//------------------------------// // Return of Harmony - Part I: High Treason // Story: Dawn Of The Silver Sun // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// Giant Nightmare screamed as the battleaxe cleaved its back. Cromach jumped down, circled around, and buried his weapon over and over into the deity's starry surface. How that worked, Straw had no clue, but eventually the titanic Nightmare focused fully on swatting the griffon flying around it and ignored everypony else. That proved to be a mistake when familiar fiery chains appeared in the air and wrapped themselves all over it, slowing its movement down into a grinding halt. Nightmare screamed once again for good measure, but when its muzzled mouth could barely open anymore it ceased its struggling and shrunk into a pony-sized form. Face to chained face with Straw. It glared at him, and disappeared. "This is the best I can do right now. The safeguards I bestowed upon you when we first talked in Manehattan were almost gone, so I strenghtened them a lot, but it's up to you how much you can handle," Blaze wheezed and huffed from the effort, "You'll have to keep it inside yourself again." "Can't you destroy it? Or at least just force it into a rock or something?" Straw asked, fully aware that Blaze would have done so if he could... probably. The alicorn didn't seem to like him much. Who could have guessed? "No," Blaze shook his head, "Nightmare made sure of that. It's nested deep inside you, tangled with everything that makes you yourself. It's neither in my power nor my knowledge to reverse that. All I can say is that you should work really hard on remembering who you are otherwise... well, I have seen what happened to the last two Nightmare's hosts, and I was one for a short time, so I am positive you're not going to like it." "Thank you, sir," Straw bowed, persuading his wobbling legs not to fail him again. Since the immediate danger seemed gone, he forced himself to focus on the important thing, "I... I can't even begin to say how sorry I am your bat friend died due to my and princess Twilight's mistake. I'm just not good enough with words, but will you accept a peace offering in the form of one really awesome griffon?" Blaze walked straight to Straw and wrapped his wing around him, all that while looking at a white griffon standing nearby and still dropping sparks as he examined his body. "You know him better, was he always like this and I just didn't notice?" he asked Cromach, as if the griffon hadn't been gone even for a second. "He does seem a bit more forward and decisive," Cromach answered calmly, smirking and not letting his eyes leave Blaze, "So..." "You, me, Mistake, here and now?" "Whoa, were YOU ever this forward?" "Is it really you? Not just some memory of mine." "Feels like me, depends on how this thing works outside," Crom flexed his muscles, still examining his new-old body. "I mean... I can't... if this is just another dream..." Blaze's words failed him. "I can't say, buddy," Cromach scratched Blaze behind the ears, "things are a bit unclear and I'm still a little confused. I'm sure about one thing, though." "What?" the alicorn of Hope wasn't sure there was any, but it was all he had. "That what I want to do to you right now is illegal in most Imperial provinces and some stricter parts of Equestria," Cromach waved at Straw and Connie, "You two, we will talk when we meet again, but for now I want you to leave." "Sir, princess Twilight-" Connie at least tried, but it was like attempting to stop a tidal wave. "That is an order," Crom stopped her, "Thanks to you I got a second chance at having something I thought I forever lost. I promise I will contact you and we'll talk, I will cry my eyes out while thanking you, and I'll take both of you out anywhere you want, but for now, let me say it politely one last time, SCRAM!" While Straw was taking a breath to push for answers one final time his surroundings changed back to the run-down apartment. He frowned at Connie, but there was no malice in it. "I guess we would just get in the way." The unicorn's mind was miles away, though. "Hey, Straw..." "What is it?" "Nevermind," she shook her head and smiled at him, "What do we tell the princesses? They are sure to ask." "I guess we'll be straight with them. It's not as if they haven't worked with Blaze and sir Cromach before. The attack might put a crack in their relationship, but all of us are on the same side in the end." "Heh, I probably would have lied until I got a message from Cromach about what I can and can't say." "And princess Luna would know immediately. Her power allows her to tell if ponies are lying to her, at least according to some guard rumors." "True, I wouldn't put it past her. Speaking of Canterlot, can I stay in your room tonight? Mine's busted." "I'm sure the princesses will give you another one if you ask," Straw stopped himself when Connie just turned around and started walking to the apartment door, "But hey, if you... if you're worried about Blinding Light attacking you again then sure. I'll be happy to keep you company." "Thanks, after Blinding and... the damn thing inside you... ah screw it!" she shook her head, "Let's just go back and have a good night's sleep." "Connie..." Straw had no clue what to do or say. The always-strong, even when burning with blind rage, leader of the Hoof of Fate wasn't herself now, and he felt just like a mere day ago when he had to decide how to proceed with Cromach's revival. However, good intentions and openness can ignite a spark in those who believe they had lost it long time ago. Contradiction just leaned against him without a word when he wrapped his wing around her. Granted, they had to hobble down the stairs and back to the