9 - Those Days
Darkness was everywhere and yet she could still make out shapes and silhouettes. Where was she? When was it? She was experienced enough to know better than to assume she had only been out for a few minutes. To Tartarus with that blasted stallion!
“Mmmph,” Storm Sword mumbled through the fabric that had been tied around her mouth. Her hooves were tied as well. If she were a unicorn, escape might be easier. The darkness didn’t help.
It felt like her body was atop old grainy wood. It moved and jostled beneath her. Must be in some kind of covered wagon, she concluded. Being taken where and why? That’s what she cared about most at the moment.
The road that the wagon was traversing over must not have been a major one because there was no familiar clack-clack of cobblestone. Just rough dirt and rocks by the feel of it. Occasionally a more pronounced bump in the road would give her body a small jump. She got ready for the next one.
KAPOOM!
The wagon hit a large rock and Storm used the momentum of the lurch to send her over whatever it was that was keeping her tightly bound body from squirming towards the back entrance of the enclosed wagon. This would, of course, have been so much easier if she could make out more than rough edges of objects. She only had to roll over some small somethings to get to the canvas flap that closed the back of the wagon.
Great, she thought as she felt for the tie that bound the canvas to the flatbed. Even if she could get the tie undone while bound, she wouldn’t escape by just dropping off the back. Chances were high she’d be noticed. Who knows what would happen at that point and there was always the chance she would simply break her neck on the fall anyways.
If she could use her unicorn magic then this would be far more straight-forward. Obviously whoever had tied her up was experienced enough and well-equipped enough to put a suppression ring on her horn. She hated it when her enemies were competent. There wasn’t going to be any early breaks or malt cider for her today.
That’s when she reminded herself that she didn’t actually know her exact situation. It just seemed safe to assume that being bound, gagged, and supressed in a dark wagon and being taken somewhere meant that whoever was pulling the wagon wanted her to remain captive...
When she thought of it that way, she felt that the situation was actually quite clear and obvious. So with a healthy dose of pessimism and restrained concern for her Guard division, she rolled onto her side and moved her feathers as much as she could to see if the hidden blade had been found and removed.
Aha, she realized.
She had gotten a break after all.
“I can’t help but worry again,” Fluttershy frowned and poked the pillow in the new hotel room they had gotten within the city proper. It was on 28th West Street so they would not have to keep traveling quite as far to deal with the public gatherings.
In the past Rainbow Dash might have groaned, rolled her eyes, or even complained about her fellow pegasus. She wasn’t the same pony any more, though. Her thoughts were worlds apart from her past as she dumped the ice into the bucket on the large desk that had the new-looking record player and some utensils for making coffee.
With a flick of the tip of her wing, she popped a wax paper cup from the stack and started pouring some ice and water from the bucket she had just filled. The cider bottle they had gotten earlier was next to the bucket, but she wanted to save the good stuff for tonight.
“I don’t blame you,” Rainbow responded while watching the ice cubes fall into the ocean of her cheap cup. “I remember when we were back in Ponyville – before Twilight even lived there. It was quiet. Even when I was always looking for trouble, I was hard-pressed to find any. Now it seems there isn’t ever a place in Equestria we can go without danger following.”
Fluttershy was indeed worried but a calmness radiated to her from Rainbow over the hivemind. It was a strange scenario that Rainbow Dash of all ponies would sooth her since she was usually the one doing the soothing. Perhaps part of her own personality had rubbed off on the blue pegasus the way everyone in the hive had shared traits. But as the shy mare hugged the bed pillow to her chest and rolled onto her back, she couldn’t help but feel like it was Rainbow who had changed Rainbow.
“Want a sip?” the athlete offered and walked to the bedside. “I’ll warn you, though,” she said before hoofing over the drink, “you have to pay me back by trusting Twilight instead of worrying about her.”
“But-”
Rainbow made sure she didn’t get words in. It was better she made her point now and they enjoy themselves than let good time be soured by pointless concerns. “After all we’ve been through saving Equestria – and ourselves – I think she deserves to be trusted. Chrysalis is with her, after all. We both know what she’s capable of. Especially after Sombra’s last attempt.”
