"Hey guys! Great news, guess what?" Scenic exclaimed when the three of them walked into his hospital room.
"You're getting released?" Prey boredly suggested.
"No, I'm getting release-How did you know?"
"Magic." Prey answered, too lazy to explain.
"You, uh, can't do magic." Scenic said, not sounding completely sure.
"Prey's pulling your tail. The nurse at reception told us when we signed in." Gloom said.
"The magic of the mundane." Prey deadpanned. Visiting Scenic was still restricted to either the Night Guard or approved individuals. The brass didn't want a repeat of the Strange Happenstance incident.
Crimson went over to Scenic's bed and leaned in closer to examine the earth pony's two legs in their casts, silently drawing in a deep breath through his nose. "You certainly seem to be healing well. When will you be released exactly?"
"Tomorrow!" Scenic crowed in victory, "I can't wait to get back to my own house. Carton is coming by in the morning to pick me up."
Prey briefly considered if Scenic meant that literally, because he was fairly sure the giantess of an earth pony could carry her coltfriend all the way back just fine.
"You're lucky to have a friend so willing to help you out at every turn. I hope you appreciate that." Gloom said as he took a seat.
"Oh I do. I have no idea how I got a marefriend like her. She's so kind, and brave and strong. Uh, not just physically, I mean. Although that too. Did you know Carton can buck down trees all by herself? Just one good kick." Scenic boasted, then looked contrite:
"Not that she'd ever hurt a fly. Uh, don't tell her I told you guys about that farm trip, please?"
They all gave their assurance easily enough.
'Well it's good to have confirmation that if Carton Juice kills me, it'll be by accident.' Prey thought.
As Scenic went on talking about how much he was looking forward to getting out, Prey only listened with half an ear as he thought over other things.
With Scenic getting out of the hospital, it would just be Lilly Blossom left here. How long would Nighthawk wait before ordering them back to active duty when it became obvious Lilly was never recovering? She was not going to be physically fit for duty ever again, and all the moral support Scenic, Carton, and the random addition of Saffron Swirl were giving her was doing nothing towards fixing her mental disabilities either.
'I know Nighthawk plans to keep her in the Guard if she wants to stay, but he can't mean in the ISND, surely. After everything that's happened, he'd have to be insane to think that's a good idea.'
But who could tell with Nighthawk? The Captain seemed to be so solid and practical most of the time, (not that Prey didn't hate him), but then out of the blue, he'd pull a stunt like dumping Scenic and Lilly on the ISND. Prey wouldn't put it past the opaque Captain to do something similar again.
'Scratch that, what might Luna pull next?'
Prey's stomach fell when he remembered his own unfavourable position with Luna at the moment. Last time he'd been in the presence of the dark alicorn, she'd sternly reprimanded him, and then stunned him into unconsciousness with magic. Suffice to say, Prey didn't think he was in her good books at the moment. And while that might sound like a blasé statement, it really did make Prey afraid. He doubted any of Luna's books had a happy ending.
There was a sharp bang outside the door, and a muffled curse of; "Butterscotch!" As the orderly who'd crashed his laundry trolley into a wall regretted his moment of inattention.
It was nothing, just an accident which was no doubt repeated everywhere in all walks of life.
Prey breathed out and lowered himself back into his seat. An ordinary accident or not, his response had been automatic.
But it was nothing, just a clumsy orderly. There hadn't been any threat or danger.
So why did Prey not feel safe?
Prey knew the answer to that question; because he wasn't safe.
Prey was at war. It didn't feel like it, and it certainly didn't look like it either, but Prey knew his enemy was out there. They could strike at any second of the day. Prey wasn't safe anywhere but the flat or his secret lair. Or in less danger, at least. It was not a nice feeling, but there was no alternative. It was called living.
Prey sat and brooded until it was time to leave the hospital.
---
Unpleasantness begets unpleasantness. Fear begets fear. Anger begets anger. And paperwork begets more paperwork.
The pony from the legal side of the Guard had regrettably, but inexorably, arrived, smartly dressed in his beige dress uniform, and bearing Prey's restriction papers. It more or less read as follows:
"By receiving this document, the named individual, 'Prey', shall hereby come under effect of the conditions listed below as punishment for misconduct and risk to pony life, by Her Royal Majesty's authority, Princess Luna. Failure to comply is a criminal offence, and for the good of ponykind will be enforced by legal action if so required.
1. The pony placed under these restrictions shall not leave Canterlot without prior written warning given to a designated officer (See 9D)
2. The pony placed under these restrictions shall not engage in any rally, protest, or public festival within the confines of Canterlot taking place after the hours of 8:00 pm, with the exceptions listed in 9E.
3. The pony placed under these restrictions shall not be out past 10:00 pm without either prior written warning, excepting in an emergency, or unless their working hours so demand them to. If so, see 10A.
4. The pony placed under these restrictions shall not......"
The 'shall not' commands went on and on for another three double-sided pages, listing exceptions and laws that Prey was expected to now obey because he'd proven he knew something dangerous.
Prey coldly read through the document page by page, completely stone walling the legal officer who was impatiently asking again and again for Prey to sign saying he understood and agreed.
'So this is the thanks I get for saving our lives? Fear, derision and punishment.' Prey thought.
It didn't matter. He wasn't going to be obeying any of these pathetic laws instituted by cowardly bureaucrats who'd never so much as had to defend themselves against a rabid sparrow before. So long as he wasn't caught, none of this even mattered.
"Sign on the dotted line please! Whether you agree or not makes no difference, you are still under the same obligations and laws either way, so just sign the paper."
Crimson, who had insisted on being in the room for this, had had enough. "Quiet."
It was just one word. Crimson did not shout, or even snarl it. But it was his body language and cold glare which lent the word the power to immediately silence the clerk. The scar tracks under Crimson's eyes also really helped make the glare into a proper death glare. Prey wished not for the first time that he could've pulled off that same glare. Unfortunately, it would probably just look like he was trying not to cry or something.
Uninterrupted, Prey finished reading and memorising the entire document in grim silence. Then he neatly shuffled the papers into a pile and placed them on the desk. Prey tried to think up some act of suitable defiance he could pull, tearing up the pages or spitting on them, but no, that wouldn't prove anything.
He should just leave it, but the vindictive side of Prey was loudly shouting in the back of his head for him to retaliate. He looked at the clerk. A nobody to him, just the messenger.
A nobody who Prey could definitely inflict some petty vengeance upon.
Prey stared at the bureau clerk. With rapidly building apprehension, the clerk stared back at the unnaturally still and focused lamb.
'No. Don't make anymore enemies. Just walk away.'
The clerk didn't dare say anything in challenge as Prey got down off the stool and simply left without signing. Crimson stalked out after him, slamming the door behind them.
Outside, the Guard Compound greeted them. The order for Prey to come in had been dropped off in the mail this morning, and Prey had judged there was little point delaying the unpleasantness. Scenic was probably out of the hospital by now Prey thought as he took a moment to banish the lingering anger and re-check his surroundings.
The Guard Compound was exactly the same as when he'd entered, aside from the three squads of Royal Guards now drilling in marching formation out front. At least he hadn't had to go all the way up into the Palace for this pointless waste of his time, although he wouldn't have minded making the trip if he'd been going to the Royal Library instead.
Beside him, Crimson was fuming, although probably only Prey could tell. The pegasus made a severe flick with his wing, signalling strong disgust. "That was a complete farce. Is this how they treat heroes?"
"What heroes? Do you feel very heroic for anything that we did?" Prey returned.
"No, of course not," Crimson backtracked, "But you know what I mean. We did our duty, no, we did more than our duty, but now they just, I mean, it's wrong."
It pleased Prey that Crimson was on his side. It shouldn't matter, since he'd known from the very beginning he wouldn't be treated fairly, but still, it was nice to hear Crimson's opinion.
"Come on Prey, follow me." Crimson said abruptly, turning away and stalking off towards the compound's exit.
Prey started, and then hurried after him. He wouldn't have risked following anyone else whose mind he couldn't read, and therefore, couldn't first vet, "Why? Where are we going?"
