Post by Mal on Apr 2, 2016 17:39:17 GMT -5
Yunalesca lost track of the days since she'd been brought under the mountain, through dark halls of stone. The blue torches they lit them with seemed pretty at first, but it didn't take long before she started wishing for.. something else. Anything else. Natural light. After she had gotten put in this cell, this prison, she had tried her best to get out.. but her magic couldn't pull or bend the bars. There was nothing to pick the lock with, and even kicking them in a fury did nothing. So now she was.. stuck here, with nothing and no help other than regularly delivered meals by ponies who wouldn't talk to her. They were a bunch of crazies, too caught up in their cult and strange worshiping to have any sort of heart to set her free. She'd slept when her body tired, but she couldn't guess the time nor the passing of it- it might as well have been an eternity, or a timeless place for all she knew by now. Yuna huffed and stared at the wall, despairing, bored and angry in turns.
Gleaming Echo stepped down the halls of the mountain hideout with purpose in his step. He always felt so empowered when wearing Lady Nightmare's raiment! And it was this empowering feeling that finally brought him to the upper levels were the prisoner had been kept. Gleam had been one of the ponies that brought the fortune teller in after all and had noticed something the rest of the cult had yet to... Beneath the shawl was a pair of wings! The pony held in the cell was an alicorn! To hold one of the blessed ones was a sin in this cultist's eyes; even if she was NOT lady Nightmare! Finally the cultist came to the prison block. An inclination of his head to the nearby guard and he stepped through the door into the cell block and made his way down the various cells to the one he knew the 'seer' to be at. As of this moment he looked 'normal' save for a slight unnatural glow to his pupils.
Yunalesca made a quiet noise in her throat, one of irritation, a muffled nnngh as she continued staring at the rough brick wall. She wondered if she ought to ask them for any sort of reading material, or a puzzle.. anything that might waste her time until she felt like sleeping again. That in itself was enough to stave off boredom, but how long until she grew bored of sleeping and dreaming? Yuna's head cocked on her pillow, noticing in the endless silence there were.. hoofsteps? They sounded like hoofsteps, somepony was approaching. Yuna rolled a little onto her stomach, legs folding beneath her as she turned to watch the hall through the cell bars. A visitor, perhaps, or were one of those bastards just passing by? Either way, Yuna would have someone to harass, even for a little while.
Gleaming Echo paused before he entered view and let out a bit of a sigh. His horn lit up and a hood he had on was pulled up and over his head. Clearing his throat he stepped out into view, the only distinguishing feature being the glowing to his eyes. "My apologies for your accommodations." he'd say as he took a moment to survey the bars and the obnoxiously bare room. There was literally nothing for the poor mare to do but stare at the wall! It made a raw spike of anger flow through his system but he forced it back.
Yunalesca heard the hoofsteps come to a halt just outside her cell, and she was almost tempted to get up and go look. "Finally, somepony came." She said with sarcasm thickly lacing her voice. His face, she couldn't see much of it but.. there was an odd glow. "You better be sorry." The alicorn snorted, rolling out of her bed in one fluid motion to step up to the bars that kept her prisoner here. And with one of her captors standing on the other side. "I've been bored out of my mind and I have no idea why I'm even here! What do you.. you freaks want me for anyway?" Yuna ranted, another chance to lash out and point her anger somewhere. Other ponies normally didn't talk to her or give her snarling any attention, but this one however.. "I don't want to be here. If I did something, whoops, sorry, but I don't deserve this."
Gleaming Echo rolled his glowing eyes under his hood and gazed upon the now standing form of Yuna. "Because the 'high prophet' deigned it necessary for a seer to be brought into the fold. Whether voluntarily or not." he'd say with a tone of voice that belied just how amused he was at the topic himself. "Of course... I cannot say how long you will be here before somepony comes along to... help you." he'd say with a somewhat quiet voice only to incline his head. "I know what you are, fortune teller, and I do not approve of their treatment of one of the blessed ones."
Yunalesca wrinkled her nose at him and his answer, but her, a seer? It was an interesting word to describe her, and she couldn't help but think about how true it was. She had visions, occasionally, more often triggered by something than not. They were hell to deal with afterward, especially if they were fractured and confusing. Funny how she didn't see this coming, but she would say nothing to the cultists. They would just hold onto her all the more. Yuna narrowed her eyes at the minute pause, wondering what he meant by it and 'help her.' Kill her, or free her? Yuna backed down a little, straightening from her aggressive stance upon his comment and felt a twinge of fear. "What do you know?" She asked, suspicious.
Gleaming Echo let out a chuckle as he sat back on his haunches and gave her an amused look. "I know that underneath your shawl lie a pair of beautiful wings." he'd say and even though the tone of voice that came from the robed one was soft the smile that appeared was rather savage. He could hardly help it with the blessed raiment causing him to be so... amused! Hehe.... He hardly ever felt more alive than when he wore Lady Nightmare's Blessing! "I also know that you have visions according to our sources. The high prophet wants that ability... He believes with the guidance of 'night' you'll be able to harness it." he was barely holding back a laugh only to sigh and turn to take a step away. "Of course he has to convert you first. But I think you have a stronger will than he. If you can survive in this madhouse for long enough you'll see the day again."
Yunalesca couldn't hide the expression she made when he came forth with that information, her dark eyes widening in shock. He knew. What else he had to say made a lump form in her throat, rendering her speechless for a moment. How? How could they have guessed? It.. It could have been a string of coincidences, that's all! Or so she'd tell herself. This had cooled her anger immediately and something like panic took its place, even when he started to turn away. Was he leaving? Yuna moved towards the bars, her step quick. "I can't. There's no way.. You can't just leave me here. Who could possibly help me when we're in the middle of bucking nowhere? I don't have anypony who ca-.. who will come looking for me!" Yuna managed to speak at last and she was ashamed of herself for reaching out, but this was the first conversation she'd had in.. a while. Even before capture, other than telling others fortunes or doing what little she could to help. It was damning that doing good things for other ponies was what got her here in the first place!
Gleaming Echo turned to look back at the mare with an odd look. "But you are one of the blessed? By the sun and moon why do you believe that nopony will come?" The cultist approached the bars again and came to a stop outside of touching range. He didn't know if she might lash out at him of course. The cultist's expression seemed to harden under his hood. "If nopony will come, then help will come from within. There are those of us who will not suffer this blasphemy!" he bit out and began to pace. "But there are more of those who believe in the high prophet than us.... We must be very careful." he was thinking to himself. He knew maybe what... three ponies? Even then he didn't know how they would react. Even he was seeing that ponies were starting to act rather strange.
Yunalesca bit down on her lower lip, hard, for a moment frustrated with her own silence on the matter. She didn't want to let anypony in, or tell them anything. She had nopony who cared. Her mother maybe, once, but she hadn't talked to her in a year or so, not since.. Her ears pinned back. "I don't know why you keep calling me that. I'm not blessed.." Yuna made a strangled noise, like she was trying to talk but stopping herself from making a peep at the same time. She let himself talk and mutter to himself, watching him pace as she struggled internally. "I'm a loner, a wanderer." Yuna managed. "Will you help me then? There's nothing I can give you to pay you back, but.." She shrugged helplessly and sat down before her legs threatened to give way by themselves.
Gleaming Echo made a rather strange sound in the back of his throat that was half snarl and half sigh. "Alicorn are the blessed... To have done something so great the heavens themselves have smiled upon them. Examples for everypony to follow in the end, be it Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Lady Nightmare, the 'new' princess ~ And even you...." he'd spit out the majority of the names though Nightmare and 'you' were both softer. "Should the time come, yes I will help you. But you must continue to resist all who come to your cell...You will likely know it when the time comes." he chuckles and simply sits across from her.
Yunalesca knew that much, and she knew what she was, but not the reason her wings had come to be. So she had done something considered great that day she saved her village, great enough that she was given.. wings. By what, or who? What else it changed, she didn't know, other than changing how others saw her now. "I'm not like the princesses, not at all." Yuna thought that of herself, even though the princesses had done good things themselves and lead Equestria with fairness. She couldn't be like them. Yuna averted her eyes to stare down at her hooves, hiding her relief when he agreed to help her. "I'm.. glad to hear it." There was a 'thank you' on her tongue, but it remained to be seen if he really was helping her or if he was just getting her hopes up, or tricking her. ".. If it's a chance to strangle them like I wanted to do to you when you first showed up, I sure as hell will.. but, I gotta ask. What's your name?" Yuna tried to recover herself, just so she wouldn't look.. weak.
