she was expecting. “One would almost think you’re looking forward to this.”

“Get in,” Cheerilee said curtly, stepping aside to allow the tramp entrance. As he moved past her she wrinkled her nose. As she closed the door, she felt the stallion’s breath on her neck as he whispered.

“Shall we get to it then?”

Cheerilee pushed him away. “You smell like trash. You’re washing up first. The shower is through that door.”

“Oh, don’t be like that.” The tramp let out a snorting laugh. “I thought you didn’t mind getting dirty.”

If looks could kill, Cheerilee would have a body to hide. “Shower. Now.” To her relief, the stallion complied. Hearing the running water, she proceeded to pour two glasses with an expensive red. She was no connoisseur, but she had no doubt that her guest wasn’t either. She took a tentative sip, letting the liquid roll over her tongue. The taste was powerful, almost sweet. While she sat pondering the wine, her guest had finished washing up and now joined her on her couch. Without the filth and stench, his coat looked almost smooth. He had a handsome build, and if it weren’t for most of the stallion’s other characteristics he would have been attractive.

As it was, the stallion unceremoniously downed his glass of wine, belched and grinned at her with his rotten teeth. Cheerilee swallowed, trying to keep the revulsion from showing on her face too much.

“Is the wine to your liking?,” the mare asked as sweetly as she could muster.

“When you live a life like mine, you stop tasting most things after a while. I’ll take your word that it’s good.” He took the bottle and filled up his glass again, nearly to the brim this time. Taking another gulp from the liquid he scooted a little closer to Cheerilee, pressing his body against hers.

“Before we begin,” Cheerilee started, “I want to know a few things.”

“Dustbin.”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow. “What?”

“That’s my name. I like wine, poems, long walks on the beach, lah dee dah. Isn’t that what you were getting at?” He grinned and snickered a little too loudly at his own joke.

“Uhu,” she replied curtly, “and no. I want to know whether this investment is going to be worth it. Tell me what you know about the people I’m after.”

Dustbin feigned a hurt expression. “Won’t you tell me your name first?”

“No.”

“Really? I’m sure it’s quite lovely. I won’t laugh if it isn’t. Really, I don’t care.”

“The mare with the piercings. Talk.”

The tramp snickered, before sitting upright. “The mare you’re looking for is part of a big network. Many people, many funds. They’re like ghosts, never staying in one place.” His eyes fell on a stack of newspapers. “I doubt it’ll surprise you if I tell you last night wasn’t an isolated incident. It happens a lot. Usually foals, but older ponies too.”

“Anything else?”

“No. Nothing worth mentioning. Unless you’re interested in her smell.” He grinned, downing the glass in his hoof and leaning towards Cheerilee again. She put a hoof against his chest, stopping him, before getting off the couch and moving to the bed. She stretched her limbs and swallowed her revulsion to give Dustbin her most convincing ‘come hither’ look. His breathing became panting, the wine combined with the situation bringing a fierce blush to his cheeks. Clumsily, he climbed up on the bed and on top of Cheerilee. He pressed his lips against hers in a sloppy kiss, opening his mouth to lick at the mare’s lips. Cheerilee, for her part, kept her mouth firmly shut. Carefully, she snuck a hoof under her pillow, reaching for the object she hid there. Finding what she was looking for, she rapidly brought up the hoof to jab an injection needle into the stallion’s neck. Within seconds he went limp and out cold.

Cheerilee couldn’t suppress a cry of disgust as she pushed Dustbin off of her. She spat, thoroughly wiping her mouth with her foreleg. The traces of guilt that she had felt at her plans before now had all but vanished.

She had a few things she needed to do to make her lie convincing. First, she flushed the remains of the wine bottle through the sink, and tossed several more empty bottles in a pile on the floor. She had also prepared a condom, closed with a knot and filled with a yellow-white liquid, tossing it on the floor next to the bed. Finally, she needed to make sure Dustbin’s nose wouldn’t give her away. She lit a special stick of incense that would overwhelm every smell in the room, hopefully making it impossible to smell anything else without damaging the stallion’s senses.

