The double doors swung open and in marched a contingent of four Night Guards, surrounding a fifth. Positioned in the middle was a dark red pegasus with tufted ears, wearing manacles and a wing clamp.
They didn't so much as glance at Prey as they marched into the middle of the room and stopped before the dias, "Your majesty. Presenting one Crimson Trace, as per your orders." The foremost bat pony amongst the new comers announced, snapping off a salute.
"Excellent Lieutenant Screech," Princess Luna boomed, "If thou wouldst be so good as to remove the shackles. They wilt not be necessary here."
"Yes your majesty." The Lieutenant replied with another salute, before pulling out a key and stepping over to the red pegasus.
Prey seemed to have been momentarily forgotten. He leaned sideways past the Night Guard blocking his view to get a closer look at this Crimson Trace. The Pegasus had not said a word or moved when Lieutenant Sharp started to remove his chains, nor had he visibly reacted to being confronted with an alicorn.
Crimson Trace had a look of controlled quiet about him, his expression carefully blank. Squinting closely, Prey noticed a few small scars along his wings and across his upper chest. He had the look of a warrior, lean but well muscled. A glance at the stallions flank showed a tear drop shaped Trace over a spiked tree. It didn't mean anything to Prey. 'Why did she have his shackles removed? What's the difference between him and me?' He wondered.
The wing clamp came off last, and Crimson Trace carefully stretched out one wing, then the other before neatly folding them again. Then he offered a formal bow towards the magical throne where Luna sat, imperious and untouchable, "My thanks, Princess Luna." He said quietly. His voice was just like the rest of him, measured and controlled.
"'Tis nothing, and we were only removing what ort not to have been in the first place." Princess Luna said with a dismissive wave.
"Princess?" The red pegasus asked.
Princess Luna inclined her head, "We knowest much of thy story Crimson Trace. Thou had thy reasons, many of which were beyond thy control. We believe that thou tried the best that thou couldst with the knowledge that thy had when presented with hard choices." Princess Luna said in a quieter tone, which just meant her voice wasn't quite as ear splitting as before.
Crimson Trace didn't look at Luna, just at the base of her throne, "I... Thank you, your majesty. Dost that mean you won't stop me if I go after them?" He asked, a sliver of emotion creeping into his tone.
Princess Luna regretfully shook her head, "Thou must not do so. Thee were not in the wrong, but never the less, revenge is never the answer. Let it not cloud thy judgement and blind thee to the right path Crimson Trace. We will not allow, nor condone such an act. But we do sympathise and understand thy feelings."
Crimson Trace looked up and met Princess Luna's gaze, "It is my duty to seek them out. That is the way of the clans. I am sorry, but I am duty bound to do this your majesty." He answered.
Prey fully expected Luna to start yelling again, just like when he had dared to tell her 'no' not ten minutes ago, so he immediately covered his abused ears. But she didn't.
"We know what it is to be rejected and snubbed amongst those who should be thy own. We have thus made efforts to restore the thestral clans that they might step from the shadows to stand alongside their pony kin once more." Luna paused and looked briefly to Captain Nighthawk next to her.
"There is much that is owed to thee by right of thy heritage, and here thou mayest find it if thou wilt but try." Prey could have sworn he saw Nighthawk dip his head slightly to Crimson Trace as Princess Luna said those words.
"However, thee will do so in our service. We knowest thee value 'Honour and Duty', for it was thy clans words, were they not? We are the Princess Of The Night, Lady Luna to thy clan's histories. Does thou acknowledge us?" Princess Luna asked.
Crimson Trace bowed his head, "How can I not your majesty, when you stand before me in the flesh?"
Prey saw a look of pride cross Luna's face, pride in possession, before she rose to her hooves and proclaimed, "We claim thee Crimson Trace, if thou wilt serve us. We offer thee the chance for honour and duty, where thy actions will help benefit and protect many. Wilt thou join us?" Princess Luna offered.
Crimson Trace glanced around at the thestral Night Guards stationed around the room, then he bowed, fully this time, "I am still young, and never finished my father's training, but I think he would've wanted me to take your offer. I give you my word that if you are true, I will also be." He said, reciting some oath.
Princess Luna nodded and preened smugly at his acceptance, like some large feline. "So be it. We knowest thou still hast much to learn, but we know thee wilt be of worthy service and do thy best. Our first order is thus, lay aside thy vengeance Crimson Trace. Thy service is now pledged to us, and I relieve thee of that task. Thou canst not serve us and vengeance also." She admonished sternly.
Prey watched a number of emotions flashed across Crimson Trace's previously blank face. They changed from one to the other so quickly that if you weren't watching closely, you could have missed them.
Uncertainty, anger, sadness, and even a hint of relief at the end. It occurred to Prey that Crimson Trace, despite his hard appearance, was probably no older than twenty summers. Young enough to still be unsure about the path he was on.
"Yes princess Luna." Was all Crimson murmured in the end, finally accepting her order with another small bow.
