Kestral took a deep breath, looking over the scene with a far more sober view than when he had left it.

Several guards were standing at the front, two of them warding off ponies that had pencils and paper. Two more were loading a cloth-wrapped bundle into a wooden cart, which was a body, judging by the size. The cart was only half full, and it didn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon, so he deducted that there were still more within the mansion.

He moved around the home that was next door to the Stormwall's, staying close to the wall every inch of the way. He got to the back yard, and moved towards the family's yard, still full of all the party-related material that was tossed about carelessly in the panic a few hours ago.

Somewhere in the distance, a clock tower rung out a tune, followed by eleven beats of the bell. The soft wind the glided over the district came to a lull, allowing almost absolute silence. All he could hear was a few crickets, his breathing, and the muffled pitter-patter of his boot-less feet against stone.

He looked around the corner of the house, and saw that the Stormwall's mansion had many of its rooms lit up brightly. Only a few of them weren't brightened, but he couldn't tell why at the time.

He hopped over the fence, keeping his eyes towards the windows, watching for any movement. He crouched down, and moved quickly across the the back wall, reaching the other side. He looked up to the second story, and smiled at the open window. It was filled with light, like most of the rest of the home, so he knew moving around with soldiers in it would be difficult at best.

Kestral teleported up to the ledge, and peeked inward, seeing and hearing no guards nearby. He heard a steady beating sound, but it was further in the house, so he climbed in. He walked through the short hall, keeping a careful eye on any open doors he passed, and slowly approached the staircase, where the banging had gained clarity and volume.

He didn't see exactly what was going on, but he didn't have to. The voices of two mares arguing made their way to his eyes, so he stopped to eavesdrop for a moment.

“Seriously.” The first one said. “Just wait for her to come back with the crowbar. It'll be way easier.”

“No.” The second one replied, followed by a huff. “You know how Big O. likes to drop in out of nowhere. If she finds us screwing around, she'll slap us into guard duty at the Ginger's again.” She kicked again.

“Maybe.” The first commented. “But if you take a breather for like, five minutes, you'll get it down easier.”

“You know what would help?” The second said. “If you would help me, instead of standing there, jabbering your jaw!”

The first mare sighed aloud. “No thanks. I'm waiting for that crowbar.

The two just kept arguing, so he stopped paying attention to them. He stood there, against the wall, and tried to think of a plan to get around them, to the other end of the hall. The two guards were in his way, and they weren't going anywhere until they got in. Then it occurred to him.... If they checked all of the doors, the bodies in the hall closet were very likely to have already been taken.

...what if he just used the nearby ones instead?

The plan in his head formed perfectly. They needed a crowbar, he had a flatbar on him. If he just 'gave' it to them, they'd grab it, break open the door, and start moving bodies. Since there were, presumably, only two of them, they would be busy moving a couple of the bodies, and he could nab a horn when they weren't looking.

He pulled his flatbar out of nowhere, and walked closer to the hallway the mares were in, keeping an eye out for any suddenly appearing guards. Once he reached the corner, he tossed the tool into the hall, making sure his hand didn't go into their view. “Here's that crowbar or whatever for you guys.” He said. “Your buddy's downstairs, fending off the reporters.”

“Finally!” The first one called. “Thanks!”

“No problem.” He replied. He teleported to the stairs, just low enough to not be seen from the hallway, then went down, putting force into each footfall to ensure it was heard. When he was satisfied with his act, he silently made his way back up, then teleported into the mouth of the second hallway that he had first entered. He stood out of the way, making sure he could hear them.

“Took Brick long enough.” The first one said again.

“Uh, hey, Ceder?” The second one said, trying to get the first's attention.

“Just a second.” The sound of metal on wood could be heard, until a giant crack resounded through the halls.

“Ceder.” The second said again, more urgently this time.

“Hold on.” Ceder said. Another series of cracks sounded out, and he heard the door be kicked open. “Damn, there's like five bodies in here. What's the count now, ten?”

“Ceder.” The mare said once again, finally getting her attention.

“What?” She replied, trying not to yell.

“Did you see the guard go down the stairs?” She asked.

“What? No, why is-”

“Did you hear him go down?”

“I.... yeah. I did.” She said, slowing her words.

“Those weren't hoofsteps.” The second mare said. “And there aren't non-ponies in this part of the guard.”

“And.... he called Brick our 'buddy'......”

The two stood silent for a moment, and in that time, Kestral thought they were holding their breath.

It was half-true.

“Shit.”

“Shit.” They said together.

He listened to them drop any tools they had and book it towards the staircase. “You guard the stairs, I’ll get the others.” One said.

“Got it. He has to be in here somewhere.”

The two shot down the steps, going off into whatever they had just assigned themselves. Meanwhile, Kestral had stood there for a moment, dumbfounded at what had just happened.

That did not happen the way I expected.

He was sure they would just get the bodies and start moving them, but they were paying more attention to inconsistencies than he previously gave them credit for. He snapped out of his short stupor, though, and teleported across the distance from his corner to the one past the stairs.

He quickly went down the hall, turning at the broken door on the left. He leaned down and snatched his flatbar as he entered. He closed the door as best as he could, but the heavily bent chunk of wood around the handle kept it from shutting completely. At least it might have muffled any noise he would make.