Gleaming Echo snorted and inclined his head. "I bet if you were to remove that shawl you'd be just about as pretty as they are. Alicorn are suppose to be the best of pegasi, unicorn, and the mundane pony." The comment about wanting a chance to strangle her a cultist was actually rather amusing and it caused him to let out a laugh. "You will most likely get a chance to strangle yourself a cultist or three should the time to escape come." The unicorn looked rather hesitant as he gazed through the bars. Dare he give her his name? He eventually let out a sigh and nodded to himself. "My name is Gleaming Shield.... My friends like to refer to me as 'paladin' or even 'warden'." he'd say with a small smile.
Yunalesca's forehoof drifted up to the shawl draped down around her shoulders- it took her a moment to register that he was complimenting her. Her... pretty? His laugh startled her, she wasn't expecting that what she said was even funny. How could it be? "Sounds good to me." Yuna muttered, dropping her hoof again and peering back up at his.. well, not face when it was hidden, but his eerily glowing eyes. "Gleaming, huh? I'm.. Yunalesca." Yuna stated, unsure if there was any point in learning his name. She had long since given up caring about learning names or faces, when they would be out of her life anyway- always traveling, always on the move, never wanting to make a connection. "Flashy titles. They must trust you a lot." Yuna observed, feeling that such a detail might be useful.. if he was intending to break her out. It was hard to trust, but she'd be damned if she didn't admit that this was the first positive thing in the immeasurable.. days? weeks? that had passed.
Gleaming Echo let out a quiet hum and smirked some at the alicorn on the other side of the bars. "I'm one of the few combat medics in the service of Lady nightmare. A great deal of trust was placed upon my shoulders. Trust that I find that I cannot return in the face of the travesty they risk committing!" the unicorn slid to a standing position once again and sank into a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Yunalesca." he hesitated and gave the alicorn a look. "Perhaps I can try to find a few... books for you? I will not be able to come often but when I can..." he left the statement open-ended. He'd try to bring her what he could!
Yunalesca could definitely see the cult's trust in him handy, and that vicious part of her hoped it hurt like hell if and when he broke her out of here. Betrayed his own. She wondered what exactly this travesty he spoke of was, but that she could answer for herself no doubt. 'Converting' her, or whatever it was he'd said. Yuna blinked at the title, surprised to be addressed as 'lady,' but she nodded to him, a little numbly. "Yeah, I'd.. really like some books. I don't have anything to do.." Obviously. "Just, anything would work."
Gleaming Echo dipped his head and moved to stand. "Very well then. I will keep it in mind!" The cultist turned and let out a bit of a sigh. "Alas I believe I must leave before the guards outside the door begin to suspect something.... I will return when I can." And thus the cultist turned and unless stopped he'd head down the cell block once again and to the door.
Yunalesca leaned towards the bars a little when he stood and made to leave. She understood that well enough, but she almost didn't want him to go- she had somepony she could talk to. Still. "Yeah, alright. Do whatever you have to." The alicorn said, neutral, and watched him go without trying to stop him. It was imperative to her that they pull this off, and she didn't want to sabotage it because she was bored (or even lonely?). Once he had gone out of her sight, Yuna got to her hooves and moved back from the bars, but she didn't return to her bed- instead, she paced to give her hooves something to do while she thought everything over. Later, she might sleep.
Gleaming Echo found himself walking down a very familiar hall some five days later. This time he wasn't wearing the raiment and felt rather calm, but he still felt a towering rage over what his compatriots were doing to the blessed one in the holding cells. In his robes were several different books! Of course what she did with each were up to her - As would hiding the items in question. Under the mattress might work fine. In any case he stopped long enough to greet the guard and stepped into the cell block once again, making his way down to Yunalesca's cell.
Yunalesca found that having somepony to talk to, however briefly, had done her a little good. It was something new, a change that broke up the monotony since she had been imprisoned here. She felt lighter for it, and what small burning coal of hope in her chest was enough to keep her afloat for a few days. To keep it, Yuna had to tell herself that she wasn't going to achieve freedom in one quick stroke- it would take time. Patience. She had to wait, even for whenever Gleam? Gleaming? decided to visit her again. If he would.. Yuna's ears twitched as she picked up on the sound of hoofsteps, and she rolled out of her bed to wait at the cell bars to see if it was him.
Gleaming Echo came out into view to see the Alicorn standing and waiting to see just who it was. "My apologies about taking so long Lady Yunalesca." the cultist offered the alicorn a bit of a smile. There was no glow to his eye this time. "I managed to procure a few books, but I had to wait a few days before I could cite a medical checkup as a suitable excuse to come see you." he sat down on his haunches a little distance form the bars. His horn lit up with golden light and four books floated out, each seeming rather worse for wear. It wasn't very easy for an isolated group of cultists to get 'new' books after all. And it took Gleam a few days alone to find books in modern Equestrian script!
Yunalesca eyed the approaching cultist a little warily, wondering if it was him. There was no telltale glow from underneath the hood.. but when he spoke, it told her enough. She took a few steps back from the bars, trying not to look too.. desperate. She wasn't, really, not a lot. "It's no big deal." The alicorn shrugged dismissively and her eyes went to the books that he pulled out from underneath his robes. She had the feeling she wasn't allowed to have them, or anything- was it meant to break her, leaving her in this cell to boredom? Yuna wrinkled her nose for a moment. "What all did you manage to find?"
Gleaming Echo tried not to let out a laugh as he saw the wary but searching gaze. She was looking to see if it was him! And when she knew it was she tried to play it off! Silly mare.... "A few old history books, and a few of a popular book series that the foals have enjoyed." Daring Do of course, because what other book series were there? The cultist levitated the items through the bars and set them before the mare. "You must keep them out of sight. The isolation is meant to make you more... malleable.. to the will of the high prophet. Break you with this cell and then you'd be happy to do whatever it is that he would want in order to break the monotony, no?" he asked with an inquisitive tone.
Yunalesca wasn't sure how to feel about history books, but he had tried and it was something. It was the mention of book series that had her interested, that told her they were fiction. Stories. She had always loved stories- whether they were foals books or not didn't matter to her. A hoof lifted to drag the books now set in front of her closer and she opened one, eyeing its inner pages with some interest. Her attention was quickly broken away, gaze jerking up to where she thought the stallion's eyes to be. In hers was shock. She'd been right! "That's disgusting. You know, if they were just nice about things none of this would be such a hassle." Yuna snorted and glanced back at the interior of her cell. "But all right, I'll keep them hidden."
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a snort. "Lady Yunalesca.... If things were only that easy. I fear that some sort of... illness may have befallen us. Some in the cult have grown... aggressive and heinous. The great prophet would normally never have condoned imprisoning one of the blessed. Unless it was Princess Celestia of course, then he'd have done it in a heartbeat." he appended as his long tail swished under the robe. "The best you can do is keep yourself entertained. I'll try to find more books to bring. Don't let him get to you should he eventually visit."
Yunalesca released a quiet huff, lips parting barely, but before she could say an 'I know that' he brought up the problem within his cult. It sounded.. serious. "Why is it happening?" She queried, grimacing. Princess Celestia had done too much for Equestria, that she wouldn't have deserved imprisonment. Nopony did. Though from the sound of it, her present company was going to be leaving again and her face revealed more of her disgust at the mention of his leader. "I won't let him. He might as well eat manure for all the good it'll do.." Yuna stated, determined, and lifted her books towards her bed. Under the mattress.. ? It'd be a bit lumpy, but she had something!
Gleaming Echo let out a wide smile, tail flicking under the robe. "Keep up that delightful spirit, Lady Yunalesca, and you just might survive." The almost feral grin was back. He took quite a bit of delight from that indeed! The determination she showed, she would definitely need it. The high prophet was quite the deceiver! "I will try to be back to see you after a few days. I'll claim I drew some blood and perhaps... you weren't eating enough?" he suggested with a noncommittal shrug. The cultist didn't 'love' Princess Celestia but at the same time he didn't hate her like many of the other cultists. She was among the 'blessed' to him as well... so it was highly likely he wouldn't try to openly work against her.
Yunalesca laid the books flat, next to each other as she shoved them under her mattress, and placed it back. There, that ought to work well enough. An ear had rotated towards Gleam, before she turned her whole head, to eye him. She could see a little of that grin- had she amused him again? "It sounds good to me. Surely its easy enough to fool a bunch of crazies." Yuna said, folding her forelegs on the edge of her bed and sat there, as though she was going to pray- which she wasn't, she wasn't any sort of religious. "If you're going to make these visits.. 'regular,' why do you hide your face?"
