Electric Sky

by GoldenPonyShoes

Rating: teen
Tags: Tragedy, Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe, Original Character
Length: 10830

A father is on the desperate search for his kidnapped daughter.

For once, peace reigns in Equestria, as the long feuding nations of three races have joined together for prosperity, but not all is as it seems, some oppose this new-found tranquillity.

Alabaster, a deadbeat and down-trodden detective, struggles to get his family back as he sits on New Year's Eve, drowning his sorrows in a bottle of Appletini, but suddenly a furious attack leaves him alone, and broken. With his daughter presumed kidnapped, Alabaster sets out for the frozen North, along with a companion, to find out who was behind the attack, and why his daughter was kidnapped.

Published 2013-02-17 23:20:01 UTC
Last updated 2013-03-05 22:29:25 UTC

Chapter 1: Somebody Didn't Get The Message

CHAPTER ONE
Somebody Didn't Get The Message

The Golden Equine, Down-town Canterlot

A subtle, yet calming note of jazz music hung in the air long after it had ended, and drowned out the background noise of chatter; the pattering rain as it washed against the windows, and the clinking of glasses not so far away. Ponies bustled about the room, talking, and idling as players changed places at the stage, at the far end of the room.

Up above, below the glittering chandeliers of silver-tinted light that shone down on the room, hung a banner of red silk, announcing: 'Happy New Year's Eve!' In golden text that shone brightly as the banner itself swung back and forth, in a calming breeze. The guests, were all decked out in their finest, as a mare at the stage tapped her microphone with a hoof. “E-excuse me?” she stammered forth, as the room quiet down, and she got the attention of most of them.

“T-thank you,” the band-mare said and shot a nervous smile towards the guests. “I hope you've all had a pleasant evening so far, and that you will continue to have one.” The crowd of Canterlot elites smiled briskly, stomping into the ground softly, and even a few loud cheers echoed in the room. “Th-thank you,” the mare continued as the crowd quieted down again. “Tonight, we'll play a personal favourite of mine, and one I hope that you'll enjoy,” the mare finished off, as the room echoed with soft stomping again, and the mare turned to take her seat, grasping her mahogany cello.

The band-mare seemed to almost wrap her pale-grey legs around the wooden cello, as she smiled, closed her eyes, and tapped the string, causing a soft, rumbling note to reverberate in the room. She let the note hang in the air, until it vanished, and only then did she play. Along with the other band-comrades, the mare played another jazz-song as the crowd began falling back to their idle conversations, but the mare didn't even notice, as her hooves plunked artificially away at the instrument, she had her eyes closed, only twitching her ears at the soft music; she was in pure bliss.

In the corner of the restaurant, sitting alone at a table, sipping a Martini, sat a stallion and watched the mare. He watched how she played the cello, always keeping her eyes closed, always keeping her hooves at the correct notes – never straying, and never failing to impress. He smiled softly and took another swig of his bitter drink, casting his eyes about the room.

Everything was perfect. Calm, and relaxing – too relaxing, the stallion thought and felt an all too familiar feeling of deja vu as he sat at his table, scoping out the guests. All too often had he been in this very situation, and he wanted to dash into the air immediately, shouting for every-pony to leave at once, but all it took, was a look at her to keep him in his seat. The stallion shook his head and relaxed into his seat, as he glued his eyes back to the stage and the band playing.

His eyes washed over her entire frame – as he drank in every part of her, every texture, every piece of fur on that body of hers; every strand of hair in her honey-coloured mane, but it wasn't a look of lust that sparkled in the stallion's eyes, instead it was a look of compassion. Always, she led him, and he followed. Always had he been the second player, and he didn't mind, so it was as it should have been.

Feeling a nagging sensation roll in the back of his head, the stallion tossed his badge to the table, giving it a glare as the bronze glinted in the light, before turning back to the mare, remembering why he had come.

This wasn't the first time he had come to a show, but it was different this time. She was his world – perfection on four hooves, coated in grey and honey, being a light in an otherwise dark world. He chuckled and leaned back, smiling as he watched the mare's mane bounce in the spotlight. It never changes, the stallion thought, and washed away all the bad thoughts and memories with the rest of his Appletini.

Light crackled outside, as a few mares shrieked suddenly, and the stallion felt that itch again, as his heart leapt into the air, but hearing the loud, yet distant rumble, he sat back into his seat, and closed his eyes, only focusing on the music that plunked forth. At least one of us has a real talent, huh? thought the stallion as the soft jazz tones washed over him, with the cello being loudest out of all the instruments, though that could have been his own imagination speaking.

No longer did the idling conversations or bad weather bother the stallion, since he only had ears for the music, and her. As the music softly died down, the stallion opened his eyes as the crowd cheered, but he only looked at her in quiet, and he smiled, as her face flushed carmine, almost making her curl into a ball on the stage.

Taking the microphone again, the band-mare smiled, and swallowed. “T-thank you so much. I can't tell you how happy me and the band was, when we got the news to play here.” A few more roaring cheers erupted before quietly washing away again. “The rest of the band will take it from here, but I wish you a wonderful evening. Thank you all again!” the mare finished, and leapt off the stage, into the crowd, brushing past a few fans as quickly as she could muster.

“No, no... no autographs,” the mare said, as she shot a couple of mares brandishing notepads and quills, a smile.

Amidst the crowd, the mare looked nervously around, perking her ears, whilst the stallion ordered another Appletini from a passing waiter, and waved a hoof into the air. Seeing a familiar charcoal hoof, the mare almost galloped through the crowd, to make her way to the stallion's table as short as possible. With a smile on her face, the mare emerged from the crowd. “So?” said the mare with a grin, and sat down, facing the stallion.

“Great as always,” the stallion said, smiling as he looked at the mare. “A bit heavy on the low notes, but you still got the upper-hoof on your old' man.” The stallion chuckled and winked at the mare, causing her to flush red again. “But you're still the best cello player this side of Canterlot,” the stallion almost shouted and gestured with a hoof outwards towards the rest of the restaurant.

“Gee, dad!” the mare moaned in mock-agony and shook her hoof. “I'm way too 'low-class' for this,” she continued, rolling her eyes and grinning as her dad squirmed in his seat. “I'm glad that you could make it, though. I... I... got worried for a minute earlier,” the mare said, nervously wiping a strand of honey-mane away from her eyes.

The stallion shook his head. “I know it's been a rough few years, but I'll never abandon my daughter. Never think that.” He smiled and nodded to her, as the waiter arrived with his Martini, causing the mare to frown when he took a sip. As he lowered it back down onto the table, his daughter glared at him, a frown on her face. “What?” he asked.

“What?” The mare reiterated, her voice dangerously low as she pulled the half-empty glass towards herself and away from the stallion. “You said you were going to give this crap up, and I really thought you had.” The mare frowned, as her lip quivered and she wiped her eyes, keeping away the approaching water.

