Carry That Weight

She had traveled, uncomplaining, deeper into the mysterious woods. She didn’t ask questions, in part because she was resigned to the fact that she would be hopelessly lost if she had no one to follow, and because she was thoroughly exhausted - mentally, physically, emotionally, Bright Eyes was depleted, and she was glad when the trio settled down for the night, safely hidden from prying eyes in a thicket.

But how could she sleep when her thoughts were racing? The possibilities of what they would find were limitless. The various villains and foes she had read about in dusty old books surfaced in her mind - tales of insanity, lust for power and control, cruelty. She had spent only a minute or two looking at the dark magic book she carried by the faintest glow of golden aura, careful and quiet so the stallions would remain sleeping. What could be so bad about a history book? Despite Ave’s cautionary words, Bright remained curious.

She had finally laid down for the night not too far from where Aero slumbered, allowing herself to relax in the safety of his close(ish) proximity. Once more, she was taunted by a strange, alarming dream. This time, it was vague - she saw no faces, heard no voices. Surrounded only be darkness, the mare was compelled to run from a terror unseen, an enemy unknown. It was bad, but she was too tired to wake, and not the worst she had experienced as of late.

When dawn's light began to spread throughout the land, the mare had somehow inched nearer and nearer to Aero Dynamic in her sleep. The dream had transitioned into peace, a blissful nothingness as she slept, breathing gently, now close enough to feel the warmth the pegasus’ body provided in the cold morning.

Ave sat, waking early. Eyes baggy, but stoicly watching over their surroundings. His face did not move, not even a single muscle pulled or change came onto his facial expression, as only the slight light of morning sun pierced the impossible overgrowth that was named the everfree forest. The rousing of his friends may pull the quick move of Ave's eyes, but his body remained unmoving for now. He had hardly slept. The proximity of an evil book like the one that had taken his mind bothered him greatly. Thoughts rushed through him and sleep escaped him, Ave being short of Close friends, unlike Bright. Despite having shared his past with Aero, he sometimes saw it as nothing more then extra payment for helping with the unexpected final issue that arose.

The rushing thoughts of Bright Eyes had definitely infected Ave. But no matter how much Ave thought, he didn't seem to think of a solution. He was not as smart as Bright eyes, had issues with deriving and connecting information. His charms, wiles and tricks were meant to manipulate people in staying away from him, or to not start anything with him. Something that had failed him in the past, and undoubtedly, tricks that would have no assistance in preventing anyone here from making mistakes, especially Bright Eyes with that book... Would he just... tell her the truth?. That would be hard, no, impossible to do on such short notice. And how would he explain it? would she understand it? would she respect it? His mind continued racing, and it didn't help him look anymore awake and alive, his eyes baggy and emotionless expression not far from that of an expression of extreme tire.

Ave felt it all bear on him. His safety. His friend's safety. His friend's friend's safety. The castle. The book. He could crash on the spot, tear up and just no longer know what to think and to do.

But at the same time, he couldn't. His body did not give in to tears. His face did not, COULD not give in to stress. Crocodile tears are and will be the only tears to ever leave his face. He lamented his fate a little, before deciding that they did not need to see that weakness. They had had enough strife and trouble in their adventures, and an extra liability was not something they needed. His stoic gaze once more continued observing their surroundings. His expression unchanging, Like a mask of lies glued on tight and permanently. A mask of lies that will be his doom someday, but not today, for he was needed, at least a little longer.

Ave would not reply to either of their movement or morning routines once those had come. He would remain completely still unless one of them spoke to him. He had already figured out their route the night before, as he was not as tired as they, and could not sleep so easily. He already had had a bite to eat, and simply waited for those two to be done. His morning routine was one step shorter in these woods, and without his usual hair products, his hair was flattened out much more, his mane having only half it's size. It looked very mopey and sad, a look he did not find subtle enough for everyday life. Once they were done with their routines, he would continue guiding them through these insufferable woods he wished he could enjoy the mopeyness of, like he once did.

