//------------------------------// // Chapter V // Story: A New Recruit // by KeyScalesTheAssassin //------------------------------// They reached the Order a few hours before the sun rose. Key Scales was wide awake with worry for her friend, while Rushing Dusk was yawning alongside her, a hoof raised to his mouth to stifle it. Leaf Runner was slouched, unconscious on Arrowhead's back. Rushing Dusk and Arrowhead had traded off during the night so they would not tire through the forest. They were greeted at the door by a few ponies, including the guard who had let them leave. The crowd parted to let them through as the guard and Rushing Dusk left to inform Voltai of their return. Key Scales had to see Leaf Runner through this. Ever since they had been in the same class at the Ponyville Schoolhouse, she had felt compelled to protect the pale coated pegasus. ***** Key Scales had walked into school on the first day nervous what other ponies would think of her, because of her small cutie mark, three black eighth notes, two connected and one one floating unattached on her gray flank. She told herself she didn't care what they thought, their opinions did not matter, only her own opinion about herself did. She was still shaking with worry when she stepped into the red-roofed building. The teacher was outside talking with some of the parents. Upon her entrance Key Scales saw a tiny tan filly playing with blocks alone. She pulled a red flower from her mane to adorn it, complimenting the tower. Suddenly a red unicorn with orange curls stepped up to the tower and growled at the filly. The filly curled up into a defensive ball. Her cutie mark was neatly displayed as a large green leaf with two swords behind it. Her dark green mane had fallen over her eyes, and she hid behind it, trying to make herself disappear. Her rich brown eyes looked devestated as she stared at the ponies yelling at her. "You're so stupid! Why did you even transfer here if all you were gonna do was get answers wrong? Plus you destroyed my tower!" a red unicorn with orange curls shouted at the young pegasus. She stayed curled up, looking away from the unicorn as though if she dared look up she would risk being destroyed. A voice boomed from behind the cruel unicorn. "All she did was put a bit of color on your stupid tower, and it looks better for it. No need to get your horn in a knot." The red unicorn's eyes filled with tears as she raced out of the schoolhouse. The little filly uncurled from her ball and stood up. She was of a small stature, for a filly. Her eyes filled with an emotion Key Scales could not grasp and she was confused for a second before the filly pulled her into a large hug. "You... you stood up for me! Nopony ever... ever... My name is Leaf Runner!" Her brown eyes became suddenly full of happiness, though they were rimmed with tears just moments earlier. "Do you want to build a castle?" she asked, looking up hopefully at Key Scales. They did so, and no one ever picked on Leaf Runner again. ***** Until the previous night that is. Now her friend was in critical condition and there was nothing she could do to change it. Arrowhead looked back at her as they walked through the halls. "You okay Scales?" She looked ahead, forcing her gaze to become steely. "I'm fine. We need to get her to a..." They turned a corner into a room. White beds lined the walls; large white curtains hung from the ceiling around them. A mare in a white robe scuffled between the beds, tidying up. A bloody sheet was pulled over one of the beds on the far side. "Set her here." The mare ordered, before leaving to get her supplies. Arrowhead slid Leaf Runner off his wings before stretching them about gingerly. Key Scales just sat by the bed, looking at Leaf Runner's broken form. "Key Scales. Look at me. KEY SCALES!" She merely raised a hoof to tell him to leave. "Go away... It's just... you know how I feel about Leaf Runner. I would give anything to keep her safe and now she's..." Key Scales slouched and became silent. The nurse came from a room neighboring the hospital with a wet cloth and herbs. She began to clean the cut with the wet cloth and put an herb dressing on it. Arrowhead looked at his friend's purple eyes. A few hours earlier they had been alight with eagerness and rage to be in this fine order. Now they appeared lackluster, the once bright shine vanished to leave a blank emotionless slate. Key Scales merely stared at her oldest friend's pitiful body on the bed, dressing and bandages coating her past-beautiful, present-bloodied coat. "Scales... Leaf Runner will be okay. Key Scales?" There was no response but the silence of the broken and the depressed. Arrowhead sat looking at his friends, harmed both emotionally and physically by the Order's enemies. He quickly devised a plan and launched into action. "Well, there's no point in my being here anymore, so I think it's time I headed out." He said as he turned to leave, grabbing the saddlebags Key Scales had set down by the bed in place of his own. She showed no response as he walked out the door. He walked through the large room that was normally filled with ponies, though now it was relatively barren, save for a few patrolling stallions in robes of white. As he trotted through the hallways, he thought back to the few times Key Scales had been emotionally unavailable like she was now. On her birthday years ago, she had received a package in the mailbox. She discovered it upon returning from her daily class in Canterlot, Leaf Runner having set it on the table for her. It was a bulging paper package with thin, pointy writing across the front, reading "Key Scales." It bore only a few things as contents. The first was a letter to Key Scales telling her that no matter how hard she tried, she would never amount to anything, that she was a disappointment to the memory of her mother who was the true genius in her family. It had also included a picture of her old family, taken when she was just a filly. The same photo Arrowhead now carried in his worn pack back in the hospital, knowing it would one day empower his friend to fight. Now was not the time. Her mother and father had stood behind her and she had been leaning on her father, smiling. When it had hung on her mantle at home, the silver frame was always polished, and her mother would lift her up to stare into the reflection with her magic. However, as she received it that day, the left side that had shown her mother was singed from the fire, the silver frame was grimy and unloved, and her father's supposedly kind eyes stared into her from the worn photo. The letter had been signed "Clashing Scales," her father's name. He had remembered her birthday, but his present was more of an attack on her than a gift and after reading it, she retired to her room. She did not come out, no matter what