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<|info|> title: Inimitable (Rarity) author: Regina Wright tags: genre:Dark

=== Don't Leave, Rarity. === Her sewing machine stops right when she was about to finish the last double stitch. Rarity growls, annoyed to be forced to take a break when she's so close to be done. She politely yawns and stretches her forearms. Oh well, it's good to take a break. Sweetie Belle might be cross at Rarity for ignoring her so long even though they had nothing planned. She had go check up on her sister at some point today. Or she might stop by Twilight's place, for the walk because her legs do feel so stiff and sore. Scratch that. It's time for another trip to the spa! Maybe Fluttershy would want to come if she wasn't too busy with her animals? They could both talk Rainbow Dash and Applejack into going if they got Twilight to come along. This was going to be exciting day after all and her work could wait! But it wouldn't be right to let her sewing machine remain jammed before she put it away. What if it's time to get a new one? Rarity fiddles with it and for some reason, the internal mechanism has iced over. "This has happened before," Rarity sputters, her mind drawing blanks, as she falls off her wooden stool, hitting her head on the moss covered floor. Yuck! What has happened to her store for it to have become so overgrown? "Something isn't right. I can feel it on the tip of my tongue." In a bit of a daze, she gets back on to her hooves and examines her workstation. She was in the middle of working, wasn't she? Rarity racks her mind, trying to remember what it was exactly before she was interrupted... But she can't seem to recall. There should be clues here to help, she thinks and studies the room. A long piece of garment made out of shimmering fabric hangs from the ceiling, supported by rusting gears and crooked pulleys and is attached to her strangely aged workstation. Hesitantly, she touches the desk and several coats of dust and warm, gooey, wet clumps of something sticks to her hooves. She takes another quick look around, not wanting to be caught doing something unladylike, and smears the gunk back onto the desk. Rarity walks around her workstation to see where the garment ends and finds that is continues down a very dark and narrow hole. She kneels down and angles her neck to have a better view. The hole is illuminated with a strange orange light which makes it simple to see the tunnel that shouldn't be under her store. This is odd. Stay calm. "Rarity." This is very odd. Stay calm! She squeals in fright and dives behind her workstation, eyes swirling all around the place. Things she ignored start popping out at her. She hadn't seen a door once. The whole place has been ransacked, glass sprinkles the entire ground and a cracked mirror sits on a bizarre looking chair. Windows, if you can call weirdly shaped backwards letters, windows are smeared with the sticky gunk, looking like filthy hoof prints clawing at the outside. They could only have been hers if she was trapped in a one room house with no doors! "Whoo!" she screeches, fear swallowing her voice, "Who said that?" "Over here, Rarity. Don't be frightened. I can do you no harm even if I wished so. I am in the mirror. Come and see for yourself." Rarity approaches, stepping over things that don't look right, tufts of purple bloody hair and broken teeth. Prudently, she pauses and licks her tongue over her teeth. None are missing so the ones on the floor can't be hers. With her clean hoof, she pats at her hair and tail. They feel normal but... "Rarity." She jumps. "Don't do that. I am coming and I beg your pardon for being frightened in an unusual place! I needed to regain my bearings." She reaches the mirror and sees a curious thing. The mirror doesn't reflect the room, she notices, but some distant land in snow and ice. A pony-shaped specter, of ice and steam, looks back at her and there was a name about things like him. Creatures? Myths? Weren't they? But she couldn't remember. She can't remember and her body trembles. "Why are you in the-" "It's not important. You don't have much time left. None of you do. Hurry and be on your way. I'll create the door for you-" Things were moving too fast and she couldn't help herself. "Look, you do not get to boss me around, Mr. Whoever-You-Are! Introductions must come first or madness will take us all! My name is Rarity, what is yours?" Who were they? Did he mean her friends? Did he put her here? The visitor sighs, his breath fogs up the glass and Rarity can't help the shudder that runs up her spine. It not the stallion in the mirror that frightens her. It's deja vu. It's the teeth on the floor. The hair. Her memory. And what was the garment she was sowing for? Rarity looks away from the mirror and glances at the garment. It still shimmers when she looks at it but something... The details with in it. She can makes out shapes. Ponies. Names. Why?   "My name is Memoria," he speaks, interrupting her train of thought. She welcomes it. "You can consider me a dead god. I am only a echo, a fragment left by my former self. I reigned over memory and I can do little here in your prisons. My influence over this particular realm is weak at best." "Prisons-" "You probably don't remember but we struck a deal when you and your friends cured me from my madness. I hoped to do the same for you," he pauses and fades into steam, vanishing from her sight before reforming. "When you five were still together, you spoke to me of things I hardly understood but I've done my best to mind your memories. Do you understand?" No, she didn't. "Yes," she replies with a quiver. "You do mean six, right? All of my friends and I?" "There are only five of you... here," Memoria corrects with a strange tone, as he's struggling to not tell her something. "I am not infallible. Memories can be remembered differently and this realm has caught on to my presence. I've been putting you back together after every time we failed to escape but the creatures who roams these lands have been altered to infect me. We can't take anymore chances." "Have I died multiple times? Am I some sort of walking corpse! Speak clearer." "There's no death here. Only oblivion. The monsters here feast on aspects of self. They are hollow husks who only communicate with pain. There's no point in attempting to reason with them. I'm sorry if you're confused but you always managed to surprise me even though we had the same conversation countless times." "How could I surprise you? You're the one who remembers everything! Why can't you just give me back all of my memories and send me on my merry way?" "We tried that. Have you noticed what you've been stepping around? The only one who has been physically in this room is you." "I... wouldn't have reacted like this!" The walls are beginning to feel too close. Her saliva, pools in her mouth and she can feel her stomach squeeze. She had to be strong, for her friends, for Memoria, for herself if they were to escape this wretched place. "If my friends are in danger, I..." "You don't need to convince me, I already know you can escape. But the question is are you're willing to escape by the time you reach the end?" Memoria pauses again, his face turning away from her. "Don't worry about your friends. This place play tricks. It's lonely and it will do anything to put you back in here, in this room where it can watch you at it's leisure. One of you must make it so you can free the others." "Just... I..." "This is my weapon. It is called Kairos." A  long silver blade with a hook-like handle appears next to her. "It can change shape, simply think of what you want it to be. Wield it with certainly and it shall slay your enemies." Rarity takes the sword with her magic and gives it a experimental swing. The blade is heavy and  thoughts eats at her. Could she handle what she would have to use it for? In a instinct, the blade becomes heavier and slips out her magical grip with a loud clanging. Don't drop the sword again, she thinks.   "It lives up to it's...uh... name quite well. Wield it with certainly, I'll definitely remember it." "Good," Memoria agrees. "I will now create the door. Are you ready?" "Wait... Is there anything I should know? Traps. Types of Monsters. Places to go? Places to avoid?" Assuming they've done this multiple times, Memoria might have a plan. Or she could have told him a plan to tell her if she's forgotten. Or-   "Don't look into mirrors that aren't broken in some way," he sighs and mutters under his breath something Rarity can't pick up. "Try not to let the monsters kill you too often. They steal memories now and I don't know what will happen when all of the memories I use to heal you are gone." "What? That can't be everything. You haven't answer my questions. Don't you dare leave!" Memoria vanishes and the mirror falls apart. "Not helpful~"she sing-songs. A cold blast of air whooshes past her. Rarity turns around and sees a door made out of frost and ice creak open. The brightness of the light outside makes it hard for her to make anything out. She trots forward to the door and stands at the threshold. The light is still too bright. Scary. There's nothing she can see. Nothing she can hear either. Just hateful, harsh light attacking her eyes. Rarity needs to shake fear right out of her coat. Her horn alights and she pulls Kairos from the floor to float by her side.   She can do anything if she puts her mind to it! Rarity steps outside and the light changes around her. Once the light lessens, she make out a burned down forest to her left and a large, imposing hellish figure standing in front of her. The creature doesn't even stop after the first swing. It doesn't hurt, the claws ripping into her hide, but the blood is everywhere. She screams until the monster crushes her throat. When she wakes up again, Kairos is trilling soft sounds at her, soothing her heart. "What more should I expect from a magic sword from a dead god... or better yet an echo as he called himself." Lilies surround her as she lays in a field of them and their smell is unpleasant. They should smell sweetly, not of blood and foulness. Not sour like pungent two-week old daisy sandwiches. And that's only putting it lightly. For a moment, she is afraid that odor is coming from her and checks her body. She's fine. Memoria must of fixed her and might be very displeased with her but who cares. She's the one who has to get through this weird place. Alone, for the most of it. Rarity takes in a deep breath and stands up, she hopes he's okay. But she's just lost a memory. That's serious!     What could she have forgotten? The sword is called Kairos. There's a pony in the mirror named Memoria. Monsters are bad. Normal mirrors are bad. Place is bad. Her name is Rarity. She has a younger sister called Sweetie Belle and she has four very good friends. Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie. Applejack. Hmm, maybe she forgot something unimportant? <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Mirror Prince author: Neon Czolgosz tags: character:Princess Cadance, character:Shining Armor, character:Twilight Sparkle, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Mediator === Prince Bolero sat on his bed, smiling kindly at his wife and his brother-in-law. He brushed a lock of his perfect mane out of his eyes, and spoke. "I'm sure you both know why I've brought you here tonight." Gleaming Shield and Dusk Shine both nodded, but they avoided his eyes, ashamed. Bolero's gaze held no judgement. "I know that you bear incestuous desires towards each other. While I am the Prince of Love, I cannot in good conscience allow sexual relations between you. It is depraved, it is against our customs, and I'm sure you know what Equestrian law has to say on the matter," he said. "But at the same time, I cannot allow two wonderful ponies with such love in their hearts for each other to suffer like this. Come closer, my dears." Dusk Shine walked over. He was slight of frame and neatly groomed, his purple coat almost glowing in the moonlight. His sister followed neatly, muscles flexing beneath her shining white coat, unsure but undaunted. "Now, move closer until your lips touch each other," said Bolero. Both siblings swallowed, gazing into each other's eyes, closer and closer, inches away from fulfilling every hidden desire--" "Stop!" Bolero darted forward, his face coming between the two of them. Dusk and Gleaming froze, their puckered lips pressed against the prince's cheeks. "Siblings kissing on the lips is forbidden!" Dusk and Gleaming tried to rear back, but found their heads pushed close by Prince Bolero's wings. "However," he said, "Nothing forbids Gleam from kissing me and then me kissing Dusk, and vice versa. Let's try that." He turned to his wife and kissed her. She squeaked into his mouth, her lips hard against his before she relaxed and returned the kiss. A second after she slipped her tongue inside, Bolero broke the kiss. "And now you, Dusk." Dusk's eyes went wide as his former babysitter--and former secret crush--kissed him. The prince copied every aspect of his wife's kiss, tense lips relaxing, tongue slipping inside, breaking off. He looked between the pair of them. "And how was that?" They both nodded excitedly, forgetting to speak. Bolero laughed, and kissed Dusk again. Dusk was more prepared this time, slipping a hoof around Bolero's head to hold him close, moaning softly into the kiss, playing his lips gently against Bolero's. The prince grinned as he broke away. "Well, you didn't learn that by practising on your hoof. Not bad for a bookworm!" Dusk Shine blushed. "Sometimes I, uh, practice with Rainbow Blitz..." "It shows." Prince Bolero turned and gave Gleaming Shield an identical kiss, holding her close, letting her feel everything that her brother just gave to her husband. When she returned the kiss, she was wild, passionate, sticking her tongue forward like a horny teenager, which Bolero in turn did to Dusk Shine. They continued in this manner for some time, increasing in passion and intensity until Gleaming Shield and Dusk shine were both pawing at Bolero, their eyes lidded, cheeks flushed, panting helplessly. "What do you each desire most?" asked the prince. The pair hesitated to answer, but with some nudging they spoke. "I... I want to touch Duskie," said Gleaming Shield. "I want to hold Gleam," whispered Dusk Shine. "I want to nuzzle his neck." "I want to nibble her ear." "I want to suck his horn!" "I want to lick her teats!" "I want him on top of me!" "I want to be inside her!" "Take me!" "Oh, Gleam!" The unicorns threw themselves at each other, but their erotic embrace was blocked by a pair of pink wings between them. They pawed hopelessly at the feathery fluff as Prince Bolero clicked his tongue at them. "My dears, please, incest is verboten. Not allowed. Forbidden." He pushed the despondent unicorns apart, until he was sat on the bed between them once more. "However," he said, gesturing between his legs, "there is no law that forbids two siblings from sucking the same cock." Gleaming set to work with military precision, taking the head of Bolero's half-hard dick into her throat, nursing it with her lips and tongue. Dusk was more hesitant. "I, um, I h-haven't," he stuttered, "I've n-never given oral s-sex before. I might not be very good at it..." Prince Bolero gazed into Dusk's wide eyes. "You've grown into such a handsome stallion, Dusk," he said, trailing a hoof over his brother-in-law's cheek. "I don't think I've ever seen a stallion with lips as pretty as yours..." Dusk Shine blushed deeply. "Th-thanks..." "Have you ever thought about it? Wrapping those perfect lips of yours around another stallion's thick cock?" "Yeah..." "Look at the tip, Dusk." The unicorn looked down. Gleaming Shield was licking the prince's balls and massaging his cock with telekinesis, sending rings of firm pressure up the shaft. Her attentions were pushing precum out of the tip. There was more precum than Dusk had ever seen, it wasn't just welling up in a tiny bead, it was pooling up and leaking down the sides of the shaft. His breath caught in his throat. He stuck his tongue out, lapping at the salty, musky liquid. He looked up at Bolero, an unbroken line of precum between the dick and his tongue. "Lack thith?" he asked. Prince Bolero marvelled at the svelte unicorn. "Yes," he said, his voice shaking a little, "just like that." He pushed Dusk's head down, groaning softly as the stallion took the entire head in his mouth. Brother and sister continued their blowjob, sucking the tip, licking the shaft and balls, taking turns to service each part, nervously switching from spot to spot. "It's good that you know how to share, but teamwork is important too," said Prince Bolero, breathlessly. They nodded and began to work in tandem, Dusk licking the balls as Gleaming sucked the tip, both licking their way up the shaft, timidly meeting eyes with each other as they reached the head together, licking and even nibbling at the base as they sent matching waves of telekinesis up and down the shaft. "You can get a little closer to each other, darlings. There's nothing wrong with siblings nuzzling..." murmured Prince Bolero. He didn't need to tell them twice. They began to kiss and suck at the tip immediately, their cheeks pressed together closely, horns touching, almost making out over the head. The prince chuckled softly. Their tongues were touching a little too often to be called 'accidental,' but it did feel wonderful... Dusk looked at his sister, and nervously mumbled over half a mouthful of cock. "Am I doing this right?" Gleaming Shield smooched the shaft, and smiled warmly at her brother. "You're doing great, little brother. I'll show you what else he likes. Watch this..." Her horn lit up, and gentle telekinesis began to massage Bolero's balls, making him sigh with pleasure. Her magic cut off abruptly. "Now you try!" Prince Bolero tensed up, well aware of the magnitude of Dusk Shine's telekinetic power, and relaxed as the same soft magic returned to his sack. He didn't see his wife's evil grin as her horn lit up once more. "Solaris!" He cried out as Gleaming Shield pushed a thick tendril of magic into his ass, twisting and pulsing as two mouths returned to his shaft. "Guys, if you don't stop, I'm--" "Hm?" Dusk looked up at him with those wide, innocent eyes, his cute tongue pressed against the tip of his cock. Bolero came, his back arching as cum sprayed out of his shaft. Dusk caught three heavy spurts on his face, taken completely by surprise, before Gleaming grabbed the dick and sucked on the twitching head. He always came in prodigious quantities, and his wife's cheeks bulged before she could swallow the second mouthful. She passed it back to Dusk, now prepared, who scrunched his eyes tight as he drank down jets of thick, salty jizz, until his wife took it back. They passed his cock back and forth for almost a minute before he was spent. He fell back onto the bed, allowing Dusk a chance to clean off his face, and Gleaming a chance to lick the last droplets from his shaft. A minute later, Prince Bolero slid off the bed and stretched out. As the tension seeped from his muscles, he closed his eyes and cast a spell. His softening, sensitive shaft returned at once to stiffness. He gave a small sigh of satisfaction at the sensation of the spell, and then looked back at the blushing siblings, smirking. "Okay, I think we're getting to the crux of the matter," he said. "You two want to fuck each other, yes?" Dusk Shine and Gleaming Shield looked at him, looked at each other, and then looked back at him. They nodded, ashamed. "Fortunately for the pair of you," Bolero continued, his voice like syrup, "I have the perfect solution. Gleam, my love, lay down on the edge of the bed with your hinds spread wide. Dusk, my dear, get behind me." Brother and sister did as instructed, Gleaming's inner thighs rippling with muscles as she spread her legs, Dusk cautiously approaching the prince's backside, getting a whiff of cologne, shampoo and sweat as Bolero's thick, pink tail brushed his cheek. Bolero moved between his wife's legs, his cock inches from her groin. She gazed up at him, both curious and imploring. He bent down to kiss her cheek, and then looked over his shoulder. "Dusk," said the prince, "mount me." "H-huh?" The prince grinned coyly. "You can't fuck your sister, because that's against the rules, and your sister can't fuck you. But, dear Dusk, there is nothing in the rules that states you can't fuck a stallion as he fucks your sister. You're going to fuck me as I fuck her. You will control the pacing, the power, the speed, and I will be a conduit for your love." Dusk swallowed, his tail twitching in anticipation. "Oh! I, uh, I can do that..." With a thought, Bolero cast a spell to lubricate both Dusk's cock and his own cock. He winked at his brother in law. "I know you can." Dusk Shine mounted him, both nervous and eager, his lithe body settling on Bolero's back. The unicorn was no longer the scrawny teenager that first left for Ponyville years ago, but he wasn't the peak of toned, aesthetic perfection that Bolero was, and he didn't have the heavy, military build of his sister. Bolero recalled carrying Dusk on his back years ago, when he would take the young unicorn through all the science and history museums of Canterlot and let the exhausted colt nap on his back on the way home. He barely felt any heavier now than he had back then. Bolero's wife looked up at him, eyes wide with anticipation, and he felt Dusk's breath on his neck. "I have an idea," said the prince. He moved his head down and to the left, until he was nuzzling the side of Gleaming Shield's neck. "Now, my loves, you can look each other in the eye." Dusk sucked in breath, looking down at his sister. "Are you guys r-ready?" Gleaming Shield nodded her head with astounding speed. Bolero chuckled, and said "Go right ahead." Dusk Shine's cock jabbed clumsily at Bolero's backside, unused to mounting stallions in this way. The hot tip prodded his buttocks and the base of his tail, before settling on his hole. Bolero mimicked the unicorn's movements, until his own tip came to rest on his wife's ass. Gleaming Shield's breath hitched. "In my ass?" she whispered. "Yes, your brother is fucking you in the ass." Bolero grunted softly as Dusk pushed his hips forward. Bolero exhaled as the flared head of Dusk's dick slipped inside him. His wife was not so quiet as he copied the action. She moaned at the sensation, her hind legs wrapping tightly around her husband's hips. "Brother, you're so big!" "Oh sister, you're so tight and hot!" "Lead him on, sweetie," whispered Bolero, "tell him how to move." Gleaming Shield giggled softly, looking up. "Deeper, little bro. Go slow..." Dusk slid in deeper, eyes shut tight, muttering minced oaths and nonsense. Prince Bolero thrust in turn, feeling Gleaming's toned stomach muscles ripple beneath him. She bit her lip at the feeling of fullness and opened her legs wider, sweat running down her cheeks and brow. Her front legs pawed at the sheets as Dusk thrust again, unintentionally flexing her powerful leg muscles. "Woah." Dusk swallowed as he gawked at the sight. Gleaming smirked. "You like that, bro? You like seeing your sister's muscles?" "Uh-huh..." "You like seeing me all freakin' sweaty and shredded?" "Uh-huh!" He grinned and thrust hard, Bolero doing the same as the dick filled him. Gleaming squealed with delight. "Oh bro, you're so freakin' cute, your dick feels so good in my ass!" "S-sis, you're so hot, I've wanted this for so long..." "Oh yeah? You've wanted to feel my ass squeezing down on your dick?" She clenched her ass muscles tight, so tight that Bolero groaned softly at the sensation of her buttocks massaging his member. He followed suit with his own ass, tightening around Dusk. Dusk cried out. "Your ass feels so good, sis!" "I love you so much, bro!" "Sis, I wanna be like this forever!" Gleaming cooed, touching her brother's chin with a hoof. "Go wild, bro. Just pin me down and rail me." Dusk Shine growled softly as he followed her command. He was uneven at first, sinking right in, deep enough to make Bolero gasp. Gleaming Shield threw her head back and squealed as her husband did the same. It took a few minutes for Dusk to find his pace and get comfortable, his hips going from jerking and uncertain to fluid and purposeful. Prince Bolero mimicked every action perfectly. He thrust when Dusk thrust, bit when he bit, every caress and kiss that Dusk put on him was carefully repeated on his wife. It took every ounce of concentration not to lose himself in the sensation, his ass stretched wide by a cute nerd as he screwed his beautiful wife. "K-keep talking," he said, his voice low and husky, "let each other know how much you both want each other." Gleaming Shield was almost crying. "B-brother," she said, still touching his cheek, "touch my pussy. Use your magic." Dusk's horn lit up, but he was unsure. "But..." "It doesn't count if it's magic..." murmured Prince Bolero. Instead of using telekinesis, Dusk cast a complex spell. Instantly, Gleaming Shield twitched and shouted. "Brother! What the h-hay, ohhh that feels so good it's--it's like tongues and mouths and they're all eating me out--" she trailed off into nonsense syllables, her eyes rolling back. Bolero felt every muscle in her thighs and groin quiver furiously. He laughed. "I like that! You mind showing me that one later--OH." Dusk cast a second time before the prince could finish his sentence. Bolero immediately understood his wife's reaction. He felt lips and tongues on his balls, four sets at least, all as warm and wet and eager as the real thing, lapping up the sweat, smooching them, suckling them gently. "Sweet Canterhorn, Dusk! Where did you learn that?" Dusk laughed weakly, not stopping his thrusts. "I invented it when I w-was at the School for Gifted Unicorns so I could masturbate less and study more. It, uh, it kinda backfired..." Bolero shivered as each of his balls was sucked into a spectral mouth. "I can see why..." The prince gave himself into the pleasure, more than a pony, more than even an alicorn, he was the love of three ponies made incarnate. He felt every bump, ridge and swell of Dusk's cock while he felt the warmth, the grip, the tightness of Gleaming's ass. With Dusk so deep inside him, the prostate stimulation didn't just make him hard, it made him ache. It took all of his discipline not to cum right there, and even then he knew he could not last long. He knew the siblings were also close. "I love you, L.B.B.F.F.!" cried Gleaming Shield. "I love you, B.S.B.F.F.!" replied Dusk Shine. "Kiss!" commanded Prince Bolero. Dusk and Gleaming set on each other instantly, mashing their lips together, crying with joy as they climaxed simultaneously. Bolero closed his eyes and moaned as hot sperm filled his ass while his wife clenched around his cock. He could no longer contain himself, gritting his teeth as he came inside his wife. All of their thrusts became slow and spastic, thick cream flowing out around softening cocks. The three of them stayed there, deeply contented, resting against each other for some time. Shortly after that, the panic started. "Oh no," said Dusk Shine. "Oh no," said Gleaming Shield. "We kissed each other." "That's incest." "That's against the law! "We broke the law!" "Prince Solaris will find out..." "I dragged my husband into my crime spree..." "I'm going to be banished to a dungeon!" "I've disgraced my commission!" Prince Bolero sat upright and muffled the terrified unicorns with his wingtips. "Gleaming Shield, Dusk Shine, please! Before either of you say another word, can you tell me which part of the Equestrian Legal Code concerns incest?" Once more, the two siblings avoided his eyes. Gleaming Shield cringed. "I think it's the blue part?" she ventured. Dusk Shine cleared his throat. "...Actually, I've never been brave enough to look at that particular section of the law." The prince sighed. "Equestrian law states that all forms of childhood incest are illegal, and forbids incestuous marriage. Otherwise, that's it. It's a free monarchy." Both unicorns gawked at him. He smirked back. "So, yes, your desires are only limited by what you choose to consent to. And since I love both of you dearly, and you both love me, and you both love each other, I am perfectly happy for you two to do whatever you desire to each other," he said, his voice dripping honey. "Now, I am going to have a shower, and you two can discuss in detail exactly what this means for the pair of you." With that, he sashayed out of the room. Dusk Shine and Gleaming Shield looked at each other, sweating. The night had only just begun... <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: CoH (Book Two) : Of Ancient Castles and Soldier Hassles author: Diespitris tags: character:Flash Sentry, character:King Sombra, character:Main 6, character:Princess Luna, character:Twilight Sparkle, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Drama, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter One : Home Sweet Home === "Dear Twily, I hope it's not too early to check up on you and your friends. After everything that happened, I hope you'll write me as soon as you get this to let me know how you're doing. We're moving on the best we can up here. The rightful palace staff are right where they want to be, and Lieutenant Flash Sentry returned to Canterlot to make way for Lieutenant Stronghold. Cadance and I offered Flash a permanent position, of course, but he turned it down. I don't blame him, honestly, though last I heard he was looking to get a transfer. I guess he decided he's not a city stallion after all. Anyway, now that the upper tower is finished and we cleaned what's left of the rubble from the streets, the crystal ponies are beginning to settle into a routine. And, wow, they don't waste any time! The crystal berry fields are already in full swing and other crops are popping so fast, even the most experienced farmer's jaw would drop. Cadance thinks they'll have the marketplace up and running by the end of the week. It's all thanks to you, little sis, and the crystal ponies know it. You're a hero! In fact, there's a statue of you on Mane Street now. I thought you'd want to know. Love, Shining Armor" Twilight set the parchment down on the kitchen table with a relieved sigh. Oh, thank Celestia, she thought, taking a long sip of her coffee. When Derpy showed up at her door at the break of dawn, the wax-sealed envelope pinched gently between her teeth, her thoughts jumped to dark, panicky territory. Thankfully, there was nothing but good news, even if the last paragraph brought a blush to her cheeks. A fresh piece of parchment, a bottle of ink, and a quill flew to the table from the other room. A short correspondence wouldn't hurt, if it brought Shining peace of mind. Although the Crystal Empire had taken great strides over the past week, the same couldn't be said for her and her friends. "Dear B.B.B.F.F., I'm going to apologize in advance for the short reply, but not much has happened since our return. The girls and I have been focusing on our recovery. Yet, we are settling back into our own routines. Applejack, ever the hard-working mare, threw herself into her farm duties almost as soon as we got off the train. None of us held it against her. We were away from home for far too long and we parted ways from the train station. Don't worry, all is well! I've been seeing them here and there all week, though I think it will be a little while longer before we plan a get-together. Rarity is a little behind on her newest fashion line, Rainbow still needs to catch up on her sleep, and Fluttershy is working up the courage to walk around in public with her... "new" mane cut. But, never fear, I'll send you a follow-up as soon as something interesting happens! I promise! Love, Twilight" Ever-so-gently, she folded the parchment in half, then slid it carefully into an envelope. She secured its contents with a generous dab of wax. As she waited for it to cool, she wrote up two short notes. The first was for Princess Celestia—a polite request to make sure her letter reached Shining. The second was for Spike to send the letter and the note to the Princess as soon as he was awake. Arranged from left to right, starting with Shining's letter, she left everything on the table for her assistant. As much as she wanted to be there to greet him, there was something she had to do first. It was something she would never mention in any letter, nor was it a task meant for the eyes of others. She pulled sandwiches and bottles of apple cider out of the refrigerator before she made her way to the front door. She then retrieved her saddlebags, into which went the snacks. Looking over her shoulder one last time to confirm she was alone, she placed her concentration into a teleportation spell that promptly whisked her away from the silence of the library. In a burst of purple magic, she reappeared in a vacant alleyway. She winced, for the surge toppled a garbage bin. "Shoot!" she hissed. She hurriedly cleaned up the mess—hoping nopony heard. When that was done, she sighed and surveyed her location. To her relief, her calculations were spot-on. The alley was connected to the back of a brick three-story building known as the Stirrup Street Inn. It was a humble establishment. Humble meant cheap, of course, because the last thing she needed was an inquiry as to why she was suddenly short on bits. She spent them on some much-needed books or tomes for her collection, was her go-to excuse. Most of the time, it was true; spare copies of "Supernaturals" didn't purchase themselves. It was certainly better than, "I'm sorry, but a friend of mine needed a place to stay." That would raise even more questions. The one she feared the most was, "Who?" And, Celestia forbid, no one saw her meeting up with him. She approached the back door and knocked three times. The wait for an answer wasn't long. Soon, the door opened and a stallion, ash-coated and gray-maned, poked his head out past the door frame. "Password?" he grunted. Twilight pulled the door open with her magic. "It's Twilight," she retorted, bemused. "Are you ready to go?" Rolling his eyes, he emerged from the building—his sparse luggage levitating behind him. Draped over his body was a black cloak that barely touched the ground. "You're no fun." Still, he went in for a brief hug, which she returned. "But, yes, I'm ready." "Excellent!" She smiled. "It's been a while since I've been to the old castle, though, so my aim will be off." "I survived nearly a month in the lifeless tundra of the Frozen Wastes, my friend. If I have to take a leisurely stroll through this 'Everfree' of yours, then so be it." His eyes roamed over the structure behind him. "Although, I must admit I enjoyed my stay here. I've never before talked with ponies so obsessed with a customer's comfort." "You don't have to leave if you don't want to, Sombra." He dismissed her words with the wave of his hoof. "As much as I appreciate your generosity, Twilight, I will take no more of your bits. You've done more than enough for me. Besides, I look forward to an abode where I don't have to conceal my identity for hours on end." Her smile grew. "Well, when you put it that way... Stand close to me, and stand still." She closed her eyes as an arcane aura encased her horn. It soon spread to cover their bodies. Then, in a flash, they were gone. The high-pitched screams of metal wheels signaled the arrival of the Friendship Express. Ever the punctual operation, the locomotive screeched to a halt in front of Ponyville Station at exactly nine o'clock—startling the majority of the ponies who awaited it so patiently. Yet, that didn't stop the exchange of passengers as soon as the doors slid open. Mayor Mare tapped her hoof in rhythm with the song she was humming. She was in no hurry to be anywhere in particular, other than where she currently stood. Even if it weren't her duty to greet every new resident of her beloved town, she'd be there anyway. The instant he stepped off the train, she knew she had the right stallion: pegasus, orange coat, two-toned blue mane, and (most importantly) a cutie mark depicting a blue shield with a lightning bolt on it. "Excuse me, Mister Flash Sentry?" she called. His ears swiveled in her direction before the rest of his head turned to look at her. Grinning, he outstretched his wings and used them to propel himself into an excited jump. "That's me!" he exclaimed. "You're Mayor Mare, I take it?" She shook his hoof. "Yes. It's a pleasure to meet you, Flash." "Likewise!" "Come, come! Allow me to show you to your new home." "But, what about my—?" "Oh, don't worry about your belongings. I rallied some volunteers to take care of them for you. I promise they're in good hooves." "Wow, that's super nice of you." She chuckled as she began to lead him off the wooden platform. "Well, it's not every day a little town like ours receives somepony of your caliber, Mr. Sentry." "Oh, please, just call me Flash." The stallion broke into a trot until he came to walk alongside her. As they entered town, he whistled. "I knew Ponyville was beautiful, but sweet Celestia, pictures do not do it justice." And he poured over many, many magazines that held the small town in high regard. More than once was it awarded "Equestria's Most Beautiful Small Town." Now that he saw it with his own eyes, the reason was obvious. All it needed was a princess or two and some snobbish elites, and it had the chance to rival Canterlot... On second thought, he mused, the absence of the latter made it a little better than the Capitol. Canterlot Royal Guards were the best of the best when it came to public safety. Yet, their hard work and sacrifice was often lost on those whose wealth led them to believe the academy-trained ponies were a complete waste of taxes. Flash wished he never once was accused of being nothing more than an overpriced statue clad in gilded armor. He shook his head to rid himself of the negative thoughts. It would be different here. Ponyville was a small town, full of small-town ponies, where there was no risk of changeling invasions or power-hungry unicorns with magical amulets. And, above all else, Ponyville was home to her. Sombra marveled at the dense vegetation that surrounded them. "What is this place?" he muttered. He looked to the sky, only to find he could not see it. The canopy was just as thick. "This," Twilight replied, "is the Everfree Forest." She slowly spun around. "From the looks of it, we're near Zecora's hut." He raised a brow. "Ah, yes, now I see." She shot him a playful glare. "Zecora is a friend of mine." She carefully jingled a turquoise chime that dangled above her head. "She hung these chimes a mile from her hone in every direction. They can be heard from a great distance, so ponies unfamiliar with the forest can find her." She lifted a hoof to point towards the east, where the dim glow of lanterns could be seen. "Then, you just look for the lights, and there she is! Going straight north from here will take us to the castle." Sombra followed her gaze. "She lives here? Strange. I thought this was a place of great peril?" "Well, she's from Zebrica, and—" "She's a zebra?" "Is that a problem?" A small smile tugged at a corner of the stallion's mouth. "No, of course not. I've never before met a zebra, is all." When his friend began to lead him deeper into the darkness, he followed without hesitation. "All I know about them and their country is what I read when I was young." The tip of Twilight's horn sparked into an intense glow—one that easily illuminated their way. "You sound like you were interested in more than just magic." "I was, and I still am. There is much to learn about this world we live in, besides magic." He paused. "I missed one thousand years, Twilight. There is much more for me to learn, and perhaps even more on which I need to catch up." Twilight swallowed the lump that formed in her throat. "One step at a time, Sombra," she whispered. "Let's get you settled into the castle, first." They walked in silence. It was probably for the best, as it suddenly dawned on Twilight there were potential threats lurking in the shadows. The last thing she wanted was another grisly encounter with a cockatrice... Oh, Celestia, what if Sombra ran into one while she wasn't with him? "Um," she coughed. "Just out of curiosity, how's your prowess when it comes to using magic defensively?" "I'm more than capable of defending myself, if necessary." "Well, it might be necessary." Her ears folded back, snug against her head. "I forgot to mention all the creatures who live here." "I'm listening." "Timberwolves, manticores, ursas, cockatrices... to name a few. I'll bring you books on them, if you wish." "I'm familiar with these beasts, my friend. There's no need to worry. I don't think they'll bother me unprovoked." "Yes, well—" "If it will make you feel better, I'll take the books." She exhaled. "Thank you." When they finally came to the bridge, Twilight took a deep breath and pointed to the dilapidated structure in the distance. "There." Her companion slowly walked up beside her—his eyes wide. "By the stars," he whispered. "What's wrong?" He looked down into the crevasse over which the bridge precariously hung. "This... This didn't exist when I was last here." Twilight looked at him with a start. "You've been here before?" "Of course." Cautiously, he placed his left hoof on the bridge. The aged wooden board creaked under the pressure. "This is Roan, Equestria's capitol. Well, it used to be, but I guess that's no longer the case?" Twilight said nothing. This was entirely new information. The extend of her knowledge regarding the ruins ended at the fact that the Princesses once lived there, and it was where Princess Celestia chose to hide the Elements of Harmony. With that thought in mind, actually, it made sense. "A lot can change in a thousand years," she whispered, following Sombra across the bridge. He nodded solemnly. "There was a city here, once upon a time. There was never a forest, nor a fissure. Roan was a magnificent place, full of exquisite architecture and vibrant life." The wooden doors of the front entrance screamed in protest as he pulled them open with his magic. He gazed into the silent gloom of the interior. "Now, it seems this castle is the only thing left." Twilight followed him inside. She flinched as the doors howled shut behind them, yet she continued forward. The emerald glow of Sombra's magic breathed life into nearby torches, causing them to burst into flame. Their light revealed a large chamber. The floor was home to overgrowth and rubble. Stone archways leading to staircases lined the left and right walls. Above them dangled the scraps of long-forgotten tapestries. Only the two in the back, the left one dark blue and the right one golden in an obvious representation of Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, were potentially salvageable. "The main hall," explained Sombra. He looked over his shoulder at Twilight and he smiled. "Crowds wanting to see the Princesses for themselves would always gather here to await the opening of their respective courts." His smile faltered, but only for a moment. "It's a shame, to see such a magnificent place so... abandoned—forgotten." Twilight gently touched his shoulder. "You sound like you missed this place." He sighed. "A long, long time ago, I called this place home." === Chapter Two : A Sugar-Coated Surprise === "And here we have Southern Equestria's most famous bakery, Sugarcube Corner!" Mayor Mare's voice vibrated with excitement and pride as she waved one of her forelegs to dramatically show off the building of which she spoke. "They serve everything from cakes to pies, to cupcakes and donuts!" Flash's eyes widened. He thought The Tasty Treat back home was exuberant in its choice of color palate, but this was something else entirely. Sugarcube Corner was an establishment of pink, white, chocolate-brown, and purple, with a candled cupcake on top. It was cute, he thought. As a plus, it wasn't hidden away in the dimness of an alley's dead end—a melancholy place where nopony could find it and enjoy its treasures. "Can we go inside?" he asked. The warm and sugary scent tempted his belly into a low, hungry rumble. "Why, of course!" his guide exclaimed. On her way to the front door, she beckoned him to follow. "There's no better way than to meet your new neighbors than your first step into the Corner!" "Wait, really?" He trotted after her. "Is this place really that popu—" "Surprise!" The stallion nearly jumped out of his skin as a crowd of ponies shouted at him. His wings flared, the feathers ruffled, in an automatic display of his training. Make yourself look bigger! Mayor Mare patted his shoulder. "Easy, Flash, easy!" she laughed. "It's only a party!" He blinked. Slowly, his wings lowered and folded back up against his sides. "A... party?" A familiar pink earth mare bounced up to him. On her hoof balanced a platter, which was piled high with orange-and-blue frosted cupcakes. "Yeah, silly!" she chirped. "I heard you were coming, so I threw you a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party!" To his bewilderment, gravity had no effect on her as she reached out her free hoof to shake his. "I'm Pinkie Pie! We met at the Crystal Empire, remember?" "I do remember! You're one of Miss Twilight's friends!" Does that mean she's here, too? "Yeppers!" She offered him one of the cupcakes, which he took with gratitude. She then spun around to face the crowd. "Alrighty, everypony! The guest of honor is here, so let's make him feel welcome and get this party started!" The gathering of ponies erupted into a cheer. Somewhere in the back of the room, a gramophone scratched to life. Music, upbeat and soft, served as a pleasant backdrop as folks went about mingling. Flash didn't know what to do with himself. The last party thrown for him was... Heck, it was years ago—after he graduated from the Academy, and that was thrown by his overly-enthusiastic parents. Every party afterwards was one he was ordered to patrol. He always watched, he never participated. So, he watched from the corner near the front door, slowly munching on the cupcake he'd been given. He had to admit, it was the best cupcake he'd ever eaten. He could only imagine the quality of their other pastries. I need to try them all, I guess! Somepony approached him, startling him out of his thoughts. Someponies, actually, as the tiny group that broke away from the crowd was a triad of mares: a white unicorn, an orange earth pony wearing a stetson, and the yellow pegasus who seemed to be hiding behind them. "Why, hello there!" greeted the unicorn. "Flash Sentry, was it?" Flash swallowed down his last bite of cupcake. "That's me!" he replied, hoping that none of the pastry was stuck to his face. "Say, it was awfully nice for Miss Pinkie to throw this party. You Ponyville folks really know how to make a stallion feel welcomed." "Oh, I'm glad, darling. It's the least we could do after... Well, you know." He nodded. "Yeah, I know." He cleared his throat. "You're Miss Rarity, right?" Her eyes lit up. "You are correct!" "Ah, good!" He tapped his chin as he turned his attention to the other two mares. "That makes you Miss Applejack and Miss Fluttershy!" Applejack tipped her hat. "Yep! Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Flash!" The smallest nuance of a smile appeared on Fluttershy's face. "It's nice to meet you." "I'm surprised you remember us," Rarity commented, the delight obvious from the sound of her voice. Flash tilted his head. "Why wouldn't I? You gals are the Elements of Harmony!" "Shucks," laughed Applejack. "We're simple, small-town ponies. No need to get starstruck." Rarity huffed. "Speak for yourself!" "Anyway, we're not always fightin' monsters and facin' down power-hungry hoodlums." She poked the stallion in the shoulder. "My family and I own Sweet Apple Acres, for example. We grow the best apples in all of Equestria!" "And I," added Rarity, "own The Carousel Boutique!" "She sells dresses." "Dresses I designed!" "Yep. And Fluttershy here tends to sick 'n injured animals." Fluttershy nodded ever so slightly. "Rainbow Dash works for the local weather factory," she said, her voice soft, "and Twilight is the librarian for the Golden Oaks Library." Her ears folded back against her head. "They're not here, though..." Flash tried to not let his disappointment show. Applejack rolled her eyes. "Sorry about that. Rainbow's busy scheduling tomorrow's thunderstorm and Twilight's..." She blinked. "Actually, I don't know where that girl is." "Hold on a second, darling." Rarity turned around. "Spike!" The baby dragon stopped in the middle of refilling his glass of punch. "Yes?" he retorted loudly. "Spike, darling, where's Twilight?" Shrugging, he ladled his glass full, before he ran up to them. "You got me," he said. "She was gone when I woke up this morning. She had some stuff for me to send to Princess Celestia, though, but that was it." "Ah, shame," she sighed. Then, she smiled. "Oh, well, she's bound to turn up eventually. For now, let's introduce you to some of the others." "There's an idea!" exclaimed Applejack. "Folks will love to meet ya, with you bein' another member of Ponyville's finest!" Flash chuckled. "I wouldn't go that far. I'm simply a guard—nothing more, nothing less." "Don't be so modest," retorted Rarity. She began to walk towards a nearby gathering. "Come, come! Meet everypony!" When Flash didn't move quite fast enough, Applejack jumped behind him and pushed. "You heard the lady! Go on, git!" He yelped. "I'm going! I'm going!" And he, indeed, went, despite the fact he was a little disappointed the one pony he hoped to see wasn't there. === Chapter Three : Silent Rumination === They were deep within the ruins of the castle before Sombra saw fit to drop his disguise. It was effortless to drop the illusion spell whilst he continued to light their way. Sconces and chandeliers alike burst into flame as they walked—each one responding immediately to his magic. "Where are we going?" Twilight finally asked. "Someplace you'll enjoy, I'm sure." His smile fell a bit. "If it's not too badly damaged, or gone altogether." Of course, it wasn't too long before they reached another set of doors. The aged, brittle wood was stained a strange pinkish color. Given their age, Twilight surmised the true color was once a more purplish shade, before time robbed it of its brilliance. "Here it is," said Sombra. He took the round, silver door handles into his magic. Yet, he seemed to hesitate for a moment before he slowly pushed the doors open. Book-stuffed shelves lined the massive chamber on the other side from floor to ceiling. Well, what was left of the ceiling. There were obvious chunks of it gone, revealing the Everfree's gray sky overhead. More than likely, those missing chunks were responsible for the piles of rubble littering the floor, alongside some of the broken and overturned reading tables. Still, the library was in better condition than Sombra's imagination led him to believe. He exhaled a breath he didn't know he was holding. "Thank the stars," he mumbled. As Twilight stared in wonder, he wandered over to a bookshelf. While the tightly-packed books were caked in dust and showed minor signs of wrinkling from their exposure to the elements, he was delighted to see they were in acceptable condition. The same couldn't be said about the poor, unfortunate tomes unceremoniously strewn here and there by whatever force ripped them from their proper places, but a few casualties were better than the destruction of an entire library. "Ah, it does my heart good to see this place again," he said. "Welcome to the Roan Royal Library, Twilight." A giddiness welled up in Twilight as she gazed at the old books. One-thousand-year-old books! Row after row after row of one-thousand-year-old books! "This is amazing!" she nearly squealed. "I had no idea this was here!" Oh, which one should I read first?! Sombra laughed. "What you see here was once the largest collection of knowledge in Equestria. It doubled as a public library—highly guarded but accessible to the public from dawn to dusk." He grinned. "Needless to say, I spent a lot of time here." She followed him to one of the few intact tables, which seemed to set directly in the center of the library. "I can see why!" she exclaimed. "It's extraordinary!" "Yes." He set a hoof on the table. His brow furrowed. "What I don't understand is why it was left to rot in such a horrible manner. Roan was once the most sophisticated city in the world, rivaled only by the Crystal Empire, but it seems this castle is the only remaining structure... and almost everything within it was left behind." Twilight breathed out a silent, "Oh." Right. He didn't know. "I think I can answer that for you." She took a seat at the table and she rubbed her hooves together as she spared a glance at Sombra. "I don't have all the details, mind you. I never really had a reason to ask Princess Celestia about this place after my friends and I found the Elements here." Sombra pulled up a seat to sit beside her. Yet, he remained silent. "Well, a thousand years ago, when the Princesses still lived here, Princess Luna slowly grew jealous of Celestia because she believed their subjects loved Celestia and the daytime more than they loved her and her night. When the finally fell to the darkness inside her, she became a malevolent being called Nightmare Moon. She then tried to take the throne for herself. They battled, and I'm sure that's how the castle was damaged so badly, but in the end Princess Celestia had no choice but to use the Elements of Harmony against her own sister. They banished Nightmare Moon to the moon." She looked up at the sky. "I can't imagine what Princess Celestia went through back then. I don't know what I'd do if I had to use the Elements against Shining Armor. I guess it makes sense she would leave this place behind after her ordeal." "Too many bad memories," grumbled Sombra. Her ears perked. "Pardon?" "Nothing, Twilight." He stood and moved to the end of the table. "It must have been some battle, to reduce Roan to nothing but a chasm and decrepit ruins." There was a monotone to his voice, which Twilight found odd. As suddenly as it appeared, however, it was gone, and Sombra's voice found a nuance of hope. "But, what was left behind will not go to waste," he continued. His eyes sparked with mischief as he touched the chair at the head of the table. In one motion, he pushed it backwards. It didn't fall to the floor, but instead stuck fast at an odd angle. The clinks and clanks of unseen machinations came, muffled, through the left wall. Then, before their very eyes, two of the smaller shelves shifted open to reveal a secret door. Unlike everything else Twilight had seen, this door didn't appear as worn as the others. It was faint green in color and there were no markings of which to speak. Before she was able to ask about it, Sombra was already in the process of hauling his luggage through to the other side. "Wait for me!" she exclaimed. Once she entered the room on the other side she was greeted by walls of green and blue. The left wall was home to a small bookcase; a red couch set snugly against the right. There was only one small, round table, and there were cushions on the floor in random places. Upon said floor was a soft, violet carpet, which muffled her steps as she approached the murals in the back. There were two. The left was comprised of orange and yellow paints. It depicted the sun among the clouds. Its neighbor, a combination of different blues, was of the moon and stars. "What is this place?" she whispered. As he set his luggage next to the couch, Sombra replied, "This was once the Princess' personal reading room." "How did you know this was here?" A minute or two passed them by in silence, but Twilight was patient. She made her way to the solitary table as the sandwiches and juice she packed away floated out of her saddlebags. She banished the dust from the oaken surface, then placed their lunch upon it. There were two sandwiches and two bottles of apple juice for both of them, so there wasn't much to divide and organize. As soon as she was finished, she cleared her throat. "I brought lunch, if you want some," she said. The stallion snapped out of his thought-fueled daze and turned his head to momentarily regard the food. His previous thought process seemingly forgotten, he approached. "You didn't have to do such a thing," he said. "Well, I did, and I brought daisy and dandelion sandwiches and apple juice." "Thank you. I am grateful." Sombra unwrapped his portions; Twilight followed suit. The exact time eluded her, but she herself had been looking forward to eating since they set hoof in the library. Surely, her friend was just as famished, and so she was thankful he had accepted her meager offerings. Yet, she kept an eye on him. His eyes didn't leave the table, even as he ate. His continued silence made her uneasy. Did she ask one too many questions? Was he tired? Was it the food? Did he really not like it here? Should she have demanded to pay for his continued stay at the inn? "Twilight." Startled, she hastily swallowed her last bite of her lunch. "Yes?" she gasped and coughed. He didn't seem to notice. "To answer your earlier question... This castle holds many secrets—mostly mischievous traps and passageways. I, in all honesty, know the majority of them, because the Princesses revealed them to me." "Really?" Her head tilted. "Why?" Sombra took a deep breath. "We were friends once." His gaze, for a brief moment, met hers. "Once. Then, we weren't... and that's all I have to say about that." Twilight simply nodded, and she mentally tucked away her many questions for a much, much later time. === Chapter Four : Flint === What a welcome... Flash huffed a tired sigh. Giving credit where credit was due, Ponyvillians sure knew how to have fun. As if the abundance of sugary food wasn't enough, the Elements "volunteered" him for a multitude of games: Pin the Tail on the Pony, charades, Mad Libs, Blind Mare's Bluff... It was well after noon, a quarter until one, yet there was still no sign of Twilight Sparkle. He groaned as he rested his cheek on the table. Due to his inability to just say no, his assimilation into the town's energetic populace was pretty much complete. That was far from a problem, of course, but the one mare he wanted to see more than anypony had yet to show her lovely face. "Looks like Miss Pinkie has claimed another victim." Flash started. "Huh?" An elderly earth stallion stood before him. His coat was as gray as stone; his mane was a dull brown, with streaks of white from age. More important, however, was the other stallion's uniform: a blue short-sleeved shirt, a black tie, and a black-brimmed blue hat. "Is... Is there a problem, officer?" he stammered. A grin manifested on the stranger's wrinkled face. "Of course not, my boy," he retorted. He didn't wait for an invitation before he promptly seated himself next to Flash. "Why? Feelin' guilty about something?" "Uh—" Barking a laugh, he clapped the pegasus on the shoulder. "Kidding! Kidding!" he chortled. "I'm here for your party, Mr. Sentry. Nothin' more." "Oh, please, just call me Flash." The stallion simply nodded, then held out his hoof. "Name's Flint." Flash shook it without hesitation. "It's nice to meet you." "Likewise, my boy." As the older stallion leaned back against his chair, a golden glint on his shirt caught Flash's attention. It was a badge, he noticed. His interest peaked, for he wasn't close enough to read what was engraved on its shiny surface. As such, it didn't take long for Flint to figure out why the pegasus kept glancing at his uniform. "Ah, you caught that, huh?" he muttered, tapping his badge. "Well, I was hoping to save this conversation for later, seein' as you just got here and all, but I guess there's no helpin' it. I'm Ponyville's police chief." Flash's eyes grew wide. "You mean...?" "Yep. I'm your new boss." Rubbing the back of his neck, Flash chuckled. "Well, in that case, it's really nice to make your acquaintance, sir." Flint scoffed. "Take it easy. I'm not some uppity big-city captain. There's no need to butter me up." "Sorry, I didn't mean to cause offense." "Don't worry about it. Really. Worry only about enjoying yourself." "Am I free to ask questions?" "If that's what you want." As Pinkie Pie bounced by, she left a glass of punch in front of him. He didn't even bat an eye as he lifted it to take a long sip out of the twisty straw. "But," he added suddenly, before Flash spoke, "just be warned, not much happens around these parts." He shot a glance at Pinkie, whose puffy pink tail bobbed in the air as the rest of her body disappeared into the crowd of revelers. "Let me rephrase that... Not much happens here that we, as the police, have to deal with ourselves. You've met them, right? The Elements?" Flash nodded. "Excellent. Good mares, that lot. They attract a lot of trouble, like Fate's got it out for 'em, but they've done a lot for Ponyville over the years." "And for Equestria as a whole," Flash interjected. Smiling, Flint raised his glass. "True, true." He sighed. "It's easy-going for us, my boy, so you better get used to a nuance of boredom now and again. Drunks are a common problem. This party is all for you, Flash, but get used to them. Pinkie Pie is Ponyville's self-proclaimed Party Pony." He deadpanned. "Sweet Celestia, try saying that five times fast..." For the first time that afternoon, Flash laughed. "I think I'll manage! You won't believe where I was stationed before I decided to move here." The older stallion arched a brow. "Try me." "The Crystal Empire." Flint nearly exasperated his drink. "Get outta town!" he exclaimed. "Hoof to Princess Celestia, I swear." "Well, I'll be... How the hay did you end up all the way up there?" "The place was gone for nearly a thousand years. It needed a little extra help and my squad was more than available." He paused, for there was a full glass of punch before him he just noticed. While he was certain it wasn't there a moment before, the timing couldn't have been more perfect. Only then did he realize he was thirsty. He didn't hesitate to take a swig. "Anyway," he continued, "that was where I first met them, the Elements. That was awesome, but it went downhill from there. Some crazy unicorn showed up, wanting revenge on them for something they supposedly did to her, and brainwashed the entire populace—me and my squad included!" A low, flat whistle escaped from between Flint's teeth. "Good gravy. Must've been some serious magic they were packin'." Flash shrugged. "She had some super-magical necklace on her. I heard she stole it, but whatever. It was destroyed in the battle between her and Miss Twilight. Unfortunately, I don't remember any of it. I didn't come around until the fight was long over." He, intentionally, left out the bit about how he woke up in a utility closet. "After that, we were called back to Canterlot. They offered me a paid vacation after what I went through, but I didn't take it. All I wanted was a transfer." "I can't say I blame you. Although, I can't say I understand your choice. We're a simple little community, but we have our moments. Like I said, the Elements are a magnet for all sorts of trouble. Not that I blame them for any of it, mind you. It's just how things work around here now—the new normal." Flint cleared his throat. "But, enough about that. When can you start?" "Uh, I can start tomorrow, if you want." "Good, good. I'll have one of the guys drop off a few uniforms for you later today. I'll set up a simple patrol route to get you started. Sound good to you?" "Yes, sir." "I'll see you at seven sharp, got it?" "Yes, sir." Grunting, Flint hopped off his chair. "Then I'll see you in the mornin', my boy." He tipped his hat. "Enjoy your party." Flash merely nodded, then he watched as the police chief vanished into the crowd. What a nice guy, he thought, taking a long sip of punch. Despite what Flint thought, however, his choice to move to Ponyville was far above an upgrade for the pegasus. There was more free-time in his future, though, that much was certain. Oh, well. === Chapter Five : Bloom and Brews === The crunch of dirt and gravel beneath Twilight's hooves was the only sound to accompany her as she trudged one of the Everfree's natural trails. She happened upon it shortly after she left the castle—left Sombra. Whether it was the work of a prowling manticore or a pack of timberwolves, it didn't matter to her. It would, eventually and conveniently, return her to the grove where the trees were adorned with Zecora's chimes. It was only fair she pay her friend a visit. She spent the last week in recovery and, much to her shame, she hadn't once thought of the zebra. She rarely left the sanctuary of the library. She emerged only when she and Spike needed a trip to the market, or when she felt compelled to check on Sombra at the inn. So, she would stop by, for the sake of her friend and herself. Celestia knew she needed the distraction. As much as she didn't want to leave Sombra all by himself all too soon, she couldn't help but feel she had overstayed her welcome. Well, perhaps that was too negative a thought, but it was definitely for the best she leave the stallion to his own devices for now. She knew better than to force such an issue. No, he would open up only when the time was right, and not a moment sooner. The tip of her horn brushed against the pointed bottom of a stone chime. Its whimsical knoll was welcomed song, and her body automatically turned in the direction of Zecora's tree. The warm glow of its lanterns cut through the forest's murk as easily as any streetlight and, as she neared, she caught a whiff of the exotic incense Zecora used to ward off dangerous beasts. Still, Twilight stiffened when a branch snapped in the distance. "Zecora?" she called. "Is that you?" A monster so suddenly close, likely for the reason it knew she was already there, would launch an attack regardless if she made her presence known or not, and heavens knew she didn't want to cast a paranoid spell at a friend. There came more noise. "Hello...?" replied a small, hesitant voice. The small, buttercream-colored body of a filly emerged from the brush. "Who's there?" Twilight released a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Oh, Apple Bloom, you had me worried for a second!" Her brow furrowed. "Wait, what in the world are you doing out here all by yourself?" Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow. "I was about t'ask you the same thing. I'm headin' to Zecora's. What're you doin'?" Ushering the tiny pony towards their destination, Twilight replied, "I'm on my way there myself. But, you need to be more careful." "I am careful!" The filly reached into her saddlebags and produced a sizable square of burlap. It was sealed on all edges with white thread, and it bulged with contents unknown to the unicorn. "See? Zecora gave me this t'keep the critters away. It's full of... of..." Her face scrunched up. "... Ah, that fancy-smellin' stuff she likes!" "Oh..." A nervous laugh made its way past the mare's lips. "Well, then, it looks like I owe you an apology!" "Eh." Apple Bloom shrugged. "Don't worry about it." She rapped her hoof upon the door of the ornately-decorated home. "Applejack threw the same fit." "Come in, my dear," sang Zecora's muffled voice. "I am here." They found the zebra seated at a table in the corner—nose-deep in a tattered book. Her eyes glanced in their direction. "Ah, what is this?" she hummed. "Not one, but two guests in my midst?" Apple Bloom ran up to her. "Zecora! Zecora!" She threw her saddlebags onto the table, which caused a hoof-full of shiny red apples to spill out past the flaps. "I brought the apples ya wanted!" The zebra gently closed her book and set it to the side. "Thank you, little one, these will help with your next lesson a ton." She stood. "But, as you may have guessed, I need to have a word with our other guest." Twilight smiled. "Hey, Zecora." "Twilight Sparkle! How have you been?" She pulled the unicorn into a tight hug. "I would have prepared some tea, if your arrival I had foreseen." "Don't worry about it. It's just good to see you again. You wouldn't believe what happened to the girls and I recently." Chuckling, Zecora motioned for Twilight to take a seat, which the latter took with gratitude. "I heard some things, here and there, but do not be afraid to share. You battled a pony armed with dark magic—a fight that ended quite tragic." "Yep, that's about it." Apple Bloom pushed a small stool to the table, so she could sit next to them. "Yeah, yeah, yeah," she huffed. "But, what am I supposed to do with these apples here?" "We need only one, and we need it for the seeds. Those will be enough to suit our needs." Zecora held up one of the fruits. She pulled in into halves without effort and its tiny brown seeds fell from the exposed core. "It's actually quite fortunate you had so many in your pack, as the rest of them will make a pleasant snack." She handed the seeds to the filly, then she reached for the book she was reading earlier. "Follow these instructions," she warned, opening up to a specific page, "for do not doubt. You're aiming not for a tree, but for merely a sprout." Twilight gazed at the two. "Wait... What are you doing?" Apple Bloom looked down at the seeds with a beaming smile. "Zecora's teachin' me how to make potions!" she exclaimed, bouncing to the other end of the room. A hint of pride graced Zecora's features. "Since her sister was away, I took her under my wing to keep her loneliness and boredom at bay. And, despite your safe return to Ponyville, I plan to continue her lessons still." "That's fantastic!" Twilight's tail almost began to wag in her excitement. The very thought of somepony so young taking an interest in alchemy—in any form of magic—was exhilarating. "May I watch?" The filly nodded. "Yeah, sure, I don't mind." She then shot a glare at the mares which, given her size, wasn't all that threatening. "Just gimme some peace 'n quiet, so I can concentrate!" Twilight and Zecora, of course, complied and they watched with great interest as Apple Bloom went about setting up for her assigned project. She took a clay pot, already filled with loose soil, into which she dropped one of the apple seeds. She then, for the moment, abandoned the pot. Instead, she snatched a mortar and pestle off the corner table. Afterwards, it became obvious Apple Bloom had spent a great deal of time in the humble home. She seemed to know where Zecora kept everything; after a few glances at the book, she moved quickly between drawers and cabinets—grabbing ingredients into the crook of her left foreleg. Twilight recognized a few of the items she tossed into the mortar: a fiddlehead, a sprig of glasswort, and a sprinkle of what she guessed were fish scales. The resulting mush ended up in the cauldron with a bucketful of river water. Apple Bloom was careful as she stirred it. After a minute, when the mixture turned red and she took a second to consult the book, a purple-spotted mushroom and a pinch of salt—at least, Twilight assumed the substance was salt—were added. A pink cloud of magic erupted from the cauldron with a loud poof, but the filly continued to stir. It wasn't for another few moments that she felt the mixture was complete. With a ladle, she dribbled some into a glass bottle. For the moment of truth, she carried the bottle to the pot, and she let a single drop fall onto the seed. To Apple Bloom's credit, she was astonishingly patient as the next few minutes passed. The bottle remained clenched between her teeth. Her intense stare tried to bore a hole into the pot. Twilight bit down on her hoof, while Zecora looked on with an impassive gaze. The tension split when a sprout finally erupted from the seed. It wasn't a large sprout, but it was a sprout nonetheless. Apple Bloom certainly thought it a success, as it had her bouncing around the pot shouting, "Yes, yes, yes!" at the top of her lungs. Zecora smiled, turning to look at Twilight. "I knew there was no need to fear," she said softly. "This is not the first time her talent's shone clear." At the sound of "talent," Apple Bloom turned her head to look at her flank. To the filly's disappointment, it was as blank as ever. "Shoot," she grumbled, lowering her head in dissatisfaction. That got a laugh out of both Twilight and Zecora. "Don't be discouraged!" the former soothed. She stood and approached the child. "What you did just now was amazing, Apple Bloom. Don't let yourself think otherwise." "Thanks, Twilight..." The mare placed a comforting hoof on her back. "You'll get better. Zecora will make sure of that." She smiled. "But, if you need a little extra help, I'm more than willing to lend you a hoof and any book you may need!" Zecora strolled up beside her. "Your skill will continue to grow from here," she said. "It will grow greater, should you decide to lend Twilight your ear." Gently, she cupped the head of the sapling in her hoof. "You've done very well, my dear." Apple Bloom stuck out her chest in pride. "Darn tootin'!" Twilight snickered. "Well, good luck with the rest of your lessons. I need to get myself back to the library." "Wait, what about the party?" "Huh? What party?" The filly tilted her head. "Pinkie's throwin' a bash for the new feller who just moved into town. Now that I think about it, I remember my sister and the others askin' where you were. How long have you been out here, anyway?" Zecora raised a brow at Twilight, who recoiled slightly at the look, then immediately returned her attention to her apprentice. "If you would be so kind, Apple Bloom, a book I need you to find." She gestured to one of her shelves—one at the far end of the room. "It's the only one with a green and battered spine, so you'll find it just fine." "Got it!" As Apple Bloom left them in peace, Zecora walked Twilight to the door. "It was good to see you, my friend," she said. "It's a shame our time together is at its end." Swallowing, Twilight mustered enough energy to smile. "Same here, but if everyone's looking for me, then I shouldn't worry them." The other mare nodded. "Though nothing's wrong, you've been away for far too long." "Yeah..." Truth be told, Twilight felt guilty about her lack of knowledge regarding one of Pinkie Pie's parties, especially if it was being thrown for someone new to the community. But, it wasn't as though she meant to be absent. She had a good reason—not that she could tell anypony the reason. She came to the quick conclusion that the only way to rectify the situation was to get to Sugarcube Corner as quickly as possible. "Thank you for your time, Zecora, but I have to get myself to a party!" Zecora smiled. "Enjoy yourself, Twilight!" She shielded her eyes in time to avoid the bright light of Twilight's teleportation spell. She then stood there, silent for a moment, before she turned her attention elsewhere. When the time is right, perhaps you'll speak to me of your plight. === Chapter Six : About Time! === While convenient, Twilight was soon reminded of the consequences of teleporting farther than one was comfortably acclimated. Spots flooded her vision once her hooves touched solid ground. Her head swam, though she heard the distinct sound of gasps go off around her. "I'm here," she grumbled, rubbing at her eyes with the back of a foreleg. "I'm here." She tried to take a step, but she stumbled. Fortunately, somepony was quick enough to catch her. "Good gravy, girl!" exclaimed Applejack. "Where the hay have you been?" Plucking a leaf out of Twilight's mane, Rarity mused, "Well, she's obviously been someplace dreadful." Twilight rolled her eyes. "I was in the middle of some research into the Everfree's flora," she fibbed. She plucked the leaf out of Rarity's magic with her own, then promptly stuffed it into her saddlebags. "I wouldn't have stayed out so long if I had known there was a party going on. I'm sorry about that." "Oh, who told you?" "I ran into Apple Bloom." Applejack bit down on her lip. "Did she make it to Zecora's place all right?" "Yeah, she's fine. She really knows her way around." She sighed in relief. "Good." Her head turned to face Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Spike, who approached them with smiles on their faces. "Look, y'all, Twilight's finally here!" "About time!" shouted Pinkie. The pink earth mare threw her forelegs around Twilight's neck in a hug. "Now we're missing only one friend!" "Wait, what?" asked Twilight. Rarity rolled her hoof in the air. "Oh, Rainbow Dash is busy getting tomorrow's thunderstorm ready." Worry welled up in the unicorn's barrel. "T-thunderstorm?" "We're due for the rain," said Applejack. Displeasure twisted her mouth into a frown. "It was supposed t'be a nice little sun shower, but somepony at the weather factory messed up and they got a shipment of unruly thunderclouds in from Vanhoover." Her scowl deepened, her voice lowered in volume. "Guess it's just easier to unleash the lot of 'em an' risk property damage than to sent 'em back there they came from..." The mares (and, of course, Spike) looked at each other in discomfort. "Anyway," coughed Rarity, "you really need to say hello to our new neighbor, Twilight. He's a lovely individual." She pointed to the far corner, where a lone stallion sat staring into a half-empty glass. Twilight squinted. "He looks familiar." "Well, he should," commented Spike. "That's Flash Sentry. We met him at the Crystal Empire, remember?" Well, now she remembered. Flash was the lieutenant of the reinforcements Princess Celestia sent—the same stallion who walked them to breakfast on one of their first mornings spent in the palace. "Yes. I guess I didn't recognized him without the armor." As a pony who was born and raised in Canterlot, the golden armor of the Royal Guard was everywhere and discerning individuals was rather difficult when one was desensitized to their presence. "Come on, Spike, let's say hello." With her number-one assistant by her side, Twilight nudged her way past the herd of familiar party-goers. It was easier said than done, as her presence hadn't gone unnoticed. "Hey, book-girl!" shouted a voice from the crowd. Twilight spared a glance. "Hey, Colgate!" Another voice rang out, "What's up, Twilight?" "Nothing much, Derpy." More and more ponies were vocal with their greetings as she walked, which made her wonder when she became so popular. Though it was nowhere near as frenzied, the last time she had so many eyes on her was during the Gala ticket fiasco. She, admittedly, knew very few names, and that was only because of Pinkie's abundance of parties. But, it was better than nothing to a mare who aimed to take greater strides in the name of friendship. She tapped her hoof on the table to get the occupant's attention. Flash looked up immediately, only for his eyes to bulge out of his head as he yelped and fell out of his chair. "Uh..." She glanced at Spike, who merely shrugged. "Flash? Hello? Are you all right?" Scrambling, the stallion righted himself. "Yes, yes, I'm fine!" he retorted a little too loud for his liking. "It's just... I-I didn't think you were coming." "I would've been here sooner, had I known this was going on, but I was in the middle of something." She tilted her head. "I mean, you live here now. Even if I didn't show, we would've run into each other eventually." A crimson tinge spread across Flash's cheeks. "W-well, yes, but... It's, uh, really good to see you again, Miss Twilight." "It's good to see you, too. So, which house is yours now? The one on Pastern, or Dapple?" They were the only vacancies to Twilight's knowledge, as the owners there moved out before their trip to the Crystal Empire (and Rarity, as always, kept her ears open for potential gossip—despite her claims otherwise). "No, it's on Hames." Her brow knitted together in confusion. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that one." Pinkie Pie slid into her peripheral vision. "That was Berry Punch's place!" she whispered. Well, it wasn't so much a whisper as it was a poor attempt at one. "Berry moved?" "Only in with her sister a few doors down. You know, because she needs help with her drinking prob—" "Thank you, Pinkie." "Don't mention it!" Twilight raised a hoof to her forehead and sighed as the pink mare bounced away. "Sorry about that," she muttered, smiling at Flash. The stallion shrugged. "It's fine. It sounds like you still have a few empty houses around. What happened?" She frowned. "Ponies are always coming and going, I'm afraid. It can get rather... hectic around here when you least expect it. I guess it's only a matter of time before someone realizes they're better off someplace else." She didn't have the heart, given her company, to inform him the couple in the house on Pastern were driven off by Spike's birthday rampage (and she intended for Spike to never find out), or that the family on Dapple moved to Baltimare after the "Gabby Gums" incident. Fortunately, Flash didn't seem to want to press further. "Well, you don't have to worry about me leaving," he said. He grinned. "After that whole debacle in the Crystal Empire, I'm pretty sure I can tough out anything this town throws at me." Spike crossed his arms. "Good luck with that." Twilight shushed him, then returned her attention to the pegasus. "Well, I wish you all the best. Excuse me." Before she could turn to leave, Flash reached out. "Wait!" She started. "What?" "Where, uh... May I ask where your place is?" "Oh, Spike and I both live at the Golden Oaks Library." "It's a giant tree with windows in it," added Spike. "You can't miss it." Flash nodded. "Okay, got it." Twilight offered him one last wave. "See you around, Flash!" "See you..." As they walked away, Spike rubbed his hands together. "Well, now that that's over, let's get back to the grub!" She glanced at him. "Hmm?" "Food! You haven't eaten yet, have you?" "Oh, yeah, I took a few sandwiches with me this morning." Still, she looked over a table stocked high with colorful pastries. Lunch or not, she found herself drawn, and she took a pink-frosted cupcake from the variety. "Eh, I guess one little cupcake won't hurt." === Chapter Seven : Correspondence === The party dwindled in numbers throughout the passing hour. For each pony who made his or her way out the door, Pinkie Pie grew more and more aware she, once again, overdid it with the food. She knew nopony matched her sweet-tooth, but she couldn't eat the leftovers by herself! The last time she tried, she got a tummy-ache and a few not-angry, but definitely not-happy words from the Cakes. She made up doggy-bags in a last-ditch effort to unload the abundance. After a microphone-aided announcement, she then left them on a table by the door. She was delighted to see the brown paper bags snatched up as ponies filed out of Sugarcube Corner. After she made sure Flash Sentry was accompanied by a complete baker's dozen of cupcakes on his way out, only she and her friends remained. Rarity let out a content sigh. "Another lovely party, Pinkie, as always." Pinkie beamed, twirling a broom around in her hoof. "Thank you very much!" "Do you want us to help you clean up?" asked Fluttershy, who was eyed the nearby closet. "Nah. I got it. A little sweeping here and there, and this place will be hunky-dory again!" Compared to some of her other shenanigans, her "Welcome to Ponyville" parties were on the tame end of the scale. It was more about the friendly atmosphere, rather than the decorations. She used only the bare minimum of the adornments: a "Welcome" banner, some balloons and, of course, the food. Despite her protest, Twilight magically lowered the banner and rolled it up into a scroll, while Applejack gathered the balloons. "Where you do want these, Pinkie?" asked the latter. She shrugged. "Just deflate them and set them somewhere for now. I'll take them upstairs later. I have a trunk in my room for all my party stuff." Fluttershy blinked. "Just... one trunk?" "Must be some trunk," grumbled Applejack. Pinkie merely laughed. They weren't ready. The Secret Party-Planning Cave was to, for now, remain just that—secret. Applejack dropped the last deflated balloon onto the little pile she had created. "I better head on out," she huffed. "I gotta make sure Apple Bloom made it home safe 'n sound." "I wouldn't worry," said Twilight. "If she made it to Zecora's without trouble, then she'd have no problem finding her way home." "Yeah, but she's my little sister, ya know?" She adjusted her hat. "But, I can guarantee it won't last long." "What won't last long?" asked Spike. Twilight replied, "Apple Bloom is taking alchemy lessons from Zecora." "Hey, that's cool!" Applejack dismissively waved her hoof. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, but if she doesn't get her cutie mark as soon as she wants it, she'll get bored and move onto the next silly idea." Twilight frowned. "Alchemy isn't silly," she grumbled, too low to be heard. The bell above the entryway jingled. "We're back!" called Mr. Cake. He held the door open for his wife, who entered with the twins in two. "How'd the party go?" Pinkie tossed a hoof-full of confetti into the air. "Super-successful-tastically!" "That's good," commented Mrs. Cake. "How are the rest of your girls doing?" A myriad of positive replies came in unison, which made the older mare smile. "Good, good," she chuckled. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Pound and Pumpkin are due for a nap." The little ponies on her back both yawned. As Mrs. Cake made her way upstairs, Applejack headed for the door. "It's good to see y'all again, Cakes, but I need to get myself back to the farm. So long!" They bid her farewell, though Fluttershy was the next to announce her departure. When Rarity volunteered to walk her home, that left only Pinkie, Twilight, Spike, and Mr. Cake. "So, what's the new guy like?" the stallion asked. "He's really nice," Pinkie replied. "He's our new officer, too." "Wait, officer?" inquired Twilight. "Ponyville has a police force?" Mr. Cake shrugged. "A small one, but yes." "Wow. Flash didn't mention that. I wonder why he left the Royal Guard." "I dunno," Spike commented, "but it definitely seems like a downgrade." "Now, Spike, be nice." "Sorry." Twilight shook her head, Then, with a sigh, she nodded towards the door. "Let's head back to the library. Oh, and Pinkie?" The other mare's ears perked. "Yeah?" "If you see Rainbow, could you send her my way? I want to ask her about the storm." "Okie-dokie!" "Thanks a bunch." Now alone with Mr. Cake, Pinkie moved behind the counter to gather the deflated balloons. It wasn't long before Cupcake descended the stairs to join them. "Pound and Pumpkin are sound asleep," she announced in a soft voice, a relieved smile on her face. "How's our schedule, dear?" "Free and clear, Cupcake." His beloved sighed. "Then, if you don't mind, I'm going to—" She stopped—her eyes widening as a thought suddenly occurred to her. "Oh, Carrot, the mail!" Mr. Cake's face scrunched in confusion, before the same realization hit him. "Right, right." He reached into the pocket of his apron. His hoof emerged with a neatly-sealed envelope. "You got a letter, Pinkie!" he exclaimed, holding it out to the pink pony. "It doesn't say who it's from, but it's clearly addressed to you." Pinkie released a delighted squeal as she snatched the envelope out of his grasp. "He kept his promise!" she cried cheerfully. She tore the top edge with her teeth and she delved into the letter immediately. The Cakes stood silent in anticipation, for whatever the missive held it had Pinkie grinning from ear to ear—a grin that grew the more she read. She finished the letter with a fit of giggles and she held it against her chest in a careful manner, as not to wrinkle it. "Well?" pressed Mrs. Cake. "What is it, Pinkie?" "A letter from my new friend, Cheese Sandwich!" Her eyes sparkled. "He's a party pony, like me!" The Cakes exchanged a bewildered glance. "He Pinkie Promised he'd write to me every now and again, just to fill me in on where he is and how he's doing, and he did!" Both Carrot and Cupcake took a seat in front of the young mare. "Tell us more," urged the latter. "It sounds like you've taken quite a liking to him." Smoothing the letter out on the counter, Pinkie wracked her brain for a starting point. "Well, he's a lot like me. Except, you know, he's a stallion. And he likes to wear a poncho and cowpony hat when he's not in party-mode. Oh, but that's not really what you asked, is it?" She gave them a sheepish smile. "I met him in the Crystal Empire. He's the one who helped me with Trixie's party." Given the Cakes already knew about that particular event, she immediately moved the topic forward. "I wasn't super sure how to feel about him at first. He looked a little too serious to be a party pony." She clapped her hooves together in glee. "But, wow, did he prove me wrong! He really knows how to throw a party! A big party, though, not a small one. That's the only difference between our parties. I mean, I nailed that masquerade ball, but I think it will be a long, long, long, long time before I can do that again!" Her gaze moved to the letter once more. "He's in Manehattan right now, hosting a celebration for the newly-renovated city hall. He's off to Tall Tale after that." Chuckling, Mrs. Cake made her way into the kitchen. "He sounds like a busy stallion." "He is! He travels all over Equestria, just to make ponies smile!" "So, when are we going to meet him?" questioned Carrot. "I'm sure he can find time to stop by Ponyville." "I'll have to ask him!" His brow furrowed. "But, how do you know where to send the letter? Pinkie Sense?" "Yup!" Mrs. Cake emerged with a plate of sandwiches, which she set between Carrot and Pinkie. "Well, let's hope he visits soon." Yet, though she would never say it aloud, the thought of a second Pinkie Pie was somewhat exhausting. "I want to thank him personally for helping you and the others." Pinkie reached for one of the sandwiches. As much as she loved the confections offered by the Corner, it was unwise to overindulge. "Too much of a good thing," and all that. A bizarre twinge in her hoof stopped her outreach. "Huh?" she whispered. She rolled the appendage lightly, but the sensation spread up her limb like wildfire. It spasmed—knocking the platter to the floor. Mr. Cake flinched away from the scene. Cupcake ran to his side. They watched in growing concern as Pinkie's body was overwhelmed by tremors. It was like the mare was experiencing an earthquake only she felt. Even when they slowed, her mane and tail seemed to inflate. As they slowed to a complete stop, the pink tufts popped and sagged. Eyes wide, Pinkie clung to the floor to steady herself. There was a sudden sense of something—something that felt as though a dark cloud had latched onto her. "D-d-doozy!" she gasped. "It's a doozy!" Cautiously, Mrs. Cake approached her. When it became apparent there would be no more quaking, she ran a comforting hoof over Pinkie's mane. "Was... Was that your Pinkie Sense?" "Y-y-yeah." Her legs wobbled as she tried to stand. In the end, she ended up leaning against the older mare for support. The cold weight in her chest was somewhat alleviated by the contact. "I-I'm fine." Except, she wasn't entirely sure. "Oh, you poor dear, you look terrible," mused Cupcake. Carrot spoke up. "Why did your Pinkie Sense go off?" Pinkie glanced at him. "Hold on... I-I need to think." "It's not another ancient evil, is it?" Cupcake glared at him. Pinkie shook her head. "No. Nothing like that. Nothing... that bad." "Oh, you poor thing." Cupcake nudged her. "If there's no big baddie coming to Ponyville, or there's no world-ending cataclysm, the least you can do is rest for a bit." "Okay..." "Do you want to talk about it first?" Allowing a little more of her weight to be supported by Mrs. Cake, Pinkie attempted to sort through her feelings. But, it wasn't easy. If they weren't positive she didn't know what to do with them—what to make of them. It definitely wasn't sadness. She and sadness were, unfortunately, old friends. It was something a little darker and more alarming. It left her insides jittery. It wasn't a good jittery, like when she was baking a magnificent birthday cake or when it was her turn to watch the twins. "It's dread, I think," she said. She spoke slowly. "Nothing bad is coming, but..." Her eyes wandered randomly over the room. "Somepony is coming, and it's not Cheese." The stallion wouldn't be paying them a visit for quite some time, she knew. "I don't know who it is, but they're important. Not important like Princess Celestia or Sapphire Shores or Fancy Pants or—" Mrs. Cake gently pressed her hoof against the young mare's mouth to silence her. "Enough," she scolded, though her voice was far from harsh. "Don't stress yourself out over this. It's time for rest. We'll talk later, okay?" Pinkie hung her head low. Then, after a second or two, she nodded. She didn't have the energy to argue and, silently, she allowed herself to be led upstairs. === Chapter Eight : Storm === Rainbow Dash, ever the speedy pegasus, found Twilight before nightfall. The thunderstorm was isolated only to Ponyville, she said. The relief was immediate, and Twilight slept easy. When morning came, she abandoned her recent habit of lazing about in bed and she awakened Spike with an abundance of apologies. And the promise of a big breakfast as soon as their work was done. There was much to do before they were bombarded with rain and thunder. Even though the sun had yet to fully emerge beyond the horizon, the pegasi were already herding in the moisture-bloated black clouds. Their time was limited. Together, they checked the library for loose branches, set up the lightning rod, and made sure every window was closed. They weren't the only ones, of course. While they didn't stray far from the library, they saw plenty of activity around them. Twilight caught bits and pieces of information from passing ponies, like how both the market and schoolhouse were closed for the day. Most businesses would be closed, she surmised. Nopony with a straight head on their shoulders would dare brave the oncoming storm. When the first drops of rain fell from the darkened sky, Twilight ushered her assistant back inside. She huffed, wiping her hooves clean on the rug. Her ear flicked at the ominous rumble of thunder. "I think we timed that perfectly," she commented with a smile. Spike yawned. "Looks like it." "C'mon, breakfast is on me this morning." His eyes lit up. "Pancakes?" "Sure!" "With hot chocolate?" Her smile grew as she nearly leaped towards the kitchen. "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Spike!" Despite what anypony thought, she wasn't completely inept when it came to cooking. Her assistant had his fair share of chores, but he wasn't in charge of every meal. Like any scientific concoction, it was a matter of paying close attention to the recipe and the directions. Unlike her experiments, and like most foods, pancakes and hot chocolate were easy. Spike watched her every move while he took care of their beverages. She pretended, of course, not to notice while she toiled at the stove. As such, he didn't notice when she rolled her eyes. Soon enough, she flipped the final hot cake onto the stack in the center of the table. "Ah-ha!" she cried triumphantly. "Breakfast is served!" Smirking, the baby dragon clapped slowly. "Congrats," he snickered. "You managed not to burn anything!" She shot him a playful glare as she placed two of the pancakes on his plate. "Hey, now, when was the last time that actually happened?" He paused, then shrugged and drove a fork into his breakfast. "Alright, fair 'nough." She passed him the syrup bottle. "That's what I thought." He swallowed a mouthful, then chased it with a gulp from his hot chocolate. "So, what are we going to do today?" Twilight mulled over the question for a few seconds. "Well, we can't do much," she mused aloud. The storm was meant to last well into the night. "When's the last time we cleaned?" "Saturday." "So, that's out." Not much grime could accumulate in three days, so she moved it to the bottom of her mental list. "We could test out some of those new spells Princess Celestia sent me before... you know?" He raised a brow. "What kind of spells?" "I'm... not quite sure. Illusory spells, I think?" Before Spike could ask, she immediately added, "Nothing that will give you a permanent mustache!" His shoulders slumped. "Dang..." Twilight chuckled softly. She then relished the calm, comforting silence as they ate, with the heavy rain and thunder in the background. When a frantic knocking suddenly disturbed the peace they, understandably, jumped out of their seats. "What in the world?" gasped Twilight. In a flash, she teleported to the door and opened it. She was bewildered to see Flash Sentry on the other side—clad in a simple police uniform and soaking wet. "Flash? What are you doing out in the rain?!" The stallion opened his mouth to answer, but it came out as a yelp as Twilight dragged him inside with her magic. "Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Hold on, I was just—" "Hold that thought." Another spell later, Flash was dry. He looked over himself in wonder. "Hey, thanks!" "No problem! Now, again, why were you outside? In case you haven't noticed, there's a storm." Adjusting his hat, he grimaced. "Yeah, well, being the new guy on the force..." He coughed. "Chief wants to see what I'm really made of, so I'm on checkup duty. I'm going around to make sure folks are all right, then I'll have some time to myself before I make another round this evening." "That's terrible!" "Well, no offense, but I've been through worse. Besides, you and your dragon are the last ones on my list." Twilight smiled. "Well, in that case, would you like to stay for breakfast? I made pancakes. Spike made hot chocolate." Flash looked down at the floor. "Ah, thank you for the offer, but I don't want to impose." "Nonsense! Spike and I are just fine, which means your duty is done for now, right?" A hopeful gleam twinkled in his eyes. "I did say that, didn't I?" "C'mon, then!" She led him into the kitchen. Fortunately, Spike already set up an extra chair and plate at the table for their guest. "This place is nice," said Flash as he took a seat. Twilight and Spike followed suit, and the former levitated a few flapjacks onto his plate. "I've never met somepony who lived in a library before." "It was originally a last-minute, temporary arrangement," Twilight explained. She took a moment to eat a little more of her food. "It was for the Summer Sun Celebration two years ago. The last librarian retired and left town. So, with the local inn completely booked, this was the next best thing." "Then Nightmare Moon happened," added Spike. "I met the girls, recovered the Elements of Harmony, and I just couldn't leave Ponyville—leave them—behind. I didn't have any friends—" Spike cleared his throat. "—other than Spike, before I met them. Princess Celestia encouraged me to stay here, to study the magic of friendship, and Mayor Mare was generous to let us live here in the library, as long as we took on the role of Ponyville's librarians." Pouring syrup over his meal, the pegasus whistled. "That's really something!" he exclaimed. "Other than playing librarian, though, what else do you do? Or, rather, what do you like to do?" Twilight blinked. "Huh?" "Surely, you're not always out and about saving Equestria. Didn't you say you liked to read?" "Uh, yes." When did I say that? Odd. Still, she divulged her love of literature: science, history, magic. It was a subject not meant to last, however, since Flash himself wasn't much of a reader. "Just didn't have the time for it as a Royal Guard," he said. Twilight felt a little dejected, until her guest moved the conversation forward by asking about her cutie mark. She didn't see a reason not to tell the story. She was rewarded, in turn, with the story behind his. He was watching over some of his young cousins at a family reunion in Cloudsdale. He was only a colt, but he was the oldest, and he apparently had many young ones to supervise. He didn't notice one of them was missing until he heard her cries for help. When he rushed to investigate, he discovered his cousin in the grips of a crazed and disheveled old mare. He acted on instinct and charged the stranger—freeing his cousin when he tackled her to the ground. The commotion attracted the attention of his parents and the other adults. After all was said and done, the bizarre mare (who was, sadly, senile and believed the little filly to be her granddaughter) was returned to the home from which she escaped and Flash was free to proudly show off his cutie mark to his elated family. His talent for protecting others was what put him on the path to becoming a Royal Guard. Twilight somewhat wished it ended there, yet the stallion continued to bombard her with personal questions. He was eager and he seemed to want to know everything, like her favorite color, favorite food, if she liked music, etc. They were things she never contemplated before that moment. She tried her best to answer them. It was almost overwhelming. Thankfully, Spike noticed her distress. "Oh, wow, Twilight," he said, his voice loud with a false sense of alarm, "look at the time!" He pointed at the clock, to which both ponies looked. It was almost eleven o'clock. "Don't you have some new spells to practice for the Princess?" Hiding a smile, Twilight joined him in feigning dismay. "Goodness gracious, you're absolutely right!" Flash's ears flattened. "Uh-oh... Should I leave? I don't want to get in the way." "I'm so sorry about this, but I think it's for the best. I should have been paying attention to the time." "No, no, no!" He stood. "I'm sorry! I should have been back at the station hours ago!" He stretched his wings. "Thank you for the breakfast, though, it was delicious." Twilight waved him off. "It was no problem at all!" She glanced at the nearest window. The rain continued to come down. "Before you go, though..." She got up from her seat and made her way into the main library. In the corner was a wooden bucket, which was home to a few spare umbrellas. She picked one out at random. "Take this," she said, handing it to Flash. "The last thing you need is a cold." He tipped his hat. "Thank you kindly." "Stay safe out there." She opened the door for him. As he trotted out of the library, they exchanged quick farewells and Twilight had to stop herself from shutting the door as soon as his tail crossed the threshold. She instead pushed it closed. Then, sighing, she leaned against it. "Wow," she groaned. "He's a talker, isn't he?" grumbled Spike. "No kidding! I thought he'd never leave." The baby dragon crossed his arms. "I thought he was asking way too many questions about you." "Yeah, that was... uncomfortable." She glanced at the door. "He seems to have Pinkie Pie's level of friendliness." At least, that was her rationalization, though Pinkie Pie would have known the answers to his questions without even asking—such were the party pony's mysterious abilities. Again, she sighed, before she smiled at her assistant. "Let's get the kitchen cleaned up, shall we?" He grinned and stuck up his thumb. "Sounds good to me!" === Chapter Nine : Checking In === It was well into the afternoon when Twilight began to feel antsy. She tried before to distract her tapping hooves with some light reading. Yet, if it wasn't due to the sudden boom of thunder every now and again, her thoughts were troubled with her friend in the Everfree. It was preposterous, she knew. The vast forest was spared from the storm blanketed over town, and Sombra was a grown stallion capable of looking after himself. But, what kind of friend would she be if she didn't make sure? "Spike!" she called, closing her book. A thought struck, and she snatched three more from off the shelf. "Yeah?" came the reply from downstairs. She teleported to her assistant. The little dragon was in the middle of making a sandwich. "Can you watch the library for an hour or two?" she asked. "Well, of course I can, but why—" "I'm going into the Everfree." She donned her saddlebags, into which went the books. Before Spike protested, she gave him a reassuring nuzzle. "I'll teleport," she chuckled, "and I'll be fine. This weather is contained to Ponyville, remember?" He eyed her warily. "Yeah, yeah... May I ask why you're going?" She swallowed the urge to tell him the truth. It made her feel a little wretched, though it was made better by the thought that the lie was for a good cause. "Well, I'm delving into a bit of research about the Everfree's flora," she said. Her magic swirled across the top of the counter—gathering the items Spike got out into a few sandwiches of her own. "Also, and I know this is silly, but I'm starting to go stir-crazy in here." To her relief, Spike shrugged. "Okay, but I'm reading comics while you're gone." She hugged him. "Deal!" In a flash of magenta light, she traded the library for the stretch of a familiar rope bridge. She frowned; she had hoped to get herself into the ancient castle. She remedied the situation with another teleport, which took her to the front doors. As a precaution, she knocked three times. She was surprised as the doors slowly swung open, but she was curious to see Sombra wasn't awaiting her on the other side. The entrance was well lit, however, and so she went inside. The doors then closed of their own accord. A simple enchantment, she mused with a small smile. She moved forward. Much had changed since the previous day. The main hall was tidier, with the holes in the ceiling patched and the chunks of debris cleaned from the floor. Gone, too, were the sun and moon banners, however, as well as the fabric tatters from the walls. Curious, she recalled the route to the library and she retraced the path in a light trot. She passed through hallway after hallway. Her steps were muffled on the dirty rugs that lined each stretch of marble floor. One rounded corner later, she nearly collided with Sombra. Startled, she yelped, and the stallion recoiled with a wince. "By the stars, Twilight," he sighed. He set the box he carried on the floor. "It's only me." "I know!" she squeaked. He smirked. "Alright, then. What brings you here, my friend?" "I brought you some stuff—some food and a few books." She glanced at the box. "But, if you're busy..." "Nonsense. I was just doing a little cleaning, is all." The greenish color of his magic enveloped the box again. "Come with me to the library." She followed without hesitation, and she was amazed by the chamber's transformation. Here, too, the ceiling was restored, the floor cleared of rubble and mangled books. The tables had been returned to their upright positions. Many were already piled high with stacks of ancient tomes. Sombra led her to one that was bare. He set the box aside as he removed his cloak. "So, tell me, what have you brought?" he asked, draping the cloak over the back of a chair. "Some sandwiches." Twilight placed them on the table. "I threw them together at the last minute. I hope they're okay." Her eyes widened. "Unless you're not hungry, of course! Or, if you're tired of sandwiches already I can always go back and make you something—" Magic gently wrapped around her muzzle. "Easy, Twilight!" her friend chided. "I'm grateful, truly. I was too busy tidying up around here to eat before, so I'm thankful you came." "Really?" "Yes, really." His smile fell a tidbit. "However, you don't have to go out of your way to bring me food." She looked away. "I know, but you don't have a lot of options out here, you know?" Her ears folded flat. "You'll go hungry." "Don't worry about me." His hoof came to rest on her shoulder. "I'm a capable stallion, and I have more options than you believe." He patted the same shoulder. "This forest provides plenty of scavenging opportunities. If it's not enough, I'm sure Pitch will easily find employment in Ponyville." Twilight deadpanned. "You named your disguise?" He beamed. "Of course! Better to have it and not need it, you know?" Her bottom lip trembled as she attempted to not smile. It was futile. A grin spread across her face as she failed to hold back a laugh. "Alright, fine! I'll give you that one!" She reached into her saddlebags. "I'll also give you these." With a flourish, she pulled out the books. "I brought 'The History of Equestria', 'The Complete Guide to Equestria', and 'Everfree Beasts and How to Avoid Them'!" She tapped the second title. "This one is a little outdated, though, due to the Crystal Empire and all." "Oh, I don't mind. Thank you for these. I'll treat them with great care." As he silently inspected the tomes, Twilight's eyes wandered. They first wandered over the obvious changes in the library. There were no drafts, no chance for rain to find its way inside with the roof repaired. Wall sconces and candlesticks gave the chamber a warm glow. It was so much cozier. She wandered why Sombra even bothered wearing a cloak indoors. Except, at that moment, he wasn't wearing it. Frowning, her eyes fell upon the stallion. She never questioned it before, as she had no reason to question it when they were sheltered in a damp cave in the middle of the north's frozen wasteland. However, it occurred to her only then it was the first time she saw him without it. He wasn't as muscular as, for reference, her brother, but he was far from thin. His coat was a solid charcoal color, except it shimmered ever so slightly in the dim light. The hair of his tail was, like his mane, black with a single stripe of blue. More importantly, his cutie mark was no longer concealed. It depicted a red crystal, ensnared in the familiar green and purple swirls of dark magic. As excited as Twilight was to finally see what it looked like, her curiosity cut through the excitement. His cutie mark was split diagonally by two jagged scars. They were parallel to each other; the bottom scar was shorter. They weren't newer injuries. Clearly, they had healed long ago. It was also obvious how bad they'd been, for no hair had grown back over the knotted skin. It must've been painful... However long she stared, it was long enough for Sombra to notice. He cleared his throat. "Twilight?" She jolted. "Yes?" His emerald eyes glanced at his own mark. The realization hit like a train. An alarming amount of heat rose into Twilight's cheeks. "Sorry!" she squeaked. "I-I didn't mean to stare! I-I-I just—" Once again, she was magically silenced. "It's all right," Sombra assured her. They stood in silence for a few moments. Eventually, Twilight rubbed the back of her neck and muttered, "I really am sorry, though. I never saw your cutie mark before." She paused. "And the... scars caught me off guard, too." "They're old wounds," he replied—his voice just above a whisper. "Not from my childhood, but from before... my time as a tyrant. I got into a scrap and I was forced to defend myself." He chuckled. "As you can see, I didn't make it out unscathed." "Who attacked you?" "Someone I made the mistake of trusting." He took a deep breath. "That's all I have to say about that, for the moment. It's not something on which I like to dwell. I hope you understand." She smiled. "Don't worry, I get it." She got it the moment Sombra began being vague with his explanation, and she knew better than to pry. Instead, she decided to backtrack. "Well, on a lighter note, if you ever want to get out of the castle, I'm all for you introducing yourself around Ponyville." When Sombra's eyes widened, she quickly added, "As Pitch!" They were far from revealing him as.... well, himself. "Ah..." He slowly nodded his head. "Thank you. I'd very much like to take stock of my surroundings first. We'll see what happens then." "Understandable." She smiled. "Don't be afraid to come to the library if you need anything. It's the only house in Ponyville that's a literal oak tree, so you can't miss it." She lifted her saddlebags off the table and promptly placed them on her back. "I'll see you later?" He smiled. "Of course, my friend." The tip of her horn glowed, and then she was gone. Running a hoof through his mane, Sombra sighed. He made a mental note to remember the location of the books, before he returned his attention to the box on the floor. There wasn't much within, only some small paintings and a banner he managed to fold enough to fit inside. He picked it up, and he left the library with it. He didn't venture far, for the nearest storage closet was only two corridors away. That was where he left it. Out of sight, out of mind. Nothing was truly garbage, so storage awaited nearly everything the stallion removed from the walls. The castle was no longer theirs, after all. It hadn't been theirs for a long, long, long time. It was his now, and making it more into a personal home seemed like a step in the right direction. But, when his steps brought him to the vacant throne room, he hesitated. With the castle came countless memories—all of which he ignored as he slowly approached the back of the chamber, where twin thrones set. They were nearly identical in make and model. However, one was golden-hued, while the other sported blue hues. Above each throne was a celestial banner: the moon and stars above the blue throne, the sun and sky above the gold throne. Sombra tore those down first. They were already in tatters. He honestly didn't care if he added to them. He rolled them up and set them aside, then he turned his attention to the thrones. He picked up both in his magic and he pulled them closer. Time had eaten away at them, too. They were dull and chipped. Fragile. He threw them against the wall—watching impassively as the impact caused them fall into countless pieces. Out of sight, out of mind. === Chapter Ten : Helping Hooves === A white-hot bolt of lightning tore across the darkened sky, casting silver light upon the bloated clouds before fading into nothingness. As was the nature of thunderstorms, similar streaks followed to continue the cycle from there on out, albeit in different locations all over Ponyville. Thunder boomed after each faded light—startling ponies and animals alike. Rainbow Dash was no such pony. Electricity showed mercy to no one, but she was a pro. Zooming, twirling, and twisting out of the reach of every stray bolt that dared attempt to touch her, she fought her way through the heavy downpour. When she finally spotted the Golden Oaks Library, she swooped down and landed dead-center on the "Welcome" mat. "Yo!" she called as she let herself inside. "Spike! Twilight!" A voice from upstairs, clearly Spike's, answered, "Rainbow, is that you?" "Yeah!" She shook the rain from her wings. "Get down here, would ya? I have to talk to you and—" A burst of magic popped nearby, which revealed the other friend she sought. "—Twilight!" The unicorn automatically looked at her. "Rainbow?" She looked down at the pegasus's hooves, where a puddle of water grew with every drop fallen from Rainbow's fur and feathers. She sighed. The water was gone as soon as she lit up her horn. It was, after all, easier to teleport the water outside where it belonged than it was to expect any sort of courtesy from Rainbow. Not taking her eyes off her friend, Twilight set her saddlebags aside. "So, what's up?" she questioned. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Spike descend the stairs. Rainbow eyed the saddlebags for a moment. "I just came here from the Boutique," she said. "I'm spreading the word we need to gather at Sweet Apple Acres tomorrow." "Oh, no, did something happen?" "Nah, but the storm's done a good number on the orchards. I can't imagine what they'll look like in the morning, so Applejack will need the extra hooves to help her and her family clean 'em up." Twilight nodded. "We'll be there. Right, Spike?" "Yup!" Rainbow pumped a hoof. "All right!" She spun around to face the door, which she threw open without care. "See you tomorrow, then! Gotta dash—" Her nose squished against something soft. Another nose, she guessed. A quick glance forward confirmed it, and revealed its owner at the same time. She leaped away from the stallion. "Uh, what are you doing here?" she asked. Flash hesitantly entered. "Oh, hello." He tipped his hat. "Officer Flash Sentry at your service. I'm just checking in on Twilight Sparkle and Spike." She looked back at her friends. The unicorn gave her a self-conscious smile, while her assistant merely shrugged. It was fine. Of course, Rainbow already knew everything was one the up-and-up. Having lived in Ponyville a good chunk of her life, as well as the sole bearer of the "pesky and reckless daredevil" label (which totally wasn't her fault, by the way), she knew the local law enforcement almost as well as she knew the weather factory. She stepped aside—allowing the other pegasus to pass. "A'ight, I'm out," she announced one last time. She flashed a grin and a salute before she jumped into the storm. She was on a personal race against the clock to reach Fluttershy's cottage before the sunset. She knew darn well if night fell while she was there, she wasn't leaving, as per Fluttershy's protective nature. Rainbow wouldn't have minded it at all, if not for that rascally rabbit of hers. As promised, the unruly weather dissipated halfway through the night. Applejack, kept awake by both worry and the thunderous commotion, grasped a nuance of respite once the night was finally silent. But, without the rain, the mare was left alone with her plaguing concerns. She somehow managed to fall asleep, though she didn't know when. It didn't feel like a long slumber, however, as the next thing she knew was the blaring ring of her alarm clock. Plucked her from a rather pleasant, albeit short dream, she groaned and shot a glare at the lock before she promptly silenced it with a single stern hit from her hoof. She ruffled her mane, yawning. She could already smell breakfast waiting for her. Of course, the warm scent of pancakes and hashbrowns gave her all the motivation she needed to hop out of bed. After she took a minute to tidy herself up, she donned her hat and she made her way down to the kitchen. "Mornin', y'all!" she sang. "Mornin'!" echoed Applebloom and Big Macintosh. Granny Smith waved towards the empty chair at the opposite end of the table. "Sit down and eat up, girl," she said. "Y'all got a long day ahead of ya." Applejack did as ordered, despite the anxiety creeping up on her. As she piled her plate high with pancakes, she asked, "Did ya get a chance to look outside, Mac?" The stallion glanced at her—chewing a mouthful of food. He swallowed. "Yup." She inhaled. "Is the barn still standin'?" "Yup." She exhaled, relieved. "Good, good." She reached for the syrup. "Did ya see any downed trees?" "Nope." "Couldn't see any from the front porch, at least," chimed Granny Smith, shaking her head. Applebloom frowned. "There's a bunch'a branches down, though. I saw 'em." "Better branches than whole trees," Applejack quickly retorted. Although, as a quick afterthought, she had little to fear when it came to the younger trees. They more durable in that regard. They had the magic to take a beating and they tended to bounce back from damage fairly quickly. It was the older trees, some of which dated back to the founding of Ponyville, for which Applejack feared. The northern stretch of the orchard was full of them, and their apples were used to make the family's best batch of cider: Sweet Apple Acres Premium Cider. It raked in almost as many bits as their treasured zap apple jam. They never had to fear for the zap apple trees, however. Those trees were almost pure magic and they were as close to indestructible as a tree could get. However, the zap apples themselves were unpredictable and infrequent—appearing only when heralded by a specific series of events. The old trees' fruit came around only once a year, but it was consistent. Their apples ripened near the end of summer, so there was plenty of time to make them into Premium before Cider Season demanded their full attention. But, Premium wasn't made for Cider Season. It was left in the cellar to ferment—normally until Hearths Warming. They had a list of buyers, which included what few eateries existed in town and, of course, whatever was left was claimed by Filthy and Spoiled Rich. Applejack sighed as she carried her plate to the kitchen sink. If the storm saw fit to take one or two of them, there was nothing anypony could do about it. It was, after all, an unfortunate truth frailty accompanied age. They had only the magic to continue bearing fruit, but that was all. They weren't saplings anymore, and they hadn't been in decades. They just didn't have the magic in them to survive the wounds that were mere inconveniences to their younger brothers and sisters. Not even Twilight could breathe magic back into a doomed tree. A shout from outside drew Applejack's attention to the front door. It sounded like Rainbow Dash. That means the girls are here! Granny Smith followed her gaze, then she looked at her grandchildren with a smile. "Y'all go on ahead," she said. "I'll take care of the dishes." The Apple siblings voiced their gratitude on their way out the door. To Applejack's joy, all her friends had arrived. "Oh, thank Celestia," she breathed. "Y'all have no idea how happy I am to see y'all!" "Yup," hummed Big Mac. Rainbow Dash, who hovered in the air above the others, crossed her front legs as a prideful smile blossomed on her face. "Like we'd ever leave you hanging," she said. Rarity chuckled. "Agreed. We weren't about to let you three clean up this horrid mess by yourselves." Fluttershy interjected, "No offense to Granny Smith, of course!" "It's a 'help the Apples clean up their farm' kind of day!" sang Pinkie Pie. She proceeded to bounce cheerfully among the group, until purple-colored magic stopped her. "Just tell us where you need us," said Twilight, earning an agreeing nod from Spike. Applejack already felt her stress melt away—replaced with a glowing appreciation and determination. "Thank ya, girls. Really." Smiling, she puffed out her chest. "Alrighty, then! Here's how we're gonna go about this..." She kept her instructions simple as she led everypony to the northern orchard. Twilight and Rarity were to repair loose branches, while the rest of them gathered fallen apples and debris. They had compost barrels for the former, and Applejack was confident she and Big Mac could find a use for whatever limbs were too far gone to reattach to the trees. They would take it one orchard at a time and, hopefully, it would take no more than an hour or two! No wonder Applejack needed our help... Rarity hummed softly to herself as she realigned a severely-bent branch. Their mission through the orchards was a fruitful endeavor. That brutish storm roughed up the trees, yet it didn't break them. Still, even though she was no farmer, even she empathized with Applejack's frustration in how many apples were lost. Even now, in the final stretch of trees on the southern end of the farm, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were gathering pile after pile of the spoiled red fruits. Out of the corner of her eye, Rarity observed Applejack's displeased scowl. "Goodness gracious!" she snapped. She looked ready to tear off her hat and throw it to the ground. "Look at 'em all! Hundreds of apples, gone to waste!" Big Macintosh gently patted her shoulder. "Now, now... It ain't all bad." Rarity seized her chance to say, "He's right, Applejack. You'll be all right. This certainly isn't the first setback you and your family have encountered." The cowpony steadied herself with a few deep breaths. "Yeah, yeah... I know." She bit down on her lip. "It just stinks, is all." "I know, darling, I know." Rarity pulled her friend in for a quick hug. "But, silver linings and all that, it could've been a lot worse." She glanced up at the sky. "Plus, after this mess, I highly doubt the weather factory will allow this to happen again." "They better not!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash. She zoomed over their heads, her front legs circled around a heap of spoiled fruit. Rarity grimaced as a mushy chunk fell from the air and landed too close to one of her hooves. "Careful!" she urged, throwing a protective arm over her head. "Sorry!" She huffed. But, as was often the case with Rainbow, she let it go. Instead, she returned her attention to the task at hoof. Only... Her eyes slightly widened. "Oh," she whispered to herself, "I seem to be finished." She appeared to be finished, at least. She smiled, turning to regard her friends. "Pardon me, Twilight," she called, "but have you finished—?" She snapped her mouth shut. Twilight was only a few yards away. Her brow was furrowed and her eyes were narrowed at a tree subject to her absolute concentration. Branches of various sizes floated around her, encased in arcane violet. With precision and speed to rival Rarity's, Twilight reattached them one after the other until the tree was finally whole. The task before her finished, the other unicorn blinked and, sighing contently, rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, Rarity," she said. "What were you saying?" "Are you done with your section of the orchard?" Her head swiveled as she took a brief look at her surroundings. "Yep! Looks like it!" As if on cue, Pinkie Pie poked her head out from behind the same tree—unapologetic-ally startling Twilight and causing Rarity to stifle a laugh. "Me and Dashie got all those nasty apples piled up!" the party pony sang. Her cheerful demeanor suddenly dropped into a sheepish grin. "No offense, Applejack!" The reply came in a nonchalant, "None taken." Applejack looked up at the sky, then at her brother. "I reckon it's all done, then." A content smile tugged a corner of Big Mac's mouth. "Eyup." "Alright, just in time for lunch!" Rarity took it as her cue to take three of the apple piles into her magic. "Well, then, shall we return to the barn?" "You bet'cha!" While Twilight encased the remaining waste in her magic, Rarity moved to follow closely behind Applejack on their way back to the humble homestead. Words could not describe how relieved she was they were done. She was no stranger to manual labor, of course, but she was uncomfortable with the sweat upon her brow and neck. The dirt caked on the bottom of her hooves didn't help, either. Easy, Rarity, she told herself. Just grin and bear it for a little longer. Of course, it was worth it, not only to help Applejack in her time of need but to also enjoy the company of her friends again. Time flew by as she engrossed herself in Pinkie's excitement over a letter from Cheese Sandwich and Fluttershy's adoration over Elizabeak's newly-hatched chicks. Rarity spoke briefly of her own goings-on, though she was proud of the work she completed over the past week. She was almost finished filling personal orders (and, thankfully, her clients were either reluctantly understanding or lenient when she had the chance to properly explain the reason behind the delay), which meant she could soon begin working on her summer fashion line. Her lips pursed. A nagging on the edge of her mind whispered of something forgotten. No, that wasn't right. Applejack knew her farm better than anypony, which meant nothing was left undone. Did I forget something at the Boutique, perhaps...? As soon as they reached the barn, their fruity haul joined the massive heap against one of the outside walls. "Well, hay," huffed Applejack. "Looks like we'll have to bust out the ol' compost barrels." "Eyup," agreed Big Mac. "And whatever doesn't fit in those will go to the pigs!" "Eyup!" Smiling, Applejack adjusted her hat. "Alright! Easy-peasy!" The loss was unnerving, and would remain so for a while, but at least nothing would truly go to waste. "Hey, Applebloom, would you mind...?" Her voice failed her, for her little sister was nowhere to be seen. "Applebloom?" The absence of the filly sparked Rarity's memory. "Wait!" she exclaimed. "Fluttershy and Spike aren't here, either!" A voice came from the treeline, "Oh, sorry! We're right here!" The group turned in time to see the missing trio emerge from the orchard. Rainbow Dash flew to them—hovering overhead as they reunited with their friends. "Geez, Shy," she said. "I'm so sorry! I totally didn't mean to leave you behind! Honest!" The other pegasus's eyes widened as she frantically shook her head. "Oh, don't say that!" she exclaimed, her voice pleading. "You didn't leave me behind. I promise." Spike waved his arms to gain attention. "We found a bird's nest that was destroyed by the storm," he explained. "We stayed behind to put it back together." Fluttershy nodded. "The poor little thing was so upset." Applebloom, with a beaming smile on her face, puffed out her chest. "But we helped make it all better!" "Good on ya, little sis!" Applejack ruffled the filly's mane. "Well, now that everypony's present and accounted for, how about some grub?" "Yeah!" The group of friends exchanged excited looks. "I know I'm famished," commented Rarity. She carefully lifted Spike onto Twilight's back; she chuckled at the twinge of red in his cheeks as she did so. "Celestia knows I'm looking forward to washing my hooves, then indulging in a heavenly slice or two of apple pie." The former was more important, it went without saying, but Applejack knew Rarity well enough to pick up on her discomfort. "Alright, y'all, let's head in," she announced, swinging a foreleg towards the farmhouse. "Pick up the pace! The sooner we get there, the sooner we can dig in!" Despite her age, Granny Smith was an efficient chef. The gang was welcomed with a buffet of sandwiches, applesauce, and warm pastries and pies. They broke out extra chairs to fit everyone at the table before they were able to properly enjoy lunch (with many thanks made to the Apple matron, of course). And what a wonderful lunch it was, which was why Applejack was slightly annoyed by the sudden knock at the front door when she was only three bites into her apple-daisy sandwich. Granny Smith moved to answer it, but Applejack stopped her. "Don't worry about it, Granny," she said. "I'll get it." Her grandmother smiled. "Thank ya, young'in." Applejack trotted to her destination. "Hang on," she called. "I'm comin'." The visitor was a green-eyed stallion, which was the first thing to catch her eye as soon as she opened the door. The second thing was that he was a unicorn, clad in a black hooded cloak. His coat was gray; his mane was a shade darker than his fur, with a single streak of blue. There was something... familiar about him. As good as she was with faces, she was unable to pinpoint where she had before seen his. "How may I help you?" she asked. The stallion bowed his head. "Apologies for my intrusion, miss, but I was hoping to purchase some apples. If it's not too much trouble, of course." She perked up. "Nah, it's no trouble at all! How many d'you need, Mister...?" "Pitch Pebble." His hoof met hers for a single shake. "Applejack." "It's nice to meet you, Applejack. I need only a dozen apples, please." "You got it!" She whirled around. "Granny!" "What?" "We got a customer! I'm headin' out for a minute!" "Alright!" Rainbow Dash's head suddenly appeared in the kitchen's doorway. "Do you need any help?" Applejack shook her head. "Naw, I got it." She returned her attention to Pitch. "C'mon, fella, let's get ya what ya need." She led him to the barn first, where she grabbed a large paper bag, before she made a beeline for the nearest tree. She set the bag beneath the branches—placing it just so as to catch the fruit she planned to buck free. "Oh, there's no need for that," Pitch said. "I can use my magic, if it's not too imposing." Applejack paused mid-buck. "Ah..." She looked up at the tree. "Yeah, I suppose that will save us a good bit of time, huh?" Smiling, the unicorn magically plucked the apples off their branches. One at a time, he placed them in the bag. "How much do I owe you?" he asked, producing a small sack of bits from beneath his cloak. "Twelve bits." She removed her hat and, holding it upside-down, held it out in front of her. Pitch took the hint. He levitated the payment into the garment. "Thank ya kindly!" Returning the hat to its rightful place, she grinned. "Is there anything else I can help ya with?" He shook his head. "No, thank you. This is plenty." She accompanied him back to the road. "I hate to pry, Pitch, but are you just travelin' through or...?" "I'm new to these parts, yes, but..." He turned his head. "I don't have a home within town. I'm located on the outskirts." She nodded, after she decided not to comment on his hesitation. "Well, despite what that nasty storm did to our produce, we'll still be sellin' 'em, so feel free to stop by if you need more apples," she said instead. "We also have a stall in the marketplace every so often." "I'll keep that in mind." Once more, he bowed his head. "Again, thank you, and have a nice day." "Later!" She waved him goodbye—making sure he was properly on his way before she returned to the house. Right away, she saw a blue muzzle pressed against one of the front windows, as well as narrowed maroon eyes staring in the direction of Pitch's departure. Applejack's eyebrow raised. "Dash?" she called. "What the hay are you doin'?" Rainbow flew out the door. "Who was that guy you were talking to?" "Fella's name is Pitch Pebble. He's new around these parts." She waved her hoof. "He wanted some apples, is all. Why?" "I've seen him somewhere before..." The pegasus rubbed her chin. A few seconds passed as she pondered. Then, the epiphany hit her. "Oh, he's the guy who boarded the train before we left the Crystal Empire!" Applejack blinked. Her memories from the train ride back to Ponyville were fuzzy at best (as she was asleep for the majority of it), but she knew Rainbow wasn't wrong. "Huh, how about that," she muttered. Rainbow grinned. "Just don't tell Pinkie. She'll have a cow if she finds out her Pinkie Sense missed out on somepony to throw a party for!" Applejack laughed. "Alright, I'll give ya that one!" She nodded her head towards the house. "C'mon, let's get back to the table before the grub's gone." While she wasn't too keen on being prematurely torn from the breakfast table, the businessmare in her shone with delight at having made a sale. The day started off grim, but perhaps things weren't so bad after all. === Chapter Eleven : Tuned In === It was with a full belly and a smile on her face Twilight happily made her way back home. Settled on her back was a content baby dragon, who yawned and stretched until a few of his joints popped. "So," he started, "what else do we have to do today?" Thinking, Twilight looked to the sky. "I was hoping to send letters to my brother and the Princesses." Shining Armor expected another one already, and she was positive Princess Celestia and Princess Luna wanted to hear how she and her friends fared. "Did you have anything else in mind?" Spike looked contemplative for a moment. He then held up a hand to count his claws. "Well, it's been a while since we've gotten groceries," he muttered, his voice loud enough for the unicorn to hear. "And I think we're down to our last two or three inkwells." Ah, so there were chores to be done. In her mind, a crude map of Ponyville materialized. They were close to Sugarcube Corner, which meant the marketplace was only a few yards from where they currently stood. If they chose to get their groceries first, however, they would have to haul them all the way over to Barnyard Bargains, then back to the library. She supposed she could rely on her teleportation to save some time, but her aim was far from precise. The last time she willed herself into the marketplace she startled Roseluck and her sisters so badly they leaped into Carrot Top's stall. In a simply unwanted outcome, said stall promptly collapsed. Twilight found herself fixing the mess she made and attempting to calm the hyperventilating mares. Such was life in a town majorly populated by earth ponies. This included Filthy Rich, who was not startled by Twilight's last appearance in his store. Rather, at the sight of her embarrassment when the aftershock of her spell caused a nearby shelf of canned goods to fall, he stifled his laughter and aided her in cleaning up the mess; despite the stallion's repeated reassurances, her string of apologies didn't stop until the task was completed. So, with those examples still fresh in her mind, she decided against relying on her magic. She groaned and hung her head in defeat. Oh, if only Quills and Sofas sold more than two things! "Okay," she began, "so we'll start at Barnyard Bargains, then we'll swing by the marketplace for groceries on the way back." She looked back and smiled. "How does that sound?" "It would sound better if you magicked up a paper and quill so I can whip us up a list." She laughed. "Alright!" In a flash, she summoned the requested items (and by "summoned", she simply teleported them from home) and she levitated them into Spike's waiting hands. "Better?" He grinned. "Better! Thanks, Twi." "No problem, Spike." Besides, the dragon knew the kitchen and its contents as well as she knew every book, nook, and cranny of the library. Rightfully so, he was the best fit for the organization of a grocery list. She honestly couldn't have asked for a better assistant. "Miss Twilight!" suddenly called a voice. She paused, looking around. "Huh?" "Over there, Twi," said Spike as he pointed the quill. Twilight's eyes followed the invisible line pointed out to her, until they landed on a familiar orange pegasus. "Flash?" she called. "What are you doing?" With a single flap of his wings, Flash Sentry hopped across the distance between them—planting his hooves directly on the spot in front of them. He adjusted his hat as he flashed the unicorn a large smile. "I'm on my lunch break," he explained, "and I thought I'd say hello!" More focused on his list than anything else, Spike gave a lackluster wave. "Hi." "Yes, hello Flash," chuckled Twilight. "Was that all you wanted to say?" The stallion's smile faltered. Instead, his body language wilted into self-consciousness as he averted his gaze. "W-w-well, no, n-not really," he stuttered. "I was heading over t-to Cremello for a bite to eat and I-I was wondering if..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I-I was wondering if, um, would you like to join me, Miss Twilight?" Twilight wasn't sure she heard him right. "I beg your pardon?" "Lunch!" he exclaimed. Startled by the volume of his own voice, he winced and cleared his throat. "I-I mean... Would you like to have lunch with me?" Oh, so she did hear him correctly. She and Spike shared an uncomfortable glance. "Well," she sighed, "I would, Flash, but we just ate." Disappointment came again, though this time Flash had a hard time hiding it. His body appeared to deflate a little as he turned away from the duo. "Oh," he whispered. "Okay..." "But!" called Twilight. Though she was well aware it wasn't her fault, she felt a little guilty—too guilty to let Flash walk away. "What about tomorrow?" she asked. Bewildered, the stallion spun to face her. "Huh?" She repeated, "What about tomorrow? I don't have anything planned for then." She looked to her assistant. "Right?" Spike nodded. "Right." Smiling, she returned her attention to Flash. "So, how about it?" The pegasus's eyes widened. "That... That sounds great," he breathed. "Where should we meet up?" "How about Hayburger?" "Yeah, sounds great." "Alright! I'll see you then! Now, if you don't mind, Spike and I have some errands to run. Bye!" Flash merely waved as they left. "Bye..." His heart continued to pound away in his chest—now more out of excitement than nervousness. He... He did it. He actually did it! He just scored lunch with Miss Twilight! Fighting the urge to leap in absolute joy, he took to the air. High above Ponyville, he floated (and, admittedly, he did a little loop-d-loop) towards his chosen restaurant. On this day, he was destined to dine alone, but tomorrow... He laughed. I can't wait for tomorrow! In a town where it was common to see the occasional monster or Equestria-ending threat, one excited pegasus officer easily slipped into the background of Ponyville's bustling activity. Rarity, however, was in no way, shape, or form a staple of the background. It wasn't her fault her simple trip back to the Boutique just so happened to coincide with the enrapturing interaction between Flash Sentry and one of her closest friends. It certainly wasn't her fault she was close enough to hear their exchange, and she was certainly not at fault she had a clear view of Flash as he excitedly took off afterwards. With the coast finally clear, Rarity emerged from her hiding place—a perfectly placed, and utterly convenient, tree. "Oh, Fluttershy!" she exclaimed. "Did you see what I saw?!" Fluttershy, who was hidden within the same tree, poked her head out of a tuft of leaves. "Uh, Twilight and Flash were talking?" she retorted, puzzled. When Rarity yelled, "Hide!" earlier, it was the pegasus's own flight-response that caused her to leap up into the safety of the branches; she thought there was yet another monster rampaging through the streets. She didn't know she was about to partake in eavesdropping. Huffing, Rarity motioned for her friend to join her on the ground. "But, did you see the way Flash talked to her?" she questioned. Before Fluttershy could answer, the unicorn's posture became tense and her eyes, alert with a sudden suspicion, scanned their surroundings. "Quickly!" she whispered harshly. "We must take this conversation inside at once!" "But...!" Fluttershy squeaked, but it was no use, as Rarity spun and cantered towards the Boutique without another word. She didn't understand why the seamstress was so giddy. Whatever it was, it was obviously of great value in Rarity's eyes, and so the pegasus relinquished her complaints and followed suit. Of course, it didn't help Rarity deemed it necessary to rush her. "Hurry, darling, please hurry!" she urged. Fluttershy's anxiety soared. A bead of sweat trailed down her brow as she threw herself into the Boutique. She landed on her belly, with her limbs splayed out on the floor. She took a deep breath, gradually pushing herself back up onto her hooves. She hoped for answers as she circled around to watch Rarity, who had a look of glee on her face. "Oh, Fluttershy, do forgive me," she said, closing the door. "I know it's selfish to ask for another moment, but allow me to get you settled before I explain myself." At a much more reasonable pace, she led her guest to the nearest couch. She then set about getting them freshly-brewed tea. Celestia knew she needed an outlet for her newfound energy. When it was all ready, Rarity poured Fluttershy's cup, naturally, before her own. "Now then," she began, "allow me to apologize. I let my excitement get the better of me, and I'm so incredibly sorry about that." Carefully, Fluttershy took her cup between her hooves. She smiled. "It's all right. Though, I must admit, I am a little curious. The last time you were this excited since... Well, it's been a while." Rarity took a delicate sip of her tea, before her mouth widened into a toothy grin. "Yes, I suppose so, but this...!" Her eyes sparkled. "I'm not excited for me, dear Fluttershy, but for Twilight!" "Huh?" She leaned forward. "You saw Flash Sentry speaking with her, yes?" "Uh, yes." "Well, I heard them. He sought her out specifically to ask her to lunch. Not only that, but the way he looked at her was filled with nothing less than admiration!" She squealed. "Our Twilight has a suitor!" The pegasus's brow furrowed. "A-are you certain—" Rarity waved her hoof. "Of course I'm certain! A disinterested stallion doesn't look at a mare like that, let alone perform exuberant aerials when she agrees to have lunch with him!" "I guess Flash did look pretty happy." She clapped her hooves together. "See? This is a cause for celebration! When is the last time anypony showed such interest in our dear Twilight?" She threw her hooves up in the air. "It's never happened, Fluttershy! Never!" "Yes, it's wonderful, but it's a little too soon to be celebrating, don't you think?" Fluttershy looked down into her tea. "I mean, just because he has a crush on Twilight... doesn't mean she feels the same way." "Well, not yet!" "What?" "We may not know much about Flash, but it's clear he's a good, hardworking stallion. I mean, he was a lieutenant in the Royal Guard! That's not a position they just give away to anypony! Not only that, but he was born and bred in Canterlot—same as Twilight!" Rarity stood and struck a dramatic pose. "Imagine it! Twilight Sparkle, beloved pupil of Princess Celestia, the bearer of the Element of Magic, and a hero of both Equestria and the Crystal Empire! Flash Sentry, former lieutenant of the Royal Guard and a current officer of the modest Ponyville Police Department!" She beamed. "Two Canterlot-born ponies with hearts of valor, who once served under the Crown, dedicated to the protection of Equestria and its citizens!" Fluttershy couldn't help but chuckle; Rarity's dramatics, as always, were a sight to behold. "You make it sound like one of those romance novels you love so much," she commented, smiling. The unicorn laughed. "Precisely! It's a beautiful love story in the making!" Her expression turned serious. "As Twilight's friends, we have to make sure her lunch tomorrow with Flash goes perfectly!" Once more, Fluttershy was at a loss. "... Why?" "Because, as brilliant as our Twilight is, she's... naive when it comes to matters of the heart." Fluttershy hummed in agreement. Twilight was a mare of science and magic, and had been since she was a filly—choosing the logic of non-fiction over the often irrational and complicated journey of friendship. Even now, there was still so much for her, and not to mention for everypony, to learn regarding the latter. Romance, however, was in a totally different category. "I don't recall Twilight ever taking an interest in romance," Fluttershy said softly. "That's why she needs our help," retorted Rarity. "But, first, she needs a little time alone with Flash. And, when she sees what a wonderful gentlecolt he is, the rest will fall into place!" "But what if she doesn't, Rarity? It doesn't seem fair to—" "This could be her only chance at love, Fluttershy!" The pegasus recoiled as Rarity, eyes wide with dread, latched onto her shoulders—their noses a mere centimeter apart. "Ask yourself, how does Twilight spend her free-time when she's not with us, and when we're not out battling the forces of wickedness?" the unicorn questioned. "She stays inside the library, with Spike and her books and her experiments, that's how!" She then put space between them to begin pacing before the table. "She's made quite the reputation around Ponyville. Everypony knows her name, knows her face, but what other friends does she have?" "Rarity..." "Sure, she has her family, Spike, Princess Cadance and us, but who else is there?" "Rarity." "Certainly, there are no other stallions in her life other than her father and brother." Now, there were very few instances where Fluttershy found it necessary to raise her voice. This was definitely one of them. "Rarity!" she snapped, which finally caused the seamstress to cease her movements. With a sigh, Fluttershy set her cup down. "I'm sorry about that," she said, her tone returned to it's natural softness. "I understand your worry, but is this wise?" Rarity smoothed a wayward frazzle out on her mane. "Oh, not to worry, our meddling will be minimal," she replied. She returned to her spot across from her guest. "A helpful push here and there, and nothing more! But, as I said, we first have to ensure Twilight and Flash's lunch goes perfectly. Other than the food, nothing and nopony must distract them from one another." She shuddered. "I only wish they were to dine someplace with much more class, rather than Hayburger..." Fluttershy chuckled. "They're having lunch, not a date." "Well, dear Fluttershy, as long as we simply nurture the seeds of their affection, they're guaranteed to sprout!" Rarity grinned. "Trust me, Twilight will be in love with Flash before she even realizes it!" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Broken author: xxFluttercord tags: character:Discord, character:Main 6, character:Nightmare Moon, character:Original Character, character:Princess Luna, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Adventure, genre:Comedy, genre:Drama, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Encounter === Fluttershy's teal eyes welled up in tears as Discord, a frightening draconequus, cackled wickedly, tying the mane six up with ropes. "You'll never get away with this, Discord!" Twilight growled at the evil draconequus. "Oh, how cliche of you, Twilight," Discord smiled wickedly. "I expected better from somepony as intelligent as you!" "Let us go, you jerk!" Rainbow Dash struggled as the rope around her tightened. "Maybe the ropes are made out of candy!" Pinkie whispered to her friends rather loudly, as she started gnawing at the rope. "Pinkie! Stop eating the rope!" Rarity whispered to the pink earth pony as she continued to chew on the rope. "Since you're all a bit tied up at the moment, I think I'll be taking these!" Discord snatched the elements right off of the ponies' necks, and pulled Twilight's crown off of her head. "Hey!" Twilight's horn emitted a magenta glow as she tried to grab the crown back. "Shut up!" Discord snapped his fingers, Twilight's horn disappearing with a poof! "Well... it's not candy!" Pinkie said as she stopped chewing at the rope. She had barely made a rip in it. "Now.. time to finish this!" Discord snapped all of the elements in half. "No!" Twilight screamed, still trying to break free. "I don' believe it!" Applejack growled. "This doesn't make any sense," Rarity sighed dramatically. "How in Equestria did he break them so easily?" "Of course it doesn't make sense!" Discord replied. "I'm Discord!" Rainbow scoffed. "Yeah, we noticed." Discord snapped his fingers, zipping Rainbow's mouth shut. "S-stop..." Fluttershy spoke up. The other five ponies looked at Fluttershy nervously. "Oh, look! The wimpy pegasus speaks!" Discord laughed wickedly. Rainbow let out a faint growl as Discord insulted Fluttershy. Fluttershy woke up with a gasp. She looked around her familiar room, heaving a sigh of relief. She was glad that her awful nightmare wasn't real. Well, in a way, it was. A few months ago, she and her friends had defeated Discord--without the elements, of course, as they had been destroyed. They had been able to 'contain' Discord. They had made it so that he could not wreak havoc on Equestria. If he used his magic, or just caused chaos in general, he would be punished. However, even though Discord was unable to spread his chaos, poor Fluttershy was still having nightmares about what happened. His frightening laugh, the menacing look in his eyes, his terrifying appearance--Fluttershy didn't like any of it. Fluttershy slowly got out of bed, quietly trotting down the stairs into the kitchen. Humming a quiet tune, she took out some food for her animals. (Carrots, acorns, etc.) She carefully placed the food into separate bowls, gently placing them on the ground for the animals to eat. Without any hesitance, the animals all silently walked over to their respective bowls. "Eat well, my friends." Fluttershy said softly. The animals did not reply, but Fluttershy knew they understood. Fluttershy sat on her couch, letting out a quiet sigh. She couldn't get Discord off of her mind. She knew he posed no threat, but the thought of him was petrifying. Discord resided in Princess Twilight's castle, much to his dismay. This was so Twilight could keep a close eye on the draconequus. Discord let out a bored sigh, his red pupils wandering around the room This room is rather boring.. if only I could spread my glorious chaos! If it weren't for these meddlesome ponies, Equestria would be mine! Discord paced around the empty room, snapping his fingers and summoning a glass of chocolate milk. "Discord!" The glass disappeared. "Why, hello, Twilight Sparkle," Discord greeted innocently. "What brings you here?" "No time to talk," Twilight's expression remained emotionless. "You have... a visitor." "Ooh, a visitor?" Discord grinned. "And who will that be?" "...Me..." Fluttershy spoke up. "Bye." Twilight seemed to rush out of the room, quickly slamming the door behind her. It was as if she didn't want to be in the same room as them. "So, why are you here?" Discord asked, teleporting to Fluttershy's side, causing her to yelp in surprise. "...W-well.." *** A few moments earlier... Fluttershy quietly trotted into Twilight's castle. "H-hello?" "Fluttershy!" The purple alicorn greeted her friend with a hug. "Hello, Twilight," Fluttershy gave her friend a coy smile. "Why did you call me here?" "Look," Twilight pointed at the Cutie Map, which had Fluttershy's cutie mark floating above it. Fluttershy looked down at her flank to see that her cutie mark was glowing. "Oh my," Fluttershy blinked in realization. "Where does it want me to go?" Twilight bit her lip. "Well, that's the thing..." She muttered. "You see... it wants you to go to Discord." "D-Discord?" Fluttershy's eyes dilated with anxiety. "I know that he's a monster," Twilight looked at Fluttershy reassuringly. "But we can't just ignore the Cutie Map." "You're right," Fluttershy whispered. "I... I'll be brave.." Twilight gave Fluttershy a warm hug. "Thank you." Discord looked at the yellow pegasus silently. "What?" "Hmm? Uh, nothing." Discord stared off into the distance. "Well..." The small pegasus looked at the mismatched creature. "I guess I'll just have to solve your friendship problem!" "Say what now?" "That's why the Cutie Map sent me here," Fluttershy explained. "The Cutie Map is something that lets us travel to different places, helping ponies who have friendship problems." "Wonderful.." Discord murmured. "Well... let's get started..." === His Past === Fluttershy and Discord had been talking for hours. Discord was, surprisingly, nice... well... kind of. "Fluttershy?" Discord looked up at the small pegasus. "Yes?" "Can I tell you something?" "Sure, go ahead..." "Well... I've never met somepony like you before." "What do you mean?" "It's just.. nopony has ever been nice to me before..." "Oh my.. would you... tell me a bit about your past...?" Fluttershy bit her lip, afraid that she might have gone a bit too far. "Oh, I'm sorry... I understand if you don't want to, or if it brings up bad memories... I-" "Sure." "I just wanted to kn-wait... really?" Fluttershy looked up at Discord, her teal eyes lit up brighter than a thousand stars. Discord slowly nodded. "You see.. I was just a little draconequus.." *** Flashback A tiny draconequus looked around an empty, friendless cave. Each moment he spent there, the lonelier he got. Everyone in his life that he had ever met was always so cruel to him--he was just.. different. Now, while being different was a good thing, this draconequus felt that he was... well... too different. The small draconequus amused himself with cotton candy and chocolate milk. It was fun for a while, but... The draconequus started feeling lonely again. He found a small town called Ponyville. He had heard much of the town, and the ponies that lived in it. He tried to befriend the ponies, but... Even they wouldn't show him just a little kindness. Angered and hurt, the draconequus turned their town upside down. This made the draconequus feel... good. He continued to do this for many, many years, eventually giving himself a name... Discord. Discord called himself the spirit of chaos and disharmony, and all was well.. Until.. Two sisters, Celestia and Luna, used the Elements of Harmony on him, turning him to stone, and ending his tyranny. Everything was peaceful. Years later, a pony named Twilight Sparkle moved to Ponyville, and founded the new keepers of the elements. They went on many adventures together. Eventually, Discord was released from his stone prison, and continued his tyranny on Equestria. The elements posed a threat to Discord's plan, and he did not appreciate that. Soon, he tried to split apart their friendship, but it was too strong. The elements turned Discord to stone . He faced many difficult years of imprisonment, all the while regretting his horrible decisions. But, he knew that he could never change. Monsters like him could never have friends... ...Could they? *** End of Flashback "Oh.. dear... Discord, I-" "There's no need to pity me," Discord said sorrowfully. "I don't deserve to be forgiven." "Well, too bad," Fluttershy said. Discord looked up at her, confusion in his eyes. "Because.. well... I forgive you." Fluttershy gave Discord a kind smile. "I.." "And.. I think it's time you've had a friend." "Thank you..." The Cutie Map began to glow, and Fluttershy's cutie mark disappeared. "She did it.." Twilight's violet eyes dilated. She smiled the biggest smile she could. "She did it!" Twilight was mentally celebrating, when an out of breath Pinkie Pie sped into her house. "Twilight-" Huff. "-I have something-" Huff. "-To tell you!!" "Pinkie?" Twilight looked at the pink earth pony with question. "My Pinkie senses are acting up!" "What? What's happening?" "I don't know, but it feels like someone is going to return!" "R-return... who...?" "I don't know, Twilight! I just said that!" Twilight rolled her eyes. "Is... is this just some sort of prank?" "What?!" Pinkie gasped dramatically. "This isn't a prank! I promise- no, I Pinkie promise!" "Okay..." "Cross my heart and hope to fly," Pinkie pulled out a cupcake. "Stick a cupcake in my eye!" She placed the cupcake on her eye. "...Okay then?" "All I know is that it's not gonna be pretty..." Pinkie murmured, her icy blue gaze staring off into the distance. Fluttershy looked down at her flank. Her cutie mark was glowing... she knew what this meant: she had solved the friendship problem. "Discord..." "Yes, my dear?" Discord asked, his ears perked. "I have to go now." "Why so soon, dear?" "I.. solved your friendship problem, apparently." "Oh..." Discord stared at the ground, frowning. "I'll come by tomorrow... if you'd like, I mean..." Fluttershy suggested shyly. "That's wonderful!" Discord grinned, floating about an inch off the ground. "Right..." Fluttershy muttered, quickly running out of the room. "How'd it go?" Twilight asked, her violet eyes filled with curiosity. "It went... uh..." Fluttershy glanced at Pinkie, who was yelling at a cupcake for not listening to her. "Float! Float! Float, you darn cupcake!" Pinkie placed her hooves to her forehead, shutting her eyes tightly and whispering about 'the force'. Twilight and Fluttershy rolled their eyes and continued their conversation. "It went... okay I guess.. Discord seems nice.. but..." "But what?" Twilight's eyes shone with concern. "I don't know if it's a trick or not!" Fluttershy whispered to the purple princess. "It probably is!" A new voice butted in. Fluttershy and Twilight whipped around to see a familiar rainbow-haired pegasus. "How would you know?" Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Well, 'cause it's Discord! He's evil, duh!" "Well... anypony can change..." Fluttershy murmured. "Yeah, but not Discord!" Rainbow huffed. Fluttershy just rolled her eyes. "Fine... see you girls later." Fluttershy waved goodbye to her friends, trotting back to her cottage. A strange sound could be heard in the distance. Fluttershy looked out of her window, glancing around cautiously. Her pupils dilated when she realized that the sound was coming from the Everfree Forest. Fluttershy gulped, stepping into the dark forest. Each step was more terrifying than the last. "You can do this, Fluttershy," Fluttershy whispered to herself. "You can do this... just find the noise, and stop it from disturbing the animals.." Fluttershy yelped as the noise got louder. Fluttershy whipped around to see a Timberwolf! "Oh, why did I not recognize that sound..?" Fluttershy squealed when three more Timberwolves circled her, leaving her trapped in the center of them. Fluttershy heard the familiar cackling of the wicked draconequus, Discord. "D-Discord?" "Why, hello, 'my dear'!" He laughed wickedly. "I-I thought we were friends...!" Fluttershy yelped as Discord snapped his fingers, and the three Timberwolves turned into six. "Friends?" Discord smirked. "Oh, poor, naive Fluttershy... haven't you the slightest idea who I am? I am the Lord of Chaos! I don't need friends!" "Please..." "Now... say 'goodbye'!" Discord laughed evilly as the Timberwolves closed in on Fluttershy. Fluttershy awoke with a scream. "A-another nightmare?" Fluttershy shuddered. At first, the nightmares were just about what had happened - Discord had simply destroyed the Elements of Harmony. Nonetheless, the ponies still beat him. Now, it was just... him being plain cruel! "O-oh dear... what if... what if this is all a trick? What if that story was a lie for me to feel bad for him, then become his 'friend' so that he can get close to me...?" Fluttershy gasped at a sudden realization. "What if he hurts my friends...?" === Is He Trustworthy? === Discord tried to make himself comfortable on the cold floor, but to no avail. He let out a bored sigh, his tail swishing from side to side. "Why is everything so boring around here?" Discord groaned, narrowing his eyes as he looked at the clock on the wall. "I wonder when Fluttershy's going to show up..." He thought aloud, his pupils dilating slightly after realizing what he just said. "It's not like I actually care about her or anything.." Discord tried to convince himself, but it wasn't working. "Right! I'm just trying to get close to her so I can... uh... so I can..." Discord paused for a moment. "So I can take over Equestria again! Yes, yes, that's it! If the ponies think that I've been 'reformed', they'll trust me to roam freely, and I'll finally be able to destroy them once and for all!" Discord thought about his plan. Was it really about taking over Equestria? Or was he just making an excuse for liking Fluttershy's company? Discord pushed his thoughts away. So what if he enjoyed her company a bit? He was perfectly happy! "...Am I?" Discord whispered to himself, staring up at the ceiling. He looked around the bland, disgustingly normal room once more as he plopped onto his back. "There's not much to look at in here," Discord mumbled to himself. "Surely nopony would mind if I liven things up a bit?" Discord smiled deviously, snapping his fingers. The walls and the floor seemed to have exploded in color, and the numbers on the clock were all mixed up; some were even letters! A few pigs with wings snorted, flying around the new (and most certainly improved) room. "Much better." Discord smiled to himself. A furious purple alicorn stormed into the room. "Discord!" She fumed. "Oh, hello, Princess," Discord scoffed. "Ever heard of knocking?" "What in Celestia's name is going on in here?" "Oh, I just made this room more... chaotic! More... interesting! It was so bland, so boring - but now.. now..." "Turn everything back to normal!" Twilight demanded. "And why should I listen to you?" "Because if you don't, I'll be forced to take your magic away! You wouldn't want that, now would you?" Discord grimaced, snapping his fingers and changing the room back to its boring self. "Thank you." Twilight rudely said, slamming the door behind her. "You know," Discord said to himself. "If they're going to keep me here, they might as well let me decorate a bit!" Discord sighed. "But, then again, I suppose ponies are quite boring.." "Maybe I could do something to make it up to Princess Prissy over there..." Discord grinned. "It would make her think I'm reformed..." Discord nodded, as if someone else was in the room. "That's the perfect plan!" Pinkie Pie bounced happily along the streets of Ponyville, recalling the exact date of everypony's birthdays, their favorite flavor of cake, and their allergies. Pinkie smiled, realizing that Twilight's 20th birthday was coming up soon! "Oof!" Pinkie crashed into something - well, somepony. Pinkie looked up, seeing a stallion that somewhat reminded her of somepony... But who...? The pink pony pondered. Pinkie face-hoofed at her own stupidity. The pony reminded her of herself! "Hiya!" Pinkie greeted the pony. "Hi!" The pony replied, his eyes shining with excitement. "I'm Cheese Sandwich, what's your name?" "My name is Pinkie Pie!" The pink mare smiled brightly at the equally energetic stallion. Cheese looked at her flank and gasped. "Do you like parties?" This time it was Pinkie's turn to gasp. "I do! I do!" "Wow! Another party pony!" Cheese smiled. "Woo-hoo!" Pinkie cheered. Fluttershy hummed a quiet tune as she fed her precious animals. Though their presence made her feel slightly less horrified, the image of Discord just wouldn't go away. Fluttershy just wanted to curl into a ball and cry until she couldn't cry anymore. But Fluttershy knew, somewhere, that the draconequus wasn't all bad. Still, Fluttershy didn't like that part of herself. The draconequus was probably just luring her into a false sense of security, as Rainbow had said earlier. Fluttershy let out a long sigh, her teal eyes dilated slightly as a loud knock was heard at the door. "Coming!" Fluttershy yelled (yet she still managed to be quiet). Fluttershy slowly opened the door, seeing all five of her friends there - plus Spike, of course. "Girls...?" "Fluttershy, darling! Come quickly! It's an emergency!" Rarity said, in the most dramatic way possible. "Oh dear! What happened?" Concern shone in the small pegasus' eyes. "It's Princess Luna... she.. she's turned back into Nightmare Moon!" Applejack added. "O-oh my! What caused this? I thought she got over her jealousy..?" "She has," Twilight stepped forward. "I sensed a strange magic coming from her.. somepony must have done this to her." "I bet I know just who did it!" Rainbow growled. "You mean Discord?" "Duh! Who else has magical chaotic powers that can literally change everything in the world and is powerful enough to even use magic on the princesses?" What Pinkie said was barely understandable. "R-right..." Fluttershy murmured. Well, at least I know the truth now... he never was my friend. "We're wastin' time!" Applejack hollered. "Come on! Y'all better get movin' before Nightmare Moon does anything bad!" "Oh, it's far too late for that!" === Eternal Eventide === The mane six quickly spun around to see her.. The Nightmare. "O-oh my..." Fluttershy squealed, her mane falling over her face as she backed away. "My my," She cackled. "A bit timid, now, are we?" "Leave her alone!" Rainbow growled at her. The cyan pegasus let out a scream when She threw her against the wall of Fluttershy's cottage. "Rainbow Dash!" The mane six screamed. "Why, I ought to..!" Rarity huffed, but was quickly calmed by Applejack. The white unicorn exhaled deeply. "You mean-meanie-pants!" Pinkie yelled. "Meanie?" She chuckled. "Well, if I'm a meanie.. then so be it!" The nightmare used telekinesis to pick the pink earth pony off of the ground. Pinkie shrieked, flailing around wildly. "Let 'er go!" Applejack yelled. "And why, pray tell, would I listen to you?" She cackled. "Without the elements, you're as good as useless!" "That's not true!" Twilight spoke up. "Even without the elements.. we're still strong!" "Oh?" "We'll be strong as long as we have each other!" She chuckled. "That's the funniest - and most ridiculous - thing I've ever heard!" "Well, then you clearly know nothing about the value of friendship!" "Friendship?" She echoed. She blinked a few times, then erupted into maniacal laughter. "Who needs friendship when you're the princess of the night?" "Luna... please.." Fluttershy felt tears well up in her eyes. "Luna?" She cackled. "I am... Nightmare Moon!" Fluttershy quietly sobbed as Nightmare Moon cackled, using her magic on her friends. "W-why would you do this...? W-we trusted you...!" "SMALL PEGASUS," Nightmare Moon spoke, using the royal Canterlot voice. "DO THOU TRULY BELIEVE WE ART THE ONE TO BLAME FOR THIS?" "W-wha-?" "IF THOU REQUEST SOMEPONY TO BLAME..." Nightmare Moon smiled wickedly. "BLAME THY DRACONEQUUS FRIEND!" "Wha... D-Discord!?" "Yes," Nightmare Moon said, in her usual tone (thankfully). "Now... finally.." "THE NIGHT... SHALL LAST... FOREVER!" "N-no...!" Discord's fur stood on end, though he did not know why. He pushed away the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach, not thinking much of it - after all, he was the Lord of Chaos. He had nothing to worry about! Well, there was one thing. Fluttershy. He had no idea why, but he couldn't get the small pegasus off of his mind. He froze. What if she was kidnapped? What if she was hurt? What if... Discord shook his head. Fluttershy was probably fine! Besides, why was he worrying so much? Discord let out a long sigh. Because she's the only friend I've ever had... Though, I doubt she even wanted to be friends in the first place- A scream could be heard in the distance. Discord recognized that scream. "Fluttershy?" He whispered to himself, breaking down the door to the room which he was in, and quickly teleported to the timid mare. Discord froze when he saw who exactly was torturing the small pegasus. "Ahh, if it isn't my savior!" Nightmare Moon grinned. Discord growled, his red pupils glowing brightly. "Let. Her. Go." "Sorry, I'm afraid it won't be that easy!" Discord smirked, snapped his fingers, and Fluttershy was released. "Oh really?" Nightmare Moon growled, sending all of her strongest attacks at him - but it wasn't enough to defeat the Lord of Chaos! *** After fighting for a while, Nightmare Moon (to nopony's surprise) won the fight. Discord, now weakened, fell to the ground. Oh dear! Fluttershy thought, staring at the draconequus with dilated pupils. I-I have to help him..! Really? After everything he's done to you and your friends? W-what? Who are you? That is not of importance right now, Fluttershy. I can only tell you one thing - that I am here to help and to guide you. You should not help this draconequus, for I sense evil in his heart. He.. doesn't seem evil to me.. Can't you see it, Fluttershy? He's trying to trick you! I... The frightened pegasus looked at the weak draconequus on the ground. I.. guess... you're right... Yes. Yes I am. I knew you were smart, Fluttershy. Still, do you... think he may be able to change? Oh, Fluttershy, why must you be so naive? W-what do you mean..? Fluttershy... Creatures like him can never change Nightmare Moon gave another evil laugh. "Do you see this?" She said to nopony in particular. "This is the fate of those who dare challenge the princess of the-" "Sister." Nightmare Moon whipped around to see a familiar white alicorn. "You.. how did you escape!?" "Luna! You must lower the moon!" "..You ponies just don't get it, do you?" "Luna, wha-" "My name..." Nightmare Moon inhaled. "IS NIGHTMARE MOON!" Celestia took a step back, not even a grimace - or any sign of fear - on her face. "Sister, I know that you are in there somewhere - please free yourself from this monster.." "S-sister..?" Nightmare Moon sounded more like Luna now. "No! You fool! Don't listen to her!" She argued with herself. "Tia!" "We had an agreement!" "I am sorry, Nightmare Moon, but you are not the real me.." "No!" And with that - well, the unexpected happened. Everypony - excluding Discord, who was still on the ground, weakened - stared at what they saw in shock. Several ponies gasped. Luna had certainly separated herself from Nightmare Moon. Physically. Nightmare Moon and Luna had become two separate entities. === Conflicting Emotions === A few weeks had passed since the incident with Nightmare Moon. Fluttershy had not believed what she had seen at first; she thought she had been imagining things. However - much to her disbelief - it was real. Celestia (with the help of Luna) had been working on reforming Nightmare Moon, though it proved to be a difficult task. Meanwhile, Discord had easily recovered from his battle with Nightmare Moon - he had also determined that Fluttershy did not consider him a friend. She had been avoiding him for weeks, not even giving him so much as a glance. Discord didn't want to admit it, but he did feel strongly about the yellow pegasus, and not having any idea why she was avoiding him was tearing him apart, making him feel... ...Broken. Fluttershy didn't seem to give a flying feather about him - which Discord was used to. Nopony had ever really cared about him, after all. Why was Fluttershy any different? "Still," Discord said aloud to himself. "It still hurts!" Discord let out a long sigh. On the bright side, the princesses agreed to let Discord roam freely - as long as he didn't try anything. Discord roamed the streets of Ponyville, receiving dirty looks from the ponies he passed. He couldn't help but notice them whispering things about them. Discord's ears flattened as he recognized the voice of a certain yellow pegasus. Fluttershy. