Bloodshed
Chapter 16: Bloodshed
For a moment, it was as though sound briefly ceased to exist within the confines of the cave. The faint sounds of the wind outside died away, as did any sounds of motion from the ponies within the cave, all to be replaced by the faint plip plip of blood dripping to the floor, forming a small pool beneath the wound it had inflicted.
Dinky Doo was transfixed by the sight of it. All thoughts of running had vanished in that brief instant, only to be replaced by thoughts of horror at what had just happened. Shade Steel was just as horrified, completely shocked by how much her training had betrayed her, making her launch a lethal projectile at an innocent filly. Worse still, were it not for the actions of the pony she’d actually been seeking to kill, it would be that filly’s blood now dripping on the ground.
For the moment, Dawn was having trouble looking away from the long, thin knife that had been run through his right foreleg, its elongated tip having pierced through his flesh, sliding straight between the bones of his lower foreleg, the tip having come out the other side, now resting scant inches away from the barrel of the filly it had been flying towards.
That was close, was Dawn’s first thought, which was almost immediately followed by another more emphatic one, Also...OUCH! He wished he'd reacted faster. If he had, he might have simply been able to knock the knife away with a well-placed gust. However, he hadn't even remotely expected Shade to attack Dinky. The hesitation and surprise had delayed his action to the point that Dawn had seen only one way to act that would allow him to protect her.
“Dawn,” whimpered Dinky.
“Dinky,” hissed Dawn between his teeth as he lowered his foreleg, even the slight motion causing him additional pain, “What did I say?”
“Keep running,” she whispered, her voice on the edge of tears, “No matter what.”
“Exactly,” said Dawn, grunting out the next syllables as best he could, “Go!”
Though she was reluctant, Dinky knew she needed to follow Dawn’s instructions. She bolted, her little body quickly covering the remaining distance between herself and the cave entrance. Just as she reached the walls of stacked stones that Shade had used to make the opening smaller, Dawn’s wing flared out, sending a gust out behind him that picked Dinky’s body off the stone floor and sent her hurtling out into space.
“NO!” shrieked Shade Steel, shooting back onto her hooves and rushing towards the cave entrance, her fight with Dawn momentarily forgotten.
Her eyes widened with horror as she saw Dinky seemingly hanging in space, hovering somewhere between flying and falling as the last of the momentum Dawn’s push had given her petered out. Shade was certain that her next sight would be of the filly plummeting towards the unforgiving, snow-covered ground below. She had already decided to temporarily give up her plans to kill Dawn Lightwing and do her best to catch the falling filly.
That’s what he wanted, she realized, To distract me while he gets away.
However, before the filly could begin falling in earnest, an orange and purple streak cut across Shade’s vision. Less than a second later, Dinky briefly vanished from sight as the streak intercepted her.
“I’ve gotcha!”
Shade’s eyes widened at the sound of Scootaloo’s voice as the bright-orange filly curved her flight path around, leveling out with Dinky wrapped in her arms, pressed securely against her barrel. For a moment, the dark-gray mare could only stare silently at the spectacle, until Scootaloo seemed to notice her gaze and returned it, her lavender eyes glaring straight at Shade with seething anger.
“Muffin!” Another, light-gray streak came down from above.
The familiar voice prompted a happy squeal from Dinky. “Mama!” Scootaloo dutifully held out the filly in front of her as Ditzy came to a hovering stop in front of them. Immediately, Dinky was snatched up by her mother into a loving hug.
“Start heading back to town,” said Scootaloo as Ditzy affectionately nuzzled her daughter’s mane, “You shouldn’t stay here.”
Ditzy gave Scootaloo a thankful glance and turned to fly back towards Ponyville, all while Shade Steel stared on dumbly.
“Now I wonder just whose true colors are showing.”
Shade turned back towards the interior of the cave at the sound of Dawn’s voice, which contained equal measures of taunt and reproach. The ebony colt was watching her with an unreadable expression in his cat-like eyes, his right foreleg still lifted slightly off the floor. In the darkness, Shade could still make out the shape of the blade that was run completely through it.
“I…” For a moment, Shade simply couldn’t speak. Her mind was reeling from what she had seen and what she had nearly done. She tried fitting everything together to explain the seemingly impossible circumstances. He…He set the filly free. He must have known that I would attack her. Now he’s gotten her out of the way. He’s free to do what he likes without having to worry about anypony who matters seeing him and he’s made himself look like a hero while doing it. Harsh, bitter anger began to build up inside of her as her thoughts continued to churn.
Dawn, in the meantime, had turned his attention back to his wounded leg as he eyed the dagger sticking out of it dubiously. He had only two options at this point. He could either leave it in and try to finish the fight without dislodging it, or he could pull it out and try to finish the duel before he bled out fatally. He wasn’t certain if he’d managed to avoid cutting anything vital when the blade had gone in. It was within the realm of possibility, but Dawn had the sickening feeling that, if he pulled the blade out, the blood that was already leaking out of the wound would only start to pour out faster.
However, this wasn’t like getting shot with an arrow. The edges of the blade ran all the way down its length. If Dawn tried moving too much, much less fighting, with the throwing-knife still lodged in his flesh, the edges would probably continue to cut him, slicing the wound open further. Sadly, removing it and getting the leg treated was not an option. He had no reason to believe that Shade Steel would abandon her plans to kill him simply because he needed to do some first aid.
I guess this means I can’t afford to take my time, he thought glumly as he lifted his leg up to his mouth and carefully clamped down on the flat of the blade with his teeth. Carefully, so as not to slice his wound open further, Dawn pulled the blade out of his leg, sliding it back exactly along the path it had entered along. Once it was clear, he flicked his head to the side and let go, tossing the blade aside and letting it fall with a clang to the cave floor.
