All was dark - and mostly quiet - in the asphalt streets of Fredericksmare. Bladewing had no problem navigating the city from the air, but he felt a bit guilty that it gave him an advantage over the few ponies stuck with the ground. What would only take five or so minutes for him to get home from Rose's house would take other ponies upwards of an hour walking on hoof (even with the lamp posts illuminating the streets). Then again, he also knew that being a pegasi meant he can never wield unicorn magic nor carry/pull immensely heavy loads like an earth pony stallion. After about a minute debating in his head, he deduced that these restrictions balanced out his abilities as a pegasus. The only true advantage he had other other ponies was being able to interact with objects using a supernatural force... and given how easily it can be influenced by his emotions, it was one that he intended to use cautiously.
Bladewing's stamina was nearly spent by the time he returned home. The little he had left was just enough to get him to his bed. The moment he was under the covers, he felt his body shut down to "recharge" itself. It was probably the only feeling he would ever get used to in this life.
* * * THE NEXT DAY * * *
The morning presented itself as comfortable to Bladewing. It should, given he was not being chased by fan girls or reporters, but the ultimate reason why was because he was expecting news from Mountain Wind. Bladewing remembered that a royal courier was going to visit him today to deliver a full schedule of the rehearsal hours for his knighting ceremony. He was eager to rehearse it as much as he could before the big day comes, but he didn't have much trouble waiting for the courier to come. The "torture" of waiting was about as significant to him as the past he no longer remembers.
Before long, the wait was over. He heard a hoof knocking on the front door, and Bladewing's ears perked up almost immediately. He walked to the door ready to greet the courier... and he was happy to find it was the same one that visited him before.
"Good morning, Mr. Bladewing," the mare spoke happily, "How are you?"
"Never felt better, miss," replied Bladewing with a smile, "I don't suppose you have something for me?"
"*giggle* You bet." The courier took out a scroll from the saddlebag she carried on her side. "Here's your schedule, along with the king's regards." Bladewing smiled and took the parchment from her.
"Thanks. Tell him I said hello, will you?"
"You got it. Enjoy your day, sir."
"You too." The courier mare flew into the skies to return to the palace. Bladewing likewise closed the door, and he walked over to the living room couch for a better look at the schedule. He covered his mouth with a hoof as he scrutinized the contents in his head.
"I see. It looks like I'll have rehearsals Monday through Friday for the next two weeks. The officially ceremony will take place the following Monday. The weekends are completely free, however. What should I do in that spare time?" Bladewing rubbed his forehead gently as ideas flowed freely into his head. He reviewed each of his options carefully, weighing the pros and cons of each one. After a short while, he found the right one for him.
"Hm... I think I should learn all I can about Cydonia during those days. For all the time I spent trying to settle in this country, I know very little about it. Researching it a bit should help me adjust to my new role as a Council knight." While the plan certainly relieved Bladewing of the dilemma with the weekends, there was still one more problem he had to deal with.
"*sigh* Speaking of which... I wonder how Sky is doing." The memory of the disappointed look Skywalker had yesterday troubled Bladewing. He surmised that she looked so sad because of the business she spoke of that day, but it was a tough sell for him. Sky mentioned nothing about what that business was, and Bladewing had few clues as to what it could be. With all this on his mind, he found it hard to leave her be as Rose asked him to.
"Something had clearly upset her during that moment. This 'business' she spoke of may very well be a facade. But how can I be sure it is? She wouldn't say a word about it back then, and I have serious doubts that now will be any different. Unless... she's already let go of her frustration." For the next moment or so, Bladewing debated whether or not he should really talk to Skywalker about her 'business'. There was little about the idea that made it seem unwise, but he was still hesitant to act on it. Unfortunately for him, his little brainstorming session seemed to be getting him nowhere.
"*grunt* Forget it. This bloody problem is giving me a headache. I'll just take Sky's word for what it's worth." Bladewing knew that leaving Sky alone with whatever troubles she was facing would likely prolong them; however, since his earlier pondering had failed him, he had no other options at his disposal. He decided that it would be best to refrain from interfering in her affairs unless it's out of convenience. At least this way, he wouldn't feel the need to justify his actions.