He stepped to the pile of bodies he left, and grabbed the one on top. He pulled his machete out of his rift, and grabbed the hole-riddled horn with his free hand. He lined up the blade against the base and tapped a few times, getting a feel for how hard it was.

He swung down, slicing the surprisingly fragile chitin. On contact, the opening in the horn sputtered a small amount of what could only be described as energy. It was blue, and dissolved quickly once it was out. He put the blade away and, as he pulled the horn up and away from the body, witnessed more of the energy flow out. After only a few seconds, it seemed to 'dry up' in a sense, having stopped glowing and stopped flowing. In fact, all the material that appeared to have fallen had disappeared entirely.

Magic is friggen weird. He mused.

He held the horn tight, keeping in mind his limitations from storing anything organic in his rift. Even if he had his backpack on him, he wouldn't have stored it in there, either. That's where he put his food, after all.

With his objective complete, he turned to the window, and approached, sliding the curtains aside as he did. He unlatched the window, and pulled up, letting a slight breeze into the room. He stuck his head outside for a moment, ensuring the coast was clear, before he teleported outside, closer to the ground.

Kestral ran through the shadow of the home, keeping himself out of the view of the first floor windows by staying behind the tall hedge. He hopped over the fence, and continued into the next yard. He kept going until he believed himself to be in the clear. And with that, he made his way to Chrysalis.

Kestral entered the gardens, shedding his disguise as he did. He kept an eye out for any guards that might have crossed his path, staying cautious as he made his way back to the statue.

The wind stood still, like it was being forced into place, leaving an eery silence that even he was uncomfortable with. Only the soft sound of his breathing and his feet against the grass were there to fill the void. He supposed it was an attempt to make it difficult for him to sneak around, but he still evaded their grasp as he weaved through the hedges.

He quickly reached the statue, only barely dodging the sight of a trio of guards down the path, and was greeted by two disguised changelings. He approached, slouching somewhat to ensure he stayed below the hedge. They looked towards him with stoic indifference as he approached, only speaking softly once they were satisfied with his proximity.

“Hello, human.” One of them said, with generous neutrality in her voice. “We were sent to transport you to her majesty's quarters with discretion. Are you ready?”

He nodded, watching as the two approached him. In an instant, their horns flashed brightly, momentarily blinding him as he felt gravity give away. He recognized the feeling, but once he felt ground again, he felt disoriented, and nearly fell on one of the guards. For a second, he swore ozone had filled his lungs, but it was quickly replaced with the subtle scent of something sweet. He cracked his eyes open, attempting to rub away the dark spots, then took in the sight before him.

A passionate blood-red color flooded the room, covering the drapes that hid the windows and the sheets that hugged the bed. Rose petals were tossed about, making small piles at the foot of the bed. Candles were set around the place, giving dim light to the room, and a bucket of ice holding a bottle of wine stood on a nightstand at the side of the bed, next to two empty glasses. The bed itself was set on the top of two circular steps, raising it a small distance above it's surroundings.

On the center of the covers, draped in sensual silk and linen, was Chrysalis laying with her side to him. She looked at him with one eye, and flared a wing, stretching it out like she was showing off to him. She pulled off what portion of the sheets that were on her, revealing her whole body, and softly patted the spot next to her.

“Well, hello Kestral.” She said.

Oh no.

She eyed her guards for a second, then gave a slow, commanding gesture towards the doors. “Thank you, my children. You may be relieved for the night, if you wish.... and, tell the other two that they're allowed off as well.” She eyed Kestral hungrily. “Where this is going, I won't need any protection.”

Oh hell no.

The guards nodded, and disappeared, leaving them alone.

Kestral almost felt naked, and it wasn't because he agreed to take his shirt off. He simply felt out of place, because he was standing in a room with a queen trying to seduce him. Maybe there were thousands of other people that wanted something like this, but he certainly didn't.

His mind quickly wandered about Chrysalis, though. He was confused on why she was still attempting to seduce him. Sure, apparently sex just tastes great to her, but why him? Why would she specifically go for the guy that's killing her children? Traitors, maybe, but still her children. Maybe she was trying to establish good relations with him, just so he won't turn on her once the other faction was expelled....

… It made sense, in his mind at least. He couldn't think of a better reason. But, surely she understood his distaste for her advances?

...maybe she just likes frustrating me... He thought.

A tugging on his clothes brought him out of his thoughts. He saw a green glow around his coat, pulling it off slowly. He snatched the severed changeling horn from the pocket just before it fell to the ground, and gripped it loosely.

“Well, come on, then. You still have to massage me.”

He sighed, knowing he still had to live up to his agreement. He unzipped his vest, tossing it on his coat, then began to pull off his black shirt. With that done, he leaned down and peeled off his boots, leaving his warm socks on. He stood straight, and walked towards the bed. He was expecting to see a sensual smile on Chrysalis' lips, but instead, she held a look of confusion.

“So,” She said. “What are those markings on your arms?”

“Hmm?” He looked down for a second, and realized that the images representing his spells were still very present on his arms. “Oh, those....” He trailed off.

“Are they magic, like a cutiemark, or is it just ink, like what the zebras do?” She asked, legitimately curious.

“They're just ink.” He lied. Crap. I hope she doesn't figure it out. The longer I can keep my magic a secret, the more advantage I have over others. “They're supposed to represent virtues, but I never believed such nonsense.” As he said the words, he made sure to turn his right arm so that the changeling head wouldn't show in her direction.

