Mending Light

by Kiromancer

31 - Blood

I crossed the threshold into the lobby. I struggled to stay calm, to keep a straight face in light of the plan we were about to enact. Dad stood at the desk, conversing with the receptionist. I glanced around as casually as possible, trying to look like I was just waiting patiently. I was, in a way.

Another pony stood by the door in uniform, a bulky stallion with a hard expression that discouraged any funny business. Beyond the desk, the building stretched out, filled with activity. Ponies in white outfits operated large machinery that spooled out huge reams of paper, bringing to mind my experiences in Cloudsdale's weather factory. Up above, catwalks ran parallel with the floor paths, and more ponies in uniform marched about. Unicorn guards.

"Can I help you, sir?"

I pulled away from my reconnaissance and looked towards the voice. Dad had stepped aside, and now the secretary was looking at me. Unrehearsed and unready, I stepped forward and cleared my throat. I knew nothing about paper... but I did know weather. "Ah, um... yes, sorry. I'm here to talk to your um, your distribution manager?"

She nodded, glancing down at a directory as she wrote something else. "Right. Your name please?"

No turning back now. "It's ah... Snow. Wanted to discuss shipment size going up towards Whinneysota, and uh, how best we can optimize deliveries."

"Of course, Mr. Snow. I'll just make a note and send that back. If you don't mind waiting a litt—"

All conversation ended as a loud thump struck the front of the building. I turned to locate the disturbance. Merri. Right on schedule.

She had collided with the door at practically a full sprint, pushing it open and sliding into the lobby in one terribly smooth motion. She looked back out into the street, glancing from side to side at the ponies in the room. Her horn was glowing, securing a crate, which I knew was full of explosives, upon her back. "Did she see me? Crap!" She turned to the desk, giving me a harsh shove as she shouted at the receptionist. "You! Where can I hide?"

"What's going on here?" The guard by the door acted quickly, moving to cut off Merri from heading deeper into the facility.

"Ah, see, I need someplace to hide before she catches up." She casually brushed the guard aside . "This place seems big, looks like a good place to get lost. Can you be a dear and lock that front door?"

"You need to turn around now." The guard pointed a hoof up towards the unicorns on the catwalks, their horns glowing. "Don’t make us use force."

"Stop right there!" Star's voice rang out from the doorway. She stood tall, covered in the gleaming plate of the Equestrian Guard. Her typical no-nonsense expression looked downright frightening.

Merri sighed dramatically. "Aw, crap. Too late. Officer No Fun is here."

Dad nudged me as he went by, slipping past the receptionist, now riveted to the unfolding drama. Merri and Star were certainly creating a spectacle. I waited a moment then stepped aside and moved to follow.

Starshadow marched into the center of the lobby. "You there! Grab that thief! She is wanted by the Fillydelphia Guard for larceny, property damage, and... and..."

Merri smirked. "You're just mad because I stole your helmet~."

"And she stole my helmet!" Star raged, her horn blasting a bolt of light into Merri's side. "Surrender now, Silvertongue!"

I glanced back as Merri took the blast, crying out. The crate on her back was shaken free, and my eyes went wide as it tumbled across the floor. Knowing the explosives contained therein, I almost expected it to detonate.

Merri laughed in response. "Surrender? Why? You're not even trying. I count six of you, and one of me... I gave you one shot, and you blew it. If you all are gonna gang up on me, I'm gonna have to stop playing nice."

Their banter continued, but I suddenly noticed a lot of the workers were dropping what they were doing and edging towards the building exits. No pony paid much attention to me as I practically galloped across the floor, ducking between the machinery towards the elevator.

I caught sight of Dad ducking into an alcove, and breathed a sigh of relief. I skidded on my hooves and glanced up to see the unicorns above us firing magical bolts downward back in the direction we'd come from.

That was escalating faster than I could have imagined. "You uh, think she can handle herself?"

He stood just inside the frame, holding the door open. "I believe Merri will be fine. She knows better than any of us how long she can push the act."

I turned back to wait, catching sight of Mahogany as he turned the corner. I waved him over before I stepped onto the elevator.

Soon after, Blaze and then Mint arrived, each from a different direction. Dad breathed out as Mint stepped inside. "Alright. Night. Floor four, please."

I jabbed my hoof at the button the second Blaze was inside.

Precious seconds ticked by as the doors closed. At long last, we were sealed in our course. The elevator shook and began to climb, a faint, tinny music accompanying us. The hollow, calming noise was completely at odds with my heartbeat, and this was only the beginning of our mission.

"Well, that was easy." Mahogany rocked back and forth on his hooves. "I honestly didn't think we'd get this far without a fight."

