Snow Tail eyes seemed to focus as a shadow descended upon her. When the world appear to finally steady, she beheld a titian of a pony standing above her. He was clad in a coat and hat, his eyes seemed to be concerned for her. For some reason they reminded her of a friend.
"Oh hi Patty," she said. "How are did you get here?" But the sight of an orange and golden mane pegasus was soon replaced with the visage of Torrential.
She heard another voice, younger and female. "I have some First Aid experience, but I'm not a nurse or anything."
"Oh yeah, I fell…", muttered the mercenary. All she recalled was that she decided to head up into the sky for a better vantage point. Then there was a blinding orange light, a fall into a corkscrew, and then the ground. "Let me see… legs, tail, hooves, head, wings…" as she said these, Tail moved the corresponding parts a bit. "Eh, nothing broken, I think… 'cept my ass."
"Hold still," said the other girl. She came into view, a pegasus mare clad in a Scholar's cloak. Dancer began to scan the fallen Tail with a keen eye. She noted the sheathed wingblades and the leather gauntlets. She silently indicated them to Torrential, just to warn him. Under her weathered coat and saddlebags was chain mail designed for pegasi. It was unadorned but for a single patch on the peytral - it was a crest of a falcon with a hammer and sword.
"A mercenary, but I don't know which unit…" said Dancer. ", and much to my surprise you're not injured seriously beyond some bruising."
"Of course, it's not the first time I haven't fallen in the sky. After the first couple crashes, a learned how to land properly," she grinned. "In a battle, one afford to be seriously hurt." Her wits began to return, and then Tail recognized who she was talking to. "You wouldn't happen to be Star Dancer, Master Scholar?"
Dancer looked alert and took a step back. "Who wants to know?"
"Well, Gildenstern and Dean Iron Spoke, for one. 'Even beauty would seem to have a power of its own. Does this apply to triangularity?', " said the trooper. She stood up a bit wearily.
Dancer relaxed and replied, " 'Perhaps, after all, it is not a power we must consider, but a disposition… Rough and smooth, tenuous and dense may rightly be classed as qualities' "
"So you are Star Dancer," said Tail. "Though your order needs to find a better way of using passphrases. Ponytinus may not be as read as much these days, but it's not like he's forgotten."
Dancer then nodded, "And you're a messenger from the Director, as you answered the passphrase properly. I'm surprised you know of the philosopher. Didn't think soldiers would care for it."
"My boss' mother was a professor, and she tends to quote the stuff. Out of curiosity, I read up on some of them. Not as much as I like, but enough to know the major classics." She dropped the saddlebag. "Name's Snow Tail, Lieutenant, Joy's Legion. Take my wingblades so I can remove my coat and armor. You're not going to examine me well with them on. And who is this gentlestallion?"
Scroll was a bit worried in how Sweeper and Winterjet were getting along. Namely that the pegasus was clearly didn't want to, while the alicorn was trying too hard. He grimaced at Sweeper being too keen on giving Winterjet a haircut. He knew the Lady's abilities - she had turned the worse manes into works of art. But ponies, mares and stallions alike, tended to be sensitive about their manes. And he could only guess that poor 'Jet was frightened by the idea.
But Sweeper took a step back, and the Scholar relaxed. Crisis averted , he thought. Though… I think i'd let Winterjet cool off, or at least until her doom stare settles down. He liked the pegasus, though only as a friend. Romance was not on his mind right now - that was focused back on Arcon and Amiferia. He awaited their questions.
Meanwhile, Sweeper began to stare and examine Summer Winds. "Oh my… your armor needs work. Hold still while I work on the barding," Setting down the braid, the alicorn worked her restorative magic on the armor. Metal began to shine brightly again, edges began to become restored, and scratches began to fade. Soon it was like new.