• Published 2nd Nov 2015
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Lateral Movement - Alzrius



Having been granted rulership over the city of Vanhoover, and confessed their feelings for each other, Lex Legis and Sonata Dusk have started a new life together. But the challenges of rulership, and a relationship, are more than they bargained for.

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409 - Familiar Faces

Feathercap shivered, hugging his binoculars to his chest as he glanced at the buildings lining the street, trying to walk as silently as he could on the cobblestone road that was one of Vanhoover’s main thoroughfares. It was no use, however; no matter how quietly he stepped, the sound of his hooves hitting the ground seemed to echo loudly between the buildings, to say nothing of the hoofsteps of his friends. “If there are any ghouls around, there’s no way they’re not going to notice us,” he murmured uneasily.

“If there are any ghouls around,” echoed Fruit Crunch with a smirk, “they’ll think twice about attacking us if they know what’s good for them.”

“Those things weren’t afraid to charge Severance, even when it kept cutting them down,” noted Fiddlesticks sourly. “If they didn’t think twice about that, there’s no way they will about attacking us.”

Perhaps not, admitted Altaer from his perch on one of Straightlace’s outstretched wings. But that’s no reason for any of us to succumb to fear ourselves. If danger finds us, then we’ll simply need to overcome whatever threats we face.

You’re being callous, chided Nemel gently. Fiddlesticks is simply worried about what will become of her sibling if something should happen to her.

The explanation made Cleansweep come down from where she’d been flying a few feet off the ground, landing next to Fiddlesticks and giving the other filly a reassuring smile. “You don’t have to worry. You saw how my mom was smiling when she offered to take Tiddlywinks back to River’s mansion and give him a bath, right? She loves that little guy. If something happens to us, I promise you she’ll take good care of him.”

“It’d be more reassuring to say that nothing’s going to happen to us, so there’s no need to worry,” pointed out Straightlace, before turning to Feathercap. “You can borrow Ulespy’s vision, right? Why not send him up to scout the surrounding area from above?”

That would be a poor tactical decision, responded the owl on Feathercap’s back. Right now, it’s only possible for him to see through my eyes for a few minutes each day. It would be far wiser to hold that power in reserve in case something does go wrong and you need to chart a clear path through the city.

“I don’t mind checking things out,” offered Cleansweep with a shrug. “It can’t hurt to just fly up and take a quick look around.”

Are you sure that’s a good idea? interjected Venin, coiled around Cleansweep’s middle. You’re the only healer here. Going off on your own means that if something happens to you, there’ll be no one to alleviate your friends’ wounds if a fight breaks out.

“It’s just up in the air and circling for a few blocks,” protested Cleansweep. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Feathercap and Straightlace groaned in unison. “You did not just say that!” moaned the latter colt.

Huffing, Cleansweep turned toward Fruit Crunch. “Crunchy, back me up here!”

But Fruit Crunch only gave her an apologetic grin. “Sorry, Dust Bunny. Everypony knows that saying ‘what’s the worst that could happen’ before going off on your own is a surefire way to make sure the worst really does happen.” His grin faded a little as he took on a more serious look. “Besides, none of us should split up, no matter how short the distance.”

“You didn’t seem to mind when Straightlace said Ulespy could scout for us,” pouted Cleansweep.

But Fruit Crunch was saved from answering as Lyden jumped in, the wolf’s head still swiveling back and forth as it glanced at every alleyway they passed, nose twitching and ears at the ready. That’s because he, like myself, would not truly be at risk from such an endeavor. So long as each of you survives, we cannot truly die, but the reverse is not true.

“That doesn’t mean that you guys should put yourselves in danger either!” Feathercap reached a hoof back to gently stroke Ulespy’s feathers. “We were all really sad when we thought we lost you guys.”

“And,” added Fiddlesticks, “we can’t use our powers if you’re, you know, gone. So you shouldn’t do anything too risky…unlike certain ponies.”

