Chapter 6: The Heart of Ophir

“There is nothing I wouldn’t do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves; it is not my nature.”
- Jane Austen

At the stroke of noon, Vino Rosé was publicly executed by the citizens of Ophir, hanged by the neck in front of a crowd of his victims and their families. Say what you will about Wasteland Justice: it may be harsh and rather archaic, but if nothing else, it’s quick.

According to several folks who were close to the gallows at the time, Vino begged for his life as they placed the rope over his head, and lost his Fancee accent in the process. So it was fake. Go figure.

Rose and I weren’t there. We had been sleeping off the alcohol from the night prior when there was a knock at our door and Sterling’s voice asked if we were going to attend. Rose groggily shooed him away as I groaned and held a pillow over my head. I had absolutely no interest in witnessing an execution at the moment, and honestly, I was just happy that the ordeal was over and Rose was safe.

Plus I had an awful headache. Why did I drink so much again? I muttered and drifted off back to sleep.

* * * * *

Some time later, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and rolled out of the bed, dropping pillows on the floor and banging a rear hoof against the nightstand. For once, Rose had gotten up before me. She was sitting at a desk by the window with the bolt-action rifle disassembled before her.

“And so he returns to the land of the living!” Rose said while scrubbing the bolt assembly with a rag.

“I knew there was a reason I don’t drink that much.” I grumbled and searched my pack for my canteen.

“Maybe so,” Rose replied with a grin, “but you’re way more fun when you do!”

I opened the canteen and held it above my mouth, but was rewarded only with a stray drop. Snorting in frustration, I glared at Rose. “Are you saying I’m not normally fun?”

“Yup! You’re normally all serious, broody, and boring!”

What!? I molted slightly at the accusation. Was I really that drab? I tried to think of a proper response... something fun and witty and definitely not serious or boring. “Am not!” I said.

Nailed it. I facehooved internally for the millionth time. Faceclawed? No, that still doesn’t sound right...

“Prove it!” Rose said as she dropped the rag on the desk and turned towards me with an expectant look. “Do something fun, right now.”

I stood with my empty canteen and stared blankly at the charcoal mare. “I...” I looked around the room frantically, but my eyes were drawn to the sink and shower, and my voice betrayed a hint of resignation as I spoke. “I’m... going to fill my canteen and take a shower.”

Rose rolled her eyes and sighed. “You are truly a master of mirth. Look at you go.”

My shoulders drooped, and I filled my canteen in silence. The water was clear and scentless, a clear sign that the town was lucky enough to have a water purification talisman. After a moment, I felt Rose gently nudge my side, and I turned to see her wry smile. “I still like you though, even if you’re not a paragon of playfulness.”

I shut off the tap and gave a small grin. “A champion of cheer?”

“The essence of entertainment.”

“The boss of buffoonery?”

“Woah now,” Rose said with a sly grin, “we all know who the boss is!”

I arched an eyebrow. “Who? The great and powerful unicorn?” I flicked her horn with a talon, and she scrunched her face up at me.

“No, silly.” She hopped back and struck a valiant yet sultry pose, giving me a half-lidded gaze over her shoulder. “The girl!”

My father taught me many things over the years, but something he once said came bubbling immediately to the surface: “Boy, there’s two theories on how to approach arguing with a mare… and neither work! So don’t. Just apologize, or agree, or do whatever you need to do to get the hell out of there! And then buy her dinner.”

“...How ‘bout dinner?” I asked.

Rose’s sultry facade broke as she gave a determined smile. “Hell yeah!”

Thanks, Dad.

* * * * *

We had just gotten up from our delicious meat-free dinner in The Grotto when I spotted a familiar well-dressed griffon entering the restaurant. “Well howdy, stranger!” I called to him, mirroring his greeting from the previous night. He smiled as he approached.

“Now, why is it I never see the two of you outside of this restaurant?” he asked. “Y’know there’s an entire town out there t’ explore, right?”

“Yeah,” Rose muttered, “full of manipulative unicorns that want to feed you ponies… Or feed you to other ponies.”

Sterling frowned in response. “Leave it to a trio of psychotic stallions an’ their followers to paint a whole town as crazy in the eyes of a guest,” he muttered. “Y’know, a lot of kind folk from this town helped in the effort to rescue you an’ the others.”

Rose frowned and stared at the floor. I understood where she was coming from, but I also knew how Sterling felt. My father and I had been run out of a couple towns because of folks who hated ghouls, and simply because they didn’t understand or care about the differences between regular ghouls and ferals.

“We get that,” I said, trying to defuse the line of conversation, “and I’m glad everyone’s safe now.” I turned to Rose. “We could sightsee a bit when we head over to Iron Jade’s.”

Rose lifted her head and looked in my direction. “Who’s Iron Jade?”