Closing her eyes and letting out a sigh of relief, she began to regret her decision to empty the wine bottles before taking another good swig herself. She crawled back into her bed and, reluctantly, into Dustbin’s hooves. Forcing herself to imagine she was anywhere else, she managed to fall asleep while she waited for the outcome of her ruse.

Author's Note

Had ya going for a while, didn't I? What, you didn't think I was going to have Cheerilee do -that- to that guy, right?

Chapter XIII

Cheerilee groaned as the alarm clock next to her bed rang. Her eyes fluttered open and she tried to stretch, only to find that there was something big lying next to her. Slowly, she began to remember the previous night. Dustbin had his hooves wrapped around her, and a trickle of his drool was dribbling down her forehead. With a grunt, Cheerilee jabbed her hoof into the Stallion’s ribs.

“Get up,” Cheerilee snapped. The stallion next to her mumbled something unintelligible. She gave the lug a firm shove in his chest. “Get up!”

“Wuh…what?” Groggily, Dustbin’s eyes opened. Cheerilee’s green irises met the bloodshot orbs of the stallion on her bed. Once he realized where he was, he gave her a putrid grin. His hooves wrapped themselves a little tighter around the mare they were holding. “Morning, beautiful.”

Cheerilee forcefully shoved him off, causing him to roll off the bed with a grunt and a dull thud. “Get up. You’re going to hold your end of the bargain.”

“At three in the morning?” He brought a hoof to his head, rubbing slightly. “I feel like horseapples.”

“Before you came here you smelled like them. I don’t see the problem.”

Dustbin’s eyes snapped open. He inhaled deeply, followed by a series of sniffs, whipping his head left to right. “What’s that smell?”

Cheerilee, by now, had ditched her set of socks in favor of her mare do well costume. She made sure to pull the zipper on her mask before turning to face her guest. Moment of truth. “What smell?”

He began to pace the room, before sniffing the stick of incense she had lit the previous night, grimacing.

“What’s this? It’s blocking all of the other scents!”

“Incense. I thought it would set the mood. Unfortunately, you were too drunk off your flank on my good wine to appreciate it.” Cheerilee pointed a hoof towards the pile of bottles, the result of their ‘night together’. Dustbin narrowed his eyes, his gaze shifting between the bottles, the incense stick and the condom.

“You’re going to leave through the front door, and you will lead me to my target. I will tail you over the rooftops.” Cheerilee snapped in the rough rasping voice she reserved for Mare Do Well. The tramp’s eyes locked on her mask.

“What did we do last night?”

Cheerilee’s eyes narrowed behind her mask. “What you asked. Now get moving.”

“What if I don’t believe you?”

Cheerilee stood still for a moment, remaining silent. Dustbin’s glare was trained on the sockets of her mask. For a moment it waivered, his eyes shifting to the right, which was the moment Cheerilee used to pounce. She brought her hoof down on his muzzle, and pressed the sharp edges of her climber claw against his neck. “Then you won’t have time to scream.” It was a bluff. Cheerilee had no intention to kill anypony, but she hoped the tramp would be frightened enough of her and her reputation that he would back down. “I have given you what you wanted. Me. I was yours for a night. Now I want what you promised, or we’ll see if you can smell your way out of Tartaros. Got it?”

Dustbin trembled for a moment. For all his cheeky bravado earlier, the tramp was no hero. He nodded his consent. Cheerilee lifted her hooves and stepped away.

“Fine. I’ll take you. I just need to get away from this incense.”

Cheerilee nodded. “Don’t double cross me, Dustbin. Manehatten won’t mourn for you if you do.”

His reply came in the form of an undignified huff as the door closed behind him.

*****

Cheerilee grunted as she hoisted herself over the edge of a rooftop. She had miscalculated a jump and had ended up with her rear hooves dangling over the edge. She was forced to move fast, to make sure her guide wouldn’t slip from her sight. Despite the brief hitch, her ruse seemed to have paid off. Dustbin regained his scent only moments after he went out of the building, and immediately set off.

