The Last Cutie Mark Crusader

by Jatheus

34 - Gathering, Part 5 of 6

Pixyglitter heard it even before Cloud Blazer said anything.

"By Celestia," he exclaimed.

"Where do y'all think they're headin'?" Apple Bloom asked.

“South, but... I don't know.”

"How many are there?" Sweetie Belle asked.

"Hard to say. It has to be more than fifty-thousand."

The noise of the soldiers taking to the sky wasn't particularly loud from their vantage point at Sweet Apple Acres, but when that many wings start flapping, it can be heard for quite a distance. The others sounded rather entranced at the sight of it.

"Will it interrupt our plans?" Pixyglitter asked hopefully. In truth, she felt nervous.

"No," Cloud Blazer answered. "The weather is perfect for flying, and so long as we keep our distance, we won't have a problem. Besides, they've almost all moved out. Are you sure you're ready?"

"I've been ready for weeks," she lied. "Let's do this!"

The stallion backed up to her, nudging against her gently. She felt Cloud Blazer’s back and hooked her harness to his. In spite of her reservations, she was ready, but she didn't want to give off the impression of anything less than complete confidence.

"Double check all straps and buckles?" she asked.

This had become a routine.

"Check. All straps and buckles secure," he replied.

"Y'all be careful," Apple Bloom cautioned.

"You should have seen them at the pond; they're amazing!" Sweetie Belle affirmed.

Pixyglitter ignored their voices, only listening for Cloud Blazer. She had to be ready to do anything he said immediately. Any deviation from this could get both of them injured or killed.

"Liftoff, give me vertical ascent," he commanded.

Her wings began beating the air, "Copy that, vertical ascent."

The ground and the earthy smells fell away, and in the darkness of her blindness, only the wind touched her now. She was rising, but it was impossible for her to tell how quickly.

"Forward," he said.

Pixyglitter tilted and began flying ahead. She was excited, but also terrified; it was quite exhilarating to feel so free and close to danger. A shiver ran through her. Cloud Blazer would frequently give instruction to bank left, bank right, correct up, or something similar. In this moment she lived to obey his every word. This was their first flight around Ponyville. It was strangely fulfilling in a way she didn't understand. Being so dependent still seemed foreign, but she had become far more accustomed to it than she'd realized. The rush of the wind made her feel almost giddy; this was far better than flying over the pond.

"Hover in place and descend," Cloud Blazer said somewhat suddenly.

Pixyglitter complied immediately and then asked, "Is something wrong?"

"What? No. It's already been twenty minutes. We'll rest a bit and then go again."

It was hard to believe that any time had passed. She was so focused on listening for the stallion’s commands that Pixyglitter had lost all sense of time. They followed what had become a routine procedure and made a soft landing on a patch of dirt. Nose and ears reported that they were not on the farm; they had come down near the pond. The ground here smelled different from the farm, and a foal splashed nearby.

"Way to go, Pixyglitter!" Cloud Blazer praised.

"Thanks.”

It felt good. For another fleeting moment she felt whole again.

"Are you tired?"

"Not even a little!”

"I guess all that practice we've been doing has helped."

She smiled, fairly certain that he had been looking at her while he spoke. Emotions were beginning to flood through her, but she didn't want to make a scene, especially since it was hard to determine how many others were around. She wished he would keep talking.

"I haven't had any more dreams," he confessed.

She shook her head, "Me neither."

It was not her subject of choice, but it would have to do.

"I just can't shake the feeling that I'm supposed to do something. Somepony was trying to tell me something, but I just never understood what it was."

Pixyglitter shrugged, "Maybe you've already done it."

He was silent.

"I don't think they were a coincidence, as much as I'd like to. They scared me, you know that, but I'm glad we shared the dreams."

"You are?"

Her heart was pounding now. She told herself to be careful, but perhaps it was the emotional high from flying again that removed caution.

"I was blinded in combat, but in those dreams, I was able to see for one last time. Whoever was responsible for it, they gave me something that I wouldn't have even known how to feel without it now. You’ve been so helpful, even before you knew I’d be able to return the favor... they let me see your face, and I'll always be grateful for that."

Now she'd done it. She could feel tears burning a path through the bandages she still wore over her eyes and running down her cheeks. She had said too much, and embarrassment was somewhere in the overwhelming mix of emotions.

"Hey," he said softly.

"No," she waved him away, wishing she could read his body language, "I'm fine." She smiled uneasily. "I just needed to say that." She took a deep breath, "Gaining you as a friend has made all of this so much more bearable. I owe you.”

As soon as she had spoken about being glad to see his face, she felt the need to establish a boundary. She didn’t want him to misunderstand and think she was flirting.

"Pixyglitter, you don't owe me a thing.”

His voice sounded sad or wistful. Was he getting all emotional too?

He continued, "You've given me the power of flight in a unique way. Nopony else could take me up without it being a mercy or a pity. With you, as a team..." he paused as if searching for words, “because we have to do it together, it's as close as I can ever come to flying on my own."

The joyful tears continued flowing, but she didn't care anymore. In their brokenness, they'd found a way to use what they did have left to help each other. Pixyglitter never had a brother, but this stallion was what she always imagined a brother would be like. The foal splashing in the pond was joined by another, and the sound of their laughter filled the air. Pixyglitter smiled; the laughter in her heart was greater still.

Author's Note:

I borrowed some inspiration from my own life (something I do a lot) in the time-slippage here. When I first learned to drive, the first time I drove on the highway was an experience. I had made the journey as a passenger a thousand times before (it was about an hour drive), but the first time I drove it myself, it seemed to take about ten minutes to drive sixty miles. It's funny how that works.

Comments

[OmalleyCaboose5]

"Pixyglitter, you don't owe me a thing.”

Other than a bj
And not the department store

[OmalleyCaboose5]

The joyful tears continued flowing, but she didn't care anymore. In their brokenness, they'd found a way to use what they did have left to help each other. Pixyglitter never had a brother, but this stallion was what she always imagined a brother would be like. The foal splashing in the pond was joined by another, and the sound of their laughter filled the air. Pixyglitter smiled; the laughter in her heart was greater still.

Well that makes my previous comment weird

[Jatheus]

8746511
1) She's not that kind of mare! At least, we assume as much. I guess you never really know until you ask?

2) BAHAHAHA!!! You know what they say (in some parts of the world... not where I live) incest is best
Yeah, I kind of just friend zoned him. But he's not looking right now anyway, so I'm sure it'll all work out.