castle, but the city festivities in full bloom all around them and mostly... Straw had to admit... ...the warmth seeping into him from her side was worth it. The night passed, and Straw woke up. Not too surprisingly, it was thanks to somepony knocking on the door of his room. Pushing himself up on the bed, his talons pressed against something too soft to be a mattress. Connie snored. With the slowness of a tree growing, Straw unwrapped himself from the blanket and shuffled towards the door. "Heya, Strawberry," Leo's infectious smile greeted the hippogriff, "Ready for another day of hunting ali... corns...?" The smile turned to a grin only ever encountered on the faces of the most insane dark lords as the door opened wider and Leo spotted Connie sitting up on Straw's bed, messy mane dangling from her head. "You better wipe that damn smile off your muzzle or I'll shove it up your-" she grumbled loudly. "Speaking of shoving things in places where the sun doesn't shine, what were YOU two doing while I was pounding the pavement?" Leo didn't even flinch at Connie's laser stare, only put a special inflection on the word POUNDING. Sensing Connie was about to throw the bed at the other unicorn, Straw diffused the situation by using his unique trait of telling the truth. "The usual - visited a fair, resurrected a griffon, and had a rest together because it was safer from anything Blinding Light might send at us... again." The influx of information without any explanations overloaded Leo. His desire to press Straw and Connie about their night together, albeit an uneventful one, was forcing his jaw to open, but the rest filled him with relief and a little bit of dread. He decided to make Straw talk later when they were alone - after all, pissing off a pony who could literally tie all your legs in a knot behind your back was a terrible idea - and focused on the more or less important topics. "Cromach is alive?! How? When? Where is he?" "Yes, now piss off and see us in the guard cantine in twenty minutes!" Connie's horn flashed, and Leo had to quickly lean backwards to prevent the door from breaking his teeth. With the unicorn out of the picture, she gathered herself from the bed, "Got a comb or something in here? Let's make ourselves presentable before the idiot starts making cracks about me and strawberry jam on my morning toast," she shuddered. "Oh... right... that's how it looked like, isn't it?" Straw facetaloned, still standing in front of the closed door. "Not used to waking up like this, are you?" Connie kept rummaging through the room's supplies of things for guests. "Well, I'm mostly used to waking up with HIM in my room, not you. I didn't even think that somepony could believe this was more than living together in the recruit barracks." "Oh you can be sure of it. Still, not like what anypony says matters, right?" Strangely enough, she looked as if she was eagerly waiting for the answer to this inconsequential thing. "You're right," Straw shrugged and headed to the bathroom, "It's not as if I wouldn't spend a night with you if you needed it out of fear somepony might spread rumors. I mean, you're fun company and-" "Warm and soft?" she couldn't resist. Straw was, unfortunately, getting far too straightforward recently, thus ruining her fun. "Do you mean the little things you say or are you just making fun of me?" "What if I said yes?" "To which part?" "I dunno, pick one." "Alright," Straw pondered the idea while Connie brushed her mane, "If you're just making fun of me then I don't mind, it makes the threats around us a bit more distant. I like it. And if you really want, I don't know, be more than friends then... then I have to say no. I know how hesitant Leo was at first when I told him we could resurrect sir Cromach. After all, it could mean him losing the growing relationship with Fortune. I... I mean that if it clicks between us and the Nightmare wins then you'd get hurt even more and it might even fall to you to... stop me." "Geez... that's dumb," she trotted over to be face to face with Straw, "Stop thinking of everything at once or you'll never do anything out of fear of messing something up. Take it like this - did you like spending time with me on the fair?" "Yes." "Did you like me being in your bed?" "Yes." She kissed him before he could react. The soft touch of her muzzle and her probing tongue were barely requited from Straw's side, but at least he tried. "Did you like this?" "Umm... yes." "Good," she closed his mouth with her hoof, "We can do it again some time. Not everything has to have lifelong consequences. I like you, and I know what would make you feel good. I've done those things to maybe hundreds of ponies, so don't be afraid I'd take it as some sort of a commitment. Damn, I even like Fortune, in a way, and she's pretty hot, and so is Leo. So, let me make this clear - you are not my coltfriend and I don't love you. I am your boss who likes you enough to want to have a more 'personal' relationship. If Nightmare gets hold of you and you lose yourself, I will not go crazy trying to save you like they do in books, I will just order Fortune to shoot you in the face. Now, feeling better?" "I'm not so sure..." "Excellent, now go wash up, we don't have much time." Straw's head was spinning as he tried to digest Connie's words. Failing that, he let the day unfold and decided on digesting a decent breakfast instead. Leo was already waiting at one of the tables, nearly buzzing with nervous energy and unanswered questions. "So-" he started as soon as Connie and Straw sat down to the table with trays of food. "Cromach is alive and Blaze doesn't want to kill us anymore," Connie said matter-of-factly. "The princesses-" "Have no idea yet, we returned yesterday