As he had feared, blood began to stream from the hole pierced in his leg. The dripping sound intensified as it started to pour in earnest. I don’t have long. Now he was at a serious disadvantage. All Shade had to do was draw the fight out as long as possible and Dawn would ultimately bleed out onto the floor, leaving her free to finish him at her leisure.
However, it seemed that Shade no longer cared for clever strategies. Instead, she let out an angry shriek and charged at Dawn. Her wings beat erratically, with heavy movements that he couldn’t possibly miss, launching all of the knives she’d concealed amongst her feathers at once. All that metal rushing through the air made the knives impossible to not notice.
However, her throw was wild. Most of the knives were flying wide of their target. Dawn easily slipped between the few that were actually heading for him, trailing a ribbon of blood as he turned his body to slip between their blades. Now Shade closed with him, the larger combat knife clenched in her fetlock as she launched a rapid series of thrusts at him. Dawn slipped from side to side, ducking and jumping to avoid her strikes. He thrust forward with one wing, sending a blast of compressed air at her. Shade managed to read his move and throw herself to the side to avoid the burst, which rushed forward and blasted the walls she’d constructed to rubble, blowing out chunks of stone and dried mud into the air outside.
The two of them passed each other, then immediately turned around to face each other once again. Shade turned around, once again launching a series of thrusts so fast that her blade seemed to be in multiple places at once. Dawn did his best to slip between the stabbing motions of her knife, looking for an opening to strike her once again.
Shade grit her teeth angrily. Her rational mind was already telling her that she had won. Time was on her side and Dawn wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer. But he had given the wound to himself...by blocking the knife she had thrown at Dinky. If there was one thing Shade was certain of, she wanted to end the fight on her terms, rather than his. If only he would give her the opening she needed, she could put her secret weapon to use and put an end to this demon once and for all.
Then it happened. Rather than sidestep one of her thrusts, Dawn avoided it by leaning back, moving just out of the knife’s reach. His wings were buzzing as he built up another electrical charge amongst his feathers. He needed to end this fight now, so there was no purpose in clinging to pointless pride and letting himself bleed out because of it. He knew that none of his loved ones would approve of that. Already, his vision was beginning to fade and he was starting to feel fuzzy and lightheaded. It was time to put this battle to an end.
Unfortunately, Shade had exactly the same idea. She extended her arm as far as it would go, keeping the tip of her knife leveled straight at Dawn. Though his wind-sense, the colt barely perceived the way her fetlock tightened about the handle. His ears barely heard the click of the concealed switch being pressed. None of that registered to Dawn consciously, because his mind was suddenly occupied by the fact that the knife that he should have been safely out of the reach of was now about to punch through his skull right between his eyes!
Dawn dropped down, ducking out of the way. However, he already knew that it was too late. The blade of the knife etched a sharp line of pain along the top of his head as the edge glanced off the bone underneath his skin before bouncing away, scattering more droplets of blood into the air as it went.
Dawn leaned forward, stretching out with his wings as Shade's body went rigid with surprise, shocked that her secret weapon had missed. His leading primaries made contact and the electrical charge that he had been building jumped straight into the mare's body.
Shade Steel's muscles locked and spasmed as the current surged through her. Her mouth opened in a soundless scream as arcs of energy played across her skin, followed by smell of burnt flesh. Her jolt threw her back away from Dawn, where she collapsed to the cave floor, still twitching and spasming as thin tendrils of smoke rose from patches of burnt fur.
For a moment, Dawn stood there, panting for breath, barely conscious of the feeling of blood dripping down the sides of his head. As it was, the world both sounded and felt very far away. Dawn realized that he was near his limit and needed to staunch the bleeding from his leg and head soon, but he couldn't find the energy or strength to do so.
A fluttering sound, followed by the sound of hooves alighting on the ledge outside the cave seemed a world away. Slowly, the muscles of his neck feeling stiff and unresponsive, Dawn turned to look, seeing two pegasi coming into the cave. He must have been worse off than he thought, because, while they were familiar, he couldn't recall who they were at the moment.
He could hear the smaller of the two pegasi calling his name, but couldn't really think about that as his legs gave way and he too sank down. Dawn continued to hear voices talking above him, even as he felt somepony applying pressure to both sides of his wounded foreleg, the jolt of pain surging up through his body, briefly clearing away the cobwebs gathering in his mind.
"Listen carefully," said the voice from above, calm but radiating authority, "I need you to stay awake. Whatever you do, keep listening to my voice..."
Dawn wanted to respond in the affirmative, but was feeling very tired. He was also starting to feel cold. However, he did his best to hold on as the voices continued talking over him.
"We have to get him to the hospital," said Storm Front as he finished wrapping the lacerations in Dawn's foreleg. It was a temporary measure at best, given that the wound went all the way through the limb. Already, a patch of red was starting to form on the white bandages.
"Okay!" said Scootaloo quickly, doing her best to secure the gauze pad over Dawn's head injury in place.
"We need to move fast, I'll carry him," said Storm, picking Dawn's limp form up in his forelegs.
"I've got an idea," said Scootaloo, "Keep behind me."
Storm wondered just what she had in mind, but didn't have enough time to ask for an explanation. Instead, the two of them quickly took off, winging their way towards the Ponyville hospital. In the distance, he could see the sunlight illuminating the figures of a pair of armored pegasi. That gave the mercenary pegasus some comfort at least. They would make see to Shade Steel and put her where she belonged. But Dawn was the one who mattered right now.
A second later, Storm understood why Scootaloo wanted him to fly behind her. She was using her magic to split the air around her, sharply reducing the drag that Storm was feeling and allowing him to manage the load of another pony with greater ease as the filly ahead of him bent all her will and strength towards pushing as hard and fast as she could. The forest was a brown and white blur below them, which gave way to the pure white of the snow-covered park fields, then the roofs of Ponyville houses before, finally, the hospital came into sight. The two of them stooped sharply towards the doors, Scootalo shooting ahead, but still leaving a channel of clear air for Storm to follow through.
