//------------------------------// // 26 - Judgment // Story: Duet in the Dust // by David Silver //------------------------------// "" barked Randal. He was standing by the guard posting, having arrived to relieve Sandy. "" She hiked a thumb. "" "" He crossed his arms. "" "" She gestured as she spoke, emphasizing her words. "" "" He raised a brow at that. "" "" She shrugged softly. "" "" He pat her on the shoulder once, a firm motion. "" He left her there, her shift extended. That made her cross her arms, but she accepted it. She was pretty sure she knew where he had gone off to. He strode purposefully through town, nodding to those who were awakening with the rising of the sun. "" With that request, he knew Sandy would get a chance to relax. It was time for him to work. He arrived at a small house and wrapped the back of his hand on the door. "" "" came the reply from within. "" "" A soft sigh, almost inaudible through the door, came with quiet. "" He opened the door without resistance. The inside was dimly lit with only barely-open blinds allowing a sliver of growing daylight to penetrate the room and chase away the darkness. "" A mound of blankets moved, an elderly female face emerging. "" "" Randal gestured widely. "" "" She sounded a bit bitter, a grimace on her face. "" Ole Breeze perked up, but then looked all the more hesitant. "" "" He crossed his arms, taking a strong stance. "" "" She pulled up a bit of blanket, becoming lost to sight in the pile. Randal snarled softly. "" "" Her response was muffled by the cover. "" "" He clenched a fist with obvious irritation. "" "" But her cry only echoed off an empty room, the door slamming shut across from her. "" Shiela set down her plate, a contrivance she did not always have a use for. "That was quite good, friend Duck. I feel ashamed for forgetting what a difference preparing one's food can make." Quarter gestured broadly at the duck-colored pony. "Look at my pony, he is amazing. He is full of all kinds of tricks!" Duck giggled with a little blush. "Aw, don't be like that. I just wanted to make people smile." Which he had, which made him smile in kind. No Name nodded towards the door. "How long do you figure we'll be waiting?" The transition to sylvan had happened without anyone really noticing. They all knew the language, unlike the common tongue that left Vinyl in the dark. Octavia adjusted the straps of her instrument case. "I could not be certain of that. I hope sooner, as opposed to later. We have arrived quite without warning, so I don't feel we can be too irate just yet." Vinyl leaned a little from her living perch. "Hey, at least it's time spent with friends." She gestured to No Name and Bullette. "New and --" She waved at the two humanoids. "--Old. Kinda nice, like a great big reunion. Band's back together." Bullette tilted her had up at Vinyl. "Are we a band? I will require a musical instrument." Vinyl shook her head. "Nah, you could totally take it home with your vocals. Sing us a sweet little number." Bullette's ears pivoted in place as she frowned a moment. Just as quickly, she bounced up to all fours. "Initiating song!" She emitted the sound of a deep breath, though it was not certain she was actually breathing. Prepared, she began to sing. Her voice sounded like an artist that had just discovered what autotune was and planned to use it everywhere, but she was eager and chipper, singing about their strange little community of misfits and the trouble they could get into. The beat was rapid and lively with a few electronic instruments playing out from within her to accompany her words. Duck could not refuse the call. He pulled his guitar around and began to play along with the song Bullette was making, dancing around with wild joy. "Let go the fireworks, watch out for public works," sang out Bullette, her own music adjusting subtly to accept Duck's input. "Yeah, she got mad that one time," confessed Duck, still playing happily. "Gotta be careful with them fireworks!" Quarter snickered at their song. "Isn't he precious? What kind of fireworks does he have?" Shiela held up a hand. "I feel you would be better in not knowing, my enthusiastic friend." A knocking came from the door. "(Send the injured.)" It was Randal, speaking gruffly. Octavia rose to two legs, reaching up for Vinyl and drawing her down into a soft hug. "I'm going with you, like it or not." "Ain't complainin', uh, but you ain't..." Despite her concern, she was worked around and soon draped over Octavia's entire back. "Huh, that works... You alright?" Octavia only answered with a nod, trotting for the door. She left her precious cello behind, but it was soon taken up by No Name to replace Vinyl's presence. She pushed open the door, revealing Randal. "(Nice to meet you.)" "(You can speak the trade tongue? You're learning.)" His eyes lifted subtly to look at Vinyl. "(Was she hurt protecting you?)" Vinyl squinted a bit. "Don't know what he said, but I don't like the way he said it." Octavia ignored her friend for a moment. "(She was injured fighting alongside me, for something we both wanted. I was hurt as well, but not terminally. Let us go.)" "(Can she not