In the Shadow of the Past
Chapter 18
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When they finished eating, Verdigris and Eaglefeather left the commissary. As neither had been there long, they didn’t know their way around, other than to their rooms and a few other places, and Verdigris was dead-set on finding the way on his own. What Sky said stung him a little, but Eaglefeather reminded him she had a mind of her own when she stopped a passing Pegasus and asked for directions. “Stallion pride,” she said with a smirk. “I hope it tastes good.”
“Well, this little mouse of a mare has teeth. Good. I’d have found my way. Eventually.” Verdigris kept his satisfaction off his face, and out of his voice. Almost.
“Just in time to speak to Luna, I’m sure,” she replied. “Come on. I haven’t seen the sky in what seems like forever.”
“Yeah, we’re Hawks. Got to have sky time.” Is that all it took, just telling her a few things, and making her see things another pony’s way? he wondered. It can’t be that easy. He sighed. I wish I could ask dad what she was like before Swansdown got to her. Maybe that would help.
Eaglefeather led the way, and from what Verdigris saw, she seemed more confident than he could remember. Of course, they hadn’t seen a lot of each other; Sail hadn’t allowed much contact with her family, other than sanctioned official family gatherings. Something’s not right, but I’ll be bucked if I can figure out what it is, he thought. After a few minutes following the directions, which included climbing a long stairway, ‘Feather turned and smiled at him. “This way,” she said.
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret,” he replied as he followed her outside. They passed out into the sunlight, which slanted in from the east on their right. Verdigris estimated it was about ten o’clock. Though it wasn’t high noon, the light was dazzling; the skylights were angled to catch and transmit the light evenly, at a level that was enough for any activity.
He caught up with her at the edge of the landing, which was surrounded by a low crenelated wall. The wind blew steadily from the north-west, and they stopped to enjoy the feeling of moving air on their faces. “Wow, not even two days, and I missed that feeling,” he said.
“All it needs is the salt,” she agreed. They looked around, taking in the environment. They were on the north face of the mountain, and there was a settlement in the distance which he assumed was Condorosa. There was a river not far away, with a small lake about a mile away. “Well, we came out so you could show off,” ‘Feather said.
Verdigris looked around and saw a wide walkway that led to a five-acre, grass-covered shelf. Several ponies seemed to be sparring, and he could see Sky Bolt watching. No way. She can’t be the trainer. She’s way too young – well, for anywhere else. Ponies grow up fast outside of settled areas, he thought. He glanced at his aunt, and walked toward the gathering. Eaglefeather took a moment to take a deep breath, then followed.
When they arrived, Sky snorted with amusement. “Who asked for directions?” Verdigris rolled his eyes, and she chuckled. “That explains how you got here so fast. The ones who don’t take at least two hours to get outside. Okay. When the warm-ups are done, we’ll see how good you are.”
They watched, and Verdigris noted he was familiar with nearly all their styles: Kung Hoof and Katrote, of course, and old-school boxing and wrestling predominated, but he also recognized the Krav Pega the Kickers were infamous for, and the Tae Kwon Doe that had come in from the Tarandroland area. He felt confident, and a little smug. He could compensate for everything, just by mixing-up styles. “Don’t look smug,” ‘Feather said. “Just because you know more doesn’t mean you know better.”
Verdigris looked at her in surprise. His father had said that more than once. “Okay, I’ll keep an open mind and open eyes.”
The black-coated, white-maned Earth pony from yesterday in particular caught his attention. Try as he might, he couldn’t place her style. Her cutie mark, a mountain, gave no clue. “Oh, something you haven’t seen before,” Sky said, startling him. She’d moved to stand at his side without being noticed. “North Slope’s from Trotheim, and she learned Moo-ay Thai from her father when he came back from a tour with the Guards. Nasty-looking, eh?”
Verdigris had to nod in agreement, as it was mostly kicks and knee strikes, barely anything else. Kiss your ribs, knees and ankles goodbye, he thought. Maybe your neck and face, if she sets you up properly. He was sure he didn’t want to find out the hard way, judging by her focused expression, and how some of the stallions warily watcher her. He looked at her quizzically. Wow, is she different form yesterday morning. Is she that bad, or am I missing something?
Warm-ups finished, and North Slope walked up. “Aren’t you going to warm up?”
“I got that on the stairs, and I got good at fighting without a warm-up, mostly ‘cause I didn’t get a warning,” Verdigris replied. “You can’t count on that.”
She gave him a long, unreadable stare, then shrugged. “Whatever lifts your wings.” Verdigris did a double-take, then shook his head. “Wing-boners” were a myth, as far as he knew. He’d never had one, nor did he ever see them on Grass or Honey. “Get your mind out of the gutter, pretty-colt. I meant flying.”
“Spend time working out with the Royal Guards and see where your mind ends up,” he rejoined. “And who are you calling ‘pretty-colt’?”
The other ponies gathered around to watch, and Verdigris had the impression they were expecting something. What, a fight? She’s going to have to do better to push me that far. He looked at Sky, who was grinning slightly. “You just like stirring it up, don’t you?” The Pegasus shrugged. He turned back to Slope and said, “If you’re really looking for a fight, go somewhere else. I was taught not to hit mares, or ponies who are smaller than I am.” Wait for it, he thought, just before she gave him a sour glare.
“Just about everypony is smaller than you are.”
“Got it in one,” he replied with a nasty grin. “There’s hope for you yet.”
She stepped back and snarled, “Get ‘em up.”
“Hay, no. If verbal sparring turns into a fight, somepony bucked-up. If you can’t handle it, don’t do it. Just so you know, I’ve never backed down from a fight, but that doesn’t mean I like fighting.” He gave her a critical gaze. “How long have you been here?”
“About a year. Why?” she asked warily.
“You heard what I said and did in Stalliongrad a few years ago. And why, right?” Slope nodded warily. “Then you don’t want to push me, ‘cause when I’ve had enough, there won’t be any saying ‘I didn’t mean it’. You won’t get any warning. Anypony who set me off did mean it, and they all regretted it. When the news of what I did just before I left Oceanside gets here, you’ll be happy I talked you down. And no, I haven’t told anypony. I did what I had to, to save a friend, and never thought about it until after it was over. Ponies are worried about me, and they may be right that I’m a threat, but I can’t change what I was taught. I don’t want to, either. If nothing else, everypony knows where they stand.”
“In the queue,” Sky repeated for him, grinning.
“Take a number,” Verdigris added, matching grins with her.
Slope looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Okay, maybe you’re right, but we want to see what you can do.”
“How about I tell you what I saw? That should tell you what I know.” Verdigris looked around, and the other ponies nodded. “Okay, I was taught by the Royal Guards when I was in Canterlot, and half the Patrol in Oceanside. So, I recognized Kung Hoof, Katrote, boxing and wrestling, Krav Pega and Tae Kwon Doe. Moo-ay Thai’s a new one on me, though.
