True Black
Chapter 22
Bright Sky
16 of April
Late evening
“Is this wise…” the light grey Pegasus asked while he looked around himself uncertainly. His black mane and tail were cropped short. His gleaming golden eyes shone as he looked at all the wealthy patrons surrounding them, while they two of them set in an inconspicuous corner off to the side of the restaurant, near the entrance to the kitchens at the back.
“Where would they least expect the two heads of Bright Sky's to have a meeting? If not in The Officers Club itself, so just calm down Shadow Flight,” the dark brown unicorn answered. His white mane and tail contrasted sharply against the black of his much older friend. His two iron grey eyes looked back at the light grey Pegasus.
“Still, Iron Helm… It feels like we're pushing our luck,” Shadow Flight said. They both grew quite well the serving mare arrived with a cup of coffee for both of them after their meal. As soon as she left, Iron Helm picked up on their conversation again.
“Any word on Rosebud?” Iron Helm wondered. Shadow Flight nodded while he took a careful sip of coffee.
“Yes… She's made it out safe and sound. She will be brought down to one of my business partners in Bridlelon. My contact is the owner of quite a few stores in the city, and all she knows is that Rosebud is a young friend of mine, looking to make a new start after a tragic accident killed off her family, except for one older sister that will hopefully be joining her later. The letter I received after my initial request clearly indicated she would be more than willing to help settle little Rosebud into her new life away from the tragedy of her old,” Shadow Flight said with a smile. Iron Helm nodded approvingly.
“Excellent! And speaking of Red Rose, we might have to move on her sooner than we had planned. One of the more sadistic Lords have been eyeing her a bit too close of late. I'm starting to get worried she will be dragged down into the deeper parts of the caves. If that happens… not even I can get her out,” Iron Helm said with a frustrated sigh. Shadow Flight watched Iron Helm worriedly.
“What goes on down there?” he wondered. Iron Helm frowned and looked away.
“You truly don't want to know… Trust me,” he said dejectedly.
“I've heard whispers and rumors… But is it really that bad?” Shadow Flight asked, hoping the answer would not be yes. Because some of the rumors were just too… cruel.
“No… It's much much worse,” Iron Helm said, a shiver going up his spine. A single tear rolled down his snout, while, once again, the memory that would never stop haunting him played in front of his eyes. Shadow Flight saw the powerful reaction Iron Helm had towards the mention of the deeper caverns.
“I have actually wondered… Why did you turn against you family, my young friend? Your siblings certainly don’t seem to share your… sense of right and wrong, if what is said about them holds true,” Shadow Flight asked. Iron Helm just sat quietly, looking deeply into his cup of coffee.
“It's all right… You don't have to tell me. It iss quite personal, I imagine,” Shadow Flight said, shifting a bit on the cushion he was sitting on.
“My best friend… the only mare I ever truly loved. She died down their… In those disgusting caverns… and I couldn't do anything to save her,” Iron Helm whispered through gritted teeth. Shadow Flight’s eyes widened in surprise when he heard what Iron Helm said.
“What do you mean? Why couldn't you help her?” Shadow Flight wondered. Iron Helm flinched, even though the question had not been asked forcefully.
“Well, I didn't know what had happened at first. It was rumored she had run away from home eight months earlier, and I believed it. She had it rough at home. Then came my fifteenth birthday… and mother introduced me to what's really going on below The Officers Club. At first it was so exciting…” Iron Helm said with self-disgust.
“Can you imagine… A fifteen-year-old stallion with hormones coursing through his body, and all of a sudden presented with the most beautiful mares in the city at his beck and call… I was a monster… Just like my little brother is now,” he said cringing at the memory of what he done during that time.
“But then, one night… I took a wrong turn down in the caves. Ending up in front of a private gallery belonging to the honorable Lord Steel Hull… and there… as the centerpiece of some twisted and grotesque sexual art installation… I found my best friend. I screamed through the bars, while I desperately tried to find a way in… trying to get her attention. But she was too far gone, drug down into nothing but an empty shell. She didn't even react to my shrieking calls… might actually have been dead already, I just couldn't tell without being able to reach her…. She was, however, carried out of the cell undoubtedly dead some hours later... in a filthy potato sack… to be dumped... out at sea... where no one would ever find her. Shining Eye´s was fifteen and a half when her light disappeared from this world...” Iron Helm said in a whisper, with a far off look in his eyes, and tears streaming down his cheeks.
