//------------------------------// // Midnight Rider // Story: Chessmaster through Life and Shadows // by Prismfire Productions //------------------------------// -500 years ago...in a time far, far away- Time had been a cruel mistress to Rainbow, in the centuries that had passed since that fateful night she had seen so many ponies close to her pass on. This hardened her to the point that she no longer felt pity or sadness just pain, suffering, and lonly misery. One night, as she now often did, she started thinking about different things that had happened to her over the course of her life. Way back when she first became a vampony, it had been rough the first few weeks. There were two good examples of this, the first was experiencing the smell of burning fur and flesh when she accidentally stumbled upon a garlic festival in Manehatten. Considering the doctor had never seen somepony in her conditon before, she was lucky to pass it off as a lifelong food allergy while being treated at the hospital. The other example was the first time she had forgotten to drink blood at regular intervals. "So hungry..." Dash moaned while curled up in the fetal position, her stomach wrecked with pain. "No matter how much I eat I can't stop the pain...." A mockingbird landed on a nearby tree branch and, being desperate, she launched and ate the bird. As she was eating, she noticed something different; yes the meat was good, but the blood was making her feel reenergized. "Oh, yeah, I'm a vampony now. I must... have... blood..." She quickly formed a deep unclenched thirst and promptly raided the Ponyville blood bank after finally giving into her desire. That raid was fun for her for two reasons, the first being she wasn't caught and safely fled into the night. The second was she was hiding in plain sight and mentally enjoying every moment of mass hysteria, because every one of her stunts caused the citizens of Ponyville, Canterlot, and Cloudsdale to go into a frenzy. A couple centuries later, she met a mare by the name of Windy Whistles. Windy was a long-since-retired guard who believed in the Lunar Republic's cause and decided to take Rainbow under her wing to teach her how to spread pro-Luna propaganda. At first, it was simply a teacher-student type bond with Rainbow following Windy's instructions. "Remember your training Commander, you do this one on your own, show me what you have learned." Windy whispered as they were scouting their target, a businesspony with a tuxedo, top hat, and tie. It was near dusk so the streets had now become more occupied with "shadier" ponies who 83% of the time were up to no good. However, this pony was different, and after some digging they discovered he was a noble with an important role with the Board of Public Opinion; the committee who gave public concerns of the wider population to Celestia herself. "On it Windy." Dash then trotted out of her hiding spot and approached the pony. "Hello sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" The stallion nodded. "I don't see why not, and don't call me sir, my name is Quill Step. Unlike most nobles, I am not snooty and prefer to mingle with the ponies who live here, much nicer than the flankholes on the court committees. Anyways, what is the question that you wish to ask me Miss Threstal?" "Just call me Novi, please," Rainbow said, her ears flickering around to make sure there were no evesdroppers. "And the question I want to ask is this: I know you're on the BoPO, is everypony happy with Princess Celestia's rule and do they think Princess Luna should return?" Quill's eyes widened. "Wait, is that you Princess Nova?" When the threstal gulped, that was the only answer he needed, so he leaned in for a whisper. "There are many rumors about you princess. Some say you are a myth, others say you're just a story made to scare little foals into listening to their parents. Always lurking in the shadows, waiting for your next victim. Truth be told, I am unsatisfied, and I am not the only one." Windy, curious as to the delay, came over to them and soon Dash and Windy learned that nearly a fifth of the population within Canterlot's borders was growing tired of Celestia and wanted Nightmare Moon to return and claim her rightful place on the throne. Over time, the bond between teacher and student was soon complicated by Dash's changing feeling towards the "older" mare. The factor behind this change would seem insignificant to somepony who didn't know the threstal, but considering the Element of Loyalty bonded to her it altered her perspective and showed her minor things that could change another's viewpoint once explained in detail. In this case, while at a hot spring one day Dash looked at Windy in closer detail and saw not only was Windy roughly the same build, but also had a very similar coat color to herself. This got her to start thinking about other things, like how Windy treated her, and she realized that Windy acted like a mother towards her. From that day forward Dash looked at Windy more and more like a mother figure, which terrified her. "I say this last run was the best one yet Dash!" Windy beamed as the two returned to their house under the cover of darkness. "The tide is changing, between our efforts and the ones of your guards, soon Sunbutt will fall." "Civil unrest can only go so far, I would have to be the placeholder ruler until my mom comes back from her banishment..." Dash said as she put down her saddlebags and plopped down on the couch and Windy could tell something was off just by Dash's body language. "What is wrong little Prism? You seem to be down as of late, wanna talk?" Windy wrapped a wing around the smaller Threstal, pulling Rainbow in for a tight hug as she glanced out the window to the moon that bared the image of the Princess of the Night. "I know life has been hard for you