Fluttershy took a deep breath, nodded, and took the cup. They had all changed in different ways, she knew that to be true. But maybe keeping a part of what made them unique wasn’t such a bad thing. She had always trusted Twilight and she’d take Rainbow’s advice on it without another thought. She did, however, have other thoughts.
“What do we do now, though? These city ponies won’t look at us the way they did their queen.”
“No,” Rainbow agreed, accepted the cup back from the mare, and walked over to the window. She used a wing tip to make a split in the blinds and see outside.
The view was severely limited because this area of the city had nothing but multi-story apartments and store complexes. So all she saw were neon signs, advertisements, and apartment buildings so bland that even Maud Pie would be left wanting for style. Rainbow’s eyes dropped to the street below. Generally speaking, it was quite filthy. But masses of ponies were out there shopping, commuting, and talking about the coming tirals.
There was word of yet another rainstorm coming up but Las Pegasus practically worshipped the falling water at this point. Rainbow could see a few picket signs of rain pictured with victory. No doubt the involvement of the water in the capture and pending trial of the rogue police force had given the city ponies a sense of personal strength and independence.
“She was right about this too, after all,” Fluttershy whispered beside Rainbow, almost startling the other mare with how quietly she had come up to her side.
“Let the ponies of this city take charge of their own affairs and assist minimally if needed,” the multi-colored pegasus repeated their queen’s order. “Did Twilight become some political prodigy overnight?”
“She used all of our knowledge and experience through the hivemind,” Fluttershy put a hoof around Rainbow. “She was always the smartest to begin with…”
At that, Rainbow turned under the mare’s hoof and looked her in the eyes. Their noses were nearly touching and Rainbow could feel the other female’s warm breath. “And you’re not? We all know what you did when Sombra tried to get her. I’m not sure if even Twilight had thought to use your Hive Power like that. Not to mention the guts it took.”
Fluttershy blushed and began looking at the blinds again, but Rainbow didn’t let her. The blinds closed and Rainbow used a wing to turn the mare’s face back to her. She was close enough that she could see herself in the reflection of the other pony’s eyes.
“I don’t want to be in charge but there are still things I want, you know,” Rainbow persisted and set the cup down on the nearby bedside table.
“While Twilight is in danger fighting some-”
Again Rainbow silenced her, this time with a clean forehoof to her mouth. “While Twilight is safe and saving Equestria like she does every week. Now are you going to ask me what I want or do I have to show you?”
While there was some filtering between them and Twilight, there was none at all between these two pegasi. The maids were not in the room at the moment, so they were alone. Rainbow’s super rare girly shriek was therefore heard only to Fluttershy when the sun-colored mare surprised her by half pulling and half tossing her onto the bed.
“Oh, um, sorry,” Fluttershy mumbled. “I thought that’s what you wanted and I’m trying to be more assertive...if that’s okay with you.”
Rainbow stretched her hooves out on the bed and beckoned the mare to join her. “It’s all good with me,” she said with a wink.
“Do as you’re told!” Sombra bellowed at the changeling queen. Even in his shadow form, his voice carried like thunder. The small pebbles beneath his mist and the hooves of the host of changelings rattled on the ground.
Still Queen Flux was defiant. “If you want slaves, go back to your Crystal Empire, fallen king!” she sneered with every last drop of venom she only wished she could poison him with. “Half of my hive is gone because of your stupid obsession with one pony princess!”
“I didn’t waste all of this time,” Sombra roared and thrust the mist all around the changeling leader, “to have you abandon the plan on a whim!”
Flux bared her fangs and widened her stance. “We don’t need your complicated plots to take over Equestria. The hive will feed without you!”
The shouting turned to violence as Sombra used his magical mist to grab the small queen’s two rear hooves and toss her back against a thick pine tree’s trunk. Flux spun with her wings, though, and avoided anything more than a graze of her side against the rough bark. The move sent the remaining changelings into a swarming attack on the king.
