//------------------------------// // Chapter Five - Gentle Realisations // Story: Fairlight - Memories of a Perfect Sky // by Bluespectre //------------------------------// CHAPTER FIVE Gentle realisations A warm soft wetness lapped around my face as I awoke, eliciting a wicked chuckle from my throat. “Mmm… Meadow…” I murmured, gently reaching out and giving her a little squeeze. She hugged me back and nibbled my ear. Oh Celestia! I’d just woken up and the horny little filly was teasing me already. I’d play along until her investigation was concluded. After all, I had all the time in the world to spend with my loving little filly. The warm tongue drifted downward, exploring my muzzle, then returned to my ears. This was new, and quite surprisingly erotic in a way I hadn’t expected. “That’s nice,” I groaned. “Let me-” I opened one eye slowly and stared straight into a glowing red thestral’s eye that was staring right back at me. “SHIT!” I yelled, pushing the thing off me and jumping to my hooves. “Shades?! What the hell are you doing?!” The creature’s pointed ears drooped and he let out a sad sounding chirrup. “Look buddy, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to yell, but… I don’t, you know, I don’t swing that way. I’m really, really sorry.” Come to think of it, why was I sorry? I didn’t ask for this kind of attention, and as much as it had been unexpected, it hadn’t been exactly unpleasant. Maybe he was just being friendly in his own weird way, like a big friendly dog licking his owner’s face? Whatever the case was I felt shaken and a little sad, somehow. Shades was the only thestral I’d seen here. There must be more around somewhere, but where? Was he alone, like me? Perhaps he was simply lonely and hoping for some physical comfort from a friend? Oh great, now I felt like I’d kicked a puppy! I trotted over to him as he slunk away with his head down. The miserable looking thing looked utterly dejected. “Look Shades, I’m sorry okay? You startled me and I snapped at you without stopping to think first. You’re my friend and… I respect you. Honestly.” Shades squawked, shaking his mane. Head bowed, he stretched out his wings and advanced on me, forcing me to back up. “Swing that way?” The thought pounded into my head making me wince. “That’s right,” I replied cautiously. “I don’t, you know, I’m not into dudes. Goddesses Shades, not so loud!” “Dudes?” I sighed, rubbing my head. His way of talking didn’t make this any easier. “Guys,” I explained. “Males. Stallions. I’m not gay, right? Look, I like girls: mares, females. You understand?” Shades flapped his wings hard, causing huge gusts of wind to buffet me so hard I had to shut my eyes against the sand. When I opened them, Shades was nose to nose with me, his eyes blazing like red hot campfires. “Give me,” he said in a tone that brooked no nonsense. “Give you what?” I asked him. I didn’t like the way this was going at all. With an exasperated shriek, the thestral suddenly side stepped until he was virtually side on to me. A bony foreleg shot out and grabbed my hoof. “Give me,” he said again, only a little more gently this time. I wasn’t sure what the hell he had in mind, but I’d trusted him this far. I closed my eyes and submitted to whatever it was he was doing, and felt a shiver run through my body as he passed my hoof under his belly. Oh goddesses, I was starting to really freak out here. Adrenalin surged through me unbidden as I began to give serious thought to escaping this insane creature. But then, to my increasing horror, the thestral gently rubbed my hoof between his haunches, letting out a low rumbling sound. Did he look… embarrassed? Not as much as I was! “Shades?” I asked swallowing, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to… Oh!” Dear gods, poor Shades. Imagine having an idiot like me for a companion. My skeletal partner in the Wither World released my hoof and turned to face me with a shy, yet expectant look. Finally, dullard that I am, I understood. Shades, the Wither World thestral… was a girl. “Oh, bollocks,” I muttered to myself. She let out a rattling cry and trotted off ahead of me without a backward glace to see if I was even following. Another week of incessant trudging brought us to the banks of a large black lake. A more apt description would probably be ‘sea’, but in the Withers with all its variations on a theme of black it would be impossible to say for certain. All I could see was inky black water stretching out to ‘somewhere’, and the obligatory hills in the distance that never seemed to be any nearer than the first day I’d found myself here. Shades was starting to act strangely too. She would dance nervously, looking around us and up at the sky before huffing loudly and pacing back and forth. A few minutes later the process would begin again. More worryingly was that she’d stopped flying in the few days which was definitely unusual. I’d tried speaking to her to find out what was troubling her, but my attempts at conversation fell about as flat as the terrain. Shades was a thestral of few words, or more than one for that matter, and now even that little wellspring of limited conversation was dry. What was bothering her, I had no idea. Other than my little gender faux pas of course. Whoops. At first, I’d wondered if it was another of those globular tentacle-y things that lurked in the rivers, but there was no sign of them here that I could see. But there was something here that grabbed my attention. Small bat-like birds, shockingly transparent, fluttered across the surface of the water, darting this way and that. It was yet another reminder to me of the extraordinary alien nature of the world I was in, but also one that gave me something I was terrified I might lose – hope. The Withers was no dead world, but one that held life, and was capable of supporting that life if the bird were gauge. I had never seen anything like them before, although as I unexpectedly discovered when Shades jumped into the air and snapped one in her jaws, they were apparently quite delicious. She tried tempting me with one of the still flapping morsels, but I politely declined. My stomach may not need filling particularly, but I certainly didn’t want to empty it either. For all I knew part of that blobby rubber thing was still in there. Luna’s ears, what a thought! Shades and I were lying together by the gently lapping waters edge when she suddenly lifted her head in alarm. Staring off intently across the lake to something I couldn’t see, she got up and crouched low, pushed into me with an urgency that had my attention immediately. “Oof! Shades, what’s going on?” I asked, rising to my hooves. “What’s got you so spooked?” She didn’t reply. My eyes had become accustomed to the half-light in the Withers, but even so my ability to pick out details at a