“Well that's interesting.” She said, studying him. Her eyes lingered over his chest, taking note of the three symbols there, before her curiosity got the better of her. “So, explain to me what the heart-and-triangle means.”

“Malleability.” He quickly said. “It means I'm open to change, and improvement.”

She smiled at him. “Well, you could certainly use some of that.” She said. “Maybe you could start by being less prudent to me.”

“But, Love, then I would lose that noble aspect.” He teased. “And what's a queen without physically respectful followers.”

“You're not a follower of mine.” She deadpanned.

“And you're goddamn right.” He said. “Which means I don't have to everything you say. So I'll keep my so-called 'prudence', thank you very much.”

She just looked somewhat frustrated at him, but before she could say anything, he placed his free hand behind her ear, finding a relatively soft spot in her hair. He scratched slowly, watching a smile form on her face. He continued for a good minute before he spoke. “Don't say I never gave you a free ear-scratching.” He retracted his hand, and extended the other, showing the severed horn to her. “But....business before pleasure.”

She took the horn in her magic, but did not avert her eyes from his, and growled softly. “In my world, business is pleasure. Now-” She patted a spot near the edge of the bed. “-get comfortable. This might take a while.”

He consented, hopping onto the bed so that his feet were just barely over the edge. He watched Chrysalis moved over so that her chitin body laid across his lap. Her wing taunted his face from mere inches away, until she pulled it up straight. With no reason to stall, he laid a hand on her back.... and remembered that chitin was a very hard substance.

“Hmm?” She looked, pondering why he wasn't doing anything. “Oh, that's right. My shell just isn't made for massages. Well, how about another form?”

Green light burned over her, consuming the dark colors, and left behind a lovely shade of pink. Her green eyes turned to a soft blue, her hair and tail changed into a mix of lavender, magenta, and cream. The tattered wings were replaced by feathery ones, and her long horn smoothed over. At the end of it, he sniffed a subtle scent that he couldn't identify, but it was just tantalizing enough to make him want to lean down and search for its source.

“There you go.” Chrysalis said with the voice of an angel, batting her eyes. “Now. I expect a nice, slow, strong rubbing all along my body. And don't try to cheat your way out of this by rushing everything.” She eyed him passively. “But if you do a good enough job.... I might even reward you with something.... 'extra'...”

Kestral took a deep breath, hoping that the something 'extra' would actually be of use to him. He put his hands at the base of her neck, and began there, slowly kneading the flesh with his hands. He gradually moved down towards her shoulder blades, watching her concentrate on her magic.

The severed horn glowed with her aura, and began making a quiet crackling noise. As he moved his hands down her back, he witnessed other colors flicker from the object. He idly worked, watching in wonder of the magic Chrysalis was performing.

“Ouch!” She squeaked. “Hey, don't go against the feathers.”

“Huh?” He looked down at his hands, and saw that he grazed over the appendages. “Sorry.” He said.

“It's fine, just be tender with them. Disguise or no, it still hurts if you do that.” She went back to focusing on the spell. As she did, she raised her wings up halfway, giving him more access to them.

He decided to ignore her spell-casting in favor of keeping her complaints few. He gently pressed against the wings, dragging backwards as he applied pressure. She flinched at the contact, but said nothing, so he assumed he was within his boundaries. He kept it up, combing over the feathers with his fingers. Once the nearer wing was dealt with, he leaned over around it to reach the other one. As he continued, he noticed that they were stretching out somewhat, like they were trying to flex but she was keeping them from doing so.

By the time he was done with the second wing, they were oscillating between trying to stretch out and trying to stay still. Once he moved on past the wings, and further back, she lost care and simply let them snap out, letting a pair of joints pop.

“Awww....” She said, obviously pleased. The tip of her wing tickled his face, so he pushed it up, where it stayed in its extended position. At that point, he ignored her, and finished going down her spine. At just about the same time, the crackling from her magic had stopped, and an object was tossed to his side. “There you go.” She proclaimed. “As requested: Exactly one pheromone-repelling amulet, powerful enough to repel even a changeling's pheromones.”

He grabbed it and looked it over, turning it around to get a full view. It looked somewhat like the horn it once was, but only in shape. The black color was removed, leaving a semi-transparent green shade to it. The horn had grown some, having built up smooth mounds all along the surface, especially in the holes. “So, how does it work?” He asked, looking at her.

“You just wear it.” She said. “Maybe get some necklace string of some sort. Oh, and, it's crystallized, so you don't need to worry about it rotting away.”

“Well that's wonderful.” Kestral said, putting it down. I think that means I can put it in my rift without worry. He thought.

“And, whenever you feel like trying it,” She paused. “I'd like you to see if you can contact me with it.”

“I don't mean to sound suspicious. But why do you want me to be able to do that, again?” He said, eying her with a neutral expression.

“Because if you want to be able to call in favors repeatably like this, I want to be able to do the same.” She smiled at him, staring at his chest for a good while.

“And let me guess; Once I'm wearing it, you can invade my thoughts?” He asked.

“Something like that.” She admitted, and her smile did not falter.

“Friggen telepaths.” He muttered.

“Oh, please.” She said, rolling her eyes. “Unless you're a born changeling, there's no way to not notice me when I do it.”

