My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 16"Aston Dartmoor," I said."You're sure?" Mr. Orange pressured. "That was who he said he worked for?""I'm sure," I replied. "It wasn't just some coincidence that he was there, either. It wasn't like he was a random passer-by. He was consciously watching the house, and moved in after I tried to bring Farleigh back.""Did you catch his name?""I think so," I said with a slow nod. "A mare showed up. She had a purple mane and seemed really rich. She spoke as if the property belonged to her.""That would be Ambrosia Clemency," Mr. Orange nodded. "She's Cross' set of rigged dice.""His set of 'rigged dice'?""He rolls her out whenever he tak
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 15"My council was wise, and you did well to obey; now that you are home, things will remain this way."Artemis was being her usual self. I patted her on the back, because she was actually right, even though I hadn't listened to her advice at first. I'd done a bad thing, running away, but I knew never to do it again. Everyone faces bad times, and we just have to deal with them: that was something I'd learned during my time away. Running away doesn't help anyone, and instead just gets you into bigger trouble.My father had been in a bad way while I'd been in Ponyville, and when I first rang the doorbell of our home after returning to Manehattan
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 14⠠⠱⠻⠑ ⠊⠎ ⠮ ⠛⠊⠗⠇⠦⠠⠱⠻⠑ ⠊⠎ ⠮ ⠋⠥⠉⠅⠬ ⠛⠊⠗⠇⠦⠠⠁⠝⠎⠺⠻ ⠍⠑⠖"-Answer me!""...She's gone!""What do you mean 'she's gone?'""She left..." I mouthed.It didn't take him long to find half of the note. He scooped it up, and then quickly located the second half as well. He pieced them together and scanned them. I approached the cupboard and took out a glass, holding it under the sink and t
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 13"Still it's time that grows in my brain.Still it's time that calls me here.Still I scream the time it takes.Still I cringe from time's strokes.Still I groan from time's loves.But still I'll try for time perhaps."Trains recall memories of similar times. I was on a train, the first in a while, although I was, thankfully, avoiding the tracks to Manehattan. This train was bound for Canterlot. I had not walked the ivory streets of Canterlot for many years, although I assumed that they would, unlike Manehattan, at least look the same as when I had last gazed upon them. Manehattan was too liberal in its development, and too radical in it
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 11Passing into a new hour caused my alarm clock to screech. I gathered my senses and climbed out of bed. I showered and dressed into a suit, and then made my way through into the kitchen. It wasn't surprising to see that Viola was up. She was eating a sandwich and reading her book again. When I entered she smiled, putting the book down and leaping from her seat. Then, she wrapped her hooves around me."Dad!" she beamed. "Are you working all day again today?""Only for the morning, kiddo," I replied to the eager filly, hugging her back."Then you'll be able to play with us tonight?" she asked excitedly."Yeah, I will," I said."Promise?""
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 9"They're selling well?" Farleigh asked eagerly. "What else does the letter say?""Nothing much," I replied. "Just that Mr. Orange will be requiring more dresses from you soon."Farleigh was grinning as she tucked into her sandwich. I had learned that her favourite type of sandwich had a filling exclusively of dandelions. She had quite the appetite for such a young mare, and she managed to get through three before she finally licked the crumbs from her lips, pushing her plate towards me and hinting that she had finished."You can wash it up," I said, and she paused for a moment, perhaps thinking to refuse. She obviously understood that obje
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 8"Have you finished boxing them up?" he asked. I looked to the cardboard box and then back up to him. He had seen me tape them shut five minutes ago. I guess he was just being precise. I nodded and he patted the box with a hoof."Mr. Orange's workers will be here to pick them up soon," he explained. "Then they'll be sent to the warehouses in Manehattan.""What happens then?" I asked. He was pretty quiet with his response, mumbling something under his breath. His attention was more occupied by the clock hanging on the wall of the shop floor. It was 17:38. He was pacing back and forth around the room. Finding his behaviour to be unsettling, I
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 6"Are you ready to meet him?""I'm a little scared, actually."It was natural for Farleigh to be fearful of meeting Mr. Orange. I had done my best to avoid filling her in on the more dangerous aspects of his behaviour – I had distinctly avoided mentioning the fact that his lackey had threatened me into my current position – and instead reasoned with her that he was a simple businesspony from Manehattan who would be employing the both of us. Nevertheless, she knew various things about Mr. Orange from hearsay and information acquired from sources other than myself, and she painted a picture of him as a reasonable, if enigmatic figure
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 4As grateful as I was for the sleeping arrangements that had been made for me last night, I did not sleep as well as I would have liked. I was restless throughout, tossing and turning in an attempt to get into a position that I could regard as being comfortable. I must have caught a couple of hours, because I was not as tired as I could have been; however, when I found myself climbing out of the bed and fumbling for my glasses on the nearby shelf, I was still yawning and believed that I could have easily slept for the rest of the day. But my keeper probably would not have appreciated that, and I did not wish to appear lazy in his company. I se
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 3It was less than a day after my encounter with his employee that Mr. Orange himself visited me. He arrived at the boutique in the early morning, and I almost missed him at first, for he knocked upon the door while I was upstairs bathing. However, it turned out that Mr. Orange was a very patient pony, for even though he was forced to wait for almost ten minutes before I was in a state to greet him, I found him standing outside of the boutique looking utterly undisturbed. He nodded to me and entered the boutique, which forced me to follow him inside. He looked around the empty work floor and tutted, taking a moment or two to observe the interio
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 2A curious mare, that one on the train. I suppose I may have come across as overly forward, inviting her as I did to visit me should she need anything in Ponyville. As far as I could see, I had basically welcomed a parasite to leech off of me. I got the feeling that she was running from something, and, had I been carrying out my duty as a responsible and concerned citizen, it's very possible that the right thing to do would have been to report her as a missing mare to the Manehattanite authorities. But I guess I just wasn't that concerned about her, after all; it's incredibly difficult to care about ponies that we meet during the terminal exch
My Little Pony: Orange-Cross Empire, Chapter 1"Some figures monstrous and misshaped appear, Consider'd singly, or beheld too near, Which, but proportion'd to their light or place, Due distance reconciles to form and grace" - Preface---My name is Farleigh Cross, and a couple of months ago, or so I am to believe, I murdered my mother. Over the past few weeks, plenty of ponies have attempted to tell me otherwise. I have been approached by officers and officials, and by the local townsfolk, and all of them have wished me their deepest condolences for my loss and have insisted that I do anything but blame myself. And, while their words are justly appreciated, they fall on deaf ears;
Sta.sh