since your incident all those centuries ago, but look on the bright side, the wait is halfway over. It really is a shame I will not have the pleasure to meet her, my bones will have long since crumbled to dust by then and I will be nothing more than another memory..." She trailed off when she heard Dash sniffling, quietly crying into Windy's coat. "I know that you don't like talking about those things litttle one, but facts are facts, and until my last breath I promise to be here for you in anyway I can... you know that." "Uh huh..." Rainbow's tone was soft and cracked, the vampony's tears gone but her sobs remained. "It is just that you have been like a second mother to me, what have I done to deserve that? You took me under your wing to help spread my mom's influence, but in that time..." The figurative lightbulb of realization lit up over Windy. "You have come to see me as a second mother and don't want me replacing your own..." A small nod confirmed the statement, making Windy pull Dash closer by tightening the hug. "Listen, I never had a foal to raise so believe me when I say that I know how you are feeling and I have no intention to replace your mother. You are a strong mare in your own right, and have a status higher than this old citizen, and until my death I will serve as your personal bodyguard." Dash bolted up straight and stared at the pegasus in shock. "I can't ask you to do that, do you realize what you will be getting yourself into Mrs. Whistles by being in that position? I care about you too much to place you in that kind of danger and besides, I have more than one qualified guard that could easily fill that roll." "If that is the case, then why haven't you assigned one yet?" Windy smirked. Dash was about to reply but the pegasus held up a hoof to continue. "You don't need to answer considering I already know why, you don't want to hurt any of their feelings by choosing one over another. Think about my proposition carefully and you will notice that it is the best solution considering all the options available. Instead of having to "pick favorites", choose me, that way nopony's feelings get hurt, and you seem to be forgetting I am a former guard myself. I may be middle aged, but I can still kick flank and take names, so what do you say Commander Nova?" "Alright Lieutenant Whistles, you win and are now my personal bodyguard..." Dash said in resigned defeat, knowing there was no way to talk the stubborn mare in front of her out of her decision. "I will inform the others shortly." Windy saluted with a wing and bowed. "Thank you Commander, I will do my best to fulfill my duties. Now for a change of subject, I think it is time we spread our influence further out, Manehatten to be exact. I have a friend that will be escorting us to there, he arrives in an hour so go prepare your things." "Ok Lieutenant see you then." Dash went to her room moving at a quarter canter to gather up her needed possessions for such a long trip and by the time she was finished the hour was nearly up. Looking from room to room as she neared the front parlor and having no luck finding Windy, she glanced out the window overlooking the street. It was through the window that she saw Windy on the corner of the nearest intersection standing by the Monastery of the Moon. Grabbing her things and securing her saddlebags firmly at her sides, she headed outside and locked the door behind her while keeping an eye on her surroundings. A thick eerie fog had settled in, the moonlight glistening off the dew drops like millions upon millions of stars as Dash, moving as quiet as a church mouse, slowly made her way towards Windy. "Ah, you came just in time Dash..." Windy said when Dash reached her. "For he, and the hour, have come..." The bell rung, signaling the midnight hour had creeped over the land like a silent blanket, and as Dash looked down the street a figure was slowly approaching in the fog. This, combined with the worshippers in the Monastery chanting and the bell slowly ringing made a shiver penetrate all the way to Dash's core and scared her to the point she thought her heart beated for a few seconds. The figure's pace was deliberately slow, the closer he approached the more fear gripped the terrified threstal. By the time he finally came up to them the bell had stopped ringing, the fog had mysteriously dispersed, and silence had befallen the streets once more... unless you counted Dash's teeth chattering in terror. "So..." He said in a deep, thick tone that completed the perception he was Death ponyfied, the look he was giving Dash made the vampony nearly kee from being scared straight. "This is the one you were talking about Windy?..." "Yes indeed." Windy nodded before looking back to Dash. "This is my friend Crypt Keeper, the local gravespony, and he will be our escort to Manehatten. Trust me, you have nothing to be scared of Commander so please try and relax." "Indeed..." Crypt Keeper replied tipping the hood of his cloak in respect. "With me guiding you both, I can sure safe travels Your Highness...I would be a pretty damn stupid stallion if I led the Madame of the Night into trouble. Although I work around dead bodies, I have no plans on joining them anytime soon..." "Al-alright..." Dash said with a slight gulp as she attempted to calm her rattled nerves. "So which path will you be taking us on for Windy to arrange an escort? Besides, I need to let my guards that are stationed throughout Canterlot know where I am at just in case as a backup plan." "No, nopony is to know this path... just tell your guards you are heading to Manehatten, nothing more and nothing less... If they press for details order them to stand down, simple as that. As for the path we are taking..." He paused to briefly chuckle, once again sending shivers down Dash's spine. "There truly is nothing to dread... when