Comet Streak
I stepped off the train and onto the platform; the very simple and empty platform for such a barren looking place. Dry parched ground stretched out in all directions, only broken up by the stark sheer mountains rising up around the edges of so very little. I shuddered, looking at those mountains. I knew such structures well.
A hard knock to the shoulder later and I turned to find Shield Breaker grinning at me. His body was positively shaking with excitement. Wish I felt the same way, especially now with what I could see of our destination. But, it wasn’t surprising, for either of us as we stepped off into the dusty breeze.
For Shield Breaker, the reason was easy. He now trotted alongside his brand-new mentor. Well, new for Shield Breaker. The unicorn in question, named Ochre, was far older than either of us. He said little, outside of instructions to his new protégé, and tended to scowl at things which distracted him.
Why he was called Ochre? I don’t know. Pony names can be strange. Only parts of his brownish red fur were visible beneath a worn full-length duster coat. He also wore a rather floppy wide-brimmed black hat which often hid his horn from sight making him look like he was in a western movie.
For me… My gaze swept across the landscape again. Mountains like those brought out too many memories.
We came across a small wooden house. Not that we could have missed it, it was the only one for miles and we easily spotted it from the railway. There we were confronted by a mare with short pale grey mane and slightly darker grey coat.
Ochre cleared his throat as we approached her and asked, “Miss, are you a resident of this here farm?”
The mare gave a curt nod.
“I am from the Hunter’s Association,” Ochre said. “I’m looking for one named Limestone.”
“You’re talking to her,” the mare replied abrasively.
“You filed a request,” Ochre said, grumbling like he had ever since we had met him. “Possible infestation. I am Ochre, the Hunter assigned to your case.”
He nodded his aged head at Shield Breaker. “This is my current apprentice.”
His next nod was to me. “Considering the nature of your request, this one should be useful, though not a common attachment.”
Limestone looked us over with the hardest gaze I had ever encountered. Before she spoke, she gave a snort and turned back to Ochre. “They ever been underground? ’Cause that’s where they’re coming from.”
She narrowed her gaze on us again. “Look pretty new for this kind of work.”
Ochre let out a chuckle yet his expression remained stoic. “New they may be, but I believe in a practical approach to training.”
He nodded to Shield Breaker again. “This one especially.”
“They been up against Diamond Dogs?” she asked. “That’s what we most likely have. Popping up all over, they’ve taken nearly half our harvest in the time it’s taken you to get here.”
Ochre tipped his hat. “And you have my and the Association’s apologies in that. We were seconded to another matter of import. Part of why I have these two with me now.”
“What do you mean harvest?” Shield Breaker interrupted, apparently doing his best to match Limestone’s attitude. “All I see is one pony slowly rolling rocks across the dirt with their head. Doubt anything’s ever grown out here.”
“Only our livelihood,” Limestone growled. She thrust a hoof at Shield Breaker stopping it less than an inch in front of his nose, making him flinch back. “You come up with a better way to harvest crystal core rocks and you can mock our methods all you like. Until then, keep your mouth shut on things you know nothing about.”
“Crystal core…” I murmured before raising my voice with a question. “Like geodes?”
“No.”
The sudden voice right next to me almost sent me leaping out of my skin. With my heart racing, I turned to find another grey mare giving me a flat stare while standing right beside me.
“Geodes are common in the tunnels,” this pony said, her voice just as flat as her expression. “The rocks we seek form perfect crystals and gems when carefully rotated for harvest.”
“Maud!” Limestone hissed through gritted teeth. “Don’t give out our trade secrets.”
Ignoring her sister, or not, it was hard to tell, Maud pointed to the pony pushing rocks in the field.
“You will take Marble,” she said, her voice still just as monotone as ever. “She knows the tunnels. She can track the scent of the stones taken.”
It was then that Shield Breaker’s mind appeared to snap. His face twisted in incredulity as he could no longer hold back a rant about the absurdity of what these ponies did for a living.
“Smell stones?!” he shouted, his voice cracking a little, proving that his young human self was still somewhere deep inside the adult unicorn he now resembled. “I thought the rock farm thing was a joke by someone on the production team, but that’s insane!”
