Chapter 22: Fracturing Faces
[I have no idea, and I don't know if I should be excited or scared to find out.]
“Multiple reports have come in over the past few days of Red Ice and her Raiders attacking the increasingly familiar occurrence of travellers leaving Lethbridle. Luckily, she’s been stopped each and every time. That’s right my little ponies, our hero Blue Fire is on top of the situation! She’s been hot on the trail of Red Ice day in and day out, always showing up when Raiders try to cause trouble for good and honest ponies. Multiple witnesses report seeing the griffon kill multiple Raiders each time and, even if she hasn’t quite managed to put a bullet between Red Ice’s eyes just yet, she HAS always been able to drive her off.”
“Success.” I muttered, as we sat waiting at the edge of the mysterious forest. It was as strange as Breeze had claimed. A vast stretch of greenery, impossibly verdant atop the northern Wasteland’s cold, rocky terrain. According to the twins’ flyover, it went on for miles.
The DJ continued his broadcast. “Now, it seems like just a matter of time here folks, but I want to stress again that Raiders are dangerous ponies. Defend yourself and others against them, but don’t foolishly go hunting for them without being sure you can take care of yourself. Blue Fire has proven herself, so it can be done, but that doesn’t mean every Wastelander should grab their nearest pistol and go a-huntin’. Stay safe, ponies, and keep the faith. Blue Fire’s gonna continue to spank Red Ice’s flank up and down the region, even if a crazy mare like the Raider Queen might like that.”
I caught Wings staring at me with a raised eyebrow, and flushed. “Not gonna happen.” I remarked quickly.
Putting her claws behind her head, she smirked. “I dunno, Snow, might make for a good report to drum up some good feelings. A nice red clawprint right over that Snowflake of yours. I bet the listeners’d love that.”
Barely restrained laughter sounded from all sides as my face reddened further. “Not. Gonna. Happen.”
“Suit yourself, Raider Queen. We could always do a trade. You mentioned wanting to win at least once, maybe this is the price for that?”
“...I hate you.”
The others burst out laughing. Even Undertow.
“You all suck!”
Wings just kept smirking. “You love us really.”
“Gnrr.” Why was this a good idea again?
~~~~~~
“Dahlings, you waited for me. How sweet.” We all turned away from the forest to see Schwarzwald strolling up. The older mare held her familiar, laughing-at-some-unseen-joke smile.
Breeze met her first. “Did you get my stuff?”
Bopping her sister on the head as she landed, Cassie made a plea for decorum. “You know how to say hello, Breeze.” She greeted the scarred mare. “Welcome back, Schwarzwald. Did you run into any trouble on the way? The DJ’s message probably riled some ponies up.”
The twins’ antics merited a chuckle. “You are always so proper, while an eager Aqua Breeze is a cute Aqua Breeze. No, I had no trouble returning, and yes, I bought the parts.”
Breeze’s wings popped up. “Sweet! Gimme gimme!” Practically ripping the bag from Schwarzwald’s grasp, Breeze immediately whipped out one of her gadgets and promptly forgot about everybody else.
Huffing, Cassie shook her head at her sister. “Come on now, Breeze. That’s rude.”
Said sister didn’t look up. “Be right there.”
Cassie clicked her tongue, but Schwarzwald giggled again. “So cute when she gets like this. Leave her be. Anyway, we have supplies for the forest, including medicine.”
Everybody nodded their thanks. “We’ll probably need it. Something about this doesn’t feel right.”
Nobody disagreed with Cassie’s assessment.
Undertow had been standing with her back to the group, waving her horn back and forth. The aquamarine glow from the appendage faded as she faced us. “I cannot lock down the water source for plants this vibrant. Cassie is right. Something is amiss here.”
Naiara rolled her shoulders while stepping into the conversation. “Do we still wanna check this out? I mean, it just showed up. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with us. We could just leave and keep looking for Bosco’s Orbs.”
The aforementioned colt looked pensive, but didn’t immediately speak up. The others and I glanced between him and Wings. “It’s your choice, Bosco. We’re all ready to go with whatever you decide. They are your Orbs, after all.”
There was a deepening of colour in his grey eyes as he left his thoughts. He looked at each of us in turn, then at the forest, then back to the group. Finally, though with a slight grimace, he nodded. “We’ll check out the forest. I don’t trust that it’s not important. The timing’s too convenient.”
He’s got a point. Finding myself slightly enjoying the lack of pressure on my part, I stretched my muscles to get the blood flowing. “Alright, so how’re we doing this?”
In response, he poked Cassie’s unresponsive sister. “You almost finished, Breeze?”
“Ten seconds.”
Bosco shrugged, and addressed the group. “Even if we’re gonna be working towards finding my Orbs, it doesn’t mean we’ll all be available at the same-”
“I’M DONE!” Breeze’s happy interruption made Cassie and I jump.
“-time.” Finished, he held out a hoof, and Breeze dropped something into it. “Now Breeze, being our resident tinkerer...”
“Eheheheh.”
“...had already developed communicators for herself and Naiara. She linked in Schwarzwald’s communicator from Amber too. I asked her to build one more.”
Every device mentioned was presented. Wings surveyed them all. “Why do we need a fourth?”
Bosco’s jaw set. “Much as I doubt it’ll be so easy, I’d rather we all not do anything solo. We should always try to have at least one of us for backup. Going by that, the most we should split up into is four groups, hence four communicators.”
“And you went along with this?” I was mildly surprised that Breeze took direction from anybody besides her sister.
“I know a good idea when I hear one, dirt pony. Just because I don’t listen to you doesn’t mean Bosco doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“...Can’t argue with that, I guess, even if you are being a brat about it.”
Breeze blew the hanging strand of her blue-and-white mane from her eyes. “Just for that, you don’t get one of the four.”
“What?!”
“Ever.”
“WHAT?!”
She crossed her hooves, smirking. “My toys, my rules. I decide who gets to play with them.”
“Back off, Snow.” Naiara piped up before it went any further. “Breeze has done us a favour here. All of us. It wouldn’t kill you to show some appreciation.”
I stamped a hoof. “Oh come on, it’s not like she makes much of an effort to make nice!”
“A valid point.” Cassie’s on my side? “Both of you could try harder.”
“But she-” Breeze and I began together.
Wings slashed a claw through the air between us. “Nope, done talking about this now. Bosco’s still gotta finish.”
“Thanks, Wings.” He gave her a grateful smile. “So yeah, at least two of us at any one time, for anything. It’s much harder to kill two opponents than a solo fighter.” He nodded at Breeze. “Give the last communicator to Undertow for now.”
Her reaction was a half-hearted blanch. “Why Undertow?”
The goggled unicorn was equally confused. “Yes, Boss Colt, why me?”
“How enticing it is to see him live up to that name.” Schwarzwald was eyeing Bosco hungrily, but he was the only one who paid her much mind.
“Rrright. Anyway, Undertow. You’ll probably stick close to Snow, so your communicator’ll cover the two of you. Cassie’s got one for you two twins, Naiara and I can share, while Schwarzwald can cover Wings.”
Breeze and Undertow nodded approvingly. “That makes sense.” They chorused, before the pegasus grunted at the coincidence. She wordlessly flipped Undertow the communicator, which was snagged midair in an aquamarine glow.
“Thank you, I appreciate it.” Undertow slipped the device into a pocket of her barding.
Wings nudged Bosco’s shoulder, turning him back towards the forest. “So, are we going?”
He nodded. “Yeah, we’re g-”
“One moment.” Schwarzwald held up a hoof to interrupt. “I have a message from Fedexi Lexi.”
Boss? I thought happily. Undertow and I crowded around Schwarzwald as she started her communicator’s playback.
“Hey, girls.” Lexi’s drawl lifted my spirits, but it seemed a little colder than in person. “Now, ah heard over the radio about what’s been goin’ on recently.”
My ears flattened against my head at the business-like tone.
Lexi continued. “Snow, yer… yer not makin’ this easy.” I swallowed my tongue and had to look away. Sorry, Boss.
“But,” Lexi’s tone warmed here. “Ah got faith in ya. Ah trust y’know what yer doin’, and when t’stop.”
The build-up in my breast started to drain away, just a little. I gave Schwarzwald a thankful smile.
“Snowflake, Undertow. Y’all keep each other safe. You and yer friends. An’ find yer brother’s quick now, y’hear? No more pancakes if’n y’let me down.” The message cut out, with nobody saying anything for a moment.
“Aww,” Sugar laced Naiara’s cooing. “dat’s sho schwee-”
A deafening hiss erupted from the forest, forcing all of us to cover our ears. Breeze howled as the sound punished her sensitive hearing.
“WHAT’S HAPPENING?” I tried to shout, but the sound didn’t even reach my ears, let alone those of the others.
Cassie’s eyes still worked, as she wrenched her suffering sister aside just as vines burst from the foliage, grabbing for them both. They took wing, but the vines rose after them, grabbing them around the haunches. They screamed soundlessly as they were pulled between the trees.
Flashes to my left showed that Wings and Schwarzwald were still fighting. Back to back, they fired minigun and revolvers at any vines that came too close.
I tried to shout a warning about the vines encroaching from above, but the hissing was still too impenetrable. The vines divebombed them both, smothering their weapons and limbs. Within seconds they too were dragged into the forest.
They already got half of us! Where are the others? A thick creeper wrapped itself around my ankle and flipped me onto my back hard. The wind was driven from me as more plants grabbed at my body. I tried to freeze them with my magic, but couldn’t focus while being jostled.
Watery tendrils slashed and whipped at the vine on my leg. Undertow’s valiant defense looked like it would free me for a moment, but then more green tentacles bowled her over too. Reaching out a hoof, I grabbed hold of her barding and held her close. I blasted out magic in all directions in an attempt to get the plants off of her. We stopped mid-drag, the creepers frozen solid. Manically, I tore at the green chains, getting our attackers away from her.
Undertow was pointing, and I followed her limb. Bosco and Naiara were still free, jumping and dodging aside as the mossy tentacles hissed and hunted. I tried to pull Undertow towards them, but the world went black. Something pressed against my eyes, yanking my head up and to the side. I twisted and bit at what was blinding me, but it didn’t budge.
I felt Undertow’s hoof disappear from my grasp, then all I could feel was leaves against my cheeks.
~~~~~~
Grunting as I hit the ground, I found myself in a clearing within the forest. My battle saddle and weapons were still with me, but I could not see the others.
“Whoa!” Wings shot out of the greenery backwards, trying and failing to unfurl her wings before she too crashed down.
“Wings-dahling! You are alright!” I had to keep my eyes on our surroundings, but made my way over to her quickly.
She took my proffered hoof, using it to get herself upright, with revolvers drawn. “You okay, Schwarz?”
I gave myself a quick scan. “I seem to be, as do you. However, I do not see the others.”
“Can’t see what grabbed us either.” She groused, as she used her one free claw to rebind her feathers into a tail, which left her eyes unhindered. “Did you try the communicator?”
Good, you are keeping your cool, as always. I fished out the device given to me by dear Amber, and clicked up Breeze’s channel. “Breeze? Are you there, dahling? Cassie? Can anyone hear me?”
Nothing but static came through the speaker. I moved onto the other channels. “Bosco? Naiara? Do you read me?” More of the same. Finally, I tried the newest link “Snowflake? Undertow-dear?” They might be somewhere they cannot answer. Let me try one more person. “Amber-dahling, are you busy? Amber? Amber, if you can hear me then please respond!”
More static. I shrugged and put the device away. “It appears that we are, for the moment, on our own.”
Still monitoring our surroundings, Wings didn’t answer straight away. After a minute or so, she was finally satisfied that we weren’t in immediate danger, and let her claws drop. She didn’t put her revolvers away, however. I cannot argue with that.
Turning back to me, her blue eyes were smouldering. “Any idea on what’s going on? Why’d this forest grab us?” She raised her chin and repeated her question to the foliage. “HEY! WHY’D YOU GRAB US?”
When no answer was forthcoming, she picked a direction and began stalking off. “Come on, let’s go find the others.”
You still think about others first. As I’ve come to expect. “Yes, they took the twins first. Was that planned, or a target of opportunity?”
She flapped a wing tersely. “Don’t know, but let’s make finding those two our priority.”
Oh? “Why the twins?”
She started at the question. “I just… well, I mean… ah! Breeze has good ears, and Cassie’s got sharp eyes. If we find them first then we’ll find the others faster.”
Clever, but… “Is that the only reason?”
Her shoulders hunched slightly as she continued stalking forward. “Well, we could always look for Bosco. Colt’s got a good head on his shoulders. Or Naiara, since she’s a tracker.”
“...But not Snowflake or Undertow.” Something is troubling you. I wonder what.
She blew out a long breath, through the side of her beak. “Of course we’ll find them, I just... “ She sighed, stopping and turning to face me. “...I just need a little break from Snow for, like half an hour or an hour or something. Just some peace for a little while.”
“Is it the Red Ice business?” My eyes hardened a little at the thought. You HAVE to be ready for all this. You are the one that will decide Equestria’s future!
