The Chronicles of Dark Star: A Blade of Redemption

by D4ftP0ny

Chapter 3

The western sky was alight with the fires of evening before Dark Star could bring himself to stop walking. The black stallion cast his green eyes skyward as he slowed to a stop on the well-traveled roadway, and with a sigh he tossed his hood back. I guess I’d best make camp, he thought. There wasn’t a town or home in sight… and if Dark Star was honest with himself, he didn’t think he wanted to be around any other ponies tonight, anyway.

With a glance up and down the road to make sure no other ponies saw him, he turned and headed off into the brush and trees that surrounded him, leaving the link to civilization behind him for the time being and forging off into the world he had come to know so well.

The woods around this part of the road weren’t particularly dense, at least not compared to where he’d built his hut far to the south; it was, as his had been, a deciduous forest, full of elms, oaks and maples, and it was easy enough for the unicorn to find a clearing several hundred yards away from the road that suited him perfectly. His horn lit up, unclasping his cloak; it floated away from him and slung itself over a low-hanging branch, allowing the cool evening breeze to touch his coat. Dark shivered involuntarily at the caress, enjoying the refreshing feeling as the thin sheen of sweat that had gathered along his shoulders and flanks was whisked away by the gentle wind; it was a wonderful feeling, and he felt himself begin to relax for the first time that entire day… but with a sigh he shook his head. There’s still plenty to do before you settle down for the night, he reminded himself.

He had set up many camps since leaving civilization behind almost a year ago, so the entire process was almost second-nature to the stallion, and he fell gladly into the comfortable routine. First there was the matter of shelter, and for a unicorn in a forest full of trees that was a very simple matter. Dark Star paced the clearing, his eyes searching the surrounding trees; his horn began to glow, and as he gazed about the forest, he began to collect branches. Four were stout branches, a little less than his shoulder-height in length, with good, solid Y-shaped notches at the top- he piled those next to him as his magic danced from tree to tree, searching and seeking.

The next branch he found was long, solid, and easily twice his length; his horn flashed, and a blade of magic sliced the branch from the large elm, allowing it to float towards him in his telekinetic grip. He smiled ever so slightly as he began working subtle waves of magic up and down the branch, sheering off any smaller twigs and any loose bark that may fall on him during the night, smoothing it expertly until it was free of any deformities. He maneuvered it to his other side and set it down.

The last step was easy, and one that Dark found himself becoming pickier and pickier about the more times he did it. With a critical eye he began searching the trees again, his magic still glowing brightly as he sought just the right branches. Finally, after almost five minutes he cut the first one, the most difficult, because once that was cut, the rest would be easier to find since that first determined the length he needed, and became, in essence, a “measuring stick”. He sliced and sliced and sliced, making a stack of broad, leafy branches behind him- all long and light and full of leaves. Finally, when he had about a dozen or so of those, he nodded to himself and set about constructing his camp.

He walked to the foot of the largest tree in the forest and used his magic to clear a large space out of it- a circle easily twelve feet in diameter free of the detritus and debris that a forest put down onto the ground; leaves, branches, the occasional bird feather, everything was pushed out to reveal the earth beneath. Into the side of this circle closest to the tree went the four Y-shaped branches; his magic drove them firmly into the ground, two together about eight feet apart from the other pair, leaning towards one another so that they Y at their tops overlapped. From behind him floated the larger branch, which nestled into these Y-shaped notches so perfectly that Dark Star had to wonder if these had been grown specifically for such a purpose. He released his magic and tested them by hoof, wiggling the supports and pressing his weight down onto the cross beam; after a few gentle bounces, he nodded. Not too bad at all.

His horn lit up again, and the smaller branches began to drape themselves along the side nearest the tree, their bare tips pointing to the sky with the leaves pointing down to the ground to create a makeshift roof. He draped several layers of these branches over one another, ensuring that he had a decent covering- it didn’t look like rain tonight, but Dark had learned that in forests like this Pegasi did not control the weather, and anything could happen. The angle of the branches gave Dark ample room beneath it to curl up and stay dry, if it came to it, and with a nod of satisfaction he turned to the next item on his list- food.

