[Moth] Gypsy's Song - 3.1

"Well, it looks like we're tied."
>"Tied? We've got two votes for Appleloosa, and your vote for Baltimare."
"My vote counts for two."
>Bell looked back at her, then at Acteus.
>"I can vouch. Her vote counts for two."
>Bell very calmly squished Acteus's face between his hooves.
>"You... Are an unbelievably beautiful storm, but now isn't the time for your... fury."
"We will flip a coin, before you decide to crush my brother's skull."
>"Fifteen coins!"
>"Fif- Nevermind. Heads for Baltimare, tails for Appleloosa."
>Bell took fifteen one-bit coins out of his pouch and flipped them onto the ground in front of him.
>He groaned and cringed as nine of the coins landed on heads.
>"We're going to Baltimare!"
>Actias clapped her hooves together and smiled.
>"Greaaat."
>Bell nodded and smiled fakely as his skin crawled.
"Is that inconvenient for you, Bell?"
>"Extremely."
"Would you care to explain why?"
>Bell was cut off as Acteus spoke.
>"Way back, a couple of years ago, when I joined the caravans, I joined Bell's. Well, not really his. There were a couple other moth-ponies there."
"That... does not quite explain anything."
>"Hold on, hold on. We made it one last round, all the way out to Baltimare, and in the middle of the night, Bell woke me up, and we split. We pooled together, bought this cart, and we've worked together ever since."
"Oh? Did something happen in that caravan?"
>Acteus just looked back at Actias and smiled as they started pulling the cart.
>It was a warm, yet secretive smile.
>"Nothing that should come up any time soon."
>He turned back to watch the road.
>He and Bell started to whisper between each other.
>"Thanks for skipping all of the details."
>"I won't say anything until you're ready."
>"You're a good friend. Really good at keeping secrets, too."
>"I know right!? I haven't told anyone that you've never been intimate with anyone before!"

>Actias looked up from tucking the folder of documents into her bag, but quickly looked down to pretend she hadn't heard anything.
>A sly smile spread across her lips as she tried not to chuckle.
>Bell blushed and glanced back at Actias, who turned away to check on her things.
>"You're lucky she didn't hear you."
>Acteus raised a brow and scoffed.
>"Of course she heard me. She's less than two tail lengths away, AND she's a singer. She can hear anything we say."
>"Did you hear that?"
"I did. I decided not to say anything out of politeness. Moreso because of our present company."
>Acteus tipped his head back to look at Actias and smiled.
"However."
>Actias climbed up to the front end of the cart and leaned over to get as close to Bell's ear as she could.
"I have never been intimate with another either."
>"What about the human?"
"Had the opportunity presented itself, I cannot say I would have declined."
>"I think our circumstances are much different from each other. I'm more or less unwilling, even if I had the chance."
"Would that be why you have been cautious of me?"
>"Yeah."
"Oh, do not worry about that. Like I have said, you are my brother's friend. I will not take advantage of that, nor you."
>Bell smiled softly and nodded.
>"Yeah. Thanks."
"You will make some mare very happy if you ever do decide to open yourself up."
>Actias leaned back into the cart and giggled to herself as Bell blushed.
"Acteus."
>"Actias."
"What other embarrassing secrets do you feel like blurting out about Bell?"
>"Can't think of any. I know some about you!"
"No."
>"You remember that time, when we were kids living in the park in Treble Town."
>Actias started to scream at Acteus.
>He just raised his voice.
>"And mom and dad went off to get dinner for us, but they didn't come back until dinner time the next day and you were crying about how they abandoned us and left us to starve, even though we had a week's worth of food!"
>Actias stopped screaming and stared at Acteus.

