Freedom Through Harmony

by Electricut

Chapter Forty

Chapter Forty
Year 498
Rainbow Dash

“Dibs.” I added simply. The story had reached a lull anyway, and I felt it was the perfect time for it. Seeing their confused looks, I clarified: “That rainbow explosion of awesomeness that saved all your butts. That was mine. Shockwave from the sonic rainboom. Total dibs.”

Most everyone else chuckled at my comment, before going back to finishing the story. Spike, Phil and Twilight had nothing else to add, as they pretty much just went home after that, and nothing much else happened all the way up to the Lunar Festival. Phil then gave us the details of his escape from Eclipse, and how Xekora had found him at the end and sheltered him all this time.

Pinky stepped up to finish her story next. “I made it pretty far after running from Firefly. I wasn’t running in any particular direction for a while, so I probably could have saved a lot of time if I had. A few days after I began, I gave out somewhere in this forest and couldn’t find the strength to get any further. I just kind of laid there, all depressed, and I was sure I wasn’t going to make it any further. But just like in a fairy tale, just as I was about to give up all hope, I heard footsteps nearby.

“When I opened my eyes, there were two people standing over me. One of them was too tall for me to make out much detail from laying on the ground, but next to him stood a little kid, not even as old as I was then. His clothes were all this cool black and white pattern, but his shirt collar and sleeve cuffs were all red, and the whole getup was a size or two too big for him. The sun was kind of in the way, so I couldn’t see his hair color or much of his face, but I did catch the gleam of a pair of sunglasses on his face for a second.

“After that I think I passed out for a while. I think I remember getting a piggy-back ride somewhere, but that might have been a dream. When I was all the way awake, I was on a couch in town hall, and realized I had been asleep there. There were some guards at first, but they figured out pretty quick I wasn’t going to do anything, and it became just one guard at a time. I wasn’t sure what was happening at first, but soon people started coming to see me, and I realized the mayor was trying to find a place for me to stay.

“Needless to say, it was a little weird seeing all these people wanting to really meet me, and maybe take me in. All my life before that... People always looked at me like some kind of freak, because of what I could do, and were too scared to get to know me. The only one who ever did talk to me before that was Vomora, and he... He was the worst. If I was a dangerous animal to everyone else, I was nothing but a tool to him... He let me open up to him just to set himself up as someone I could trust, but he didn’t really care... I’ve never felt as strongly about anyone else, but I absolutely hate him.

“I spent about a week in the care of the city, until I finally got adopted by the couple who used to run the bakery. We ditched my old name right away, and I got the new name ‘Pinky’. For the first time in my life, I was able to live a normal life with them. When they had to move to another town a few years ago, I decided to take up some work myself and rent a place here. This had become my real home, and I couldn’t bear to leave.

“And... I guess that pretty much brings us up to the Lunar Festival again.” She finished, shrugging. “So, uh... Thank you for that.” She turned to Phil as she said this. “Never actually got a chance to say that.”

“No worries.” He replied. “Now, er, Xekora? That wasn’t you who brought her to town, was it?”

“Now what would give you that idea?” Xekora asked, then looked to both Phil and Trixie. “Ah. Right. Well, the answer is no, I had nothing to do with this one. Can’t imagine who the tall fellow is, nor can I say the description of the younger one rings any bells. Clearly... the pair is trying to steal my job! I’ll find them and make it clear to them that I’m the only one who goes around influencing events for the better around here!”

He said this with his usual good-humored voice, and I could tell he was mostly kidding about it. A longer break in the conversation ensued, in which a more substantial meal was prepared. I hadn’t realized it until now, being wrapped up in all the storytelling, but it had actually gotten quite late in the day by now. My first clue was my stomach, the second was seeing the sun beginning its descent in the sky. The meal consisted of various meats from various animals he had hunted, as well as every kind of fruit I had never seen. Xekora, Trixie, AJ and Spike went to town actually turning the pile of stuff into a meal, as they were unquestionably the best cooks among us.

After eating in silence, Rarity reluctantly stood to tell her own story.
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Year 490; Icarus Manor
Rarity

I rushed towards the entrance hall, past all the soldiers rapidly suiting up for battle. House Icarus had a standing force of twenty five militia men, and looked like every single one of them was getting ready for serious combat. I hadn’t heard anything, and I hadn’t seen any attackers through any of the windows- I had no idea what we were in for, and I had to find out.