“Uh huh.” He said. “I can tell when an arrow is in my leg, but that doesn't make me feel any better about it, either.” He let his words sink in for a second, before he realized exactly what he said. Well.... Discord does the same thing.....Okay, that may have been a little harsh. Maybe I'm just touchy about my privacy.

She looked at him like she was offended, and opened her mouth to talk, but no words came out. For a moment, she pursed her lips, then a smile crept onto her face once again. “You do realize....” She said slowly. “...that if it lets you into my hive mind.... it can let you into their hive mind as well.”

The implications left Kestral speechless. If it worked, then he could hijack a connection to enemy communications. Hell, he might even be able to find out where some of them are hiding. Of course, that was a big 'if', with no guarantee of it working. The first time he did it, it was a fluke. Or, at least, he presumed it to be so.

“Of course, you would need to be near one of the other changelings in order for that to work.” She continued, meeting his eyes.

“Why wouldn't it work otherwise?” He asked.

“It's imbued with my own magic, so it can get to my hive easily.” She adjusted her legs, trying to find a more comfortable position. “But, it requires the presence of the other hive's magic in order to intercept their thoughts.”

“Well, that's fantastic.” He said. “So if I want to eavesdrop, I just have to stay within several yards?”

“I...” She paused in thought. “Yes, that should be about right. Though, they don't necessarily need to be alive for it to work for you.”

“Hypothetically speaking, of course.” He added. “This is all a big 'if'.”

“That's not my fault.” She said. “I gave you the tools. You just have to use them right. In any case.” Steering the conversation away, Chrysalis stood up, and moved herself along his side, laying down on her own side so that her stomach was showing. She pulled a pillow to her head, and laid it in the perfect position.

Right as she was about to speak, there came a tapping at the chamber door. “Oh, there it is.” She said. Her disguise dissipated, leaving her normal form.”I'll be right back.” In a flash of light, she disappeared, leaving him alone in the dimly lit room. He was only alone for the shortest of whiles, though, as she quickly appeared again at the foot of the bed.

The first thing she did was reapply her colorful coat and mane, which would have almost seemed lovely, if not for his general distaste for her straightforward advances. While he complained of it, he didn't really blame her; Love was her food, after all, and physical affection seemed to be covered by that. It didn't mean he had to enjoy it, though.

At any rate, she had, with herself, made appear a silver tray with an equally chrome cover. She removed the top, discarding it to the corner of the bed, and wafted the scented steam to her nose. “Mmmmmm.” She hummed aloud. “A bowl of sauteed mushrooms, steamed vegetables, and baked bread, along with various fruits.” She held the tray out closer to him. “Would you like some?”

He looked suspiciously at the small bowl of cherries that seemed to have special place next to some whipped cream. “No thanks.” He replied. “I'd prefer to finish my end of the bargain soon, if that's no trouble.”

“Well, none at all!” She exclaimed, hopping onto the bed. She laid down in the spot she had claimed earlier, but propped her head up with a second pillow. She placed the food further away, and brought forth the bottle of wine, along with the two glasses. “But I insist you at least have a glass with me.”

He looked at the glass she held out to him. “Hmm.... Okay, but just one.” He said, grabbing it.

She smiled coyly before tipping her glass back, enticing him to do the same. The cold wine slid easily down his throat, though it was more bitter than sweet. He could tell it had a higher proof than typical wines, although he was only capable of naming less than ten times when he had drunk a glass. In the very least, he could tell that she was intending to loosen him up.

When Kestral was done, he held it out to her as politely as he could. She took it, setting it all back on the nightstand. “So.” She said, laying her head down. “Why don't you do my legs first, then you can finish my torso.”

“Okay.” He said, not really caring the order he went in. As he started rubbing her forelegs, starting near her chest, he tried to think of something to talk about. He saw that she was looking at him with a sultry look, eating him with her eyes, while at the same time, eating the food with her mouth. “I have a question.” He said.

“I have an answer.” Chrysalis replied.

He continued down her leg, slowing down at any joints. “If all changelings need is love, then why are you eating food?” He asked.

“I like the taste.” She said. “And, refining my culinary skills is a good way to convince people that I'm as posh as my title would suggest.”

“Hmm.” He hummed. “So you don't live a life of absolute luxury, with all changelings slaving over your every demand?”

“Heavens, no!” She said. “That's no way to treat my children. I send them abroad to practice skills and learn cultures. While their presence in the hive is somewhat militaristic, they get plenty of free time to do as they please. As for luxury, I keep few belongings that I dare call my own. Besides, why spend money on the place if no one is brave enough to visit?”

“That's a decent point.” He said, moving away from her forelegs and onto her rear legs. “Still, wouldn't it make a good impression if you have your own magnificent castle to go back to?”

She rolled her eyes. “That might be an objective to think about in a few years. If these ponies even begin to accept us.” She sighed, leading the conversation into a lull.

He allowed the silence to ensue, leaving Chrysalis to her thoughts, though she moaned when he began working on her flank. Kestral ignored it, but he couldn't help but notice that she wasn't saying any quip or remark about his actions. In fact, she almost appeared to be ignoring his presence. Worried about this sudden change in character, he spoke.

“Is something wrong?” He asked, pulling his hands away from her ass.

“Hmm?” She looked up at him with curious eyes. “It's nothing.”

Those are dangerous words. He thought. “Okay. I won't pry.” He said. “But roll on your back.”