Princess Luna dipped her horn towards Crimson Trace, "We also are sorry for thy loss. We wilt not allow such to happen again now that the thestral clans have been reunited. The time for such things is long past. Would that it had not cost thee thy father." She said sorrowfully.
Crimson Trace did not respond and he kept his face blank and his ears still, but Prey saw the shiver that went through his tightly folded wings.
"Although a tragedy, in this instance at least, you have common ground with thy partner. He does also know of what thy loss of a father feels like." Luna stated, as if there were nothing unusual about saying that in the middle of a room filled with other ponies. Perhaps from her slightly other worldly perspective, it wasn't.
"My partner? You haven't actually said how I will be serving you, your majesty." Crimson Trace said.
"As to what thee wilt be doing, Captain Nighthawk, if thou wilt be so good as to read Crimson Trace in as well? As for thy fellow servant, he is already here. Look." She said, pointing one silver shod hoof towards Prey.
Crimson Trace looked round in his direction, then as most had to do when looking for Prey, looked down. His carefully controlled visage cracked for a second and Prey saw the surprise that he was so used to by now.
"A lamb?"
"Yes I'm a lamb, and you're a pegasus. Well done." Prey retorted automatically.
Crimson Trace blinked slowly then walked over. The Night Guards exchanged looks and followed, but otherwise did not stop him. Prey shuffled back a step and tensed, wishing the ringing in his left ear would stop, but he refused to be the first to speak as Crimson Trace loomed over him.
"What is a lamb doing in chains?" He asked, sounding genuinely puzzled.
"That is your partner, Crimson Trace." Nighthawk said in his gruff voice as he unrolled that scroll again. He cleared his throat while Crimson Trace and Prey continued to silently observe one another, "Her Royal majesty, heir to the throne and dierarchy of Equestria, Princess Luna of the Night..." Prey tuned out the rest of the reading.
He carefully observed Crimson Trace, assessing and weighing his opposite up. Crimson Trace did the same, one ear turned in the direction of Captain Nighthawk, and the other towards Prey.
Prey decided his original assessment of the dark red Pegasus was correct. A young warrior, and probably quite a good one from the disciplined way he held himself. 'Skilled warriors die just the same with half their head melted off.'
Prey knew that his own measure was being taken, and wondered grimly how much those watchful yellow eyes really saw.
Nighthawk finished the reading and rolled the scroll back up.
"Your majesty, this is a lamb." Crimson Trace stated.
"Oh really? We hath not noticed." Princess Luna quipped with a grin. Everypony in the room looked at their ruler who had just made a joke in shocked amazement.
"Forgive me your majesty. What I meant to ask was; why?" Crimson Trace asked after a moment of slightly stunned silence.
"This is thy partner, Prey. We hath found him to work alongside thee. Do not be mistaken, Prey will not weigh thee down or be a burden, and has much to offer. In his own way."
Princess Luna clapped her hooves once more, "Now, we have to leave shortly to attend our night court and make ourselves available to all who would avail themselves of our wisdom. Captain Nighthawk, will that be all?" She asked.
"I believe your majesty, that there is still the issue of the tracers." He replied respectfully.
"And perhaps, we might trouble you while you're at it your majesty, if you could please also tell us just what is going on?" Prey hastily spoke up. No details of this new form of forced servitude had actually been given yet. Just grand words and gestures towards this idiot warrior Crimson Trace, and implied threats towards himself.
Princess Luna paused, then waved Prey's question away, "We did not forget, we just hath more weightier concerns on our Royal mind than explaining the particulars. Yes." She coughed. That almost threw Prey, before he realised it was all likely an act. An all powerful alicorn able to kill them all with a mere thought surely wouldn't do something so mundane as forget. 'Maybe it's another strange attempt at humour?' Prey wondered.
If it was, it went above all of their heads. The thestral Night Guard standing on the other side of Luna's throne to Nighthawk bowed, "Princess Luna, perhaps now might be a good time to explain what my part is to be in this?" He politely asked.
"Ah, yes. Crimson Trace and Prey, may we present thy handler, Sargent Gloom. Both of thee wilt listen to and follow the good Sargent's orders. He shall report to Captain Nighthawk, so thou would do well to listen to his instructions. Sargent Gloom is well informed, and will help thee become accustomed to Canterlot and thy task. Sargent Gloom is there for what ever questions-" A knowing look at Crimson Trace, "-Thou mayst have."
She stood, "Captain Nighthawk, if thou wouldst bring the chest, that we might finish up here and move on to our next appointment." Luna boomed.
Nighthawk didn't even have to signal before two of the normal pony Night Guard's stepped forwards carrying an iron bound chest. Prey had the feeling that he wasn't going to like what was inside.
Captain Nighthawk laid his hoof on the chests lid. There was a click and then the lid popped open by itself. He reached in and hooked out four golden bands that vaguely resembled a collar, "These are the tracers." He said gruffly.
Princess Luna spoke up, or rather shouted, "We hath enchanted these ourselves, so they art of the finest spell craftsmareship. Fear not that they might fail. These wilt let us know of thy presence and wilt also serve to trace thy actions, and we art the only one who canst remove them. This is as much for thy own protection as for others of pony kind." She told them.
