Mending Light

by Kiromancer

82 - Occupation

The clack-clack-clack of the train wore at me. It was an ominous countdown that made it feel like we were already behind and rushing to catch up. Dusky was rushing the clock as well, but she had a head start, hopefully enough of one to make a difference.

I suppose it would have been a best-case scenario for us to arrive to find that Dusky had been able to successfully get Ivory to safety. I was just afraid we’d arrive too late.

I found myself sitting alone at some point, sitting in our private room. Merri and Icicle had wandered off, and Mint and Star had gone to get some food, but I wasn’t feeling particularly hungry. Instead, I sat alone, trying to read some of the magazines from the train instead of thinking over everything that had happened that had led me to this point in my life. I was mostly unsuccessful, but as much as I was worried, I still couldn’t say I’d have changed any of the choices I’d made.

After an hour, the door to the room slid open and Icicle stepped back inside, sitting across from me with a sigh as he looked out the window.

I tilted my head and set my magazine down to examine him. I already knew he was a good weather worker, but he’d never struck me as much of a fighter, but then again, who had? Dusky hadn’t either, when I’d first started trying to get to know her. “You, um… having second thoughts, Icicle?”

He glanced over at me and smiled, “Nah. I was just trying to sit with Merri. She said she and train travel don’t get along. I was going to keep her company, but she ended up locking herself in the restroom. Not much I can do from there.”

I thought back to our train ride to Myrtail. I hadn’t seen much of her, and had been preoccupied watching Dusky at the time, but Terra had said something about her feeling off. I more directly remember our flight out to Fillydelphia, wherein Merri had spent most of the trip curled up, trying not to look down from within the wagon.

“Huh. I hadn’t thought about it much, but I guess she never really liked traveling by train.” I chuckled, “You wouldn’t think it to look at her. She just kind of seems like she could handle anything. Starshadow too.”

Icicle laughed along, “I certainly wasn’t expecting it. I figured the same, but that’s a bit unreasonable.”

I nodded, but then stopped as curiosity gripped me. “So… how did… I mean, no offense, but how did you and Merri of all ponies actually start dating? She almost makes it sound like you didn’t have much choice in the matter.”

He continued to chuckle, shaking his head. “Nah, she definitely approached me first, but it wasn’t anything like that. To be honest, I started coming to the Lusty Seapony because I’d seen how it affected you. Merri was pretty welcoming, and we got to talking. I just kept going back to the bar, and talking, and I think we both just realized there was something more there.”

“That’s sweet, Icicle. Sweeter than I might have given Merri credit for.” I paused to consider his first words. “But… you came to the bar because of me? I mean, I’d have introduced you to everypony if you’d wanted, but you knew I was scheduled for vacation time.”

“Well, I’d covered your shift a few times, but I didn’t really see it until the meeting with you and Bree, over your promotion. I saw the change in you then. I know a lot of it was probably Dusky, but there was something else, there. I decided I wanted to see for myself.”

“If it led you to find your special somepony, I’m happy for you, then. That bar… well, it led me to Dusky I suppose. We worked hard to get onto the same path, but we wouldn’t have been able to find those first steps without our meeting there.”

He smiled back, thinking a moment as his gaze fell back out at the passing scenery. After a moment of silence, he glanced back. “Is this friend of yours really a Necromancer?”

“Err… Ivory? Well, yes and no. I mean, no sense hiding it from you, she… she can definitely raise the dead.” I cringed. “But… she’s not like, a storybook Necromancer. She’s not a monster, or a villain. She’s… just a pony.”

“That’s powerful magic, that’s for sure.”

I frowned, thinking. “I suppose? I don’t… I only met her once really. She’s Dusky’s friend, and… I admit, the necromancy magic is still a little uncomfortable to me. Nothing I can say will prepare you for the first time you see one of her… ‘guardians’. But inside, she just… seemed lonely. I guess it just felt a lot like how I felt before I started meeting new friends.”

Icicle chuckled, “And now she’ll get to meet a lot of new friends too, right?”

“I certainly hope so…” I looked out at the passing landscape as the sun moved towards dusk.

---

I was right to be concerned about our timing. Iron Shoe was practically an occupied town, and from the moment we got off the train from Ponyville, we were under scrutiny. Soldiers, or at least, ponies pretending to be soldiers, stood watch over everypony as we disembarked.

They were dressed in golden-painted armor, mocked up to look like Guard armor, but with an embossed green symbol on the breastplate. Recalling Dusky and Ivory’s story gave me all the information I needed on their affiliation. Moss. These were Cartel thugs trying to look legit, on their very real crusade.

My heart skipped a beat as they looked us over, and though I’m sure my nerves should have given us away, I wasn’t the only pony coming off the train who wilted at the scrutiny. The others fared better, even if Mint looked ready to snap at these ‘guards’. When one of them approached us, Merri quickly turned on the charm.

The young stallion stuttered as Merri came up front, getting a little intimate with his personal space. “Ah, um, h-hello, Ma’am. Please don’t mind the added security. We’re working with the Guard, to ensure your safety during the crisis.”

