Siliverstar pondered to himself once again just how it was he'd let himself get roped into this. He sighed as he reassured himself that he hadn't actually made any personal promises – yet – but he had the sinking feeling he was just trying to come up with an excuse to walk away if things didn't work out.
…or maybe it was the idea that things might actually work out that scared him more.
He'd finally gotten the lass to explain to him all the details of what she'd been through. Too be perfectly honest with himself there were parts that sounded suspect, but Twilight didn't seem to have a deceptive bone in her whole body, even using her real name when they'd met, which given her situation really wasn't the kind of risk she should be taking with perfect strangers.
Part of him knew that he should have taken this matter to the proper authorities. The old Silverstar would have done just that, but that was back before he'd learned that life couldn't always be viewed in such a stark black & white fashion. Twilight had seemed absolutely certain that this Lulamoon was manipulating the whole system, and Silverstar had met enough two-faced politicians in his day to know that was a distinct possibility.
Then again, Twilight didn't seem all that good a judge of character either. The fact she'd singled him, of all ponies, out as some paragon of loyalty was proof of that. Still, given her situation it was only natural she'd have to scrape the bottom of the barrel, such as it were. Silverstar knew all too well that he wasn't the pony she needed to round out this team she was building, and couldn't be even if he wanted too – which he emphatically reminded himself he didn't. Still, maybe, just maybe he was the best she could hope to find, and if that were the case, could he really turn her down?
Silverstar shook his head, to banish the vision of her pleading face, of those hopelessly forlorn eyes begging for somepony to swoop in and take away all her pain – NO! – he couldn't let himself think that way, not anymore. The former sheriff sighed... he was a bad pony, and would only bring her further pain if he so much as tried to join her cause.
…
Still, there was just something about those eyes that compelled him, reached into the very depths of his soul and dredged up past emotions he'd thought long drowned under all the drink he could afford.
Bah! Now was not the time to let himself get all sentimental like this. He might not have promised to actually join her team – not yet at least, that nagging urge in the back of his head insisted again. What he had promised though was to find one of the ponies she was looking for.
He'd seen her list and having no claim by which to judge, he figured most of them were perfectly fine candidates. The young girl seemed to do her research well enough, even if she'd erred in picking him. What he knew with certainty though was that if she was to have any chance at success one pony she needed wasn't on that list. After all, he'd already met the kindest and sweetest pony of them all.
Now if only he could bring himself face-to-face with her... after what happened.
Birds chirped in a tree outside a peaceful house, two stories tall with faded white siding and surrounded by a spacious yard with a picket fence. It was the very picture of an idyllic home, the kind most everypony thought of raising a family in. Well, the grass was a bit overgrown and the bushes could use a good trimming, but it was still a fine house.
Inside, the house was quiet, the loudest sound to be heard was a grandfather clock ticking away the minutes in the hallway. In a side study, decorated with portraits and lined with shelves that bore all sorts of carved wooden knickknacks, there sat a single solitary pony.
The earth pony mare sat at the window staring out, just like she did every day. Her cyan coat and light gray mane were kept neatly groomed, but not by any effort of her own. As she sat, no particular focus held the empty gaze of purple eyes, nor did any meaningful thought occupy her mind – even here own existence was something that barely registered.
There was a gentle knock at the door, but the mare didn't react nor did her visitor seem to expect any as he opened the door with little hesitation. A pegasus colt, nearly a full grown stallion, with a light navy coat and dull brown mane stepped into the room. Balancing a tray of food on his back, he walked slowly over to the mare at the window.
"Good morning, mother. I brought breakfast." He smiled as he tried to catch her gaze, but today was no different than the day before and she gave no response or in any other way acknowledged his presence. That was okay – he'd not really expected anything else, and much as he might hope for even the most subtle acknowledgement, the greeting was more a matter of due courtesy than anything else.
He moved the tray from his back over to a nearby stand. He then gently took up a knife and fork with his hooves, to cut the food and one-by-one place a single bite at a time in the mare's slack mouth. She slowly chewed and swallowed each, but otherwise continued to remain oblivious to all surroundings.
The colt smiled, with only the barest hint of sadness, as he went about what had become a thrice daily ritual, among all the other duties he went about each day to ensure his mother was in the best of physical health. She had taken care of him for longer than he could remember and it was least he could do to return the favor now.
After she swallowed the last bite of food the colt brought a napkin to her face to clean it, and even knowing how futile it was, again he searched her eyes for any semblance of thought or recognition, of the vibrancy and life she used to have, but as always she stared at him with the same empty hollowness with which she stared at everything else since that fateful day.
...
The moment was interrupted by the chime of the front doorbell.
The colt paused in curiosity; he'd not been expecting company this morning. Since coming back to Equestria he'd had little free time to reacquaint himself with the other ponies his age. His mother, and late father, still had some old friends in town, but most of them barely stopped by anymore, and even less so at this early hour of the day.
