Chapter 4: Flight and Fight
Chapter 4: Flight and Fight
Hope moans as she trots slowly down the hallway towards the room she has been using as the ‘classroom’ for Amore. She had been ill again, her morning thrown off by her losing what little breakfast she had been able to get down. She wasn’t sure what it was, having started only a few days ago… or perhaps a little under a week now? It was hard to keep track of, she wasn’t really attempting to keep track. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant thing.
Another wave of nausea causes Hope to stop and lean against the wall, screwing her eyes shut as she breaths slowly and deeply. Perhaps it was time to go to the healers? They might know what's wrong, and at her age being sick like this all the time could be a serious threat to her health, which she cannot allow. If she is out of commission, then Amore would have to step up and rule in her stead while she is sick, and the young mare isn’t ready yet.
So I’ll have to make her ready… Hope thinks to herself, resigning herself to the inevitable.
Pulling herself away from the wall and swaying slightly, Hope takes a few more breaths before stepping forward.
Her journey to the classroom continues to be a slow, nausea filled, trip and her hooves are made to move forward along the tilting of the hallway through sheer force of will. She’s already late, and, if she knows Amore, the young mare is worrying her horn off over her aged mentor. But then, she would be a poor Love if she didn’t worry so much about Hope; it was just in her nature to love everypony and care for them as if they were her family.
Staggering to the door and opening it with her magic, Hope enters the classroom to find Amore pacing back and forth in front of the large windows. She doesn’t seem to notice the door opening, but when it closes she stops and looks over at Hope with worry.
“Nana!” She almost shouts as she rushes over. “Where were you? You’re never late for our lessons!” She stops as Hope opens her mouth, then closes it as she turns a few shades of green. “Are you alright?”
Nodding, Hope swallows heavily. “I am fine, Amore,” Hope replies shakily, doing her best to speak clearly despite how badly she wants to keep her mouth shut. “I just got a late… late start…” She trails off as her face turns green again as she crosses her eyes.
“Hope?” Amore asks hesitantly, putting a hoof on her mentor’s shoulder. The instant the touch is felt, the elder pony sprints to a nearby waste basket, and loses what little breakfast she had not yet lost. Sitting down next to the now soiled waste basket, Hope shivers a little as she has always hated being physically ill like this. The shivering stops as a hoof lightly brushes once more on her shoulder, and she looks up to find Amore sitting beside her with a look of profound concern.
“Nana, you are not well,” Amore says softly. “Have you spoken to the healers yet about this?”
Shaking her head, Hope take a few deep breaths before looking at Amore from the corner of one eye, “Dear, could you have a servant send some tea here? Ginger would be best.”
Without another word Amore goes to the door and exits to go find a servant. While she waits, Hope does her best to continue to breathe steadily, focusing on something, anything, to keep the room for continuing its wild, tilting spin. Perhaps she really shouldn’t have left her room today, perhaps she should have stayed in bed…
No, no that isn’t an option for her, and Hope knows it. As a ruler, and more importantly as a mentor for the next ruler, she does not have the luxury of simply staying in bed when she feels ill. She has to fight through it and get what needs to be completed done. And in this case, it’s the lesson for the day, she can have Amore hold court in her stead, but this lesson needs to be taught.
Besides, focusing on the lesson would help keep her mind of the only other thing that this illness could be. And, frankly, being sick at her age was far less scary than the other possibility.
Rising to her hooves again, Hope goes slowly to a couch in the room and lays down, putting a hoof over her face as she moans softly. The nausea has, for the most part, passed now that she is laying down again, but the room continues to spin slowly and she can almost swear it has tilted by a few degrees too.
“Nana?” Amore calls out softly as she comes back into the room. “I found a servant and they are going to get you that tea.” Hope uncovers one eye and watches Amore come closer, sitting down next to the couch, a concerned smile on her face.
“Thank you,” Hope replies weakly. “You are a good grandfoal, even if we are not related by blood.”
