The Sunset Trilogy

by ocalhoun

Book 3 - Chapter XXXIX

Book 3: Equestria Abides
Chapter 5

Twilight Sparkle looked timidly down over the edge of the flight deck at the courtyard far below. The dizzying height of the drop made her instinctively want to back away, but Apollo was right there next to her, trying his best to reassure her.

“It's perfectly safe, just a little glide down... it's not like we'll be doing a stunt routine.”

“Are you sure we can't just teleport down?” She asked, her trepidation getting the best of her.

Apollo looked at her sternly. “After your performance last time? Something's wrong, and I am not teleporting with you until you figure out what.”

Twilight suspected something else at play there... but she couldn't really argue. To be honest with herself, she doubted if she could do it safely right now... for some reason she just felt really weak, and the nagging headache didn't make it any better.

“Now,” Apollo said with a smile that tried very hard to be reassuring, “are you coming?”

Suppressing a gulp, a shudder, and probably a few other displays of fear, Twilight nodded... slowly, so as to not aggravate her head any worse.

“Then hop on, and watch the wings!” Apollo moved over next to her, looking at his own back suggestively.

Feeling more than a little awkward about it, Twilight worked her way onto the pegasus's back.

“Never flown before?” Apollo asked.

Twilight tried to readjust her grip again... but she still felt pretty precarious. “Not like this... I mean riding in a balloon or a chariot is one thing... but this...”

Apollo laughed a little, and Twilight could feel it as much as she heard it. “Move up a little, and put your hooves around my neck instead of behind my legs... good, and now grip with your back legs... there... better?”

Twilight was sure she was squeezing too hard. “Um, yeah... feels much more secure.”

“Good then, ready to go?” He asked, walking right up to the edge.

She squeezed even harder, letting out a sound somewhere between “eep” and “yes.”

Apollo stretched and flapped his wings a couple times, and Twilight found herself curiously very aware of the powerful flight muscles flexing under her chest, and the feel of his warm fur as she squeezed close. She lowered her head down next to his neck, burying her face into his mane, and braced herself for the worst.

His whole body bunching up for a leap was the only warning she was given before Apollo launched himself off the edge and into the air. Twilight let out a short yelp, but quickly regained control of herself.

Looking back over his shoulder, Apollo gave Twilight a nudge. “Hey, don't miss out now. Open your eyes!”

With a wince of anticipated fear, Twilight did... but she found herself surprisingly less fearful than she had expected. She looked out through Apollo's mane fluttering into her face, and saw the fortress's main tower over to her left, they were slowly circling it, dropping in altitude. Hairs from his mane slapped her face occasionally as she looked over at it, into the many windows still holding their secrets.

“You must be feeling better!” Apollo observed.

“Huh?” Twilight asked, “how do you know?”

“I can breathe now!” Twilight could feel his sides moving as he laughed again.

She gave a little giggle of her own, switching her head over to the other side so she could look out, and to keep his mane out of her face. The bay stretched out in front of her now, and beneath her, as she saw when she dared to look down. On the side facing the sea, the fortress came right up to the edge of the cliff – it formed a straight line all the way from the flight deck above to the crashing waves far below.

A seagull squawked at them as Apollo rounded the corner of the fortress again, now giving Twilight a view of Las Pegasus from only partway down. The fog had mostly cleared now, and the view was impressive. At this distance, the many skyscrapers blended into one massive shape stretching from the ground to the clouds above.

Turning her attention away from the view, Twilight simply began to enjoy the feeling of flying... the cool sea breeze blowing past her mane, the gentle rhythmic flexing of the hard, warm muscles beneath her, and the feeling of the soft fur on Apollo's neck pressing into her cheek... and with a blush she was glad Apollo wasn't in a position to see, she realized it was more than the sensation of flying itself she was enjoying.

* * *

“Hey!” Sunny Daze yelled, “You can't just keep us here with nothing to eat and drink forever!” She scowled a little harder at where she thought the door was. “It's been... uh...” she paused for a moment, realizing she didn't know how long they had been imprisoned. “A long time! And you haven't given us anything!” She was tired of this black silence with its vague fear... and more than tired of the stench! She wanted something to happen!

Only silence came as a reply. She heard Trigger scraping along the wall, until he stopped, a little to the left of where she had thought the door was. She heard a few hoof beats, and then a loud slam as the little pegasus colt bashed the door somehow. “What are you doing?” She asked.

“I'm breaking us outta here!” He shouted. “They're not coming back and I'm not staying to starve!”

She walked over closer, uncertain if she could help or not. It was still pitch black, and she wasn't sure she could find the door... and she didn't want to get in between it and Trigger by accident and get bashed, herself.

Another slamming sound let her know that Trigger had tried the door again, but it sounded solid... she doubted he could break through.

Unexpectedly though, the door opened. It filled with a pair of glowing eyes again. “The ponies will be quiet!” It hissed, and the room was filled with a quick flash of green light before Sunny was knocked unconscious.

* * *