distance was nothing compared to Shades’. Whatever was out there had her worried, so much so she was now hiding between my legs. That wasn’t going to provide much cover, but when the only alternative was black sand, to her alien mind it was probably better than nothing. I strained my eyes trying to see what it was that had her so spooked, and If I concentrated hard enough, I could just see… Ah. I should have guessed... A shrieking cry and the clacking of teeth hit my ears like nails down the world’s largest chalk board. Thestrals. Shades whimpered and pushed harder into me, shaking in fear. “No. No you don’t, come up now,” I said, gently reaching down and helping her up. “Be strong. I’m here with you, and I will protect you from whatever’s out there.” I stood facing the direction of the cries, nudging my companion to my side. “We face this together.” She chirruped and nudged me with her head, giving a quick snort. “Good girl,” I smiled, and stood ready to accept whatever came our way. I could see them now. Three… no, four of the creatures, soaring, diving, and looping their way towards us from the lake. Minutes passed and I was beginning to wonder if the strange party were actually heading our way after all. But sure enough, one of them gave a long high pitched cry and twisted in air before diving straight towards at us. I readied myself, feeling the now familiar grip on the cold rage as it prepared to be unleashed. I didn’t know whether these were friend or foe, though Shades’ behaviour spoke volumes. In any case, It didn’t hurt to be alert and prepared. A loud thud announced the first of the thestrals landing several yards away from us, quickly followed by the other three, huddling close to one side of the larger one. “The boss cometh, eh?” I wondered aloud. Shades rattled out her own opinion in the form of a deep menacing growl.This thing looked like a creature from a nightmare night special. All bones, leathery wings and teeth. The wickedly sharp incisors glinted menacingly atop the midnight black colouring of the Thestral. The other three, smaller and rather ‘shades’ like in appearance, kept back, snapping their jaws and making the odd growling noise. I could guess without any problem this time, that the biggest of them was most definitely a male. From the sharper angles of his bones, to the sheer bulk of the guy, the huge ugly brute emanated testosterone like an open furnace. Almost immediately he tried to walk around me to face Shades, but I turned with him, matching him step for step. He didn’t like that at all. The thestral male swung his head towards me and dropped into a fighting stance with a long low hiss. I imitated his stance, keeping my voice clear and low, “Why don’t you just ssssod off?” I knew I was putting myself and Shadow at risk by attempting to intimidate the a huge creature, but right then acting meek and submissive struck me as a much quicker way to end up as the next dinner item. The thestral stood up, cocking his head to one side curiously before turning to his menagerie. All at once they began clicking and shrieking at each other in some bizarre language I couldn’t even begin to decipher. Luna’s lugs, what a racket! One of them was bad enough, but four?! I was put in mind of a meeting I’d attended where somepony had brought an odd number of cakes and there was nearly blood on the walls as a result of the ensuing fracas. Fortunately I’d had the sense to get out of there when they were all just at the simultaneous yelling stage. Still, looking at this lot I suppose that if Shades was anything to go by her people were clearly intelligent, but on a more… ‘basic’ level? Would that be fair to say? Something of a primitive culture by equestrian standards, I imagine. Before me the display of jerking neck and wing movements together with various cries and screams, culminated in the male all but kicking one of the smaller ones towards me. Unsurprisingly she came forward reluctantly, making a quiet chirruping noise towards Shades who replied in kind. I regarded the creature warily, “I hope you’re not expecting me to speak thestral, miss. I find all the screaming and clicking murder on the larynx.” She cocked her head to one side, fiery eyes glowing a deep reddy-orange before she shook her mane. Words flashed into my mind like a fog horns blast. “Far Sight demands you return his daughter.” My eyes must have been like saucers; I’d never heard Shades speak like this! Had she been holding out on me all this time? Confusion reigned supreme in the poor old Fairlight mind as the thestral shook her mane once more, “You are to release Far Sight’s daughter immediately, or we will take her by force.” The hissing blast of noise roared through my head. Goddesses, how I wished these creatures came with a volume control... Very carefully, I spoke to the eloquent female. “She is not going anywhere with you, ma’am. At least, not until I know who you are and what your intentions are. Would you hoof over one of your sisters to a stranger without first assuring her safety?” The female blinked at me, her eyes flaring brightly as she stood there apparently deep in thought. Seconds passed, the atmosphere building almost palpably before she turned back to the male. More clicking, cries and screams culminated in the male abruptly lumbering along the shore and launching himself into the air followed by two of the females who trailed behind him out across the lake. I watched them in silence as the strange creatures slowly disappeared from sight, before checking on Shades. She was hissing menacingly at the departing male like some territorial house cat. No love lost there it seemed. Calm reasserted itself around me once more with the slight whisper of the water brushing the sandy shore and the breathing of the two thestrals as they eyed one other warily. I confess that I nearly jumped out of my skin when Shades suddenly rushed forward with a happy sounding shriek and embraced the other female. The two howled and cried out in, what I presume was joy, while rolling around in the sand. What a sight that was! Mind you, it did look like fun. But soon enough the energetic pony-like creatures, sand sloughing off their backs and wings, stood once again and nuzzled each other in a familiar scene of tenderness that warmed the darker part of my soul. “You are Shadow’s… friend?” the female asked. “Who?” Her question caught me off guard. “Oh, you mean Shades?” The newcomer regarded me quizzically and clicked her teeth at me in a show of… irritation? “She is Shadow,” the thestral stated levelly. I face hoofed. Gods, what a bloody idiot I was. I’d never even asked Shades, or rather ‘Shadow’ what her name was. I’d just sort of ‘told’ her who she was and she’d gone along with it. Buck me senseless, I knew I was hopeless with females, but when had I become