Chapter 7 - The Enemy of my Enemy
The corridors leading towards the flight bays had been decorated in a gaudy attempt to show off somepony’s money. Fine silk sashes and tacky paintings adorned the walls in golden ornamental frames. Flurry found herself surprised that somepony hadn’t yet wallpapered over the very bulkheads themselves.
Murmurs followed behind every hoofstep as Flurry and Oakheart trotted towards Merry Weather’s sanctum. It had begun the moment they had stepped off the elevator, following their steps like the buzz of an angry swarm of bees.
The pegasi had come in ones and twos, and soon the crowd began to swell as ponies came from everywhere. The crowd seemed to be a cross-section of station staff, pilots, officers, and ground crew all milling together, whispering amongst themselves.
As Flurry and Oakheart walked, she regarded the stallion carefully, trying to gauge what his thoughts were as they made their way towards the lion’s den. She had to admit, he had quite the poker-face, his expression betraying nothing of any possible concern. His posture and body language were calm and confident, exuding an aura that radiated off him and into the surrounding crowd.
Flurry wasn’t sure if it was her presence or the stallion’s assured confidence, but the mob of pegasi parted for them as they walked. It was quite a sight to see the fearful and angry crowd quail before him, parting like a wave off the bow of a ship.
The crowd ebbed and flowed as more ponies tried to get a look at what was going on. They mostly kept their distance, ears flattened, their jet-black wings trembling at their sides. A few braver souls stood at the head of the mob, wings flared and heads lowered like they were facing down a manticore in their midst.
As Flurry walked, she caught a flitter of angry and frightened whispers darting between the mob in hushed voices, lest they draw the attention of the monster that walked amongst them.
Her eyes swept through the gathered pegasi, searching for the familiar cream coat of Swan Song. She expected the fiery young pegasus to come barging through the crowd like a rampaging minotaur to get up in her face again, but she was nowhere to be seen. It meant Swan was either waiting for them at her lordship’s side or was off making plans to carry through her threat, neither of which would be good for Nyx’s rescue mission.
Swan Song. The name felt familiar to Flurry, yet she couldn’t place where she had heard it before. She had never met Swan Song before now, but the Song name resonated with her for some reason. It was frustrating, like hearing a tune but not knowing its name.
They eventually neared a pressure door labelled ‘Officer’s Mess’ emblazoned with the Republic seal as well as other decorations.
This Merry Weather is definitely a noble of some sort. A career soldier wouldn’t have bothered making the effort, Flurry pondered.
Oakheart paused and tapped his holo-brace. “Chief, do you read me?”
“Loud and clear, sir,” Flintlock’s voice buzzed from the brace. “Everything okay?”
“So far. We’re about to enter Merry Weather’s… sanctum,” he said with a hint of displeasure in his voice.
“I copy. Any trouble, just give two taps on the comms and we’ll be there.”
“Copy that, chief,” Oakheart replied.
“Good luck.”
Oakheart turned to Flurry, his expression hardening. “Remember to follow my lead in there, understood?”
“This is your show, captain,” she replied, flicking her tail impatiently. “Let’s get this done so we’re not wasting any more time.”
“Remember, I’ve stuck my neck out for you. Try and exceed my expectations by not making this whole situation blow up in our faces,” he warned.
“Captain, I am known for my measured response to situations,” she replied with a shrug.
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” he said, ignoring her sarcasm and straightening his uniform.
The door slid open, and she was confronted by a waft of air carrying a scent that reminded her of a brothel rather than a military office. Sweat, booze, and incense all mixed together in a pungent stench that made her want to gag.
As she and Oakheart stepped inside, they were confronted by more pegasi that lined each side of the room. Also present were Merry Weather’s little gang of lackeys, made obvious by their more ostentatious attire. Beside them stood more young blackwings, their heads lowered as they held trays of drinks and hors d’oeuvres out for the fat pigs to gorge themselves on. Flurry had seen enough of this in the Imperial Court of Caelum. It sickened her there, and it wasn’t doing her impression of them any favours here.
Flurry quickly scanned the crowd for Swan and was surprised to see she wasn’t here either. Oakheart had said that the mare was here with her master. As head of the aerie, it made sense she would have been here to confront a threat. So where was she?
This whole situation was getting on Flurry’s nerves. You would have thought that after swearing to kill a pony, Swan would have had the decency to show up when said pony came knocking on their door.
At the end of the room was the pony she assumed was Merry Weather, perched on his expensive cloud chair. The stallion was wearing a rich red coat with a high collar that strained against his bloated belly. He had a mop of thinning, greasy, blonde mane and plump cheeks. As they approached, he grinned like a seagull that had just eaten your ice cream at the beach.
“Ah, Captain Oakheart with the infamous Last Shadow in tow,” the stallion greeted, waving away the assortment of attractive mares at his hooves. “My dear, rumours of your beauty don’t do you justice.”
He licked his lips as his eyes slithered over every inch of her body. “Mmm yes, very nice indeed.” The stallion’s eyes glazed over slightly, his smile becoming dreamy.
