"Blech."
I stood outside a simple office. Intaglio, despite leading the entire Hunter organization, wasn't one for show.
The talk with Syzygy had been about as trying as I expected. He'd been spot-on with his accusations on trust. I'd always been something of a loner, preferring my own strength to that of others. Despite his oath, I couldn't put that aside so easily. I'd told him the basics of what happened. He'd laughed and laughed when he heard the victim had simply walked out on us, then pressed hard for details. I'd tried to balance his promised aid against keeping secrets that weren't really mine. In the end, we'd both been fairly dissatisfied, but he'd finished his drink with a smile and promised me that was the sign of a good compromise.
Now I just had to deal with the other bothersome meeting.
I grimaced again and walked through the door.
Inside, the place was just as sparse. A bare hallway led to a small sitting-room, with a well-used desk standing by a closed door. The furniture was comfortably utilitarian. A few magazines were scattered on a coffee table, and an antique grandfather clock ticked in the corner. The office was plain, but also welcoming and elegant.
"Afternoon," Intaglio's secretary, a lanky stallion, greeted me laconically. "Here to see the boss?"
"Yeah." I sighed, leaning against his desk.
"That bad?" He flipped a calendar open, scanning it quickly.
"Let's put it this way… I have bad news, worse news, and no payment."
"Ooof." His brow crinkled at that. "Head on in, he's not busy."
"Thanks." I rapped once on the inner door and pushed it open.
As he'd said, Intaglio was simply leaning back in his chair, his brass pipe glowing atop his desk. His eyes were closed, and for a moment I paused, unsure if he'd fallen asleep, the afternoon sunlight shimmering off his golden scales.
Bad enough my boss was a dragon. I didn't want to wake him in his lair.
"Silver." His eyes slit open, and a groping claw snagged his pipe. He breathed in slowly, the clean-burning camphor he smoked leaving a minty smell in the air.
"Afternoon, boss." I stepped up to his desk, pushing my frustration down. I didn't like being the bearer of bad news, but at least I knew Intaglio well enough that I could put his ferocious appearance aside.
"What's up?" He crossed his arms behind his head, looking down his snout at me. The black etching covering his scales seemed to shift as he moved. He looked something like a small, snaky minotaur, a muscular golden biped with a long, fanged snout. His eyes were as golden as his scales, and he stood tall. Even his desk was higher than normal.
"Bad, worse, or worst?"
"Hmm." He rubbed his snout, taking another drag on his pipe. "Start with the bad."
"I never got paid." I frowned.
"And it gets worse?" He grimaced. "Fine, start from the beginning."
"Sure." I sighed. Here we go again. I pulled up a cushion and settled in for another explanation. "Well, it seemed like an ordinary job at first…"
"Fewmets." He swore quietly. Detailing everything again had taken several hours, again. The sun was down, and his office was now lit by flickering candlelight. His golden bulk shifted in the shadows. He had lightbulbs in here, but I'd never seen them on. "A baited trap. And she's gone, whatever she is?"
"Yeah." I nodded slowly. "Sorry, boss. I didn't handle this well at all."
"Cry yourself to sleep." He waved my apology away. "You were tired, outmaneuvered, and underprepared. You know there's little enough room for regrets in this job. What else?"
"That's the long and the short of it. I think I've got Syzygy on my side, at least in the short term, but the victim… I've no idea where she is or what's going on. My friend—"
"The invert?"
"Yes," I sighed, "the invert, is putting together a search party."
"Without the Hunters." He raised an eyebrow at that.
"Look, Intaglio… You're practical."
"Mmm."
"You know we're not the only group in the city who sees the darker side of things."
"Ah, I see." He steepled his claws. "Look, Silver, you're free to do as you wish. But there's a reason the Hunters tend to be… chary… of the outliers. Many of them aren't the sort of people you want to work with."
"You know I feel the same about some Hunters," I sighed. "Too many of us carry this… elitist attitude, like we're the only ones allowed to be competent, or like taking money makes us righteous. It's horsefeathers, and you know it."
"Right, right." He rubbed a claw on his snout, sighing. "Just… be careful."
