//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Interrogations and Examinations // Story: To Earn One's Wings // by HollowPony //------------------------------// To Earn One’s Wings Chapter 2: Interrogations and Examinations A cold wind blew over the crowded courtyard. The chained dragon shivered uncomfortably and snorted in annoyance. A green recruit guarding the dragon jumped with a girlish squeal. He pointed his spear at the dragon. The dragon lazily trained an emerald eye on the recruit. “They told me that I can’t break these chains,” he growled. “If you poke me with that toothpick I might just get the motivation to prove them wrong.” The guard’s eyes widened. His breathing grew shallow. The dragon chuckled. “You don’t need to fear me, little pony. I am not interested in harming you, I assure you. Besides, there are things far more worthy of your fear,” he said as he looked across the courtyard, emerald eyes locking with silver-blue ones. Thunderbolt narrowed his eyes at the dragon chained up in the middle of the courtyard. ‘Who are you?’ he wondered as the wind tugged at his reacquired cloak. ‘What do you want? Why did you attack?’ His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain in his ribs. Thunderbolt jerked his head up and stared into the brilliant amethysts that were Aurum’s eyes. A steaming cup of tea was in her hooves. She pointed a wing at a stallion standing in front of them. He had a blond mane and brown coat. Dark bags were under his piercing blue eyes. “Stormbringer,” the guard growled. “Why is it that whenever something goes wrong in this city you’re involved?” Thunderbolt shrugged. “It has to be a conspiracy. I think that fate wants us to hook up.” “Need I remind you that I am married?” Thunderbolt shrugged. “Well, fate must really hate your wife then. I mean, she fell in love with you.” The guard sighed. “What are you doing here?” “Can’t a stallion take a stroll with a pretty mare without being interrogated?” “Stormbringer…” “Frankly, it’s none of your business, Notebook. I saved your asses by fighting that dragon and you know it.” Notebook glared at Thunderbolt. Thunderbolt retaliated with a cocky half-smile. The sound of grinding teeth could be heard from Notebook. “Do you two know each other?” Aurum interrupted the staring contest. Thunderbolt shook his head for a moment. “Sorry, Rosie. I forgot to introduce you. This is Notebook. He’s a detective for the Guard and an old drinking buddy.” “Second Lieutenant Notebook at your service, Ma’am. And you are?” “Aurum. Aurum Quartz.” Notebook glanced at Thunderbolt. “I don’t mean to pry, Miss Quartz, but how do you know Stormbringer?” “Uhm.” Aurum’s eyes darted to Thunderbolt and back to Notebook. He narrowed his eyes. “Back off Notebook. Can’t you see you’re making her nervous?” “One of your partners in crimes should be able to handle one intimidating guard, Stormbringer.” “Come on, Notebook. Not everyone I know is a criminal.” “Just most of them. Answer the question, Miss. How do you know Stormbringer?” “I met him at the train station yesterday,” Aurum blurted out. “I was delivering a package to him, and when I asked what it was for, he invited me to see for myself.” “You’re a nosy delivery mare, aren’t you? That could get you killed, you know.” “Lay off Notebook.” Thunderbolt stepped in between Notebook and Aurum. “What do you want? We already gave our statements to one of your lackeys.” “Right. The medic wanted me to tell you that he wants to examine you for injuries.” “Thanks. We’ll get right to that. Now run along. I’m sure that there’s some kid you haven’t made cry yet.” Notebook laughed. “I’ll look into it. Have a nice night. And watch your back, Miss Quartz. You never know what might go wrong when Stormbringer’s involved.” He turned and left. “Are you two really friends?” “We used to be. Now… He means well, but…” Thunderbolt shook his head. “Whatever. Let’s go see that medic.” Thunderbolt looked around the medical tent. There was a stretcher in the far left corner. A small grey figure lay on it. A purple unicorn tended to the small pony. “Please remove your cloak,” said the unicorn in a lilting French accent, barely looking up from his current patient. “Then we can start examining you.” Thunderbolt hesitated. Despite the fact that most ponies went without clothes he felt uncomfortable without his cloak. He grit his teeth and levitated his cloak from his body. He dropped it on the floor. “What about your patient?” he asked after a moment, trying to hide his discomfort. “She’ll be fine,” the doctor said nonchalantly. “She simply took a bad hit while fighting the dragon and was knocked unconscious. A little bed rest and she will be fine,” he gave Thunderbolt a knowing smile. “Enough about the Nightguard; let’s look at you,” he took in Thunderbolt’s scars with a knowing gaze. He started prodding Thunderbolt with his hooves. “By your scars, I assume that you are an off-duty guard. Good work with the dragon,” he commented. Thunderbolt flinched when the doctor poked at his ribs. “I’m not a guard anymore. I’ve been discharged,” Thunderbolt responded. “Could we hurry this along, doc? I have an appointment to keep.” The unicorn chuckled. “That makes two of us. My wife is waiting for me with