To Err is Equine

by RLYoshi

23: I Know That We Have Never Really Met Before

[Perspective: False Front]

Instead of leaving that day, we found ourselves caring for a sick Windigo. At least one of us had to be at the house at all times, preferably in the same room as Arrell. Since we were all woken up early, we were all tired, which made this task even harder.

After Nimble brought the mayor, we explained the situation to him. He decided that while the house didn't need to be officially quarantined, it'd still be best to keep the townsfolk away from Arrell for the time being. That just reinforced our decision to keep him in bed until he was able to walk again.

Asylum volunteered to watch Arrell for a while and let the rest of us go get some more sleep. Risk practically pounced on this offer, and while Nimble declined at first, he eventually relented and went off to rest. Ninja or not, he was still ten years old, and he needed sleep.

Being a royal guard, I was used to waking up early, or even staying up all night – several nights in a row, if need be. So rather than go back to bed, I just took a shower and headed out into town.

By now, it was around seven-thirty, and so ponies were beginning to come out of their homes anyway. I didn't have anything particularly important to do, so I just wandered around for a while, thinking to myself.

I started wondering what would happen after Arrell got better. Would we just keep heading to Stalliongrad, or would his evolution change anything? Would he keep getting sick over time as his actual evolution drew closer? What would the rest of us do if he got sick in the middle of nowhere, rather than a friendly town?

And why am I assuming I'll still be around if that happens?

Once the princess hears about the Dusk of Ice and Fire – which shouldn't be too long, considering I sent her a report just a few days after – she'd probably be willing to let Arrell go, and I wouldn't have to keep watch on him anymore. I could go back to Manehatten and live peacefully again. Back to my normal job.

The last time I thought this, it made me smile, looking forward to it. Now it seemed almost depressing, as though I didn't want to leave.

"Why wouldn't I, though?" I muttered to myself, not realizing I was talking out loud. "Arrell's too annoying, Nimble's too quiet, Asylum's too shy, and Risk...okay, Risk doesn't really have anything wrong with him, but that doesn't make up for the others. I just want to get away from them." I stopped walking, looking down at the ground. "...I think..."

---

[Perspective: Asylum]

Half past noon, and False wasn't back yet.

Risk had taken over watching Arrell for a while, letting me shower and clean up. I felt a bit better, but now I was worrying about two ponies instead of just one. I expressed my concerns to Risk and Nimble, but neither of them seemed very worried.

"Don't worry about False," Risk assured me. "She's a royal guard. She can handle herself. Besides, it's just Smooth Grove. She's probably just walking around."

"Still...it's hard enough seeing Arrell like this. I don't want anypony else to be hurt." The Dusk of Ice and Fire had left a pretty big impression on me. Nowhere, not even this little town, seemed safe.

Risk stood up. "Tell you what, I need to go pick up some more food anyway. I'll look for her and bring her back."

"I will come too," Nimble decided, standing up as well. I smiled.

"Thanks, guys. I'm probably just being paranoid..." No, I knew I was just being paranoid.

"It's fine. We're all a little nervous after that fight." The unicorn cast a glance over at Arrell's axe, which was leaning against the wall. "Not that the reminders help much..."

They headed out, and I suddenly felt very alone.

I tried to busy myself, but without the others to talk to, there wasn't much to do. Only five minutes passed, and somepony knocked on the door, both scaring and exciting me. I rushed to open the door, revealing a rather odd-looking pony.

He was about as large as Arrell, if a bit bigger, and a black cloak covered most of his body. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes, and a scarf obscured the rest of his face. What little bit of his coat I could see was a light blue. Something about him scared me, but I didn't know what.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to ask.

"I know that we have never really met before," the odd stallion said with a shrug. "But tell me, does this rag smell like chloroform?"

Before I could speak, he pulled out a cloth and shoved it in my face. That was all I saw before I blacked out.

---

[Perspective: Risk Reward]

"Asylum! We're back!" I called as I entered the house, False and Nimble behind me.

Silence answered me, and we looked around the living room. Nopony was around. We began to grow fearful.

"Asylum?" I called as I headed upstairs. Entering Arrell's room, I saw the Windigo still lying asleep in bed, but the light yellow pegasus was nowhere to be found.

"Risk, look!" False yelled as she burst into the room, a note clutched in her mouth. Nimble trotted in after her, actually looking worried.

"What is it?" I took the note in my magical grip and began to read it aloud.

Arrell,

We know of your evolution. We know what you will become, and we will not allow it. We have taken your friend with us up to our kingdom. If you do not surrender yourself and allow us to execute you, she will be the one to die instead.

Make your choice, Arrell.

-Lord Frostfiend of the Rancid Windigoes

"Lord Frostfiend?" False questioned. "Who in the hoof is that? And who are the Rancid Windigoes?"

"I don't know, but they're going to die."

All of us turned quickly to Arrell's bed. The stallion who had been under the covers just a few seconds ago was now standing upright beside the bed, a look of anger on his face. He looked as though he was ready to go fight...except for a few things.

His eyes, normally blank white, were actually bloodshot. His entire face looked a little pale, and he was wavering slightly on his hooves. It was obvious that he was still sick and tired.

