//------------------------------// // Songs And Sorrow // Story: Tainted Silver // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// Sterling's encounter with the illusion of Echo had left him more depressed than ever. While he wasn’t doing so well before, the batpony seem to had hit him more personally than any of the past hallucinations he had. Everything "Echo" had said to him was still running through his head. “'Guilty'? 'Conscience'? You would have to possess a conscience and know what guilt is to know anything about that.” “You really think we are still friends? After everything you did to me and Sunset?” “If our friendship had meant anything to you, you wouldn’t have done what you did. But you did it anyway." “In spite of everything, I actually pity you. You need to stop running, and face up to the consequences of your actions.” Those words were continually gnawing away at his mind. He was starting to feel as if he would have been better off if he had never become Echo's friend in the first place. "Why did I even care about what happened to Echo in the first place?' Sterling asked himself. 'He was meant to serve a single purpose in Project: Maelstrom, and he accomplished that. That should have been the end of it... But it wasn't. Why?' As much as he puzzled over it, Sterling couldn't find an answer 'Everything in my life was fine right before I met Echo.' Sterling thought bitterly 'I'd never once cared about anypony else outside the Forefathers since Gold. I shouldn't have had any reason to care about him after I got what I wanted… which begs the question, why was he here?' He sighed deeply. 'Who am I kidding? He was here for the same reason as the others: to pile on the guilt. To remind me of all the mistakes I've made. Well, mission accomplished, Echo...' The depression affected Sterling so much to a point that he could barely focus on his cherry bucking work, unable to muster up more than a little tap with his hooves. This deterioration in Sterling's output did not go unnoticed. "You feelin' okay, Sterling?" Big Red asked. "...I'm fine." Sterling mumbled, listlessly kicking a tree (which caused only a measly three cherries to drop down). "Doesn't look like it tah me." Big Red frowned. "What's wrong, pal?" "...I'm just having one of those days." Sterling sighed, "Y'know, the ones where you stop and question every choice you've ever made?" "Ah'm afraid yah've lost me there." Big Red shrugged. "Consider yourself lucky, then." Sterling bowed his head. "Guess you haven't made as many mistakes as I have..." "...Wanna talk about it?" Big Red asked. “No thanks.” Sterling sighed, “Trust me, you don’t want the luggage I carry.” "Oh… well, if that's the way ya want it." Big Red shook his head. "But it's clear ya ain't gonna do much work if yer head an' yer heart ain't in it. How about ya finish up early today?" "No, that's okay." Sterling shook his head. "I'm here to work. If I don't work, I don't earn those Bits." "Think of it as a li'l paid vacation." Big Red urged. "Yah've bin workin' every day since ya got here, with no breaks. Ah'd say yah've earned it." "...Well, if you insist." Sterling gave in. "I guess I'll take a walk into town. Maybe that'll help clear my head..." "Ah'll be rootin' for ya, pal." Big Red smiled. "Thanks, big guy." Sterling nodded weakly. "I appreciate it..." Sterling made his way into Dodge Junction, hoping for something, anything to rouse him out of his melancholy. Meanwhile, within his office at the RDL headquarters, Elite was getting an update from Ballista. "We managed to dismantle that weapon-smuggling operation over in Manehattan." Ballista told him. "No evidence that it was a Forefather operation, but at least the streets are a little bit cleaner now." "Excellent." Elite smiled. "And how is the investigation into Crystal Cross going?" "Not so good, I'm afraid." Ballista admitted. "Crystal apparently has had a good lot of his personal records sealed. Even our connections can't allow us to reach them just like that, but we're trying their best to find a loophole." “Well, keep me posted.” Elite declared, “If Barbossa is right, and he usually is, there be something about Crystal we could use, if not to find Sterling, but to ward off Crystal himself.” “You got it, Elite.” Ballista nodded, before leaving the room. Seconds after the door closed, Elite's mirror started vibrating. Elite activated it, and saw a most unwelcome sight: Crystal Cross. "Senator Cross." Elite frowned. After what Barbossa had told him, he was expecting a call from Crystal sooner or later. "To what do I owe the unexpected honor?" "Funny you should ask that." Crystal scowled. "I encountered Senator Wheatley a couple of days ago. He was visiting one of Sterling's old pals, asking questions..." "You don't say." Elite said as nonchalantly as possible. "Call me crazy, but it seems like Barbossa was undertaking his own covert investigation into Sterling." Crystal said coldly. "Despite my express wishes to be made aware of any such investigation." "That's... unfortunate." Elite declared. "You know what else is 'unfortunate'?" Crystal suddenly scowled. "The fact that I was given the wrong number for your department. Care to explain that?" "Well, we recently switched things up around here." Elite replied. "It's possible we hadn't gotten around to updating that particular aspect." "Oh, really?" Crystal raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you think something was amiss after I seemingly went all these weeks without trying to call you?" "I assumed you were busy." Elite shrugged. "Did you, now?" Crystal scowled. "You know what I 'assume'? I assume that you and Barbossa have been working behind my back, trying to find my brother for some reason or another without me being none the wiser." “I assure you that it is not the case.” Elite declared. “It was simply a matter of miscommunication.” “Hmph. What from I heard from your superiors, that is a common problem with you.” Crystal glared. “Yeah. It’s the copy machine getting the numbers wrong. Been meaning to fix that.” Elite gave a light smirk. “Well, if you ask me, it feels like you don’t want my help.” Crystal sneered, “And I feel like we are not on the same page regarding my brother.” “Look, Crystal, I want what you want: to find Sterling.” Elite declared, “You said so yourself, Sterling is not well in the head.” "And I stand by that." Crystal nodded. "However, it doesn't seem like you agree with that." "Of course we do." Elite lied. "Why would we doubt the words of Sterling's brother, arguably the pony who knows him best?" "That's what I thought." Crystal declared. "But it looks as though my expert opinion hasn't quite sunk in." "Why wouldn't it?" Elite shrugged. "You do have a way with words, Senator." "In that case, then allow me to impress upon you the severity of the situation you have brought upon yourselves." Crystal said, cold fury in every syllable. "Trying to pull a fast one on a Senator was a very bad idea. Don't forget that I know some very influential