Sterling laughed. “Well only the best damn blacksmith this side o’ Roan Peak!” He gestured for us to follow as he set himself up behind the bar. We took a seat, and he instinctively tabled a beer and a glass of rye. “Ancient bugger, but damn good at what he does!”

I gave a listless stare at my bottle as memories of my morning headache resurfaced. I turned to Rose. “He’s a nice pony,” I said, “tried to warn me of the Mayor. I figured we could finally upgrade your armor, and maybe work your stablesuit into it somehow.”

Rose smiled, her glass levitating in front of her. “I’d like that.”

Sterling turned away and began organizing racks of glasses. “So, I guess that means you aren’t stickin’ around for long, huh?” he said with a somber tone, then sighed. “Where you headin’?”

“Silverhoof,” I said. “We’ll probably be around for another day or so, though. Gotta fix and upgrade armor and stock up for the journey.”

As I watched the griffon work I couldn’t help but feel he was intentionally avoiding my gaze. Did I say something wrong? I shook my head. No… I think he’s sad because he doesn’t want to see us go...

I leaned over the bar as he set down a rack full of glasses with a clank. “Sterling...”

“Mm?”

“You could come with us you know.”

Sterling turned with a surprised expression. I thought I saw just the smallest glint of hope within his eyes, but he quickly composed himself. “Really?” he asked, then looked towards Rose, who took a long pull of her whiskey and stared at the ceiling.

“Really,” I said. “You’re a good griff, and you’re amazing in a fight.”

Sterling blushed. “Well now,” he said with a smile as he leaned on a talon, “tell me more about how I’m amazing...”

I thought about the previous night. “Well, you’re a strong flyer... capable and competent, a good leader, an awesome marksman…”

“And... handsome?” he asked as Rose’s glass clanked down on the bar, completely devoid of liquid. Sterling met her ruby gaze. “Another?” he asked sweetly.

“Please,” she replied through grit teeth.

What crawled up her butt?

Sterling topped off her glass, then turned back to me with a soft sigh. “Y’know, I’d really love to-- join you, that is-- but there’s still a lot goin’ on here. The town’s considerin’ options on new leadership, I’m helpin’ to train up the deputies that were left after Boot was taken, an’ we’re lookin’ to find a new sheriff.”

“Are you going to apply?” I asked, finally taking a sip of my beer.

The griffon looked away with a wistful gaze. “I’ve… thought about it,” he said.

“Well,” I said with a smile, “I think you’d make a great sheriff.”

Sterling smiled broadly. “Thanks, but what about you? Why are you headin’ all the way to Silverhoof?” I considered the question for a moment, and Rose turned to look at me as well.

“Well… answers, mostly. I was put into stasis in Silverhoof when I was very young, but I don’t remember anything about that time, or what life was like back then. I don’t know much about how my adoptive parents found me, but I know they have a stash on the outskirts of the city. I’m hoping to find… something.”

“That’s a lot of ties you’ve got to the old world…” Sterling said as he tossed the drying cloth under the bar. He then turned to Rose, who was fiddling aimlessly with her glass. “And what about you, Miss Rose? What exactly are you traveling for?”

Rose looked surprised at the question, but quickly gave a smirk. “I’m following him!” she said flippantly as she punched my shoulder. “Gotta make sure he doesn’t get himself killed, y’know!”

“Is that all?” Sterling asked with a sly grin.

Rose narrowed her eyes at the griffon and spoke slowly. “Yes...” The two continued to stare at each other for a moment as if both were waiting for the other to blink.

I cleared my throat. “Well, we should probably head over to Iron Jade’s before he closes. How much do we owe you?”

Sterling gave me an easy smile. “It’s on the house.”

* * * * *

Once again, Rose and I found ourselves walking through Ophir at night. The town had gone through a remarkable transformation in just a day: ponies were trotting happily through the lamp-lined streets, shutters and windows were open, and music could be heard from the few restaurants and bars we passed. My greetings to folks on the street were met in kind, and nopony hurried away or avoided talking with us.

We dropped off Rose’s stablesuit and barding at Iron Jade’s, and briefly talked with the old stallion about the plans to upgrade her armor, as well as the possibility of me using his workshop. Thankfully, he was more than happy to share his space and spend some time working with me, and he had several ideas on how to create some kind of hybrid armor for Rose, as well as how we might be able to improve my wing blades.

As Iron Jade grabbed a few measurements from Rose, I removed the wing blades. I had been wearing them for quite a while, and while part of me missed the familiar weight, my wings felt ridiculously light and nimble as I stretched them out now. I walked to the corner where I had dumped my gear the night before, and checked to make sure it was all still together. Iron Jade gave me a look, then trotted over. “That old armor really means something to you, doesn’t it?”

