Distant Ties

by Golden Paw

Chapter Two

Star smiled sheepishly as Stoic waved his hooves in a gregarious manner that threatened to topple Star from his stool. Star had been quickly treated to heavy pats on the back and almost crushing embraces from the assembled ponies inside the inn as soon as he entered.

It was shocking just how many ponies there were in squeezed into such a small space. At first glance Star counted at least five others, and though none of them matched Stoic for his size, they were all heavy set stallions who bellowed their enthusiasm at the top of their lungs.

Star was forcibly introduced to one beaming square jawed face after another and had a warm tankard of what smelt strongly of nettles thrust into his hooves. The music and voices that surrounded him were akin to a physical force, driving their hearty welcomes into his ears like a hammer blows.

Stuck between these large ponies and with a roaring fire in the centre of the room Star felt the sweat begin to run down his face. He caught brief glimpses of even more ponies crammed into the edges of the claustrophobic space and all the while the same grating music played like knife on a harpstring.

“So I told the yak: If this pick is mine what is it doing in your tool box?” Stoic’s rambling story had obviously reached the punchline and all around Star the other ponies roared with laughter.

Not wanting to seem rude, Star joined in with a grimace as another heavy hoof struck his back, causing him to spill some of his drink. He’d long given up trying to follow the flow of conversation, the Misty Hights ponies all around would slip in and out of common equestrian so often that Star only caught snatches of meaning.

The laughter finally subsided and a pony off to Stoic’s right raised his tankard in a salute, “To our new ‘druke’!” The others all joined in and Star was hammered by another round of back slapping.

Stoic only now seemed to recall that Star was even there and as the cheers died back he smiled widely at him, “Ah good times my druke. I wish you could have been there!” Star feared that another round of backslapping would ensue, but mercifully it seemed the time for that had passed as Stoic took on a more pensive expression, “Now druke, you were telling us about your trip?”

There were several disappointed groans from the crowd but Stoic held up a hoof, “No, we’ve done all the talking so far and it’s his turn to... ”

Stoic’s speech was cut off by a knocking at the door which seemed to slice through the festivities like a shark scattering a shoal of fish. A sudden chill swept through the cabin, sending a shiver up Star’s spine despite the roaring fire.

Every eye turned to the door as the knocking resumed. The simple rhythm of three distinct strikes on the wood somehow managed to carry a threat and menace in equal measure. All the ponies gathered turned to Stoic whose face had gone pale, “It seems our time is up druke.”

With a suddenly somber air Stoic arose from his chair and used his shoulders to make a path to the door, an eerie quiet following in his wake. Even the music had paused and the glaring silence plucked at Star’s nerves.

Stoic paused before the door and seemed to deflate a little before, with a snort, he pulled it open. Star peered round the shoulder of the stallion next to him and saw the unmistakable outline of a bat pony framed in the doorway. The billowing snow swirled around the new comer like small moons orbiting a dark planet.

“Good day Stoic, I see you’ve been making my charge comfortable?” The bat pony’s voice was like silk drawn over a knife blade and Star felt a nameless fear creeping over him. The other ponies all seemed to be similarly affected and Star had to suppress the urge to tremble.

The whole cabin was silent for a moment, with only the howling wind breaking the stillness. Eventually Stoic squared his shoulders, “Good day yourself ‘Cloudy’ and what if we have?”

Star caught the impression of a raised eyebrow from the newcomer, “Then I would thank you for your hospitality, but now the colt is to come with me.”

The wind appeared to howl just a little more fiercely as Cloudy smiled in a leisurely fashion, slowly revealing his perfectly white sharp teeth. Star felt his brain trying to get his attention but could only sit there stupefied as the snow continued to dance into the cabin and the ponies all around him shivered.

“That’s enough posturing both of you!” The reprimanding cry of a mare came from somewhere behind Star and the sinister mood that had settled on them all evaporated, “You’re letting all the warmth out, so either let Cloudy in or send him on his way Stoic.”

Star was amazed to see that both Stoic and Cloudy suddenly looked very sheepish, the menace vanishing from both of them in an instant. Stoic gave a tiny cough, “Um yes ‘Hazle Root’, sorry dear we were just trying to set the scene you know, give Star a little bit of a show…... “

“You can both do that on your own time, I’ve got a house to run and I don’t need your theatrics making it all the more difficult,” the newly revealed Hazel Root stomped past the still shaking stallions, a weathered apron about her chest and wooden spoon tucked behind her ear.

Unlike all the others she at least wasn’t wrapped up, Hazel’s coat matched her name. Star could see she was almost the size of Stoic and all of it muscle if Star was any judge.