“I... did keep my promise, for a few years at least,” the stallion said, easing back into the shadows of the booth again as he contemplated his next words carefully. It meant too much to him, too much was at stake for him to risk it now. “But....” the stallion cut off into a sigh, as he leaned forward again, looking into the brown eyes of his gorgeous daughter. “I screwed up.... I can admit that, at least.”

Tapping her hoof at the table, the mare frowned. “You said that.... last time too....” she choked on her own words, and swallowed hard, hiding most of it. “How can I trust you this time, dad? How? Do you really expect me to?” the mare said, as she edged the glass onto a waiter's silver-tray, as he passed by.

Sighing, the stallion eased back into his own seat as that feeling crept up on him again, but he washed it away as simply being anger or something of that nature. “No... I suppose I don't expect you to, but in time you can come to forgive me.” The stallion said, and caressed one of his daughter hooves with his own. “Every damaged relationship needs work,” he finished with a weak smile.

The band mare groaned and sat back, wrenching her hoof away. “You always say that... every time...” her voice broke off into a whimper as she turned away from her dad, and watched the other party guests, as they moved about, having fun. “And we always argue,” the mare said with a light chuckle, and gave a hoof-wave to one of her friends, a fellow band-member as she left the party.

“But....” The mare turned back to face her father, not touching his barren hoof, but she still faced him. “But you did come here, and I guess that counts for something.” They shared a strained laugh, as her father nodded and sat back, secretly gazing towards the waiters. “I won't make you a song, so you can begin by getting me a drink.”

Her father said nothing, and just smiled as he arose and headed towards the bar-counter, but stopped halfway and turned his head. “What do you want?” he asked, forcing the words out, painfully aware that he didn't really know his own daughter, despite watching her every time she performed.

“Something sweet and future-looking,” the mare said, stifling a giggle as her father nodded and proceeded on his way towards the bar. He almost had to shove his way passed the ponies there, as most had crowded the bar by this point; a few who had drunk too much, and a few who just enjoyed the night at the bar too often.

Finally getting there, the stallion pushed past another stallion, getting a frown in return, but he didn't care as he stepped in front of the immaculate mahogany bar-counter lined with brass-tubes that glistened in the light; as confetti flitted about in the air above, showering the wood in multi-coloured pieces of paper. The stallion frowned and looked for the bartender, trying to shut out the annoying voices all around him.

At the end of the bar, a stallion was busy serving a pair of other stallions that chatted aloud, not caring that every-pony there could hear them. “-So she actually wanted to do that?” one of the stallions asked; a pegasus to be specific, with a white captain's hat on his head that was lined with mauve ribbon. “Whoa! Guess, this celebration turned out great!” he said and took a swig of his drink, nudging his buddy that by now, had his head on the counter, partially passed out.

“Make the most of the night, brother. I wouldn't put it past the Commander, that by tomorrow, we're out again – stragglers in the North he said! Shitty rebels and betrayers I say! Yeah, enjoy the night, brother!” he said as a final remark, and nudged his buddy again.

The stallion knocked his hoof into the counter, getting a half-wave from the young unicorn bartender stallion, as he finished pouring a drink into another soldier's glass. With that out of the way, he slid over to the stallion and greeted him with a smile. “So sorry, sir. We're packed full with the celebration and it's New Year's Eve, you know how it is.” The stallion glared at the bartender. “So, what will it be?

“Give me a Red Headed Bombshell, for my daughter,” the stallion said flatly, glancing towards the drunk soldiers, seemingly crowding the place up; the bartender nodded and his horn glowed as he lifted over a glass, and a shaker – pouring ice and sweet liquid into it, before lidding it, and shaking it rhythmically in the air.

The stallion in the meanwhile, looked around the room; from the golden chandeliers hanging in the air, to the party guests, and to the soldiers, as that feeling crept into his gut again, just as the bartender poured the drink into a glass, and tapped him on the shoulder. “Oh! How much?”

“Free of charge,” the bartender said, “we're all friends tonight.” With that, the bartender shot him a playful wink and vanished over to more guests surrounding the counter. Smiling, the stallion lifted the wooden plate with the drink, and nudges his way through the crowd, as a mare took the stage.

“Is this on?” she said, tapping the microphone with her hoof, and at the high-pitched whine of feedback, several ponies shouted: 'yes' into the air. “Oh, good!” she said with a smile. “It's been a wonderful evening so far, and I hope it carries on into the night, but the time is almost there, and....” The mare gave a wink to the drummer still on stage, and a drum-roll played as she turned back to the crowd. “Ten... nine... eight... seven... six... five... four...”

The stallion groaned as the crowd got thick around him, and he could barely see his daughter through the thick wave of coloured hooves as the countdown continued with loud cheering. “... three.... two....” Just then, the two large windows that looked onto the street, blasted inwards, showering the room in glass as wails of agony rippled through the air – a second explosion of wood followed as the door shattered into razor-sharp wood that cut clean through several guests, and they dropped to the floor with a meaty thump as the static poured out of the microphone; in a corner, clutching her wounded hoof, a mare screamed in agony.

A cacophony of fireworks lit up the night sky outside, and alongside the lightning strikes happening in the horizon, it coloured the insides of the restaurant a ghastly green. Shimmers of white explosions, accentuated every hurt pony in the room, as they groaned, stumbled, and screamed in horrific pain.

Coughing and sputtering blood, the stallion looked up from the floor into a dangling chandelier, as a headache pounded in the back of his head. “Ow...” he moaned as pain coursed through his body. “Sweetnote? W-where are you?” he said, casting his head about as he rolled to the side, pressing a hoof against his temples. “Dear almighty....” he groaned as wind howled in the air, rising in pitch, getting closer.

From somewhere outside, an arrow came flying through one of the destroyed windows, hitting a stallion as he had just gotten to his hooves – he clutched his chest, as the arrow stuck through and dripped of crimson. He stumbled backwards, and dropped to the ground again, laying in a rising pool of his own blood.

“W-what was that?” another stallion said, the one with the captain's hat on his head, now slightly askew. Coughing violently, he looked towards his friend, nudging him, before he simply leaned against the nearby wall instead.

“An attack....” the stallion grumbled, and groaned in agony as he looked at his limp hoof. “Aw, crap!” Gritting his teeth, the stallion backed against an overturned table, and braced one of his fore-hooves between the table and a hind-leg, as he tugged at it, until he heard a loud pop, and pain flooded his mind. He let out a low growl, filled with agony as he turned back to an almost panicking stallion. “Those rebels... I think they just moved up your schedule.”