“I try my best, Nana,” Amore chuckles, blushing slightly. “Now, can you explain to me why you’re pushing yourself so hard? You’re ill, you should be in bed!”
“Because, my dear Amore,” Hope says softly as she looks to the young unicorn. “Sometimes, as a ruler, you have to do things that you do not wish to do. No matter how much you wish to sit by the wayside and just forget your duties, you must act.” She sighs, looking away from Amore as her eyes grow distant, ears flopping back against her head. “Sometimes, those choices are painful, possibly even heart wrenchingly so.”
“Sometimes, you must sacrifice the most precious things, even ponies, in your life to protect those who have not yet been born….”
------
The sound of hoofsteps are the only sounds within the normally brightly lit and busy hallways of Compassion’s residence in the city of Coltenhagen. To Hope’s eyes and ears the entire building may as well be deserted save for her and her companion, yet she knows it to be untrue as Compassion’s acolytes were still within the building, hiding from their normally welcoming and friendly mistress.
“You were right to come to me, dear,” Hope speaks softly shaking her head slightly as they walk. “I cannot imagine what has come over her, but I am sure I can speak some sense into Compassion.”
“That is all any of us can hope for, my love,” Star Swirl replies in an equally soft tone, as if the very air will not allow him to speak higher. “She has been so distant from all of us, even her most trusted students like myself.” He stops and shakes his head, and looks to Hope who stops a few steps later. “You remember that young filly I told you about? Clover?” Hope nods. “Clever filly, that one. Well, she dropped a book in the library and Compassion yelled her into a corner! If not for Friend, she likely would have gone further!”
“It is worse than I had assumed,” Hope whispers slowly under her breath. She looks to Star Swirl and nods, a frown on her face. “We had best hurry. I’ve never known Compassion to be as cold as you’ve told me.” Nodding Star Swirl once more starts forward and leads Hope through the dimly lit passageways.
Before long, they are before the doors to Compassion’s rooms. Friend, a large lupine construct made out of sandstone, is pacing in front of the door, ears against its head and tail between its legs. He stops only as Hope approaches, Star Swirl staying a little ways back and watching with concern.
“Hope, thank the Cosmos you have come,” Friend’s echoing magical voice cuts through the silence as he looks to Hope. “I have been so worried for Compassion. She is not herself, and all my attempts to approach her have been met with… mixed results.”
“She threw you out of the room by your tail,” Star Swirl speaks up from where he is. “That isn’t exactly mixed results.”
“Star Swirl, please do not remind me…” Friend whines, lowering to the ground in shame. “It is my duty to be there for her, and she will not let me! I… I have failed her.” He lowers himself to the ground and covers his face with his large stone paws. “What have I done wrong? Why won’t she let me help her?”
Resting a hoof on Friend’s head, Hope smiles softly. “Don’t worry, Friend, I will get through to her.” Friend looks up at her, and Compassion lowers her hoof back to the stone floor. “Now, I am going to inside. Make sure we are not bothered, alright?” She looks between Star Swirl and Friend. Star Swirl nods, and Friend wags his tail slightly. “Good. Wish me luck?”
“Good luck, love,” Star Swirl chuckles as he sits down across from the door.
“Good luck, Virtue of Hope,” Friend barks, sitting beside the door to Compassion’s chambers like a stone sentinel.
Putting on her most friendly smile, Hope opens the door and goes inside.
The instant she sets a hoof inside the door, her smile falters. The room, the very air itself, feels wrong. Yet, it looks no different than any other time she has been there, everything is in its proper place and even large stacks of books that Compassion has been reading -- not to mention the overflow from her already packed bookcases -- are neatly organized and right where Hope had last seen them a few months ago when she had visited.
“Compassion?” Hope calls, looking around slowly for her friend. “It’s me, Hope! I… I heard you’re having some problems, I wanted to come check in on you. Perhaps we can talk about them over tea?” Continuing forward Hope spots an open glass doorway leading out to a balcony.