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I only lost one fight. Anypony going up against Nightmare would have.” They all shuddered. “Special circumstances. Before you ask, I went up against multiple ponies of all three types more than once. Some before and after I learned how to control the change. I’ve mopped-up Rus gangs twice. All of that was alone.” He turned to look at Sky Bolt as Eaglefeather looked on. “If you want to see how good I am, you only need one pony, and you know what I mean.”
Sky looked at him for a long moment, then shook her head. “No, it won’t happen. You already know we keep track of our Clan, so we know about your training, and what you’ve done.” She tilted her head to one side with a very slight smile. “Can’t deny I’d like to see it, but you play for keeps, or so the story goes.”
“Trust me, I think I’ve had too much practice,” the Alicorn replied. “All I really wanted out here was some sky time.” The Pegasus blinked, and he explained, “It’s what Uncle Blackwolf calls it. Just flying for the enjoyment. It clears my head and helps me think.” He looked up. “Once I get up there, all the problems and worries just go away for a while, and I can deal with them.”
Eaglefeather smiled at his wistful tone. It reminded her of Sky Watcher after he learned to fly. “That sounds like a very good idea. Shall we?” He nodded, and they trotted to the edge of the shelf, pausing to “read” the air currents with spread wings. “Hmm, this should be interesting. Gusty,” she said. After a moment, she launched into the air, and he followed a few seconds later. They flapped hard until they were nearly a thousand feet above the valley floor, then seemed to stop, their wings making slight adjustments to remain aloft and relatively stationary.
Slope and the others watched, wondering why they were just hovering there. “Is that it?” a tan and pea-green Unicorn asked.
“You’ll never understand, Butternut,” Sky replied as she watched, a little smile breaking out. “You don’t have to exert yourself to enjoy flying. You don’t have to go anywhere, either. Just being up there, the wind in your face and flowing over your wings, is plenty. He’s right, the cares and so forth just go away for a while.” She looked at the stallion with mild pity. “It’s too bad, because I think you’d like it.”
“I can actually see them relaxing,” Slope said after a few minutes; Verdigris had just made a quick-breaking roll and resumed his position, seemingly without any effort. Eaglefeather did the same a moment later. “It looks wonderful,” she added softly. She clucked her tongue. “Well, we can wait until he wants to show off his skills. Blackhawk’s right, everything can wait.”
About time somepony figured that one out. Sky bolt started. It was like Verdigris was talking in her head. That’s why Celestia and Luna don’t do it too often. No need to freak out the ponies we’re supposed to be protecting, his voice said. I’ll explain later. Right now, I’m just going to enjoy a little sky time with family. It’s been a while.
Okay, but I really want to hear about it, Sky Bolt thought, wondering if he could “hear”, and how he did earlier. She saw a brief smile on his face, which she took as an answer. “Okay, I guess practice is over for a while. I don’t know about you, but I’m just gonna sit here and watch.” She settled to the ground, keeping her gaze locked on the pair.
Slope nodded, then said to the others, “You heard her. School’s out.”
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Canterlot
Celestia read the report from Oceanside with mounting frustration. So far, there was nothing about who sent the ponies, other than the name Speaker. Surestrike had done the questioning, and she knew he’d been thorough. She sighed.
“Your Highness?” She flinched slightly as Tango’s voice startled her. “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s this. No information from the ponies that attacked Verdigris and Tatiyana, other than the name, which I’m assuming is an alias.”
“May I?” She hoofed the report to him, and he studied it at length. “Nothing unusual. It’s an alias, and the Rus are very reluctant to give up their superiors. They won’t kill the ones who break silence, they’ll kill everypony that they care about first, then the real target. They want them to despair, and curse the day they were born before they die.” He shrugged. “Typical Rus mentality, and it works.”
“That will blow up in their faces, Tango,” Celestia said with a sad shake of her head. “We know how Verdigris is about friends and family.” She shuddered as she remembered the mess he’d left on the beach, especially that one stallion. “If they go too far, he’ll go after them again, and I don’t know if I could call him off. You saw what he was like.” The Pegasus shivered as a silent agreement. “I don’t want that to happen.”
“I know. Neither do I. I like him. So do half the Guards, and I think Hammer and Anvil, too. Then there’s what Luna might do, depending on how it turns out.” He shook his head slowly. “It won’t be good, that’s for sure.”
Celestia sighed again. “I don’t want to think about that, right now. I never thought one pony could cause such an uproar, and I can’t say I would have changed anything. What’s worse, it’s not even his fault.”
“Celestia, if you start blaming yourself again, I’ll have to tell Princess Luna about this, and suggest extreme measures.”
She blinked and stared at him. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Like Verdigris sometimes says, ‘Try me’.” Tango smiled, even as he braced for what might come. “You can’t dwell on the might-have-beens, and worrying never helped anypony. If you can’t stop, well, you don’t leave me much choice.”
“You don’t know what ‘extreme measures’ means, Tango,” she warned. His smile made her suspicious. “No, she promised she wouldn’t tell anypony.”
“She didn’t tell just anypony, she told her Guards. They felt it might be useful to have leverage, in case you started moping, as Anvil put it. Sometimes, Princess, you have to be able to take orders, as well as give them.” He gave her a steady gaze. “Either way, you’ll have to do it.” He smiled. “I’m actually hoping you keep it up. It’s not every day your sovereign has to stand still for a free-for-all pie-ing.”
Celestia face-hoofed. “It’s not that, it’s what comes later,” she muttered.
“Heh. I’ll think of that as the best perk of the job.” He gave her a twisted smile. “Whether you dance, or we get to lick you clean or both – ” he grinned lasciviously – “you’ll remember, and maybe you won’t be so gloomy. You’re supposed to have fun, too. Even if we have to force it on you.”
“You don’t have to seem so happy with the prospect,” she groused.
“Consider it therapy. I am certain Doctor Maneslow would agree,” Luna said as she entered. “What is it, ‘Tia?”
“Still nothing about who sent those Rus to Oceanside, Lulu. Only the alias Speaker.”
Luna thought for a moment. “They have ever been careful, and very ruthless, ‘Tia. I do not believe aught has changed since last I was there.” She shook her head. “A stranger group of ponies I have never met. They believe all Equis is against them, and nought of a satisfactory explanation.”
Celestia smiled slightly. “Your speech is improving.”
“I have learned the necessity of caution,” Luna sniffed, which dissolved into a nasty grin. “As I hope thou hast. I warned thee if I believed necessary, therapy would come.”
“It’s so … improper.”
“And who is to say? Verily, not the patient.” Luna’s grin widened. “I have looked forward to seeing thee in such a state again. Twelve-hundred years builds much in – oh, what is the word? Ah, yes – pressure. What have I told thee of ‘letting off steam’, sister?”