“Schedule?” the stallion said, looking at the other one with slowly widening eyes. “No.... I mean, that's not possible. The war's over. They.... they signed a peace-treaty....” Slowly, the stallion inched away from a window as wind rushed inwards, making the chandeliers still hanging up above shake, while the crystals inside clinked against each-other. “I'm... I'm just a recruit. I wouldn't even have joined if the war was still on! Oh... Platinum...” The stallion slumped up against a wall, clutching his head.

Releasing another guttural groan, the stallion looked around the room, at the carnage. “Well... some-pony didn't get the message.” A mare screamed as an arrow came flying through the window, bouncing against an table, darting into an adjacent wall, barely missing her. “Detective Alabaster at your service.” He turned to face the stallion again, ignoring the scene for now. “Have you seen a grey mare with a honey-coloured short mane around here?” the stallion looked at Alabaster, and swallowed hard as he shook his head. “Crap...” groaned Alabaster back, shifting painfully.

Wind rushed again, as something small, metallic came flying in through a window, and it rolled to a stop near the stage, clinking against the microphone-stand. Casting one look at the foreign object, Alabaster yelled, “Cover!” As he shifted as much as possible, using the table behind him as a makeshift cover.

The mare didn't even have enough time to move and widened her eyes in surprise, as the metal-ball exploded in acrid flame, colouring the nearby wall with black smoke and remains of the mare; even Alabaster could feel the radiating heat of the explosives. “Well... equipped they are,” he said in-between groans, as a chandelier fell and shattered against the floor.

A moment later, the room was showered with arrows, not just one or two at a time any-more, now there were dozens of them, and none was aimed expertly. Most of the arrows missed their targets and just ended up stuck into tables and the walls, but even then, some managed to hit flesh and Alabaster could hear bodies drop to the floor as he sat against his overturned table. Damn...

Strained shouts rippled through the air, as the barrage of steel ended. Closer and closer they came, the hooting and yelling nearly drowned out by the sound of hooves splashing the wet ground. Alabaster cursed under his breath as he painfully dropped to the ground, still feeling the effects of the initial blast. He cast one last furtive look towards the booth where his daughter had been, but now it was merely a blown out wreck of wood and plastic.

Meanwhile, the sound of galloping hooves reached its crescendo. Brandishing blades and wearing red bands around their right hooves, both mares and stallions alike came through the open windows and doors; all pegasi, but their wings had been tied down, and poorly hidden. At once, they charged the ponies still standing, and the ones laying on the floor, got dragged outside.

Alabaster panted, and groaned, just as one of the pegasi mare’s charged a Canterlot elitist mare, still wearing her pearl necklace, despite the carnage. In fear, the mare shivered, and held her hooves out in front of herself as she had backed up against a wall. With a grim smile on her face, the pegasi completely ignored her, and drove her spear deep inside the mare’s gut, and caused her to cough up blood as the spear went right through her. Alabaster turned away, thumping his head against the table behind him.

The pegasus chuckled, and leaned in close, whispering something to the dying unicorn, before she plunged the spear right through the cowering mare. “I... I...” The Canterlot mare never finished her sentence, as the pegasus violently tore the spear out again, and the unicorn slumped together.

A low chuckle came, as one final pony strode forth in the doorway. All eyes fell upon him, and using the distraction, Alabaster slid from the overturned table, over closer to the stage, keeping his eyes on the changing room door at the end of the room, hidden away by silk tapestries, now shredded into thin strips.

Most of the restaurant and bar was now in disarray at the sudden, and violent assault, except for a certain bartender. Alabaster blinked, and shook his head in disbelief as he stared across the room, at the unicorn stallion waving a cracked wine-bottle in the air, still dripping with rouge-coloured liquid. “Stay out of my bar!” shouted the bartender, anger flaring in his orange eyes as he thrusted the bottle magically towards a stallion in red who backed away sharply.

“Get him!” a mare snarled as two stallions lunged at the bartender, one attacking him from the side, and one in front. A terrible howl erupted into the air as the bartender hit the one charging him up front with the bottle, but he was too slow for the other. Slamming hard into the wall, the bartender stallion slid down, blood dripping from his forehead; Alabaster cursed under his breath as he tore his eyes away from the scene, focusing on one thing.

Another I couldn't save... Alabaster thought, bringing himself to eye-level with the yawning remains of the door. Many of the attackers clad in red had vanished for now, and left the gory scene of violence behind them as the water washed through the openings, wetting the room.

A second later, the door beside Alabaster flew open and he dodged the wood as it broke off its hinges and a mare came skidding into the room, panting wildly. Every-pony froze, as she did the same, jumping her brown eyes from stallion to mare. Without another word, she backed up and leapt back through the open door into the changing room.

For a minute, Alabaster couldn't believe his eyes. The pale mare that had just charged through the door, was his daughter; she was alive; his heart leapt into the air.

Growling menacingly, a stallion followed her with haste as Alabaster tried composing his thoughts. What the....? This had to be the strangest night he had experienced in a few years. Quickly deciding his next move, Alabaster got to his hooves and rushed through the narrow corridor as well, his eyes fixed on the magenta coat of a stallion and his yellow tail; wings curled back behind ropes, though it wouldn't have mattered, due to how narrow the walkway was.

Doors whisked past, as Alabaster cast a few panicked glances through, but he couldn't see her, which both tore his heart into ecstatic glee and twisted him in harrowing pain. Soon, as the doors stopped appearing, the hallway narrowed out again, and Alabaster heard that the exterior door was thrown open – horrible screeching of metal filled the room, as a loud shriek and a hollow thump followed, only making Alabaster's eyes harden.

Alabaster dashed out through the open metal door, and stood in the rain, glaring as the dirty water washed over him. Halfway to the other side, stood the magenta pegasus, panting over his daughter that laid on the muddy ground. “Get away from her!” shouted Alabaster, using about all of his strength to keep himself from bluntly charging the stallion.

The pegasus chuckled and stepped back as he coldly looked at Alabaster. “Or what?” He smirked at that, clearly enjoying the moment. “Don't worry, she's in no harm...” The pegasus paused for an indescribable amount of time, until finally he continued, “Yet, that is.”

Again, Alabaster twisted, but this time charged for the pegasus, just as his vision blurred and whitened, and he came crashing into the muddy ground below him. A bottle, now empty landed next to him, as another stallion walked past. “Good show in there,” the voice of the magenta pegasus said as Alabaster passed into unconsciousness.

*

Blue Mercy Hospital, Canterlot

“.... Despite the brutal attack in down-town Canterlot late last night, the pegasus ambassador has yet to make any statements. Some wonder, if this was a sanctioned attack, and others simply think it's disgruntled rebels. We'll know for sure, once the Princess returns from her trip to the Griffon homeland....” the voice of the news-mare rang in Alabaster's still pounding head, as he slowly opened his eyes, knowing for sure that the attack had not simply been a lost memory.