"We need a doctor, now!" she screamed as she practically slammed the hospital doors open.
Storm swept in behind her, Dawn still wrapped securely in his arms. The mare at the reception desk took one look at the situation and quickly summoned one of the doctors. A brown unicorn stallion was soon rushed into the lobby, just as they were loading Dawn onto a gurney. The doctor and nurses were shouting to each other in the typically impenetrable jargon of medical professionals while Storm and Scootaloo looked on. The group quickly vanished into the hospital hallways, their voices muffling slightly as the doors swung closed before fading out altogether.
Storm gulped. In a sense, Dawn had been in much worse shape after his fight with Storm and Red River. But Dawn had taken a serious injury in this most recent fight and had been fighting hard while losing a lot of blood.
"Is he gonna be okay?" asked Scootaloo, her eyes watering as she watched the doors that Dawn had gone through.
"He should be fine," said Storm, "It isn't very difficult for a unicorn doctor to staunch bleeding. Once that is done, all they have to do is close the injuries and then replenish Dawn's blood supply. It won't even require a very powerful healing spell. The only thing he'll need to do is rest to recover from the blood-loss."
"O-okay..." said Scootaloo, her lip trembling. This was the third time, she reflected, the third time she'd found herself waiting out here in the hospital's reception area while Dawn was within, being treated by the doctors for some injury he'd sustained. The first time had been when Applejack had bucked him in the ribs. The second had been after his savage duel with Storm Front and Red River. Now, he was here after one of those damn cultists had come after him for no good reason.
The doors to the hospital swung open again, this time admitting a gray mare with a blonde mane as Ditzy trotted inside. On her back rested Dinky, who was looking a little grimy after being tied up in that cave, but, ultimately, no worse for wear. "Where's Dawn?" asked Ditzy, her eyes moving on separate tracks, as though she was trying to look over both sides of the waiting room at once.
"Inside," said Storm Front, "The doctor is seeing him now. Hopefully we'll get some news about him soon."
"Okay..." said Ditzy as she let Dinky climb down. She settled onto one of the cushioned chairs to wait, while Dinky climbed up onto her lap. The little filly looked as though she was on the verge of tears.
"I'm sorry," said Dinky softly.
"Why?" asked Scootaloo.
"Dawn was saving me," she whimpered, "It's my fault he's hurt!"
"It's not!" snapped Scootaloo, getting close to Dinky, "He was there because he wanted to protect you. If anypony's to blame, it's the mare who did this to him."
"She should be in Guard custody for now," said Storm, who was heading towards the door, "I'm sure that a doctor will be seeing her soon, though I for one wouldn't mind if she had the chance to savor the pain of her injuries for a little longer."
"Yeah," agreed Scootaloo before noting that Storm was leaving, "Where are you going?"
"I'm afraid that somepony is going to have to let Fluttershy know that Dawn's been injured," said Storm warily, "She gets quite upset when she finds that she's been left out of the loop." He shuddered involuntarily. And I don't want to get on her bad side ever again.
Scootaloo nodded and watched as Storm took his leave. With a sigh, she settled in to for a wait that she hoped wouldn't be too long.
For Dawn, consciousness returned in fits and starts. First, he was aware of the tingling sensation of his limbs, followed by the feeling of the hospital sheets against them. Then his ears began to pick up the ambient sounds around him. Slowly, his eyes crawled open and Dawn found himself staring up at the white, featureless ceiling of a hospital room. Ah, he thought wryly, Back again.
"Welcome back to the waking world," said somepony from beside him. Slowly, Dawn tilted his head over and saw the familiar blue and crimson figure of Red River, who was seated next to the bed. From the look of things, he had been there for a while. There was a closed book on the side table that the stallion had clearly set aside once he noticed that Dawn had been waking up.
"How long this time?" asked Dawn, his voice a bit hoarse.
Before responding, Red went over to the sink on the far wall and used it to fill a glass with water. Returning, he helped Dawn sit up before aiding him in sipping the water down little by little.
"It was just overnight," said Red, in answer to Dawn's question, "The doctor put a sleep spell on you to help you rest. I think he was very relieved that you didn't fight it."
Dawn nodded. He still felt a little lightheaded, though he wasn't sure whether that was from the blood-loss or the grogginess that came from regaining consciousness.
"You did need a transfusion,(1)" explained Red as he took the cup back from Dawn, "Fortunately, Storm and Scootaloo managed to get you here rather quickly, so your condition wasn't as serious as it could have been. The doctors also closed the wounds on your leg and scalp."
Dawn lifted a hoof up and felt the faint, raised line of flesh that ran along the length of the top of his head. "What about Shade Steel?" he asked finally.
Red frowned. "She is in Guard custody. Storm and I sent the paperwork along to Shining Armor and she should be transported to Canterlot within the next day or so. I hear that Princess Celestia wants to handle this one personally. It would seem that she's furious that one of her Royal Guards would go this far astray."
Dawn's lips pressed into a tight line as he turned his eyes back towards the sheet covering him. "That weapon of hers, what was it?"
Red smiled. "That was a bit of a surprise. It's a fairly rare weapon known as a ballistic knife. It uses a spring to propel the blade towards a target within a short distance. It's mostly a gimmick, but can be deadly when used under the proper circumstances."
Dawn nodded in agreement with that last sentence as the circumstances of the fight resurfaced in his memory. Shade had attacked with a series of thrusts, but hadn't fired the knife's blade until Dawn had dodged by pulling back away from one of her stabs. It was a weapon designed to strike a target, just when she thought she was out of range, an action made all the more deadly because the strike could be made without any of the signs that would accompany throwing a weapon. Ironically, it was probably Shade's choice of target that had saved Dawn's life. The spring for the knife blade couldn't have been very strong, which wouldn't have given the knife much range or penetrating power. As a result, the blow had glanced off his skull, rather than punched through. Had she managed to aim the blade a little lower, it would have been imbedded in his throat, which would have ended the fight much differently.