"Will do." I nodded. Awkward silence rolled in as he thought deeply for several long minutes.
"You have three days to find her and convince me she's not a threat." His eyes re-focused on me. "Any longer and the risks are too high. After that, I'll put up a description and reward myself. And I'll expect to be kept in the loop here. You know how much trouble a vampire can cause. If any of our divisive members hear you're playing with fire, the only way I can help at all is if I know what's going on."
"Sleet," I swore. "Fine. You're the boss. But I'll keep this under control."
"See you do." He gave me a long look, distaste pulling at his lip. "It's a nasty business. And I'll dig into the story on that necklace."
"Good." I sighed at that, the weight finally lifting off my neck. It was no longer just my problem. I nodded and started to stand.
"You know I hate to bring this up, but your dues are overdue." Intaglio's voice was flat. I paused, sighed, and sat back down. The rules left him little leeway, even for his friends.
"I was planning…" My voice petered off.
"Planning to pay them with this last job, huh?" He rolled his eyes at that. "Look, Silver. You're an exceptional Hunter. If you'd just swallow your pride, you'd be raking in bits."
"Right," I mumbled. Pride. That was it.
"Look, I've just got a job in. Check it out." He pulled a carbon-copy from the pile of paper on his desk and slid it towards me.
"I don't—"
"Please."
I picked up the paper and skimmed the relevant details quickly before dropping it like I'd burned a hoof.
"You can't be serious!"
"It's an easy job."
"But… teaching? You know I have reasons for taking low-profile jobs and avoiding attention. You want me in front of a class, in a public setting! I’m not even qualified!"
"You've got a flight instructor's license."
"Um, no?"
"You're a horrible liar." He smiled. "And I've got a copy on file."
"Intaglio!"
"Look, Silver… I need somepony I trust doing this one."
"What?" My train of thought ground to a halt, and I skimmed the paper again. Canterlot University was looking for a substitute instructor for five days of a phys-ed course. The situation wasn't exactly routine, but any sort of job could be submitted to the Hunter's agency, and we could pick whichever ones we wanted. There was nothing shady going on here. That I could see.
"Pay my dues." I narrowed my eyes at him. He leaned back in his chair, a wry look on his face.
"Fine." He smirked.
"Ah!" I gnashed my teeth. "Boss, I don't—"
"You agreed!" He leaned forward, grinning now. "Anyways, you're licensed. You can do this, I know it. And I'm helping you, right? With the vampire?" He shrugged. "Do this for me."
"Urgh." I rubbed my forehead and absently rolled my wings. I didn't like owing favors. "Alright, fine." I scooped up the paper.
"I'll have my secretary finish the paperwork tomorrow, so you can head right to the job. Remember to keep me in the loop." He leaned back as I turned for the door, drawing on his pipe in the dimly lit room.
"Right, right." I rubbed my eyes. "I'll get right on it."
I pondered the situation early the next morning as I lifted off at Vinyl's doorstep. She was still asleep, but she'd left me a note saying she'd managed to reconnect with the bitten mare, one Octavia Philharmonica, while I'd been dealing with the Hunter's organization last night. That was a good start. Better than I'd expected, really, but it was just the beginning of this snarl. Unraveling everything would be a big job.
At least I have something to report on that. I sighed as I considered today's job. Intaglio wants my help at the University but didn't tell me how. He trusts me… but doesn't want to say exactly what's going on here. I didn't like the conclusions I was drawing. It's obvious there's more here than meets the eye, but I have no idea what! The more I thought, the more my annoyance grew. This smells like politics. Bloody hail, Intaglio.
I was still mulling the situation over as I neared Canterlot University. It was a beautiful morning, and I let myself drift for a long moment, feeling the wind sift through my feathers. The school unrolled beneath me, buildings scattered on green grass, laced together with winding pathways. There was a certain chaotic energy to the whole ensemble, a subtle disorganization produced by the surge and ebb of expansion, constricted by the surrounding city. It gave the school a maze-like quality, confusing the eye.
I circled lazily, trying to spot the place I needed. Eventually, I recognized it from the map, a small building just to the side of the sports fields. I tucked my wings and dove, glorying in the exhilarating speed and freedom of flight.