Now that he made up his mind, Bladewing decided to go outside for another go at exploring the city. Since the knighting rehearsals won't commence until tomorrow, he believed that today was the best time for him to start learning more about his new homeland. The mere thought of it excited him, for nothing tickled his fancy like venturing deeper into a world where the landscape is alien. Before he stepped forth outside, however, he wanted to be sure that Diamond and Topaz knew where he was going. He didn't want them to worry. He grabbed a pen and a set of sticky notes atop the refrigerator and wrote a message for the couple, and he stuck it onto the table. With this loose end taken care of, Bladewing was now ready to embark. He left the house proudly, intent on starting another round of spelunking in Cydonia's capitol city.
The streets of Fredericksmare were as lively as when Bladewing first came here; but this time around, he was in a different part of the city. Beyond the plaza and the city's commerce district lied a more suburban part of Fredericksmare. Houses were few and far in this area, but the agrarian background they presided in more than made up for their scarcity. Farmland lied in abundance, some of which were complemented by flowers, bushes, and many a tree; the ranches and barns that overlooked these lands were quite large, and Bladewing could see a few of their workers tending to the produce and livestock; and the mountains that could be seen on the far east made for a good distraction for all who dwell here. All in all, Bladewing thought this place was a relaxing sight. He couldn't think of a better way to begin his adventure than with a view like this one.
For a while now, Bladewing was only seeing the rural part of the city from the skies. It's not uncommon that somepony with wings would prefer to view a landscape in the air, but after seeing how relaxing this placed looked, Bladewing thought he would appreciate it more if he walked through it. With this in mind, he slowly descended from the air onto the dirt roads of Fredericksmare's rural district.
"Mm, this feels nice," Bladewing thought of the wind, "It seems like autumn all around me. And yet... this breeze is just right." Bladewing would normally find it strange that he would feel lukewarm wind in autumn (or that he would even notice such things); but today was an exception. He never felt more relaxed in his entire life here in Fredericksmare, and as such, he was more accepting of details that he would otherwise dismiss as odd. It was no surprise then that few things, if any at all, appeared out of the ordinary to him now.
After about an hour of walking, Bladewing encountered an oddly shaped building to his left. He spotted it while he was still in the air - it was so large it was hard NOT to - and from what he saw of it, it looked nothing like the farms and ranches that he encountered earlier. A few smaller buildings were beside it, and there were a few enclosed areas where ponies were doing casual activities (like watching TV, conversing with one another, eating out, etc.) He was curious why something so urban would be built in a place so agrarian, and so he proceeded inside to find out. For the moment, nothing else mattered to him.
In spite of its appearance, the structure was a far-cry from the Fortune Tune mall Bladewing visited with Rose. It had its share of shops the same as any other commercial building, but most of the merchandise that was sold here was attuned to adventurers. Weapons, medical kits, maps, and lots of other gear were sold here, a sight that Bladewing would normally associate with a military installation; but seeing how there was little here that explicitly labeled this structure as such a thing, he quickly dismissed the idea as mere speculation. Whatever the reason for its creation, Bladewing was certain that it had to be pretty dangerous.
Many of the ponies greeted Bladewing warmly as he wandered the building's floors in search of knowledge. Being the courteous kind of stallion, Bladewing returned their greetings with a smile or a tipping of his head. He was flattered that even here his reputation preceded him. The weapons technology that was available to adventurers here surprised him (as well as the variety of produce sold by the local farmers at the building's bottom floor). However, the one thing that truly got his attention about the structure was the abundance of books. The ones detailing Cydonia's history, culture, and geology were especially intriguing to him, for he felt that they will prove vital in helping him get better acquainted with the country. He paid for these and a few other articles at one of the bookstores on the top floor, and he continued onward with his spelunking.
In about two hours, however, Bladewing soon found himself at a crossroad. The building was huge, but it only had four floors in total, and this was including a lower floor to which only the building's staff were allowed access. Bladewing had already explored the rest of the building by this point in time, but he didn't let it bring down his spirits. The books were each a whole other adventure as far as he was concerned, and he looked forward to retrieving the wealth of information stored in their pages. The question now was whether he should stop here and start reading or continue with his little expedition.
"Hm... there's still so much to see here. Outside of the building, that is. I think I'll read these things another time." Bladewing felt certain of what he should do next. Unfortunately for him, his stomach had its own agenda. It growled with a vice, as if it were angry at Bladewing for having forgone a decent breakfast this morning... and the hunger Bladewing felt afterwards was its way of punishing him for it.
