The Origin Chronicles Vol. 3

by SmokeShadow95


Resting Up

“Is this true,” Ebony asked the three of them. They stood in her chambers, across from the table many of the others often referred to as her desk. It a coffee table at best. That didn't make it any less nervous to be on the other side of it though. Of the three of them, however, only one of them seemed to be visibly nervous. “Rartigan, need I repeat myself?”

“Of course not, Ebony,” He quickly replied. “It's true.”

“You're not normally this quiet,” Ebony observed his nervous glances to the ponies that stood at both his sides. “Are you ashamed of the almost useless performance you showed tonight?”

“That's a little unfair, Ebony,” Shadow said. Ebony gave her a curious look that bid her to continue. “Rat wasn't completely useless. He did lead us to the location. And he did give a very detailed description of the layout. It could've been a very different report without him there.”

Ebony shot a glance at Ratigan. He suppressed a shake when Shadow mentioned his giving a detailed description. He almost slipped it by her, but she'd been watching him for too long. She knew all his tells and shakes. Something had happened. Whatever it was must have been quite something to make him shake like that. She smiled at the delectable thought.

“Ebony, is that all you need from us,” Charmer asked politely. “I am in dire need of some rest.”

“Of course,” Ebony said. “Both you and Shadow must be tired. Taking on a royal guard of any court must be trying. Go and rest. I still have to talk to Ratigan for a moment.”

An overwhelming feeling of relief washed over Ratigan as soon as they were out of the room. He stopped shaking and could actually think for himself without fearing that she was still in his mind. He walked over and sat in a chair across from Ebony.

“Tell me, Ratigan, what happened,” Ebony whispered. “I want the truth.”

“You want the truth,” He replied. “I wish what they toldya was the truth. Truth is them two are terrifying. Truth is I had to watch as they tore down a pony I learned just hours before was a royal guard. He didn't stand a chance.”

“You are unusually articulate,” Ebony teased with a smile.

“This ain't funny, boss,” Ratigan said with a forcefull hoof on the table. It was all he could do to stop himself from yelling. He made that mistake once with her already. He learned never to do it again. “That Charmer, she got inside my head. I didn't give no description. She tore outta my mind. I can still feel her in there sometimes.”

“She got inside your head and pulled out the details of the inside of the building,” Ebony mused to herself. “Oh, Shadow must have used that to approximate a safe teleportation entrance. Ha! How clever. Who knew those two were so creative?”

“Are you even listening to me?”

Ratigan shouted. Ebony was listening. One of the few things Ratigan never seemed to understand about her was that she was always listening. She was always watching. Nothing happened in her home without her knowing about it. And she everything about the ones she let into her home. That was another thing he seemed to forget.

“Ratigan, do not raise your voice to me again,” She calmly whispered. “Given everything you've been through I can forgive your agitation, but do not forget that gutter I found you in. I'll make that place look like a palace if you ever forget the rules again.”

“Of course, Ebony,” He apologized as fast as he could. “I don't mean nothing by it.”

He bowed his head and got up from his chair. He felt like he overstayed his welcome. He had a hoof on the door handle and was turning it when Ebony's voice called out from behind him.

“Those two ponies really frightened you, didn't they,” She asked.

“They ain't ponies, Ebony,” He replied somberly, “They're monsters.”

=====

Shadow and Charmer immediately ran down to the dining hall. Tired as they were, food came first. Charmer kept up her usual smile and walking proudly as she always did. It was the persona she had been maintaining for years now, even before Ebony. What surprised her was Shadow smiling right along with her. She had smiled before, but they were small and personal smiles. Now she was beaming with cheer. Excitement seemed to jump out with every step of her hoof. She was nearly bouncing.

“Shadow, are you okay,” Charmer asked.

“I'm wonderful, Charmer,” She said joyously.

“Good to hear,” Charmer replied. “You just don't seem to be acting like yourself at the moment.”

