Chapter 28 - To Connect
Monday, November 21, 2016: Continued
Sonata had barely managed to spit out the address before she gasped that she had to go. She hung up before I could get more information. Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna were surprised when we told them about our conversation with the Dazzlings. Fortunately, they were supportive and immediately dismissed us from school so we could go help. So a short time later, Applejack, Fluttershy and I pulled up in front of a modest one-floor rancher at the edge of town. We didn’t want Aria and Adagio to get too defensive by showing up in force but the others were just around the corner.
Surprisingly, Fluttershy had actually volunteered since she was the most knowledgeable about medicine in our group. Applejack had insisted on being the other one to come along. I knocked on the door and we waited, quietly listening for any sound inside. There was only silence so I knocked a second time a bit harder. This time we heard footsteps coming and the sound of several locks being open. The door cracked open and Sonata’s face peeked around nervously. She was a far cry from the confident girl I had seen just a few days earlier. Her eyes were puffy and her face was pale; almost gaunt. Her waist length hair was loose and messy instead of being in a ponytail.
“Oh hi,” she croaked weakly. “You actually came.”
“Course we did! We weren’t gonna make a liar outta Silver,” Applejack replied. “May we come in?”
Sonata nodded silently and closed the door. I heard a chain lock being fumbled and then the door opened wide revealing a messy house. The air in the house smelled stagnant and slightly unpleasant when we walked in. Sonata was wearing dark purple pajamas that were stained and rumpled. As she stepped back to let us in, she stumbled and started to tip over. I quickly caught her arm and helped her down to the floor.
“What’s wrong, Sonata?” I asked gently. “I hate to say this, but you look awful.”
She leaned her shoulder against the wall and whimpered. “I told you, we're dying. It's totally horrible. Whatever you do, don’t go in the bathrooms. They're scary bad.”
Fluttershy knelt down and put the back of her hand on Sonata’s forehead. She pulled it away like she had been burned.
“She has a serious fever,” she said quietly. “What are your other symptoms Sonata?”
Sonata groaned weakly. “It’s been the worst. I can barely breathe, can’t keep food down, my head is going to explode and the room won’t stop spinning round and round and round and round and round. Aria and Adagio are even worse. I’m scared, I don’t wanna die.”
Fluttershy stood up with a determined expression on her face. “We need to get her somewhere comfortable. Silver, could you help her?”
“With your permission Sonata,” I said, crouching down beside her.
When she nodded, I gently scooped her up, wincing at how light she was. Her clothes felt slightly damp to the touch. I followed Fluttershy to the living room and put Sonata down on the couch while Applejack went to check the kitchen to investigate. Fluttershy gently pinched the skin on the back of Sonata’s hand and watched. It very slowly oozed back into place, kind of like silly putty.
“Oh dear, she’s badly dehydrated as well,” she muttered to herself. “What’s in the kitchen, Applejack?”
“Not much of anything,” she replied. “Their fridge and cupboards are empty. All ah see are partially eaten boxes of takeout food.”
A door in the hallway opened revealing Aria standing in one of the bathrooms. Her pigtails were still in but some of the hair had come loose and was going frizzy. She was just as pale and sick looking as Sonata but she somehow conjured the energy to look angry.
“What are these people doing in our house? Sonata Dusk! What did you do!?”
Sonata looked frightened. “I just . . .”
“Adagio and I told you not to call them so we could die in peace!” she snarled. “We don't need spectators!”
Fluttershy stood up and glared at Aria. “Just because you’ve given up hope doesn’t mean you have the right to boss Sonata around! She wants help and we're here to provide it.”
“I haven’t given up!” Aria snapped weakly. “I’m accepting reality: We’re dying and it’s all thanks to you jerks for destroying our magic.”
“You’ve got the flu,” Fluttershy snapped back at her in an uncharacteristically irritated tone. “Or you’re suffering from food poisoning. It’s hard to tell for sure but you’re not going to die if I have anything to do with it.”
Nice Fluttershy!
Aria’s face went even paler and she stared at Fluttershy with shock on her face. Sonata looked equally surprised, but for the first time since we arrived, I saw a flash of hope on Sonata’s face.
“That can’t be. We don’t get sick,” Aria said weakly. “Illnesses don't touch us.”
“I’m sorry Aria but I guess that's not the case anymore,” I replied in a gentle voice. “We’re here to help you. What do they need, Fluttershy?”
