Ace winced as the car emerged from the tunnel, light spilling in from the windows and reflecting off what seemed to be a billion different jeweled surfaces, blinding him multiple times over in a split second.
Train’s clear, he heard Scope’s voice resound in his head.
Ace groaned to himself. I bet you can’t even see the train from where you are.
That’d be a good bet, Scope replied. But you know that I don’t need to see something to know where it is.
Ace couldn’t argue with that. Scope had the best awareness of any pony he had ever met, and it wouldn’t have surprised him if he was the best of any pony in all Equestria. If he didn’t feel or smell you coming, he almost certainly heard you. And that was still without considering his superb eyesight. Nothing snuck up on Scope.
And for all of Ace’s “dumb luck,” as his friends called it, it was next to impossible to win a bet with Scope. He knew all of Ace’s tells…and probably a few that Ace himself wasn’t aware of.
A blaze of light from the front of the train accompanied a new wave of magic that passed through the train car. Several of the passengers cried out, while others looked about, alert and wary of some mischief going on outside.
Blitz, what in the blazes are you doing?!
He got no response, but it likely wouldn’t have mattered if he had. The passengers had become frightened, and he needed to offer some kind of explanation to try and assuage their mounting fears.
“I say, what was that?” he said in the most loosely-interested-yet-still-somewhat-intrigued voice he could muster. “I could have sworn I saw something by that cliff over there. Like an explosion of some kind.”
“An explosion?” asked one mare as the crowd suddenly shifted its attention to where Ace stood, staring out the window. “How dreadful!”
“Erm, yes, quite so,” Ace said, turning and looking above the heads of the approaching ponies, hoping to catch sight of Blitz. But all that he saw was the sharp crags of the Rambling Rock Ridge.
You know, for all his antics, you’d think I’d be able to at least see him, but nooooo, he’s being loud and boisterous, and I still can’t find him!
For a moment, all he could hear was the frustratingly monotonous beating of his heart pounding in his skull, when Scope spoke up again, a curious cheerfulness in his tone. And how is that a bad thing?
Because—
He stopped short, suddenly realizing what he had just said. Nopony had seen anything. It was a complete mystery as to what it was…and mysteries can become anything when used properly.
You know, maybe he knows what he’s doing after all.
He had missed this.
Of course, he probably would never have admitted that he could ever have looked back with longing on any aspect of his struggle with the Chimera, but in truth, Sky found combat exhilarating. It was the culmination of who he was: the pegasi had for ages served as a race of proud warriors, and that same ferocity flowed through Sky’s veins. Equestria may be founded on peace and harmony, but I might not mind a little disorder every now and again.
Like right now.
The dogs were a mess of confusion and panic. The largest mutt had gathered up his unconscious fellows from the engine car and was now trying to escape with them, but every time he flailed at Sky’s passing, the limp forms of his comrades thrashed about, making it look as though he was throttling a set of oversized rag dolls. It took all of Sky’s willpower to keep from laughing.
He had tried to make himself appear as threatening and dangerous as he could manage, and he had apparently succeeded. His hooves glistened in the air, and they sparked with every blow struck on the bandits. The streaks of silver in his mane and tail still glowed, and his eyes shone with that pure white intensity, but what had unnerved the dogs the most was his cloak. It was now aflame with a blue-white radiance that flashed like the lightning of a summer storm with every flap in the wind. If only I could add some thunder sound effects.
Sky darted back and forth along the length of the train cars, bashing his foes over the head with his hooves and shoving them to the edge of the roof. The adrenaline pumping through his veins ignited his senses and stimulated his mind, furthering his already potent magic output.
Distantly, he heard the voice of Ace shouting to him. Blitz, what in the blazes are you doing?!
Sky frowned. If nothing else, the ponies on the train had felt his magic, but he had taken extra care to not be seen. His cloak had always blended with his surroundings (when he had needed it to), and he hadn’t exposed himself to any windows: he was only flying directly above the train. Ace could tell the passengers just about anything, and they’d probably believe it.
Turning his attention back to the matter at hoof, Sky noticed that the dogs had apparently had enough abuse for one day, and were leaping off the train and racing for the tunnel, presumably hoping to get back to their hideout. “And just where do you think you’re going?” he called out to them.
