Equestria's Ray of Hope

by The_Darker_Fonts

Cast Off

Ray somberly began to roll up his wool sleeping pad, the night of sleep he had gotten- or rather lack of sleep- completely forgotten. As much as he was looking forward to this day, to finally get it all over with, it was almost like burying a body. He was glad to do so, to put it all to rest, but at the same time, he felt the same sorrow and remorse as he would for the burial. With a sigh, he stuffed it all together into his sleeping sack, glancing around at the empty tent for any pieces or extra things he might have forgotten. Noting there were none, he stood up slightly, not being able to do so fully in the tepee. Ducking out of the flaps, he stepped out to the noise and chaos of a camp packing up and preparing to embark.

In one quick glance, he could see at least twenty tents going down in the blink of an eye as the camp efficiently carried out the order to embark. The camp had received a fair bit of summer rain in the past two days, the rain having greeted them as they completed their march to the Las Pegasus port. Mud had been a nuisance, however, the entirety of the army disregarded the weather and poor conditions the march had gone through, swathes of mud and terrible off-road traveling forgotten at the sight of the sea.

Many of the Fallen had grown to love the sea, and given they had actually arrived before schedule with their march, Ray, Skalos, and the other Fallen generals had decided there was to be a reward. The vast majority of the rest of the day after the camp was established was spent in the warm waters of the southwestern coast of Equestria. Ray had, for the most part, participated in the games and horseplay, however it was cut short by the expected responsibilities of being a general. Still, it was the first time he had ever gone swimming in Equestria and the only time in his life that he had gone swimming in a natural body of water.

Now, however, the coastal position proved to be a right nuisance, as the tropical climate of the ocean meant constant storms in the summer. If the pegasi had anything to say about it, though, the clouds would be cleared completely by noon, right on time for them to cast off. According to Twilight, the wind westward picked up around that time and only abated by midnight, giving them plenty of speed at the start of their journey. The math had added up last time, and given he didn’t really want to prolong the inevitable until the nighttime, he had agreed regardless of the facts.

The bitterness of today, the cold sadness and overwhelming dread, all had him unable to eat his breakfast, so he had focused his energy on packing up. Before he even knew it, his tepee was collapsed and packed neatly away into his specialized pack. Sighing, realizing there was nothing left to do here, he turned and began to hurriedly help other nearby Fallen pack away their tents and miscellaneous supplies, constantly checking the gloomy early morning sky as the pegasi got to work. It was roughly six in the morning, but his true help wouldn’t be required until sometime around seven, leaving him with unwanted free time to think.

Forcing himself to focus on the tasks that his Fallen required, he found himself entering bland conversations or doing small, menial tasks that did little to distract him. He felt that many of the Fallen were doing the same, talking but not really thinking about their words or work as they glanced at either the sky or the fleet in the harbor. Ray didn’t have the courage to look over that way, so see the slowly growing crowd on the streets, rooftops, or even in the sky. It wouldn’t be for another several hours to cast off, and already hundreds had begun to gather, distracting the soldiers and causing the entire camp to be silent as mist.

The translucent figures that had long hid themselves in the darkness were now highlighted through the foggy morning as they moved, the soft glow of their different colors moving constantly as they completed their tasks. The somber silence was a read of how all within the camp felt, the splash of cold water that was the truth. It was real now, the ships preparing to take them across the sea, to land on a different continent, to fight a war. Their training had prepared them all for the fighting, but there was nothing in this world that had prepared them for this tension, the foreboding thought that they may not return to this place alive.

Ray knew the feeling all too well by now, the grim purpose for his being here only a further testament to the dire situation they were about to throw themselves headlong into. It was as if everything else that he had done before was meaningless suddenly, dread and fear clouding the training and courage he had built. Even the Spectre seemed to have left him today, the dark presence of it having left him in the place of cold truth. He almost wanted that dark aspect to return to him, to let the rage and mystique of it confuse him and distract him from cold emptiness.

No, he thought to himself, he wouldn’t allow himself to let this fear discard his determination or his purpose. In spite of what he felt now, cold resignation to a gloomy future, he wouldn’t allow himself to fall victim to complete fear, to allow himself to become anything less than what he was now. He had to push himself, now, more than ever, to become what the world needed to survive, and more importantly, what his Fallen needed to lead them to victory or through defeat. As isolated and dreadfilled as he felt, there was an absolution in the future. There was no turning back, no giving up, and no chance for defeat. He wouldn’t allow it.