He thrust a hoof at Limestone, who was now glaring daggers at him, and vocally charged on. “You’re insane! This whole farm is–”
Not another word escaped his lips as a dark yellow aura surrounded his snout and clamped his mouth shut.
Ochre simply tipped his hat to Limestone and Maud, the latter of which who was now restraining the incredibly livid former, turned and, now carrying Shield Breaker in his magical aura, headed out across the field toward the other pony. I quickly followed as Limestone launched herself into a verbal tirade best left unrepeated.
When I caught up, Ochre was already addressing the third pony; yet another grey mare. This one appeared to shrink at the presence of so many strangers. I did my best to settle a warm smile on her. Glancing at my companions, I noticed the aura still forcing Shield Breaker to be silent. I felt my smile falter at that. Clearly this pony, this Marble going by Maud’s words, was just as startled about it as well.
“Miss,” said Ochre. “I have come from the Hunter’s Association at request of one Limestone. I believe her to be your sister, is that correct?”
Marble shifted a little uncomfortably, her eyes darting between each of us before she stared across the field back toward the house where Limestone was still venting her rage in the surprisingly strong forehooves of Maud. Doubting either of them could see her silent pleas, Marble’s gaze hesitantly returned to Ochre, although it occasionally twitched to look at Shield Breaker’s magically bound muzzle.
“Mm-mmhmm,” she mumbled meekly.
“Very good,” said Ochre. “Are you familiar with the details of her request?”
Again, she looked to her distant sister then back to Ochre. She nodded and mumbled out wordlessly again. “Mmhmm.”
“Ah, excellent,” Ochre smiled. “Maud, I assume she is your other sister. She directed us to you, saying you could assist us in traversing the tunnels and, using your unique skills, track down the items taken by the thieves. Is that correct?”
Marble bit her bottom lip and visibly stiffened at that.
“I shall take that as a yes,” said Ochre and he pressed on. “Miss Marble, might we humbly ask for your assistance in bringing this matter to a speedy conclusion?”
Marble squeezed her eyes shut and, still biting her lip, appeared to have an intense mental battle with herself. Much of it played out with the tiniest of flinches from her head one way then another. When it was over, she swallowed heavily, then gave a single nod of her head.
“Wonderful,” Ochre smiled. He stepped aside and said, “Please, lead the way.”
Marble eyed the large rock she had been using her head to roll across the ground. She let out a heavy sigh then her head drooped as she moved past Ochre to do as requested.
It wasn’t long before Ochre released Shield Breaker from his magic and left him behind.
Shield Breaker, being the dignified person I knew him to be, clambered to his hooves, stood as tall as he possibly could, then shouted out across the barren field to where Maud had finally released Limestone, “Your mother’s peach cobbler!”
Was? I thought. I arched an eyebrow in question and watched as Shield Breaker, clearly happy with his strange retort by the smug grin on his face, trotted up alongside Ochre. It wasn’t long before Ochre imparted a bit of worldly wisdom on the young unicorn, thankfully in hushed tones. The most my ears caught was something about not insulting clients.
This left me to wander along behind the others, giving me ample time to let a pit of dread open up in my stomach at the thought of what we were about to do.
When we reached the opening, I froze in my tracks. It looked much like so many other caves I had entered back as a human. Walking in with my parents and brother. A family amongst the team. A rare thing considering how young my brother and I started.
All in our team uniforms. The bright colours to help find us if we became separated. Not that we stuck together in large groups. That wasn’t the point. It was all about the speed. A bonus my brother and I shared, being so light and nimble. Our mother could match us while our father was better in the strength department.
A breath hitched in my throat. Our mother…
I saw her ahead of me. She turned back, shot me a smile and waved before activating her headlamp. I raised my arm to wave back, only to find that it was a foreleg and hoof… and the opening to the cave was empty.
I shook my head, forcing the world to return to my strange new reality.
