Game of Circumstances

Chapter sixteen: truth revealed and the Happiness’ incident.

“C’mon!”

For the tenth time in less than five minutes, I perked up.

Hmmmpf. Just two foals playing. Nothing more.

I returned to my silent walk through the strangely desert northern part of town. I had walked for twenty minutes already, and the only things I had saw were foals playing innocently and guards patrolling.

A strange tension could be felt thought. I was more than sure now that something would happen in the next days, if not today.

As I reached a crossroad, a voice, lowered to a whisper, reached my ears. Two guards were sitting in a dark path on my left, and whispering things I couldn’t hear correctly from my actual position. The most discretely I could, I approached them. They didn’t seem to notice me and pursued their conversation. I approached them a little bit more.

“They did what?! “ The first guard, a big red stallion with a purple mane, looked incredulous.

“… I told you they were idiots!” The second guard, a tiny purple mare with a pink mane, replied.

“I knew it, but giving our plans to the ones that knocked them out is worse than stupid!”

“Calm down, you’ll finish to alert some of these rangers my ass.” Saying that, she glanced in my direction, and I stuck myself

against the wall, holding my breath. “The chief punished them anyway.”

“He did well.” The stallion approved. “These idiots could have ruined our plans if they had been beaten by Ash Rangers instead of random wanderers.” Couldn’t hold it anymore, I took a silent breath and cursed myself for having only an old knife in my bag. “And that stupid council?”

I began to get away silently.

“The spy we have in the rangers said they were going to advance it for today’s evening to prevent any tentative of attacks. These idiots don’t even check on their own soldiers.”

A spy in the Ash Rangers! Gosh, I really needed that right now.

Could you believe it? At least I was sure that something was planned for the council, and that would be important. I finally reached a distance I considered sufficient and took a deep breath.

Instantly, I got away the fastest I could with my ever crippled hind leg, limping energetically to the southern town, letting the two guards in their discussion.

I must find Sirius and Hap’, and tell them what’s goin’ on here!

___

I felt so unsure of what to do when I passed the giant doors that led to the southern town. Right now every inhabitant of the town seemed like enemies to me, apart the foals, of course. Foals are cute little ones, not mature assholes that try to take over the others by using all possible means, including raw murders and violence.

I mean, what could I do? I didn’t know who the spy was, so I couldn’t warn any ash rangers I would meet down the streets. After all, even if I didn’t fell upon the spy, the others would think I’m some retard imagining things, laugh at me, and order me to get away.

No. I had to see the great, commander… whatever was their chief rank, I don’t know anymore, but I had to see and tell him. Oh, and make sure that I wasn’t telling ghost stories too.

However, even if I actually gained his trust, I wasn’t even sure he would or even could do something about it. Maybe post more guards, but they would just slow down for a while the cultists.

Anyway, I still had to find my friends, and that wasn’t the easier thing to do in this gigantic town.

“Miss! Hey! Miss!” I turned on myself to face the Ash Rangers that had just spoken. Bloody Sword, again. He had his helmet off this time, and was smiling as he caught up with me. “You’re fast for a crippled pony.”

What do I do? Should I trust him? He could be the spy!

Come on, Cal, don’t be such a paranoiac.

I’m not paranoid, just being prudent.

Shut up and take a thought about it.

You, shut up! I’m still master of MY mind, thanks!

Oh yeah? And who’s talking to herself right now?

“Uh? Miss?”

“SHUT UP!” I blew out suddenly. Seeing the offended look he had now on his face, I made myself smaller, smiling sheepishly.

“The he… sorry, I didn’t mean it for you, I was just thinking…”

He kept looking at me with an impassible face for several moments.

“Whatever,” He said. “The sergeant sent me to find you and your friends and bring y’all back to the basement.” He came closer and added, whispering: “The council is advanced to today’s evening, and the sergeant got from the High Commander that you’d make a report on Hellhole.”

“Wait,” I asked. “Are you saying that Raveus got us a meeting with your chief?” The caporal nodded.

Well that might be easier finally…

“Alright then,” The Ash ranger said. “Your friends are already arrived in the basement, so I think we just have to go right there.” I nodded, and we began to walk towards the Ash Rangers’ basement. Something bothered me about this Ash ranger, but eh, right now they all seemed like they just were sneaky bastards for me right then.