“Sometimes it must be done, to keep oneself from exploding. Twice,” Celestia said grudgingly. “It’s still undignified, Lulu.” She shivered, and it wasn’t entirely due to discomfort. “Pie in my … everywhere.” Luna giggled as Celestia blushed.
“I think I should be somewhere else,” Tango said. “State secrets, and all that.”
Luna giggled again, and Celestia was surprised into a long laugh. After a few minutes, Celestia asked, “How long did you two rehearse that?”
“We have no script. Why bother to rehearse?” Luna replied before dissolving into more giggles, causing Celestia to face-hoof. She looked at her sister quizzically, then said, “Tango, please take thy post. We must have private conversation.”
“Aye, Highness.”
When the door closed behind him, Luna moved to her sister’s side. “Thou needs to ‘unwind’, I believe is the word, Celly. Thou hast had a thousand years of trial, mild as it may have been. Hast thou forgotten thine old role as Fertility Goddess?”
“No, but I couldn’t indulge. There was too much to do.”
“Mayhap it should be revived. Canterlot has become stuffy and sterile in mine absence, seemingly. Can we not have some fun whilst bearing our tasks? ‘Twould likely do no end of good to remind our ponies that life is Harmony and Balance, not Harmony alone. Balance in all things.”
Celestia looked out the window wistfully. “I would love to, but how would they react?”
“Dost thou crave predictions? Very well. The Earth ponies would take to it joyously, as thou knowest. The Pegasai might briefly hold back. The Unicorns would publicly disdain it, throw themselves in with abandon privately, but would eventually come around,” Luna said tinging the last sentence with mild disdain. “Far too good for the madding crowd, they believe, yet they yearn for thine approval. They disdain the simple pleasures, yet indulge in them in secret. So arrogant, yet so willing to abase themselves to please thee. Faugh. Hypocrites, they are. Verdigris has every reason to revile them, yet he remains silent. He understands what is truly important, and that is family, Celly. Including thou.”
“But … he never said a word,” the Day Princess said almost inaudibly. “Why?”
“He wishes not to increase thy burdens, sister. Thou knowest he adores thee, and ‘tis not only for saving his life. His admiration is for thee, not the Princess Who Raiseth The Sun. His god-mother and friend, not his sovereign. Thou as thou art, not the symbol.” Luna smiled, as though knowing a secret. “There are others who feel the same, yet wish not to embarrass thee. ‘Tis nought to feel embarrassment over.” She sighed. “Thou hast no idea what I would give for that.”
Celestia hugged Luna. “I know. I wish I knew how to make that happen, but ponies will be ponies. They fear the night, Lulu.” Celestia’s eyes opened wider. “And I think I have a solution.”
“Tell, prithee,” Luna said excitedly.
“If they fear the darkness, then we must find a way to push it back. We need to bring light to the darkness, but not banish it, to encourage them from their homes,” Celestia replied, her eyes gleaming. She paused, a hoof to her chin, thinking furiously. “And now I wish he was here. Starswirl could solve our problem easily, but we’ll have to make do with who and what we have. Ourselves, Twilight and Verdigris. Between us, I doubt there’s a problem we couldn’t solve.”
Luna sighed, but not sadly. “Aye, not yet two days have passed, and I miss him terribly, Celly. I have not missed anypony so badly since Starswirl.” She shook herself. “But I did say we must wait. That does not mean we must do nothing. Let us ponder this, then bring our ideas to a coherent whole and see what can be done. Aye, Twilight and Verdigris could bring our thoughts to fruition, and validate again our pride and trust in them.”
“Yes, that will do, I think.” Celestia smiled. It slipped when Luna’s smile changed, and she said, “I’m still not getting away from being pied, an I?”
“Cease thy fretting.” Luna leaned close, her smile turning slightly mean. “Otherwise, ‘twill be the other pleasures of chocolate thou wilt experience.”
Celestia nodded in surrender. “All right, you win.”
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The Aerie
Verdigris and Eaglefeather finally returned to the shelf after nearly an hour of drifting on the wind. The stallion seemed invigorated, while his aunt positively glowed. When they touched down, she hugged him tenderly. They stayed like that for a few minutes, then broke with the Pegasus giving him a light, chaste kiss. “Thank you, Verdigris. I’ll be okay, I think.” She walked to the edge and looked off into the distance toward the mountains. “I’ll never understand why Sail never did that. It might have fixed whatever was wrong with him. Maybe,” she said.
“I don’t know, ‘Feather. I know it did wonders for Honey, after we got to be friends. I saw him less than I did anypony else, except maybe Slate.” He looked down at the lake for a minute. “I couldn’t tell you, one way or the other. He seemed to be completely focused on the business, and getting Honey hitched to the right stallion.” He shook his head. “Why Goldenrod, of all ponies? He was a waste of space. Everypony knew it.”
“I don’t know. If they discussed it, it was away from the house,” she replied.
“I hope we find out, eventually. I don’t want anypony else to go through that nonsense. Arranged marriages went out with the Rebellion. Most of the Clans were gone, by then.” He didn’t have to say what had happened. All the remaining Clans knew the fate of the rebels.
“I didn’t want to know. It seemed too much like a business deal. Yes, I should have said something, but you know how much they’d have listened.”
Verdigris nodded. It wouldn’t have made a damn difference, he thought. I’m glad that stupidity is done with. He turned when Sky and Slope approached. “Still want me to show off? I thought you put that off.”
“You could hear that?” Sky squeaked. For some reason, Verdigris found that adorable.
“Like I told my uncle, I’ve got sharp ears, too,” he replied. He looked at Eaglefeather as she settled to the ground to rest, then continued, “I know you want to see, but I’ve got other things to think about.” He looked at the lake. “Blackhawk said something about not being able to catch much fish, but there should be plenty in the lake and river, more than enough for here and Condorosa. What gives?”
“We’re not sure,” Butternut said. “We used to catch all kinds of fish, but after a few years, the numbers dropped to almost nothing.”
Verdigris had a nagging feeling, and he asked, “How do they fish?”
“There’s a net stretched across the lake outlet. It catches everything.” When Verdigris face-hoofed, the Unicorn asked, “What?”
“Does anypony else here come from a fishing community?”
Butternut blinked. “Well, no.” Verdigris let loose a long, angry run of expletives, pejoratives and profanity, all in Rus. Slope’s eyes widened; nopony could be sure if it was in admiration or surprise. “What?”
“Some fish spend part of their lives in the sea to eat and grow,” the Alicorn replied as his aunt face-hoofed. “Trout and salmon, to name two. Fresh-water fish have to be able to move up- and down-stream, and the ocean-grown have to move up-stream to their spawning waters. A net like that cuts them off from that completely, and once they die off, that’s it. No more will come, because the ones who’d find their way back are gone. As in finished.”
“That simple?” Slope asked.