Upon it is Compassion who is staring out over her city, wings tightly folded to her sides, ears back against her head and tail swishing. She looks… angry; more angry than Hope had ever seen her in all their years as friends.
“Compassion? What’s wrong?” Hope calls over, concern filling her voice.
“Can you not see it?” Compassion spits harshly as she turns to Hope, causing Hope’s brow to furrow. “Everypony,” Compassion continues, waving a hoof towards the window, the sweeping gesture taking the entire city into account, “is only acting kindly to each other so they can call upon those who owe them when they are in trouble…” She trails off, eyes narrowing. “Saving up favors like a dragon hoards gold!”
“Maybe they simply need to be shown the right way, Compassion?” Hope offers, a small smile gracing her features as she does her best to break through to her friend, a small cold sweat forming on the back of her neck. Something is wrong, something is terribly wrong. The feeling only grows as a sneer twists her friend’s face, a sickly orange glow surrounding her. The color is wrong, it feels wrong! Where is the indigo colored magic Compassion should be wielding? “Compassion?!” Hope’s panicked shout is nearly drowned out by the magic swirling around her friend. “Compassion!”
“There is no Compassion.” A twisted, hate-filled voice comes from within the magic. Terror grips Hope’s heart as she watches her friend be consumed. “I am Envy.”
Without thinking, Hope rushes forward and tackles the creature that had been her friend to the ground, almost in slow motion the two tumble downward. Envy’s head hits the stone floor with an echoing crack, disorienting her for a moment. Taking the initiative, Hope gets up quickly and sprints to a bookshelf, quickly searching for one special book amongst the collection. Finding it, she takes it in her magic, turns and quickly teleports outside the door as she hears Envy yell loudly.
“HOPE!” The hate-filled scream fills the air, shaking the very stones beneath Hope’s hooves. “YOU WILL KNOW PAIN WHEN I FIND YOU!”
“What in the Cosmos?!” Star Swirl shouts as he gets to his hooves and rushes over to Hope who has started forward, a look of panic in her eyes. “What is…”
“Get your fellow Acolytes,” Hope cuts Star Swirl off. “As many as you can, and flee. Compassion has… has… she isn’t herself. I fear she has fallen.” She looks to Friend who has likewise started down the hall with Hope. “Friend, rally the guard. Your mistress… she is no more. You need to protect the people of the city… start an evacuation.”
Nodding, Friend looks to Hope. “I shall hold her for as long as I can… Hope.” He stops, looking at the ground for a moment, his ears against his head. “Hope… We will likely not meet again… if my Mistress has fallen, then…” He looks up, if stone could smile, then Friend would be right now. “It was an honor, to call you my friend.”
“The feeling is mutual, dear Friend,” Hope replies.
Friend turns, and starts down a passageway, his echoing voice suddenly filling the entire castle. “Rally to me, soldiers of Compassion! To arms, and make haste to defend the city!”
Pausing for a few seconds to watch Friend go, Hope sighs. “I cannot stay, Star Swirl, as much as I want to.” She looks to the other pony, the love of her long life. “Will you be alright on your own? Rallying your fellow Acolytes?”
“She will be hunting you, not me.” Star Swirl chuckles darkly. “I should be asking if you will be alright.” Hope starts forward, only to be stopped as Star Swirl puts a hoof on her shoulder. “But, just in case.” He pulls her over and kisses her. The kiss lasts a few moments, dreadfully short in Hope’s opinion, but at the same time it feels like it lasts forever. When they part, Star Swirl is smiling, a determined and hopeful look in his eyes. “Now, go. I promise I’ll see you again.”
“I... “ Hope starts, wings attempting to spring out. “Stay safe, dear heart.” Without further words the two sprint down opposite hallways. Hope doesn’t stop running until she is clear of the city, already warning bells tolling in the distance as a defense is mounted against their former ruler.
