The Mask of Despair and the Face of Hope

by Wings of Black Glass

Pinewood Village

We thanked Thorax for his hospitality and moved out, heading after the thief. Refreshed by the rest, we made good time, and the distance melted away. Several more times we paused for Sable to attempt to track the Amulet again, but it only worked once more and revealed no useful new information. Unlike the thief, we stuck close to the train tracks to take advantage of the better terrain and roads. Over the course of the day, we passed several small towns but found hide nor hair of the thief. At last, towards the end of the day, we traveled through a pine forest to come to the distant frontier of Equestria.

“That's it! I can’t keep this up anymore!” Rarity complained loudly, the day’s efforts have drained our earlier enthusiasm. I couldn’t find it in me to disagree. “My hooves have had quite enough!”

“Seriously, how does this guy keep going?” Even Dash was irritated. “We’ve been after him for two days now, and he’s still ahead of us?”

“I have no idea what drives him on.” Sable was unhelpful at this moment.

“At least he can’t teleport, dragging that throne fragment around.” Starlight Glimmer was right, it was how he was able to escape in the first place.

“We’re almost to the next town.” Applejack tried to rouse our spirits. “If we don’t find anything here we should stop for the night anyway. At this rate, even if we do find him, we’ll be too tuckered out to face him.” The trees thinned ahead, and the group found ourselves overlooking a small town made of cute wooden buildings with tall red roofs. A sturdy sign along the roadside proclaimed it to be Pinewood village. Everypony headed in, but Sable paused by the sign, reading it over and over like a manuscript.

“Is there something wrong?” I stepped up next to him. I didn’t see anything particularly noteworthy about the sign.

“Pinewood Village.”

“Yeah?”

“Something about it… nevermind, we should keep moving.” He pulled himself away and followed the group down to the little town. The village was a quiet one, not many ponies out at this time. A few curious ponies watched us as we passed, it must be strange to see so many newcomers arrive by the road all at once. A small number of them murmured and point at me. I faintly heard my name spoken in amazement. We wandered for a minute through the town until we found ourselves near the center, where a small statue of an unnamed Alicorn stood surrounded by an unkempt garden. The icon was old and heavily weathered, its skyward looking face heavily damaged.

“Alright, same as before, ask around to see if anypony has seen the thief, and then we meet back here in an hour or so.” Applejack immediately took control.

“There’s an inn down that way.” Sable pointed down the street; I glanced that way but didn’t see any inn from here. The others all looked to him, mildly surprised, matching his own expression.

“How do you know that?” Starlight narrowed her eyes.

“Do you have a Pinkie sense too?” Pinkie, suddenly wearing a deerstalker hat and wielding a magnifying glass, eyed him suspiciously.

“I… don’t know.” Sable ignored her, now introspective.

“You told me you wandered Equestria for a while before settling in Ponyville. You must have stayed here for a while.” He cast his eyes around, seeing everything but not recognizing anything. “You all should ask about the thief, and I’ll stick with Sable and see if we can find somepony who remembers him.” They each nodded. “We’ll meet up at the inn. Unless Sable is wrong, then meet back here.” The rest of the group split up, heading down the various roads and side streets or into shops.

“Why?” Sable stood next to me, looking quite uncertain.

“I know you said you didn’t need your old past. But… I know it hasn’t been easy for you.” This was the first time we broached the subject of the conversation I overheard. “We’re here now; we might as well ask around.” He fidgeted uncomfortably but did not answer. “If nopony knows you, I won’t push it.” He nodded sharply but unenthusiastically, unwilling to meet my eyes.

Together we headed into a nearby shop, full of local woodcrafts. Sable let his gaze wander over the crafts, everything from chairs to birdhouses. The salespony, a brownish Earth Pony, greeted us with a wave.

“Can I help you find something?”

“Sorry, but we’re not here for woodwork.” The brown pony’s smile faded. “I know this is going to sound strange, but I don’t suppose you remember this Unicorn?” I gestured to Sable, who was distinctly uncomfortable. The shopkeeper leaned over the counter, rubbing his chin. Something flashed faintly in his eyes, or was it my imagination? Then the salespony dropped back down and shook their head.

“Nope, sorry. Never seen him before in my life.” I let my head droop.

“Well, thanks anyway.” We left the woodcraft shop behind, and I paused to look around. We tried this at several more shops, each time getting much the same response. If Sable was ever here, he didn’t leave much an impression. “Any idea where we should try next?” Sable glanced around, hesitating a moment when he spotted a local saloon, but only for an instant. Taking his hesitation as a sign, I headed that way, nearly forcing Sable to follow. Calling it a hunch. The saloon was lightly populated, it was still a little early for the more substantial crowds. An older Unicorn behind the bar, bluish in color with oily darker hair, cleaned a row of small glasses all at once. He nodded at us when we approached.

“Welcome, what can I get for you today, miss?”

“Sarsaparilla float, with mint ice cream.” I spun to face Sable, surprised again at a reflexive answer from him. He blinked, equally surprised.