Flurry glared at the pegasus, hoping the purulent blob would catch fire by sheer will alone. Her wings bristled at her sides as cold fury coursed through her veins. It took all her willpower to resist the urge to punch him through the bulkhead.
Merry blinked out of his stupor. “Where are my manners? Would you like some refreshments?”
With a flick of his wings, a stallion stepped forward with a tray resting on his back, bearing silver goblets loaded with a cherry-scented wine. Both Oak and Flurry shook their heads at the offering.
“Mr. Merry Weather—” Oakheart began.
“Lord Merry Weather,” he corrected. “Let us not forget ourselves, captain.”
Oakheart’s jaw clenched by a tiny, almost imperceptible amount. “Lord Merry Weather, I trust you are aware of the reasons for this meeting?”
Merry leaned back in his cloud. “Something about you requiring the use of my aerie and carrier for a rescue mission?”
“Yes, the Orion has encountered a hostile force en route here and requires assistance,” Oakheart said. “Time is critical, Lord Merry Weather, as there are hundreds of lives at risk aboard the Orion.”
“I fail to see why I should risk my precious ships on a matter that is, frankly, none of my business,” Merry Weather replied with disinterest. “I have been contracted to protect Harmony, not participate in operations outside the Avalon system. I apologise—my heart goes out to those poor souls, it really does, but I must think of the safety of my aerie.”
He tried to sound sympathetic, but the sarcasm in his voice was palpable. Flurry snorted and took a step forward, the movement enough to make several present recoil backwards.
How dare he dismiss Nyx’s plight like it was somepony else’s problem! If he wasn’t going to help willingly…
Flurry felt something block her foreleg and saw Oak’s own foreleg there. She looked to him incredulously but was met with a calm, wordless nod. The gentle pressure on her foreleg assured her of his feelings on the matter. As much as her emotions were screaming to intervene, she reminded herself that she was just an observer in all this. With resignation, she stepped backwards.
“My my, captain, I am impressed! It seems the wild alicorn can be tamed after all. You must tell me your secret!” Merry laughed.
“Lord Merry, this is no laughing matter,” Oakheart said, his voice carrying a harder tone. “I need your ships to conduct this mission, and you are going to give them to me. Under the Harmony Initiative, which your Emperor signed, you are obligated to provide aid when it is required.”
“Don’t take that tone with me, captain. I was only ordered to defend the Avalon system, and I will not disobey my Emperor,” Merry retorted before taking on a more pleasant tone. “Now, if there is a misunderstanding, you may contact my government and we can get this sorry mess straightened out.”
Oakheart remained silent. They both knew any response would be days in coming, Republic bureaucracy being what it was.
“Why don’t you ask your dirt—” Merry caught himself, to the mirth of those gathered. “Forgive me, your Alliance friends for help? I’m sure they can be of assistance.”
Merry’s voice dripped insincerity, his eyes glinting with delight. He had them both on a string and he was just waiting to reel them in.
“The Alliance won’t be providing any assistance,” Oakheart stated flatly.
“That is a pity, but expected. Your Alliance has never been the most forthcoming when offering aid,” Merry said, his eyes turning to Flurry. “Of course, I could offer my help… for a price.”
Flurry looked to Oakheart, waiting for silent permission to begin her version of diplomacy, but none came.
“Has the Republic fallen so far that you won’t aid other ponies without the promise of a reward?” Oakheart sighed.
“Honour is well and good, but there are realities we must face. You of all ponies know this, captain,” Merry replied matter-of-factly. “Pilots can be replaced, but my ships? I need guarantees.”
Flurry swallowed the bile that had risen in her throat, her tail flicking unconsciously. Merry was a typical noble alright, putting self-interest before the lives of his ponies.
“The Director has authorised me to offer some generous incentives for your help,” Oakheart assured. “Political as well as monetary.”
The thought of dangling rewards in front of this fool like a carrot turned Flurry’s stomach, but if it was necessary in order to save Nyx, any sacrifice would be worth it.
Merry scratched his chin and leaned forward. “Oh, I was thinking of something a little more substantial.” His gaze turned to Flurry as he licked his lips, pointing one of his wings. “I want her, Last Shadow, to become one of my blackwings.”
“This is a joke, right?” Flurry bristled. “If you think I’m going to—”
“Lord Merry Weather, I suggest you take this situation more seriously,” Oakheart interrupted, stepping between her and Merry.
“Oh, I am deadly serious, captain. She is an enemy of the Republic, and I have the opportunity to bring her to justice,” he said, flexing his wings as he climbed down from his cloud, which was about as graceful as watching a building collapse. “Her reckoning has been in arrears for far too long.”
His self-righteous bluster did not match the perverse elation in his eyes. He was clearly relishing the situation.
“You would risk my cousin’s life just to capture me?” Flurry growled, the obvious anger in her voice making Oakheart cast her a worried glance.
“Come now, Princess. You of all ponies must know that nothing in this world is free,” he grinned. “My reputation would be ruined if word got back that I consorted with an enemy of the Republic. This is my price.”