this pathetic? I couldn’t imagine how Meadow had put up with me for so long. Shadow gave me a sympathetic sidelong glance and pushed into me before speaking with the other thestral in that nerve grating language of theirs. “Shadow says you are bonded now, Celestian,” she explained. “This is wrong, she cannot take a mate without her father’s approval. Far Sight will not accept this.” Bonded?! “Wait a minute!” I said loudly holding up a hoof. “Rewind that a moment, Miss Thestral. What do you mean ‘bonded’?” The thestral mare’s brows drew down, clearly perplexed I was asking such an obvious question. “She is your mate,” came the reply. There was that word again – ‘mate’. I looked across at Shadow who had a hopelessly expectant look on her face. “I’m a married stallion,” I said levelly. “I can’t just take a ‘mate’ as you put it.” The odd creature gave me a look you might expect her to give a foal. Or dinner. Possibly both, it was hard to tell with these enigmatic beings. She walked towards me and sniffed my coat, the sensation was peculiar to say the least, the Thestrals nostrils flared as she worked. She’d make a wonderful dust remover, I pondered to myself. I think she must have been able to read minds too as she shot me a glare that could have killed me stone dead. Just as well I already was then….kind of. “There is no other female’s scent upon you, Celestian.” Her words rattled through my head but the derision in them was loud and clear. “I have a name, ‘madam’,” I said in my most neutral voice “I am Fairlight. May I have the pleasure of yours?” The thestral female dipped her head and let out a jet of steam, “I am called Ember.” “Thank you, Ember”, I said neutrally before sitting back on my haunches. “Please, let us sit together. I think we have a lot to talk about, the three of us.” I waved the other two towards me, Ember looking a little warily at me before glancing at her sister for approval before following my invitation. “Excellent!” I smiled, clopping my forehooves together. “Now that we’re sitting comfortably, ladies,” I gave them both my trademark smile, “perhaps the good Lady Ember could explain what is going on?” Ember squawked and chattered at Shadow before resignedly starting her story. “Shadow, is my sister,” she explained. “Her father, Far Sight, wants her to come home. She is… ‘incomplete’. You are bonded now, and so she is your mate. Far Sight will be angry with you. He may wish to annul the rite.” “You keep saying we’re bonded and she’s my mate,” I asked, genuinely baffled by it all. “I don’t understand, how can this be?” Ember chattered with Shadow before replying, “Did she not share the Cetean egg with you?” I squeezed my eyes shut as the memory of that vile rubbery thing that Shadow had made me share with her replayed through my mind. Celestia’s arse, so that’s what is was all about… Still, there may be some way I could extricate myself from this mess, but I’d have to tread carefully. I nodded to Ember solemnly, “I didn’t know what the egg was at the time, Ember. Or more specifically, what it represented.” Hopefully she would understand things from my point of view and override Shadow’s strange behaviour in as a prank, a mistake, or something that would annul this- “Then you are bonded,” Ember said with finality, and nodded her head as if affirming her own words. “What?! Now wait just a minute!” I shouted at her, “I’m already married, for Luna’s sake. This is a mistake!” Ember tutted at me, asking, “Then where is she, Fairlight? I cannot smell her on you. Where is this ‘other mate’ of yours?” I shook my mane. it hurt to think of it even now, but I had to make my position crystal clear. “She’s dead. Crossed over to the Eternal Herd,” I told her sadly. I gritted my teeth and stared down at the sand, trying to keep my emotions neutral and avoid making a scene. My heart skipped a beat in surprise when Ember’s hoof planted itself on mine. “I understand you,” she said gently. “Now you must understand my words. She has gone. You remain. Shadow has joined herself to you as your mate. This cannot be undone except by the tribal elders.” I sat there dumbfounded, words impossible to find. “Shadow will stay with you,” Ember continued. “He will be angry, but what is done is done.” She stood, brushing the sand from her legs. “Ember, please, wait a moment,” I pleaded. She paused mid-groom and resettled her wings, waiting for me to continue. “Shadow cannot stay with me,” I reasoned. “I’m on a journey to return home, to Equestria - the mortal world. Shadow is a creature of this world. Please, Ember, there must be something you can do.” Ember slammed a hoof down in front of her for emphasis. “And yet YOU are here in this world, pony of Equestria. Are you a mortal? The smell of a mortal is not upon you, nor the scent of another mate. My sister has made her choice and in time will become more like you as you will become more like her. It is the way of thestrals. It is the way of the Cetean. You and she are the beginning and the end of the cycle. Make your own fate, Celestian, together.” What the blue blazes was that all about? And what the hell was a Celestian?! I scratched my head in frustration, trying make sense of the otherworldly creature’s twisted ‘logic’ just as a blast of wind hit me in the face. I looked up to see Ember taking to the air and heading off across the lake, doubtless to catch up with the rest of her family. Leaving me with… “Shadow?” She looked up at me, a bashful flush on her cheeks; quite a cute sight if you could look past the battery of lethal teeth. She reached up and licked my muzzle with her long blue tongue. Despite my current state of shock and denial, the gentle expression was not unwelcome. Not unwelcome at all. I sighed and closed my eyes in resignation. This wasn’t going to go away was it? Shadow nuzzled into me with a chirrup and began purring like some gigantic cat. In my mind, I imagined Meadow’s face. Forgive me love, I thought silently to her, This is some seriously weird crap I’m facing right now. And sorry about the swearing. I wondered what she’d really think about it all. I rolled over onto my side and closed my eyes. I’d think more about this later. Right now, it was all too much to take in and I felt utterly exhausted with it all. Shadow snuggled into me and lay her head upon my neck with a huff. I reached out and, without thinking, placed a protective foreleg across her as I drifted off into a fitful sleep. ******************** The dry cleaners was open late that evening. Bingo, the quirky owner of the store, hoofed me my uniform which he’d had pressed and mended so that it looked as good as the day I’d first had it issued. He did a first class job here, and was the number one choice for watch ponies who wanted their uniforms given a new lease of life. Considering how hard it