From Dusk to Night

by KuroiTsubasaTenshi

52 - Viewpoints

“You two are gonna love this place, I promise. The view is spectacular.” Merri grinned, perhaps a little too widely, as she led us up a long flagstone street. The incline was notable and I wondered just what we’d need such elevation for. Perhaps it was a monument set upon a hill. Or, the easy answer would be an overlook of the lake.

However, the road leveled off sooner than expected.

“Ta-daa~!” Merri called, waving us toward the edge of a solid stone balcony. It gave us a good view of what appeared to be a courtyard, though there were no structures—never mind any that could catch my eye. Instead, several groups of people were gathered near the back wall. Some were in formation, practicing some kind of drills, while others sparred in pairs.

Admittedly, I had some interest in Ostfriesen combat techniques, for I could surely learn something from a people who could make a huge show of things, yet still demonstrate deadly prowess. However, as I continued to watch, I had a sneaking suspicion that wasn’t what we were here for.

I raised an eyebrow, certain that if I asked, Merri would volunteer an explanation. “It’s a training field?”

“Not just any training field! The raised platform makes it the one with the best view~.” Merri pointed to a group whose stretching was putting their flanks particularly high in the air. “You gotta appreciate that level of fitness~.”

“Y-you just come out here to look at... um…” Night’s gaze turned to the balcony floor.

Merri leaned forward, grinning the whole time. “At what, Night?”

I sighed. The whole conversation pretty much ruined any chance of legitimate study. “This isn’t quite what I was hoping for when I said I wanted to see ‘the sights’.”

“You want something a little more natural, eh? Little more like home? Okay, okay. I can do that.” Merri got in one more good eyeful before leading us away. The path wound around the courtyard, until we were following the outer wall.

Sentries paced above, casting flickering shadows over the side of the ramparts. Night seemed to be paying particular attention to them, and, after a moment, turned to Merri. “Does the city come under attack often? I mean, what with the wall, and the guards, and the training grounds?”

“Nah, not really. Or, not often at least. About as often as Ponyville does.” Merri smirked as she winked. “But instead of having some local celebrities wielding ancient magical artifacts, we have a group of well-trained knights that know how to take on just about anything the Badlands can throw at us. And that doesn’t even count the locals who go out and bag a few bounties on their own.”

My eyes followed the wall, trying to imagine us building something like this to hold back the Everfree. I just couldn’t see it. Off the top of my head, it definitely wouldn’t have stopped the Ursa. From what I recall, there’s also a dragon living there who would most certainly laugh at such a thing. All in all, the walls would probably do little more than provide a means to spot approaching problems from a distance. No, Ostfriesen’s walls worked because they had dozens of deadly warriors to staff them. In Ponyville, it would likely trap us in as often as it would keep stuff out.

As my distraction grew, I felt my eyes drift over to something else: a gate that was positioned more than a few feet too far from the wall. That is, the whole thing stood on its own and protected nothing. There was something on top, perhaps a set of statues. At this distance, it was bit hard to tell.

“Hey, Merri,” I said. “What’s that?”

“Hmm?” Merri stopped and followed my gaze. “Oh that? Just the Brushingboot Gate. Why? Wanna take a closer look?”

Seemed what I’d hoped for was up here after all—I just had to look a little further. I grinned. “Absolutely!”

Though the walk was only a few dozen yards, I couldn’t help but feel it took forever. Once we were closer, it was plain to see that this gate was made of an older, rougher material. This wasn’t to say that it was falling apart, but that this was a stark contrast of centuries worth of masonry advancement. Speaking of masonry, the road was too wide, leaving little doubt that this gate was a monument.

The objects on top were indeed statues, four of which were joined to a fifth via harness. The centerpiece of the whole thing was an ornate chariot, upon which stood a majestic monarch. She was a mare of great stature, wrapped in a fine, flowing cloak and topped by a crown as intricate as the chariot, with a trident in her left hoof. Her escorts wore barding that was just a touch less fancy. Curiously, while I could pick out all of the monarch’s features, the barding obscured the features of the others.

“That’s the fourth Queen of Ostfriesen, Queen Lychee.” Merri’s voice grew solemn. “This gate was built to memorialize the battle of Silverglade.”

I glanced at Merri, though I found my eyes drifting back to those pulling the chariot. “And the other four?”

With a grin, she leaned in close. “No one knows.”

“No one?” I raised an eyebrow. “If there’s a monument, surely someone must have made a record.”