I landed lightly, spreading the tips of my wings and breaking hard as I swooped in. A nearby pony jumped at my sudden appearance. I smiled and stepped towards him.
"Sorry. This is the athletics department, right? Can you point me towards…" I pulled out my paper, double-checking. "A professor Shacklebolt?"
"Offices are down the stairs, on the left." He pointed towards the door. "There's a directory at the end of the hall."
"Thanks." His curiosity faded as I turned away. I could blend in here well enough, as long as I kept my professional paranoia subtly hidden. The blades in my wings were invisible to the untrained eye, and with a beaten-up saddlebag, I didn't look much different from the average student.
"Excuse me." I knocked once on the open door and stepped into a messy office. "Professor Shacklebolt?"
"Yes?" An earth pony mare with a clipped yellow coat and neatly braided ochre mane looked up from her desk. "Can I help you?"
"I'm Silver Lining, from the Hunter's organization." I presented the contract, with a copy of my flight instructors' license.
"Oh. Oh!" She snagged the papers and flipped through them. "That was faster than I'd hoped." She paused as she perused my license. "And you're lifeguard certified. Even better! Can you start today?"
"Um." I paused, unsure. "Well, I don't…" I sighed. "Maybe? Sorry, but I'm not exactly sure what you need. I assume it's not tutoring. The boss asked me to apply. I've never really taken this sort of job before."
"Hmm." Her eyebrows crinkled. "That's a little unusual, but this is an unusual situation. And you seem qualified enough…" She checked the clock, stood, and ushered me out of the office. "We really did need somepony on short notice. Class is about to start, so let me show you what we're dealing with."
I trotted after as she took a twisty path through the small building. We exited on the side opposite to where I'd entered, stepping out onto the fields and cutting directly across to where a colorful group of pegasi were stretching.
"You know the rules for airball?" She shot me a searching look.
"I grew up in Cloudsdale," I replied flatly. She shrugged and nodded.
"Well, this is one of our basic classes. All students are required to take some sort of physical education; healthy minds in healthy bodies, all that. It's not very competitive or strict, but it's good exercise."
I grunted. A noncompetitive pegasi sport? Yeah, right.
"Anyways, this year's class is a little different— oh, there they go." She nodded as the flock took to the air, flitting and wheeling into teams. "Tell me what you think."
I frowned, focusing my attention on the players. The game started fairly normally. Two clouds were herded quickly into place as goals, a lump torn off one and compressed for a handy ball. The teams clashed at speed, bodies milling in clumps and flitting through the air as charges were made and deflected. Flying wedges crumpled against defensive walls, which in turn rushed into opposing airspace.
After a few minutes, I noticed something strange. One of the silhouettes wasn't quite… right.
"What is that?" I pointed towards the player. They had wider wings than their size suggested, and the edges were scalloped strangely.
"Our problem this year," Shacklebolt sighed. "That's Beau, the one and only dragon to enroll in Canterlot University."
"A… dragon." I groaned internally. Sleet, Intaglio. What have you pushed me into?
"Yes, the University takes all types. We draw from the Gifted Schools first and foremost, but any reasoning being with the proper recommendations is welcome. Beau passed the entrance exams with flying colors. He's a top honors student, which isn't surprising. He's likely older than most of the buildings at this school. I just wish he'd learned a little more self-control. Look."
I turned my gaze skywards again as the ref's whistle shrilled. I winced as a pegasus spiraled out of control, brushed away as a clearly offside dragon hurtled past the defensive line. Instead of grinding to a halt, though, the competition intensified. Fliers curved towards him; a defensive line formed and fell. Yells started drifting down. I frowned in consternation as the game began disintegrating.
"Not competitive, huh?"
"That's exactly the problem." Shacklebolt matched my frown. "This class is usually laid-back. But for some reason, one unruly student manages to do… this, almost every time." The rumble was quickly degenerating into a brawl as rules and finesse were tossed aside in favor of ferocious power-plays. "Our coach isn't dealing well with being unable to manage his class. It reflects negatively on his job, and I'm afraid he's caught some nasty words from the other teachers. He needs a break, and I aim to give him one. You won't need to run any games, just keep the students busy. Do flying drills; you're qualified." I nodded absently, focused on the game. Why would the coach allow this? Didn't anypony in the class listen?
