Chapters Peace Comes With the Cost of Death
Chapter One: The Statues of Stone
The Tardis whirred and then let out a loud CLUMP . SaberStar Brightwing and his friends walked out of the Tardis, aside from the kids. The Crystal Empire. At night. The crew gave a sigh of relief. Rainbow Dash leaned against him and kissed him on the cheek.
Princess Cadence heard a strange whirring and looked outside the Crystal Palace. A blue box had appeared. Walking out were several ponies she didn't recognize, but she saw Twilight and her friends and Princess Luna. She cried out in relief and flew down to greet them
Saber heard the sound of wings behind him and whirled around, blades spreading over his own. He saw a princess, not one he'd seen, but heard of. It was the Crystal Princess, Cadence. He withdrew his blades and folded one against his side and put the other around Dash.
"Twilight!" Cadence called, landing in front of them. Twilight looked at her sister-in-law, sadness etched on every line of her face. "What's wrong?"
"Oh just Daleks and Changelings and Celestia and Weeping Angels and Cybercolts. Nothing to worry about." Saber replied, sarcastically.
"Saber!" Twilight scolded.
"What are Daleks and Weeping Angels?" Cadence asked, confused by the sudden hostility. The Doctor explained and Cadence grew grim. "Not just those. A killer as well. Bodies are showing up everywhere. Always older Unicorn mares, always with a hole in the forehead and a slit neck." She said, shuddering. Saber glanced at Vinyl Scratch, the only older Unicorn mare in the crew.
"They won't kill anypony while I'm here." He growled, eyes turning ice-blue.
"Don't be so sure." Cadence warned.
"Don't underestimate him. You should see Saber try to protect someone. He will, at any cost, protect those he cares for." Dash replied, putting her wing around the distressed soldier. "He nearly killed Discord when he had hurt Vinyl." She said, a hint of laughter in her voice. Before they could react, a scream tore through the air, piercing they ears of everypony present.
"What the hell was that?" Saber demanded.
"Our killer has just claimed another victim." Cadence replied
"We need to find them."
The crew galloped and flew towards the source of the scream. It was a shack made from wood. Saber opened the door. It creaked and light flooded into the room. He was disgusted by what he saw. It was a body alright, with the same markings Cadence had described. Light blue with red eyes and a blue and yellow mane, she couldn't have been more than nineteen. Saber fumed. She had been too young to die. Movement made Saber's ears prick up. It sounded like stone scraping. He dismissed it. They were in a kingdom made from stone. He went to the doorway.
"It was your killer, Cadence. Same markings as what you said."
Cadence had rooms for them at the Crystal Castle. For once, Saber was on his own. He couldn't sleep that night. A knock sounded at his door.
"Come in," He replied, getting out of bed. Vinyl opened the door and walked in, eyes darting from side to side.
"Do you mind?" She asked nervously.
"Not at all. Come on in." The Pegasus said, in a comforting tone, reassuring the scared Unicorn. She came in and looked up at him, fear evident in her eyes. "That killer story scared you?" The answer was obvious, but you could never know. Vinyl nodded quickly and slowly walked in, relaxing a little. Saber flexed his newly healed wing and had the plates on it go out, keeping the other normal. "Don't worry. Nothing is gonna get you," He said, putting a non bladed wing around her. She let out a sigh and leaned into his shoulder. The black stallion looked a bit surprised at first but then realized it was to be expected. Stone scraping made a set of black ears and a set of white ears prick up.
"Wh-what was that?" The white mare stammered nervously. Saber poked his head out of his door. Angel statues made from stone were in front of every pillar. Stone. Almost everything was made out of crystal, not stone. Stone. Come to think of it, these fit the description of the Weeping Angels. Saber looked away quickly, and sure enough, the statues had moved.
"Vinyl, don't look away from the statues. It's the Weeping Angels."
Vinyl's eyes widened.
"Can we fight them?"
"I don't think so. They have us trapped."
"Oh god........oh god." She said, putting a hoof over her mouth. Vinyl wasn't too scared of dying. She was scared that she wouldn't be able to do all the things in her life that she'd wanted to.
"I might be able to get you out, but if I do, I won't get out. Or, It's a very low chance that I will." Saber replied, putting on his armor, breastplate, helm, boots. Then, he put on pieces Vinyl had never seen. A mask-like piece that covered his mouth and snout, extensions from the boots and breastplate. White instead of black to go with his wings, Saber was a fully fledged warrior. "Follow me," He said, voice muffled by the mask, "We need to get this right."
