Chapter 19-
Little White Lies
Chris walked through the halls of the Castle of Two Sisters, the particular passage he traveled becoming far too familiar to him for his liking. Before long, he found himself in front of a pair of double doors and pushed them open into the medical hall. “Hey, Bloom,” he greeted the yellow mare as he walked up to her.
“Councillor Scott,” she answered coldly, her eyes still on the clipboard as she wrote over it.
The man winced a bit at that. “Ah, come on, Apple Bloom,” he pleaded, trying to get into her line of sight. “You can’t still be mad at me.”
“Ah can an’ Ah am,” the mare answered, setting her clipboard down and turning to face him with an angry look. “A lie is a lie, Chris, an’ you lied straight to yer own brother’s face.”
Chris was silent for a second before he let out a sigh. “You saw, too, didn’t you?” He questioned quietly. “He was happy, Bloom. He was so happy to be by himself. Even now he’s not here. I don’t even know where he is.”
“Is that really any reason for ya to lie to him?” Apple Bloom asked. “Even if he is happy when ya tell’im the truth, it’s going to hurt him more than if ya’d just told him outright.” Chris was quiet before he let out a breath and looked at the floor.
“...How’s she doing?” He asked, diverting the conversation completely.
The mare looked him over with a critical stare before she let out an annoyed sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. “She’s ornery as always,” Bloom muttered before shaking her head and giving a little chuckle. “But she’s getting better. It won’t be too long now before we can get’er out of bed.”
Chris let out a small breath before he let a small, reassured smile slide over his face. “That’s good news,” he said, starting to turn further into the medical hall. “Thank you for taking care of her, Apple Bloom.”
“It’s my job to take care of all my patients,” the earth pony answered, taking up her clipboard once more. “Just like it’s yer job ta make the right decision fer all our sakes….” Chris only lowered his gaze again before walking away. He passed curtain after curtain, walking almost to the complete end of the medical hall before he stopped in front of the space he’d been looking for.
“...Chrysalis?” The young man called quietly, putting a hand on the curtain but avoiding pulling it away. He’d made that mistake only once….
“Chris?” The changeling’s voice answered tiredly before she cleared her throat and he heard the rustle and creak of her bed. “Yes, come in please.”
The ranger let out a small breath of relief before pushing the veil out of his way and stepping into the small space. He looked towards the bed and its occupant, Chrysalis giving him a soft, tired smile. He gave his own little smile before coming in and sitting in the only chair in the sectioned off area, getting a good look at the fresh flowers left on the bedside table. “I see Artemus was here earlier,” he said before looking at her as she chuckled.
“She comes by every chance she gets,” the queen replied, cutting off her amusement after a moment. “If I didn’t like all of the attention I’d say she was suffocating me.”
Chris let out a chuckle at that before he quieted. “How are you feeling?” He asked, his voice lowering a bit as concern flashed over his eyes.
The changeling queen gave a small sigh at that before leaning her head back against the raised pillows of her bed. “Today’s a good day,” she answered, turning her head to look at him. “The pain in my back is at a low throb, I didn’t panic this morning when I couldn’t move, and I’m finally clear to eat solid foods. All in all, not bad.”
The man’s saddened look swept over the mare before he let out a heavy breath. “Chrysalis, I’m so sor-”
“Chris.” Chrysalis’ sudden interruption drew the man’s gaze to her own, the stern look she gave him more than enough to make his words wither away. “If you apologize to me for any reason, I will reach over the bed and knock you upside the head.”
The human swallowed hard. “Y-Yes, ma’am,” he said quickly, straightening up as she continued to look at him.
After a moment, she let out a breath and let her hard look fade away. “That is something both you and Artemus need to understand,” she said softly. “What happened to me, what happened during the battle, none of that was your fault.”
Chris searched her eyes for a moment before he let his hair hang down in front of his eyes. “That’s just about what Sweetie Belle told me yesterday,” he said. “Said I was 'single-handedly' saving the Resistance.”
“And she’s right, Chris,” Chrysalis insisted. “Well, mostly. No one can do everything alone, but I think you already knew that.”
“That is why I have my team,” Chris admitted with a nod of his head. “Who knows where I’d be if I didn’t have them.”
The changeling gave a little chuckle at that. “Especially that sweet mare you’ve grown so close to,” she said with a minor purr before she let out a little hum. “Mmm, the love you share with one another is so tantalizing.”
“Is it really that obvious?” Chris questioned in a bit of a fluster as his cheeks lit up and released a laugh from the insectoid.
“Darling, I am a Changeling,” she said, lifting a hand flippantly. “We can sense every little emotion anyone produces… but yes, it’s extremely obvious that you and Ms. Belle are deeply in love.”
Chris stared at her for a moment before he let out a breath and put a hand to his face to hide his embarrassment. “Oooh, Rainbow’s going to have a field day with this…,” he muttered, receiving another laugh from the queen.
“That she will,” Chrysalis said before a small frown washed over her features. “But that’s not what’s bothering you, is it?” The young man fell silent, keeping his eyes on the ground as he felt the turmoil grow inside him, wondering just how much to tell the changeling queen.
“Is it Samson?” Even if Chris didn’t wince or show any outward sign of the mare striking the right chord, he still knew that she’d sense the spike in panic that ran through him.
“Yes,” he answered, looking up with a sigh, still not meeting her eyes.