All merely leaped through, tossed items through, or shot green blasts through the invulnerable black haze. Nothing could affect him. Even though the new Queen Flux was only slightly taller than the average changeling, she had begun to master abilities that regular members of the hive were incapable of. It was what marked her as above them, or at least that was her reasoning.
A deep red aura started to form around Flux as she powered up with all of the strength she had left. She only followed this master of dark magic because it suited the needs of her hive. No more though. Too much had been lost and it was clear she and her changeling children were no more than tools for him to discard when needed.
Odors of burnt chitin began to drift among this part of the forest – deep and far from trails or wandering ponies. Guard changelings that were looking over their captured pony prey left the crude clod and stick prisons to assist in futility. The queen was too busy to give orders, so they all joined in. She channeled so much of her magical energy into the attack that her eyes began to droop as she finished the charge.
Angry flames of dark blood red danced around her body like a bonfire until the energy was released and soared into the charcoal stallion of shadow like a blazing comet.
The resulting explosion cracked trees and rocks while leaving her changelings unharmed. It was her greatest and most powerful skill. However, she did not see the result of it, as the toll on her body knocked her out before she could confirm the kill.
“Spiiiiiiiiiiiiiike~!” Rarity cried out as she rummaged through the drawers of her vanity dresser.
It was starting to get cold in her room since he had left to deal with some crystal ponies in the foyer. Her fireplace did an adequate job of heating the grand bedroom but, when one got used to a higher temperature, even a drop that kept within the warm range made one feel cool.
That and she wanted him to fetch a brush for her that was across the room.
The first dinner they had out together had been pleasant, but she had honestly enjoyed being back at the castle far more. When they were out, they got nothing but suggestive looks from the crystal ponies. The public’s rather crass attitude about it was entirely Cadance’s fault she was sure. But that did little to ease her annoyance.
It was an old and rustic restaurant that they visited and could very well have once been a redwood inn. After being stuffed full without even finishing their larger than normal meals, Spike was unable to refuse the equally enormous blueberry and sapphire glazed pie. Even if he was willing to insult them by turning it down, the sapphires were far too tempting for his draconic tastes.
This all mattered for one reason. The kiss. After they had gotten back to the castle and relaxed in her room in front of the fireplace, they had gotten cozy together. Spike’s rather large body had curled around hers, giving her warmth from the back while the fireplace warmed her front side. Rather nice since it was easy to be too hot facing the fire and freezing one’s flanks off at the same time.
Spike suggested they try the pie even if Rarity’s stomach could only handle a small taste. She could still remember him taking the plate with the slices into the room and cuddling her again from behind on the plush royal purple rug before the fire. He took the thin slice with a claw and held it right up to her mouth…
Rarity gave an “oh my” when she saw her cheeks heating up in the vanity mirror’s reflection. Just thinking about it made her heart pound. If Spike had been pouring over romance novels in his freetime then their hivemind sure didn’t let her know about it. Perhaps her feelings for the dragon gave her rose-tinted glasses on his actions, but she only cared how much he loved her.
The pie had blueberries throughout but sapphires only on one side since she couldn’t very well digest hard gems. The slice he fed her was exquisite to say the least. She had never tasted its equal even in the highest level restaurants of Canterlot. What really mattered was that some of the cooked but runny blueberry had trailed down her lips. When she requested a napkin to tidy herself, Spike had done the tidying instead. With his tongue.
His long dragon tongue on her lips.
Her heart had nearly stopped and all in the best way possible.
That was last night. She had been obsessing with it in her mind ever since. Sure, Spike had his concerns about Twilight, but he respected her as well. Perhaps now more than ever before. And she certainly wasn’t so base as to beat away at issues they had talked about and settled already. Something else bothered her.
What would it be like being with a dragon?
“You can use my memories if you want. I don’t mind,” Spike said from behind and to the side of her. The angle had prevented her from seeing him come up via the mirror.
She jumped nearly five hooves out of her skin. “Spike! You know better than to startle a lady.”
“Sorry,” he apologized but grinned at the same time. He leaned in and nuzzled her cheek with his, though he had to place his front claws down on the ground to do so comfortably. “The ponies just needed some advice for putting down new homes. Some of the children are getting old enough for places of their own.”