The stallion almost marched, his pace determined. He wasn’t making it easy for Cheerilee to keep up the pace. Fortunately, he still needed a moment now and again to sit down and make sure he was on the right track. It allowed Cheerilee to catch up, only to almost fall behind again as he chased the scent once more.

Cheerilee watched as Dustbin entered an alley. She jumped the rooftop and waited for him to emerge on the other side, only to find the tramp nowhere in sight. Her stomach twisted momentarily, frantically searching for a sign of her guide. She swore inwardly, only to find him again as he sat casually in the alley he initially ‘disappeared’ in. Feeling sheepish for a moment, she jumped down.

“Why are we stopping?,” she asked forcefully.

He gave her an amused smirk. “Because we’re here, sugar.” He pointed a hoof towards a building on the other end of the street. They were in the center of Manehatten, where the richer portion of ponies lived. Buildings were generally in better shape, roomier and more luxurious. The building that Dustbin pointed out, however, transcended all of those. Cheerilee recognized it as the most prestigious apartment complex in Manehatten. The woodwork was decorated with intricate flower patterns, the door was inlaid with colorful stained glass, and some of the balconies even sported their own Jacuzzi.

“Seems like somepony likes to live rich.” Cheerilee turned towards the tramp. “Thank you.”

The tramp guffawed in his annoying manner. “My pleasure.”

“She better be here, though,” she snapped in return, “I’ll find you if she’s not.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that.” He pointed somewhere across the street. A pierced mare with a strange, spastic gait emerged from the decorated apartment’s doors. “Better run. She looks in a hurry.”

Indeed, the moment she was clear of the building she started to run. Several other ponies followed her example. Cheerilee pushed herself to gallop as fast as she could in pursuit, only to be forced to a halt as a thunderous explosion came from inside the apartment, knocking out most of the upper floors and igniting fires in the lower ones.

Cheerilee instinctively threw her hooves in front of her face to protect herself from the intensity of the blast. She needed a moment to snap out of her wide eyed, open mouthed horror at witnessing the inferno, getting into an even faster gallop to make up for lost time, chasing after the pierced mare with renewed vigor.

From behind her, she heard wailing and crying coming from the burning building, causing her to pause for a moment. She could hear individual cries of terror, screams of panic from ponies that began to gather on the streets to watch and point at inhabitants that appeared to be stuck on the remaining few higher floors. She turned her head towards the pierced mare again, only to see her turn a corner and disappear from sight. She swore inwardly, turning towards the building. Using her climbing claws, she made her way to the top of an adjacent building, from which she was able to jump to one of the upper floors, into the mass of flames.

Smoke was everywhere. Though her mask made breathing and seeing easier, the thick black clouds that were erupting from the searing flames stung her eyes and lungs nonetheless. She knew she hadn’t much time. Cheerilee stood in a wide hallway. There was a row of doors on each side. The ceiling was decorated with expensive, ornate lamps. She ducked out of the way just as one of said lamps came crashing down. Through the smoke, Cheerilee could make out a group of ponies. They were huddled together, crying and shouting in panic. They sat in front of a large pile of rubble that, apparently, blocked the stairwell. Cheerilee cursed inwardly as she looked around, before turning to the group.

“Calm down!,” she shouted, “I’ll get you out of here! Just stay together!” Her reassurances had little effect. Most ponies simply continued to wail, where others simply stared at her with a horrified expression. At least none of them were expressing their panic by running around like headless chickens. Thank Celestia for small favors, at least.

She noticed that not every door in the hallway had been opened yet. She began to kick them all down, one by one, swiftly scanning the rooms for survivors. She found a few ponies, shocked by the events. Pulling them to their hooves, she dragged them towards the rest of the group. A loud cracking sound behind her reminded her of her urgency. Part of the hallway had already collapsed, and it wasn’t going to be long before the flames would consume everything. Panic began to creep into her mind as she looked towards a possible exit. When her eyes fell on the staircase, she had an idea.