walk? We only require her.)" "(Group deal. No, she can't walk. I will serve as her legs.)" Octavia turned in place, looking around. "(Lead the way.)" He did not question her further, simply walking ahead with his usual severe look. A few others noticed them passing by. The local guitar player was strumming softly when they were going across the road. "Vinyl? Is sick?" Vinyl twitched up an ear, looking over. "Oh, hey man! I'll be better soon, I think." She pointed at his instrument as she was carried right on past. "Keep playing!" "I will," he promised before they were beyond easy conversation. "(Ponies like music. It's in your blood, sure as your tails.)" Randal was approaching a small building. "(Be respectful. She has seen more than most of us, and experienced more than even her life could contain.)" Octavia lifted an ear, trying to discern how one could experience more than their own life could hold. "(I will be on my best behavior. Shall we knock?)" "" he called through the door. "" "" Octavia glanced at Randal. That elderly female voice didn't sound happy to see them, but he just casually opened the door and went in, so she followed him, carrying Vinyl along the way. "(Terribly sorry to intrude. We'll be on our way as soon as we can be.)" But there was no person there, or pony. Just a stack of bedding. "(Where is she?)" "" commanded that pile, a wrinkled hand pointing out through the door they came. "" "" He left them, closing the door gently despite his obvious irritation. Octavia nodded softly. "(I'm afraid--)" The shaman held up that hand, flat to Octavia, bidding her for silence. And there was silence. The silence was thick and unforgiving. The two ponies stared at the pile of bedding, waiting for the next step. Vinyl lightly sniffed the air, taking in the odd scents of age and incense in almost equal quantities. Ash, however, seemed mostly absent from what she detected. "Is she there?" "I feel certain she is, and she asked us to be quiet, so shh." Octavia stood still, watching the pile patiently. They went quiet, one atop the other, waiting for something to happen. "You are not leaving," she spoke in faltering Sylvan. "As if I would be so lucky..." Octavia tilted her head softly. "I'm dreadfully sorry if we--" "Randal brought us here," argued Vinyl before a cough ripped through her. "Oh, oh, sorry Octie, sorry..." Octie could feel her futile attempts to fix the mess she made. "Don't even worry about it, Vinyl. We're here to fix it." "There are things you cannot fix." The pile rustled before a head came into view. "The blood between us is bitter and deep. The sins of man against the fey, countless. The sins of the fey in kind, unforgivable. We are terrible creatures." Octavia inclined an ear. "I have heard some... of that, but we are actually not from here." Ole Breeze frowned at the two of them. "Being from another part of this blasted world changes nothing, little pony." Octavia raised a hoof towards Breeze. "Not from here, this world, at all. We're from another place. We don't have ash blowing regularly. There are no bandits as ready to shoot you as speak to you. It's a gentler place." The pile flowed, some of the cloth falling aside as she sat up. "And yet here you are. Another place. Are there humans there, little pony?" Octavia shook her head quickly. "I am not aware of any. I met my first when I came here. It was quite the surprise." "I should think so..." Breeze pointed at Vinyl. "What has struck her down?" Vinyl wobbled a hoof. "We were trying to find a way home, found it, lost it, got hurt for it. Kinda sucks, ya know?" "Curious sylvan slang... Bring her closer." She patted the bedding in front of her with a shaking hand. "If you are not from here... the blood has not collected yet. Perhaps... it is a little forgiveness." Octavia stepped up onto the bedding, getting close to Breeze before sinking and slowly sliding Vinyl off just in front of the elderly human woman. "Can you help her? Please..." She placed two wrinkled hands on Vinyl's cheeks, slowly examining them before working back. "Mmm... Perhaps you speak truly. She lacks marks... Hmm... The rift between the fey and humans of this world will need more than this to mend..." She gently ruffled the top of Vinyl's head, petting her like a lost dog. "Are you certain you wish to be treated by a human? We hurt so many innocent ponies. So many not innocent ponies as well. We did not care..." Vinyl weakly hoofed at the hands feeling over her. "Hey, that was, what... like a jillion years ago. You weren't there." "Wasn't I?" Her brows raised as one. "I may as well have been. The spirits of the land whisper our sins clearly in my ears. It's impossible to ignore, to forget... Will you forgive me, just to be better?" Octavia rolled a hoof. "It's easy for us, since we weren't here, nor were our ancestors. Despite that, would it not be proper to do right, now, rather than to lament the mistakes of yesterday? We will carry word of your good deed back to Turves." Her expression brightened a little, a smoldering ember in the darkness. "Would you? I hear such stories... Do they truly have so many, so close? They avoid us, as is their