Throwing his bag roughly over his shoulder, he turned and began walking down the beaten down paths made within the camp over the course of their brief inhabitation of the area. About halfway down the path, he reached the only tepee that remained up, though he knew the reason why well. Rolling his eyes as the slightest amusement broke through his gloom, he peeked inside to find that, indeed, Garish’s personal tent was abandoned. As soon as he stepped out of the tent, Garish was there, panting from his sprint, his spear haphazardly strapped to him.

“My apologies, lordling, I didn’t mean to take so long to get back from…” Garish trailed off, a sheepish smile crossing his face. “From helping out my wife pack up.”

“Yeah, I bet that took all night, didn’t it, commander,” Ray questioned with an arched brow as he moved to help the Fallen pack up his supplies and tent quickly. Disregarding his comment, Ray got back on track, instructing, “What I need from you is to tell every other commander you come across today to not allow their soldiers to remain silent for too long. All of this thinking is making everybody nervous, and having our nerves frayed in front of all Equestria is not the best image we can convey. Understand?”

“Yessir,” Garish replied steadily, pulling down the tent and packing it away in the matter of only a few seconds. “My own troops have a… surprise planned for the ponies who’re watching and our own comrades. Or at least, those who didn’t get a peek at it before.”

“Please tell me it’s appropriate for young audiences,” Ray demanded, giving the stallion a knowing look.

Waving the comment away dismissively, he replied, “It’s not at all like last time, alright. Besides, the little’ns didn’t understand what we were doing, and all the older folk just laughed at us. It was the perfect mood brightener, and you know some mares went home to-”

“Young audiences,” Ray rebuked with a firm point. “I’m still technically a minor, so flashing your translucent butt at me is a felony.”

“Oh, come on, lordling,” Garish laughed. “We both know that you’re not a real minor. You're more adult than most of the Fallen in your army. I mean, Celestia’s sake, you and Skalos seem to be in a battle to not show your emotions no matter what. The only reason you aren’t a complete emotional copy of him is because you know what having fun is.”

“And yet Skalos ended up with a wife quicker than you,” Ray stated sleekly. Garish’s eyes went wide as his mouth dropped in surprise.

“Wow, you really just did that… okay, I underestimated you,” the stallion admitted with a shrug. Slinging his pack over his shoulder with one hoof, he glanced around at the strange sight of the thousands of Fallen scuffling about on the muddy terrace without any tents remaining up. “Tartarus, this really does look like a proper tight army. Well done, lordling.”

“Couldn’t have done it without the lot of you,” Ray replied genuinely, sharing a broad glance around the area at the moving sea of almost silent translucent bodies. “The Fallen really are the best Equestria has to offer, and somehow you find a way to prove it in everything you do.”

“Well, thank you kindly, lordling,” Garish nodded, looking up at Ray. “We couldn't have done it without the best the universe has to offer.”

Giving the stallion a light punch to the shoulder, Ray smiled as he said, “Ain’t have to go buttering me up, Garish. You already know you’re my favorite commander married to an archery commander.”

“Very specific, but I’ll take it,” the Fallen laughed, starting to walk away. “I’m going to go join my unit for the time to complete the packing process and centralize before we move out. How long do we have? An hour?”

“Yes, roughly,” Ray confirmed, returning to a more official tone. “We will enter the port and embark by ten in the morning, and from there, we will carry out whichever procedures we deem necessary. From there, we most likely will have some sort of ‘surprise’ ceremony to send us off on a good note or something of the sort. Most likely there will be some formal note from Twilight, and from there we will cast off and… and begin our war.”

“Oof, yeah, hearing that said is… faltering,” Garish agreed, shaking his head. With a wave of his free hoof, he departed with, “Welp, I’ll be seeing you then.”

Ray nodded silently, watching the Fallen leave with a simple few steps away, vanishing on the crowded path. Licking his dry lips, he looked around over the top of the crowd that moved quickly yet steadily, searching for one of the hundreds of minute stations, places that provided provisions in small proportions, including water refills. Emptying his waterskin in three quick gulps, he began treading the empty grounds where tents had once stood not even half an hour ago. The Fallen had impressively removed the traces of their camp save from the minute stations themselves, instinct or discipline the root of their efficient speed. It was an appreciative stare he gave the grounds, one that satisfied him in a strange way, knowing his hardworking soldiers had done their jobs dutifully.

Refilling his waterskin at the minute station, something suddenly caught Ray’s attention. In the distance on the edge of camp, he could barely pick out a lag in the constant movement, Fallen stopping and looking away from the camp. Knitting his brow in confusion, he watched as the neat order was suddenly broken as the Fallen began to step backwards and away, the line flattening as they faced outward. Concerned, Ray began to rush in the direction of the disruption, hand subconsciously going to his knife as he ran. Several Fallen noticed the direction Ray was running and the concern on his face, many turning and beginning to follow suit quickly.