For a few moments, Alabaster just stared at the white ceiling speckled with brown – years of decay, or a bad paint-job in the first place – Alabaster didn't know which, and really didn't care either. He just focused on the pattern, the voice of the news-mare drowned out in the screams of last night. Turning, Alabaster almost flew off the bed as an all too familiar face greeted him. “I'm so sorry...” was the only words he managed to say.

“Sorry?” the mare frowned and glared at Alabaster, her cheeks stained with tears as she brushed her frazzled ash-blond mane out of her ageing face. “You lost her!” – The mare jabbed Alabaster in his side, making him groan with pain – “My only daughter, and you go around getting her in danger like this?”

Alabaster got off the bed with a heavy sigh, as he turned away from the mare, looking out a window, to the street below. “Wasn't my fault...” Everything seemed to move in slow-motion as he gazed from the street to the horizon; he clenched his eyes shut. “I... I... It wasn’t my... fault...”

“Not your fault?” the mare said in disbelief, before angrily stomping on the floor. After her short outburst, the mare walked over to Alabaster and shoved a picture into his face. “This is only your fault!” she growled and turned around, walking towards the exit. Alabaster took the picture, and looked at it, seeing the sentence scrawled in crimson paint on the brown walls of the restaurant.

'REMEMBER ELECTRIC SKY!' Was painted crudely on the wall, with blood smearing the wall, and overturn tables just visible in the frame. “Get her back.” Alabaster's ears twitched and he turned his head sharply, but he was too late – she was gone, only leaving behind a brown, carefully crafted wooden case with gold-filled edges, on the bed; his daughter's name as well, in gold on the top.

Standing for a moment, Alabaster turned his head, gazing outside the window again, and he looked towards the distant, snow-capped mountains. “Stragglers in the North....” Alabaster muttered, and looked as a familiar light-blue shape walked out onto the street below, and he nodded to himself, looking at his own reflection in the pane-window. “It's just me, now, huh?”

“No...” Alabaster turned, to see who the voice belonged to, since his mind couldn't quite believe it, but as he turned, he stumbled backwards, dropping the picture onto the ground. “Missed me?” the yellow mare said, and stifled a giggle with a hoof as she strolled into the room, and poked the box on the bed. “Got another mission, huh? You're not leaving me behind this time.”

“None of your business, and it was you that left me,” Alabaster answered back, as he walked over to the bed, and tore the box away from the mare's exploratory hooves, frowning at her, as he stroked a hoof across his daughter's embossed name in gold. “Not a mission; an investigation,” Alabaster said flatly, finding a pair of saddlebags, that he laid the box into, before putting them on, tightening the strap with his teeth.

“Got a lead?” the mare asked, excitement sparkling in her blue eyes, as Alabaster simply walked past her. “Hey!” she shouted after him, but he didn't stop and just walked into the corridor. The mare frowned and dashed after him, standing in the open doorway, as she gazed down the corridor, at the back of Alabaster. “You can't do this alone! I can help!”

“Don't need your help,” Alabaster answered coldly, as the mare galloped up to him. “You're never helpful, and weren't you kicked out of the academy last time I saw you?” He raised an eyebrow, and looked sideways at her, as the mare grinned sheepishly back. “Thought so.”

A pause lingered in the air, until the mare nudged Alabaster, so he grunted in disapproval. “Last time was different, and yes, I did, but so what? We're talking about Sweetnote, and she's just as much a friend to me as she is to you!” With that said, the mare poked Alabaster, so he stopped and glared daggers at her.

“... Fine, Straight Course, but this is an investigation, and we're doing it without permission. If anything goes wrong, we're on our-”

“-Our own, I got it,” Straight Course rudely interrupted, as Alabaster frowned, and they resumed their walk out of the hospital, as a stallion in a white lab-coat frowned and shook his hoof in the air at Alabaster. “So, back to my first question: Got any leads?” Straight Course asked with a smile, as her and Alabaster turned onto a dirt-road.

“Stragglers in the North, that's our lead – we go North, to the village of Barley, and we'll see what turns up there.” Alabaster paused a brief moment. “Here,” he said and gave Straight Course the picture from before. “Remember that, just in case you hear something you don't believe about me.”

Straight Course blinked in surprise at the picture, stopping a bit to look at it. Then, she craned her head back up, walked a bit behind Alabaster, until they arrived at the ticket-booth at the airship dock. “What happened in Electric Sky?” Straight Course finally asked, biting her own tongue as Alabaster didn't answer and just paid for two tickets to Barley.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Chapter 2: Fireflies In The Sky

CHAPTER TWO
Fireflies In The Sky

Sunshine 77B, Somewhere above Unicornia

Alabaster frowned, quietly groaning to himself as he sat in his plush, velvet-red seat. His eyes was fixed on the seat in front of him, as the airship heaved and rolled; gentle chatter somewhere behind him made his ears twitch slightly. A few quick glances towards the aluminium ceiling, hidden behind shiny wood-boards, didn't calm Alabaster's nerves. Neither did the semitransparent stellar constellations projected below it.

Fluffy clouds slowly drifted by outside the small porthole windows, with the oval frames glinting majestically in the few round lights that were seated in the wood-boards. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Alabaster looked to the side, seeing foals gathered around a mare pulling a metal-crate with her; laden with ice-cream and smoothies – a few of the foals jumped in place, giddy, and happy, as others tugged on their parents hooves, smiling joyfully.

For a moment, a familiar feeling flared in Alabaster's heart, but he sank back in his seat, looking away from the scene unfolding between the seats. Alabaster looked out the window, at the scenery of blue clouds, and the orange setting sun, as the airship slowly drifted towards his goal. Then, he looked back, towards the ceiling, before letting out a heavy sigh, slowly sinking back into his seat.

“I hate flying,” grumbled Alabaster as a pegasus sat down in the seat next to him. Turning halfway, Alabaster recognized the yellow mare, with a moss-green spiky mane atop her head, and a tattered book in her lap. “What are you reading?” Alabaster asked with a feigned interest, as the nausea welled up in his stomach.

Straight Course grinned mischievously back at Alabaster, and turned her head as she hid the book with her wing. “Nothing,” she playfully said, barely holding back her girly laughter. Alabaster frowned and turned around again, looking through the porthole window. “You're such a grump,” commented Straight Course as she leaned back, unfurling her wings in the seat, as she brought the book around again.

Alabaster mumbled, “I'm not in the mood for games.” Without even noticing it himself, he traced a hoof around the window, gazing into the blue and now, orange-tinted expanse of the sky; the domain of the pegasi. “They're out there.... doing....” – Alabaster gritted his teeth, and clenched his eyes shut – “doing who knows what to her...” He turned to face Straight Course, who just looked back at him flatly. “My daughter!” Alabaster repeated, breathing heavy, as his words dripped of venom.