He trotted forward with a smirk, oblivious to the faint smell of ozone building in the air. As he neared Flurry, the smell of cheap cologne fogged her senses, nearly making her gag. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Don’t be concerned, my dear, I always treat my pets well, and you are the most exquisite specimen I have ever seen. By the time I’m finished with you, you’ll positively beg for it.”
Flurry’s pupils shrank to pinpricks, her wings flaring open as rage swept over her like a brush fire.
“Lord Merry Weather—” Oakheart warned, but it was too late.
Her horn aglow, she wrapped her telekinetic grip around his throat, lifting him bodily into the air and slamming him against the wall. Blackwings and cronies were swept aside and scattered in terror as Flurry approached, oblivious to Oakheart’s pleas. Whammy bobbed frantically in step with her, but it was to no avail.
Merry flailed in her grip, gasping for air as her grasp tightened around his throat.
“Let me give you a new deal, you pompous slug. You give us what we need, or I take away your breathing privileges,” Flurry snarled, her voice deepening as powerful magic surged through her.
“Ms. Flurry,” Oakheart called, his calm voice cutting through her anger.
“No,” she snapped. “We don’t have time to waste on this scum. He dies and this all gets solved,” Her gripped tightened on him, making his eyes bulge as he reached for the invisible tendrils squeezing the life from him.
To her surprise, through his gasps, Merry Weather managed a chuckle. “Oh were… it… so easy,” he gasped.
She eased off slightly. “You have some final words? Your turn to beg, for a change?”
He gasped as a sliver of air returned to his lungs. “You think I’d have blackwings in my service without insurance?” He managed a smile. “My carrier’s drive system has a startup code. Without it, it’s not going anywhere.”
“Then give it to me.”
“Hmm, no, I don’t think so,” he said between coughs. “If you don’t put me down this instant, I’ll activate the enchantments of every blackwing on the station. You won’t get very far with everypony bleeding to death, will you?”
He would do it, of that she was certain. The sadistic glee in his eyes removed any shred of doubt as to his intentions.
“Ms. Flurry, I understand you’re angry, but this isn’t going to help Captain Nyx,” Oakheart said softly, placing a hoof on her shoulder. “You gave me your word that you’d let me handle this. You want trust? Then trust me.”
Flurry looked to him for a moment, her emotions pulling her in multiple directions. The suspicious part of her was screaming at her to get out of there and cut her losses. Yet, if she backed out now, all the headway she’d made would be lost, and Nyx would be lost too.
She hissed out a breath and let her magic fizzle out, causing Merry to slump to the ground.
“So, you can be obedient with the right motivation,” Merry Weather chuckled, rubbing his throat. “This is going to be fun.”
She glowered at him, fighting the urge to stomp his head into paste. The judgemental weight of Whammy felt heavy on her shoulder, his impassive glare silently urging calm.
“I’m going to look for Swan Song,” she said quietly, taking a breath as she looked to Oakheart. “I’ll leave you to negotiate here.”
Oak let out a relieved sigh. “Very well.”
She looked down at Merry Weather, who was now being helped up by the mares of his little harem. Her anger cooled as she met their fearful eyes, revealing the desperation of one simply trying to get by from moment to moment.
“Aww, have you finished already?” Merry taunted. “And after such a spirited start.”
Once Nyx is safe, there is going to be a change in management around here, she swore silently to herself.
“Where is she?” Flurry asked, trying to keep her voice level.
“Oh, probably recovering from her punishment. She always has been such a delicate thing,” he grinned.
“What did you do?” Flurry hissed, anger creeping back into her voice.
“Oh, you’ll see.”
Her tail flicked dangerously, but she simply trotted towards the exit, quietly hoping one of Merry’s cretins would be stupid enough to try and stop her.
“Oh Flurry Heart,” Merry Weather called, making her bristle. “If you find my Swan, do be gentle with her. It would ruin the plans I have for us if you were to kill her.”
<=======ooO Ooo=======>
Flurry wandered directionless through the corridors of the pegasus habitation block.
Damn that stubborn mare for being so hard to find! Flurry didn’t have time to be wasting like this. Everypony she tried to ask had either bolted the moment she spoke or simply shunned her all together. Her mood was already shot after her encounter with that pudgy snake Merry Weather, and now, all this leg work wasn’t helping.
Whammy had chosen to sit still during her search. She really wasn’t in the mood for his preaching right now anyway, and besides, for once he didn’t have a leg to stand on.
That arrogant piece of shit, she seethed internally, the mere idea of surrendering herself to his attentions making her sick to her core.
Flurry checked the time on her holo-brace for what felt like the eighth time in as many minutes. She had been fruitlessly searching for only ten minutes, but every minute wasted was one she couldn’t use to help Nyx. She couldn’t afford to waste any more time.
Seeing no other direction to go, she followed the signs leading to the pilot locker rooms.
As she rounded a corner, she spotted another group of pegasi, this time in flight suits, gathered around a pony she recognised.
The stallion that accompanied Swan! What was his name?