Applejack pulled out her phone and tapped a few keys before nodding to indicate she was ready to send the list. For her part, Fluttershy had shrunk in on herself a bit after realizing how aggressive she had been acting.
“Ummmm, right” she murmured nervously. “AJ, could you ask our friends to pick up a big bag of white rice, saltine crackers, applesauce, and bananas? Oh, also a few bottles of plain ginger ale, yogurt, painkillers and some nausea medication.”
Applejack nodded as she tapped her phone screen. “Done. I’m also going to ask them to go to the hardware store for some cleaning supplies. Ah’m not leaving their house in this state when they’re sufferin’ from the flu like this.”
“You mean, we’re not dying?” Sonata asked quietly, tears forming in her eyes. “Like for realzies? Totes not joking?”
Fluttershy put her hand on Sonatas. “Totally not joking,” she whispered back reassuringly. “We’ll have you feeling better in no time. Getting some food and liquids into you will help.”
“Kay,” Sonata sighed and closed her eyes. “We've been trying to eat tho. Can’t keep it down.”
“Fast food and takeout is the worst thing you could be eating when your stomach is upset,” Fluttershy murmured. “There’s no way you would know that if you’ve never been sick. We'll get you fixed up.”
I looked around. “Where is Adagio?”
Aria shook her head, “Why do you people keep insisting on . . . urp!” She turned and slammed the bathroom door. A moment later there was the sound of her retching. Applejack and I exchanged a glance.
“Could you go look for Adagio?” I asked. “I can’t really poke around in case she’s not dressed.”
Applejack nodded and walked down the hall to look in the bedrooms. She gestured at me to come down and look. Adagio was unconscious on the bed; her already pale skin was nearly white and coated with a sheen of sweat. Her hair was loose and tangle. Applejack’s expression was worried.
“Ah’ think we’d best find out how long she’s been sleepin’. If she won’t wake up we’ll hafta call an ambulance.”
Sonata informed us that Adagio had been asleep for at least a couple hours. It was long enough to be concerned, so I was volunteered to go wake her up. I took a damp, lukewarm cloth, a bucket, and a chair to set up beside the bed. I gently began wiping the sweat off her forehead and I was relieved when she started to grumble in her sleep.
“You need to wake up, Adagio,” I said quietly.
Her eyes cracked open and she blinked a few times. When she recognized me, her eyes narrowed briefly but then they drifted closed again. Her expression was resigned irritation.
“Ugh, Sonata called you even after I told her not too, didn't she?” she grumbled weakly. “Are you here to make sure we’re actually dead?”
“Pessimism doesn’t suit you very well Adagio,” I said quietly. “My friends and I are here to help the three of you recover from the flu.”
“The flu,” she echoed in a flat, disbelieving voice.
“Yeah. Although it could also be food poisoning but Fluttershy is pretty confident in her diagnosis.”
Adagio closed her eyes again and frowned. “Why won't you just go away?”
“The same reason I didn't turn my back on you last week,” I replied. “You don’t deserve to suffer. I’m glad to see the cut on your face healed up nicely.”
“Seriously?” she grumbled. “We’re making small talk now? Fine, yes it did. Why did you wake me up?”
“I needed to make sure you hadn’t fallen unconscious. You’d be on your way to the hospital if that was the case. The others will be here soon with food and some medicine to get you on the road to recovery.”
She stared at the ceiling. “A thousand years we spent untouched by the worst diseases humanity had to offer. We sang the praises of the black death and drank from the chaos caused by smallpox. All that only to be wrecked by a simple seasonal flu. It doesn’t matter what you do today, you’ve still killed us.”
“You’ll be better before you know it.”
“No you dolt,” she groaned weakly. “We’ve lived a thousand years and now we are mortal. We’re going to grow old and die and it’s all thanks to you and your irritating girlfriends.”
She’s right in a twisted way.
Yeah, but they’re just going to have to adapt.
“There’s not anything we can do to change what happened,” I said with a sigh. “You’ve still got years of life ahead no matter what. For now, let’s just focus on getting you three healthy again.”
Adagio rolled her eyes and snorted. “Fine, whatever. Do whatever soothes your guilt. I don't have the energy to stop you anyhow.”
The rest of the afternoon was busy and surprisingly short on conflicts in spite of the Dazzling’s hostility. The other girls arrived after a short time and we knuckled down to get them on the road to recovery. Even though Adagio and Aria were bitter and angry, they didn’t do anything to interfere. While Fluttershy and Applejack took care of the three, the rest of us gathered the garbage and cleaned the two bathrooms.