Dark was not afraid to admit that he had spent the better part of two weeks very hungry when he had first set out into the wilderness; making a shelter was easy, as was making fire for the unicorn… but finding plants to boil and eat, plants that were safe and would not make him sick to his stomach? That part was harder. Sure, he could identify strawberries and other kinds of wild fruit like that… but leeks? Wild onion? Tubers? Even the various herbs that could be eaten had eluded his knowledge, and he had spent days cursing his lack of enthusiasm for studying such things when he was younger.

However, hunger will drive a stallion to eat just about anything, and over the course of the third week he had started experimenting. He had spent every day searching the forest, sniffing, tasting, packing and cooking everything and anything he could find, and eventually, he had found enough to fill his stomach. He knew what the dangerous plants were- for instance, he knew nightshade on sight, as well as the aptly-named deathberries and the toxic foxglove- so he managed to avoid becoming sick… but it still took a good number of weeks before he had a steady supply of food.

Now, it was merely a matter of the last hour or so of daylight for Dark Star to find something that he could eat. He used a simple dousing spell to find the nearest source of water, which thankfully was a running stream not far away. Nearby on some high rocks he found an ample source of a plant he’d heard referred to as miner’s lettuce, a plant that he’d depended on greatly before and had served him well. He gathered a substantial amount in his magic and after taking a long drink from the stream, he proceeded back to camp, munching on his find and levitating a dozen medium-sized river rocks with him. The plants were crisp and delicious but left quite a bit to be desired on the palate, and with a sigh Dark reflected that with spring beginning to wear on, more and more plants would be available for him to find. That’ll be nice; it’s easy to get tired of watercress and miner’s lettuce.

Finally, as the sun began to sink below the horizon and darkness began to settle in on the world, Dark Star placed the river rocks into a circle near the front of his shelter, gathered branches and logs from the ground around him and lit a small fire, casting a small, wavering light into the dark forest around him.

Dark folded his cloak by hoof and set it onto the ground beneath his makeshift lean-to, seating himself comfortably upon it as he finished eating the miner’s lettuce he had left over, his eyes sweeping the glade around him as he slowly began to settle in for the night. What a day… He allowed himself a deep sigh as he turned his gaze to the sky above, just visible through the outstretched fingers of the trees that rose high about him; it was a deep blue, now, ever so slowly fading towards the blackness of night. As he watched, the sky darkened above him, and gradually stars emerged, shining like pinpricks in the veil of the night. He gazed up at them, and a small smile touched his lips; the night sky never failed to make him think of Luna, and on clear nights like tonight it was almost as if she were in the forest with him. His memories stirred, and in them he saw her eyes, those luminous sea-green pools that had captured his heart…

…and unbidden, a single thought burst across his mind, like a shout ringing through a silent room:

What would Luna think about what you did today?

He was silent for a long moment as the words ricocheted around his mind… and finally he sighed in vexation, shifting where he sat. The prospect of what the mare he loved might say about his exploits earlier in the day made him uncomfortable... and more than a little unhappy.

And why is that, Dark? The voice in the back of his head whispered. You seemed to think that your flight and the words you spat at Belle Pepper were perfectly justified at the time.

The stallion stared into the flames of his small fire. This voice was different than the one that had argued with him aloud almost a year ago in his dreams; this was not the voice of a disembodied Brightsteel, chiding him for making foalish decisions. No; this was a voice that was very much his own, and one that he was still having a hard time dealing with- his conscience.

What I said to that filly was for her own good, he told himself. She couldn’t be allowed to think of me as some kind of… hero.

Then why act like it? The voice persisted. You acted like a hero, and she tried to treat you like one. She only did what felt right, and you attacked her for it. What would Luna say about that, Dark Star..?

Dark Star sighed angrily and rose to his hooves, stepping around his fire and into the glade as his thoughts became more and more bothersome. I don’t know what she would say, he thought. I don’t know.

Oh, such a bad liar you’ve become, Dark Star, that irritating voice chirped. You can’t even lie to yourself anymore. You know EXACTLY what she would say to you.