From the looks of things, what he was telling them wasn’t good news. His expression was grim, a hard frown on his brow and his eyes saying that he’d rather be doing anything but this. Those gathered all had flattened their ears and a few had their wings drooped dejectedly down.
She would rather not wade into the group at a time like this, but she’d have to for any hope of finding Swan.
Okay, Flurry, happy face, she thought, putting on her best non-threatening smile.
“Ahem, excuse me, might I have a word?” she called, trotting forward.
The stallion’s head snapped up and his eyes narrowed. “You. You’ve got some nerve coming here, Last Shadow. Haven’t you done enough damage already?”
“What are you talking about? I barely touched you,” she retorted, ignoring the dirty looks from the gathered pilots. “I’m looking for Swan Song.”
He flared his wings, stomping forward. “As if I’d let you get anywhere near her. The only reason I don’t kick your sorry tail is that you’ve got the dirt ponies watching your back.”
“You tell her, Blitz!” a chocolate brown mare with a creamy mane added before facing Flurry herself. “Just leave her alone!” she added with attempted bravado, though her trembling wings made her hard to take seriously.
“Whoa whoa, back up,” Flurry said. “She was fine when she left Oakheart’s office.” She then winced. “Well, okay, not fine fine, but she wasn’t hurt. Has something happened?”
“Don’t pretend like you're concerned!” Blitz yelled, his companions glaring daggers at her.
Flurry eyed him carefully. Swan wasn’t hurt, so this was something else entirely. He was frustrated, as were the rest of them, and it wasn’t just because she was here.
“Listen, I have no idea what's going on, but I’m not here to hurt anypony,” she said, putting as much sincerity into her voice as she could. “I’m here because I need your help.”
He gave a bitter laugh. “You’ve done enough, Last Shadow. Just leave us alone.”
“Please, hear me out! You know about the crisis with the Orion, right? They are desperate for help, and I—I can’t help them by myself,” she admitted, her ears flattening. “Please, don’t let your hatred of me cost hundreds of innocent ponies their lives.”
Blitz hesitated before looking away. He paced for a moment then let out an exasperated groan, ruffling his mane. “Winds curse me, I… Fine! Say your piece.”
“Great,” she said, eager not to let this tiny nudge of headway slip by. “I need to speak with Swan. She’s the head of your aerie, right?”
“Was,” Blitz said.
“What?”
“She was the head of the aerie, but Lord Merry stripped her of her rank when she failed to take you down. He even ordered the aerie to turn its back on her,” he said with a snort.
Flurry blinked. Just what did Merry Weather expect when he sent only two ponies after her?
“I had a run-in with your lord, the pompous prick,” she muttered. “I assume you’re not going to follow his orders?”
Blitz smirked briefly. “I’ve never been good at taking orders. Swan is our leader; nopony is taking her from us.”
The others nodded in agreement.
“So will you take me to her?” Flurry asked. “What’s going on between us is going to jeopardize the rescue mission if we don’t deal with it right now. I’m just going to talk with her, I swear.”
Blitz eyed her carefully, his obvious mistrust weighing on his thoughts.
“Okay,” he sighed. “You’d best follow me, though. I can’t guarantee she’ll even see you.”
“Thank you,” Flurry replied softly.
“Hey,” he shrugged. “I don’t think we’d be enough to stop you even if we tried. At least this way, nopony gets hurt.”
His companions looked to him, and he gave them a nod. “I’ve got this. You three can get going.”
“No way, Blitz,” the chocolate brown mare said with a shake of her head. “We’re coming too.”
The other two nodded adamantly.
“You’ll get in trouble if his lordship finds out,” he warned.
“Like we care what that pig thinks!” one of the other ponies exclaimed. “Swan needs us now, and we’re not going to leave her alone with her.” She jabbed a hoof in Flurry’s direction.
I’m right here, you know, Flurry groused internally.
Blitz shook his head. “You idiots. Alright, let’s go.” He then looked to Flurry. “Follow me.”
They trotted briskly, heading away from the habitation block and deeper into the station.
“Aren’t we going to her quarters?” she asked with a frown.
“We are,” Blitz replied simply.
“Right…”
They led her further into the bowels of the hangars, filled with warehouses and storerooms. A few roughly painted signs adorning the walls hinted at signs of civilisation where none should be. A laundry line had been strung across the wide corridor between two entranceways, and the odour of cooking food hung in the air.
As they walked, Flurry’s ears caught the chatter of ponies coming from within the open doors of warehouses. It all hushed as they passed, the hatches closing behind them as they walked by.
Looking at the squalor that these poor ponies lived in only served to infuriate Flurry further.
That asshole couldn’t even be bothered to give them decent quarters? she thought. The list of painful things she was going to do to Merry grew by the second.
No pony said a word as they walked, though Flurry could hear the slight tremble in their breath with every step.
“Swan is fortunate to have such loyal ponies,” Flurry commented, growing tired of the silence. “I can tell she means a lot to you.”
Blitz eyed her suspiciously.
“What? I’m just making conversation,” Flurry said. “If I’m going to be flying with you, I’d like to at least know your aerie’s dynamic.”