----
Hope sighs heavily as she pulls the blanket draped over herself tighter. The fire she huddles near holds little comfort for her, even if it warms her travel weary bones. Although it has been a few months since Compassion’s… death, Hope cannot get the oath she had screamed at her out of her head.
Nor can she believe the lengths her former friend has gone to to carry that oath out.
Roan had fallen, and Hope is surrounded by the disheartened and weary citizens of not only her former capital city but also the surrounding towns and villages. They had been streaming in for days now, led to Hope by guards and soldiers loyal to Hope, and a few even loyal to other Virtues. All of them told the same story; Envy had swept through their area and burned everything to the ground, killing anypony who had gotten in her way.
Killing everypony who got in her way, and corrupting all who submitted to her. Hope’s stomach churns at the thought; her friend had become a monster so far removed from the compassionate and warm friend she had known. Sighing and shaking her head to push those thoughts away, Hope looks to the ponies sitting across from her.
“Commander,” Hope says softly, her voice made soft by the long months on the road. “I thank you for your report; you and the former guards of Roan have done more than I could ever ask of any pony.” She sighs once more and clutches her blanket closer again. “I wish I could give you rest, give you a break from the constant warfare, but I must ask yet more of you.”
“Anything, Lady Hope,” a stallion in worn and beaten armor states in a confident tone. “We live to serve you and our fellow Ponies.”
“I know,” Hope agrees wearily. “Yet I still regret sending you all into danger.” She looks into the fire for a few moments before continuing. “Envy is not stopping, if anything she is speeding up the rate she destroys towns. We need to evacuate as many towns and villages as we can now and send them to the farthest possible place still under my command.” She looks up at the ponies across from her, all of them snapping to attention. “To that effect, gather as many soldiers, and even militia if any will go with you, and start moving everypony towards Mirrormere.”
“Mirrormere?” A mare wearing sergeant stripes speaks up. “That’s near the Crystal Mountains, isn’t it?”
Nodding, Hope stands and moves over to a map on a nearby collapsable table. “It is. It is the farthest possible township in my lands, and thus it will take Envy a while to get to it if she holds to her current pattern.” She sighs and looks to the others who have come over with her. “This, however, also hinges on all of you… being able to hold her back and give us time to evacuate, reach the town, and prepare. You must convince her that we are standing and fighting, slowly being pushed back, but unwilling to give a single league without a fight.”
“That won’t be hard, m’lady,” the stallion replies with a grim smile. “We’ve already been fighting tooth and hoof for every pace of ground given. Nothing has changed on that account.” He taps the map with a hoof. “I am also sure we can find plenty of willing militia, nopony wishes to see their homes burned, but if they must leave them then many will wish to stay behind and give their families a chance to flee to safety.”
“That is all I can ask of you,” Hope whispers, shivering slightly at the cold finality in her own voice. “If all goes well, you will return to us soon, safe in Mirrormere.” She then goes back to the fire and sheds her blanket as she reaches out with her magic to her saddlebags and levitates it to her back.
“Of course, ma’am.” The stallion replies, offering a salute. He then looks at Hope and frowns. “Are you going somewhere?”
“Yes, Commander,” Hope replies as she turns and starts towards the mouth of the large cave her little area is in. “Mirrormere is only an hour’s walk away… and I wish to be the first to arrive so I can let the village leaders know that they’re going to get very busy very soon.” She sighs and looks to her saddle bags. “Besides, I need to clear my mind… I’ve had a lot of bad news as of late.”
“Stay safe, Hope,” the stallion says softly, dropping her title.
“I will, Firedancer,” Hope replies softly, a small smile tugging at the edge of her mouth.
Without further commentary Hope travels from the cave, passing by refugees huddled around their campfires. Many are young, far younger than her, or even in their golden years. Many have foals with them. All of them are travel weary, their eyes speaking of horrors and sights that would break any pony. Yet, as she passes she can see their eyes going to her, conversations stopping sometimes in mid-word as eyes suddenly fill with hope simply with her presence among them.
