//------------------------------//
// Honor-Bound 
// Story: Disappear 
// by ShimmeringStallion 
//------------------------------//


Honor-Bound





Closing the door behind them, Twilight turned around, seeing Vanish beginning to speak. “I was woken up by my client not too long ago. I was no longer in the Cloudosseum, but had since been relocated to a different area entirely: a strange forested area next to some plains, with a cottage in the distance. According to my client, he had to move me since I couldn’t stay in the ‘cloud cage’ for very long without the use of consistent magical means.” Twilight rubbed her hoof on her chin. "Strange, it looks like Gather didn’t give back the horn yet. I guess that explains why Fluttershy’s wings don't belong to Vanish... and I guess this also proves what Soarin' told us, more or less; Gather attacked him while using his own magic."

“So you were moved to the forest near Fluttershy’s cottage?” asked Twilight, moving closer to the table where Vanish had positioned himself, as the other ponies also seemed to gather around him. This wasn’t to make sure they heard him, but rather to make sure he couldn’t simply escape whenever he wanted. He looked to the lavender unicorn, and looked down with a scowl while responding. “Your assumption is correct, my dear. My client told me that his ability to levitate objects had to be used on me last night, when an intruder approached the Cloudosseum, and he felt the need to, as he put it, 'disable' their means of flight.”

Rarity had thought that part of the story Soarin’ spoke of sounded strange. “I suppose that explains why you were in the cage at all, after Soarin’ went to fight Gather. I thought it was rather unusual how Soarin’ said that you appeared to be lying on the clouds, despite not being a Pegasus. How was that possible?” Vanish turned in Rarity’s direction. “My client was able to cast a spell on himself when he lacked his horn’s magic, to enable cloud-walking, using the book that I obtained yesterday. I was in that cage to make sure I remained confined to a small area of space; his magic promotes ’complications’ for those who wield it, without control over the side effects of such power.”

“Side effects? You mean, like, consequences?” Twilight knew some magic was risky to use, but spells weren’t like the magic of unicorns. Her question garnered her the attention and response from the dark blue pony. “Quite. As it turns out, the wings still maintain a connection to their ‘pony hosts’. When the pony in control of the magic falls asleep, the wings try to seek the ponies they belong to, regardless of the health and ‘condition’ of their new host.” Vanish frowned as he recalled the details. “I can’t control them when I’m asleep, so I find myself having nightmares, while according to my client, my body tried to escape the cage ‘violently’.” He looked at the other ponies. “If you’re used to the magic, you can control it while asleep. Alas, I needed help, and my client chose to pursue a safe, reliable path of assistance.”

Twilight considered what had happened: “That’s why Gather brought those strange powders to the cell?” Vanish stared into empty space above him. “A powder to harden clouds, making me unable to break though the ‘bars’ I had made, a powder to reduce pain from me crashing into the cloud bars, and most importantly, a powder enabling sleep, so that I may do the tasks I have been hired to complete.” Vanish shook his head. “Please forgive me. I’m afraid I got rather off-topic. My client told me that he would acquire the wings of the pony in the cottage, himself. He flew off, and I followed.”

This didn't make sense to Applejack, who voiced her curiosity. “Why’d y’follow him? If he was gonna do your job for ‘ya, wouldn’t that be easier?” Vanish turned in Applejack’s direction, also taking note of the small fillies behind her who were watching from the side room door, which had been opened ever so slightly. “So long as I can help it, I never use accomplices for my work, my dear. It’s a policy of mine.” Vanish glared angrily at the orange mare, before looking at Fluttershy again, softly. “It’s a very, very important policy of mine. One of several that I work through: Never make friends through work, always be sure that my client can pay the fee, and of course, never allow anyone to be an accomplice to my work. I do my job, I’ve done my job for longer than I can remember, and I abhor ‘assistance’ of any kind.”

The stallion turned to look at Rainbow Dash once more, with a soft, gentle stare, as he continued. “Fluttershy had stepped outside to tend to the feeding needs of other creatures around her home, so I ran forward. When she noticed my client while looking at the sky, she panicked and ran inside her home, locking the door behind her. Such action was well-intended, but foolish. My client made for the door and, finding it locked, flew up and straight into the chimney, catching her by surprise.” Vanish rubbed his hoof through his short mane, knocking some glass shards out of it. “As for me, I made the best use I could out of a closed window and my own momentum.”

Vanish retracted his hoof, after a piece of glass in his mane appeared to be embedded more into it than the other shards. “Ugh… Anyways, the wildlife creatures inside were scampering around in fear, aside from… that one.” Vanish had paused to stare at Angel, who was trying to keep Fluttershy from falling asleep by hopping on her head with determination, almost appearing to be stomping on her, though Vanish continued speaking. “Gather didn’t take long to apprehend her, and would have easily obtained her wings then and there, had I not stopped him.”

Pinkie Pie didn’t understand his logic; Applejack had made much more sense. “But why didn’t you just let him take her wings?” Vanish sighed, not wanting to repeat himself. “I was tasked with the obtainment of the wings of the Pegasi. Fluttershy is my target; mine and mine alone. That condition has not changed.” Angel's ears perked up as he hopped off Fluttershy’s head and onto her prone body, standing on her wing and holding his arms out, as if to defend her wings from Vanish, prompting the brown-eyed stallion to smirk at the sight.

“… Ah ha ha…” Vanish lowered his head towards Angel, intimidating the small bunny rabbit in doing so and causing it to begin sweating in response. Vanish inhaled, and swiftly blew air at Angel, causing the bunny to lose its balance and fall off of both Fluttershy and the table. Vanish spoke up loudly enough for the ponies to hear him. “Not to worry, little one. I can’t take the wings now, even if I so desired, for I lack the ‘power’ to do so.” He raised his head, and turned to the others. “I told my client that I’d take the wings at Canterlot. I convinced him that it would be in his best interest to allow me to do so, my way.” Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs in front of her, standing on her hind legs as a means of intimidation. “How?”

Vanish smirked. “If she had her wings taken right then and there, the stress might incapacitate her, especially given how I could see from the state of the room that my client had thrown her around her cottage, much in the manner of a rag doll.” Vanish turned back around to Fluttershy’s direction as his smile faded. “… Poor dear, she never stood a chance against him. I told him to get my payment and head to Canterlot. He reluctantly agreed to do so, telling me to do ‘as I see fit’ with her. He left through the window I had come in through, and I brought her here shortly after.”

The ponies were speechless, but not due to shock. They couldn’t tell what Vanish was really thinking, even after he had finished speaking. “Is he even telling the truth? Did he really save Fluttershy solely out of ‘duty’? Or is there something else? Something he isn’t telling us?” Fluttershy spoke up from behind Vanish, keeping herself prone on the table. “… T-Thank you for… feeding them…” Vanish turned around. “Well, you had been greatly injured, my dear! It was the least I could do, given how you were quite rudely interrupted in your own duties, by my client.” Vanish saw the confused looks on the faces of the other ponies in the room, gasping in realization before speaking. “Ah, yes. I failed to mention that, didn’t I? After my client left, Fluttershy refused to allow me to escort her elsewhere until those who resided in her cottage had been fed, so I did so while she lay upon the floor, instructing me on what to do from her ground-bound state. A job’s a job, after all.”

Vanish looked at Fluttershy, and tapped her gently on her shoulder, prompting her to open her eyes and look into his, as he continued to speak to the ponies in the room. “… I never turn down ‘potential clients’.”