beings. Beings who could, with but a word from myself, quite easily dismantle your entire operation, and have you and all your little friends in this so-called ‘Taskforce’ fired and charged with treason. So I'm only going to ask you once that you don’t buck with me… or else." “There’s no need for threats.” Elite said firmly, “For clarity's sake, we are fully intending to see to it Sterling is brought to justice, as he should be.” “Good.” Crystal huffed, “And let me make this clear: when we do find Sterling, he is to be turned over to me, no questions asked. Am I making myself clear?" "Crystal... Crystal." Elite joked. “Funny.” Crystal grunted. “Me and some of Cairode’s finest will be arriving in Equestria in a couple of days after I get everything in order. I expect nothing but the utmost cooperation when we arrive, or things will not be pleasant. On that note… good day." Without another word, Crystal's face vanished from the mirror. "...This could be a problem." Elite said aloud. Elite soon gathered together his agents, revealing to them what had just happened. "So Crystal's onto us?" Black frowned. "That's gonna be a problem..." “As if we don’t have enough problems already.” Incognito snarled. “I hate to say it but he’s right. We still weren’t able to procure anything on Crystal since Barbossa called us.” Master Mind admitted. “And that’s if there is anything to procure.” "Be patient, guys." Armory declared. "We'll find something sooner or later. "I prefer 'sooner'." Incognito remarked. "We'll dig up that dirt eventually." Ballista said confidently. “Okay, that’s all good and all.” Fury spoke up, his beak scowling. “But what I want to know is why nopony bothered telling me that Barbossa was in Cairode looking for dirt on this Sterling clown… by himself!” “Is that really important right now?” Master Mind frowned. “It is to me!” Fury snarled, “If this Crystal really flapped in the head as Barbossa making him out to be, somepony should had been there to make sure he didn’t get hurt!” “We didn’t tell you because we knew you would freak out like this.” Ballista said matter-of-factly. “Of course I would freak out!” Fury snapped, “What if something happened to him, and I wasn’t there to help him?” “Oh, come off it.” Incognito scoffed, “Barbossa didn’t need help… or at least help that involves kicking the snot out of everyone.” "Ha, ha." Fury snarled. “I’m sure Barbossa would had called you if he really needed you.” Master Mind added, “But perhaps he didn’t want to draw attention. Let’s face it, you do rather stand out in a crowd.” “I still should've been told.” Fury glared, “If that damn brother of Sterling’s thinks he can threaten him and get away with it, he's got another thing coming!” “What would you have done, Fury?” Armory frowned, “Beat the crap out of him? I’m no expert on politics, but beating up a senator would have surely landed us all in hot water.” “Okay, let’s get one thing straight!” Fury spat, “I am good for more than just beatin’ folks up. I just prefer it over all other methods!” “Forgive us for the misunderstanding.” Black gave a wry smirk, “...But you oughta give Barbossa some credit, Fury. It sounds like he handled himself pretty well.” “Nonetheless, this does complicate matters.” Elite announced, “Now that Crystal suspects our true motives, we must redouble our efforts to find Sterling, and bring him in with as little noise as possible." "Easier said than done, Elite." Master Mind frowned. "We've had zero luck so far, and I have a feeling we're not getting lucky any time soon." “Yeah. Those mob guys Caboose sent out were no help.” Incognito growled, “Seriously, we been lookin’ non-stop for this guy all month and we’re no closer to finding him!” "I know it's frustrating, but we must persevere." Elite urged. "I have faith in you all, my friends. I know you can find Sterling, wherever he is hiding..." Back in Dodge Junction, Sterling was sitting at the bar, trying to drink his woes away. So far, it wasn't working… as usual. 'I don't know why I even try.' He thought sadly. ‘Drowning my sorrows never works...' "What's with the long face, pardner?" Sterling turned to see Shooting Star walking over to him, a glass held in one hoof. "Oh, hey." He said quietly. "'Hey'? That's all the greetings you have for me?" Shooting Star mock-pouted. "You sure know how to make a gal feel special..." “Sorry, I just… I just been having an off day.” Sterling sighed, “Had a lot on my mind lately.” "Let me guess." Shooting Star shook her head. "Does it have to do with that mysterious past of yours?" “‘Fraid so.” Sterling admitted, “Turns out those mistakes I’ve made are all coming back to bite me in the ass…” “Really, how so?” Shooting frowned. “I would tell you, but you’d think I cracked.” Sterling grimaced, “Faust knows how long I have before I do…” "You don't seem so 'cracked' to me." Shooting Star mused. "Appearances can be deceiving." Sterling sighed. "You know what you need?" Shooting Star asked. "You need something to take your mind off things." "Thanks for the offer, but I don't think your brother would take kindly to seeing me in the morning again." Sterling smiled weakly. "Not quite what I had in mind." Shooting Star chuckled. "I'm holding my big concert tonight. And I just so happen to have a spare ticket." She took off her hat, extracting the ticket. "Whattaya say? Ready to finally hear me live?" Sterling wanted to say "no", but looking at Shooting Star's hopeful face, he just couldn't refuse. "I'll be there." He accepted the ticket. "That's what I like to hear." Shooting Star grinned. "And I hope you like what you hear, too." "Me too." Sterling nodded. "Something tells me I will, though..." "The concert starts at seven." Shooting told him. "And just so you know, it's a backstage pass, so feel free to drop by after the show." "I just might do that." Sterling smiled. "I've gotta go get ready." Shooting Star declared. "See you then." Putting down her glass on the bar, Shooting Star departed, waving at Sterling as she left. Once she was gone, Sterling looked at the ticket in his hoof. 'What are you doing, Sterling?' He thought. 'You are making a big mistake getting involved with Shooting, just like you did with Echo and Sunset. You shouldn't be getting her hopes up like that. It might be best to just not go...’ However, he thought of the smile on Shooting’s face… ‘Then again, maybe a good concert is what I need to clear my head. If Shooting sings as beautiful as she looks, it might actually work...' Sterling supposed. ’At this point, I’d try anything.’ After having another drink, Sterling returned to the homestead for supper, quickly devouring his meal. "Somepony must have had a busy day." Cherry mused. "And I thought Globe was the heavy eater." Huckleberry smirked. "Ha-ha, real funny." Globe pouted. "Can't really waste time." Sterling said between mouthfuls. "I ran into Shooting Star earlier, and she gave me a ticket to her concert tonight." "Oh, did she now?" Big Red smirked. "That was nice of her..." "Yeah, yeah." Sterling rolled his eyes. "I see what you're getting at, but I don't have time for jokes. I've gotta get cleaned up before heading out, so I don't have time to savor the food. Sorry, Cherry." "I think I'll let it slide, just this once." Cherry declared. "You're in for a treat, Sterling." Eclipse declared. "We've heard Shooting Star sing before. She's got some set of pipes on her." "So I keep hearing." Sterling finished his dinner. "Okay, done." He quickly put the empty plate in the kitchen sink. "Gotta get ready. Don't wait up!" "Have fun, Sterling!" Globe called as Sterling dashed out of the room. 'That's what I'm hoping for, kid.' Sterling thought. Back in the kitchen, Cherry put down her fork. "Red, can I have a quick word with you?" She asked. "In the living room?" "Oh... Sure." Big Red nodded. "But let's make it quick, okay? Don't wanna miss out on dessert..." Big Red and Cherry quickly made their way to the living room. "Is this really a good idea?" Cherry asked her husband in hushed tones. "Sterling going to a concert, where ponies could recognize him?" "Why, Cherry, this is a surprise." Big Red smirked. "Didn't think ya actually cared fer the fella." "I only care about the risk of him getting caught." Cherry retorted. "If that happens, things will go very bad for all of us, very quickly." "Relax, darlin'." Big Red placed an assuring hoof on her shoulder. "The concert's only gonna bring in locals. An' most of 'em already know Sterling. They ain't gonna pin him as a wanted stallion now." "I hope you're right, Red." Cherry sighed. "Sure Ah'm right." Big Red smiled. "Besides, Sterling's had a rough couple a' days. Ah'd say he deserves a li'l fun." "I suppose." Cherry shrugged. "But only a little. I doubt Marshall would be happy otherwise..." Big Red and Cherry both shared a chuckle, before returning to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Sterling had gone to work as soon as he entered the bathroom. He hadn’t had the time to focus on his appearance for weeks, having been preoccupied with keeping on the move and avoiding authorities. But a part of him felt compelled to try and at least look his best for Shooting. He washed up, running his face and mane underwater, grabbed a towel and dried it off, grabbed a comb and ran it through his mane. He trimmed his beard to maintain more of a five-o’clock shadow, and even borrowed a little aftershave from Big Red’s medicine cabinet. He looked himself over in the mirror. 'Hello, handsome.' He smirked. 'Okay, time to go.' Sterling made his way out of the homestead, and to the outskirts of Dodge Junction, where an outside stage had been formed. A large crowd, all coming from Dodge Junction itself, had already gathered, all eager to see Shooting Star perform. This worked in Sterling’s favor, knowing nopony would recognize him as a criminal. And this gave him a excuse to find a place as near to the stage as possible. "I can't wait for the show to start!" One fan cheered as Sterling navigated his way through the crowd. "Me neither!" Another grinned. "Shooting Star is the best singer ever!" "I know, right?" A third fan nodded. 'Sounds like Shooting's got quite the following.' Sterling mused as he neared the stage. Moments later, Shooting Star emerged from behind the curtain, carrying a guitar and dressed in a gleaming silver outfit decorated with rhinestones. 'Wow.' Sterling gaped. 'And I thought she looked good before...' As the crowd cheered, Shooting Star waved. For a brief moment, she locked eyes with Sterling, and she smiled even more widely. "Good evening, everypony!" She waved. "I'm so glad you could all be here!" She locked eyes with Sterling once again. "It is so good to be back in Dodge Junction." Shooting Star smiled. "This is where I grew up, where my dream of being a singer began. No matter where I go in Equestria, this wonderful place is always in my heart!" The crowd cheered loudly. "Now…” Shooting held up his guitar, “I'm thinking we start things off with an old favorite..." Shooting Star began strumming her guitar, and started to sing. You're not alone Together we stand I'll be by your side You know I'll take your hand When it gets cold And it feels like the end There's no place to go You know I won't give in No, I won't give in Keep holding on 'Cause you know we'll make it through We'll make it through Just stay strong 'Cause you know I'm here for you I'm here for you There's nothing you could say Nothing you could do There's no other way when it comes to the truth So keep holding on 'Cause you know we'll make it through We'll make it through Sterling was amazed. Shooting Star's singing was more beautiful than he ever could have imagined. 'She's incredible.' He thought. Sterling closed his eyes, allowing the perfect tones to wash over him. 'What a beautiful song.' He thought. 'From the most beautiful mare I've ever known. Maybe me and her really could have a future together…' For a moment, an image appeared in Sterling's mind; He and Shooting Star, living together in a picturesque home, happy and content. Barely a second after the thought entered his mind, Sterling shook himself. 'Don't even think about it, Sterling.' He admonished himself. 'There can be nothing between you and her, not ever. Once the month is up, the Forefathers are going to come after you, and pretty much raze anything between him and you. Including Shooting Star. You can't let her be "by your side" when that happens...' Soon, Shooting was on her last verse: Keep holding on There's nothing you could say Nothing you could do There's no other way when it comes to the truth So keep holding on 'Cause you know we'll make it through We'll make it through The second Shooting Star finished, the crowd started applauding, stomping and clapping their hooves. Sterling was able to snap out of his agonized thoughts as he joined the others in clapping. 'She really is amazing.' Sterling thought. 'If only things were different, then maybe we really could be happy together...' "Thank you, thank you!" Shooting Star smiled. "Now, for my next number..." After a few more songs, the concert came to an end. "You've been a wonderful audience!" Shooting Star declared. "Good night, Dodge Junction!" Shooting Star retreated behind the curtain. As the crowd dispersed, Sterling headed in the opposite direction. Flashing his card at the stagehooves, he ducked behind the curtain, finding Shooting Star drinking some water. "Hey, super-star." He grinned. "Hey, super-fan." Shooting Star grinned. "Liked the show, did ya?" "That's an understatement." Sterling beamed. "You were incredible. The best singer I've ever heard in my life." "Flattery will get you everywhere, mister." Shooting Star walked over to Sterling and placed a warm kiss on his cheek. Every part of Sterling wanted to enjoy that kiss… but he couldn’t. “So, was I able to help you get outta that funk or what?” Shooting smiled. “...Yeah.” Sterling lied, struggling to keep any semblance of false happiness, “Really cheered me up.” "Glad to hear it." Shooting smiled happily. "What was your favorite song?" "The first one." Sterling smiled falsely. "It really... spoke to me." "Aw, you're sweet." Shooting Star blushed. "So, you'd say hearing me in concert was worth the wait?" "And then some." Sterling nodded. "...Hey, you wanna go grab another drink?" Shooting Star asked. "The night's still young..." Sterling was tempted to say ‘yes’. Oh, Faust, was he tempted… but Sterling bit his tongue… drinking hadn’t solved his problems before, and he doubt it would solve them now. “...Sorry, but I can’t.” He declared, “...I’ve got a full day of work ahead of me tomorrow.” "Oh... I see." Shooting Star mumbled, clearly crestfallen. "Rain check, then?" "Of course." Sterling nodded. "Great." Shooting Star smiled weakly. "Keep up the good work, songbird." Sterling declared, as he turned to depart. "Always do..." Shooting Star said half-heartedly. As Sterling headed back to the homestead, he was at war with himself. 