Reddux the Tyrant
Chapter XI
Little Deceptions
Crater Lake. It glistened in the perpetual sunlight like a jewel in the desert. The outer ridge rose high above the otherwise flat and barren landscape, forming a perfect circle in which the blue waters rested in a pristine stillness.
Reddux had not witnessed the Calamity of the Skies. At the time of the event, he would not be hatched for at least another thousand years. Rumors of the cause were widespread. Legends that Princess Luna had sent down a meteor as a warning to the dragons were certifiably untrue, for neither she nor her sister had been alive at the time. Some said it was a creation of The Blight; that old fool, Parjin, believed it, so Reddux was inclined not to.
The cause of the Calamity was of little import to him; the crater was useful, and that was all he cared about.
He could see the small creatures, scurrying about like ants. They fled into the caves beneath the lake as soon as they caught sight of him. He snorted his derision; they too were beneath him, but he would put up with them… for now. They were far more palatable than ponies, and they made useful tools against the equine race.
A particularly large cave sank into on the Northern side of the lake. Reddux descended towards it, landing heavily on the dry earth. The impact of his landing sent a shard of pain up his side, but he resisted clutching his wound. He did not bother to announce his presence; he merely rested on his haunches and folded his sore wings. Within seconds, a small figure appeared from the cave. It was an Earth pony, her expression firm and unafraid. She trotted up to a small ridge and looked up at Reddux with a studious frown.
“Hail, Reddux. We were not expecting you to come here so soon.”
“Spare me your formality,” he growled. “Where is Tialvis?”
“I have sent others to inform her of your arrival,” she replied. “She should be here soon. Was there something specific you wanted?”
“No.” He scratched his chin and peered at her. “Are the eggs intact?”
The mare scowled. “You doubt our care? Of course the eggs are intact.”
He nodded. “Very good.”
The mare bared her teeth at him. “If you have no more insults for me, I will take my leave. Tialvis will be here soon.”
Reddux was tempted to cook her for being so flippant, but he let the slight go; he had to at least pretend that they had an equal share in this arrangement. For now.
The bellow of a fellow dragon arose in the distance. He turned to peer north and spotted a black dot on the horizon. He knew of only one drake that could be coming from that direction, and the thought made him smile. Even the continuous ache of his wound didn’t do much to hinder the wicked pleasure that grew within him.
“You’re back early.”
Reddux turned his attention back to the caves in time to see a green dragon’s head slithering from the darkness. She narrowed her eyes against the harsh sunlight and hissed her displeasure.
“Tialvis.” Reddux nodded respectfully. “I flew into Parjin. His words troubled me.”
Her scaled lips turned in a deep frown. “More ranting about The Voice? Why should that trouble you, or prevent you from destroying the fort as planned?”
Reddux offered a fanged grin. “What makes you think I didn’t destroy the fort?”
Tialvis turned her head to observe him with a lone eye. “Do not try to placate, Reddux. You hadn’t the time to put down the witch, destroy that fort and fly here. Given the nature of the sun, I assume you won your duel?”
“Indeed.” Reddux couldn’t resist touching the mark on his side. “Celestia proved more formidable than expected, but she is defeated nonetheless. By the time she awakens from her recovering sleep, her precious Equestria will be ashes and her subjects enslaved.”
“That is well. I—” She paused, eyes going to the skies over his shoulder. Reddux turned to find the other dragon approaching fast. The creature flared his black wings and descended, landing at Reddux’s side. “Greetings, Eruk.”
Eruk smirked at her. “Greetings, eggsitter.” He turned his eye on Reddux. “The second fort fell like kindling.”
“Of course it did,” Reddux replied. “We are dragons. Did you make the ponies suffer?”
Eruk’s fanged grin spoke volumes.
“And why have you returned, Eruk?” Tialvis peered at him. “Does all not go according to plan?”
Eruk snorted smoke in her face. “Do not insult, eggsitter. The fort has fallen and, as promised, the ponies have sent a substantial force to ‘rescue’ the survivors. There is more than enough time for me to catch them on the march.”
Tialvis’s frown deepened. “You came to gloat. Does it make you feel big, slaughtering the defenseless ponies? Do you now feel as though you have tough scales?”