The only response he got was an occasional glance over the shoulder, as they seemed to be far more intent on escaping than carrying on conversation. Their terror had apparently lent them new haste, as they were running faster than Sky had seen up till that moment. However, they still had Lily’s pendant, and there was no way under the sun or moon that he was going to let that stand.
He patiently waited for the last few stragglers to enter the tunnel, hovering in midair as the train chugged along beneath him. The train is safe, but these mutts still need to be taught a lesson.
As soon as the last one entered the darkness of the tunnel, he rose slightly higher into the air, and, with a mighty flap, he rocketed inside in close pursuit. He could feel the wind ripple and become unsteady as he tore through it, but he didn’t care. Nighthawk may have wanted him to be sleek and smooth, but it was too late for that. Now, he wanted to be noticed. He needed to be seen and heard.
And feared.
He allowed the magic to well up inside him again. The light from his cloak and body reflected off the walls of the tunnel, illuminating the once-dark cavern. He caught the gleams of several pairs of eyes as they turned just in time to see his approach. As the magic continued to build within him, he began to feel like a balloon that had been overfilled with air, ready to pop at any moment.
And as he reached the rear of the pack of bandits, he unleashed the magic like a mighty wave, forcing its way through the remainder of the tunnel and sweeping up anything that got in its path.
Pop.
The train angled back to the east again, and as it did, the passengers seemed to give up on their hunt for the source of the mysterious magic power. They slowly left the windows and returned to their glasses of sparkling cider and plates of tiny hors d’oeuvres.
Ace silently breathed a sigh of relief. As much as Blitz had done a fine job of not being seen, there was no denying that he had made his presence known. The passengers would have something to talk about, regardless of what happened from this point forward. Honestly, couldn’t he tone it down just this once?
He stared out the window on the opposite side of the car. His muscles had begun to relax and his jaw had finally unclenched as he could feel Blitz’s magic presence being left behind. He hadn’t been certain what had happened, but from all appearances, it had worked, and the train was safe.
Suddenly, as the tunnel came back into view for a moment, he caught glimpse of an incredible sight: the bandits were sprinting into the dark cavern, retreating from something in the air behind them…
What the hay?
It was Blitz, no doubt. It could only have been him. But he wasn’t his normal light blue anymore. The white light emanating from him rippled in a manner that reminded him of how an aurora had been described to him: like a curtain of light. That description hadn’t made much sense to him until right now.
It had to be his cloak, but he’d had no idea it was capable of that. He had only pictured it as blending into its surroundings. The thought had never occurred to him that it could be used to create its own distinct appearance. Perhaps it had something to do with the amount of magic you used, or something technical like that. But that didn’t matter now. Right now, all that Ace could think about was the vision of his teammate looking like some sort of specter of light, defying the will of a group of criminals.
And, almost as soon as it had come, the sight disappeared behind another of the rocky crags of the ridge. Ace blinked, then quickly looked around the cabin. The ponies seemed unaware of the scene, and were still discussing the latest fashion trends and upcoming to-do’s of the Canterlot high society. He smiled.
Feel free to let loose, Blitz.
The reply didn’t surprise him one bit. Way ahead of you, boss.
The dogs spilled out of the tunnel, some tumbling head over heels, some bouncing along, and some skidding out on their faces as the magic blast spewed them out. But they recovered surprisingly quickly, huffing and puffing as they raced to the safety of their underground home. They had only gone a few yards when Sky burst from the tunnel and angled his trajectory right towards the fleeing hounds.
Distantly, Sky knew that he was overexerting himself. Expending this much magic in such a short time would leave him drained for days, but that was a fact he would have to live with. These bandits would have had little to fear from one pegasus, and once he left, the raids on the trains would likely start up again. No, he had realized that the solution wasn’t so simple as making them obey a command. They needed an incentive. He needed something that would make them think twice before emerging from their caverns with thievery on their minds.
He needed them to be afraid; so afraid that they wouldn’t dare trespass again while such a threat existed in their minds. A magic-using pegasus was…unusual, to be sure. But strangely curious wouldn’t cut it. He needed heart-stopping, jaw-dropping, brain-locking terror.
