open Forgotten legend

[Fallen Valkyrie 525]

"No no..." Tybalt started to ice "...heroes of the day,we will do hard work,and try to breach in to thet thing,and try to cary some sory of equpment in side.You just rest,you earned it." Tybalt turned around and start going to thet plan like tower in midle of clearing,and as he moved he quaitly said "So sirens...this may be harder then master thinked." 

[P-Jay 1,987]

...he was told to do something, and he did it.

 

he was told to set fire, and he did so.

 

...

 

so why did he feel guilty? 

 

caliber had been going for a fairly sized blaze, but it quickly spread. the fact that the forest was dead, and therefor, much more flammable then he had intended. he had tried to help, and such, but he didnt know if his efforts were known.

 

he had been silent throughout most of the talk with tybalt. wondering why he felt guilty. 

 

everyone dies. he didnt know them personally. why should he care about what happened to the dijinn? 

 

...

 

"...im going for a walk." he said, the first thing he had said since the fire. "dont wait up."

 

he turned, and left. but one thing stood out. before he left, he had taken off his sword, and laid it there on the ground.

 

he wandered through town. thinking back to when he was just 'the wanderer.' when he did things his way, and no-one got mad at him. when he didnt have this guilty feeling, right in his heart.

 

he was tempted to just leave. 

 

leave, and start his wandering again...

 

he stopped at the edge of the town, looking at the road.

[Little Red 1,529]

It felt strangely as though things were falling apart in a way Red couldn't see. It pricked at the back of her mind and made her almost fearful of some... change she couldn't see.

 

Red's throat was feeling better. She could breathe now perfectly fine. She was just bone tired, but she could deal with it. Especially if Caliber was down.

 

All she could feel for Caliber was sympathy. He'd tried his best. He'd done what they had all (except Tyra) thought was right. And now he was the one who had done it, and who would be blamed if it got out.

 

She gave a nod at Tybalt, caught Tyra's eye and jerked her head in the direction of where Caliber had gone to let her know what she was doing, and limped hastily after Caliber.

 

She caught up to Caliber quickly enough. He was walking, after all. She trotted to his side. "Caliber," she greeted, staring up at him impassively. "Listen, what happened back there wasn't your fault, alright?"

[J.R. 3,183]

Blizzard walked up to Red, "You're right, it wasn't his fault. It was mine. I made the stupid ass suggestion of that idea. I really need to sit down for awhile...." 

 

He went to go sit under a tree and felt uneasy, another mistake of his caused a problem. He felt terrible.

[Little Red 1,529]

Red winced. Of course Ice felt down too. They all did-- they had done something pretty bad.

 

"Ice," she said, gently, moving over to him and holding out a hoof to help him up, "do you want to walk with us a bit? Walk off some of the guilt?" she fell silent for a moment before continuing, "I thought it was a good idea too, Ice."

[J.R. 3,183]

Blizzard got up and walked away from Red, "Nah, you two go. I'll be fine on my lonesome. You go take care of Caliber."

 

He walked and began to think, "These past few months with this team have been interesting. But have we truly come together? Or is this mission tearing us apart? I know one thing's for sure: I'm NOT giving up having made it this far. And neither should my team...."

[P-Jay 1,987]

@Little Red

 

"...oh, hello, red." caliber said, looking at the road. "whats...up."

his voice was completely deadpan, and devoid of emotion. and when he turned to look at her, his eyes didnt look like his at all. they were dull, lacking the bright fire that was normally in them.

 

he looked...defeated.

 

"im...okay. just some more deaths on my mind, nothing new...though this feeling of guilt is new..."

Edited July 19, 2015 by PeytonJay

[Reaver 350]

Caramel trotted up to Ticktock, feeling rather lonely. She was rather sore about the turn of events, but an odd affection for the group was welling up inside her, and she couldn't find herself wanting to leave. She just... she wasn't certain about the way everypony had lied to this 'Tybalt' fellow. Really, sounded like a cat's name, not a pony's. And then he had called them heroes. She had never been called a hero before, and she certainly hadn't expected something like this to be the first time. Oh well, hopefully it wasn't an omen of what was to come.

 

"Hey, clock pony," Caramel said, gesturing with her leg that had her own watch on it. "Wanna help me with that magic? You were pulling off some pretty impressive levitation with that water back there."