Cheerilee entered the apartment next to the stairs, braced herself and started to buck the wall that stood between the room and the stairwell with all the force her rear legs could muster. Within seconds, the wall began to give, and with a loud crack and a cloud of dust their exit was created.

“This way!,” she screamed at the group of ponies at the top of her lungs. Cheerilee jumped through the hole, ready to catch the ponies that followed. What in reality took mere seconds, took ages in Cheerilee’s mind. All around them the building was starting to come down. More rubble was starting to rain down on the rest of the stairwell, which would make their trip to safety even more difficult.

Finally, all of the ponies had passed through the hole and were making their way down. As they came to the second floor, Cheerilee noticed the stairs and fire exit were unblocked. She figured the inhabitants on this level had already gotten out, until she noticed a lone figure trapped under a pile of burning rubble.

“Everypony! To the exit! Move, move, move!” she pointed the group towards the exit, and safety, while making her way over to the trapped pony. Using her climbing claws she got a hold of the flaming wooden beams and pulled them away. There was a burning patch of fur, which she quickly extinguished with her hoof. Taking the pony—an earth pony mare, she noticed—on her back, she made her way out of the building.

Outside, a large crowd had gathered. The fire department had arrived, and were readying their water hoses. Medics were providing care for the inhabitants. When she was sure that she was within a safe distance, she carefully lowered the mare from her back to the ground. She was wheezing heavily, but at least she was breathing. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered, revealing two amethyst orbs. Then, the mare proceeded to cough her lungs out.

Cheerilee turned her head towards the medical ponies nearby. “This one needs an oxygen mask!,” she yelled before turning back to the mare, running a hoof through her mane. “Easy. You’re safe, you’re going to be fine.”

The mare swallowed, and tried to speak. Her voice was hoarse, tainted by the smoke, but Cheerilee could make out the words. “My cello. Please, my cello. Is it-.” She was interrupted by another fit of coughs. Cheerilee was about to open her mouth again, but was shoved aside by medical ponies that put an oxygen mask over the mare’s muzzle and lifted her onto a stretcher to carry her to a medical carriage.

Cheerilee coughed to clear her lungs before looking around. Most of the ponies that belonged to the fire brigade, medical staff or guard corps outright ignored her. However, most of the other ponies were outright staring at her. Some with fear, some with confusion, and to her surprise some with a smile. She smiled back, momentarily ignorant of the fact that her mask hid the expression. She had failed in what she set out to do, again. The pierced mare had gotten away. Yet for a moment, she didn’t care about that. Ponies were smiling. Smiling at her.

Cheerilee realized that it was time to go home, and she turned back to the building for a last look. Her face paled. Behind the windows she spotted movement. There was still somepony in there.

I forgot to check those rooms! She turned her head towards the fire brigade. All of them were going about their business to get the fire out, but there was no indication that they had noticed what she had. It would take too long to warn the fireponies for them to mount a rescue, so there was only one solution. Cheerilee sprinted back towards the building.

Once again, she found herself facing smoke and flames. The fact that the fire was being doused didn’t help with her visibility. The wet wood created a barrier of smoke that made navigation nearly impossible. She called out at the top of her lungs.

“Hello?! Anyone here?! Where are you!”

“Help me!,” a voice sobbed. It came from the door she was standing next to. Without hesitation she applied a generous helping of her hind hooves to the wood, nearly reducing the door to splinters as it crashed open.

Within the apartment, there was a mare sobbing in the corner. Her exit had been blocked by a rather sizable hole in the floor. Though the jump would be manageable for her own trained legs, it was nigh impossible for an average pony. Cheerilee took a running jump and latched her climber claws to the wall, next to the sobbing mare. It was a risky plan. Considering the ease with which she was able to knock the walls down earlier, she doubted their solidity. However, it was the best she could come up with on such a short term.

“Alright, jump for my hoof!,” Cheerilee shouted.

The mare sobbed. “I’m scared!”