She waved off my question. “Nah, I can handle that. What gets me is that Snow never fucking shuts up about her damn family!” At my questioning look, she rolled her eyes and continued. “Oh don’t look at me like that. You just know the first thing she’ll do when we find her is to ask where Undertow is, and then the moment we all get out of here she’ll be right back to harping on about finding her brothers.”
She spread her claws wide to indicate the forest. “Newsflash! Bigger things to worry about! At least she’s got a chance to see her family again!”
Ah. I see. “Snowflake does seem to miss the bigger picture, sometimes.” Though she did seem to understand why you will be important.
“Yeah, that’s one way of putting it.” She muttered.
I had no response to that, so we resumed walking in silence, looking for the twins. The scenery didn’t seem to change, no matter how long we walked. The trees and leaves seemed to blur into one after a while.
After half an hour without any other source of entertainment, I had had enough. Leaning over, I nipped one of Wings’ neck feathers with my teeth.
“Ow! The hell, Schwarz?!”
“Will you tell her?” I challenged.
She was still rubbing her plumage. “Tell who?”
“Snowflake. Will you tell her how she upsets you?”
She flexed her claws quickly. “Of course not! What would I say? ‘Stop trying to find your loved ones’? Yeah, like I’m gonna be that girl.” She spat on the ground. “It’s my problem, not hers. I’ll get over it.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. Wings took it to mean I was laughing AT her, and sulked. This, of course, made me laugh harder.
I think I’ll hold on to this conversation for the next time that Watcher doubts your place in the Gardens.
“Well,” I shoulder-nudged her. “as we are being honest, I feel that I should tell you something in return.”
“And what’s that?” She grumbled, only half-listening.
“Well, dear Cassie and I have been getting to know each other more closely since we began travelling together.” Another perk of our growing circle of friends and confidants. “Myself, Cassie… and her whip.”
I thoroughly enjoyed the shock that ran through Wings’ blue eyes, the obvious images running through her mind, before she attempted to cover it with a cough. “You and Cassie? Well… that’s a thing. I didn’t think she was the type.”
Not all of us have our eyes turned outwards every second, my dear. The rest of us stop to appreciate these worldly pleasures. “It is more complicated than-”
“Wait.” She cut me off suddenly, drawing her guns. “Did you hear that?”
The faint rustling was growing more distinct in my ears too. I span up my minigun. “Indeed…”
~~~~~~
“And so that is where I have been ‘sneaking off to’ at night.” I tried to keep my cheeks from reddening further. Talking about this with one’s sister is… icky.
Breeze was staring into space with that faraway gaze she always wore when working through a tricky issue with one of her gadgets. I always did like how your bang swings back and forth when you do that.
After a few seconds, she blinked and came back to the conversation. “I-I’m just a little shocked is all. I didn’t think you… I mean, of course Schwarzwald does, but I’ve never seen…” She was starting to go red now too.
I took pity on her. “I’m not, not like you are thinking anyway. It is more of an… in the moment experience. I don’t know how else to explain it, but the act is more important than the participants.”
She took a few moments to mull that over, while I took another look at our predicament. Still no sign of our captors, not since they left us here. “Can you try the radio again? To contact the others?”
Keying up her custom-built communicator, she hit the switch. “Are any of you guys out there? Anybody at all? I’m here with Cassie, but we don’t really have a fix on where ‘here’ is yet. Naiara, Wings, or Undertow, give a sign if you can hear this. We’ll keep our communicators on.”
The same silence that followed our previous tries returned. Grimacing, she put the communicator away. “No luck. What now?”
My jaw set. “We keep walking. We will either find our way out of this forest, or we’ll find one or more of the others. Naiara would be the best option, with her tracking skills. Or perhaps if we had Wings here, we might be able to get through the tree canopy.”
We both looked up at the tangle of branches and leaves overhead. Despite our best efforts, including one of Breeze’s grenades, we had been unable to get past it to the open air. Spitting on the ground, Breeze stayed looking at the gooey expulsion for a moment. “Maybe we should try to find Undertow?”
I frowned. “Now isn’t the time to settle up with her, Breeze. We need to get out of here first.”
She shook her head. “Not what I meant. Bosco told me that she can do this tracker spell thing, where she finds water and can follow it to its source. If she did that, it might lead her out of the forest.”
I mulled it over. Not an unsensible idea, however… “It could also lead her further in, depending on where the source is.”
Breeze shrugged. “Better than walking around lost like us.”
I reached out and rested my hoof on her shoulder gently. “We’ll find our way out of this, Breeze. Don’t worry.” I pressed further when this failed to get a reaction. “We’ll get back to normal soon enough, and we’ll just laugh about the time you went stir crazy and even missed Undertow.”
She gave a single “Ha.” A token effort at best. Her eyes kept flickering towards mine, only to turn away at the last moment.
I fixed her with a stare. “I know that look, Breeze. You had the same one the last time you polished off my whiskey. What did you do?”
Panic set in. “Nothing! I-” Her eyes had gone wide, and she shrank back slightly. “I just… I, uh, was thinking about the… I was thinking about Undertow.”
Oh. You actually DO miss her. “What about Undertow?”
She still wouldn’t look fully at me. “It’s just… she’s kinda… she doesn’t really act like a Raider, you know? I know she was considered the leader of the Deep Divers, but that basically meant they left her alone until one of them got brave enough to try to kill her. A-and that business with the new Raider army? Well, that wasn’t really her either, was it? She just kinda went along with the plan.”
My heart rate had picked up considerably. I didn’t necessarily disagree with anything Breeze was saying, but still had concerns. “Breeze, you know all we’ve been through because of the Raiders-”
“I know, I know!” She cut me off desperately. “Look, she’s been fine so far. Naiara’s… Naiara’s been pushing for me to give her a chance, to properly get to know her as a pony. I’ve tried, every now and then, y’know, talked with her a little bit, even had a back and forth about some magic ideas.” Guilt racked her face as she finally met my eyes. “I dunno, Cas, I just kinda get the feeling that, instead of another Raider, she’s another Raider victim.”
That one hit me right in the chest. A… a victim? You’re saying Undertow’s another casualty of the Raiders? My mind skittered over and around the idea. “I don’t know either, sister. That’s… Raiders can be tricky to spot, and-”
This time I was the one to step back while she pressed. “I know, and I wouldn’t say this if I didn’t think there might be a chance, but I just don’t wanna always be worrying about when I’ll have to take her out. I wanna try, for our sanity.”
It just wouldn’t coalesce into a certainty in my mind, but it was being gradually drowned out by something that would. I trusted Breeze explicitly, unreservedly. If she said she could handle this, and it might be good for us, then I would support her.
“Alright,” I exhaled. “we’ll give it a try. Naiara has proven to be a good judge of character so far, you being exhibit A.” She coloured nicely at this. “If she says we can trust Undertow, then we will try to trust her.”
Breeze’s obvious relief at my agreement prompted me to get in one last jab. “And who knows, it probably couldn’t hurt your chances with that handsome clanmate of hers.”
“Cas! Come on!” She couldn’t hide her blush. “That’s different. I can probably trust Cept.”
“Probably?” She wilted under my raised eyebrow.
“Yes!” She replied, indignant. “I mean, the clan leader is a little troubling, but Cept seems okay.”
I can’t disagree with that either. This ‘Atesh’ seems like he is planning something too. We cannot ignore him forever. “So, your circle of friends is growing to include a not-Raider and a zebra stallion, to go along with Naiara. No ponies?”
“Bosco’s okay, I guess. And you clearly think Schwarzwald’s good. Her and Wings both.”
Now the moment of truth. “And what about Snowflake?”
“What about her?” Her reply was caustic, a solid wall of disapproval.
I couldn’t agree more. “Precisely.”
The forest’s rustling seemed to react to my thoughts.
~~~~~~
The loud CRACK of my water breaking through the frozen vines did nothing to lift my mood. Within moments, vines covered the gap.
“Any luck?” Snowflake was on the other side of the clearing, trying to find another way through.
“No,” I called over my shoulder. “as soon as I make a hole it fills in again.”
“Yeah, same over here. Doesn’t look like we’re getting out of here without the others’ help.”
That didn’t help matters either. Why capture us if we are to just wander aimlessly in these woods? I absentmindedly flicked a sliver of ice from my goggles before addressing my sister. “Shall we move on?”
Snowflake drew even with me. “Are you getting anything from your water trail spell?”
I could only shake my head. “No. I can feel water sometimes, but I cannot find where it comes from. We will have to find another way.”
Falling into silence, we continued stoically on. The forest’s greenery never seemed to end, and there was no sign of light from between the trees, nor of the clouds above. We both looked up, momentarily hopeful, as a ripple of wind ran through the forest canopy. It wasn’t enough though, and didn’t open up the green ceiling.
Snow continued to look up. “Do you think the others got out?”
“If they managed to get through to the sky, yes. I am… not so confident about Schwarzwald, Naiara, or Bosco.”
Silence descended again, and we walked for several miles before it was broken. “Hey, Undertow, do you mind if I ask you something now it’s just the two of us?”
Why would that matter? “What is it?”
“It’s about something Breeze said.” She was tentative, speaking slowly and softly.
“What did she say?” My sister didn’t often get like this. It was usually when her own insecurities surfaced.
Her mouth twitched, looking like it was caught between a smile and a glum droop. “Well, back when we dropped Al off with Lexi, she said something to you.”
“To me?” Thinking back that far distracted me, and I had to stop walking for a moment. Most of my focus back then was on why Snowflake hadn’t told Al about me, but Breeze did say something. It was… “She said that Lexi was… scary, correct? I agreed, but also mentioned how nice she was.” I glanced over to Snowflake. “Is that what you were referring to?”
Her expression turned from confused to worried. “Undertow, um… Breeze never said that Lexi was scary. No, well, she did, but she didn’t use her name.”
Did she insult Boss? I’ll kill her! I stepped forward forcefully. “What word did she call her?”
Snowflake’s orange eyes were kind, but also serious. It reminded me of our battle at Sombra’s Shadow Lake. She still wore that ‘should-I-be-smiling’ half-smile. “Undertow… she called Lexi your mom.”
My goggles slipped from my eyes as my brows rose. “...Oh.”
Snowflake stepped closer. “How do you feel about that?”
How do I feel about that?
My hooves rubbed the sleeves of the Sprinkles Supplies barding.
The taste of the oat pancakes Lexi had made for us ghosted along my tongue.
My shoulders grew warm as I remembered how tightly she’d hugged me after Snowflake and I had fought.
Then there was the promise the two of us had made, to save my sister from herself if need be.
“Undertow?” Snow broke into my reverie. “Sweetie, you’re crying. What’s wrong?”
“I-I am?” A shaking hoof came away wet from my eyes. “I’m crying.” I found myself laughing at the sensation. “Why am I crying?”
“Are you sad?”
“NO!” I near-shouted, surprising myself. “I’m not sad at all.” It wasn’t a totally unpleasant sensation, but the pressure on my chest was building.
I had to see my sister at that moment, even if she was blurred by the tears. “Do you… do you think she would say ‘yes’?”
Her indecisive smile lost its indecision. “Do you want her to?”
I could only whimper and nod, feeling the pressure break in my breast.
Gathering me up into a hug, Snowflake stroked my mane lovingly. “Then let’s go ask her, after we get out of here and finish Bosco’s business.”
I sniffled into her neck. “But what about our brothers?”
She’d shifted into full, supreme-confidence big sister mode. “We’ll find them too, don’t ever doubt that. We won’t let anything stop us, and then we’ll get you back to your mom.”
I… I have a mother! Water still ran down my cheeks, but the thought cheered me up.
“What...what are moms like? What was yours like?”
She shrugged in the hug. “I dunno, I never met her. I’ve never had a mother. I was raised by the Stable, and the boys’ mother looked after me sometimes, before she died. Still, it’s like Breeze said: Lexi IS scary but kind.”
Giggling, I hugged her tighter. However, another thought had taken root in my mind and wouldn’t leave. “Um… if Lexi wants to be my mom, and you want to be my sister, does that make her your-”
“Wait!” Snowflake hissed suddenly.
“What?” I pulled my head up, and looked around.
Snaking down from the tree canopy, as the leaves rustled, were more of the damn vines.
~~~~~~
“Get up.”
“No.”
“We seriously don’t have time for this.”
“We’ve got as much time in here as we ever did, unless you thought up a way to get out of here in the last five seconds.”
I gritted my teeth. “So you want to just wait and be stuck in here forever, is that it?”
“Yyyyep.”
“THE FUCK YOU DO, NOW GET THE HELL UP!” I am not in the mood today. Not. In. The. Freaking. Mood.
Slumping from her sitting position to laid down, Naiara crossed her hooves behind her head and closed her eyes. “Make me.”
“So it’s gonna be like that.” I seethed. “The others might be in trouble, and you’re just gonna lie there. Real quality friendship there, Naiara.”