Shadow Flight could hardly believe what he had heard. He looked uneasily around himself. Even though they were sitting in a private corner, quite well removed from the rest of the restaurant, this was not the place to express such emotions. It had been stupid of him to ask that question, especially here of all places. Just then, Iron Helm shook himself, dried his tears, and then looked back at Shadow Flight without a single emotion showing on his features. Shadow Flight stared at Iron Helm completely bewildered by the transformation.
“Don't look so surprised Shadow Flight. If there’s one thing you learn growing up inside these walls, it's how to keep your emotions in check when you need to,” Iron Helm said coldly.
“I'm... I'm sorry I pried into your past… I had no idea… And here I thought what happened to Bright Sky and little Zig Zag was bad… But now I am almost thankful that she at least wasn't dragged down there before they killed her,” Shadow Flight said sadly, and then he remembered something.
“Lord Steel Hull… Wasn't he killed a couple years ago? The whole city was in an uproar about it,” Shadow Flight asked, now looking carefully at Iron Helm, who smiled without any warmth at all in the expression.
“Yes… He was so surprised when his robber didn't seem to have any care at all for his worthless money; he was begging me to stop while I slowly gutted him in that dark alley. I took my time about it, drawing it out as much as I could... The look in his eyes when I finally asked him if he had ever stopped when any of his special art projects begged him to… ohhh… the crystal clear realization that I was only there to slowly kill him,. It was such a wonderful thing to see the fear in his eyes,” Iron Helm said with a manic smile across his face, which managed to send shivers down Shadow Flights spine. Even though Iron Helm tried to be a good pony, he still had his parent’s blood coursing through his veins, and the darkness that came with that heritage. In the end, it all came down to that single moment in the caves which turned him into a monster that now only preyed upon other monsters.
“Well, good evening, son. Fancy seeing you here. And who is your friend?” a pleasant female voice asked from beside them. Iron Helm's face immediately went back to normal, while Shadow Flight almost jumped out of his seat. Besides them, stood one of the most beautiful mares in North Bay; Iron Helm's mother, Sharp Edge. She was a lighter shade of brown than her son, and her dark blue mane was tightly tied back and became an exquisitely made pony tail at the back of her head with a light blue ribbons was tied into it. Two loops of it sensually fell down the side of her face before they disappeared back into her ponytail, framing her features very nicely. Her tail was voluminous and well cared for, with the same type of light blue ribbons tied into it. I all gave her a very refined look. On her flank could be seen a purple velvet coin purse, with a knife resting against it. The thing that really had Shadow Flight spellbound was Sharp Edge very alert and intelligent looking dark blue eyes.
“Good evening, mother. This is Shadow Flight, a very good informant of mine. He's been helping me with the case concerning the Bright Sky movement,” Iron Helm said without missing a beat.
“Really! That's wonderful to hear. I have a few minutes free right now. Do you mind if I sit down?” she asked pleasantly, although it was not a request.
“Certainly mother! By all means sit down,” Iron Helm said as he levitated another cushion over to the table for her to sit on. Sharp Edge made herself comfortable, while simultaneously studying Iron Helm´s new friend. He was older than Iron Helm, that much was certain. Her son was only nineteen, and his informant was somewhere around thirty she'd wager. Sharp Edge clapped her hooves together, and immediately, three glasses of wine appeared in front of the table’s occupants.
“Now then, my son… please enlighten me to what you've been doing lately,” Sharp Edge commanded while taking a small sip from her glass. Iron Helm shrugged a bit.
“Not much to say really… It's still early in the search; although I've managed to find and permanently shut up two of them. And that would not have happened without Shadow Flight here, even though I first thought he was one of them. Since he was actually the neighbor of the original Bright Sky when she was alive, he was very high on my suspect list in fact,” Iron Helm said offhoofedly. Shadow Flight couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could Iron Helm shine a spotlight on him like this? Was he crazy? Shadow Flight started sweating bullets as he once again found himself under the scrutiny of Sharp Edge.
“Really… now that is interesting,” Sharp Edge said while she watched Shadow Flight twitch uncertainly under examination.