was to get replacements from stores, Bingo was a goddess-send. Better still, he was reasonably priced too, which was always a bonus. “Oh, Mister Fairlight, sir?” Bingo asked me when I put my hoof on the door to leave, “Your raincoat and hat are here too.” As if by magic a little foal appeared through the bead curtain behind the counter sporting a huge smile on her face. “Here you go!” she piped up at me. My raincoat and hat? Oh, goddesses, so Meadow had already been here, had she? I took the parcel and mussed the foal’s mane with my hoof. She giggled and ran back through the curtain laughing. “She looks just like you, Bingo,” I smiled. “You’re one lucky buck.” The stallion smiled and fidgeted with his oil black mane, “Thank you sir, my wife thinks so too. Please, don’t worry about the hat and coat, your wife has already paid for it.” Goddesses bless her! Bingo smiled broadly, “My wife says the repair your wife made to the coat is excellent, sir.” Meadow repaired the coat? That gave me pause. A memory I’d rather forget surfaced briefly, but with a quick shake of the old Fairlight mane, I pushed it away. Works every time! I waved to Bingo and his daughter who was now stood up on his back, waving happily. Maybe one day… I wondered sadly to myself. Meanwhile, life would go on much the same as it always had done. Hopefully with a less furious wife to face when I got home. She was probably there now, so I’d better get my arse in gear before things got any worse than they already were. The door bell tinkled happily behind me as the door to the dry cleaners closed and I headed out into the grey of downtown Manehattan once more. I was just about to try and flag a cab home when my pocket began to vibrate with a low hum. Thank Luna there were no ponies around this morning to see that! ‘Discreet’, Easy had assured me. Yeah, right! I wished I’d tested the blasted thing first. The alleyway behind the dry cleaners was as handy a place to duck into as any and I nipped round the corner, pulling my collar up. The small device looked like a brass stone with three small crystals embedded in its surface. It was vibrating loudly, with an insistence that got my back up immediately. I pressed the thing to my ear and hissed into it whilst looking around me in case some pony was looking. “What?! For Luna’s sake, no pony is supposed to use this during daylight!” Just in case, for example, the owner was out in the high street collecting their dry-cleaning. “Fairlight?” the chief’s voice crackled back over the device. Oh bugger it all, it was the boss. “Go ahead, Chief.” “Where are you now?” the voice came back. “Near Bingo’s Chief,” I told him, one eye on the end of the alley. There was a brief pause before Mitre’s voice returned, a hint of urgency about it that I picked up on immediately. “Stay there, for Celestia’s sake. I’m sending a carriage round for you now. Meadow’s safe, she’s with us.” “Chief?” I asked in surprise. “What do you mean ‘Meadow’s with us’? What’s going on? Hello? Chief?” The damned thing was silent and shaking did nothing to bring it back to life. My mind had been left reeling from what Mitre had said, but something was going on here and whatever it was it sounded bad. I took some comfort in the fact that he’d told me Meadow was with him, so whatever else was going on, that was of secondary importance to me now. I leaned against the brickwork, my heart thundering like a steam train. Deep breaths, Fairlight, I thought to myself, deep cleansing breaths. A moment later I was face down in alley mud, spitting blood from where my teeth had broken through my lip with the impact. Stars sparked on the edges of my vision, but almost immediately my training kicked in and I rolled, tucking my legs under me before springing up and away from the cream earth pony swinging the bat. His eyes narrowed as I took the classic fighting stance taught in the watch, keeping my still ringing senses alert for danger from the front and… Aw, hell… there was another one. Too far to be an immediate threat but they’d be on me any second, so I’d have to move fast. The cream pony’s next attack was a low swing which his loud movements had telegraphed so clearly he may as well have written to me in advance. My hind legs propelled me up and over the ponies head to land behind him, bringing my hooves up for a skull cracking buck to his jaw as he turned his head to follow me. Something shiny flashed passed my eye, but in an instant I’d pulled up my attacker with my hooves around his neck. There was a dull thud and I felt him shudder, then, with a huff, he went as slack as a sack of potatoes. Blood and air sprayed out of his nose and mouth, spattering my face and foreleg. I didn’t have time to think about that now. Dropping the unmoving body, I charged at the other pony, magicking out the dagger from her comrade’s side at the same time. The young magenta mare’s eyes went wide as the dagger flew towards her. She was fast though, her youthful reflexes deflecting the blade with a metal shod foreleg. Another blade whirled into her mouth as I crashed into her. She may have been younger than me, but I was heavier and had the experience advantage. Grappling with her for the knife, the blade bit into my foreleg painfully. A quick knee to her stomach though drove the air from her lungs and the knife splashed into the mud. For a split second I thought I had her, but then she managed a well placed kick right into the most sensitive part of any stallion. I cried out in pain, loosening my grip just enough for her to jump away and draw yet another dagger. Pulling myself to my hooves, I looked around for something, anything, to use as a weapon. Luna must have been smiling on me right then too. Spotting the fallen dagger, I levitated it out and kept it close to my side. Magic wasn’t really my speciality unfortunately, but it would be effective enough for close in work. The mare, barely more than a filly, hesitated when she saw the purple glow of my magic. “Put the knife down, kid,” I growled at her, hoping my intimidating posturing would make her realise her mistake in attacking me. She backed up a step, huffing around the knife’s hilt. Celestia, she was still going to do this wasn’t she? I was right too; the young mare’s leg muscles flexed, and with a loud nicker she charged right at me. She was fast. Very fast. I’d barely time to dodge her first attack when she unexpectedly fell, sliding several feet on her side along the slick muddy ground. “What the-?” I looked back to the alley’s entrance to see a large cloaked shape blocking out the light. Oh Luna buck me, look at the size of him! Fate must have smiling on me for once. The shadowy figure transformed into Chief Mitre as he stepped into the alleyway. “Looks like I got her just in time, Captain,” he announced, looking at the fallen