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "Because if this were to be discovered and you taken before the high prophet... Well, ponies have been known to blow cover in desperation. If even you don't know which amongst the robes I am I will be able to take them by surprise." Of course there were holes in that logic since she wouldn't know who to accept help from. But... Well, there wasn't much else that he could do! His hooves were all but tied!
Yunalesca was disappointed in that answer, but from one point of view she supposed she could understand. All she had to go on would be his voice. She exhaled through her nose, faintly irritated, but there was nothing she could do about it- she couldn't force him to show her his face, just like he couldn't force her to show off her wings. ".. Yeah, okay." Yuna grumped. "You're doing quite a lot for me as it is, I guess. Let's just hope we're clever and nopony finds out, but if everything is going south like you say it is.. they might not."
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a laugh. "Indeed! Perhaps we might not need to be as careful as I think. But alas I would rather not put the well being off one of the blessed with carelessness! That would be a heinous sin beyond that which I am willing to commit." he'd say with a scoff and a scuff of a hoof. "I'll try to also get them to give you better food... I'm sure the stuff they are giving you is quite unpleasant. If I could I would strangle some of them myself." he'd say only for his form to sag. "But some of them are my friends too." he muttered only to start towards the door. "I'll be back again." he'd call back.
Yunalesca couldn't hold back a small smile that quirked the corners of her mouth while he spoke, mostly prompted by an echo of her earlier threats of strangling. "For somepony who's on the road often like me, you kind of get used to not having great meals. Still, might be nice." The alicorn shrugged and stood, quietly stepping up to the bars when he turned away and started off. "Alright then. I'm.. not going anywhere." Yuna snorted, watching him go much like before. If and when his hoofsteps receded, she would return to her bed to give one of her 'new' books a read.
Gleaming Echo found himself heading down the now quite familiar corridor to the cells... As far as he understood the alicorn that the cult held captive was resisting efforts to 'break' her, thankfully! The high prophet wasn't amused by that fact! There were just time Gleam wanted to... ooooh, just breathe in and breathe out... Don't think about wanting to put his hoof through the high prophet's head. It was his 'turn' to wear the raiment of Lady Nightmare to once again receive her blessing. Wearing the pieces both put him at ease and caused him the most discomfort. He could almost feel a sense of approval, but.... even now his head felt... he just didn't feel very well. Perhaps he'd have to go by the infirmary. He stepped through into the cell block and slowly made his way towards the cell in question with somewhat unsteady hooves. Hopefully one of his brethren hadn't hurt her! Tempers seemed to be rather short lately... Why, he saw the cook get into a fight with another pony over condiments!
Yunalesca had been keeping herself as entertained as she could with the books Gleam lent her. She read through most of the fictional stories that she did have, which left her with.. history. Anytime she heard the sound of hooves, she was quick to hide them out of view, and quietly. She, thankfully, didn't get many visitors other than Gleam, who she hadn't seen in a while.. Yet she heard the sound of hoofsteps on the approach again and she quietly shut her book, shoving it under the blankets, bunching them up so it didn't look like there wasn't a flat surface beneath them. Yeah, that worked. Yuna crawled out of bed, stretching her cramped legs and waited to see who would show up this time.
Gleaming Echo stepped into view looking as well.. haggard as ever. The robes were looking a lot more frayed and there was a rather odd glint in his eyes which were glowing somewhat fierce with the raiment pieces being worn. "Good afternoon Lady Yuna." came the almost slurred words from the pony. Unlike the last few times he was rather forced to lean against the bars. Why was he so.. dizzy? A quick shake of his head to clear his mind and he'd try to straighten up.
Yunalesca watched the robed figure come into view and recognized him after a moment even before he spoke, despite the fact that she'd never yet seen his face. There was something about him.. although he wasn't looking all that great now. "Uh, hey. Are you doing okay?" The alicorn stepped cautiously up to the bars where he leaned, a little concerned as she eyed his robes. She had no intention of trying to hurt him anymore, unlike their first meeting- when she would have just to vent her frustration. If his robes didn't look a mess, she would have thought he was.. drunk- no, he probably could be either way. Still..
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "I'm fine Lady Yunalesca - I guess I'm just not.. feeling so well today." He'd say as he leaned against the bars and offered a bit of a smile. "I will probably head to the infirmary once I am done with this visit... It is ~ Probably just some bug I picked up on the last supply Run. This isn't the first time I've got sick." Of course none of those times left him feeling this bad! But it would be best not to alarm the alicorn, yes? If something happened to him there were others that would help get her out!
Yunalesca lowered her ears and stepped up to the bars in front of where he leaned, hooking her legs over a horizontal one to rest there. She could see his glowing eyes, still, and his mouth, but nothing of the rest of his face. "Sick? It's.. bound to happen, I guess, but it's not fun. I.. uh, I hope you get better." He was, as far as she knew, the only pony to get her out of here. He said there were others before, but were they really reliable? Yuna sighed through her nose. He was just sick, that was all; she was just worried she'd never get out of this place.
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "Yes, It happens." he'd say as he took a good moment to rest against the bars. "Have the books been serving you well? I could try to get you more.... Nopony has hurt you, have they?" More importantly was her secret still safe? From the fact she was yet wearing her veil it was likely that it was! Thank the stars for that! He pushed himself upright and sat. "Have you been getting enough to eat too?" Sure he was being rather fussy but at the same time he was concerned! She'd been a 'prisoner' here for how long now? He... couldn't say, actually. Had she been here for weeks? months? years? That thought caused his eyebrows to furrow in thought.
Yunalesca took a moment to think, quiet, as he peppered her with questions. It was nice that somepony was so concerned about her for once. "The books have been keeping entertained for a bit, yeah. And so far.. no. I think a couple of ponies have come by to look in on me, but nopony's tried to come in my cell for any reason." She shrugged, watching him through the bars. "It's enough, yeah. A little better than when I'd be out on the road. How have things been with you, like what are the cultists up to?" Yuna asked in turn, wondering if anything had changed on his end.
Gleaming Echo wouldn't have been able to help but give the alicorn a somewhat relieved smile. "That is... good!" he'd say as he offered a bit of a tired grin. "The cultists have been... I'm not sure." he'd say with a bit of a thoughtful tone. "They are fighting amongst each-other a lot more.. One instance nearly resulted in a death." he'd say with a frown upon his features... Things were happening here, and he didn't quite know what...
Yunalesca nodded a little at his exclamation, but otherwise remained quiet. What was going on, or sounded like it was going on, didn't sound all that great. She didn't like it. "Do you think it might be close to the time we think about escaping? I mean, if they're fighting that much, they might be too distracted to even notice." A jailbreak during a big fight in stone places like this, classic. He seemed worried, though. Yuna reached out a hoof for his shoulder, if he was close enough, if just to find some physical contact. "Like if it gets bad enough, I don't want you to end up getting killed or something. You're the only way out of here I have."
Gleaming Echo let out a rather interested sound. "You might just be on to something.. Perhaps within the next week or two." he'd say as his head lowered and he contemplated a plan... Perhaps he could create a guard shift? It would take some planning. He was so distracted that he missed the hoof reaching out to rest upon his shoulder. The unicorn turned his head to look at the hoof and foreleg and gave it a bit of a nudge or... nuzzle maybe? "Your concern is...w-t.. it is touching.." he sounded rather unsure what to say, actually. A hoof raised to press against his forehead as he let out a groan as his head throbbed particularly painfully.
Yunalesca grimaced at the idea of weeks. Whether it was one, or two.. She needed out now, but she had to have patience. It was frustrating. Her eyes widened a little when he bent down and nudged at her leg, of which she withdrew quickly. "I.. I guess." She peered down at it for a moment where he'd touched her and settled it back across the horizontal bar. His groan drew a look from her. "What's wrong, do you have a headache or something? If you're sick, you should probably rest.." Yet she also didn't want him to leave so soon, but if she was gonna get out of here..
Gleaming Echo made a bit of a sound. "Perhaps I should..." he'd say as he let the hoof pull back and stumbled up onto his hooves. "Y-yes, perhaps I should go lay down." He'd totally forgot about going to the infirmary again. "I hate to, but I think I should... go." with that said he'd turn and weave a little. With that said he'd try to make his way from the cell block.