“There's not much we can do now, though. She's somewhere out there, and we're here.” Straight Course made sure to tap the armrest of her seat as she said it. “The only clue we got, is what you overheard.” Straight Course swallowed her words, and looked at the back of Alabaster's head, nervously tracing a hoof at the edge of her book. “Why would they come after you, Al?”

The earth pony detective froze, and shivered, holding back the floodgate of festering anger, as he clenched a hoof together, just staring into the sky. “I. Don't. Know,” said Alabaster through gritted teeth.

In a split-second, the airship shook, and everything went tumbling over to one side, as the ship veered to the left; even Straight Course. Would you move?” Alabaster mumbled and groaned, as he now found himself, nose to nose with Straight Course. She sheepishly smiled back, and pushed off of him, landing safely back in her seat with a low thump.

The intercom crackled to life, as a gravely voice, brimming with experience, thundered through the room. “Sorry about that, folks. We got a bit of turbulence ahead of us, so if you all would be so kind as to sit down, that would be great. It won't take us more than ten minutes to fly through. Thank you for your understanding, and patience.” It crackled off again with a high-pitched squeal of feedback and static mixed together.

“Great....” Alabaster groaned, tapping a hoof against his right arm-rest, still looking outside, though he couldn't see any storm-clouds. That's odd.... thought Alabaster as the airship shook again, and his stomach churned. “Oh... crap....” Alabaster said softly, quickly pushing past a surprised-looking Straight Course, as he made his way to the toilet, keeping a hoof in front of his mouth.

Stumbling, Alabaster found his way into the bathroom, and just managed to lock the door as his stomach twisted. He gripped the toilet bowl with both his hooves, shaking and sweating, and he panted as his stomach churned, and he hurled into the bowl, feeling that the on-board dinner had been wasted.

The airship rolled once more, so Alabaster stumbled, and fell onto the floor, knocking his head into the cupboard behind him. “Oh....!” He winced, touching a hoof to the back of his head, as searing pain shot through his temples. “This sucks,” he groaned as he took his hoof back out, and rolled his head. “Ugh... that wasn't worth it...”

Alabaster sat against the cupboard, holding a hoof to his still twisting stomach, as more of his food threaten to come back up, at racing speed. Thankfully, it didn't, for now, as the stabbing pain in the back of his head had taken over. “Flying... is for pegasi,” said Alabaster as he rose to his still shaking hooves.

Some-pony knocked on the door, as a gingerly, and obviously nervous voice spoke,” Y-you okay in there, s-sir?” The mare punctuated her question with another set of knocks, three times, and Alabaster groaned, stepping a bit away from the door as he flushed the toilet, grimacing at the scene.

“In a minute!” Alabaster shouted, as he turned around, and turned on the porcelain faucet, splashing cold water into his face. For a second, he simply stared into the white wash bowl as the water swivelled, and twisted, as it went down the drain. Another set of knocks came. “Can't you listen? I'll be out in a minute!” Alabaster said, and knocked his hoof against the door, so forcefully, that he could actually hear a soft gasp, before the sound of hooves on wood came, and he smiled at that.

Turning back up, Alabaster looked at his own reflection, water still dripping from his face. Once he closed his eyes, the sound of screams reverberated in his mind again, as he watched the body of his limp daughter laying on the muddy ground, with the grim stallion grinning viscously back at him; she was so close, and yet so far.

Dammit!” Shouted Alabaster, and slammed his hoof into the mirror, breaking it into small pieces, drenched with blood. He frowned as he pulled his hoof back out, and picked away a few shards of broken glass, and turned on the faucet again. Alabaster looked emotionless into his own fragmented reflection, as pain shot from his cut hoof, and up into his shoulder.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Go away,” Alabaster mumbled, panting as his heart raced. Another knock came on the door, and some-pony tried to twist the handle. “I said: Go away!” – filled with anger, Alabaster slammed his hoof into the door again, slightly denting the woodwork. “Leave!” Alabaster finished, as he pulled back his hoof, and used it to steady himself over the wash.

The knocking stopped, as Alabaster swivelled his ears, expecting another knock, but it never came; the sound of hooves, walking away, echoed dimly instead. Alabaster stood there, with only the sound of his heavy breathing, and the heavy roar of bladed engines barely audible now. His hooves trembled slightly, as he groaned. “I failed... you...” Alabaster muttered and leaned back, sitting down at the toilet as his ears perked.

Muffled voices came through the side-wall, so Alabaster leaned in, and touched the wall with his ear. Even then, most of what he heard came out as muffled, but he identified a set of three voices. One shouted, and low, barely audible moans came from another. Then, the third chuckled, and spoke, hoarsely; it sounded as if he was the leader.

Alabaster got pressed against the wall, as the airship rolled again, and he heard the three voices shouting, as they stumbled – the sound of a cabinet crashing against the floor, and floor boards cracking almost drowning out their voices. The third one spoke again, and shouted this time, as the groaning voice suddenly shrieked, and a loud thump rolled against the wall, then silence. No-pony said anything more after that, and Alabaster stepped back, as he heard the ponies walking away, calmly. Stunned, Alabaster sat down on his haunches, and blinked a few times. What...?

*

Barely paying any attention to the gorgeous landscape outside, Straight Course flipped a yellowed page in her book, reading over a passage. Even in the intense heat of the highland, Coronal Grime stood alone, and calmly looked over the town below. A grim smile crawled across his muzzle, as the shrieks of the ponies below echoed in the autumn air...-

“-What you reading?” Straight Course flicked her ears, and looked up, seeing the smiling face of a brown colt as he leaned over the seat in front of her. “My dad took me to the library in Canterlot once... I didn't like it there,” the colt said with a frown and perched his hooves under his head, as he leaned against the velvet seat. “Is it any good? Does it have any heroes? Any mares needing rescuing? Does it, huh?”

Laying her ears back, Straight Course took a hold of the red ribbon bookmark and laid it between two pages, closing the book. Gazing back up at the colt, Straight Course coughed, and smiled warmly. “Heroes? Definitely. Any mares in need of rescue? Doubtful, and mares can do fine on their own.”

“My dad says, that a mare should stay at home, and cook food. Do you cook food?”

Straight Course frowned, but quickly returned to smiling. “Well, tell your dad that he's wrong and that he should keep away from this mare. Not every mare needs a strong stallion by her side....”

“Excuse me sir?” The sound of a stallion, as he knocked on the bathroom door jolted Straight Course from the conversation, as she leaned out from her seat, and looked back towards the bathroom and suites. A purple unicorn, with a blue, carefully combed mane and tail, knocked on the door several times as Alabaster's voice came from the door.