Merri shrugged. “Yeah. I guess some of the details must’ve been lost or fuzzy or something. Silverglade was supposedly a little outpost built along this road, far out from the main city, one of the first farm villages, but that winter, some big grimdrakes came down out of the mountains looking to hunt. Silverglade fell—no one left save for the runner who arrived in Oasis to warn the Queen.”

“A whole town, just… gone?” Night paled.

With a nod, Merri continued, “Grimdrakes are bad news.They’re worse in a hunting party, and they’re the worst when they’ve got a matriarch with them, as Silverglade found out. And Oasis was next. Ostfriesen was still growing, and wasn’t prepared for that kind of threat, but Queen Lychee resolved to defeat the beasts. She ordered the civilians to flee, and the knights to harry the beasts, driving them forward, until they reached this gate. Here, the Queen said, she would make her stand, and none would pass so long as she still drew breath. The Knights harassed the beasts as they came, killing many of the drakes, but suffering terrible losses in turn. When they reached the gate, Queen Lychee killed several herself, and none passed through the gate. But she was badly wounded, and when the last of the drakes came, the matriarch came with them, enraged at the deaths of her children. Against her, the Queen could make no defense.”

She looked dramatically between Night and I. “That’s when the four arrived. They weren’t knights, and no record could prove that they lived within Oasis. They were well armed, and well trained, and as the Queen stood her ground, they attacked and slew the matriarch. No small feat, that. After that, they just… disappeared. Some say they had fatal wounds from the battle, others say they were sacred guardians sent by the dragons, or even the Dragon itself, taking the form of four spirits. Lychee survived, and ordered the gate be adorned with the images of the four holy protectors. I guess she put herself in as well, 'cause why not?”

“That’s… wow, Merri. Intense.” Night stared up at the monument again.

“Ha. Right? And Sis’ says I didn’t pay attention to history.”

I had to wonder. Certainly, magic could likely do what the legends claimed, but that seemed like a little too much work, too convoluted, when the dragons would have been, well, dragons. The geography did line up for a more mundane theory, though. “They could have been part of the rebels in the north, those who followed Bellerophon. It’s hard to believe they were just in the right place at the right time.”

“Maybe.” Merri winked. “But why spoil a good mystery, eh~?”

Night held a hoof to his mouth, but it did little to stop the laughter from escaping. When I raised an eyebrow, he said, “S-sorry, it’s almost too much.”

“What is?” I couldn’t help but smile. The tale didn’t seem much weirder than any other legend, but I supposed they all had their quirks.

Little chuckles interrupted Night as he tried to elaborate. “Just… what if that’s us? In another thousand years, will some gate forgotten in the middle of Olymponis have a statue to ‘Regis Amethyst’, with the four unknown foreigners who fought to free them? It’s… it’s so ridiculous.”

With a snort, Merri turned a mischievous eye on Night. “Probably already commissioned, Night. The mysterious stranger with the wild mane. They’ll write romance novels about you, the herald of Bellerophon and your love triangle with the grey stranger, a scarved mare of mystery with a sexy butt~.”

“I w-wasn’t thinking about Dusky’s butt!”

“But you are now~.”

He stole a glance my way as he turned beet red.

“I prefer the factual Night Light to any work of fiction.” I planted a quick peck on Night’s muzzle before turning back to Merri. “Now c’mon, there’s still more of the city to see.”

Merri’s giggling continued as she doubled back. “Right, daylight’s burning you two, still so much to see. Next stop, Trotgart Square. I tell you, there’s plenty of good sights there. I promise, the view is spectacular.”

I let out a sigh. “You said that about the training grounds and just wanted to look at butts. Got any more Brushingboots around here?”

“You want more history stuff? Sure, I guess I can find a few more spots along the way.” She glanced back at Night to give him a not-secret wink. “Though, just so long as we keep this pace, I’m sure Night can enjoy the view all day.”

At this point, I was about to call Merri out on overdoing it, but the thought occurred to me that Night seemed to be embarrassed by physical attraction. While I didn’t agree with Merri’s methods, getting into an argument over it would only serve to embarrass him further. I decided it would be better to let him know I’m okay with that. So, I glanced back—and gave him a wink of my own.

---

As we began the return journey proper, something felt different. The Badlands themselves didn’t look any different—every inch of it bore that same dusty roughness that looked like it could chafe my coat right off my back. However, I felt calmer, almost safer. At first, I worried that it might be complacency, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I’d already caught a hint of it before. Our trek back from Olymponis had had some element of the same, though it was muddied a bit by the lingering tension of our previous battle, as well as the fact that the road was still clear from Firetail’s supposed hunt.