“Chris,” she said gently, putting a hand on his knee. “Everyone has to leave eventually. Even though the two of you are still connected, it’s only natural for Sam to use his new abilities to garner some sort of independence from-”
“It’s not that…,” Chris interrupted quietly, finally letting his troubled gaze meet hers. “I… I lied to him about… about when we get summoned to another displaced.”
Chrysalis looked over him with a careful eye, concern filling her gaze before she spoke up. “What happened exactly and what brought you to lie to your brother?” She asked, her tone more worried than the condescending one that Apple Bloom had provided.
The ranger stayed quiet for several moments before he took a breath. “Yesterday, after we finished Veral’s surgery… we got called by another displaced. I was honestly too tired to go and Sam… Sam offered to go alone as a sort of experiment. He went through the portal and for a second I thought it worked. Then I got dragged along behind him. When I came out the other side, I was separate from Sam and couldn’t find the energy to move. By the time I did finally get up enough to move and found Samson he… he looked so happy, Chrysalis and I just couldn’t take that from him….”
Chrysalis blinked a bit at the information overload. “...You never told him,” she said simply, receiving a nod from him. The changeling fell silent again before she took a breath. “Does anyone else know?”
“Just Apple Bloom and Dr. Cureall,” Chris answered truthfully, shrugging his shoulders. “And Bloom has already told me that I should come clean with Sam.”
“Then it seems you already know what you should do,” the mare said with a small shrug before letting out a breath. “But that’s not what you’re going to do, is it?”
“I just don’t see the point in upsetting him,” the young man replied, straightening up slightly and putting a hand on his knee. “As long as I keep my distance when we travel and don’t fuse our minds, he won’t know the difference and he can be happy.”
“But you know it’s not that simple, Chris,” Chrysalis said in an exasperated tone before shaking her head and bringing a hand to her face. She was quiet for several seconds before she looked up again. “Where is Sam right now?”
“He’s with Rainbow Dash,” Chris replied. “They really seemed to hit it off when word about him finally got out.”
Chrysalis let out a little chuckle at that. “They do seem the right type for one another,” she said with humor still ringing in her voice. “Any idea what they’re doing?”
“I honestly have no clue,” Chris answered before rubbing the back of his neck. “I just really hope that whatever it is, they don’t burn the castle down in the process.”
Rainbow Dash let out a monster yawn, a tear threatening to roll out of her eye before she rubbed it away and blinked her eyes, returning her gaze to the pages in front of her. “Seriously, Sam, why’re we spending so much time in this dingy old library anyway?” The mare asked, looking up over her shoulder towards the black, red, and orange sphere floating behind her.
“I’m just trying to do some studying, Dash,” Samson answered, his orb bobbing up and down a bit. “Learn some history and law and all that junk.”
“But why would you ask me?” The pegasus questioned, turning to the next page for the both of them. “I mean, you know I don’t like this kinda stuff, right?”
“I know, Dash, it’s just…,” the orb trailed off before the sound of a sigh issued from it. “It’s just that being around Chris all the time is kinda… old. And you’re the only pony I can think of that would actually take the time to do this for me.”
“Well, you know, someone has to do it,” Rainbow said with a small smirk.
“Ah, you just like hanging out with somebody as awesome as me,” Sam joked smugly, earning a quiet laugh from the mare in front of him.
“In your dreams, glow ball!”
“I shiver at the thought,” Chrysalis agreed, cringing slightly at the worst case scenario that ran through her mind. “But all the same, you need to tell him, Chris. The longer you wait to do so, the more it’s going to hurt him when he finds out.”
Chris was quiet for several moments before he let his head fall forward, hands drooping from his knees. “I know...,” he said softly before lifting his head and shaking it clear. “I wanted to ask you about something else.”
“And what would that be?” The changeling asked, head tilting to the side.
Chris hesitated a moment before he spoke up. “What are you going to do?” He asked, looking up with pain in his eyes. “I mean… there’s been a lot of talk on the council about… about….”
“About replacing me,” Chrysalis finished for him, taking a small breath after and falling quiet for a few moments. “...I won’t be thrown out of my position as the leader of Stealth Operations though….” The queen paused and bit her lip softly. “My position as Changeling Councilor may be at stake….”
The young man looked at her worriedly. “...Who would take your place on the Council?” He asked, the anxiety riding underneath his voice.
“I suppose it would have to be Tarsi or Thorax,” Chrysalis answered before a small, sad smile reached her. “I’m not sure how they’d fair, though, to be honest. After his metamorphosis, Thorax would be the obvious choice, however his temperament, while effective in the field, may not be suited to leadership. As for Tarsi, her temper would be her downfall in a Council meeting and I fear she might end up turning our allies against us. Not that she’d want the position anyway….”
Chris was quiet for a while before he shook his head and blew his breath between tensed lips. “Then… there’s nothing to do but wait,” he finally muttered, Chrysalis nodding her head in response.
“Patience is what we’ll need,” she said with a shake of her head. “Now more than ever.” The pair grew quiet for several moments before Chris let out a sigh.
“Artemus is coming,” he said before standing up and giving a little smile. “You weren’t kidding when you said she spent all the time she could with you.”
The changeling queen gave a little chuckle at that before she stopped and returned his smile. “I’d never joke about my love’s intent to care,” she answered. “Thank you for coming to visit and keep me company, Chris. And… remember our advice.”