Before we knew it, the place was squared away and we were getting ready to leave. Fluttershy and I were the last to head out. She was crouched down by Sonata where she was resting on the couch.
“So you have my number as well now, Sonata,” Fluttershy said quietly. “If any of you have any questions or take a turn for the worse again, please call one of us. Just remember, take small sips of liquid and don’t eat too much all at once. Your body needs to get used to food again.”
Sonata nodded from her spot on the couch and forced a small smile. She still looked extremely unwell but that resigned fear had faded away and she had a slight spark in her eye.
“Thanks,” she whispered.
“No problem,” I replied with a smile on my face. “Hope you all feel better soon.”
Well that was a step in the right direction.
Agreed. I hope it'll help convince them.
I walked Fluttershy out and closed their door behind us. As soon as we were clear, Fluttershy sagged against me and sighed with relief. I let her support herself on my arm as we walked out to where our friends were waiting.
“That was scary Silver,” she whispered. “I almost couldn’t keep it together, those three are so intimidating.”
“I'm sorry I didn't realize you were frightened,” I replied. “To be honest you were magnificent.”
“Thanks.”
The rest of the girls were all smiles when we joined them. We were all a bit disheveled from all the hard work but everyone looked energetic. Sunset walked over and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before I wrapped my free arm around her.
“Well that could have gone much worse,” Dash said in a satisfied voice. “I was all ready for it to be a trap or something sinister; I’m almost disappointed.”
Rarity was surprisingly relaxed considering how grubby she was. With how fussy she usually was about her appearance it was easy to forget she knew when to ignore such things. She would be spending a fair amount of time in the shower when she got home though.
“I for one shudder to think what would have happened to them if Silver hadn’t chased them down last week," she said.
“I think Sonata would have called an ambulance instead,” I replied. “Our help probably just saved them a lot of time and trouble. I just hope they take the next step once they’re better.”
“I think they might,” Sunset replied. “That’s a problem for another day because right now I desperately need to go have a shower.”
“Ah’ think we all do,” Applejack replied. “Let’s head home.”
I gave Sunset one more peck on the cheek. “Hope to see you in your dreams,” I whispered.
She grinned. “I look forward to it Silver.”
“RUN FASTER SILVER!”
“I’M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN! WATCH OUT!”
The hallway got brighter and we could hear the roaring sound as the ball flames flew towards us. We dodged left down a new hallway just before the fireball hit the ground behind us. Shards of crystals were sent flying in every direction. I felt some bursts of pain as some fragments clipped across my back and shoulders.
“WHY WON'T YOU DIE ALREADY!?” Sunset howled in her demon form. The howling cries of her zombie minions echoed through the halls of the crystal tower.
“WHY WON'T YOU WAKE UP?! COME ON SUNSET!”
“Door on the left! Time to retreat!” Spark shouted. “GO GO GO!”
A door up the hall shimmered and turned into the simple wood door we last used to enter Sunset's dream. We hear the roar of a fireball shaking the corridor as the two of us jumped through the door and out into the empty star field. We could feel the heat of the fireball as it flew past before we slammed the door behind us. The door dissolved into nothing and I flopped down in the waiting recliner. A glass of water manifested on the coffee table which I grabbed.
“So that's one success and two failures,” Spark said in a grumpy voice. “Assuming you discount the shoulder injury on Monday of course. At least we didn’t get clawed a third time. There has to be a more effective way to pull Sunset out of her nightmares and trigger lucid dreams.”
I chugged back the illusory water before replying. “Maybe the average pony doesn't have the same trauma Sunset has suffered. Luna help us if this is going to be a standard experience.”
“Whatever the case, we need to stop taking risks like this,” Spark said. “Honestly we've come way to close to severe injury on all three attempts. Tomorrow night we should try to find our other friends just to peek in.”
I sighed. “I hate to say it, but I agree. More attempts at Sunset’s dreams without more information would be the definition of insanity. At least there aren’t any incriminating injuries to upset her this time.”
Spark smirked at me. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but there are shrapnel cuts on your cheeks and neck.”
“Bugger.”
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
7:30 am - Hey Sunset, would you like me to pick up some coffee at the Sweet Shoppe for you on the way in today?
7:55 am – Ok, I’ve got to head out. Text me when you get this.
8:25 am – Where are you Sunset?
9:45 am – Rarity says she saw you in class this morning. I’m glad you’re ok but what did I do wrong? I’m sorry.