What's he done now? Straight Course smiled, and looked back at the colt. “Excuse me, but I should go and check on my friend.” The colt just smiled back, as Straight Course slipped from her seat, and tucked the worn book under her wing as she walked, fast. Her hooves echoed sharply, as she exhaled. Thank the skies for that! Straight Course thought, and held a hoof to her mouth stifling a chuckle.

The purple stallion sighed, and walked away from the door as Straight Course brushed past, and dashed down the staircase to the lower part of the airship. Red carpets with gold trimmings lined the floor, between the bar, where several mares and stallions had gathered – and the restaurant area, hidden behind two glass doors.

“Ten more minutes, and everything should be ready?” whispered a green mare with pink mane to a friend of hers, as Straight Course passed them, did a double-take, and flicked her ears as she found a seat close by.

“Yes,” a blue mare with a yellow and white-striped mane said to the green mare; the two of them apparently being friends. “Soon, we're across the border, and then the eagle will fly.” What? Straight Course frowned, and scrunched up her nose, but still she listened in on the conversation, almost wishing she had a newspaper to complete the look.

The green mare simply nodded, and flicked her left ear, as a waiter passed her, nodding his head gently, as if he didn't really mean it. “The stars will shine double as bright tonight, Jumble. I have high hopes for tomorrow. Yes...” The blue mare paused, and shivered slightly. “Yes, tomorrow will be a new dawn.”

What in blue blazes are they talking about!? On the outside, Straight Course looked calm, and preserved, but on the inside – she was blazing red hot. Damn riddles! I was never good at those... 'Across the border and then the eagle will fly?' 'Stars will shine double as bright tonight?' What!? Frowning still, Straight Course leaned back against a square window, as the vibrations trundled down her spine, and she followed the 'slightly-nodding stallion,' with her eyes.

The stallion stepped around the bar, and whispered something to the other waiter pony there, and she simply nodded back, and pointed her hoof towards a back-door, labelled in red: 'CREW ONLY.' Nodding back, and grinning, the waiter-stallion left and stepped through the metal door. Straight Course tapped her cheek as she smiled, and her eyes darted from the mare, to the door, and to the drinks, as she felt the soft, rather pleasant, rumbling on her back.

Moaning, Straight Course dropped to the floor, crying out in agony, “My stomach... it hurts... so much....” Every pony in the room turned and looked at her, a few gasps could be heard. “I... shouldn't have had that... cider...” Straight Course groaned out, as she pawed with her hoof at the carpet. The few ponies sipping their drinks, quickly, and angrily, put them down, as they gazed away from Straight Course and looked at the befuddled waiter-mare behind the bar.

“Are you poisoning us?” A black stallion with a white cropped mane, and a beige straw-hat on his head asked, and poked the mare with a hoof. “Huh? Are you?” he asked as a few more angry guests crowded around him.

Looking rather pale, and gulping the mare slowly eased back. “I.. I.. W-well, y-you...” She grinned at the guests, as she had trouble speaking, and another pony poked her, spouting foul unpleasant words at her. “W-why don't I give you a f-free complimentary g-gift basket?” The frightened mare said, feeling the cold metal door on her flanks.

“And then you'll just slip through that door” – The black stallion gestured with his hoof towards the 'crew only'- door – “to never be seen again? I don't think so! If you're giving me something for free, I want to be there when you fetch it!” The other angry guests roared in agreement, as the mare turned and opened the door.

“R-right this way,” said the waiter-mare and slipped in through the door as the guests followed her tightly, not keeping their eyes away from her.

Straight Course opened one eye, and gazed around the empty room, grinning as she dashed to her hooves again, flapping her wings slightly. “Yes! I rule!” A low, soft, thump came as her worn book hit the floor. Grinning still, Straight Course scooped up her book and dashed in through the open metal-door, just as a few tails vanished around the right-hand corner at an upcoming crossing.

The hallway was metal, the floor was metal, and much of the walls were simply metal-beams that groaned in the high wind. The lettuce walkway groaned as Straight Course walked quickly, but she stopped at the crossing, swivelling her ears, listening.

“Give us the codes!” An agitated voice rang out to Straight Course's left, and she followed the voice, perking her ears every so often. “Or these walls will be painted with your blood, dirt-walker!” The voice continued as Straight Course came to an open doorway, so she slipped to the side, peeking inside.

Two pegasi stallions, including the waiter-pony from earlier stood over a lean, unicorn stallion tied to the floor with flayed rope. Muffled by a piece of dirty cloth in his mouth, the unicorn groaned in agony; he seemed tired, exhausted even, as the second stallion in the room chuckled grimly.

“He won't talk. I say, cut his horn and throw him over-board, we're done here anyway. They are already on their way.” The stallion tossed a glance filled with malice towards the stallion, who simply shook in turn. “Or let him stay here and get burned, I don't really care.” Straight Course silenced a gasp, as she looked away.

“Yes... How about that, dirt-walker?” The waiter-pegasus hissed, as the airship rolled, and tossed Straight Course into the opposite wall, getting a slight shriek from her, as a few worn, green metal-cabinets and crates toppled over inside the room with the stallions. For a moment, Straight Course stayed still, Feeling heat and pain radiate from the base of her left wing, and all the way to the tip.

“We've overstayed our welcome,” the pony, who seemed to be the leader said, and reared up, hitting the unicorn right in the head with his hooves. The unicorn landed on the floor with a hard thump, as blood drooled from his mouth. Straight Course slowly eased away, and skirted back down the metal-hallway as a few tears started to blur her vision.

I have to tell him! Tell them! Straight Course thought, as she dashed down the hallway and burst through the still open metal-door.

*

Alabaster stepped out from the bathroom, pretending as if nothing had happened as he walked back to his seat, looking at the empty seats. “Your friend, the cute pegasus, left.” Groaning, Alabaster looked up, and saw a brown colt with a stereotypical foalish smile on his face. “She said she needed to help you, but you don't look like you need any help, if you ask me.”

A high-pitched whine, almost sounding as a light whistling echoed in the airship, as Alabaster looked out the porthole window, seeing dark-clouds and blue lightning crackle in the crisp air.

Immense heat hurtled through the air, as Alabaster crashed into the corner of the row of three seats; the right-side of the airship's protective metal-casing, had been blown away, burning in the air. A crescendo of screams, and foals crying filled Alabaster's already hurting ears, as the airship rolled, and he slid from the seat.

Burnt flesh cooked the air, as Alabaster caught the edge of the last seat, bracing his hind-hooves against the metal-handle. Lifting his head, Alabaster gulped, as he looked into the yawning depths of dark-clouds, as fierce electricity shot past, and screaming ponies fell to their long, painful deaths. Most of the seats had been torn away by the menacing wind, and the flooring had been torn away, ripped to shreds; some ponies had even, been flayed by metal-ropes splitting due to the high-pressure, so blood caked the remaining seats, drenching them in entrails.