"Somewhere nice I found, you'll like it. To eat, I mean. I have a bad taste in my mouth."
---
Crimson was right. Prey did like it.
The cafe Crimson spoke of was actually a contained, raised garden of sorts, with potted rose bushes set on an open elevated plank platform. Obviously, the cafe was targeted almost exclusively towards pegasi clientele, evidenced by the open elevation. The cafe building itself was set beneath the shanty style platform, and you had to place your order before climbing the stairs. Or simply flying up if you'd been blessed with wings.
Prey liked it because of the unobstructed view it offered in all directions from atop the open dining area. It let you watch all approaches, and also made it obvious if anyone was watching you from the street level because they'd have to be looking up. Oh, and the rose boxes were probably a nice, if ultimately pointless, aesthetic touch Prey supposed.
"I found this place flying over. I wondered what it was and came down and asked. I have not tried the food, but it looked like a good place." Crimson said, seated opposite Prey.
"This really isn't necessary." Prey protested again, even though they were already seated.
"Well I wanted to. It wasn't fair to you, Prey."
"But it doesn't matter. It's just words written by petty ponies on a piece of paper. It doesn't actually change anything." Prey said, placing his fore hooves on the table. The gold tracer bands were prominently displayed.
Crimson's eyes flickered down to Prey's hooves, then back up to his face. Wordlessly, Crimson set his own fore hooves on the table, matching golden band for golden band. Prey nodded, and Crimson nodded slowly back in understanding. It changed nothing, just like Prey had said.
"Still..." Crimson murmured, "Their behaviour angers me."
"Because it reminds you of your own treatment by your clan?" Prey guessed.
Crimson's feathers bristled for a moment, before smoothing back down, "Yes, precisely that reason. They made up laws and restrictions just for me and my father and forced us to live by them. And after all my father did for them-!"
Crimson bit down on whatever he'd been about to say and looked away. There was quiet for a few minutes, aside from the passing chatter of citizens in the street below and the buzzing of bees in the rose boxes.
"If you want to talk, I'm willing to listen..." Prey cautiously offered, "But only if you want-"
"Yes." Crimson interrupted, then he repeated it, more quietly, "Yes. Clan Myrrdon hated me. And my father, I mean. Me because I wasn't born a thestral, and my father because he supported me."
Prey knew there was a complicated story here, but he didn't ask for any of the clan's deeper reasoning, although it was obvious that whatever it had been, it probably hadn't been nearly so simple as plain racism. He patiently waited while Crimson thought over what he wanted to say and how to say it.
"My mother died in childbirth," Crimson finally began without any sentimentality. Obviously, since he'd never known his mother, he didn't miss her, "Maybe it was because I was a pegasus born to thestral parents. A throwback. It's only been recorded three times before in the clan's history, but it does happen. Each time, it didn't end well. There were tales about what those previous throwback pegasi did... But that doesn't matter. Their issue was, my father refused to give up his position."
Prey blinked, showing he wasn't following.
"I mean," Crimson amended, "My father was on the council, but he refused to give up his position when he took on the task of caring for a foal. He did both instead. I think that was the start of it all. It was just a small crack, but by the end years later, it was a gaping chasm between the elders and my father."
That was a rather more poetic description than Crimson was normally given to, but Prey supposed he'd had a long time to think and brood on this.
"Because of what happened with the last pegasi born into Childara, it was against clan law to train any such pony to be a warrior. My father did not care, and I began my training when I was six winters old."
Prey could hear the warm pride there, even in Crimson's blank tones.
"Most of the elders protested, but my father used his position as both an elder and my father to decide how he wanted to raise me. There were lots of little things, most of them I didn't even notice until I looked back. Clan life is... was hard. Monsters, low food, it's always a constant struggle on the border. But you already know that."
Prey nodded. He did know, he'd lived there, and he knew how close to the edge you lived at all times.
"You have to be united, or the whole clan will fail. Duty before all else." Crimson's jaw momentarily clenched, "Some fools started saying my father wasn't doing his duty. That he wasn't putting the clan first."
"Just because he was training you?" Prey asked.
"No. I mean, not just that. My father turned down a proposal for marriage to a widowed mare. Misty Crag her name was. Then she died a week later. It was an accident, just awful luck. A rock slide while she was flying underneath. It could've happened to anyone, but it happened to her while she was flying up to our cave. She was one of the only ponies who tolerated me. She'd grown up alongside my father. She was my mother's half sister. She didn't deserve that death."
Crimson didn't have to explain any further there. Misty Crag had died while going to see Crimson's father, a stallion who'd just rejected her marriage offer. Suspicions would be raised, rumours started, and the already existing distrust would grow.
There was a pause as Crimson thought about the past, or considered what he wanted to say and what he still wanted to keep secret. His yellow eyes were distant and yet terribly focused at the same time.
"My father argued with the elders a lot. About clan policy, I mean. About foraging and that we should start looking further afield. That we should find new caves. A cockatrice infestation. A hard winter. A cave-in. Spoiled rations during the winter. Newborn foals going hungry and increasing family sizes."
Crimson listed out each issue heavily, like it was personal, and to Crimson, Prey supposed it had been. He'd lived in that clan, their sufferings and their victories had been his too at the time.
"My father helped, and I helped with everything too. Rebuilding, foraging, scouting, monster elimination especially, me and my father worked the hardest. The hardest! But they never thanked us, not once. The elders just kept arguing with my father more and more. By then, no one in the whole clan would even speak to me because of the elders and their superstition. Eveypony, I mean everybody, makes mistakes, but when my father made even one wrong call, they leapt on it and tried to make him step down again and again. But they never said thank you when we did something right."
Prey had wanted to know what happened with Crimson's clan and father, and now he was finally getting the answers. He'd more or less guessed all of this before, but it was one thing to guess and another to have Crimson frankly confirm it all to him.
"How did it end?" Prey asked quietly.
"With Princess Luna."
Crimson spoke in a brisk, clipped tone, wanting to get his explanation over with; "On Princess Luna's return, she extended a hoof to all three clans to return. My father voted for taking her offer. All the other Myrrdon elders called her Nightmare Moon and refused. My father challenged them. A duel was set. The elders lied. They said a duel, but they turned it into a gauntlet. My father won the duel, but then the elders kept coming one after another. They didn't give him any choice, they just attacked. He, he lost after the fifth one. He surrendered, I heard him yield. But, but Nexus still..."
Crimson didn't need to finish. Prey knew exactly what had happened next.
"Afterwards," Crimson swallowed drily and slowly resumed speaking, "They lied again. Nexus claimed he hadn't heard my father yield in time. Liar. Everyone heard and saw, the whole clan was there. But just like that, the elders got away with murder."
'But they didn't, did they?' Prey thought, 'Because you were still alive. I know you killed them, or some of them, for murdering your father. This Nexus at the very least. It sounded like you challenged them to duels one after another, not just cut their throats in the middle of the night, but it just proved all their suspicions about you, didn't it? I wonder how many elders you killed in duels before they realised you meant to take revenge on them all and they exiled you before you could? Two, maybe three elders?'
Another silence fell between them. The bright sun and Canterlot sparkle didn't seem so bright or sparkly, and the scent of red roses faded into something less pleasant but much more familiar for a second.
Crimson didn't keep talking, so Prey didn't ask. He had wanted to know, and now he did.
The waiter, a young pegasus, presently appeared with their food. He actually flew up to them from the kitchen below, expertly balancing two trays. He smiled brightly at the both of them.
"One cabbage omelette with beetroot salad, and one squash n' peas cheese mash. Enjoy." The young waiter chirped.
"Thank you." Crimson said seriously, accepting his omelette.
"You're welcome. Do you want any drinks to go along with your food?" The waiter asked with a smile, while thinking; '-gosh it's weird seeing a sheep in Canterlot instead of out in the country-'
"Oh. Yes, drinks. I suppose that's normal to order too." Crimson said.
The waiter looked politely confused.