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie seemed as if they were making their way to Sugarcube Corner. Discord's ears perked as he listened to their conversation. "I'm so excited!" Pinkie shouted. Fluttershy gave her a patient smile. "Oh, yes, me too," Fluttershy said timidly. "I can't wait for Twilight's birthday party." "There's going to be cake, and games, and - and - it's going to be so much fun!!!" "Who are you inviting?" "Applejack, Rarity, Spike, Dashie, and Twilight, obviously!" "Oh," Was that disappointment in her voice? "Okay." Discord's ears flattened again. Why wasn't he invited? I think I know the answer to that. Discord thought grimly. Discord froze when he realized that the two ponies were staring at him. "Oh! Hiya.. Discord..." Pinkie tried to be enthusiastic about seeing the draconequus, but... "Don't pretend to be happy to see me." Discord hissed. Pinkie, who usually wasn't frightened by such things, exchanged a nervous glance with Fluttershy. "W-w-well, we b-better get g-going..!" Fluttershy stuttered. Pinkie began to run, and Fluttershy, frightened, followed quickly after her. Discord felt like he was breaking in two. Sure, he knew that his appearance - well, not just that, but everything about him - was terrifying, but... He didn't know what to think anymore. He wasn't used to emotions as strong as these. It was becoming too much for the heartbroken draconequus to handle. "Aww, look, Discord's gone soft." "Who's there?" Discord growled. "Don't you remember me, 'Cordy?" "Gloom-!" "Oh, so you do!" A dark gray unicorn with red eyes - finished off with a darker gray mane - took a step forward. "How could I forget?" Discord said coldly. "Well, you are pretty old," Gloom mocked. "I wouldn't be surprised if your memory was worse than a goldfish's!" Discord's pupils glowed a dark crimson color. "What do you want, you demon?" "Oh-ho, very clever, 'Cordy! Name calling. I never thought you'd stoop so low." She replied sarcastically. "Why I oughta-" "Well, if we're playing the name-calling-game, I think it's my turn!" She grinned crazily. "Monster, freak, ugly, disaster that never should have been!" Discord's eyes slightly dilated. "What?" Gloom mocked. "Can't take a joke?" Gloom paused for a moment. "Well, I'm not really joking. You really are all of those things that I called you." "I swear," Discord said through clenched teeth. "If I could use my magic on you, I-" "Well, what are you waiting for, then?" "What?" "If you want to use your precious magic so badly, why don't you?" "If I do, then I'll be kicked out!" "Oh my," Gloom chuckled wickedly. "You really have gone soft!" "No, I haven't!" "Oh yeah? Then why don't you use your magic on me now?" "Fine!" Discord snapped his fingers, turning Gloom's horn into a candy cane. Gloom smirked. "Help! Somepony help! I'm being attacked!" She called out, as if she really were being attacked. Discord's eyes dilated. Twilight came running toward them. "What's going-" Twilight stopped when she saw Gloom's candy cane horn. "Discord!" She growled. "What? She was literally asking for it!" "I-I-" Gloom fake sobbed. "-I was just minding my own business, and then he- he- he just started attacking me..!" "It's alright," Twilight reassured. "He won't be bothering you anymore." Twilight was glaring daggers at Discord. "Twilight-" "Your magic will be taken away tomorrow," She growled. "This is what I get for trusting a monster." "She's tricking you!" "Is she really the one tricking me?" Twilight snarled. "Or is it you, Discord?" "You have to listen to-" "I'm done with this nonsense," Twilight murmured angrily. "Come now, my little pony." As Gloom and Twilight began trotting away, Gloom looked over her shoulder at Discord with an evil smirk. "That brat..." === The Downfall === Fluttershy ran through the woods, her heart racing as quickly as she ran. "Oh dear! Why do these things always happen to me..!" Fluttershy was fleeing from a Manticore - she could usually tame them, but this one would not listen to her. A familiar cackle was heard in the distance. "Discord!" Fluttershy yell-whispered. "Why am I not surprised?" "Fluttershy!" A new voice called; the whole world seemed to freeze. "Princess Luna?" Fluttershy looked around with curious teal eyes. "Yes, Fluttershy," Luna replied, landing in front of the yellow pegasus. "I apologize that I could not come here sooner. There are many subjects that are in need of my assistance." "Oh, I understand," Fluttershy gave a small smile. "You must be very busy. I understand if you have to go help other ponies..." "No," Luna said firmly. "I need to help you, small pegasus." "Help?" Fluttershy questioned. Luna nodded. "You are having nightmares about Discord, are you not?" "Well.. I am..." "Fluttershy," She began, clearing her throat quietly. "You must stop your nightmares." "B-but.. I... I don't know how!" "The only way to stop this nightmare is by overcoming your fear." "O-over..coming..." Fluttershy paused. "Y-you mean.. talk to Discord...? But he was never really my friend! He was tricking me!" Luna shook her head. "You are in for quite a surprise," She said. "When you awaken, please talk to the draconequus - you might find that he is just as miserable as you." "O-okay Luna..." Fluttershy gulped. "I trust you..." "Thou wakest," Luna muttered. "Face your fears!" Luna called, as the world around them broke. Fluttershy bolted upright once she awoke. "Face my fears," She murmured. "Yeah, I can-" What are you doing? "You again?" Yes, me again. Now, you didn't answer my question. What are you doing? "I-I'm going to see Discord, like Luna told me." Fluttershy, I thought we went over this! We. Don't. Trust. Monsters! "What are you talking about?! Princess Luna is not a monster! And.. and neither is Discord!" Then there's only one way to make you understand... "Ahh!" Fluttershy's pupils turned a deep crimson color, her eyes turning jet-black. "You left me no choice, Fluttershy," 'Fluttershy' said. "Now, it's time to finally get my revenge!" Discord was worrying non-stop. His fur had been standing on end all day.. he couldn't help but feel something was wrong. Then again, today was the day where they would take his magic away. But he felt like something even worse was going to happen - to Fluttershy, in particular. "Discord," Discord whipped around to see the familiar face of the prissy purple pony, Twilight Sparkle. "Come." Discord held back a growl as he remembered why this was happening. Gloom. She did this. Discord hesitantly followed the purple princess. "Twilight?" "What?" Twilight coldly replied, not even looking at the draconequus. "I feel like something's wrong.." Twilight didn't reply for a moment. "Okay?" "No, there's definitely something wrong," Discord said, louder this time. "Somepony's in trouble." "And why would you care?" Twilight snapped. "Because, I actually tried to contain my magic for you stupid ponies! I actually wanted a friend!" Discord raged. "And you can't even see that Gloom is tricking you! You just jump to conclusions and assume I'm the one in the wrong!" "Because you're-" "...Because I'm the Lord of Chaos?" Discord laughed maniacally. "Wow, that's really the only way you ponies see me? Hah! I guess you ponies really do have horrible memories!" "What?" "You've forgotten that everypony can change." 'Fluttershy' flew out of her cottage and into the streets of Ponyville. Finally. Finally, she would have her revenge. 'Fluttershy' smiled wickedly as her crimson eyes glowed brighter. "I just need to get a little more power.." 'Fluttershy' landed at Twilight's castle. "Perfect." 'Fluttershy' broke down the door, smiling a wicked smile. Her teeth were as sharp as knives, her pupils a blood red color - finished off by eyes like black tar. Her color had slightly faded as well - darker mane, darker coat, darker tail - and her cutie mark had changed as well. The three butterflies had X's for eyes. 'Fluttershy' couldn't have loved herself like this anymore than she already did. She ran down the halls of the castle, finding Discord talking to Twilight. "You've forgotten that everypony can change." Discord said coldly. 'Fluttershy' smirked, and laughed maniacally. Discord and Twilight whipped around, their eyes dilating in shock and horror as they looked at 'Fluttershy'. "F-Fluttershy?" Twilight felt tears form in her eyes. "What.. wh-what... happened to you..?" 'Fluttershy' laughed. "Oh, I just realized that I can't trust these monsters," She glared at Discord, making his ears flatten. "And the only way to stop them... is to eliminate them." Her smile grew wider (and creepier) as she said this. Discord gave 'Fluttershy' a look of horror. So, this is what she really thought of him. "First.." 'Fluttershy' grinned. "I'll be taking that precious magic of yours!" 'Fluttershy' let her crimson pupils fade, making her eyes look like an endless void - an endless void of black tar. Then, it happened. 'Fluttershy' drained all of Discord's magic. All of it. === Who's The Real Monster? === Twilight stared in horror at the unconscious draconequus on he ground. "Discord..!" Twilight gasped, looking at the so-called 'Fluttershy. "Y-you're not Fluttershy!" "Took you long enough to realize it!" "What have you done with her?!" "Oh, nothing! But let's just say that she's not in control of her own body right now.." "You monster!" "Am I really the monster here? Or is it Discord?" Discord weakly looked up at Twilight, his color drained and his ears flattened. "No," Twilight shouted. "You're the monster!" Discord had a hopeful look. "Fluttershy! Please!" Fluttershy had to watch this monster fight her friends. It was torture. "Fluttershy! Please!" Twilight pleaded. Fluttershy struggled, but managed to regain control for a few minutes. "Twilight... I'm so sorry! She just took control of me..." "Oh, Fluttershy!" Twilight wrapped her hooves around the color-drained mare. "I knew you were in there!" Fluttershy walked over to Discord, nudging him up with her muzzle. Discord didn't say anything, but his eyes... lit up. Fluttershy gave him a small smile. "I wish I could stay in control for longer," Fluttershy said. "But I can't. However, I can do this..." Fluttershy returned Discord's magic to him, her eyes welling up in tears. "I'm... losing control." "Fluttershy, you can't leave us again!" Twilight cried. "I won't... I can't...!" There was a blinding flash of light. Fluttershy had returned to her usual lovely self. Twilight gave Fluttershy a bone-crushing hug. Even Discord looked relieved. "Does that mean... that monster is gone?" Twilight asked hopefully. "I think so." Fluttershy smiled. "Not all of them.." Discord looked at the ground as he muttered this. "You're not a monster," Fluttershy gave him a kind smile. "Even if I was being mean before - the cruel voice in my head told me that you were nothing but trouble... it lied to me." Discord's pupils slightly dilated. "D-do you really think that...?" "Of course," Fluttershy smiled. "Deep down, I knew that you were good, but I tried to convince myself otherwise." "F-Fluttershy... I..." Did I really just stutter? Discord thought to himself. "Shh," Fluttershy looked at him with her kind teal eyes. "I'll be your friend." Discord was slightly disappointed, though he did not let it show. "I will too." Twilight smiled. Discord couldn't have been happier. With two new friends, what could possibly go wrong? A lot of things. Discord thought. "Come on," Fluttershy urged. "It's time for Twilight's birthday party!" Twilight gasped. "I almost forgot!" Discord chuckled. "Well, let's get going!" "Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy birthday to you!" Pinkie sang to the purple princess. Twilight smiled warmly at all of her friends. "Twilight!" Spike ran up to the purple pony. "I got you a present!" Spike handed Twilight a box. Inside the box was a book. Twilight chuckled. "Oh, Spike, you know me so well." Spike grinned a toothy grin. "Open mine next!!" Pinkie shouted, throwing her present in Twilight's face. As Twilight opened the box, confetti exploded everywhere. Twilight saw many cupcakes inside of the box. "Thank you, Pinkie." "No problem!" Pinkie sang. *** A few gifts later... "T-Twilight.. um.. if you don't mind-" "Say no more, Fluttershy." Twilight gratefully took the gift from the timid mare, opening it delicately. She gasped and smiled when she saw what was inside. It was a picture of her and her friends, followed by eight friendship lockets. "T-the lockets are for all of us.." Fluttershy smiled shyly. "I-I hope you lik-" "Oh, Fluttershy!" Twilight hugged the yellow pegasus. "It's perfect!" "Oh.. y-you're welcome..." "Group hug!" Pinkie announced, everypony joining in the hug, even Discord (surprisingly). "This was the best birthday party ever!" Twilight beamed. "Thank you - all of you." Music started, and Pinkie started singing a song to Twilight. Get your hooves up, party's starting out right now! Everypony, everypony get down! Time to make a wish, better make it right now! It's been a year and today is your birthday party! Make a wish, it's your birthday! Make a wish, it's your birthday party! Make a wish, it's your birthday! Make a wish, it's your birthday party! Aw oh, Aw aw aw oh oh! Aw aw oh, Aw uh uh aw oh! Aw oh, Aw oh aw aw oh! Started out great and it just got better! Every day you learned a little bit more! Time to celebrate, now we're all together! And in a year, we can see what you wished for! Close your eyes and concentrate! My little pony friends, uh uh aw oh! Think all the wishes you can make! Why should it ever have to end? Make a wish, it's your birthday! Make a wish, it's your birthday party! Make a wish, it's your birthday! Make a wish, it's your birthday party! Aw oh, Aw aw aw oh oh! Aw aw oh, Let's celebrate your birthday! Aw oh, Aw oh aw aw oh! Let's celebrate your birthday party! Yay!!! The ponies all laughed together as the song ended. "I guess this really is a happy endin', huh?" Applejack asked. "Well, we never know what's going to happen next time." Twilight answered. "Let's not worry about that now, darling." Rarity added. "Yeah," Rainbow Dash flew above the others. "Let's just enjoy this awesome party!" "Let's party!" Pinkie hollered. "Fluttershy," Discord said to the pegasus. "I just want to thank you." "Thank me?" Fluttershy blinked in confusion. "For what?" "For being my first friend." The draconequus smiled. Fluttershy blushed and smiled back. Everything - at that moment at least - truly was perfect. Nopony could ask for any more. The End! <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Secrets Shine Brighter author: MemoryLane tags: character:Main 6, genre:Sad, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Chapter 1: Twilight's Secret === The night had been restless for Twilight. She had spent the majority of the night rolling around in her bed, desperately trying to get comfortable. Normally, falling asleep never took longer than a few minutes, even if she had had been on one of her all night study sessions. However, last night was not the case. She let out a guttural groan upon waking up for the umpteenth time that night. She just wished her brain would cooperate with her and,let her fall asleep and get the rest she needed. A dull light fought through her closed eyelids, prompting her to sigh. It must be morning, great… She peeked open an eye, but only barely, to get a look at her surroundings. None of it was new to her. Her room had been the exact same as it had always been. Her lavender bedsheet was a familiar sight, for certain. The bedstand to her left, which held a still full glass of water and her hairbrush prompted her to open both of her eyes a little wider. Her throat was incredibly dry and scratchy. She let out a light cough as her throat came in contact with air. Even though her thoughts were scrambled from the lack of sleep, that did not stop her from accurately using her magical abilities. She sat up in bed, shivering as the cold air hit her damp coat. She greedily gulped down the water, grasping it in both of her hooves as well as her magic. The water felt like absolute heaven as it slid down her throat, and when her lips parted from the glass, she panted for air. Only when she set the glass back down on the bedstand did she notice that the entire room was enveloped in a dark grey. She wondered if it was perhaps raining outside, but tossed that idea aside almost immediately upon multiple small realizations. With a pained noise, she removed her covers and slipped out of bed. She had many things that she needed to get accomplished today, however it seemed as though her curiosity was going to be her highest priority. After doing a tiny stretch, and a moment of attempting to wake up her aching mind, she wandered over to the window. She rested two hooves on the windowsill and peered outside. Her mouth parted just a little upon the sight. Ponyville was completely blanketed by a thick layer of fog. Everything was a dark grey, a shade that she had really not come to like. The fog was so dense, she struggled to see the nearest house, which was only about seventy-five feet away. "Rainbow Dash didn't tell me there would be fog today…" Twilight mused aloud. It was strange, that was for sure. Rainbow Dash always knew what the weather would be, as she was one of the main weather managers for the Ponyville area. She was always kind enough to share when the weather was going to take a turn for the worst. That being said, Twilight didn't even talk to Rainbow yesterday. Surely the pragmatic pegasus would've warned somepony of the incoming fog, right? Twilight sighed inwardly, and turned tail. She was too tired to think about it. She had things to get done, and lots of studying and tidying up to do. She magically grasped her hairbrush and ran it through her mane, which was currently an absolute mess. She had a terrible habit of rubbing her head against her pillow while she slept, and it had less than favorable results. "Twilight? Are you awake?" A small voice hollered from downstairs. Twilight's ears perked upwards at the sound of her assistant. She finished brushing her mane, and hurriedly tossed the brush on the bed, not wanting to keep Spike waiting. "Yes! I'm awake, Spike!" Twilight called back down to him. His response consisted of what Twilight thought to be the sound of dishes hitting the floor. Twilight grinned, and rolled her eyes as she made for the stairs. Spike may have been a klutz, but he was her klutz. Twilight Sparkle trotted downstairs, through the library, and into the kitchen. Everypony had always said that it was strange that a library came with kitchen, even though it was also a house. Twilight thought it odd at first as well, and after a little research she found out that the library was once an activity center. "Hey, you!" Twilight greet Spike happily. Somehow, she had already gotten over her sleepiness. She was more of a morning pony, anyways. "Hey, Twi!" Spike replied, chipper than ever. He was wearing a cooking apron that read "Kiss The Chef!" in purple letters. Twilight had actually gotten him that for his birthday a few months ago. Ever since he had been putting it on every time he picked up a single dish. Spike flipped a haycake into the air, and Twilight watched as it flopped back into the skillet. "Sleep well?" "Absolutely not! That the was most horrid night I've had in a long time!" Twilight groaned. She ran a hoof over her face, humorously stretching it out. Spike giggled. "Well what do you expect when you stay up until two in the morning staring at tiny letters in a book?" Spike countered. He expertly flipped a haycake onto a plate, and slid it over to Twilight, who quietly thanked him. "I like a good read every now and then, but I'm sure doing that isn't healthy for you." Twilight shrugged, and poured a little bit of maple syrup over her haycake before picking up a fork. "There just aren't enough hours in the day, I suppose…" Spike nodded half-heartedly and turned back to his cooking. There was a small awkward silence between the two before Twilight spoke up again. "I can't believe that Rainbow Dash forgot to mention this fog to me. I mean, it's so visually impairing that I'm almost sure that there are ponies outside running into each other," Twilight said, before sticking another piece of her breakfast into her mouth. Spike was going to speak up, but Twilight had already swallowed by that point. "The weather sure is a strange thing." "I'm not an expert, but I think that somethings are even too harsh for weather control to fix. I'm sure Rainbow Dash will come by soon and whip this fog away." Spike replied. Twilight agreed, though she couldn't be too sure. Rainbow had a tendency of… putting off important things that needed to get done. It was how they met, after all. "Enjoying breakfast?" Twilight nodded, her mouth once again full of food. Suddenly, a knock rang throughout the library. Twilight tilted her head, and turned to look at the mounted clock on the other side of the kitchen. It was 7:45 in the morning. "Huh, that's strange," Twilight mumbled. Spike turned off the stove, carefully took off his apron, and followed Twilight to the door. "Coming!" she hollered. In a flash, Twilight jerked open the door. The butter-colored body on the other side slightly jumped, before regaining its composure. "U-u-uh. H-hello, Twilight…" Fluttershy said, trailing off to look at the ground. For some reason, she just could not seem to look at Twilight in the face. Behind the pegasus, was a complete wall of grey, however Twilight ignored this. She grinned at her friend. "Hi, Fluttershy. You're here awful early." Twilight said. Fluttershy peered upwards for a second, before it darted back to the ground, nearly locking eyes with Spike. "Y-Yeah, I a-am." Fluttershy stammered. Twilight noticed her incessant shaking, and Spike noticed her gaze. It was even more off-putting that unusual. "Uhm, can I do something for you? I can't really talk or hang out right now. I got a few things I have to do first." Twilight explained, taking a small step forward. Fluttershy reeled back, her eyes wide. Twilight flinched as she saw tears begin to form in the poor mare's eyes. "Are you okay?" Spike asked seconds before Twilight. To their surprise, Fluttershy actually responded with a vigorous shake of her head. For a minute, Twilight thought that she was about to have a panic attack. She had a feeling that Fluttershy would be at risk, and she silently considered asking her to lie down for a moment. This was way too much, even for her. "Twilight…" Tears freely fell from Fluttershy's face as she finally managed to look Twilight in the eyes. "Something b-bad is h-h-happening…" Twilight and Spike shared strange glances, before they turned back to her. "What do you mean 'something bad'?" "N-no pony knows w-who could have d-done it. Everypony woke up this morning to find horrible things written on their house. It's...the red paint… it won't come off…" Twilight put a hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder, but she quickly backed away. Things written on the walls? What is she talking about? "Wait, hold on! Calm down!" Twilight felt a tinge of sadness at having Fluttershy pull away from her, but then again getting close to her probably was not something good to do at this point in time. Fluttershy glanced at Twilight, then Spike, and then the floor. After a few good minutes, Fluttershy's shaking ceased. "Please, tell us what's going on…" "Everypony woke up this morning, and…" her eyes began watering, but she blinked furiously, determined to not begin crying again. "Somepony did something horrible. S-Somepony knows our deepest darkest secrets, T-Twilight. So they wrote them in big letters on our houses…" Twilight's jaw dropped as Fluttershy continued. "The paint won't come off…" There was a long pause before Twilight held a hoof out to Spike. "Uh, stay here for a second." Spike cocked his head, before crossing his arms and pursing his lips. "What? Why?" Twilight ignored Spikes protests, even though he obeyed. Walking slowly, she maneuvered past Fluttershy, who followed her. Using her magic, Twilight closed the door, slamming it in Spike's face. An audible "ow!" was heard from the other side. Twilight walked out a ways with her friend, before turning around. She immediately felt a stinging pain in her chest. Her heart had plunged deep into the ground as she read the words on the branches and tree trunk of her home. They were written in red, and projected themselves perfectly. I HAD AN INCESTUOUS EXPERIENCE WITH MY BROTHER Twillight was dumbstruck as she felt a large flow of blood rush to her cheeks. "I...I…" She felt something new burn inside her. She could not tell if it was that of embarrassment, or fury. When she fell upon her haunches, she confirmed that it was the former. "Who would… who would write these kind of things..?" "I-I don't know…" was her only response. Twilight's mind flashed bright lights, and she almost felt like fainting. "But it won't come off. I was up very early this morning to feed my chickens when I saw it written on my house. I scrubbed for an hour before I came over here…" "This… is horrible! Why would somepony do this? I haven't done anything to anypony!" Twilight stomped her hoof, before letting out a sigh. She hung her head low. "It's happened to everypony, Twilight. Everypony's secrets are out in the open…" Fluttershy looked back down at the ground, still not able to look Twilight in the eye. She breathed in the cool air that the fog provided before mustering up her courage. "Is… is it t-true?" Twilight's eyes snapped open with worry, and her pupils shrunk to the size of peas. With a tremendous mood shift, Twilight jumped to her hooves. "Of course not! Shining Armor is my brother! That's disgusting!" As if on cue, a small ding was heard before both mares turned their gaze back to the message. Twilight gulped as she realized that the letters were beginning to shine through the fog, radiating like beacons. Twilight knew what this meant. "What… why did it do that?" Fluttershy asked, her gaze frequently shifting between Twilight and the letters. Twilight was the only one who knew the actual truth. It did not take her long to piece it together. She did not want to admit it, but if she refused, then she risked her hypothesis of the letters getting brighter. If they shone brighter, they'd protrude through the fog. And soon, everypony in town would take one look at the sky and see her secret. At least, that was what she thought would happen. She let out a large sigh. "F-fine…" Twilight felt a little bit like crying, and dropped back to her haunches. She buried her head in her hooves. "Fine, yes. It's true! Okay?!" Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth, and gasped. "Twilight, how could you?" "I… I was a child, alright?" A few tears streamed from Twilight's face. Fluttershy bit the inside of her lip and set aside her judgement. She scooted a little closer to the unicorn and wrapped a hoof around her. "I was just a kid and I didn't know any better…" When Twilight did not hear a response, she continued. "It happened a while ago…" *** "Oh come on! Where is it!?" Twilight exasperated. She shoved boxes, clothes, and even jewelry out from her parents closet. She knew it had to be there. There was nowhere else in the house she had not looked. While her parents were out, she had the perfect opportunity to do a little bit of snooping. Her rump was in the air as she made a mess out of the closet. "It's gotta be in here!" Behind her, Smarty Pants was sitting slumped against the adjacent wall. She stared at Twilight with a strange sense of curiosity. "Twilight… what are you looking for?" she asked. The stuffed animal stood up and wandered over to her, peering over her shoulder to get a look at just what Twilight was freaking out about. Twilight rolled her eyes. "I already told you! My Hearth's Warming Eve gift has to be in here! I checked all over the house! The attic, the pantry, even the basement, but nope!" Twilight smiled and grasped her stuffed doll, and set it down on the ground just a little bit closer to her. "I know they got me that new book on the pythagorean theorem! It's all I've ever wanted and I wanna read it now!" Smarty Pants pinched the bridge of her nose. "But Twilight, isn't that the point of Hearth's Warming Eve? As well as the fact that it's supposed to be a surprise?" "So?" "Touché." With a need sense of confidence after winning an argument with a stuffed doll, Twilight grinned and turned back to the mess of a closet. She had been looking for the last ten minutes, but she refused to give up hope. She needed every single shred of information that she could get, and that pythagorean theorem formula was right in her to-do list! "Twilight, it's been a while. I don't think it's in there…" Smarty Pants finally spoke up. Twilight had noticed her shifting around in a bored manner. "Why don't we go and do something else? I kind of wanted to make another book fort, or perhaps discuss the mental ability and superiority of the unicorn race?" "Nah, we already did that like three times today." Twilight replied. She had to admit, however, she was getting increasingly bored. But that was when another idea crossed her mind. The gift was not in her closet, nor her parents. So that only left one pony in the house. "I got it! It must be in Shining Armor's room!" Smarty Pants groaned loudly. "Come on! Let's go!" Twilight shouted, grasping Smarty Pants in her mouth. The doll waved around wildly. Two sounds could be heard: one was of a gleeful giggling, the other was a pained scream. Within moments a filly and doll both appeared on the outside of Shining Armor's room. She had remembered that she needed to knock before entering, lest she bring the Wrath of Shining Armour down upon herself. She rapped on the door twice but she received only silence in response. Twilight's smile grew larger as she dropped Smarty Pants on the floor. She quickly stood up when Twilight opened the door. "Whoops! No one's home, time to go!" Smarty Pants tried to make a quick escape, but Twilight had already enveloped the doll in her magic. She tried to fight the magic, but it was in vain. "That's the point, Silly-Pants!" she chuckled, before setting the still-struggling doll on the floor, leaning up against the wall right next to the door. "Keep watch for me! Say something if he comes into the hallway!" Before Smarty Pants had the chance to say anything, the filly had already disappeared inside. "Aye, aye, captain…" she sighed. Once inside, Twilight immediately ran for the closet. She knew her brother. If there was anything worth stashing, surely it would be in there. She was certain that her mother had set him up to this. She was too smart for them though! She opened the door to the closet… And hollered as a small mountain of stuff fell on top of her. She squirmed and fought her way from under the smelly pile of worn clothes. Looking back on it, she probably could have thought that through a little better. As soon as she reached the surface, she gasped for air. She embraced the fresh air as she tried to get the intoxicated mess in her lungs out. "I'm… okay…!" Only when she tried to adjust her body was when her hoof came in contact with paper. Her expression shifted from disgust, to a cheerful grin. "Bingo!" she shouted. She scrounged around the pile in search of the item in particular, but at this point it was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. After a few minutes of tossing dirty clothes everywhere, she had finally gotten a grip of it. "Aha! Gotcha!" she cried, as a brand new feeling of fulfillment washed over her. Her mission was a success! Now she just needed to reel in her prize. She used her magic to finish fishing it out. It was a soft book, and much smaller than she would expect a book on mathematical equations to be. On it was a silhouette of what she thought was an earth pony mare, showing herself seductively to those who wished to gaze upon the cover. Twilight cocked an eyebrow, and read the name of one of the articles on the cover of what she just now realized was a magazine. "Fellatio, and other ways to thoroughly please a stallion". Once again, her childish ambitions got to her, and she couldn't resist herself as she flipped open the pages. If there was something in the world she did not understand, then it was her job to figure it out! Very quickly, she opened up to the page with the article on it. She was not sure what "fellatio" meant. It was rare when she came across a word that she did not understand, but she assumed that if it made stallions feel good, then it must be some kind of unique massage. Twilight read the entire article left to right, absolutely awestruck at the words that flowed from the page, not to mention the helpful pictures and diagrams. Never had she learned so much in just one sitting! It was like walking out of a toy store, only to find out that you still have money left and there is an even better store right next door. By the time that she had finished reading the entire magazine, she felt a new sense of accomplishment. "Well! That's enough research for today!" she exclaimed, slamming the magazine shut and throwing it back into the pile. She realized that it was too late when a bulky figure appeared in the doorway. "Twilight!?" it roared. "What are you doing in my room? Everything's a mess!" Shining Armor shouted. His coat was stained green, and his mane was still matted down with sweat from hoofball practice. Twilight rubbed her hooves together, nonchalantly. "I'm sorry, I thought that… uh… my Hearth's Warming Eve present was in here…" she sighed, finally coming to terms with the error of her ways. Shining Armor groaned. He never was one who enjoyed fighting with his little sister. After all, they had barely ever done it in the first place. "Just… get out of my room." Twilight wiggled herself out from the pile she was still stuck in, and stared at her disappointed brother. She walked with her head down low, before an idea popped in her head. She quickly turned around, much to the chagrin of her brother. "Wait, Shining, you look a little stressed…" Shining Armor was not amused. "Yeah, a little. I come home from a lousy game to find that my sister had ruined my room." The grin on Twilight's face grew a little wider. "I think I have an idea!" *** "...and that's what happened...we didn't do anything extreme, but I guess it still counts…" Twilight, for the first time in ten minutes, turned to look at Fluttershy. Her face was covered in a horrendous blush that painted almost her entire face. She tried to hide it with a cleverly placed hoof, but that just served to bring more attention to her face. "I-I don't know what to say…" she stammered. Twilight felt her own face grow hot. She felt absolutely miserable, and she honestly wanted to cry. "I didn't tell anyone this, until now. Shining and I made a pact upon realizing what had happened that day was wrong. I just didn't want anyone to think of me any different…" "Twilight! Oh course we don't. You were a child, kids do… uhm, mischievous things at that age." To Twilight's surprise, Fluttershy gave her a warm smile. "You're still the smartest pony in the world to me. Everypony, even." Twilight grinned back, but just not as brightly as she would have liked. "Thanks." Twilight sighed, and looked back at the letters on her home that would continue to haunt her for the rest of her life. But there was something strange about it… They were gone. "Fluttershy!" At the sound of somepony calling her name, Fluttershy jumped. She realized how silly that was upon remembering that the only other pony with her was Twilight. "It's gone!" Twilight's companion looked up at the sky, and parted her lips. She was right. The letters that were there just a moment before were now gone, and the tree was back to looking like its usual self. "But… how is that possible?" Fluttershy was not sure whether or not to express utter fear, or to be curious instead. Twilight tapped her chin with her hoof and thought. Occasionally mumbling to herself as she paced around Fluttershy, who remained quiet. After a few minutes of thinking, Twilight shouted. "I've got it!" Fluttershy practically fell over at the loud noise, but she managed to keep her ground. "The letters glow when you don't admit or just flat-out lie about your secret. They're magically enchanted with a high-ranking spell. That's what's going on!" "But… how do they-?" Twilight was on a roll. "But! The moment that I fessed up and explained myself to someone close to me, then the letters began to dim until they eventually just disappeared." Twilight stopped pacing, and Fluttershy was actually having a difficult time keeping track of the unicorn in the fog. "Don't you see what the whole point of this is?" "No…" Fluttershy trailed. She actually did understand, but she just did not want to be the one to say it. "Somepony's trying to teach us a lesson. Come on, we have to go and find the others!" === Chapter 2: Rarity's Secret === Fluttershy squeaked at Twilight's sudden outburst. She inspected her friend, only to see that same look on her face that only made Fluttershy nervous. Her head was held high, like she was ready to overcome yet another kingdom at the drop of a hat. She stared deep into the fog as if it were her worst mortal enemy. Twilight was determined to prevail over yet another obstacle in her life, and Fluttershy could not help but to admire her grit. Fluttershy got shivers, and she was halfway sure that it was because of the cool mist that surrounded them. Inside, something was swirling around -- like a leaf through water. She stared back at the emptiness of Twilight's library, and then back to her. Was it really that easy? she wondered. She let out another sigh. Once again, the words printed on her own cottage came back to haunt her. She knew sooner or later somepony would come by and read it. She could only try and hold it off for so long. "I… I'm not too sure about this," Fluttershy murmured. Twilight turned back towards her with a single, swishing motion. Fluttershy subconsciously flicked her tail. "Wait, what? Why not?" Twilight asked. Fluttershy suddenly felt her body grow a little heavier. She had been resisting the urge to faint ever since this morning, but the silent wish was slowly trying to persuade her as time went on. "Well… in order to do that… we'd have to… uh, read our friends secrets…" Fluttershy trailed off so much that it took Twilight a moment to realize just what the pegasus had actually said. She caught herself and refrained from asking her to repeat herself. Twilight took one examination of Fluttershy to know that she had not been thinking in the clear. "I'm not sure if I feel comfortable." "You're right… that just might not be something that we'd want to do. But Fluttershy, you have to understand that if we don't, the paint will not come off. If one of our friends denies or lies about their secret to another pony, then they risk the whole town seeing what they don't want out into the open. We're not reading secrets for personal satisfaction. We're going to try and right the wrong that somepony in this town did." Fluttershy looked down at the ground again, majority of her face hiding behind her mane. Internally, Fluttershy was having a mini-heart attack. She did not judge others at all, even when she read Twilight's secret. She was surprised more than anything. But she knew that if even one of her friends read her secret, the feelings would not be mutual. "Who would do something like this?" Twilight took Fluttershys change of subject as a subtle acceptance. She turned back towards the fog and began to somberly trot. Fluttershy reluctantly followed suit. Twilight would have moved faster, but she deemed that a bad idea after realizing that she could easily run into somepony if she was not careful. "I have no clue. Perhaps a certain God of Chaos thought that this would be a funny prank?" Twilight raised a single eyebrow, and Fluttershy put a hoof on her chest in realization. "Discord may have been bad before, but he's changed now. There is no way that he'd do something like this." Fluttershy said in rebuttal. Twilight bit the inside of her lip. Fluttershy had a point. Besides, Discord and Fluttershy were very good friends. It was very unlikely that he would do something to hurt her like that, much less her friends. Twilight had silently decided to walk towards Carousel Boutique first, considering that it was the closest of her friends' houses. They walked in a deafening silence after that, however that was for a multitude of reasons. Twilight and Fluttershy had been quietly staring at the beacons of words that had been shining through the fog. Even though the mist had cut their visibility, they could still see the damage that was being caused. About halfway to the Carousel Boutique, the passed a bright pink house. Everything about it was normal, except for the writing on it. Outside, a bright yellow stallion and a magenta mare were fiercely arguing and screaming at each other. They threw their hooves in the air, and looked like they were seconds away from throwing punches. Fluttershy squeaked yet again in dismay as she read the words on the house behind the duo: I DRINK MY PROBLEMS AWAY. GUESS WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS PREGNANT The stallion was absolutely furious, but the mare also had a reason to be angry. The mare's words were written on the roof, while the stallion's were written on the doors and windows: I HAVE MADE A SILENT PACT WITH MYSELF THAT I WILL VERBALLY ABUSE MY FOAL Fluttershy cringed as she read both of their secrets. She wanted to motion to Twilight. She wanted to help them resolve their problems so much, but she could not bring herself to do it. For some reason, she almost wanted to stay out of it. She did her best not to judge, and she was doing a fairly good job at it. However, she knew that mare. Fluttershy saw her around town pretty often buying berries and grapes. She just found it difficult to believe what she was reading was true. It did not take long for her to notice that she was being a gigantic hypocrite after remembering what she had told Twilight earlier. She quickly turned away. Twilight was not looking in that general direction, and she had somehow managed not to hear the estranged yelling. She had been trying to ignore all those floating red words that surrounded her peripheral vision. She tried not to think about the pain and humiliation that her other friends were feeling. But she knew that they were all going to be shared at one point or another. She just hoped Rarity would understand. Twilight had memorized the route from her library to the boutique so well that the fog did not hinder her trip. It had taken a mere ten minutes, tops. Twilight had honestly not been paying attention to time. "Rarity?" Twilight called as she slowly approached the boutique. The familiar feeling of the stones that lead up to the establishment hinted that the two were no more than fifty feet away. Fluttershy took notice that the fog seemed to be a little more dense in this area compared to that around the library. "Rarity, are you there?" "Please, no!" A lightly accented voice called through the air, causing Fluttershy and Twilight to stop in their tracks. "Please don't come any closer!" "Rarity, it's me! Something weird is going on!" The same voice uttered a response from the fog. "Darling, I think that's already been established!" Twilight turned to Fluttershy, who simply shrugged. "Rarity, we need to talk to you! We have a way to fix this!" Twilight yelled back. She could honestly hear the shake of Rarity's mane. "I… I refuse! Don't come any closer! Come back later when I get this blasted paint off my boutique!" Rarity replied. Twilight could hear a soft squish coming from further down the path, followed by a sorrowful grunt. "Sweetie Belle already saw the words, and she ran off crying! Everypony around me is going to leave… so just save yourselves the trouble!" To Twilight's surprise, Fluttershy spoke up from behind her. "Rarity, we're not here to judge. We're here to help you get through this!" Fluttershy's holler only came out as a loud whisper, however it served its purpose. "I don't wish to get through this! I wish for you all to stay away! My life will be in ruins! Shambles! Pieces! Oh, this is the WORST. POSSIBLE-" Twilight and Fluttershy both subconsciously tuned out the last part. They knew Rarity enough to know just what she was going to finish that with. "Rarity, we don't have much time! We're coming over there!" Twilight replied. Rarity's begging was in vain as the sound of clopping hooves once again became apparent. Fluttershy followed her friend with a large frown on her face. "Don't read it! It's not true!" Twilight knew that Rarity was lying when a loud ding was heard, and she could see the letters getting slightly brighter. She toned out Rarity's desperate pleas. As much as she cared about her friend's feelings, she knew what she had to do. By the time Twilight and Fluttershy reached Rarity, they came across two things: Rarity, sitting on her haunches, her mane and makeup an absolute mess as tears stained most of her face and the scarlet words that peeked out from the boutique. Rarity let out an audible groan as the two simultaneously read her secret. MY LIFESTYLE MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO RELAX, SO I LET THE PILLS DO IT FOR ME Fluttershy shook violently upon reading the haunting words. Twilight was absolutely dumbstruck, and Rarity continued to be a wallowing, a crying mess on the ground. She sobbed in a manner that Twilight nor Fluttershy had ever seen before. Rarity was always one for being dramatic, but they both could tell that the tears and pain were real. "Rarity…" Twilight murmured. Fluttershy refused to look down at Rarity, not because of her secret, but because she felt that same feeling a dread deep inside of her. "There. Are you happy?" Rarity's tear stained eyes glared up at the two. "Now you know…" Rarity stood up, and tried her best to compose herself. However the tears that slid down her face continued to give away how hurt she truly was. "Rarity, what pills does the message mean?" Twilight asked. Rarity flipped her mane, and her ears flopped on the top of her head. With a new sense of independence and pride, she lifted her nose into the air. "I don't know what it's talking about…" she spoke. Twilight and Fluttershy knew it was a lie after the performance she just recently gave. The icing on the cake was the loud ding, followed by the letters glowing a little brighter. Two sighs were heard, as well as a horrified scream. "Please, Rarity. The more you deny the brighter the words get. Just talk to us. We're here to help you." Fluttershy practically begged the white unicorn to comply. Rarity simply looked away, unwilling. "You got what you want. You know my secret. I assume that you're going to run away, just like my sister." Twilight and Fluttershy opened their mouths to interject, but Rarity continued. "Don't let me suffer more than I already have." "Talk to us, please!" Twilight was becoming desperate. She knew that Rarity was a tough egg to crack at times, so she jumped ahead in her advances. Twilight's begging almost came out as a pleading whine. "The words won't come off until you explain yourself. Trust me. Fluttershy and I are both going through the same things you are. So is everypony else in town." Twilight stepped forward a bit, her face showing no remorse for what she was speaking. "The fact that I had a sexual experience with my brother was shown to almost everypony in town." Rarity's jaw dropped dramatically, while Fluttershy stared at Twilight with admiration. Twilight was on another roll, and nothing could stop her now. "We all have secrets, Rarity. I had to explain mine, even though it hurt me deeply. I kept that secret hidden inside me for so long that I almost forgot about it myself. You have to understand that you're not the only pony hurting here. Think about Sweetie Belle. Your secret has most likely changed her perception of her older sister. But you cannot let that hinder your relationship with her. You have to talk to us, and you have to make this right." There was a long pause. It was so silent that Fluttershy could actually hear the same couple a few blocks down arguing still. But she was sure that no one else could hear them. It was a few minutes until Rarity sighed, and nodded her head. "Do not think of me as any different." she mumbled, her defenses completely shattered. "But the words are true. I take pills to help me relax and sleep on a daily basis. If I didn't, I'd be even worse off. I can't possibly sleep or rest without them, no matter how much I toss or turn…" "Surely, you know those drugs are bad for you?" Fluttershy interjected. "What kind were they? If… uhm, you don't mind answering." Once again, Fluttershy took another step back. She was practically hiding behind Twilight at this point. She instantly regretted what she said, even though Rarity could not blame her for being curious. "T-Terokain" "What?" Twilight furrowed her brow just slightly upon hearing that word. Fluttershy tilted her head. "Uhm… what's that?" she asked. Twilight turned to look at Fluttershy, who was now beginning to slowly reappear from behind her. Twilight opened her mouth, and Rarity and Fluttershy got ready for a science lesson. "Terokain is a drug that was created for ponies with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. They can be inhaled or swallowed, it works either way. They numb the nervous system in an effort to calm down hyperactive ponies that suffer from said behavioral disorders. Some of the side effects only occur in minor cases, or barely at all. However sleepiness in one of the main side effects after the drug itself wears off. It's also a fairly addictive… and they're really quite hard to acquire without permission from a doctor…" Once Twilight made the realization, she turned back towards Rarity. "Rarity, how did you get this medicine…?" Rarity turned a bright red, and began to shy away from the two others. "Eheh… you see… very rarely when I take trips to Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie sometimes leaves her bedroom door open…" This time, Rarity saw both Twilight and Fluttershy's jaws simultaneously drop. "You… steal Pinkie's medication!?" Twilight's mouth was open in shock, but after seeing yet another one of Rarity's pained expressions, Twilight calmed herself down. Fluttershy was still slightly confused. She did not know enough about the medicine, and the only part she understood was that Rarity put bad things inside her body. "Y-Yes! But only sometimes!" Rarity replied. Another loud ding was heard, and the letters grew just a little bit brighter. Twilight and Fluttershy looked back at Rarity, expectantly. The mare in question stomped her hoof in frustration. "Fine! I do it when I get the chance to! But only then!" Ding! "Er, I take them more often than not!" Ding! "Ugh! Okay! I steal the medicine every chance I get!" A few more tears ran down the poor mare's face. "I have a problem! I'll get up in the middle of the night and sneak into her room and take a few!" Fluttershy was appalled, but even more so when another loud ding was heard. "I take a hooful!" When no dinging was heard, Rarity let out a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, the words on the front of her boutique were so bright at this point that Twilight was certain that it could be seen for at least a few blocks. "But… but why? Why would you do that to yourself? To Pinkie? Is that why she's been acting weird lately?" Twilight asked. Rarity lowered her gaze, feeling another tinge of self-pity. "I could not, for the life of me, help myself." She replied. She refused to turn her eyes upwards. "It started as an experiment to see if it would help me sleep. Needless to say, it worked. But… then I felt myself wanting them more and more, even when work was not in the way. I needed them to function, and it felt… nice." Rarity cringed internally as the words exited her mouth. Fluttershy spoke next. "Do you need professional help? We're alway-" "No!" Rarity suddenly exploded. Her yell frightened Fluttershy so much that she actually lowered herself to the ground. "Please! My image will be ruined! A drug addict will never make it big among the stars in Canterlot." Twilight deadpanned at Rarity, who quickly caught her friend's drift. "Also, I do not want to put my family through that… I can't stop thinking about Sweetie." "Rarity, your image doesn't matter when you overdose on pills." Twilight said, rather bluntly. Rarity's eyes widened as another wave of realization swept over her. "You need help, and as your friend, I cannot let your addiction run your life any longer." "Same here." Fluttershy echoed. "Would you rather Sweetie Belle know what you do, and the fact that you do not wish to change? Or would you rather that she knows that you left to go somewhere to get help for your problem?" Twilight and Rarity stared at Fluttershy, who slowly began to creep away. I need to stay more quiet… Rarity let those words sink in. Her mind and heart knew exactly what she wanted to do, even though her body continued to betray her. "You're… you're absolutely right!" she exclaimed. "I must do something about this…" Her gaze dropped again. "For my dear sister, I need to go and find her." Twilight held up a hoof. "Let her calm down first. I'm sure Sweetie Belle's all worked up at the moment." she said. Rarity nodded in understanding, although she was not happy about it. All of a sudden, Fluttershy smiled grandly. She raised up a hoof and pointed behind Rarity. Both mare's followed the pegasus' hoof. The letters on the Carousel Boutique were now gone. Rarity smiled, and let out another sigh of relief. "I… I feel so much better now. I've been holding that in for a while now." "Secrets can keep even the strongest ponies down," Twilight spoke, "but those who embrace and recognize them are the only ones who can grow." Fluttershy and Rarity nodded their heads. Rarity levitated a hairbrush out of seemingly nowhere, and got to work on fixing her disheveled mane. A brief thought had crossed Rarity's mind, but she tossed it aside. If Twilight knew, surely she or Fluttershy would have mentioned it. She stared at the buttery mare for a moment, before going back to her mane. "So… what do we do now?" Fluttershy asked. To be honest, she was just following what everypony else was doing at this point. Twilight did a few mental calculations. "Well, Sugarcube Corner isn't that far away… but then again, Fluttershy, your cottage is even closer…" Fluttershy shook violently in retaliation. "Uhm, I'd really rather not… as much as I'd like the words to come off, I don't want to.. uhm…" Fluttershy tried to look for a valid excuse, but her words failed her. Twilight pursed her lips. "Well, we're going to have to go over there sooner or late-" Twilight was cut off as she noticed Rarity's strange gaping. Fluttershy followed her gaze, only to completely mimic the unicorn's face. Twilight tilted her head. "What? What is it?" Twilight turned around, only to find a single, crimson sentence lighting up the fog. Twilight was almost blinded as she read those fateful words coming from the direction of the library: I HAD AN INCESTUOUS EXPERIENCE WITH MY BROTHER === Chapter 3: Pinkie Pie's Secret === Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy stared in disbelief at the words that spread across the sky, like a lighthouse beacon. Twilight's entire body twitched involuntarily as even more questions wracked her brain. "I...I...uhm...I…" She could not speak correctly, all that came out was jarbled nonsense. For a moment, Fluttershy could have sworn she saw smoke around the unicorn's head, but then again that could have just been the fog messing with her. "Twilight…? I thought you said you dealt with your… issue?" Rarity asked. In her initial shock, she had managed to lose her magical grip on her hairbrush. After looking through the fog for a moment, she gingerly picked it back up and continued to run in through her mane, which was looking better by the minute. Fluttershy turned to Twilight, but did not say anything. "That… that doesn't make any sense! I told my secret, and the words disappeared completely…" Twilight once again began to pace around Rarity and Fluttershy. She twitched nervously with every other step that she took. Her eyes darted from side to side, causing Fluttershy to tilt her head. It took a while before Twilight finally registered Rarity's question. "I did deal with my 'issue'! The words disappeared, and here it is -- twenty minutes later -- and they're still on my library… for all the town to see…" Fluttershy bit the inside of her lip, and rested a hoof on her friends shoulder. "Perhaps there's something else to it?" Rarity guessed, poking her bush into the air. A slight realization made Rarity gasp. "Do you think mine will come back as well? Even after I explained everything?" Fluttershy stayed silent, not having an answer for her. Twilight, however, was not paying as much attention to Rarity as she should have. Although she did stop pacing to turn to her. "Something else? I'm trying to think, but it's not making a lick of sense!" Twilight stamped her hooves on the ground, childishly. Her mind was in overdrive trying to organize all the possible theories in her head. She let out a tough sigh. "Okay, let's go over this again. I explained my secret entirely to Fluttershy, and the words disappeared. I'm a hundred percent sure that they were gone when we left." Fluttershy brought a hoof to her mouth, as she did a little bit of thinking of her own. "We walked over here, where we talked to Rarity about her secret. After some 'chatting', we find that Rarity's has disappeared, and mine have reappeared…" "I'm sorry if I am jumping to conclusions, but by any chance were you lying about your secret?" Twilight's pacing stopped on a dime, and Fluttershy gasped. Rarity instantly regretted letting her thoughts through her loud mouth. "I didn't mean it to come out like that, but it's a reasonable thought." she added. Twilight was going to say something, but she simply sighed and nodded. "Not a bad one, really. However that can easily be proven false. Let's go back to the library, I need to clear a few things up with Spike. I'm sure that he got curious and saw the secret…" Another reluctant groan came from her, before she began to stomp back the way she came. Fluttershy and Rarity exchanged glances, before following the unicorn's tail. *** About fifteen minutes later, three ponies and one uncomfortable dragon stood outside of the library. They stared up at the words on the library's branches and tree trunk. Spike had to actually hold up an arm just to keep from blinding himself. "So, that's what was going on…" Spike said. He had remained obedient to Twilight's request, and stayed inside the library the whole time, albeit a little worried. "Why haven't you told me this before? You're like a sister to me." he frowned. "Because you're too young to know what that kind of stuff is." Ding! Twilight shuddered as the letters grew even brighter. The three other bodies simultaneously raised a questioning eyebrow. "Ugh. Because I kept it a secret for a reason." Apparently, the words on the library deemed that just vague enough to be truthful. Twilight was silently ecstatic about the lack of dinging, she really did not want to explain it further. She was already fairly sure she had scarred Spike for life. Rarity was getting slightly restless. "Twilight, we came here for a reason, correct?" she asked. Twilight gave her a small nod. "Right. Let me try another experiment." she said, holding up a hoof before turning back to the words. She unnecessarily cleared her throat. She spoke loudly, just to make sure that there are no variables. "I have told the entire truth about my secret, and I have nothing else to share!" A half-second of anxiety passed by, before the group saw the letters visibly dim. "Aha!" "So… you didn't lie. It would have caught you if you did, right?" Spike asked. "What does this prove?" "It proves that one, I am not lying or hiding anything, and therefore the letters recurring is most likely not my doing. I told my entire story, so it has no reason to start glowing again. Also, I just told two more souls about my secret. What was weird was that it didn't brighten nor dim when I explained to you and Rarity my secret. Only when I made a true statement about the secret itself." Twilight concluded. Spike was more that confused, at this point "So… the letters react to when you tell the entire truth? But then why did it appear like that?" Rarity asked quizzically. Twilight simply shook her head. "I have no idea. There's got to be some kind of answer to this." Twilight replied. To everyone else's silent disgust, Spike let out a semi-smug grin. "Good thing I don't have any secrets to tell." he said, pridefully. A lightbulb went off inside of Twilight's rattled skull. "At least I've got that going for me." "Wait!" she felt a few things in her mind finally piece together, thought it did not form anything much. "I never realized… Spike, you live here too." Spike was going to reply with something witty at the way she had phrased that, but luckily nobody was very eager to hear it. "How come a secret of yours isn't being shown?" Spike shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. Maybe whomever did this doesn't have anything against me?" he replied. Twilight pondered the thought, but she sighed when she realized that he was right. No one in Ponyville had a problem with the baby dragon, as far as she could remember. "To think that anypony could have anything against my little Spikey-wikey!" Rarity cooed, slightly nuzzling the dragon, who in turn blushed brightly. "Maybe there's a book inside on this. I doubt it, but it couldn't hurt to look." Twilight said, with another defeated sigh. Using her magic, she opened the door and patiently waited for the other three to wander inside, which she did soon after. The library was tinted a sullen gray that almost seemed to ricochet off the walls. The fog had most certainly made its way inside of the tree, but it was just not at the same degree as it was outside. It was easy to see a pony on the other side of the room. Twilight mentally compared it to somepony filling the air with spray paint. Rarity sat down on the floor, being extra careful as to where she set her rump, while Fluttershy joined Twilight and Spike over by the books. "Twilight, do you really think there could be a book that talks about this?" Fluttershy whispered. Twilight shook her head, as she began to levitate books off the shelves. "Probably not. But maybe this happened sometime ago also. I don't recall reading about it, but if there is a record, then we may just be onto something." "Twilight, that's a little ridiculous." Spike completely missed the glare that Twilight had casted upon him. "We've been here for how many years, and Fluttershy and Rarity -- most of their lives! If whoever did this did it in the past, and these two haven't seen it happen anywhere else," Spike threw his arm over in Fluttershy and Rarity's direction. "then that original pony may have passed on." "First of all, I don't even know if it's been done in the past. So calm yourself, bud." Twilight let out a soft smile after regaining her composure. "Second, it could have easily happened somewhere else, and we could have just not heard about it. Think about it, would you be reporting to authority about your most darkest secret being written on your house, and risk them reading it and possibly going to jail? I've read a few of them outside that belong to other ponies, and most of them are more than harmful." Twilight raised her hoof to prove her final point. "And three, who says this was even a pony?" Fluttershy looked absolutely horrified. "N-Not a p-pony? Then w-who could have d-done it then?" Rarity scooted over so that she was sitting with the rest of her friends. "Anything, and anyone. But we have to put in some thought." Twilight continued to skim through books while she spoke, and Fluttershy eeped when she simultaneously pulled ten books off the shelves with her magic. "Someone must have been planning this for a while, watching each and every one of us for a good, long, time. Also, they must have some kind of magic that allows them to do that spell on the paint. Charming it, basically." Spike gazed at Rarity, but she was not paying attention. "Also, how does one get enough paint to do this, and a better question is how did they do it overnight without anyone hearing anything?" Her three friends shrugged, and Twilight's brain was in overdrive. "So many questions, and absolutely no leads whatsoever." Twilight muttered under her breath. She considered sending a letter to the Princess about what was going on here, but like she said, attracting attention to every pony in town's secrets would be less than beneficial. Also it was dangerous to fly through this kind of weather, assuming that she sent some kind of authority into town. "It's like everything is so perfectly set up.…" Fluttershy glanced up at the clock, and was somewhat surprised when it read quarter to ten. The fog had completely taken her sense of time away, with the sun not being around and all. However she kept her small observations to herself, and stayed quiet. "I think we should go find the rest of the girls. I'm sure they're suffering right about now." Rarity chimed. Her mane and tail had been turned back to their original, gorgeous selves a while ago. "But we'd have to read their s-secrets…" "Fluttershy, we're all going to have to read their secrets. I think it's the only way we can solve this." Fluttershy's head dipped as she felt a newly found sorrow embrace her body. Twilight set her books back on the shelves after not finding a single thing. She had checked every single logical book that could have had the answer. Yet there was still nothing. "Let's go to Pinkie's. Celestia knows how she's doing right now…" she sighed. This is the most miserable day of my life... *** It was a short while later when everyone, save for Spike, were walking through the fog towards the Sugarcube Corner. They had to take a small detour, however. The town was most certainly in pieces. Yelling and crying had been a common sound throughout the streets. They had even seen a few houses on fire from ponies who took the matters into their own hooves. No matter how much Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight wanted to help, they knew that there was nothing they could do to soothe those aching ponies troubled conscience. "I never knew that ponies could resort to such drastic measures once everything was out into the open…" Twilight muttered. Rarity nodded lightly. "Just goes to show what ponies will do to keep up self-made facades and charades." Rarity chided. Her friends kept their mouth shut in an effort to spare her feelings. Unlike Fluttershy and Twilight, Rarity walked slowly and painfully. She was dreading talking to Pinkie. She knew what she was going to have to do once she saw her, and she tried to silently figure out how to say it without causing any kind of conflict in the end. It had only taken a few minutes later for them to reach the Sugarcube Corner. It was also very easy to find. Given that they had also made this trip so many times that they could have each individually gotten there blindfolded, the rosy pink building stood out like a sore hoof. Much to the three's surprise, their puffy pink friend was bouncing around the front of the building with some kind of oblivious stupor. She was singing a song that none of her friends were able to pick up on, so they assumed that she had once again made something up on the spot. "Pinkie!" Twilight shouted as the group wandered closer to her. Pinkie stopped almost mid-bounce, and practically toppled over. "Oh, hey girls!" Pinkie shouted, waving a hoof in the air. "Can you believe this? This is so super-duper!" Fluttershy cocked her head, not entirely sure about how she should feel about her comment. Then again, she was not sure how she should feel about what was going on, either. They approached the mare slowly, but carefully. Pinkie Pie had actually stood in the same spot waiting for them to approach. She had that same eternally apparent grin on her face. "Pinkie… what are you talking about…?" Rarity questioned. She could see the red letters in her peripheral vision, although her brain told her to fight her building curiosity. "This town wide campfire somepony set up!" Somehow, Pinkie's smile grew even wider. She actually had to close her eyes for a split second. "The smoke is a little bit much, but it feels like I'm in some kind of wonderland! Hehe!" Pinkie let out a laugh accompanied by various snorts and giggles. Twilight, Rarity, and Fluttershy all stared at each other, as if they were silently deciding who was going to be the one to tell her. Rarity's curiosity was the first to overcome. She could not resist the words that were stapled all over the Sugarcube Corner. There were actually three sentences: one on the roof, one on the front of the building, and another written in the windows. It was as if the entire establishment was covered in semi-dried blood. Rarity paid no attention to the other two. She knew who they belonged to, and would rather not know anything else about them. Their family was already fragile. Pinkie's secret lied in the windows of Sugarcube Corner. I DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO SHOW EVERYPONY MY TRUE SELF "Pinkie, haven't you noticed that something… strange has been going on…?" Rarity asked, not taking her eyes off of Pinkie Pie's secret. Twilight followed Rarity's gaze, but her determined grin remained on her face. Fluttershy looked away entirely, squeaking as she resisted her inner temptations. "Nope!" she chimed. Pinkie Pie said her words with a ridiculous sense of pride. Her head bobbed to some kind of inaudible tune inside of her head, and her mane shook with every word she uttered. Twilight resisted the urge to facehoof. There was a loud ding, as the sentence in the window grew just a little bit brighter. "You haven't noticed the words written all over ponies houses? All over Sugarcube Corner?" Twilight knew that Pinkie was rather unobservant at times, but she was more than suspicious. Pinkie shook her head happily. Twilight wondered if she actually heard the second ding. "You mean you haven't noticed your deep, dark secret written in the windows behind you? Or do you just refuse to admit it?" Twilight asked. Pinkie's smile faded for a half second, but before any of the three could blink it was right back on her face. It was brighter and louder than ever. "Eheh," Pinkie turned her head briefly, before looking back at her dumbstruck friends a few milliseconds later. "Oh, that. I never noticed that there before. I've been enjoying the fires and cooking s'mores all morning!" Another raucous bout of giggling was heard, as well as another familiar sound: Ding! "Pinkie, we know you're lying to us… that dinging tell us that, as well as the fact that your letters are getting brighter. I really don't have time for this…" Rarity added. Twilight resisted the urge to shoot Rarity a nasty glare, until she realized what she said was technically true for her. Pinkie, on the other hoof, did not seem to hear the unicorn's pleas. "Does somepony need a party pony to cheer them u-" "No!" "Pinkie, your secret on the window explains everything. Acting oblivious is not going to make it go away." Twilight argued. "But… but I have no idea what it's talking about!" Pinkie scoffed, and waved her hoof dismissively at the building behind her. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and I always have been!" Pinkie Pie audibly gulped when another ding was heard. Twilight stared hard at the mare, who was looking around nervously. "Pinkie, please…" Fluttershy begged, stepping out from behind Twilight. She was somewhat surprised when Rarity stepped in front of her. "Hey Pinkie, if I share my secret with you, will you explain yours?" Rarity asked. Fluttershy and Twilight went wide-eyed, the former actually backing away. Fluttershy knew that the time would be coming eventually, but she quietly wished that she did not have to be around to hear it. She wanted to disappear into the fog entirely. "Sure!" Pinkie said. Rarity was slightly taken aback by the sheer amount of joy in her voice, but she did not expect anything less. Rarity sighed, and mustered up everything inside of her. "I… I am addicted to terokain pills." The smile on Pinkie's face drooped until it was unexisting. "I take them so that they'll help me fall asleep, even though I know that they're bad for me. I couldn't help myself. It's the only way that I'll be able to get the much needed sleep that I deserved…" Rarity paused to look her dear friend in the eyes. "Darling, I'm sorry about this, but… I stole most of your medication so that I could feed my addiction." There was a very awkward pause that rang throughout the four of them. Nothing was heard, nothing was said -- and most importantly -- nothing was felt. Pinkie just stared at the unicorn dumbly. For once in her life, Pinkie Pie had nothing to say. That was until she exploded into another fit of giggles. "Teehee! That's okay, Rarity!" Pinkie Pie trotted up to Rarity beaming, and wrapped a hoof around her. Rarity had to force herself to keep her tears at bay, though Pinkie's demeanor only egged it on. "It's okay to share, sometimes! All you gotta do is ask! Sure, if I don't take the pills I get all-" Pinkie paused to wobble around with a silly face just to prove her point. "But I don't mind, because it makes me feel silly inside!" Twilight's brain almost short circuited. She mouth was agape as she tried to mentally process Pinkie Pie's train of thought. However, she had zero to no luck. Pinkie Pie teetered back to her spot in front of the Sugarcube Corner. "Uhm… so Pinkie…" Fluttershy spoke up, seeing that nopony else was rightly able to. "Do you mind sharing with us what your secret is all about… uh, if you want to, that is…" Pinkie Pie stood happily on the other side of the group, her toothy grin yet again showing itself. She stayed absolutely still, like a marble statue. Her eyes were closed, as usual when she smiled. It was as if somepony had simply pressed pause. "P-Pinkie…?" Rarity asked. However, no amount of prompting causing Pinkie Pie to move. Fluttershy had almost assumed that she was stuck. Pinkie Pie did not open her mouth. She simply stayed put, causing the other three to look at each other confusedly. Only until the tears started pouring out of the mare's closed eyes did the three of them let out a relieved sigh. It was a picturesque moment as they watched on. Her body and face revealed nothing but pure bliss and elation, but the tears running down her face showed otherwise. Some of the tears landed on Pinkie's muzzle and still-grinning lips. It was as if she refused to let her smile go away. "Pinkie! Are you okay?" Twilight had finally put Pinkie's comment earlier behind her, and had finally managed to regain her focus. "H-Hahaha!" The mare sniffled continuously. "O-Of course I-I'm fine! W-Why wouldn't I-I be? Hah-haha!" Her ears were pinned against the back of her head passively. Twilight knew exactly what was going on now, and she felt that both of them could be at ease as she said those few fateful words. "Pinkie, quit smiling." As soon as Pinkie Pie opened her eyes, and saw the frown on Twilight and Rarity's face, she gave up. She dropped to the ground into a bawling, heaping mess. She cried loudly into the dirt, covering her face with her hooves. She did not care about her coat being covered in soil. She did not care about what he friends thought of her. All she wanted was to have that moment. "I-I'm so t-tired…" she cried and sniffled so much that her friends were just barely able to understand what she said. The three of them exchanged nods, and went to comfort their friend, who was trying to speak. Pinkie kept choking on her words. "There, there…" Rarity cooed, softly calling to her. Rarity's comforting talents came from her mother, who would always calm her when she needed it. Rarity picked up on it, but this time, she was the mother, and Pinkie was her baby. "Let it all out…" "I h-have s-s-so many ponies w-who look up to me. I… I just w-want t-to sit d-down f-for a while. I-I want to rest, b-but I can't a-anymore. I-I've dug myself t-too deep, a-and n-now it's e-expected f-f-from me…" The three of them nodded, but Twilight was the only one with a response. "Pinkie, only a few things matter in life, and personality is not one of them." She bent down towards to sobbing mare. "What does matter, is who they are, and what they can accomplish." Twilight stood back up when she noticed Pinkie vigorously shaking her head. Her entire face was stained with newly acquired tears, thought the mare in question did not seem to care. Twilight was curious. She looked back to the words in the Sugarcube Corner windows, only to notice that they are all gone. Twilight did not smile. "What is this all about, anyways…?" She swiftly turned around, and sighed when she saw a very familiar phrase peek through the fog: MY LIFESTYLE MAKES IT HARD TO RELAX, SO I LET THE PILLS DO IT FOR ME "...Wait a minute…" === Chapter 4: Applejack's Secret === Twilight felt something stir deep inside of her brain. It was as if something was just out of her grasp, and she was struggling to reach it and pull it aside. She began to mumble to herself in an effort to organize her jumbled thoughts. "When I talked to Fluttershy this morning, my secret dimmed. When we both talked to Rarity about her secret, her secret disappeared and mine reappeared…" Meanwhile, Pinkie Pie was still an absolute mess behind her. Fluttershy and Rarity were doing as much as they could to comfort the wallowing mare. Fluttershy could not help but to pity her for reasons she held close to her own heart. She ran her hoof through Pinkie's mane in a tender effort to get her to stop crying. Fluttershy frowned when she realized that her efforts were in vain. "Dear… do you want to talk about it?" Rarity asked. She was sure that the mare would, but even if she said no, Rarity would get her to talk some way. Pinkie's secret may be gone, but perhaps talking could get her to calm down a little bit, Rarity thought. The amount of pent-up sorrow inside Pinkie was almost too much to bear. She had not let herself cry sincerely since she was younger. It was as if her eyes were raining the freedom that she so desperately desired. "I… I- I don't want to be hyperactive like that anymore." Pinkie choked, mustering up the strength to wipe her tears away with a soggy hoof. "I'm tired of acting happy when all I want to do is cry. I don't want to be forgiving when somepony is mean to me." Pinkie Pie cast a knowing glare upon Rarity, who took the hint. She nervously smiled, and made a mental note to never wrong Pinkie again. "Have you ever noticed how they treat me?" Pinkie Pie asked, staring up at Fluttershy with eyes that now glistened in the fog. "Who?" Rarity asked. Pinkie did not even turn her head. "Everypony." she replied despondently. Rarity was almost heart-broken at her words. She had never seen Pinkie so depressed. Though, she figured no one truly had before now. She was a shell of her former self. What pony wouldn't be after living a lie and suppressing their true selves for so long? Rarity's head bowed and she pawed at the ground. She understood entirely. "They call me names behind my back," Pinkie continued. "They all think I'm too dimwitted to understand, but I hear and recall every single word, and I can never forget them." Pinkie's gaze fell back to the ground, and Fluttershy and Rarity feared the inevitable when Pinkie's mane and tail straightened out. In her position on the ground, she almost looked like she was in the embrace of a bright pink blanket. "Pinkie explained her secret, and now Rarity's is showing again…" Twilight was still quietly mumbling to herself. The answer was right on the tip of her tongue, she could feel it. "When you reveal one, the one revealed before gets brighter? But that doesn't make much sense…" "It's alright, Pinkie. Courage is something that ponies are born with." Fluttershy added with a genuine smile. "Much like myself, being brave isn't something somepony can just do. Especially when it comes to telling everypony something so secretive and personal." "No…" Pinkie began coughing for breath when the tears managed to choke her up again. She was letting her mind speak for itself, for once in her life. "You're not like me in the slightest." Fluttershy's mouth parted, and she flashed her wings for a brief moment in surprise before sighing softly, "If you… If you're different than what you set out to become..." the pegasus mare smiled encouragingly. "Then who are you really?" Pinkie Pie's head perked up, and her ears stood at attention. "W-What?" Pinkie was not sure whether to feel hurt, insulted, or miserable. So she just went with a strange combination of the three. "What do you me? I'm me. Always have been, always will." she gave the two an insincere, and obviously forced grin. Nopony fell for it. "But what about the real Pinkie? Not the facade Pinkie that you've been doing. I'm talking about the actual you." Pinkie Pie could only hold back so many tears. "She's a stranger to me." she choked out. Rarity, whose conscience was heavier than ever, turned to watch Twilight. She could not bear seeing Pinkie so distraught. However, she felt even worse because she was the one responsible for stealing Pinkie's medication in the first place. She couldn't help feeling like some of Pinkie's suffering was her fault. Whether it was some sort of domino effect, or Pinkie blaming Rarity herself, she would never know, but her guilt was too much to bear. Twilight gave Rarity a cursory glance, before returning to her thoughts, leaving Rarity to turn back to Pinkie and Fluttershy. "I just want to sleep... to rest… and for once in my life I want to eat something green…" Pinkie muttered. Rarity rested a reassuring hoof on Pinkie's back, and opened her mouth to agree with the mare's first point. But she closed her mouth a moment later after thinking a little more carefully about it. "You can, Pinkie. You can do all of that starting today-" Fluttershy squealed and jumped back when Pinkie Pie launched into the air and raised a hoof, as if she wanted to swing at her timid friend. "No!" she screamed, her voice grating at their ears like gravel. "I don't want to!" Rarity spoke up from behind Pinkie, who was scowling for the first time in years. "E- Excuse me? Pinkie, I thought you said-" "I know what I said!" she said through gritted teeth. Something in Pinkie snapped, and Twilight decided to set aside her thoughts for a moment. "Nopony is going to say anything about this. I'm Pinkie Pie, the one and only party pony extraordinaire!" Pinkie purposely ignored the loud ding in the background. "I've worked too hard for this! Slaving over the happiness of others for years... I've spent most of my life building myself up, and I can't let some paint ruin that for me!" Pinkie Pie was scowling like a menace. Her mane swayed dangerously close to the ground, shielding much of her face from her friends' startled gazes. She stood precariously on all fours, although all of her legs were spread wide. At first glance, one would think that Pinkie Pie was bracing herself for something. "Pinkie… calm down…" Rarity said as soothingly as she could manage while backing away with a shivering pegasus at her side. Rarity raised a hoof, as if to gesture to Pinkie. "We can work this out, dear…" "Please!" she spat. "You don't care about me. If you did, you wouldn't have asked any questions." Fluttershy lifted up a hoof to take a step forward, but decided against it. No matter how much she insisted that they all cared for her, Pinkie would most certainly not want to hear it. "That's ludicrous!" gasped Rarity. "We're your friends! Of course we care about you!" "You 'cared' about me enough to steal all of my pills." Pinkie shot back. Rarity's eyes widened, and she stammered, looking for a proper response. "Do you know what happens when I don't take those pills? Bad things, Rarity! Bad things!" Fluttershy was hiding behind Twilight at this point, shivering like a madpony. Twilight looked at Pinkie's letters, which were slowly returning, and turned to Rarity's letters way off into the distance. She felt another light bulb warm up inside her head. "Pinkie, what's the matter with your secret? Just show everypony the real you." she spoke calmly. "No! I've worked too hard! I already explained this!" Pinkie spat out. "Creating this new Pinkie Pie was a way for me to be more social. Ever since I've gotten my cutie mark. Ponies only like the hyper, dumb, random Pinkie. I couldn't be myself if I tried." Twilight turned her view to the letters, which were slowly starting to dim again. She then looked at Rarity's words directly behind her, which seemed to get a little brighter. Hmm… "I'm not going back. There's no hope back there. So you three better keep quiet about this, or I'll broadcast your secrets all over Equestria!" Twilight watched as Pinkie's words brightened immensely, bathing the four of them in a scarlet glow. It turned the fog into a bloody mist that Twilight found uncomfortable to look at. When she turned to Rarity's letters, they were still shining, but barely visible. Twilight grinned. That's… that's it! "I got it!" Twilight suddenly shouted. She had forgotten that Fluttershy was directly behind her, which resulted in the pegasus toppling over. Pinkie Pie's scowl disappeared slowly as she stared at Twilight with an intense curiosity. "You have what, dear?" asked Rarity, whom was fairly glad that Twilight had managed to temporarily halt the arguing. "Well, I'm not sure if I have everything, but I think I'm onto something. Look at Pinkie's letters." Twilight pointed behind the mare in question. Her secret was excessively bright. "Now look in the distance." She pointed a hoof behind her, at the very dim letters that protruded through the fog. It was blurry, the letters were legible, for the most part. "Is… is that my secret, now!?" Rarity looked like she wanted to faint, and everypony else watched as she dramatically swayed. She even put a hoof to her forehead theatrically, making Twilight want to roll her eyes. Twilight continued before the unicorn passed out completely. "Pinkie, say something truthful about your secret, and I need everypony to watch what happens." Pinkie rudely stuck her nose in the air. "Truthful? Like that'll ever happen…" Ding! All four mares watched in surprise as the words on Sugarcube Corner grew brighter. However, the mares were all rendered speechless when Rarity's words disappeared entirely. The only thing that they could see was the same old fog that had been plaguing them all morning. Twilight felt a newfound sense of accomplishment that tickled her pleasurably. She knew it. Her hypothesis was wrong before, but she knew she was onto something now. "W-What just happened?" Fluttershy asked. Twilight turned to Pinkie, who appeared to be finished with her angry tirade. "I think I'm onto something." she said again. She cleared her throat. This was going to be good. "These secrets are somehow connected." Pinkie and Fluttershy furrowed their brows, and Rarity seemed to lose focus. Her mind was on other things that were, at least to her, more important than what was currently at hoof. Twilight began explaining her theory. "I bared my secret to Fluttershy this morning, and from then on it started to get brighter or dimmer, making me believe that the secrets are almost neutral before they're explained. It's why no one could see Pinkie's before this, and why we haven't seen Applejack's or Rainbow's yet." Fluttershy cocked her head as Twilight continued. "However, when Rarity told me her secret, our secrets connected. Or something like that, at least. When Rarity told me about her addiction, hers dimmed, and mine shone brighter." "So… you're saying that only one secret can be dim at a time?" Pinkie asked, quizzically. Twilight took one look at Pinkie and held back a shudder. The old Pinkie was nowhere to be seen, and the new one just stared vacantly at whomever was unfortunate enough to step into her line of sight. "That's what it seems. So, when Pinkie revealed her secret, mine got kicked out of the connection, and Pinkie's connected with Rarity's, which is why when one gets brighter, the other gets dimmer. The only part that eludes me is why they're connected in the first place, and why mine was thrown out of the connection so easily Twilight tapped her chin lightly, as even more questions entered her thoughts. Fluttershy and Rarity nodded their heads in unison. Pinkie, unfortunately, was having a little bit of trouble. "I… they- what?" Pinkie asked. "What we need to do is find Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Once all of us are together, maybe this will make some more sense." Twilight turned to Fluttershy, and shook her head gently. Fluttershy knew what that meant, and dipped her head sullenly. "But… but…" Fluttershy stuttered. "So then what do we do now?" Pinkie asked. She rolled her eyes only halfway, then let them rest on her friends. Twilight was slowly regretting coming to Sugarcube Corner. "...I just said we should find Applejack and Rainbow Dash. We need all of us in order to figure this thing out once and for all," Twilight said, starting off in the direction of Sweet Apple Acres. Her friends trotted behind her, while one resorted to grumpily dragging her hooves. *** Twilight was starting to get a little nervous about all of this. She could honestly say that she was unnerved before, but now she had a whole new feeling of dread welling up in her belly. She hadn't seen anypony other than Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie in a while, leading her to believe that everypony had resorted to either holing up inside their homes, or had left altogether. The latter was the most unfortunate, but made the most sense. Fires still burned from when the townsfolk had set fire to their homes in a panic, and most of them had succeeded in getting the letters off of their buildings. It seemed that if the house was not in completely and utterly destroyed, the secret would still shine over the black smoke that the fire created. Rarity had passed the time by reading the secrets that filled the air in the distance. She figured that if she didn't know whose house the secrets belonged to, then no harm would be done. Besides, Sweet Apple Acres wasn't exactly a hop, skip, and a jump away, and she needed something to distract her. I CON PONIES AT FRUIT STANDS SO THAT I CAN GET FREE FOOD "Hm." she mumbled softly to herself. That secret wasn't that bad when she thought about it. She would willingly trade the words on the boutique for something like that pony's instead. I HAVE NOPONY THAT WILL VISIT ME WHEN I'M ON MY DEATHBED Rarity sighed. Well, that was certainly depressing. Rarity had never felt loneliness on that level before, but she sometimes would wish for somepony to cuddle with at night. But even she knew that was nothing compared to real loneliness. Just the thought of dying with nopony by her side, suffering in solitude… she couldn't bear that, and a part of her wondered who that pony was, if only so she could offer them her friendship and give them the attention they needed. I TOLD HIM TO DO IT. I FELT NO REMORSE WHEN I SAW HIS NAME IN THE NEWSPAPER THE NEXT DAY "I… I think that's enough…" she mumbled to herself. I shouldn't be reading those anyways, she thought. Twilight wasn't lying about the fact that some of these secrets could land ponies in jail. They were approaching the Acres, anyway, so she had better things to focus on, now. The cobblestone of the town roads quickly turned to gravel as they passed under a large sign that read "Sweet Apple Acres!". It was a new sign that Pinkie had been nice enough to build for Applejack and her family. She said it took her "only a few minutes", but Twilight sincerely doubted that. She was sure that Pinkie started making it a few days beforehand. "Applejack?" Rarity asked, beating Twilight to the punch. With the fog in the way, and the road to the orchard being a rather meandering trail, Rarity was unsure whether the farmer was there or not. Fluttershy had kept her head down the entire walk, her mane draped over her head. Every now and then she would nervously twitch her tail. Twilight was mere muscle movements away from asking what was wrong, but looking back at how Pinkie reacted to the same question, she set it aside. It was almost as if Fluttershy was having a panic attack. Pinkie walked grumpily down the trail, stomping her hooves on a leaf or twig whenever the opportunity presented itself. She had been taking to her new ponysona quite well, really. Fully embracing the fact that she did not need to be hyper or silly anymore. Rarity could not help but wonder if the mare would ever smile again. They rounded the corner to Sweet Apple Acres and saw the newly constructed barn easily overcoming the fog. For some reason the fog was less dense in that area, and even though they were still walking down the path, they could see a bright orange pony sitting in the front yard. "Applejack!" Twilight yelled. Somehow, the mare in question heard her friend's shout and turned her head towards them. She pulled off her Stetson and waved slowly. Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie sped up their pace to a quick gallop, leaving Fluttershy to trot nervously behind them. It was only when they had come within actual speaking distance that the group could read the sentences tattooed on the walls. There were two of them. One was on the roof, while the other was written across the windows and door. SPEAKING PHYSICALLY HURTS ME Everypony assumed that was Big Macintosh's, however the only pony who really paid any attention to this was Rarity. The other three were much more focused on the words on the roof. I USE MY WORK AS A WAY TO GET MY MIND OFF OF MY SADNESS "Howdy, girls!" For some reason, Applejack was chipper given the circumstances. "Mighty weird day, that's for sure. Somepony had the guts to vandalize the farm last night!" she threw a hoof in the air towards the barn, and stuck her hat back on her head angrily. Nopony said anything, and Fluttershy refused to look in Applejack's direction at all. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. "Big Mac's been inside ever since he read them. I think it hit 'im hard, seeing that out here in plain sight. The nerve of some ponies!" she growled. "When ah find out who did this, they're goin' to pay!" Once again, nopony said anything. She tilted her head in confusion. "What's gotten into you girls, and didn't ah see Pinkie walkin' with you?" Fluttershy, Rarity, and Twilight looked around only to see that Applejack was right. Pinkie was gone. "Applejack…" Twilight began slowly. "We need to talk to you..." === Chapter 5: Fluttershy's Secret === "Uh, beg yer pardon? So that's the deal with all this here fog?" Applejack asked. Her eye had been cocked for the last fifteen minutes as Twilight, Fluttershy, and Rarity all explained just what was going on. It was ridiculously difficult, however, considering they did not even have the slightest idea themselves. Applejack found herself with more questions than she originally started with. "We haven't completely figured everything out," Twilight concluded. "but I have started putting a few pieces together… but not much of this is making sense." Applejack nodded, but did not say anything else. Rarity had been subtly dancing in place behind the two of them. "Ugh, no matter how many times I come to the acres, I will never get used to all of this filth!" she complained. Applejack broke her gaze with Twilight to glare at the prissy mare behind the unicorn. "Hey! That dirt may be filth! But it's mah filth! Ya hear?" she called. Rarity nervously groaned, and looked to the dirt below her uneasily. After another few moments of jittering about, she found a small, desolated spot of clay. She let out a relieved sigh when she realized that she was temporarily safe. "Uhm… s-should we go searching for Pinkie now?" Fluttershy asked. She had remained deathly silent throughout Twilight's explanation. She cast her gaze upwards, but upon seeing Applejack's hooves she turned back to the ground. "No… she's going through a tough time. I think that's already been established. We'll catch up with her later. Hopefully she's calmer by then." Twilight took one look at Fluttershy and felt her heart jump in its place. "Are you alright? You seem a little… off?" Fluttershy looked away, hiding behind her mane in a neutral effort to conceal her nervous face. Applejack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sugarcube. Ya haven't looked at me once since ya got 'ere." Fluttershy's face grew a blistering red, and Twilight just could not read just what Fluttershy was feeling. "Y-Y-Yes…" She stammered. Fluttershy looked back at Twilight, completely ignoring Applejack in the progress. Twilight and Applejack stared at the pegasus, waiting for her to continue. When she did not, both mares shrugged and turned back to each other. "Applejack, dear, if you do not mind my asking," Rarity piped up. She was standing on the same spot of clay from about fifteen feet away. Twilight had already discarded the question of asking her to scoot closer. "What is your secret talking about? Sadness?" That sparked something inside of Twilight. "I was kind of wondering the same thing. You don't strike me as a pony that feels… sad. No offense." Applejack raised a hoof. "None taken." She tipped up her hat upwards, and shifted her gaze from pony to pony. Twilight was not sure how to feel when she watched a playful grin spread across the cowpony's lips. "Speakin' of which, I have no idea what that's talkin' about." The other three glanced over at the letters behind her. They did not dim or brighten. "That's… odd." murmured Twilight. "Why didn't it change…?" "Beats me." said Applejack, turning around to gaze at the letters herself. "Ah've been tryin' to scrub all mornin'. It ain't gonna come off." Twilight, once again, turned to Fluttershy. She silently hoped that the pegasus would utter something of relevance. She sighed when Fluttershy did not. "Yeah. It's… been a bad day like that." Twilight brought a hoof to her forehead. She was forming a small headache. "Nothing… nothing is making sense…" "It probably isn't supposed to," replied Applejack. "Ya never know with these types 'a things." Twilight cocked her head. "You're… awfully calm about this. Your secret is up for everypony to read, and you couldn't care less?" she asked. A small suspicion rose up inside of her, but after remembering who she was talking to, she tossed it aside. "Psh, are you kiddin'? I ain't got any secrets." Applejack looked to her side and nonchalantly scratched the back of her neck. "Well, none that I wouldn't answer truthfully if ya asked. Somethings are kept secret for a reason, ya know?" "But that's irrelevant!" Twilight exasperated. "Everypony's secrets are kept hidden away for their own reasons. Your's are no different." Applejack's gaze hardened. "I know that, Twi. I'm no better than the next pony, but that don't mean squat." Twilight was getting slightly antsy. She knew that whenever Applejack gets frustrated, that could only mean bad news. However, her inner irritation for the whole situation was beginning to grind her gears. "What are you trying to say?" she asked. Rarity opened her mouth, but nothing came out save for a soft sigh. "I ain't try'na say anything!" Applejack stomped her hoof. "You're being defensive. Why?" Twilight tried to view this from Applejack's point of view, and was having a difficult time doing so. It was always a difficult task for her, and this time was no different. "Defensive? Ah already admitted it. That secret ain't true. You're the one who's gettin' all mad at me!" Applejack hollered. Twilight's eye twitched, and she was moments away from saying something that she'd regret. Luckily, she caught herself. "So you're telling me that you're not sad in the slightest? You can say that truthfully?" It was Applejack's turn to sigh. "Yeah. I'm the Element of Honesty for a reason, Twi." Twilight almost rolled her eyes at this. "I ain't got no secrets, alright?" The unicorn stared long and hard at Applejack. The cowpony was a horrid liar, and she had a nervous tell every time she tried. She would look left and right, and scrunch up her snout. Unfortunately, Twilight failed to see it. Rarity was subtling listening in on their conversation behind them. "Hmm…" "That's not possible." Twilight casted a quick glance upon the letters on the barn, which still have not gotten brighter or darker. "If you lie, the letters shine. If you tell the truth, they dim. Something's up here, Applejack and I don't like it." Applejack took a step back, slightly hurt. Twilight wasn't sure if it was genuine or not. "Twi, we've been friends for years! Ya think Ah've got any clue about this either? Ah'm not a liar, and ya know this." Twilight frantically shook her head. "No. Applejack everything was on a perfect track up until now. The rules made sense -- or at least what we already knew about them. Then we stop over here and suddenly everything's jumbled again. It doesn't make sense why the rules with your secret don't match up with ours. You're hiding something and you need to tell us." Applejack scowled, and from Rarity's distance she almost thought she saw smoke come from the cowpony's ears. "How am ah supposed to know? Your guess is as good as mine." "Then maybe you're not lying. Maybe you're just twisting things around." replied Twilight. Applejack raised an eyebrow. "I was thinking the same thing, Twilight." Rarity, once again, shouted from behind them. At this point, her voice was tiring itself out, so she dealt with the squishy feeling of soil under her hooves so she wouldn't have to put up with it any longer. At this point, she was face to face with her friends. "Think about what she said earlier." Twilight was a little confused herself, and she pondered how Rarity could be onto something before her. Perhaps she just wasn't paying enough attention. Twilight thought back to what Applejack said during their conversation, and a single phrase stuck out to her: "I ain't got any secrets, Twi." It took a moment for Twilight to realize that she actually said the phrase out loud. Applejack pursed her lips. "Are ya making fun of mah accent now?" "You aren't lying." Twilight took one look at the barn, and smiled as she finally figured it out. "You're just not sad." "I told ya!" Applejack spat. "But you are using our assumptions to lie." "What do ya mean?" Applejack furrowed her brow this time. "You're not sad. That's not your secret, is it?" Applejack simply stared at Twilight. Her eyes were calm and relaxed, yet at attention. Twilight almost assumed that the mare was lost in thought. "Your secret is the other one. That's why it didn't dim or brighten. Because it can be perceived as not only a secret, but a fact." Applejack said nothing. The other mares did not know that intense amount of strategic thinking going on inside of her head. "Huh, well then…" she muttered after a few minutes. She gave them a strong shrug. "That's it? That's all you have to say?" Twilight asked. Rarity stopped for a moment and looked around. She wasn't surprised when she realized that Fluttershy had disappeared. Fluttershy was a mare of silence, but that was suspicious even for Rarity. She quietly assumed that the mare had gone to look for Pinkie. "Well, it's true. Speaking hurts, so what?" Applejack replied. For once, Twilight actually learned something new about one of her friends that didn't completely devastate her. At least to the same degree as the others. "But what does it mean?" Rarity asked. Applejack's gaze cast upon the ground, sweeping through it before it landed back on Rarity herself. "It ain't much, really-" Applejack was cut off as a loud ding emitted from the letters. They began to glow a smidgen brighter. "Oh, so that's what ya meant." she said, remembering a small detail that Twilight had mentioned earlier. "Well… how do ah put this…" Applejack looked at the ground, and tapped her chin with her hoof. There was an awkward silence, before the cowpony groaned. "Well, ya know how ah'm the Element of Honesty?" "Yes?" chimed two voices in unison. "Well, it kinda stinks. Ah tell the truth because ah'm a terrible liar, not because it's the right thing to do sometimes. Bein' brutally honest just isn't the best thing to do sometimes, and because of that ah've said things that ah wish ah didn't say." Applejack explained. Rarity nodded in understanding, however Twilight's confusion only grew. She stayed quiet, trying her best to at least be respectful. "Sometimes ah wish that ah could lie, or at least be vague. Ah know it's a horrible thing to say, but… it's true." she continued. "When you hurt ponies daily, it becomes a burden. It isn't like ah mean to, either. It's just who ah am…" "But, the letters on the barn say 'physically hurt me'. What does that mean?" Twilight asked. Applejack cocked her head, and turned back towards the letters. She shrugged yet again. "Ah get headaches every now and then." she replied, slightly unsure of herself. "Dealin' with the thought that ah could easily hurt somepony next to me… it kinda weighs me down. Sometimes, ah can't even sleep, and sometimes ah'm like Big Mac; workin' all day just to find some way to keep mah mouth shut. Ah know it ain't very… dark or horrible, but it's just ah little more truth for y'all 'bout me." Twilight looked past Applejack, only to see that her words were now gone. The other one was still neutral, and at this point she assumed that it was Big Macintosh's. Of course, when she looked at one, she turned around to see another one glowing brightly in the sky. I HAD AN INCESTUOUS EXPERIENCE WITH MY BROTHER "Well, that was easy… at least this time there wasn't any devastation or crying." Twilight muttered. Applejack glanced at the same words that Twilight had just looked at. However, Rarity and Twilight had already explained it to her, so she didn't think much of it. There was four. Four secrets out of six. Rarity and Pinkie's must still be connected, and now Twilight's and Applejacks were as well. Twilight couldn't help but wonder how the connections all work, as well as why it was her secret that connected to Applejack's, and not Pinkie or Rarity's. She cast those questions aside for now. "So… does anypony have any clue as to who's behind this?" Applejack asked nopony in particular. "Trust me, we're all wondering the same things. When somepony finally figures out who did it, that poor soul will have much more than their secret to worry about. Hmph!" Rarity huffed. Another idea popped into Twilight's head, but after some small thinking, she deemed it irrelevant. Surely the pony who did this would not be so stupid as to let their own abode be the only one without something written on it. She made a small reminder to herself to keep an eye out. "I've been wondering, also." said Twilight. "This fog, say it was a spell, is very difficult to pull off for this long at a time. Also, the letters and the charms are high-end as it is. We're dealing with something powerful here." Twilight peered at her friends. "And a spell that finds the deepest secrets of others? To be honest, I didn't even know if a spell like that existed!" she admitted. The sound of soft hoofsteps rang out in the distance. Rarity, Applejack, and Twilight turned around, only to see a blur of pink and yellow. "Pinkie? Fluttershy?" Applejack asked. "Where did y'all go?" Fluttershy stood as far away from Applejack as she could. Pinkie Pie, however, grabbed the attention of Twilight and Rarity the fastest. She had that same smile plastered across her face. Her mane and tail was once again poofy and unkempt. She was practically bouncing in place, back to her original self. Twilight had a bad feeling about it, and she knew that whatever Pinkie was going through, a single chat wasn't going to solve it. "Hehe! My bad! I got a little hungry so I went back to Sugarcube Corner for a little snack!" she squeaked. Twilight was extremely doubtful of this, but didn't say anything. "But then I got lost in the fog, and Fluttershy found me and helped me find you girls! Isn't that nice?" Pinkie's eternal grin only grew in size. "Uhm… what she said…" Fluttershy muttered. She hid behind her mane in such a way that only one other pony could not see her face, as well as the other way around. "Pinkie, are you alright, dear?" Rarity asked. She had a tint of hesitance to her voice, as if she was speaking with a child on the verge of a tantrum. "Of course, silly." she cheered. "Super-duper! Why do you ask?" Pinkie's grin slightly drooped as she cast a quizzical glare upon Rarity, who meekly shied away. "N...No reason…" "We should go and find Rainbow Dash," Applejack said. "She doesn't live all too close to town. Maybe she isn't affected by all'a this?" Twilight and Fluttershy nodded, the latter more vigorously than the former. Deep inside, Fluttershy was experiencing a new sense of fear that she was not looking forward to facing. However, she hid the fact well. "Maybe. She lives in a cloud home. I'd like to see just how that turned out." Twilight replied. Her migraine had only been growing worse over the last few hours, and she was almost excited to get everything over with. She had been doing a lot of thinking today. Hopefully, she would be able to figure everything out sooner rather than later. *** It was quite the hike to Rainbow Dash's house. It always was. Twilight knew that the pegasus always did like the seclusion. She must have, since she had the ability to move her cloud house to wherever she'd like. It was at least a thirty minute jog, though. Nopony was thrilled about it, but it had to be done. Pinkie Pie was almost bouncing along the makeshift trail, back in her oblivious stupor. Twilight was silently afraid. Pinkie didn't want to be like that -- all happy and hyperactive, but it seems that she'd shifted back into that mindset again. She almost felt bad for her, but she knew that she couldn't really say much about it. All Twilight wanted to do was help Pinkie, but that didn't seem likely. They approached Rainbow Dash's home. Well, sort of. Rainbow's house was at least thirty feet in the sky, and the other five simply stared up at it. It was difficult to see, but there was a blue tarp hung up on the side of her home, covering at least two of her windows. The rainbows that usually hung from her abode were gone. Usually, they would drift straight to the ground below. They were now an inky black, and smelled of mildew. "Rainbow Dash? Are you in there?" Rarity called. There was no answer, just a dead silence. "Maybe she's asleep!" shouted Pinkie, unnecessarily loud. "Sleeping in in just one of her favorite things to do!" "Pinkie… it's almost one in the afternoon…" sighed Twilight. "Rainbow! Come on out!" she shouted towards the depressing, floating home. Once again, they heard nothing in response. Applejack emitted a deep sigh, and brought her hat to her chest. "Do ya think she's alright?" asked Applejack. Her eyes were filled with a silent worry. Her and Rainbow may have been friends more so than rivals, but deep down Applejack had a fierce admiration for the pegasus. The last thing she wanted was for Rainbow to be hurt. "No idea." Rarity replied. She turned towards the buttery pegasus to her left with an almost apologetic tone in her voice. "Dearie, would you mind…?" Fluttershy did a double take between Rarity and Rainbow's house, before she barely nodded. "Oh, yes." Without another word, Fluttershy batted her wings and hovered into the air. Her wings flittered quietly and daintily, and Twilight wasn't sure if the fact that she was reminded of a butterfly was intentional, or downright convenient. She flew upwards towards the cloud home, and hesitated just before the door. Fluttershy let out a brittle sigh, and softly rapped on the door, three times. There was no reply. "Try again!" Twilight called from thirty feet below. Fluttershy reluctantly nodded, and knocked two more times. Unfortunately, there was still no reply. The pegasus was beginning to get a little curious, a part of her in which she wished she did not harbor. She landed on the cloud, and wandered over to one of the windows nearest the doors right. Fluttershy placed one hoof on the glass, and peered inside. It was empty. With another sigh, Fluttershy flapped her wings and flew back down to her awaiting friends. "Well?" Rarity asked mere moments after Fluttershy's hooves hit the ground. The pegasus shook her head. "S-She's not home…" "That's… that's just perfect. I should have seen this coming…" Twilight groaned. To her, this was just another complication. However, looking back on it, Rainbow Dash flying away was a completely realistic thought. Perhaps her secret was too much to bear. The only question that plagued her mind was where the mare was now. "Where do ya think she went?" Applejack asked. Pinkie opened her mouth, but Twilight was in no mood to hear anything out of her mouth. She knew that it wouldn't be helpful anyways, and until Twilight figured a few things out, and Pinkie actually bothered to talk about her problem, she'd rather not hear it. Twilight rudely cut in. "She could be anywhere. Though I'm sure she isn't far. It's impossible to see where you're going in the sky with this fog, assuming she flew." Twilight thought out loud. "Could her secret really be that bad?" Fluttershy whispered. "Sweetie, everypony's secrets are considered 'really bad'." "Well she's probably sulkin' 'round somewhere. We can't just leave her." "Of course we're not going to leave her." Twilight interjected. "I think we should just come back later. If she is upset and wants to be alone, perhaps we should just let her. Besides, it'd be impossible to find her even if we tried." Twilight motioned to the intense fog surrounding all of them. "Then what's next on the list?" Pinkie squealed. She still had a tiny smile on her lips, despite her inner worry. Twilight did not respond. She just stared at Fluttershy. Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack followed her gaze, and put the pieces together. The four ogled their timid friend, who returned their glances with fearful eyes. The mare took a few steps back, and squeaked nervously. "I… I… I'm not feeling too well." Fluttershy replied, bringing a hoof to her chest. "Fluttershy, you're the only pony left. We all explained our secrets…" Twilight explained. "It's only fair." added Rarity. Internally, she felt bad for the pegasus, but she knew deep down that there wasn't much that they could do about it. She also knew that 'it's only fair' was a terrible argument. "Come on, sugar-" Applejack tried to set a hoof on Fluttershy's side, but the mare went wide eyed and took a large step back. That was the second time, and Applejack tried to keep from getting upset. "Why do ya keep doing that? You've been ignoring, and stayin' away from me all evenin'. What's gotten into ya?" She asked. Fluttershy took one look at Applejack and confirmed her fears: the cowpony definately wasn't kidding. "It's… I…" Fluttershy stammered. She did not have a proper response, and she almost hoped that somepony else would intervene. She let out a sigh of relief when Twilight opened her mouth. "Let her be." Rarity cut in. "She's been like that all day. Surely, it's the stress?" Rarity asked more than said. Fluttershy nodded wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, Applejack was not amused. "Good. Then let's go to Fluttershy's." Twilight tried not to look at the mare, who had tears forming in her eyes. After a few milliseconds of silent debating, Twilight turned to her. "We'll make this quick, I promise." *** For Fluttershy, the thirty five minute walk to her cottage was absolutely torturous. She hadn't had that much anxiety build up inside of her in a while, and multiple times during the walk had she considered simply running away from her friends. She was not the mare that wanted to be unloyal, however her inner demons were prompting her in an irresistible fashion. Her mind was spinning, and that was an understatement. She had contemplated feigning her "fainting goat" pose in an effort to prolong the inevitable. Though she knew deep inside that it would only speed up the process and only end up with them hurrying to bring her home. Pinkie still continued to bounce merrily, very much unaware of her friend's misfortune. Normally, Fluttershy would feel a tinge of jealousy towards Pinkie's obliviousness. But with all she had learned within the last few hours, she quickly tossed that thought aside. The town was silent yet and still. The five had not seen another pony the whole trip. Everything was cold and dead, at least that's what Fluttershy felt. The entire group had been quiet, and didn't want to disturb the peace by asking a question she was sure that nopony would be able to answer. Only a few more minutes, she thought. A few more minutes until everything will be over. After a while, the terrain around Fluttershy began to remind her of exactly where they were. It had almost been impossible to navigate, although Rarity knew the area like the back of her hoof, so naturally she took point. Fluttershy's heart was getting heavier and heavier upon every step she took. By the time she was only five minutes away, she felt as if she was walking on the moon. "I don't want to do this…" she murmured, her head pitifully dropping towards the ground. "Come on, Fluttershy. It'll be really quick, then we can go and find Dashie!" Pinkie added. Fluttershy shook her head, and stopped walking altogether. "Please, no. I really don't want to do this." Fluttershy repeated. Her friends stopped upon seeing Fluttershy stop in her tracks. "Can't we just go back to the library? Or look around for Rainbow Dash?" "Fluttershy, you know we can't do that right now…" Twilight replied with a sigh. Fluttershy tried to hold back a few frightful tears. "Please… I just… can't…" "How about this, then. Ah'll go ahead and read what's on her cottage, so that way nopony else has to." Applejack said. Before Fluttershy could utter any sort of rebuttal, Applejack had already barged ahead of the group. "Don't worry, ah won't tell anypony. When ah get back Flutterhy and ah can talk it out and meet y'all back at the Library when we're finished!" Applejack walked into the fog with a playful smile on her face, more to keep Fluttershy calm more than anything. However, it didn't work. "No! Applejack, wait!" Fluttershy softly called after her. It was too late. Applejack had already disappeared into the fog. Fluttershy quietly whimpered, and sunk lower to the ground. "Please, don't go…" It was a dreadful ten minutes that passed, and a few of the ponies were growing anxious. They were only a few minutes away from Fluttershy's cottage, but ten minutes was definately long enough. Pinkie Pie had managed to calm herself down, in the meantime, and had resorted to kicking a rock around. She had noticed by everypony else's body language that they didn't want her to talk. She was okay with that, if not completely used to it by now. Seeing as Fluttershy was not willing to talk at the moment, Rarity and Twilight had resorted to chatting between themselves. "Do you suppose that Applejack is alright?" Rarity asked with a raised eyebrow. Twilight shrugged. "I'm sure she's fine. Let's give her five more minutes before we head after her." In the recesses of Twilight's mind, she had a few more questions herself. Was Fluttershy's secret really that bad that Fluttershy needs to have that much of a panic attack? Twilight looked downwards at the shivering mare, and sighed. About four more minutes passed by before sniffling could be heard in the distance. Rarity, Pinkie, and Twilight all perked their heads up, while Fluttershy did not move from her position. "Applejack? You there?" Twilight called into the fog. Another sniffle. "You.." a choked voice strained. Not a second later, an orange mare appeared. Her face was absolutely stained with tears, and her eyes were bloodshot. Her face was contorted into a sinister frown as she finally came into view. For some reason, she was no longer wearing her stetson hat, and it was nowhere to be found. "...Applejack… what happened out there? You've been gone for a while." Rarity asked meekly. Applejack stopped a few feet in front of her friends. She ignored Rarity's question entirely, and stared down at Fluttershy. Her eyes were filled with a newfound hatred that her friends had never seen before. It was apparent that the cowpony was moments away from pouncing on top of the feeble mare on the ground. "You… you monster. How could ya?" she choked. A few more tears ran down her cheeks, and unsurprisingly, the same happened to Fluttershy. "I-I can explain…" Fluttershy started. Applejack wanted none of it. "Ah treated ya as a good friend. How could you put me through this… mah family? Ya never even had the courage to tell me somethin' like that? All those wasted opportunities to say somethin'... anything. It was you, Fluttershy, that put mah family through so much pain." Applejack gritted through closed teeth. Fluttershy said nothing, and her friends were all too awestruck to say anything. "Yer dead to me." Applejack concluded. Upon letting the words slip out of her mouth, Appejack's eyes widened. Before Fluttershy could say anything, Applejack pushed through her friends in the opposite direction of which she came, headed back towards Sweet Apple Acres. Fluttershy was an absolute mess, and Rarity and Pinkie almost immediately rushed to her aid. Once Applejack had finally disappeared again, Fluttershy let everything out. She wailed louder than anypony had ever heard her speak, crying into her mane with no dignity or care in the world. She had lost a good friend that day, and it was all her fault. Twilight could only stare into the fog, and think a brand new question. What did Applejack see. "I'll be right back…" she muttered under her breath. Luckily, none of her friends seemed to have heard her. She slowly trotted through the fog, fearing the worst. She had no idea what was written on Fluttershy's cottage, but she was about to find out. Twilight's breath was caught in her throat. The anticipation was killing her, but she had to know. Not for the sake of herself, but for the sake of the Elements of Harmony. If everypony was going to get over their secrets, there comes a first step. This was number one. A few minutes later, Twilight had reached the small bridge that lead to Fluttershy's cottage. However she hadn't need to cross it. She could already read what was written on Fluttershy's home, but to fully understand and realize it, she had to reread it a multitude of times. She wanted her eyes to fail her badly, but they wouldn't. What she read on her cottage was real, and she could only utter one thing: "Oh no…" On the walls of Fluttershy's cottage read a fateful message. One that Fluttershy had been worrying about all day. Now she knew, and she wasn't happy about it. I AM INDIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF APPLEJACK'S PARENTS === Chapter 6: Rainbow Dash's Secret === Twilight shivered inwardly and let a cold breath puff from her dry mouth. Her brain was swirling in a stupor that she had never experienced before. She wanted to go numb, but that little voice in the back of her mind was telling her to take action. She didn't know what to do or say, all she could do was stand there with shaking knees. She turned her head back to the mist behind her. She could hear Fluttershy's wails in the distance, and it killed her inside. She had never heard Fluttershy make such a loud noise before, so there was no doubt in her mind that it was genuine. Twilight shed a lone tear. Her brain was frozen, and something inside of her made her heart feel horrendously heavy. There were many things that could be done, she was merely having trouble organizing them efficiently. Twilight did her best not to look at the Stetson that sat like a tombstone on Fluttershy's porch. With a heavy sigh, Twilight mustered up her strength and turned around. This was only the beginning of what might just be the worst to come, and she despised thinking about it. There was no way she was going to let Rarity and Pinkie see the secret. She didn't care about the rules, or if her secret was projected through the skies. She didn't care of the repercussions. All she wanted for everything to be alright again, and she was willing to sacrifice her sanity to do just that. She walked the lonely trail back through the fog with her head held low. It was a quicker trip than she imagined and left her desperately grasping for the right words as she drew nearer to her friends. Rarity was lying on the ground next to Fluttershy, running a hoof through her rosy mane. Fluttershy had done the same thing to her when they had seen her secret, the least she could do was return the favor. Pinkie Pie was trying desperately to cheer Fluttershy up any way she could. Whether it be confetti, balloons, or whatever else she had on hoof. Twilight knew this, because most of the items in question were lying around near the three of them. Pinkie had desperately resorted to telling jokes and semi-funny stories. Twilight relented on the fact that each and every one of her friends were delving into their own bouts of sadness and depression. She stood above the three mares and pondered just what would be the best thing to say to them. For once in her life, Twilight Sparkle just didn't know what to do. Rarity looked up, almost doing a double take upon seeing Twilight's return. "Oh!" Rarity fussed about, ready to stand up to speak to Twilight face to face. However, her common sense told her that she was needed on the ground with Fluttershy. "Twilight… what happened? Why did Applejack say those things?" Fluttershy shivered just slightly, but somehow Twilight managed to take notice. She responded accordingly. "I feel as if the words on Fluttershy's house are… not meant for any pony's eyes." Twilight said. She already knew what Rarity's response would be, and wanted to let out a small chuckle as Rarity replied just how she expected. Rarity had a tendency to be slightly predictable, Twilight already knew that. "Twilight, that's not very fair to say. Nopony's secrets are meant for any pony's eyes." replied Rarity with wet eyes. "Indeed, but… Fluttershy doesn't have the ability to share with everypony just what her secret is." said Twilight. Rarity was beginning to get curious about what was written on Fluttershy's house, but she felt herself nod after realizing that what Twilight was speaking was correct. "I feel that it should only be those who need to, and that any other eyes are unnecessary." Rarity huffed. "Quite the hypocrite, aren't we? I'm positive that you saw it." Twilight hardened her gaze, and Rarity could have sworn that Pinkie did as well. "I do not need or wish to know, I'm just stating facts." Pinkie's attempts to cheer up Fluttershy were in vain, so she turned her attention to the two other mares. "I'm okay with that." Pinkie still had the smile on her face, however her voice didn't match. It seemed conscious and concerned, instead of bubbly and loud. It was as if another voice was hidden somewhere inside her original one. She playfully waved a hoof at Fluttershy for emphasis. "We're all going through something tough here, but Fluttershy is the most vulnerable of all of us. She doesn't need the emotional trauma." Twilight waited for Fluttershy to say something, but it was apparent that the pegasus was not listening to their conversation. She had her mane over her ears, like she always did when she was distressed. Twilight nodded thoughtfully. "So let's split up. Rarity, could you go and try to find Applejack and calm her down?" Twilight knew that Rarity would learn Fluttershy's secret if she talked to Applejack, but what Fluttershy didn't know wouldn't kill her. Rarity nodded, and unstuck herself from the still sobbing mare. "O-Okay…" she stammered, looking down at the ground. "I'll be back soon. Let's meet up at the library in a couple of hours, alright?" she added. Twilight nodded with a small smile. Pinkie Pie waved cheerfully, but Rarity didn't seem to notice. Without another word, Rarity staggered leerily back into the fog. Twilight turned her attention to Pinkie. "Ooooh! What can I do?" Pinkie's voice was so upbeat that it was actually beginning to hurt the unicorn. "Do you think you could go and search for Rainbow Dash? She's bound to be around here somewhere, and I'm sure it'll be a cinch for you to find her." Pinkie brought her hoof to her forehead in some kind of silly salute which Twilight took as a yes. "Great, like we agreed, library in two hours." "Okey dokey, artichokey!" In a flash of pink, Pinkie was off. There was a long pause as Twilight stared down at Fluttershy. She didn't know what to say at all, but since Fluttershy was no longer crying, she forced herself to rethink her options. Fluttershy simply sat there, her head in her hooves and her nose almost touching the soft dirt. Every time she breathed, some of the soil shifted. "Fluttershy? How are you feeling?" Twilight asked after a few unbearable seconds. Fluttershy said nothing for a good, long while. Twilight was slightly surprised that the mare had opened her mouth at all. When Fluttershy did speak, however, her voice was quiet and cracked. "I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry…" Fluttershy gasped for breath between every stutter. She lifted up her head, and attempted to dry her face. Twilight was devastated at the sight of her. Her mane was no longer smooth and beautiful, and it looked like she had just woken up from a nap. Even her eyes had become sunken and depressed. Fluttershy sniffled. "It was an accident, I-I promise!" "Come on, Fluttershy. Let's go back to your cottage and get you all cleaned up. Then we can sit down for a while." Twilight whispered. *** Rainbow Dash could only let out a sigh. "Rarity, why?" she told herself. It was useless. Asking herself questions that she could not answer was pointless. She had woken up late that morning, like usual, and spent every waking moment after that panicking because of the words marring her home. She held two nails in her mouth and floated near the bright lights shining from Carousel Boutique. Her wings fluttered slowly, just enough so that she could remain in place. "Come on, come on!" she mumbled hurriedly to herself. It was difficult to speak with the nails in her mouth, so her words came out slightly muffled. She placed a nail in the hole on the bottom left hole of the tarp she was holding and began to hammer. It was a restless and paranoia-filled job, but somepony had to do it. She couldn't let her friends suffer like this, and, even though it was only rarely that she ever happened to notice it, her conscience was telling her to do her best to help them. Rainbow Dash had already read Rarity's secret, but she was more than confused about it. Without the mare in question there to explain it, Rainbow was left in the dust. All she had left was to simply wonder what any of it meant, however deep inside she really didn't want to know. She was already planning out who's house she was going to hit next, and Fluttershy's was relatively close. "C'mon, you stupid thing!" she murmured, carefully maneuvering the nail in her mouth so that she didn't drop it, or accidentally stab her tongue. She needed to hurry. She could have sworn that she heard chatter not too long ago from not very far away. "Rainbow Daaaash?" a high voice called from the fog as if right on cue. Rainbow Dash jumped and her wings instantly locked up. She tumbled to the ground with an "Oomph!", and landed hard on the stone pathway leading to the Carousel Boutique. Luckily, the fall wasn't from very high and Rainbow wasn't hurt too badly. It took her a fraction of a second to get back to her hooves, only for her to begin to panic again. "Oh no!" she whimpered. She needed to hide, quickly. She knew that high pitched voice anywhere. There was no way that she could let Pinkie see what she was doing. The sound of a single pony's hooves meeting gravel filled the air, causing Dash to look left and right for an escape route. She looked at the tarp hanging crookedly above her. She'd have to come back later to finish the job. "Um… um…" she didn't know where to fly. She couldn't fly home. She was positive that her friends had went there earlier, and who knows if somepony was still lingering around there. She doubted that her friends would be so nosy as to remove that tarp she had placed there, but she couldn't be too sure. Rainbow Dash had no place to go. The fog was thick, but she would be easily spotted if she tried to zoom off. She thought for a good excuse as to why she was outside of Rarity's business, seeing that Pinkie's arrival was inevitable anyways. Much to Rainbow's chagrin, Pinkie peeked through the fog sooner than she would have liked. Pinkie's face lit up like a lightbulb upon the sight of her multi-colored, yet pale, friend. Rainbow Dash realized at the last second to remove her back from the wall of Carousel Boutique. She coughed, and regained her composure. "Dashie! There you are!" Pinkie practically hopped in place, before making her way over to Rainbow Dash. She was bright and smiling, and to Rainbow, nothing looked unusual about her. The pegasus sat on her haunches and wiped a bit of dirt from her chest, evidence of her fall earlier. "Oh, hey Pinkie." Rainbow said, looking at her hoof and every other way that was not in the pink mare's direction. Rainbow tried to pay no attention to her, silently hoping that Pinkie would simply toddle off. "The girls and I have been looking for you for a while now!" Pinkie stated in a high voice. Rainbow Dash rubbed at her ears and groaned. "Yeah, I… uh, woke up late this morning." Dash said truthfully. "Pretty weird day, huh? All this fog and stuff…" Rainbow Dash knew that fog was not in today's forecast. However, she was not a complete idiot. She didn't even attempt to clear up the sky, for fear of her secret being broadcasted to the whole town. She didn't know how much longer that tarp would hold up. She wasn't the best when it came to construction. "Oh, yeah! It's been a real sad day for everypony." Pinkie's face contorted into a frown, yet the happy gleam still remained in her eyes. Rainbow Dash couldn't tell what Pinkie's true emotion was through her mockery. "Everypony has their secrets on their house and-" Pinkie paused for a moment, and sighed. Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow, and was surprised when Pinkie's voice shifted into a gristly, hollow form of its original self. "It's the worst day of our lives, Dashie." Rainbow faltered for words. "I… I had a feeling." "I don't exactly view my secret as true," Pinkie said purposefully. There was a ding that rang out in the distance. Pinkie knew what that meant. She pointed in the direction of Sugarcube Corner, where her secret shone brightly. "But I have no say in it anymore. I feel that since we have been good friends for a while, that you deserve to know just what's holding me back." Rainbow Dash was not speaking for two reasons. The first was the fact that she Pinkie's secret was poking through the fog like a beacon, the red words shining through and hitting her heart like a depressing ray. I DON'T HAVE THE COURAGE TO SHOW EVERYPONY MY TRUE SELF Rainbow took one look at Pinkie, and put the pieces together. Pinkie was looking at the ground and sighing. She had never heard the mare speak this way before. Her words were full of heartbreak and misery, Rainbow Dash couldn't deny that. The second was the fact that Pinkie outright told her what was happening. She didn't dodge the question, or try and stall for time like she had been doing. Pinkie deemed Rainbow Dash as her best friend, and since everypony else had seen just what was killing her inside, Rainbow needed to know as well. Pinkie was searching for help, and she saw it inside of Rainbow Dash. Pinkie turned back to Rainbow Dash and looked up at the Boutique. "Dashie, why are you putting a tarp over Rarity's secret?" Rainbow broke out into a cold sweat. She stammered for the right words, but after a quick second, she rethought everything. She didn't need to lie to Pinkie. The mare never did anything to hurt her, and was looking for a salvation inside of her as well. She decided that telling the truth could only do good at this point. "Is this where you've been all day?" Pinkie added in a curious voice. Rainbow slowly nodded, and looked pitifully at the dirt. "Yes. I was trying to do some good while you girls were out." Rainbow felt a tinge of pain inside of her when Pinkie's face changed into that of pure shock. "W-Why would you do that?" Rainbow almost felt like she was talking to a new pony altogether. No happiness, no bubbliness, just the truth. "What do you mean?" "Why would you try and cover up our secrets?" Pinkie asked again. "Covering up the secrets that were holding us back only drag us down more, Dashie. Nopony tried to cover up their secrets because they were true. Some ponies were so desperate as to start fires, but those with the will to change left theirs up." she turned back to the words on Rarity's Boutique. "You're not doing Rarity a favor, you're hurting her chances of changing." The way Pinkie spoke almost made Rainbow Dash tear up. The old Pinkie was a facade, she knew that now. "I-I was just trying to help, honest!" Rainbow Dash genuinely felt sorry for herself. "I thought if nopony could see them, then everything would be alright until we sort this out. ...I'll take down the tarp." Pinkie watched with a small smile as Rainbow took her hammer and dug out the nails keeping the tarp up. It only took a few moments for the tarp to flutter to the ground. "Rarity needs to deal with her secret on her own. She doesn't need us all to cover it up, but she needs us to be there for her." Rainbow never knew that Pinkie had the ability to speak the way she did, and it filled Rainbow with a new admiration. "Look, Pinkie." Rainbow started, after landing softly back on the ground. "I want to say thank you, for everything you've done for me. You shared your secret with me at the drop of a hat, and… it's not fair if I don't return the favor, right? Follow me." Pinkie cocked her head as Dash began to slowly fly away, taking her time so that the earth pony could keep up with little effort. Rainbow Dash knew exactly what to do, and how to do it. Twenty minutes or so later Rainbow Dash and Pinkie arrived at Rainbow's cloud home. It was dreary as ever, but Rainbow didn't care. Rainbow spoke no words as she lifted Pinkie onto her back. Pinkie, surprisingly, stayed silent, a brand new smile painting her face. Rainbow Dash went to work removing the nails in the tarp. She took her hammer in hoof, and wasted absolutely no time. The words underneath were finally going to be revealed to one of her closest friends, and she felt relieved. It only took Rainbow Dash a minute or so until the words were visible. She only needed to take out the two nails in the top of the tarp for the entire thing to fold over and reveal what was underneath. For a moment, Pinkie refused to look at the words and could only stare soft-eyed at Rainbow Dash. Rainbow flew back to the grass under the cloud house and slid Pinkie off of her back. "Well… here you go…" Rainbow said dejectedly, a heavy sigh coming from her mouth. Pinkie turned her gaze to the words that lit up the evening sky. I USE MY SEXUALITY AS A WAY TO GET REVENGE ON MY PARENTS Pinkie glanced from the words, to Rainbow Dash, and back again multiple times. "Uhm…" was all that the mare could utter. Rainbow Dash slid the tip of her hoof through the dirt. "Yeah, go ahead. Make fun of me, call me names, I don't care anymore. I've heard it all before." Unbeknownst to Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie was more confused than concerned. She knew what the words read, she just couldn't piece them together efficiently enough to form any sort of conclusion. So, she took a shot in the dark. "Dashie, I didn't know you…" Pinkie hesitated. "Liked… mares…?" Pinkie instantly regretted saying that when Rainbow Dash sharply raised her head to glare daggers at the earth pony. "No." she uttered sharply. "I'm not gay." Pinkie cocked an eyebrow. She wasn't too much concerned with how she phrased her words. All Pinkie wanted was some kind of explanation. "But... your secret says so." Rainbow Dash grunted loudly, and shook her head so furiously that her mane became frazzled and unkempt. "I said I'm not gay!" she shouted. Pinkie frowned and took a step back, and Rainbow let out a defeated sigh. She took the hint. "Dashie…" "I'm not, it's just…" Rainbow didn't know how to start, but eventually it all came to mind. "Back when I was a teen, that was when it all started. I loved my parents a lot, but I grew distant. I didn't need them, I would think to myself. They were clingy and embarrassing." She looked at Pinkie with tear-filled eyes, refusing to let any fall. As long as they didn't fall, she wasn't crying. "I was stupid, and I did really dumb and bad things that my parents didn't like. I went out to parties, I snuck out of the house at night, I skipped school... the works. My parents eventually caught on though, and they weren't happy about it." Pinkie could only watch as Rainbow Dash choked over her words, the rough barricade that the pegasus had created was beginning to fall down in a mighty crash. "I hated them so much. I didn't care about them, or myself, even though they just wanted what was best for me. I did know that they only truly hoped for one thing, and that was to be grandparents. I heard them talking about it at night when I was supposed to be asleep." Pinkie was starting to catch on. "They were so happy when I went on my first date the year before with some colt. They took pictures, picked out an outfit, and sent me on my way. I will never forget that. But a week later, when I came home from my friend's house at two in the morning. I don't know why, but I was just so angry, and even though they were upset at me coming home so late, my parents didn't even yell at me. They just said they were disappointed, nothing more, nothing less. I knew what would devastate them, and I used it to my advantage. I screamed that I hated them, and that I wasn't interested in dating stallions." Pinkie's frown came into view again, but she flipped it over. She took a step closer to Rainbow Dash, who still hadn't let a single tear fall from her eyes. "They were heartbroken, and I smiled when I realized that I had won an arguement that shouldn't have even happened in the first place. They never looked at me the same after that. They were always quiet and submissive whenever I went out with a friend, especially if it was a mare. I had won, Pinkie. I never went on another date, just to keep up the lie. I never told them the truth…" There was a long pause, before Pinkie put a hoof on Rainbow's side. "You know, you can cry if you want." Pinkie said encouragingly. Rainbow wiped away the tears that had been forming in her eyes, leaving no traces. She put on a brave face. "I don't cry, alright?" she cracked. "I don't even have a reason to anymore-" Rainbow was cut off when a ding was heard, and the letters behind her grew noticeably brighter. Rainbow Dash sighed, barely even paying attention. "I don't even talk to my parents anymore…" "You don't need to cry," Pinkie said, bringing her best friend in for a hug. Rainbow didn't object, and wrapped her hooves around her pink companion. "But I think your secret wants you to." Pinkie felt something warm drip onto her fur not even two seconds later. That realization, truly, made her smile. *** "Are you ready?" Twilight asked. She was sitting on a small pink chair in Fluttershy's living room, while the pony in question was lying, huddled under a blanket, on the couch at the other side of the room. It had taken Twilight much longer than she had liked to calm the mare down. She had made the mistake of asking Fluttershy to clean herself up in the shower. It proved to be flawed when Fluttershy refused to come back out. Fluttershy was sipping from a mug filled with hot chocolate. Her eyes were still low and darkened, but her mood seemed to slightly improve. "I-I don't know about this…" Twilight responded by taking out a notepad and a pencil. She was ready for this. "It's the only way, Fluttershy. All you have to do is talk, and when things get too emotional for you, we can stop and try again later, alright?" Fluttershy kicked around the inside of the blanket for minute, rubbing her thighs together awkwardly before she nodded. "Okay, Twilight, I'm ready." Twilight brought the pencil to the notebook, and patiently waited. "I was a child at the time…" *** Fluttershy's childhood was grand, for the most part. Her mane and tail were much shorter than when she would become an adult, however she was much taller than those her age. She hated that. It made her stand out more. After discovering her love for the ground, she somehow managed to convince her parents to let her come down from Cloudsdale every now and then into the nearest town of Ponyville. Her parents thought that this would be a great idea, and that she could even make some friends in the process. Fluttershy, however, had seen this as a win-lose situation, but she didn't argue. After two months of rushing out of school at breakneck speed just to gain extra time to traverse the ground, she had only made one friend. She wasn't very happy about him, but she had to at least make one friend, or risk losing her ground privileges for good. He was loud, obnoxious, and a clown. However, he approached her that day in class, and she really didn't have the heart to reject him. She needed a friend, and he considered her one. There was nothing to complain about, even though Sticks would occasionally make fun of her timidness. He had a sleek, yet incredibly soft inky black mane, as well as a bumblebee yellow body to boot. He didn't even have his cutie mark yet, though Fluttershy was eager to talk with him about just what he aspired to be when he did get it. Almost every day, Fluttershy would sneak away from him when school ended, and make her way down to Ponyville. It was a tedious journey, as she was still not the best flier. However, she got better and better with each trip. One day, she was followed. She had no idea, but she had learned too late. She was roaming around the Ponyville marketplace when she saw a yellow blur run up to her, and a very familiar voice. Fluttershy almost had a panic attack. "Hey! Wait up, will ya?" Sticks shouted, his unnaturally high voice almost hurting the poor pegasus' ears. The colt had an annoying mischievous grin on his face that Fluttershy was scared to see. "Sticks? What are you doing here?" Fluttershy asked once she had gotten her bearings. She didn't know whether to be surprised or irritated. "So... this is where you run off to!" he announced, loud and proud. Fluttershy tried to shush him, but he didn't seem to hear her. It wasn't until later that Fluttershy realized that it really didn't matter if anypony in town heard her anyways, and that it was just her paranoia getting to her again. "I always wondered where you zoomed off to every day!" "Why would you follow me?" Fluttershy was already close to crying at this point. She really hadn't want anypony to know where she went. Even though the ground was already occupied by many others, she still thought of it as her own special place. Somewhere for her to relax and enjoy the life and nature on the ground. "I was bored, that's why." He poked Fluttershy's chest roughly, almost sending her sprawling to the ground. Fluttershy squeaked loudly, and brought a hoof to her aching chest. "I've never been down here before! Come on! Let's have some fun!" he shouted, turning and running off down the street. "W-Wait! I don't think that's is a good idea…" Fluttershy stayed put. Sticks wasn't amused, and stopped running for a moment to glare at her. "Don't be a pansy! Surely there's tons of things that we can do down here!" he walked back to Fluttershy with an angry look in his eyes. "I… I don't want to anymore. I-I'm going home." Fluttershy began to slowly flap her wings, but Sticks reached her first. With an angry tug, he pulled Fluttershy back to the ground, and shoved her in the direction he wanted to go. "You're not going anywhere!" he shouted. Somehow, none of the ponies nearby managed to hear him. "Now that you have company you're just gonna chicken out? Not on my watch!" He pushed her again, and Fluttershy meekly obeyed. She walked down the street on her own, a few tears gathering in her eyes. "Come on. We're gonna have some fun! Even if it kills us!" *** The rest of that evening had been horrible. Fluttershy had never felt so depressed, being forced to wander around the ground, her sacred place, with her so-called best friend. She didn't really do anything, deciding instead to remain mainly in the background while Sticks did less than kind things to unsuspecting ponies. He had already taken a few apples from a stand while the merchant wasn't looking. He made off with a few bits worth of the fruit, and Fluttershy's heart felt heavy. No matter what Fluttershy said, Sticks refused to listen to her pleas. Sticks was having too much fun to control himself. He knew that there was no way he could get in trouble, seeing as he wasn't even from the area. He viewed it as a free pass, and Fluttershy couldn't have been more afraid of this. Sticks bit down on his third apple. "Wow, that mare is stupid." he exclaimed through a mouthful of fruit. Fluttershy turned to the ground, not agreeing and afraid to say anything about it. "I was right freakin' there. It's like she was practically letting me take them!" Fluttershy didn't reply. She just stared pitifully at the ground. She already knew why the merchant didn't see: Ponyville was a very peaceful town with little to no crime. Surely the mare didn't expect somepony to steal from her stand while she was standing right there. Fluttershy had roamed around enough beforehand to know this. They had found a desolate spot in the woods nearest town, and Sticks wanted to rest for a bit. Fluttershy didn't like the woods, she was certain she could hear things growling. Sticks continued to ramble on despite how quiet Fluttershy was being. He sat against a tree stump and stared distractedly at the branches above him. After a minute, Fluttershy tuned Sticks out. She was lost in her own mind, and she was dreading it. She was regretting coming to Ponyville today, even though there was nothing that could have been done to stop her initially. Now her place of peace was being ruined by somepony who didn't even deserve to be there. "What do you wanna do, Fluttershy?" The filly in question poked her head up as soon as she heard her name. Sticks was staring at her with those devious emerald eyes of his, the one that she had come to dislike. Fluttershy didn't know where he got them, but he was holding a pack of matches in his hooves. The buttermilk pegasus did not question it. "Uh… I… I wanna go home…" Fluttershy stammered. Sticks simply scoffed, and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah 'I don't wanna be here!', myeh myeh myeh!" he mimicked with his tongue lolling out. Fluttershy pursed her lips and felt a tear well up in her eye when she realized that she was being mocked. "Well, I'm having fun down here. Let's go and do something dangerous!" To Fluttershy's surprise, the colt held up his matches into the air. Fluttershy felt her heart skip a beat. "W-What do you plan on doing with t-those?" Somehow, Fluttershy had viewed his matches as something unimportant, giving him the benefit of the doubt that he had simply found them and wasn't planning on doing anything horrible. She had never been so wrong. "That's what I'm trying to figure out! Let's go and… I dunno…" Sticks searched through his pea-brain desperately for something that they could do. Fluttershy shuddered when his face finally lit up. She had never realized that the colt looked so… devilish. "...burn something?" Fluttershy's heart stopped entirely, and there had been a moment where they had simply stared at each other. One face shone of true malice, while the other feared for its life. "I...I…" Fluttershy stuttered. She was in no way expecting Sticks to say something like that, or now that he had the ability to actually do something of that very same nature. Sticks beckoned to her, leaning closer with a grand smile. "Come on!" he pleaded. "It'll be fun! You don't even have to start them, I'll do all the work!" Sticks eye twitched, and Fluttershy jumped off of her haunches. She looked left and right, as if she was plotting an escape route. "Why? Why would you say something like that? Matches aren't toys!" Fluttershy repeated the direct words of her mother. One time, Fluttershy had tried to light an incense burner inside of her room while nobody was home. Needless to say, her curtains were ruined. "Because there's nothing better to do! That's why!" Sticks was getting noticeably angry and began gritting his teeth in irritation. "I… I don't wanna!" The malicious smile on Sticks' face grew to that of a tired smirk. "Fluttershy, you wanna know why I'm your only friend?" Fluttershy's fear remained even when she cocked her head. "Because no one else has the patience to put up with you. You're no fun! You're so shy and boring that everypony would rather do homework instead of hang out with you!" Sticks jumped in front of the filly, causing her to fall on to her back. Fluttershy squeaked involuntarily. "But I thought 'hey, I'm going to give her a chance! I'm going to try and be her friend', and I shoulda known better! I try my best to amuse you and make you laugh, but no! You just continue to try and hide from me!" Fluttershy, for the life of her, could not understand what he was talking about. Sticks' eyes hardened. "Nopony likes you! That Rainbow chick might've stood up for you that one time, but has she ever talked to you since? I don't think so!" Sticks brought his face closer to Fluttershy, and their noses were practically touching. Fluttershy tried to shy away, but it was in vain. Tears freely fell from the filly's eyes, and landed on the dew-ridden leaves below. "I try my best to befriend you, and this is how you repay me? Is this how you treat your one and only friend?" There was a pause as Sticks waited for the filly to reply. Fluttershy never caught on. She just stared at him with awfully wide eyes. She jumped when Sticks yelled at her: "Well!?" Fluttershy tried to speak, but her words kept jumping as she struggled to breath through her tears. "I… I don't want to hurt anypony… please just leave me alone!" Sticks reeled back, and clocked the mare in the bottom of the chin with strong hoof. A loud "crack" was heard as he connected with her face. Fluttershy's head flew back, and the tears flows freely as she clutched her aching jaw. For a moment, she was afraid for her life. She expected the punches to keep coming, to impale her flesh and take her soul right out of her body. However, there was no more. Fluttershy could taste copper in her mouth. "Stupid filly! Freakin' stupid is what you are!" He broke eye contact and walked away in the direction of a locally known farm. "Fine! I don't need you! I can have fun on my own! I'll make sure to tell everypony in school that you're even more of a chicken than you let on, and how you stole all of those apples from the merchant!" Fluttershy said nothing. She continued to shake on the ground, like a scared puppy. She knew that Sticks wasn't lying. He would blame everything on her, and everypony would believe him. But there was nothing she could do. She was too afraid to stop him and to stand up for herself. In a flash, Sticks disappeared. *** "It was the next morning." Fluttershy took a sip of her hot chocolate, trying to warm up despite the fact that she was violently shivering. "I went into school the next morning only to see Sticks' desk was empty" Twilight had stopped writing down notes a long time ago. She didn't feel the need to anymore. All she could do was listen. "What happened to Sticks, Fluttershy?" A tear rolled down Fluttershy's cheek. "He never came back. He burned down one of the barns at Sweet Apple Acres, the one that Applejack's parent's were tending their farm animals in…" Fluttershy tried her best to regain her composure, but she was faltering. "Everything burned. Her parents, the animals… even Sticks." Twilight resisted the urge to drop her jaw. "Because of me… my inaction, I got two innocent ponies killed, five farm animals, and one little colt who didn't know any better." Fluttershy sat up on the couch, only to stare at the maple floor. "I think about it every night. I think about what I could have done to stop him before he did what he did. I was too afraid. It's why I don't like going inside of the Everfree. It reminds me of the horrible thing that happened because of me. Sometimes when I go into the woods there, I'm certain that I can feel the spot he hit me ache." Twilight only had one question, and after some self-urging, she opened her mouth. "Fluttershy, why do you live so close to Everfree forest?" Fluttershy looked up, locking eyes with the unicorn on the other side of the carpet. She gave a weak and empty smile. "My memories can only keep me away for so long." *** "Why should ah care?" replied the same country voice that Rarity had come to grow accustomed to. The unicorn sighed. It had been a hopeless ten minutes of trying to talk to Applejack, and nothing was going well. Rarity and Applejack had gone into the latter's room so that Applebloom and Big Mac wouldn't overhear their conversation. "What do you possibly mean? I'm sure it was an accident, Applejack." Rarity said, having since learned of Fluttershy's secret. "It did say 'indirectly' after all…" Applejack stomped her hoof. "That doesn't mean anything!" she roared. "She's still responsible, and Ah'm not gonna let 'er git away with this! Ah'll go to the police if ah have to!" "Fluttershy is your friend." Applejack opened her mouth. However, Rarity already knew what her response was, so she purposefully continued talking. "You know that she would never do anything like that on purpose. Remember who we're talking about, dear." "Ah do recall, loud an' clear! We're talkin' about a murderer! That's who!" Applejack grit her teeth, and Rarity could hear them grind against themselves. "Fluttershy is not a murderer!" Rarity was beginning to get frustrated. She was not in the mood to argue with Applejack about this. "You would learn that if you went back to her cottage and talked to her." "Do ya know what she put me through? Mah family, Rarity?" Applejack appeared to calm down, but deep inside Rarity knew that there was still a fire in there. The unicorn sighed, tiredly. "Granny Smith had to raise all three of us like we were her own. She worked those fields for hours on end, just to have enough money to feed 'er gran'kids! She would go out there at dawn an' not come back until next mornin'!" "Applejack, ple-" "No! Granny Smith worked herself to the bone! Most nights, she didn't have enough food to feed herself. Just us. She'd go to bed hungry only to git up in the mornin' and start all over! Ya don't understand, Rarity!" "I-" "If it wasn't for Fluttershy, ah would have my parents, and mah sister would have ah better role model! Fluttershy got two a' us! Two of the Apples!" Applejack's face drooped, and she looked out the nearby window. "But really, she managed to kill six." "Applejack, you are a great role model for Applebloom. I know for a fact that she looks up to you, and strives to be just like her big sister." Rarity finally managed to slip a few words in edgewise, and she was careful about which ones they were. "Your life turned out fine, and you are fully capable to taking the workload off of your grandmother's back. She took care of you, and now you can return the favor." "She'd have ah better role model, then.." The country mare paid no attention to anything Rarity said beyond that point. Applejack felt a rage burn inside of her heart. Her eyes were glazed and more or less pitiless. Applejack felt dead inside, and she knew just how to fix it. "Fluttershy took two lives away from me." Rarity took a fearful step back. Something inside her dear friend had snapped, she could tell. "A-Applejack...?" "And now ah'm goin' to take one from her." === Chapter 7: Everypony's Truth === It was about forty five or so minutes later when Twilight Sparkle magically opened the door to the library. It had been a weary day, and the unicorn silently wanted to take a nap and forget anything ever happened. Unfortunately, that little wish of hers was not about to be granted any time soon. "Hello? Is anypony here?" She idly waited a moment to hear a pre-pubescent voice shout from somewhere else in the library. It didn't. Twilight wandered inside with a jaded Fluttershy at her tail. "I-Is anypony here?" Deep inside, Fluttershy was having a small panic attack, hoping that she wouldn't have to confront Applejack any time soon. Unbeknownst to anypony else, Fluttershy could hear everything that was said while she was sobbing on the ground earlier, after Applejack had said those mean things to her. It was difficult sharing the story once, but if she had to share it a second time just so her friends can forgive her, then so be it. She just wouldn't be too thrilled about it. Twilight held off on answering Fluttershy's question. "Spike? Spike!" Fluttershy closed the large library door behind her quietly, and did her best to hide her shivering. Twilight cocked an eyebrow at the absence of a certain baby dragon. "Where did he go…?" Fluttershy glanced at the clock that hung on the other side of the library, nearest the many bookshelves. "It's 5 o'clock, Twilight. Perhaps he took a nap?" "Possibly." Twilight replied quickly. She had never really thought about what time it was in a while. It was still foggy, and blurred the sky. It was nearly impossible to tell, and would be until night fell, which Twilight dreaded. Everypony's secrets would shine excessively bright after the sunset. Even with the fog, there would be nothing that they could do to cover their secrets up then, should they say anything against the truth. However, Twilight knew that something was up. There was more to this than it seemed, and she believed that she was onto something great. It was a simple theory, but she purposefully waited until everypony was there to say anything. But then again, she could always be wrong. She put that thought back into the dark recesses of her mind. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, that was for sure. The tension between Fluttershy and Applejack was massive, and Twilight wondered if there was anything that could be done to repair the damage that had been done on both of their parts. Applejack was not about to forgive the buttery pegasus anytime soon, and Twilight knew that this was only to calm before the storm. Twilight trotted over to a nearby closet, and magically hauled out six small lawn chairs that matched her coat, as well as a tape measure. Not saying a word, she set them in the middle of the library in a fashion similar to that of a discussion circle. "Twilight, what are you doing?" Fluttershy asked, standing as far back as she could. The chairs were spread out so that each chair was no more or less than five feet away from the next one, and Twilight made sure of this, perfectly measuring every chair and the spaces between them. She wanted this to go as smoothly as possible. Twilight also took into account how far the chairs would have to be in order for the nearest pony to avoid being touched by the one on the other side, in another effort to contain something that may occur sometime within the next hour or so. Luckily, the library was big enough for such a set up. "We are all going to talk." Twilight muttered, spreading out the tape measure just to double check her work. There was no room for errors. "When everypony gets here, we're going to be calm and act like adults. We're going to put our heads together, and try to figure out just what's going on." Fluttershy wasn't all too excited about this. "But… what about Applejack?" "I'm sure Rarity did a decent job with calming her down." Twilight droned, monotonously. "I understand how Applejack feels, and you two are going to have to find time to settle this. If she gets here sooner than everypony else, then there you go. Then you'll have time. Until you two talk, we're going to try and get Ponyville out of this mess." Fluttershy frowned, and looked towards the door. Twilight stood up from her crouched position, and snapped the tape measure. "We are the Elements of Harmony, Fluttershy. It is our job to keep the peace throughout all of Equestria, to minor things, to changeling invasions. Whomever did this, knows that. They're doing their best to pull us apart, and they appear to be doing too good of a job at it." "Twilight, I know." Fluttershy replied. "I wish things to go back to the way they were. I don't want to fight with Applejack in the slightest! I just wish that we didn't have to. Though I guess it's kind of… inevitable." Twilight heard the restlessness in Fluttershy's voice, and let out a sigh. Twilight didn't know what was wrong with her. Her sympathetic thoughts seemed to have disappeared upon hearing Fluttershy's story earlier. She was tired, stressed, and sick of herself and her best friends crying. She wanted it all to end, and that was her new mission. Frankly, Fluttershy and Applejack solving their problem was not, though it was a close second. She did care, and did not want their friendship to be ruined over what Fluttershy felt she caused, but there were more important things at hoof. Twilight, for once in her life, had lost her empathy. Because of this, she felt absolutely sick to her stomach. "Don't worry," Twilight looked at the chair in front of her, rather than the nerve-wracked Fluttershy. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. "Everything is going to be alright. We can get through this, I know we can." It was the only thing Twilight could say at this point. Until the rest of their friends showed themselves, only fate could decide what would happen then. Fluttershy sadly nodded, and took a seat in the chair farthest away from the door. She really hoped that she didn't have to sit next to Applejack, but with her luck, that is most likely how it would turn out. After figuring out the rest of the calculations silently in her head, Twilight plopped down on the seat next to Fluttershy, much to the pegasus' undying, yet unknown, happiness. They had no idea how long they were going to have to wait. There was no telling how long it would take for Rarity to calm Applejack down, and convince her to come to the library. There's also no telling if Pinkie Pie is having any sort of luck in locating Rainbow Dash. Twilight had to admit, she had no idea where she would even start looking had she been in charge of looking for the speed-demon. Rainbow Dash could literally be anywhere with those wings of hers. Twilight tried to pass the time with a few calculations. If Rainbow Dash woke up at the same time that she did, and her immediate action was to fly as far as she could, she'd most likely be somewhere around Canterlot. But then again, Rainbow Dash was never the mare to run from her problems, anyways. However, she didn't completely rule out the thought. Twilight turned to look back at Fluttershy, who was sitting in her chair with wide eyes and a shaking body. She looked absolutely petrified of what was the come, and Twilight could not bring herself to say anything that she had not already explained. She was tired of the lying, the secrets, and the tears. So she resisted saying anything she knew would be false, such as her and Applejack's relationship will stay the same when this was all said and done. Applejack was a mare of honesty, and Fluttershy threw it right back into her face. There was nothing more that could be done in that department. It was nearing around six o'clock when the familiar jingle of the bells above the library doors. Twilight and Fluttershy jerked their heads, the latter more hesitantly than the former. It was Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie bore a grin like no other. It was quiet, yet it spoke a million words to Twilight and Fluttershy. Her eyes were soft and kindhearted, and it made Twilight just a tad more nervous. She didn't know what was to come from the pink mare's mouth, whether it would be angry and spiteful, or caring and concerned. Pinkie Pie was a mystery and a bomb. Pinkie, smartly, took a seat on the other side of Fluttershy. "Hey girls." she said. Fluttershy and Twilight stayed silent. Rainbow Dash was a new story entirely. Her eyes were bloodshot and red, and her cheeks seemed to bleed from the constant eye wiping. Twilight knew what that was from. She wasn't an idiot. Rainbow stared at the ground and took a seat next to Pinkie. She didn't say or do anything that wasn't necessary at the moment. She looked like a downtrodden zombie. Twilight held back her aching questions, as she pondered where exactly Rainbow Dash was the whole day. Rainbow Dash already knew of the situation, and refused to make eye contact with Fluttershy. Pinkie Pie had explained that there was a strong tension between her and Applejack, though she didn't explain much. For now, she decided to do something that she never would have thought that she would see herself doing: she kept quiet. There was a deafening silence, and Twilight couldn't bear it any longer. "Rainbow, are you okay?" Immediately after the words left her mouth had Twilight realized just how stupid that question was. "I'm fine." Rainbow uttered, staring at the ground. Her voice was monotonous and dead inside. Rainbow Dash could feel something inside of her begin to slip away, though she had no idea what it was. Twilight didn't believe her one bit. "Are you sure? You seem a little upset?" Rainbow Dash didn't reply. She just continued to stare at the floor. Twilight turned to the multicolored mare's companion, and cocked an eyebrow. Pinkie Pie smiled, warmly. "She's fine. Trust me." she spoke. Twilight shrugged. She had to admit, the temptation to ask Rainbow Dash about her secret was staggering, but she managed to avoid conflict by holding it back. In retrospect, it really didn't matter. They sat in another stunning silence. They all wanted to speak, however nobody was willing to ask the right questions. They were all afraid, to say the least, of what the next words out of somepony's mouth was going to be. Each one of them expected another to yell, scream, or fight, even though they knew the possibility for such was very low. Pinkie had silently whispered Rainbow Dash's situation to Twilight, her secret. Not because she wished to gossip, but she truly believed that Twilight could help. They knew that this was only the calm. And the storm arrived when that door opened for the last time. The lungs of everypony stopped at that one abrupt moment. That single point in time where everypony believed that the world had simply stopped spinning, and came to a horrendous halt. Fluttershy buried her head in her hooves in a terrible attempt to avoid the conflict, even though it was inescapable anyways. Twilight could only stare helplessly as Rarity and Applejack trudged through the door. Rarity bore a large frown, while Applejack wore a mask of content on her face. She appeared indifferent, unconcerned, as if she was a different mare. She didn't look angry, or resentful, and it made Twilight just a little bit nervous. It was the lack of emotion from everypony's favorite farmer that did the trick. Pinkie gave the duo a kind smile as she saw them wander through the door. Her eyes were still soft and gentle, and she raised up a hoof that didn't even manage to find it's way above her head. Pinkie turned towards Rainbow Dash, but pursed her lips when she realized that Rainbow was still looking towards the ground. Rarity and Applejack stood as the door slammed shut behind them. Rarity stared at the near-semicircle, while Applejack's eyes were full of unworry. Rarity turned to look at Applejack, who refused to return her gaze. The cowpony had her wearisome eyes set on Fluttershy. Twilight pounced on the fated moment of silence. "Please, sit." She said, quietly. The two did not move. "We have some things to discuss,". Rarity sighed, and took a seat next to Pinkie Pie with a small sense of urgency. Applejack shifted gazes between all of her friends, slowly, as if she was lost in a deep thought. It was as if only a certain part of her was with them and the other was somewhere much farther gone than any of them could ever realize. Steadily, very steadily, Applejack mosied her way through the library, and took a seat between Rarity and Rainbow Dash. At first, no pony said anything. The only sound being the ticking of the clock, and the occasional sounds of Spike's snoring from upstairs. Twilight was getting anxious, although most of her other friends were not very eager to begin anyways. Pinkie seemed genuinely excited, but not in her usual way. Although, she didn't wish to be the first pony to speak anyways. "So, we have a lot of things going on in our lives right now." Twilight said. Pinkie was the only one to give Twilight the eye contact that she deserved, and she nodded furiously. "As well as a decent amount of tension between us." Rarity couldn't help but stare at the only shivering pony in the group, and felt queasy. "In order to properly discuss the solution to this plague amongst the town, we must first confront ourselves as well as our issues." she said, choosing her words carefully. In the moment of silence earlier, Twilight had figured out just what she had wanted to say to everypony. Surprisingly, Applejack was the first to speak up. Her forelegs were crossed, and she stared at the books that were behind Twilight's back. "Ain't nothin' to discuss." she said slowly. "What do you mean?" said Twilight. Rarity finally turned her attention to the others, snapping out of her inner self. "Just what ah said." Applejack replied. "Ah just wanna find out who it was who wrote these blasted words on our homes." Pinkie's smile flipped. She would have rested a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, had she not been out of hoof's reach. Pinkie was by no means a psychiatrist, but she knew each and every one of her friends like the back of her hoof, despite the irony of her secret. She knew that Applejack was holding everything in, bottling up her emotions like a mare in quicksand. Pinkie knew that Applejack was going down a horrible path, but she found herself unable to do anything about it. "Applejack, what are you talking about? What we need to do first is to sort out our own problems. We can't go and search for answers with all this anger and sadness." Twilight responded, rationally. However, Applejack didn't want to hear it. "Anger? Sadness? I don't know what your talkin' 'bout." she said. Fluttershy poked her head up from it's comfortable spot in her hooves. "Ahm here to get answers." "S-So you're not mad at Fluttershy anymore?" Twilight stammered, after she had momentarily dropped her jaw. She was awestruck, dumbstruck, and most of all entirely confused. She held back a small, disbelieving scoff when she saw Applejack slowly nod. But that was when she realized that she didn't see Applejack's tick. "I'm upset, that's for sure." she said. Fluttershy let out a small whimper. "But it doesn't matter right now. I wanna figure out just what's goin' on here." Rarity sighed again, and shook her head, putting her hoof to it. "Me too." Rainbow Dash said, finally taking a brief moment to look up from the ground. Her eyes were wet, so she wiped her face again, only making it becoming a darker shade of red. "This is stupid. Why don't we just try and figure out who caused all this first, and deal with our own problems later? There are other's suffering out there besides us, you know!" Rainbow Dash's inner rage was rising, and she threw an angry hoof towards the door for emphasis. "Rainbow Dash?" Twilight barely kept back her innate urge to yell. "How are we supposed to solve all of this when we're all like… this?" she asked. Rainbow stood up, out of her seat. "And what is that supposed to mean? What is 'this'?" she asked, she stamped her hoof. Rarity shushed her. "That's a good question." she huffed. "This is the point! To answer all of our questions ourselves before we try and use our brains which aren't even in the best state of mind." "But what about those ponies out there?" Rainbow Dash hollered, she snorted noisily. "They're suffering out there! We need to help them!" she sighed. "Not like I care about what happens to me anymore." "I-I agree…" Fluttershy added. Twilight could not believe what she was hearing. Pinkie sunk deeper into her chair, fearing the worst. "How are we supposed to help them when we can't even help ourselves? Look at you, Rainbow Dash, acting like some kind of brute." she said, the final parts accidentally slipping out of her mouth. "Brute? You think I'm a brute, just for caring for the well-being of others. And who are you, Mrs. Generosity, so quick to help yourself and completely ignore those poor ponies suffering outside!" Rarity grew an apple red. "Excuse me?" she growled. "If you think that I don't care a bit about those outside, then you are sadly mistaken! I care deeply, unlike some ponies. We need to solve our own problem! How can we possibly help others when we are yelling at each other like barbarians?" The bickering continued, and Twilight felt her own blood boil. Applejack groaned loudly at what she had started, and considered leaving altogether. "Nopony is leaving until we sort some things out!" Twilight shouted over the other two. Her voice boomed and echoed throughout the library, causing Rarity and Rainbow Dash to stop in their tracks and turn to look at the mare. "We are going to sit down and talk! It is the only way we are going to make any headway in anything!" Rarity and Rainbow Dash scowled at each other, before taking their seats once again. Twilight cleared her voice. "Obviously, Fluttershy," the mare in question snapped to attention. "Applejack has forgiven you. Is there anything of which you'd like to say?" Fluttershy took one look at Applejack and shuddered. The cowpony was staring at her with dead eyes that reeked of sorrow. Her forelegs were still crossed in a bemused manner, as she opened up her ears to listen to just what the pegasus had to say. Fluttershy opened her mouth, however the words didn't come out until ten seconds later. "I-I am so sorry, Applejack." Applejack cleared her throat, as if she was expecting more. "I didn't mean for it to happen! I really mean it! I'm so sorry that I didn't say anything about it sooner, and I know that I should have. We've been friends for so long, and I didn't want to tear us apart, and…" a few tears ran down Fluttershy's cheeks. Applejack closed her eyes and held up a hoof. "Don't worry about it. It's in the past." Applejack said. Twilight squinted at her, unsure. "Ah just want to get to figuring this entire thing out. Fluttershy and ah can talk about it when this is all done and over with." Twilight wanted to get angry. She wanted to scream and shout. The secrets were tearing them all apart. This was what they wanted, whoever it was that did this. They want them to fight and shove each other around, destroy their friendship from the inside. They were falling apart. Twilight's gaze shifted from Rainbow, to Rarity, to Pinkie, to Fluttershy, and then to Applejack. She stared at them long and hard. She almost immediately calmed herself down and a small, pinprick of an idea popped inside of her head, one that she hadn't thought about prior. Her friends. Her and Rainbow Dash. Pinkie Pie and Rarity. Fluttershy and Applejack. And that was when everything made perfect sense. "Wait." Twilight muttered. Unfortunately, nopony in the room seemed to hear her. While Twilight was momentarily lost in her head, Rarity and Rainbow Dash had gone back to arguing. Twilight didn't waste another second. "Hold on!" "What!?" Rainbow Dash hollered. Her nostrils were flared, as if she had just been interrupted giving(or more or less screaming) an extravagant point. Rarity didn't scream, but she did have an extremely peeved look on her face. "I understand." Twilight said, simply. She didn't know any other way to put it. Something clicked. Something called out to her, and she managed to grasp the missing piece that she had been looking for all day. Pinkie Pie knitted her brows. Applejack only gave Twilight a quizzical glance. Her face remained the same, though, but Twilight could just tell. "Huh?" Pinkie asked. Her mane flowed with every turn of her head. "I think I know what's going on. What the words mean, well the dimming and brightening portion of it, at least." she said. No one in the room spoke. In fact, a few of them seemed to be slightly skeptical. "Pfft, right." Rainbow Dash said, rolling her eyes. "All of a sudden, you just happen to figure everything out?" she asked. Twilight didn't feel like recognizing Dash's tone. She knew her fairly well, and how she'll put up a superior front in a desperate effort to hide her emotions. She was doing too good a job at it, in Twilight's eyes. Maybe this would explain some of her past behaviors. Just how long had Dash been keeping her secret? Rarity pursed her lips, and glared at Rainbow Dash. Her ears flattened against her head. Rainbow Dash easily ignored it. But, yet again, she refused to open her mouth. "What do you think's going on, Twilight?" Pinkie asked. Fluttershy finally lifted up her head. Sometime during the yelling, the pegasus had resorted to curling up into a ball on the floor. "Everyone, come with me. We're going to watch the sky lights." *** A few reluctantly, a few more willingly, and one more confidently, Twilight and her friends strode up to her room on the second floor, which was completely filled with Spike's snoring. Nearest Twilight's bed, the little dragon had wrapped himself up in a blanket cocoon and slept like a hushed baby. His chest rising and falling slowly. Upon entering the room, Twilight enveloped him in her magic, and carried him downstairs in the library. As much help as he was, the dragon was exhausted from all of his worrying earlier. It was best to let him sleep. Twilight, after taking Spike downstairs, cantered back upstairs to her awaiting five friends. Rainbow Dash was tapping a hoof, agitatedly. "Come on, I don't have all day." she snorted when Twilight had finally reappeared. Twilight ignored her. "So, what do you think's going on? Why do we have to be up here to talk about this?" Fluttershy asked. Once again, she remained on the south end of the room, farthest away from Applejack. She was slightly paranoid that the mare was going to snap and start pummeling her out of nowhere, even though she was sure that that would never happen. Applejack was a good mare. That didn't stop Fluttershy from shivering, however. "I know, now. I figured something out. Somepony is targeting us. Something with our secrets differentiate us from the other ponies in town. This hasn't happened to their secrets. Only ours." Twilight explained. Pinkie tilted her head, causing her mane to slide against the floor. Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Wrong!" Rainbow's sudden yell made almost everypony in the room jump, save for Applejack, who was still in her same mysterious stupor. "Everypony's secret in town gets brighter and gets dimmer. I would know, I figured that part out myself." Rarity found the perfect time to speak. "That reminds me, what were you doing this entire time?" "Uh… nothing. Just, roaming around." "You were looking at other ponies secrets, weren't you?" "Not entirely." "Anyways," Twilight cut into their irrelevant conversation. "that's not what I was getting at. While looking for you five, and talking about our secrets, I learned two things: when a pony tells the truth about a secret, it gets dimmer. When they lie or be vague about it, it shines." she explained. Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to yell and inevitable "duh!", but she was interrupted when Twilight kept going. "Obvious. Correct?" She didn't wait for a response. "But, there's one other thing I noticed. When a pony tells you their secret, the pony you told's secrets shone instead. This happened on numerous occasions, such as outside Rarity's house, and Pinkie's house with my secret. But why?" Once again, Twilight didn't wait for a wrong answer from her friends. Instead, she turned tail and headed out towards the balcony. "When you're not sure about something, do an experiment!" Awkwardly, Twilight's friends followed her out into the wooden balcony. Twilight moved the telescope that usually resided there so there would be more room, so her friends would see her point entirely. The night air stung the friends' noses at the same time. It was riddled with smoke, desperation and revelations. The stars in the sky did little to change their moods. In fact, it made Applejack frown a bit. The library's balcony looked over practically all of Ponyville, and all of the surrounding area. Rainbow Dash flinched when she realized that the secret on her house was clearly visible, although blurred through the clouds. Pinkie's secret and Applejack's were also shining, proudly. Neither of them were happy about it. "Our secrets. Our friendship. They are all connected, like a fly in a spider web. Our community of six is stronger, and somepony figured that out. That's why I have a good feeling." Twilight motioned to her now dim secret right underneath them. One couldn't see the words from the position, but the lack of light let them know. "Watch Rainbow's secret, as well as mine." Twilight tried not to read Rainbow's secret from their position, but that was seconds after the fact. Rainbow Dash did a double take. "I did nothing, at all, with my brother when I was younger." Twilight said. For some reason, a triumphant smile was on her face, like she had just conquered her own realm inside of her head. The six watched in awe as Twilight's secret visibly grew brighter, shining much more than what she had originally expected, billowing light over the rest of the downtrodden town. And Rainbow Dash's secret dimmed. "Rainbow, now you." Twilight said. Rainbow Dash's face grew pink, fuming. "If you think that I'm going to acknowledge anything-" A loud ding was heard from a mile away. Rainbow's secret grew, while Twilight's did the opposite. Twilight grinned, her hypothesis being more correct than she had originally thought. "I… I don't understand." Fluttershy quivered. Twilight gave her a brief nod. Twilight had figured that some sort of explanation would need to be involved. Fortunately, she had it all sorted out inside that gigantic brain of hers. "Our secrets are connected. Perhaps through the Elements of Harmony, or our friendship, or whatever. Whoever did this was targeting us, specifically, seeing as our secrets are the only ones to do this. My secret is connected to Rainbow-" "But how? And why are they connected? Huh, Miss Egghead?" Rainbow butted in. Twilight tried not to acknowledge Rainbow's attitude, yet again. "Because of a similar theme we all share." Twilight said, bluntly. "We're connected because of our past, Rainbow. What I did to my brother, when I was younger, and how you treated your parents. We have remorse, regret, in common. The nagging feeling that tugs on our shoulders, telling us that's it's impossible to change the past." Twilight silently debated if she could continue, but did anyway. "You know what holds others back, Rainbow Dash? Keeps ponies from reaching their true potential? Two things, and only one is applicable to us directly. The first is sloth, or not living up to what one could be. The second is the past. It's unchangeable, and it's a horrible thing. Being unable to take back what you say, or to quit doing something that hurts. That's why we are connected. My quest for knowledge, and your desire for fame is linked by our pasts. Do you understand?" Rainbow's eyes fell. "Then there's Applejack and Fluttershy-" Twilight noticed Fluttershy crouch closer to the floor when Applejack turned back to look at her. Unconcerned. "Your's is, well… obvious, yet not really." "It's sadness, isn't it?" Fluttershy squeaked. Twilight cocked her head. Somehow, someway, Fluttershy had mustered the nerve to stand back up. "Applejack's secret outright said it, how she was sad." Twilight continued her sentence for her. "Yes, Fluttershy." she said, trying not to let her eyes dip. "Applejack's secret was straight to the point, just like her." Applejack held back an emotionless scoff, and looked off the balcony. Twilight locked eyes with Fluttershy. "Your secret is strange. At first, sadness is not the underlying threat. It's death. But when we look a little deeper, into Fluttershy, we can all tell what the real lasting impression is: her fear and sorrow." "Twilight, I don't mean to be rude." Applejack cut in. "But I really don't care. I forgave Fluttershy. Enough is enough." Twilight could tell that Applejack's blood was beginning to boil, but she wasn't concerned. "No you didn't." Twilight shot back, slightly peeved after being interrupted. She was on a role. "You simply said that to appease the rest of us. You're hurt, dying on the inside like your parents did the outside-" "Hey-" "But that's the problem, Applejack. Your dejection is in the same category as Fluttershy. She spends every day thinking about her mistake. She lives with it on her mind every day. You're stuck with it physically, without your parents. You deal with the fact in life, while she deals with it mentally." Applejack, instead of arguing, sat on her haunches and crossed her hooves, fuming. Fluttershy nodded at Twilight, as if to say "thank you". "So…" Pinkie spoke up. For the first time in a while, Twilight had almost forgotten that Pinkie was even among them. "That leaves Rarity and I… but I don't see anything in common with us, save for the fact that she…" Rarity blushed, while Pinkie tried to find the right words that wouldn't put Rarity on the spot, even though it was too late. "uhm, pilfered my things?" "You two seriously don't see it?" Twilight asked. Twilight didn't feel like explaining their connection for two reasons. One, she opened her fat mouth and now three of her other friends were either grumpy or upset, and two, her throat was starting to hurt, surprisingly. "Not really. Besides for the medicine, we don't have much in common besides the pills." Rarity admitted. However, a split second later Twilight noticed that Rarity appeared to have a lightbulb go off in her head. Pinkie was absolutely clueless, so Rarity tried to explain it to her. "Dear… think about it. My addiction, your facade…" Twilight looked over at the rest of her friends. Applejack was still seething on the floor next to her and staring up at the night sky, Rainbow Dash was sniffling wildly, like she was forming a cold, and Fluttershy was still trying to piece everything together. Pinkie brought a hoof to her chin, before she let a single word slip from her tongue, filling the night air with the cool sense of depression: "Obsession…" "Yes, Pinkie." Twilight added. "Rarity's obsession with drugs, and rest. Pinkie's obsession with fitting in, acceptance. It falls into place perfectly. I know now. I know, whoever did this did this it purpose. They want to hurt us, and they want us ourself to do it. Like I said, this was aimed at us." A few things in Twilight's head didn't make sense, such as the fact that Rarity and Twilight's secrets weren't like, but Twilight's secret still shined the first time. Perhaps it was because Rainbow's wasn't even discovered at the moment in time by her friends. She didn't know, but that little snippet of detail wasn't all too important. "If they wanted us to hurt ourselves… to break our own friendship…" Rainbow Dash's voice cracked with almost every word she spoke. She didn't let a single tear that formed in her eyes fall. "What… what a coward. They want to pick fights, they do it directly! So I can sock them in their stupid mouth!" Rainbow Dash's chest puffed up, and Twilight wanted to grin. "Yeah. And then to get the whole town involved? Ruining the lives of everypony in town? Their innocent lives?" asked Rarity. "Not exactly 'innocent'." Applejack grumbled. Fluttershy pretended not to hear, and folded her ears. "Whoever did this is going to pay." Rainbow Dash muttered. Twilight's wish to grin quickly disappeared. "Whoever did this has some sort of vendetta, by the looks of it." said Pinkie Pie, her surprisingly eloquent tone of voice never failed to catch Twilight off guard. She pondered how much time Pinkie had actually spent in the library over the years that they'd been friends. "Yes. That much is true." Twilight said. "And you know what? I think I know a way to track them down." At the sound of that, everypony's head perked up. Even Applejack. "Girls? We're going monster hunting." === Chapter 8: Everypony's Lie === The stench of hopelessness did not falter inside of the library. Twilight could sense this in a multitude of ways--in the air, in her mind. Just by taking a brief look around could she see how plain it was. The unbridled misery that surrounded her and her friends, like a rainstorm had hung under each and every one of them. Boom. Thunderbolts and freezing, stabbing rain. Yet Twilight found herself outside of the clouds, the storm. She let the gloom make its way around her and whisk itself away with the wind. Nothing. Nothing was going to bother her anymore. Not her past, not her friends' pasts and mistakes. She knew, after all, that this was all going to be over soon. She knew what she had to do. There would be no more crying; only wet spots on the floor where their spirits once were. No more regrets and sorrow. No more withered bodies and emotions. Soon, oh so soon, will Twilight teach them to hold their heads high. "Pride is what will destroy us all, in the end," Twilight's mother said, not too long ago. Twilight couldn't remember what lead to this conversation, but she could hear her mother's voice clearly. "But there are two kinds of pride: The vanity of boasting about your accomplishments and the things you own. The second being the act of standing up straight, a wide smile on your face, and admitting that you have learned from your experiences." She had never completely understood the sincerely of that quote until today. A new day. "I don't understand," Pinkie said. Twilight noticed that the more she explained, the more confused Pinkie actually became. "What do you mean?" "What do you think I mean?" After a few milliseconds of contemplation, Twilight changed her tone. "We're going to find out who did this, that's what." Rainbow Dash, for the umpteeth time in the last thirty minutes, rolled her eyes disbelievingly. For some reason, she held back a crude remark. She had taken to the sky, flying in mid-air over her friends, as if she was some kind of Lieutenant. Her mouth was turned into a large, upside down "U" that didn't seem like it would be going away anytime soon. Whenever Rainbow Dash heard one of her friends speak, her beating wings would churn faster. "Darling," Rarity said cautiously, like she knew what she was about to say wasn't going to help the situation. "The population of Ponyville is fairly high.." Twilight already knew where she was going with this. She bit the inside of her lip. "Yeah. I don't know about you, but I don't really want to go door to door interrogating the townsfolk," Applejack muttered. When another thought crossed her mind, she perked up her ears, wearily, and gave Twilight the slightest of glances. "How do we even know if the culprit even lives in town, anyways?" Twilight did not let this great point falter her. "Good thought. However, it's simple," she said. "That being the case is just highly unlikely. Unless this is some kind of gigantic conspiracy involving more than one pony-" "Which is entirely possible," Rarity chirped. "...Er, right." Twilight replied. "There is no way somepony outside of the town is responsible for this. Whoever is responsible for this has such a deep, ghastly hatred for Ponyville, as well as the Element's of Harmony." Twilight felt like she was some kind of stuttering record. The thought that someone had such a severe distaste for her and her friends jarred her thinking, and she felt a large lump form in her throat. She had already put into mind a few suspects. A certain Draconequus, Changeling Queen, boisterous showmare, and Crystal King came to mind. But trying to imagine either of them behind something like this just didn't fit into place like Twilight had hoped it would. Deep in her mind, she knew that they weren't the cause of this. There was just no possible way. She tried to turn to the dark corners of her head, where she knew the answer would lie. She knew it was there. Hiding, waiting, laughing malevolently while Twilight struggled to reach it. However, it just continued to keep dancing out of her grasp, every time she thought she had gotten a little closer. Rainbow Dash clapped her hooves together, the noise making a horrible cracking sound that ground against Twilight's ears. "Lightning Dust!" She grunted. Twilight sighed. "It has to be her! She's been out to get me ever since that so-called "tornado accident!" There was an awkward silence, before Fluttershy--the last pony anyone expected to speak what everypony was thinking--opened her mouth. "Rainbow Dash… I-I'm not too sure about that…" "Are you kidding me? She hates me! Did you see that look in her eye when that lead flyer's badge was taken for her? She lost her position with our help. There's no reason why she wouldn't try and do this!" Rainbow Dash hovered in midair, her mouth upturned in a proud grin. Obviously, her ingenious mind has solved the mystery. The other five didn't see it as such. In the end, they all decided to ignore Rainbow's hopeless and poorly thought out solution. When the mare in question realized this, she stuck out her lower lip and turned her gaze to the ceiling. Twilight wondered to herself about Rainbow Dash, and what her real motives were. Did she really want to free the town from their sins, or did she just want to be the hero again? Twilight sure hoped not. Perhaps the mare just wanted her secret off her home, and that was all that mattered. Either way, Twilight was positive that her intentions were good. If they weren't… well, that was just not the Rainbow she knew. If that was the case, then whoever had done this had succeeded. Twilight refused to let it come to that. "Somepony hates us. Somepony wants us to suffer and pay, and for some reason, they tried to cover up their goal by involving the entire town." Twilight sighed. Luckily for her, it was practically inaudible. She couldn't show weakness--sadness. Her mere strength was the only thing she had, as well as her friends. Her brain was too strong to let her down now. While the six of them talked, Twilight made her way back down the stairs. Getting to her library was her main objective now. Everything she needed to solve this fiasco was down there. Why she had not realized this earlier wasn't exactly a mystery. Her friends followed absently, walking only so they could continue to hear Twilight's voice. The voice of truth. The voice of answers and disclosure. "Well, who?" Rarity asked. She bit the inside of her mouth. "Who did this, Twilight?" Twilight truthfully didn't expect the question. She didn't answer for a moment. She was slightly busy. They had reached the book shelves quickly, and Twilight was scanning them intently. She knew it was in there, and because of it her horn was already aglow. She was lost in two different kinds of senses--her sight and her hearing. Anyways, when Twilight didn't answer immediately, Applejack grew inexplicably hostile. "Twi!" she hollered. "We're waitin'!" Twilight resisted the urge to throw her a dirty glare, unsure of her initial motive. Twilight's mind was becoming a little fuzzy, as her brain focused in on some of the key books on her shelves. It had to be around there somewhere. Meanwhile, she spoke absentmindedly. "Whoever did this…" Twilight was speaking slowly, still focused on the books in front of her. "It's strange. A magical spell like this takes an unhealthy amount of concentration and power. A fog spell, an irremovable paint spell--some kind of deep dark secret revealer spell. It's very difficult for somepony to do this, as well as carry it out over the course of a day. Whoever did this is drawing a huge amount of magical energy." Pinkie Pie maneuvered her position so that she was standing directly next to Twilight. The unicorn hadn't noticed this until the pink mare had already spoken up. "Do you think the Alicorn Amulet…?" Pinkie didn't even bother finishing the sentence. Twilight was positive that she didn't even know how to finish it anyways. "Definately not. Remember last time a pony had it? Trixie went bonkers. It turns you evil, remember? Somepony who has that much power isn't going to hide in the shadows." Twilight's eyes almost shone like her sin when she found what she was looking for: a large black tome. It was nothing but a dark rectangle. No title, no author. It reeked of ancientry and wisdom in a way that Twilight just couldn't explain. She hid her inner excitement, even though she wanted to scream like a filly. It didn't stop her from harboring a monstrous grin. "Somepony is hiding. Who ever did this… I cannot tell if they want to be caught or not. But they will soon. If somepony is hiding, and using that much magical energy, we should be able to trace it." For a split second, the room grew absolutely silent. The other five were listening on, frozen in place like a deer in front of a moving carriage. Maybe it was the shock of such an idea. Maybe it was the fear of actually finding the answers that they craved so badly. Fluttershy looked like she was ready to vomit, and sat down in a chair. The other three crowded around Pinkie and Twilight, who were skimming through the large tome already. "S-so we'll have t-to go… confront them? Face to face…?" Fluttershy asked, clutching her stomach for dear life. "But they've done all this magic… they might be d-dangerous." "True, but it's the only way to make things right." Twilight turned to the page where the instructions for a rather complicated looking spell were. She looked over to Applejack. "AJ, you know Winona, and her great sense of smell?" For a moment, Applejack gave the slightest of grins. "Yep, why?" "The spell works kind of like a dog's sense of smell would. Whenever magic is used, it creates an invisible link between the magical creature and the object they are touching with their magic. Sort of like how I am holding this book." She motioned from her horn, to the levitated book in front of them. "I've created a link. You just can't see it. When I do this spell, I'll be able to see them, and if we just follow the links, we'll find out exactly where the magic is coming from." Rainbow Dash snickered. "Well? What're ya waiting for! I'm ready to kick some butt!" She threw a hoof in the air, then another, repeatedly--as if she was boxing. "Are you sure we should do this right now?" Rarity asked. "I still don't think we've solved any of our problems. Specifically, the ones that should be dealt with immediately." Twilight bit her lip when Rarity motioned towards the pony right next to her--Applejack. The mare in question didn't hear--and if she did, she obviously didn't think they were talking about her. Twilight had been thinking about her, and honestly she didn't know what to do. Applejack admitted that she didn't care about Fluttershy and what she had done, when it was obviously a lie. Twilight could tell that Applejack was fuming at Fluttershy. The two haven't shared eye contact ever since the farm pony read Fluttershy's secret a few hours ago. Unfortunately, Twilight couldn't solve that right now. She couldn't stop everything just to have another sit-down session that wouldn't work. The last one sure didn't. The counseling would have to be saved for another better time. In the end, Twilight ignored Rarity entirely. "So… this is it?" Pinkie asked. Despite the joyful comment, she bore a creepily large frown. "After this, we'll know who did it? We'll know who hates us so badly?" Twilight nodded. Pinkie turned to the floor. "B-But what are we going to do when we meet the pony that's responsible?" Rarity asked. The fashionista was starting to confuse Twilight. Didn't she want the secret wiped off her boutique? Twilight would have imagined that Rarity would be eager to heal her now-broken relationship with her sister. There was probably an underlying reason that Twilight just didn't know of. Maybe Rarity was just afraid that it wouldn't work, and it would all be for nothing. In the back of her mind, Twilight wondered if perhaps Rarity slightly felt better after having her secret shared with the town. "Then we talk to them and sort all of this out. Surely, they know what they're doing is wrong." Twilight was getting distracted, and tuned out the other voices so she could concentrate. She focused her mind and soul, her entire being on this one little image in her mind. The picture that she dreamed for, longed for, and wanted to project to the heavens. Twilight closed her eyes. She let it warm and enter her. She needed this. Ponyville needed this. Acceptance. Twilight opened her eyes when she was sure that the spell had been properly casted. It was strange, the feeling she had. She felt like her mind was in another reality, and her eyes tingled with discomfort. Her entire vision almost shifted into that of water. Everything that was standing perfectly still in the room--including her friends--would move in a manner that mimicked floating in an ocean with rocking waves. It was suddenly getting increasingly difficult to balance, and she wobbled. To her, the earth below her hooves were moving. Pinkie Pie caught the off-balance unicorn effortlessly. "Whoa… you okay, Twilight?" Twilight gave a small nod. Twilight would have preferred to regain her bearing before anything was done. Unfortunately, Rainbow Dash had a different idea. Using her wings to propel her, she flied from one end of the library to the other, and slammed into Pinkie Pie, eager to speak to Twilight now that the spell was clearly casted. Pinkie let out an "oomph!". "It's done? Do you see things now? Let's go already!" Rainbow stopped when a small "urk" was heard not even two steps away from her. Rainbow's face turned so red, Applejack could have picked it off one of her trees. She promptly helped Pinkie back to her hooves. Twilight sighed. "Everything looks… weird. But I don't see anything yet. Probably because whatever's affecting outside isn't specifically doing anything in the library… let's go outside for a second…" *** Twilight had done this spell once before. Unfortunately, it was on a very small scale. This time was much larger, and understandably more effective. Twilight didn't know what to think, except that the only way from now on was up. She could feel it, the ending. She knew that the secrets would not be up for much longer as soon as she saw the colors. She needed to end this, and she lusted for it. The moment Twilight wandered outside, everything was changed. The sky was colored in three very different types of hues and strange lines. It floated and tore across the sky like a demonic rainbow, and Twilight could barely see anything of the decadent night sky. Every house had letters, and two straight lines pointed to each and every one of everyponies secrets. They surrounded the letters, engulfing them in magic. One line was a dark blue that imitated the color of blueberries and violets. The second one was a bright pink, like that of a heart. There was a huge sunflower-colored dome over all of Ponyville, shrouding Twilight and her friends in an indirect falsification of the sun. It chilled her, and hated her. She hated it back. Yellow, pink and blue. Unicorns, with magic of this color. Twilight knew now that Rarity was correct. It was more than one pony who did this. In fact, there were three. Three unicorns. It just had to be. The lines all ran off east, towards the edge of town. Twilight's heart skipped a beat. "Well? Do ya see anything?" Applejack asked. Evidently, none of Twilight's friends could see what Twilight was envisioning, and all the colors. They looked upon nothing but an eerily foggy night, complete with despair and embarrassment. Twilight hesitated to answer. "I… yes…" Why Twilight was skeptical was beyond her. "The magic… all of it… it's coming from the east side of town, near the edge it seems." As the words left Twilight's lips, it felt like she was giving a silent order into insanity. She felt like she was leading a troop to war, even though this was definately not the case. But how was she supposed to know? She couldn't read the future, but she could sure worry about it. It brought herself to ask the question "Which is more worrisome? The past or the future?". Twilight didn't say another word. Applejack's face hardened into that of pure determination and dedication, like she wanted to right the wrongs that have been brought upon her that fateful day, get back at those who wrote the message, rather than who let the secret play out in the first place. Fluttershy's face was frozen in fear, a frightened face for a frightened soul. She looked dead set on walking away, leaving, letting her sin broadcast to the rest of Equestria. She was shaking uncontrollably, but somehow, she stood strong. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. One looked eager for vengeance, the other looked eager for resolution. The game had been the same--but they just went about it different ways. Twilight looked upon them with a frown, and then ultimately a sigh. She knew what she had to do. "Come on. Let's go end this, once and for all." Twilight, not taking another look at her friends, followed the blue and pink lines in the sky. She heard the hoofsteps behind her. This was why Princess Celestia chose her, for her magical ability and her leadership prowess. She kept her face stoic and centered, ready to face what just could be one of her biggest enemies yet. But… nothing would make her happier than to do just that--to fix this. They strode in absolute silence. The crickets chirped and jumped around as if they were doing the dance of death. The dying grass under their hooves crunched and bent, creating a noise that Twilight Sparkle quickly got annoyed with. Pinkie Pie would fade in and out of reality and hum a small tune every now and then. After ten minutes, she stopped entirely. Twilight could hear her sigh unhappily. As the group began to reach the outskirts of town, the path widened out. The buildings that occupied Ponyville soon where that of the past. The area opened up to soft patches of grass and a dirt road. The air began to nip at them, like a puppy dog. The colors never seemed to falter, shining just as brightly. The bright pink, the exuberant yellow, the foreignly eerie blue. Not too far in the outskirts of town, the lines came to a stop at a dinky little log cabin. The windows were shot, and shards of glass made them look like monsters with missing sharp teeth. The grass surrounding was uncut, and came up to the group's knees. The roof was covered with holes and missing shingles. There was nothing left from the chimney save for a few bricks scattered here and there. The wood on the cabin itself was dead and rotted, eaten away by various insects over the years. It looked like a horrid place to stay. "This is the place?" Rarity asked. She stuck out her bottom lip. "Looks like your average fixer-upper, if you ask me…" The fashionista looked almost disturbed at the thought of having to go inside. "Pffft!" Rainbow hovered in the air, a sick sneer on her face. "Good. At least we don't have to worry about property damage." "Rainbow, quit it." Twilight had been becoming increasingly annoyed with Rainbow's threats, and she had just about had enough. The last thing she needed going in there, while trying to have a civil discussion, was Rainbow Dash flying in and trying to throw unnecessary punches. "Yes, this is the place," she said. Twilight's horn dimmed, and the effect of the spell washed away. Twilight was almost ecstatic when her vision returned to normal. "Uhm… W-What's the plan…?" Fluttershy asked. She was hiding at the back of the group with Pinkie Pie. Of course, that meant Applejack was near the front. The farmer was staring at the log cabin intently, like a predator. "Why not just go in and talk to them?" Pinkie said. She gave a knowingly glace to Twilight. "That's what I was thinking." Twilight looked at Rainbow Dash specifically when she spoke. "We don't know who we're up against. I saw three beams of magic, so three unicorns…" Twilight trailed off a bit when a thought came into her mind. What if they weren't even unicorns? As much as she wanted to scour her brain for other creatures with abilities like unicorns, she just didn't have the time for it. "Well, there's six of us and three of them," Rainbow groaned. She crossed her forelegs childishly. "Even if we don't knock them silly, we'll still have 'em outnumbered. Hah!" Rainbow puffed out her chest, as if she had just come up with an ultimate strategy. Twilight had already thought of this, but decided to humor the pegasus and not say anything at all. "Well, we need to do somethin'," Applejack added. "Sittin' here ain't gonna do any good." "But...but…" Fluttershy started. The more everypony spoke, the more the mare shrunk closer and closer to the ground, timidly. At this point, she was lying on her belly. "Girls. If we want answers, if we want acceptance for what we've done, we need to do it right. Whoever did this… they had their reasons. Just like how we had reasons for our secrets. The act doesn't define the pony, it's the intention that shines. We need to go in there-" Twilight threw her hoof over in the direction of the cabin not even fifty feet away, "-and act like adults and settle this." "Twilight's right," Pinkie exclaimed. She took a step forward. "In order to forgive ourselves, we need to forgive whoever it was that did this. Getting angry and hostile won't solve anything. It'll only make us feel worse in the end when nothing changes." Pinkie, for once in her life, gave a genuine smile. One that showed no trace of the old Pinkie that she used to hide behind. The smile was truly hers. "So what do you say, girls?" Twilight asked. "Let's go and end this." With that, Twilight turned tail. She strutted up to the cabin door in a matter of a few seconds. Almost immediately, all five of her friends were at the door, by her side--through thick and thin. This was what friendship was and meant to her. It meant having your friends and those close to you at those times of suffering and depression. It meant having somepony to have your back in cases of strife. It meant having somepony who cared enough about you to look right past your faults and your past. This was what Twilight believed when she knocked on the door. It would have been a really touching moment, had somepony answered the door. Twilight cocked her head, and knocked one more time. Surely, whoever did this couldn't be serious. Knock, knock. Another minute passed by. Rainbow Dash was practically doing a dance in anticipation. The lights were on, and there was movement coming from inside. Even still, Pinkie begged to ask, "Do you think anypony's home?" Then the door opened. The door was fractured way more that Twilight had thought. It creaked and bent, and almost fell apart in the mares hooves when she pulled open the door. Three sets of eyes stared back at Twilight and her friend. Three ponies. Three unicorns. Their horns were aglow. One was a mare with a white body and a pink mane. Her horn glowed coral. Her mane was long and curly, and she had a cutie mark consisting of three stars. This mare merely scoffed at the sight of them, and wandered back into the cabin of which she came. The other two stared the six of them down. One mare was grinning, the mare with the horn that glowed yellow. Her body was that of soap, a light green. Perhaps even a turqoise. Twilight found it hard to decipher considering that the lighting was downright terrible. Her mane was a similar color--maybe a little lighter of a color--with a white streak going down the middle. Her cutie mark was a lyre. The last mare was the one holding the door open. Her face was contorted into a disgusted grimace. Her mane was two colors: royal blue and white, and her body was the color of the everloving sky. Her cutie mark portrayed some kind of hourglass. For some reason, she stood tall and proud, like she knew exactly what she was doing. Her eyes bored into Twilight's like a jackhammer. Twilight had no time to react before Hourglass gave the six of them a quick, toothy grin. As if her attitude had just done a 180. "About time you all show up. We've been waiting all day." === Chapter 9: Everypony's Resolution === There was a sickening chill that overcame Twilight Sparkle, something unimaginably tangent and disturbing. Her veins were bolts of electricity that ran itself up and down her body. Her mind was a battlefield--explosions, impaired senses, pain. It all coursed through her. Her blood had turned to diamonds. The game had played itself out. The inevitable truth and its ending had reared its ugly head at her. There was absolutely nothing left. It was done. But Twilight didn't see it that way. In some way, Twilight viewed this as the beginning of something else entirely. Maybe, it was effecting her brain differently, emotionally as well as mentally jarring. Her brain fizzed and spasmed, and she felt a migraine coming on. These three ponies. Star, Lyre, Hourglass, whoever they were. They hated Twilight and her friends so much that they would destroy the entire town. They wanted their lives to be ruined, and in shambles. They wanted them all to suffer in their own self-guided version of misery and disappointment. They wanted the Elements of Harmony's friendship to be no more. "Hourglass" continued to stare at them, her blue eyes boiling over with hidden rage. Twilight only gaped at the mare. She looked familiar--so familiar. She just could not remember her name. It was on the tip of her tongue. "Hourglass" licked her lips, and grinned. "Well? You all just going to stand there?" Her voice was husky, sounding like it should belong to a full grown mare. Fortunately, the mare looked about Twilight age--if not younger. "Hey, Lyra, look." The pony with the lyre cutie mark smirked devilishly at her accomplice. "Lyra" then turned her attention back to Twilight and her friends. "Looks like a cat's got their tongue." Lyra chuckled, a sound that made Twilight's blood turn to ice. Twilight simply stared at her, gears running. Did she ever hear that name before? Why is there some kind of voice in the back of her head shouting at her? Yelling the name over and over again? "I'm sure they wouldn't just appear at our doorstep for no reason… hmm?" Lyra cast a curious look their way. "Oh, we have a reason alright…" Twilight heard Rainbow Dash mumble behind her. She heard a small "scrunch" behind her. Twilight sneaked a peek backwards. Rainbow Dash was digging her hooves into the rocky soil underneath them, holding back her uncontrollable anger. She had a horrifyingly large sneer on her face, and her eyes were narrowed and deadly. Pinkie had noticed Rainbow's shift in temperaments. The pink mare put her foreleg across Rainbow's chest, like a barrier, as if telling her "please, calm down for now". Twilight could tell Rainbow didn't take joy in heeding Pinkie's silently given advice. But Twilight watched as her glower disappeared in size. She could still see the veins in Rainbow's neck protrude, and her wings flex every now and then. Should the time call for it, Rainbow was ready to pounce. Was Rainbow's attitude justified? Twilight didn't know, but she was pretty sure so far. Rainbow, as well as the rest of her friends, had their secret exposed to practically everyone in town. The pegasus was surely emotionally and mentally corrupted and frazzled. And, given Rainbow's natural sense of loyalty that earned her a spot in the Elements of Harmony in the first place, she would do anything she could to protect her friends. This being one of those times--and when Twilight took this into consideration, she was almost surprised that Rainbow Dash didn't fully snap. "You." Applejack's voice cut through the air like a butcher knife. She spoke carefully and powerfully. "You're the ones who did this." Applejack was unusually calm and collected, which almost frightened Twilight. Her placid voice and her indifferent looking eyes must have struck a nerve with Lyra and "Hourglass". "Excuse me?" "Hourglass" put a hoof on her chest innocently, and meagerly shook her head. The tiniest of smiles was apparent on her lips. Her voice was littered with sarcasm. "We have no idea what you're talking about." "Hourglass" stuck her head out the door for a brief second, and looked around. She got almost uncomfortably close to Twilight's face. She was sure that that was on purpose. "Wow, sure is foggy out here." Twilight's eye twitched. Rainbow Dash huffed from behind her. Rarity and Fluttershy looked at Twilight, and then back to the two mares at the door. "I… we know. May we come in? I think we need to have a chat." Lyra looked at the mare with the hourglass cutie mark, before the former shrugged. The hourglass mare stared at Lyra for a short second. Lyra grabbed the edge of the door, and started to allow the six to enter the rinky-dink cabin. That was before "Hourglass" planted a hoof on the door, creating a loud "clang". Apparently, Lyra had read "Hourglass" incorrectly. "Wait a second," she said. Her smile quickly shifted to a frown. "Why should we let you in? We don't just let random strangers into our house." Lyra looked like she wanted to hold back a snigger. "Please!" Rainbow Dash exploded. Twilight was almost hoping that the three mares wouldn't prod and instigate her, but it appeared that her wishes were short lived. "We know it was you that did this!" "Hourglass" rolled her eyes. "Rainbow, please…" Pinkie begged. Rainbow Dash took one look into Pinkie's pleading eyes, and let out a soft sigh. "We need to talk. You know who we are. It'll be over before you know it." Twilight didn't smile, nor did she frown. She tried to act as mature as possible, and as if she was reasoning with criminals--weapons drawn and aiming at her--threatening to strike at any moment. Lyra exhaled sharply, and gave "Hourglass" a mocking stare, as if she was silently telling her friend, "Are these mares serious?". Twilight's eye twitched again. Lyra viewed them as nothing more than a gigantic joke, it seemed. "Hourglass" as well. At least, that was what Twilight felt. The resentment in their voices, and the rudeness in their body language tipped her off. Something wasn't right with them. Somehow,Twilight could just feel the hatred resonating off of them. It made Twilight's heart hurt just thinking about it. "Hourglass" looked at each and every single one of the Elements of Harmony, and then gave a disrespectful grunt. "Well, I guess." Lyra chuckled, as if her response was a riot. Twilight nodded their direction as Lyra and "Hourglass" moved out of the way of the entrance. Twilight, being at the front of the group, wandered inside. Pinkie would have been the second pony to enter when Lyra held out a hoof, keeping her outside. "Hey…" Pinkie whined. "Hourglass" coughed. "Uhm, no," replied "Hourglass". Lyra was about three inches taller than "Hourglass", but she was still acting like some kind of bodyguard. Twilight felt confused, and tricked for some reason. "Just Twilight. Sorry, but you all gotta wait outside." "Pardon me?" Applejack replied. Her inner anger finally starting to show through after umpteeth hours of supreme tranquility. "No way!" Rainbow shouted, disregarding Pinkie entirely and almost shoving her aside to get closer to the door. When she reached it, however, she stood at the entrance. "You're letting us in! All of us! I'll… I'll force myself in if I have to!" Rainbow Dash shot the two mares a look that could have killed. The two didn't seem fazed in the slightest. "Yeah! Ain't no way we're gonna let Twilight go in there by herself! You messed with all of us, 'member?" Applejack replied. Applejack nodded at Twilight, as if she was saying: "Don't worry, ah got your back". "Yeah, no." Lyra said, waving as the five stood dumbstruck outside the doorway. "Sorry. Buh-bye." Lyra tried to slam the door, but Rainbow held out a hoof. Twilight cringed. "Dearies, please let us in," Rarity pleaded. "We won't cause trouble. We promise. Right, girls?" Rarity looked specifically towards Applejack and Rainbow Dash, who were still seething. They didn't appear to be acknowledging Rarity. "Hourglass" and Lyra only gave the five of them bored, half-lidded stares. "I'll be fine, girls," Twilight replied. She was sure that if she didn't intervene, Rainbow or Applejack would say something that'd ruin their chances for peace for good. "I'll be in and out in a jiffy. Trust me." The remaining members of the Elements of Harmony frowned in very different ways. By this point, Fluttershy was in the back of the pack, looking as if she was about to bolt. Even still, she appeared pretty leery about the entire situation. Rainbow only gritted her teeth. She punched her hooves together. "Well… gah! Fine. But as soon as we think something's starting to go wrong, we'll be bustin' down that door." She gave the other two mares a dreadful look. Applejack grinned herself. "Yeah, yeah, whatever," replied Lyra. Rainbow gave her a completely appalled look, before turning back to Twilight. Pinkie Pie, surprisingly, was the one that opened her mouth. "We believe in you, Twilight. We love y-" The door slammed shut. The wind from the motion rushed past Twilight like the stray wind from a tornado. It watered her eyes, but Twilight wasn't sure if it was because of the door. Twilight's heart began to beat a little faster. To her chagrin, Lyra immediately took out a large piece of chain, and a lock. She got to work closing the door for good. Since her horn was still aglow and at work because of the spell, she was forced to use her hooves. Twilight's friends had faith in her. That was all that mattered to her. Her friends knew, deep down, that Twilight was absolutely capable of reasoning with the three mares by herself. Was that the reason why? Did they remain outside simply to improve their chances of getting the spells undone? Did they remain outside because they knew it would have been a smart decision? Did they remain outside because they thought that, if all six of them went inside, nothing good would come out of it? Perhaps Pinkie and Rarity figured that if Applejack and Rainbow went inside, nothing would get solved. Deep inside, Twilight knew the answer lingered. Twilight turned back to the middle of the cabin. She was met by the disapproving, and rather intimidating, eyes of three mares. "Star", the white bodied mare with three stars for a cutie mark, was sitting upon a single bed to the right of the door--near a broken window. It was nothing more than a dirty mattress, and a worn yellow blanket covered in stains of varying colors. The entire cabin was that of a single room, save for a single door that must have lead off to a bathroom. In the northeast corner of the room, was a refrigerator and sink with a mirror. The mirror was smudged, and the refrigerator was left open. It must've not been running. There was no food inside. In the middle of the room, was a round rug the color of lilies. At least, it was. Now, it was very dirty and covered in different substances and crumbs. There was a cracked television screen in the southwest corner of the room, and a rotted wooden chair in front of it. The room itself stank of mildew and dirt. Personal belongings riddled the floor. Twilight hoped that the three mares didn't actually live there. It looked like an absolutely horrid place to live on first glance. Lyra had finished locking the door, and had wandered to the other side of the room next to "Hourglass". Everypony was shooting Twilight a look of pure detestment. Twilight felt herself wanting to redden. For a few moments, nopony said anything. Twilight could almost hear the gears turning in the other three mares' minds, as if they were secretly plotting what to do with her. Twilight swallowed her nervousness. However, she waited. She waited for the other ponies to explain themselves. They knew full well what they did. Twilight knew. They were caught. A full minute passed by, before "Star" opened her mouth. "You gonna say anything?" she asked, boredly. She yawned on her bed, and lied on her belly. "Excuse me?" Twilight said, automatically. She shot the other mares a look of amazement. They, were questioning her? "You decided to knock on our door. Now what do you want?" Lyra replied. Twilight, to say the least, wasn't expecting this. Her train of thought was thrown off entirely. She faltered. "I--uh--I'm here to talk a-" Twilight was cut off by a raucous bout of laughter coming from Lyra. "Minuette, are you hearing this?" Lyra asked, pointing a hoof at the lavender unicorn. Twilight's mouth was open in sheer astonishment. For some reason, a little bit more heat decided to settle in her cheeks. "She knocks on our door with her posse, and when she gets what she wants, she babbles like an idiot." Twilight regained her posture at the sound of this, straightening her back and projecting her voice. "Excuse me!" she almost yelled. "I am not an idiot." Lyra rolled her eyes, as if she was simply pardoning a joke that she never wanted to hear in the first place. "And you know why I'm here. Let's not try and beat around the bush. The least we can do is act like adults here instead of calling names…" Twilight couldn't take her mind off the pony named Minuette, the pony with the hourglass cutie mark. Why was that name so familiar? That cutie mark? That voice? Twilight just couldn't place a time or situation where she remembered these two mares. Twilight wasn't even sure of the real name of "Star", but even if she did, she knew she'd have no idea of who she was anyways. Twilight was completely in the dark. It didn't help the situation. "Twilight, we know what you're trying to do." Minuette shot Twilight an empty gaze. Her eyes were almost glossed over, as if Minuette was thinking about something else as she spoke. "And I'm going to tell you right now. Stop it. We don't care." Twilight's heart froze. Her eyes widened at the sudden crude remark, and she suddenly knew that there was no way that this was going to end well. Twilight wondered how long it would take for her friends to break the door down, should it get worse. What did she do? Twilight didn't know. What did she do to make these mares hate her so much? Twilight had enemies, sure. But… none that hated her on a scale like this. "Lemme guess," Lyra interjected. She stuck her nose in the air. "You did a Magic-Tracker spell in order to find us, right?" Lyra gave Twilight a smug smile, one that almost made Twilight shiver. Twilight didn't need to explain that Lyra was, indeed, correct. She needed to get a hold of herself, quick. She needed to hold her head high, and take control of the situation. "That doesn't matter. It really doesn't. We know what you did. We know that you're the ones that turned Ponyville into a warzone." Twilight returned their glares with one of her own. The moment she locked eyes with Lyra, the mare turned to look at "Star", almost awkwardly. "Warzone? Nah." Every syllable that dripped out of Minuette's voice was like that of poison--threatening to intoxicate and render Twilight immobile. "We didn't do that." "Are you kidding? So you're saying you're not responsible for what's going on?" Twilight refused to believe this. It was them. No way in Tartarus it wasn't. Twilight had the nagging feeling that, for some reason, she was to blame. "No," Minuette replied. "That was us." She pointed her her horn, which was still glowing a bright blue, the color of her eyes and coat. "As a matter of fact, we're still doing it. Can't believe it took you schmucks almost fourteen hours to figure that out." Twilight had to hold herself back, had to keep herself from getting angry. Meanwhile, "Star" was looking like she was about to burst out laughing. Twilight wasn't sure if it was because of the face she was making, or not. Nevertheless, she frowned. She was right. Twilight was right. These three were responsible for this. These three were responsible for making her friends cry. For almost ruining what they had, their ultimate friendship. For causing some ponies to burn down their homes. For absolutely destroying the mental state of those in Ponyville. For posting her darkest secret on the front of the library. Spike will never think of her the same way again. Rarity will never truly regain her sister. Applejack will always resent Fluttershy for what she did. Here she was, in front of the ponies who caused it all. She couldn't form a word. "I mean, it's not like we hid our tracks well. We actually made it pretty easy to find us. Kind of a shame, really. We've been running ourselves ragged, keeping these spells going for this long. We've had to switch off countless times, really. We expected to be found after a few hours. But a whole day? I'm kind of shocked, Twilight Sparkle." Minuette said Twilight's name as if it was a mockery. Twilight didn't know what to say, except for one thing. "W-Why? Why would you do this?" Her voice was surprisingly kind and serene, but that was only because she was desperate and pleading. She needed answers. Nothing made sense. She wanted her life back to the way it was not even twenty-four hours ago. She wanted her friends to have their lives back. "Why?" "Star" suddenly repeated. Her words held so much contained anger that it was almost hurtful to hear. Apparently, Twilight had asked the wrong right question. "Why?! You really don't know why we did this Twilight Sparkle?" All of a sudden, "Star" was off the bed, and standing not even two inches from Twilight's face. She was heaving breaths, holding back an innermost rage that kept itself inside of her. Twilight moved back a ways, but "Star" was still there in front of here. "You dare ask us? Who in Tartarus do you thin-" "Twinkleshine, chill for a second," Minuette replied. "Let's see what she knows first." Twinkleshine grumbled to herself, and switched glances between Minuette and Twilight Sparkle. It was as if she was debating listening to her friend, and clocking Twilight with a clenched hoof. After ten more seconds of silent mental arguing, she took a seat back on the dirty bed, cursing to herself quietly. What she knew? Twilight couldn't get it out of her head. What did they mean by that? Another awkward few seconds passed by, before Minuette opened her mouth again. "So, it's true. You really don't know why we did this, hmm? Why we revealed your secret, your friends' secrets, the town's secrets? Why we decided to do everything we did? Who we are, even? You have absolutely no idea?" Twilight, as of now, knew their names. Lyra was the green pony with the lyre cutie mark. Twinkleshine was the bad-tempered mare on the bed. Minuette appeared to be in charge, standing before her with a hourglass for a cutie mark. Unfortunately, she just didn't know who they were. They did seem familiar. Twilight had a hunch that she knew them from somewhere. It killed her inside to shake her head. Twinkleshine groaned, loudly. "Here we go…" Lyra and Twinkleshine almost appeared amused by her reply. Minuette only grinned. "Here's the deal, Twilight Sparkle. We're going to leave up your secret--everypony's secrets. We're going to leave them up for as long as necessary until you remember just who in Celestia's name we are," said Minuette. Twilight turned to Lyra, who was now sitting in the creaky wooden chair by the television, and Twinkleshine. Both mares were glaring daggers. "Girls, I'm sorry, but I really cannot remember. Maybe we-" "Think. Now," Twinkleshine spat. Twilight sighed sadly. She thought in her mind. She needed to remember. Twilight knew, deep in the recesses of her mind, that the answer lurked and lingered. Somewhere back there, the answer was hiding. Twilight felt as if she was holding but a mere butterfly net, but trying to catch a bird flying a hundred feet above her. The thinking game was one that Twilight had mastered. The reality game, Twilight was leery about. Who were these mares? Lyra. Minuette. Twinkleshine. Twilight kept repeating those names to herself. Over, and over, and over, and over. Why didn't they click? Why did the names seem so foreign to her, yet again feel so near and dear to her? She thought about their faces, their bodies, their gestures, everything about them that she had learned in the last few minutes that could possibly tie her, and these three mares together. The pressure was on. She needed to come up with an answer quickly. If she replied incorrectly, she wasn't sure what the consequences would be. She needed to think long and hard, and answer accordingly. She thought about everything. She thought about everything in Twilight's life leading to this. Who was Minuette? Who was Lyra? Who was Twinkleshine? And when, while thinking those three questions to herself, did she come up with a completely plausible answer. She looked up from her gaze towards the floor, and let the soft words come flowing forth. "The wedding." "Excuse me? I didn't quite hear you," replied Twinkleshine, who was sitting no more than two feet away from Twilight Sparkle. "The wedding," Twilight said, louder this time. "I remember you three. The wedding. You were the bridesmaids for my brothers wedding." "Yes… and?" Minuette pushed. Twilight wasn't sure what else to say. Therefore, she gave the wrong answer right after her correct one. "And… you… you attacked me. You attacked Cadence and I in that cave." Twilight felt just a little bit sick as the words made themselves noticeable. She felt just a little bit self-conscious as soon as the mares stopped cold. They simply stared at Twilight, dumbfounded and jaw's dropped. "What?" Lyra was the mare to break the silence. She put a hoof to her ear, and rubbed it. "Did I just hear her right?" Minuette nodded. "You know what, I think you did. I don't think she's kidding either." Twilight immediately regretted what she had said, and wished she could have taken it back, and tried a different answer. "She had better be," piped Twinkleshine. She was kneading her hooves, keeping them busy. "That's how you view it, Twilight?" Minuette replied. She was squinting her eyes, as if she just could not believe the words that came out of the lavender unicorns mouth. Twilight refused to back down, or remain passive. "What do you mean? Of course that's how I view it. How could I have not known sooner? You three were under Chysalis' mind control last year during the wedding, and tried to keep Cadence and I in those caves forever. Is that it? Is that why you did all of this?" Another silence. "Twilight… if you know what's good for you, just stop talking. You're digging yourself into a deeper hole." Minuette sighed, and turned to the two other mares. "What did I tell you both? I knew she wouldn't remember. And if she did, she'd have this whole one sided view of it." "Huh?" Twilight couldn't believe it. That had to be the reason! Twilight didn't know those three from anywhere else. The answer lied somewhere in the wedding. She knew it. "Don't play dumb," shot Lyra. "That's not the reason. Though, I'm still peeved about it." She crossed her forelegs. Twilight's mind was beginning to wane. Nothing was making sense to her, anymore. "You… you're mad at me… and watched as this town went to ruins… because I defended myself and Equestria? And Cadence? From Changelings? The three of you tried to ruin my friendship and the lives of everypony in Ponyville because of that?" "Are you deaf?" Minuette insulted. "We just said that was not the reason." Twinkleshine stood back up, and began to scream at the top of her lungs. "It's not the main reason! It's just another reason why we hate your guts, Twilight Sparkle!" Twilight's mouth parted. Her mouth was dry, and it felt like she had gargled sand. "We couldn't help it that Chysalis used us! She took over our bodies! Messed with our minds, dammit!" She picked up a horseshoe from the floor, and whirled it in a fit of rage. It missed Twilight's head by three inches, and smashed into the television. Glass shattered and hit the floor, and the machine itself sparked dangerously. "Twinkle, we needed that…" Twilight heard Lyra groan. Twinkleshine didn't appear to listen. She was in the zone, Twilight could tell. Twinkleshine's main focus was her. "We couldn't do a thing about it! Do you know how much that wedding meant to us? Did you know that Cadence was not only your babysitter, but Minuette's good friend? Did you know that you and your friends were taking our place as bridesmaids? I bet you were crying with joy, watching them get married, huh?" Twilight didn't know what to say. She stayed absolutely silent. "Did you know that we were locked in that cavern for about three days? No food, no water, nothing to keep us warm but dirty white dresses that we never even got to use? Knowing full well that nopony would ever know that you've disappeared, and are begging for salvation two hundred feet under the ground where nopony can hear your cries for help? Did you know that you almost got us killed that day, Twilight? And you have the guts to sit here and say 'I don't remember you'." With this, with the end of her rant having come and gone, she simply stopped speaking. She held a hoof to her probably aching throat, and sat back down on the bed. She was grumbling. Twilight couldn't believe it. She just couldn't believe it. Twilight hadn't thought about her battle with Chrysalis in a long time. In fact, she had forgotten about it entirely. So much had happened since then. She hadn't stopped to think about what had happened to the three after she had escaped the cavern. She remembered. She was so worried about stopping the wedding, and getting the real Cadence back to the altar that she had completely forgotten. Twilight didn't feel like being unpassive anymore. "I… I'm so sorry.... I never thought about it. I never stopped to think about where you ponies were, and how I'd have been taking a bridesmaid position that was already filled." She turned to cast a sad gaze upon Minuette. "I didn't know you were Cadence's friend." Twinkleshine huffed, and looked away. Lyra looked at Minuette. Minuette shrugged indifferently. "That's all fine and dandy. We don't accept your apology. Mainly because that's not the main reason why we resent you. I'm pretty sure that I've said this about three times, now." Twilight's brain threatened to stop entirely. That… wasn't the main reason why she was hated? Why her friends were hated? Why? The three of them had almost died, but there was a deeper reason as to why they did this? What could be more harsher than death? Almost dying on account of somepony else? Twilight knew that there was no way she'd guess correctly. She just didn't know. "I don't know the real reason," Twilight said honestly. "If I did, I would have said it. Please tell me. I want to make this right. Ponies are still suffering outside, suffering because of their secrets." There was another pause. Lyra and Twinkleshine only stared at Minuette, as if the three were having a small conversation with their eyes. Twinkleshine was the mare who seemed most against what Minuette wanted to do, shaking her head every so often. Lyra appeared indifferent. In the end, Minuette sided with Lyra. "Think back, Twilight. Who are we? Think back to two years ago." Twilight only stood there, in awe. For a moment, she hesitated. "Come on, Ms. Element-of-Magic. We know you can do it," Lyra egged on mockingly. Who were they? Why… why couldn't she remember? Twilight was starting to get irritated--started feeling the sweat trickle down her forehead as time went on. Her brain was beginning to hurt, and she felt a migraine slowly starting to form deep inside her mind. Everything must fit into place somewhere. She must know. She cannot risk it to not know. Her brain had never betrayed her before. Why was it starting now. "Think. Two years ago. Think!" Minuette's voice was slowly growing is volume. It didn't not help her think. It took her a second to find her train of her thought? Two years ago. What happened two years ago? Two years ago, she was milling about Ponyville, making friends. She was reading with Spike in her library. She was studying. She was just meeting Trixie. She was putting an end to Nightmare Moon. She was just meeting her new friends, and the future Elements of Harmony. She was just moving into the library, itself. She was… Twilight stopped. She knew. She was sure that she knew the three from somewhere before. And now, that she was saying the three words out loud, she felt like the worst pony to ever walk Equestria. "You...three were my friends. You three were my friends all those years ago." A small grin creeped across Minuette's face. Lyra absentmindedly stared at Twilight, yet into space. Twinkleshine was glaring at her, a look of pure hatred masked her face. Twilight felt so horrible. She remembered why she knew them, now. "Took you long enough," Minuette said. A smile was abhorrent, but her eyes showed a slight kindness. "Do you understand, Twilight? Do you understand why we hate you now?" "I left you, back in Canterlot. All of you. I left you all for my new friends here in Ponyville." Twinkleshine opened her mouth, something Twilight hoped wouldn't happen. "Yes, you did. You were a real jerk to us, Twilight, you know that?" "Always had a head in a book, Twilight," Minuette said. "Always picking your books before us. Ponies who actually thought of you as a friend, Twilight," Lyra croaked. "Always disregarding our feelings, Twilight," Twinkleshine seethed. Twilight felt sick to her stomach again. On top of that, she felt absolutely horrible. She turned towards the floor, unable to look her former friends in the eyes. "We invited you to a party the same day you disappeared. You turned us down, for what? To read a book by yourself. You didn't even stick around to tell you whose party it was," said Minuette. "You didn't do anything. We wanted to be your friend. We wanted to hang out with you. But you just wouldn't… do anything. You just read books all the time. You disregarded how we felt." Twinkleshine scooted towards the edge of the bed, and leaned over. "Do you know how it felt, Twilight, to have somepony you considered a friend completely ignore you. Now imagine that this same pony moves the very same day, only to make a bunch of brand new--cooler, friends someplace else? Were we not good enough for you, Twilight?" "No!" Twilight interjected the moment she saw an opportunity. "You three were great friends. I… didn't appreciate you as much as I should have. I went to Ponyville to learn the Magic of Friendship, and… I made friends while doing so. I'm sorry that I acted that way…" "You're sorry?" Twinkleshine exasperated. "That's all you have to say? You ditch us for new friends, you ignore us entirely, you almost kill us...the list goes on and on! And all you have to say is… 'I'm sorry'?" Twilight was holding back tears. "Why the town… why everypony else? Why not just me?" Behind Twilight, the door shook and rattled. Perhaps Twilight's friends--more specifically Rainbow Dash--had started to become impatient. It wouldn't be long before the girls assumed something was wrong. She'd already been inside for about ten minutes. For them, it must seem like an eternity. "Did you know, Twilight, that after we escaped from the caves, we thirsted for revenge. You know how you left you old library completely open and uninhabited? We used it. We took full advantage of your generosity." Lyra's eyes were bloodshot, as if she were digging through repressed memories. "We read, and read, and studied--just like you." "We read and plotted ways to get back at you. You needed to learn another lesson in friendship," Minuette explained. "We learned so many wonderful spells! We learned and practiced them! We learned how to make fog! We learned how to uncover secrets! We learned how to make magical paint! We learned how to perform and share monstrously large spells, over a large area, and still have a bit of energy left over. We did our research." "We were gonna getcha, Twilight," Twinkleshine whispered, creepily. "But then we stopped. We thought to ourselves. Maybe we should wait a minute. Maybe, it wasn't all worth it. Perhaps, if we went to Ponyville, we'd figure out what the big deal was. We'd realize that there was no need to do all this, and that we could be friends there instead of Canterlot." "Wait…" Twilight stopped her. Too much information, even for her, to process. "You all live here?" "Yes," Minuette replied. She said it in a way that told Twilight that she really wasn't surprised by that question. "We've been living here for six months. We've been wandering around town for that long, watching you. Watching your friends. Taking note of every single thing that you did. I even took up a job here. I'm a dentist, you know. Do you even know how rudely I'm treated here? As an orthodontist?" Twinkleshine just shook her head, as if she didn't even want to get started explaining her troubles. Lyra spoke up instead. "I'm flat broke. Wanna know why? Because I spent my entire savings paying bills and moving down here so that maybe, we could rekindle our friendship." There was nothing Twilight could say anymore. She couldn't even bring herself to say sorry. All she felt like doing was breaking down. She didn't know if she could live with what she had done to these three mares. She inadvertently ruined their lives, simply because they wanted to be her friends. She had paid them no mind, and it had come with terrible consequences. They'd even been living in the same town as her, suffering, and Twilight didn't even have the gall to realize. She felt so bad, and at the same time, she wanted to make it right. "What can I do… how can I make this right?" she asked. There were tears in her eyes. That must've been the question that Twinkleshine was waiting for. A malicious grin spread across her face. Lyra and Minuette shared a grand smirk. Twilight felt outnumbered--bullied and hurt. She felt like she was back on the playground, forced to confront the children who didn't like her. "We're going to give you one opportunity. We have a proposition for you." Twilight's ears perked up, and she flicked her tail in anticipation. Twilight both dreaded, and couldn't wait to hear it. She wanted to make everything right. She wanted the secrets down. She wanted to appreciate her old friends for who they were. She wanted everything back to normal, for the most part. "What? What can I do?" "Ditch your friends, Twilight," Twinkleshine murmured malevolently. "Ditch them, and be our friends instead." Twilight's hopeful attitude shifted once again into one of absolute depression. "I… I can't do that! I can't just leave them-" Lyra cut her off, and Twilight had immediately realized her horrible word choice. "You can't? You can't just ditch them? Weird. It appears that that's exactly what you did to us? Why is it so hard to ditch us, but not them?" Lyra's eyes widened as she spoke, only unnerving Twilight a little bit more. Was she talking to insanity? "I… no… no, I can't do that!" Another jiggle of the door handle. Twilight didn't have much time. "No way. I'm not ditching my friends. Not for you." "Excuse us?" Minuette said. She pointed to her horn. "Either be our friend, or we make this spell permanent. It's your choice." Twilight was growing dizzy. She needed to sit down. Her head was spinning so fast, it felt like she was on an amusement park ride. She knew of the risk she was taking. She knew of what this might mean for Ponyville. But there was no way. "My friends mean everything to me. They're my rock, my salvation when I have a problem or need a helping hoof. They are always at my back when I need them. You… you're not my friends. You never were. You just wanted me to attend parties and small get togethers. That's not what friendship is. Friendship isn't forced, it's grown. You can't make me be your friend, especially after being threatened this way. Especially after ruining the lives of innocent ponies in town. Especially after ruining my friends' lives. You three did a horrid thing. Why would I be your friend?" Silence. "I'm sorry for the way I treat you. I'm sorry I almost got you killed and ditched you for another group of friends. But you know what? It helped me learn. I learned so much. And I just want to thank you. My secret is out into the open, and I feel brand new. I honestly feel like you may have helped us, instead of hurt us. You've helped us all learn what needed change about who we are. So, keep the secrets up if you wish. I will never be friends with mares that intentionally try to hurt others, whether you succeeded or not." More silence. Minuette, Lyra, and Twinkleshine only stared at her. One pony in amazement, the other with pure hatred, the other with indifference in her eyes. Twilight wasn't sure what to think. She wasn't sure about anything. She was sure that she had spoke the truth, and she sure wasn't going to change her mind. It was all said and done. In a matter of a few moments, Minuette's horn stopped glowing, ending her part of the spell that was being cast all over town. Seconds later, Lyra's horn stopped. Twinkleshine's horn dimmed soon after, though she wasn't happy about it. "You're going to regret this, Twilight Sparkle." Minuette flashed her a malignant grin. "You're going to regret this, so bad. Soon, when this game ends, you'll know just what pain truly is." It was at that moment the police burst through the door. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Puppy Love author: BlackSnowyOwl tags: character:Original Character, character:Winona, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Paws! === Surprisingly, it was actually Apple Bloom's own idea to invite the tendril pony over to babysit for the night. The little filly had known him for a few weeks, and she always thought he was amazing and nice, so naturally her sister agreed on letting Jarvis help out. She and her brother had to take their grandmother out of town for a day, so she needed some watching. More or less also to have somepony to at least check on the simple doings of the farm that needed tending to, possibly straying towards them being worried the farm filly would go crazy and somehow manage to destroy half of their home in some reckless idea of hers. It had happened before…Twice. Luckily for Jarvis, Apple Bloom had already passed out up in her room, thanks to the stallions skillful storytelling abilities, actually being interesting at it. He was content with nearly all of his little tasks not being due to be done until the early morning. He could stay up a little late, and relax in their cozy house. It was nice, although he was reluctant to come simply for their convenience. Although kind, Jarvis sort of had a little 'peev' about helping others but getting nothing good out of it. It was an innocent enough thing, but occasionally prevented him from helping and being happy about it. Either way, he accepted, assuming Applejack would offer him something nice enough. For now, he just lounged out, legs propped up on their living room table while he laid diagonal-ways on the fluffy brown couch, whilst twirling an apple-peeling mechanism in his hoof. Being somewhat of a scientist himself- quite a big one- he thought devices like this interesting, even if simple. With black eyes squinting at how he could improve the little thing, he didn't expect a furry brown ball to abruptly jump onto the couch beside him, bumping against his leg. He yelped a bit, accidentally flinging the wooden object out of his hoof. Luckily, a swift pink tendril lashed out and caught it, before it could knock something over. "Seriously, Winona? Calm down…" he mumbled as he watched the little puppy female bound off the couch, tongue sticking out- as usual- while she dashed a circle around the coffee table. The pony rolled his eyes with humor as she nipped at his hoof on the table, before sprinting into the kitchen at full speed…and back. Setting the peeler down on a nightstand near the couch, he folded his hooves, starting to feel a bit drowsy after relaxing so much tonight in the Apple's super-cozy home. He was curious as to why the brown-white dog didn't share this with him. When the energetic Winona hopped back onto the couch, he managed to catch her in both his hooves and hold her still there, causing her to quietly bark and look at him excitedly, giving a big puppy grin with her tongue out. "You," he said, "Why are you not tired. Sleep already, you're kinda annoying." He told her, eyebrows raised as the happy dog licked her tongue towards his face while he talked. Curiously, he tilted his head and stuck his tongue out. Winona whined and squirmed, licking more quickly, trying to get at his tongue. "Blegh." He mumbled, letting her go, and watching her dart off again. "Weird dog is all excited when it's bed time." Jarvis was known for very much being an animal pony, favoring all types of creatures- save for cats, not pussies, cats- and dogs were one of his favorites. But they just bugged him when they were mean or obnoxious. The Apple's little puppy wasn't like that, she was just being too energetic when he was thinking of napping. "Hmm…" he sounded to himself, looking around for a way to calm her down or tire her out somehow. Sweeping a pink tendril down and picking up a blue rubber ball wedged between the couch and the floor, he smirked. Whistling to get her attention, he tossed it into the kitchen. Winona glanced with her large brownish eyes at him, then into the dim kitchen. In an instant, she dashed, nearly slipping on her paws in excitement as she ran, grabbing the ball in her jaws and dashing back over to him, dropping it on the floor. "Good girl…" he grinned, picking it back up, and pretending to chuck it back into the kitchen, but actually whizzed the ball to the other side of the living room. The puppy was swift to catch on, used to this trick as she ran straight for it, catching the ball before it bounced twice. Hopping onto the couch, she dropped it at his side, tail waggling rapidly. He could already hear the young dog panting. Smiling more, he decided to test her jumping, and tossed the ball again, this time straight up, watching as Winona's muzzle followed it, and she pushed up with all her might. Leaping up high, she caught it in her teeth on the way down, almost missing, but landing perfectly on all fours. "Impressive," the tendril pony chuckled, curling a pink appendage around the ball again, which she still held in her mouth. "C'mon, gimme, I wanna see you jump again." The stallion said, trying to tug it, obviously not wanting to hurt the dog, not sure why she playfully growled when he tugged. But when he ran a distracting hoof over her ears, and rubbed softly, he snickered as she dropped it into his tendril. Rubbing softly, he liked the adorable shiver she made…but found it strange when she started to gently lick at his pink tendril still at her mouth. Winona poked the ball out of its hold, and started licking at it rapidly, quickly getting excited at the smooth texture of the powerful appendage. Her Obviously innocent action sent a tingle up and down the tendril pony's back, causing him to wince a little. "Hey, cut it out." The puppy didn't hear him, she loved the feeling of his super soft tendril in her mouth, and she gently closed her jaws on it, totally incapable of causing it pain, but very much the opposite of causing Jarvis a rather uncomfortable, somewhat funny tingle to run up and down his back. She kept it in her mouth as if it was hers, and he was a little hesitant to pull it out, but still tried again, "Winona, bad dog." She glanced up at his face with her brown eyes, and kept licking, almost as if challenging him in her own ways, tongue running along its length. He made a soft groan, and frowned at her, wiggling the tendril a little, and sliding it down the dog's mouth a bit reluctantly. But this got her to let go, making a little coughing sound as she took a step back, but ended up clumsily tripping, falling on her belly onto one of his relaxing legs. A completely unwanted blush had crossed the stallion's face at the feeling her smooth, but loveably rough tongue gave. "Sheesh, you're weird…" he mumbled, hiding his licked tendril behind the couch. Winona squeaked softly, and surprising him, gripped her paws around his leg, hugging her bare, warm body to his fur. He laughed at her slightly, "Fine, as long as you sle-" his eyes widened a bit as he stared at the puppy, who was starting to softly move her furry body up and down against him…more specifically, her hips. "Are you humping me?" Jarvis blurted out, two of his tendrils extending towards her to pry her off, practically in revulsion. But as the innocent puppy let out a little shiver against him, she answered, and now he felt a tiny dampness on his leg. Realizing an innocent, young female was humping him, he softened his anger a little, and tried tapping her shoulder, "Winona, you shouldn't be doing that…it's just weird." He said quietly, watching the puppy's eyes close as her paws gripped, humping herself faster and more excitedly. He could feel her furry nethers pressing against his leg, growing hotter each moment as she gave a little bark at his tap. "This is so weird…" Jarvis whimpered a little, watching her tail wag rapidly. But being put into such a situation, and still feeling fuzzy from his tendril tingles, the inevitable, strange idea edged its way into his mind while he watched her. With a quick, cautious glance at both sides of the room, he lowered his head, and snuck a silent, pink tendril down edging its slenderness along the couch, and behind his legs, curling around, grazing up through his blue fur, before gently poking at one of the puppy's gripping hind paws as it moved back and forth. Gulping a little at his own mind's thoughts, he rubbed the tendril back and forth against her leg, noticing it twitch slightly at her thoughts. He watched the pleasuring puppy's small face as she let out quiet puppy coos to nothing, causing him a tiny, depraving smile. Particularly because of how perverted he was, and how funny he saw this situation as. "Winona." He said quietly, this time softly into her left ear, causing her eyes to peek open a little and glance at him, smiling and licking his nose as her muzzle was also blushing slightly. He chuckled and took that as an opportunity to softly poke his tendril tip at the puppy's nethers that were humping against him. She didn't turn her head, she just froze, humps slowly stopping as she knew that it was him, recognizing the texture and feel of his warm tendril, emitting a gentle, good growl as she felt it. Unsure what to do though, she just sat there and tilted her head curiously as she watched him. Jarvis tried to offer a little awkward, sheepish smile at the dog's emotion-filled face, feeling a bit strange knowing that she was aware, as he expected her to be oblivious, but she knew what he was doing, and didn't reject the feeling. Winona actually lifted a small leg a little to readjust herself. Seeing this, he quickly slipped his tendril in between her legs, nuzzling it against her belly so now she was propped up, with her tummy and nethers laying on the tendril now. The puppy squirmed, and looked down, licked at the tendril tip curiously. This caused Jarvis a little gasp, and shiver. As he expected, and secretly hoped, the female started to gently hump herself again, excited even more, now rubbing herself against his much soft, much better tendril, very smooth, warm, and quite stimulating for the already pleasured dog. The tendril-pony stared at her, nearly wide-eyed as he realized it worked when Winona softly humped her damp, innocent slit against his tendril, which was driving him almost crazy. It wasn't that sensitive, it was more the utterly bizarre situation that was affecting him, and making the tingles run down his back and to his flank. Jarvis would probably never admit it to anypony else ever, but he was actually happy and intrigued to see the little cute puppy being pleasured, especially by herself, with his aid. It was almost comical how she softly kept rubbing her furry tummy and underside against the smooth surface of his now damp tendril. Seeming cautious, and actually embarrassed at the situation he had let himself be in, he glanced around one more time, before he extended his hoof, gently placing it on Winona's back, rubbing up to her ears- which she very much loved- and down her sides. As he stopped at her bucking flank, he smiled again, and carefully started helping her, pushing her butt back down with each hump, getting the tendril surface to push at her nethers and tummy. The puppy was panting desperately now, tongue hanging out with excitement as she knew what was coming, having done it a few times before. But this time she had someone helping, and it felt greater than ever with his tendril. She only rubbed faster, speed picking up, with his hoof just increasing the depth in which she humped at. Jarvis enjoyed the feeling of the animal's cute, furry flank in his hoof, but he was practically grinning when he witnessed Winona's body being pushed into a sudden, powerful puppy orgasm. Her tail stood on end before curling on his hoof, and her hips pressed hard into his tendril, hot puppy juices leaking out all over it and dripping onto his leg, while she emitted a few sharp barks. With this, Jarvis panicked, and put another tendril at her mouth, easily slipping it inside her muzzle for her to desperately lick at. He knew Apple Bloom coming down would mean trouble, so he let the puppy finish her strong, blissful climax silently. To help, he moved his tendrils back and forth, adding friction and movement for her to feel while she rode the lovely waves. Her feelings went through him in tender tingles as well, causing Jarvis to be overjoyed at the puppy's squirms of delight. He was snickering quietly to himself as he caressed her now still flank. "Good doggy…" he said, smiling into her eyes as she watched him happily, licking at his tendril laying in her mouth. It was this situation specific where Jarvis would be acting so lovey and cuddly. Minutes had passed with Winona being exhausted and almost limp, in which he had gently scooted her beside him, where he now softly groomed her back and ears with his muzzle, smiling as he kept telling himself 'I just made a dog cum.' When his nose sniffed a little down near her flank, he thought she wouldn't mind if he took a look at the puppyhood he had just helped pleasure. Carefully, he nudged her tail aside as he peeked at the unaccented, innocent puppy nethers. Sniffing, he was taken aback a little by the powerful scent. It was nowhere near what he expected. It smelled like dog more than anything, but that was mixed with the strange female sex juices that he liked quite a lot, although not the best most heavenly it could be, which was a bit too strong for his sniffing leisure. At this, an idea sparked his mind, causing him to smirk. "Hey girl, why don't you come with me?" he asked as he tenderly lifted the puppy carefully onto his back with four comfy tendrils, laying her securely as he climbed off the couch. "I have an idea you might like." The brown puppy emitted a soft whimper as he clicked on the downstairs bathroom light, immediately suspicious and unsure of whatever his intentions could be. But Jarvis chuckled, "Don't you worry, I'm really good at giving baths," he nodded at her. These words slightly soothed her, knowing that he was very kind, and thought he might not want to cause her discomfort. Feeling safe as he set her down on the rug and turned the bath water on, Winona smiled and sat there on her flank, tail wagging excitedly. It took but a couple minutes to fill the water to a comfortable height. He lifted the puppy into the air gently, and stepped into the water with her in his hooves. Closing the blue shower curtain with a hoof, he smiled at Winona's happy face as he sat down in the warm, still-running water. Setting her down in front of him, he reached for a pink little wash cloth, "Alright, let's get started." A gentle summertime family tune started playing as he started scrubbing the little puppy behind the ears, causing her to smile and bark quietly at him, and splash his face with water. Jarvis smirked at this and wrung the cloth over her head, drenching her fur with the warm trickles, soaking her fur in an instant, before just doing it again. When Winona wagged her tail, he could tell she was already enjoying her playful bath, and he carefully held her sides to scrub at her face, and carefully down her white furry chest, and down her soft warm tummy. "Did I tell you, you're freaking adorable?" he asked curiously, as his pink cloth went down and brushed its wetness through her puppy nethers. She playfully growled and clambered up in his lap, looking at him excitedly before starting to lap at his muzzle quickly. Instantly, Jarvis made a 'blegh' sound and turned away. But he noticed this only made her tilt her head in confusion. Hating to see his puppy sad, he shrugged, "What the heck." He mumbled, and hugged a hoof around her as he kissed Winona on the snout. She grinned excitedly and started licking his mouth right back, fast and slobbering a little. But he held a hoof up and stopped her, "Ah, ah…" he shook his head, and returned it with another gentle, close kiss on her snout. Winona tilted her head at this, a little blush on her face again as she tried copying him, kissing back carefully, not just jumping into licking. Jarvis thought it was the weirdest thing ever, but he absolutely loved it… The bath was short and wet and adorable, and full of little kisses between the puppy and pony. When she was all scrubbed up and clean, he climbed out with her, carefully wrapping himself in a red towel, before lifting her up with a couple tendrils, plucking a filly-sized pink towel robe from the bathroom hooks. "Perfect." He smirked, fitting his little puppy into the slightly too-big fluffy robe. Gently, he scruffed it through, rubbing the wet puppy in all areas and ruffling her fur with a laugh, finding her sneezing adorable. But soon, Winona was all wrapped up in the loose robe, looking like a fluffy little furball of fluff who was damp but dry, and very much comfortable. Jarvis had walked back out to sit her on the couch again, sniffing at her lovingly this time to catch the amazing scent of strawberries on the puppy, making a mental note to laugh later at Applejack owning such a scented shampoo. Sighing happily as he sat beside the female dog, he chuckled as he glanced at her curious stare, "Well aren't you just an adorable ball of fur?" he smiled, slipped a tendril out from his robe and poking her nose with it. At this, Winona barked quietly again, and clambered up into his lap suddenly, licking at his furry chest this time. The tendril pony snickered soft, and hugged his hooves around the furry, robed puppy, turning her around and sitting her in his lap as he sat there and relaxed, staring forward while a tendril stroked at her ears soothingly. When she licked up at his face again, he glanced down at her again curiously, "You want more, don't you?" All he caught was a tail wag and an excited looking female. "Oh alright…" he smiled, kissing her on her wet nose as his tendril snaked downward and very softly rubbed at her tummy. Winona squeaked and pawed at the tendril excitedly, watching its subtle movements, happy to see it graze her belly fur, and poke her fuzzy, damp nethers. She emitted a little squeak, while Jarvis began focusing again, this time with a new objective, as his smooth tendril tip poked, but was a bit more persistent, actually giving a soft pressing motion. This told the girl puppy that he was trying to go inside this time. Her tail wagged as her tongue hung out, legs tensing up a little, preparing herself for his loveable tendril. He smiled and nipped his puppy's ear soothingly, before the tendril began to push, feeling everything as her slit started stretching instantly, allowing the appendage its first inch of access into her puppy body as he kept sinking it with gentle care. He just wanted to please this cute little puppy again, adoring her little pleasure movements and noises. Winona gave a happy growl as she felt him entering, as it was the first thing to push into her body before, and it only felt amazing to her. Jarvis reveled as his tendril caught every little grip and trickle of liquid that touched it, tip sinking a full two inches into the innocent canine. He gave Winona another kiss as he rubbed her belly, tendril slipping out to satisfy his own curiosity. She squirmed uncomfortably and watched him, unsure what he was doing as he brought the tendril to his mouth, and took a little lick at it. Eyes going a little wide, he looked down and stared at the puppy's face. "Winona…you're going to love this…" he said as two of his careful appendages helped push the puppy onto her back, and up against the corner of the couch. He smiled at her and nodded as he scooted forward on his belly, giving her own furry one a soft little kiss. She titled her head excitedly, washing is every move with anticipation, knowing he still had more planned for her, and she was going to find out what as the tendril pony kissed her puppy neck, before his snout slowly glided across her ruffled, still damp fur. Nuzzling his snout in between her furry little legs, Jarvis felt happy and at home as he pressed his mouth up to her innocent slit, and gave it a little kiss. This action drove Winona to loudly bark in delight, tail wagging beneath them rapidly. He poked a tendril back at her mouth to ensure she didn't disturb the filly of the household. "Shh…" he gave her a grin as he went back between her legs, and slid his long, slender pink tongue against her furry, scented slit. Jarvis was getting his first taste of puppy, and didn't mind it at all, as his amazing tongue glided around her thighs, and licked up a delicious-looking trickle of her juices that dripping from her tiny entrance. With excitement to please her, he smiled and wiggled his tongue into her little body. At this, Winona gave him a whine of pleasure, and started licking quickly at his tendril in her snout. Her tongue sent the pony sudden, sharp tingles of delight again, but now they were better than ever, because he knew exactly what was going on, and just how much she was loving it. Carefully, he circled his tongue inside her super-tight, hot tunnel, stretching it a couple times, which drove Winona crazy, only causing her to speed up her pace and put her whole mouth on his quivering tendril, licking even more quickly. With Jarvis' tongue driving into the clean puppy's strawberry-flavored nethers, she was whimpering and kicking her legs, and he knew exactly what was coming through her hips right now. But he had his own intense shudders to worry about, almost unsure what was going to happen. Jarvis quickly found out, gasping in shock as she nibbled his tendril. His body was suddenly sent into a completely unexpected, fuzzy orgasm of its own, and that was alone from the puppy's licking on his sensitive tendril! He froze, tensing up as his body shuddered powerfully from the little puppy causing such a thing. But he knew he had to focus on her, and buried his tongue in even deeper, taking the little puppy as his own as he lapped up her insides, keeping his tongue still as he happily realized what her legs clenching his head meant, Winona was having her second climax, as her juices spilling out onto the pony's muzzle said this was the best she'd ever had, puppy tummy fluttering with happiness as she held onto him with all fours, tongue rapidly licking at his tendril as both of them went through the two strangest, and most blissful orgasms they'd ever had. Later that night, one would find a sleeping puppy with a sleeping pony's tongue buried inside her. It was cute. Very. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Mistaken for A foal author: Matt11 tags: character:Original Character, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Scootaloo, character:Spitfire, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter 1 === The birds were chirping as they fed their young, the hummingbirds hummed, and the wind breezed across the land. Fillies and colts exited out of the school house. All of them were excited. It was the weekend, which meant they didn't need to worry about homework or teachers yelling at them for being late. But today was a great day for a special little filly named Scootaloo. Today she was going to Cloudsdale to meet Spitfire with her hero and big sister Rainbow Dash. The little filly was in the clubhouse with her two crusader friends, bouncing around happily and telling her friends where she'd be going, Scootaloo had been waiting for this for weeks. Scootaloo remembered Rainbow Dash was a part of the Wonderbolts team. She joined a few weeks after the Equestria games. Spitfire decided why not just let her be a member. She had proven to be good with speed. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both yawned out of boredom. Scootaloo hadn't stopped talking about this for weeks now. They could understand her excitement but it was really starting to get old. However, as much as they hated it they still listened. They did not want to hurt Scootaloo's feelings. Scootaloo finished telling her friends about how much she waited for this day. Sure, she wasn't really a big fan of the Wonderbolts, but if she got to spend time with her sister then it was worth it. After hours of talking with one another about what they had planned for a crusade next week they all said their goodbyes and Scootaloo headed on home. She wasn't too thrilled about going home. Her mother was always a little embarrassing. When she got home Scootaloo pushed the door open, and walked in. She was tackled into a loving hug by her mother Dizzy Twister. As much as Scootaloo loved her mother she could be very embarrassing most of the time. Dizzy Twister gave Scootaloo a lot of kisses on the forehead. "Are you hurt? Did you get an Owey today?" This only made Scootaloo frown "I'm fine, Mom. How could I get hurt? Besides, I'm a tough little filly." "Heh, you're right. Besides, you're just too cute." Scootaloo let out a barf sound. Dizzy Twister went to get some supper ready and told Scootaloo to wait in her room. Once Scootaloo made it in her room she let out a soft sigh. She was an only child and the closest thing to a sister she had was Rainbow dash, but she smiled at that. She didn't need any other ponies besides her mom, her friends, and Rainbow Dash to make her happy. As she got in her room she decided to chillax for a while. There wasn't really that much for her to do in her room. She wasn't the kind of pony to just buy things and play with them. Besides, she preferred being with her sister or her friends more. Soon it was time for dinner. They had hay burgers and hay fries. After eating Scootaloo went to bed. She had to get ready for a wonderful day tomorrow. The night went by fast for little Scootaloo. She had an exciting dream of flying with Rainbow Dash, and she even dumped a bucket of water on Diamond Tiara, though she was sad it ended when she woke up. ________________________________________________________ After eating breakfast and saying goodbye to her mother, the filly made it to Rainbow's cloud home. It wasn't much of a surprise to see that her big sis was asleep. Scootaloo rolled her eyes. This wasn't the first time Rainbow Dash overslept, "HEY, RAINBOW DASH! WAKE UP!" she yelled. Rainbow Dash bolted awake. "Huh, wha… oh, hi, squirt. I didn't realize it was time already." Rainbow Dash put her Wonderbolt uniform on and in ten seconds flat made it down to Scootaloo, who praised her for her awesomeness. Rainbow Dash bent down to Scootaloo's level and said "Come on, squirt. Climb on. We don't want to be late for an awesome day, do we?" she said, smiling at her. "Course we don't, Rainbow Dash," Scootaloo said, climbing on her back. She wrapped her hooves around her neck so she wouldn't fall off. As Rainbow Dash flew to the Wonderbolt academy with her passenger she let the little filly feel the fresh breeze across her face. This was where Spitfire and the other members would be, but getting a chance to let Scootaloo see Spitfire would be awesome. As she landed near Spitfire's office Scootaloo jumped off and bounced up and down excitedly. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but giggle at the foal. "Aw, Scoots, you're going to have fun." The two walked off to Spitfire's office. When they arrived Scootaloo was able to shake hooves with Spitfire and talk with the mighty Wonderbolt, but soon one of Spitfire's body guards came in explaining that she and Rainbow Dash were needed for a meeting. "Can I come, Rainbow dash?" Scootaloo asked. She was having fun so far and truly didn't want it to end. "Sorry, squirt, but this is for bigger ponies." She ruffled Scootaloo's mane a bit. "Besides, its boring. How about you wait in that room out there?" She pointed a hoof at the room for baby and toddler foals. Scootaloo was confused about why there was even a room for foals, but then again maybe parents send foals there to train to be Wonderbolts. The thought of a foal being a Wonderbolt made Scootaloo giggle. So Scootaloo listened to her big sister and went into the room. When she got in it was actually empty surprisingly, all she saw was a nursery with diapers and other stuff. "Ah you must be the new foal I have to watch today," said an old looking pegasus. "My name is Honey Sugar." She was a grey pegasus and had a hard time seeing with her eyes. She was a little blind and could only see blurry things but she handled her job with care. Scootaloo scratched her head, confused at the mare standing in front of her. "Um, I'm not a foal. I'm a filly," she said, a little scared. This mare was obviously mistaken. Honey Sugar picked Scootaloo up and placed her on her back. "Okay, lets get you diapered and padded, my little pony," she said as she brought the young filly to the nursery, setting Scootaloo down on the changing mat she buckled Scootaloo in so she couldn't get away. Bending down she got a pink diaper from the shelf. She even got some pink mittens and put them on Scootaloo. She then unfolded the diaper and slid it underneath Scootaloo's rump. Scootaloo wiggled a little, trying to get away. "What the hay is wrong with you? I'm not a foal!" She tried getting the diaper off with her hooves but due to the mitten she couldn't really do that. "Aw, wittle foal is cranky. But don't worry. I got something to fix that." Pulling out a pink pacifier and tying it around Scootaloo's neck she popped it in her mouth. Scootaloo crossed her hooves together. It seemed there was really nothing she could do. Getting out of the diaper was meaningless so she decided to play along. At least Rainbow Dash hadn't seen her… or her mother. Honey Sugar smiled warmly at Scootaloo. "Now, lets continue. Can you tell me your name, cutie?" she asked as she got some foal powder and spread it over Scootaloo's bottom. She put the powder down and started to tape the pink diaper over Scootaloo. Once she finished she pinched her softly on the cheeks. "Aww, you're so cute." "I'm not cute," she said, crossing her hooves as she looked away, annoyed. Honey picked Scootaloo up and placed her inside a playpen which had many foalish items inside. Plushie's were piled up, blocks were on the floor, and a few dolls and rattles were down there. "So whats your name little one?" Honey asked. If she was going to watch over this foal she needed to know her name first. "My names Scootaloo," she said softly but not audible enough for the old mare to hear. "What's that, dearie?" Honey asked, putting a hoof to her ear. "I said my names Scootaloo" she said, heaving a big sigh as she rolled her eyes. "Aw, what a wonderful name for a cute wittle foal Such as yourself." She used her hoof to push Scootaloo closer towards the toys. "Now, why don't you play and after you play for a couple hours I'll get you something sweet to eat." Walking over to a rocking chair she sat down, watching Scootaloo's every move. Scootaloo wobbled over to a mirror, getting a good look at herself as she blushed deeply. "This is soooo embarrassing," she thought. Seeing as she really couldn't get out of this mess she decided to play with some of the toys. It wasn't like she had anything else to do, and just sitting there doing nothing for the next few hours would have made her die from boredom. Her diaper crinkled as she walked over to the blocks. She sat down on her diapered rump and started building the blocks, stacking them one at a time. In Scootaloo's mind this felt odd, and she couldn't wrap her mind around it. Why was that pony treating her like a three year old foal? This question kept bobbing around her mind. Scootaloo finished stacking the blocks into a tower and once she did she pushed the blocks with her hooves causing them to fall over, and she giggled a little. After an hour Scootaloo's tummy grumbled loudly, causing the caretaker to take notice. She put down the newspaper she was reading and got up. Scootaloo jumped a little. She hadn't realized she'd be this hungry. Honey walked over to the playpen and opened the gate. She then picked up Scootaloo and carried her to the kitchen. Once she made it in there she placed Scootaloo in a high chair and locked it down tight so she wouldn't get hurt. Scootaloo frowned. This was really getting annoying. She tried getting out of the chair but her efforts were for naught. "Ugh, this is so stupid. Can't you see I'm a grown filly?" she asked Honey. Honey simply smiled. "Aww, for a foal I must say you can talk very well. Lets get you some good food, then you can take a nice nap." Walking over to the cabinet she pulled out a small jar with foal food in it. It was strawberry flavored. Honey walked over to Scootaloo and opened the jar. Picking up a small spoonful she pushed it toward the filly. "Okay! Open up! Come on, choo choo." She made train sounds as she tried getting Scootaloo to eat. Scootaloo crossed her hooves together. With a huff she decided to just open her mouth, "Its not like anypony I know will see me, and I am hungry. It can't taste that bad," she thought as she took her first bite. She chewed on it slowly and swallowed it, then smiled. "Yum, that was actually better than I thought it would taste," she said as she opened her mouth, ready for the next spoonful. Once she was finished Honey gave Scootaloo some warm milk. Scootaloo closed her eyes as she drank nice and slow. The sweet warm milk going down her throat felt so good and made her feel warm inside. Scootaloo hadn't realized it but while she was drinking she had started to wet herself. Once Scootaloo was finished Honey put the bottle of milk down and started to pat Scootaloo's back. Scootaloo let out a big burp, and blushed deep red. "Excuse me," she softly said. "Aww, it's okay, wittle foal. Now lets put somepony to bed," she said, booping Scootaloo on the nose. Scootaloo's eyes closed slowly. "Strange. I wasn't tired before. I guess I could use a quick nap," she said. Honey noticed a yellow stain on the diaper. "First lets get you changed," she said as she walked into the nursery and began the same process. Once Scootaloo was changed into a fresh new diaper she put a Wonderbolt onesie on her and put her in the crib, then kissed Scootaloo on the forehead, "Nighty Night. Don't let the bedbugs bite." She turned off the light and left the room. Two hours had passed by and Rainbow Dash and Spitfire decided to check on Scootaloo. Their meeting had ended and Rainbow was ready to go home. "So, Rainbow Dash, what room did you tell her to wait in?" Spitfire asked a little curious. "Oh, just some room that said foals," she said, realizing that room was for baby's, not filly's. "Oh..." As they approached the room Spitfire opened the door and walked in with Rainbow Dash. As they got in Spitfire saw a filly sleeping in the crib. This truly didn't surprise her. "At least today is that mare's last day on the job…," she thought. Spitfire walked over to Dash "Hey, Dash. Wake up the kid. Sorry this happened, Dash. Uh, this happened last week with another filly. Now I need to have a talk with Honey." She saluted Rainbow Dash and walked off. Rainbow Dash blinked a few times, trying to understand what just happened. She looked in the crib and saw Scootaloo asleep in an onesie. She poked at her a few times, "Hey, Scoots. Wake up, kid." She was trying her best not to laugh. Scootaloo let out a soft yawn, stretching her wings. She sucked on her pacifier as she went wided-eye seeing Dash in front of her. She spat the pacifier out in disgust. "Uh… hi." Rainbow Dash tried putting on a smile, still doing her best not to burst out laughing. "I, uh... hi, squirt. I guess you had one wild ride today, haven't you?" she asked, knowing what the answer will be. Scootaloo only nodded and blushed. Rainbow Dash bent down and got Scootaloo out of there. She removed the onesie and the other foalish things. Luckily Scootaloo was dry otherwise Dash wouldn't have been able to hold her laughter in much. "Okay, squirt. You've been through a lot. Want to get Spitfire's autograph?" she asked, seeing as this was kinda her fault. Scootaloo shook her head. "Nah, it's okay. I don't need Spitfire's autograph. I already got my hero right here" she said, smiling. Rainbow Dash gave Scootaloo a hug. "Uh, lets just take you home. I'm sure you won't want your mom knowing of this, eh?" she said as Scootaloo only shuck her head. Rainbow couldn't hold it in any more. "Of course I'M always going to know about it." She began cracking up. She gave Scootaloo a few pats on the head. "But let's just keep this between you and me, hmm? Okay, Scootababy?" Scootaloo groaned, letting out a sigh. She knew Dash was going to mess with her head for the next week or so, but she could take it knowing Dash wouldn't tell anyone else. She would forever remember this to be the most embarrassing thing to have ever happened to her. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: To let go and say goodbye author: StarGalaxy Offical tags: character:Fleetfoot, character:Main 6, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Soarin, character:Spitfire, genre:Romance, genre:Sad, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== To let go and say goodbye === Winter had nearly came to an end in Ponyville, Rainbow Dash is excited about seeing Tank again in the Spring time. She was flying quickly than usual making sure she doesn't lose time before she has to go back to the weather team, couldn't leave Ponyville hanging without their captain. Landing on the ground softly, she picks up a shovel and digs through the snow. Rainbow was making good progress but she saw Tank still asleep once she had found him. Rainbow tapped him gently or try to wake him but nothing worked. She assumed Tank was really sleepy but he wasn't. Rainbow saw Fluttershy nearby waking the animals with a the sounds of a ringing bell and asked her why Tank wasn't waking up. "Hey Shy, Tanks not waking up. Do you mind doing me a favor to try and wake him up?" Rainbow asked Fluttershy gently. "Why of course, he should be up by now unless....." Fluttershy tried to do everything she could but nothing worked. She checked his heartbeat but there was nothing. Fluttershy told Rainbow that his heartbeat wasn't going anywhere she was told the worse, Tank had died. Rainbow was starting to get tears in her eyes when she found out Tank was dead. She took swooped Tanks shell and locked herself up in her bedroom for at least a week crying and hugging onto his shell. Rainbow didn't care how many days it had been nor if spring had arrived. Weeks had passed by, time was fading away slowly and everypony was worrying about her. Fluttershy explained what happened and when she last saw her to Twilight, AppleJack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and three of her closest friends in the Wonderbolts Spitfire, Soarin and Fleetfoot. "And thats what happened, when I told her she swooped Tanks shell into her hooves and was crying heavily." Fluttershy explained. "Oh no, she must be awfully hurt by now that Tank died," Rarity replied "I really hope RD gonna be ok," AppleJack put a hoof around Fluttershy. "Has anypony seen Rainbow lately cause I sure haven't seen her around?" Twilight asked. Everypony replied no and havent seen her. "It's been weeks, haven't even seen her at practice," Spitfire replied. "Great, now that Dashie is upset about Tank leaving, what's going to happen?" Pinkie Pie replied sadly. "I've known Rainbow for a very long time and I'm sure she can let it go soon but not sure when," Fluttershy replied. "I just hope Dash will be fine. Maybe we should pay her a visit? Maybe," Soarin said slyly. "Dude, great idea. I'm sure Crash would like the company," Fleetfoot replied. The eight ponies went up to Rainbows cloud home and went inside. Not seeing the Rainbow maned pegasus anywhere they looked around the house. Then Pinkie heard the hard crying from Rainbow and they all followed the sounds. The sound became stronger and stronger until they reached Rainbows bedroom. They all knocked on her door but she didn't respond, but they went inside anyway. She was crying for weeks her bed sheets and pillows were all wet, her eyes nearly lost its beautiful rosey positive glow. Twilight opened Rainbows door wide so everypony could come in. "Knock, knock?" Pinkie replied going through her cloud wall. "Wha-wha-wha- ar-ar-ar-are yo-yo-you all doi-doi-doi-doing he-he-he-here?" Rainbow asked. "Darling, I hate to break it to you but............. You've lost your sparkle and shine. Come on, springs already arrived without you. Let's go do something maybe outside?" Rarity replied. "I really hate to say it but you've become...................A party pooper," Pinkie whispered loudly. "*sigh* Rainbow I hate to say this to you because you are my best friend but, you're going to be petless forever," Fluttershy replied. Rainbow started to cry more while everypony giving her the death glare. "WHAT?? It worked last time?" "Look, just forget what Fluttershy said, you know you could get another pet?" Spitfire replied softly, she faked smiled at the end but things were made worse. "Um......I'm gonna stop talking now......." "Well, dontcha worry Dash, were ya'll here for ya?" AppleJack giving her a smile but still nothing but dead silence with crying. Sobbing away in her bed unable to let go of Tank, she asked everypony to leave her alone for a bit with no exceptions. Soarin didn't listen to her wishes and refussed to leave and stay behind no matter if she got angry because he knew that Rainbow won't stop weeping over Tank. "S-S-So-Soarin, I-I n-n-ne-ne to b-b-b-e-e-.........MMMPPPPHHHH!!!!" Rainbow Dash was shocked that Soarin had just kissed her only to make Rainbow feel better. "Feeling better Dashie?" Soarin used the same nickname some of her friends give her (mostly Pinkie Pie). Rainbow gazed into Soarin's eyes for a long time blushing like crazy. She couldn't take it anymore, she broke out into Soarin's warm open hearted arms needing a hug, he quickly respond to what she needed and had returned the hug. Holding her tight in his hooves the two pegasus didn't care how long it had been but all he cared was Rainbow Dahses happiness. "Soarin, why did you just kiss me earlier?" Rainbow asked. "Because I care about you so much. You're really precious to me, and I just wanna make sure that your happy and not sad. I don't like seeing you unhappy and I know exactly how you feel too, I've also always liked you in that way as well. I love you," Soarin replied to Rainbow Dash. When Rainbow heard those words she kissed back onto Soarin's lips, he was surprised at first but then calmed down and closed his eyes. The passionate kiss lasted to them an eternity but was only so many minutes. The two broke the kiss and Soarin wiped of Rainbows tears from her eyes. "You, feeling better now?" Soarin quietly asked. "A little bit, I mean yea----I-I-I-I think so. Thanks Soar, also I love you too," Rainbow Dash got up from her bed and asked Soarin to stay with her for a bit. She went to her mirror and started brushing her mane then tidying up her room. She was enjoying the company from Soarin while she was starting to freshen up again. Rainbow felt a bit chilly so she went to her wardrobe to grab a warm fashioned ripped jumper Rarity had made for her in Rainbows style along with a pair of sunglasses hiding her eyes. She removed the sheets from her bedroom while talking to Soarin still confessing to him her feelings for him. Soarin knew it wasn't exactly Rainbow Dashes style but he listened to every word she had to say. Rainbow had finally finished of and asked Soarin if he'd join her with some lunch at Sugarcube Corner. The two pegasus flew towards Sugarcube Corner seeing her friends on a table chatting and talking. She had her hooves around Twilights eyes surprising them with a happy smile. "Hey, Twi!! How are you all doing?" Rainbow asked with smiles on her face. "Hehe, we're good thanks, how are you, are you going ok now?" Twilight was concerned about how Rainbow was going. "I'm going good now, thanks to Soarin here, but surprising I let it go. I don't think I wanna get a another pet. I know this is not my style but I felt really heartbroken." Rainbow replied. "Well were glad thats sorted. How were able to calm her down Soar?" Fleetfoot asked Soarin. "Hmm? Oh that," Soarin and Rainbow were holding hooves and glaring into each others eyes. "Well, I told Dashie to calm down and you know all those lovey dovey stuff and it worked," "Hold on just a second........." Pinkie Pie got a glass of water and spat it out hanging her mouth open. "YOU MEAN?????" "Well, Soar confessed his feelings for me and were, a thing." Rainbow replied while kissing SOarin on the cheek. Everypony was happy for them and Pinkie Pie was throwing a huge party for Rainbow and Soarin. Two months had gone by, Rainbow bought a glass cass and put her best memories with Tank in the cass. She decied to barry it underneath her house on the ground where shelter is. All her friends were by her side including her new coltfriend. It was raining that day and everypony said their goodbyes to Tank just before the buried him. Rainbow vowed on his grave that he would always remain in her heart and that they'll be together forever. Wet tears started to drop from her eyes. A new chapter came to come now, 'To let go and say goodbye' <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Old Paths, New Directions author: An-Twan Star tags: character:Gilda, character:Lightning Dust, character:Princess Celestia, character:Princess Luna, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Sandmare === "What do you know about ponies?" It was the question that had been haunting the young griffon's mind and dreams ever since she had a falling out with her best – and only – pony friend. It was the whole reason she was even in Equestria in the first place. A small talon shot into the air. "Yes, Gilda?" "I know!" "And just WHY do you know so much about PONIES? You don't need to hang with those lame-brains now that I'M around! Unless, of course, you want to eat them." The dream flowed from one place to the next, neither coherent nor indecipherable. "Wha – N-no, it's not like that!" "Exactly, now, make like a bee, and fly away home. Gimme a call when you're done being a dweeb." Time holds no bounds in the dreamscape. "Damn, am I glad to be done with that exam. Ugh, I can't believe I once actually liked those foul creatures." "Heh heh. You sure were lame back then. Just stick with us griffons and everything will be smooth sailings." "Oh, I ain't goin' anywhere other than on an awesome summer vacation." "Unfortunately the only place I'm going is straight to after-school detention. I'll catch you later, G." "Ja." Even the best-laid plans can fall astray. "WHAT IN TARTARUS IS THIS!!!" "A report card." "And what is the highest grade!" "Uh, A-plus?" "Yes, A-plus. A-PLUS ON THE FREAKING PONY TEST!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!!" The flow turned into a torrent, with no rhyme nor reason. "Why don't you make like a bee and BUZZ OFF!" "We're sending you to a flight camp in Equestria for the summer." "You think they're gonna let you back in after that?" "We can't house you if you keep acting out like this!" "You're dorking up the skies, Stinkie Pie." "Fine! It wasn't my choice, anyway." "These Ponies are driving me buggy, I gotta bail." "If being 'cool' is all you care about, then why don't you go and find some new cool friends someplace else." "NOT. COOL." "ENOUGH!" At that command, everything ceased to exist. The dream suddenly became very lucid for Gilda. An ethereal dome had formed overhead, the deep purple of her subconscious swirling ominously outside. With disturbing clarity, she cast her gaze on the Sandmare descending into the dreamscape. Touching down, the alicorn spoke. "Fear not, fair Equestrian." Gilda shuddered involuntarily – she knew all about the Sandmare and the reputation that preceded her. After all, the dreamscape was used as a recruitment device during the Lunar Rebellion. Any fear felt by the griffon, however, was quickly replaced by indignation. "I am not an Equestrian!" Gilda barked, drawing herself onto her hind legs to meet the Princess's height. "Not by species, no," Luna responded calmly. Gilda grabbed the sides of her head. "Gah, why are you even here? Don't you know how very bad this is for you!" Luna ignored the outburst from the enraged griffon, her attention focused on an image she had conjured of Gilda roaring at Fluttershy. "Hm, I'm sure your personality has been very bad for many ponies," she commented, a hoof placed under her chin. A quick swipe of talons ended that particular vision. Gilda growled a low, predatory rumble as her tail lashed about behind her. "Not your greatest achievement, I'm sure." Luna waved the torn image away, replacing it with another, this one showing Gilda knocking an earth pony-pedaled contraption out of the sky. The griffon noticed a veritable train of different misdeeds waiting in the wings to replace that one should she choose to swat it away. "Get out of my head!" Gilda howled in frustration. The swirling mass that was her subconscious began bubbling furiously. "Look, Princess Luna, you seriously don't know how dangerous this is for you! No, for Equestria! You could start a war!" Luna stopped, as though she was considering the implications. "I guess we don't want that on our conscience, now do we." "Yeah, I bet we don't," the griffon snorted and glowered at the larger alicorn. "Now piss off!" For the first time since she arrived, Luna looked directly at Gilda. Down and through. Gilda managed to repress a shudder at that piercing stare, though her tail was not wholly successful. Luna opened her mouth to say something further, only to be cut off by a faint noise. She turned away from Gilda again, her ears perked, seeking the sound. It was a faint ringing; distant, not unlike a loud noise in a city that you eventually just get used to. "Well, it seems like forces beyond our control will pull us apart," Luna said as she began to fade from view. "HEY! Get back here, dweeb! I'm not through with you yet!" "The waking world calls you, griffon. Don't keep her waiting." "SANDMARE!" Gilda screamed out the griffon deity's name before realizing that she was sitting up in her bed. Taking a minute to catch her breath, the griffon cast her golden gaze to the offensive alarm sitting atop the nightstand. She swung a fist at the clock but stopped short. Extending a talon, she gently pressed the off button, restoring the bedroom to silence. The clock was not Luna, and the bits it would cost her to replace it were not quite worth the momentary satisfaction smashing it to pieces would bring. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to the still darkness, Gilda tried to calm herself. Her waking world surrounded her with ponies, she didn't need them in her sleep, too. Having finally composed herself enough to start the day, Gilda got on all fours and began her routine griffon morning maintenance. She arched her back in a feline fashion while stretching out her still curled up avian talons as far as they could go, nearly touching the bed with her beak. Holding that position, Gilda stretched one rear leg out at a time, feeling a rough purr work its way up from her chest to her throat. After getting the kinks out of her back and limbs, she set about her next order of maintenance. Plopping back down onto the bed, she flicked on the bedside light and unfurled her massive wings to appraise the damage. Ugh, I just preened these things last night. I must have been tossing in my sleep. I can't believe I let that lame-flank Princess crawl into my dreams. That's when the full implications of Luna's intrusion finally hit the sleep-addled griffon, turning her purr into a low growl. "Oh no… the treaty!" Unlike in Equestria, griffon society more clearly remembered Nightmare Moon and the Lunar Rebellion's recruitment of ponies and griffons alike through the power of dreams. After Princess Luna's return and The Longest Night, the griffon military had gone from peacetime to its maximum readiness for the first time in almost a century. The Gryphus-Equestria Pact, the world's longest-standing peace treaty, almost came to an end in the process. Seeking a diplomatic solution, Celestia invited a delegation from Gryphus to discuss Luna's return. And after weeks of bitter negotiations, both sides reached an agreement, part of which forbade Luna from dream-walking outside Equestria and specifically from dream-walking through any of Gryphus' citizens, embassy workers, or diplomats living within. What had just happened was a clear treaty violation and a diplomatic mess, no question about it. A few years back she would have jumped at the opportunity to 'stick it' to Equestrian royalty, practically cawing it from the rooftops. These days though, she had to question if it would be worth the effort. There would be questions – uncomfortable questions – about what Luna saw within Gilda's dreams. Given how… trivial it all seemed, she began to wonder if the Embassy would even act on it. Why was she even in my head, anyway? I'm a lowly carrier pigeon, I'm not even somegriff important. Not wanting that sour thought rolling around her head any longer, Gilda dipped her beak into her left wing and began smoothing out the feathers, adding in a talon to speed up the process. As a Royal Gryphus Messenger, she had been drilled by her superiors in the importance of a quick and efficient delivery between Gryphus and the remaining embassies scattered around Equestria. The inside joke of messengers was "The post is always late." Unfortunately for the government of Gryphus, somegriff from way back in the annals of time took off with this phrase and said, "The post is always late, so don't worry." From that day forward, messengers had been jokingly using it as an excuse to take it easy and see the sights. Sadly, this novelty was lost on Gilda. Finished with the once-over of her wings, she killed the light and hopped off the bed onto the cloud floor. The digitized number 4:40 glared back in an accusing red, the only light now in the room. The letters "FRI" were displayed in smaller text in the bottom right, but with no less venom. "Waking world, my ass. The sun ain't even up yet!" Fridays were not the messenger's favorite due to the long haul flight that would take up her entire day. The flight would span from Cloudsdale all the way to the Gryphus main Embassy in Manehatten, then to the castle's front gate in Canterlot, then back to Cloudsdale just in time for sunset and for a zombified griffon to crawl back into bed. Gilda's weekly Manehatten to Canterlot journey – not counting the extra miles to and from Cloudsdale – was one of the longest flights for Royal Gryphus. It was second only to the trans-ocean route to Gryphus, which was about twice the length on a round trip. That it was her last route before a weekend off was its only saving grace. Gilda made her way into the living area of her small cloud home. Like most cloud homes, this one was designed with a large living area in the center, the rooms arrayed in a semicircular fashion around the perimeter. Flipping on a light switch revealed the living area and its attached kitchen. She sauntered over to the small bathroom, pausing along the way to scowl at her study. The study, unlike the rest of the bluish-white cloudstruction, had walls lined with bookshelves and a green carpet to give a more cozy feel. The desk was littered with writing utensils and loose papers. Those papers were the subject of her early-morning hostility. My pony research, the only reason I'm still even in Equestria. In her early teens, Gilda had found herself unwillingly enrolled in the Young Ambassador's exchange program. The program's intent was to foster better relations between two superpowers, ponies and griffons, by transplanting participants in opposite countries to better understand the differing societies. Her unintentional academic aptitude in matters Equestrian had allowed her wealthy parents to get her a last-minute slot. That silly little program for politically motivated families had given her the means to remain in the country with her best friend and even got her a job at the Embassy when it was over, in the hopes of them spending more time together. Fat lot of good that's done, she concluded with a chuff. Gilda turned back, continuing to the bathroom. Certainly no time for that now. After emerging a few minutes later with the crust out her eyes, the bald eagle-griffon headed for her kitchen to fix a small breakfast. No sense in fully boiling the water for coffee when she wouldn't have time for it to cool down again after. Instant dissolved in lukewarm worked just fine and served to mask the taste of the stale biscuit it washed down. She tried to take her mind off both by studying the map that was magnetized to her fridge, going over the route she had already flown dozens of times. After finishing the biscuit and swallowing the last dregs of coffee, she set the mug on the table and grabbed her black leather jacket off the back of the kitchen chair. Slotting her wings through the allotted holes with practiced ease, Gilda then slipped her forelimbs into the sleeves. Standing on her hind legs, she got her brown letter satchel with the Gryphus Crest stitched to its side and threw the strap over her head and onto her right shoulder, the bag under the left arm. While fiddling with the strap to make sure it wouldn't interfere with the action of her wings, she went to the fridge and got her mid-flight meal; a lemon-flavored sports drink and a plastic-wrapped veggie sub that she had added a thick fillet of cooked fish to the night before. Both were stuffed into the bottom of the satchel. She took a final glance at the clock and found herself ready to go to work. Her time schedule was very precise; wake at 4:30, out the door by 5:00; in Manehatten by noon Eastern Equestrian Time, and to Canterlot by 5:00 PM Central. The other days of the week that didn't have her delivering for Royal Gryphus were taken up with her second job; ferrying around packages for a courier company locally. Her official messenger job paid for room and board – barely – but a simple food check wasn't enough for her plan. There were no Embassy prohibitions against taking work on the side, and with the combined income of the extra jobs, Gilda's hope was to one day have enough money to emigrate back to Gryphus on her own in a final act of defiance against those who sent her away. There was nothing left in Equestria for her now anyway. Turning out the last of the lights, Gilda opened the front door and entered the lamp-lit street. No question that summer was coming to an end, she reflected as her breath turned to mist in the cool morning air. The fog on her bare feet caused a brief shiver to race through her and out the tips of her tail and wings. She could just see the first twinges of purplish light in the eastern sky. Being diurnal predators, griffon eyes were specifically attuned for daylight hours, with emphasis on distant viewing and color distinction. As a result, it was uncommon for griffons to fly at night under anything less than a full moon. "Perfect, right on schedule." On the back of the mail satchel was a secondary strap. Gilda stretched out her wings and wrapped the strap around her body, securing the bag in place. She then checked her pockets for her house keys and the hard case of her aviators, not wanting to burn her retinas out on another beautiful sunrise – or lock herself outside. Again. Finding her sunglasses where they belonged and locking the front door, she went out into the middle of the street. Unlike her ex-friend Rainbow Dash, Gilda followed the rules and scanned the skies and roadway for ponies before taking off. It was legal for pegasi to take off directly from the street during nighttime and other low traffic hours. Any other time they would have to use one of the many launchpad pavilions scattered around the city. It was Rainbow Dash's unconscious disregard of the rules and other ponies which quickly made her, and by extension Gilda, very... popular with the local authorities. That was one of the factors that ultimately forced the former to leave the clouds for the land-town of Ponyville. I stopped you doing that after you got caught and the judge sentenced us both to community service for three months! She vividly remembered one such instance, the last instance, in which Rainbow Dash was caught recklessly flying for the umpteenth time. By mere association, Gilda was pegged with a trumped-up 'public endangerment' charge, for knowingly letting her friend fly with a record. That debacle and the subsequent sentence of community service almost ended her fresh research position with the Gryphus Consulate and her friendship with the pegasus. Gilda didn't try to fight the scowl on her beak. If Rainbow Dash had been caught again, she would have been slapped with a felony, crushing any hope of a prestigious position in the Wonderbolts. So Gilda was spurned into action, not comprehending that those actions would lead to an ultimate separation. She sighed softly. I kept you grounded, then you left for Lameville like that Butterfly pony. Musta' thought I was smothering you, keeping you from your dreams; slowing you down. She shook the memory out of her head and oriented herself to face down the street. The lamps that lined either side were used as makeshift guideposts for her takeoff run. She started walking a slow pace down the street, then sped up to a pace known in Equestria as a 'trot'. The griffon shivered at the prospect of trotting like a pony. Luckily for her, the street was generally empty at this hour, because – Celestia forbid – if anypony saw the tough as nails griffon trot... They might get the wrong idea and think I have a creepy fetish or somethin'. Without losing any momentum, Gilda fell into a crouch and coiled the muscles in her back legs. With an almighty thrust, Cloudsdale was shoved downwards as she fell into the sky. Large brown wings began to work with the air, each powerful stroke bringing her higher above the city. Other pegasi were just starting to fill the Cloudsdale airspace, with most of them heading to the weather factory for work. Gilda had done that herself, for a short stint. After Junior Speedsters, she found herself abandoned in an alien country as an involuntary Young Ambassador. Her shocked and fragile mental state, coupled with her resentment over being forced into the whole situation, led to her almost constantly clashing with her surrogate family. Matters got so bad, they ended up filing a petition to send the griffon back, unless she could clean up her act. But as much as she may have hated Equestria just then, worse things awaited back home – condescending parents who believed anything less than perfect was failure, and frienemies that were just itching for Gilda to come crawling back into their fold. In desperation, she sought out the only pony she thought could help. But all-powerful solar princesses don't care for the plights of hapless griffons stranded within their kingdoms. The response she received from the palace was a mere forum letter filled with meaningless platitudes, nothing actually useful. With nowhere else to turn, she wrote to her new best friend to ask for advice. After hearing her plight, though, Rainbow Dash did her one better and offered her own family as replacement surrogates. That solved the immediate problem of tolerable hosting but didn't cure all the griffon's ills. She was still dealing with the fallout from back home and her family there. Again it was Dash and her family that came to Gilda's rescue. Spectrum, Rainbow's father, was a senior plant manager at the factory. When he saw her lapsing into depression firsthoof, he had arranged for her to get a job at the Weather Factory. Part of the Young Ambassador Program entailed participants learning various trades and professions exclusive to the respective nations. At first, she fiercely objected to the whole thing. They'd already done too much for her in her eyes, and she refused out of stubborn pride. She wanted to fly on her own wings, find her own way. Eventually, though, she came to the conclusion that she shouldn't view the offer as further charity, but as a rightful way to earn her keep. Simply being a good employee was worth its weight in gold to the elder pegasus. Only then did she take Spectrum up on his offer. True to her word, Gilda became the best employee she could be, even earning the respect of her more senior co-workers. The job, plus hanging out with Dash after work occupied enough of Gilda's time to keep her out of spiteful despondency. Sadly, it was something that wouldn't last long. While enrolled in the exchange program, her position at the factory was protected. But after a year or so, the program came to an end. Spectrum did his best to save Gilda's job, but about the only thing that could be done was to give her a new, temporary position. She was a placeholder until somepony more qualified was found for the job. And at the start of the next hiring period, Spectrum had to make a painful cut to his staff. Gilda would be terminated and replaced by somepony with a special talent. She could have asked him to petition against her termination, but at the end of the day, it's very hard to argue with a Cutie Mark. After gaining enough altitude, Gilda banked away from Cloudsdale and headed due east. But one abandoned cloud structure always captured her eyes whenever she came out this way. The old Cloudsdale branch of the Gryphus Consulate hung off the east end of the cloud city like a barnacle that refused to fall. A symbol of tyranny or hope – depending on who you talked to – the building used to be vibrant and full of life. Its expansive upper-tier landing decks had always been her first stop when she'd started this job a little over three years ago. Now, just over a year after it had been shuttered and most of her colleagues shuffled off to Canterlot or one of the remaining coastal embassies, the building had faded from a pristine icy white to a monotonous grey. For Gilda, it was a sign of the times, a symbol of frayed relations between griffon and pony. It was also a reminder of something more dire. After finishing the program, she faced the prospect of returning to her parents in Gryphus. She could picture the scene; a hero's welcome, some kind of gala, a dull affair where Gilda – the centerpiece – would have been perfectly preened and groomed. She would then have to wander around for hours with a fake smile, talking to various dignitaries and laughing at their lame attempts at humor. Topping it all would be the praise she would be showered with about the mature choices she made representing her country. Rather than take that route – and also because Rainbow Dash was her best friend in the whole world – Gilda desperately sought out some other means by which she could remain in Equestria. As luck would have it, the Embassy had a diplomatic researcher position that had been vacant for some time. Suddenly, the qualifications that got her stranded in Equestria in the first place were what allowed her to stay. The job even afforded her the use of a small Embassy owned house, the rent of which was taken directly out of her pay. What that left over was pretty lousy – and one of the likely reasons that the position had been unfilled for so long – but it allowed Gilda true freedom for the first time in her life. No more would she have to worry about the plans her parents had for her upon her return to Gryphus. No more would she have to feel guilty (and uncomfortable) about sleeping on the sofa bed in the small spare room at Dash's. But research work was dull as dishwater and Gilda wasn't a bird to be caged indoors like that. She needed to fly! Even that far back, there were signs of the diplomatic mission in Cloudsdale winding down. Gilda was again fortuitous enough to make a lateral move within the Embassy, going from clerk to messenger, to help with the increasing offload of cable traffic and eventually assist in shuttling materials out to the remaining embassies. The pay was better and included hazard pay for having to deal with stormy weather, allowing her to start saving up little by little for her return. The research position was never officially terminated, it was just given even less attention than before. But with the Embassy long since closed, all that was most likely over. Everygiff else was off in Vanhoover, Manehatten or Canterlot now. She'd managed to hold on for quite a while, but it was only a matter of time before the officials came for her house and her. From what she'd heard from her coworkers, Gryphus wasn't being as generous with housing in those other cities. She had no idea where she'd end up then. With Cloudsdale quickly receding, the griffon did a very routine navigational check. To the south were the foothills of the Unicorn Range; in the southeast was snow-capped Mount Equus, the orange sunrise lighting it up like a torch; behind was Cloudsdale. Stretching out below and to the north was the breadbasket of Equestria, nothing but rolling farmland as far as the griffon eye could see. Directly ahead, though, was the blinding radiance of Celestia's newly risen sun, bringing pain to Gilda's eyes. Not wasting another second, she pulled out her shades and sighed in relief as they cut the glare. As the sun trudged further into the sky, Gilda focused on flying as efficiently as possible, riding the thermal updrafts up to the level of various jet streams. They were the roadways of Equestria's skies and she used them to their fullest potential. After doing this for a few hours, she reached the Crystal River crossing. Just ahead was where the Vanhoover-Manehatten line turned toward the latter city after dog-legging northeast out of Canterlot. This was also another navigation point for Gilda, all she had to do was follow the tracks. Looking around once more, she could faintly make out the mist of Neighagra Falls to the far north, and the Foal Mountains in the south. A puff of steam in the east caught her attention. The steam came from a train trundling down the tracks, heading due west. Even from her position a few thousand feet up, Gilda could still make out the train in good detail as it passed under. Being a creature of the sky, the griffon felt some misplaced pity for the ponies that needed to travel by ground-based means. They would never know the thrill and joy of soaring through the clouds. The sharp whistle, though dulled by the altitude, hit her ears. Being careful to not lose her sunglasses, Gilda glanced down to see one of the ponies operating the train lean out the window with his hat off, waving. Without much thought, the griffon rocked her wings in the traditional pegasi salute, her "cool" image forgotten for the moment. The pony apparently saw this because he put his conductor hat back on and retreated into his cab, blowing the train's whistle again in shrill acknowledgment. The neutral look on Gilda's face darkened to a small frown at this. "Ugh, I'm acting more like a dweeb every day," she muttered. She was spared anymore thought by the tearing winds of sudden turbulence pulling her around the sky. After the brief shock and stabilizing her flight, Gilda focused again on her wings and powered through the wind shear. Several altitude adjustments later, the griffon found a smooth spot in the air. She was now flying over the low mountains where the rail line dove into a tunnel. Beyond were the outer boroughs of Manehatten. After passing over the hills, she began her descent towards the island. From below the white-headed flyer all the way to the ocean was the outer borough of New Yoke City. And, connected to the mainland via the aptly named Manehatten Bridge, was the city of dreams. It disgusted Gilda to no end. === Lightning Strike === New Yoke was one of the first settlements founded by the Three Tribes as they descended out of the northeast into the new land of Equestria. After settling in the area, the representatives of each tribe voted to make the town the Equestrian capitol. But something quite peculiar was living on the island in the bay already; griffons, the descendants of exiles from across the sea. Even though it was rocky at the beginning, the two species eventually warmed up and formed an alliance that lasted for some time. Until the Griffon War. One day, out of the blue, a massive flotilla of Gryphus warships dropped their anchors in Manehatten Bay and invaded the island. Their intention was to use the island as a staging point for the upcoming war with Equestria. The native griffons, under the threat of execution, were forcibly conscripted into the invasion force. There was, however, a provision; a reprieve. Any conscript that went to war – and survived – would get a free ticket back to Gryphus and land to settle. It was a promise that Gryphus kept even in the face of their total defeat at the hooves of the Equestrians. The remaining native griffons departed the island en mass, bequeathing it to those they had so shamefully betrayed. New Yoke had remained the capital from its inception up until shortly after the war and the coming of the Celestials, when the capital was moved inland to Canterlot for safety in the future. After that, land developers began looking at the now-unpopulated island fortress and saw a great place for a repurposed dockyard and naval base. This was the first iteration of modern Manehatten. Its current form, however, was by far the most ambitious. Gilda suppressed a reflexive gag at the sight of the newest addition to Manehatten's collection of skyscrapers. Not only was the obsidian, modernist building the tallest in Equestria, but it had a gigantic horse's head being constructed on top. She looked away and banked toward a building that was only about half the height, the Gryphus Consulate. Gilda's sharp eyes picked the time off of a bank's clock tower and saw that it was quarter to twelve. Looked like she had picked up some extra tailwinds on the way in and was a bit early. Once landed on the Embassy's top deck, the griffon settled down on all fours again and looked around for signs of life. It wasn't a great surprise when she couldn't find any. The post is always late, so don't worry, after all. Settling down on her haunches, she leaned back against the railing that encircled the top deck and tried to relax. She was waiting on the pleasure of the Embassy workers now and knew from experience they wouldn't be rushed. Given the time to kill, Gilda decided she might as well make the most of it and have lunch. Sliding her shades up to the top of her head, the griffon fished her meal out of the bottom of the satchel, setting the items in between her outstretched legs. When she first started this job she quickly discovered that her satchel, when exposed to cold air at altitude, made an excellent cooler. Picking up and unwrapping the sub, she settled back to eat and gaze. Most of the buildings either didn't capture her interest or were just too hard to look at. Taking off a corner of her sub, she reflected that the only really appealing one out of the whole lot was the distinguished Art Deco skyscraper that had been the city's tallest building before that position was usurped by the newer horse-headed monstrosity. I shouldn't be doing this, she thought. I should be going inside and finding one of the security officers. I should be telling them that I just had the Sandmare pawing through my head and they might have a security breach on their talons. Gilda closed her eyes and thumped her head against the wall behind her, the sandwich in her stomach feeling like a brick all of a sudden. She was an Embassy employee, she had a duty to report possible espionage attempts. But on the other talon, Gilda didn't want to be the griffon who cried windigo. She was a courier, she shuttled messages from Gryphus to the palace most days. She'd never even read them, not that she could get past the seals anyway. What possible reason would Nightmare Moon have for poking around her head, they'd ask. Is there something they should know? No. This was not something worth bringing up with her superiors. Certainly not yet. She was not going to risk being seen as the griffon who plunged her people into a needless conflict over a stupid dream about stupid mistakes with stupid ponies. She went back to her lunch, tearing off a large chunk and angrily chewing. Once done eating, Gilda popped the top off her drink and took a swig of the sour nectar. The sound of the rooftop entrance opening caused her to hop up onto her back legs, being careful not to spill her drink in the process. It wasn't quite the scheduled drop off time, but she wouldn't object to being able to leave sooner than expected. One of the many Embassy workers, a small peregrine falcon griffon – whose name she didn't care to know – made his way towards her. Any hopes of being able to leave the overdone city early were dashed when she saw his empty talons. There was no mistaking the contemptuous, open-taloned look she shot back at the bailiff. "My apologies, ma'am, the cargo is still being printed up. I should be back with it in about fifteen... ah, here we go." Golden eyes followed the bailiff's gaze into the sky to see a turquoise pegasus with a flaming copper mane coming in to land. That must be her Equestrian counterpart, judging by the Celestial Crest on her saddlebags. Once the Royal Messenger touched down, Gilda was able to get a good look at her flank. Emblazoned on it was a talent mark comprised of a lightning bolt with three golden stars below it. Without an actual name to go by, Gilda simply dubbed the pony Lightning Strike. Given pony names, she didn't figure it'd be far off. As the bailiff tended to the new arrival, the snarky griffon unknowingly slipped into her old "cool" persona. She paid little attention to the small talk between the peregrine-griffon and pegasus. Instead, Gilda began fussing over her long feather crest, making sure it was at its awesome best. Once the bailiff finished up with the pony and went back inside, Gilda began to focus on what she was saying. "Aw, yeah!" the pony cheered. "Five hours flat! I bet I'm the fastest pegasus in Equestria! Maybe the whole planet!" Gilda emitted an almost audible gasp at this. It was like the first day at Junior Speedsters all over again. Celestia! She's just like her! Her beak twitched up in its old, habitual smirk as she found herself taking a liking to this brash pegasus, but her mind stopped that notion dead. 'Why don't you go find some new, cool friends someplace else.' Dash's last words hit Gilda hard enough to knock the smirk off her face. The sheer… disappointment in the pony's eyes when she said it was enough to bring tears to the griffon's now. How long had it been since she'd heard those words? Almost two years, at least. In all that time, whenever she'd thought about it, she had never felt this bad. She reached up with the back of her talon and began to scrub the tears away. Stupid alicorn Princess getting into her dreams and stirring up old memories and feelings she had no business digging through. 