"*sigh* Great," he murmured, "Leave it to my stomach to interrupt my venture." Bladewing looked around for a place where he could sate his hunger. In a short moment, he spotted a little convenience store to his right. He wasn't keen on waiting a little longer for a better place, so he proceeded to getting something from there... and after about a minute or so of browsing, Bladewing determined exactly what he would need. He continued on his path as soon as he paid for his items.
As much as he wanted a smooth journey, Bladewing would encounter more than just the beauty of Fredericksmare's rural side on his path. About an hour after he left the building, the pegasus encountered a hooded figure while on his way to the building's exit. His eyes and mane were concealed behind his gray hood, but Bladewing couldn't find much other reason to distrust him. His mysterious appearance made for a very superficial reason at best, and so Bladewing didn't feel uncomfortable in the slightest when this strange pony approached him. If anything, he felt curious over this stranger's identity (and more importantly, his intentions).
"Hey, mac," the stallion murmured, "You got a minute?"
"Um... sure. What do you want?"
"Word on the street is that you beat the Viper Twins back at the amphitheater. Is that right?"
"'Viper Twins'? Is that what those two called themselves?" Bladewing let this thought float in his mind as he moved on with the conversation.
"Yes, that's right," he spoke, "What about it?"
"Well, it just so happens that I got somethin' here that might interest a guy with your prowess. Wanna see?"
"Ehm... maybe. Just what are you, exactly?" The hooded stallion just grinned mischievously.
"Don't worry about what I am, mac. Just answer my question. Ya wanna see or no?" After seeing that wicked expression on his face - and his dodging his question - Bladewing was inclined to answer no. However, he didn't see any harm in simply looking at whatever this stranger was offering. After another moment of thought, he decided that he would at least find out what it is.
"*sigh* All right. What is it that you want to show me?"
"This." Bladewing watched with surprise as the stallion revealed what was hidden behind his cloak. Sitting snugly within holsters sewed into it were vials of a glowing red liquid.
"What are they?" Bladewing asked curiously.
"Love potions," the stranger replied, retracting the cloak. Bladewing looked at him with disbelief.
"You're kidding, right? I doubt such things even exist."
"Oh, but they do, mac... and these little beauties are the real deal." Bladewing was unconvinced.
"Very well. Let's say hypothetically that they ARE love potions. Why would I want to buy one?"
"*chuckle* To have a little fun, of course. Gals can't resist this stuff. Just put it in their drinks and they'll-" Before another word could be uttered, a soft PANG! sounded a little distance behind Bladewing, followed by a loud whizzing sound next to Bladewing's ear. The next thing he knew, the stranger was pricked by a tranquilizer dart to the neck. Bladewing watched with horrid surprise as the stallion grunted in pain and fell lifelessly to the ground. He caressed his ear gently, as the thought of that dart narrowly missing his head sent waves of chills down his spine. He pondered incessantly over why he couldn't sense the coming danger.
Bladewing turned around to see where the dart could've come from... and in only a few seconds, he found the culprit. An armored unicorn mare armed with a rifle was standing atop a balcony on the floor above him. He wondered what she was trying to accomplish in shooting the stranger, but he didn't have much time to think about it. While the stranger wasn't dead, the ponies around Bladewing thought differently. They thought he was assassinated, and they started to fear for their own safety. It was very fortunate for Bladewing that another pony was there to stop them from going into a mad frenzy.
"Nopony panic," spoke a stallion out loud, "It's RBI business. Move on with your day." Bladewing focused his attention to the stallion speaking to the crowd. Like himself, he was a pegasus, but his mane was hazel and his coat a shade of khaki. Bladewing watched curiously as the stallion approached him with a cool demeanor, just as the crowd carried on with whatever tasks they were doing earlier.
"You were quite the distraction, Bladewing," he spoke, "Thanks for keeping him busy." Bladewing was baffled.
"Distraction?" he spoke, "What's going on here?"
"I'll explain in a bit. Just know that you played a big role in capturing this slimy bastard." Bladewing nodded in agreement, and the pegasus in turn whistled to a pair of police ponies far behind him. Upon hearing his call, the stallions galloped as fast as they could to his side, stopping a just a foot in front of him and Bladewing.
"Is it really him?" one of the officers asked. Bladewing watched with wonder as the pegasus who talked to him earlier compared a photo he pulled out of his jacket to the victim's face.
