On a beautiful, clear Friday afternoon a group of five students were standing on the Ponyville station waiting for a train.
"So...how long has he been doing that?" Smolder asked.
"Dunno. About an hour, maybe?" Gallus replied with a shrug of his shoulders.
"Think he'll wear out the road pacing up and down like that?" Silverstream enquired.
"Ponies do many weird things, so maybe?" Yona added.
Sandbar, looking excited and nervous in equal measure, was indeed frantically pacing along the main street of Ponyville. Always looking down the main road that led out of the town, fully expecting to see the one he knew was coming. But, with every time he looked, he only ever saw more empty road. He took several calm breaths, trying to keep himself from just going nuts over how much he was looking forward to this, but it was clear that such efforts weren't going his way. Eventually, after letting out a sigh, Gallus walked over and finally brought his friend's pacing to an end by slapping a claw down on his shoulder.
"Sandbar! Buddy! Just relax! I know you haven't seen this guy in ages and you were big childhood besties and all that, but you're starting to make us nervous now!"
Chuckling at this, Sandbar nodded.
"Yeah...sorry about that. It's just...I don't even know what I'm going to say to Comet when he gets here. I mean, what, I'm just going to ask how Canterlot's been? What kind of question is that?"
Gallus rolled his eyes, but said nothing, as it was now the turn of Yona to walk closer to speak words of encouragement.
"Sandbar no worry! Friends always know how to talk to one another!"
The young stallion offered his Yak friend a warm smile, then looked over to Silverstream who, as usual, added her usual cheeriness to the proceedings.
"Just be happy you get to see an old friend again! I mean, not old exactly, since you're both still kids technically, but...you know what I mean."
Sandbar allowed a brief laugh to escape him at that, which was shared by Smolder as she too spoke up.
"I'll just be happy if this guy lives up to all the hype you've given him over the last week."
The earth pony opened his mouth to speak, ready to reply to those words. Only to be halted in that moment when, to the shock of all of them, there was a sudden bright flash causing all of them to take a step back from it. When the light of the teleportation spell died down there was a newcomer to their group. A unicorn stallion, about Sandbar's age with white fur and a golden mane, looking more than a little satisfied at the still-shocked look on Sandbar's face.
"In all those years, you never did learn how to react to my spells, Sandy."
Immediately Sandbar shook himself out of his state, then smiled and moving forward to embrace the new arrival in a hug.
"Comet! It's been ages!"
The other stallion broke into a warm wide smile and as they parted he slowly shook his head.
"And it felt even longer than that my friend. Sometimes the dancing lights of a big city can be so mesmerising it’s hard to remember where you’ve come from."
Sandbar blinked. As per usual he couldn’t say much to Comet’s antics but he knew Comet loved pointless dramatics, so he simply smiled and decided to let this one slide.
"Gonna have to take your word for it because I’ve never been in a city. But I guess I’m glad you’re glad to be back"
Comet nodded back to this then looked over his friend's shoulder, seeing the motley collection of other students behind him. He always had a certain natural charm to his demeanour and that was on full display here. While most would have at least batted an eye at Sandbar’s more than unusual set of companions, Comet just looked at them with healthy dose of curiosity. It wasn’t creepy or feigned, it just felt right. Sandbar was silently wondering how he did that.
"Sandbar, care to introduce me to your new friends?" Comet’s voice caught him a bit distracted but luckily enough Sandbar felt he was able to recover fairly quickly.
Smiling, Sandbar turned and gestured to each of his friends in turn.
"Comet, this is Gallus, Smolder, Silverstream and Yona."
Each of the other students gave a wave and a smile to the newly-arrived unicorn as soon as their name had been called out and Comet, in turn, gave a wave right back to them.
"Pleased to meet you all. I presume you all go to the new school that Princess Twilight opened? It has caused quite the stir within the EEA, or so I heard"
Smolder chuckled.
"Yep. It's been pretty sweet so far."
Gallus leaned in closer to his dragon companion.
"Weeeeeeeeell...it's sweet when the Professors aren’t putting our lives in danger over competitions between themselves."
The others gave him a simultaneous "shhhh" to that, prompting him to simply shrug his shoulders. Comet took an intrigued look at them, but didn't enquire further. Instead, he looked again to Sandbar.
"Soooo… is this everycreature?" Comet asked without ever hesitating before the word everycreature. He was the first one Sandbar had seen to get that right the first time.
Sandbar nodded, then stopped, realisation coming to him.
"Actually, no! There's...um...somecreature else."
A blush came to his cheeks, and he avoided his friend's eyes for a time, causing Comet to suddenly gain a knowing smirk.
"Oh Sandbar! I know that look! You cheeky little rascal, you haven’t stolen somecreature’s heart now have you?"
Silverstream giggled.
“Oh, he so did. I mean, actually it was Ocellus who stole his heart first, so I guess you can call it an act of revenge, but the lovey-dovey kind not the stabby-stabby-deathy kind of revenge.”
Comet chuckled and looked at Silver. Sandbar could’ve sworn he saw a strange flicker in his old friend eyes when he looked at the hippogriff.
“Well that’s most fortunate, because it would be a damn shame not to meet the creature who stole my friend’s heart. They must be absolutely stunning.” The way Comet said the last sentence to Silver Sandbar suspected that pronoun was actually a plural. And possibly meant in second person.
And just like that, there was a new sound all of a sudden. It was an incredibly loud buzzing, like the wings of an insect. And while Comet frantically began to look around to see where it was coming from Sandbar gained a fond smile, looking up to the sky.
"There she is!"
The gathered creatures all looked on as Ocellus swooped in for a graceful landing. Smiling to her friends, her welcoming outlook only grew further when she gazed upon her boyfriend, and she moved closer towards him.
"Sorry I'm late."
But Sandbar shook his head.
"No problem, Ocellus. I know how important it is for you to get that essay done."
The young Changeling smiled sweetly to her beau and Sandbar himself blushed fiercely at this. But then, after enduring the giggling and snickering by his other friends, he remembered why they were all out here to begin with. So after clearing his throat, he turned yet again to Comet.
And then he froze. For all the years he had known Comet, his friend was the one always in charge of any given social interaction. He had a certain way about him that could sway the mood of the situation in any direction he willed. And now… Now he willed it to freeze. His smile didn’t drop and his expression all around stayed about the same, but with just few slight changes he turned the image of the friendliest guy in the universe to that of death itself. It was just for a moment - an elusive moment - just long enough to be noticed but short enough to keep them guessing if it was really there at all. Sandbar was still stunned by this occurrence when Comet got bored of the silence.
“Well, hello there. Since my friend has a fairly poor track record of introducing his friends to me I’m going to have to ask your name myself.” Comet said with the same warm, wide smile as before when he had greeted the others.
Ocellus was looking just as perplexed as Sandbar felt.
“Umm… I’m Ocellus… It’s nice to meet you too.”
Comet looked at the others and clapped his hooves in satisfaction.
“Okay, now that’s done let’s go and have some fun. Is that bakery still open? The one that looks like the witch's hut from Hoofsel and Grazel? The name eludes me but if memory serves, that place is pretty great. And maybe after we grab some grub there we can go to a nice open field and have a nice picnic.”
“The Sugarcube Corner! That place is the bestest, most awesome bakery in Ponyville without stairs!” Silver gushed while hopping up and down in place
“Wow, you sure like your stairs.” Comet smiled kindly.
“And her superlatives.” quipped Gallus
“Also I’m pretty sure there are stairs in SCC.” added Smolder.
“Yes but you can’t use them unless you live there like Professor Pinkie Pie,” answered Silver with bit of over the top sulking added in for good measures.
“Not like you ever wanna actually use stairs, you just hug them and gush about them.” Gallus continued the friendly banter mercilessly.
Comet held his hoof up and made him stop. “Gallus, Gallus Gallus, there is no need for your technicalities. A Gentlecreature knows a lady is most beautiful when she is let free amongst the wonders of the world, enriching them with her mere presence.”
Then Comet stepped to Silverstream, and scooped up one of her claws with his hoof.
“And you Silverstream, never let anyone extinguish the light within your eyes. That is the greatest gift you can ever give to anycreature.” Silver blushed but didn’t turn away and kept looking at Comet completely mesmerised.
Gallus turned to Smolder and whispered to her. “Looks like somepony has thing for beaks.”
“Don’t kid yourself Gallus, he is waaaaay out of your league.” Smolder deadpanned prompting a faceclaw from Gallus with the remark. “But I wonder if he also has thing for fins?” The dragoness added, turning Gallus’ frown upside down in an instant.
Comet heard them again but this time but he didn’t even bother to react to them. He had much better things to look at. But before it became too obvious and/or creepy he let Silverstream’s claws go and turned to the others.
“So if everycreature agrees we might as well get going.”
On their way to Sugarcube Corner, contrary to what Sandbar expected, Comet didn’t continue to smooth-talk Silverstream or reminisce about his past with him. Instead he turned his attention to Yona.
“So Yona, you came from Yakyakistan, right?” Comet waited until he saw the Yak nod. “And correct me if I’m wrong but I think you are a high-born daughter of the clan from the… warrior caste right?” Comet asked nonchalantly.
Yona’s eyes grew thricefold instantly. “How does Comet know so much about Yona?” Then she stopped as if she’d hit a brick wall and for some time that was the last thing Sandbar saw, because the next moment she tackled him to the ground and then proceeded to squeeze the living daylights out of him with that deathgrip she had the audacity to call hug. “Sandbar told Comet about Yona’s past in Yakland because Sandbar is Yona’s best friend and they will be best friends forever and ever and ever!”
Though that conclusion was indeed a sound one Sandbar knew it was incorrect. He also knew that he had enough air for approximately 1.838 seconds. So in order to best utilise his rapidly shrinking lifespan he tried to communicate both of these facts simultaneously to Yona.
“Kragh! Gwaaf-bragh!” Sandbar rattled.
“Yona, I think that means, no he didn’t tell Comet about you.” Ocellus said meekly.
“Is it worrying that we are getting fluent in death rattle?” Gallus asked Smolder, but she just shrugged.
“Hilarious as it would be to see my friend being hugged to death, I must concur” said Comet confirming Ocellus’ guess with a cordial smile on his face.
Yona dropped Sandbar who immediately plopped into a gasping lump.
“Then how Comet knows Yona’s caste?” she asked dumbfounded.
“Well, I go to the Equestrian Royal Military Academy and about a week ago we had an exam about the culture and traditions of the neighbouring empires. So your green blanket on your back is the sign of the warrior caste, the long double braids are the signature of a noble yak lady. The gems in it should refer to your family but I doubt there is a pony alive who could identify those.”
“Whoa. Comet knows so much about Yaks. Yona likes Comet!” She bellowed straight into Comet’s face.