'Another type of magical inhibitor, but worse. This one was made by an alicorn.' Prey thought with a sinking feeling. There could be no breaking or tricking such an item.
Crimson Trace didn't hesitate, just held out both his front hooves for the bands without protest. Nighthawk slipped first one then the other on.
As the bands settled above his fetlocks, they started shrinking until they fitted to Crimson Trace's legs perfectly. The gold gleamed dully in the dim torch light.
"Now you." Nighthawk said turning to Prey, while behind him Crimson Trace flexed his legs and examined the bands.
"I-" Prey opened his mouth to protest, to appeal to Princess Luna and say that he would give his word of good behaviour instead. Nighthawk was suddenly in his face, his shadow looming over Prey, "Is there a problem?" He growled. Prey got a close up view of his fangs, two sharp canines just like in all those vampony tales.
Prey wasn't scared by the teeth, he'd seen far, far worse things to be frightened of, and even some he hadn't. The threat behind the fangs was much more frightening. It doesn't have to be a broadsword to kill you, it could just as easily be a hoof knife.
Prey hid his swallow. "Look at me, I can hardly walk as it is. Does it look like I need any more chains?" He asked with only a slight squeak to his words. He rattled the chains and manacles to emphasise his point.
"Don't worry. You won't need them once you're wearing these." Nighthawk told him. He snapped open one leathery wing and gestured a unicorn Night Guard forward, "Hurry and remove these chains so I can put these on instead. I still have patrols to run." He ordered.
"Yes sir." The unicorns horn lit up and a glow enveloped Prey's inhibitor collar and shackles. Nothing further happened. The unicorn started to sweat after a minute, a look of strain crossing his face.
"What's the hold up?" Nighthawk barked.
"I'm sorry sir, my magic just can't get a hold on it. The lock is warded and I don't know the combination, and I can't force it either. It just absorbs my magic, no matter how much I pump into it." He puffed.
Nighthawk shot a sharp glance at Prey, "What exactly are these and why are they on you?" He demanded.
"To the first, I don't know. As to the second, I imagine they're probably to stop me running away." Prey answered with an expression of confused innocence.
"'Tis taking too long," Princess Luna announced, striding over, "We shalt do it."
Prey cringed and tried to scramble away, but Nighthawk stuck an unmoving hoof into the small of his back that effectively halted all attempts at flight.
Prey's whole body reflexively flinched away the moment it came into contact with the Captain's hoof, "Don't touch me-!" He began on reflex, then reality reminded him of the far more threatening figure of death standing right in front of him.
Prey whirled round just as Luna's horn lit up with an aura the colour of the night sky, "No please-!" Was all he managed to squeak.
"If thy magics art not strong enough, we shalt simply overpower these enchantments." Luna boomed merrily, heedless of his terror.
Prey's wool rose up as a static charge passed through it, and the air grew heavy, making his damaged left ear shriek at the change in pressure.
"Aha! A most ingenious spell, but it is not enough to pose a challenge to us." Luna exalted. There was a crack, and the smell of ozone. The inhibitors and crystal inlaid manacles that Prey had been wearing for over fifty seven years broke and fell apart. There were no calluses underneath, the enchantments had seen to that. Cold air played around his suddenly tight throat, the draft unfamiliar and strange now that the collar was gone.
Prey stared down at where the remains lay, then up at the alicorn princess in fear. Those had been made to bind anyone and anything they were placed on. They had come from Dreverton, the most secure magical prison fortress in all of Equestria (aside from Tartarus itself), where the worst the world had to offer were stored.
Those inhibitors should not have broken under magical pressure. Unlocked yes, but broken? Never.
It was just another reminder of what an alicorn really was. Power incarnate.
"And now we must away. We wilt see thee later for thy report Captain. For now, fare thee well." The deity of the moon announced, and spreading her enormous wings flew out of the still open double doors. Four Night Guards rushed out behind her, trying to keep up.
Prey numbly watched her go, not even flinching as Nighthawk roughly grabbed one hoof and shoved the golden band over it, then the other.
Prey felt a buzzing sensation as the bands shrunk down, but stopped just short of becoming too tight. He could twist them around on his leg, but couldn't slide them any further up or down the fetlock. They were surprisingly light considering, the material.
'And these were enchanted by that alicorn herself.' Prey thought glumly, 'I haven't a hope of getting them off.' At least she was no longer in the room. That was a small comfort.
Prey poked one of the bands. If they'd been fitted on only one leg, he might have even considered cutting the hoof off to escape. On three legs he might have made it, but not on two.
The Night Guard seemed to relax marginally as their Princess left, but Captain Nighthawk quickly snapped them from what ever reprieve they might've had.
"Enough lazing around, there's work to do and not enough hooves to do it. If I pulled you off patrol for this meeting, get back to it. If you were on break, tough, break's now over. Lieutenant Sharp, meet me in the Day Guard Captain's office for coordination. Until we can get enough recruits to cover the gaps, we're all on time-and-a-half. Jump to it!" Nighthawk barked, in much the similar way Captain Valour did. The difference was Valour was passionate. Nighthawk seemed like he was grimly determined instead.