So he became that terror.
He looped and spun through the air as he approached, causing the air to swirl in eddies as he passed by. The mutts were still running from him, though they seemed to no longer care where he was. All they were intent on was getting to their cave where they could take shelter from the airborne menace.
With a sudden dive, Sky surged towards the pack of dogs. Instantly, he was bouncing and leaping off of them, swiping at them with his wings and shoving them with his hooves, knocking them off-balance as he passed by. Before they could swat at him, he ascended again and fired off two orbs from his launchers. He purposely aimed at two empty areas of ground, but as the tiny spheres collided with the ground, they caused the earth to rise in a small explosion as the magic spell escaped its prison. Another howl of fear rose from the group as they continued their hasty retreat.
A sense of desperation suddenly took ahold of Sky’s mind. Sure, the bandits were terrified and weren’t likely to attack the train anytime soon, but they still had Lily’s pendant, and he was running out of time to get it back. If he didn’t manage to retrieve it soon, he’d likely never see it again.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the familiar voice of his earth pony teammate. Blitz, say something dramatic.
I’m a little focused here, Scope.
And I’m trying to help you. You think I didn’t see those dogs take that brooch you carry around wherever you go? It was foolish to bring it on a mission, but I can appreciate how much you want to get it back. So, if you think you can be your typical overly-dramatic self just one more time…
He didn’t have time for games. They had reached the alcove where the cavern entrance was located, and he had maybe thirty seconds until they were safely inside. And yet, he couldn’t help but wonder what tricks Scope had in his mane. OK, anything in particular?
Something about not letting them get away should suffice.
Sky’s brow furrowed. That’s not very specific.
You’re the dramatic one. I’m giving you the opportunity to be creative.
Fine. He thought for a short moment, then took a deep breath. “There’s no escape!” he bellowed. “You can’t hide from me!”
Eh, Scope said in response, I’ve heard better.
Sky didn’t have time to reply. Before he could come up with a sufficiently witty response, he heard a loud crack from the cliff face. Suddenly, the entire roof of the cave entrance collapsed, falling in a giant cascade and raising a thick cloud of dust. Sky barely managed to reel in his senses and pull away before he flew into the blinding cloud.
The mutts had slowed their approach in response, but were still too eager to get away from their pursuer to be completely deterred. But as the dust settled, Sky was surprised to find that the entire cavern entrance was blocked from a cave-in. Apparently, the rock formation had been supporting a large deposit of silt and sediment that had fallen all-too-willingly when provided with a little bit of a nudge.
That was convenient, Sky remarked to his hidden partner. What spell orb did you use for that?
It wouldn’t have mattered, Scope replied. That was so precarious up there, it was liable to fall at any moment. And you’re welcome.
Before him, the dogs sat stunned, staring in disbelief at the blockage to their homes. Slowly, one by one, they turned around to see the shimmering pegasus float down to them. The leader, trembling and shaking the whole time, crept up to him, holding Lily’s brooch in front of him in a defensive manner, as if he hoped it would shield him from the pegasus’ rage. “Er…you w-w-wanted this?” he stammered.
Sky snatched it from the bandit’s outstretched paw, causing the mutt to flinch and stumble backwards. He held it on his hoof for a moment, then slowly withdrew his magic aura. His wings retracted, his mane stopped glowing, his eyes returned to normal, and his cloak once again faded to its normal gray hue. The feeling of exhaustion that swept over him was expected, but its severity still surprised him. However, he still managed to maintain his composure. He reached up and slipped the brooch inside his cloak again. “I warned you not to trespass here, and you ignored me,” he began, trying to choose his words wisely. “I could have caused that to collapse on you, instead of sealing you outside.”
He heard an insulted snort in his head, but he smiled beneath his mask and continued. “If you dare to attack another train, or do anything to violate the laws of this land again, you’ll find that my patience…and my mercy…have run out. I suggest you remember that.”
They all began to eagerly give their assent to his warning, shouting and chattering over each other in an ever-increasingly noisy attempt to assure the pegasus of their sincerity. Sky sat unmoved, but inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief. Let’s hope they mean it this time.