The rest of the day passed without incident. Aero's watchful gaze kept an eye out for any further sign of the archer or traps that might lie in wait. When night had finally settled in, so had they by settling in to sleep. As he drifted away, his last look was to his friends laying nearby. They were here together, on a journey that he felt largely accountable for setting in motion. Aero felt that responsibility weighing on him tremendously. The pegasus was never one to shy away from duties but this wasn't just some delivery job.

These were pony's lives at risk. Ponies he cared about. Ave, a stallion with a similarly quiet nature, colder and more calculated like himself; a rare find in the carefree world of Equestria. And on the opposite side the spectrum was Bright Eyes. She was in pain. This whole experience must be devastating to her. Yet she clung on with an underlying strength that just...inspired him. It was difficult to pinpoint what he was feeling but her resilience was nothing short of amazing. However, it was changing her. Her anger and tears earlier were a sure sign of that. His worry was that she would be scarred by this experience and lose her upbeat nature and cheerful smile.

The last lingering thoughts of his sleep were that he needed to be at his best to protect his friends, as Aero stirred awake in the morning sunlight. His senses became aware of the unusual heat he felt on his back, perking his interest. He'd slept outside enough to instinctively know in his half-awakened state that this wasn't just the sun's heating baring down on him. Aero rolled over to explore the reason and suddenly found his vision filled with blue. His nose brushed against something, making him recoil a little in surprise.

His icy blue eyes finally focused, his brain snapping to attention as he realised Bright Eyes was lying right next to him. If anything, his rolling over had moved him closer, as his muzzle had brushed against hers. Suddenly very aware of their close proximity and unsure how to respond, he awkwardly cleared his throat.

"Urm...morning."

((Unrelated note; the title totally reminded me of THIS from Cowboy Bebop :P ))

Sleep finally felt restful when there was a source of warmth by her side - but it wasn’t to last.  Eyelids slowly lifted as the mare woke.  For a brief, passing second, it seemed as if she was still dreaming.  Without her glasses, it almost seemed as if she was right beside Aero - but wait.  That didn’t make sense.  She blinked rapidly to clear her vision.  The realization washed over her, a moment delayed, and she jolted to a sitting position, head darting away.  Judging from the position of the trees around them, it had clearly been the mare who filled in the cold gap, and not vice versa. “Uhh.. Oops?”

Bright Eyes could feel her entire face burning red with embarrassment - which, naturally, only made her all the more bashful.  Scooting away as quickly as she could, she wondered how it had happened in the first place.  Her body still felt a little tired, a lot sore, but with that sort of wake-up, she was wide awake now.  Her head ducked with renewed shyness. “I suppose winter is right around the corner,” she murmured, longing to fill the silence. “There’s a chill in the air.”

She caught sight of Ave, sitting still as stone not far from the place they had settled for the night.  With a quiet cough, she attempted to gain the muddy brown stallion’s attention, rather desperate for a quick distraction for what had happened - and the tumultuous, peculiar feeling inside of the mare she couldn’t acknowledge.  Part of her wished the night could linger on.

But, it was back to reality for Bright Eyes and her traveling companions.  She took a second to stretch, collecting her rucksack before addressing Aero again with as normal an expression as she could, speaking loud enough for Ave to hear.  “How are you feeling today?”

Ave noticed the cough and gave a soft smile, if only to break his disquieting stare into the distance. He was, after all, a pony. Not a gargoyle. Although he didn't act very different. "You looked comfortable. In the middle of the everfree forest. That's good. Every ounce of joy and energy won here is a great step to success. " he said, standing up and smiling towards her. He decided to stop his moping around for now, although the worry in his head would stay abuzz until later adrenaline could replace it.

"i planned forward. For the calmest trip possible. It'll take a while, but we'll be as energetic and ready as can be if an issue shows up. Just... Pease avoid the flowers. They're poisonous or scented strongly enough to attract timberwolves from any corner of the forest if you touch them." he smiled. He tght quickly. What a tense thing to finish his words on. He continued, ,after his short thinking pause. "Even if you see the perfect addition for a gift bouquet." he smiled at the two and walked over to the direction he planned to continue, in sight but far enough for them to whisper or talk privately in silence, his smile lasting as he did not want them to worry needlessly. He didn't lie when he said each bit of energy won was a great victory in this forest. While he leaned against a tree, baggy eyes staring off into the path ahead, that they'd be walking soon.

