Faithless

by Darkkon13

Episode 7, The road to Canterlot

The sharp pain in Hero's chest protested against his restful sleep, causing him to groan as his vision slowly returned through teary eyes. He had been knocked out! That bitch knocked him out! He was just trying to save Celestia. Even worse than that was the scene he woke up to.

The two pegasi that had accompanied the attacking unicorn were laying bloodied and beaten, their wings snapped backward so that the bone was exposed, in front of hero. The male, had the unicorn's snapped horn shoved through his eye. Hero shuffled back in horror, getting up on all fours, allowing him to see the distant unicorn. She seemed to have been the victim of her own spell that one could only assume had backfired when her horn was snapped. The unicorn floated helplessly in the air wrapped in a continuous fire. Hero mumbled in desperate shock, still unable to fully control his facilities. He never wanted this, this shouldn't have happened. He fell back to his haunches, his legs giving out beneath him.

"Borealis." Came Nightwing's soothing voice, which dripped with apologies and regret. "I'm so sorry, please don't hate me for what I did." But how could he not. Right now, through his rubber limbs and cotton mouth, he was burning with rage for this wretched betrayer. In Hero's mind she had just killed three valiant ponies who were just trying to help their great princess.

Nightwing sat down in front of Hero, who could only scowl at her despite all his rage. "listen, I know what I did seems harsh and i don't expect you to actually forgive me." She looked down in shame, her sky-blue hair drooping in front of sorrowful eyes. The smell of vomit on her breath told her actions had left her sick as well. "But I-I..... I can't let you go back." She shook her head "I'm not selfish! I'm not.... I had to do it. because now you can't go back.." she stood, turning away, towards the door to the smithy. "Like somepony once told me, sometimes you have to do terrible things to do the most good." Her voice squeaked into a short sob as she charged into Hammerforge's home.

Hero didn't know what to think, he hated her with a passion, but she was so honest and the regret in her was clear as the day's sun. No, no that didn't change what she did. She's a terrible pony for what she did. But now he's stuck with her, she turned all of Ponyville against him by slaying those three and now he had nowhere else to go. He hated her.

It was a few hours before Nightwing had fully recomposed herself and began to load a wagon filled with traveling supplies with the assistance of Hammerforge and Sky. Spiral had been given the task of keeping Hero in time out as he fumed over the bodies he had spent the time to bury after recovering. Hammerforge had suggested the group take toward Canterlot and start with recovering the Helmet. He was certain Princess Luna would relinquish it freely to the party.

Hammerforge finished levitating the last of the supplies, a sack filled with freshly 'smithed' foodstuffs. "Okay Spiral bring him over! We're hitting the road!" Nightwing called out to the two ponies who were out of sight. Spiral shouted back with an okie dokey. She turned to Hammerforge. "Are you sure you can't come with us? Luna would be overjoyed to have you as a guest." She lifted hoof with her final offer.

The greatly disappointed smith grunted but gave a slow nod. "I'm sure, I need to tend this forge, it's too powerful to let anypony else use it. Besides, I have a few orders to fill for another group of ponies that came this way. You saw one of them leave when you came in."

Nightwing just nodded as Hero was walked walked behind her and helped into the wagon's harness by spiral. "Very well. Stay safe Hammer and thank you for your kindness." The two made a short bow and then turned to their respective business. Sky had climbed into the back of the wagon, curled up with her tail. She had been worn out by the days events, and who could blame her. It was a lot to take in after seeing your home destroyed only a few days before.

"hrmphr! hrry opf!" Hero shouted behind him, holding the pull-bar in his mouth. He stomped furiously as he shifted his great strength into pulling the massive wagon, a slow start that hurried into a steady roll. Spiral fluttered her way onto the forward seat, while Nightwing trotted from behind.

"So long, and mind the main road! Black Star will be looking for you!" Hammer forge shouted from his door before slamming it closed like a grump. Sky thought it was very rude. In fact sky thought a lot of things, curled around her own tail. She thought about where she might be going from here, what was going to happen if they were caught?, would Canterlot even be safe by the time they arrived? how many other ponies were looking for them? Why is the road so bumpy? what is poking her in the back? oh it was a pair of calipers. All these thoughts made her more scared. She was terrified even through the comforting look the high agent gave her.

-----

THUMP!.... THUMP THUMP! WHACK!

The barrel Dazer had been taking his frustration out on toppled over and smacked into the cellar wall. "Buck this! I want my life back! I want my house, my easy job, my magazines! Fuck I just want my bed." He delivered another quick buck to the barrel, splintering the worn down wood. He groaned in frustration, tossing his head in the air. "I'm sick of hiding!"