With awareness, the source became obvious: Star and Merri. I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised, given that this had practically been their back yard, but they carried themselves with a supreme air of confidence. Together, at one-hundred percent, they almost seemed to exude an aura of power. As we proceeded, the wildlife seemed to actively retreat, with only a few predators warily observing dozens of feet away. I had a sneaking suspicion that anything that could hunt us would consider us too meagre to be worth the effort.

I now had little wonder about their initial journey to Equestria.

Of course, we weren’t about to get off scot-free. The land was still as rough and unforgiving as the first time through. Even without the looming shadow of predators, the sun put a hard cap on how quickly we could move, frequently forcing us to shelter. In the end, it mattered little. Without the urgency of chasing Merri, we were free to take extra care to ensure we’d come home alive.

The next couple days heralded the return of the sandstorms or rather—dust storms. None of them were anywhere close to the intensity of our very first, but I wouldn’t even need to be a weather pegasus to know that could change in an instant. Only fools would push their luck out there. As such, we found ourselves stuck more often than we’d like. At the same time, the storms never lasted more than an hour or two.

The first time we had to stop, we took the opportunity to refine our plans. The second, I found myself staring out into the storm. We’d found a series of outcroppings that didn’t quite block everything, but formed enough of a shell that it was as good as any cave. The inconsistencies in our pseudo-roof provided at least one thing interesting: a better view of the sky.

After a few moments, Night settled in beside me, following my gaze.

Stealing a glance at him, I smiled. “It’s mesmerizing. When it’s calmer like this, it’s kinda beautiful in its own right. Reminds me a bit of the little flurries we put together in Ponyville.”

Night continued to watch the storm, an almost critical look in his eye.

“I don’t think it’s as beautiful as snow. It’s too heavy and gritty, even if the wind patterns are similar.” His expression eased into a faint grin. “But I see what you mean.”

With a giggle, I turned my attention back to him. “I like how you get about weather.”

He blinked. “How I get?”

I nodded. “You’re confident, certain about it. You’re usually so uncertain—not that there’s anything wrong with uncertainty, as that’s just part of being alive, but sometimes… I just worry. When I see this, though, I guess it’s how I know you’re doing just fine.”

“W-well…” Night grinned wide, a bit of colour finding its way into his cheeks. “I’m always fine when I’m with you.”

“Always charming, too.” I smirked, though that smirk quickly turned to laughter.

He met my smile. “I try.”

The next time I found myself keeping watch with Merri. This time we’d found something of a real cave, though that also gave us less options for escape from opportunists. As such, I got to sit near the mouth and watch the sand drift by again. Everyone else was supposed to be resting, but I figured Merri must have decided she wanted to keep me company. That is, until she opened her mouth.

“Sooooo, when are you two gonna get hitched~?”

I sighed. “You’re starting to sound like Terra.”

That was when the homesickness really hit. I hoped Terra and Mahogany were doing okay. I hoped they weren’t too worried. It was a growing, creeping feeling. The more I thought about it, the more antsy I got. I started shifting hoof to hoof.

I fought it off in the usual way, though convincing myself also took more effort than usual. As much as I wished I could see across time and space, to know for certain, I had to trust that everything would be fine. My friends were perfectly capable of handling themselves.

“Hey, I’m just kidding. I know you two are moving at your own pace.” She smirked. “Buuut, it is plain to see that you two are closer than ever~.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Yep!” Merri waved a hoof. “But enough of that. Let’s talk about something you want to.”

As the sandstorm caught my eye again, I knew exactly what I wanted to ask. “Actually, I was wondering: how did you get through all this so fast?”

She shrugged. “I dunno. How did you keep up?”

“We, uh, didn’t really. We got stuck behind one of these for the better part of a day, then you were constantly several days ahead of us.”

“Oh.” Merri pondered a second. “But I didn’t really do anything special. Just traveled like Sis’ and I used to, then asked around. So, I guess you could say it was all luck and charms~.”

“You’re really saying it was that simple? We were only able to catch up as quickly as we did because Bellerophon had insider knowledge. And we were still days behind you.”

“Well, maaaaaybe I was able throw my name around. Firetail’s clan has never been difficult to find, and once they knew who I was, they were almost eager to point me in the right direction. Some of them even tried to ‘escort’ me, but I didn’t let them. A mare can’t let just anyone get too frisky, y’know?”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “That sounds weird coming from you, but sure. So, is that how you lost your crossbow?”