As Ray approached the edge of the camp, he suddenly stopped, staring in disbelief at what the discrepancy actually was. Dozens of foals were standing across from the wall of Fallen, staring wide wide eyes and dropped jaws at the soldiers, who seemed equally shocked by the sight of the little ones. Some of the fillies and colts noticed Ray too as he approached, pointing their hooves silently or nudging their friends and nodding to the towering human. There was an unbelievable silence that permeated the air as the two groups stared at each other long and hard, neither side unsure what the other would do.

Suddenly, a light green Fallen stepped forward, towards one of the fillies, a little pink unicorn with a purple mane. The stallion reached out a translucent hoof to the foal, careful not to frighten her as he crouched down. Slowly, his hoof came in contact with her cheek, rubbing it softly as he whispered something to her, his eyes filled with tears. Unable to hear what the stallion had said, Ray could only watch as suddenly the two embraced in a hug as if they were lifelong friends that had just reunited. As soon as the two embraced, the silence was shattered as the colts and fillies suddenly rushed forward, talking to whichever Fallen they could.

Ray laughed in spite of himself, watching the sudden chaos as living and damned, young and ancient began to talk as if there were no boundaries built between them through time and situation. Before he knew it, another group of young ponies, some accompanied by adults or older siblings, were emerging from behind a nearby hill by the beach, joining the fray as conversations broke out and laughter filled the air. Ray looked around expectantly, assuming that this was some sort of scheme by Twilight to boost morale, but to his surprise, he didn’t see the alicorn or any ponies he recognized.

Before he could ask himself any more questions about the nature of this sudden crowd, however, he felt something tapping his foot. Looking down, he was astonished to see a little colt staring up at him, eyes wides with amazement. Ray was stuck by how small he was comparatively, his tiny body only as tall as halfway up his shin. Crouching down with a smile, Ray reached out to the colt with his hand open, offering for a shake. The little colt hesitated for a second, staring uncertainly at the completely alien shape of his hands and fingers before finally lifting his own hoof.

Taking the tiny hoof in his large hand, Ray softly said, “Hello, my little friend! What’s your name?”

“C-Cloudy Gales, sir,” the tiny colt reverently answered, staring at the human’s hand. “G-g-golly, your hoof is weird.”

Laughing at the earnest statement, Ray explained, “That’s because it’s not a hoof. Humans like me don’t have hooves, we have hands, and on those hands.”

The colt watched as Ray wiggled his fingers for emphasis. “Wow, you’re nothing like the other foals were saying you’d be like,” the colt shrilly stated, grinning up at Ray. “They said you were gonna be a big, scary thing who would eat those minotaurs for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! You're just a friendly ogre is all!”

Ray roared with laughter at the statement, and some nearby Fallen who had overheard the conversation joined in, a hoof slapping his back. Controlling his laughter for a second, Ray gave the colt a little pat on the head, telling him, “Well, I’m big and scary, but I’m no ogre. You can go ahead and tell your friends that!”

“Yes sir,” the colt exclaimed excitedly, suddenly turning and weaving his way through the crowd to go find said friends. Watching the little colt go, he shook his head in disbelief, chuckling again at the colt’s naivety. He hadn’t ever talked to a colt or filly as young as him, which was probably why he had been so caught off-guard by the colt’s words. Still, he found himself pleasantly surprised by the arrival of the young ones, and inspite of an inability to keep track of where they were going and what they were doing, he didn’t think too much about it mattering. They seemed like a curious but obedient group, and besides, with the way the little ones saw him described by Cloudy, Ray could probably goad them into leaving when needed.

Standing up, he watched as the Fallen engaged with the eager foals, listening to them, answering their questions, and asking a few of their own. In the crowd, Ray knew he would be unable to pick out the stallion who had initiated the encounter, but he would attempt to find him later on and thank him. He didn’t know if anyone had known how much he and the Fallen needed this, the brightness and ignorance of youth to light the darkness that was today. Whether it was by chance or intentionally, these little ones and the older ponies accompanying them had given the Fallen and Ray something they didn't wake up with. Purpose.

Unfortunately, checking the sun, Ray could tell it was almost time for the required task of centralizing the commanders so they could gather their ranks together and form up to begin the process of embarking. Trudging his way backwards through the crowd, waving and nodding to some of the Fallen as they moved eagerly towards the crowd of foals, he made his way across the grounds towards where a small make-believe stage had been established for announcements. There stood Skalos and several other generals, expectantly waiting for whoever had not arrived yet. Nodding to the group as he stepped onto the wooden stage, he crossed his arms.