“Made it with my father,” I said with a hint of wistfulness. “One of the only things I have left to remember him by.”

“I see…” Iron Jade gave a sagely nod as he looked at the heap of barding. “Well, I may not be your father, but I’d be happy to work on it with you. We might be able to make a few improvements here and there as well, if you’re okay with that.”

I gave him a small smile. “I think that’d be great.”

“First thing in the morning I’ll inspect your wing blades and get a few things started on your friend’s armor. Would you be able to come in around midday tomorrow?” he asked. “I promise I won’t do anything on your barding until you show up,” he added, and I agreed. With a wave, Rose and I trotted out of the shop and into the cool evening air. With our most pressing errand done, we had the freedom to explore the town a bit.

“You know, being a night owl is great for a lot of things,” Rose said idly as we peered at the darkened windows of the shops lining the street. She trotted up to a store that had several sizable gems and various pieces of jewelry on display within the window, as well as a closed sign on the door. “But shopping isn’t exactly one of them.”

I chuckled as I peered at the window display. Little motes of light illuminated various earrings, necklaces, jewels, and horn adornments that sparkled within the window. “What exactly does one do with this stuff anyway?”

Rose gave me an incredulous look. “‘Do with this stuff?’ You mean jewelry?”

I shrugged. “Yeah.”

“You wear it, dummy!” she scoffed, then pointed a hoof accusingly at my bear claw necklace. “You’re wearing jewelry right now!”

I grasped the necklace with a talon as I responded, “Yeah, but… this is special.”

My necklace was handmade by Blaze. It served as a reminder of Autumn Vigil’s cabin and our time there, and is a symbol of strength, leadership, and spirituality... It was truly something that could never be replaced.

Rose’s features softened as she sat in front of me with a small grin. “All jewelry is special to the wearer.”

She turned towards the window, and I saw her features reflected in the glass. A beautiful layered silver necklace with a ruby heart pendant shone from within the display, and with the lighting it looked as if Rose’s reflection was wearing the piece.

“Call me out for being a silly unicorn,” she said, “but what you may see as frivolous could be the one thing that makes a mare feel normal in this world… It may be a relic from the past, and it may not have much practical use, but it’s a simple thing that can bring a type of joy you don’t normally find in the Wasteland.”

Rose smiled as she looked wistfully through the window, and the translucent mare who smiled back at me was every bit as beautiful as the necklace she seemingly wore. She turned her gaze from the window and looked at me. “That’s why I’m so insistent on keeping a piece of my stablesuit. It reminds me of home… and Crim.”

I smiled and nodded. “I think I understand.”

We started walking down the street again, but I couldn’t help but glance back at that shop window. I just kept thinking of the mare I saw in the reflection...

* * * * *

As we got back to our room at the inn, I found a note taped to our door:

Hey Storm Mist,

Just wanted to say, I’m sorry if I upset Rose earlier. That was definitely not my intention… it’s just, sometimes I can’t help myself. Especially with a griff as yummy graceful as you.

Anyway, you had mentioned you were going to Silverhoof... Do you know about the Emerald City shortcut? It may save you a couple days worth of travel. Perhaps we could meet tomorrow and talk about it? Perhaps during that private cuddleflight? Ha, ha… just kidding…

Anyway, if I don’t see you again…

Well, to be honest, I’ll be sad. But I know you’re in good hooves. Tell Rose she has lovely eyes.

~ Sterling Silver

As I sat in front of the door reading the letter, my mind and heart warred with conflicting thoughts and emotions. I liked Sterling, and I would definitely miss him. He was suave and competent and cool... But did I like him that way? He was kind of cute, especially when his smooth facade cracked and he got all flustered. But why would he have upset Rose? Was it because of his comment about the townsfolk helping rescue her and the other prisoners? Why would that upset her? I shook my head in confusion.

Rose looked at the letter as well, then gave a long sigh. “You should go and talk with him,” she said, “if for no other reason than to find out what this Emerald City shortcut is.” She unlocked the door and stepped inside.

“Will you be okay if I step downstairs and see if he’s still here?” I asked as I took the note off the door and rolled it up.

Rose snorted in amusement. “I promise I’ll stay in the hotel room and not chase after any more crazy unicorn stallions.” She gave a devilish grin. “But if you disappear for more than an hour or two, it’ll be my turn to tear this town apart in search of you.”

“I’m counting on it!” I said with a grin. I was glad that Rose was on my side. For as deadly as she could be, she was really quite sweet and caring, and I knew she would have my back. I closed the door and headed downstairs.

* * * * *

I stepped into The Grotto, and found it had been closed. The lights were off, the tables were wiped, and the chairs were all pushed in. I let out a little sigh and turned around to leave when there was a sudden crash from the kitchen.