evening, tired as hunting dogs." "You two-" "Have spent the night together because my room is thrashed after Blinding Light attacked me." "Blind-" "He found out about us tracking him through the linked journal and he didn't like it. Straw saved me from a summoning spell which would have killed me." "Did you two have-" "No, I'll cut you!" "So, what now?" Leo exhausted his questions regarding past two days and stopped, looking at Connie. Straw joined him. "I... don't know? Do what we've been doing until now, maybe? Cromach said he would contact us before we were kicked out of... the curtain, carpet, rug?" "Rug..." Leo frowned. "It might be a good idea to tell you the details," Straw gulped down some tea, "The morning after the fair where you took me to 'regain myself', princess Twilight..." And so they talked, satisfied Leo's curiosity, and eventually returned to their business, Straw and Leo undergoing the Royal Guard training, and Connie... doing what she had been for the past month since the attack - getting ready for the inevitable clash with Blinding Light. A week or so later, Straw was returning from his afternoon patrol, only to be intercepted by a Royal Guard inside his room. "Sir?" "Pack your things, we're leaving Canterlot," the guard said. "What?" Straw's fight or flight instinct kicked in. Something was off about the white pegasus, "Explain yourself!" "Ah, right," the guard shook his head. A green gleam passed through his coat, turning it into black chitin with blue hue. The revealed dreamling bowed, "My name is Seven. Dad and Cromach are calling all four of you." "We're still not allowed to leave Canterlot. If we do then-" "I know, I've been keeping an eye on you. You have to choose what side you are on." "Can you give me a moment to think about it?" Seven nodded, and levitated a piece of paper towards Straw. "A ticket for an overnight train," he explained, "If you're not there on time I'm going to assume you're not coming." "Have you asked everypony else already?" "Yes, they agreed." Something clicked inside Straw's head. "HEY, I noticed you back in Manehattan after Three died!" "Yes, dad asked for an immediate replacement who could tail you." "So... the order to kill still stands," Straw narrowed his eyes. "Yeeees," Seven admitted hesitantly, "but the new arrangement gives you a little more freedom than the old one, if it's any comfort." "Fine," a plan was beginning to hatch inside Straw's head, "Can I have a request, though?" "What is it?" "Can you leave me alone for a while?" "Sure, just keep in mind that I WILL find you if you put my hive or my dad in danger, and I will make sure you live just a tiny bit longer than the order requires you to." "Okay." "In pain." "I get it!" "Just making sure in case Three didn't do the best job in making you realize we aren't your friends." Seven was beginning to get on Straw's nerves, but he calmed down when he recalled how Three was when they first met. At least Seven tried to communicate, Three would have slit his throat without a word. With a simple nod towards Seven, Straw scanned his room for anything useful he could bring with him. He was, of course, going to meet up with the others on the train, but there was something he had to do first. In his own way, he loved all the other members of the group. Fortune, he had to admit he used to have a little crush on her, but now she was much more than that. Leo... was his best friend, as simple as that. Connie, she was confusing, but after he'd seen through her a little more he knew he would put himself in danger for her as well as for the others. That's why he couldn't let them become hunted outlaws. Right now, it once again meant putting everything on the line. Determined, and mostly relying on hope, he strode right towards princess Luna's room. The freshly awoken princess was surprised to see him, but her curiosity won quickly. "I haven't seen you since you asked me about Blaze, what happened?" "You Highness," Straw bowed deeply, "I would love to explain everything, but I don't have much time, so let me summarize it. We managed to resurrect sir Cromach, Blaze seems to be on our side again, and a dreamling told us that we need to leave Canterlot," he presented the train ticket, "I don't know where we're going, but I need to ask you a favor. Please, don't make the guard come after Connie, Leo, and Fortune. I will turn myself in if it is a problem when we're done, but-" Luna put a hoof on his muzzle. "Shhh," she shushed him, "Why are you in such a hurry?" "I'm being tailed by a dreamling just like before. I stroke a deal with him to get few minutes alone so I could ask you this favor." "And if he lied?" "Then Blaze will deal with me later. I... I had to do this, I can't let the others get hurt for the wrong reason. We are on the same side, we shouldn't be wasting time by hunting each other." Luna looked around, closed her eyes, focused, and then opened them. "We are now safe. Nopony is watching us and nopony will hear us. Since your train is leaving in an hour, and I assume you need to get ready without raising suspicion, let's make this quick. I will lift the restriction on you movement under one condition," she quickly slipped back into her room and returned with a vial containing something on fire, "This is a phoenix feather. Anything you burn with it will be transported to me. I want you to inform me about everything you are doing, so I can be ready in case something goes wrong. I think I know you enough to trust you, but in case I'm wrong and you don't report to me for too long..." She didn't need to finish the thought. Snatching the vial, Straw nodded, bowed, and turned away. "Thank you, your Highness." "Don't forget your own words, we're all on the same side."