"Just get us some water." Prey said, "Please."
"A jug of water and ice, no problemo', little miss." The waiter chirped happily. Prey couldn't be bothered to correct him that he wasn't a ewe, and, seeing Prey not caring, Crimson did the same.
"Oh, do you think you might be wanting dessert after? I'm just asking, because if you want cake or flapjack, we can cook them up fresh and have them done by the time you're finished eating the main course. Would you like to see the dessert menu too?" The waiter asked, pausing with his wings half spread.
That was the problem with all the eateries and cafes Prey had been to. The waiters and cooks were always pushing you to try their dishes and hovering on your tail constantly checking if your meal was okay, or perhaps if you just wanted to chat.
Crimson's tufted ear gave a flick of annoyance, swivelling towards the waiter, "No. Thank you, but we don't want any dessert. The water is all."
"No problemo', I'll-ugh!" The stallion almost swallowed his own tongue, and his eyes and wings opened wide. '-oh my goodness, look at those scars! They're hideous-'
This pegasus must be blind to have missed Crimson's scars this long. Or rather, perhaps just average. 'Just an average pony citizen living an average day.'
It was... disappointing, even if Prey knew it was, and would forever be, rare to find ponies who weren't immediately freaked out.
"I, uh, I, I just, I'll just go a-and get that water right now." The waiter stuttered, and beat a hasty escape.
Prey distastefully watched him fly over the rose planters and drop below the platform's edge as quickly as possible. "He's not coming back with the water." Prey stated.
Crimson grunted and turned his attention to his food instead.
Prey hesitated, weighing if he should ask or not before going on ahead, "You're still going to go after them again, aren't you? One day?"
Crimson stopped cutting into his omelette, but didn't look up from the plate. He knew exactly who 'they' Prey referred to were. The elders of Clan Myrrdon. Prey hadn't forgotten what Crimson had said out at Mayflower, even if he'd been delirious and barely conscious at the time. Prey never forgot.
"Princess Luna ordered me to put aside my vengeance." Crimson eventually said.
Prey nodded neutrally, "That she did."
Crimson lifted his eyes. There was no judgement in Prey's face. Any excuse Crimson might've been going to voice died. Prey wasn't like the others, Prey understood. He could see the answer as plain as day on Crimson's face, and the pegasus would not lie and try to hide the truth, not from Prey.
And the truth was that the answer was; no. Crimson had not forgiven, nor forgotten his clan. He might be bound here to Luna's service, but if he ever saw any of them again...
"I see. Well, if that time ever comes, let me know if you need help hiding the bodies." Prey said. The veropedes were always hungry.
Crimson jerked, "I, you, no. No Prey. Even if I were to-but no. It isn't your fight. I won't risk you getting dragged down with me. And, hiding a b-no. Just no." Crimson shuddered.
"Yes, it's not my fight," Prey agreed, "But I've already told you. There are only two things I won't do for you. You didn't forget that, right?"
"No, but I... Have you hidden a... one of those before?" Crimson asked in a whisper, breathing shallowly. He looked sickened by the possibility. And also deeply disturbed that he couldn't dismiss it.
Prey poked at his cheesy squash and pea mash, hesitating. "Does it matter? You and me, in this we're both the same. ‘War to the knife, and that to the hilt’ as the zebras say. So do you really want to know the answer?"
"...No, I don't think I do."
"Okay. But I'll help you hide one if it ever comes down to it."
Prey didn't think Crimson would ever take him up on the offer, even if the pegasus did have a body to dispose of. But Prey had made the offer, and he'd meant it. And Crimson could tell he was serious.
"That's... no Prey. My answer is no. I don't want you getting hurt in my fight. I know I shouldn't go after them, it's wrong, and I'm trying not to, but if I see any of them... I don't want you getting caught or killed alongside me Prey."
"Then don't get caught or killed."
Crimson groaned, and then barked a laugh, "It's not that simple."
"No, nothing ever is." Prey agreed.
"You can say that again Prey." Crimson picked up his forked again and finally got to taste his omelette.
Prey winced, tugging at his ear, "Hey, don't you ever, ah, check for poison first?" He asked.
"Pardon?"
"In your food."
Crimson deliberately put down the fork again, "Prey... Are you trying to tell me this is poisoned?"
"No no, not this food. I just meant your meals in general. Do you check for poison? I haven't seen you doing so, but maybe you do and I've just been missing it?"
Crimson shook his head, "No I don't. I wouldn't even know how to. Is that what you do before you eat anything? I hadn't noticed."
"That's why I just thought I might've just been missing you checking too with your own method. And yes, I always check my food for poison."
Crimson looked at Prey, "Every time?"
"Yes, always. You can never be too careful."
"Ah. I see." Crimson said gravely, and Prey thought it likely he really did see.
Prey never felt safe. He was always in danger, and you never knew when and where the next attack would come from. Bitter experience and fear drove Prey to check his meals for poison every time, even from people he knew. (Cookie, for instance). Someone who had never been in Prey's position would scoff at him for being paranoid, but that didn't matter. It was a habit, one that'd saved his life before, and one which Prey couldn't and wouldn't stop.
And to be fair, Prey didn't physically check his food every time for poison. If he could read the thoughts of the person who'd made the food, and he didn't hear anything suspicious in their mind, that was usually good enough for Prey.
"So just to clarify, this food isn't poisoned, and I can eat it right?" Crimson double checked.
"No and yes, in that order. Although I suppose it still could be, but by a poison with characteristics I can't detect."
Crimson looked down at his gently steaming omelette and fresh beetroot salad, "I was perfectly happy to eat this before you said that." He commented.
"Er, sorry." Prey chuckled awkwardly.
"Are there many poisons you can recognise Prey?" Crimson asked. And just like that they were back to the heavy, dark questions.
Prey answered honestly, "Yes. But there are always more poisons out there, and that's not even touching on venoms."
Crimson seemed to be considering that answer, "Has someone... poisoned you before?"
Prey remembered Snake, and how the voodoo witch had used him as a test subject. Prey had even poisoned himself on a number of occasions, like the time he needed to avoid attending Wheat Plow's trial. Prey glanced away. "Yes. None were lethal poisons, or at least no lethal doses, obviously, since I'm still here. But yes."
"I see why you always check your food then." Crimson said, back to eyeing his own plate.
"Actually, I've been naturally poisoned far more times by plants and animals than I have by people." Prey admitted.
"Oh, that's a relief? I think? Not that you were poisoned, I mean. That's bad either way."
"It's certainly no fun either way, I'll tell you that much." Prey said with a wry grin.
"Would you teach me Prey? How to avoid poison, I mean." Crimson asked.
"Of course I would. I'd love to help you stay alive Crimson." Prey perked up. His smile didn't last long however, "Although it's probably not going to be much use. There's too many poisons and combinations to reasonably memorise, and unfortunately most of what I know is from experience. The long and the short of it is; if someone wants to poison you, and they're determined or ingenious enough, they'll find a way to get you in the end."
"Really?" Crimson sounded a bit sceptical.
"Really," Prey said seriously, "Not all poisons are ones you eat or drink, those are just the easiest to identify. There are contact poisons and airborne poisons. Think about every object you touch in a day. Your armour, the door, your bed, the chair, dish cloth, tap handle, your keys, everything. The chances are low, but where anything could be poisoned, can you see why it's impossible not to slip up eventually?"
"I understand." Crimson said, not sounding too happy about the possibility.
"And that's to say nothing about magical poisons," Prey sighed, "And there's nothing I can say about those, because I don't know."
"So if someone wants to poison you, there's nothing you can do about it? Is that what you're saying?"
"No no, I'm just saying don't believe you can't or won't get poisoned just because of what I teach you. And really, all I can do is teach you the signs to look out for."
"Okay. What must I watch out for?"
"Right, here's what to look for. The first thing is the most obvious. Sight. Look for unexplained lumps, granules, powders, bits, dark patches, anything you find suspicious. If it looks suspicious, it is."
"How do you ever eat anything Cookie serves us, then?" Crimson deadpanned.