She did, and looked at him expectantly as he began rubbing away at her chest. She kept her breathing slow, and watched him with an unnaturally neutral expression. He didn't stare back, but he kept the image in his peripheral vision. Soon enough, he reached all the way to her teats, and ignored her sudden flinch of pleasure as he grazed by them.

“There we go. Your whole body is massaged.” He looked over, meeting her gaze. “Can I go, now?”

She looked at him with a pensive gaze, almost looking conflicted as to what she should say.

“Kestral....” She began slowly. “.... what's your gain in all of this?” She asked.

The question confused him for a moment. “Huh?” He asked. “What do you mean?”

“What do you think I mean?” She asked, eyebrows furrowed. “You're in the middle of a killing spree, and single-hoovedly fighting against an enemy that would skin you alive for a single misstep.” She said. “Surely this is not out of good will?”

“Not entirely, no.” He admitted. “It started out that way, though.”

Her eyebrow raised, her face giving in to a curious more curious look. “Seriously? You just jumped in the fray out of 'good intentions'?” She asked, moving up to meet his height.

“Maybe not good intentions.” He said, searching for an answer himself. “But.... it was a way out, I guess.”

“A way out of what?” She looked him in the eye, trying to peer into his mind.

A slight nervousness came over Kestral, so he grabbed the crystallized horn next to him, holding it firm in his hand. “Out of doing nothing, I guess.” He said, staring right back into her eyes. “Prior to this, I had just been on the run from a racist murderer and the law. When I got pulled into this, though....” He shuffled his feet. “It felt like I could do something. I have help, here. I can save people, here.” He breathed deep, contemplating his former situation.

“And so, this is you correcting your mistake.” She said softly.

“What?” He asked, tensing slightly.

She kept a sympathetic face, which, disguise aside, was far different than the sultry, lusty stare she had been giving him most of the past half-hour or so. “I can sense many emotions, Kestral.” She said. “Regret is one of them. I can feel it trickle out of you, no matter how much you hide it.”

His shoulders slouched, and he averted his gaze. “Yeah. I regret things.” He paused. “It was stupid of me to run. I was naive enough to think the problem would be solved if I just ran to my uncle, and stay out of the mess I left. If I had just stayed.... and fought...” He looked back at Chrysalis, who looked back with a worried face. “A lot of innocent people wouldn't have died....” He paused another moment. “Okay. 'Innocent -ish'.” He corrected. “They were prisoners, but most of them really probably didn't deserve to die.”

“So, to answer your question.” Kestral continued. “I guess this is my redemption. My gain in this is that I can sleep better at night, knowing I didn't make the same mistake twice.”'

She nodded slowly, taking in what he was saying. “Perhaps you can tell me the story, sometime. I'm sure it would help to get it off your chest.”

He shook his head, smirking a little. “It's fine.” He said. He moved to the end of the bed, and stood up, moving towards his items on the ground. “I appreciate the concern, but there's no need. I just want to go, and get my job done.” He put on his boots, then shirt and vest, followed by his coat. With all of his items in place, and crystallized horn in hand, he moved back to the end of the bed, surprised to find that Chrysalis was standing there, undisguised.

“Well, then.” She said. “Thanks for the massage. I really enjoy the contact.”

Before he could react, Chrysalis leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It wasn't lustful. Far from it, in fact. It was slow, and platonic, or so it felt. It was a kind of kiss that a girl might give a male friend of hers as a good luck charm. His reaction time was horrid, as it confused him greatly, why she jumped from the frontal assault of lust to a far more coy personality. Though, as she pulled away, he suspected that it was for a separate reason from simply wanting to feed.

“What was that?”

“Hmm. Just a farewell kiss.” She said, horn lighting up. “I thought you might have needed some affection.”

He rolled his eyes, but didn't fight it. It was an improvement, as far as he was concerned. “Whatever.” He said. “Can you drop me off somewhere in the city? The increase in guards at the garden makes me nervous.”

“Very well.” She said. “See you next time~”

A flash of light engulfed him, and and instant of weightlessness took over his nerves before he found his footing on a hard wood floor. He stood up, shivering a little from the sudden shift into the brisk air. He looked around, seeing nothing but old, dusty wood in the room. Boxes were set along the wall, surely full of metal equipment. A familiar clicking and clanking of clockwork filled his ears, and he knew instantly where he was.

He sighed, filling his lungs with the stale air, and walked around until he reached an open ledge jutting out from the tower. He looked over, and saw he was in the clock tower in the nobles' district. He nodded curtly to nothing in particular.

With his objectives for the night complete, he decided it was time to head back to the house. As he spotted some stairs and began to descend, he only hoped that he wasn't in too much trouble with Jasmine.

CRREEEEAAAAAK

Odd. The door creaked more than it usually did when he entered.

Kestral closed the door, removing his disguise as he did. He left on his shirt and pants, along with his socks. The rest of his clothing disappeared in a black mist, leaving him in his preferred clothing to sleep in.

The day's trials were done. Or, the night's, as it were. If Jasmine was asleep, then perhaps he could rest, maybe read one of his books. Yes. He thought to himself. I still have those things, don't I? A sudden curiosity took over, making him wonder what new abilities he was going to receive, although he was certain he could guess from the books' titles.