"Hold that thought. I'll be back." I shucked off my saddlebags, flicking my wings wide and flashing into the game's airspace for a closer look. I was at altitude in a split-second, Shacklebolt small below, my contrail burning red in the cool air. I snapped to a stop above the game, eyes flickering from point-to-point as I measured and weighed the group dynamic. It had been a long time since I'd played airball, but it was integral to my childhood. I'd been pretty good, once, and an amateur in Cloudsdale was a serious player elsewhere.
There's the coach… I pegged him quickly and managed to divide the rest of the ponies by the team flags they wore. After a few moments, I started to realize what was really going on. I watched a little longer as Beau powered through the last of the defense and veritably shredded the goal. I grimaced as the attacking team jeered, prompting yells from the defense. This was a real mess, but maybe…
I hovered for a minute, lost in thought as I weighed obstacles and solutions. Could I do something about the underlying issue? The problem was fairly obvious to me, but the fix… well, it was bothersome. I could probably manage, but the attention it would draw… I groaned. I had good reasons for only taking low-profile jobs. Intaglio, may your wings rot! This was going to be uncomfortable, but I didn't really have a choice, not with the way I'd pushed him for favors.
I resigned myself, sighed, and dove.
"Right." I touched down gently by Shacklebolt. "Where'd you hire your teacher from? Pine Whisper Village?"
"Huh?" She gave me a perplexed look.
"Because he wasn't raised in a pegasus city."
"Fair Play is an excellent coach, who—"
"Who doesn't know the first thing about handling a herd of pegasi. This is about leadership, not teaching. Look, get them down here, and I'll see about sorting this out."
"Hmm." She gave me a searching look but waved to the coach. The herd was settling down now, and Fair Play blew a few short blasts on his whistle. The players slowly broke up, and he led them down. I winced.
When they had all landed, Shacklebolt trotted over. The ponies fell silent a moment as she raked a commanding gaze over them before drawing Fair Play aside.
"Fair, this is Silver Lining, a licensed flight instructor I managed to find on short notice. I'm planning to have him substitute for a few days, give you a breather."
Fair gave me a conflicted smile and raised a hoof. I tapped it with a polite nod.
"Do you mind if I take over your class for a few minutes to try something?" I tried to grin warmly, but it came out slightly sick.
"Shacklebolt?" The professor nodded. "Sure." He shook his head slowly. "I've tried everything here, short of academic suspension. I've never had a student like this."
"Can you do that?" I turned to Shacklebolt. "Why not throw him out?"
"This class is merely a formality, but… Everywhere else, he's a model student." The mare shrugged uncomfortably. "And it is required. If we did that, some of the other departments…"
"Bureaucracy." I groaned. "Alright." I nodded to them and stepped forward. "Beau!" I called. "A moment of your time?"
The dragon gave me a surprised look and stepped away from the pony he'd been talking with. As he ambled over, I got a good look at him. He was nothing at all like Intaglio. Instead of walking on two legs, he used four, and only stood a little taller than me. From a distance, he almost looked like a pony, with light-blue scales and sleek limbs. His eyes, though, were smaller, his teeth much larger. His wings were membranous instead of feathery, and his thick tail swung lithely behind. There was an air of subdued confidence about him, the absolute assurance of knowing his limits precisely – and not a shred of doubt any of us surpassed them. I shivered slightly and was suddenly glad I didn't have to fight him. I'd never fought a dragon and had no wish to try. Ever. I drew him away from the crowd and the teachers.
"Silver Lining." I offered him a hoof. "May all that glitters be yours."
"Beau," he rumbled. "But you know that." He grasped my hoof gently and shook it once. "May the wind always be at your back."
I nodded at the formality and let a little of the tension leave me. He was, at the very least, a polite dragon. Hopefully my knowledge of protocol would be enough to make this convincing.
"You are causing trouble here." Introductions aside, I cut right to the chase. "And I'll have you stop."