“Well, friends and comrades alike,” he began, realizing that indeed he was the only one necessary who hadn’t been present. “The time has come for us to gather our armies and embark, this time not to sail the seas, but to sail to war.”

Ray paused grimly, staring at the familiar faces of the Fallen one by one. Skalos, Yarem, Pelios, Harbor, and Kraven, he had learned their names and ambitions, had learned their hopes and dreams. Some of them were married, some of them hoped to be. It was humbling to know them and terrifying to command them now that they were all his friends. But, staring into their milky eyes, their translucent bodies glowing even as the morning fog dissipated, desire to listen and obey shone in them. Biting his lip, he took a slow deep breath, and began to give orders.

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Apple Bloom hated today with every fiber of her proudly Apple body, glaring out at the city of Las Pegasus from the wagon. For some reason it wasn’t until today that it hit her that Ray, the darned human she had claimed to adopt, was leaving Equestria and may well never return. Every time she thought that, she was forced to push away the stinging tears in her eyes, the threat of wetting her face too early. All around her, at school, in the town, even at home, ponies had been asking if she was okay or if she needed something. Why did she always have to say no?

Sitting alone within the wagon, her siblings pulling the vehicle, she grit her teeth and swallowed down her feelings again. All she wanted right now was for Ray to hug her and tell her it was okay, that he wasn’t leaving today, that he wasn’t going to leave and become a monster like he had warned her. Kicking a hoof against a crate until it hurt, she let her head fall back against the wall and rested it there, taking slow, deep breaths. If only she had been smarter, somehow able to trick the world into stopping the horrendous future from arriving.

In spite of provided rooms in Las Pegasus and a royal carriage awaiting them, Big Mac and AJ had insisted on bringing their own wagon down to the docks at the very least. While it meant that they may get down there quicker and with a few less ponies following behind them, it provided her with this cursed silence and loneliness. She hated being alone with her thoughts like this, being allowed the time to complicate herself even further and cause herself even more misery. If only Taps were here, his shy goofiness able to cheer her up a little and his adorable face to distract her wandering eyes.

Something outside the window caught her attention, a large movement out on one of the grassy beach hills. Rolling to face the movement, she stared at the large gathering of ponies out on the beaches and within the camp itself. She had been able to see the camp basically ever since they had left the suburbs of Las Pegasus, the expansive army taking up an open field beside the port itself. The strange thing was that, even from this distance, she had almost missed the actual inhabitants of the camp. In spite of their vast numbers, the transparent soldiers often looked more like a strange luminescent blob than a crowd of individuals.

Sighing, she knew she couldn’t pick Ray out from the crowd at this distance, even though he would be looming over all of the others. Frowning, she finally realized that most of the ponies conversing with the Fallen were small, or at least, smaller than she was. Foals? Confused, she popped open the top hatch of the carriage and pulled herself up in spite of the bumping of the rickety wagon. From the new vantage, she was able to see much more, including the fact that every single Fallen seemed to have surrounded the normal ponies in a wide circle. While most stood still and watched the foals or waited for them to intermingle, some stepped out of the formation and towards the center.

“Sure are a pretty sight, ain’t they,” AJ suddenly asked from the front, glancing back over her harness at Apple Bloom. “T’ain’t ever expected ta say that about such strange fellas, but they certainly are. I mean, so many colors an’ hues, Rarity is pro’ly tryna take notes.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” she conceded softly. Wind whipped through her mane, the overcast gray clouds above remnants of the summer storms and adding a fitting chill to the day.

“Ray’s gotta do this, Apple Bloom,” Mac suddenly stated, also looking over his shoulder as the wagon came to a halt. “There ain’t no way ‘round it. All we can do is be strong fer ‘im an’ be there for ‘im.”

Apple Bloom clenched her jaw again, taking a deep, shaky breath at the sting of tears threatening to overwhelm her. “But what if… But what if I’m not strong enough fer even myself?”

AJ gave her sister a hard stare, contemplating her for several long seconds. Finally, she answered, “Then show ‘im how scared you are. Tell ‘im that yer worried fer ‘im, that yer gonna miss ‘im. Most importantly though, tell ‘im you love him very much an’ that you can’t wait ta see ‘im when the moon’s full again. Ray’s the kinda stallion ta feed offa that. He’ll never say it, but he needs ta hear it from ya. That’s what’ll get him home.”

