Mending Light

by Kiromancer

13 - The Letter

It was a short letter, as I'd expected. In part, because I couldn't just tell him what it was about. Dusky was worried, justifiably so, and the situation serious enough, that I couldn't just write out the truth. I could never believe my dad would be one to betray her, but Dusky’s own precautions made me think to take extra steps, just to be sure.

The other part of it was simply because, I just didn't know what to say. What do you say to the pony you respected more than any other, over even the princesses? He was a pony who I had once wished to impress, who I admired, and loved, and in the end, had turned my back upon.

It had been my choice to leave. It had always been my choice, what I had done had been best for my family. My sisters, my parents, they were better off without me. I’d learned that growing up,

My older sisters had such high hopes for me, and had tried to support me. Sun had helped me with my schoolwork when I was little, she was patient and kind, when she could be there. She was my oldest sister, and I never knew her too well, she had started raising a family of her own when I was still a colt.

Then there was Mint, next in line in the family. Growing up, she was the one who I'd looked to. She’d been a protector, and always willing to listen to me. She joined the Guard as soon as she was able. I had promised her that one day I’d be fighting alongside her, that the two of us would be unstoppable. She was confident, and strong, everything I wasn't. I could never live up to the potential they thought I had.

I saw so little of Sun and Mint growing up, though, our ages separated by nearly a decade. Instead, I had to contend with Diamond and Spring. They’d have been better had I not been born, I caused them nothing but strife. She was always teasing me, and more than that. Breaking my things, tripping me. She was always angry at me. I hated it, but I couldn't blame her, all I would do as a colt was cry and get her in trouble.

There was a time I thought Spring was different. She was the youngest of my sisters, only a few years older than I was. I remember how hard I tried to make her happy, to play the games she wanted to play and do what she wanted to do, but even then, she could be just as cruel as Diamond. Before me, they didn't have to worry about their little brother ruining their fun, ruining their lives.

Spring had told me so, the day I'd left them behind. She'd put in words what I'd believed for years. Who's even gonna miss you right? Those words still stung as badly as they rang true. It hadn't been a fight, she hadn't been angry. She'd simply confirmed what the voice that gnawed at the edges my mind had told me for years. That was the day I left home.

Lastly, to my Dad, I was his only son, and that bore some weight to uphold the family tradition. Since before the days of the Earth Unicorn Pegasus Guard, there had always been a member of my family serving Princess Celestia. Dating back as long as the family genealogy recorded, down to my grandfather, and now my father.

That legacy had passed to Mint, and the family had all expected me to follow along as well. I'd broken his hopes for me, along with my promise to my sister. I wouldn't be fighting alongside either of them. The armor I’d kept after leaving basic training was a testament to that.

Now, I was trying to open a door I’d closed over five years ago. This letter was asking for a favor, even if it wasn't a favor for myself. A favor for a friend, and one who I would not turn away from. All I could do was write down the facts, and pray that my father understood. He would. I knew he would.

To Captain Noble Light,

My apologies, I would not reach out to you if it wasn't necessary.

A friend has requested a pony they can trust with some sensitive information, and despite what has occurred in our past, I know you above any other can be trusted.

I have offered to facilitate this meeting. If you can give her the time, please contact me. This is a matter of the most serious nature.

Respectfully,
Night Flurry.

I sealed up the letter and addressed it to the Canterlot Royal Guard base. There was no guarantee he'd get it if I'd sent it home to Cloudsdale. I didn't even know if anypony still lived there. Maybe they'd all moved away, now. There was a pang of regret as I considered that, but I pushed it aside. I'd made that choice long ago. They didn't need to worry about me, now. They were better off without me.

---

My father had received my message, and replied back in due haste. His reply was terse, simply asking me when, and where. I passed that to Dusky, and she gave me an address in Canterlot where we could meet, presumably away from prying eyes.

The whole thing left me with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. All the cloak and dagger, sneaking about, trying not to be seen, or heard.

As the day of our trip arrived, I grew more and more anxious. Would he be angry at seeing me? Disappointed? Could he possibly be happy? Those few moments we’d spent together when I was a foal were cherished memories for me, but how did he see them now?