"Who do you command?" he snarled. I tried not to flinch.
"I'm nopony special." I waved away his insulted air. "This isn't an order, and I don't claim superiority to you." That would be pointless. "I'm offering you a deal."
"You'll duel me?" He laughed, blowing a ring of blue smoke from one nostril.
"No, no. This is an airball class." I pointed to the cloud-ball, floating gently overhead. "Play a game with me. What's it worth to you?"
"Hmm." He scratched his chin with a claw, and I tried not to let my worry show. This was a gamble, in more ways than one. Dragons had a tight code of honor, and I was subtly suborning that. His pride led him to ignore what ponies would consider authority. It wasn't surprising the coach had trouble 'controlling' the problem student, because dragons really only ever did whatever they felt like doing. If the rest of the class didn't follow him, it wouldn't be such a problem, but… "What are your terms?"
"One-on-one, get the ball into the opposing goal, touch airball. No personal attacks, no spells."
"A fierce fight." He smiled slightly, and I tossed my mane.
"I'm confident I can handle that."
He leaned in, drawing a deep breath through his nose. His eyes narrowed.
"Intaglio sent you."
I did flinch at that, surprise rocking me. Lightning singe you, boss! There it was again, politics. There was a deeper game going on here, and I'd just become a piece. Somepony you trust? Bile roiled in my throat, as I suddenly felt the ties of my situation tighten.
"Yes," I said flatly. "I work for him."
"Very well. If I win, you will work for me."
That… actually wasn't out of the question. I was a freelancer. Intaglio couldn't stop him from putting a legal job through the Association.
"Can you pay me?"
"I'm wealthy beyond dreams of avarice." He gave me a disgusted look. That probably wasn't hyperbole.
"I didn't mean to insult your hoard, Beau, but I don't work for free."
"Fine." He relaxed a little. "If I win, you will work for me. And, I will pay you as the Kings of Minoa rewarded their pony heroes." He smirked a little, but stopped as I caught the reference, my eyes widening in shock. He was, if I remembered correctly, offering me all the gold I could carry… every month. For a moment, I considered throwing the match.
"You take my meaning." I jerked back to reality as he gave me a cold, calculating look, the sharpest glance I'd seen on his face so far. "Silver Lining, you're remarkably learned for a mercenary."
"I read a lot." I swallowed, waving his suspicion away.
"Minotaur classics aren't exactly common." He pressed harder. "And the Travels of Kagl aren't available in Equestrian."
"If I win, I will bind you to one small promise whenever you play a pegasi game on this property." I pushed his suspicions away, driving back to our bargain. He stared at me a moment longer before letting the question drop. He thought for a moment, and shrugged.
"That seems fair enough." He offered me a claw, and I shook it. He stepped back and launched himself skywards. I turned back to the teachers.
"What was that about?" Fair Play was honestly curious, but Shacklebolt was frowning.
"I'm going to play him, one-on-one. If I win, I'll be able to sort this out. I think."
"Careful." The coach looked upwards, slightly apprehensive. "He's fast, and a strong flyer."
"I used to be pretty decent." I spread my wings and let my magic trickle out. I snagged a passing breeze and twisted it across the field, drawing the cloud ball to myself. The class went quiet at my casual control. "I hope I'm good enough."
"Well." Shacklebolt grinned. "This ought to be quite the show. Fair, referee?"
"Of course. Mind if I bring the class up, Silver?"
"…Sure." I crushed a twinge of annoyance at the idea of an audience. They'd be watching anyways, and I didn't have much choice here. "They can all take front-row seats. Actually, let me handle this." If I was going to be a leader here, might as well start now. I leaped into the air, hovering just above the herd, and drew in a deep breath.
"Class!" I pushed an air of command into my voice, and grabbed their attention. "I'm Silver Lining, a substitute teacher. Today, as a challenge, I'm going play Beau one-on-one. Everypony spread out and take a spot on the sidelines. Fair Play will ref." I soared skywards, letting them all play catch-up. The ball floated after, snared in my wake, and I stopped in a hover at the center of the airfield.
