Secret of the Frost Kingdom

It was awkward watching the Unconscious Captain in the back of the car. She moved the rest of the sleeping ponies to the next car forward, the conductor a little confused, but a spell or two made him think likewise.

She sat opposite of the bruised Captain, she already tended to any cuts on his face with bandages with a medical kit she found in the car, stuffing two tissues in his nostrils to stop the blood from draining out. Overall, he was bruised on his face, several cuts that have blood stained bandages over them, some discoloration around his neck, and tissues in his nostrils.

The door behind her opened again and a conductor poked his head in, "Is he going to be OK Doctor?"

She let out an annoyed sigh, and rolled her eyes to the Conductor, "If you keep asking, I won't be able to concentrate on helping him! Now if you please excuse me I have to monitor his health, and to do that I need total privacy!"

The Conductor apologized, "Right, sorry Doctor,"

The door closed and they were alone again. I really should've knocked him out, she thought of other options, but decided it won't matter: the Conductor should leave them alone.

She looked back to the Captain, still out cold. She looked over the details of the Stallion, her eyes inspected his bruises and cuts, concluding that none of his bandages had to be replaced. She stared at him a while longer, trying to remember what she was going to do, but her focus seemed drawn to him.

She shook her head, turning away from the unconscious stallion and searched the car for his pack, finding the pack underneath his original seat, and she rummaged through it. She picked up each individual item with a yellow magic aura, Invitations, some other papers, a snack of oats, Ug... Where is it?

"I hope you are not going to eat those oats, I packed them for a reason." She was startled when he suddenly spoke, and turned back to see the Captain sitting upright against window, his left eye half closed, and had a weak, but determined smile on his face.

An awkward silence hung in the air as the two stared at each other, until Night Shade finally broke the silence, "You really got beat up,"

He attempted to shrug, but he only winced trying to, "Could have been worse, I could have suffocated completely, if you didn't come along."

She couldn't help being flattered by the Captain's remark, shying away from him until he asked, "By the way, name's Overwatch, what's yours?

Her mind went blank, thinking of what her name is until something close to a murmur came out, "Night... Shade..."

He rested the back of his head on the window behind him, closing his left swollen eye, "Well I appreciate it, for well... saving my life," he hesitated, and slowly sat upright again, "Why did you save me?"

She hesitated, clearly caught by Overwatch, lowering his eyebrows to a stern expression. He waited for an answer, "There is something you want from me: I can see the eagerness in your.. eyes."

She blinked in response, turning away from his Emerald gaze, she glanced down to his pack, and back to him "Just thought I would help a pony in need,"

He gazed at her, unsure of her response, "Really? Something tells me you would rather stick to the shadows, it's not every so often a Mare carries a lot of gems, and then disappears into thin air,"

She felt the pressure from his eyes, slowly summing her up, already knowing what she has done. She hid her fear, trying to keep herself calm under the Stallion's steel gaze, "Maybe you're being too nosy," she tried to be coy, charming him out of his suspicious attitude.

He kept a calm grin, knowing her attempt to make him falter, "I have a right to be nosy you know," He countered her charming looks with his own calm gaze, unsettling her, hints of nervousness came forward to his heavy gaze.

She shifted, an obvious signal that she is anxious about something, and returned a counter-argument, "What possible position could you have that can give you the right to be a nosy pony? To me, your wandering eyes tell me you just like to look.."

The response threw him off, his eyes darted away from her, feeling the heat of embarrassment warm his head and cheeks, but kept a calm head and decided that she crossed the line know, time to be blunt with his suspicions, "I have you know that I'm a looker not in the sense of personal image, but of that of Authority: I'm a Captain of the Frost Guard of the Icicle city, which is part of the Equestrian Guard Council, which in sense gives me full authority to be nosy" His eyebrows drew low to add to his seriousness.

"So as a EGC member, I ask you to tell me: why were ponies after you? What were you doing with so many gems?"

Her eyes flashed to the door, Overwatch's eyes following her glance. Overwatch was doubtful she would make it, he tested his body to make sure it was ready to pursue. As quick as a Griffon, she was at the car door, but in a flash of spark, Overwatch tackled her backwards, pinning all fours with his weight. She resisted, struggling and trying to squirm out of his grasp, but he held her down firmly.

She finally stopped, and waited for the Stallion to do something. "Now that I have your full undivided attention, why we're those ponies after you?"

She might as well tell him, she had nothing else to lose, "Fine, but I would be more comfortable if you please get off of me,"

The feeling of vulnerability made her cheeks involuntary flush red, Overwatch held her down a moment longer, unsure or he can trust her, until she understood why she was blushing.

He sheepishly agreed, realizing how awkward it was holding her down, and moved off of her. She slowly got up, thankful of her personal space, but shaken of how close he was, and a blurry memory ran through her as she sat upright and began."They are Necromancers, they hired me a while back to gather gems for who knows what."

She paused, his attention on her made him seem like a statue looming over her, "But one thing they always found important was a single onyx gem, called a Dusk Stone, was the only thing they really cared about, even if I lose every other gem, they still want the dusk stone,"

She paused again, assuming he is waiting for her to answer his initial question, "The reason those two Necromancers we're after me is that my employer, Umbra, wants me erased.. even though..." She hesitated, "Even though I promised to get it back from you.. assuming you have it,"

He shook his head, "Umbra... So he is the one..." He muttered to himself, glancing away from her, until he openly spoke, "Umbra is a wanted Criminal in the Frost Kingdom, and helping him acquire Class 1 Dark Volatile Gems: you are as much of a criminal as he is,"

She held her breath, the dread of prison seeping towards her. "But.. since you saved my life, I will spare you the the charges, and can probably get you some protection.."

He glanced away from her, debating on what to do next, he reached up to his neck to feel at ease with his grandfather's amulet, but instead of a pressing a warm metal he felt his neck, bare without the silver chain around his neck. Night Shade noticed the gesture, and asked, "Are you OK?"

She saw the sudden panic in his widening eyes, My amulet.. my grandfather's amulet.. where? He looked through his pack, but he knew he would never take it off.

He turned to Night Shade, his fury present in his intense scowl, and he was about to shout at her in outrage of is she took his amulet, considering she was a criminal. But he hesitated, his anger flat-lining as she looked back to him in worry.

"What's the matter?" She eyed his neck, wondering what the angry look was for.

"My Grandfather's Amulet..." He lowered his ears, feeling vulnerable without its hot heliotrope touching him.

She looked around, "What does it look like?"

He let out a disappointed sigh, "A solid diamond key, with a heliotrope gem in the middle of the key, all connected by a silver chain."

She felt like she needed to do something, anything to comfort him in his sulking state. Then something appeared in her head, the image of the amulet, around a much smaller version of Overwatch. She gasped.

"You mean.. the Bloodline Shield?" Her eyes were wide in shock, wondering if it really is who she think it is.

His ears pricked up, he was surprised that she knew it's true name, "How did you..?"

The car door opened behind them making the two lose their concentration, the conductor standing in the doorway confused, "Um... I'm not disturbing anything am I?"

Overwatch glanced back to Night Shade, and returned his attention on the Conductor, only to find him hit by a sleeping spell, making his eyes seal shut as he dropped to the floor, fast asleep.

Overwatch glared back to Night Shade, she returning a coy smile, "What? He got annoying!"