“What?” Merri furrowed her brow.

“We found one of your crossbows in the middle of the Badlands.”

“Oh, that!” Merri waved her hoof again. “That was just a pack of wolves who thought they could sneak up on me. I gave ‘em the what for, of course. Only thing is one of the little buggers chomped down on one of my crossbows and I didn’t have time to go back for a broken weapon.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “Just a pack of wolves? You and Star are really something, you know? I’d be afraid of one wolf.”

Merri struck a pose and grinned. “Ostfriesen training’s tough, but nopony’s ever complained about the results~.”

“So it seems. What happened after that?”

“Once I reached the gate, it was pretty smooth sailing again. I guess word had reached Firetail, because they let me in without question.” Merri frowned. “That’s about where my luck ran out. By then, Firetail was so mad with power, nothing could persuade him. Not even my charms~.”

I smirked. “His loss.”

The lush green border of Equestria never looked so sweet. Once it was in sight, we hastened our pace and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t sneak a bite from one of the nearby meadows. Now that we were well within the country, we took our time resting, as well as locating a nearby stream. Quite frankly, after a journey like that, I was ninety-nine-percent sure that we smelled like something that came out of a sewer.

Between our eagerness and having actual roads to traverse, we moved like the wind. As Ponyville came into view, my mouth turned up of its own accord. Sunset framed the buildings, giving the town a warm glow, and I briefly entertained the notion that it was smiling back at me.

“We’re home. We’re home!” Night’s own grin surpassed my own.

“And it’s almost dark, too. You know what that means~?” Merri slid between us, resting her a forehoof around each of our withers. “First dozen rounds are on me!”

“Must you always be so excessive? Not that I do not think a celebration is in order.” Star’s face held an odd mix of sternness and mirth.

Merri put a hoof to her chest. “Hey, I’m totally holding back~!”

“Really, now?”

“I just said ‘first dozen’, not ‘two dozen’. That’s a whole dozen of difference~!”

Star just rolled her eyes.

The Seapony’s heavy doors somehow felt lighter. I wasn’t sure if I should chalk it up to my good mood or to our ordeal pushing me further than ever. Perhaps it was a bit of both. Regardless, the bar was just as I remembered it. The scent, the atmosphere, the creaking boards under my hooves—all of it.

Terra and Mahogany sat at the usual table, the accumulations of their unending contest beginning to take over its surface. Terra’s eyes flitted over to me, then back. A moment later, her eyes widened, whiskey spraying all over Mahogany.

“Gah! Terra, what the hell?!” Mahogany ducked for cover, though it was already too late.

“D-Dusky! It’s Dusky!” Terra’s eyes darted over all of us. “And Merri and Night and Star!”

“It is? Grah, why did you have to go blinding me just now?” Mahogany grumbled, grabbing Terra’s mane and using it to wipe his eyes.

Terra didn’t seem to notice, instead fixating on us. “How was your, uh, trip?”

I couldn’t help but giggle. “It went well enough. Let’s get Mahogany cleaned up and I’ll tell you all about it.”

Never had I been so glad to head to the back room.

Comments

[Tsuguri]

Ok. That Brushingboot Gate just wreaks of a Chekhov's Gun. As for how, no idea, but are you actually planning something with that?

[Yami Vizzini]

“I don’t think it’s as beautiful as snow. It’s too heavy and gritty, even if the wind patterns are similar.”

I was certain they were going to come back to some new disaster. Well, they've earned a night off.

[Shachza]

Woah, that scene jump in the middle. I was expecting more Night-teasing!

Oh, well. I'm okay with getting a short homeward travel montage. That'll put us closer to whatever drags Ivory into this.

[KuroiTsubasaTenshi]

8125091
I don't know about being a Chekov's Gun, but it may see reference down the line.

8125748
Funny thing: after going over the draft a few times, I wondered if someone was going to eventually make that joke.

8127797
It's just one of those instances where the characters had to move on before the world building consumed everything else. That is, we wanted to to highlight the most interesting things we came up for Ostfriesen, but if we let that get out of control, it could have easily turned into an entire novel's worth of detailing the country's history and how it worked. >.>

[LordNobady]

8129311
that novel sounds interesting, when are you going to write that?

[KuroiTsubasaTenshi]

9147547
That's the kind of project that wouldn't see consideration until From Dusk to Night is finished.