Yunalesca made a noise in her throat, a little distressed, but she would let him go. "Okay then, just try to go and get better. We can find a way out of here once you're better." She didn't know if it was winter yet or not, but it'd probably be cold out. Not a good idea for a sick pony. "I guess I'll see you around, then, Gleam." Yuna seated herself, still leaning against the bars herself to watch him wobble off. He really didn't seem too good.. but hopefully things would still work out, right?
Yunalesca spent some of her time fretting since she'd last talked with Gleam. He was sick, it was fine, everything would be fine. It was no big deal. She was just cooped up in this place a little too long and tried to keep herself distracted with books. Reading through the history ones were.. slow, but interesting enough when she wasn't stuck in a classroom, bored to death. She could go at her own pace. But still it could only occupy her for so long before she got restless and needed to pace. Yuna had little idea how many days it'd been already, and how much further there was to go.
Gleaming Echo made a bit of a sound as he stepped forth into the cell block. Gleam only had vague memories of this place, but the very sight of the iron bars caused the presence of Tarnished in the back of the pony's mind to bristle with anger. As of current he did not wear the raiment of Nightmare as he stepped the 'familiar' path to the cell on the end. By all means they hardly looked any different, but when they came to a stop their head tilted to the side. Who was this - "Hello Lady Yunalesca." The phrase came unbidden from the dual pony. So this was Yunalesca? The name echoed through the shredded remains of memory.... Books? Did he bring books? No ~ wait ~ Yes, yes he had. Gleam took in the sight of her with almost foalish curiosity while Tarnished gazed through the pony's eyes. Just another pony... how pedestrian... The voice of the light half of the pony was subtly different than before; bearing a subtly lighter inflection than Gleaming Shield.
Yunalesca didn't have to hide anything this time, she didn't have a book out. Already up on her hooves, but she had to stop moving just to pick up that there was somepony else coming. She was getting a little used to it, picking things up in a place as deathly silent, on most occasions. Her ears pricked up when the robed pony came into view and spoke. "Gleam?" His voice sounded a.. little different. Or did it? "You're not sick anymore?" She asked a little hopefully as she stepped up to the bars like before. His eyes weren't glowing- which only ever seemed to happen when he wore that weird.. thing around his neck. At least that she remembered. "I mean, we still need to find a way to get out of here."
Gleaming Echo was forced to go rather wide-eyed as he heard the name come from the pony in the cell. "Yes! Y-yes! We ~ I-I mean ~ I am Gleam... Gleaming Echo!" he'd say with a rather cheerful tone of voice. Much like a foal whose name had been called by somepony they didn't know. Was Yunalesca a friend? "I'm sorry I haven't been by sooner.... Oh! Um... right - uh - escape." he'd say as he fidgeted and looked between the pony in the cell, the bars, and then the door. O-oh... how would he get Lady Yunalesca out of here?! And... what about the others? He and Tarnished would be branded traitors to Lady Nightmare! A-and everypony else! The fights were growing worse.... some naggling suspicion in his heart told him the raiment of Lady Nightmare was the key, but how? Why? Why would Lady Nightmare cause some sort of plague amongst her devout?
Yunalesca pulled back her ears again. Gleam was acting.. strange. He was usually.. she wasn't sure if she had the words to describe it. Calm, level-headed? Something else, she didn't know enough about the helpful stallion to really pin it down. "Are you okay? Like, you haven't forgotten what we talked about the last time, have you?" He had been sick enough that he was unsteady on his hooves, leaning against the bars.. she had touched him. She moved her face closer to the bars, her snout almost in between two of them as she eyed Gleam. "I know you were pretty sick when we talked about it, but.."
Gleaming Echo flicked an ear and did something that Gleaming Shield never did. His horn lit up and the hood was pulled back and down to fully show his face. "L-Last time?" He made a face and his ears fell back. A hoof was brought up to his head as he tried to think. However it was no use. Between thoughts about needing to get the pony in the cell a book, as well as needing to help her at all costs, he could hardly remember much. "I-I'm... Not sure I'm the pony you are wanting, b-but... I'm here for you to. You cannot stay here...." he'd say as his head lowered. His eyes had the same color even though they didn't glow. It was a pity Gleaming Shield never showed her his face!
Yunalesca tensed up when he pulled his hood down. What? Didn't he say.. ? "But.. but.." She asked a little numbly as she stared at his face, studying features she never got to see other than his eyes. He was.. kind of charming to look at, once she got over the shock of it. "How could you not be? You're Gleaming, you even just said so." Yuna was very confused by the situation. He had to be the same pony, even if his voice.. These cultists couldn't possibly be trying to play some sort of cruel trick on her. Give her hope and mess with her head? The one thing that should matter was that he was still here to help, as far as she knew if he was telling the truth. "The name you gave me the first time you came around to talk to me."
Gleaming Echo quirked his head to the side. "Y-Yeah... I'm Gleaming... Gleaming Echo..." he'd say as he sat himself next to the door to her cage and looked at the bars. How would he open them? He'd probably need keys, right? Tarnished glowered in the back of their head as he envisioned laying low these insects that would dare imprison one of the.. blessed? Gleaming's attention snapped to her shawl and he blinked. "oooooh..." was the quiet vice of the pony as he realized another piece of the puzzle. Imprisoning ponies wasn't right, much less the blessed! What were his fellow cultists doing?!
Yunalesca nodded, certain that was correct. Something nagged at her but she could barely pin it down. It probably wasn't important. "Yes, as I was told. You know my name." She stressed this point, even though Gleam could have told any of these supposed allies he spoke of before. Her head cocked when she spied his eyes rove from the bars to her, below her face. She looked down at herself and her shawl, which was a little worn. "I know you know me, so if you're just playing with my head, cut it out. You don't know how much I've been dying to get out of here because you seemed like you were gonna help." Yuna raised an eyebrow, a little impatient. Her wings slid down under the edge of the shawl and she held them out a little, shaking them in a 'remember?' sort of way before she returned them to their hiding place.
Gleaming Echo looked rather pained as she spoke. Much of what she said rang true, but at the same time... it hurt! Why did it hurt?! The alicorn was familiar ~ Why, why, why was she familiar?! He had no memory - wait, he did have memory of her! What happened last week? What happened last month?! Did he have family, friends?! No, he had to have friends ~ Many ponies greeted him in the hall. Those would be his friends, right?! Even if they were greeting a... dead pony... Then her wings were brought into view and he sagged as the last thought panged through his head. He and Tarnished... Gleaming Shield had gone to take a nap after his visit and-and never woke.... Was he Gleaming? Was Tarnished him? Neither of them were the ponies that the blessed one before them wanted! "I'm sorry..." he'd finally manage as the pressure in his skull send pangs of pain akin to the beating of drums. However just as soon as it seemed he was in the midst of a breakdown of sorts his expression suddenly changed.
Gleaming Echo stood once again as his eyes lit up with a distinctly sinister light and his pupils changed to cat-like slits. "You will not be held by these insects for much longer, Lady Yunalesca... That I promise you." And with that the dark half turned and took a few steps from the cell ~ perhaps to leave. This was the time to go, yes? The idiot was having a crisis... He was in no state to speak for them both right now.
Yunalesca waited for some sort of confirmation from the stallion, still staring at his face with some curiosity. He had a single spot over one eye. She shook her head and sat down by the bars, her eyes narrowed a little. He looked like he was in pain, like a headache.. Wait, what the f-.. ? The alicorn's eyes widened when she caught sight of his, slit-pupiled and glowing. How? What? What was up with his voice, too? It was kind of.. He was walking away, and she felt another little jolt as she stuck a hoof out through the bars for him. "What in Equestria is going on with you? I.. I don't.. Gleam?" He only just got here!
Gleaming Echo came to a stop and turned back to Yunalesca's cell. "Much has... changed, oh bless'd one." he'd finally say as he resisted returning to the cell front; though she could perhaps see him should she have the right angle. Comfort wasn't Tarnished's forte and the idiot was a gibbering wreck in the tattered mess they called a subconscious. Really interesting, the mind of a pony; but alas Tarnished and Gleam were stuck with a crumbling ruin of what was once a well ordered mind. "I would prepare thyself, Lady Yunalesca. ~ The time to leave is nigh. Next time you see us you will be free." Deciding to leave it at that the dark pony continued on his way. There were plans to make; they would not suffer Yunalesca's imprisonment any longer! He dare not linger lest he slip up even more... unintentionally dropping the last 'us' before he fled.
