Author's Note

Story by: Nitsua (NitsuaXepher)
With contributions from: Éther and Little Dash
All original characters: Are property of their respective owners.
Additional contributions (name) from: hayburgerandfries
Adjustments and "editing" by: Nitsua (Riding Rain)

No little ponies were harmed in the writing of this world.

The adventures of "Reddling" Riding Rain continue...

Dedicated to all of the little blessings, and to Éther, and ...

The Traitor

"Where were you?"

"Reddling" Riding Rain looked at his beer and the ice sheets in his glass, sitting at a small table on a cushion and looking out at the letters before him. He arranged them in a way that was pleasing to himself, shutting his thoughts inside and feeling his mind, going back to it's ease as he took notes in old Silverfieldian. He knew Equestrians would not be able to read this in the past and the present. While they now had access to new Silverfieldian, only Riding Rain remained who could write old Silverfieldian, thanks to their efforts. Riding Rain drained his beer, letting the ice sheets crack as they hit the bottom of the glass.

There was a letter here from Bruiser, written drunkedly, involving another friend of theirs who had a little trouble with the law. Riding Rain found trouble reading the hoofmail, so he put it aside for the moment. Something about commune ponies and different issues, it did not give exact details.

Riding Rain paused for some time, looking over the notes as he waited for his boss to enter the room.

"Fighting ghosts again?" A white maned bat pony asked. He always would pronouce it with the long hard e, making sure to speak a Prance language with her.

"No." Reddling said, looking at her as she gave a frown. Neither of them believed his lie, and Reddling breathed a sorry.

"I hate this." Reddling said.

"Sorry." She said. "C'est la vie..."

"..." Reddling agreed silently, nodding his head and pretending he understood her before stopping, "I have no letters from-"

"Oui." She continued, Reddling scratching a little tally mark on his notes as she slammed the door, making Reddling half wince as he went back to sorting papers for his new boss. What she means to say is "yes" she is specifically choosing to not do so at this point and I absolutely refuse to believe otherwise. I think she is either doing this to be irritating or doing it to make fun of me not speaking her fancy prance language. He did not expect to be put into pushing paper for a living after he had done everything to save Equestria with his friends. He was not even allowed to visit with them unless his new boss was present, breathing direct and often literal air down the back of his throat. He never saw any colour. He never saw cracks of light. She wore a blue ribbon tie, a white coat, and a suit. He had never even seen her face because she would only exist in absolute darkness. But he had seen her eyes. Sharp and brilliant like two stars together in the night sky.

Riding continued moving papers around, doing his job and growing more and more on unease as he finished drink after drink. Ever since he had taken this position, he could drink but never get drunk. But every letter he got in his metaphorical cell seemed like everything got worse. The next letter confirmed this, as did a series of letters that followed. Riding got up at a small trot, shifting his blue coat around so the soft inner silk pressed up against his body. He flipped his sign to "out" and adjusted the dial to a random marking. He had never been much of one for clocks, and instinctively knew close to the correct time that others would need to know, anyway. Riding turned and went right down the hallway, happy to go get some night air.

Riding stopped when he was outside, sititng down. There was a small enclave shielded by glass that allowed for both ventlation and gazing at the night sky. He was looking about for a moment before he picked up one of the new cases he had found laying around in the Night Guard quarters. They were small, metal, and contained some sort of "magicae" unknown to him. it was a little larger than his hoof, and he flipped it around for a moment, letting out some smoke from pressing a small switch and watching some smoke fill the air. It was supposed to be calming, however, it only ever made him more on edge as he looked up at the stars.

My, this is not what I thought it would be. A desk job. Nothing exciting. And what even is this smoke, in any case? It is supposed to make us relax but it always makes me more and more on edge. Riding Rain looked down at the device and put it away. looking off into the stars.

"It is not your break yet."

Reddling hear the voice behind him and stood up, whipping around and seeing a black suit walk past his vision and put their hooves on an outreach, resting there in a raised position as the mare looked out at the stars. her white mane covered her face, and an equally white tail flicked idly under her skirt.

"Just a moment will not hurt." Reddling said to her.

"is that what you told Celestia, Riding Rain? It will 'not hurt?'" She asked, not looking at him. Reddling said nothing, looking down.

"You could always ask for reassignment, if this desk job tires you." She said, stars glinting through her white mane. They were like diamonds of every colour anything and everypony could see.

"No, I want this job." Reddling said.

