Death Rides a Pale Mare

by totallynotabrony

Chapter 20

Pale came down into Griffonstone that morning as the sun was breaking over the horizon.

Gilderoy had said the top of the mountain was his favorite spot. It seemed only appropriate to leave him there.

Pale was short on rest and food. She could remedy the hunger easily enough. The sleep would have to come later. She couldn’t delay in delivering what she had learned about the cyclops to the guild.

She walked into the nearest scone shop. It wasn’t worth shopping around. The griffon behind the counter seemed in a sour mood, but took Pale’s money without comment.

With a scone, Pale went outside to avoid sharing the shop with the proprietor any more than she had to. She sat down at a table to eat.

A griffon wearing a smirk Pale wouldn’t have thought possible with a beak dropped into the chair across from her. Pale stared at her, but kept chewing.

Several seconds of silence passed. The griffon waited for Pale to finish chewing. “You’re looking well.”

Pale took another bite instead of replying. She had no idea who the griffon was, and hoped her stare was enough to convey that.

“Ooh, I like the ambivalence,” said the griffon. “Most things are so clear - something is either good or bad - but grey area, now that’s interesting. So much unrealized potential.”

Pale finished her scone and got up. “If you have something to say, out with it. Otherwise, leave me alone.”

The griffon got up too. She was still wearing that infuriating smile. “Follow me.”

She turned and disappeared around the corner of the building. Pale stared in the direction she had gone. Her instincts were telling her something was wrong. Aside from the strangeness of the encounter, there was something about the mysterious visitor that set her on edge. She stood and debated, but her curiosity got the better of her and she gave in.

The street behind the building devolved into a scrambled rat nest of alleys and passages. The griffon was hidden in an alcove that Pale almost missed. Her smile grew wider as she saw Pale appear. “I knew you would come. I know you so well.”

“Who are you?” Pale demanded flatly.

She laughed, high and harsh, and then with a flash of green light, she revealed herself.

Pale was instantly in a defensive stance, knife out in front of her. She hadn’t seen her mother since she’d left the hive so many years ago, and if anything, absence had made the heart grow colder. She glared, muscles tense and ready.

Chrysalis’ simpering expression hadn’t changed. She looked at Pale’s knife. “Put that away. We both know it wouldn’t do you any good.”

Pale didn’t. She didn’t trust Chrysalis. Who would? And at any rate, she wasn’t inclined to do what Chrysalis told her, either.

“It’s been so long,” said Chrysalis. It sounded to Pale’s ears that she was faking affection, and not even trying very hard. “I’ve wanted to see you for ages.”

“I haven’t,” said Pale.

“You’ve changed so much, grown up,” said Chrysalis. “But you’re still my little-”

“Don’t call me that,” Pale snapped.

“What’s wrong with the name I gave you?” Chrysalis asked. “And you prefer ‘the Pale Mare’ these days? You know you aren’t a pony.”

“At least I’m not a changeling.”

Chrysalis put a hoof to her chest as if wounded. “You should know that ponies never say anything nice about us. Surely you can’t believe their newspapers.”

“Why are you here?” Pale abruptly changed the subject, trying to regain control of the conversation.

Chrysalis smiled. “You need my help. I’ve been watching you, dear. I know what happened to your beloved leader.”

“What, and you want to adopt the guild since you lost the hive in your attack on Canterlot?”

Chrysalis’s lip twitched, a minute expression that she could have hid if she’d been in disguise. She was going to sneer and say the guild wasn’t worthy.

But she surprised Pale with her restraint. “No, actually. I’m sure you’ve been desperate to stop this infection. I can give you an advantage.”

She let that hang in the air. Pale hesitated, but then firmly shook her head. “No. I want nothing to do with you.”

“What if I told you…” Chrysalis stretched her words out, like savoring a morsel, “...that after all these years, I still kept your horn?”

Pale stared at her. Chrysalis smiled, a confident, assured smirk.

Pale turned and walked away.