"That... That was when they left us."
>"I know!"
"They really did abandon us, Acteus!"
>"Naw! I've seen them around. They retired way up north in Manehattan a couple months ago."
>"How is any of that embarrassing?"
>"Actias is just embarrassed by everything that happened up until she started singing. She's afraid of the sun. That's embarrassing, isn't it?"
>Bell turned back to Actias with a raised brow.
"Do not judge me. The sun is a terrible, blinding thing."
>"She used to sleep all day in the shade and get up at night to wander around Treble Town and watch the lights. Say, why did you stop doing that anyway?"
"August."
>"Huh. So how do you deal with the bright sun? You used to always scream when you left the shade during the day."
"Sunglasses."
>"Sunglasses?"
"They are dark glass on a wire frame that help block out the light of the sun."
>"Why haven't you been wearing them?"
"I..."
>Actias quickly ruffled through her bags and pulled out her sunglasses.
"Tend to forget. Frequently."
>"And the screaming?"
"I must preserve my voice. The screaming is typically only for dramatic effect."
>"Nowadays, right? You've... changed, sis. You aren't as carefree as you used to be."
"The life of a songstress is-"
>"Stressful. It's in the name."
"I-"
>"But it's what you love to do, right? So you cope with the stress by acting the way you do."
"Bell?"
>"Sorry, just thinking out loud."
>"He's right, sis."
"It is quite stressful, and I do love it. Sometimes, I do long for those simpler days."
>"We all do."
>Bell looked to his left to keep Actias and Acteus from looking at his face.

>"You can't feel down all the time, Bell. We're always moving ahead, onto bigger and better things. You can't let all of the stuff you left behind bother you."
>Acteus sighed and lowered his ears as he whispered to Bell.
>"I don't know. I haven't seen you get like this in a while."
>Acteus glanced back at his sister, then at Bell.
>"Does she remind you of what happened?"
>Bell groaned and looked up at Acteus.
>"No."
>"Then, what?"
>"She reminds me that things really do get better, and it isn't just an act I have to put on and keep up until things seem like they've changed."
>"That's good."
>"I guess it is. Things got better for her, and look at her now."
>"Yup! She's so successful, she could have any stallion she wants."
>"I'd say she could do that with her looks alone."
>"Probably."
>"So, hey. Cheer up. She likes you."
>"I know, but I'm not ready for that kind of thing."
>"It doesn't hurt to keep the option open, or to keep an open mind. Even if neither of you go for it, at least enjoy her company while she's here. You might start to feel better about yourself."
>"Yeah. You're a good friend Acteus."
>"Gotta help as much as I can, right?"
>"Right."
>Bell looked ahead at the path and nodded to himself.
>"Hey, sis?"
"Yes?"
>"When we get to Baltimare, Bell wants to show you the city."
"That sounds nice. Thank you, Bell."
>"But-"
>Acteus cut him off with a whisper as Actias watched the trees roll by.
>"See? She's not going to bite."
>"Okay, okay. Give me time. I'm still working through things."
>"Sorry."
>"It's fine."
>The fell silent as they carried on.

"So, are there any surprises on this path that I should be aware of?"
>"Not a one. We're out in the open the whole way there. We'll be under the watch of the pegasi once we get past the river. Equestria's peaceful, you know? Nothing to worry about... Except the Everfree. Just passed it, actually."
"The Everfree?"
>"That forest to our south."
"Hm... What is so bad about it?"
>"Think of it as a more tame Dust Valley."
>"She hasn't been to Dust Valley, Bell."
>"Okay. It has uh... Monsters. Manticores, cockatrice, bunch of vicious things. Not many Equestrians go in there, but it's basically a wildland."
"Oh. And, Dust Valley?"
>"Much more aggressive. Here in Equestria, ponies control the weather, nature, all that. Down in Dust Valley, we don't. So we got all the big, terrifying monsters."
"So they are a dangerous land."
>"Well... you'd think. Dust Valley proper, and the Cardinal Towns are all well-protected. We've got monster hunters that keep the more aggressive monsters away. We've got Dragons to help us out, too."
"Dragons?"
>"Yeah, the big fire-breathing ones. A lot of us believe the dragons feel bad for us and protect us out of pity."
>Actias glanced at Acteus, who giggled at a butterfly landing on his nose.
"I can see that."
>"It's pretty cool. Some of the better monster hunters go visit the dragons for loose scales, or to fight with them."
"How does one become a monster hunter?"
>"Shadow one of the current hunters for a while. It's... surprisingly easy. I've always wanted to be one of them."
"Why don't you?"
>"Traveling is more fun. I might take time off and go shadow one some day, but... There's too much to see in Equestria."
"You should try anyway. So... Dust Valley has monsters. Are the caravans safe? Will we be safe?"
>"Of course. The dragons follow us from half way through the swamp, to the northern town."
"And from there?"
>"Oh, we're safe from there. The Cardinal towns act as a sort of perimeter around the central town."

