//------------------------------// // Riding Off Into The Moonlight // Story: Tales of the Battle Foals // by Sirdubya //------------------------------// As Ms. Sunrise began to stir, Kickback’s heart suddenly became heavy once more. He strangely hoped that his teacher would remember what she had heard; perhaps it just felt good to allow the ugly truth he’d been holding back for so long finally let out despite its foreseeable aftershock? But simultaneously, the notion of what might indeed come with this newfound knowledge only made Kickback surer that he’d made the right choice to join Fire Fight and co. “Ungh…..Ugh………..Wha……….Kick…………Kickback?” Ms. Sunrise struggled to her hooves as Kickback kindly helped her up. The aging mare slowly but surely regained her conscious as her gentlemanly student looked on in equal parts of worry, and shame. Kickback removed his hat before speaking to her. “Are you alright, ma’am?” he softly asked. Ms. Sunrise regained the last of her conscious as she heard him speak. She could now see him clearly under the night sky. It was then she regained the memories of the revelation that beheld her in her captivity……as well as Kickback’s tantrum. “Kickback…….you came to rescue me, didn’t ya, honey?” she said. Kickback solemnly nodded knowing what else she’d say. “Ah did, and Ah’m sure glad you didn’t get hurt. Ah…….Ah sure am sorry fer actin’ up like that…….” He said. “Oh, honey. Ah thank ya, but……..is it true? Did y’all really….” Sunrise said. Kickback nodded once again with a small tear in his eye. Sunrise backed away slightly in fear. Kickback was about as gentle as teddy bear with, or without his guns. But seeing the sheer potential for tragedy that his flank represented made her worry about the rest of the town as well as Kickback himself. “Kickback…….Wh……..Why didn’t you say nothin’!? Ah know it’s somethin’ of a private matter, but those guns can shoot somepony! You almost shot me tonight, darlin’!” she said with worry. Fire Fight, who was hiding in the dark of the cave with his comrades couldn’t help but shake his head. “This looks familiar…” he muttered. Kickback slowly sighed as he looked down to the ground in shame. Ms. Sunrise could see that she had hurt him, and tried to correct herself. “Ah’m sorry, dear. Ah didn’t mean to upset you. Ah just hope you know now just how dangerous those things are. Ah’m sure the rest o’ Dodge will understand.” She consoled. “Oh, he does! And yet, he didn’t give a care in the world, did ya, boy!?” The hidden foals, and Kickback and Sunrise looked over to see Kickback’s father along with the sheriff and his deputies. “Pa!?” Kickback exclaimed as he put his hat on. “Sheriff? What took ya so long?” Ms. Sunrise said to Sheriff North Fork. North Fork tipped his hat. “Awful sorry, ma’am. We had ourselves a run-in with……well Ah’m quite frankly not sure what it was. Just some shadow that jumped outta no here, an’ made us tumble into some rocks, and knock us out cold. Might’ve been a mighty clever Sand Viper tryin’ to stop us, Ah reckon.” Air Slash glared at Shadow Shroud. “Oh, it was a viper alright…” he whispered. Shadow Shroud just rolled her eyes. “Well whoever it was surely didn’t stop mah stupid boy here from rushin’ in there like a mad pony, and firin’ those dang guns like they don’t mean nothin’!” Kickback’s dad said. Kickback only looked down once more in shame. Seeing this, Ms. Sunrise tried to intervene. “Sir, please calm down. Look, Ah heard about what happen to his mama, and-” “YOU WHAT!?” Kickback’s dad was flustered. “Well ain’t that just dandy! Now basically everypony knows why Kickback even has those li’l varmints in the first place!” “Mah deepest condolences, sir. Ah know it was an accident, but-” “But nothin’! This boy’s gone too far tonight. First his mama, now he nearly kills his teacher!? What am I supposed to do now!? Ah’ve been through enough grief this past year because of those guns, but they're branded on his flank, so Ah couldn’t just make him throw the varmints away!” his father interjected. Kickback looked up slightly. “Pa, Ah-” His father put his hoof down. “Not another word outta you, boy! You and yer cotton-pickin’ ‘Sound and Fury’ are headed straight to bed! Now, come on!” He stormed off into the night, and commandingly motioned for him to follow. Ms. Sunrise looked at Kickback sorrowfully. Kickback just gave her an ashamed glance. With his father in the state