Aero sat up himself, following Bright's lead of shrugging of the event. She seemed to be a little embarrassed which he considered he could understand since most ponies kept to their own beds when sleeping. Or in this case, patch of ground. He nodded a good morning to Ave as he spoke up. His eyebrow perked up at 'comfortable,' a little unsure what he meant. The warmth was nice and all but...

He didn't dwell on it as Aero stood on his hooves, stretching them and his wings to feel the fresh morning air between his legs and feathers.

"I'm fine. You?" he asked concisely. He hoped she'd had a more restful sleep that she'd had for the previous few nights.

It seemed Ave had indeed been planning as Aero had expected of his friend. Once more, he was incredibly glad the earth pony was with him. He made a mental note that he owed Ave a big, big favour after this. The fact they were venturing once more to the Castle of the Two Sisters was something of a testament to how much they trusted each other.

However, before they set off, he felt he needed to address something. The thoughts had plague his mind since yesterday evening and throughout his dreams. He looked between Bright and Ave, as the later started to make some progress on the day's journey.

"One second Ave. I just need to talk to Bright about something," he stated. He figured the earth pony would likely want to grasp their bearings or fine tune his plan if he hadn't already. Regardless, his focus turned back to the mare as he gave her an uneasy expression. "If that's okay with you."

“Could be worse,” she replied to Aero, as optimistic as she could be.  In truth, several more hours of sleep would have made all the difference.  Perhaps a pillow-stuffed blanket instead of the dirt ground.  But the fact that she could stand up at all after yesterday’s events was more than Bright Eyes had expected.  She was already surprising herself during their journey.

Grateful as she was for Ave’s presence, she couldn’t help but blush once more at his comment about looking comfortable.  She had been, but it had all been an accident - right?  Ave was already thinking ahead, and Bright wondered how long he had been awake, or if he had even slept at all.  His apparent dedication to the rescue mission was both surprising and unexpected.  “That is good advice.  Thank you, Ave.  We are fortunate to have you.” she offered quietly, making a mental note to avoid the forest’s blossoms.

Bright Eyes glanced curiously between Ave and Aero, suddenly feeling strangely nervous as the prospect of being alone with Aero - something that had seemed so natural and normal only days before.  She watched the earth pony as he headed in the direction they were to travel that day.  “Yes, Aero?”  She was almost afraid to ask, still embarrassed, willing herself not to blush again.  She scolded herself for acting so strangely.

The compliment fell onto deaf ears though. Ave returned a smile, as honest as any on the outside. "I'm glad to be helping" he said, in his most energetic voice, simply wanting to spark some hope and electricity in the two of them. They were just polite words, that he faked more often than he could count. He bet even Bright eyes couldn't count that much. Thank you... How often i've never felt it... he thought to himself, his smile remaining despite all odds. It was a strange talent, truely. But perhaps, it wasn't the worst talent that the world has shown. Although Ave was still far from accepting that line of thought.

Aero gave a thankful nod to Ave as he allowed him the time he needed. He faced Bright, sitting down as he mulled over what he had to say. What he wanted to tell her was right at the forefront of his mind, the words on the tip of his tongue. As usual, it was doubt and uncertainty of how to properly approach the subject and string it all together that hindered him. For what felt like an unnaturally long time, Aero sat on his hindlegs, staring at the ground as he formulated his speech in his head. Eventually, his icy blue gaze rose to meet the baby blue eyes of his friend.

“’De-equinize your opponent. Don’t think – rely on your training. Never doubt they’d do the same to you.’“ His words were slow and mechanical as he recited the mantra from memory. “My mother told me that. She worked in the guard, nightshifts mostly. She never told me much about her work. I’d always hear that it was peaceful, quiet nights. But every now and then, she’d tell me something.”

His forehoof scrapped the ground for the duration of the tale. Just now, he broke through the grassy turf to the darker brown of the earth below.

“She changed over time. More reclusive, more withdrawn. She was still there, but just…less of her. That saying, it was something they taught the guards. A way to cope with the bad things they had to deal with. Maybe even bad things they did.”

Aero couldn’t tell if this story was getting too longwinded, boring or if he was just losing Bright in where he was going with it. He shook his head a little, dispelling the anxious thoughts as he continued with his point.