'Way to break the lady's heart, Sterling.' He thought. 'No, no. It's for the best. You're getting too close to her.' He sighed. 'But she's so sweet, and kind, and incredible... No, stop it!' He shook himself. 'You know what happened the last time you started feeling this way over a mare. You really want to go through that again?' “I dunno…” Yet another familiar voice rang in Sterling’s ear, stopping him in his tracks, “You always had an eye for pretty mares. I would say it’d be worth it.” “Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me…” Sterling turned around, and saw the image of Sunset Shimmer standing before him. "Hello, imaginary Sunset." “Hello, Sterling.” Sunset nodded, “How have you been?” “Can we not do this now?” Sterling growled, “I’ve been through this with four ponies already. And right now, I am really not in the mood.” “I know.” Sunset frowned, “As a part of your mind, I can sense you’ve been under a lot of stress.” “Yet you bother me anyways.” Sterling deadpanned, “Nice sixth sense you got there.” "Well, somepony's grumpy." Sunset deadpanned, unscathed. "Ha, ha." Sterling turned away. "You can't ignore me, Sterling." Sunset declared. "I'm a figment of your imagination, remember?" "I can try." Sterling retorted. Sterling tried to walk away, but Sunset moved in front of him. “...It’s good that you’ve finally found another mare to catch your eye.” Sunset gave him a small smile, “She seems nice.” “Before you even start on that, I know she’s out of my league.” Sterling sighed, “She's beautiful, she's sweet, she's fun, she's got the voice of an angel..." "Yep." Sunset smirked. "You've really got it bad." “Well, it’s not like I want to.” Sterling shook his head, “I am trying my hardest to not pull anypony down with me, but they just won’t let go. They just keep holding on. It’s like they have a death wish or something...” “That’s a pretty grim way to look at it.” Sunset mused. “I don’t care.” Sterling said firmly, “I’m not going to let her get drawn into my world. Her or anypony else for that matter. Once I get the money I need, I am gone. I’ll leave this town behind, and Shooting will never see me again. It’s better that way. That way, I’ll never hurt her the way I hurt you.” “...Hurt me?” Sunset repeated, “...I’m afraid I don’t follow.” “Oh come on, that is why you’re here, ain’t it?” Sterling snarled, “This is usually the part where you go off about all the lousy things I did to you, and how I am a horrible equine being.” He spread his front hooves wide, beckoning, “Well, tell me. Tell me how disappointed you are. How angry. How I bucked up your life. Just get it over with!” Sunset glanced at Sterling, nonplussed by the stallion’s anger… before sighing. “Well, I’m afraid that won’t happen, Sterling.” Sunset declared, “Because I’m not disappointed. Nor am I angry.” “...You’re not?” Sterling gaped. This was different. “You do realize you’re kind of breaking trend of these hallucinations, right?” "It's true, though, isn't it?" Sunset declared. "I'm just a figment of your imagination. Your memories of the real Sunset brought to life. And you know full well that I don't hate you… if anything, I feel sorry for you.” “Well, you shouldn’t!” Sterling scowled, “After all the crap I put you and Echo through. I used you, manipulated you, betrayed you…” His scowl faded, replaced with remorse, “...Yet you still believed in me… I was alone in the dungeon, and you came to visit me. Even though I tried to kill Echo. Any other mare would have cut ties with me right after that… but you didn’t.” “Because I could see there was still something good in you, Sterling.’ Sunset smiled. “Oh, please…” Sterling snorted. “I’m serious, Sterling.” Sunset insisted, “There is goodness in your heart. Always have been. But you keep shutting it out. For so many years, you have been giving up your morality, your decency, your own equinity, just so you could serve the Forefathers. A very unfair trade, if you ask me.” “Well, it’s a little late to have second thoughts, don’t you think?” Sterling grunted. "A little late for second thoughts, don't you think?" Sterling sighed. “Maybe it isn’t.” Sunset declared, “But it will be, if you continue down this path. Look at what you’re doing with Shooting Star. You’re trying to distance yourself from her.” “So I could protect her.” Sterling retorted, “I’m not going to mess her life up like I did yours. Unlike you, she may not take it so well.” “What makes you think that you messed up my life?” Sunset frowned, “Yes, you did manipulated us… but you brought me and Echo together. Even helped us conceive a foal. I wouldn’t consider that a messed up life.” “Yeah, like I did that completely from the bottom of my heart.” Sterling growled, “All of it was to just get a Maelstrom, and because of it, you and Echo now live with the threat of the Forefathers looming over your lives. If that’s what good passes for in your book, then I'm a boy scout.” "You are good, Sterling." Sunset insisted. "You care about ponies, and you care about not hurting them." "Not that it even matters." Sterling scoffed. "No amount of 'good' is going to help me when I'm on the run." “Hmm, that is a problem.” Sunset mused, “When you’re on the run… you’ll be all alone. And all that goodness within you will be squandered and silenced. Again, not really a fair trade.” “Well, what I can do about it?” Sterling seethed, “If I stay, the Forefathers would find me and kill anypony who try to get in their way. The only way to save everypony’s lives is to not be in them. Why do you think I came back to the Forefathers?” "Oh, Sterling..." Sunset sighed. "This is my life now." Sterling declared. "Consider yourself lucky you managed to escape relatively unscathed." "I have no regrets about meeting you, Sterling." Sunset announced. "You know that. And I know how much you loved me." "It's true." Sterling admitted. "I really did love you. But Echo is your true love. That, more the project, is why I couldn't stand in the way of that." "There, you see?" Sunset smiled. "You're a better pony than you know. A stallion with no good in him would