"Your ill-suited for it, however good you are at it. You can do more." The white maned mare said. "I read your book, you know. The one you finished for the Canterlot Library."

"The alphabet of Silverfield and how the reading and the speech differ does not sound like your usual type of reading. Not much pay in learning Silverfieldian." Reddling said, looking down at the stones under him and rubbing his hoof along one.

"Learning every language you can does not have to be about pay, Riding Rain." The bat pony in the suit replied. "I was hoping you would ask for reassignment, as I have a new assignment for you."

"Watch duty?" Reddling questioned, believing he already knew, but stood up when he heard-

"No. Guard Duty."

"Who?" Reddling felt his insides almost itching at what was to come. Maybe he could see his friends? Maybe he could do something other than push paper and pens?

"Do you remember Web's job when you first joined the Night Guard?" The mare in the suit asked.

How could I possibly forget? Those were the best days of my life, and I threw them all away because I was busy trying to fulfill a destiny that was never supposed to be mine, as far as I know. Yes, I remember. I will always remember. And remember what I did not enjoy when I had it.

"Yes." Reddling looked ahead with a blank stare out at the night sky.

"I will be keeping an eye on you, and it will not just be you, but I would like you to help some ponies get acclimated to their new lives as recruits for the Night Guard." The mare said. Redding Rain continued looking at the stars.

It will not be the same though... Not the same as when I was there. This is like rubbing salt in the wound. As good as I am with a knife, she still is better at causing pain. Reddling thought to himself, looking down again at the stones.

"You know where to go. I already had some of your supplies sent up to Web's old room. The recruits should be there by now, although I doubt they are aware of their surroundings. You remember your own introduction." The suited bat pony said. Reddling looked back up at her but she was already vanishing before his eyes. Riding watched as she seemed to simply fade back into the darkness of night itself, not even leaving a glimmer or sign she had been there in the first place.

She's even better at that than Web is. Who the hell is she anyway? She never even responds to her name that was on the paper. Hang on- Riding paused, pondering to himself about how she would be keeping an eye on him. If I make a note that she is there then maybe I can get her to say her name. Weird to sign a letter with what is not your real name, but given her line of work, I would be more concerned if she was signing with her real name.

Riding Rain was up the same second, returning to his workspace and grabbing his notes and shoving them in a holder before he threw them into a small satchel bag, which fastened right between the foreleg and wing so he could fly without any hinderance. dodging down the halls of the catacombs of Equestria, Riding Rain continued up and into some Night Guard areas proper. He paused for a moment, and then ducked towards his room down a hallway and silently slid himself inside. Riding Rain smiled as he stepped forward with a happy and pleased trot towards his bed, over a purple rug and to a rack that was not far away. Pushing through a row of coats, he grabbed some special armor he had not worn in a very long time. Exchanging the slippers he had on for parade armor, Riding Rain fastened on his favorite type of armor to wear when he was not going into combat. Or worse, doing paperwork.

Riding adjusted the shiny blue shoes, the darker coloured cloth under it, and the brighter blue that went on over the top as he sat the satchel bag aside. Despite the time and events that had past, he reckoned himself to be the same age he was when he had joined the Night Guard. He was unaware if this was simply a Silverfieldian feature, or if bat ponies themselves did not appear to age. The only bat pony with white hair he had seen was his boss, but he figured with the dangers of guard duty at night, maybe bat ponies simply did not live long enough to grow older, or retired before they began to age too much. He would have judged this by his friends, except he hadn't any free time to visit anypony. At least until now. When the recruits are on break, I can make the short fly back to Canterlot. I likely do not even need to stay up there, if it was not for the fact that new recruits need constant care.

Riding saw shadows lick at the edge of his guard shoe, which was little more than a trimmed down boot. He stomped at the shadows, warning them to stay away. Exactly like that. You even think about them, and there they are. Riding thought, pausing and grabbing at his fancy trench coat before stopping. Maybe he did not wish to wear that one just yet, later. Passing over the coat he had been gifted in the past, Riding instead opted for one of his non-fireproof coats. With the exception of the fireproof coat, all his coats were much the same, although sometimes a little less or a little extra flair had been applied by the seamstress who worked on them.