“What I’m saying is that we’re in a tough situation where we might see or do dreadful things. I can’t blame you for a second for how you felt yesterday. It’s natural for somepony like you to care. Just know that what you do here, you only do because you have to. It’s not the real you. So, yeah…”

Aero run out of steam. Feeling mentally exhausted, he hoped she’d taken away something from what he felt like was a ramble. It was exposing to talk about any of it. Tales of his childhood like those intimate moments shared with his mother were topics never before shared with anypony. He’d forced himself the entire time he was talking not to retract into his shell. If his words could help Bright in any way whatsoever, it was worth it.

His hoof reached to pick up Bright Eyes’ glasses that had been lying next to her possessions as slept and offered them to her, an encouraging smile on his lips.

The silence that passed before Aero eventually spoke was excruciating for Bright Eyes.  The seconds felt like hours, and she shifted nervously on her hooves in anxious anticipation.  Bright Eyes wasn’t entirely sure what to expect - but the speech that Aero delivered was definitely not it.  She felt a surge of disappointment as the stallion’s words settled into her brain like a landslide.  ’Don’t think… Never doubt they’d do the same to you.’

Wordlessly, Bright Eyes listened as Aero Dynamic spoke of his mother, of seeing and doing terrible things, and a disturbing realization became clearer: she would have to fight.  She didn’t want it to change her, though - but already, she was scarcely the same pony as before.  Less of her.  Everything was changing at break-neck speed.  But Aero's words were true, and Bright suspected it took a lot for him to express himself like that - even if it wasn't precisely what she had hoped for.  She wasn't entirely sure what she had hoped for, anyway. Her mind raced, once more.

She received the glasses with a quiet ‘thank you.’  Before the pair joined Ave on the path toward the castle, the pale unicorn cleared her throat.  “Aero, before you go?  I just wanted to say… Thanks.  You know, again.  For all this.  I know I've said it before, but it-- It means a lot to me” - which was an understatement, but she couldn’t stand there all day enthusing about how much she liked being around Aero, how he held her attention.

“And for being warm,” she added with the faintest hint of a teasing smile, something akin to what she had been like before the unwanted adventure unfolded.  She couldn’t help herself.  Regardless of the troubles, she still couldn’t picture what it would be like without Aero.

Ave watched as they finished up and once more joined his side. He lead them, silently but surely. They shared something. Something special, he could tell. Something they both deserved, even though it didn't seem like much was happening of it yet. Everyone's mind was heavy with the weights they carried. One who hid his thoughts, One who spent her time thinking, desperately trying to sort hers out and lastly One who did his best to ensure their safety, his ming likely the heaviest, Right now, considering the words he had just said. Had he done damage? Had he prevented issues? Only time would tell.

In a sense of the whole, their distractions served Ave well. No one noticed his unusually persistent smile. Aero wouldn't remark on the lack of rhyming or talking from the brown pony. He could hide everything so easily. No surprise. He was just guiding them through here. Providing them whatever peace he could while they moved to that dreaded castle. A peace that surely wouldn't last the whole trip, if it even lasted much longer at all.
He pondered if his words were useful at all. But Aero could see through them, and he had not acted perfectly in front of Bright. Did he really have anything to offer more this trip? Naturally, only time would tell, but Ave's worrisome and busy mind pondered nonetheless. he seemed to have no trouble guiding them on the path he had chosen even with his extreme silence and buzzing thoughts. A blessing that would provide them a moment's calm before the next event...

It was with a sense of unease that Aero watched as Bright took her glasses back. Her quiet demeanour had him on edge. Perhaps not all things could be solved simply by words. Aero had begun to move away to start the day’s journey when Bright suddenly spoke in reply. Hearing her thanks was encouraging in knowing his efforts hadn’t been in vain. Her joke made him stifle a laugh as he snickered quietly. That smile of hers and the return of that familiar shine in her eyes warmed his heart. It was worth it.

“Well, next time let me know if you want me to be your hot water bottle," joked Aero, returning her little grin, "Next time you can use my wing as a blanket."