“I’m glad that feeling is mutual.” smiled Comet while rubbing his ears. Sandbar couldn’t help but smirk. At least he wasn’t the only one who had to suffer the extremities of Yona’s emotional spectrum.
Sandbar also noticed a detail that was an interesting development. Because although Comet was pretty much the brightest colt he ever knew, he always detested any sort of formal education. He often did a gig where he only completed forty percent of a test because that was the minimum marks required for passing. And he never failed. At least not on those tests because sometimes he just didn’t bother to show up. He frequently skipped classes in general and just randomly roamed the countryside instead. Sandbar accompanied him a few times and on those trips Comet was always very vocal about how school wasn’t for smart ponies. Sandbar pretty much assumed that Comet ending up in a military academy was due to his transgressions. However they must have known something there because anypony making Comet study for an exam was not something Sandbar ever thought he’d see.
On the other hoof Comet’s natural intelligence combined with military know-how… Sandbar shuddered with giddy anticipation. Beware world, he is coming for you.
***
At the Sugarcube corner Comet insisted on paying for the food claiming that he was the only one who actually made money instead of living on some kind of stipend. Which was probably a fib. Or at best it was an academic scholarship that he earned. But Sandbar let it slide because he knew how much this probably meant for Comet. Comet’s family had never been well off and back in the day Comet was really upset that he could never pay back any treat Sandbar bought him. To make matters worse, Sandbar’s father was a lawyer so money was never a problem for him.
Soon after the bakery they reached a nice quiet field just north of the town. As they settled down Sandbar spotted Smolder looking at the distant city of Canterlot, embedded into the mountainside. He was just about to step up and ask her what the matter was when he saw Comet doing the same. So he stopped and instead observed what his old friend was planning.
“Marvellous isn’t it? The greatest pony city that ever was or will be.” Comet said proudly. Sandbar noted how fond his friend clearly was of the capital. As far as he remembered he never really liked Ponyville.
Smolder shuddered as her contemplation was interrupted then hesitantly said: “Yeah I guess it’s kinda cool.” She waited few seconds silently staring at the landscape before she spoke again. “Hey Comet, how far away is it?”
“It’s around 35 miles give or take. About an hour with the train. You’ve never been there?” Comet looked at Smolder intrigued.
“No…” Smolder sighed heavily, not returning Comet’s look “Queen Ember made us avoid any pony settlement until we reached Ponyville and then forbid me to leave unless I’m with the school.” she kicked a rock on the ground and watched it tumble away. “She probably wanted to avoid any unwanted commotion we would cause.” she sounded uncharacteristically troubled.
“That’s understandable,” nodded Comet, “Ponies don’t see a lot of your kind in Equestria. It isn’t everywhere that they have a permanent dragon resident, and a national hero at that” Comet started to distractedly fidget with a couple of stones, levitating them in front of himself then making them do all sorts of neat tricks.
“Is he really a national hero? It always sounds like he’s just boasting.” Smolder looked at Comet with disbelief
“Yeah I can see why you’d think that. Between the princess of friendship and the elements of harmony there are an abundance of heroes in Ponyville, so I’d reckon he wouldn’t garner that much attention here. But rest assured he is a hero, I saw his statue in the Crystal Empire. It’s over 8 feet tall,” Comet said as he levitated one of the stones about said height over the other and then let it fall. They came together with a sharp clack.
“Whoa. What gives? Also what’s up with that whole Crystal Empire thing. How can it be an Empire and also part of Equestria? An empire within the empire?”
“Well Equestria is technically a country not an empire.” Comet said as he started to spin the two stones around each other. “And the name Crystal Empire is mostly a tradition hailing back the times when it was separate from Equestria and under the tyranny of King Sombra. Nowadays it’s an autonomous territory under the protection of the da Cadenza house.”
Smolder stared at the stones that quickly gained speed as Comet went on, soon turning into a grey whirl. “Although voices supporting full defection are gaining traction. My friend said there might be a referendum in the near future. Though I think that would be completely asinine since the Equestrian constitution guarantees the integrity of the country so such referendum would be illegal at best, casus belli at worst.” Comet stopped the stones and broke into a guilty smile as he caught himself monologuing “But I digress, I’m sure you are not interested in Equestrian internal affairs.”
“No, not really” nodded Smolder, slightly bored
“Nor do I think you are particularly mesmerised by pony architecture, which raises the question: why were you staring at our beautiful capital?” Though Comet still didn’t look at Smolder and his voice was completely nonchalant, Sandbar suspected everything his friend said up until that point was just a setup for this moment. If so Sandbar had to tip his imaginary hat to Comet for doing this so effortlessly.
“I was just thinking…” Smolder demurred looking away a bit flustered “I’m not even sure what.”
“Well I heard articulating your thoughts often helps clear them up, even for you. So should you want to, I’m more than happy to listen.” Comet was now throwing up one of the stones and trying to hurl the other at it mid air.
“Thanks, but no thanks.” Smolder shook her head. “I think I’m fine.” She stopped as she watched Comet completely missing the falling stone. “Also it’s not like you would know the answer.” Smolder hesitated pondering on the offer as Comet looked for two new stones “Although… you do know a lot about Equestria.”
“Well I’m no expert but asking a question can never hurt.” Comet said, his attention mostly occupied by the new stones.
“I guess that’s right.” Smolder nodded seemingly more to reassure herself than for anything else. “It’s just, I think it’s quite rude to ask a pony this… Eh whatever… So I’m in the School of Friendship learning from the princess of friendship and her friends who are themselves, the aspects of friendship and then I hear about all the great stories about how they all did these cool things with friendship, and this whole friendship narrative is seemingly so engrained into the very core of ponies and yet we still had to sleep under the sky or in caves and forests just to not to be seen by a single pony. And we’re supposed to be their friends.” Sandbar could have sworn he saw two thin line of smoke coming from Smolder’s nostrils by the end of that monologue. Though Sandbar was behind the two he imagined she was scowling at the city. This obviously must have been a sensitive topic so it was strange that she brought it up to a stranger first.
“Well… well… well.” Comet dropped the stones and scratched his head as he was thinking for a few seconds but didn’t look at Smolder. “To be honest, the way I see it everypony, - but I’d wager everycreature - is a hypocrite. So that’s that.” He paused for a second trying to figure out what to say next. “That being said I’ve never really bought into the idea that prejudices are sired by ignorance. Don’t get me wrong, it helps a lot, but creatures in general are not that stupid. Or evil for that matter. There is always something there. For example Dragons ate ponies. For a long time. You can’t just erase that by a snap of your claw no matter how much you might want. So it’s very easy, and very much justified from your part to expect ponies to have more compassion for you because you didn’t do anything to harm them. But as far as I’m concerned compassion must always go both ways if we expect it to do anything.” Comet was fidgeting with the dirt beneath until he decided how to continue
“So I think for now you should focus on being as kind to ponies as you can be, to prove that everything we know about dragons is wrong.” Comet turned to Smolder and looked into her eye with such gravitas that would have befitted a decorated war-hero.
“Because you made it wrong.”
“But why do I have to show friendship to ponies. Shouldn’t that be the other way around?” Smolder pouted.
Comet looked away thinking about this question. He stared at the silhouette of Canterlot for a few seconds before he answered. “Maybe it should, maybe it is, but that’s not the part you control. Being a good individual is all you can do. Well, that and brooding over the picture of Canterlot. But it seems pretty obvious which one is the better option. And if it fails and all ponies turn out to be bigots, you at least lived a good life. Made good friends like Sandbar here, and maybe, that’s enough.” Comet looked back at Smolder. “I suppose not everycreature is destined to change the world. But maybe, just maybe, only everycreature is supposed to change the world.”
Smolder didn’t answer, and instead she stared at the ground while nervously scratching her left elbow. Comet quickly realised her unease and rushed to soothe the situation.
“Come Smolder, let’s try all the baked goodness that’ve been waiting for us.” And with that he turned around and headed back to Sandbar and the others. Smolder followed him half a step behind with a small but grateful smile on her face. After a few steps she even shot a friendly “little” punch at Comet’s shoulder.
“You a pretty cool guy Comet, I hope you know that.”
“Well… I’m delighted…, you think that… but you can… let me know… in ways that… don’t make me… cough up my lungs” gasped Comet. He had to stop trying to regain his ability to breathe again.
“Yes but those come with the distinct disadvantage of not making you cough up your lungs” Smolder answered so matter of factly as she passed Comet that it would have made Professor Twilight jealous.
“Humpf… The plaintiff rests.” grunted Comet. To his credit for a pony of his ego Comet always knew when he was beaten.
With everything now being set up they all settled down to eat. It turned out they were all surprisingly hungry. Sandbar couldn’t help but notice that Silverstream still glanced at Comet regularly. Comet didn’t seem to notice though Sandbar knew that if Comet wanted them to think that, he could feign his obliviousness without any trouble. Gallus quickly finished off his muffin and turned to Comet.
“You know Comet… Despite raving about you for the better part of last week Sandbar never mentioned how you two met in the first place.”
“Oh… well that’s an interesting story.” Comet looked up “Albeit an embarrassing one at that. We first met in first grade in Ponyville elementary. We just moved here a few day prior, and before that we moved from place to place so I never really had friends.”
“Actually neither did I” Sandbar chimed in “I really wasn’t the greatest with ponies back then.” a sarcastic smile appeared on his face as he embraced Ocellus who laid beside him “Looking around, maybe I’m still not.”
A hearty round of laughter followed the witty remark. Ocellus even kissed him on the cheek.
“Well… so where were we?” Comet continued “Oh right, on our first day in School. So I managed to lose my pre-packed lunch from home. It wasn’t anything fancy, but back then we were really short on money so losing something like that might as well have been the end of the world for me; I was frantic. Running around, turning over every stone, questioning everyone… it was crazy. Now the next part is a bit hazy but I got so riled up that somehow I ended up picking a fight with little old Sandbar here. Though by now for the love of Celestia I couldn’t recall why it happened. Could you help me out old pal?”
“Nope, all blank up here” Sandbar pointed to his head. Though he knew exactly what went down that day, and he was sure Comet remembered just as well, he agreed with Comet that some memories are better left unvisited. So he joined in the façade, It wasn’t all that important anyway.
“Well then we’ll leave it at that. So first thing you have to know is that in Equestria each school-year starts with this completely unnecessary, pompous opening parade that’s literally everypony’s least favourite part of the year and yet we still keep doing it like it was Celestial decree or I don’t even know.”
“Ugh, tell me about it.” Gallus interjected “That stuff sucks even at home. I can’t even imagine what it’s like in ponyland.”
“At home we’re pretty chill about it.” Smolder shrugged. “Though dragons are not too big on education as a whole. We just usually learn everything we need from the older dragons we hang out with. That’s pretty fun though.”