Prey flashed a quick smile, "Very carefully. Next is texture, although it doesn't really tell you much. All you can really look out for with texture is if it doesn't feel like what you think it should be. Then smell. With your talent this'll probably be the easiest for you Crimson. A lot of natural poisons smell like almonds or citrus. Additionally, anything smelling sharp or sweet can be a sign of poison. Next..."
Crimson listened, and Prey lectured, trying to teach him the basics of avoiding poison. It made Prey anxious, because it just enforced how easily someone might get Crimson. Theoretical knowledge could only go so far, and there were plenty of almost undetectable poisons that could be slipped past even Prey. But he imparted his knowledge to Crimson as best he could, and hoped his friend would never need it.
As predicted, the waiter didn't bring their requested water in the end. Prey didn't leave a tip.
---
Prey was seriously tempted to slam the door shut in their faces.
"Alright, let's hear it. How did you two get this address anyway?" Prey asked the nervously grinning Scenic and Carton Juice. Scenic's rear leg was still in a cast, but his front one was just in a sling, and he had a crutch. From how closely Carton was standing alongside her coltfriend, she'd been offering a strong shoulder to lean on the whole way here too.
"Er, Sargent Gloom told me when I asked." Scenic shrugged.
"I hope you don't mind." Carton Juice added sweetly.
"We, uh, thought we'd do that chess match. Like a mini round robin tournament or something." Scenic added.
Prey had returned earlier after his lunch, or whatever that was with Crimson at the open diner. He'd been looking forwards to getting down to some more serious rune work and defence making done, but then these three had barged in here. Uninvited.
"That explains you two. But why is she here?" Prey asked, looking to the third pony.
"Heya' Prey." Taffy beamed, leaning out from behind the bulk of Carton Juice, "Well, I was just coming by to pick up my cake tray, but then I met Scenic and the wonderful Miss Carton Juice on the way here, and I thought, 'Hey, it'd be great fun to join them'. So here I am."
'Yes, here you are. As welcome as the headache you bring.'
Prey looked at Taffy, then flicked his eyes to the midday sun out beyond the landing balcony, "I take it that it's your day off, and that's why you're not at the Palace making paperwork?"
"Yep. Wait, I do not make paperwork. Paperwork makes itself, I'm merely an avid collector."
"Uhh." Scenic seemed confused. Walking here like that couldn't have been painless, but here the earth pony stood, (with some help), scars, crutch and all.
"So, can we, uh, like come in and stuff?" Scenic prompted, still nervously grinning but with a definite strained edge to it now.
"Not into my flat." Prey denied immediately.
Carton blinked while Taffy 'Awww'd', "Why not?"
"Because I don't want you to." Prey said bluntly. It was not a polite answer, but it was the truth.
'-that's not polite-', Carton thought, '-no, he's a foal who's been through more than I can imagine. It's a wonder he's not worse than he is-'
Prey decided to ignore her irrelevant opinion. Really, they should be thankful he was keeping them out of his flat. The runic arrays had not finished being refined yet, and were not 'friendly' at the moment to put it bluntly.
Taffy however, wasn't perturbed in the least by Prey's rudeness, "Hey, that's fine. We'll just use Crimson's flat instead!"
"Yeah, let's ask Crimson."
"You don't think we'll be imposing, do you, Paint Spot?"
Prey refrained from giving them all the dirty look he felt they rightly deserved. However it wasn't his place to speak in Crimson's stead. Crimson might actually want to see them, although False Gods only knew why.
"You can ask him yourselves. You're in luck, usually he'd be out flying at this time." Prey grudgingly admitted them, stepping out of the doorway.
Not wanting to get stuck in the corridor with three much larger people crowding in on him, he hurried to Crimson's door and knocked. The pegasus had been out doing something in Canterlot, and only returned about twenty minutes ago.
"Crimson? You in there? Scenic, Carton, and Taffy have turned up at the front door for some reason."
Prey heard a muffled exclamation of "What?" from inside the other flat.
"I said, Scenic, Carton, and Taffy have turned up!" Prey called again, louder.
Crimson opened the door far enough to look out. He looked down at Prey, then up to the three visitors. "Hello?" He offered.
Taffy answered for them all in her boisterous way, "Yoohoo Crimson. I was just coming by to pick up my cake tray and I bumped into these two on the stairs and now we're all here to play chess in your flat."
Through the gap, Prey saw Crimson's wings momentary go into a panic. Crimson looked over his shoulder, then back out at Prey, then to the three hopeful ponies, and then back into his flat again. Crimson calmed his wings and opened the door wider with an unvoiced sigh, "Alright. I suppose you may come in."
"Great!" Taffy pushed in without any embarrassment. Prey jerked away and hurried in past Crimson before the mare got too close to him.
Crimson's flat looked the same as the last time Prey had seen it, with one exception.
"Oh you got a table. Great, this'll make playing chess so much easier." Taffy grinned as she spied the new addition.
'-still need to see about getting him and Prey some proper stuff. Like chairs, carpets, and curtains. Especially curtains! No home is complete without curtains-'
Scenic and Carton, like all who first saw the flat, (and that number was far too high in Prey's opinion), were shocked by how bare it was, whereas to Prey and Crimson, it was perfectly fine. Carton was looking around in dismay, her ears wilting:
'-this is how the Guards who defend us live?-'
'-I didn't know Crimson and Prey were so hard up. I feel bad. I should have guessed-', Scenic thought in guilt as he hobbled himself inside.
"Your cake tray is beside the sink." Crimson said to Taffy. "Thank you by the way. It was very sweet. And full of fudge. And sugar. And fudge stuffed with sugar. And more sugar."
"You're welcome," Taffy beamed proudly, "I'll grab it later. But I hear we're supposed to be playing chess, am I right? Scenic said he brought two checkerboards so we can all play. Well, one of us can sit out and take turns, but it'll be fun. I love chess."
Scenic jerked up from staring at the one lone decoration in the flat, Crimson's Blood Fern, and looked in interest at Taffy, "You regularly play chess? You must be, uh, quite good then. Could I have a game?"
Carton Juice gently bumped Scenic with her hip, although the huge earth pony mare still almost overdid it. At least he didn't bounce off the wall. "What, beating me over and over isn't fun anymore?" She gently teased.
"I do not win over and over. You're very good, you win like, er, half our games." Scenic defended bashfully.
"Aw, don't be modest." Carton said.
"I do not know how to play chess." Crimson said.
"Don't worry, we'll teach you. I'm a great teacher." Taffy waved him off, "Hey, what about you Prey? Do you know how to play the king of board games?"
"King?" Prey asked.
"Chess is like, the original board game of all board games. It's centuries old, Princess Celestia used to play it back in her day. It's the fairest and most balanced strategy game there is. There's no trickery or luck, just all skill."
Scenic looked taken aback by Taffy's sudden passion, then excited at finding a fellow enthusiast, "I know right? Everything is fair because both players have the exact same pieces and can see the whole board at all times. It's the ultimate strategy game."
'-seems my Paint Spot's found a playmate. Good for him, he could do with a proper challenge-', Carton Juice thought, the huge earth pony smiling fondly down at her coltfriend.
Prey was just wondering whether he could successfully sneak out of the flat and get back to work without being noticed, when Taffy clapped her hooves together, "We're getting ahead of ourselves, we came here to teach Prey and Crimson to play chess. We can't all play if we don't know how, right? So let's get down to business!"
'Damn it.' There went Prey's plan.
Crimson looked sceptical, "I'm unsure if I want-"
"Don't be such a grump. Come on, it'll be fun, you'll see." Taffy interrupted, not giving Crimson a chance to finish.
'-wow. She's brave, or insane. I don't think I could just interrupt Crimson like that-', Scenic thought, impressed.
Prey rolled his eyes to himself, 'Well obviously that's because you've seen Crimson slicing kindersnatches to pieces, whereas Taffy sits behind a desk all day. She just doesn't know any better.'
"You too, Prey. Come and learn the king of board games." Taffy called.
"No thanks, I'm fine."