“She’s… always been there for us. Especially the younger members of our aerie,” he replied with a sigh. “In case you haven’t noticed, our lord has certain tastes that make life hard for newcomers.”
Flurry let out a sad sigh. “How long have you known her?”
“We met at flight school,” he replied, wincing slightly. “A load of us newly branded fledglings were tossed out of our homes and into training. Despite carrying the weight of these wings, Swan stood up for us, encouraging us when nopony would.” He smiled despite himself. “That damned pride of hers, she never let anypony fall behind.”
His expression softened, his gaze becoming distant. Flurry’s practiced eye caught a few flickers of something else in those eyes—a warmth that told her this was more than mere respect for a friend.
As he noticed she was staring at him, his cheeks reddened and he looked away.
Flurry chose to remain silent on this little revelation as they neared their destination—a dreary looking door with what looked to be a hoof-drawn symbol of the Republic taped to it. A sad smile played on her muzzle as she looked at it. Even when they had nothing, they still wanted to show they were loyal soldiers of the Republic. Pegasus pride at its finest.
“Here we are,” Blitz said, swallowing.
“You take the lead and I’ll follow,” Flurry offered.
He gave her a nod before turning to his companions. “It’s best you wait here so we don’t crowd her.”
“Okay, Blitz. We’ll be here if you need us,” the chocolate-coloured mare said, giving Flurry the stink-eye.
“You won’t have any trouble from me,” Flurry said. “I swear by the Winds.”
The mare blinked, taken a bit aback. “R-right.”
The door slid open and Blitz gave his companions a solemn nod before stepping inside.
Flurry had to stoop as she followed, the ceiling not being quite tall enough for her increased stature. Inside were rows of collapsible bunk beds arrayed in a line. A set of hooflockers lay beside each, marked with its owner’s personal touches of stickers and scrawls. A pair of fluorescent lights hung from the ceiling, bathing the room in a harsh light. How anypony was expected to sleep in here was hard to imagine.
The air was humid, and the thick aroma of sweat and drying clothes hung in the air like a cloying fog. Given the state of her room back on the Dream, at least that was familiar. Still, Flurry would have expected something like this from a temporary billet, not a permanent posting.
Her ears perked as she heard sniffling from the far end of the room,
“Swan, it’s me,” Blitz called. “There’s somepony that needs to talk to you.”
There was a shift in a mass of blankets, then a face peered up from the furthest bunk. Swan Song looked terrible, her coat and mane a sodden mess and her eyes puffy and moist. A fresh bruise had blossomed on her face, and others dotted her body. To see that fiery pegasus brought so low hit Flurry harder than she expected.
Swan’s eyes widened, but her movements were slow and listless. “What’s she doing here, Blitz?” There was a tiny spark of anger in her voice, but it was the only sign of emotion from the pegasus.
Blitz went to speak, but Flurry held out a forehoof, shaking her head.
“I made him bring me here,” Flurry said. “You and I need to talk.”
“Have you come just to rub it in my face? See the uppity blackwing be put in her place?” Swan growled. “Well, you got what you wanted.”
Flurry took a few tentative steps towards her. “I never intended to hurt anypony.”
“Don’t give me that shit!” Swan hissed, moving to meet her on shaky legs. “This is what you do, Last Shadow. You hurt ponies everywhere you go. That’s all you’re capable of.”
Flurry felt her temper flare up. “Enough with this Last Shadow crap! That was a long time ago. The war’s over!”
“Not for me! Not for the families of all those pegasi you butchered,” Swan spat.
“The only pegasi I killed were trying to do the same to me! Do you think I’m proud of that? You think I enjoyed it?” Flurry retorted. “It was war. Ponies died all the time, no matter what we did to try and stop it.”
“Like you cared!” Swan yelled. “Don’t try and hide what you did behind some noble sentiment. You’re a murderer, plain and simple. I saw it in your eyes in Oakheart’s office!”
“Hey, you attacked me,” Flurry spat, jabbing a hoof at her. “All to get your precious honour back. That’s all you pegasi care about! Your damned honour!”
“It’s all I have left!” Swan retorted. “Not that you would know anything about that! Betrayal is second nature to you.”
Swan’s words cut deeper than Flurry would have liked. She felt her anger begin to rise.
“Don’t presume to lecture me, kid. You, a mere child whose only experience of war is watching it on holovids. You’ve no right to sit there and judge me when you weren’t there,” Flurry growled. “Is that what this is about? You lost somepony in the war and you want to blame me for it?”
Swan seemed to deflate, sinking to her haunches. She looked down, her whole body trembling with emotion.
“You ruined my life!” Swan cried. “You took everything from me! Because of you, my family’s reputation was ruined. Because of you, we’ve all had to suffer… because of you…”
The mare wiped tears out of her eyes, a ragged sob escaping her lips.
Flurry was silent, her mind racing to think of anything, any event where she might have caused a family to be shamed. Dying in combat against one of the Emperor’s greatest foes was considered the highest honour a pegasus could aspire to. She had lost count of the number of pegasi that challenged her to single combat during the war.