The unicorn’s horn lit up with a gentle magical aura, and his sword slid from the sheath at his side to hover before him in the air, its blade shimmering in the firelight. He gave it a few sharp swings before instinctively settling his body into a guard stance. He hesitated for a moment, then lashed out with the long, thin blade, stabbing the air with expert precision and control, the sword never hovering farther away from him than he wanted. The blade danced back to him, floating with the hilt low to his left, the thin blade slanting across his chest defensively. He shifted his hooves lightly, sliding to the left as his sword lashed out in a tight, sharp arc, singing through the air as his magic propelled it forward and across. He stepped back, the blade flicking up and away, a move meant to gain some distance between himself and an opponent; as quick as lightning his blade returned to him, hovering mere inches from his chest as he settled his hooves again firmly to the ground.

Slowly, he allowed his body and mind to fall into the familiar rhythm of his sword techniques, trying to rid himself of the nagging voice in his mind; and for a while, it worked… but even through the comfortable flowing routine of the art of the sword, the voice returned, refusing to leave his mind at peace.

You know what Luna would say? The voice asked again, and Dark Star could have sworn it sounded nonchalant. She would be so happy to hear that you helped that family… and then confused as to why you rejected their praise so emphatically.

The blade slashed through the air, its edge slicing so quickly that it whistled and sang as Dark’s magic manipulated it back and forth, his eyes unseeing as he found his focus turned inward. I did what I had to do, he insisted. Those ponies didn’t know what they were doing… who they were celebrating.

No, they didn’t. They don’t know who you used to be, Dark, or what you’ve done- they saw a stallion who risked his life to save others, and tried to celebrate him. Is that so bad?

Dark found his jaw clenching as he spun, the blade flashing through the night to slice low behind him, where an opponent’s knees would have been. It is if that somepony is me, he thought.

Are you saying you don’t deserve to be praised as a hero?

That’s exactly what I’m saying!

The sword sang through the air in a complex pattern, one of Dark Star’s personal favorites; it was designed to force his opponent to maneuver their blade to the extremes of their abilities, stretching their defenses to the limit as he probed and tried to discover a weak spot.

Then are you going to stop helping ponies?

The thought caused Dark’s sword to wobble slightly as he wove the pattern in the air, and he frowned. …No, I’m not, he thought slowly. This is why I decided to come out of the forest in the first place- to help others and atone for what I’ve done.

Then you know good and well that what happened in Withersville is going to happen again. You can’t go about acting like a hero and expect ponies to just ignore you.

The blade began to move faster now as Dark felt his anger rise, his hooves stepping lightly from one position to the next as his magic flared, sending the sword slicing through the night as if he was trying to cut the darkness itself. They SHOULD ignore me, he thought brusquely. I don’t want to be lauded as a hero, or congratulated, or anything- I just want to help and move on.

But you KNOW that won’t happen, now. Everywhere you go, they will try to thank you, try to shower you with praise, most likely try to throw you a party at every turn-,

No.

-and quite possibly try to give you a medal. Wouldn’t that be nice, Dark? A medal for helping some poor family…

Shut up. The blade flew faster and faster in the night as Dark’s ire grew.

A banquet wouldn’t be out of the question, either- a nice banquet, with you as the guest of honor, resplendent at the head of the table, nodding graciously to the ponies of the town…

“NO!” he barked out loud, and with a snarl he spun again on his hooves, the blade slashing away from him… and there was a loud schlock sound as the whirling blade sliced through the trunk of a nearby tree. The tree shook from roots to boughs, sending a shower of leaves down into the glade as ever so slowly it shifted, sliding along the gently sloping slash before it serenely toppled to the floor of the forest with a muffled crash. The unicorn watched it in surprise, his sword hovering near him as his breath came in slightly ragged draws, his jaw still clenched as the buzzing of his anger began to fade in his ears.

As the roar of his own blood began to fade, the voice returned… and this time it was almost somepony else’s voice, a voice that he longed to hear more than any other in the world: Luna’s. It sounded so much like her that he almost turned to make sure she was not standing in the glade behind him.

So does that mean you’ll stop helping? The voice asked. Does that mean that this is the end of your journey, Dark Star?

The thought gave him pause, his blade floating lower next to him as he stared at the fallen tree. The end…? He thought. But… I just started.

Well, if you don’t want them praising you as a hero, the only way to avoid it is to stop being a hero, Dark, the voice reasoned. And that’s what makes you mad; because you know very well that if you continue to help others in this fashion, other ponies are going to want to thank you. But you don’t want that… and yet you still want to help others. It sounds to me like we’re going to have to come to some kind of a decision.

