Death Mark

by Hierolephant

Confrontation

The next visit...goes much the same.

Grave Beetle treated with reverence and then ignored to play with the foals, while Nursery is confronted with angry parents. Worse; crying parents. The mare distraught by her stallion's confinement. The foals afraid of her.

It's just...okay, so they can't, or wont, see her side of the story. But their side of the story seems to have an undisputable reason, if only they'd tell it! She...so she's a bit forceful at times, but she's not scary!

...is she?

Her stomach has won out, and she's stopped at a food cart. The vendor a tad disgruntled at having to serve a customer just as he was packing up, but whatever, she's starving. She hasn't exactly received so much as the offer of a drink from either Nocturne Family.

The vendor's trotted off and the moon risen by the time she's finished her honey-roasted apple. Streetlights lighting up in their soft pale glow, turning the black into soft pools of grey and ivory. A bit scary, to her; they look like tiny islands in a sea of unstable shadow.
She feels most comfortable travelling from light to light.

"Am I scary, Grave Beetle?" She sighs.

"To those families? Yes." There is no hesitation in the reply, which irks her a little.

"Why? This is the first time of met any of them outside of case files! I'm not even monstrous-looking, for Celestia's sake!"

He gives a wince at her exclamation. "Yes and no. Not you, but you represent the ponies who came and broke up their families. And, well, you're a unicorn."

"Excuse me? What's my tribe got to do with it?"

"Because to us Nocturnes, what is a thousand years ago to you is barely a single year ago to us. Terrae, Pegasi and Unicornae were united, yes, but just those three. Us Nocturnae, well..." he twirls a hoof. "We weren't quite pony enough to be pony. Many died..." his voice is a little choked.

"But..." even to herself, her voice sounds small. "...I'm trying to help...I just want to talk, to know the truth."

He rounds on her. "The truth? Hiding the truth is what has kept us safe! Then you ponies barge in and demand we tell you everything about us so you can say we're doing it wrong and make us do it your way?!"

She clacks her teeth in anger. "Well maybe you are wrong! I'm trying to help foals and you're trying to cover up abuse, what's your excuse?"

Silence. He removes his helmet. Exposing his face, his emotions for her to read.
"...because we hide too much about ourselves to tell just one truth. One leads into another, then another...when we are finally understood for what we are, we are hated."
His face is not unhandsome; broad of muzzle and high of brow. Previously constantly-moving ears now solely focused on her.
His eyes are a yellow yellow yellow-

"You remind me of someone, Nursery Garden. She blundered about seeking the truth too. And when she learned the truth...many died. Foals died. And it was my fault; for telling her. Their blood is on my hooves, and I've learned to keep the secrets well.
So please. Let it go. I, all of us, will be out of your life forever."

What can Nursery say to that? "Surely it wasn't your fault? It was hers, for choosing to take those actions? Even then, I'm not her..."
Is she wrong? Would it be better to...wrap it all up and sweep it under the rug?

"Ignorance is bliss, Nursery Garden. Those who know always react the same way; why would you be any different?"

It squeezes at her heart. Was the world of a thousand years ago really so cruel? As a little filly she'd grown up with the tales of powerful mages and knights in shining armour that battle the forces of darkness...
Forces of darkness which...had looked a lot like Nocturnes.
Of course; the winners write the history books, after all.
Grave Beetle isn't a monster, even when he's obstructing her. He's just trying to do what's right...and he's scared. Scared he'll be hurt. Of course he's not going to see her as different to those who've hurt him in the past.

"I'm different because...you're my partner," Nursery says finally. Looking him in the eye and resisting the urge to glance away. "If I tried anything...you could stop me, easy. You're a Royal Guard and I...I'm a government-sanctioned busybody who likes sweets. I don't know any spells beyond making coloured lights to entertain foals.
I don't know what happened last time, but this time...this time you're the strong one. You can protect the foals."
She's not jealous that the foals like him over her, she isn't.

He makes a small chittering noise, ears flicking back in confusion. "I..."
Is he...flustered? "...I still can't tell you things..."

"That's okay, I understand. I know you're trying to make me give up and forget all this." She yawns. "Sorry, I'm very tired...I'll leave this next family alone, if you can tell me that you know the foals will be safe." See? She can compromise.

She shows him the paper with the address and a few details on it, only for his eyes to widen in shock...then narrow in suspicion.
"I would...but the Void Dynasty don't have any foals..."

Comments

[new55]

That was a good chapter.