"No buts Prey, it'll be good for your brain."
"Really, no thank you."
"Come and give it a go at least. You can't say you don't like it if you've never tried it. Join us please."
"I'd rather sit out, I don't like board games. But don't let me stop you." Prey said, purposefully sitting himself down and out of the way.
Giving up, ( '-but only for now-' ), Taffy made a mock pouting face, then quickly wiped it off in favour of her usual smile as she spun back around to the other three:
"Alright, who wants to play first?"
---
Chess, Prey decided, was an awful game.
First off, when did he ever have time to play games? Well, right now if you wanted to be technical, but after watching from the sidelines as Taffy and Scenic avidly explained the rules of chess, Prey decided it was a stupid game. Scenic however seemed to think of chess as some great strategy game, some time honoured tradition almost. Taffy described chess as having come from "noble origins", having been mastered by the "greatest strategists in the world".
Complete hogweed.
Taffy had talked Crimson into playing a practice game with her so she could better show him how the rules worked. Despite her chatting away and pointing out both good and bad moves on both their sides of the board, she was quite clearly winning. Crimson's blank face didn't really show whether he was enjoying the game or not, but Prey thought he was probably just humouring the huge mare.
Not that Prey was any sort of chess master himself, Hell, he'd never even played one game and he didn't intend to, but he thought Crimson should just move his bishop up and leave it there threatening the whole rest of the board, before focusing on the mess of pawns and knights going on in the middle.
Prey refused all offers to play a match extended to him, all cajoling, coaxing, and blatant attempts to try and provoke him going ignored. Prey held no interest in playing at all.
The three of them had turned up unannounced and uninvited, interrupting his work, and expected him to play a game with them? Ha, fat chance. Plots don’t hatch themselves, Prey had important things to do.
'-this would be great if we had Sargent Gloom here too-', Scenic thought fondly, '-let's make sure to bring him next time, so we can all join in-'
But then he remembered Lilly Blossom, and the moment of fun faded and died in Scenic's chest. Prey folded his hooves, 'And now he finally gets it. Chess is pointless. It's not survival, it's not training, and it's not research. What good can a board game do against a kindersnatch, or another warlock?'
"You know, with some music, cushions, a lick of paint and some other stuff, your flat could be a great place Crimson." Taffy announced out of the blue, unknowingly interrupting Scenic's spiral into depressed musings.
"Stuff?" Crimson asked.
"Yes, stuff," The frizzy maned mare confirmed seriously, "What say you we get together with Gloomy this weekend and I can show you guys some good places to go shopping? How about it?"
"Gloomy?"
"Yes, Gloomy."
Crimson lingered on that disrespect for a moment, before just letting it go with a slight shake of the head, unintentionally causing his overly long mane to slip into his face. Crimson puffed it back out of his eyes and said, "While I thank you for the offer Taffy, I see little reason to do so."
"What? Uh, why ever not? It's like totally bare in here." Scenic exclaimed.
So what? It held all the necessities for life, food and water, and the flat itself was the completion of the third and last necessity; shelter. Alright, there was a difference between a shack and a mansion, still if both contained all you needed to survive, Prey saw little practical difference and Crimson was certainly the same. The thestral clans' ancestral homes were literally caves after all.
"It's fine isn't it?" Crimson answered Scenic's question blankly.
"Uh, no? You guys have got nothing. I mean, you can't be comfortable like this right?" Scenic asked incredulously.
"Yes?" Crimson responded just as blankly, "I don't need anymore. I already have more amenities here than my cave ever did."
That blunt statement startled the three Equestrian ponies, and sympathy, compassion, and respect quickly followed from Taffy, Carton, and Scenic in that order.
"Besides," Crimson inadvertently cut them off before they could start expression their condolences:
"All those things cost bits. Neither Prey or I have a store of money yet. Shopping will have to wait." Crimson finished without any sense of embarrassment. And why would he be ashamed of being monetarily poor? They didn't have money in the clans, so the concept didn't yet hold much value to him, and Prey himself had never cared much for gold. You couldn't eat it when you were starving or burn it when you were cold.
'-I, I didn't think about that, but they're new to Equestria, of course they wouldn't have any funds yet-', Taffy thought, wincing and looking down.
'-but Paint Spot said they were like heroes, yet Crimson is so poor? Are all thestrals actually poor? And that poor little sheep, made to live like this-', Carton Juice was thinking about things she'd always just taken for granted and assumed until now, ears drooping. Scenic's own thoughts were not much different to his giant marefriend's.
Prey rolled his eyes heavenward in frustration. Could they just not please? Just this once?
"So this piece, what was it called again? Castle? It goes diagonally right?" Crimson asked, interrupting the brewing atmosphere.
"Huh?" Carton Juice blinked, refocusing on the chessboard, "Ah, no, that's what the bishop does. Yes that one, but only on the colour square it starts on."
---oOo---
Some say that those who've survived near death experiences develop a sixth sense about such dangers. A way for the subconscious to warn the waking mind.
This was a saying Prey could and did completely believe. It was called 'experience' by the sensible, and 'paranoia' by ponies. But he didn't believe it was an actual sixth sense. Although, magic had done weirder things before, especially if you took into account pony cutie marks.
But some other people said close family could develop the same sixth sense about their loved ones instead. A study was actually made by some rather noteworthy scholars of their time making arguments for both sides of the dispute, although nothing conclusive was ever actually proven. But that study wasn't important. Everyone had their own personal experiences, and each believed their own opinion.
Such as a wife who woke up in the middle of the night to find out the next day her husband had been hit by a wagon at the exact same hour. Or breaking the homemade mug from aunt Remedy on the same day she had a stroke.
Now that Prey firmly believed was just wishful thinking and lucky coincidence.
But some people say it's real. If so, it'd never happened to Prey. Where was the warning when Breaker was in danger? Why didn't it tell him when his brother was killed?
No, all such signs and warnings were pure coincidence.
---oOo---
Prey himself was given no such pre-warning.
A banging came at the front door, jarringly loud.
Only then did Prey get a bad feeling.
The feeling was that of a loose stitch which hadn't existed suddenly being tugged on the back of Prey's neck. The tug wasn't one Prey had felt before, but it was directly linked as if by a thread straight down to his gut. And that instinctual gut warning he did recognise.
What was it which put Prey on edge? Perhaps it was the loudness of the knocking, or the attitude behind it. Or was it paranoia that made Prey remember the leafy rotting stench of Deeper Green air tickling the back of his neck?
Or maybe it was much more basic than all that. The very recent attempted intrusion by the two Guards and two lawyers Prey had dealt with was still in the forefront of his mind.
"Huh, were you expecting somepony else? Ooh, do you think that's Gloomy come to join us?" Taffy chirped, looking up from check-mating Crimson.
"I don't think so," Crimson gave the four visitors a look, "You didn't invite anyone else to my flat, did you?"
Scenic and his huge marefriend looked at each other over their chess board and exchanged a nonplussed shrug. '-why's he speaking funny and not saying 'anypony'?-'
Prey was on his hooves, a worried frown on his brow and an unpleasant squirming in his stomach. Crimson was heading for the door. "Crimson, wait-"
Crimson stopped as Prey hurried up next to him, "Prey?"
"I, I don't know. Be on your guard." Prey hissed in a low voice.
Crimson's eyes flicked back to his wings, but his father's wing blades that he was so proud of were still locked away in the Palace. For safekeeping of course, but he didn't have them right now. And with the jade necklace gone, Crimson was weaponless.
The pounding came at the door again.
Crimson looked out into the hall. He rolled his shoulders and stepped out of the flat.
"Crimson-"
"They won't wait forever, Prey." He said simply to Prey's hiss of worry, "Whoever they are, it is better to face them. It's probably nothing anyway. Another courier who didn't get the message."
That would've made the most sense, if it was just another mailpony. But Prey felt sure it wasn't.
The front door opened as Crimson pulled down the latch. It was deja vu. The scene waiting on the landing was so shockingly similar as to be the same. It wasn't, not really, but it also was. However it wasn't a disembodied feeling of disconnection, because Prey recognised what he saw. It was as if Crimson had opened the door and Prey found his cell from Dreverton on the other side.