But his mind soon went back to his previous conversation with the doe. She had obviously been in need of talking to him. With their sleep schedules being nearly opposite, it would be more difficult to find a time to talk to one another. He didn't feel right, having to sleep through half a day before she spoke her mind to him, but he didn't want to ruin her night's sleep by waking her up, either. In the end, he decided it was best to simply lay awake until she woke up herself.

Right as he took a step, the light flicked on, removing all darkness from the living room. He looked at the doorway to see the familiar doe that he had come to appreciate. She stood there with a tired face and body, but her eyes were wide awake, staring at him with laser focus.

“Kestral.” She said, nodding to him. Jasmine walked to the old couch, sitting down on the farther end from him.

“Jasmine.” He said, approaching the closer end of the couch, taking a seat as well. “It's about one in the morning. You should be asleep.” He said.

“I know.” She said back, a certain tiredness in her voice. As if to emphasize the fact, she yawned and rubbed her eyes. “But this is something we need to talk about.”

“About earlier.” He stated, thinking back on the conversation they had over dinner. He wasn't sure what Jasmine was going to say, but it must have been important if she was willing to wake up in the middle of the night to talk about it. His back stiffened a little as she spoke.

“Yeah. About earlier.” She said. She sat straight, trying to keep herself awake. She shook her head, like she was trying to form her words. “Kestral....I need to ask you something.”

He nodded silently, letting her know to speak away.

She sighed, allowing silence for a moment longer before she spoke. “What are you your plans when this is all done?”

The question took him by surprise. It took him several seconds before he found a coherent response. “I....” He started. “I... I don't know.” He admitted.

“So... you don't know if you're going to stay or leave when this is all over?” She asked, pleading curiosity on her features.

He shook his head slowly, resulting in her bowing her head slightly.

“Well.” She started, looking down a bit. “The reason I ask is because of Navy.”

For some reason, he relaxed his back, and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Suddenly the air didn't seem quite as tense, and the air became a more comforting cold, rather than an oppressive frigid temperature. He nodded, when she looked at him, letting her know that she may continue uninterrupted.

“Look, Kestral. She....” She paused. “She looks up to you. And, I mean, she really looks up to you.”

Jasmine gave him an uncertain look, and went on. “Even if she don't like you hurting people out there.....she knows it's for the better. She knows that what your doing is helping a lot more people than it hurts. So, she overlooks that....” She gave a huff, frustration letting out.

“And the thieving....” She went on, her eyes focused on the floor, but her mind was far more taken with her speech. “...when I was young.... I thought thieves were all selfish vermin.....” She said, gesturing to him. He saw a hint of wetness in her eyes, but there were no sniffles nor tears.... yet.

“I got older, and I found out something I'd have never imagined. Some thieves aren't so bad....” She hesitated, like she was digging up an old memory that she'd almost forgotten. “I had this this little stuffed doll, that I brought everywhere. It was my best friend, growing up. Being a Winter-hoof, there weren't many reindeer that would look me in the eye without bowing. I always hated it.” She furrowed her eyebrows for a second, before going back to her more neutral expression.

“But, you know how it is. Class warfare and such. It's always money versus lack of it.” She rolled her eyes. “Well... one day -I was still young, mind you- I went out to go buy a gift for my father. He had just returned from a skirmish with some pirates around our archipelago, and I wanted to find the perfect present. He was never happy with them.” She mourned.

At this point, Kestral just relaxed, and let her tell the story away, picking out every detail he could. He edged a little closer, perhaps to seem more comforting.

“And.... I set my bag down for a moment, just to try to reach this leather vest I thought he would love. By the time I looked back, my bag was gone. I looked at the entrance of the shop to see a young buck with it.” She shook her head. “He was barely past my age, and he was rail thin. He must have been starving, but I didn't care at that moment. I dropped the vest and ran after him. He was fast, but I managed to tail him all the way to this an abandoned looking house, on the farthest edge of the harbor.”

At this point, he noticed that there were tears slowly descending into her fur, where they disappeared. A single sniffle made its way out, but she pressed on. “He hadn't noticed me the whole way. He thought he'd gotten away with it. I never called out 'thief' or had any guards help. I don't even know why.”

“So, when I got there, I watched him enter alone.” She let out another sniffle. “I got up to the rotten-wood door, and followed him in. The place was full of dust, and there wasn't a single thing in there. Just old wood and stale air. So, I followed him to one of the rooms, and peaked in, staying as silent as I could.”

“I was stunned, to say the least.” She said, regaining some composure. “The boy had dropped my bag, and jumped onto a ruined bed. And he hugged this poor doe....” She stopped, recalling the images to her mind. “She was so terrible! Her coat was as pale as snow, and her eyes were glossed over, like she was already dead. But her voice....” She sniffled again. “It was the sweetest voice I had ever heard. Angels must have been envious of her. She weakly gave a hug back.”

“Then, he talked about his findings, and pulled out the money I had in the bag. He gave it to her, saying how they'd be able to eat for a couple of weeks. He jumped up in another hug, crying into her breast. While they did, I noticed another little girl, barely past being a fawn. She had a healthier figure, darker coat, and laid next to the mother. We looked at eachother for a moment, but she just giggled. Then...” She smiled, in spite of the tears on her face. “Then the buck went and got my doll from my bag. I... I watched him give the doll to the little girl, and she just fell in love.” She chuckled once, before going back to the story.

