//------------------------------// // Chapter:35 One Wing // Story: Get Him 3 // by Lord Blackraven //------------------------------// One Wing Alex looked at the mare in stunned silence. Something about her had caught his eye although he couldn’t put his finger on it. She was pretty. Supermodel pretty. Well, whatever constituted pretty to another pony he guessed. He then realized that he was staring at her and quickly apologized. “I’m sorry.” He said while averting his eyes. I didn’t mean to….It’s just that this is all new to me. Where I come from is quite different from here. “It’s quite alright good sir. Now what can I get you to eat?” “Um… Do you bat ponies eat meat?” Alex asked. “Fruits, vegatables, and yes meat too. Why do you ask?” “I can eat those same things as well. Could I have some steak and eggs? I mean if it isn’t too much trouble…?” “You eat meat too? That is very interesting! Yes, I’ll get right on it sir. To which she promptly returned to the kitchen and got to work. In no time at all she came out pushing food trolley with his meal and set it out before Alex. Alexs stomach growled in anticipation. “Here you are good sir. Eat up!” and Alex did just that. It smelled heavenly and the taste was better than anything he had had before. One wing just sat opposite of him and watched him devour his meal with a smile on her face. It didn’t take long for him to finish his meal. Once finished he wiped his mouth with a silk napkin and set it on the table. “One Wing? That was some of the best food I have ever tasted!” Alex exclaimed. Please thank whoever the chef was for me if you will? “Your welcome!” was her reply. Her green cat like eyes shining brightly with happiness. “That was you?!” “Sure was. A craftspony is always happy to know her work is appreciated.” she said with a toothy smile. “Come now. Let’s hear a story. Tell me about yourself. I have never seen a creature like you before. What exactly are you?” She asked while putting her elbows on the table and resting her head on her hooves. “Well, to begin with, my name is Alexander but you can call me Alex for short and I am what’s called a human” “And I am Midnight Rose. But you can call me One Wing if you want.” She said happily. Then she stopped for a moment. “Human? Human you say? I have heard of a human before but they don’t exist. They only exist in mythology and pony fairytales! Are you sure you are a human?” Alex chuckled good naturedly at the bat ponys enthusiasm. “Have been one all my life and last time I checked I still was. Also you wanna hear something really funny?” “Sure! What is it?” Said the bat pony. “Where I come from you don’t exist either. You are a myth and a fairytale among my people.” “WHAT!!” The bat pony exclaimed! “It’s true. Where I come from, which is a very long ways away from here, you don’t exist. You. Batponies, unicorns, pegasi, even alicorns. Oh and the animals can’t talk. We do have earth ponies but they can’t talk either. Humans are the only sentient creatures. And we don’t have any magic. It doesn’t exist where I’m from.” Then Alex paused. “Wait, I thought your name was One Wing. If Midnight Rose is your real name, then why do they call you One Wing?” Alex asked with curiosity. Midnight Rose let out a sigh and looked down to her left and raised her wing. It looked normal to Alex. Then she looked to her right and raised her right wing and Alex was stunned. Her right wing looked fine except that the wing bones looked normal and strong, but the leathery membrane was missing in between them. Alex could only stare in shock. “Where…What…Happened?” He asked. “It happened long ago when I was a little filly.” She said. There was an accident and it tore my wing to the point that the membrane in between couldn’t be repaired by the doctors. They tried, but it was no use.” So now you can see why they call me “One Wing.” She said with forced cheerfulness. “I am soooo sorry!” Alex exclaimed. “I didn’t know. I didn’t mean to…” “Tut tut tut. Don’t you worry about it my dear?” She said with a wave of her hoof. “Think nothing of it. It happened a long time ago. But enough about me. I want to know all about you! Come on. My shift has ended so let’s go for a walk.” She said. Her cheerfulness coming back more genuine this time. And so it began. Alex told her everything that he thought she should know while omitting details like the Human Hunt. Princess Luna, he thought, had been trying really hard to make amends for her part in it all, even going so far as to let him ride on her back like a common mare and true to his word, didn’t want her to face any problems or repercussions from her subjects for doing so. As they continued their conversation, they wandered around the castle. Midnight Rose was a good guide and seemed to know her way around as she led Alex through one corridor and down another. Finally they arrived at a balcony with a picturesque view. Rose reared up and placed her front hooves on the railing and the two of them looked over the town. It was a surreal sight. Most of the buildings had a medieval flair to them and well maintained. It was a reminder to Alex of simpler times in his own worlds history. All the night ponies below went about their daily (nightly?) tasks of shopping, working, and conversing with one another while others were flying to and fro busy going about their night. Night guards either walked or flew about doing their appointed tasks and keeping its citizens safe. “Beautiful sight isn’t it.” Rose said. “Yes it is.” Alex agreed. “I come up here sometimes because it’s the highest point one can go to look over the town.” A bat pony flew past them and waved. Alex and Rose both waved back and Alex noticed that her wings twitched as though she wanted to take to the night skies herself and join them. The twitch was not lost on him and suddenly an idea