"Ready?" Beau gave me a toothy grin, and wicked nails sprang from his claws. I snapped into focus, the intimidation galvanizing me. Thunder crashed in my mind, and I nearly let the blades in my feathers curl into position.
"Give them a minute." I nodded at the spectators as I drew in a long breath, pushing the Storm back. This wasn't a fight. My life wasn't on the line here; just a job and some gold. A lot of gold, actually. Throwing the match flitted through my thoughts again, but I quelled the impulse. Intaglio couldn't actually touch me if I lost, but he had some idea what I was capable of. And if he really did know Beau, he also had some idea what my opponent was capable of. Not to mention what my opponent would do if he felt I’d cheated. I'd tied myself firmly with commitments to Intaglio and Vinyl. If I didn't give this my best, I might be rich, but I'd be in far deeper trouble later. Politics. Pfaw.
I gave Beau a once-over. Here in the sky, he was more intimidating, wings spread to full size. He moved with lithe power, maintaining his hover with tiny movements. I reached back to my instincts as I floated, focusing on the reflexes and training that I'd honed day after day in my childhood. It would have to be enough.
I gave the audience time to throw together rough bleachers, clouds quickly pummeled into comfortable shapes. Fair Play zipped over to us, and I passed him the ball, nodding to Beau. Since I'd challenged him, he got control. The dragon's grin widened as the ref placed the small cloud before him.
"I'm ready."
Fair Play retreated and raised his whistle. We tensed. He blew a shrill blast.
Beau rushed me.
I threw myself sideways, letting him swish past as he snagged the ball. I spun and rolled, zipping after him. The crowd roared as we accelerated, already moving faster than most of them could manage.
I gained on the dragon quickly. Strategy spooled through my mind as I neared him. This would quickly devolve into aerial maneuvering, but I needed to challenge his control of the ball now. He was fast, and his larger wings and tail meant better turning, but I was light enough to take the edge on acceleration. I just needed to use that before he outstripped me in a flat race.
I climbed, seizing height before power-diving. He heard me and swerved, losing momentum. Circling after, I followed him into a loop. His momentum forced a wider path, and I managed to tap his wing. He dropped the ball at my touch. Snagging it in my airflow, I swung high and rolled back towards his goal. He looped low, climbing behind.
I dove, hoping to bait him into a vertical weave. He pulled back for a straighter path, better for his speed to catch me. I flipped the dive into turn, climbing hard. He responded with a soaring spin, trying to keep me in reach.
The engagement intensified as we gained height. He was talented, and I was rusty, but I managed to keep up by dint of half-remembered strategy and ingrained reflex. The crowd roared as we traded the ball back and forth, offense and defense switching at an elegant maneuver or hairsbreadth miscalculation. I drowned myself in flight, blocking out the noise as my focus narrowed and sharpened. He threw me off with a floating leaf glide; I caught him with a hyperloop. He snagged the ball with a spiral climb; I stole it back with a snap dive.
The air became a physical thing, our speed gelling wind into a physical force. The Storm beckoned, promising to twist the breeze into my weapon, but I shunned it. The temptation was an old friend, but I didn't dare touch it with an audience, especially when they were pegasi.
Finally, I started to find the flow. My muscles warmed and my magic began moving freely, and I started pushing back towards his goal. He fought every step of the way, fiercely contesting every inch of airspace, but I drove downfield in loops and climbs. Every time he took control, he'd try to break away, and I used every trick I knew to keep up.
The game ended in a flash. He had tagged me, snatching the ball and swooping for a tight turn. I sliced the curve, using my height to power past him, barely managing to tap his tail. He fought to catch me. I snatched the ball and accelerated, vectoring straight for the goal. He nearly reached me, but I tucked my wings and dropped, using gravity to dodge straight into the cloud. I decelerated in a frigid blast of vapor, letting my innate magic drag me to a stop as I burst out the other side, trailing snakes of cloudstuff. He made a wide loop, finally pulling into a hover scant yards before me. I raised my empty hooves, showing I'd left the ball in his goal. He smiled.
"That," he panted roughly, "was an excellent game."