“An’ what about fer me” Apple Bloom asked in a whisper, scarcely daring to reveal her true emotions.

“Well, you have us, an’ whether we like it or not, ya got that darned colt too,” Big Mac reassured. Shrugging off his harness, he added, “Now, come along. Wagon can’t go too far ahead, we gotta dismount now.”

“Okay,” Apple Bloom agreed shakily, hopping off the wagon. As she did so, she noticed they actually weren’t on the road anymore, having gone slightly up a gravelly hill. The road did continue forward, but one glance at the number of Fallen and crates ahead virtually blocked it. It was still a half mile to the makeshift docks ahead, built specifically to cast the fleet off today and receive them if… whenever they returned.

Apple Bloom had to resolve herself for a second to not think of everything that could go wrong, walking silently beside her siblings as they began the light trek to the docks. Her eyes flitted over to the crowd of normal ponies mingling with the Fallen as she walked. They seemed to have already practically packed up everything into crates being loaded onto the boats, the last of the supplies that needed to be stored. Even with thousands of Fallen pausing to talk to the ponies, there were still thousands more helping with the final preparations. Much like other things, it was only now striking her how large the force crossing the seas was, their camp alone twice as big as Ponyville. For just under a year, she had known about the force, and had even heard some obscure numbers, but it was only in broad daylight that she saw their true size. In her mind, the Fallen had been maybe two thousand strong, enough to fill one of Canterlot’s streets, not a whole quadrant of the grand city.

Shaking her head, she focused on her footing, the road taking a slight downward slope to the ocean. The wind whipped the long seaside grass, her own long red hair blowing across her face and obscuring her right eye. Being able to still glance down at the Fallen, she wished it were her left. Celestia, today was an awful day. Shivering slightly with the wind, she ducked her head and finished the little downhill stretch, noticing her siblings lagging a bit behind her. Over her shoulder, she caught a glance of them whispering somberly, AJ biting her lip as she listened to whatever Big Mac was saying. In her heart, she knew it was about her, but Apple Bloom shrugged it off. Whatever it was was to help her, and if they thought it would work, she would let them try unbiased.

The walk was over sooner than it had started, reaching the outskirts of a gathered crowd. Already, some hundreds of ponies were gathered around makeshift wooden stalls that provided scant shelter from the wind and occasional drop of rain. Beaten muddy paths marked the most traveled route by which the ponies were moving, though most kept a few dozen paces away from the actual preparations.

They moved past the crowd, drawing stares given their family had become synonymous with Princess Twilight’s ascension. Blushing at the number of ponies giving her long glances, she picked up her hooves and passed through the muddy paths and onto firmer ground. Here, there were some tall tents and even magically put together structures for the royal guards that stood side-by-side with the Fallen to keep young foals out of the way. Apple Bloom caught a brief glance at one of the tent flaps closing, a tail she could recognize a mile away slipping out of sight.

Not wasting a moment, she darted towards the tent, shouting questioningly, “Sweetie Belle?”

Right as she reached the tent, the head of her friend popped out of the flaps. Unable to stop in time, she ran headfirst into her, the two tumbling into the tent in a jumble of shouts, limbs, and tails. Narrowly avoiding her friend’s horn, Apple Bloom, pushed up and rubbed a fresh bruise on her head as Sweetie did the same.

“Gosh, sorry Sweetie, I thought I saw you-" Apple Bloom began before being cut off with a crushing hug from behind. Letting out a soft grunt at the tight squeeze, she reached out a free hoof and patted Scootaloo on the shoulder sentimentally as she wheezed, “Hi, Scoots.”

“Well, didn’t expect to literally run into you, but it’s great to see you, Apple Bloom,” Sweetie said with a laugh, reaching out a hoof to help her up. Scootaloo released her grasp on the filly and helped lift Apple Bloom from the ground with a smile.

“Hey girls, what’re y’all doin’ here already,” she asked, happily confused at her friends’ sudden appearance.

“Well, Rarity has had some more important business stuffs going on up in Canterlot, so it made sense to just come down from there last night when she was done,” Sweeties explained. “I’ve been going around with her because she says I’ve ‘transformed into a fine young mare’. I think it's mostly because she likes to imagine she’s me when I model for her since I’m practically the same size of her now.”

“Yeah, and the Wonderbolts had a show here in Las Pegasus, so I tagged along with Dash,” Scootaloo explained. Speaking softer now, she added, “I’m kinda surprised you weren’t the first one here.”