She didn’t move, not open her eyes. “Well maybe it can be someone else’s turn to be the good friend, for once.”
The bitter reply cut through my anger somewhat. “What do you mean?”
Her eyes snapped open, caught. She quickly turned away and began pushing herself to her hooves. “Nothing. Let’s just go.”
“Hold on.” I stuck a hoof out to stop her. “Say what you want to say. Seems like you need it.”
She swiped at the air. “Well, none of you seem to care much that I lost friends to the buffalo! Nobody’s even mentioned them, except when Breeze wants to talk about her crush, or Snow wants to speak in broken zebra. None of you, my ‘friends’, have given a second thought about my clan.”
I frowned. “Your clan?” Where is this coming from? You were fine earlier.
She nodded angrily. “Yeah, my clan. When Crush, and Snow’s brother I might add, attacked us: the eight of us got out okay, but not all of us zebra did! I might not spend all that much time with them, but they’re still the ones who I grew up with. It still hurts!”
Hesitating, my barring hoof dropped. “I…” Shit, what am I supposed to say to that? I guess they did kinda bring it on themse-
“And yeah, Atesh worked with Raiders, and my clan were the ones who decided to sneak attack the camp, then humiliate Crush,”
-lves.
“but we’re not just doing this for no reason. Atesh really believes that we need the horn to prosper.” Her jaw set, and she dug at the ground. “Snow should have told you and the others about the horn, especially after Latvi learned about it. She didn’t, and it cost zebra lives.”
“That’s not…” I tried to ease some of the strain out of my suddenly stiff neck. You’re right, Snow should have told us. She put us all in danger by keeping the thing in the first place, and then keeping it secret. But still, Snow doesn’t really seem to be doing anything with it except trying to keep it out of the wrong hooves. Atesh and Latvi are the ones who want to use it.
“And I should have said something.” Naiara’s jade eyes took on a faraway look. “I knew she had the horn. I knew some of the rumours of what it could do, but I just ran away after the Raider summit. I didn’t go back to Atesh and Cept, or stay with Snow, or find you guys. I just ran, and now six of my clanmates are dead, maybe more by now.”
“You did get Undertow to safety.” I tried, searching for any silver lining.
“Not good enough.” She chastised herself grimly. “Not nearly good enough. I was so worried about letting everybody down that I let everybody down. After I got Undertow out of there, I had to run. I didn’t know who I was supposed to back, who I was supposed to apologise to first. I just freaked and ran, because I didn’t know what I was supposed to do next.”
Now I was the one lying down, as all the fight left me. “Yeah,” I breathed out. “I get that.”
Agitated pacing gave way to confused stillness. “You do?”
My eyes found the walls of our green cage. “Yeah. Back in Whitepony, when Undertow and I got grabbed and taken to Whinniepeg. It was the worst experience of my life.” Shuddering, I had to jam my hooves into my eyelids to dispel the remembered images. “Undertow did what she could to keep us safe, but it just kept happening, every moment. I never felt...right. Even after you guys got me out, it didn’t go away, it just faded… got quieter.”
A striped visage loomed over me. “What did?”
Letting my hooves fall to the grass with a soft thud, I shrugged. “I can’t explain it. I don’t feel right inside. It’s like something different, but I don’t know what. Undertow saw it, and she tried to help, but pretty soon we all got swept up into dealing with the Raider army, and fights with Hissyflits, and now this search for my Orbs. Whatever those things tried to do to me hasn’t gone away.”
All sharpness had left her green irises. “Why didn’t you ever tell us?”
I let out a helpless laugh. “And say what? ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about nothing’? You’re all helping me find my Orbs already. I can’t lump this on you too.”
“Bosco, we’re your friends. We want to help you if there’s something wrong.”
Sighing, I looked away. “I know, but I need to know if it IS wrong. It’s different, but it ebbs and flows. Getting angry seems to make it worse, which was why I didn’t go with you to the Raider summit. I couldn’t be around Snow without being angry after she tried to give away my Orbs. Being with Wings and the others was simpler. We were doing straightforward things; going after bad ponies, killing Raiders, other easy stuff like that. Not hard to feel better about myself.”
My hooves raised to the sky, separately, before coming together. “Now that we’re all back together again, things are getting muddied. Whatever the feeling is, it’s getting stronger again.”
Naiara radiated concern. “Bosco, we’ve gotta figure this out. You can’t keep going like this.”
I met her gaze steelily. “Yeah, I can. Just like you. Just like all of us. I’ll get right in time. I’ll live with it for now, until I know what it means.”
“You cannot wait. You will continue.”
Shooting up in panic, our foreheads met violently. Wincing in pain, we scrambled upright, back to back. “Who’s there?”
“Boy, you meddle with more than you know.” The voice seemed to echo from everywhere at once.
I bit down on my knife’s handle, as Naiara shouted at the forest. “SHOW YOURSELF!”
“Not yet, zebra, but you will see something special.”
Vines burst from the brush, lancing between us. More and more vines rushed in, cutting off our view.
“Nu-ura!” Yelling around my knife, I tried to get a view of her, but the undulating tendrils obscured any sign of her.
I could hear her, however. “Bosco, get out of here!”
I spat out the knife. “Not without you! Just hold on a little while longer.”
Grabbing up the blade, I charged at the wall. Hacking and slashing, I kept up a steady attack, all personal issues forgotten. Why now? We were just talking! Why are you taking her too?! WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ALL OF US?!?!
“Rest assured, boy. Your time here is not yet over.”
~~~~~~
The vines released their death grip on my limbs and retreated back into the bush.
As I looked around, my temper quickly flared. “Are you serious? You drag me away from Undertow just to dump me in another patch of identical FUCKING FOREST?!”
“-all the way to the roots!”
I barely had time to look up before the descending body crushed me to the ground. “Orrrrrrrgh.” I could only groan and try to push the lump off.
“The hell’ve I landed on? Oh, Snow!”
I kept groaning as my bruised form was grabbed and roughly hauled upright. “You had to land on me, Bosco?”
The charcoal colt grinned sheepishly. “Wasn’t really my choice.” His smile slipped slightly, and he looked around. “Just us? I was hoping they’d bring Naiara too.”
My focus sharpened. “Naiara? They got her?”
He grimaced. “Yeah, they got all of us.”
“Damn. Undertow was just with me before, too, but they separated us.”
Frowning as he surveyed our new clearing, Bosco began circling the edge. “Any idea who ‘they’ are?”
“None. You?”
His hooves probed the green barrier. “Not yet, but they spoke to me just before they split up me and Naiara.”
That made me double-take. “They spoke to you?”
He nodded. “Something did, anyway. Said we weren’t done here just yet.”
Fucking wonderful. “Lovely.” I deadpanned. “Did they happen to say what this was all for?”
“No, they neglected to provide that info.” He exhaled sloppily.
“It is not yet time for that,” We both froze as the voice reverberated around the clearing. “but why not show you something beautiful?”
Pretty sure we differ on the definition of beautiful, freak. My alarm was reflected in Bosco’s grey eyes.
We watched, shoulders tense, as a cluster of leaves pressed together across from us, before slowly spreading out. In the centre of the leaves, a translucent film ran across the widening gap. The film was a mess of shifting colours, that slowly resolved themselves into an image.
Through the ‘window’ we saw another clearing, very similar to the one we were standing in. In the clearing were two figures, writhing on the ground.
“Wings!” She was clearly suffering.
“Undertow!” She’s in pain!
“What happened to them?”
~~~~~~
“ARGH!” I yelled as I clutched my beak. “Fuck, kid, what is your horn made of?”
Undertow’s hooves were wrapped around her horn, but she still seemed to glare through her goggles at me. “It’s growing out of my skull, what do you think it’s made of?”
“Well thank you so much for charging into me skeleton first!” How does Snow put up with you?
“Me? You ran into me face first. You could have taken my eye out with that beak!”
I noticed something shining on the edge of her goggles. “Are you crying?”
“NO!” She hastily rubbed at her goggles. “You’re just seeing things.”
“Pft. Brat!”
“Blind old bird!”
Why you insufferable little… I bristled. “I’m not your sister, filly. I won’t take that crap from you.”
“My sister wouldn’t try to lie about running into someone!”
“Your sister lies all the time!”
“Not for small stuff!”
She sat scrunching her nose at me, while all I could manage was to stare open-beaked. Then the laughter came.
“Eheh… eheh… ehahaha… ehAHAHAHA! You know, that’s totally true.” She does save her lies for the big stuff.
As her disgruntlement shifted to confusion, I let the good cheer continue, speaking between chuckles. “Eheheh, good to see you’re okay, Undertow.”
“Uhhh… you too?”
I looked over her shoulder. “So, where’s Snow?”
“We got separated. The vines took us.”
Damn. “Same for Schwarz and me. Guess we just keep going until we find the others, now that we know they’re in here.”
Undertow blanched, but still fell into step with me as I began walking. “That isn’t much of a plan, Wings.”
“Nah, not really. I’m open to suggestions if you’ve got any.”
She winced and rubbed the base of her horn. “Perhaps when the swelling goes down.”
I rubbed my beak in response. “I better not wake up tomorrow with a dent the shape of your scooter badge on my face.”
She gasped, and fumbled for the badge. “It didn’t break, did it?”
Aww, how cute. “It’s fine. I’m sure Snow’ll bring you another one soon enough. I’ll tell her you like those little gifts.”
Sighing in relief at the intact badge, she re-affixed it with a smile. “I really do, and not just because they’re from my sister.”
“Oh yeah? Then why?”
Even while looking slightly unnerving with her expressionless, goggled eyes, her smile still managed to light up her entire face. “When Snow brings me back a trinket, it means she came home safely. It means she’s okay, for one more day anyway.”
Damn if you don’t lay it on thick, kiddo. I opened my mouth to tease her, but another voice interrupted.
“Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
We both started at the confident tones. Our heads whipped towards the newcomer: A unicorn, standing there with a smirk, bold as brass.
“Sister!” Undertow scampered towards her.
“Snow?” I quickly scanned our surroundings. Where’d she come from?
“Good to see you guys are safe.” Still smirking, Snowflake stepped straight past Undertow, bringing the younger unicorn up short, and stopped right in front of me. “I was worried about you.”
Me? I looked over Snowflake’s shoulder at Undertow, who was equally confused at this. “Uhh… what about Undertow?”
I near-flipped out when Snow made no move to check on Undertow, who’s smile had vanished, and instead batted her eyes at me. “She’s fiiine. Now then,” Orange eyes roved over my form, “are you? Maybe I should check.”
The heck? “Snow, are you okay? Did whoever caught us do something to you?” I leaned back slightly.
She leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting. “I’m fine, though maybe YOU should check ME over if you’re worried?”
“Um… Snowflake?” Timidity outlined Undertow’s entire being as she hesitantly called out to her sister. “Did you see where you went after we were separated?”
“No, Sweetie.” Snow replied curtly, not taking her eyes from me.
“Are you sure you’re good, Snow?” I was checking her out for signs of trouble.
She noticed, and batted her eyes. “So thoughtful, Wings, but I’m fine.” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper. “Just like you.”
Ho-ly damn! My face burned. I flicked my eyes repeatedly towards Undertow, hoping Snowflake would get the message and knock off the act.
Spinning on her heel, which meant her tail ran softly along my cheek, Snowflake turned and began walking. “Shall we go find the others?”
With mirroring looks of utter cluelessness, and my cheek tingling, Undertow and I began walking after her. I made sure to manoeuvre Undertow between Snowflake and I.
The older unicorn noticed, and pouted at me. “Why so cautious, Blue Fire? Everypony knows you like ‘spanking my flank up and down’.”
AAAHHH!!!Wait a second...
~~~~~~
“What am I doing? WHAT AM I DOING?!”
Bosco was watching the display in open-mouthed amazement. “Looks like you’re hitting on Wings to me.”
“Why am I hitting on Wings?”
“I know.” Awe ran through Bosco’s words. “I mean, Undertow’s right there.”
“Why am I hitting on Wings when Undertow’s right there?!”
“Well, I dunno but you’re really going for it.”
“BOSCO!” I shouted at the colt, spittle flying.
He held up his hooves in defense. “What? It’s not my fault.” He couldn’t contain his smile. “But it is kinda funny. I didn’t even know you thought Wings was pretty.”
“Of course she’s-that’s not the point, Bosco!” I rounded on the forest. “Why are you doing this?”
“It will be very informative.”
“Informative for what?” I growled, incredulous.
“Snow, the picture changed!” Bosco was still rooted to the wispy window.
“What? No!” I Crowded in beside Bosco. “Turn it back to that fake right now!”
~~~~~~
“I got you!” With a diving leap, I managed to catch Cassie before she hit the ground. “Couldn’t get those wings ready in time, huh?”
“I… yes.” Scrambling off me in an attempt at dignity, Cassie brushed herself down. “Good to see you, Naiara. Is Breeze with you?”
Good question. I watched the shrinking hole that Cassie had come through, until it closed completely. “Apparently not. I was with Bosco before, but this place split us up. Was Breeze with you?”