Yunalesca still had her hoof held out, despite knowing he was beyond her reach now. She puzzled over that, the entire conversation.. this. He had changed abruptly and there was the eyes... Was imprisonment just driving her crazy and making her see things? Maybe by the time she woke up 'tomorrow,' things would be back to normal. Yuna made a whining noise in her throat and withdrew her hoof. The way he was talking was extremely odd, but there was that promise of freedom. So tantalizingly close. She couldn't call him back, so she was forced to let him continue on his way, still sitting by the bars while his hoofsteps receded. Thinking.
Gleaming Echo stepped down the halls of the mountain hideout with purpose in his step. He always felt so empowered when wearing Lady Nightmare's raiment! And it was this empowering feeling that finally brought him to the upper levels were the prisoner had been kept. Gleam had been one of the ponies that brought the fortune teller in after all and had noticed something the rest of the cult had yet to... Beneath the shawl was a pair of wings! The pony held in the cell was an alicorn! To hold one of the blessed ones was a sin in this cultist's eyes; even if she was NOT lady Nightmare! Finally the cultist came to the prison block. An inclination of his head to the nearby guard and he stepped through the door into the cell block and made his way down the various cells to the one he knew the 'seer' to be at. As of this moment he looked 'normal' save for a slight unnatural glow to his pupils.
Yunalesca made a quiet noise in her throat, one of irritation, a muffled nnngh as she continued staring at the rough brick wall. She wondered if she ought to ask them for any sort of reading material, or a puzzle.. anything that might waste her time until she felt like sleeping again. That in itself was enough to stave off boredom, but how long until she grew bored of sleeping and dreaming? Yuna's head cocked on her pillow, noticing in the endless silence there were.. hoofsteps? They sounded like hoofsteps, somepony was approaching. Yuna rolled a little onto her stomach, legs folding beneath her as she turned to watch the hall through the cell bars. A visitor, perhaps, or were one of those bastards just passing by? Either way, Yuna would have someone to harass, even for a little while.
Gleaming Echo paused before he entered view and let out a bit of a sigh. His horn lit up and a hood he had on was pulled up and over his head. Clearing his throat he stepped out into view, the only distinguishing feature being the glowing to his eyes. "My apologies for your accommodations." he'd say as he took a moment to survey the bars and the obnoxiously bare room. There was literally nothing for the poor mare to do but stare at the wall! It made a raw spike of anger flow through his system but he forced it back.
Yunalesca heard the hoofsteps come to a halt just outside her cell, and she was almost tempted to get up and go look. "Finally, somepony came." She said with sarcasm thickly lacing her voice. His face, she couldn't see much of it but.. there was an odd glow. "You better be sorry." The alicorn snorted, rolling out of her bed in one fluid motion to step up to the bars that kept her prisoner here. And with one of her captors standing on the other side. "I've been bored out of my mind and I have no idea why I'm even here! What do you.. you freaks want me for anyway?" Yuna ranted, another chance to lash out and point her anger somewhere. Other ponies normally didn't talk to her or give her snarling any attention, but this one however.. "I don't want to be here. If I did something, whoops, sorry, but I don't deserve this."
Gleaming Echo rolled his glowing eyes under his hood and gazed upon the now standing form of Yuna. "Because the 'high prophet' deigned it necessary for a seer to be brought into the fold. Whether voluntarily or not." he'd say with a tone of voice that belied just how amused he was at the topic himself. "Of course... I cannot say how long you will be here before somepony comes along to... help you." he'd say with a somewhat quiet voice only to incline his head. "I know what you are, fortune teller, and I do not approve of their treatment of one of the blessed ones."
Yunalesca wrinkled her nose at him and his answer, but her, a seer? It was an interesting word to describe her, and she couldn't help but think about how true it was. She had visions, occasionally, more often triggered by something than not. They were hell to deal with afterward, especially if they were fractured and confusing. Funny how she didn't see this coming, but she would say nothing to the cultists. They would just hold onto her all the more. Yuna narrowed her eyes at the minute pause, wondering what he meant by it and 'help her.' Kill her, or free her? Yuna backed down a little, straightening from her aggressive stance upon his comment and felt a twinge of fear. "What do you know?" She asked, suspicious.
Gleaming Echo let out a chuckle as he sat back on his haunches and gave her an amused look. "I know that underneath your shawl lie a pair of beautiful wings." he'd say and even though the tone of voice that came from the robed one was soft the smile that appeared was rather savage. He could hardly help it with the blessed raiment causing him to be so... amused! Hehe.... He hardly ever felt more alive than when he wore Lady Nightmare's Blessing! "I also know that you have visions according to our sources. The high prophet wants that ability... He believes with the guidance of 'night' you'll be able to harness it." he was barely holding back a laugh only to sigh and turn to take a step away. "Of course he has to convert you first. But I think you have a stronger will than he. If you can survive in this madhouse for long enough you'll see the day again."
Yunalesca couldn't hide the expression she made when he came forth with that information, her dark eyes widening in shock. He knew. What else he had to say made a lump form in her throat, rendering her speechless for a moment. How? How could they have guessed? It.. It could have been a string of coincidences, that's all! Or so she'd tell herself. This had cooled her anger immediately and something like panic took its place, even when he started to turn away. Was he leaving? Yuna moved towards the bars, her step quick. "I can't. There's no way.. You can't just leave me here. Who could possibly help me when we're in the middle of bucking nowhere? I don't have anypony who ca-.. who will come looking for me!" Yuna managed to speak at last and she was ashamed of herself for reaching out, but this was the first conversation she'd had in.. a while. Even before capture, other than telling others fortunes or doing what little she could to help. It was damning that doing good things for other ponies was what got her here in the first place!
Gleaming Echo turned to look back at the mare with an odd look. "But you are one of the blessed? By the sun and moon why do you believe that nopony will come?" The cultist approached the bars again and came to a stop outside of touching range. He didn't know if she might lash out at him of course. The cultist's expression seemed to harden under his hood. "If nopony will come, then help will come from within. There are those of us who will not suffer this blasphemy!" he bit out and began to pace. "But there are more of those who believe in the high prophet than us.... We must be very careful." he was thinking to himself. He knew maybe what... three ponies? Even then he didn't know how they would react. Even he was seeing that ponies were starting to act rather strange.
Yunalesca bit down on her lower lip, hard, for a moment frustrated with her own silence on the matter. She didn't want to let anypony in, or tell them anything. She had nopony who cared. Her mother maybe, once, but she hadn't talked to her in a year or so, not since.. Her ears pinned back. "I don't know why you keep calling me that. I'm not blessed.." Yuna made a strangled noise, like she was trying to talk but stopping herself from making a peep at the same time. She let himself talk and mutter to himself, watching him pace as she struggled internally. "I'm a loner, a wanderer." Yuna managed. "Will you help me then? There's nothing I can give you to pay you back, but.." She shrugged helplessly and sat down before her legs threatened to give way by themselves.
Gleaming Echo made a rather strange sound in the back of his throat that was half snarl and half sigh. "Alicorn are the blessed... To have done something so great the heavens themselves have smiled upon them. Examples for everypony to follow in the end, be it Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Lady Nightmare, the 'new' princess ~ And even you...." he'd spit out the majority of the names though Nightmare and 'you' were both softer. "Should the time come, yes I will help you. But you must continue to resist all who come to your cell...You will likely know it when the time comes." he chuckles and simply sits across from her.
Yunalesca knew that much, and she knew what she was, but not the reason her wings had come to be. So she had done something considered great that day she saved her village, great enough that she was given.. wings. By what, or who? What else it changed, she didn't know, other than changing how others saw her now. "I'm not like the princesses, not at all." Yuna thought that of herself, even though the princesses had done good things themselves and lead Equestria with fairness. She couldn't be like them. Yuna averted her eyes to stare down at her hooves, hiding her relief when he agreed to help her. "I'm.. glad to hear it." There was a 'thank you' on her tongue, but it remained to be seen if he really was helping her or if he was just getting her hopes up, or tricking her. ".. If it's a chance to strangle them like I wanted to do to you when you first showed up, I sure as hell will.. but, I gotta ask. What's your name?" Yuna tried to recover herself, just so she wouldn't look.. weak.
Gleaming Echo snorted and inclined his head. "I bet if you were to remove that shawl you'd be just about as pretty as they are. Alicorn are suppose to be the best of pegasi, unicorn, and the mundane pony." The comment about wanting a chance to strangle her a cultist was actually rather amusing and it caused him to let out a laugh. "You will most likely get a chance to strangle yourself a cultist or three should the time to escape come." The unicorn looked rather hesitant as he gazed through the bars. Dare he give her his name? He eventually let out a sigh and nodded to himself. "My name is Gleaming Shield.... My friends like to refer to me as 'paladin' or even 'warden'." he'd say with a small smile.