“She just loved that doll. I wanted it back, but.... I just didn't have the heart to say anything. They had so little, but... they were still able to smile together.”

She gave a deep, controlled breath, trying to maintain herself. Kestral rested a hand on her shoulder, reassuring her. She looked at him with teary eyes, and she continued.

“So, I walked away....” She said. “I was only a teenager, but I understood why he did it. It was for his mother and sister. I couldn't blame him. Even if I could, telling anyone would just be more loss to them.”

“After I went out of their house, I walked away slowly. I stopped when I heard the loud creak of the door. When I turned around, it was the buck, standing there in the doorway. He had my bag on his back, and stared at me with an open mouth. What was he supposed to expect?” She asked, giving a chuckle. She built up a small smile on her lips. “Definitely not that one of his targets would show up at his house. Right when the circumstances set in, he bolted to me and wrapped himself around my front leg.”

“He started sobbing, pleading me not to have him arrested. He begged me to let him go. He promised he'd never steal from me again. He promised I'd never even see his face again, if I wanted. He said he'd do whatever it took for him to just stay with his mom.” She made a noise that sounded like a cross between laughing and crying. “And I looked him in the eye, and told him I'd let him go. But, only if I could come and visit any time I wanted.”

“He was thankful.... and scared. He had no idea what to expect when a Winter-hoof, of all reindeer, was interested in visiting him. I went every few days, most of the time bringing food to them. His name was Marine Storm-caller. I met with his mother, and she was just the nicest person. She was just so... motherly.” She shook her head, more tears falling from her eyes. “I had asked what was wrong, why she wouldn't move from the bed. As I found out, it was because of some disease. It made her so weak... she just couldn't do anything.”

“I took some money from our home and got a doctor out there to check on her. What he found out was something I couldn't believe.” She paused. “He had asked to speak to his mother privately, so we left the room. When we went back in, she was in tears, and the doctor was trying to console her. I tried to ask what was wrong, but he said that she asked to tell us herself, after he left.”

“So, he did. When it was just us, all she told us was that she was really sick. She told us that there wasn't a treatment for it in our whole nation. And moving from the bed might kill her.”

She lowered her head, like she was defeated. Kestral pulled her in a one-arm hug, trying to comfort her. He wanted to say something, but he wasn't sure what to say, so he just tried to pay attention.

“After a while, she asked to speak to me alone. She told me what the doctor had said....” She choked on a sob. “The disease was genetic. She asked me to look after Marine and his little sister. She asked me to help them look all over for a treatment of some sort. I... I don't know how she knew, but... she knew her time was almost up.”

“Less than a month later... she was gone. When I visited that day, I found Marine with a boat pulled into the mud. He was.... he was helping a priest move her remains onto the boat. And.... that was that.” She breathed deeply, trying to control herself, but she was obviously distressed at the memory. “His sister was there, just playing with the doll on the porch, when the sun went down. We gave his mother the same funeral everyone gets back home; Her body wrapped in cloth, and piled with wood. When it hit dark, we said our goodbyes, and pushed it off.”

“I'll never forget the look in his eyes.” She said, wiping her eyes again. “He looked like his biggest hope in life had disappeared. He just looked so broken. From then on, I started inviting him to dinner. My family didn't care, they just enjoyed me having a friend over. He started to get a healthier shape, with us feeding the two of them.”

She paused, longer than Kestral could stand. He moved his hand a little, reminding her that he was listening. “So you took care of him?” He asked, knowing the answer already.

“Yes, I did what I could.” She said. “I helped him learn to read. It's not that he couldn't, but he just never exercised it too much. I helped catch him up with the schools, so he could get enrolled at my grade at least. They didn't like him bringing his sister everywhere, but they let it go after learning they were last of kin together. ”

“So, we were the best of friends, for years to come. I kept my word, and found where there was treatment for the disease his mother had. There were only three places in the world that could treat it. The best place was right here in Canterlot. But I never told him a word of what she said. All Marine knew was that the doctor checked him out, and he didn't have what his mother had. Then....you wouldn't believe what happened next.” She choked up on another sob, but kept talking through it. “When I turned twenty, he gave me this little silver locket, and asked me to marry him!”

She leaned on his side, and curled up against him. “To marry him! Can you believe it? He said he didn't even want a herd. He just wanted me!”

She paused, just long enough for Kestral to say “That's great.”

Jasmine nodded vehemently. “I convinced him that we should move out here, to Canterlot. Start a new life here, get to know pony culture. My dad insisted he buy this house for us on the edge of the noble district, since I'm of noble blood, but wouldn't do anything else. He hated that I married Marine, because of his poverty, so he wouldn't help us unless I left him and 'expanded the family proper'.” She scoffed.

“Everything was perfect, for a while. His sister had joined our nation's forces as an aquaknight, and we were happily married. But then....” She said. “I came home one day, and he was laying on the couch, clutching his chest like he was sick. I asked what was wrong, and he said he felt weak. I feared for the worst, so we went to the hospital immediately.”

“They told me what I never wanted to hear. He.... he had it.” She locked up for a moment, trying not to lose herself. She tempered her breathing again, to prevent hyperventilation. “I was devastated. I asked -pleaded- for some kind of treatment. I knew they could do it, I just needed assurance at the time. But, the doctor....He looked me straight in the eye, and said that he could, but he shouldn't.”

