//------------------------------// // Advice // Story: Eq. Divided: Whitegold's Silent Wing // by PurpleFire18 //------------------------------// The school bell rang as the young fillies and colts ran out of Miss Cheerilee's school. Three in particular, a female light blue unicorn, a male dark blue pegasus and a male grey unicorn, walked slowly instead of running. "Thanks again for not laughing at my song," the filly said. "I kinda expected Dreamy to laugh, why didn't you laugh?" she asked the pegasus. "It was funny, but it was your project, I don't laugh at my friends' projects!" the pegasus answered. "Are you sure? I swear to the princesses I saw you smiling suspiciously at mine." The other unicorn chuckled. "Come on Dusk, you have to admit it was funny when that domino fell on your face!" the pegasus replied. The friends laughed and continued their walk in Ponyville. Their conversation was filled with jokes, crazy misunderstandings and complaining about how difficult the school project was. Once in a while they would talk about how beautiful the day was or how cute the next bird was. They stopped in front of Sugarcube Corner, but before going in, the filly stopped them. "Not to be a party pooper, but I just remembered I have to be home early," the filly said as she looked down. "Well, that's ok. Next time, promise?" the pegasus asked. "Sure! It's a promise! See you, Dreamy and Dusky!" The filly ran off. "Tricky Note always does that. We have an arrangement and then she just leaves for something random!" the unicorn said. "Hey, it's just her being herself. Come on, it's my turn to pay." The pegasus walked into Sugarcube Corner, closely followed by the unicorn. "I would just like it if we were to spend at least one day after school together." "Come on, Dusk. You have me here." "Yes, that's not better..." the unicorn said, sarcastically. "Dusk!" "I am joking, Sky! Of course I like to spend time with my little brother!" The young unicorn took the pegasus' head and gave him a noogie with his hoof. "Hey, stop it, Dusk Fire!" the pegasus said playfully. "Sky? Partner? Are you there?" -------- "Huh?" Sky Dreamer woke up from his memories at the touch of a hoof on his side, realizing he must have been lost in his mind while listening to somepony talking in his dining room. "I just basically told you my adventure in the Everfree Forest and you were just staring at the air for minutes." Lucky Shot suddenly smirked. "You were thinkin' about Leaf Heart, weren't ya?" "...Funny...no, I wasn't." Sky Dreamer absentmindedly took a glass of wine and drank from it, but realized soon after and quickly got the drink out of his mouth. Lucky Shot merely watched, his smile leaving as quickly as it came. "...Alright, this is serious, what happened this time?" Sky Dreamer sighed. "Do you remember that I killed an inquisitor named Black Night when I was still unaligned, in Appleloosa?" Lucky Shot thought deeply. "...Ah, yes, the one you burned...what about him?" "Well...it turns out that, while I was in Stalliongrad, I found out the Inquisition is after me for killing him, and one inquisitor in particular is fixated on killing me, because Black Night was his father..." "Oh..." Lucky Shot hoped that was it, but his friend's face made him suspect there was more to it. "...Go on." "Well...that inquisitor, Dusk Fire, was...my best friend before the war." Lucky Shot choked on his drink upon hearing that. After a coughing spree, he finally was in condition to talk again. "Your...what?! How come I didn't know about this?" "I didn't tell anyone, in fact I completely forgot he existed until yesterday. I don't know how, I guess it was the slave years and the fact I never saw him again after the war started. My point is, he knew I killed his father and wanted revenge, but somepony told him it was the Silent Wing who did it. He believed it was the Silent Wing, but didn't know the pony behind the mask." "And he found out?" "Yes...when he was about to burn me, he removed my mask. He recognized me, and was shocked. He didn't want to believe it, then asked me why I killed his father, but before I could even think of answering, he tried to kill me. And quite frankly, I'm not sure what to do now." Sky Dreamer put a hoof to his forehead. "...He was my brother, Lucky Shot, my brother!" Lucky Shot greatly disliked seeing Sky Dreamer so distressed, after all they were best friends. "Look, partner. If you want my advice...that friendship you had with him is as good as gone. Not only is he part of the house that brought you so many problems, but he is also the son of your parents' murderer, and I'm sure he won't listen to reason. Next time you see him, he'll likely want to kill you, so don't hesitate, just act." "...Easy for you to say..." "It's the only logical solution I see. You must understand one thing, Sky Dreamer, whatever bonds you had in the past, they mean nothing now. It's a miracle you've been able to keep me and the others as your friends over the past months, but just getting attached to somepony is dangerous in this war. We are your friends because we like you, and we know what you've been going through, but this Dusk Fire won't be the same, and neither will Tricky Note. Face it, partner, your old friends are gone." "I hate to admit it, but you have a point..." Sky Dreamer sighed. "Enough of this....what were you saying?" "Ah, yes...so, Hadya is worried about your situation, but she says you should look after yourself first instead of others. She asked how Guardian was doing, how your daughter is doing, those kind of things. And let me tell you, she is one wild dancer, if you know what I mean." Lucky Shot smiled to himself. "...What?" "You know, the 'Bedroom Tango'..." Lucky Shot grinned. "...What?! Are you out of your mind?! I sent you to check on her, not sleep with her! You two barely know each other!" Sky Dreamer furiously reacted. "Hey, we're both responsible adults, it's nothing we haven't done before...not with each other, of course." "She's two years older than you!" "And I am seven years older than you, so you have no say in this." "...How did you even...? Trading doesn't take more than a couple hours!" "It's the voodoo that I do." Lucky Shot laughed. "So I get in trouble for talking with the enemy and you are able to sleep with the enemy?" "I'm a mercenary, not an official part of the house. You, on the other hoof, are a nighthoof." "...Whatever. I hope nopony suspected anything?" "Nope, nopony suspected a thing. I am willing to bet my soul on it." The conversation was interrupted by Guardian coming in and landing on the table, holding a note with his beak. "Guardian? What is this?" Sky Dreamer took the note and began reading it. "General Fancy Pants wants to see me...to discuss my possible involvement in a battle against House Stormwing?" "Ouch. What will you do?" "...Hope I'm not involved...who am I kidding..."