With Shield Breaker joyously leading the way and Ochre not far behind, the quiet and timid Marble shot me the faintest smile before entering ahead of me. I could do very little but bite down on my memories and push forward. If she could do it, when she looked like she didn’t want to be here, so could I.
The inside of the cave was the strangest thing. Or maybe it was a part of my new self which was strange. Instead of the all-encompassing darkness I expected, I found myself able to see a decent distance. The colours were muted, but I could still see so much, even without the glow from Ochre’s horn which Shield Breaker was quickly learning to replicate.
I shuddered as all that greeted us were the echoes of our own hoofsteps and the faint trickling of far off water. I grimaced at the implication of that. My team wasn’t versed in cave diving, especially me and my brother. We were part of the Cave Comets Team for a reason. We were fast at traversing caves and caverns. Once water was involved, we backed out. Too much could go wrong mixing caves with lots of water.
As we moved deeper, I glimpsed so many structures and formations which reminded me of many of the caves I had traversed with my family; my mother in particular. It often left me reeling, thinking I could see her face amongst the familiarity of it all.
It was in a particularly tight passage right near where it was opening out that we were struck. Whatever it was was large, powerful and, most of all, fast. Marble had still been in the lead at that stage. I was next in line. Ochre and Shield Breaker were behind seeing as the light of their horns kept messing with what I was quickly learning to be my dark vision.
Marble let out a yelp and she was gone.
I caught a glimpse of the creature and charged after it, leaving Ochre and Shield Breaker shouting after us from the passage.
I raced after that creature through numerous chambers and passages, even running up on the walls themselves to make faster turns. Oddly, my hooves didn’t slip, nor did they make anything near as much noise as those of other ponies. Were bat ponies blessed with stealth abilities?
I shook my head. Thoughts for later. I pressed on.
I thought I had lost the creature but a soft chuckling grunt caught one of my ears. I quickly centred on the sound and cautiously made my way to its source, doing my best to ease my panting breaths in the process.
The creature we had been tracking had finally stopped running. I quickly glanced at my surroundings as I entered another cavern. Standard cave formations. Not much ceiling space. Not like I could get up there. Probably too slippery. Behind our target was a dark opening in the cave floor. One I could only assume was another wide passage or pit descending deeper into the cave system.
When he turned to face me, I finally got a decent look at his features. This oddly dog-like being stood on two legs, wore no clothing and had a strangely clublike tail which he whacked against the ground whenever he wagged it. His eyes narrowed when he finally spotted me. He thrust a claw at me then spoke in broken English or whatever the common language of ponies was in this world. It sure sounded like English to me.
“You good tracker,” said the dog. “You come for pony?”
He held Marble by her neck, his claws wrapped around her throat. He suddenly thrust out his hand and held her over the edge of the dark opening behind him. Marble let out a grunt at the sudden movement while her body swung beneath the grasp of the dog.
Looking to Marble, I tried to give her a reassuring smile. My expression turned hard as I moved to focus on the dog. I gave a single, strong nod in response to his question.
“Oh.” The dog’s face twisted into a sly grin. “You pony, think you come take what is Rusty’s?”
He swiped his empty hand at the area around him and the many gems and cracked open rocks with their exposed crystalline cores. “Rusty found. Rusty keep.”
He pulled Marble closer, pressing his cheek to hers. “Just like gem-rock making pony!”
Even with the fear still in her eyes, Marble snapped at the dog with her teeth, barely missing his cheek.
“Rude pony,” Rusty grumbled. He then shook her, an act which, when over, left Marble looking rather queasy. “Get muzzle for you.”
When he bent down and reached among his hoard of possessions, I took a few soft steps forward. The only warning I got of the dog’s next action was a twitch of an ear. Instead of taking up what he was after, the dog swept his hand across the cave floor and flicked all he had gathered at me. He was so fast, I didn’t have the chance to blink.
“Argh!” Whatever the dog had thrown in my face ripped into my eyes. I squeezed them shut, grimacing at the pain even as I wished to still have fingers with which to rub away the pain.
Hunde kampfen schmutzig!