Comet rolled his eyes. “Yeah we know ponies are so boring they actually play rock, paper scissors to spice up their life. So as I was saying…” he tried to continue but he was cut off by the loud guffawing of Smolder and Gallus.
“Too true bro.” The griffon said “Though life here isn’t too bad whenever our professors are putting our lives in danger over competitions between themselves.” Smolder couldn’t hold back a snicker.
“Yeah, dying sure sounds like fun. I do it several times a week.” Comet deadpanned. “Now do you want me to finish this story or not. It’s not like you asked for it or anything.” For the first time Comet looked a bit out of whack. Sandbar was intrigued as that was not an everyday sight.
“I did ask and you answered.” Gallus shrugged “You met at school. That’s it. I really don’t think anycreature is that interested in your origin story. No offence bro but you have a tendency to yap on about anything for hours. We moved on to the next topic, so just go with the flow. Makes you less boring.”
“Boring?” Comet raised his eyebrow with the slightest of smirks returning to his face. And Sandbar immediately knew Gallus was smoked. He didn’t know how but that poor griffon was gone. “And what – if I may enquire – does entertain you usually?” Sandbar was pretty sure that smile on Comet’s face now could be considered a death threat in some countries.
“I don’t know.” Gallus expression told Sandbar he was suspecting something, but it also told him it was far too little far too late “Having fun. Flying. Brawling with my guys back at Griffonstone. Having a good meal. That sort of stuff.”
“Brawling? You mean sparing?” Comet asked with cordial interest.
It was at this moment Sandbar knew, Gallus bucked up.
“That’s a stuck-up way to put it, but yes. Why ask?”
Ave Celestia, morituri te salutant Sandbar thought
“Well you know I’m from the military and thus I’m quite adequate at combat. So if you want a “little fun” I’d be more than happy to have a practice session with you.”
“Hell yeah! Now we’re talking.”
Sandbar had to stop this. Not only was this a fight that theoretically could have Gallus expelled if something went wrong, it was a fight that Comet picked - And that was a bad sign. “Hold on now guys, I know you had a small misunderstanding but fighting isn’t the answer.” Sandbar spoke up
“Well, Sandbar it’s not the answer. It’s simply a spectacle. I’m sure the ladies would love to watch something like that. It’s just some harmless fun. Right Gallus? Comet was speaking as politely as if they were just discussing a potential tea party.
“Hell yeah!”
Sandbar looked around nervously looking for help in one of his other friends. He couldn’t have been the only one who thought this was completely asinine. However his hopes were soon crushed. Smolder was sold when she heard the word brawl, Yona was a warrior by caste, Silverstream wasn’t going to pass up an opportunity to see Comet show off and while Ocellus did look a bit intimidated by the situation, when does she not?
Sandbar shook his head, measuring his options. He could try to get somepony from the town, preferably one of their professors but probably any adult would do. Even just the threat of doing something like that would definitely get them to stop… being friends with him. And the fight too. So despite the effectiveness it must be only held as a last resort.
He could also play the hero and try to get in between them physically but since one of them could fly and the other teleport that seemed rather futile. He wasn’t a farmer but he could probably make the grass grow tall enough to block at least Comet’s vision at which point he would maybe forfeit. He just had to make them pause for about six months. Give or take. And somehow convince the weather patrol to skip winter in the meanwhile. Seemed doable.
Running out of options he did the only thing that seemed reasonable. He steered into the skid. “Guys if we are really doing this, we are going to be doing this by my rules, or I’ll get somepony from town to stop this.”
Since neither of the guys object he continued.
“You start when I say, and you stop when I say.” Sandbar was trying to assert himself as best as he could, and the pleasant surprise on both of his friends faces told him he was doing an okay job. “First to grapple and hold the other to the ground wins. Gallus no claws. Comet, no offensive magic. Am I a clear?
“Crystal” nodded Gallus clearly amped up.
“Like the waters of the sky” Comet was practically purring like a smug cat. Sandbar didn’t like it. He knew Comet planned something and no rule was going to stop him. What’s worse he wasn’t even going to break any rules, just go around them as if they weren’t even there.
“Alright then. I still can’t believe we are doing this.” Sandbar shook his head again to clear his thoughts “I guess take your position over there from… I don’t know 50 feet from the other. I wanna talk with the both of you alone before we start.”
“Sir, yes sir.” Comet saluted and turned around to move to his place. Gallus just shrugged and did the same. Sandbar went to him first.
“You do realise that he is a soldier in training. He really knows how to fight.”
“Hmpf, pony military. It’s like shooting your enemies with confetti. Sounds cute, doesn’t work.” Gallus answered promptly.
“Gallus you don’t know him like I do. He wants this fight and that means he has a plan to win it.”
“Yeah, yeah everycreature has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
Sandbar shook his head. There wasn’t any helping this one. Some creatures just ask for the belt from time to time. Sandbar felt his non-existent hopes just got mortally wounded. Gallus was the one he could see being persuaded. Still he had to try his luck with Comet nonetheless. The sheer indifference with which the unicorn munched on that half eaten croissant he apparently picked up before he came here was not a great sign though.
“Look Comet, I know you have this fight figured out but look at him. He’s a griffon. A carefully designed killing machine. Look at his claws, look at his beak. Even if everything goes right he can injure you severely by accident.”
Comet took his sweet time swallowing the bite in his mouth, and then looked at Sandbar with a content smile as if has just enjoying his pastry. “Don’t worry about his claws. He won’t get to use them.” Sandbar rolled his eyes. Comet’s confidence certainly could be appalling at times.
“Comet tell me. Is this worth it over being interrupted?”
“Sandbar calm down. Griffon culture values strength very highly. I’m pretty sure he’s going to like me more when I beat him here. Think about this fight as ‘alternative friendship’.”
“What in the name of Tartarus? How does that even supposed to make sense?”
“Don’t ask me!” Comet put his forelegs up defensively “Griffons eat meat - They’re nuts!”
“I meant you, not the Griffons.”
“Details my friend, details.” Comet patted him on the head. Condescension wasn’t his best trait either. Sandbar officially gave up. He never stood a chance and it was high time he let this thing unfold. So he turned around picked out a sympathetically neutral place equidistant form both party. He looked up and spotted that Comet was still not finished with his croissant, but at this point he couldn’t care less. Sandbar was pretty sure it was part of Comet’s battle plan somehow anyway.
“Okay Gallus and Comet. On three!”
“One.” Sandbar was pretty sure he was supposed to feel anticipation, or dread of some sort but in truth he just wanted to get this over with.
“Two.” Sandbar glanced at the combatants, Gallus looked as if he was a wind up crossbow ready to be fired. Comet was impassively munching on his croissant.
“Three!”
Gallus shot up into the sky, elevating to about 30 feet where he immediately turned and dove toward Comet. Comet was not particularly disturbed by the start signal. He simply did two quick shoulder circles looked up at the rapidly approaching griffon for a second, swallowed and then completely out of the blue he shouted, “Gallus, catch!”
And with that he chucked his leftover croissant with his magic at Gallus.
For a brief moment everycreature on the field looked at the flying piece of baked good.
And that was all the diversion Comet needed. Sandbar only heard two quick bangs and just like that Comet disappeared from his vision. Sandbar frantically looked around for a few moments when he spotted that something was wrong with Gallus. His flight became erratic; wobbling and tumbling in the air while grabbing that seem to be the air in front of his throat.
“Comet, what the buck have you done?” Sandbar thought frightened. He knew this was going to happen. He knew this wasn’t a good idea. Comet never cared about fair play when he wanted to win. He had to intervene. He took a hesitant step towards the tumbling Gallus. But he quickly realised this wasn’t his time to shine so instead he turned to the girls.
“Smolder, Silver go up there and get Gallus down. I don’t know what Comet is doing but it’s clearly gone too far.” Sandbar asked frantically.
Silverstream nodded and jumped straight into the air, but Smolder caught her tail and yanked her back to the ground. “Hold your horses… I mean hippogriffs Sandbar. Everything is okay. Just trust me” Smolder said with an excited grin on her face.
“Okay?! What are you talking about Smolder!? Comet clearly did something to Gallus and now he is struggling for his life!” Sandbar shouted holding his head in disbelief. But Smolder didn’t even bother to look at him.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand he’s gone. That’s it Comet show him who’s boss” Smolder pumped her fist as Gallus finally hit the ground face first skidding a few yards before stopping.
“Okay now can anycreature tell me what in the holy rumps of the divine sisters is going on?” Sandbar cried somewhat hysterically.
One loud bang later a coarse staggered voice answered “I believe… I could.” And just like that a bowing Comet just formed out of thin air in front of Sandbar.
“Then pray tell me oh Comet-The-Great.” Sandbar tried to stuff as much sarcasm into the mock name as he could.
“Not much really. I threw the croissant as a distraction to make sure he didn’t see me go invisible, I ported onto his back and after some hardly fair wrestling I knocked him out of the skies and pinned him to the ground.
Sandbar closed his eyes, completely destroyed. Comet have utterly and completely outplayed him and his rules. Just like he knew he was going to. Utterly defeated, Sandbar summarised the last part just to make sure he didn’t miss anything. “Then after the fight, judging by the third bang, despite being out of breath you still felt the need to use magic to come over here from not exactly thirty yards away. Typical Comet.” Sandbar felt like facehoofing but this wasn’t the time for that. “Comet you are panting, sweating and wheezing, but you still can’t stop show-boating. You are one top hat away from being a stage magician.” he scolded his friend “Though you’d be real bad at it since a good magician never reveals his secrets.” he added quickly before Comet took it as a compliment.
“Judging by your expression it’s not like you wouldn’t have nagged me until I finally gave in and told.” Comet pointed it out. “Also if the charmingly smug smirk on Smolder’s face is any indication she figured it out already. Heat vision I guess?” Comet turned to Smolder with a kind smile on his face
Smolder nodded smirking.
“Guess?” Sandbar rolled his eyes, he couldn’t believe Comet sometimes. “Don’t tell me you didn’t count on that to have her hold me back when you pulled your ridiculous invisibility stunt.” He was really mad at Comet. That whole scuffle was beyond imbecilic.
“No Sandbar, I didn’t. Of course, I admit I learnt about it but it somehow eluded me today.” Sandbar wasn’t sure Comet’s pretentious cordiality was meant to tick him off but it did a good job of it regardless. But before he could have called Comet out for it he continued. “However, what I did count on was your trust in me that I’m able to keep a set of rules I’ve agreed on. Though it seems I was mistaken.”
Sandbar glanced around but the looks on his friends faces was clear. He was beaten here. Nothing to be done on that front. But at least he spotted Ocellus looking after Gallus and that took priority over anything here so he quickly trotted over there. Also it showed promise of more opportunities to scold Comet so that was a plus, too.