Eaglefeather snorted angrily as she got to her hooves. “That simple, and that important. You can’t fish a lake or stream completely clean and expect fish to come in and set up house just because you want them to,” she said. “Fish find their way by scent, and they’ll only go to that one stream they hatched in. Nowhere else. You can re-stock the fresh-water varieties, but not the ocean-grown fish. If you’re lucky, enough have gotten through to keep a presence, but there might not be enough numbers. Congratulations. You may have killed off an entire species in your ignorance,” she finished, her eyes flashing angrily.
“So, what do we do?” Sky asked. She regretted the words almost instantly as Verdigris launched from the shelf and soared to the lake. He dove straight in, rather than go to the shore, where the fisher-ponies stood watching. There was a shout, and the net – they could barely see it – sank below the surface. A few minutes later, Verdigris walked out of the water, dragging the net behind him. “Oh, Celestia. This could be bad.”
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“What the hay are you doing!” the blue-coated Earth pony on shore screamed as Verdigris waded ashore, dragging the net behind him. “Do you have any idea what you’ve gone and done?”
“Kept you from killing all the fishing here forever,” the Alicorn replied. He didn’t seem distressed after being underwater for almost five minutes. “And who’s the idiot who tried to repair this piece of garbage?”
“I did.” The pony glanced back as Sky and her gathering arrived, some carrying non-flying ponies. All of them looked at the net, which was a tangled, snarled mess.
“If I thought I could, I’d beat you over the head with it, but it’s too messed up.” Verdigris dropped the net, and the rank smell hit everypony. Dead fish, bottom muck, rotting vegetation and a hundred other noxious odors made everypony but the Oceansiders gag as they retreated to clear air. “What the hay were you thinking, fishing a lake and river clean? Don’t you know anything about fish?” He stopped in front of the speaker.
“What’s there to know? You catch ‘em,” the Earth pony replied nastily, earning him a hoof to the face. “Why you – ” He caught a wing in the side of the face, then another hoof in his nose. Verdigris kept smacking him until he said, “Okay, okay, stop it. I get the message.”
“I sincerely doubt that,” Eaglefeather said, moving to the net and examining it. She seemed immune to the smell. “Twisted strands, half-tied knotting, untrimmed ends, uneven spacing, incorrect knotting, the wrong material, floats every few feet instead of every foot – why didn’t you just wrap yourself in it and drown yourself? It would have served a purpose, then.”
“Just who the hay are you two, anyway?” the stallion demanded as he gently probed the tender spots on his face.
“Unlike you, we’re from a fishing village, and we know fish. As Celestia is my witness, you deserve to be boiled in oil and served up as a bad example,” Verdigris snapped. “No wonder there’s no fish. Between the net and the smell, they wouldn’t come back if they had a choice.” He looked the stallion straight in the eyes. “You. Are. An. Idiot.” His target seemed to gather himself for a lunge.
“I wouldn’t, Haybale,” Sky warned. “You don’t want to annoy him. Anypony who can fly a thousand miles straight isn’t a push-over.”
“It’s not that far to Oceanside,” Eaglefeather corrected. “Not too far off, but not that far.”
“Hush, I’m making a point.” Sky turned to Verdigris and asked, “What do we do to get the fish back?”
“Don’t do anything. If there are enough left, they’ll come back. Fresh and salt-water,” Verdigris said while still staring Haybale down. “You don’t use a net to catch every damned fish. It tears them up as they struggle, so you lose some right away. You use nets to direct or slow them up at the most.” He glanced at the lake, and could see the current moving through. “The reason the lake almost died is that net slowed the current, and the oxygen was depleted when dead fish started rotting, which also killed the plants, or most of them. It also let the silt settle, instead of being swept out to sea. Honestly, somepony should teach you aquatic ecology so this stupidity doesn’t happen again.”
“Thanks for volunteering,” Golden said as she back-winged to a stop. “You don’t know how loud you really are, do you?”
“You don’t want that,” Verdigris replied, ignoring the question. “I’m a lousy teacher, and ‘Feather has forgotten more than I’ve ever learned.” He looked at his aunt and said, “Sorry, but it’s true.”
“It’s okay. Since you’re going to make sure I get better, I suppose I should contribute something,” she replied with a smile. “You can teach them how to make proper poles and nets, and explain how and when to use each.”
“Fair enough.” He glared at Haybale. “You got a problem with that, pony?” he sneered in Oceanside-speak. The stallion shook his head. “Good. The lake won’t start to recover until the sludge down there washes away, which will take a few weeks. The fish should start running again in a few days, once they notice. Think you can hold off that long?”
“We’ll need to find out what’s going on with Condorosa, if they don’t have that much in greens and vegetables,” Eaglefeather said. “Any farmers here, or do we have to take care of that, too?” Everypony was surprised at the change in her, and wondered what had happened.
“We’ve got a few, but they’d be reluctant,” Sky replied.
Verdigris snorted. “We’re Hawks. The Clan’s needs outweigh the individual’s needs. We need food. It’s hard to think of anything else when your belly’s empty, and your foal is crying. I don’t think you want to find out what the Griffins went through, right?”
Golden started violently, then nodded to herself. Yes, that makes a lot of sense, she thought. “You volunteering again?”
“Sorry, only once a year. Wait a few months.” Verdigris smiled. “If I’m here.” When Golden gave him a questioning look, he reminded her, “I’m not going to stay long. Just enough to get myself together. I’ll help where I can, but I’m not making the Aerie my home. I’ve heard the whispers about Stormhawk being back, Golden.”
Every pony save Golden and Eaglefeather looked away, their faces reddening. Eaglefeather looked at her nephew questioningly, then at the Clan Leader with an expression that demanded an explanation. The Pegasus said, “We’re looking into how that rumor got started.”
“Horse apples. I can tell when I’m being lied to. You can thank the Royal Guards for teaching me that.” Verdigris narrowed his eyes. “Y’know, you’re your own worst enemy. Stormhawk might actually be an improvement.” Her angry start made him smile. “Oh, can’t handle criticism? Look, there’s more to leading than giving orders. You have to place the clan above yourself, and set your priorities accordingly. Just like Celestia.”
That made everypony look at him in surprise. “Oh, come on. She works hard at her job, harder than anypony I’ve ever seen, almost to the point of exhaustion. I’ve seen it. So have the Guards. Luna asked me about it, once. Her student Twilight is almost as bad, and I’ve got a touch of it. I’ve been trying to figure out how to get her to take a vacation without having to resort to blackmail. Trust me, she doesn’t just sit in the palace and snack all day. Far from it. I don’t know who’s been saying that, but I’d like to meet the donkey and set them straight.
“I don’t care about your agenda or issues. If I’m here for a reason or anypony, it’s for everypony, not a few. I said I’ll help, but I’m not going to be here long. I’ve got a life to go back to, and I’m sure Celestia’s got plans for me. That’s how it is. Take it or – no, there’s no leave it. This is me. Deal with it.”
Golden clouded up, and her anger threatened to choke her. “How dare you talk to me like that?” she growled.