Smoke rose from Eruk’s nostrils and his chest swelled. “You impudent—”
Reddux thrust an arm before him. “Ease your flame. Save it for the ponies.”
“The ponies… yes.” Eruk heaved a long breath, though his eyes remained set upon Tialvis. “Long may they suffer for what they have done.”
Reddux shot him a withering glance. “And I too would like to know why you are not out there making them suffer.”
“I only thought it would be nice to let the eggsitter know things were going according to plan.” Eruk shot another grimace at Tialvis. “Because females tend to fret.”
Tialvis tilted her head and scowled, but said nothing.
“That will do.” Reddux turned to Tialvis. “If you are satisfied, I would like to know about the work of Vermithrax.”
At the mention of that name, Tialvis flinched. She averted her gaze and shook her head. “I received word not long ago: she has failed.”
“What?” The word erupted as a bellow. Reddux’s wings flared and smoke rose from his throat. “She had but one task! Where is she?”
“Dead,” Tialvis replied, head bowed. “Sorahna’s guard tore her from the skies.”
Eruk stamped the ground, sending cracks through the dry earth. “The incompetent worm! I told you we should not have sent a female to perform such a task!”
Tialvis snorted and rolled her eyes. “It would be amusing to see you try to combat three dragons at once. Vermithrax was a mightier dragon than you shall ever be. That she failed is… troubling.”
“Troubling? It is not only troubling, it is—”
“Be silent.” Reddux pointed a talon at Eruk. “Despite my frustration, Vermithrax was truly great. Her fall means that more direct measures are needed, and I will not risk any more failures. I will go to deal with Sorahna personally. You should return to your own task.”
Eruk hunched into an aggressive pose. “Are you suggesting I cannot handle Blazen’s hatchling?”
A claw flashed forward, and Eruk’s throat was held tight in Reddux’s fist. Reddux loomed, massive and mighty compared to his companion.
“I am suggesting you do your job.” He breathed smoke into Eruk’s sneer. “If you want the castle for yourself, you will get back out there and slaughter that pony army.” He shoved Eruk back, nearly toppling him to the ground.
Eruk stood, rubbing his neck with a grimace. “I will bring down that castle, and the murderer who resides within. I am owed that much.”
Reddux stood tall and flared his wings. “You are owed what I say you are owed. You will earn nothing if I return and that fort still stands.”
Wings creating powerful gusts, Eruk rose into the sky. He hovered over the lake and shook his fist at the two dragons beneath him. “So be it, Reddux! But do not think you can stop me from burning the dragonslayer.” He flew off, wings beating furiously as he roared his frustration.
Tialvis moved a little farther out of the cave, her scaled neck stretching out in the sunlight as she watched Eruk’s flight. “His anger is too great. He will make mistakes.”
“He has a right to be angry,” Reddux replied with a sigh. “The murder of his mate weighs heavily upon him.”
She eyed him, her expression impassive. “Why do you not let him attack the castle now? Why wait?”
“Do not feign ignorance,” Reddux grumbled. “You know as well as I that Celestia sleeps within the castle. She must be kept alive until I have aligned the hoards with our cause, or else they may challenge us. Besides,” he added with a fanged grin, “our friends cannot get what they want if she is dead.”
A grimace formed on her lips. “They scurry about like ants. Were I not needed here, I would have nothing to do with them.”
“Patience, my friend.” Reddux rubbed his burn as he studied her. “We may need to crush another egg or two, for the sake of persuasion.”
Her lips pulled back, revealing her sharp fangs. “You would kill more of our unborn?”
“A last resort, I assure you.” He raised his claws in a calming gesture. “I would not make such sacrifices were it not necessary. I go to kill Sorahna. If the hoards are still hesitant, another egg or two may be the boulder that breaks the drake’s back.”
She hissed and pulled back so only her glittering eyes were visible to him. “I am here to protect the future of our glorious rule, and you would speak of sacrifice. These unhatched ones are the beginnings of a new age, Reddux, and I will be their mother. Remember that before suggesting such things to me again!”
Reddux took a step back, but his expression grew hard. “Do not let such petty sentiments stand in the way of what must be done, Tialvis. The new age will not happen at all if we cannot convince the majority of the hoards to join us.”