ever do something like that." "Ugh." Sterling rubbed his eyes in annoyance. "I appreciate the pep-talk, but-" Once he removed his hoof, he saw that Sunset had gone. "And she's gone. Even my visions of Sunset don't know a lost cause when they see one..." Flashback... All those months ago, Sterling had started out with a plan. The plan was a good plan, a well-calculated plan. Everything was in the right place, the tactics had been formed, the pawns were where they needed to be. Success should have been a mere formality. Yet… Sterling found himself wondering: “How the buck did I end up in this mess?” Sterling was languishing within the dungeons of the Crystal Castle. Project: Maelstrom, despite all the planning and efforts that has come into it, had fallen apart. And Sterling wasn’t entirely sure how it has come to pass. It was only a month or so after Sunset’s becoming Echo’s assistant that the Crystal Faire had been set up (having fortunately not been delayed by the Crystal Sun incident), with Sombra’s book out on display. That part went by smoothly and without incident. Synchro was able to get the book without any trouble, and it was enough to get Echo riled up to defy the Prince’s order and go after him and collect the pages, with Sunset and himself coming along for the ride. Once Echo got the info he needed from the Archive, they were off to collect the pages Sterling had planted all around the world, with the last stop being in Caris, where Synchro and the Order would get all the pages, and both he and Synchro would get what they sought for. Unfortunately, things stopped going smoothly as soon as the page collecting actually begun. As if by some cosmic phenomenon, there was something constantly getting in the way. They had issues with the cops in Manehatten, resistance from the greedy criminal Top Bid, the ongoing irritation that was Shining Armor’s interference... And then there was the ‘Seven Sins’, as Sterling begrudgingly told himself. Seven of the ten page keepers, had gone and used the pages. In doing so, the trio had to face off against a zen gardener who was ironically making everypony in Chineigh angry, a mad doctor who was turning ponies to gold, a zebra that really let himself go and was willing to kill anypony for food, a extremely horny architect, a 'roided out son of two unpleasant senators, a very lazy rich boy who was dragging everypony down, and his own best friend. It was a trying few months, but despite all the setbacks, including Echo and Sunset’s falling out caused by the 'roided out son, he had managed to get Echo and Sunset together in Caris, and if the talk of Nightcrawlers having very fertile seed was to be believed, he had finally got his Maelstrom. And then there was the matter of helping Synchro with whatever he was planning. He had it all figured out: he and Synchro would make it so that the Order of Darkness got all the pages, and have Echo and Sunset ‘safely’ captured by them (even had Synchro hit him in the head for good measures). Once they did their ritual and Synchro got what he needed, Sterling, watching from outside, would call in the authorities, and have them rescue Echo and Sunset, and deal away with Silas and his group, having served their purpose. ...But then Synchro gone and went off the deep end. In hindsight, Sterling should had seen it coming. Synchro was never open about his plans regarding Silas and his group. All he knew that he was doing it for his brother, and somehow, that was enough for Sterling to help him. Never did he realize that Synchro’s plans involved taking the horn, filled to the brim with all of Sombra’s spells, with intent to infect the Crystal Heart and turn everypony into Nightcrawlers, in order to make some point about ponies being ‘savages’ or something to that effect. Sterling didn’t know at the time, but he knew at this point, he bucked up. The next thing he knew, they were back at the Crystal Empire, as Synchro came, horn in hoof, ready to complete his goal, and was ready to kill anypony who got in his way… even if it was his own brother, who he claimed to have done this for in the first place. In the end, Synchro was killed by Echo, and the day was saved. Despite everything that had happened, it seemed like everything was going to be okay, and things could finally get back to normal… But then Solomon called… Six months earlier… Sterling was in the royal infirmary, watching Echo, who was still unconscious from Synchro stabbing him. 'What happened to you, Synchro?' Sterling thought. 'You stabbed your own brother, tried to kill him... And now, you're gone. I can hardly believe it.' Sterling’s mirror began buzzing. Quickly, he pulled it out and tapped it, revealing Solomon’s face. “...Solomon?” Sterling frowned, “What are you-” “Sterling, care to explain to me what’s going on?” Solomon glared, “Because the rest of us just got reports that the Crystal Empire was attacked… again. And that the perpetrator is none other than Synchro!” "Yeah... there were a few... unexpected complications." Sterling said sheepishly. "Like what?" Solomon demanded. "Like Synchro going totally nuts, taking Sombra's horn and the pages' magic, and attacking the Crystal Heart so he could use it to turn everypony in the Crystal Empire into a Nightcrawler." Sterling said quickly. "Unbelievable." Solomon shook his head. "Hey, how was I supposed to know he'd go off the deep end like that?" Sterling shrugged. "But it's okay. Synchro's dead. Echo himself killed him." "And how did he manage that?" Solomon asked. "No clue." Sterling replied. “...What of your ‘soldier’? Is Sunset pregnant?” Solomon asked. “Yes. I was able to get a look at the test. In eleven months, Sunset will have a foal.” Sterling said wistfully, “Really wished that things didn’t gone to crap in a hoofbasket the way it did, though.” “Well, it can’t be helped.” Solomon shook his head, “What about Echo? What of him?” “He’s unconscious, but it sounds like he’ll pull through.” Sterling glanced at Echo. “It’s hard to believe… he was able to stop Synchro, even at his strongest. He really is Deathgaze’s son.” “Who?” Solomon frowned. "...It doesn't matter." Sterling shrugged off the question. "What does matter is that he is powerful, and his offspring will be powerful too." "Excellent." Solomon declared. "There is still something we must do." "What?" Sterling asked, genuinely unaware. "You must kill Echo Alchemy." Solomon said bluntly. Sterling’s blood froze, upon hearing those words. “...What?” Sterling gaped, “What?! You… you aren’t serious, right?” “Sterling, you said so yourself. Echo was able to kill Synchro. And he too was this Deathgaze’s kid. Echo is a threat.” Solomon said firmly. “A threat to who?” Sterling retorted, “He has no idea who the hell the Forefathers are, or that they even exist.” “And who’s to say that he won’t figure it out?” Solomon challenged, “I hear the stallion’s pretty smart.” “He won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” Sterling glared. “Really? How is keeping Echo alive going to figure