earth pony. I noticed the unloaded crossbow he held in his hooves and felt a shiver run down my spine. Behind me I heard the faint sound of more approaching hoof steps. Goddesses, not another one! Staring into the shaded space I spotted the expectedly welcome sight of... “Bingo?” The orange dry-cleaning shop owner wore a black overcoat now, but his brightly coloured fur beneath it was unmistakable. So was the crossbow he drew from its depths. My legs tensed, but Mitre put a hoof on my shoulder stopping me. As I watched in horror, Bingo lowered his crossbow and squeezed the release lever. It all happened so slowly, and yet so quickly I barely had time to blink. All I could do was stare as the bolt slammed into the head of the cream earth pony lying at his hooves. The body twitched, legs kicking several times before going still. I thought I was going to throw up. “Bingo, take care of the rest,” the chief said in a low voice. “Sanitise.” The orange pony nodded and began dragging the corpses down the alley as Chief Mitre turned to watch the street. A few seconds later a carriage arrived, pulled by none other than the chief’s own driver. Mitre didn’t wait on ceremony, instead opening the door himself and we quickly climbed in. “Fumbles, get us out of here. Don’t spare the horses,” Mitre said in a voice a lot calmer than I thought the situation deserved. Fumbles knew his job though, and the carriage shot forward all but flinging me across the cab. Mitre shoved me back into my seat. “Get a grip of yourself, Captain!” he snapped. “What in the name of the goddess is wrong with you? You going soft all of a sudden?” “No, sir!” I said gathering my composure. “Good. Listen, I know this must be confusing right now,” he began. “But you are in danger, Fairlight. You and Meadow.” He had my full attention now. My shock at what I had seen in the alley aside, Meadow needed me. “Situation, Chief?” I asked. Mitre gave an approving nod. This felt like one of our many briefings in the watch house now. And if I wanted to keep it together, I would just have to focus on that to get me through this. The Chief Officer of the Manehattan Watch, took a deep breath before explaining, “Firstly, Meadow is in a safe house under guard. She’s unharmed, don’t worry.” Thanks be to the goddesses for that. Mitre continued, “We had a tip off that your latest ‘investigation’ was never going to make it to court. You have too many friends willing to testify in your favour Fairlight, and the judge is also very well connected. Connected, I may add, with certain friends of ours.” “Ours, sir?” I asked. He waved a foreleg at me, dismissing my question, “The situation is fluid, Captain. We don’t know who our enemies are or who our friends are right now. I need you to be calm and rational while we sort this blasted mess out. For all our sakes.” Mitre rubbed his head with a forehoof, his eyes tightly closed. “Princess H Celestia, Fairlight. I’ve been doing this job too long. Ponies fighting other ponies? Drug dealing, weapons smuggling? What’s Equestria coming to? Sometimes… Sometimes I really miss Pop’s guidance.” He stared off through the window lost in thought. The last few days events had been a roller-coaster from hell I’d wanted to get off, but no matter how hard I tried I remained trapped in it’s insidious clutches. Every time I thought it was going to stop, every time things had calmed down if even for a second, it had all been an illusion to hide the horror of reality lurking beneath the surface. Meadow, my only respite in the chaos was in danger. In danger because of her ties to me. I couldn’t let her down now. To protect her properly we’d have to move away from Manehattan, find somewhere safe where we could raise a foal together in peace and quiet. The memory of Bingo’s daughter laughing and waving to me brought a smile to my face despite my fears - she was so cute! If I had a daughter like that, I’d give her everything I had, spend all the time with her that I could find and raise her as a fine Equestrian lady. Meadow may have some input, sure, but I would be her dad and this was my fantasy, thank you very much. But of course, pleasant thoughts are always fleeting aren’t they? Now the image of the friendly father, the pleasant orange pony from the dry cleaners coolly killing a downed pony popped into my mind’s eye. I could still hear the gut wrenching sound of the bolt smashing through his skull. They were yet more unwanted memories I’d have to carry with me through the rest of my life, along with the hellish night at the wharf. I was going to need some serious counselling at some point. Either that, or a nice long holiday with my green mare. Hell, why not have both? A thought came to mind, intruding on my more pleasant ones… Bingo. Who the hell was he? He wasn’t a watch pony that I’d ever seen but the chief knew him. I’d have to ask or it would be bothering me until I did... “Chief?” “Hmmm?” The blue stallion stirred from his reflections and focussed those world weary eyes on me. I took a breath. In for bit Fairlight, I thought, before asking, “Chief, Who is Bingo?” Mitre just stared at me, like he was focussing on something on the carriage wall behind my skull. “Bingo. Bingo is… Ah! We’re here.” The carriage pulled to a halt and the communication hatch slid open. Fumbles’ purple eyes appeared for a moment then disappeared. “Fumbles, are we here?” Mitre asked. “Give me a hoof here will you, the bloody door’s stuck.” There was no reply. Mitre stared at me for the shortest of moments, the look conveying more meaning that I wanted right then. Alarm bells were sounding in the back of my head as the chief pulled out a pair of short-swords and a multi-shot crossbow each from the luggage rack. Suddenly, a pair of cylinders dropped into the compartment through the hatch which snapped shut with a finality that made my heart skip a beat. “Flash Bugs! Cover!” I shouted in warning as the little creatures did what came naturally. I covered my eyes against the flare, but it was still like staring directly into the sun. The blast which followed blew out my ear drums along with both of the carriage doors. Mitre however, charged out regardless, his crossbow releasing bolt after bolt at some pony or some thing I couldn’t see. My head felt like I’d been hit with a sledgehammer, but I still had enough wherewithal to cock the crossbow and shift my bones. Pulling myself out of the carriage door, I flicked off the safety and dived out, rolling. Thank the goddess for basic training. A bolt clipped my ear and smashed through the open door’s glass pane, missing me completely. I brought up my own crossbow and shot a bolt into the chest of the pony in the tree line who was frantically reloading. These were no watch trained ponies, but they were a threat none the less. Without hesitation I ran