'Lightning Strike' had made her way over to the alcove with the vending machines on the opposite side of the landing deck. Seeing that the pony was well occupied with her purchase, Gilda turned back to the Manehatten skyline and hunkered down against the railing. Her facade hadn't completely failed, but she was doing more damage control on it than projection right then. Hopefully, this pony would just buy her food and take off without bothering her. Hearing Lightning Strike trot away from the vending machine with her purchase in hoof caused Gilda to quickly throw her sunglasses over her eyes. Gilda was a griffon, and as a griffon, she could not let a pony see her cry. She just wanted this pony to go away, to go away and leave her in peace to pick up the scattered pieces of her shattered composure. The hooffalls were getting louder through, precluding all chance of that. With acting "cool" out the window, she adopted her second persona; callous indifference. Putting on a flat expression and a thousand-yard stare, she could fend off anything thrown her way. And if that failed, there was a leather jacket and aviators to back her up. Outwardly, Gilda looked like she just didn't care. Inside was a whole different matter. Go away, go away, go away, go away, Gilda chanted in her mind to the sound of each hooffall, hoping to will away the caricature of her ex-friend. At the same time, she silently hoped that she would be rescued by a binder full of diplomatic cables that needed their ride to Canterlot. Something, anything, please! The pony arrived at the rail and placed her front legs over the top, pretending to view the cityscape. She wasn't close enough that she'd be invading Gilda's personal space, but she was certainly close enough that the griffon couldn't mistake her intentions. "Wassup." Gilda squeezed her beak shut and bit back an acerbic retort. This couldn't be happening and she wanted it over as soon as possible. With an audible clack, Gilda slammed the cap onto her bottle and screwed it shut with hard twisting motions. If anything, this only enticed the pony to press the issue. "Geez, what's got you all rattled?" The pony shifted positions, mirroring Gilda's posture. "I hope it's not me," she muttered. Naw, it couldn't possibly be you, Gilda thought with a heavy snark. "No, it's just..." She scratched at her eye under the glasses. "The bright... buildings? Yeah, the buildings are bright." Gilda nodded. That sounded absolutely idiotic. The pegasus took a tone of feigned offense. "What's wrong with the buildings?" "Hm, what's wrong with the buildings?" Gilda replied, her tongue having decided she could dig herself a little deeper than this. "Maybe it's that griffons originally settled on this island? Then after the war, those griffons decided to give up their home to Equestria so that peace could last forever. And then the ponies honor them by putting up… that," she concluded, throwing out a talon at the monstrosity that dominated the skyline. The pegasus followed Gilda's outflung forelimb to the eyesore. "Well, that's new." Gilda squawked a laugh at the mock surprise and naivety as her tail flicked about behind her. It's been around here longer than you have, girl, she thought. Why the heck was she even conversing with this pony, she wondered. She needed to stop smiling. Lightning Strike, as it were, was still busy examining the horse head. "Dang, that head is huge. I hope that's not what the owner looks like!" Another hearty guffaw broke from Gilda's beak. "I would hope not, because that's one ugly dude!" After sharing a laugh, the pony extended her wing. Gilda met this with an arched eyebrow. "Ah shoot! I was schooled about this. Here." She extended a foreleg in the proper griffon greeting. Gilda tentatively hovered out a talon, then very slowly wrapped her digits around the hoof. She desperately tried to cool her feelings from earlier. "Pegged you as a newbie. Nopony else is quite that… enthusiastic." "Fine, you got me. This is my first week on the job, they finally gave me the long run this morning." The pony shook the talon. "Name's Lightning Dust, by the way." "Gilda." A pregnant silence befell the duo, only to be broken a second later. "So... Gilda?" "What?" "Well, you're probably the first Manehattenite that's ever told me the island's deep, dark secret." "Who said I was from Manehatten?" "I kinda took a guess by your accent." This time it was Gilda that took the offended tone. "What's wrong with my accent?" Lightning Dust fidgeted nervously. "Um, nothing, nothing at all. It's actually kinda nice." "Hold on." Gilda held up a halting talon. "Let me get this straight. First you're on me about the buildings? And now you're on me about my accent?" Lightning Dust ducked her ears and backed up a few steps. "Relax, relax! Meant no offense! Hey, uh, if I'm right, your next stop is Canterlot, isn't it?" She clapped her hooves together, desperate to change the subject. "I happen to live there and will be heading back that way anyway, so how about we make the trip as a wing? You draft me for a bit, I draft you, makes it easier for both of us. What do you say?" Gilda sighed and awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "Uh... sure. Whatever. Like you said, we're headed the same way so it makes sense, right?" She wanted to hate this pony, so why couldn't she stop saying no to her? Lightning Dust stared blankly at Gilda's forced smile, then brightened up with a smile of her own. "Exactly." The sound of the rooftop doors sliding open caught the attention of the duo, bringing Gilda some much-needed relief. The same griffon from earlier made his way toward them. "Sorry about the wait, ma'am. Here, let me load you up." "Yeah, about time too!" Gilda snipped, not bothering to mask her irritation. Lightning Dust hid her snickering behind a hoof as the embassy worker filled Gilda's satchel with the missives from Gryphus. Once he had deposited the documents, the nameless griffon wished them well before disappearing back into the embassy. Gilda finished off the rest of her drink and made to throw the bottle away, but was stopped by the mare that was still giggling like a lunatic beside her. "What the heck is so funny!" Gilda snarled. Lightning Dust did her best to speak through her chortling. "Load you up!" Gilda shot her a look of pure confusion at this, mouthing a silent "what?" Lightning held up a hoof while struggling to get air into her lungs. "I'm sorry – I'm sorry! I just couldn't resist." The laughter began to subside as the pony looked up, incredulous. "You really don't know what that means?" "No, Lightning," Gilda grumbled. "Nor do I care." The irritated griffon stalked away from Lightning Dust's resumed, annoying horse laugh and threw her empty bottle in a nearby recycle bin. Ignoring the aggravating pegasus, she turned and stepped out to the ledge of the landing deck. Checking one last time that her cargo was secure, Gilda spread her wings and simply fell forward off the deck. Once she caught some air, the brown flier craned her head around to see Lightning Dust gallop off the platform in some sort of flying leap before looping around and falling into position behind her. About an hour later Gilda found herself over the forest community of Hollow Shades. She was too aggravated to appreciate the scenery, though. She didn't know if it was the extra weight slowing her down, the way the lapels and zippers of her jacket rustled in the slipstream, or the turquoise horsefly following just off her wing that refused to stop buzzing. "So at that point I was like, what's the quickest way to clear clouds – then it hit me! I would use a tornado! So I says to my wingpony..." Gilda hadn't paid much attention to Lightning Dust's rambling epic about her time at flight academy. Her only concern now was getting this lame trip over with. Off to her side, Lightning Dust continued her story unabated. "I was in the funnel and my wingpony must have been carrying too much speed because I began losing it. I remember calling to her to try and slow it down, but then the tornado spat me out – and my wingpony shortly after. It was the worst spin-out ever, I barely recovered in time." Lightning paused and took a shaking breath. "As I spun uncontrollably down, I saw her get ejected from the funnel – and with nopony to control it... Then for some insane reason, a hot-air balloon just happened to stray into our restricted airspace and was caught up by the tornado." Gilda was now paying actual attention to the mare next to her, mostly so she'd avoid getting hit by Lightning's wildly gesticulating forelimbs as the pony reached what must be the climax of her story. "At this point my wingpony, who I had lost sight of, shot after the occupants of the balloon. The tornado had thrown them clear but they were in freefall. I tried to join the other pegasi in the rescue attempt, but I just couldn't fly anymore. Every time I tried to lift off, my wings faltered. It reminded me of a parent biting a foal's tail to prevent them from doing something stupid." She gave a long, drawn-out sigh before continuing. "It was like my body no longer wanted to put up with my recklessness. "So I just stood there as the ponies fell, trying to get my wings to work. My wingpony by this time had made it below the ponies and was compacting a cloud layer to stop their fall. It must have worked because they hit the cloud and bounced up into the waiting arms of the rescuers." Gilda saw the expression on Lightning Dust's face morph into a sad smile. "I felt so much relief to see them saved that my wings began to work and I looped in joy. I flew over to the group of ponies while coming up with some kind of explanation, but I didn't know what I was getting into. It turned out that the balloonists were friends of my wingpony and had come to visit her. If I had known this, I don't think I would have acted so horribly." Lightning's voice dropped to a whisper. "That's how I got kicked out the academy. Not exactly my finest hour." Gilda mulled over everything about Lightning Dust's story. It seemed Lighting, much like Gilda, had used a rotten personality in her life, a trait that ultimately got them nowhere. Almost makes me feel sorry for her. I'm still irritated by her though, but I can put up with it. Then Lightning spoke again and ruined that thought. "Hey, you want to hear about how yours truly became a Royal – Ack!" Lightning Dust yelped in displeasure as Gilda aggressively flared her wings, dragging herself down to a full stop. The pegasus deftly evaded and came to a rest next to the griffon. "What's the deal with the brake-checking, dude!" the pony shouted. Gilda slowly took off her sunglasses and put them back in their hard case. She pocketed that and took a long, deep breath. "Look, Lightning Strike –" "It's Dust! Lightning Dust!" Gilda grabbed her forehead with a talon, trying to rub away a building headache. "Fine, Lightning Dust. When you first came by me on the deck, I did what I was supposed to do and put on a friendly face for the new girl." Lightning Dust scoffed at this. "I only agreed to be your wing because it would be awkward not to." "Just what are you saying?" "I just – I don't think I'm ready for another pony friend yet." "Oh, a pony friend?" Lighting couldn't see it through the feathers, but a vein was pulsing above Gilda's eye. "Gods give me strength," Gilda muttered. "Alright, how about this? I challenge you to a race." She pointed a talon at herself. "If I win, you have to leave me be forever. No talking, no friendship, no nothing. If we run into each other on our routes, you pretend I don't exist, got it!" "Hm," Lightning stroked her muzzle with a hoof. "A race you say? And if you win, you get left alone." Gilda nodded an affirmative. "You're on, but only if the loser has to become friends with the winner." "Fine, whatever," Gilda agreed, just glad for the chance to finally be rid of the chatty, annoying pegasus. She pointed a yellow talon at a cloud high in the sky to the west, specifically chosen because it suited a griffon's natural climbing ability. "That cloud will be the finish line." Lighting Dust nodded as Gilda held three claw-tipped digits aloft. "On three. One, two – three!" As she expected, Lightning Dust was quicker off the launch. Gilda watched with mild amusement as she shot upward into a climb towards the cloud. The griffon instead opted to get as much speed as possible before beginning her climb. Utilizing a strong tailwind coming off of the rugged peaks of the Foal Mountains, she accelerated as quickly as her laden form would allow. Having gained enough speed, she pointed her beak skyward and quickly ascended into the heavens. Strong wings acted like giant air scoops as powerful strokes pulled the brown flier ever higher. Up above and slightly off-side was Lightning Dust, who at this point had lost all her starting momentum and was now struggling to reach the cloud. Gilda, however, had no trouble making up the altitude difference. With the assurance of victory, Gilda punched through the cloud and touched her back legs down onto its surface. Seeing the griffon win didn't deter Lightning Dust from at least finishing the race. Gilda watched with an impish grin from her perch as the panting pegasus pulled herself onto the cloud. Despite her loss, Lightning still had a cheeky smile on her face as she looked up at the larger victor. "I must have gotten out of shape in my downtime," she admitted between ragged pants. Gilda had her talons firmly placed on her hips as she regarded Dust. "Nah. I've just had enough experience racing pegasi to know how to beat 'em. Which in this case I most thoroughly did." Lightning Dust's grin didn't falter. "Well, good for you. I may be the loser, but don't think that'd stop me from finishing the race." "That's nice." Gilda nodded towards the wide-open sky. "You can go now." "I would, except I lost." That gave Gilda pause. What was this dense, irritating pegasus on about now? She rolled her eyes back. "Yes, you lost," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "That means you leave me alone. This is the part where you make like a bee and buzz off." Lightning had a mischievous grin on her snout. Gilda didn't much care for it and was only beginning to realize why. "It seems you forgot about the second part of our little wager." "Dude, I don't know what planet you're on, but I won! And the winner gets to be left alone!" That's when the pegasus went in for the kill, her grin turning to an open mouth smile. "But the loser –" Lighting let the word hang "– has to become friends with the winner." The pegasus pointed a hoof at herself for emphasis. "And I lost." Gilda lost the ability to work her beak, and the stonewall expression she maintained began to sag uncontrollably. Lightning continued on. "So as your new –" Lightning gave a dramatic bow "– honorary pony friend, your wish is my command. If you want to be left alone, so be it." At this point, Gilda had fallen completely silent, with only one thought running through her head. How did I fall for that? "So, what is your command?" Lightning asked the brain dead griffon. She waved a hoof in front of Gilda's face. "He-llo, anypony home?" "Ugh!" Gilda swatted the hoof out of her face. "Knock it off!" Lighting Dust continued to stare questioningly. Gilda rolled her eyes once more and turned around. "Let's just get to Canterlot." "Sounds like a plan, Gil." "Then I'm going home!" === The Past === The sun was already nearing the horizon when Gilda and Lightning Dust rolled around the northern slope of Mount Equus. Below them, the outskirts of Canterlot panned outward – with the buildings and properties getting smaller and more congested the further south they flew. The castle, Gilda's destination, overlooked the city from its lofty perch on the mountain. Lightning pointed down towards the suburbs below. "That's where I'm from," she stated. "Boring, I know." "Uh-huh," Gilda grunted. "Well, I'll just let you be. Unless you need my help finding the castle, of course." "I can handle myself, Da- I mean Dust." "Cool." Lightning turned away but veered back a second later. "Oh yeah, if we're flying like this next week, you're telling the sob story." "Oh har har," Gilda emitted a sarcastic laugh. "Very funny. Don't expect an epic like your academy tale, though." "Fair enough." Lightning turned away for the final time. "See you next week!" Once Lightning Dust peeled off towards wherever her home was, Gilda made the final hop to the castle gates. She touched down in the designated landing zone and quickly padded over to the open portcullis to await Sunlit Pen, the bubbly, caramel-colored unicorn scribe that was her normal drop-off for diplomatic cables. Pen was usually quite punctual and it was a bit odd she wasn't there to greet the griffon, but not wholly unprecedented either. Court could be an unpredictable thing at times. The guards she knew in passing at least and were given a nod as she took a seat just under the entrance archway to get out of the late-afternoon sun. She took off her glasses and put them away, hoping that Pen wouldn't be much longer. Her day was long enough already without this kind of unexpected delay. She looked over at the clop of approaching hooves, but instead of Sunlit Pen's arrival, it was a unicorn guard in full armored regalia. He stopped just before her. "The Princess has requested your presence," the guard said in a formal tone. Gilda froze on the spot. "Come again?" "The Princess has requested your presence," he repeated. The question of why hung on her open beak, only to be silenced by the pair of thumps from the other side of the archway. Two pegasus guards had just dropped from the sky and were standing placidly in the middle of the passage's exit to Canterlot, cutting off any hope of retreat. Gilda could feel her blood run cold. "Which Princess?" she cheeped. "Princess Celestia." Gilda didn't know whether to be relieved at that or not. A good part of her was screaming for not. While the solar diarch was generally considered more fair and compassionate than her sister, she was also well known for doing anything required to protect her kingdom and her ponies. "Did she say why?" "No ma'am, just that you were requested for an audience with her highness. Now please follow me." Gilda contemplated ripping off her satchel, throwing it at the unicorn as a distraction, and bolting past him into the palace grounds. Grypus naturally had an embassy in the pony capital and it wasn't far from the castle. While she wasn't as fast as she used to be, if she could get into the sky and make it into their air space, then find a consolute officer to spill her guts to about what happened the night before… And to do that, all I need to do is get past the combat-magic wielding unicorn and outfly a pair of pegasi – a pair of the Princess' own elite guards – all after I've already been in the air for almost twelve hours today. She was fast, but not that fast. Letting out a defeated sigh, Gilda pushed herself upright and turned to the unicorn, studiously ignoring the pair behind her. "Fine. Let's get this over with." The guard nodded and turned, leading her onto the palace grounds proper. As they trotted through the grounds – well, they trotted, she strode – Gilda couldn't help the feeling of deja vu that came over her. It had been years, many, many years since she'd last walked those paths and castle hallways. It had been just after she had entered into the Young Ambassador's program and was first meeting all of her compatriots at a formal diplomatic function in the palace. In all honesty, she had been too pissed at the whole situation to really appreciate much of that visit. She did remember enough to realize some of the large stained glass windows were new, though. Gilda squeezed her beak shut in a grimace and studiously focused on the floor just behind her escort, averting her gaze from the panes of recent Equestrian history that featured Rainbow Dash and all her new friends. Her talons were making clicking noises on the marble flooring and she tried to relax them. The part of her that had screamed to cut and run in the entryway was still making its shrill presence known, urging her to find a way out and throw herself upon the mercies of the Gryphus embassy officials. She had dual-citizenship and knew that officially it would be difficult for Equestria to prosecute her for any major crime, no matter how trumped up it may be. Unofficially, she was standing in the center of the home of the supreme ruler of the entire kingdom and felt that such things as citizenship and legal protections would be trivial matters if the solar Princess deemed the griffon's knowledge of her sister's actions a threat to Equestria. Worse yet, no one outside of her escort and the Princess herself knew she was even there. "Here we are." Gilda pulled out of her reverie to see an unassuming pair of doors before her. They were certainly not the doors to the main courtroom she recalled from years past. Is this… her private study? "Is there anything special I have to do?" Gilda asked the only question that came to her frazzled mind. "Do I have to bow?" Please don't tell me I have to bow! The royal guard dropped the stoic demeanor and allowed a thin smile to grace his lips – one that spoke of years of experience as a herald. "Don't worry. You can just be casual on this visit." I can be casual... alright, now I'm scared. The guard gave a light rap on the door before opening. Gilda followed the armored stallion inside to see Princess Celestia hunched over a too-small desk, working on her daily business as Equestria's ruler. The two pegasi guards took up regular positions flanking the doors. "Ah, Gilda," she welcomed the griffon in her usual comforting tone. "I'll just be a few moments here. You can hand the cables to your escort." Gilda opened her satchel and pulled out the heavy binders, which the guard grabbed in his telekinesis. He sorted through the documents before pulling out an envelope and placing it on the desk. Celestia waved a hoof and dismissed him. Without lifting her eyes from the scroll she was writing on, she addressed the nervous griffon standing in the center of the room. "I hope you can forgive the delay, as I understand you've just finished a long flight and must be eager to return home and start your weekend. This arrived after I requested that you be brought in to see me and requires my immediate attention." With a quiet thud, the stallion closed the door behind him, leaving her alone with the great white alicorn. Gilda's mouth had gone dry and she couldn't so much as chirp in acknowledgment. As Celestia continued to scratch at the document, Gilda's eyes wandered the room. Besides the palace door, the only other way out was through a pair of large glass doors to an outside balcony, a sprint she might be able to make were it not for the ability of Celestia's magic to literally stop her in her tracks. Giving up all hopes of a last-minute dash to safety, she instead chose to focus on the contents of the room itself. It held a level of opulence befitting a princess, no question about that, but there was a lived-in feeling to the clutter and piles of scrolls and books scattered throughout. It had a very real feel to it, and a small part of her wondered how many audiences had actually seen this room and not the court itself or one of the more formal meeting rooms. As she fidgeted in place, the only thing that truly caught her attention was the other avian sharing the room. Celestia's pet phoenix stirred on her perch, cawing softly at the griffon that had invaded her space. Finally unable to stand the silence any longer, Gilda spoke up. "I didn't tell them about your sister. The… officials at the embassy," she fumbled when Celestia looked up. "I never told them. They don't know what happened." "For that, you have my thanks," Celestia told her before returning to her documents. She finished a few final lines and dashed off what was probably a signature before depositing her quill in its inkwell. The scroll was wrapped in a golden aura and vanished in a puff of magic. "Luna had informed me at breakfast this morning of that little indiscretion and I've been worried about what might come of it. I'm glad to know it can be kept private. Still, it is not the reason I called you here today." Of all of today's revelations, that was the most startling. "So what was your sister doing in my head then? Why am I here at all, if not for that?" Celestia cleared the desk of documents, stacking them neatly on the side before looking up and directly addressing her audience once more. "My sister, bless her heart," she began, "can be rather obstinate and set in her ways. After her cleansing by the Elements, Luna has had difficulty adjusting to modern society. Some things carry over quite easily through the centuries, but many things… are lost in translation. That she does not have full, irreproachable control of the dreamlands is something she seems unwilling to accept." Celestia got to her hooves and went to retrieve something from a filing cabinet. "Her dream-walking ability can be used for good or ill. But sadly, time has only remembered her for one of those traits. She is doing her best to change that now, but at times she still oversteps her boundaries." "Look princess," Gilda replied, "it's not something I'm gonna lose sleep over – I mean! I'm not bothered too much by it." The cocky grin she tried only half worked. "Again, you have my gratitude for your discretion. But, let's put that matter behind us now. As I've said, it's not the reason I summoned you here today." "So why did you summon me?" Celestia sat back down at the desk with a stack of yellowed scrolls hovering beside her. "To talk about you." Gilda unconsciously backed up a step, one foreleg crooked defensively before her. "Wha... m-me? You must have the wrong griffon." "I'm sure I have the right griffon." "And what about me do you want to know?" Celestia sighed. "What happened?" "What do you mean what happened?" "One of these might be able to clarify." Celestia began to rifle through the stack of papers. "I have a student in Ponyville," she said as she worked. "She's a good pony, but a bit of a shutin. I actually had to make it a formal assignment that she go out and make friends. Over the course of that assignment, I've had her and – more recently – her friends send correspondence whenever they discover something profound about friendship." Celestia pretended to not notice Gilda's eye roll. "Here." Celestia handed Gilda a paper. "Read." What is this, a love letter? "Dearest Princess Celestia. Today, I learned that it's hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice..." Gilda trailed off, her expression hardening the further down she read. Once done, she slammed the parchment down on the desk with a paw, her talons scoring small holes through it. She felt righteous indignation burn inside her chest, then disappear as quickly as it came, leaving naught but an empty void behind. "A false friend, huh? Is that all I am to you, Dash?" she croaked Celestia spoke softly. "That may or may not be true. But this is only the opinion expressed by my student. If that is truly what Rainbow Dash thinks of you, we may never know." Gilda's face curled up in a snarl again. "Well, Princess. Maybe what happened is that I went there to visit my best friend – who I hadn't seen in ages – because the week before, Gryphus formally announced they were closing the Cloudsdale Embassy and I didn't know if I'd ever even see her again! I just wanted to hang out and have fun like we always did, because it could very well have been our last chance to do so. Instead, Dash decided it would be fun to throw this ridiculous prank party for me. Or maybe it was Pinkie Pie unable to take a hint! Maybe it's the fact that it's damned near impossible for me to make any other friends around here! I couldn't even keep a job at the damned weather factory because I didn't have a godsdamned cutie mark!" Gilda's fiery voice dropped to a whisper. "Or maybe it's because I was left to fend for myself by my parents, my friends, and my whole society." Fire returned to Gilda's voice as she focused on Celestia again. "Why am I telling you this! You don't care!" "Oh really?" Celestia reached into the pile of letters once again, pulling out a piece of college-ruled notebook paper. "This might change your opinion." Gilda grabbed the letter and began to read, slow realization creeping onto her features. Memories came flooding back; flight camp, enrollment in the exchange program, a barely in her teens Gilda writing a letter to Princess Celestia detailing how she was in Equestria against her will, and throwing out the response – her angry, short-sighted mind unwilling to accept such banal and unhelpful counsel as the words of a Princess. Her beak began to quiver when she reached the end. "Y-you actually read this?" Gilda asked, shock and disbelief evident in her voice. "Of course." "B-but, the… the response? That was yours?" "It was. And do you remember what I said in that letter?" Gilda racked her brain, trying to remember Celestia's reply. All she could really recall of it was that it hadn't offered the help that she wanted and tried to impart advice that seemed more than useless at the time. She literally had skimmed it once, then spitefully threw it over the edge of Cloudsdale – never to be seen again. "Not offhand no." Celestia nodded. "I see. Well, Gilda, it comes back to why I asked you here today. Do you think you could please tell me what happened to the griffon that wrote that second letter, how she became the griffon in the first?" Gilda took a glance around the room, her cheeks burning beneath her feathers. Personal feelings aside, with a living goddess asking for her personal story, it would be foolish not to answer. She coiled her tail around her legs and tried to compose her thoughts. "I could try. I should start at the beginning though, tell you how I really got here." She sat down and folded her forepaws in front of herself. "When I was a cub, I used to be a big fan of ponies. I knew all sorts of crazy pony facts, I was even friends with a group of colts and fillies at my school. Until she came." Gilda stopped for a long, morose sigh. Celestia's questioning gaze promoted her to continue. "Grizelda was a perfect griffon; prideful, brash, rude... hated ponies – and that made her very popular very fast. One day, she found out that I was friends with the 'herd' and gave me two choices. Either I stick with the ponies and be ostracized alongside them, or I join her little clique." Celestia frowned, seeing full well where this story was going. "After that day, all the ponies looked at me like I was the enemy, like I was the bad griffon. I had to side with Grizelda, I didn't have a choice! "A few years later it was finals, and the clique decided to intentionally fail the Equestrian Society test. Now, this was fairly common; students would get good grades in other fields so they wouldn't get held back. Except I had been falling behind in several classes. And in order to not flunk, I needed an incredibly good grade on the test. I got an A-plus with extra credit! But this... did not go over well with Grizelda. After that, my parents sent me to flight camp in Equestria for the summer. Before I left, Grizelda came at me with all these weird allegations, said I was a disgrace to all of Gryphus, said they wouldn't let me back in for what I had done. "When I arrived at the camp, I quickly realized that I was the only griffon there. The first several days were rough – I-I wasn't allowed to eat meat. I had to have these disgusting protein shakes to supplement my suddenly changed diet. Then the rumors started flying; some ponies thought I was some kind of freaky orphan, others thought my family had committed some terrible crime and had been exiled to Equestria as a punishment. Either way, I was reminded of these, and other vile opinions, every day." "But there must have been somepony decent there?" Celestia guessed. "There was!" Gilda's beak twitched in a nostalgic grin. "We first met when she quite literally almost ran into me." Gilda looked up just in time to see a blue rainbow blur on a beeline with her face. Her feline reflexes kicked in and launched the griffon safely aside. The little pegasus wasn't so lucky, hitting the cloud layer at an angle and carving a trench for a few feet before stopping. Gilda stalked over to the downed pony, preparing to chew her out for nearly creaming her and causing her tail to puff brilliantly, only for the heckling from above to bring her up short. "Nice flying, Rainbow Crash!" The griffon turned her head around backwards to see the gaggle of colts on the higher cloud layer. Gilda recognized the trio as the ones that bullied any newbie that was unable to fly. So far, nopony had the guts to openly bully the griffon, but of all the little cliques she'd seen, this one was the worst. "Hey, Crash!" one of the colts jeered. "Look out! The freak's about to eat you!" Gilda had put up with the stares and rumors in order to keep her cool image, but this was the breaking point. Her beak dropping low to match the growl in her throat, she tensed her leg muscles in preparation of pouncing the colts and teaching them a lesson they wouldn't soon forget. She would have, too, if not for the two pairs of hooves suddenly landing on her back. The rainbow pegasus was standing on her! Gilda was too stunned by this to do anything besides try and keep upright under the sudden, unexpected extra weight. "One of these days, Hoops!" the filly shouted from her unwilling soapbox. "One of these days, I'm gonna make you put your money where your mouth is!" "Not if you keep crashing all the time, you won't!" The bullies devolved into self-serving laughter. But despite this, the rainbow pegasus stood firm. After settling down, the colts decided to find another hapless victim, but not without some parting words. "See you later, Crash." "Bye, freak!" one of the others chimed in. As the bullies faded away, the pegasus sighed. "It's 'griffon', plothole." "Yeah, it is!" Gilda squirmed, finding her voice once more. "And do you mind getting the hay off?!" "Oh!" The rainbow maned pegasus hopped back down onto the cloud layer. She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry." Gilda turned and fluffed her wings to resettle them, her beak once more set in a hard snarl as she turned to properly size up the reckless blue pony beside her. Part of her wanted to send the mare packing and not get involved, but the other part recognized that of all the newbies she'd seen get picked on by those bullies, this was the only one to stand up and fight back. While Gilda hadn't personally come into their line of fire, she was sure that it was only a matter of time before that happened. As a griffon she could more than handle herself against a pegasus or two; more would be a problem. Laying her wings back and smoothing her feathers, Gilda put on a smile and did the most logical thing. "Say, you're not all lame like the other ponies. Wanna hang out?" "Maybe, but I gotta lay down some ground rules," the pegasus replied, squinting as she appraised the griffon across from her. "First thing. That," she raised a hoof at her crash site, "never happened. And second," she was now in Gilda's face, "never diss me, or my friends. Got that?" "So that... never happened?" The pony was so close that Gilda could feel her breath on her beak. "It NEVER happened!" "And.. never diss you –?" "OR my friends!" "Or your friends." Gilda squinted back, her gold eyes never breaking from the pony's rose-colored ones. "Yeah. I think I can handle that." The pegasus broke into a grin, finally backing off and holding out a hoof. "If you're game, then I'm game. Name's Rainbow Dash." The griffon looked around and reached out her talon for a shake, but stopped short. She'd spent so many years hating ponies, just in an effort to save her own feathers. Gilda let her talons curl into a ball, remembering those times when she used to fly with the herd. "Gilda." In a complete surprise to Rainbow, the griffon knocked her first against the offered hoof. "Wow! You can hoof-bump!" Gilda waved an uncaring talon in the air. "Yeah, I'm just full of surprises." "I mean, I just can't – I can't believe I found a real griffon!" Rainbow Dash squealed while dancing in place, the hoof-bump having shattered the pegasus' brash exterior like ice on the first day of winter. Wanting to be spared of any embarrassment, Gilda bodily grabbed the ecstatic pony. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm it down." "Eheh," she nervously laughed "Sorry 'bout that. I just never thought I'd find one! I thought they were the coolest when we learned about them in school, but none of them lived around us, and then when I first saw you here I was so excited and nervous and –!" "Ugh, if you can calm your inner fangirl, then I'm game to hang. Cool?" "Cool!" Rainbow agreed. "No promises, though." "That's how I met Rainbow Dash. After that, things changed. Since I was her friend, I had to contend with the bullies now, too." A smile tugged at the corners of Gilda's beak. "We had each other's flank, though. Sure, the haters came at us like flies at times, but we dealt with them. Some days it felt like it was us against that whole damned camp. But we struggled and clawed our way to the top and we never let them forget it. Despite all the hate, the taunting, the… discrimination, it was me and her through it all. I thought we could do anything. "I didn't want it to end. How dumb a notion was that?" After two months, the last morning of Junior Speedsters finally rolled around. All the campers were casually assembled on the clouds, awaiting their parents or guardians to pick them up. Colts and fillies alike were hanging out for the last time, others were exchanging credentials, with promises to keep in touch. Standing slightly apart from the group, Gilda and Rainbow Dash were doing just that. "So how long until I hear from you?" Gilda shrugged. "Well, Gryphus mail is pretty quick, so a few weeks, give or take." "Say, don't you have anypony coming to pick you up?" Rainbow asked with a hint of concern. "Uuhh..." Gilda began, "Well, I kinda made my own way here." Then the two friends noticed that things had gone quiet around them. They looked to their peers to see all eyes cast toward the sky. A small shadow formed above Gilda and with a muffled thud, a large griffon dropped onto the cloud. Everypony, including Rainbow Dash, instinctively backed up, finally seeing the size of what they believed was Gilda's parent. The only one who didn't shy away was Gilda herself. "Gilda Goldtalon?" he addressed her with an uncultured accent honed from years spent in the sky. Feeling a creeping dread, Gilda dumbly nodded. This was not her parent and she wasn't expecting an escort. Judging by the black jacket and brown satchel this griffon was one of Gryphus' legendary royal messengers. The messenger handed her an envelope. Then, as quickly as he came, the mysterious stranger launched back into the sky. The envelope had a distinct bulge and weight of something metallic inside. Using a sharp talon to open it, the griffon pulled out the enclosed letter and scanned through. The further she read, the more detached from reality she felt. Rainbow was hovering behind, asking what the letter said and trying to read it for herself – getting nowhere due to letter being solely in Griffish. Gilda's world was spinning. This couldn't be happening! "Gilda? What's it say? Gilda? Gilda!?" === The Future === A deafening silence had overtaken the study, broken only by the soft creaking of the phoenix's gilded, swaying cage. Philomena herself remained silent, as though she understood the pain of her fellow avian. Gilda was still lost to her memories, her golden eyes unfocused as she absentmindedly played with her jacket zipper. "Apparently, back when I took the Equestrian Society test, the government was hawking over the results," the griffon eventually said, picking up her story again. "My top score must have been perfect for their little scheme. The 'Young Ambassador' program." "Their scheme?" "Yes!" the exasperated griffon hissed, her talons balling up. "The scheme that landed me here in the first place!" "I wouldn't be so quick to judge," Celestia's stink eye kept Gilda rooted to the spot. "The Young Ambassador's program has been a pet project of mine for many years. I created it with the hope that by having members of the different races living and working closely together in a normal, unofficial environment, it would help breed understanding and tolerance in the young generation. It still needs some work, it seems." Celestia grimaced to herself, pointedly ignoring Gilda's abashed expression. "There were several problems with it that year," the Princess resumed her explanation. "One of the original candidates had to back out at the last minute due to family issues. Questions arose about the suitability of his replacement; she had originally been rejected for a position due to distinctly low grades in many of her studies – math, science, literature, even griffon history, among other things. "Luckily, the original family was still willing to accept her, but that luck only went so far." Gilda sent a well-intentioned glare Celestia's way for using "luck" to describe her predicament. Brushing this aside, the Princess continued. "Due to the shock and pain in her heart, the griffon expressed herself in various unsavory ways to her surrogates and was eventually removed from that household. "I believe you know the rest." Even after Celestia's revealing speech, Gilda still had more questions than answers. She knew from the get-go that the Princess had something to do with it, but even so, the same question as always played in her mind. Why did it have to be her? Just... why? She decided she might as well ask. "If what you're saying is true… How did I ever get past the assessment stage to make final placement?" "There was political pressure from the other side of the table," Celestia explained. "I wasn't privy to the wranglings going on back in Gryphus, but I put my trust in my counterpart's judgment and let it pass. Perhaps I should have given it a closer look?" she asked, one brow raised. Gilda was ignoring her though, lost in thought as her unfocused gaze wandered the papers on Celestia's desk. She shook her head. "None of this was my doing, I said as much in that letter. I never wanted to be in Equestria in the first place. I mean, I didn't even know I was a part of the program until I was given the notice. Nogriff ever told me; not my teachers, not my parents..." "Gilda," Celestia soothed. "I am just as clueless as to why your parents would keep you in the dark –" "Ha!" Gilda laughed – a hollow, sarcastic laugh. "It's prolly 'cuz they were just too busy to deal with a moody teen griffon that almost failed primary school and thought it would be a great way to have her out of their feathers for a few years." Her sardonic expression softened, clearly revealing the pain underneath. "Come to think of it, they weren't around very often, I guess they thought the servants had me under control and weren't in the mood to deal with it when they found out otherwise." "Oh... I see." Celestia waited for Gilda to say more, but the griffon was lost in her memories. She decided best to wait until Gilda was ready to say more and rose from the desk, pacing towards the balcony windows to look over the orange rays of the setting sun. "Ugh, I'm such a dweeb," Gilda finally groaned, flapping her wings in an effort to cool her temper. "I can't believe I'm getting all worked up over this." "We all have insecurities," Celestia gazed out the large bay window, the sunset silhouetting her body. "Expectations; beliefs, and problems." "Even you?" Celestia faced the griffon. "Especially me, Gilda. Especially me. "But," the princess grabbed up the friendship reports with her magic and filed them away once more. "You can help me with one of those problems." The letter on the desk from earlier was opened by Celestia, revealing to Gilda that it was some kind of property deed. "What is this?" she asked. "After you completed the Young Ambassador program, you enrolled in an equine research position with the Gryphus Consulate." "Yeah, and?" "This deed is to the house that you currently reside in. It and several other Gryphus owned properties around Equestria were recently liquidated – due to the latest round of budget cuts, I'm sure." "Liquidated? Does that mean I'm being... evicted?" Gilda paled at this new development. She knew that eviction was inevitable given how Gryphus was downsizing its political presence, she just didn't think the news would have come to her like this! She couldn't believe the Princess would be cruel enough to bring her all the way just for this. "That would have been the case, had I not stepped in." Gilda's tail and brow twitched at that. "Okay… So, why? And why all the song and dance today?" "Because I wanted to see you; speak with you. I wanted to know why one of my most reluctant ambassadors seemed to have done everything she could to stay in a land she never wanted to be in in the first place." Celestia trod back over, her golden shoes clicking softly on the marble. "I'd say you've answered that. So now we come to the matter of your future in Equestria, and your home in particular." As much as Gilda wanted to just leave right then and not hear the Princess out, the more she thought about it, the more she realized just how fortunate she was. She would have been on the streets, looking for a way too expensive apartment of her own in one of the major cities, or trying to split rent with strangers or co-workers from the embassies there. Either way, her hope of saving enough to return to Gryphus on her own in the foreseeable future would have been crushed if the Princess hadn't stepped in. "I have seen that expression on many griffons in my time. I'm guessing you want to break even?" "I'm wondering what you think that me, of all griffons, could possibly offer you that would be worth a home. So, yeah." This time it was Celestia with the sardonic smile. "In that case, I have a new job proposal for you. Or rather a proposal that you take an old job in a new direction." Gilda cocked her head inquiringly at the alicorn. "In exchange for the home, I need you to take your old studies and turn them around. Instead of telling a story about ponies, tell a story about griffons." "Tell a story about griffons?" Gilda asked with a dubious tone. "Me?" "Yes, you." Celestia turned away from Gilda and paced back to the window, gazing out upon her setting sun. "One of the advantages of being as long-lived as I am is that I have the ability to actually see history repeating itself. The road that Gryphus and Equestria are heading for now is not one that I wish to travel again if I can help it." She turned her head back to Gilda. "Are you familiar with The Containment?" Gilda nodded, at least remembering that much of history class. Having been defeated on the plains of Canterlot and driven from their initial claw-hold in New Yoke, the griffon military turned to their one area of superiority over ponies; their navy. They couldn't defeat the ponies on their own turf, but they could keep them from going anywhere else. For decades, griffon ships prowled the Equestrian coastline, picking off any pony ship unlucky enough to fall into their clutches. Ponies weren't as adept at sailing and had never been able to construct ships equal to the griffons. Equestria could survive on its own bottled up like that, but it couldn't truly thrive. So, like almost all pony solutions, The Containment wasn't solved by direct confrontation or force of arms; it was solved by diplomacy. And more importantly, economics. Ponies couldn't beat the griffons on the seas, so they beat them in the markets. What ponies may have lacked in industrial might was more than made up for in magic. The pegasi, with their weather control ability, were tasked with maintaining optimal growing conditions for many crops farmed by the earth ponies, to ensure maximum yield. Unicorn magic was capable of crafting anything beyond griffon technology. Any goods that didn't absolutely need to be shipped by sea were either flown to their destinations or were taken by caravan. "It took us a couple of centuries to win your people over that first time," Celestia continued, "but eventually we both started to warm up to each other. Trading occurred, consulates were built, and proper international relations were established. I've always strived to maintain those relations between our people, as I've always believed we're stronger together than apart. " Even though Celestia couldn't see her, Gilda tried not to roll her eyes at the history lesson and dryness of international politics. "But, there are always those who believe otherwise, and right now they seem to have the upper hoof. Or talon. You've felt their influence directly, it's why you're here. The cooling of relations between our peoples has been gradual but by now is clearly undeniable. It started with the first closing of the embassy in Las Pegasus. Along with the embassy, quite a few goodwill programs were canceled entirely. As a result, relations inevitably further soured." She turned to Gilda once more, her ethereal mane framed by the windows behind her. "Now I have not spent centuries nurturing relations between our peoples just to see it backslide into some self-imposed version of The Containment. This is where you come in. "What I'm asking is that you become an Equestrian ambassador." Celestia continued over Gilda's suddenly dumbfounded expression. "You will be undertaking research, much like your original Gryphus Consulate post. But instead of researching Equestria, I want you to research Gryphus, and tell us all a story we won't soon forget. Any documents you prepare will also be forwarded to my protege in Ponyville. She is very keen to start her own inquiry into the subject as well." "So let me get this straight," said Gilda, picking up her beak from where it had dropped. "You're asking me, of all griffons, to teach ponies about a subject that I know so little about?" "Not quite. At least not yet." Celestia shook her head. "You are approaching this from the wrong angle." "So then, how am I supposed to approach this?" "Don't think of yourself right now as a teacher. Think of yourself as a student." Celestia magiced over a thick book from a nearby shelf and placed it in front of Gilda. "I need you to educate yourself first on the matter before you're capable of educating others." Curiosity piqued, the griffon examined the book, glancing at its title and flipping it open to a random page. "I asked my student which book would best benefit a griffon who wanted to 'brush up' on her history, and this one came highly recommended." "But, if she's reading these books and recommending them to me, then why am I needed?" "Twilight is one of the most brilliant unicorns I've ever taught, but in her heart, she is still a researcher. And while all her research is concise and factual, it's all been gleaned from books like that one. I think she would be thrilled to also hear it straight from the griffon's beak, so to speak." Celestia smiled. "And I don't think she'd be the only one. If we want this story to become anything but the kind of dry, academic research that Twilight would provide, we need to put a real face on it. We need to put entertainment value behind it. Personally, I think that a little wit would go a long way." "Hey, if sarcasm is what you need, then I'm your girl!" Despite the downward gaze at the book in front of her, Celestia could still see Gilda's eyes. She saw the anger and pain she had noticed since the griffon had first walked into her study, but there was now a small twinkle in those golden orbs. A spark, desperate for something new to pass the time, even if it was just research. "I have a feeling that you're capable of far more than just sarcasm, Ambassador Goldtalon." Gilda flinched slightly at the mention of Goldtalon. Ugh, my official pony name, I hope I don't get used to it. Even so, it was a job and it would allow her to continue with her plan. She'd certainly put up with worse to achieve her goal. Folding the book closed, she rested her paw on the cover and took a deep breath before she looked up at Celestia. "Okay. You got me. I'm in." The solar diarch favored her with a smile as she resettled her great white wings. "I'm quite glad to hear that." Gilda noticed the window behind the Princess, also noting the low angle the sunset's rays had taken. "Ah, damn!" she exclaimed. " I gotta get going!" Celestia looked out the window also, seeming to just realize how late the day had grown as well. "Indeed. This conversation has lasted longer than I had expected." Gilda rose from her sitting position, slowly regaining feeling in the back leg that she didn't know had fallen asleep. Celestia walked to the room's large glass doors and opened them, exposing the balcony. "You may take off from here." Seeing the open balcony, Gilda quickly limped her way there, then limped back to where she had sat to retrieve her history book. After safely stowing the tome away in her satchel, she joined the solar diarch on the deck in the warm evening breeze. Not wanting to waste any more precious daylight Gilda spread her wings and tensed for takeoff, but a stray thought kept her grounded. She was in the presence of Equestrian royalty. And, even though Gilda was a prideful griffon, she couldn't just... brush her off like that. Could she? Some parting words needed to be said, but a nagging question snuck past her beak. "Why did she do it?" Celestia inclined her head at this, her perked ears silently bidding the griffon clarify. "I mean, there's millions of ponies in Equestria. Why did it happen to be my dream she found?" "Well Gilda, that is a good question, one that I have no answer for, sadly," Celestia replied with a shrug of her great head and a languid blink. "It's something you'd have to ask my sister. I understand the basic premise of dream-walking, but the actual function of 'finding dreams' is unknown to me. Only Luna understands that power. Just like how I only understand my own." Gilda mulled this over, then nodded, begrudgingly accepting the answer. Slapping her talons down on the white marble rail, she pulled the rest of her body up and stood with an expert balance. When she finally spoke her parting words, Gilda realized just how long it'd been since she'd last said them and how much they meant now. "Thank you. For everything that you've done for me, thank you." The orange of the setting sun glinted in Celestia's ethereal mane as the alicorn favored the griffon with a demure smile. "You're quite welcome. Citizen of Equestria." Daylight was precious, and time was wasting, so the griffon took to the skies. She looked to the west and quickly estimated how much daylight the sky would have to offer. I have about an hour's worth, which will make this tight. Maybe I could have tried asking for an extension… Nah. Best not push it. Prolly best to not look the – ugh – gift horse in the mouth. The setting sun drove the flier to strive for more altitude and speed. Just as she left Canterlot airspace, she heard it. "Gilda!" It was far enough away that she thought it was in her head. But she swore that it sounded just like – "Gilda!" The griffon snapped her head downwards and saw the same green horsefly from earlier buzzing up to meet her. "Urgh, I thought that pony went home," Gilda growled. Despite this, she still slowed to see if it was something important – which she doubted. Lightning Dust fell in abreast of Gilda and immediately started spouting questions. "You mind telling me what happened back there? What'd they bring you in for?" "What?" Gilda was stunned that Lightning knew about what had transpired. "How do you know about that?" The pegasus's ears pinned back in embarrassment. "Well, I was kinda, sorta following you to the castle gate and all. Thought maybe, just maybe we could hang out after. Anyway, everything seemed fine, until the guards dragged you away and –!" Gilda quickly held up her talon. "Woah! Hold it right there! Firstly, I wasn't 'dragged' away, I was 'escorted.' There's a difference." Usually one involving leg-irons. Lighting tried to continue but was silenced again. "And secondly, any business I had with the Princess is private." Lightning's face displayed a plethora of disbelieved expressions, her mouth sputtering in unison. "Y-you had teatime with the Princess?!" Instead of face-pawing, Gilda decided to play with the pony. She leaned her head back and raised her brow in an aloof expression. "So what if I did?" The pony was incredulous. "So what if you did?! You were with Princess Celestia, the big mare herself! Why are you so special?" "Well..." Gilda examined her talons in a snooty fashion. "Because I happen to be a princess of Gryphus." The flapping of the fliers' wings was the only sound in the sky. "Really?" Lightning asked with a flat tone. "No! Not really. Look, nothing happened, okay! 'Sides, just because you didn't see royalty on the first day doesn't mean you won't at all. With your position, I bet you will see a lot of them in the future." "Yeah, but, you flew off her balcony. Since when does that happen, unless…" Lightning Dust's muzzle quirked in a mischievous grin. "You're her widdle carrier pigeon, oh yes you are, oh yes you are!" A younger, angrier Gilda would have easily lashed out at such patronizing behavior. But her mind wanted to take new paths. "Tch, with the way Celestia fawns over subjects, that may not be too far from the truth." "Ha! I hear that!" Lightning declared. "Still not as bad as my mom, though." Griffon and pony alike shared a laugh that quickly ended. The former looked at the twilight sky and realized that she had about an hour's worth of light for her roughly two-hour flight home. "Yeah, uh, LD, I'd love to hang around and chat, but I gotta jet. Light is wasting away and I don't have the moon on my side either." "Um, the moon was full last night, and I don't think it's changed very much since." "Wait, the moon was full?" Gilda asked, dumbfounded. "You seriously didn't notice the moon?" "I have to wake up at four-thirty in the morning!" Gilda exclaimed. "Come eight or nine I'm typically asleep. I can't be bothered to check the sky." "Then you should bother to check your calendar." "I'll have to do that next time," Gilda chuffed. Lighting waved her hoof dismissively. "Don't sweat it, 'tis just the services of your friendly neighborhood Lightning Dust." "Alright," the griffon addressed the mare. "Now that you're done checking on me or whatever, why are you still following me?" "Following you!" Lightning sputtered. "You're the one who won't stop! Besides, I don't plan on returning to Cloudsdale anytime soon. So you don't need to worry about being disturbed by little 'ol me –" "Dust?" Gilda interjected softly. "Yeah?" "You-you're alright. For a pony." Lightning grinned. "Yeah, I have that effect –" "What you did back on that roof, that rarely happens for me. Most ponies are either too afraid or too intimidated to approach me. I mean, just because I look different doesn't mean I am." Gilda expected some sort of wise-crack about how sappy this was, and was surprised when it didn't come. Instead, Lightning was holding out her hoof. "Well, it was my first real day on the job, and you were a long hauler like me, so I couldn't resist. And honestly, it looked like you needed the company." Gilda silently agreed with her, even if she would never admit it. "Plus you looked awesome." That brought a smile to her beak. "Well now, I can't lie, I am pretty awesome!" I just wish my awesomeness didn't get in the way so much. Seeing Lightning's hoof still outstretched, Gilda reached out her talon but stopped. She then balled a fist and knocked it against the hoof. "Hah," the pegasus laughed. "I knew there was a little pony in you." Gilda practically bristled at the allegation. This only succeeded in causing all her feathers to puff up, something that did not go unnoticed by Lightning Dust. "Pffft! Bwahahaha!" "Tell anypony and they'll never find your body, Dust," Gilda growled at her. Lightning defensively threw her hooves up. "Woah now, no need for that." She leaned in close. "Your secret is safe with me." "Oh yeah?" Gilda challenged. "I'm sure it is." Another mischievous grin stole across Lightning's muzzle and she dipped closer to Gilda. "Well… there is one way to make doubly sure that nopony knows about your ruffled feathers." "And what would that be?" "Let me feel them." "Oh ho ho! I see what you're playing at," chided the griffon, swerving away from the pegasus. "No, you have to earn that right first!" Already knowing that Lighting would play dirty with big eyes, Gilda was forced to compromise. "Ugh, fine! How about this then. Next time I molt, you can have all the crappy feathers. Do whatever you like with them; preserve them, throw 'em in the trash – hell, make a pillow out of them to practice your lame pick up lines on." "What?! I wasn't hitting on you!" "Oh, sure, sure you weren't," Gilda playfully mocked her, narrowing her eyes and bobbing her head. "It just looked that way. I believe you. Totally." A stark silence befell the two, something that was unbearable to one of them. "Was it really that lame?" "Oh no, Dust. 'Let me feel them' is a great pickup line!" "I didn't mean it like that! I swear!" Gilda could swear she saw red on the pony's turquoise cheeks and it wasn't from the sunset. A rumbling, gurgling sound hit both their ears. Lightning looked at her own stomach. "Uh, hey. Wouldn't you know it, I'm late for a date with dinner." "A date?" "Yes, Gilda. With dinner." "Is that what you call her now? Maybe you'll introduce us sometime." "L-like you have any room to talk! Your stomach's been howling the whole time." As soon as Lightning pointed it out, Gilda felt the hunger pains hitting hard. "Ugh, well the Princess didn't give me any crumpets or whatever those things are that rich ponies eat." "Yeah," Lightning replied. She shrugged. "Guess we should get home and feed the beasts, right?" "Yeah, guess you're right. Later, Dust." The pony broke away and, finally, headed home. "I'll be seeing you next week!" she shouted to the griffon. Gilda shook her head. Not like I have a choice. A few hours later found Gilda on the doorstep of her home. True to Lightning Dust's word, the moon shone brilliantly and offered more than enough light for the return trip. Despite the new developments, she entered the house the same way as always – tired and hungry. Her satchel and jacket were shed and dropped on the floor by the entrance; she couldn't be bothered to properly hang them up right then and was thankful just to be out of them. A spot of leftover fish from the fridge partially helped alleviate her gnawing hunger. But instead of putting her to sleep like it usually did, the fish helped to recoup some lost energy. Gilda wanted to sleep, but her heart had different plans. Swallowing the last of the cold fish, the griffon went into her least favorite room, the study. Instead of the usual half-hearted writing about ponies that Gilda used the room for, she was in there for much different reasons. She examined the bookcases that flanked the room, full of equestrian knowledge. That would have to change soon if she was to pull off this new endeavor. But, for now, all that was needed was a space for the new addition. Gilda pried an opening on the shelf for the book and groaned in frustration when she realized where that book was. I'll let Future Gilda get that one. So instead, she sat before the veritable mess of a desk and gathered up all the loose – and now redundant – research papers into a loose stack. With the space mostly cleared, she could now organize all her quills and different colored inkwells at the top of the desk. Finished, she gathered the stack of documents in her talons and stopped briefly to consider her new role. Ugh, tell a story about griffons? I'm gonna have to sleep on that one. Gilda opened the drawer for copied documents, and as she placed the papers in their final resting place, her talon brushed against something hard. Without seeing it, she knew exactly what it was. She hadn't set eyes on it since it was unceremoniously shoved to the back there almost two years ago. The glass-less frame she pulled from the drawer contained a faded picture of two fliers who had just graduated Junior Speedsters. The fledgling griffon in the picture had head feathers that were a dark, juvenile brown, speckled with adult white feathers that were just coming in – and the pony had a prismatic mane. Their smiles told of different, happier times. A small shard of glass that stubbornly clung to the corner of the frame told the latest chapter of their story. But instead of bitterly throwing it back in the drawer, she drew it closer. You were the first pony that gave me the time of day in this godforsaken country, she thought. But those days are gone... After having a moment with the photograph, Gilda stood back up with it and left for her bedroom. With one talon holding the frame and the other trying to finagle out the shard, she was forced into a bipedal walk, which wasn't a problem for the griffon. Once she freed the glass and tossed it in the trash, she crawled onto her bed. As she laid down on the comforting mattress, all the stress put on her body from flying all day began to show. Sleep would help with that, she just had to hope she could come by it soon. Gilda rolled onto her side facing the nightstand and stood the picture up in its rightful position. Over the past few years, the griffon had gone through a plethora of emotions over what that picture meant; from rage at Pinkie Pie for coming in between them, to anger and loathing at her own insecurities, and finally to sorrow over Dash's rejection of her. If they were better friends, they would have reconciled, but stubborn pride on both sides was their downfall. It was you that told me to find new friends, but I never felt ready... Gilda lay unmoving in the bed, with eyes glued to the picture, trying to travel back to the time it was taken. She placed herself in her own skin back then and wondered if she had changed at all since then, or was she still the same sarcastic, spiteful fledgling in the picture. ...Until now. She was torn. While the day had not presented her with any new opportunities to leave the ponies for Gryphus forever, she was still on course for that goal. But what was there for her, really? A family that had shunned her and sent her away, and a society she had never felt a part of and only grown further apart from due to her many years away. Here was a home, here was… a friend. One new, cool friend. Either stay for her and fulfill Rainbow's suggestion – or return to a homeland that had nothing for her. The choice bounced around Gilda's head until the sandmare claimed her once more. Only for you, Dash. === Gilda: An Honest Opinion? (Original draft) === This is not a fifth chapter to Old Paths, New Directions. This is just the original draft. "What do you know about Ponies?" This was the question that had been plaguing a Griffon's mind and dreams ever since she had a falling out with her best, and only Pony friend. This question was the whole reason why she was even in Equestria. A small talon shot into the air. "Yes, Gilda?" The dream flowed from one place to the next, neither coherent, nor indecipherable. "And just WHY do you know so much about PONIES, you don't need to hang with those lame-brains now that I'M around! Unless, of course, you want to eat them." "Wha... N-no, it's not like that!" "Exactly, now, make like a bee, and fly away home. Gimme a call when you're done being a dweeb." Time held no bounds in the dreamscape. "Man am I glad to be done with that exam. Ugh, I can't believe I once actually liked those foul creatures." "Heh heh, You sure were lame back them. Just stick with us Griffons and everything will be smooth sailings." "Oh I ain't goin' anywhere other then on an awesome summer vacation." "Unfortunately the only place I'm going is straight to after school detention. I'll catch you later, G." "Ja." Even the best laid plans can fall astray. "WHAT IN TARTARUS IS THIS!!!" "A report card." "And what is the highest grade!" "Uh, A plus?" "Yes, A plus. A PLUS ON THE FREAKING PONY TEST!!! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!" The flow turned into a torrent, with no rhyme nor reason. "Why don't you make like a bee. BUZZ OFF!" "We're sending you to a flight camp in Equestria for the summer." "You think they're gonna let you back in after that." "You're dorking up the skies Stinkie Pie." "These Ponies are driving me buggy, I gotta bail." "If being "cool" is all you care about, then why don't you go and find some new cool friends someplace else." "NOT. COOL." "ENOUGH!" At this command, everything ceased to exist. The dream became very lucid for Gilda. An ethereal dome had been formed overhead, with the deep purple of Gilda's subconscious swirling ominously outside. With a disturbing clarity, she cast her gaze on the Sandmare descending into the dreamscape. Touching down, The Alicorn spoke. "Fear not, fair Equestrian." Though she would never admit it, Gilda was actually shaking. She knew all about the Nightmare and the reputation that preceded the Alicorn. After all, the dreamscape was used as a recruitment device during the Lunar Rebellion. Any fear felt by the Griffon, however, was lost as indignation took its place. "I am not an Equestrian!" Gilda barked, drawing herself onto her hind legs to meet the Princess's height. "Not by species, no," Luna responded to the maddened Griffion. Gilda grabbed the sides of her head. "Gah, why are you even here, don't you know how very bad this is for you!" "Hm, I'm sure your personality has been very bad for many ponies." Luna stated while watching an image of Gilda roaring at Fluttershy, a hoof placed under her chin.. A quick swipe of talons ended that particular vision. "Not your greatest achievement, I'm sure." Gilda howled in frustration. "Get out of my head!" the swirling mass that was Gilda's subconscious began bubbling furiously. "Look, Princess Luna, you seriously don't know how dangerous this is for you, no, for Equestria. You could start a war!" "I guess we don't want that on our conscience now do we." "Yeah, I bet we don't. Now piss off!" Gilda was going to continue with a lengthy tirade until Luna's ears perked at a ringing in the distance, not unlike a loud noise in a city that you eventually just get used to. "Well, it seems like forces beyond our control will pull us apart." Luna said as she began to fade from view. "HEY! Get back here, dweeb! I'm not through with you yet!" "The waking world calls you, Griffon, don't keep her waiting." "NIGHTMARE!" Gilda screamed out the Griffon Deity's name before realizing that she was sitting up in her bed. Taking a minute to catch her breath, the Griffon cast her golden gaze to the offensive ringer sitting atop the nightstand. Gilda swung a fist at the alarm clock, but stopped short. Extending a talon, she gently pressed the off button, bathing the bedroom with silence. Utilizing the quiet reprieve, Gilda got on all fours and began her routine Griffon morning maintenance. She arched her back in a feline fashion while stretching out her still curled up avian talons as far as they could go, nearly touching the bed with her beak. Holding that position, Gilda stretched one rear leg out at a time, feeling a rough purr work its way up from her chest to her throat. After working the kinks out of her back and limbs, Gilda set about her next order of maintenance. Plopping back down onto the bed, the Griffon unfurled her massive wings and appraised the damage. 'Ugh, I just preened these things last night, I must have been tossing in my sleep. I can't believe I let that lame-flank Princess crawl in my head.' Unlike in Equestria, Griffon society remembered the Nightmare and the Lunar Rebellion's recruitment of Ponies and Griffons alike through the power of dreams. After Princess Luna's return and The Longest Night, the Griffon military went from peacetime to its maximum readiness. And the Gryphus-Equestria Pact, the longstanding peace treaty, almost came to an end. Seeking a diplomatic solution, Celestia invited a delegation from Gryphus to discuss Luna's return. And after weeks of bitter negotiations, both sides came to an agreement that forbade Luna from Dreamwalking any of Gryphus's citizens or their embassy workers and diplomats living in Equestria. Gilda's purr turned into a growl. 'They must have forgotten about lowly carrier pigeons like me.' Gilda dipped her beak into the left wing and began smoothing out the feathers, also using a talon to speed up the process. As a Royal Gryphus Messenger, Gilda had been drilled by her superiors the importance of a quick and efficient delivery between Gryphus and the various embassies scattered around Equestria. The inside joke of messengers is 'The Post is Always Late.' Unfortunately for the government of Gryphus, somegriffon from way back in the annals of time took off with this phrase and said, 'The post is always late, so don't worry.' From that day forward, messengers have been jokingly using it as an excuse to take it easy and see the sights. Sadly, the novelty was lost on Gilda. Finished with her once-over of her wings, Gilda hopped off the bed onto the cloud floor and made her way through the dark room to the door. Before leaving, she glanced at the clock. The digitized number 4:30 glared back in an accusing red light. The letters "MON" were displayed in smaller text in the bottom right, but with no less venom. "Waking world my ass, the sun ain't even up yet!" Mondays were not Gilda's favorite due to the long haul flight that would take up her entire day. The flight would span from Cloudsdale all the way to the Gryphus main embassy in Manehatten, then to the Castle's front gate in Canterlot, then back to Cloudsdale just in time for sunset and for a zombified Griffon to crawl back into bed. Gilda's weekly Manehatten to Canterlot journey, not counting the extra miles to and from Cloudsdale, was one of the longest flights for Royal Gryphus. Second only to the trans-ocean route to Gryphus, which was about twice the length on a round trip. Gilda made her way into the living area of her small cloud home. Like most cloud homes, this one was designed with a large living area in the center, with rooms arrayed in a semicircular fashion around the perimeter. Flipping on a light switch revealed the living area and its attached kitchen. The Griffon sauntered over to the small bathroom, but stopped to give a glare at her study. The study, unlike the rest of the bluish white cloudstruction, had walls lined with bookshelves and a green carpet to give a more cozy feel. The desk was littered with writing utensils and loose papers. Gilda regretfully frowned at this. 'My pony research, the true reason why I'm in Equestria.' Sparing only a moment of her time, Gilda continued into the bathroom. After emerging a few minutes later with the crust out her eyes, the Bald Eagle Griffon headed for her kitchen to get a small snack, which in this case was a cup of lukewarm coffee and a stale biscuit. Gilda took a quick glance at the map that was magnetized to the fridge while gnawing down the tough bread and using the coffee to soften the blow. After finishing breakfast and downing the coffee, Gilda set the mug on the table and grabbed her black leather jacket off the back of the kitchen chair. Slotting her wings through the allotted holes with practiced ease, Gilda then slipped her fore-limbs into the sleeves. Standing on her hind legs, Gilda got her brown letter satchel with the Gryphus Crest stitched to its side and threw the strap over her head and onto her right shoulder — and the bag under her left arm. While fiddling with the strap to make sure the bag wouldn't interfere with the action of her wings, Gilda went to the fridge and got her mid flight meal, a lemon flavored sports drink and a plastic wrapped veggie sub, and stuffed them into the bottom of the satchel. Gilda took a final glance at the clock and found herself ready to go to work. She had set a very finite time schedule of waking at 4:30, out the door by 5, be in Manehatten by noon Eastern Equestrian Time, and to Canterlot by 5 PM Central. After that, Gilda was off the clock for the rest of the week. After turning out the light, Gilda opened the front door and entered the lamp lit street. With breath turned to mist in the cool morning air, Gilda looked up to see the first twinge of purplish light in the eastern sky. As diurnal predators, Griffon eyes were specifically attuned for daylight hours, with emphasis on distant viewing and color distinction. As a result, it was uncommon for Griffons to fly at night under anything less then a full moon. "Perfect, right on schedule." On the back of the mail satchel was a secondary strap. Gilda stretched out her wings and wrapped the strap around her body, securing the bag in place. Gilda then checked her pockets for her house keys and the hard case of her aviators, not wanting to burn her retinas out on another beautiful sunrise. After checking for sunglasses and locking the front door, Gilda went out into the middle of the street. Unlike her ex-friend Rainbow Dash, Gilda followed the rules and scanned the skies and roadway for Ponies before taking off. It was legal for Ponies to take off directly from the street during nighttime and other low traffic hours. Any other time they would have to use one of the many "Launchpad" pavilions scattered around the city. It was Rainbow Dash's unconscious disregard of the rules and other Ponies which quickly made her, and by extension, Gilda — very popular with the local authorities. This ultimately forced the former to leave for Ponyville. 'I stopped you doing that after you got caught and the judge sentenced us both to community service for three months!' Gilda didn't try to fight the scowl on her beak. 'Kept you grounded, then you left for Lameville like that Butterfly Pony. Musta' thought I was smothering you or sumthin'.' Gilda shook the memory out of her head and oriented herself to face down the street. The lamps that lined either side of the street were used as makeshift guideposts for Gilda's takeoff run. She started walking a slow pace down the street, then sped up to a pace known in Equestria known as a 'trot'. Gilda shivered at the prospect of trotting like a Pony. Luckily for Gilda, her street was generally empty at this hour, because Celestia forbid, if anypony saw the tough as nails Griffon trot... 'They might get the wrong idea and think I have a creepy fetish or somethin'.' Without losing any momentum, Gilda fell into a crouch and coiled the muscles in her back legs. With an almighty thrust, Cloudsdale was shoved downwards and a Griffon fell into the sky. Gilda's wings began to work with the air, each powerful stroke bringing her higher above the city. Other ponies were just starting to fill the Cloudsdale airspace, with most of them heading to the Weather Factory for work, as did Gilda for a stint. After Junior Speedsters, Gilda found herself alone and abandoned in an alien country. Seeing a friend in need, Rainbow Dash invited the Griffon into her home. But Gilda was still coping with the rejection by her kind. It turned out that Spectrum, Rainbow Dash's father, was a senior plant manager, and seeing Gilda start to lapse into depression firsthoof, offered the Griffon a job at the Weather Factory. Gilda fiercely objected to the charity, stating that it wasn't the Griffon way and that she didn't have anything of equal value to barter. She eventually came to the conclusion that simply being a good employee was worth its weight in gold to the elder Pegasus, and only then, did Gilda take Spectrum up on his offer. True to her word, Gilda became the best employee she could be, even respected by the more senior employees. And the job, plus hanging out with Dash after work occupied enough of Gilda's time to keep her out of despondency. Sadly, this would not last. Unfortunately, Gilda was only a de facto employee, and as such was only a placeholder until somepony more qualified was found for the job. And at the start of the next hiring period, Spectrum had to make a painful cut to his staff. Gilda would be terminated, but on the condition that she could choose her successor from a pool of job seekers, with unexpected results. Gilda and Spectrum could have petitioned against the former's termination, but at the end of the day its very hard to argue with a Cutie Mark. After gaining enough altitude, Gilda banked away from Cloudsdale and headed due east. With Cloudsdale quickly disappearing behind, Gilda did a very routine navigational check. To her south were the foothills of the Unicorn Range. In the southeast was the snow-capped Mount Equus, the orange sunrise lighting it up like a torch. Behind was Cloudsdale, And the east brought pain to Gilda's eyes. Not wasting another second, the Griffon pulled out her shades and relived her eyes of the glare. Stretching out below and to the north was the breadbasket of Equestria, nothing but rolling farmland as far as Gilda's eyes could see. As the sun trudged further into the sky, Gilda focused on flying as efficiently as possible, using the thermal updrafts to their fullest potential. After doing this for a few hours, Gilda reached the Crystal River crossing. Just ahead was where the Vanhoover-Manehatten line turned toward the latter city after dog-legging northeast out of Canterlot. This was also another navigation point for Gilda, all she had to do was follow the tracks. Looking around once more, she could faintly make out the mist of Neighagra Falls to the north, and the Foal Mountains in the south. A puff of steam in the east caught Gilda's attention. The steam came from a train trundling down the tracks — heading due west. Even from her position a few thousand feet up, Gilda could still make out the train in good detail as it passed under. Being a creature of the sky, Gilda felt some misplaced pity for the ponies that needed to travel by ground based means. The sharp whistle, though dulled by the altitude, hit Gilda's ears. Being careful to not lose her sunglasses, Gilda glanced down to see one of the Ponies operating the train lean out the window with his hat off, waving. Without much thought, Gilda rocked her wings in the traditional Pegasi salute, her "cool" image forgotten for the moment. The pony apparently saw this because he put his conductor hat back on and retreated into his cab. The neutral look on Gilda's face darkened to a small frown after this. "Ugh, I'm acting like a dweeb more everyday," Gilda lamented, knowing full well that her plastic facade had been steadily melting ever since losing Rainbow Dash's favor. Gilda was spared anymore thought by the tearing winds of turbulence, pulling her around the sky. After the brief shock and stabilizing her flight, Gilda put concentration back into her wings and powered through the wind shear. After several altitude adjustments, the Griffon found a smooth spot in the air. Gilda saw that she was now flying over the low mountains where the rail line dove into a tunnel, beyond this were the outer boroughs of Manehatten. After passing over the hills, Gilda began her descent towards the island.. From below Gilda all the way to the ocean was the outer borough of New Yoke City. And, connected to the mainland via the aptly named Manehatten Bridge, was the city of dreams. And it disgusted Gilda to no end. New Yoke was one of the first settlements founded by the Three Tribes as they descended out of the northeast into the new land of Equestria. After settling in the area, the representatives of each tribe voted to make the town the Equestrian capitol. New Yoke stayed this way from its inception up till after the Griffon war and the coming of the Celestials, when the capitol was moved inland for safety in the future. After that land developers began looking at the unpopulated island and saw a great place for a dockyard and a naval base. This was the first iteration of Manehatten. It's current form, however, was by far the most ambitious. Gilda suppressed a reflexive gag at the sight of the newest addition to Manehatten's collection of skyscrapers. Not only was the obsidian, modernist building the tallest in Equestria. But it also had a gigantic Horse's head being constructed on top. Gilda looked away and banked toward a building that was only about half the height, the Gryphus embassy. Gilda looked down at a bank clock tower and saw that it was quarter to twelve. Once landed on the Embassy's top deck, Gilda got her legs for land and looked for signs of life. Finding none, the Griffon sat down and leaned her back against the railing that encircled the top deck. Knowing that she had time to kill Gilda decided it was time for lunch. Placing her shades on top of her head, Gilda fished her snack out of the bottom of the satchel, setting the items in between her outstretched legs. When Gilda first started this job, she quickly found out that her satchel, when exposed to cold air at altitude, made an excellent cooler for snacks. Picking up and unwrapping the sub, Gilda nibbled off a corner of the sandwich. While eating, Gilda tried to at least appreciate the metropolitan skyline. Most of the buildings either didn't capture the patience of the Griffon, or were just too hard to look at. The only one that did catch Gilda's eye was the Art Deco skyscraper that used to be the tallest before horse head took its rightful place. Once done eating, Gilda popped the top off her drink and took a swig of the sour nectar contained within. At the sound of the rooftop entrance opening Gilda hopped up onto her back legs, being careful not to spill her drink in the process. One of the many embassy workers, a small Peregrine Falcon Griffon. Made his way towards Gilda. The aforementioned Griffon got ready to finally leave the overdone city for another week, but immediately fell stale when she saw the bailiff's empty talons. Seeing this, Gilda gave a look that screamed "where is it" which the bailiff easily picked up on. "My apologies, ma'am, the cargo is still being printed up. I should be back with it in about fifteen... ah, here we go." Gilda followed the bailiff's gaze into the sky to see a turquoise Pegasus with a flaming copper mane coming in to land. Gilda guessed that this was her Equestrian counterpart by the Celestial Crest on her saddlebags. Once the Royal Messenger touched down, Gilda got a good look at her flank. Emblazoned on it was a talent mark comprised of a lightning bolt with three golden stars below it. Without an actual name to go by, Gilda simply dubbed the Pony Lightning Strike. As the bailiff tended to the new arrival, Gilda unknowingly put on her old, "cool" persona. She paid little attention to the small talk between the Griffon and Pegasus. Instead, Gilda began fussing over her long feather crest, making sure they were at their awesome best. Once the bailiff finished up with the Pony and went back inside Gilda began to pay attention to what the Pony was saying. "Aw yeah!" the pony cheered. "Five hours flat! I bet I'm the fastest Pegasus in Equestria! Maybe the whole planet." Gilda emitted an almost audible gasp at this. 'Celestia, she's just like her!' Gilda began to take a liking to this brash Pegasus, But her mind stopped this notion dead. 'Why don't you go find some new, cool friends someplace else.' This hit Gilda, hard enough to drive tears into her eyes. Her grip relaxed, almost dropping her drink and letting the plastic wrapper in the other talon fly off into the sky. Bleary eyes noticed that Lightning Strike had moved over to an alcove by the entrance with a few vending machines. Seeing the pony occupied with her purchase, Gilda began furiously scrubbing at her eyes with the back of her talon. 'What's going on! I've never cried over Dash before. Why now?' Gilda glumly thought while trying to salvage her facade, but it was mostly damage control at this point. Seeing Lightning Strike hobble away from the vending machine with her purchase in hoof caused Gilda to quickly throw her sunglasses over her eyes. Gilda was a Griffon, and as a griffon, she could not let a pony see her cry. With acting "cool" out the window, Gilda adopted her second persona, callous indifference. With a flat expression and a thousand yard stare, she would fend off anything thrown her way. And if that failed, Gilda had a leather jacket and avaitors to back her up. This wouldn't be the case, however, if the hooves clopping closer were any indication. Outwardly, Gilda looked like she just didn't care. Things were different on the inside. 'Go away, go away, go away, go away,' Gilda chanted in her mind to the sound of each hooffall, hoping to will away the Rainbow Dash knockoff. At the same time, she silently hoped that she would be rescued by a binder full of diplomatic cables that needed a ride to Canterlot. The pony arrived at the rail and placed her front legs over the top. She wasn't too close as to be annoying, but close enough to know what would happen next. "Wassup." If Gilda wasn't frustrated now, then she was downright charitible. With an audible clack, Gilda slammed the cap onto her bottle and screwed it shut with deliberate twisting motions. If anything, this only enticed the pony to press the issue. "Geez, what's got you all rattled?" The pony shifted positions, mirroring Gilda's posture. "I hope its not me," she muttered. 'Naw, it couldn't possibly be you,' Gilda thought with a heavy snark. "No its just," Gilda scratched at her eye. "The bright... buildings? Yeah, the buildings are bright," Gilda nodded. The pony took a tone of mock-offense. "What's wrong with the buildings?" "Hm, what's wrong with the buildings? Maybe its that Griffons used to own this island. Then after the war it was given to Equestria. And they honor them by putting a gigantic horse's head on a skyscraper." "A gigantic horse head! What are you talking about?" The pony followed Gilda's outstretched talon to the eyesore. "Well that's new." "Yeah, so..." Gilda fell silent, wondering why the heck she was even conversing with this pony. Lightning Strike, as it were, was busy examining the horse head. "Dang, that head is huge. I hope that's not what the owner looks like!" Gilda gave out a hearty guffaw. "I would hope not, because that's one ugly dude." After sharing a laugh, the pony extended her wing. Gilda met this with an arched eyebrow. "Ah shoot! I was schooled about this. Here." she extended a foreleg. Gilda tentatively hovered out a talon, then very slowly wrapped her digits around the hoof. "Hoo kay," the pony shook the talon. "Name's Lightning Dust." "Gilda." A pregnant silence befell the duo, only to be broken a second later. "So... Gilda?" "What?" "Well, you're probably the first Manehattenite that's ever told me the island's deep secret." "Who said I was from Manehatten." "I kinda took a guess by your accent." This time it was Gilda that took the offended tone. "What's wrong with my accent?" Lightning Dust fidgeted nervously. "Um nothing, nothing at all. Its actually kinda nice." "Hold on," Gilda held up a halting talon. "Let me get this straight. First your on me about the buildings, and now your on me about my accent. I see how it is." Lightning Dust decided that a change of subject was in order. "Say, since you're delivering to Canterlot and I happen to live there, we should make the trip as a wing. Ya with me!" "Uh... sure," Gilda awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "We're headed the same way so it makes sense, right?" Lightning Dust stared blankly at Gilda's forced smile, then brightened up with a smile of her own. "Exactly." The sound of the rooftop doors sliding open caught the attention of the mares. The same Griffon from earlier made his way toward the duo. "Sorry about the wait, ma'am. Here, let me load you up." Lightning Dust hid her snickering behind a hoof as the embassy worker filled Gilda's satchel with the missives from Gryphus. Once he had deposited the documents, the nameless Griffon wished them well before disappearing back into the embassy. Gilda finished off the rest of her drink and made to throw the bottle away, but was stopped by the mare that was giggling like a lunatic beside her. "What the heck is so funny!" Gilda snarled. Lightning Dust did her best to speak through her chortling. "Load you up!" Gilda developed a look of pure confusion at this. "Load you up..." Then it clicked. "Ugh, whatever!" Gilda stalked away from Lightning Dust's annoying horse laugh and threw her empty bottle in a nearby recycle bin. Then she went over to the Pegasi recovery deck that jutted out from the side of the building. Checking that her cargo was secure, Gilda spread her wings and simply fell forward off the deck. Once she caught some air, Gilda craned her head around to see Lightning Dust gallop off the platform in some sort of flying leap. About an hour later Gilda found herself over the forest community of Hollow Shades. But she was too irritated to care about the scenery. Gilda didn't know if it was the extra weight slowing her down, the way the lapels of her jacket rustled in the wind, or the turquoise horsefly following just off her wing. "So at that point I was like, what's the quickest way to clear clouds — then it hit me! I would use a tornado! So I says to my wingpony..." Gilda didn't pay much attention to Lightning Dust's rambling epic about her time at flight academy — instead she focused on simply getting the lane trip over with. Meanwhile, Lightning Dust's story continued unabated. "I was in the funnel and my wingpony must have been carrying to much speed, because I began losing it. I remember calling out, then the tornado spat me out — and my wingpony shortly after. It was the worst spin-out ever, I barely recovered in time." Lightning paused and took a shaking breath. "As I spun uncontrollably down, I saw her get ejected from the funnel — and with nopony to control it... And for some insane reason, a hot-air balloon just happened to stray into our restricted airspace." Gilda began paying close attention to the mare who was now wildly gesticulating with her fore-limbs. "At this point my wingpony, who I had lost sight of, shot after the occupants of the balloon. They had been ejected from the tornado and were in freefall. I tried to join the other Pegasi in the rescue attempt, but I just couldn't fly anymore. Every time I tried to lift off, my wings faltered. It reminded me of a parent biting a foal's tail to prevent them from running off." She gave a long, drawn-out sigh before continuing. "It was like my body no longer wanted to put up with my recklessness." "So I just stood there as the ponies fell, trying to get my wings to work. My wingpony by this time had made it below the ponies and was compacting a cloud layer to stop their fall. It must have worked, because they hit the cloud and bounced up into the waiting arms of the rescuers." Gilda saw the expression on Lightning Dust's face morph into a sad smile. "I felt so much relief to see them saved that my wings began to work and I looped in joy. I flew over to the group of ponies while coming up with some kind of explanation, but I didn't know what I was getting into. It turned out that the balloonists were friends of my wingpony, and had come to visit her. If I had known this, I don't think I would have acted so horribly." Lightning's voice dropped to a whisper. "That's how I got kicked out the academy." Gilda mulled over everything about Lightning Dust's story. It seemed Lighting, much like Gilda, had used a rotten personality in her life that ultimately got her nowhere. 'Almost makes me feel sorry for her. I'm still irritated by her though, but I can put up with it.' Until Lightning spoke again, any sorrow or remorse strangely missing. "You want to hear about how yours truly became a royal — Ack!" Lightning Dust squawked in displeasure as Gilda aggressively flared her wings, dragging herself down to a full stop. Lightning Dust deftly evaded and came to a rest next to Gilda. "What's the deal with the brake-checking, dude!" the pony shouted. Gilda slowly took off her sunglasses and put them back in their hard case, which she pocketed. Sigh — "look, Lightning Strike-" "It's Dust! Lightning Dust!" she protested. Gilda grabbed her own forehead with a talon. "Fine, Lightning Dust. When you first came by me on the deck, I did what I was supposed to do and put on a friendly face." Lightning Dust scoffed at this. "I only agreed to be your wing because it would be awkward not to." "Just what are you saying?" "I just — I don't think I'm ready for another Pony friend yet." "Oh, what were they like?" Lighting couldn't see it through the feathers, but a vein was pulsing above Gilda's eye.. "Gods give me strength," Gilda groaned. "Alright, how about this. I challenge you to a race." Gilda pointed a talon at herself. "If I win, you have to leave me be forever. No talking, no friendship, no nothing. If we run into each other on our runs, you pretend I don't exist, got it!" "Hm," Lightning stroked her muzzle with a hoof. "A race you say? And if you win, you get left alone." Gilda nodded an affirmative. "You're on, but only if the loser has to become friends with the winner." "Sure," Gilda agreed, not fully comprehending the wager. Gilda pointed to a cloud high in the sky to the west, specifically chosen because it suited her natural climbing ability. "That cloud will be the finish line." "On three, one, two — three!" Gilda watched with mild amusement as Lightning Dust shot upward into a climb towards the cloud. Gilda opted to get as much speed as possible before beginning her climb. Gilda utilized a strong tailwind coming off of the rugged peaks of the Foal Mountains to gain even more speed. Once she had enough, Gilda pointed her beak skyward and quickly ascended into the heavens. Strong wings acted like giant air scoops as powerful strokes pulled the Griffon ever higher. Up above and slightly behind was Lightning Dust, who at this point had lost all her energy and was now struggling to reach the cloud. Gilda, however, had no trouble making up the altitude difference. With an assurance of victory, Gilda punched through the cloud and touched her back legs down onto its surface. Seeing the Griffon win still didn't deter Lightning Dust from at least finishing the race. Gilda watched with an impish grin as the panting Pegasus pulled herself onto the cloud. Despite her loss, Lightning still had a cheeky smile on her face as she looked up at the larger victor. Gasp — "I must have gotten out of shape in my downtime." Gilda had her talons firmly placed on her hips as she regarded the Pegasus. "And just what are you still doing here," Gilda glared. Lightning Dust's grin didn't falter. "Its only good taste for the loser to finish the race." "Yeah, but why are you still here?" "The wager was that the loser had to befriend the winner." "Dude, I don't know what planet your on, but I won. And the winner gets to be left alone." Lightning Dust went in for the kill. "But the loser-" Lighting let the word hang, "has to become friends with the winner." Lightning Dust pointed a hoof at herself. "And I lost." Gilda lost the ability to work her beak, and the stonewall expression she maintained began to sag uncontrollably. Lightning continued on. " So as your new-" Lightning gave a dramatic bow, "honorary pony friend, your wish is my command. If you want to be left alone, so be it." At this point, Gilda had fallen completely silent, with only one thought in her head. 'How did I fall for that.' "So, what is your command?" Lightning asked the brain dead Griffon. She waved a hoof in front of Gilda's face."He-llo, anypony home." "Ugh!" Gilda waved the hoof out of her face. "Knock it off!" Lighting Dust continued to stare questioningly. "Let's just get to Canterlot." "Sounds like a plan, Gil." "Then I'm going home!" The sun had already started its descent when Gilda and Lightning rolled into the outskirts of Canterlot. The Castle, Gilda's destination, overlooked the city from its lofty perch on the mountain. Lightning pointed down towards the suburbs below. "That's where I'm from," Lightning stated. "Boring, I know." "Uh huh," Gilda grunted. "Well, I'll just let you be. Unless you need my help finding the castle, of course." "I can handle myself, Da — I mean Dust." "Cool." Lightning turned away but came back a second later. "Oh yeah, If we're flying like this next week, you're telling the sob story." "Oh har har," Gilda emitted a sarcastic laugh. "Very funny, don't expect an epic like your academy tale, though." "Alright," Lightning turned away for the final time. "See you next week!" Once Lightning Dust peeled off towards wherever home was, Gilda made the final hop to the Castle Gates. She landed at the open portcullis and waited for the guards to retrieve the mail. One of the guards approached Gilda, but said something completely unexpected. "The Princess has requested your presence," the guard said in their all to formal tone. "Come again?" "The Princess has requested your presence," The guard repeated. "Did she say why?" "No ma'am, just said to retrieve you. Follow me." 'I could run, but I would only be safe until I fell asleep.' Gilda contemplated dropping her satchel and flying away, but decided it would be wise to just follow instead. As the guard led Gilda through the courtyard and into the castle proper, she began feeling a sense of deja vu. A faint memory of being here with her parents on royal business scratched at the back of Gilda's mind. As they moved down the hall, Gilda averted her eyes away from the stained glass window — which contained, among other things, Rainbow Dash. 'I wonder why they want me. Maybe they want to off me before I tattle, not like I'm lame enough to do so." Gilda had a particularly scary thought. 'Or they want to turn me into — Gasp — a pony so they can legally look inside my head.' "Here we are." Gilda stopped to see the door to Princess Celestia's private study. "Is there anything special I have to do? Do I have to bow?" 'Please don't tell me I have to bow!' "You can just be casual on this visit." 'I can be casual — alright, now I'm scared.' The guard gave a light rap on the door before opening. Gilda followed the armored stallion inside to see Princess Celestia hunched over a too small desk — working on her daily business as Equestria's ruler. "Ah, Gilda," she greeted the Griffon in her usual comforting tone. "You can hand your cables to the guard." Gilda opened her satchel and pulled out the heavy binders, which the guard expertly balanced between his wing roots. "You're dismissed," Celestia told her guard. The stallion closed the door behind himself — leaving Gilda alone with Celestia in her study. Seeing that the Princess was busy scratching at her documents — and unlikely to stop anytime soon, Gilda's eyes wandered the room. The only thing in the room that truly caught her was the other avian sharing the room. Celestia's pet Phoenix stirred on her perch, cawing softly at the Griffon in her space. "I heard you had a visitor last night." Gilda immediately settled on the Princess. "Yeah?" she growled. "And what of it?" Celestia dropped her quill into an inkwell and cleared the desk of documents, stacking them neatly on the side. "My sister, bless her heart," she began. "After her "cleansing" by the elements, Luna has had difficulty adjusting to modern society. Some things carry over quite easily through the centuries, but many things — are lost in translation." Celestia got on her hooves and went to retrieve something from a filing cabinet. "Her dream-walking ability can be used for good, and bad. But time only remembered one of those traits." "Look Princess," Gilda began. "Its not something I'm gonna lose sleep over — I mean, I'm not bothered too much by it." "That's good to hear, but it's not the reason why I have summoned you." "So why did you summon me?" Celestia sat back down at the desk with a stack of yellowed scrolls hovering beside her. "To talk about you." Gilda unconsciously backed up a step. "Wha... m-me? You must have the wrong Griffon." "I'm sure I have the right Griffon." "And what about me do you want to know?" Celestia sighed. "What happened?" "What do you mean what happened?" "One of these might be able to clarify," Celestia began to rifle through the stack of papers. "I have a student in Ponyville," she said as she worked. "She's a good kid, but a bit of a shutout. I have her send a correspondence whenever she discovers something profound about friendship." Celestia pretended to not notice Gilda's eye roll. "Here," Celestia handed Gilda a paper. "Read." 'What is this, a love letter?' "Dearest Princess Celestia. Today, I learned that its hard to accept when somepony you like wants to spend time with somepony who's not so nice..." Gilda trailed off, her expression hardening the further down she read. Once done, she slammed her talon down on the hardwood desk. Gilda felt righteous indignation burn inside her chest, then disappear as quickly as it came — leaving an uncaring feeling behind. "A false friend, huh. Is that all I am to you dash?" Celestia spoke softly. "That may or may not be true. But this is only one of many opinions expressed that day. If that is what Rainbow truly thinks of you, we may never know." "Well, Princess. Maybe what happened is that my best friend — who I hadn't seen in years — decided it would be fun to throw a sham party for me when I would have been happy with just hanging out. Maybe it was Pinkie Pie unable to take a hint. Maybe its the fact that I couldn't keep my job at the weather factory because I didn't have a goddamn cutie mark!" Gilda's fiery voice dropped to a whisper. "Or maybe its because I was left to fend for myself by my parent's and Grizelda. Why am I telling you this! You don't care. "Oh?" Celestia reached into the pile of letters once again, pulling out a piece of college ruled notebook paper. "This mar change your outlook." Gilda grabbed the letter and began to read, slow realization creeping onto her features. It was the letter Gilda sent to Celestia when she was first dumped in Equestria. The one in which she spilled her guts about her situation and how she felt about it. Gilda's beak began to quiver. "Y-you actually read this?" Gilda asked, disbelief evident in her voice. "Of course." "B-but, I-I... it was your response." "And do you remember what my response was." Gilda racked her brain. "Not offhand no." Celestia nodded. "I see." "Well, Gilda, you can consider that my barter." "Huh?" "Showing you that letter carried some weight. Do you not have something equal to offer?" Gilda took a glance around the room. "I suppose I do. Its not much though." Gilda sat down. "When I was a cub, I used to be a big fan of ponies. I knew all sorts of crazy pony facts, I was even friends with a group of colts and fillies at my school — until she came." Celestia's questioning gaze signaled Gilda to continue. "Grizelda was a perfect Griffon, prideful, brash, rude... hated ponies — and that made her very popular very fast. One day, she found out that I was friends with the ponies and gave me two choices. Either I stick with the ponies and face complete humilation, or I join her little clique." Celestia frowned, knowing where this story was going. "After that day, all the ponies looked at me like I was Grizelda." "A few years later it was finals, and the clique decided to intentionally fail the Equestrian Society test. Now this was fairly common, students would get good grades in other fields so they wouldn't get held back. Accept I had been falling behind in several classes. And in order to not flunk, I need an incredibly good grade on the test. I got an A+ with extra credit. This did not go over well with Grizelda. After that, my parents sent me to flight camp for the summer. Before I left, Grizelda taunted me, said they wouldn't let me back in. I didn't believe this until I was given an envelope after camp with a task and a key to a house in Cloudsdale." "And out of spite, you didn't try to learn any thing from ponies?" Celestia asked Gilda nodded. "Then that's all I need from you." Gilda looked out the window, and to her shock, saw the slanted rays of sunset. "Shit!" Gilda exclaimed. " I got to get going." "Indeed." Celestia walked to her window and opened it, exposing the balcony. "You can take off from here." Gilda quickly brushed passed and readied for takeoff, but stopped at Celestia's voice. "Instead of telling griffons a story about ponies, you should tell ponies a story about Griffons." A few hours later found Gilda in her least favorite room, her study. She had drawers pulled out while looking for a piece of paper. Once found, Gilda read it, muttering the suggestion over and over. "Tell a story about griffons, tell a story about griffons..." Gilda began to giggle softly as she cleared her desk of loose papers. Then, she began pulling books off the shelves. Gilda had a story to pen. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions author: Aegis Shield tags: character:Original Character, character:Other, character:Princess Celestia, character:Princess Luna, genre:Adventure, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Kiss Thy Princess === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 1: Kiss Thy Princess Some called it an assassination attempt. Others a tragic slip in the kitchen, food poisoning that is. Others still thought it supernatural exhaustion from heaving at her bonds on the moon for a thousand years. Even more others than THAT thought that the extraction of Nightmare Moon's evil had left her frail and then comatose. Though rumor in the castle was rampant, few could fathom a very good reason for why Princess Luna had suddenly collapsed upon her throne one night. It was her first time holding the Night Court in a thousand years, and though she received no visitors she was determined to resume her duties as a royal princess of the night. She was surrounded by sleepy solar stallions, gifted to her by the royal guard, and a few officials that were normally night owls anyway. One can only imagine their surprise when the poor alicorn suddenly pitched over as though struck dead, tumbled down the high dais and knocked one of the guards down with her sheer weight. The castle had been sent into a frenzy of activity. Not the least of which was that Princess Celestia was disturbed from her slumber, something that had never happened before in recent memory. Guards suited up, closed ranks, and loaded ballistae that were covered with cobwebs. Within minutes, the palace had turned into a fortress and only the most trusted of servants were allowed in. High alert was not pleasant, not quiet, and not certainly an activity that one wanted to participate in at three in the morning. =-=-=-= Princess Celestia was surrounded by the best doctors in Canterlot, her sister's body splayed out on display for examination. They'd taken her temperature, blood pressure, weighed her hooves and checked her wings. They'd even dared to pluck one of her feathers to examine the roots for any signs of deeper infection. They'd interrogated the kitchen about what had been in that evening's meal. Everything they could think of. None could find anything out of the ordinary. She was not sweaty, or slick with fever. She didn't tremble as though cold, and her breathing sounded fine. Her nostrils were not blocked with mucus and the sheen of her feathers and mane were as radiant as ever. Other than being comatose, she was perfectly healthy! Celestia's horn was alight with deeper solar magicks, and the princess of the day was slowly moving her head back and forth over her sister. The light was beautiful, glittering and powerful. Moving her head from one side to the other many times with a frown of concentration, she finally cut out the magic and lifted her head. All those gathered looked at her hopefully. "I do not know what's wrong with her." Celestia finally sighed. "See to her bruises, and keep her comfortable." She told the head surgeon. Her bowed deep, swearing it would be so. As she exited the room, she spoke to the captain of the guard. "Captain Grey." She said with an air of royal authority. "Yes your majesty?" He and a V-formation of six more guards stood in the hallway waiting for orders. All stood stalwart in their golden regalia, eager to do her bidding. "Tell the palace guard to let down from high alert, it seems there has been no discernible foul play or attack. Have my sister moved to her chambers and have an attachment close ranks about her corridor." The princess commanded softly. "Seal off any balconies, and secure the general area. None may pass to see her unless I am there to escort them." Captain Grey snapped a salute, and it was so. A litter was put together and, after securing an empty path from the examination room to Luna's private chambers, she was discreetly moved. Though it only took two stallions to carry the litter, they used four to redouble their speed and risk less exposure. An ailing alicorn could only bring misery and low morale to the palace. When they arrived, the pushed the great doors open. Luna's room was messy at best, tornado-worthy at worst. The four guards moving her could barely see the walls of the place, so covered were they with pinned notes and star charts. Her desks, all three of them, were weighed down with inkwells, quill, protractors, and a number of mathematical devices. A jeweled telescope pointed at the horizon on the balcony, and the massive circular bed was an island in the middle of the madness. Working with careful hooves, they brought the limp form of their dark princess to her bed. Using their teeth they pulled the sheets and then the curtains. Surrounded on three sides with thick velvet curtains, the day would not disturb her rest if she needed it. The guards worked quickly and feverishly to bar the balcony doors after bringing in her telescope and putting it in a corner. They parted papers, moved things about until things were in a proper sort of order for protecting their princess. Captain Grey addressed the squad he'd gathered for the occasion. "Listen up. I'm posting you all at the end of this corridor when we've secured the whole thing. I want one of you in this room every five minutes from now until this crisis is over." He bade them. "You come down here, you check on her, you come back. No lingering." He looked from one guard to the next. They were all respectable ponies, he knew he could count on them. Four stallions, two mares, all excellent guardsponies with a few seasons under their saddles. One was staring at Luna a little sadly, "Aegis Shield! Eyes on me!" the captain snapped. The white stallion's cheeks colored a little and he snapped back to the rigid look of the stalwart guard again. "The princess hasn't been back for very long. Now is the time for the royal guard to really put the bits down and show that we're just as good at our jobs now as we were a thousand years ago." He pep-talked them. "Our ancestors were always there for the princesses, even during the great pony wars of old. Now it's our turn." He gestured with his muzzle at their fallen princess. "She needs our protection, and that's what she's gonna get. Understood?" "Yessir!" chorused the six guards in one voice, snapping salute. =-=-=-= It had been over a week with no changes. Everyone was secretly thankful Princess Luna was an alicorn. Though their rulers were just as mortal as their subjects, the castle staff knew there were certain things about the sisters that were unusual (i.e. their incredible longetivity). Eating and sleeping were really just for show for the two, for one thing. It was a lucky thing too. Had Luna been any other pony she would've wasted away in her comatose state from lack of food. Celestia visited often after she'd raised the moon herself, spending long evenings at her sister's bedside and brushing her starry mane. She did not weep o'er her sister's body, but those that had been around the princess of the day long enough could read the subtle twitches in her face. Celestia kept on a positive outlook and a bemused half-smile, but she may as well have been sobbing to those that knew her well enough. She almost didn't look up when one of the six guards opened the door to poke his head in. Under his princess' direct gaze he folded his wings bashfully as he entered. "Come in." she said softly. "I know you're just doing your job. I won't bite." She chuckled just a little, but he detected the hint of bitterness in her voice. She was so very worried for Luna, and knew not what to do with herself. The white stallion crossed the room slowly, sure to close the door behind him. He approached the alicorn-sized bed reverently, peering over Luna's sleeping form. She looked so peaceful, curled up like that. Her expression was that of quiet, restful slumber. He found himself staring dumbly at her, and then felt royal eyes staring at him as well. He looked up at Celestia with a twitch, swallowing. "Sh-she looks… peaceful." He offered a little lamely. "Have you any insights into her condition, stallion?" Celestia asked softly. Even though her tone was sweet, the guard could sense a scathing sort of stern-ness beneath the surface. Do you know what the buck is going on? I thought not. You're just a guard. Buck off. He winced shamefully at the inner monologue as he mentally put words in his princess' mouth. Shivering without meaning to, he looked back to Luna with a quiet gaze. "Her condition has not worsened, so perhaps that is good news." Celestia said, turning her great head about to worry over her sister some more. She stuck her muzzle into Luna's starry mane, nuzzling up and down slowly. It was a tender, heart-quivering moment and he almost couldn't bear to look upon it. "Y-your majesty." The white stallion bowed low, turning and leaving the chamber. As he shut the door behind himself, he sighed quietly. There was a hundred feet between himself and the barrier of other guards that he'd been staying with for the past week. Aegis Shield cursed himself quietly, wishing he were clever enough to come up with something more comforting to say than 'she looks peaceful'. Stupid, stupid! Gritting his teeth then retreating behind the shield of his armored uniform, he returned to his post at the end of the hall. "Any changes?" one of the mares on duty asked him. He shook his head silently. "Ah don't like it." She mumbled, turning around to face forward again. "Nothin' just strikes an alicorn down like that. And ah don't think its exhaustion either." Her Appeloosian accent was poking through, something that only really happened when she was upset of excited. "None of us like it." Stalwart Hide said with a toss of his head. "But this is all we've got to do for now." Aegis Shield studied Stalwart Hide for a moment, nodding his head. Returning to his place among the three pairs of guards, there was silence for a long time. "Know what this reminds me of?" Stalwart Hide said when he was sure there were no commanders or anything of the sort nearby. "Sleeping Mare." There was a collective rolling of eyes and a groan or two. "You know, the one with the seven mini-stallions, and the prince and all that st--?" "That's Snow Mare, stupid." One of the other guards rolled her eyes. "And I suppose you'll be the one delivering love's first kiss to my sister then, dear stallion?" Princess Celestia had appeared nearby, startling whinnies out of half of the guards. Stalwart Hide's entire body seized up, blue in the face, with his wings out. The Princess loomed, if she were capable of such a thing with such a pleasant face, over the gossipy stallion. His own weight tumped him over and the rigidity of his body and wings brought him to rest at a very impressive forty-five degree angle. He was like a statue, frozen with a terrified expression on his face. Celestia gave a mild chuckle. "I think you're dismissed for the evening…" she leaned to find his name etched in his armor, "Stalwart Hide." All five of the other guards stared in open-mouthed shock. The shame! The humiliation! The eternal black mark on his record! Dismissed from his post by Celestia herself! "Y-yes, your majesty." Stalwart Hide managed to gather his wits about him and march, stiffly, down the hall. Those that knew him well knew that as soon as he rounded the corner…. Yep, his hooves thundered away down the next hall. Poor stallion. He would never live this down. Ever. "Fetch for a replacement for me… Aegis Shield?" Celestia said mildly, dipping her head to flick her eyes across his armor-etched name as well. Though she maintained the outer expression of the ever-patient ruler, her jump to such a punishment had spoken volumes. Even as Aegis Shield snapped his salute, he knew that his princess had probably just ruined the other stallion's life. Any hope of promotion, command, even pay-raises for the next few years… gone. Shuddering once he'd rounded the corner, Aegis Shield reported to the barracks to pluck a guard at random. Ordained by the princess herself, he had his pick and shoes a burly-looking stallion with a scar over one eye and a scowl on his face. His name was Mountain Hoof, and boy was he big. =-=-=-= The days went by in relative quiet, Celestia ever-vigilant to spend evenings with her sister when the moon was raised. Aegis Shield and the others stood stoic against anypony that tried to go down the hall that led to Luna's chambers. They'd not had much trouble, other than the occasional squawking maid or little foal that just didn't understand 'off limits'. But there was something quietly stirring within Aegis Shield over the days. Each time he went to check on Princess Luna (one of the six guards doing so, on his shift), he felt it. He certainly knew it wasn't lust, for he was gelding. That is… un-stallion'd, so he would suffer no distractions from his duties for the rest of his life. It was something that made him lighter on his hooves when he was in Luna's room, though he just couldn't put his hoof on it. A certain sort of giddiness that went with looking at her star charts, her splayed notes and instruments. It filled him with a certain curiosity that made him want to snatch a hoof-full and sneak them to the barracks to read. Though he was no good at fancy mathematics, the intricate drawings and complex equations made it all look so magical. The white stallion sometimes found himself staring at the papers more than Luna, some days, and often looked at the night sky to locate some of the constellations therein. One day, while peering over the edge of the bed at her, he was struck with something. The way her mane was bannered, it looked a lot like the night sky. Knowing the strict stretch of time between check-ins, he went quickly to her desk and peered at the shapes. Returning to the sleeping princess, he peered over her mane intently. Sure enough. She held the constellations in the vaporous flow of her ethereal mane! "Beautiful…" he found himself whispering. He jolted, startled by his own voice. Turning, he was halfway across the room when Celestia entered for the evening. He bowed low as she went past, and he was relieved when he closed the door behind him. A few days after that, Aegis Shield found himself studying Princess Luna's mane once more. His shift was always at night, so he didn't get to see the stars as much anymore. The guards idled by lamp-light in the corridors, and of course there were no windows or openings right now with Luna being vulnerable. But there in Luna's mane was all the heavens. The white stallion looked upon her quite differently. Not so much as an untouchable, godly royal pony, but as a perfect piece of architecture. A paragon of her species, and of all ponykind. She held boundless beauty in her mane, lying there as still as a statue. He was entranced by it, his mouth slightly open sometimes. Beautiful. The white stallion smiled a little shyly despite himself, turning and returning to his post. By the end of the fourth week, Aegis Shield looked forward to his job more than he did rest or food. He liked counting down the time until it was his turn to check on the princess. Night by night he gazed upon her, his heart ever eager to behold her beauty. The poor stallion had fallen in love with his sleeping princess. =-=-=-= "Someone's cheerful this evening." said the guard Aegis Shield had come to replace on his shift. It wasn't everyday that a royal guard could be seen within a huge smile plastered across his face like that. Aegis coughed a little, excusing himself and taking up his post with the traditional blank expression. When at last it was his turn to check on Princess Luna, he turned with the usual snap in his step. He marched down the hall until he was the proper distance, and made it to the proper door. He held his breath when he reached for the doorknob, as though teasing himself before pushing the door open. There she lay, radiant as the night. "I found the waterfall last night." He whispered to her of a constellation hidden on the edge of the northern sky. "I got a telescope just so I could see it." He said a little coyly, crossing the room to lean over the bed to peer at her. Rearing up for a proper look, he leaned to see if there had been any change. As per usual, the princess of the night wore a quiet and peaceful expression. "It's beautiful." He mumbled his praises, not wanting anyone down the corridor to hear him. Turning his ears back, he finally sighed in resignation. "I wish you would wake up, princess." He whispered to her softly, pleading. "Please, please wake up." Princess Luna gave no response other than her quiet breathing. Without thinking, Aegis Shield leaned down and pressed his face into her ethereal mane. Magic caressed him back and forth, and the scent of rain-pregnant wind overtook him. A certain crisp scent that would go completely unnoticed if one were not looking for it. He found himself flushed and a little heady, lingering there for a long few moments before quickly pulling away. He didn't want to be caught sniffing the princess' mane. The scandal! The demotions! The shame! Aegis Shield decided to look at her face one more time and then be off, before somepony caught him. Getting down, he went to the other side of Luna's bed where he could look at her face more directly. She was beautiful, he couldn't help but smile quietly and feel the chipper in his heart. Though he was gelding, it did not keep him from certain feelings. Her face looked so soft… he leaned down. So quiet and beautiful… his shadow cast itself upon the princess. Her lips looked so moist and plush… he just wanted to… to… Celestia entered the room for her normal evening visit to find one of her guards with his lips pressed over her sister's. Her mouth fell open and she froze on place. There was a long silence, ice flowing down the back of her neck before she started quivering. Her wings snapped open with aggression and she called out over her shoulder. "Guards! Guards!" There was a stampede of thundering hooves coming down the hall, armor clanking as they went. Aegis Shield snapped himself away from Luna's face, panting a little headily. Though he was a white stallion with all of his solar armor on, he could still turn pale. What had he done?! How deprived was he?! What was he thinking?! Suddenly the five other guards piled into the room in a semi-circle about Celestia. "Aegis! What did you do?!" one of the mares demanded. All of the guards looked up at their daytime princess, waiting for her to give the word to tackle the poor bastard. "Seize him." Celestia said quietly, her royal mask hardening over into its normal bemused expression. Anyone that knew her well enough could still see the subtle twitches. The way her wings folded down. The way her head cocked when she spoke. She was ready to tear his head right off of his shoulders and drop-kick it to the moon. There was a rush of bodies that the poor stallion gave no resistance to, and he was forced to the ground under the crushing weight of the other five guards. They wrenched his helmet off. The solar magic covering his body sputtered, held, then crackled out. His white fur darkened into a chocolate brown, his mane exploding with the radiant blonde that was natural to him. The cutie mark hidden under the spell was exposed, a golden shield with a star on it. An aegis. His helm tumbled across the floor, stopping at the foot of Luna's bed where it spun for a bit before coming to rest. They flailed back and forth with rope and bonds, chain and padlocks to bind him up like a pig at a rodeo. He could barely breathe it was all so tight. Aegis gave a slight whimper as he was tossed at his sun princess' hooves like an offering. "What should we do with him, princess?" Mountain Hoof's deep bass voice wanted to know. The barrel-chested stallion puffed himself up. "Nearest dungeon? Nearest chopping block?" This was such a serious offense there really wasn't even a law for any of the guards to refer to for punishment. Of COURSE you didn't put your hooves on the princesses like that! "Exile?" he offered. Celestia wasn't looked at Mountain Hoof. Or Aegis Shield. Or any of the others. Her eyes had become little pinpricks of shock, her royal mask shattered entirely. All five guards turned to follow her expression. Princess Luna was sitting up, staring at the large gathering in her room rather sleepily. "If thou art here to escort me to the midnight court, we hardly think six guards art necessary inside the royal palace." She was rubbing a hoof over one of her eyes, then the other. Blink-blinking a little more awake, she stared at the gathering some more. "…What?" she said. "Thou stare as though thou hast seen a ghost." "Nearest dungeon." Celestia whispered a little breathlessly, shooing all of the guards out with a snap of her wings. When the door shut she threw herself upon her confused sister in a tight embrace. Luna's wings blimped out in surprise, but she returned the hug carefully. "Er… good evening, sister?" it came out like a question as she stroked Celestia's mane out of habit. "Dost thou want to tell us why we awoke to a room full of guards? Our room is usually off limits to all but thyself." End of Part 1 === Honor Thy Ancestors === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 2: Honor Thy Ancestors Aegis Shield grunted as he was thrown into the dungeon. It was a surprisingly clean place, though still of dark grey hewn stone. His bonds were removed and he was pushed back into a nest of old straw so the guards could lock his cage. He lay on his belly, a little overwhelmed at all that had happened. All that he'd done. "Be nice to him. He's just had a stressful day at work." The Appleoosian guard mare said to the jailor. The stallion cocked his head. The others weren't stupid, Aegis Shield knew. They hadn't seen it happen, but they knew something he'd done had awakened the princess. After a month of her slumber, the word would spread like wildfire. All of Canterlot would know his name, maybe even further out than that! He shuddered, for he knew the rumors would fly as well. "Hey, Aegis." The mare said, drawing his gaze. "I don't think you'll be in here long, just take a rest, eh?" she smiled sympathetically at him, and he gave a slow nod. Aegis Shield had the whole night ahead of him. Being a pony that worked during the night shift, his day had only just begun. The chocolate brown stallion settled in as best he could. He had a barred window, some nice blank walls, some nice blank ceiling, some nice blank floor, and a little nest of hay to either lay on or eat. Having only had breakfast an hour ago, he wasn't hungry. Slowly reaching, he removed his armor bit by bit. Gently placing each piece in a long row along the far wall, he stared at them in the moonlight. Solar stallion indeed. Couldn't keep his hooves off a helpless princess. He winced, trying to console himself. He'd helped! She was awake now! Surely though would excuse him? At least partly? He didn't know what princess Celestia had in mind for him, but it was better than 'the nearest chopping block', as Mountain Hoof had so eloquently put it. Maybe if he stared at the ceiling long enough he would find sleep? Doubtful. The stallion laid on his back, his hooves bunched up under his chin. He sighed and stared out the window at the moon instead. It was nearly dawn when movement jerked Aegis out of his stupor/doze. He twitched awake, rolling until he was upright. Straw struck to his mane and fur, sticking out in odd directions. Tossing his mane quickly so he could see better, he rushed to the bars and held them with his front hooves, craning his neck to see who was coming. "This is him down here. Yes, your highness." The jailor had returned, keys jangling on his saddle. Bowing, he made way for a tall and slender figure. Princess Luna. Aegis' breath caught in his throat. She stared at him carefully after coming to a stop in front of the cell. He very suddenly felt like a bright-colored bug in a jar and blushed. Averting his gaze from her highness' for a moment, he saw her eyes drawn to the bits of his armor lining the wall. If he'd known she was coming he would've donned them again, blast it! Now he was all but naked in front of her, such a shameful thing for a solar stallion! His hooves slid down the bars a little and he pressed his forehead to them, waiting for her to speak. "Our sibling tells us we slept for a month." She said with a certain air of speaking downward. "And that thy affections apparently roused us when noise, doctors, and medicines could not." She was eyeing him up and down, sizing him up with a very critical eye. He swallowed, then nodded silently. "Yet we find you locked in a cage for thy actions." She scowled a little, then stepped back with her horn alight. The stallion panicked briefly, jumping back just in time. The bars shrieked bloody murder to bend out of the way, making a wide and open exit by pressing themselves east and west. She could've just opened the cell, or better yet called for the key. But no, this made a better statement. "Emerge, stallion, and tell us thy name." she commanded, stepping back with the same scowling expression. The pony came out of the cage slowly, as though the floor might be hot or the bars about to spring back into place and crush him in twine. "I'm… I'm Aegis Shield." He said, bowing low and onto his belly for her. "I kissed you." He blurted a little, miserable now that he was in her sight. "Thy name is shield-shield?" Princess Luna pondered a moment, rewiring her thoughts. "Oh no, no… an aegis is a shield affiliated with a religious figure. Such as ourselves." She chuckled a little, then snapped back to the moment. Leaning, she checked his cutie mark curiously. A golden shield with a star upon it. "Interesting." She said, before returning her gaze to his. "How didst thou know we would wake from your kissing?" she leaned forward with one hoof lifted. "Tell us now, please." Her tone was completely mismatched to her words, and he took it as aggression. "I… didn't." he said lamely, ears turning back in a shameful way. "Thou thought to take advantage of us in our comatose state?" Luna said, sounding shocked. "Perhaps thou does belong in a cage!" she lifted him by magic, bodily, back into the sail. "I can't do that, I'm gelding!" he blurted, flailing about and red in the cheeks. Princess Luna dropped him neatly on his hooves, cocking her head. "Thou art what?" she didn't have the word in her archaic vocabulary. "What does this word mean: gelding?" she leaned forward like it meant there was something wrong with his face. He leaned backward submissively, intimidated by her voice and stature. "Er well… it… it means…" he blushed deeper, turning his head to one side. "It means there's no pleasin' the mares for him. He's married to his job." The jailor butted in a little nastily. Luna cocked an eyebrow, then looked startled. Tilting her head until it was upside down, she leaned and rather unceremoniously checked. Aegis Shield could do not but stand there and wish there was a convenient way to hang himself somewhere in the cell. Or blow himself up. Or simply drop dead. That would've been fine too. The cross-etchings of where the stitches had been still left nasty scars on his lower pelvis. The princess stared at it all for awhile with interest. "Ohhh, thou art castrated." Luna said, righting herself and nodding like she hadn't just blatant checked out a stallion's joy department. "Well, that makes us feel a little better." She nodded officially, then finally returned her attention to his face. "Forgive our bluntness, we did not know this was still practiced. It seems even after a thousand years, my sister still insists on some of the old ways." Her eyes wandered briefly to the pile of armor, then back to him. "Why hast thou shed thy armor?" "I didn't feel like a solar stallion since I… well…" Aegis Shield gestured vaguely at her. Luna, surprisingly, gave a little chuckle. "Since you embraced the night?" she said in a playful, sultry way. It was Aegis' turn to smile wryly, and he nodded. Luna was pleased to see the rise of color in his cheeks. "Come then, stallion. We shall see that thou art grandly rewarded for thy courage, accidental though it may have been." She teased him a little, and he relaxed at last. The princess nodded to the jailor and they were away. Aegis had no idea where they were going, but he wasn't about to turn down a demigoddess and sit in a cell, thank you very much. The stallion was fascinated by her. The way she walked with such long, slender legs. Not like a giraffe, but less motion than a regular pony. He had to trot to keep up with her great strides. Wherever they went ponies moved out of the way, bowed, and let them by. Aegis didn't pass any guards he knew, but they were certainly shocked to see the princess up and about. Word would spread like wildfire. "Tell us, Aegis Shield, did thou always have the nighttime shift for thy guard duties?" "Not always, no, but I preferred them." He admitted. "Why?" Luna turned a corner with him. "Er-well… it's quieter, cooler outside, and there are more bad ponies to stop." He said with a guilty smile. "It's more interesting. Most crime takes place at night." "So does most lovemaking, but we do not blame lovers for their preferences." Princess Luna snorted, tossing her mane as they went through a massive set of double doors to the armory near the barracks. "But we understand thy meaning. Thy vocation is more likely to apprehend evil at night." She stopped before a pair of double doors. Aegis Shield stopped. Those hadn't been there before. He was in and out of the royal barracks a dozen times a day, every day. Those had never been there in the past. He frowned, leaning as Luna placed her hoof on them and traced the dust. She tittered a little, shaking her head. "It seems in our absence thy fellows let this place go uncared-for." She said a little sourly. "Come in with us." She commanded over her shoulder. The nervous stallion took his place at her side. "I've never seen these doors before." He admitted to her a little pitifully. "They've always been here, in the corner of thy eye." The princess of the night smiled bemusedly, an expression usually only seen on Celestia's face. "Where most ponies are afraid to look." She leaned and lifted the latch, pulling at the heavy bronze hoop. Stale air hissed at them, then finally the door gave and swung open on screaming hinges. The stallion was reminded of a horror movie very suddenly, for the stairs beyond them led down into blackness. Luna looked around, as though to check that nopony was following them. Aegis Shield was shocked when two guards walked right by, talking animatedly, and didn't even seem to notice them. Was it the door itself? Something beyond it? Why didn't they see them? Why could he suddenly see the doors? Was it Luna, letting him see them? "See? They do not notice us. The magic is still strong here." She started down the stairs, then poked her head out. "Well? Come along." "Where is here?" he found himself asking as they descended into darkness. The stairs spiraled down, down, down. Torches burst to life as they passed them, illuminating the passage in a flickering blue light. The stone and brick was cold and ageless, the two of them stirring inches of dust everywhere they went. "Our sister has her shining, blinding solar guard to look after Equestria, Aegis Shield." Luna came to a blank wall after the stairs emptied out into an open area. Torches flicked on all around them, brightening the ancient room. "But, during the times of old before I was banished, the night hosted a different sort of guard." Leaning, she pushed aside thick cobwebs and blew at the dusty surface. "Look upon them." She gestured, motioning for him to come close. The stallion clip-clopped slowly until he stood almost shoulder to shoulder with his princess. There, upon the intricately designed slab was a battle scene. A war. There were spears and arrows, muzzle-swords and even cannons. A terrible, bloody era of the ancient world. Shuddering, Aegis Shield looked at his princess with questions in his eyes. "The peace that thou enjoys in this era was not earned with idle chatter and treaties, but by the blood of thy ancestors and their companions. A peace that lasts even today." She ran a hoof over more and more of the stone tapestry, revealing more colors and swiping away more cobwebs. "But in no small part thanks to my own personal guarding forces." With a flourish, she revealed the sky in the picture by pushing aside a massive cobweb. It was swarming with angry-looking, bat-winged ponies with sharp teeth. All of them bore swords and arrows, raining down death to the battlefield below. The picture even showed they flew above the bow range of their enemies, shooting down. Untouchable to non-flyers. "What are they? They look like monsters!" Turning sideways to use his wing, Aegis Shield tried to revive some of the colors of the ancient picture. The more of the picture he revealed, though, the bigger the battle scene became. It was all one big picture, outlined with etchings of crescent moons and pony skulls. Dark indeed. Luna smiled quietly, lifting her head and uncovering a section that showed herself in the battle. "I was there to lead them." She said. "I called them— lunar stallions. No mares were allowed in the military back then, just stallions." She chuckled a little. "So you can imagine their delight when their princess decided to go into battle with them." "You fought in the great wars?" Aegis Shield whispered, looking up at her in awe. "Until we destroyed our enemies so badly that even history has forgotten their names." Luna smiled rather wickedly, and an icy chill went over his spine. "But worry not, that dark time is long past." She consoled him, turning. "Now is the present." "Princess… what are we doing here?" Aegis Shield ventured. "Thy reward awaits beyond this barrier." She told him, smiling in a peculiar way. "However, this place has become a ruin of dust and spiders and disuse. It shames those that it was built to honor." She gestured to the ponies depicted in the sky of the battle scene. "This displeases us." She told him. "Since thou hast all but been discharged from the solar guard, perhaps thou shalt do us a favor and cleanse this shrine for us?" Princess Luna gestured all the way across the room. It was big, it would need a lot of love to even see the pictures again, much less be presentable for any sort of habitation. "And in return, the reward we promised you initially. Neigh, more than that." She tap-tapped the barrier with a large hoof. It made a hollow sound. He leaned, perking his ear. She tap-tapped again. There was a passage beyond it, perhaps? Looking around slowly, he finally met her eyes and bowed. "Yes, your majesty." He was no cleaning pony, but she did have a point. No solar guard lived to see rank after being thrown in the dungeon by princess Celestia herself. If Princess Luna was giving him a task, who was he to turn down royalty. "I'll have it done—" She raised a hoof to silence him. "Do not constrict thyself to a time limit. Work slowly, carefully, and meditate amongst thy ancestors' glory." She gestured with her silver-shoe'd hoof. He slowly looked up at the grand scene, then back to her. He nodded. Luna inclined her head a bit. "If thou shalt excuse us, the dawn is coming. We must lower the moon for our sister." With that she turned and was away, leaving the stallion alone in the half-light. He peered around, wondering what he'd just gotten himself into. =-=-=-= It was four days later when Aegis Shield realized that the last thing he should've done was clean the floor first. Everything he got off the ceiling, the walls, everywhere, would float around until it landed on the floor. Taking a page out of his grandmare's book, he spent an afternoon shopping for cleaning implements. Broom, mop, cleaner, water, filters, polish, sponges, scrubbers, and so on. Coming back to the secret place, he made four trips with two buckets of water each. Making sure he had as much light as he could get, he started into it. He cleaned the floor, then made a mess bringing down cobwebs and dust, regretting it. Ah well, he'd have to do it again at the end. If the lunar stallions had been forgotten since the time of Luna's banishment, there was no telling how old this place was. Having been sealed, it had thankfully not crumbled into a ruin or succumbed to flood or mud. How the spiders and other things got in was anypony's guess. The stallion tied a bandanna around his muzzle so that he wouldn't inhale all the dust, and set to seriously work at it. He spent time simply running a broom over the ceiling, knocking down spider webs and dust pouches. He shrieked when he found a little colony of them, spraying cleaner at them like mad. The moisture made them stick to things, and they soon fell and died on the floor. Huffing with relief, he took a towel to the columns to get their first layers of dust and grime off as well. Splashing water over the solid stone walls, he at first worried about breaking off bits of the old pictures and carvings. But no, they were solid as they were the day they were made. He suspected magic was involved. Scrubbing furiously until he could see colors 'neath the dust and grime, he watched his ancestors slowly come to life before him. There were captions and boxes of ancient Equestrian to be read, but he sadly didn't know the language. He made a game of skating about on the floor, using thick sponges on all four of his hooves to help scrub it. So even walking around the room was helping. As time went by, and it did so rather quickly, the room began to come back to life. He uncovered massive, egg-sized gems inlaid in the wall that shone in the torch-light. Everything around the room was made to reflect the silvery-blue light of the torches on the walls. By the time he'd revived it halfway, he even considered taking down a torch or two. By the time he was almost done, he understood how the lights worked. There were curved mirrors laid in the walls that could be tilted and adjusted. The columns were placed just so, so they wouldn't interrupt the beams of light. Beautiful. Aegis Shield splashed buckets and buckets of water on the floor, scrubbing in fierce circles and later sopping things up with the mop. The floor was a slick marble stone, which would probably need polishing if it were to ever shine again. But it didn't make it any less impressive, for even the tiles were covered with symbols and stories in ancient Equestrian. The longer he went on, the more the stallion wished he knew the elder language. Perhaps he'd visit the library another time, and poke at learning a little. It was late twilight of the seventh day by the time the stallion had finished, splaying himself out on his back next to his mountain of cleaning junk to rest. Thankfully he'd chosen scentless products, otherwise he would've drown in the fumes by then. Aegis Shield looked around. He'd revealed a massive, door-shaped entryway that was sealed with a decorated slab of stone on one wall. The other wall was the battle scene, and the wall on the other side was covered with symbols and etchings. The columns looked beautiful again, sweeping and tall (he was thankful he had wings so he could clean the entire thing). It looked pretty good! Flopping down with a panting gasp, the stallion closed his eyes for a few moments. "Thou art not sleeping on the job, we hope?" Luna's voice made him jump, tumble over his own hooves, then finally snap up to salute without thinking. "Peace, stallion, lest thy automatic responses bloody your forehead." She reached and pulled his hoof down, chuckling. He didn't want to admit she'd seen him hit himself in the face to salute her. Stepping down from the stairs, she peered about to room. "Glorious." She told him, nodding with approval. "Thy work is commendable." The alicorn turned towards the stone slab that blocked the path onward. "I am sure thy ancestors appreciate thy efforts." She went to the battle scene wall, rearing up to get a closer look. "Thou even shined the gems in their eyes. Excellent." She gestured to the yellow gems inlaid in the eyes of each lunar stallion in the picture. Viewed from the right angle, their eyes seemed to glow like stars. "Thank you, your majesty." Aegis Shield said, smiling carefully. "Now then, we have tried thy patience and given thou menial tasks. Thy suffering is over now." She chuckled, coming down to all fours again. "We merely wished to have this part cleaned before thou saw anything else. Think of it as a right of passage." She nickered a little, gesturing for him to follow. The princess stood before the mighty stone slab at the end of the chamber and opposite to the stairs. "This antechamber serves as a reminder to all of where the lunar stallions come from, and what they mean." Going to incline in the designs, she pressed her horn into a deep circular hole that barely fit her. She concentrated, then jarred her head to the side a little. Aegis Shield felt a buzzing in his ears as magicks worked in the air. Gems lit up like there were fireflies trapped inside, two by two, up and down the doorway. The slab began to lift upward, trailing dust and sand onto the floor. The passage beyond was deep. "What do the lunar stallions mean, princess Luna?" Aegis found himself asking. "Victory. Judgment. Willingness to do what it takes to succeed, no matter what It may be." Luna listed off a few with a toss of her mane, walking regally down the passage. He followed closely, trying very hard not to stare at her ethereal tail and flanks directly ahead of himself. "The darker side of the Equestrian military." She smirked over her shoulder at him, and he gulped. They emerged into a greatroom that was filled with covered furniture. "Do not worry, we shan't make you clean all of this. Thou suffered enough in the antechamber. The complex is quite deep." She consoled him, flipping the sheet off of a wooden couch that had certainly seen better days. "If we are to restore this place, it will take many ponies." "Restore it?" Aegis Shield echoed. "Yes. Thou hast demonstrated the skills necessary to become a lunar stallion." She told him, smiling wryly. "Didst thou think I was leading thou to treasure? Bits perhaps? What sort of reward would that be for saving our life?" she snorted, tossing her mane again as she came to what could only be described as a vault. "A silly one, we tell thou." She turned her nose up briefly at him, then went back to paying attention to the vault. There were many passages going off in different directions, but the vault was right here, attached to the great-room. "This," She gestured grandly. "is the armory. It is opened by voice." "It is? How? Like a password?" he leaned curiously, putting his hoof on it. The metal was cold and still shiny. "It feels thick, there's no way anypony could break into this. What's in there?" he turned to her, feeling a little overwhelmed. Luna cleared her throat and, in the Royal Canterlot Voice, spoke a long line of ancient Equestrian. He covered his ears as she proclaimed... well... something, in the old tongue, loud and demanding. Dust and sand fell from teh ceiling, spilling over the room. When she was done the vault suddenly moaned in response, like grand sheets of metal were bending. Aegis backed up a bit as the door hissed, unsealing, and then finally swinging open. Princess Luna cleared her throat to part the dust, and ignited her horn. The torches inside exploded into light. There, upon a set of pony-shaped statues, were two sets of armor. Midnight blue and deep purple, they were dark. They were jagged and handsome things, the very opposite of the shining armor of the solar stallions. They had dorsal fins atop their heads, not Spartan feathers. They had a serpentine eyes on their breasts, flowing natural shapes along the flanks. A quartet of matching, sharp-edged horseshoes lay under each one. The display was beautiful, and he instantly ached to put one on. "Only two sets left." Luna said, sounding disappointed. "Well, we suppose the lunar stallions that remained at the time of our exile would've gone into hiding, perhaps passed down their regalia's like heirlooms. There are probably not many left that stood the test of time… perhaps a museum or two might host one." She shook her head. "These, however, are in good condition." She helped him notice the sharpness of the spikes, the sheen of the serpentine eye, and the handsomeness that came with the breastplate. "Well?" she asked him, looking at the rather overwhelmed stallion that stood in the vault's archway. A rather dark smile rose to her face as he stared drunkenly at the strange regalia's. "Art thou ready for thy reward, Aegis Shield?" A slow smile crept across the stallion's face. "S-suit me up, your majesty." End of Part 2 === Don Thy Armor === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 3: Don Thy Armor Aegis Shield stood in front of a dusty looking glass in the small vault armory room. Princess Luna had used magic to help him don and adjust the armor. "It's very— light." He said, surprised. "It's like its bending and… a part of me." He moved his haunches one way, then the other. The armor whined, but didn't clank like solar stallion armor did. "It is designed to streamline for a winged pony, to be light and impenetrable." Luna told him, turning her nose up indignantly as she described the masterpiece he was wearing. "It is impervious to heat, magnetism, and most bladed weaponry." "You mean—" "We mean that this armor will stop a knife at pointblank." She chuckled. "Now then," She magicked the dorsal-finned helm to rest on his head, then stepped back to have a look at him. "Not a bad fit, but thou hast some filling in to do in the chest and belly area." Luna tap-tapped his chest with her hoof. "Now then, about the magical form that comes with it." "Will it change my fur and eyes like the solar stallion armors do?" Aegis asked, cocking his head and pushing the helmet back a little so he can see. "That, and a bit more." She smiled bemusedly, walking away a few steps until she was beyond the threshold of the vault. He watched her, and a bad feeling began to prickle on the back of his neck. "You see, the lunar stallions were a bit more than their usual selves when their regalia's were activated." She explained. "Thou shalt be as well, though we must confess the first transformation is a bit painful." "Painful?" Aegis Shield echoed, lifting a hoof worriedly. "I thought this was supposed to be a reward?" his ears turned back and he frowned at her a bit. "Just the first, while the armor measures thou. Then after that thou wilt always be thyself." She promised, smiling rather darkly. "Which is another reason we have the vault installed here. Even a transformed lunar stallion cannot get through three feet of solid steel. Do not worry, it will not last long." "What? You're locking me in here?!" He made to rush for the door but he was slapped in the chest by an invisible force. Luna's magic. She frowned at him sternly, then the vault closed by her will. The clang of heavy metal was damning, and he shouted her name for mercy. He called out to her, kept in the dark in an airtight space. Whimpering and hyperventilating a bit, the stallion staggered about blindly for a long time. With no light at all, his eyes could not adjust. It was total blackness. He found the surface of what he hoped was the vault's door. Banging on it for what felt like ages, he finally gave up and slid to the floor. How much air was there in the vault? How much time would he have before he suffocated? Meanwhile outside, Princess Luna found an abandoned couch and regally lay on her belly upon it. She watched the vault door carefully, giving an idle smile while she waited for the magic to happen. She'd done it countless times before, it had merely been a thousand or so years since the last lunar stallion had been created. She only hoped that the modern-day stallion could measure up to his ancestors. It would be a shame if he suffocated before making his epiphany. Running a hoof through her ethereal mane, she waited with baited breath. If the poor stallion was willing to give up his penis to serve her sister, wait till he saw what the vault had in store for him. She grinned wryly. Within the vault, the supreme quiet began to play tricks on Aegis Shield's mind. He crawled carefully around the room, but couldn't seem to find either of the display statues to get his bearings. It was all just cold metal and stone. He panicked a little, had he just been thrown in his tomb? Was this actually his punishment for laying his lips on her highness? To be sealed in darkness forever? He hacked and coughed at suffocation that wasn't there. "Help! Somepony help me!" he shouted, and the vault shuddered his words briefly back at him. He banged hard on the walls, bucking and grunting against them. The air heated with all of his work and extra body heat. Soon the vault was sweltering and he fell on his side, panting and panicked. "Help me, somepony…" he mumbled, shuddering in the strange armor. "Somepony…" A prickle of amber-gold appeared in the darkness. Then another. Then another. They started appearing in pairs, and with an icy realization the stallion saw they were eyes. Glowing eyes staring at him from the blackness. They lit the room mildly, and he seized up in fear at what he saw. Spirits. Armored spirits with burning eyes and shorn fetlocks! Who were they? What did they want? Aegis shuffled to a corner, terrified. He was no pushover stallion, having been a royal guard, but he didn't know how to deal with spirits. Whimpering, he pressed himself into the corner and they all turned to watch him. Their wings were odd, membrane'd like bats. Their teeth were terrifying, sharpened like shark teeth in jagged triangles. And their eyes, ohhh… they all had the same amber-gold serpent-like eyes. The spirits stared at him, ghosts of the past. "What do you want from me?!" he shouted at them, terrified by what he saw. "Go 'way! Go 'way!" he waved a hoof about, and suddenly they parted to make a path for him. There, on the back of the vault door, was a short poem. It hadn't been there when he'd entered with the princess, he was sure of it. He expected it to be in ancient Equestrian, but no, the letters wiggled across the smooth metal surface until they were quite readable: In the dark, we tear and rend To end all evils, with spines to bend. Lust and power, hunger and might By Luna's will, and dark of night! Aegis Shield stared at the words, and saw all the spirits moving their mouths as though speaking the words. They didn't take their golden, burning eyes off of him. He was the dead-center of attention. Rising slowly, he righted himself. Walking on shaking hooves, he walked among them. They gave him hardened expressions and he was barely able to read their whole faces under their helms. The otherworldly glow of the room was just too much. He stopped before the vault door, staring up at the words. "Some kind of oath?" he whispered to himself. There was a surge in the spiritual glow of the place and he yelped a little, looking back at the crowd of ghosts like they might pounce on him. Suddenly he understood. To walk out with the armor on, he would need to recite the oath taken by his predecessors. It sounded so violent, though. Lust and power? Wow! Gulping a little and wanting very much to just be out of the vault at that point, he came close to the cold metal surface. The spirits looked on eagerly, shifting on their ethereal hooves. Licking his lips a little, he took a few deep breaths. "In the dark, we tear and rend," he whispered, and could suddenly hear a hundred other pony voices in his head. "To end all evils, with spines to bend," he felt a little heavy, suddenly, leaning against the vault. Something magical was happening. "Lust and power, hunger and might," he let his voice grow a little louder. The spirits in the room were audible, their mouths moving as one. "By Luna's will, and dark of night!" Aegis Shield's eyes became pinpricks of fear, and his heart stutter-stopped for a moment. His wings blimped out as pain suddenly wracked his body. He cried out, his back arching as though he were being electrocuted. Rearing up, he screamed again at the pain. His mouth exploded with the coppery taste of blood. His armor felt heavy, so heavy. He fell to his knees with a guttural sound of exhaustion, and his wings melted into something alien to him. Membrane'd wings banished his feathers, spreading darkly to beyond their normal span. He curled with another roar of pain, his body igniting into fiery pain. He could feel himself swelling up, filling the cracks of the armor until it was nice and tight on his body like it was meant to be. He writhed about in torturous agony, his hooves bicycling about wildly. Flailing one way, then the other, he bashed his head over and over against the vault door to relieve himself of the agony. Lesser pain felt like pleasure compared to the transformation! Bashing his head over and over, red splashed across his vision until he staggered backward, clutching himself and roaring again. "It hurts! It hurts!" he roared in a deep voice that was not his own. It sounded like several voices. He staggered about, smearing blood on the walls until he bumped into a corner and fell backward. Clutching at his poor heart, he could only lay there and breath, his mouth agape. Tingling feelings filled his mouth and he moaned, turning to one side and finally flopping over. Then the feelings came. Oh sweet Luna, it was everything all at once. The stallion felt violently pregnant with raw emotions. He felt angry. He was lusty. He wanted food right then, lots of it. And ohhh, what he wouldn't give for another stallion to kick the ever-loving shit out of right then! All at once! Lots of food and a fertile mare and a stallion to beat the stuffing out of. That sounded great! That sounded perfect! Slathering and roaring like a beast, he thrashed about like a caged dog. Inhaling deeply, he arched his back like a savage timberwolf and howwwwled like an animal. Rushing to the vault door he bucked. The door gave a resounding clang. He bucked again. Once more, loud but no give. It was too thick, to sturdy for even the frenzied stallion. Sensing the change was done, Luna ignited her horn. The vault hummed a little, and she barked at it in ancient Equestrian. The Royal Canterlot Voice spoke the forgotten password, and at last the massive door groaned open. The alicorn stood, peering into the blackness. The torches had given out at some point, and some of the smoke emerged from the upper edges of the archway. She leaned forward, lifting a hoof and waiting for him to emerge. And emerge he did. "Magnificant…" Luna marveled, her mouth a little agape. Aegis Shield emerged with grey fur and golden eyes, the pupils having turned to slits. His tail had turned purple and his armor fit him perfectly now. His lips were drawn back into a piranha's scowl, jagged teeth that looked like they could saw through a two by four. His massive, powerful barrel-chest heaved up and down, speckled with blood from his mouth where the teeth and re-formed. The eye on the chest of his armor was open and veering around as though looking at the world. With no words in his mind for the moment, Aegis Shield reared up and whinny-screamed, bashing his hooves down and shaking the floor with his strength. Luna found herself smiling grandly. "Uwhr-arw-w-w-wgh!" he roared gutturally, heaving for breath and dribbling with saliva and blood from the mouth. He was like an animal. The power! It felt good! "So handsome." Luna chuckled, approaching him casually with a towel hovering with her. His eyes snapped towards her, took her in from hooves to mane. The towel reddened while she wiped his mouth and face, and she had to fold it this way and that to make sure not to simply slather him with his own blood. "This is called the 'frienzied' state." She told the now feral stallion. She made sure her movements were slow and easy to see so he didn't strike her down or something of the sort. "While the armor adjusts, though shalt be like this for a few minutes. Sadly, there wasn't enough air in the vault to leave thou in there until the frenzy was ove-eep!" she gave a feminine chirp of panic when he rudely shoved his muzzle into her mane and sniffed deeply. Growwwwl. She froze a moment, feeling the snuffle-snort of hot air from the stallion's nostrils. The purr of approval brought color to her face. She could not blame him, she silently reminded herself. Everything he was feeling was turned over at least three fold. If he found her attractive, he wouldn't be able to help himself. Her mind flashed back to the news about the kiss, as well as the gelding comment. Growwwwwl. He stood closer to her, then rested his head on her shoulder with his muzzle in her mane. "W-well, that's one way to tame the beast, we suppose." She mumbled, a little more warmth in her face. Different stallions reacted in vastly different ways while frenzied by the lunar armaments. Why, she ever recalled one poor pony that ran himself to exhaustion and was uncatchable until he'd pitched down a flight of stairs and broken three legs. If Aegis Shield was standing still, all the better. Growwwwl. The princess stood still for him, waiting for his mind to rewire itself into the new shape he'd acquired. His jagged teeth found her ear suddenly, and she gave a giggling sort of shriek when he pulled at it a little. He was being playful...? "Thou shalt not nibble upon me, scoundrel!" she laughed a little, pawing at his massive chest with a hoof. "We hath not even shared a meal!" she was mostly talking to herself, since the stallion would remember nothing of his feral state until much later. Aegis Shield suddenly blinked back to consciousness, the princess' ear in his mouth and her shrieking giggling piercing his hearing. He let go of her, staggering back like he'd molested her. "Princess! Uph!" his hoof rushed to his mouth. His voice was so deep! His brows rose and she snickered a little at him. "My voice! My voice is so… so deep!" If it were possible for a colt to hit puberty and get his stallion voice, then hit puberty again and go down another few steps, that was what it was like. It was a deep bass, like a bronze bell of syrupy blackness. Nopony's voice was naturally that deep. "I feel funny!" he said, looking himself over. "Thine armor has accepted thou, Aegis Shield." The princess made a show of surveying him up and down, which made him stop to look at himself as well. He was bigger! And… and… grey! "Thou wear it as handsomely as thy ancestors did before you." She gestured to the looking glass on the far wall. He rushed to it and beheld himself. His wings were bat-like, his eyes yellow and his frame a size bigger. He looked incredible! He felt incredible, too. Leaning back and forth he puffed up his chest a little, drawing chuckles from her majesty. He deflated, blushing and looking at her with embarrassment. "Thou art the first lunar stallion in a thousand years. Congratulations." Luna told him, patting his armor animatedly. Aegis Shield looked at her, smiling handsomely. He liked the look. He liked the feeling. It was different. He felt different. Different was good. Cocking his head until his neck popped audibly, he turned and bowed before his princess. Celestia may have— "Our sister may have caged thou for thy wrecklessness, but we cannot argue with results, so thank you." Luna practically read his mind and for an icy second he thought perhaps she had. "Thy reward is to be the first stallion in my direct service in millennia." Leaning, she cupped one of his cheeks with her hoof and tenderly kissed the other with affection. He blushed, and that pleased her. "Now then… we want to show thou off." She suddenly grinned like a filly, snickering and turning on her hooves. "Show me off?" he asked, still startled by the thundering deep of his own voice. He held his throat for a moment. That was going to take some getting used to, over everything else. At least he could only see the rest when looking in a mirror. "Yes. Thy new vocation will draw an eye or two, we guarantee it." She was still chuckling, her ears facing forward and a bounce in her step. Aegis Shield, for some reason, suddenly compared her to Celestia. Luna was more animated, more giggly, and at least partially seemed to have a sense of humor. He found himself happy he'd devoted himself to the princess of the night. She was more… there. More exciting. He felt the smile crossing his face as he walked behind her out of the narrow passage as well. It didn't hurt that she was damn beautiful, either. =-=-=-= Luna walked in her usual regal manner down the great halls of the royal palace. Her wings were up and open, and her massive hooves made the usual clack-clack-clack-clack sounds. "The midnight court shall start soon, we should make haste." She said absently. Aegis Shield followed at her five o'clock, peered around. Something was a little off. It seemed rather bright for the middle of the night. He squinted at the lighter-than-normal torches. He rubbed his eyes a little, then peered again. Very bright. "Do not fidget, thy eyes are more powerful than before. Thy transformation grants a good degree of night-vision, better than the average pony." She smirked over her shoulder at them, and they turned a corner to run into a blood-curdling scream! A mare with a feather duster for a cutie mark crashed herself into a vase, flinching away from Aegis Shield. "M-m-m-monster!" she pointed with a hoof, her tray and other things strewn about her. In white-faced terror she could only shake like a leaf under his golden-eyed gaze. A thundering of many hooves brought at least a dozen night-shift solar regalia guards to the scene. They took in the scene with gaping mouths. Princess Luna, a maid, a big mess, and a new… stallion in armor? What was he? They'd never seen anything like him before. "Remain calm!" one of the armored stallions demanded. "We're here to help." "Thy help is not required." Luna snapped. "Disperse." She made a sweeping gesture. The three seconds of hesitation only made her angrier, and she stamped a hoof. "Dis-PERSE!" the Royal Canterlot Voice peeked through and the guards backed off. The maid, splayed out on the floor, whimpered and shook. The princess turned her gaze on the blubbering mare, and made a gesture with her eyes for Aegis Shield to see. First impression time, it seemed. Moving quickly and folding his wings so he didn't look as intimidating, he knelt on all four knees and helped her up. She yipped a little at his touch, but finally looked upon him in earnest when she was set squarely on her hooves again. He brushed her off a bit, then nodded once, offering a small smile. She stared at him breathily for a few moments, looking from him to Luna. Soon the connection was made via colors and demeanor, and she busily began to gather her things and apologize for the mess she'd made wrecking the vase. "Go in peace, little mare." Luna commanded, turning and nodding once to make the lunar stallion follow. He obeyed. Scenes much like that one occurred three more times as they went through the halls of the palace. They thought Aegis Shield to be an armored monster, found out he was with Luna, then gave him a cautious and wide berth. He was the object of fearful curiosity (much like Luna, come to think of it), but none dared approach him. He'd had no idea his new appearance would cause such a stir, but Luna was enjoying every moment of it. Turning, he cocked his head when he saw a solar stallion trying to measure him in hands by holding up his hoof and squinting at his shoulder. Sizing him up with a frown, it seemed. Finally, they arrived at the throne room. Celestia's bright and shining throne had been draped with the colors of night, the banners turned over to display crescent moons and stars. Dark and fitting for the princess of the night. Princess Luna bade her stallion to stand at the foot of the dais to one side so she could conduct business properly. He nodded, obeying. Standing stalwart, he wiped his face of all expression and resumed his normal 'guard' demeanor. A decoration for the room unless called upon. Princess Luna sat on her royal haunches, calling for the first pony who had any appointment. There were none. Her face fell a little, then she turned her nose up like it meant nothing to her. There was a long silence of her sitting regally on the throne. No appointments. There rarely were during the midnight court. Luna was often lucky to get ten ponies in an entire evening. An hour and a half passed in relative silence. Her face brightened when a dumpy-looking mare suddenly poked her head into the throne room. "Enter, visitor! Speak thy peace!" Luna gestured grandly, snapping out of her quiet doze. The mare was mint-green and looked a little skittish. Gulping and cocking her head at the massive room, she cantered forward. The scent of fresh breads and spices followed her. She bowed low, upon her belly. "Your majesty!" she called out in a squeaky voice. "Word spread to the kitchens that you might be starting up your own team of royal guards? Night time guards?" it came out like a question. "They are called lunar stallions!" Luna trumpeted, her voice far louder than necessary. Aegis Shield tried not to react, but could see many ponies paying apt attention. Officials and such got their information by listening, after all. "Y-yes! Lunar stallions!" the little mare agreed, smiling nervously. "W-well, Celestia's solar guards have strict eating regiments and such, and… and well… we down in the kitchens were wondering what to do about the lunar stallions?" The question seemed to catch Luna off guard, for she was silent for a few moments. She mulled it over in her head a few times. "Let him eat when he approaches you for food, I have no reason to enforce when and what he eats. At least none so far." She finally said, nodding to make it official. The mare bowed and was away. Princess Luna favored Aegis Shield with an encouraging smile. He liked that. He liked it when she smiled at him. End of Part 3 === Defend Thy Honor === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 4: Defend Thy Honor It was an awkward scene at the royal breakfast table indeed when Princess Celestia entered. It was the only time of day in which the royal sisters ritualistically met every day. They saw each other during other times, but Celestia's breakfast time was Luna's dinner time, so they made the effort to be together. The fact that prince Blueblood had joined them that evening was no small mystery. Word had spread like wild fire about the strange monster that followed princess Luna around, and he wanted to take a look for himself at the ruffian. Luna and Celestia were serenely seated across from each other, and the prince at Celestia's side. As soon as the servants put the plates down, the prince was bursting to ask, "Auntie Luna, I was told you have a new… employee, this morning?" he feigned ignorance, but he already knew a lot. A pony with fangs and dark armor and bat wings could not travel far without being gossiped about like crazy. "Ah yes, he is right there behind thou." Luna said, sipping her tea idly. She was amused at the audible snap of Blueblood's neck when he whirled about like he were about to be pounced on. Standing in the slowly growing light, in the shadow of a column, was the stallion in question. "His name is Aegis Shield." At the sound of his name, the stallion inclined his head respectfully. The motion flashed light over the sharp dorsal fin on his helm, and the shine of his jagged teeth. "He looks like a monster!" Blueblood blurted, then rushed a hoof to his mouth and turned to sit properly again. "F-forgive me Luna, I didn't mean—!" "Thy reaction is only natural. He is supposed to be terrifying." Luna's lip curled a little at her nephew. She caught Celestia's eye for a moment, then coughed a little, returning to her food. "The same stallion that I threw in the dungeon recently?" Celestia asked. "He's come a long way, it seems." It was awkward indeed for Aegis Shield to stand in the background while the entire royal family made table conversation about him while he was no more than fifteen feet away. It made him blush. Instead, he decided to focus on Luna's ethereal mane for comfort. The night sky was in her hair, swirling back and forth. There was the waterfall constellation, the ursa minor, the ursa major— it soothed him for some reason, finding each one as her mane blew with the breeze that wasn't there. "Wait wait, his name is Aegis Shield?" Blue Blood wondered into his hay rice with sugar. "What sort of name is shield-shield?" he pondered. The stallion rolled his eyes a little. Even royalty wondered about that it seemed. He'd heard the same thing his entire life. "An aegis is a circular shield, nephew." Celestia said gently, turning to butter a bit of cornbread by magic and take a bite. "The markings on the face are associated with a religious figure, like Luna or myself." "Oh." Blueblood said, his cheeks turning a decent shade of pink. "I see." He was quiet for most of the rest of the meal. The pampered stallion meant well, he just didn't know any better. "There hath not been any lunar stallions for over a thousand years." Luna said, since her nephew seemed interested in her new guard. "Aegis shalt serve as an example of their might, reborn." "Sounds exciting." Celestia said with a light chuckle, turning her gaze to look at the lunar stallion. His eyes were fixed on Luna. She tried to follow his line of sight elsewhere, but no, it was right on her sister. She bit into her cornbread again, enjoying the taste of the butter. "I'm sure things will go well for him." She offered up her confidence. There was a certain awkwardness in the air between Celestia and Aegis Shield. She didn't like it. Heaving a mild sigh, she tapped her hooves on the table a little. All the guards and servants were at attention very suddenly, intent for orders. "Aegis Shield. Come sit with us." Aegis Shield's brow rose in mild shock. "Er, yes your majesty." His deep voice startled a few ponies in the room, including Blueblood. Nopony's voice was that deep. He sounded like a demon! He approached the royal dining table, sweeping his gaze back and forth. There was one chair remaining, across from prince Blueblood. Gulping mildly, he took a seat with a clank of armor. Blueblood was staring at him curiously, and when Aegis offered a smile it was all fangs. The prince went pale and leaned back a little. "Er… hi." The lunar stallion offered lamely, casting his eyes downward. "I never stopped to thank you, stallion." Celestia said mildly from behind her teacup. She sipped idly for a moment, then the cup levitated down to the table again. "Though your methods were… odd, I can't argue with results. You did what doctors, medicines, and even I could not." Aegis felt color filling his face at the praise. Luna was smiling bemusedly, chewing her food. "Perhaps there is something special about you." The princess of the sun made a show of eyeing him up and down before returning to her food. "Please, dine with us. Help yourself." She offered him food from the royal table, and he nodded politely. It only then occurred to him that there was seven forks and five spoons in front of him. His ears turned back. Luna cleared her throat a little, and when his eyes flicked over she made a mild gesture. You were supposed to start with the outside utensils, and work your way inward. Blueblood chuckled good-naturedly, levitating a slice of cornbread and a little syrup his way. They ate in relative silence. The lunar stallion felt a little awkward, being the only one at the table without magic. He had to lean down into his food while the royals could levitate theirs upward to their mouths. There was something symbolic there, he just couldn't put his hoof on it. "So… how did you manage to awaken my aunt Luna from her coma?" Blueblood asked curiously. Celestia suddenly sprayed tea from her mouth! Time seemed to stop for a moment, for all the servants had frozen at the spectacle. It wasn't often something ruffled Celestia's feathers like that. "Auntie are you okay?" Blueblood gaped at the sun princess, who leaned a little to wipe her mouth with as much dignity as possible. "We think we are done for the evening, we are tired!" Luna suddenly rose with enough force to knock her chair over, clearing her throat. Blueblood turned curiously, looking back and forth between the royal sisters. "Good morning, sister! Nephew!" she strode away quickly. "Good morning, Luna!" Celestia called weakly, shooing off a servant that was trying to help pat tea out of her fur. She coughed a little, trying to recover her dignity. "Well! I must go and finish coaxing the sun skyward, good day nephew!" she quickly strode out of the room the other way. "Was… it something I said?" Blueblood asked Aegis Shield, looking confused. The lunar stallion shrugged, a little red in the face. The royal nephew leaned suddenly, whispering, "I think your charge