Without any more thoughts of the dingy catacombs, Riding dashed out of the room and closed the door, heading for the exit to the bat pony caves and entering into the lower courtyards of Canterlot castle. A major advantage of being a bat pony and having cave access, Riding had learned, was that you could appear anywhere you needed to in the city within a very short amount of time, provided you knew the path to the exit you wanted. Riding knew of a couple other exits, but really had no reason to use them. When the only place you were headed for was the sky, it did not matter where you came out of the ground. Taking a gallop and then sprinting just a second, Riding threw himself forward and off a ledge, letting his wings extend and grab the wind currents so he could be carried with a glide towards the night sky. tilting his wings with hooves forward, he kited himself to the side and angled upwards, towards the mountains near Canterlot.

It was a short flight, and although Riding Rain took his time, he still arrived in nearly the same time as if he had just flown straight there. Riding landed near the bleachers to the small mountain enclave. There were several buildings here, Riding noting that the mess hall had been repaired, as had the bar and showers area. he recognized Web's old cabin, as well as other cabins that were boarded up like his to prevent even an inch of light entering into the building. Riding trotted past the bleachers and over to check on the cabin he had formerly known as being Web's cabin. A couple spare coats, a small and dubious box of supplies, and a fine array of weapons had all been delivered. Riding Rain pulled back his coat, looking down at his side to glance at the kukri he always kept with him. The light of the blade would put these others to shame, but Riding had grown used to training with less useful weapons. Belting on the bastard sword and two long and deadly looking knifes, Riding checked the blue steel of all three before grabbing a half brace of throwing knives, which he belted onto his chest, giving himself ten different options for piecing anything, plus the two in his mouth.

Sweeping his coat around himself, letting it only barely keep off the ground but allowing him to crouch and with his pony frame still not get it dirty, Riding smiled to himself. I... this place. Riding thought to himself as he trotted out. He had many good and many bad memories here, a notable one making his hoof itch as he stopped and looked at the mess hall. With a shrug, Riding stepped towards the place. He had the memory of the building half blown apart seared into his memory. Fire, colour, and fighting, the day that things seemed to have gone very wrong for everypony. Yet here, it was restored, the time made right. Riding Rain trotted into the hall and then turned to the right, taking the set of double doors and trotting over to inspect if any food was out. There was a little bit of fruit in a basket, and it looked as though it was set for dinner. Some hay fries looked ready to be prepared later, although Riding Rain did not see the cook present. I wonder if we even have a cook. I hope I don't have to be the cook here too. I never did find out what happened to that green earth pony. I wonder if Web ever managed to fix him? He might have been too far gone... Riding tried to push the intrusive thoughts away.

Grabbing a mango Riding Rain turned and froze, wiping his smile away mid movement so that nopony saw this. If it had not been for the fact he could see them breathing, Riding might have thought the other pony in the room was a corpse. He had not heard them make a sound, not even breathing sounds. This was a trait he had come to associate with Web Weaver, his boss, and himself. Although Riding kept his own voices quiet he felt his heart rate quicken and his breathes grow faster.

The far end of the second table had a pony in a chair, looking down at their hooves. This pony was not however, anypony that Riding was aware of in the Night Guard. They were a bit on the smaller side for sure, perhaps in or very near their late teenage years in age. They had whipped their purple and nearly black mane back some, keeping it rather short. A mop of bedraggled backmane and tail complimented their bat pony features, with a set of dark purple wings that matched their dark purple mane and pale orange coat. Riding grabbed a second mango and shoved both into his pockets, trotting silently to the end of the table and sliding across from the other pony.

I figured they would all still be passed out. How is the pony up? How are they awake? ...Were the others awake and only I passed out during my test? Riding voiced none of his questions to the pony, taking out the two mangoes and sliding one across the table. The pony looked up at the mango, then looked further up at Riding Rain. The bat pony had bright and harmonic eyes, with diamond slitted pupils to match their tufted ears, the little fangs on the side of the muzzle, and the wings. All of this was how a bat pony should be, although Riding felt he could see some measure of sadness in the brilliant purple eyes that seemed to capture so many other shades as well. The eyes were deep, like they saw everything and nothing at the same time, a look that most ponies would say does not fit a pony of that age. Riding knew better though, he knew what you had to see to have that stare in your eyes when you look forward. Fortunately, that look was currently directed at the mango now, making it seem a little less colourful and wilted just by circumstance.

Riding waited to see if the other pony would speak, but no words came forth. I almost wish I was psychic at times like this. It would make my former occupation a lot easier. Perhaps that is why I almost wish this.

After a few moments Riding decided to speak, "I can put it back if you are not hungry."

The bat pony looked back up at him, speaking in a tone that was gentle, but had a harsh feminine tinge to it, "You did not give me anything to cut it with."