“Oh, you mean I'm not acting all doom and gloom and angrily staring at people until they leave me alone,” Shadow joked with her friend. “There's no need for that anymore. It's finally happening!”

“And just what might that be?”

Shadow and Charmer didn't even realize it, but they were walking right by the table that the old griffon always sat at. It had been a few days and yet it could have almost been just a few moments. The same ponies sat there as always.

The griffon sat at the head of the table as he always did. On his right was the same young Earth pony from before. She stared up at them with a sort of reverence in her eyes. Charmer was starting to get worried about the little pony. On the left of the griffon was a Pegasus. He was the quietest one of the three. He never seemed to care what anypony else was doing or saying. He just ate his food and that was that. Of course, this made a good first impression on Shadow, who often felt the same way.

“Oh, why hello there,” Charmer said. “We were so caught up in conversation that we didn't see you there.”

“Ah, pooey!” The griffon scoffed. “You are always aware of what is around ye,” He said pointedly at Charmer. “Not a pony can sneeze within twenty yards without ye knowing about it.”

“Thanks for the praise, bu-”

“Wasn't praise,” The griffon said. “It may be true but it's bloody annoying is what it is. I've seen enough secret passing crap in my time to know yours.”

“I thank you for the praise, however unintentional,” Charmer said. “But no pony is perfect, no matter how much you my think so.”

“Yeah, but you two are pretty close from what I hear.”

It was the Pegasus this time who spoke. Shadow looked at him curiously. What did he mean? He didn't feel the need to continue until he saw all their eyes looking down on him. He sighed heavily.

“Seriously? You two don't know what anyone else thinks of you, do you,” He asked. Charmer and Shadow glanced at each other and then back at him. He sighed again. “You two are Ebony's personal projects. She found you herself. She recruited you. Only you two are allowed to call her by name to her face. We all have to call her Boss. She gives you all the important jobs.”

“What he means to say,” The griffon interrupted. “Is that you're her pets, the both of you.”

“I am no ones pet,” Shadow said firmly.

“Ye said that once before,” The griffon laughed. “Right before you went off on an important job for Ebony.”

“We do jobs for Ebony,” Shadow stated, glaring at both the griffon and the Pegasus. “What of it? What's wrong with that? Huh?!”

“No need to to get testy, now,” The griffon said.

“No, you both started this,” Shadow growled. “I want to hear the end of it. What do you have against us working for Ebony? It's not like you don't. All of us here do jobs for her.”

“No, you do jobs from her,” the Pegasus said. “We all do jobs, but only you two get jobs directly from the Boss herself.”

“So what,” Shadow snapped back. “We're good at what we do. Ebony appreciates that. It's the whole reason she brought us in in the first place.”

“You know, Shadow, I don't actually think they have the problem you think they do,” Charmer said. “I think those two are just jealous of us.”

“What?! Jealous? Me,” The griffon rose farther out of his seat with each word he shouted. He was bigger than they knew. They'd only ever seen him sitting down. Now he stood there at full height with all his muscles rippling beneath his feathers.

“I've been through more battles than you two can ever know. I've done things that would make your little pony hearts shatter. I've spent more of my life outside the borders of this perfect little Equestria. I've seen wonders enough to make the heartless cry tears and horrors so downright terrible that even the most just would give up his ways at the sight of it. I've lost more in my life than I have gained. I can feel my mind beginning to fade as the years stack up, but I still can say at least one thing with the utmost certainty. You two have nothing in your lives worthy of my jealousy. I'm far too old to be bothered with such nonsense.”

“Quite the speech, Talon.”

If there was ever something quieter than the silence that fell upon the whole room just then, he had certainly never heard it. He had heard the silence in the air that followed battles so fierce that not even buzzards came in the days after. Still, not even that compared to the chill that ruffled his feathers when she spoke.

Ebony stood on the stairs that lead down from the upper floor. She slowly descended, step by step, in the silence. She knew all eyes were on her. She could feel their eyes as her hooves met the bottom floor. She could practically hear them breathing in sharply as she passed by. She sauntered over to the table in question, reveling in all the attention.