I was frustrated and worried by the time lunch rolled around. Two nights of painful failures at contact Sunset through her dreams and worry about my missing girlfriend had me distracted. I hardly paid any attention to the other student as I drifted into the cafeteria and straight to the table. I flopped down in my usual chair next to Dash and Applejack. I put my head in my hands and rubbed my eyes to clear the frustration.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. “Penny for yer thoughts, Sugarcube.”
I rolled my eyes and gestured at the red marks on my face. “The risks of dreamwalking are rather frightening at the moment. I did not anticipate the price that comes with botched attempts.”
Rainbow Dash raised her eyebrow. “You got those from a dream? How is that even possible?”
“I wish I knew,” I replied in a tired voice. “If I did, I might be able to protect myself. There isn’t exactly an instruction manual so I’m stuck figuring this out as I go along. Anyhow, it's not something I can worry about right now because I need to find Sunset.”
Dash smirked at me. “Are you in the doghouse already? You two haven’t even been dating a week!”
“No, nothing like that,” I said waving my hands defensively. “I hope at least. She’s avoiding me for some reason. Do you know where she is?”
“Ah think ah saw her go into the library,” Applejack said. “Before ya run off, I just wanted to ask a question about this dreamwalkin' you’re doing.”
“Go ahead, I'll answer if I can.”
Her green eyes met mine and her hands started fidgeting nervously on the table. I was surprised to see her eyes were going misty. “That thing with your parents a few weeks back was a dream, right? Do you think you could do that for another person?”
I covered one of her hands with my own and gave it a comforting squeeze. “It's not something I'd want to try until I sort out the safety issues but after that, I don't see any reason why not. It would just be a memory Jackie, not the real person but for my friends, I can give it a shot.”
She smiled and raised her eyebrow. “Jackie? If we're goin’ with nicknames, I'd prefer AJ. Ah hereby give you permission to access mah dreams, Silver. Ah'm kinda curious about your partner anyhow.”
“Ugh, you two are being all sappy,” Dash said in mock irritation. “I'm gonna pass on the dream thing for now. I might reconsider when you stop coming to school with mysterious injuries.”
“Deal,” I said laughing. “As much as I'd like to stay, I'd better track down Sunset.”
“We're still on for Thanksgiving dinner, right?” Applejack asked.
“You bet. No confirmation on Twilight yet but Spike will be there for sure. Everyone attending is aware of Spike, right AJ?”
“Eeyup,” she replied. “Just mah close family and a few of our friends. Granny actually asked if 'that nice purple girl and her chatty dog' were comin’ to visit again. Ah' think she finds the whole thing amusing, to be honest.”
“Awesome, Spike will appreciate being able to speak freely. I'll see you two later.”
Applejack and Rainbow Dash waved as I walked out. I saw the others except for Sunset walk in together. Pinkie Pie had an oddly huge grin on her face and she looked excited about something. I waved at them before hurrying off to the library. When I got there, the library was quiet and nearly empty. I began methodically checking the stacks to find her. I thought I had missed her but then I spotted her. She was almost out of sight at the end of the row but her red and gold hair was just visible.
“Sunset!” I exclaimed, walking up beside her. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
She squeaked with fright, jumped up to her feet and looked like she was going to bold. I quickly reached forward and grabbed her arm to keep her from fleeing.
“Why are you trying to run away, Sunset?” I asked in a worried voice. “I’m sorry if I did something wrong.”
Sunset's voice was distraught and frightened as she tried continued to pull away. “I hurt you again! I can remember everything. That's the third night in a row you've woken up injured and it’s my fault!”
“Calm down Sunset,” I said, pulling her into a hug. “We'll figure out how to get your nightmares under control. Please don’t run away.”
She stopped struggling but was still tense like she would bolt if I let go. “I thought I was finally going to be happy but inside me, there's just a vicious monster. You saw it for yourself again last night. I couldn't control myself.”
No, we are not letting her do this to herself.
I held her arm tight. “Please just look at me Sunset.”
She reluctantly relaxed but didn't look at me. I lifted her chin with my finger, so I could see her sad aquamarine eyes. I gazed into her eyes for a moment before leaning in and gently kissing her on the lips. She returned the kiss without hesitation and I felt a wave of relief run through me. When I broke the kiss, I gazed into her eyes and smiled.
“What happens in your dreams has nothing to do with who I see in front of me,” I said gently. “That realm is one of fear and hope made real, but it is only what we do in this world that really matters. Do you still want me as your boyfriend?”
Sunset didn’t break eye contact when she replied. “Yes.”