Riding almost considered drawing one of his night guard knives and stabbing it into the table, but he decided that since he knew this had to be a traumatic change, leaving behind your pony life and becoming a bat pony, maybe now was not the moment to be drawing sharp weapons. Riding put his mango down, looking down at his teeth, then at the pony.

"You just bite into it and drink." Riding said. The pony looked at the mango, then up at him, wordlessly posturing the expression of disbelief. Riding gave a pained smile, a forced smile, one that was very fake, and then tried again. "Like this, you just-" Riding opened his mouth and then bit down with his fangs, letting them slide into the skin and flesh of the mango as he made a slurping sound, containing all the juice in his mouth and gulping some down. The mango below shriveled up somewhat, and the other pony grew paler watching the entire situation.

Oh they are so not ready for this. Riding thought to himself as he took the mango out of his mouth. "I will see about getting some juice sent to your quarters."

The other pony's expression appeared to be somewhere between threatening to coat the hall with vomit and disgust that was changing to realization as they looked at their hooves, the mango, and their back. The pony then looked back to Riding Rain. With his vision, Riding could tell their hair was standing on edge just a bit, nervousness but not yet fear. Horror, perhaps? Maybe I should ask them questions, that might help.

"I am Rìdìng Raìn," Riding enunciated his name in the correct manner. "I understand if you do not desire to give me your name, many ponies change their names when they join the Night Guard. I have a friend like that. However, if you wish to use your old name, then what is yours?"

The pony gave a bit of a raised look with their eye, expressing interest, even if it was in somewhat of a sardonic way. The pony did not reply with a name, so Riding continued finishing with drinking his mango. When he was finished, the other pony finally spoke.

"I do not have one anymore. Nor a mark." The pony said. They looked back at their side, which Riding noticed was a bit paler than normal, as if the pony had found their special talent and also lost it. It was at this moment the thought occurred to Riding that this pony was not wearing any of their Night Guard armor, which included a helmet.

Riding chuckled to himself before stopping, realizing this was a terrible moment to chuckle given the state the pony across from him was in. he reached a hoof into his coat, and produced a pair of sunglasses, placing them next to the mango. "You will want those if you aren't back to your quarters by sunrise. Trust me. You do not want to be out in the sun." The pony looked up, then looked down and clammed up, refusing to even offer a comment or question. Riding breathed deep, letting out a sad stutter of breath at the end.

"Because of the sun." Riding commented.

"Yes." The pony without a name said back to him.

"Well, I will be helping you get acquainted with your new life as a bat pony, so if you have questions, or need somepony to talk to, just tell me?" Reddling did not manage to finish his statement without facehoofing. It sounded so fake in his mouth he nearly coughed up some of the mango juice. Even for him, this was a hard lie to tell, this fake politeness. Taking a breath, Riding Rain tried again; "What I meant to say was, it's my job help you. Let me know if you need help-"

"-I need help." The pony stated as Riding was finishing his statement. Riding breathed deep, looking down before he leaned back.

"It would help if I have some name to call you, even if it's not your name." Riding stated, drumming his hoof on the table in a low tone.

"Call me whatever you want." The pony said dismissively, looking away with their eyes relaxed a bit, somewhere between a pout and a cry. I am awful with names. I mean really, I can still remember being asked if Reddling was my real name. No it's just what they call me, because I'm red, right? Uh, I'm never going to come up with a name that sounds believable. Think, Riding, think. Say something you know well. Riding looked back at the pony's sad expression.

"Teardrops." Riding Rain stated, leaning forward with a bit of confidence, "That's because you look like you are about to cry, and not for any other reason though. When you think of a better one let me know, please."

"Teardrops. Really?" Teardrops replied, pausing and then looking down at their sides before looking back upwards. "There are a lot of other reasons I can think of to call me Teardrops-"

"I know," Riding's turn to reply at the very end of something Teardrops said, "Ponies like me can see that much in your eyes, you know."

"Are you some kind of mind reader?" Teardrops asked, their face changing to one of suspicion.

"Just very good at reading eyes." Riding replied, pushing himself up from the table. "If you ever need to find me, and I am not around out in the yard or in here, check my room, I write in there."

