From Dusk to Night

by KuroiTsubasaTenshi

12 - Simmering Fires

I noticed the loss of the ID not far from the city; or rather, that’s what I told myself in my fatigue-addled state. In reality, I was at least an hour away and still felt stupid enough to entertain the idea of going back. Thankfully, it only took a few moments for the impulse to pass. All I could do was hope the ID was lost and forgotten, buried beneath the Cartel’s carnage. But no matter how I spun it, I was still leaving everything to chance. The missing ID remained a yoke around my neck, its unseen consequences mired in the previous night.

Regardless, that persona was done for; a shame, because I’d hardly used it, but probably for the best, given that a Cartel agent had gotten a good look at it.

It was time to look to the new task at hoof: getting Ruby some food.

She has a bad habit of getting sucked into an analysis job and not emerging until the whole thing was complete. Without intervention, food, sleep and hygiene fall by the wayside. In fact, it was such a common occurrence that I’d heard her coworkers joke that Ruby’s actual special talent was converting knowledge into sustenance.

Since I’d set the pattern in motion again, I felt it my duty to pay her back. So I found myself wandering off into Canterlot to find “something edible”, as she’d so succinctly put it.

“Dusky!” The mare’s voice, one I hadn’t heard in a while, pulled my eyes to the side. But there was no way she could be here; she was off training in Fillydelphia.

However, when I spotted the orange unicorn, a short, green cadet’s jacket poking out from under her fiery red mane, there was no denying it. She was the same pony who had helped me unravel the truths behind the Necromancer and Pasture’s mad mayor; the same pony who had stood up for justice when things got messy; the same pony who was run out of Pasture as a result. She was Blaze, a trusted friend and ally.

She was already dashing toward me, though not quite at full tilt, as she struggled to maintain some token level of military air. A smirk crept up my face, but truth be told, if she hadn’t rushed over, I’d have gone to her just as quickly.

As she skidded to an awkward halt, hoof half-raised, I did my part and hugged her. She was quick to return the embrace. It was always strange to know that someone so impulsive and instinctual felt the need to hold back around me. I couldn’t help but wonder if the lessons of Pasture had produced lopsided results.

When we stepped apart, I eyed her up and down, noting that she’d bulked up a bit. “Blaze? What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be in Fillydelphia?”

“Yeah, but they had to close up the academy. Said something ‘bout finishing elsewhere and next thing I knew, we were all shoved out here. Didn’t you get my letter?”

My mind drifted back to my apartment, to my dresser and the stack of untouched mail that lazed upon it. I gave her a sheepish look. “Sorry. I’ve been run off my hooves the last few weeks.”

“Is it serious? Something I can help with?” Blaze cocked an eyebrow. She knew there was little that could disrupt our correspondence and was doubtlessly aware I knew she knew.

“I... don’t know. It’s complicated, but I think things should be coming to a close soon enough,” I said, the last part as much to myself as Blaze. Once the analysis was done and in, I’d walk away and that would be it.

Catching myself before I could burrow deeper into my own thoughts, I turned back to Blaze, and found her tilting her head at me. I stared back. “What?”

She frowned, chewing on her words a bit. “You’re always so sure of yourself, like… like you could handle anything. This must be something really bad.”

I let out a giggle, uncertain whether I was more amused or nervous. “If that’s the impression I give, I’m afraid I’ve been unintentionally deceiving you.”

Blaze shook her head and pointed a hoof straight at me. “See? There it is.”

“Right.” Perhaps I was biased, but I was pretty sure she was mistaking being level-headed for being confident. “Well, if you really want to know, it’s not something I can discuss in public. If you’ve got some time, come get lunch with me; I can tell you back at the lab.”

“Lab?” Blaze stared at me, her expression torn between serious and playful. “You sure you’re not some kind of superhero?”

I chuckled. “Yeah, it’s not even mine. Remember when I told you about Ruby? She’s helping me with the thing. She’s just crazy enough to work through lunch, so I’m bringing her some food.”

“Oh.” Blaze almost looked disappointed, though she recovered faster than I gave her credit for.

Still, I allowed myself an inward smirk. Just like the old days.

“Er, yeah, sure.” Blaze’s voice brought me back again. “We ain’t starting until tomorrow, anyway.”

In spite of the time we spent catching up, the streets were still relatively clear, with the lunch crowd only starting to pick up. The trick would be to find a suitable place to get takeout before the rush gained its full momentum.

As luck would have it, the allure of the first cafe we came across ensnared our nostrils. Nestled amongst dozens of too-expensive fine dining establishments, Courtyard Cafe relied on a large, colourful chalkboard to draw customers. ‘Fresh carrot and honeyed oat biscuit, side of lemongrass included,’ it boasted, though I needed little more persuasion.

