Blackbird

I gave a roar out of my sleep, my eyes shooting wide in fear as I powered up my gauntlets and rolled off the mattress, preparing to do battle with Bolas once...again? Eighty-six that, actually.

“You’re safe, Silas! Calm yourself,” Luna’s voice made me turn around so that I could view her. I instantly ran over to the bed, jumping on it and lifting her hooves while inspecting for damage with a serious look on my face, “Are you well?”

“I’m fine,” I paused and thought about the significance of that statement. When, exactly, have I ever used that phrase? Now that I think about it, when did this become important? I shook my head and went back to looking over Luna’s body, “Which is odd seeing as how I’m involved, but the most pressing matter is whether you’re alright.”

I had lifted Luna’s right hoof after inspecting the left one, but she gently tugged it from my grip. Unfortunately for me, I was leaning forward too much and using her for support. which meant I fell over onto my face as she sidestepped to avoid my falling form.

“We art fine, Silas. There’s no need to bend thyself in a knot over our livelihood,” She offered me a hoof and I used it to get back on my butt, “Although the sentiment carries much weight.” She finished with a smile.

“I hate to ruin this tender moment, Luna, but I’m still freaked out about what Bolas said before, well, he kicked the bucket.” I responded with an unsure look on my face. If the planeswalker’s words were true, then I’m afraid...deathly afraid.

“Are you talking about his words pertaining to your livelihood without his power,” I nodded with a frown. Luna looked momentarily hurt before she took a deep breath and locked eyes with me with resolution in hers, “Are you sure you want an answer to this?”

“More than anything.”

“He’s right,” Her answer came quick, like she wanted to get rid of the words as if they would harm her. I flinched at the delivery, but I knew that it was to be expected, “I predict that you have no more than a year before you waste away into the current of the multiverse itself.” Luna words were like anvils, stacking themselves three at a time at the end of every sentence.

She placed a hoof onto my bare chest, “Your body will weaken. You’ll begin to grow faint at random moments, often blacking out with no memory of how or what you did before then,” Luna surmised as her hoof traveled up to my eyes, knocking out my vision completely, “Your vision will go next, and then your hearing shall follow.”

The hoof moved down to my chest again, but its descent didn’t stop. Her hoof soon found purchase just above my Hearth’s Fire, making my eyes go wide.

“This is the last step. When the fire is extinguished, your time on Equis shall come to an end. You are out of my jurisdiction, seeing as how the game limits me to helping only my piece.” Her face became crestfallen and she turned her head away to avoid my shocked gaze, my eyes of disbelief.

“...This is fucked. This is so fucked.” I breathed out in disbelief before standing up and hopping off the bed. I didn’t even care that I was leaving my shit behind as I walked towards Luna’s balcony doors.

“What are you doing,” Her voice was unsure, like she wanted to stop me from exiting the tower. I stopped as her question danced in my head before walking back over to the dresser and getting dressed, sliding my jacket on and then my over-cape. Hope was then slung over my shoulder much like a kid in high school who didn't feel like putting a bookbag on using both straps, “Silas...?”

“I’m gonna stand on the balcony. I need to,” I sniffled a little, “Clear my head.” I advanced back to the balcony door without so much as an eye glance back to Luna.

“Will you be alright? You won’t do anything rash, will you?”

“Thanks, Princess,” I heard her give a sharp intake of breath before I placed a hand on the glass and pushed the door open, letting the cold air rush in to meet my face, “You’ve earned that title.” I finished with a forced smile but with tears coming down my face as I walked through the balcony door, closing it behind me.

And I stood here on Luna’s balcony until the rising of the sun. It felt like forever, but it gave me enough time to gather my emotions up.

Damn, now I’m starting to cuss again.

I gazed out over Ponyville, briefly entertaining the idea for a visit. But, the notion was quickly shot down just as quick as it came. The most I’d get out of a visit from that place would be a party and the fact I could hang out with the Mane 6.

But that’s only counting if they wouldn’t run at the sight of a giant dragon. I glanced down at that thought and confirmed what I thought was only an effect of my dream.

“Well, I’m definitely taller.” I can’t say for sure, but my over-cape stopped at the bottom of my shin, allowing me to see my feet fully.

I gave a sigh at how quickly I was distracted from my musings, cursing my over-attentive tendencies. I gazed back out over the vast countryside as it became washed in crimson-orange, making me think back to the only pony in my guild with a color scheme matching the scenery right now.

Maybe it’s my imagination, but Sunset didn’t seem all too thrilled to meet her old mentor when we arrived in Canterlot. Actually, as far as I can remember, they didn’t even talk with one another.

There might be something going on between them that-

“Silas? What are you doing on my sister’s balcony?” Celestia’s voice made me inhale sharply in surprise, which caused me to swallow a little spit down the wrong pipe. I spent the next couple of seconds coughing up a lung before I could answer the Solar Deity.

“Nothing! In fact, I was just about to head out with my guild. Are they back yet?” I asked quickly, trying to shift the focus to her and avoid any further questions pertaining to Luna.