Rarity cooed at the touch of his warm scales on her fur. “I do hope it is not too much trouble in this snow.”
“Naw,” Spike waved it off with a claw. “They won’t be building until the weather is clear and I can help melt it anyways if they need me to.”
As if the emphasize his ability, he blew a wisp of flame almost as if he was going to whistle.
“I do not wish to use your memories for such private affairs. I would rather experience it myself,” Rarity finally said and returned to attaching her earrings. She kept her language non-specific so as to avoid what she considered crude conversation.
“Huh?” the dragon’s eyes looked around for the topic he had lost.
“I may not yet know what dragons are like in certain respects,” she put it politely as she often did. “But I am perfectly at peace with it no matter the facts.”
Spike meanwhile, wondered why she felt the need to talk about such things at the moment. He also wondered what in the fire ruby she had just said. He might know if he used the hivemind but felt unsure if he should use it all the time. Perhaps it would be more gentledrake-like to give her thoughts some privacy.
“You mean...like,” Spike struggled for understanding. “Um, you don’t know what it would be like if we were married?”
“Well,” Rarity tilted her head and half-agreed. “Yes, but that was not exactly what I meant, darling. You have yet to properly kiss a lady, no?”
“No,” Spike replied and then furrowed his brows and corrected. “Yes.”
Rarity frowned.
“No, I’ve never kissed a lady,” Spike clarified with a cold sweat. Sometimes the mare’s wording was hard for him to give short answers to.
With a better hidden blush, Rarity finished her work at the dresser. We simply must change that today, she decided.
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Oh so much is going on and I am lost. But *reinhardt voice* onward my friends! Glory awaits!
Welp...looks like thing are going poorly for the changelings. Kinda hoping at least some of them get a happy ending and this will not result in a genocide.
D'awwww @ Rainbow and Flutters.
I hope the changelings will be alright.
Welcome to adulthood, Spike.
Interesting, so the Queen Sombra has beguiled into helping him has decided to rebel? How fortunate. And she has the ability to disable friendly fire? That could be extravagantly useful!
Rarity is coming into the idea of closer physical interaction with Spike, how exciting!
Keep going! ;)
I love it when Dash (and all Element Bearers in general) is portrayed in stories with a much deeper character than the most (over)used and known character traits.
When Rainbow Dash is portrayed as:
- Arrogant (overconfident to the point of being reckless without thinking anything through before acting)
- Fiercely loyal to the point where she's mostly the one in felt 8/10 fanfics who attacks and distrusts first and asks questions later. (Seriously, I lost count in how many fics an OC was always attacked/brought into hospital by accident by an attacking Rainbow Dash the first time said OC steps into the town. It's like an unwritten ritual. You can't come completely new and unknown - as a non Pony - into Ponyville without being "greeted" by Rainbow in some aggressive way)
- A stubborn hothead
- Partly very simple minded, after the cliche motto: "She is to awesome to be an 'egghead'!" What essenstial means that she isn't educated/informed - or interested in general - about anything except Daring Do, her job as a weather manager, flying and becoming/being a Wonderbolt.
I like this sequel very much until now.
When did Storm Sword become an alicorn or pegasus?
One of these things is not like the other ~.
What? She's a unicorn, where'd the feathers come from?
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8095950
EXACTLY! 6 weeks later this is still up. And I really hope Blackwater can clear that up. She's a unicorn, has always been a unicorn ... how'd she get wings?
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hmmm....since the author hasn't come out and said anything about storm having feathers and horn...I suddenly had the thought it's on purpose because storm is a changeling! my gut says that's not true, but it's important enough to the scene she has both that it can't be accidental I believe
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i.ytimg.com/vi/bDQpF92l1vg/maxresdefault.jpg
8715591
Yep. Sent an Email to the author. Hopefully get this little snafu fixed.
Comment about Storm Sword being an alicorn
I dont get it is this still talking about storm sword? If so when did she become an alicorn? If not then did twi get captured?