"There is... nothing else you do?" Teardrops ears flattened. Riding Rain motioned to the sunglasses, and then beckoned for Teardrops to follow him. They trotted outside, sunglasses on the other bat pony as they entered back into the yard. Riding stopped at his door, and then cast it open, trotting over to the small box and opening it up, setting his supplies on a desk in view of the door. A large bottle of wine, and a slightly smaller bottle of distilled liquids, a stack of papers, and last of all a small set of quills, which he noticed the pony's eyes follow as they seemed to cringe backwards. Riding paused, then put the box down, revealing there to only be a small tin of dry rations, a small, concealable knife, and a small amount of folded clothes with a shorter coat. Grabbing a spare pair of sunglasses from the shorter coat and donning them, Riding looked back at the pony as he stood up. The glasses blackened the room enough that it was almost difficult to see, and Riding found himself thankful for his enhanced vision as he folded them up and put them inside his blue coat before exiting the room, closing the door to his cabin with his wing.

"All you do is sit in your room and drink, write, and collect... knives?" Teardrops seemed to be a little more open to discussion now, however the look that Riding Rain was making out under the sunglasses was not one of approval from Teardrops.

"Not always." Riding responded in short order, trotting over towards the training yard that made up the center of the enclave, which he judged from the position of his new cabin had it's buildings arranged in the shape of a horseshoe.

"Your job, writing, and alcohol." Teardrops trotted along with Riding.

"And collect knives, and coats." Riding added on the coats part, motioning towards his coat with his right wing. Teardrops glanced the coat over, and Riding was fairly certain that he saw them roll their eyes.

"I'll hold off on the full tour for now, we'll get to that later." Riding stopped, motioning one by one to the buildings. "my cabin of course, the mess hall you already found, the bar, the showers, and the cabins. You would be better off not disturbing anypony else that might occupy the other cabins for tonight, we will start training tomorrow-"

"No!"

Riding stopped, his hoof wilting a bit as his eyes flicked over to Teardrops' statement. He had not lacked in bravery, if the same could not have ben said for spirit, on his first day. However, he could not recall a day in his job where he would have ever called out to one of his superiors in such a manner unless imminent danger was upon them. The ferocity with which the word had been called out made Riding step away from Teardrops a half pace. He waited for them to continue, making a gesture with his hoof for them to go on.

"No, uh, I mean, I want to start training tonight." Teardrops said.

"I advice you to not speak that way to other more senior members of the Night Guard, I think you will find a great many are not as forgiving at being told no. Many are used to getting their way, and when they do not, they are used to finding other means to get their way, both legal and illegal depending upon the bat pony." Riding advised. Teardrops looked around and then leaned forward a bit, mouthing the legal and illegal part of the statement back to Riding. Riding gave a nod.

"Why?" Teardrops' ears flattened again. Riding shook his head, attempting to communicate that he did not intend to be answering that question at this time. Teardrops gulped, and then gave their wings a flap. "I do want to begin training tonight though. Flying training!"

"Flying." Riding stared at Teardrops with simple eyes, not even prepared to give himself a thought at being confronted with that word so fast.

"Yes!" Teardrops said, with as much vigor as they had no, although with a very different tone. Riding took another half pace back, his eyes getting a bit wider as he took his sunglasses off. Teardrops did the same, dropping their sunglasses in the grass, little stars in their eyes and shooting a look that gave Riding Rain pause.

"I want to teach all of you together at once, you are the only one here right now, so-"

Teardrops did not wait for Riding to finish, saying, "So teach me now! I can help you teach anypony else! I want to learn how to fly!"

Riding Rain chuckled again, at a better moment this time. "I know how it feels to be so eager, you know?" Teardrops put their head at a tilt, and Riding leaned back, counting the cabins. "That one."

Riding put his sunglasses back on and trotted over to one of the cabins, stopping short of the door as Teardrops went past him. Riding gestured to the ground, holding his hoof out at a large, pony shaped indent in the ground, stopping himself from speaking as he stared over at the door to the cabin, which now stood ajar, an uneasy looking Teardrops looking back at him.

"How did you know which one is my cabin? I thought you said you weren't a mind reader?" Teardrops queried.

"I am not a mind reader." Riding Rain said.

"Oh," Teardrops said, looking down, then looking back up with suspicion. "You did not have any notes about anything in your cabin. What are you then, lucky? A prophet?" Teardrops continued with questioning, causing Riding Rain to be silent until they ran out of breath for the moment, not answering any of the questions. After a flurry of questions, Riding Rain patted the ground with the pony shaped indent.

"This used to be my cabin, when I joined the Night Guard. I have many memories in this place. It would seem, this place also holds memories of me." Riding gestured down to the indent as Teardrops inspected the ground.