just left." He nodded towards the door Luna had exited through. The stallion rose with a jolt, wolfing down the remainder of his cornbread with terrifying jagged teeth. Running with a full mouth, he almost knocked a servant down to get out of the room. Blueblood sat back in his chair, very suddenly alone at the breakfast table. What the hay had just happened? =-=-=-= Aegis Shield, still in full regalia, had a few hours to himself now that Luna was safe in her chambers. Though it was the early hours of the morning, it was still Canterlot. The city that never truly slept. There were all sorts of activities to do in the early morning, especially for guards with the late shift like himself. Deciding rather easily on a tavern, the Hook and Barrel, he strode in to find a light drink and some relaxation. What he found instead was a group of curious solar guards. The lunar stallion found the stool on the end of the bar, asking for something light to wet his lips. Having just supped with the royal family he wasn't especially hungry, but the entire ordeal had been a little nerve-wracking. Something light would calm his nerves. "One please." His voice was deep and dark, enough to draw the eyes of half the room. And since most of the room was outfitted in solar guard armor, it was more than a little awkward for the lunar stallion. He pushed the bits across the bar, and brooded over his drink to get away from the staring. Finally, one friendly face appeared out of the crowd and sat next to him. "Aegis? Aegis Shield is that you under there?" it was the Appleoosian guard mare from before. What was her name again? Apple Fritter? The one that had helped guard princess Luna with him. Yeah that was her. He looked at her, and she winced at his yellow serpentine eyes. "Wow, ah gotta say that's a new look for ya." Her accent was poking through in her excitement. He smiled mildly, sipping his drink, "It does turn a few heads." He said deeply. Suddenly he was aware of a stallion standing next to him. It was Mountain Hoof, also from before. "Aww, he don't look so tough." The color in his cheeks said he was more than a little wine-touched. "It's still the same Aegis, right? Right?" he leaned heavily on the stallion, the scent of cider on his breath. Aegis felt his nose wrinkle. "Still pinin' away at the princess, right? Right?" "Aw, c'mon Mountain Hoof. There's no denyin' the princess is a nice-lookin' mare." Apple Fritter smiled awkwardly. "Be nice, now. He's still settlin' into his new job." "I think we all know why he took it, eheh!" he slapped Aegis Shield hard on the back. "C'monnnn, you spend a month starin' at her there in her bed, a stallion can get a few ideas here and there. You know what I—!" Aegis Shield broke his glass over Mountain Hoof's head. His helm protected him, but the shower of glass and drink had blinded him. Apple Fritter took a step back in the explosion of glass, and the room went dead quiet. Mountain Hoof shook his head a few times to clear his vision. "Hey! Hey what gives?!" he roared, slamming Aegis into the bar with both hooves. His sheer size gave him the advantage, but the frown on the lunar stallion's face was dark and stoic. There was a long, tense silence. Was this it?! Were they gonna see the lunar stallion go at it with one of Celestia's stallions? Bits were changing hooves like crazy in the back of the room, furious whispering as bets flew back and forth. "Rule number one at any job, Mountain Hoof." The voice was deep and dark, for the lunar stallion spoke. He gave a hard shove, enough to almost put the guard on his back. "Never date your boss." There was a chuckle or two from the opposite ends of the tavern. Turning his back on his heckler, Aegis put a few more bits on the bar. "Sorry about the glass." He mumbled to the bartender, turning to leave. Mountain Hoof stopped him, a great hoof on his chest. "You think you can just break a drink over my head and walk out? That's assault, you know. I could arrest you, freak." The massive stallion was still out to win the argument, even if it meant using his powers as a guard. Furious, boiling anger rose up inside Aegis Shield. He'd hoof-picked the stallion to help protect the princess in her hour of need and this was how he was repaid? Heckling and dragging him along like the town freak? The armor reacted. The ancestor's reacted. His amber-gold eyes ignited with a powerful glow. Shoving the hoof aside, the lunar stallion seized the solar one by the frame of his armor and lifted him bodily in a godly feat of strength. Frightened hush fell over the tavern again as his jowls rose. The triangle-shaped piranha teeth made their debut and he let out a wordless, carnal roar of fury! Hydra's would quiver and dragons would look twice had they been there. Shoving his face right into Mountain Hoof's he roared with all the anger that had pressurized inside him. The guard's mane flapped wildly in the phantom wind it created, even inside his helm. The dark guard then dropped him back on his hooves like nothing had happened. Mountain Hoof stood there, stunned, looking and feeling like a used piece of chewing gum. The crowd parted quickly as Aegis rushed for the door. There was a long silence before the tavern slowly tittered back to life. The lunar stallion rushed for the nearest dark alley. His golden eyes steamed a strange golden mist and he rubbed at them furiously. Why had he been so angry? It was just words, just words! And where had that untapped strength come from? No stallion was strong enough to simply lift another one up like that, much less on two hooves! Lust and power, hunger and might. The memory of the words struck him like a physical blow. He looked down at the armor he was wearing, running a hoof slowly over it again and again. "It's alive." He mumbled quietly. Suddenly he itched furiously. Scratching wildly he leaned against the brick wall and rubbed his body against it. The armor shrieked and groaned. "How do I get this thing off?" he pulled at the helm forcefully, but the helm was attacked to the platelets of the back, and those were attached to the chest piece, and those to the eye in the center of his chest, and… and… it was all one piece, looking at it this way and that. Rushing to a rain puddle from a recent storm, he peered at himself from different angles. There weren't any buckles or anything, it was just on his body. How had he gotten it on in the first place? Oh right, Princess Luna had magicked it onto him. Did that mean it was permanent?! Would it not come off?! Panic rose in his chest and he thrashed about amongst the alleyway dumpsters, trying to force the armor off of himself. But no, the transformation had made it a perfect fit with no give on any of the straps or platelets. It fit him like a sock. There was a crack of parting air, and a new figure appeared in the alleyway. "Art thou already tired of thy new vocation?" It was Princess Luna, wearing only two horseshoes and missing her chest regalia. Half-dressed. "We could feel the frenzy rising from across the city." Aegis Shield stared at her. She looked so pony when she wasn't dolled up in her armor and shining things of office. He stopped trying to peel his armor off and went to her. "Something in the armor, it makes me angry. And strong. And gives me night vision. What am I, Batpony?" Luna stared at him, for the modern reference had sailed right over her head. "Thou art… augmented." She said gently, reaching to pat him in a soothing way. "But we are proud of thou, if it means anything." The princess saw questions in his eyes. "Thou could've taken whomever it was apart. The armor thou wears gives thee the strength to do so. Thou could've ripped thy enemy in twine. Literally." She saw him looking a little pale, and quickly kept talking. "But thou didn't. Self-restraint and mercy is good to temper justice." "Justice?" Aegis said, feeling a little overwhelmed. "He was just talking. He was drunk. They were just words." The princess chuckled at him. "Well, whatever it may have been, it got a rise out of you and thy armor reacted. What did thy heckler say?" she was curious, eyeing him up and down. He turned his ears back, a little embarrassed. The sun was slowly rising, casting more and more light into the alleyway. He mumbled for a moment, but could not deny the princess her question. "He said that I took this job so I could be near you." The princess smiled awkwardly, cocking her head and looking down at herself. Suddenly very much aware that she was only half-dressed, she felt warmth in her cheeks. "And… and what didst thou say to him?" she asked in a rather small voice. "I broke a bottle over his head." Aegis mumbled, scuffing his hoof on the ground a few times. Princess Luna threw her head back and laughed a deep, throaty laugh. She leaned on him with one hoof, her mane flapping back and forth in a joyous way. It was like a glorious banner, and it held the faint scent of the summer night after a storm. "W-we had no idea thou would wade into taverns to defend our honor!" she saw him turn a lovely crimson, and she pushed her mane out of the way finally. "Commendable! I would not order thou to start violence with drunken ponies, but commendable!" she burst into peals of laughter again, leaning helplessly on him. Her scent filled his nose. He ver suddenly wanted her. Wanted those lips. The armor reacted. The ancestors joined in his song. "What shalt thou do with the rest of thy morning?" she asked him when she'd finally come down from her giggling. "What does the average guard do with the end of their day, so to speak?" she calmed, then saw the glazed over expression in his eyes. His jowls lifted, the piranha smile working its way across his muzzle. A new feeling began to overtake him. "We get kisses from the more attractive mares. They love stallions in uniform." He told her, leaning and mashing his muzzle furiously against hers. Princess Luna gave a filly-like squeak, pressed back against the wall. She flailed a little, red-faced and furious. How dare he?! How DARE he?! How d—oohhh… his deep and purring growls pressed her against the dark brick, her ethereal mane bannering wildly under his domination. Her hoof rushed up around his neck, pulling him powerfully to her eye-level so the kiss could deepen. How many centuries had it been since her last kiss? She was like a parched pony in a desert, suddenly thrown a canteen of ice water. When the kiss broke, they were panting. She looked at him a heady expression, rubbing a stray line of spittle from her mouth. When he went in for the second kiss she struck the open eye on his chest plate. With a sound of drawing swords the lunar stallion's armor sank into what looked like a medallion, folding into an impossibly small space until it was gone. His fur flashed back to brown, his mane exploding into gold. His cutie mark reappeared on his flank, a golden shield with a star on it. The magic left him, the ancestors silencing themselves. The eye of the medallion closed as though sleeping, and he staggered off of her. He fell to all four knees, his cheek pressed against her bare breast as his wings flapped awkwardly out of tune with one another. Princess Luna panted a little, coughing awkwardly. "We shalt see you tonight, Aegis Shield. Report for duty." With a crack of parted air, she teleported away by magic. The stallion leaned against the wall, breathing hard, mysterious medallion hanging around his neck. The lusty feeling of desire had passed as soon as she'd removed the armor from him. Was it making him crazy? What was the matter with him, doing that to her like a stallion in season?! He didn't get seasons, he was gelding! The armor was evil. He would have to throw it away. Grasping at the medallion with his teeth he made for the nearest storm drain and stopped. "You're augmented." He repeated his princess' words. "Augmented." He chanted softly, looking at the bizarre device. One couldn't augment something that wasn't there to begin with. He gulped a little at the realization. The cider-touched Mountain Hoof had been right from the very start. He wanted to be around Luna for more than just guard duties. Lust and power, hunger and might. =-=-=-= Princess Luna could still feel his lips on hers, the little voice in her head was eager to revel in the feeling. She scrubbed at her lips a little, trying to deny it. He did not shrink from her, he did not fear her, he did not slip and call her Nightmare Moon like others sometimes did. It struck her to wonder what really had made him want to kiss her. While she was comatose, that is. Not just now. She looked in the mirror and herself, cocking her head. She was not unattractive. Her doors suddenly burst open and she turned with a startled yelp, mane bannering to one side. "Who is that? Who dares burst into our chambers?!" she demanded. A golden-eyed shadow stared at her from the doorway. "Aegis Shield!" she snapped, heat gathering in her face. "We told thou to retire for the night and report tomorrow!" he was walking toward her quickly, a hungry gaze in his eyes. The alicorn meeped as he pressed up against her, hot and naked fur making a sinful friction between them. He extended his neck to rub up against her neck and mane, even with their height difference. Wait, how had he maintained his golden eyes without his lunar stallion regalia on? "Your majesty." His voice was a black, hungry chuckle that belonged in the dark. Brown mixed with midnight fur as he walked her backward into her own bed, his piranha teeth flashing into view as he loomed above her. She yipped as she fell onto her back, splayed out. He clambered up onto the alicorn-sized bed, his muscled chest working itself as he did so. She couldn't help but stare at the rippling bits, honed and toned from seasons of training as a royal guard. Standing over her, his head dipped in what she thought was a bow for a moment. But no. His hot, searching muzzle scrubbed at her bare chest and she panted feverishly. She should stop him. She should STOP him. But ohh… no no, her body said it felt nice Wanted more. More big powerful stallion, yes please. His sharp teeth sank into her ear, and her shoulder, and even scraped across the soft of her belly. He gave deep syrupy purr like a great mountain cat, ever the dominant animal. "Aegis!" she shrieked when his head had dipped lower. The sin! The scandal! Yes! YES! She clutched at him. Her wings snapped all the way open with rabid, heated desire. "Oh AEGIS!" She cried out into the sweltering night. Princess Luna fell out of bed with a yelp, sweating and disheveled. She lay there panting for a long time, flushed crimson. "S-such visions!" she scolded herself, swallowing several times and untangling herself from the sheets. She looked out onto the balcony, where the sun was starting to touch the horizon. It was almost twilight, in which she would need to begin raising the moon. Luna made to get up, then stopped. That felt like—! She lowered herself slowly, crossing her back legs in a meek way. "Oh dear…" she mumbled shyly. End of Part 4 === Stuff Thy Belly === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 5: Stuff Thy Belly It was a scene of terror at the Hook and Barrel tavern. Aegis Shield was seated at a table near the middle of the dining room. Across the table from him, Apple Fritter and a couple of other friendly solar guards were gathered. The lunar stallion was polishing off a plate of hay rice and soy sauce mixed with vegetables like corn and carrots. Reaching mid-bite, he poured more salt into his bowl. Then he devoured the rest of it and set the bowl on the stack. "Bah'kee'! *gulp* Barkeep! Another bowl!" he called over his shoulder. The stallion behind the bar nodded slowly, looking shocked at the sheer consumption. He warily leaned into the kitchen, calling out to his cooking staff. Aegis Shield saw Apple Fritter staring at him. His eyes trailed down her front to her half-eaten cheese nachos. "Are you gonna eat that?" he said hungrily, staring at her plate. Mouth still agape, the only thing that moved was her hoof to push the nacho plate his way. The three ponies stared in horror as he vanished the nachos as well. He was like a machine! "Are— are you okay, Aegis? You're eating like a teenager." Apple Fritter gestured to the pile of four bowls and two plates next to him. "More than that. How are you not sick from eating all this?" she said worriedly. "I dunno." Aegis Shield said between bites, eager to find more to stuff in his mouth. "Just woke up starving." He shoved his face into the last nacho and the poor thing vanished in an instant, down into his hungry belly. "Been hungry all—!" he heard the chiming of the great clock of Canterlot, quickly standing. "Make that to go!" he called aloud to the bartender. His medallion bounced on his chest as he reached across the bar to get his sealed to-go bowl. "Thanks!" he dropped a few more bits. The bowl was unsealed instantly, and during the slow walk towards the door he murdered that food as well. Apple Fritter and company watched him go, then looked at the table. "There is something wrong with that stallion." Apple Fritter mumbled, poking at the leaning tower of empty bowls she'd stacked up. "What do you expect? He's a lunar stallion now." Said one of the guards. "He's different than you and me." The mare gave him a dirty look, but he didn't waver. "What? Even my wife didn't eat like that when she was pregnant with our son, and she was ravenous." "I thought you were—? Like all the other solar stallions?" "Hey we were smart. We conceived before I joined the guard." The stallion said snappishly. "Oh…" =-=-=-= Luna emerged from her room fresh as a night-flower and ready to greet the evening. Her regalia shone. Her crown glittered. Her personal guard was eating a potted plant. She— wait. "What art thou doing?" she stared at him, stopping half-emerged from her room. Aegis was nibbling hungrily on an unfortunate flowery sapling that was sitting in the corner of the corridor. "Urf?!" He turned, snapping to attention. "Princess! Good night!" he saluted her with a clop of his hoof. She eyed him up and down. He wasn't in his armor. "I… couldn't figure out how to make the armor work again." He said, turning his ears back embarassedly. "I know it has something to do with the amulet, but I couldn't make it work." Princess Luna herded him back into her bedroom when she was sure the coast was clear. Shutting the door, she spoke. "Thou must merely recite thy oath. We thought that part was obvious." She cocked her head, eyeing at him up and down. He looked down at his amulet, pawing at it a little. "Well?" she asked after a long silence. "H-how did it go again?" he smiled embarassedly. "Thou disappoints us, merely reading the oath and not memorizing it!" She leaned forward, scolding him with a shout. He hunched a little, like a dog that knew it had pooped on the rug. She sighed a little, then her expression softened. "Well, we did not command it of thou, and being the first in so long, we can forgive for now." She offered a small smile. "Listen, and we shalt teach thou our oath again." "Yes." Aegis Shield knelt on all four knees. He didn't know why, it just seemed like the proper thing to do when giving an oath to one's princess. He bowed his head, studying her hooves intently. "In the dark, we tear and rend." "In the dark, I tear and rend." He repeated after her. The necklace stirred. "To end all evils, with spines to bend." "To end all evils, with spines to bend." The eye of the medallion snapped open, golden. "Lust and power, hunger and might." "Lust and power, hunger and might." The stallion's eyes were flickering with an inner glow. "By—!" "By Luna's will, and dark of night!" His deep lunar voice exploded from his throat in a joyous rush of the thrill of power. The necklace ignited with a golden glow, and plates of armor rushed over his body. He arched his back, crying out as his teeth sharpened into fangs and his coat faded to an ashen grey. Dust on the floor rushed away from him in a ring. His eyes turned golden, the pupils into slits. His wings folded into themselves and then exploded with length, membrane'd like a bat's wings. A lunar stallion! Princess Luna smiled with approval, touching his shoulder while he panted at the rush. Leaning, she kissed the warmth of his forehead, blessing him silently. "Very good, my stallion, very good. Now remember thy oath." He'd already taken steps forward, growling quietly and rubbing his cheek on her chest. He was like a massive dog that had taken a liking to a foal, rubbing up against her like that. His lifted jowls showed off rows of fangs, such a terrifying smile. "Give it a momennnnt..." Luna smiled bemusedly, until his brain rewired and Aegis Shield snapped back to himself again. He threw himself back, flushed and heady. "F-forgive me." He said, flexing back and forth in the armor to make sure it was all okay again. "Thy frenzied state should become shorter and shorter as time goes on." Princess Luna consoled the stallion's deep embarrassment. "Before long thou wilt not lose thy mind from the transformation at all. Eventually only great stress will activate it, and that will be the armor protecting thou." She smiled encouragingly. Aegis Shield nodded, still looking a little rattled. "I… I didn't mean to—!" "Oh, thou did." Luna chuckled, turning and opening the double doors of her room. "Just as thou meant to kiss me during the dawn." She said over her shoulder without looking at him. Aegis Shield went crimson, and he stuttered until she spoke again. "Thy armor will augment everything about you, stallion. That includes desire. It is even in thy oath. Now come along, we've much to do this night." Feeling completely out of his league, the lunar stallion followed his princess obediently. While they walked, she turned her head only slightly to ask him again. "Why were thou eating one of the palace potted plants?" Aegis blushed a little, "I've been starving all day, your majesty." He said. "I killed half a dozen dishes at a local tavern, and a to-go bowl, and I'm still hungry." "Oh." Luna said, sounding relieved. "That is, again, thy armor talking. It takes a lot of energy to augment your strength, speed, and body as it does. Where dost thou think the energy comes from?" she smirked over her shoulder at him. "Me?" he asked. The princess nodded. The stallion wasn't sure he liked the idea that the magic armor he was wearing was sucking energy out of him like a sponge to power itself. It sounded dangerous. But, if it only happened when he was upset or in a dangerous situation, he supposed that was okay. Only when it really counted, right? After a quiet dinner/breakfast, Luna reported directly to the Night Court and sat upon her throne. "Let anypony with intent to speak with us forth." She called down from the dais. The guards posted at the double doors thrust them open, but there was no one there. The antechamber for appointments was empty, as usual. The solar stallions looked at her apologetically, as though it were their fault nopony had come in the middle of the night. The alicorn sighed quietly, then reached between the cushions of her seat for a tome to read. A quill and protractor with inkwell hovered about her. Aegis Shield silently wondered what she was doing for over an hour. When she started flipping pages of her notebook back and forth, he caught glimpses of her scratching. Fancy mathematics, angular drawings, and tiny-lettered notes. Occasionally, the princess of the night would crane her neck to look behind herself. The open air of the balcony at her back gave an excellent view of the starry night. There were few clouds obstructing the view tonight, a crisp summer evening. Aegis Shield was the first to notice a foal enter the throne room and he straightened, looking down at him with a curious gaze. The solar stallions peered down curiously, but did not stop him. He was a raggity, curious-looking thing. Blank-flanked and butter-yellow, his bright green eyes darted around animatedly. The little colt stopped and gaped up at Princess Luna, awestruck by her majesty. "What's your name, son?" Aegis Shield leaned down into his face, very careful to keep his lips down. He didn't want his shark-teeth to frighten the poor lad away. "I'm Mint Leaf." He said meekly, shrinking away from the strange grey monster. "Your majesty!" Aegis Shield straightened, raising his voice to draw the princess' attention. "A citizen to see you! The colt, Mint Leaf!" Luna's head snapped up and a genuine smile leapt to her features. The lunar stallion stood aside and the little colt skittered forward on his little legs. The princess of the night blink-blinked, seeing the foal approach her and then stop at the foot of her dais. Aegis took his place again so the pony could speak. There was a bit of silence, the colt staring up at the princess with a starstruck expression. "Speak, little one!" Luna trumpeted. "Should thou not be in thy bed, or nestled 'tween thy parents at this hour?" The little one shook his head dumbly, still unable to take his eyes off of her. "Then what is thy issue to bring to thy princess?" "My little sister is sick!" he piped, his voice still high with youth. "I came to ask for help!" Luna cocked her head a little. He was so small himself, yet insisted he was the elder sibling. "We are not a doctor, little one." Her face fell into a frown. "Nor could we directly aid thee if we were. Royalty may not show favor amongst our citizens' wishes individually." "But you're a princess!" he whined at her, soft-eyed. "You can do anything you want!" "Tiz the law, we are afraid." "You should change the law!" the colt insisted, tearing up. Stubborn in her cause but unable to stand a crying child, Luna sighed. "If we were to offer thou money for medical treatment, others would flood in for the same hoof-out. My coffers would empty in weeks." She tried to explain to the little one. He stuck out a pouting lip, adjusting the adorable bandanna around his neck as he tried to strengthen his resolve. "I don't want money!" the little colt insisted. "I came to get help for my little sissie!" "Child, explain thyself!" Luna was growing impatient now. "I promised sissie that if she was good and went through with her surgery, that she would see shooting stars when she woke up." Mint Leaf told her. "She made me do it. Made me promise." He looked at her desperately. Luna's expression softened. Such a big heart, for such a tiny thing. Waltzing right into the palace in the dead of night to ask the princess of the dark for something like that. There was a long silence between them. "Please!" he finally shrieked in a child's almost-crying broken voice. He threw himself on his belly to bow before her. Luna rose from her throne, setting aside her notes and scrolls. Everypony watched her glide serenely down the stairs and lower herself down so she could be closer to his height. Mint Leaf thrust out a pair of rusty bits as his final begging trump card. "I have two whole bits! Is that enough to get a shooting star tomorrow night? For sissie?" he had no idea what he was asking or doing, only that he must do it because he'd promised his little sister. Luna reached slowly and pushed the bits back to the tiny colt. Her wings opened slowly, coming forward to rest on either side of him. "Child, a shooting star is well within our power." She said quietly. Solar guards and the singular lunar stallion had to strain their ears to hear. "And we would not be one to make a liar out of thou. If you will keep your trip here secret, you shalt have your shooting star on the morrow." She smiled gently. Aegis Shield smiled, deeply touched. Leaning, the princess kissed the brave little colt on the forehead. "Now scurry home, lest thy… sissie, miss thee." She stood and shoo'd the child away. Mint Leaf ran as fast as his little hooves could carry him. There were no other visitors that night in the Night Court, but the morale was certainly high. Even Luna could not miss the beaming looks from the staff and guards posted about the throne room. Aegis Shield smiled easily for the rest of that night as well. =-=-=-= "I had no idea you were so good with foals, your majesty." Aegis complimented when they were alone in one of the long hallways. "That was very touching." He said, smiling his piranha smile at her. Luna's lips rose into a lopsided smile. "Tiz children who ask for the simplest things, sometimes. They have the blind conviction that things will happen because they want them to." She folded her wings down for comfort, looking down at Aegis Shield. "Though we must admit, it was brave of the child to come all the way to the palace on his own. Night only knows where he was from or where he lives." The lunar stallion nodded in agreement, chuckling way down in his barrel chest. "Now then, to feed you, my dear guard." "Uh?" Aegis said, almost stutter-stepping as they walked. "Thy belly growled for the entire Night Court. Do not think we did not notice." She chuckled, hiding her grin behind a hoof. "We shalt invade the kitchens." "Uhrf, won't they panic if a member of the royal family just comes waltzing in unannounced?" the lunar stallion asked, cocking his head. Luna thought this over for a moment, then nodded glumly that it was true. "But er, maybe I can get something in the kitchen and we could meet somewhere?" "My dear charge art thou asking me on a dinner date?" Luna chirped, smiling wickedly at him. "Mayhap." He said, catching her subtle sense of humor after having spent so much time with her. "If it means the two of us eating in the same place at the same time, I suppose so." He turned his nose up at her, making a show of how much of a gentlecolt he could be when occasion called. So uptight and formal! She snorted. "The lunar barracks, then." Luna turned sharply down a different hall, peeling away from him. Aegis went onward towards the palace kitchens. The dark alicorn walked quickly and discreetly towards the guard barracks. She was bowed to, spoke when spoken to, but otherwise made a bee-line for the hidden doors. Looking about, she saw that nopony seemed to see her anymore. She smiled. Putting that 'unnoticeable' spell on these doors had been a marvelous idea. In the olden times it was to keep the solar and lunar guards apart, they tended to scuffle in that era over the silliest things. But now it was certainly nice too. She descended into darkness, the torches exploding into light as she went. Emerging into the antechamber, she went down the long hall and found herself in the great room. The vault was closed as she'd left it, but the ancient furniture was moved around. She blink-blinked. The sheets were gone, and the hearth scrubbed. Had somepony been cleaning? She frowned a little, sticking her head into the fireplace. Not a speck of ash. Looking at the nearest sofa, she inspected its plush cushions and new-looking stitches. Had Aegis been down here tidying the place? She'd told him he didn't have to do that. She could certainly assemble a team of palace cleaning staff to see to this place! Wondering what else he'd been up to, she wandered to the different passages. There were hoof prints in the dust in each one. Finally she came to the housing hall. Dozens of empty rooms in a singular, long hallway, each with a thick door and a number to separate their same-ness. One had been forced open. She peered inside. "Oh this shall not do." She scowled. Inside was a ratty sleeping roll, a stack of books, some candles, and a few other personal effects on the floor. The lamps lay in carefully laid out pieces, parts of them scrubbed clean and oiled, other parts still awaiting treatment. "We truly have forgotten how much help this place needs to reawaken to its former glory." She mumbled, shaking her head. Leaning, she pawed through Aegis Shield's books. Ancient Equestrian for Beginners. The Sun and Stars: Guide to Celestial Bodies. Mixed Unit Tactics. Sewing Without Magic. The Mare's Tickle. She cocked her head at the odd spread of subjects. Language, Science, Military, Practical, and… what was the last one? She picked it up with her magic, flipping it open to a random page. What's this? A haiku? Teats are very nice Creamy mounds beneath her dress. Smile, it's cold today. Princess Luna slammed the book closed, eyebrows high. Bawdy poetry. She tried to put it back exactly as she'd found it, and backed out of the room again. Carefully leaving the door cracked as it had been, she cocked her head. Well, he was only pony. One couldn't be the dark and shining example of law and militaristic strength all the time. Now and then something foalish or dirty was bound to pop up. Even her sister's favorite student, Twilight Sparkle, had a few rather hot novels in her library history file. She chuckled to herself, returning to the great room. She fiddled about for awhile until finally Aegis Shield emerged into the barracks, a covered basket in his mouth. "Ah, finally." Luna said, smiling at him. He lowered the basket to the ground. "Sorry, it took a moment to convince them I wasn't going to eat them." The stallion looked a little hurt at the fact. "They were eager to give me anything I asked for, though." He grinned sabers at her. Luna smirked a little. She knew what it was like to be accused of cannibalism. Why, during the last Nightmare Night— eh, that was a different story. Instead, she leaned and focused on the basket of delights he'd brought to share. The stallion looked around awkwardly for a table, "Er, sorry your majesty, there doesn't seem to be— uh…" he trailed off with a frown. Luna alleviated the situation by flopping, very un-princess-like, onto the nearest couch. "This isn't the royal table, Aegis. Let us at least feign casual dining!" she chirped good-naturedly. He smiled, nodding and getting the hoop of the basket back in his teeth. Taking the steaming thing with him, he clambered up onto the couch with her. Setting it between them, he flung the little towel off of it. Fresh hot cornbread greeted them, along with a little bowl of butter. There were also blobs of mashed potatoes, three corns on the cob, beans, rice, spiced chowder, crackers, a cheese wedge, and then a little cider bottle. Cramped into the corner were a salt and pepper shaker. "Looks good!" Aegis shoved his whole head into the basket to grab something, which made Luna shriek with laughter for some reason. He looked up at her, confused, a corn cob sticking out of his muzzle like a giant comical cigar. "Oh shorry, wradies firsh." He said, leaning and putting the corn cob back like it hadn't just been shoved in his mouth. Luna only laughed harder, shaking her head. "H'oh no! Help thyself!" she giggled, ushering him to take the corn cob back. "Thy company is what matters most to us." Her face colored as soon as she said it. He looked up at her, blink-blinking. Forgetting her magic for a moment, she dipped downward to snatch a piece of cornbread with her teeth. Coughing slightly, she sliced it up by magic and slathered it with butter. Eating daintily, she offered him a kind smile. There on the couch, they shared the meal. The crackers made excellent mini-plates for mashed potatoes, cheese, and other things. The corn cobs were the first thing to go, both ponies liked laying the butter on thickly. The husks were put back in the basket, but not much else made it out safely. The stallion was insatiable for the longest time, recharging his calories, internal batteries, whatever one wanted to call them. He was slowing down, though, by the time the last blob of mashed potatoes was being licked up. That left only a small wedge of cornbread and a bit of butter left. Aegis leaned down to get it, and Luna did too. Their heads clonked together, both of them pulling back with a hiss of pain. "Sorry, sorry. Go ahead." "No-no, tiz thy bread." They both leaned again, bashing their heads once more. "H'oh blast it!" Luna said, his helm not very kind to her forehead at all. He held his face in embarrassment more than pain. They both leaned a THIRD time, cracking skulls again. The alicorn yipped in pain, gritting her teeth. "Oh for goodness sake!" Luna's massive hoof came up and held Aegis Shield back, her magic levitating the cornbread up out of the basket. "There!" she said, rubbing at her forehead a little. Both of them leaned greedily over the final morsel, their teeth connecting with it less than an inch apart. They stared at each other, blink-blinking. "Rrrr." said Aegis Shield, giving a slight tug. The princess cocked her eyebrow at him. Dare he fight her for mere bread? So be it! Blimping her wings out playfully, they mouth-wrestled over the cornbread. Lips not quite touching, they mouthed wordless threats at each other, quietly clambering back and forth to find a dominant position to take it. Pulling too hard would break it into pieces, mayhap not in the aggressor's favor. Not pulling hard enough would surrender it to the other pony. Aegis peeled back his lips to threaten her with his piranha teeth. "Rrr?" he warned. "Rrr." She said back to him, their heads tilting one way, then the other. "Rrrr—" He warned with narrowed golden eyes. "Rrrrrr!" She interjected, not letting him finish his threat. "Rrrrwgle!" The lunar stallion demanded dominantly. "RRRRR!" The princess was snappish. "RRRRR!" her charge lowered his brow in a determined way. They leannnned one way, then the other, knocking the basket aside trying for the corn bread morsal. Rearing up a little and using his weight, Aegis soon had her on her back. They suddenly both oomph'd together by a shift of weight, and the cornbread fell to the floor. It broke into pieces, mixing with the dust and grime. Inedible. Both ponies wilted, their playful contest over. Then they looked at each other. Luna lay on her back on the couch, wings spread to either side of her and her ethereal mane spilling over the arm of the couch. Splayed out thus, her front hooves were pressed to his chest and her back ones quite spread apart. Aegis Shield was atop her, one hoof under both her wings and the other two stretched out behind him. The pair stared at each other. There were questions in both of their eyes. The princess slid her hoof across his chest plate, poking the moving eye. With the sound of drawing swords the armor collapsed into itself. The medallion hung between them after a moment, the eye pressed closed. The stallion was brown again, his blonde mane hanging down over her. The transformation had winded him, and he fell down upon her. Her arms slowly came to wrap around him, and he pressed his muzzle into her mane to catch his breath. After a long time, he dared to look at her face. She was smiling quietly. Nickering something in ancient Equestrian, she flicked out half of the torches lighting the room. They were cast into eerie blue shadows. "Princess—" "When we art alone, thus," she interrupted him with a harsh whisper. "Thou should call us… Luna." Her hooves wrapped around his neck, pulling him slowly down upon her. "Understand? Call us Luna." "Oh Luna…" Aegis said breathily, hovering over her face. His armor may have been deactivated, but the ancestors certainly sang their joy for him. Brown and midnight fur mixed fiercely, and her legs locked around his middle. Her crown tumbled off and across the floor as his teeth made off with it. Kissing her furiously, hungrily, the stallion pressed himself down to dominate. A more feral mental coding was taking over, and he whinnied despite himself. Luna welcomed him, drinking him in like a parched pony. Their kisses turned deep, sloppy, steaming. The great room grew warmer and warmer with their frolicking. Luna moaned audibly. She wanted him. She didn't care, she had to have him. She was a forbidden fruit amongst stallions, finally there was one strong enough to put his lips to hers! Yes! YES! "H'ohhh, Aegis!" she called out, one of her ceremonial shoes flying right off of her hoof and across the room. It tinkled to the ground somewhere, shimmering in the dark. Her stallion nibbled at her furiously, almost biting. Hungry. Lusty. Powerful. She wanted it. All of it. Forcing the hungry beast back for a moment, she finally turned herself over onto her belly. Her massive wings flared wide open, pulsing with desire. Finally, the hormones and kissing made her lose her head entirely. Un-princess-like, unashamed, she thrust her hips up at him and flicked her ethereal tail aside. "Take us! Ravage us, thy beast!" she cried, flushed and aching for the stallion to mount her. Aegis Shield clambered atop her, pushing her shoulders down. He reveled in her heady shrieking as he got into the dominant position. He just— needed to— oh. The stallion looked down at himself. "I… I can't." he mumbled, suddenly ashamed. His ears turned back. How on Equestria could he have forgotten? "Yes thou can! Mount us!" Luna whinnied like a mare in season, pressing her rump against him eagerly. A thousand years or more of nothing at all, she would have him this night! "Mount us!" "I'm gelding." He said miserably. A long, icy silence passed over the pair. The mood was suddenly quite gone. Both fell to awkward, crimson-faced breathing. Luna lowered her tail, then the rest of herself. He collapsed atop her. They lay there quietly, unsure what to make of each other. It was the stallion who spoke first. "Oh Luna, I'm so sor—" "We think it needless to say," Luna sniffed, interrupting him suddenly. "We shalt never look at buttered cornbread the same way ever, ever again." There was another silence. The mood, for some reason, began to lift. It was so stupid, so awkward and so embarrassing it went full-circle back to funny. She started giggling. He joined her, face-hoofing before he threw his head back for a full-throated laugh. He fell upon her again after she'd turned over, embracing her with the laughter. Whoops! Forgot my stallionhood! Sorry! It was a terrible thing to laugh about, but they both found it too Faust-damn hilarious not to. End of Part 5 === Crush Thy Foes === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 6: Crush Thy Foes Aegis Shield was leaning over a tome by moonlight, studying the contents. The night-vision that the armor granted him would've helped, but he wasn't on duty so he didn't think it right to wear it. He was lying on his belly in a little grove on the edge of Canterlot. Though the city was bright, the park was kept dark for all the little woodland creatures to enjoy. And young lovers smooching under some of the trees. And stargazing ponies like himself, of course. Finding a place with no animals or smooching ponies had taken a little work, but finally he'd found some peace. On his night off, it only seemed right to study something having to do with his vocation. To better himself as a lunar stallion was to better himself as a tool for the crown, after all. The Sun and Stars: Guide to Celestial Bodies lay open in front of him. He pawed through it, back and forth, trying to find something of interest. Shrugging a little, he opened his saddlebag and produced a telescope. Setting it on a little tripod, he used the mounted compass to find north and set it up properly. "Due… north. There we are." He lined up the legs just so and made sure it wasn't tilted in any particular way. Turning the tuning dial a little, he looked for a random star. Finding one, he stared at it for awhile until he could see it clearly. It… looked like a speck to him. Frowning, he looked harder. Maybe his telescope just wasn't very good. He zoomed out a bit until his lens encompassed a group of stars instead. That was prettier to look at. Leaning to one side he checked the direction, angle, and time of year to a chart in the back of his book. "The spreading star." He read aloud. "A cluster made up of nine stars forming a starburst pattern, with one star serving as the focal point. Huh." He leaned to peer through his telescope again, and drew imaginary lines in the sky so he could see the pattern. "Neat." He smirked after a moment. He did this with a few more clusters. It seemed a good thing to do, getting used to the positions and constellations of the sky. Luna's Horn. Ursa Major. Ursa Minor. The Gryphon's Claw. And more. And more. Aegis Shield was a little surprised there weren't any constellations in homage to Celestia, princess of the day. Flipping through the tome he checked the index. Celestia, see the sun. He flipped to the middle of the thick book, and found the section on the sun. Apparently, the sun was a star itself. Huh! Odd! The reason it was so much bigger and brighter was its nearness to Equestria. Aegis suddenly understood how Celestia could produce the day and the night while Luna had been banished. All the points of light in the sky, even the sun, were stars. The sun princess was merely moving the closest one. Wait, didn't that by implication mean that Luna was far more powerful than her sister? Moving one star, versus manipulating thousands into intricate patterns and weavings? It boggled his poor mortal mind. He shut his book with a snap, not sure he wanted to compare the princesses in terms of power. As though they would ever fight each other. Well, there was that one time a thousand years ago, Celestia had needed to don the Elements of Harmony to stop her sister since she couldn't do it alo— No no no. No thoughts like that. He was loyal to both princesses. Just… devoted to the princess of the night. There was nothing wrong with that. Rrrf. Stuffing the book in his bag and deciding he'd had quite enough stargazing for one night, Aegis Shield rose and dismantled his telescope. Weaving his way down the moonlit path, he made for the lunar barracks. He didn't make it far, though, for there was trouble afoot in the park. =-=-=-= Peppermint flushed, pressed idly against the tree behind her. Her wonderful stallion was nose-nuzzling with her romantically. Giggling softly, she hooked a leg around his neck to pull him closer. He was such a handsome thing, his cinnamon scent always so lovely to her nose. She extended her neck and he nuzzled up and down it lovingly. They'd been dating for a few weeks now, maybe she could work up her courage and get him to kiss h—! SPLAT! Apple pie to the back of the head. The stallion looked shocked, his mouth a little agape. Time seemed to stop and sound seemed to end. Then—Splat-splat! One to the side and flank. He slowly fell to all four knees then onto his side, down. His face was frozen in a terrible look of fear. Peppermint screamed shortly, for a shadowy figure had emerged from the darkness to shove his hoof in her mouth. She squirmed back and forth but he pressed hard with a snarl. It was another stallion. Two of his friends quickly emerged, pies in hoof, peering back and forth. "We got him, hurry up let's go!" one whispered in a reedy voice. "Dun rush meh." The other spoke with a deep southern accent, keeping the squirming mare quiet. "You'll be quiet iff'n you know what's good for you, missy." They made a grab for her purse, ripping it open and snatching her bits bag. There had to be a good sixty bits or so in there! "That's a good girl." He snickered darkly while his partners threw the purse down to one side next to the fallen stallion. She whimpered loudly, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked down at her love. "Now how's about a kiss and we'll be on our way?" He said huskily, his lips rising into a black smirk. She shook her head, whimpering loudly and pressing herself back against the tree. Both of the smaller stallions snickered, gathering around. "No, please-! Please!" she whimpered as the shadows pressed in around her. "Hey." A new voice called out to them, making all three stallions snap their heads around to glare. The mare squirmed hard, craning her neck. Silhouetted at the apex of a small hill was a brown stallion with a golden mane. "Hooves off." His eyes flicked down over the thrice-pie'd stallion, and his brow rose. "Oh, that's how it is then." "You buzz off!" said the largest of the three, thrusting the trembling Peppermint into the hooves of his comrades. "You don't want none'a this!" reaching into his saddlebag, he drew out a steaming apple pie. Tossing it up and down on his hoof a few times, he leaned forward threateningly. The mysterious brown stallion didn't move, only frowned at the scene and cocked his head. "Don't make me make you, you'll lose." He said testily. "This is my night off, but I can certainly kick all three of your flanks into the royal Canterlot jailhouse under the palace. They're extra mean to prisoners there, especially if you get brought in by a royal guard." He lifted a hoof, leaning forward threateningly. "Pffft, royal guards are white and armored. You ain't nothin'." The big stallion certainly liked to talk. "Nyah!" he threw not one but two apple pies! In mid-stride he'd drawn another from his saddlebag. The stallion bobbed, but then weaved the wrong way and took a pie to his back left leg. He whinnied in pain, thrown off guard and limping to right himself. The weaponized sugar started to sink into his skin, numbing him. "See?! He ain't nothin'!" he trumpeted back to his two friends who were holding Peppermint hostage. Righting himself finally, the brown stallion scowled with a deep hatred for the evil before him. "Fine then. I warned you." Cocking his head, he tapped his medallion with his hoof. Raising his voice he spoke quickly and officially. "In the dark we tear and rend, to end all evils, with spines to bend! Lust and power, hunger and might! By Luna's will! And dark of night!" The eye of the medallion sprang open, a demonic serpentine eye. The ancestors raised their deep voices in song, joining their new brethren once again. The armor exploded across his body, deep purples and blacks. His wings disintegrated, bat-like ones replacing the old and much bigger than before. His eyes glowed golden, pupils turning to slits as his teeth exploded with jagged edges. His fur twinged down to ashen grey as he embraced the night. Lunar stallion! Peppermint, the poor mare, fainted at the sight of him. One of the two smaller stallions responded by soiling himself and fleeing. The other henchpony stood stock still, frozen in fear. The larger stallion, leader of the bandits, could almost feel his pupils shrinking in fear. Aegis Shield charged into battle with a whinny of exhilaration, bat wings wide! =-=-=-= Luna frowned suddenly, looking down at her tea. It tasted like pain and fear. Such a saturation, too. She cocked her head. She'd been trying to relax before she took her leave to begin the Midnight Court. The sudden surge of negative emotion had struck her drink on an ethereal level. "Hrmm…" she said with a slight groan. If it was strong enough to illicit such a reaction that she could taste it, it warranted investigation. Sighing, she spread he wings and used magic to make herself invisible. The glided over the city of Canterlot, silent as the ever-present moon. Flicking her eyes back and forth, she saw little beyond the usual night time ponies going about their business. Where was it coming from? She could almost smell it. She followed her instincts until she found herself gliding in circles over the park. Then below her she spotted it. Her brow rose in surprise. Aegis Shield, in full regalia, beating the stuffing out of somepony! She landed hard, at a distance, trying very hard not to jump to conclusions. The lunar stallion was straddle-punching a stallion far larger than himself, one hoof after the other. To one side lay another stallion struck down by pies, a motionless mare, a pile of poo, and another stallion with a pie tin crushed dangerously over his face. The princess gaped in awed silence. There had to be a story here. Whap. Stomp. Whap. Stomp. The larger stallion was still receiving his punishment in spades. What had illicited Aegis to don his armor? She peered around, not really minding the beating sounds in the background. Still invisible, she leaned over the fallen trio still present. The mare seemed unharmed. Perhaps she'd been knocked out? Or fainted? The pie-slain stallion was frozen in horror, perhaps burned by the sweet flakey goodness of what had hit him. That would be a nasty sugar coma, at the very least. Aegis Shield did not carry such messy, primitive weapons. She flicked her eyes over the poo. That was definitely poo. Yep. The other stallion was whimpering softly, a pie tin crushed over his face. His legs were weakly bicycling. His mouth was furiously working itself, trying to eat his way to air, but he wasn't going to make it. Having mercy on the poor fool, Luna magicked the metal tin off of his face. He lay there just trying to breathe, comatose. Aegis Shield finally rose from the big stallion's chest, unpinning him and panting. The bandit lay there, bruised in the eye and bleeding from the muzzle. The lunar stallion's hooves were stained red. The ancestor's sang for him: a thousand deep and haunting voices, raised in the song of battle and victory. The thrill! The adrenaline! The power! It felt great! Moaning audibly the lunar stallion streeetched his back and wings, shaking from side to side like a dog shedding water. A black shadow approached him from behind. Luna looked over from her silent investigation. Eyes widening, she dropped her invisibility spell. "Behind you!" she roared, pointing. Her stallion stared at her in shock, where had she come from? Jerking around, he was just in time to get blasted off his hooves by a flying pie to the face. He fell with a grunt, a mess of hooves and gooey pie filling. "Aegis!" Luna shrieked. Furious, boiling anger rose up inside the princess. Reaching with a mighty hoof she snatched the assassin from the darkness (the third stallion who'd soiled himself and fled had returned for a sneak attack.) with her magic. He flew through the air with a cry, tumbling flank-over-teakettle at her roughness. He stopped inches from Luna's muzzle, where she glared into his face with all the fury of a thousand icy moons. Merciless in her anger, she broke his mind in half with a flick of a night goddess' magic. He went glassy-eyed, then limpened. She dropped him like a rag-doll, panting feverishly. Her breast heaving, she surveyed the scene. So many injured ponies, for what?! What had happened here?! Thunderclouds gathered in a swirling vortex of rage, blotting out all but the moon. Icy vapors rushed back and forth. She planted her royal backside and thrust a hoof into the air as the Royal Canterlot Voice concussed the night. "TO— ME'HHHHH!" Dust and twigs rushed away from her in a ring while lightning split the sky in a fantastic display of raw power. Every guardspony for blocks and blocks would come rushing at the sound of the summons. =-=-=-= Aegis Shield slowly opened his eyes. He was warm and clean, his armor gone. He was lying in a bed somewhere. He turned his head slowly and moaned. His neck was bruised at the base of his skull. Princess Luna herself sat opposite to him, five books levitating around her while she scribbled with a quill and parchment. She looked up, looking startled. "Aegis! Art thou alright?" she demanded, books flying in all directions. He finally put together that he was in the sick bay of the solar barracks. The sterile environment and solar sigils over the door told him so. "Princess." He rasped. "What're you doing here?" "We had desk work to do. It is a small task to do it without the actual desk present." The alicorn said dismissively. Rising to her hooves, she went to him and leaned forward to inspect him. "The doctors did well, removing the pie from thy face and mane. We feared thou would enter a sugar coma." She said worriedly. "Thou should not be so reckless to charge into battle alone." The stallion blushed a little. "They were mugging that couple. Maybe worse." He protested weakly, turning on his side so he could look at her more closely. She knelt down on all four knees to be near his face. "The stallion was already down when I arrived." He whispered seriously. She nodded her understanding. "Thy magic armor dost not make thou invincible." The princess of the night said softly, putting a massive hoof on his chest. He held it between two of his. "Just be more careful. Thou art one of a kind, my lunar stallion." She soothed quietly. He smiled shyly, and she leaned down to nuzzle him. Cocking her head to one side, she turned it into a kiss instead. He murred quietly, still holding her hoof at his breast. The doorknob turned and they ended the kiss quickly. The doctor entered, all smiles at the chart that he had hovering in front of him. By the time he looked up at his patient Luna was on her hooves again, staring at him. He flinched involuntarily, then bowed deeply before her. "Your majesty." He said, before straightening. "Looks like you got Aegis Shield and the others here just in time. Those pies had extra sugar in them, they could've been comatose for months. Whoever thought to weaponize pies all those years ago was a real sick-o, I tell you." He said with a shudder. "The other stallion you brought in took three pies, he'll be out for a week or so. We've got him on a feeding tube until the sugar coma wears off. The mare was fine, she told us everything that happened." "And Aegis Shield?" the princess raised a brow, more interested in her private guard. "He'll be fine. I'm surprised he woke up as fast as he did." The doctor said with a wary chuckle. "As much pie filling as we scraped off of him, I'm surprised he wasn't out for a few days or so. You've got a serious healing factor there, son." He turned the chart over to show him, but Aegis couldn't make heads or tails of it so he smiled politely instead. "You can leave whenever you feel strong enough to walk out on your own hooves." He signed his name on the clipboard with a flourish to make it official, nodding and smiling. "Thank you, doctor." Aegis rasped from his bed. The medical pony nodded, putting the chart on the hook on the door and excusing himself. "Whew." He began to sit up, then suddenly felt dizzy. "Oomph." He fell again. "Thou shalt be resting for a bit, we think." Princess Luna said acidly. "Surely thou art tired from crushing thy enemies?" she smirked playfully. "The armor is working to knit your wounds." "It does that too?" Aegis moaned, face-hoofing a little, looking down at the amulet around his neck. When he squinted, he saw that it was giving off a soft purple glow. So soft was the glow one wouldn't notice without really looking for it. "Is there anything it can't do?" it sounded like a complaint, and Luna wrinkled her nose at him. "Sorry. It's just… a little overwhelming. I'm basically wearing the most magical thing I've ever heard of, and it's so in-tune with my body that it's starting to creep me out a little." He looked up at her tiredly. "Tell me how it works?" the stallion asked. Luna sighed a little, but would not deny her injured soldier. "Much like solar armor works, actually." She saw his look and went on. "Well you see, guard armor works much like uh… hrm…" she thought for a long time, trying to come up with a good explanation. She looked over and saw the water jug on the end table. "Suppose this water here was all the magical power my sister ever ordained to her guards." She peeled a couple of paper cups from the waiting stack by magic, levitating the jug and pouring a little water into each. "They each get an equal amount. You were once a solar stallion. The power turned your fur white and your eyes blue. It made you a little bit stronger, atop your guard training." She paused to make sure he was following. He nodded once. "And there are hundreds and hundreds of solar guards, are there not?" she gestured vaguely to the window. He nodded again. She showed him the jug of water again and swept the cups aside. "Suppose this was all the power that we ever allotted to the lunar stallions." She pulled a new cup and set it on the end table. "And this is you." She poured water out of the jug. And poured. And poured. The water spilled over the sides of the cup, onto the end table and then to the floor in a growing puddle. She held his eyes as it slowly dawned on him. "I'm the only one. I don't have to share the water. I'm the only cup." He whispered. She nodded with a rather cruel smile. "It's not just the armor. It's you, isn't it?" Aegis Shield asked softly. She nodded again. "Wow…" he turned to lay on his back again, not sure how to feel. Flattered? Overwhelmed? Powerful? "Thou art the only lunar stallion, so thou share-est a thicker bond with us." Luna said, setting the jug aside at last. "If there were more, they would share the bond with us also." "Will there be more?" he asked. "That remains to be seen." Princess Luna shook her head. "For now, we are content with thee." She smiled, poking his chest with a hoof. He smiled, flattered at her. Making sure the door was closed, she leaned and kissed his forehead. "Rest for now, we shalt expect thee at tomorrow night's Midnight Court." She told him. After sharing a smile with him, she made her way to the door to leave. "Oh, and Aegis?" she said, turning. "Yes, your majesty?" he asked, settling back to relax at last. "If thou art to study my stars, at least use a telescope not meant for foals." She levitated his bag to him as his face turned red. The telescope floated out. Turning the long tube over she showed him the seal on the underside, near the tripod's base connector. It had come from a toy store. Aegis Shield squirmed miserably. No wonder he hadn't been able to see the stars very well. He'd bought it used at a pawn shop, not wondering about its origins. Now he felt like he'd insulted his princess, viewing her work with a cheap toy. "Yes, your majesty." He said meekly, pulling the sheets up to his nose. She chuckled merrily, putting the telescope away and leaving his saddlebag by the bed. Only after Luna was gone did he dare reach into it to pluck out The Sun and Stars: Guide to Celestial Bodies. Pawing through it, he began to read the section on how telescopes worked and what sort was best to view the stars with. =-=-=-= Luna sat on her balcony, overlooking Canterlot. Her thoughts were of Aegis Shield. Not in the professional guard-princess way, either. Cocking her head, she frowned as she sipped her tea. She stared at the stars, deep in thought. Thinking of the moment she first saw him in the cell until the present, she suddenly scowled at herself. "Art we in love with him? Or in lust with him?" Princess Luna asked her sky very suddenly. The stars silently twinkled back. They'd practically jumped on each other several times since all of this had started. The armor influenced him, even as a medallion around his neck (though far less). The virile ancestors sang their praises when he flew into battle just as loudly as when he put his lips to hers, no doubt. They were the paragon of the male fighting spirit, egging him on to be at 120% at all times in all things. A flick of anger became a battle. A spark of lust became a mounting. Princess Luna looked at herself on the other hoof. Was she overwhelming him with her own want? Why had she not stopped to learn the stallion, before the lunar armor was donned? Was she that excited to have a lunar stallion, that anypony would do? She felt herself flush in a humiliated way, tucking her wings and tail embarrassedly. "Tiz true, then. Tiz possibly lust." She cradled her temple in one hoof, flushed and angry at herself. "We must test the theory." she summoned ink, quill, and parchment to herself, mouthing the words as she wrote. "We shalt create another." End of Part 6 === Witness Thy Comrade === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 7: Witness Thy Comrade It was a strange thing indeed when a royal proclamation with the lunar cutie mark appeared on the general boards around Canterlot. There were easily over twenty of the posters hanging up, each proclaiming the same message: Princess Luna was looking for a strong stallion to become to second of her lunar guards, and would be touring the city as well as holding contests to determine who was worthy. This sent just about every young stallion in Canterlot into a frenzy. Just imagine, the chance to be a royal guard merely by impressing her majesty! No years of academy training? No back-breaking boot camp or classes on armor polishing? It was like a dream come true, and every hot-headed stallion from Canterlot and beyond were going to vie for the prize. "Is this wise, Luna, just putting up wanted posters?" Aegis Shield was a little doubtful, walking the halls of the palace with the princess of the night. "Surely you could pick another solar stallion, or find somepony about to graduate from the academy?" He was already drawing up a list of names of ponies who could certainly fit the bill. Luna cut him off before he began to cite names, "We art accustomed to letting our gut instinct define the worthy, Aegis Shield, do not fret." She said officially, turning her muzzle up a little. "Did we not pluck thou from a prison cell?" she prodded. He hung his head. It was true. If the princess could make a powerful lunar stallion out of the pony that had kissed her in her coma, she could certainly find a second who was equally worthy. "We merely need to trim the numbers." Both of them could already hear the crowd gathered outside. The dark-pelted alicorn was going to address those gathered, as per the posters' instructions. "Ready?" Aegis Shield asked her, putting his hoof on the curtain that obscured the balcony. Luna looked herself over briefly, then her lunar stallion. Satisfied, she nodded and he thrust the curtain aside with a flourish. Tilting her head back and closing her eyes, the princess of the night emerged onto the balcony overlooking the royal gardens. There was a massive crowd of ponies waiting below, talking and chattering amongst themselves, comparing hoof-sizes and generally showing off to one another. Luna waited patiently. The courtyard served as an excellent place for parties and other gatherings, but the gardeners would probably have a field day after this. With so many gathered ponies, there was no telling how many plants would be tromped or nibbled on. Finally, a few of them noticed her and there was a growing wave of shushing going back and forth. After a minute or so, the gardens were as quiet as the grave. Many, many faces were looking up at Luna expectantly with bated breath. Princess Luna lowered her face and opened her eyes. Looking down, she favored the crowd with a confident smile. Lots of ears lifted and turned forward. The cloak she was wearing burst into bats, which swooped over the crowd and made a few ponies dive for cover. Her wings snapped open powerfully, showing off their full span and making the crowd flinch. "CITIZENS OF CANTERLOT!" The Royal Canterlot Voice concussed the night, imploding across the gardens and reverperating off of the stone walls. Normally it would blow the eardrums of anypony, but with the massive crowd it was actually appropriate this time. "YOU HAVE DONE WELL TO GATHER THIS NIGHT! WE ARE HONORED BY THE TURN-OUT OF SUCH EXCELLENT SPECIMENS OF PONIES!" she made a sweeping gesture across the crowd. There were murmurs of appreciation and lots of smiling. "UNFORTUNATELY, MERELY ONE OF YOU WILL BECOME THE SECOND LUNAR STALLION!" she mega-phoned. Aegis Shield looked around the crowd without turning his neck. There were a lot of goobers down there. This would be interesting to see his princess widdle the crowd down. "FIRST! WE MUST THIN THE NUMBERS BEFORE WE EXAMINE THOSE EVEN MILDLY WORTHY!" Luna trumpeted. "WHEN WE ASK YOU TO LEAVE, WE EXPECT THOU NOT TO TARRY! THIS IS NOT AN OPTION BUT A ROYAL ORDER! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!" There was murmuring from the crowd, some scattered applause and general positive response. Luna turned to Aegis Shield, nodding to him with a smile. The entire crowd locked their eyes onto the lunar stallion. Everypony there was comparing him or herself to Aegis, and he knew it. Coughing a little, he unrolled a bit of parchment on the railing in front of him. He saw the flick of Luna's magic make it stick so he could read gracefully in front of the crowd. "Listen closely!" his deep bass voice was like a syrupy bronze bell, far too deep for any normal pony. Was that something that came with being a lunar st—oh wait, he was talking now. "Firstly! Stallions only! The lunar stallions are called thus because it is for males only, no exceptions!" There was a giant feminine groan from the crowd while the hoof-fulls of mares made for the exits. How unfair! How sexist! Stupid lunar stallions! "Second! You may not be married or have children! The princess requires your complete devotion!" There was more groaning, and plenty of the stallions left for that. So findin' love or makin' foals was against the rules of the lunar stallions, huh? Well pffft, they didn't wanna be a part of that anyway! No matter how frickin' cool the armor looked, or the night hours, or hanging around the princess! "Thirdly! Pegasi only! All lunar stallions must have the ability to fly, because of their fighting styles in times of war and battle!" Aegis Shield read down a list of a dozen carefully chosen characteristics, all mandated by Luna herself. She wanted her second guard to fit a certain way in her employment, and though she had plenty of mostly-unfair rules, it would prevent plenty of un-prepared stallions from stepping forward. By the time Aegis had finished reading the parchment, there were maybe a dozen stallions left. "Well, our rules certainly narrow it down." Luna mumbled out of the corner of her mouth. Aegis Chuckled behind his hoof as he made a show of putting away the scroll and bowing to the princess. Luna stepped forward with her full wingspan still on powerful display, and leapt off the balcony. Curving her wings gracefully, she touched the ground with a dainty clop on the stone path. Aegis Shield followed, landing behind her and to her right. "Congratulations, thou have all made the first cut." She favored them with a second smile, which inflated more than a few egos. The gathering of pegasi looked energetic, virile, and certainly ready to prove themselves. She scanned their cutie marks. Quill, bottle rocket, lilypad with flower, etc. Nothing particularly impressive on any of them. "C'mon princess!" one of them reared up a bit, flailing his front hooves excitedly. "What's the next challenge? Lay it on us!" Aegis felt his anger inflating a bit at his casual disrespect for royalty. The ancestors murmured in the back of his head, conferring about taking the upstart's head off or not. But no no, this was Luna's show. She was in charge of choosing prospects. Breathing deeply and settling on a neutral glower, Aegis waited for the princess to lay down the next challenge. "I wish for my second guard to be as clever as my first." Luna announced the next challenge by praising Aegis Shield. His cheeks colored just a little, but his face remained neutral. They all looked at her expectantly. "Therefore, a seemingly impossible task shall be set forth for all of you." They cocked their heads, blink-blinking. Looking up into the starry sky, she thrust a hoof at the moon. "Capture… the moon!" she declared. Their heads tilted back and all of their mouths gaped open. What?! What was that supposed to mean?! She was crazy! Only alicorns could affect celestial bodies like that! The group stared at Luna, as though she might say more. "Thou all have three days to accomplish this task. If thou cannot, do not bother returning. Now, away with you!" she said with a flourish, raising a mighty hoof and flapping her wings once. Aegis smirked. Eleven of the twelve pegasi stallions took wing, one of the poor things shooting straight up towards the moon (hours later he would be hospitalized for passing out in the thin air of high altitude, and only barely saved by a passing guard). Aegis Shield stared at the one stallion who had not moved. Luna cocked her head at him, frowning. He peered about the royal gardens, and spotted a spicket sticking up out of the ground with a bucket under it. Trotting over quickly, he lifted the handle and pumped it a few times. Water gushed out until the bucket was full. The alicorn and the lunar stallion watched him curiously. Going to an open area with no trees over it, he set the bucket down and let the water settle. Cocking his head, he did several circles around the bucket. Finally, he stopped and smiled. Coming back, he bowed before Luna. "Done." He said. Aegis narrowed his eyes. He knew that voice. Luna cocked her head, going over to the bucket and peering into it. She saw nothing. The Pegasus, smiled, indicating where she should stand. The alicorn did so, then leaned down to get the proper angle. Sure enough, the reflection of the moon appeared in the bucket. He smiled and threw his chest out impressively. "Moon in the bucket." He said to make it official. Aegis frowned, his eyes racing back and forth in thought. The ancestors were unsure of him, not sure of the newcomer. They didn't like new things. Hmm… Luna nodded, smiling a little. "Impressive. What is thy name, stallion?" "My name is Stalwart Hide." He said, throwing his chest our impressively, wings on display. Aegis Shield barely contained his moan. No wonder he recognized him. It was the pony Celestia herself had dismissed from duty during Luna's coma. =-=-=-= The remainder of the three days Luna set down came and went. None of the other stallions returned. Now Princess Luna, Aegis Shield, and Stalwart Hide stood at the entrance of the lunar stallion barracks. "I don't remember this ever being here." He said, cocking his head in amazement. "Are they invisible or something, if you're not a lunar stallion?" he asked Luna. "Somewhat." Luna chuckled, throwing the doors open with magic and starting downward. The three of them went down, down, down the spiraling staircase and into the antechamber. The massive battle scene was to one side, and the scripture on the other. The princess stopped, gesturing. "Thy ancestors before thou." She introduced the carvings. He approached with awe, staring at them silently for a long time. Aegis Shield stood to one side, smiling gently. It was a lot to take in. Luna stood next to him and told the story, the same one Aegis had heard. How the lunar stallions were the army and guardian forces of the night long ago, how they'd vanished into the darkness after Luna's exile, and how there were only two armor sets left now. Stalwart Hide mumbled a little, going to the other wall to study the scripture. "These are-- these are names." He said after a time, lifting a hoof and squinting at a line of ancient Equestrian. Luna cocked her head, once more impressed. "I took a little ancient Equestrian in college before I joined the solar guard. Before Princess Celestia…" he trailed off a little, wilting under Luna's critical gaze. "Thou art an outcast? And dare approach me for such a coveted position?" Her voice was gathering aggression and her wings slowly starting to flip open. "I was there, your majesty." Aegis stepped in to interrupt before she went off on him. "Princess Celestia was so worried about you while you were in your coma she dismissed Stalwart Hide in a moment of anger." He went through the story quickly, about the conversation they'd been having and how Celestia had wandered by at just the wrong moment to can him. Luna's eyes narrowed, as though she weren't sure if she believed the two of them. But, it did make sense. If nothing else, the times over the millenia that Luna had ever been injured had all made Celestia especially testy. Call it sister's protective instinct. "Very well." Luna amended after a moment. "Come, it is time for thy transformation." She turned and, wings folded, started for the great room. "Er, I'm already gelded if that's what you mean. No need." Stalwart Hide scrubbed his black mane with a shy expression. "Don't tell her tha—!" Aegis Shield tried to warn him, but Luna had already turned around and peered under his undercarriage curiously. The lunar stallion fought down a groan, face-hoofing a little bit in embarrassment for the other stallion. Stalwart Hide's brow went up and he stared at the princess staring at him. It was the same deal under there. Ugly scars hidden under thick fur, all from the stitches of the procedure. Luna shook her head, grumbling softly for herself. "Our sister insists on un-stallion-ing all of her male soldiers, we swear we don't understand." Stalwart tried to back up a bit, but no she wasn't done yet. His face turned a dark crimson while her eyes raced back and forth. "Does this not affect their growth, their strength, their virility in battle?" she bit her lip and shook her head with disapproval. Aegis stood there with his face in his hoof until Luna righted herself again. "We apologize for our sister's barbaric old ways. But come, we have thy armor ready in the vault." She turned and went down the tunnel. The new stallion looked at the other, who shook his head and gestured that he go on. Gulping a little, Stalwart Hide followed Luna. They emerged into a freshly-cleaned great room. "Looks like the princess allowed some of the palace staff down here at last." Aegis smiled around the room, eyeing the new furniture and the plush ornamental carpets and tapestries. The fireplace and strategically placed torches with mirrors lit the room nicely. It was clean, it looked great! "Is that the vault?" Stalwart Hide asked, eyeing the massive polished door of steel. Luna nodded and, with a commanding line of ancient Equestrian, forced the seal open and swung the great portal open. "Wow…" he peered inside and stared at the two pedestals. One was empty, and the other held a pristine-looking set of armor. "Wow…" he whispered again, stepping beyond the threshold. Luna looked over her shoulder at Aegis Shield, silencing him with a look. He nodded, quietly going to sit by the fireplace and admiring the carvings on the walls that were now clean. "Wow indeed, stallion. This is your point of safe return. After this there is no turning back. Your transformation will take place here, and it shall be painful." Luna declared, pointing at his chest with a massive hoof. "Art thou ready?" she said with a dangerous smile. "Painful?" Stalwart Hide asked, lifting a hoof and leaning back. "What more can you do to me, making me into a lunar stallion? I'm already gelding." He said a little awkwardly as the princess backed him into the vault with stomping hooves. "Hey now. Hey now! HEY!" There was a rolling crashing sound inside, the sounds of armor clanking and pressing on flesh as rivets were dug in and for some reason the sound of power tools. The stallion begged for mercy. All the while Aegis Shield studied the fireplace in a bored way. Luna emerged from the vault with a proud look on her face. "Wait wait wait waiiiiii-!" the vault slammed shut behind her, and she locked it with magic. Aegis looked over at her, cocking his head. There was loud banging on the vault door for a few moments, then it went dead silent. "You didn't wait for his permission." Aegis Shield told her in a low, growly voice. "He has come this far. If the ancestors of the armor do not think him worthy, he shan't have to worry for long." Luna snickered a little, going to a velvet couch and regally laying down. "I would not worry, my stallion." She perked her ears as the blood-curdling screams suddenly started up. There was muted, rapid banging on the vault door. "The first time is always dramatic and painful." Aegis frowned at her, but he knew from experience and said nothing. Whatever was going on in there was testing the limits of pain, sanity, and awareness. "If the armor does not accept him, we shall find another candidate." "What will the armor do if it doesn't like him?" Aegis suddenly asked, moving over to her couch and sitting with her. Now that they were alone it didn't feel so alien to act friendlier. "Thou… worries too much." Luna said after a long silence. There was another round of wild screaming as she leaned slowly and kissed his forehead. It sounded like the poor stallion in the vault was being butchered by the legendary Cupcake Murderer. Aegis shuddered. The door of the vault rang as he either threw himself against it or bucked against it. His screaming was muted, but there were sounds of begging and roars of agony. "Thou were just as vocal." She soothed Aegis by stroking his back with one hoof, along the folds of his armor. "Worry not." Suddenly the screaming stopped. Luna cocked her head with interest. Her lunar stallion looked at her eagerly for answers. There was a long silence, and both ponies perked their ears forward. Then the shrieking of bloody murder started up again and Luna sighed. Making idle conversation over the noise, she turned to look at Aegis Shield. "Has the kitchen staff been feeding thou well? We commanded thy new diet be wide and healthy since thy armor feeds from your own energy." Aegis winced when the screaming halted for what was no doubt head-banging on the vault door. It sounded wet and painful. "Oh, Uh— Yes. Yes. They've been taking good care of me." Aegis offered, trying not to be sick at the terrible sounds coming out of the vault. "Can't you help him?!" he finally burst out, running and putting his hoof on the vault. "He sounds like he's dying in there! Help him!" "Thou were tested in the same way, do not fret." Luna said in a slightly more commanding tone. Aegis winced at her scolding, looking glumly at the floor. Suddenly the screaming stopped again, and there was a shuffling sound inside the vault. Low humming. Then, more banging on the vault. But this was much more powerful bucking. Aegis Shield felt his ears ring a little, and he slowly backed away from the vault door. Luna finally stood from the couch. "It is done." she smiled in a slightly cruel way. "He has succeeded. He is frenzied." Aegis turned his ears back, a little bit wary about opening the vault at this point. "Stand back, Aegis Shield. Let thy new brother pounce upon only me if that is his reaction. Do not interfere." She commanded him, pointing to a corner. He went there quickly, mouth agape in tense, bated breath. Licking her lips to wet them, princess Luna spoke the ancient password. The vault hissed, spilling smoke and pressurized air out into the room. There was only darkness beyond the threshold. A deep, resonating growl rolled out of the blackness. Twin amber-gold eyes shone in the shadows, fast approaching the threshold. A lunar stallion with bloodied muzzle and head burst onto the scene, growling around the room like a wild animal. Whinnying and rearing up with flailing hooves, he roared and growled and bucked ferally. His wings opened and shiver-shiver-shivered at Luna, trying to look threatening and powerful. Luna stood stoic, looking upon him with a gentle expression. He came closer, like a rising cobra, threatening and baring his fangs at her. Aegis Shield winced. No wonder so many ponies were always staring at his teeth. They looked like a mouth full of triangle-shaped piranha teeth, able to rip flesh from bone! The newborn lunar stallion drooled and bled all over the place. His forehead was bleeding freely, not to mention his mouth where all the new teeth had just grown in. He was a mess of sweat and fur and blood. Aegis was struck by the serious symbology of being reborn in the vault. How violent and testing it was., emerging into the new world like a brand new foal, covered in blood and roaring like a beast. He'd been the same way, Luna had told him. Luna conjured a towel to wipe some of the blood away. Stalwart Hide bit at the towel possessively, took it, shook it until he was sure it was dead, then threw it across the room in his teeth. Then he pounced wildly on Luna with a growl! "Do NOT interfere!" Luna roared at the already rushing Aegis Shield. "Do NOT!" Straddled atop her the massive stallion inspected the alicorn with angry glowing eyes. Was she mother? Was she sister? Was she food? The ancestors were not sure. They were gathering back and forth in rows like a choir, in the back of his head. Not organized enough to form an opinion to aid him. He sniffed her quickly, ferally, trying to make sense of her massive wings and long legs. The newborn lunar stallion surveyed her back and forth with hungry eyes, a golden mist floating out of his eye sockets. Slathering back and forth he tried to chew on her chest regalia instead. The pain soothed the ache in his new teeth. She let him. Slowly, she put her front hooves around him in a quiet embrace. He panicked, biting her in warning, both legs. Luna yipped a little, but did not resist him. "Aw-w-w-w-wgh!" he roared into her face, bits of blood and saliva flying and spattering her cheek. "Shhhh-sh-sh-shhhh…" Luna said soothingly. "Thou art mine now, your mind is not your own while the armor embraces you. Be calm, shhhh-sh-shhh…" she stroked his head a few times. The stallion garruff'd at her, taking her hoof into his teeth and snarling wildly. His nostrils were flaring hot steam, trying to get her scent, trying to understand what the alicorn was. Was she friend? Was she foe? Did she need to be destroyed? He cocked his head, releasing her hoof from all his jagged teeth and studying her mane more. Her mane was not normal. He tried to dig his teeth into it, but it didn't work. It was ethereal and un-graspable. He growled in frustration, and instead surmised to check the rest of her for things of interest. Luna lay on her back submissively, letting the frenzied stallion do as he pleased. As soon as his mind was rewired, he would be back to normal and all would be forgiven. He trailed down, sticking his nose under her chest regalia. The chains tinkled a little, which made him flinch. Then her wings were interesting, how big! Big hooves too, ohhh. He smeared the blood from his mouth here and there as he sniffed and nipped at her like a curious wild dog. Luna's fur would stain at that rate. Then he went a bit lower, poking at the soft of her belly. The princess' legs kicked a little and she whimpered. Then a little lower than her belly, down to her—! Luna squeaked, but said nothing, squirming a bit. (If only she had more lunar stallions, she would not have to be the proctor for every frienzed birth like this. In the olden times, half a dozen lunar stallions would aid when a fresh one emerged from the vault.) The newborn lunar stallion never saw the full-sized COUCH that broke over his head. Shards of wood and metal went everywhere, exploding in a fantastic display of force. He roared in pain and confusion, whirling about. A stallion! Another stallion, right there! "No you fool!" Luna shrieked, flailing in the debris to right herself. "He is still frenzied! He is not responsible for his actions!" The ancestors roared and whinnied and flailed about, demanding a righteous beating. No stallion touched the princess but Aegis Shield, they roared. Hundreds of ancient voices attached to the jealousy that had been slowly building up inside him since Stalwart Hide had burst from the vault. They fanned the flame. They augmented it, flaring it up into a wild and savage jealous anger. Clenching his teeth, the first of the two lunar stallions stomped his hooves wildly. No touching! Mine! MINE! The bloodlust boiled up inside him like a volcano. The frenzied lunar stallion charged wildly at the challenger, whinnying like a madpony! End of Part 7 === Study Thy Skies === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 8: Study Thy Skies Aegis Shield met the charging Stalwart Hide head on and their helmets crashed together with a wince-inducing smash of metal. Both of them reeled in odd directions while Luna stood by and swore in ancient Equestrian. "Aegis Shield! We command thee to stop! Thy new brother in arms knows not what he does!" Her words came out a little higher-pitched than normal. Her mouth went a little agape when both stallions ignored her and charged each other again, rearing up and flailing at one another with their front hooves. Hooves scraped and clanked against armor and bare fur alike. Aegis skidded backward almost into Luna after getting a harsh buck to the chest. Locking eyes with the frenzied stallion, he turned sideways as though to shield princess Luna from him. The ancestors sang, a hundred bass voices raised in a throaty red song of violence. He side-stepped into her and made a show of rubbing his muzzle up the front of her neck. His, the body language said. Luna blushed despite herself. Stalwart Hide reared up and whinnied, spreading his bat-like wings. They were in such an enclosed space, how would they fly anywhere? Stepping quickly away from Luna, Aegis returned the gesture and they charged at one another. Leaping into the air they crashed into each other, pin-wheeling wildly with horse-like screams. A cloud of violence and flailing hooves surrounded them, obscuring the terrible violence as they thrashed about the room. They bit and flailed and bucked and stomped and head-butted and everything they could think of! They smashed into a table, one tackling the other into it, blasting it into pieces with their sheer weight. The arranged flowers on it exploded into a rainbow of fluttering petals. Luna looked on in horror, very suddenly unsure what to do. Let them fight? The fight couldn't last long, for when Stalwart Hide's mind returned to him he would forget why and stop, surely? No. No she couldn't let them hurt each other. Stepping up with authority, the princess waded into the fray with gritted teeth. "Be still! Both of you! Stop this fighting!" Both stallions were ignoring her completely, it was infuriating. Nopnony ignored a princess! She tried to follow them around the room and get between them, but they were just moving too quickly. There was too much debris scattered around the floor, and the bits of broken furniture were still flying. She ducked suddenly, for a chair had become a sudden projectile that violently exploded against the wall. Turning her ears back she squinted into the fray, trying to find an opening. Aegis and Stalwart had locked arms, holding each other by the shoulders. Piranha teeth were snapping wildly back and forth, both of them trying to make a grab for the other's neck. One good bite was all it would take. Losing balance the stallions separated briefly, then pumped their wings and fell in a mess of hooves and teeth and fur. Wrestling like beasts, their armors clanked and shrieked against each other, neither giving in. Aegis Shield pumped his wings over and over to gain the momentum of the upper hand, pushing Stalwart Hide onto his back at last. Holding him by his shoulders, Aegis head-butted him ferally, snarling and bludgeoning his foe with his own face. Stalwart flailed, yipping ferally at each merciless blow. Finally gaining his hooves he kicked Aegis in the soft underbelly and switched them about! He dug his teeth into the other stallion's chest armor, spraying sparks back and forth and then howling in pain. Rolling back and forth, Aegis snatched at Stalwart's tail and tugged him off his hooves. The first of the lunar stallions stomped wildly on the second, gaining more than a mild upper hoof. This fight was more than over, for the feral yaps of pain were growing too torturous for the alicorn to bear. Finally Luna found her opportunity. "BE--- STILL'HHH!" Prince Luna unleashed the Royal Canterlot voice, concussing both stallions and stunning them. They pin-wheeled through the air at the sheer power of her cry, slamming into the far wall. Their ears rang. They couldn't see straight. Their wings refused to obey them. It was as though their very bodies had been destabilized! Luna huffed and puffed, not used to using the voice in its weaponized form. Tossing her mane angrily, she watched them both slide down the wall and comically land in two heaps of hooves and armor. They squirmed weakly for a long time, neither stallion able to rise. Aegis Shield flopped onto his side finally, panting softly. A certain sentience returned to his eyes, and Luna knew the ancestors had quieted for now. The princess of the night approached him slowly, leaning over him with a frown. "Thou hast disappointed me, Aegis Shield. Your interference may have injured thy brother in arms." She scolded. His ears turned back and he gave a quiet whimper. Still weak and rattled, he took one of her massive hooves in his, pressing his forehead to it in deep, wordless apology. She could see him shaking from the after-effects of the royal shout, but did not pull away from him. Let him be sorry, it was only proper. Turning her great head towards Stalwart Hide, Luna saw he had gone unusually still. The newborn lunar stallion slowly lifted his head, intelligence dancing in his noble golden eyes at last. The alicorn relaxed a hair. Finally his mind had rewired to give him control again. The ancestor's hummed quietly in the back of his skull, ever-present but quiet for the moment. Slowly turning over onto his belly with a moan, Stalwart Hide spread his aching wings and looked around. "My head…" he said, painfully trying to rise. "My back… my back!" his back gave a few comedic crackling sounds when he tried to rise. "Clearly thy frenzy was a fruitful one." Luna said a little acidly, but shrugged. Magicking the towel from across the room, she leaned down like a mother and cleaned his face. The stallion gave no resistance, for he saw his own blood upon the towel and there were ropes of warm drool as well. "Thy armor has embraced thee." The princess of the night smiled at him, tossing the towel when she was done. "Welcome to the lunar stallions, Stalwart Hide." "A-At your service, your majesty." He said, clutching his throat when he realized how very deep his voice was. He looked down at himself. Ashy grey fur, bat-like wings, it was all so different. "Wow… wow…" he said, looking himself over. He looked up at his princess in awe, then lowered his head to bow. Following Aegis Shield's example, he took her other front hoof in both of his and pressed his forehead to it. Luna was suddenly reminded of a time long-since passed, when the lunar stallions could gather by the hundreds. All of them knelt at her hooves thus, her dark and handsome subjects. Though they were just two, she was very pleased with both of them. She shared a long silence of their quiet reverence, smiling despite herself. It was nice to have soldiers all her own, and not just solar guards that happened to have the night shift each night. These two were truly hers. "We are glad you're both of sound mind again." Princess Luna pulled from them and they rose shakily to their hooves. She stepped back a bit to survey them both, nodding to herself. "Now then, our first royal orders for the pair of thee…" she trailed off, making her way towards the threshold of the exit. They perked their ears at her, ever-vigilant. "Clean up thy mess." She snickered, then turned and left. Both stallions looked around the room, blushing a little. A good third of the furniture in the great room had been destroyed in their battle. Stalwart would never remember said battle, and Aegis was too embarrassed to detail it. The ancestors were sure an uppity and active bunch. The two of them looked at each other, smiling embarrassedly. Some of the furniture would make good kindling for the hearth, at least. They spent a good hour of silent clean-up getting all the larger pieces into a big pile, then skulked about the darker corners looking for bits of debris. It was Stalwart Hide who spoke first, "The armor doesn't make you crazy forever, does it?" he was a blunt one, to be sure. "I didn't know it would do that to me, honest." He was looking at the vicious bite marks on his comrade's back leg. "The first few times you'll be like that, yeah. But after awhile it gets better and then stops happening altogether." Aegis Shield assured him as gently as he could. "Don't worry, the princess will make sure you're safe." He winced a little at the ache in his shoulder blades, rolling his back gently. "Though I gotta say, even though we're both augmented this way you're pretty strong." Aegis smirked at Stalwart, who smiled coyly. "Augmented?" Stalwart cocked his head. While they cleaned up the rest of the great room, Aegis told him everything he knew about the living armor they were wearing. About how it connected them with the ancestors. About how it augmented their emotions and natural drives. Also, about how it drained them of their energy to super-charge them for short periods of time. He told the stallion about the mugging, and about how he'd basically ignored a pie splattered on his back leg altogether. No easy feat. "Wow…" he said as they were running brooms back and forth. "That's a lot to take in." "Well, you're wearing it so you'll experience it for yourself as you go." Aegis Shield said, smiling a bit. Both stallions could tell they were going to be good friends. They'd done a guarding shift or two together, yes, but had never really had the chance to interact much before. Being the only two lunar stallions, though, that was sure to change. They were rearranging the remaining furniture to better suit the room when Stalwart Hide asked, "So, I've gotta ask since we're alone and stuff…" he checked the exit to make sure the princess wasn't right behind him when he spoke. "How did you wake the princess from her coma?" Aegis Shield's face turned scarlet, and he coughed a little. Well, if he was going to tell anypony, surely the only other lunar stallion was a worthy secret-keeper. "Swear you won't tell?" he said in a hushed way, coming closer as though somepony might be listening. "Only Celestia was there when it happened, you see." He whispered. Stalwart Hide nodded, his eyes wide with interest. He folded his wings down, leaning forward conspiratorially. "Uh huh? What'd you do? Magic potion? Chest pumps? Smack her face?" he thought of all the most scandalous things he could. "I kissed her." Aegis said, turning his head to one side with ruby cheeks. Stalwart Hide stared at him, mouth open like he was about to call him a liar. But no, no stallion blushed like that over a lie. "You wha…?" he said, just trying to take the information in. "Don't tell anypony. Ever. Don't even mention it to princess Luna." Aegis said quickly, poking his chest with a hoof. "The only reason I tell you is because you're a lunar stallion now and… and you deserve to know." He nodded quickly, then walked past his comrade to busily stoke the fire in the hearth. "Oh by the way, don't let the fire die down here. We're pretty far underground, and it gets cold even though its summer." He lurched the conversation in a different direction with all the grace of a drunken dragon pile-driving a hydra. Stalwart Hide recognized the embarrassment, and nodded silently. =-=-=-= Some hours later princess Luna was giddy inside, prancing happily into her private chambers and shutting the door. After encountering the second lunar stallion and magically listening to them interact for a bit, she'd gotten a good handle on their real attitudes towards one another. They seemed to get along perfectly, if a little cautious with each other. That was all she could think to ask for now. On a different topic, she was very pleased with Stalwart Hide. He'd taken his frenzy rather well, all things considered, and didn't hold a grudge for the serious beating he'd received from (and given to) Aegis Shield. The two stallions understood the potent magicks that coursed through the armor they wore, and it overjoyed her to know that they bore no grudges against each other. While she sat brushing her mane, she nudged the moon towards the horizon with a few moments of hard concentration. By the time Celestia rose it would be nearly gone, giving a smooth transition to daytime. Taking off her crown, chest regalia, and shoes she arranged them all on their proper pillows. Tomorrow or the next day they were due for their weekly cleaning, she wasn't sure which. She'd made a habit of leaving them in the same spot so the servants could find them when needed. She studied herself in the mirror and, with a little effort, offered up a beaming smile. Chuckling at the goofy expression she shook her head and turned away. Stretching, she went to her balcony and looked out over Canterlot. The night had only a few more hours, but still there were ponies prancing to and fro in the streets, going about their business. She sat on her haunches, watching the city with a content look on her face for a long time. Suddenly there was a knock at her door. Sighing that her time to relax had been disturbed, the princess of the night barked, "Enter!" She turned, lifting her muzzle and closing her eyes for a moment. It was her patented 'snooty' expression, the one royalty often used to inspire guilt or to shorten meetings that made them uncomfortable. "Speak, this is our time to relax." "Luna." It was Aegis Shield, and her smile grew before he crossed the room and mashed his lips to hers. She let out a startled squeak, her face blazing with heat. Her wings blimped shamelessly open. There came another knock at the door. A LOUDER knock at her door awoke Luna from her dozing dream. "Uh-whuh?!" she squeaked a little ferally. "Who is it?!" she called aloud, jerking herself upright and out of her fever-dream. Aegis Shield slowly opened the door of the room, slipping inside and shutting it behind him. He was normal and brown, the medallion of the lunar stallions bouncing on his chest. He fixed her with a smile. "Luna." He said. The princess' brow rose, and she wondered if her dream was suddenly repeating itself. "I came like you asked." He told her, turning to shuffle his nose into his saddlebags to search for something. "Asked? We asked thou no such thing to invade our bedroom in the dead of night!" Luna said, flushed and a little panicked. She hadn't summoned him in her sleep or something, had she?! Could she do that?! She didn't know. Aegis turned back to her, a brand new telescope on his mouth, and wilted at her words. He set it down on the carpeted floor. "Oh, sorry. I thought tonight was the night we'd arranged to study the stars properly." He looked glum, his eyes to the floor. "Maybe some other time—" "Oh. Oh yes! We remember now!" Luna said, relief flooding her face. She'd promised to help Aegis study the stars when he'd acquired a proper telescope. She coughed a little, cocking her head. "Yes, of course. Let us see thy telescope." She lifted it with magic, turning it back and forth. She squinted through it with a frown, testing its furthest extensions. He looked up at her hopefully. "Adequate." She awarded, setting it down. He smiled at her. "Come, we may set up on our balcony. There are a few hours of night left." She gestured. The stallion cantered past her with a big smile on his face, then worked diligently to set the telescope up properly. Using the tripod's compass he pointed it north, tightened all the fittings, and made sure the turning bits were smooth and didn't catch. Luna, meanwhile, brought a pair of sitting pillows. Sitting regally while he worked, she eyed him. "So, how have thou been while off the job? Enjoying thyself we hope?" Aegis Shield smiled at her, nodding. "Oh yes. I think the solar guard is finally adjusting to me. They don't seem as scared anymore." He grinned at her wryly. Luna smiled back, knowing what that felt like. "They're friendlier now." He made the final adjustment. "There we go!" he said. "Ah, well done. Now then, we'll start with the Ursa Major, the Ursa Minor, the Waterfall, and Luna's Horn." Luna went and squinted into the telescope, adjusting it with a careful hoof. Aegis chuckled at her. "What?" "You named a constellation after yourself." He confided, laughing a bit. "Don't tell us thou would not do the same." She said hotly, and he snorted. "We constructed all the night time heavens and everything that moves about them!" she said, anger rising and temper starting to flare. Her wings began to rise into her aggressive body language. "If we desire some small homage to ourselves for all of our hard work then we surely deser--!" He'd put a hoof unceremoniously over her mouth to silence her. "I was teasing." Aegis said, snickering a little. Luna's ears turned back in embarrassment. "Show me Ursa Major." He said, gesturing to the telescope. The princess nodded, bashfully leaning into the instrument and adjusting it just so. Dipper. Baten Kaitos. Ursa Major. The Manticore. Ah, there it was. She gestured that he look. He ooh'd appreciatively, and she smiled a bit. Calling up all the ancient memories and stories, she launched into a long lesson about the special meanings behind constellations. Why explorers insisted that she make them to make the sky seem friendlier at night, and to help them find their way. "I bet your sister doesn't make nearly as good of a night sky as you." Aegis said absently, looking up at a different shape through the telescope. Luna opened her mouth to scold him harshly, but stopped. The fact that he'd used the phrase 'your sister' said he was at ease around her, speaking casually and not thinking of her like a princess at the moment. She seized the opportunity to connect with him socially. "My sister's night sky had many pony explorers so very lost that she had to send out search teams for months to recover them properly." She whispered, giggling at Celestia's secret shame. "Her angles and constellations were so far off she had to hire a council of fifty ponies who knew the night sky better than she, and had to learn it all from scratch." Aegis put a hoof to his mouth and laughed at the gossip. "Oh my gosh! Hahaha!" he rolled, leaning into her with a guffaw. "That's terrible! Search teams! That's terrible!" he held his ribs with one hoof and had the other front hoof around her. Luna smiled grandly, nodding that it was true. They returned to the instrument, and he insistently returned to the Waterfall constellation, wanting to know all about it. Luna had placed it at the edge of the sky near the horizon so that it would look like it was washing over the edge of the world (even though the world wasn't flat). Aegis wanted to know all about it. The edge of the world (in the early times) usually meant an ocean so there was plenty of symbology and forethought when it came to placing it in the sky. The stories fascinated Aegis, and he listened to everything she had to say with large and intent eyes. Princess Luna couldn't remember being happier. A casual setting with a pony that did not fear here, talking about a modern topic she knew much of, and it was just so… so relaxing! She loved it. She looked at his arm flung casually around her shoulder. He was straining to sit up high enough to do it. Finally able to fully relax, she slouched and leaned into him a bit. She heaved a slow, content sigh. "So tell me about Luna's Horn." Aegis Shield said, pointing up at it without using the telescope. The stallion tossed his black mane to one side so he could see her better. "What's the story there?" Luna broke into a filly-like giggle, grinning and shaking her head back and forth. "What? C'mon, you've gotta tell me. We went through all of those other constellations." The princess snickered, opening her wings happily and putting a hoof around his shoulder to pull him closer. "It is a great and ancient secret, Aegis Shield. Dost thou promise to keep it to thyself?" She whispered, almost all her teeth showing in the cheesy grin. He nodded dumbly, wanting to know what was so funny. She gestured to it, tracing the shape with her hoof towards the sky. "One may notice that it points north? Many explorers use it as a compass during the right times of year." She was getting to the punch line, he could tell. "But, truthfully…" "Truthfully?" he asked, studying her face. "When I was a filly I put it in the sky and told my sister it was a penis. She believed me!" She burst out laughing. Aegis stared at her in shock, mouth falling open. "Just look at the shape! It's so clearly a unicorn's horn, but back then she'd never seen--- I mean she'd just never looked at a stallion's--- back then she was so innocent!" she'd lost herself to laughing, throaty and stomping a hoof on the balcony. Aegis fought the laughter for a long time, he really and truly did. But then the creeping image of an innocent young Celestia and a mischievous young Luna made its way into his mind. It was just too much. He burst into rolling laughter, flopping back onto his back and kicking all four of his hooves. After that point the studying was basically over. Luna had an amusing story for all the older constellations and their secret little jokes, extra meanings, and secret bits. The night sky was a tapestry of secrets one could simply never find in a book, and all of them were in the dark alicorn's head. Aegis had the feeling that if he knew enough, he could see the greater tapestry of Luna's life in the night sky. Some of the origins of the shapes and objects in the sky were on a whim, for a joke, for beauty, all different reasons. They told of an artist's evolution, and told much about Luna herself. Both of them lay on their backs on the sitting pillows, commenting on the shapes and twinkling beauty. The princess even wiped a star from the sky to impress the stallion, only to put it back moments later so there was no harm done to the grand design. Aegis slowly turned and leaned over Luna, studying her face. "It's all so beautiful." He said, looking into her eyes and smiling quietly. She tucked her hooves across her naked chest. She very suddenly realized that she was just as naked at he, and had been all night. No princess ever wandered about without her regalia. Then again they were technically in the privacy of her bedroom, so maybe it didn't count. Her eyes lidded slowly when one of his hooves came down to caress her cheek. Blushing lightly, she tilted her head to rest the weight of it on his hoof. He held it gently. "You're beautiful." He whispered. They looked into each other's eyes for a long time, and gravity seemed to inch his face down until the tips of their muzzle's touched. Nodding up and down slowly, they nuzzled each other. It was a slow, shy sort of affection. The memory of their fighting, lusty rushing suddenly reared its ugly head in Luna's mind. "K… kiss us?" she whispered softly. "We promise not to pounce upon thee." She amended, looking at him guiltily. He chuckled softly, nuzzling her cheek and nose with his. Slowly, her front hooves hooked around his neck and gingerly pulled him down. She stared at the stars while he explored her mane like a shy coltfriend might. When at last he'd taken in her rain-pregnant night scent, Aegis Shield whispered to her quietly. "Oh Luna…" despite being flat on her back, the alicorn's massive and powerful wings rose to the occasion, spreading to their full span and gently wrapping about the stallion in an odd sort of hug. His warm breath was upon her face, a curious series of sniffing sounds. The ancestors were silent, the medallion dormant. It was all Aegis, and nopony else. He kissed her, slowly lowering his mouth over hers. The warm plush of his mouth greeted her in a shy, gentle way. Luna suddenly knew what sort of kiss had roused her from her coma. Cocking her head after a few long moments, she gave a quiet moan to deepen the kiss. Her hooves touched his back in feather-light touches, stroking between his wings. "Can… can thou stay?" she whispered quietly, blushing and looking away when the kiss ended. "Thou would be safe in our chambers from prying eyes." She promised. Luna watched the stallion consider, his eyes racing back and forth. She nuzzled his cheek, her touch warm but light. After having spent so much time with him, the spikes of lust were starting to vanish and she only wanted to be around him. Creating a second lunar stallion had not drawn her eye from him. The heady rush was over now, and had given way to a warm and lush sort of heady affection. "Y-yeah. I'll stay." The stallion whispered. "Just for tonight. Er... today." Both ponies chuckled, for they habitually slept the day away to favor the night. They rose and went to bed together after closing the balcony doors. They shared an innocent bed that night, both enjoying the warmth of another body next to them. Luna had never slept so soundly, quietly wrapped in a stallion's hooves. End of Part 8 === Embrace Thy Lover === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 9: Embrace Thy Lover Luna awoke with a quiet purr, feeling warm and rubbery like a pony who had slept in. Was the sun on her? Could she sleep more? No, the happy warmth pressed to her was another pony. She blink-blinked stupidly, studying him for a moment. He was a handsome thing with brown fur and golden mane. The medallion pressed cooly on his chest reminded her, and all of her normal memories came rushing back. Snuffling a little, she took a deep breath of waking. It didn't take the alicorn long to notice she was in the submissive position of the embrace. His head was tucked firmly atop hers, careful of her horn while his front hooves hung around her neck. She spent a long time looking at him quietly, her ethereal mane blowing with a breeze that wasn't there. She didn't want to wake him. The dark alicorn pressed herself into the stallion for another long moment, moaning quietly. Careful not to gouge him with her long horn, she nuzzled quietly and enjoyed his sandy scent. She did not want to rise from bed, but she would miss dinner with her sister if she didn't. Luna stirred softly, then leaned over him. One of her massive hooves stroked his mane absently. He looked so peaceful and handsome when he slept. Fighting down darker thoughts, she pushed the sheets back and rubbed his belly in wide circles. He nickered a little, smiling and turning over. "Oh ticklish, art thou?" she mused, leaning over him with a wider grin. She rub-rub-rubbed at his belly again, snickering. He curled up, giggling some, all four legs retreating and folding in to cover his soft undercarriage. She scrubbed at him harder, and he fell out of the bed with a bump. He whinnied a little, and she leaned over the side worriedly. "Aegis! Art thou alright?!" Aegis Shield sat up, blink-blinking at the bump on his head and the naked princess leaning over him. His eyes traveled down to admire her fur for a long moment, for she had no regalia covering her chest and it was quite velvety. The few long moments of last night rushing back to him were interesting, for he stared at her like a stranger. Neither pony, apparently, were excellent risers. "Uh?" he managed, then shook his mane. "Oh, I'm okay." Luna relaxed a bit, smiling at him bashfully. "It is time to rise, my stallion." She whispered more soothingly. He smiled at her in a private way, leaning forward to nuzzle her cheek softly. "Mrrrr… do not distract us, our sister will expect us at the dinner table." She made a show of giving a lot of effort to pull from him, going to put on her regalia, shoes and crown. Feeling mischievous, Aegis rose and leaned against her while she was still in front of her vanity mirror. Until the moment the princess stepped outside this room, they were out of the public eye and a little more than just princess and guard. "Distract you? How? Like thiiiiis?" he snickered, running a hoof from the base of her neck to the print of her cutie mark. The single lewd and easy stroke of her fur made her body shiver in excitement. She swatted at him animatedly. "Yes, like that!" she said hotly, perching her crown upon her head. Turning her head back and forth to make sure it was perfect, she brushed at her mane a few times. Her stallion had other plans. He took the end of her long and starry mane in his teeth. "Ouch!" she said, tugging back. "Well! When thou wants attention!" she giggle-snorted a little, a hoof rushing to her nose to hide it. The stallion chuckled, letting go of her mane. What had him so frisky morning? Er… twilight? Still slow and lazy, he rather comically rested his chin on her back while she put her shoes one. She gave her rump a toss to dislodge him, giggling the entire time. A knock at the door jolted them both. Mumbling his oath, Aegis Shield imploded into his lunar stallion form. Shaking his head a few times to clear his eyes, he approached the door with a haughty expression and opened it. Golden steam was floating around his eyes, giving him an otherworldly look. "Her majesty is dressing, how can I help you?" he said to the solar stallion in the hall. "Her majesty sent me to check on Princess Luna. Dinner is waiting." He said, snapping a salute to the lunar stallion in truly formal fashion. Aegis couldn't help but notice the guard's eyes flicking all over his armor and teeth like so many others before him. Some ponies still thought the lunar stallions looked like monsters. "I'll make sure she gets the message." Aegis returned the salute and shut the door quietly. Tapping his chest plate's world-searching eye, he returned to his normal form with a gasp of magic. When he at last turned to Luna he found her staring. "What?" he asked. "You were half-dressed." He said a little nervously. "Thy transformation." She said, lifting a hoof to point at him. "It was so natural. Thou did not miss a step!" The princess looked him up and down, shocked and awed. He smiled a little bashfully. Aegis had transformed and untransformed so many times over the six weeks or so since becoming a lunar stallion, it didn't hurt or make him lose his mind anymore. It was like growing a second skin. "Do it again." She commanded, smiling widely. Aegis threw out his chest impressively as a stallion could, for there a watching mare waiting for him to do something impressive. He recited the oath for her. "In the dark, we tear and rend. To end all evils, with spines to bend. Lust and power, hunger and might. By Luna's will, and dark of night!" The eye of the medallion opened, and the lunar stallion armor unfolded over his body with many clanks of metal. His fur flashed to grey and his eyes brightened to gold. His wings opened, membranes and not feathers. He'd hardly batted an eye! "Impressive!" she praised, rearing on her back legs briefly. He smiled at her coyly. "Thou art in full sync with thy armor now!" she grinned at him, cheeks lifting with a squeaky toy sound. He tilted his muzzle up and closed his eyes, on display for his princess. She chuckled, sending him out into the hall so she could finish getting ready for dinner. =-=-=-= "And then I received a mare in the day court today, you'll not believe what she asked, dear sister." Celestia said, smiling rather grandly. Luna cocked her head, for it took something pretty special to elicit a genuine grin from her solar sister. "She asked me to bless her upcoming marriage! Nopony has asked me to do that in decades!" she chuckled with glee, practically glowing with pride. Luna smirked. That had always been one of Tia's little vice's, being able to hoof out blessings. It was a rare tradition to have a joining blessed anymore, for it was on older custom. But, it had made Celestia's day. Luna leaned over her plate while prince Blueblood tried very, very hard to eat his spaghetti without dripping sauce on his freshly-trimmed pelt. He sighed when a few speckles of red appeared on his chest. The dark alicorn chuckled a little. "So how have you and your lunar stallions been doing, aunt Luna?" he asked conversationally, setting his fork down in defeat to reach for the fruit bowl in the middle of the table. "I was told you made a second recently." "Word certainly travels fast." Luna said with a mildly arched brow. "Twas less than two days ago." She turned a wary eye to her sister Celestia to gauge her reaction. The only expression on the sun princess' face seemed to be mild amusement. Luna saw Blueblood looking at her intently, and then remembered he'd asked a question. "They're doing very well indeed. I think two is enough for the time being, however. With such old magic at work, anymore than that may do more harm than good." "What makes you say that, auntie?" Blueblood asked. "If the palace had but one room, you would not assign a hundred guards to guard it." Celestia said wisely, turning her fork and lifting noodles by magic. Luna nodded. It was true, she'd only had her guards follow her about really. She hadn't stationed them anywhere to guard anything. With one pony to guard, two was certainly enough. The meal progressed, and Blueblood spoke again. "Excuse me, I've a fencing lesson to attend before the evening is out." He regally wiped his mouth with a napkin, rose and was away with farewells from his aunts at his back. Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide were favored with a smile as he passed, and the royal pony was soon gone. "He's going to be ill, doing an activity like that right after eating." Celestia tinkled with quiet laughter. "But, I didn't have the heart to stop him. He needs to learn." She sighed sympathetically, shaking her head. Luna gave her a look, and the sun princess quickly returned to her food. The sisters ate in relative silence, both content for different reasons. 'So? Want to tell me why you're in such spirits, Luna?' Celestia thought quietly. Luna jerked at the thought-speak, for it wasn't often the sisters shared it. 'What dost thou mean?' Luna thought back, locking eyes with her sister. If Celestia was thought-speaking, the conversation was meant to be truly private. Neither solar nor lunar guards were meant to hear, in other words. 'We feel fine.' 'I didn't ask if you were sick.' Celestia teased with a bouncing eyebrow. She lifted the noodles twirled on her fork and chewed on them quietly while they spoke. 'You have a certain… radiance about you, don't think I did not notice.' Luna cocked her head, staring at her solar sister. Aegis Shield noticed the shift in body language, and furrowed his brow. Careful not to move too much from his at-attention posture, he feigned stretching his wings and flicked Stalwart Hide. Gesturing with his eyes, he got the other stallion to pay closer attention too. Luna was leaning and moving about like there was a conversation going on. Stalwart cocked his head as though he'd gone deaf then locked eyes with Aegis, who shrugged. It must've been a private conversation or something. Both princess' horns were glowing faintly. 'I… don't know what you mean.' Luna finally said, but even her thought-speak was unsure. 'No no, sister. I've seen that look before.' Celestia said silently. She wiped her slender muzzle before levitating the nearby glass to sip. 'In fact, I believe I saw that look on that mare's face this afternoon. You are in love, little one--' 'That's NONE of thy business!' Both lunar stallions watched in amazement as the princess of the night turned a lovely shade of scarlet. 'None at all, Tia!' she fussed with her noodles, attacking them violently and cutting them up a few times. Even the solar guards on the opposite side of the table were paying attention now. They couldn't hear the conversation either, but something was certainly making Luna clak-clank-clak the silverware harder than normal. Her flushed expression was a dead give-away. Celestia allowed a small, sympathetic smile. 'We've talked about this, Luna.' She whispered warily in her thoughts. The light and milky glow of her horn lifted another mouthful of spaghetti to her mouth. 'You know we live so much longer than other ponies.' 'We do not care!' snapped Luna. 'It would only end in heartache.' Celestia said quietly, her eyebrows lifting even though they weren't looking at each other directly. It was a sympathetic gaze. 'Can you truly afford an eternity of heartache for a few decades of passion?' 'Tiz better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all, sister.' The dark alicorn tried, whispering her thoughts. 'Try it.' Celestia said, something ancient and just a little bit bitter betrayed itself in her tone. A scowl went across Luna's features and she chewed rather aggressively, clanking her fork on the plate. Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide exchanged glances with the nameless solar guards across the way. Something was happening, and it wasn't pretty. All four of them were on edge. Something savage rose up in Luna just then. Something nasty. How dare her sister say such things when she was so happy and uplifted in her adoration for Aegis Shield? She was a princess, she could do whatever she Faust-well pleased! 'Do not serve thyself up for pity when my own stallion comes along. Perhaps thou has painted thy virginal image a little too thickly, and thou has forgotten our old harems?' One of the plates on the table cracked into two halves all by itself. The tension in the room was palpable. One of the solar stallions licked his lips a little, eyes darting back and forth between the royal sisters. 'That was thousands of years ago, Luna.' Celestia said a little defensively. Luna knew she'd struck home, for the pleasant half-smile had vanished from her sister's face. 'I've not kept a harem, ever, since we decided to disperse the original one before the great war.' 'If we remember correctly, there was that one stallion you favored even after the harem was disbanded.' Luna cocked her head and both sisters put their forks down. There was no illusion of a meal anymore, for they'd fixed each other with rather intense gazes. 'Don't talk about him.' Celestia said, a very old wound suddenly rising up in her heart. To distract herself, the white alicorn lifted a glass to her lips with magic, busily gulping water from it. There was a certain quiver in her wings. 'You loved him very much, sister.' Luna whispered in her mind, and she saw Celestia visibly shudder. 'You kept him around, he lived in the palace, do not think we did not see thee frolicking.' 'Alright, that's enough, sister.' Celestia said tersely. Her thought-speaks were turning darker, rippling with quiet and tense power. The guards in the room shifted uncomfortably. Was the air in the room getting hotter? 'What was his name…?' Luna cocked her head, trying to call up the old memory. 'To see thou as flushed as a spring-time filly over him was a joy I must say I never—' Celestia's glass exploded violently, sending water and glass in all directions! She rose so hard from her chair it toppled backward. Luna did the same, thinking her sister about to attack. The solar guards nearly fell over themselves to rush to her aid, thinking it an assassination attempt. They flanked the white alicorn on both sides, trying to shuttle her out of the dining hall and away from the invisible attacker. "I only try to shield you from the inevitable, Luna." the princess of the day's voice was cracked with an oncoming weeping. All four guards gave a start at the sudden sentence. She started to rush away, but paused at the threshold of the dining hall. 'We outlive them all, sister. All of our loves end in heartache.' "Tia?" Luna said softly, reaching towards her sister. "Mountain Hide." Celestia said aloud. "His name was Mountain Hide, b-because of his big firm ch-chest you see..." With that she exploded into a shower of golden sparks, teleporting away. Luna's magical senses found her again in her private chambers. No doubt the door would be locked and a hundred shields cocooning the room. Soon, Luna couldn't even sense her anymore, so thick were the wards. The solar guards rushed away to find her. Princess Luna sat down hard, a little stunned. Both lunar stallions rushed forth to either side of her, demanding to know if she was alright. "J-just a royal tiff, my stallions." She said a little shakily. "It happens now and again. S-sisters do that." =-=-=-= It was several days later when Luna approached Celestia again. She'd avoided sharing meals with her, and a serious silence was starting to make the servants nervously gossip. Deciding it best to actually approach her sister and not sulk like she had in the past, Luna went to her bedroom. It was the middle of the night, Celestia's relaxation time. The white alicorn had not been hiding away, but rather doing her duties and then returning to her sanctuary with no social activities. This was her form of sulking, though to the public view it was little more than the princess taking time for herself for once. They thought it healthy. Only Luna saw otherwise. Tapping lightly on the door, Luna opened it and slipped inside. Celestia looked up, startled. She was on her belly on the floor, a massive painting in front of her. The frame was of deepest oak, and the painting truly ancient. A rolled up series of sheets lay on the floor next to her. Faust only knew what dark corner she'd pulled it out of. The dark alicorn leaned without meaning to, spying a handsome face and a huge barrel chest. Celestia seized a sheet and threw it over the image. "Tia--" Luna said softly. "Forgive me." Celestia interrupted quietly, her head hanging. "You opened an old wound and I snapped. I'm so sorry, sister." The princess of the day had tears wetting her poor cheeks. Luna went to her sister quickly, laying on her belly and extending a wing soothingly over her. Leaning and kissing away her tears quietly, she crooned over Celestia. The dark alicorn clacked her horn gently against her sister's, a gesture of affection they'd been doing since the dawn of creation. The sun princess looked up slowly into her eyes, soft and large-pupil'd. "Oh Tia…" Luna whispered, leaning to nuzzle and comfort her sister. They shared quiet crooning sounds, little chirps of twin-speak nopony else could understand. Celestia had given her heart to that stallion thousands of years ago, so completely and fully, even today she'd not recovered. Or perhaps, not allowed herself to. Her knee-jerk reaction was to keep Luna from making the same mistake. "Thou cannot keep us from loving, sister." Luna said gently. "I know." Celestia said, ashamed of her negative reaction. "I just wasn't expecting… and so soon after your return…" Luna nuzzled her quietly, but suddenly the solar princess paused. She leaned around Luna and pricked her teeth into her fur. Pulling away she produced a single golden hair. The princess of the night flushed at her sister's cock-eyebrow'd look. "You're already sleeping with him?" Celestia asked, a lopsided grin suddenly appearing on her face. She'd shifted from somber over to 'older sister' again. Luna was happy for the shift, but suddenly she was in the spotlight again. She tried to snatch the golden hair, but Celestia wouldn't let her. "No, of course not!" "Then how did this get in your pelt, sister?" Celestia began to smirk at her, rather un-princess-like. Luna's response was to turn a deeper shade of red. "Uh huh, I see." There was something younger, more radiant in Celestia's eyes now. A sister drilling her sibling about the new stallion she was dating, it was a universal look. "We swear upon all things sacred, we are not… We mean, we can't…" Luna winced when she dropped the hint without meaning to. Celestia's brow rose. "Well it's not as though we may hit the dating scene in lower Canterlot, Tia!" Luna said defensively. "Of course it would be one of the palace staff!" Celestia smirked. It was amazing how much Luna would give away when she was embarrassed or angry. The twin sisters soon broke into giggles. They spent the evening together until it was time for the night court to begin and Luna was needed. Celestia even allowed her sister to look upon Mountain Hide's ancient portrait. Time and light had faded the picture into a pitiful state, but magic had preserved it for centuries. He was a handsome thing, Luna could not fault her sister for taste. It wasn't often to see a stallion so big, stocky, and big in the chest. Males that size and stature only came along once in a generation, paragons of their breed. Luna even helped her sister lovingly put the portrait away and hide it under her bed. =-=-=-= Aegis Shield was quite surprised when Luna basically followed him home at the end of his shift. Going into the barracks with him, she came to his private bunk room. She saw Stalwart Hide had gone out, probably to eat and entertain himself for a few hours. "Princess?" the stallion asked when she leaned on his doorframe. "Did you need me for a few more hours tonight?" he asked, reaching up to activate his armor. She stopped him, silently shaking her head. "What is it?" he asked softly. Leaning over, Luna put out his second lamp and plunged them into a romantic half-light. Quietly, she told him everything that had happened since the odd dinner. The lovers suddenly saw eternity stretched out before them. A normal soldier and an alicorn, starkly separated by longetivity. "Even thy armor has its limits. It will not make thou immortal as we are." She whispered quietly. There was a long and rather sad silence between them. "What are you saying, Luna?" Aegis Shield asked quietly. "You don't want to be with me anymore?" he looked into her eyes and her heart quivered. Oh no no dear stallion, she wanted to beg his forgiveness. It's nothing like that. She shook her head mutely. "I don't want this--" he paused to gesture between the two of them, then tried again, "I don't want us to be bittersweet about all this. It's like a foal suddenly realizing what death is. Yeah it's a big deal and it's a little terrifying but… doesn't it matter more what we do with the time?" Luna nodded slowly, eyes going soft. Of course he was right. How selfish of her to think of herself only like that. That had been her sister's mistake, to worry and then mourn for eternity without forgiving herself for loving so deeply. Luna would not be the same. "Then don't worry about it, Luna." He smiled at her in that charming way he always did when they were alone. He tossed his golden mane, and her heart melted. Luna's horn ignited with magic and the door slammed behind her. She threw herself into his embrace, nuzzling him strongly. "Love us." she begged quietly, rubbing her cheek in his wonderful mane. The stallion nickered, blushing and rubbing up against her as well. "Please, please just love us." "I love you, Luna." Neither pony remembered how they got to Aegis Shield's bed, or how they managed to fit a fully grown-alicorn upon it. The ancient stone room was surprisingly welcoming both in warmth and softness of atmosphere. Aegis could hear the ancestors in the back of his head, quietly conferring with one another. As a gelding he couldn't just mount her as much as they would all like it (stallion, mare, and ancestors alike). Nuzzling her quietly, he searched his mind for the perfect thing to say. Something romantic, something that would really let her know how he felt. Gathering the happily whimpering pony in his hooves, he pulled her head to his chest and stroked her. She murred quietly, closing her eyes to just enjoy the feeling of a stallion's hooves on her. Finally he had it. Leaning to one of her ears, he whispered to her and bore his soul. "If you were meant to live forever— and I to die tomorrow— I would still love you just as much." Luna kissed him happily, fighting the emotional tears, her wings spreading and her cheeks warming. End of Part 9 === Muster Thy Brothers === Luna's Story: Rise of the Lunar Stallions Part 10: Muster Thy Brothers Princess Luna had a certain bounce in her step that day. Everywhere she went she favored her servants with smiles, patience, and a non-Royal Canterlot Voice. She even startled her language teacher by using the word "I" when referring to herself several times. The palace gossip ran wild with why their princess was so happy, but the morale was certainly rising because of it. They were less afraid to approach her in the midnight court, and the nights were more dazzling than ever. One night she even blessed the Canterlot Astronomy Society with a brilliant meteor shower to coincide with their lectures about meteors. Their younger students were astounded. The dark alicorn felt on top of the world, and it certainly showed. "Aegis Shield. Stalwart Hide. I would like to tour part of Canterlot." She put a lot of accent onto the 'I', for she was trying her hardest to still learn the modern Equestrian tongue. Both lunar stallions smiled and accompanied her. They exited the palace, saluted to left and right by other guards posted in various places. Walking down the street, to the princess, was a big deal. Everywhere she went she was bowed to and called after. She smiled to her subjects, glancing skyward at the stars and admiring the shops and stands. Even in the middle of the night, Canterlot was a bustling burg. "Heh." Stalwart Hide managed before he could stop himself, looking into the window of a shop. This drew Luna's attention, and she peered in as well. It was a toy store. She gaped at what she saw. In the window display were a series of plastic and plushie pony figurines. Smartie Pants, of course, was a popular seller. But that's not what drew the princess' gaze. In the middle of the display was an doll of herself and a lunar stallion. "Faust alive." Luna chuckled, pointing so both her guards would look. They pressed their noses to the window display. The Luna figurine was proportioned exactly right and looked just like her, aside from the mane which was normal hair. "It seems thou art more popular than me, my stallions." She teased. The store owner came to take the lunar stallion from the display to sell it. The mare happened to glance up and see the genuine articles with their muzzles pressed to the glass. They couldn't hear her squeak of shock, nor did they hear her hit the floor. "Oh dear…" Luna said, smiling apologetically. "Come." She told her guards, turning and entering the store. The store, Toys and Trumpets, was a brightly-colored foal's wonderland. It had aisles of all sorts of toys and fun things, and the other half was devoted to trumpets and similar horns. (It wasn't unusual for a store to embrace two types of products, such as Couches and Quills in Ponyville.) They found a strawberry-colored unicorn mare with a hat and apron on the floor clutching her heart. Aegis Shield volunteered to help her up. "Oh, so sorry. You startled me, princess." She glanced warily at Aegis' teeth, but otherwise seemed okay. She bowed low for a moment. "My legs just give out when I'm startled, you see." She blushed a little, rushing to be behind the counter. Using her horn, she levitated the lunar stallion toy into a bag and took a hoof-full of bits from a stallion that was buying it. She nodded, and he was away. "Thou sells the image of our guards here, and ourself." Luna said, leaning over a kiosk display that had solar and lunar guards on it. Smiling with interest, she held one up to Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide. Both stallions could not help but smile a little. "Hmm, they're quite good." She admired the amount of detail in the plastic armor and the perfectly colored eyes. "W-well, when foals started hearing about the lunar stallions, they wanted toys of them like they have of the solar guard." The shop owner smiled bashfully. "I make custom pony toys, so it didn't take long to make the designs." Aegis Leaned over the display, wondering if he could see himself in any of the toys. It was flattering, really. "Little colts love them especially, since it's a stallions-only sort of thing." The mare snickered a little, nodding at the stallions as she spoke with Luna. The alicorn nodded with a bemused smile. The princess was pleased that the lunar stallions had become accepted enough to be made into foal play-things. It meant the general public didn't fear them, and accepted them as legitimate forms of authority. "So, what brings you to my shop, princess?" the unicorn wanted to know. Luna thought for a moment, then smiled. The deep-seeded alicorn desire to play pranks was itching her. "Mischief, of course." The store owner blink-blinked, and the princess's horn ignited. "Aegis Shield. Stalwart Hide. To me." She gestured, pulling them into a sort of huddle. The lopsided grin on the princess' face made them afraid. A few minutes later, the window display table had been moved and Luna placed her guards in the stead of the action figures. A still as they could stand, they stood at attention in the silent display of pretending to be mannequins. The princess of the night spread her wings all the way out, standing between them and fixing a scowl on her muzzle. The store owner watched in amazement from behind the counter as they stayed that way for several minutes. Before long a trio of foals rushed up to the window with big excited eyes. "Wowie-zowie! They look so real! Momma! Momma, come see!" one of them called over his shoulder. A mare came from out of the crowd, peering at the toy shop display. She cocked her head, peering closely at the lunar stallions. Even the armor looked real, wow… "I wonder if they're selling life-size princess Luna's!" one of the colts said, peering up at the princess of the night. Luna had to work very, very hard not to laugh. "Can we go in Momma, can we can we?" all three colts turned to give their mother big soft eyes. The mare smirked a little. "Just to look, but alright." She chuckled at their chorus of cheers and watched them charge the door. The clumsier of her sons smacked right into it before they managed to get it open. Aegis Shield's eyes flicked at the princess, and she nodded once. While the children were struggling to get through the doorway and being greeted by the shop owner, Luna and her two guards turned about and froze again. When the colts piled into the toy shop area, they found the display was facing into the store, not out. "Huh… weren't they facing out the window?" Their mother wondered softly. One of the three colts came up to Stalwart Hide, mimicking his posture and making faces. "I'mma lunar stallion, grrrrr!" he said, backing up next to Luna and fixing his face into a super-serious scowl. "I'mma guard princess Luna from all the bad guys!" his voice squeaked and cracked back and forth. His brothers laughed, prancing about in the toy displays while their mother watched from afar. Sometimes you just needed to let the colts run wild in a toy store. The foal looked up at Luna with a big smile. "Don't worry princess! Nothing bad will happen so long as I'm here! I'mma lunar stallion!" he squeaked, his voice briefly propelling him into the air. "Thou sets my mind at ease." Luna said, dropping her statue act and smiling kindly. "Eeep!" the foal fell over himself into Aegis Shield, who snickered and opened his bat-like wings. "Eeep!" he staggered the other way and ran for his mother. "Momma! Momma!" The mare jolted from her restful doze while leaning on the counter, ears perking at the panicked squeaks of her young. "What? What's wrong?" she almost knelt but he went rushing under her undercarriage in fright. She saw the princess and her guards smiling bemusedly in the display, stepping down. "Oh my!" she said, ears turning back. "Princess Luna!" she bent forward to bow. Luna was laughing a bit, but tried to come down from it. "Forgive us, we didn't mean to frighten him." She came down to her belly, peering under the mare. "We are sorry little one, please come out?" The little colt poked his head out, eyes big and soft at the sight of her. "Oh-ho, he is brave." She told her lunar stallions, who nodded encouragingly. The little one smiled, coming out from under his mother at last. "Perhaps someday you may be a real lunar stallion." She leaned and kissed his little forehead, blessing him with alicorn magic. Good luck would follow the little one around for a few days. "Really? Wow, thanks princess!" he squeaked and ran to find his brothers who were lost in the aisles of toys. Luna and the mother shared a smile as the princess rose to her full height again. "Thy sons are young and strong, thou must be very proud." Luna said conversationally. The mare seemed to relax a little and nodded, flattered. "If I may ask, princess?" the mare said softly, gesturing to Aegis Shield. "How many lunar stallions are there? Princess Celestia has hundred of solar guards, but this is the first time I've ever seen a lunar stallion. I thought they were a rumor for the longest time." She looked between the two, then up at her again. "Well there are only two of them." Luna smiled. "Thou would not see them on the streets, they are my personal guard." She gestured to the two of them, and the stallions inflated their chests with pride, smiling and closing their eyes for a moment. The mare was suddenly looking past Luna, who folded her wings a little apprehensively. "Only two? Then who's that?" she gestured. Luna turned her head, looking out the store window. Outside on the other side of the street, walking quite casually, was a lunar stallion! He was just walking down the street like he owned the place, parting the passersby as he went. He got stares, but didn't seem to care. Grey fur, bat wings, and golden eyes, he looked like the real thing! Luna's mouth went agape and she wheeled around. "Aegis! Stalwart!" she thrust out a hoof at the pony on the street. "Seize that imposter!" she snapped angrily. Both lunar stallions rushed out the door. How dare somepony walk around impersonating one of them?! They charged wildly across the street, pumping their wings to launch them into the air and tackle the surprised pony to the ground. There was furious wrestling until both of them managed to force the imposter to the pavement, and the princess stormed out of the toy store with glowing white eyes. "Imposter! Thou must have firm virility indeed if thou thinks to get away with impersonating one of my personal guards!" The stallion gagged, shifting back and forth under the heavy hooves of Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide. They were barely letting him breathe, so Luna made a mild gesture so he could. "I am a lunar stallion!" he gagged out in a strained voice. "There are only two lunar stallions, NO MORE!" Luna snapped, the Royal Canterlot Voice threatening the last two words. The stranger shuddered, but clenched his triangle teeth to stand against the concussive blast of her voice. The street was rapidly emptying, ponies trying to get away from the violent scene. "Thou art an imposter!" "I am real!" he said while Aegis made sure he wasn't about to squirm away. "Please, augh!" he yelped when one of his limbs bent in a painful way. "My legs don't bend that way, AHH!" he groaned and squirmed under the two of them. No normal pony could strain and overpower two stallions. "Aegis Shield! Stalwart Hide! Take him to the lowest dungeon of the castle. We shalt have him interrogated for his motives of impersonating one of you there." The alicorn snorted hot air from her muzzle, her mane flapping with a strong breeze that wasn't there. Her emotions stirred her ethereal mane, and her deep scowl with glowing eyes made her look terrifying. "Away with thou!" she dismissed them all, and spread her wings to fly back to the castle. "Vivas Noctus!" The stallion belted from under the pile of armor and harsh hooves. "Vivas Noctus! Vivas Noctus!" he coughed heavily while the two lunar stallions struggled to silence the bawling pony. Luna dropped, just by gravity, over ten feet. Her massive hooves struck stone, startling all three of them. The pinned stallion panted heavily, limpening and looking up into Luna's glowing white eyes. "Vivas Noctus..." He whispered, reaching at her with a quivering hoof of pleading. There was a long silence. Both of her guards looked at Luna. She considered something for a long time. "Release him." She whispered. They did so, and she approached the stallion who was still spilled out over the sidewalk. Groveling before her, when she was near enough he seized one of her hooves in his. The lunar stallions bristled, but she stilled them with a look. The white glow faded from her eyes. "I have not heard that phrase in a thousand years." Luna said slowly, frowning a little. "That is ancient Equestrian, stallion. Dost thou even know what it means?" she asked, allowing him to press his forehead reverently to her hoof. A devotional gesture that both Aegis and Stalwart had done before. The stallion worked his lips a little, wetting them and speaking quietly. "Vivas Noctus." He whispered. "Long live the night." Aegis Shield furrowed his brow. What a beautiful phrase. He glanced at Stalwart Hide, who knew some ancient Equestrian. His partner nodded in confirmation. "Stand." Luna said slowly. The frazzled stallion came to his hooves, his eyes lowered and his bow deep. "Rise." She told him. He stood erect, throwing out his chest and lifting his muzzle. She walked a slow circle around him, inspecting him silently. "Shorn fetlocks. Trimmed tail. Grey fur. Concealed cutie mark." She mumbled down the list. She stood before him, then looked down at his chest plate. An ever-searching eye flicked back and forth as though alive. She tapped it with her hoof. The stallion gasped, rearing up a little as his armor collapsed into itself. Yellow exploded across his grey body, and orange through his mane. His golden eyes turned green, and he shrank just a little as feathers replaced the bat-like membranes. "He's real." Aegis Shield whispered in awe, staring at the medallion now around the stranger's neck. "The armor is real." "Where did you get this?" Luna said in a low voice, tapping the medallion. "Only two lunar stallion regalia's were accounted for in the palace. Where did you find this one?" "It was passed down in my family, from father to son, through the generations." The stallion whispered reverently. "Waiting for the day when the lunar stallions would rise again." He gave her a cautious smile. "When word reached me that Canterlot had two lunar stallions, I came as fast as I could." "And where art thou from?" Luna said, slowly taking in the information. "Los Pegasus." He said. "I used to own a gym there." "Used to?" the princess frowned. "I sold it before I left." He shook his head. "Thou gave up thy livelihood to come here?!" Luna gaped at him. "My family has been waiting for a thousand years for this." He whispered softly, looking down at the sidewalk. Luna cocked her head quietly, a little taken aback. Such devotion. He gestured to the necklace. "It wasn't easy. I had to make my family lock me in a cellar while I did the first few transformations." The alicorn winced in pity. With no proper proctor for a lunar stallion's birth, it could've easily destroyed him. If the ancestors had turned their backs on this stallion, it could have killed him outright. "But, now I'm here." He said, smiling at her more genuinely now. "Ready to serve, your majesty." He snapped a salute that needed practice, but the respect was genuine. Luna stared. This changed everything. If the lunar stallions of the past had passed their armor down from father to son… if there were more out there, awaiting the return of the lunar stallions… she felt a little dizzy suddenly. Aegis Shield and Stalwart hide looked a little pale as well. They looked to their princess for direction. "It seems—" Luna whispered, taking a breath to right herself. "It seems there are far more than two of you." She cocked her head. "What is thy name?" she asked the newcomer, finally gathering herself into a more regal posture. She glanced at his flank, where what appeared to be a rubber hammer was pictured. "My name is Hammer Shot." He said, bowing before his princess and spreading his wings upon the ground. Luna winced at the very, very old gesture. It was an ancient Equestrian bow that invited her to stomp on his wings if he displeased her. Another tradition passed down through the ages, it seemed. She hadn't much liked it when it was new, but the lunar stallions had insisted on adopting it. "It's an honor to serve you, Princess Luna. You have no idea how long my family and I have been waiting for this." He beamed at her. Luna looked over at Aegis Shield, swallowing for a moment before speaking. "Aegis Shield, send word to the castle staff that they will assemble a cleaning team for me immediately. We must prepare the ancient lunar barracks. Not just the great room. All of it." The guard nodded, spreading his wings and hovering for a moment as she spoke again. "With the appearance of Hammer Shot, I have the feeling that more may soon follow." She said. Aegis saluted, then pumped his wings hard. He rocketed skyward, circled once, and then jetted off towards the palace. =-=-=-= And so it was over the next few months or so that a sprinkling of lunar stallions appeared from all over Equestria. They hailed from Manehatten. From Los Pegasus. From Appleoosia. All sorts of places. Most of them were from old families with old money, business owners or athletes or even guards themselves. They came from all walks of life and all corners of the land. Each had heard of the lunar stallions from their fathers and grandfathers, and sold their businesses to fulfill their destinies. Coming quickly by air, land, and sea to Canterlot each bore the ancient phrase of worship, Vivas Noctus. Long live the night. The lunar barracks was quickly scrubbed down and restocked to its former glory. Furniture was brought in, bunks occupied and jobs given out. Lunar stallions began to appear during the night shifts of guard duty in Canterlot. The public was frightened at first, but soon saw they weren't too different from their solar counterparts. Just scarier-looking. Celestia was a little miffed at having to shuffle her own guards around to make room, but it wasn't as though she could deny the reemergence of the ancient order. It was a miracle. The sun princess thought the order all but vanished but no, here they were, rising from the ashes as soon as they got word of a lunar stallion or two in Canterlot. It was like drawing bees with honey. None could resist the call and their families sent forth their strongest sons to join. Before long, there were over seventy lunar stallions in all. And not just pegasi, either. Some of them were unicorns, and there were several earth ponies among them as well. Luna turned none of them away. To do so would be to shame them and dash their family's sacred honor. The princess herself was understandably a little overwhelmed by it all. Two had been more than enough, she'd thought. But now there were over seventy of them, all of which looked to her for orders and worship. They treated her like a goddess, revered her words and saluted her whenever she entered a room. They adored her just for being herself. She was a princess, but it was hard not to feel very flattered by it all. Celestia was used to such things, but it had been more than a thousand years since Luna had been truly in charge of anypony. Soon, both Aegis Shield and Stalwart Hide were promoted to captains of the guard, the leaders of the lunar stallions. Their ponies were fiercely loyal, and did anything they asked with striking efficiency. Luna's nights with Aegis Shield slowly turned more romantic. They studied the stars together, often slept in the same bed, and grew closer and closer. She loved her stallion very much, and he her, with all his heart. It was all coming together, at last. Her true return as the princess of the night. She felt very much at ease from then on, and in her dreams she could often hear the cheering of her new lunar stallions. "Vivas Noc! Noc! Noctus! Vivas Noc! Noc! Noctus!". Long live the night. THE END === Lay Thy Mare === Luna's Story: Rise of the Solar Stallions Epilogue: Lay Thy Mare Aegis Shield lay on his back, gasping as his lifeblood pooled heavily around him on the throne room tile. Nopony had seen the griffon assassin coming but he. There was no time to react, he'd only leapt into the way. The spear had buried itself in his throat, under the flap of the armor. He fell gagging and clutching at himself, red fountaining from his neck. Stalwart Hide leapt to protect the princess, but the enraged alicorn had other ideas. Rising from her throne on all fours, she lifted her horn mightily and grabbed the fleeing attacker by magic. Heaving the treacherous bird-lion bodily to the ground, she gritted her teeth in effort as he squawked and fought back and forth. "Princess! We've got him!" Stalwart offered. "Send for aid, Aegis needs you more than we!" Luna roared, sending the stallion running for help. As his hoof-falls faded and the midnight court grew more still, ponies peered out from behind columns and under tables. The alicorn quivered with rage, eyes flicking down at her fallen stallion, then up to the assassin. "Throw spears at us, will you?" she gave a cruel twist of magic, gesturing with her horn. "Will you?!" The griffon flew, screaming, skyward. Tumbling end over end until he was a dot in the sky, ensnared in the princess' will, soon nopony could see him. She made a harsh gesture. The dot in the sky popped like a zit. No feathers, or even drops of blood, came back down. The ponies all around the room stared in horror. Luna panted a bit, a bead of sweat going down her temple. Whirling around she rushed down the dais to the dying Aegis Shield. "Prin--- *gargle*--" The stallion said through the blood gushing out of his neck. "Do not speak." She said, shushing him. She lifted her head, looking towards the open double doors. Stalwart Hide would not be quick enough. He would bleed out on the floor. She squinted, eyeing the aura of the armor he wore. It gave him some healing ability, yes, but this was a mortal wound. "Aegis! Aegis!" she flung herself o'er his chest, his blood soaking into her ethereal mane and turning the starry night in it red. Blots of his lifeblood floated in it. A spray of golden sparks and a crack of parted air announced Celestia's presence. "Sister! I sensed violent magicks! What's—?!" she stopped with a gasp, taking in the scene. "Dear Faust!" she ran quickly with her wings all the way open, propelling herself across the room. "He is dying, Tia!" Luna whimpered, pressing her hoof to his gushing neck. The stallion shuddered wildly, staring at the ceiling with tears rushing out of his eyes. "I don't know what to do! I'm not a doctor!" she whimpered and shook, trying to comfort her dying love as his eyes began to glaze over. "His armor will not save him!" "His armor?" "The power we embued in his armor has some healing effects, but even if he were the ONLY Lunar stallion, he wouldn't have enough magic!" Luna said, still crying. Celestia peered over the stallion's regalia, squinting at it on the plane of magic. It glowed like a bright star. "Then perhaps he needs a super-charge." The alicorn said. There was a clopping of many hooves when a gaggle of medical ponies, a handful of lunar stallions, and Stalwart Hide came stampeding into the room. "Everypony stand clear!" she said, horn igniting. "T-Tia what if it doesn't work?!" Luna said, pulling his head into the crook of her arm. His heart was slowing. His whole body was shaking. The blood was quietly spreading. "The same power that struck me down at the royal wedding can save him, Luna." Celestia said, gritting her teeth as greater layers of magic cocooned around her horn. "Aide me." She said, wings spreading like antenna. "Its lunar magic, I cannot do it alone." Sniffling quickly, Luna ignited her horn as her sister's way. "I can be the conduit, please, give me everything you can." She begged her sister. They locked eyes for just a moment. Celestia knew. This was the stallion her sister had fallen in love with. The white alicorn studied his sweating, terrified face. Panting with effort, Luna leaned down over the fallen Aegis Shield's breast plate. Closing her eyes, she set her jaw and concentrated on the armor itself. She'd helped create it, she knew exactly how it all worked. The nature of the beast was complex, but not unconquerable. She moaned in effort, and the wild sparks of magic between the sisters sent arcing bolts of blue magic between the two of them. The ancestors in the back of Aegis' head lifted their muzzles. Somepony was talking directly to them. Standing in their usual organized rows, they perked their ears back and forth. The voice was female, desperate and pleading. The princess! They'd served her in life and now she spoke to them in death! They raised their voices in song, a deep and vibrating brass bell of power. No words, just emotion. A hundred upon a hundred stallions, joining in one long and answering note. Heal him, she willed. Yes, yes princess, they obeyed. Ignited by the powerhouse of two alicorns giving them extra nourishment, they spread their wings and took off into oblivion, exploding into countless dark blue sparks. The space between spaces, inside the armor, was alive with magic and furious activity. Celestia peeked with one eye through her concentration. Aegis Shield's neck was closing up slowly, the muscle filling in. The puddle of blood was slowly retreating, like somepony had turned a video on reverse. Reverse-waterfalling up around his neck, it flooded back into him until the spear-wound was gone altogether. Not even a scar. Luna continued to linger over the stallion, though. "Luna, he is safe now." Celestia said gently, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Luna? Luna!" The dark alicorn kept going, kept pushing, not wanting to let up until everything was more than okay. She would not lose her beloved stallion. She would give everything she had. She would not lose him. Dark sparkles of magic and the aura of lunar magic continued to rush back and forth over him. Every cut, bruise, and mark he'd ever gotten would vanish before she was done with him. Very suddenly she ran over her limit and passed out, flopping over like a limp ragdoll. Celestia gave a short shriek, and the lunar stallions rushed to aid her. =-=-=-= Luna lay on her back in her bed, sleeping soundly. Celestia was on her belly, a book hovering in front of her while she waited for her sister to awaken. The dark alicorn moaned, turning on her side and slitting her eyes open. "Tia?" she whispered. "You pushed yourself a bit too hard there, dear sister." Celestia smiled a little, putting the book down. Opening her wings and getting up onto the bed with her, she settled to nuzzle her sister. "I'm glad you're alright." "Aegis Shield—?!" "--Is fine. He woke up before you did. He's outside right now, no doubt with his ear pressed to the door." Celestia snickered softly when both sisters heard a loud shuffling outside. Luna swooned a little with dizziness, but managed to right herself and stand. Even after exhausting herself like that, she could still get up and move normally. She was an alicorn after all. Rushing to the door on foal-like shaky legs, she threw it open to find her stallion. Aegis Shield beamed at her, and she threw her hooves around his neck, her whole mane flopping over him in the rush. "Well then." Celestia smiled emusedly. "I can see I'm the third wheel here." She teased, rising gracefully. Neither pony noticed that the white alicorn just happened to take the other two guards stationed at the door with her. That left Luna and Aegis alone. She practically dragged him into her room, slamming the door shut behind them. He chuckled ticklishly while she examined his neck with her muzzle, nodding up and down to get under the fur. He wasn't even spattered with blood, or marked with a scar. She smiled widely, kissing him. "Thou art okay!" she crushed him to herself and he smiled, hugging her back. "Thou took a spear for me! In the neck!" "S'my job." Aegis Shield said, smiling weakly. "It's been, what, a couple of hundred years since the last assassination attempt in Equestria?" he couldn't recall the last one, but it had been ages ago. "I'm gonna be in the history books!" the stallion threw his chest out and she chuckled, leaning into him and nuzzling. "Ah yes, all glory to you my stallion." Luna chuckled playfully. She peered at the tinted windows of the balcony. It was early evening, technically their sleeping time. "Come to bed, Aegis." She whispered, nosing his cheek a little. He nodded, tapping the eyeball on his armor. It retracted with the sound of drawing swords. Her brown, blonde stallion followed her to the alicorn sized bed and she threw herself upon it. She reached for him needily, and he clambered in after her. Smiling, she took off his medallion and set it on the bed stand. "This night thou art merely Aegis Shield, my stallion." She whispered in a sultry way. Her hooves hooked around him and they lay next to each other, nuzzling affectionately. "Not a lunar stallion, just my stallion." Reaching, she pulled the tiny knotted rope to close the curtains of her bed. They fell like liquid velvet, enclosing them in darkness. Aegis smiled at her softly, but finally worked up the courage to speak. "Something changed while you were out, Luna." He said softly, his eyes shifting to one side. "I dunno how to say it…" he whispered, face turning a little pink. "Merely say it then, and end thy misery." She said, cupping his cheek with concern. "My bits grew back." He blurted. Her brow rose and her eyebrows vanished into her bangs as her jaw dropped a little. She stared at him, stunned. What a thing to say! He curled a little, pulling his hooves in towards his under carriage. Without word or warning she seized one of his back legs and lifted, peering at him. "What is it with you and doing that?!" he laughed, red-faced. She looked embarrassed and quickly released him. Sure enough, the ugly stitching scars were gone and all the… equipment, was there. Like it had never been taken from him. "But how…?" she whispered softly, trying to keep her eyes on his face now. "Thy stallionhood is restored!" she gulped a little, looking back and forth with a little heat in her face. "I asked Celestia." He said in a low murmur, scratching his mane a little. "She said that since the lunar stallion armor is designed to treat injuries on its own through magic… well, missing something like that would probably make it think I was injured. When both of you super-charged the armor, it used a chunk of that energy to… well… make me whole again." He blushed, barely able to say such things out loud. "How didst thou pee without one?" Luna suddenly blurted, for the question had been bothering her for months. "Squat like a mare?" he threw his head back and laughed aloud, hooking his hooves around her neck. He nodded in earnest. "But now… whole again." She mumbled, flicking her gaze down at his belly. "Why princess!" he said, pulling away to look miffed at her. "Thou art not thinking to make me a harem slave, art thou?" He mimicked her old tongue and she shoved his shoulder with a snort. "Do not tease us!" she laughed as he leaned over her. Slowly, slowly, their smiles faded. The quiet question passed between them. Aegis Shield returned to lean over her and, before his eyes, he saw her wings quietly rise to display themselves. Despite her laying on her back, her powerful span pushed pillows and rumpled blankets away. The ancient gesture of open courtship was heady and erotic, something that only pegasi really understood. Sure, the other pony races knew what it was, but truly it mattered most to other winged ponies. Luna hadn't seemed to notice she'd made it, for she was looking deeply into his eyes. Breathing in her scent, the stallion let himself down and kissed her quietly. For almost an hour they shared the bed quietly, neither daring to go beyond their usual fare. Heady kisses and quiet nuzzling was all they could ever do before. A stray nip of the teeth or giggle were highlights. "Luna…" Aegis Shield whispered while she nibbled strongly on his ear. The heady musk of desire was starting to be more and more prevalent in their bed. Luna shuffled just a little, pulling her stallion atop her. He went for her neck with quiet teeth and she would yelp now and then, a bead of sweat crossing her forehead as her mouth made a perfect o-shape. There in the darkness he finally said it, "I want you." She shivered as he returned to kiss her again, a certain something growing between them and pressing at her belly. "Oh my stallion…" she whispered, giving a shy chuckle as his arousal showed off his masculine wingspan for her. It was preened and very, very attractive. Basic instincts were rising in both of them, and the stallion's scent was growing stronger. He'd not had it before. It was like… salt, and sweat. The ache of earth and the spice of fire. A heady, stinging scent that made her moan quietly. Shifting her weight awkwardly, she gave a little yip of effort until finally he held himself up so she could shift properly. She hugged a pillow to her chest and meekly looked over her shoulder at him. Be gentle my love, her eyes said. Her haunches lifted for him, meekly. Aegis leaned over her as a stallion should his mare, rearing up to mount her. She gave a quiet cry, setting her back legs rigidly. Leaning slowly, romantically, he kissed her rump and then laid more kisses forward along her spine. She shuddered softly. His hooves hooked slowly around her as his weight and masculinity came forward. They made quiet, flushed, yipping love. He clung to her, panting her name in his efforts of passion. It was all she could do but whimper his name and set her teeth so she didn't scream and fill the room with guards. Luna was no virgin, but ohhh… her stallion… mmm… He moved within her, sweat slowly dripping from his flanks and hot gasps wetting her wings as he worked at her furiously. All of the tension of not-so-secret sexual desire melted away between them. The sweating, gallant stallion grunted with each forward motion, rolling himself into her larger, slender body. =-=-=-= On the other side of the palace, Celestia recoiled when her tea suddenly turned bright pink in her cup. The taste had gone off the deep end of sweetness, tang'd with something like… oranges? It was hard to tell. Somepony had just gotten REALLY happy, she saw in her tea. Blink-blinking, realization swept o'er her face and her nearby butler asked if she was alright, for her face was flushed. She dismissed him and put her head under a pillow, trying NOT to think about her sister getting furiously rutted. There was a knock at her door, "Your majesty, a stallion from Ponyville is here to see you. He said he had an appointment with Princess Luna about restocking the palace's fruit supply, but she is nowhere to be found for the moment…" he trailed off, hoping Celestia could help. The solar princess rose with a pleasant nod, wiping the embarrassed expression off of her face. She emerged out into the hall and followed the butler to a small meeting room. None other than Big Macintosh Apple sat awkwardly in a chair, waiting for his audience. Celestia's brow rose. He was a large pony, almost as big as her. And such a great big barrel chest… The princess felt a certain warmth in her cheeks and she stood there in the doorway, staring at him for a long time. Well wasn't he a handsome thing? "Welcome to Canterlot, Big Macintosh." She smiled quietly. He turned, smiled, and bowed with a slow bob of his head. "Yer Majesty." He said. Ohhh, his voice was like a twangy bell of masculinity. She liked it. A lot. "YEEEEEEAAAAAAS!" A female voice exploded across the sky like an apocalyptic crack of unholy thunder. Flying ponies fell out of the air for miles, struggling to right themselves. Glass panes cracked here and there. Windowsills shuddered. All of Canterlot vibrated on its foundations. Never had there been such a booming cry of ecstasy in the history of the city. Celestia stood there slack-jawed. A few curls of hair sticking in odd directions, her eyes had turned into tiny prick-pupils. Big Macintosh looked around in confusion. "What in your name was that…?" he mumbled to the princess, looking at the coffee table in front of him. The tea set, kettle and all, had melted into a sheet of gooey porcelain and then re-hardened into a blank sheet. Tea dribbled this way and that, bright pink. "Nothing. Nothing at all to be concerned about." Celestia said a little robotically, mentally shutting down all of her magical radars. She didn't even want to know what her sister might or might not be during at this point. Big Mac wasn't sure he believed her. =-=-=-= Luna lay on her side, flushed and purring. Aegis Shield smiled softly, pulling her head to rest on his chest. She shifted a little, her long legs bicycling a little as she huddled up to her lover. "Mhhh, how do you feel?" he whispered softly, kissing the top of her head lovingly. "Mmm… sticky." She said softly, then giggled a bit. He snickered softly, flopping down at last to rest. "We promise not to do that each time. We do." She smiled embarrassedly as he looked around the room in shock. The balcony windows had all blown out, the furniture collapsed into itself, and the vanity had mirror exploded into oblivion. Her crown was hanging from the ceiling, somehow pressed into the stone by one of its little spikes. The curtains that had hidden them were long gone, and a poor homeless pony in Manehatten suddenly found himself with some nice blankets. Where they'd come from and why they were so fancy, he'd never know. "H'ohhh, my stallion…" Luna purred, leaning into his petting. Aegis Shield smiled wider, nuzzling his lover. END OF EPILOGUE/b] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= A/N: Be sure to read the sequel, "Wrath of the Moon Champion"! <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Mare Do Well Mareifesto author: Horatiojones tags: character:Mare Do Well, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Trixie, genre:Sad, genre:Tragedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Letter === To the Individuals of Equestria, whether they are Pony, Cow, Buffalo, Griffin, Dragon, or any other. Please, do not believe this is a letter by someone trying to copy me, though there is little I could do to convince you otherwise. However, I will appear at the coming Summer Sun Celebration, handing out this statement, so, if you decide not to read it now, perhaps you shall read it then, regardless, this is both my story, and my missive. This is a letter, dictated, by the one you know as Mare Do Well. It is not a coming out letter, I am not revealing my true identity, nor is it an apology, to those I could not save, though I am saddened by this, and rest assured, I mourn these times reverently, there is nothing I can do about them. Rather, this letter, this message, this story, is about you, yes you, the people who look up to me. You see, Mare Do Well, was originally created by my friends, to show me humility, to help me become a better pony. And it worked, I learnt this lesson, yet still strove to help ponies, but now, rather than for recognition, I did it to aid them. I spent years doing this, becoming a hero where I was from, but one day, it happened. I wasn't quick enough, and I lost a pony. Ponies reassured me, told me it wasn't my fault, that this was the will of the gods, yet, when I saw the ponies family on the streets, I could feel them looking at me, glares of hate and loathing, directed straight at me. This happened a few times, because I wasn't fast enough, strong enough, one time because I was having a nap. Every time, the family and friends of the ponies in question, would stare at me in the shops, their faces asking 'why, why them, why couldn't you save them?' I couldn't take those looks of abhorrence, so I left, leaving my friends. I relocated to a bigger city, and aimed to just get along with life. But I couldn't, every day I saw ponies getting hurt, nopony willing to help them. I had learned my lesson before, if I did it myself, I would just end up losing what little life I had left. So I became a masked hero, a disguised defender, the mysterious Mare Do Well. And I, almost immediately found ponies looking up to me, respecting me, every time I appeared in costume, there would be shouts of praise and joy. If I lost a pony, sure ponies would be sad, but, they finally understood, I couldn't help them all, I would do my bit, and the rest was up to them. Then became the imitators, those Equestrians that would use me as a figure head, as an example to follow, heroes all. Beings like Supergriffin, Green Dragon, even Trixie the Great and Powerful, although I mention the last with a small amount of derision, our taunts upon each other, well known by you the public. When they began appearing, it was when I first realised I had become something more, rather than just a hero, I had become a champion of good, my every action taken as nigh on godlike. The pressure of this was unimaginable, but I took it in my stride, and endeavoured to convince others to become good, appearing at schools and public occasions, to spread a message of hope and love. I think I got through to some, but others just ignored my lesson, and decided to leave it to others. This brings me to the point of the memorandum; the Princesses requested I write this, after I questioned her on whether I was actually doing any good, whether my actions had a long standing point. I write this, to request that you do your part. I am not asking you to risk life and limb, like myself and my compadres, no, what I am asking is that you do well, that you help others. If we all helped one another, whether it be by acts of kindness, acts of generosity, being loyal, spreading laughter, or just being plain honest with each other, we could easily create a world where I, and other like myself, are no longer needed. Can you not see this world I envision, a world of peace and goodwill, a world where you can leave your doors unlocked, trust strangers, and fear nothing? Many may think this idea foalish, yet, when you contemplate it, it become a very real possibility, but only if we help one another. What I want every pony to do, upon reading this, is hug the nearest somebody, whether they be pony, griffin, cow, buffalo, or as a friend of mine might say a huge, gigantic, terrible, enormous, teeth-gnashing, sharp scale-having, horn-wearing, smoke-snoring, could-eat-a-pony-in-one-bite, totally-all-grown-up dragon. Just walk over to them, show them this, and hug them. If we all do this, just once, could you not see that the world as we know it, the world we all have to, whether we like it or not, occupy, as a friendlier place. In short I truly believe we could create a new world that is AWESOME. I am not here today to tell you that you are bad, that you are a bad creature, no; I am here to say that we need to do more. Be better ponies, if I can become better, even though my very name is a play on the old phrase 'never do well', then surely we all can. If I, and others like myself, spend our every moment trying to protect the innocent, then certainly you can just be nice to each other. I leave you today, in the hope I have brightened your view of the world, just remember, we can all do good, it is merely a choice. Signing of, this is your chosen hero, spreading her chosen moral. Mare Do Well <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Desire and Deep Water author: Crowley tags: character:Original Character, character:Spike, character:Twilight Sparkle, content:Second Person, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Part 1: Thin Ice === For those who have a fear of near-drowning experiences, or have an uncomfortable attitude towards it, I suggest caution when reading this story, as it is something of a theme for this fiction, especially in the more... lustful chapters later on. Hey, you're the one who clicked on a Mature fic! The bright, early summer sun's rays dance upon the shimmering, blue lake's surface. Two figures stand by the water's edge; a small dragon and a pony. The dragon, flicking through a dusty book, looks upon its pages, then to the lake, then back to the book. "Why are we doing this again, Twilight?" he asks, pressing his claw down when he finds the right page. A simple freezing spell, coupled with a few advanced sub-spells. Resistance to natural heat and sunlight was such an addition that one simply shouldn't forget in these circumstances. The book floats out of his hand, surrounded by the violet aura. It drifts towards the accompanying unicorn, who memorises the spell's requirements before placing it gently on the ground. "Because, Spike, it's going to be a surprise for Pinkie Pie's birthday," she explains, "She loves ice-skating, but since her birthday's always in summer, she never gets to go on a frozen lake. The only ice rink I can think of is the one in Canterlot, and that always costs a ton of bits for entry and is crammed with other ponies. If I freeze this lake, we could all have a little rink to ourselves! That's gonna be my birthday present to her this year." "Pinkie's birthday isn't for several weeks." Spike flatly points out. "I know," Twilight replies, "But I need to see if I can cast the spell successfully first. Practice makes perfect and all that." "Yeah, I guess so." the dragon takes a step back, allowing his friend to concentrate on her magic. The unicorn's horn glows its usual violet hue, before flashing a bluish-white, the surrounding magic snaking from her horn and weaving itself into the waters in front of her. The lake itself begins to freeze, starting at the water's edge closest to the caster, and rippling forth from there. Soon, the entire lake is frozen from one side to the other. Twilight abruptly halts the spell, letting out a sigh of weariness. She and Spike look over the lake, taking in their results. Every inch of the lake surface is replaced by a pristine sheet of glistening ice. It may have been a difficult spell to cast, but she was more than willing to chalk this up as a success! With a smug grin, Twilight turns to her dumbstruck assistant. "What do you think?" "Whoa." It takes a moment for him to snap out of his astonishment, "It's stuff like this, Twilight, which is why I think you're so cool. Geddit?" he chuckles, pointing a claw towards the freshly iced lake, "So cool?" "Swing and a miss." she chuckles, cautiously placing a hoof upon the lake's frozen surface. Then another hoof. Then another. Pushing off from the edge with her hind leg, she slides a few feet across the makeshift ice rink. She wobbles for a moment of two, before regaining her balance. So far so good. Carefully making her way across the ice, having at least two near-slips, she examines her workmanship across the whole lake. Spike eventually sets foot on the ice too, taking his rarely used stance on all fours to help him keep balance. "Hmm, I think it needs more work," Twilight says once she reaches partway to the centre, "While most parts of the lake's ice are thick and durable, there are thin patches scattered throughout the whole thing. I guess I'll just have to be more consistent while casting the spell next time-" "My lake! What the buck do you think you're doing to my lake?!?" A stallion's agitated voice yells behind them. Both Twilight and Spike whip around in shock to find the source of the shouting. Twilight's legs tangle up on the icy surface. She slips, her back hitting the ice with a heavy CRACK from under her. A scream. A splash. Silence. "Twilight?" The dragon's voice raises an octave in alarm. The only thing that remains where she once stood is a cold, watery hole. "Twilight! No!" ******* What have you done? What did you just do? You were only yelling at them for freezing your property! And now somepony's just… You break out into a gallop as quickly as your Earth Pony legs could carry you. Reaching the frozen surface of your lake, you lower yourself into a slide, stopping just short of the bitter hole the unfortunate pony had fallen through. She still hasn't surfaced. Thoughts of dread begin to form in your mind. What if she's..? You turn sympathetically to the panicking young dragon, who's fighting back the tears in his eyes. If you hadn't have shouted like you did, she'd never have fallen, and… Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! The sound of something hitting ice reaches your ears. It's coming from nearby. You follow the sound, urgently looking though the frozen surface for any sign of… Your insides jump in distress at the sight. A pair of purple hooves madly scrabbling at the sheet of ice from below. A pair of violet eyes, hysterical and desperate, looking back at you in terror from under the water. You do the first thing you can think of, swinging your fore-hooves into the ice at full force in an attempt to break it. Nothing. Another four solid hits later, there's still no such luck. She's trapped under an especially thick part of the ice. She screams in panic; no sound. Nothing to show for it but the flurry of bubbles swarming against the lake's unbreakable surface. The beating of her hooves against the ice becomes more frantic than ever as she chokes. But there's nothing you can do… "Move it!" You obey the sudden command of the young dragon, and jump to the side, nearly slipping. With a loud FWOOSH, a torrent of emerald-green fire rushes forth from his mouth, spilling over the ice where you once stood. It's working; the ice starts to melt, and cracks form where the pony is trying to break though. You jump in to lend a hoof, each swing breaking up more and more of the surface. Finally, it shatters. A freezing purple foreleg triumphantly breaks though the ice, and into the open air. You rush to grab it. With a quick, forceful pull, you lift the mare out from her watery grave. She inhales a loud, thankful gasp of air before she collapses onto the ice beside you, coughing out the biting-cold water from her lungs, taking one deep breath after another as she shivers uncontrollably. "Twilight!" The dragon rushes forward and throws himself into an affectionate hug with her, tensing when he feels how cold she is, "You're… you're freezing!" "I- I… uh- nuh… hm- ah-" Her incoherent mumbles are as tangled as her sopping wet mane. Her violent shivering doesn't stop, and she seems unable to move properly even if she tried. Looking closer, you notice her lips are blue. "We've got to dry you off before you freeze to death, poor girl!" you say, hoisting the pony onto your back. Geez, she really is cold! "My shack is right over there, it has a fireplace and everything!" The dragon dutifully follows you back to your home; a minute's walk away, but that's a minute too long for the poor purple unicorn. She shivers the whole journey, holding onto you weakly, trying to draw off as much warmth from you as she could get. ******* Upon arrival, you set the mare down in front of the inactive fireplace, grumbling an apology about the mess and kicking away a few stray bits of scrap that litters the floor of your shack. Throwing a few logs into the soon-to-be fire, you look around for the flint and tinder. Damn, where did you lose them this time? FWOOSH! "Fire's ready," the dragon says bluntly, puffing out some excess smoke from his nostrils, "Let's get to drying her. Got any spare towels?" You make a quick trip to the bathroom, and return with several of your best towels. And by best, you meant 'least damp'. You toss them to the dragon (you should really ask for that guy's name), who catches them and immediately starts to work drying his… friend? Boss? Relative of sorts? Either way, it isn't your concern right now. The unicorn - did the dragon call her Twilight? - looks as weak as she was when she first surfaced. "We should get a doctor for her. She doesn't look so good." You consider the circumstances for a moment. Surely you're not stupid enough to leave two complete strangers alone in your house? "Better yet, I'm gonna run out and fetch the doctor myself. Can I trust you to stay here and keep her warm while I'm gone?" It turns out you really are that stupid. But what are they gonna do, really? Steal your scrap? The pony's too weak to even stand upright and the dragon looks way too small to carry anything at all. "Wait!" You turn back to the dragon who called out for you, "She's gonna be okay, isn't she?" You don't give him a direct reply; honestly, you don't know. "Just keep her warm and dry." you tell him, "I'll be right back, I promise." === Part 2: Diagnosis: Chilly === "Well, it could've been far worse, but…" Nurse Redheart, the closest medical authority you could find on such short notice, analyses the recently used thermometer. She makes a mental note of the unicorn's pulse, places a hoof against her forehead to check for external temperature, and lets out a sigh, be it one of relief or regret. The nurse turns back to you and Spike, as the dragon calls himself. "She's been struck with sudden cold shock and mild hypothermia," she says, "As long as you keep her warm and dry, she'll fully recover within a few weeks at most. You say she fell into the frozen lake outside?" You and Spike nod. The nurse continues; "Obviously, the swift drop in temperature triggered it. She'll be over the initial hypothermic shock in a few days, however hypothermia is known for disrupting a unicorn's sense of magic, and that will take far longer to recover. Make sure she doesn't try casting any spells for two or three weeks; it'll just give her a headache." "She can't cast magic?" Spike seems as hurt by this information as Twilight herself, "I guess that explains why she didn't teleport to safety when she fell under. She couldn't." Seeing the disappointment the bad news had caused, the nurse tries for something more uplifting; "Looking on the bright side, there's no severe or permanent damage to her lungs nor her heart from the accident, so like I said, it could have been far worse." "What do you recommend?" Spike asks. Anything to get his friend feeling well faster. "Hot meals and a warm bed." Nurse Redheart says, "The more relaxed she is, the better." her nose scrunches up as she looks over the junk covering the room, "This isn't her house, is it?" "No, it isn't. It's mine." you admit, ignoring the badly-disguised look of disgust from the nurse, "If she needs bed rest, we'd better get her home while it's still warm outside." "Can you walk, Twilight?" Spike asks her. While she's too weak to talk back, Twilight responds with a slight nod and a forced smile. You and the dragon help her up to her hooves, with the nurse guiding the way out of the door. Just before you go, you grab a nearby jacket. She'll need it. The walk back to her home was a disheartening thing to be a part of. The faintest of breezes, even in the summer sunlight, caused Twilight to flinch from the cold running through her, despite the protection your jacket offers. Twice she nearly collapsed. Twice she turned down the offer for you to carry her. The library door swings open, giving Twilight shelter from the cold that only she had felt. You and the nurse help her slowly climb up the stairs, finally reaching her bedroom and setting her down there. By the look on her weary face, she's glad to be in her familiar bed. "Is there a fireplace here for if she needs one?" You ask. "Oh yeah," Spike replies, "We use it to make s'mores during sleepovers. And before you ask; no, there's never been a house-fire in this library resided by a fire-breathing dragon, filled with books and made out of a giant tree." Not that you were wondering that, but okay… Looking back at Twilight, you notice she's already tightly wrapped herself in her covers like a cocoon, eyes shut, with nothing but rest on her mind. You decide it's time to leave her be. Picking up your discarded coat, you say your goodbyes and leave alongside Nurse Redheart, who sets off to inform Twilight's close friends about her accident. Perhaps now is a good time to check back on your lake; it's early summer, after all, so it shouldn't take that long for it to melt, right? ******* You hardly sleep that night. The events of the past day cloud your mind, tossing up one twisted scenario after another. What if you hadn't found her under the ice, and she was lost under there forever? What would've happened if you weren't there to help the ice break with your hooves, or carry her home and dry her by your fire? What if Spike wasn't there with his fire breath? The ice would never have been weak enough to break and she'd have… Shuddering from the thought, you turn over in your bed, and try sleeping one more time. There's no point dwelling on what didn't happen, after all. Your lake is still frozen solid when you check up on it again the following day. There wasn't even the slightest hint of it melting, aside from the two pony-sized holes in the ice. You'd already turned away several ponies throughout the day, telling them how unsafe trying to skate on it is. It seems you're going to get a lot less visitors until it thaws. And that means you're not going to be able to enjoy your daily swim in it either. That's a real kick in the teeth for you, of all ponies. But what else could you do? You could always try to give more of your scrap and junk away, but almost nopony takes it. Maybe the two "perpetrators" who froze the lake in the first place know how to fix the problem. You might as well pay them a visit, but first, you should probably get on their good side. A Get Well Soon card for the unicorn would be a polite gesture… === Part 3: The Lake-Pony's Pledge === "You have got to be kidding me." You gawk at the huge, sophisticated and particularly glittery Get Well Soon card on the shelf, among several other colourful cards near Twilight's bed. For the tenth time, you read the sender's signature, and for the tenth time, you fail to believe it. "We're not kidding," yawns Spike, "It's totally legit; Twi's her star student and everything." "But… but…" you look between your small, trivial and substantially un-glittery card, and the glorious polar-opposite placed next to it on the shelf, "The princess of Equestria? Celestia herself sent you this? In her own horn-writing?" Twilight, sitting up comfortably in her bed, smiles with a noise that could possibly be giggling. She doesn't say much else, however. Perhaps it still hurts to talk. On the bright side, she's not shivering any more. Speaking of which… "The nurse said you'd get over the worst of the hypothermia in a few days, right?" She nods, then looks at Spike to be her vocals. "But she still has to lay off the magic for a few weeks." he mumbles. It's now that you notice the bags forming under his green, vertical-slit eyes. "And what about you, little guy? You look wrecked." He shakes his head in an attempt to shake himself awake. "Sorry," he says, as if he's done something wrong, "I'm Twilight's number-one assistant. It used to almost be a full-time thing helping her, and now that she's stuck in bed and without magic, it really is full-time. Owloysius helps when he can, but he sleeps during the day, and Twilight's friends can't be here all the time either. They've all got lives too, you know what I mean?" Two questions crop up in your mind. The first one is 'Who the heck is Owloysius?' and the second one is 'Why can't I help out?'