The Angels were different when the two got out. They had fangs and faces pinched into a snarl. Saber walked out of his room, grabbed Vinyl by her arms and spread his wings. In one huge, strong movement, he shot them into the air, just barely landing on the part of the rooms without Angels. He let her go and began to walk towards where he had just been. Vinyl stopped him.
"Where are you going?" She demanded,
"I need to save the others in the rooms down there." came his muffled voice, "I can't just leave them. They'll be killed if I don't."
"But what about you? Aren't you going to come back?"
"Maybe. Probably not."
"But you have to come back! Who's going to protect the others?"
"................................."
"That's not an answer." She shot back,
"I won't, that's for sure." Saber began to walk again towards the Angels.
"Wait!"
He stopped.
"I-if you don't come back.............."
She looked down and then pulled of his mask and kissed him on the mouth. His eyes turned cherry red for the first time in ages and he blushed too. She put his mask back on and let him go.
"If you come back, don't tell anypony about this Sky-boy." She said. Saber smiled under his mask and flew above the Angels silently as he could. Vinyl watched him painfully, seeing him open doors and manage to fly others over. The last one, a navy blue Pegasus with a spiky Mohawk, (Not like Saber's) was where it fell apart. Saber managed to get him over, but the Angels were getting closer. One grabbed his left wing, the recently healed one and he yelled in pain.
"Go! All of you! Run!" He shouted. The Pegasus turned to Vinyl.
"Do you know someone named the Doctor?"
"Don't you mean 'somepony'?"
"No time!"
"Yes, I know him. If you want him, he's down there." She said miserably. The Pegasus flew down at full speed. Every time they all looked away from the Angel holding Sabers' wing, it twisted. He yelled in pain again. Vinyl heard a commotion behind her. She turned around and there stood the Doctor, holding his screwdriver and aimed it at the Angel. It froze in its tracks.
"Doctor," Saber panted, face contorted in pain, "Go! It's too late for me! Just protect the others!"
"It's not too late. I can get you out of here." the Doctor replied, followed by the Pegasus from earlier. The two did some kind of magic and the Angels' hand crumbled. Saber fell on the ground, slowly losing consciousness. The last thing he saw was Vinyl kneeling next to him.
Peace Comes With the Cost of Death
Chapter Two: The Colts of Steel
SaberStar woke to hushed voices. Crystal nurses were gathered around him, as well as Dash and Vinyl. Saber's head was pounding. He tried to sit up but his head pounded more viciously. He grimaced in pain and settled back down.
"Saber! Thank god you're alright! What happened?" Dash exclaimed, and a set cyan wings enveloped him. The black Pegasus cracked an eye open and light flooded into his vision. He was in his room, with the others as well.
"I remember the Angel grabbing my wing, and then falling."
"You're lucky to be alive." The Doctor replied, face grim.
"Why?"
"Did I ever tell you what an Angel does to kill you? It misplaces you in time, or, breaks your neck."
"That's nice and happy." Saber said sarcastically. He managed to sit up and get out of bed. Vinyl still looked nervous, but more like she was going to be discovered for a crime, not like she was going to be killed. Pinkie Pie was jumping up and down.
"You know what this calls for? A party!" She suggested happily. Saber smiled weakly. He wasn't much for parties, but this would be alright.
It was about 9:00 when it started. No occasion, just for fun. Music blared from the restaurant it was going to be held in. Saber walked in, Dash at his side. Saber could barely hear over the loud music. Many mares tried to approach him, but he retreated to the shadows before they could say anything. Only one managed to corner him.
"So I hear you're an ice-cold stallion," Said a navy blue mare with a stark white mane, "But you're just a big sweetheart on the inside I bet." Saber looked around nervously, spread his huge wings and shot up, landing on the catwalks up near the ceiling. He landed down near Dash and wiped his brow.
It went on for about an hour or two when a earsplitting shriek tore through the air. The music stopped. Loud thumping could be heard from every corner of the building. Saber pushed past other ponies and poked his head outside. Metal stallions marched in perfect unison down the street.
"We are the Cybercolts. You are all feeling fear. We will take away fear and pain." They said in a metallic voice. The crew present at the party cursed and started to usher everypony out the back doors. Saber glanced at Dash and the message was clear. Go. I'll hold them off. Get the others out of here. He stepped out into the moonlight, spread his wings and gave a gigantic flap downwards. He shot into the air and glided towards the castle.
When he got there, he told the guards to raise the alarm.
"Any sign of metal or sound of them, run and warn every soul in the city."