“Talon, my dear,” She said. “What have you said now to get everypony so riled up?”

“I've just said what we all think, Boss,” Talon said.

“And just what might that be,” She asked. “And why does it concern these two?”

“They're your pets and we all know it,” The Pegasus said loudly. He didn't like being called a pup. “They get special treatment from you and the rest of is are tired of it.”

“Oh, is that so,” Ebony rhetorically whispered. “You all think I favor those two above all else? Above everyone else? Well, you would be right.”

Needless to say they weren't exactly expecting that reply from her. She lifted her head up high and looked around. Including that table a little over a dozen others sat at tables in the dining hall. Her voice was loud and carried throughout the hall. More stood at the banisters of the upper floor. They looked in spotted pairs down upon the dining hall, their ears perked up and waiting for Ebony to speak. Everyone was eager to hear what she had to say.

“Shadow and Charmer,” She started, their names resounding through the hall like names of legend. “You all believe them to be my 'pets'. Such nonsense. None of you are my pets. None of you are worth more or less than any other. We all are family here.

“But for those of you who have doubts, let me alleviate them. Any of you can rise up to join them. They are strong. They have proven themselves trustworthy. They did not complain about their lot here. If they had any problems they worked to better themselves and therefore their surroundings. Any of you can do the same.”

She turned her head every few seconds. She looked all around. She looked into the eyes of everyone there, pony or not. Her words carried through the air like music. Everyone could feel them as much as they heard them. Ebony could see the effect she was having. She could hardly believe there was once a time when she would never have guessed she could be inspiring.

“Do not look at them with envy,” She spoke. “Set aside your jealousy. Refuse to listen to rumors. Do not wish to be them. Wish to be with them, next to them. Any of you can have a place at my side. You just have to prove yourself worthy of it. Can you do that?”

A moment of unusual silence filled the room after she was done. Following it came a cacophony of cheers and applause. Hooves were stomped on the ground, clapped together. Claws were raised , voices were heard. In the middle of it all was Ebony, smiling wickedly. She slowly strut her way back to the stairs.

“Ebony,” Shadow called out to her before she was too far away. “Thank you.”

“No need for thanks, child,” Ebony said in her sultry tone. “You are special. It may be that I favor you a bit, unhealthy as that may be. Can you blame me, though? You are such a sight when you work.”

“But, Ebony,” Shadow blushed. “You've never seen me work.”

“Oh, I see a lot more than you think, dear,” Ebony hissed under her breath. “Now as I recall, you were going to get some rest, isn't that so? Perhaps a meal as well?”

“Point taken,” Shadow chuckled. “I'm going.”

Shadow walked off. Ebony lingered momentarily and watched her. “You're so very welcome, child.”

Later on, things calmed down. Ebony's speech did wonders to liven up the others. They were all fired up and ready to do things, even if there wasn't anything to do. Thankfully, quite a few of them went off to train. Most of the noise died down pretty quickly. Shadow and Charmer were able to get some food. They even sat with the Talon the griffon and the other two. Talon said something that lingered in her thoughts. It was such a simple thing he said when they sat down. Charmer tried to tease him about being jealous again.

“I'm far too old for jealousy,” He said. “But you both are powerful, Ebony was right about that. I think I'll just have to learn to respect that. More than I already do that is.”

Shadow tossed and turned in her bed. It was such a simple thing, or maybe it wasn't. He respected her? But then why was he always antagonizing her and Charmer? Maybe it was Charmer doing the antagonizing and he was just biting back. That was definitely a possibility, but it didn't sit well with her. He respected her. If even half the things he says in his stories are true, then earning his respect was quite something. So what more was there? Shadow growled at the thought and sat up, throwing her pillow across the room in the process. Her chest heaved as her annoyance wore her out.

A knock on her door broke her out of this state.

“Who is it?”

“I don't think I've ever told you my name,” The voice said through the door. “But we've spoken a bit.”