Yunalesca's forehoof drifted up to the shawl draped down around her shoulders- it took her a moment to register that he was complimenting her. Her... pretty? His laugh startled her, she wasn't expecting that what she said was even funny. How could it be? "Sounds good to me." Yuna muttered, dropping her hoof again and peering back up at his.. well, not face when it was hidden, but his eerily glowing eyes. "Gleaming, huh? I'm.. Yunalesca." Yuna stated, unsure if there was any point in learning his name. She had long since given up caring about learning names or faces, when they would be out of her life anyway- always traveling, always on the move, never wanting to make a connection. "Flashy titles. They must trust you a lot." Yuna observed, feeling that such a detail might be useful.. if he was intending to break her out. It was hard to trust, but she'd be damned if she didn't admit that this was the first positive thing in the immeasurable.. days? weeks? that had passed.
Gleaming Echo let out a quiet hum and smirked some at the alicorn on the other side of the bars. "I'm one of the few combat medics in the service of Lady nightmare. A great deal of trust was placed upon my shoulders. Trust that I find that I cannot return in the face of the travesty they risk committing!" the unicorn slid to a standing position once again and sank into a bow. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Yunalesca." he hesitated and gave the alicorn a look. "Perhaps I can try to find a few... books for you? I will not be able to come often but when I can..." he left the statement open-ended. He'd try to bring her what he could!
Yunalesca could definitely see the cult's trust in him handy, and that vicious part of her hoped it hurt like hell if and when he broke her out of here. Betrayed his own. She wondered what exactly this travesty he spoke of was, but that she could answer for herself no doubt. 'Converting' her, or whatever it was he'd said. Yuna blinked at the title, surprised to be addressed as 'lady,' but she nodded to him, a little numbly. "Yeah, I'd.. really like some books. I don't have anything to do.." Obviously. "Just, anything would work."
Gleaming Echo dipped his head and moved to stand. "Very well then. I will keep it in mind!" The cultist turned and let out a bit of a sigh. "Alas I believe I must leave before the guards outside the door begin to suspect something.... I will return when I can." And thus the cultist turned and unless stopped he'd head down the cell block once again and to the door.
Yunalesca leaned towards the bars a little when he stood and made to leave. She understood that well enough, but she almost didn't want him to go- she had somepony she could talk to. Still. "Yeah, alright. Do whatever you have to." The alicorn said, neutral, and watched him go without trying to stop him. It was imperative to her that they pull this off, and she didn't want to sabotage it because she was bored (or even lonely?). Once he had gone out of her sight, Yuna got to her hooves and moved back from the bars, but she didn't return to her bed- instead, she paced to give her hooves something to do while she thought everything over. Later, she might sleep.
___
Gleaming Echo found himself walking down a very familiar hall some five days later. This time he wasn't wearing the raiment and felt rather calm, but he still felt a towering rage over what his compatriots were doing to the blessed one in the holding cells. In his robes were several different books! Of course what she did with each were up to her - As would hiding the items in question. Under the mattress might work fine. In any case he stopped long enough to greet the guard and stepped into the cell block once again, making his way down to Yunalesca's cell.
Yunalesca found that having somepony to talk to, however briefly, had done her a little good. It was something new, a change that broke up the monotony since she had been imprisoned here. She felt lighter for it, and what small burning coal of hope in her chest was enough to keep her afloat for a few days. To keep it, Yuna had to tell herself that she wasn't going to achieve freedom in one quick stroke- it would take time. Patience. She had to wait, even for whenever Gleam? Gleaming? decided to visit her again. If he would.. Yuna's ears twitched as she picked up on the sound of hoofsteps, and she rolled out of her bed to wait at the cell bars to see if it was him.
Gleaming Echo came out into view to see the Alicorn standing and waiting to see just who it was. "My apologies about taking so long Lady Yunalesca." the cultist offered the alicorn a bit of a smile. There was no glow to his eye this time. "I managed to procure a few books, but I had to wait a few days before I could cite a medical checkup as a suitable excuse to come see you." he sat down on his haunches a little distance form the bars. His horn lit up with golden light and four books floated out, each seeming rather worse for wear. It wasn't very easy for an isolated group of cultists to get 'new' books after all. And it took Gleam a few days alone to find books in modern Equestrian script!
Yunalesca eyed the approaching cultist a little warily, wondering if it was him. There was no telltale glow from underneath the hood.. but when he spoke, it told her enough. She took a few steps back from the bars, trying not to look too.. desperate. She wasn't, really, not a lot. "It's no big deal." The alicorn shrugged dismissively and her eyes went to the books that he pulled out from underneath his robes. She had the feeling she wasn't allowed to have them, or anything- was it meant to break her, leaving her in this cell to boredom? Yuna wrinkled her nose for a moment. "What all did you manage to find?"
Gleaming Echo tried not to let out a laugh as he saw the wary but searching gaze. She was looking to see if it was him! And when she knew it was she tried to play it off! Silly mare.... "A few old history books, and a few of a popular book series that the foals have enjoyed." Daring Do of course, because what other book series were there? The cultist levitated the items through the bars and set them before the mare. "You must keep them out of sight. The isolation is meant to make you more... malleable.. to the will of the high prophet. Break you with this cell and then you'd be happy to do whatever it is that he would want in order to break the monotony, no?" he asked with an inquisitive tone.
Yunalesca wasn't sure how to feel about history books, but he had tried and it was something. It was the mention of book series that had her interested, that told her they were fiction. Stories. She had always loved stories- whether they were foals books or not didn't matter to her. A hoof lifted to drag the books now set in front of her closer and she opened one, eyeing its inner pages with some interest. Her attention was quickly broken away, gaze jerking up to where she thought the stallion's eyes to be. In hers was shock. She'd been right! "That's disgusting. You know, if they were just nice about things none of this would be such a hassle." Yuna snorted and glanced back at the interior of her cell. "But all right, I'll keep them hidden."
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a snort. "Lady Yunalesca.... If things were only that easy. I fear that some sort of... illness may have befallen us. Some in the cult have grown... aggressive and heinous. The great prophet would normally never have condoned imprisoning one of the blessed. Unless it was Princess Celestia of course, then he'd have done it in a heartbeat." he appended as his long tail swished under the robe. "The best you can do is keep yourself entertained. I'll try to find more books to bring. Don't let him get to you should he eventually visit."
Yunalesca released a quiet huff, lips parting barely, but before she could say an 'I know that' he brought up the problem within his cult. It sounded.. serious. "Why is it happening?" She queried, grimacing. Princess Celestia had done too much for Equestria, that she wouldn't have deserved imprisonment. Nopony did. Though from the sound of it, her present company was going to be leaving again and her face revealed more of her disgust at the mention of his leader. "I won't let him. He might as well eat manure for all the good it'll do.." Yuna stated, determined, and lifted her books towards her bed. Under the mattress.. ? It'd be a bit lumpy, but she had something!
Gleaming Echo let out a wide smile, tail flicking under the robe. "Keep up that delightful spirit, Lady Yunalesca, and you just might survive." The almost feral grin was back. He took quite a bit of delight from that indeed! The determination she showed, she would definitely need it. The high prophet was quite the deceiver! "I will try to be back to see you after a few days. I'll claim I drew some blood and perhaps... you weren't eating enough?" he suggested with a noncommittal shrug. The cultist didn't 'love' Princess Celestia but at the same time he didn't hate her like many of the other cultists. She was among the 'blessed' to him as well... so it was highly likely he wouldn't try to openly work against her.
Yunalesca laid the books flat, next to each other as she shoved them under her mattress, and placed it back. There, that ought to work well enough. An ear had rotated towards Gleam, before she turned her whole head, to eye him. She could see a little of that grin- had she amused him again? "It sounds good to me. Surely its easy enough to fool a bunch of crazies." Yuna said, folding her forelegs on the edge of her bed and sat there, as though she was going to pray- which she wasn't, she wasn't any sort of religious. "If you're going to make these visits.. 'regular,' why do you hide your face?"
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "Because if this were to be discovered and you taken before the high prophet... Well, ponies have been known to blow cover in desperation. If even you don't know which amongst the robes I am I will be able to take them by surprise." Of course there were holes in that logic since she wouldn't know who to accept help from. But... Well, there wasn't much else that he could do! His hooves were all but tied!
