A Blind Delight Season 2: Shadows of A King

by MajorFrostwing


Part 6: The Bottle That Never Empties

A Blind Delight
Season 2: Shadows of A King
Part 6: The Bottle That Never Empties

By: Major Frostwing

Cloudkicker awoke to the sounds of chirping birds and groaned as her brain pounded in her skull. She sat up knocking a good number of bottles off of her bed. They gave off a symphony of clinks as they collided with each other forcing Cloudkicker to cover her ears to block out the noise.

She looked at her room with a sigh there was a pile of broken glass from the bottles she threw against the wall. she looked beside her to see Trevor's cane right next to her she would cry if she had any tears left to shed. She looked to the window seeing that it was morning. "Two months." She muttered looking over the edge of her bed seeing an unopened bottle of whiskey. She picked up the bottle opening it without a second thought taking a large gulp of the burning liquid.

"Is he even still alive?" She asked herself getting up from her bed. "Will he even come back?" She asked as she made her way to the bathroom. She needed a shower.

After a quick shower and trying to make herself presentable she moved back into her room. She pulled open a drawer of her dresser seeing her clothes and right next to that was Trevor's spare clothes. She looked at the clothes flatly taking one of the shirts holding it up seeing that it was the first shirt Trevor wore in her world. She clutched it tight to her chest before sliding it over her head. She put on a fresh pair of pants that matched the black shirt.

She picked up Trevor's cane looking at it a smile gracing her lips as she secured it to her back via Trevor's old harness. She walked to her front door planning on visiting the barracks to try and get some practice in. "Got to try and keep my skills sharp can't constantly going to the bottle." She said resolving herself to try and think positive.

Cloudkicker moved through town smiling and waving to everyone she passed returning their hellos. She was trying to live her life the way Trevor would want her to.

Rarity was out shopping when she caught sight of Cloudkicker walking through town she dropped what she was holding in he shock. Cloudkicker had been holed up in her house for the better part of two months. She ran from the stall she was at to go to Twilight's she needed to inform her of this.

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Rarity slammed through the library door startling Twilight and Spike who were both reorganizing the library... again.

"Rarity what's going on? Has something going wrong?" Twilight asked moving to her frazzled friend.

"No." Rarity smiled looking up at her friend. "Cloudkicker finally left her house and she looked happy." Twilight's telekinetic grasp was broken from the news dropping a large number of books to the ground.

"Spike finish up I got to go." Twilight took hold of Rarity's hand teleporting out of the library.

Spike looked flatly at where they were standing just moments before. "Mares." Spike muttered rolling his eyes before going back to his appointed task.

"Hoo?" An owl said catching Spikes attention.

"Really?" He asked the owl flatly. The owl only shrugged before helping Spike on his task.

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Cloudkicker had finally arrived at the Ponyville barracks when two guards stopped her progress. "At ease guys I'm only here to practice no jobs." She said with a smile.

"Sorry Lieutenant, but we are under orders from Princess Celestia that you are not to enter the barracks or even be on site. No exceptions." One of the guards said with a blank expression.

"Oh come on I haven't been able to practice with my swordsmanship in two months. I need the practice. What if something happened you would need every guard at the ready including me." Cloudkicker countered. Her anger was beginning to flare.

"No exceptions Lieutenant." The other guard replied.

"Is there problem?" A female asked behind Cloudkicker when she turned around she saw it was Twilight and the rest of the Elements of Harmony.

"We are under strict orders. Lieutenant Cloudkicker is not to enter the barracks under any circumstances." The guards said in unison.

"Twilight I just want to get some practice in." Cloudkicker said with an annoyed huff. "But these jerks won't even let me in."

"I remember the orders being that Lieutenant Cloudkicker was to not join the party looking for Trevor and was placed on leave. Nothing about being denied entry into the barracks." Twilight stated looking at the guards with a raised eyebrow. "But if the orders have changed why was Cloudkicker not informed?" Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

"She is on leave she does not get order updates." The guards responded flatly. Cloudkicker began to grind her teeth.

"Whatever." Cloudkicker flicked the bird as she began walking away from the barracks she was pissed off. She just wanted to practice but instead she was denied at the door. First she was denied the right to search for her love and now she was denied the right to practice. "I didn't do anything wrong and I am being punished for it." Cloudkicker was trying to have a good day but it all just went up in smoke. She began making her way back home she had nothing else she could do.

Twilight and the girls watched Cloudkicker walk off. A pang of regret welled in Twilight's heart she couldn't persuade her mentor to allow Cloudkicker to be a guard once again. She hated seeing a friend in so much pain.

"Twilight try writing a letter to Celestia to see if we can get her to at least practice in the barracks. Cloudkicker needs something in her life besides the booze." Applejack said following after Cloudkicker.

"What are you going to do?" Twilight asked watching her friend start running after her.

"Try and cheer her up." Applejack yelled back.

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Cloudkicker was sitting in her room holding the now half empty bottle of alcohol tight. Trevor's blade was set in her lap unsheathed. "I have nothing now." She looked down at the blade in her lap seeing that it seemed to glow in the darkness. "I don't have my job and I don't have you." Cloudkicker took a large gulp of the liquid sighing. "What made you run Trevor? We could have gotten through this together." She took hold of the blade holding it up. "Maybe we can see each other again." She moved the blade so it was sitting in the center of her chest. "In the next life."

The door to Cloudkicker's room exploded open to reveal Applejack who ran forward taking the blade away from Cloudkicker. "What in Tartarus do you think you're doin?!" Applejack bellowed seeing Cloudkicker lower her head in shame.

"What else am I supposed to do everything I had is now gone I can't even practice anymore." She went to lift the bottle to her lips when Applejack smacked it out of her hands. "I just want him back. If he comes back then everything will be ok." She was losing it and Applejack could see it.

"Let's get you out of here Sugarcube." Applejack said picking her friend up hugging her tight. "Let's go." Cloudkicker nodded as Applejack exited the house but not before looking at the blade that laid on the ground. He mind swam with anger.

"Trevor the next time I see you I'm going to break you for this." Applejack said to herself like a solemn pledge. But right now she needed to focus on getting Cloudkicker the help she needed.