What the hell was that? I didn’t have my axe or most of my equipment with me, but I always carried my knife. Unsheathing the weapon, I crept through the dark restaurant.

I crossed a pair of swinging doors and into a narrow corridor that led into the kitchen, the smell of various food and fryer oil hitting my nares. By the end of a row of ovens, I saw Sterling. His back was turned and there were several pots and pans lying on the floor in front of him.

“Sterling?” I asked cautiously.

“Oh!” he said with a start, wiping his face with a foreleg. He began to pick up the pots and pans as he spoke. “Didn’t expect to see you so soon… figured you’d be out all night.”

I sheathed the knife and approached him. “I got your note.”

“Ah... right, yes,” Sterling sputtered as he dumped the pots and pans into a sink full of wash water, keeping his back to me. Something about his demeanor was off: his normally confident voice was shaky and quiet, and he seemed distracted as he stared at the dishes in the sink.

“Sterling… Are you okay?” I asked cautiously, placing a talon on the griffon’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m uhh... I’m just, uhm...“ He continued to stare into the water for a long minute before letting out a sigh and turning to me. “Do you wanna get out of here?”

I blinked as I saw the griffon’s wet, matted face. It looked like he had been crying. “Sure,” I said hesitantly and slightly confused. “I’ll follow you.”

We left The Grotto and took to the sky. I wasn’t sure what had bothered him so much, but the least I could do was keep him company in case he wanted to talk about it. Sometimes just being with someone was enough...

We flew in silence for a while, circling the town from the air. I could see the inn overlooking the wall of the town, and the road that led from the gate down towards the canyons and Hoofstrap Junction. I thought about White Lightning and wondered if the militia group had made their way back home yet. I bet she’d be overjoyed at seeing her folks again. Below us, the lantern-lit streets of Ophir carved grid patterns into the mountain. Nopony was out at this hour, and we were surrounded only by cool air and the peaceful sound of gentle mountain winds, punctuated by the rhythmic beating of our wings.

Eventually Sterling spoke. “Guess I finally got that flight I wanted, huh?”

I gave a little laugh as I responded, “I guess so... Y’know, it’s nice out here.”

Sterling smiled, his broad wings gliding effortlessly over the gentle current. “Why do you think I wanted to share it?” He looked me over for a moment. “Ah, so that’s why you’re keepin’ up so much better tonight.”

“Huh?”

He flew close and nudged the leading edge of my wing with the tip of his own. “You’re naked.”

I chuckled. “You mean my wing blades? Yeah, Iron Jade had some ideas on how to improve the design, so I left them with him.”

“Well good!” Sterling said before breaking into a devilish grin. “Let’s see if you can keep up!”

He suddenly dove at an incredible pace, dipping far below me. With a grin of my own, I angled my wings and dove straight down after him. I started to gain just as he looked back, and he banked sharply to the left and began a spiral descent. I mirrored the move, trying my best to stay on his tail. We worked circles over the square before he straightened out and flew dangerously low over the town wall, descending into the canyons beyond. As I crossed, I coughed from the dust that had been stirred up by the griffon’s flyover.

We continued down until we were flying stealthily between two large outcroppings of rock. Tiny spatterings of trees and sagebrush whizzed by as we accelerated through the narrow ravine. Suddenly, I became acutely aware of a deadend cliff face that Sterling was rapidly approaching.

“Sterling!” I shouted, but I could barely hear my own voice as the wind whipped by. The griffin just continued to barrel straight ahead. I beat my wings, trying to get close enough that he could hear my shouts. “H-- hey, Sterling!”

Just as the face of the cliff nearly engulfed my vision, Sterling landed sideways on the rock, all four legs cushioning his impact with both talons and paws. Time seemed to stop as he looked back at me with an expression of pure joy and determination before springing back off and soaring directly under me.

It was at that point that I became suddenly aware of my own imminent impact with hard rock. I flailed my limbs and braced for a hard landing, trying my best to hit the wall in a similar way to the griffon. My slower speed must have helped spare my poor limbs, since I only felt a slight pain as I cushioned my momentum, trying to follow the example of the griffon. I pushed off and extended my wings, catching the current.

It worked! And way better than I thought it was going to!

My heart raced and I couldn’t keep from smiling like an idiot as I cheered into the night, my voice echoing off the canyon walls. We angled up and beat our wings to gain some altitude, flying towards the town.

Sterling slowed a little to let me catch up. “How’d that feel?” he asked with a grin.

“I didn’t die!” I blurted out.

“Damn right you didn’t die!” he exclaimed with a laugh. “You did pretty good, actually.”

Sterling’s silver feathers shimmered in the wind, and his broad smile had no hint of the sad uncertainty that had painted his face earlier. As we flew side by side, he looked… happy, and I was suddenly very glad I had caught him before he left the inn.