"It's him, all right," he spoke, "Photo I.D. confirms it."
"Looks like your plan worked, Sir- eh, I mean, Mr. Ridge," spoke the other officer.
"Aye. Lock him up, gents. Mission is accomplished."
"Yes, sir," replied the officers in unison. "Mr. Ridge" grinned in victory as the stallions hauled away their new prisoner, and he then pulled out a communicator from his jacket.
"Subjugation confirmed, Sandra," he spoke into it, talking to the mare on the balcony, "Good work. Let HQ know 'The Love Doctor' just got his license revoked."
"*static* Got it, returning to base," spoke the mare through the device. As soon as Bladewing heard her voice, the mare he saw at the upper level put away her gun and proceeded to return to headquarters. Throughout that whole scene, Bladewing didn't move a muscle. He was too surprised to even let out a murmur.
"No way. That officer was about to call him 'Sir'. Could this guy be who I think he is?" After having these thoughts, Bladewing wanted answers from this stallion more than ever. He cleared his throat as soon as his fellow pegasus turned around to face him.
"Now, then," he spoke, "Where were we?"
"You said you were going to explain what was going on here," answered Bladewing.
"Right. What do you say we start over?"
"It's fine with me."
"Good." The stallion offered his hoof to Bladewing, and Bladewing in turn accepted it. "The name's Ridge, Mr. Bladewing. Burning Ridge."
"Oh, YOU'RE the retired Council knight Mountain Wind told me about," replied Bladewing.
"*chuckle* Aye. I served under him for more than a decade. It's a good job, but my responsibilities lay elsewhere right now."
"Ah, yes. He told me you had newborns recently."
"Yeah. I retired from the Council so I can be a full-time dad. This job I just finished with RBI was a loose end from my days as a knight."
"RBI?"
"Royal Bureau of Investigation. They handle high-profile cases involving twisted S.O.B.s like the one you were talking to earlier."
"I see. I hate to be brash, but why don't we take this outside? It feels kind of awkward to be in here now."
"Sure. Let’s go." Bladewing grinned with earnest as he and Burning Ridge exited the building.
The two stallions were going down a chiseled stone path as soon as they left the building. Although the smaller buildings surrounding the structure were all pretty nice to Bladewing, his mind was almost completely focused on getting the explanation Burning Ridge owed him.
“That’s better,” Bladewing mused, sighing in relief, “So what was going on back there?”
“It’s a long story,” replied Burning Ridge, “But the gist of it is that I was helping RBI crack down on one of the ponies on Cydonia’s ‘Most Wanted’ list... and you, my friend, made the job a hell of a lot easier.”
“I see. Who was that guy?”
“He’s a pegasus named Funnel Ashes. He’s notorious for smuggling contraband goods in and out of the country. Especially love potions.”
“Ah, so THAT’s why you called him ‘The Love Doctor’.”
“Yeah. The filth is famous among the country's rapists. His business is the reason a good bunch of them are serving life sentences in the slammer.”
“What led you to conclude he would be here?”
“We got tipped off by one of his old prison buddies. The poor devil wanted revenge on Funnel Ashes for not getting him out of prison as he promised him... or so he told me back when I was on the Council. He said this installation is one of his favorite places to sell, so we set a trap for him here and kept an eye out for his next visit. I tell you, Bladewing, your timing was perfect. Not only did you find him for me, but you kept him so focused on your conversation that he didn’t notice my girl Sandra setting up for her shot.”
“*chuckle* Nice. I didn’t anticipate being a part of your little mission, but I’m glad I could help.”
“Right on." Burning Ridge returned his attention to the path ahead of him. It wouldn't be long before he and Bladewing were outside the outer walls of the estate... and once they did, he determined that now would be a good time to finally relax.
"Well, I'll be," spoke Ridge with satisfaction, "There's a bench right by that boulder. What do you say we stop there for a bit?"
"Sure," Bladewing replied, "Why not?" Bladewing followed Burning Ridge to the bench he pointed out. The two stallions sat on it with aching legs (and minds), and each pulled out food from the saddlebags they had with them. Bladewing only had potato chips and bottled water with him, but it was all he needed; Burning Ridge, on the other hoof, had a box stuffed with a sandwich and a small salad (along with a bottle of wine). He offered Bladewing half of his sandwich to complement his meal, a deal to which Bladewing accepted without much of a second thought. Without any further ado aside from eating, they continued with their conversation.