“What did I tell you the other day? I challenge and question everything. Tradition has to serve a purpose, or it’s a waste of time. I heard that you said you wanted to hear what everypony thinks, but do you really?”
Golden closed her eyes and took a deep breath. He was right, but it stung. Damn it, how’d he do that? She opened her eyes, and saw he was looking at her with pity. No, not that.
“What do you really want, Golden? Our prestige of old? Good luck,” he said gently. “That’s long gone, and you know what? Good riddance. It’s time to live in and for today, not yesterday. Make a new name for us. Today. Would it kill you to try?”
(((())))
Canterlot
Celestia sat at her desk, pondering. Her idea was a good one, but now she wasn’t sure she could pull it off. She glanced at the sketches, graphs and formulae she’d scribbled, wondering what she was missing. The spheres looked sound, as did the light spells, but how to power them? Without a power source, the spells would eventually fade, unless cast anew each night. That wouldn’t work. She couldn’t see her or Luna casting the spell every night, dozens of times; she’d lose more sleep than ever, and Luna wouldn’t have time for Court or any of her other duties. There has to be something. What am I missing?
She started as she heard Verdigris speak her name, and paused to watch. He was lecturing an Earth pony stallion about fishing, and she smiled at how much he resembled Twilight in that way. She tensed as he started on the straw-yellow Pegasus, but relaxed when his tone and mood changed. I’ll never understand how he does that, she thought as he finished speaking. One point he made sparked her thoughts. He said today with special emphasis. Why does that sound familiar? Oh, wait, that could work. That simple?
The Day Princess began working feverishly, jotting down ideas and applying them, then checking them twice to see if her math was correct. It was. Yes, a light level sensing spell would work, as would an energy absorption spell. Let’s see... she thought while taking a fresh sheet and working it out, step by step. Soon, she had the finished product, with notes and formulae, on a single sheet in her hooves. She smiled. I need to show this to Luna. She “looked in” on Verdigris to see him walking away, intent on something. He couldn’t have known. I wonder what’s happening. She stopped herself. He needs to work it out on his own. I can’t help, and he won’t let me. I’ll ask after his next letter.
Celestia gathered up her notes and made her way back to the Throne Room, where Luna waited. “Let’s compare. I have the feeling we’re not that far apart.” They traded sheets, and studied each other’s designs. Other than appearance, they were all-but identical; Luna had added an electrical supplement, in case of rainy or overcast days. “Hmm, we could go with a mundane version. They could be made easier, and faster,” Celestia said.
“Mayhap, but the magical would be less intrusive, and seem more friendly,” the Night Princess replied. “Less artificial. Some older ponies might object to how ‘cold’ technology can be, Celly.”
“Both, then. By preference of the ponies affected?” Celestia watched as Luna considered, then nodded. “All right, we have the design. The construction is going to be the trick, I think.”
“We should await Verdigris’ return,” Luna replied. “Of any pony I can think of, he has the knowledge for building and distribution. ‘Twould be necessary, given his business dealings.”
Celestia nodded. “Then we’ve about got it licked.” She face-hoofed at Luna’s decidedly lascivious smile. “Oh, stop it.”
“Nay, ‘tis so much fun to watch thee squirm.” Luna’s smile changed and she hugged her sister. “ ‘Tis for thine own good, Celly. Thou needs to relax, e’en if only for an hour.”
Celestia nodded, then gave Luna a gentle glare. “I thought I asked you not to call me that, Woona,” she said teasingly.
“Oh, I am sorry, ‘Tia. It is a hard habit to break,” Luna replied contritely.
“No, it’s all right. I’ve learned to like it. Don’t worry.”
Luna smiled. “Gramercy, Celly.” She glanced at their work. “Well, shall we make this presentable? Thou knowest how Twilight is about clarity of any reading material.”
Celestia chuckled. “I almost want to make her deal with it, so she learns not everything comes out perfectly, but you’re right. Let’s get this properly drawn up.”
(((())))
The Aerie
Verdigris stood there, watching Golden carefully. I may have pushed too hard, and that’s why the fight started, he thought. She just stood there, looking at him with no expression. “Okay, I went too far.”
“No. No, you didn’t. It’s just I never thought that far ahead. I’ve been untangling problems and settling arguments, as well as making sure we stay out of sight. I haven’t had any time.”
“You mean you do all the work, instead of letting other ponies do their share,” he replied, face-hoofing. “I should have seen it, ‘cause I do that, too.” He walked to stand to her side. “You can’t do it all, Golden. Heck, not even Celestia can. I’m not here to cause trouble. I’m trying to help. I have the same problem you do: I see a problem, I try to fix it. That’s okay, but you’ve got to let the ponies who can do what you can’t. It’s that simple.”
“Easy for you to say,” Sky commented nastily.
“It’s easier for an outsider to see. Yeah, I’m a Hawk, but I’m still the newbie. I don’t know the power structure, or who’s in control where, and I don’t care. If somepony gets vexed and miffed, well, too bad. I’m not interested. I take care of things if they need to be done. That’s all.”
Golden watched his face as he half-ranted, half-lectured, and realized he was serious. Deadly serious, she thought. “All right, you can stop. It’s hard to accept, Verdigris. I’m so worried about the Clan, because of what happened. Can you blame me?”
“When it keeps you from doing your job. You can’t let what could happen stop you. Sooner or later you’ve got to take a risk, but you don’t have to take it blind. Get your information, but don’t let it force you into something. Sometimes you never have enough, and you have to trust to luck, or take a leap of faith. Otherwise, you’re stuck there, unable to do anything.”
“You make it sound easy,” Slope commented.
“It can be, if you let it. Over-thinking doesn’t help.” Verdigris smiled. “Never been a problem for me.”
Eaglefeather face-hoofed. “I’ll say.”
“Okay, I’m going to take care of a few things, then I’m off to Condorosa. Card and Lexi need something to help them do their jobs, and I noticed a few books the library doesn’t have. I can get those. You need them. While I’m there, I’m going to see what the story is about the greens and veggies. From what I could see, they’ve got the land, and enough ponies to feed everypony twice over. Something’s wrong, and I can’t let it be. Just don’t expect me to explain everything, okay? Sometimes I can’t. Will you at least let me help?”
Golden took a deep breath, held it and sighed it out. “Go ahead. I can see you’re serious, and maybe that’s what we need. I don’t know what else to do.”
“I’m sure Blackhawk’s got a few ideas.”
Golden rolled her eyes. “I can take a hint. Okay, get started. The day isn’t half-over.”
“Aye, sir. By your leave?” Golden nodded, and Verdigris trotted away, then launched, heading back to the Aerie’s interior.
“You’re going to let him do that?” Haybale spluttered.
Golden nodded. “And you’re going to help. Find those farmers, and find out what’s stopping them. That’s a request, but a strong one.”