Chris hesitated at the curtain for a moment before he looked over his shoulder and nodded. “I will,” he said before turning and opening the curtain to reveal Artemus. “Hey, Artemus,” he greeted before walking past her, the mare stopping short and blinking as her plan to surprise him died in her throat. A little chuckle ran through him before he gave a little bow of his head, looking up with a smile. “Good to see you.”
“Good to… see you, too… Chris,” the alicorn answered with her shocked expression still on her face as he passed by her, the mare turning a confused look to her bedridden lover as she let out an amused chuckle.
Chris continued to smile as he walked down the medical hall… at least until a voice he certainly didn’t want to hear reached out to him. “It’s a shame when those you care about are put on their last legs.”
The young man’s happy expression morphed into an angry frown before he swiftly turned and entered a new cubby, throwing the curtain closed around himself and Guntram. “What happened to you and your son are all you’re own fault,” the ranger hissed, gripping the edge of the griffon’s bed. “Your own arrogant pride and hunger for power are what drove you to split from the Resistance. And it was those same self-centered values that you imprinted on your son that got him killed. You seem to forget that I was there when he was killed. And you know what I saw? I saw a scared kid too frightened to move because his father was too busy teaching him to be sneaky and corrupt to teach him what true courage was. And where were you? At the very back of the camp, hiding in your tent like the coward you are.”
The elder griffon only stared at the young man as he wrapped up his rant, the old bird simply ‘hmph’ing deep in his chest before replying. “And yet it’s funny to me how something as petty as my pride was able to break this alliance like a twig,” he said, grunting as he used his arms to push himself further back on his raised bed. “It only further proves my point. We may all have one foe, but we are not united. Each of the races has their own goals and motives. All it takes is a little bit of strain and everything falls apart and the only ones we’ll have to rely on is our own kingdoms.”
“Get to the point,” Chris growled, grip hardening on the footboard as his knuckles turned white.
“My point, Councilor,” the griffon answered, his gaze hardening, “is that this Resistance, this alliance will be broken and when that happens, you’re going to try everything you can to save it just because that is how foolish you are. When that time comes, I will be there at the forefront to watch as everything you care about is ripped from your hands. Just. Like. Me.”
Chris was silent for several moments, his glare still competing with Guntram’s as he grit his teeth. “...We’ll just see about that, Guntram,” he finally said, straightening up and starting to turn away. “But I’ll tell you one thing. When that day comes, I’ll go down fighting unlike then and maybe I won’t lose my legs!” With that final stab, Chris turned and threw the curtain out of his way and marched out of the medical hall, leaving the legless griffon to stew in his hatred and misery.
Sweetie Belle walked the halls with her sister, the two mares smiling and laughing with one another. “Oh, and then it was even better,” Rarity said with a giggle, continuing her narrative. “When I walked into the classroom the next day, the poor colt crushed his drink into his face!”
Sweetie let out a laugh at that, giggling until tears fell from her eyes. “So that’s how you got into fashion?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “All to get at a stupid colt that thought you’re top was plain?”
“Well, we all had to start from somewhere,” the older pony answered with a grin and wink. “The fact that I got show up a snooty colt in high school and amuse myself at the same time is just icing on the cake!”
Sweetie chuckled a bit more before turning a mischievous look on her sibling. “You totally made him a new top and jacket to make up for the stain, didn’t you?” She asked, receiving a dramatic sigh from the other unicorn as she put a hand to her eyes, though the older mare’s smile was still obvious.
“Oh, caught red-handed,” she exclaimed, before looking towards Sweetie with her hand on her temple, eyes seeming to pout in the ever-feared puppy-dog eyes. “It’s almost as if you’ve known me all your life!”
“Oh, hush!” Sweetie laughed, pushing the taller mare’s shoulder. The pair laughed together at their own antics, Sweetie Belle pausing only momentarily to take in her sister’s natural beauty again. Rarity wore a tight-fitting, black, sleeveless top that ran long onto her hips, the high collar hanging a little loose while her cutie mark adorned the lower left corner. A pair of white jeans and black, buckle boots finished off her look alongside the baby-blue beads she wore around her wrist.
Rarity laughed a bit more before they both grew quiet. “This is nice,” the older mare said with a small, comfortable sigh.
“Huh?” Sweetie questioned, eyes blinking before she shook her head and smiled. “Oh, yeah, this is really great. Just having a chance to relax, take a breath, and, of course, spend some time with the best big sister ever.”
Rarity blinked for a moment before she chuckled slightly. “Ah, yes, best big sister ever!” She said, throwing her hair back over her shoulder teasingly before she let her eyes fall forward. “It’s… it’s a bit of a shame we never got a chance to go to the Apple’s Sisterhooves Social.”
The younger mare blinked for a few seconds before she gave a little deadpan look. “Rarity… you hate mud… And chickens… and farms in general….”
The older unicorn gave a slightly embarrassed chuckle at that. “You’re not wrong dear,” she said before she smiled over at Sweetie and hugged her shoulders. “But I can’t help but think of the happy memories we’d have to look back on if we had.”