The black unicorn stared at the tree, his eyes tracing the trunk from the outstretched branches at the top, down the rough, broken patterns of the bark all the way down to where the trunk had been severed; his little bit of forestry knowledge told him that this was not an old tree by any means, with its trunk a little less than two feet across. A tree that would have lived another fifty years, another hundred years in peace if he hadn’t come along to destroy it in a fit of rage.

He gazed quietly at the stump, the clean slice in the wood that severed the rest of the tree from it starting to ooze clear sap in the firelight.

Is that going to be your legacy, Dark Star? The voice asked quietly from the back of his mind. Leaving destruction wherever you go? Despair, hopelessness and violence spread in your wake? That’s how you want to be treated, after all; like a villain.

The shining silver sword rose to hover before his eyes, and his green eyes roved its clean lines, the perfect, blazing silver of the guard and the blue sapphire that made the insignia that had once been his cutie mark. This sword had been his constant companion; the one thing he could always rely on… but it was also a weapon, something made specifically to bring about war and death. He glanced past the blade to the tree, now dying as it lay severed from its roots. It was a weapon… was he any different?

Is that going to be your legacy, Dark Star of Everfree?

Several leaves floated down around him as a gentle wind stirred the canopy above.

Because you know for a fact that Luna believes you can be so much more; so much more than a weapon, so much more than the sword you wield. But you have to believe it, Dark Star.

He watched his own reflection in the mirror-polished guard of the sword- his long black mane, his piercing green eyes… a different pony than he had been a thousand years ago, and even a different pony than he had been as little as a year ago.

Then, with a sigh, he sheathed the blade at his side and turned to the tree. His horn ignited, blazing a brilliant royal blue in the night; the severed tree glowed with a midnight-blue aura and slowly lifted off the ground, rising gracefully into the air to settle back along its stump. Dark closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing his magic on the huge slice that bisected the tree. Ever so slowly, the slice began to glow brighter and brighter, flaring with his blue magic as it ever so slowly, from right to left, began to heal itself. The wood fibers reached out to one another, interlacing as they had been before the intrusion of the blade; a shuffling sound reached Dark’s ears as the wood reacted to his magic, knitting together like Morninglight knit bones. Finally, the bark that had been slashed through on the outside of the tree healed like a zipper, slowly closing around the tree until the entire plant stood tall and firm once more, with little more than a few broken branches on its side to show that it had been through anything untoward.

“I am not just a weapon,” he said softly to the tree. “I can do much more for this world than destroy… but doing so will mean that ponies will think they know me, think that they owe me thanks… when the truth is…” He shook his head and smiled up at the stars. “…that I should be thanking them.”

Luna, please be with me, he thought as he gazed towards the heavens. Let your gentle spirit guide me on this path. He closed his eyes as a cool night breeze touched his face. Be with me, my love.

He turned back to his camp, and as he approached it the weariness from the events in Withersville coupled with the entire day of walking suddenly caught up to him; his legs grew heavy even as he walked, and he suddenly felt as though he could not keep his eyes open for one more moment. His horn glowed as he approached the fire, and his sword belt unbuckled, hovering before him to lean against the corner of his small shelter. He sat down onto his folded cloak with a sigh, stretching his muscles for a long moment before lying out next to the fire. I suppose the only thing to do the next time I help somepony is to make sure I vanish before they can tell anypony else about it, he thought as he closed his eyes. It’s the best way… the only way…

The fire next to him slowly but surely died out, leaving the black unicorn to sleep; and sleep he did, a deep, peaceful sleep that he found so rarely in his past… a sleep so deep that he did not so much as stir when a ghostly vision of a dark blue mare with a shimmering ethereal mane flickered to life near him. The mare smiled; not a happy smile, to be sure- instead, it was the sad, melancholy smile of separated lovers, and after a moment the mirage lowered her head and gently placed a kiss on Dark Star’s cheek. Her form wavered, flickered once, and then was gone as the night breezes carried her away into the cloudless sky.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Dark Star did not awake with the dawn the next day; in fact, it was mid-morning before he stirred, with the sun already half-way to its zenith. The rays slanting down into the trees set golden pools of light dancing about the forest floor as a gentle wind stirred the leaves above, every so often sending one particular beam sliding across Dark Star’s shelter. The black unicorn shifted on his cloak before stretching and letting out a satisfied groan.

