Light as a feather

Lighter than a Feather
- Chapter 18 -

“She’s weak.” Lexis answered thoughtfully, “but she’ll recover given enough time.”

The unicorn mare’s horn glowed faintly, illuminating the darkness around her only enough to distinguish between the shadows and the dark pony hidden within them. The stars had ceased to fall by early morning, though the sky appeared darker with their absence, even as the sun waxed on the far horizon.

“And the other…?” A deep guttural voice inquired.

“She is of little concern.” The mare answered confidently.

“Forgive me if I find your assurance lacking.” The dark vaguely pony shape retorted his voice significantly less convinced.

“What would you have me do?” Lexis queried.

“If time is what she needs then take it from her.” The deep voice responded, a note of finality creeping into his words. With a resigned sigh Lexis stepped back, diminishing the glow from her horn and basking the alley in darkness once more.

“Remain vigilant Lexis. Remember what is at stake…” The voice resonated from the steadily fading shadows, the threatening tone far to clear to be ignored. A shiver slithered down the unicorn’s spine as the dawn loomed.

--

Amber gritted his teeth against the blistering hot stream of water beating across his back. His flank quivered despite his varied attempts at distraction, the twitch running the length of his legs, as a tingling numbness crept into his hooves. He gagged on the taste of blood and bile, the reopened wound on his muzzle bleeding into his mouth. The colt had torn off the bandaging and broken the fragile scabbing during his frenzied sleep and woken in a puddle of blood, the dark wet substance staining his cheek and pillow.

“Is everything alright in there?” A kind sympathetic voice wondered from the other side of the door. His ear twitched towards the sound and he choked on his words. After several long moments he managed to croak out a reply, his voice muffled by the pounding water as much as the locked door. He pressed his face against the tile, his eyes squeezed so tight his head had begun to ache from the strain.

“When you’re ready to come out,” The kindly voice answered, sounding hopeful, a wet throaty cough interrupting before she was able to continue, “I’ve prepared breakfast. I…I hope you’ll join me.”

He waited for the sound of hooves and continued coughing to fade away and the water to become tepid before he stepped out of the shower, a puddle quickly forming beneath him as he hesitated to soil the crisp clean towels the kindly old mare had set out for him to use. Blood still leaked from the gash despite the towel he had wrapped it with, pooling in a small puddle beneath his hooves.

He caught the reflection of his flank in the mirror above the sink, finding something that wasn’t there when he gone to sleep only a few hours previous. Where there had been nothing but rust colored fur the night before, there were now three crisp white feathers forming an odd semi circular pattern.

His cutie mark…

After several long minutes staring at it the smell of muffins, blueberry if he had to guess, drew him toward the kitchen where the kindly old voice from beyond the bathroom door took shape, that of an aged white pegasus pony. The mare’s small wings were bent and crippled - from rheumatism - she’d explained the previous evening when she’d caught him staring at them, his mind swirling with the possibilities available if only he’d been given such wondrous appendages. He’d looked away then, unable to meet her gaze the rest of the evening.

Now he found her gaze still and unflinching, the clear blue irises staring unresponsively forward. One of her crippled wings was crushed beneath her lifeless body the other sticking upwards, as if reaching for the sky she had so long ago been forced to abandon. Black smoke rose from the oven, the tantalizing scent of blueberry muffins becoming a sulfuric poisonous reek.

Amber began to quiver as a scream tore itself from his throat…

--

Luna woke abruptly, her body coated in a slick blanket of sweat. She struggled to untangle herself from her damp sheets, falling out of her bed painfully as a result of trying to reach the door as quickly as possible. Her mind reeled with her most recent nightmare, already beginning to fade with her sudden consciousness.

Her frantic heartbeat echoed the rhythmic pounding of her hooves in the expanse of castle hallway down which she fled, her mane billowing out behind her in her flight. She ignored the protests of the guard posted outside her sister’s chamber as she burst in, her fears quickly alleviated by the sight of her sister laying on her bed, a faint blue aura surrounding her horn, as she drew the sun into the sky. Twilight Sparkle lying curled beneath the solar princess’s wing, snoring lightly, a smile on her lips.

