//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Only One Speck of Dust // by TheMareWhoSaysNi //------------------------------// Rays of the sun. Soft, such as a honey-flavored embrace around her golden coat. What a wonderful sensation. Almost forgotten. The caressing warm. The deep blue sky. The bare paths, cleared from this thick snow that gave everything the appearance of a cemetery. This could not be real. Spring, this illusion which only lasted for the blink of an eye. It was not here yet. It was too early, way too early. She might be dreaming. Yet all the sensations felt so real. But was it not the conditions of a dream? To make believe that another reality was possible. Dangerous. She had to get out of this dream at any cost, to tear herself away from it and face the real world. The fragile and delicate world, constantly unstable on a transparent thread stretched out by a shapeless God who weaved webs around ponies in order to get them trapped, then claiming he is the only one able to rescue them. She would rather not believe than believing in Him. There was no doubt this was what made her feel so close to him… Spitfire opened up her eyes, glad to feel the mattress under her body and the crumpled sheets against her coat. The walls of this bedroom as vast as a real house, heartwarming in their immobilism. She liked that nothing changed and moved here. In her little nest once hell, now heaven. The Blaze before the Cloth. It basically described what an Equestrian pony’s life was. Knight Shelter was not lying by her side. Firstly, she did not mind, then her body shuddered and she emerged from between wool and cotton, a bit of quilt twirled around her wings and fire-colored mane which, when not styled her own way, so distinctive, only hung at each sides of her neck. She looked for him, her heart on the brink of her throat. Each time he failed to be under her watch, despite how many time had gone by since they first met, she kept on being afraid. The Black Blood infection could not be cured. It was to be overpowered. It was just like anything else… Mastery was easy to break with the right trigger. When she felt a rush of cold buffeting her bones, Spitfire knew there was nothing to be afraid of. Knight Shelter liked to spend hours and hours on the balcony, windows wide opened, to watch from the heights of his room how ponies were kept amused living. To avoid the wind’s bite, she put sheets against her back and wrapped them around her so it would protect most of her body, wings included. One single oil lamp lit up the room. He probably had put it beside him on the balcony so he would see better. Cat-like, she stepped closer slowly. He did not have his back on her, conversely even, he was facing her. Eyes closed, his face was offered to the wind that messed up his long mane as red as deep blood. “Spitfire…”, he said in a whisper. “I can feel something. Can you feel it too?” She stepped closer again. He looked peaceful. For a long while he had sported one of the most tormented expression, continuously scrounging himself about what he had done to his family, to this land, Equestria, that he yet loved so much. Unceasingly, she had been afraid that her pony of a husband would eventually decline and kill himself, or worse, that eaten by guilt and despair, he would rather let the Black Blood infect him completely and too bad for the world. “No, I don’t feel anything”, she said stepping even closer. “I’m scarcely awake.” She was the one with the Acuteness gift, this gift impossible to control, which wore you out. Knight Shelter could only enjoy it because she allowed him to, and only when she could feel its power happen. Something was wrong if he could feel what she did not endure. “Doesn’t feel like those reflections rushing through your mind by a thousands, it’s something else. A divine intuition… A storm is on its way. Violent. Bloody. A storm that could change everything.” Now Spitfire stood by his side. Her stallion of a husband did not protect himself from cold and wind, used as he was to extreme life conditions. He did not even suffer from the shadow of a chill. She noticed some kind of warmth around him. A soft warmth. The sun’s warmth. Odd paradox. Knight Shelter probably felt she did not know what to do about his confession. What it meant escaped her, and the question about whether she should bother to worry or let things be had no answer. So he opened up his eyes and smiled at her. The unconditional love he felt for her completely delivered in this single smile. “Don’t worry, I won’t be the blame. You know I gave up on all of this a long while ago. I’m not longer the Angel of Death. And you’re no longer Winter’s Whirl.” “Yet it’s Winter’s Whirl you fell in love with. She’s the one who helped you overcome your inner demons.” “That’s where you got it all wrong, darling. Spitfire is the one who bewitched me and made me open up my eyes.” He brought her closer. Spitfire held him tight, reassured, enjoying this odd and pleasant warmth that exuded from him. Who could honestly release such a warmth when sensing a bloodbath? Paradox was what defined Knight Shelter the best. He was Nature’s ambivalence. The bloody chapters now, they no longer were written by his quills yet he was the one devouring the pages made with the crimson words. Maybe he was sentenced to spend his whole existence between the wooden walls of the Royal Tavern and Inn… It never stopped him from knowing and seeing what the natural born corrupted ponies were doing to one another. And to feast on such a show. He was ambiguity incarnated. Goodness and cruelty, malice and