Cassie had been watching the hole too. She nodded without looking away from it. “Indeed. I was hoping that we would be brought to the same place.”
“Dang. Sounds like we’re getting the run around. You think the others have ended up jumbled too?”
Tiredness crept into her words. “I don’t know. We won’t know for sure until we locate our comrades.”
“Don’t worry,” I pressed, trying to cheer her up. “we got this.”
The pegasus craned her neck deliberately, and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, they weren’t kind. “Got what, exactly? At what point did it seem like we were in control of this situation?”
I huffed at her accusatory behaviour. “What’s eating you?”
Cassie just carried on as if I hadn’t said anything. “At what point did it seem like we were in control of anything? Even before we got trapped here, we were barely managing to avoid trouble for even a few hours at a time. Time and time again one of our group has landed us in danger, so why, in the name of all that’s decent, do you persist in acting like nothing is wrong?”
“So somehow this is my fault?” I groused. You picked the wrong day for this, Cassiopeia.
“You tell me, svara.” The word came out like the worst insult. “It wasn’t so long ago that we were at the mercy of your clanmates. It was only through that lummox, Crush, and his gaggle of idiots, that we got out of that situation. Now my sister is sweet on Atesh’s loyal bloodhound, and I don’t know if I can trust this Cept or not!”
“For your information, that ‘lummox’ that allowed us to ‘get out of that situation’ also killed six of my clanmates. Thanks for proving me right about you guys not caring about them, or how I feel about it. And by the way, I’ve known Cept far longer than I’ve known Breeze, and certainly longer than I’ve known YOU. I trust him explicitly, and Breeze is lucky to have him!”
“But you don’t trust her explicitly.” She pointed out.
“That’s not what I meant!”
“What did you mean, Naiara? You have been a great friend and comfort to my sister since we began travelling together, however Atesh, and Cept, and your clan are matters that we can ill-afford to ignore. They have meddled in our affairs, and will continue to do so. Where will your allegiances lie when the time comes to resolve this?” The bracers on her wrists shifted ever-so-slightly, as the muscles beneath them tensed.
“My ‘allegiances’ lie with EVERYONE I care about. I’m not gonna let anything happen to Breeze, Cept, Atesh, YOU, Bosco, Undertow, or the rest. BUT… I don’t plan on letting any more of my clanmates get killed either.”
Cassie scoffed. “Oh, what a wonderful non-answer.”
Teeth grinding, I took a purposeful step forward. “Listen, you POMPOUS-”
“Now, now, girls. Don’t fight over little ol’ me.”
Both our heads snapped towards the source of the interruption, hearts lightening as we did so. “Breeze!”
Puffing her bang out of her eyes, Breeze’s cocksure smile stayed up. “Glad to see my two favourite equines are okay.”
Cassie was gently checking her over. “Where did they take you?”
Bruskly removing her sister’s roaming hooves, Breeze cocked her head further down the path. “Not far from here. I walked for a little while, then heard you two chatting. Thought I might have heard some of the others, but I can’t be sure.”
My eyes were drawn to Cassie, who’d gone stiff. “You… you are not sure?”
Shrugging, Breeze beckoned for us to move off. “Hey, nopony’s perfect. I might have heard something, and I might not have. Let’s go find out!”
I moved to follow Breeze, but stopped when Cassie stayed in her spot. “Come on.”
Her face was expressionless, but she started walking robotically nonetheless.
~~~~~~
“Hey! Heyheyhey!” Bosco yelled at the greenery. “What was that? Was that really Breeze, or just another fake?”
A ripple ran through the leaves. “You would need a philosopher to truly answer that.”
“Oh, screw off, you damn ghost!”
“This is pointless!” I interjected. “What possible benefit can this bring you?”
“Keep watching.”
~~~~~~
“I gotta say, I didn’t expect that from Cassie. I mean, first off, I didn’t think she swung that way, and I never suspected her of looking at you that way.” Seriously, I didn’t see it coming.
Chuckling wistfully, Schwarzwald good-naturedly shook her head. “I do not believe it is as you say, dahling.”
I blinked. “What do you mean? Seems pretty cut-and-dry to me. You’d hit anything with a pulse, and Cassie seems into you. What am I missing?”
“Do not be jealous, Breeze-dahling, it is unlady-like.” It would have been clear to a blind Hissyflit that she didn’t believe what she said.
“Cassie’s the lady, and she went to town on your flank with a whip. Kinda think the definitions are getting muddled.”
“Hmmhmmhmm, perhaps. But what I meant was that you should not be so quick to choose the lewd option. Cassie’s actions were not about sexual release, at least not on her part.” Her toothy grin deepened. “I can hardly be blamed for enjoying myself.”
I cocked my head to the side, lone bang swinging down past my cheek. “So Cassie just wailed on your plot, with the whip I made for her, for no reason?”
“You can be so cute and naive sometimes. No, not for no reason. I only said that it wasn’t for sexual release. Dear Cassie was simply relieving some stress. I took advantage of the situation.”
“What’s Cassie got to be stressed about?” I wasn’t fond of the idea that something was bothering my sister.
Schwarzwald’s humour remained, but it was overlaid by a patronising expression. “Perhaps our growing number of friends and enemies? For every new member of our group, we seem to gain two foes.”
And she couldn’t talk to me about this? Had to go beating on your flank instead? “Well, yeah, but we’ve known about all that for a while. It’s not like it snuck up on us. Cass and I made the decision to stay involved with Snow even after we found out she was Red Ice.”
An unfocused, faraway look crossed her eyes for a moment. “Sometimes it is that which does not surprise us which is hardest to deal with. If we know it will come but cannot escape it.”
Speaking from experience, old mare? I shrugged, and rubbed my greave. “I’m not saying I want Cassie feeling like this, ‘cause I don’t, but it’s not like I can stop her from doing the stuff that gets her down, y’know?”
“Go on.” Sharpness returned to Schwarzwald’s forest-green eyes as she waited for me to continue.
Guess I’m not getting a history lesson today. “We are dealing with some crazy shit, and I spend half my time wondering if it’d be better to just take Cass and Naiara and just bolt, but I know they wouldn’t go for it. They like the rest of you guys too much.”
“And you do not? Oh, I am hurt.”
“I don’t mean it like that, Schwarz, it’s just… well, besides Cass and Naiara, I’m not really all that close to any of you. Cass is friends with you and Wings, and seems to like Bosco, and Naiara’s buddies with Snow, and Undertow, and Bosco again. I just kinda go along with what those two say. I can’t call the others my friends, and I’m sure they wouldn’t either.” Undertow wouldn’t, no matter what Cass thinks. A-and it’s not like I’m sure I want her to, either!
“You do not think you are valued?” Her normally husky voice had shifted to a drier tone. “It is because of you that we are all together at all.”
Huh? “Huh?”
She produced her communicator, and tapped it against my greave. “You build things that none of us can even dream of. You are a Pegasus, yet you hold magic in your hooves. If we are separate, we can always talk with each other, thanks to your radios. Nobody considers you an outsider here.”
“So they don’t like me, they just like what I can make for them?” I bitterly griped.
A painful jolt sparked through my forehead. “Ow! The hell?”
Stashing the communicator she’d just bopped me with, she tut-tutted. “Do not be difficult. Your creativity is a vital part of you, and none of us take it for granted. We do not believe that your virtue makes up all of you, but it might be all that you choose to show. If you open up more, I do not think the others will complain.” Her disapproving pout morphed back into her easy smile. “You can be so cute sometimes, and you do not see it.”
“Ah, go headbutt a wall, dirt pony.” Still, I found myself smiling back involuntarily. “Since when are you doling out the feel-goods?”
Mischief sparkled in her eyes. “Laughing at sad children is not as fun as laughing with cute little ones.”
“Yeah,” I jibed. “because you really struggle to laugh, Schwarzwald.”
“What can I say? It is my nature.”
“Be careful of that nature, sister. I’m sure it could get you into all sorts of trouble.” Pushing her way through the foliage, Cass emerged into the clearing, looking as prim and proper as ever.
“Cass, you’re okay!” Embracing her tightly, I enjoyed the sensation of her red and black mane rubbing over my eyelids.
“It is good to see you safe, Cassie-dahling. Have you found any of the others?” Schwarzwald playfully joined the hug. I didn’t care, and happily wrapped a hoof around her.
Cassie broke away to answer. “Not yet, Breeze and I were separated, but I didn’t see any of the others. I was hoping to find Wings or Bosco, but I would have settled for any of the others, even Red Eyes, or her sister.”
I popped back and began walking. “Well, come on! With the three of us, we’l-” Wait, hold on, did she say…? Fuck it, don’t care right now. “We’ll find the rest, and get the hell out of here.”
Schwarzwald tightened the straps on her battle saddle, grinning all the while. “One down, and only five to go.”
~~~~~~
“The tests are progressing well.” The voice was distracted, musing.
“What tests? What. Do. You. Want?” I stamped my hoof, some icy mist shooting from my horn. So sick of this crap!
“Seriously.” Bosco agreed, twitching his knife. “You guys are just wasting our time now. We’re not your playthings.”
“Do not pout because you are not the toy currently being played with, little colt.” The voice sounded affronted now. “When your friends’ tests are over, then you will be in play.”
“LEAVE THEM ALONE!” Bosco and I yelled together.
“It is almost time. The final test should determine the next step.”
“If you do anything to them-”
“Anything such as what is shown currently, perhaps?”
“Currently? Oh, hell…”
Bosco and I could only watch helplessly as the scene unfolded before our eyes.
~~~~~~
“How much farther, Breeze? Where did you hear the others?” Naiara and Cassie trailed behind the technophile, impatient and pensive respectively.
“Just a little further.” Flashing a smile, she bounded on ahead, disappearing around a thick clump of foliage.
“Breeze, don’t run ahead!” Cassie chastised, speeding up to follow. She and Naiara hustled around the corner, into a larger clearing. Still overcast by vines and leaves, it spanned a radius of a dozen metres.
Breeze was standing in the centre. She held up a hoof. “Just wait for a little while, you two. You’ll like what comes next.”
That brought the two up short. Exchanging a quick glance, they stared questioningly back at her. “What do you mean, Breeze? What is coming?”
Breeze didn’t have to answer, as three more bodies emerged into the clearing from a far bush cluster.
Snowflake was first, strolling backwards effortlessly. No trace of nature stained her coat.
Wings was less lucky, as wet green streaks ran along her feathers. “We couldn’t have taken two seconds to find a path to get us-” She broke off abruptly as the scene before her registered.
Following Wings, Undertow pushed an oversized leaf out of her way, before spotting the others. “Naiara! Cassie! Breeze! You’re here!”
“Guys!” Wings found her voice. “You’re okay!”
“And you as well.” Cassie’s body language had utterly shifted. The rigidity was gone, and she openly embraced Wings and Undertow in crushing hugs.
“Ooh, me next!” Snowflake hopped forward towards them.
“Stay right there!” Warned Wings, talon pointed accusingly.
“Aww, don’t be shy.”
“No. Bad Snow!” Wings was going red again.
“Gonna spank me again?” She winked at the chocolate-and-cherry griffon.
The others watched the exchange with open mouths.
Undertow looked queasy.
Naiara was astonished.
Cassie was frowning, and looking between Snowflake and Breeze.
And then Cassiopeia Venatici walked into the clearing.
Following behind her, Breeze and Schwarzwald froze as they took in the scene. Slowly panning across everyone gathered, Breeze managed to croak out one word: “...What?”
“Aqua Breeze?” Said Cassie.
“Cassie?” Said Breeze.
“Cassiopeia Venatici?” Said Aqua Breeze.
“Breeze?” Said Cassiopeia Venatici.
Schwarzwald was half-smiling, but spinning up her weapons at the same time. “Well, this is interesting, isn’t it, dahlings?”
Undertow sidled closer to Wings, as did Snowflake. Naiara wouldn’t stop looking back and forth between the two pairs of twins.
Snowflake leaned on Wings’ shoulder. “Exciting, no?”
Flinching at the contact, Wings’ sapphire eyes flamed. “YOU!”
Before she could do anything else, one pair of twins moved as one. Hidden blades popped out of their wrist armaments, and slashed at their closest ‘sister’. The attacked targets took wing, and flapped over to an empty section of clearing, landing beside each other. The attacked Cassie smiled at the attacking Breeze. “What’s the matter, sister?”
The attacked Breeze mirrored the action, towards the attacking Cassie. “Yeah, sis. What’s wrong?”
Both attackers kept their weapons pointed, glaring at the grinning girls. Cassie spoke quietly, but firmly. “You are no sister of mine.”
Breeze, keeping her eyes on the smiling pair, slowly walked towards Cassie. “What she said.”
The attacked Breeze gasped dramatically, making a show of clutching her heart. “How could you say such a thing? Don’t you love me anymore?”
All emotion vanished from Cassie’s tone. It was cold, hard, and devoid of warmth. “You are not Breeze. Breeze never mishears anything.”