A roar shook the caves and fire spewed from Tialvis’ throat, striking the ground before her and forming a great pire between them. She glared through the flames with a deep growl.
“Go, Reddux! Face your pretty little wyrmling. Yet if you come here to threaten these eggs again, I will see you torn from the skies! They are mine, and you will not lay one claw upon them.”
Reddux bared his fangs, but let her go; he would not undo the fragile alliance formed with the aged drake. Once the ponies had been enslaved and the hoards were under his command, perhaps then he would remind her that her ‘children’ were also his army, and thus his to do with as he pleased.
Yet her words echoed in his mind. He rubbed his chin in consideration. ‘Pretty little wyrmling,’ was it? There were other ways to lay claim to the hoard of Blazen and the title of First Fang.
Perhaps Sorahna could be of better use… alive.
Fleur had been lost in thought, her eyes on her trudging hooves. As such, she failed to notice that Fine had stopped walking until her horn poked unpleasantly into his flank. She winced and found herself staring at his cutie mark: a reared back pony. It was practically invisible amongst the splotches of his mottled coat.
He turned to her, his lips turned up in the slightest of smiles. That alone was enough to warrant her attention.
“I think it’s time we got a little practice in.”
She frowned at this statement. “Practice?”
Fine sidestepped and gestured: before them stood a veritable forest of rocks and crags. “We’ve got to go through this. Seems like as good a place as any.”
The pale, orange landscape formed something of a wall, making it impossible to know how far they extended. Fleur had heard of the Deadland Spikes, but never thought she’d get the chance to see them.
She turned to Fine. “So… what exactly are we practicing?”
His smile broadened a touch. “Hide and Seek.”
It took a moment to lift her jaw off the ground. “You mean you want to play a foal’s game?”
“My favorite foal’s game,” he corrected, tapping her on the muzzle. “I’ll even give you the choice: hide or seek?”
She wrinkled her nose and rubbed it. “You don’t strike me as the type to play these sorts of games, Fine.”
He leaned in close, his eyes going sharp. She took a step back, ears folding at his abruptly stern manner.
“Hiding, Fleur. It’s what I do. It’s what I earned my cutie mark for.” He gestured to the crags and rocks before them. “This isn’t just a game; knowing how to go unnoticed is the best way to preserve your life. In short,” he offered another wry smile, “this is exactly why you wanted to follow me in the first place.”
She glanced at the Deadland Spikes uncertainly… then let out a small gasp. Her wide eyes locked with his and she felt her heart flutter. “Hide. I want to hide first.”
“As I thought.” His horn lit up and something rose from one of his packs. It was a compass, which he offered to her. “Use this to continue south. You’ve got thirty minutes from the moment I lose sight of you. After that, I’m going on the prowl.” He smirked as she eagerly grabbed the compass in her magic. “Let’s see how long you last.”
Before she could stop herself, she jumped forward to hug him. He stiffened at her touch and she felt the burn in her cheeks. Then she left, hurrying into the Deadland Spikes with a grin.
At last, she would learn something practical!
The mood at Guardia del Este was a somber one. Fancy watched as the army marched west, away from the protection of solid walls. Above them, a small cloud of pegasi flew in tight formation. He wondered just how many of those ponies would be coming back. There was always the chance that they wouldn’t be set upon by Reddux and his ilk… but the thought wasn’t at all comforting.
Colonel Mander stood to Fancy’s left, his face as stoic as ever. He put on a good show, but Fancy could see out of the corner of his eye that there was some red in the old veteran’s cheeks.
To his right stood Captain Feathers, her face set in a deep frown as she watched her squadron depart without her. Her body heaved and her lip trembled, the fire in her eyes as dangerous as any weapon.
“This is absurd,” she whispered for the thousandth time. “Totally absurd.”
Fancy looked over his shoulder at the fort grounds. It seemed so very empty compared to how it had been a few hours ago. He looked back to the departing forces and ground his teeth, a distraction against the lead in his gut.
“Don’t worry,” Whinnie said as she passed behind them, on her way to the stairs. “They’ll be fine. The Commander knows what he’s doing.”