“What happened, Swan? Help me understand,” she said finally. At Swan’s obvious reluctance, she pressed. “Please.”
Swan Song wiped her eyes, fighting the tremors of emotion sweeping her. It took a moment, but the mare gradually brought herself under control.
“The Song family have always been soldiers of the Republic. We can trace our roots all the way back to its formation,” Swan began. “So when my brother Star Song enlisted, we were all so proud, especially my father.”
She looked away. “Then the war broke out. He went to Mulberry and never came back. You… you killed him there”.
Flurry’s ears flattened as the mare recounted her tale.
“My father was devastated. He changed before our eyes and then he…” her expression darkened. “He betrayed our Emperor! He betrayed us all, and my family was judged for it. Disgraced! Cast down and forced to…”
Her whole body shuddered, and she rubbed a fetlock unconsciously.
Warsong. Now Flurry remembered why Swan’s name felt so familiar. This stallion had dared to stage a coup against Emperor Stratos in protest over the war. The aftermath had swept through the Republic like a brushfire, dragging in hundreds of families that had shown the slightest hint of lack of commitment to the war.
“Your father was a brave pony,” Flurry said thoughtfully. “It takes someone special to take a stand against everything they believed in for what they think is right.”
“Don’t talk to me like you understand! You were favoured by his Highness, given honour, titles, and then you turned on us!” Swan hissed. “Just like he did!”
”Are we talking about me or him?” Flurry pressed.
“He was a traitor! It’s all his fault! It’s…” Swan brought a hoof to her muzzle, tears running freely down her cheeks. “Oh, Winds I…”
Her head slumped, a tiny sob escaping her lips.
Flurry reached out with a hoof and gently rested it on Swan’s shoulder. The mare shied away from the contact, perhaps mostly out of reflex. Her eyes held so much fear. It looked alien on the proud pegasus.
“It’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you,” Flurry said softly, gently pulling her into an embrace. Swan resisted at first, but Flurry moved slowly and gently, like a mother with a frightened child. “I’m sorry, kid. I’m sorry that my coming here has caused you so much pain.”
She gently stroked the mare’s back as quiet sobs wracked her.
“I would give my life a thousand times over if it would bring all those lost ponies back,” Flurry sighed. “I tried so hard to fix what had been broken, but the damage is done. Now I have to live with the consequences.”
She gently released Swan and backed away. “I promise you, Swan. Whether you decide to help me or not, I’m going to help you and your aerie any way I can.”
“How do I know I can trust you? That you’re not just making promises because you need us,” Swan asked.
“Nothing I say can make you trust me. I only ask that you let my actions prove my sincerity,” she replied. “So, will you fly by my side?”
“I can’t,” Swan said, lowering her head. “He’s taken my aerie away from me. They won’t follow me. I’m a coward.” She swallowed bitterly. “It runs in my family.”
“What are you, a plucked chicken or a pegasus?” Flurry challenged. “Since when do you let yourself be told who you are by someone with his head stuck up his ass? They’re your aerie. Your family. Are you going to just give up on them because he tells you to?”
“But…”
“Stop looking at the floor. A pegasus should always be looking to the sky,” she said. “There are members of your aerie outside right now worried about you. Do you think they care what he says you are?”
“I…” Swan stammered. “You don’t know what he’s like. My resolve to fight this is so much less than it was.”
“Listen, don’t let Merry or those black wings define who you are,” she said. “You came to face me with nothing but your will to win. That takes guts, or stupidity, but it’s my kind of stupidity.”
Flurry rose to her hooves, an idea forming in her mind. She couldn’t just leave things as they were. She had made a promise to this pegasus, and she intended to keep it. It wasn’t just because she needed them, but because here, she had a chance to fix some of the damage she had caused. Maybe after this, she could let Last Shadow finally rest, if only on Harmony. All she had to do was give up her freedom for a little while.
That thought alone made her hesitate. Her freedom was one of the few things she still had to her name. Being caged at the whims of a perverse toad was not what she would call appealing. Yet, she could feel her confidence growing inside her.
Merry Weather might hold all the cards regarding the Orion, but Flurry could use that to her advantage if she played on his hubris. She was certain she could break the blackwing enchantment—after all, she was an alicorn. She only needed to play along until everything was settled. After that, she and Merry would be having a long and painful chat.
Flurry grinned maliciously as she thought of the shock on Merry’s face once he realised her enchantment was gone. Maybe a little accident with an airlock might be in order?
One thing at a time, Flurry, she mentally chided herself.
Flurry regarded Swan, feeling her resolve growing as she gazed at the poor broken mare before her.
She could do this.
“Just think about it,” she said. “You are more than you think you are. It’s in your blood.” She smiled softly before trotting towards the exit.
“Where are you going?” Swan called.
Flurry looked backwards. “Oh, off to do something incredibly stupid.” At Swan’s confused expression, she winked. “I’ll see you on the flight line.”
She trotted past Blitz, who smirked and shook his head at her before heading outside where the others were waiting. “She’s ready to see you now,” Flurry said as she passed by, a satisfied smile growing on her face as the others rushed inside.
