The Last Cutie Mark Crusader

by Jatheus


28 - Taskforce, Part 4 of 5

Cloud Blazer was exhausted from his newfound inability to sleep and could barely keep his eyes open. However, when he heard the familiar voice, he identified it immediately when Scootaloo spoke. His ears perked up and his heart quickened. It was a mixture of excitement and despair that confused the stallion, but hope sprang up inside.

"They told me I could find you here, Sweetie Belle."

"Scootaloo! You made it!" Sweetie Belle excitedly embraced her friend.

"Hi, Cloud Blazer," Sparklefly greeted as she entered the hospital room.

"Hi, LT.”

She smiled at him. The sight of her eye patch reminded him of that day again. No matter how far away he got, it sometimes came rushing back and made him shudder, a painful expression due to his injuries.

Remembering his manners, “I don't know if you've all met Pixyglitter; this is Scootaloo and Sparklefly. They were with me when I got banged up."

An uneasy smile on her face, Pixyglitter said, "Pleased to meet you.”

Sparklefly answered, “Any friend of Cloud Blazer's is a friend of mine. He saved my life, you know."

Cloud Blazer shot her a confused look. He didn't remember having saved her life. In fact, the others had saved his, twice.

She must have caught his expression as she added, ”You remember; you told me to duck. That timberwolf that took my eye was aiming for my throat.”

He did remember. He couldn't forget. Perhaps if he'd yelled out sooner, she'd still have her eye. Sweetie Belle chatted on with Scootaloo about the previous night's events. He got the gist of it: zebras were on the prince's side, the rebels were soundly defeated, Mane Crusher was captured.

"So we're being reassigned to Cloudsdale," Scootaloo finished.

"Cloudsdale?" Cloud Blazer asked, almost panicked at the thought of his friends leaving him.

"It's a small distance,” Sparklefly said. "We should be able to visit often."

The look on her face told him that this was likely not true. He decided to accept it anyway.

She continued, “But we do have some exciting news. You've been awarded a Shining Star, and Shining Armor has granted you the title, ‘The Hero of Everfree’. What do you think about that?"

Cloud Blazer considered this a moment. He hadn't really done anything heroic in the forest that day, especially when weighed against how hard Regal Masquerade fought until his dying breath and the way the other four mounted a rescue by themselves. He had only brought up the rear in their initial escape, but somepony had to do it. It could have just as easily been any one of them. He felt uncomfortable about it and decided to make a joke, "Does that mean I can demand that everypony address me as Hero Cloud Blazer?"

Sweetie Belle and Pixyglitter giggled; Scootaloo seemed to be ignoring him. Sparklefly snorted, "No!"

He scoffed at her, "That's easy for you to say; everypony's been calling you the Hero of Canterlot since we were cadets."

Her smile in reply betrayed that she didn't feel comfortable with that title. He couldn't blame her. Just like the day in the forest, the day in Canterlot had seen the deaths of several of their friends. For the first time, he thought he might begin to understand her feelings on the matter. Although, there was a rather large difference in their situations. In Canterlot, she’d led them to their deaths. In Everfree, he was trying to keep them alive. The conversation remained pleasant, but Sparklefly and Scootaloo soon said their goodbyes. Cloud Blazer wanted to make things right again with Scootaloo, but by design or by chance, the opportunity didn't present itself.

"I'm thirsty," Sweetie Belle said when the others had gone. "Anypony else want some water?"

"Yes, thanks," Cloud Blazer said.

Pixyglitter nodded her agreement.

The confused emotional state in which Cloud Blazer found himself was unsettling. There wasn’t anypony he could talk to, so he tried to keep it to himself, but the feeling of loneliness only made it worse.

All of his injuries ached and throbbed as Cloud Blazer shifted in bed. Comfort wasn't something he could achieve anymore, but minimizing the pain was always worth an attempt. He rested in his new position, which took pressure off of some places and moved it to others. It was an acceptable trade. He made a long, unsatisfying yawn, and when he opened his eyes, he didn't know he was dreaming. Unlike his recent vivid dreams filled with cryptic messages, he had found a normal, much needed sleep where the subconscious mind wanders and one’s vigor is restored.

...

Beigh scoffed at the idea of even calling it lunch. The rations had become so small that he couldn't figure out how they were still training as hard as they were. Still, the gardens they'd been working as part of their daily routine were coming along. In another month or so they should have more food to add to the "feast". Looking down at his bowl of maybe two dozen oats, he wondered that they had made it this long with so little. The portion was quickly finished, and the medic found himself with nearly twenty minutes before he had to be anywhere. It was a rare and wonderful thing, but he remembered that he'd neglected to turn in a supply report they'd made only that morning. Several soldiers had required medical attention after the fighting the previous night, and updated supply lists were one of the things with which he had been tasked.

Beigh quickly exited the mess tent and started walking to the infirmary. He was about halfway there when he happened to look up. He smiled in recognition of Sparklefly. Both she and Scootaloo were walking directly towards him. He decided he'd best make a greeting as to not seem rude.

"Good afternoon, Lieutenant," he began.

He was just about to say something else, maybe ask her how her wings were feeling, when she reached him. He was so caught off guard by what happened next that he didn't know what to do. Without warning, and most abruptly, Lieutenant Sparklefly kissed him on the mouth. The stallion was rendered incapacitated as his senses were assaulted with a barrage of confused feelings. He felt excited and terrified, hot and cold, hard and soft all at the same time. Instinctively, he backed away, but she was close enough that it took him two steps to break contact. He was so surprised that his attempt to ask why she had just kissed him came out as inane sputtering. Scootaloo began laughing uproariously.

“Cadet, I’ve been promoted and I’m being transferred to Cloudsdale, and I wanted to say goodbye before I disembark," Sparklefly spoke casually, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

He read absolutely no emotion from her.

Still in complete shock, Beigh didn't realize that the mild admiration he had felt before was being transformed into something else. Much as a spark ignites a blaze, a kind of flame had been kindled and was sweeping through his heart. Saddened by the news of her transfer, he could only think to finally introduce himself, then they could at least keep in contact.

“My name-"

He was silenced by Sparklefly placing a hoof over his mouth. She whispered in his ear, "Don't spoil it." A wry grin crept across her face as she backed away.

The next thing he knew, the two left him standing there alone, grinning like an idiot. Panic replaced the other feelings, and Beigh spun about, looking in every direction. It seemed that the entire incident had gone unnoticed. This would be of mutual advantage given their vastly different stations.

After regaining some measure of composure, he remembered that he still had that report to turn in. Continuing on to the infirmary didn't feel like walking; it felt like flying. In truth he wasn't flying. Feelings can be deceptive like that. He was actually falling... head over hooves.