Fancy watched her leave with a scowl before turning his eye on the keep. He wondered if Commander Dune was even bothering to watch.
As soon as Whinnie was out of earshot, Oak let out a quiet curse. “‘Knows what he’s doing’ my flank.”
Fancy sighed and nodded. “I don’t know how he expects us to hold the fort now.”
“We can’t.”
They looked to Colonel Mander. It was the first time he’d spoke in a long while.
He let out a deep breath through his nostrils, his hard eyes still locked on his troops. “The Commander’s defense strategy is amateur. He’s amateur.”
“Agreed,” Oak grumbled. “Even the First Lieutenant here could tell this plan’s a deathtrap.”
Fancy ignored the small jab, his mind instead going over Commander Dune’s plans. “Grouping defenders together on the walls… Utter foalishness. A dragon would kill every pony on the line in a single pass.”
“It’s like he has no idea what dragons are capable of,” Oak agreed, flapping her wings.
“I don’t think he does.” Fancy sat on the hot stone battlement and shook his head. “He wasn’t at Estéril Pezuñas.”
“Neither was I,” the colonel growled. He looked Fancy in the eye. “Do you know what the real problem is?”
Fancy and Oak shared raised eyebrows.
“Peace is the problem.” Colonel Mander turned his glare west once more. “Equestria has around three hundred ponies in its citizenry who have seen live combat. Of those, less than a hundred are still in the armed forces. Academy geniuses like the commander think they know all about war because they read a bunch of damn books, but they know minotaur dung.
“Peace has made Equestria soft.” He stiffened his shoulders and sneered. “Peace has made us vulnerable. None of the ponies in the command structure know anything about battle. They haven’t seen the blood, known the confusion or struggled to hold a line. Everything is by the book and designed to avoid offending anypony. Commander Dune is sending soldiers to Fuegos en las Rocas because he’s thinking in terms of political correctness. He can’t help it. It’s all he knows.”
Oak ruffled her feathers with a grim frown. “Well, what are we supposed to do about it?”
“Whatever we can,” he replied.
The two grew silent. Fancy glanced from one to the other, then turned his attention south. He thought of Fleur and all she’d told him. Why would she head into the Badlands with that stallion? He closed his eyes and recalled seeing her standing in her uncle’s office, dressed like a doll. The image sent a shiver down his spine.
It’s only by breaking rules that I can keep out of Deeds’ hooves.
Breaking the rules…
Fancy turned to stare down at the fort’s courtyard. There were so few soldiers, and their plan of defense was so horrible. If they followed orders they would all die, of this Fancy had no doubt.
There were many things that Fancy didn’t like about his father, but if there was anything Bright Plume was it was decent. Fancy learned his way by watching him. The old stallion followed the rules and treated other ponies fairly, even if that fairness was through a screen of elitist values. The one thing Fancy was grateful to have inherited was his father’s sense of decency.
You really are a good stallion. I wish I’d had somepony like you to take care of me all these years.
A small smile curled his lips.
The only way you can help me is by breaking the rules. Don’t do that, Fancy, please. I don’t think you’d be so good if you did, and I like you as you are.
“I won’t change, Fleur,” he whispered. “That’s a promise.” He turned around to face west once more.
“We break the rules.”
Oak glanced at him. “What was that?”
He turned to her, jaw set. “That’s what we can do about it: we break the rules.”
Colonel Mander peered at him but remained silent.
Oak considered Fancy with a frown. “What exactly did you have in mind?”
“Commander Dune’s plan is suicide. We three, we know that.” He turned to the colonel. “So let’s not follow that plan.”
“You want to defy his orders?” Colonel Mander asked, his tone neutral.
“Yes.” Fancy waved to the departing army. “We’ve lost most of our arms. We need to adjust our strategy in a way that makes sense. If the commander can’t be made to see reason – and we spent several hours learning that he can’t – then we should act behind his back.”
Oak glanced towards the keep, then moved so she was beside the two of them. Her voice was reduced to a whisper. “That’s risky. I get the feeling Whinnie is the commander’s little yes-mare. She figures out what we’re up to, we’ll be reported.”
“Who are the soldiers going to obey?” Fancy nodded towards the colonel. “An academy commander who hides in his cool sanctuary all the time, or the stallion who led them here and survived the Selene River incident?”