Breeze came to a stop beside her sister, glaring at the mirror of said sister. “And I didn’t hear wrong from you either, fake! Snowflake isn’t Red EYES, she’s Red ICE.”
“She’s also not HERE.” Wings tried to draw her revolver from its holster.
Snowflake moved like a snake, slamming a hoof down on her claw. It, and the weapon it held, were pinned in the leather. “Think before you do something you regret, Blue Fire. I really am Snowflake.”
“No, you’re not.” Wings’ wings spread out wide, pushing back with powerful swings. “Lie again, and I’ll put a bullet between your eyes, imposter.”
“And here I was hoping to have some more fun before this all came out.” ‘Snowflake’ leered eye-to-eye with Wings, who glared back. “I guess I’ll just have to settle for this.”
Without another word, she leaned in and met Wings’ beak with her lips.
~~~~~~
In the image, Wings froze in shock. I spluttered incoherently, looking to Bosco for help. His gormless expression offered none.
WHAT AM I DOING?!?!?!
~~~~~~
“MmHMPH!” Pushing the doppelganger away, Wings slashed at her with her free claw. It passed through empty air as ‘Snowflake’ melted into the forest floor. A rustle surged across the clearing, coming to rest at the hooves of the false twins. The imposter unicorn climbed out of the solid ground like it was air.
The three tricksters seemed utterly unfazed by the weapons and spells now readied. ‘Breeze’ took a low, mocking bow. “Well, that’s our show, ladies.”
‘Cassie’ curtsied. “We hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did.”
Snow raised her hooves for the final curtain call. “It was just a small performance to remind you that we can always meet again,” the unicorn’s usually orange eyes rainbowed ominously. “if we need to.”
~~~~~~
“Did you have fun, little ones?”
Surprised, Bosco and I shared a look. The colt scowled at the unseen puppeteer. “That’s it? All that, capturing us, splitting THEN jumbling us up, all just to lead us back together again? What was the point of it all?”
“It was necessary to be certain about your friends’ sensibilities. They had to prove themselves.”
“Prove themselves for what?” I argued. “What more are you planning?”
“And why the song and dance for them, but not us?” The frustration present in Bosco’s demand was clear.
Laughter rippled through the trees, unnatural and somehow both reverberant and flat all at once.
Guhrhr. I shuddered. Don’t do that again.
“It was not necessary to test you two. You were known qualities before being taken. Your comrades were the variables to be quantified. Now that they have been studied, the next step can proceed.”
“You keep talking about that,” Bosco’s hoof rubbed the hilt of his knife, “but what makes you think we’re in the slightest bit interested in doing what you want?”
Smug satisfaction laced the very air. “Because the payment is something YOU want, colt.”
“Come again.” He replied sarcastically. “Nothing is worth this hassle.”
Something thudded into the ground at his hooves. “Is that so?”
We both looked down. My eyes widened. ...Shit.
Stunned into silence, the charcoal colt’s tremble-laden fumbling could barely scoop up the Memory Orb dropped by the voice.
“Why do you have this?” I challenged on my friend’s behalf.
“A signpost for the trail you are now on. You know there is one more to recover, and so long as you do as instructed, its location will be provided for you.”
“Listen, Bosco,” I began placatingly.
“No.” He cut me off. “I know what you’re going to say, but I’m going to do this regardless. I don’t care if it’s a trap. I want my last Orb, so I’ll play their game. You will too, since we already agreed that we’re all in on this.”
“Well, yeah, but we’re not gonna be stupid about it!”
“Why not? That’s how you handle all your business.” Ignoring my displeasure, he addressed the forest. “Where’s the last Orb?”
“Under the place you call ‘Neighlway’.”
Bosco’s lips and cheeks sucked in on themselves. “...Shit.”
I’m sorry, which of us was the stupid one? “Neighlway? Steel Ranger city? How in the hell did you get it in there without them noticing?”
For once, the voice remained silent, either unwilling to answer truthfully, or mocking us with its reticence.
“Well, we definitely need to slow down and think up a plan now. Storming the place is not going to work. We’ll be gunned down before we get inside the walls.” Changing tac to avoid another confrontation, I softened my tone. “Bosco, this isn’t the time to be rash. You’re right, I run into things too much, but you’re always the one who tells me not to. You need to be that guy now, to take the time and come up with another plan. You’re good at that.”
“Do not take too much time, colt.” The voice broke its silence in a pointed roar. “You have one week to reach the third Orb, or you will find yourself in a place very similar to this forest.”
I glowered. “Fantastic. Anything else?”
“Yes, one more thing.” As the voice faded out, the forest around us began to shimmer and unfocus. “The radio DJ’s accounts of your work are very entertaining. Keep it up.”
Smug prick. The forest had deteriorated to a green glow, and even that was fading into...silver fog?
Bosco saw it too. “Son of a bitch. I don’t believe it.”
The last of the forest disappeared, and the Silver Fog creatures soon disappeared into the twilight sky. With no appropriate words, the two of us stood mutely.
We both jumped as hoarse voices called out from behind us. “Bosco? Snowflake?”
I know that voice! Spirits lifting, I started to turn.
“More fakes?”
Nope, really us this time.
“GET ‘EM!”
Oh no. I completed my about face just in time to get dogpiled by two of my friends, who immediately began punching me in the face.
“OW OW OW! KNOCK IT OFF!” Throwing my hooves up as a shield, I noticed that Bosco was in a similar predicament, with the twins laying into him. His pained cries of realness went ignored.
A wet smell reached my nostrils. I knew it well, and would have been happy to smell in it almost any other situation. “Undertow, get off me! I’m not a fake this time!”
Naiara, the other weight across my body, replied first. “Liar! How else would you know about the fakes?”
“Good point, keep punching!”
OH COME ON!
“We OW were OW watching you OW!” Bosco was valiantly pleading his case despite the Pegasus aggression. Schwarzwald’s hooting laughter in the background wasn’t making me feel any better about the situation.
Bosco pushed on. “The Silver Fog creatures WERE the forest! They snagged us all, and want us to go get my last Orb!”
“Aha! I knew they were fakes! Bosco only has ONE Orb.”
THWACK!
“Ow, damn it, that’s enough!”
“Hold on Breeze, I see an Orb here. Maybe they’re telling the truth.”
“...”
THWACK!
“BREEZE!”
“Sorry, but come on, can you really blame me?”
She’s not sorry at all!
Grumbling promises of extreme retribution, Bosco pushed Breeze off him and rolled to his hooves. Naiara, having climbed off me, gave him a hoof.
That still left one weight on my chest, however. Said weight’s voice was uncertain as it spoke. “So it’s… it’s really you, big sister?”
“No, it’s Crush the buffalo. Of course it’s me! Now get off!” I never liked to be short with Undertow, but her punches had hurt!
She didn’t though. She decided to exacerbate my bruises by clinging to me in a strangulating hug. “Snowflake! I missed you! I didn’t like that other Snowflake, she was… weird.”
I gingerly returned the hug. “The other Snowflake, right. She… oh...uh…”
Moving Undertow long enough to get to a sitting position, I caught sight of another member of our group. She had been even more troubled by the false Snowflake. Standing beside Schwarzwald, Wings hadn’t said anything since the forest vanished. When we locked gazes, nothing was said, as we both instantly blushed and looked away.
Schwarzwald’s raucous laughter redoubled.
~~~~~~
“Okay okay okay, how about this one? Ready? ‘Aqua Tease’.”
“Oh that is so perfect.”
“I know, right?” Hoof-bumping each other, Naiara and Breeze dissolved into giggles.
Bringing herself under control, Breeze tapped her chin. “Hmm, so we’ve got ‘Snowfake’ and ‘Aqua Tease’, that just leaves one for Cassie’s clone.”
Crossing her hooves, Naiara closed her eyes and concentrated. “Hmm… ‘Vena-sneaky’?”
Breeze waved her off. “Nah, doesn’t rhyme.”
“Um…” Undertow raised her hoof.
Both girls blinked at her. “You wanna try?” They looked at each other. They looked back at her. “Alright. Go for it.”
“...‘Cassi-FAUX-peia’?”
A two second pause followed before both Breeze and Naiara extended a hoof.
“Nailed it.”
“Very nice.”
Beaming, Undertow double-bumped the hooves.
Naiara clapped decisively. “Alright, now we gotta think up names for any potential clones for the others.”
“No, you don’t gotta do that.” Bosco had been checking Wings over for injuries, while I did the same for Schwarzwald. Neither Wings nor I were really up to the thought of physical closeness right now, and purposely avoided glancing in each other’s direction.
“What we gotta do is get moving. According to the voice of the Mysterpons, we’ve only got one week to get my 3rd Orb.”
“A week? What happens after a week?”
He flicked the Orb into the air and caught it. “If it takes longer than a week, we wake up in another forest.”
Naiara and Breeze bounced a little. “So we might get to name the other clones?”
“WE’RE NOT WAITING FOR MORE CLONES!”
“WHY DON’T YOU LIKE FUN?”
“YOU SUCK!”
“YOU SUCK!”
“May I interject?”
We all jumped at this, looking around in panic at the unseen voice, feminine but distorted.
Wings shot into the air, drawing her revolvers. “Are they back?”
“Everyone stay together!” I barged Undertow towards the middle of the pack, with Bosco, Naiara and Schwarzwald crowding in close. Breeze and Cassie were in the air too, grenades and sniper rifle at the ready.
“Anyone see them?”
“Where are they?”
Bosco ground his teeth around his combat knife. “One week my flank!”
“I am not the Silver Fog.” The voice replied, sounding mildly amused.
“Oh, fantastic.” He muttered. “Another damn delay.”
“Then who are you?”
Yeesh, Breeze, you’re like 10 metres up. How are you hearing that so clearly?
“You would be Aqua Breeze, correct? Delighted to make your acquaintance. I have been looking forward to talking with you for quite some time.”
All eyes went to Breeze, who blanked. “Do I know you?”
“No,” Schwarzwald revved down her minigun, and reached for a pocket. “but I think I do.” She produced her communicator. “Amber-dahling, is that you?”
“Schwarzwald,” Amber confirmed. “as always, it is a pleasure. However, today I call on business that cannot wait.”
Three thuds sounded as our fliers landed, the danger having passed. Schwarzwald turned the volume up so that we could all hear Amber’s words.
“Do tell, dear Amber. Why are you in such a hurry?”
The Bernstein leader launched into her explanation without preamble. “There are two griffon mercenaries, from McCoy’s Monsters, heading to your position at this very moment. I want you to wait for them where they are.”
I felt like my heart jumped into my eyeballs. “What? They’re coming here? How did they find us?”
“I told them where you are.” Even through the communicator, Amber’s detachment was jarring.
“Amber-dahling,” An edge crept into Schwarzwald’s voice. “you know that we are not friends with McCoy’s squad. I do not like the idea that you have given them our location.”
“Calm yourself, Schwarzwald. They are not coming to fight. In fact, they are not aware that six of your eight will be present at all. You are one of the two they are aware of, Schwarzwald.”
Various puzzled sounds scattered around the group. How does she know how many of us are here?
Nobody looked any happier after her elaboration. “Amber,” The dropped ‘dahling’ was immediately noticeable. “who are they coming to see?”
“They have business with Wings.”
Everybody turned to the griffon, who looked as lost as the rest of us. She, in turn, sent a questioning look towards Schwarzwald.
The older mare grimaced. “How do you know this, Amber?”
“Because it is part of a deal I made with them. The details of which I will not reveal at this time.” Her voice seemed to be challenge Schwarzwald to try pressing further.
Blinking slowly, Schwarzwald’s expression gradually morphed into the first hints of her regular easy-going nature. “Amber, you realise that neither Wings nor I have made any such deal. We have no reason to meet with these griffons.”
There was no surprise in Amber’s response. “I do realise that, and I will personally pay you each twelve thousand caps when I next see you. Two thousand for the meeting, and another ten for the next business I have with you. Said business will come in the near future.”
Wings’ eyes bugged out, and Schwarzwald raised an eyebrow at the hefty payment. “That is a lot of caps, dahling. What job pays so much?”
There was no response for several seconds. “Amber, are you there?”
The speaker crackled. “Yes, Schwarzwald. I cannot reveal anything at present, but wish to make it known that the ten thousand caps for participation is available for all eight of you.”
Bosco half-choked, Naiara hissed, the twins whistled, Undertow’s jaw dropped, and I sucked in a ragged breath. What’s so important that she’s willing to toss eighty thousand caps our way?
“Regardless,” Amber continued. “the two griffon are expecting you and Wings to be present. No others were mentioned. Perhaps you can use that? Either way, I ask that you listen to them. Part of the deal was that there would be no violence. From what I hear of griffons in general, and McCoy in particular, he is loathe to tolerate broken contracts from his tiercels. There should be no danger.”