"Yes sir!"
Gloom turned to Crimson Trace and Prey who were just standing there watching as all the Guards rushed about. He offered a tired smile, "Follow me please, I need to fully explain what's going on... Is something wrong with you Prey?"
Prey's head snapped up, "There's a lot wrong with me," He hastily replied, whipping up a cheery smile, "But if you're talking about right now and more than usual, then no, I'm fine."
Behind the smile, it was all Prey could do not to whimper. The magic from those runes he'd carved into himself were slowly returning, creeping back into his limbs now that those inhibitors had been removed. The process was agonising, like pins and needles. If the pins and needles were real pins and needles. Prey's throbbing left ear wasn't helping the over all effect in the slightest.
Sargent Gloom blinked owlishly at him, and Crimson Trace seemed more interested in the backs of the departing Night Guards than to care if Prey was mocking him or not.
Gloom sighed and rubbed his face with a hoof, "Follow me. There's a room near by that we can sit down and use." He said to them.
"For what purpose?" Crimson Trace asked, flicking his yellow gaze back to the Sargent.
Gloom started for the door, apparently expecting them to follow, "We're going to sit down and have a chat. There's much that wasn't explained, but more importantly, we don't know each other. My first order of business is to correct that."
Prey did follow the thestral, but only after considering if he could either kill both Gloom and Crimson Trace, and/or escape.
A glance down at his fore legs told him the answer. They felt physically lighter, now liberated from their manacles that'd encased them for fifty seven long years. Yet somehow they were now even heavier. The golden bands nestled snugly against his leg fur and mocked him. 'So close and yet so far.' They seemed to laugh at him.
Prey could think of no plan that would get him out of this, no way to avoid an alicorns tracing spell. 'Princess Luna is definitely going on the list.' Prey thought despondently, wincing and hobbling after their retreating tails.
------
Sargent Gloom kicked the door closed behind him, and pulled the last blue floor cushion into place around the low table. He sat atop it.
"Well let's get this started. The sooner we start the sooner I can get some actual sleep." He said.
They were in a room that led off from a servants corridor that looked like it was some sort of small private tea room. Although small was a subjective term. In Canterlot, what passed for 'small' was what most would call normal. And what was normal to everyone else was big to Prey.
He was currently sitting on one of those 'small' floor cushions, looking a bit like a cloud against an open blue sky.
Sitting was good, and sitting on something soft was better. It made it easier to ignore the sharp discomfort across his body from the returning magic, mainly in his forelegs.
On the other side of the low table, Crimson Trace was sitting atop his own cushion, poised and back perfectly straight. His yellow eyes flicked from under his long mane over to Gloom, "What are we going to be doing here, Sargent Gloom?" He asked calmly.
"This is informal and technically off duty, so it's just Gloom, which brings me nicely onto our first item of business. We're going to be working closely together, whether you want to or not. So. Introductions." He pointed a hoof at Prey and Crimson Trace, "Let's start easy. We'll go around, say your name, age, and tell us a little about yourself. Think you can manage that?"
Gloom didn't wait for a reply before launching in, "I'll start."
He sat up straighter and fixed a tired grin on his face, "Name's Dusky Gloom, Gloom for short. Sargent Gloom or 'sir' while on duty. Crimson Trace already knows what I am, but if you didn't catch it kid, I'm a thestral. Let's see, I'm thirty one years old, and grew up in the Westfallow Hollows. When Princess Luna contacted our clan two months ago, I was among the first group to sign on."
He waved a wing towards Crimson Trace, "You're up."
"What clan are you?" Crimson Trace asked quietly instead.
Gloom pushed up his helmet enough to show the base of one ear. A small, black band pierced its edge, looking quite like obsidian, "Cilldara. I'm from the Cilldara clan."
Even with the budding headache, Prey noted how Crimson Trace's eyes clearly lingered on the earring.
Apparently he wasn't the only one who'd noticed, "If you want, we can get you yours later. I know they didn't want... Never mind. Point being, you can do what you want, it's your right and they're no longer here to gainsay you." Gloom said with a shrug. "Now come on, it's your turn to talk." He added.
Crimson Trace didn't move, only his eyes slowly roved from Prey to Gloom and then back, as if assessing if it was worth the effort of bothering to speak.
Prey matched his blank stare with one of his own, showing how little he cared what the Pegasus did either way, but still daring Crimson Trace to go ahead and actually say anything.
Whether it was Prey's ploy to provoke the taciturn Pegasus, or if Crimson Trace had been going to speak anyway, he did.
"It doesn't matter. About the clan ring, I mean." His gaze flicked away, before he continued speaking in a dull monotone, "I am called Crimson Trace. I prefer just Crimson. My skills lie in the use of my wing blades and my father's training. When will I be able to get my father's blades back?" He asked Gloom.
"Sorry, but not for a while. They're safe in the Guard's lock up, but you need to prove yourself a bit first." Gloom replied.
"I already gave my word." Crimson said, narrowing his eyes.