“Then I am still yours, you silly pony,” I said, pushing my forehead to hers. “Why did you feel like you had to run away from me?”
“I’m actually not sure . . .” Sunset replied as her expression became puzzled. “I guess I was scared you would dump me so I wanted to postpone the inevitable. Flash broke up with me over text a couple weeks before the formal and for some reason, I was afraid you were going to do the same. I haven’t even looked at my phone today.”
Lame Flash, really lame.
Her answer worries me Silver.
I know. Me too.
The two of us sat down, on the floor of the library. I put my arms around her waist and she leaned back against me.
“Let’s make one thing absolutely clear, dear,” I said gently. “If I ever feel like our relationship isn't working for some reason I will tell you so we can work out how to fix the problem, together. Right now there is absolutely nothing wrong . . . well other than you trying to run away when we should be talking about our worries.”
“But what if it doesn’t work?” she asked in a small voice. “What if we can’t sort things out?”
“Let’s not dwell on a future that might never come to pass,” I said, taking her hand in mine. “I swear to you, any changes in our relationship good or bad will be discussed face to face. Not over the phone, not by text and not without a chance to make things right. Now please stop worrying; we’re all good Sunset.”
“So what about your magic?” she asked, the relief clear in her voice. “You partially ponied up when arguing with Diamond Tiara the other day and I dread to think what will happen when you run into Gilda and Lightning Dust. We can’t abandon your training.”
I put my arm around her. “It’s becoming apparent that dreamwalking is way more dangerous than I could have imagined. I can't risk injury or death trying to figure this out the hard way. For now, we can focus on controlling my magic while I’m awake. I think we’re going to have to consult with the only pony who knows anything about the dream realm.”
“Princess Luna,” Sunset replied in a flat voice.
“That's right. If you're up for it, we can ask Twilight to arrange a meeting or training session in the near future. The sooner the better I think.”
Sunset looked over her shoulder at me, surprised. “Do you really want me involved? I haven’t been much help.”
“We're a team Sunset,” I replied, leaning in and nuzzling her cheek from behind. “Your advice has already gotten me further than I thought possible with my magic, even with the stumbles. I’m just a guy with a C+ average in school who has been given the gift of magic. You’re the brilliant student who grew up with magic. I'm sure you'll glean more understanding than I will when we talk to Princess Luna.”
“Fair enough,” she said with a bit more cheer in her tone. “I'll do what I can to help.”
Nicely done. That'll make sure she comes along when we see Luna.
The buzzer rang indicating lunch had come to an end. Sunset got up to her feet and then pulled me up.
“I’m sorry I was being silly,” she said.
I ran my hand down her cheek. “Don’t worry about it; I made the same mistake last week. Just talk to me next time. I’m always ready to listen.”
The PA system crackled and Vice Principal Luna’s voice came on. “Silver Spark, please report to the front steps.”
“Huh, that’s weird,” I muttered. “What do you think is going on?”
“I’m coming with you,” Sunset said.
We walked out of the library and made our way towards the main entrance. We were in no particular rush while moving against the flow of students heading to class. I got a couple curious glances but nothing unexpected happened until I pushed the front door open.
There was a tall man dressed in black leaning on the statue. He was wearing a light shirt, slacks and a blackened steel helmet with fencing mesh obscuring his face. He was carrying a rapier in each hand and there was a dagger sheath on one hip. Sitting on the ground in front of me was a silver helmet with an identical fencing mask built in.
“So you are the 'so-called' expert swordsman of Canterlot High,” the figure said in a deep voice with a heavy accent. “A few altercations with worthless thugs and you dare call yourself a professional? It is time to put your hubris to the test, boy.”
“What gives you the right?” Sunset shouted at him before I could respond. “You leave Silver alone!”
I didn't answer immediately as I surveyed the scene. I stared at the figure for a moment, while the wheels turned in my mind. I glanced out at the road and noticed there was a police car parked there. A familiar blue haired policeman was leaning on his car writing something but he occasionally glanced in our direction. He seemed unconcerned about the sword-wielding figure standing in front of a school and I found that a bit suspicious.
“One cannot simply claim to be an expert, miss,” the man in black said with a shrug. “The audacious claims I have heard about this boy cannot go untested.”
We can take him!
Hold our magic in check.
I could tell Sunset was preparing to shout back but I put up my hand to interrupt her.
“It's alright, Sunset,” I said, bending down to retrieve the mask. “I can handle this and everything's going to be fine. Please, just stay here.”
