//------------------------------// // Chapter 125: Lines in the Sand // Story: We don't go to Sub-Level Five // by RadBunny //------------------------------// After a lunch in the cafeteria and a long walk around the castle, Astral forced himself to start walking to the conference room. Sassi had shaken off the spell far faster than anticipated, and the mare was now fully focused on the nervous stallion at her side. The dread in his heart made the Thestral’s chest ache, anxiety bubbling up. Sassi could sense it, of course. But no words were appropriate. I want to be wrong. He wanted to believe his parents had changed, that the words Twilight had relayed were nothing but fearful and impulsive responses. Their late visit to the hospital, however…that didn’t bode well. At least they’re consistent. Tears abruptly welled up in his eyes, the stallion hanging his head as he took a few deep breaths. Sassi offered a comforting wing, but he shook his head. The emotional swings after surgery had been obnoxious, but doable. Easily fixed with a hug and an hour of rest. This felt different. Deeper. There was a guttural fear, along with a bubbling, protective anger concerning Sassi. We’re free of the Silos, but I’m still afraid. He wiped his eyes, forcing himself to continue walking. The mare at his side watched in clear concern but didn’t prod. Twilight was at least there to greet them; Astral could appreciate that at least, the Princess having guided his parents here personally. “Thank you, Princess.” With a nod, the Alicorn trotted off, and Astral steeled himself. “Sassi? Can you do something for me?” “Anything.” He turned to look at her, jaw tense with emotion as Astral struggled to speak. “If I physically, mentally, or verbally stumble, let me fall. And please, just follow my lead.” Sassi’s brow furrowed, not fully understanding. But she nodded nonetheless. “There are a lot of things that may come up unrelated to you. This all just might have brought it to a head. So, even if it looks like I’m losing the battle, don’t fight it for me. Please. Even though I want you to, this needs to happen,” he explained. “Let me do the talking so what needs to be said, is said.” Two forelimbs wrapped around him, Sassi hugging the stallion tightly. “I get it. And I’ll try my best. But I c-care about you. I can only stay quiet for so long.” He returned the hug, nodding as he took a few more deep breaths. “Thanks, Sas.” With a push, he walked into the conference room. A wave of emotions nearly made him physically trip as Astral saw his parents sitting off to the side. He hadn’t seen his parents face to face in years. Spoken to them over a communications spell on occasion, sure, but not like this. Sassi’s eyes widened off to the side, gaze flickering to her stallion. To say their link was likely a hodgepodge of emotions was an understatement. “Mother. Father,” Astral said as calmly as he could, taking a few steps forward before sitting down. What do I say?! “You certainly have improved from a few days ago,” Edge Sentinel mused, the mare taking a step forward and looking over her son. “That’s good.” “Good to see you, Son,” Halberd chimed in with a nod. Astral saw a look in his father’s eyes. It was a worried one. He had always been the more receptive one to Astral’s odd interests. And, judging from Twilight’s report, he had been the most open towards Sassi and their situation. If Halberd was concerned, then this was not a typical meeting. Then again, with his parents, it never was. May as well be blunt. “Thanks to a friend we made in the Silos, I’m alive,” Astral explained. “Without Queen Joro’s help, I’d be dead.” “That is the Limbo creature, yes?” Edge’s curt response was enough to make a surprisingly violent swell of annoyance crash against Astral’s mind. “Yes. A Queen similar to the Changelings, at least in the sense of having a hive.” There was an awkward pause, Edge walking over and looking at Sassi. “I suppose we can get to the point,” she said, the older Thestral’s eyes slightly narrowed. “I was very curious as to the creature who changed my son.” The worried look in Halberd’s eyes flared up again, and Astral took a deep breath. Perhaps he could flip things. “Well, Mother, this is Sassi Satin. I’d certainly say I’ve changed for the better thanks to her. I heard a summary of what you and Flask discussed prior.” “Then you’re up to speed. I know who she is. Or in this case, what. And I doubt such changes are all positive,” Edge growled, walking back to sit in front of Astral. “I stand by what I said to the Princess and Flask.” Astral felt something inside him slip. A magnesium gear was grinding in his heart, and it cracked a