Saber galloped towards his room and outfitted himself in his war armor and a cloak. His armor was designed for light yet destructive attacks. No plume. He flew silently outside above the metal phalanx. Landing on a low building, he surveyed the Cybercolts. They seemed to be taking ponies out of the city. Saber couldn't let them do that. He jumped of the building and landed in front of them.
"You are unauthorized. You shall be converted." One said.
"Not today."
The Cybercolt fell to the ground, its front arms missing. Saber had cut through the weak spots at the juncture between the shoulder and body.
"Take that as a warning." He said, glaring at the huge stallions.
"We do not obey."
The next Cybercolt toppled over.
"Want to try that again?" Saber asked, freeing the prisoners. "Run," He commanded to the terrified ponies. The Cybercolts decided it would be best to commence a tactical retreat, so they did.
When Saber returned to the castle, Dash cheered and hugged him
"I knew you'd come back!" She exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek. The warrior smiled weakly and put his wing around her. They're moment of victory was short lived however, when the doors shattered and about fifty Cybercolts marched in.
"Get behind me," Saber told the others. The Doctor, Adamant, and Lunar all stood with him, spears at the ready. Saber charged the Cybercolts and a flash of white sent him hurtling backwards. Vision slowly fading, he saw the world n front of him dissolving and then reappearing. It looked different. A stark white Pegasus mare with a short yet flowing purple mane was kneeling down by his side, concern filling her eyes.
Peace Comes With the Cost of Death
When Saber awoke, his head was pounding more than ever. He was sore everywhere. Opening his eyes, he saw the Pegasus from earlier. She was watching over him with a relieved expression. A huge Pegasus stallion walked in, a stern look on his face.
"Wh-"
"I ask the questions here, you answer, got that?" The gray stallion interjected, cutting of Saber. "One: Who the hell are you? Two: How did you get here?" Saber looked around. He was surprised to see his armor hanging on a rack, along with other suits of armor.
"In an answer to your questions, I am SaberStar. SaberStar Brightwing. And I have no idea how the hell I got here." The obviously distressed Centurion replied. The white Pegasus glanced, obviously surprised, at the bulky stallion.
"You're SaberStar Brightwing?" She asked, eyes turning to gold.
Her eyes can change color?! How?! Is she like me? Saber thought furiously.
"Oh wow," The white mare replied, "I've never seen anyponys' eyes turn that many colors."
"Who are you?" Saber demanded, eyes turning to blood-red. She looked a bit hurt, but continued.
"I'm SnowStorm, and this is Hailstorm, my brother."
"Where am I?"
"The Blitz Academy."
"What is that?"
"An academy for Pegasi like us."
"Why are you answering everything I ask?"
"Becau- because-" The mare started to tear up. Saber softened his voice and tried to comfort her.
"What's wrong?" He asked, looking at her older brother. A voice rang in his head and it sounded like Hailstorms'.
"She's distressed. Over you. Reassure her.
"Shhh.......it's okay....." The shadowy Pegasus said in a soothing voice, putting a wing around SnowStorm. Her eyes turned a familiar shade of pink. It was one he himself wore often around Dash. It meant love. Saber was confused. Very, very confused. She looked up at him, eyes filled with tears and deep blue. SnowStorm threw her wing and arms around him and kissed him. Saber's eyes flared cherry red and his ears and cheeks blushed furiously. Um............what just happened? Saber wondered, not reacting as dramatically as he should have. A feather flicked out of place on his left wing. Blushing harder, Saber struggled to keep his emotions under control. Something like this hadn't happened since, well, the Changeling Empire. The stark white mare and the pitch-black stallion split apart. SnowStorm's eyes turned a clear, watery blue. Guilt. Saber's eyes turned the brightest red they had ever been. He scuffed the ground, obviously embarrassed. SnowStorm gave Saber an apologetic look.
"Sorry," She mumbled, looking down at the ground, obviously ashamed. Saber shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked into the color changing eyes so much like his own.
"I think I need to take a walk. Want to come?" SnowStorm nodded very shyly. She followed him out the door and out into a huge corridor made from all shades of crystal.
"So, what exactly is this place?"
"A training camp. We've trained the best soldiers in Equestrian history." SnowStorm explained,
"I don't mean to prod, but what happened back there?"
Silence.
"Well?"
More silence.
"Well? "
Again, silence.
"Okay, a different question: Where are you taking me?"
"To the viewing room."
"And that is..?"