It was like finding he'd come full circle when his back was turned. Remembering Dreverton was appropriate for the moment too.
Celestia's afternoon sun was on this side of the building, and its rays came in through the balcony and refracted off gold armour. Prey had to squint against it before he could make out the four figures spread out in front of Crimson.
Four Guards. A two and two split. A pegasus and an earth pony in the standard plating of the Royal Guard. And two unicorns in the more extensive, golden and alabaster armour of the Solar Guard.
For a moment, Prey locked up. Two unicorn Solar Guards. And he recognised one of them, the tallest one on the right. He'd been there when Captain Valour had dragged Prey from Dreverton; Sunshine.
In that moment, all Prey could think as he stared wide eyed at Sunshine was; 'He's come to take me back to Dreverton!'
You can run, but the past will always catch up. There is always a price.
It was the other Solar Guard who spoke though, not Sunshine, "Crimson Trace of the Night Guard?"
The unicorn's voice was brisk, impatient, and full of no-nonsense confidence. His question threw Prey off kilter. Weren't they here for him?
Crimson coolly evaluated the stallion and the other three Guards. "Yes, I am Crimson Trace."
'-ha, I thought so, couldn't be sure it was him out of the armour though-', The earth pony Royal Guard thought.
'-not so scary now are you? Just a pony like me-', The pegasus one was thinking.
It was a thrill of fear that Prey finally regained enough control to realise he couldn't hear Sunshine nor the second Solar Guard's mind. They were not guarded behind mental walls like Crimson's were, or simply missing like with mimics, but rather clouded. Obscured. Just a muffled fog to Prey's perception.
'Magic. The same enchanted gems on their helmets they had last time. A mind lock they called it. That must be it.'
Before him stood two powerful unicorns who, for all their hang ups about violence, were dangerously competent soldiers. They might be here to kill him and Prey wouldn't have any warning. Standing here and caught off guard, he was as vulnerable as any other person would be before them.
The pegasus Royal Guard puffed out his chest, "Crimson Trace, by the power invested in me by Her Royal Majesty I hereby place you under arrest for suspicious activity."
Crimson blinked slowly, once.
"Pardon?"
The Solar Guard who'd been speaking before the pegasus butted in rolled his eyes, "You're under arrest on suspicion of theft."
Crimson's wings stiffened, "What?"
"I suggest you comply and come quietly. We have a warrant. If this is a mistake, you'll be released with a full apology."
This was not a mistake. They wouldn't have sent four Guards, two of them Solar Guards, unless they were sure, and the stances of all four Guards said they knew that.
'No, nonono. What is this? I dealt with those fools last time. I made sure of it, I wiped their memories! It was just a warrant to search the flat, just written permission to be annoying, not arrest him! What's changed? Why is Crimson being arrested?!' Prey thought frantically, but he couldn't come up with any explanation that made sense.
"Theft of what?" Crimson demanded.
"That can be discussed with you at the station when you give your account-"
"And I'm demanding to know now. I have a right." Crimson cut him off.
A tense look went around the four Guards. Sunshine sent a sidelong look at his companion and tilted his ears. The other Solar Guard snorted in response. Sunshine gave an aggrieved tail flick at having to be the one, and answered Crimson's question; "You are accused of breaking and entering, and the theft of a magical heirloom belonging to Lord Vanish of House Time."
"I stole from-? He stole from me!"
Prey was just as shocked and outraged as Crimson. What was Vanish doing falsely accusing Crimson like this? Sending a threatening message through those lawyers was one thing, (a message which Prey thought he'd dealt with), but this was an active attack. Was Vanish stupid? Crimson hadn't stolen anything. How did the noble intend to explain his false accusations when it was revealed Crimson didn't have the jade necklace, and he, Vanish, still had it in his possession the whole time?
Unless... Unless it wasn't a false accusation.
Prey'd mind raced to make the connections. What if the necklace really had been stolen? Not by Crimson, obviously, but by someone else? Naturally, their first suspect would be Crimson.
Vanish was a greedy, self serving, arrogant, lying, entitled, blackmailing, rich unicorn snob. In short, a typical noble. But he had never appeared to be stupid. False accusations which could so easily be disproved and would blacken his House's reputation wouldn't be something a noble like Vanish would do.
Thus, someone else must've really broken in and made off with House Time's priceless family heirloom.
'But why're the Solar Guard here? What could possibly be serious enough to involve them? Who sent them? Why're they here plus the Royal Guard? Did Shining Armour do this? Has Celestia herself taken an interest?!'
Prey's breath was coming fast. He was approaching the edge of panic. What should he do? Should they fight?
The Royal Guard pegasus took another step forwards, almost getting in Crimson's face.
"You stand accused and are under arrest. I'll ask again, do you want to do this the easy way, or the hard way?" The pegasus dared, shoving a set of hoof cuffs under Crimson's nose.
'-go on scar face, make my day. I'll show you how a real pegasus does his duty, you bat lover-'
Muscles along Crimson's wings and under his fur subtly tensed. Prey's breath caught in panic. Crimson was unarmed and unarmoured, still trapped in the doorway without room to manoeuvre, and there were two unicorn Solar Guards, both subtly ready to spring into action. This wasn't a fight Crimson could win head on.
But then Crimson relaxed, and the moment passed. He glanced back at Prey, still standing behind him, blue eyes wide and, yes, scared. And Prey saw the Guards finally spot him standing behind Crimson. Sunshine's eyebrows snapped together-
'He knows, he remembers! The memory runes didn't work.'
"Who's this? There was no foal registered living with you at this address. We can't leave a minor unattended because of an arrest." Sunshine said.
Prey breathed again. Sunshine hadn't recognised him, and had also let slip a loophole. He could work with this! They couldn't just arrest Crimson if they thought he was looking after Prey-
"We'll just have to bring her with us and put her into temporary care." The second Solar Guard answered, looking put out at the inconvenience.
"Hey, no, the sheep's a Night Guard too. She's in them ISND's group too sir." The earth pony Royal Guard spoke up.
"She? Prey isn't a-No, Prey's not coming with me." Crimson emphasised.
"It's not up to you. Protocol dictates not leaving foals unattended at arrests. Enough stalling." Sunshine ordered.
Prey opened his mouth, "I-"
Crimson's wing shot out in front of Prey, silencing him.
"No. He can stay here with Scenic Paint and Carton Juice. They're friends. They're back in my-in the flat right now." Crimson said firmly, then hissed to Prey; "Don't get involved. Go and tell Gloom what's happened. Let Captain Nighthawk know. They'll sort this out."
"Sir!" The pegasus Royal Guard protested to Sunshine, "Are we really just going to take his word for that? What if there's nopony even in there? He could be lying. And shouldn't we search the flat for the stolen heirloom too?"
All of Crimson's primary flight feathers bristled at the Guard's accusation. "I am not lying, and I have stolen nothing. I'm complying with this arrest because of the law, not because I'm guilty."
"That's got nothing to do with us. We're neither the prosecution or a judge," The second Solar Guard said dismissively, "And this is a problem solved easily enough."
The stallion raised his voice, "This is the Guard. Are there any ponies within this flat?" He called, apparently not realising the corridor actually led to two flats.
"Is this a joke Crimson?" Taffy's voice came back, muffled.
Scenic and Carton said something too. It sounded like, "Who's that?" And, "Huh?"
The Solar Guard nodded, "There you go, there's other ponies who can look after the foal. Private, if you would?" He gestured the pegasus with the hoof cuff's forwards again.
The Royal Guard hesitated, thinking; '-what about searching the flat though?-'
The Royal Guard and Solar Guard were technically completely different Guard units. Neither answered to the other's commander, and had different assignments and roles. However, in practice, the Royal Guard deferred to the Solar Guard when both were on the scene.