Arrowhead or Leaf Runner tried. When asked if she was okay, or hungry, or wanted to talk, she would just reply with, "I'm fine" and refuse help. Leaf Runner was upset to see her friend, usually so strong, in such a deep state of depression. Leaf Runner had not known what to do, so she had commenced baking. She'd been upset and decided food was what Key Scales needed. She baked her special Lemon Muffins, which had always been Key Scales' favorite food, though she tried to restrain herself from eating all of them. Leaf Runner had walked up to the door with one on a plate. Arrowhead was sitting outside the door vigilantly like he had been since she'd gone into it. "Any luck, Arrow?" She asked, tilting her head with confusion. He just shook his head and stared at the door. "Here, move away from teh door, I has gots an idea!" With that statement she placed a pristine yellow muffin, lightly sprinkled with sugar and made with love, in front of the door. It immediately opened to a Key Scales with dead eyes like the one Arrowhead was currently dealing with. Leaf Runner quickly used her wings to shove the muffin into Key Scales' mouth, happy to see her friend's eyes regain consciousness, and her smile return at the taste of her favorite food. Arrowhead shuddered at the memory, but it brought a solution to him. He proceeded through the halls, continuing until he reached a set of stairs. As he descended the air became cooler, and there were no windows. He came upon a door and knocked on it rapidly. A disgruntled, sleep interrupted zebra opened the door slightly, anger blatantly displayed upon her face. "You'd best not wake me from my sleep, if your hooves you wish to keep. Who disturbs my late night slumber what pegasus is this I wonder?" Her dyed pink mane was mussed and held back by a pale white crown made of carved bone. The pink streaks swept over her black and blue coat, ending in a curl that was rough-looking in the early hours of the morning. "Sweetie Cakes, I need a favor. Please I know it's late-well, early. Still, I need you to bake something, and fast." "Early though it may just be I must see this recipe. Though your urgency I question, Perhaps I shall take your suggestion?" She stepped out of the door and ran a hoof through her hair. Arrowhead quickly placed the saddle bags on the ground and removed the recipe sketch book Key Scales had retrieved. He flipped through it and found the page he wanted. It was well-worn and appeared to be dusted with powdered sugar, having been in the kitchen frequently. "Sweetie Cakes, can you make this? Exactly how it looks in the book?" "Instructions seeming mostly plain These bake-ed goods to heal her pain I'll try my best, It's not as easy To shift emotions makes one queasy." Arrowhead's eyes lit up, and he almost bounced off the walls at his happiness. Normally the chef was not so easily persuaded, but she could see his desperation. He quickly reined himself in before replying in a calm authoritative tone. "Thank you Sweetie Cakes. If you can, please make haste. This is to heal a close friend, the new assassin you may have heard of." The strangely colored zebra merely chuckled as he walked away, causing him to turn back. "What's so funny, Sweetie?" "The words you utter are just a ruse Your emotions for her do confuse Deeper than friendship do you feel Through the pain, you do conceal." Arrowhead turned to face the hallway away from the laughing zebra. He resumed his commanding tone. "Bake, and please leave me be. You know not of what you speak." After a while the hall began filling with a sweet, warm scent. Arrowhead had gone to check on Key Scales but had found her still staring at Leaf Runner. She had been muttering something to herself but when he tried to get closer, he found her speech too fast to follow. He returned to the stairway despondently, his muzzle lifting at the strange scent enveloping him as he descended. It was a sweet scent, yet tangy and familiar. His plan was working then. As he approached the door he heard things clanging around inside. He sat back on his haunches and looked up at the ceiling, thinking hard. A stream of hushed murmurs flowed from his red muzzle in the warming hallway. "How difficult this is, dealing with her. Scales is always so strong. Yeah, sometimes she's a bit quick to anger but around me and Leafy she's always happy. I hate seeing her this way, so broken down and defeated. Just giving up without a fight, it's so unlike her. Truly that is what must be causing my turmoil, not only that she is weak and in pieces but that she did not even try to be herself again. It makes me so angry. I KNOW she can be better than this, but no matter what I say, no matter how true or heartfelt my words might be, they can never mend her. Celestia help me, I'd give anything just to be able to fix her. To protect her from the harm bubbling inside herself, To see her so bright and beautif-" At this he stood quickly, ending his intense speech and looking around to make sure no one heard those words. Those words were a lie, and a dangerous one at that. Surely they had to be untrue. He sat back down, his vision faltering as his thoughts began swirling. If friendship is so solid and dependable, why do I feel so damned confused every time she looks at me? Friendship is true. Friendship is predictable. So, why do I feel this way? No. No I don't. I don't feel this way. Key Scales is my friend and I am her mentor, and this is all there is. All there ever will be. All I need. No more. It is enough to have her by my side in battle. I do not want her by my side in a way more than that. Do I? The door at the end of the hall opened quietly. Arrowhead was absorbed in his thoughts as the zebra stepped out to meet him. He was beginning to look up at her when she threw a bag at his face. "I've made a treat to fix your 'friend' Her depression's at an end Your feelings will one day be an aid Although now they are delayed." Arrowhead smiled up at her, standing and placing the brown bag in the worn saddle-bags. "Thank you Sweetie Cakes. Have something for your troubles." He poked around in his vest poked and pulled out a small bag of bits. "This means a lot to me so here." He said, slightly muffled by the bit bag in his mouth. He threw it at her feet. She lifted the small jingling bag and placed it back in his vest. "I never take payment from one in a bind For doing so would be most unkind." She smiled at him and walked back into her room, kicking the door shut behind her. Arrowhead went to speak with her but upon reaching the door heard snores from the inside. "Sleeping already... Heh. Sweetie Cakes has done me a kindness. I won't forget it that easily." He adjusted the saddle-bags upon his shoulders and set off for the stairs, ignoring the butterflies in his stomach at the prospect of bright purple eyes again.