for the cover of the trees, leaping over another dead pony, a bolt sticking out of his eye. No doubt Mitre’s work. Suddenly a hot burning pain bloomed from my side and I felt something tear as I reached the tree line. The cool of the shade and hard cover the trees offered were scant protection in truth, but they would provide me with that few precious moments I needed to catch my breath and take stock. I skidded to a halt, throwing myself behind a large oak tree. I’d been hit alright. A bolt was buried in my flank, right up to the flights. Quickly, I tried to pull the bloodied thing out with my teeth, but it was wedged in there good and proper. Buck it all! And where was the Chief? What the hell had had happened to Fumbles? Not knowing what had happened to my comrades, I had to assume I was on my own here. I reloaded the crossbow. “Little pigs, little pigs, come out come out wherever you are.” A maniacal voice rang through the woods. I waited, putting down the crossbow and took a hard grip on the bolt in my flank with my magic. “Don’t you want to come and play piggies?” the voice called, followed by another cackling laugh. I groaned and huffed, putted all my strength into my horn. With a twist and sharp pull, the damned thing started to come loose. I was panting, but I had to get the bolt free or I’d be no use to any pony. Abruptly the bushes parted with a crash and a tan male unicorn appeared, rearing up on his hind legs. “Here you are! Here you are!” The insane shouts of the pony attracted another who appeared beside him a moment later, his pupils so widely dilated they were like black holes in his face. “Time to play?” he shrieked, and began pulling a wickedly long knife from his belt. The tan one wouldn’t be playing with anypony. With a shout of rage and pain the bolt came free from my flank. Gritting my teeth I span it round, looking him right in the eyes, “I think you forgot something, you piece of shit!” I rammed the bolt under his jaw, feeling the bone crack and split as it plunged up into his brain. Like a boned fish, he dropped stone dead at his colleagues hooves. The other pony stared at his fallen companion but to my astonishment… he actually laughed. What in Equestria was it with these guys? I reached for my crossbow as his blade cleared the scabbard. He was still giggling as the dark blue foreleg snapped his head back and the sword point burst from his throat. Mitre let the pony drop, pulling his weapon free of the downed creature. “Enemy numbers?” he panted. “Unknown,” I replied. “I took out one in front of the tree line. There’s the two here and another dead by the carriage.” Mitre nodded, reloading his crossbow, “What are you like for bolts?” “I’ve four bolts loaded, plus the six courtesy of our friend here.” I gestured down at the pony whose life I’d just ended. Mitre made a quick search of the bodies, uncovering two transparent parcels of a fine white powder. He cut one open with the point of his sword and tasted it with the tip of his tongue. “Damn,” he sighed, “Ryetalin. They’re jacked up on Fizz.” “Sir?” I queried. Mitre motioned me to follow him and quietly began moving through the undergrowth. “Been seeing a lot of cases the last few weeks alone. It’s brought in by those smugglers using the portals. Goes by the name ‘Fizz’ on the streets, but it comes in initially as packs with the name ‘Ryetalin’ on them. It’s not Equestrian, Captain, and its effects you’re seeing now first hoof.” A pony crashed through the undergrowth a few yards in front of us and I put a bolt through his lungs before he had time to scream. “Come on!” Mitre whispered and we made off uphill through the brush. A while later we stopped to catch our breath. It was hard going through the undergrowth, and even hard trying to keep quiet while doing it. The chief and I leaned against a big ash, our hides steaming with sweat. “Did you see Fumbles?” he asked me, nostrils flaring with each intake of the cool air. I shook my head. “No chief. No sign of him.” He just nodded, “Got your TED still?” I rummaged in my pocket and took the small brass communications device out. Mitre pressed it to his ear, “Blaze… Blaze are you there?” “Chief!” Blaze’s voice was strained. “The watch-house has been attacked, it’s those buckers with the fire bug weapons. We’ve got ponies down, but we’re holding on. Agency ponies are here now giving supporting.” Mitre spat, muttering to himself, “Goddesses damn it all.” He held the comms device up, “Lieutenant, listen carefully. We’re up near the safehouse. Captain Fairlight and myself have been attacked. Looks like an inside job. We need backup, now.” “Chief, is the captain’s wife safe?” Blaze asked. I detected a worried note to her voice. “We’re on our way there now, Blaze.” Mitres took a breath and tightened his grip on his crossbow. “Just get your ponies out here, quickly!” There was a muffled noise on the comms device and a different voice emerged - one I remembered all too well. “Chief Mitre? This is Agent Sweetie, Celestian Bureau of Investigation. Your command has been passed to me. You are to stand down Watch Chief. I repeat, stand down.” Mitre’s eyes were full of fury and he snarled with a wolf-like quality I’d never heard. “Do what you damned well please Agent Sweetie, but we have to secure the safe house and the captain’s wife first. Understand?” Agent Sweetie’s voice was its usual monotone self, “Captain Fairlight is to be placed under arrest, Chief Mitre. Agents will be with you shortly to take him into custody. We will remedy the situation with his… wife.” “There’s no time, Sweetie,” the big stallion hissed in exasperation, “we need to move NOW!” “Chief Mitre, in the name of Princess Celestia, I order you to stand down!” “Agent Sweetie?” Mitres voice was soft and gentle. “Yes?” Mitre’s stared at the communicator. “Go buck yourself.” An unintelligible blast of outrage was cut short by the sound of a scuffle, Blaze’s voice shouting back at us, “We’re heading out Chief. Units are diverting, so hang on there for the goddess’s sake. ETA thirty minutes!” A high pitched scream cut through the forest. Oh, Luna! “Meadow!” I shouted, and grabbed my crossbow. Mitre spoke quickly into the comms unit, the strain telling in his voice, “We don’t have time, Meadow’s in trouble. Blaze, get your ponies here. We have to move now!” There was another scuffle and Blaze’s voice crackled. “Hang on Chief, helps coming. Just, hang on…” The device went dead. Brush, brambles and branches ripped and snagged at my coat as I willed myself on. Celestia give me strength, I wasn’t a fast runner at the best of time, and today it felt like the very wind itself was fighting me. Foam sprayed from my muzzle, my muscles burning. Another scream, plaintive on the breeze, but nearer this time. I’m coming, Meadow, I prayed in my mind. Please Luna, Celestia, don’t let anything happen to her… The sunlight grew brighter as I drew closer to the edge of the forest, a small log cabin just visible through the undergrowth. I flung myself against a tree, panting, winded… but here. It was torture to not crash straight out into the open and up to the cabin, but if I had I’d make a lovely target for any pony watching. As it was, I was sure they’d have heard my head long charge through the undergrowth anyway. I checked the crossbow and reseated the bolts. My watch training kicked in again, all other thoughts now superfluous background noise to dealing with the task before me. Four shots. Close range only. Distance to the house, approximately fifty yards. Hostile units… Unknown. I parted the bush in front of me and watched for movement. Mitre slid up beside me, crossbow at the ready. The big blue buck tapped his hoof to his eyes silently. ‘How many?’ I tapped my hoof and circled my knee. ‘Six.’ Silently, I continued to observe and sign the tactical information, ‘Two on the roof. One either side of the door. Two patrolling. At least one inside.’ I could tell straight away these weren’t watch ponies. What had happened to the assigned guards wouldn’t bear thinking about right now. Now, I had to focus. Chief Mitre nodded and signed back to me. The message was clear - he would take position and we would move in. A loud crash of pottery breaking inside the cabin accompanied the sounds of a scuffle moments before a cry of pain and shouting that made the hairs on my back stand up. I couldn’t stop to let the thought of what they were doing to her intrude now. Now, it was time to go to work. I was never the patient type, and waiting there whilst Mitre moved through the undergrowth and Meadow was only a few yards away at the mercy of the thugs in the cabin was beyond endurance. But haste, charging into a dangerous situation blindly, could kill not only us but the very one we were trying to save. So when the small flash of sunlight from the chief’s heliograph signalled he was in position, the relief was almost palpable. I flicked off the safety and took aim. Another signal and the two ponies on the roof fell, choking out their last breaths in this world. Racking the crossbows mechanism, I clicked another bolt into position. The patrolling pony turned at the sound of the one on the roof falling into the bushes behind the cabin. He lifted his crossbow and stopped in his tracks, a bolt through his chest. Damn it! The crossbow was at maximum effective range already and this guys hide must be tougher than most. I did the only thing I could; broke cover, my short sword held low, point forward. He turned just as I reached him, my sword’s point splitting his hide, sliding through muscle and sinew before finally piercing his heart. Sidestepping neatly I allowed gravity to pull his still warm corpse from my slick blade. A quick flick and the blood cleared the deadly steel. I moved as silently as a cloud across the sky now, keeping low and smooth. I could feel my muscles working beneath my skin as they tensed, ready to strike. A whistle from the side of the house caught the attention of the sentry and I sprung forward, slitting the throat of the guard before he could react. I caught his crossbow before it hit the porch floor but the bolt slid and clattered onto the planking below. The other guard span to face the new threat, pausing in shock as he took in the sight of his comrade falling to the floor, blood fountaining from his throat and gore dripping from my sword. It was the last thing he would ever see. His legs twitched as the huge blue earth pony’s forelegs twisted his neck with a sharp snap, silencing him forever. Watching Mitre in action was certainly an education. The two of us peered inside. The cabin’s interior was in total darkness, the curtains closed and the lamps extinguished. This wasn’t going to be easy, and whoever was in there was doing their damnedest to test us to the limit. I’d searched the ponies outside for flash bugs already, but unfortunately didn’t find even one. It looked like we were going to be doing this the old fashioned way whether we liked it or not. Mitre signed a tactical move and, reloading the crossbows, we entered. Once in the darkened hallway, the chief used his heliograph as a mirror to see inside the first room before swinging in. Nothing. Mitre covered me as I moved to the next room. Squinting into the gloom I backed up suddenly as a fizzed up stallion, foam flying from his nostrils, charged at us from the darkness screaming like an enraged harpy. I put two bolts into him before he went down, but there would be no doubt in anyponies mind now that something was awry in the cabin. We’d have to move even quicker if we were to find Meadow alive. The third room. Nothing. The fourth and last beckoned. Covering the door once more the chief signed, ‘On three’. I nodded my understanding. We kicked the door open, crossbows sweeping the room. Damn it all… empty again! There were signs of a violent struggle everywhere: broken glass, plates, and smaller items that had been strewn liberally across the floor. I carefully moved over to the upended chair, and in the sliver of light from between the curtains I could see a dark wet patch glistening. I ran my hoof through it. It was blood… blood and green hair. I looked closer; it could have been from any green pony but, oh goddesses, no… I lifted a long pale green hair, long enough to be from a mane or tail and my heart froze. “Fairlight?” The chief’s voice from behind me brought me back to my senses. He gestured towards the window where the blood and green hair smeared across the bottom of the frame told their own story. Suddenly a stifled cry from the front of the house resounded through the cabin. As one, we ran back down the hallway, covering each other as we made the front door. Sunlight spilled in from outside where Meadow was lying on her side at the hooves of a violet coated pony sporting a short buzz-cut white mane and tail. He seemed familiar, but those eyes, those purple eyes I’d seen recently… they were full of what I can only describe as unbridled insanity. “Fumbles,” the chief spat, raising his crossbow. “What the buck are you doing stallion?” The violet unicorn grinned at us and sighed out an exaggerated breath. “What’s it look like chief? I’m here for my tip!” He laughed manically before violently kicking Meadow who let out a moan of pain. “You bastard, I’ll bucking kill you!” I screamed at him in abject fury, my mind a haze of red anger. “Ooo, look at you! Down boy!” the traitorous unicorn laughed as he unleashed a bolt that slammed into my hind leg, sending me to the ground. “Keep your dog on a leash, Mitre, eh?” Mitre lowered his crossbow and raised a hoof. “Okay, Fumbles, steady now, you’ve got our attention. Let