Gloom calmly met Crimson's cold look with his own cat slit pupils, "Yes, but there is a procedure to follow. It's nothing personal, but that's the way Captain Nighthawk has said its going to be." He answered.
"Those blades belong to me. They were passed to me by my father."
Gloom sighed and massaged his eyes with the crook of one bat wing, "Look, I'm not doing this to be cruel, I'm in the ISND too you know, so anything that makes life difficult for you makes it difficult for me. Nopony is going to touch your wing blades. But until everypony trusts us, not just you, but us a little more, I'm afraid that they're going to have to stay locked away. I promise that no harm will come to your blades." He said tiredly.
Crimson gave him a long, measuring look, "I'll hold you to that." He huffed, then turned away.
Prey noted how Gloom's face tightened in annoyance, but hid it well. He wasn't the only one unhappy about this outcome, because Crimson's wings also ruffled slightly in agitation. The red pegasus really wasn't as expressionless as he wanted to believe. You just had to know what to look for.
Prey had the thestral Sargent's measure now. A slightly world worn pony, who still believed in duty and saw himself as something of an experienced hoof at dealing with the short end of the stick.
A long moment passed as no one said anything.
"Alright, enough awkward silence, we're all on the same team here. I don't expect us all to get along straight away, but we've got to start somewhere. And Luna so-help-me, by the time I'm done you're going to be best friends." Gloom announced. Prey bit back a snort of laughter, the distracting pain made that statement rather funny for some reason.
"Alright kid, start talking. Tell us about yourself." Gloom said turning to Prey.
"I want to hear more from Crimson first." Prey answered, suppressing a wince long enough to wave a hoof at the pegasus, "You still haven't really told us anything about yourself. Just some meaningless facts that I could have guessed myself."
Crimson turned his cool gaze back from examining the wall to stare at Prey, "I have told you all that is important. If you feel the need to guess to amuse yourself, then go ahead. You haven't said anything about yourself yet either." He challenged.
Prey ignored it, "Guess, is it?"
Well, it would serve as a welcome distraction from the pain. "Alright then, if you insist." He said, offering them both a smile so wide and innocent that it creased his eyes shut. Which also incidentally hid their watering. 'I won't even need to read your mind for this.' He thought.
"I can guess that you have some kind of connection to one of the thestral clans. Obviously not Gloom's, or you would have already known him." Prey started off.
"But how many clans are there I wonder? At least two, but I'm guessing three or four. And you're estranged from your own clan Crimson. You're not a thestral, so it's likely you were shunned for that. Yes? No? Ah, yes I see. No slit night eyes either. But you were still part of the clan. Originally adopted then? Possibly." Prey mused, ignoring the look on Crimson Trace's face as he continued with his flow of reasoning.
"Your clan has not joined with Princess Luna. Why? Too independent and headstrong? More likely she does not want them. Outcasts or exiles then. Both? Regardless, you left them, likely because of your father." Prey saw the reaction in Crimson's eyes at the mention of his father. 'Ah, now were getting somewhere.'
"Your father was important in some regard, was he part of the clan council? No, you obviously don't like the mention of them. Your father means a lot to you, and you no doubt follow his example, which means it's more likely that your father was a dissenter. He trained you. Those scars come from many practice fights with real weapons." Prey lazily flicked a hoof at the smattering of scars under Crimson's chest fur and along his wing edges.
"Kid..." Gloom began.
"But what happened then?" Prey went on unperturbed. "You haven't made any mention, even indirectly, of your mother. Likely died when you were young then. Sickness or accident? Monster attack? No, most likely an accident. No mother figure, so you latched onto the only person in the clan who didn't shun you. Your father. You were very close to him, weren't you? He was a thorn in the clan councils side. Politically in some fashion. Your father is now dead. Did they kill him? Assassination or was there some sort of ritual combat-?"
"Shut up!" Crimson snarled, rising to his hooves at the same time that Gloom barked, "Kid. That's enough!"
Gloom and Crimson both stood, the pegasus glaring at Prey who still sat with a bemused smile on his face, while the thestral put a restraining wing in Crimson's path, "Let's not get violent." He said. Crimson didn't sit back down, but he didn't lash out either. It was a marked change from the controlled Pegasus who'd there just a minute ago.
Turning to Prey, Gloom scowled, "That was out of line and you know it." He said disapprovingly.
Prey let the confused smile drop, "You told me to guess, so I did. If you don't like what I have to say, then be careful what you ask for. I could tell you anything if you're not careful." He replied flatly.
Gloom's scowl turned into a frown, and Prey could see the hint of uncertainty there as he looked down at Prey. Crimson also bore that look of slight confusion under his anger. "You aren't like what I expected. What happened to the lamb?" Gloom muttered.
"How did you know all of that?" Crimson demanded.
"As I said, I guessed through deductive reasoning. It's what I'm good at, and why Princess Luna decided to enslave me to this cause-"
"This is not enslavement." Gloom interrupted, "I don't know what you did, and I won't judge you either, but you have a debt to pay. Actions have consequences and it's your own fault you're here, so you may as well play nice and make the most of it."