started to form. He then mentally filed it away for future possibilities. She let out a heavy sigh and said. “Come on dear, let’s go down to the town and I’ll show you around a bit. It’s almost time for Princess Lunas Night Court to end. “Ok. Sounds fun.” Alex said with a smile. “I’d like that.” Midnight Rose hopped down on all fours again and looking back at Alex said, “Alright come along. This way.” She said looking back over her withers. Alex followed the bat pony without question through the hallways and corridors passing guards and night watch personnel as the changing of the guard took place till finally they walked out of the main entrance to the castle. From there, she led him out into the town proper and off down the cobbled road. The town was bustling with activity. There were stores of every kind that the bat ponies would need. Vendors waved to the two of them as they passed by. Llittle ones ran to and fro or flew about playing games with each other. “It looks much different down here than from up on the castles balcony. Doesn’t it?” Rose said. “Yes, it does.” Alex agreed as they continued to meander around. Their path led to them to the waters edge of the great underground lake and waterfall and Alex marveled at its beauty and power as it fell through a hole in the ceiling of the cave. He picked up a flat smooth stone and flung it out over the water. Midnight Rose was astonished when it landed on the water and proceeded to skip across its surface about six or seven times. “How did you do that?” Rose asked in surprise. What? Skipping rocks? He looked at her. “Like this.” He picked up another flat-ish rock and repeated the process with much the same results. “That’s amazing!” she said excitedly. “Teach me how!” “I don’t know if that’s possible.” He replied. “No hands.” He said while showing her his hand and wiggling his fingers. “I can do it with my good wing! Show me!” “Well, ok. If you think you can do it…” He said as he picked up a rock that he thought would work and handed it to her. She took it in her wing and flung it like a catapult to which there was an expected “PLOP” in the water. “No. Not like that. Try throwing it more sideways and give it a spin. You don’t want to throw it in the water. You want to lay it out on the surface of the water with a spin and it’ll work.” Alex handed her another rock and watched as she, once again, took it in her good wing and flung it as hard as she could following his directions. To her joy and his astonishment, the rock proceeded to land on the surface of the water and skip a total of seven times before sinking into the depths. “I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!” She said excitedly as she jumped up and down. “Good job! I’m impressed!” Alex responded while picking up another rock. “Thanks! I had a good teacher.” She said with a smile. Alex then flung his rock out over the surface and then winced in pain crying “OW!” “What happened?” the bat pony asked with concern. Naw, nothing really. There was a sharp edge on that rock and it just cut me a little bit” Alex said while closing his hand into a fist. “Let me see.” Rose said in a professional manner. Alex opened his hand and showed her his palm. A thin sliver of red began to show itself slowly. “NO! NO! NO! This is bad as she began to back away while shaking her head then sitting on her haunches and holding her nose with her fore hooves. “Rose its nothing really.” “No. You don’t understand! The smell of blood! It has an effect on us! We’re VAMPONIES! We like the taste of blood!” “What? You are a vampony too?” Alex said with growing concern. “Yes! I am! We can eat other foods but we drink blood also! We love the taste of blood and I can smell y-yours. It is unlike anything I have s-smelled before. Quick! Wash your hand in the water NOW! It will attract others if you dont!” Alex did as he was told quickly and then let his hand air dry. He could tell that there was a change coming over Midnight Rose as her eyes began to dilate and take on a feral look. “Rose slowly began to walk towards Alex. It was like she was under a spell. “Rose! ROSE! Alex yelled and he took a fearful step back as he bent down and splashed a handful of water in her face. The sound of his voice and the coldness of the water seemed to break the spell. She shook the water from her face and looked up at Alex. “I-I’m sorry.” she said sullenly. “Please don’t hate me. I-I didn’t mean to…” “Midnight! Stop. Its ok. It's ok. Everything is fine. And no, I don’t hate you. You are still my friend. As a matter of fact. You’re my first vampony… uh… bat pony friend I’ve made!” “Really?” “Yes. Really.” Alex said with a smile. He then reached over and gave her a scratch behind her ear. Midnight Roses cat like eyes grew wide and then she got a dreamy look on her face. “Mmmmmmm.” She purred. “That feels good.” She said with a goofy grin on her muzzle. Alex stopped his ministrations and the vampony opened her eyes. She gave herself a shake all over and looked at her new friend. “That was nice. Are you sure you humans don’t have any magic?” Alex smiled. “Nope.” They both chuckled a little and then “One Wing” said, “Well, come on. It would be wise to leave here now. Just in case others picked up on the scent of your blood. I would feel horribly responsible if anything happened to you. Night Court should be almost over. Princess Luna will be wondering where you are. Let’s get you back to her shall we?” “I agree. We better get going.” As both human and vampony headed back down the path towards Lunas castle, they passed three vamponies headed in the opposite direction. They nodded politely to each other as the trio headed towards the lake. Alex looked over his shoulder and noticed that said trio were sniffing the air as they got closer to the waters edge. Midnight Rose had been right.