I walked down the stairs and pulled the mask over my face before shouting at him. “What are the terms of your challenge?”
“A duel of course. First blood,” he replied in a bored tone, tossing one of the rapiers at me in a high, tumbling arc.
I watched the flying weapon and easily snagged it out of the air by the hilt with one hand. A quick shift of my wrist dropped it into a combat ready grip. I walked over until we were ten paces apart and I bowed to him. I could see he was bowing as well.
“I accept your terms,” I growled.
He couldn't see the excitement on my face as I dropped into third guard combat stance. The man in black matched my move and we slowly edged towards each other. I evaluated his movements and I knew this was going to be a fight to remember. The instant our swords met, our hesitation ended. The blades rang out in a song of clashing metal as we began our dance.
The man in black attached aggressively and I blocked each strike without a serious counter as I stepped around the courtyard evaluating and confirming my suspicions about my opponent. This was not fencing and the whole courtyard was our battlefield. His style was unsurprisingly familiar and his moves were precise just like I anticipated. My opportunity came when he attempted a full pass lunge, dashing forward in an attempt to strike with a cut to my leg. I sidestepped his attack and attempted to strike at his back as he passed me but he brought his weapon up in time to counter my strike.
Now I had him on the defensive, and I began a series of feints to continue pushing him off balance. However, he saw through my game and redoubled his efforts. Strike by strike we attacked, parried and counterattacked, trying to gain the upper hand. Our blades crashed together, again and again, echoing off the walls of the school in a ringing melody.
As seconds grew into minutes I could feel the intensity of the fight beginning to take its toll. I hadn't fought a skilled opponent in over a year and I was surprised I was holding together so well. My practice had not been in vain. I didn't let up my fight, blocking an aggressive cut at my neck before attempting a thrust at his leg. His sword swung down to intercept mine and our clash continued.
Then I made one small mistake; mishandling a parry and letting my opponent knock my sword out of my hand. The next move was going to be our last as his weapon drew back for a final cut. There was only one chance left so I switched tactics, dropped down to the ground and swept his leg out from under him. The sword flew over my head as he tumbled to the ground.
Scrambling across the lawn to where my sword had landed, snagged it and spun back to my opponent. He was coming in fast and his sword was whistling through the air towards my neck. I made one quick move with my sword just as I felt the cold steel through my shirt and I froze, knowing this battle was over.
“Yield,” he demanded. “You are defeated.”
The sweat was pouring down my face while I stared up at my opponent's masked face. “I surrender. However, I believe you have missed one little detail," I said, flicking my eyes down to his stomach.
The man in black looked down at his stomach and froze. My sword had sliced straight through his shirt across the base of his belly. A bit closer and he would have had worse than just a torn shirt. He stared silently for a moment as he looked down at me and my unexpected counter.
“A draw then?” he asked, a chuckle escaping his lips.
“Agreed.”
We lowered our swords and I got back up to my feet while he pulled his mask and helmet off. Underneath there was a familiar craggy cobalt blue face, his cheeks were flushed red from the exertion. His short cropped gray hair was wild and he had a huge grin on his face. He held his hand out and I took it firmly in mine.
“You’ve actually improved since you left Manhattan,” he said. “I’m glad you haven’t neglected your skills, young man. Your mother would be proud of you pulling off such a slippery move.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve fought a truly skilled opponent, Sir,” I replied smiling back as we shook hands. “I'm surprised I managed to pull that last strike off.”
“Silver! What in Celestia's name is going on!? Are you hurt?” Sunset exclaimed as she ran up beside me and pulled me into a hug before checking my neck. There was a bruise forming but my skin was intact. She punched me in the shoulder. “I thought he was going to kill you there in the end! Who is this man?”
I looked over my shoulder and saw all my friends, Principal Celestia, Vice Principal Luna and Discord watching on the front steps. The expressions were mixed but nobody looked frightened or worried. Pinkie looked like she was about ready to explode from excitement. I noticed there were faces crowded at every classroom window and I felt a bit anxious when I realized more than half the school had seen the fight. I turned my attention to the small group walking towards us from the front steps.
“I'd like to introduce you all to Steel Rain,” I said, gesturing at my opponent. “He is a master in the art of Western European swordplay, my godfather and teacher. Who has apparently arrived here a week early; You wouldn't happen to know anything about this would you Pinkie?”