"I decided to teach myself to fly after the first night I was here, and this is where I crashed, each and every time. I was so excited to have wings, I had to learn what it was like to be airborn. I learned the airborn part, I failed the flying test, though.

Teardrops jerked their head back a bit, looking Riding over with an almost curious expression. "You- did not know how to fly either?"

Riding Rain looked away. I hate bringing this up.

"Some ponies, like you and a friend of mine, Nightshade we call her, join in pursuit of something with reasons entirely their own. Some ponies have higher goals, like myself. But there are also ponies that join in order to forget the life they had." Riding said, looking back at the indent. "I never learned to fly, so I thought to myself it could not possibly be that hard. I never thought unicorns or earth ponies would be so interested in flying, although I did meet an earth pony who was like that, once."

"I mean, it is not their fault they cannot fly." Teardrops added to the thought, "They just, don't understand what it's like to not be able to fly."

Riding Rain was glad his sunglasses were on and hoped the glare he had was not translating to Teardrops, because anypony Riding had ever met would move away from that look.

"You do not know what you have until it is taken away from you." Riding breathed. "Silverfieldians know this all too well."

"Silverfieldians?" Teardrops asked.

"Silverfield, it is a small country to the south of Equestria. Hope you never have to see it. They do not have any pegasi that fly in Silverfield." Riding's grim expression invited a few shadows to trace along his hooves, and he kicked at the ground, warning them to stay back.

"No pegasi fly in Silverfield?!" Teardrops betrayed a small moment of something there, but Riding was not sure yet what it was.

"That does not mean that there are no pegasi born in Silverfield." Riding Rain forced a cough.

"Can we go there-"

"No." Riding said.

Teardrops looked down at the ground at this sudden rebuttal. They were silent for a moment, both of them saying nothing to each other. After a short time, Teardrops broke the silence; "...You, you are from there, aren't you?"

"That is correct." Riding Rain did not look at teardrops, staring out at the end of the enclave, which overlooked smaller mountains.

"-And you know what it's like to not be able to fly, even when you should be able to." Teardrops continued.

"This is true." Riding Rain looked down, kicking the ground.

"Do you smoke?" Teardrops queried.

"Excuse me?" Riding stopped, looking back at Teardrops.

"Sorry- sorry, different pony." Teardrops' turn to kick the ground came up, however, when they looked up the happiness on their face was shining. Riding Rain lowered his sunglasses, taking a look at the unusual bat pony before him. Whatever had been in their eyes before was gone now, and there was a brightness that seemed to almost sting Riding Rain, except he felt no pain.

"You can fly now, as a bat pony!?" Teardrops leaned forward, inching closer. Riding reasoned to himself without words that they were something akin to a kitten that was about to capture a toy mouse.

"...Yes." Riding did not move an inch, glancing around himself and automatically checking for any unseen weapons that might have been planted around him. His mind was already thinking of potential assassination techniques that could be used on him, or what this pony might be planning. Teardrops was getting even closer now, almost within lunging distance. But they did not seem to have any weapons except- Except those fangs.

Riding flicked his head down to where he had been bitten before by an enemy on his right forehoof, wondering if his left forehoof was not to suffer the same fate.

"You were a pegasi that could not fly." Teardrops said to Riding. Riding nodded, making himself ready. There was a rushing of wind and he raised his hoof instinctively to guard his neck from a bite, ready to pull his kukri out.

Except, no weapons produced themselves from either side, Riding felt the wind knocked out of him for a moment as he was instead grabbed by the pony. It was not a grab lacking in firmness, however, it was also gentle, a foreign emotion that Riding had left behind a long time ago. Riding took his sunglasses off, tossing them away. Below him the pony, only somewhat smaller than he, had locked him into an embrace. it was not quite like that as one might grab a lover, but there was obvious care and closeness. Riding had always hated being touched, but there was no drawback this time, no panic about the hug. He truly could not grasp what exactly had just happened, and his hoof was still raised in an awkward position, as if he had invited the hug. Riding said nothing, taking in a deep breath of night air. Teardrops did not speak either. Riding broke the silence, because he felt something wet on his clothing.

"Are you- crying?" Riding asked, looking down at Teardrops. Teardrops nodded. Riding Rain found himself at a loss for words, simply gazing down at the situation. Teardrops was not letting go, though, so he decided to try a different question.

"Why are you sad?" Riding asked.

"I am not sad." Teardrops mumbled into the blue trench coat. "I'm happy."