Historically, usually half or more of all Solar Guards were former Royal Guards who'd proven themselves through exceptional dedication or skill. Usually both. It was a mark of high recognition to receive a transfer offer to join the prestigious ranks of the Solar Guard, and there was also no returning once a pony joined the Solar Guard. They were the modern day equivalent of knights in shining armour, crusaders sworn to Celestia. They were superior and everypony knew it.
As such, the pegasus Royal Guard was hesitant to be disrespectful enough to further question whether they should search the flat, even though procedure insisted that they should.
Regardless, Sunshine seemed to guess his thoughts anyway, because he spoke; "We're arresting Crimson Trace on the grounds of reasonable suspicion. There's no proof he did steal anything yet, and even if he is the thief, he wouldn't be dumb enough to hide it in his very own home which has other ponies in it."
"Oh. Of course sir, I see now." The pegasus straightened.
"Hey, what's going on out there?" Came Taffy's impatient call from down the corridor.
"Nothing. It's nothing. Back in a second." Prey called back quickly to placate her, trying to keep the squeak out of his voice. Taffy would just create a huge scene without achieving anything if she came out here right now.
Crimson did not move while the pegasus finished up fastening the hoof cuffs around his forelegs. They sat just below the gold tracer bands from Luna. The sight of the joint metal restraints circling Crimson's legs made Prey furious.
Sunshine politely smiled down at Prey, not having a clue about the hate those soft blue eyes hid as Prey cautiously backed up, "Please, there's no need to be afraid little miss. I hope this is all a big misunderstanding and your, ah, big brother? Guardian? Crimson Trace will be back to you soon, ah... What was your name?"
The sheep looked the Solar Guard up and down. He remembered the last time he'd seen the unicorn. "My name is Prey."
'But unlike you, I have not forgotten your name, Sunshine. It's still on The List.'
Sunshine's smile faltered for a second and his eyes flickered, "Prey? Prey. Why does that sound... Hmm, I could've sworn... No. It's nothing. But don't worry Prey, you'll be looked after no matter the outcome. Her Majesty cares for all her ponies."
He didn't seem to notice how Prey's face went even whiter. "Come Sunshine. We're leaving." The second Solar Guard called.
Prey blinked, then whipped his head towards Crimson. It was as the Solar Guard had said, they were leaving, with Crimson hobbled and shackled between them. He wordlessly looked back at Prey. He had to blow a lanky strand of mane out of his amber eyes to do it, but he looked at Prey squarely and nodded. Crimson still hadn't gone about getting a replacement mane tie like Prey had told him to. For some reason, that seemed ridiculously unfair.
"Come on. Move out."
"Yes sir."
"Yes sir!"
Prey's jaw hurt from grinding his teeth. He stood and watched as Crimson was led off towards the apartment block's staircase, because life isn't fair. The weak suffer under the strong.
'No, I can fix this. I don't think this is an attack by my enemy in the shadows, it's just Crimson getting caught up in the mess. I can get Gloom to go to Nighthawk, that'll at least help.'
But the Solar Guard held much more authority than Nighthawk did, and Luna had already made it plain she didn't care for their struggles. She was an indifferent ruler who only acted on her own whims. Prey hated being so helpless.
'Out of everybody, why did it have to be the Solar Guard?' Prey thought angrily. Prey hadn't forgotten Valour. Even now, the Solar Guard Captain was making problems for Prey despite having no memories of the runt lamb.
'I'll get you yet Valour. And you too Vanish, you've just moved your ranking up on The List.'
"Hey, anypony out there? Yoohoo, Prey, Crimson? What's going on?" Taffy stuck her head out of the flat. She blinked when she only saw Prey standing by himself in the open doorway.
"Hey, where's Crimson wandered off to?"
------
It was the same pathetic story the world over. The misunderstood underdog trying to stand up for themselves under the unjust oppression of the powers that be.
Through no achievement of personal strength, these people in power had been given it by 'convention', and 'laws'. These people could steal all your belongings, your home, your land, even enslave you and take away your very life, and as long as they ticked all the right boxes, society would let them get away with it.
Just because it's a law doesn't mean it's right.
Although this was all from the underdogs perspective. To the majority of wider society, it was all proper and correct. There was a due process of law for a reason, and ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it worked just as intended and protected the innocent.
Mistakes are made, it's inevitable. But that's just life, and no system is perfect. Well meaning people try their best, but misunderstandings will still happen. It's no one's fault. It’s The System, and The System works.
Yeah, Prey didn't care about any of that. Who cared about the ninety-nine when you were the one?
---
"No." Nighthawk said without hesitation, "You aren't getting involved with this mess."
"But sir, Crimson's under my command. It's my duty to him to help." Gloom protested.
"I appreciate that Gloom, but that's where you're wrong. You are on extended sick leave, not on duty. You have no authority to get involved. That goes for you too Prey." Nighthawk added, turning his sharp slitted eyes on the lamb.
Both Gloom and Prey were standing in Nighthawk's office. Prey had gone straight to Gloom's apartment to tell him what had happened. The thestral had been surprised to find Prey on his doorstep, since he didn't recall actually ever telling Prey his address, but he quickly forgot all about that when Prey hastily informed him of what had happened.
The both of them had come straight here to the Palace, and demanded to speak with Captain Nighthawk.
Demanding to speak to a high ranking Guard officer wasn't something you could usually do, off-duty Guard or not, but this was the Night Guard and the ISND were also Night Guards. They were fortunate that the Captain was even still awake at this hour of the day, but Nighthawk had admitted them both without delay, whereupon Prey and Gloom had filled him in on Crimson's arrest.
But now Nighthawk was telling them to keep out of it. Prey glared at Nighthawk while Gloom protested; "Please sir, we can help. Prey was there when this Lord Vanish took the necklace off Crimson the first time. It wasn't Crimson, it's just these Royal inspectors throwing their weight around. Tartaraus, it's probably that Strange Happenstance detective again. Please put us back on active duty and assign us to this case."
"No." Nighthawk repeated, unmoved. "This is for your own good. Scenic Paint and Lilly Blossom are not ready to resume active duty, and you are all too close to see things clearly. Any investigation you conduct would be compromised."
'-this is for their own good, and I smell danger. Why else would the Solar Guard get off their high cloud to get involved while purposefully keeping us out of the loop?-', Nighthawk was thinking.
Gloom's jaw worked as he tried to find grounds to protest on. But Nighthawk was the Captain for a reason, and being easily swayed was not it.
However, Prey had not given it a go yet, it had been Gloom doing the talking so far. He despised the thought of playing by pony rules, but if it helped Crimson, then he would do so without hesitation.
"Nighthawk, sir, I disagree. It is because we're close to Crimson that we'll be the best to prove his innocence. Haven't the ISND proven we can manage any task? Without being arrogant, for our small size, we're your best investigation squad, sir. Even if Scenic and Lilly aren't recovered, Gloom and I can manage by ourselves. Won't you give us a chance? What have you got to lose?" Prey reasoned.
For a moment, just a fleeting moment, Nighthawk looked pained. But then it was gone, replaced by the normal, unmoving, stern visage of the Night Guard Captain.
"No. Neither of you are mentally fit to return to active duty yet, and it's not as simple as that. The Royal Guard have made this arrest, and the Solar Guard have also gotten involved. This is far more serious than you realise. You must leave it with me. I do not forget my Night Guards, and I will be doing everything I can for Crimson. Or do you not trust my word?" Nighthawk challenged.
"Of course sir, but... Yes sir." Gloom gave in, bowing his head.
Prey didn't trust Nighthawk. He didn't trust anyone without reservation, no not even Crimson. But he too made a show of jerking his head away and reluctantly admitting, "Yes, sir."
Prey wasn't angry, he was calm, very calm. His mind was clear and he could think without getting distracted by emotions. He'd been getting far too compromised when it came to Crimson lately, no matter how wonderful it felt. But right now, Prey would be calm and do what he needed to.
"I need your word, Prey." Nighthawk said gruffly.
Prey raised his head with a questioning look on his face.