We continued to wing our way up past the town before landing on a rocky outcrop near the cloud layer. The rock formation couldn’t have been more than maybe forty feet in diameter, with a perfect view of the town below, framed by a seemingly infinite mountain range. Lightning arced quietly and continuously through the clouds in the distance, and I stared off towards it.

“Neat, huh?” Sterling said from my side. “Some creatures say that the lightnin’ is actually a reactor on a giant Enclave ship that’s parked just above the cloud layer. Others say it’s part of a defense network to prevent surface dwellers from gettin’ up there.”

“What do you think?” I asked.

Sterling snorted, staring wistfully into the clouds. “I think it might as well be fireflies that got stuck in the heavens, for all the good it does any of us. Sure is pretty, though.” I silently agreed.

A moment passed as the both of us just sat on the rock staring out at the night sky and watching the distant lightning. After a while, Sterling broke the silence. “I suppose you were wondering what I was upset about earlier...”

I glanced at the griffon, but he continued to stare hard at the clouds. “I was,” I replied, “but I figured you’d tell me if and when you wanted to… And even if you didn’t, I figured just spending time with a friend might help.”

Sterling gave a small smile and a sideways glance. “So… we’re friends then?”

I wrapped a wing around him and pulled him next to me. “Of course we are!”

The griffin turned pink beneath his argent feathers, positively purring from the gesture. For a moment he started to get that adorable flustered look, but didn’t say a word. We just stared out at the world in silence for a while until I heard him sniffle quietly, and I turned to see he had tears in his eyes.

“Wh… why are you crying?” I asked in surprise.

Sterling lowered his gaze and stared at his talons. He spoke in a quiet whisper, “Because you’re wonderful…”

“What?” I asked with quiet concern.

“You’re kind... an’ caring… an’ fiercely loyal to your friends. If this entire town had stood between you an’ Rose after she was taken, you woulda fought your way through every single pony to get to her, or died tryin’, wouldn’t you?”

I swallowed. “Probably?”

Sterling looked at me with his glassy hazel gaze. “Do you have any idea how rare that is in the Wasteland?”

I slowly shook my head. “Truthfully? No…”

I really didn’t. I had grown up with loving parents who had taught me that we were stronger together, and that we should always be there for one another. It was just… in my blood, so to speak.

Sterling blinked, tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked out towards the horizon. “There’s a ton of creatures out here who would sell their own mothers into slavery just to make a few caps. It’s not often you find someone who’ll truly fight for you.”

He wiped his eyes and turned to face me. “I’ve worked with a lot of mercs that fought to make a livin’... some for the caps, some just for the fun an’ thrill… But you... you fight for your friends, without any thought of reward or compensation.”

I stared at the griffon as tears began to form in my own eyes. “Is that… bad?”

“No!” he said with a choked laugh. “It’s good. It’s really, really good.”

A moment passed before I spoke again. “What did you fight for?”

“My team, mostly. I joined for the pay, but I stayed for them… Rind, Nimbus, Shell, and Cinder...” He stared at the rock we were standing on, then scratched idly at it with a talon. “They were good guys. Kinda weird an’ funny sometimes, but good. They... didn’t deserve to go how they did.”

The more I heard stories from creatures in the Wasteland, the more I became acutely aware of one pervasive truth: Everyone has lost someone. I wrapped Sterling in a hug and held him for a few minutes before he spoke again with a quiet voice, “I’m sorry I don’t have my usual luster tonight.”

“It’s fine,” I said with a smile. “In fact, it’s kind of reassuring to know that you’re not always so cool and smooth all the time.” I shrugged. “Gives me hope for myself.”

Sterling returned the smile. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think you need any polish. You shine perfectly well just as you are.”

I laughed. “Rose told me today that I’m serious, broody, and boring.”

Sterling smirked. “She’s just flirtin’ with you.”

“What? Rose doesn’t flirt with me,” I said incredulously.

Sterling levelled his gaze at me. “Seriously?”

“Yeah. She’d sooner punch me in the shoulder than flirt with me.”

Sterling stared hard at me for a long moment, then looked down at the town as he mumbled to himself. “Oh, that poor girl.”

“You’re actually the first, I think.”

“Doubt that,” Sterling mumbled under his breath.

“I’ve always wanted to meet and be around other creatures, but my parents were very protective, and I’ve never really thought too hard about romantic relationships, so... it’s all really weird to me still.”

Sterling just stared at me as if I had simultaneously grown another head and abducted his firstborn. “You… are a strange little griff, y’know that?”

I sighed in response and stared down at the flickering lights of the town below us.