She looked to the plushie on her shoulder. “What do you say, Whammy? Ready to do something crazy?”
His antennae jiggled slightly with the motion of her trot. “My, you’re awfully positive all of a sudden. A good feeling? This is a first.”
Clearing her mind, she readied her teleportation spell. The image of her destination formed in her mind, and with a spark of power, she reached out.
<=======ooO Ooo=======>
Flurry reappeared back in Merry Weather’s hovel with a pop and a waft of displaced air. There were a few panicked gasps as she straightened herself.
Oakheart simply stared at her, an eyebrow raised. She wondered just what it would take to surprise this pony.
“Ah, Last Shadow,” Merry Weather said, trying to conceal his surprise. “Such an extravagant entrance!”
“Have you made any headway?” she asked Oak, pointedly ignoring the pegasus.
“The captain has made an interesting proposal, but as much as I’d love a position within the Imperial Court, I have my eyes on a much more valuable prize,” Merry grinned. “I assume you’ve considered my offer, yes?”
“I have.”
Flurry tried to ignore Oakheart’s worried expression as she pondered her options.
She felt herself hesitating, her mind searching for any other options but finding none. She wanted to just punch the smug stallion’s head off, but she knew that any satisfaction to be had from it would be temporary and wouldn’t help her situation. If she was going to help Nyx and her crew, she was just going to have to swallow her pride.
“I’ll do it. I’ll become your little slave in exchange for using your ship to rescue the Orion,” she declared. “But, I have conditions.”
Merry’s eyes widened with joy. “Marvelous! Please do go on.”
“Let’s talk about Lieutenant Swan Song…”
As she spoke, she spared a few glances to Oakheart. His eyes had widened, and a look of genuine shock had crossed his features.
So, I can surprise him after all.
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Merry is awful as always, and things are looking up for a Flurry/Swan team. That cliffhanger though
This is just asking for things to go horribly wrong.
In any case, I'm guessing that Merry will rely on indirect threats rather than the blackwing enchantment itself to keep Flurry in line. Something like threatening to maim/kill the other blackwings under his command if Flurry steps out of line could be an option, so not only does Flurry need to break her own enchantment (potentially a trivial matter), but she'll need to either disable Merry's control enchantment or otherwise render the other blackwings' enchantments inert.
I wonder how she intends on ensuring her conditions are followed, too. I wouldn't put it past Merry to try to ignore them, especially if he thinks that Flurry is fully under his control.
10226254
Don't forget Merry's obligation to follow the Emperor's orders. He may be corrupt and pompous, but he is not rogue. He brought this up when Oak was trying to convince him to help with the Orion, that he was only ordered to protect the Avalon system, where Harmony station is located.
Were this a RPG , I would have killed Merry at that point.
Not when he tried to push her , mind , but in a surprise assassination. He might have such an enchantment , but he doesn't strike me as the type to have a kill switch.
At this point , I think I have an irrational hatred of that kind of character... which is good I guess , because this type of slimeball is made to be hated
(Actually, from what we have seen so far , this story would make for an interesting roleplaying setting ...well , mostly if you play alicorn , because you can throw you weight around )
10226335
I'd love to make an rpg system for Harmony. Let players loose on our universe to have fun in.
Twitchtwitch
The only acceptable response to... Guh.. Merry Weather.
10226335
Oh... I don't know. I've found the private security enterprise to be quite... Financially solvent. Not to mention bein' able to throw a Heavy Carrier's compliment of weaponry around rather liberally.
Awww Flurry, your mother would be proud.
And now you’ve made your Auntie Twilight proud
And now your father would be proud.
I know I may be grasping at straws here but I really do see Flurry learning these lessons and skills from her family. Empathy, insight, leadership I can see them all in this chapter and I’m loving it
Shits about to go down, I’m just hoping flurry doesn’t get stuck under Merry’s control, that would be a real downer for the series.
Anyone here besides me feeling the urge to blast Merry out of the nearest macro-cannon?
I'm guessing Flurry is going to attempt to defuse the "detonator" as opposed to the "bombs" to every blackwing. A risky move but one that's certainly going to fix a lot of things if it works.
Narcissistic to the extreme, but it's likely that Flurry will be taking the blame for the deaths of a large number of ponies and rendering a vital part of Harmony's security force useless. Something the Director (even if its Twilight) cannot ignore.
I guess it's the bombs that are keeping the Aerie from throwing Merry out of the airlock. At least until Flurry defuses them. Then it's angry mob justice. Flurry might not win the love of the Republic, but winning this Aerie is a large step in the right direction.
A stupid crazy plan and a hopeful plush toy? Things are really looking up.
10226288
Considering all the things offered to him, it looks like Merry's in the legal and political right as well. He has no obligation to assist. Nor can he conscripted to do so. Might present a problem when he's finally deposed. It'll be known that the aerie assisted Flurry recently. And depending on the Emperor's mood on Merry, the aerie might be branded traitors. Maybe just on helping Last Shadow alone. They might have to reconsider their loyalty to the Emperor.