Doing my best to see through the thinnest slits, I glared at the dog, watching as some of the dirt trickled from his claws. Marble was still in his grip. And the edge was oh so very close. How deep was it? I couldn’t know. I could barely see. All I knew was the look of sheer terror on Marble’s face and in her eyes whenever her captor forced her to peer over the edge.
I froze. How could I not? It was so much like before. Deep underground. So little light. The moisture clinging to the rocks and saturating the air. The sight of my mother as she hung by that single slender rope beneath me.
I shook my head.
Nicht noch einmal. It was a tiny voice. One from deep inside my head.
My mother smiled at me. It was an odd smile. Instead of fear it looked wistful. Her eyes were tinged with regret and what I thought was an unuttered apology. I did my best to drag her up, but I was still young then. Still wiry and without the muscle I had gained before being transformed into what I am today.
The rope snapped and I watched…
It was all I could do. I was tied to the wall. My ropes refused to release me. I could do nothing but reach out my hand in a futile attempt to catch my mother before she hit the ground far below. I remembered closing my eyes and hearing the sickening sound of the impact. There was nothing else to hear in the cave. It was a sound I would remember forever.
Opening my eyes. They still stung from the grit in them but I could see the dog still holding onto Marble, dangling her over the edge. My own hoof stretched out before me, reaching out just like I had with my hand for my mother. And I… I was frozen.
The dog let out the most wicked of laughs, grumbling it up from his very core before tapering off into a dominant howl. I squeezed my eyes shut. I was useless.
Nicht noch einmal.
He had control, just like the ropes which had kept me from my mother. And now he was putting a muzzle on Marble’s face, even as he held her over the edge of the pit.
Nicht noch einmal.
What could I do if he let her go?
Nicht noch einmal. Nicht noch einmal. Nicht noch einmal. The voice berated me again and again. Its words were a mantra one I could fixate on, centre myself with.
Nicht noch einmal. Then, the chant abruptly changed. Nie wieder…
My eyes snapped open and so did my wings. I had wings!
“Never again!” I declared and hurled myself forward.
“Winged pony say w–” The bipedal dog’s words vanished the moment my forehooves slammed into his stomach.
All three of us went sailing over the edge. I gave the dog another forehoof to the stomach and it howled in pain. The blow itself pushed us apart. The dog’s clawed hands flailed, his legs kicked, trying futilely to snatch hold of me and continue the fight into the depths.
But I was out of reach, my wings beat either side of me, pushing me up and away. I turned away from the dog. His fate would be his own. Then I glimpsed her. That grey pony. How could I have forgotten about her? She was still falling, though no longer in the dog’s grasp.
My wings gave a beat. My eyes widened. I could see them both. Not the dog, he was lost to the darkness already. No. I could see the pony, Marble, and… My breath caught in my throat. My mother’s face and form were superimposed over her. They both stared up at me, their expressions the same; eyes pleading for help. Their mouths open wide but I didn’t hear them scream.
In that moment, I was back in that cave. The rope had just snapped. My mother had begun to fall. Instinct kicked in. My expression hardened, my gaze became fixed. I tucked my limbs in tight and tapered my wings, aiming straight down.
Nie wieder.
My wings smacked at the air, shooting me down.
Nie wieder.
Ropes didn’t hold me this time. I was free to act. With wings I could fly. With speed I now dived. Nearer and nearer. Closer and closer. The sight of Marble and my mother… Still falling ahead of me. Their forelimbs flailing to reach out and grab anything in front of them to stop their fall.
Nie wieder! Nie wieder! Nie wieder!
My eyes still stung from the dust strike but I forced them to stay open, even as they began to water.
My wings smacked the air again, lurching me down even faster. I stretched out a forehoof to reach for them, I swear I could see the ghostly outline of my human hand moving with it.
I gritted my teeth. So close. Another beat of my wings.
Our hooves met for a moment, just the briefest one before Marble accidentally struck mine away with her flailing. I narrowed my gaze on her and stretched my body to the very limit of possible length.
