Let me not look for allies in life's battlefield but to my own strength.

                                                                                                                                                     - Rabindranath Tagore

***

A Single Hoof Can't Block The Sun

It is said that ponies can eventually get used to anything: eating disgusting food, sleeping in tattered hammocks instead of proper beds, wearing torn rags... Silver Dawn was getting used to waking up with a severe headache, from a troubled sleep caused by somepony else, who, to Silver's displeasure, never asked for permission to provide him with such a sudden treatment. First, he fainted in the desert. Next, he fell asleep from a spell. Now, he awoke from a deep slumber caused by an unexpected blow on the head that made him lose consciousness.

To say he was dumbfounded when he opened his eyes was the same as to seal one's lips forever, never emitting a sound in one's entire life. The black pony was stricken. He was astonished. Perplexed. Bewildered.

Instead of waking up in a room similar to his own or, as it had already happened twice, in a hospital, he found himself in the most surreal and bizarre place he had ever seen. He was lying on a pile of torn sacks located in the corner of what seemed like the largest room in the wide world of Equestria. It looked more like an underground city from the novel Silver read when he was a colt - what was its name? The place was a tremendous space circumscribed by steel walls, floor and ceiling. It resembled a gigantic steely box, which wasn't empty - it was filled with ponies. Near Silver lay several ponies, sleeping in the conditions similar to the ones he had been in. Earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns were everywhere, not unlike they were in Stealth. But there was a crucial distinction. These ponies weren't happy. They were busy, hectic, sometimes delighted and cheerful - but not happy, flying in the airy ocean of rapture, like those ponies in Stealth. The black pony looked at the wall behind him and saw a copper sign that read: Sleeping corner. Upon standing up and exploring the surroundings, the adventurer found such signs everywhere.

There was an 'Eating corner', which, in reality, was a simple metal stand with a single unicorn behind it serving free food to a few ponies standing in a relatively short queue. Silver seriously considered joining them, for the hay fries that were being served looked greatly delicious, but resolved to move on, as he still had to find out about this mystical place. There was an 'Engine corner' - there could be seen a strange brass machine, which was placed near the wall, emitting such amounts of steam that Silver simply couldn't get closer to examine it. Such machines were all around the place, with wires attached to them. These were providing energy for the place, no less. Everything seemed so oriented around steam, copper and steel. Steampunk! Silver remembered. That was the name of that book and, presumably, the name of the style it gave birth to.

In general, the place was an underground city of steel, copper and steam, with ponies living all around the place. It looked rather dirty but far cleaner than Stealth or the outside world. The outside world? Silver stopped, freezing for a moment. He shook his head in shame. Great, now he was thinking like Lancy. His stream of consciousness tried to direct itself towards the red unicorn and his town but was rudely interrupted by a much more important question: How did I get here and what exactly is this place? The ponies bustling about didn't pay any attention to the black earth pony, minding their own business. Silver Dawn stopped and looked around, noticing (not without a bit of amazement) that he had already crossed half of the room... no, the city. He watched the ponies, admiring them. It had been such a long time since he saw so many equines in one place. Stealth was but a peaceful village compared to this monster born by steam-based technology. He saw ponies of all races, colours and ages... No, not ages. All of these were young, like Stealth citizens. Under twenty-five. Now he knew exactly. It could have looked as though the Cataclysm had never affected these ponies - if it were not for the obvious lack of cutie marks due to the horrible radiation that signed the invisible document entrusting the equine race to the post-apocalyptic world.

There were much more signs in the distance, more glorious steaming machines, more weird copper devices (like copper mechanical clocks that were hanging on the walls - only thanks to them Silver noticed it was the middle of the day - the steel lamp-posts were lighting the whole city perfectly and fully, so one couldn't tell night from daytime) and the earth pony was ready to go exploring - he finally felt he was in his element, eager for a new adventure - but was suddenly stopped by two hooves roughly put on his shoulders.