Behind her, she could practically feel her mother’s instant rage. But by the time she could put together a response, Pale was already back into the street and heading out of town.

Pale enjoyed the personal victory all the way to the train station. Chrysalis showed up after all these years thinking it would be a happy reunion. She’d even brought bait if it wasn’t, but Pale had surprised her. Hopefully she would stay gone forever this time.

Though, it was true that magic would give Pale a huge advantage. Not that she hadn’t gotten by without, but the temptation was there.

Pale shook her head. Surely Chrysalis wouldn’t have made contact after all these years just to do her a favor. She would want something in return. There would be strings attached.

But she wondered if the pleasure of showing up her mother was worth the missed opportunity. Pale frowned. Could having her magic back help her beat the Blight any faster? How many more lives would be taken before the disease was stopped?

There was no easy answer to that question, but at least Pale couldn’t say for certain that magic would help. She had never been very good with it, so she didn’t feel like she was missing anything. And there was still no telling what Chrysalis would have wanted in return.

---

Back in the cave, Pale stood at the front of the room. She’d finished explaining what she’d learned from Gilderoy. Coin had been taking furious notes to copy all the information down.

“Do you believe that what he said is true?” Mirror asked. She had assumed an unspoken leadership role. The others were slowly getting on board for lack of another leader, but, well, she wasn’t Piper.

Pale nodded. “He had no reason to lie.”

Coin broke in. “If all of this is correct, I’d say it’s entirely possible that the cyclops may have released the Blight. Perhaps they wanted revenge on surface-dwellers.”

“That was, what did you call it, ‘a long time ago?’” said Jolly. “Why are they only showing themselves now?”

“Maybe they calculated the Blight would wipe out all sapient life and they could then emerge from the Abyss as the dominant species,” suggested Shard.

“Maybe they were down there hibernating or something,” said Hammer. “Er, if the cyclops hibernate. Even if they don’t, it sounds like this Idol of Boreas falling down alerted them that we’re all still here.”

“Either they’re getting impatient or the Blight didn’t work as well as they hoped,” said Handsome.

“The Blight didn’t work thanks to us,” said Shadow, grinning.

“So I suppose we’re back to hunting another aware enemy,” said Pale. She mentally decided that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start wearing her armor every time she went out.

“Did you learn anything else while you were in Griffonstone?” Mirror asked. “Was there anything that happened?”

Piper would have known that Pale had met with Chrysalis. He would have been concerned, maybe even for her personally. But he probably wouldn’t have told the others unless he thought they needed to hear.

“No,” said Pale.

The group of them dispersed, to digest the new information individually. Pale went to her quarters.

She passed Piper’s room on the way. It was empty now. After he was gone, the rest had divided his possessions. They agreed that he would want the guild to have them, though Pale had personal reservations. She didn’t like being reminded of what had been lost.

Piper’s black parasprites were still in the cave. They seemed aimless, but somepony kept feeding them. Pale couldn’t decide if they made good company or if she wanted them gone.

She lay down on her bed, but sleep wouldn’t come. She rolled over. In the darkness, she could faintly make out a small pile of books next to the bed. Piper had not kept any personal texts, as that would have defeated the purpose of a library. He did have several journals and notebooks they’d discovered in his room. Piecing all of it together with what material they already had would essentially require reading the whole library to determine where it all should go.

Ordinarily, academic pursuits were Shard’s or Coin’s cup of tea. Pale’s reading was slower and her comprehension not as good. But she’d volunteered to help, to have something to do if nothing else.

Sleep wasn’t going to come, not tonight. Pale sighed and sat up. Lighting the lamp, she opened the top book in the stack.

Comments

[Noc]

Chrysalis non grata. I wonder what she had in mind, and just how much she knows about the guild.

Thanks for the regular release schedule, by the way. Ensures I usually have something to read.

[Lord Legion]

8218320
Oh cool! Would you mind me asking if I could see it?

[Lord Legion]

Nothing good was to come of Chrysalis' visit. I also have a feeling she isn't going to be brushed off by her daughter so easily...