Luckily, Gallus looked pretty well and was back on all four by the time Sandbar got there. Also he was already arguing with Ocellus about the necessary treatment so all in all he seemed okay.
“I said I’m fine Oce, I’m not a baby.” Gallus pouted. Sandbar thought there was something ironic about how juvenile that sentence sounded.
“Okay but at least let me get a wet rag to put on your head, it helps a lot. I saw a stream somewhere on the way here. And if you experience any nausea, blurry vision or random headaches please go see a doctor.”
“Fine. I promise. Just stop fussing over me” Gallus finally realised that this was probably the fastest way to get her out of his feathers.
“You okay buddy? That was a nasty fall” Sandbar tried to sound nonchalant though he doubt he did.
“Yeah, kinda noticed that.” Gallus said, rubbing his head gingerly “And just like I told your little sweetheart a million times: I’m fine.” Gallus leaned in and whispered the rest to Sandbar “Seriously bro, you gotta make her stop doing this.”
“She just wants to help and there isn’t a pony in Equestria who is going to stop her doing that.” Sandbar shook his head “Especially not me.”
“Whatever.” Gallus shrugged and turned to Comet who was just a step behind Sandbar. He looked into Comets eyes with a long piercing glare. Sandbar was a bit worried that things were going to get physical again. “You…” Gallus stopped for a moment that was way too long for Sandbar’s liking, “are actually pretty cool, I like you.” And now with a friendly smile on his face he held his claws up for a bump.
“Thank you, it was a pretty good fight.” Comet bumped it back and Sandbar couldn’t believe that Comet had just been right... again.
“Griff, we gotta do this again!” Gallus grabbed Comet with his wing and pulled him in next to himself. “You really got me good with that little trick of yours but I want to see what happens if I’m not caught off guard.”
“What happens?” Comet laughed out, “Well, I can already tell you. You beat me up, down and sideways at a forty-five degree angle.” Comet looked down and shook his head in disbelief “I was invisible on your back smothering you and you still almost got out of my grip. Mare, you are strong. Even stronger than the earth ponies I usually spar with. There was like fourteen million different ways this could have ended and only one that I win. But I guess it would be quite rude and cowardly to refuse a rematch so I’m down”
“Nah, you are a smart kid; you’re gonna figure something out.” Gallus observed. “I can’t wait to see what.” Gallus rubbed his claws together “In the meantime how about we destroy any leftovers from the picnic?”
“Well that sounds lovely.” Comet replied “Have you tried the croissants Gallus? They are the best I’ve tried. They’re just so light they almost float.” Everycreature but Sandbar laughed at the joke.
And just like that Sandbar lost. Yet again, Comet was right because he just always had to be right. Sandbar felt terrible. Not only did he accuse his friend for planning something terrible just out of petty spite but he didn’t even trust him to know what he was doing. Yes it was dangerous, yes it was borderline stupid but that was Comet in a nutshell. Always dancing on the edge and somehow never falling off. Although Sandbar felt something had changed. The Comet he knew did everything randomly. He might preach some derivative crap about whatever agenda he claimed to have that day but in all honesty all the justification he ever needed was that he wanted to do it.
Now? The way he went through Sandbar’s friends, introducing himself not by just words but actions if need be and getting on the right side of each and every one of them? Sure it was still hectic and opportunistic but Sandbar felt there was something more, an underlying purpose that had guided everything he’d done. It was new, it was alien and frankly unnerving but maybe this fight was the final proof that Comet never wanted anything bad for him or his friends. And just like when they were foals maybe all he needed to do was to accept the hoof reaching out for him calling him for an adventure. Maybe.
Sandbar caught himself munching on a cupcake he didn’t realize he had picked up, laughing at a joke he hadn’t heard. It looked like as if he had zoned out from the world for a minute, however he heard a sound that he was sure to have known from a thousand others. A loud buzz coming from the sky signalling the arrival of his favourite person in this world. He looked up at the sky, smiling and watched his Ocellus slowly descending just between Gallus and Comet. Sandbar noticed that Comet closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath when she landed.
Ocellus put the rag that she had apparently tore off from the tablecloth they put their food on and tied it onto Gallus head. He looked positively ridiculous.
Sandbar stood up with the clear intention to greet his caring sweetheart with a kiss but her attention was already at something else. Namely a few slashed wounds on Comet’s right foreleg. The one he had used to choke Gallus if Sandbar had to guess. Sandbar felt pretty stupid that he hadn’t notice them yet. Usually he considered himself pretty perceptive.
“Comet can I have a look at your leg?” Ocellus asked. “Those cuts look quite nasty.”
“These? Nah, they are fleabites.” Comet said trying to hide his wounds “I get more banged up in the academy daily. Nothing to worry about really.” Comet actually looked surprisingly flustered. His sentences shortened, his pitch perfect posture slouched a bit as he nervously put weight from one leg to the other. It was the least Comet-y thing Sandbar had seen from him the whole day.
“It’s better to have them cleaned anyway.” Ocellus insisted. “You really don’t want to get any infections.”
“I think you really should listen to Ocellus. She is like really good with these kind of things.” Silver chimed in.
“And she is painfully persistent.” Gallus agreed with the hippogriff. “It’s better to let her have her ways, it’s much quicker.”
“No.” Comet said adamantly.
“Why?” asked Sandbar. This sort of mindless resistance was very unlike Comet. Sandbar felt there was something foul in the air. His fears were only confirmed when he saw the expression of fear and disgust on Ocellus’ face.
“Just because.” Comet started to get visibly impatient.
“Come on Comet, don’t be so stubborn. It’s not even going to sting.”
“Everycreature stop!” Comet snapped out. “My decision is final, I’m not going to let it touch me in anyway, whatsoever.”
It was only a word. A single pronoun, so small, yet it can mean so much. It can change everything you ever thought you knew about somepony. Sandbar didn’t know who asked the question, it could have been any of them and in truth it was actually all of them voiced by a single one, uttering the only word on all of their minds.
“It?”
Comet of course tried to play it down. He knew it was too specific for a mistake so instead of denying it he tried to justify it. “You look painfully hung up on the gender of a shapeshifter. It’s not like it matters for them.” He didn’t get very far.
“Changelings do have genders thank you very much.” Sandbar never thought he’d see his shy and gentle Ocellus so abhorred.
Comet closed his eyes turned his head down took a big breath and then looked back to Ocellus. The elemental hatred on Comet’s usually so friendly face was so terrifying Sandbar unwittingly put one of his legs in front of Ocellus to protect her.
“I know you Changelings have genders. What you don’t have is my good grace to acknowledge your existence as anything but vermin to be exterminated. Thus I’m not going to waste personal pronouns of any kind on you beside it.”
Comet expression straightened out, and he looked around seeing his new acquaintances stunned by his revelation. He didn’t look particularly disturbed. He knew what to expect from the students of the School of Friendship. Instead he just shook his head and with sour smile on his face he said. “I guess you got to know when to hold ‘em, you got to know when to fold ‘em, you got to know when to talk and when to walk. It seems it’s high time for the last.”
And with a loud bang he teleported who knows where.
For a few long seconds nocreature wanted to talk. Ocellus and Smolder just froze into a death glare staring at where Comet stood a moment ago. Silver completely collapsed, fighting back her tears with Yona trying to console her. Sandbar felt his world was spinning around him, nothing made sense, nothing was right any more.
Interestingly enough it was Gallus who kept his cool the most. He didn’t seem particularly bothered by the fact that Comet just came out as a Changeling hating maniac. He just turned to Sandbar and asked.
“Did you know?”
“No...,” Sandbar shook his head “I mean now that I think about it… there were some things that should have been telling signs… but maybe it’s all just hindsight.”
“I knew.” Ocellus cut in still huffing. “When you are a Changeling in ponylands you learn to recognise the signs. They are always there. Behind every uncomfortable shudder, fake smile, forgotten courtesy. But usually at least they just dislike you. You feel you can change that. But this is just… dirty.”
“But you know what? It’s fine.” She held up her hoofs creating some space between herself and Sandbar desperately trying to sound nonchalant. “He is not the first and definitely not the last. At least he was upfront about it” she shrugged as she paced back and forth with ire in her every step. “More or less. Most ponies just scowl and whisper behind your back and act like saints when they talk to you.” She shrugged again. “I’m a changeling, we have our history I’m not proud of but I had nothing to do with it. I’m a changeling, times change we change.” She shrugged yet again. “And I think I turned out pretty okay, right?” she turned to the others. “I mean I have my hive, I have the school I have you girls. I don’t need random ponies opinion to be happy about my life!” Ocellus voice was filling with anger with every word. “Especially not one who didn’t even have the fucked-damn courtesy of telling their name to me! Off with his soul!” she shrieked at the top of her lungs to the place they saw Comet disappear.
Sandbar stepped over to his love and turned her around. “Come here Celly” Sandbar whispered to Ocellus as he gently embraced her. She immediately buried his face into his chest, and Sandbar could already feel the wetness of her face.
“When will this end Sandbar?” She asked snivelling. “What should I do differently? I’m trying my best… I’m getting the best grades in the school of friendship… I have you and the others… But then ponies like Comet look at me… And all they see are the hellish shape shifters from their tales of old... I know my people have a dark past but…” Ocellus looked up at Sandbar, “but how much more do I have to do to atone for deeds I didn’t do?”
The facets of her eyes threw back a thousand reflections of his own face, each like a silent cry out for help or anything even remotely consoling. Sandbar was at a loss of words. He had no idea why this happened, he had no idea how to solve this and frankly he didn’t even fully realise what this all meant. He hated himself for having to resort to stroking Ocellus’ head and mumbling meaningless clichés.
A few minutes passed like this before Gallus asked Sandbar. “What are you going to do exactly, Sandbar? Isn’t he supposed to sleep at your place tonight?”
“Yeah I guess that’s true.” Sandbar didn’t look away from Ocellus. “But I’m not too troubled with that. If he can’t leave town till morning he can ask for shelter at any house and he knows that. This is Ponyville after all.”
“Then that’s it.” Smolder looked like she would burn down the entire field around them “As far as we’re concerned, he’s dead. That slimy, two faced, insinuating worm is all alone. And if he shows his face again I’ll…”
“No.” Sandbar interrupted. Now that he had a little time to think about this ordeal it seemed obvious that Smolder's suggestion was not the solution “I don’t think I can do that. I have to speak with him. Alone.”
“But why? It’s not like he has an explanation for this.” Smolder clenched her fist. “Or what’s worse, he probably does.”