Prey just looked at the Sargent, 'I'll kill a thousand ponies before I let even one make me a slave.' He thought, but kept it to himself. Instead he bowed his head briefly, "As you order, Sargent Gloom."
Gloom sighed in frustration and sat back down, "This is only as hard as you make it kid. I'm here to help you, both of you, but only if you accept it." He said.
"My name is Prey, not kid." Prey responded, annoyance flaring in his chest. Or maybe it was just the pain.
"You're kid to me until you grow a bit." Gloom responded, the corner of his mouth quirking.
"Kid is a baby goat. I am a sheep, not a goat."
"A baby sheep. So until you grow up, you're 'kid'. Or I can just call you 'little lamb' instead." Gloom joked, stretching out on his floor pillow.
Prey didn't respond, and instead just moved Gloom up The List.
"You do not act like a lamb. Why is that? And what did you do to earn imprisonment at such a young age." Crimson asked abruptly. He'd re-seated himself, but there was an angry intensity to the way he was looking at Prey.
"I'm not a lamb, just a runt." Prey responded.
"No, you're definitely still just a lamb. If not, you'd at least have the beginnings of your horn growth. What? I do know a bit about sheep." Gloom said, stretching util his joints popped.
Prey didn't have an answer to that. He couldn't very well say that he'd sacrificed his horns as part of a dark magic ritual, and neither could he prove that he was actually a runt.
That was stupid. Why would he want to prove that anyway? He shot Gloom a dark look instead.
Prey could see the smug light in Gloom's eyes as the Sargent thought he'd finally figured out a piece of the puzzle about Prey. He could practically hear the thestral thinking so. It wouldn't be too long until he actually could do that again, now that the inhibitors were gone. Just as soon as the pain of the magic returning to his runes finally finished up.
"Enough stalling. You still haven't told us about yourself. We both have, now it's your turn. So talk." Crimson told Prey.
Prey pushed aside the nagging ringing in his ear and quickly concocted a history for himself.
"My name is Prey. Short for Prey. That's it, just Prey. I'm fourteen-"
Crimson snorted while Gloom joined in giving him a look, "We've just been over this. You're not any older than ten. I can tell when something isn't right, so don't think you can just make stuff up and get away with it." The thestral stated flatly.
"Which would make you feel better? That the ten year old lamb is so abnormal, can hold this conversation with you, and has been conscripted into a military division? Or that a fourteen year old one has?" Prey asked sweetly. That got an uncertain look from both of them, although with Crimson it only manifested in the way his wings shuffled.
"You're definitely... Different," Gloom allowed, "I can honestly say that I couldn't have taken you seriously if Princess Luna hadn't picked you out. I think I'm starting to see why her majesty did." He added. He didn't sound happy about that.
"You're stalling again. Keep talking." Crimson said.
Prey silently ground his teeth. The headache was getting to him along with the pins and needles. Plus, having to deal with everything else that'd happened to him in the last six hours wasn't helping.
"As I was saying before I was interrupted, my name is Prey, I'm fourteen, I was born a runt out in a little village you've probably never heard of. You wouldn't even find it on a local map. You've already seen what my skills are. As to why I was in prison, it's mainly because I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and made a poor decision." Prey said. It wasn't even a lie.
It also hadn't gone unmissed by Prey that Crimson had neglected to state why he'd been in prison either.
"Your father's dead too?" Crimson asked, perhaps hoping to get a rise out of Prey in return. If so, he was disappointed.
Prey folded his forelegs, "That's right." He agreed pleasantly.
That seemed to throw both of them, so he capitalised on it and pressed ahead with questions of his own.
"Sargent Gloom, the title implies that this little ISND group is military. I hope that's not the case because the military is dangerous, but as no one has actually told me any details, I don't know do I? So what exactly is going on? What are we expected to do? Who are we supposed to work with? How many? What is the over all goal? And what is your role in all of this?" Prey asked Gloom.
Crimson also looked to Gloom, waiting for him to answer.
"Look, it's already been a long night, and this discussion has dragged on longer than I thought it would. We have been assigned the use of a bunk room, if you're tired we can continue this tomorrow-"
"I would appreciate it most greatly if you told me exactly what it is that I've been press ganged into right now, not later. I'm sure Crimson feels the same." Prey said with another if his innocent smiles.
Crimson flicked his gaze to Prey, then back to Gloom, "I find I agree with the runt." Crimson admitted.
Prey ignored the insult this time. His ear hurt fiercely, and he just wanted to try and go to sleep, hoping that when he woke the pain of returning magic was finally gone and that he'd have his old mental powers back.
"Alright," Gloom sighed, "To put it simply, this ISND section is an idea that Princess Luna had, with the focus being on stopping any secret criminal or cultist groups. Which is something Princess Luna feels very strongly about, I might add. We thought it was just a passing fancy, but as you can obviously see, her majesty decided it had merit enough to pursue after all."
Gloom paused, "Princess Luna is... She means well and has a great vision, and I will hear nothing against her. It's only that she is sometimes distracted by the smaller details." He said delicately.