The pair rejoined Ave as they resumed their journey. Aero was glad to be standing side by side with these two friends, in the midst of the Everfree and whatever laid ahead. Whatever it was, they'd face it together.

She allowed herself the brief light-hearted moment, shaking her head at the notion of a feathery blanket.  “I will remember your offer.” Trailing after the silver pegasus, she noted that Ave seemed even shorter that day as they approached.

When she was near enough, she offered a half smile. “How far is the castle, Ave?”  She would have to take a glance at his map later on.  It made her uneasy to be wandering into the unknown, but they had direction today.  That was progress.

She tried to prepare herself mentally for the day to come - but she couldn't guess what was waiting.  Bright Eyes couldn’t allow herself to break down again, as she had the previous day.  She wouldn’t complain, though her shoulder was still rather sore from the pink pony’s attack.  But there was a lingering, gnawing guilt.  She didn’t like to feel like a burden.

"We arrive at the sun's lowest point. Either we check the castle in the cover of darkness, or we rest and check it the next day. if we go in at night, we should do a short rest somewhere halfway, so we arrive in the dead of the night." He suggested sounding just a hint energetic and a good bit to the point, as it made him sound smarter. He already came with two options for Bright to consider. He had hoped it would be a fully peaceful trip the whole way, but some gut feeling he had told him otherwise.

That same gut feeling had overtook him as the three closed in on a somewhat larger tree within their peaceful path. His expression drained quite suddenly, as he alarmingly looked in all directions. "There's something ominous her-" Ave started, before being rudely cut off by a much louder and more booming voice.

"Awww, so the two lovebirds think their little mudhoofed friend can guide them through here safely? Ain't that a cute thing. What'cha come here to do? Propose by the top of the castle in the moonlight? My, my, not a bad idea, if i say so myself." The archer taunted. As the three would undoubtedly look around frantically, they would find nor heads nor tails of the pony, despite his less than subtle colours. His voice seemed to come from all around the forest, making it hard to pin down where to go to try and catch him... Ofcourse, that was if they -wanted- to catch him. Ave was sure he wanted to catch him, but did not think on how the other two might reply to his taunting.

As the group made their way further into the Everfree, a sense of unease washed over Aero. They were in unfamiliar territory where they were at a disadvantage. He was glad that Ave seemed so logical in his plans as he clearly stated his train of thought. That comfort was shattered immediately as the voice of the archer echoed around them. Aero's wings unfurled, his body lowering in a tense stance as he prepared for round two.

So focused on the return of their opponent that he failed to pay proper attention to what was being said. Aero had to mentally step back and take a moment to recall the taunt, pondering on the words. Lovebirds? Propose? The pegasus failed to see what that had to do with anything. Perhaps he was referring to Bright's parents?

It made little sense to Aero who slowly spun on the spot in an attempt to decipher where their enemy was. His immediate reaction was to question what he meant if it weren't for the instant regret he'd have in the decision. The archer seemed just like the sadistic type who loved to play and provoke them.

Regardless, Aero took the bait with the thought that it might give his position away. Eying the treelike carefully, he growled back aggressively, "What are you talking about?"

Bright Eyes was ambivalent: she was eager to go, but also apprehensive for what - or who - they would find.  However, the enemy had already found them - and had come to meet them.  A voice, vaguely familiar, interrupted the momentary quiet, unsettling, with an overt tone of teasing.  Bright’s expression went black as she realized he was talking about her.  And Aero…  Ain’t that a cute thing - his poor use of grammar disturbed her nearly as much as his observant comments.  How could a stranger detect something that still, apparently, was eluding Aero Dynamic.

The same feeling of disdain and outrage seeped into her consciousness, spreading through her like a virus.  She didn’t know his name, but she loathed him and the answers he concealed. “He is just trying to distract us,” she said under her breath, eyes darting all around for a hint of bright pink tucked away against the dark forest.  “We must be on the right path.”

“It’s not going work,” she challenged, voice louder this time so that the pink stallion could hear, wherever he was hiding. “What are you hiding?  Who are you?” Her voice came out surprisingly assertive, anger and frustration currently outweighing her fear.  He had already taken her parents, and Celestia only knew if there were more victims to the madness.

