The Last Cutie Mark Crusader

by Jatheus

37 - Faux Pas, Part 2 of 8

Cloud Blazer did not like the look of what lay in front of them. Truly he had smelled it first, which he'd initially thought was odd. There was something unmistakable about the scent of a battle in progress, a sort of metallic electrified smell when unicorns were involved. Pixy had noticed it as well. This was likely due to the fact that as they continued flying toward Manehattan, they were flying into a potent headwind.

He was sure he had broken or at least sprained something in that insane jump he'd made several hours before. In order to secure himself to her quickly, he had linked their ventral lines together. He still hung somewhat awkwardly as a result, with his hind legs down, and his head up against Pixy's belly. If all had gone to plan, they should have arrived at the city before nightfall, but thanks in large part to their evasive maneuvers, not to mention the headwind, they were still some distance out.

Pixy continued beating her wings, struggling to move forward. Cloud Blazer could tell she was exhausted, but neither of them knew of a safe place to set down. His map was rather basic, and the only other town nearby was Hollow Shades, significantly to the south, not to mention west.

"How are you doing up there?" he asked.

"A-Okay," she puffed under the continued strain.

The lights of combat came into view as Manehattan lay ahead of them. It was the same as he had seen at Cloudsdale just after they departed. An all-out assault was underway. Magical bombardment lit the night in greens, blues, and purples shooting back and forth in deadly array. Even at peak physical condition, going through what was ahead of them would have been madness.

Cloud Blazer didn't feel that he should push his luck any further than he already had on this particular day. The city was shielded, and it was lit by the flashes of magical violence like a great domed light. Looking down revealed no clues as to what might await them if they simply landed in the countryside. By all accounts, they should be safely inside the EUP defensive perimeter. However, the battle before them contradicted that information. Still, pressing forward would certainly be catastrophic.

"Any sign... of Fluttershy?" Pixy gasped for air.

The rhythm of her breathing couldn't be sustained at the pace she was moving. Their options were quickly running out.

"None," he replied, looking for a cloud that they could use to rest on.

The clear night sky did not afford them the alternative. That left only one way to go.

"Begin descending."

"Copy that... descending."

She ceased beating the air and began gliding slowly downward. Even though she never turned, they were soon moving away from Manehattan due to the wind. Just that slight amount of reduction in effort was enough to ease the strain on the mare. The difference in the cadence of her breaths was evidence of this fact.

The sounds of the combat ahead could now be heard on the air. It was far away still, but it was quite a distinctive noise. Up close, the roar must have been deafening. It might have been likened to the sound of a sea of rocks lapping up against an iron shore. The darkness of night was all around. As far from the action as they were, there was no light to brighten the fields.

As much as he would have liked to have a lantern, Cloud Blazer knew that it would be far more dangerous to light up their own position than it would be to land in the dark. In any case, he didn't have the means. His eyes searched until the faintest outlines of grassy hills could be made out in the blackness below them. As quietly as possible, he issued the final commands to guide them both safely to a gentle landing.

Cloud Blazer winced as pain shot up his right front leg. He had definitely injured it when he'd leapt headlong into that changeling before. It wouldn't do to put weight on it, so he held it up, balancing on the other two legs as well as he could. His back right leg was still in a cast from having been badly broken, but it would also support weight if needed. Even though they were on the ground, they left their ventral harness lines connected, necessitating that they didn't stray from each other.

"We might have to get back into the air at a moment's notice," he whispered to her.

She nodded, her silhouette clearly visible against the backdrop of a city at war. They were close enough that several fires could be seen either near the city or in the fields just outside. It was difficult to tell what, but something was definitely burning.

"Follow me," Cloud Blazer whispered.

"Where are we going?" she asked in the same hushed level.

"To find some cover," he answered. "We'll have to wait out the battle, and you can't just fly around all night."

"I've got my second wind," she said defensively.

He didn't believe her, but decided to try a different tactic.

"It's not just that," he said, "I'm really hurting from being carried around."

It wasn't untrue, but he would hurt no matter what he did. The pain never left. However, the harness was increasingly uncomfortable after flying for most of the day. In addition to his newly injured right front leg, his ribs were also aching. He thought he might have cracked them when Pixyglitter caught him and pulled up as hard as she had. If that was the extent of his new injuries, it was certainly a small price to pay considering the fate that they both narrowly avoided. He shuddered at the thought of it.