She does her best to hold herself in a confident manner, head held high and a warm smile on her face. She does not feel it, though. The smile is false, her neck aches and her back screams at her to lay back down and not go on this long walk to the nearby town. She doesn’t want to be a leader right now, by all rights she should just lay down, curl up, and let the age of the Virtues come crashing down around her! Why should she shoulder the burden?
“Because of them,” Hope’s heart and mind seem to answer her, dragging her hooves forward and locking her smile onto her face. “They need you, and you’re unable to let them down. You cannot look them in the eyes and tell them you are giving up.”
Continuing on, Hope sighs as she exits the camp and starts down the old game trail her scouts and found. As soon as she is out of sight of the others, her hoof-falls silent against the well packed dirt, she allows her head to hang low and her posture to slump. Alone, far from the eyes of the other ponies she cannot help but feel like this is a hopeless fight, that she is leading all her faithful ponies to their deaths.
Shaking her head and growling under her breath, Hope chides herself silently. She can’t think like that, nor allow such thoughts to overwhelm her. She needs to hold on, hold onto… well, hope. If she gives into despair, she’d be no better than Envy as all the ponies back there are counting on her. Besides, she has to hold out so she can see Star Swirl again… hold him in her arms again…
As she thinks of her love, she feels herself slowing. It had been months now, the fighting had intensified and thousands were dead… could Star Swirl be among them? Would she never see him again? Would she be alone now…
No! No, she will see him again!
Even with the statement of assurance for herself, the weight between her wings does not lessen, her legs slowing more. Soon, the pain, the sorrow, becomes too much and she falls to her knees. Vaguely, she realizes she is on the outskirts of the village of Mirrormere, the walk having gone faster than she had thought while she had been lost in her own thoughts. Tears in her eyes, she feels the weight of it all crushing her, squeezing the life from her lungs…
“Are you alright?” a young voice comes from nearby, and suddenly… the weight isn’t so crushing anymore.
------
Hope trails off as she reaches a specific part in her narrative, memories of a certain young filly filling her mind and causing her voice to die in her throat. She looks down at the teacup perched between her hooves, eyes closing slowly as her ears go back against her head.
“Are you alright?” Amore’s voice echoes the young filly in Hope’s story causing the old virtue to snap her eyes open and look up at Amore. “Are you feeling ill again?”
“No, no thank you, Amore,” Hope replies softly, hiding her unease behind a sip from her tea. “The ginger tea is doing the trick, I no longer feel ill at all.” She smiles to Amore, than to the servant who had brought the tea and had ended up staying and listening to the story. “Thank you as well, Primfeather, for fetching the tea.”
“It was nothing, m’lady,” Primfeather, a grey and white dappled pony in a maid’s outfit replies. “Just doing my duty.”
“As are we all,” Hope agrees. “But, suffice to say, the lesson to day my dear Amore; Sometimes, as leaders, we must do what we believe is right, even if we ourselves have lost faith, even if it goes against everything we would wish for.”
Nodding, Amore takes a sip of her tea before replying. “I understand, Nana.” She then pauses and looks at her teacher. “Now, however, since your story is over and you are feeling better, can we please take you to the healers?”
“No, I think I know what is wrong with me. There is no need to bother them,” Hope sighs, lowering her teacup. “Amore, I think…”
Hope is cut off as the door to the room opens quickly, Star Swirl bursting into the room with a healer in his magical grip. He rushes over and puts his unfortunate, and confused, victim down.
“I came as soon as I sensed something was wrong,” Star Swirl says without preamble.
“It’s good to see you too, dear,” Hope sighs, rolling her eyes before looking to the healer. “You didn’t need to drag him all the way down here, there is nothing wrong. It’s just a little morning sickness.”