But there were three of them now.  The crystal pony was clearly outnumbered.  Even with his magic arrows, he wouldn’t stand much of a chance against one who could fly, one who could use magic, and somepony as clever as Ave.  Bright Eyes felt confident that this time, the fight would end differently.

Her horn began to glow its soft gold shade, conjuring up magic to create a swirl of wind that rustled through the tree limbs and leaves, sending a cascade of green showering over the trip.  She hoped to knock him from the branches, if that is where he was hidden away.

"What i'm on about? Isn't it obvious..?" the voice started once more. Ave tried looking somewhere, but after a short pause, the sound seemed to come from elsewhere. Bright's wind did little to help them find their taunter, and less to reveal wheere the sound came from...
"oh. Oh my, it isn't, is it? Well. It seems your open heart is wasted on him, ma'am. I never had the pleasure to meet such a fair lady, with her mind in such strong working order and her heart on her wrists. Such a shame that there isn't any proper suitors around. Where's the looove, i wonder?" he continued on, taunting Aero's lack of recognition and Brights obvious amour. Had he seen them while they slept? Was he following them this whole time?

It seemed impossible, but perhaps it was possible. Ave was up most of the three, and paying the most attention, but he was only two pair of eyes. naturally, none of them knew that Glitter Hail was a true and trained archer in his prime, sharp ears and eyes included. "i can't pin down the sound..." Ave muttered, so focused on finding the opponent that the taunts completely flew over his head and he made no mental note of it. He did not pay attention to his allies at this very moment...

It made sense that the archer’s comments were just a distraction, especially if they were on the right track to find their goal. As Bright’s magic rustled the woods around them, Aero’s keen eyes were peeled for the telltale sign of pink but there was none to be found. It seemed Ave had no luck in finding him either. Aero focused as their enemy spoke again, listening carefully this time. The implications became clear when he glanced over at Bright Eyes to see her expression. He was meaning them? He had to try hard not to scoff at the remarks, thinking on how absurd the idea was.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s nothing going on…between…”

Reality came crashing down around Aero like a ton of bricks. The subtle looks she gave him. The desire to see him and be around him. Waking up side by side in the forest. The happiness and relaxation he felt when around her. The sudden, unexpected feeling of joy he got from seeing her smile. His mind came alive as it desperately tried to collect everything they’d done and been through. What kind of messages had he been sending her? The day in Whitetail Woods. A private trip to Cloudsdale. Accompanying her from Manehatten. Risking life and limb on a rescue mission into the Everfree forest. Hugging and opening up to her about his personal life. Was she reading these as romantic gestures? Were they? Had his subconscious been working against him, urging towards some kind of relationship?

Realisation hit Aero, a cold slap in the face in the presence of the truth; he was falling for Bright Eyes, and she was falling for him.

He couldn’t do that. Not again. Aero literally growled to himself, his mind blazing with self-directed fury. How could he let himself be so blind, and let himself be carried away again? Last time, he’d ended up so badly hurt from such an care free and optimistic relationship soon careened off a cliff to a brutally hurtful end. Now he’d finely found a few friends, particularly a good one whom he could relate to so easily, he was already jeopardising it all with love.

“You don’t know what you're talking about,” he muttered under bated breath, uncharacteristically quiet to the point of being withdrawn. Aero took a step back from the others, his stance wilting slightly as his gaze went to the forest floor.

Bright Eyes was stunned, expressive features unable to hide it.  Maybe the archer was right.  The petite unicorn couldn’t deny what she had been feeling - the way her heart leapt when her azure eyes met his icy blue tones.  Or how she had, though she was not conscious of it at the time, had found ways to see Aero on numerous occasions.  Her focus turned toward Aero, looking for a hint.  Maybe it was true.

Or… maybe not.

Seconds away from an epiphany (or so it had seemed), Aero’s final words, quietly uttered, were a tidal wave dragging the mare down, suffocating her.  The breath hitched in her throat at the unexpected emotions, all terrible, and her eyes turned immediately to her front hooves.  She was certain she was blushing; she felt feverish with embarrassment.  This had never happened before.  She had never been in love, had never even considered it.  But that was before.  Her friendship with Aero Dynamic was something different, something deeper - but it was now apparent: she was there alone.  Unrequited feelings were just as dreadful as the stories had indicated.