"How is Dinky?" asked Dawn.
"She's a bit shaken up, but fine otherwise," said Red, "Shade didn't want to hurt her, so she didn't even tie the filly up all that tight. Scootaloo told me how you got her out of there, by the way. Good work."
"How is everypony else?" asked Dawn. He realized that they must be worried about him...again.
Red raised a hoof and pointed over the bed to the opposite wall, which was dominated by a window with closed curtains. The window was set into an alcove in the wall, the bottom of which was covered by a broad cushion. In the faint light of the morning sun, which was just beginning to illuminate the room, Dawn could make out the forms of Fluttershy and Scootaloo, the two of them curled up next to each other as they slept peacefully, with the filly tucked safely beneath Fluttershy's wing.
Dawn simply watched as soft breaths from Scootaloo's nostrils gently stirred some of the long loose strands of Fluttershy's mane. A warmth, almost searing in its intensity, settled in his stomach. I'm so lucky to have them, he thought. After everything he had been through, after everything he had done, after all the bridges he had tried to build and then subsequently burnt, here he was, in the presence of ponies who cared intensely...No!...desperately about him. Dawn felt a tear slipping down one of his cheeks. Seeing his mother and Scootaloo there made him so happy that it almost overwhelmed him sickeningly.
These thoughts had occurred to him before. But they had always been offset by that nagging doubt in his gut. That nagging doubt had nearly burned another bridge for him when he'd run away from Fluttershy after that mare from Foal Services had come. That nagging doubt had nearly consumed him and destroyed the one truly, unquestionably good thing that Dawn currently had in his life.
Now, as he woke up in a hospital bed from his latest round of injuries, sustained in yet another fight for his life, there were two of the most precious ponies in his world, still there, still waiting for him. I have a family. I have a home. I have ponies that want me. I have ponies that love me. I have ponies that will wait for me to come back. I have ponies who will go out with me. This must have been the feeling that a street-dwelling pauper might have when the keys to a massive fortune fell into her lap without a single string attached.
"I think I'll step outside for a moment," said Red softly.
As the azure stallion took his leave, Fluttershy's eyelids began to twitch before slowly drifting open. Slowly, she lifted her head and let her gaze come to rest at Dawn. Her lips curled upward into a radiant smile. Moving carefully, so as not to disturb the filly still slumbering beneath her wing, Fluttershy stood up and got off the cushion in the window alcove, taking a moment to settle the gray hospital blanket over the still-slumbering filly once again. From there, it was a couple of short steps across the floor to reach the bed.
For a moment, Fluttershy stood there, looking at Dawn. The relief was evident in her gaze. Dawn expected a little reproach, possibly for being reckless and getting himself hurt once again, but there was no sign of it. All he saw was his mother's smile. Slowly, Fluttershy leaned in and nuzzled Dawn's cheek tenderly. Dawn took a moment to bask in the gesture before returning it, pressing his muzzle against her cheek.
Their nuzzle continued until Dawn wiggled further out from under his sheets so that he could wrap his arms around Fluttershy's shoulders, pulling himself out further and holding onto her tightly. Fluttershy responded by lifting her own forelegs off the floor and returned the hug, pulling herself halfway up onto the bed. Even as they embraced, they continued to nuzzle one another as Fluttershy planted gentle kisses on his cheek.
"I love you mom," said Dawn, his voice little more than a whisper, but more than enough.
"I love you too," said Fluttershy without the slightest hesitation, "You're the most precious pony to me in all the world."
Neither of them really cared that Scootaloo had woken up now and was watching silently from the window alcove. The orange filly could only smile as she watched Dawn and Fluttershy express their affection so openly and naturally. She had to admit that she was a bit jealous of Fluttershy right now. Then again, she was sure that she would get her chance soon enough. After all, Dawn clearly took after his mother when it came to sharing his affection.
The sound of the door opening made Scootaloo's ears perk up and she looked up to see the tan coat and brown mane of Caramel as he slipped silently into the room. Caramel met Scootaloo's gaze with a smile and a nod, before turning his attention to Dawn and Fluttershy. He approached the bed from the other direction and reared up to enfold Dawn and Fluttershy in a hug of his own.
"Mind if I get in on this?" asked Caramel wryly from where he rested his head across Dawn's shoulder, just opposite from where Fluttershy was still nuzzling to the colt's cheek.
It seems you already have," commented Dawn, just as wryly.
"It's good to see you're alright," said Caramel, holding his fillyfriend and her son tighter.
Scootaloo had had enough. The bed jumped slightly as she landed on it after leaping across from the alcove. She quickly ducked beneath Caramel and Fluttershy's arms, wriggling her way into the group hug so that she could sidle up against Dawn, providing some nuzzles of her own, mixed with quick kisses to his cheek. "Geez, I could forgive you for getting all mushy on me," she said, "But you aren't gonna get away with leaving me out of it."
"I wouldn't dream of it," replied Dawn, turning and meeting Scootaloo's lips with his own.
Shade Steel's awakening was far less gentle than Dawn's had been. Granted, the ponies transporting her had counted her comfort as least amongst their worries, if they counted it at all. She was still conscious, only barely, when they roughly dragged her off the floor of her cave and carried her out of it and into the open sky, where she'd dangled limply between two pegasi of the Ponyville Guard, who hadn't cared one bit if they jostled her burned skin and still spasming muscles. They'd thrown her roughly, almost carelessly onto the cot in the cell. One of the Guards had ruthlessly strapped her wings down, sending searing jolts of agony up and down her spine as the straps tightened around still fresh electrical burns.
Finally, only just as Shade had been certain that her captors planned on letting her die from the shock of her injuries, did a unicorn from the hospital arrive in her cell. He hooked up an I.V. bag to the wall and inserted tube into the artery of one of her forelegs, providing her with nutrients as he hit her with a healing spell. After that, everything went dark as the healing spell did its work.