"Happy?" Riding Rain asked, dumbfounded.

"You know what it's like to not fly. I never met another pony like me that could not fly." Teardrops murmured.

"Like you..." Riding stumbled a tiny bit, causing Teardrops to break away and wipe away their tears as he grabbed at his back and felt his bat pony wings, a flash of a memory of pain echoing inside of his mind.

"I mean, I always sort of knew, you know?" Teardrops said. "Why I did not have any family, why I could not fly, I knew that there had to be other ponies like me."

Riding gulped, a shadow of agony dwelling over his chest as he looked over at Teardrops. "I am sorry that happened to you. I know that losing your wings can be difficult-"

"It's alright!" Teardrops responded, drying the rest of their tears. "You and me, we both have these!"

Riding watched as Teardrops flapped their wings, lifting just a little off the ground. Riding hesitated, then offered a deeper question.

"Do you recall if it hurt?" Riding asked.

"It always hurts when ponies make fun of you for not being able to fly and laugh about your wings." Teardrops replied, tilting their head as they glanced over, stopping their happy flapping. "Uh, Mister Rìdìng Raìn? Are you alright? You look sad."

Riding said nothing.

"...You do not have any family either." Teardrops did not ask, but rather, stated this sentence.

Riding looked straight ahead.

"And nopony calls you Rìdìng Raìn, because they cannot pronounce your name." Teardrops continued.

"I remember having wings, until they took them away. In Silverfield." Riding Rain said, looking away and finding his sunglasses, about to put them back on.

"I know who you are." Teardrops' voice came from behind him. Riding Rain turned his head, stopping for a moment.

"I told you my name, so I hope so." Riding offered.

"You are the legendary assassin Reddling Rain. That is what they call you, Reddling." Teardrops declared. "The bat pony from Silverfield. Uh, the bat pony in the armor talked about you."

"Did he." Riding stated, folding up the sunglasses. "Good things I hope."

"You... did not think to say that up front?" Teardrops asked. "Why?"

Riding Rain did not answer.

"...You only use that name when you are... on a mission."

Riding Rain again, did not answer. Correct.

Teardrops approached, sitting down in the grass beside Riding Rain. He did the same, kicking his coat to the side.

"I heard you have killed. That- that Reddling, killed, a lot of ponies." Teardrops said.

"I am Riding Rain, cannot say if I have ever met him." Riding said. "What did the pony in the armor say?"

"You- uh, Reddling Rain, he is mythical." Teardrops remarked. "I heard that he once defeated nine other ponies with a single hoof, just one strike, all at once."

"Not all stories translate fully." Riding Rain remarked.

"I heard you pacified Discord himself once." Teardrops continued.

"Not sure about that one, did not ask." Riding Rain replied.

"You brought down all three changeling queens trying to destroy Equestria. The day guards just speak about you by name, nopony claims to remember what you look like or if they even saw you. I heard some say they are pretty sure you are red though, like dried blood, from all the ponies you killed."

"I wouldn't repeat that one." Riding looked down at his hooves, which indeed, his pony coat was the colour of dried blood and purple, creating a shade that shifted depending upon the lighting. He could appear many different colours depending upon when you looked at him and the time of day or night.

"I heard that you managed to write your own universe into creation, alone."

"-Who told you that one?" Riding stopped Teardrops, holding a hoof up.

"I read it in a book about you." Teardrops looked taken aback, and Riding put his hoof down, saying nothing.

After a brief pause, Teardrops continued, "And- the thing with wings-"

"You speak like an Equestrian. In Silverfield, pegasus ponies are dewinged at birth. I lived long enough to remember mine being shorn off my back." Riding had to forcibly vomit the words out, not looking at Teardrops. he heard the air move around the other bat pony as they nodded.

"I do not know where I was born, I was an orphan. Like you. What happened?"

"I am specifically silent about that part of the story." Riding said.

"So it is you then." Teardrops asked. "I heard you have traveled dimensions for your work before. They have some other names for you too, you change it depending on where you go, names like-"

"I would rather not talk about that, Teardrops." Riding spoke over them, and they both fell silent.

"You are a lot younger than I expected." It was Teardrops turn to break the silence. "I do have a question though, about, you."

"And here I was hoping to be answering any other kind of question in Equestria tonight." Riding murmured.

"So you never told anypony who you really were?" Teardrops asked.

"They tend forget about me not long after even when I have. I think it makes them uncomfortable, they do not like having talks like that, and I normally do not like talking." Riding answered.