. You opt to ask the second question out loud. The bed-ridden pony shakes her head, sinking into her bedcovers slightly - perhaps she's embarrassed at the thought of resorting to the help of strangers - and beckons her assistant over to her bedside. She whispers something into his ear, which he promptly recites in a monotone manner; "Twilight says 'You don't need to worry about little old me, I'm sure you've got a pretty full schedule or something that you need to do.'" "Yes, I do," you respond, "And most of my schedule involves cleaning and looking after the lake, which I can't do while it's frozen over. I might as well help out here while I wait for it to melt." Both Spike and Twilight exchange uneasy looks, as if to say 'Should we tell him?'. A beat later, and the unicorn nods, letting Spike step forward. "It's, uh… not gonna be melting any time soon pal. Sorry." the dragon shrugs, "Twilight weaved in a few sub-spells while she was freezing it over; resistance to sunlight and natural heat, mostly. She did that so it wouldn't melt if we were to go ice-skating on it." "What?" You can't believe your luck; of all of the times for your lake to get frozen over without your permission, it just so happens to be with ice that never melts. "How do we get rid of it?" "The only way to melt it is through magic, notably from the one who cast the spell in the first place." Spike dutifully repeats what the poorly Twilight whispers to him, "Almost everything else is gonna be useless." "But what about fire?" you retort at the dragon, "I saw you melt the ice with your own breath!" "My fire-breath is bright green and can send letters to high-ranking members of royalty. I'm pretty sure that counts as magic." He gives you a weary look, as if he's tired of explaining something like that. "I doubt I'd be able to thaw a whole lake with it though; I could just barely melt the ice patch that Twilight was stuck under." "So the only way to have my lake back is for Twilight to use a thawing spell?" you ask. The two librarians nod. "But she can't cast any magic until she's fully recovered from her hypo-therma-thingie?" Twilight tries to correct you out loud, but all she manages is a raspy cough. Instead, she nods again to confirm what you said. "In that case, Spike, get some rest. I'll take over from here." "Huh? Wha?" Spike's attention returns slightly by the mention of his name; he'd dozed off for a moment. Twilight leans up in her bed, as if wondering what you meant by that. "As the janit- uh, warden of Ponyville's lake, I should be doing everything I can to make sure it's clean, safe, and ultimately… not frozen over," you explain to them, "However, Twilight's the only pony who can help me with that, and she can't cast magic until she's recovered." You pause, letting the information sink in, "Which means," you continue, "the faster you recover, the sooner I get my lake back. So it's in my best interest to help you get better, Twilight. I can't really do much else otherwise. Besides, your dragon friend looks exhausted." After an uncomfortable silence, the two library-dwellers huddle together and exchange a few quick whispers. Finally, Spike turns back to you. "Come back tomorrow evening or something, if you're really that eager to help. Twilight and I could sort out a list of things you could do to help, okay?" You leave a few minutes later, feeling a little less guilty for nearly drowning a mostly-innocent mare yesterday. Twilight seems to be taking her recovery one day at a time, so offering to ease the stress is the least you could do. Perhaps you'll actually be able to get some restful sleep tonight, without your conscience gnawing at you. ******* No such luck. Your thoughts that night are plagued with a grim recital of what happened when you first met. When she broke free from the bitter, watery coffin with the help of you and the dragon. When she fell to the freezing ground, twitching, mumbling to herself in disorientation. The biting cold that she must have felt as the faintest breeze chilled her to the bone. With yet another toss and turn, you make it clear to yourself; you aren't just helping her get better so you can have your lake back. You're helping her because it's the only thing to douse your guilt. ******* You had spent most of the day organising the scrap in your home, deciding what to keep and what to take to an actual scrap yard, since you couldn't really do your usual daily duties at the lake. When you arrive at the library that evening, you're met with a friendly greeting from Spike, who leads you up to Twilight's room. A pile of books are stacked by her bed, no doubt there to help Twilight pass the time while bedridden. She looks up from reading one such book when you walk in, welcoming you back with a warm smile as if to ask how your day was. You voice the question out loud to her first. "She's doing great so far," Spike answers on her behalf, "She was struggling with soup yesterday, but she didn't have any issues this morning, so she's totally recovering. Pinkie Pie came over - you might know her, she probably knows you - and discussed plans for a 'Get Well Soon party'. Of course, we're kinda more interested in a 'Fully Recovered party', so Pinkie's gonna be holding it once Twilight's better. Then Fluttershy visited for a while…" As Spike recounts the past day, you're relieved to know that she has many friends and visitors during the day. That's good; at least she's not going to go crazy with boredom any time soon. Plus, her books give her plenty to amuse herself with in the meantime. After a good while of casually chatting between the three of you (you, Spike and Twilight-through-Spike) she produces a small roll of parchment and passes it to you. Of course, the checklist of things you could do to help. You asked for it yesterday, and you got it. Glancing through the list, you find that they're pretty basic tasks; pick up some shopping here, help Spike sort books over there, drop such-and-such a book off at somepony's house, and so on. To put it simply, you're just taking some of the weight off the dragon's shoulders, letting him focus on helping Twilight herself. Fine by you. === Part 4: Common Grounds === Looking back, you can't believe how quickly the week had passed. Every evening, you'd pay Twilight Sparkle a visit, and every evening, she'd greet you with a look of pleasant surprise, followed shortly after by a polite conversation, before giving you some instructions via parchment. By the fourth day, she had even plucked up the strength to talk to you directly. "Thanks. For. Your. Help." One word at a time for the poor girl. However, it was louder than whispering her words for Spike to pass on, so it was clearly an improvement. In fact, if you recall correctly, those were the first words she'd ever said to you. Luckily, none of those were curses or threats for putting her through all that illness in the first place. So far so good. By the seventh day, her voice was in perfectly good health; no croaks or coughs to be heard. She had a heartening, yet reasonable voice, maybe a little ostentatious from time to time, as Spike couldn't resist pointing out. However, you found her little quirks - such as panicking over minor schedules and lists, or organising particular things just right - as normal as anypony else's personalities in this crazy town. It's almost cute, when you think about it. By the way, did you sort out those scrap piles yet? "Where did you get all that scrap from, anyway?" Twilight asks you one evening, as Spike prepares her meal in the next room. "From the lake," You shrug; the answer's simple enough to you, "Lots of ponies think they can dump stuff in it in secret. They can't. I just dive in, take the junk out, and if I know who dumped it, I dump it right back on their doorsteps. They usually don't try again afterwards. If I don't know who did it, I either keep the scrap for myself or sell it. Either way, I keep the lake clean.." "Wow," Twilight leans back in her bed in mild surprise, "I didn't know ponies did that." "Well, not very many ponies do it that often," you admit, "The scrap you saw at my place has kinda been building up for years, I just haven't sold it all yet-" "No, no, not the whole scrap collecting thing," Twilight cuts in, "I meant I've never seen many ponies go lake-diving for a living. You must have spent a fortune on diving equipment." "Hm? Nah." you shake your head, "I don't use diving gear. Even if I could afford it." She pauses to think for moment, then perks up again. "Oh, now I get it; you hire unicorns from Canterlot to cast a gill-giver spell on you. Wow, that must cost even more, since that's harder to cast than a glimmer-wing spell, and even I struggle with that one!" "No, I don't do that either." you say simply, "Like I said, I'm not exactly made of bits." "Then… how do you get the junk out from the bottom of the lake?" "I dive in and get it." by the look on Twilight's face, she obviously wants you to explain a little more. You give an example; "There was this one time somepony dumped a whole empty wardrobe in there. Since it was way too heavy to carry out, I swam down there with a screwdriver, took it apart, then carried it out piece by piece. I still have that wardrobe, if you wanna see… it…" You trail off when you notice Twilight's dumbfounded expression. "Um, not to sound personal, but…" Twilight looks around her own bedroom, as if she didn't want anypony overhearing (who would even care? Spike?), and leans forward, as if she's about to ask a deeply private question. You lean forward in response. "Exactly how long can you hold your breath?" "My word!" you jokingly recoil in mock-distress, placing a hoof over your forehead dramatically, as if you were in a pantomime, "What a personal question! Almost as personal as asking you, I dunno, how long you can read a book for! The sheer horror!" She giggles at your (obviously) award-winning performance, and playfully gives you a nudge in return, "Oh, stop it, it's just that you hardly talk about yourself! I didn't know whether you'd find it invasive or not." "Alright, you win," you drop the overly dramatic charade, "I've just been coming here with the focus on helping you get better, so I guess I haven't really spoken about much else." You then remember her original question; "But since you've asked, I can hold my breath for about… four minutes average, sometimes five if I try hard enough. My record is eight minutes, which only happened once, during a bet with some friends. A bet that I lost, unfortunately - I was aiming for ten." Good times. You bring the subject back to Twilight before you get lost in your sense of nostalgia. "What about you? What's your record?" She picks her jaw off the floor before answering, "Uh… if I said one whole minute, I'd be lying." You chuckle, "And what about your record on reading?" "Ah, now that's my strong suit!" she blushes, much like before, and treats it like something that should be a private question, "If you must know, I can read a book for about… four hours average, sometimes eight if I try hard enough. My record is fourteen hours, which only happened once, from 8pm to 10am. It was an all-nighter I crammed for an exam back in Canterlot. An exam which I aced, by the way." Whoa. And she thought you and your breath holding was over-the-top. "What about you when it comes to books?" she asks. "If I said one whole hour, I'd be lying." You both share a laugh. Soon, Spike walks in with a few bowls of freshly made soup, and the rest of the evening is spent bantering and talking for hours on end about each other's past adventures. ******* The library door shuts for the last time that night, as the lake-owner bids farewell to Spike and Twilight. His hoof steps quieten as he trots away, leaving the two librarians to some small talk before going to sleep. "Weird, how he keeps coming back to help every day, huh?" Spike speculates, "I've told him he really doesn't have to, but the guy insists." "You aren't worried about him taking your place, are you Spike?" "Oh geez no, Twilight," he shakes his head definitively, "I'm way over that since the whole Owloysius thing. Which reminds me, he'll be awake soon." Twilight gets back on topic, "I think I know why our friend keeps coming back; perhaps he thinks the more he cares for me, the faster I'll recover and get my magic back, so I can finally thaw out his lake. Or maybe he feels kinda guilty for making me fall through the ice in the first place." she then inhales deeply, and lets it out in a slow, dreamy sigh that causes Spike to raise his head, "Either way, I really don't mind the extra company." Spike just stands there, staring open-mouth at his friend. "Uh, what the heck was that about, Twilight?" "What the heck was what?" "That, Twilight." he responds, "That sigh; you just did a Rarity-Sigh!" "A… Rarity-Sigh?" the unicorn scoffs, suddenly feeling the need to roll her eyes and avert her eye contact, "Wha- what does that even mean?" "It's the same sigh I do whenever I think about Rarity, of course! It doesn't make sense that you're doing it though. I always thought that only happens to dragons and ponies who have… crushes…" His eyes widen when the realisation clicks. Both of his clawed hands reach up to cover his agape jaw as he fixes Twilight with a reproving stare. "Oh-" "Spike, don't even say it!" "-my-" "He's just a nice pony, okay?" "-Celestia! You have a crush on- Mmph!" He gets cut short by the purple hoof that stuffs itself into his mouth. "Geez, tell half of Ponyville, why don't you?" Twilight sneers, turning red with embarrassment. Finally, she removes her hoof. "You got me. I've been… looking forward to his visits more every day. Remember before I moved to Ponyville, Spike? Remember when all I would care about is books and getting high grades? He's just like that! He reminds me of me, only instead of books, he spends his time looking after that lake. Other than that minor detail, we're just so much alike! And because of that, I think he's the only stallion I truly understand. Because I've been there before! I've been him! I understand him like no other colt I've ever spoken to in my life!" She pauses, giving her assistant a chance to register her rant. "Please, Spike," she says finally, "promise me you won't tell anypony about this." The dragon gestures, dragging his finger and thumb across his lips in a 'zipping' motion. His lips are sealed. === Part 5: Taking Toll === A single ray of sunlight shines through the tiniest gap in your curtain, beaming directly over your closed eyes. For a giant burning ball of gas that's millions of miles away, it's nice to know that it has pinpoint accuracy when it comes to disturbing your lie-in. Turning over and tossing the covers over your head, you wonder if Celestia really is as much of a joker as Twilight Sparkle says she is. Ah, screw it, time to get up. As warm and bright as the sun is, it does nothing to melt the immaculate sheet of ice covering your lake. It's been like that for over a full week now, yet it hasn't given off a single droplet from melting. Hopefully Twilight's magic might return in a matter of days; she's been showing more and more visible signs of recovery every time you visit, after all. Maybe she'll finally be able to leave her bed? And before you know it, you'll have your precious lake back; you've been itching for a good swim all week. You know, when you first started helping Twilight, you were only trying to dispel your own guilt. Now you're visiting them because you really want to; Spike's a great guy to talk to, and you've learned so much from Twilight since she regained her voice. But you've never really met her friends, apart from one or two encounters when delivering books to them and suchlike. She said they take care of her during the day, before you come by in the evenings… Of course! Why don't you just pay them a visit now? Your scrap will still be there to sort out when you get back later. There are other reasons besides company for wanting to see Twilight again. But you wouldn't go as far as saying you're smitten with her, right? Even if… well… you totally are, let's be honest. But her recovery is way more important than your personal feelings, to be honest, so that takes a back seat for now. Maybe when you've plucked up the courage, say, in a month or so. Heading back into town, towards the familiar tree-home, you wonder which friend of hers is visiting right now… ******* Bashing three times on the library door, you wait for the usual recital of Spike answering the door, a friendly greeting and an escort to Twilight's room. Any second now, he's gonna answer. Any second now. Huh. Pressing your ear against the door, you don't hear the patter of footsteps rushing to open it. Instead, you hear a clatter. Some shouting. Twilight mouthing off a response just out of earshot. More clattering. "Is everything alright in there? It's me! Just checking up on you!" Whoever was in there, there was no acknowledgement of your arrival. Just more heated shouting. Oh gods, what's going on in there? "I'm, uh, I'm coming in, okay?" You open the door to find Twilight out of her bed for the first time in days. She stands firmly in the centre of the library, legs hunched as if she's getting ready to pounce on something. Her horn flickers a violet glow, on and off, on and off, as if it hurts to use. Nevertheless, she persists. On the other side of the room, three figures huddle together, with one of them trying to hold on to something. That's Spike, his claws tightly wrapped around a book that constantly tries of pull away under a bright purple radiance, and two other ponies you didn't recognise; a female pegasus, with a mane of pink and coat of yellow, and a male stallion you'd never met before. "Please, stop!" the pegasus pleads, "You're not supposed to use magic until you're better! We've talked about this!" "I'm better now! Really!" Twilight calls back. You can't help but notice the uncertainty in her voice. "Just let go of the book, I wanna read it!" She does another mental yank with her magic, just as Spike releases his grip. The book falls to the floor, before pitifully dragging itself a few inches. Every eye in the building just watches as it pathetically edges its way towards the desperate unicorn, one weak tug at a time. "See? I told you I'm all better!" She kids herself, whimpering with each telekinetic pull, "I can - Argh! - use magic again! I'm fully recovered! I-" she trails off when she finally notices you standing there. The look on her face when she realises that you saw the whole thing… Without a sound, she makes a sprint for her room up the stairs. A moment later, the door slams, leaving you with Spike and the two other guests. You exchange looks with your dragon friend. "As much as she likes reading, being without magic is kinda taking its toll on her lately." he explains. "How long has she been like this?" you ask. "About three days now. It's getting worse and worse. You'd think having her out of bed would help, but no…" She's become miserable because she can't use magic the way she used to. She's like this because you made her fall under the ice. Your shouting made her fall back there. You gave her hypothermia as a result. She's like this because of you. Just when you were getting over the guilt. Great job. "Are you Spike's assistant?" asks the stallion. Oh, so that's what Spike's been referring to you as. Although you couldn't really argue against it; Spike did do all of the important things, since he knew how to do it, while you were mostly there to pick up the slack. "You could say that," you reply before turning to Spike, "Could you just let me have a word with her? I'd appreciate it." He doesn't object, sticking around with the two other ponies in the main library room while you trot up the staircase. Then you knock gently on Twilight's door. "Go away!" her voice cries back, "Just… leave me alone! I used to be able to lift every book in this library, now I can't even lift one!" "Twilight, it's me. Please, open up." You hear her mutter your name from the other side of the door. For a moment, silence. Then you hear faint hoof steps before she opens the door. Once you're inside, it shuts behind you. "Look, I'm sorry you had to see that," she mumbles, looking at your hooves, not bringing herself to make eye contact. You can see why. "I'm just not used to being without magic, and I kinda got stressed about it. It's no big deal-" "Twilight, don't bother trying to defend me." She stops in her tracks when your voice cuts her off, "Of course it's a big deal. I nearly drowned you! I gave you hypothermia! I've pretty much ruined you! And now you're apologising to me? Why? How can you even stand to be around me? I deserve a buck in the teeth for what I did to you!" "No." she protests weakly, "No you don't! You shouldn't even say that-" "I'm serious, Twilight!" You disregard the croak in your voice as you break down in front of her. "C'mon! Kick me right here in the face! Right now! Any hoof you want! Just get it over and done with! Please! I'm sick of seeing you hurt like this! I'm sick of living with the guilt every damn night! I-" Your rant is interrupted when you feel the warmth of her fore-hooves clinging onto you. She buries her face into your shoulder, softly squeezing you in her embrace. After what seems like an eternity, you raise your own hooves and squeeze in return. Just you and Twilight Sparkle. "It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have frozen the lake in the first place." her voice muffles from being buried in your shoulder. It feels a little damp to you. "You were just being nice for a friend. If I hadn't have yelled at you when I first saw you…" You don't know what possesses you to do this - maybe your feelings for her - but you give her face a gentle nuzzle with your own, "Just know that I'd never try to hurt you." She picks up, if only a little. "And I'd never kick you in the face." "Good to know." It's hard to keep track of how long you both stand there, forelegs wrapped around each other, but you honestly don't want it to end. All great things have to, however, and she pulls away with a smile on her face. "Tell you what, Twilight," you say, "Now that you're healthy enough to walk around again, how about we just go for a walk around town? Some fresh air would help us both take our minds off things, and you could introduce me to your friends! You, me, maybe Spike if he's up for walks?" "That would be swell." she giggles, seemingly over her stresses for now. Either that or she's bottled them up again. You both trot out of her room, glad to have cleared away each other's troubles, at least for today. You both had problems to overcome, of course, but you realise just how important it is to tackle them head-on with somepony you trust, rather than try to take it all on your own shoulders. "C'mon, let's start on getting you and Fluttershy acquainted! She's downstairs with her boyfriend, we can go to her place and check out the cute animals…" === Part 6: The First Kiss === The next several days drift by as you turn up at Twilight's home day after day; because she asked you to, of course. She and Spike had worked out a schedule for the coming week, visiting one of her friends after another with you, sometimes coupled with visits elsewhere around town. One day, you're relaxing on the fields outside of Ponyville with Twilight, watching pegasi dart around the clouds. Rainbow Dash (who you recognised because, heck, who doesn't?) was the most impressive flyer every time, as Twilight and her dragon friend would agree. A few days later, you're messing around in a clothing boutique with her, trying on one piece of clothing after another, and ultimately turning down the lot, much to Rarity's frustration. You never saw the point of these shops, especially since living naked is the norm for most of the town, and not just you. "I was born naked," you declare to the owner, "So I'm gonna die naked!" "And all shrivelled up, by the sound of things, dear." Rarity fires back without skipping a beat. It takes a good ten minutes for Spike to stop laughing. Another few days pass, and you're enjoying a cool afternoon cider under some apple trees, along with Spike, Twilight, her friends in the Apple family, and a… thing. Looked like a cross between an ape, a shaved weasel and a diamond dog. You're polite enough not to ask. It's true what the townsfolk say about Sweet Apple Acres; it really has the best sunsets. Of course, it's nothing compared to the beautiful Twilight sitting alongside you. You wonder if she'd find that phrase romantic or corny? The next trip is into town, meeting her at the Sugar Cube Corner where another one of her friends worked. Oddly, she arrived without her number-one assistant this time. "Spike's taking care of some things in the library today," she explains as she takes a seat on the same outside table as you. You don't follow her up on the vague explanation; it's nice to have some alone time with her for once. After polite small-talk, you both order milkshakes. The small, plump and cheerful owner to trots off and returns a few minutes later. "Pinkie's been kind enough to cover the cost of these for you two dears," she says with a smile, "she's inside on baking duty if you'd like to pop in and say thanks!" "We'll be sure to thank her before we leave, Mrs. Cake." Twilight replies. It's hard not to return a smile in an establishment so bright and happy. As the owner trots away to deal with other customers, you turn to Twilight, who directs her milkshake's straw between her lips. You watch as she has a few slow sips, sucking the smooth, cool liquid through the straw and letting it slide down her throat as she swallows periodically. Why the heck are you staring at her doing this, of all things? Her eyes flick up and meet yours in a sideward glance/. She caught you staring. "And here I thought you'd be happy with drinking your own." she smiles with a perfectly visible blush. Before you can organise your embarrassed stuttering into words, she lifts the straw from your milkshake with her magic, and places it in her own. She seems to have recovered quite a bit from a few days ago. She moves her drink closer to you, the straws pointing at you and her respectively. You shuffle your seat closer to hers, placing a hoof on the side of the glass while Twilight does the same. Taking a deep breath to calm yourself, you lean forwards with her, sipping the same drink together. Her face is so close to yours. Her breath drifts across your face in-between sips, causing your heart to pound viciously inside your ribcage, like it's trying to burst right out. Her free foreleg slowly curls around your torso. You mimic her actions in return; it's the only thing you can think of doing. You try to control yourself, doing what you can to hide any signs of nervousness. Twilight's probably picked up on it by now; she's a smart mare. The drink finishes way too soon - maybe you sipped it too fast out of tension? - but it doesn't really matter to you nor her. Not because there's another milkshake within hoof's reach, but because Twilight's face is still mere inches away from yours, her bright violet eyes half-lidded and dazed. You take a chance, like you do every time you dive into your lake. With your own eyes shut, you lean into her face. Her snout brushes against yours for a brief moment, and through a sheer magical force of will, you finally push yourself forward into a gentle, tender kiss. Her lips are warm against yours, the tingling scent of berries teasing you from within. Your heart races at a brisk, yet steady pace, happy to be alive with each beat. Happy to share the moment with Twilight Sparkle herself. As swiftly as your heart pounds, your thoughts rush, your nerves quiver, the rest of the world stands still, waiting just for you and her. All of the worries that built over the weeks melt away, and among the rabble of thoughts that swirl in your head, one particular thought stands out among them all. You're in love. Your lips depart from hers, breaking the kiss and returning the world around you back to its normal pace. Your foreleg remains wrapped around her waist, as hers is with your own. She looks dizzy with exhilaration, unable to string together a sentence worthy of describing what just happened between you and her. Needless to say, you feel the same. Once the second milkshake had gone down (shared, of course), you both set off, but not before quickly entering the shop and introducing yourself to the pink pony who pre-paid for your drinks. You don't really recognise her, but she seems to recognise you with gusto. The rest of the day is such a wonderful blur, walking around the market, checking the stalls and eventually watching the sun go down together, holding hooves. Once the moon rises, painting the world in its silvery light, you kindly offer to walk Twilight home. Outside the library, moths flutter around a nearby street lamp, and stars speckle the clear night sky. Before saying goodbye, she gifts you with a nuzzle and a peck on the cheek. "I'll see you tomorrow, right?" you ask as she opens her front door. "Of course. The usual time." The walk home was dizzying, to say the least. With Twilight Sparkle gone for the night, your mind is free to reorder, free to try and make sense of what happened today. Are you two dating now? Since when? It's all so sudden… She has the most adorable smile. Is there some unspoken rule to follow now that you're boyfriend and girlfriend? Are you boyfriend and girlfriend? You don't know… Her eyes, they're always so cheerful and bright. How long has she liked of you like that? How long was she hiding it? Oh for royalty's sake, you can't stop thinking about her… Before you know it, you're outside the front door of your shack. All of your daydreaming made the time slip by. Letting yourself in, you make yourself a snack, have a quick wash, and then make a beeline for your bed. The sooner you're asleep, the sooner tomorrow can arrive, and the sooner you can see her again. ******* POOF! A bright green flash of light disturbs you from your sleep. A rolled-up piece of parchment lands on your bed seemingly from out of nowhere. That's odd; you recall Spike sending letters off every once in a while from your visits, but you didn't know they could focus on just anypony. You unroll it with your hooves, and read the hastily scribbled message. Get to the lake. No introduction. No signature. Not that you needed one to know who sent it. You check the weather outside, wincing from the sunlight as you open the curtains. It's noon. You must've slept in. Pulling yourself out of bed, you quickly check yourself once over in the bathroom mirror (if you're about to see who you think you are there, you may as well look halfway presentable) and head out of the door. === Part 7: The Lake Liberated === A minute after leaving, you reach your second home; Ponyville Lake. Still frozen over from two, perhaps three weeks of waiting? The bright sun had done nothing to thaw the cold intrusion, as usual, however it glistens off the icy sheet quite nicely, the bright white contrasting with the vivid green grass and hills surrounding it. After a few moments of waiting, you spy the purple mare herself galloping over from Ponyville, complete with a full saddlebag. Your heart leaps for joy when you see her again, just as it should. When she gets close enough, she greets you with a playful hug. You embrace her in return, giving her a gentle nuzzle. "Glad to see you got my message!" she says cheerfully, removing her saddlebag and lifting a rather hefty book from it with her magic. She doesn't show the slightest hint of strain when she lifts it. "How's your magic?" you ask out of courtesy. She responds with the playful wink of somepony who's about to unveil a surprise. With a quick flick through of the book, she glances over a page, nods to herself, and places it carefully on the grass while she stares out to your frozen lake. "See for yourself." Twilight says as her horn starts to glow. You only just realise what she's trying to do. "Are you sure you can-? Just don't strain yourself, Twilight, please. Be careful." Honestly, you don't know the first thing about magic. That's the best advice you can think of. The purple aura changes into a hot orange-red, pouring from her horn and flowing over the ice in front of her. Soon, the whole lake is covered in its warmth. You can hear the rapid cracking and splashing as the ice floes break apart and sink, melting away like ice cubes in a fire. To your ignominy, you also hear a pained grunt from Twilight as she struggles to keep the spell in check. Suddenly, the red-orange magic bursts with a flash. When the light dies down, you gasp; bright, blue glistening water, just as the lake should be, from one end to the other. Not a glimpse of ice in sight. She did it. It's finally over. Twilight stands there, panting, looking at her fine work with a weak smile. Sweat drips from the head she holds with a fore hoof, no doubt feeling sore from her exertion. You hug her in thanks, glad to finally have your second home back to normal. "Thank you, Twilight, thank you!" she tenderly hugs back, still panting slightly, "Are you okay?" "Fine… fine…" she says between gasps. She reaches into her saddlebag and retrieves a large towel, spreading it out onto the soft, green grass before lying on it herself, "Lemme just… catch my breath." You lie down next to her, grateful for what she had done for you. If she was able to pull off a spell like that, she was no doubt close to a full recovery. If only you could somehow alleviate her strain of magical fatigue. After several long minutes bathing in the sunlight, she rolls closer to you, until you're lying face-to-face. You push yourself forward and plant a short, sweet kiss on her lips. Just as you back away, she pushes forward with a kiss of her own. You kiss back. She kisses back. Before you know it, you're caught up in a playful kissing game, laughing and rolling around playfully with the one mare in the world who could make you feel this great. You eventually end up over her, pinning her to the ground, assailing her with one fast kiss after another. She throws her hooves up, letting you know she gives up the fight. You win. "You got me," she giggles, her face a vibrant red, "I just need someplace to cool down for a bit." She wipes a bead of sweat from her forehead as indication. The feeling is mutual; being this close to her takes a lot out of you! You look around for somewhere with ample shade, maybe a nearby tree or rock. There's nowhere you could call ideal for cooling off, except… "What about the lake?" you ask, "We'd be the first ponies in weeks to swim in it! And I promise you won't get hypothermia this time; the water's great in summer!" You extend a hoof to help her up. Smiling, she accepts it, and you both soon find yourselves wading waist-deep in the lake's blue watery caress. By Celestia, how you've missed this feeling. Twilight seems perfectly happy in the shallow edge of the lake, keeping her hooves on the ground below the shimmering surface. You carry on wading, until you're treading water. A little further out, and you reach a nice deep part of the lake. Your favourite spot. You hear Twilight shout your name from the shallow part. "What are you doing?" she calls out. "I'll just be a minute; I'm checking up on some things!" You call back, readying yourself for a dive, "Well, maybe two or three minutes…" "Hold on a second!" she swims inelegantly over to you, kicking her hooves in the water like a doggie paddle. Unlike you, swimming is certainly not her special talent. Once she reaches you, she treads water by your side. "You're going under, aren't you?" she asks, "Let me come too, I wanna see what it's like down there!" You think for a moment, recalling that she can hardly hold her breath for more than a minute, "Do you know a water-breathing spell?" "No." She replies, "Well, actually, yes, there is such a thing as a gill-giving spell, but it's really complicated to use. While a simpler spell, like glimmer-wing, changes the target's spine and shoulder blades to accommodate wings, the gill-giving spell alters your entire respiration system. So it's way too complex for me to cast. For now, that is. Sorry." That was a mouthful of an answer. So much for a straight yes or no. You take it as a no. "Then you'll have to make do with a deep breath, that's all I can suggest." She nods obediently, inhales sharply, and disappears under the water with a quiet splash. One, two, three, four, five seconds later, she resurfaces with a gasp and a splutter. "That was a practice!" she clarifies, wiping her sopping wet mane out from her eyes. You chortle; it's the little things like this that make her so adorable. "If you say so. Stay close to me, Twilight, and don't be afraid to swim back up if you need to." She concurs. Just as you're both about to dive, you notice she's wearing a look of determination, as if she's coming up against some huge barrier. Wow, is swimming really that much of a challenge for other ponies? Nevertheless, you take the plunge with her, leaving behind the world above for the deep wonders you've been unable to revisit for weeks. Broken beams of sunlight shine through the lake's surface, their entwining patterns flashing on the lakebed. The water's cool, welcoming caress surrounds you as you swim deeper, checking all of the familiar rocks and crevices by the lake bottom. Tiny fish dart about among the plants and rock formations, seemingly unfazed by the recent rapid-freezing and thawing experience; most of them survive Winter Set-Up and Winter Wrap-Up each year, when the lake is meant to be frozen, so they certainly had no trouble surviving a brief, unscheduled frost. The lake life was odd, to say the least, but it always had a habit of balancing itself out, like most habitats. You continue to drift through the water, content at finally being able to enjoy your swimming again. A figure of bright purple catches your eye as it swims beside you. Twilight, of course. You're surprised she's still down here with you, considering her swimming ability. Her mane and tail wave to the water's whim, their hairs dancing as if they have a life of their own. She's smiling at you, despite one or two signs of unease. A stream of bubbles pours from her snout. Somehow, you find her a wonderful thing to watch as she gracefully swims by. She may not have realised it before, but the water suits her. If there's one thing you love about being underwater, it's how the whole world seems to run in slow motion. You take Twilight by the hoof, pulling her towards you. She embraces you, her hooves holding onto you tightly as the two of you drift in your small, blue paradise. You embrace her in return, your bodies pressing snugly into each other, your faces touching by the snout. You can think of no better time. You hold the back of her head with a hoof as she holds yours. You pull her head forwards, both of your mouths parted, welcoming the kiss. The connection grows deeper, as deep as the depths you both drift in. With locked lips, your tongue makes a dive of its own, pushing tenderly, eagerly into Twilight's parted mouth. She gives a blissful sigh in response, a sigh that takes the form of bubbles departing from her lips. Your tongues lather each other, that familiar, electric taste of berries - no, the taste of Twilight Sparkle - mix in the water surrounding you both. You and your lover in your own watery world. The perfect moment you'd never want to end. Sadly, all good things have to; for a split second, Twilight's grip on you tightens. Her stomach twitches, convulsing under the strain. A sign of desperation. The kiss ends as she pulls out of it, placing a hoof over her mouth, trying to stop the unwanted impulse. The perfect moment broken by the simplest of needs. The desire to breathe. You gesture your head towards the surface, letting her know it's alright. She flashes you an apologetic look - she's as sad to end the fun as you are - before hastily pecking you on the lips and kicking upwards, making a break for the air above. You swim alongside her, despite not needing to surface yourself; you've hardly been under for a minute or two. The lake's calm waters break when Twilight emerges with a splash, filling her lungs with the cool, crisp lakeside air. You calmly raise from the depths yourself, without so much as causing a ripple. You encouragingly nudge the panting purple pony next to you in congratulations. "Not that I was keeping track," you say casually, "but I think we were down there for well over a minute, probably one and a half. I guess that's a new record for you." "I had a good reason to stay down there," she coos, wiping her damp mane from her seductive, half-lidded eyes. "I couldn't just turn down a kiss from my handsome stallion, no matter where we are." She looks so beautiful with her wet hair. Swimming up to her, you tell her so in a whisper. "Thanks." she whispers back, edging closer to you herself. You can tell she isn't finished from her business under the water. "Now, where were we..?" === Part 8: Desire runs Deep === For the rest of the day, you enjoy swimming with her on the surface, diving below and showing her the wonders under the water, playing and splashing about in the shallow parts… and exchanging more wet kisses in the lake (your new favourite lake-based activity) with the mare you love. Your long, wet sessions are separated by breaks, lying down with her on the towel by the grassy lakeside, sharing snacks throughout the day taken from your nearby shack's fridge and cupboards, and curling up with her as the sun slowly lowers itself towards the horizon. "You know, I think I've started getting better at this whole swimming thing." Twilight muses as the sky slowly turns orange. "After one day?" you tease, "Maybe tomorrow you'll be better than me!" "Nah," she giggles, "You've been swimming all of your life, I haven't!" "That's the joke." "Oh. Right." After a brief pause to watch the sun sink a little more behind the distant hills, you turn back to her. "Wanna go for one more swim, before it gets dark?" She thinks for a moment, before flashing a devious look that suggests she's just had an idea. "You know," she says, "Perhaps I'm better than you at swimming already." You laugh; surely she's kidding? "Are you asking for a diving race or something? First one to reach the bottom?" you quip, "Yeah, you'd beat me at that; you'd just sink like a rock!" "Oooh, harsh!" Twilight jokingly cringes. Man, you got her good with that one. "I was talking about a breath-hold contest; whoever stays under the longest wins. Unless you're scared that I'll beat you at it." "Hah, if you say so." you pick yourself up from the towel, and head back towards the waters with her, eager to show off, "You're not gonna use any freaky magic to turn yourself into a fish or give yourself gills or anything?" "I couldn't if I wanted to," she smirks, "I've got other strategies…" Okay, now you know for certain that she's hiding a trick or two. She'd have to if she had any way to beat you at your own game. By this point, you're both treading water again in the lake's centre, ready to dive. Bring it. "On three, okay? One, two, three!" You inhale, poised to plunge… when out of nowhere, Twilight lunges towards you, throwing herself around you and locking with you into a surprising, yet welcome kiss just as you both disappear under the water. So there you are, sinking blissfully through the deep lake again, with your lover passionately attached to you. The surface above is painted orange from the sunset; the lakebed itself slowly darkens the lower you sink. You don't care; Twilight is with you, her tongue dancing with your own in a haze of wet passion and exhilaration. Her taste - you still haven't placed it perfectly - excites your senses, similar to wild berries tingling with a latent magic. Your forelegs hold her as tightly as she holds you, trying to take as much of this wonderful sensation as possible before it inevitably ends again. If this is her idea of a contest, you wouldn't correct her! You feel a faint bump from behind you; the lakebed. It seems you've both sunk right to the bottom, since you were both too busy with each other to bother staying afloat. With your back against the lake's bottom, Twilight herself lands on top of you, pinning you down. This doesn't deter you in the slightest, since you're as lost in Twilight mouth as she is in yours. A stray purple hoof, once wrapped around you, begins to wander as you kiss. It brushes past your mane and down your body, taking in your every detail as is slips lower and lower. Past your chest. Past your stomach. Reaching and stroking the inside of your thighs and- You flinch in surprise when you feel her hoof grabbing… what she grabs. A firm yet enjoyable, slow caress that sends shivers through you. Why in the world is she doing this to your..? You get the answer a moment later; an impulsive wave of pleasure hits you, making you instinctively sigh in ecstasy, releasing a steady outburst of bubbles. You pull out of the kiss, biting back your lips when you realise what you did, but it's too late - a portion of your air, now in the form of a bubble cloud, is already well on its way to the surface. So that's how she intends to stay under longer than you. That cheeky mare. You deviously decide that two can play at that game. Time to pay her back in kind. What's one of the most sensitive areas of a unicorn again? Ah yes. The horn. Your fore-hooves press firmly on the base of Twilight's horn, before running seductively upwards towards the tip, and back down again. The beautiful mare freezes in shock at your touch, her free foreleg gripping you tightly as she fights back a response. Grinning, you vigorously rub her horn, massaging the very tip, teasing it up and down, knowing the reaction you want to get from her. For good measure thrown in, you move in closer to her and slowly slide your tongue over her lips, savouring her arcane berry essence as your hooves work at her horn. Every inch of Twilight's body squirms at your continual caressing, your massaging, your licking, as her chest quivers, heaving as it fights back her urge to moan, her urge to breathe. It's all too easy for you; part of you wants to beat her at this so-called contest, yet you also don't want it to end. For obvious reasons. Your mind is fighting for what should be the most prevalent thought; either 'this is the most wonderful feeling in my life' or 'sweet Celestia, I need to breathe so badly'. Another thought; you wonder how she's still underwater with you, considering how long she usually lasts. Out of consideration and concern, you cease massaging her horn, bringing your hoof down to her face in an attempt to get her attention. When she looks at you, you silently mouth at her, asking her if she's okay. To your surprise, she simply takes your hoof and, with a grin, guides it back to her horn, asking you, pushing you to carry on regardless. She actually likes this sort of thing? Whether it's a spur-of-the-moment passion, or a brainless lust that takes over, you decide that you like it too. The faintest stream of bubbles escape from her lips as she lets loose a shudder. Yet she makes no attempt to make a break for the surface, despite her struggles. Neither do you, despite your burning, protesting lungs; her hips gain a mind of their own under the fit of passion, pressing, bumping, shifting against yours again and again, each bump building the pressure in your twitching shaft. Never mind the contest; you want to get the job done first. She wants you to get it done. You want her satisfied with your work. Her hind legs, by this point, are wrapped around your waist, and her undercarriage area is feverishly sliding against yours, threatening to make you burst from the stimulation. Fighting back the obvious primal urges (in both mating and breathing) you lean in towards Twilight for the kill, rubbing her horn faster and faster, harder and harder. She's trembling uncontrollably by now, holding her rapidly-approaching groans inside desperately to conserve her air. Her horn begins to release one small discharge of sparks after another; she's so close to finishing, but her fiercely convulsing chest aches to hold itself in for another second. You can relate; your climax is so close, your foolish, lecherous thoughts preventing you from trying to surface until you're done. You continue to massage Twilight's horn until the sparks reach a consistent flow of electric bliss, until… Her reaction is something you'll never forget; every single muscle in Twilight's body tenses, her horn seems to explode with light, her large, stunning eyes rolling back into her head, and a fountain of bubbles gushing from her mouth, accompanied by a sub-aquatic wail of pleasure that to echoes throughout the whole lake. Her soft undercarriage collides with your private area once again, so energetically, that you can't help but feel your own climatic rush of relief as the situation before you unfolds. You moan in the sensual release, giving you an unwelcome reminder that you might want to swim upwards very soon. Right now, for example- Suddenly, the energy from Twilight's horn discharges; an explosive, magical pulse in the water, knocking the little remaining air right out of your lungs, and your senses right out of your skull. Your ears are filled with a deafening ring, and your eyes burn from the bright light. But the most worrying feeling of all is the screaming throb from your chest as your breathing reflex finally caves in, and the water is dangerously choked down your throat. Out of sheer panic, you flail your hooves around, relying on the only sense you have left - touch. You don't even know what you're searching for, the surface, or… oh no. Where's Twilight? Where is she!? She was here a moment ago! You can't see, hear, feel her anywhere! Is she alright!? What if she's- oh dear Celestia no! No-no-no! Head for the surface! No, wait, don't! Not yet! Not until you find her! Not until you know she's safe! For royalty's sake, please let her be safe... please... Black patches start to invade your consciousness. Your brain begins to shut down, your dazed eyes losing the will to stay open. Just before you black out, you could have sworn you saw an angel close in on you from above. And so it ends. In the depths of your favourite lake, having the greatest sensual rush you can remember with the love of your life. Personally, you could think of worse ways to go. It's just a shame it had to go so horribly wrong. Your last thoughts are a prayer to whatever's beyond. You pray that she managed to get out safely. And if she did… you pray that she'll live a healthy, happy life without you. === Part 9: Lake Warden, Twilight's Lover === Thump. Thump. Thump. You aren't sure how much time has passed. Amidst the blackness, you feel a strange thudding feeling on your chest, followed by a strange taste in your mouth. Then more thudding. Then that weird taste again. What is that? Thump. Thump. Thump. The thumping doesn't sound like a heartbeat of any kind. No, it was more like somepony was actually hitting you in the chest. That's a terribly rude thing to do to the recently deceased. As soon as you figure out how to be a ghost or something, you should totally haunt whoever's doing that. Thump. Thump. Thump. That taste has come back again, and you could swear you've sensed it somewhere before. Maybe a really good meal you had once upon a time? Your favourite scent? It tastes kind of like… electrical berries or something. That doesn't make sense. Maybe it's just your imagination. Wait a minute! That's the taste of… her! You feel yourself being thrust back into consciousness, back into the land of the living. With a forceful cough, you spew out the water clogging your lungs, and finally inhale the fresh air you thought you'd never reach again. Your eyes finally open to the sight of the stars in the clear night sky. It was sunset, the last time you checked - how long were you out? It takes a full moment to adjust to the low humming still in your ears, and another to regain your bearings. You're lying on a familiar towel, covering grass by the edge of the lake, facing upwards towards the sky. Your eyes focused on the purple unicorn kneeling over you, with a panic-stricken face and tears rolling down her cheeks. You notice she's about as drenched as you are, her mane dripping wet and sticking to her face again. When she sees you open your eyes, you hear her almost mouth your name in disbelief. The next thing you know, she's wrapped her fore-hooves around you in a tight embrace, tearfully kissing your face over and over and over. "You're awake! Oh thank Celestia, you're awake!" she cries between kisses, "I thought you were gone for good! I'm so sorry! I should never have gone overboard with my magic like that! I should have had more control! I should've warned you!" "Twilight-" "And after I… ugh, finished… I just did the first thing I could think of! I tried to teleport us back to the surface at the last moment, but for some reason you didn't teleport with me!" "Twilight, it's okay, please stop crying-" "And I was so worried and I came back to pull you up and you weren't moving and you weren't breathing and I thought you were… dead…" her cries deteriorate, turning into barely comprehendible sobs. "And it was my own… stupid idea… all my fault…" You calmly hold her still, and wipe away a tear from her reddened eyes. "Hush, It's okay, it's not your fault. I'm still here, Twilight. I'm not leaving anytime soon." you help brush her damp hair out of her beautiful face. "And even if I have to run a stupid risk like that every single day I'm with you, Twilight Sparkle, I'd still do it. I can't just quit you and walk away, I just can't! I love you way too much for that." Twilight's bottom lip quivers as she stares dumbstruck from your words. She opens and closes her mouth wordlessly as she tries to gauge how very much those words mean to her. Finally, she goes for the actions-speak-louder-than-words route, throwing herself forward and planting her lips against yours. You feel her wonderful tongue slather over your lips, which you are more than happy to open, as you blissfully exchange hot saliva and breath with the one you love. Without breaking contact from the feast of stimulation in your mouth, you arrange yourself so you're lying on top of her, as she lies on her back, hind legs spread apart, twitching in arousal, begging you to come closer… You throw her a questioning glace. She smiles back. Without a single word spoken, you and Twilight both simply go with the flow of nature, right there by the side of the lake, letting your bodies loose in the blur of passion and lust with nothing but the moon and stars to bare witness. ******* The next morning, you awaken as the sun's light flows over the hills surrounding the lake. You notice Twilight sound asleep, curled up across from you, using your stomach as a pillow. Poor lass, she must be exhausted after all you went through with her last night. And boy, the things you went through with her! As smoothly and quietly as possible, you wriggle out from under Twilight's head, and gently lower it to the floor. You stare out at the lake you very nearly drowned in just a night ago, and decide you may as well wash some of the dirt off; one of many hazards from sleeping on the grass with nothing but a towel for a bed. A few minutes later and you're in your lake again, scrubbing your mane in an attempt to get some of the mud out. You'd use your shower back at the shack, but personally, the lake's always been there when you need it. You don't even hold a grudge for what it nearly did to you last night. You hear the sound of splashing coming from behind you. Turning around, you find Twilight awake and paddling her way towards you. You secretly hope you didn't wake her as you were washing yourself… "I hope you slept well," she says, hugging you, "I know I did. Thanks for making last night the best night I've ever had, except for… you know, that close call we had." You can feel her hooves stroking your back as you embrace. You hug her in return. "About that," you muse, "I suppose that makes us even." "Huh?" Twilight gives you an odd look, tilting her head to one side, "How so?" "Well," you didn't like bringing it up again for her, but it seemed relevant enough, "I nearly drowned you a few weeks ago, didn't I? When you fell through the ice? But then I saved you and did what I could to help you get better." "And just last night," she finishes, "I nearly drowned you, and then saved you just like…" she giggles, "Wow, we're getting more alike every day!" "Oh really?" you ask, lips curling into a sly smirk. You pull her closer to you, pulling her through the water you both drift in, until it becomes deep enough to dive in. "If we're so alike, then, what am I about to ask for?" "Another… contest?" she guesses, pulling a similar smile, "Are you sure you're up for it?" Whoa. She really can read your intentions. Almost like a book. She loves books, almost as much as you love swimming. But swimming pales in comparison to how much you love Twilight Sparkle. A peck on her lips reminds her of that. "I'll be more careful this time," you promise, "On three, okay?" You both hold onto each other, readying yourselves for another plunge; hopefully one of many, many more. You perform the countdown together. "One. Two. Three!" Gasp Splash (Spoiler; you now have an underwater pony fetish, hopefully not a drowning fetish, more than likely a Twilight Sparkle fetish, perhaps a tongue-kissing fetish, maybe a horn fetish, a chance of a milkshake fetish, and, in extreme cases, an electrical berry fetish. However, if you somehow gained a wingboner fetish while reading this story, you weren't really paying attention!) - Crowley <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Pollinating her Berries author: Good Christian Ethesto tags: character:Berry Punch, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Clop Clop Clop === Dramatic reading! Ryan was happy to finally be off of work. It's not that working in an office is particularly tricky, it's just really boring sitting in a cubical all day alone and working on a shitty old computer. But all of that was behind him. Now he could go home and relax with his wife who loved him very much. He loved her too, and he couldn't even think of what he would do without her. He flew up to his giant wasp-nest-esque home with his big wasp wings and flung the door open with his wasp appendages. If you haven't guessed it by now, Ryan is a giant wasp monster. "Honey, I'm home!" He shouted as he pulled off his tie and flung it across the floor. It's ironic because he said 'honey' and wasps make honey. That's a fact. He listened for a second, but couldn't hear a response from his lovely wife, so he ventured into the kitchen where she would likely be given that she is a female. Unfortunately, she wasn't there at all. He figured she was probably taking a nap or something and proceeded to raid the fridge for something delicious. He pulled out a plump, juicy caterpillar since that's what wasps eat, and promptly began devouring its head, savoring the succulent blood that spilled out onto his waiting proboscis. He was unable to sink into complete bliss as he enjoyed his meal, however, as he heard a strange thumping sound coming from the other room. He wasn't sure exactly what it was, so being the ever curious wasp thing that he is, he decided to investigate. He crawled down the hall with his spiked appendages until he got to where the sound was coming from. His bed room. The door was open just a crack, but it wasn't enough to see inside, so he pushed it in. He instantly saw the source of the noise. Sitting on the bed was none other than his wife, but she was being fucked by a big wasp making a thumping sound as their carapaces rhythmically bumped into each other. Worst of all, it wasn't Ryan at all! "What the fuck?!" He yelled out in equal parts confusion and anger at what he was seeing. The two insects on the bed instantly stopped what they were doing and looked over to Ryan before looking back to the digital clock sitting on the night stand. Sure enough, it was the normal time for him to be getting home from work. They must have lost track of time from fucking so hard. "Has it really been two hours already?" Asked Lisa, Ryan's wife. "I guess time flies when you're FUCKING REALLY HARD!" Replied the other male wasp in the room who doesn't get a name. Ryan didn't even know what to say, tears were already streaming down his face as his mind put all the pieces together. He loved his wife very much, so this was a lot to take in. After a few moments he turned around and ran out of the room, unable to accept what was happening. He flew out of his house and into the everfree forest bawling his huge wasp eyes out. Now that Ryan was gone, the two wasps went back to their thing. A few hours later he was sitting in a tree, unable to even cry anymore. He still had trouble believing what had happened. After a while, he decided to do what everybody does when they're sad; drown all his sorrows in alcohol. He quickly flew off towards the closest bar, which is in Ponyville. It didn't take long to get there with his huge, muscular wings. He pushed the wooden door to the small bar open, ignoring the confused stares he got from the pony patrons as he walked to the counter. The ponies had clearly never seen a wasp as big as him before, but he could care less right now. He went over to the bartender who's mouth was open wide in shock and slammed a spiked appendage down on the counter. "Alcohol, now!" He yelled angrily. The bartender complied, instantly placing a filled mug in front of the potentially hostile insect before moving a safe distance away. Without waiting for even a second, he extended his proboscis and began gulping down the yellow liquid. Within minutes he had already downed six mugs of the stuff. Across the bar, Berry Punch was sitting alone at a table enjoying her own dozen mugs of cider. She came here every day, so she couldn't help but notice when someone new entered the bar, especially someone as loud as this guy. He just came in, yelled at the bartender, and then began drinking gallons of cider. Berry couldn't help but admire him a bit for that. He had balls, that's for sure. Without putting much thought into it, she sauntered her way across the room, running into chairs a couple times along the way, before hopping up onto the stool next to this new guy. "Hey ther." She slurred. Ryan looked over to see the female pony sitting next to him. His head was spinning and his vision was all fuzzy, but he couldn't help but notice how attractive she looked. "Hi." He said lamely. Of course, she was too drunk to care what he said. She was a mare on a mission. A mission for sweet sex. "Let's go back to my place!" She said. He was about to decline the offer, but then he looked into her massive, purplish eyes. He instantly lost himself in her seductive gaze. "Ok!" He responded. The pair quickly walked out of the bar, with Ryan not even paying for his drinks. The bartender wasn't going to press him for money though, he was just glad the wasp didn't murder anypony. Besides, he's allergic to bees (wasps are bees). The two of them made their way to Berry Punch's house, which was a two story wooden building with a thatch roof just like all the non important buildings in Ponyville. Within record time they were in Berry's room, ready to have sweet, sweet sex. She walked past him, rubbing her poofy tail across his abdomen along the way before jumping up on the bed. She then laid down on her back and opened her legs, ready to begin. Ryan felt his stinger grow hard as she took the compromising position and he moved in. He buzzed over, landing with his appendages on either side of her and lowered his head down. Spreading his huge, scissor-like mandibles, his proboscis snaked out planting a nectary kiss on her lips before moving down and sliding against her neck. She moaned in pleasure as she stuck her tongue out, licking the proboscis with her meaty organ before it moved down to poke against her tummy rumpler. She liked this, but quickly grew impatient, pressing her face into Ryan's gaping mouth hole and lapping up his nectary saliva while absently rubbing a hoof through the long hair on his thorax. His antennae began probing her hair excitedly as her hooves traced across his chest before eventually coming to his back. Berry began rubbing the base of his thin wings causing them to twitch and sending shivers through his exoskeleton. He couldn't take anymore foreplay, his stinger was pulsating in anticipation. He was about to guide his stinger between her thighs, when he looked down with his massive insect eyes and noticed that there was nothing there. He pulled away slightly, wondering what to do. "Ummm, why don't you have any genitalia?" He asked. He'd never had sex with a pony before. Berry was momentarily confused before realizing what he meant. "Pony genitals are in their mouths. We also eat and excrete waste through our mouths." She explained. "Ooooh." Said Ryan, feeling slightly embarrassed. He quickly brought his stinger up to her face instead. Before he could ram it into her head, she stuck her tongue out, licking the tip of it. He moaned in pleasure as his whole carapace shuddered. It felt good, but he couldn't wait any longer. With a mighty thrust, he rammed his hardened stinger into her mouth vagina resulting in an ungodly squelching sound as her saliva flowed across its chitinous surface. He continued to thrust, causing Berry's eyes to roll into the back of her head in pleasure. "I'm gonna pollinate your flower you little slut!" Said Ryan knowing that all females enjoy it when you talk dirty to them. Berry was too busy deep-throating his massive pollen pumper to answer. After a matter of minutes, Ryan knew he couldn't take any more. "I'm gonna shoooooooot!" He cried out as he pulled his humongous stinger from her mouth, ejaculating honey from the tip all over her face. She let out a gargling sound as sparkles and rainbow dust spilled from her own mouth. That's what pony cum is made of, after all. After a moment she licked up the honey off of her face before swallowing both of their cum in one mighty gulp. Ryan fell to the bed next to her, panting. He'd never had sex that good before! Her hoofs absently rubbed across his abdomen as they lay there thinking about how awesome that sex was. No more than a minute later, they were both asleep. Ryan woke up as light shone through a window into his face. He sat up, absently rubbing at his head in an attempt to alleviate the headache that comes with drinking too much alcohol, when he noticed the pony with her hooves wrapped around him. Several memories of last night came back to him and he couldn't help but smile down at her sleeping form. Berry Punch tried to snuggle harder into the object, but it was awkward since it was all solid and it kept moving. After a second, her brain registered that something was wrong and she opened her eyes. Thankfully she didn't have much of a headache. Her special talent is getting shit-faced, after all. The first thing she noticed was the huge wasp thing looking down at her. She didn't panic as she was used to waking up in strange situations since she spends most nights wandering around town drunk. Instead, her brain was busy trying to figure out what was going on. It wasn't hard considering that she was covered in dried sweat and she was in her bed with her arms wrapped around it. "We didn't have sex, did we?" She asked, sincerely hoping that that wasn't the case. He scratched the back of his head nervously for a moment before replying. "Yep." She quickly threw up all over him as her brain decided it would be a good idea to imagine what having sex with a wasp is like. Suddenly the door burst open and Lisa, Ryan's wife, stormed in. She instantly set her eyes on Ryan and Berry Punch laying together in bed and she looked pretty pissed. Of course, now she would use her twisted woman logic to make him look like the bad guy. Ryan could think of only one word to properly convey how he felt. "Shiiiiiiiiiiiiit!" ------------- I kinda wrote a sequel... Double Spinnetration <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Colors of the Heart: Specials author: Azu tags: genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life

=== Extra: Chapter 7 - Settling In === "Today is really quiet..." I sighed, rolling over on my bed and resting on my belly. Yesterday had been quite busy; I spent the greater half of the day with Rarity, and met the rest of the girls in the evening.  I was extremely nervous that they wouldn't like me or think I was weird.  I didn't expect things to go nearly as well as they did, but I was extremely thankful for it.  That took a lot of courage for me to expose my true colors—or lack of colors I should say. Shifting positions, I looked out the window to the rainy, dull day outside.  While others would find a day like this poor, I found myself smiling; I loved the rain.  It was on rainy days like these that I was able to go outside without the fear of the watchful eyes of large crowds bearing down on me.  I often visited Center Park on days like this. Though, in my new home, I was far too uncomfortable to go outside and explore on my own.  Having only been in Ponyville for two days, I decided I would just relax here at Rarity's while everything sank in.  There would be plenty of time to explore my surroundings later. A sudden rumble from my tummy interrupted my thoughts, reminding me I hadn't eaten yet today.  Even though it was now past lunch time, I didn't like the prospect of having to eat somepony else's food.  Rarity worked hard to pay for it; I shouldn't be the one eating it.  Though, my stomach disagreed with me, rumbling again as if to demand I reconsider. Well, I suppose a small lettuce and tomato sandwich couldn't hurt... With a goal in mind, I crawled to the edge of the bed and hopped off before making my way down to the kitchen below. Rarity had told me that if I needed anything that I could find her in the inspiration room.  Though, I figured I should let her get some work done before I bothered her.  This was, after all, what she did to make a living.  So, I decided I would just help myself to a little bit of food. I hummed a little tune to myself as I walked across the kitchen floor towards the fridge before opening it.  I was really surprised to see just how well stocked it was.  She had vegetables of all kinds and just about every dairy product you could think of.   With this sort of selection, I could make a really mean sandwich. Though, I was content with using the bare minimum of food that wasn't mine to eat.  So I retrieved a small head of lettuce, then a tomato, and sat them on the kitchen counter before shutting the refrigerator behind me with a hind leg. Now...  where does she keep the— "Hello!" came a sudden, small voice from behind me. A cold chill went down my spine.  As far as I was aware, it was only Rarity and myself here, so I didn't bother to wear my cloak.  A nervous sweat started to form on my forehead as I turned around to face the unknown pony.  There behind me sat a small, white unicorn filly with an expectant look and smile.  She had a lovely soft white and pink, curled mane. "H-hello..." I replied weakly with a nervous smile. "You must be Prism.  Rarity told me about you, that you would be staying here for a while," she said with moderate enthusiasm as she trotted across the kitchen up to me.  "I'm Sweetie Belle, Rarity's little sister.  It's nice to meet you."  She extended a small forehoof to me. She's so well mannered. I was thoroughly impressed with how calm and polite this little filly was.  All the fillies I ever saw were always rowdy and rambunctious, not to mention quite rude. I slowly extended a forehoof to meet hers.  "It's, um...  n-nice to meet you, too," I replied softly, giving her hoof a small shake. "Rarity told me a little bit about you, about how your coat and mane are all white and stuff," she said, looking me over head to hoof curiously. I bit my lower lip and shifted my vision away from her momentarily.  "You, um...  don't think it's weird, do you?" "No, I think they're very beautiful," she commented, walking around to my right side and taking a lock of my mane in her forehoof.  "And I really like your mane, I wish my mane was this pretty..." her expression sank into a small frown as she lifted another lock with her other foreleg. I shied away from her touch before covering a small laugh.  "Your mane is very beautiful too, you know; those curls are very lovely." Her expression quickly lit up into a large smile again.  "Really?  You think so?" she asked, reaching to her mane and bouncing a lock with a hoof. I nodded.  "My mane is boring; it has no real shape or volume to it."  I lifted a section of my mane before letting it fall unceremoniously back into its exact position it was in before.  "See?  Boring.  You should be proud of your curls." Sweetie Belle brought a hoof to her chin, looking in thought.  "Well, I hadn't really thought about it like that," she mused before looking back up to me.  "Well, I still think your mane is very pretty." I covered another small laugh.  I found myself warming up to this filly rather quickly; she was adorable and reminded me of myself when I was little. "Is it true that your magic is really colorful?" she asked, looking up at me expectantly.  "Rarity said that your magic is different, and not to be surprised if I see you using it." "Sweetie Belle!" the familiar voice of the fashionista suddenly called out from the hallway across the kitchen.  "I told you that so you wouldn't ask her!" "Oh?  Um...  oops?" she replied back to her sister with a sheepish smile. Rarity facehooved with a groan before trotting across the room to me.  "I'm really sorry about that, Prism.  I just didn't want her making you feel uncomfortable.  So I told her in hopes that it wouldn't come to this," she informed me before looking back to Sweetie Belle disapprovingly.  "Though I suppose I should have known better." I let out a small laugh and shook my head.  "No, it's fine Rarity.  I just didn't know there was anypony else here other than us; that's all." Rarity gave me a slightly confused look for a moment before her eyes widened in realization and she covered a small gasp.  "I'm so sorry, darling!  I entirely forgot to mention earlier that Sweetie Belle will be staying here for a few days!" "Rarity, it's fine; don't worry about it," I again reassured her before looking over to Sweetie Belle. The little filly's ears were drooped down and she had a guilty look on her face, as if she had done something wrong.  I felt compelled to assure her that wasn't the case. I walked over to Sweetie Belle and pat her on her head.  "You did nothing wrong, so don't worry about it, okay?" I said to her, looking down to the filly with a soft smile.  "And to answer your question, yes, my magic is really colorful; it's prismatic." Sweetie Belle's mood quickly perked up as she looked back up to me.  "That must be really cool!" she spouted.  "Can I see it?" "Sweetie Belle!  Did you not hear a single word I said earlier?  You're being very rude!" Rarity quickly added, casting her sister a stern glare. I flashed the filly a nervous smile as she sat watching me expectantly.  "I-I, um...  I'd rather not...  not right now." Sweetie Belle visibly deflated at my words.  "Aww..." she sighed out, giving me a disappointed look. She's just so adorable! If there was one weakness I had besides tea, it was cute things, and this little filly registered a 9.0 on the cute-o-meter.  How could I resist a face like that?  Also, if she was to be around for a while—and often—it was probably best she see it for herself anyways. "Well...  I, uh...  I suppose I could show you..." I reluctantly said, caving in to the filly's adorableness. "Yay!" she quickly exclaimed, jumping up to her hooves in excitement. Rarity cleared her throat, likely to get my attention.  "Well, I must admit.  I wouldn't mind seeing it again myself," she commented, gesturing to the small head of lettuce on the counter.  "That should be light enough, yes?" I nodded.  "Yeah.  Now, watch closely, Sweetie Belle.  I'm only going to do this once," I said, looking down to her with a wink. Sweetie Belle quickly darted up to the counter and stood up on her hind legs, resting against the cabinets, and watching the vegetable expectantly.  I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle.  She seemed to be as interested in magic as I was at her age, which made me feel a little more comfortable showing her. Taking in a relaxing, deep breath, I focused my magic on the head of lettuce and levitated it just off the countertop. Much to my surprise, the young filly didn't give too much of a surprised reaction.  She instead stared intently at the floating vegetable.  After a few moments, she turned to me with a warm glow in her eyes. "That is sooooo pretty, Prism!" she exclaimed quite softly, before looking back to the levitating vegetable.  "I wish I could do that." Rarity walked up to the counter and poked the lettuce with a forehoof.  "Yes, it is absolutely marvelous, darling.  I really don't see why you are so ashamed of such a beautiful thing." I gently sat the head of lettuce back down before turning to Rarity with a nervous laugh.  "Well, I've just had so many bad experiences, I don't like the attention it draws.  Ponies have also called me a freak and a monster because of it." Rarity craned cocked her neck, taken aback at my words.  "That is just ridiculous!  Those ponies are just a bunch of foals!  You shouldn't let experiences like that detract you from using such an amazing gift, darling." "Well, it's hard to forget them..."  I slowly trailed off, staring down at the floor solemnly. There was a long silence in the room before Rarity glanced to the vegetables on the counter. "Tell you what, Prism.  Allow me to make you something to eat," she offered before turning to Sweetie.  "Are you hungry as well, Sweetie Belle?" "I'm starving!" she quickly replied with a small jump. I shook my head.  "You don't have to make me anything.  I'll just make myself a sandwich and I'll be—" "Don't be ridiculous," Rarity quickly interjected, waving a hoof dismissively at me.  "I know you are hungry, dear.  You have been eagerly eyeing those vegetables ever since I came in here.  I'm going to make us all some lunch." "But—" "No buts!  I will hear nothing more of it!" she declared sternly, turning away with her eyes closed and snout raised, opening the refrigerator with her magic.  "You are my guest, and it is my responsibility as your host to feed you." I let out a slow sigh in defeat. That doesn't make me feel any better about eating your food though... * * * * * * * * * * Despite my reluctance, I had to admit that Rarity is a wonderful cook.  The pasta salad she made us for lunch was absolutely delicious.  Shortly after eating, Rarity went back to work while Sweetie Belle went off to play.  I can't say I approve of a filly playing outside in the rain; she even left without a coat.  What if she got sick?  While it may be none of my business, perhaps it's just my instincts as a mare speaking for me?  Regardless, with Sweetie Belle and Rarity busy, that left me to retire to my room once more. While I never really had much of a problem spending time alone, I found myself becoming progressively bored as the hours continued to roll by.  Sure, I was used to being alone and spent a majority of my time alone; though back then, I always had Mr.  Wiggles to talk to or my arts and crafts to keep me busy.  Unfortunately, at the moment, I had absolutely nothing to do and nopony to talk to.  I contemplated seeing what Rarity was up to a few hours ago, but I didn't want to bother her.  Although, as the hours crawled past, curiosity and boredom got the better of me and I found myself heading downstairs and into the fashionista's inspiration room. Rarity was standing in front of a row of brightly dressed ponnequins, eyeing them closely.  She looked to be deep in thought.  I considered calling out to her, but judging by the fact that the room was littered with every color of cloth imaginable, I decided I didn't want to distract her thinking, so I silently watched her from the doorway.  After a few minutes, she eventually turned around, her expression shifted to surprise as she took notice of me. "Oh, good evening, Prism.  Is there something I can help you with?" she asked as she turned back to the ponnequins "O-oh, um...  no, I'm fine.  I was just curious what you were doing," I answered sheepishly, scratching the back of my neck with a forehoof.  "There, uh...  wouldn't happen to be anything I could help you with, would there?"  I trotted up to a random piece of salmon colored cloth laying on the floor and picked it up with a forehoof, closely examining it "I'm actually just finishing up for the night, darling," she began as she turned to face me.  "Although, I do appreciate the..." Rarity trailed of, watching me with a look of interest for several moments. I looked over to her before suddenly dropping the cloth in fear I may have upset her.  "I-I'm sorry!  I didn't mean to—" "You're fine, Darling, don't worry.  I was thinking, bright colors look simply fabulous against your pure white palette," she stated, gesturing to the salmon colored cloth in front of me.   "Mother always said the same thing.  She would have me dress up in bright yellows and pinks when she brought me along with her when she attended formal showings of her paintings," I informed her, gesturing to the fabric with a small frown.  "I didn't really like the attention it brought me, but mother said it made me look adorable, which made me really happy." Rarity paused for a moment before briefly glancing to her ponnequins, then back to me with a sly smirk.  "Actually...  Prism, darling.  Maybe I could use your help after all." My ears perked up at her words.  "Really?  What do you need help with?" I asked with much enthusiasm, glad to finally be some help to the fashionista. Rarity turned and gestured to her dresses on display with a sweep of her forehoof.  "You see, I just finished these new designs, and I'm simply dying to see how they look on an actual pony.  It really helps me to have a 'live' model for any final adjustments." Rarity said before turning back to me with a mild pouty look.  "Won't you be a dear and try a few on for me?  I would really appreciate the help, darling." I looked to the dresses apprehensively for a moment. As much as I dislike dressing up, Rarity is letting me stay here for free, and also made me lunch earlier... I let out a faint sigh, seeing that I was clearly trapped into doing this.  "Okay, I'll do it." "Fantastic!" she exclaimed, using her magic to slide a room divider from seemingly nowhere next to me.  "Now, just hold still a moment." Never before did I think it was possible to be dressed by another pony so quickly.  In what felt like an instant, Rarity somehow managed to move me and place a rather...  tight, yellow Victorian ball-gown on me at the same time.  I took a moment to examine the dress, taking note of how well fit it was, despite the tightness. She must do this with other ponies often. Rarity slid the room divider away suddenly and took a few steps back, inspecting me closely.  "Yes...  yes!  It looks absolutely marvelous on you!" she exclaimed, circling me several times, and getting a closer view from all angles. "It's...  a bit tight..." I managed to wheeze out, feeling as if I was in a vice rather than a dress. Rarity stopped circling me and brought a hoof to her chin while examining my midsection.  "Hmm, yes...  it is a bit snug, isn't it?  Well, it is designed for the standard mare size, so I'd have to custom fit something for you if it were to be more comfortable." Did...  did she just call me fat!? Rarity tapped her chin a few times with a forehoof, humming to herself.  "Hmm...  what this outfit really needs is a hat." Before I could comment or remark, Rarity levitated an excessively large and frilly yellow bonnet and promptly stuffed it on my head. I need a mirror!  ...actually, wait...  maybe I don't want to see this. "Oh, that looks fantastic on you, dear!" Rarity cooed, cupping her forehooves together.  "Oh you simply must see this!" Again, before I could say anything, Rarity slid over a large stand up mirror and rested it in front of me.  Looking at my reflection, I had to fight hard against a primal urge to cringe at the...  gaudy outfit; this was most definitely not my taste in clothing. "I know exactly what would complete this Victorian look!" Rarity suddenly exclaimed as she lifted my mane and tail in her soft blue magical aura.  "Braids!" I let out a nervous laugh as she circled around to my side.  "Um...  I really appreciate the compliment, but I don't think...  that is..." I trailed off into silence once I noticed the fashionista wasn't paying any attention to my words.  She was clearly 'in the zone' and lost to the world at this point.  I was left with only one option now: Acceptance. After a few moments, and several painful twists and tugs, I looked to the mirror once more to find my mane and tail braided with needlessly large yellow ribbons bow-tied on the ends. My ears fell back as I let out a small sigh in defeat. Oh Prism...  what have you gotten yourself into? * * * * * * * * * * A few hours, and several iron vice-like dresses later, I finished modeling the fashionista's new designs and was very ready for bed.  Although, despite my great discomfort and reluctance, Rarity was elated with the results.  Though, somehow I couldn't seem to shake the lingering suspicion that I was more 'entertainment' than actual 'help'.  Regardless, it made her happy, so I felt somewhat better about being a freeloader in her home. The two of us said our goodnights and I made my way back up to the guest room for some much desired sleep.  Though, after reaching the room and walking towards the bed, I heard somepony call out to me. "Prism, wait," came the familiar voice of a small filly. I turned around to find Sweetie Belle at the top of the staircase, holding a large sheet of paper in her mouth. the young filly trotted up and lifted it into my field of vision. I looked down to her confused for a moment before she spoke up. "Fore yew!" she exclaimed, muffled through her teeth. "Oh!"  Taking the paper from her, I placed it on the bed next to me. Looking the paper over, it was actually a drawing; a rather crude drawing, but one nonetheless.  It was a picture of what had to be me and her, standing together while I was holding up a green object in my prismatic colored magic.  I guessed it was probably the lettuce from before.   Under the picture was a small caption. "My new friend Prism.  The coolest unicorn ever!" I felt my chest warm up and quickly melt at the sudden gesture of friendship.  Nopony other than Mother had ever drawn something like this for me before; this was new, different...  and very special.  I couldn't think of the words I wanted to say; I simply had none to give.  Though I found my lower lip starting to tremble, as I felt my eyes begin to moisten. Sweetie belle looked up to me with concern as her ears fell back.  "I'm sorry...  I didn't mean to make you sad..." she said, visibly deflating down to the floor with a sad look of her own. Without a moment's hesitation, I quickly sat down and snatched up the filly in a tight embrace, and nuzzled her. "No...  I'm not sad, I'm happy... very happy," I reassured her with a small sniffle.  "Thank you so much..." Sweetie wrapped her small hooves around my neck, returning the hug.  "You're very welcome!  Being my new friend, and being so cool, I wanted to do something special for you," she stated, pulling away and looking into my eyes with a happy smile.  "So when Rarity told me that you loved art, I had the perfect idea: draw Prism a picture!" The wall of tears I had been fighting to hold back quickly gave way to my emotions I was feeling at that moment.  This little filly quickly became very special to me; quickly became a good friend. "Please don't cry, Prism," she said softly, wiping away a stream of tears from my cheek with her tiny hoof.  "I'll be your friend anytime you need me, like if you want to go outside and play, or stay inside and draw, because I love to draw."  Her expression sank a little bit suddenly before looking away.  "I only wish that I was better..." I shook my head.  "I'll teach you, as a thank you for being so nice to me." Sweetie's ears perked up as she turned to face me, her expression exploding into excitement.  "Really?!  You'll teach me how to draw?" I slowly nodded.  "Or paint, or color.  Just feel free to ask," I replied, wiping my muzzle with a small sniffle.  "As my new friend, I will gladly teach you." Her happy expression grew into a large smile as she reached up and pulled herself into a hug around my neck.  "Thank you so much!  You are soooo awesome, Prism!" I softly stroked her mane, letting out a small laugh.  "You are very welcome." Sweetie Belle pulled away and hopped off of me.  "Well, I'll let you go to bed.  I just wanted to give you that before you fell asleep," she said, gesturing a hoof to the drawing on the bed.  "I'll see you tomorrow!" I closed my eyes, covering another small laugh before replying, "See you tomorrow, Sweetie Belle." With that, she gave a small wave and quickly made her way downstairs to the floor below.  I found myself still glowing from the experience and feelings the little filly brought me.  I picked myself up off the floor and crawled into bed. When I have foals of my own, I hope I have a daughter just like her... With a warm smile on my face, I rolled over, got myself comfortable, and fell fast asleep. === Interlude: Chapter 16.5 - The Puppet Master === Walking up the stairs to the loft above, the fashionista moved quietly, as not to potentially wake her friend had her intuition been wrong. Reaching the top of the stairwell, she took a look around the empty guest-room. It would seem she really did not come home last night. A small smirk played across Rarity's lips as she turned back and made her way down to the kitchen once again. She worried if her plan had worked or not, but judging by the fact she had received no word from Prism or Fluttershy yet, the fashionista had a pretty good idea as to where her housemate may be. Fluttershy must have really made her move! Rarity happily hummed to herself as she prepared her morning coffee. She had a lot of work to catch up on. Having placed much of her work aside for personal time with planning the Spa set-up and crafting Fluttershy's dress, she had developed a bit of a backlog that demanded her attention. "First things first: breakfast," Rarity mused to herself before levitating ingredients for some eggs and toast from the many assorted storage areas in her kitchen. However, before she could begin preparations to make her meal, a sudden loud pounding from the boutique below sounded throughout the building. Whoever was knocking was doing so hard. Now who could that be so early? Intrigued by the unfamiliar forceful knocking, Rarity set aside her plans for breakfast and made her way to the floor below, crossing the room and approaching the door. With her soft blue magic, the fashionista slowly opened the door. "Yes?" she asked, peeking around outside. Though, to her surprise, nopony was there. She took a few steps outside and looked about the empty early morning streets before calling out once again. "Is anypony there?"  Her call was once again met with silence. Probably another silly little prank by Pinkie or Rainbow Dash, or both of them. Oh well, back to breakfast then. Dismissing the knocking, she turned back to go inside; though before she could enter, she noticed something on her door. "What's this?" she mused, taking a closer look. A large letter pinned up by a small dagger hung ominously on the upper half of her door. Oh my... now how did I miss that dreadful thing? Focusing her magic around the parchment, she pulled it down to her to read. "We have your friends.  if you wish to ever see them alive again, bring untraced bonds for twenty-five thousand bits to Manehattan and deposit them in the recycling bin located on the corner of Mane and Third at sundown on Friday. Then wait in front of the Manehattan Grand Theater for forty-five minutes. Come alone and do not alert the authorities; we will know. Should fail to meet these conditions, your friends will pay with their lives." Underneath the text, a locket of pure white hair and a large yellow plume were taped along with two large droplets of blood. Gears in fashionista's mind suddenly began turning as horrible realization struck her, causing her to cover a sharp gasp and drop the message from her magical grasp. Prism and Fluttershy! Without a moment's hesitation, Rarity kicked the letter inside her doorway before quickly shutting her door, then immediately began galloping to her pegasus friend's cottage. Please don't let this be true... Normally the white unicorn took her time going to and fro. What would have been a short ten minute walk was quickly covered in what only felt like a few brief moments. Approaching the cottage in the distance, Rarity quickly ran up over the bridge and up the short path to Fluttershy's home. She was met with a rather disturbing sight. The normally sturdy wooden door had been knocked off its hinges in a rather forceful manner. Fearing the worst, Rarity reluctantly stepped inside and immediately noticed something was horribly wrong. The normally warm and comfy feel of the cottage had been greatly ransacked. Furniture was tipped over and many items that normally lined the walls and shelving now lay scattered and broken on the floor. "Fluttershy!" Rarity called out in fear and she hastily made her way up stairs to her friend's room. The bedroom looked to be in far worse shape than the room below. Signs of an obvious struggle had occurred inside were evident, judging by the damage done to much of the caretaker's property. The bedding had been tossed about the room and several decorative paintings now lay broken and torn on the floor. Rarity also took notice of a shattered pottery and dirt smeared on the wall by the staircase, as if the plants had been thrown at someone or something; but what disturbed the fashionista most, were several small droplets of what appeared to be dried blood were found in the corner next to the now tipped over bookcase. At that moment, the gravity of the situation really sank in. Her friends were in grave danger. I have to get that letter to Twilight immediately! She will know what to do! A cold chill ran down her back as she quickly galloped back down the stairs and out the door of the cottage. Please let them still be all right... === Interlude: Chapter 20.5 - Surefire's Diary: Spring 9th-11th, 3rd Year of the Second Diarchy. === 3 S.D. Monday, Spring 9, 1:34 p.m. - Five Stallions and Hayfries. Today's meeting with Prism had been almost unreal. Not only have my suspicions of Hawkeye and Nitpick been confirmed, but I may have stumbled across something much bigger than two crooked detectives. Several case documents state that, Snooty, proprietor of 'Snooty's Finer Fashions', has come to the department with tips that brought to the arrests of a few criminal operations fronted in the fashion industry. Most notable of which was the eventual bring down of Glitter and her gem counterfeiting laboratory. While on the surface Snooty appears to be a good samaritan and a very generous pony, my views of the stallion have been totally obscured by Prism's testimony. If what Prism says is confirmed to be true, Snooty could be one of the greatest criminal threats Equestria has seen in centuries. It would also appear that Snooty may have been directly providing Nitpick and Hawkeye vital information, aiding in some of their cases. Thinking back, documents stated that the case against Glitter was spearheaded by the pair. I find it as no coincidence that Snooty's tips and Nitpick and Hawkeyes involvement are somehow related. If I had to guess, I think that Glitter may have been competiton of Snooty's, or perhaps a former business partner? Either way, I need to look further into Snooty's tipped off cases. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Monday, Spring 9, 6:21 p.m. - Department Headquarters, My Desk. Thankfully, the sarge doesn't question my being at the department during my time off. As far as he is aware, I am still studying casefiles to see what I can learn for myself. Now, if he only knew just how true that actually was... Further investigation into the cases that Snooty tipped the department off on has confirmed what I feared. Every case Snooty was involved in, have been investigated by Hawkeye and Nitpick. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Snooty is feeding these two inside information for more sinister purposes than the good samaritan cover he has provided. Further investigation into these cases will be needed before I can present Internal Affairs with my information. This will take some time to delve deeper, but if I can find more consistencies between the cases, I might be able to get another investigation into the pair started, perhaps even into Snooty himself. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Monday, Spring 9, 9:44 p.m. Home,  My Bedroom. Phew, today has been a long and eventful day. Putting my investigative work aside, it was also a very good day! That really cute pegasus stallion in forensics actually spoke to me this morning! I think I may have made a complete foal of myself though; I tripped all over my words, egh! He had caught me completely off guard, though! I never would have expected a stallion like him to desire to talk to the likes of me. I won't let this happen to me again. I think I'll write some practice conversation pieces. That way next time I'll be more prepared, and hopefully we can have a real conversation, not awkward small talk about the weather and what we had for breakfast. I think I'll make some flashcards to review before I go to bed. * * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Monday, Spring 9, 11:53 p.m. Home, My Bedroom. It's no good, I just can't sleep! Between the cases involving Nitpick and Hawkeye, Prism's case, Snooty and that hunk of a stallion from forensics, My mind is going crazy! There is no way I can sleep with all these thoughts racing through my mind. But I have to try again, I have another busy day tomorrow. I need the rest. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Tuesday, Spring 10, 5:40 a.m. Home, The Kitchen Praise Celestia for the glorious gift that is coffee! I couldn't sleep a wink last night, so it's looking to be another coffee-powered Tuesday. I think I'll touch base with Twilight Sparkle before continuing further investigations. I'm sure she may have some use for what I have found, and I would be very curious as to how her conversation with Snooty went. But first, just one more cup of coffee. Can never be too safe! * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Tuesday, Spring 10, 11:52 a.m. Twilight Sparkle's Hotel Room. It would appear Twilight's conversation with Snooty had turned up little to no information. Twilight had taken notice that Snooty seemed to become suspicious of her after a few questions, the rest of the conversation ended up yielding nothing beyond small talk. Although, Twilight was certainly excited to hear of my findings in the department's case files. She has made copies of all of my current notes for future reference in her own searches. Twilight and I plan to grab some lunch before going to check on Prism. I am curious how the poor mare is holding up. It is extremely unfair what is happening to her; I'm sure she would also like an update. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Tuesday, Spring 10, 1:08 p.m. Trotski's Pizzeria. I found it interesting that Twilight mentioned while she had visited Manehattan before, she never tried Manehattan style pizza. I mean, who comes to Manehattan and doesn't eat the pizza? It's like going to a wedding and not having a slice of cake, and everypony loves cake! So I insisted she try the pizza for lunch, and needless to say, she was quite pleased. My work here is done. Twilight and I also had a really interesting conversation. I had no idea that I was working alongside a national hero. Her connections as the Element of Magic could prove vital in our investigations. I may just ask Twilight to present my finding instead, as she has more push than some newbie junior detective. This way she makes better use of them than I, and I don't have to get in trouble! It's win-win! * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Tuesday, Spring 10, 5:08 p.m. Manehattan General, Lobby. It was good to see that Prism is doing well. She did seem a little down though. Our news did cheer her up a little, but it seemed to only last a short while. Later, after Twilight had left to return to her hotel, Prism told me how she really misses Fluttershy. This mare was the other pony involved in the foal napping according to Prism and the case file. I need to make note to ask her some questions. Twilight and I also reviewed the evidence papers left behind by Hawkeye and Nitpick. They matched the papers in the case file, so I saw nothing out of the ordinary there from Prism's story and the case file. Twilight also didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary. However, when asked to take a second look, Prism refused to have anything to do with them. Can't say I really blame her, but I do hope she reveiws them sometime soon. * * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Tuesday, Spring 10, 5:51 p.m. Manehattan General, Lobby. Speak of the devil, shortly after my last entry I had the pleasure of meeting Fluttershy. She was on her way to visit Prism, though was kind enough to allow me to ask her a few questions first. It has been a while since I have met such a shy pony; not since school anyways. Her story matched up with her testimony, so I gained no new information in regards to the case. However, I did get to learn a little more about this mare. She would appear to be Prism's fillyfriend, or 'special somepony' as Fluttershy referred to it as. It's rare to hear special somepony here in Manehattan anymore, I guess it goes to show how much our Hearts and Hooves day traditions have been changing. I didn't want to keep the mare too long though, as I knew Prism was very eager to see her and vice-versa. Hopefully their meeting will cheer Prism up some. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 5:22 a.m. Home, The Kitchen. Wow, I must have been really exhausted last night. I passed right out when I got home! Thankfully I got a good night's rest, though. I have a lot of work to do today, but first... I have something just as important to take care of. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 6:38 a.m. Department Headquarters, Outside Forensics. Operation 'learn hot stallion's name' is a go! I have reviewed my flashcards and I am confident that I'm ready to talk to him! * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 6:45 a.m. Department Headquarters, Outside Forensics. Failure! I couldn't bring myself to do it... * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 6:52 a.m. Department Headquarters, Outside Forensics. I still can't do it! He's just a stallion, not some serial killer! ...at least I hope not anyways. Why can't I bring myself to talk to him?! You're such a foal, Surefire. Just grow up already. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 6:58 a.m. Department Headquarters, My Desk. As I sit here writing this, I sit a defeated mare, unable to talk to an attractive stallion... Anyways, I best get back to work before the sarge starts to wonder why I'm sitting at work doing absolutely nothing on my time off. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 10:48 a.m. Department Headquarters, My Desk. Alright, so far further investigation into the Glitter case has proved to be somewhat fruitless, at least from the case documents anyways. Although, further searching into Glitter herself has yielded that she allegedly sold counterfeit gems to many shopkeepers and business owners here in Manehattan and Canterlot. A testimony from a jeweler who was confirmed to have been sold counterfeits stated that they were so well crafted, that he could not tell the difference between an authentic gem, and one of Glitter's crafted gems. This got me thinking, if a jeweler couldn't tell the difference, how is it that Snooty, a trending fashions dealer, could? While this really isn't much to go on and is only conjecture, it further stirs my curiosity as to Glitter and Snooty's relationship. I need to dig deeper. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 1:08 p.m. Dreamland. I can't believe that just happened! The stallions from forensic greeted me while I was searching in the archives. He not only talked to me, but I learned his name too! Beaker! ...Such a nerdy name, but I like that! Nerds are hot! Anyways, that's not all that happened! He offered to take me out for coffee, although stupid me chickened out and declined before even thinking! Stupid, stupid, stupid! Fortunately I managed to make a smooth recovery by asking if tomorrow would be alright. Thankfully he said yes, so crisis averted. I would have hated myself if he had thought I was turning him down. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 3:08 p.m. Department Headquarters, My Desk. Nothing. I can find absolutely nothing in the confiscated documents from Glitter's office and lab that links her in anyway to Snooty. What's worse is some of the others here are starting to get suspicious as to why I am looking so deep into this particular case while in my off time. I'm running out of excuses, so I'll have to look into other cases. Hopefully those will be more fruitful. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 4:14 p.m. Department Headquarters, My desk. Busted. the sarge came by again and asked why I have been here all day. When I replied with just studying, he then asked me to go home. He said he was worried about me, and that "all work and no play" is unhealthy; that I should enjoy my off time like normal mares my age. Most 'normal' mares my age haven't even decided what they want to do with their lives, let alone be hot on the trail of what could be the biggest case the department has ever seen. Unfortunately, I can't really say anything yet. Everything I have is just circumstantial. I'll need something hard if I want to really bring this out into the open, without getting a strong lecture and possibly being fired for interacting with an accused in another detectives case. Without access to the departments archives, I'll likely have to hit the streets next for clues. * * * * * * * * * * 3 S.D. Wednesday, Spring 11, 5:08 p.m. Home, The Living Room. Well that was unexpected. I came home to find Doctor Ruby Heart of Manehattan General waiting for me at my doorstep. Though she had important news, apparently Prism found something important. when further questioned, Ruby Heart said that Prism had found something we had overlooked in the evidence papers left with her. Since when has Ruby Heart been so knowledgeable of our investigation? I guess Prism must have spoken with her about it prior. Anyways, I should probably inform Twilight Sparkle before heading to see Prism, she will likely want to know what Prism has found as well. === Interlude: Chapter 22.5 - Morning Coffee === After a good night's sleep, Surefire found herself still not ready to tackle the day. Just five more minutes... She tried to convince herself snuggling her pillow tight. However, after a few moments she became faintly aware of the puddle of drool her face now laid in. The size and fluffiness of her pillow also started to tug at her mind, furthermore, she realized she needed to go to the bathroom. Seeing as defeat was inevitable, the gears in the young mares mind started churning, getting ready for the long day ahead of her. I need coffee... With a real objective set in place, Surefire opened her eyes and lifted her head, taking in her surroundings. "This isn't home..." she mused to herself, before rubbing her eyes with a big yawn. With a fresh supply of oxygen in her brain, dots started to connect in the detectives mind as she looked down to the 'pillow' she had been laying against. The soft white coat of another mare stared back at her. Surefires eyes immediately widened at the realization she wasn't in her room or bed, but was sleeping with another mare. Oh Celestia! What did I do last night!? She briefly panicked, retracing her foggy morning memories of the night before. Let's see... hospital, Pris—  Surefire let out a sigh of relief as she recalled her staying the night in the hospital with Prism. For a moment there, the young mare feared she might have had a bit too wild of a night. On that note, Surefire brought a hoof to her chin in thought. It had been a very long time since she attended any sort of social gathering or event, so how she could even end up in a situation like that in the first place was beyond her. Shrugging the thought away, she pushed herself up from the bed. Though a wet sensation on her foreleg caught her attention as she looked back down to her bedmate. Her eyes once again widened in realization as she squeaked Oh Celestia! I drooled all over her! A mild panic set in as she glanced about the room, looking for something to wipe her saliva off the albino mare. Finding nothing of conventional use, she decided to use the next best thing. Surefire took a corner of the blanket that laid over her, and began softly wiping the puddle of drool off her newly found friend's clean white coat. Taking a moment to examine her work, she decided that it should suffice. I hope she doesn't notice... Slowly slipping out of bed, Surefire spun and made her way silently for her saddle bags. Not feeling like toting the entirety of her personal equipment, the young mare shuffled through the bags until she found her coin purse strap. That should do it. Now for some coffee... * * * * * * * * * * Exiting the hospital lobby, Surefire made her way out into the relatively quite Manehattan streets. It was far too early for anypony to really be out yet, but that would not stop her quest for the sacred substance of liquid motivation. The young mare knew that one of her favorite coffee shops was a few blocks up the street from the hospital. It was a bit of an extra walk from the closer shops, but it was worth it for the quality coffee. Only the best will do! She took her coffee very seriously. During the walk, Surefire reflected on the events of the previous day; a lot had happened in a very short time. If this were an official case, there would have been mountains of paperwork and reports to file from yesterday alone. However, the young mare knew she still needed to compile her notes and research with the data she were to receive from Doctor Ruby Heart later that day. If she wanted to build a solid case, the junior detective had to do everything right the first time; formalities were very important. The walk ended up being much faster than Surefire realized. Being lost in thought it felt like only a few moments, rather than several minutes. Approaching the door of the cafe she glanced up to the sign with a smile. Gallopfrey's Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Without a doubt, Gallopfrey's was one of the best places to get coffee in Manehattan, maybe even in all of Equestria as far as the young mare was concerned. It was her one stop fill if she was in the area, that's for certain. Walking through the door, Surefire was met with a ringing of a bell overhead and the heavenly smell of fresh brew. The cafe's interior was nothing special, just a tiny hole-in-the-wall establishment with a walk up serving bar surrounded by glass to save space; with the exception of the service area. Hidden behind the protective glass where espresso machines and the like that a pony might expect to find. However, Surefire knew that the magic in this cafe was the owners talent, and his obsession with only using the perfect beans. Behind the counter was the cafe's owner, Gallopfrey; a dark-brown pegasus stallion who wore a coffee-stained white apron, with a matching visor in his sandy-blonde mane. His focus was on serving the small hoof-full of customers inside. Though despite his busy focus on his work, he took the time to greet the young mare entering his shop. "Hey Squirt!" he greeted Surefire with a large smile and a wave of his right wing. "What has you up at this early hour?" The young mare's expression fell into utter deadpan. "Please stop calling me that, Dad; it's embarrassing..." she stated, taking her place in the back of the serving line. "I'm a grown mare now." "Sure thing, Squirt!" Her father replied enthusiastically, turning back to the customer he was serving. Surefire facehooved with a small groan. Why does all of my family have to be so weird? * * * * * * * * * * The line ahead of the young mare moved at a fast pace, as soon she was getting served. For as small as her family's cafe was, it was quite popular with the residents of the local blocks. As Surefire approached the counter she got an idea; coffee for her new friend. But does Prism even drink coffee? "The usual, yeah?" Her fathered asked, alrighty preparing the order he was expecting. Surefire nodded. "Yeah, for me." The stallion looked back to her, eyebrow raised. "For you?" he asked quizzically. "You actually getting a drink for somepony else too?" A small smirk played across his face at the possibilities that this sign might entail. The young earth pony shot her father a heavy glare. "You can just wipe that thought right out of your tiny brain, it's not that," she informed him in mild irritation. "It's for a friend." This answer honestly surprised him. "You made a new friend?" Surefire rolled her eyes at her father's overreaction. "Yes. Is that really so hard to believe?" "For you it is," he replied, pointing the drink he just made at his daughter before sitting on the counter. "Whatever happened to 'I'm too busy for friends' or 'I don't have time for other ponies'?" The young mare let out a frustrated sigh; clearly not in the mood for playing twenty questions. "This is different, she's special," she replied, beginning to anxiously tap her right forehoof in anticipation of her liquid mistress. Surefire's reply only caused the stallion to form another smirk as he leaned on the counter. "Special huh? Just how special is this mare?" Surefire craned her neck back in shock, taken aback at her father's insinuation. "Wh-what?! No! Just no!" she exclaimed wildly. "I'm not even into mares, besides I already have a stallion that I li—" The young mare reared up on her hindlegs, quickly covering her muzzle with both forehooves at the realization of the verbal trap she just walked right into. Her father's smirk spread into wide grin as he stood up straight, puffing out his chest. "Is that so?" he exclaimed smugly. "So, when can I expect the wedding and grandfoals?" Surefire froze, her face flushed flamin' hot in absolute shock from the sudden embarrassment; thoughts quickly began to race through her mind of Beaker and herself in the implied situations. Her father roared with laughter at his daughter's reaction to his banter, before running out of breath and cutting into a coughing fit. Many of the other cafe regulars behind the young mare had joined in on the laughter as well. Taking several moments, Gallopfrey eventually managed to compose himself. "Whoo! ...Well then, you'll have to tell me all about him later," he stated before shifting his posture to a relaxed lean. "So, what'll your friend have to drink?" Surefire flopped her face down on the counter at her father's hopelessness. "Just... give me a moment okay?" she replied, muffled by the counter; trying to forget that she was related to the pony in front of her. I don't know if Prism drinks coffee, but I'd really like to get her something... Surefire scratched the back of her head with a forehoof, deep in thought. Most ponies who don't like coffee are generally tea drinkers; but what if she doesn't like tea and actually does like coffee? ...Ah, screw it, I'll get both and drink the one she doesn't pick later. "A vanilla bean latte and an earl grey lavender tea," she requested, taking the safe bet and picking her father's two best drinks. "Two huh? Coming right up!" he replied, turning and beginning the ordered drinks. Surefire lifted her head to look to her father. "Yeah, I don't know if she drinks coffee or tea, or either" The stallion let out a chuckle. "Everypony drinks either coffee or tea, it's the law," he stated, finishing the first drink and sliding it to his daughter. The young mare scoffed at his cheapness of 'law'. "Pfft, if anypony knows law around here, it's me," she stated matter-of-factly, "and I recall no such law." "That's because you haven't looked hard enough," he said, glancing to her with a quick wink. "It's in there somewhere, I promise!" Surefire face hoofed, shaking her head. "You are the biggest feather-brain in all of Equestria; I hope you know that, Dad." The stallion craned his neck back, shooting her a perplexed look briefly. "Really?" he asked, before closing his eyes and executing an overly-enthusiastic hoof pump  "Yes! Number one, baby!". The young mare flopped her face onto the counter in absolute defeat. "I hate you..." "Love you too, Squirt!" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Juggler author: SanityLost tags: character:Derpy Hooves, character:Dinky Hooves, character:Pinkie Pie, genre:Sad, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Juggler === Golden bands rose over the hills overlooking Ponyville, bringing light into the darkened town. A gray mare stood in front of an old building with strips of plaster peeling off of it in copious amounts. She wore a red and yellow checked suit with frizzy pink buttons, and a bright purple derby hat with a green plastic flower fitted into the brim. Her wide hat hid her blond mane, and made her ears stick out sideways. The colors on her outfit were faded, but could still be seen from some distance away. It was a little bit baggy on her, but was just the right length. Ponies that were visiting often took pictures of the, "strange mare in the loose, loud outfit," to share a chuckle with friends back home. Removing her saddlebags from her back, she withdrew three small red balls from one of containers, and flexed her wings, hearing a satisfying pop. Looking to the east, one of her lime yellow irises rose upward while the other moved down as she watched the sunrise. After the brilliant orb had just peeked over the horizon, she gathered all three balls in her front hooves, shakily stood up on her hind legs, and slowly tossed them into the air, one at a time. She closed her left eye, as her cross vision threw off her concentration, and focused on the balls. Her muscles tensed as she threw all three balls into the air. As each one came down, she caught it and threw it back up again with expert precision. She took a deep breath and let a cool, relaxed wave release the tension in her muscles. She had to stay relaxed and focused, keeping her good eye on the balls, making sure that she didn't drop one, just like he'd taught her. Ponies slowly began to emerge from their houses and arrive on the corner, where the pegasus juggled in her strange outfit. The first few formed a semicircle around her, and it wasn't long before a crowd of colorful ponies were watching the spectacle. Most of the ponies there had seen her act before. It happened every Sunday, on the mail mare's only day off. They stood in stone silence as the juggler manipulated the balls through the air, slowly increasing the speed at which she threw them. "Atta way to handle them balls Derpy!" Cried out a male voice. Snickers traveled among the stallions in the audience. "You're a champ at playin' with them balls Derpy!" Fewer snickers were received at the second attempt at a joke. Without taking her eyes off the balls already in the air, Derpy slid another red ball from a hidden compartment in her right sleeve, and tossed it into the air. After a couple of tosses, it was in sync with the others. Silence buzzed through the air as the performer slowly increased the balls' speed, causing them to leave small red trails in their wake. An emerald unicorn with a heart shaped cutie mark turned to a light red earth stallion and whispered in his ear, "Is she aware how ridiculous her costume looks?" The red stallion smirked, "Probably not, Derpy ain't the brightest crayon in the box." "Well, at least she knows how to throw balls around, even though she probably gets dressed in the dark." The stallion grinned, "That's about all she knows how to do. That mare there is our mail mare, and by Celestia, is she horrible. She always delivers my mail to the wrong address, and she crashes into things because she can't fly straight. Do you know she destroyed town hall's roof, twice?" The green hued mare snorted, "No I didn't, is it just because she's dumb or something?" "It's mainly because she can't see straight, she's cross eyed. But, I suspect that might be part of the reason." "Why is she cross eyed?" "I don't know, maybe she hit her head or something. She lives up to her name though, she's a complete ditz." Several more of these conversations were interspersed throughout the audience, accompanied by chuckles and giggles. The gray juggler heard some of these conversations, however she let all slander fall on deaf ears. She was too busy focusing her good eye on the fast moving balls to be worried about what anypony said. Derpy felt the ball hidden in the compartment of her left sleeve, and was tempted to toss it in the air as well. She wanted to show Ponyville that she was a truly great performer. That would teach them to make fun of her! Reality gripped her mind as soon as this initial thought passed. She couldn't juggle five balls. She probably never would be able to... He told her to not worry about being great though, or to worry about what other people thought, he just told her to be her. So she continued to juggle, ignoring the chuckles she received for her eccentric attire. She didn't want to upset him. She continued her act until the sun reached the apex of its ascent. Once it was over, the one-eyed juggler caught the balls in her forelegs and then placed them on the ground. The air was filled with hollow applause as all ponies halfheartedly stomped their hooves against the dirt. Ditzy gave a simple bow in response. One pink pony, with a dark pink mane, could be seen hopping up and down over the heads of the other spectators as she cheered loudly. This brought a smile to Derpy's face. Pinkie Pie always made her feel warm after her performances. After a few seconds, the gray mare put her balls in her saddlebags and started walking back home. The crowd parted as she made her way through them. She felt the snide glares and sympathetic looks burn into her back. She ignored them, she had a thick skin by now. The cheering pink pony bounced over to the performer, "Oh my gosh Derpy, you were so terrific! You should join the circus instead of being a mail mare! You are so talented!" "It's not talent, it just takes practice," Derpy replied, like she did every time Pinkie complimented her work. "Do you mind if I walk back with you?" Pinkie said with exuberant excitement, "Your house is along the way." Derpy just nodded and smiled. They began walking together as the crowd around them dispersed. Together the mares walked in silence toward Derpy's house, like they had done every Sunday for the past five years. After several minutes, they reached the mail mare's house. It was very small and red, with chipping paint and a straw roof with wilted thatching. They passed the large places where the paint had peeled away to reveal the light, cracked wood underneath. Once they were both inside, the pegasus hunched her shoulders and sighed, placing her saddlebags by the door. She walked over to a rectangular, standing scratched mirror on the wall. Her eyes came slightly into focus as she looked over her costume. She removed the clothing, carefully folded it, and pulled out a large pink box that rested beneath a coffee table by the mirror. Pinkie Pie quickly rose from her seat and walked over to Derpy, her characteristic smile fading just a bit. The mail mare took the lid off of the box, and looked at four newspaper clippings. She was about to drop the clothing in the box but her good eye started reading them. The headline of the top one read... Sidewalk Juggling Clown Spotted All Over Equestria! There was a black and white picture above the article of an earth stallion smiling as he stood on his hind legs and juggled small balls. On his shoulders was a small pegasus wearing a wide smile, as she looked upon awed gawkers with wall-eyed glee. The next headline read... Corner Juggling Busker Taking Equestria by Storm! A black-and-white picture in this article showed the same stallion standing one one of his hind feet juggling five balls while a small pegasus stood beside him, one eye on him and the other his captivated audience. The headline of the third article read... Juggling Jester Performs for the Princess A color picture accompanying this article showed the stallion was stone gray with the same lime yellow eyes, focusing on the five balls he juggled while balancing on one foot on a large blue circus ball. He was wearing the same costume that Derpy had worn that morning. Sitting in front of him were two black stallions in golden armor, guarding the smiling, large white alicorn, Princess Celestia, as she watched the performer. On the edge of the picture, Derpy could see her smiling face. The last newspaper clipping, taken the day after the third carried no headline. It simply read... Quick Hooves, a.k.a. The Sidewalk Juggler, was involved in an accidental head on carriage collision yesterday, just a few hours after performing for Princess Celestia. He is survived by his only relative, his daughter Derpy Hooves. May he dazzle audiences in the hereafter as he did here in Equestria. Derpy didn't realize that her chest felt so tight, she also didn't feel the pink mare's fore hooves around her neck in a gentle hug. The gray pegasus gently placed the clothes and hat into the box and returned the embrace. From behind her, a small, light purple unicorn with her eyes tapped Derpy on a hind hoof, "You forgot the balls mommy, they go in the box too." Derpy broke the embrace so she could scoop her daughter into her fore hooves for a big hug while Pinkie placed all four balls into the pink box. "Would you two like to come to the Sugarcube Corner for some lunch? I'll make some Cherry Chimichangas!" Pinkie bounced. Derpy's daughter just nodded and climbed on her mother's back. The two mares just smiled to each other and made their way out of the house, to partake in the last leg of their Sunday ritual. The End Author's Notes: I had a random idea for a story early one morning when I was tired. 45 minutes later, I ended up with this. After rereading it I'll be honest, it stinks. I rushed through this story without much thought and it wasn't nearly as good as it could have been. I would go back and fix it, but right now I am working on another story that hopefully will be much better. A big thank you goes out to StarsGuide and Taranasaurus for prereading this. Thank you for reading the writings of a tired madman, I hope it wasn't too terrible. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Lesson Learned author: scifipony tags: character:Princess Celestia, character:Shining Armor, character:Starlight Glimmer, genre:Adventure, genre:Mystery, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Lesson Learned === The bell to the door tinkled and a chill Canterlot mountain breeze forced its way back to my office through the open waiting room door. I dropped the newspaper on my desk. "Be right there!" I called brightly and fed magic to the illumination spell that kept the wood panel office bright, despite the lack of actual windows in the low-rent district of the city. The magical windows warmed with sketchy images of vines and trees as a I fluffed the pillows on the patients' couch, then trotted toward the waiting room. The stranger—I wasn't expecting anypony for therapy until afternoon—brought with him the scent of hay, likely his lunch. He wasn't a tall stallion, but the white unicorn made up for it in muscle. His suit jacket half-covered a nondescript streaked blue mane. The tightly tailored rag was one of those fashionable Canterlot affairs that sported tails that covered his flank, incidentally hiding his cutie mark. That most Canterlot citizens typically wore clothing, especially mares, was one reason I lived here. I harbored no doubt that Princess Twilight "friends with unique gifts" Sparkle had reported me to Princess Celestia. The brown dress I wore now, with a cardigan sweater, not only made me look professorial, it hid my cutie mark. A bit of magenta dye to cover the chartreuse locks in my mane and I could blend. In a mass of city dwellers, mostly unicorns, I went unnoticed; that allowed me to help ponies. Twilight was wrong about me not helping. I could, no, I did help. She was right about other things, though… The stallion studied my trompe l'oeil vista of the Ponyville plain that put the viewer on a crenelated castle rampart. After a moment, magazines rustled as he moved them across the table, stopping when he exposed the cover of PONY. It displayed that pink princess, the one who lived up north. He touched it with a dark blue hoof and said, "I hear you practice special cutie mark magic." He didn't look at me. A referral! When you practiced what ponies labeled folk-medicine, you got little coverage from the physician's guild. I stepped closer. "Yes, I do! Can I ask who referred you?" His head turned; blue eyes appraised me, my dress, my stance. "To thank them." I added. He smiled and a edge of menace dissipated. "You have a reputation." "One for helping ponies–" "–who have troubles with their cutie mark. You remove them," he said flatly, facing me, eyes meeting mine. The fellow didn't fit the description of ponies I usually worked with. He was self-assured, confident, not anxious. I had asked my patients not to discuss my, um, unorthodox methods. I cleared my throat. "Temporarily. I'm a therapist. I've learned that when a pony puts aside his cutie mark, he puts aside the related responsibilities and expectations. Talking about the difference, many find a new perspective on their life. Can I help you?" "Perhaps. Not the usual way, I suspect." He took in the magically enhanced storefront, then glanced out into the street. Mud had dried from last night's storm. White stucco had peeled away from the brick building across the street. This part of town looked as tired as the pony whose hooves clopped on the old cobbles, pulling a beaten-up wagon of hay. "You don't earn much, do you?" Stories of protection schemes and strong-ponies flickered through my brain. But I was proud. "I have a few dozen patients. Their gratitude sees me through." He faced me with that confident smile. "I have a friend who needs help. I could be 'grateful' were you to help me help him." "How grateful?" "What's your rate?" "Depends on the patient's means." A reddish aura surrounded his horn and bits flew from a jacket pocket, ten 10-bit coins. "How about this for a consultation?" My eyes followed them to the pink princess on the PONY magazine where the gold clinked to rest. That would pay the month's rent. My eyes flicked back to his blue ones. I pointed my nose at the office. "A friend." "Rrright." "Seriously." A red aura developed around my black cape hanging on the coat rack. "Just my hat," I said, and the maroon beret launched itself toward me as he went to the door. The bell jangled a second time as I closed it. Though the glass, I spirited the coins into the drop safe before locking up. Considering the custom tailoring of his suit and tails, I wasn't surprised that we entered the Canterlot palace district. Onion-domed ivory towers and ramparts cast shadows across elegant tea shops and clothing boutiques. The cobbles were perfect, doubtlessly swept daily by unicorn civil servants. My clothing stood out here, but because of my scholarly dress I didn't look poor so much as on a lunch break from the university. My escort glanced at a clock the Jade's Bookstore facade, then picked up his pace. We slowed to saunter approaching a bank. The stone steps and marble columns with gold rings gave it away. An unseen clock tower chimed one o'clock, and as the sound echoed down the street, the glass doors opened and a tan stallion with a slicked black mane–wearing just a business shirt collar and red tie–stepped out. Two mare assistants accompanied him. His very red tie, adorned with a gold dollar sign, matched the mares' dresses as if they were accessories to his wardrobe. His cutie mark, money bags, made me think he was the bank president. The group walked away from us and my escort followed. "Your friend," I stated. Not a question. "My friend." "And you want me to help him?" "Yes. He's, let's say, forgotten about the things that allowed him to reach his station in life." "What's your name?" "Black." "Black?" He looked forward as we walked past a glittery jewelry store and a stock brokerage, with the smell of onion and escarole trailing us on the breeze. We turned on Neighlead Avenue. A block later, it transformed into a posh neighborhood of townhouse mansions. Suddenly he answered. "Call me, Mr. Black." "White would have been slightly more believable." He paused, then continued strolling. "Then Mr. White it is. Thought my name matching my coat color might seem too coincidental." I stopped and sighed. Only I had made the mistakes in my life, and this looked like it might turn into another. "I think I am going home." "I really want you to help." Without breaking stride, a pouch of coins whizzed out of his pocket. I reflexively caught them in my magic. I glanced in. The rose gold gleam of a dozen fifty-bit coins caught the light before I spirited the bundle into a sweater pocket. Okay, maybe I could humor him a bit longer. I cantered to his side and kept pace, my eyes on his face as he looked steadfastly after the banker. There was nothing aristocratic about him, nothing that said money. No currying of his coat. No powder covering blemishes or faint black scars pocking his horn. Handsome in an Earth pony fashion, perhaps. "Equalization therapy only works if the patient wants it, and only so long as he continues to agree with the process. A very important pony taught me that, the hard way." Earth pony servants in white linen opened an ornate gold-accented wrought iron gate before a travertine three story townhouse built in classic Horseshoe Bay style. White's friend bid the mares a good afternoon and disappeared inside as we walked by. White explained, "His residence while he's in town." Ten minutes later, we returned to my storefront. I unlocked it. He followed me in, having not said a word since downtown. The money pouch levitated from my pocket and dumped itself on top of the magazine. I had counted wrong. There were eighteen coins. "A thousand," I said. "A retainer. Nine more after you help." Nine-thousand more. A rich stallion could afford the confidentiality. "I do make house calls, or I could visit his office." "Just to be clear," Mr. White said slowly, "you will be helping me, not him." I went cold, all the way to my hooves. I felt my heart thud and my ears flatten. This was an OurTown fiasco all over again, where a drop of water had revealed my cutie mark prompting Party Favor to wipe it clean, exposing my necessary lie. Yeah. Here's where it all fell apart. And this is where my degree from the Canterlot University at Trottingham paid off. And this is where my years as a bodyguard, doing quick and hard magic to survive on the street, paid off. I did the matrix math and visualizations for an emergency teleport spell while I levitated the coins back into the pouch, simultaneously drawing the ten earlier coins from the safe and shoving them into the pouch. "No, no, and no." I said, tossing the pouch at him. The velvet coin purse halted midair in a red glow an inch from his nose. He raised an eyebrow, tucked the pouch back into his jacket. Without a word, he simply left. I let the teleport spell unravel, sending shocks of static electricity to the door lever and hinges as I rushed to the storefront window to watch him trot down the street and disappear as I craned to watch. "Sweet Celestia," I breathed, and then began to shudder. The shakes persisted, even through the first cup of strong Darjeeling I made. I didn't break the china cup, but I dropped the lemon. Was I going to have to leave town? Or would my no mean no? I liked Canterlot. And I was helping ponies. I had to… and–I was! Did I still deserve to have bad things happen to me? My thoughts circled in the vein, but fortunately unwound by the time my four o'clock arrived. It was kind of wonderful to watch the worry drain out of mare when her cutie mark separated and she could stare at it in a mason jar. Golden Nail talked about her expectations during her last days as a blank flank, and how her friends reacted sourly to her talent. True to form, after about an hour of being equalized, she calmly asked for the mark back; few went more than a day without theirs. But she had a smile on her face. Her five bits reinforced mine. As I levitated a basket, preparing to leave for the late market for some fresh greens for dinner, Mr. White pushed open the door. "My superior agreed to provide more incentive, Miss Glimmer." Not Dr. Glimmer like my patients called me. He wore very tasteful, no doubt designer, dark brown rouge-rubbed vegetable-leather messenger saddle bags, unadorned by the customary cutie mark. A red aura gathered them into the air. They jingled heavily onto the waiting room table, displacing the PONY magazine to the cracked cement floor. I stared at the pink princess on the cover, now torn, like my finely crafted new life. "Five now. Fifteen later. Filthy Rich—what an appropriate name—will return from the restaurant sharply at 10 o'clock. He lets his servants go home early on weekdays, so nopony will be home when he returns. There will be a jar in the shrubs." My hooves went cold. Leaden. A tremor began, but my shock held it in check. "I—I—" "Replace it when you're done. Don't. Be. Seen. The new princess talked about your recent adventure, but the royals and the top constabulary decided to keep it hushed. If you do this right—" My eyes locked onto his blue ones. "If. We'll break the bottle and nopony will see his disembodied cutie mark. Tomorrow will be another normal day. He'll return to Ponyville; your paths won't cross." I started to shake my head when he added, "Your renumeration will be on the table when you return from helping." My whole body went ice cold. The door janged. A cold gust that passed in and started me shivering. When I looked at the saddle bags, acid rose in my throat. I counted the gold 10-bits. Twice, but couldn't bring myself to open the messenger flap on either saddle bag. It was an opportunity… Resettlement in a southern city with enough capital to— "No. Not his time!" I flung down the yellow whicker shopping basket I'd held aloft through the visit. If what White said was true, Miss Purple Princess had made it that I had a second chance. If I learned anything from my cutie mark magic, power was small comfort, the power of being a town mayor or having wealth. I liked my life, now. I threw the saddle bags on so roughly that I'd find bruises tonight. I threw on my cloak. The beret followed to my head as I locked myself out with a snick from the key, and clattered down the street. No Mr. White to be seen. I got turned around in the gathering dusk. Finally, I asked a lamplighter, a pink unicorn with a spark and flint cutie mark who lit each gas light while cantering down the road. Yes, the palace constabulary was likely the best; ponies there would be more polite even after they heard my story. I had misgivings an hour later as I neared the end of the queue awaiting a detective. The white stone walls and the clatter of typewriters amongst worn pine desks did not hide that this was still a police station. If anypony knew of my notoriety, it would be here, hock and flank with the royals. Then he walked in. In the back. He wore the archaic brass armor of the royal guard, his blue mane pushed up through the helmet. A few streaks of white gleamed in his hair in the mix of magic and gas ceiling lighting. I turned, jostled the ruddy mare behind me, apologized, and trotted out barely holding my self from a gallop. I couldn't read rank, but Mr. White was definitely an officer of the royal guard. I ought have let Princess Sparkle capture me and taken my punishment immediately; it might have ended by now. Now something was totally upside down and I was in the middle of it. What a burnt hay burger it was: crime and corruption. I found myself on a street on the opposite side of the palace. I hailed a taxi. The only win left me was to flee to a town nopony heard of. I overpaid bits I could ill afford and hurried inside. All the magazines scattered this time as I spun the saddlebags to the table. I could barely see the pink princess in the gloom and belatedly magicked on the light in my office, which served as my bedroom at night. Out the back door, I removed the tarp from my Pony-Petite wagon in the alley and shoved my few things into the compact slat bed. I left the full saddlebags on the table. Stealing from thieves was likely a bad idea, and I was already too deep in muddy waters; and since Mr. White had implied a locked door was no issue, I was sure he'd retrieve it. I hitched up. After settling my cloak over the simple steel barrel harness, I pulled out of the alleyway into the chill evening. I had liked Canterlot. By lamplight, even the poorer parts of town remained friendly and well-tended, if somewhat downtrodden. Ponies occasionally nodded, but mostly minded their own business trotting home from work or the night market, or beginning a night on the town. Workpony-denim mixed with suits and couture dresses. Canterlot was a wealthy town, not a bustling city. Nopony rushed, and neither did I, though at this time of night, I was the only one pulling. Ponyville Way was the sole boulevard out of the city, becoming a brick road that wound down the mountain in switchbacks for over two leagues. As a cross-town, it also intersected Neighlead Avenue. I stopped at the intersection and stared downtown, at the palace and stark white ramparts softly lit at the end of the arrow-straight street. I turned left. Mr. Rich's townhouse was that way. Five minutes later, I unhitched in front of the iron gates. All three levels of windows were lit and I could smell baking bread from a neighboring house. The sound my hoof made the gate rang louder than I hoped. A midnight black stallion came out, wearing white linen and knit white cap. "My lady?" he said. I recognized a Trottingham accent. "Dr. Starlight Glimmer to see Mr. Rich." Being somepony might improve my chances. The title was real, but not medically related. Mayor would have required former. Lady. That brought up a past I didn't want to think about. I fluttered my eye-lashes; that was from worry. What was I doing? Magenta eyes glanced to my worn wagon, then to my night garb. His ears lowered, marginally. His hooves clattered on the flagstones. Finally, "Is he expecting you?" "It's a brief courtesy call. To inform him of an important matter." "Of?" Deep breath. Out. "His safety." A pause. The Earth pony butler grabbed the key hanging from his neck with his mouth and opened the gate. I followed him wordlessly and let the gate clank closed behind me. I glanced at my wagon. In this neighborhood… probably safe unattended. "Wait," the butler said in the three story vestibule. A hexagonal lantern sconce with wavy crystal glass threw patterned light over the lace-plaster walls. The oil painting filling half the opposite wall was a portrait of Filthy Rich, a peach-colored mare, and a pink filly. The servant disappeared through a door to the left. A bell tinkled thrice down the hallway ahead. A minute later, the butler reappeared. A few linen-clad servants, one lime-green and another piebald gray, walked down the hall. "Really, Wise Step. She's harmless." I turned to see Filthy Rich stepping out behind his butler from a richly paneled study, lit by gas lamps, and filled with red velvet furniture. Rich cleared his throat, then smiled at me. "They should stay," I said as the servants made to retreat. I shook my mane as a shiver of worry ran up my spine at what I was about to say, but I knew I had to. "You don't know me—" "But I saw you this afternoon, when you followed me past the bank and past my home." My face heated and my ears lay momentarily askance. "This is true. I—I need to warn you. A—a shady stallion tried to make me, no, buy my services to… Well, that doesn't matter, but I think you need to hire some guards." I looked down. "And—and, that's all…" I turned. "Who was he?" "Mr. White, Black— It wasn't a real name, but I saw him at the Constabulary when I went to report it. A royal guard. I don't feel safe. I need to leave." "Please wait, Dr. Glimmer. Can you sketch him?" Rich had indigo eyes set deeply in a tan face. His slicked dark hair could have made him look pompous, but I saw worry mirroring mine in the angle of his ears. When he brought a gilt silver pen on a legal pad in his mouth from his study, I complied. I trotted a bit too rapidly down the block a few minutes afterwords, my heart beating rapidly. Now I had enemies; I did not count on Filthy Rich being a friend. I missed Ponyville Way by blocks when I came to a stop. Tossing my head in disgust, I took a less well-lit diagonal side street since nopony was following me. The sooner I left town, the better. A block down, I passed a night-cloaked unicorn on a green wrought iron bench under a dead streetlamp. The bench was small because the hooves of the shadowed mare hung over the right edge, her head wearily resting on her legs. I did not change my pace as I passed her by. Moments later, a sweet voice called from behind. "But did you learn a lesson?" My throat clenched. I heard no clatter of hooves so I didn't stop my trot, nor deigned to notice. "Did you?" the voice asked, still sounding kindly. But there was a command there. And her voice really carried. I answered the dark, "Forcing ponies to do what they don't want to do is always a bad idea." Gah, wasn't that the truth? I flicked my mane, but this wasn't a shudder. It was anger. I had resources. Sums and derivative solutions whirled through my field of vision as I prepared a teleport that would get me about a block down the street. Perhaps it was nerves, but the matrix quantities emptied as I filled them. Even chased through the mountains by my former townsfolk, or enduring Princess Twilight's monologuing, I still quickly prepared spells. You didn't survive as a bodyguard if you weren't quick and accurate. Don't. Get. Rattled. The pony replied, no louder nor fainter than before. "I do wish I could apply that advice. It's a good lesson learned. What else did you learn?" I switched my gait from a trot to a canter. Hoof beats echoed from buildings of brick and shadowy stone. I needed a populated street. Now. "Doing the right thing is hard," I said, huffing. Perspiration began lathering beneath my cheap harness. The unruly twirling numbers wouldn't coalesce; it was almost as if I were bucking a counter-spell, but that never happened to a unicorn at my level. My aura cast the shadow of my muzzle on the street as my forehead began to overheat. I wasn't fooling anypony. "It is terribly hard... But you did it?" "I did. I did it! Can't you understand and please leave me alone?" "Twilight thought you had potential. I'm sorry, but I had to test you." The numbers in my head tumbled, shot to my left, then spiraled out of existence. Angry, ears flat forward, I shoved hard right on the harness and turned around, skidding the wheels loudly across the weathered cobbles. One buck would unlatch the harness. Other spells required less prep. I could, no, I would protect myself— Well, well. I coughed. The bench hadn't been small after all. And I had fought a counter-spell. A white alicorn hovered a few paces in front of me. No gold shoes. No purple breastplate. No sparkly crown. Just a dark cloak, which only hissed faintly as she beat her angelic wings. But Celestia was no angel; historical gaps and consistent scary legends and a long life, compared to her enemies and allies alike, proved that. My first impulse was bow. Anger won out. I bucked. The loud bang released the harness and I heard the wagon roll back. "Yes. Why?" I yelled. I locked eyes with her, my jaw clenching. "When we discovered you had taken residence on South Dawn Carriageway, my captain of the guard grew concerned. I do take advice, sometimes," she said, settling to the roadway. A faint golden glow answered the question as to why the area appeared abandoned: a crowd clearing spell. "Twilight's advice was that you had good intentions. She thinks that the first cutie marks you stole were those of her friends, and then only under duress." "I was deluded." I said it like a curse. The truth now. "I convinced myself that equalization brought happiness. And then I saw opportunity and power and a way to spread my truth. But it unraveled. Choice and choice alone allows equalization to help a pony." Even with cutie marks flying home to their owners from my smashed vault, like bright particolored comets, I had failed to see that. Not until I was alone, in the snowy mountains, shivering, having helped no one, the least of all myself, and with nopony to help me. "Choice." "Lesson learned." The alicorn nodded. "It was I who sent you Emerald Bright, and Pen and Quill. They both volunteered." A police officer too shy to effectively use force, and an argumentative archivist from Canterlot University. So, it was... "A test?" My anger faded, then rekindled as I realized the implication. White was a royal guard. Rich was his friend. And Celestia thought I could hurt somepony but sent ponies to me anyway, ponies I might potentially hurt. "Not worth it. How could you have thought it worth it?" "Everypony is worth something, my little pony. Some more than others, arguably, but we—you have worth, and needed redemption. And you've proven Twilight right, once again." I held my breath as my emotions drained out of me like a burst dam. I felt wobbly, but wasn't going to show it in front of the princess. Her eyes gleamed as the damper on the street faded and lamps began to glow brightly. "Pen and Quill talked to the director of the medical guild about how very helpful his experience with you was. The psychiatry bureau would like to study your techniques. And, you know, really, you need to get certified if you want to start a real counseling practice." I began blinking rapidly. No. Visible. Emotion. But I was losing control, and that was alright. "I would like that." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Where The Magic Happens author: Kasurion tags: genre:Romance

