//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: In A Perfect World // by Minty Sundae //------------------------------// Hitch stayed with Sunny that evening, listening to her talk about tribal unification, and even dressing up like a unicorn while Sunny pretended to be a pegasus. He didn’t believe any of her words, and he hoped that she’d eventually grow out of such nonsense once her father was out of the picture. Argyle was a good stallion, though misguided. He certainly didn’t deserve the fate the town had sentenced him to. In a perfect world, the sheriff would be protecting the citizens of Maretime Bay, not stirring up a vigilante mob against an innocent pony just to be rid of a perpetual irritant. He periodically looked out the window, but not once did he see the glow of torches. The crowd’s bloodlust had been sated with Sunny’s father. But how much longer could they be held off from removing Sunny from the equation too? The silly filly was merely misguided, not evil. She wanted what was best for the world, just like he did, and just like her father did. He mentally cursed the stubborn stallion for not running away. He cursed him for martyring himself to a cause that had but one believer, a believer he was leaving alone to fend for herself. But mostly he cursed himself for letting things get out of hoof. But what good could one colt do? All he could do now was protect Sunny, as he’d promised Argyle he would. As he’d promised when that maddeningly stubborn stallion marched down the hill to his death. He looked out the window for the umpteenth time. No angry mob. But no Argyle either. All he could do was hope the stallion would see reason and return home to the daughter he loved. Whether that be to flee, or to cheerfully announce he’d renounced his beliefs to the crowd in exchange for his freedom. Would they cut him free? He pondered that, knowing damn well that there was no way Argyle Starshine would ever do so. It was as much a part of him as it was a part of Sunny. Sunny, the filly he’d been friends with his whole life. The only pony in town willing to speak to her for more than basic interactions. Sunny, the teenaged filly he was now tasked with protecting. Sunny, the soon to be orphan. Sunny, the annoyed young mare who was frustrated by his lack of enthusiasm for unity and friendship. Sunny, the innocent, naive angel he’d fallen head over hooves in love with despite her kooky beliefs. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. His heart leapt to his throat when somepony knocked on the door. He’d gotten lax in keeping his vigil and now he feared for Sunny’s safety. He shadowed her as she opened the door. When he saw it was the sheriff, he made his presence known, standing behind her. The sheriff kept it brief and formal. There’d been an accident. Sunny’s dad didn’t make it. Hitch draped a foreleg over Sunny until the sheriff reminded him that there was a curfew, and that if he ever wanted to be with Maretime Bay’s police force, he’d better get home before it went into effect. The sheriff escorted Hitch out of the lighthouse, leaving Sunny alone. Alone to face her grief, her confusion, her fear of what was to come next. ‘Accidents happen.’ At least that was what ponies said. Hitch replayed the sheriff’s words in his head as they walked away from the lighthouse. Without turning around, he knew that Sunny would be staring out the window, watching the last pony in the world who cared for her leave her alone in her time of need. The sheriff boasted about how they’d taken out Maretime Bay’s worst offender once and for all. He was proud of what his angry mob had accomplished. Hitch bristled as the sheriff casually mentioned that Hitch should keep Sunny on a short leash lest the same fate meet her in the future. They turned the corner, finally out of sight of the lighthouse. Would Sunny stand silent vigil at the window, hoping against hope that he’d return once the sheriff marched him home? Maybe. But Hitch had no intention of going home, and even less intention of letting the sheriff get away with arranging the murder of an innocent stallion. ‘Accidents happen.’ It was what ponies would say when the sheriff’s body was recovered. It was dark, the path was slippery, and he stumbled off the edge of the cliff, landing on the rocks jutting out of the ocean hundreds of feet below. Hitch would never admit to pushing the bastard, not even to Sunny. Few mourned the passing of the sheriff, but fewer still mourned the death of Argyle Starshine. Sunny wasn’t at the window as he made his way back up the path. He found her curled up in bed, under the covers, sobbing uncontrollably. Hitch assured her that he would be there for her. To comfort her. To protect her. To periodically remind her to forget about the pegasi and unicorns. Deep in his heart, Hitch knew that ‘an eye for an eye’ was wrong. In a perfect world, it wouldn’t be necessary. In a perfect world Argyle and Sunny wouldn’t have strayed so far from the herd. In a perfect world, he wouldn’t have murdered a murderer in cold blood. But Equestria wasn’t perfect.