“By the Ancient Alicorns…” he muttered, moving his neck from side to side in an attempt to loosen his muscles. “It feels like I slept for another thousand years…” He rolled his shoulders, feeling the muscles there begin to limber up as he stood; with a violent shaking motion he tossed his mane and tail, dislodging a few leaves that had blown there in the night. Dark blinked, trying to clear his eyes as he gazed around the glade. It took him a moment to realize that the rays of sunlight lancing in through the canopy weren’t of the early-morning variety, and he felt a little surprised at himself for sleeping to such a late hour. Normally, if the sun is up, so am I… and even when it’s not, I usually am. He shifted from hoof to hoof, slowly warming his muscles up from the night’s sleep. And a good night’s sleep it was, he reflected, something that surprised him almost as much as the length of time he’d slept. Dark Star was used to having a less than satisfactory sleep; after all, one does not do the things that Dark Star had done without having a few nightmares.

But last night had been blissfully silent; there had been no nightmares, no visions of the past, good or ill- only warm, embracing darkness and the feeling of being safe, as if…

The unicorn chuckled ever so slightly. No, that’s ridiculous, Dark. Don’t be a foal. His horn lit up slightly, levitating his sword belt to his flank; with smooth, practiced motions the belt flipped over his back and around his right side, then underneath his stomach to meet the opposite end of the belt near his left side, directly below where the scabbard of his sword hung tight against his hip. He shifted slightly, letting the belt and blade settle naturally before stepping off of his cloak. His horn lit up again and the cloak floated up from the forest floor; as expected, the one side was incredibly dirty from lying against the ground. It was smudged with dirt and mud, and covered with enough leaves that Dark was sure if he turned it over and placed the still-clean side against the ground, he would never find it again against the camouflage of the forest.

The unicorn’s horn blazed a little brighter as he cast a very simple spell, one that bathed the cloak in brilliant sapphire light; at the top of the cloak, a brilliant white line appeared, and in one smooth, quick motion it moved from the top to the bottom, sweeping across every inch of the fabric and taking with it all the debris it had collected- every twig, every leaf, ever pebble fell away from it as if the cloak had suddenly ceased to exist… which, in essence, was exactly what this spell did. It altered the density of the fabric of the cloak to the point that it became intangible, at which point, naturally, everything NOT the cloak dropped away, since there was suddenly nothing to cling to. Dark released the spell and shook his cloak out once smartly before slinging it over his shoulders and back. The clasp glowed blue for a moment as he brought it across his neck, securing it tightly.

With a few harsh digs of his hoof he upturned a small patch of earth and flopped it down onto what was left of his fire, stamping it harshly with a hoof for a few moments to ensure that it was well and truly out before turning his back on his shelter in the woods and setting off back to the road.

The unicorn held his head high as he turned to his right and started northwards again on the road, his green eyes bright in the morning sunlight. He couldn’t remember a night when he’d had a more thorough rest- he truly, for the first time in a long time, felt rested and refreshed. He tried to think about what he had done differently last night as opposed to every other night he’d stayed in the woods, but he could think of nothing… well, nothing except healing that tree. And finally coming to grips with a plan, he reminded himself. He pursed his lips for a moment in thought; perhaps that simple admission had been what had allowed him to rest easily last night. After all, he knew what it was like, trying to sleep when there was the weight of a decision, made or unmade, laying on you like a leaden blanket- perhaps it was as simple as that.

With a shrug, Dark started down the road, the spring sun warming him pleasantly as he walked, his hood down, his mane blowing in the breeze… but for some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was another reason for his ease last night… and as he walked, he kept imagining that he’d felt more than seen an apparition, an image that flickered on the edges of his memory and his heart, that had allowed him peace in the darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The day wore on uneventfully, with Dark stopping only twice for water as he passed a stream and once to eat a few of the wild daisies that were growing in a field along the roadside. He didn’t even meet any ponies along the road heading north; it was as if he was walking into an uninhabited area instead of along what he understood to be one of the main roads between Tramplevania and Horsaille. Withersville stood about a day’s walk from Tramplevania, a city he had avoided, and if the map he had studied while in Withersville was to be believed, there was one larger town to come yet before he reached the forest that rose along Equestria’s northern border with Prance- a town called Clyde’s Dale.