It seemed she had been hoping too hard, seeing something where there was truly nothing to be found.  She felt foolish - and angry, an emotion once nearly foreign to the formerly vivacious mare.  She was furious at the pink archer for pointing out a lie, angry at herself for getting distracted and for relying on someone so wholly, and upset that she had been so wrong. She wasn't sure how to feel about Aero - anger? Some sense of betrayal?

Her vision began to blur. They all viewed her as weak, didn’t they?  Just a pathetic mare with tears in her eyes, caught up in ridiculous, misplaced emotion.

No.  She wouldn’t let them see her cry.  She wouldn’t outright prove her weaknesses.  Desperately, she searched for an easy escape, a way to avoid the situation as her fight-of-flight instinct kicked in.  Without a word, she turned away from the stallions, darting off into the undergrowth of the forest as fast as her limbs could carry her.

It all happened so swiftly. The taunts suddenly no longer soared over Ave's head, and the gears in his head clicked. He looked to the two as they both fell apart. Before Ave could say anything, Aero had already given his retort. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. There’s nothing going on…between…”. He saw Aero's expression. He knew the feeling all to well. He had experiences the same before, and evaded love as well. He had unwittingly crushed hearts of innocent Mares... and he watched as that very thing happened before his eyes. Bright had the same approximate reaction as Aero. Ave's solemn stare saw both of them, but he did not say anything, for he had nothing to say. He watched as Bright couldn't handle it anymore, and darted away. He panicked. He went a short distance after her, but looked back to his old friend. They were both in a sordid state. He had to choose one.

Bright was on the move, already too far away for him to properly track down. As much as he wanted her to not look into the books, to not hurt her friends, and possibly, her parents, just like Ave had hurt Aero... It was too risky. he just didn't know Bright. He returned to Aero, and placed his small brown muzzle under Aero's, slowly lifting it. "Aero..." he softly said, before a voice would interrupt it, a boisterous laughter coming from the forests. "Silent. No more from you, Jerk!" Ave had said, his voice perfectly manipulated as to sound serious, not desperate. "Well, don't y-" Glitter continued, attempting to commemorate Ave's bravery in the face of danger, but Ave interrupted him once more, his talent suited to twisting any conversation in his favour, as he picked the perfect tone. "I said Silence." He remembered the pink assailant. His body moved to stay close and protective, around Aero, ready to shove him aside and jump in front of any attack. Glitter hail was furious. He wasn't going to be interrupted like this! Not by some random, tiny Foal-lookalike earth pony! he continued in furious bellow "I WILL NO-" however, he could not finish his statement as the voice from the small earth pony nonetheless pierced his bellowing. It's tone perfect, it's twist just enough to bellow on it's own, and pierce through any other speech, to disrupt thought and focus. "You. Will. Be. Silent." Ave interrupted, even Glitter Hail finding himself incapable of continuing his words against such a strange voice. Glitter Hail was now Seething with anger, But Ave was prepared.

Indeed, Glitter Hail would unravel himself from the forest of the Everfree, and place his sights on the two males, ready to charge. Ave stood between Glitter and Aero. "AERO! What does she mean to you?! It's clear there's more than just friends here! You didn't lie to her, did you?! you're not like me! You can still show the truth, what you show other ponies is still the TRUTH! It's okay to love someone! She loves you for you, and not for some fake you've been showing her! Do you not feel the same for her!?" Ave bellowed, a tone of irritation in his voice, as that would definitely help Aero to notice what he was saying. Meanwhile, Glitter's charge was basically just a second away from them, But Ave charged forwards aswell, Intercepting Glitter and taking the first blow. Ave took it with little grace, but knew that Aero couldn't fight right now. Not too mention, Aero had something more important to be doing.

If Aero would leave directly, though, Ave would shout one last thing, as he still had something he wanted to tell Aero, but he couldn't just blather it out now without giving him a chance to respond!

The moment seemed to last an eternity. Aero was sat in a web of his convictions. The codes and rules in which he lead his life were shattered in front of him. Despite the promise he'd made to himself to never so easily fall in love and feel that pain again, he'd done it all the same. It was such an alien experience for him that he was paralysed. Aero's body was stood rigid, his wings limp at his side as he stood as if frozen. His eyes darted from side to side, searching for answers that wouldn't come to mind.