The colonel shook his head. “It’s not that simple. The soldiers under my command would support me, but don’t count on the fort’s guards. We could end up with a fight on our hooves. We outnumber them three to one, but it’s still a fight we can’t afford.”
Fancy sighed and nodded. “I suppose that’s true.”
“But we have to do something,” Captain Feathers said. “Fancy’s right, the current strategy is suicide.”
They drifted into contemplative silence. Fancy kept glancing at the keep, wondering why Commander Dune refused to come out. He didn’t even bother to see the soldiers off…
“Fancy.”
He blinked and looked to Colonel Mander, who leveled him with a hard frown. “You’re a First Lieutenant. That makes you the highest ranking unicorn under the commander.”
“True,” Oak said, “except his little stooge, Whinnie.”
Fancy raised an eyebrow at her. “Yes, so?”
Colonel Mander was rubbing his chin and studying Fancy. “You also survived Sueño.”
He flinched. “Can we not make a big deal out of that?”
“A ‘big deal’ is exactly what we need,” the colonel countered.
Oak patted Fancy’s shoulder. “Let’s not forget that you stood alone to face Reddux on the beach and lived. That’s big stuff.”
“And your firm loyalty to Celestia is no secret,” Colonel Mander concluded.
A small smile appeared on Oak’s face. “Not to mention the rumors that it may be more than loyalty.”
Fancy turned on her with a snarl. “Would you ponies stop suggesting that? For the love of the sun, I am not interested in Celestia romantically! Celestia is our benefactor, our protector and our guide! She is not a flashy runway model to be ogled, she is a leader to be respected and loved! If I have to hear somepony disrespect my devotion to her one more time—”
Colonel Mander thrust his leg out, pushing Fancy back. “Calm down, First Lieutenant. Nopony’s trying to disrespect you.”
Fancy snorted in his face. “It sure as Tartarus feels like it.”
Oak had recoiled at Fancy’s outburst, but now she stepped forward and set a hoof to his shoulder. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Fancy. I was just reminding you of the rumors.”
“I wish the rumors would bucking stop.” He shook his head and crossed his forelegs. “How did it ever get to the point that loyalty is misconstrued as lust?”
“Get over it.” The colonel pressed a hoof to Fancy’s chest. “And fast. You’re our key to making this work.”
“What?” Fancy blinked and gave the stallion a hard look. “Not long ago you were telling the commander not to rely on me for the defense of this place.”
Colonel Mander nodded. “And I stand by that, in a technical sense. But everypony knows your story, First Lieutenant. To many ponies, you’re already a war hero.”
“You didn’t support that idea, either.”
Oak rolled her eyes. “Fancy, would you shut up and listen? We can use you to do what we need to do.”
He shot her a glower. “How?”
Colonel Mander stuck his chin towards the keep. “You were right, the only way we stand a chance is if we break the rules. We have to defy Commander Dune and train the troops in a proper defensive strategy.”
“But they have to be willing to defy the commander and not spill the beans.” Oak gestured to Fancy. “That’s where you come in. You survived two dragon attacks. Everypony knows who you are. If you tell them this needs to be done, they’ll do it.”
Fancy blushed and glanced down at the courtyard, his gaze passing over the soldiers. It was true, he’d heard more than a few whispers about him as he passed the other soldiers. Even so, “I think you’re overestimating my influence.”
“Only one way to find out,” Oak said.
The colonel gave a firm nod. “As of right now, you’re in charge of all the unicorns in the 8th, and any unicorn guards who join us.”
“I am?” Fancy gaped at him. “But… I’ve never lead a unit before.”
“Learn as you go,” Colonel Mander said with a grunt. “Besides, all my best officers are gone with the main army, so you’re my best bet anyway.”
Oak thrust a hoof between the two stallions, effectively catching their attention. “Whoa there, boys, we actually have to have a strategy before we can go telling everypony in the fort to follow it.”
“Oh, right.” Fancy looked from Oak to the colonel and back. “You two would probably be better at that than me.”
“You’re not getting out of it that easily,” Colonel Mander said. “You’ve got more experience with dragons than either of us. We’ll need that knowledge to develop our plan.”