He stood there, dumbfounded, then nodded. “Yes, sir.” He trotted away, looking strangely energized.
“That’s … that’s crazy,” Sky said. “He just shows up and things start happening?”
Eaglefeather smiled with faint pride in her nephew. “I know it looks that way, but not really. You can ask him about what he did for the Perfumer’s Guild, some time. It’ll be educational, I’m sure.”
“I’m sure,” Golden added ironically. “Well, I heard what he said about aquatic ecology. When can you start?”
“Tomorrow. I’ll need some books, though. I don’t know a great deal, just what any sea-side pony knows. Mostly what’s been passed down, but we know it works. All the books do is pretty-up the language and put it in scientific terms. Almost need a translator.”
“That’s fine. Anything to keep us from having problems like the Griffins,” Golden replied with a shudder. “Hmm, that river runs through their territory. Maybe we’d better keep quiet.”
Eaglefeather face-hoofed. “Ya think?”
(((())))
Days turned to weeks, then months as Verdigris and Eaglefeather unsnarled what they could of the Aerie’s problems.
The young stallion visited Condorosa and ordered books on agronomy, aquaculture and land and water ecology, as well as a high-end desk-top computer for the Library and Archives. They thought he was crazy to pay for expedited shipping, and he was pleasantly surprised to find his credit was good. As Marl had said, his products had been heard of even out this far; he hadn’t expected that, and it was a relief.
Between the pair of Oceansiders, they managed to give the fishing crew a good grounding in what fish did, and most importantly why, as well as proven ways to catch them. Once the lake returned to full health, the amount of fish caught surprised everypony. The Aerie’s residents also received an education into the interdependence of land and water ecosystems, because once the lake and river were healthy, the land in Condorosa seemed to improve. The ponies nearly face-hoofed as one when they realized that irrigation could spread a problem from water to land almost without notice.
Between time spent in the Archives, teaching and studying – he’d retrieved a few of his books – Verdigris worked out with Sky’s group of what he called roughnecks. The only real surprise was North Slope’s style, which was brutally efficient, as the cattle who’d invented it weren’t as flexible as ponies. He found out the hard way just how vulnerable anything below the shoulders really was.
During the nights when sleep wouldn’t come right away, he’d sit on the balcony, staring at the stars and sometimes conversing with Luna. He knew why: he missed the sea. It had been so much a part of his life from the beginning, and he poignantly felt the lack. He’d taken to setting up the music player on his computer to run for long enough to let him fall to sleep; the silence was, by its very contrary nature, disturbing. Unnatural, in a way.
Letters to and from his friends and colleagues kept him informed of events outside the Aerie, as he’d planned. He’d chuckled at Celestia’s complaint that he’d missed yet another Gala, and that he’d missed all the excitement when Twilight and her friends attended the latest. He didn’t mind, as he wasn’t in the mood for dealing with the nobles.
The news about Freewind graduating from school with honors lightened his heart considerably. He’d been worried about her after her near death, that it might subdue her unquenchable exuberance. I should have known better, he thought. He was also pleased to hear that Firelance was doing well in Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. He may not be at Twilight’s level, but his unique ability with and affinity for fire gave him certain advantages, such as casting the fire-sending spell almost without a thought. He’d gotten a lot of letters from his little brother.
The only sour note was his mother wasn’t quite over Hawkfeather’s death. He understood it; he’d seen how much they loved each other. He didn’t tell her she should move on and be happy, as he knew it wouldn’t help. She’d recover at her own pace, and he’d cheer for her when she finally found a successor. He doubted he’d feel differently about Grass and Honey.
Honey had another year left at the University, while Grass graduated in the top quarter. He was surprised when she told him she was staying on as Luna’s hoof-maid, until she found an opening in the Weather Office. It made sense.
All in all, everything was going well. The Aerie was working its magic; he was calmer than he’d ever been. None of the usual nonsense to deal with. Things were looking up.
(((())))
“I know I can’t hold the hate inside my mind, ‘cause what consumes your thoughts controls your life. So I’ll just ask a question, a very simple question. I’ll just ask one question: – What if you did? What if you lied? What if I avenge? What if eye for an eye? What if your words could be judged like a crime?” – Creed, What If? (Human Clay)
(((())))
The black Pegasus walked the back streets of Stalliongrad with the air of a natural born killer, which she was. She wasn’t a pretty mare; she had a face and body that let her blend into a crowd, a must for her line of work. She was called Archer, but that was not her real name; she had earned it over the years as an assassin due to her natural skill with the bow slung across her back. She worked only for those could afford her high fees, and her skills made sure she delivered.
Archer's blue eyes darted among the ponies that inhabited these mean streets, her unspoken message loud and clear: Attack me and die, leave me alone and live. The ponies got it, and gave her a wide berth. Only in Stalliongrad could she be so brazen.
Archer reached her destination, a nondescript building with broken and boarded-up windows. She entered, made her way up four flights of stairs to a hallway that had seen better days, continued to a room at the end and entered. Once inside, she saw the room was empty save for a ceiling mounted camera, and a small black speaker box and fax machine atop a card table.
“I’m here. The Speaker?” she said, hiding her amusement at the punning pseudonym.
“Indeed,” a distorted voice replied. “I have need of your particular skills, Ms Archer, but not as you might imagine.”
She pondered briefly. “I take it this not a death assignment.”
The fax hummed to life in answer, spitting out a picture of a stallion and two mares. Archer immediately recognized Princess Celestia. The Unicorn was unfamiliar to her, but he’d certainly be memorable. He was a little shy of Celestia's height and size, with a variegated light green, light blue, grey and black coat, with diffuse stripes of those colors through his mane and tail. He had a large copper-colored patch on his chest that faded into the other colors. The other, slate-blue mare appeared to be a few years older than the stallion. The picture showed them on the rear deck of what she assumed was a restaurant, enjoying an evening meal.
“Who took this picture, and who’s the stallion? Celestia’s new beau?” the assassin surmised.
“Don’t let his size fool you, my dear. He’s young, only sixteen years old at this time. As for who took the picture, I hired somepony and just leave it at that.”
Archer whistled. “His must have been a difficult birth,” she guessed.
“According to my sources, he was a victim of Trotmund-Hoofson, and the Princess saved his life with an infusion of her blood. He was a normal Pegasus until then.”
Archer’s eyes widened slightly at that bit of news, and she looked closer at the picture. His wings were just visible above the table-top. He’s an Alicorn? “And the other mare?” she asked.
“Her name is Sea Grass.”
“So my assignment is not him.”
“Correct. His whereabouts are currently unknown. You are to observe his family, but make no overt moves unless I give the order. Verdigris has proven to be savagely protective of the them in the past, as that idiot Bronyiev learned the hard way.”
Verdigris. His products are quite famous, Archer thought as she studied the picture. "Any other relatives?" she asked.