He had never experienced this before. And that scared him.

Movement caught his eye as he watched Bright Eyes turn tail and gallop away. He could have sworn he'd seen tears in her eyes. All the worse than how he felt, he'd made her upset. Distraught. That was what stung most of all. Yet the pegasus did nothing as the mare broke off into the Everfree alone. Because you could do nothing. Everything seemed so distant and unreal.

The world only came back to him when he saw brown hooves step on the ground in front as Ave approached him and lifted his head up to meet his.

The emotions, he knew, were fake but the earth pony's words carried meaning all the same. Every sentence hit him, forcing the cogs of his brain to turn as he fought to finding meaning. He did care for Bright. A lot. But he'd done harm. And he didn't know if he could trust anyone, or himself, again with love...

Eventually, he whimpered, almost pathetically, "I can't...it's all my fault..."

He looked over to Ave, seeing him tussling with Glitter. Yet his stare was vacant, like he wasn't really there.

((Bright Eyes has exited this thread - Skip my place for the remainder))

"Yeah, you weren't perfect. But guess what? She wasn't either, if either of you were, this would all be easier!" Ave continued, however, it became clear he wasn't the only voice here, as among the tussling another voice came free to taunt and pervade Aero's ears. "A simple mistake? Pfah! You abandoned her, in the middle of the everfree! you're the Worst Friend Ever." he continued while he gave Ave a good blow, but Ave did not howl or shout in pain. He remained silent and stared Glitter down, despite the pain. Glitter was slightly off put. He just didn't get the brown one!

"Mistakes are there to be repaired! It's not like i left you alone after i hit you, dude! I did my best to help you after my mistakes, and you need to do the same for Bright! You made your mistakes, she's in danger, but she needs YOU. she needs YOU to save her! Tell her what happened last time, Tell her what i did wrong, Feel free to tell her anything about me, You'll understand why!" Ave said, certain that Aero would be smart enough to find the book and see what Bright was doing, and tell her what Ave had done and why those books aren't to be trusted. Ave hoped those words would be enough to spur Aero on... however, he remembered one last thing. "Or will you leave this Job unfinished?" he said, reminding Aero of the Aero that Ave had met, the one he knew would finish all his jobs and would not let anything bar his way from doing so. He hoped that would help Aero make a decision and go for it, because thinking was getting harder as his thoughts were replaced by throbbing pains, although the same could be said for Glitter. The two stood steadfast against one another, Delivering blow to blow, both using their size to their advantage, although it was clear Glitter was stronger and more experienced, but at the same Time, Ave was no slouch and made use of Glitter's already bruised side to do some good blows. Neither would come out of this unbruised.

In his dulled state, Aero fought hard to ignore the words of the attacker and focus on Ave's. All he could think about was the horrible mistakes he had made, and he could tell his friend was really trying to persuade him otherwise. He'd gone against his own decisions, betrayed himself and hurt Bright. How could anyone ever trust him or care about him?

Then again, 'mistakes are there to be repaired.' Ave was telling him to fix this. But how? Aero didn't know the first thing about fixing a broken heart. If he did, he would have done so on himself long ago. Then Ave put it into perspective.

'Will you leave this Job unfinished?' It seemed like such a trivial point at first but it stuck out to him. The situation they are all in was dangerous and hinged on them all playing their part. Aero himself had volunteered in order to help save Bright's parents. Right now, he was failing her.

In one swift movement, Aero took off into the air with a flourish of his wings. He swooped around in a large arc, soaring over Ave and his opponent. He dived low in order to deliver a glancing kick to the crystal pony menace as he head in the direction Bright had run. At least he could aid Ave as he left him to fend for himself. He could only hope the earth pony could hold his own in the fight.

His mind was still full of doubt and regret over the problem he had caused. No, not a problem. A catastrophe. However, at this point in time, he was more concerned about putting everything aside to simply focus on what they were here to do. If there was one thing Aero could do well, it was to dedicate himself to the job at task. With any luck, he might be able to find the mare and fix whatever mess it was he had created.