Fancy flinched. “I’m… not sure what help I’ll be.”
“Any help is better than none,” Oak reminded him, her voice firm. “Come on, Fancy, stop acting so coy. You saw the dragons fighting at the walls of Sueño. Think about how they did it and help us come up with some kind of counter.”
Fancy closed his eyes. He could see the dragons assaulting the city, the fire and the smoke. The wails were like ghosts in his ears. He shivered at the memory.
He felt a hoof on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to find that it belonged to the colonel. For just a moment, Fancy thought Tartarus may have just frozen over; the commander’s face had softened to a calm smile.
“I don’t know if we can defend this fort,” the colonel said, “but with your help, we might stand a chance.”
Oak mimicked the colonel’s gesture, her hoof set on Fancy’s other shoulder. “We’re with you this time, Fancy.”
I want you to enjoy my sunrise a few thousand more times.
He glanced towards the sun. His chest swelled as he took in a deep, calming breath. Though he was sweating, for the moment Fancy took comfort in the heat.
He would see the sun rise again.
“All right.” He set a hoof on each of theirs and gave a firm nod. “Let’s get started.”
Fleur knew she’d been caught. She’d known for some time. Yet despite this, Fine had refused to ‘catch’ her. It was baffling, and just a little unnerving.
She was surrounded by a veritable forest of crags. Walking was difficult and she had to keep an eye on her hooves to keep from tripping over any sharp rocks. Every now and then she would look around, wondering if she’d see Fine Crime. On rare occasion she’d spot his black tail disappearing amongst the red stone, and he was never there whenever she would investigate. It was almost as if he’d reversed their roles so that he was hiding.
He was like a ghost, ever within the peripheral of her vision but never there when she looked. Sometimes she would feel her mane or tail shift, as if something had brushed against them, but when she looked there was no sign of a cause. The worst of it was the whispers; they were never quite loud enough to be audible, and sometimes she wondered if she’d actually heard it or merely imagined it.
Fine was toying with her. At first she’d been confused, then impressed.
Now she was just annoyed.
She pulled the compass from one of her bags and examined it. It seemed she’d moved a little to the east. Turning south, she proceeded amongst the tall rocks that obscured the horizon.
Her tail shifted unbidden. Grinding her teeth, Fleur moved forward and refused to acknowledge the contact. She traveled on, her eyes shifting between the compass and her hooves. South, just keep going south.
Her ear twitched to a sound on her right. She ignored it.
It dawned on her that her breath was coming in heavy pants. She glanced at the sun, but knew it had nothing to do with the heat. Lips curled in a sneer, she refocused her attention and kept walking.
Minutes passed in silence.
Something tugged on her mane.
“Would you just stop it?” She turned about, scanning the openings between the stones with a snarl. “I know you’re out there. I know you found me ages ago. I’ve had enough of this stupid game!”
A new sound hit her ears. It was a slow, quiet grinding. It lasted for about a second. It started up again, stopped. Started again, stopped.
Fleur turned circles, trying to determine where the sound was coming from. “Come on, Fine, that’s enough.”
The sound didn’t stop. It was almost rhythmic.
She paused, her eyes set on an opening between two tall crags. There was something between them… like a shadow that didn’t belong. She smirked. “Got ya.”
The grinding sound kept coming, seeming to arise from all over. Fleur approached the shadow between the rocks… but then slowed. The shadow was growing darker.
“Fine?” She cocked her head as the darkness intensified. What was this?
Suddenly the grinding sound didn’t seem so trivial. Fleur could feel the fur on her back standing on end. The grinding grew louder.
She began to walk backwards. There was something in that darkness, a powerful presence pushing her back. Fleur forced herself to take slow, steady breaths to keep her heart from pounding too much.
The grinding rose in volume.
“Fine… if this is some kind of… of trick…”
The grinding stopped.
The darkness was perfectly still.
Fleur held her breath, legs taught and teeth clenched.
Something cool and sharp pressed against her throat.
“You’re dead.”
Fleur shouted and leapt away, only to shout again as she tripped over the rocks. She saw the sharp edge of a stone swiftly rising to meet the side of her face and closed her eyes tightly.
