Death Rides a Pale Mare

by totallynotabrony

Chapter 21

Pale was getting tired of Manehanttan. The Weeds had been one thing, but even now it seemed like she was constantly being drawn back to the city.

She had never liked cities, and experience hadn’t changed that. Not to mention the memories and unpleasantness. More importantly, the longer she hung around the greater the odds of being recognized or somehow connected to something.

Pale did not want to be remembered. She made sure to visit places as few times as possible. She’d even stopped going to the local market in Trottingham.

That made doing research on the cyclops difficult, if she had to keep switching libraries. She’d even considered going to the royal archives in Canterlot or the castle library in Ponyville, but that sounded like even less of a good idea than when she’d first had it.

Manehattan, then, was probably the next best choice. As the largest city in Equestria, it had more resources and more anonymity. Unfortunately, it also came with crowds and disadvantageous landscape.

It would have been better for somepony else to be doing this. Probably anypony. Pale had been pressed into service today as the group researcher because there simply wasn’t anypony else available.

She was currently in one of the Manehattan Public Libraries, sitting at a table with one of the little green-shaded lamps. She’d done her best to get a table in a corner out of the way of the main stacks, but still closely guarded her books whenever another patron walked by.

The books she selected ranged from Griffonstone history to obscure creatures. Pale had managed to find a few things about the cyclops, but it wasn’t enough to put together a comprehensive idea of their capabilities and technology. Other than a vague physical description and regional origins, there was barely more than mentions of them available. It certainly made sense, as Gilderoy had said, if the cyclops hadn’t been seen in centuries.

Or at least, they hadn’t. Pale also reviewed recent newspapers, particularly those from Griffonstone. Sightings and unexplained events had happened around Equestria, but centered near the Abysmal Abyss. It was hard to say for certain, but it certainly appeared that the cyclops were on the move.

Pale sighed and sat back from her research. It seemed like it had taken all the brain cells she could muster to assemble what she’d discovered so far. This wasn’t supposed to be her job. She felt like she wasn’t any good at it. But it had to be done.

Somewhere else, though. This library hadn’t had anything valuable to add. Pale reshelved her books and left.

There had at least been a little more information about the Abysmal Abyss. The winds that roared through it were too strong for any creature to fly in. The best way to descend into it was probably some sort of mountaineering gear. Was that how the cyclops were getting in and out? Pale thought somepony might have noticed. Did that mean they had another method, perhaps a cave passageway? There were no easy answers.

Pale was certain in herself. She was certain in her work. But this new problem was rife with uncertainty. She told herself that the guild had overcome the Weeds, they could overcome the cyclops. But something still wasn’t adding up.

If only Piper were still around. Pale shut her eyes and let out a breath through her teeth. She didn’t like thinking about the past, and that was yet another reason why.

“Watch it!”

Pale ignored the Manehattanite who she’d nearly walked into. A stupid lapse for her, but not as serious as the offended party made it sound. If only they knew what she did for them. If only they knew how many times Pale had killed for them.

And for what? They didn’t know what she did. They couldn’t, and probably never would. Pale didn’t know any of them, only that it was her job to protect them while they remained blissfully unaware. They didn’t understand.

Those were dangerous thoughts, she knew. Pale couldn’t afford to feel things, especially not anger. The margin for error was dramatically smaller now that Piper was gone. The guild had no scouting ability since his death, and now were just barely keeping up with twitchers, much less seeking the cyclops. Piper had also left a hole in leadership. Mirror had stepped in to run the guild, but that wasn’t the same thing as leading it. Pale hadn’t realized there was a difference until it was missing.

Again, Pale coached herself off that train of thought. Fortunately, she’d reached her destination. A sporting goods store presented itself and she went inside. If there was something to this idea of climbing down into Abysmal Abyss, she wanted to investigate.

Once more, somepony else would have been better for the job. Pale, as a flier, had no experience with climbing. But, once more, the guild had nopony else to send. New members could help alleviate the issue, but the memory of what had happened the last time they had opened the cave to a new recruit was still fresh in the mind.

The polo shirt-wearing employees of the sporting goods store mostly seemed to be fit young stallions who were mostly concerned with chatting up customers who were fit young mares. Pale technically fit that description. She was taller than most of the stallions and probably stronger besides. But her cloak wasn’t getting her any second glances.

She knew she was going to have questions about climbing equipment but there was nopony to ask. She had to go find a store employee. The nearest one had cornered a mare near the freeweights and was happily explaining the differences between each brand.

The mare noticed Pale first and subtly tried to draw attention away from herself. It wasn’t until Pale coughed that the salespony finally noticed her.

“Oh, uh, can I help you?”

“I have some questions about mountaineering,” Pale said. “Could you show me the equipment?”

“I’ll be over there in just a minute,” he said, turning back to the other customer. Pale was skeptical of his tone, but well aware that forcing the issue wouldn’t work out well for anypony, particularly her. She walked back to the climbing section of the store.

A filly with braces and a plaid shirt was at a nearby rack looking at camping silverware. She glanced up, watching as Pale approached. She was staring. Pale stared back.

After a moment, the filly asked, “What happened to your face?”

Caught off guard, Pale hesitated and replied, “My mother.”

“Wow, she must be twice as ugly,” the filly said.

“She is.”

The filly shrugged and picked up a spoon off the rack. “Sucks to be you.”

Pale considered that. “It does.”

Comments

[BlueNinja]

Pale considered that. “It does.”

That is a most apt summation.

[Admiral Stoic Rum]

Gravity falls reference?

[totallynotabrony]

8332646
Where? I've never seen it.