he was in, she’d have to wait until tomorrow to try and console him……whether or not she knew that would never happen. North Fork walked up to her. “Ma’am, Ah reckon yer both mighty tired. You all go on, and get some rest. We’ll deal with the Sand Vipers. Ah’ll have mah deputy here escort ya back safely.” He said sorrowfully. He too could see that now wasn’t a good time to deal with Kickback’s father. Ms. Sunrise sighed. “Thank y’all.” She said. Kickback just tipped his hat. He then glanced back into the cave to see Shadow Shroud peering at him. She suddenly smiled and winked deviously, telling him that she had a plan of some sort to set him free. The whole time he trudged through the desert back home with his hat over his face, he wondered what the devious little ninja had in mind… ***** After they had gotten to a considerable distance, the foals emerged from the cave, and began walking back towards their hideout. “So Shroud, You’ll go get Kickback, Spiral, Turf War and I will bring the raft up to where our bush is, and Air Slash will wait for you two to get to the part of the forest right where the outskirts are. Sound about right?” Fire Fight asked. Shadow Shroud nodded. “Yes. It may take some time seeing as his father may not fall asleep right away, but rest assured, I’ll be back with him.” “Just don’t silence him if he suddenly changes his mind. We’ll leave you behind if that happens." Air Slash said. Shroud glared at him. “And I’d find my way back to you. Bugs leave trails after all.” She growled at him. “Air Slash, she won’t do anything like that. Besides, even if Kickback makes a last minute decision, he seemed to respect our cause, so he probably won’t tell anypony.” Fire Fight said. Air Slash rolled his eyes. “If you insist…” he muttered. With that, Shadow Shroud donned her mask, and disappeared into the night. Air Slash looked at Fire Fight. “Fire Fight, look, I know you trust her, but you mustn’t forget that she’s a Shadewalker. If you go back on your word with her she will kill you, and the other foals you’ve dragged along with you!” he warned. “I know……I’m honestly still a little afraid of her, Air Slash, but…… I just somehow know that she doesn’t really want to hurt us. I don’t know anything about how the Shadewalkers are really structured, but with how open she’s been with others since we started this journey together despite how secretive she told me they are, I’m honestly surprised she’s been even remotely kind to any of us, even you! Besides, I’m pretty positive none of us have any desire to go back at all.” Fire Fight said. “Fo’ real. I ain’t ‘bout to bounce back to the hood. I couldn’t do s- uh, nuttin’ fo’ it, so I’ll do somethin’ fo’ every other foal dat need help.” Turf War affirmed. “Yeah. She’s been so nice to me even though she knows I could crash the whole universe down on Equestria if I wasn’t careful. If the Shadewalkers kill threats to Equestria, it’s a wonder she never considered killing me. It’s so hard to pinpoint what she’s thinking sometimes.” Spiral Galaxy said. “That’s exactly what has me so worried. Her intentions are quite unclear.” Air Slash said. “Worry about them when she reveals them, Slash. If push comes to shove, you and I can match her in a fight……..even if we have end up……having to kill her ourselves………” Fire Fight said. His heart ached a little at that thought. With all she’s done for him, Fire Fight felt like he couldn’t bring himself to hurt his shadowy friend. Even if she had a very….interesting idea of friendship herself, she was a friend nonetheless, and Fire Fight was ok with that. “Thanks though, Air Slash. It’s nice to know you care. Just don’t get carried away. I’ve already warned you two before about your rivalry.” Air Slash nodded. “Tis my honor. Please know that I meant to disrespect.” He said. Fire Fight nodded, and they went to their assigned positions. ***** When Kickback entered the house, his father slammed the door behind him. He didn’t say a word as he stormed into the living room. Kickback knew that even a whisper would get him horribly yelled at for no reason, so decided to just go on to bed. He solemnly walked upstairs towards his room. When he reached the top, he looked back at his father one last time. He had his hat held over his heart whilst gazing sorrowfully at an obituary-styled portrait of his late wife. Kickback looked away, and resumed his trip to his room with Sound