"You can see anything that you want to see, as long as it's in Equestria and you've seen it before." Sabers' eyes turned a shade of yellow that could only mean one thing: Hope.
The viewing room was a massive rotunda, mirrors every five feet. Saber glanced into one and he saw Dash, in the Crystal Castle, safe, but upset. She was obviously distressed. Then, a drunken stallion knocked down her door and tried to grab her. She kicked him in the face, but he wasn't relenting. The mirror went blank. Saber punched a wall. He sank to the ground, upset. Eyes purple and blue, his wings became outfitted for war. He stormed off into a huge forest and disappeared. SnowStorm found him easy to follow. Cut marks were gouged into the trees so se just followed the direction that they lead to. She came to a dead end and looked up. A shadow moved up near the treetops. That was Saber alright. She knew from experience that Saber liked to be up high when he was upset. Snow flew up to the branch and landed next to him. He was laying down, head on hooves, miserable. She put her wing around him, but for once, he didn't do anything. SnowStorm wanted to comfort him, but she didn't know what would happen if she did.
"Do you really want to know what happened back there?" She asked, trying her best to soothe him.
"Mmh."
"Well?"
"Very well then."
"When I found you, I wasn't sure what to do. I looked after you for about a year, then, you woke up. A prophecy told us about you. I, always thought you might come and help us while I was still around. When you woke up, I wasn't sure how to react. This, apparently was how I reacted."
Silence. The older stallions' eyes turned to a reddish purple. He looked away.
"That mare, in the mirror, who was she?"
"Somepony who was very close to me. Closer than anypony has ever gotten."
"I see."
"What was that you said, about me being gone a year?"
"You were asleep for a year."
Sabers' eyes widened.
"Oh god. I need to get back. Right now. Like this instant."
"Well, I suppose I could get you out for a visit. What are you bringing out?"
"My armor."
"Alright. Then let's get your armor."
Saber and Snow returned to the room where Saber had awoken and he immediately equipped his armor.
"Follow me," Snow ordered, and Saber obeyed. They encountered Hailstorm on the way to wherever they were going
"What the hell are you to doing?"
"Getting back," Saber growled, flicking a wing towards the bulky Pegasus, "Got a problem with that?"
"No."
"Good. Because if you did, I could have a higher chance of losing one of my friends."
SnowStorm led Saber to a huge triangular room with a portal of some sort in the middle.
"Just go in there," Snow said, gesturing at it
"Okay. And, thank you SnowStorm. If I can come back, I will"
Saber arrived, expecting to see a bustling street, a market of some sort or something else. It was nothing like that. This was terrible for Saber. It was a certain white Unicorn, dying on the ground, with a spiky blue mane, cracked shades on the ground.
It was Vinyl Scratch, and she wasn't dead yet, but somepony had clearly murdered her.
Peace Comes With the Cost of Death
Chapter Four: Loss Part 2
Sabers' first thought was, Oh god no. This can't be happening, this can't be real. He was sorely mistaken. Vinyl looked up at him weakly.
"Hey Saber. Where you been? Dash has been worried. You should go visit her."
"Not now. What happened?"
Silence. Saber picked her up and slung her over his back as she lost consciousness.
"Don't worry, I'll get you to a hospital, I'll get help. Just hang on until we get there." Saber yelled, running out into the sunlight. Ponies stared but then went back to their work. Saber couldn't believe them. He galloped until he saw a medical sign. Before he got there, Vinyl regained consciousness.
"Put me down," She croaked,
"Vinyl, you need help, we can't stop now!"
"It's to late for me."
"No, I can't just leave you! I won't!"
"Just do it." Saber lay her down against a wall and looked into her red-violet eyes.
"Saber, ever since I met you I've............" She didn't continue. Saber saw her starting to lose the battle and he pulled her closer.
"No," He sobbed, "No!" the white Unicorn looked up at him and kissed him full on, then, her head lolled and Vinyl Scratch, DJ of Ponyville, passed into the void in his arms.
-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-
Saber carried her body back to the castle, silent. Not even when the guards bombarded him with questions, he just walked past them. He opened a door to a huge room, probably from councils. The crew stood inside and stared at him in disbelief and began to smile and come to welcome him back, but when they saw Vinyl, their smiles faded. He looked up at the crew.
"She's gone. I made one stupid mistake and I lost her." The angered Centurion tried, crouching down, letting the others take Vinyls' body off of his back. Saber flew himself up to the highest point he could manage and lay there, crying. He didn't try to stop, he just lay there and cried. A certain yellow Pegasus flew up to the distressed stallion and pulled him close with her wing. She raised his head and looked into his eyes. They were such a deep and dark blue, that it made her sad just to look into them.