[Little Red 1,529]

@,

There was something deeper wrong with him. Is it really just that he's never felt guilt before?

 

"Caliber..." Red stopped. What could she say? There was nothing she could say that would take away the guilt of ruining that entire village, or bring the dead back. She felt something prickle in her throat and the back of her eyes. She suppressed it, closing her eyes. What would she say to herself if she was feeling like him? What would she need? She couldn't think.

 

"Caliber, I know it's hard, but remember what we're fighting for." Red said, staring straight ahead. They were fighting to make sure Equestria didn't fall. They were fighting for each other. They were fighting for more than just themselves.

 

And they'd made a mistake. And ponies had died. And though it wasn't right what they had done-- they hadn't meant to. And nothing more could be said.

[P-Jay 1,987]

@@Little Red, 

 

"...yeah, sure, whatever." caliber said, apparently not feeling better at all. "i understand that, and...its more about the guilt. why now, of all times?"

 

he frowned. apparently, he really didn't know guilt up until this point. and even more apparently, he didnt know how to deal with it.

[Little Red 1,529]

@,

Red sighed. "Guilt is natural, Caliber," she said. "It's hard to deal with... but it tells you you're a pony. I don't know why it's happening to you now." Maybe the sight of ponies burning to death had struck a chord in him. 

 

"I'm sorry, I don't have the answers." I'm sorry I can't be a better friend. "We'll all do better next time. We need to learn from this." she said, now also speaking to herself.

[P-Jay 1,987]

Red sighed. "Guilt is natural, Caliber," she said. "It's hard to deal with... but it tells you you're a pony. I don't know why it's happening to you now." Maybe the sight of ponies burning to death had struck a chord in him. 

 

"I'm sorry, I don't have the answers." I'm sorry I can't be a better friend. "We'll all do better next time. We need to learn from this." she said, now also speaking to herself.

"..."

 

caliber was being silent, now. "...does this mean...that your able to deal with this guilt?"

 

he puffed out his cheeks. "its not a good feeling...ill say that much...its hurts, actually. it feels like iv failed a...friend. but, i dont know them. iv never known them, and i never will know them. i shouldn't care for them, so...why?!" he asked, sounding both annoyed and angry.

[Little Red 1,529]

Red looked at him again. She didn't answer his question about whether she could deal with it-- because she could, because she'd gotten used to it, because she always felt guilty about every time she killed.

 

"Why should you care about the fact that we destroyed their homes, families and lives?" she said, a little incredulously. "Because any good pony would. Because they are alive, just like us. Because we have the capability of understanding other ponies and feeling sorry for them." Red calmed herself again. "Ponies are all connected with each other because we're all alive. We destroyed ponies back there that in another life could have been friends or family. We didn't know them, but we could have. That's why it hurts for me."

 

She looked up at him, again having to hold back tears. Her voice softened, mostly because her throat was too choked up to continue in a normal tone. "I'm sorry it hurts. I'm sorry you're in pain."

[P-Jay 1,987]

@@Little Red, 

 

"...i see..."

 

caliber blinked slowly. "thanks, for...coming to talk to me, red. it means a lot. really. i think...i just need some alone time now, is all..."

 

he sighed, and continued looking at the road. "ill be fine...dont worry about me."

 

he even made an attempt at a smile, but it looked far from real.

[Little Red 1,529]

@,

Red ducked her head. Damn it. Why couldn't she talk to ponies? It was like she had gotten out of tune with other ponies after traveling alone for so long. She just didn't understand them.

 

She almost apologized again, but decided against it. She pushed the thoughts out of her mind. I need to focus on the task at hand. Pity, sadness and mourning later. "Alright, Caliber," she said, turning away. "I'll see you later."

 

She moved away, immediately feeling slightly fatigued. She glanced back at Caliber once before he was out of sight.

 

She should look to see what damage had been done. She sat down and turned her head to look behind her.

 

Her tail was an uneven, messy stub of red and black. Her cloak was for the most part burned off. After a moment, she untied it, letting it fall to the ground. The cloak wouldn't be any good now, it didn't even look cool. She looked back again. With the cloak not shielding it, she could now see that the fire had burned off most of the fur on her left flank, burning off most of her cutie mark. Her right side had fared much better.