“I asked him why. And....it was his heart.” She said. “The disease causes acid to develop in the body's cells, but there's something that triggers it. We don't know what triggers it, but it can happen to specific parts of the body. In Marine's case, it was his bloodstream. His cardiovascular system was heavily degraded already. Even if one of the surgeons could find a recently passed donor, a heart transplant was difficult at best. Assuming that path was taken, there wasn't much they could do about the arteries and veins. His body would still be too weak to use without constant pain. It would just leave him to live on that bed for the rest of his life.”

“He had maybe a year left, if we did nothing, and-” She sniffled. “Marine, bless his heart, took it all in stride, like he was expecting it. He looked over at me, when we were alone, and h-he told me-e h-h-he already kneeeeew!”

She broke down, letting the dam of tears break. She curled up tighter, stuffing her face into her forelegs. Whether it was out of sorrow or sheer embarrassment, he would never know, but he reacted by comforting her the best way he physically could without breaking any boundaries; Giving her a firm, but not restricting, hug. They stayed like that for a full minute, before she pushed herself off of him gently, breaking any contact between the two. With more certainty in her voice, she continued.

“He told me he didn't want me to worry all this time. He didn't want me to 'waste my time preoccupied on his health'. So.... I told him what I had promised his mother. He wasn't all that surprised. If anything, he was just happy I followed through on it. Anyways, he told me there was one thing he wanted, before he was gone.” She paused. “He wanted to have a child.”

“I asked the doctor what the chances of a child of ours getting it would be. He said chances were slim, since I had to be a carrier to at least some of the genes. We were hopeful, so, we tried.” She said with a smile. “And, I was a little scared, but we got the good news after a couple of months. He was so happy, he just kept hugging me. It was great, but.... his condition just kept getting worse. At the end of my pregnancy, all he could do without pain was turn his head. It was all sorts of terrible, Kestral.” She paused, her smile disappearing. “He was coughing blood, his eyes were red. All sorts of bad things happened to him. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.”

“But then, the big day came. Navy was born, with a beautiful walnut coat. I made sure to get to Marine's room as soon as I could. I went in, and got by his side. He looked at her, and he just fell in love. He got this hopeful look in his eye, and asked me to hold her.”

“I did.” She said, slowing down. “He moved so he could hold her on his side, in spite of the pain. He hugged her tight, like he didn't want to let go. We didn't even talk. I just let him be happy with her. After a while, he got tired. He laid down his head, and closed his eyes, but...but he..... he never.....” She trailed off.

Kestral didn't have to hear another word. He knew what happened, now. Navi's father died in a battle against a disease that killed his mother, and now his daughter is fighting the same fight. They simply didn't see any signs in him until it was too late to do anything. Navi, though.... She's still young. He supposed, with the treatment she's getting, there's a chance that she could still live a decent life.

“I'm...I'm sorry.” She said, holding her head low. “I don't even remember why I was telling you this.” Jasmine's words sounded unfocused, like she was preoccupied in her mind.

He placed a hand on her shoulder once more, trying to think of a way to comfort her. “You were talking about Navi. How she overlooks my thieving?” He watched her head rise up a bit, gaining confidence.

“Right.” She paused, and looked him in the eye. “Kestral.... Navy looks up to you. She likes you. She smiles more when you're around.” She took a deep breath, like the next words were difficult to say. “If you're going to leave, when this is all over, she needs to know. If you just drop out of her life, it'll break her heart. Please, just, let her know.” She shook her head. “She has it hard enough as it is. I don't want to have to pick up any pieces when you leave.”

He nodded slightly, understanding what she wants. “You're scared she'll feel like her happiness will be ripped out from under her if I leave.”

Jasmine nodded silently.

“Well, I'll talk to her tomorrow, then. I think she'll be fine, though.” He tried his best to give a reassuring smile. “She's stronger than you give credit for.”

She nodded again, getting off the couch. “Thank you, Kestral.... you've done an awful lot for us, but....” She trailed off.

“Don't worry about it.” He said, easing her worries. “I'll talk to her. Let her know what she needs to. If there are any problems, I'll talk to you about it, okay?”

She nodded slowly, walking back to her room. “Thanks, Kestral. I'll see you in the morning.”

“Sleep well.” He said, watching her walk through the door way, flicking the light off as she did.

When silence fell on the dark room, Kestral laid down on the couch sighing. So many things just seemed to be taking off at once. He just wanted some rest. Perhaps read one of his spellbooks that he had yet to start. Yes, that sounded nice. As he pulled out Aquamancy from his rift, he flicked on a dull flame, giving a familiar orange glow to his sight. He laid snugly against the couch, looking up into the book from his comfortable position. He tried to read through, but his mind couldn't help but wander about what he was going to say the next day.

If he had been paying more attention earlier, though, he would have seen the small, pale face somewhere near the stairs.

If he had been watching just a little bit better, he would have seen said face pull away, desperate to hide its existence.

If he had been listening a little better, he would have heard the tiny hoofsteps of a small doe making her way back up the stairs.

… If he had been listening, just the slightest more than usual....

… he might have heard the soft sobbing of a child, whose tears flowed freely, and whose heart took on a small, piercing crack.....

Author's Notes:

Well. Happy new year.

This took me a while, but I finally got it. I'm going to try to get back into the groove of things.