I stumbled down the grand staircase, and saw my mother standing before the door, accepting a small object from one of the soldiers. With alarm, I realized it was none other than the house treasure, the Icarus Charm. It resembled a butterfly in shape and size, but was completely translucent, and hung from a thin silver chain. She wrapped it around her hand solemnly and nodded to the soldier, who returned to the ranks forming in the hall. Indeed, it seemed House Icarus was going to battle.

“Mom!” I yelled, running up to her. “Mom, what’s happening? Who are we up against?”

She turned slightly to face me. “Rarity! I thought you were asleep.”

I shook my head simply. “Got woken up by the soldiers outside my room.”

She shook her head quickly. “Nothing you need worry about, dear. A battle is underway at Trottingham, and Houses Leo and Icarus have been called to the fight to aid the local forces. United, the attackers won’t stand a chance.”

I was only slightly relieved. There would be backup to cover them, but the fact remained that they were going to go risk their lives. “I want to go along. I’ve learned more than enough swordsmanship skills to deal with a few bandits.”

Frustratingly, she was already shaking her head. “I know you could help if you came along, and wouldn’t be a burden to us, but with all our troops out on this mission, we need someone to stay here and guard the house. I figured you and Opal would be enough to cover it. Besides, someone needs to stay with Sweetie Belle too.”

I nodded in understanding, but was still a little annoyed I wouldn’t get to be part of the action. It made sense that she’d want Opal to stay- ever since she was adopted by the house six years ago, she had proven herself again and again to be a skilled fighter, and would lay down her life for the house just as any other soldier. But most other houses didn’t know of her existence, and explaining away her presence- being a cat-girl and all- would have been difficult.

Mom led the troops out the door quickly, and they began to make their way towards Trottingham. Assistance from several Children of Air would shorten the journey considerably, but it would still be something of a trek. I waited until they were all out of sight before going back inside to wait with my sisters.
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The night crawled by, since neither of us had much to do but wait. Sweetie Belle more or less slept through the whole thing. We tried to find something to occupy ourselves- we had a few practice duels, but our hearts really weren’t in it. I managed to kill some time by tinkering with some spare bits of armor that hadn’t been brought into battle (a side hobby of mine), while Opal tried to get some sleep.

I tried to keep my mind off of the battle all this time, but couldn’t help but wonder how things were going. I could imagine what kind of damage my mother was doing to the bandits- with the Icarus Charm, she was likely rending them from above on the crystal-clear wings it afforded the user. At her side would likely be Rytas, head of House Leo. I had never seen their house charm in action, but I had heard of it giving the user incredible agility and strength, as well as vicious claws for battle. I could only imagine how effective that must have been.

Both Opal and I sat in the den hours later, playing a card game absently. Sweetie Belle had just been tended to again, and was sleeping peacefully in the next room. It wasn’t long until morning now. I kind of envied her right then. I was about ready to call it quits and try to go get some sleep myself, when we heard someone yelling like a madman downstairs. With a quick glance, the two of us dropped everything and ran to see what it was.

I stopped, confused, at the top of the stairs, Opal continuing on. At the base of the stairs was Blake Leo, Rytas’s son. He wore a small scimitar at his belt and a chain mail shirt, and was currently trying to catch his breath. He wasn’t a very imposing individual- always an inch or so short for his age and more on the skinny side. He wore a pair of wired glasses, and had dark, messy, navy-blue hair that reached down to his shoulders. Something caught the glint of torchlight in his hand, but I couldn’t tell what it was from where I was.

“Blake! What are you doing here? What happened?” Opal interrogated him. He had clearly rushed here as fast as he could, but I wasn’t sure from where. Considering when he had arrived, my first guess was that he had been in the battle at Trottingham and had come here for us.

When he regained his breath and spoke, he shot down my first theory. “I ran here as fast as I could, from home. I’ve been going pretty much non-stop since this evening to get to you in time. Please, we have to hurry to Trottingham quick! Before it’s too late to stop him!”

“Blake, calm down. You’re not making any sense.” Opal said, trying to figure out what was wrong.

My eyes widened and my heart raced as fast as he must have at his next words: “It’s my dad! He’s going to try to kill Cybel!”

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