At last, I pulled myself together and flew out to meet with Dusky. This time, my wings were in perfect shape, and nothing was stopping us from flying to Canterlot together, rather than taking the train. Before, I’d thought the train was a good way to travel with Dusky, without it being too intimidating. After the trip home from Fetlock, a train just felt too ominous now.

I waited for her just outside The Lusty Seapony. It was well into the afternoon and for the moment the bar was quiet, the usual crowds not arriving for another few hours. I sat on my haunches, letting the mobius strip of fears and worry run through my head, both about my father, and now more pronounced, for Dusky.

Everything was moving so fast lately, and I still didn't know what I could do. I wanted to help her, but always felt like I was coming up short.

Her voice interrupted my train of thought with a simple call. "Hello, Night Flurry."

I nearly jumped, but quickly breathed out a sigh of relief. "Hey, Dusky... you um... ready to go?"

She smiled towards me, scarf swaying almost hypnotically. “Sure. Have you been waiting long?”

I shook my head. “Oh, um, no, not really… just… been here, thinking.” I forced a smile.

Her flight satchels looked well packed, like she had already thought ahead for any possible circumstance. It made me wonder if I had everything I should bring, or if I needed more. I’d thought Canterlot was only about an hour’s flight away.

My own flight satchels weren't nearly as full. I had my father’s letter, just in case, as well as the Ostfriesen bracer. I prayed that I wouldn't need the latter.

She raised an eyebrow at me, but ended up simply nodding. “Alright. Guess we’d better go if we want to get there early.” She flapped her wings and kicked into the air, hovering up over the street. She looked back down at me and waited.

I quickly followed, coming alongside her in the air as we headed upwards and away from Ponyville. “Th-this will be my first trip to um… to Canterlot.”

“Canterlot is a beautiful place. It’s too bad your first time has to be for something like this.”

“It’s so strange… Canterlot has always been there, just on the horizon, but I've never made the trip.” We followed the train tracks below, and I let my eyes trace the path towards the distant silhouette of the Royal castle. I grinned. “Oh! We’ll be going up the mountain too!”

Dusky gave a short giggle, and I dropped my ears, feeling the color rise in my cheeks. It was still difficult to think of just how much more she’d seen than me, even something as trivial-seeming as Canterlot.

“Well, you don’t have to go straight home after we've met up with your contact.” Dusky glanced over and smiled. “Maybe you can use this trip as an excuse to tour the city.”

I considered that. Ever since I’d heard of Princess Luna’s return, I’d wanted to see her, maybe even watch her bring the night. I knew I wouldn't be spending time with my father. I slowed my flight as the guilt hit me like a bad downdraft.

Spreading her feathers for a moment, Dusky let herself drift back. As she came besides me, she resumed flight, her wings moving slower now to match my speed. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I… well…” It ate at me. I hadn't considered how all of this would end up impacting her. Her information would be passed along, but if she couldn't press the importance of it, if somehow my dad didn't treat it seriously because of me, the blame would be too much. She deserved to know, just in case I’d unwittingly thrown her into my family problems. “Dusky, I… I need to come clean.”

Her face betrayed a moment of surprise that she quickly brought under control, but her gaze made me flinch. “Come clean? What do you mean?”

“A-about my contact… and… what happened between us.” I took a deep breath.

She pursed her lips, and eventually nodded. “Alright, Night Flurry. I’m listening.”

I watched the ground fly past. “He… I’m…” I couldn't bear to tell her he was my father, part of me was too ashamed of myself, even now. “I was in the Guard, once. A long time ago…”

She waited, glancing towards me when she could spare a look back.

“I joined up as soon as I was able to. I wanted to serve Princess Celestia, to… to serve Equestria, and do my duty to keep it safe. But… I couldn't do it.”

“You dropped out of training?” Her question was matter-of-fact, no hint of the blame I expected in her voice.

“Yeah... “ I sighed. “It wasn't for me… I just… couldn't.”

Dusky looked at me carefully. “That’s not your fault. I have some experience with that kind of training. Not everyone can keep up with the intensity.”

I recalled her mother, and their ‘pop quiz’. “It wasn't that… well, not entirely. I went through training for a few months… They said I was meeting expectations, that I was doing fine. I… I c-couldn't handle the stress, all the ponies…”

My ears fell. It was embarrassing, “But.. there… were expectations I could never meet. I’m sorry, Dusky.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What are you sorry for? It doesn't sound like it was your fault at all.”