Yunalesca was disappointed in that answer, but from one point of view she supposed she could understand. All she had to go on would be his voice. She exhaled through her nose, faintly irritated, but there was nothing she could do about it- she couldn't force him to show her his face, just like he couldn't force her to show off her wings. ".. Yeah, okay." Yuna grumped. "You're doing quite a lot for me as it is, I guess. Let's just hope we're clever and nopony finds out, but if everything is going south like you say it is.. they might not."
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a laugh. "Indeed! Perhaps we might not need to be as careful as I think. But alas I would rather not put the well being off one of the blessed with carelessness! That would be a heinous sin beyond that which I am willing to commit." he'd say with a scoff and a scuff of a hoof. "I'll try to also get them to give you better food... I'm sure the stuff they are giving you is quite unpleasant. If I could I would strangle some of them myself." he'd say only for his form to sag. "But some of them are my friends too." he muttered only to start towards the door. "I'll be back again." he'd call back.
Yunalesca couldn't hold back a small smile that quirked the corners of her mouth while he spoke, mostly prompted by an echo of her earlier threats of strangling. "For somepony who's on the road often like me, you kind of get used to not having great meals. Still, might be nice." The alicorn shrugged and stood, quietly stepping up to the bars when he turned away and started off. "Alright then. I'm.. not going anywhere." Yuna snorted, watching him go much like before. If and when his hoofsteps receded, she would return to her bed to give one of her 'new' books a read.
____
Gleaming Echo found himself heading down the now quite familiar corridor to the cells... As far as he understood the alicorn that the cult held captive was resisting efforts to 'break' her, thankfully! The high prophet wasn't amused by that fact! There were just time Gleam wanted to... ooooh, just breathe in and breathe out... Don't think about wanting to put his hoof through the high prophet's head. It was his 'turn' to wear the raiment of Lady Nightmare to once again receive her blessing. Wearing the pieces both put him at ease and caused him the most discomfort. He could almost feel a sense of approval, but.... even now his head felt... he just didn't feel very well. Perhaps he'd have to go by the infirmary. He stepped through into the cell block and slowly made his way towards the cell in question with somewhat unsteady hooves. Hopefully one of his brethren hadn't hurt her! Tempers seemed to be rather short lately... Why, he saw the cook get into a fight with another pony over condiments!
Yunalesca had been keeping herself as entertained as she could with the books Gleam lent her. She read through most of the fictional stories that she did have, which left her with.. history. Anytime she heard the sound of hooves, she was quick to hide them out of view, and quietly. She, thankfully, didn't get many visitors other than Gleam, who she hadn't seen in a while.. Yet she heard the sound of hoofsteps on the approach again and she quietly shut her book, shoving it under the blankets, bunching them up so it didn't look like there wasn't a flat surface beneath them. Yeah, that worked. Yuna crawled out of bed, stretching her cramped legs and waited to see who would show up this time.
Gleaming Echo stepped into view looking as well.. haggard as ever. The robes were looking a lot more frayed and there was a rather odd glint in his eyes which were glowing somewhat fierce with the raiment pieces being worn. "Good afternoon Lady Yuna." came the almost slurred words from the pony. Unlike the last few times he was rather forced to lean against the bars. Why was he so.. dizzy? A quick shake of his head to clear his mind and he'd try to straighten up.
Yunalesca watched the robed figure come into view and recognized him after a moment even before he spoke, despite the fact that she'd never yet seen his face. There was something about him.. although he wasn't looking all that great now. "Uh, hey. Are you doing okay?" The alicorn stepped cautiously up to the bars where he leaned, a little concerned as she eyed his robes. She had no intention of trying to hurt him anymore, unlike their first meeting- when she would have just to vent her frustration. If his robes didn't look a mess, she would have thought he was.. drunk- no, he probably could be either way. Still..
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "I'm fine Lady Yunalesca - I guess I'm just not.. feeling so well today." He'd say as he leaned against the bars and offered a bit of a smile. "I will probably head to the infirmary once I am done with this visit... It is ~ Probably just some bug I picked up on the last supply Run. This isn't the first time I've got sick." Of course none of those times left him feeling this bad! But it would be best not to alarm the alicorn, yes? If something happened to him there were others that would help get her out!
Yunalesca lowered her ears and stepped up to the bars in front of where he leaned, hooking her legs over a horizontal one to rest there. She could see his glowing eyes, still, and his mouth, but nothing of the rest of his face. "Sick? It's.. bound to happen, I guess, but it's not fun. I.. uh, I hope you get better." He was, as far as she knew, the only pony to get her out of here. He said there were others before, but were they really reliable? Yuna sighed through her nose. He was just sick, that was all; she was just worried she'd never get out of this place.
Gleaming Echo let out a bit of a chuckle. "Yes, It happens." he'd say as he took a good moment to rest against the bars. "Have the books been serving you well? I could try to get you more.... Nopony has hurt you, have they?" More importantly was her secret still safe? From the fact she was yet wearing her veil it was likely that it was! Thank the stars for that! He pushed himself upright and sat. "Have you been getting enough to eat too?" Sure he was being rather fussy but at the same time he was concerned! She'd been a 'prisoner' here for how long now? He... couldn't say, actually. Had she been here for weeks? months? years? That thought caused his eyebrows to furrow in thought.
Yunalesca took a moment to think, quiet, as he peppered her with questions. It was nice that somepony was so concerned about her for once. "The books have been keeping entertained for a bit, yeah. And so far.. no. I think a couple of ponies have come by to look in on me, but nopony's tried to come in my cell for any reason." She shrugged, watching him through the bars. "It's enough, yeah. A little better than when I'd be out on the road. How have things been with you, like what are the cultists up to?" Yuna asked in turn, wondering if anything had changed on his end.
Gleaming Echo wouldn't have been able to help but give the alicorn a somewhat relieved smile. "That is... good!" he'd say as he offered a bit of a tired grin. "The cultists have been... I'm not sure." he'd say with a bit of a thoughtful tone. "They are fighting amongst each-other a lot more.. One instance nearly resulted in a death." he'd say with a frown upon his features... Things were happening here, and he didn't quite know what...
Yunalesca nodded a little at his exclamation, but otherwise remained quiet. What was going on, or sounded like it was going on, didn't sound all that great. She didn't like it. "Do you think it might be close to the time we think about escaping? I mean, if they're fighting that much, they might be too distracted to even notice." A jailbreak during a big fight in stone places like this, classic. He seemed worried, though. Yuna reached out a hoof for his shoulder, if he was close enough, if just to find some physical contact. "Like if it gets bad enough, I don't want you to end up getting killed or something. You're the only way out of here I have."
Gleaming Echo let out a rather interested sound. "You might just be on to something.. Perhaps within the next week or two." he'd say as his head lowered and he contemplated a plan... Perhaps he could create a guard shift? It would take some planning. He was so distracted that he missed the hoof reaching out to rest upon his shoulder. The unicorn turned his head to look at the hoof and foreleg and gave it a bit of a nudge or... nuzzle maybe? "Your concern is...w-t.. it is touching.." he sounded rather unsure what to say, actually. A hoof raised to press against his forehead as he let out a groan as his head throbbed particularly painfully.
Yunalesca grimaced at the idea of weeks. Whether it was one, or two.. She needed out now, but she had to have patience. It was frustrating. Her eyes widened a little when he bent down and nudged at her leg, of which she withdrew quickly. "I.. I guess." She peered down at it for a moment where he'd touched her and settled it back across the horizontal bar. His groan drew a look from her. "What's wrong, do you have a headache or something? If you're sick, you should probably rest.." Yet she also didn't want him to leave so soon, but if she was gonna get out of here..
Gleaming Echo made a bit of a sound. "Perhaps I should..." he'd say as he let the hoof pull back and stumbled up onto his hooves. "Y-yes, perhaps I should go lay down." He'd totally forgot about going to the infirmary again. "I hate to, but I think I should... go." with that said he'd turn and weave a little. With that said he'd try to make his way from the cell block.
Yunalesca made a noise in her throat, a little distressed, but she would let him go. "Okay then, just try to go and get better. We can find a way out of here once you're better." She didn't know if it was winter yet or not, but it'd probably be cold out. Not a good idea for a sick pony. "I guess I'll see you around, then, Gleam." Yuna seated herself, still leaning against the bars herself to watch him wobble off. He really didn't seem too good.. but hopefully things would still work out, right?
