Author's Notes:

Added on 03 Aug 2016

Formerly Vigilance Is Eternal

Monte jolts awake when the motorized wagon comes to a sudden stop. He blinks and scans his surroundings as his eyes gradually adjust to the darkness. He wipes caked on blood from his face, wincing when his hoof brushes against the black eye Trixie gave him in the morning, and peers out the window when Andromeda hop out. Monte tries to sneak out, too, but resorts to a casual whistling when he realizes that his hind legs are cuffed to the seat and is being watched by an armored EIB earth pony that is wearing a dual shotgun battle saddle.

Monte’s ears swivel when he hears a loud hum, and he holds up his hoof to protect his eyes when a show of bright lights suddenly turn on. Once his vision is cleared from the colorful blotches, he sees a zeppelin surrounded by more armed ponies. He also notices Andromeda talking to someone, and that talking soon turns into indistinct yelling. The pony she is talking to backs down and shouts an order that springs the armed guards into action. Monte is impressed at how well coordinated they are as they bolt to and fro, from one spot to another, each doing their duty to prepare for liftoff.

Then he sees Andromeda stomping towards him.

Monte pushes himself up against the door, trying to get as far away from her as possible, and when she yanks open the door, he yelps and jumps in his seat. Andromeda’s horn glows and the cuffs on Monte’s back hooves fall off like dead leaves, then she yanks him out of the vehicle and throws him to the ground. Monte coughs and gasps for air when the force of impact pushes the air out of his lungs. He tries to stand up, but freezes and nearly wets himself when he hears the safety click off and Andromeda breathing heavily.

“I’m supposed to kill you,” says Andromeda.

“That is a bit cold don’t you think?” says Monte, his voice trembling and body shivering. “I mean, I did help you get Gilda’s box.”

“After stalling us.”

“Hey, I genuinely forgot the -Okay, okay...” Monte leans forward, soon to collapse on his stomach as Andromeda presses her pistol against the back of his head. “Why not just pull the trigger then?” He sniffles and blinks tears out of his eyes, and takes a deep breath to break the bubble in his throat. “There really is no point in making this dramatic.”

Monte looks at the night sky, marveling at how pretty it is and thinking that the soothing scenery is strangely appropriate. He only wishes that he could see the moon to complete it, though, since there is a huge, blank spot due to the new moon. He sniffles again and wipes tears and snot away from his face.

“Well, what are you waiting for?” says Monte, his voice cracking as he blinks tears out of his eyes. “Aren’t you going to pull the trigger?”

He jumps in his spot when the safety deposit box lands in front of him. He stares at the box, mind blank as to why Andromeda tossed it in front of him.

“I want answers about that box,” says Andromeda, using her pistol to point at the box.

Monte stares at the box, then back at Andromeda, now thoroughly confused about what is going on.

“What are you talking about?” says Monte.

“Don’t play dumb with me!” yells Andromeda

Monte yelps, and Andromeda lifts up the box and aims her weapon at him. Monte backpedals awkwardly as Andromeda stomps closer to him, and when he trips over himself and lands on his back, Andromeda stomps on his chest and keeps him still, ignoring his cries and begs.

“What is so important that I lost nearly all of my guys and had only Celestia knows how many innocent people hurt! Tell me why Brisk Wind sent me through all this trouble for me to destroy this and kill you!” says Andromeda as she waves the metal box in front of Monte.

Monte gulps back tears, but does not answer.

“Tell me!” cries Andromeda, tears now pooling in her eyes.

Monte holds up his hoof in a feeble attempt to protect himself while scrunching up as tight as he can.

“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you... I’ll tell you,” whimpers Monte quietly, still holding up his shaky hoof. “But can you please lower your weapon?”

Andromeda lowers her weapon. “Talk. Right now.”

Monte wipes tears out of his eyes and takes a deep breath. “You’ve been played. In that box is something that will end Brisk Wind. Gilda kept everyone’s dirty little secret as leverage, and what is in that box will put Brisk Wind in the Snowflake Gulag for life, and expose every skeleton in the EIB’s closet.”

Andromeda steps off of Monte and he rolls into the sitting position, gasping and gingerly rubbing his chest with his hoof. Monte takes another gulp of air and notices the key to the box hanging around Andromeda’s neck. He looks at her and she stares back at him, and when his horn glows she cocks her pistol and presses it against his head, making him freeze and stop his magic.

“What are you doing?” says Andromeda.

Monte gulps and gradually lifts his hoof.

“I’m going to grab the key, and show you what your ponies died for,” says Monte in a quiet, careful tone.
“I’ll do it myself,” says Andromeda.

Andromeda lifts the necklace off of her neck and sticks it in the box. Monte watches her, and realizes that she is hesitant to look inside.

“Do you want me to do it?” asks Monte.

“I’ll do it!” snaps Andromeda, bringing her pistol back to Monte’s head, making him reel back slightly and shake in his spot.

There is a moment of tense silence between the two, and Monte’s eyes break contact with Andromeda’s for just a moment when the zeppelin’s engines roar to life. He swallows and looks back at Andromeda, she has her eyes locked on the box, and the key is in the lock. He can see her swallowing nervously and he doesn’t know if she’s shaking from nerves or if his eyes are just playing tricks with him. He watches her for a few more seconds before his horn glows and he gently turns the key in the lock. The lock clicks and he keeps his magic trained on the box as he lifts it up so Andromeda can see the contents.

“This is what they died for,” says Monte as Andromeda grabs the list of witnesses against the EIB.

Andromeda’s brow furrows and she looks at Monte in disbelief. But the more payroll receipts and audio transcripts she sees, the more intense her scowl and the heavier her breathing becomes. After flipping through more documents, including kill orders, Andromeda screams in rage loud enough to be heard over the engines, and she throws the box down, and with it, all of the documents.

Andromeda slumps to the ground, seething with tears streaking down her cheeks and her hoofs pressing the sides of her skull as she rocks herself back and forth, sniffling and whimpering incoherently. Moments later, Monte swallows nervously before extending a hoof to pat her on the shoulder, but he gets rejected with a hard swat that makes him wince and take a step back. Soon after, Andromeda glares at Monte and slowly stands up. His heart thumps in his chest and he lets out a terrified whimper as he inches away from her, but he quickly finds himself frozen in fear and helplessly staring into the eyes of the scorned mare.

“Get on the zeppelin,” orders Andromeda.