The fax hummed to life again, spitting out an information sheet about his family. She took and read it:
Name: Gemstone. Type: Unicorn. Gender: Female. Status: Living.
Known Relatives: Verdigris, Alicorn (Son: Living), Hawkfeather, Pegasus (Husband: Deceased), Freewind, Pegasus (Daughter: Living) Firelance, Unicorn (Son: Living).
Archer stopped when she saw Hawkfeather's status. "What was Gemstone's relationship with her husband?" the assassin asked.
“You might say inseparable,” the voice said drily.
Archer frowned thoughtfully. That means she's probably still feeling her husband’s death. I could use that to get close to her. It’s worth considering.
Archer was a lot of things, but an idiot wasn't of them. She sensed her employer was withholding information; she could practically smell it, and no info meant an early grave in her work. She looked straight at the camera. “There's something you’re not telling me.” Fortunately, her employer decided to cooperate.
“His magic level is near Celestia’s, but my sources suggest his power and temper are somehow linked. Just speculation so far, but he still seems to have issues with it.”
Archer frowned again. “What can he do?”
“Magically speaking? Call up major storms, among other things,” the box replied. “He’s very good at telekinetics, as well.”
“What else?” she asked.
“Highly skilled at hoof-to-hoof combat; he’s Coast Patrol, and there are rumors he trained with the Royal Guards. He may give you some trouble in that area. If I decide to send you after him. You’ll of course do your own information gathering, to learn what we couldn’t. I know you don’t need reminding, but your mission – for now – is only information gathering and observation. As always, your bits will transferred to your bank account in Geneighva.”
“Understood,” she said. So, she had a name for her target: Verdigris. She left the room to start her mission.
(((())))
Archer’s first stop was an internet cafe. The places had sprung up seemingly overnight, and with their relatively lax security, were a good source for accurate information. Public sources, of course, but that was often enough. Perversely, the crowds made for better privacy than at a library. The obvious bonus of something to eat and drink made such places perfect, as did their clear view of the street.
Her first topic was Verdigris: His age, vital stats, medical history, education and criminal history, if any. He seemed almost squeaky-clean, which as she knew was next to impossible. Nopony ever stayed out of trouble, in her experience.
The search surprisingly led to a website for the Perfumers Guild, with Verdigris prominently featured. She read with interest, taking notes as she did. What surprised her was he was worth more than triple what she was being paid, if the business statements were correct. All this from perfumes, scented soaps and so forth? She nodded when she saw the patent in his name. Ah, yes, that explains a lot.
She switched to his education, but that was a blank, other than the notation home-schooled. His test scores, on the other hoof, showed he had a keen mind. The application to Canterlot University seemed a given, almost a mere formality, but interestingly it had been neither accepted nor rejected. She wondered why.
When Archer found his combined legal and medical history, she couldn’t help flinching. He’d been through a lot in sixteen years, more than some veteran mercenaries she’d dealt with. All his involvement, except for the incident in Stalliongrad, had been as the defender. He’d taken on Oceanside’s local bullies and won at ten months. Not surprising, considering his size and general build. The report of him taking out nine of Bronyiev’s roughnecks at age five made her eyes narrow appraisingly, and she read about the subsequent run-ins with grudging respect, approaching mild admiration. Though he’d been injured, he’d still fought like a demon, when he’d had to fight. This is a pony who isn’t afraid to get dirty, she thought as she read the report about his trip to Stalliongrad after his father and cousin were killed. She re-read the entry on his surviving Trotmund-Hoofson with Celestia’s help. He’s been a fighter all his life. This could be interesting. The fact he’d survived a direct lightning strike while rescuing the Comet only improved her opinion of him.
Her rational mind resumed control. There was no time to have any empathy for her target. It was bad for business. But you can’t help wondering, she thought.
There were other links, and she clicked on the first: Relationship with the Princesses. That kind of information was invaluable, for many reasons. She was surprised to find he was officially Celestia's god-son, and wondered why. It added a serious complication. Acting against him or his family would bring unwanted attention. She had no doubt their Highnesses would take – at minimum – serious dislike to that. As Luna was still an unknown quality, she decided surveillance would be all she’d do. Archer knew the old stories, and didn’t want to risk the younger Princess’ wrath. She wondered who had supplied the information; it wasn’t exactly a state secret, but it wasn’t something anypony would want broadcast everywhere. Do they even know?
The next link led her to his training with the Guards and Patrol, and she paled slightly. To say he’d trained with them would be an understatement. Based on leaked photographs and reports, he appeared quite skilled in several combat styles, including all three pony types’, receiving “proficient” or better marks. No, this was not a pony she cared to face at close quarters, and not only for his skill. One of the better photographs let his charm shine through, but his eyes were those of somepony to fear. They were neither cruel, calculating nor empty; they held a keen intelligence. Another image showed him in official mode – his Induction and Award ceremony – and he appeared as cool and aloof as their Highnesses, including the distant, yet discerning gaze. She shivered, and moved on.
The final link held the only disciplinary action against him, and she was familiar with it. It had more detail than the rumors, however, listing exhaustively what he’d done the night his father and cousin were killed. She sneered at the unprofessional manner Bronyiev had used, but understood. He had no idea what he was dealing with, and why should he? He didn’t believe anypony outside Stalliongrad could rival him, let alone take him on and win single-hoofed. She shook her head. No, Verdigris was far more formidable than his appearance suggested. The listing of injuries he’d inflicted that night was testament to the savagery Speaker had mentioned. He seemed to get off with a mere slap on the hooves, but she glanced at one of the few images with him and Celestia, and she could see how they felt about each other. Her mere disapproval would be enough, if I read this correctly, she thought. Something to explore, but later.
Her initial intelligence gathered, she returned to the first page and followed the link to his family. When it came up, she sighed. Her employer’s information was accurate, so far as it went, but was obviously out of date. Gemstone and her other foals had been living in Canterlot for the past four years, essentially putting them out of reach. Learning the mare was also Celestia's former student clinched it. The Day Princess had taken interest in them, and the side-bar indicated more than a passing one. There was no way.
There was another complication, one closer to home for Archer. Her brother was in the Guards as part of Equestria’s new Special Forces team. There was no doubt in her mind he and Verdigris knew each other, if only in passing. If they ever compared notes, that could be the end of everything. No, Canterlot is out. I’ll have to content myself with getting all the information currently available, informing the Speaker, and waiting for him to re-appear. Nothing else will do.
She sat back after taking more notes, and printing out a few pages. Costly and annoying, but the information was important, if nothing else than to convince the Speaker to hold off on his ultimate objective. And what might that be? she wondered as she sipped her tea, breaking one of her cardinal rules: Don’t involve yourself in the client’s motives. If not ultimately death, then what? A smear campaign? That had been tried – it was on-going – and nothing had come of it. Verdigris had only responded once, to something overtly libelous, not the usual rumor and gossip in the “scandal sheets”.