Forehooves caught body. I wrenched her close, barrel to barrel. Her eyes gazed up at me. I only glimpsed them for an instant. What I saw just beyond her…
I tightened my grip, causing her to whimper. My wings snapped open. The sudden jolt as air filled them almost jerked Marble out of my grip. But she and I both held tight. We were still coming in fast. It was dark, but I could faintly see. I aimed for the flattest area I could. At least, I tried to.
Searing pain gripped my left wing. I didn’t get a chance to assess what had happened before being thrown to the left as well. Marble let out a soft ‘meep’ in surprise. I don’t think she meant to. It probably just happened like a gasp of alarm.
We fell again. Thankfully, not for long. Though I wished the impact had been softer. My left side hit first, grinding into the rock beneath us. The force of the impact jolted Marble from my grip, sending her tumbling across the rocky floor. I simply followed my training and let my body go limp.
It wasn’t long until I came to a stop, my body aching from every spot the rocks had found to punish me for trying to be the hero. But, shortly after coming to rest on a lumpy section of cave floor, I quickly assessed my bruised and battered body before forcing myself up onto my now trembling forehooves. I spotted Marble nearby as she rolled from her back onto her stomach, her curtain of mane dishevelled but it was still together enough to flop back into place.
Oddly, the first thing to leave my mouth was a chuckle. My whole body was shaking. My chest heaved with every breath as I sucked in the air, revelling in my accomplishment. That had really happened?
I looked at Marble, still laughing. She appeared just as shaken as I was. Concern still filled her eyes. I reached out with a forehoof and tried to give her a reassuring smile. Yes, it had happened!
Still running on the adrenaline of the act, I blurted out something before even thinking. “Ich liebe dich!”
Her head snapped back. So did her ears while her pupils shrank to pinpricks. I didn’t mean to shout. I was just so happy to stop her from sharing my mother’s fate. It took me several more breaths to calm my brain and speak in English once more.
“S-sorry,” I apologised. I was rather tired and I know my non-native tongues falter at such times, but I did my best to be understood. “Did not intend to scare you.”
Marble didn’t respond. She appeared to be still trying to make sense of what had just happened. Particularly how we had survived the fall.
“Are–” I swallowed heavily, doing my best to calm my shaking nerves. “Are you all right?”
Marble suddenly stared at me, fear still glinting in her eyes. But, it didn’t look as soul gripping as before. Still trembling herself, Marble gave the smallest nod of her head and the softest of sounds reached my now huge, sensitive ears. “Mmm-mmhmm…”
She pulled her head in and bashfully raised her shoulders either side of it. Even in the darkness, I could swear I saw this pony blush.
“Sorry if I hurt you,” I said. “I am simply happy to have caught you in time.”
She still said nothing. She didn’t even mumble cutely. If anything, her blush intensified.
I just smiled before looking up to the ledge so very high above. Yes, we had fallen. Yes, we had scrapes. And yes, my wing now stung. But we were here. We were alive. My smile broadened at that. I closed my eyes and mumbled, “Mutter, ich habe es getan.”
I let out another shuddering, chuckling breath and looked at Marble again, still smiling. We were alive.
* * *
Once I felt less shaken, I returned to my hooves and stretched every part of my body, only for my left wing to silently scream at me. I did my best to examine it. Apparently, I had injured it in our landing. Looking to the opening above, I slumped down on my rear to wait. Not like we had fingers and toes in order to climb. And, after a little test of me walking on a wall, we found I couldn’t carry anything or anyone while doing so. So, I decided to keep Marble company.
I told stories to pass the time, even as Marble, only sporting minor grazes, wandered about sniffing at the air. I even told her of my mother. I left out the part of being human. It was easier to not confuse her.
I explained my name, how it had been forced on me by the dark unicorn, Sombra. It was odd. I felt myself grinning at the memory. The name Comet Streak. He couldn’t possibly have known how fitting it would be for me. My family. My team, the Cave Comets. The fastest recreational cavers in our country. I left out the name of my homeland. Again, Marble had no reference for it.
I watched as Marble moved a little deeper among the rocks at the bottom of the pit. She eventually returned, pushing an oddly round rock which was about the size of her head. She looked puzzled by it. I had no idea why. To me it was a rock. I simply turned back to my mental musings.