“Yeah,” Sweetie said cheerfully before she fell silent, ears falling back as her eyes met the floor. “Especially a-after… after… m-mom and dad-”
“Shh, Sweetie,” Rarity comforted softly, shifting her embrace to a full-on hug, holding the shorter mare to her as Sweetie cried openly into her chest. “It’s… it’s okay. A-at least w-we know… we know they didn’t suffer….” The elder unicorn stopped, tears building up heavily in her eyes as she held Sweetie Belle tighter. For several minutes, the unicorn held her the shorter mare as she wept, her own tears slowly and silently drawing down her cheeks as she brushed her hand over the mage’s mane.
Sweetie finally stopped shivering and shaking, her sobs dying away as she leaned back from her older sister. “I’m s-sorry, Rarity,” she said softly, sniffing loudly as she used the heel of her palm to wipe away the tears in her eyes.
“Oh, Sweetie…,” the older unicorn replied softly, reaching up to brush a stray tear from the young mare's cheek with her thumb. “There's nothing to be sorry for. We are all entitled to our own sorrows and we are no different. Just because situations like ours are more the norm now than the exception doesn't mean it's any less disheartening. But, there is one thing we have to remember….” Here, Rarity gently lifted the younger mare's eyes to look into her own. “No matter where they are, with us or no, alive or dead, they still love us… and they would be so proud of you.”
The younger unicorn sniffed again, looking up at Rarity with glistening green orbs. “But… how can you be sure?” Sweetie asked, emerald eyes begging for an answer.
Rarity only smiled sweetly down at her, moving a stray lock of hair behind Sweetie’s ear before laying the hand on the shorter mare’s shoulder. “Because I’m proud of you, Sweetie,” she answered softly, a warm smile spreading over her face.
The younger pony stared up at her sister, blinking a moment before her face turned into a tearful smile. “Thank you, Rarity,” she said quietly, once more hugging her sibling.
The older unicorn continued to smile happily, wrapping her arms around Sweetie and squeezing gently. The pair stood there for several moments, simply content. However as the seconds ticked past, Rarity’s smile began to fade into a small, worried frown. “...Sweetie Belle,” she said suddenly, her voice barely audible.
“Yeah, sis?”
Rarity bit her lip at the young mare’s voice, a bit of the sweet innocence of the unicorn’s youth seeping through her answer. She blinked a few times before she leaned back out of the hug, putting her hands on Sweetie’s shoulders and holding them there so she could clearly see the shorter pony. “I-” Rarity started only to hesitate and cut herself off, looking away from Sweetie as she gave the older pony a confused look. After a moment, the elder took a breath and looked back to the younger, determination in her eyes. “There’s something I need to tell you. I’m-”
“Sweetie Belle!” Rarity stopped short as the call echoed down the hall, both mares looking down the corridor to see Apple Bloom walking towards them.
“Yay, Bloom,” Sweetie greeted, momentarily letting her older sibling’s announcement drop as she turned to face her longtime friend. “What’s up?”
“Not much,” the yellow earth pony answered earnestly, shrugging a bit as she came to a stop in front of the pair. “Just about to go grab some grub while Ah’m on mah break. What’re y’all up to?”
“Just taking some sister time,” Sweetie said, giving a small smile before continuing. “How is everything in the medical hall?”
“Thankfully everythin's startin’ to feel a bit more empty,” Apple Bloom answered before a frown crossed her face. “But if anyone else comes in after a garden tool incident, Ah’m gonna throw a first aid box at their head.”
The unicorn giggled a bit at her friend’s brashness. “I’m not sure that would get the point across,” she said, still drawing in her laughter. “Though I doubt you’d leave it at just a physical threat to their wellbeing.”
“Ye’re darn right about that,” the earth pony agreed with a small huff, stomping a foot and folding her arms, earning another small laugh from the young unicorn in front of her.
Sweetie brought herself to a stop, taking a breath to steady herself. “Hey, Bloom, have you seen Chris today?” The off-white unicorn asked. “He told me at breakfast he was going to go see Chrysalis.”
Apple Bloom frowned a bit at the mention of the young man, letting out a small sigh. “Yeah, Ah saw’im,” she answered with a shrug. “He stopped ta chat an’ see Chrysalis like you said, but Ah left before he did.”
Sweetie blinked a few times at the more aggressive tone the other mare took on. “Is… is everything okay, Apple Bloom?” She asked, head tilting a bit.
Bloom hesitated for a moment, turning her eyes away for a second before she let out a little sigh. “Sweetie…,” she started, biting her lip before shaking her head and focusing on the unicorn again. “Chris is keeping something from Sam.”
Sweetie blinked again, seeming even more confused than before. “How can Chris be keeping anything from Sam?” She asked. “Aren’t they connected mentally?”
“Ah don’t know,” the earth pony answered in exasperation, letting her arms fall to her sides and resting her hands on her hips. “All Ah know is that the last time he went through one of those portals, he lied ta Sam about goin’ with him.”
“But why would he do that?” The unicorn questioned desperately, something starting to dull in her eyes.
Bloom frowned a bit sadly as she watched the mare’s eyes. “He said he didn’t want to ruin things fer Sam,” she started quietly, putting a sympathetic hand to her friend’s arm. “But you and Ah know just what this could do to them.”
Sweetie nodded quietly, eyes going to the floor. “Yeah…,” she said quietly, letting a long stretch of silence fill the air. After a while, though, Sweetie frowned and her eyes hardened, the dull look going up in angry flames as she looked up. “I’m going to talk to him.”