At my glance, Pinkie Pie started giggling uncontrollably. “Yuperooni! I've been working on this surprise for ages but this part was Mister Rain's idea. Vice Principal Luna and Officer Shining Armor helped make sure no bad stuff would happen, like the SWAT team showing up.”
The police officer in question had walked over to join the group. "A bit of planning can save hours of wasted police time," Shining Armor said.
Pinkie was practically bouncing. "A quick announcement after you stepped outside and everybody inside got to watch the fun instead of calling the police about another incident! Everyone knew except you."
"I didn't know," Sunset grumbled. "I thought he was actually trying to hurt Silver."
Pinkie just laughed. "You should have checked your texts silly! I messaged you just before lunch."
“You have a solid group of teachers here my boy. It's wonderful to see such support for this exhibition,” Steel Rain said in a jovial voice, his eyes flicking down to Sunset's closeness to me. “Would it be presumptuous to ask if you are dating this lovely fire-haired lady?”
“Not at all. Steel Rain, this is my girlfriend Sunset Shimmer.”
Steel Rain grinned at her. “I'm pleased to meet the girl who finally captured this dolt's attention. You had to club him upside the head to get his attention, didn’t you?”
“Hey!” I snapped at him while I began to blush. I could hear my friends laughing at my discomfort.
“Sorry, but he's not wrong, Silver,” Sunset laughed gently. “I'm pleased to meet you. Silver speaks very highly of you.”
“Indeed he does,” Vice Principal Luna echoed.
Steel Rain stared at Luna like he had been clubbed and then dropped into a deep bow. “My apologies! I was not aware there was a living goddess present at this school. Tis an honor to meet you milady.”
Vice Principal Luna's cheeks began to flush but a small smile graced her face. For our part, Sunset and I began coughing violently to try and choke back the surprise. The expressions on everyone's faces were a study in extremes. Rarity looked like was going to swoon while Dash looked like she might be ill. The others ranged in between but Principal Celestia's expression was particularly amusing.
“Mister Rain, if you please,” Luna said, trying to be professional and fighting a smile. “I am merely the Vice Principal of this school. Please, let us adjourn to the office.”
“There is nothing 'mere' about you milady,” he replied, straightening up with a slightly stunned smile on his face. “To call you 'mere' would be blasphemy of the first order.”
Sunset leaned over to whisper in my ears as we walked with the group towards the school. “So you took a few lessons in sweet talking from him?”
“I've never seen him like this in my entire life,” I replied in a dazed. “Are you finding this as surreal as I am?”
“More than just a little considering the identity of her counterpart,” Sunset replied.
We walked down the hall of the school towards the staff meeting room where I could take a few moments to introduce my other friends. Just as we were about to enter the room, Steel Rain stopped abruptly as if he had just remembered something.
“Silver Spark!” Steel Rain abruptly barked at me.
Forgotten instincts from years of training kicked in. I straightened up and came to attention. “Yes, sir?”
He nodded approvingly at my reaction and handed me one of the two sports bags he was carrying before we walked into the staff room.
“As executor of your parent’s estate, I have transferred the contents of your family safe deposit box to the bank here in Canterlot. However, I knew you would want this right away when I saw it.”
I raised my eyebrow at him, put the bag down on the table and opened it. My heart skipped a beat. There was an ornately decorated metal box, a bit more than one foot by two feet in size and standing ten inches tall with two keys sitting on top of it. The silver floral patterns and decorations made it look like a jewelry box. One was a modern bank key, the other a classic, tarnished skeleton key. My knees went weak and I sat down heavily in one of the chairs without taking my eyes off the prize.
“Oh my, that is beautiful,” I heard Rarity whisper.
“One key is for your new safe deposit box,” Steel Rain continued. “There's just some paperwork to fill out to transfer ownership. The other key goes with the box.”
How did I forget about this, Spark?
It's been a rough year and we only saw it once in a while.
This might answer some of our questions.
Mom did say she didn’t leave us empty-handed.
“I never knew where Mom and Dad kept this, Sir,” I said, running my hand over the elegant metal flowers decorating the chest. “I had almost forgotten about it. Thank you for bringing it with you today.”
“What is it?” Fluttershy asked quietly. “That looks very old.”
“It is old,” I said, taking the skeleton key and unlocking the box. “According to Mom, the box was crafted around five hundred years ago. What’s inside isn't quite as old physically but the contents are supposed to be even older.”
I opened the box to reveal the contents. The inside of the box was lined with velvet and in was almost entirely filled by a large worn leather bound book. The cover was red with gold details engraved into it. I didn’t touch it since my hands were sweaty and dirty.