Comet Streak. It fit my past. It fit my present. I was lithe and fast. I could travel just as well in the darkness as the day.
My smile eased as my thoughts shifted to my mother. She had always been at her best in the caves. I nodded to myself as I reached a realisation. That of why I had decided to keep the name forced on me.
I had made it through this cave, forced aside the memories of the past in order to help another. I was free of the shackles of that unicorn. I would take this name, not to own it. I would keep it in honour of my family and team, those waiting for me to come home. And, when I did, I would run the caves with them again. Doing what my mother had done and loved, in her memory.
When help finally came, of course it did so in the form of Ochre and Shield Breaker. The twin glows of their horns were a good giveaway. After pleasantries were shared and I had told them of my injured wing, the discussions above quickly became a lesson in carefully levitating objects and ponies. Thankfully, we had the rock Marble was interested in to use as a stand in for testing.
“We will work together,” said Ochre. “Remember, if you cradle your target, you won’t need to squeeze it as you have in the past.”
“I think I understand,” said Shield Breaker.
I can’t say what followed inspired the greatest confidence, especially when Shield Breaker let his magic drop before setting the rock down. There was an almighty ‘CRACK’ and rock fragments rained down from above.
Once Ochre gave Shield Breaker further instructions, the rescue moved to actually helping us out. Marble went first. There was the whole ladies first aspect. But, I was also prepared to do my best in catching her if the two unicorns dropped her. Thankfully, I need not have worried.
When it came to my turn, about halfway up, I heard Ochre grunting with the strain. By the time I reached the top of the pit, there was barely any yellow aura keeping me up. It was almost entirely the white glow from Shield Breaker’s horn. When he set me down gently, I smiled and gave him a hug with a foreleg.
I also got to see what had happened to the rock during testing. Marble was sitting staring at it. The outer rocky layer had shattered, leaving behind a near perfect ball of purple crystal. At Marble’s quiet insistence, Shield Breaker carried the ball out using his magic.
Once back on the surface, Limestone, of course, was still livid with Shield Breaker. She became even more so when she saw the grazes Marble had picked up, let alone when I told her what had happened with what she then told me was a Diamond Dog.
Ochre explained that they were usually a pack animal and that we were lucky to only face one. Limestone’s temper was somewhat eased by the sight of the crystal Marble had uncovered. Even Maud, for all her monotone, appeared surprised by it and had difficulty identifying it.
Marble stood proud in the knowledge that she had made such a rare find. She even shot me a small smile in thanks. It was a smile I gladly returned. With our deed potentially done, Ochre declared that we would remain at the farm for a few more days to ensure there were no other Diamond Dog thieves about. This brought a sinister smile to Limestone’s lips as she fixed her gaze on Shield Breaker.
To his credit, Shield Breaker looked a little hesitant in response.
For me, I was treated by Marble who, according to her mother, insisted on doing so, even though I never heard Marble utter a single word about it.
Days passed and I healed a bit. We found no trace of other Diamond Dogs and Ochre dealt with what remained of Rusty. Soon, we found ourselves back on the train and waving goodbye to Marble, Limestone and Maud as well as their parents. I swear Marble’s smile which had beamed brightly while we stayed on the rock farm, had faded a little the day we had to depart. And yet, she still gave me the biggest smile she could muster.
Taking a chance to be chivalrous, as I boarded the train, I took Marble’s forehoof in mine, raised it and gave it a small kiss. I swear she turned so very very red as I stepped back and moved to find my seat before the train left the station.
We waved to the family until they disappeared, that and we could no longer hear Limestone yelling for what I had done to her little sister. Still looking out the carriage window, I spied the mountain we had entered and remembered all we had done within.
My mother’s face stirred in my memory along with it. But, instead of deep sadness, I felt acceptance. She had died doing what she loved while sharing it with her family. I had stopped Marble from sharing the same fate. Maybe I could do it again if need be?
Nicht noch einmal. Not again. Nie Wieder. Never Again!