“My… my contact. He… well… I moved on to the Cloudsdale Weather College after that, and… then got the job in Ponyville. We… I didn't contact him after I left.”

Dusky nodded. “And do you think he holds it against you?”

“I… I don’t know.” I sighed, looking down at the ground below. “I’m sorry, Dusky… if this ends up… I don’t know… I just… I wanted to help. I know he can help. I didn't mean to keep causing problems.”

She was quiet, the repetitive rap of wings and wind filling the air as we went. “It’s alright, Night Flurry. As long as this information gets into the right hooves, that’ll be enough.

I closed my eyes a moment and tried to find my center. Hopefully, it would be enough. I shifted my head up and looked ahead. The mountain loomed bigger than I’d ever seen. I tilted my head up to take in the peaks, well above even the castle that had always seemed to be the mountain's primary feature.

I let out a quiet “Whoa…”

I heard Dusky stifle a laugh, but I couldn't help but smile at the sight of it, close enough I felt like I could reach out and touch it. Thinking back to Dusky’s suggestion, I could take the time to do just that. I decided that I was definitely going to be exploring Canterlot once everything was over.

---

It wasn't much longer before we’d arrived in the city itself. While the Princesses’ Castle defined the city from a distance, Canterlot itself was so much bigger than I’d imagined. The skies were filled with Pegasi, and the streets had more wagons and carriages than I had ever seen in Ponyville.

Dusky glided down into the maze of streets and ornate buildings, guiding us through the traffic. I did my best to keep her in sight, as everything demanded my attention all at once. Canterlot was loud, louder than even Fetlock had been during the festival, and so full of things I’d never seen before.

The Castle overshadowed almost everything, though. It was huge, spires towering over the city, topped with symbols of the sun and moon. And on the opposite side of the city was the mountain, topped with beautiful snow that would persist all year-round. I wanted to look at all of it, but we had somewhere we needed to be first.

Setting down in a break in the traffic of ponies, Dusky settled in, throwing a look back at me as I came in. I landed not far behind, gaping at the busy city as I tried to get my bearings while keeping up with Dusky. It was clear she knew where she was going. That was for the best, as I would have been completely lost.

It didn't take us long at all before she motioned towards our destination. It was just off the main road in a little alley cove. A sign hung from a chain, a wooden placard engraved with a rose shedding a single red leaflet, and a fancy font declared the location to be ‘The Adorned Petal’.

Dusky slipped inside.

Part of me was just grateful to get off the street and into a much quieter locale. The other part of me nearly expected my dad to just be standing there, waiting. Instead, I found a half-empty cafe, ponies sitting quietly as they read newspapers and nibbled on small snacks.

A pony with a pale red coat, her mane pulled up into a tight bun, greeted us with a smile. “Can I get you two a seat?”

Dusky continued to take the lead. “Actually, we’re waiting for someone. Wanted to take one of the back rooms.” She nosed into her satchel, and came back up with some bits.

“Sure thing!” The hostess counted out the bits and nodded. “What’s the name for your party?”

Dusky smiled back at the hostess. “I’m Ebony Mist.”

It was the name she’d told me to send to my Dad. I didn't like lying like that, but still, I understood. Caution had to override my sensibilities here.

The hostess made a quick note, then led us back through a short hall, waving a hoof towards a side room. “And here you are, just let me know if you need anything!”

I breathed out as the hostess stepped away and the door closed behind her. “He… he should be here soon, then.”

Dusky nodded in response, and finally took a seat, facing the door. “It won’t take too long to give him the information. You sure you don’t want to sit out?”

I moved to join her, sitting on one of the cushions a few spaces away from her. My heart pounded. He’ll be here soon. “N-no… no, that’s alright. I need to see this through.” I gave Dusky a grateful smile. “But… th-thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it, Night Flurry. I should thank you too, for setting all of this up.” She gave me a reassuring smile in return.

I bowed my head. “Yeah… l-like I said… I just want to help…” I breathed out a sigh and turned to face the door, trying to gather my courage for whatever came next.

Comments

[Yami Vizzini]

For all the detail on Night's family, there's one notable omission. I wonder if his mom died foaling him?

[FoodFrogs]

6326670
It all makes sense now!