When Shade awoke, she was groggy and sore. It was clear that the healing spell she'd received wasn’t exactly comprehensive in nature, just enough to help her recover from the injuries that might, otherwise, kill or cripple her and curb the risk of any infection. However, her muscles were still sore from the spasming and her skin was still tender where it had burned. The fur of her coat hadn't grown back overnight, so it looked patchy in the areas where it had been scorched away by the electrical arcs of Dawn's attack. The fact that the straps of her wing restraints stung as they rubbed against those areas made it perfectly clear that the doctor had done the bare minimum to heal her injuries.
Shade rolled over to get her hooves under her. At that moment, she realized that the I.V. tube had been removed from her foreleg at some point. Her stomach growled unpleasantly, making it clear that she needed to eat soon. Shade had had enough healings by this point that she knew how important it was to get sustenance and replenish her body's nutrients.
As though summoned by her hunger, the scent of food reached Shade's nostrils, indicating that somepony had apparently been thinking along the same wavelength that she was and cared enough that they didn't simply ignore her. Looking over, she saw a platter of hay and potatoes, accompanied by poached eggs and a large glass of milk. There was also a tiny plate with a few pills placed on it.
After the rough treatment she had undergone, the sight of that wonderful-looking meal nearly brought tears to Shade's eyes. At least these ponies cared enough about her that they were willing to feed her properly. Taking the pills, Shade swallowed them and chased them down with a gulp of milk. Then she tucked into her meal with a gusto, completely clearing her plate in just a couple of minutes. The food had been delicious and Shade found herself wishing wistfully that the rest of her experience could be that pleasant.
"It seems you enjoyed that well enough," said a stallion's voice from outside her cell.
Shade lifted her head away from the plate and looked through the bars to see a stallion with a beige-colored coat and a darker brown mane standing outside. His eyes were closed, but his ears were turned directly towards her and his muzzle also pointed directly at her. Even though he couldn't see her, he knew exactly where she was.
Shade recognized him immediately. This was Arkenstone, Twilight Sparkle's coltfriend, the proprietor of the teahouse next to the library. He was the pony Dawn had asked to help examine the place where she had hidden the other night. Now, he was standing outside her cell, as though he had been the one to put her there. Perhaps he was the warden as well as a business-owner.
Shade frowned and glared defiantly at him, not that her expression could have any impact on a pony that couldn't see it. She didn't bother trying to hide her feelings. This stallion was clearly on the side of Dawn Lightwing. Given what she had read in the news, it was likely that he was fully aware of the faux-colt's demonic origins and supported him anyway. She had no respect for filth like him.
Arkenstone pulled the cell door open. It had been unlocked the entire time he had been there. Shade would have heard the sound of a key turning anytime between when she would have regained consciousness and now. Arkenstone had probably been the one to bring her food and take away the I.V. bag. She realized that it meant that the door to her cell had been unlocked the whole time.
Shade Steel tensed. Her muscles were still sore, her wings were bound, her skin still raw. But she had fought more serious battles in worse conditions than this. Her time in the SES had trained her to fight, even when she was injured, even when she was in pain. Pain that might incapacitate other ponies was nothing more than a minor inconvenience to her.
Furthermore, the stallion in front of her was nothing more than the owner of a teashop. While he had apparently helped Dawn learn about her, he was still just an earth pony civilian. There was no way somepony like him could be a serious obstacle. Shade would simply subdue Arkenstone, find a way to remove her restraints, and make her escape. Once she was out, hiding and losing any pursuit would be simple enough. She would be able to make another attempt on Dawn Lightwing's life later.
"That's a bad idea," said Arkenstone, his sightless eyes opening the barest fraction, "You shouldn't be making such grim plans in your situation."
Shade's eyes went wide. It was as though Arkenstone had known exactly what she had been thinking, like he had been reading her mind. "Wha-?" The word died on her lips...probably because she died in the next instant.
She felt a series of chills across her body, including one in her neck. The next moment, her vision seemed to shift wildly. It was strange, like she was looking at her body from outside herself. Only an instant later did the sudden change in perspective make sense as Shade realized that her head had been severed at the neck and was now spinning away through the air, giving her a perfect view to watch as the rest of her body was cut to pieces. She couldn't even see the attack, couldn't even see the blades that had just ended her life. It was too horrible to comprehend. Just like that, Shade Steel was dead.
Shade's eyes snapped closed and then open again. She opened her mouth to scream, sucking in an a breath that expanded her chest explosively, only to halt as Shade realized that she could feel her chest, feel the rest of her body...Her head hadn't been severed after all. Even so, the sensation had been so real that Shade couldn't resist reaching up to feel her neck. It was intact, without a scratch. What happened?
"Did you enjoy your taste of death?" asked Arkenstone softly, his eyes still open, revealing nothing more than orbs of milky white as they stared down at Shade where she had sunk to the floor of her cell, unable to hold herself up any longer.
"Wha-what just...what happened?" gasped Shade, trying to make sense of it all. It took a minute, but then she remembered what she had learned during her time in the Royal Guard. Some ponies had honed their skills to such an extent that their intent itself was nearly a lethal force. He cut me down with nothing more than his mind, she realized with horror. It was nothing more than an illusion. But it was an illusion powerful enough to completely overpower her sense of reality. It was a stark indicator that the stallion in front of her was more than capable killing her for real. I can't fight him.
"Who are you?" asked Shade, unable to wrench her eyes away from the terrifying pony in front of her. Nothing had changed visibly about him. But, all the same, it was as though she was laying helplessly in front of some sort of inconceivable monster.
"My name is Arkenstone. I am merely the proprietor of the local teahouse," replied the stallion, "But I'm guessing you knew that already. The dossier that Shining Armor sent me indicated that you're a pony who does your homework."
"How...?" Shade couldn't even finish her sentence. Just who was this pony that he was able to get information directly from Shining Armor?