“Maybe but I feel… I don’t know… something is off about him. First I just wrote it off as nothing since we haven’t met in a few years but the more I think about it the more I believe that there is a reason behind this. Something’s happened. Besides, I was the one who invited him here, so I’m the one who’s responsible for this mess. Least I can do is to go to the train station and see if he left, or about to leave.”
Sandbar saw that most of his friends were about to object but Gallus spoke up faster than anyone. “OK, Sandbar it’s your call, do what you gotta do. We’ve got your back.” Though reluctantly, eventually everycreature nodded, even Smolder.
Sandbar kissed Ocellus on top of her head before letting her go. “Don’t worry Celly. Everything is going to be okay.”
***
Though Sandbar said he was going to the station to check for Comet he didn’t really like that idea. He really felt like he had no idea what to say to Comet. Should he try to reason with him? That sounded asinine, Sandbar never could change his mind about anything. Or just go straight for the throat, berate him for what a prick he was and denounce all kinship they’ve ever had? Smolder would be happy, that’s for certain, along with a couple of his other friends but was that really what he wanted? And what if Comet really had a reason for what he did? It’s stupid to even think that he could have any legitimate reason to hate someone he’s never met but… Sandbar really couldn’t outright rule out the possibility. Not with Comet anyway.
Without any better idea at the moment he decided it would be fair to at least give him a reasonable chance to leave town on his own terms should he want to. It at least gave Sandbar time to employ the oldest pony tactic in the book. If in doubt: ask for help.
Luckily it was Friday, late afternoon and everypony in Ponyville knew that Friday was practice day for Professor Rainbow Dash. Of course she had to practice most everyday to become a Wonderbolt but she did most of her practice a bit farther out of the town so as not to be bothered. But throughout the years every Friday like clockwork she show would up on the skies of Ponyville to mesmerise everypony. Sandbar used to watch her a lot back in the day, sometimes he could even drag Comet to watch her with him, though his friend always preferred the more active forms of entertainment.
Of course with the years passing by ponies got quite used to it and nowadays nopony would even bother look up to see one of the greatest flier ever to touch the skies of Equestria. She didn’t look too bothered by it. She still showed up every week on time like she owed it to the town, bringing just that little bit more colour to everypony’s life. She became the constant everypony would miss if she disappeared. If anypony knew how to deal with old friendships turning bad it’s her.
Though she didn’t have a set location for the practice it was pretty much visible from every point of the town anyway. Ever since she had gotten a fellow Wonderbolt in town she often asked him to fly with her though it wasn’t the case this time, and Sandbar was thankful for that. Also it seemed none of the rainbow wigged little freaks were here. Their commitment was incredible and they still showed up from time to time after all this time.
Sandbar was really grateful he was the only one who watched Professor Rainbow that day. He was going to look stupid enough shouting at a pony several hundred feet over him, he didn’t needed anyone whose entertainment he was going to delay. In theory it was pretty simple. He shouted at his professor and rumour had it she had such keen senses she would hear anything that happened on the ground. But as Sandbar was watching Professor Rainbow zipping around in the sky he grew doubtful. There was no way anypony could hear anything up there. But he came this far so he might as well try it.
“Here goes nothing.” Sandbar took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs. “Professor Rainbow!”
First it didn’t look like it did anything. The rainbow trail in the atmosphere just pulled up and started a loop de loop. But as she was supposed to come out of the loop she just darted straight down and slammed into the ground right next to Sandbar.
“There is no need to shout so hard kid, I’m not that old yet.” Professor Rainbow said as she pulled her goggles down and slowly walked over to Sandbar.
Sandbar was simultaneously trying not to choke on all the dust Rainbow kicked up and wondering how hard these superhero landings must be on the knees and ankles. But he knew Professor Rainbow was an unrepentant show-off at heart. Sandbar wondered who she reminded him of?
Sandbar had to admit when he decided he wanted to talk with Professor Rainbow it all seemed much simpler than it was now that he was facing the real thing. Also he could swear the professor had approximately 72 teeth and she personally asked Celestia to move the sun in such a way her smile shone the brightest it could, right into his face.
“What’s up kid, cat got your tongue?”
“Umm, no I just got a question.”
“Maybe then you should ask it. My awesomeness is quite limitless, but mind reading is one of the fields I’m a bit less of an expert in. Maybe you should ask Fluttershy, she is much better at speaking with creatures who can’t talk.”
Sandbar looked down and bit his lower lip. He was really regretting his decision to come here right about now. Luckily Professor Rainbow noticed that and quickly added.
“Okay kid, I see whatever this is about it’s clearly no joking matter for you. Sorry for that. So what’s on your heart?
Sandbar hesitated. He knew what he was going to say but the words didn’t come out. He looked at Professor Rainbow who was patiently waiting as she pretended not to notice his hardship. It didn’t help though. So instead Sandbar just closed his eyes and blurted in one go:
“Howlongdoyouhavetostayloyaltoyourfriend?”
Professor Rainbow didn’t look too surprised. She obviously had expected a question like that.
“That… usually depends on two factors. One is the thing he’s done to warrant your doubts. What happened between you?”
“He… hates Changelings. A lot. He spouted some really hateful stuff at Ocellus too.”
“Ughh…” The professor winced “That’s rough. Is it only specifically to Changelings or is he just a general pony-centrist like Chancellor Neighsay?”
“No he was really friendly with all my other friends. Even if he did it in his own… alternative ways.”
“Ugh… that’s actually even worse.” she shook her head. “I mean it’s better but it makes the matter that much more complicated.” Professor Rainbow really had to stop and gather her thoughts. It was the first time, Sandbar saw his usually energetic and quite trigger happy professor so hesitant. “I think in your case it all really depends on how good of a friend he is. Often, friends you have doubts about stopped being your friends long ago and you just didn’t notice. You became slowly distant from each other and now you only hang out or talk because you feel it’s a necessity, it’s just the way things are.”
This sounded scary. It was basically the story of his friendship with Comet.
“And how do I know that my friend is a real one?” Sandbar asked cautiously.
“You came here so you probably see something is worth saving about him. That’s a good sign. But still… it’s not an easy question. I mean it was easy enough for me but I’m more of the exception than the rule. Most ponies can’t use their friendship as heavy weaponry. And for them maybe… maybe I don’t know if there is an answer.”
This was devastating. Sandbar was at his wit’s end. If the famous Rainbow Dash couldn’t give an answer then where could he hope find one. But just as he was about to throw in the towel Professor Rainbow spoke up again.
“However what I do know is loyalty. I can tell you about that and maybe that will help.” Professor Rainbow stopped for a moment gathering her thoughts “Loyalty is a choice, never a duty. A choice that you have to make whole heartedly otherwise it just doesn’t work. Many great ponies just subjugated themselves to some sort of moral or ethical code and served it because they were too weak to make their own choices.”
She snickered quite arrogantly. “Idiots, if you ask me. Damned idiots. As if blindly following something had anything to do with loyalty. Loyalty is about being faced with what you’re to give up for that person. It’s about your capability to do anything else and the sacrifice of all the alternatives. But if you feel like you have no choice than what really is it you sacrifice?” Professor Rainbow looked up at the sky and shook her head “I know, I know I basically said do what you want, but it’s not easy. Doing the right thing; but not because that’s what they expect from you or what you think you should do, but because that’s what you really want. It seems like a small, insignificant detail, but it is the hardest and greatest thing you can do.”
“So you are saying I should talk with Comet?”
“If that’s what you want, sure. Maybe he’s worth it. Maybe he is just a toxic a jerk and you just surpassed him. But at the end of the day it’s your call, and I’m not gonna make it for you. Is he your friend from Canterlot?”
“Umm, yes, but how do you know about him?
Professor Rainbow rapped her right ear. “Good hearing. I also know all the nasty gossip you younglings are murmuring about in my class. I mean I would know if I cared but that’s not really my business so I just try to forget about it most of the time. Not like that was an option with this one since you just couldn’t stop yapping about him for the last two weeks. If he is that important to you then you might want to talk with him. Also he lived in Canterlot for the past few years so he might have an interesting story to tell. Is he the one who goes to the military academy?
“Umm, yes but why is that important.”
Professor Rainbow shook her head.
“It really isn’t, I just wanted to check if I was recalling it correctly. It would have bothered me for the better part of the next five minutes. But if you don’t have anything else to say I really should get going. Training isn’t gonna do itself.”
“No that was all…” Sandbar couldn’t even finish the sentence before Professor Rainbow took off and flew right into the sunset.
Sandbar couldn’t shake the feeling something was off about her. He felt she was too eager to go. Maybe she just got bored, Professor Rainbow was never known for her patience. Sandbar shrugged. It was getting late anyway so he had better start to look for Comet. Oh boy was he going to give him a piece of his mind.
***
Finding Comet proved surprisingly difficult.
Just as Sandbar guessed, he was not at the train station and the conductor said that he hasn’t seen anypony who met his description. And since they didn’t have a favourite place to meet when they were younger Sandbar didn’t have much to go on. He knew that Sandbar never liked the town too much. He’d much rather roam the countryside whenever he could. So Sandbar could rule out the town. Probably the general area of the picnic place too. The Everfree forest was also out of the question. It still took about an hour and a half to finally spot him brooding in his lonesome. The sun was brought down long ago but the moon looming over the Everfree behind Comet gave the scenery eerie hue. Though he knew it was impossible Sandbar couldn’t suppress the feeling that Comet somehow found a way to make the scenery match the tone of the moment.
Comet looked disjointed. He was staring at the ground for what Sandbar imagined must have been hours and had never even moved. He probably felt some sort of remorse. However the question still hung over the situation: What for?
As Sandbar drew closer Comet spoke up.
“I really didn’t want the day to come to this.”
He seemed honest. Just like he always did. And while Sandbar didn’t think Comet would lie under the circumstances he couldn’t be sure. So as he sat down in front of Comet he answered with the only sentence that he could say honestly: “I doubt it.”
“Okay, I didn’t want the day to come this, in this particular manner.” Comet answered rolling his eyes. This was a really interesting answer, one that Sandbar felt he couldn’t have pried out of Comet if he had tried directly. So he decided to strike while the metal was hot and play the bad cop.
“Comet giving up control, oh my… what an unspeakable tragedy.” Sandbar snorted.
“Strange choice of words buddy...” Comet sighed looking up the skies remorsefully. “Strange choice of words…” Sandbar could have sworn there was a tear in his eyes but it was too dark and he closed them too soon to be sure. Sandbar was shocked, this would have been the first time he saw Comet tear up since the day they met. He waited for Comet to continue, but it quickly became clear that he had no intention to. He just continued to sit there, head down watching the dirt, oblivious to the world or his friend.
“I came here to talk” Sandbar started a bit more timidly than he wanted too.