"Just sit patiently, mother. I'll be right back," he said before he rose and left the room. The colt knew such words were unnecessary; in her condition, his mother never moved of her own volition. If guided, she would stand and even walk, but otherwise she would just sit aimlessly without end. So again, his words were little more than a token courtesy, born out of his hopes that even if she couldn't respond, that she could still hear and take comfort from his voice.
Stopping at the front door, he pressed his face to the peephole to see who might be calling, and was greeted by a face he'd not expected to ever see again. Quickly throwing open the door he declared, "Sheriff Silverstar!"
...
The former law pony stood, eyes down turned and hat held against the barrel of his chest with one hoof. "I'm sorry," he said, "I knew this was a mistake. I'm probably the last pony you ever wanted come knocking at your door." Placing his stetson back on his head, the brim tipped low to hide his eyes from the pained or hateful gaze of another pony he'd wronged. "Best I just leave now I reckon and not bother you anymore," and with that he turned and started to walk away, but scarcely made it two paces before.
"Wait!"
Silverstar turned and genuinely looked at the young lad's face, a face that bore no hint of malice on condemnation. No, instead it bore an expression so much worse – excited enthusiasm and even... beaming admiration.
"How could I ever be anything but happy to see the pony who saved us?"
With a sigh of resignation Silverstar thought to himself, Yeup, this was definitely a mistake.
Oops, meant to have this up like an hour or so ago.
Yes, recruit #4 is Loosy Screws, a/k/a Screwloose, a/k/a the barking mad pony from Read it and Weep. Anyway, sorry the chapter is so short, abrupt, and in no way worth the overly long wait. It was supposed to be some three times longer, but a lot of that is fleshing out the history between Silverstar and Screwloose (which is almost a fic unto itself). This chapter has been a real pain and gone through nearly a dozen revisions that have juggled the characters around quite a bit from my earliest drafts.
So then, eventually I'll try to get back and finish this chapter, but for now next up is Ch6 and the final recruit (just going to give it a last review check later today before I pass it along to my proof readers, so it should be up before the weekend is out). After that will be Ch7 where everything comes together or maybe falls apart completely, and after that... well, we'll see when we get there. In the meantime, please feel free to ask me any questions you might have about this chapter. I know that's a poor substitute for actual content, but who knows, maybe something will inspire me to actual expand ahead of schedule.
...or you can just yell at me about taking too long only to give you all an incomplete chapter, that'd also be fair.
Congrats on the the box feature.
I really like the way you write Silver-star he's a very interesting character and a very good narrator, though I feel his dialogue could be a bit mroe clipped or I suppose less farmer like and more gritty sheriff.
Anyway good detail for the scenes that kid and poor Screwloose were depressing, but excellently written, I look forward to seeing what happens next chapter, with Silver-star and Screwloose on the same team.
This chapter had a great sense of detail to all the surroundings, not overly flowery, but able to communicate what's there in an evocative & sometimes amusing way. I liked Silver-Star not actually looking at the kids face and making assumptions about the reaction he'd get, so totally unwilling to see anything good in himself.
So yeah good chapter and art at the bottom.
I ain't yellin, I'm applauding.
Oh, my. If only Twilight had gotten up-to-date information about her.
Uh-oh. I have a bad feeling about who she might select to be Generosity: a member of the Night Court known for public good works, private treachery and a tendency to compare the kingdom to his private garden.
1974672
Clarification: Loosy was never on Twilight's list; choosing her was entirely Silverstar's idea.
1974678
Ah. Hmmm....I wonder who she'd have picked on her own.
Also, I wonder if she's comparing notes about the M!6 world's versions of the Elements of Failmony.
Oh I am so glad to see this updating again......
And I findit amusing that all of the Ele,entw of Kindness have some kind of child/pet attached to them. Heh.
And why do I get a foreboding sense of dread?
I see a "part 1" there. Can we expect part 2 soon?
Otherwise, good setup. I hope everything turns out okay for them, though...
Good to see this up. But now I am really hoping things turn out all right for them. Because I have a feeling I'll be legit angry if anything bad happens to Screw Loose after that introduction to her.
1975318
Considering the state she's in at the start here, it seems likely that any outcome would be an improvement. Take of that what you will.
So glad to see this updating again!
I like that Silverstar is being proactive here and taking some of this matter into his own hooves. I'll be interested to see just how Loosey Screws and her son end up fitting into the whole picture. Even without the chapter being 'finished' by your standards I'd say you still manage to do a lot with such a small amount of space. Can't wait to see the whole team assembled. Its going to be a colorful group dynamic to see in action.
1975362 Twi is definitely collecting a bunch of broken pones here, and then I guess they are all off to see the Wizard?
Aah, and a hint of unrequitable TwiStar just to keep pathos moving. Nicely done, sir.
Good chapter. Glad to another update. How will Trixie and the rest of the elements deal with and react to Twilight and the team she's putting together? How will Luna and Twilight's brother?
Hey! Psst! It says "Siliverstar", first word of the first line!