With a look upward, Dad took a moment to consider. "We’re doing well so far. I've ensured the deck is stacked in our favor as much as possible. If we're lucky, we'll be able to meet with Riot and free Dusky without any incidents. Otherwise, stick with the plan, be careful, and we’ll be fine. "

Mahogany's face went grim. "Right. Careful." He idly flipped his box cutter out, fidgeting with the blade in his hoof. "We're the very image of careful, we are."

Silence fell as the sharp ding of the elevator brought us up another floor.

A whistle filled that silence, following along with the elevator music, and all eyes quickly turned towards the source. Mint caught herself and cleared her throat. "Err, sorry. This stuff plays all the time in Canterlot. Gets stuck in your head."

Forcing a laugh, Mahogany took a deep breath. "Well, gotta enjoy the little things, right?"

"I guess." Blaze awkwardly looked away. "It's not even that good a song."

Ding

Mint harumphed. "Not my fault it's catchy."

Blaze muttered back. "Doesn't mean you gotta sing along."

My sister rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, I wasn't singing! I was humming."

"Well, whichever it was, I gotta say," Mahogany set his blade back. "I really hate elevator music."

I closed my eyes in preparation. "Yeah... I'm starting to dislike it too."

Ding

The doors opened.

I assumed that we'd be greeted with a line of armed Cartel thugs, surely our entrance wasn't unnoticed. Instead, the fourth floor was a dimly lit tower of wooden crates and cardboard. The area around us looked like it had seen better days, it had been neglected by the cleaning crew at the very least.

"Great." Mahogany muttered. "More boxes. It's like I never left the shop."

Blaze glanced up. "What do they even keep in here? It can't all be..."

"Shhh." Dad stepped out and lifted up a hoof. He pointed quietly towards a passage through the boxes. He whispered back. "Move quickly, but quietly. We don't know who else is up here." He signaled with his hoof as he took the lead, pointing across, then down. Our destination. Third floor. Dusky.

Before we could even move, the whole floor echoed with a tremendous crash. I looked back at the others, Mint's ears were swiveling to try and make it out. Something was going on within the maze, a bit too close to comfort.

Mahogany frowned. "That sounds pleasant." His words were punctuated just a second later by a loud crash. "Somepony's taking out their rage on all this packing material."

Dad shushed again. He waved a hoof towards Mint, who quickly moved up to the fore of the line. "Keep going to the stairs. Merri should set off the distraction soon. See if you can't use it to clear the way." He glanced back at the rest of us. "We'll follow after, but if we have to fight up here, I'd rather not get flanked with guards from the third floor."

Mint saluted and dashed ahead, her head low as the her weighted shoes clacked upon the hard floor.

Those noises grew louder. There was surely fighting up ahead, and I felt a deep dread in the pit of my stomach, the same feeling I'd gotten when Dusky had crashed into the side of the bar. It was too much to be a coincidence. I couldn't wait any longer, not when she was so close, and when Luna only knows what was happening here.

My dad's hoof stopped me. "Keep your head! We rush headlong into this and we gain nothing."

I grit my teeth, but nodded. The crates were all stacked too high to make flying over them an option. It was Dusky, it had to be. Part of me wanted to laugh aloud that we'd come so far to rescue her, only for her to have made her own escape, but now was not the time.

Dad's ears swiveled, then perked up, and he suddenly pushed me aside. "Cover!"

The world exploded in a hail of splintered wood and tumbling boxes. I half-stumbled half-jumped back to dodge a crate, looking through the rising dust to see Mahogany grumbling, but still standing, and Blaze's horn glowing as she deflected some of the smaller debris away.

And there she was. Dusky lay amidst a pile of collapsed boxes, pushing herself upwards. She seemed to notice us, then shook her head to focus upon a towering white stallion who stood just in front of us. He, however, either didn't notice us, or didn't care, as he charged straight at Dusky.

Dad moved first, flicking his hoof to break the illusion spell that he'd worn this whole trip, then he lunged forward to throw himself in front of Dusky's assailant.

Dusky was already in motion, and I glanced back at the others. I met Blaze's eyes, and with a nod we moved. Dusky was the first priority.

Dad's voice cut through the cluttered battlefield as he met his opponent head to head, not letting the earth pony push past an inch. "Riot! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Riot. That was the name of Dad's agent, the one he'd tried to contact, but failed. The one who was supposed to help us, but here he was, apparently in the midst of attacking Dusky, not saving her.

I moved closer to Dusky, intent to form up and give her some support and reprieve. I only took my eyes off of Riot long enough to check on Mahogany and Blaze as we all dashed around the bulky stallion.