“I… I’m strugglin’ ta stay here, if I’m bein’ honest,” Apple Bloom muttered, kicking the ground sadly, looking away from her best friends. “I… never expected to… I never wanted this day ta come, an’ now it has and I ain’t prepared at all. Ray’s been real great as a brother, if a strange human creature, an’ now he’s gone jus’ when we all got ta start knowin’ ‘im. I jus’ feel, cheated an’ sad an’ I can’t even think of what might happen to ‘im without- without…”

“Shh shh shh,” Sweetie Belle consoled, wrapping a hoof around her neck and patting her. “We’re all a bit sad today, but it will be fine. I know it will be in my heart.”

“T’ain’t make it none easier,” Apple Bloom complained into her friend’s neck, smiling sadly at herself. “I jus’ wish Taps was here with me.”

“Well, you shoulda said so earlier,” a nervous voice behind her proclaimed with half-hearted confidence. Whipping around, knowing the colt’s voice by heart, Apple Bloom leapt at him, her brain unable to tell if she was mad at him or not. Tender Taps caught her in a big hug, and without thinking much at all, she laid a big one on him. The colt squeaked cutely beneath her as her heart took over for her brain and decided it didn’t matter if it had taken him this long to reveal himself.

Pulling away with a slight blush, feeling the smirks of her friends on the back of her head, she gave him a small whack on the nose, beaming as she exclaimed, “Taps, you goof! How did you get here?”

“Well, Applejack doesn’t know, but Big Mac helped me get a ticket to Las Pegasus and Rainbow Dash took me down here. Sweetie and Scoots helped me get a bed to sleep in last night,” he answered, smiling back, his cheeks red. His smile dimmed a little as he added, “They all figured you were gonna need some help with today and I didn’t want you to deal with it alone. I’m so sorry you hafta go through all this... but know that I really like Ray and think he’ll make it back no problem.”

“Aw, ya dorks, alla ya,” she remarked, her smile softening as she reached one hoof out to her friends and another to Taps, bringing all three into a group hug. For a brief moment, she felt happier than she could have ever guessed just moments ago. She simply held those closest to her against her, fur rubbing fur, content to stay there until something else interrupted them.

“Galdarnit, Big Mac, what in th’ hay are ya on about,” Applejack shouted from much too close. Before they could completely scramble apart, the tent flaps were torn asunder, AJ storming into the entrance, trailing off as she called, “Apple Bloom, what in th’...”

There was a cold, startling moment when her eyes locked with Taps, the poor colt frozen in place, Apple Bloom’s hoof still on his shoulder. Knowing he was caught, he stood there still as stone as he awaited Applejack to do or say anything. For a brief second, rage flashed across her face like every time before, but Big Mac’s arrival through the tent flaps stopped her from entering a raged frenzy. The stallion cringed as his eyes flicked between his two sisters and the colt, a nervous sweat breaking out on his brow. AJ turned slightly and glanced at the eldest Apple, then back at the youngest, and finally stared hard at the ground.

“Y’all planned this, didn’t ya,” she asked softly, shaking her head as she knew the answer. With a deep sigh, she turned her hard stare directly to Tender Taps, begrudgingly stating, “Look, I don’t think much a’ colts an’ th’ such, but if Apple Bloom needs ya today, then who’m I ta tell her no? However, there ain’t no way in tarnation th’ two a’ ya are leavin’ my sight, ya got it?”

“Yes ma’am,” Taps replied fervently, nodding in tandem. Apple Bloom couldn’t help but let a smile sneak past her, mouthing a thanks to her older sister as she glanced at the filly. In spite of herself, Applejack had the smallest of knowing smirks, rolling her eyes as she turned her back on them. Using the momentary aversion of her sister’s gaze to the fullest, Apple Bloom snuck a peck on her special somepony’s cheek, causing him to break out blushing again.

Sweetie and Scoots both snickered as Taps muttered under his breath, “You’re gonna get me killed, Blooms.”

Apple Bloom didn’t respond, simply giving the colt a cheeky grin and wrapping one hoof around his. Glancing forward, she saw Big Mac waiting expectantly as he held the door open for Sweetie and Scoots, the young mare took a deep breath. Stepping out into the cold, windy world would be painful, and facing Ray may be even more so, but sharing a look with Taps, she stepped forward.

With one hoof out the tent, she swung her tail to the side and caught his, wrapping it around his. The colt stiffened in her hoof at the bold move she had never made before, such a sentimental action catching him by surprise. Not daring to stay the moment any further, she stepped out into the windy street.