tooth, metal shavings igniting into fire briefly before continuing to spin. “Really? I owe Sassi my life a dozen times over. Did you want to try and convince me of something?” Astral asked. “I never assumed for a moment this meeting was to make sure I was ok.” “The Princess’s reports were comprehensive on your health.” Astral stared, and it was only shock that prevented tears from rising in his eyes. He had wanted to hope. “Is that why you didn’t visit for days?” he asked softly, meeting his mother’s gaze with a bit of a snarl. “Or did you forget again?” “Don’t be childish! That was an entirely different matter!” Edge huffed, waving a hoof. But a portion of her demeanor cracked ever so slightly. “I got certified to run my own observatory. I was authorized to operate and maintain a telescope more expensive than our house. And you simply “forgot” about the graduating ceremony and free tour of the facility?” Astral said, a surprising emptiness filling up his chest. Sassi stared at him in shock. “As I said, totally different.” “How? There was a time when you being there would have mattered to me. And you weren’t. Same thing when I got my degree!” Edge let out a huff, waving a hoof. “Come now. You were unconscious, and the doctors needed to work. We weren’t even in Canterlot when you were brought here.” Astral stared, the realization slowly hitting. “Let me guess? Meetings? Training?” he asked slowly, Edge nodding. “Yes. You were unconscious. You wouldn’t have known either way.” Her words gave him nearly shattered Astral’s confidence. Another gear tooth snapped in his heart, emotions spinning freely before he got them under control. “I see,” he whispered. A comforting touch eased the pain ever so slightly- “Don’t you touch my son!” Edge hissed, flaring her wings and glaring at Sassi. To her credit, Sassi met the gaze without a flinch of hesitation. “Nice to meet you too, Lieutenant Sentinel,” Sassi replied calmly. Despite her courteous tone, there was a clear edge to her words. Of the things that scared Sassi, this mare wasn’t even close to being on the list. Halberd placed a hoof on his wife’s shoulder, but the other Thestral shrugged it off. “What did you do to my son?” Edge hissed. “Astral killing ponies? Hundreds of mutants? How long did it take for you to wrap him around your hoof? A day or two to lure him into bed I suppose?” “Watch your words, Lieutenant!” Astral growled, his mother’s eyes widening as the other Thestral glared at her. “I rest my case! Astral wasn’t like this before!” “Trauma does things to a pony,” Sassi replied. “And I haven’t slept with him, to clarify that line of discussion. We’ve been a bit busy running for our lives for months.” “I’m not talking about just now! Astral, you killed that Director. He may have deserved it- but he was a pony. Do you mean to tell me that, and killing all of those creatures…” Edge gestured towards Sassi. “Was for this?” The gears froze. The teeth started to crack. The rage bled through Astral’s barriers, barely contained as his eyes locked onto his mother. “I’ve killed to save Sassi’s life. And I’d do it again in a heartbeat, yes,” Astral said with a firm nod. “That’s the rational response to save the ones you love.” Edge let out a dismissive snort, rolling her eyes as Halberd winced. “This is…just a lot to take in,” Halberd said, shaking his head. “We don’t see you for years, and now things are so different. You’re different.” The rage cooled for a split second, lava turning to ice in Astral’s chest. “Different? You made it quite clear that I wasn’t welcome after the Case. You know, the one where lies and slander forced me to move.” the Thestral said. “And now the Silos? Of course, I’m different after that place, after running for my life for months.” “But we’re Night Guards!” Edge said. “Our family have been guards for generations. A battlefield changes you- but not like this!” Her eyes then flickered to Sassi. “It changed you.” “Excuse me?” Astral asked with a slight growl, Sassi looking at him in alarm. Halberd picked up on the change as well, trying to get his wife’s attention. “What? Am I wrong?” Edge asked. “You can’t make a soldier out of a tube. Nor a pony from nothing but science. Not a real pony. Who knows what else they put in there to help it manipulate others?” Sassi tried to hide her reaction, but it still was a gut punch. “Mother, you will apologize,” Astral said, taking a few steps forward and glaring at the Thestral. “Now.” “For calling It what it is? Why?” A gear shattered, a furious snarl snaking onto Astral’s face. “Because the only other creature to have called Sassi an “it” is dead,” he said, meeting his shocked mother’s gaze