into your plans, hmm? You think he, or Sunset for that matter, is going to let you take their child off to Infinity to be made  into a supersoldier?” Solomon challenged. "Maybe." Sterling said awkwardly. "I'm their friend. If I feed them a convincing enough story, they'll probably believe it." "'Probably' isn't good enough." Solomon said coldly. "We can't risk exposure over possibilities." "Enough!" Solomon yelled. "...I'm disappointed in you, Sterling." "What? Why?" Sterling frowned. "You're doing exactly the same thing you did during our mission to Haygypt." Solomon scowled. "Still pretending to be a good, morally upright pony, aren't you?" "It's... it's not the same!" Sterling protested. "Isn't it?" Solomon scoffed. "You need to let go of all that, Sterling. You're not a hero. You are what the Forefathers have made you to be. A soldier who follows orders. So follow them." "But... I..." Sterling mumbled. "If you don't kill Echo, we’ll just find somepony who will." Solomon pointed out. "Either way, he will die." Sterling was completely silent, unable to respond. "You know what you need to do." Solomon declared, before fading from the mirror. Sterling lowered his mirror slowly. It was like his whole world had fallen apart. Suddenly, he heard the sound of Echo stirring. 'Solomon's right.' He thought sadly. 'If it's not me doing the deed, then somepony else will kill Echo. At else I can make it as painless as possible...' Before Echo fully awoke, Sterling grabbed a needle, and filled it with a nearby chemical he knew for sure was lethal in large doses. Hiring the now-deadly instrument in his saddle bag, Sterling approached Echo... Currently… It should have been simple. All he had to do was stick Echo with the needle, effectively ending his life, and he would have had Sunset and her foal to himself. Unfortunately, Sterling had grown careless, mentioned something he shouldn't have. That made Echo realise he knew far more than he'd let on. For some reason (which he still couldn't put his hoof on), Sterling had explained everything to him after that. The look of betrayal on Echo’s face had daunted him, made him hesitant in his attempt to kill Echo (even if he was still trying to play the part of a remorseless assassin). That was enough for Echo to fight back, and overpower Sterling with the abilities he had received from Synchro. Moments later, he had been dragged out of the room, and down into the dungeons. Now everything was out in the open, and Sterling was stuck in a cold, dark cell, with nothing to show for all the hard work he had done up to that point. Six months had passed since then, and all Sterling had to keep him company was his guilt and his regret. All that ran through Sterling’s head was that moment when he held the syringe to Echo’s neck, ready to kill him. 'I can't believe I almost went through with it.' He thought, ashamed at himself. 'I nearly killed Echo in cold blood... after everything we've been through together. After we became friends... What does that say about the kind of pony I am?' "Cross! Cross!" A familiar voice raged. "I know you can hear me, Cross!" It was Silas Necross. After the encounter in Prance, Silas had been arrested, discovering along the way that Sterling and Synchro had just been using him for their own gain. "Yes, Silas, I can hear you." Sterling said flatly. "Kind of hard not to, actually..." “Oh, you’ll be hearing me for a long time.” Silas sneered, “I wasn’t finished with you the other day. You lied to me! You used me!” “That’s right, I did.” Sterling nodded, in no mood for anypony’s guff, “Synchro and I played you and your pals like fiddles. We got you to do exactly what we wanted you to, then tossed you aside when we no longer needed you. You guys were the perfect patsies… is that what you wanted to hear?" “You filth…” Silas seethed, “You and Synchro dared sullied my great order with your underhooved schemes!" “Great order?” Sterling scoffed, “You’re kidding, right? Your ‘great order’ was nothing but a bunch of wannabe conquerors. None of you had any idea what you were doing. If me and Synchro hadn’t come along, you'd still be spinning your wheels to this day." “Well, I guess we’ll never know!” Silas snarled, “My plan would have worked!” “Doubtful.” Sterling sneered, “You act like you’re some big shot, that you are going to be the next Sombra or something, but the thing is, you are incompetent. I mean, you hired a dark magic sympathizer into a organization that was going to use it for evil. You lost the book you needed for your plans. And your biggest mistake? Sending me to meet the guy who ended up hijacking your plan and somehow did it better.” "That lousy Synchro is just as bad as you." Silas spat. "Then why don't you blame him?" Sterling asked. "I do." SIlas scowled. "But he's dead, and you're not. So you get the blame." "For what?" Sterling retorted. "Actually getting you close to your pathetic little order's goal? if it weren't for me, you guys would never have amounted to anything!" "That would be preferable to having our whole operation demolished, several of my comrades dead, and locked up in here with the stallion who caused all of that misfortune!" Silas spat. "Mark my words, Sterling, you will regret the day you cross Silas Necross!" "Sure I will." Sterling turned away. 'The one regret out of many I don’t give two craps about.' Meanwhile, back at the Infinity, Loveless was hurriedly making his way to the Coils. He had an agenda he needed to push forward. Inside, the other Ouroboros (minus Sterling) were present, but Father was absent. "Hey, Loveless." Ricochet declared. "What's up? You look a little... frazzled." "Where is Father?" Loveless asked. "I need to speak with him immediately!" "That's going to be a problem." Solomon stepped forward. "I'm afraid Father is... occupied elsewhere, and will be for some time. Until he returns, he's left me in charge." "You?" Loveless frowned. "Yes, me." Solomon nodded. "Got a problem with that?" The other Ouroboros, Gridlock and Harlhooves among them, looked as if they did have a problem, but were choosing not to speak up. "...At the moment, no." Loveless shrugged. "Since Father is away, I suppose I have no choice but to bring up the important matter with you." "Okay then." Solomon smiled. "And what is this 'important matter'?" "It's about Sterling." Loveless replied. "We cannot allow him to languish in that crystalline dungeon any longer than we already have. He's one of us, and he belongs here, not rotting in a cell. So I beseech you, allow me to organize a rescue effort." "A pretty speech, Loveless." Solomon admitted. "But I'm afraid I'm going to have to say 'no'." "What?!" Loveless gasped. "Why?" "Yeah, dude, what's with that?" Ricochet added. "Need I remind you that our resources are a little thin on the ground at the moment?" Solomon pointed out. "We can't afford to expend any more on a major prison break." "But Sterling-!" Loveless started. "Failed us." Solomon said coldly. "He almost succeeded in his little project, only to