=== Trixie's Way Of Wowing === The Great And Powerful Trixie has just got done performing an amazing spectacle of magic in Ponyville. The crowed was stunned at Trixie's ability! They cheered Trixie for an encore, and begged for her autograph! ... At least that's what Trixie thought... In reality, the audience wasn't too thrilled with her show. Some of the audience actually got up, and left in the middle of the show. "Wait! Trixie wishes for you to stay!" She exclaimed. "Why should we stay?" A stallion rose up from the audience. "B-Becuase, Trixie will wow you with her amazing magic!" She replied. "Well, I haven't been wowed so far." He snapped back. "I'm out of here." He added. A bunch of other ponies started to leave too. "NO, WAIT! Um... Watch as Trixie makes a bouquet of flowers appear right before your eyes!" She exclaimed. A bright beam of light shot out from her horn, and a bouquet of flowers appeared between her hooves. "Ta da!" Trixie exclaimed, a wide grin on her face. "That's the sixth time you've done that." The stallion said, trotting away. "B-But..." Trixie couldn't find any words to say. By now, the whole audience had left, leaving Trixie on her stage, with nopony to perform in front of. She threw her cape and hat onto the coat rack in the back of the folded out stable. She gave a large sigh. "All Trixie wishes to do is wow somepony." She said to herself. Trixie put her stable back the way it was, into a house. She thought maybe a walk would clear her mind of all this. "I want to be the best, nopony else will stand in my way." She said, exiting her stable. The sun was just setting in the distance, and the air was cool, and light. Trixie made her way from Ponyville to Sweet Apple Acres. She knew of the pony that lived there, and she didn't care if the pony confronted her. As she neared Sweet Apple Acres, something caught her eye. Well, it wasn't something, it was somepony. Trixie eyed the handsom red stallion. He had a beautiful dark blond mane. He was picking up various apples that the apples trees had dropped. She wanted to talk to him, maybe even give him a little pleasure... She did perform oral sex once, but that was a long time ago. She was lonely, and had nothing to do for the rest of the day. Trixie very nervously walked over to the stallion. The stallion looked up, and saw the pretty mare walking in his direction. "Howdy there! Can ah help ya?" He asked. Trixie blushed a little. The stallion was very handsome. "Um... No thanks." She replied. "Well, what brings ya to these parts of Ponyville?" He asked. Trixie didn't know what to say. She didn't want to just tell him that she wanted to suck his dick. "Um... Trixie wishes for you to come to her stable." She said. After she said it, she realized how terrible it sounded, and blushed. "Hm? Ya want me ta come to y'all's house?" He replied. Trixie thought for a moment, and came up with an excuse. "Yes, very much so. I need a stallion to help me pack up Trixie's things, if that isn't too much to ask." She said. "Well, Trixie, ah'd love ta help a fine mare like yourself, but ah'm a bit busy right now." He replied. "Oh, are you sure?" Trixie said, a worried look on her face. "Well... Ah suppose I could take a break. Ah've been workin' a lot ta-day, and ah wouldn't helpin' ya out." He replied. Naughty thoughts occured in Trixie's mind. "Thank you, uh... Please forgive Trixie, she never got your name." She replied. "Oh, ah'm Big Macintosh. Although most ponies call me Big Mac." He said. "Well, thank you, Big Mac." She replied. "No problem, Miss Trixie." He said, a bit of blush started to become visible on his face. "Well, we Trixie doesn't live far from here, would like to go the her house?" She asked. "Uhm... Ah better make sure it's okay with Applejack. She worries 'bout me a lot when ah disappear without tellin' 'er." He replied. Trixie didn't want to wait. She made up another excuse. "Oh, no, no, no, I already told her that you were going to Trixie's place." She replied. "Uh... Mah sister would take that the wrong way... Ya told 'er that i'm going to help ya pack yer things, right?" He questioned. "Yes, Trixie did say that." She said. "Well, alllllll righty then!" Big Mac exclaimed. "Shall we go to yer place now?" He asked. "Yes, we may. Trixie shall lead the way." She replied. Trixie started trotting toward her stable. Even more naughty thoughts raced through her mind. Big Macintosh followed close behind. He was actually staring at Trixie's tail as she walked. She swayed it back and fourth. It wasn't long before Big Mac and Trixie arrived at the stable. "See, what did Trixie tell you? She told you she didn't live far from here." She said to Mac. "Ah guess your right." He chuckled. Trixie opened the door to her stable, and offered Big Macintosh to go in first. "Oh no, mares first." He replied. "Very well then." She said. She went inside of her stable, and Big Mac followed her inside. Once Big Mac was in the stable, Trixie turned around, and used her magic to lock the door. "Nice place ya got here." Big Mac said. "Thanks." Trixie replied. She was ready to get down to business with Big Mac. "So, what all do ya need me to do?" Big Mac asked. "Well... Trixie does request a tiny favor. Could you please lay on Trixie's bed, and tell me how I look in my different dresses?" She asked. "Uh, why do ah have ta lie down?" He asked. "Well, after working a lot, a stallion needs to lie down." She replied, a tiny smirk on her face. "Well, ah am a tad tired. You sure ya don't mind me layin' down on yer bed?" He asked. "Trixie doesn't mind at all." She replied. "Okay." Mac replied. Big Mac walked over to Trixie's bed, hopped up on it, and layed down. "Is it comfy?" She said, a small grin started forming on her face. "Eeeee-yup." He replied. "So, where are all yer fancy dresses?" Mac asked. "Oh, I won't be doing that." Trixie replied, the grin had turned into a seductive smile. "Uh..." Big Mac replied. Trixie slowly trotted over to Mac, and she hopped up on the bed. Big Mac was a bit shocked to move. Thoughts raced through his mind as of what was going on. Trixie slowly positioned herself over Big Mac. "Now... Let Trixie put on a show." She whispered. Big Mac didn't say anything. He knew he was about to get something good. He just layed there, and let the mare do what she pleased. She leaned down, and kissed his chest, then his tummy, then she kissed him a bit lower... And lower... And even lower... Big Mac had seen this move performed in the pornographic videos he had hidden in his room. Now he was more excited than anything. He had never gotten a blowjob. When Trixie reached Big Mac's stallionhood, she saw that it was not erect. To solve this, Trixie shifted her eyes up at Big Mac and licked his cock. Mac moaned. It was a good feeling. Her tingue was wet, and it felt good sliding across his stallionhood. He could feel himself getting hard. "Oh yes, now you will receive a great and powerful blowjob." She whispered. Trixie slowly wrapped her lips around his erect dick. She gathered some saliva in her mouth and swirled her tongue around his stallionhood. Big Mac moaned loudly. Her tongue was wet and hot, her lips were as wet as could be, and her mouth was warming his cock. Trixie slowly started to slide her lips and mouth up and down his dick. Big Mac laid his head back, and moaned. He never experienced anything like this. Trixie sped up the pace. She looked up at Big Mac with her eyes. Mac looked down at Trixie, her eyes sparkled as she sucked his cock. He moaned again. The pleasure was amazing. Trixie deicded she should try to deep throat him. She slowly took his entire cock into her mouth. She kept the whole thing in her mouth for a moment, and tickled his cock with her tongue. Mac moaned, and his dick shot out a little bit of pre cum. It oozed out of his dick, and trickled down Trixie's throat. Trixie swallowed the pre cum. It was warm, and it tasted good. Trixie took the cock out of her mouth. She then went down to his balls. She took both of them into her mouth quickly. Mac moaned yet again. He loved the feeling of a tongue, and saliva on his balls. She sucked on his balls for a minute, then sloppily let them fall out of her mouth. She went back to his dick, and popped it back into her mouth. She bobbed her head as fast as she could. Mac was ready to burst. He could feel the cum in his dick. "AH'M GONNA CUM!" He exclaimed. Upon hearing this, she took the dick out of her mouth again, and started clopping it off. She opened her mouth. She stuck her tongue out and aimed his dick at her mouth. Mac came. His load shot out like a bullet shot out of a gun. His eyes shut tight, and his teeth bared. Some of his cum landed on her tongue. Most of it landed on her face, and mane. Trixie panted, the warm cum felt good on her face and in her mouth. She loved the taste of his jizz. It was sweet, not salty. Trixie took her hoof, and wiped some of the cum off her face. She then seductively, and slowly, licked it off her hoof, enjoying the taste of it. Mac watched in disbelief. A mare was actually tasting his seed, and she liked it. He liked how Trixie looked when she licked her hoof. Trixie swallowed the cum. It was delicious. It was so warm, and she felt it travel down her throat. Trixie slowly got off of Mac and hopped off the bed, allowing him to get up. Mac did as Trixie did, he got up, sweating a little. "Oh wow, Th-Thank ya." He said, a drop a sweat falling from his face. "The pleasure is all mine." She replied, with a wink. Trixie just realized... She had made somepony say wow. "So... Uh..." Mac said. "Well, Trixie does not need you anymore. You have provided what I needed, and therefore, you may leave." She said, unlocking the door with her magic. "Um... Okay, thank ya again!" He said, exiting her stable. "Oh, it was nothing..." She said. It was now nighttime. The moon was set directly over Ponyville. Big Mac trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres, where he encountered AJ, who had been frantically searching for him. "BIG MACINTOSH!" She exclamied. She ran toward him, and hugged him tight. "Ah thought ah lost mah big brother." She said, a tear falling from her eye. "It's okay, Applejack, ah'm right here." He said, hugging her sister. "Where in tarnation were ya?" She asked. "Oh, ah was in Ponyville lookin' for a plow. We really need a new one." He replied. "Well, okay, but tell me where your going next time!" Applejack snapped at him. "Ya know how much ah worry 'bout ya." She said. "Ah know, AJ." He chuckled. Back at Trixie's stable, Trixie gave a satisfied sigh. "Well, Trixie, looks like you finally made a pony say wow." She said. Trixie gave a light giggle. "Oh look at you, your so dazzling." She said, looking at herself in the mirror... === Desire For More === Trixie admired herself in the mirror for a minute more, and headed off to her bed. As Trixie hopped into her bed, she thought about Big Mac. She thought about what she did to him in the stable... Trixie never had this much confidence in her. She felt like she could do anything her heart desired... And her heart desired more Big Mac. He was the greatest stallion she had ever seen. Only this time, she wanted to get serious... Trixie thought about his stallionhood pumping in and out her marehood. Just the thought of this made her a little wet. First, she had to make it through the night... With that, she slowly closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep... In the blink if an eye, the morning sun was up. The sun gleamed on the wet grass, and the rays shined brightly on the stable. Trixie's yawned as a ray of sun shined through the window. Her first thought after getting out of bed?... Big Mac. "C'mon Trixie... You need this. This is what you want. You want that stallion cock inside you, and you know it." Trixie told herself. Trixie wasted no time. She levitated a manebrush with her magic, and quickly stroked it along her mane. Then, she went to her 'special' drawer, and pulled out a tiny pill. "Now he'll be able to pump his goo into me." Trixie thought. She again got wet just from thinking about him finishing inside of her. Trixie made herself a glass of water, and put the pill in her mouth. She took a drink of water to swallow the pill with. After Trixie did that, she opened her door, and stepped outside. Using her magic, she TRIED to lock the door beind her. Trixie was so excited about being with Big Mac again, she could barely focus. Once she got her bearings straight, THEN she locked the door. Trixie started trotting toward Sweet Apple Acres, but was stopped when a young colt trotted up to Trixie. "Hiya, Trixie! Can I get an autograph?" The colt asked. Trixie really wanted to hurry to Sweet Apple Acres, but she couldn't let one of her fans down. "But of course you can." Trixie replied. The colt handed her a piece of paper and a pen. Trixie used her magic to levitate the pen, and signed the paper with her name. "Thank you, Miss Trixie!" The colt said, taking the peice of paper. "Anything for a fan." She replied. "Will there be a show today?" The colt asked. Trixie got a little annoyed. "Um, no, sorry, there wil be no show today. Now if you will excuse Trixie, please." She stated. "O-Oh, okay. See you later." The colt replied. Trixie didn't say anything. She just wanted to get to Mac's place. Trixie again began trotting to her destination. It wasn't long before Trixie arrived at Sweet Apple Acres. Trixie looked around, but Big Mac was no where to be seen. That is until she heard a loud grunt coming from the barn. Trixie cautiously stepped up to the barn. "H-Hello?" Trixie nervously stepped into the barn. Big Mac popped his head up from behind a pile of hay, hearing the familiar voice. "Oh... Howdy, Miss." He said, a bit a blush forming on his face. "Hello again, Big Mac." She replied. "Um, what are y'all doin' here?" He asked. "Well, Trixie has come to... 'Be' with you." She put emphasis on the word 'be'. "Ya mean like... Yesterday?" He replied. His cock started growing, luckily he was behind a pile of hay. "Yes... Only, I won't be giving the pleasure." She whispered, but it was a loud whisper. Of course, Mac couldn't refuse. After yesterday's 'show' Mac's hormones have been raging ever since. "Well... AJ is gone with Granny Smith out in Ponyville, and Apple Bloom is school... So... You uh... You wanna do it here?" He asked. Trixie has never had sex with a stallion outside her stable. Did he want to do it in the barn? Trixie didn't care though, she just wanted that dick inside of her. Trixie closed the barn doors behind her, and slowly walked over the pile of hay where Big Mac was. "Yes... Trixie would be more than happy to get fucked in a barn."  She said, a seductive smile on her face. Big Mac walked over to Trixie, and leaned his lips close to her ear. "Then we better get started." Mac whsipered into Trixie's ear. Without saying a word Trixie laid down on the pile of hay, belly up. Mac slowly mounted her. "Trixie... Are ya sure ya want this?" He asked. "Yes, Trixie wants this. She wants it bad." She whispered back. "I'm a naughty mare, Mac. Give Trixie a punishment." She whispered again. "Trixie... Ah um... Ah actually like you." He stated, blushing. "Well Mac... To be honest... I feel the same way." She whispered. They stared at each other for just a moment. Both of their eyes sparkled. Then, Mac kissed Trixie. It was passionate, long, and romantic. Big Mac slid his tongue into Trixie's mouth, while Trixie did the same with her tongue. Both ponies closed their eyes, enjoying the taste of each others mouths. Suddenly, Trixie broke the kiss. She looked at Big Mac, smiling. "Trixie... Are ya ready?" He asked. "Yes I am... Now fuck me, Big Mac. Fuck me like you love me!" She exclaimed, not knowing she was speaking in first person. With that being said, Big Mac looked down at Trixie's pussy. It was almost pink with light blue flesh surrounding it. Her juices seeped out of it from her excitement. Big Mac slowly pushed his black, hard cock into her marehood. He moaned from the feeling of Trixie's juices as he slid it in. Trixie also moaned. She threw her head back on the hay and closed her eyes. Big Mac slowly started moving his hips, keeping them going at a slow pace. He couldn't help but moan all the way through. Trixie's marehood started to tighten around Mac's dick. She loved the feeling of his dick going in and out of her. It drove her wild. "Oooooh, yes!" Exclaimed Trixie. Big Mac sped up his pace. With her pussy tight around his dick, and her wet juices acting as lube, he pounded her with each thrust. His balls slapped against her clit, adding more pleasure to Trixie's experience. Trixie was on the vurge of an orgasm. She could feel it coming on. All of a sudden, her orgasm came from nowhere. Trixie moaned the loudest she had ever moaned. Her pussy became wetter then ever, and her whole body shook. Big Mac felt more of her juices seep around his dick. He thrusted as fast as he could, hoping he would soon have his orgasm. Suddenly, Big Mac felt that sensation in his balls. "T-Trixie..." He whispered, he was moaning and it was hard for him to speak. "C-Can ah... Can ah cum inside ya?" He asked. "Yes Mac! Cum inside me! I want that warm goo in my pussy!" Trixie exclaimed. Upon hearing this, Big Mac thrusted a few more times. "AH! AH'M CUMMIN'!" He exclaimed. Big Mac burst inside of Trixie. He moaned loudly, and threw his head up. He kept thrusting while his seed spilt inside of her. Trixie gasped. The cum was warm, and sticky. She too moaned. She looked down at her pussy, and saw her juices trickling out of her marehood. Big Mac slowed down his thrusting, and took his dick out. A string of cum, and Trixie's juices mixed together was attached to Big Mac's dick. Trixie was panting. She looked up at Mac. Mac looked at Trixie, their eyes locked. He went in for another kiss. Trixie accepted the kiss, and closed her eyes. It was quick kiss. Big Mac broke the kiss very quickly. "Trixie... Ah... Ah love you." He said. Big Mac didn't worry about saying it too early. They weren't even dating, and yet they were having sex in a barn... "I... Love you, too. Trixie loved you since she first saw you." Trixie replied. Mac blushed, this time it was visible on his face. Trixie giggled. She looked down at the mess between her legs. With her hoof, she scooped up the cum mixture, and licked it off her hoof. The taste of her own juices, and Mac's cum was delicious. "Trixie... Remebah that BJ ya gave me yesterday?" Asked Mac. "Yes, Trixie remembers." She replied. "Well... I'd like to return the favor." Mac whispered, as he slowly brought his lips to Trixie's chest. He nibbled her on her body. Trixie squirmed, it tickled her and aroused her at the same time. Big Mac nibbled his way down her body, going towards her clit. Once Mac reached his spot, he wasted no time, and started licking her pussy. He could taste her juices and his cum. Trixie moaned. The pleasure was intense. His wet tongue slid up her clit. She loved it. After some licking, Big Mac stuck her tongue inside her. He swirled it around inside her pussy. Trixie gasped loudly. The pleasure could have been to much to bare. She placed her hooves on top of Mac's head, and forced more of his tongue inside of her. Mac knew what Trixie wanted. He forced his whole chin, and mouth into her clit. He used all his saliva, and all of his tongue. It didn't take long for Trixie to orgasm. She exploded onto Big Mac's face. Her wholed body shook, and her hooves got weak. It was complete bliss for Trixie. Mac could REALLY taste Trixie's juices now. His chin dripped her fluids onto the pile of hay. He kept his tongue inside, not only tasting her juices, but her pussy as well. Trixie threw her head back again. She closed her eyes tight. She was about to pass out from pleasure. Luckily, Big Mac stopped eating her out just in time. He lifted his face from her clit. He had a grin on his face, and her juices were plainly visible on his face. Trxie pulled Mac's head toward her, and kissed him. She tasted her own juice again. She loved her own taste, she could taste it every day if she could. Mac pulled out from the kiss. "Trixie... Thank ya so much. I really needed this." Mac said. "Me too, Big Mac. Trixie is glad to have pleased you." She replied. "We best get outta here before AJ and the gang get back." Mac stated. "Okay... I'll see you around soon." Trixie smiled lovingly at Mac. She pulled him in for a quick kiss, and then pushed him back. "Okay, Miss Trixie. It was a pleasure." Mac too smiled lovingly at Trixie. Mac dismounted Trixie, and let her go. Without saying anything, Trixie opened the barn door. The sun was still shining. She started trotting back to her stable. Mac followed her. He wanted to say one more thing to Trixie. "Hey... Uh... I'll visit ya sometime, okay?" Mac stated to Trixie. "Yes, Trixie would like that." She smiled. "Trixie must get going now. She will see you soon." She replied, with a wink. "Wait! So... Can we say 'bout... Five 'o clock? Maybe tomorrow?" Big Mac questioned. "Yes, Trixie will be available tomorrow." She replied. "Okay then... See ya later, Trix!" Mac waved his hoof. "I shall see you tomorrow, too." Trixie winked again. Trixie walked back to her stable. Once she arrived, Trixie opened the door, and went inside. She felt amazing. Not only that, but her feelings for Big Mac were growing. She actually started to love a stallion... === The Magic Of Pleasure === Time: Five 'o clock... The sun is just over the horizon... Trixie paced nervously around her stable. She didn't know if Big Mac would show or not. She had spent so much time brushing her mane, and making herself look as beautiful as she could. Trixie made sure to clean every part of her little pony body. She even put on her most exspensive perfume. She would be so mad if her looks went to waste... "Oooohhh, c'mon Mac. Trixie will be disapointed if she cannot show off her looks!" Trixie told herself. Then suddenly, Trixie heard a knock on the door. She reacted faster than lightning. "Be right out." She said in a very sexy tone. With a few quick poofs of her mane, she trotted to the door, and opened it. "Hello?" Trixie asked, a small smirk on her face. "Hiya Trixie!" Said a young colt. It was the same one she had seen yesterday. Trixie sighed. "Yes... What do you need?" She asked. "Oh nothing, I was just wondering if you were doing a show tomorrow. I like to plan early." He replied, a smile in his face. "Trixie does one show a week. The next show is on Thursday." She replied. "Oh, okay! Thank you, Trixie!" He happily said, trotting away. Trixie sighed. She was worried Big Mac wouldn't show... Then, Trixie turned her head to the left, only to see a well dressed, red stallion approaching her. She grinned. She happily trotted to Big Mac, stopping him in his tracks. "Well howdy, Miss Trixie!" Big Mac said, looking into her eyes. "Hello, Big Mac. Glad you showed up!" Trixie replied. "Yeah... Wow... You um... Ya look purty." Mac said, a bit of blush forming on his face. "Yes, Trixie likes to take time making herself look stunning." Trixie replied. "You look handsome, Big Mac." She smiled at him. "Aw shucks, thanks. It's just a tuxedo, though." He replied, more blush on his face. "Well, Trixie likes tuxedos." She replied, giggling. "So, um..." Big Mac had no plans for what to do, he just showed up. "Yes?" Trixie replied. "Um... What did y'all want ta do?" Mac asked. "Hmmmmm... Well, care to take a step inside Trixie's stable?" She winked. "Uhm... Again? Trixie, ah don't know why yer always doin' this." He replied. "Oh no, no, no, Trixie only requests a little... Date. Just at a stable." She said. "Oh... Well, okay. Shall we go inside?" Mac asked, a small grin on his face. "We shall." Trixie replied. Trixie opened the door to her stable with her magic. She walked inside, with Big Mac following her. "So... Uh..." Mac stuttured. "Yes, Mac?" She smirked. "So, what do ya want to do." He asked. "Oh... I don't really know..." Her eyes started to shift downward, looking between Big Mac's hind hooves. She really wanted to do it with Mac again, and she couldn't help it. "Trixie..." Big Mac snapped at her. "Yeah?" She replied. "...Stop looking down there, please." He snapped at her again. Trixie's eyes shifted back up at him. "Fine." She simply replied. Big Mac went over to Trixie's bed, and lied down. "Well... I know what ya wanna do, Trix." He smiled. Without saying a word, Trixie trotted to her bed, and laid down beside Big Mac. Mac giggled a little. "Okay, Trix, what do you wanna do?" He whispered. "I don't know..." She smirked. "There's so much to do." She added. "I love you, Mac." Trixie said, admiring Mac's eyes. "Ah love you, too." He responded. Trixie pulled Mac in for a kiss. She could feel the warm breath of Mac (who didn't turn down the kiss), and she slipped her tongue into her mouth. She closed her eyes, and enjoyed the sweet taste of his mouth. Mac did the same with his tongue. He too closed his eyes, enjoying the kiss. While keeping their lips locked, Mac rolled onto his back, putting Trixie on top of him. Suddenly, Trixie broke the kiss. Trixie then very slowly, pulled his tuxedo up, and off of him, then she threw it to the floor. She started kissing his chest. Then, she slowly crawled backwards, down to Mac's dick. Upon seeing this, Mac became hard. His member slowly poked out from his crotch He couldn't wait to see what Trixie had in store for him. Once Trixie got where she wanted. She sat up, and looked down at Mac. She smiled seductively at him. "You ready, big boy?" She whispered. Mac nodded with excitement. "Yes ah am, sexy thing." He replied. Trixie looked at his erect cock. She lowered both of her hooves, and wrapped them around his shaft. She slowly started stroking it up and down with her hooves. Mac moaned and closed his eyes. He had clopped before, but this time was better. It felt good being whacked off by a mare. Trixie looked at Mac as she did her thing. She smiled seductivley at him. "You like this, big boy?" She asked. "Ooooh, yes." He moaned. "Ah love it." He added. Trixie sped up the pace, stroking him faster. Trixie took off one hoof, and lowered it to his balls. She slowly rubbed them, adding to the pleasure. Mac laid his head back. He smiled, enjoying what he was getting. Trixie then put her other hoof back on his cock. She stroked it much faster. However, her hooves were getting tired quickly... She stopped clopping him, and leaned down. She took his cock into her mouth. She bobbed her head as fast as she could, letting her tongue roll around his shaft. The sudden blowjob caught Mac by surprise. He gasped, then moaned. His cock tighened up from the feeling. Trixie kept her eyes focused on Mac, watching his reaction. She loved how it made him feel good. She kept bobbing her head at the same rate of speed. It was amazing for Big Mac. The pleasure was amazing. Then, he felt that sensation. He could feel pressure building up in his dick. His balls felt like they were going to explode. "A-Ah'm gonna cum." He whispered. It was hard for him to talk, the blowjob was making him moan a lot. Trixie prepared herself, and took his dick all the way into her mouth. This only made Mac feel like he would burst a lot of cum. However, he did. His cock shot out his cum like a rocket. Mac moaned loudly, and his eyes clenched shut. Trixie closed her eyes and moaned. She could taste Mac's cum as she swallowed it. The hot fluid felt good as it trickled down her throat. "AAAAHHHHH!" Mac exclaimed. Trixie's throat muscles tightened around his dick. It felt amazing. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Trixie bobbed her head a few times to make sure he was drained of his fluids. She sloppily let his dick fall out of her mouth. Trixie then crawled up his body. Mac's stallionhood started to shrink. He watched anxiously as Trixie made her way back up Mac's body. Trixie pulled Mac in for a kiss. He accepted, despite the fact she had just sucked him off, and had his cum in her mouth. They kissed for the longest time. Trixie's horn glowed slightly from excitement. Mac had an idea. He broke the kiss, and pulled Trixie's head. He pointed her horn at his face and sucked it into his mouth. Trixie squealed. She also moaned from the sensations going on in her horn. Mac swirled his tongue around her horn, the same she sucked his dick. He used lots of spit, and plenty of tongue. It didn't take long for Trixie to orgasm. "OOOOOOOHHH, YEEEEES!!" Hs exclmaimed. Brightly colored liquid shot out of her horn. Mac swallowed the liquid, tasting it. It had a very sweet taste. Once he swallowed it, Big Mac took Trixie's horn out of her mouth, and gave Trixie a quick kiss. Trixie giggled. "That felt so good!" She exclaimed. "Glad ta have made ya feel good." He winked. Trixie wanted that cock inside her. again. Surely a stallion like Big Mac was ready to go in little time. Trixie slowly lifted her wet clit, and rubbed it against Mac's cock. Mac moaned a little. His cock started to get hard from her warm juices. Once he was hard, she lifted her rump. "Stick it in." She whispered. Mac replied quickly. He held his dick with one hoof, and Trixie's slowly lowered herself onto Mac, his cock sliding into Trixie's ass. "Ooooooh." He moaned. She had a tiny hole for a big mare, but her warm, wet ass felt good with her skin tight around his cock. Mac slowly started thrusting upward, while Trixie went down with her rump. Trixie moaned at the feeling of something inside of her. She felt like exploding. Mac shut his eyes tight. Her ass was wet and tight, which made Mac want to cum. "F-Faster!" Trixie stuttured. Trixie tried to go faster. She was already sweating a little, and she was panting. "Oh my... Oh wow!" She mumbled. It was amazing, Trixie was in bliss. Suddenly, Mac started ramming his cock in and out of Trixie's ass. He moaned loudly. Mac hoped he could make himself cum if he went fast enough. "OOOOOOOH!!" Trixie exclaimed. She literally exploded. It was a powerful orgasm that rocked her rump. As Big Mac pumped in and out of her, Trixie's juices seeped out around Mac's cock. For Mac, this just pushed him closer to cumming. His balls were getting smaller and smaller by the second. More of Trixie's juices came out. Her orgasm still going strong. She panted more, and sweated more. As Mac pumped furiously, he could feel an orgasm coming on. He thrusted with all his might, and came inside Trixie. Mac almost screamed instead of moaning, it was the best feeling ever. Trixie gasped, Mac's unexpected finish made Trixie almost collapse. His fluid was warm, and she could feel it inside her. She loved how it was warm, and it made her insides feel good. Mac pumped more, he wanted to make sure it was all out. His cum flowed out of Trixie, and trickled down his cock. Then Trixie lifted herself off of Mac, and went down. She licked his dick, and his balls, cleaning him up with her mouth. Mac watched as Trixie cleaned him up. It felt good, but since he just came, it didn't feel as good. Once she licked up the mixture of her own fluids, and Mac's seed, she swallowed it, savoring it's taste. Trixie hopped off the bed, allowing Mac to get up. Mac stretched for a moment, and hopped out of Trixie's bed. Trixie picked up Mac's tuxedo, and gave it to him. He quickly put it on himself. "Oh wow... That was amazing." Big Mac said, sweating a little. "Yes, it was." Trixie winked. "Thank ya, Miss Trixie. Ah enjoyed this a lot." Big Mac winked back. "Ah told mah folks at home that ah would be going to a gentlecolt's club. They expected that ah would be home soon." Mac said. "Trixie understands." She replied. "I shall see you soon." She added. "Sounds good, madam." He replied back, using a fancy tone. Mac trotted to the door of Trixie's stable and opened it. "See y'all soon!" He waved at Trixie. "Bye, Mac!" She waved back. Mac made his way out of her stable, closed the door, and trotted back to Sweet Apple Acres. Trixie laid down on her bed, now bored. "How can we have a relationship like this?" She asked herself. "I'm sure it will work out." Trixie said, a grin on her face... === Dinner For Two === A few days after Trixie and Mac' last 'date'... "Big Mac, why are ya goin' out so much?" AJ asked. Big Macintosh was making sure his tuxedo was clean. He brushed his hoof along his chest. "Uhm... Well..." Big Mac couldn't find any words to say. He couldn't tell Applejack what Trixie and him were really doing... "Did ya find ya a nice mare?" AJ giggled. "Actually, yes." Mac replied. Applejack had a funny look on her face, like she was about to laugh. "Oh, c'mon big brother, you don' have ta lie ta me." She chuckled. "But ah'm serious." He replied, his eyes were dead serious. "Oh... Well, who's the lucky mare?" She asked. "Her name is Trixie." He replied, not knowing about AJ and her friends meeting her a while back. "W-WHAT?!" She exclaimed. "Y-YOU CAN'T DATE HER!" She added. "Why in tarnation is that?" He asked. "B-Because, she's nothing but a mean little bitch!" She exclaimed. Big Mac was shocked at Applejack's language. "No AJ, your wrong! She's ah nice mare!" He replied. "But ya haven't even seen the horrible things she said and done ta us." She said. "What has she done ta you?" He asked. "Well... She... Uh..." AJ stuttered. "See, she's not aa bad pony. You just don't want me datin' mares." He snapped at her. "Big brother, ah don't mind ya datin' mares, but Trixie..." AJ paused. She sighed "Fine, you can date 'er, but i'm keepin' a close eye on you two. I'll be watching you like ah cat watching ah mouse." She replied. "Okay, AJ." He replied, not really interested in what Applejack had just said. "Ah'll be home soon." He said. "Alright, ah'll see ya later, big brother." She replied. With that, Mac trotted to the front door, and opened it. It almost dark, the sun has almost settled. He trotted to the place he would meet Trixie, the fanciest restaurant in Ponyville. Sure, it was a pizza place, but it was still a fancy restaurant. As Mac approached the restaurant, he spotted Trixie waiting by the door. Trixie's eyes sparkled as Big Mac appeared in fromt of her. "Well hello, Big Mac." She stated. "Hello there, Miss Trixie." Mac replied. "Shall we go inside?" He added. "Yes, of course we shall. It shall be the greatest of all dinners." She replied, with a grin. Big Mac opened the door for Trixie. She trotted in, and was greeted by the waiter. "Hello, and welcome to Roma's Pizza." The waiter said. "A table for two ponies?" He asked. "Eeyup." Big Mac replied. "Okay then, right this way." The waiter said, trotting to a nearby table. Big Mac and Trixie followed. "Wow, this place sure is fancy for a pizza parlor." Mac whispered. "Yes, it is." Trixie replied. "Okay, here is your table." The waiter stated, as he turned around and pointed to the table with his hoof. "Thank ya." Mac replied. Trixie sat on one side, while Mac sat on the other. The waiter then handed two menus to them. "Okay, what will we be having for a drink?" The waiter asked. "Ah'll have ah glass of water." Mac replied. "Hmmm... Trixie will have water as well." She replied. "Two waters? Okay then, i'll be right back with that." The waiter replied, heading toward the kitchen. Mac looked around, he still couldn't believe how fancy this place was. "Too fancy?" Trixie asked. "No, ah just never been in a restaurant this fancy." Mac replied. "Really? Trixie would think a fine stallion like yourself has been in far more fancier restaurants than this." She replied back, with a wink. Big Mac blushed a little. "Aw, ah ain't that fancy." He whispered. "Nonsense! Trixie thinks you are the fanciest stallion in Ponyville!" She replied. Big Mac's blush only got redder. "Aw, thank ya." He said. Trixie looked deeply into his eyes as a response. "And here is the water you two wanted." The waiter had returned with two glasses of water with lemon. "Thank ya." Mac said. "Yes, thank you." Trixie added. "Now, what will we be eating?" The waiter asked, taking out a pad of paper and a pencil. "Oh, uh, we haven't really looked at the menus yet." Mac replied. "No problem. Look over the menu, and i'll be back shortly to take your order." The waiter replied, trotting away. Mac and Trixie opened their menus simultaniously. Both Trixie and Mac looked at all the tasty meals on the menus. "Oh wow, everything looks so good." Mac said. "Yes it does." Trixie replied. "Ah think ah'll have the veggie pizza. No, the pineapple! NO, the cheese!" Mac stuttered. Trixie giggled. "Your cute when your like that." She complimented. Mac blushed. "Thank ya." He replied. "Trixie's knows what she'll have. A pineapple pizza." She said, closing her menu. "Uh, ah'll have the same thing." Mac added, closing his menu, too. A few moments of silence passed, and then Trixie spoke. "So... Um... I hear that pineapple pizza is sweet." She said. "Eeyup." Mac replied. "I know something of yours that's sweet, too." She winked. "Uh, thanks." He replied with a blush. Soon, the waiter came back. "Okay, are we ready to order?" The waiter asked. "Eeyup." Mac replied. "We'd both like four slices of pineapple pizza." He added. The waiter wrote down the order. "So one whole pizza being split between the two of you?" He asked. "Yes." Trixie replied. "Okay, it won't be long before it's done." The waiter replied back, trotting to the kitchen. "You think we'll really be able to eat all that, Mac?" Trixie stared at Big Mac, a little confused as to why he would order that much. "Ah know we'll be able to." Macintosh chuckled. Trixie giggled along with him. Meanwhile, back at Sweet Apple Acres, Applejack paced around her room. She still couldn't get over the fact that her big brother was dating the mare she despised the most. "Ah can't believe Big Mac would do this... He's datin' that little..." Applejack tried her best not to say the "b" word. "Ah just hope ah never have to see her... I'd knock her teeth right outta her snout!" Applejack snarled. :After a moment of calming down, and pacing around, Applejack sat on her bed. "Ah wonder how's it going for the both of 'em." Applejack wondered. She thought hard about a way that she could possibly know what they're doing. "Ah could spy on 'em... But that wouldn't be right." AJ sighed, Applejack looked down, her eyes staring at the floor. "Maybe ah should accept the fact that Big Mac is datin'... Her..." Applejack looked up, moving her eyes up, and quickly moving them back down. "But still... She's always gonna be that stuck up little bit-" Applejack paused, restraining herself from saying the "b" word again. Applejack sighed, and laid down on her back. She scooted herself over to her pillow and laid her head on it. "I think ah need to rest a while..." She said to herself. "Talkin' about all this is just..." Applejack finished her sentence there, not really answering it. She slowly closed her eyes, putting her hooves in front of her, stretching. "Aaaaahhhh..." Applejack sighed, relieved, and slowly drifted off to sleep. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Outside World author: Dunsparce tags: genre:Adventure

=== Exile === What am I? I'm a monster, that's what I am. A cold blooded, love stealing monster. I'm one messed up living being. I can't help it! I was raised to be one! I am a changeling. Yes, that horrid creature. That's me. I hate being me. It's a real pain. I'm a monster within monsters. I'm different from the rest. I don't know why or what formed this monstrosity, but one thing is for sure, I'm different. Most changelings have those soul piercing eyes, pitch black body, and house fly-like wings and horrid sense of humor. I'm just the opposite. Wings like a pegasus, eyes of a pony, and worst of all a blue skinned body. I'm mocked every day from the other changelings. It all started in elementary school where the other changelings talked behind my back about me. They would always say "dude, what's up with THAT girl?" and they would avoid me and never play with me during lunch time. The teachers never called on me when others raised their hooves, the principal was never on my side, my childhood was dark and horrible. I needed something to make it better. That something never came. I never had anyone as a friend. They all thought I was too weird to even poke with a stick, which they rudely did occasionally. As a little changeling, I didn't know what was wrong with me. I always came home to my adoptive mother my head hung low with my heart destroyed. It couldn't be more destroyed if you ran it over with a Zamboni. Sometimes I came home with bruises and cuts from getting beat up. Even my mother never really paid all the much attention to me. I was always denies my wants in life. "Can I have an Ipod?" "Can I go play outside?" "Can you buy me a stuffed animal?" and the answer was always "no, no, NO!" I began to hate my life at middle school. I had reached the level of clinical depression at that state. I didn't care anymore, I just wanted to sit at my table, by my lone self reading a book at lunch while other changelings laughed at me, beat me up, and threw food at me. I remember a lot of mashed potatoes. I cried every day, waiting and hoping that someone or something would make my life at least a little bit better. That person or thing never came. It hasn't come yet even. I'm nineteen now, my life still sucks, and I've been trapped in this stupid hive that we live in since my childhood. I don't remember the outside. It must be beautiful. Where ever my real parents are in the real world, I want to find them. I have no idea of what the real world is like, how big it is, or how awesome it is. I'm stuck in a black, soulless, loveless, horrid hive. Another thing that makes me strange is my personality. I see these evil changelings harassing, raping, and even killing their pony captives. Not before sucking all of the love they have right out of them. They kill them like it is a sport. Hell, it IS a sport to them! Innocent lives, gone in the blink of an eye without them having a say in it at all. They teach us it in high school! I was white at the thought of it! I couldn't kill my victim. My fangs are sharp, like a changeling, but I haven't the heart to do that! It's grotesque and unnatural! The school got me help from the best teachers in the hive, but even they couldn't make me. They even got the QUEEN to try and help me! The QUEEN! Queen Chrysalis! Yeah! You all know her! She failed to get me to do it as well! I refuse to do that for as long as I live. What if that pony has a family? A wife? A husband? A child? What will that family do, just bunch up and mourn their loved one's death at our amusement? We are monsters. Grotesque creatures that are guilty of horrible crimes. I am ashamed to even be around such creatures, let alone be one! We live under a strict monarchy, meaning that if you don't follow the Queen's orders, you get a trident shoved up your ass and thrown in jail. That's where I am now, however I was joking about the trident thing, sure feels like it though. I'm in jail! I never thought I would end up here for not being like the others. Sitting in the cold corner, thinking about why I'm so different. I've been rotting in here for a few days now, waiting for it to be my turn to hit the dust. I'm supposed to be tested today. In only a few minutes. I don't know what I'll be tested for, but I know for sure that it's going to be something I would never do. …I hear footsteps coming my way, and they are quite in tune. Those must be the guards. What do I do? I… I've lost all hope. They are staring at me with their bloodthirsty, demonic eyes. They see me, yet their eyes can't see anything. One speaks to me with a silent, unheard voice that was so clear it hurt. "Get up. It's time for you to see our queen for possibly the last time." He says to me. I look up and gasp, but don't say anything. This moment is the one I've been dreading. Nothing says you're gonna die quite like the words "last time" at the end of a nonexistent sentence. He continues to yell at me, as I remain shy. "I said get up, you stupid brat!" the spiked demon says. He comes up to me and raises his hoof. As I look up at it, it comes down with a hateful slam. My head hurts now as it bleeds. I bleed not externally, but internally. My mind is rejecting that this is happening, crying itself to insanity. He forcefully  grabs my hoof and hands the other one to a nearby guard. He tells him to "cuff her". My hooves are violently hoof-cuffed together as they start carrying me down the hall. The walls stare depressed at me. The mounted heads on the royal hallway stare with their large eyes at me, yet they do not see anything. The one dimensional heads stray away from me as I am carried down the hall. I am being bombarded with blind eyes and deaf ears. The entry to hell was not far up the hall, and I was unprepared for the devastation that the world I only know of will see. The void to hell opens as the ferrymen without a boat bow before the devil herself. A misplaced soul lay in front of the devil as I am placed in front of it. The eyes of tomorrow retreat their helpful hand as I fail to reach it and begin to fall endlessly into eternal suffering. The devil looks down at me and squints angrily, like a spider to a webbed fly. "Sillithus. You have failed to perform your duties as a changeling your entire life." The devil began. Each word was a spear injected into my heart with unreal force. The spears kept coming. "I am your Queen. You will do as I say. There is a unicorn before you." She points down without moving her body. A helpless, doomed soul lay before me, not knowing what was going on. She is the most lifeless alive body I have ever seen with my color-blessed eyes. I look back up at the devil, and she looks down at me. A struggle for power in which I have lost before I have started. She orders me to kill her without saying a word. I put my hoof on the unicorn and stroke her corrupted mane. She squirms with agony and I flinch and take my hoof off of the cursed being. I shake my head in denial. Even if it costs me my life, I shall not destroy a life not worth destroying. The only life I wish to destroy is the one that is already dead. The devil stomps her hoof and demands entertainment of her poor slave again. "Sillithus! Kill her!" she orders. The statues in the room laugh and point at me without moving an inch. I remain defiant. I see fire around me, and it freezes me cold in place. The hive has never been so bright. The devil sighs in disappointing joy and insultingly apologizes. "I was hoping it wouldn't have to come to this." She says. I can't defy my childhood taskmaster any longer. I brace for the spears that she is about to throw at my body. "Sillithus." She begins. It is all I need to hear to realize what my punishment is. I am done for, I know it. "You have wings of a Pegasus, eyes of a pony, magic of a unicorn, mane of an outsider, and the attitude of a friendly creature, yet you possess all of the powers of us, and a body rounded to fit the shape of us. I do not know your origin, and you do not know your origin. You are too different from us and we cannot find your place in this hive. You do not belong here. Therefore…" She pauses, as if taunting me. I am insulted, but at the same time thankful. An emotion that is quite new to me, yet I am scared to know what comes next. The devil opens her eyes once more and continues her message. "Therefore you are banned from this hive. You will forever learn to live on your own." I expected her to say death, however hearing this, I am even more scared than before. I've never even seen what I'm going up against, which is basic life! I act calm and collected, yet I am quite the opposite. I'm now doomed to a life where nobody will accept me. A life where nobody will love me. A life where Heaven's hand strays away from my heart, forever casting me into poverty. I cannot survive this, yet I must, and there is nobody and nothing to help me along. I look around, seeing nothing but a bright green lamp and demons. The lamp is the brightest thing I have ever seen in my life, yet it is what makes the room darker than the color black itself. I'm scared, watching as blue-eyed monsters walk up to me, three of them. One is holding a black object, but the light ejecting from it is making it too hard to see. They are getting closer, and as they do light feeds the dark mouth of Hell, cancelling out the green lamp. The darkness of the object the demon is holding is blinding me, making me squint. They now surround me, and I cannot think. My heart is panting, running for its life and my brain cannot process the situation. My eyes can no longer see through the blinding light, but I can feel the demons grabbing my arms. I can't speak, but I want to. Suddenly, it all ends. The light flashes between white and black for milliseconds, and then stays black. I can no longer feel or hear. What am I? I'm a monster, that's what I am. A monster with no hope, no love, no affection. I've been this way since I was a child. I'm an outcast upon outcasts now. I am now being thrown out of my only home I know. I don't know where I am, maybe not even out of Hell yet, but it all feels foreign now. I'm in a dark tunnel, and there is no exit but the unbreakable window behind me. A bright green light hits my eyes, and it hurts. I can't turn back and I can't move forward. Here I am, getting thrown into life with a hard shove, and it's going to inevitably shove back, and shove back hard. === Aliens of Reality === Am I conscious? I don't know anymore. Who knows, it could all be just a simple dream. My reality is my dream, yet my dreams are dreams. Reality is broken and unfixable by even the greatest engineer of the mind. I'm looking around me and I'm seeing things. I'm unsure what they are, and what they are doing. Their arms are still, yet they make all the sound in the world. A fan is blowing in my face softly from a distance of which I cannot see it. The grounded tape sticks to me like an urchin, and I cannot get it all off. Green is all around me, but it's not the green of the lamp, rather a new, quiet green that I cannot comprehend. Why am I crying? I do not know for sure, but something is making me sad. Am I scared of these new beings? My mind cannot decide, but my exterior body has already. Of course! I'm scared that someone may find me! But why would I be scared of that? I'm alone in the darkness, looking up at the red dome above me. It fades into a lighter black, where I can see. What is that? It's so dark I must squint to see it. A warm, indefinable box is coming up over the line, and I am more scared than I have ever been. The box reminds me of the innocent soul that I was told to diminish. I cannot simply stand here and dawdle! I must head off! But where in this vast new ecosystem shall I go? There are no walls, no webs,  no devil, and no suffering. Someone will find me and execute me, I'm almost positive! I must complete the only process I was taught correctly. I'm concentrating, and my head begins to hurt. After a colorless flash and a quiet electronical-like sound, I open my eyes. I am no different, but I feel different. My heart complains of my action as my brain argues its case to it. It keeps telling my heart "This is the right thing, this is the right thing". I sure hope it's correct. I look at myself and I see an impostor. What a horrible feeling I have in my heart right now. I don't understand life. Why is it so cruel to me? I find no satisfaction, no matter what I do or where I go. I'm God's experiment and he's watching over me, observing like a hawk. He doesn't care about my suffering, He just wants to see how I handle it. Even God hates me, that's how alone I am. I should be punished for stealing the image of a perfectly innocent creature. What is that on my edge? It's on both sides! It appears to be a shining emerald, but why would it be there? So many questions, and nothing to answer them. Walking through this place is about as friendly as being carried into that Hellhole that I lived in. I hear a scatter to my left. Turning, I see nothing but a green pile of mesh. I call out a simple "hello?" but nothing replies. I'm so nervous I can't think. The red above me is shifting to blue, and the safe darkness starts to fade. That demon is taking away my safety! Of course, I do not know if I am safe in the first place, so that's kind of a preposterous thing to think. This line of tape is only what I am to assume to be a trail. I'm following it, making sounds with the tape. Some of it is sticking to me, some of it isn't. I'm looking around, and I accidentally kick something. It rolls around with cracking sounds. I'm sweating and don't know what to do. I creep up to it, my legs shaking. It doesn't move. I put my hoof up to it once again and touch it. It still doesn't move. A lightly flick it, making it move another couple inches across the brown tape. I squeal lightly and flinch backward, sliding across the tape as it takes a brush and paints my hooves to its favorite color. How do I avoid this thing? Will it kill me? Is it alive? I run toward it as it sits still in place. I gather all the strength in my legs and jump over it. I quickly glance back. It sits there, staring at me with no eyes. I sigh in relief only to see another one not too far ahead. Godammit. I now notice that I am completely exposed by the red devil in the sky. It's peering over at me, the light of God peering into my soul. I don't want this! Leave me alone!! I think to myself. I want to hide, but where to go? Nothing but strange creatures left and right. Are they all alive? Do they feel emotion or speak? I've tried talking and there's no response. There's no more options, though! I need to get away from that light-filled subject-stalker as fast as I can. Not knowing where I am going, I leap left into a green creature. "I'm so sorry, I can't get away from that thing up there. I apologize for bumping into you." I say to the green creature. No response I can understand comes from it, rather a strange rustling sound. Was it attempting to communicate? How should I know? I'm an alien to these creatures. After realizing that it's responses were just me answering myself every time I moved, I decide that it is not filled with life, such as the still creature I kicked. If something lives, it has to be able to communicate, correct? Bah, what do I know. I've been locked up in a hive for almost all of my life. The red devil is still in sight and I continue to head whatever direction I am going. I am being bombarded with swords from the tape below me. These swords do not hurt, rather tickle me. Quite intriguing, if I do say so myself. I just hope that me stepping on them is not hurting them in any way, if they so happen to possess life. A harsh current of air hits my face again, most likely from the fan that I cannot see off in the distance. The air whistles through the swords and green giants with a brown body. Everything in this world is so diverse, even the giants look different in some ways. They have more arms than the other, or their hairs look different. None of them are able to move on their own, according to what I have noticed so far. Oh? What's this little thing on the ground? It's… It's moving! I take a step back and observe it for a minute. I edge closer and closer to it. It moves off needles sticking out of its body. It almost looks like the ADHD pills I always used to take in the morning during middle school. I very gently bring my hoof near it. It's still moving about, minding its own business. I poke it gently with the tip of my hoof and it rolls up into a ball, as if retreating into a base. "Oh! I'm sorry!" I gasp as I cover my mouth with my hoof in shame. I've scared something that could be my end. "Umm… I- I'll just leave you be!" I say, trying to comfort the mini-fortress animal. It's probably just me going insane. But one thing is for sure, I hear humming from somewhere not too far, and that's not my imagination. Do I go investigate the humming? Who or whatever is humming has quite the beautiful voice if I do say so myself. "Curiosity killed the cat", the saying goes. Something, however, is making me drawn to the music. I don't know what it is, but my heart is telling me to go, and I always trust my heart over my brain… well… almost always. As I get closer to the music, it gets louder and louder. However, the eyes of the giants are watching my every move, and I'm scared to get too close. However, my heart is saying there isn't a too close. This is making me scared… again. I see the rays of the red devil up ahead yet again. The singing is coming from that opening, but how do I confront it? I must just get a tad closer, just to see what it's coming from. I'm low on the ground, the tape is on my side, softening my hoof-steps. I come up on another green, shaky ball and peer through it. I can barely see anything, but I can make out an image of the scene. This picture that I look at, for some reason, is the most beautiful thing my eyes have ever seen. === Heaven's Voice === I do not understand what beauty I am witnessing. I know the figure, of course. She's a unicorn, anyone with a brain could figure that out. But the majesty of her appearance within these creatures, still unknown to me, is arousing. I cannot explain her in full detail if I tried. I can explain her appearance perfectly, but the joy that fills her is something I have just for the first time witnessed. My eyes are watering at this sight, unable to take it. Has happiness finally reached my black heart? I see that the giants smile at me with warmth in their hearts, wherever they may be. The swords below me whistle in joy again as the flowing air points them toward my body. I look back up at the unicorn, and she is reading a book. The first inanimate object I am able to  recognize is the book. She is sitting in a seat of some sort. She's pushing on the ground with her hoof and the object she sits on sways back and forth, cradling her as if she were an infant. I do not know the song she is humming, but it makes my ears relax and lie low. What a beautiful sound she makes. Why? Why can't that be me? I realize my presence is not welcome here, so I attempt to leave. I turn around and step on a fallen giant hair. The dead hair makes a bang in the silence and the humming stops. Have I doomed myself? I know she knows I'm here. My heart is racing again. Another being is now going to find me out and hate me. A squeak comes from the rocking object, and a gentle sound of a book closing reaches my ears. I hide behind a giant, who protects me proudly, without a word. "Hello? Anyone there?" She calls. Even her normal voice is enough to sway me away from my thoughts. I wonder if this is what… No! She's after me! Pay attention, you monster! "I- If anyone's there, don't be afraid! I'm… I'm a nice person!" She yells. I hear crunching coming my way. She's stepping on the fallen hairs of the giant! For some reason, the tree behind me is full of green. Not just any green, but Hell's lamp green. I hear her on the other side of the giant. I'm doomed. There's no way out of this. Time for another persecution and/or harassment to remember throughout my life and mourn every night over it, as if I don't have enough of those at hand already. I pull my hoof up the giant, only to hear a slight scraping sound. I've given up now. I'm a dead changeling. "Hmm. I know you're behind this…" She begins. Her tone makes me think she is going to end the sentence with whatever name is given to the giant behind me. My heart settles down as it knows it is the end. "…Tree!" She ends. She blinks and raises her eyebrows as I flinch and fly backward into the swords. The swords know my pain and are now comforting my body as much as they can. Life here is much more nicer than anything in the hive. She stares at me with a smug look as I cry myself insane on the inside. I'm breathing heavily, with almost every breath sounding like a gasp. I'm praying that unicorns are not as hostile as the changelings are. The red devil again shines in my face, through the cracks just to see what will happen. The unicorn chuckles before me. "Ahaha! I knew it! I'm such a rogue. So! Why ya stalkin' me?" She asks me. Stalkin'? Such crude language, but I can understand just fine. I've never held many conversations with others, so I don't know how to properly complete this small section of my life. "Stalking? Oh, I sincerely apologize, for that wasn't my intention at all! I hope I haven't disturbed your day in any sort of prize manner…" I respond. How do I do this!? This is harder than expected. Social conversations were never really my strong point. The unicorn responded with a sound I can only describe as "tch", yet I do not know what it means. "You talk fancy! Where are you from, girl?" She asks me. She's obviously a young woman from a small town, where language education may be scarce. But either way, she's stumped me. I can't lie here, she won't believe me, but I can't tell her I'm from the hive! I just have to say… "I… I don't know." … What? What else could I say? I am unaware of the location I am in, what I am doing, or what even these small swords are! The unicorn's eyebrow lifted. "…Ya don't know? Do ya know your name?" She asks me. I finally get up. I can't answer "Sillithus", because that would be skeptical. I can think of a name quick. Uhh… this… tattoo like thing on my late side, it's an emerald with light piercing out of it. Name… Name… Aha! The only thing I can think of in seven seconds. "Uhh… Emerald Ray." I answer, sweating. She's looking at me like I don't have a clue about any situation that has ever occurred to me throughout my life… and she's right. "Good, you know your name. I'm Colgate. You seem to have a bit of… amnesia, maybe?" She asks. I can't make up anything here. I just have to come clean and lay down the facts… well… most of them. "Not at all, actually. I've lived in a… uhh… cave all my life. I don't really know where I'm from. I am an outcast of the natives that live in the cave." I explain. I am so nervous that my heart may explode. The red devil turns on the moment and the giants stop speaking. The swords are no longer clashing, and the world has stopped spinning. Colgate seemed in somewhat disbelief. "An outcast? Of cave people? Are you sure you weren't just trying to hit on me?" she asks. Now that I didn't understand. " 'Hit on me'? I don't follow." I say. She rolls her eyes at me and sighs with impatience. I'm well aware she does not necessarily like me currently. "Y'know, when ya hit on someone ya like? Try to get your special someone's attention?" She elaborates. I'm so struck with surprise I flinch in all the anger and nervousness my poor heart can muster without disintegrating. "Oh, Hell no! I am banished from my home for not following the orders of my ridiculous people and now everything is foreign. I am unaware of what these sword like things are, what those brown giants are, or what this round-ish, hard thing is. I came over here simply because I heard someone delightfully humming a tune and I wished to find out who it was. You have a very nice voice, might I say as well." I said… wait. Did I really just say that? I'm doomed even more now! She's going to think I'm strange. The giants move once again and cover their eyes with their arms. "Aww, I'm flattered! But seriously, you don't know what a ROCK is? I thought you lived in cave!" She said in only what I am to assume to be a frustrated manner. I don't know about these "rocks". "Oh, are those quite common in caves? I am unaware of most common information. In my old "home" if you could call it one, we were only taught mathematics and literature." I say to her. She shrugs and rolls her eyes… again. Why do I make everyone I talk to angry at me? Is my life meant to be this painfull? "Well, that's obvious. So, why are you banished again? That really sucks by the way." She crudely says. Her language is so foreign and her attitude as well. I've never encountered a being with such an upbeat style of thinking. "I… well…" I begin softly. I sigh with defeat and give her the truth. "Well, intruders of our people are killed by us. Yes, we are that brutal. I… I refused to follow the Quee-" I stop myself before I figure out what I was going to say. "Excuse me, leader's orders to kill an intruder. I was kicked out of the cave, and now I am alone. I've been alone for a long time. Nobody ever liked me, and nobody ever will. It's just how my life rolls out on itself." I explain with depression spelled all over my face. She gasps at me with fear. "That's… that's horrible!" She exclaims. I knew she would think of me this way. What is she going to do now, run away like the rest of the people that confront me? "I know. I'm a monster." I say, turning my head. I don't think she wants to see my face. I won't let her. "No, not that!" She says angrily. "Nobody's ever liked you!? That's a horrible thing to live through! Sure you're weird, but you're nice! Why wouldn't anyone ever like you?" She asks me in impatience. Not exactly the response I was expecting, but I'll roll with it. The lamp green light from the back of the tree is fading, and the red devil comes out once again. Has God decided that it's not embarrassing enough to look away? Either way, it's insulting. "That's the point." I say frustratingly to her. "My people are mean torturers. I'm not one of them. Trust me, if you knew the real me, you wouldn't poke me with a stick, and no I'm not telling you what the real me is like." I turn my head away angrily, but strangely, also filled with affection. I… I can't explain it simply. "I don't care! I like you! You're a swell girl! You have just been… denied a real life, or something like that." She says to me. That's confusing; "denied a real life"? What does she mean by that? "You don't have a home, do you?" She asks me. I don't know why she asks me this because she knows the answer, but whatever. I reply with a shake and a simple "no". "Then you're living with me for now. Come on." She curls her hoof in a expression that I cannot define as of yet. She's a very… wait… did she just demand me to LIVE WITH HER? What madness has consumed her? "E… Excuse me!? You would just… take me in!?" I exclaim. This is not happening. This must be a dream! The wonderful voice that I followed now wants me to sing with her. If only she knew that I can't sing, she would abandon me. "Yeah! No pony deserves your fate! I have yet something important to do with my life, and I think I've found that important thing. I can… oh! I can teach you all about our culture and everything you want or need to know, too! YES! I can finally feel important!" She chants. The blue unicorn is jumping up and down, dancing. Is this what it feels like to be happy? Is this what it feels like to have… a friend? It's a feeling that is indescribable, yet does not need to be described. For some reason, I'm interested and want to learn more. The red angel on the dome's outer shell brought our souls together, and I intend to investigate the reason why. I just hope the monster within does not soil this lifetime opportunity. I look down, smiling. The being I now understand only to be a "rock" is smiling gracefully at me. I'm bombarding her with questions on the trail of tape, which I now am able to call "dirt". The angel in the sky, apparently called the "sun" shines in our faces as the "wind" blows through the "trees" and "bushes". I've learned so much and there is still so much to learn! A world which I thought is my nightmare turns out to by my true reality, and it's beautiful. It's almost as beautiful as Colgate, the voice of the heavens, doing everything in her power to fix my horrible life. God now smiles down upon me, his light green plan going perfectly. For the first time in my life, I'm happy. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Into the Flier author: Lockstep tags: character:Cutie Mark Crusaders, character:Main 6, character:Pinkie Pie, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Spike, genre:Comedy, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Out of the Frying Pan === Rainbow Dash perched atop the spire of Ponyville Town Hall, her many-colored mane whipping dramatically in the wind about her face. She lifted a foreleg, to which a watch was firmly fastened, and yanked the strap tight with her teeth. After giving the leg a good shake, she nodded stoically. Her stomach growled. "Awww!" the pegasus moaned. Looking backward, she spread her wings so she could better see her stomach. Her ribs showed ominously beneath her coat. Rattling her head and snapping a pair of goggles over her eyes, she assured herself that this was normal. "Gotta focus! Focus!" She slapped either cheek rather harder than she intended, rubbed them tenderly, and ballooned them with a number of quick, deep breaths. Poising herself as if on a high dive, she rapped her watch against the spire. And she was off! Zooming left and right, up, down and around, Rainbow Dash burst cloud after cloud into thin air following the optimal route she had planned from her vantage. The clouds dissolved at her touch—sheared through by a wingtip, burst as she rebounded to change direction. In no time at all, the fading remnants of rainbow loops and strands were all that adorned the dawning autumn sky over Ponyville. She slapped her watch the moment her hooves touched the grass. "Done!" she croaked. Sweat dripped from her forehead in buckets, and her breath came fast and labored; but her smile was triumphant. That must have been one of her fastest times yet—she could feel it! She turned her foreleg upward to check her time: the little red second hand quivered mockingly in place. 11 seconds. 11 seconds. "Awwww!" Rainbow moaned more pitifully than before, and her stomach growled louder than ever. The bell to Sugarcube Corner's front door tinkled cheerfully as Rainbow Dash entered the shop, her head sagging with exhaustion. In a flash Pinkie Pie materialized at the counter to welcome her. "Well hiya, stranger!" she greeted Rainbow buoyantly. "The usual, I presume?" "Thanks, Pinkie," the pegasus sighed. Shuffling behind the counter a moment, Pinkie drew out a warm, fluffy muffin, which Rainbow immediately snapped out of her hooves and swallowed whole. Pinkie whipped her empty hoof back in surprise. "Whoa! Are you…feeling alright, Rainbow Dash?" "Yeah, super," said Rainbow, her composure swiftly recovering after having eaten. "Why d'you ask?" "Oh, no reason. It's just that nopony's taken such a liking to the muffin paper before." "There was paper?" Rainbow Dash's stomach grumbled with resentment. "Are you sure that's all you want?" Pinkie asked. "You look famished. You're nothing but feathers and bones!" "Eh, you're imagining things," Rainbow dismissed her and tossed a few bits on the counter. Pinkie's eyes narrowed; she sunk behind the counter and suddenly tossed a second muffin in a high arc. By reflex Rainbow jumped like a fish and gobbled it out of midair. "Imagining things, am I?" Pinkie raised an eyebrow. Rainbow Dash peeled the muffin's damp paper from her tongue and threw it away. "I'm kinda on a tight budget," she admitted. "If I spend too much now I won't be able to afford the lunch special at Chez Poné." "You're going out for lunch, too?" Pinkie inquired. "What's the occasion?" "No occasion. I get lunch there every day." "Really? But isn't that expensive?" "It's the best I could find for the money I have," Rainbow explained. "And it's no more expensive than the dinner buffet at the Ponyville Feedbag every night." Pinkie Pie was shocked. "You mean you eat out for every meal? Every day?" "Yeah," said Rainbow Dash defensively. "What's wrong with that?" "Why don't you just prepare something at home?" Pinkie suggested. "You'll be able to eat a lot more without spending so much." Rainbow gave her a confused, almost pitying look. "Why would I make food at home if I can just get fed at a restaurant? I'm too busy to waste my time cooking. Thanks for the concern, but my routine suits me just fine." Her stomach rumbled once again. She blinked. "Don't you know how to cook, Dash?" "I've…tried it a few times," Rainbow Dash tried to play the question off casually. "It wasn't really my style." Leaping nimbly over the counter, Pinkie Pie landed inches from Rainbow's face, making the pegasus recoil a little. "Style, shmile!" Pinkie flashed a wide smile, her eyes twinkling. "All you need is a little practice. And like I always say, talking is just practice for chewing!" "That doesn't—hey!" All at once Pinkie snatched Rainbow's windswept tail in her teeth and yanked, causing the pegasus's wings to buzz against her will. Rainbow's stomach grumbled and roared to life like an old-fashioned airplane engine. Straddling her shoulders, Pinkie Pie spurred Rainbow into a steep ascent—and with wild loop-the-loops threatening to slam them into the ceiling, they hurtled through the double doors behind the counter. "Wahoo! Don't worry, Dashy—today's breakfast is on the house!" "—Because you're making it!" Standing in front of a stove in the bakery's kitchen, Rainbow Dash was clad in a flour-dabbed apron with her flashy mane stuffed into a hairnet. Pinkie Pie strode to a table behind her and sat, a gaudy yellow-and-blue bib dangling over her chest and a smug grin on her lips. "You can use whatever ingredients you want!" Pinkie trilled. "So show me what you got!" Sweat glazed Rainbow's brow as she took in the dizzying array of cooking implements around her. She tapped a wood spoon curiously against the counter; nibbled on a furry block of cheese; spun a whisk around and dropped it. She turned to face Pinkie Pie, her eyes begging for advice. The pink pony had her bib strung over her ears for a full-face blindfold. "You're doing great!" A little encouraged, Rainbow grabbed a small pot and filled it to the brim with bottled water from the refrigerator. Splashing on her way back to the stove, she set it carefully on a rack inside the oven and fiddled with the knobs until the window glowed a fiery orange. Her face lit up with pleasure; maybe this cooking stuff wasn't so hard after all! The following hour was a barrage of activity: knives flashed expertly over cutting boards; pans sizzled and snapped at their assorted contents; careful fluid measurements were poured under Rainbow Dash's industrious eye as Pinkie waited patiently, blindly, on her seat at the table. At last, the sink overflowing with dirty dishes and the air sharp with smoke, Rainbow placed the fruits of her labor on the table for Pinkie's inspection. Her forehooves jittered against each other as the bib fell from her friend's eyes. Pinkie rubbed her eyes and stared. Before her was a large mixing bowl containing two shoddily boiled eggs, and an open can of Colta-Cola. Her gaze shifted to Rainbow Dash and back to the meal, face void of emotion. But as quick as a beat she cracked a winning smile and gave her compliments to the would-be chef. "What did I tell you? You're a natural, Rainbow Dash! All you really needed was a push through the kitchen doors." Content, Rainbow abandoned her apron and hairnet on the floor. "You could use some direction, though," Pinkie Pie continued, framing the high-piled sink with her hooves and squinting artistically. "Get a recipe or two under your saddle and you'll really be cookin', kid." Surveying her work with oblivious pride, Rainbow Dash said "Why not? This was kinda fun—maybe I should take a class some time." "A cooking class!" Pinkie squealed. "That's it! We should gather everypony up so we can teach you all of our favorite recipes, and by the time we're finished we'll have a ginormous feast prepared!" "That's an awesome idea, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash agreed, and side-by-side the two friends trotted through the kitchen's rear doors and into the clear Ponyville sunlight. At that moment, looking distractedly over his shoulder, Mr. Cake pushed through the inside doors, saying "Alright, sweetie, I'll be getting the kitchen ready for éclairs this afternoo—" He stopped dead when his gaze met the room, wide-eyed and speechless at the disaster area that had once been his kitchen. The sprawling tree that was the Ponyville Public Library and Twilight Sparkle's abode stood dependably at the center of the town's northern hub. Spike announced Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash to Twilight, who was eating breakfast at a small table stacked unreasonably high with books. "Good morning, girls," Twilight said, clapping shut three books at once. "What brings you here?" Bouncing up beside her, Pinkie beamed. "A cooking class! You and me and all our friends are going to teach Rainbow Dash a few recipes so she doesn't have to eat out all the time. Think you can come?" Just as Twilight opened her mouth to speak, Spike cut her off with a fit of uproarious laughter. Twilight scowled, and the others looked at him with interest. "A cooking class would be perfect," Spike cackled, "but you want Twilight to teach? She breaks down in tears when she has to decide which side of her toast to spread butter on!" "It's an important decision!" Twilight snapped. She turned back to her friends with a close-eyed smile. "You should've mentioned sooner that you were having trouble feeding yourself, Rainbow Dash. I'll have you know you're talking to the pony who passed her Advanced Cooking Theory class with a hundred and twelve percent—an A-plus-plus! On top of that I've read at least a hundred cook books, from Paleopony horse d'oeuvres to Post-postmodernist post-meal puddings." "Oh, yeah, that's impressive alright," Spike drawled. "But remember that time I went to Canterlot for a couple of days to get my scales buffed? When I came back I found you living on nothing but boiled eggs and soda, and the kitchen was a pigsty." Blushing, Twilight flattened her ears apologetically. "Maybe you're right about that, Spike." She glanced over at Pinkie. "Would you mind if I attended your class as a student instead? Spike can take my place as one of the teachers—he's a whiz in the kitchen when he isn't trying to feed you gemstones." Spike extended a gloating claw. "It's all in the opposable thumbs, baby." "It's a deal!" Pinkie said, and Rainbow Dash nodded in appreciation. "See you guys tonight!" "A cooking class? How wonderful!" Rarity declared. "Oh Rainbow Dash, I'll have you cooking like a gourmet in no time at all." "Er…thanks," Rainbow demurred, "but I don't think the occasion calls for making me a whole new outfit." Her rainbow mane was pulled up in a sleek bun stuck through with a pair of silver decorative forks, and Rarity was making fussy adjustments to a flowing white gown Rainbow was modeling, which was speckled with lavender images of cutlery. "You?" surprise flavored Rarity's voice. "No, no, no—this gown is for me, darling. One cannot properly demonstrate the subtle art of food preparation without the appropriate garments to display one's status as an instructor. And you're my size, so it's convenient." Pinkie Pie lay prone on the fabric-strewn floor batting a ball of sky-blue yarn between her hooves, to the disapproval of the cat, Opalescence. The pony sat up on her haunches and shook the ball violently in her teeth, then spat it aside. "Thanks a lot for agreeing to come, Rarity, but we've got to vamoose pronto if we wanna get everything ready in time for tonight." "Yeah! That's right," Rainbow Dash attached to the excuse with relief and darted out of the dress and jewelry, which fell in a heap on the gaudy podium. "No time to lose, you know?" She trotted past Pinkie to the door, eyeing Rarity with a forced laugh, and flung it open. "Heheh—oof! What the—?" Hovering in the doorway was a heavy wall of smoke that repelled the pegasus to the floor. Like a steady tide it oozed into the room to smother their knees, and Rarity screeched, magically scooping the gown aloft and out of harm's way. "We fixed it, it's okay!" Sweetie Belle's muffled voice came through the veil of smoke. The foal scurried into the room on the tips of her hooves with her face raised, singed and coughing, just barely keeping her mouth in the fresh air. Similarly mottled and burned, Scootaloo followed her in, struggling to keep her inexperienced hooves atop the thick, flowing mass. "Yeah," Scootaloo said, "We already called the fire department and—Rainbow Dash! Hi!" The distraction dropped her beneath the cloud with a puff, and she leapt up again to regain her balance. "What're you doing here?" Rainbow flapped her wings to light upon the smoke and examined the bottoms of her hooves with concern. "How'd you guys get smoke to do this?" "Sweetie Belle!" Rarity swept her sister out of the rising flood and draped her over her back. "How many times have I told you never to use the kitchen without supervision?" "But I had supervision!" Sweetie Belle whined. "Scootaloo was there supervising me the whole time!" Rarity ground her teeth with ill-suppressed rage. "Your little friends do not count!" "What, you want me to ask an enemy look out for my safety?" "If you don't want me to be your enemy," Rarity spat, "you two fillies are going to learn how to conduct yourselves in a kitchen. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to convince the elite ponies in Canterlot that smoke damage is the new black!" "That's a great idea!" Pinkie Pie waved away a miniature castle she had been building with the smoke. "You guys can join our cooking class tonight along with Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle." "If Rainbow Dash is going, then I am so there," Scootaloo mooned. "It's settled then," Rarity snipped with finality. "Now if all of you will excuse me, I need to air out my house and apologize to the fire ponies—again." "Yup." "Good luck with that." "Bye, sis." Rarity let out a dainty cough as the room was vacated. A high-pitched drone filled the air, the belated cry of her recently installed smoke alarm. The sun had crossed its zenith by the time Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash arrived at the front gate of Sweet Apple Acres. There was no need for them to search for Applejack; they followed the unmistakable din of construction toward the main barn, in which the farm's various hoofed livestock were housed. On entering they spotted Apple Bloom at work on one of the cow's pens, a hammer held dexterously in her teeth. She waved at them in greeting and, looking up, gave a sharp whistle; Applejack came sliding down a ladder from the rafters, where she had been patching a hole in the barn's ceiling. "Hey, Applejack," Rainbow Dash said. "Howdy, Rainbow; Pinkie," the farm mare nodded. "What can I do ya for?" "We're hosting a cooking class for Rainbow Dash and a few others tonight at Sugarcube Corner," Pinkie Pie explained, "so we're wondering if you'd like to come by and teach a few simple recipes. And once class is over, we'll have a huge feast ready to eat! You game?" Applejack chuckled. "You don't know how to cook, Rainbow Dash? Well, don't you fret—I'll teach ya a thing or two that'll fatten y'all up nicely. Count me in!" "That's great!" Pinkie hopped for emphasis. "Oh, and Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo are going to be there, so you're invited to come, too, Apple Bloom." The hammer fell from Apple Bloom's mouth with a dull thud. Its place was taken by a glowing, toothy grin directed at Applejack. Her older sister returned the smile halfheartedly. "Well, uh, you might wanna tag along, Apple Bloom, but wouldn't you rather stay here an' fix things up a little more? You're very good with them there tools." The hint was lost on the little filly. "Don't be silly, Applejack. Why would I wanna stay and do chores when I could be gettin' my cutie mark for cookin'?" "What I meant," Applejack stressed, "was you seem to have some talent for workin' with tools, y'hear? Maybe even a special kind of talent?" "Oh please let me go, Applejack! This class could be my one and only last opportunity to finally get my cutie mark at long last! How could I possibly ignore somethin' as important as that?" "You'd be surprised," mumbled Applejack. "Alright, you can come with me, but don't get too wrapped up in this 'cutie mark' business. Even if it don't pan out as your special talent, cookin' is a life skill, so pay close attention and don't get over exci—" But the rest was unnecessary; Apple Bloom had disappeared. Shaking her head, Applejack mounted the ladder once more and gave her friends a knowing smile. "I've been meanin' to start her on feedin' herself anyway. Thank y'all the invite!" Search lights pierced the evening sky above Sugarcube Corner, the sun having just crossed the horizon. A red carpet trailed into the street out of the kitchen doors, flanked by velvet rope barriers that held a roaring, camera-wielding crowd of ponies at bay. Pinkie Pie's voice boomed over the crowd's cheers as a pearly and luxurious colt-drawn carriage rattled up beside the carpet. "Welcome, everypony, to the first ever Sugarcube Corner Cooking Class…uh, Extravaganza!" Spike jumped down from the carriage to make his appearance. "First to arrive tonight is our breakfast chef, Spike "the Mighty" dragon, escorted by Ponyville's lovely local librarian (and one of tonight's students), Twilight Sparkle!" The crowd roared, and Spike raised his hands in acknowledgment. He was clad in a standard white chef's outfit with a hat that nearly doubled his height. Twilight waved merrily at his side, and they both entered the kitchen through the light-spangled double doors. "Next on the scene is Applejack, co-owner of Sweet Apple Acres, who will be teaching lunch!" Applejack and Apple Bloom dismounted from an empty wood cart pulled by their brother, Big Macintosh. Neither wore anything special, the foal sporting her large pink bow, and the mare in her usual brown cowpony hat. "She's here with her little sister Apple Bloom, who will also be learning in tonight's class. Isn't she cute?" The crowd applauded its agreement, and the two sisters waved and smiled their humble way down the carpet. "Up next is—oooh, what's that?" The light jangle of bells bid the crowd to silence; all eyes turned skyward as a magnificent pegasus-drawn carriage floated to earth like the cascading petal of a violet. Its shimmering door swung open with regal slowness, and out onto the carpet stepped Rarity, clad in her extravagant flowing gown with her mane done up in silver forks. The silence broke, and the cameras flashed in ecstasy. "It's the dinner chef, Rarity of Carousel Boutique!" Pinkie cried, "Just look at that entrance—what pulchritude, what equanimity!" But not a quarter of her the way along the carpet, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle leapt from inside the carriage and scrambled past Rarity, jostling her mane and ornaments askew. To much applause and laughter from the audience, Rarity's face contorted with fury and she chased the mischievous foals inside. "And speaking of equine-mini-ninnies," Pinkie punned, "there's Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo for ya, folks." Laughter? No? Well, then. "And now to introduce the much-anticipated dessert chef: Sugarcube Corner's very own resident baker-apprentice-ess—Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie herself appeared at the far end of the carpet; nopony had seen how she got there. Nonetheless, the cameras went wild, and Pinkie began her dignified march toward the doors. She wore what would have been a tall chef's hat, but the top had been cut off allowing her fluffy mane to spill out—the effect very much resembled a stick of cotton candy balanced on her head. She neither carried a microphone nor moved her lips, but the intercom with Pinkie's voice continued on. "Give the crowd a wave, Pinkie!" the voice appealed, and Pinkie Pie flailed her forelegs over her head on either side, basking in the attention. "That's the spirit!" Near the end of the carpet Pinkie tripped over herself, falling face-first in front of the doors. "Woops! Better pick yourself up, silly filly," her voice said. Pinkie pranced inside, gigging and snorting at herself. The search lights dimmed, and the crowd fell mute. A peal of thunder rolled in from a distant storm. Not knowing what to expect, nopony took notice of the low, black cloud that drifted silently into position under the cover of darkness. "Only one pony has yet to arrive," Pinkie's voice was a dramatic undertone. "The pegasus whose empty belly sparked an idea…that became legend." Lightning flared in the low cloud's depths, and the crowd turned its attention to the sky once more. "The feathery filly whose fund-famishing fast food fixation has finally forced her to fabricate thrifty foodstuffs for herself." The cloud crackled with electricity; all manes stood on end, until— DASH! A fork of lightning stabbed the red carpet! And where it had struck, standing tall with her chest outthrust, was Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash!" Pinkie's shout was echoed by the crowd repeatedly as the pegasus strutted toward the bakery, flexing her forelegs and wings at anything that looked as if it might record her awesomeness for future reference. During one such display she gritted her teeth with such ferocity that her jaw twinged, recalling the pain she had inflicted by slapping it earlier that day. Chastened, she settled for a quick back hoofspring to the entrance and pushed herself inside. The kitchen itself was no different than it had been that morning, if a little cleaner than they had left it. As the door swung shut, all indications of what had occurred outside were forgotten. "Thanks for coming tonight, guys," Rainbow said mildly with a clap of her hooves. "Let's get started on that grub, huh?" === Tartarus's Kitchen === Two long counters ran parallel in the center of the kitchen, each equipped with three ovens, a sink and a cabinet of utensils. Behind one counter and facing the other sat the teachers—save for Spike, who stood on top of it—deep in conversation concerning the night's schedule. "Ya reckon we've got enough butter to go around?" "Oh, certainly—we wouldn't want them overdoing it. I have my figure to think of!" "Oatmeal? Are you crazy? We've gotta start them off with something easier!" "You really think so? Alright, then I'll go with this instead…" At the opposite counter sat the students, the foals fidgeting on their high seats, divided evenly into three teams. On the right sat Rainbow Dash next to an ecstatic Scootaloo; Twilight Sparkle was paired with Sweetie Belle in the center; and on the left was Apple Bloom, who was bursting with anticipation beside the sheepish-looking Fluttershy. "Fluttershy?" Twilight leaned forward to catch her friend's eye. "When did you get here?" "Oh! Um…" the timid pegasus seemed surprised to be paid any mind. "I sneaked—um, I mean, I used the legitimate entrance through Pinkie's bedroom window while all of you were coming in through the doors. Hello, Twilight." "But I thought you were great at cooking!" Rainbow Dash joined. "What're you doing over here with the students?" "She's got a point, Fluttershy" said Twilight. "You're an expert nutritionist by anypony's standards." "Well, even so, I'm sure there's always something new for me to learn," Fluttershy dithered. "And—and the teams would have been uneven if I hadn't joined little Apple Bloom, and I think if I just stay passive I can…" Twilight and Rainbow rolled their eyes at each other. "…and being a teacher is just such an enormous responsibility, and if I accidentally taught you something wrong it might ruin your diets forever, and—" "Ahemhem!" Spike's towering hat trembled as he cleared his throat. The kitchen's lights dimmed, and the students assumed a respectful silence for beginning of their first lesson. The baby dragon surveyed the kitchen wordlessly. His emerald eyes passed from the refrigerators to the glassware, across the spice racks, vegetables, and sinks, until his gaze finally landed on a basket of assorted gemstones at his side. From this he plucked a hefty yellow gem, which he brought to his teeth and took a swift, discerning bite. The glassy crunch reverberated throughout the room. He allowed a satisfied smirk to spread over his lips as he turned toward the students, all of whom bore looks of utter confusion. He snapped the rest of the gem up with his whiplike tongue, gobbled it greedily and finished with a belch. "BRAAAP! Ahh, delicious. Who needs cooking, right?" Nopony answered. "Oh yeah, you guys do. Applejack—the secret ingredient, please." The farm pony ducked under the counter and came up with a cloth-covered basket balanced on her head. She tipped it onto the countertop next to Spike. "Let's get started, everypony!" He clapped his claws. "In tonight's class we'll be going from—" "WAIT!" Twilight scrambled around her hooves. "Wait just a second, Spike!" From below she quickly drew out an inkwell, quill, and a bulky roll of parchment, all of which dominated the space in front of her and Sweetie Belle. She dipped her quill and held it poised. "Okay, please continue." "Twilight, you can't have all that stuff out. You need room to cook." "Rule one: Clear…cooking…space…of…debris." Twilight looked up from her notes expectantly. Her assistant grumbled. "Whatever. As I was saying, we'll be teaching the class in order, beginning with breakfast, then going on to lunch, dinner, and dessert. You'll be starting with the absolute basics. The secret ingredient is…" he snatched the cloth off of the basket and let it tumble to the floor. "Breakfast cereal! "ALLEZ CUISINE!" The baby dragon's dramatic sweep of the claw was answered with nothing but stares. He crossed his arms and frowned. "It means 'get cooking,' sheesh." The foals scurried to the basket of cereal boxes, and Fluttershy stepped over to the refrigerators to find milk as her friends followed suit. Spike watched them patiently. The students seemed to be handling themselves just fine; he'd leave them on their own for a little while. After a minute (of complete neglect) he hopped off the counter and stepped over to check on the teams' progress. He first came to Fluttershy and Apple Bloom. "How're you guys do—whoa!" the baby dragon slipped backward in a puddle of milk around the ponies' seats. Fluttershy caught him just before he hit the floor; the harried pegasus was dripping wet and holding a soaked-through towel in her teeth. "Thanks, Fluttershy," Spike stood back on his own feet. "What…happened here?" "Oh, nothing to worry about—Apple Bloom just had a little accident, that's all." The foal was nearly hidden behind an enormous mixing bowl; it was apparent that she had wanted to use the entire box of cereal and a gallon of milk in one sitting, and was not too concerned with the excess. She considered a spoonful with a dubious look and called to her sister across the room. "Hey, Applejack! This here cereal don't taste like apples!" "What's that got t' do with me?" Spike whipped his fallen hat dry in the air. "I'll just, uh, leave you guys to it. Good work." Next up was Twilight Sparkle and Sweetie Belle. Spike knew he was in for something when he saw Twilight with her microscope out. His mentor was fixated over a slide while Sweetie Belle pouted beside her. Whatever was in their cereal bowl glowed a dazzling shade of green. "I'm afraid to ask, but how are you two doing with your first recipe?" Twilight Sparkle's head flicked upward, her eyes alight. "Spike, this is amazing! Prepare a missive to the Canterlot Institute of Biology: if I'm not mistaken, Sweetie Belle here has just produced the first recorded instance of artificial abiogenesis!" "Abba-what now?" Her teammate held no such regard for the glowing concoction. "How am I supposed to eat my cereal if it suddenly comes alive?" Sweetie Belle wailed. "I'm so hungry!" Scribbling furiously with her quill, Twilight scooped a sample of their creation into a test tube and corked it tight, giggling all the while. Spike gave the defeated Sweetie Belle a sympathetic pat on the shoulder and moved on. The only team left to check on was Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. In defiance of Spike's drastically lowered expectations, the third workstation didn't seem to be having any problems. In fact, they were easily the most successful of the three, already waiting for instruction while munching on two small bowls of cereal. "Hey there, 'teach," said Rainbow Dash. "Got any pointers for us?" "Looks fine to me," Spike replied. "Nice portion control. Keep it up, you two!" Scootaloo gave Rainbow Dash a high-hoof. "Told you I could rock the socks off a cereal box!" "Good thing you had me here to lift the milk bottle, squirt." The pegasi smiled at each other as the baby dragon returned to his perch among the instructors. "At least somepony is making progress." The sun's light was well and truly gone from the sky an hour later. The counters were cleared of the various breakfast items they had made in that time—including eggs, oatmeal, toast, and omelets—select portions of which were placed on a dining table to be shared later on. The farm pony took her place behind the counter and the next lesson began. "Howdy, everypony!" Applejack tipped her hat to the students and sent her sister a wink. "I'm here to show y'all how the Apple family does home cookin'." She pulled out a loaf of bread and began cutting it into thick slices. "Now, I don't know about y'all, but after a long mornin' of buckin' apples I can mosey into the kitchen an' go fer darn near anythin'. 'Sakes, iffin y'all stop by for a visit I can show ya the spot on the kitchen table I caught Big Mac nibblin' the day Granny Smith was in charge o' lunch. 'Least, it used to be a kitchen table; we've been usin' it as a cuttin' board ever since." Where was that canned laughter coming from? "I always say when a pony can go for anythin', then anythin' goes." Applejack fanned the slices of bread over the countertop and motioned to the refrigerators. "An' just about anythin' can go inside a sammich." She let the students choose their ingredients from the refrigerators, approving of most choices and rejecting only a few ("Ice cubes are fer drinks, not fer lunch, Sweetie Belle"). The ponies began awkwardly assembling their sandwiches at the teachers' counter. "Y'all are doin' fine," she assured them, "there's more'n enough for everypony. Don't forget about leftovers—keep an open mind when ya open up the fridge, y'hear? Now let's see how we're gettin' along." Applejack approached the first station. At first its occupants seemed to have disappeared; but then Applejack looked up. The foal was balanced precariously atop a towering sandwich that was growing taller by the second. Below her, Fluttershy flitted fearfully about to keep the monstrosity from toppling. "Apple Bloom!" the pegasus's voice trembled with panic. "Could you please—NO!—I mean, if you'd like to slow down just a—OH DEAR!—don't you think you have enough for one—EEK!" "Yee haw!" Apple Bloom hollered to her sister below. "How'm I doin', big sis?" Applejack shouted back with a telescope to her eye. "Atta filly! Go big or go home, that's how the Apple clan does it!" "Applejack!" Fluttershy had her back pressed against the wildly tilting sandwich. "Please help me!" "That little'n is growin' up so fast!" Applejack muttered, wiping away a joyful tear. On to the next group. Twilight Sparkle and Sweetie Belle had yet to finish putting their first sandwich together. In fact, they had yet to begin. The older mare held a ruler vertically on the table beside their first slice of bread, and she was coaching a nervous Sweetie Belle through the delicate placement of daisy blossoms on its surface. "Can't we just put it in the middle or something?" Sweetie Belle pleaded. "What?" Twilight was incredulous, "No, Sweetie, that variant would be suboptimal!" She held out a detailed technical sketch of the flowers in various layered arrangements. "See? We have to adhere to the 'impossible stairway' concept for optimal PPB." "PPB?" Twilight groaned, "Petals Per Bite, of course!" Applejack ambled up from behind, looking concerned. "Y'all know we only have a few minutes left before we gotta move on, right?" "It's better to get it right than to get it…done!" Twilight painstakingly slipped the last of four daisy blossoms onto the bread. Panting with exhilaration, she said, "See that, Sweetie Belle? If you just consider—" "AAARRGH!" the foal sprung furiously onto the countertop. "I can't take it anymore! I need something to eat right now!" "Sweetie, you foal! This sandwich is volatile! W-what are you going to do with that watercress?" "I'm gonna do what I shoulda done a long time ago." "Sweetie Belle, NOOOO!" The resulting explosion and billows of smoke went unnoticed at the third station, where Applejack had just arrived. "How're y'all doin' over here?" she asked Rainbow Dash, who with Scootaloo was arranging their final slice of bread. The pegasi dug into their sandwiches with relish. "Dish ish awechum, Applejack!" Rainbow lisped around her food and swallowed. "Who knew making sandwiches would be so easy?" "Every trade has its secrets, I guess," Scootaloo mused. "More molasses, Rainbow Dash?" "You know it!" "Y'all are takin' to the kitchen like crickets to a carnival," Applejack nodded approvingly. "Keep up the good work!" The lessons on lunch continued for a little less than an hour before Rarity took charge. Having repaired her immaculately-assembled mane and gown, she shooed Applejack out of the instructor's position with a snort of disapproval. "Hmph! Now then, everypony—I will be instructing you in the art of high cuisine, so I ask that you forget everything you have learned up until now. There will be no place in my class for the clumsy techniques you have been shown heretofore." "Who're you callin' 'heretofore'?!" Applejack groused. "My sincerest apologies, Applejack" said Rarity without a hint of sincerity. "To the point, you students will prepare but a single dish for our dinner tonight, as I prefer quality over…" she gave the dining table a dirty glance, " …quantity. It is a personal favorite of mine, a twenty-six-cheese thrice-baked dandelion petal soufflé. I have distributed the recipes; chop chop!" The students began their panicked bustle. "Don't you think that recipe's a little over their heads?" Pinkie Pie frowned. "What ever do you mean, darling?" Rarity rejoined with innocent eyes. "It's all in plain writing, and the head chef of La Cheval in Canterlot pulls it off flawlessly every time." "Ya can't expect 'em t' cook on par with a snooty restaurant, Rarity," chastised Applejack. "I expect that you underestimate my ability to direct my students. We'll see who has any appetite for your 'sammiches' by the time my class has ended." Apple Bloom watched in awe (form a prescribed distance) as Fluttershy tossed and whisked ingredients like a professional, even using her dexterous wings to crack eggs into a bowl. Beside them, Twilight flicked through a mountain of reference books while scribbling notes in the margins of the recipe, leaving Sweetie Belle to struggle with a lumpy mixture that appeared to be eating her spoon. Last of all, Scootaloo and Rainbow Dash worked in synchrony, comically incapable as individuals, but managing to make progress through frequent correction of each other's mistakes. All the while, Rarity remained pristine as ever, ignoring the students in favor of a standing mirror. Time passed; three ovens beeped. Now came the time for Rarity to pass judgment. "Fluttershy, darling!" Rarity approached expectantly. "I must admit, I do have high expectations for your work. How is the soufflé coming along?" The pegasus coyly avoided her eyes. She was looking confident, if overworked. "It was, um, my first time making it, but I think it turned out…well." From Fluttershy, this kind of appraisal amounted to boasting from the rooftops. "You ain't kiddin', it was delicious!" The two mares looked down at Apple Bloom. The foal's face was smeared yellow with cheese. "Oh," her ears fell and her eyes widened with guilt. "Y'all didn't want any, did ya?" Rarity scribbled a note on a clipboard held by her magic. "Pity; I was looking forward to it. A zero out of ten, then." As Rarity walked huffily away, Apple Bloom turned her glistening eyes on her older teammate. "I'm really sorry, Fluttershy." "It's alright, Apple Bloom," Fluttershy gave her a hug and dabbed her mouth with a washcloth. "As long as you enjoyed it, that's all the approval I need." The faces of the second team were inscrutable to Rarity as she trotted over to their station. Their soufflé sat innocently on the counter in front of them. Twilight Sparkle spoke before Rarity could get a word in. "We had a bit of an accident," Sweetie Belle's voice came out of her mouth. Likewise, Twilight's voice was heard from the foal. "Don't eat it; just move along, please." "Do return to your own body before we leave, Sweetie," Rarity addressed the pony who looked like Twilight. "You will never fit into your bed like that, and the guest bedroom is still a little smoky. Two out of ten." Rarity hadn't expected much more from the pegasus team, but she was pleasantly surprised to be presented with something she could taste. They pushed a bowl full of their creation toward her. "Hmmm," she considered a spoonful of the soufflé a hairsbreadth from her eyes, and then popped it in her mouth. She chewed it thoroughly, swished, and gargled it before swallowing. "It's…passable," she admitted, making a mark on her sheet. "A respectable three out of ten." "A three?" Rainbow Dash shouted. "What gives? The stuff looks fine to me!" "Yeah, we did everything the recipe said!" added Scootaloo. "However," Rarity turned up her nose, "your presentation is sorely lacking, and presentation is an essential part of the fine dining experience. I'm afraid a three is the best you could hope for under the circumstances. Eh…good effort, though." As Rarity departed, a resentful Scootaloo scooped up a spoonful of the soufflé. The taste made her gag; she struggled for a second to keep it down. "Guh, I think that three might have been generous," she mumbled to Rainbow Dash. Now was the moment everypony had been waiting for. Not a mouth didn't gush with saliva as the dessert chef took the stage. This was the highlight of the evening—no, of the assembled ponies' very lives. The sun was down, of course, but if it had been up it would have totally been smiling all over the place showering candy and chocolate milk on everypony in Equestria! Actually, Princess Celestia decided to raise the sun and that's what happened. Pinkie no what the heck get back in the story you dont belong here. And Pinkie Pie had a candy cane, too! Yes, it was that time: Pinkie's cotton-candy mane nearly brushed the ceiling as she stood with her forehooves on the countertop. She bellowed angrily at the students. "IT'S TIME FOR DESSERT! LET'S HAVE TONS OF FUN, OKAY?" Everyone quickly shoved their hooves (or claws) over their ears. "Wanna warn us next time, Pinkie?" Spike said irritably. "Yes, what ever are you shouting for?" Rarity inquired. "It's alright, guys," Pinkie assured them, "Chefs are supposed to be all screamy sometimes. Trust me, ponies pay to watch this stuff." She turned back to her uneasy students. "Alrighty! So, the very first rule of dessert-making is sugar!" Twilight scribbled a note. "Why aren't you all taking notes?" Pinkie scolded. "This is serious stuff here! Rule one: sugar!" The other students shuffled around nervously for paper and quill, and Twilight sent a smug look to either side. The teacher continued when everypony was ready. "The second rule of dessert is there are no more rules! Now put all that stuff away so we can get started." While most of the students were annoyed, Twilight was heartbroken. "We're gonna start dessert off with a BAM!" Pinkie shouted. "BAMnana splits!" Twilight Sparkle's mane was a little disheveled, and she spoke to Sweetie Belle with a crazed look in her eye. "Alright, Sweetie, this is our last chance. If we can put everything we've got into this last event, I'm positive we can pull off a come-from-behind victory!" "B-but Twilight," Sweetie Belle whimpered, "I thought this was a cooking class, not a competition." "Class is a competition, Sweetie! Don't tell me they haven't taught you that in class? Just follow my lead." She started mumbling to herself, shuffling her forehooves together. "Ohoho no, the class hasn't been invented yet that Twilight Sparkle couldn't win." Pinkie left the students to their devices for a few minutes before checking up on them. Apple Bloom guzzled a bottle of chocolate syrup while Fluttershy was placing sprinkles, one by one, on her conservatively-decorated dessert. "HOW'S IT GOING?" Fluttershy jumped, showering her split with a perfect layer of sprinkles. "Ooooh, sprinkles, huh?" Pinkie observed. "Here, Fluttershy, let an expert show you how to KICK IT UP A NOTCH!" Pinkie Pie unscrewed the cap on the shaker and buried Fluttershy's dessert in a mountain of sprinkles. "BAM!" she slammed the empty shaker back on the counter. "No need to thank me." Fluttershy dejectedly plucked a sprinkle off the top of the mound and returned it to the shaker. Meanwhile, Apple Bloom was a twitching, sugar-loaded time bomb. She hadn't even touched the ice cream—instead, she was surrounded by a number of empty topping containers. Pinkie waved a hoof before the young filly's eyes and got no reaction. As if prepared for this, the pink pony immediately scribbled a mustache and monocle on the foal's face with chocolate syrup, and then attempted to revive her. "Helloooo? Apple Blooooom?" Her name brought Apple Bloom to her senses like a switch. Unfortunately, that switch also activated the pony equivalent of a jet engine. In an instant Apple Bloom became a filly tornado; Pinkie stepped back when the vortex threatened to pull her mane in, and she actually needed to shout to be heard in the gale. "HAVING FUN, APPLE BLOOM?" In reply the foal careered toward her teammate, who shielded her eyes in fear. But when the storm had passed, Fluttershy found only that her banana split had been saved from its sprinkly grave and returned to its perfect coating. She smiled. For the first time, Twilight and Sweetie Belle were working together. Their station had the air of an operating table about it. "Okay, easy does it," Twilight muttered. "I think it's time for the whipped cream." "Whipped cream," Sweetie pushed over the can. Twilight sprayed the topping meticulously along the border between ice cream and banana. Her partner dabbed her sweating brow with a dish towel. "Success," Twilight whispered. "Now all that's left is the cherry on top." "Cherry on top," Sweetie Belle dangled a cherry over the split. "THAT LOOKS DELICIOOOOOUS!" Pinkie Pie's tongue lashed out and scooped the entire banana split into her mouth, flicking upward to catch the cherry. She swallowed without chewing; Sweetie Belle still held the cherry stem in her teeth. "YOU DID A GREAT JOOOOOOB!" The pink pony sounded enraged despite her words. "THAT BANANA SPLIT WAS ESPECIALLY YUMMYYYY! YOU TWO HAVE IMPROVED SOOOO MUUUUCH!" "Uh, thanks?" muttered Sweetie Belle bewilderedly. "NO!" Pinkie leaned forward with a furious face, and the teammates recoiled. "THANK YOU! BAM!" They watched her stomp away to the third station, still clutching each other in fright. "Maybe you really can't win some things," Twilight mumbled. Finally, Pinkie sneaked up behind Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo, tongue outstretched to rob them of their desserts. She narrowed her eyes to her mark her quarry—but her tongue deflected not a moment too soon. What she saw made her leap back in horror. "RAISINS!" Rainbow Dash turned slowly around in mock surprise. "What's wrong, Pinkie?" she goaded. "Weren't you about to steal my banana split?" "Bu-bu-bu-bu-but it's dessert!" Pinkie stared at the coating of dried blasphemy. "You can't put raisins on ice cream!" "Oh, really?" Scootaloo pushed forward her own split, grinning viciously. "Then maybe you should give mine a taste instead." Pinkie leapt away once more, this time with a gasp. "THAT'S A LOT OF NUTS!" "What?" Scootaloo feigned concern, "You don't like peanuts either?" Betrayal was in every line of Pinkie's expression. "But peanuts aren't even sweet!" She rounded on Rainbow Dash. "After all we've been through, how could you treat a poor, innocent banana split that way? Humph, you think you know a pony, then you find out she sprinkles raisins on her ice cream instead of sprinkling sprinkles." The pink pony retreated with a "BAM!" Twilight stepped over from her station looking impressed. "That was clever thinking, Rainbow Dash. Who'd have thought Pinkie Pie would be weak against nutritious toppings?" "I sure didn't," Rainbow replied. "I just felt a little guilty having all that ice cream, so I thought adding raisins might help." Fluttershy approached from her station as well. "That's a good attitude to have. When you make your own food, you have much more control over how healthy it is." "Not to mention its appeal to your personal tastes," Rarity added. "You can control how much you make n' eat, ta boot," Applejack said. Apple Bloom, who was draped over her back, gave a pitiful moan. "Some ponies can, at least." "Thanks a lot for this, guys," Rainbow Dash smiled at everyone surrounding her. "I dunno what I'd do without you all." Pinkie Pie piped in. "Well, without you all I'd have this big ol' honkin' feast all to myself! Let's dig in already!" "Finally!" Sweetie Belle scampered to the dining table, and Scootaloo chased after her. Apple Bloom lagged behind with a bulging stomach. "You guys can get started," Rainbow Dash motioned her friends toward the table. "I have a letter to write first. Spike?" The baby dragon had been coveting a heaping plate of gems. His claw fell at the summons. "Aww, fine, just make it quick." Dear Princess Celestia, My friends taught me a really important lesson today—literally! When they found out I was eating nothing but fast food, they put together an amazing cooking class to help me take better care of myself. Not only did they teach me a bunch of great new recipes, but I learned that being independent doesn't mean you shouldn't tell your friends about your problems. Who knows, they just might have a solution that'll turn it all around! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a home-cooked meal to chow down on! Stay awesome, Rainbow Dash "What a wonderful lesson," Princess Celestia smiled upon completing the letter. She dipped her quill to begin her reply, but just then she heard the ring of a doorbell. "Oh, goody! That must be the pizza." She cantered giddily out of her chambers and into the hallway. "Lunaaa! The pizza's here!" "O, MOST JOYOUS OF SEMI-HOURS!" "Please, sister—uh, allow me to answer the door this time." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Sincerity author: grumpyoldpony tags: character:Princess Cadance, character:Spike, character:Twilight Sparkle, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Comedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== A Marriage of Contrivance === Sincerity A My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fan fiction by grumpyoldpony Totally unauthorized by the copyright holders: call it a parody In anticipation of the event, Princess Celestia had tripled the track line leading to the Crystal Empire, and the funeral of Prince-Consort Shining Armor was indeed the most well-attended service in Equestria since Dame Knight-Commander-General Princess Priestess Pinkie Pie's self-planned posthumous So Long and Thanks for All the Cupcakes Final Blowout. His Dudeness lay in state for a week while old enemies grudgingly and old comrades gratefully paid their respects and the grieving wife and her grieving sister-in-law comforted each other as best they could. Some thoughtful pony designated him as a minor deity and put a small statue of His Fortunateness in the Garden of Equal Representation. The Garden was just the most visible piece of that most unholy collection of laws, the Religious Freedom Acts. An enclosed space built upon the outskirts of the place grounds, with a translucent roof and walls and an earthen floor replete with carefully-cultivated wildflowers, the Garden housed monuments from every religion that any denizen of the Crystal Empire had encountered since the overthrow of Sombra the Meanie, all in response to the worship which that demi-mortal monster had demanded. He had been jealous of the cult of the Crystal Empress, or so said various historians, and in an effort to feed his own ego and control the hearts and purses of the herd he had banned all other worship. Only when Her current Imperial Majesty had demonstrated a distinct lack of desire for obeisance and ovation and had refused to make any form of Celestianity the official religion of the Empire had ordinary crystal ponies felt free to express their own ideas on the subject. Set in a space that had previously been dedicated to tasteless and overly-expensive statues of The Usurper, it promised a place of tranquil, ecumenical reflection. The founding empress of the Empire got a spot early on, as did the Celestian Polytheists. The Monotheists had a statue too: a clever work of magic that appeared to be different alicorns from different angles. The Harmonites had their small set of seven statues, and the animists had their four. Counting the two Nightmare Cultist tributes – one with a young Bearer of Magic releasing Luna and the other with the Nightmare crushing her underhoof – Twilight Sparkle had the most representations at five, though the Empress was a close runner-up with four, and Dame Knight-Commander-General Princess Priestess Pinkie Pie had three: as a bearer, as founder of the Society of Infinite Digits, and as the inspiration of the much-maligned and frequently-high Rastafarmers. Shrines, statues, placards, and nonfunctional monoliths littered the ground in a carefully-planned random scattering, with benches positioned so the more popular placements could be considered without impeding hoof traffic from schoolfoals on field trips, tourists from around the world, and locals looking for solace. A naïve visitor might wrongly conclude that the beliefs of the crystal ponies were as varied as the Gardens, but the truth was more complicated. Almost before the Empress had placed her plot in the palace, Celestians had flooded in, intent on spreading the Awesome Word to the backwards foals. All of the denominations had some success, but Poly-Cadenzian teachings in particular dovetailed nicely with the empress worship that had thrived before The Growley One had taken over. Thus before a decade had passed Celestianity in its various forms – all incompatible with one another if one looked too closely, so nopony did – dominated, and the empress found it necessary to issue edicts curtailing its members from taking special privileges. The Celestians, of course, saw this as an attack on their liberty, and in response passed various laws granting themselves privileges, under the guise of "religious freedom." Unfortunately, the only way for such bills to stand up against Equestrian Commonwealth standards was to word them vaguely and broadly. For three months after her brother's funeral, Twilight stayed to help – not as a sitting monarch, since no self-respecting Crystal Pony recognized her as sovereign, but as adviser to the Great and Honorable Chancellor Pro Tem Spike the Brave and Glorious. Afterward she returned to Ponyville City, determined to let him explore his new role in the world, disappointed when he stayed another three months, distraught when year's end neared with only letters full of love but less solid than Spike's self, delighted when he burst into the palace on Hearth's Warming eve while she shared cocoa with the cleaning crew and a diamond dog ambassador. "Twilight!" he said. "Oh, Spike, it's so good-" Spike grabbed her barrel and lofted her above his head. "It's terrible!" "What's wrong? Is the Crystal Empire being invaded?" Spike set her down roughly. "Worse," he whispered. "I'm engaged to marry Cadence." Twilight rubbed her ears. "I'm sorry, Spike, I thought I heard you say that you're marrying my sister." Spike nodded, once. Twilight turned to the her drinking companions. "Angel, Bugbug, Peat Moss, Ambassador Barker, please excuse us." She teleported herself and Spike to her personal antechamber. "What the feather are you thinking?" "Language?" said Spike. Getting no response, he said, "It's complicated. Do you remember Lord Diamond Drill?" Twilight, through decades of practice, suppressed an eye roll. Drill, the de facto leader of the ruling coalition in the Crystal Assembly, held more real power than the Prime Minister. Like all of the current crop of politicians, he knew of King Sombra only from tales passed down from his parent and grandparents, so his deference to the crown was token at best. He had been educated in Canterlot, and when he jumped into the provincial politics of the Empire, he had been like a shark jumping into a trout farm. She settled for a curt nod. Spike said, "The House of Lords passed a bill ordering Cadance to marry before summer so she could produce an heir. The bill didn't have his name on it, but his fur was all over it. Then he announced that he was seeking her hoof in marriage!" Twilight groaned. "Surely the court will overturn such a stupid law. She's effectively immortal, so she's neither going to die nor have a foal." "Maybe, of course, and probably not," said Spike, "but we have to stall for time. That's when I had a great idea..." He trailed off and tapped his claw-tips together, looking smaller than he had in a long, long time. Twilight smiled and shook her head. "You threw your hat in the ring." "My best top hat! There was one additional consequence," said Spike. "Because we're both contending for the hand of a princess, Empire law allows either of us to demand a duel." "Don't tell me-" "No, he didn't have enough time. I took off as soon as I announced my suit. But I just know he's going to demand satisfaction." "You could eat him for breakfast," said Twilight. "Literally." "I don't want to hurt the poor stallion," said Spike. "And I don't really want to marry Cadance. Not- not that I don't love her, but not like that, and... y'know." Twilight frowned as she considered the situation. Finally, she said, "This is not something we'll solve tonight. Join me for hot chocolate?" "Are there donuts?" They enjoyed hot chocolate and donuts, and after sleeping in on New Years' day they went to work. Everypony but the guards had the day off, but word of Spike's return spread and by noon her Forum of Friendship had gathered to help: Apple Bloom, who despite being ancient managed to appear as a gently-aged mare thanks to potions that she refused to share; Ditty Do; Lucky Eight in her snow-gardening gear; Starlight Kiss; and Rex Ruffington the Third. She explained the situation, and despite the crisis they spent an enjoyable afternoon brainstorming solutions. The hot cocoa flowed (though Rex abstained, wanting a clear head), and though they worked into the evening, they were no closer to a solution than when they started. That night Twilight and Spike started the serious work, reviewing the relevant laws in the Crystal Empire and the Commonwealth laws that governed basic sentient rights across Equestria. Had the pair been fifty years younger, they might have worked a day straight before falling asleep upon piles of books, but Twilight had the constitution of an alicorn (and a few cheat spells), and dragons could stay awake for almost as long as they could sleep, so they simple worked on, stopping only for snacks and stretches of outside air, and a quick missive to Twilight's staff that open court would not be held until further notice. On day four, when or perhaps because their mental health had begun to deteriorate, Twilight suddenly put down a book on Saddle Arabian marriage practices. "Idea!" she sang, so much like Dame Rarity that Spike stood suddenly and hit his head on an overhead arch. "You have something?" "Something crazy, Spike: something just crazy enough to work. Okay, I need you to stall for three weeks." "Why?" "Celestianity took millennia to evolve into its present form. The cult of the Crystal Empress was the work of generations. I'm good, Spike, but even I need a little time. Now, I'm going to need about seven hundred letters." Spike sighed and collected a stack of papers from a nearby cache. Three weeks, two speeches, four interviews, one commission, and six hundred sixty-six letters later, Twilight strode into the Crystal Throne Room and bowed low to the Crystal Empress who graced the Crystal Throne with her Crystal Plot. "Your Most Glorious Majesty," she said, ignoring her sister's dismay at her black robe and obviously fake arms protruding from them. Or perhaps it was the circle-inscribed five-pointed inverted star adorning her flank, complete with caricatures of her dead friends' cutie marks that gained her disapproval. Or perhaps it was the rampant, resplendent, excessively-endowed pony-sized silver and sapphire statue of Tirek that she dragged behind her. "Twilight," said Cadance, "what the feather?" "Pardon, oh Divine Demigoddess of Unbested Beauty?" "The clothes! The statue! Why am I staring at his ugly face again?" "Oh! Oh, a thousand pardons, Your Stunning Visageness. I am on my way to the Garden of Equal Representation, wherein I shall place this statue on behalf of The Temple of Tirek." Cadance twitched an eye. Cadance lifted a hoof. Cadance set a hoof down. "Carry on?" Twilight found the spot set aside one week ago by the Religious Freedom Commission, after she had sent a letter requesting it. She placed the statue, careful not to damage the protruding seventh limb, to the right of the statue of Garden Mower the Rabbit-like, who prophesied that the number of her followers would double every years and a half but gave up after a few short years for lack of enough ponies on the planet, and the relatively new icon of Saint Scribble the Soft-Spoken Anticelest, who in her last years led a cult dedicated to living according to an idealized and utterly-unrealistic understanding of Fluttershy's lifestyle. Spike was in place when she returned, pretending to examine some paperwork by staring blankly at it. She said coldly, backing up the sentiment with a frost-breath spell, "Hello, Sir Spike." "Princess," he said, and a flicker of white flame escaped his mouth to set ablaze the papers before him. "I assume you are here to change your mind." "As Pinkie always says, assume makes a silly sop out of you and me. No, I give you one last change to back down." "Never!" said Spike. He stood on his hinds, his head nowhere near the ceiling but towering above the ponies. "I love Princess Cadenza, and it shall be I that marries her." "Get your pronouns right," Twilight growled. "It shall be me that marries her. Renounce your suit." Spike leaped over the smoldering table and landed on all fours nose-to-nose with the alicorn. "Make me." The nobles scattered to locales other than the throne room, leaving only a few terrified guards and reporters pressed against walls as if to meld with them, and a confused Cadance. "Now everypony," she said uncertainly, "this is not how friends resolve their differences." They ignored her. Twilight carefully removed a gold-plated shoe and threw it down. Spike picked it up, crushed it, and handed it back to her. "When and where?" he said. "Right now, in the drill fields." "Wait!" said Cadance. "This is pointless, Twilight. The law requires that I marry to produce an heir." "Ah," said Twilight. "About that: it is my sincerely-held religious belief that the coupling of two mares can produce a foal." "That's ridiculous." "Don't mock my religion! The Temple of Tirek teaches, and it is clearly written in the Book of Loyalty, chapter five, verse eight hundred twenty-two, 'Omigosh, Palette Zoom, we didn't use protection! And then Palette Zoom was all like, Don't worry, Daring Do. If I knocked you up, I'll mare up and marry you.'" "Twi," said Cadance, "Wasn't that from one of Rainbow Dash's Daring Do fanfics?" Twilight shrugged. "The Dashine Letters are canon. As an aside, the Cadenzian Memoirs are apocrypha. Regardless, the Temple of Tirek sees our genders as a non-issue vis-à-vis conception and foal-bearing, so my sincerely-held religious belief trumps your common sense." "You can't be serious." Twilight brushed past Spike's bulk and marched up to the throne. "I would do almost anything for you, My Most Magical Mistress of the Marches, but unless the Empire is in the business of judging the sincerity of ponies' beliefs, kindly cede the point." Cadance sighed and sat down on the throne. "Very well," she said. "Please don't hurt Spike too badly." Twilight bowed briefly and turned to Spike. "Do you require a second?" "No," said Spike, "I'm ready now." Spike marched out of the castle, breathing fire and incinerating unfortunate curtains, chairs, and pleasant potted plants that came too close. Twilight shed her Tirek likeness and followed, her three shod hooves making a click-click-click-clop on the crystal floor, and her magic leaving a trail of rough ice. The reporters and guards followed them, and the nobles who had been brave enough to stay on the palace grounds followed them, and common ponies who had gathered at the first sight of a commotion followed them, and foals playing in the streets followed them, and random denizens of the Crystal Empire were swept up like sticks in a flash flood and and followed them, until it seems like the entire city was aware of the impending duel and wanting to watch, leaving Princess Cadenza seated and stewing and worrying for their safety. Twilight Sparkle faced her former number one assistant upon the drill fields more often used by the Crystal Guard for large-scale maneuvers and joint exercises. Ponies pressed in all around them until Spike faced the sky and release a stream a fire. After the press of ponies panicked and pressed away, Twilight erected a shield sufficiently strong and spacious for a duel between a young dragon and a young alicorn. The prevalence of hand-held cameras had increased greatly in recent decades, so that every self-respecting reporter had his own, if not his own photographer. A great many ponies took a great many pictures that day, such that a sufficiently-credulous historian might confidently reconstruct the fight, but in the heat of the moment it was impossible to be sure what happened. Spike charged faster than pony eye could see, swiping empty air as Twilight teleported atop him and touched him with a hooftip. A blast forced them apart – she a good twenty lengths into the air and he into the incompressible ground, now compressed in the outline of a dragon. He erupted from the dirt with a terrifying roar and sprayed the area with fire. Twilight put up her shield, but even so smoke curled from her coat and her ethereal mane glowed white. A lightning bolt struck Spike with a deafening crack. He staggered and fell forward with a thundering crash. Twilight prodded the dragon, put an ear to his barrel, and satisfied that he was still alive, released the shield. She unfolded her wide wings and flew back to the Crystal Palace, random denizens, foals, common ponies, nobles, guards, and reporters in her wake. Aside from Cadance and her guard, the only other occupant of the throne room when Twilight returned was a furious Lord Diamond Drill, his pure white coat tinged red along his muzzle with unsuppressed anger. "Unacceptable!" he cried. "This Temple of Tirek nonsense isn't even a real religion!" "Oh, I assure you," said Twilight, "it is quite real. It is entered in the official Canterlot Registry of Religions, which I believe the Religious Freedom Acts cite as the canonical source. You will find a list of members right here." She floated sheets of paper to the Lord and the Princess, who perused the single-spaced, three-columned, double-sided document. "Aha!" said Drill. "I know some of these names. The Riches are avowed atheists, as are clan Belle." "Perhaps they found the message compelling," said Twilight. She floated a hoof-bound copy of The Gospel According to Lord Tirek to him. He took a look at the cover and set it down – carefully – on a nearby table. "If all of that is settled," said Twilight, "I believe that you and I have a dispute about whom should marry the Princess." "You're a foreign ruler!" said Drill. Cadance cleared her throat. "Lord Drill, I am quite sure that no law, including the recent directive at stake here, restricts me from marrying a ruler." Twilight removed a second shoe – the first still being a pile of twisted metal on the throne room floor – and tossed it to Drill. He stared at it uncomprehending until suddenly his red face turned ghostly white, and he turned and stomped out. At a safe distance from Twilight, he called back, "I'll take this to the courts!" Twilight turned to Cadance. "What do you say, Oh Lover of Mortals and Mistress of Love? Marry me?" Cadance smiled, quite possibly the first time she had since Shiney's passing. "Why not? Better you than any stallion that would woo and wed me then bed me for babies." There were cries of favoritism and royal privilege, but the Imperial courts quickly dismissed Lord Diamond Drill's lawsuit and the Commonwealth courts ignored it entirely, leaving Princess Cadance to marry Princess-Consort Twilight Sparkle. Nopony complained overmuch when Her Imperial Majesty and the Princess-Consort adopted an earth pony colt. And while it took years and tears, the Religious Freedom Acts were eventually repealed leaving only the Garden in their wake. Other than a minor cult two centuries later which caused a bit of trouble and almost overthrew the Freebird Republic, The Temple of Tirek quietly faded into obscurity. Fin <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Flying With Angels author: Garbo tags: character:Applejack, character:Fluttershy, character:Gilda, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Scootaloo, genre:Adventure, genre:Dark, genre:Romance, genre:Tragedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Prologue: Teach Me === Prologue = Teach Me = = = = = Scootaloo woke up with a yawn. The first thing she did was look at the clock on the wall. After taking a second to figure out which one was the long hand, she saw that it was just after seven in the morning. "No wonder I'm so tired," she said groggily. She wished she could just sleep the whole morning away, but she was not a very sound sleeper. After another minute or so of complaining about how early her body had woken her up - on a Saturday - she pushed the blanket aside and got up. Scootaloo didn't have much of a morning routine. Being a pony, she didn't have to dress, and being herself, she didn't have to fix her mane. Her hairstyle was literally bed-head, but that was okay since it suited her quite nicely. She walked downstairs to have breakfast, and once or twice nearly fell asleep in her cereal bowl. After a few bowls, her head started to clear a little, and then she remembered something that she had forgotten; something she had to do today. When she realized this, her attitude improved immediately. Excitedly, she gulped down the rest of her cereal, left the bowl in the sink for later, and ran of into town. Of course, whatever reason she had for being alright with getting up that early must have been important. She was a young filly after all, and ponies love their sleep at that age. And not only had she gotten up at seven, but she had fallen asleep at nearly midnight. She had lied awake just thinking. She did this often, because she always seemed to has something on her mind. On nights previously, the thoughts in her head had been of her cutie mark, or rather her lack of one. But recently, there was something else bothering her. This being that, as hard as she tried, she could not learn how to fly. When she said she couldn't fly, that didn't mean she was grounded. She now had the ability to hover, but she got too tired to stay aflight for more than a minute or so. And even that very limited ability had taken her a month to figure out. It was after that that she realized she couldn't teach herself how to fly. So she went to her only parent - her dad - for help. She had no mother around, and even her remaining guardian was not hers by blood. She had not been blessed with a good family situation. Scootaloo was adopted from the Hoofington orphanage by Forrest Dew and his wife when she was about three. A year or so later, Her foster parents divorced, and her custody was awarded to Forrest Dew. But the house belonged to the wife, so he and Scootaloo moved to Ponyville. Not only was he not her true father, but Forrest Dew was an Earth Pony. And that was Scootaloo's problem. Normally, a Pegasi would have been taught to fly from a young age by their parents. Scootaloo lacked the strength and technical skill that most young fliers had at her age, so she was barely able to hover when most were already flying at advanced levels. When she went to her dad for help, he made the decision he thought was best. He tried to have her enrolled in the closest flight school: Cloudsdale. But her chances of being accepted to a flight school would have been higher if she was trying for a less prestigious school. In fact, it was the most prestigious flight school in all of Equestria. So students were expected to know how to fly to at least a limited extent, which Scootaloo could not. And so her application was rejected. The application had been returned one week ago, and Scootaloo had not been able to think about anything else since then. She couldn't teach herself how to fly, and she could not go to flight school. So how could she learn to fly? The answer had hit her last night, and it was that excitement that had caused her to get very little sleep. So now Scootaloo was walking through town, and she decided to review her plan for the day. "Okay, I can do this. I just need to find Rainbow Dash, and ask her for help. I mean, she spends all that time doing nothing, so she has the time, right? But what if she wants Bits? Ehh, I'll worry about that later." she smiled to herself, confident that before long, she would be flying with the best of them. = = = = = It took Scootaloo a good part of the day to find the cyan-coated weather pony. And even when she did, it took her another ten minutes to get her attention. Of course, if she had known how to fly, it would've taken next to no time at all. "Just another reminder that I need this." she said to herself. Rainbow Dash finished her downward spiral, and landed right next to her. "Hey, can you make this quick, I have some weather stuff to get back too." she said Scootaloo gave Rainbow an 'are you serious' stare in response. She knew as well as anypony else in town that she was not going to do her weather duty. Or at least, not on time. "Okay, fine," said Rainbow Dash. "I was going to blow off my work anyway. What's Up?" "I just wanted to know if you uh ... you ..." "Spit it out squirt." "...If you could teach me how to fly." Rainbow Dash just stared quizzically. "Teach you to fly?" "Uh ... Yep." Now Scootaloo was starting to get nervous. It hadn't occurred to her that Rainbow might reject her request. "What do you mean?" "Huh?" "Like, how much do you already know." "I can hover for a few seconds, I guess." "That's it?" "Is that bad?" asked Scootaloo dejectedly. "Kinda." Rainbow Dash said. "It would take a lot of work. I mean a lot of work." At that, Scootaloo perked right back up "I'm okay with a lot of work, but I really want to know how to fly. Like, even more than getting my cutie mark." "Hmm. Well, I don't know. Why can't you do it already? Are you not strong enough, or do you need to work on technique?" "Well ... both." "Why?" "Um, right. It's just that ... My dad ... He's ... He's an Earth pony. And my mom isn't with us anymore." Now Rainbow understood the problem. She had heard of this kind of thing before, but had never seen it for herself. Granted, Rainbow Dash's parents might as well have been earth ponies for all the teaching they'd done. But she pushed the thoughts of her frequently drunk and not present parents to the back of her mind, not wanting to think about them at the moment. "I know this might be kinda ... personal, or something like that. But was your mom a Pegasus?" "Well, yes, but my real parents didn't raise me. I'm adopted." "Oh," said Rainbow Dash. "Adopted, and her foster parents divorced? Wow, that's about as bad as it gets." she thought to herself. After that kind of story, how could she turn this filly down? "How much do you need. For training, I mean." "Enough to get me into Cloudsdale academy." "Oh. That's gonna be tough." "I knew that coming in," said Scootaloo confidently. "I can take this." Rainbow Dash chuckled. She was only beginning to realize it, but Scootaloo reminded her a lot of herself at that age. Determined to do better, And confident, perhaps too confident, that she would succeed in the end. "Sure. I'll teach you." "Really?!" "Yep." "Do I have to pay or anything?" Rainbow Dash shook her head. "No, nothing like that." "Aw thanks," said Scootaloo. Although most ponies would give a hug in this instance, that wasn't how Scootaloo did things. Instead, she gave a light hoof punch to the side. Rainbow Dash was grateful for that, and returned the bump in spirit. "So, when are we going to start?" asked Scootaloo. Rainbow Dash thought about that for a second. "How about ... Tuesday?" "Sure, after school will work. Where should I meet you." "Um ... I'll be at Sugarcube Corner." "Sugarcube Corner. Got it." "Well, I guess that's it." said Dash matter-of-factly. As she said this, she began to take off. "Okay then, I'll see you in two days." "Sure will." "And thanks a lot." "No prob." she called behind her, already well into the sky. Now she was flying away from Ponyville in the direction of the weather crew building, which floated right around where Fluttershy lived. On the way, she thought about the lessons she would be giving. Rainbow Dash wasn't so sure about this arrangement. She knew Scootaloo defiantly had the drive; it was written all over her face. but Rainbow Dash was worried that Scootaloo might be too far gone to teach correctly. Not only that, but she would have to teach her every step of the way, which could be a long process for some. And considering Scootaloo's situation, she would guess that it would fall on the longer side for them. "I'm going to be in this for the long haul, aren't I? Oh boy." Scootaloo, on the other hand, had no such concerns. "Wow. I get to have Rainbow Dash teach me how to fly. She's, like, the best flier in Equestria." She raised a hoof skyward in victory. "This is going to be sweet." = = = = = Scootaloo arrived at the Cakes' store on the scheduled day. And true to her word, Rainbow Dash was there. When Scootaloo walked in, Rainbow Dash was talking to Pinkie Pie. "Well hiya Scootaloo," said the pink pony cheerfully. "I heard Dashie's gonna teach you how to fly!" "Yep!" replied Scootaloo enthusiastically. "That's awesome! Well, I'll leave her to you. I bet you two'll wanna start right away." As she said this, she straightened out a few things on the counter, then walked into the room behind her. Scootaloo turned to Rainbow Dash, who had an interesting expression on her face, and was staring in the direction Pinkie Pie had left. "So, you told her you were teaching me?" asked Scootaloo. "No, I didn't." answered Rainbow Dash, still staring off to her right. "Then how did she know?" "I have no idea," she sighed and walked out the door, gesturing for Scootaloo to follow her. "Then again, when do we ever know with her?" Rainbow Dash didn't say much after that. In fact, Scootaloo noticed that she seemed lost in thought, a bit detached even. Disliking the awkward tension, she decided to start up a conversation. "Are we gonna to get going right now?" "Not quite. I have some food to get, but that's on the way." "Where are we going?" "The park." "Why the park? There's open space all around here," said Scootaloo, gesturing in that manor. "This is a farm town after all." Rainbow Dash stopped and thought about that one for a second. "I dunno. Just seems like the natural place. At least until you get up into the clouds." "Wait, I'm going to have to fly up there?" "Well, not right off. But soon, yeah." "How long will that take?" Scootaloo asked. "I have no clue." answered Rainbow Dash. "Why not?" They were nearing the market now, and when she noticed this, Rainbow Dash got aloft with a few quick flaps of her wings. "This'll be quicker if I just fly from stand to stand. Mind chilling here?" "No, I'm fine." "Okay," she said. Then she was a blur. And just after that she disappeared from Scootaloo's vision altogether. She turned her head to find the multicolor-maned pony. It took her a few seconds, but eventually she could see her hovering near the egg stand, apparently arguing over the price. Scootaloo noted that she stayed aloft throughout the entire conversation, a good ten minutes in length. When she was done there, she flew across the market to another stand Scootaloo could not see. Over the next five minutes, she saw her fly to a few more stands. "How am I ever going to be able to fly like that?"'she wondered. "And how can she just stay in the air like that. She's, like, twice as big as me!" All of this almost made Scootaloo feel as if the goal of flight was impossible. But it also inspired her to want to be able to do that. "I mean, that is really cool." Rainbow Dash finished off her shopping in the next five minutes, then flew back to where Scootaloo was waiting. The little filly didn't notice her right away, so she cleared her throat, jolting her from deep thought. "Day-dreaming squirt?" she asked. "Yeah, I guess," said Scootaloo, running a hoof through her mane in embarrassment. She quickly ran to Rainbow Dash's side, and the two walked to one of the many parks In Ponyville. "I didn't answer your question." noted Rainbow Dash. "Yeah, so why don't you know how long it will take?" "You're a farther behind than you should be, and I don't know how long it will take to teach you the basic skills." "That's it?" "One more thing," Scootaloo didn't make a response, so Rainbow Dash continued. "The thing is, I've never taught anypony to fly before." "Never?" "I wasn't done!" "Oh, sorry." "Like I said, I've never taught it. But I got taught it, and well, I'm pretty sure I can figure this out as I go. But just because I'm new to teaching this doesn't mean this will be easy. Got it?" "Yep." "Also, Never interrupt me when I'm talking." "No interrupting. Got it." "And while I'm on rules, the last thing is do what I tell you for training. Don't slack off, or you'll never get where you want. And don't go ahead of the program. That's a great way to get hurt." Under her breath, too quietly for Scootaloo to hear, Rainbow Dash said: "Trust me, I would know." "What was that?" asked Scootaloo. "What was what?" "You just whispered something at the end there." "No, I didn't," she lied. "Oh, okay then," said Scootaloo skeptically. "But we're here." Indeed they were. The park stretched out in front of the pair, a light breeze disturbing the leaves on the trees. Sunlight glinted off of the benches on either side of the main path, and birdsong could be heard in the distance. "Okay, then let's get started." said Rainbow Dash. The two walked a bit farther until they were in a more secluded section of the park. "So, you said you could hover for a few seconds, right?" "Yep, I can." "How long have you been able to do that?" "For a while. Maybe a month." "And how did you figure it out?" "I kept trying it for a few weeks." "And eventually you were able to do it?" "Uh huh." "Okay, let's see what you've got." said Rainbow Dash, sitting down on a nearby bench. "Um ... Sure," said Scootaloo nervously. She shut her eyes tightly and focused all of her energy on flapping her wings. When she got them up to top speed, she could feel them tugging her body up. She pushed off with her legs, and her body stayed off the ground. After about 20 seconds in he air, her wings started to feel some stress. After twenty-five, that stress became pain. And at thirty seconds she felt like she couldn't go on with it any longer. But she stubbornly managed to get her time all the way to thirty-five seconds, which was the best she'd done in a while. Satisfied with her effort, she turned to Rainbow Dash. "Hmm." "Wait, is 'Hmm' good or is it bad?" "'Hmm' isn't great. Your wing technique is completely wrong. You said you always use them to scooter?" "Yep." "Well, I think maybe your scootering might have thrown that off." "Really?" "Yeah. Try it again, and don't do it like you would your scooter. Just try not thinking about it." "Okay, I guess," said Scootaloo. She started flapping and pushed off as she had done before, but this time tried to not think about it. Unfortunately, she failed in that attempt. She spent so much time trying not to think about it that she ended up thinking about it even more than before. She didn't stay up nearly as long. Rainbow Dash sighed. "You thought about it, didn't you?" "Yeah, kinda." "You say that a lot," she commented. "Okay, Let's try a different approach. Try thinking about something else other than flying. Anything you want, just not your wings." "Sure, I guess I could do that." Scootaloo started flapping her wings for a third time. Within a second or two she pushed off. When she got up there, she still hadn't thought of what she was going to think about. She looked around her for something to focus on. He first thing she saw when she turned her head around to the right was her flank. Her blank flank. "That's it, I'll think about my cutie mark!" she thought. "I wonder if I'll get mine before Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle do. Not that it matters. I mean, we'll all get them eventually. What if we got them all that the same time. That would be really cool ..." Watching smugly from the bench a few feet away, Rainbow Dash wondered why she'd ever doubted herself. "I knew I could teach this," she thought. "I mean, this is my favorite thing. And she looks up to me like some sort of hero or something, so that helps. Well, I kind of am a hero. I'm one of the elements of harmony after all." Rainbow Dash stopped her somewhat egotistical train of thought long enough to acknowledge that Scootaloo was still up there. "Wow she's been up there for almost two minutes now. That's a lot better. Her technique is much more natural; her upward motion isn't pushing her down as much. She's moving them in larger circles too." Rainbow Dash kicked her legs back and put her front legs behind her head. "Let's see how long she can keep this up." Scootaloo kept it up for just over four minutes. Once she noticed how tired her wings were, It took her out of her thoughts. Now she had reached her real limit. She stopped flapping her wings, landing on her legs, which nearly gave out on her. Panting, she looked around confusedly. "Hey Squirt," said Rainbow Dash, getting up from her seat. "How long ... was I ... Up there?" Scootaloo managed. "Four minutes or so." "What?!" Scootaloo squeaked. "You heard what I said." Rainbow Dash ambled over to her side and put a hoof on her shoulder. "And I have to say, I'm impressed." "Really?" Scootaloo felt like she was living in a dream. Rainbow Dash was impressed with her! "Yeah. I wouldn't expect that from somepony just starting out. That's almost enough strength to get you into Cloudsdale, and we just started! I think you could be a great flier if you ... Well ... I'm no good at this inspirational stuff." Scootaloo was so worked up by this point that she felt like she would explode. Maybe even twice. "I ... I ... I ..." Rainbow Dash realized how awestruck she was making Scootaloo feel. "Better not let her ego grow too big." she thought, grinning a little. "But there's still more work we need to do." Scootaloo snapped out of her awestruck expression. "Like what?" "You need to keep improving on strength. Just find random times in the day and do this as long as you can. But don't try moving yet. That could lead to bad habits." "Okay." "As for technique, I think you'll be able to do it and think about it at this same time, now that you know what you have to do." Rainbow Dash stretched for a second, then started walking back into town. "I think we're done for today. Need a walk home?" "Done? Already?" "Well we don't want to use those muscles too much, or you might strain something. And whenever you hurt something, it gets in the way of training." "Aww. Fine, we'll go," Scootaloo sighed. = = = = = "I have a question." "Yeah Scoots?" Scootaloo grinned at the nickname that Rainbow Dash seemed to be calling her now. It almost seemed as if she and Dash were friends now, but she couldn't be sure. "If getting into Cloudsdale Academy is so hard, then how come Fluttershy said she could barely even fly and she was there?" "Good question. Fluttershy was never into ... well, normal flying. She was good at dance, and that's why she was there. Dance Always happens over ground, When she tried to fly without any clouds below her, she got scared. And even though she was there for something specific, she still had to do some basic flight training like everypony else." "So she's afraid of heights?" "Maybe, but I always thought it was the ponies watching that got her. But then again, ponies watched her dance too, and she seemed fine with that. I remember 'cause I went to one of those after we started being friends. But with the heights, I never asked her. That's kinda personal, you know." "That's true I guess. Oh, this is my street right here." she said suddenly. They had almost walked past it while they were talking. "You set from here?" Scootaloo didn't want to leave Rainbow Dash because she was enjoying the conversation, but she didn't want to look like a scardy-pony who needed to be walked to their front door either. So she answered in the affirmative. "Okay, see you next lesson." "Friday, right?" "Yep." "Okay, bye Rainbow Dash!" "See ya squirt," she replied. Scootaloo walked down the street until she got to a house three down on the left. Then she went in. Seeing that her pupil was safely in her own house, Rainbow Dash took of for home. "Wow, living on the ground? I couldn't pull that off. I'll have to ask Derpy Hooves how she manages." Within minutes, the shape of her cloud home could be made out in the distance. It became clearer as she closed the gap. She flew right into the door, which she always left a crack open. She wasn't worried about anypony stealing anything. It was worlds different front Cloudsdale, where most houses had three or four locks on their doors to keep out thieves. Nopony really did stuff like that in Ponyville, and Dash didn't miss the gunshots and sirens that often invaded the silence of night in her former cloud home. As she thought about these things, she ate a quick dinner of leftover cheese and dandelion pizza, in addition to a protein shake that she blended up. After that, she did a quick core workout, but didn't leave the house since today was a off day from a flying. But then she remembered with disgust that she had a fartlek the next day. The constant speeding up and slowing down which that type of workout required was the one thing Dash despised he most in her training. Even vertical climbs didn't annoy her that much. "Why do I make myself do those?" she asked herself in annoyance. It wasn't that Rainbow Dash made her own running schedule. Her flyer's magazine printed one in each issue, so she just took those numbers and doubled the distance. After a quick shower, she read through the last edition of Flyer's Weekly cover to cover, since she had never gotten around to it before. Now it was getting dark outside, and Rainbow Dash needed to sit down to sort out the thoughts buzzing around her head. She went into a closet on the second floor and opened it. Inside was her junior speedster's uniform, proudly framed, and everything she'd had from both that and her short time at Cloudsdale Academy. She brought out a box that was on the bottom of a stack of three. Blowing off the dust, she balanced the box on her back and walked downstairs with it. Once she got there, she sat down on the couch and opened it. Inside were team pictures, yearbooks, certificates, awards, and other papers. But what she was looking for was on top, so she had no need to look through the rest of those things. She brought out a stack of papers that couldn't have been more than a quarter inch thick, owing to her abbreviated attendance at flight school. She took some of the papers from the bottom of the stack and started reading them. When she found something she wanted she put it off to the side. After going through the entire stack, she took the papers she had taken out and started reading one of them. On top, there were words clearly marked in ink. Cloudsdale Academy - Age Group: 1st years - Performance Results For: Final Exam Rainbow Dash looked down the list until she found her own results that year. Her row read: Dash, Rainbow - Ht. 2.4 ft. - Wt. 46 lbs Sprint: 63 mph - A Stamina: 2.43 miles in 5 min. - C Climb: 2298 ft. - B Dive: Failed To Hit Terminal Velocity within allotted distance - F Form: Inconsistent. Geared Only Towards Speed - B Hover: 3 min. 38 sec. - B Overall Placement: 23/57 "Just like I thought," she sighed. Scootaloo definitely had quite a deal of natural ability. In fact, she was already better than Rainbow Dash's first year final exam. That was a shock, because even though Scootaloo was two years older than she had been, she had never done any training in her life. "Maybe the scootering gave her some extra strength," Rainbow Dash thought. In fact, only thing that had kept her from flying all those years was a mental block, something which something Rainbow Dash could relate to. The thoughts took her back to her early years, a time she wished she could rewrite, or at least forget. But thankfully, the memory that came to mind was a pleasant one. The first thing that came to mind was the exam that the results had come from. Back then, Scoring in the upper half of the class had been an accomplishment for her. But accomplishment or not, she had never been satisfied by it. = = = = = Rainbow Dash pushed the door open with one hoof, but didn't look at it. Her gaze was fixed on the ground below her, an utterly defeated look on her face. The door she had opened lead out of the Academy, the building in which she had just finished her final exam for her first year. Just outside the door, there was a pony waiting for her. "Hey Dash!" She looked up for a second to make sure the pony was who she thought it was. "Hi Sunbeam," she said, returning her gaze to the cloud under her feet. "What's wrong?" her friend asked. "The exam." replied Rainbow Dash "Was it bad?" "I was 23rd." "You were? Why are you so upset, that's the upper half!" "I don't know. I still feel like I can do better." "Hey, you did fine," said Sunbeam, putting an arm around her friend. "Just because some of the class beat you doesn't mean you failed. Besides, I bet you were top ten in the sprint." "I was eighth." "See. That's good." "I was fifth at the beginning of the year, Sunbeam." "Well ... I don't know ..." "Exactly. If I'm falling behind in the one thing I'm good at, then I'm not working hard enough." Rainbow Dash lifted her head in determination. "Which means I need to train harder." "Train harder? You already do all the workouts they tell you to do, what more do you need?" "Enough to make me the best in the class." "The best in the class?" she asked quizzically. "That's a bit high, don't you think?" Rainbow Dash turned to her friend, smiling now, any disappointment she'd had before replaced by a determination only she could muster. "Well, Probably, but you never know. I mean, It's not like we have somepony like your older sister in our class." "Yeah, Spitfire really is something. Did you hear, she beat the climbing record for the entire school!" "Really?" "Yes. She flew up just over 26 miles. I think it was 26.2 or something like that." "26 miles? That's impossible!" "I know, right? It's so cool." "But she's not even in her last year of school yet!" "Yeah, exactly ..." = = = = = That chat had gone on for another five minutes or so, but by this time, Rainbow Dash's mind was already Drifting to another memory. It was the first day of her second year; the first time in her life when ponies noticed her for more than just her technicolor mane. = = = = = As Rainbow Dash turned around the last set of markers, she knew that the rigorous training - and frequent pain - she had endured over the summer had been worth it. She had pushed herself past the point of just pain, on some occasions flying through injuries that she had once considered sideline worthy. There hadn't been a day where something in her body didn't ache, but that sacrifice was paying off beautifully. She now flew in a group much farther forward than her usual one, competing with ponies who had once left in the dust. With only the last 400 meter stretch left, Rainbow Dash did what she did best: sprint. She quickly put herself at the front of the group, with distance to boot. By the finish, she had a good 30 meter lead. Many of the class leading flyers - the ones who were serious about flying - noticed Rainbow Dash's improvement, and the nicer ones congratulated her openly at the end of the trials. As the class sat down, the second year coach reviewed the results of this test compared to the year end exam, as well as the flight miles the class had logged over the summer, a task that everypony, no matter their forte, was required to do. "Okay Foals, we have some standouts in our results, and the top flier list has changed dramatically since last spring. First, I would like to recognize the ponies who logged the most miles in summer training." He cleared his throat. "The first place finisher is Gleaming Crystal, who logged 843 miles." As the class stomped their hooves in approval, Sunbeam turned to Rainbow Dash. "Wow, that's a lot." "That's more than I thought, I'll give him that." "Not to impressed?" "Oh, I am, It's still better than mine." "Yeah, but I can't wait to see how they react when they announce yours." "I know," said Dash. As the class quieted down, the instructor read off the next person's results. "Our second best this year is Thunderclap, with 812 miles." once again, the class applauded their classmate's achievement. "Next on the list is Crimson Streak, with 794 miles." "Dang," said Rainbow Dash. "What?" asked Sunbeam. "Nothing. Just watch." The trainer, whose face had been somewhat apathetic while he read of the results, now showed a smile. "Our next highest student will come as a surprise to all of you. I was surprised by this number too, so shocked i had her distance recorder checked for tampering." There was a murmur in the class at the mention that the next pony was female. It was highly unusual for fillies or mares to be ranked that high within a class. Of course, there are ponies like Spitfire who are exceptions, but in general, the entire top ten in a class, at least for endurance flying, was male, even though three quarters of the class was female. After waiting for the crowd to be silent, he trainer continued. "But after review, it appears that the device was left untouched." The stallion cleared his throat once again. "Finishing fourth in the class, Rainbow Dash flew 789 miles over the summer." The whole class started turning their heads en mass, looking in puzzlement for the filly the trainer had mentioned. Within a few moments, the whole class was looking at Rainbow Dash, who was basking in the awed attention. And now, the trainer was trying, and failing, to silence the class. "Nothing like this ever happens," said one pony. "I don't care what that review says, there's no way a middle of the pack flyer did 700 miles." said another. "I thought she was right near the back." "Who's Rainbow Dash? I've never heard of her." "You mean the one with the rainbow hair? Really?" "Wow, she's going to be good this year." "How could she possibly do that much?" Sunbeam looked around at all the ponies who were now in a hubbub about her friend. "Wow, I know you said you did a lot, but 789 miles?" Rainbow Dash, who had also been taking it all in, turned back to her friend, a look of giddy excitement on her face. "Yea, I know. This ... Is so ... Awesome!!" The cyan filly looked around her once again, knowing that all the hard work had been worth it. "Best day ever!" = = = = = Rainbow Dash woke up to the smell of old paper, a smell she generally managed to avoid unless she was visiting Twilight to pick up the next edition of Daring Doo. So why was she smelling it now? She opened her eyes, and saw that she'd fallen asleep while daydreaming, and drooled all over one of the results sheets. She sighed, trying to rub some of it off with her elbow, with limited success. "Whatever." continuing from where she'd left off, she picked up the results from her year two final exam. The bottom line read: 16/64. She picked up the next sheet, which read: 9/63. And the final sheet from her fourth year read: 4/66. That had been a proud test for her. She read some of the print up the page, which read: Sprint: 134 mph - A - GRADE RECORD. But despite setting the grade record - one that still stood as far as she knew - that year had gone catastrophically wrong. Two events happened that led her to drop out the next year. Well, at least it had been really bad back then. By this point in her life she'd come to terms with that part of herself. Not that the teasing had been pleasant, but it had only served to push her even harder than before, just so she could prove everypony wrong. That push resulted in her making the Junior Speedsters team a few months later. It wasn't that she was barely talented enough for the team; she was one of the best there. But Normally, school dropouts were not allowed on the team. She'd had to prove herself worthy of the team not just physically, but mentally as well. There were plenty of memories there, but Rainbow Dash ignored them. "I've had enough daydreaming for one night," she said to herself. She left the papers to be cleaned up later and walked up to her room for a nap. = = = = = Three Months Later: "Alright, today we're going to learn how to break during a high speed dive." said Rainbow Dash. "We're going to climb up to about 2000 feet, then go into a dive. When we fly through those clouds over there, just stop like you normally would, but don't pull up until you've actually slowed down some." "Why not?" asked Scootaloo, lifting off into the air, a skill which now required no effort whatsoever for her to pull off. Rainbow followed suit, and the two started a lazy climb upward. "Well, the only time you would use this would be if you don't have time to pull up for whatever reason, like if there is thick fog and you didn't see the ground in time. If you do this right, it's about two times as tight as if you pull up." "Oh, that makes sense," said Scootaloo. For the rest of the ascent, the two pegasi maintained silence. But when they got to about where Rainbow Dash wanted them to be, she gave a few more words of explanation. "Okay, I'm going to do one first just to give you a better idea, even though I think you'd probably get it yourself. After, I'll climb back up to 500 feet where the place I want you to break is. When I stop there, you can do yours." "Got it," said Scootaloo, a look of determination on her face. "Oh, and one more thing. If you can't slow down soon enough, pull out. Just be cautious, this technique has a habit of being hard to pull of ..." "Which is why you only use it as a last resort." finished Scootaloo. "Right," said Rainbow. She shot Scootaloo a quick grin. "See you back down there." Scootaloo nodded in response. Rainbow Dash wasted no time going into a nosedive, quickly reaching her terminal velocity, at which point she tucked in her wings. It didn't take long for her to reach the clouds she had specified earlier. The clouds dissipated when she hit them, and she had a passing thought that she would have to replace them. Rainbow Dash turned her body so it faced belly-down, and at the same time flared out her wings. When she slowed down enough she started flapping them as well, decelerating her even more. When she was at about 300 feet, she came to a complete stop. She did a gradual half loop and climbed up to about where the clouds she had gone through were. She found the nearest clouds and moved them to that spot, making sure they were almost directly under Scootaloo. As Rainbow Dash started flying a bit to the side, she saw that Scootaloo was coming out of a small loop and had already started coming into her dive. "Just can't wait can she," marveled Rainbow Dash. "I swear she's my clone or something." At this point in their lessons, Scootaloo was easily good enough to make it into the academy, but they decided to continue the lessons until the next school year, since Scootaloo still had normal school to finish up. Now instead of trying to get Scootaloo into the class, they were trying to make her one of the best, which seemed well within her capabilities. And this technique was something she technically didn't need to know until the year after next, but Rainbow had decided to teach it to her anyway. Scootaloo had gone about a half of the way down in her dive, and was now approaching 1000 feet. Soon she would be at the clouds which were at 500 feet, plenty of space for her to bail of she couldn't pull it off. From the side, she would have looked like a orange missile speeding down to the ground to lay waste to whatever lay below. Her body, now much more muscular than it once was, was streamlined against the wind, her front legs both tucked in. Although Rainbow Dash always preferred having both hooves facing forward, Scootaloo had her own way of doing things. Her wings were tight against her body, awaiting the quickly approaching cloud marker. Within a few seconds, she breached the clouds, which by the time her hind legs passed them no longer existed. She mimicked what Rainbow Dash had done, spreading her wings out to break her fall. But suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her left wing, like it was going to fall clean off. She screamed, a sound could not be heard by anypony from this high up. In her confusion, her body started to juke wildly from side to side with only her right wing supporting her flight. Belatedly, she realized that she had to level out. She tried stretching out her wing, but when she did, the wind bent it back in a way it should not have been able to, sending a wave of unbearable pain through her body. As she blacked out, Scootaloo wondered if she would ever wake up again. Rainbow Dash had realized well before this that something was wrong. She was now flying at top speed, hurtling towards the ground at a steep angle, struggling to speed past her terminal velocity in time to catch Scootaloo, who she now saw was spiraling wildly, apparently unconscious. In any other circumstance, she would've tried her signature Sonic Rainboom, a trick she always seemed to pull off under stress. But if she did, she risked damaging the houses in Ponyville below. Not only that, but the blast could kill more ponies than she would save by doing it. She looked at the ground. It was only 200 feet away. She looked back to Scootaloo. She was still a ways away, but close to reaching distance. "Okay, I can reach her, but I don't think I can pull out in time, and I can't use the breaking technique with both our weights." She realized that no matter how you sliced it, this was going to hurt. A lot. "Celestia, please let me get there in time." The distance was closing fast. At about 50 feet, Rainbow Dash grabbed the spiraling filly, she started trying to pull up, but her fear was realized: she definitely wasn't going to make it. Both of them were not going to make it. In the last second before impact, Rainbow Dash flipped herself around so she was facing the ground instead of Scootaloo, taking the full impact of the landing. She felt the initial impact, a pain that was so great her brain could not comprehend it. But by the second bounce, her vision was black and her brain was blank. = = = = = "And the last rule is do what I tell you for training. Don't slack off, or you'll never get where you want. And don't go ahead of the program. That's a great way to get hurt." "Trust me, I would know ..." "Trust me ... ... I would know ..." = = = = = "C'mon Dash, you can do this," she said, talking to herself in the mirror. "Well, I know I can do it, but should I? I mean, Shooting Star said not to." "But I'm not tired yet. Yeah, I can do this!" Now done with her internal conflict, she donned her Junior Speedsters uniform, and took off out the window. Five minutes later, she was soaring above the landscape around Wingberg, the location of the Junior Speedster's headquarters. Although moving away from Cloudsdale had been hard, she had gotten used to it over time, and knew the surrounding land like the back of her hoof. Not that she missed the school though, too many bad memories. But it seemed that all the good things about Cloudsdale were missing here, but all the bad things - crime, gangs and the like - were all too present. It wasn't a very long dive to the ground from Wingberg, since the city was a few thousand feet lower than Cloudsdale, but she had been wrong about being tired. She felt like sleeping in midair. But she stubbornly carried on for a few minutes before turning back. Those few minutes should have been the difference between her nearly falling fifty feet and becoming seriously injured or making it back safely. But as it turned out, it was only the difference between meeting or not meeting somebody new. Rainbow Dash was woken up by a violent shaking. She whirled around to see who was attacking her, she saw only a griffon who was about her age, and she wasn't attacking her. All she'd done was wake her up. "Where am I?