 

She sighed wearily, standing up again. She should go find Ice Blizzard... but she didn't want to even try to comfort another pony right now. She was in too much of an emotional wreck to even try. She would screw something up.

 

She moved back to the group and collapsed against the tree Tyra had lain her against earlier. She glanced at Caramel, who was nearest.

 

"Caliber needs some alone time. Ice might need someone to talk to. I need to sleep. Good night." With that, she let her head collapse against the roots and the unconsciousness that had been threatening to overtake her consume her at last.

[Unicorncob 5,696]

Tyra caught Red's signal, and nodded in response. She also took note of the direction Ice had walked off in. Blizzard sat next to her master, as if to consult her. She managed a smile and petted the wolf's side.

 

Caliber, despite his hasty and unwise actions, certainly showed regret for what happened.

They all did, in fact.

 

She sighed. The group was falling apart, she could feel it. All these trials they were forced to face were breaking everypony down. Even she was beginning to feel tired.

 

Though, there was some light in the situation. They had gotten most of the Djinn out alive, as well as themselves. They had managed to commit some act of heroism, which was comforting.

 

After a while, Red had returned. She nodded at her request, and got up. She herself was tired, and her leg still stung from the wound, but she could manage the walk.

"Blizzard, can you stay with Red?" She asked her pet, "Make sure nopony disturbs her." The wolf loyally laid down next to the other mare, as if to give her something more comfortable to sleep on.

 

Tyra began the walk after Ice, determined to find him.

[J.R. 3,183]

Blizzard was walking alone, and eventually sat within another tree, "This is impossible. I simply cannot believe how stupid I was back there. I mean, damn, I must be on the most forgiving team on the planet. But whatever. As long as nobody can find me up in this tree. I'm fine."

[Unicorncob 5,696]

After a while, Tyra came across Ice sitting in the hollow of a dead tree. She slowly approached it and peered inside.

"Friend, are you alright?" She asked softly, letting herself in. Being a small mare, she fit without much trouble.

 

"I was told you may need somepony to talk to," she explained, "So, here I am to help!"

[Skylord Nexus 527]

Ticktock smiled and Caramel "Yeah go on then I need to do something to get what just happened out of my mind. Where do you want to start we can do attack magic, defence magic or utility magic the chose is yours I have books on everyone of those subjects on me."

[J.R. 3,183]

@@Unicorncob,

Blizzard shruged, "Hey, Tyra. No, I'm fine. Just need some time to think. I mean, it was my idea to set the place ablaze, and now look what happened. I just hope I do better next time. I'm just a big stupid head...." He said as he looked down, sad. He wished he was more clear with the fire idea before Caliber went ahead and burned the place.

[Unicorncob 5,696]

Tyra looked up at Ice, and put a hoof on his shoulder.

"It may have been your idea," She agreed, "But, you did not set it in motion, yes?"

 

"We have all made mistakes on this journey," She explained, glancing to the outside, "many of them life-threatening. But we have always seen it through that we protect everypony around us, ourselves included."

 

She smiled up at him. "You will do better next time, I know you will."

[J.R. 3,183]

Blizzard smiled at Tyra. he knew she was right. Mistakes would be made, but it didn't seem all that bad. So he was happy, "You're right, huh? I'm not gonna stay moping. We got a job! Divine FIght---!" he accidentally poked his head through the top of the log, and was stuck there. He laughed at how silly it was.

[Unicorncob 5,696]

Tyra nodded, grinning widely at Ice. She burst into a fit of laughter as his head got stuck in the log, and calmed down just enough to yank him back inside.

 

"This is the Ice Blizzard I know!" She chirped, and grabbed him in a tight, near bone-crushing hug, "It does not suit you to be so serious, I prefer you being all goofy!"

[J.R. 3,183]

Blizzard laughed as he gasped for air, "Yes...I...thank...you..." he accidentally shifted his weight too much, and the log there were in started to roll down a hill. From there, it stopped when it hit a tree, breaking the two out of the log, and onto the ground, "Ow. Well, that was fun. Haha."

[Unicorncob 5,696]

Tyra blinked, sprawled on her back when she'd rolled to a stop on the ground. She was silent for a moment, then burst into laughter.

 

"Aye, it was fun!" She agreed, and rolled onto her hooves, "Let's do it again! We must find a bigger log! And a bigger hill!"

She hopped in place, seeming almost serious about it.