Mending Light

by Kiromancer

81 - Party Roster

This wasn’t exactly the the homecoming I’d hoped for. A quick flight home from the clinic, bandaged, alone, and afraid. Dusky was already gone, flying into danger, and I was still here in Ponyville, waiting to leave. It had been two days before I could even convince Redheart to let me go, and that was all on the promise that I wouldn’t do anything strenuous on it for the next week. A promise I was almost certain I wouldn’t keep.

I’d let the others know what was happening, and Merri and Star had quickly volunteered to go along, despite Merri having some trepidation about the train ride. They’d gone off to get ready, and Starshadow had assured me that they’d be there when the train left. Merri had even promised a ‘surprise’, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything helpful.

The other member of our party had briefly returned to Canterlot. Mint had decided to give a quick report to Dad, and to bring back another ready party member. Blaze was Dusky’s friend, a guard trainee who had helped us in Fillydelphia. Their link had been forged in Pasture, and Blaze had stakes in Ivory’s fate just as much as Dusky did.

We’d all agreed to meet up at the earliest possible train out to Iron Shoe, the closest stop to Pasture available. That left me with one last night in Ponyville, to toss and turn restlessly while the others did their final preparations. Sleep came at some point, but it was late enough that I’m not sure if it helped at all.

Arriving early the next morning, I purchased a private train car and five tickets for the afternoon train trip out to Iron Shoe. The plan was to head there first, then make our way across country to the observatory where Dusky would either meet us, or leave a message, and then we could plan out from there.

I stood off in a corner of the train platform away from anypony else. The others were coming soon, ready to embark on our mission, such as it was. It was strange. If I’d had time to talk with Spring, she’d probably have said it was like something out of a spy novel. Nopony else knew why I was there, or what I was preparing to go do. Best if we kept our meeting and talks private.

"You ready for all this?" Mint walked towards me with a simple rucksack across her back. "It's different from Fillydelphia, isn't it? This is a lot more like heading out on deployment."

I smiled as she stopped alongside me. "Like going out on a mission? Yeah, I was just thinking that. Almost like there’s less rush, but just as much worry. Maybe more worry."

She nodded. "Funny, isn't it? Got a chance to fight side by side, just like if we were in the guard together. Just like you'd promised."

"Heh. That's one way to look at it, I guess. I'd have been content if our sparring matches had been all we'd needed to fulfill that, though." I tilted my head. "Just you? Where's Blaze at?"

Mint frowned. "That's going to be a slight fly in the ointment, but I'm hoping it'll all work out. Blaze is already out on deployment. To Pasture."

I blinked. "Well, then... crap."

She sighed. “It might not be as bad as all that, but if the horse apples are heading for the fan the way Dusky seemed to think, no big surprise that even the guard is getting involved. The only question is, are they going there to cull this ‘necromancer’ friend of yours or to stomp out the Cartel remnants.”

“You don’t know?” I raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t Dad have any intel?”

Mint shook her head, but shrugged apologetically. “Orders didn’t go through him, and I’m out of that loop. Not sure why. Could just be outside my sphere of command, or…”

I shook my head, feeling the weight of everything on me, “Just… don’t start with the conspiracy stuff, alright? As if things aren’t probably already worse than we’re thinking. Just… one problem at a time, alright?”

She nodded, and after a moment she hugged me. “Dusky will be fine on her own, Night. She’s a smart mare. She did pick you as a special somepony, am I right?”

“How smart that really was remains to be seen, I guess.” I gave her a brief smile as I saw Star approaching, and began waving her over.

She was out of her armor, carrying two suitcases alongside with her magic. “Night Flurry. Sergeant Creme.”

Mint waved a hoof, smirking. “Just Mint. You’ve held me at knifepoint, so formalities are out the window after that. Unless you really want me to call you Knight Starshadow.”

“Unnecessary.” Starshadow chuckled, but her expression sobered when she looked to me. “Merriweather is following after. With help. You won’t like it, but…”

“Wait, what? What won’t I like?”

“I promised to let her explain herself. I shall let the final decision fall upon you, but this is my opinion on the matter.” She straightened up, as if she were about to issue some formal declaration. I somehow felt like I wasn’t far off. “Let it be known that while I disapprove of this, all involved parties agree, and fully understand what we intend to do. To the best of their abilities.”

Mint simply stared for a moment as I think we all tried to process that. She snapped out of it first though. “Riiiiiight. Well, good luck with whatever that is, Night.”

I stared blankly as Starshadow plucked two tickets out of my hoof with her magic, passing one to Mint. She grinned as she began to stride towards the train. “Try not to over-worry.”

That was hardly reassuring. Mint butted a wing against my side and smirked as she turned to follow.