Suddenly the griffon kissed my cheek, and I jumped in surprise as several feathers fell from my wings. My stone gray coat turned pink as Sterling just laughed and smiled warmly at me before wrapping me in his wing and pulling me close. He was strong, but moved with a gentle elegance that sweeped me into his embrace with ease, and I was suddenly very aware of why the griffon had purred with joy when I pulled him close earlier: I felt safe... protected... and cared for.

I rested my head within the nape of his neck, closed my eyes, and glowed within the serene warmth of his feathers as we sat peacefully for some time. The lightning continued to flash and the lanterns of Ophir burned their quiet vigil beneath us, but from way up here, nestled within Sterling’s feathers, it felt like the Wasteland was a million miles away.

I let out a contented sigh before Sterling quietly whispered, “I’m gonna miss you, Stormy.”

The use of the nickname surprised me, having never heard it from anyone but my parents, but somehow it... fit. And I rather liked the way it sounded with Sterling’s wonderfully smooth accent.

“I’m gonna miss you too,” I murmured as I nuzzled my chin into his feathers.

* * * * *

As we approached the inn, I spotted Rose lying on a bench just outside the entrance with an impatient look. As we landed, she got up and stretched.

“Do I need to buy you a watch?” she asked with a yawn.

I gave her a confused look. “What’s a watch?” She just grumbled and shook her head.

“I got this,” Sterling whispered as he walked past me and up to Rose. She tensed slightly as he approached, but relaxed as he leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes bulged as she stared straight at me. Then she blushed. And then she broke into a little smile as she gave me a strange look.

“Nevermind,” she said with a whinny. “Come on.”

What the hell did Sterling tell her?

I started towards the inn when Sterling spoke again. “Oh! I totally forgot to tell you about the Emerald City shortcut!”

“Seriously!?” Rose asked incredulously. “You guys spent two and a half hours doing Luna-knows-what but you never even asked about the letter!?”

Goddesses. Had it really been that long? “It… slipped my mind,” I said sheepishly.

“I bet it did.”

“Entirely my fault,” Sterling admitted, “but I can tell you all about it tomorrow, an’ give you what you need to get through it.”

“Deal,” I said with a grin. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sterling flashed me a little smile before flying off and I followed Rose back up to our room.

* * * * *

“Best damn blacksmith this side o’ Roan Peak!”

Sterling wasn’t kidding. Iron Jade was damn good.

Rose stood adorned in her new armored stable barding: a wonderfully well-crafted hybrid consisting of her original suit, stable security barding, and several unique customizations. Iron Jade had defty trimmed, aligned, and reinforced the barding with his magic at a speed that was far beyond what my father or I would ever be capable of.

Unicorns aren’t just scary good at combat, apparently. They’re scary good at everything!

“How’s it feel?” I asked.

“Pretty good,” Rose replied, shifting her weight. “Heavier than I’m used to.”

“Well, considering you got used to trotting around with just your regular stable suit, I’m not surprised. Should be much more comfortable than the barding we got at Hoofstrap.”

Rose gave a dry laugh. “Don’t remind me.”

Iron Jade stepped back and assessed his work. “Hmm, that should be it! If you notice anything wrong with the fit before you leave town, just pop in and I’ll get it fixed right up for you.” He turned to me. “Now, you left me your wing weapon!” I nodded excitedly.

The old unicorn trotted over to a workbench and unravelled a cloth, revealing a pair of wing blades that I could only describe as a perfect pairing of sheer beauty and function. The majority of the parts had been replaced by finely-crafted duplicates made from a polished steel-like material. Several joints had upgraded bearings, and all contacting surfaces had been lined in black suede. Parts from my original prototype were also sitting within the bundle, looking dull and crude by comparison.

“That’s not titanium is it?” I asked, running a talon along the length of the blade.

“Nope! Though that would be a good choice too,” Iron Jade replied. “I have a special talent for creating alloys, so I tend to use them in place of scavenging for rare metals. This is an aluminum-steel alloy that I’ve stabilized with nickel. Every bit as strong and lightweight as titanium, but made from far more accessible materials.”

I picked up one of the wing blades and was amazed to find that the entire assembly weighed about as much as just one joint on my prototype. “This is incredible!” I said, and Rose trotted over to examine the smith’s handiwork with me.

Iron Jade gave me a grin and motioned towards the blades. “Would you like some help getting them on and adjusted?”

“Sure,” I responded, stepping back. I spread my wings as the smith expertly aligned the blades and snapped them into position, carefully eyeing every piece for fit and function. After they were in place, I stretched and rotated my wings before folding them in. Compared to the weight of my prototype, it felt like I was barely wearing anything at all.

“They don’t look terribly different when they’re on you,” Rose said as she cocked her head. She then raised an eyebrow and gave me a grin. “But you look like a foal that just woke up on Hearthswarming Morning.”