"Saber, you can't blame yourself for what happened," Fluttershy said, trying to comfort him. Saber covered his head with his wings and looked away. He was silent before answering.
"I have every right to blame myself."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do!" He snapped, not knowing what he was doing. Fluttershy looked hurt. Saber's heart pinged. Same look as SnowStorm. "Sorry." He apologized, weakly shifting his position and putting a wing around the shy mare.
"Do you want me to leave?" She asked.
"No, you can stay. I would actually prefer if you stayed." He said, kissing her on the forehead. Saber had stopped crying, but he wasn't happy. He still had the deep and dark blue eyes. The two sat there for a while and were silent. Fluttershy leaned into his shoulder and kissed him on the cheek. His ears were tinted red. "So how is everypony? How is Dash?" Saber asked her.
"Well, street racing has become pretty popular. Rainbow Dash is a racer."
"Street racing?"
"It's when the Pegasi fly very low and very fast on the streets."
"Oh."
An idea sparked in Saber's mind.
Rainbow Dash prepared for the next race at dusk. A new contestant was in this one. He was black, shadowy with dark purple armor that covered his mouth and lenses over his eyes so she couldn't see the color of them. His wings were huge and he didn't talk. He reminded her of SaberStar. She tried not to think about him. It was a quick race, and to her surprise, the new racer beat her, Stifling her frustration, she signaled to the stallion to meet her in a secluded area that two racers were allowed to be in, alone without any interruptions.
"Who are you?" She demanded, jabbing her hoof at him. Then lenses came away and she saw familiar color changing eyes. He took of his mask and helmet and there stood SaberStar Brightwing, not grinning, not frowning, just, emotionless. "Oh god.... y-you came back.....where the hell did you go?!" She yelled at the shadowy, emotionless Pegasus.
"Dash.................. they got Vinyl. I tried to save her, but it was too late." Saber replied, eyes turning the darkest blue Dash had ever seen. It even made her sad. He started to tear up. Dash was shocked. Saber sank to the ground, trying not to break down.
"Oh god........" She said, putting a hoof over her mouth. She came down next to the saddened warrior. Dash looked up at Saber, the once strong fighter brought down to his knees by one death. He put his wing around her and kissed her on the forehead. She kissed him back and the two looked up a the night sky.
The couple walked slowly back to the castle, silent, just walking. When they returned, a small ceremony was starting for Vinyl. It was just the crew and Cadence, along with her husband, Shining Armor. Saber was silent. He didn't trust himself to talk, for fear his emotions would get out of control again. It was short, but sweet. It was over before Saber knew it. He flew up to the area that he had been on earlier. Saber closed his eyes and began to think. If it was possible, he could've gotten a cutie mark in thinking, so he didn't notice when a certain shy, petite mare landed next to him. Fluttershy tapped him nervously on the shoulder. A wing shot up and the blades came out but soon retracted as he realized who it was. He put a wing around her and let her lean into him. Sooner or later, he fell asleep. Strangely, no nightmares, but he opened his eyes and found himself staring into the eyes of SnowStorm.
Peace Comes With the Cost of Death
Chapter Five: Aftereffects
Saber jumped back in alarm, plates extending. The snow white mare leapt back, narrowly avoiding Saber's wing. He glared at her.
"She's gone. My friend is gone." The stallion growled, with all the venom he could muster. Snow hung her head, ashamed, "She died in my arms, when I wanted to save her." Snow sank to the ground and began to cry. Saber remained standing, not moving, face hard as stone. He maintained the position for a little and then walked to SnowStorm's side. He helped her up and tried to comfort the crying Pegasus. He brushed her mane out of her eyes with a hoof and touched the center of her forehead by accident. She gasped and shook her head. "What happened?" He asked, looking down at her, eyes turning light green. Concern.
"I think.............I think I just got your memories."
Saber felt his eyes widen and cheeks grow hot.
"And feelings."
"Ummm........................." The stallion stammered, looking away. She basically knows everything about me and all my feelings for all the ponies in my life! Oh god, this can't possibly end well............ Saber though frantically, trying to explain, but to no avail.
"Don't worry. Nopony will know."