Glaring at Cloudy with her disapproving deep blue eyes, Hazel scrunched up her muzzle, “Well come in if you’re coming.” Crestfallen, Cloudy bowed his head meekly before stepping into the cabin. Hazel then reared up on her hind legs and placed both her fore hooves on her hips, “The lot of you should be ashamed of yourselves treating Star that way, can’t you see he’s all the pieces between your heavy hooves and your play acting?”

“But dearest I….” Stoic tried again only for Hazel to give him a stare that almost nailed him to the wall.

She snorted before regaining her hooves and slamming the door with a firm kick from her back leg, “It’s bad enough that you do it to all the tourists who come here, now you’re picking on the young and naive.”

Unlike Stoic and the others, Hazel’s accent was more rounded and flowing, reminding Star of ponies he’d met from Baltimare or possibly Philly Delphia, certainly somewhere on the east coast anyway. It seemed oddly at home among all these ponies despite it being so different.

The warmth flowed back and Star got his first real look at Cloudy as he crossed the threshold, “Cloudy, as in Cloudy Knight?”

‘Knight’ gave Star a genuine smile, “Hello my colt.”

There before Star was his grandstallion. His lined face, once so black, was now dusted with grey hairs and his ashen mane now streaked with white that Star didn’t recognise him at first. The photos he’d received were of a much younger pair of grandparents but none of this mattered to Star as the bit dropped. He forgot all his worries and (pausing only to set down his tankard) leaped forward to hug Cloudy Knight with a joyous shout of “Grandpa!”

After an awkward moment Knight returned the hug with a gentle pat on Star’s head, “Glad to be seeing you too, tell me did you have a pleasant trip?”

“It was fine but…” Star thought back to odd reactions the other bat ponies had given him, “Is what Stoic said true? Will the others at Raven’s Rest treat me differently because I’m…”

Knight shared a knowing, uneasy glance with Stoic before turning back to Star, “That may well be the case, some of the others in the colony are a bit traditional.”

Stoic snorted, “That would be an understatement there Knight. I thought we were old die hards here in Misty Heights but your lot…” He broke into a string of foreign words that carried their displeased meaning clearly enough.

None of this reassured Star who looked up to Knight with concern. Knight smiled kindly back, his features showing his feelings even with his eyes hidden by the protective goggles all thoroughbred bat ponies had to wear during the day. Rubbing Star’s head affectionately Knight nodded, “You’re family, you’re my grandcolt and any of the others who have a problem with that will have to answer to me.” Star felt a little better, the confident manner of Knight soothing his worries somewhat.

As his mind relaxed Star had a chance to think back to the events that lead him here, “How did you know to find me?”

“Oh that is simple, I was keeping an eye out for you and it was a trivial deduction that you’d find your way to Stoic’s cabin, everypony who comes to Misty Heights does eventually,” Knight explained.

“Yeah his lot are always watching the town, you’d think they didn’t have anything better to do,” Stoic added with a snort and Star caught the slight edge in his voice.

Knight continued on as if Stoic hadn’t interrupted, “Now I’ve found you we can head back together.”

Star Oak brightened, “That would be great, I can hardly wait to see Starsight and the others.”

“That’s the spirit,” Knight affirmed before his face became stern again, “Thank you Stoic for taking care of Star, I knew he’d be safe with you.”

Stoic looked as if he was going to snap back, but after a warning shake of the head from Hazel he obviously thought better of it, “You’re welcome, he’s a fine colt and if those others give him any trouble they’ll have to answer to me also.”

Star looked between Knight and Stoic in confusion. One moment they both seemed coldly aloof to each other, the next they chatted away as if they’d been friends for years. He made a mental note to ask Knight about that when they made their way to the colony.

With a final nod of the head to Stoic and the others, Cloudy Knight lead Star outside again. The wind had picked up and the snow was now coming down in a haze. The ‘street’ was empty now apart from Knight and himself. Star had to suppress a shiver.

“You’re alright with flying in this weather?” Knight asked.

Star paused, “Truth be told I ain’t never tried flying in this kind of weather, but I think I can.” It didn’t look that rough and the wind, though gusty, didn’t seem insurmountable.

Knight nodded, “Alright, just follow close to me and I will lead you, ready?” Star spread his wings with a leathery sound and following Knight’s lead kicked off and up into the air. He was instantly swallowed by the swirling snowflakes and it took all Star’s efforts just to keep his bearings on Knight. The wind, that had merely been gusty down on the ground, doubled in ferocity as they climbed. It pulled Star this way and that, threatening to send him into an uncontrolled spin but every time he was about to falter Knight was there.