I glanced at Blaze. “This place sound good to you?”

“Are you kidding?” She grinned. “I’m ordering two!”

“Of course.” I gave her a smirk of my own. “You sure you weren’t sent here to conquer that unstoppable metabolism?”

“Already did,” she said, puffing her chest out and striking a pose.

I clamped my mouth shut, trying to keep my amusement from bubbling out. While Blaze had gained some notable bulk, she was only now catching up to my own. Thing is, even way back when I’d met her, she wasn’t that much smaller than me. Although, I did have to admit that sometimes I was just a little jealous of her ability to get away with eating whatever she wanted.

With a nod, I trotted toward the door. “If you say so.”

From the moment we entered, it was clear that despite being nearly muscled-out by the finer dining, this cafe was certainly no slouch. Canterlot’s purple and gold architecture continued into the building, doing an impressive job of mimicking each curve and each band of trim. The ceiling was a light blue with white clouds painted here and there. Such a painting, no matter how well done, could never fool a pegasus; it was pleasing, nonetheless. Beneath the fake sky were solid, purple picnic tables, with plush cushions of the same colour built into the benches. And just in case that wasn’t quite fancy enough, floral etchings, inset with golden paint, filled out each corner.

At least half of the tables were already taken and the line of business ponies nearly reached the door. I was rather glad we hadn’t dawdled any longer.

As we settled in for the long wait, I turned to Blaze, eager to address a nagging thought. “So what happened at the academy that was bad enough for you to end up here?”

“They never tell us anything, but word’s going round about a pipe burst that messed up the first floor something fierce.”

I blinked. “Doesn’t that first floor see the most traffic? How did no one notice until it did that much damage?”

Blaze shrugged. “Who knows? They wouldn’t even let us empty our own lockers. Then all the real Guards moved into some tiny building and shipped us cadets away.”

“Seems like an awful lot of fuss for a simple pipe burst.”

“You think it’s foul play? Like them?” Blaze was on it in a second, her preconceptions betraying her. While I’d warned her about the Cartel’s infiltration—and respected her resolve when she said she was going to join anyway to set things right—I hadn’t expected her to see them everywhere.

“Probably not.” I gave her a meaningful look. “It’s hard to imagine what could be worth antagonizing the Guard like that.”

“Then what?” She stared expectantly.

Yep, juuuust like the old days.

I looked her straight in the eye. “I don’t know. Remember that all we’ve got is a rumour. Try not to get worked up over pure speculation; you’ll wear yourself out before the real thing comes.

“Er, sorry.” Blaze scuffed a hoof.

“Anyway, how are you faring away from home? I mean, as much as Filly can be called home.”

“Better than our first move. Canterlot ain’t that much bigger and the streets make more sense. Bit too glittery, if you ask me, though.”

I giggled, eying the table etchings again. “Canterlot does love its grandeur.”

“I do miss Mom and Dad.” Uncertainty filled Blaze’s voice as she stared off to the side. It was gone just as fast as it came, Blaze holding her head high. “But I’m my own mare. I can’t be hanging around forever.”

“It’s tough at first. Maybe a little…” My mind pushed long-forgotten memories forward. The tears as I parted ways with my parents. The cloud hanging over my head the next few days of school. Coping living under the care of family friends. But then came the more familiar memories. Letters from Mom and Dad. The joy that spilled from every inch of me the first time they returned to Ponyville. The frequent visits that followed.

With a sad smile, I looked back at Blaze. “No, more than a little scary, but moving away isn’t the end. You can still visit each other when you have time.”

She met my smile; it grew into a smirk. “Yeah, you’re right. I can already hear Mom telling Dad that next week’s too soon to drop by.”

“That’s the spirit!”

---

The Courtyard Cafe continued to impress: they had been prepared for the lunch rush. We’d reached the front of the line rather quickly and immediately found out why. Three ponies toiled in the back kitchen, half-hidden behind the wall of pre-packed lunch specials. Our order was stuffed into a bag and tucked under my wing before I could even consider stepping away from the counter.

We were back at the university in no time. I nosed the door of the lab open, taking care not to crush the lunches against the frame.

Ruby was still hard at work, alternating between a piece of parchment and her microscope. The chalkboard, which had been empty when I left, was now crammed full of numbers and formulae.

I motioned to Blaze to follow, then trotted over to the table next to Ruby’s. Not wanting to interrupt her, I set the lunches aside and took the moment to rest my hooves. While she often forgot to attend to herself, she’d usually notice when other people were around. Usually.