It had been two days since the small group of heroes arrived at Hopscotch's Canterlot home. And the group was roughly adjusted to working the brew master's bar, 'The Quick Fix, Canterlot'. Dazer of course was forbidden from drinking anything until the bar was closed and that ticked him off more. "Dazer! we need more 'Hero's Special'! these guys are taking on the challenge.... all of them!" Hopscotch called down to his warehouse worker. Dazer groaned and lifted a small crate onto his back, using his wings to keep it from toppling over.

Dazer stepped up the stairs to see a slew of royal guards trying to impress the waitress. Grapple wasn't impressed stating that the only stallion she'd look favorably upon was able to take the challenge and not get drunk. So far the score was 'Hero's Special': 7 Royal guards: 0 with five more to go. Blue was busy shaking up the next drink while Hopscotch cleaned out used mugs.

"Come on you fillies! Can't handle your drinks?! HAHAA!" A White stallion in guard captain armor called to his drunken comrades. "This is your last chance to get laid before marching you pansies!" He beat his hoof on the counter. "Hit me Barkeep. I'm taking this fine young filly home with me tonight, you can bet on it!"

Blue flame snickered as he finished shaking the drink, Dazer setting the crate down behind him, and poured 'The Hero's Special' into the freshly cleaned mug. " One up, good luck, don't let the floor hit you on the way down." He turned to Grapple, who was leaning against the counter suggestively for the still conscious guards. "Damn girl you're good for business. I'll bet all this is even enough to let Hopscotch overlook you climbing the stacks of barrels on your breaks."

With a light, unheard of the noise in the bar, clop against the floor Grapple returned to her regular posture. She flung her multicolored mane back before speaking. "Ha. This is nothing. With the swing of the haunches you can make horny soldiers do just about anything. You should give it a try sometime Blue Dame." She winked. Blue Flame just rolled his eyes and turned to the next guard who had stepped over his fallen captain, apparently he was as much a filly as his underlings. The young buck beat his wings fiercely as he demanded 'The Hero's Special'. Another victim.

Hopscotch stop Dazer before he descended the stairs again. "Hey, we're closing in a few hours and I think you've just about paid off all the drinks you guzzled." Dazer scowled at Hopscotch's word, the heat of the painful memory that drove him to his debt evident in his tired glazed eyes. Hopscotch had looked upon him with pity since he had sobered up, Dazer was truly a noble pony lost to grief. "Well, How about you run an errand for me and we call it even?"

Dazer grunted in agreement, not having the gumption to actually say anything to his debtor. He gently folded his wing and use his hoof to pull his mane back, which he had left unkempt to the past two days.

Hopscotch took the workhorse outback and hooked him up to the wagon that had pulled the group to the safety of Canterlot the other night, however there were no barrels filled with ponies, but carefully packed open-top crates containing a large quantity of silver canisters sealed with a wax moon. he bobbed his cherry mane to one side as he finished levitating the crates into the wagon and turned to his friend. "Now Dazer, you can fly this wagon if you're up to it but if not I would suggest taking the back roads. This is a very important delivery do you understand?" The rusty buck nodded, finding his interest peaked by the hushed tone the barkeep had taken to using just now. "This goes straight to the castle do you understand? Don't let anypony see what’s inside, save for the guards at the gate who already know of this arrangement. These are for Princess Luna. No pony drinks any of this except her."

"Wait it's almost dusk, why doesn't she come pick these up? Celestia came down to Ponyville for just one of these last time." Dazer questioned, finally working up the energy to speak now that he was sufficiently distracted. To be honest, Dazer thought, it was strange enough for a princess to go to a bar for a drink in the first place. If HE were a princess he would have the guards go pick things up for him.

The bartender shook his his head solemnly. "The princess hasn't left the castle in months, ever since.." He paused wondering if he should mention Dazer's dead friend. "Actually, why don't you let her tell you." Hopscotch took a few steps back, stomping one hoof into the cobblestone. "Now get going! 'The Quick Fix' doesn't keep royalty waiting."

Dazer nodded sternly, taking on the visage of a soldier pony. With a few fierce beats of his wings he took to the evening sky, the burning orange filling the air and spilling into the wall-side alleyway.

*****

"Do you see now young Dazer? why you must be strong. We can never lose faith. This is his and our greatest strength. This is our only weapon against Black star." Luna finished her explanation, gazing out over the moonlit streets of her beloved city. She levitated the now empty wooden box back to her vanity mirror.

In a semi daze, the rust colored pegasus sat back up from his Princess's bed. "So.. he's not dead." He laughed a little bit in disbelief, fluttering his feathers in joy. "Are you serious about all that Elemental crap? He's coming here!?! " Dazer lifted up in the air and practically danced.