"The me that you know is merely the me that I allow most other ponies to see and know." She felt, rather than saw and heard Arkenstone taking a deep breath. In that moment, Shade felt as though the weight of her body had increased tenfold. Unconsciously, she dug in her hooves, useless against the solid stone of the floor, in an effort to keep from sliding towards the stallion. At the same time, she heard groaning and grinding from the stonework of the room around her. Shade almost fancied that she could see the walls themselves shift in Arkenstone's direction as though everything was straining towards the stallion, as if he had become a singularity, as though he stood at the center of all creation, drawing it into himself.
"I am Sir Arkenstone, Knight of the Celestial Order, Named Champion of the Princesses Celestia and Luna," said the stallion, his volume not increasing, but his voice sounding like claps of thunder to Shade Steel's ears, making her want to cover them with her hooves as they lay flat against her head. Only the feeling that she would fall forward into this terrible pony-shaped monstrosity stopped her.
The Knights are real! I thought they were just legends! But there was no denying the feeling before her. This awesome power, indescribable in its potency, could only belong to a pony whose strength exceeded Shade's comprehension. As skilled as she was, she now understood completely and fully just how far beyond her this stallion was. Who else could he be but a Celestial Knight.
But, at the same time, her mind reeled for a different reason. He was a Knight all along. But he was helping Dawn Lightwing. Why? Why would Princess Celestia's most dedicated servants help a demon like...? Then she recalled Arkenstone's words when he'd announced his true identity to her. "...Named Champion of the Princesses Celestia and Luna." In his own words, he recognized Luna as a Princess of Equestria and an equal of Celestia. He did not regard her as an enemy or a threat.
She supposed that it was within the realm of possibility that Nightmare Moon had warped the mind of even somepony as powerful as a Celestial Knight to bend to her will. But if she had, then there was no way that his presence before her would come off as so clear and absolute. This was a pony of unshakeable will and perseverance. To bend such a will was just as likely to break it as anything else. This meant that Arkenstone acknowledged Luna as a Princess of his own will, which would mean...
No no! It can't be possible! It can't be true! Luna is Nightmare Moon, the Demon of Night Eternal! She seeks death, destruction, and perversion! There is no way...
"I can see that you are beginning to understand the severity of your crime," said Arkenstone, "And the depth of your mistake. You, who once served amongst those closest and most respected by Princess Celestia, were led astray by foalish superstition and prejudice."
"But then...why?" gasped Shade, "Why were the Elements of Harmony needed to stop Nightmare Moon? If she is not the bane of all that is good, why was the mightiest magic of the known world needed to stop her?"
"Exactly," said Arkenstone, "To stop her, the Elements of Harmony were needed. But you yourself supplied the answer to your question through simple omission."
"To...stop...her..." repeated Shade, running the words through her mind. It seemed odd. After being on the receiving end of the Elements of Harmony, which had once banished her to the moon, Nightmare Moon had not been banished again, nor had she been punished more severely by being destroyed. Rather the Elements had...
"You know...we were there," said Arkenstone, the stern tone falling from his voice, replaced by one that was sad and...guilty...?
"You were there?"
Arkenstone nodded. "When Nightmare Moon returned to the world, when she came down to Ponyville, all of us Knights had assembled in preparation. We were there, watching as Nightmare Moon made her appearance. We were waiting as Twilight Sparkle and her friends made their journey into the Everfree Forest to awaken the Elements of Harmony. We stood by as they confronted Nightmare Moon and purified her with the Elements power."
"Why?"
Arkenstone smiled sadly. "It's very simple. We were there to kill Nightmare Moon. Princess Celestia herself gave us the order. If Twilight and her friends failed, if they were unable to awaken the Elements, we were to step in and put an end to Nightmare Moon ourselves. Only with all of us present could have such a feat been accomplished and it was likely that more than half of us would have died in the ensuing struggle."
"So that was why," said Shade, "Princess Celestia wouldn't want to risk losing half of her Knights if she could avoid it."
Arkenstone shook his head. "That was not it at all. We have the capacity to ignore her orders if we deem it necessary. If we thought there was too much risk in waiting to see if Twilight and her friends would succeed first, we would have happily ignored Celestia's orders and attacked. But that was not the point. You see, if we had acted, if we had battled Nightmare Moon and triumphed, what would have happened?”
"Then Nightmare Moon would be dead," said Shade simply. It was fairly obvious after all. She began to ponder the long-term consequences of that development.
However, before she could think too much on it, Arkenstone spoke again. "Exactly, Nightmare Moon would be dead. That would mean that Princess Luna, Celestia's precious younger sister, would be dead. Celestia would spend the rest of her existence never able to see her sister's face, to hear her voice, to see her smile. That was why she gave us the order to hold back.
"As Knights, we hold incredible power, the power to lay low Equestria's greatest enemies, the power to smite down Nightmare Moon herself. We had the power to stop her, but Celestia wanted to put her trust and faith in a much greater power, in ponies far stronger than us."
"What? Stronger than you?" Shade gasped. Certainly, the Elements of Harmony were powerful beyond all description, with the strength to seal even the eternal master of chaos and disharmony, Discord himself. But the Bearers were ordinary ponies. Sure, Twilight Sparkle was considered one of the most brilliant magic users in Equestria’s history since the legendary Starswirl the Bearded and Rainbow Dash was probably one of the, if not the best flier in the history of the nation. But they weren’t warriors. They were a scholar, an athlete, a fashion designer, a baker, a farmer, and an animal caretaker. How could they possibly be stronger than Equestria’s order of greatest martial practitioners, ponies who were said to stand equal to entire armies on the field?
“As Knights,” explained Arkenstone, “What we have trained and honed is the art of bringing death and destruction to our enemies. I have long sought to learn other ways to avoid such bloodshed. But, ultimately, to be a Knight is to be recognized for your capacity for murder.” He spoke as though the title was something to be ashamed of, rather than praised. “As Knights, we had the power to put an end to Nightmare Moon. We had the power to stop her. But Twilight and her friends command an even greater power. They had the power to save her.”