“Wow!” Bloom exclaimed, stepping in front of frustration charged mare with her hands raised calmingly. “Are ya sure ya want ta do that? He’s already taken that talkin’ to from me an’ Chrysalis.”
Sweetie paused, eyes still more than a little miffed. “How do you know that?” She asked, her voice conveying her frustrations.
“Ah know everythin’ that happens in mah ward,” Bloom replied with a small bit of pride before her look of concern returned. “Ah overheard them when Ah was makin’ mah rounds. Just… there’s no tellin’ how calm he’s gonna stay if everyone stays on’im.”
Sweetie stopped for a moment, looking her friend over before taking a breath. “You’re right,” she admitted before she planted her hands on her hips and looked towards the wall in thought. “But if both you and Chrysalis had to tell him off… it’s not sinking in. If anyone can get through to him, I know I can.”
The earth mare has hesitant for a moment before she let out a sigh and nodded her head. “If ye’re sure you can take care of him,” she said slowly, a smile starting to spread over her face. “Ah’m not going to stop ya. But still… be careful.”
Sweetie smiled softly. “I will, Bloom,” she assured, putting her hand to the other mare’s arm before turning back to Rarity who had simply taken a step back to give the two space. “Sorry, Rarity, I didn’t let you finish. What were you going to tell me?”
Rarity jumped slightly, blinking as she was suddenly yanked from her thoughts. “O-oh, um…,” she started before taking a soft breath and smiling. “I was just going to tell you that I’m going to try and get on to the command operations staff. Find a way to help other than just providing clothing.”
“Oh,” Sweetie muttered, blinking a few times before a huge smile spread over her features. “That’s great, Rarity! I’m sure Artemus’ crew would be happy to have you!”
Rarity gave a little chuckle at that. “I’m sure they would,” she agreed. “You’d better get going, though. If what you say is true, Chris is probably halfway between three different projects by now.”
“I’m sure he is,” the younger unicorn answered with a little sigh before glancing back towards Apple Bloom. “Thanks for letting me know.”
“No problem, Sweetie Belle,” Bloom answered before flashing a small smile. “And good luck.” The unicorn nodded in acknowledgment before turning and running off to find her boyfriend and share a few words with him.
“WOOO-HOOO!!!” Firefly yelled into the approaching sky, the hum of the pink galaxy glider under her feet fuelling her adrenaline as she raced upwards. Feeling the small tug of gravity on her back, she hunched her legs, putting the tips of her fingers on the base of the board, leaning the rest of her body back and throwing the nose of the craft over her head. The quick flip ended with the mare staring towards the hastily approaching ground. The pegasus let a wide grin split her face as she narrowed her eyes. The engine screamed to life as she leaned forwards to accelerate her descent, heart pounding in her ears. She mentally counted down as the earth beneath her grew closer and closer.
5… 4… 3… 2… 1!!! At the last second, the mare threw herself back, the galaxy glider roaring as it turned in midair, the booster flame scorching the grass as she ascended back into the sky. “Yeah!” The pink mare shouted as she leveled out, a joyous laugh echoing out of her.
“Could you be a little more careful?” Cobalt questioned, coming up beside her on his own black glider.
The mare only giggled in response. “I could be,” she answered, a mischievous smirk on her face. The mare leaned far forward and left, her board descending and moving in the direction she leaned, putting her underneath the confused thestral before he could react. A few more deft movements and the pegasus performed half of a barrel-roll, ending up above Cobalt in an upside-down position. “But where would the fun be in that?” Firefly let out a little giggle at the stallion’s dumbfounded look before giving him a small peck at the end of his snout before speeding off.
Chris watched the pair chase each other across the sky with a grin on his face before a soft swat to his leg brought him back to reality. “Hey, daydreamer,” Scootaloo said, getting his attention from where she knelt on the ground next to a series of six sled-like launch pads, the red, blue, yellow, and silver galaxy gliders set into four of them. “I need the wrench.”
“Right,” the young man replied quickly, looking around his feet. “Sorry, Scoots. Now, where…. Ah!” Dull silver and gold electricity danced over his hand as he activated his Titanium Static, the desired tool levitating to the orange pegasus’ hand as the same energy sparked over it.
“Thank you,” the purple-maned mare replied tersely, blowing a stray strand of mane out of her way before starting to work again. “You know, I don’t know how long you expect these things to last. Most of the materials on them are scrap metal we salvaged. We used all the good stuff fixing up Delta.”
Chris gave a tired sigh and went back to wiring up the control remote for the platform. “I’m hoping it’ll last a little while,” he answered, a small worried frown forming on his face. “At least long enough for us to get some proper materials to fix it.”
“That could take a- DAMN IT!” Scootaloo shouted, yanking her hand back as a metallic crash filled the hangar.
“Scoots!” The ranger exclaimed in alarm, dropping to his knees next to her. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” the mare muttered with a small growl as she checked her hand. “One of the pieces gave way before I could get the damn thing secured.” After a moment, she just grunted and wiped her greasy hand on her white tank top, leaving a streak over it that was just as black as her denim shorts, held up by a tool belt.
“Here, let me take a look,” Chris said, scooting over before laying on his side to see under the launch pad.
“Sure, have at it,” the pegasus replied gruffly, handing over the wrench. Chris took the tool and returned his attention back to the undercarriage of the equipment, finding the problem area Scootaloo had mentioned.