Celestia raised her eyebrow much like this...

I knew it wouldn’t work...

“We were talking,” I said quickly while looking away. She cleared her throat. I cussed under my breath, “We were comforting one another.”

I swore it got a little too hot for the dawn sun, “Comforting, how?”

“With words, ya beast of burden,” I yelled at her with a severe blush on my face! I mean, could she be any more embarrassing, “Is there a reason why my personal life intrigues you so much!?”

Celestia laughed a motherly laugh that made me facepalm. Of fucking course she was trolling me!

“It’s humorous in knowing Luna and yourself have the same tendencies, Silas. Of course, the mannerisms would be different given your respective upbringings, but the fact still remains that you two are pretty similar.” Celestia explained with chuckle that made me take that same hand and slide it down my face slowly, opting to use the hand as a makeshift washrag. I then crossed my arms and pouted.

“Go away, Sunbutt.”

“I can’t. Day Court doesn’t start for another hour or so, and just sitting on my throne has become a droll alternative when my other choice is bothering you.”

“Are you implying something here? If you are, then I wouldn’t mind taking this somewhere private.” I smiled lecherously on the side of my mouth, the side where she couldn’t see it of course.

“Oh, good heavens no,” She chuckled, “I’m much too old for an act like that.” Most ponies would’ve missed the sarcasm in that. It’s a good thing I’m not a pony.

“You’re playing the fool, Celestia. You’d do well to know that sarcasm is as obvious to me as heat is to a stallion.” Messing around with Celestia is actually brightening my mood a bit. It’s almost like she knows when to show up.

“Such a strong yet provocative analogy being used in the face of royalty? Have you no shame, Silas Epista?” Her face was angry but her voice reeked with mirth.

“Would you like to see my “shame”, Celestia? You’ll come to find that it’s rather hard to tote around.” Que sideways glance and lecherous smile.

“Will you ever run out of gutter-minded taunts?” Celestia chuckled.

“Will you ever allow me between your legs?” I pushed further, hearing her chuckles turn into stifled laughs.

“No!” She responded after a bout of laughter.

“Then I guess you have your answer!” I chuckled after that as well, and our synchronized mirth rung into the dawn air for a while before suddenly stopping. My face slowly drifted back down to a stoic expression.

“...Your time on Equis shall come to an end...”

“...Shit.” I cursed lowly as the revelation wrecked my brain. Something tells me that I won’t have a single coherent thought without Luna’s words haunting me.

“Did you say something?” Celestia inquired, making me bat an eye at her before sighing.

“Life’s amazing, ain’t it,” I began with a forced smile as I continued staring at her from the corner of my eye, “There’s so much to live for. You could live for money: love, fame, happiness, hate and other stuff too.”

“...Where’s all this coming from?”

I sighed before turning my head to fully face her, offering a small smile, “I hope I can find my meaning for living. If there's one thing I learned about life,” I hopped up on the balcony railing and turned my body sharply too look at Celestia’s shock-smacked face, “It’s that it isn’t fair.”

I leaned back but felt a tear escape as I did so. My body entered a freefall, the over-cape flapping wildly as I slowly turned in the air so that my chin finally pointed towards the rapidly approaching ground.

“If this doesn’t work I’m gonna be pissed!!!” I thought angrily as I snapped open my wings just before hitting the ground, feeling the wind yank my body up so that I flew no less than an inch from the surface. I quickly tucked and rolled, seeing as how I couldn’t fly, and came out of the dive expertly by sliding along the ground.

My claws dug into the ground minutely, alleviating the momentum instantly. After I stopped, I looked up to behold Celestia giving an irritated shake of her head. I guess I might’ve freaked her out with my stunt.

Giggling, I got up from my squatting position and turned around to-

“Silas?” Sunset’s condescending voice made my blood run cold, and it made me jump into the air somewhat before glaring at her.

“Yes, Shimms’? I was just about go back to Judgement.”

“You do realize we crashed Judgement on Celestia’s side of the Castle, right?”

I looked at her incredulously, “You make it sound like they divided the Castle! This castle ain’t divided!”

I turned around and nearly went weak in the knees. Since when did Sunset Shimmer get a biker jacket!?

“Woah, are you feeling alright,” Sunset asked as she ran up just as I fell, using her back as a temporary shoulder to catch me on. I thanked her before standing back up, wondering why I just got weak in the knees like that all the while, “The jacket’s awesome but I didn’t think it’d make you fall!” She gave a chuckle, one I returned half-heartedly as I walked past her and towards the outer ring of the Castle.

“...Come to an end...Your body will weaken...”

“I need to talk to you, Sunset. Out of everyone in the guild, I think you should be the one to hear this.” I stated somberly just as she came running up to my side with a worried look.

“I was serious back there, Silas. Are you sure you’re alright?”

“Just,” I paused mid-sentence, growing heavily annoyed for no reason, “Come with me, please.”

And it was silent for the remainder of trip back to my ship.