It was nearing sunset when Dark Star found the town, nestled close to the northern forest which, as far as Dark could tell, had no name. Clyde’s Dale spread out along the forest edge, the buildings tucked close together, but not in a way that made the town look afraid or foreboding; rather, the set of the houses and larger buildings in the village made it look inviting and friendly, as if to welcome any and all weary travelers to a night of rest in a safe place. The stallion smiled slightly and levitated his hood up. It’s easy to imagine why; this place is a major stop-over for any transport moving to Horsaille. In the winter up here, I bet there’s no more welcome sight than the warm windows of Clyde’s Dale.

He entered the town along the main road, the low, sturdy buildings continuing to give off a welcoming aura, and he found himself smiling ever so slightly. There weren’t too many ponies in the street as the night approached, but those who were gave him nods that were as friendly as a hooded stranger could have hoped for, and as he walked a small earth pony with a golden brown coat and cinnamon-colored mane darted in front of him, his brown eyes wide as he gazed without hesitation up into the depths of Dark Star’s hood.

“Hey mister…” he said, his voice high and curious. “Why’re ya wearin’ a hood like that? It ain’t that cold out anymore!”

Dark Star had to literally stop in his tracks, because the small colt had stopped directly in front of him, and seemed extremely disinclined to move until the black stallion answered his question. He gazed down at the colt, his green eyes meeting the foal’s brown, and after several moments of silence, Dark smiled ever so slightly.

“Well, it’s a bit chilly at night for me- I’m from farther south, and it’s much warmer there now.”

The colt’s eyes widened, and his mouth formed an excited “O”. “Ooooooooooh… how far south, mister?”

Dark couldn’t suppress a chuckle at the young pony’s curiosity. “Very far south, young colt,” he answered. “From near the Everfree Forest.” That’s close enough.

“The Everfree!? WOW… have you ever been in it?!”

The unicorn’s smile became slightly sad, though the colt certainly could not see it. “…Yes, I have.”

“Oh WOW!! You actually DID?! Did you ever see a mantey-core?! Oh! Or a dragon?! Did you ever see a real-,”

Suddenly, there was a set of legs behind the small pony, and Dark Star raised his hood enough to look onto the face of a mare, her hazel eyes apologetic as she nudged the colt gently. “Now Turnover, is that how your father and I have raised you? To accost random ponies in the street with that imagination of yours?”

The colt winced and stopped mid-word before turning to face the mare. “Awww Mom! It’s not my ima-jam-nation, it’s for REAL! Ponies are always talkin’ about the Everfree Forest when they come through, an’ this pony’s BEEN THERE, so I hafta ask if all those things’re true!”

The chestnut mare tossed her bright red mane and gave her son the best Don’t talk nonsense look that Dark Star had ever seen. “Now Cinnamon Turnover, you know better than to go telling stories,” she began, but Dark held up a hoof.

“Pardon me, ma’am… but I’ll answer him, if you’ll allow it,” he said, his voice gentle. The mare blinked up at him, as if seeing him for the first time; she took a half step forward as she tried to look up into his eyes, hidden as they were by the hood, but after a moment she realized that she was being quite obvious with her movements and blushed slightly before straightening.

“Oh… well, sir, if you don’t mind indulging an overeager young colt,” she said.

Dark Star simply nodded, then dropped to one knee, putting himself on the young colt’s level.

“I’ll tell you this, young Turnover,” he said quietly. “The Everfree is just as dangerous as all the ponies say. And yes, I’ve seen a manticore, and a dragon, and any number of other things that would freeze your blood solid with fright.” He grinned. “It’s probably the most terrifying place I’ve ever seen!”

Turnover’s eyes widened, and his mouth hung open, slack; for a moment, Dark wondered if he’d overdone it, but then the slack-jaw gave way to the biggest grin that Dark had ever seen on anypony, and young Cinnamon Turnover leaped into the air before turning back to his mother.