The young man worked in silence for several moments, finding the bolt and getting it secured properly before moving onto the next area. “...You know,” he started to say, eyes and hands focused on his task at hand. “I never did ask how you got into stuff like this. I know Bloom was influenced by Zecora and Sweetie told me she tried out for Mage Ops because of Trixie and Starlight, but I never did ask you. What exactly drove you to lead the engineering crew?”
Scoots let out a little snort at that, looking out of the open bay doors to watch Firefly and Cobalt come into land, the mare performing her own fancy twists and turns before coming to a stop, Rose and Veral running forward to meet them with tails wagging. “You getting sentimental on me, tough guy?” She questioned, her voice a little tight, drawing Chris’ attention for a split second. The orange pegasus glanced back at him, the mare quickly looking away. She stayed silent for a minute or two longer, listening to the young man work. “...Time Turner.”
“I’m sorry?” Chris questioned, eyes coming up in confusion.
“I said, ‘Time Turner’,” she said again, bringing a knee up to wrap her arms around it. “When we first had to move here, there was nowhere for me to go… No one to stay with…. I usually spent whatever time I could just wandering around until I stumbled into a section of the castle where he and a few others were starting to take apart a few cogs Field Ops managed to take down. A lot of the ponies started making a big stink over it all…. Heck, all of them did. All except Time Turner. Even though Rainbow Dash will always be my role model and taught me everything I know about fighting and flying… he was the first to take me under his wing. He taught me all about machines and tech….”
The mare trailed off and Chris frowned at her silence. “...He’s not around anymore… is he…?” The young man questioned, tightening one last bolt before sitting up and looking at her downcast face properly as she shook her head.
“No…,” she answered, voice barely above a whisper. “He… he was killed in a gathering run like we were on when you found us only… there was no magic hero to save his team….”
Scootaloo kept her eyes towards the ground, but still, the ranger could see the teardrops flowing from her eyes to hit the concrete floor. Chris could only watch for a few seconds before he hesitantly raised a hand and put it on her arm. She sniffed and pulled a new rag from one of her pouches and wiped her eyes. “Truth is…,” she started again, her voice strained at this point. “Even though I still love Rainbow Dash and she’s always going to be like my big sister… Time Turner felt like a real dad.”
Chris stopped at that, feeling his own throat constrict in an instant as memories flashed through his mind. Memories of a man who was always there when he needed him most, always with a gentle smile. A man who’d take him by the shoulder and take him away from whatever horror was behind them. He thought of the man that took him from the dirt and dusted him off to be something greater. For the first time in years, Chris Scott let his tears fall for Andrew Scott, the man that had saved his life and put him on the right track. The man’s hand tightened a bit on the pegasus’ arm, Scootaloo looking up a bit in confusion.
“Chris, you-” The mare started only to be cut off by the young man as he raised a hand for her to wait. She complied and he took a few seconds to gather himself, finally clearing his throat and taking a deep breath before looking up at her, flashing a small, sorrow-filled smile.
“Don’t worry, Scootaloo,” he said in a strained voice, pulling his hand back to wipe his own eyes. “To be honest, I never thought I’d find anyone else that would know how I feel… but now we know we’re not alone.”
The pegasus took in a sharp breath and her eyes widened. “You mean…?” She started, only to stop as he nodded his head.
“I was an orphan, too,” he admitted, struggling to keep himself together. “And my Time Turner’s name was Andrew Scott. It’s been… a long time since I’ve thought about him so much but… you made me remember…. Thank you.”
The mare stared at him for a few moments before a shaky smile formed on her face, a soft, fake scoff escaping her lips as she wiped her tears again. “For what?” She half-laughed. “Turning you into a sobbing mess on the floor of the hangar?”
Chris sniffed with his own laugh, letting a full chuckle escape as he looked away towards the Delta Megaship. “That,” he admitted before he looked towards the mare. “And for reminding me why I have to work harder to improve myself.” With that, the ranger got to his feet, the moisture in his eyes slowly drying as he extended a hand to the engineer. “We still have people to make proud, after all.”
Scootaloo gave her own chuckle at that. “Right,” she said, taking the hand and letting the man help her to her feet. “And sitting on the floor in a puddle isn’t gonna do that.”
“That it surely won’t-”
“Chris!” The young man would be lying if he said he didn’t jump a little at the shout, the cry pulling the attention of everyone in attendance, including the ponies and pups outside, towards Sweetie Belle as she made her way into the hangar.
“Hey, Sweetie Belle,” the young man greeted as he took a step forward and Scootaloo eyed her friend with a raised brow. “What’s up?”
The mare didn’t answer as she came to a stop in front of him, lips pressed together. “We need to talk.”
“HA!” Scootaloo’s sudden, shouting laugh made Chris wince and glance at the pegasus as she smirked and shook her head.”Oh, boy, you done did it this time,” she said, looking up with a grin and a spark in her eye. “Whatever ‘it’ is. You have fun with that.” The mare threw her hand back, hanging the rag on her shoulder before patting his shoulder and walking behind him towards the others outside.
The young man could feel every fiber of his being tense up at that, eyes going wide before he slowly looked back towards the off-white mare in front of him. She stared up at him, arms crossed over her chest, further increasing his unease. “Um… should we go somewhere else…?” He questioned hesitantly, wincing a bit as the mare put her hands on her hips.