“Time will tell if you mean what you say,” he echoed his thoughts to the crowd, “but for now, you need to dig your way back into your home. Because,” he quickly added, “I don’t trust you out here. Get where you belong, and don’t let me see you again today.” With that, he spread his wings and ascended to the top of the cliff. As he landed, he turned around to see that every one of them was watching him intently. He sat down, and he thought that he heard his muscles creak in protest from all the energy he had already expended.
“Waiting for a written invitation? Get digging!” he barked.
It wasn’t long before they had made significant progress into re-opening the tunnel. Sky watched them with mild interest until a voice spoke up from his right. “Ever the dramatic one,” came the voice from the empty air beside him.
“They wouldn’t have left until they had a reason to not attack the train. I had to show them that they had something to be afraid of. Admitting that I had help would have diminished that sense,” Sky replied.
“I know that, Blitz,” Scope returned. Sky could barely make out his outline against the near-perfect camouflage of his cloak. “I’m merely commenting.”
“Right.” He took a deep breath as the dogs continued their work below. Occasionally, one of them would glance up at him, either out of curiosity or wariness, then return to his task. “I wonder what explanation he’ll come up with for my little performance back there. There’s no way they could have missed all that magic power. I’m certainly going to remember it in the morning,” he added, rotating a leg gingerly.
“If he’s smart, he won’t come up with any explanations,” Scope replied. “If you just let one pony’s imagination run wild, it tends to fill in all the gaps with whatever it thinks makes sense. And when you have a bunch of different minds with a bunch of different stories, it masks the truth rather well.”
“Smooth,” Sky commented. “So, do you think that Ace will survive the rest of the trip? I mean, he’s probably ready to lose his mind.”
“I’m sure he’ll live, though he may end up pulling out his mane,” Scope replied, a strange pleasure evident in his tone. “Maybe those ponies will end up teaching him how to show a little class.”
Sky arched an eyebrow but kept his gaze trained on the bandits. “You’re awfully hard on Ace, you know,” he said. “He does a good job. What’s with all the cynicism?”
Even though he couldn’t see Scope, he could feel his eyes burning into the side of his face like streams of fire. “Ace is competent enough, but he has a penchant for getting a big head…and so do you, for that matter.” Sky whipped his head around to look in the general direction of the hidden earth pony. “Don’t act like it’s not true. You can act so aloof, like you’re the next big thing. I’m just here to keep you humble.”
Sky almost fell over from the irony. “WE act aloof?! What about you? You’re always—”
He suddenly felt an invisible hoof press against his mouth. “Shush, Blitz. In case you’ve forgotten, you still have an audience.”
Sky turned his eyes back to the would-be thieves below, where several of them were gazing up at him with confused looks. “OK, OK, I got it,” he said in a hushed voice as Scope’s hoof drew away from his mouth. “But seriously, you act so high and above any other pony, it’s almost painful. You can’t have any fun, or take a joke, or even smile because you act like it’s beneath you!”
“Blitz, we are professional protectors of Equestria, not court jesters. Laughing and giggling like little school fillies isn’t very becoming of us.”
“Are you serious?” Sky asked, though his tone was even and his voice remained soft. “Do you not remember what Solace told me back when I was accepted into the Guard into the first place? She said that the strength we possess comes from the bond we share with others. What better way to bond with another than through the power of joy and laughter? And laughter itself is one of the Elements of Harmony. Even you have to appreciate that.”
He had expected a quick response from Scope. Even if he was maddeningly stoic, Sky had to admit that his logic and reasoning were outstanding, which made it even more frustrating when trying to argue with him. He was too good at it.
Which made the silence all the more unusual.
The stillness that fell on the scene was broken only by the gentle breeze and the sound of the dogs digging below. After an uncomfortable few seconds, Sky closed his eyes and reclined his head back, triggering a pair of muffled pops from his neck. “Trying to come up with a proper response?” he asked.
“Don’t get smart, Blitz,” Scope shot back. But his voice was calm and quiet as he spoke again. “But I suppose you’re right. It’s tough to argue with the Elements of Harmony.”