The brown colt was screaming his lungs out, as an amber mare's hoof kept him from sliding out of the seats, and Alabaster could hear the heavy, pained panting coming from the mare, as she had trouble keeping her hind-legs strained against the seat. Heat washed over Alabaster as metal creaked horribly, and something in the distance broke.

Four rows of seats, that had at least had a dozen ponies clamouring them for safety, broke away from their metal moorings. Pitch black darkness surrounded the metal seats, with scorched velvet as they dropped into the yawning maw of the skies below. Other, faster moving metal objects seared the sky, as they came shooting past, some even grabbing the falling ponies as they screamed and flailed helplessly.

With another heavy groan, the entire airship tilted back, slamming several ponies into the back-wall and the porthole windows. Hushed shouts reverberated in the large room, as parents consoled their foals, and others simply tried to get their bearings back. Wincing, Alabaster grabbed his saddlebag, which he had painfully landed on, and breathed a sigh of relief as the box was still intact.

Drawing everyone's attention, a pair of stallions came screaming out of the door to the cabin, their coats burning and bubbling away slowly, as the stench filled the air. They ran a third of the room through, before collapsing onto the floor, panting, as their voices slowly withered away.

*

Blurry shapes slowly revealed themselves, as Straight Course blinked her eyes, brushing away dirt and tears as pain seared her left side. Her hooves shook, and she whimpered as the acrid smell of fuel, food, and burning flesh melted together. It felt as if the entire airship was tumbling, as Straight Course grabbed her head with a hoof.

Before her, two shapes came into full light. A stallion encased in some kind of metallic armour, that fully shielded him, stood, facing a mare that held her hooves out as she muttered almost inaudibly. “P-please... I... I don't want to die....” The stallion simply looked at her, as runes lining the edges of the armour flared neon-red, and he brought out his majestic wings.

Each wing had a sharp blade attached to it, and Straight Course watched in horror, as the stallion spun, and slashed the frightened mare across the chest. In shock, the green mare shook, as blood turned her coat almost forest-green. Her eyes widened for a moment, and then she sunk together. Straight Course recoiled, and battled the pain, as she struggled to get to her hooves.

I have to get to him... he needs to know.... thought Straight Course as she overcame her pain, and gritted her teeth, and stumbled out of the way of the bar; distant shrieks of agony reverberated through the metal hallway she had been in earlier, but she tried to block out the sound, focusing on the task at hand.

Heavy boots clanked on the floor, and Straight Course perked her ears, and turned her head. She froze. Something wet dripped down the side of her leg, from the base of her hurt wing. It felt cool to the touch. In that moment, everything seemed to stop. Straight Course didn't move, the armoured stallion didn't move, and time itself froze. She looked straight into the goggles of the stallion – they were completely opaque.

Straight Course broke free of her reverie, as the stallion nodded, flared his wing, and dashed through the restaurant, shattering the fragile glass doors, as he darted into the sky, through a shattered wall. Straight Course couldn't believe her luck, as she was frozen, but a happy pony pranced around inside her head.

Groaning, Straight Course struggled up the stairs, flinching as her wing twitched intermittently. She coughed, and gagged on the foul stench as she arrived at the top, seeing a pair of burning bodies on the floor, and several scared ponies knocked up against a wall, including a very familiar stallion.

Suddenly, the entire airship lurched forward, and Straight Course slammed into a seat in front of herself, knocking her head, as tremors filled her head, almost blocking any vivid thoughts she had. Screams filled the air as an explosion sounded, and Straight Course saw green flame spewing from the restaurant below. “G-get out!” she harked out. “T-tanks!” Straight Course continued, stumbling to her hooves.

Alabaster jumped from his seat, as several more metallic shapes filled the sky, and glowed dangerously red. What the...? Turning, Alabaster galloped over behind the rows of seats, and smiled at Straight Course, as she looked back at him with her weary eyes. “It's going to be all right,” he said, trying to be as comforting as he could.

Another explosion sounded close by, as Straight Course panted, scanned the room with her eyes, looking at all the other pony-faces, and she bit her lip, and pushed Alabaster with all her might, clenching her eyes tight. Alabaster stumbled backwards, and fell, into the gaping darkness below, and Straight Course turned to the ponies, mouthing, I'm so sorry... With that, Straight Course jumped out of the airship.

*

Red and green flames painted the sky foul as wind gushed past Straight Course, and she flailed, trying to flap her wings. Crap, crap, crap, I'm so dead, so very dead! Her eyes was fixated on a falling dark shape a bit ahead of herself, as a shock-wave of heat and sound rushed past her, and she could almost hear the screams echoing, but they were silent.

Pain flooded Straight Course's mind as she tucked her wings in, making her frame as small as possible; she even stopped her flailing, and simply shot downwards as if she was an arrow soaring through the air. All around her, more of those metallic-armoured ponies flew, and grabbed ponies out of the sky.

One spotted Straight Course and beelined for her, as she came in close to Alabaster. “Great plan!” Alabaster shouted, and angrily glared at her, his mane flapping in the wind. “Now, we are falling to our deaths!” Straight Course ignored him, and threw her forelegs around him, keeping Alabaster beneath herself, as she spun around, with her belly pointing towards the rapidly approaching ground.

Straight Course flared her wings, and yelped as new pain strained her already weakening mind, enough so that she didn't see the metallic shape crashing into her...

*

Windbreak Mountains, 2676 ft above Barley

Alabaster groaned in agony, as he blinked his eyes, seeing a large shape buried in snow, with a yellow mare a few feet beyond – the snow blackened by crimson fluid. Feeling all over himself with his hooves, Alabaster found himself rather lucky, as he only had a few cuts and bruises, nothing major, though he feared more for Straight Course.

Ignoring the shape buried in snow, Alabaster leapt to Straight Course's side and smiled at her, as he held her head and ran a hoof through her mane, comforting her. “D-did we... m-m-make it?” Straight Course sputtered out, followed by blood as she moaned in discomfort. Alabaster didn't say anything, and the smile waned from his face as she passed into unconsciousness again.

“I didn't want you here.... I didn't want your help...” Alabaster said softly, and tossed a glare a the foreign shape in the snow. Letting go of Straight Course, Alabaster walked over to the shape as snow bounced against him, and he loomed over it for a moment. “You won't mind, will you?” he said with a snicker, as he lifted a brown saddlebag from the stallion's metal body, and plundered it.

In the saddlebag, Alabaster found: A scroll, two packs of bandages, a jar of tablets, a photo, and some kind of key, oddly shaped as a skull. Alabaster smiled, and took the bandages, forgetting about the other stuff for the moment, as he walked over to Straight Course.

Being as gentle as he could, Alabaster wrapped Straight Course in the bandages – most of her middle section had to be bandaged, and two of her hooves, along with an ear too. He could almost feel the pain himself, as he gently lifted the mare onto his back, as the bandages already began to redden.