“I haven’t read it myself, but this book has been in the family for a very long time,” I explained. “It’s a handwritten collection of legends, fairy tales, and family history. The first copy of this book was written six hundred years ago to preserve our clan’s oral tradition in a more permanent form. I'm not even sure how old some of the stories are. This particular copy of the book was created somewhere around two hundred years ago. It was about three-quarters full when I last saw it.”
“You mean it isn’t finished?” Rainbow asked incredulously.
“It's not and it never will be,” I said in a sad voice. “The original book has been passed down to the eldest child of our family for generations while copies were scribed for the younger siblings. Each person who owns this book is supposed to add new stories and history to it before handing it to their child. Mom would read from it a few times a year after family dinners, especially on holidays.”
The room was silent as I stared down at the book, nestled in its velvet lined home. I was struggling to hold my emotions in check while memories of my parents flooded through me. I didn’t want to think about the stories my parents would never get to write but it was unavoidable. Anger began seeping into my mind as I recalled the stories of magic and the wondrous experiences I would never get to share with them. My knuckles cracked as my hands clenched into fists and a sudden desire to return to Manhattan to hunt down the killers flooded into me.
Calm down Silver
The Scorpions stole them from me.
Now is not the time. Breathe.
I was cut off from any further argument with Spark by two arms wrapping around me. Sunset held me tight and I took the moment of distraction to calm down.
“You ok?” she whispered in my ear.
“No, not really,” I replied quietly. “Just a bit of regret.”
Suddenly I felt more weight on me and I was being hugged by Pinkie and Fluttershy as well.
“Don't be sad Silvy,” Pinkie said. “You can write some of their story for them so they'll never be forgotten.”
I looked up at the concerned faces of my friends. No wait, that wasn't quite right.
They aren't just our friends are they?
No, they aren't.
“AJ, could I share one of the stories after dinner tomorrow?”
Applejack looked surprised. “Ah don't see any reason why not, but ah thought the stories were for yer family.”
“That's exactly who I want to share it with,” I said. “With the exception of Twilight and Spike, my family is here in this room now. Maybe not by blood but it doesn't feel right to simply call you my friends after what we've been through. I hope I'm not overstepping.”
“It's fine with me,” Dash replied while the other girls nodded. “Now I'm wishing I was having dinner with you guys instead of my parents!”
“Why don't we record it so everyone else can hear the story later,” Sunset said.
“That's a great idea,” I said, setting my sorrow aside for the moment and closing the box back up again.
After that, I took the time to introduce Steel Rain to the other girls. That went surprisingly smoothly before we settled into a small party. It turned out Pinkie had planned a 'Welcome to Canterlot' party with the permission of our principals. It was a good thing I wasn't attending classes that afternoon since I wouldn't have gotten much done with all the distractions. My thoughts turned to the book.
You realize Mom barely scratched the surface of that book right?
I know Spark. I hope I can come up with something to write on their behalf.
We will Silver. There's no doubt we'll come up with something.
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Found a mistake
I could tell Sunset was preparing to shout back but I put up my hand to interrupt her. The situation
it just ends at 'situation'. theres nothing after it
Sunsets held me tight and I took the moment of distraction to calm down.
*Sunset
8027868 Thank you as always! Tis fixed now.
another awesome chapter
img.4plebs.org/boards/tv/image/1408/41/1408415469138.jpg
"Milady"
Awsome awsome chapter loved it, honestly i cant believe they ended up having the flu or food poisoning it was kinda suprising i thought it was gonna be much worse
and im glad silver now has some type of a family again and the scene between luna and steel great just beautiful steel sure made a great and mysterious entrance
this really was a great chapter cant wait for the next one
*sigh* fim fiction didn't notify me that your new chapter is done, now I'm sitting on my bed on my phone nearly 2 in the morning with my laptop charging after spending all day editing my story. Now I have a choice read your chapter or go bed..........choices
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
8028219 - Thank you!
8029846 -
8030262 - I was wondering how immortal they actually were and once I decided, this was a perfect twist.
It's amazing how much the group has been through in such a short time.
8030849 - I've noticed that happening with a few stories I'm following as well. Not sure why it's happening.
mhhh... in the dreams, it's just silver who can be hurt, or the person he visit can be hurt too ?
also, great chapter.
8034262 - Hard to say. In the absence of hard evidence, it's a definite maybe at the moment.
glad you enjoyed the chapter!
8049031 - You'll see a bit later.
