//------------------------------//
// The Ride Home 
// Story: The Mask of Despair and the Face of Hope 
// by Wings of Black Glass 
//------------------------------//

It took several long days before Sable was well enough to be up and about again, his burns healed quickly enough, but he had worsened his ribs and the doctors ordered bed rest for him.  Even once he was up he remained wrapped in bandages, I privately suspected he kept them on to hide his blank flank rather than for medical reasons, but did not press him on the issue.  We spent one last day exploring the city and visiting with my friends, and Sable spent several hours talking with Sunburst about spells and old artifacts the orange Unicorn had collected over the years.  It raised my spirits to see him making a new friend.  Eventually, our time here came to an end, and we had to return to Ponyville.  As the three of us waited for the train, Shining Armor, Cadence, Flurry Heart, and Sunburst saw us off at the station.
“Thank you again, for all you’ve done for us.”  Cadence and Shining Armor spoke with Sable while I played with Flurry, although I remained near enough to listen.
“I still think we owe you a medal or something.  That was very brave of you.”
“I would be honored.”  Sable bowed deeply and respectfully towards them both.  “However, I would request no elaborate ceremony.”  The Princess and her husband shared a confused glance.  “It would only draw attention to myself I do not want.”
“Even then.”  Cadence laughed a little.  “You will always be a welcome friend in the Crystal Empire, even if you don’t want the recognition you deserve.”
“I did what needed to be done.”  He shrugged, but something in his stance and very slight hesitation in his voice told me there was something more to it.  The three nodded to each other one last time, and the royal couple turned away to speak with Starlight, leaving room for Sunburst to speak with Sable now.  The purple and orange Unicorns faced each other.  “Thank you for the spellbook.”  Sable looked back to his saddlebag beneath his wings, where the gift from Sunburst resided.
“It’s no problem, I’ve got plenty more.  There is a lot of interesting magic in there to keep you busy for a while.  And you really must tell me how you made those wings someday.”
“That seems to be a common theme.”  Sunburst, uncertain what he meant, laughed nervously.  “Perhaps I will, someday.”  The train pulled in to the station, brakes screeching.  He gave Sunburst a slight bow, very much like his usual greeting, and the two parted ways.  Starlight joined Stardust by the train car’s door, and I took Flurry Heart back to her parents.
“It’s always good to see you both.  You should come down to Ponyville more often.”
“Yeah, we really should.”  My brother ruffled my mane.  “But you know how it goes with so many royal duties.”
“Goodbye Flurry, I’ll miss you.”  I nuzzled Flurry’s nose with my own, causing the infant to break out in giggles.  Then the train whistled, and I turned to run through the open door before I missed the train.  Cadence called out just before the door closed.
“Good luck with Sable!  Have fun, you two!”  There was a playful tone to her words, and the Crystal Princess laughed.
“Wait, what do you mean by that?”  But the door sealed shut before I could get any response.  Confused, I joined Sable and Starlight on open seats as the train pulled away from the station.  Sable was watching the Crystal Empire vanish into the distance.
“That was an eventful visit.  Not very relaxing though.”  Starlight tried to draw him into the conversation, but he didn’t respond.
“I’m just glad it all turned out well in the end.  It could have been worse.”
“A lot worse.”  He didn’t say anything else or even look in our direction.  Starlight and I shared a glance; Sable didn’t appear to be very talkative on trains it seemed.
“So…” Starlight searched for a conversation topic.  “How are your burns?”
“Healing.”  The train clacked over the tracks.  For a while, no one spoke.  Sable took out the spellbook Sunburst gave him and started to peruse it.  I pondered his response to Shining Armor and Cadence at the station.  His reaction still bothered me for some inexplicable reason.
“Sable.”  He tried to ignore me, but I didn’t take my eyes off him, I could tell he was watching me through the corner of his vision.  Eventually, he sighed, and finally turned towards me when I didn’t stop watching him.  “I know you probably don’t want to talk about it.  But why did you sacrifice yourself back there?”  He looked down to his book and slowly closed it.
“It had to be done.”  The same answer he gave the others.  He met my eyes for an instant, I knew there was more to it than that, and he could clearly read my disappointment in my expression.  “To be honest…”  He hesitated for a moment longer.  Starlight pretended to look away and give him a bit more privacy.  “I did it… because I was the expendable one.”  Silence fell between us again; I had no response to this.  Starlight looked at me, equally lost for words.  The wheels clicked and clacked down the rails for several long moments before I spoke.
“Sable, you are not expendable.”  Gently I put one hoof on Sable’s; he twitched at my touch.  “Why would you think that?”
“Both of you are stronger and more experienced with magic than I am.  I had already lost my place within the ritual.”   He threw out several attempts to justify his actions.  Even if they might be true, I couldn’t be sure he believed the excuses himself.
“That was still incredibly reckless.”  It was Starlight speaking first.  “You could have been killed.”
“Better me than you.  You have both saved Equestria, nearly legendary.  Who am I?  Just a random pony with no past.”  He glanced down to his side, at his blank flank underneath the bandages.  “And no destiny.”
“You’re our friend.”  I used one wing to hug Sable.  He blinked, confusion on his face.  “Promise me you won’t ever try to sacrifice yourself like that again.”  I released him, and his gaze dropped to the floor.  I could see him contemplating his answer.  “Please.”
“I can’t do that.”  I had no response for this, what could I say?  “If ever came to it, you matter more to Equestria than I ever will.  If my life were the cost to save you, then it would be a price I could pay.”
“That's very noble of you.”  Starlight spoke up again.  “But I think I speak for both of us when I say we don’t want you to throw your life away in a senseless sacrifice.”
“It wouldn’t be senseless.”  It was easy to read his discomfort now, and I interrupted before Starlight could speak again.
“I think I can safely say I sincerely hope we never have to have this particular conversation again.”  Starlight laughed, and even Sable cracked a faint smile.  Then he went back to his gift from Sunburst, and the rest of the trip home passed peacefully.