"Arrell," I said slowly. "Go back to sleep. We'll handle this."

"No you won't. You can't fly. You can't get to them."

I blinked. "What does flying have to do with this?"

"They said they took Asylum up to their kingdom. Besides, they're Windigoes. Windigoes live in the sky."

"We can get the princess," False told him. "Both of them, if we need to. They can help us-"

"No they can't!" Arrell shouted, stomping the floor with a hoof. "By the time they get here, to this town they don't even know about, the Rancid Windigoes will have killed Asylum. Besides, they're expecting us to either surrender or go for help. They're not expecting us to attack them ourselves. They know I'm evolving, and they think that'll deter me from doing anything. But it won't."

False, Nimble, and I looked at each other. "How do you know about the evolution?" I asked.

"When I'm sick, I sleep like I'm in a coma. I'm aware of everything around me. I heard what you said, and frankly, I don't give a damn right now." He began heading for the door, but False stood in his way. "False, move."

"No. You're sick. You're not supposed to even leave your bed, let alone this house. I'm not letting you go off fighting."

"False, I swear to Celestia that if you don't get out of my way, I will freeze you to death in ten seconds flat." Arrell tried to push past, but False stood firm. "I'm warning you..."

"No, Arrell! I'm warning you!" the earth pony snapped. "I didn't want to do this, but by the power invested in me as Celestia's royal guard, I order you to return to your bed! Failure to comply will result in penalty of execution without trial!"

All of us were shocked silent by False's order. We had never seen her pull rank as a royal guard before, not even to Arrell. Nimble and I just looked at each other while we waited for Arrell's response.

"Fine."

The Windigo turned and walked slowly back to his bed. The rest of us breathed sighs of relief, and once he was lying down, we left the room.

"That's settled," False declared. "Now, we contact the princesses. If they know how big of an emergency this is, they'll come quickly."

"How do we contact them?" Nimble pointed out. "We are rather far from Canterlot."

"I'll send them a letter. If it has the royal guard symbol on it, they'll know it's urgent. He's escaping out the window right now, isn't he?"

"Probably," I admitted.

Throwing the door open, our fears were confirmed: Arrell's bed was empty, the window was wide open, and the sick stallion was nowhere to be found.

"Buck," we all cursed simultaneously.

---

[Perspective: Arrell]

I don't care what False said. I'd rather die than let Asylum be killed.

The only problem was that I didn't know where the Rancid Windigoes were. But I had a hunch.

I'd need a few things...none of which would be easy to obtain. One wrong move, and those three would be holding me down and keeping me from going anywhere.

For the first time since I got to Equestria, I was truly on my own, fighting against those who previously helped me. And I don't know if it was the sickness getting to my head or a side effect of my evolution, but I liked it.

It was time for some action.

Author's Note:

There's a song reference in there, and I have to say I'll be pretty disappointed if nobody gets it.

This chapter was probably one of the most irritating to write; the original plan was to have this be a laid-back chapter where the four group members talk about their past and possible future. In the end, I just had False question her goals and skipped straight to the action that was supposed to happen NEXT chapter.

Now, Arrell has practically made foes with his former friends, and he has no plan aside from "save Asylum". How do you guys think this'll end?

Comments

[Dusk Apollo]

Sorry, I didn't get the song reference (but I don't listen to music).

How will it end? You taking time, typing up the next X chapters, and closing it with words or images.

"I know we have never really met before, but tell me, does this rag smell like chloroform to you?

[RLYoshi]

1889780 Take away the "to you" and that's actually the reference.

[Dusk Apollo]

1889787 Didn't know; just sounds like what a polite ruffian would say before stuffing you face with a chloroform-dosed rag.

I predict that death is soon in coming; wait, it already happened!
Correction: I predict that more death is soon in coming. Or peace. Or both. Or a non-fatal apocalypse that sends everyone into a non-temporal coma where they live forever, but the world still ends because of it.

Poor Arrell; if only you could/would stop the evolution; it can be done at any time, unless it's from the Fine Rock.

[RLYoshi]

1889831 Nope, can't stop the evolution. And it's not from the Fine Rock.

[Dusk Apollo]

1889843 Maybe he's just happy, then.

[Reaper1543]

When I read the chloroform, this immediatelycame into my mind.

missmab.com/Comics/Vol879.jpg

Also, regarding the stopping of evolution, why not just press B?

[BronyDJ]

Isn't the chloroform quote a pickup line from a movie? It sounded really familiar. Nonetheless, another good chapter

[RLYoshi]

1891659 It's actually from a song.

[Pluma the Fluffy Dragon]

1891801
What song?

[Blaze Song]

"I know that we have never really met before," the odd stallion said with a shrug. "But tell me, does this rag smell like chloroform?"

oh dear...

[wlam]

"No, Arrell! I'm warning you!" the earth pony snapped. "I didn't want to do this, but by the power invested in me as Celestia's royal guard, I order you to return to your bed! Failure to comply will result in penalty of execution without trial!"

So Royal Guards have the right to just randomly execute anyone who doesn't obey their commands when they feel like it? What is wrong with this place?