Cheerilee groaned inwardly. She didn’t have time for a gentle approach, yet she needed one right now. She stretched out her left foreleg while hanging onto the wall with her right. “I’m scared too! It’s not exactly peachy from where I’m hanging, but if you can’t find the courage we’re going to die in here!” Cheerilee winced at her own words. She realized that the mention of death might actually counter the effect of her words. Surprisingly however, the mare wiped her eyes with a fetlock and nodded.

“A-alright.” She crouched down, and with surprising strength leapt forward, the mare’s front hooves grabbing a hold of Cheerilee’s outstretched leg.

“Good jump!,” Cheerilee said. From the timid smile she received she figured it actually bolstered her confidence. “I’m going to swing you to the other side now. On three, I want you to let go. Got it?”

The other mare nodded. Cheerilee began swinging her leg, and started her count.

“One. Two. Three!” With a groan and an extra surge of strength behind her swing, the mare landed, albeit clumsily, on the other side of the chasm. Cheerilee herself used her hind legs to push herself from the wall and landed next to the mare to help her on her feet.

“This way!,” Cheerilee shouted before making her way out of the apartment. Once entering the hall she noticed that another part of the building had collapsed, blocking the fire exit. She couldn’t stop herself from cursing. Running out of options, she took a gamble and made for the other direction. There was a window at the end of the hallway that led to a small alley. More importantly, on the other side there was some wood she could latch on to. Without much ceremony, Cheerilee opened the window and jammed it to make sure it stayed that way.

“Come here!,” Cheerilee shouted to the mare. “Get on my back!” With some effort, the mare got on. She wrapped her hooves around Cheerilee’s withers, squeezing just a little too tight for comfort. “Hold on tight!” With a grunt of effort, Cheerilee leaped through the window, airborne for mere moments before her climber claws met the wood with a loud thud. She winced in pain, unused to the weight of two ponies hanging from her front legs. Looking up, Cheerilee noticed that the flames were threatening to spread to the other building.

Climbing down, she made her way towards a window, kicking it in and dropping herself and the mare on her back inside. They were met with the stares of two stallions, entangled in each other’s hooves. A small tendril of spittle connected their muzzles, making it no mystery what kind of activities they were taking part in. Cheerilee felt her cheeks heat up, before remembering what they were doing.

“The building is going to catch on fire, get out of here you dolts!,” she yelled. The couple let out startled yelps before hurriedly making their way outside. In the hallway, Cheerilee pressed her hoof on the fire alarm, causing a siren to wail through the building’s corridors.

“This way!” Cheerilee yelled to the mare that was still, to her relief, on her heels. She galloped through corridors, and down stairways, until finally faced with a door that led outside. Pushing through, they found themselves in yet another alley. Cheerilee sighed in relief.

“You saved me,” a timid voice spoke from behind Cheerilee. She turned around.

“Don’t mention it,” she replied.

“N-no. I…Thank you. Thank you so much. I just-.” Her sentence was interrupted by a series of coughs. Only now did Cheerilee get a good look at the mare she rescued. Though she was covered in grime and soot, she could still make out the pink of her coat. Her mane was a combination of purple and white, now very frazzled. A tremble went through Cheerilee’s body. On the mare’s flank was a picture of a blue tiara.

“Um, are you alright?” the mare asked, blue eyes looking at Cheerilee with a confused expression.

“What’s your name?,” Cheerilee asked, a slight tremble in her voice.

“M-my name? Why do you need my-.”

“Just tell me!” Cheerilee snapped.

“It’s Diamond Tiara, but-.” Once again, she was unable to finish her sentence, only this time it was due to a solid kick in the head that knocked her out cold. Cheerilee stared at the mare now lying unconscious on the alley floor. Without hesitation, she picked up Diamond Tiara and headed home.

Author's Note

I have to admit, I'm feeling a bit uncertain about this chapter. Since I'm writing this without an editor, I'll be forever grateful if you could point out any mistakes if you find them.

Also, keep an eye out for a story that I wrote for Cloud Kicker month. Though it's finished, I'm hoping to find a prereader or two for that one before I upload it. In any case, it should be out and about quite soon.