you can trot in the land of the dead..." Dash initially was going to make a horrified remark, but considering she was already dead she paused to think, rubbing a hoof under her chin. " 'when you can trot in the land of the dead...' hmmm, considering that you are a gravespony, we are going to be going through graveyards?" Crypt Keeper nodded. "Indeed so, well done figuring that out, now go let your guards know where you are going and hurry back." Dash took off and, after giving the nearest guard to them an update, returned to them. "5 minutes, not bad Madame." Dash smiled. "Thanks, I take great pride in my speed, now shall we be going?" Crypt Keeper nodded and slowly trotted towards the graveyard, Windy and Dash in tow. Once they reached the premises he led them to a mausoleum that seemed to be in ill repair, it was the only grave that was in that state so it stood out like a sore hoof. Without saying a word, Crypt Keeper opened the door and motioned them inside. The door groaned when being closed and the three were inside, as if it was upset it had been from its' peaceful sleep. "So what now?" Dash asked in the pitch black darkness. It was dark to the point that, even with her enhanced low-light vision, she was having trouble making out shapes. Crypt Keeper sighed. "This is... my family's vault... before my mom died I made her a promise, until my time is up I will lead ponies safely through the land of the dead..." His horn then glowed and a screech similar to a hoof in chalkboard reverberated through the tight space, sending Dash to the floor from her ears ringing. It lasted just seconds, and when it stopped Dash and Windy saw Crypt Keeper had moved the marble casket in the middle of the room, revealing a tunnel underneath. "Jump in and we will continue our journey underground." The pegasus and threstal nodded and jumped in, Crypt Keeper sealing the entrance back shut and taking lead, using the soft glow from his horn like a lanturn before speaking in a soft whisper. "Follow and keep quiet, for the dead need peace and respect..." Dash was about to question him until they turned the corner, the glow from Crypt's horn illuminated both walls, which were lined from floor to ceiling with neatly stacked skeletons. "The Canterlot Catacombs... I have heard about this place but I thought it was only a myth, I remember mom telling me something about if your soul is pure you will pass through with no problems. Now I will find out for sure if she was right..." She could see a faint gleam from wards imbedded in the walls, positioned in a way that the untrained eye would easily miss them, and much to her relief nothing happened when they passed through. They trotted along in silence for what felt like an eternity before a ladder came into view. "Where are we?" Dash asked puzzled. "Up the ladder you will find yourself in an abandoned hut, go out the front door and head north. An hours flight from here is the railroad tracks, meet me there. I would teleport all three of us but unfortunately I only mastered self teleportation if I try and teleport others and it gets...messy..." In a flash of magic Crypt was gone, leaving Dash and Windy all alone. "Ready Lieutenant?" "Yes, Commander, I will follow your lead." The two climbed up and took off heading north after leaving out the front door. "I bet you are curious as to how me and him first met, well it is a sad story but I will give you the condensed version. 25 years ago when I was still a fresh muzzled guard my husband died of feather flu, it completely crushed me because he was the love of my life, my soulmate. After the funeral was over and everypony went home, he came up to cover the casket and try and get me to leave. When I refused, he sat beside me and let me fully release all my built up emotions and let me express how my outlook on life was. "He told me everything was going to be alright, I had to keep my chin up and continue on because that is what my husband would have wanted me to do. Hay, when I finally calmed down he used his magic to open the lid just so I could kiss my loved one for one final time. We covered the casket together and afterwards, due to it being dark, he let me stay with him for the night. "I cried myself to sleep, and the next morning when I heard the morning birds sing as Celestia's sun rose above the horizon, I actually had a smile on my muzzle and felt at peace. Remember Dash, no matter who you are or what happens, it is always nice to have a wither to cry on and have somepony who will listen to you to help you through life." Dash was floored, not only from the story but also the sound advice. "I will try to remember that Windy, thank you for sharing that since I can tell that is something you really don't like talking about based off your tone." "No I don't like talking about it, but you are quite welcome." By this time the two had reached the tracks, and as promised Crypt was there waiting for them. He motioned the two into the nearby bush and fell quiet, that is until they heard a train whistle. "We jump on board when the open cart passes by, I scouted the train schedule when Windy hired me to be the escort. The train that is approaching is carrying empty carts to be loaded with cakes at Manehatten's Bluebit Bakery, each cart is open to make sure the refrigeration system doesn't freeze before the cakes are put in them. Make sure to aim for the 5th cart because it has a special compartment we can hide in, which I discovered during recon." He was silenced by the train coming towards them at a thunderous pace, close enough now to where the ground beneath them was vibrating. When the moment was right they jumped, each landing safely in the cart and Crypt lead them into the compartment, which he closed shut and they all drifted off to sleep while waiting for their destination to draw near.