Silently, Schwarzwald looked to Wings. The griffon’s claws had curled in on themselves, and her eyes were dark, but she gave a nod. Placated, if not satisfied, Schwarzwald spoke into the receiver. “Very well, Amber. Wings and I shall meet this griffon. We will not attack them without cause. However, I will not tell you more than that.”
“A prudent response.”
“AND we will discuss our future dealings when we next meet. That conversation may not be quiet.” Though her tone stayed light, the slight tremble in the hoof holding the communicator told a different story.
Sounding resigned, Amber spoke a final time. “I understand. I will only say that I do not squander valuable connections, nor endanger them without cause. The griffons will be at your location within two hours. I suggest you make your preparations. Until we meet again, Schwarzwald, Wings, Aqua Breeze.” The communicator static’d, then went dead.
Without looking up from the device, the mare uttered seven words. “You six should remain out of sight.”
~~~~~~
“They’re here.”
At Cassie’s warning, Breeze, Naiara, Bosco, Undertow and I all shimmied up to the ridge we were hiding at. According to the sniper pegasus, it was around half a kilometre from where the Silver Fog forest had been, where Schwarzwald and Wings were still standing.
Lying next to Cassie, I hesitated to move too much, lest she lose concentration while looking through her rifle sight. Still, my trepidation got the better of me in the end. “You can make the shot, if things go wrong, right?”
“Of course she can!” Breeze snapped from two spots down the line. “Nobody has better eyes than Cass.”
“Yeah, but this time it counts.” Undertow clarified.
Cassie grunted, without looking away from the scope. “Especially when it counts. They’re about to land.”
At the end of the line, Naiara fidgeted. “I wish we could hear what they were saying.”
As in on cue, Breeze’s communicator crackled. “Stay calm, dahling.”
“Schwarzwald?” Breeze scrambled for the device.
Wings’ voice emerged from the speaker next. “Yeah, I know. Still don’t think this is gonna be any fun, though.”
Bringing the communicator to her lips, Breeze prepared to reply. Before she could, however, Undertow put a hoof over the receiver. “I don’t think she is talking to us. I think she just wants us to listen.”
Undertow’s hoof still over her mouth, Breeze’s eyes and brows widened and lifted, and shrank and lowered, until she eventually shrugged and stayed silent. She, Naiara, and Undertow squeezed in close to listen to what was being said.
I stayed beside Cassie, watching what I could from this distance, which wasn’t much. I could just barely make out that the two descending shapes were griffons, much larger than the petite Wings, even taller than Schwarzwald, but beyond that they were just blotches of colours.
Wings’ usual cockiness seemed strained as she addressed the new arrivals. “Eitom, Wicker. Can’t say it’s a pleasure.”
Eitom and Wicker? I rubbed my jaw, remembering the last time we’d met, where the former had cracked me across the face with his rifle butt. “This is bad, they’re not just any monsters. They’re McCoy’s lieutenants!”
“Quiet!” Cassie hissed. “I can’t hear!”
“Wings,” Eitom’s cultured speech seemed a start contrast to his past actions. “I believe you know why we are here.”
“Collecting on our deal?” If she was surprised, it didn’t sound like it.
“That’s right, dudette.” Wicker chimed in. “You owe us, and we’re here to collect.”
“A mutual acquaintance has hired we two, and McCoy, to act as-”
“DUDE!” Wicker interrupted Eitom’s exposition. “We talked about this! You can’t keep blabbing every little detail!”
The black-and-white blotch still managed to look chastised, half a kilometre away. “Right, right. Sorry. As I was saying. We’re here to collect. Some griffons have business with you, and you alone. I’m sure you can fill in the blanks.”
“That’s not good.” Cassie hissed.
“What’s wrong? Are there more griffons?” I couldn’t see any, but I didn’t have a sniper rifle, or her eyes.
“No, but Wings… she’s acting strangely.”
My horn glowed briefly. “Strangely how?”
Cassie shook her head lightly. “I don’t know, but whatever that Eitom said really affected her. She’s smiling, but her eyes are wide open, and she keeps swallowing. I think she’s nervous.”
“...I understand.” Wings said at last. There was no cockiness in her voice now. It was flat, resigned.
“Wings, do not make any rash decisions.” Schwarzwald cautioned, still watching the two tiercels.
“No,” Wings stopped her. “this isn’t anything rash. In fact, it’s a long time coming. I owe these two, and it’s time to collect.”
“Wings!” Schwarzwald croaked. She never sounds like that. This can’t be good.
Wings ignored her, and addressed the Monsters. “Can you give me a few minutes. I need to contact a few people. I won’t move, I swear.”
The straw and black-and-white blotches looked at each other. “...Five minutes. We’ll be in the air. Come up when you’re done.”
With that, the two slowly elevated, rising a hundred metres in the air, before coming to a halt. Their wings flapped as they hovered in place.
Bosco immediately grabbed the communicator from Breeze. “Cassie, keep those two in your sights.”
“Roger.”
He flipped the switch. “Wings, answer me! What’s going on?”
She shook her head in the distance. “I’ll be with you in a sec, Boss Colt. I gotta tell Schwarzwald something in private first.” The communicator went silent.
“Wings? Wings!” Bosco yelled into the device, but to no avail. She’d switched hers off.
Groaning violently, he switched tactics. “Cassie, forget those two. Read Wings’ lips. We’ll watch the griffons.”
“Bosco, I don’t know how to lip-read.”
Growling, he tossed the communicator back to Breeze without looking. Naiara managed to catch it before it smacked the techhead in the face.
Watching Wings and Schwarzwald talk was heartbreaking. Schwarzwald was animated. Wings… was not. She stood statue still as her partner gesticulated. The chocolate-and-cream griffon patiently let Schwarzwald tire herself out, then reached out and touched the mare with her claw.
Only when Schwarzwald turned away did the communicator come to life. “Guys, you there?”
Naiara still had our radio. “We’re here, Wings. What’s going on?”
“Naiara? Alright, I’ll start with you. I… can’t say I know you all that well, even after all the time we’ve spent together. You were more the others’ friend than mine. I can say this, though. Nobody here has a bad word to say about you, and I totally see why. You kept things fun.”
Regarding the communicator with confusion, Naiara looked around for an explanation. None of us had one to give. “Wings, what are you talking about?”
Wings pushed on. “Who’s next? Breeze? Cass?”
“We’re here.” Cassie called out, still watching over the two Monsters.
“Cool. I always felt like I could talk to you two about anything. Having a few more fliers around is nice.”
Breeze, perturbed, tried to cover it with gruff. “Wings, seriously, the hell’re you talking about?”
“Come on, Blue Fire.” Cassie pressed. “You can talk to us.”
False cheer was not what anyone wanted to hear from her, but was what we got. “No time, bud, sorry. Lemme talk to Bosco.”
The communicator was helpless passed over to the colt. “Wings.” He acknowledged, frustration evident in his voice.
“Hey, Boss Colt.” She sounds so tired. “Sorry, but I’m not gonna be able to stick around to help you find that last Memory Orb of yours. I gotta go do a thing.”
He was shaking. “What thing is so important that you can’t stick with us for a while longer? You’re breaking your word, featherbrain.”
“Yeah, but I think you’ll be okay. You really know your stuff, guy. You can look after the others just fine.”
“Not really a fair trade, Wings. We like having you around.” Lips drawn back to bear teeth, he kept looking between the communicator and the griffon-blotch in the distance.
“Thanks, Bosco. That means a lot. Sorry again. Can you put Undertow on, please?”
Undertow grabbed the communicator out of his hooves before he could make a move. Her voice was even more watery than usual. “Wings, why are you saying these things?”
“Oof,” Wings chuckled. “keep that up and your family won’t be able to help spoiling you rotten, kid.”
“Answer me!” Undertow pleaded.
“I gotta go away, Undertow. When I’m gone, I need you to look out for your sister, okay? Special mission from Blue Fire for you. You gotta keep Red Ice out of trouble.”
“But I’m not Blue Fire, you are!”
“I’m a lot of things, kid. Proud of you is one of them.”
A whimpering sob came from the girl.
“Snow.” Wings’ voice somehow overrode Undertow’s distress.
I took the communicator from Undertow’s unresisting hooves. “Wings. Explain this right now!”
“You need to find another hero, Snow. Someone else to spread the love. I’m gonna be going off-radar.”
“You’re our only hero, Wings. You’re the only Blue Fire we have.”
“Sorry again.” There was no fight in her voice. She wouldn’t be convinced, or swayed, or comforted. You suck at acting, Wings. We can all tell you hate this, so why are you doing it? “What do they have on you, Wings? They told me you made a deal. What was it?”
“Before your time, Snow. Not your business.” Her voice lifted, just a little. “Don’t worry, I’ll be okay.”
“Your business is screwing with OUR business. You know what’s at stake here!” I couldn’t help the anger creeping in.
Wings replied in kind. “Look, I’m not gonna argue with you about this, Snow. I’m out of time, and this is something I’ve gotta do. That’s all you need to know. If I can help in any way with your mission while I’m away, I will, but I can’t keep playing a silly game of cops and robbers with you!”
“So what?” I challenged. “Is that it? No more Blue Fire?”
“...Gon-na miss ya, Red Ice.” The quaver in her voice shook something inside.
“WINGS!” I don’t ever wanna hear you talking like that again.
It was too late. The line was dead. All seven of us, six on the ridge and one down below, watched as she took off with the other griffons into the sky. She didn’t hesitate. She was almost enthusiastic, even. As they faded out, Schwarzwald’s blotch slowly turned and began making its way towards us.
“Fuck.” Bosco intoned, deadpan. “Fuck.” Louder this time. “Fuck!” Still louder, almost yelling. “FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!” Now he was yelling it, over and over again.
The rest of us sat around, despondent, as he raged. “What in the hell good is this? What about my Orbs? What about the Windigoes? What about…”
He stamped on the ground once, twice, thrice. “...what about her? What’s she gonna do now?”
She’s gonna fulfill her obligations, like always.
“We don’t know, Bosco. In case you hadn’t noticed, she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with that information!” Breeze’s aggravation was obviously not directed at him, so he didn’t respond.
She’s never been forthcoming. She still hasn’t told me her name.
“Why doesn’t she trust us with this?” Cassie lifelessly packed away her rifle.
She does. We’re the only people she does trust. It’s why she stayed so long, even though none of this is really her fight.
“Why does she think we’d be okay with her being scared like this?” Undertow sat glumly.
Good question.
“I thought of her as a friend.” Naiara supplied, watching Schwarzwald plod up to the ridge.
We all did. She’s our friend. That was never in doubt. Even when I was leading the Raiders, she still stuck with me when I almost died. She led me to Undertow again.
She’s supposed to save the Wasteland.
She’s supposed to fight against Red Ice.
She’s supposed to be loved by everyone.
I stood up, jaw set.
She’s supposed to tell me her name.
“Come on.” I announced to the group at large.
“Come on what?”
“We’re going to go get Schwarzwald, then we’re all going to get Wings.” Bosco’s gonna kill me.
I turned to the colt. “Listen, I know we only have a week, but-”
“Snow, be quiet.”
That was direct.
“We’ve got a week to spare.” A hint of a smile curled up at the corner of his mouth. “Let’s go get her.”
“Hahaa! That’s what I’m talking about!” Breeze was less restrained, punching the air enthusiastically.
“She can’t truly think we will let her get away without severe mocking about what happened between her and ‘Snowfake’.” Cassie had caught Bosco’s grin.
“Yeah!” I agreed. “I-wait…”
“You had to see that one coming, big sister.” Undertow patted me on the head, sporting a big smile of her own.
“Our friend needs us!” Naiara clicked on the communicator. “Schwarzwald, stop moping!”
The older mare’s voice was anything but jovial as she answered. “Naiara, please, not n-”
“I said stop moping and let’s go get Wings back!”
“DAHLINGS! You are wonderful!”
~~~~~~
“HALT! Who goes-URK!”
I looked on, unimpressed, as the griffon guard hit the floor, having just been knocked out by Naiara. “Sheesh, turn the radio on sometime, buddy. I’ve been here before, and I’m kinda famous.”
“Shh!” Naiara chided. “Come on, Snow, we’re trying to keep a low profile here! Don’t start anything until we find out where Wings is.”
“Right, right.” I whispered back. Naiara scaled the wall of a nearby shack, disappearing away over the rooftops of Gull Gulf. Not so vertically gifted, I was forced to scurry through the tight spaces. It was the only way to get closer to the centre of the town without being seen.
I’m gonna be really pissed if she’s not here. Granted, we only came here because this is where griffons hang out, and Wings is a griffon. Which, now that I think about it, might be profiling, so...
“Freeze!” Another guard cocked his shotgun at me from a nearby roof.
Glad that thought got interrupted.
A split-second whistling noise sounded, and then the griffon’s eye exploded, showering the wall beside me with goo. The guard simply toppled off the roof, thudding down bonelessly into the alley behind him. This angle showed the nasty bullet hole in the back of his skull.
“Not fun, huh, pal?” I muttered, glad Cassie wasn’t shooting at me for once.