“I know your voice,” Shadow said. “You're the Earth pony that sits with Talon, right?”

“Yes,” She exclaimed excitedly. “Everyone around here calls me Runner. It's close enough to real name.”

“Stop talking through the door, Runner,” Shadow said.

The little Earth pony came in. Her short mane bobbed up and down with each of her bouncy steps. Shadow still found it hard to believe she was a full grown adult Earth pony. She was just barely bigger than a filly. She was actually a few years older than Shadow herself.

“What do you want, Runner?”

“Well, I guess I just wanted to talk to you,” She said.

“Not really the best time,” Shadow said, opening the door with a bit of magic and gesturing Runner out of it.

“Wait,” Runner pleaded. “I want to talk about what Talon said.”

“What about it,” Shadow asked, intrigued. She closed the door again.

“He respects you,” Runner said. “We all do. We all know you've done. He pokes and prods at everyone, though. It's just his way. He says nobody gets stronger by just letting 'em be. They gotta be pushed to their edge and stuff like that.”

“Hmm,” Shadow smiled. “Well, I supposed it's just his way. Now, if that's all I would like to get back to sleep.”

“Just one more question,” Runner said. Shadow conceded and let her ask. “I haven't been given a job yet. What do you think I'll be doing?”

Shadow sighed and got out of bed. She guided Runner over to a small table she had set under the window. They both sat there for a few seconds with the moonlight shining down on them.

“Runner, why are you here,” Shadow asked. “Not here in my room, but here in this place. Nopony gets here by accident. Something had to happen to bring you here. What was it?”

“Oh,” Was all Runner said. “It's not something I like talking about.”

“Fair enough,” Shadow said, staring out at the night sky. “I'll go first. I lost my family. My father, my mother. They were both taken from me. I lived with nightmares almost nightly for years. I didn't know what to do so I ended up looking for help with a family friend. Only to find out that said friend of the family actually had something to do with the night I found my parents. I ran away with the only pony I could trust. Charmer. It only later that night that Ebony found us.”

Runner had never heard Shadow speak so much. She almost never spoke anything more than a short sentence or two. Now she was getting so much more than she ever thought she would. Shadow had a family once.

“It's funny how similar our stories are,” Runner half joked. “I lost my family, too. Both parents. A timberwolf attack at the edge of the White Tail Woods. They weren't supposed to be anywhere close to that area. I found out later that a few rogue storm clouds drove them from their normal hunting grounds. I ran away as my parents screamed. And I didn't stop running.”

Shadow looked back at Runner. Rivers were running down her cheeks. Her normal, bubbly smiling face was mess. She was trying to smile still, but her quivering lips betrayed her.

“I never stopped running,” She sobbed. “I didn't stop until Ebony found me. I could barely stand on my own. Talon watched over me. He stayed with me until I got better. I just don't want you to hate him, okay? He's really a good griffon.”

“I could never hate him, Runner,” Shadow said softly. “My life hasn't been great, but I have learned many things. One of the most important things is that I don't have room in my life for hate. He may irritate me at times, but that's what family does.”

“That's so good to hear,” Runner said with a smile. She wiped some tears from her cheeks. “But what about your family? You said it was a friend that had something to do with it? Do you hate them?”

Shadow couldn't respond right away. She wanted to. “I don't know,” She ended up saying. “For so long, I thought I did. I guess I will find out soon. Ebony's given me permission to go after them.”

“That's good,” Runner said. She got up from her chair and made her way for the door. “You deserve some good ol' fashioned vengeance.”

“Is that so,” Shadow joked. “Is that what you want for the timberwolves that took your family?”

“No,” Runner stated flatly. She looked back over her shoulder at Shadow with a sly smile on her face. “They're already gone. Why do you think Ebony took me in?”

With that said Runner exited Shadow's room, leaving her with a moment of shock. Shadow smiled. She even laughed with herself a bit. There was a lot more to that pony than she thought. She brought her pillow back to her bed and settled in. This time she didn't have any trouble getting to sleep.