trip at the final hurdle. And he almost ended up exposing us in the process. I say we leave him to rot there." "You can't be serious!" Loveless yelled. "Oh, but I am." Solomon retorted. "Sterling is one of us!" Loveless yelled. "We can't just consign him to spend the rest of his days in prison, just because of one failure." "One big failure." Solomon declared. "And big failures attract big attention. Pretty much all of Equestria knows the name 'Sterling Cross' now, which means that his effectiveness will be severely compromised. That, coupled with the aforementioned lack of resources all adds up to the fact that we can't afford to waste our time and energy breaking him out. Ergo, he stays." "Dude, that is just cold." Ricochet scowled. "That can't be the only reason for all this!" Loveless growled. "What else?" "...Well, I wasn't going to just come out and say it, seeing as how you and Sterling are so close..." Solomon frowned. "Say what?" Loveless demanded. "Well, after we heard all about that mess up at the Crystal Empire, I'm starting to question where Sterling's loyalties lie." Solomon said bluntly. "What?!" Loveless gasped. "How can you say that?" "He was ordered to dispose of Echo Alchemy once he had successfully impregnated Sunset Shimmer." Solomon pointed out. "It was all part of his project, yet he seemed strangely hesitant to do so. Resistant to the idea, even. Now why would that be?" "Well, I..." Loveless struggled to find an answer. "I'm afraid we may have to face the very real possibility that Sterling got a little too close to the mark, and allowed himself to become compromised." Solomon announced. "How are we supposed to trust him after this?" "It was one little mistake!" Loveless protested. "A little slip! Sterling's first loyalty is to the Forefathers! We all know that!" He looked at the others. "...Right?" The other Ouroboros didn't look so sure. "Yeah, I guess..." Ricochet said awkwardly. "I don't know, Loveless." Gridlock declared. "Sterling let Alchemy live." Harlhooves pointed out. "Against express orders." "He put the welfare of that leather-winged freak above the good of the Forefathers." Nalik spat. "That is unforgivable." “Not how I would put it.” Doc countered, “But Sterling’s actions have raised some concerns. Perhaps it's best we leave him where he is until we can be certain of where his loyalties lie." “Doc, you can’t be serious!” Loveless snarled. “In case you hadn’t noticed, Loveless, some of us actually have something to lose if the Forefathers is exposed!” Doc snapped back, “I am sorry about Sterling, but there is too much at stakes to risk everything for one stallion!” "Couldn't have said it better myself." Solomon nodded. "Sorry, Loveless. Sterling isn't going anywhere." "No, you can't-!" Loveless started. "This discussion is over." Solomon said firmly. "Now, let's move on to new business." Ricochet gave Loveless a silent, apologetic look. "We received an update from Black Thorn." Doc announced. "he has a new plan which he believes may be beneficial to us all..." As the meeting continued, Loveless bowed his head in sorrow. 'Sterling, I'm sorry.' He thought. 'I hate the thought of you trapped in that cell. But there's nothing I can do. Please, stay strong, my friend...' A few days later, Sterling was sitting in his cell, still thinking about where it was he went wrong with his project, when he heard a ruckus outside. As he turned to look, a group of Crystal Guards (the Captain among them) burst into the corridor, carrying a reddish brown furred griffon with gray feathers. The griffon looked like a very unpleasant creature, made more obvious by the way he was struggling fiercely, requiring all of the Guards' efforts to keep him moving forward. "Let go of me, you lousy hay-eaters!" The Griffon struggled. "No cell made by ponies can hold me!" "Then why are you trying so hard to keep from getting put in one?" One of the guards taunted. "Go ahead, push your luck." The Griffon growled. "See where that gets you!" "You're the one who shouldn't push it, Cloudskipper." The Captain declared. "There are worse places than here to be locked up in." With great effort, the Guards forced "Cloudskipper" into one of the cells, slamming the door behind him. "Enjoy your stay." The Captain said coldly. As the Guards marched away, each of them made an effort to ignore Sterling. "So, what are you in for... Cloudskipper, right?" Sterling called. "My friends call me Lunard." The Griffon scowled. "If I had any, that is… Not that I want any." "Funny, I heard all Griffons had names that begin with 'G'." Sterling mused. "Well this one doesn't." Lunard spat. "And he's not in the mood to chat with grass-munching ponies, either." "Suit yourself." Sterling shrugged. "But there's precious little means of entertainment around here. If you don't wanna talk, get ready for some pretty boring days." "That suits me just fine." Lunard said coldly. Lunard sat down on his cell's bed, determined to ignore his neighbors. "So you'll talk to the feathered cat, but not me?" Silas scowled. "The 'feathered cat' is a lot more interesting." Sterling shot back. "I know everything about you, but don't know anything about him." "Hey, I can hear you, ya know!" Lunard yelled. "And for your information, I don't want either of you clowns talking about me either!" "You don't have to worry about that from me." Silas scowled. "'Don't talk to me, don't talk about me'..." Sterling muttered. "Can't seem to make up your mind, can you?" "I don't want to have anything to do with hay-eaters like you two." Lunard sneered. "You're beneath me." "Oh, really?" Silas sneered. "From what I surmised when you were dragged in here, you were arrested for some mindless brawl. I'm in here because I was the head of an Order out to use dark magic to take over the world. You're the one who's beneath me, feather-brain!" "Shut it, ya pony wimp!" Lunard roared. "Or what?" Silas mocked him. "You can't exactly do much right now, can you?" "I won't be stuck in here forever." Lunard smirked. "I'll bust outta here sooner or later. Maybe I'll give you a nice little 'parting gift' before I go..." "That'll be the day." Silas scoffed. Sterling lay down on his bed, annoyed. 