That last remark was quite clearly directed at Fruit Crunch, who rolled his eyes. “Will you relax already? We’re making sure to stay in the middle of the widest streets, in the sunlight, and sticking together as a group. So long as we keep this up, we should be fine.”

“Yeah, you might as well ask what’s the worst that could happen,” grumbled Cleansweep sarcastically.

“The worst that could happen is Lex finding out about this.” Just the thought made Feathercap shiver badly enough that Ulespy had to flap his wings a little to keep his balance.

“Oh come on you guys!” Stopping, Fruit Crunch turned to regard his friends with an exasperated look. “Listen, Lex agreed to take us on as his apprentices! That means that he wants us to use our powers to help everypony here! You heard what River said-”

“You mean before Lex started screaming at her for running off into danger?” snorted Fiddlesticks.

Fruit Crunch glowered at her for a moment before continuing. “River said that she’d already sent some of her servants to that boat in the harbor to load all of her stuff onto it. But after she and her son were attacked, they immediately went back to the camp. That means those other ponies she sent down to the harbor are probably still there, all alone and having no idea what’s happened. If the city isn’t safe, then it’s our job to go and make sure they make it back okay.”

“But Lex-”

Not letting Feathercap finish, Fruit Crunch kept going. “Lex wasn’t angry at River for going into the city like we are now. He was angry at her for going inside one of the buildings, since that’s where those ghouls hide during the day. That’s why we’re not going to do that. We’re going to head straight down to the boat, escort everypony back safely, and then, when we start training under Lex tomorrow, we can let him know that we’re already doing our part to protect this place!”

“You have to admit, he has a point,” shrugged Straightlace.

Fiddlesticks gave Lyden an unhappy look. “You really think this is what Lex wants us to do?”

It is not my place to speak in the High Alpha’s voice, answered the wolf.

“C’mon, Fiddleface,” pressed Fruit Crunch. But although he’d directed the statement towards Fiddlesticks, he looked around at the others as he spoke. “Lex wouldn’t leave somepony behind if he thought they might be in danger, and neither do the Night Mare’s Knights! What if some of the ponies on that boat get worried about River and go looking for her? They might stumble into the same trouble she did, and it’d be our fault for not being there to rescue them! Is that the kind of superhero that you guys want to be?”

“No way!” Straightlace’s agreement was quick and wholehearted.

“No…” admitted Feathercap with a sigh.

“It’s not like I can just turn around and leave you guys here,” shrugged Cleansweep, the corners of her mouth turning up.

“I guess since we’ve already come this far,” muttered Fiddlesticks grudgingly.

Indeed, added Altaer. Once a course of action has been decided upon, you should remain resolute and see it through.

While still being able to change strategies in response to new information, chimed in Ulespy.

Never forget that it’s your unity that makes you strong, not the powers you’ve gained from us. Although her expression remained the same, the tone in Nemel’s telepathic voice was kind. Division amongst yourselves weakens you.

So let’s hurry! cheered Venin. Right now, there are people counting on you!

Giving an eager nod, Fruit Crunch turned and resumed heading down the center of the street, his friends falling in behind him as Lyden took his place at the colt’s side. You did very well, came the wolf’s voice in his head.

Grinning, Fruit Crunch tried to play it cool. “Aw, I didn’t do anything. I just reminded everyone why we became the Night Mare’s Knights to begin with.”

Even so, you should be pleased with yourself, insisted Lyden. Your pack was unsure of their course, second-guessing themselves, and you soothed their fears by reminding them of their better nature, like a true leader would. It might not be my place to speak for the High Alpha, but I would be surprised if he wasn’t proud of you for that.

“I really hope so,” smiled Fruit Crunch as he led his friends deeper into the city.


“You’re telling me that Lex Legis sent a bunch of children, along with their petting zoo, through Vanhoover – which is apparently still incredibly dangerous – all by themselves just to tell us that our departure has been postponed?”

