Shades and Tails

Chapter 6 Puppet Master

I had a mission report to write, but I didn’t feel in the mood, and I couldn’t leave—let’s face it—a friend in the infirmary. Riggs was lying inert in a bed, his eyes still open and blank. It was a bit eerie.

I also didn’t trust him though. I knew what Lord Tirek did. He could control Riggs at any second and attack this base. But Heartless had let his personal feelings get in the way. He and Riggs were friends. He wasn’t losing another friend to that bastard Tirek, he’d said. Maybe I didn’t understand that.

Yeah, other ponies lie in other parts of the infirmary, ones who had fallen and had either been injured or had had their magic sucked from them. It didn't matter, because Riggs here, he got his own room. Yes, I admit to myself I consider him a friend, but I wouldn’t want to be treated any better than anypony else.

I also wouldn’t want to be left in this state, nothing but an empty shell. I didn’t think Riggs would’ve wanted to either.

What was I doing here? Nopony was around, it was just me here. My hoof shook, tight on my pistol’s grip. The barrel was pressed firmly against the side of Riggs’s head. He doesn’t deserve to be like this, Shadow. You know he wouldn’t want this. Pull the trigger, end it. I gritted my teeth, steeling myself. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. To…kill him. There is no him, Tirek already killed him. You saw it with your own eyes. Shoot the deer, Shadow. He’s a liability to this base. It’ll be your fault if the base is attacked.

Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. I saw what Tirek did to Riggs. It was something I never wanted to see again. That horrible purple color as the centaur basically ripped the soul right out of Riggs.

The gun really shook now, but I was prepared to do it. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Shadethrower!”

It was like a bomb went off, my gun dropping to the floor with a reverberating clatter. My shadows exploded away from me so fast, it was like the screech of a violin string as it went high off key and snapped. Light came back to me, and suddenly everything looked a bit sharper.

I sat down in the chair, smiling weakly. “Shade, what in Equestria is going on?” Card ran to me, taking my hooves.

“Oh nothing.” I shook my head.

“You had a gun on Riggs!” Card’s hooves squeezed mine tightly.

My eyes fell on the gun. “He’s dangerous.”

“What? Shade, he’s our friend.”

I shook my head again, “No, Tirek took our friend. Sweet Celestia, that’s something I never want to see again.”

“Shooting Riggs won’t change that, you know.”

I looked up into his eyes, “Card—”

“I’m here for you. Do you want me to hold you?”

“I’d…like that.” Card took me and held me close, my face buried in his chest. I slowly wrapped my own arms around him.

He didn’t even know what I needed to be comforted for. Most of the time, neither did I. All I knew was I was in a dark place. My shadows slowly came back to us, disregarding Cardkeeper and caressing both of us at once. It was so dark, and so cold.

“It's okay if you—you know, wanna cry or something.” Card gave a nervous laugh.

I gave a soft snort, “I don’t cry Card.”

I almost didn’t realize the darkness wasn’t just my shadows until it was too late. They were wrapped around the two of us so tightly that they formed a sort of noise barrier. I was surprised Card didn’t notice their presence, this was the most corporeal they’d ever been.

My eyes snapped open, seeing the oblivion we’d fallen into. The red flashing lights broke through the barrier and I knew something was terribly wrong. It shouldn’t be this quiet.

“Card, watch out!” I yelled, throwing him off me. He slammed to the floor, and I took the wack from Riggs. The hard back end of my gun smacked my face hard, leaving me seeing stars. That’s when the sound my tormentors had been repressing came flooding back.

“I don’t know how we didn’t hear the alarms!” Card gasped. “Shade, are you okay?”

I rubbed my head, groaning. I had to throw one of my rear hooves up when Riggs suddenly attacked me again, his hooves failing. I was barely holding him off me. “Get back Riggs!” I grunted, “I don’t wanna hurt you.” I pulled my rear legs back as far as they could go in this awkward position laying on my back on a chair. Then I literally bucked the buck, kicking him hard with both hooves square in the stomach. He was sent flying across the room, slamming into the door.

It detected the motion, sliding open as he hit the ground. He got to his hooves in the next second, not fazed at all. Puppet ponies didn’t feel pain, did they? Or they at least didn’t acknowledge it. Riggs took one last backward glance at us, and somehow I thought I saw something in that look, then he bolted from the room, off to do Tirek knew what. Because Tirek knew exactly what he was doing with his puppets. He was the ringleader that controlled the whole show. Or rather, the puppet master…

“Card, are you okay?” I got up and moved toward him. I saw the bandages on his left wing turning red, soaking up an excessive amount of blood.

Card looked at it, “It still hurts.”

“Luna,” I sighed, “we need to get you up. I need to replace your bandages. Let’s see if Sayaka has more.”

⚪⚪⚪

The infirmary had more than one entrance, most of them fortunately on lockdown. I wondered how safe we truly were though. Walking around down here without a guide was like traversing a labyrinth. But I was able to find my way by reading the directional signs. Luckily somepony had turned off that annoying alarm, but it wasn’t over and the red lights still flashed.

These corridors had an eerie feel to them without nurses and medics running about. Where had they all gone?  They might have been the first to die. That made it a priority to find the head doctor, before something happened to her. In these situations it was really best to be pragmatic, and it was logical to assume we wouldn’t find many ponies alive.