I realized that I was smiling like an idiot again. “Well… it certainly feels that way!”

The old smith chuckled as he rolled up the cloth. “Storm Mist’s prototype was fairly well designed and seemed to fit him well enough. I’m not nearly experienced enough with wings to attempt to redesign something I’ve only seen once, so I merely focused on fabricating the parts with a lighter material, upgrading a few of the mechanical joints, and lining it for comfort.”

“I’ll take function over flashy,” I said, then pointed at Rose’s barding. “You’re the one that got all the fancy stuff!” She stuck her tongue out at me in response and I laughed.

“Well now,” Iron Jade said as he trotted over to the corner of the shop. “Shall we get started on your barding?”

“Absolutely!”

I was beyond excited to take this opportunity to learn from the smith. He operated much differently from my father, and managed to do things easily with magic that earth ponies and hippogriffs had to sweat out with brutal determination and patience. However, he kindly waited and watched as I did things without the aid of a horn, and he offered a lot of advice along the way.

It didn’t take long, however, for Rose to get bored of watching us work. “Hey,” she said with a yawn, “I’m going to go take a walk around the market while things are actually open.”

I gave her a concerned look. “Are you going to be okay?”

“Yes, mom,” she said, rolling her eyes. “I won’t be far. Plus I’m super extra armored now!” She tapped one of the plates with a hoof.

I smirked. “Alright… try not to spend all our caps.”

She was halfway out the door as she called back, “No promises!”

* * * * *

A few hours later, I set foot outside Iron Jade’s door in completely repaired and upgraded armor, feeling not only like I had been freshly outfitted, but also like I had walked away with several years worth of armor crafting experience packed into my brain. Not only that, but when I asked Iron Jade how much everything was going to be, he said it was all taken care of. So, with a pocketful of caps and a smile upon my face, I trotted towards the market with a pronounced spring in my step.

There were quite a few other ponies milling about on the streets, bartering with shopkeepers and browsing the wares. Some young foals were playing hide-and-go-seek in the alleyway behind a cart full of preserved food. I smiled and touched my bear claw, thinking of Blaze.

After wandering around the square and popping my head into a few shops, I didn’t see any sign of Rose. Eventually, I found myself in front of the jewelry store that we had stopped in front of the night before, and I couldn’t help but take a look inside.

The interior was filled with gems, jewelry, and luxury items. There was even an entire section devoted to soaps of various sorts, all home-made. Truly, this had to be the last bastion of a civilized unicorn society. Who knows what kind of chaos and disorder would arise if they ever ran out of soap!? I was about to leave when the silver necklace with the ruby pendant caught my eye, and I remembered Rose’s words.

“What you may see as frivolous could be the one thing that makes a mare feel normal in this world… It may be a relic from the past, and it may not have much practical use, but it’s a simple thing that can bring a type of joy you don’t normally find in the Wasteland.”

As I replayed her words in my mind, I remembered the gray mare in the glass looking back at me, speaking so passionately as the necklace shone through her reflection… and how beautiful she looked doing it.

I could spare a few caps, right?

* * * * *

Since I was unable to find Rose at the market, I headed back to the inn, figuring it’d be the next most likely place to find her. My logic was rewarded as I popped my head into The Grotto and found her sitting at the bar with Sterling. Upon seeing me, Sterling gave a broad smile, and Rose turned around in her seat.

“Hey!” she exclaimed. “Nice armor!”

I smiled in response as I took a seat next to her. “Thanks! Working with Iron Jade was awesome.”

“Sterling here has been filling me in on this Emerald City shortcut,” she said, taking a sip from her glass. “Apparently it’s a town in the mountain.”

I arched an eyebrow. “What’s new about that? We’re in a town in the mountains.”

She shook her head. “No, not in the mountains. In the mountain. Like, built within a cavern.”

“Old minin’ settlement within Roan that was repurposed by Society ponies,” Sterling said as he held up a beer with an inquisitive look.

“Naw, thanks,” I said. “What are Society ponies?”

“They’re folks who believe they’re descended from nobility,” Sterling responded. “The biggest group was out east led by King Awesome, but some decided to migrate west and formed groups with nobles from ol’ Las Pegasus an’ even the Crystal Empire.”

“I see… So, what’s this shortcut then?” I asked.

Sterling grabbed a map that had been set aside on the bar and pointed towards the range west of Ophir. “Normally to get to Silverhoof, you’d have to skirt around this peak, through Palisade an’ Moraine, then down into this valley before even gettin’ close.” I nodded, and he continued. “Well, Emerald City is here, inside the mountain, an’ has a tunnel system that extends out to here.” He pointed to the far side of the peak. “You can basically cross straight through towards the eastern side of Silverhoof, savin’ you a couple days journey.”

“So what’s the catch?” Rose asked.