Merri blinked, looking back at us, feigning concern. “Oh? Maybe we shouldn’t stop here? I didn’t realize we weren’t safe here.” She turned back to the stallion, inching forward until she was just a step away from making out with him. “We have tickets for a train north to the Crystal Empire tomorrow. Should we be worried about spending the night here?”

He shook his head, flustered now, but still trying to exude whatever authority the Cartel had over this town. “Oh, uh, no, Ma’am. Just be informed, we’re enforcing a curfew so uh, d-don’t stay out… after dark.”

Merri giggled, “Oh, don’t you worry about what I’m doing after dark. C’mon everypony!” She smiled back at us and waved a hoof forward. Whatever they were looking for, it wasn’t a group of five ponies with plans on continuing on north to the Crystal Empire. No, I suspected what they were looking for was a single pegasus mare, charcoal in color, with a prominent teal scarf. The fact that they were looking so publicly was a bad sign, but the fact that they were still looking meant she’d hopefully eluded them and was already with Ivory.

The town was far too quiet, and the majority of ponies we saw on the street were rushing to get from one place to another. There was little background noise like I’d have expected. It’s not like the town was anywhere near as big as Canterlot, or even Fillydelphia, but I still expected some of that city traffic I’d seen elsewhere.

There was a sickness here, one which had originated in Pasture, but now managed to infect even ponies this far away. They were afraid, and that fear had festered over the years into a deep terror and hatred for the Necromancer, even if until yesterday they had only believed her to be a legend.

Mint insisted we avoid the main roads, keeping out of the way of those golden soldiers. A short trek away from the train station, we found a humble little inn with a few rooms large enough to accommodate us. We unloaded our luggage, then gathered together into one of the rooms to debrief.

Icicle spoke up first . “Okay, so those guys obvious weren’t with the guard. Who are they?”

Mint snorted, “Cartel for sure. Or some poor saps tricked into thinking they’re doing real heroes’ work, by the new head honcho, Moss the Paladin. Hrmph.”

Starshadow considered. “Well if this town is not the center of power for Moss, then we can be certain that Pasture is. The fact that he is confident enough to waste resources here, in full view of the local guard, speaks volumes.”

“Considering the guard is sending reinforcements to deal with ‘the Necromancer’ and not to deal with these wannabe crusaders means the ponies here are scared.” Mint shook her head. “It’s hard to say if the curfew was put in place by these Crusaders to keep ponies under control, or by the Guard simply to keep ponies safe.”

Icicle hummed quietly. “So the Guard has to tolerate these guys because they’re making the ponies here feel like they’re safe from the Necromancer. They just don’t know they’re handing over the keys to the city to the Cartel.”

“Correct.” Starshadow paced slightly. “This entire situation is more complicated than anticipated, I would wager.”

I nodded. “They’re trying to seem legit. Hunting the Necromancer is just a front to do whatever they want in Pasture, and the Mayor there is more than willing to help because he’s apparently got a personal vendetta against Ivory. Everypony who should be opposing the Cartel is just unknowingly doing everything they can to help them.”

Mint frowned. “Yeah, it’s a real garbage situation. We’ll have to be careful heading out of town in the morning.”

“Just how are we going to head out in the morning?” I glanced at our luggage, mostly filled with armor, all our supplies in our travel satchels. “They’ll be watching the roads to Pasture, I’m sure. Even if they’re mostly looking for Dusky, I’m sure any group traveling that road is gonna be suspicious.”

With a laugh, Merri grinned at the four of us. “Ha! Nothing we can’t handle. Between your sister, Starshadow and I, we’re an elite force! You and Ici can hold your own too.”

Icicle raised an eyebrow at her. “Still seems a little reckless to go in like that, Dear.”

“Heh, I know, I know.” Merri smirked, then shrugged. “I just figured we go by the woods along the main road to Pasture. We stick close and stay quiet, right?”

I nodded. “Right. We’re not heading straight to Pasture anyways. Our first stop is the estate just outside of town. Dusky said she’d leave a message there for us. We don’t want to start a commotion and lead anypony to what might even be her and Ivory’s hiding spot. The less ponies who know we’re even around, the better.”

Mint sighed, “Especially with the Guard siding with this militia until they can find the Necromancer.”

“And with luck, they won’t find her.” I wrinkled my nose, realizing what that would mean. “Which just gives these crusaders all the more time to do what they want. It’s win-win for them, isn’t it?”

“An intelligent play, overall. But that is in part why we are here.” Starshadow set a hoof upon my shoulder and smiled. “We will not let them hurt Dusky’s friend. Or ours.”

“Right!” Mint clapped her hooves together. “I’m going to go talk to the local guard, play the dumb tourist and see just what exactly has been going on around here. Everypony else… rest while you can. Once we head out of town tomorrow, we’ve got a long march ahead of us. Alright?”

We were all nodding, and with that our impromptu planning session ended. It wouldn’t be easy to rest that night, but part of me was eager to get out of Iron Shoe. The town was definitely sick, but I knew that the soldiers in the gold armor and the fear in the streets were symptoms of that much more dangerous disease that was still waiting in Pasture.

Comments

[Yami Vizzini]

Nice to see the guys bond a little, and get some more backstory. Things are quickly coming to a head, though just what that entails, we'll have to see....