"So tell me," asked Ridge, opening his wine bottle, "What's your story?" Bladewing looked at him curiously.
"What do you mean?"
"*chuckle* Come on. Don't tell me you just popped into this world out of the blue. I'd expect you of all ponies to have gone through an adventure or two." Bladewing didn't understand Burning Ridge at first, but after hearing the latter part of his words, he got the picture within seconds.
"I see. Is it a backstory you're asking for?"
"Aye. So what's yours?" Bladewing rubbed his head with frustration.
"There isn't much to tell. I can't remember my past."
"Ah, right. You said that back at the amphitheater." Burning Ridge took a sip of his wine before continuing. "How about when you arrived in the country? You remember that, don't you?"
"Sort of. It might sound a bit crazy. Are you sure you want to hear it?"
"I once heard a mare claim she saw a hippogriff. Trust me, my friend, I know crazy when I hear it."
"*sigh* Very well. I'll tell you everything..."
* * * THIRTY MINUTES LATER * * *
"Heh. It's some story you got there, mate." After hearing what little Bladewing had to share, Burning Ridge found himself feeling entertained. By contrast, Bladewing was just glad that he didn't think it was weird in the slightest.
"I'll say," Bladewing agreed, "I feel like I had more excitement in this one week than a normal pony would in a month."
"Aye. The whole lot sounds like something straight out of an action hero comic book... and I've read MANY as a colt." Burning Ridge put his wine bottle on the bench to his side.
"I hope you got a plan for the future," he continued, biting his sandwich, "The job is great, but you can't treat it like it's everything you'll ever do or experience in this life."
"I'm not sure I have one," replied Bladewing, "This is all still very new to me."
"Well, you do have a good head start. You got a home, a new family, and even a marefriend at your side. I don't think you'll have much trouble finding out what to do next."
"Maybe... but to be honest, I think I'll wait until AFTER I am knighted to do any planning. It'll feel more comfortable knowing that I've a stable foundation in this country."
"Your call." Burning Ridge ended their conversation on that comment. But just as he carried on with his lunch, Bladewing noticed a familiar mare looking towards the east mountains. After taking a more careful look, he realized that it was Skywalker. She didn't seem depressed like she did before, but Bladewing couldn't tell for sure. He was so far away from her that he couldn't sense anything beyond her mere presence. Nevertheless, seeing her again meant that once more, Bladewing had the opportunity to deal with the problem he cast aside back home.
"Should I try it?" he asked himself mentally, "She seems much calmer than when she left me and Rose... and unless she's waiting for somepony, she appears to be alone. Now would be the perfect time to talk to her about what's really going on." Bladewing pondered for a moment over the best course of action for this situation. In the end, he decided to go with his instincts and talk to her. It may very well be that Sky will turn him down again, but he had serious doubts that he would get a better chance to get her to talk about her troubles than now. With this in mind, he felt it was best to take it while it was still there.
"Can you excuse me for a moment, Burning Ridge?" Bladewing asked him, "I got some business to take care of."
"Of course, mate," replied Ridge with a grin, "Go right ahead."
"Thanks." Bladewing left the bench and walked towards Sky, intent on relieving Sky of her stress (and himself of his concern).
Upon approaching Skywalker, Bladewing realized that he was correct about one thing: she was much calmer now. He couldn't sense ANY emotion from her, let alone depressed. Even so, he kept his guard up. At any moment, her mood can change for the worse.
"Hello there, Sky," he spoke with a smile. The sound of his voice surprised Skywalker for a short moment, and she turned her head towards him. She was happy to see him at first, but then she remembered that day at the Fortune Tune mall. Only a second afterwards, her spirit was completely stripped of happiness.
"Hey." Bladewing wasn't sure from the monotone sound of her voice if she was bored or if she was still depressed from their last encounter. He prayed for the sake of his success that the former was true.
"Would you mind a bit of company?" Skywalker just shook her head, her mane temporarily covering her eyes. She wondered what Bladewing was doing in a place like this, but she was hesitant to ask him.