Blaze gave me a quizzical look.

“Just a little longer,” I mouthed.

It took three more circuits before Ruby finally looked up. “Oh! Dusky! Back already?”

I grinned and held up the lunch bag.

“Hah! You’ll have to tell me your secret someday.” It was then that she noticed Blaze. “Who’s your friend?”

“This is Blaze, my friend from Pasture. Blaze, this is Professor Ruby Result.”

“Nice to meet you.” Blaze nodded.

“The pleasure’s all mine.” Ruby smiled. “I suppose I could take a break now. We can use the side room.”

The side room was something like a small, temporary office, the kind a professor could use to prepare before a class. I’d never seen Ruby use it for academic reasons, though. I guess she was just so familiar with her curriculum that she could go straight from her actual office to the lab.

As usual, we borrowed a few extra chairs from the lab and arranged them around the light, wooden table.

Keeping in mind what I’d promised Blaze, I made sure the door was shut before I took my seat. “So, how did it go? I hope it hasn’t been too much work.”

Ruby waved a hoof. “Nope. They’re all simple calculations, just a lot of legwork involved. I’m almost done with the write-up. I’ll need to make copies and seal the official copy, but you should be good to go in a few hours.”

“Right, your seal..." I didn’t know why I didn’t get the implications beforehoof. “Ruby, about that official copy. You don’t have to put yourself in danger for me.”

“Don’t worry, I’m already a verified anonymous analyst.”

“You are?” Silent Vigil flashed before my eyes. “But even so, sometimes anonymity isn’t enough.”

“This is the heart of Canterlot. There are enough wards and alarms that all they’d find here would be a swift and unfortunate end from one princess or another.”

Blaze raised an eyebrow. “Hey, sorry to cut in, but what’s going on? Official? Are you talking about the Guard and the Cartel?”

Ruby glanced at me. “She doesn’t know?”

I shook my head before turning back to Blaze. “I was attacked the other night, by the Cartel. Then they vandalized a festival, which hurt my friend in the collateral. I did some digging, to see if they really knew or if it was all just dumb luck. And... well, damning evidence is what turned up.”

“Why didn’t you call me? I could have helped!” Blaze planted her hooves on the table, leaning halfway across it.

Placing a hoof on her shoulder, I shook my head again. “Because I couldn’t. I mean, it would have been nice to have backup, but the info demanded that I act immediately.”

“Damn!” Blaze slumped.

I blinked, pulling away from her intensity. “Blaze? You’re awfully fixated on the Cartel. Is there something you’re not telling me?”

“I really wish I could help you! I wish I could help Ivory and everyone they ever threatened! I…”

“Blaze, slow down.” I gave her a short nudge.

She opened her mouth and it all came out at once. “Sorry, it’s just that Dad’s been working so hard and he hasn’t gotten anywhere. All the requests to the Guard, they just disappear. Then we found out Prideful’s father had a connection to the underworld and there’s just no way it could be coincidence! You understand, don’t you?”

I shuddered as I recalled Prideful Policy, the mayor of Pasture and the uncanny hold he had over the townfolks’ minds. Even Blaze’s dad, Earnest Care, and my good friend, Ivory Hope, two very strong individuals, were affected by his manipulations to some degree. To think that he might have a much longer reach than we’d thought was worrisome.

Steeling myself, I nudged Blaze again. “If that’s the case, then more than ever, we can’t afford to act rashly. Promise me that if you find out anything, you’ll come to me first.”

“All right.” Blaze scuffed at the table. “I hate these games.”

Looking away, I caught Ruby’s eye. It was one of those rare occasions when she actually looked worried. Normally, she’d just laugh things off and say something encouraging. But in our wordless exchange, her face clearly said, “This isn’t ever going to end for you, is it?”

I shook my head. “Me too. But we can’t fight on even ground without it.”

“Seems that way.” Blaze continued to play with the table.

“If you ever need to find me or… even if you just want to visit, come to Ponyville. There’s a bar called The Lusty Seapony. I’m there many nights a week.”

Blaze nodded a few times, pausing halfway through the third or fourth. “Wait, Seapony? Isn’t Ponyville, um...”

“Landlocked?” Sporting a renewed smile, Ruby seized the opportunity. “Sure is!”

Blaze gaped, eyes flitting between the two of us. “Then why?”

“You know, I wondered that myself,” I said, letting a smirk creep up my lips. “So one night I asked Barkeep…”

Comments

[Lorthalis of Crows]

Will we see Ivory? Pwease?

[KuroiTsubasaTenshi]

5483570
Sure will. I just ask that you be patient.

[Lorthalis of Crows]

5484668
K....