'In other words,' Prey thought, 'This ISND group I've been enslaved into was a spur of the moment thing, with no forward planning. And now no one really knows what happens next.'
"How do we accomplish her majesty's wishes to stop these types of ponies?" Crimson asked.
Apparently Gloom had been having similar thoughts, because he coughed awkwardly, "Eherm. To be honest, I don't really have anything to go on. Captain Nighthawk has ordered me to do what ever is necessary to fulfil her majesties wishes, so we will have to figure something out. We'll find leads. Somehow." He looked resigned, but still determined.
"I do not mean to question her majesty, but do we even know if there are any groups of cultists or criminal ponies out there?" Crimson asked.
"We don't," Gloom answered, "And I hope that's because there are none. I doubt Princess Celestia would have allowed black market traders, smugglers, dark worshippers, thieves guilds or black magic users to exist under her rule. She would have stomped them out long ago." Gloom said with obvious approval.
"Or her majesty has dealt with the majority, and now the only ones left are those best at skulking in the shadows." Crimson said.
"Or that." Gloom allowed.
Prey shook his head to himself, 'Is that the worst you can truly imagine? Just petty thieves and smugglers. No mention of mass slaughter, murder or rape. Then again, I wouldn't put it past these ponies for even their criminals to be soft.'
"But more on that tomorrow. The ISND has newly designated offices, so tomorrow will mainly be getting our processes up and running. You'll be bunking here in the guard quarters of the palace, and I'll be joining you. Eventually, you should be able to move to an apartment close by in the city, if you show you can be trusted." Gloom told them.
"There are still many things you haven't answered-" Prey started.
"Tomorrow. I'm tired and the answers will keep." Gloom pushed himself to his hooves, Crimson flowing smoothly to his own hooves a moment later without protest.
Gritting his teeth, Prey did the same, forcing his twitching legs to support him as he stepped off his large floor cushion. The lack of balance caused by his damaged eardrum made it harder than it should have been to stay upright.
Extending a wing, Gloom picked up the lamp by its hook with his wing claw, "Follow me. The palace is a bit of a maze till you get used to it. You're unlikely to run into anypony but the Night Guard at this time of night. We'll also see about getting you properly outfitted later..." He trailed off and stepped closer to Prey, his cat eyed pupils fixing onto Prey's face, "What is the matter?" He asked.
Prey blinked his watering eyes, and felt something wet slide down his cheek. Surprised, he swiped a hoof across his face to rid himself of the tear which had overrun, "It's nothing, I'm fine." He snapped, inwardly cursing at his body for having betrayed him and shown crybaby weakness.
Gloom set the lamp back down, "I told you, I can sense when something isn't right. It's my talent, and why I was chosen for this post. Don't lie to me, what's wrong?"
"You're trembling, lamb, and having trouble standing." Crimson noted from over Gloom's shoulder. Prey silently cursed him.
Gloom took another step forwards as Prey instinctively backed away, "Are you hurt? Or is it something else? You're still very young to be having to-"
"Drop the patronising tone. I'm not a child, yes I know, all visual evidence is to the contrary, but I'm not. And I know perfectly well what's wrong with me, it's a damaged or possibly burst left ear drum. And yes. It hurts." Prey added flatly.
He'd decided to tell that bit of the truth to distract Gloom. He didn't want the thestral discovering that his trembling was due to the pain from the reactivating runes, and not from his ear.
Inwardly he also changed from cursing out Crimson to Gloom. A talent that could detect when something was wrong or when someone was lying was going to be a massive pain to deal with. Although obviously it was not completely accurate, or else Gloom would have called him out earlier. 'Another obstacle.'
"You've just been sitting there with a busted ear and you didn't say anything? How did it happen?" Gloom asked moving forward and reaching for Prey's ear.
"Don't touch me," Prey snapped, scrambling out of reach, "And as to how, I thought it would be quite obvious. I got hit with a magically amplified sound wave strong enough to knock me to the ground by your Princess. I don't know if that's a common occurrence for you ponies, but for normal people, that kind of thing inflicts damage." Prey said.
Gloom paused, "Oh, right..." Then he added, "I'm sorry. That shouldn't have happened, her majesty didn't do it on purpose."
"And that makes it all better I suppose." Prey replied.
"No it doesn't, but you should have said something. Why didn't you?" Gloom asked.
Prey gave him a blank look, "Why would I have?"
"So we could have gotten it seen to instead of sitting here. If you're in pain you must speak up and get some help. You do yourself no good by acting tough."
"Right, that's it, 'the little lamb is acting tough'," Prey mocked, "I'm not a fool. I didn't say anything because it wouldn't have done anything to change the situation. My ear would still have been burst either way. I'll tend to the ear myself later, and not bother you two with it further." Prey answered dismissively.
Gloom didn't look happy, in fact he looked upset by something, 'Whats his problem?' Prey thought distractedly, biting down on another wince. 'He's not the one injured, so why is he making fuss?'