Logic isn’t what’s playing into this, Shadow, but go ahead and keep telling yourself it does!

I must’ve been letting to much emotion show through, because Card said, “It’s okay Shade, just breath and let your light shine. You have it in you, it’s why I love you.”

“What do I have in me?”

“You have strength. You can light your own way through the darkness, you just have to stop letting it get to you.”

“You think something is getting to me?” I croaked.

“I know you really well Shade,” Card bumped my hip with his. “Maybe any other random pony wouldn’t see it but I know things get to you, I know you have things you get hung up on. Even if you cover it with a hard exterior and tough walls you put up around yourself. But Sarge wasn’t kidding when he told you you’re one tough unicorn. So show me. Show me what ‘Bright’ means. Show me what you got that cutie mark for. A light in the darkness. My light Shadow Bright.” Card was blushing furiously by now, but there was a deep love in his golden eyes for me that surprised me every time I saw it.

I felt something warm building up within me. Like when I drew upon my magic. But this was a pleasant warmth, whereas the times I summoned my magic willingly were because of rage, because I hated the world. But this was new, this was good. This was love. I took Cardkeeper, my beautiful, amazing Ace of Spades, and pulled his face to mine. I kissed him like I never thought since I was a colt I’d ever kiss anypony. It was passionate, it was heated, and it was full of an intense love. I felt my magic growing, and it enveloped us, sending away the angry, frantic voices of my shadows.

I stopped for a second to catch my breath and I opened my eyes to examine my coltfriend. His wings were spread wide, and we were lifting into the air. I saw my magic, my light in all it’s bright white glory, healing Cardkeeper’s torn wing. Card was staring at me with a shocked expression.

“I didn’t know you could kiss like that,” he sighed.

“You’re my coltfriend aren’t you?” I smirked at him.

His eyes widened and locked into mine, “You’re willing to admit that?”

Yeah, I realize I hadn’t even fully admitted it to myself. But I loved Cardkeeper with everything I had, even when I hated him. So I said,  “Why not, gotta DTR sometime.”

He lifted his wing, giving it a quick glance over, “Wow, this is amazing. I didn’t know you could do this.”

“Me neither.”

His wing healed and we slowly started sinking back to the ground. My horn alit in a steady white blaze, I said, “Come on, we have to find Sayaka Weystone.”

⚪⚪⚪

All power was off in one hallway except for one room off to the side. It had large glass windows and its door had been left deactivated in the open position. Dim blue light emanated from inside, flickering like images on a screen were changing.

Card and I approached cautiously, me ready with my magic, him ready with a glock in one hoof. We slowly rounded on the door frame and stepped inside.

It was a mess and computer monitors were flicking through unidentifiable script. There was one with a map of the base, and in the corner a symbol I didn’t recognize.

We were only halfway into the room when a table flipped into the air and a mare came soaring out with a yell, “Yaaaaa!” She landed on her hooves in front of us. It was Sayaka and she had a crossbow aimed at my chest.

She lowered it, “Oh, thank Luna. You aren’t puppet ponies.” Her mane was undone, the glittery purple strands falling in soft curling locks around her shoulders. It was beautiful, but I hadn’t come here to gawk.

“No, we aren’t,” I moved past her. I stared up at the map, Card coming to stand behind me.

The screen changed, and I glanced over at Sayaka, who had ahold of the mouse. Now a view of a few cameras scattered throughout the base were shown onscreen. Most shown empty hallways, but from a couple ponies could be seen battling off enemies.

“It’s been getting worse by the minute.” Sayaka sighed. “Mustang Town has fallen.”

“It was a surprise attack.” I said under my breath.

“Oh, I feel like this is my fault!” Sayaka threw her hooves to her eyes, sinking to the floor.

Card came up behind her, rubbing her back, “It isn’t your fault.”

“I’m the one who admitted the puppet ponies into the infirmary. It was only a matter of time before they awoke and acted under Tirek’s power. I should’ve realized that. It is my fault!”

“Now listen, if anypony should get the blame, it’s Heartless.” I snapped, “He let his personal feelings cloud his judgement. Riggs Bailey, no matter how much I like him, didn’t deserve any better medical attention than anypony else.”

“I guess you offer a valid argument.” Sayaka got to her hooves. “Forgive me, I don’t usually break down like that.”

“You were only doing your job, Doc.” Card smiled at her.

Sayaka inclined her head, “Thank you. Now, we must go. My staff, not many survived the initial attacks. I need to offer medical assistance to anypony who needs it.”

We all took a backwards glance at her words, staring forlornly at the camera screens on the big monitor. It didn’t seem like there was much hope for Mustang Town, nor Appleloosa. The light on my horn began to dim, and the warm feeling went away. You’re right, Shadow. Mustang Town is screwed. The only thing for it now is to save yourself and Card. Leave this useless mare behind. I sighed. It had been bliss for my shadows to be gone, but I had known they’d never really leave me. They told me so all the time. What would my life be without my constant darkness?

We left the lab and the doors slid closed behind us. It was time to leave Mustang Town for good. I hadn’t liked it much here anyway.

Card’s next words sent a shudder down my back, which made my shadows happy. “You think Sarge is okay?”