“Haven’t heard a request for that in a long time.” The blue Unicorn laughed. “Anything for the mare?” I shook my head, still watching Sable. He headed away to get the drink, going to a back room to find the ice cream.

“Sable?”

“Just… I don’t know.” The barpony returned with a tall glass of the drink, with two straws, and set it down between us. Sable drops the payment bits on the counter for him.

“You know the strange thing? I feel like I’ve served this up to another purple Unicorn before.” He eyed Sable closely. I, in turn, watched the barpony with interest. Something flashed in the other Unicorn’s eyes, a tiny blue spark. He shook his head. “Ah, nevermind. Just déjà vu I guess. Enjoy your drink.”

“Have you noticed anything strange about the ponies here?” I looked around the room; the few ponies here didn’t bother giving us more than an initial curious glance before going back to their own business. Sable started on his drink, shaking his head.

“No, but I haven’t been watching them. This place is…”

“Familiar somehow?” He nodded, returning to his drink, slurping it up using both straws. Inspiration flashed through my mind, and I headed back over to the barpony. “Excuse me. You wouldn’t happen to know a Pegasus named Sereina would you?”

“Not a name I know.” He shook his head. “Looking for somepony?”

“It's complicated. Thanks anyways.” I waved to him and turned back to find Sable massaging his head, grimacing. “Are you alright?”

“Brain freeze.” He pushed the now empty glass away from the edge of the bar. “My own stupid fault.” Without saying another word, we headed out through the swinging saloon doors and out onto the street. “It’s getting late; we should meet up with the others.” He sighed, defeated or relieved I couldn’t really tell. We turned down the street he claimed there was an inn on.

“It was a long shot anyway. It may have been many years since you were here. Maybe the others are having more luck.” He nodded, eyes downcast. We passed an alleyway, and he slowed, then stopped. Slowly he returned and looked down the gap between two buildings. I followed, curious. The alley itself was uninteresting, but in the distance, invisible from the main road, was a hill with a white triangular building atop it.

“That's… it couldn’t be.” Sable galloped off, and I had to hurry to catch up. He cut through the town with ease, down alleys and side streets like the map of the city were burned into his mind. Within moments we left the village behind, approaching the strange building on the hill, from here I could see the building had a dome at the top of the triangle, it reminded me of an observatory.

“Sable!” If he heard me, he gave no sign, galloping hard for the base of the hill. I hoped I was wrong, the sight of the little house buried in mud from Sable’s illusion seared into my memory. As we approached the little valley, which I could see now that we were past most of the trees, he slowed to a stop. He was visibly quivering, his wings chiming, I placed a hoof on his shoulder. “Are you sure you want to do this?” He nodded, once, sharply. Despite this, he still took several deep breaths. Side by side we walked until we passed the hill.

A little two-story cottage, idyllically comfortable and whole, sat in the valley surrounded by pine trees. The walls were painted sky blue, and the window frames a soft yellow, flowers grew in neat rows along the walkway to the door behind a small white picket fence. Light smoke rose from the chimney. I could see movement through one of the windows. It was a perfect replica of the home from Sable’s illusion. How could it have been intact? I supposed it could have been rebuilt, but so precisely to the one Sable saw destroyed?

“It's… not possible.” He faltered, shaking again. Still, he moved forward, passing through a small gate in the white picket fence. We stood before the door; the knocker was star-shaped, the handle stylized like an unfurling bolt of cloth. Sable reached up to knock, his hoof shaking nearly violently. He hesitated, faltered, unable to put hoof to wood.

I put my own hoof on his, and he looked at me. I had never read fear on his face before, not real fear, yet I did now. I threw a wing over his back, his legs nearly gave out. We stood like that for a long silent moment, until at last he gathered enough courage to hold his full height again and I released him. Then, at last, he took one final deep breath and knocked four times on the door. I heard a voice from within.

“Just a minute!” Hoofsteps approach the door. It opened to reveal a light blue Earth Pony with a sandy blond mane tied up in a bun. The mare inside gasped, eyes on the purple pony in front of her, recognition in her eyes. “My goodness! Dear, come see this!”

“Who is there, lovely?” A male voice, followed by a dark grey Unicorn with a short white shock of a mane, he was a bit taller than the mare. His jaw nearly dropped open when he saw us.

“It's Princess Twilight Sparkle!” The voice of the blue pony was full of excitement.

“Your Majesty! You honor us!” Both of them bowed profoundly and respectfully towards me. Neither one paid any mind to the pony next to me. Sable Stardust, their son.

Author's Note:

Part 5: The Ashen Thief ends.

I wonder how many saw this particular curve ball heading their way before it beaned them? A few, I am sure.

(Minor side note: some sharp eyed readers might note that Pinewood appears to be the little town on the lower left of the Equestria map. The same one Shadow Tempest seems to be originally from. If I could find its official name, I would have used it)

Comments

[Luckyfanisaac]

The village was a quiet one, not many ponies at out at this time.

If Sable was ever here, he didn’t leave much of an impression.