Silver immediately grabbed the foreign hooves with his two front hooves, respectively, and, balancing on the back legs, pulled the two owners of those hooves towards the floor, making them fall down on their backs. This reflex, amongst many others, had been cultivated for years - the black pony knew intuitively how to survive in the wilderness and how to deal with all kinds of enemies. Now that he was able to see his stalkers, he felt slightly proud of his abilities. Both ponies looked incredibly muscular and strong. One of them was a huge pegasus - a grey stallion with a silver mane, while the other one was more of a colt, despite his impressive size - a yellow earth pony with a similar silver mane. Hmm... Their manes and surely look like they've been painted... The colour's not natural, Silver speculated, watching the two brutal stallions rise on their hooves, whining like foals, rubbing their backs and hooves that were so harshly pulled by the lavender-maned pony. Silver Dawn let out a chuckle, admiring the strange couple. They looked like bodyguards; in fact, they were mere piles of muscles, with no decent ability to fight. Silver could see it - he read ponies like books. Most ponies. Lancy was an exception. It was so strange - being far away from the last remnants of the equine society, the black pony somehow could dive into one's character in a matter of seconds, analysing it and making a decent mental image of anypony. Almost anypony. The confounded red unicorn refused to leave Silver's brain, clinging to it somewhere in the middle.

As the ponies stood up, they exchanged a horrified look, frozen in place, unable to run away. Silver thought it to be a perfect opportunity for some mocking intimidation and almost opened his mouth but the grey pegasus spoke first, sending a pleading look towards the black earth pony:

"Please, don't hurt us! We were just ordered to find some black lavender-maned earth pony and you look like one and..."

"...And who are you and why were you ordered to find... that pony?" Silver interrupted him with a roar, standing erect, radiating fake fury, making the pegasus shiver.

"We're jes' workin' for Layla - she said she brought a black lavender-maned earth pony here and he left the Sleeping corner and ran off. She said he was probably eager to explore the place and told us to bring him to her..." The yellow earth pony mumbled, continuing his companion's excuse, pleading for acquittal, sniffing and shaking in terror. "Please don't hurt us..." He finished, looking up to Silver (which was difficult, especially considering the fact that both silver-maned ponies were significantly taller than the black earth pony) with teary eyes.

Silver Dawn reminded himself that he was addressing a young colt and softened his tone slightly, yet still expressing fake displeasure that was doing a perfect job of hiding his increasing curiosity.

"And who the hay is that Layla you are talking about?" He asked, trying to maintain a reasonable amount of disdain and disinterest, his face almost expressionless, apart from his frown.

"Layla is my name," a female voice came from behind Silver's back.

***

The black pony turned round and saw a unicorn. It was a purple mare with a mane and tail of red, which strangely reminded Silver of fresh strawberries that he consumed in fantastic amounts when he was a little foal. The mare's eyes were blue - not the dreamy kind of blue that is described in romance novels - instead, they were blue as the vernal sea that may seem welcoming in the beginning but eventually unleashes its might, showing who is the real dominatrix around here. Her mane was freely falling down, crawling down her slender neck, falling on her tender shoulders... Silver had to shake his head to get rid of that strange delusion that had overwhelmed him. That's just hormones speaking, Silver. Calm down, he said to himself.

It seemed that the mare noticed the sudden change in Silver's attitude - from the menacing victor, who had just beaten two ponies twice as large as him with a swing of a hoof, the black pony instantly metamorphosed into an embarrassed colt who saw an especially beautiful representative of the opposite gender. She chuckled.

"And who are you, mister I-Am-Good-At-Running-Away?" The purple unicorn asked Silver, who blushed for no discernable reason.

"Silver Dawn..." The black pony mumbled, instantly forgetting about his intentions to be the one who questions, not the one to be questioned. It seemed that this Layla had a hypnotising effect on Silver, somewhere on the subconscious level.

"So, hero of the day, you going to resist or what?" The mare asked, chuckling, making the black pony understand she was no treat or enemy to him.

"Um... I..." Silver muttered, mentally scolding himself for looking so meek in front of a mare.

One of the two stallions snickered behind Silver's back. The black earth pony immediately turned round, glaring daggers at them, gifting them with an earth-shattering growl:

"YOU THERE! Keep in mind I'm not done with you yet!"

Silver's words had a magical effect on the sturdy ponies, making them significantly shrink, primeval fear returning to their hearts, their eyes regaining the pleading look.

Upon turning round once more, he noticed Layla raised her brown, giving him an estimating look.