and Fury in tow. It had been a good half hour before Kickback’s dad finally hit the hay. Kickback was already well in bed by that point, but he was having trouble falling asleep. Really, he was waiting for whatever Shadow Shroud was trying to pull, and save him. The thought of having to face the coming morning was too much to bear, especially after he’d been promised salvation. He’d prayed that this wasn’t some cruel prank set up for him. Suddenly, he heard he father gasp quickly before complete silence. “Pa!?” he said. He jumped out of bed, and ran into the hallway towards his father’s room. Just before he got to the door, a black shadow his size jumped down in front of him. It’s amethyst eyes stopped him in his tracks. The two stared at one another for a second before the shadow unveiled her mask. Her dark-grey coat, and bluish grey mane were unmistakable. “M-Ms. Shadow Shroud!?” he said. “Good evening…..partner. My sincerest apologies for the unannounced entry. I trust you still wish to escape with us?” she asked. Kickback looked behind her at the slightly ajar door with worry. “Uh…. Mah pa….” “Don’t worry. I only hit him with a non-lethal tranquilizing agent. He’ll only be sound asleep for well over enough time for us to take our leave…..assuming you still wish to, of course.” Shadow Shroud said. Kickback was taken aback by her somewhat extreme methods. Although he definitely wanted to escape his life that would no doubt start crashing down by morning, he got a firsthand taste of what one of his new acquaintances was capable of. On the other hoof, she could very easily have just killed his father altogether, and been done with it, but she showed some discretion that convinced him that she had no ill intent. He regained his composure, and nodded. “Surely. Just give me a moment or so to get dressed, and packed.” He replied. She nodded. Kickback quickly garbed himself back into his cowpony outfit, and put on the holsters containing his precious guns. “Now y’all two better behave yerselves while we’re out and about.” He said to them. He grabbed his saddlebags, and stored in them a fresh water bottle, some food and extra packs of bullets. “Ah think Ah’ll pack this just in case Ah might need it.” He said as he reached into his closet, and pulled out a whip. It was rolled up, and stored onto his vest along with his guns. “So now you’re a whip artist, I see? And here I thought you were a one trick pony.” Shadow Shroud sneered. She was a little impressed. “Reckon it’s somethin’ else Ah’ve been tryin’. Can’t say Ah’m quite as good with it as Sound and Fury here, but Ah know how to use it.” Kickback told her. “Good. Now, shall we?” Shadow Shroud asked. Kickback tipped his hat in affirmation. She snuck him through the shadows of the moonlit city, and then through the desert. Kickback showed her how to harvest prickly pear cacti, and took some for the road. Shroud was grateful to have learned a skill even her masters hadn’t taught her; she’d honestly been curious to try prickly pear anyway. As planned, Air Slash was in position. He motioned for them to follow, and they trudged through the forest to the river where Fire Fight, Spiral Galaxy and Turf War were holding the raft in place, and ready to board. Everything else had been packed, so they set sail. Fire Fight held out his hoof to Kickback. “Welcome aboard, Kickback!” he said. Kickback shook his hoof, and tipped his hat. “Much obliged to be here, sheriff.” He said. Fire Fight cocked his head. “’Sheriff’?” he asked. Kickback chuckled. “Seems only right to call ya that. Y’all don’t mind, do ya?” Fire Fight rolled his eyes, and chuckled. “We’ll talk about that once we reach Baltimare. Slash and I will keep watch until then, or whenever we decide to swap. You go ahead and get some rest.” He said. “Well alright then.” Kickback said. He got under the leafy roof, and went on to sleep. At the end of the day….literally, he was glad he made this choice. Sure, the Sand Vipers were wearing thick leather vests that protected them from being too lethally damaged by his shots, so he wouldn’t have any murders to stain his conscious, but his guns would bring him way more trouble in a city of weary ponies than with a group of runaway foals who had a place for him. With Luna’s moon dancing a silver lullaby, the cowpony closed his eyes, and let his tired body rest as it awaited whatever adventures Fate had in store for him.