Shade’s jaw dropped as Arkenstone’s words registered in her mind. The Elements didn’t defeat Nightmare Moon! They saved her?
“Killing is such a simple thing,” said Arkenstone sadly, “And, sadly, as Knights, what we ultimately do is hone that power. The best we can do is learn ways to solve crises without it, how to go without utilizing that power.
“That is why you disgust me so much. You approached this situation only thinking of killing, of how to kill. You never thought about anything else. From the moment you laid eyes on Dawn Lightwing, you refused to think about him as a pony and only thought about how to end his life and why his life needed to be ended. Let me ask you something. Between a pony, whose every waking thought is about how to kill and a so-called demon who has been living peacefully with the ponies he’s supposed to a threat to, just who is the real monster?”
Shade went cold. Arkenstone’s words had struck a serious chord within her. Have I really fallen? she wondered, Was I the real monster here?
“I’ve said enough,” said Arkenstone as he took his leave, closing and locking the cell behind him, “You will be sent to Canterlot within the next day. Princess Celestia has expressed an interest in handling your case personally. You can see for yourself just what she thinks of your ‘devotion.’”
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Oh shit. I just realized Shade Steel screwed over the entirety of the Cult Solar....Epic.
So Celestia had a contingency plan if Twilight and the other failed... so glad that didn't happen. Otherwise Celestia would be a recluse for all time.
Yep, Arkenstone is Paragon Shepard and the Knights are like the Spectres of the Citadel Council
Smart of Storm Front NOT to get Fluttershy angry at him again.
And oh yes. Steel Shade is going to learn why Celestia is the Princess of the SUN.
Poor Shade Steel, she's fallen into the old trap of fanatics everywhere, "rationalizing" events that counter their worldview, twisting them until they support it, unable to face the possibility they might be wrong. Glad to see Dinky and Dawn are OK though. Yikes. Huh, that explains a few things. Well, at least she's being forced to accept that she goofed big-time!
Loved how Arkenstone handled that situation and seriously when are we gonna see the other knights you really got me thinking. And for Shades punishment I condemn her to... The Stare "gasp" oh no.
ooooooooohhhhhh this next chapter is gonna be gooood
.......
I just realized this...
Even if she was the lowest of the low in the Cult Solar...
She is a member of the SES..that abandoned her duty to attempt the murder of an innocent child.. for that cult. For the TEACHINGS of that cult.
She just gave Celestia the right to label the entire Cult Solar as a high-ranking terrorist organization comparable to ISIS.
It's been a long time since I saw Celestia going nuclear on somebody on this fic, so...
encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTi8HxTE9FUQNYhKI8HZGy1f1JbUgMReDbPWJb-FA63immKvr9m
WAFF? awesome chapter by the way
5200196 The problem is, because she still did this on her own and didn't get a direct order from the Cult, the Cult is still "innocent" in this case. It needs a much higher ranked member how CAN'T act without orders from the Cult to proof it was the whole Cult.
Sorry do dissapoint you. I myself wouldl ike to take this whole cult apart... limb... for... limb...
5200277 It doesn't matter her rank within the cult, or the fact that she was acting against standing orders..
What matters is her rank outside of the cult..
The cult that has already proven to be dangerous, with radical ideals that is already condemned by the government that is (Very likely) going to be investigated for murders based around their beliefs..
has a member of the SES, a high-level government organization, in it's member listing... A member that kidnaps a foal, performs blackmail, and attempts the murder of one (potentially two, depending on how they view her throwing a KNIFE at Dinky) child...In the name of the cult's beliefs.
This kinda shit is what gets organizations onto a list of dangerous criminal institutions at the MINIMUM.
Even if they don't label them a criminal organization... they have far more than enough reason to pull out a full investigative action into the cult, it's members, and it's actions... This is FAR from the first time members of the cult have attempted to murder Dawn... And with any more people with the eyes bringing up their suffering..and their attempted murders..
5200320 Yes. But she wasn't a member of the SES for more as a year as she foalnapped Dinky, throw a knife at her and attacked another foal (Dawn) in attempt to murder him.
And when they can't proof she acted in DIRECT ORDER of the Cult, they can say, the cult doesn't know anything about it. That was always the problem with them. The Cult didn't attempt to murder Dawn, it were just single members.
But when a Pony with a Leader position were to attempt anything illegal (murder another pony for example) THEN Celestia has enough evidence to start an Investigation.
5200339 ...Dude, be honest with me here.
If an extremely high member of the government betrayed said government to perform extremely dangerous activites in the name of said cult, what would happen. Even if the agent in question was no longer a member of the government, there is proof that she was a member of the cult BEFORE SHE LEFT...
That kinda shit would lead to raids comparable to large-scale drug-busting operations.
5200358 In our world, yes. But Celestia don't want to do this because she fears to become a tyrant. The most members are (more or less) Peacfull and being a members is not illegal. So long the Leaders of the cult are not directly responsible for this actions, Celestia can't do anything.
And any member who wanted to kill Dawn before, did this on his own.
I actually feel a bit sorry for Shade, her whole world view has just been smashed, her faith-her livelyhood has just been proven wrong making it equal to living an out right lie everyone but her was in on, her spirit has been completely destroyed by fear horror and guilt, and she STILL has to weather Celestia in full super nova mode, and in quick succession!
You can't help but feel a liiiiittle bit sorry for her.
Just a bit.
5200372 ..Why are we arguing this again..
We both have a lot of evidence that either could happen..
I feel sorry for Luna
All of this done by ponies to give praise to her sister and she had to suffer for it...
I can't help but wonder if she was conscious during the 1000 years on the moon or asleep (inside the nightmare) until the seal was broken?