"Good," she said, moving slightly closer to Silver, making his face flash, his body getting hotter. "We need ponies of such strong physical and mental skill. Too bad you're afraid of mares, though," she finished with a laugh.

The last statement served as a cure for Silver's embarrassment, making him fully regain his composure, his blush fading, his face becoming austere.

"I am not," he replied sternly. "Let's speak openly: who are you and what do you want from me? Why have you kidnapped me? Where the hay am I? Make a clean breast of it, babe," Silver continued, rapping out each question, not rushing even slightly.

Layla didn't seemed half as impressed by the lavender-maned pony's speech as her subordinates that were slowly stepping back, ready to escape once a decent moment would appear. The purple pony leaned closer to Silver, almost touching his nuzzle with hers, her breath pouring on him.

However, the black stallion managed to stand erect and proud, his face nearly expressionless, his mouth sealed in majestic silence. I'm not falling for this again, he thought to himself, meeting the mare's gaze with his own look, not a defensive one, but more of a cautious gaze, the one which one uses against an Ursa to show it who is in charge. He suddenly remembered Shining Star, the librarian, mentally wondering why his brain decided to make such an association.

"I see you are worthy, Silver Dawn. Okay, I will explain. Come on, follow me," she said, trotting in the direction of the other half of the city, still unexplored by Silver.

The black stallion let out a groan and mumbled something under his breath, something like 'When the hay am I going to be the leading one?' and 'Why the hay are all the ponies here so confusing?" at the same time.

***

As the purple unicorn and the black earth pony passed the steel stalls where ponies were selling and buying various goods, Layla began to speak.

"Straight to business, Silver Dawn. This place is an underground city beneath Stealth. We brought you here because we were watching you and saw you didn't quite enjoy the perspective of dying at twenty-five," she began speaking softly, yet rather loudly, only to be interrupted by Silver.

"Oh, you could have asked me, you know. Making somepony pass out is not the best option," the black pony said, not angrily but disapprovingly nevertheless.

Layla shrugged. "Well, it's conspiracy, you know," she replied casually, making Silver wonder if that 'conspiracy' were worth it.

He looked around. The walls looked dirty but neither mud nor dust could be visible anywhere. It's rust. The steely walls turn rusty eventually, the black pony concluded. Copper decorations and devices occupied the place - there were so many and they were so unusual that it was very difficult, almost painful, for Silver to hold the rising urge to go and look closer, examining the items in a fit of pure curiosity.

"So, what do you need this conspiracy for? You're saying Lancy's subordinates don't know about this place?" As Silver said it, his eyes shone with excitement - it all so resembled the plot of that book he read... Alas, his hopes were crushed with a mighty fist... No, actually, a soft female voice:

"No, not quite. They know - why wouldn't they? They approve - freedom of expression blah blah blah... Hay, Lancy himself visited this place and left dumbstruck!" She chuckled upon remembering the accident of past times, but then her face became serious. "What they don't know..." She continued, dropping her voice to a whisper; Silver looked around to find out that they were standing near the wall, with no ponies nearby. "...is that we created and now rule this place," she finished, throwing a glance full of grave conspiracy towards Silver, who simply shrugged.

"And now we come to the final, and most important, question: who are 'we'? I mean, 'you'. I mean, 'you' in the plural form," he said, facehoofing as he realised he somehow managed to fail to ask such a simple question properly.

Layla snickered at such a failure to produce a question in a rather dramatic manner, but answered seriously nevertheless.

"You see, Silver Dawn, 'we' are in fact a group of scientists who had developed several steam-based technologies and founded this city when we came to Stealth. For one reason," she paused slightly at that point. "To break free," she finished, looking at Silver's face estimatingly.

The black pony returned the gaze. Contrary to Lancy, this mare was easy to read. She realised that he was a supporter of their views - hay, who wants to die at twenty-five? (They want. Those colts and fillies in Stealth, that's who, a thought crawled into his mind, only to be thrown away as swiftly as possible) - and wanted him to join them. Easy as hay. But he wouldn't join them right away. No, the outside world (Really? 'Outside world? A voice appeared in his head but for a second) taught him to be cautious. He would be prudent. He would be consistent and consecutive. Maybe those ponies were Lancy's spies? Or maybe you would like to be one? The same voice asked him, and Silver waved his hoof to get rid of it.