the mare go and we’ll talk.” “That’s better!” Fumbles said in a jovial voice. “But not quite good enough…” Another bolt shot out and struck Mitre in the chest. He fell, the ground shaking as his bulk slammed into it. “Look… Fumbles… You don’t have to do this,” the Chief managed, a look of pain crossing his face. The violet unicorn looked up at the sky and scratched his chin in thought. “You know, I did wonder about that? But then I thought, nah, you’ve caused me a lot of trouble already, chief. My employers are not happy ponies. Not happy at all. Your meddling has caused delays in shipments, costing them, and me, some serious money. And we can’t have that now, can we?” “Is that what this is about? Money?!” I shouted at him. Fumbles rolled his eyes and clucked his tongue in an exaggerated show of exasperation. A second late another bolt slammed into my flank, making me scream aloud as white hot agony flared through my body. “For Celestia’s sake, Fumbles, you’re a Watchstallion. We’re your brothers,” Mitre reasoned. “Don’t do this!” Fumbles shook his head slowly, “My employers are not patient ponies, chief. Oh! Wait a moment, here they are now. Perhaps you can try and reason with them yourself, eh?” A sky carriage pulled by two cloaked unicorns landed gracefully near by. Meanwhile Fumbles kept his crossbow trained on us as two ponies, both covered with the same type of cloak as the carriage’s drivers, walked up to him. I couldn’t hear what they were saying but whatever it was it didn’t look good for any of us judging by the sidelong glances we were getting. I looked to Meadow - she was breathing, but unconscious. “Chief,” I whispered. “How are you holding up?” He looked at me weakly, the bolt was deeply embedded and probably pressing on his heart. If he didn’t get help soon, it’d be too late. “Fairlight…” he croaked, “…save... Meadow…” His face contorted in pain, “Listen… I don’t think I’m… going to make it, boy. Get her out of here, tell… tell Shelly I’m sorry. Can you… Can you do that for me?” “Chief, for Luna’s sake, hold on,” I told him, trying to sound encouraging. “Blaze’s team’s on its way. Help’s coming!” He nodded, closing his eyes with a smile. He didn’t believe me, I could tell. Fumbles was having a conversation with another occupant of the sky carriage, finally bowing low as the door closed. Then with a flurry of wings, the carriage took to the air and headed out over the trees once more. The violet stallion walked over to Meadow, sneering at her before leaning down and running his tongue slowly up her neck whilst watching my reaction. “Such a pretty little thing isn’t she?” he oozed in that sickly voice of his. “I’ll bet you’ve ploughed this one plenty.” I snarled at the damnable creature. “Leave her alone you bastard, you’ve done enough already.” “Done enough?!” he cried aloud, waving his forelegs in the air in a theatrical display of mockery. “Oh no, Mister Watch Pony, I haven’t done nearly enough. You see, we need a… what’s the word… ah, yes - an ‘example’. Ponies are timid creatures by nature, the strong ones rising to the top to lead the rest. Good followers you see.” He waved an expansive gesture with a foreleg. “Fear can be used as a tool to keep the others in line, allowing our operation here to continue without… shall we say, ‘outside interference’?” “You… traitorous dog”, Mitre hissed. “The watch will find you and-” Fumbles clopped his hooves together and jigged about with a look of warped glee, “Oh, of course! Silly me, how could I forget! Must be my age, but then you’d know all about that wouldn’t you Mitre?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, round, gold coloured device. My heart sank. “So trusting,” he said softly. Standing on his hind legs as if addressing an imaginary audience, Fumbles shouted out, his voice echoing across the forest clearing, “Oh ponies of the Watch, where fore art thou? Come hither to the rescue of these three, thy distressed brothers and sister.” He spoke to the device, mimicking the chief’s voice, “What’s that? You’re there and the place is empty? A bomb you say? Everypony blown to matchwood you say? Oh my goodness!” Fumbles shook his mane and fixed us with a look of absolute contempt. “Yes, I’m afraid, dearest Chief Mitre and supporting act…” he gestured towards me dismissively, “your flying squad will be slightly delayed. Rather than arriving here in, what was it now, ‘thirty minutes?’, there will be a slight change to the scheduled destination...” He stood on his hind legs again, forelegs raised up and head back, “The afterlife!” he screamed out hysterically. “You first, you little shit.” Gathering the last vestiges of strength, Mitre gasped out loud as he emptied the entire magazine of the crossbow into Fumbles’ chest. The vile creature staggered back in shock, scrabbling at the shafts protruding from his chest. Blood was already beginning to trickle down from the wounds as he fell backwards - dead. There was no jubilation. At the very same moment Fumbles’ body crumpled to ground I felt another impact, nearer this time, and one that made my heart skip a beat. I already knew what it meant. From the corner of my eye I saw the great blue stallion, the unstoppable mountain of the watch, lying still and silent. The chief’s eyes were glassy and lifeless. My old boss, my mentor and my friend, had left to join the eternal herd. Meadow and I would be next if I hesitated now, so as quickly as I could I magicked up my crossbow and looked up to see the cloaked ponies rushing me. I loosed a shot off at the first and he yelped as the bolt clipped his ear. I tried to cycle the next bolt but the cursed thing was jammed solid. Of all the times! I threw it as hard as I could at the biggest one of the two, but I may as well have been throwing pebbles at a dragon. It glanced off him harmlessly, but at least it gave me the chance to draw my sword as they closed the distance. The large pony stopped and produced a long black tube from the depths of his cloak. I’d seen these before - this was one of those things from the warehouse, and now here it was to finish the job its wielders had started. I was staring death in the face when my world exploded in an explosion of fire and pain. I fell, dropping into darkness as the world crumbled away into nothingn around me. From what sounded like they came from a distant world, I heard the fading voices of the two ponies: “Celestia’s tits, Mel, looks like you damn near blew his head off! Is he still alive?” “Still breathing, but not for long I reckon. Come on, we’ve got a job to do.” “We’ve still got time to have some fun with this cute little filly first though, right?” “Yeah. By the time we’re done with these two, nopony will ever buck with the boss again.” Their laughter was the last thing I heard before the darkness swallowed me whole.