********************************************************************************************************

Ray grimaced as the wind swept across his bare chest, his sweat freezing in a second. Grunting, he pulled the rope downwards, lifting up the last of the crates, and marking the end of material embarkment. Some ponies in the crowd cheered, as did some among the Fallen. Most, however, remained solemnly silent as the human stood up to his full height, grabbing his tunic from Skalos’ hooves. He turned to the crowd of thousands, all but those on the wooden dock normal ponies watching the spectacle. Inevitably, it had become very much a spectacle to them, hearing of the gathering of nations and their leaders coming to bid his farewell. Gritting his teeth, he put the shirt back on, ignoring how little it did to nullify the cold.

Every ship but his own had cleared the dock already, waiting patiently a few hundred feet out in the ocean as the head of the fleet completed the impromptu ceremony. For some reason, all of the emotions Ray had felt earlier, the anxiety and cold relief, had dissipated to almost nothing but stone-cold determination. Today had to get done and over with, and then tomorrow and the week afterward, and then the war after that. Maybe then he would allow himself to feel some sense of victory, but today he had to present both rank and intent to every nation. After all, actions spoke louder than words, and silence was one of the harshest deeds he could do right now.

Without breaking his stare over the crowd, he stepped precisely down the gangplank and onto the dock, refusing to allow himself to be intimidated by the tens of thousands of eyes that followed his every move. Twilight stood at the head of the dock, respecting the space many Fallen had requested between themselves and the normal ponies. She was in full ceremony attire, contrasting his simply, rugged shirt and pants poignantly. Many ponies wouldn’t be able to grasp the truthfully dire situation if it weren’t for blunt visuals and plain speaking, all of which Ray would only happily oblige. The strange thought of wearing the same garment he had when meeting the royals of Equestria now struck him, but he quickly threw it out.

His friends and family stood to her right side, the Apples all staring with teary eyes as he approached their sovereign, even Tender Taps there with Apple Bloom clinging to him. Rarity and Sweetie Belle stood side-by-side with two older ponies that must have been their parents and Scootaloo stood with Rainbow and her family. Pinkie was strangely absent from the group, but where he had expected her to be, Mayor Mare, Silver Quill, and even Emerald Joy, occupied. In spite of having had no interaction with them for months, they were here. Then, on the farthest end of the group, stood Discord and Fluttershy.

The mare had obviously been crying, but she was holding herself together in almost a cheerful manner, smiling proudly at him as he stepped up to Twilight. The simple smile, the glitter of a tear in her eyes as the wind whipped her mane sideways, and Discord dutifully standing by all threatened to break down the dams. Ray’s throat clenched, but returning his focus to the Princess, he regained control of himself.

To Twilight’s left, the leaders of Equestria stood, but he didn’t even give them a second glance, only daring to notice little Flurry Heart standing to the side. The poor filly seemed both cold and uncomfortable, forced to appear by her parents as part of a budding member of the Royal family. Still, the filly’s little eyes did remain on him, big and round, curious and naive. If only, he thought to himself, coming to a strict halt only a couple feet from Twilight.

“Raymond,” she declared simply, not allowing a moment more of silence to be wasted. “You stand before us because of a self-proclaimed oath and a fate forced upon you. Your heroics within this world are beyond the knowledge of most, even me, and your future is ripe with victory and bravado that Equestria shall never forget. Yet here you stand with us, here you stand for us, and here you fight for us. We pony do not deserve person you are, much less the champion you have come. All we can do is watch as our savior, the human who stands above us all, as Equestria’s Ray of Hope, goes forth fervently and does as no living being has ever done before. With my respects and your blessing, we bid you the warmest of salutations, and hope for the quickest of returns.”

Twilight’s booming voice had barely finished echoing before the crowd, in earnest, began cheering vibrantly at the farewell. Twilight levitated Ray’s kharamh into the air before him. Waiting the briefest of seconds to grasp his trusty weapon, he took it and turned his back on the crowd. Stepping back onto the wooden dock, he raised the kharamh above his head and sliced downward, cutting cleanly through the rope tying the ship to the dock. It seemed a bit silly, as the connection wasn’t what was keeping the ship in harbor, but symbolism and whatnot. Looking up, he shared a grim nod with Skalos and the other commanders aboard his ship. It was done.

He tossed his kharamh up to his friend, who caught it in his magical grasp, before turning once again to face Twilight and the crowd. The Princess and and those around her, friends, family, and rulers alike, stood somberly, staring at the dangling rope. The Fallen had left Equestria’s land, and Ray would join them in mere minutes.

Over the din, however, a voice, soft but piercing sliced through the noise.