Nothing.
“Make that double dead.”
Fleur opened an eye; the jagged rock was an inch away. She could just barely make out the red glow of Fine’s magic holding her face above it. The rest of her body lay in the dirt. She jerked to her hooves to find Fine watching her with a small, dark smile, his knife swaying.
Her horn sparked and she leveled him with a glare. “What the buck was that? You could have killed me with that stunt!”
His smile broadened a touch. “Twice.”
“Why are you smiling?” She pointed at the rock by her hooves. “I could have had that in my skull!”
“I’m a professional,” he replied, turning to walk past her. “I wouldn’t have let that happen.”
She raised a hoof. “Wait! What about—” She looked towards the two rocks from earlier, but there was no sign of the oppressive shadow. “What?”
“An illusion I conjured up to scare you.”
She gawked, then clamped her jaw closed and followed with a sulking frown. “I thought we were playing ‘hide and seek.’”
“We were.”
She thrust her hooves in the air. “But you found me an hour ago!”
“Two, by my estimate.”
Fleur blinked and stared at the back of his head. Minding her hooves, she hurried to walk alongside him. “You mean you knew I knew?” He nodded. “Then why not just ‘kill’ me and be done with it?”
“Practice,” he replied with a smile.
That was when it hit her: he’d been having fun. Truly. The very idea that he could have fun left her speechless.
“There’s more to this than just hiding,” he continued, apparently not noticing her reaction. “There’s deception, mind games, manipulation. Finding you is one thing; scaring you is another.”
“I would have appreciated a warning,” she grumbled.
“That’s not how the world works.” He suddenly grew somber. “Just because somepony tells you something is going to happen, that doesn’t mean it will. Learn how to pick out the truths from the lies.”
She stared at him for a couple seconds, taking this in. Was he… trying to teach her?
“You should have already known that,” he added, shooting her a raised eyebrow. “Is it really any different from how you tricked me into thinking you were feeble in order to get that tracking spell on me? By the way, I now know it’s worn off.”
Her jaw dropped. “What? How did you know?”
“If it was still working, you’d have detected me earlier and moved to keep your distance.”
Her cheeks burned. “Oh… I guess it was obvious, huh?”
They passed between some rocks, and when she followed Fine’s turn Fleur found herself looking at their tent, already hitched in the shade on a particularly tall crag. She gaped at it, wondering how Fine had found time to set up camp before seeking her out.
Noticing her expression, Fine regained his smirk. “What? I’m good.”
Another blush. “And modest,” she grumbled.
“That too.” He sat beside the tent and, using his magic, pulled out the bread bag. “You hungry?”
She nodded, and he tossed her a small chunk of a loaf. She caught it with her magic, then held it in her hooves. She studied the bread for a moment before glancing at him. He still wore a slight smile. “You… really enjoy your work, don’t you?”
Fine gave her a curious look, his eyes shifting in thought. “I… sometimes. It depends on which part I’m doing.”
“Which part?”
He studied his own piece of bread in silence, taking a bite as he thought. Upon swallowing, he said, “I think I’ve figured out your weakness.”
She cocked her head, not bothering to speak through the bread in her mouth.
“You’re good at deception,” he said, “but you’re not very good at being on the receiving end.”
“Is that what that was?” she asked. “A test?”
He nodded, his eyes glazed over in thought. “We need to fix that. I can help you learn a few spells, but learning to know when somepony’s trying to trick you is a entirely different matter. No spell can make that easier.”
Fleur considered this, and him. Hiding, gathering information, going on clandestine missions… “Fine, are you a spy?”
He blinked, mouth half-open over a chunk of bread. His eyes locked with hers as he slowly chewed. It wasn’t his usual peering, cautious expression, but it was contemplative and curious. At last he swallowed and replied, “I’m not sure if I should answer that question just yet.”
She leaned forward. “Why?”
“Because… I don’t know how far this is going to go.” He rubbed the back of his head. “In my business, we sometimes take on apprentices, but I’m not sure you and I will go that far.”
“Me? An apprentice?” She gawked. “But I thought you said you didn’t want any.”
“And I’m still not sure that I do,” he admitted with a shrug. “But you’re already here, I’ve already agreed to teach you… a little, and I have to admit that you show promise.”