“Yes, but I decided to dig deeper, and that was lucky since it turned out they were not very close at all. Actually, they were in quite a fierce competition for customers. I also learned, through prolonged observation, that Shadow Flight here is one of the most talented smugglers in all of North Bay. There are not many ways in or out of the city he does not know of, especially if you don't want others to know that you're moving something,” Iron Helm continued without giving his partner a second glance. Shadow Flight’s whole face had turned white.There was no way Sharp Edge would not figure out the two of them were behind the disappearance of her girls now. But, right then, she gave a little cough to indicate to her son just how close to a state of panic his acquaintance was in. Iron Helm lazily looked over to his friend and tapped his hoof against the table to get his attention.
“Relax Shadow Flight; my mother would have known everything about you in something like two hours from now, whether I told her or not. And I had already planned to introduce you to each other. I think she will be interested in your services from time to time in the future. And she will not use any of this against you as long as you keep being useful to me,” Iron Helm said with a bit of a dark undertone. Shadow Flight just nodded rapidly.
“Hehe… That's good to know… You… You could warn me next time you are just going to blurt out my occupation to the whole world though… it would be very much appreciated,” Shadow Flight said with a little bit of annoyance in his voice towards the end. Sharp Edge couldn't help but give a little giggle while she levitated a wine glass in front of Shadow Flight so that he could take a little sip.
“Now, now. Don't you worry Shadow Flight, my son is quite right. And if you truly are as good as he seems to think you are, then I will most definitely be interested in your services as well. What do you know about my establishment?” Sharp Edge wondered. Shadow Flight glanced uneasily over towards Iron Helm, who just gave a single nod.
“Probably more than I should… A part of my businesses is information after all,” Shadow Flight said carefully. Sharp Edge features changed immediately from the hospitable restaurant owner she usually presented in public, as her true business face came out.
“Good, that will make this much easier, and it is also good to know that your information is once again safely under our control, since you are now in our service. I trust you know what would happen if you disappoint me?” Sharp Edge wondered.
“Yes… Mistress Sharp Edge… That is part of the reason why I have been a little bit fiddly so far…” Shadow Flight answered her. As he used the word mistress, Sharp Edge eyes shone up. She just loved hearing that word. She just couldn't get enough of it. She smiled pleasantly back at her new business acquaintance.
“That is understandable then, but, like my son said, as long as you serve us well, our business dealings will be quite profitable for you,” Sharp Edge said delightedly.
“Then it's an honor to make your acquaintance Mistress Sharp Edge,” Shadow
Flight said, while he swallowed down some bile at the back of his throat and bowed respectfully to her. Sharp Edge just clapped her hooves together happily.
“Ohhhh… I'm so happy you´re finally starting to make some worthwhile friends, my son. Now, I have some things I have to take care of, but it was a pleasure meeting you Shadow Flight,” Sharp Edge said and gave an ever so slight nod towards him, before trotting away. Shadow Flight watched her leave and then gave a huge sigh of relief.
“What was that all about? Something tells me this was the real reason you brought me here tonight,” Shadow Flight said accusingly.
“Yes… And I'm sorry I sprung that on you like that, but if you had reacted in any other way then you did, my mother would truly have grown suspicious. But don't worry, you did exactly what I hope you would, and now we will both be able to work from the inside of The Officers Club,” Iron Helm said with a smile.
“That will be a great advantage for us, but don't get me wrong... I'm still pissed off about this,” Shadow Fight huffed, although he couldn't help but grin at his devious young friend. “So we will take them down from the inside... you have a plan I hope?”
“Yes… It will unfortunately take a couple of years before our organization is strong enough to tare this place down to its foundations. Until that day comes, all we can do is rescue as many mares as we can along the way. Red Rose being the one in most need right now, I will bring her to you within the next forty-eight hours,” Iron Helm said.
“Good. I'll go make sure everything is ready for her to join her little sister in Bridlelon, at least to begin with. I still think they will need to move further away to be truly safe,” Shadow Flight said a bit thoughtfully.
“I will leave all those arrangements to you my friend, and let there be a Bright Sky tomorrow,” Iron Helm said raising his glass. Shadow Flight looked down at his own glass, not having any magic to lifted it with he simply took the whole top of it into his mouth, turned his head up, and gulp all the wine done in one go. After he put the glass back down, Shadow Flight looked back up at Iron Helm with a grin.
“Yes, let there be a Bright Sky tomorrow,” he said, repeating the words Iron Helm had just uttered. He trotted off with a determined look across his face, eager to start the wheels turning on another rescue attempt.
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Thanks to Syvvak for the Pre-read/Edit