“I know. I mean, it’s either that or you come to avenge your beau like some sort of dashing cavalier. But that’s not really your style. Besides, you know you’d stand no chance.” Comet wasn’t smirking when he said this, he obviously wasn’t trying to hit a nerve. He didn’t even look up to Sandbar to see his reaction. He just stated a fact. “But if you are the one who wants to talk then you should be the one who starts.”
Sandbar broke into a smile. Comet is a natural at turning an argument into his favour but not even he can warp reality with his words. Not always anyway. And the fact was that he was still here and not on a train to Canterlot. So feeling confident Sandbar asked with small smirk on his face “Am I really the only one who wants to talk?”
“No, you are just the one dumb enough to admit it first.”
“Fine.” Sandbar sighed a bit irritated, “Tell me what was that whole stupidity with the “It” crap”
“I’m pretty sure you heard why I said what I said. I don’t trust it. Not one bit, not now, not ever. Neither should you.”
“Yeah I got that much. But why?”
“I… I can’t tell that. It would get me expelled from school, which would also mean… But that’s not important.
“Now that’s just great. Not only am I just asked not to trust the love of my life, I’m asked by the friend I literally know the least about out of all of my friends”
“And what do you presume to know about me? I’m your friend, I live in Canterlot and I go to the Royal military academy there.”
“Yeah... That’s the answer you give to your in-laws when you meet them on Heartswarming eve every year. There’s gotta be more.” Sandbar honed in on Comet’s face, “You may have everycreature twisted around your hoofs with your antics, but you aren’t fooling me. You didn’t say anything about yourself all afternoon.”
“That has a very simple reason.” Comet shook his head. “I’m just not sure what I can tell you. The world holds many secrets: Some are valuable, some are dangerous, and some shall remain hidden for it is the darkness where they belong.”
“Oh cut that crap.” Snapped Sandbar. “This is bull and you know it. You owe me this. I have the right to these answers. I have the right to know why you hate Ocellus.”
“That’s different.” Comet looked away troubled “It’s different. My life just has some details I’m forbidden to tell you. But you know what I think about authority. The changeling however… That’s another matter entirely. There’s something sinister about it that you have to know but you mustn’t know about”
“Great, more riddles.” Sandbar stopped and let a long sigh out. He knew if Comet didn’t want to talk he won’t be able make him and this would turn into series of pointless question and answers leading nowhere. Despite this he wasn’t ready to give up just yet. “But if that’s the case you might as well tell me about both because we have all the time in the universe.”
“It’s not about time.” Comet looked down “It’s more about a… conflict of interest. On one hoof you’re in danger, on the other if I told you why I loathe it you would never see the realm of the Lunar princess again. Or you’d wish you wouldn’t.” he added on an eerily low voice.
“Danger?!” said sandbar aghast “That girl is the most tender, loving being for Celestia’s sake, I’m not even sure she’s physically capable of actually harming anycreature”
Comet shook his head. “You really have to start looking behind appearances Sandbar. Where do you think a changeling spy would hide if not in plain sight?”
“I don’t know, literally anywhere else? It’s not like they can’t change into anything they want to.” Sandbar cried almost hysterically. He was sure he was missing something obvious but he didn’t care.
‘That’d be actually a pretty solid point if we ponies couldn’t scan for any changeling in an area. What we can’t scan for is a changeling disguising itself as a changeling.”
“What?! We can scan for Changelings?” Sandbar demanded back, shocked.
“I don’t know.” Comet shrugged “Do you think if they could they’d tell me? But let’s look at it from Queen Chrysalis’ perspective: This town has two of the greatest pony mages alive, and unlimited access to any changeling knowledge thanks to her traitorous hive. It’s fair to assume they’d figure something out. So it would be foolish to waste one of her few remaining loyal servants on trying something this risky. On the other hoof trying anything without sufficient Intel is just as dumb so she had to send someone. Someone who would never become suspicious for using changeling magic.”
Sandbar was about to ask Comet to get rid of his tinfoil hat but something made him stop. Under the layers of misdirection and craziness this idea actually made perfect sense. That is if somepony was completely paranoid, but Sandbar had to admit that of anyone the fallen queen did warrant those feelings. In the end all he could come up with surprised gasp “Wow it’s like some sort of crazy spy novel…”
“More like counter intelligence 101. But yes it can get complicated.” Comet nodded
“Counter intelligence 101…” Sandbar murmured. It was oddly specific. He begun to wonder about a thought that just occurred to him. First it seemed like a stretch but the more he pondered about it the surer he got that he was right. Comet did know an eerie lot about every single species outside Equestria, could turn invisible at will, and said it himself that the only way he could beat a griffon was if he attacked it from behind which is a strange thing to admit for a soldier. That is if he was just a soldier. Also he was referring to something the authorities forbade him to tell. This sounded like something the high command wouldn’t want disclosed. Despite his general distress a wild grin appeared on Sandbar’s face just thinking about this possibility. “Comet at the Military academy… you’re learning counter intelligence?”
“So you have said.” Comet replied neutrally. But the corners of hiy mouth moved just the tiniest but upward giving the truth away.
Sandbar was impressed. The more he thought about it the more this job suited Comet. A dangerous, creative line of work that required impeccable interpersonal skills and perfect perception. And unlike most of the other positions in the military, obedience was much less of an issue, since he would have to solve most of his problems on his own anyway. But still, Comet’s evident enthusiasm was at least a little interesting. Sandbar had never known him as particularly patriotic. Sandbar had a haunch that this and his other newfound characteristic was somehow connected.
“So is that why you hate Changelings? Because they’re a threat to national security?” Sandbar tilted his head as he asked. He finally thought he had a grasp on Comet.
“It’s certainly a possibility. I couldn’t even deny it outright. Which is now that I think about it, probably the reason I didn’t.
Sandbar had a feeling that was the closest thing to a straight answer he was going to get out of his friend on this topic. For the time being anyway. So he just picked up and ran with it. “In that case you’re still a prick you know.”
“Now that’s a statement I can wholeheartedly agree with. Though I’m intrigued how you reached that conclusion, because I feel your reasoning differs from mine.”
Leave it to Comet to just take a criticism head on like this. It didn’t matter though, Sandbar was already committed to his plan and as Comet once told him sometimes it was best just keep your head down barge through anything life tosses at you to deter you. “She didn’t do anything to the country or you”
“So you say I just hate it in particular without reason?” Comet rolled his eyes. “Great.”
“Quite the opposite actually.” smiled Sandbar. He knew he finally got Comet. “I firmly believe you have a very particular reason, your being a spy in training just isn’t it.”
Comet looked into his eyes as if he wanted to see what lied behind them. Sandbar saw he was looking for something, contemplating whether he should tell the answer. Sandbar had no idea what he was searching for. Maybe some sort of conformation. But what for? Sandbar didn’t know and he was certain he wasn’t going to figure it out. But trying to fight Comet in a battle of wits could only get you so far. Being firm and honest yielded much better results in his experience. This is how they became friends in the first place. So he just stood his ground, not backing down or looking away, waiting patiently for the decision Comet was going to make.
“You want to know why I hate it?” He asked quietly. “Why I hate them? I must warn you, this truth has a price. Dealing with darkness always does. I don’t know what it is but you will pay for it in ways you cannot even imagine. Are you sure you want this?”
Sandbar saw Comet meant every word he said. It would be probably wise to heed his word and back down now while he still could. But Sandbar couldn’t do it. He had to know.
“Go on.” He said calmly.
“OK then.” Comet took a deep breath “Let me ask you something first. Has anybody ever told you in this bright, whimsical, utopia of universal acceptance of a town what a Changeling eats?”
Sandbar wasn’t particularly surprised by this question, it was obvious Comet’s grief had to do something with the Changeling’s old ways. Emphasis on the old. “Love. At least they ate love. But they no longer…”
Comet was having none of his extenuations. “And have your precious special some… thing told you what happens to a pony when it sucks them dry?”
Sandbar recoiled a bit. He had no idea what he meant by “suck them dry”.
“No she didn’t.”
“Figured.” Comet furrowed his brow “Usually when Changelings feed on others they put them away in cocoons for later use. Love is hard resource to come by and this way they can feed on ponies for theoretically unlimited times. But when they have an abundance of victims' and they don’t have to worry about the future they take all their victims love until their soul is nothing but an empty wasteland. Ponies that have that done to them stop living at that moment.”
“What? They never told me Changelings killed their prey.”
“Who said they do?” A sour smile appeared on Comet’s face. “No, what they do is worse than death. A pony without a soul can survive until they die of old age. They can eat, sleep and function like a machine. They just can’t do anything else.”
“What do you mea…” Sandbar tried to interject but there was no stopping Comet.
“My dad and I tried to take care of her at first. We tried to remind her who she was. Brought her to her favourite places, cooked her favourite foods, set her up with old friends, anything to just put a smile on her face. Nothing worked. We grew pretty desperate at the end. “
“Okay but…”
“My father started to drink a lot. I’m pretty sure at one point he raped her just to try to give her some love that way.”
“Oh my…”
“Can you even call that rape? Not sure. But I’d bet this question was one of the last things that went through his head. Before the pavement of course.”
“Holy smokes Comet. That’s horrible I don’t even know what to say.”
“You could finally shut up and let me finish the story” Comet growled angrily.
Sandbar gulped and nodded, fearing how this story could get any worse. Because he knew it wasn’t going to get better.
“After my father left us I wasn’t left with too many choices. I couldn’t work because I was too young and I had to spend most of my time looking after Mother. I dropped out of school and started hustling others for money on the street. To be honest that went fairly well considering the circumstances but I still couldn’t make more than what was enough for the bare essentials. Sometimes not even that. We both grew thin fairly quickly. It wasn’t long until I realised that I was clinging to a shadow. Mother died. I could do nothing else but end her suffering. So I stole the biggest, strongest bottle of booze I could find, got so drunk that I actually believed that what I was about do was good in any sense of the word, and smothered Mother with a pillow.”
Sandbar could almost feel his eyes popping out of his skull.
“It was the worst night of my life. Just standing there, pillow in hoof, watching the blank emotionless face of the mare who gave you life, adamant on taking hers. You take a deep breath, mind clear like the summer skies despite the booze. You step forward, climb on the sofa so you can reach her head better and put the pillow on her face and start to press with all your power. And she doesn’t do anything. You could stop any time you want and she would survive. But you press on. You just stand in the silence. There is no struggling to work against, no muffled screams besides the ones in your head. And then after an eternity she collapses but you still press on. You don’t know what you are doing your mind have long been engulfed by horror and disgust. And you just hang on to love, obsession or anything you have left. But most of all you just hang on to the pillow as the last anchor to whatever you once called sanity while the world slowly fades around you. You are alone, alone with the pillow and the suffocating nothingness of reality. Then you wake up trying to believe that it was all but a dream, but deep down you know it’s all just false hopes. You glance up and see the lifeless body of your Mother in your arms and you know it’s done. And then you cry. Cry because there is nothing else to do, whilst knowing that no amount of tears can atone for your wanton treachery”
Though he couldn’t have closed his eyes for the love of Celestia it still took a few moments for Sandbar to realise he has been staring at the now silent Comet. Even more strangely, his friend looked just as lost as him. Comet’s eyes were - for the lack of better term - dead. He just stood there his face showed no emotion while his focusless gaze just blindly looking at nothing. He breathed, he functioned, but his mind was completely lost in the memory.