Alabaster tossed a rope around the metal-stallion, and dragged him behind himself as he trudged across the landscape, snow fleeting in the air.

*

Heat irradiated against Straight Course, and she shot her eyes wide open. “We have to get out!” she screamed, as Alabaster sat across from her; his face hidden from a small fire, enclosed by small, black rocks. The light danced on the cave-walls, as Straight Course panted, and Alabaster snored. Wincing at the pain, Straight Course touched her side with a hoof, and felt the soft fabric of bandages, wet with fresh blood.

“Welcome home,” a gravely-sounding voice boomed from a side of the room, so Straight Course moaned and turned, seeing the metal stallion tied up and pinned against a wall. “You need to...” The stallion groaned and coughed for a moment. “You need to work on your flying,” he said and chuckled lightly.

“What do you mean, 'welcome home'? I have a home, in Canterlot,” Straight Course said, feeling befuddled as she looked the stallion over. The glowing runes had disappeared and his armour was dented heavily in several places, but was mostly intact despite the damage the sudden impact had taken.

“Did the fall hurt your brain? You're a pegasus. Welcome to the Pegasus Empire, or at least the northern part of it,” the stallion said calmly, and didn't struggle in his bonds at all, so Straight Course was a bit unsure, if he could move and chose not to, or if the fall had simply injured him that much.

Straight Course focused her eyes, and stared at the metal stallion. “I live in Canterlot; not here.” Pausing, Straight Course mulled over her words for a moment, before continuing. “Why did you attack the airship, and why do you need some kind of codes?” A new pause lingered in the air, as the stallion sat silent.

“I'm glad you're awake,” Alabaster said with a yawn, as Straight Course turned to him, and forced a smile. “He won't talk, I've tried. How are you feeling?” Straight Course brushed a hoof over her bandages, as Alabaster asked her.

“As if I participated in the annual Pentathlon and lost... bad.” Straight Course giggled softly, and moaned at the pain, as she coughed up a bit of blood on the ashen ground. “Don't make me giggle...” Alabaster smiled gently at her, and shot a glare at the metal stallion. “Don't even think about it.”

“I only talk to her, reaper,” the metal stallion spat back, as he chuckled grimly at the two ponies. “He hasn't told you, has he?” Straight Course couldn't be sure if he was addressing her or not, but his head was turned in her direction. “And here I thought you two were-”

“-No! Never, ever!” Straight Course suddenly interjected, as the metal stallion fell back into silence. “We're just friends,” she said, wincing at the pain in her side, before she turned to Alabaster. “I should tell you... There were two stallions in the airship, and they were... interrogating a unicorn,” Straight Course recoiled at the word, and then continued. “Something about codes, I think. From the situation we're in, I think that has something to do with their attack.” She shot the metal stallion a glare that mentally burned holes through his armour.

Alabaster nodded, and smiled. “I'll be outside for a moment, we're close to Barley and I want to make sure none of his” – He gestured with a hoof towards the stallion – “friends followed us.” Straight Course nodded too, as Alabaster walked out of the cave and into the blistering cold with a frown on his face.

“Reaper?”

“It's what we call him,” the stallion responded flatly. “Heard about Electric Sky?” Straight Course nodded, as she swallowed hard. “So many deat-” They stopped as Alabaster trotted back inside, his coat thick with wet snow.

“I told you,” growled Alabaster towards the stallion. “Barley is just a few clicks East of here, but I don't want you there,” Alabaster said as he faced Straight Course, and continued as she was about to protest. “I'm no medical pony, but your injuries would only get worse if I moved you, and even then, there's still the possibility of another attack.” He stomped a hoof in the ground, making his decision very clear. “I'll head to Barley tomorrow, and you'll stay here and watch over my prisoner.

Is that safe?” Straight Course said, as she tried to stand, but her hooves only wobbled, and she shook, then fell back onto the ground. “Okay... I'm staying, but what if he gets lose?”

“He won't. Those ropes are reinforced with high-intensity steel. Even he can't rip those.” Alabaster cast a look at the stallion, then at the cave-opening, before he trotted over to his side of the camp-fire, and pulled out his saddlebag, and tossed a rolled-up, red and green-striped package that glistened. “Emergency supplies,” he said with a smile. “Try and get some sleep, you'll need it.”

*

Straight Course smiled as she looked at a little purple butterfly, with its tiny, almost airy wings caught the wind, and it swooped away. She looked at it with wonder, and flapped her own small wings, biting her lip as she feebly tried to take off. “W-why can't I fly?” she asked to no-pony in particular, as she hopped in the lush green grass.

“Your wings aren't strong enough,” a larger colt said as he landed on a tree-branch, and perched there, his yellow mane drooping, which he brushed away with a hoof and a smile. “You'll get it though, soon enough. I'll even help you!” the colt said triumphantly, and leaped into the air, doing a small loop-de-loop before landing beside Straight Course.

He smiled and her, and gave her a nuzzle, as Straight Course closed her eyes. “It's all about practice. Remember what dad always says?” the colt said as he let go of her and looked into her eyes. Straight Course nodded, and coughed, on purpose, as she put a hoof to her chest.

“Practice makes perfect, and failure is not an option, it's required,” Straight Course said and beamed proudly, as the colt nodded back and buzzed his wings. “Yay! I got it right!” she said with a smile, and brushed a hoof down her chest, giggling.

“Good....” The colt smiled and perked his ears, at a whistle. Turning his head, he saw a mare in the distance, waving at them, shouting something. “I guess play-time is over. Want me to fly you there?” the colt said and raised an eyebrow, as Straight Course jumped onto his back. “Guess so,” he said with a smile, buzzed his wings, and leapt into the sky, as he carried the two of them towards the mare and a cottage...

The dream washed away, as Straight Course awoke, a sudden feeling of oppression overwhelmed her, and she felt as if she would cry, but she couldn't. “Another nightmare, huh?” Straight Course turned, but could barely see the armoured stallion, as the camp-fire had burned out earlier. “Of past times, forgotten places and forgotten ponies? I get those too.”

“Who are you?” Straight Course asked, her heart racing, as she panted heavily. The stallion didn't answer until after what felt as a very long pause.

“I'm no-pony, just a soldier doing his job, but you.... You have come home.” Straight Course blinked her eyes. There it is again she thought. “The code is Marauder' s edge. Keep it to yourself. You'll know when it'll become important.” Straight Course frowned. The last few days had been nothing but more and more questions, coupled with pain piled up. If this continued, she would only have questions.

Straight Course laid her head back down, as a dull pain throbbed in her head. She laid there, watching the brown wall as silence permeated the air. Cold wind washed in through the cave-opening as Straight Course closed her eyes, trying to find sleep.

TO BE CONTINUED...