with unblinking eyes. “I strapped a grenade belt to his throat. Sassi is not an “it!”” “Is that a threat?” Edge replied with a dismissive snort. “As I said. You weren’t like this before. Now you’re daring to talk back to me? What did she do to you?!” the Thestral asked, voice rising to a fevered pitch. “Edge, enough!” Halberd said firmly, gripping his wife’s shoulder. She shook her head, glaring at Astral and then Sassi. The older stallion’s eyes drifted to Astral- and fear began to rise in his gaze. His son’s wings were flared protectively, unhinged, malevolent anger starting to write itself across Astral’s face. Yet Edge seemed oblivious to it all. “Well?!” “I’ve been through Tartarus and back,” Astral barked back, voice matching Edge’s. “The only reason I’m alive is because of Sassi! What happened down there, is that I fought horrors you have never seen! I hope you never will, but I did. I saw it all. I waded through rivers of blood and bodies for her! And I’d do it again in an instant.” The Thestral was nose to nose with his mother, fangs bared and barely able to think. The anger was all-encompassing, a protective, white-hot fire searing through his mind. “For the first time in my life, in the nightmare of those Silos, I found someone I could be myself with. Someone who supported me, no matter how weak, defenseless, or embarrassed I was. I’d defend her with my life! I’d kill to keep her safe.” Astral’s voice then lowered to a low growl, pausing ever so slightly. “Do you think I haven’t done that a hundred times over? And you dare call her an “it”? The mare who saved your son’s life? The one pony in this world I want to spend my life with?!” “It. Changed. You!” Edge ground her teeth, snarling back. The mother drew back, her son snarling as Astral glared at her. Confusion shifted to worry on Edge’s face as the stallion took another step closer, an unhinged rage flickering across his expression. The mare actually took the smallest step backward as her son glared at her without a hint of fear or regret. Then it was gone, Astral’s face fading to a completely emotionless mask. The anger turned to ice. There was only one outcome to all of this. “I will ask this only once, Mother. When you say “it”, do you mean the Silos changed me, or are you referring to Sassi? Edge actually hesitated, finally shaking her head and glaring at Sassi. “That!” Astral forced himself to take a few deep breaths, nodding once. “Then we’re done talking,” he said, trotting over to hold out his hoof to Halberd. “Corporal Sentinel,” Astral said curtly. His father shook his hoof, and a few tears welled up in the older stallion’s gaze. A bit of admiration, respect, and understanding flickered in his eyes. The stallion then hung his head as Astral offered the same to his mother. “What are you doing?” she asked. “Lieutenant Sentinel,” Astral said calmly, reaching down and shaking her partially-held-out hoof. He then walked back and stood next to Sassi. “Until you apologize to Sassi Satin for your words and behavior, we have nothing to talk about,” Astral said coldly. “You won’t get any communications from me until that happens, nor will I reply to any message other than an apology, however long that may be. If you want to force me to pick between the mare who saved my life, the who I love with all my heart, and you…” his jaw quivered, the Thestral forcing the words out. “Then I will,” he whispered. “So, goodbye, Mother. Father. I wish you well.” He turned to walk away, Sassi silently following. The stallion stumbled. He nearly fell face-first onto the floor before catching himself. The pair left the conference room, leaving two stunned Thestrals behind. Astral mechanically walked down the hall, smoothly turning into a smaller, side-hallway with an empty room. “Astral, say something to me, please,” Sassi said as the two sat down opposite each other. “Please, look at me?” The stallion lifted his gaze, and large tears began to trickle out of his green eyes. “S-sas. I just…I…” Astral’s demeanor crumbled. There was no anger, only untold grief in his eyes. He leaned forward, wrapping up Sassi into a hug as he bawled into her shoulder. The mare could only rock him back and forth, trying to offer what comfort she could. “I’d always choose you. How could I not?” Astral’s desperate, grief-filled voice filled Sassi’s mind as she hugged him tighter. The pain over their link made her chest ache. “Thank you for standing up for me,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry. I never wanted this, let alone for you to choose.” “I know.” Sassi wasn’t sure how long she held her stallion tightly, Astral crying into her fur for a long, long time.