"Interesting."
>"It is. The way the region is set up is pretty interesting too. There's a north town, south town, west town, east town, and then the central town."
"Is there much difference between each town?"
>"Drastic differences. It's real muggy and humid in the north town, cause of the swamp. The east town is pretty tropical, since it's on the coast line. Then the west town is pretty arid, but not quite a desert. There's a desert a day's journey west of there, though."
"And the south town?"
>"Cold and snowy. The south arctic winds hit that pretty hard. No mountains down south to block them, so it snows pretty often. The town's on the opposite site of a small mountain range."
"It sounds like a small region. How can it have so many climates?"
>"Like I said, we don't control the weather or nature."
"Right. Anything else I should know?"
>"Well, I'd tell you about the Rot, but that's only on the island."
"The island?"
>"Couple hundred years ago, moth-ponies lived on Dust Valley Island, a couple miles east of where the east town is now. It, uh... Got over run with Rot."
"I have heard stories of that."
>"We all have. Anyway, the Rot's a fungus. It's aggressive. It's like a parasite. It takes over its host and warps them into a disgusting thing. It increases their speed, strength... makes them powerful and terrifying."
"That is quite scary."
>"Yeah, well. We're safe from it. No one's figured out why it got so aggressive, though. It used to just stay in the forest, but, I guess it kind of wandered out and started taking more of the island over. Everyone just left, you know?"
"Is our race better off?"
>"Much better off. We have so much more to trade with Equestria. Loads of herbs and spices all over Dust Valley that they can't get up there."
"Well, then. I do not see much to worry about."
>"Oh, no. Nothin' to worry about, just... interesting bits of history."
>Actias nodded as Bell finished explaining.

>The sun started to set just as the trio reached the river separating Ponyville from Eastern Equestria.
"It feels like we have only just set out."
>"You get used to it. Traveling and getting to see these lands makes time seem like it flies."
>Acteus and Bell settled the wagon down a ways from the river bank.
>"This is a good place to stop. We'll set up for the night and head out in the morning. We're making good time, so we should be another few hours from the city by tomorrow evening."
"You do not sound too pleased about that."
>"I hate Baltimare."
"Sorry."
>"No, it's fine. It isn't a bad city. Plenty to do, and all that. I just don't like it there."
>"We won't run into anyone, Bell."
>"I hope not."
>Actias decided not to pry as they started setting the tents and bed rolls up.
"What is the sleeping arrangement tonight?"
>"Same as it has been. Why change?"
"You are a tad apprehensive."
>"I- Yeah."
>They smiled at each other and broke out in a small fit of giggling.
>Acteus crawled into his tent as Actias and Bell crawled into theirs.
>Bell hesitated for a moment and looked across the river, anticipating their arrival in Baltimare.
"Bell? Is everything okay?"
>He nodded and crawled into the tent behind her.
>"It will be."
>They laid down together, Actias pressing herself against Bell's back and holding him tightly.
"I will keep you safe."
>Actias drifted off to sleep to the tune of Acteus's roaring snores, and to the rhythm of Bell's breathing.