"Shouldn't he be hanging with that bimbo marefriend of his?" Sky normally wouldn't hold grudges against fellow mares, but Rose was an exception. She felt Bladewing was hers for the taking, and in that sense, Rose stole him from her. If not for the conscience that yet lingered in her mind, bitterness would've consumed her to the point that she would've lashed out at Rose then and there (and maybe even start a catfight with her). It was all the more fortunate - for both her sake and his - that she kept her anger on a short leash.
"It's pretty nice out here." Skywalker moved away the locks of her mane covering her eyes with her magic just as he said that.
"I guess," she replied. Bladewing had hoped she would say more, but it was clear that she lacked the enthusiasm for it. But he didn't let her lackadaisical attitude deter him, not for a single second.
"What brings you out to a place like this?"
"I don't know. Boredom?"
"*chuckle* Bored? You? No way. You don't strike me as the type that gets bored easily."
"You'd be surprised... not that you'd notice."
"What?"
"Nothing." Bladewing was certain that he heard her frustrated remark, but like with her disinterested tone of voice, he cast it aside. He was determined more than ever to get to the bottom of what was causing her change in attitude.
"I've been meaning to talk to you. Ever since you left me and Rose yesterday."
"I told you before, Bladewing. I'm fine. I just had some business to deal with that day."
"That's a bit hard for me to accept, Sky. You seemed very disappointed when you left, even though you were cheerful just minutes before."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that you were dealing with something more serious than you're willing to admit. Now I'm not sure what this 'business' is, but I intend to find out." After hearing the determined tone in his voice, Sky took on a more defensive one herself. She looked at him with an irritated look on her face.
"Why do you care? This is a personal issue. It does NOT concern you."
"It does if it's taking a toll on you."
"And so what if it is? Why should you care about how I feel about my personal issues?"
"Because you're my friend." The serious tone in Bladewing's voice surprised Skywalker. Unfortunately for the stallion, it also made her heart sink even lower. If seeing him being intimate with another mare wasn't bad enough for her, being friend-zoned by him certainly was. Now she felt he'll NEVER want her. All she could do to keep from crying was feign an outraged expression and look away from his face. Bladewing sensed the melancholy that suddenly emanated from her without a hassle, but it was fortunate for Sky that he confused it as a product of her unwillingness to cooperate with him.
"*sigh* Look. I'm not comfortable seeing other ponies suffer. I'm the type of stallion who would rather help them instead of just stand there pitying them. We've only known each other for a few days, but I consider you my friend... and friends do NOT let each other carry on with their lives in strife."
"Well, yeah, but-"
"Save it. We're going to be colleagues soon, are we not?" Sky normally hated being told to hush, but given the situation, she couldn't muster the will to fire back at him. She just followed it up with a sigh.
"Yeah," she muttered, "We are."
"So there you have it. Now I don't know how the Council knights deal with each other's personal issues but in this moment, I could care less. A team can never stay strong if one of its members is going through hardship all alone. If we're going to serve king and country together, then you MUSTN'T hesitate to share your struggles with me. So accept it." Sky was unwavering at first. After seeing him being intimate with Rose, she was more inclined to turn him down out of spiteful jealousy. But then she realized that his relationship with Rose had nothing to do with his actions. His only concern at this moment was her happiness. After coming to this realization, Sky felt some life return to her spirit. She felt most of her bitterness lift from her as well, but Bladewing's plea wasn't enough for her to tell him EXACTLY what was wrong. She knew that telling him her feelings for him would complicate his relationship with Rose, and although she wanted Bladewing more than any other stallion she met, she didn't want him to go through any more trouble on her behalf. For his sake - and to save herself further heartache - she decided to tell him indirectly what was wrong.
"You really want to know?" she asked calmly.
"Yes," answered Bladewing, "All I want is to relieve you of your troubles, Sky... but I can only do that if you let me."
"*sigh* All right. You win." Sky took a deep breath, exhaling through the mouth to cleanse her body of the little melancholy she had left. "The reason I left is because I remembered that I had to drop by a friend's place." Bladewing acknowledged her with a nod.
"I see. What was it about?"
"She wanted to talk to me about some trouble in her love life." Bladewing had little idea that this 'friend' Sky spoke of was actually her, but he didn't sense any deception from her. It was probably because she was so relaxed in saying that, but he wouldn't know. Her mind was about as alien to him as his surroundings.
"If I may ask... what was the problem?"