I sighed. I knew they meant well, trying to keep my spirit up, but it wasn’t making me feel any better, compared with the looming worry about Dusky. She’d have easily made it to Iron Shoe by today, while we were still a few days behind. Time was a huge factor, both for Ivory, and now for Dusky as well. As much as I’d told Mint to only think about one thing at a time, I was struggling to figure out just what we were going to do to be able to fight of the Cartel, the townsfolk who were after the Necromancer’s head, and maybe even the Guard all arrayed against us.

“Flurry!”

I flailed backwards as I suddenly found Merri in my face. “G-gah! D-don’t do that, Merri!”

She grinned and put a hoof against my head. “Did Sis ruin the surprise? I brought back-up!”

“Bwah? Um… backup? Okay? Um… who?”

She stepped aside, and behind her was a familiar, light gray pegasus, his black mane covered by a pair of iconic flight goggles. “Hello, Night. I hope you don’t mind me coming along.”

“Icicle?” Icicle Gleam. A coworker on the weather team. Pieces started to come together as I stared. “I… Merri? What?”

She was way too excited about this. “He’s my coltfriend! Been dating since we got back from Terra’s wedding. Bonus; he’s a fighter too. He’s going to help us out!”

I raised an eyebrow at Icicle, who stood by, smiling entirely too calmly. “A… fighter? Merri? Really?”

Icicle answered with a nod. “I’m not really much of one yet, but my Grandpa was in the guard and used to show me the basics. I’ve been sparring with Merri now too, so I’m sure I can help you and Dusky.”

And he already knew we were going to help Dusky. I glared at Merri. “How much have you told him?”

She shrugged. “Pretty much everything you told me. Hey, no secrets between lovers, Flurry~.”

Icicle had the decency to blush, but it didn’t seem to impact the serious expression on his face. “I want to help, Night. I’m here to help Merri, and help her friends. That includes you and Dusky both.”

“This… this isn’t some kind of fun adventure, Icicle. And it’s not a date, Merri. This is serious.” I raised a hoof to my head, massaging between my eyes. “This is serious, and Dusky, Ivory, all of us will be in real danger.”

“All the more reason for me to help.” He shook his head. “I’ve hardly done any real fighting, I know. But I can’t just sit back and wait while my friends are in trouble. I want to help, because I know it’s the right thing to do.”

I almost did a double take. These were almost my own words being thrown at me. I had a flashback to another train, a ride home from Fetlock Falls, and my first step into the world that Dusky had lived in her whole life. It was so very different from the world that I’d thought that it was, that sometimes I wished I’d never taken that train ride. But then again, the friends I’d made, the growth I’d undergone… and Dusky. Dusky alone made it all worth weathering.

I looked at Merri for confirmation. She simply nodded.

“Alright… just… this isn’t about fun and games, Icicle. This isn’t about being a hero.” I thought of Mint’s news that we might even have to worry about the guards. “It might not even be about doing what’s right. There’s blood on my hooves, Icicle. Blood that doesn’t come off. Are you sure you really want that? We’re not playing around, and Merri won’t think any less of you if stay behind. Right, Merri?”

She flashed a smile. “Of course not. Honestly, Flurry’s making me feel guilty for even dragging you along this far.”

He set his jaw and nodded, throwing a salute. “I know the stakes. I don’t want to take a life, but I know it might come to that. I want to help. If Merri’s going and risking her life, you really think I could just stay behind? I know she’s a knight. I know what she can do. But I still want to be there for her.”

I sighed. I couldn’t argue against that. Not when those were the same things I’d said to Dusky time and time again. “Damnit, Merri… an extra set of hooves can’t hurt, I guess.”

She practically squealed in delight, but cut it off when I scowled at her. “But this isn’t a game, damnit. Just… just… don’t be a hero, Icicle. If you or anypony else gets killed… I… d-damnit.”

Merri stepped forward to put a hoof against my side. “Dang, Flurry… It’s fine, okay? Trust me. I wouldn’t be bringing him if I didn’t think Icicle could handle himself. Sis and I have been training him. Like we helped trained you. I know this isn’t easy for you, but you gotta trust your friends. That’s why we’re all going in the first place.”

“Because Dusky trusts us. I just… I don’t want to screw this up. Dusky does trust us. I don’t want to let her down.”

She pulled her hoof back and nodded. “You won’t. We won’t.”

I sighed, but couldn’t deny their arguments, even through my own self-doubt. I extended out a hoof towards Icicle Gleam, hoping I wasn’t making a huge mistake. “A-alright then, Icicle. Merri says you can handle yourself. So… welcome aboard.”

Comments

[Yami Vizzini]

Indeed- they’ve been relatively lucky so far, and I can only hope that it continues. It’s nice to see this group grow, and I’d rather not see it shrink.