"Fine," she said indefatigably between heavy breaths, "but I'm ready to hit the skies again as soon as you are."

They crept on in near-complete silence. Pixyglitter stayed beside him with a hoof on his shoulder. Moving in the dark wasn't a problem for her anymore, but beating the ground with her cane to feel the path ahead would be noisier than either of them wanted to risk. A pale red light vaulted skyward and shone brightly in the distance, somewhat illuminating the fields even as far away as the pair of wayward ponies were.

Cloud Blazer instinctively dropped to the ground, which sent a stabbing pain in his chest. He swallowed a grunt as Pixyglitter dropped beside him. The single light was joined by several more EUP flares, turning the battlefield into nearly daylight conditions. As they did, a barrage of arrows and magic was launched from the city, and bolts of lightning then blasted down from a nearby cloud; thunder reported each time a lightning bolt was discharged. It was impossible to discern what casualties might be inflicted either way, but the fighting was clearly stiff from both sides.

The position they were in was actually rather terrible: an open field with short crops. Cloud Blazer didn't know what they were in the darkness, but they had only just been planted. Now the flares were making the two ponies stand out against the horizon. He scanned around until something caught his eye. On the top of the next hill, the dim red light from the flare illuminated a small ridge with three massive boulders at the summit. If they could get in between the rocks, it would probably be a concealed position. In any case, it was better than sitting in the open and hoping for the best.

Getting back onto his hooves was an effort, with dull throbbing pain from each leg, and the stabbing in his ribs again. It nearly stole his breath for the severity of it, but he forced his lungs to continue working as the pair hobbled down the hill and up the next one. Pixyglitter stumbled as they reached the boulders, and she practically hissed her disgust at Cloud Blazer for not warning her of the sudden change in terrain.

They clambered up, another unpleasant process, before finally wedging themselves into a small hollow between the rocks. His assessment had been correct. The irregular formation did quite well obscure them from unfriendly eyes, and it provided a commanding vantage point of the surrounding fields. There wasn't really anything to see in the darkness, but at least nothing would be able to sneak up on them with any ease.

Author's Note:

The horribly blasting wind that continues throughout this chapter was inspired by a real life experience (as many of the smaller details of that kind are). I was at South By Southwest in Austin a few years back, recording some of the gigs for an app company called Lively (I don't know if it is still available or not). Anyway, it was warm when I left home, but there was a chilled blasting wind that cut right through the light clothes I had brought. I was in it all day, as the gig was outside, and I was miserable. After the first night, I found a second-hand store and bought a light fleece jacket. It really was too light for the wind, but it held in just enough heat to make it bearable and mitigate my suffering.

So, another score for real life experiences adding some flavor to a fiction!

Comments

[Sir Budginton]

I'm assuming fluttershy isn't stupid enough to try to enter a city that's under attack. Also, manehatten is under attack, and it looks big. at least they have a very large and well organised force which can move north. Oh wait...

[Jatheus]

8619381
Fluttershy is definitely timid, but I’d wager you’re correct that she’s not stupid.

On the bright side, Manehattan is putting up a fight. You don’t think I’d let them fly all the way there only to arrive and find the city nothing but ashes and corpses, do you?

That gives me an idea!

J/K

[OmalleyCaboose5]

Cloud Blazer did not like the look of what lay in front of them. Truly he had smelled it first, which he'd initially thought was odd. There was something unmistakable about the scent of a battle in progress, a sort of metallic electrified smell when unicorns were involved. Pixy had noticed it as well. This was likely due to the fact that as they continued flying toward Manehattan, they were flying into a potent headwind.

I don't know why I thought it was a changeling but clearly I was wrong.

[Jatheus]

8756308
No worries! It would have been a good twist.

[Emperor]

Well, after finally getting out of the hospital, it seems like Cloud Blazer has injured himself again. Whoops

It'd be a little bit bad for the ponies if the changelings took over Manehatten. Especially after all the work that the ponies did in liberating Canterlot. Especially after how the very beginning of the story was about the timberwolves chasing ponykind out of Canterlot

[Jatheus]

8788038
Yep, poor Cloud Blazer just can't catch a break.

Also, about Manehattan, the fact that they are challenging it is troublesome too. The ponies had previously retaken everything west of the city to Neighagra falls, and that river to the south to the mountains. Now there's a gaping hole in the defenses.