I slowly made my way through the rest of the shacks, ducking out of sight when other guards stalked past. The majority of shacks looked basically the same as each other, and I almost lost track of where I was a time or two.
It was only when I had to scramble around a corner to escape another guard that I spotted something useful. The supply shed, where I’d been briefly cornered by Eitom and Wicker, still hadn’t had the hole I’d kicked through it repaired. Groaning softly as I remembered the jagged edges, I hunkered down and crawled through the gap, hissing as the uneven rim rasped against my coat. Luckily, I managed to get through without being cut open, unlike last time.
“Before we start with your business,” I quickly ducked down, remaining motionless as McCoy’s deep, rumbling bass drifted in through the door crack. “You got anything to say to help my Monsters, your fellow griffons, in going after Red Ice? You are Blue Fire, after all.”
My heart jumped. Wings! I knew she’d be here, totally called it! I crept up to the door, peeking through the gap.
Wings was standing in the open square, dwarfed by McCoy, who paced back and forth across from her. The massive stone-grey griffon was rolling his nasty cigar around his beak, not even bothering to hide the sneer he was sending her way. To the side were Wicker and Eitom, as well as a clawful of guards, though the latter’s weapons were hardly more than ornamental in comparison to the fully equipped Monsters. Where Eitom and Wicker had assault rifles and heavy armour, the guards had rickety-looking pistols and body plates. Beyond the Monsters and the guards was a crescent of onlookers, unarmed Gull Gulf griffons of all ages and genders.
Big crowd, but then again they do have a celebrity in their midst. Two, if you wanna count McCoy. Only really those three and maybe the guards for trouble if this all goes crazy.
“Why would I tell you?” Wings bit out, her usually brash voice coming out stretched. She still had her revolvers in her holsters, which I had to raise an eyebrow at, given the state of affairs.
“You should be tellin’ me because I am the one appointed by your flock to bring you back home. The final decision rests not with me, but it can be altered by what I’ve got to say.” McCoy paused to reach up and grab his cigar. He removed it from his beak, blew out some dirty smoke, and replaced it. “So, kid, what am I gonna tell them? Keep in mind that I’ve known your flock leaders for a long time, worked with ‘em plenty in the past, and I don’t plan on lying to them. That’d be goin’ against contract, you know? And McCoy NEVER goes against contract, unlike yourself.”
Wings growled and looked away, but McCoy just kept sneering, and pressed. “So I’ll ask again, oathbreaker, what am I tellin’ them?”
Feathers fluttering, Wings shook as she stood her ground. Her sapphire eyes seemed to be trying to burn a hole straight through McCoy’s smug face. “I’ve been called worse than that, McCoy. Why should I care about your opinion at all? Especially when you’ve clearly already made up your mind!”
Turning so that he was side-on to her, he regarded her with one wrinkled, scarred eye. “No, you ain’t been called worse. That right there is the worst insult any true griffon can be called. Although, given what I’ve been told by your flock, there’s a couple others I can call you too, and they come pretty close; ‘Backstabber’? ‘Murderer’? ‘Can’t be trusted’? How do they sound to you, Blue Fire? They better, ‘cause calling you a true griffon might be an untruth on my part. ‘s what I’m tryin’ to find out.”
“I know what I did.” She gnashed, and squared her form, shoulders tense.
McCoy turned away from her and addressed the crowd. “But maybe these fine folks don’t! How ‘bout it, Gull Gulf? Why don’t I tell you what this chick whelp did, way back when?”
The crowd voiced their consent, even though some of the hens began shepherding the younger hatchlings away. With one last mocking look at Wings, McCoy launched into his tale. “Well now, you all know how it works when yer growing up, right? You start gettin’ a few easy jobs to test how ready you are to join the grown-ups.”
I didn’t want to take my eyes off Wings, even as I listened. She was just standing there, letting him talk. It hurt to see her looking so helpless. This can’t be about her getting a doctor to save her sick cousin, right? Even griffons aren’t so cruel that they’d shun her this much over that.
He pointed accusingly at Wings. “Now this girl had chances even before she did what she did, and she didn’t exactly set the world ablaze with how she did. Still, she got another chance: A milk-run job. Provide some extra muscle for a Mom’n’Pop couple, a tiny little operation. Barely worth anybody’s time. A two-day one-night job, people. Point A to Point B. Scout ahead, shoot anything that ain’t the clients or their merchandise. Real easy run, between two cities that already were real good at killin’ bandits. Shouldn’ta seen a lick o’ trouble.”
He spread his claws in mock-befuddlement. “So how’d it all go wrong, folks? Well, little miss Wings here decided that she didn’t like the contract her flock’d signed with Mom’n’Pop, and didn’t do her job!”
At this revelation, the crowd erupted, hooting and screeching all manner of obscenities, some repeating McCoy’s earlier insults, at the diminutive griffon. Wings just watched in silence, looking from one end of the crowd to the other.
I saw something else. Her eyes are glistening. She’s trying so hard to hide it. I doubted any of the crowd even saw her well enough, rather than the image in their mind, to notice.
McCoy wasn’t finished. “So she welched on the deal, a despicable act just at that, but her actions killed ol’ Mom’n’Pop. They died that very night, under Wings’ supposed care!”
Amazingly, the crowd could get louder. Wicker was shouting right along with them, and Eitom was glaring daggers at Wings and twitching his talons on and off his rifle’s trigger.
McCoy took another drag on his cigar. “You got something t’say, Blue Fire? ‘cause it better be good if you do.”
Oh come on, that’s not fair. You’ve already turned the crowd totally against her. What CAN she say now that they’ll believe? I gritted my teeth. Jackhole prick.
“Sure, I’ve got something to say.” Eyes blazing and voice shaking, Wings refused to back down from McCoy’s challenge. “You chose one a very interesting word there, McCoy: ‘Merchandise’. Was that your word or did it come from my flock?” She flicked her feathers at his as his mouth opened. “Doesn’t matter. Anyway, let me explain something about merchandise: YOU DON’T CALL IT THAT IF IT’S OTHER PEOPLE!”
Her bellow caught the crowd by surprise, halting their jeering for a moment. Wings took advantage of that, marching around the crescent and daring each and every one of the to meet her gaze. “They weren’t a damn caravan, or anything respectable like that. Mom’n’Pop were SLAVERS! Their business was capturing and selling other ponies! Want to know what I was doing for the first day, before those two bastards died? I was wondering what kind of mistake had been made! Griffons shouldn’t take on this kind of work. That was for the ponies who didn’t know any better. Griffons hold themselves to higher standards… or so I thought.”
Well, there goes the crowd again. They didn’t like that at all. I felt pride stirring for Wings at her words, even if they painted my species in an unflattering light.
“Mom’n’Pop were tyrants, even by slaver standards. They were vicious, malicious monsters to their captives. They beat them. They denied them food, water, or cover from the weather. They laughed as these half-starved, half-crippled victims staggered and fell, then beat them when they didn’t get up! They shot at them for fun, openly talked about raping one of the fillies. Not a mare, a filly! For those of you who are too young or too stupid to know the difference, a filly is a child! They joked about raping a child!”
She was on a roll now, and the crowd didn’t seem like it would dare interrupt her. “So, when night came, Mom’n’Pop got so damn drunk that they kicked the keys to the slave cage within reach of one of their victims. I watched the whole thing. As those two scumbags tried to beat whiskey dick, their victims unlocked themselves and escaped. I watched the whole thing. I watched them take off their chains, I watched them open the cage, and I watched them disappear into the night.”
She came to a halt directly across from McCoy, who was openly mad now.
I wonder if that smoke’ll start coming out of his ears?
Wings managed a smile at this point, halfway between cheer and malice. “And… I watched them come back. Lugging whatever they could find; rocks, sticks, jagged glass. Let that sink in, hens and tiercels. Mom had a shotgun, Pop had a pistol. The slaves had wood, stone, and fired sand. Still, they came back to fight. I watched that too. One of them, dirty and hungry, could barely lift his rock, but he managed. He was the first to attack. Mom’n’Pop were too drunk to even find their guns, let alone use them to defend themselves. I stood aside and watched the freed slaves beat their monstrous captors to death.”
Fixing McCoy with a look of utter disgust, she all but spat the next words. “And I’m glad I did, you chickenshit coward!”
A roar came from the side, as Eitom launched himself towards her. Wicker tried and failed to grab him, leaving McCoy to shoulder-slam him just before he could reach her. The two went down in a heap, soon joined by Wicker. The other two Monsters grappled with the raging Eitom, trying to hold him back. Wings watched with detachment, almost as if she’d burned through all her emotion with her speech. The crowd was scattering now, some screaming, as the chaos continued.
Now’s my chance. Just gotta hope the others are ready to move. Backing away from the door crack, I triggered the glacier-blue glow of my horn. I poured out chilling mist, filling the entire shed. My coat slicked with ice and water, and I couldn’t see a thing. I kept pushing though, deepening the mist. It had to be big for what I had planned.
I kept an ear on the scuffle outside, as McCoy and Wicker fought to calm the usually prim-and-proper Eitom. It took a while, but finally his anger ebbed enough that he was able to shout out that he was back in control.
Guess this’ll have to do. Hope it’s enough. With a swift spin, I double-bucked the shed door. At the same time as it banged open, I propelled the mist out into the open, where it almost instantly covered the square. Amid the shouts of panic and confusion, and under cover of the mist, I rushed out of the shed, running full tilt towards where I’d last seen Wings.
When I was satisfied that my location lined up with my memory of the square’s layout, I took a deep breath.
This is either going to be epic, or backfire spectacularly.
Eh, either way she’s worth it.
“YOU DARE?!?!?!” I hollered into the mist.
“Who the hell is that?” Wicker called out from the miasma.
“You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me!” McCoy connected the dots faster than his subordinate. “Red Ice!”
“Snow?” Wings hissed from somewhere beside me. “What are you doing here?”
With a magical flourish, I drew all of the mist in towards my body, covering Wings and I in an opaque sphere. Grinning ever so slightly, I winked at her. Watch this.
With one final magical blast, I sent the mist exploding skyward in a white cyclone, until not a speck of it remained.
The crowd of Gull Gulf had had enough. Seeing the demon pony from the radio broadcasts appear in their midst, apparently out of nowhere, was too much for them. Within moments, the square was emptied of all but five bodies. Three Monsters, one monster, and one hero.
It was pure disbelief that kept the three Monsters from speaking, or attacking me. I was okay with that. “McCoy, you do occasionally listen to the DJ’s radio broadcasts, correct?”
He just grunted around his cigar. My rhetorical question didn’t even need that, so I continued. “I’m sure you remember a few weeks ago. Mere days after you and I first met, in fact. I do hope you remember my words. In case you, or your stooges do not, allow me to remind you.”
The two ‘stooges’ seemed to stir slightly from their shock, more the hotheaded Eitom than Wicker, but didn’t get aggressive.
Time for some vintage Red Ice. “Blue Fire is my prey. I distinctly warned you and the entire region of this fact. I do not compromise my hunt, and nor do I share my spoils.” My voice dropped several octaves. “She. Is. Mine.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Wings half-groused, half-moaned from behind me.
I answered her but didn’t turn. “I am laying claim to what is mine. You and I have unfinished business. I am the one who will decide your fate. I am the one who permits you to surrender. I am the one who will put an end to you. Your life belongs to me.”
I heard her claw grind in the dirt behind me. “THE HELL IT D-MMPH!” The sudden ice gag over her beak had her clawing at it, while simultaneously glaring knives at me.
Sorry, Wings, but we really can’t afford to have you screw this up right now.
McCoy’s breathing had regulated after his struggle with Eitom, and he remained calm. “I don’t know what you think is gonna happen here, pony, but you ain’t takin’ her.” He waved his claw at his subordinates, who began reaching for their weapons.
Don’t show any hesitation or fear! “You couldn’t stop me in Lethbridle by yourself, and you couldn’t stop me here with your flunkies when I was multitudes weaker than I am now. What chance do you have against me, buzzard?”
“Enough talk!” McCoy spat out his cigar and stood on it. “We take ‘em both.”
“Interesting point.” I replied. “Allow me to disagree.” Anytime now, guys.
My prayers were answered, as another small shed on the other side of the square went up in a ball of flame. The three griffon mercs whipped around, weapons ready.
“Eyes!” Naiara whooped from… somewhere. Two contraptions pinged across the ground at McCoy’s paws.
I had already grabbed Wings, and was dragging her as fast as I could straight out of town. I still caught some of the flashbang’s blinding light in my peripheral vision, but wasn’t afflicted beyond that.
I willed the ice gag away from Wings’ mouth. She immediately began berating me. “Why are you here? I didn’t ask you to come after me!” Thankfully, she kept running regardless.
“You’re welcome anyway.” I half-jibed back. Whatever problems she had with her rescue could be worked out later, just as soon as we were safe.
~~~~~~
We made it about fifteen minutes out.
“REEEEED IIIIIIIICE!!!” Talons first, McCoy divebombed right between the two of us, sending us both sprawling.