Layla raised her brows in surprise.

"Something wrong, Silver Dawn?" She asked compassionately, patting the earth pony on the shoulder.

Silver felt warm and embarrassed at the same time. He hoped the sinister blush wouldn't appear on his face - unfortunately, it did. He tried to shrug it off - to no avail. He coughed, trying to hide his unwelcome reaction.

"So what part do I play? Why kidnap me?" He asked, regaining his proud stance.

The purple unicorn slightly lowered her head.

"You see, Silver Dawn... You are a so-called 'newbie', and you are against the Sphere, so you share our point of view..." She looked up to see Silver nodding and continued, gradually recovering her spirits. "So we thought you could become one of us and... you know? Assist us in a way?" She asked almost pleadingly.

Silver frowned, taking an intuitive step back.

"Not so fast, Layla," he replied, calling her by the name for the first time. "First of all, if you are so clear about your intentions and want me to join in, do tell me: how in the wide world of Equestria are you planning to escape?" He wondered, gesticulating with a hoof questioningly.

The red-maned unicorn sighed, shaking her head lamentably.

"You can't see it now, Silver Dawn, but there were a few tunnels we had been digging... We had to fill them up due to police inspections..." She chuckled sadly. "You know how they say? You can do anything but leave this place. That's the only rule, but the punishment for breaking it is severe - they kill you. They kill you to keep you in," she finished firmly, fires of justice dancing in her blue eyes.

Silver decided it for the best to change the topic for a while.

"So what were you planning for me to do?" He asked straightaway, making the purple mare turn a dark shade of pink, almost red. Great job, Silver. You are an adept in changing the topic. Silver mentally facehoofed, though in reality he didn't show a sign of embarrassment.

"You know... you are close to Lancy - he has an unusual interest in you, maybe that's because you can resist his hypnosis..." She began, her blush fainting as she returned to the familiar field of explaining business.

"Wait a minute. Are you saying you were spying on me all the time I've been in Stealth?"  The black earth pony let out an interrupting yell, surprised to the bone.

"Yes, we've been watching you," Layla replied simply. She exerted herself, building up her courage - it was obvious to Silver due to her face expression - before continuing. "We decided to talk without beating around the bush, right? We want you to worm yourself into Lancy's confidence and eventually..." She made a pause - not a dramatic one, but a simple interval for lack of confidence.

Silver sent her a reassuring smile, which was also a warm one, being at the frontier of the type of smile only lovers and very close friends tend to exchange. "Let it out," he told her, patting her on the shoulder in the same way she treated him.

Surprisingly enough, it didn't make the red-maned pony embarrassed - in fact, it made her regain lost confidence and carry on.

"...kill him," she finished, her certitude betraying her after she spoke those words.

Silver's mouth momentarily fell agape. He blinked a few times, trying to process the statement he had just heard.

"You... want me to assassinate the ruler of Stealth?" He asked after a few moments of simply opening and closing his mouth.

The mare looked up to him, her eyes no more pleading, but still inquiring.

"I don't mean now," she said, gesticulating with a hoof, as if trying to reason Silver. "You will be around him, examining his weaknesses and when the time is right, you'll strike!" She said loud, yet irresolutely, not sure what kind of response to expect.

"And what do you think will drive me to do it? I'm not part of your... How is your group even called?" The lavender-maned pony roared with ardour.

"Operation Rescue..." Layla whispered, shocked by Silver's behaviour.

"Thank you, miss, but I'm not playing. You get that? Not. Playing," he hissed loudly, his eyes shining with anger. To tell the truth, if Silver were honest to himself, he wouldn't have found a single reason to be furious - but now, his reactions were determined by another values, which, in fact, even to him seemed quite meaningless. If he stopped for a second to speculate on the topic, he would most surely come to a conclusion that he, in fact, was extremely lucky to have found such confederates, and it would be wise to accept their offer in exchange for help which was so indispensable at the moment.