“And how is organized that council?” I asked, fighting my condition to catch up with the trained soldier he was.

“Well,” He paused, thinking. “It’s, like, the biggest things you'll ever see in Canterlot!”

Gee, thanks, I didn’t notice!

“All the squad leaders come to see the High Commander and his counselors around a great table, and tell him what happened under their watch in the sixty-two districts of Canterlot, how the towns are doing, what big problems are still to deal with, and report him the raiders activity. And after, the High Commander comes out and pronounces a little speech about what we Ash Rangers have to do next year and our assignments.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah, wow.”

Finally, we reached the door still guarded by the two helmeted Rangers – or were them others ponies? I don’t know, they all look the same to me with this helmet on -, and they let us pass. They were way too confidant to stop a bloody spy to open the door to the cultists tonight.

“Hey,” I asked Bloody Sword. “What’s time is it?”

He stopped to look at his own watch, and answered:

“It’s Half past seven in the afternoon. The council begins at eight and the High Commander is still waiting for you and your friends to do your rapport on Hellhole.” He pushed me to a big, red tent. “What are you waiting for? Your friends must be in there.”

I nodded, and passed the two rangers who were protecting the tent’s entry.

In there was, like the caporal told me, an enormous table with, around it, all the high-graded rangers and stuff. But he had forgotten to tell me how numerous they were.

Half-a-hundred rangers were looking at me through their faceless helmets. One of them had a golden and shining armor, and I guessed who it was. Although I was feeling a bit nervous now with all these anonymous ponies staring at me like I had grown out a second head. I had at least the sense of bowing in front of the High something.

“You may raise, wanderer.”

“I heard you wanted to see me and my friends?” The golden-armored pony nodded. I glanced quickly through the present ponies, but there were only rangers. I frowned. Where were my friends?

“Affirmative, wanderer.” With an authoritarian hoof, he made clear to the sergeants and others rangers that he wanted to be alone with me, and his volunteer was fulfilled in seconds. “C’mon, take a seat.”

I sat up in front of him, although I was still meters away from him.

“One of my sergeants told me about the fact that you visited that dive…”

“Hellhole.”

“Yeah, Hellhole, and that you saw something interesting for us.”

“You mean the cannibals?” I asked, incredulous.

“Yes.” He paused, and rested on one of his forelegs. “I need to know everything you can remember. Every detail: enters,

exits…”

“ Well, it was dark, but I remember numerous entries and exits all around the building. It was big, filthy, and the staff wasn’t

the best I saw in my entire life.”

“Ha ha. Jokes apart, are there anything more I should know?” He asked. I scratched the back of my head, and began:

Okay. Tell him now!

“Where are my friends?”

“What friends?” He asked back.

Okay. Now this is odd. But you tell him now or never, and if you don’t…

“Well, that’s kind of disappointing.”

“I’m sorry, wanderer, but none other wanderers were allowed in this tent.”

C’mon! Just tell him!

“Sorry for wasting your time. I was misinformed.” I apologized.

“No need to apologize.”

COME ON!

“ Yeah, I had… other information…”

“About?”

“The annual council tonight…”

“Of course you’re allowed!” He began to laugh as he got up. “Now, if you excuse me, I have a speech to claim.”

“No! I… I…” Without even listening to me anymore, he got out of the tent. “… fuck.”

Now, we’re fucked.

I got out quickly. That hadn’t turned out like I wanted it to. Not at all. Now, we had a buckin’ thick headed high commander going to his own dead, a spy freely walking in the basement, and my friends were nowhere to be found.

We’re so fucked.

The amplified voice of the High Commander reached soon my ears. “Ash Rangers! This year’s…”

I had to save everypony, and I was all alone.

___

I know, I know, I'm a lazy person, but eh, I got homework to do! And that's the first time in my entire life I work six days a week! No, I'm not whinning.

I'm complaining.

I perfectly know that doesn't excuse me because I've had the chapter finished for over one week, so I apologize to anyone that is actually waiting for that story to update. (Fortunately it's not overknown, or I would get PM'd everyday.)

Also, hope you liked that chapter, it's nearly 3 hours in the afternoon here, and I wish you a good day!

Sinrar