“The trick is knowing which currents to fight and which to ride, choose your battles!” Knight’s encouraging calls were just audible over the howling wind and Star tried his best to emulate the deft wing motions but it was hard going. Cloudy Knight cut through the air almost lazily as if the powerful forces held no sway on him but Star’s efforts to copy him were achieving only the smallest of gains.

Knight doubled back when it was clear the weather was threatening to become even worse, “Don’t worry Star, we will find a good place to land yes?”

Grateful, yet feeling the sting of failure, Star nodded and allowed Knight to guide him down onto a nearby outcrop and quickly usher Star into the dubious protection of the huddled pine trees.

Star gave an exasperated sigh as he shook the snowflakes from his mane and simply enjoyed not being buffeted by the raging wind beyond their little haven. Taking a few moments to appraise in their new surroundings Star saw that Knight was watching him with a curious expression, “Grandpa?”

Knight seemed to realise Star was watching him and coughed, “Sorry, I expected too much of you. You’re not used to such conditions, I just assumed your instincts would kick in….” He looked as if he was going to say more but then turned his head about to watch the blizzard outside.

They sat in silence for a while, the only sounds being the creaking trees and the moaning wind. Star thought back to what Stoic had said before and was starting to think that the disappointment he warned of might just be true, “Grandpa?”

“Yes Star?” Knight replied distantly, still looking into the raging snowstorm beyond.

“What’s wrong with having an earth pony mother?” Star’s question obviously hit a nerve as Knight stiffened.

“Why would you think there’s anything wrong with that?”

Star poked at the ground, “I don’t, but everypony here seems to have a problem with it, even you seem to think…..”

Knight paused before removing his eyeshades and turned to look directly at Star Oak with his misty grey, slitted eyes, “It would take a long time to explain Star and I don’t think you’d like the answer. What’s more important is that your family loves you, I love you and all those who matter love you.”

“That’s not really an answer grandpa….” Star mumbled, “I know loads of ponies who have different mums and dads. Some of my best friends back home have a unicorn and a pegasus for their parents, or an earth pony and a zebra for stars sake! Why should it be a problem for me? What makes my situation any different?”

Cloudy Knight continued to stare at Star with his suddenly tired looking eyes, “You’re not going to let things be are you?” Star shook his head and Knight nodded in resignation, “You’re right to ask of course.”

He put a supportive wing over Star’s shoulders, “Have you met any ‘dark unicorns’ in that bustling melting pot of a city you call home? ‘Ice hearts’ they’re sometimes called?”

Star just blinked, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Their story is similar to ours Star, but it’s clear you don’t know that either so I’ll have to start at the beginning.”

With a simple hoof motion Knight began drawing pictures in the snow, he slowly traced the symbol of both a sun and crescent moon, “You know the story of Nightmare Moon of course?”

Star nodded, everypony knew about the falling out of the Royal Pony Sisters: ‘Luna’ and ‘Celestia’.

“Well you know that Luna became Nightmare Moon, tried to conquer Equestria and make a world of eternal night?” Cloudy Knight added and Star began to grow impatient. This clearly showed on his face as Knight coughed before pressing on.

“She didn’t try to overthrow Celestia by herself. She made her own armies by changing many of the normal ponies of Equestria, cursed them to be creatures of night and darkness.”

Star suddenly had a grim apprehension of where this story was going and realised that he didn’t want Knight to finish it, but he’d pressed his grandpa for an answer and couldn’t back out now.

Knight shared a nod of understanding, “Your getting it now, we bat ponies or ‘negasi’ are descended from those same corrupted ponies. We aren’t the same as your average pony, we carry a curse in our blood that ties us to darkness and you my colt have inherited some of that too.”

The blizzard outside managed to blow just a little stronger, the cold seeping up from the ground below just a tiny bit more gripping and Star felt a stirring in his heart confirming that Knight’s words were the truth.

“When a normal pony has foals with another you can have any combination of breeds; just as likely to get a unicorn, pegasus or earth pony. You might get some more exotic patterns with a zerba thrown in the mix and so forth but all in all you still get a clearly defined child,” Cloudy Knight gave Star an almost pitying look, “But when a bat pony has foals it can be a bit hit and miss if they have them with a normal pony. Nightmare Moon’s legacy isn’t a natural element in the mix and……”

Star felt his stomach knot up, “So you’re saying I am a freak?”