Crimson was watching Prey with an odd expression, perhaps interest, as if Prey had finally proven worthy of his notice. 'Well Kum'Daie you too.' Prey thought.
Gloom grabbed the lantern again, "Come along, we have a detour to make." He growled.
"Where to?" Crimson asked before Prey could.
"The infirmary of course. We have a lamb who should know better to get patched up."
"My name is Prey."
------
"Don't touch me, I can do it myself." Prey said, snatching the padded compression from off Gloom's hoof.
"If you'd just hold still I would do it for you." Gloom replied irritably.
Prey ignored him and started applying the gauze and padding to his ear, looping it around his head and neatly tying it off. It still felt weird to have such a range of movement with his limbs again, now that the chains were gone.
However, Prey was more intrigued in the small but clean medical room they were in than his strangely light weight limbs. There was no doctor (as it was the middle of the night), but Prey was still astounded at the quality of the small infirmary.
The lamp light played over the scrubbed tiled floors and white walls, almost glistening. Also present were the four clean and neatly made cots, cupboards stocked with high quality sterilised bandages, and abundantly supplied medicine.
He'd never seen anything like it. All he knew was the tent hospitals of the Resistance. Where the cot was nothing but blood stained boards and the only help the injured could look forward to was the needle or bone saw, followed all too often by infection and death.
It made Prey uncertain about what other false expectations he might be holding without even realising it. 'This isn't the Deeper Green anymore, this is Canterlot.' He reminded himself as he tucked the last edge of the bandage in.
Gloom was watching him with an unreadable expression, "You're quite competent at that." He said.
"Is there a reason I shouldn't be?" Prey asked. His words sounded muffled to his one unblocked ear.
Gloom grumbled something, "No. What do you want for the pain?" He asked.
Prey looked at the shelves and glass cabinets. He didn't recognise any of the neatly labelled bottles or vials, and it was a bit too dark to read them anyway. All his experience and knowledge of medicine came down to herbs and plants.
"No idea. I don't know any of this stuff." Prey admitted. Something he hoped to rectify in the near future, "What is Crimson doing?" He asked.
The Pegasus had wondered through the door into the next adjoining room, which was almost exactly the same as this one. However the lamp's light didn't spread far enough inside for Prey to see the red pegasus through the doorway.
"I don't know, and I don't care. That's his business. So long as you both follow my orders and stay out of trouble, I'm not going to interfere with the rest of your lives too much." Gloom said, nosing though the contents of a shelf, "Ah, here. Try these."
Gloom turned and offered Prey a couple of small white capsules. Prey gave them a distrustful glance, "I take it these are 'pills' of some kind?" He asked.
"Yes, haven't you ever seen them before?" Gloom asked.
"No, and you're one to talk. I imagine that you hadn't seen pills either till recently, as your thestral clan was cut off from the rest of pony kind and its developments." Prey pointed out.
Gloom gave him another one of those looks that said, 'I see a lamb but I'm not hearing one'. It seemed the Sargent was already getting used to wearing that look. "You're right, but that doesn't explain why you didn't know what they are either. Your family would have known at least. You weren't cut off from Equestria, so what's your excuse?"
"Ignorance, deprivation, and lack of contact with the outside world." Prey answered dismissively, waving the pills on Gloom's hoof aside, "I'll be fine, I don't need those." He said.
"They'll help you with the pain."
"I have no idea what went into them or their possible side effects. I don't trust them. So I'm going to say no." Prey told him. It was a subtle test he was conducting on the Sargent, what would Gloom let slide and what would he enforce?
Prey was keenly aware that at present he only had as much freedom as Gloom allowed him to have. So the question then was; how much control did he really have? How much minor insubordination and stubbornness could Prey get away with?
Gloom just shrugged, his wings mirroring the motion, "No skin off my nose, I'm not the one in pain." He said as he replaced the pills.
Gloom looked back over his shoulder and caught Prey watching him. His cat slit pupils held Prey's own levelly, "I'll say it again. I'm here to help, but only if you let me. I'm not going to fight you every step of the way." He said.
Prey kept his face controlled, letting none of the anger at the thestral's suggestion that he needed help bleed into his sky blue eyes, "Sure, whatever you say. Are we done here?"
At some point during that last part of their conversation Crimson had returned, and stood in the door waiting. Prey's eyes passed over the red pegasus's muzzle, 'I wouldn't mind eating either. I've been living off just hay for the last month. It's a wonder I haven't collapsed already from malnutrition.' It was hard to see because of how puffy his wool was, but underneath it every one of his ribs could be felt.
"Let's go." Gloom ordered, pulling open the far door and propping it there so they could follow him out into the shadowy palace corridors, "I've been on double duty for the last two days. I am going to get some decent sleep for once, come Tartarus or high water." He yawned hugely, showing off his set of sharp canines.
"Yaaawwwn* I think the world can afford to wait one more night before it ends. Come along."
Prey pushed aside his gnawing belly as he had been doing for the last two weeks, and half walked, half hobbled out the door. He'd survive, it was just food. And he'd made himself look weak enough for one night already.
---I---
[[[Bonus Picture - Dusky Gloom]]]