"Well, she has a really big crush on this stallion that showed up at her job. She wanted to tell him how she felt about him and ask him if he would be her special somepony, but she recently discovered that he already has a marefriend."
"Oh, dear. I don't suppose she took it to heart?"
"That's putting it mildly. The poor girl was sobbing when she broke the news to me. I promised her that I'd pay her a visit the day we were at the mall." While he had great pity for Sky's "friend", Bladewing was unsure if Sky was exaggerating her sorrow a bit.
"I do feel sorry that she lost a chance at love... but is that really worth crying over? I'm all for happy endings to every romance, but surely she understands that there are other stallions out there worthy of being her coltfriend." It was in this moment that Bladewing suddenly sensed a hint of sadness again from Sky. It's as if his words stung her.
"She's been through a lot, Bladewing. More than any other girl I know. She decided since the day she saw him that he would be her last chance at romance. If she failed, then she would be single for the rest of her life."
"*hiss* Ouch. She had that bad of a love life?"
"Yeah. I'd tell ya more, but she made me promise that I'd never tell anypony about the deeper stuff she went through. What I can tell ya is that I had to leave you and Rose behind so I could cheer her up. It's because of THAT that I was so disappointed. I was hoping me and you could hang out that day."
"Very well. I applaud you for your choice, Sky. I enjoy hanging out with friends as much as anypony else, but I'd forgo that idea in a heartbeat if one of them is in need of my help."
"Maybe YOU would, but... I have a life too, Bladewing. I wanna have fun as much as anypony else in this country. I think it's unfair that in cheering up somepony close to me, I miss out on a great opportunity."
"It's not like it's the only one you had left, Sky. There will be plenty of time for us to hang out once I'm on the Council. And who knows, maybe your friend will get another chance at love." Sky looked away from Bladewing for a short moment.
"I don't think she will, Bladewing. She usually follows through on any vow she makes. From what I know of her love life, she might forget about romance period."
"But you don't know that. Maybe your friend got the wrong idea about the girl she thinks is her crush's marefriend. If that's the case, then she might still have a chance to be with him. She just has to make friends with him first. You know, like how you and I are friends."
"You think so?"
"You bet. I think you're an interesting mare to hang out with... and as far as I'm concerned, the only thing your friend SHOULD worry about is whether or not she's as willing to befriend her crush as I am of you." After hearing him compliment her, Sky couldn't help but smile. Sure, he wasn't flirting with her, but she still liked that he found her interesting. Bladewing adjusted his saddlebags to a more comfortable position shortly afterwards, and he offered his hoof to her. Instead of accepting it, however, Sky shot Bladewing a curious look.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I know you told me not to worry about it," replied Bladewing, "But I really do feel that we got off to a rocky start. I think those first impressions could've been better. So, let's start over." It didn't take long for Sky to realize his intent... and once she did, she couldn't help but feel amused.
"Ah, I get it," she told him, "You wanna start a friendship with me here and now."
"Yes. I consider you a friend already, but it won't be official unless we shake hooves on it. Are you up for it?" Sky thought about it for a short moment. While she would literally be confirming her friend-zoned status in shaking Bladewing's hoof, she did appreciate that Bladewing cared enough about her to stop by and cheer her up. With that said, the choice was clear for her. Whether as a coltfriend or just a friend, she wanted this stallion in her life no matter what.
"All right, Bladewing. You got a deal." The mare smiled and shook Bladewing's hoof with vigor, much to the stallion's satisfaction.
"Good. So no more regrets. Don't hesitate to help a friend in dire need... and if you ever want to hang out or just need a bit of support, just ask me. I'd be more than happy to give you my time."
"I'll be sure to remember that," mused Sky, "Got any other concerns, stud?" Bladewing couldn't resist smiling after hearing the playful tone in Sky Walker's voice again. This was a definite sign that he successfully returned Sky to her lively, cheerful self.
"Nope," chuckled Bladewing, "That was it. I think my job here is done." Bladewing was about to turn around and return to the bench besides Burning Ridge, but before he could even turn his head, Skywalker giggled softly and quickly kissed Bladewing's cheek. The sudden warmth of her lips touching his otherwise cool cheek shocked Bladewing, and he looked to Sky with a blush on his face.
"You're sweet, Bladewing," she told him softly, "No stallion EVER cheered me up the way you did. Not even my dad. I'm happy that you came by when you did... and I'm even happier knowing that we're gonna be serving Mountain Wind side by side very soon."
