The Travelling Argument

"Cleric! I require your assistance!" said Star Swirl as she levitated Tex from the ground and placed the incapacitated dragon in front of her.

Willow stared at her as she flew over to Tex. "Willow Leaf," she looked over Tex's body. "Hmm, a few cracked scales... small cut on the back of his head. He doesn't seem to have any broken bones."

"My apologies, manners seem to have gone out the window for me in the last 24 hours."

"Apology accepted, wizard. There, now we've both been rude to each other. Let's start over, shall we? I'm Willow Leaf, and you are?"

Star smiled and lifted her hoof. "I am Star Swirl, apprentice wizard under the teachings of Archmage Star Sparkle."

Willow shook her hoof and smiled back. "Nice to meet you. And don't worry. Tex, like most dragons, is made of some stern stuff."

Tex slowly sat up and rubbed his head. "I wish I was more like most dragons emotionally as well. So, not to be pushy, but, how long until I have my sister? I really don't want to spend any more time around Swift Blade. I feel like she is going to kill me in my sleep if we have to sleep another night."

"Don't worry, Tex. Once Sky Runner wakes up, then we'll leave."

"If she wakes up that is," said Maboo nervously.

Willow looked at her oddly. "What do you mean, 'if'? You don't think something happened to her again, do you?"

"I might have seen her going through some of Valhalla's things, and I might have seen her drink something of his," answered Maboo.

"That could explain why my nerve freeze elixir is missing," said Valhalla. "That... is not a good thing."

"Pfft. Thieves. Never know what they're getting into," said Star.

Sky then came around the corner, looking as though she were half asleep and half dead. "Huh... wha...?"

Willow immediately flew over to her. "Sky! Are you okay?"

"What... what the hay happened to me?" asked Sky.

"Maboo and Valhalla think you may have gotten into some serious potions," answered Willow. "Were you looking through his things?"

"Me? Potions? Erm, no! No! That'd be... irresponsible and... illegal! I'd never do that!" argued Sky.

Willow frowned. "Sky, when we get done with the mission, I think we need to discuss your problem."

"What do you mean? I don't have a problem!"

"You stole my Nerve Toxin elixir, and then drank it before you fell asleep. So right now you've got about twenty four problems," said Valhalla.

"So... what does it, uh... do exactly?"

Valhalla sighed. "Well at first it shuts down your body's nervous system, paralyzing you where you stand. It wears off after a while, but it makes it a bit hard to move, thus why it was probably painful to get up. Later down the line you'll have some muscle spasms, cramps, failure to move one or another part of your body, and a list of other possible side effects. You really shouldn't have drank that."

"Oh come on! So one of your silly potions is missing, maybe someone else took it or you misplaced it! I didn't drink it, I never would!"

"Considering that you've done both in the past, I'm loathe to believe you," said Swift.

Sky pouted. "Oh come on, I go through your things ONE time and you turn it into an excuse to shout at me every single time I MIGHT have sampled a potion or two? Real mature, Swift Blade!"

"Sky, this is my normal voice," Swift stepped closer to Sky. "THIS IS SHOUTING!"

"WHAT HAVE I DONE TO DESERVE THAT?"

"You're the most annoying of the group!" accused Swift.

"Oh, well hey, I'll just be over here, NOT killing ponies like SOMEPONY I know!"

Swift snorted. "And I'll be over here, not trying to get myself killed."

"Last time I checked, murdering a bunch of ponies is KINDA more morally questionable than stealing things, but hey, who am I to judge, huh?"

"That's right. You keep your suicidal pacifist tendencies to yourself."

"Oooooh yeah, I'M the suicidal one. You know how many ponies are trying to kill me? Maybe like three or four. You know why? Because I only steal. I never, ever kill. It's just not right, and it leaves too many ponies with grievances to settle."

Swift scoffed. "You know how many ponies are trying to kill me? None, because they're busy. Being dead. As for not being right... that's a moral discussion that we'll always be fighting over."

"Look, I steal because I need to. You kill because it's fun. You said it yourself. And I don't think that the matter of "killing ponies is wrong" is open to debate."

"It seems you and I define 'need' very differently."

"Yeah, I steal because it's the only way I can make money. One thing's for certain, I would never kill a pony, not in a million years."

Swift stepped closer to Sky, her eyes staring coldly at the thief. "You didn't survive Trottingham... I tried everything from thievery to prostitution. But the only way I could make sure I lived through the night was killing ponies. I had to take what I could get."

"Maybe. Look, I've been around, done a lot of stuff I'm not proud of. Heck, I'd even maybe let it slide if you killed a pony out of desperation, but killing for fun? No, that's crossing the line. Not. Cool."

"That's your problem, not mine. If you want to help this dragon, you'll have to put up with me, because I'm not leaving."

"You and I had better go our separate ways, Swift Blade, before somepony does something she'll regret," Sky took out Swift's journal which she had somehow kept and tossed it at her hooves. "And no, I don't reckon that Shining Armor's gonna be that into you! It's... time for me to go back to Canterlot, where I belong. Keep 'em safe, okay?"

"Go ahead. If you don't feel like saving lives, then by all means, go back to the land of the high and mighty where you belong."

Sky began to trot away. "Oh, the irony of hearing all about saving lives from a psychotic murderer!"

"Look, this dragon's family was responsible for burning my entire city to the ground. Yet I'm willing to look past that, because I know that it wasn't his fault. You may not say the same of me, but it's your decision to have it on your conscience knowing you could have tried to save her if we fail because you weren't there."

"It's a bit late to start trying to convince me that you value life, mate!"

Swift sighed. "Fine. Go. Just go."

"Good luck you guys... you're gonna need it." Sky walked off and out of Fillydelphia.

Once Willow realized what had happened, she took off after her, flying to catch up. "Sky, do you mean it? You're leaving?"

Sky smiled weakly. "Aw, I appreciate your concern, Willow. Thing is, I've learned a lot from you about how to be a good friend. I'm just really not comfortable travelling with somepony who kills for fun. It brings back... memories. I'll see you back at the city, yeah?"

"I would feel better if you were there to be a moral compass for Evening. You've been a good influence on her so far."

"Please, Willow, don't make this harder than it already is, please! You guys will always be my friends, I promise, but it's time for me to go home. I'll miss you all."

"Sky, you didn't see Evening when Swift Blade told us you were leaving. I think she sees you as a big sister. And if this is because I got angry over your thefts... you know I'm only hard on your because I know you can do better, right? We need a pony with your strong moral convictions!"

Maboo quickly came bouncing up to them from behind, oblivious to the conversation going on. She bounced in front of Sky and looked her in the eye. "Sky... there will be cupcakes. You'll miss out on them if you go now! Oh, and you really shouldn't worry about Swift Blade killing anypony, see," Maboo revealed a small retractable knife gauntlet. It was Swift's. "I snatched this while she was arguing with you. We could keep it from her until she swears to not go killing anymore ponies for fun."

Willow tackled Maboo with a hug. "Maboo, you genius! I could kiss you," she noticed Maboo looking a bit uncomfortable. "Oh, sorry. I'll just, go over there."

"Uh... right. It's okay. So what do you say, Sky?"

"Can you guys promise we won't kill anypony?" asked Sky.

"I promise not to kill anypony, and do my best to keep Swift from doing the same. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye! And Valhalla is a pacifist," answered Maboo.

"Well... okay, I guess you've got me for a bit longer. But if anypony dies needlessly, I'm out of here. Got me?"

"Understood. But we should get back before Swift decides to take Evening and leave without us," said Willow.