“Here is fine,” she answered tersely, the young man swallowing hard as he realized she was saving her words for what she really wanted to say.
“...So…. What is it you wanted to-”
“Where’s Samson?” The question caught the man by surprise, making him stop for a moment before realization struck him.
“...Who told you?” He asked quietly, letting his eyes drift to the floor.
“Apple Bloom,” the unicorn answered simply, her tone not changing in the slightest. “My question is… why?”
The young man let out a soft sigh before looking back up. “Because…,” he started before he trailed off and had to look away from the mare’s stern look. “...Because I thought it was the best thing to do. I thought that if… I thought that if I kept it from him that it could somehow make him happy. And now everybody keeps telling me that I’m doing is wrong.”
“Because it is wrong, Chris!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her eyes searching his face. “You lied to your own brother, and for what? To save him a little disappointment? Chris, when he finds out, you and I both know it’s going to tear him apart inside!”
“Don’t I get the chance to protect him for once!?” The young man’s sudden shout made the mare take a step back, her’s and Chris’ eyes widening at the same moment. Sweetie stared at him for several seconds before her look of shock melted into anger. Without another word, Sweetie let out a huff and turned on her heel. Before the ranger could even react, the unicorn had crossed the hangar and the door was already sliding open. “Sweetie, wai-”
“Take a break, Chris.” The young man stopped as he felt a hand touch down on his arm. The man looked back to see Firefly beside him, a small, worried frown on her face. Chris looked at her for a moment before he turned his fear-filled gaze back to where Scootaloo was chasing after Sweetie Belle. “...I’m not sure what all that was about… but I think you need to just let her go right now.”
The ranger stared at her for several long moments before he looked down dejectedly with a small sigh. “...Rose, Veral,” he said in a quiet voice, turning with his eyes still glued to the ground. “Let’s go get Vee his medicine….” The pair of timberwolves tilted their heads in confusion from beside Cobalt before they obediently got up and started to follow the man towards the door that would lead them back inside, the younger brother limping slightly on his new metallic leg. Firefly watched the group go, worry filling her eyes even as Cobalt Steel came to stand at her shoulder. Without a word, the stallion lifted a hand and put it on her shoulder, the pegasus taking the sign and leaning her head on his arm.
“Thanks for letting me tag along today, RD,” Samson said as he and the prismatic mare walked down the hall leading towards his and Chris’ room.
“It’s no problem,” Rainbow Dash replied with a little shrug though she let out a yawn afterward. “Even if the whole research project was kinda boring, you did help me improve some of the flaws in my fighting style.”
The dark orb let out a little chuckle, bobbing in the air as he did so. “That was actually fairly easy,” he said, the mare throwing him a confused and slightly irritated look before he continued. “There weren’t many flaws I could see at first, and those I did see were small but glaring. If you keep applying the suggestions I made today, your technique will be almost flawless.”
“Almost?” The pegasus questioned, raising an eyebrow and putting her fists on her hips.
“You know what I mean,” Sam answered in a humorous tone before they stopped outside the door that would lead the brother to his other half. “No form is without its own faults, but we can always train to make those faults into our strengths.”
Rainbow let out a short chuckle at that. “Ain’t that the truth,” she murmured before she relaxed. “I gotta go, still have to go in and check out what kind of patrols I’ve been assigned for the next week. I’ll see you later.”
“See ya, RD,” Sam replied, the mare walking passed him and further into the castle. The sphere hovered where he was for a second or two before he let out a tired sigh. With that, he hovered towards the door and began to phase through the door. He was about to announce himself before he froze at what he saw in the room.
Chris sat on the edge of the bed, back to the door and head bowed. The young man’s eyes stared emotionlessly towards the ground as Veral and Rose stared at him from their shared bed beside the desk. Veral’s ear twitched and he looked towards the door and Sam, letting out a soft, worried whine before the timberwolf looked back towards Chris. Tentatively, Sam floated a little closer, finding that Chris was still wearing a boot on one foot while the other was sported a sock.
“...Chris?” Samson questioned, floating a bit closer. The man on the bed gave a small, shuddering jolt as if someone had shaken him awake.
Slowly, the blonde turned his eyes to look at the pulsating black orb. ‘...Hey, Sam,” Chris greeted tiredly, a smile lighting up on his face that didn’t reach his eyes in the slightest. “How was your day, man?”
If the orb had possessed eyes, he would have blinked in confusion. “It was… alright,” he relented, drifting a bit closer. “Rainbow Dash helped me with some research, I taught her a few new moves. “...What about you?”
Chris’ fake smile faded slightly at that and he went back to looking towards the ground. After a moment, the man began to take off the rest of his boots and socks, eventually scooting back to lie down on the bed. “...Sweetie Belle and I got into fight today…,” he finally muttered, not bothering to look away from the ceiling.
“Oh, man…,” Samson muttered as he drifted closer. “What… what did you guys argue about?”
At this, the young man only shrugged his shoulders before turning over to lay on his side. “...It was nothing,” he finally said, reaching over and turning out the lights. “Or at least… I want to do this by myself….”
Sam floated quietly in the dark room for a while before a sigh escaped him and he began to descend back into his brother’s mind. “Okay… I understand….”