Before Sky could comment, Scope cut him off. “However,” he continued, a sudden emphasis in his speech, “that’s no excuse to overdo something. There are six Elements, not just one. All of them have their place.” Sky caught the glint of the earth pony’s eyes aimed in his direction. “Don’t forget that.”
Sky nodded. “Same goes for you, y’know.”
Ponyville
April 23, 8:01 PM
There they were. All seven of them, looking exactly as he remembered them (save a certain pair of new wings). So warm, so colorful, so inviting…
So much like home.
Sky couldn’t help but smile as he observed his friends through the window of Twilight’s library home. They were sitting around a central table, chatting and laughing and carrying on about something. Probably girl talk. Poor Spike.
He missed them. His duties had kept him plenty busy, and since Twilight’s coronation, it seemed that there was no shortage of things to keep her occupied. He silently wished for the days when things were simpler: before the Alicorn Guard, before Twilight became a princess, before everything became so…convoluted.
His memories caused a tickle of magic to flutter through his wings, and while he paid it little mind, he almost immediately saw Twilight and Rarity perk up and turn towards where he stood. Startled, he turned away from the window and pulled his cloak almost entirely over his face to hide his eyes from view. He didn’t mind seeing his friends, but if they saw him, they would inevitably ask what he was doing in Ponyville…and he had no desire to have to lie to them.
To his right, he heard the door burst open. Pulling the cloak down just enough to see, he saw a somewhat frantic Rainbow Dash looking around in all directions as she hovered above the ground. “Hey, Sky, you out here?” she called.
“It was quite peculiar,” Rarity said, emerging through the doorway. “It was most definitely his magic, but perhaps it merely felt closer than he really was.”
He continued watching, fighting the urge to run over and embrace his friends. The desire only deepened as each of his friends came into view, and as Twilight finally walked out, it nearly reached the breaking point. She looked up and down the street, hesitating ever-so-slightly as she peered past him. “I’m sure we all want to see him again. It’s been a long time. But he’ll come see us when he can; I’m sure of it.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, spreading her wings as she did. Sky found it a curious sight: an alicorn wasn’t anything new, but seeing Twilight as one? Yeah, that’s a bit different.
“You girls go on ahead,” Twilight continued. “I think I just need a bit of fresh air.”
“Take your time, darling. There’s no rush,” Rarity replied. She turned, followed her friends, and gently closed the door behind her.
Sky waited. He almost knew it was coming. She was too smart and too magically savvy to not notice.
“I know you’re out here, Sky. Hiding isn’t your style.”
He didn’t move. He watched her intently, wondering if she would press the issue, or just let him be. But after a moment, her head turned, her horn lit up, and her eyes locked with his. Sky looked down just long enough to see that his cloak had taken on its normal gray color, and his disguise was gone. “I suspected you’d know I was out here, but I didn’t think you could do that,” he commented in genuine surprise, rising to his hooves. As he did, he felt the hood of his cloak fall from the top of his head, revealing his mane, still tangled and disheveled from the mission.
“Alicorn magic,” she replied with an air of accomplishment, apparently oblivious to his messy appearance. “But what are you doing here, and why exactly were you hiding? You didn’t forget that you already mentioned your idea about the cloak to me, did you?”
He mentally cringed as the thought took hold in his mind. Oh, duh, flank brain. Really thought that one through, didn’t ya? “What? Me, forget something? You must be joking.”
“Sure.” Her face darkened, and Sky felt a pang of regret even before she could ask her next question. “But seriously, why were you hiding? Were you spying on us or something?”
It was a ridiculous suggestion in Sky’s mind, triggering an amused snort. But one look back at Twilight indicated that she did not find it funny in the least. “Sorry, that struck me funny. But no, I wasn’t spying on you.”
“Then what were you doing?” she asked again, adding force to her words.
“It’s been a while since I had seen all of you, and I was in the area, so I thought I’d come see you.”
“And not come in yourself?” she asked quizzically. “Come on, Sky, what are you hiding?”