'Like having one big mouth neighbor wasn't bad enough...' He thought. More days passed. Sterling alternated between berating himself over his mistakes, and feeling deeply claustrophobic. Being stuck in that cell reminded him of the days he spent in the juvenile detention centre back in Cairode, which had themselves brought back memories of times his mother had grounded him, only far worse (his room back home was much larger, after all). It wasn't the confined space that was the problem. It was the knowledge that he couldn't just walk out the door any time he wanted. As a child, Sterling had always hated being forced to stay in one place. He wanted to be free to come and go as he pleased, but his overly-controlling mother had never allowed him that luxury. And of course, after everything he'd done, he wouldn't expect the boredom to be broken by visitors... or so he thought. One morning, as Sterling lay on his bed, one of the Guards called for his attention. "Cross, you got a visitor!" The Guard announced. "I do?" Sterling frowned. "Who would...?" To Sterling's surprise, Sunset entered the dungeon. As she approached Sterling's cell, she wore an unreadable expression on her face. "Hello, Sterling." Sunset said quietly. "Sunset." Sterling murmured. "This is a surprise. Didn't expect you to come visiting." "To tell the truth, I'm surprised myself." Sunset admitted. The two remained silent for a moment… before Sterling spoke up. “Not that I don’t appreciate the visit… but why are you here?” Sterling asked, a bit suspicious, “I reckon after everything that happened, what with me using you, lying to you, and trying to kill the stallion you love, I’d figured you’d be pissed.” “I know.” Sunset added sadly, "Finding out that you had been stringing us both along... it broke my heart. I really thought we were friends, Sterling." "I know." Sterling sighed. "That was all part of the plan: to make you think we were friends." "I'm not going to lie: it hurts, knowing that Echo and I were just pawns in your plan." Sunset admitted. "When it was all over, I felt like I never wanted to see you again." “Which again begs the question, why are you here?” Sterling frowned. "Because I want to understand." Sunset declared. "i want to know why you did it." "You already know why." Sterling shook his head. "I pretty much spilled all the beans when I tried to off Echo." "I know your plan." Sunset countered. "What I want to know is why you came up with it in the first place. What could had possibly possess you to go through this plan, that involved all this running around, all the murders, all the destruction, just so Echo and I could make a child?" “...Not gonna lie, after the Archives, things kinda got away from me.” Sterling grimaced, “I know you won’t believe me, but I never intended for all those ponies to get hurt… I only wanted what my employers wanted…” "Which was what?" Sunset urged. "...To make a better world." Sterling answered. "You may see it otherwise, but that foal of yours… he was going to help make that world a reality. A world without prejudice, or hate. A world that will be able to stand against any opposition thrown in it’s way… a world of perfect harmony..." "With all of you in charge, right?" Sunset frowned. "I've heard talk like that before, coming from peo... ponies who weren't as well-intentioned as they thought." “Shows what you know.” Sterling grunted, incensed “I’ve been with them for most of my life. They were there for me when I had nothing left. If it wasn’t for them, I would be dead. I owe them everything. I've proven my loyalty to them more times than I can count, and they're rewarded that loyalty by counting me as one of their most regarded members.” “If that's the case, then why have they forsaken you?” Sunset questioned, “You've been in here for six months. If this organization cared about you so much, shouldn’t they have come for you by now?” "Well, I..." Sterling tried to rebut Sunset's argument, but having nothing to say on the matter. "...What's your point?!" He asked angrily. “Look, Sterling…” Sunset frowned sympathetically, “I’ve seen others that thought the way you did before. You believed that what you were doing is for the good of everypony, regardless of who you hurt in the process… just look at what happened to Synchro.” "That..." Sterling faltered, torn between being calm and angry. "That was his decision. I had no intention of destroying the Crystal Empire, but he clearly had some anger issues that had stewing for a good long time. Even if I knew what he had in mind for all that power, I wouldn't have been able to do a thing to dissuade him. He'd already made his choice. It was... too late for him." “...But it’s not too late for you.” Sunset nodded, “As misguided as they were, most of those ponies I was talking about had good in them. They were able to see the errors of their ways, and they made things right. And I know for a fact that everything about you wasn’t just an act. Deep down, you truly cared about us… about me, and about Echo. Don’t you?” "... Maybe, I did." Sterling said bluntly. "From where I stand, there's no 'maybe' about it." Sunset retorted. "I saw with my own eyes proof that you cared. Me and Echo both." “Speaking of Echo, does he know you’re here?” Sterling asked. "No." Sunset shook her head. "And I intend on keeping it that way. He isn't nearly so ready to forgive you as I am." “Well, he’s a smart stallion.” Sterling grunted, “But you? Maybe you're not as bright as I thought you were. You’re wasting your time, looking at me, wondering if you can change me with that whole spiel about friendship and nonsense. You can’t and you won’t.” He glared fiercely at her, “Stay away from me, Sunset. Otherwise... I'm just gonna hurt you again, but this time, it'll be worse.” Sunset stepped back a bit… before giving a huff. "Nice try, Sterling." Sunset gave a wry grin. "But you're not going to drive me off with insults. Too bad for you, I am as smart as you thought I am." ’Damn right you are…’ Sterling thought to himself, before shrugging, “Eh, it was worth a shot.” "I'm sticking by you, no matter what." Sunset declared. "Because I know what we all went through together wasn't a total lie. And I won't rest until you admit that." "Oh, I get what this is." Sterling sneered. "You're just trying to butter me up, and hope that I can be convinced to spill the beans about my employers, right?" "Not at all." Sunset shook her head. "Honestly, I don't much care for these 'employers', whoever they may be." "You should." Sterling said darkly. "You and Echo both." "After everything we've been through, I think we can handle it." Sunset said confidently. "Well, I disagree." Sterling frowned. "Time's up, Miss Shimmer!" The Guard called. "I'm not going to give up on you, Sterling." Sunset smiled. "I'll visit you again, soon. I promise." As Sunset left the dungeon, Sterling hung his head in regret. "Wow." Silas sneered. "My compliments, Sterling. You must've really done a number on that mare's head if she still thinks you're a decent stallion. Then again, she did buck the batpony. Must suck, giving that nice piece of flank to some loser." “Two words, Silas.” Sterling growled, his voice registering deep pain, “Buck. You.” Before Silas could rebut, Sterling turned away, as he laid on his bed. ’I don't deserve to even know a mare like Sunset. And I definitely don't deserve her forgiveness. I can't stop her from visiting me, but if she's as smart as we both think she is, she'll keep these little visits to a minimum. She'd be better off if she forgot I ever existed...' In the space of a few minutes, Sterling had achieved the impossible; He'd managed to feel even worse about himself than he did before. It was that shame that made his imprisonment most unbearable. His guilt and regret were worse prisons than anything that could ever be built.