"Out of the way, old fossil. You'll get your turn."

"Old fossil?!" Dad struck his head forward and pushed back against the bigger pony's momentum. "Riot, I am your commanding officer!"

Riot seethed. "That's why you'll get your turn."

“Have you lost your mind? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Autumn Leaf.” Dusky said the name quietly, then shouted out. “He… he’s taking out everyone he thinks is responsible.”

“Thinks? THINKS?!” Riot surged forward again. “You all threw her under the cart!”

Dad kept him at bay, but the struggle was starting to take a toll. “She was a criminal who got herself killed.”

Riot continued to push forward, screaming now. “No! She wasn't just a criminal! She was… she was…”

Dusky stood with us now. “A kind soul? Is that it? Then why would you do this in her name?”

A kind soul? The hulking stallion looked monstrous, and I sincerely doubted that Dusky had started this fight. I glanced at Dusky, almost afraid to ask just what had happened to bring her to this point.

But Riot answered first, his head dropping down. “Because… I’m not as kind as her.” In one solid strike he broke through Dad’s defense, throwing him aside and lunging straight for Dusky.

We all moved at once. We weren't doing anything glorious, it wasn't some concentrated effort with everypony acting in unison, it was a brawl. A terrible, miserable brawl, against an opponent who seemed to shrug off even the deepest wounds.

Bellerophon was ready. He’s using magic. Or… no. Some kind of stimulate. He is clearly pushing himself beyond normal limitations.

I dived in, striking, dodging, the fight was like a dance, though with none of the joy.

He’s overextended his reach, strike now.

I struck, hoofblade flashing through the air to rend the stallion’s flesh. The streak of blood that split across his side made me cringe, but Bellerophon’s urging kept me going.

He’s going to lunge, right hoof leading, dodge to your right and kick.

I dodged, rotating to kick his side. Behind me, I could see Mahogany drop down upon Riot and stab his boxcutter into the back of his neck, the blade emerged bloody with each strike, before Riot finally threw him off.

He’s left his flank exposed, aim for the tendon, just below the hock.

I aimed and slashed. It was surreal, almost as if I wasn't there, but simply observing as my body reacted to his prompts. I don’t know how long the fight lasted, time seemed to slow in the heat of the moment, but for every hit Riot dealt to one of us, we all retaliated in kind. He was like a huge monster, capable of crushing any of us, if he could connect.

We darted in to do what damage we could, and then retreat before he could strike. The whole exercise was exhausting. Everypony, even Riot, was starting to tire. I wanted to stop and catch my breath, but didn't dare take my eyes off of the melee.

Through it all, he was so focused on Dusky, so intent on his damned revenge.

All of this fighting, the blood and fire to come. This entire conflict is all because of his thirst for vengeance.

All the pain she’d been through. The past constantly pursuing her, haunting her. All because of him.

Bellerophon urged me. End it now.

Dusky struck Riot's already injured foreleg, and started to dart back, but he was already moving. His attention had been set on her the entire fight, and this was the opportunity he’d apparently been waiting for. He raised his hoof to hammer down against her, and I couldn't take it anymore.

Now. NOW!

I took the opening.

Jumping in between the two, I thrust the hoof blade forward. Not a slash or a cut, but a deep, straight push through his neck. Whatever force drove him on, be it magic or just hate, I can’t say, but he refused to relent. He continued to push me back even as I held firm, sword lodged into his throat.

I pressed back, partially to keep him from collapsing atop of me. But mostly, because I wouldn't let him hurt my friends anymore. I wouldn't let him hurt Dusky, and I wouldn't let him move one step further.

Somepony braced me from behind, and I began to feel Riot’s weight shift, the purpose and rage that drove him draining out, along with his blood. Now, it drenched me, clinging to my legs and coat.

White Riot was dead.

Excellent.

Comments

[Yami Vizzini]

Well, that took a dark turn.

Dad's got some 'splainin' to do.

[Meta Four]

This entire conflict is all because of his thirst for vengeance.

Whaaaaaaa...

I thought the working theory was that sister Leaf was the one with the vendetta against Dusky.

[Kiromancer]

6927101
Dark turns, indeed. Noble's explanation may end up being more to Dusky than to Night, however. White Riot was most certainly a piece in his game, but he did not play his part as expected.

6931289
And you're not wrong. The living Leaf Sister certainly has it out for Dusky, but Riot was working against her as well. He wants revenge against everyone who hurt Autumn Leaf, and in his brain that is Dusky, the Guard, and the Cartel all. Night certainly doesn't have all the information, and in that moment, he's also caught up in his own emotions, the adrenaline of the fight, and he also has a small voice in his head that might not be completely reliable.