a bottle of chardonnay.” “A dangerous combination,” Thunderbolt quipped. “Let’s get to that examination.” The Doctor lit his horn with a healthy green glow. “Well said. If you would kindly stand still, I need to do a medical scan.” A green light shone from the doctor’s horn and enveloped Thunderbolt. His body tingled as the doctor’s magic poked and probed his body for injuries and other maladies. A confused look formed on the doctor’s face as the tingling reached Thunderbolt’s wings. The look melted off his face and worry made itself known. The words “Oh, dear,” escaped his lips. “Doc,” Thunderbolt growled. “What’s going on?” “Could you please extend your wings?” “Talk to me, doc,” Thunderbolt said as he spread his wings. The doctor squinted in concentration. Thunderbolt felt the tingling sensation in his wings intensify. “Where did you get these wings?” the doctor asked. “I don’t like telling that story.” “I see,” the doctor sighed. “Very well. Just answer this question: Why aren’t wings transplanted?” Thunderbolt raised an eyebrow. “That’s a rather strange question.” “Indulge me.” “It’s unnatural. It is like getting someone else’s leg sown to your body. I admit my wings feel like they don’t belong,” he answered. After a moment he added: “The only other reason I can think of is that it might cause some magical interference.” ‘My own magic has been a bit unstable since I’ve gotten these wings,’ he thought to himself. ‘Thank God nothing happened tonight.’ “It goes further,” the doctor replied with an excited smile, like a teacher whose student gave a good answer. “Some years back a mad scientist performed some involuntary limb transplants. His found that ponies who had received limbs died when the donor died. Not only that, if the donor died before the transplant was complete the pony receiving the wings died once the operation was complete.” “Did anyone survive these experiments?” “The only survivors are those whose donors did not die.” “Why are you telling me this? The pony whose wings these were is dead. He has to be.” The doctor’s mouth became a thin line. “If that were the case we would not be having this conversation.” Thunderbolt licked his lips. His throat became dry. “Anything else, Doctor?” he asked nervously. “Just a couple of scrapes and bruises. I detect no serious injuries. You can go,” the doctor said. “NEXT!” he yelled. “Have a nice night then Doc,” Thunderbolt said with a nervous chuckle. He walked toward the tent’s flap in a daze, colliding with a pony coming in the opposite direction. He and the pony descended in a tangled mess of legs and wings. When he came to his senses he found himself looking into Aurum’s violet eyes. Her breath mingled with his as they stared into each other’s eyes. Thunderbolt felt his cheeks heating up. “Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” Thunderbolt muttered as he got off of the pegasus mare. “Clearly,” Aurum huffed with a slight blush on her golden cheeks. She rolled onto her stomach and with a flap of her wings lifted herself onto her hooves. Turning to the doctor she timidly said: “You’re the doctor, right? You’re supposed to examine me?” “Certainly, Miss. Please step this way,” the doctor replied gently. Thunderbolt stepped out of the tent. He looked up at the clear night sky. He didn’t see any of its twinkling beauty. The doctor’s words kept running through his mind. Ponies who had received limbs died when the donor died. ‘If I’m still alive,’ Thunderbolt thought, ‘and what the doctor said is true, then he must be alive too. But that’s impossible. I saw… It doesn’t matter what I saw. If he’s alive I’ll deal with him after I finish this job.’ Something touched his shoulder lightly. He turned his head to see Aurum’s violet eyes. “What happened tonight?” Aurum whispered to Thunderbolt. The night around them held a pregnant silence. “I don’t know,” Thunderbolt whispered back. His gaze wandered to the dragon being hauled away on a low cart. An enchanted muzzle had been placed over his mouth after he gave a reckless pegasus guard singed feathers. The dragon had laughed at the guard. Inky trails of smoke wafted from his nostrils. Emerald eyes burned with annoyance at the equines dragging him away. “You didn’t make any angry, did you?” she asked accusingly. “Made any what angry?” “A dragon. You didn’t make one angry, did you?” “I don’t know,” he said. He put a hoof to his chin. “Let me think… there were some pegasi… a unicorn or two… there is that one griffon in Las Pegasus, not that she can deny that she benefitted most from the arrangement… No, I don’t remember ever pissing off a dragon.” “Then why would he want to kill you?” Aurum asked with a raised eyebrow. “Do I look like I know why a dragon would try to grill me?” Thunderbolt said with a shrug. “It makes no sense. He said that whatever he was here for was between me and him. But I don’t know what he could be after. I haven’t had business with dragons yet.” He gave her a reassuring look. “Look, I’ll sort it out after we deliver the book.” They travelled through the empty streets of Canterlot in slightly awkward silence. Aurum hummed a tune tinged with the nervousness of one being alone with a new acquaintance. Thunderbolt brooded as he walked. ‘The appearance of the dragon could indicate another player in this job. That would undoubtedly complicate things. At least it will stop being my problem soon.’ A grimace flashed across his face. His left wing started aching. ‘Bloody wing. I need to stretch it out, but-’ “Did you really mean it back there?” Aurum had a deep blush on her cheeks. Her nervous voice was like the eye of Thunderbolt’s hurricane of thoughts. “Mean what?” “What you said. You know. That I’m pretty.” “That’s what’s on your mind?” Aurum swatted at Thunderbolt. “Did you mean it? Do you really think that I’m pretty?” “Well, if I’m honest, I can’t say you’re the most beautiful mare that I’ve ever met, but you really are one of the prettier ones. And you don’t seem as shallow as most mares that I know.” “I see.” A silence grew. Thunderbolt’s thoughts started wandering again. “Where do you come from?” Aurum asked, pulling Thunderbolt back to the present. “Cloudsdale.” The word slipped from his mouth before he could stop it. “I mean, I grew up in Cloudsdale.” The flood continued at her dubious look. “I live near Ponyville now. Its central location makes it easy to travel.” “How could you have lived in Cloudsdale? It’s a city made of clouds. Only pegasi can walk on clouds. You didn’t always have those wings, did you?” Thunderbolt chuckled nervously. “No, I didn’t. That is a long story. You should ask my mother how I survived Cloudsdale when I was young. I went to boarding schools for most of my life. Once I learned the cloud walking spell it wasn’t a problem. Where do you live?” he asked, clearing his throat. “I mean you asked me. It’s only fair that I ask you.” A small smile graced the face in the moonlit night. “I’m from Manehatten. In this tiny apartment. Pawprints is probably wondering where mommy is…” “Your foal?” “Oh, no,” the pegasus said, a slight blush forming on her cheeks. “Pawprints is my cat. She used to leave little paw prints in the butter. That’s where she got her name.” “I see.” Another bout of silence rose. A question started niggling at Thunderbolt. Aurum didn’t seem like the typical pony he saw in his line of work. She still seemed rather carefree, if the tune she was humming was any indication. Then there was the army. While not unusual to run from an enraged dragon, and those are even rarer than calm ones, at least in Equestria, it was rare for his occasional partners to rush to the authorities when trouble arose. Yet she came back with the army. “Rosie,” Thunderbolt said, stifling a yawn. “I know I already asked you, but why are you here? Why didn’t you get back on the train to Manehatten after you dropped the gem off?” Aurum’s humming stopped. “I...I don’t know really,” she stammered. “The pony who delivered the stone told my boss to make sure the gem made it to him and she told me to stay with whoever picked up the gem until it made it to the pony.” She was quiet for a moment. Thunderbolt could see the gears in her head turning, could see the mare examining her own thoughts. “It just seemed so mysterious. Romantic, even. Like those thriller novels,” Her eyes lit up. “Those with stallions of action and mares of danger,” the pegasus whispered. A sigh escaped her lips. “You were right. I just craved some excitement. I think I’ve had enough now.” “That’s understandable. I’m lucky to have lasted as long as I have,” Thunderbolt said. “Those stories exaggerate the excitement anyway. It’s mostly nobles wanting to get one up on one of their peers. Those are usually more likely to get dangerous,” he shook his head. “They can’t strike directly at each other, but their agents… fair game. Other times a collector wants some rare thing. Very few conspiracies or shady back ally dealings,” Thunderbolt gave a shrug. “But it pays well, so I can’t really complain about a lack of excitement.” “Really?” Aurum raised an eyebrow. “You seemed pretty used to excitement back there. I mean, a dragon? No pony I know would have done it. If you didn’t…” she realised how close to fiery death she was. She stopped mid-air and lowered herself to the ground, eyes like full moons. Her flank hit the cobblestone path with a thump. “Aurum?” Thunderbolt said. “You okay?” “You saved me.” Aurum clutched her head with her hooves. “Oh, God. What am I doing here? I’m not cut out for this… How can I ever repay you?” “Buy me a drink when we get to Manehattan. I’ll make sure that you get home safely.” “Why? I can get home on my own.” “Because after tonight you will be a single mare with a large bag of Bits. What sort of street scum will be able to resist?” Thunderbolt sighed. “Look, even if it weren’t the case I would like to get a drink with you.” He stuck a hoof in Aurum’s direction. “Come on. The cathedral is not far.” Aurum uttered a small “Thank you” as she accepted Thunderbolt’s hoof. Beating her wings she hovered next to Thunderbolt. “Who are we delivering the book to anyway?” “Rough Diamond. He is some low-level bureaucrat. He is probably a stand-in for whoever is paying us,” Thunderbolt stopped before a building looming over them. It was made of pure white marble. The coloured glass in the windows reflected the soft moonlight. “We’re here,” he announced as he placed his hoof on the opulent front door of the cathedral and pushed.