Sandbar was about to poke him but then suddenly as if someone just flipped a switch he returned to life and continued without missing a beat. “If I hadn’t been so tacky I would have died that night. Or as soon as I regained enough motor function to kill myself. Fate however had other plans with me. Turns out my robbery got discovered pretty fast and two officers barged into my house. The younger one would have arrested me immediately, but older actually looked around, put two and two together and realised what was going on. After that I was given a choice. Either I join the royal military academy and have my record wiped or I could go to jail. Probably for life. Probably without trial. For the better or worse I chose the military.”
Sandbar didn’t know what to say. This was way beyond anything he could ever imagine. Even just trying to wrap his head around something so horrifying made the world spin around him. He felt scared, confused and nauseated. He had to sit down. After a few seconds when he felt his head started to clear out he started to whisper. Mostly to himself.
“But she was too young she couldn’t be there… she couldn’t have known… it was the adults of the hive… not her”
“So her mommy fed her mine; now that you put it that way it certainly sounds better.” Comet’s taunting voice, like the words of the eternal judgement, struck his mind. It felt like a whiplash tearing into his flesh. Sudden, vicious, leaving behind nothing but scars and pain. Sandbar couldn’t retort, couldn’t say anything in defence of his loved one. Or anything at all. He just fell onto his knees and put his head to the ground and started crying.
A few moments later Sandbar felt a gentle touch on his chin nudging his head upwards. He let his head be lifted up and looked at Comet’s eyes. Shockingly there was no sign of hatred or spite on his face. His expression was that of the friend he’d grown to love so much.
“Look, the way I see it there are two possibilities.” Comet’s voice was so silky and soothing Sandbar almost thought he was an angel. “At best she is the benevolent member of a race who were known to be unquestioningly obedient to an overriding will for most of their history. At worst she is the spy of a fallen sovereign hell bent on revenge on a bunch ponies. Most of whom just happen to live in this very town. If you are willing to live with this then fine, I wish you a happy life. I really do. But I?”
Comet broke into a smile. A smile so contagiously sad it made Sandbar feel guilty for every moment he’s ever felt joy in his life. A smile elegantly encapsulating the utter horror Comet had been through.
“I told you that the older officer actually figured out why I did what I did Right?” Comet asked in a tone that sounded like it belonged to the clown Pawliacci “Do you know what this means?”
Sandbar shook his head. Words had failed him completely that night.
“I was not the only one.” Comet whispered, the remnants of his last smile still lingering on his face. Sandbar felt Comets grip tightening on his chin. “That officer had seen this enough times to realise what was going on almost immediately. How many did they kill? How many other lives had they ruined? How many twisted souls are now wandering the world tortured by more pain than we can ever imagine? How many victims would I betray like I betrayed Mother if I ever let myself feel anything besides hatred for these creatures? What would happen if I chose the comfort of giving up my morals again like I did that night?”
Comet slowly loosened his grip and gently let his head go, took a deep breath and turned around looking at the moon.
“So that’s my story. Now you know what you wanted to know. Do what you will, my job here is done. For the better or worse.”
Sandbar’s brain shut down. This was beyond his capacity to even comprehend. It made no sense in so many levels. This contradicted even the rules of his worst nightmares. This was not supposed to be possible and yet here they stood. He just looked at Comet’s sombre silhouette as his mind was completely overwhelmed by the flashing images of horror his friend’s eyes were forced to behold.
And just like that Comet lit up his horn and with a loud bang teleported away.
Sandbar could almost literally hear a giant slab of glass shattering to smithereens. He didn’t know what to think or do. Whatever he thought he knew about anything was upside down. Every moment a new layer of horribleness just came to light as he contemplated what he just heard. It seemed like he was caught in a whirlpool slowly and inevitably dragging him down into the abyss.
“I’m sorry kiddo.” A familiar raspy female voice came from behind him. As the newcomer walked up to him Sandbar heard the unmistakeable ruffling sound of feathers. Sandbar didn’t bothered to look back on his Professor, he barely even noticed when she silently sat down beside him and put her right wing on his back.
They sat there silently for a while. Sandbar didn’t really want to talk, though he appreciated the familiar presence. A presence he suspected knew far more about this situation then she showed him previously. Sandbar knew she could answer some of the questions that were swirling in his mind. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to know them any more. It was like as if he’d spent his lifetime locked into his bright and cheerful house and he had been watching a mirror contently. But out of nowhere a dirty snowball just shattered it from the outside and revealed the darkness that lay behind it. Because what he thought was a mirror was instead a window looking directly into the pitch darkness of the outside world. He knew that in that darkness lay the answers he sought, he just dreaded what else could be in the place he usually saw as the familiar scenery of his life.
And despite the fear, Sandbar had to admit the darkness called to him. The forbidden fruit looked the juiciest though he knew its taste would be bitter and sour.
On the other hoof he could just turn away from the window and walk up the stairs into his own room where he knew he would be safe. He would never be able to mend the broken window, but no one forced him to look at it. He could pretend that ‘it’s part of the decor’ and live his days that way.
And right about now that was a terribly alluring option. So alluring sandbar couldn’t even tell why he was hesitating to take it.
He had a lingering feeling he somehow always knew that mirror was a lie. He wasn’t sure how but he had this dangling suspicion that his world might not be what it looked like. As he scoured through his memory he suddenly realised. He never knew anything.
Comet did.
Maybe this was the reason for his hesitation. Maybe he felt he was honour bound by his friendship to explore the realm his friend theorised about so long ago?
Sandbar looked up at his professor, thinking about what she said about loyalty. Giving up all the options willingly, taking the consequences head on and doing it wholeheartedly. The hardest and greatest thing a pony could do. He now understood what she meant. He looked back down, finally deciding what he was going to do. But first he wanted to make sure of something.
“You knew it, right? You’ve known it since I told you about him.”
It was now Professor Rainbow’s turn to look down “I had a… haunch. Though after you told me he went to the military school I was basically sure. That’s…” Professor Rainbow hesitated for a moment like she thought was about to say something she shouldn’t. “That’s why I followed you to hear what he had to say.”
A question answered; two more raised, Sandbar thought. But right now he was really not in the mood to discuss the other so he started with the simpler one. “But how? How did you follow me? I was roaming the countryside so there was nothing for you to hide behind.
Professor Rainbow just shrugged. “Nothing on the ground maybe. But the neat thing about night-time clouds is that they are not easy to spot. And there wasn’t much left of the twilight when we parted ways so I had a pretty easy job.
Sandbar felt he should have expected this. Now that he thought about it he really didn’t pay attention to the sky. Also now that he thought about it, it was stupid to even expect to catch a pony eavesdropping who could do so from hundreds of yards away.
“But how? How did you know about the Changelings. From what Comet said it is a pretty tightly kept secret. He mentioned he would face a life sentence if they got a sniff that he told me…” Sandbar words died of as he realised what he just did. Professor Rainbow knew about the secret which probably meant she was supposed to report this.
Luckily the Professor must have read his mind because she quickly clarified. “Don’t worry I’m not gonna rat you out. As to how I know about it? I’m an element of harmony.” she shook her head “Though I guess that’s not the part of the job anypony would write stories about.”
“What stories?”
“The stories about us six. Or in this case two.” Professor Rainbow sighed heavily and stopped for a second. “After the royal wedding AJ and I volunteered to help the city recover from the attack. It was there when we first met these poor souls…” She visibly cringed as she realised what she just said. “I guess that’s the wrong word. Okay let’s say victims. It was there where I learnt what soul drain can do to a pony. Those are some of the worst memories of my life. I remember how enraged I was. How powerless I felt. We both did.”
“Soul drain… fitting name.” Sandbar murmured to himself. “But if you knew about it and I’d wager all the professors knew it too then why did you not tell me?”
Professor Rainbow closed her eyes and answered.
“Because Twilight said that no 15 year old should live with the knowledge that his special somecreature can just randomly eat him for midnight snack any given night.”
Though she was much more experienced at hiding it, Sandbar saw Professor Rainbow felt just like he had when he’d first approached her. To her credit she continued pretty fluently after the first sentence “Nor should any teenager be faced with the fact that he unknowingly became a crucial piece in a political game that may or may not end with Princess Celestia burning the entire changeling race off from the face of Equestria like a foal with a magnifying glass. And before you ask, those were her majesty’s exact words.
“What?! But they are no longer evil!” Sandbar objected.
“I know you want to believe that.” Professor Rainbow said with a sour smile on her face. “And it certainly seems so.” She added quickly realising the implications of what he just said. “But I thought you of all ponies would learn by now that appearances can be deceiving. Despite that, their very visual reformation is the sole reason they’re still on this world. If this experiment goes awry with the school the Changelings are doomed. To be honest the only reason why they weren’t obliterated by all the other countries, now that Queen Chrysalis and the Black Throne are out of the way, is because Equestria guaranteed them. Why do you think King Thorax sent the meekest, shyest, most obedient changeling he could find? Because he absolutely, positively had to make sure that nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, wrong happens.”
“Does she know about this?” Sandbar asked the obvious question.
This question visibly got Professor Rainbow thinking. “No I don’t think she does. Though it would explain some of her tendencies. But to put a burden like that on someone… that’s just cruel. And while I don’t have the best opinion about Thorax as a ruler he is the farthest thing from cruel I can think of. Often to a fault.” Rainbow let out a short sarcastic snicker. “If I had to guess I’d say she doesn’t even know about soul drain. She was really young at the attack of Canterlot and from what I heard from Starlight, Changelings nowadays…”
“She does know about it though.” Sandbar whispered terrified. “When Comet disappeared she went on a small tantrum that ended with a cry of ‘Off with his soul.’ I didn’t know what to make off it back then and I had better things to worry about but now it’s obvious. And not only does she know it exists… she wanted to use it… as punishment.” To think that his sweet beloved Ocellus could even consider anything even tangential to that monstrous act, it sent shivers down his spine.
“Now, now Sandbar.” Professor Rainbow said it as if she reacted to something she saw Sandbar doing “I know what you are thinking and the answer is no. While I guess technically it would be something I have to report to Twilight I’m not gonna do it. I don’t think a lone sentence sputtered in a moment of anger warrants the death sentence of an entire race.