“SEE Mom?! I TOLD you I had to ask!! It sounds so SCARY and COOL!!!” He shivered in place, then turned back to Dark Star. “Thanks a bunch, mister!!” he said before turning tail and darting away, just as fast as he’d arrived. Dark chuckled softly and rose to his hooves.

“A young colt is always looking for the next thrill,” he said softly, almost to himself. “It never hurts to be the one to give it to them.”

The mare watched him for a moment, her hazel eyes just as full of curiosity as her son’s had been… but instead of asking the questions that had piled up behind her gaze, she simply smiled. “Especially if it keeps him from trying to traipse off and find the Everfree Forest himself,” she said. She gave Dark Star a small nod. “Thank you, stranger; I think you just made his week with that.”

“I’m not sure if I should say You’re welcome or apologize to you.” He smiled in return.

“Oh, there’s certainly no need to apologize,” she said with a giggle. “Little Turnover loves to hear stories from everywhere- I swear his talent is going to be in storytelling himself, the way he can parrot what he hears back to everypony.” The mare sighed and looked off after her son. “Speaking of him, I’d best go and see what mischief he’s up to now.” She turned and gave Dark Star another smile. “I’m Cherry Turnover,” she said. “My husband, Apple Turnover, and I run the bakery here in Clyde’s Dale.”

Dark nodded to her. “Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Turnover,” he said, but he felt less than inclined to give his own name. “I’m just passing through, looking for a place to stay for the night. Any suggestions?”

Cherry watched him again, her hazel eyes once more filling with questions, but again they went unasked. “Sure, stranger- the Feedbag is the best in town, but don’t let Quickfire talk you into paying more than ten bits for the night. I swear, his name should have been Silver Tongue, the way he can talk money out of ponies.”

The stallion nodded. “Thank you, ma’am,” he said simply. “May the Sisters watch over you.”

“And… and you, sir,” she said; she was quick, but she couldn’t hide her surprise at the blessing. Dark Star winced. It was one that the Guard had used all the time back in Everfree, and one that he had always favored until he’d thrown his lot in with Luna- now, it seemed that ponies had forgotten it completely, and using it was going to make him stand out like a notch in the ear. The stallion cleared his throat and made his way around the small mare, nodding to her once more as he passed; he could feel her eyes on him as he walked away, but true to form, her questions were all silent ones, and he continued on his way.

The Feedbag was easy to find, but getting the innkeeper to shut his mouth was not; Quickfire was obviously the only way to describe how the tall, thin stallion spoke, his words almost piling up around one another in their haste to leave his mouth. Dark Star eventually just slapped ten bits from the pouch inside his cloak onto the counter and told the stallion in no uncertain terms that he was taking a room, and wanted a key. Thankfully, the sight of the money had zipped the innkeeper’s lips, and Dark was able to get to his room with his ears still intact.

He found the room to be cozy and welcoming, just like the rest of the village, and was pleased to see that a small bookshelf adorned one wall. The stallion read snippets of several books before finally deciding to go to sleep, and by the time he did it was very late- in fact, he was quite certain that his was the last light to go out in Clyde’s Dale that night.

~*~*~*~*~*~

And as luck would have it, Dark Star was absolutely right- his was the last light out in the entire town… and as soon as twenty or so minutes had passed after that light went out… they came.

From the edges of the forest, a half a dozen black shadows entered the narrow streets and alleys of the town, their steps silent and quick as they spread out into groups of two and began to move from home to home, pausing only a moment by each one as if they were searching for something.

Finally, one group paused at a door for a few moments more than the others before vanishing inside the home; then the second group vanished into another one of the silent houses. There was a crash from inside another building, and the third group emerged from the still-open door, carrying a large sack on the back of one of the figures, steadied by the second. As fast as they could they made a break for the forest, followed soon after by the first and second groups, both also carrying large sacks on their backs.

The town of Clyde’s Dale slept on, oblivious to the mysterious figures and their cargo as they vanished back into the black forest, with the single crash that had echoed through the streets as the only evidence that they had ever been there at all.

Comments

[-Brutus]

I wonder what was that pony with the cargo.

A great chapter! , I can't wait til this story reaches the point where Darkstar finally meets up with Luna.

[Applejack-fan]

2047612
I'm pretty sure Dark Star is gonna solve this against his better judgement =P