Spike made his way through the dark crystal castle that made up the Ponyville fortress. Even after almost a week, he could still feel multiple bruises and other various injuries still broiling under his scales. The drake grit his teeth at the memory of his fight with the Psycho Ranger. Every detail flashed through his mind, his first face-to-face meeting with the warrior, dominating the entire battle even if he did have to rely on Defoliator for a distraction… and then the damned ranger changed. Anger boiled up inside the dragon, green embers lighting up behind his fangs. “How…?” He growled, licks of flame jumping from his lips as the thought of losing a battle he’d been dominating roared through his mind.
“RRRRRAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”
Spike put his hand on the wall beside him, eyes going wide as the castle shook from the roar, a rage-filled cry that was all too familiar to the dragon. “Midnight…,” he breathed before he set his features and began to race forward towards a bend in the hall. Without slowing down for a moment, the drake launched himself through the open window, corkscrewing as he met empty air before he threw his wings out and pumped his wings. Spike soared into the sky, flying straight up until he reached the upper-most part of the castle, deftly twisting his body and diving through the terrace into the throne room where Midnight stood facing her throne, wings falling to the floor as her shoulders heaved.
The dragon eyed the alicorn for a moment before he started forward, the claws of his feet clicking on the crystal floor. “...We will have a new commander, Spike,” Midnight informed in a low tone, squaring her shoulders and straightening up as he approached. “Because of my failure, King Mondo has seen it necessary to remove me as commanding officer of the Everfree front. King Sombra has been put in charge of all of our forces until such a time as the Resistance is destroyed or King Mondo sees fit to reestablish me as the leader of this front.”
Spike stared up at the mare’s back for several moments, a sinking feeling growing in his chest and dropping down into the pit of his stomach. “...All of our forces…?” The dragon questioned in disbelief, the dark pony in front of him nodding slowly.
“All of them except Staroid,” Midnight answered verbally, Spike’s face contorting in confusion as the mare turned and took her seat, propping her chin up on her knuckles and looking off to the side to avoid his gaze. “His report was filed today to the capital. Unfortunately, Staroid was destroyed in the last battle.”
The warrior drake stared at his parent figure for a moment, confusion still clearly on his features before it clicked in his mind. “I see,” he said, straightening up a bit. “And… what am I to do?”
“You are still free from that idi- I mean Sombra’s command,” the alicorn replied, her unoccupied fingers tapping against the arm of her throne. “That will never change. Not so long as I live…. Now, if you would, please leave me.”
Spike hesitated before nodding his head and coming to attention. “As you wish, Midnight,” the purple dragon said, giving a small bow before turning on his heel and walking back towards the balcony.
The flap of wings signaled the dragon taking his leave, Midnight Sparkle letting out a long, tired sigh, her hand falling to the side. Her face contorted in dismay, knowing that there was no one around to actually see her defeated expression. No one except…. “Sirens.”
There was a shuffling from behind the throne and the dark alicorn watched as the only prize she had brought back with her from her accursed time in the human world stepped out to stand in front of her. Midnight looked over the three females standing in front of her, each closely resembling an earth pony except for the small fins that adorned their wrists and each in a different style of a human bedlah. The first and tallest was palish gold color, a curly orange mane with yellow streaks falling over her shoulders and back, her outfit consisting of a purple top that only just covered her bust, sheer ribbons of fabric running from the top corners over her upper arms and gold belt that clashed with the purple bottoms that left nothing to the imagination while a sheer veil that fell to her ankles didn’t help at all. Her pink eyes looked up towards Midnight, stopping just at the other mare’s boots.
The second, light violet in color with a purple mane with aquamarine stripes, wore a top that had an off-white bottom and dark purple top that left the center open to see the flesh underneath, silver bangles matching the belt that held up hot pink, loose pants that faded to sheer to just keep her modest. Her own deep purple eyes averted themselves to the sides, her arms crossed over her chest.
The last and clearly youngest was a light cerulean, her mane being a bit darker with an arctic blue with darker blue streaks running through it, her demeanor showing clearly as she did her best to hide behind the tallest, arms wrapped tightly around her body. Her own outfit seemed to be the most shameful, the top and bottom a matching burgundy color that drew attention to just how little they covered, the top having two straps that wrapped around her upper arms to extend into sheer sleeves while matching sheer pants did nothing to hide her legs. She kept her dull pink eyes trained on the floor as she trembled, whether from cold or unease was impossible to tell.
“What can we do for you, mistress?” Adagio asked as she kept her eyes slightly down, trying to seem undaunted by her and her fellow sirens’ humiliation.
“What do you always do for me?” Midnight answered hotly, irritation growing in her voice once more which caused Sonata to flinch from behind her older companion.
“Understood, mistress,” the orange siren murmured quietly. The eldest siren squared her shoulders, the other two falling into position beside her, albeit with some hesitance from them. Altogether, the trio began to sing a wordless song that gently rippled through the air to cast a spell over Midnight. A spell, of course, that held no magic in it at all as the sirens’ broken gems sparked at the base of their necks. Slowly, they began to dance alongside their song, their movements just as exotic and beautiful as their melody. All the while, Midnight Sparkle watched them, letting her anger seep away from her mind only to replaced by something else. Ideas, schemes, and tricks found their way into her thoughts, and slowly, as the mare watched her prisoners dance and sing, a plan began to form….