___
Yunalesca spent some of her time fretting since she'd last talked with Gleam. He was sick, it was fine, everything would be fine. It was no big deal. She was just cooped up in this place a little too long and tried to keep herself distracted with books. Reading through the history ones were.. slow, but interesting enough when she wasn't stuck in a classroom, bored to death. She could go at her own pace. But still it could only occupy her for so long before she got restless and needed to pace. Yuna had little idea how many days it'd been already, and how much further there was to go.
Gleaming Echo made a bit of a sound as he stepped forth into the cell block. Gleam only had vague memories of this place, but the very sight of the iron bars caused the presence of Tarnished in the back of the pony's mind to bristle with anger. As of current he did not wear the raiment of Nightmare as he stepped the 'familiar' path to the cell on the end. By all means they hardly looked any different, but when they came to a stop their head tilted to the side. Who was this - "Hello Lady Yunalesca." The phrase came unbidden from the dual pony. So this was Yunalesca? The name echoed through the shredded remains of memory.... Books? Did he bring books? No ~ wait ~ Yes, yes he had. Gleam took in the sight of her with almost foalish curiosity while Tarnished gazed through the pony's eyes. Just another pony... how pedestrian... The voice of the light half of the pony was subtly different than before; bearing a subtly lighter inflection than Gleaming Shield.
Yunalesca didn't have to hide anything this time, she didn't have a book out. Already up on her hooves, but she had to stop moving just to pick up that there was somepony else coming. She was getting a little used to it, picking things up in a place as deathly silent, on most occasions. Her ears pricked up when the robed pony came into view and spoke. "Gleam?" His voice sounded a.. little different. Or did it? "You're not sick anymore?" She asked a little hopefully as she stepped up to the bars like before. His eyes weren't glowing- which only ever seemed to happen when he wore that weird.. thing around his neck. At least that she remembered. "I mean, we still need to find a way to get out of here."
Gleaming Echo was forced to go rather wide-eyed as he heard the name come from the pony in the cell. "Yes! Y-yes! We ~ I-I mean ~ I am Gleam... Gleaming Echo!" he'd say with a rather cheerful tone of voice. Much like a foal whose name had been called by somepony they didn't know. Was Yunalesca a friend? "I'm sorry I haven't been by sooner.... Oh! Um... right - uh - escape." he'd say as he fidgeted and looked between the pony in the cell, the bars, and then the door. O-oh... how would he get Lady Yunalesca out of here?! And... what about the others? He and Tarnished would be branded traitors to Lady Nightmare! A-and everypony else! The fights were growing worse.... some naggling suspicion in his heart told him the raiment of Lady Nightmare was the key, but how? Why? Why would Lady Nightmare cause some sort of plague amongst her devout?
Yunalesca pulled back her ears again. Gleam was acting.. strange. He was usually.. she wasn't sure if she had the words to describe it. Calm, level-headed? Something else, she didn't know enough about the helpful stallion to really pin it down. "Are you okay? Like, you haven't forgotten what we talked about the last time, have you?" He had been sick enough that he was unsteady on his hooves, leaning against the bars.. she had touched him. She moved her face closer to the bars, her snout almost in between two of them as she eyed Gleam. "I know you were pretty sick when we talked about it, but.."
Gleaming Echo flicked an ear and did something that Gleaming Shield never did. His horn lit up and the hood was pulled back and down to fully show his face. "L-Last time?" He made a face and his ears fell back. A hoof was brought up to his head as he tried to think. However it was no use. Between thoughts about needing to get the pony in the cell a book, as well as needing to help her at all costs, he could hardly remember much. "I-I'm... Not sure I'm the pony you are wanting, b-but... I'm here for you to. You cannot stay here...." he'd say as his head lowered. His eyes had the same color even though they didn't glow. It was a pity Gleaming Shield never showed her his face!
Yunalesca tensed up when he pulled his hood down. What? Didn't he say.. ? "But.. but.." She asked a little numbly as she stared at his face, studying features she never got to see other than his eyes. He was.. kind of charming to look at, once she got over the shock of it. "How could you not be? You're Gleaming, you even just said so." Yuna was very confused by the situation. He had to be the same pony, even if his voice.. These cultists couldn't possibly be trying to play some sort of cruel trick on her. Give her hope and mess with her head? The one thing that should matter was that he was still here to help, as far as she knew if he was telling the truth. "The name you gave me the first time you came around to talk to me."
Gleaming Echo quirked his head to the side. "Y-Yeah... I'm Gleaming... Gleaming Echo..." he'd say as he sat himself next to the door to her cage and looked at the bars. How would he open them? He'd probably need keys, right? Tarnished glowered in the back of their head as he envisioned laying low these insects that would dare imprison one of the.. blessed? Gleaming's attention snapped to her shawl and he blinked. "oooooh..." was the quiet vice of the pony as he realized another piece of the puzzle. Imprisoning ponies wasn't right, much less the blessed! What were his fellow cultists doing?!
Yunalesca nodded, certain that was correct. Something nagged at her but she could barely pin it down. It probably wasn't important. "Yes, as I was told. You know my name." She stressed this point, even though Gleam could have told any of these supposed allies he spoke of before. Her head cocked when she spied his eyes rove from the bars to her, below her face. She looked down at herself and her shawl, which was a little worn. "I know you know me, so if you're just playing with my head, cut it out. You don't know how much I've been dying to get out of here because you seemed like you were gonna help." Yuna raised an eyebrow, a little impatient. Her wings slid down under the edge of the shawl and she held them out a little, shaking them in a 'remember?' sort of way before she returned them to their hiding place.
Gleaming Echo looked rather pained as she spoke. Much of what she said rang true, but at the same time... it hurt! Why did it hurt?! The alicorn was familiar ~ Why, why, why was she familiar?! He had no memory - wait, he did have memory of her! What happened last week? What happened last month?! Did he have family, friends?! No, he had to have friends ~ Many ponies greeted him in the hall. Those would be his friends, right?! Even if they were greeting a... dead pony... Then her wings were brought into view and he sagged as the last thought panged through his head. He and Tarnished... Gleaming Shield had gone to take a nap after his visit and-and never woke.... Was he Gleaming? Was Tarnished him? Neither of them were the ponies that the blessed one before them wanted! "I'm sorry..." he'd finally manage as the pressure in his skull send pangs of pain akin to the beating of drums. However just as soon as it seemed he was in the midst of a breakdown of sorts his expression suddenly changed.
Gleaming Echo stood once again as his eyes lit up with a distinctly sinister light and his pupils changed to cat-like slits. "You will not be held by these insects for much longer, Lady Yunalesca... That I promise you." And with that the dark half turned and took a few steps from the cell ~ perhaps to leave. This was the time to go, yes? The idiot was having a crisis... He was in no state to speak for them both right now.
Yunalesca waited for some sort of confirmation from the stallion, still staring at his face with some curiosity. He had a single spot over one eye. She shook her head and sat down by the bars, her eyes narrowed a little. He looked like he was in pain, like a headache.. Wait, what the f-.. ? The alicorn's eyes widened when she caught sight of his, slit-pupiled and glowing. How? What? What was up with his voice, too? It was kind of.. He was walking away, and she felt another little jolt as she stuck a hoof out through the bars for him. "What in Equestria is going on with you? I.. I don't.. Gleam?" He only just got here!
Gleaming Echo came to a stop and turned back to Yunalesca's cell. "Much has... changed, oh bless'd one." he'd finally say as he resisted returning to the cell front; though she could perhaps see him should she have the right angle. Comfort wasn't Tarnished's forte and the idiot was a gibbering wreck in the tattered mess they called a subconscious. Really interesting, the mind of a pony; but alas Tarnished and Gleam were stuck with a crumbling ruin of what was once a well ordered mind. "I would prepare thyself, Lady Yunalesca. ~ The time to leave is nigh. Next time you see us you will be free." Deciding to leave it at that the dark pony continued on his way. There were plans to make; they would not suffer Yunalesca's imprisonment any longer! He dare not linger lest he slip up even more... unintentionally dropping the last 'us' before he fled.
Yunalesca still had her hoof held out, despite knowing he was beyond her reach now. She puzzled over that, the entire conversation.. this. He had changed abruptly and there was the eyes... Was imprisonment just driving her crazy and making her see things? Maybe by the time she woke up 'tomorrow,' things would be back to normal. Yuna made a whining noise in her throat and withdrew her hoof. The way he was talking was extremely odd, but there was that promise of freedom. So tantalizingly close. She couldn't call him back, so she was forced to let him continue on his way, still sitting by the bars while his hoofsteps receded. Thinking.
The End.