He sighed and let his head hang. If there’s one thing I hate about the Alicorn Guard, it’s all the secrecy. Maybe I’m just really bad at hiding what I know. “Twilight…listen to me. I can’t tell you, on account of a promise I took. I didn’t want to be seen because I knew that I’d have to explain what I was doing here, and I can’t bring myself to tell you anything that isn’t true. It’s hard enough having to not say anything at all.” The exhaustion he had felt earlier seemed to wash over him all over again. “Forgive me,” he said, slowly raising his head just enough to see the shocked look on the violet alicorn’s face.
But her gaze quickly softened with a gentle smile. “I know that look,” she said, her compassionate voice barely more than a whisper. “That’s the look of a pegasus carrying the weight of Equestria on his shoulders. A pegasus that’s scared to let down those he cares about. A pegasus that needs to remember that his friends are there for a reason.” She looked up to the orange sky, where a few bright stars had begun to pierce through the sun’s dying rays. “Sky, we all know you well enough that if you say you can’t tell us something, we can respect that. We all guessed that there was more than you actually told us back when Celestia spoke with you after the Summer Sun Celebration, and this is just kind of confirming that.” Sky’s eyes went wide with alarm, but Twilight raised a hoof. “But don’t worry…whatever that is, your secret is safe. If it’s important to you, it’s important to us. We’re your friends, and we’re here to help in any way we can.” She looked to the door of the library, then back at Sky. “That being said, would you like to come in?”
The temptation was overwhelming, but he already knew the answer he had to give. “I’d love to, Twi,” he said, pulling the hood back over his head, “but I need to be going. I need to get back to the train station. I’m afraid I’m on a schedule, and I’ve already stayed longer than I intended.”
Twilight nodded, a sad understanding etched on her face. “I figured that was the case. But you’re welcome here anytime. You and Lily both,” she added with a wink.
“Thanks,” he said. “You all be safe. I know how you like to live life on the edge.”
“We’re not the only ones,” she replied, though to Sky, it sounded as though it had been said to herself.
If only you knew, he thought to himself as his cloak shifted appearance, and he vanished from sight.
“Did you have a nice visit?” Ace asked as his companion came into view. The sunlight had finally begun to fail at the Ponyville train depot, and it hadn’t been until Blitz had stepped into the light of the lamppost that the unicorn had noticed him.
“Yeah,” Blitz returned unenthusiastically.
The train back to Canterlot had stopped in Ponyville for a brief delay, and Blitz had taken the opportunity to head into town. He hadn’t said where he was going, but neither Ace nor Scope were so naïve that they didn’t know where he had gone.
Ace raised an eyebrow. “I’m not convinced. Everything alright?”
“It’s fine,” the pegasus answered, joining Ace and Scope as they boarded the train back to Canterlot. “Just got a few things on my mind.”
“Anything you care to get off your chest?”
“It’s alright…it’s kinda personal.”
“Good,” Scope said, claiming a seat near the front of their car. “I’d like a nap, and that would be quite hard with you two jabbering on about some nonsense.”
Blitz made a face, but Ace merely shrugged off the comment. “Alright, Blitz. But if you ever need to vent about something, you know where to find me.”
Blitz’s familiar coy visage returned. “Probably at a casino somewhere,” he quipped.
Ace couldn’t help but laugh. “Darn right!” he agreed as the train whistled and began to crawl forward.
A relative silence fell onto the train car for a few minutes, when Ace heard Blitz’s voice inside his head. By the way, Ace, what explanation did you give to the ponies on the train? I’m curious about how creative you are.
Not very, I’m afraid, he replied. I just let the matter be. They’ll come up with their own explanations, and it’ll keep them guessing at the truth for a long, long time.
Yeah, Scope said you should do something like that.
He should be pleased to know that for once, he and I were thinking alike. He paused and redirected the conversation. I’m looking forward to getting back to Canterlot, so long as I don’t have to talk to any more of those high society ponies. Think my mane’s turning white from having to suppress so much frustration.
Guys, Scope’s irritated voice resounded in his head. I don’t think it’s too much to ask for you to stop thinking so loudly. Can’t you just do what you normally do and empty your heads of everything?
No amount of beauty sleep is going to do you any good, Scope.
Ohhh! Burn!! Blitz chimed in.
Again, Blitz, how old are you?
And in the perfectly silent train car, the banter continued all the way to Canterlot.