right, as should be their desire..." Vinyl tilted her head. "There are humans there too, ya know." Octavia set a hoof on her friend's back. "It's true. Humans and fey, getting along fairly well." One of Breeze's brows fell into a suspicious peering. "What fanciful tales. Surely they hear the whisper of their grudges. The screaming of their mistakes. How can they bear one another's presence?" Octavia raised the same hoof and directed it at Breeze. "You are clearly a special person, who can hear these things, and I am terribly sorry they torture you so... but others do not, and cannot. They don't hear these things, and can only act on what is in front of them." Vinyl shrugged a little. "And I happen to like some humans. I'll take it on a person by person case, ya know? I wouldn't want someone judging me because something my dad did. That'd be lame as all get out." "Lame..." Her hand withdrew into her bedding. "Is that what you see, an old and lame woman, rambling about things you cannot see?" Octavia sat down with a thump. "We are quite certain--" "--Just a little," cut in Vinyl. "But everyone has their bad days." A wry smile split her wrinkled face. "I appreciate her honesty. What is your relationship?" She thrust a finger out to wag between the two ponies. Octavia pointed at herself, then Vinyl. "We are roommates, and musicians. We find an unending supply of frustration, and inspiration, in one another." Vinyl snorted softly. "Just because you like things all proper and I like to cut loose... Well, alright, sometimes we get on each other's nerves." "And you would stand at her side, despite this." Breeze pushed up to a full sitting position. "You, the healthy one--" "Octavia, ma'am." "Yes, fine, get me the yellow container there, the one that glistens." Octavia hurried over to the shelf she was pointing towards and stood up to get high enough. She grasped the container between two hooves and carefully pulled it free. She began fall backwards and curled around the sealed pot, crashing down with it in a loud thud. She cracked open an eye a moment later. The pot was still closed, and she hadn't broken anything. "Here we are." "If I had known..." She accepted the pot when offered, working the lid off with some working back and forth. It ground open, revealing something that glittered within. "While money is a past thing, gone and dead in most of the land, the gods have not forgotten the value of things. To do great works in their name requires equal sacrifices." She plunged a gnarled hand into the pot, coming out clutching ground diamonds glittering and filtering through her grip. Vinyl tilted her head left and right. "Fancy, but how's that help?" "Your life force has been cruelly impeded." She reached out, pinching Vinyl's nostrils. "Dangling by a thread between life and death, you await a gentle push to tip you across into the abyss." Vinyl weakly struggled, breathing awkwardly through her mouth as she hoofed at the human's hand, but she could do little in her weakened state. "Calm yourself... Calm, and listen to this song. Ponies appreciate music, do they not?" She began to intone, deep and imposing words, calling out to her screaming patrons. She brought across her other hand, dusting Vinyl with the minerals and forcing her into a fresh series of savage coughs, struggling and crying, but the intoning continued unabated. Octavia was tense everywhere at once. She wanted to help her friend, but would interceding actually help? The woman was supposed to be able to assist, and was clearly doing... something. She started silently counting to ten, promising to do something if things had not improved by the time she had finished. One. Tears streamed from Vinyl's eyes, her lashes glittering with diamond dust. Two. Breeze held Vinyl's nostril's shut, calling out firmly to whatever strange powers she obeyed. Three. Vinyl's struggles were slowing, her coughs weaker, but not in a peaceful way, Octavia decided. Four. Breeze made a broad gesture across Vinyl, burning streaks of light washing over the prone pony. Five. Her calls increased in volume as if in a shouting contest with those screaming spirits. Six. The diamonds began to glow dimly, as if more light were spilling into the dim room to reflect off of them. Seven. She released Vinyl's nose, but the unicorn flopped weakly to the ground. Eight. Staring at her, she saw the glow was growing more brightly, casting new shadows across the room. Breeze spoke the last word with a slap of a hand on a naked part of the floor with a loud slap. Vinyl sat up as if it had surprised her awake. She was heaving for breath, eyes darting around wildly. "The, I mean, and you... Am I dead?" Octavia pounced Vinyl without thinking it through, hugging her dear friend close. "No! No... How do you feel?" "I..." She took a slow and deep breath, held it a moment, then let it go in a slow wheeze. "I... feel like I need to go for a run or three, but... I... my insides aren't made of broken glass, so, uh, thanks?" Vinyl climbed up to her hooves and took a step, only to wobble dangerously and almost collapse. "The hay... I can breathe, but I still feel like things aren't doing