Untitled by Nomine

 

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The day was a dreary one indeed, overcast and grey, the clouds threatening to drizzle but never really making good on their bluff. Here and there some brave rays of sunlight shone through gaps in the clouds, but all in all it was one of those depressingly bleak winter days. Not even a lot of snow on the ground, it had all melted into slush and sleet. But oh, was it cold...not to the point of biting, but a definite nip in the air indeed.

 

This was the weather Orchid Flame found herself walking through, the slight wind nibbling at her nose and the tips of her ears as she hurried along her business. Wasn't that she wanted to be home, no...she just wanted to be out of this dreariness and into something a bit more pleasant. Well, that and maybe something yummy to snack and sip on, breakfast had been a little while ago.

 

All this, however, was dashed out of her mind when a commotion reached her ears. "SEIZE HIM! GRAB HIM!" came the shouts from some of Ponyville's 'finest', as a green and red blur dashed around the corner and down the street past her. As he stopped for a second, the blur resolved itself into a young teenaged pegasus, with a bright red mane and a green robe, one looking harried and...annoyed?

 

Either way, the pegasus dipped a wing into a slit on his robe, coming out with three potion bottles. One that he hurled directly at the feet of the pair of guards chasing after him, one at his own feet, and one right in between them! Immediately the three areas burst with plumes of colored smoke...strangely sweet-smelling too, like a pleasant perfume.

 

Orchid saw the colt dart into a small alleyway, a small flash of that robe giving away which direction he had taken. The guards...being royal guards...shook their heads as they made their way through the smoky plumes. "Ugh! Gardenias? Jasmine? Not only does he smoke us out, I'm gonna smell like a damn flower after this...I swear, Iron, when I get my hooves on that colt...which way did he go?"

 

"Judging from the positioning of the smoke, I'm gonna guess he went down the street and turned left or right...I'll go left." the other guard answered, both of them nodding and trotting off after righting themselves, one of them still gagging at the perfume.

 

Orchid, meanwhile, just slowly stepped towards that alleyway, slipping inside and moving slowly towards where she could see the colt, wrapped up in that forest-colored robe, staying deathly still, even his breathing measured and even. Standing in front of him, she stayed still herself and waited.

 

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Sundried sighed a little, keeping one ear to the ground as he stayed wrapped up in his cloak. Meditative breathing, keep your ears open for danger and footfalls, and above all else, do not move until you are sure the danger has passed. After about ten minutes by his internal clock, though, the colt smiled and slowly began to uncurl himself from his cramped position. "Hah...Slick moves, Sunny...lost em. Blasted guards...like to give them a piece of my mind one of these days." he said, before uncurling fully.

 

He was a fairly young colt, no older than 13 or so. Skinny, judging from what little of him could be seen. Which wasn't much, mostly just his neck and his badly unpreened wings. Every other part of him was covered by that voluminous robe.

 

Sighing, he turned to leave, only to freeze suddenly as he saw Orchid, staring at her with wide eyes. A look any mother-mare would know. That was the look of a cornered colt. Almost immediately, his wings slipped inside his robes again, one of them softly brushing down over the bag he wore strapped to his barrel. "H...hello, Miss. Can I be of any assistance to you today? Are you in need of medical or alchemical aid?" he asked, the ritual greeting familiar to him. Strangely, he spoke very slowly, as if loath to part with each word.