"Yeah." I grinned back, trying to catch my breath. It had been a lot of fun; I hadn't had a chance to do real trick flying in years. "You're a worthy opponent."
"I feel the same. As a mark of respect, I'll gift you my name. I am Beautiful Desolation. Keep it safe."
"Thank you." I saluted him with a wing, touched by his trust. He nodded, accepting the accolade.
"Just be glad, little pony, that you were wise enough to not duel me." His grin widened, and a tongue of flame licked towards me. Without even thinking, I let my quillons spring out, shredding it with a swipe of my wing. The orichalcum drank the magic. It didn't even warm my feathers. His eyes widened at the weapon.
"Bring it on, then, if you're hot enough." I regretted my hasty words instantly, ears flattening as I realized I'd just issued an actual challenge to a dragon. I had no illusions on my chances of surviving that fight
"Hah!" I relaxed at his laughter. He drew closer, lowering his voice a little. "Well, maybe I will. But not today. It seems Intaglio has found some interesting allies. Now, what small promise will you bind me to?" His mention of our bet focused me again.
"I'll show you. Let's get back to the class." I cocked an ear at the yelling behind us. "They seem impressed."
"As you will." He flapped once, soaring over the goal. I followed more leisurely.
The cheering redoubled as the students caught sight of us again. I winced at the attention, trying to mitigate my paranoia. They're not enemies. I flew well, but it was all legitimate. They don't know anything about me. Beau and I saluted them, wheeling in a synchronized flash of wings, and bowed to each other before I signaled the descent. The students leaped from their perches, fluttering to the ground where Shacklebolt still waited. I landed last, leading Beau over to her as Fair Play joined us.
"That was impressive." The earth pony nodded to me. "You're both excellent fliers."
"Thanks." I nodded to Beau. "We had a good game. Fair Play, can I borrow your whistle?"
He quirked an eyebrow, but looped the silver chain off his neck and passed it to me.
"You two may be wondering what the point of all that was." They gave hesitant nods. "Well, here's what was happening. I challenged Beau to a game, with a bet on the side. Since I won, he's bound to follow one small promise in any pegasi game he plays on University grounds. See this?" I held the whistle up to Beau.
"Yes."
"From now on, you are absolutely forbidden to fly higher than the one who's carrying the whistle. On your honor."
"On my honor." He nodded.
"There." I passed the whistle back. "That should take care of it."
"Huh?" Shacklebolt gave me a perplexed look.
"What?" Fair Play frowned quizzically.
"It's about herds." I sighed. "Even subconsciously, pegasi have a thing about heights." I nodded to Fair Play. "I saw it growing up in Cloudsdale. The pony who flies highest is in charge, even if they're not the one giving the orders. Everypony who flies lower acknowledges that, even just a little. That's what I saw in your game."
"So…" I could see the gears turn in Shacklebolt's head. She turned to Fair Play. "Wait. You don’t ref from above."
"Yeah." He was beginning to grasp the idea as well. "But that's never been a problem."
"And it wouldn't be if you were just dealing with ponies." I waved to Beau. "This guy, though, doesn't really acknowledge you as a superior." The serpent nodded. "Dragons are law to themselves, and the only reason he puts up with school rules at all is because there's an exchange going on. He follows the rules so he can attend. On the field, though, that breaks down. And the students, even if they don't think about it, realize that. So they follow his lead, instead of yours, because on some level, it looks like you're acknowledging that, saying 'I'm not in charge here.' Like I said, this is about leadership, not teaching."
"It's that simple?" Shacklebolt gave me a penetrating stare.
"Probably…?" I gave a weak grin. "I mean, that's what it looked like to me."
"No, I think he's right." Fair Play looked at the whistle again before giving Beau a long glance. In the distance, a bell rang. "Oh." He grinned. "And with that, I'm on vacation." He tossed me the whistle, and I caught it awkwardly.
"Huh?"
"You're hired." Shacklebolt gave me a wide smile. "Same time tomorrow."
"I look forward to learning from you." Beau nodded and turned away.
Oh, right. I'd signed up to do this all week.
Freeze to death, Intaglio. I resigned myself with a sigh and turned to follow the professor.