"Your word you will not try to investigate this anyway. You are not a Night Guard at this moment. You cannot get involved, not with your... restrictions. If you are caught, there is nothing I can do. Leave this to the Night Guard, I will not fail. You have my word, so I want yours."
Prey didn't immediately agree. Nighthawk would be suspicious if he gave in too easily. So he grimaced, scars standing out as he narrowed his eyes. "Yessss." He finally let the reluctant word out.
"Good. Don't worry, I will deal with it." Nighthawk repeated, standing up from behind his desk and ushering them ahead of him towards the door, already formulating a plan as he went:
'-first find Starry Wing. Send him to Shining Armour and find out who's doing this is. I need to go make the protest formal and demand visiting rights. I'll send Screech to talk with Crimson. If this drags on, we'll have to smuggle in some blood to keep Crimson healthy too-'
"Thank you for seeing us at least, sir." Gloom sighed.
Nighthawk paused on his way to the door and briefly rested a wing claw on the scarred thestral's shoulder, "You do not have to worry Gloom. Crimson has done nothing wrong."
Outside the office, Nighthawk spoke a few words to the Night Guard standing sentry and sent her hurrying off to find Starry Wing. With that taken care of, he gave a sharp nod to Prey and Gloom, and marched off towards the Royal Guard section of the Palace without a backwards glance.
Prey watched him go.
"Well, we've told the Captain. He'll figure out a way to get this nonsense sorted out." Gloom said, trying to sound more upbeat and confident than he really felt.
"That's it? You're happy to just leave it like this?" Prey asked.
"No, of course I'm not. I've failed at my duty so many times already. But it was an order, Prey." Gloom said tiredly.
'-and Nighthawk's right. At this point, trying to step in will only make things more difficult for Crimson-'
"Crimson's not in any physical danger Prey, nor is he hurt or starving. If I believed for a second he was in any real danger-", Gloom broke off and shook his head. "But this is now all a legal battle. It could take a while, but Nighthawk will sort it all out, I'm sure of it."
Prey supposed that as far as it went, that was true. Crimson wasn't currently in any physical danger. Currently. But Prey had enemies, and what if they went after Crimson in an attempt to lure him into a trap? There were still the mimics, Strange Happenstance, whomever had really re-stolen the jade necklace from Vanish, not to mention the angry and humiliated Lord himself.
No, while Crimson shouldn't be in any physical danger, especially while under guard, Prey didn't trust anyone.
But Prey was calm as he watched Nighthawk disappear around the corner and didn't say anything. He knew what he needed to do. If he couldn't trust anyone, he'd just have to get Lemon Pink and do it himself.
------
"Lemon Pink, where are you?" Prey shouted in high pitched frustration, no longer calm. His voice bounced around the shadowy crystal lit cave and returned unanswered. The larger veropede, the one Prey had hatched, curiously tasted the air around Prey as it felt the vibrations.
Prey ignored the huge monster. Where was Lemon Pink?
On leaving the Palace, Prey had immediately split from Gloom claiming he needed to; "Take a walk to clear my head. Alone."
Gloom had still tried to accompany him, but Prey had emphasised "Alone." again, and Gloom had backed off.
From there, he'd hurried through Canterlot, dodging into side streets and backtracking to confuse anyone who might've been following him. Right when a cart had been passing, Prey had slipped down into the waterway access point, and crawled down into the unused overflow pipe.
Lemon Pink was scheduled to be feeding the two veropedes this evening, so Prey had been sure he'd find her here. But she wasn't here, the cold stone cavern was empty.
Obviously, she'd been delayed. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, but normally, Crimson wasn't in jail. It was unavoidable however, so Prey had carved some runes and tried to patiently wait. He'd waited, and carved. And waited.
That was over three hours ago. Now Prey was worried Lemon Pink might somehow have been identified as belonging to him and killed. She was not on a specific schedule, but should definitely have been here by now. She could be dead or captured for all Prey knew.
Lemon Pink's veropede uncurled its armoured length and scuttled into the light cast by the lanterns. Its segments gleamed as one by one they came into the low light. Prey paused to see that it was just taking a drink from the plunging sinkhole, before he returning to trying to focus on rune work, and when he couldn't focus, resorted to pacing.
Should he go and retrieve a couple of pigs from the hired pen for the veropedes while he waited-? No, he might end up missing her. Besides, that was unimportant right now. A veropede could go weeks between meals. Months if it hibernated. Although when next it ate, it would have to be a large meal.
Besides, Prey had much bigger problems.
'If Lemon does not return by tonight, I'll have no choice but to proceed as if she's been either captured or killed.' Prey thought. If it came to that, perhaps Prey should make sure and trigger the suicide rune he'd placed on Lemon Pink's neck just in case of this very situation? Then she wouldn't be able to tell her captors anything.
Prey didn't have to be near Lemon to activate it. He could also trigger it from long distance by using a different runic array to boost the range.
He could do it right now actually. The array was set up and ready to go.
Should he? Or should he wait? In theory, Prey knew he shouldn't take the chance. Lemon Pink had been acting odd lately. But she had come across the Ridgeback to save him, even if she'd only been following her orders. She was useful, and could not be easily or safely replaced, but if she was captured and traced back to him…
Prey stared down unseeingly into the invisible depths of the sinkhole as the veropede finished its drink and the ripples stilled. He tugged at the end of his ribbon while the giant insect settled down to clean its razor barbed antenna less than ten hooves away.
'I warned Crimson change was coming. Well, now it's here and it's hostile. What should I do?'
The cold depths of the sinkhole provided no answer. What unknowns could these waters hold? The depths of the pool probably hadn't stirred in hundreds of years.
Prey looked around for a stone to throw into the depths, then stopped as his ear caught something. He cocked his head to the side, tense. He reached out with his mind and gently brushed against the runes embedded into the two veropedes, just to assure himself they were still there and ready.
If he'd been discovered, things were shortly about to get bloody. Prey concentrated.
The light trundling of wooden cart wheels over stone slowly grew louder, and the glow of a lantern approached up the tunnel.
"Lemon Pink, where have you been?" Prey snapped.
Lemon paused in her pulling of the cart, two unconscious pigs in the back. The lantern she was levitating lowered a fraction in her silvery aura, "Ah? Prey. I was detained by-"
"Never mind," Prey cut her off, "The reason can wait until later. Someone has made a move against me. Against us. I don't know if it's the mimics, someone else, or even targeted specifically against me at all. But Crimson has been arrested by the Solar Guard."
A brief spasm of ugly anger danced across Lemon's normally placidly beautiful face. She'd had cause to hate the Solar Guard back when she was Night Watcher, and her becoming Lemon Pink had only enhanced that hate, since her experiences came from a combination of Prey's own.
"Is it another left over consequence of Night Watcher's poorly managed raids against the nobles, perhaps?" Lemon asked, referring to her past self as someone completely different and contemptible.
"Don't know. Chances are one in three that it does bear a lingering influence, but making any prediction right now is premature."
"Yes, Prey. I see. What action will we be taking?" Lemon asked. She was a tool, as patient and indifferent as a hammer as to how Prey best chose to utilise her skills.
Lemon Pink's safe return, (if late), had cooled much of Prey's rising anxiety. If she had been attacked, then Prey would've known he was their next target. But she hadn't been, which meant Crimson's arrest probably wasn't the first step in an assault specifically against Prey, whether it be by the Solar Guard or someone else.
Which meant Prey could be a lot bolder in his approach without placing himself at risk.
Except that wasn't true, because there is always a risk and always a price. The war never ends, the battlefield just changes. His enemy in the shadows was still out there, still hungry. Just because you were running from a hydra with only three heads instead of four didn't make it any better.
Prey certainly didn't feel safe. He never did. One wrong move and that was it. The wolf only needs enough luck to find you once.
Prey huffed out a deep breath of the chilly crystal cavern air. He looked around his secret lair. It was almost completely bare of tools. Runes weren't something you could see or move, but there were his two veropedes, still set guarding the dark opening plunging into the mountain's depths.
"First feed the veropedes. Then get ready to travel. We're going out." Prey ordered.
---I---