Complications

by Hiver


Chapter 36

“Open,” I told the guards as we reached the door to the cellblock of the dungeons, “Remain here.”

Swift nodded and moved to wait as I entered, allowing the heavy door to close behind me. Heading down the stairs, I followed the corridor along the cells.

For once, the cells were full.

I could feel their eyes on me as I moved to the next door, unlocking it with a magic spell and then entering, closing it behind me again.

This chamber were smaller, split in two by heavy bars of iron and steel, heavily enchanted. The other side was a simple cell. Not much in it.

A cot to sleep on. What passed for washroom facilities. And that was pretty much it.

A thin wooden tray was sitting on the floor, a bowl half full of porridge sitting on it and a cup of water, also untouched.

The only one inside was Fizzlepop Berrytwist. Or as she apparently liked to be called, Commander Tempest.

She was wearing an antimagic ring around the base of her ruined horn. It was locked in place with a metal band going around her head.

She glowered at me when I entered but didn’t say anything.

Setting the tray I had been carrying down, I let the door close behind me with a heavy thunk, the cell and outer area only lit by a pair of magic crystals on the wall.

“...Yeah, this week didn’t go as either of us had planned, did it?” I finally asked after a long moment before I held one of the bowls up with my hoof.

Tempest didn’t move, she just looked at me.

Now without her armour, I could see her scars. Along her flanks and back. One right across where her cutiemark would have been normally.

Her flank was otherwise empty.

That said more about her than anything else.

Shrugging my wings, I put it back down before I picked up my own bowl with my hoof, eating it earth pony style, “Oh well, let me know if you change your mind. Know who I am?”

Silence.

“Blank Page,” I told her, “I’m sure I told you before, but it was a bit of a busy moment. I also know why you are in Canterlot.”

“Why are you here? To gloat?”

“Partly,” I admitted, “You did ruin my Luna's wedding after all. But also to call you an idiot.”

“What!?”

I shrugged my wings and ate some of the chili, “Just telling it like I see it. Did you really think the Storm King could heal your horn?”

“With the powers of the alicorns, he cou-”

“Did you think to ask?” I interrupted her.

Commander Tempest blinked at me when I spoke up before she sneered, “Nopony can heal a broken horn.”

I shifted and then nodded, “...Yeah, you’re probably right. I talked to the doctors about it, they said mostly the same. But if somepony could, it would be one of the princesses. But if even they can’t, what makes you think he would be able to?”

“With the power of the alicorns, he would be able to heal it. He told me so.”

I shook my head, “And you believed him? I suppose I can’t blame you, you were what? Fourteen? Fifteen? When you joined his forces?”

She stared at me, “...How can you possibly know that?”

“Sorry, I missed part of my introduction,” I told her, “Blank Page, Alicorn of Stories,” before I smiled, “What, did you think there was nothing special about alicorns? That Celestia moved the sun with her telekinesis? That Cadence is just a really good shipper? Alicorns aren’t just some sort of super unicorn.”

Tempest stared at me for a long moment, “I…” she said before she trailed off.

“Of course, there isn’t an alicorn of healing,” I said with a shrug of my wings, “So it might actually be impossible for any pony to heal your horn. But why would the Storm King be able to use our magic better than we could? To keep the dreams of ponies safe? To guide the moon and sun?”

Tempest looked away.