"As am I, Sky. I look forward to knowing everypony on the Council better but of them all, I think I'll enjoy learning more about you the most. I have a good feeling that we'll become very close in our friendship."
"*giggle* Same here. I'm gonna do everything I can to make it happen." Skywalker held out her foreleg to him, but Bladewing just looked at her curiously.
"What's this for?" he asked, speaking of the gesture.
"Aw, come on, stud," she cooed playfully, "Are you saying I can't get a hug from you? I know you got a marefriend, but every girl deserves some love. Especially if it's from a stallion she likes."
"Ah, I see. Very well." Bladewing smiled and held Sky Walker close as he hugged her. While he thought nothing of this moment, Skywalker thought differently. Here she was, alone in an agrarian area with a stallion she couldn't feel more comfortable being with in her life... and she was sharing a hug with him. She relished the few seconds or so that she nestled in his embrace, for this hug was as close to being romantically intimate with him as she could ever get.
"I'll see ya at the rehearsals, Bladewing," she told him, turning around, "I'm gonna bounce. Later."
"Farewell." As Skywalker left his side, Bladewing found himself feeling accomplished. Just hours earlier, he was hesitant to do anything concerning Sky's troubles (albeit with good reason); after taking advantage of the opportunity presented before him, he felt glad that he followed his gut. Rose would probably get jealous if she ever saw Skywalker kissing him, but he wouldn't withhold it from her if she asked him. As far as he was concerned, the kiss was nothing more than a show of gratitude to him. If she thought otherwise, it was HER problem, not his. He successfully restored Sky to her normal self, and that was all that mattered.
"*chuckle* Smooth moves, tiger. Thanks for making one of my best friends happy."
"Oh, no problem. Hhngh!" Bladewing cringed the moment he realized who just spoke to him. He turned around slowly and saw Burning Ridge looking at him with a smug expression, and his face heated up in a blush the moment he did.
"Uhh... how much did you hear of the conversation?"
"Enough to know what your 'business' was," joked Burning Ridge, "And to know why Clover thinks you're a ladies' colt." After hearing yet another pony pin that moniker on him, Bladewing felt defeated. The blush went away, but now it was replaced with an expression of frustration.
"*sigh* I figured as much. I'm going to bear that reputation forever, aren't I?" Burning Ridge couldn't help but grin.
"Listen, Bladewing. I'm not going to say that you should be proud of being one of the lucky few that have it, but I WILL say that you should rethink what's good and bad about it. I don't think you have them set up right."
"Humph. After all I've experienced under this cursed title, I think I've established the pros and cons just fine."
"We'll see. Anyway, I did mean what I said. I appreciate what you did for Sky." Bladewing felt his mood soften by Burning's compliment.
"It was nothing," Bladewing spoke modestly with a smile, "I'm always glad to help a friend."
"*chuckle* Don't be so modest, mate. I think ya handled the conversation better than anypony else in the Council ever would. I know her better than any of the others, but even I couldn't cheer her up like you did just now."
"You think so?"
"Aye. I can't wait to hear what sorts of shit you two will get into." Burning Ridge tilted his head towards the bench that he and Bladewing were sitting at earlier. Seeing how their lunch break was still not done, Bladewing felt more than willing to return to his snacks. The two stallions walked back towards their bench and made themselves comfortable once more.
"Could ya do me a favor, Bladewing?" Burning asked, picking up his wine bottle.
"Of course, Burning," replied Bladewing, "What is it?"
"I want you to look after Sky for me." Bladewing was puzzled.
"Why? Is something wrong with her?"
"Nah. She just has a habit of flying off the handle. She's a tough girl, but she's also very headstrong. I lost count of how many times I had to calm her down before she did something crazy."
"I see. Are you asking that I do the same for her?"
"Yeah. Now that I'm retired, somepony's gotta be there to make sure she doesn't do anything that'll put the Council in a bind... and who better to fill that role than the bloke who just cheered her up?"
"*chuckle* Good point. Very well." Bladewing offered his hoof to Burning Ridge, and the stallion in turn shook his hoof happily. "I'll keep a close watch over her. I'll do my very best to make sure she keeps herself in check."
"Good. Best of luck to ya, mate." Burning Ridge ended the conversation with that wish, and he and Bladewing carried on with their lunch.