“Is something the matter Luna?” Celestia asked softly her voice tinged with concern. Dismissing the startled guards with a slight nod of her head, she gave her full attention to her distraught sibling. Luna composed herself before addressing her sister. “Forgive me for intruding Sister.”

The large white alicorn maneuvered herself away from her student, careful not to disturb the sleeping filly as she did so. Sensing the empty space the purple pony began to reach for something that was not there only alleviated when Celestia offered her a pillow in replacement. Seemingly satisfied with the substitute Twilight happily snuggled into it.

“She insisted on remaining by your side the entire evening.” Luna explained with a sheepish smile.

“It would seem.” Celestia answered giving Twilight a parting glance as she and Luna vacated the room. In the hall the guards who had been safeguarding the princess all night were given the task of guarding Twilight Sparkle while Luna and Celestia went for an early morning stroll through the castle gardens. The oldest alicorn sister smiled inwardly at their apparent devotion, they would guard a wheel of cheese if she told them to, no questions asked.

“Did you have another nightmare?” Celestia asked with a sidelong glance at Luna, who walked a half step behind. The sunlight had yet to penetrate the inner courtyard, resulting in the steely glow of early morning.

“Yes sister.” Luna said slowly. “I was worried that perhaps it was a premonition of ill intent but I see now my fears were misplaced.”

“You should know better.” Celestia warned. “You know as well as I the dangers that come from idle negligence.”

“I do.” Luna answered somberly, memories of her time as Nightmare Moon still an all too common occurrence. Her sour mood was lessened as the sun’s vibrant rays broke through the lingering darkness and residual chill. Her head inclined upwards and her wing spread slightly to bask for a moment, the sight raising a smile on her sister’s drawn lips.

“Many things have happened in your absence.” Celestia said. “Several of which you yourself have born witness. Others remain in shadow, brought to light in the strangest of ways.”

Luna blinked and turned her attention to her sibling. The shimmering white alicorn had never looked so pale, her normally prismatic mane dull and lifeless. It hung limply, touching the ground, the ends tipped in dirt and grime gathered since she’d begun their walk. “You do not mean…” Luna began her brow furrowed as she worked through her sister’s statement. “The dreams could not be…real?”

“I had hoped to tell you after you regained your throne and duties.” Celestia said quietly. “Seeing you again, knowing that for the first time in millennia it was within my power to make you happy, I did not wish for anything more. Yet, if I had known that in turn would reveal something I had hoped to forever bury then…” Celestia hesitated. “Please do not ask this of me. Not yet.”

She squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the upwelling of emotion threatening to break through. Luna stepped nearer draping a wing around her sister and nuzzling her comfortingly. “I will not ask if you do not wish it of me.” She said. “I only hope that someday there will be no secrets between us.”

“Thank you for understanding Luna.” Celestia said grateful for her sisters understanding. The upset in Luna’s gaze however was clear, and it broke Celestia’s heart to see it again. Was it not that same look that had splintered their relationship all those centuries ago? “I promise, someday soon you will understand.”

--

Amber recoiled slightly at the tug of magic that pulled at the pouch of bits clutched in his teeth. It was a sickly yellow aura, the same color as the unicorn wielding it. There was no usual twinge of envy this time. “I’d say you’ve got a strong buck but seeing as you’re an earth pony it’s really no surprise.”

The bored colt listened patiently as the stallion continued to ramble about the differences between unicorn and earth ponies. There was no admiration in his voice for Amber’s apparent strength, as there shouldn’t be considering any pony can break a window. What finally got a hint of emotion was the old pony’s approval of Amber’s offering and the sincere apology that went with it. The promise of bits to repair the window and compensate for damages had been what kept both shop owners, the pegasus pony that owned the flower shop only a block away, and this unicorn, whose shop he could only guess had been a furniture store of some kind, from calling the royal guard.

The difference was that the pegasus pony had given him a flower in appreciation of his making good on his promise while the unicorn gave him a withered look and slammed the door in his face once the money had been passed and his rant about the superiority of the unicorn’s had been spent.

“So much for settling my debt with Barn Dart...” Amber mumbled beneath his breath lamenting the bit’s he’d lost settling the debts he’d created here in Canterlot, failing to notice at first the familiar grey pony staring at him from the numerous flyers tacked to the walls beside which he walked.