"Uhhh........................" Saber said, trying not to look at the mare to his right. He heard her laugh. It was a sound like a creek, musical, yet quiet. Saber managed to look at her eyes the normal shade of flame red. Her white fur was clean and brushed. Her short purple and black mane was combed and neat. Although he disliked to admit it, she was, well, beautiful. Oh god, I hope that isn't imprinted in her mind now! , the shadowy Pegasus thought smacking his head in his mind. Snow blinked as if surprised.
"Yo-you really think I'm pretty?"
Saber cursed under his breath. So much for no sharing thoughts or feelings.
"Snow I-" Saber cut himself off, not trusting himself to say more. He kept his mind blank so that she would not pick up anything from him.
"If you don't want to talk, I won't." Snow replied, a look of understanding upon her face. Wow. Saber could tell when he was emotionally upset when he started thinking in a Middle Ages sort of way. Saber looked around. Him and Snow were in a place of pure white. Just, white.
"Where are we?" He asked, looking around.
"Nowhere, really. We have things called 'dreamspeakers'. They allow us to contact a pony while they are asleep. Nopony knows we're talking." The snow white Pegasus explained.
"Why did you want to talk to me?"
Silence.
"That wasn't an invitation to withdraw."
Silence again.
"If you don't want to talk, I won't force you to."
Still silence.
"Okay, silence."
And silence followed. Saber didn't know what to say. This was the first time in ages that he had felt this...........off. After what seemed like hours of silence, the white around him began to dissolve. Slowly. Snow realized what was happening and embraced him. Saber seemed a bit surprised, but returned the embrace. Snow gave him a peck on the cheek right as Saber awoke.
Saber awoke to a commotion down below. Yelling was heard. Fluttershy blinked her eyes slowly as if something had woken her as well. Dash was yelling at the Doctor about Vinyl. She said that if the Doctor wouldn't bring her back, then she would do it herself.
"I told you, it's a fixed point in time! We can't go back! It'd create a paradox and we'd lose more ponies!"
"To hell with paradoxes!"
Saber leapt down in between the two and stopped the argument.
"Quiet!" He roared, glancing between the arguing ponies. He turned to Dash. "We can't bring Vinyl back, else we would've done so already!" Saber growled. He then turned to the Doctor, "And you two don't have to yell! I'm going for a walk. Alone."
Saber flew out of the castle. It was still night. Oh great. Not only am I depressed, I'm deprived of sleep. He heard laughter and music coming out from a club. He poked his head in the door and was shocked by what he saw.
Vinyl Scratch was the DJ.
Peace Comes With the Cost of Death
Chapter Six: Aftereffects Part 2
Somepony dropped a glass. Saber stared at the white Unicorn and she stared at him. Somepony started to clap and so did the rest. Saber's eyes turned orange, Betrayal. And then the other turned blood red. He shook his head and ran out, failing to control his emotions. He hid in an alley and tried to settle down. After fifteen minutes, he heard hoofsteps nearby and Vinyl passed the alleyway he was in, not seeing him. She couldn't see him, but she could hear the sounds of a certain shadowy stallion. Vinyl peeked her head in and she saw a dim outline of him.
"You're not very good at hiding you know." She said, stepping into his view.
"Go away, changeling."
"Say what?"
"I said go away. You're probably a changeling or something worse."
"Go ahead. Let the Doctor scan me."
"Why?"
"So you can see the truth."
The Doctor stepped into the alleyway, holding his sonic screwdriver.
"Another changeling."
"Then scan me."
Saber did. The result: Time Lord.
He scanned Vinyl. The result: Unicorn.
Saber dropped the screwdriver.
"No. NO!" He yelled. Spreading his wings, he launched himself into the air, far above the reach of any normal Pegasus. He landed on a cloud and began to cry. He stayed there and did nothing. Not even think. Wingbeats approached the depressed stallion. He didn't look up. The wingsbeats slowly departed and Saber opened his eyes. The mare with the spiky blue mane and reddish-violet eyes that he had tried so hard to protect approached him. He looked away. Vinyl came down to his level and wrapped her arms around him. Saber put his head down and covered his face with his wings. She lifted his head up and kissed him on the forehead. "Why couldn't you come and tell me?" He demanded.
Silence.
"That wasn't an invitation to ignore me."
"I just, couldn't."
Silence from Saber told her he was thinking. The messy stallion turned his head away and didn't let himself talk. Vinyl didn't know how to comfort him. A voice boomed in her head, making her head throb.
"HOW. "
"Wha-?"
"I SAID, HOW DID YOU SURVIVE? " Came the voice again. It sounded like Saber. Hard and filled with authority, yet so much anger radiated from it.
"She didn't die, is it not obvious?" A new voice said.