Sandbar had not been thinking about that. Now, however, he was thinking about that. It left him… aghast. The first thing that came to his mind was that he accidentally almost killed Ocellus. But the second was a lot worse, a lot darker. If he told Comet this information he would use it. Without a second thought. And knowing him he would pull it off and somehow trick even the eternally benign princess Celestia into thinking that Changelings deserve culling. Sandbar didn’t know how that would be possible but he had learnt a long time ago never to bet against Comet. But the most terrifying thing was the feeling that accompanied these thoughts. It was not disgust or fear, it was excitement. To think that him, Sandbar, the little old earthpony from little old Ponyville could push the first domino in such a world changing series of events was heady. And terrifying. Mostly terrifying.
But when that those few seconds of confusing euphoria died down and he returned to the world, he forced himself to put away that terrible thought. So he asked a question that was – if nothing else – much more grounded in reality. “Do you think Princess Twilight would do this? She would sacrifice a whole race just because of a few words.”
“No I don’t th… I don’t want to think so. But what you have to realise about Twilight that she really loves rules. And rulers. Those two are probably her favourite things. And this is technically a violation of the rules Princess Celestia set. So arrghh… Why does this have to be so complicated?” She sighed slowly massaging her temple. “So the bottom line is she would feel forced to report this to Princess Celestia and since she doesn’t know Ocellus personally she might give effect to a few new rules that would make both of your lives really miserable really fast.”
“That seems like a mostly lateral movement of my station right now.” Sandbar mumbled to himself.
Professor Rainbow let her head down in evident shame. Whatever Sandbar said clearly pushed a button.
“I’m so sorry Sandbar.” She said, still avoiding eye contact. “It’s all my fault. I wanted you to hear Comet’s story though I knew what it would be. At least half of it. I had no way to foresee all he said after, but still… I was stupid and angry and I let it out on you. Indirectly.”
“As in?”
Professor Rainbow took a deep breath and finally gathered the courage to face Sandbar.
“You know when we realised what was going on between the you and Ocellus, the seven of us had a meeting whether we should tell you what’s the deal with Changelings. AJ, Starlight and I lost the vote, and I knew what the others’ reasons were and I understood them but I was angry. Remember, Me and AJ saw those ponies first hoof. We saw what a soul drain did to them and I thought that you had the right to know about it. I couldn’t tell you because I made a promise that night but when I heard your story about Comet I jumped on the opportunity.” She took a big breath and continued. “I was a fool, I can see that now. I know you must be so confused and terrified and it’s all because of me.” The professor turned away and looked deeply into the night.
Sandbar wasn’t angry. Truth to be told he would have probably talked himself into seeking out Comet eventually, all he needed was the smallest of nudges. And knowing Comet he would have found a way to tell him what he heard anyway. But before he could have told this to Professor Rainbow she spoke up again.
“I hope someday you will understand why I did what I did.” Professor Rainbow stopped and closed her eyes “Or what’s better, you won’t”
Due to the straight angle and the light of the full moon Sandbar had a perfect view to see professor Rainbow’s larynx move up and down as gulped. It almost looked like as if she was… scared. That didn’t make sense, Sandbar was practically brought up on stories of her almost foolhardy bravery. Seeing her scared was just wrong. Sandbar had to learn more.
“And what are they like? The soul drained?” Sandbar asked cautiously, holding his ears down, looking as harmless as possible as not to trigger the Professor in any way.
“They are like... death ponified.” She shook her head slowly “Once you see the blankness of their stare, you realise that there is a God. Only a sentient being can be so deliberately cruel to create something so… misbegotten.” She stopped and spat on the ground. “When you realise that everything you have can be taken away from you. You can be taken from you. And from everypony you loved. I flew through countless sleepless nights trying to comprehend how this is possible. But seeking that answer is to court death.” She stopped again her breathing getting deeper and faster, her eyes lit up with fire “One thing I figured out though: I will not have this” she hissed. “I swear no matter what it takes I will have my friends avoid that fate.” With each word she was gaining traction and getting louder “I’ll go any distance, break any wall, deny any God if that’s what it takes. You hear me?! Whatever it takes!” She shouted the last sentence into the night staring at something only she knew was there.
Sandbar quaked back as far as he could until he lost his balance and almost fell on his back. Luckily Professor Rainbow’s wing still was on his back and caught him.
Two ponies. Two ponies Sandbar respected or downright adored at times; both of them scarred for life by the soul drain. It sounded so unimaginably horrible Sandbar couldn’t help but wonder… “If you saw what soul drain does to ponies, how come you don’t… how come you can be so kind to Changelings?” Sandbar had to change the question mid-sentence not to sound so rude.
“You mean, how come I don’t hate them?” A dry, joyless laugh left Professor Rainbow’s throat “Believe me I did. I did, for a looong time. For years it was my sweetest dream to just absolutely plaster them over and over again. I couldn’t have enough of that dream.” Professor Rainbow shook his head and gazed upon the sky.
“But…?” Sandbar asked timidly to encourage his Professor to continue
“..but then I learnt, I learnt that Changelings can be good and under King Thorax they definitely became so. And if there is one more thing I love beside loyalty, it’s freedom. I think these two are deeply connected. I feel for the first time in their history Changelings became free and maybe… it seems they weren’t born to be bad.”
It was not an easy pill to swallow.
The fact that an element of harmony just admitted that she not only still didn’t forgive the Changelings but that the idea of genocide hadn’t left her mind and only got ‘conditionally suspended’? Sandbar had to admit this sounded bad. But even with all it’s horror Professor Rainbow’s words carried a certain element of hope, intentional or not. Sandbar felt that if somepony who had as much history with Changelings as Professor Rainbow could forgive them he had to give his best to do so as well. He was almost smiling when the professor started again.
“I’m not saying I’m over what I saw in Canterlot because I don’t think I ever will be. But I feel ready to give them a fresh start. One more chance.” Her eyes darkened and to a lesser degree they mirrored the same hatred Sandbar saw in Comet’s eyes. But before Sandbar could say anything Professor Rainbow closed her eyes and continued. “But remember I’m not Comet, if I had to go through what he had to go through… I don’t even know … but knowing how hard and recklessly I like to go in whichever direction I see fit… creatures probably would have died there.”
Sandbar was terrified that the notion of killing creatures could shake him this little as it did now. It all sounded so oxymoronically reasonable. As if this was the natural consequence of such things. Speaking of consequences something then occurred to Sandbar. “And you would have gone to jail. Probably without a trial.” Sandbar knew he didn’t have to ask anything, Professor Rainbow would know what he wanted to know.
And indeed the Professor's ears perked up and she started to uncomfortably squirm around.
“Listen kid I promised myself I’d do anything to get you through this and I intend to honour that promise. But what I’m about to tell you is a national secret of the highest order. If you told anypony they wouldn’t believe you. In fact you’d probably do yourself a favour if you didn’t believe me.” Professor Rainbow stopped for second to give him a chance to stop her but Sandbar had clearly no intention to. So with a long tired sigh she continued
“After we brought in the first victim of a soul drain Princess Celestia issued a direct order to automatically enlist or detain everypony whose direct relative suffered soul drain to keep tabs on them and hide them from the public.
“But why?” Sandbar asked desperately. He couldn’t understand how could the good Princess Celestia do such a thing.
“Because ponies’ emotions are the strongest force known to the world.” Though Professor Rainbow wasn’t outright whispering she talked very quietly. “When we are angry we turn the land into an arctic wasteland. Who knows what happens when bunch of us just start some sort of fear fuelled, hatred filled crusade against the Changelings?
"No, that can’t be allowed.” She answered her own question calmly, looking straight ahead “So if push comes to shove Princess Celestia will go for the Solar option. But until then we have to keep up appearances. So whoever could tell what the Changelings can really do must remain hidden. By force if need be." She paused, and took a deep, laboured breath. "This was the unsung genius of Clover and the others, the hearth that warmed the eve of ponykind, the lesson that was passed on from one generation of leaders to the next until the thousand year rule of princess Celestia wove it into the very fabric of the society: Harmony must rule.”
And now the ultimate truth was revealed. The ultimate secret that did not belong to the darkness because it was the darkness itself veiling everything else. And it was but the bright light that shone inside the heart of Equestria. The irony was so strong Sandbar could almost taste it. He couldn’t decide whether he should be appalled, amazed or something in between. This was above and beyond everything he was ever meant to hear in every sense of the word.
Sandbar looked around and he felt alone. Professor Rainbow was still with him maybe she was even talking about something but he couldn’t hear it. He didn’t know if it was appropriate or not but he just stood up and started to walk. He didn’t know if he was going to be stopped, tackled or just watched over neither could he even conceptualise any of these thoughts. He just walked wherever his legs brought him. Maybe to home maybe to the school dorm maybe some other place to spend his night. Maybe he slept through the next few hours but he doubted it.
The next thing he remembered actively doing was standing in the middle of an unused classroom in the school of friendship looking outside of a window and being blinded by the Celestia’s rising sun. He closed his eyes shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts, when he heard a shy little voice behind him.
“Sandbar, is everything okay?”
A whirlwind of emotions ravaged their way through Sandbars’ heart. His entire upbringing and everything he had experienced so far culminated in that question. For his entire life up until that point he had been moved a round like a puppet on a string to get him to this moment.
But as he stood there with the sweet voice still echoing in his head he had to realise he had a good life. If it was by design, then somepony had done a damn good job. There might have been details he could have wished were better, but all in all he had it really great. He had a loving family, a small but utterly dedicated circle of friends, he never suffered from need in all his life. Everything he was ever taught proved to be useful in the long run. He would have never met Ocellus if he didn’t go to the school of friendship. If somehow everything else turned out to be bogus he still had that.
However he had to admit his feelings, the most real feelings he ever felt were also artificially manufactured to suit the needs of the collective. In this case almost literally. Was it really necessary? Is it really that impossible for ponies to be good for the for the sake of it? Would ponies necessarily choose the wrong path if they were given a choice?
Because now, probably for the first time in his life he had the chance to decide. Even if just for once, because the consequences would be catastrophic. It felt incredible, the moment Comet chased for his entire life, whether he realised or not. To do truly what he wanted. To have the chance to go against the system, to do one meaningful act, to justify his entire existence in this world.
Sandbar smiled. He knew what to do.
He turned around slowly letting the image of the room fill his mind. The room aside from the halo of light where he stood was surprisingly dark. However this time the darkness seemed softer, the silhouettes more friendly. But this was to be expected, after all this was a place he knew. And in the middle of the room was the love of his life. As beautiful as ever, she looked at him with deep concern in her eyes. She looked absolutely lovely. Sandbar kissed her on the nose and with the warmest, widest smile he’s ever worn he said.
“Yes, Celly everything is okay.”