Turning to Dazer with concern, Luna spoke up over her subject. "Yes all that I have said is true. But so true are the dangers. With my Sister being held captive, there is nothing I can do in the open. Black Star holds all the cards in his hooves." Luna levitated one of the silver canisters from the delivered crate, breaking the seal and twisting it open with a metallic pop. A fruity scent immediately filled the room, assaulting Dazer's nostrils with suspicion.

It was true he trusted his princess but there was something strange about that brew. " Umm. Princess Luna?" Dazer asked, touching back to the ground as the night blue alicorn drank deeply of the scented drink. "Now, I've had my fair share of drinks. I know what those fruity drinks smell like and that right there isn't alcoholic at all. Mind if I ask what you've been ordering from Hopscotch? and what about all the security and secrecy?" He tilted his head slightly, the question had been building in his head since he had been given the delivery.

Luna stomped one hoof as she finished her drink, glaring over to Dazer with eyes that let him know he crossed a line. "I'm sorry Dazer, but I believe it might be best if you took your leave."

"yeah bu-"

"Now." Luna demanded of the now stuttering pegasus. Even through her kindness she was stern and frightful if you pressed the wrong buttons. Dazer simply nodded and took flight out the balcony window, gazing back to royal pony and unanswered questions he left behind. Though it ended on a bad note Dazer had wonderful news to take to heart. He took solace in what he had learned.

-----
Grapple Looked solemnly down into the murky gray water as it sloshed back in forth in the bucket. She sighed through the wooden handle and continued mopping. It was closing time and her mind had been elsewhere since the excitement from that morning died down. Dazer hadn't even returned yet and that mounted additional worries to earth pony. She had been cursing the enclosed space she was forced to hide in, the friend she had lost and the fact she might never get to scale a decent wall again crushed her. She felt trapped, broken hearted and hopeless.

Where was Dazer? He had been gone for several hours and it doesn't take that long to make a delivery, not even to the royal castle. Blue flame didn't seemed worried, she glanced over to look at the pony who had quickly become her best friend. Blue flame was calmly tending to dirty dishes and a small chemistry project at the same time. It must be nice to have magic to levitate things around for you. Grapple's train of thought was broken when Hopscotch called from the basement.

"Hey Grapple! Stop moping and take a rest, the water is dripping through my floors!" Grapple looked down with shock in her eyes, how long had she been sitting there like that? She shouted back her compliance and lifted the bucket in her mouth, being sure to put the mop to the side. Walking out the front door, she dumped the dirty mop water onto the streets and onto a rather unfortunate sleeping drunkard she had to kick out not but an hour ago. hmm, still asleep. no harm done.

A shadow caught Grapple's attention as it dart through the alleyway across the street. It looked like griffon and by the way it moved, slipping from cover to cover, the feathered fiend was up to no good. Perhaps it was the actions of Hero that had rubbed off on her or the simple fact that she felt all of Equestria was at war, but her sense of justice wouldn't let her stand by. She dropped the bucket on the drunkards sleeping head and galloped over the cobblestone street. "Hold it right there!" she belted, turning the corner of the alley way.

"u-oh... I umm... sorry? w-what did I do?" Came the sweetest, almost seductive, voice of a unicorn mare. Her dark blue coat bristled in the chilled air, fright filling her sapphire eyes, a color matching her gently tufting mane. Impossible, Grapple thought to herself with her mouth agape. She turned her head several times, look back to the Quick Fix and this strange mare. What happened to the wings? when did she get a horn?

Taken aback, she found it hard to answer the unquestionably innocent mare. "Oh I... you were. but...... D-did you see a griffon just pass through here? looking really suspicious?" The mare simply shook her head,turning to one side to reveal her cutiemark and point down the alley way. She had a bright cutiemark adorning her flank, a sun being eclipsed by a crescent moon.

"c-can I go now? I have somewhere I should be." She stuttered her eyes shifting away to show her urgency. Grapple agreed after asking her name, Nocturne Eclipse. As Grapple watched the mare trot along at a brisk pace, supposedly so she could keep to her schedule, she couldn't help but she had met her before. She had never been at the Quick Fix in the time that the small group had occupied it, of that she was certain. What was so familiar about this pony? It was probably just deja vu, her mind had definitely been elsewhere after all.

Grapple started back towards the safe haven of the bar, spotting Dazer land with an excited step at the front door. Thank the princesses he was okay and happy at that.

Author's Note:

Sorry it's short and long delayed. I've been having computer issues. episode eight shouldn't be too far behind.