“Oh, small ones of the Equus Plains, Mountains, Oceans, and Desolate Places, you know not the thing which is done before you, the binding of the Cosmos in the severing of a thread.” In an instant, Ray recognized the tantalizing voice of the Matriarch, and within only a few seconds, the spider revealed itself grandly in the daylight. While the sun itself was filtered through thick, lingering gray clouds, it still glittered from every long hair of the massive arachnid. The ancient creature stood at its full height as it crested one of the nearby hills in several long strides, its many spawn following in its shadow like a rolling dark wave.

Mixed gasps and shrieks from the crowd were silenced as soon as they began, the World Weaver suddenly beginning to spin thread as it walked. Even Ray was struck in awe at the sight, what looked to be the very rainbow being spun by the tactless work of the Matriarch. Two long threads drifted outward and apart, catching in the wind and, in an instant, the world stilled completely, the threads casting the same glow as the Harkening upon everyone.

“Little ones of Equui Majora, Great Ones of these Kingdoms, and Beings of the Aspects Themselves, your knowledge is great, and your purpose is clear. I come not to prophesy as I once did to your eldest of ancestors, but to fight for the Orphan of the Cosmos and the Free One of all Creation. Know this and learn it well little ones, the journey forward is one of great treachery and suffering if you do not now swear yourselves to Ray and His cause, not only now, but in the nearest of futures. The being before you is one of flesh not of this or any other world in our universe, but neither is it alienated from the world he now calls home.

“The Princess’ grand words of farewell do not nearly encapsulate Ray’s essence of being, but they are the closest any of us mortal beings could wish to achieve to describing the same such being as the very Creations Themselves. Even with thousands of years of foresight and tens of thousands more in experience, never has such an indomitable spirit become nearly as synonymous with Creation as the one who meekly stands before you. If any of you have doubts about the success of this mission, than know it now that your fears can be cast off and your mind can be freed of such things. The Man of Worlds has come to the aid of Celestia’s children and Luna’s kin. The enemies that face you have no chance.”

The Matriarch silenced, an expectant stare at the crowd before her. Realizing she had astounded the ponies into silence, she turned her eyes to Ray, who was equally starstruck, but slightly more used to this kind of dialogue from the Matriarch. With a large nod of her many-eyed head, the World Weaver softly stated, “I take my leave with you, lordling.”

Composing himself, Ray turned and began to walk up the plank and onto the awaiting ship, resolved to leave all over again.

“Wait,” a desperate plea escaped the crowd, the sound of hooves thudding dully on the wooden dock turning Ray back around. Apple Bloom wrapped herself around his leg, almost buckling him with the unexpected hug. Ray froze up, emotions he had repressed welling up instantly.

He had hoped to avoid this, to save his words and sharp emotions for if he returned on the next full moon. Now, all of the fear, loneliness, and longing to stay began to build inside him, threatening to overwhelm him like he had ignored.

Apple Bloom looked up at him, and though there were tears streaming freely down her face, she managed a courageous smile up at him as she told him, “Go get ‘em, Ray. Go show ‘em exactly why ya are what th’ spider said ya are. But then, please come back home.”

Something inside of him was tugged loose, a knot blocking his thoughts and emotions, unraveling the conduct he had held himself to for just a moment, allowing him a brief smile as he reached down and patted Apple Bloom’s cheek. Within himself, he drew out a simple answer, telling the little mare, “I’ll see you all again when the moon is full.”

********************************************************************************************************

Ray stood at the front of his ship, the wind whipping through his hair as he faced away from the slowly fading Equestrian coastline. Behind him, Garish’s fireworks were going off like crazy, but to the human, the noises were dull and the flashing lights dim. The Matriarch and her children, stored away in large vessels made by the World Weaver’s silk, flanked either side of his ship. Skalos stood beside him, dutifully staring out over the horizon, Zecora behind him slightly. In spite of everything, in spite of what they were doing even now, sailing away with the wind blowing into their sails, he could still feel Apple Bloom’s grasp on his leg. Smiling into the horizon, several tears slid down his face as he and the Fallen sailed headlong into their fate.

Author's Note:

*Sigh* It's good to be back. I just wanna put a after every sentence of this note, but I'll keep it short. I announced I returned to the sight a few days ago, and started work on this chapter Sunday, so you could say I was motivated... Anyways, great to be back and, of course, always awesome to write about the Matriarch.

Comments

[AgentKorpsman]

Why do I feel like something’s going to go wrong with this plan?

And the enemy already has ships at sea or many more of them?

[The_Darker_Fonts]

11448198
Based on information we know... no. Until the next chapter, my friend!

[damnaion]

yay your alive and it is alive ...

[The_Darker_Fonts]

11449000
Yessir!