But Silver didn't speculate - in fact, he let his natural, almost primeval instincts take over him, his insatiable aspiration for independence beleaguering his thoughts. Since his very foalhood, he thought his parents to be too overprotective. Their benevolence seemed too restrictive to the black colt. After the Cataclysm, on a subconscious level, he shielded himself from any help. He was alone, so he acted alone. Any assistance - may it be ethereal, mystical warning signs from the surrounding nature or offers from other ponies, like now - should be rejected, thrown away, disposed of, violently and immutably.

Layla, seemingly experienced in meeting such reactions, regained her composure, her face gaining its natural colour once more.

"I'm not in the position to order you to do anything, Silver Dawn..." She spoke softly, her voice relaxed - and relaxing - and musical.

"But of course you aren't!" Silver interrupted her disgruntledly, yet feeling that his anger was slowly fading, as if the purple unicorn's voice were enchanting the black pony's very feelings and emotions.

"I know that, Silver Dawn," she continued soothingly, gently smiling. "But I also know that if - no, when - you calm down, you will realise you have to cling to us. We are no enemies, Silver Dawn. We are your allies, and you know that. You need allies, Silver Dawn," she said, putting a comforting hoof on the lavender-maned pony's shoulder, to which he didn't object. "A single hoof can't block the Sun, you know?" She finished with a smile.

Silver frowned. "And what if my hoof could block the Sun?" He asked stubbornly, acting not unlike a young colt who had just been proved wrong but didn't want to accept it.

Layla chuckled cheerfully, making Silver notice her cute wrinkles. "Well, in that case, you would be a marvel, Silver Dawn," she said simply, without a hint of flattery, and that attracted the black pony even more.

Silver felt his fury leave his body, replaced with his usual calmness. However, amongst the feelings that invigorated him at the moment, he felt something new - something more strengthening that anything he had experienced before. He scratched his head, realising he had exceeded his limit of impoliteness. He quickly calmed himself with the thought that it was by no means his fault: not only had he spent twenty years in complete loneliness, but also encountered such a strange mare in such a weird place - and the thing she suggested him to do! No, it wasn't his fault, clearly.

"Ahem, forgive me my... incivility - everything's just happening so quickly, you see..." Silver began, lowering his head slightly. Am I making excuses? Hay, she is the one to justify her bizarre ways! A thought swept through his head.

The red-maned unicorn suddenly burst into laughter.

"Ah, Silver Dawn... First, you yell at me - and, may I say, that was completely justified - and now you're making excuses... You are a marvel, Silver Dawn..." She said, wiping a tear off her eye.

She wasn't being seductive or flirting - she was honest, and exactly that made Silver feel slightly embarrassed and proud at the same time.

"Anyway, is there any way for me to get out? I need to think about things, you know..." The black pony said, looking around. The tumult and dazzle of the underground city still hadn't ceased. Silver looked at the copper clock hanging on the wall behind him.

"Two hours?! I have been here for two hours?" The lavender-maned stallion exclaimed, regaining his lost time sense. He became slightly nervous: Lancy could have noticed his absence.

As if she were reading his very thoughts, Layla said, upon looking at the clock: "Oh, you're right, Silver Dawn! It's about time we sent you back to Stealth."

Silver shrugged, calmed by the purple mare's voice. It reminded him of long forgotten times when his mother would sing a lullaby, after tucking in the blanket and making sure the colt was warm and content - the song he couldn't remember but still felt inside his chest.

"How do you... hmm... teleport between here and Stealth anyway?" The black earth pony asked, not sure which verb to use in order to describe the way ponies relocated themselves between the 'upper level' - Stealth, and the 'lower level' - this strange place that Silver decided to call 'Steampunk city' for the time being - he was afraid that if he asked Layla about it, it would result in losing precious time.

"You are closer to the truth than you think, Silver Dawn." Layla chuckled, her horn beginning to glow.

A teleportation spell, Silver realised. Why can't we all just settle down and find some answers to my questions? He mentally groaned.

"Don't worry - every mystery is explained eventually," the mare said, making Silver sincerely consider her ability to read thoughts - his, at least. "Oh, the spell's an experimental one, so you'll faint for an hour," Layla concluded cheerfully, casting a magical orb upon Silver.

"What? Again? No wa-" The black pony shouted, immediately feeling light-headed, everything becoming dark. The last thing he saw was Layla's beautiful, shining smile.