"This is sort of a two part question," Teardrops interjected at the end, "Why? I mean, not why do they forget about you, but why are you, you know." in response, Riding shrugged his pony shoulders and did not raise his hooves.

"They say you are a monster, but you look a lot like me. Do you have any little ponies? Are you married?"

"That is an awful lot more than just one question." Riding remarked.

"Sorry..." Teardrops trailed off. "I have more than one question. Where were you, all these years?" There was not an immediate reply from Riding as he looked down at his hooves, holding them together and then looking to the south and downwards. The two of them sat there, the night air blowing gentle and sweet around them. Total silence reigned in the middle of the night.

"The others, they're real too, then? Midnight Tales, Tree Tops, Nightshade, Bruiser, Web Weaver?" Teardrops asked finally, their voice a little hoarse from not speaking in so long.

"...Who gave you this book?" Riding Rain stood up, looking down at Teardrops as they stood up, too.

"She did." Teardrops pointed past Riding Rain and he did not move an inch. "I do not know her name though, she did not tell me. I did not ask either."

"Close." Riding Rain said, still pointedly not turning around as he straightened up a bit and felt a pony walk so close to him that white mane tickled his coat.

"Éther." The suited pony said, adjusting the ribbon tie they wore as they stood adjacent to Riding and Teardrops.

Reddling jerked his hoof, barely withholding his facehoof. It is a long E? Are you serious, she signed her name correctly in all those letters I just did not know how to say the name? Are you serious with me right now Éther?

"Riding has been calling me Teardrops. That's not as cool as Rìdìng Raìn or Éther, though." Teardrops remarked.

"Name changes were discussed earlier." Éther said, looking over to Riding, and motioning for him to follow as they walked a good deal away, leaving Teardrops back at the yard as they went past the bleachers. "This one is here on special orders." Upon hearing this, Riding Rain did facehoof, unable to take the cold situation that he had been served.

"I know you know what I am thinking. However, are you serious? This is happening?"

"This is happening." Éther's stare was direct, not leaving room for complaint or to negotiate.

"Alright, who is their target?" Riding immediately went into thinking mode, turning around with Éther as she put a hoof on his shoulder for a moment, and then took it away. They trotted back towards the yard, stopping in front of Teardrops.

"I left you a letter in your cabin. Use your discretion." Éther had scant finished her sentence before Riding saw her seem to simply cease to be present next to the two of them. Teardrops looked at where Éther had been, then looked back to Riding Rain.

"Want to go find out what the letter says?" Riding asked. Teardrops nodded, then followed up with, "And then, flying?"

Riding chuckled and turned, leading the way to his cabin as Teardrops caught up. "I'll teach you the stretches and the basics, but actually learning to fly usually takes a full night, and you cannot be out during the day without being uncomfortable. I know we can get you in the air tonight, so you can fly first thing next night."

Teardrops did not need any more of an answer than this as they arrived hastily at the cabin, Riding stepping inside and seeing two glasses set out for the wine and distilled liquids. One of the glasses was wet and it was clear some of the wine had been used. Riding opened the letter and read it first, then offered it to Teardrops.

"Riding Rain,

As you know, there has been trouble with the dream realms as of late. We believe that we are close to finding the pony that is responsible for the intrusions to the dream realm. Please keep this in mind when acclimating the new cadets before they join the Night Guard. Web Weaver is not a suspect at this time. We have reason to believe the pony is close to at least some of the princesses, and may or may not know that they are doing this. At this time, we do not have any information on if they are a guard, a noble, an element, or friend of the elements,

You are not authorized to execute this pony if they are discovered. Ensure your findings are reported in a prompt manner.

Signed, Ether

"All this time I worked for her, she just didn't answer me because I would not say her name the correct way. I cannot tell when it's signed that way. Infuriating." Riding commented on the letter as he watched Teardrops eyes scroll over the text and reach the bottom of the parchment.

"She has really good writing. It's art." Teardrops replied.

Riding crossed his hooves. "I should have brought a book to read." Riding sat up a bit, hesitating, "...You do not by any chance happen to have that book you mentioned, do you?"

"Of course not! Éther said it was the only one." Teardrops replied, thinking with the letter in their hoof before placing the letter down. "I seem to recall it was a very plain looking book. Never seen one like it. You know when the sky gets all dark on a new moon, and there's no light at all? It's whatever that colour is, the colour that comes after it is absolutely dark- Although"

Riding felt a bit more chilly now.

"Flying?"