That’s what he wanted, she realized, To distract me while she gets away.
By setting her on fire with the power of the sun until the very edge of death, then healing her to perfect health, and repeating the procedure. For the rest of her life.
THIS. MARE. NEEDS. TO DIE!!!!!
5200409 I'm just arguing because I think it's fun^^ (Sorry when you don't see it like that)
I do the same with the "Jehovah's Witnesses" when they stay before my door and want to tell me about god and the world and all this.
Phew... read 6 stories and an incomplete one in a week and a half. Now i catched up to the latest update.
On the other hand...
Can anyone, please, please, beg Princess Celestia to banish this mare to the SUN? she deserves it.
5200409
For what it's worth, I agree with you ParadigmShift. There's been two very dangerous ponies connected with the Order of Celestial Light that have made very public attacks on a private citizen and have put multiple foals in danger. Just Shade Steel's actions alone and her connection with the Order are a very good reason to thoroughly investigate the Order and it's teachings. The Order can claim innocence all they want. The fact is a known member of the organization kidnapped and recklessly endangered one foal and attempted to murder another. When foals are endangered by the direct actions of one pony the authorities should be well within their legal bounds to put a microscope to any and all connections that pony would have.
Scolded? Heh.
Even if no pony in Equestria is above the law, you can bet there are those who would be above being inconvenienced, who would gladly boast about how they'd break it again if they had to.
Though given the plans of Morningstar, how much do you think it's like Project Insight from The Winter Soldier? (Which makes the cult like Hydra. Would Big Mac be a good Captain America?)
To Shade Steel:
Welp, I think it's enough to say the Cult has been gotten. Even if she did it on her own, she still did it for the cult and even if that's not the case, Tia wants to see and talk to her regardless. The Cult has, basically since their formation, worshiped and framed every step Tia has taken. Their devoted to her and a member is going to talk to her. What is Shade is honestly going to do when Tia begins to ask about the Cult or talk in general? Lie or say nothing to the very thing the group (and herself) worships? She may not be the highest member but she is still a member.
The only thing that can ruin this is if the Cult gets to her before she arrives or she somehow kills herself like Willow did. If not, checkmate for the most part.
Amazing Story! I look forward to these chapters every morning!
5200708
I hope that the hidden members of the Cult in higher places don't off Shade. I think she's going to make it [since Tia's going to have her watched like a hawk], and Tia's going to chew her out like Slug at an all you can eat buffet.
5200104
Epic indeed.
I doubt Storm (or at least Arkenstone) wouldn't investigate the battlefield, to find her diary and claim the evidence against the Cult.
So you say that the transmutation spell is know by all doctors then go on to say that it's prohibited to use it so how can doctors use it then?
Poor Dawn. I wonder what the total hospital visit count will be by the end of this series.
I also wonder what Shade Steel's punishment will be. I still think Applejack got off light, but really, she is Celestia's friend, and she saved Equestria a few times, I think she can get a pass. Shade on the other hand...
Dang you're good, man!
5201059 If I'm interpreting this right, he means, any blood can be extracted from a donor, transmuted outside the body to match the patient's blood or bloodtype, then injected into the patient. The forbidden method involved attempting to transmute a foal's blood to match that of the noble family, while in the body of the foal. Of course, the now-noble blood would likely get instantly rejected by the foal's immune system, leading to death by blood loss I presume, despite having another's blood within them. Of course, that's just my interpretation.
5130037
Apple-Bloom's cutiemark is a hammer where the shaft branches into an apple branch with a single large bloom. (I hope I recalled correctly)
5130922
Actually, I understand where you're coming from, some of those actuallies are actually quite unnecessary.
Been poked for abusing "filling" words before.
They do come in handy when you have to reach a certain word count demand though.
5200409
5200441
The way I see it is technically they can't go after the cult directly yet cause of the Pontiffs order he can just deny the zealous members for going against his orders. But because Shade was a member of the SES Celestial can launch a full investigation on all guard and former guards to see if they have cult ties and gather more info to allow them to go after the cult nice and legally.
5201304 Dang man, thats pretty harsh, even if she did foal-nap Dinky.
5201059 you need a licence.
5200208 indeed
Hope she spends the rest of her life in prison. Kidnapping, blackmail, attempted murder, violations of rights... megabitch.
Truth hurts.
Hey, uh, Shade, the last guy who made that assumption, went to meet his maker in a sponge.
Just throwin' that out there.
I hope the diary that Shade Steel was writing made it to Celestia or Shining.
This chapter drove me to a conclusion, so I'm calling it here. The pinnacle battle, The final fight, isn't going to be dawn's battle. It'll be Scootaloo's. She will be the one to lay low the ultimate foe, Not Dawn.
Also Arkenstones talk about the strength of the elements (as well as storms fear) Reminded me of Fluttershy's scene books ago. For a brief moment, She was the mother of everyone, Her will was so great that All of creation, every living thing however big or small was her child, and none would dare defy her will.
Fluttershy is obviously mother nature and secretly a goddess in disguise.
Again
5201059
It's similar, but not the same. Kind of like firearms, in how some can be fully automatic, which, in the US, are heavily restricted and prohibitively expensive due to supply and demand, and many are semi automatic, which are relatively unrestricted and the cheapest cost less than the transfer tax for a full auto. I can (and have) get a semi auto AR-15 for less than $700 new. If I wanted a full auto one, it would have to have been in circulation before 1986 and a high quality one would cost over $25,000.
Why do I always let myself ramble about guns?
9549914
Because so many people are mislead by media and the left on it.
He she should not even have those restrictions. Direct violation of 2A
9549914
Personally I like that someone is happy to share about guns and don’t shy away from it. I do not have any guns, but I am familiar with them, have shot 9mm, and am completely comfortable with them. I generally refer to them as ‘pow-pows’ in public though.
Don’t ask why, I think it’s some sort of ingrained habit that I haven’t kicked yet lol