kindness, loyalty and treason, truth and lies, happiness and affliction, all gathered in one single sanctuary - his own body. ------------------------------------------- The secret they had promised to keep had not lasted very long. On the first night, they had let nothing appear. As if nothing had happened. The others had been wondering, they had showed their doubts, but none had dared to raise them or to ask them questions. They probably had thought it was their own business after all. The problem was Double Diamond’s absence. The day before, he had sent a message through the intermediary of Ditzy Doo, one of the pony in charge of mails for Ponyville, to announce that he would not be able to do his night watch because of health issues and that it would be an exception. Rainbow Dash had been a little upset; however, she also knew that a sick member was more a problem than an advantage. It was best for him to rest. No one expected him to extend it for more than one night. When she had received another letter, earlier that day, saying he would need more nights to rest, she had understood the sickness which he suffered from was probably not physiological. That was how the secret came out. Rainbow Dash wanted to know whether she had guessed it right about Double Diamond, and Pinkie Pie had been the one to ask the question, as she did not see the stallion appearing in front of the inn’s gates at the usual hour. Applejack and Caramel were now a couple. When you knew how crazy Double Diamond was about the mare they called The Angel of Mercy, there was nothing surprising about the fact he did not want to spend an entire night beside the two. Rainbow Dash had another opinion. Of course, she could understand Double Diamond’s pain… But the watches were no place for flirts and kisses. Applejack as well as Caramel knew what they had to do, taking their roles among The Militia seriously, and during their watch, they acted in a professional and focused manner. Although it broke Double Diamond’s heart to see them both together, it was not as if he would see them being intimate. Moreover, the mission that were theirs, protecting Ponyville’s inhabitants, was a vocation. There was no room for love stories. Aware that she had no time to go and pull Double Diamond out of his depression, she decided to call in a First Class Lieutenant to replace the missing member of her Council. The Head’s Council that could not be incomplete. The moment of the watch’s beginning was closer, yet the one she was waiting for did not seem ready to arrive. Rainbow Dash could not help but staring at the horizon in fear. What if he had forgot? It was an honor to be called in although he did not have the occasion yet to prove his worth properly. If he did not play the game, things would become really complicated. By her side, Caramel, Applejack and Pinkie Pie were still discussing the big revelation of the couple of the week. Well, big revelation… It was not as if everyone had always known! “Hey, hey, hey, Big Mac”, cried Pinkie Pie bouncing around, healthier than ever. “Aren’t you happy for your little sister? Don’t you want to kill Caramel? To tear his eyes off and to walk on them while he’s struggling and breaking everything around as a venomous snake is lurking on the floor?” “Err… Nope.” “Wow! You’re the coolest big brother I know. No, wait… You’re the only big brother I know!” Sometimes Big Macintosh wondered how the pink mare could have so much energy even though she stayed up all night and always slept for a couple of hours only. Since she had arrived in Ponyville, by a misty morning around the end of spring, determined to fight for the finish with Applejack and all her family, he never saw her tired, never heard her complaining that her hooves hurt or burned. In any kind of weather, she was cheerful – what never stopped her from being serious when she had to complete her mission successfully. As for the fact that his younger sister was in love with one of this best friends… he did not really understand what a difference it made. Although she was not the kind of mare to make the stallions go wild, like those inside the central pages of some newspapers, Applejack had always been successful. Her nature was very appreciated. He was used to see her surrounded by male attentions. Plus, he did not see in what the sentimental life of his youngest was any of his business. Intimacy was a field in which he did not have anything to say. Applejack did not mind his one-night stands with mares, so why should he be interfering in her private life? What was essential was her happiness and nothing else. “Anyway, I envy you”, Pinkie Pie continued. “It’s great to have your very special somepony within reach.” “Just ask Big Mac. He must know a lot of free single stallions, if you're tired of waiting.” Caramel winked at his best friend who shook his head through spite. He always had to say things that made him feel uncomfortable, whether that was in front of Members of the Militia, their family or their friends. He did not even realize. Now that Applejack had finally been honest with her feelings, she no longer rolled her eyes when confronted to this kind of jokes. Conversely, she stepped into the breach. This night was going to feel very long. Rainbow Dash listened absent-mindlessly, patting her hooves against the snowy ground. He had not arrived yet and the watch was about to begin in less than five minutes. She had been clear. He had to understand the full significance of his luck. It was a serious matter. Member of the Militia was not obviously a lifetime status, when the Head decided, some of them could be sent back to Civil Life. She guessed this was not what he wanted, especially when considered that tonight was his first night of duty. A shadow caught her attention. It popped up like a thunderclap before disappearing in the mist. A hallucination? No. The shadow stood out again, on top of a thatch roof. Far while being close enough to be clearly distinguishable. The eye-patch on the right eye, the red coat and purple fur. No doubt. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth… And the shadow disappeared. This was not made to comfort her. She had not come out of her hiding place for years, ashamed and cut off from everypony. A pony like her never would get out of her retirement for no reason. Certainly, her apparition had been brief but it was meaningful, the mare pegasus was sure about it. A certain tension shaped inside of her, like a tie deep within her throat. At any moment she expected her to pop up in the fog, in front of her, with the suddenness of an explosion. Nothing happened. “Are you okay, sugar cube?” Rainbow Dash shook her head, back among her friends. It was nothing but an intuition for now. There was no need to inform anyone. When she would have some spare time, she would make a few researches and would warn the others if she could get more hints. Until then, she would act as if nothing had happened. “Yes, sorry. I was lost in reflection. Everything’s just fine.” She hoped her smile was convincing. Applejack tilted her head, her muzzle frowning, and looked into her eyes. “Alright.” “Is it time to leave? I’m going to settle myself at my appointment.” “Wait”, Caramel said by grabbing Applejack’s tail, as she had already started to go. “The fifth one’s missing.” “Double Diamond won’t come, silly”, Pinkie Pie answered. “Not Double Diamond…” “I’m… here”, a breathless voice said behind them. Soarin had just landed on the Royal Tavern and Inn’s yard. His flight from Caramel’s place had been longer than planned. When he had understood he would probably be late, he had made his best to speed up his pace. As a result, he was out of breath though the watch had not begun yet. It was bad. Really, really bad. Rainbow Dash immediately stood in front of him, irritation painted all over her. Her long mane had been braided. Held by two black ribbons at each tips, it floated in the winter wind like a multicolored flag. Dressed with her Head of the Militia’s red cloak, she was even more dazzling than what he remembered. He wished he could have the leisure to contemplate her… “Don’t you ever be late again! The night watch doesn’t begin at this moment of the night for no reason.” “Sorry, Ma’am… I swear I won’t do it again.” “You’d better!” “Heehee, Soarin called Rainbow Dash ‘ma’am’”, Pinkie Pie giggled, a hoof in front of her mouth. Bewildered, he glimpsed at Caramel, who shrugged. In the Great Guts’ Militia, down in the South Shore, it was mandatory to call the Head by a respectful nickname. He naturally had thought it would be the same here, especially once Ponyville’s members’ reputation was accounted. No one had told him that she liked for the Members of her Council to call her in an informal way, all the more so as they were her friends. Each of them, except himself, but it did not change anything. He was one of Caramel’s good friends, after all. Something suddenly hit Soarin. When he had met Pinkie Pie for the first time in the headquarters’ locker room, she had told him she was not a part of The Militia. Yet, here she was with them, at the moment of their leave for the watch, dressed with a black cloak which contrasted with the brightness of her mane. “I thought you were not in The Militia”, he stuttered towards her. “I said ‘not officially’… It means no but in fact yes although I don’t night watch like the others and I don’t day watch neither and I’m not trained to deliver mails and packages neither too.” “Well, whatever”, Rainbow Dash interrupted them. “We had wasted enough time. Soarin, put your hood on and follow us. Hope you still have enough energy to fly over the roofs because that’s where’s the party at.” There still were a hundred questions he needed to find answers to. Quite naively, he had imagined Ponyville’s night watch would be like in Cloudsdale, and that he would have time to seek these answers towards Rainbow Dash. It was ignoring that Rainbow Dash was not Rapidfire. It was ignoring that each cities and towns were different and each had a different way to proceed. Behind them, Pinkie Pie waved her hoof with a wide smile. Rainbow Dash, her hood concealing a part of her mane, flew away at top speed above the gates and Soarin understand that, as a pegasus, he would have to do it too. In some wing flutters, he found himself neck to neck with his new Head. With her raspy voice, she warned him. He would be better off being in great shape because he would have to keep her pace. He caught sight of Caramel and Applejack who, skillfully, jumped on the roofs helped by various items. Big Macintosh had disappeared, where he was gone, Soarin did not know. He was not the only one. In the inn’s yard, Pinkie Pie seemed to be gone as well. Some Spotters were hiding, concealed in many secret corners of the city where no pony would notice them and no pony knew who they were and why they were here. Ponyville overlaid under his hooves, vaster than Cloudsdale had ever been. The outlines of the city were lost beyond his horizon. The roads down were like an ink stain which would have been spilled all over a blank page. Darkness and ice where the two elements that described Ponyville the most. It felt like another world.