Archer gave up, as it was none of her business. Taken at face-value, and based upon past actions, Verdigris was a definite threat. He’d interfered where he had no business, at least until he’d joined the Patrol, when it officially became his business. He’d shown no signs of taking an actively aggressive stance, but the Rus mob was paranoid, especially the Vorhoofskoy Mir, or “thieves’-world”. They were vicious. Anypony who interfered with them in any way was considered a threat, and had to be removed. She couldn’t help wondering who the Speaker represented, if he represented anypony. When she became involved, it was often far more personal.
Her brief research had been far more informative than she’d imagined, and she wondered how and why Speaker hadn’t done any, but relied only on his sources. Probably because he doesn’t trust everything. Good and bad. No matter. I’ll inform him, and we’ll see from there. She collected her notes and papers and exited the building.
(((())))
When Archer re-entered the room, the voice said, “I wasn’t expecting you back so soon. What is it?”
Archer fed her notes and documents into the fax. “Your information was, to put it mildly, slightly out of date. This is no ordinary pony,” she replied as she collected the papers and replaced them in her saddlebags.
A few minutes passed; she assumed the Speaker was reading. “Yes, I see. My main source once lived in Oceanside, but hasn’t been back for years. It’s small enough that strangers are easily noticed, but from what you’ve gathered, it doesn’t matter. What do you have in mind?”
“As you can see, his family is beyond my reach. All I can do is research, and wait for him to re-appear. What happens after that is up to you.”
There was a long silence, and the box said, “When he re-appears, you will observe and report back to me. Once I have word, you will be informed, my dear.”
“I allowed that once. Do not so address me again,” she replied frostily. “It’s unprofessional.”
“As you say, but do not speak to me in that manner again. We know more than you might believe.”
Archer snorted derisively at the vague threat. The only ponies who knew anything about her were her remaining relatives; they knew only what she told them, and were beyond reach. “Spare me the posturing. I have never failed, and I will not.” She smiled coldly.
“Yes,” the voice agreed. “Very well. Proceed as you have said. We will make our decision later.” The box went silent, and Archer left.
As she returned to the street, Archer made a mental note to research the Speaker. While he seemed competent, he was unprofessional enough to warrant contingencies. It hadn’t been the first time she had made such plans; part of her career’s success was being prepared for potential betrayal. It was, unfortunately, part of the price of doing business.
She returned to her modest flat, as always taking a long, circuitous route and scanning her back-track for trouble. Once satisfied, she entered and made her way to her home office, where she lit up her own computer and began her search. She paused, remembering he’d said his source once lived in Oceanside, where Verdigris officially still lived. Is it possible? A home-town rivalry? A feud? She reviewed her findings, and noted that the Magistrate’s son had been Verdigris’ main problem, until he mysteriously left to live with relatives in Manehattan. A smile spread slowly across her face. So, is this revenge, Bluestreak? Did he humiliate you that badly?
Archer filed that away as she searched for the Speaker, who had taken over Bronyiev’s territory not long after his defeat. There was little information available, and she surmised he must be Vory. No other group of ponies was so paranoid. It went a long way to explaining why she’d been contacted. They believed Verdigris was more than they could deal with quietly.
After ending the fruitless search, Archer checked her mailbox and found the usual collection of bills, circulars, offers and other unsolicited junk. She sorted everything, then threw away what was useless or annoying; she still hadn’t been able to get off some mailing lists, despite her best efforts. When that was done, she opened the only piece of mail that mattered, a letter from her cousin North Slope. It was one of the bright spots in her life. Slope knew nothing of her life, and she’d striven to keep her ignorant. Archer read the letter with a smile.
Dear Ravenna,
I hope you’re well. I haven’t heard from Ivan in a while; are you two still upset at each other, and most of all why? What could be so terrible that you won’t even talk to each other?
What indeed, Archer thought. If you knew, would you?
Anyway, things are going well at the Aerie. In fact, they’re better, thanks to a new arrival named Verdigris.
Archer stopped, stunned. Of course nopony knew where he was. Only Hawks knew its location. Could it be?
He’s been very helpful, along with his aunt Eaglefeather. Between the two, we’re eating better. I don’t know why or how, but they figured out what was wrong quickly. A good thing, too, as we were getting a little close to not being able to feed ourselves. I guess he was right; you can only see it as an outsider.
I know you’re busy, but I can’t leave, yet. I still have some thinking and work to do. I’d really like it if you could visit. I haven’t seen anypony in our family for over a year, since mama and papa were killed, and I’m starting to wonder if I’m all there is left. It’s a terrible feeling.
Archer blinked. The light in her eyes was bothersome. There were no tears. She almost believed it.
I hope you can, even if it’s only for a few days. I’d love to see you, and I think you’ll like my friends. At least think about it.
I should be back in Trotheim next year. I’ve been told it’s safe. I’m not sure I’m going to look forward to it, and Verdigris suggested I move to Canterlot. He said he could help. Eaglefeather’s going there next month, and said she’d help me settle in, if I wanted. I haven’t given them an answer; I could use your advice. It’s always been good.
I look forward to your reply, Raven.
All my love, North Slope.
Archer set the letter aside, trying not to think. She’d been offered the perfect opportunity to study Verdigris, but it was risky. Very risky. She’d never gotten close to a target before being ready to strike, and there were too many ways for it to go wrong. Far too many. She might, against all odds, be recognized. She’d have no back-up. Entry and exit was limited, and it would be too confined. She’d be too far from any familiar place, and she’d stand out. She couldn’t take any weapons. More than she could count.
Yet, I’ve done similar before. Sometimes one must get close, to be certain. She glanced at her bow, which hung from the wall. Taking any weapon would be hard to explain, but perhaps being a hunter of sorts would be useful. They do not eat only grains and vegetables. She pondered for over an hour. Even so, Speaker will not be informed. Though I am Rus and an assassin, I am also a Hawk. We have nopony else. She sat there, then nodded. Though risk-laden, it was too great an opportunity to ignore. She smiled to herself. It might even be possible that Verdigris would accept her help, if it came down to it. After all, family is all we have, isn’t it?
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(Glancing up) Sigh. Ah, well, it couldn't last...
2370595
Give it time. It's still youing.
As usual, a good chapter. But, I think the only reason you aren't featured or very popular is because of the massive size of your chapters. They are very intimidating to the casual reader. When I read through them, I see several places when it would be realistic for the chapters to be broken up into parts so as to be easier for people with shorter attention spans/ free time. If you do this, I believe that the story will get more views. You needn't change anything else. You can continue to write them the same way and then break them up afterward.
2375454 You're probably right, but I usually can't see where the breaks might be. That, and I just go until it's done. What to do?
2375708 You could ask someone to assist you.
2375826 I think I've got it, at least for this latest chapter - don't think I can go back and fix the rest, otherwise I might have to completely re-write it, and I'm not sure I'd get it right.
I'll just have to pay closer attention.