Knight hugged Star all the tighter, “No, of course not, well certainly no more than me or any other pony with your heritage.” He tilted Star’s head around to look him right in the eyes again, “The important thing is that it doesn’t matter in the least, sure you can’t fly as naturally as a thoroughbred negasi but I can’t go out during the day without these.” Knight waved the protective goggles before Star’s downcast face.

“If it’s not important then why should all the negasi around here treat me differently?” Star almost wailed as the stresses finally found an outlet. It seemed truly absurd that ‘in a day and age like this’ that anypony could have the slightest gripe against a halfbreed. Star had never thought of himself as such but now it seemed that it was the cause of all his woes here.

“There are some who think that a bat pony having foals with a normal pony is perpetuating and spreading that same curse,” Knight said with solemnity, “A load ‘bred-kako-to’ of course, you may as well condemn the whole of ponykind for not staying within their own breeds,” Knight added hastily but Star didn’t feel any better about the whole thing.

“It wasn’t a ‘problem’ when I was young,” Knight added resignedly, clearly dubious about it even being a ‘problem’, “We kept to our colonies, didn’t mix much with Equestria as a whole, but with the return of Luna and all these multicultural efforts it’s caused the ‘issue’ to happen with greater regularity.”

Knight smiled grimly at Star, “So there you have it, ponies look at you strangely because it’s a sensitive subject. I wasn’t going to explain this all to you, but it’s clear that you’re old enough now to understand.”

Star felt his heart aching at the unfairness of it all, he certainly wasn’t in any sort of mood to fly further up the mountain after what Knight had just told him. The idea of ‘being on display’ as an example of a ‘cultural taboo’ was far from the warm welcome he’d been looking forward to.

But then a new fire came into Knight’s eyes, “That’s why it’s so important that you do go and have your coming of age ceremony.” If many in Raven’s Rest are ever going to shed these ridiculous ideas then we need to show them how foalish they’re all being.”

Star didn’t share Knight’s enthusiasm, and looked back down the mountain. He could imagine Stoic and the others would be sitting warmly around their fire and felt his resolve waver. He didn’t want to be some symbol for a ‘cause’ that grandpa seemed determined to make him, but nor did he want to miss the chance to see his grandmare and cousins either.

This simple trip was rapidly devolving into a rotten mess and Star honestly wasn’t sure if he was up for it right now or ever for that matter. He looked back into Knight’s eyes and saw the shining drive within, “Grandpa I don’t know...I”

Knight’s face softened, “Of course, there I go presuming once again. Your father would always speak up and out about things even when it was best to keep his mouth shut.”

Star agreed with that at least. Shadow, as much as he loved him, was always putting his hoof in it and Star could easily imagine him leaping at Knight’s suggestion. But Star wasn’t his father, he wasn’t anypony but himself. What should he do?”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to Star, I won’t force you to do this and I can take you back down to Stoic if you want?” Knight asked genuinely and Star suddenly realised he’d clean forgotten to ask about Stoic.

“That’s another thing grandpa, are you friends with Stoic or what? I can’t tell if you hate him or….”

Clearly on firmer ground Cloudy Knight laughed softly, “Oh Sotic and I go way back, and yes we’re good friends we just have our own way of showing it.” His smile only widened, “To tell the truth he drives me ‘pis-kh’ but we respect each other too much to let that get in the way.”

Star was stalling he knew it, the decision as to whether to press forward or stay here was still lurking in the back of his mind, but the chance to delay that hard choice was a welcome respite, “And all that back at the cabin, was it really all an act?”

“A bit of a yes and a bit of a no, Stoic knows as well as I do the tense situation between our homes,” Knight explained, “Most ponies move here to get away from the mage-tech revolution, determined to stick to a simpler way of life.” He laughed, “Seems they’re all hiding from change in one way or another, that’s probably why I get along with him so badly.”

The smile faded on Knight’s face, “That still doesn’t answer my question though, what’s your choice Star? Up or down?”

Star swallowed as he weighed his options, the road up seemed mostly full of challenge and hardship whereas the waydown seemed lined with regrets and missed opportunities. It was a tough choice no mistake but what finally made Star’s mind up was the imagined look of his own parent’s if he returned and told them he’d backed down.

If he did give up now then in a small way the silly ponies up there would have won in a small way. Star’s face set in a determined scowl before he nodded to Knight without fear, “I’m going up grandpa, I ain’t going to let nopony stop me from seeing my family or be put off because somepony judges me before we’ve even met.”

Cloudy Knight’s smile grew so wide that Star was reminded more of a shark than a pony, “That’s my ‘zhere-be-nok’,” and with that they both squared their shoulders before taking off into the storm together.