I kept rolling as a burst of gunfire slashed the ground where I’d been. Blood-shot eyes wide, McCoy was beside himself with anger. “Never again. Never again will you interfere. I’ll finish you off right now!”
His rifle swung up, firing a long burst straight into my hastily summoned ice wall. The increasingly frequent cracking sounds told me this wouldn’t be enough.
Two louder shots rang out, and McCoy squawked incoherently. I risked a glance over the wall and saw him take to the skies, chasing after Wings. The smaller griffon had grazed him with her revolvers, but hadn’t slowed him any.
Wings’ armour was light, and wouldn’t stand up to the repeated fire from McCoy’s battle rifle. Still, she wheeled and spun, dove and rose, rolled and tucked, all to keep her away from the hail of bullets.
“Bring him closer to the ground, Wings! I can’t help you up there!” My magic wouldn’t reach that far, not in a fast-paced firefight.
If she heard me, Wings gave no sign. She kept weaving and evading, but couldn’t keep up any speed when constantly changing direction. McCoy was getting closer and closer. Finally he managed to shoot forward and clip her as she arc’d, sending her tumbling out of control.
He was on her before she could right herself. Pushing down from above with strong thrusts, he easily outmassed and overpowered her smaller wings. She couldn’t shake him and couldn’t fight the rapid descent.
“I’m coming!” I took off running towards their landing point, forcing myself into the air in a wild leap. I intercepted them a metre and a half off the ground, the impact wrenching Wings from his grasp, and turning us enough that we both landed hard on our shoulders. I felt several things inside crunch, however I didn’t slow down.
Getting to my hooves as quick as possible, I made the costly mistake of looking the wrong way to find McCoy. His claw wrapped around my neck and squeezed hard. I couldn’t breathe. He picked me up like a ragdoll, swung me around and slammed me face first into the dirt. Pain exploded over my entire face.
“Die!” I rolled over in time to see McCoy slam another magazine into place, and swing the barrel towards me. When it was halfway there, a hawkish keen sounded out and Wings was on him. Her back paws corkscrewed into his gun, which flew from his grasp. She kept attacking with her revolvers, firing at point-blank range.
Less than point-blank range. McCoy was too close, inside the firing range of her guns. She couldn’t get her arms turned inwards to shoot at him, not before a jamming, clicking noise proved she was out of bullets.
Nothing if not resourceful, Wings resorted to a tactic she’d employed on me in the past, and began beating on his head and shoulders with the empty firearms. Driven by rage and bloodlust, McCoy barely seemed to feel the diminutive griffon’s strikes as he lashed out with a fist, catching her right in the jaw. Her revolvers flew out of her grasp. One landed near me, while the other went straight up.
Grabbing the fallen revolver, I stuffed it into my mouth and wrapped my tongue around the trigger, pointing it at McCoy just as he caught the other falling gun. He readied his at me in the same moment.
We both froze.
Chest heaving, McCoy managed a hoarse chuckle. “You’re out, pony. Can’t shoot me with an empty gun.”
“Moo’re oud koo!” I shot back, muffled by the mass of metal in my mouth.
“SNOW!” We both whipped out heads around to where Wings was staggering back to her paws, clutching her shoulder. “Only one of them’s empty. Shoot him!”
The leader of the Monsters and I locked gazes again, eyes wide, and we both pulled the trigger.
“GRRRRAAAAGGHHHH!!!” My bullet ripped along the side of his neck, in an angry red gouge. Howling in pain, McCoy wheeled away. Dropping the revolver and clutching at his neck, he pulled his claw away bloody.
“I’LL KILL YOU BOTH!” Completely off the deep end now, he pounced, tackling me to the ground. Before I could think about making a move, his fists were slamming hard into my head. I got my hooves up to block, but the power of his strikes was forcing them back into my face anyway. These were no precision strikes, he was just running on primal fury.
And there was nothing I could do to stop him.
“HRGK!”
Wings’ claws, jammed into the gouge in McCoy’s neck, ripped up and away, tearing feathers and flesh from sinew in a gruesome wrench. Exposed bone and brain were left behind.
Not even McCoy could ignore that pain. Wailing, he rolled on the ground and clutched at his face. Wings and I were completely forgotten in his mind-numbing agony.
Ashen-faced and wavering on her paws, Wings meandered unsteadily over to McCoy’s fallen rifle.
Without a word, she picked it up, and unloaded every last bullet into the leader of the Monsters. By the time the weapon fell from her leaden-limbed grasp, he wasn’t even twitching.
Collapsing into me, both Wings and I slid to the ground. Neither of us spoke, nor moved, or anything besides look skyward. We just didn’t have the energy.
~~~~~~
“Get up.”
My eyes popped open, and I immediately regretted it. The brief nap hadn’t done nearly enough to restore my energy. “I’m up, I’m up. We should get going.” I just about managed to get to my hooves…
...before Wings’ vicious slap sent me to the floor again. Clutching my already-bruised face, my look of disbelief was all I could muster as a response.
Massaging her claw, Wings stared back, furious. “Do you know what you’ve done?”
I coughed a little to clear out my dirt-encrusted throat. “Well, I thought that I saved your life, but that doesn’t seem like the answer you’ll give full marks for.”
“Don’t joke!” She near-shrieked at me. “You just cost me any chance I had to reconnect with my family! They’ll never take me back now!” She turned away, moaning to herself. “Not after what happened, after… THIS!”
“Just to be clear,” I quipped as a rubbed my ever-swelling jaw. “this would be the same family that hired McCoy to track you down and DRAG you back in the first place?”
I watched as her talons curled inwards. She pointed at me. She opened her mouth to speak. She closed it again. She pointed everywhere but at me.
Can’t say ‘no’, can you? Not you. Too honest with yourself, just like Schwarzwald said. It was probably improper to be self-satisfied about that at the time.
“...Yes.” She managed at last.
“And you wanted to go back?” I queried.
“And it’s YOUR fault!” She was back to pointing at me again.
“My fault?!”
“Years I’ve been away. Years and years. In all that time, I never once expected to be taken back. I’d made my peace with it. I had Schwarzwald to travel with. I had Blue Fire to keep me busy. I had my freedom. And. You. Ruined. It!”
“The heck did I do to ruin… whatever it is you’re saying I ruined?” I wasn’t in the mood to simply ask her what she was talking about.
Her wings spread instinctually. “I’ll tell you what you did. You walked out of that damn Stable and didn’t make your peace! You knew you had a family back in that hole-in-the-ground, and you never gave up hope that you’d get back to them. I saw that in you day after day, and it made me want to try again! Obviously today has proven that it was useless, and now I don’t even have the hope to hold on to. Now I know for certain that I won’t be with my family ever again, all because you had to go and be so damn precious with yours!”
“YOU STOLE MY HOPE FROM ME!” I countered, rearing up onto my hind legs to mimic her aggressive posturing. “I did give up hope! When you and Cassie took my Pipbuck, you blocked me from ever truly believing I’d get home. I made my peace sometime between that day, and meeting Undertow, but I had made my peace with it. That’s on you!”
“Oh so everything’s on me, is it?”
“Yeah, everything’s on you. Because of you, you’re separated from your backwards-thinking stuck-in-their-ways flock. Because of you, I not only found my way back to my family but also expanded it! Because of you, we have a chance to protect all of Equestria from nightmare monsters from the edge of the world! That’s all on you!” You made your own damn bed, now lie in it!
We regarded each other warily for several dozen seconds. Neither of us broke the silence, yet neither relaxed.
Finally, my exhausted limbs began to tremble, so I sat down heavily. This seemed to break the tension, as Wings did the same. “I don’t think those things you said work the way you wanted them to. I’m not exactly regretting doing those things.”
“Yeah, well,” I gruffed. “your good actions overshadow the bad, to a pretty insane degree. You’re one of the best people I know.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. It’s so annoying sometimes.”
“Pfft.” Her chin dropped to rest on her sternum, as she fought to keep the laughter inside.
I had to ask the next question. “Did you really wanna go back? Knowing what you’re like, and knowing what griffon culture’s like, and the reasons you left in the first place, I can’t see you being happy there.”
“No, not really. I think I mostly wanted what you have, just for a little while. I wanted people who would be genuinely happy to want me around.” She looked skyward in contemplation. “Guess that isn’t gonna happen.”
Seriously? If I could have reached her, I’d have whapped her upside the head. “You do know that seven wildly different people just risked a hell of a lot to get you out of your most recent jam, right? Naiara was utterly pissed that you didn’t think of her as a friend!”
Her eyes returned to my level. “She was?”
“Big time. It was hard to tell which of us was more upset, actually. We all felt pretty hard done by when you just up and left like that.”
She rubbed the back of her head ruefully. “Yeah, perhaps that wasn’t the best move. I’m not so sure I was thinking straight after the forest. Some bitch who looked a lot like you had something to do with that.” The sly look out of the corner of her eye simultaneously cheered me up and ticked me off.
“That wasn’t me. I’d never ignore Undertow like that.” There was no way that point was getting disproved.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“Just out of curiosity,” Trying to keep my exploration airy and light, the question was floated like it was no big deal. “how’d you know that wasn’t me?”
“Besides her sticking her tongue down my throat?”
“Yeah, besides that.” My deadpan expression was pushing hard to give the impression that I wanted that line of thought to cut off right there.
She shrugged. “I wasn’t one hundred percent sure until the twins outed Aqua Tease and Cassifauxpeia, but really it was because of something she said.”
“What’s that?”
“She said ‘everypony’.” I was left waiting as she cut off her reply there, like it explained everything.
“Uhhh… and?”
“And you don’t. I picked up on that pretty early on. I guess it’s because of your brothers, but you always say ‘anyone’ or ‘everybody’. It was a nice change of pace.” Her small smile there was promising.
“Huh.” I’d honestly never noticed before. “Do you think the others picked up on that?”
Another shrug. “I’unno.”
“Well…”
“Yeah.”
“....should, uh, should we get back to the others?”
She nodded. “Yeah, with all the effort they put in to get Blue Fire back, they should at least know it worked.”
Cocking my head to the side, I made no move to get up. “What are you talking about?”
“Well, I mean you all need Blue Fire right. I heard that speech you gave McCoy. Red Ice claims Blue Fire. Very powerful.” She began holstering her revolvers.
Is-is she blushing? “None of us cared about Blue Fire today.”
The scrape of metal on leather cut off mid-way. “What do you mean? You just came all this way-”
“-for Wings.” I finished simply.
Saying nothing, she faced me expectantly.
“You need a good rest. You can’t seriously think we did all this, fought that crazy dead bastard over there,” I waved in any random direction, which might possibly have been the wrong one. “just to get Blue Fire back?”
“Well, yeah. I mean, Blue Fire’s much more important than Wings.” Her sheepishness was not welcome at this moment.
“Hell no! At least I didn’t. I came for my friend. I came for Wings.” I sniffed away the sudden wetness in my nose.
Her bottom jaw had dropped a millimetre at my words. I couldn’t help but notice that her eyes were brightening in real time though. “I… don’t know what to say to that, Snow. Thank you.”
“Y’welcome. Now come on, let’s get you back to the others… Wings.” I could easily give her a big smile at the thought.
I had only taken a few steps before I was stopped cold. “That’s not my name.”
Fucking c-h-a-n-c-e! “What’s that now?”
A good-natured sigh sounded from behind me, but I was too afraid to turn around and give the game away. “My name isn’t Wings.”
Come on, baby. Just a little more. Momma wants that grand prize! Fighting to keep my heart from breaking out of my chest, I chose my words carefully. “Then what is your name, pal o’ mine?”
“It’s… grfrhrings.” It was like she was having a tooth pulled.
“Beg pardon?” Like I’m gonna let it go now.
“I said… it’s grfrhrings.” If anything, this one was even less legible.
Unhappy with being teased with such a big deal and then her trying to get out of it, I turned and gave her a flat stare.
Blushing from tip to tail, she squirmed for a little while longer, until finally giving in. “I just want you to know that this is entirely my mom’s fault. I didn’t pick it.”
“Sure, of course.” Ohboyohboyohboy!
“My name is… Gigglewings.”
I literally couldn’t breathe.
~~~~~~
Level Up!
~~~~~~
Perks gained:
Contract KILLER - All party members receive an endurance boost and damage reduction when taking on hired goons.
~~~~~~
Author’s Note:
That’s one detail that has remained constant throughout the entire story process. I refused to budge on it. I actually had the most fun writing this chapter that I’ve had in the last few, and I think that the quality is better for it. It took me a little while, after being away from the story for months, to get back into it fully. I think I’m there now.
As always, a big thank you to KKat, Y1, Auramane, Cascadejackal (he did the original cover art, which is still on the Fallout Equestria wiki), Void Heart (he did the new cover art), Shunketsunoponi and you, the readers. Please read and comment, and pass the word along if you like the story.
That’s all for now, folks. Please keep reading, commenting, and spreading the word on Old Souls. I really appreciate your feedback.