Fruit Crunch resisted the urge to scream at the pegasus stallion standing across the deck from him. It was an urge he would have succumbed to if not for Lyden’s praise earlier. I’m the leader of the Night Mare’s Knights, he reminded himself. I’m not going to start yelling and screaming like some little kid. “No,” he forced himself to speak slowly. “That’s in fact not what I’m telling you.”

Everything had been going so well up to this point. They’d made it through the city and found the boat without a single thing going wrong. There had been two stallions on deck – a pegasus named Ocean Spray and an earth pony named Scrubby – who, although surprised at the sight of them, had nevertheless invited them on board. But things had turned sour as soon as Lex’s name had come up. Neither stallion, as it turned out, was a fan of his.

“How can there be more ghouls in the city?” whimpered Scrubby, looking at the row of warehouses along the wharf nervously. “I thought Lex killed them all. Did he just decide ‘close enough’ or something?”

Straightlace frowned. “Now hold on. According to what we heard Piggy say, that ghoul that attacked him only just turned into one of those things.”

Far from being mollified, however, Scrubby only looked more nervous. “Which means that there might be more ponies holed up all over the city, about to turn into those things!” He shot Ocean Spray a look of vindicated terror. “I told you we shouldn’t have come back here! We should have thrown in the towel after we delivered those sick ponies to Tall Tale’s hospital!”

“We had to return this yacht, Scrubby.” The voice belonged to a new pony, a redheaded unicorn mare with glasses coming up from below deck. “It doesn’t belong to us and we’re not thieves.” With her mild rebuke delivered, the mare turned her attention to the children, eyes glancing over them and their animals analytically before adjusting her glasses. “I’m Compass Rose, the acting captain of this vessel. And you all are?”

“We’re the Night Mare’s Knights!” answered Fruit Crunch proudly. “And we’re here to escort you guys to the camp!”

“River Bank, the lady we were waiting on, ran into a ghoul,” explained Ocean Spray, giving Compass Rose a bitter look. “She’s okay, but Lex apparently decided that rather than coming down here and getting us himself, it’d be better if he sent a bunch of kids to do it for him. Because that worked out so well when he sent the Captain and Sandbar and those other ponies into the city to do his dirty work.”

Fruit Crunch could feel his temper fraying, but didn’t have a chance to say anything as Lyden bared his teeth and began growling. It was with no small satisfaction that Fruit Crunch watched as Ocean Spray stumbled backward in alarm. Nor was he the only one. “Whoa! Geez kid, put a leash on your wolf!” yelped Scrubby.

“How about you muzzle your friend here instead?” shot back Fruit Crunch with no small amount of satisfaction.

Compass Rose frowned deeply, adjusting her glasses again, but before she could do anything else another voice floated up from the stairs leading below deck. “Is everything alright up there? I just got those two butlers from before calmed down, and the other servants are with them now, but you all are getting a bit loud-”

The pegasus mare that had been speaking stopped as she ascended the stairs, eyebrows rising as she beheld the collection of children and animals on the deck of the ship. Middle-aged, her mane and tail were a deeper red than Compass Rose’s, contrasting with the deep brown of her coat. Taking in the scene slowly, she eventually looked over at the other redhead. “What’s going on here?”

“These foals are saying that River Bank’s been hurt, and they’re here to escort us to Lex’s refugee camp safely,” replied Compass Rose evenly.

“I see.” Taking a moment to digest that, the older mare put on a smile that was quite clearly practiced as she walked toward Fruit Crunch, stopping when she was right in front of him. “You’re the one in charge here, right?”

“Darn right!” Happy to be talking to someone who finally got it, he felt his chest puff up a little. “I’m Fruit Crunch, Lex’s apprentice and leader of the Night Mare’s Knights!” He was quite pleased that the mare’s smile didn’t turn patronizing at that, instead remaining polite.

“Nice to meet you, Fruit Crunch. My name’s Ribbon Cutter, the interim deputy mayor of Tall Tale.”

Author's Note:

The Night Mare's Knights head into the city to secure the ponies on River's yacht, and in doing so meet up with several ponies we haven't seen in a while, including Ribbon Cutter!

What does her presence here herald?

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