Sterling grinned. “Well, because it’s a Society settlement, the entrances are magically sealed to prevent any riff raff from wanderin’ in. There’s a special key used to unlock the doors.”

“Ooh!” Rose exclaimed excitedly. “Let me guess, the key is hidden within the darkest reaches of Tartarus and we have to fight through legions of hellhounds and undead prisoners of Equestria to reach it or something, right?”

Sterling laughed. “Oh! Haha-- no! Not at all!” He reached into the pocket of his vest and pulled out a glowing emerald jewel attached to a length of ribbon. “It’s right here,” he said with a smirk.

Rose gave a dejected look and rested her head languidly on the bar. “Aww, that’s boring. I’m getting stir crazy in this town.”

“Sorry to disappoint,” Sterling said as he handed me the jewel. “Of course, once you enter, you’ll have to look the part. Society ponies tend to never be caught dead without fine clothes or jewelry, an’ you wouldn’t wanna be mistaken as a serf. I probably have something that’ll fit you, Stormy, but as for Miss Rose...”

“Oh! I think I have just the thing,” I exclaimed as I started digging through my pack.

“Well you learn something new every day!” Rose said, hopping off her chair with a devilish smirk. “I never knew you liked wearing dresses!” Sterling stifled a laugh. Rose poked me with a hoof as she continued teasing. “You know, I’ve got some eyeshadow in my pack. All we’d need is some lipstick and I could--”

I carefully pulled the silver necklace from a little box I had in my bag, and she stopped mid-sentence, silently falling to her rump as she stared with wide eyes.

“Well now,” Sterling said with an impressed tone, “that’s the fastest I’ve ever seen someone shut up a unicorn.” Rose didn’t even acknowledge that he said anything as she continued to stare at the delicate piece of jewelry within my talons, her eyes shimmering.

“Will this do?” I asked.

Rose blinked, a tear rolling down her cheek, and she nodded happily.

A moment passed.

“Stormy!” Sterling said in a harsh whisper.

“Hm?”

“Put the damn necklace on the girl.”

“Oh, right!” I said. Sterling facetaloned.

I stepped forward and carefully clasped the necklace around Rose’s neck while she watched me with glassy eyes and a bright smile. As I lowered my talons, she threw her hooves around my neck and held me in a tight hug. I returned it with a little laugh.

Sterling rummaged around the shelf behind him and produced a fine serving platter with a mirrored finish. He gave it a quick polish with a rag, then held it up in front of him. “Would you like to see?” he asked. Rose released me from the hug and stepped back, studying her reflection in the tray.

As I saw her happy expression in the reflection, I spoke. “I went looking for you in the market before coming back here, and I found myself in that store that we stopped at last night. I remembered what you said and... how you looked standing in front of that window.” I gave her a sheepish smile and shrugged. “I thought maybe it’d look good on you.”

Rose looked back at me over her shoulder, and she was a picture of elegance: her mane framed happy sparkling eyes that mirrored the beauty of the polished ruby heart that shone brilliantly upon her neck.

“It’s perfect,” she said with a reverent tone.

Sterling let out a gentle sigh as he placed the platter back on the shelf. “It’s a beautiful piece. Looks like Hearthstone’s work.”

“Hearthstone?” I asked in surprise. “I didn’t realize Ophir had a jeweler.”

Sterling shook his head sadly as we once again took our seats. “We used to. He was one of the first to be taken,” he said, gesturing towards me. “May I see the box that came with it?”

I nodded and passed it over to the griffon. He opened it up, took out the felt base, and removed a folded piece of paper that was hidden within. Looking at it, he nodded. “Just like I thought… it’s definitely Hearthstone’s work, an’ from the looks of it, it was one of the last pieces he ever completed. Even has a name.”

“What is it?” Rose asked.

“The Heart of Ophir,” Sterling said as he folded the paper back up and reassembled the box. He handed it back with a smile, but I couldn’t help but see the hint of sadness within his eyes. “You have impeccable taste, Stormy. I’m impressed.”

“Thanks,” I said, slightly embarrassed.

He turned his gaze to Rose. “You should make sure to hold on to that. It might be incredibly valuable one day.”

Rose gave the griffon a small smile, then looked at me. “It already is.”

Footnote: Level Up!

New Perk: Armorer (Rank 2)
You’ve honed your armor crafting abilities and discovered new and efficient ways to work with materials. New armor modifications are available.

Author's Note

Definitely a recovery chapter, but this one was exceptionally fun to write. I'm really happy that Sterling finally got his opportunity to spend some time with Storm Mist. Thanks as always to Kkat for inspiring this mess and Artimae for helping me out with the writing process~

And if you're into shipping, what team are you on? #TeamRoseStorm or #TeamSilverMist? ;p