10226682
No. That would not be nearly painful enough for this monster.
10226843
Thing is, it's a binding agreement if Flurry makes the deal with Merry. If he was to take Flurry's offer and not come through with his end of the bargain, that would be politically disastrous.
Merry might not be under any default obligation to do all of the things Oak asks for his help on, but if he makes additional deals, he'd still be bound by them.
10226288
I guess it might depend on how narrowly tailored the Emperor's orders were. If they are as narrowly focused as Merry implies it could be interesting if Harmony Station were to be attacked while Merry was helping with the rescue mission.
10227416
Very true. Though the tone of Merry's reminder about his orders would seem to indicate that he may be using it merely to obfuscate matters, burying them within the bureaucracy long enough that the crisis would pass before he'd have to make any efforts to help at all. Such is the problem with their arrangement specifically and bureaucracy in general.
10227377
Merry seems like the person to go over every detail of a deal. He ultimately wants Flurry in chains but wouldn't want to end up in a position he doesn't want to be in. There's no real reason to not honor things on his end. Unless he's really that stupid and greedy. It looks like he has control of the negotiations anyway. He can always decline if there's serious problems.
From the way the plan looks, it seems like Flurry is going to backstab Merry and never honor whatever agreement they would have made anyway.
10227427
Yeah, I doubt he was that worried about disobeying the Emperor's orders; after all, he appears to be willing to take on the rescue mission despite said orders with sufficient motivation. I'd imagine the Director would have strong words for the Emperor once all is said and done.
10227477
It's going to depend a lot on what Flurry's conditions are and how confident he is in his control over her. He's probably well aware that Flurry would like nothing more than to depose him one way or another, and while I think we all would like to see him get his comeuppance I'd be very surprised if he didn't have a plan to make sure Flurry can't touch him. And if he's confident enough in said plan, then he might consider breaking his agreement with Flurry if only to try to break her psychologically or otherwise.
YES, PLEASE.
10226682
Not good enough.
Understatement of the...well, ever, really--never at anytime in the history of the universe has a statement been more understated than right now, Oakheart.
I mean, I get it, you're the diplomat here and it's your job to be diplomatic, you're probably right in the long run to be taking that approach and encouraging everyone else to follow that lead...
...but c'mon. You'd be doing literally everybody ever a favor just letting Flurry have her way with this guy. He's basically demanding for it at this point. I mean, he has demanded that Flurry Heart become basically his slave before agreeing to any terms--that pretty much translates to "I want to be obliterated by this alicorn personally in the most painful way imagined."
And you're going to die before this story's over--I wasn't born yesterday, I can see the set up for that outcome coming from a mile away. It may not be right here, right now...but it'll happen.
That's okay. It's not Swan whose life is in horrific danger at the moment.
See, we're thinking on the same page here, you and me, Flurry.
I just hope she's right, and she can break the blackwing enchantment. I mean, the odds do seem to be in her favor, but this isn't going to be any ordinary enchantment either. I hope she at least arranges to wait to have the enchantments placed until after the rescue mission is over. That way, she won't have that weighing her down when Merry finally gets his...comeuppance.
10228649
I dunno...I'm not sure if an airlock accident is good enough for me...
10230589
You're right; it's not. I say we stuff Ceti Eels in his ears and then tell him to throw himself out the airlock.
And on the off-chance you don't know what those are, look up Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and you'll get the idea.
10230643
Dude. Talkin' to a Trekkie here.
Also, I approve of this plan. Bring in the Ceti Eels!
Came across this name in one of Penstrokes blogs and figured I'd give it a shot and I'm not disappointed. Although, I think everyone is going a bit too easy on that sack of flesh called Merry Weather. Instead of an airlock or something similar, I think Flurry should fight him to the pain. Death would be too lenient for him. Let him live with the disfiguration and dishonor that would bring.
Also, with regards to the so called Houndrathi, do I detect a Wing Commander reference there? If so, then very well played. Looking forward to more. Especially the moment of the
schadenfreude payoff coming for Merry as it can't come soon enough.
10232924
Glad you're enjoying it!
I have to say, you're good at writing a bad guy that's really easy to hate. A fat, spoiled, greed driven "noble". Easy to kill, but just slippery enough to have a way out. I actually had to remind myself that this is just a story at one point.
Someone mentioned Death would be too good for him, and while I don't disagree, I think it would be equally satisfying for it to be quick, painless, and above all, hardly a passing thought put into it. Just a quick magical snap of the neck with "would you please just shut up?"
Damn, it's been ages since I hated any character, in movie, book, game or fanfic, as much as THIS guy.
10303998
I know, I love a good hateable villain.
Fighting against the evil Voldemorts and Palpatines gets the blood pumping, but if an author or director pulls off a good revenge on the Umbridges and Merry Weathers of their story, then that's one of the best forms of smug, dark satisfaction you can feel.
I love to hate this guy, but since this is my first time reading, I really hope he gets his face pounded in in a satsfying way, cuz it's very easy to do it too quickly or have the hero show mercy or something else that sours the victory over the truly despicable.