“So you’re famous too?” He asked the flyer once he did catch on, recalling that he and the grey mare had parted without exchanging names. It was advertising a free concert in the park by a young up and coming cellist, one Octavia Philharmonic. A dapper looking stallion sidled up beside him, his grey eyes trailing across the text a moment before he thought to question the colt.

“You know Miss Philharmonic?” Amber swept his gaze toward the stallion a moment before answering. “We’ve met.”

The stallion said nothing to this and after a moment more tipped his hat to the young stallion before continuing down the street. Amber watched him a minute before he looked to the flyer again and gave chase.

“Excuse me sir!” He called out catching the pony’s attention. He pointed his hoof toward the location named at the bottom of the poster. “Where is this place?”

The stallion thought a moment before offering up directions, which Amber stored in memory for all of a minute before forgetting them. He thought it silly to ask the stallion a second time so instead he resided to the fate of not knowing what he’d moments ago been told. Maybe Vinyl knows? He thought a smile gracing his lips as the memory of last night’s events rose to the forefront of his mind.

After nearly an hour walking to and wandering the back streets of Canterlot’s shadier district Amber found himself in somewhat familiar territory. He only just recognized the grey brick building in the light of day, though the stench once he’d managed to find the front door and make his way inside was unmistakable. It took several minutes for his eyes to adjust fully to the low light.

“Been wondering when you’d show your face again.” Barkeep greeted as Amber trotted up to the bar.

“Didn’t really have a reason...” Amber answered.

“And now…?” The stallion challenged nodding his head toward the stage where Vinyl was, as usual, passed out. “Filly came stumbling in here this morning with a shit faced grin like I never seen mumbling something about cake. Care to elaborate?”

“I may have kissed her once or twice,” Amber revealed. “Then she threw up on me so I sent her home.”

The brown stallion chuckled. “This is the first time I seen her sober come morning in,” The stallion seemed to ponder for a bit before he continued, “Well, ever.”

“Ever?” Amber pondered his gaze hung on Vinyl for a minute before giving his attention to Barkeep in time to see the stallion shake his head in reply.

“So prince charming,” Barkeep continued quickly, changing the subject as a sly smile tugged on his lips, “How about it? Third times the charm and if I had to guess I’d say the time for throwing up on you has passed.”

Amber smiled mischievously. “I’ve got a better idea…”

--

“Ow...” Amber muttered nursing his aching jaw. Drenching the sleeping mare in stale apple cider had not been his best idea, though he couldn’t say it wasn’t all worth it to see her soaking wet. A smile alighted on his face and he chuckled lightly.

“Laugh it up now,” Vinyl said emerging from the mare’s bathroom. She had spent the better part of a half hour in there trying to wash the sticky residue from her coat and mane, succeeding in ridding her self of nearly all but the lingering smell. “Revenge is an impulsive mare…”

“I like impulsive.” Amber said. Barkeep raised a brow at this while the colt looked embarrassed, his blush thankfully imperceptible beneath his coat. Vinyl snorted out a strained laugh which quickly resulted in her rolling on the floor in ecstatic glee. The brown stallion busied himself behind the bar cleaning glasses and the like, while his ear remained cocked in their direction for curiosity’s sake.

“I’ve got some free time before tonight’s event so I thought maybe we could go to the park. A pony I know is putting on a concert and I figure since you like um, music and she plays music...” Amber blurted before he could talk himself out of it.

“Okay.” Vinyl, still lying on the floor, answered rather nonchalantly. “A concert sounds like fun.”

“That’s it?” Amber wondered his tone dripping with disappointment. The white mare clambered to her hooves. “Would you prefer I said no?”

“You’re planning something aren’t you?”

“You’d like that wouldn’t you, Mr. ‘I like impulsive’…” Vinyl teased as she trotted past him. Blindingly bright sunlight flooded the dimly lit room as she opened the doors, her body silhouetted against it while she waited for Amber to follow suit. The rust colored colt shot the chuckling stallion behind the bar a warning glare to which he received a wink. With a conceding groan, punctuated by a contented smile Amber followed Vinyl out the door.