what I tell them to." Breeze nodded softly. "The rot in you attacked in two ways, sapping your connection to life itself, and your ability to move. It is pithy perhaps, but I shall blame the love of your friend that kept you so shy from that razor's edge. By most rights, you should have died, if not then, than to remain in a coma until help arrived, if ever it did. We will need to repeat the ritual to banish the lethargy in your limbs and return you fully to working order." Octavia bowed low towards Breeze. "You have done us a great favor. I will be certain to inform Randal, who I imagine will make his demands of Turves." "About that..." She reached for more diamond dust, taking it up in her left hand. "Why are they paying for this? Have you done them some great favor?" Vinyl tilted her head. "I mean, that's actually a good question. Octie? Also, no nose pinching. That was seriously the worst part of that. I mean, thanks and everything, but no more of that, for real." Her horn glowed and her headphones began to play for her. "Oh, thank Celestia... My horn doesn't knock me out anymore!" Octavia glanced away in thought before shaking her head. "We have committed no great deeds... but played some music for their local radio..." She smiled uncertainly. "While it has been a pleasure to perform for them, I... am uncertain... How valuable is that?" She waved a hoof at the diamonds she was applying to Vinyl. Breeze did not reply, not at first. She had a new calling to do, and got to it vigorously. She beseeched the spirits in her strange language, demanding they remove the thickness from Vinyls limbs. It went on for about ten seconds or so, the diamond speckles fading away as the power of divinity rushed through Vinyl, carrying away the toxins that had plagued her. She took a few easy steps, wiggling a hoof with each motion. "Aw yeah... this is more like it. You're a miracle worker." "That is my profession," agreed Breeze with a soft nod before turning her eyes to Octavia. "You hide your pain well, and yet, I feel Turves would like you restored as well." Octavia set a hoof on her chest. "Oh, yes please. There is one more in need of your assistance. He's large." She held up a hoof high to give an impression. "He may not even fit in here very well. His name is No Name and he's--" She placed a fingertip on Octavia's nose, silencing her. "When I awaken in the morning and their cries are at their loudest, I beg them, filling my heart with their songs for the days ahead. I must decide what songs I will carry with me, heavy and painful. Restoration is a useful trick. I pray I never need it, but to not have it when times are dire is worse, so I always keep some close at hand. However, three, four, or even the six you truly require in total? It is not what I planned for today. You were right and good to bring your friend first. She was most desperate for the touch." She gestured between Octavia and Vinyl. "I trust none of you will perish, if I impose on you to wait one more day." Octavia shook her head quickly. "No! No, it's perfectly fine, more than that. Thank you." She dipped her head towards the elderly human. "You have been quite kind." "I doubt Randal will be kind in his demands." She placed the lid back on the jar, sealing it with grunts of effort. "He will take all that he can get from Turves, and they will suffer for it, I feel certain. This is not a small thing. This dust does not come easily. If they happen to have some, that will lessen their burden, but we cannot be sure they have that." Vinyl flinched away. "Aw man... Isn't there something we can do? I mean, this is... for us. We did it. We should pay, not them. They've been nothing but cool to us." She held up a pruned and shaking hand. "I am afraid there is little, unless you think your performances will work as well to Randal's ears." Vinyl sagged. "He wasn't impressed with mine." She perked up suddenly, turning on Octavia. "Hey, you're the one with the music people around here like for whatever reason. Maybe if you try?" Octavia considered that with a tapping of her chin. "I'd be happy to help, but I will not assume it will pay the debt. To assume that would be rude, especially since he did not request it. Still, if it can reduce Turves' debt, even a little, then it will be worth the time." As Octavia wandered towards the door, Vinyl nodded at Breeze. "Hey, thanks again. Uh, I know my music isn't... as popular, but I feel like sharing. Wanna hear some?" "If you would like." She waved a few fingers. Vinyl floated over her headset to the wizened shaman, parking them on her ears. "Comfy?" When Breeze didn't complain, she casually turned down the volume, then began the music, starting a deep electronic rhythm playing in Breeze's ears. Breeze began to nod to the beat, then her fingers tapped at the floor, following the thumpa-thump of the song. "You may raise the volume a little," she instructed as her eyes drifted close. "This is... I like it. The shouts are silenced for a time, but I can still feel the heartbeat. What powerful music you wield." Vinyl grinned with renewed confidence, nudging the volume up a little. "Isn't it? I love it!"