“Yes, yes. But I sensed you were unwell, and when I arrived and ran into a servant down in the kitchens saying you had barely touched your meals, and were feeling ill! I had to find a healer!” Star Swirl speaks, completely missing the looks all the mares in the room are giving Hope. “Illness at your age, and even my age, can be quite serious! We need to nip this in the bud and make sure you are healthy and well so that you can continue your duties! And more importantly, continue to guide young Amore here into the smart and wonderful mare she is destined to be!”
“Dear, relax, I am not sick,” Hope states, her ears going back against her head as a blush rises on her cheeks. Amore and Prim are looking between each other, a silent squee on their faces. “I am… that is to say we are…” She stammers like a foal caught stealing cookies before clearing her throat and powering through it. “Star Swirl, I am with foal, and you are the father.”
“That is all well and good, my love,” Star Swirl continues, the words going in one ear, and not quite registering. “But like I said sickness is no joke! But, do not worry, I will be here for you every step of the way! Celestia and Luna will understand, in fact I think they would prefer it!’
“Star Swirl!” Hope all but shouts, causing the elderly unicorn to stop.
“Yes?” he asks, furrowing his brow.
“Dear, did you hear what I said?” Hope asks, a smile sheepish smile on her face.
Stroking his beard, Star Swirl narrows his eyes and thinks back. His eyes suddenly widen, and he looks to Hope. “No… You’re beyond your prime, surely it’s impossible!” He then clears his throat. “No offense, my love.”
“Anything is possible… I guess the Cosmos had plans for us…” Hope chuckles.
“So… we’re… actually going to be… parents?” Star Swirl says slowly, his eyes growing wide, a shocked expression on his face. “I am going to be a father?” Hope nods, smiling brightly. Star Swirl sits down, eyes wide. Then, slowly, he starts to smile his ears sticking straight up as he bounces to his hooves and grabs the healer, who is unfortunately closest to him, around the neck and swings him around. “I AM GOING TO BE A FATHER!” He puts the healer down, who stumbles around a little before sitting down and shaking his head. Star Swirl then heads over to Hope and goes to scoop her up to do the same, only to stop and instead offer a hoof to her.
“Would the lovely mother to be honor this old stallion with a dance?” Star Swirl asks politely.
“She shall,” Hope replies, putting her teacup down. As she rises to dance with her beloved, she looks to Amore. Specifically, she looks to Amore’s bare head. “Amore, you should stop leaving your crown in your room. After all,” Hope chuckles as she wraps her hooves around Star Swirl, “you’re going to be a queen before you’re a godmother.”
Stats
Page generated in 0.019 seconds
Total duration
755 users online
538,595 hits today, 1,822,946 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
...Why doesn't this story have a King Sombra tag?
6712969
Because he isn't in the story. This takes place twenty to fifteen years before Sombra rose to power. In fact, he likely isn't alive as of this latest chapter, as Radiant Hope has not been born as well.
That said, if he was in this story I'd of course have him tagged, because Sombra is my favorite villain of the series, and Witching Hour and I have quite a few theories about him that I'd love to put into writing. I may even write for him in the near future! Who knows!
I'm curious, what makes Sombra your favorite?
Also, a tiny pair of edits:
of -> off
Pretty sure it should read "are still" instead of "were still."
6723501
Honestly, I don't normally write in present tense. I... started and got stuck with these stories, so.
6723605
There are a few reasons, but I think the one that really makes me like him is he isn't all that well developed. Now, that could be a very big drawback, and is actually the reason a lot of people hate him! For me, though, as a writer, I take that as a challenge, an unfinished story just begging to be filled in. Sure, nothing I ever do for him will ever be recongized by more than the few people who read my stories, and even then likely as nothing more than a cool little thing I came up with.
And that's really why I like him, because in many ways I can make him my own, as can everyone else who decides to write for him.
I KNEW IT BEFORE I EVEN FINISHED THE SECOND SENTENCE!!!
But...
*grumbles*
The biology nerd in me is not taking this very well...
But the shipper in me is literally on Cloud 9 and above...
*sighs deeply*
Dammit, Sylvian.