Her ears perked and a smile came unbidden to her lips. “Really?”
He winced and glanced away with a scowl. “Yeah, really. At the same time, I have to weigh other considerations, such as how I’d really rather be working alone.”
She sniffed, put off by his sudden change in mood. “I know that feeling.”
Fine shot her a dark, pondering look. “I need to figure out if you’re trustworthy, get a better grasp of your goals. Normally I’d also suggest that you’re too young, but I don’t think that matters in this case.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Why? Because I’m so capable?”
His expression didn’t change in the slightest. “Because you’ve already been through so much.”
Fleur flinched and bowed her head, a distinct burning in her heart. She thought on her life, knowing full well that it was anything but ‘normal.’ Perhaps that was playing in her favor now, but—
That thought gave her pause. ‘Playing in her favor?’
Did she actually like the idea of becoming Fine’s apprentice? That was ridiculous; she didn’t even know for certain what it was he did, except have a general knack for sneakiness and brooding. Even so, she couldn’t deny the thrill she felt at the idea.
Her ears perked to a scratching sound. She looked to find her companion writing in a small notebook. Every now and then his eyes would go to the stone forest surrounding them, only to drop back to the paper intently.
Fleur considered walking around to look over his shoulder, but he was leaning back against one of the tall stones. She’d never be able to manage it without being obvious to the point of rudeness.
“What are you writing?”
His eyes didn’t leave the notebook. “Description.”
“Description?”
“Of the area.” He paused to consider the stones once more before going back to his writing. “I’ve never seen the Deadland Spikes. I want to preserve their description and my impression of them for later.”
Fleur turned in a circle, trying to see what was so interesting about a bunch of rocks. True, they were a rather well known – if rarely visited – landmark, but she’d grown out of her fascination of them pretty early on. “Why would you want to do that?”
“Just in case.” He shrugged. “I might decide to write a scene in a story that takes place here.”
“A… story.”
At last he clapped the notebook closed with a satisfied smile. Noting her bemused frown, he coughed and swiftly pushed the notebook into his pack. Was he actually blushing? “What? Everypony needs a hobby.”
She took a step closer. “Can I see?”
Fine pressed his hoof over the pack and eyed her. “I don’t think so.”
With a hmmph, Fleur jerked her head away and scowled. “I was just curious.”
“It’s not rea—” Fine paused, his eyes going to the pack. He looked from it to her, then back again. A slow smile crept across his face. “A new test.”
She shot him an uncertain look but said nothing.
Fine patted his pack. “You want to see what’s in the notebook?”
“Maybe.” Fleur shifted and glanced away with a frown. “Maybe it’s not worth the time.”
“We shall see.” He raised the pack in his magic to display it to her. “Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to read my notebook.”
Fleur gained a deadpan frown. “What?”
He smirked and made a show of setting the pack over his shoulder. “That means either stealing the notebook or finding a way to read it over my shoulder.”
She scoffed. “That’s your test? You’re joking, right?”
“We’ll see how much you smile when you try to do it for the first time,” he countered smugly, patting the pack once more. “Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m tired. I think it’s time to get some sleep. You want me in the tent this time or no?”
The blood rushed to Fleur’s cheeks and she pawed the hard ground with a pout. “I’m not a little filly. I can sleep outside for a change. You take the tent.”
“Not a chance.” He shook his head. “There’s no way I’m letting you do that, little miss.”
“What are you going to do, force me into the tent?”
“Not at all.” He settled down in the shade by the tent and rested his head on his pack. “If you want to sleep out here, fine, but I’m not going to sleep in there when I know there’s a young lady who could be doing so.”
She bristled at his manner. “Is that supposed to be endearing?”
He opened a single eye to peer at her, but only for a second. “You can interpret it however you want, just do it quietly.”
She crossed her hooves with a haughty sniff and waited, but Fine didn’t move. Her eyes went to the tent, then to the hot sun. At least from inside it would be darker. She considered her options, now glancing from the sun to the tent to Fine. She felt a fire boiling in the back of her mind, and promptly went to rest in the shade of a nearby rock.
She’d prove that she didn’t need his special treatment.