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Outside Wingberg." answered the griffon. "How did I get here?" "You were flying around, but you feel asleep mid-flight." "I did what?!" "You started falling out of sky so I grabbed you and brought you here." "You were following me?" "I was curious. Nobody ever flies this late except for me." Rainbow Dash turned to her new acquaintance. "Who are you?" "'Name's Gilda." "Well, My name's Rainbow Dash, but everypony just calls me Dash." "Well, cool meeting you Dash. You want to fly back to HQ with me?" "Yeah, that seems like a good idea. Oh, and thanks for saving me back there. I'm much happier waking up on the grass than in the hospital." "Don't mention it," said Gilda. And so they flew back to the dorms together. Surprisingly, Gilda was only six doors down around the corner. Rainbow Dash wondered how she hadn't known about her earlier. "Oh well. I'm glad I know her now," she thought aloud. "Or else I'd be making some friends with the nurses at the hospital right now." She dragged herself into bed, and despite her repeated jokes about being in the hospital, had a fitful sleep full of nightmares about what would have happened if Gilda hadn't shown up. === Chapter 1: Fallen Angel === Fallen angel ripped and bruised, think on better days. Life is rude, treats you bad, tears your wings away. Raise your eyes to star and sky. Believe in fly-aways. Take your dreams, your broken schemes, and sweep the past away Fly, lonely angel. Far above these streets of fire. Fly, lonely angel. Far away from mad desire. Great White -=- The Angel Song Chapter 1 -=- Fallen Angel =-=-=-=-= Rainbow Dash woke up in a world of darkness. The void in her vision caused her mind to reel. Why would it be dark? Was she blind, or was it nighttime? Or maybe the sun had burned out. She did not know. As she continued to ponder this, her mind slowly came out of the temporary delirium it had been in. Now with a clear mind, the explanation came simply. Her eyes were closed. When she opened them, she saw an unfamiliar scene. The room around her was colored with white and light grey hues. There were some odd machines lining the walls, and the air smelled faintly of sanitizer. She was lying on a small bed with white pillows, white covers, and white sheets. It was just like a cloud in that manor, the only difference being that it was a mattress and therefore not nearly as comfortable. She was about to ask if anypony was there, but she looked around and saw someone standing behind her. She was about to ask what she was doing here, but a quick peek under the sheets answered that question. The presence of the bandages and the nurse said it all. She was in the hospital. At this realization, the memories came flooding back almost as suddenly as crash itself. The final impact was very fresh in her mind. She remembered the world slowing down as the ground became larger in her vision. She remembered her wings, still flapping frantically to try to lessen the blow. She remembered the first impact, the crunch of her bones, and the pain coming from her back, her neck, her wings … Frantically, Rainbow Dash threw the sheets off of her body, craning her neck to see her back, and more specifically her wings. It turned out as she had feared. The right wing was completely covered by bandages which wrapped all around her torso and completely immobilized it. She turned to the nurse. "How long until this heals?" The nurse did not answer her question. She said to wait for a moment, and then left the room. Within a minute she came back with a doctor, to whom Rainbow Dash readdressed her question. "I'm not sure you will want to ..." "Tell me!" "I think it would be best to wait ..." "TELL ME NOW!!" The doctor sighed. "I must warn you Miss Dash, this will not be welcome news." "Just tell me how long this will take to heal," she said forcefully. "It won't." Rainbow Dash didn't really take in what he was saying, although her body went rigid and her face went pale when she asked her question. "What did you say?" "I am sorry to inform you that the wing will not heal." he said in an even, professional tone. Rainbow Dash just stared at him blankly, as if she expected him to say he was just kidding, that everything was fine, and that she would heal in a few days or so. But when this never came, she realized with a horror what this meant. "Are you saying I'll ... I won't be ..." "Yes. I'm afraid your days of flying are over Miss. Dash." "No ... No flying?" "There was too much damage on the crash. The bones will mend, but the parts of the wing responsible for motion are unsalvageable." "There's ... There's nothing I can do? No physical therapy? Not even prosthetics?" "No. I am sure you are well aware that prosthesis does not work with wings." Rainbow Dash made no response. She stared at the ceiling, horrorstruck, her breath coming unevenly. "We will leave you some time to be alone," continued the doctor. "I am truly sorry about your loss." After he said this, both he and the nurse walked out of the room, leaving Rainbow Dash alone with her thoughts; her unimaginably horrible thoughts. "No, no it's not true." "… It can't be ..." "… It isn't ..." By this time, Rainbow Dash was already tearing up. And those tears quickly turned into sobs. And those sobs into wails. "No…" "…No..." "…It's not possible…" "…I can't ... Fly?" "Why did ... Why did this happen?" "Why me?" "Why?!" Dear Celestia, WHY?!" The last words were choked off in an uncontrollable fit of sobbing, and the only sound that could be heard in the room was her weeping. She was too shocked for words, her mind still unable to comprehend the possibility. The loss of a friend, the loss of a pet, none of those could compare to the sheer sorrow that engulfed Rainbow Dash. It was like the loss of a family member to her. Flying was one of the few comforts she'd had; one of the few things to distract her from all that was bad with her life. Other than her closest friends, nopony truly cared for or loved her in any way. But even that friendship could not surpass the love she had for flight. It had always been a constant; something that had never abandoned her. At least, not until now. Futilely, Rainbow Dash wiped away the tears, only to have them replaced by reinforcements. There seemed to be no end to them, just as there seemed to be no end to the sadness she now felt, and would never escape from. "There's nothing," she said, sniffling. "No family. No flying. And no love." the last words echoed in her head, once again bringing back memories of a certain Griffon friend of hers. =-=-=-=-= "So, what you're saying is ..." "I'm leaving, Dash," said Gilda. "We had a great run but ..." "Why are you going?" Asked Rainbow Dash, a small tear rolling down one cheek. It continued down to her chin, where it fell to the ground between her front hooves. She hoped Gilda wouldn't notice. "It's complicated. I wish I could tell you, but it's private." "Oh, okay," said Rainbow. "So, when are you going again?" "In the morning. I already have everything packed up, so I'll get a bite to eat and be on my way." "Oh. So this is the last time I get to see you." "Well, you might see me tomorrow. But basically, yeah." There was something Rainbow Dash wanted to say, but it was only in the back of her mind and the words never got past her lips. "Well, I hope I see you sometime," she said, her tone wavering. "Oh, don't worry, you'll see me again. Maybe not soon, but someday." she waved goodbye to her friend. "Right now I'm gonna get some sleep. Bye Dash." She was about to open the door when Rainbow Dash suddenly shouted after her. It was as if that faint urge in the back of her head had been shoved to the front, and now it consumed her. "Wait!" Gilda turned around. "What?" Before she could second guess herself, Rainbow Dash hurled herself at Gilda and kissed her deeply. As it went on, Dash lost track of how long it was held, but it couldn't have been more than ten seconds or so. When Rainbow Dash backed away, she saw a look of complete shock on her friend's face. Gilda stuttered. "I ... Uh ... Um ... I'm going. Bye." she ran out the door, slamming it behind her. Rainbow Dash didn't say anything or try to follow her. She just sat there, equally awestruck at what she had just done, jaw slack in astonishment. "Did I just do that?" Up until that moment, she bad never thought of Gilda in that way, although liking those of her own gender was not new to her. As she dragged herself to bed, tears began to well up in her eyes. She pulled the cloud sheet over her head, willing herself to forget what she had just done. And yet, she couldn't. She lay that way for a long time, thinking about what she had done, and the friend she had lost. =-=-=-=-= That thought had stuck with her for a long time. And although it had taken a backseat for a while, it came back to the surface when she saw Gilda again, years later. And this of course was when she visited Ponyville, and had the whole spat with Pinkie Pie. That visit had made Gilda look like a very mean and rude person, but that was not actually true. The anger Gilda showed was the result of her anxiety about seeing RD again, something that Dash had only realized after she stormed out of the party. =-=-=-=-= At first, Rainbow Dash had truly thought that Gilda was upset because she was jealous of Pinkie Pie being her friend. But the more she thought about it, the less it made sense. Gilda had never had any problems with Dash hanging out with other friends back at junior Speedsters, or even going on the occasional date with whichever mare or stallion she was dating at the time. And Gilda had never been this emotional about anything either. It had almost seemed like she was taking something out on Pinkie Pie, but Rainbow Dash had no clue what that could be. After a while, her curiosity became too much, and she left the party early under the pretext of having to work on an addition she was making to her cloud home. Although it was true that the add-on was still unfinished, the matter of Gilda's outburst was much more important. It didn't take Rainbow Dash long to find her. After going to her house to see if Gilda was packing her things, she checked what had become Gilda's favorite place to fly during her visit: Ghastly Gorge. At the moment, the griffon was flying at about the middle of the canyon. Rainbow Dash quickly redirected her flight into a dive, pulling up to Gilda's left side, which was quite an accomplishment considering how slender the canyon was. Gilda acknowledged but did not speak to Rainbow Dash. Rather, she continued to focus on her flying. So through the rest of the twists and turns, Rainbow Dash was alone with her thoughts. "What could she be upset about? Was I too harsh? No, that doesn't seem like the Gilda I know. What if she really is jealous? But that makes even less sense! What could it possibly be?" Before long, they reached the end of the canyon, and landed a few feet away from the edge. The two were silent for a long time afterward, but in the end, Gilda broke the ice. "This place is really awesome." "Yeah, it is pretty cool," replied Rainbow Dash, "but is that really why you're here? I mean, really?" "Well, where else am I going to go?" "Back to the party! I know my friends. They'd forgive you." "Yeah, your friends," She said mockingly. "Gilda, you can pretend Pinkie Pie is the problem, but I know that's not what this is about." "Yes it is. I just don't like her, that's all." "Yeah, good one. Nopony just dislikes Pinkie Pie. She's nothing but kind to everypony. And she never did anything wrong to you either." Gilda's stoic mask finally broke at this comment. Rainbow Dash saw an emotion on her face that she'd never seen: Fear. "You talk about that pink one like she's the best friend ever, don't you?" "What? Are you actually jealous of her? I thought you were tougher than that!" "It's not that Dash, it's ... Well ..." Gilda was tripping over her words, her usual confidence having abandoned her. "Spit it out," said Rainbow Dash impatiently. "I'm upset at myself," said Gilda weakly. "Why?" "It's ... It's because ... Well, do you ... Never mind." Rainbow Dash had never seen her like this before. It frightened her, but she knew she would have to keep digging if she wanted to get the truth out of her. "Gilda, just tell me what the problem is." "... It's ... I'm too weak!" "Too weak? What do you mean?" Gilda had her eyes shut tightly. Whatever she was about to say, it was very hard for her. "Well, you remember the last time I saw you?" "At the party?" "Dash, you know what I mean." "Oh, that." Rainbow Dash said sadly, remembering Gilda's last day at Junior Speedsters. Inside, Rainbow Dash felt like bursting out crying at the memory. It still stung her deep down, but she had kept her emotions to herself in the time Gilda had visited for the sake of them getting along. And she did the same now. "Gilda, what's the big deal? I already get you don't like me that way. You don't need to feel bad." Gilda was fearful of how Rainbow Dash would respond to what she was about to say. But she knew it had to be said. "Well, that's the problem, see I ..." "Wait, you do like me that way?" "Well, kind of ... I mean, Yes, yes I do." At that, Rainbow Dash's façade broke, her pain and sadness manifesting itself as a different emotion entirely. "YOU WHAT?!" Rainbow Dash somehow seemed to be looking down at Gilda, despite the fact that she was about a foot shorter. Gilda, on the other hand, was trembling in fear. But she managed to collect herself enough to speak again. "I love you, Dash." Rainbow Dash took a step forward, well within Gilda's personal space. "So you knew that when I kissed you?!" "Yes." "And you just ran away like you felt nothing, just because you were too chicken to say anything?!" Gilda just nodded, too terrified for words. Rainbow Dash stood that way for a few seconds, looking like she was going to explode. And then she did. "How could you?! Do you know what happened after that?! I was a wreck! I never dated anypony, I still haven't since then!" "You know what? I don't care how long I've been waiting for you to say that! If you really cared about me, you would've said something back then." "Wait, please. Rainbow Dash!!" Gilda shouted after her as she started to fly away. It was probably the first time she'd ever called her friend by her full name, but it seemed appropriate in this circumstance. Rainbow Dash turned around long enough to rebuke her again. "No! Why don't you go break someone else's heart, you insincere … bitch!" with that, Rainbow Dash rushed off in the direction of her cloud home, her face set in a look of sheer hatred. Gilda, on the other hand, just sat there sobbing. She sat that way for a long time, thinking about what she had done, and the friend she had lost. =-=-=-=-= Once again, Rainbow Dash woke up. The first thing she noticed was that the upper part of the sheet was damp from her tears. "So it wasn't a dream," she said to herself. For a moment, she felt like she was going to cry again, but she somehow managed not to. Not only that, but she found herself not thinking about the wing at all. There was something else she was trying to remember, something else from the crash. She forced herself to review the memory in her mind, trying to find what it was that she'd missed. It took her a while, but she finally realized what it was. Or more accurately, whom it was. She looked around her for a bell or something she could ring, but didn't see one. She wanted to get going right away, but she managed to stay in the bed. "The nurse will come by soon," reasoned Rainbow Dash. Her assumption ended up being correct. Within five minutes, a nurse entered the room. "Oh good, you're awake. Is there anything I can get for you?" "Can I walk?" "Yes, but why?" "I want to visit somepony." "If you are referring to the filly who crashed with you, she's is in a different hospital." "Which one?" "Ponyville's." That made sense. Rainbow Dash had noticed that this place looked different than she remembered Ponyville's looked like. "So where am I?" she asked, although she was pretty sure she knew the answer. "Cloudsdale. You were brought here because we are better equipped for wing reconstruction." "Oh," she said, now deciding to change topics. "So, I heard right when they said no more flying, right?" "Yes." Rainbow Dash fought back the tears that once again threatened to come out, with partial success. It was enough to keep her from sobbing, but a few tears still fell. "So what are they doing with my wing?" "Well, when you were brought in, all the bones were shattered, so we are trying to repair it to make the wing cosmetically sound." Rainbow Dash didn't remember what 'cosmetically' meant, but she inferred that it meant something like 'look right'. "What else?" "Well, although the muscles are currently dysfunctional, we believe we can make it so it can flap in a somewhat normal manor again." "But ..." "Unfortunately, the wing would not be able to handle your weight for more than a few flaps before giving out again. Also, it would take two surgeries if you decide to go through with it, and we would have to wait until your wingbones heal." "So I could have one last flight someday?" "If you're okay with the wing being amputated, then I suppose you could, although that's not the reason we're doing it. The repair is intended only for you to be able to flap your wing, and will also allow for other normal functions such as ..." "Please don't say it," Rainbow Dash interjected. "I know what you're going to say, so just don't say it." The nurse smirked, showing a crack in her professionalism. "Fine, but I would try to avoid getting sexually stimulated until the surgery is done." "Yeah, I'll do that," said Rainbow Dash sarcastically, thinking back to Cloudsdale academy and the mandatory health class. "But I'm not sure I want that ability back." "Well, keep in mind that if you don't get the surgery, that would still happen to the other wing. And I don't imagine you'd want that to happen to just one." "Oh, right," said Rainbow Dash, imagining what that would be like. "So I get wingboners, but I still can't fly. That's just great. So, what else got hurt?" "Some broken ribs, a concussion, a shattered shoulder blade, and a few more things. But all of those are repairable with magic, unlike your wing." "Yep, I know," she said. She figured they must ship a few unicorns up here every once and a while, which they could easily do since all but the lowest floor was solid instead of cloud. "Is that it?" asked the nurse. "One more thing: Why are you so much less ... Uptight ... than the other people who work here?" The nurse chuckled. "I just think the rules are a little silly, that's all." "Well, it's a lot better that way." "I try," said the nurse. She was about to leave Dash alone in the room, but she called after her once again. "What is it?" The nurse asked. "Who's in charge at the hospital?" "Well, there are quite a few people who fit that description." she said. "Anypony named Sunbeam?" "If by Sunbeam you mean the person in charge of aero-magical research, then yes." "That's her," she said, remembering that her flight school friend had always been interested in that subject. "Can I see her sometime? I haven't seen her since flight school, and I wanted to catch up." "Oh, you were friends?" "Yeah, but after I dropped out I never saw her again." "Well, she has a very busy schedule..." "Dang it." Rainbow Dash interrupted. "... But right now would be the best time to see her." "Wait, for real?" "Yes. She has two hours off at this time of day, and she's a half hour into her off time right now. I could take you to her." "Sure," said Rainbow Dash. "Thanks." "It's the least I can do," said the nurse solemnly. Rainbow Dash didn't respond to that comment, so the two walked out of the room. =-=-=-=-= The nurse, whose name was April Blueblood as Rainbow Dash soon found out, was now leading her down the narrow hallways of the hospital. It was much bigger than Ponyville's hospital, befitting the much larger population he city had. "Any relation to the prince?" Rainbow Dash asked, referring to April's last name. "Maybe distantly, but too distantly for it to matter." She looked up at the sign at the hallway intersection. "Her room is three doors down on the right. I would knock first." "Okay, thanks." Rainbow Dash continued on alone, laying three solid knocks on the door. A few moments later, a face Rainbow Dash recognized was outlined in the open doorframe. She was much older than in flight school, but she still looked as she remembered. Her coat was a darker color than her sisters, a more orangish yellow, but still bright. Her mane was primarily light grey and orange, with some turquoise highlights that became less and less prominent to the end of her mane. The only difference from back then was that the grey in her mane and tail was darker than Dash remembered, but this was normal for ponies whose manes were lightly colored. Sunbeam was the first to speak. "Rainbow Dash!" she pulled her into a tight hug, being careful to avoid the hard-to-miss wrapping around her chest. Rainbow Dash returned the hug in spirit, but soon broke it apart. Sunbeam smiled hugely, while Rainbow Dash only smiled slightly, still grieving over the loss of her wing. Once she saw the unconvincing smile on her old friend's face, Sunbeam seemed to remember why Rainbow Dash was here, and how serious it was. Her face became much more solemn as she stepped to the side, saying: "Please come in." Rainbow Dash did, and sat in the chair across from her desk. Sunbeam sat down soon afterward. "So, how are things going?" asked Sunbeam. "I mean, with the wing." "You heard?" "I saw your name on the patient list, and I was curious, so I looked up your injury. But how did you know I was here?" "I didn't; I just guessed. I remembered you always wanted to do this, and I figured you'd end up near the top." Sunbeam smiled at the compliment, but didn't say anything, allowing Rainbow to continue. "How bad is it exactly?" she asked. "So, you're here for answers?" "Yep." "I wish we could've met again under better circumstances, but I guess we'll have to take what we can get." "Me too," agreed Rainbow Dash. "Well, let's just say you're lucky to be alive right now, and even luckier that we developed the surgery we're going to use." "Yeah, I was wondering about that. Is that something new? I didn't think it was possible." "It is new. Only two months old actually." "Am I the test subject?" asked Rainbow Dash nervously "No, it's been used four times so far; you'll be the fifth." "Oh." "But In a sense, you are correct. This is the worst off wing we've ever tried to salvage. I'm sure that it will work, but I'm not sure it will stay that way permanently. There is a chance that it will degrade over time." "Why?" "That's a complicated issue. We all have the ability to use magic, but in different ways. Unicorns can use it to affect and manipulate objects in the world around them. Pegasi can use it to fly on wings that would be far too small to hold us up otherwise. And the Earth Ponies use it to grow better crops even in worse conditions. These gifts also set certain trends: Unicorns tend to be the most intelligent, Pegasi tend to be the most skilled, and Earth Ponies tend to be the strongest." The last remark earned Sunbeam a glare from the world class athlete sitting across from her, but she ignored it. "Although the gifts of unicorns and Pegasi are more obvious, they are also more vulnerable. Thus, when a unicorn's horn or Pegasi's wing is damaged, magic cannot be used to heal them." "I don't get why not," she stated. "Well, nopony truly knows why it doesn't work," Sunbeam replied. "Even I don't, and I've researched the topic pedantically. No matter how much I try, there seems to be no math or logic behind it, and yet it always points to the same conclusion: They can't be healed because they are the conduit of the magic within us. Whether it is because the magic gets in the way of itself or another reason, I do not know." Rainbow Dash though about this for a while, but couldn't really think of a response. She bowed her head in defeat, and tears began to fall from her eyes. Until now, Rainbow Dash had not fully accepted the consequences of the accident. She had held on to the dim hope that she could pull through somehow, and by some miracle. But what Sunbeam said broke her resolve, not because it was proof by any means, but because it made perfect sense. As she started to sob, Sunbeam walked around to the other side of the desk and laid a hoof around Dash's shoulder to comfort her. "I'm sorry," Rainbow Dash choked out. "It's just ..." "Don't be sorry. I'd much rather see you like this than not see you at all." RD looked up at her school-age friend with eyes flooded with tears. "Thanks." "No problem." she replied. The two sat that way for a long time, Sunbeam leaning next to a distraught Pegasus mare that was spiraling down a figurative whirlpool of depression. The once confident and cocky pony was now only an empty shell of herself, and with no rudder, she started on the wild spin with only one end: hitting rock bottom. =-=-=-= A week later, Rainbow Dash was let out of Cloudsdale Hospital. The bones in her wing were not yet healed, but the doctors had decided to let her out once they made sure that they were at least healing in the right position. It had taken a week for them to be sure, as well as a minor surgery or two, but at long last, she was free. Now she was taking an aerial chariot to Ponyville, something she'd never had to do before. She looked behind her to the open back of the chariot, and wondered for a moment if anypony had ever fallen out of one of these. It would be pretty easy, she reasoned; just accidentally leaning back would hurl you into the air and on your way down to the ground, where you would hit and this whole nightmare would be over. Rainbow Dash shook her head quickly from side to side, trying to expel the suicidal thoughts within. When she looked around her she saw that not only had she been thinking about it, but her legs were bent, her body poised to jump out of the chariot. She mumbled something unintelligible to herself and repositioned her legs and body into a relaxed stance. "C'mon Dash, you're not going to kill yourself," she said, trying to give herself a pep talk. "That's weak". Those last words were the true reason she did not want to kill herself: She was afraid of how ponies would think of her if she did it. These types of thoughts were ingrained in the Pegasus psyche, a remnant from the olden times of pegasi warriors and the honor codes they tended to follow. "Besides, they would just catch me," she reasoned. The trip only took another minute or so, and when she landed, she wished it could've lasted longer. It had felt good to be in the air again, even if it wasn't with her own wings. On the other hoof, it also felt good to be in Ponyville. She breathed in the fresh air, something she had always admired about the small farm town. Up in Cloudsdale, the air was thinner with the altitude, lacking the richness and variety of smells that terrestrial air had. As much as she wanted to cherish the air, she could barely have a breath to herself, as everypony in town came up to her and asked her about her wing. She told them the truth, and eveypony who heard offered his or her condolences. After answering two dozen ponies or so, it became too much, and she changed her response to: "Ask somepony else". She wished she could just fly overhead and avoid them all. She had never realized how crowded it could get in some parts of town, or how long it took to walk everywhere. By the time she got to the hospital, she felt like she'd been walking for hours, when in reality it had only been about fifteen minutes. When she walked in, she was greeted by the front desk clerk. Oddly, they were not a mare as she remembered, but a teenage colt. He was an earth pony with a beige coat, amber colored mane, and blue eyes. "Must be new," she thought. "Hello, welcome to Ponyville Hospital, Ms. Dash. Is there an emergency?" asked the young stallion, looking past her face to Dash's bandage. "No, I'm just here to visit." "Who?" "Scootaloo?" A look of recognition arose on the colt's face. "Oh. She's here all right. She's in the last room on the left down that hall," he said, gesturing to one of the two hallways leading out of the lobby. "Thanks," said Rainbow Dash, walking in that direction. "Finally," she said to herself. "Somepony nice enough to shut up about my wing." She continued walking, her hooves clopping loudly in the empty hall. When she reached the end, she turned to the left, looking up at the room's number. "One. Of course, it's room one. It's like every damn thing reminds me of ..." Suddenly, the door opened, interrupting Rainbow Dash's thoughts. She looked up, and could clearly see that the pony in the door was Applejack. "Hey Dash! We was beginnin' to worry 'bout ya!" The farm pony pulled her friend into a tight embrace, then led her into the room. Inside, her friends - accompanied by Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle - greeted her. Rainbow Dash scanned the faces in the room, but noticed that one important one was missing. "Where's Fluttershy?" she asked. "None of us have any idea where she is." explained Twilight Sparkle. "None of us have seen her, so we don't know if she's coming or not." "Oh. okay," she said, shaking off Pinkie Pie, who had hugged her the instant she saw Rainbow and now didn't want to let go. She walked around the group of her friends, and eventually saw the pony she had been looking for: Scootaloo. She had her eyes closed, which frightened Dash for a second. But she quickly realized that if her friends were this upbeat, nothing too serious could've happened to her. She couldn't see the rest of her body, so she couldn't see if anything was injured. "How is she?" she asked. "The doctor said she'd be fine," replied Rarity, who wore a concerned look, having noticed the bandage that adorned Rainbow Dash's wing. "Yep. She'll be all fixed up in a jiffy!" added an ever jubilant Pinkie Pie. "The doctor said it'd take a week or two for her wing to heal up, then she'd be okay," explained Apple Bloom. "But what about you?" Sweetie Belle asked, gesturing to the bandage around her wing. "I heard you got the worst of it. Is that true?" "Sweetie Belle, that's rude, bringing it up like that," Rarity scolded. "If she wants to tell us, she'll tell us." Rainbow Dash looked around at her friends. All of them – even Rarity, despite what she had just said– were looking at her expectantly. As much as she herself agreed that it was incredibly personal, Rainbow Dash decided to take it like a Pegasi. Sure, she could just say she didn't want to talk about it and her friends would be fine with that, but she didn't want to give them any reason to worry. "Yeah, I landed on the bottom. I saw that I couldn't pull up in time so I turned upside down so she would ..." but she couldn't get the whole sentence out. Mentally, she cursed herself for faltering. She took another look at everypony's face, and saw concerned eyes returning her gaze on all accounts. "That's what we heard," said Applejack. "So ya did that to save her?" Rainbow Dash nodded solemnly. Normally, she would've flaunted the fact that she'd selflessly saved somepony else from death, but she didn't feel like it at the moment. "Well shucks, I'm mighty proud of ya. Ya coulda died, ya know." "I know." "But if you don't mind me askin', what happened to that wing of yours?" Rainbow Dash bit her lip. She knew she would have to tell everypony about it sooner or later, and although now was as good a time as she would get, she just couldn't bring herself to do it. Seeing that she remained speechless, Twilight spoke up. "You don't have to tell us if you don't want to, but I think I speak for all of us when I say we want to be here for you." "Well, I don't ..." Mid-sentence, the door swung inward, and somepony else walked into the hospital room. "Sorry I wasn't here this morning. I had some things I had to do and …" upon seeing Rainbow Dash, the pony went rigid, staring wide-eyed in astonishment. Rarity was the first to greet the new arrival. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?" she asked, walking over to the mild-mannered pegasus. Flutterhsy bolted towards Rainbow Dash just after Rarity reached her, leaving the fashionista dazed and confused. Fluttershy continued on her beeline, despite the fact that Twilight and Pinkie Pie were in the way. Rather than go around, she knocked the two out of the way, which sent Twilight flying into a nearby wall, and Pinkie sprawling on the floorboards. "Are ya okay Twi?" asked Applejack, helping her up. "I'm fine," she replied, looking back at the small dent that she had left in the wall. "Not a problem." Meanwhile, Fluttershy was assailing Rainbow Dash with questions about her wing, some of which were very confusing to the less informed ponies in the room. "What does she mean what's going to happen to your wing?" asked Pinkie Pie. "It only took a itsy-bitsy week for your wing to get fixed up last time. And they already let you out of the hospital, right?" Rainbow Dash turned to Fluttershy. "You heard?" Fluttershy nodded. "So it's true?" "Yep." Dash answered, her voice so low that Fluttershy's was at least twice as loud. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said, pulling Dash into a hug much like Applejack's, only softer. "Sorry about what exactly?" asked Twilight. "Well, um, I guess I'll have to tell you about that. Well, I'm ... Uh ... It's just that ..." Rainbow Dash felt the little confidence she had slip away. She turned to Fluttershy, a look of pure helplessness on her face. "Can you tell them, Fluttershy?" "Are you sure?" "Uh huh." "Well, okay, I guess I'll try," said Fluttershy. She took a second to collect her thoughts and her nerves. "Rainbow Dash has a permanent wing injury that was caused by the crash. As far as I heard, all the bones in her wing were shattered and … well … she can't fly anymore." she said, trying her hardest to be calm but still squeaking at the end of her sentence. Everypony in the room responded at once, but not in complete unison. "What?!?!" "I can't believe it." "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." "Come again?" Rainbow Dash bowed her head. "You heard her." Nopony in the room had any idea what to say or do. But a late reaction from one of them broke the silence. "You What?!" All in the room turned to the source of the sound to discover that it was a wide-eyed, dumbfounded, orange filly sitting up in her bed. "Scootaloo!" shouted Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle, running over to their friend. They tried giving her a hug, but she ignored them, getting up and walking over to Dash. For the first time, Rainbow saw what Scootaloo looked like after the accident. She had a splint that kept the joint of her wing from moving. It stuck out about half way up as a result, making her appear slightly lopsided. After a painfully long silence, Rainbow Dash confirmed Fluttershy's statement herself. "I can't fly anymore," she said simply. Scootaloo obviously understood what this meant, but she didn't want to believe it. "But It'll heal after a while, right?" "Scootaloo, if you think it's your fault it isn't. I obviously pushed you ... pushed you too hard. I mean, that ... that technique was a little over your head." Rainbow Dash was fighting an uphill battle to keep her voice even and not start sobbing openly. So far, it seemed to be working, but she didn't know how long she could keep it up. "Won't it heal though?" "No," said Rainbow Dash quietly. "It won't." Scootaloo's eyes closed about half way, and her stance became shakier. By the time everypony realized what was happening, Scootaloo was already falling over. The nearest pony was Apple Bloom, but she didn't get there in time to catch her, and Scootaloo's body crashed to the floor, thankfully on the side which did not have an injured wing. Everypony stood in shock for a while, but Rarity was the first to come to her senses. "We need to get a nurse. Now." "I'll go with you!" Rainbow Dash called after her, chasing her down the hallway. =-=-=-=-= The next time Scootaloo opened her eyes, she saw seven fewer ponies than she had seen last time. She was back in her hospital bed, and the only one sitting next to it was ... "Rainbow? Is that you?" Rainbow Dash nodded, but didn't say anything. Scootaloo rubbed at her eyes, looking around the room. It was just as she had left it, "What happened?" "You conked out when I told you ... Well, about my wing." At the mention of her wing, Scootaloo made a whining sort of noise and turned away from Dash, pulling the sheets over her head. Confusedly, Rainbow Dash reached a hoof over to try to turn the filly back towards her. When she was met with resistance, she gave up. "Okay, what's up?" From her sanctuary on the other side of the sheet, Scootaloo grimaced. Stubbornly, she remained silent, her eyes closed tightly. Rainbow Dash gave another few tries at getting her friend - for that is what they had become over the last few months - to respond to her. But despite her attempted patience, she snapped. "Are you even listening to me?!" At first, all she was met with was more silence. But eventually, Rainbow Dash heard a sound, but not one she expected. It was a sort of sniffling, and she realized that Scootaloo must be crying. Instantly, Rainbow Dash regretted shouting, for in their companionship, Rainbow Dash often forgot how young Scootaloo was. She sighed. "It's not your fault," said Rainbow Dash quickly. Surprisingly, Scootaloo responded this time. "Yes it is." she croaked out. "Hey, I don't blame you. You did everything I wanted, but you weren't strong enough. That's all." Scootaloo shifted a little under the covers, then flung them off, turning towards the pony sitting on the end of the bed. Rainbow Dash was met with the sight of a face wet from tears and eyes bloodshot from crying. Seeing Scootaloo in this state made Rainbow want to cry as well, but she held that urge back, instead putting a hoof around her shoulder. "I don't blame you, and if I don't, why do you?" "But I didn't do it right." "So, you didn't pull off the trick. Well sure, maybe this one ended ... Awfully, but ..." Rainbow Dash did not finish her sentence, for she was barely able to utter those last few words. "But I didn't do it!" "Like I said, it's just a trick and ..." "No, not that." Rainbow Dash plainly did not understand, so Scootaloo explained further. "I didn't do everything you told me." "What do you mean?" "Well I ... It's just that ..." As had happened many times in this conversation, Scootaloo was at a loss for words. "Hey, if you have something to tell me, you might as well." "You'll just get mad at me." Rainbow Dash made an attempt at a comforting smile, but she was unable to. Instead, she used her words, which had not failed her so far. "I promise I won't be mad," she said confidently. Scootaloo wanted to believe that, but a nagging part of her told her that it wasn't true. Even so, she would have to tell her the truth about the crash. Even if it meant ending their friendship, she would never be able to live it down without telling her. "When we started, you told me not to fly too much; not to fly more than you said to. But last week the training wasn't hard enough ... and I didn't want to insult you ..." Rainbow Dash was listening to Scootaloo, but her eyes were distant, with a sort of glazed over appearance. Scootaloo stared into the twin pupils, and even though Rainbow Dash's eyes were pointed straight at her, it seemed as though she was looking through her instead. It unsettled her, but she continued anyway. "... So I started flying on my own. The day before ... before I fell, I went flying. But I hurt my wing. I didn't want to tell you, so I went on like it was normal. But when I did the breaking maneuver my wing couldn't take it because it was already hurt." Scootaloo had stopped looking at Rainbow Dash by the time she finished, and when she looked up she saw that despite her promise before, she wasn't happy. From the expression on her face, Scootaloo fully expected Dash to attack her where she lay. Although she didn't assault Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash did the only thing that could be worse: she stood up and started walking out of the room. "Wait!" Scootaloo called after her. She didn't make any reaction, now reaching for the doorknob. "I'm sorry!" Scootaloo cried. "Please! I'm so sorry!!" Rainbow Dash stopped. She turned her head back to the filly, an expressionless look on her face. It was as if all the emotion left in her body was gone, even the anger and the sadness. Scootaloo thought she would rather have the mare shouting at her in anger than staring at her as she was now. But just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, Rainbow Dash opened the door and ran out, and Scootaloo wished her friend was still there. She tried to hold back the tears, but one thought pushed her over the edge. "At least, she was my friend." As the tears continued to fall, she thought about her mistake and what it would have been like had she just listened to Rainbow Dash's advice. She feel backwards on the bed, and through her sobs, her words could only just be heard. "I wish it was me instead." === Chapter 2: Dark Horizons === Deciding to take a break from her studying, Twilight looked out the front window of her tree home. Apparently, she had lost track of time, for it was now almost noon. She sat up to stretch her muscles, which she soon discovered were tight to the point of cramping. She groaned in annoyance. After stretching her legs and getting a satisfying pop out of her knees, she looked out the window once more, and was just in time to see Rainbow Dash run up to the door. Upon seeing that her friend was at the window, Rainbow Dash froze, her facial expression pausing with her. The sight that greeted Twilight was one of a pony who seemed as if every feeling had been drained from their body. To put it poetically, it was as if the 'Rainbow' and the 'Dash' had both been sucked out of the mare, leaving only a black and white photograph with none of the personality left over. The image instantly imprinted itself in Twilight's head, and would continue to haunt her for the next couple minutes. It didn't take nearly that long for Rainbow Dash to hide the expression. She now appeared to have the same cocky smile as ever and the same swagger as well. But despite the show, Twilight could tell that Rainbow Dash was forcing it, like a colt trying desperately to fit in ten late quizzes all on the last day of the semester. Twilight didn't move from her position, so Rainbow Dash let herself in, acting as if nothing was wrong. But Twilight could tell that something was definitely wrong. Seeing Dash as she had in the window had unsettled her deeply, as if she had seen a real-life Bloody Mary. She turned to her Pegasus friend, who was now looking at the titles of the books as if she was interested. "Rainbow, what's going on?" Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight quickly, and for a second, she thought she could see that blankness in her friend's face again. But if there had been any doubt before, Rainbow Dash's voice gave her away. She spoke shakily, as if she were shivering from the coldness of her heart. "What do you mean? I'm fine. Really, I am." "No you're not." "I'M FINE!!" she shouted defensively. Twilight was taken aback by the shout, a noise that practically shook the hallow tree, and could probably have been heard from outside as well. It was more than enough to alert Spike. He ran down from the third floor where he had been reshelving Twilight's personal book collection and came face to face with a fuming Rainbow Dash. He reeled back in fright, shirking away from the emotionally compromised Pegasus. "Um, Dash, are you okay?" Rainbow Dash's gaze softened. Something about seeing her friend and fellow jokester seemed to bring her back into reality, despite the fact that this was not the time for pranks or laughs. But as Rainbow Dash descended from anger, she fell into a depressed state. Her knees gave way from under her, and loud sobs could be heard reverberating through the tree where the other sound had only just ceased echoing. Twilight was at a loss for words as well, let alone actions. But she put that aside in order to help her friend. When Dash seemed to run out of tears, Twilight saw an opening. But just when she was about to try it, Spike spoke up. "Dash?" The Pegasus looked up through tear-clogged eyes, but was barely able to see through them. She lifted her head up a little, but just when the two thought she would recuperate, she flung herself back into her depression once again. Spike stepped forward, but Twilight stopped him in place with a hoof. "Spike, I'm not so sure that's a good idea." "What do you mean? Do you want to just leave her like that?" "Well no, but--" "But nothing! She's one of our best friends Twilight; we can't let her sit like that!" Twilight had to admit that Spike's comment was true. And as much as she wanted to help Spike do this, Twilight had to admit that Spike was better qualified to try and calm Rainbow Dash down. He spent more time with her; time often spent pranking other ponies along with Pinkie. So Twilight stepped back a few hoof-lengths, gesturing for Spike to help her. He paused for a few seconds, but then leaned down and tapped Rainbow Dash with an outstretched claw. She didn't make a reaction, so Spike sat down next to her, and after a little while, nudged her again. This time, Rainbow Dash's gaze stayed fixed on Spike, and so he asked her a question. "Is it okay if I ask?" "I don't know." she forced out. "That's okay. I can wait," he said patiently. "We can talk about something else. How is Scootaloo? We didn't really get to see her after she fainted." This elicited a wail from Rainbow Dash. Admittedly, this phased Spike a bit, but he tried again after she stopped crying, which took a while. "Are you calmed down now?" Rainbow Dash nodded, but didn't look at Spike. "Good, 'cause we want to help. I know whatever it is must really suck, but you'll feel better if you tell us." Twilight, who was now sitting back in a chair, took it all in. She'd never known Spike to be this mature before. Now if only he could be like that more of the time. "I know," she said, catching your breath. "It's just that I, uh--." "If you don't want to say it you don't have to." Rainbow Dash gave Spike silent thanks. The only thing harder for her than thinking about it was saying it, and she was glad not to have to. At this point Twilight intervened. "But you seemed fine yesterday at the hospital." Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight, a few stray tears falling down her face. "That's just what I wanted you to think." "And you couldn't hold it in anymore?" asked Spike. Rainbow Dash nodded slowly. She knew she had the full right to tell them why it was Scootaloo's fault, but at the same time, it felt like betrayal. But Rainbow Dash needed to let this out; needed to confide in somepony. Twilight and Spike were probably two of the most trustworthy of the bunch, so she figured that if she was going to tell, she might as well now. "Sort of." "What do you mean?" asked Spike. "Well, it was something Scootaloo said about the crash." Twilight was now starting to understand what Rainbow Dash seemed to be implying. She thought over what she was going to say carefully, trying to find a way to put it easily. But there was really only one way to say it. "Are you saying you blame Scootaloo for the accident?" Rainbow was taken aback by the harshness in Twilight's words. So was Spike, as he turned to her in disbelief. "Twilight, what are you doing?!" Twilight already had a plan in mind. Although what Spike was doing seemed to be working a little, Twilight hoped she would respond better to direct questions, which was a tougher approach. It was also a gamble; a big one. But this was not the time for delicacy. "Rainbow, you're not going to get over this if you just shut the truth inside you. If you do blame her for the incident, you need to admit it to yourself. I can't stand to see you like this!" Twilight's eyes held a few tears of their own now, and she was struggling to maintain her composure. Rainbow Dash looked at Twilight with an expression of understanding, but wasn't sure of what to do. She turned to Spike, looking for a second opinion. "Dash, I think she's right. Holding things in is never the right way to go." Rainbow turned her head back to Twilight, then sat up. She closed her eyes, apparently sorting out what she thought. Not only that, but she had stopped crying. It appeared that Twilight's idea had worked. Spike walked over to Twilight, standing beside her and looking at the now calm Rainbow Dash, who was at present sorting out her internal mental battle. It looked as if she were meditating, which was the last thing you would expect somepony like Rainbow Dash to do. "Wow. For a second there, I thought you were just going to make her cry again." "I thought so too, Spike." "Then why did you do it?" Twilight grinned just a little at the question. "The more I thought about it, the more it made sense to push at her. It would be easy for somepony like Rainbow Dash to mistake your actions for pity. Considering her personality, I thought she would react better to more aggressive stimuli." "Oh." said Spike, looking dejected. Twilight nuzzled her assistant in an attempt to make him feel better. "Hey, your idea was good," she said reassuringly. "Really?" "Yes." "Thanks." "No problem." answered Twilight. As she glanced back to Rainbow Dash, she was just in time to see the mare open her eyes again. Despite the fact that Rainbow was definitely calmer than before, her eyes were still bloodshot from the crying, and beyond that, told of the utterly broken spirit inside. But this was better than she had been when she came in, for she also felt relaxed and to a lesser extent, relieved. "Do you want to sit down?" asked Twilight. "Yeah." As the two mares walked to the sofa in the corner, Spike caught up to Rainbow Dash and tentatively laid a hand on Rainbow Dash's neck in a gesture of comfort. Rainbow looked to Spike in admiration and silently thanked him. =-=-=-=-= As it turned out, Twilight and Rainbow Dash were not the only ponies talking about the recent events. Across town, Fluttershy and Applejack were seated on a sofa in Fluttershy's cottage. Applejack had arrived there moments ago, seeking a friend to talk to. Fluttershy had also wanted this, but per usual had been too shy to pursue the matter with anypony else. Normally, she would not have hesitated to approach her friends, but in time like this, she tended to be even more anti-social than usual. But this trait was different with Applejack. Applejack was the only pony that really understood her timidity, and was the only one who not only accepted it but welcomed it. Conversations with the farm pony always felt more natural than with her other friends. Applejack felt much the same way around Fluttershy, but for different reasons. Fluttershy's calm demeanor was comforting to her. That wasn't to say that she didn't enjoy the flamboyance of Pinkie Pie or the competitiveness of Rainbow Dash; she just liked Fluttershy's attitude a little better. Applejack was the first to speak her mind. "I'm afraid for RD." "Me too," replied Fluttershy, softly petting Angel, who was napping against her flank. "She seemed fine from that outside, but that one's darn good at hidin' things." "She usually is," said Fluttershy nervously, "but not always." "That's one of the things I'm wonderin'. Ya'll have known her longer than me. Has anythin' like this ever happened?" "Yes; yes it has." "So what was it like?" asked the orange earth pony, leaning forward in anticipation. "Back in flight school, Rainbow hurt her wing and couldn't fly for a week or two. And by the end of it, she was a wreck. She had to have counseling and everything." Applejack shuddered. If she had reacted that badly before, how would she feel now? "That ain't good at all. Do you think she'll do anythin' this time?" "I don't really know," said Fluttershy. "She was younger back then. She reacted pretty well when she hurt herself that other time." "Which time?" Fluttershy cracked a small grin. It was true that Rainbow Dash was constantly hurting herself, whether it be crashing into the ground, into trees, or into Twilight's library. She needed to be more specific. "The time where she tried to steal the Daring Do book." "Oh, 'Suppose she did, but that time, she knew she'd be out quicker than hogs to scraps. This time, not so much." "That's the problem. Flying is her entire life; she doesn't really have anything else. I'm not sure how she'll deal with it." "Are you sure 'bout that? I know she don't have a special somepony, but what about family?" Fluttershy didn't want to meet her friend's gaze, so she looked down at Angel instead. "So, she never told you?" "Told me what?" Fluttershy didn't want to say it. She knew that Rainbow Dash wouldn't want her to either, but she had to say something. She looked back up and met Applejack's stare. She couldn't resist those eyes. "I suppose you have the right to know. She's your friend too." Hearing Fluttershy's tone, Applejack wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to hear about it. Yet as it often happens, her curiosity was more powerful. "What is it?" "Rainbow Dash's parents were drunk for most of her childhood, and after she ran away and joined Junior Speedsters, she never saw them again. She had an Uncle and Aunt, but they both died when she was pretty young. Her grandparents were all dead before she was born." "So yer sayin' she don't have a family?" Fluttershy only nodded. Applejack didn't have a response to that. She felt terrible. "Wow. I mean, she was so happy all the time, I just didn't figure anything like that had happened to her." "I wouldn't think that either, AJ. Don't feel bad." "I mean, I know what it's like to not have parents around." "So do I." "I remember, sugarcube. But how does she have that big ol' fancy house if she never had any parents supportin' her?" "Well, she's a professional athlete, so she gets sponsorships and prize money from races she does well in. She also gets paid to do weather patrol." "Oh, that's right. I forgot." She said embarrassedly. Over on the counter, a high pitched screech could be heard. A noise like that would startle most ponies, but both Applejack and Fluttershy were accustomed to the whine of a tea kettle. Fluttershy started moving out of her seat to get it, but Applejack was already up. "I'll get that for ya, sugarcube." As she passed by Fluttershy, she inadvertently flicked her tail up, brushing it across her face. Fluttershy couldn't help but blush at this action. Her tail had smelled largely of apple cider, but the fragrance also hinted at wood burning stoves, hay, and a wide array of other smells. Despite how faint these were, it was an appealing smell all the same. Soon, Applejack came back with two cups of tea, both of which were placed on a plate that was balanced in her mouth. Applejack handled the delicate balance well, and soon the tea cups were safely in the hooves of Applejack and Fluttershy. When Applejack sat down, she was looking right at Fluttershy's eyes, and couldn't help but admire them. It was as if everything about the Pegasus mare was pretty. Her eyes, her coat, and especially her mane. Applejack wished she could have looks like that. "So what are we going to do for her?" Applejack blinked once. She realized she'd spaced out. She was blushing, although neither Fluttershy nor she herself noticed. "I, uh, I don't know. I mean, I'd expect her to stay home right now. I don't think she wants to go around town and have to talk to ponies about it." "That's true," said Fluttershy. "Maybe I could go visit her tomorrow, if that seems like a good idea." Applejack nodded. "That does sound good. I wish I could go with ya." "Me too. Maybe I can convince her to come down and visit or something like that." "Yeah, maybe." Applejack rose from her seat, grabbing her hat from the hook over the door. "Sorry to be leavin' so quick like, but I've got some chores to finish." "I understand," Fluttershy replied. Applejack turned around as she was leaving the room. "But just one more thing." "Yes?" "You said Rainbow Dash ain't got nothin' but flyin', but are ya sure? I mean, she has us, right?" Fluttershy didn't respond immediately, but eventually, words came. "I know, but do you really think that's enough?" "I don't know, sugarcube. I just don't know." =-=-=-=-= Within the next few minutes Spike, Twilight, and Rainbow Dash were seated around a table. Like Fluttershy, Twilight's first reaction in a time of stress was to make tea, and so each sat with a cup of tea. Rainbow Dash had insisted otherwise, but Twilight had gone ahead and done it anyway, which Dash was not glad for, since the warm drink did make her feel a little better. As she put the tea down she looked at the two across from her. Silently, she wondered how she had come across such great friends in this farming town. Although she was now a three year resident, she had meet all of her friends within the first couple months or so. Fluttershy she had sort of known from flight school but hadn't really gotten to know until she moved here. And within the first week or so she'd also met applejack, and the two had been great friends - and competitors - ever since. It had been another few months before she met her other friends in the Nightmare Night incident. Although she didn't feel as much of a connection to Rarity as she did the others, Pinkie Pie was now one of her best friends. And of course, she had met Twilight and Spike, both of whom were her friends for different reasons. Spike had a humor that was only matched by her or Pinkie, and that connection was her main reason for them being friends. On the other hand, Twilight was her friend because they shared some common interests like Aeronautics and of course the Daring Do series. As her gaze shifted from one to the other, Rainbow Dash realized that although Fluttershy and Applejack were probably her best friends, she couldn't pick two better ponies - or in Spike's case a dragon - to confide in. Swallowing the last sip of tea, Rainbow Dash slumped back in the chair. She had taken Twilight's advice and had sorted out just how she felt about Scootaloo at the moment. The verdict in her mind surprised her, but at the same time calmed her immensely. "So, did you figure out it out?" Rainbow Dash looked over to Twilight, who had voiced the question. "Yes." "And what do you think?" "I do." "You do?!" Spike said in shock. "I figured so." said Twilight, her tone comparatively calm. "You thought so?" asked Spike in disbelief. "But that's terrible!" "Spike, let Rainbow Dash explain herself. I don't think it's at bad as you think it is." "Well, both of you are right, actually." Not for the first time, Twilight was a bit confused. "What does that mean?" "Well, it does get better than that. But it's terrible too. I mean, I feel terrible." Nopony responded so she continued on her explanation. "The reason a blame Scootaloo is because it is mostly her fault." "But I heard she failed doing some really hard stunt," Spike pointed out. "Yes, but that's not why she couldn't pull it off." Rainbow Dash went onto repeat what Scootaloo had told her. Spike was awestruck. "Holy Guacamole!" "So that's why her wing was so badly injured," realized Twilight. "The doctors couldn't explain it." "So yeah, it is her fault. But at the same time, I don't hate her for it. I mean sure, she made a mistake. But I did the same thing when I was that age all the time." Rainbow Dash paused, thinking back to the memory of Gilda. But she did not want to talk about that right now, since it was a bitter-sweet memory. "And I probably could have done more." "What do you mean?" asked Spike. "When I was in Junior Speedsters, the coach always asked us how our wings felt. Everypony always told the truth, because if you got injured, your spot would be taken over and it would be hard to get back. If I did that every day with Scootaloo, none of this would've happened." Twilight leaned forward in her chair, looking up at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow, you can't keep thinking about the 'what ifs'. You'll drive yourself crazy." As she said this, Spike stood up and walked over to her. "She's right. Just try not to think about it." "But that's really hard," Rainbow whined. Twilight followed Spike's example and walked over to Rainbow Dash's chair, standing to the opposite side of her dragon assistant. "Rainbow, I know you can do this. Just remember, you've got us and the rest of your friends here for you. We'll get you through this." "Well thanks a lot Twilight! Now I don't have anything to say!" said Spike, exasperatedly Twilight chuckled a little at this, despite the seriousness of the situation. Even Rainbow Dash was smiling now. Rainbow wasn't sure if it was the support from Twilight, the joke from Spike, or both at once. But something had lifted her out of the dumps. The fire that had always drove Rainbow Dash on was all of a sudden lit once again. The determination was back, and the old Rainbow Dash with it. "You know what? You're right. I can do this. My life's not over; I'm still alive!" Twilight smiled. "Welcome back," she said. Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight. "Well thanks for bringing me back. You too Spike," she said, giving him a spirited noogie. "Hey, quit it!" shouted Spike light-heartedly. Rainbow Dash now full of joyous energy, felt like running out of the library and soaring out into the late morning sky. But the only problem with that was that she couldn't fly. Her heart sunk a little at the thought, but she rebounded. "Oh Twilight?" "Yes?" "I just remembered why I came over here." "I was wondering that myself. I thought there must've been a reason for you coming. What can I do for you?" "I was wondering if I could borrow your balloon. I need to get to my house." Twilight realized with a shock that she had never considered how Rainbow Dash would get back home. Nopony had thought about it. "Of course you can." "Thanks Twilight, I'll bring it back when I'm not using it." As she said this, she ran out the door of the library. "Wait, Rainbow!" Rainbow Dash heard Twilight as she was rounding the corner, and walked back to the still open door. "Yeah, what?" "Keep it." "Keep what?" "The balloon." "Really? Are you sure?" Twilight nodded. "Positive." "Wow. I was going to ask for it before, but I figured that would be a little uncool." "It's fine, really. You'll make better use out of it than me." Rainbow Dash nodded, and after thanking Twilight a half-a-dozen more times, finally walked back outside. Spike, who had been somewhat silent up until this point, now spoke up. "Bye Rainbow Dash!" She chucked. "See you around Spike!" She turned the corner of the library and went to the back where she knew Twilight kept the contraption. When she walked up to it, Rainbow Dash realized that once again, she needed Twilight's help. She had no clue how to get the thing off the ground. She turned back around to go into the library, but Twilight Sparkle was already walking to the back. "I just realized that you don't really know how to get this thing running, or how to fly it." she explained. "Yeah, I was just about to ask you that one." Twilight walked over to the balloon. "Well, the design is very basic as balloons go. I made it so I could fly it with little to no experience." "Wait, you made this?!" Rainbow Dash asked in disbelief. "Well, me and Shining both built it, but I designed it." she said proudly. "When did you build this?" "Funny you should ask. She turned ten years old yesterday." "Wait, I have to go up in this old thing with no way out if it breaks?!" "Rainbow, you'll be fine. I do it all the time and I can't break my fall either." "But can't you do a spell that slows you down before you land?" "Yes, but if I went terminal it wouldn't make too much of a difference. There is a spell for nullifying all velocity, but it skirts the laws of physics, and those kinds of spells are nearly impossible, and largely theoretical under normal circumstances." Half of what Twilight had just said went right over Rainbow Dash's head, except for the scientific terms that were associated with momentum, which she was very familiar with. But Rainbow Dash smiled anyway. "Maybe you should ask Pinkie how she does it!" Twilight laughed at that one, and so did Rainbow Dash. When they finished, Twilight walked Rainbow through the procedure for starting the balloon up, most of which was getting the flame going. "I usually start it with magic, but you can't do that. That means you have to wait for it to start up manually." "That sounds like it'll take a while," commented Rainbow Dash. "Yes, it does take a bit. If you give her fifteen minutes, she'll be fine. Just find something to do during that time and you'll be set." "Oh, okay." "Since I'm here, I can start this up right now. I'll go up with you and teach you how to fly her." "Okay, sure!" said Rainbow Dash. "It'll be so awesome to get back into the air." Nodding in confirmation, Twilight skillfully lit the flame, and the balloon quickly filled with the expanding gasses, aided by Twilight's magic so it took only a minute or two. The two then stepped into the basket and flew off into the sky. Meanwhile, Twilight explained how to fly the balloon. Although Rainbow Dash was trying to focus on what Twilight was saying, but a question was eating away at her thoughts. She spoke up, Interrupting Twilight's continued explanations. "Twilight?" "Yes?" "Why do you keep calling it 'her'?" "Oh, the balloon? It's an old Unicorn tradition from back in the days of sea exploration. Crewmembers got familiar with the boats and started referring to them as a lady, because during that era only stallions were allowed to captain boats." "Yeah, Pegasi have always been ahead on the whole social equality thing," she said in a superior tone. "Back then we had just as many mares as stallions as warriors." "Hey, we all learned eventually. On the other hand, the entire Equestrian navy was unicorns, which was mostly because Pegasi are too scared of open water to fly over it. If your kind had gotten their acts together, there wouldn't even have to boats!" "Hey, it's not our fault we're awful swimmers. We can't be good at everything. Oh, and the gay rights movement; we started that." Twilight rolled her eyes. There was one thing about Rainbow Dash she hadn't missed: the constant gloating. Her annoyance caused her to do something she rarely did in conversation: use a comeback. "Well I bet you of all ponies are the most proud of that one." she said, smirking at her. Dash, who immediately saw the comeback for the joke that is was, retorted. "Hey, I'm proud of being a filly-fooler," she said light-heartily. "Filly-fooler? I though you went both ways?" Rainbow Dash couldn't help laughing at her comment. That whole sentence was so uncharacteristic of Twilight, who almost never used slang. "Well of course I do. It's more fun that way. I mean, there's more options. But I have to have a favorite, don't I?" Twilight blinked. "You never told me you favored mares." "Didn't think it was important," she replied. "Actually, you're the only pony I've told other than Applejack." "You told Applejack? Why her?" Rainbow paused for a second before answering. "She asked about it one time." Twilight narrowed her eyes. She didn't think that Rainbow Dash was outright lying, but the pause had been rather suspicious. Twilight figured this meant that Rainbow Dash was telling her only part of the truth, but not wanting to be rude, Twilight didn't dig any farther. "So, do you understand how to navigate the balloon?" That sentence was more like Twilight. "I'm not too sure about some of it, but I think I can figure it out as I go." "Okay, I'll trust you on that." she said. "We're only a few minutes away from your house." "Oh, good." said Rainbow Dash. For the first time since they had taken off, Rainbow Dash took time to look at the sky around her. Indeed, it did relax her to be among the clouds again. It was where she was meant to be, and even if she couldn't fly through them anymore, she could at least be there to see them. It was nice, she thought to herself. In no time at all, they were level with the cloud which made up Rainbow Dash's home's foundation. Twilight maneuvered the craft so it was over the clouds, and opened the door, allowing Dash to safely jump down to the soft, cotton-like surface. After waving goodbye to Twilight, and once again thanking her for the ride, Rainbow Dash walked back to her house. Twilight, on the other hoof, lowered the balloon back to the library, since she didn't have any other way of getting back down to the surface. That meant that Rainbow Dash was stuck up in her cloud home for the rest of the day. Rainbow Dash was fine with that. Being stuck up her was better than being pestered down in town. Walking up to her house, Rainbow Dash spotted her mailbox. Realizing that she had two weeks' worth of mail to pick up, she walked over to it. There wasn't too much mail in there considering her usual load of athletics magazines, letters from fellow competitors, and the occasional fan mail. Thinking about these things hurt a bit, but she buried the feelings. She picked up the letters her mouth and walked back to the house, kicking the flap closed with her back hoof. When she got in, she found the door unlocked as always and went in. She lied down on the couch and started leafing through the letters. She didn't find anything important, or at least not at first. Nearer to the end of the stack, she found a letter whose envelope was solid blue, with a jagged line of yellow down the side. It took Rainbow Dash a second to realize what that meant, but when she did, she dropped all of the other letter and tore into the one still in her hooves, As she read it, her eyes grew wider and wider, and her heart sank lower and lower. All the happiness that she had regained at the library left her as she once again sunk into despair. Choked with tears once again, she only managed one word. "No--" =-=-=-=-= It was midafternoon in the capitol city of Canterlot, and the sun hung at the apex of its course, shining its rays upon the surface of Equestria. And yet, there were some places where the sunlight couldn't quite reach. These were not the places where you took a leisurely stroll, nor where you sat down to read a book. These places were occupied sparsely, because the only ponies who went there did so because they had to avoid something or somepony. The reasons behind this need for avoidance are sinister more often than not. But regardless of the reason, there are always ponies that have to keep to the shadows. It was in this sort of place that a shadowed figure lay in wait; who they were or even their basic appearance could not be made out in the dark. What they were doing there was equally a mystery, but there was one thing that was clear: they were waiting. Within a few minutes, another figure passed by the alley. As they stepped into the light, it was apparent that they were a pony: a unicorn stallion with a grey coat and light purple mane. There was nothing about them that would raise any suspicion, other than where they were lurking at present. The figure paused at the opening of the alley. After a few seconds, a sickly green light started to emanate from their body. The once faint luminescence became a blinding glow, and then cut off suddenly. What was left in the place was a completely different creature, with a form that could best be described as alien. To those who had been in Canterlot during the royal wedding, the beast would be easily recognized as a changeling. The changeling knew that fact perfectly well, which is why he had made sure of the vacancy of the area before transforming. There had only been one pony in the vicinity, which had been dispatched easily, and was now laying unconsciously in an alley down the road. Now fully transformed, the changeling walked into the alley. Only now did the figure in the alley reveal themselves. "What have you learned?" they asked. The changeling assumed a bow; much like ponies did when approached by Celestia or Luna. And to this changeling, they were indeed royalty. "You grace me with your presence, my queen." "Mannequin, I thought we were past this formality." said Chrysalis, smiling a little. "After all, you are my mate." Mannequin swallowed. This was a fact that he often forgot about temporarily. He was still in awe that he had been selected for that honor. "Forgive me, but is only out of respect and out of habit that I do so." "I know that." she said, waiting patiently for him to speak. "Thank you," he responded. "And I do have some news for you." "What kind of news?" "News that could allow us to move forward." On the inside, Chrysalis felt exuberant, but she contained her emotions. "What is it?" "The Element of Loyalty is currently in a treatment facility with a damaged flying appendage." Chrysalis looked at her fellow changeling with a look of confusion. "How does this fact help us, Mannequin?" "I am sorry my queen, I did not make myself clear. As you know, that type has the purpose of flying and managing the weather. But many of them also use these abilities in recreational endeavors. As fruitless as they are, they tend to become emotionally attached to these activities. As far as we can tell, the pony's injury will keep her from participating in the sport they call flying. In my tracking of the Elements, I have seen that she does this even more than most. Thus, I believe that we could use this weakness to push emotional instability, and thus be able to capture her." Chrysalis thought this over for a while, then spoke up. "This plan has promise. How do you plan to take advantage of this weakness?" "As of yet, I do not know. But I have made sure to put agents on constant watch, as well as myself. If we see something promising, we will alert you." "No need to alert me, I intend to watch her myself," she said confidently. "You do? I believe that it would be safer for you to wait until we are sure of a course of action." "Yes it would, but this is no time for caution." Chrysalis looked off into the distance, remembering her home as she had left it. "Our people are starving, and before long may die from that starvation. We must move forward." "Yes, Chrysalis." Chrysalis smiled. It was comforting to hear one of her own call her by her true name. Especially the one whom she respected the most. "I am confident your plan will be the one we've been waiting for. All we need the patience to see it through." "And then our people will thrive one again." he finished. "Precisely," said Chrysalis, walking over to him. "You have always been a magnificent adviser." "Thank you." "Now we must begin our planning," she said. "Let us return to our base." With that, Chrysalis teleported away with a green flash of magic. Soon afterward, Mannequin followed. After the light died out, the alley became dark and noiseless once again. All was silent. All was still. === Chapter 3: Mad Desire === As Fluttershy neared Rainbow Dash's house, she became increasingly nervous. Fluttershy wasn't sure if the normally jubilant pegasus would be anything like her former self, or if she would be too depressed. And that was assuming that she would want to talk about her crash. She could even be sleeping for all Fluttershy knew. Fluttershy tried to put herself in her friend's position, wondering what she would want to do if she somehow lost all of her animals, which were as important to her as flying was to Rainbow Dash. She had to admit to herself that she would not want to talk to anypony, and she could only hope that Dash would not feel the same way. There were other things to worry about as well. Since she could no longer fly, Dash was no longer part of the weather team. Thus, the former athlete had no way of supporting herself. Her friends would have to help her find a job, Fluttershy reasoned. If they couldn't, then Rainbow would need to get money from somepony else. As the element of kindness, Fluttershy planned on giving her as much as she could, but she didn't have much to give. All the money she earned was by helping people around town care for their animals, and those bits went to caring for her animals or herself. Truth be told, she barely had enough money for anything else. She did go to the spa weekly with Rarity, but Rarity paid for that. She often checked out books from the library, but Twilight never charged her for late books. Of course, it would probably be those two who helped Rainbow out the most. Pinkie Pie had even less money than Fluttershy did because of the amount of party supplies she bought. As a result, she was essentially living paycheck to paycheck. Even then, Pinkie would not have been able to afford all of those parties without the assistance from the Cakes. Seeing it as an opportunity to drum up business, the couple catered all of Pinkie's parties for free. When it came to funds, her friend Applejack was uncertain. Although the Apple Family was one of the richest in Ponyville during the fall, that money had to carry them through the winter as well, and she had heard from her earth pony friend that the family had experienced a number of close calls. Yet despite this, Fluttershy knew that Applejack would help somehow, probably with foodstuffs, which was what Rainbow Dash needed the money for anyway. Moving out of her daydreams, Fluttershy looked up to find herself no more than a nose or so away from Rainbow Dash's house. She was startled, but at the same time somewhat amused by this. "Good timing, I guess." She circled around to the front of the house, and soon saw Rainbow Dash. She was on the roof. Silently, the yellow coated mare wondered what her childhood friend would be doing on the roof. Rainbow Dash still hadn't noticed her presence, and Fluttershy was about to call up to her when she noticed an important detail: a rope. It was a pretty ordinary piece of rope, undoubtedly enchanted as to not fall through the cloud structures of the house. What made it stand out was that it was around Rainbow's neck. "Oh, no no no no no," said Fluttershy, lifting off without a second thought. She already knew what was happening, but the question still came out. "Dash, what are you doing?" Rainbow had been staring into nothingness, unless you counted the horizon as a material object. The sound of Fluttershy's voice brought her back into reality. And with this awakening came the most horrifying sight the easily-frightened pony had ever seen. She could only stare in awe as the insane smiled back at her. Smiled – with a noose around her neck and clearly ready to jump. It was not a cheerful smile either. It was the kind of insane smile that Fluttershy had once seen worn by Twilight. And yet, this one was much worse. "Hey Flutters, how you doing?" Her voice did not match her expression. It was deep and malicious, and made Fluttershy fear that Rainbow might hurt her if she took another step closer. "But I have to," she whispered to herself. "Can't hear you, F-Shy!" Fluttershy's mouth dropped. There was no way that her best friend would say that to her. She of all ponies knew what that nickname had meant, knew the past that she was trying to leave behind her. Rainbow had not been there for that part of Flight School, but she had visited when she could, offering a shoulder to cry on when Fluttershy needed it. Rainbow Dash's use of that insult felt like a hot nail being driven into her hoof. Fluttershy could feel the tears beginning to form, but she shook them and the insult off. She had to save Rainbow Dash; she had to stay strong. Fluttershy took a step forward. "Don't even think about it," said the maniacal Rainbow Dash. Trying desperately to remain firm, she took another step towards her. She was now about ten feet away from her target. Rainbow Dash's eyes widened in disbelief. "I said STOP!" Another step resulted in much the same response from Rainbow, as did the one after that. But another step brought on and entirely different one. "If you don't stop right now, I'm going to Kill You!" Fluttershy whimpered. She had no way of knowing if Rainbow was serious. Yet, if she did not go forward, she would never be able to convince her not to jump. Dash was trying to get Fluttershy to back away out of reach to catch her. If Fluttershy gave in, Rainbow Dash might die. Although she could save the cyan pegasus before she could choke, it was just as likely that she would be killed by her neck snapping. Fluttershy had no choice but to step forward once again. Usually, the pony brain has a fight or flight response to such a situation, but in this instance, Fluttershy could not use either option. Fight would be the action of jumping at Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy was not entirely sure she could catch her from this distance. And flight would result in the same end. "Better yet, I'll just kill myself," said Rainbow in a joyful tone that did not match her words. "Do you really think you can catch me from there? You can't fly to save your life, or mine for that matter." Suddenly, Fluttershy had an idea. If she could keep Rainbow Dash distracted by conversation long enough, Rainbow might lower her guard enough so she could be sure of catching her. She stopped moving forward, calling upon a confidence that she wasn't sure she had. She knew she would have to put on a show for this to work. "I wouldn't be so sure Dash," she said, trying to keep her voice at a somewhat normal-sounding level. "I can fly pretty fast when I need to." "Oh, so you can talk!" Rainbow Dash shouted in mockery."It took you long enough. Now why don't you tell me what you want so I can finish." "You know what I want, Dash." "Ask again and I'll see if I want to." Rainbow Dash casually bounced a portion of the rope up and down in her hoof as if it were just a toy, and not something she was attempting to kill herself with. She treated it with the same disinterest as the rest of her surroundings. Her apathy in the face of death only served to frighten Fluttershy more. "I want you to get away from the edge and take that rope off," the normally shy pegasus stated with uncharacteristic nerve. Rainbow Dash noticed the change. "That's a little confident for you. I'm impressed. I haven't seen you like that since, well, I don't know, Flight School?" "Don't go there," Fluttershy pleaded, her tone losing some of its confidence. "Why not, F-Shy? I mean, you're the spitting image of your younger self. At least, before you lost it." "Dash. Please, I—" "What's the problem? You were the most popular mare in the school. All the cots wanted to go out with you. And If I remember right, you went out with quite a few of them." Fluttershy could feel her rage building as well as her fear. "Rainbow, this is about you, not about me!" Rainbow Dash continued from where she left off as if Fluttershy hadn't said anything. "You were really close with some of those colts, weren't you? I remember one of them pretty clearly. What was his name again?" "Stop it!" Fluttershy was on the verge of tears, her voice little more than a squeak. "Oh, I remember now: Silver Comet. Yeah, I remember that party. I didn't see you for most of it. As I recall, you were busy letting him rut the cutie marks off your flank." "Rainbow, I mean it!!" Rainbow Dash's snide comments continued, her voice unsettlingly even. "Maybe I should ask him about your confidence. Or maybe I could ask that foal of yours. Oh wait, I forgot, you had it killed." Fluttershy couldn't take it anymore. She leaped towards Rainbow Dash in a fury. and at the same time, the maniacal pegasus sprung off the edge. As she fell, she closed her eyes, hoping to feel the tension around her neck, and with it, release from the nightmare her life had become. =-=-=-=-= Neither pony knew how it happened, but Fluttershy ended up under Rainbow Dash, who was standing neatly on her back. The blue eyed mare had calmed herself down, knowing that the situation was even more delicate than before. She had known that something like this would happen, but had not planned what she would do if it did. All she knew was that Dash was safe, at least for the moment. "You know, I could just jump off, but I don't really feel like it." For a second, Fluttershy was hopeful. "You mean you don't want to kill yourself anymore?" "No. I just want to wait until you get too tired so I can see the look on your face when I die." Fluttershy felt like she was going to vomit. If she let Dash go, she would be directly responsible for her death, and she would never forgive herself. "Oh, you're too shy to look at me. That's more like you. You've been that way ever since you killed your baby. It's pretty sad." "Rainbow, I know you don't mean it. You've got to snap out of it!" "Don't you get it, you stupid cunt? I never liked you! You were popular! All the colts liked you! And now you won't talk to anypony but me and your little bitch Applejack, just because you were too weak to raise your own mistake. You sicken me!" All of this was too much for Fluttershy, and she was no longer able to hold back her tears. It didn't help that Rainbow Dash only laughed when she saw her crying. It was not Rainbow Dash's usual contagious, booming laugh, but an evil cacophony. Before long, Fluttershy's muscles began to weaken under the weight, her wings flapping at an increasingly slower cadence. Rainbow Dash could feel herself sinking to the sound of Fluttershy's sobs, and in her present state, it was like music to her ears. She felt the rope touch to the bottom of her neck. She closed her eyes, exhaling the air remaining in her lungs. "Almost there," she said with a grin. Another dip from the pony below her, and she felt the rope tighten around her neck, making it hard for her to breathe. Rainbow Dash waited for a few seconds after that, hoping for the final dip that would leave her to her fate. But it wasn't coming. Not only was she not sinking, but she was rising. She looked down in alarm to see another figure under Fluttershy assisting her. Rainbow had noticed that Fluttershy had been calling out for help ever since she had started crying, but Nopony should have been that close to her house. After all, Fluttershy's voice did not carry very far. Fluttershy was just as surprised as Rainbow Dash. Not only had somepony heard her last-ditch screams, but it was the last one she would expect to show up. But before she could think about it too much, Rainbow Dash decided she wasn't going to let this happen. She jumped off of her back, but was quickly caught by the new arrival. No longer needing to hold up the weight, Fluttershy felt the adrenaline leave her body as she fell to the cloud floor below. She bounced once on the fluffy material, and then came to rest a couple feet away. A few minutes later, Fluttershy heard a whooshing noise above her, then the soft noise of somepony landing on the clouds just to her right. She felt something sharp touching her side, and from her experience with birds of prey, she knew it was talon. She looked up to see Gilda; Rainbow Dash's other childhood friend. "What was your name again?" The griffon asked. Fluttershy took a few seconds to catch her breath before responding. "Oh yeah, Fluttershy, how could I forget? It's been a while, though" Fluttershy didn't say anything, so Gilda offered her a claw. Fluttershy took it and allowed Gilda to pull her to her feet. Fluttershy was still too weak to fly so the two walked towards the house. "Where is she?" asked Fluttershy. "I tied her to her bedpost, but she'll probably chew through the rope any second now." "Aren't you concerned about that?" asked Fluttershy in alarm. "No. If she bites though the rope, she can't hang herself with it." "That's true, I guess," murmured the pegasus. "All we have to do is keep her from getting to the knives." Gilda was quite calm about the whole ordeal; she had an air of militaristic professionalism about her, which was contrary to her demeanor during her last visit to Ponyville. This comforted Fluttershy. The two entered the house, and found Rainbow on her way down the stairs. Gilda used her body to block the way. "Hold up, Dash." Rainbow looked down on the griffon with disgust. "Oh, well look who it is. What, do you think you can do a better job than F-Shy over there?" Fluttershy cowered away from the anitpathic pony above her in an attempt to distance herself from the insults. Gilda remained calm. "Well, I don't see you going anywhere." "I'll just break through the floor, then." "I'll catch you," replied Gilda. "Oh, right, I forgot," said Rainbow Dash, scratching her hoof in her mane while trying to think of another way to kill herself. "Dash, I heard what happened." "Oh, so the griffons do use spies. Somehow that doesn't surprise me." Gilda sighed. "Dash, I read it in Flyer's Weekly. I still get that shipped out there you know." "Oh sure, now that I can't fly I get famous. Fate's a bitch." Gilda stomped a claw on the cloud floor to try to get Dash's attention. It didn't make much noise, but it worked. "Okay, I know this is hard for you Dash, but there's no reason to bail out on life. There are some here who still want you alive, you know." Rainbow Dash didn't respond immediately. But when she did, she seemed to have a change of heart. "Gilda, can we talk upstairs for a second? Alone?" "Sure Dash," she said, walking up to Rainbow Dash's second story bedroom. Fluttershy watched her go, and then watched the door close behind them. Almost immediately afterward, she heard a thud from inside the room. This was followed by more thuds, the sounds of somepony running, and finally, one loud thump. A few seconds later, Gilda opened the door of the room, carrying a motionless Rainbow Dash. Before Fluttershy could ask what had happened, Gilda explained it to her. "She tried to ambush me. I kind of figured as much. Is there anywhere we can bring her to keep her safe? A jail, or something?" Fluttershy shook her head. "No, we don't have a jail, but maybe Twilight can help us." "Twilight. Who's that?" "She's a friend," she mumbled. "She's good with magic." Gilda nodded, looking down towards the town of Ponyville, which was only a mile or so away. After a few seconds, she turned back to Fluttershy. "Are you okay to fly?" Fluttershy nodded a little, but didn't say anything. Her wings still ached, but she figured she could handle a glide down to the ground. The two soared silently into the sky, Gilda carrying Rainbow Dash in her front legs, a delicate balance that required intense concentration. She was able to spare enough concentration to speak with Fluttershy, however. "So, what happened exactly?" asked Gilda. "I mean, what did she do to you? You seem pretty upset." Fluttershy grimaced, trying to keep herself from crying. "She said some things." Gilda understood what she meant. After all, she had once been on the business end of Rainbow Dash's anger as well. Although Rainbow Dash was incredibly loyal, she did not like it when she deemed other ponies fickle. In these instances, she often reacted by lashing out at them for that perceived disloyalty. In the case of Gilda, Rainbow Dash had detested the griffon's inability to say that she loved her. On the other hoof, she verbally attacked Fluttershy because she wouldn't let her commit suicide. It did not help that, in both of these instances, Rainbow Dash was emotionally stressed to begin with. Although Gilda was curious about the nature of what her onetime crush had said to Fluttershy, she knew that Fluttershy would only tell if she wanted to, and for that reason, the griffon did not say anything. The two continued to float along wordlessly until they reached the edge of town. Fluttershy then lead the way to Twilight's library. When they got there, Gilda moved Rainbow Dash from her front legs to her back. Although Rainbow Dash had the lean build of a flier, she was still quite heavy; and yet through the flight, Gilda had shown no signs of difficulty. Fluttershy had no idea how Gilda had managed. Fluttershy was not allowed much time to think of these things, for Gilda stepped forward and knocked on the door. Within moments, Spike answered the door. At first, Spike seemed confused. "Fluttershy, who is this?" he asked. Realizing that Spike had not encountered Gilda on her previous visit to Ponyville, Fluttershy answered. "It's Gilda, Rainbow Dash's friend, if you remember. She came to Ponyville a while ago." A look of recognition spread on Spike's face as he turned to Gilda. He seemed as though he was about to say something, but at that moment, his gaze shifted to the pegasus who lay unconscious on Gilda's back. "Wait, is that Rainbow Dash?" "Yes, but there isn't really time to explain," said Gilda. "Fluttershy told me I could find somepony named Twilight Sparkle here. Is that true?" Spike nodded. "What happened, though?" "Dash tried to hang herself for some reason. I'm assuming it has something to do with the fact that she can't fly anymore." The stoic griffon turned to Fluttershy. "That is the reason, right?" Fluttershy found herself shivering, despite the fact that it was a warm and sunny summer morning. "Um, I think so," she said. "But it's been a while since the accident, and she seemed alright the last time I saw her." Spike was speechless, but another voice came from inside the library. It was Twilight. "Spike, who's at the door?" "Um, it's Fluttershy and Gilda," said Spike uneasily. Twilight did not answer due to her surprise. As quickly as she could, she galloped down the stairs from her bedroom, and came skidding to a halt in the door-frame. After taking a second to find her bearings, Twilight looked at Gilda quizzically, not believing that the griffon had returned after how badly her previous visit had gone. Twilight also noticed Rainbow Dash slumped lifelessly on Gilda's back. Twilight stared at her for a few more moments, trying to take in what she was seeing. When she finally did, she stepped aside, sending the silent message for the pair to come in. Gilda was the first to go, followed closely by Fluttershy. Spike, who had moved outside to avoid being plowed over by Twilight, brought up the rear. Carefully, Gilda laid Dash down on the same couch that the now comatose pony had sat at the day before, then sat down next to her. Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy took up different seats. The silence did not last long, and it was Spike that broke it. "How is she?" he asked, staring at Rainbow Dash's closed eyelids. "She's not dead; I made sure of that," replied Gilda, leaning forward so that she could fold up her wings. "I know you didn't hear before, but Rainbow Dash tried to kill herself this morning." Twilight's face went very pale, as if she were trying to impersonate her mentor. She coughed into her hoof in an effort to regain her composure, which was not easy to do considering the circumstances. "But that doesn't make any sense. I had her over yesterday, and she seemed fine by the time she left." Gilda looked equally as surprised as Twilight had. "She wasn't depressed at all?" "Well, she was when she got here. She'd just come back from the hospital. I'm assuming you know about the crash, correct?" Gilda nodded, gesturing for Twilight to continue. "She was visiting with the other pony involved in the crash. She told Dash something that made her pretty upset. She came here wanting to use my balloon to get home, but when I noticed how upset she was, I had her talk about it. By the end of it, she didn't seem sad anymore; Upbeat, even. It doesn't make any sense." Gilda nodded once again, her eyes closed in thought. "You're sure she wasn't just pretending so she could get back home?" "Well … I don't know … she seemed pretty genuine to me. Do you really think she would do that just so she could commit suicide?" "I don't really know, but I don't thin she would," replied Gilda, bringing up a talon to itch at the back of her head. "Dash hasn't ever had very good acting skills, so I doubt she could hold that sort of thing in." Spike and Fluttershy were listening in on the conversation pretty passively. Fluttershy was perfectly content to remain silent as she usually was, but at this moment, Spike decided to speak up. "But that doesn't make any sense. If she wanted to kill herself, she wouldn't need to go up to her house. She could have just bought a rope or something." If the circumstances were any different, Twilight would have been proud of Spike for thinking of that, and probably congratulated him on his observation. "Spike's right; She probably just wanted to go up there because it's her home. If something like that happened to me, I would want to be at home too." "Same for me, but that's not the only odd thing I noticed. Assuming you're correct, and she was fine when she left here, that would mean she changed her mind while she was at her house. We should probably check out her house and see what we can find there." "Good idea. Fluttershy, did you notice anything while you were there? Anything unusual?" "I'm sorry, but I didn't see anything like that," she said woefully. "I wasn't really paying enough attention." "That's okay. Gilda, can you go check on that?" "Yeah, I can, but that's not the reason we came," said Gilda. "I'm afraid Dash will try hurting herself again. Is there anything you can do?" "I'm pretty sure I can. Spike, can you get me our copy of the Obice Incantamenta?" In his subdued state, Spike didn't say much, as if he was attempting to use as few words as possible. "Shielding spells?" "Yes," answered Twilight. Silently, the green-scaled lizard got out of his seat and walked over to the ladder. After pushing it to the correct area, he walked about halfway up and fetched the book Twilight needed. Spike handed it to Twilight when he returned, and the unicorn took notice of Spike's apparent depression. She felt a parental concern for her assistant, but she knew that dealing with Rainbow Dash's problems took priority, and decided to talk to him later. She brought her attention to the book that Spike had given her, flipping through the pages until she got to the page she wanted. "Okay, we need something to keep her from moving her entire body … lemme see … oh, found it! This is somewhat difficult, but I'll be able to handle it on my own. I think you should go check on her house now. The sooner we do it, the better." Gilda nodded, and within moments, she was on her way to Rainbow Dash's cloud home. Twilight then turned to Fluttershy and Spike, both of whom were having trouble dealing with the thought that Dash had almost died. "Spike? Fluttershy?" The pair looked up at Twilight, but did not say anything. "Now, I know I'm asking a lot of you, but we need to round up everypony else, and I have to stay here in case Rainbow wakes up. Spike, how about you go get Pinkie and Rarity, since they're closer. Fluttershy, you can fly over to Sweet Apple Acres and get Applejack." Fluttershy's wings were still aching from the earlier ordeal, but she didn't bring it up. Instead, she only nodded. Spike, on the other hand, seemed glad to be doing something. "What do I do if they aren't home?" he asked. "That's a good question," replied Twilight. She took a minute to think about it, and then inspiration struck. "How about this: Go to Rarity's house first. I'm sure she's still there. Then to go to Sugarcube Corner, and if Pinkie isn't there, Rarity can help you look for her." Spike nodded, and then rushed out the front door. Fluttershy took a long look at Rainbow Dash before leaving for her task. Soon, Twilight found herself alone in the library, and for the first time since Gilda and Fluttershy had arrived, she allowed herself to shed the mask of confidence she had exhibited. Twilight had learned over time that this was something that many ponies expected of her, for she was a natural born leader. In most cases, however, she was much more nervous than she let on. It was as Celestia had told her many times during her studies: Being a leader meant not only helping others overcome their uncertainties, but also having to overcome your own. Not only that, but you must often pretend you have all the answers, and that you are not afraid. Twilight glanced over at Rainbow Dash to reconfirm her feelings; She was definitely afraid. She couldn't imagine what would drive Rainbow Dash to change heart so suddenly, and she was certain that the mare's happiness had been genuine the night before. Twilight walked up to the front window, and reflected in it, she saw a phantasm of Rainbow Dash wearing the hopeless, vulnerable expression she had seen when she first came. Although she knew it was her mind playing tricks on her, the apparition still unnerved her. She could see it in her mind's eye as well, the image following her away from the window to haunt her no matter where she went, as if a precursor to some even greater evil. It's voice was louder than ever, yet still little more than a whisper. It did not speak, but just the image portrayed words well enough. You can't help me, Twilight. Nopony can. Trying to forget, the mare looked up in the direction of Rainbow Dash's house. She hoped Gilda brought back some answers. Otherwise, she would have none, and that was a prospect Twilight dreaded facing. =-=-=-=-= It took half an hour for everyone get to the Library. Spike and Rarity had encountered some trouble finding Pinkie Pie, but eventually found her throwing a party for Roseluck, whose flowers had taken first prize in the Equestrian Flora Competition. The unicorn and dragon had arrived when the party was in full swing, but Pinkie Pie had dropped everything when she heard what had happened. Fluttershy and Applejack had been at the library waiting for them, as the pegasus had found her charge much more quickly. And finally, Gilda had arrived, carrying the explanation for Rainbow Dash's attempted suicide: A letter of acceptance into the Wonderbolts. Everyone had taken this news pretty hard. Spike and Fluttershy seemed the most perturbed, and neither of them had said a word since then. Pinkie's hair, which had long since gone straight, somehow seemed ever straighter. There was no bounce nor zest in her demeanor, as if gravity only took hold on her when she was depressed. Rarity had gone on for a while about how tragic it was, as her typical coping mechanism for anything was to either talk profusely or mope. In this case, she chose the former. Twilight, Applejack, and Gilda seemed the least affected, but all still worried about how the cyan pegasus would feel when she woke up. Twilight also felt strangely relieved to know the reason for Dash's actions, as tragic as the reason was. Gilda was strangely reserved, which struck everypony as odd. She seemed to be a completely different griffon from the last time they had seen them. Although they all wanted to ask her why she had changed so drastically, it had not struck any of them as the right time for that sort of question. Lastly, Applejack had been asking questions all the while, trying to piece together exactly what had happened. In the end, she got the full story, starting with Rainbow visiting Scootaloo and ending with Fluttershy and Gilda bringing her to the Library. Even after this task was done, she had more questions. "Twilight, are you sure we shouldn't take her to the hospital? How long has she been lying there?" Twilight, who had been fidgeting with a quill on her desk in her thoughts, turned her attention back to the rest of the group. "I already checked for a concussion. She doesn't have one, or any other problems, and the spell worked without a hitch." "Well if she's all fine-and-dandy, why is she just lyin' there?" asked Applejack. Pinkie Pie was sitting in the chair across from Rainbow Dash's body. Spike was sitting on the floor, leaning against her leg, and Pinkie was using one of her hooves to massage some of the scales on his head. Pinkie knew from her experience with Gummy that it was soothing, but Spike seemed too out of it to care. He hadn't said a word since returning with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. "Spike, I'm going to get up, alright?" The pink pony's usual flashy word choice had long since been replaced by a very limited vocabulary. In truth, none of her friends had ever seen her as sad as she was at the moment, and her usual outgoing nature seemed to be taking the greatest hit. The baby dragon didn't show any signs of recognition. When Pinkie got up out of the chair, he allowed his head to fall back onto it like a rag-doll. For a dragon who always seemed to be very interested in the world around him, this sort of detached behavior was almost as abnormal as Pinkie Pie's. She shot him a quick look of concern before walking over to Rainbow Dash. She leaned over so her ear was right over the resting mare's mouth. Puzzled, Twilight walked over beside her pinkie earth-pony friend. "Pinkie, what are you doing?" Pinkie looked up at Twilight and leaned back up, redistributing her weight equally on all four hooves. "I was listening." "Listening for what?" "I don't know," she said plainly, "but I do know she's sleeping. I can hear her snoring." Twilight leaned down as Pinkie Pie had done, and indeed, Rainbow Dash was sleeping. "Maybe she didn't get any sleep last night," offered Gilda. "Maybe," said Twilight, looking over at Rainbow Dash. Just as she was about to turn away, she thought she saw a motion. She got the attention of everypony else in the room, and they all watched as Rainbow Dash slowly woke up. At first her face was blissful, but after looking around the room and at the ponies in it, she seemed to remember what had happened. Her expression darkened considerably. Nervously, Twilight approached the just-awakened mare sitting on the couch. The other occupants waited nervously, their heads moving between the studious unicorn and the athletic pegasus. When Twilight came within a few steps of Rainbow Dash, she spoke. "Hey Rainbow, how are you?" Rainbow Dash didn't react, continuing to stare at the floor in apathy. She was not angry or sad as Twilight had expected her to be, but emotionless, like she had been in that split second at the window the day before. Twilight reached a hoof out to Rainbow, fully expecting her to nudge it away. To her surprise, the depressed pegasus allowed her to get closer. The librarian took this development another step further by sitting next to her, and once again, Dash did not react. Twilight cleared her throat and gave herself a second to collect herself before she spoke. "Rainbow, we're all really worried about you, and we would really like to know exactly what happened." Twilight spoke these words as one would to a small foal; a condescending yet friendly tone. Rainbow Dash shifted a little in her position, hugging her rear legs with her front ones, and at long last, she spoke. "I don't want to talk about it." "Rainbow, I know it might be hard, but it's not good to keep that sort of thing inside. You can take all the time you want." Rainbow Dash gave a slight sign of recognition before retreating her head in-between her knees. Everyone waited respectfully for her to compose herself. It took her five minutes or so, but when she was finally done, she looked around at everyone a second time, then back at Twilight. "I tried to kill myself." Twilight was perturbed by the simplicity of the answer, despite the fact that she already knew this fact. She did not have a response, and neither did anypony else. Even Applejack, who was typically one of the most confident mares of the bunch, was silent. It was the last instance where anyone expected the most shy pony in the room to speak, and yet, Fluttershy did. Most had forgotten that she was even there, as she had sat in a far corner of the Library and kept to herself. But now she walked over to the rest of the group. "Dash?" The rainbow-maned pegasus looked up at her longtime friend. Tears began to well up in her eyes at the sight, and she buried her head in her legs again. Fluttershy knelt in front of her, nuzzling her legs until Dash's head reappeared. Fluttershy smiled at her kindly. "Fluttershy, can we talk … just the two of us?" The kind pegasus nodded. "I think so." Twilight, who had just recently gotten up from Rainbow's side, was skeptical. "Fluttershy, are you so sure that's a good idea?" "Twilight, do you really think she's dangerous?" "No, but I can't risk that sort of thing. She might not want to do anything, but she's not in control of her emotions. You don't know what will happen." "Twilight, I can do this," she stated firmly. Twilight looked like she was about to say something, but in the end, she decided to trust her friend. Within a minute or so, everyone was gone from the room, although Twilight stood at the ready on the other side of the door in case anything went wrong. Now that the room was vacant, Fluttershy re-asked the question. "What I said to you before. I still … I remember all of it, and I … I …" Fluttershy, seeing that her friend was about to cry once again, held her in a tight embrace. "It's okay, Dash; It's okay." "It's not okay! I hurt you!" Fluttershy, the tender of animals; the pony who was so often intimidated by such situations; the pony whose life had been forever changed by her foalhood mistakes, somehow found strength. "Yes Dash, you did. It hurt to remember … what I did back then, but it's nothing compared to how you're feeling. Right now, I just want you to feel better. That's all I want; all we want." The broken mare nodded in understanding, her sobs echoing in the empty space of the Library. Fluttershy waited for her to subside before inviting the rest of her friends back in. Upon, re-entering, Twilight once again took charge. "Okay, the first thing we need to do is figure out where Rainbow should go. Personally, I think it would be better for her to stay in her own house." Gilda, who had also been relatively silent throughout the ordeal, also spoke. "Are you sure about that? Bringing her back there after that kind of traumatic experience?" Twilight nodded. "Yes, it could cause some anxiety, but I don't think she's afraid of her house. I've noticed that she's pretty attached to it. That could be calming for her." "She does like the house," agreed Fluttershy, who was allowing Rainbow Dash to cry into her shoulder. "She built it herself. She's always been very fond of it." "Okay, so we have that taken care of. Now, we're going to need somepony to stay with Dash to help her through this. Fluttershy, do you think you could do that?" Fluttershy shifted on her hooves nervously. She looked from Twilight, to Gilda, then back to Twilight. "Actually, I think Gilda would be better. She knew Dash even better than I did back when we were foals, and I have to keep watch on the animals." "I guess you're right. Gilda, can you do it?" Gilda's stance straightened out of instinct, her body becoming rigid as if Twilight were a drill sergeant. "Yes, yes I can." "Good. And Gilda, I have another question." "What?" "Why are you so different from last time? You don't act the same at all, not to mention that you speak completely differently." "I don't know," said Gilda with a small smile. "I just changed, I guess." "Oh, okay." Twilight decided to accept the answer despite how vague it was. She was still curious about it, but if Gilda didn't want to answer, Twilight figured that it was the griffon's own decision. "Well, I think I covered it all. Gilda will bring Rainbow Dash back home so she can get some rest, since I'm sure she needs it. If anypony wants to go home, they can, but if you want to stay here, that's fine as well." Needless to say, everypony opted to stay at Twilight's, at least for a while. Nopony felt very secure about the situation, and the company of friends helped to alleviate some of their anxious feelings. Gilda set to her part immediately, picking Rainbow Dash up onto her back and walking out the door. Everyone had tried to say goodbye to her, but Dash didn't seem willing to talk to anypony anymore, so they let her go in peace. Gilda cleared the building, and after making sure the pony on her back would not fall off midflight, poised for takeoff. She was interrupted by the sound of someone's voice coming from the library. It was Fluttershy. "Gilda, I was sort of wondering if we could talk about something." "Sure. What do you want to talk about?" asked Gilda. "About you and Dash." "That's what I thought," said Gilda with a sigh. Carefully, she put Dash down on her own four hooves. Dash's ears perked up at the mention of her name. "Fluttershy, what do you mean by Gilda and me?" Although she had summoned enormous amounts of courage on multiple occasions, Fluttershy still felt squeamish talking about this topic. "Well, I know that you and Gilda have, um, feelings for each other." Rainbow Dash's eyes opened a little wider. "How?" "I found Gilda after you had a fight at the gorge." "And I told her what happened," finished Gilda, somewhat embarrassed about the memory. "Oh," said Rainbow Dash. She walked a few steps to the door and looked back. "Gilda, are we going? I want to go home." "Yes, we are. And you're going back to your animals, right?" "Yes. I just wanted to talk to you is all." Gilda nodded but did not say anything more. Gesturing for Rainbow Dash to get back on, Gilda moved her body as low as possible to the groud. After a moment's hesitation, Dash sat down on her back. After taking a second to make sure she was balanced, Gilda took off flying. It was a much slower pace than her normal one, but still fast enough so that before long, the pair were little more than a dot if viewed from the ground. After a few minutes more, the griffon soon saw her destination approaching, and with it, a wave of apprehension. It was unusual for Gilda to second-guess herself, as she was confident by nature. Yet at this moment, she couldn't help but wonder: "What am I supposed to do?" =-=-=-=-= Immediately following Griffon The Brush Off: Over the last few minutes, the wind had picked up, and the sound of it whistling through the gorge was deafening. Still, it was not enough to drown out the sounds of sobbing coming from the same direction. It had been many long minutes since Rainbow Dash had left the scene, and with it, left Gilda alone. Rainbow Dash's harsh words hurt her deeply, and although she had stubbornly tried to keep her composure, she had failed. The spaces in-between her claws were caked with dirt as she gripped the ground with them, and her tears were almost enough to turn some of the surrounding dirt into mud. She sobbed and sobbed for minutes on end, no longer caring who might see or what they might do, although she would soon find out. Gilda felt a pressure on her shoulder, and when she looked up to see what it was; she saw a pony she recognized. She was able to control her sobbing for long enough to remember who this pony was, but when she did, the floodgates burst even more heavily that they had before. Fluttershy, on the other hand, was utterly confused. The last time she had seen Gilda, she had been on the business end of a growl terrifying enough to make her cry. At that moment, it seemed to her that this 'friend' of Rainbow Dash's was only a rude bully, not someone whose feelings could be hurt like this. Now, she saw that she was utterly mistaken. If Fluttershy had been any other pony, she might have left Gilda to suffer. But her element showed through in her response, as she decided to comfort the very griffon who had scared her earlier. She knelt down to her level and once again touched her with her hoof. Gilda felt the second contact, and once again, she lifted her head, and saw Fluttershy in front of her once again, but this time, Fluttershy spoke: "What's wrong?" Gilda took a moment to stop blubbering before she answered. "Why do you care? All I did was shout at you." "Well, I forgive you." At first, Gilda doubted this, but when she looked into the mare's blue eyes, and somehow she knew that it was the truth. "Really? Why?" "Well, I think everypony deserves a second chance, and I figured if you're this sad about something, that's probably why you got so angry in the first place." Gilda was shocked by how correct Fluttershy's guess had been. "I … uh … yeah, that's right." Fluttershy's tone of voice was comforting, and Gilda found herself opening up to the pony she didn't even know. "Well, I came to Ponyville to visit with Rainbow Dash, which you probably know. It was pretty radical at first, you know, just chilling out with her. I almost forgot the real reason I came. I, um, I guess I'll just say it. I love her. I doubt Dash ever told anyone about it, so you're probably real surprised right now. So anyway, the main reason I came to Ponyville wasn't just to hang out; I needed to apologize, 'cause back in Junior Speedsters, I did something really stupid to her." Inside, Fluttershy was quite surprised by the revelation that Gilda had feelings for a pony, let alone her best friend. Only a few minutes ago, Fluttershy's mental image of Gilda was a heartless bully, and nothing more. But she could see how much more there was to her personality. "So, what did you do?" Fluttershy asked in a calm, even voice. "I was about to leave Junior Speedsters to go home. The night before, I went to say goodbye to Dash, and she just kissed me all of a sudden. I panicked. I mean, I knew I had a little bit of a crush on her, but I always assumed she would think it was stupid. So I never thought about what I would do if it happened, so I just ran off back to my bedroom like a coward." At this point, Gilda had started crying again, but she continued to speak through the tears. "I got up the next day, and I thought about going to fix it, but I was scared. I wouldn't be able to go back home if I did, and the rest of the griffons would shun me if I got involved with another female, let alone a pony. I even went up to her door, and I was going to knock, but I just couldn't!" Through her sobs, Gilda's voice was growing constantly louder. "We could have been happy! We could have stayed in Equestria, and I would've been okay never seeing home again because we would've been together! But now I've ruined everything! She doesn't even want to see me anymore! What am I supposed to do?" Fluttershy did not have an answer to that question. Beyond not being very experienced in romance, Gilda's dilemma would have been nearly impossible for anypony to solve. Since she had no reply, Fluttershy offered the only thing she could: comfort. Cautiously, she put a leg around Gilda. Gilda picked up her head briefly as a sign of thanks, and then continued to cry violently. As the sun began to set, the pair could still be seen sitting on the edge of Ghastly Gorge, one with her face in the dirt, still crying, and another comforting her in the best way she could. Later, when the sun had nearly sunk under the horizon, the two made their way back to Fluttershy's Cottage. The walk was mostly silent, but Gilda did say one thing: "Don't tell Dash, okay?" =-=-=-=-= Author's Note: The end of this chapter will change a little bit. I'm not quite done with it, but I've broken enough promises about finishing this chapter, and I just want it out there now. So if the end seems a little lacking (for now), just keep in mind that i wrote it at 1 AM. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Familial bonds: part two author: Darling Dearest tags: character:Other, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Scootaloo, genre:Mystery, genre:Sad, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Defying gravity === It was a peaceful morning, ponies all across town getting on with their happy lives. Nopony would have noticed the two pegesi standing on a particularly large cloud overlooking a nearby lake. Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo stood there, high in the sky, the filly uncharacteristically nervous over what was to come. "Okay Squirt, you can do this." "Really Rainbow? I've never been anywhere near to this height before. How will these little things even keep me airborne for more than two seconds?" "It'll be okay Scootaloo. You're right, your wings are a little small to fly all on their own without help yet. But they won't stay that way, an' one day you'll be able to launch yourself off the ground no problem, so don't worry yourself. But for now, I thought that if you could launch yourself from somewhere already pretty high, your wings might have less work to do and you might be able to glide down to the ground. You just need to stay focused, and don't try to fly, were only gliding for now, keep your wings out stretched and gently glide down to the edge of the river. Ya get me." "Yeah, I get ya, but why am I doing this over the river again?" "Because, Scoots, water is a lot softer than ground, and if for whatever reason you fell, and I wasn't able to catch you, I wouldn't want ya getting' hurt alright." Rainbow felt a small pressure on her left foreleg, as Scootaloo embraced it with a hug. She picked up the filly and put both her forelegs around her small body. "Thanks for this Rainbow Dash, nopony ever believed in me before. It's… nice. I actually think I'll be able to fly one day, I never would'a thought that, or managed any of this without you." This comment caused a pang of guilt to accumulate inside Rainbow Dash, reminding her of her plight to discover the truth about Scootaloo's home life. Was she really the only pony giving her this kind of encouragement? It had been two weeks since Rainbow had saved Scootaloo from going down that mountain with Scarlet Speeder, and starting her quest to find clues into Scootaloo's home life. Though she had been largely unsuccessful. The only lead she had managed to obtain being from Cheeerilee, who showed a similar concern for Scootaloo's home life, though her position as the filly's teacher would have made any investigation look suspicious. She told Rainbow the location of Scootaloo's house, and was sorry that she couldn't reveal any other information that would allow Rainbow to find more answers. Rainbow had considered going to meet Scootaloo's parents directly, but knew that she would decline if she asked for the filly's permission, and didn't want to betray her trust by going to see them without her knowledge. She knew that she wasn't getting anywhere with her current strategy, she would have to try and talk to Scootaloo about her parents, as much as she knew the filly wouldn't want to talk. She had to try. "Say Squirt, I know it's not related at all to what we're doing, but… Are you okay? At home I mean. I've never seen you with your parents, like not even once. You just said yourself that you never received this kinda support before, not even from your folks? I mean, I got the most awesome parents ever, so it just seems a little odd to me, is all." Scootaloo noticeably cringed at the word "parents". Jumping out of Rainbow's forelegs. "It's okay Rainbow Dash, they just didn't wanna get my hopes up, with my small wings an' all. But now I've got you, so it's fine… Really." Rainbow knew that Scootaloo was holding back from her. She would have pressed further, but knew that Scootaloo needed all of her courage to make this jump and didn't want to deter her. "Ha, if you say so Sport, just makin' sure you're okay. Now go on, I know better than anypony that you can do this, show me how awesome you are!" Scootaloo approached the edge of the cloud, her hoofs trembling, and her mind turned to a frenzy. Yet she was still exited, she was finally about to defy gravity. "Okay, too late for second guessing, I just gotta trust my instincts, close my eyes… And leap!" In a rush of pure adrenaline, Scootaloo leaped of the cloud and stretched out her wings out as far as she could, she was finally going to prove THEM wrong. However, her adrenaline very quickly turned to fear, as the reality of her previous attempts kicked in. She was convinced that she was falling, that she had failed and finally proven to everypony that she would never fly. She worried that nopony would ever take her seriously again! Or even worse, Rainbow Dash would stop believing in her and stop being her sister all together! Though as she slowly opened her eyes, a giant, gleeful smile entered her face as she finally realised. She had done it, she was gliding. Rainbow had caught up to her sister in an instant and was now flying below her, just so she could be there in case the air resistance became too much for the filly to bare. "You're doin' it Scoots, you're actually doin' it!" "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! This is INCREDIBLE!" "You're doin' great! But stay focused now, we wouldn't want you to fall after getting' this far." Scootaloo remained focused throughout the course of the glide, keeping her wings in the exact position Rainbow Dash had shown her and pulling them back ever so slightly to arrive at a peaceful landing. Upon Scootaloo reaching the ground, Rainbow lost any resemblance of her usual cool, stallion like persona and picked up Scootaloo for a hug, spinning her around with a feminine squeal projecting from her lungs. "Oh my Celestia! Scootaloo, you finally did it, you can glide now. And before you know it you'll actually be able to fly! I'm so proud of you!" Rainbow barely sounded like her usual self, her excitement making sound more akin to a foal at Hearts warming. "You really think I'll be able to fly one-day Rainbow?" "You kiddin' me? I know so! You tell nopony this, but I'm convinced you're gonna be as good as me one day! We'll be the best flight partners in all of Equestria. An' when it's just you and I defying gravity, they'll never bring us down." Scootaloo was on the verge of tears from Rainbow's encouragement. Rainbow pulled her in for a hug, indulging in a moment of complete bliss as her pride for the young filly overwhelmed her. Though this quickly broke, with Rainbow using her intuition to realise that Scootaloo's home life may have been worse than what she initially anticipated. The amount of comfort the filly was taking in Rainbow's love and encouragement made it look as if she really had been told, by her own parents, that she would never be able to fly, and Rainbow really was the first pony to show her the support she needed. Though her pride and happiness remained, the pang of guilt she had felt on the cloud also returned. It was clear to her that Scootaloo's parents were denying her the care that she deserved. Whilst she didn't want to ruin this perfect moment between the two of them, she couldn't ignore this any longer. She pulled Scootaloo in close and looked her directly in the eye, with a soft, yet stern expression. "Scootaloo, I want you to tell me what you're going through at home. I mean, it's clear that I'm the only pony givin' ya this kinda support. An' I love you squirt, I'll always be there. But you should be getting' love from your parents to. It's their job to make sure you have everything you need, and to encourage you when you're not feelin' so tough. An' it's 'cause I love you that I can't just ignore you when somethin' 's clearly up. So what's goin' on Scoots? Please tell me." "Look Rainbow Dash, you really don't need to worry about me… Sure my parents told me I'd never fly… That I should just accept reality… They just didn't want me to get my hopes up… But, now I've proved them wrong, and I'm sure things 'll change. So, thank you Rainbow, I never would'a been able to do any of this without your help. You're the best big sister ever." Rainbow gave Scootaloo a proud, loving look and held her tight, knowing that the love they shared was genuine and could never be matched by anything. She knew there was more to Scootaloo's parents and home life than simple pessimism, and that she would have to find out what, for her younger sister's wellbeing. Though she simply didn't have it in her to break such a perfect moment of joy. The two stayed in the hug for a long time, as whilst neither liked anything traditionally feminine, they both enjoyed their little heartfelt moments together. However, Scootaloo did eventually had to leave, having made appointments with her friends to assist other ponies with their cutie mark problems. Rainbow flew the filly to the club house where she worked within a matter of seconds, Scootaloo enjoying the brisk air racing through her mane, adding to her desire to one-day be able to fly. Rainbow watched the door of the club house close as Scootaloo engaged in a meeting with her friends. This left Rainbow with the rest of the day to herself, whilst she usually enjoyed her days off by napping, inventing creative new areal tricks, and improving her speed, she knew that she had to further her investigation. Her morning with Scootaloo had only developed her lust to discover what was happening to the filly behind closed doors, if she wasn't receiving the love and support that she deserved from her parents, Rainbow had to know why. Though at her current rate, she was likely going to have to visit them personally, something she was very much against. An idea suddenly entered Rainbow's head, allowing a smile to enter her face, reminding her that there was still hope of getting Scootaloo to tell her what was happening. With the help of the right two ponies. She looked up to the sky and took off like a bullet to the luckily nearby city of Cloudsdale, knowing exactly what she had to do. === Loving parents === Rainbow Dash slowly approached the small, welcoming home on the outskirts of Cloudsdale. She had been hesitant going anywhere near it in the past, but had since been able to accept it into her life again… With the help of a certain orange filly. She landed next to the oak door and stood in awe for a moment before knocking on it. She was finally back at her childhood home. Where she had made so many wonderful memories. It seemed significantly smaller than she had remembered, yet she still couldn't help but feel an incredible rush of nostalgia jolting through her body, making her fur stand on end. It had been such a long time since she had visited her parents, her own stubborn pride making her act like a child and interpret their unconditional love and support as embarrassing. This thought sent a small tear trailing down Rainbow's face, knowing that the orange filly she loved and cared for so deeply, who deserved nothing less than what she herself had growing up, may have had a terrible home life with parents who possibly didn't love her at all! Whereas she had been spoon fed support all her life. This wasn't okay. Rainbow took a deep breath and knocked on the door. She was quickly greeted by a small mare with a similar cyan colour scheme to her own fur, as well as a short mane and tail of light red, with a very light orange stripe going down the middle. Windy Whistles, her own mother. An adorable smile immediately entered Windy's face as she saw who had come to visit her, quickly reaching to hug her daughter. "Rainbow dearie! How are you? It is so nice to see you again!" "Hey mom, nice to see ya too. Um… There was somethin' I was hoping I could talk to you and dad about. Are you guys busy? "Oh of course not Dashy. We are NEVER too busy for you! Come on in, I'll get your father, I'm sure he'll be thrilled to see you again to. Windy welcomed Rainbow into the home, before facing the stairs and calling her husband. "Honey! Get down here. Guess who's come to VISIT us." Windy shouted with an exited tone in her voice. A larger stallion with darker blue fur and a rainbow mane, done into a mohawk, and a short rainbow tail came quickly down the stairs. Bow hothoof, Rainbow's father. A delightful expression entered his face as he saw his daughter, quickly rushing to her and picking her up in his forelegs, as if she were a filly, and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Rainbow Dash it is SO good to see you again, now how is the world's greatest little Wonderbolt!" "I'm good dad, but could you please put me down, I'm not a foal." Complying, Bow put Rainbow down, tears welling in his eyes. "Oh, sorry, I forget sometimes. You're all grown up, achieving everything you always wanted, but to me, you'll always be my little Dashy." "It's okay dad, I know I don't show it sometimes, but I love you, an' I always will." The two engaged in a genuine hug. Rainbow giving in to the pride her parents felt for her, reminding her of her own feelings toward Scootaloo. "Oh, isn't that just sweet!" Windy said, taking a picture of the adorable moment, immortalising it. Though Rainbow quickly freed herself from her father's embrace, knowing she was there for a reason. "Ha, okay then mom. But seriously I've been having some weird thoughts lately, an' I couldn't think of any better ponies to talk to about them than you guys. That an' I just wanted to see you again." Rainbow's cheeks began to blush bright red, not quite having lost her tendency to occasionally find her own emotions embarrassing. Windy ruffled Rainbow's mane, levitating slightly to reach, and gave her a welcoming expression. "Ah Rainbow, you're always welcome here. Now come on, let's go to the kitchen and talk things out. I'd hate for the Equestria's greatest Wonderbolt to conceal her feeling's." The three ponies all took a set around the large family table in the home's kitchen. Rainbow was held back by her thoughts. Was she doing the right thing by going to her parents? Was it okay to make this their burden to? Though she quickly brushed those thoughts aside, knowing that they would become more worried if she didn't tell them about her plight. "Okay, mom, dad… You remember Scootaloo right?" "Now how could we forget that little sweetie pie, she is just the cutest little thing! Oh Rainbow, you've done such a good job mentoring her. Yeah, who's the best older sister in all of Equestria?" "Mom!" "Sorry Dashy." "Good! But yeah, she really is the most awesome little sister anypony could ask for... I, I love her. So, I can' just ignore this!" "Oh? what's happened Rainbow?" "Well, ya see dad. I realised the other day that I've never seen Scoots with her real parents, like ever! Celestia, I think it was about two weeks ago now when I had to stop her goin' down this huge mountain on her scooter. Don't ya think that her parents should 'a said no to that? I can't help but feel like her folks, whoever they are, aren't givin' her the love and support that she deserves… That you gave me. So, I've been tryin 'a find out more about her home life ever since, but I'm getting nowhere. Scootaloo just won't let up and tell me what she's goin' through! You guys were always good at making me talk as a filly, even when I REALLY didn't want to, so what should I do? " "Dashy, I think it's great that you care so much about this filly. But it sounds to me like you've just being a little overprotective, and exaggerating things. But don't worry, its normal. Take it from us, it can be real easy sometimes to go overboard with your love of a filly, they're just so small, and you begin to interpret every little thing they do as dangerous. But you've just gotta learn how to control your emotions, learn to see things rationally instead of how your nurturing side wants to see it. Or else you'll learn the hard way when she's older... So, if you want, we can show you how to control your feelings, and to… Bow looked as if he had a much longer speech planned, but felt the soft pressure of Rainbow's hoof on his lips before he could continue. "I… I know dad, as much as I hate to admit it, and as cool as I like to act, I know I can get overprotective of Scootaloo sometimes. I try to hide it from her the best I can, but sometimes I just get this lust to keep her safe, she just looks so tiny an' I… Uh! But I've come to turns with that and I've been tryin' to control my emotions better." "Ah, that's adorable, aren't you just the most mature, grown up pony. I'm so proud of you!" "Uh, thanks mom, that actually means a lot. But please believe me when I tell you that this wasn't me treating Scoots like a foal. When I say that this mountain was huge, I mean it was absolutely ginormous! Celestia, it was almost reaching the clouds, she could've gotten seriously hurt! I had to step in. But shouldn't any reasonable parent stop their foal from doing somethin' THAT dangerous! But her folks didn't. An' ever since then, Scootaloo's been getting' all defensive whenever I even mention her parents. I mean I could go see 'em myself, but I wanna be able to talk about this stuff with Scootaloo. So, I'm gonna need your advice, 'cause she's just not talkin'." Tears were noticeably welling in Bow's eyes again. "Wow, my little Dashy really is all grown up. The desire you have for this filly's safety, your natural caring instinct. My, I haven't seen such unconditional love since the day you were born, and became the best thing in our lives. So… So, you need us hu, well we're happy to help Rainbow." "Dad… Thank you." Rainbow flew into her father's forelegs, welcoming a passionate hug. Bow, knew that her precious daughter had grown up, but couldn't resist closing his eyes and imagining his little Dashy snuggled in his forelegs one final time. Though Rainbow backed away from him, as her mother continued the conversation. "So, then Rainbow, you wanna be able to talk to Scootaloo about what she's going through at home, whether or not her parents are giving her the love she needs. That's great, and we're proud of you for taking a stance like this. But it's understandable that she wouldn't want to talk, you're her idol, she doesn't wanna seem uncool in front of you. Though, you are right here, if she's not getting what she needs at home then we simply have to get her to talk about it. Keeping those feeling's hidden isn't healthy, and as a filly she needs good support. We need to make sure she's getting it. We can't ignore this either Dashy, so your father's right, we're happy to help, 'cause we love Scootaloo too, she's your sister and thus is our family. An' as family we're gonna protect her. Are you thinking what I'm thinking Bow?" A large grin entered Bow's face, as he realised what his wife was implying. "Ha, I guess I am Windy, it looks like we have a trip to make." "Guess again if you think we're gonna let you do this alone young filly. We know you love Scootaloo, and I know better than anypony that you could do this alone. But we love her to, and we might just be able to get her to talk a little quicker. So, we're COMMIN' to Ponyville!" "You don't have to do this mom and dad, I just need some advice in talking to foals so that I can learn about Scootaloo's home life, an' how I can help her out more." "It's too late for that now Dashy, your mother and I love that young filly just like you do. So, we just can't bear the thought that she's not getting enough love from her own parents. Now, we're gonna go down to Ponyville, book a hotel room, and show that filly that she is welcomed and safe with us. So maybe, just maybe, she'll tell us what she's going through and we can plan a course of action." "Fine! But if you are gonna come down… At least come stay with me, I got plenty of room." "Oh, thank you Rainbow. So, you're accepting our help then?" "I… I guess I am dad, I'm getting nowhere on my own, and if Scootaloo really isn't getting loved like she deserves, I HAVE to know! So, I just gotta be able to push my pride aside for once and accept some help from two ponies who know this whole nurturing thing way better than I do." "Oh Rainbow, I do love how mature you've become, we're both so proud of you." "Thanks mom." The three engaged in a blissful group hug, feeling more determined than ever to make sure that their youngest, honorary family member was safe and loved by her birth family. Sometime past, as Rainbow sat quietly in their Livingroom, reading a few chapters of the latest Daring Doo novel, whilst her parents packed their bare essentials. The three then set off for Rainbow's cloud home, it dwarfed, Windy and Bow's home, making the two drop their mouths in awe of its size. They then quickly dropped off their things before heading off to the cutie mark crusaders club house, eagerly anticipating their time with the little filly. === The great afternoon === As Celestia raised the sun to shine directly down onto Equestria, indicating that the morning had dissipated and been replaced by the pleasant afternoon, Rainbow, Windy and Bow all stood outside the cutie mark crusaders club house, ready to reacquaint themselves with Scootaloo. Reay to show her the love and comfort she so sorely needed. "Rainbow dear, are you sure this is where she'll be." "Yeah mom, I don't know if you know this about her, but Scoots and her friends Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle actually got their cutie marks in helping other ponies with their own marks." "Wow, so they help them find things they're good at I'm guessing?" "Yeah, cool right! They've been holdin' their counselling sessions in this club house for about six months now. So, she's probably here. But if I know her schedule properly, she should be finishing round about now." "Oh, should we knock then? Or should we wait until she's finished? I wouldn't want to interrupt another pony whilst their working… Again. Sorry about the whole Wonderbolts practice embarrassment incident Dashy, I don't think we did ever apologise for that." Bow gave a noticeably disheartened expression, knowing that his, and Windy's, behaviour in the past had been unexpectable, taking their support for Rainbow far out of proportion, making her feel uncomfortable. Whilst Rainbow had since forgiven them, he couldn't help but feel wrong for how their behaviour, coming about from a mere miscommunication, had made such a disconnect between what should have been a loving family. Rainbow noticed this and embraced her father with a hug. "Dad, it's okay, sure you guys were a little over the top… And I was a little foalish. But we've forgiven each other, so it doesn't matter. We're family and family always love each other. But right now, we've got a little filly who needs that love more than ever, so let's just leave what we did in the past. Alright?" Bow put his foreleg around his precious daughter's body, putting aside his prior doubt, knowing that the love their family held couldn't be broken by such petty incidents. "Thanks, Dashy. You really do now how to make your old dad proud. But come on now, that little sister of yours isn't going to love herself." A foal like, exited grin then entered Windy, her natural motherly instinct to make her foals happy having been revitalised. "Say. How about we wait for her to finish and come on out here, so we can surprise her. She'll be so shocked, and if she's the same little filly I knew, it'll make her really excited and happy. And Celestia, won't it just be the CUTEST little sight." "Ha, maybe you're right mom, the more comfortable and happy she is around you guys, the more likely she'll be to speak up about her parents. That an' it'll just be nice for her… Uh! See, you're SO much better at this than me!" "Oh Rainbow, don't get upset, I've had years of practice, I've learned how to make fillies happy by catering to them as individual ponies. But you can to Dashy. You're so good with Scootaloo as you are, she idolises you and you've built an excellent sisterly bond with her, you wouldn't have been able to do that if you couldn't make her happy." "Thanks mom. Ha, I guess I am pretty awesome." "Now don't get cocky my little pony! You don't know everything yet." "Sorry mom." "That's better. Now come on, she should be finished soon, and we need to be ready for her!" The group stayed a few metres away from the club house, hiding behind a bush and laying their stomachs on the soft grass in an attempt to make themselves appear smaller and thus less visible. They remained there for a few minutes before four fillies burst out into the open. "So does that feel any better Dimond?" The white filly enquired. "Yeah, I guess I just need reminding sometimes to use my cutie mark properly and responsibly. I would just hate to go back to how I used to be." Replied the pink filly. "It's okay Dimond, you're making great progress so far, you're way better now than that bully you used to be." Said… Scootaloo. The four fillies continued their conversation, discussing more of their counselling session. However, the three grown ponies in the distance waited patiently for the perfect opportunity to surprise Scootaloo, being absolutely certain to remain perfectly silent. This opportunity revealed itself, as the four fillies began to trot along in different directions, leaving Scootaloo isolated. They watched as Scootaloo got closer and closer to them, naively passing the bush they were hiding behind, not noticing their presence. Windy gave a confident nod before jumping out at the filly, causing Bow to swiftly follow. They both tried their hardest to appear frightening, they sent intimidating growls flying out of their mouths, stood on their back legs to appear larger than they were and stretched out their forelegs over her. Their attempt succeeded, causing the filly to show a noticeably frightened expression. Yet she still tried her hardest to present herself as strong and undeterred, rapidly flapping her wings and stretching out her own little body into a fight pose. "Stay back! I won't hesitate you know, you've messed with the wrong pony. I'm gonna…" Before Scootaloo could continue her unintentionally adorable monologue, she felt herself being briskly pushed onto her back. The light pressure of a feather being rubbed across her belly, causing her to laugh uncontrollably. "What was that now? What won't you hesitate to do?" "Hahahaha, ach. Stop it, haha, I can breathe!" Whilst Scootaloo was struggling to respire, she was in no noticeable pain. "Ha, you've no idea how ADORABLE this makes you look Scootaloo!" Windy said in a high-pitched voice, before stopping her tickle assault. "Wo, thank you. Wait. How do you know my name? And why did you just…" Scootaloo suddenly realised who she was talking to and instantly gave a huge, innocent smile. "Windy Whistles! Bow Hothoof! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. It's so great to see you! But… What are you doing here?" Windy gave Scootaloo a motherly, welcoming expression, before swiftly picking her up in her forelegs, and hugging her. "Oh sweetie, me and Bow are just here visiting Dashy, but we couldn't very well not come and see her little sister to! Ya know, the most awesome filly in Ponyville. Do you know where I might find her?" "I don't know Windy, I think that might be the pony you're holding right there." "Really? Wow! I guess you're right! Ha, now how is the most awesome filly in Equestria?" "I'm great Windy, I finally managed to glide this morning and it feels AWESOME, Rainbow is the best big sister ever! Raised by the greatest parents ever of course! But you guys didn't need to come here though, I'm sure you have better things to do." "Oh, but we did have to see you little pony." Bow said in a comforting voice, rubbing Scootaloo's mane. "You're Rainbow Dash's little sister, and that makes you our family. I know we haven't known ya that long, but we love ya Scootaloo." The three engaged in a genuine, heartfelt hug, Windy and Bow embracing the filly as if she were their own, no words were necessary. Scootaloo finally felt welcomed as part of a family, allowing her happiness to overwhelm her, snuggling deeper into the two sets of forelegs providing the comforting embrace. Rainbow watched on from the side, surprised and impressed at how loving and nurturing her parents were being with a filly they barely knew. In addition to how quickly they had managed to make Scootaloo comfortable around them. She couldn't help but be humbled slightly by the adorable sight, briefly letting her feminine side take dominance over her stallion like persona. "Ha, am I wrong, or do I have competition for most awesome pony in Equestria now?" Scootaloo's face lit up even further when she saw her sister come towards her. The three most amazingly awesome ponies in all of Equestria were all focused on her! She had never felt so perfect. "It certainly looks that way Dashy! If you're not careful you might just lose your spot as the fastest Wonderbolt." Windy said, winking at Scootaloo and putting her down. "Ha, you've got me there mom." "Rainbow Dash! Wait, what are you doing awake? Isn't it your day off?" "Very funny Squirt. But seriously, my folks were commin' to visit, and I they just HAD to see you again. I mean, you're almost as awesome as I am!" "Thanks Rainbow, so what're you guys gonna do now?" "Well little one, if you weren't busy with your grown-up cutie mark business. We were hoping that we could just stay with you, would that be okay" Asked Bow. "Re-REALLY! Do ya mean that?" "Face it Squirt, these two need somepony to coo over all day. Do ya mind puttin' up with them for a little while?" "Absolutely! Thanks, you guys, it means so much to me!" "It's our pleasure Sweetie. but Rainbow isn't wrong, we do need somepony to adore all day. Because as awesome as you are… My Celestia, you are just so CUTE!" Windy, being unable to resist her sudden urge to hug Scootaloo, showed no resistance in picking up the filly in her forelegs and holding her tightly. Most fillies Scootaloo's age despised it when older ponies saw them as cute and showed them affection, especially those who preferred to keep a stallion like persona. However, Scootaloo, never made any objections to an affectionate hug, embracing every rare opportunity she had for the loved, welcoming feeling it brought her when somepony showed her their affection. Thus she made no protest for Windy, instead choosing to give in to the motherly embrace. Though Windy quickly realised that she was reverting back to her old exaggerated tendencies that had caused Rainbow to feel so uncomfortable in the past, and thus managed bring herself to put down the filly. "So then Scootaloo… You said earlier that, with the help of your awesome sister here, you were able to glide for the first time. Is that right." "You bet it is mom, she was gliding like a pro earlier, you should 'a seen it, it was incredible! It won't be long now before you can actually fly Squirt." "Well then, how about a little demonstration. I bet that with our help, you might even be able to glide from even higher." "Ha, no offense dad, but I'm a Wonderbolt, I think I know flying a little better than you." "Ah, but Dashy, who taught you how to fly?" "… Fair point." "So would ya mind Scootaloo, I sure have missed helping fillies learn how to fly. Ha, did I ever tell you about the first time Rainbow tried to fly, she stood on top of the stairs and…" "NO, no, dad… She doesn't need to know that one." The other three ponies let out a small chuckle at Rainbow's expense. "I'd love to show you what I know Mr Hothoof! That an' it would be nice to get another helping hoof for a change." "Now you call me Bow my little pony, enough of the formalities. Now let's go to the highest cloud we can find so we can teach ya all sorts 'a little tricks that can make gliding, and even one day flying, a little easier. You can do this Scootaloo! I know ya can." "Indeed! You'll show Equestria just how great you are, you cute little flying machine you!" "Yeah! … But hey, let's not push her too hard now, I'd hate for your little wings to get too exhausted, that'll be good for nopony." "Thanks guys. This means a lot to me." The four ponies engaged in one, final genuine hug, celebrating them being reunited, as well as what was inevitably going to be an amazing afternoon. Rainbow then put Scootaloo on her back, making sure that she was safely holding on to her before taking off. She took her family to the roof of her cloud home, knowing that it was likely the highest area for some distance that she was comfortable letting Scootaloo jump off. She had initially intended to hold off on letting Scootaloo glide from her cloud home until she was a little more experienced, though with the presence of her parents, she saw no reason for it to be unsafe. The group spent almost the entire afternoon helping Scootaloo improve her gliding prowess, helping her come to more smooth landings and maintain her balance whilst in the air. Bow and Windy insisted that Scootaloo try to fly, given how quickly she was improving her gliding, but Rainbow knew that her tiny wings weren't quite ready for such strain. Her own maturity surprised even herself. Despite how many times they watched Scootaloo jump off the same roof, the activity never became repetitive or strenuous for any of the three ponies, each of them admiring Scootaloo's determination, as well as seeing her gradually improve as the day past on. In addition to the adorable squeal that she gave when she successfully managed to pull off one of Bow's old tricks. Though Scootaloo eventually began to show noticeable exhaustion from her hard work, thus Rainbow prevented her from gliding anymore. They decided to take Scootaloo to the cinema as a reward for her hard work, it was a humble venue, though the cutie mark crusaders were frequent patrons there. They went to see the new Power ponies film, by Colt Disney productions. Scootaloo had been desperate to see it ever since it was first announced! However, it had received a PG-13 rating, meaning fillies and colts under the age of thirteen had to see it with an adult pony accompanying them. Scootaloo thought the she would never have been able to watch it! Thus, the instant unanimous agreement, between the group, that she was old enough to watch the film came as a huge relief to her. She remained engaged throughout the entire experience, being astonished by the beautiful special effects in the incredibly choreographed fight scenes, and even allowing herself to shed a few tears during the films emotional, dramatic moments. The three older ponies found her passive spectatorship adorable, loving how much happiness one film could bring a filly, with an engaging narrative and breath-taking visuals. Though by the end of the movie, Scootaloo felt the weight of the day catch up to her, making her feel more tired than she had ever felt before. This had been one of the best days of her life! === The sunset === Scootaloo yawned deeply, one final thrilling sensation shivering down her aching, tired body as the day began to come to a close. She couldn't have been happier, having just spent almost the entire afternoon practicing her flying with Rainbow Dash! Receiving more support than she ever thought she deserved from her idol's incredible parents, treating her as their own the entire time. She couldn't have asked for more. Though now her eyes grew heavy, and the world began to spin. "Ha, you're lookin' pretty tired their squirt." "Yeah, this day's been awesome. Thank you, guys so much, you didn't have to do any off this, yet you've stayed with me all day… It means a lot." "Oh Sweetie, we've loved every single second of today, it's not every day you get to hang out with the most awesome filly in Equestria." Windy replied, sweetly nuzzling her. "Couldn't 'a said it better myself Windy. But come now little pony, you look EXAUSTED and it's starting to get dark out… Your, em… Parents, must be getting real worried." Having gotten caught up in the fun and excitement of taking care of a little filly again, Rainbow's parents had forgotten the real reason they had come to Ponyville, to talk to Scootaloo about her own home life, they had initially intended to talk to her whilst she practiced, but the joy of seeing her succeed had overwhelmed them. Scootaloo lost eye contact with Bow and Windy, connoting that she was hiding something from them and was struggling remain dishonest. It was a subtle manoeuvre, but one they were used to. "Oh, em, I'm sure their fine. I mean they know I'm mature, I got my cutie mark an' all, they probably haven't even noticed. So, don't…" Before Scootaloo could continue, she felt herself being briskly swept off the ground, Windy taking her in her forelegs and giving her a similar soft yet stern look that Rainbow had given her at the beginning of the day. "Dearie, are you sure your okay, if there's something bothering you… At home maybe, you simply must tell us. We're here for you sweetheart, and I know a filly in distress when I see one, so don't pretend like there's nothing wrong! We love you and we can work things out." "Ugh! Seriously, I'M FINE! I'm not a baby foal anymore, so even is something were wrong I could deal with it myself. I'm practically a grown mare at this point. I don't even need… Them. So please, just forget about it." "Okay, calm down Scootaloo, I was just asking." "Uh. I know. It's just… Rainbow's been asking that same question for two weeks now. An' it's getting' real old, real quickly. So please… LEAVE ME ALONE!" "Hey, don't get angry Sport, it's not her fault." "Oh, it's okay Rainbow, all ponies say and do things they don't mean when they're tired." Tears were beginning to well up in Scootaloo's eyes, help was so close to her, should she just tell the truth? Finally give in and tell the older ponies, who clearly cared for her, about her problems at home? No. She couldn't. She just had to keep hiding, she was a strong mare, not a baby foal who needed somepony so much bigger than her doing everything for her and crying at her every woe. She was a grown up and she could handle this on her own! Or so she told herself. "Oh Scootaloo." Bow said in a soothing voice. "You really are exhausted. Its been a good day, hasn't it?" "Yeah, thanks again you guys, its been a while since I've had so much fun! An' sorry for my little pout just now… I'd never want to seem ungrateful for how much you've given me today." Windy finally realised that pressing further on the subject of Scootaloo's parents would only go to ruin the beautiful, special, memories they had created with the young filly. Though she was now convinced that there was something very wrong with Scootaloo's home life. She believed that the love all three of them had shown Scootaloo was to be expected from all parents, yet the filly had almost broken out into tears from the mention of her own guardians. She simply hated the idea of sending such a precious little foal back to that kind of home. But she knew that Scootaloo was too tired to properly confess to specific details that would help them offer her more support. Thus, putting the filly down, Windy gave Scootaloo a warm and welcoming smile, showing her that she at least had love in the Dash family. "Oh darling, we've loved spending this time with you. And you don't need to worry about getting angry, you're clearly worn-out from all that hard work earlier. Rainbow was just worried about you is all. She hasn't ever seen you with your own parents, and she loves you too much to not see that as a teensy bit strange. She told us that and we couldn't help but feel the same way. But if you're telling us that there's nothing wrong, then we have no reason not to trust you." "Yeah, Squirt, if I'd known my constant questions were annoyin' ya so much I wouldn't 've asked so many. Think ya can forgive me?" "Yeah Rainbow. There's… There's nothing for you to worry about. I'm glad we've agreed on that." "Ha… Good. But listen, you're so tired that you can barley keep your eyes open, so let's get you home, I'll have ya there in a second! My parents are gonna be here a while, so you can hang with them again later. K?" "Oh, um… I'd hate to bother you guys again… An' you don't need to take me home, I know the way back from here." "Scootaloo, Windy and I would just hate to see you going home alone. We know you're mature an' all, an' we ain't saying you need a chaperone to walk ya home from school every day. But Rainbow's right, you can barely keep those little eyes open, an' the sun is almost completely gone! We just can't bare to think what might happen to you if you can't get home safe. So please let Rainbow take you Scootaloo, put are old minds at ease." Scootaloo considered the proposal for a moment. Whilst she did despise the concept of Rainbow meeting her parents, she couldn't deny how tired she was beginning to feel, and she did owe Rainbow's parents for giving her such an awesome day. Besides, she could just say goodbye to Rainbow before she went inside, eradicating the possibility of the introduction. "Okay Bow, I'll let Rainbow Dash take me home." "Thank you, dearie, I don't think we could sleep tonight without knowing that you were safe at home. I'd hate to think about such a precious and adorable filly getting herself hurt!" "Ha, stop gettin' all sappy on my sister mom. Now come here Squirt." Rainbow picked up Scootaloo in her forelegs, she would usually have let the filly ride on her back, but she didn't want to risk such an exhausted foal falling off and injuring herself. Scootaloo suddenly felt so relaxed, the ache of her worn down body suddenly fading away as her idol cradled her, whilst she wanted to hate looking so foalish, the soothing feeling simply felt too nice for her to care. She suddenly felt her eyelids forcing themselves shut, her mind switching off and her legs turning numb. She tried her hardest to resist, wanting so desperately to stop Rainbow meeting her parents, but the superb feeling ultimately overwhelmed her, forcing Scootaloo out of Equestria, and into Luna's domain for the happy and peaceful sleep she needed. "Oh my gosh, has she fallen asleep." "Ha, looks like it dad, out like a light. She was so tired! I'm surprised she didn't just collapse onto the ground. She's worked so hard today, I'm real proud of her." "Celestia! She is just too precious! I'm sorry Dashy, but I've always found sleeping foals irresistibly cute." Windy said as she rubbed her hoof along Scootaloo's chest, making the filly smile. "Don't worry mom, even I can't deny how adorable this looks, an' I hate mushy stuff! But can you two get home okay? I'll get this little filly back to her folks, and then I'll be right there… An' we can discuss how we can get her to talk more about her parents." "We can get to your home just fine Dashy. But, why don't you just talk to Scootaloo's parents when you're givin' her back to her parents." "I… I can't dad, I know how much we need to know what the little Squirt's goin' through, but I also know that she really doesn't want me to talk to her parents directly, an' I just can't betray her trust." "Rainbow, I love how much you wanna make this filly happy, but you've gotta remember sometimes that you're the older sister and that you're going to know what's best for her. I know it can be tough, but sometimes what they want isn't what they need, and other times, what they really don't want is what they need. So, its at times like these where, despite how much you love her, you're gonna have to be strict with Scootaloo and go against what she wants. Dashy… You've go to talk to her parents, I've seen now, from how upset she got before, that there is something very wrong with Scootaloo's home life. So, we just have to find out what the poor dear's going through, so we can give her the proper help and support she needs. I know that we can't bear to think of her going back to a home where she doesn't get the love she deserves, and I know you can't either Rainbow. Just know that you aren't betraying her trust, 'cause this really is what she needs… Take it from us, always giving a filly what she wants doesn't always solve whatever issue she's facing. There were too many times in your foalhood were we favoured what you wanted over what you needed, don't make the same mistake we did." "Thanks dad, I can't say that I'm completely comfortable with this. But you're right, this is what Scootaloo needs… So, I'm just gonna face her parents and talk this out with them like mature ponies." "Ha, well done Rainbow, you're exactly what that little pony needs right now." "Thanks dad, I couldn't do this without you guys." Rainbow Dash hugged her parents one final time, before setting off to where she knew Scootaloo's home to be. She didn't know how long her interaction with the filly's parents would be, but she knew that she had to meet them, weather it was what Scootaloo wanted or not. She travelled slower than she normally felt comfortable with, trying not wake the adorable sleeping filly in her forelegs, Scootaloo's innocent face and light breathing making Rainbow let out a light chuckle. She finally reached the small home on the border of Ponyville, it had no uniquely distinguishable features, looking like a perfectly normal family home with no secrets to unravel, though Rainbow knew it was where she would finally get the answers she needed. Light radiated from the windows, indicating that the house's residents were still awake. Rainbow stood next to the oak door as anger quickly accumulated and began to overwhelm her. She was about to meet Scootaloo's parents, the ponies who had denied the filly she loved more than anything in Equestria the comfort and support she deserved, who had caused somepony so small such stress, who had caused her to become so uncomfortable at the mere mention of a word that should have stood for love and acceptance. She didn't know if she could prevent herself from unleashing her rage onto them! Thus, she took a moment to compose herself, realising that she would only diminish her relationship with Scootaloo if she couldn't remain civil. Whilst the anger still lingered, Rainbow tried to remain calm and open minded. "Maybe they aren't that bad." She thought to herself. It felt like an eternity since Rainbow had set out to find the truth about Scootaloo's home life, realising more and more, as she had continued, that something was amiss. Now here she was. About to have everything revealed. What was her Scootaloo going through? === A "mature" guardian === Rainbow Dash stood outside the seemingly innocent family home, her fearful hesitation beginning to take over as her anger began to subside. Was it really right for to meat Scootaloo's parents? Was it even right to leave her with the kind of ponies that for, whatever reason, had not shown her the love she needed? It would've been so easy for Rainbow Dash to take her sister home with her, tuck her into a comfortable cloud bed and watch her remain peaceful and safe for the night. But that would've been for her. Not for Scootaloo. Rainbow knew what had to happen and thus managed to push her own desires aside as she finally brought herself to knock on the door. "Here goes nothin'." She thought to herself. Rainbow waited approximately thirty seconds, before a yellow mare, with a thunder cloud for a cutie mark, answered the door. Electric Breeze, Scootaloo's mother. Her coat was bright yellow, as her name suggested, with a short purple mane, similar to that of her daughter's, giving off a perfect juxtaposition. Despite clearly being older than Rainbow, showing the beginnings of wrinkles on her face, she was considerably smaller than Rainbow Dash. She wasn't dangerously thin, clearly being well fed, yet the noticeable difference in height and body mass between her and Rainbow was undeniable. Though Rainbow was an experienced athlete, pushing herself everyday to reach new speed, it was only natural that she had gained considerable muscle. But Rainbow couldn't ignore just how run down the mare looked, with small wings that resembled those of the filly in her forelegs and a slanted posture that would've made Rarity cringed. Though Electric quickly composed herself to look seasonable when she realised who was at the door. "Hi, em… You're Scootaloo's mom, right?" "That I am… And you're THE Rainbow Dash!" Electric said in a stallion like, raspy voice that sounded like a deepened version of Scootaloo's own. "The one and only! It's nice to finally meet you… Em, what should I call ya?" "Oh… I'm Electric Breeze. And it is GREAT to finally meet you! Scootaloo really appreciates what you've been doing for her lately, we all do, she's seemed so much happier. In fact, I'll go get her now, she'll be thrilled to see you again!" "Eh, hem." Rainbow pronounced, pushing the sleeping filly into the light radiating from the house, yet still keeping a tight grasp on her. "Wait… She wasn't at home!" "Uh! 'fraid not, I've been with her all afternoon, we've both had a great day. But, ya really didn't notice she wasn't home." "Well… She wasn't home when either me, or my husband got home… And, I guess the thought just never crossed our minds again. I'm sorry Rainbow. I know how this must make us look." "SERIOUSLLY! How could you just… Never mind, I'm not a parent so I wouldn't know, I bet this kinda thing happens all the time. An' hey, she's home, safe now… And that's what's important." "Yeah… Yeah, you're right." Noticing the anger Rainbow was beginning to show, Electric tried her best to change the topic of conversation. "My Celestia, isn't she just the cutest thing there in your forelegs." "Ha, I guess you're right, even I can't deny how cute she looks. You should 'a seen her before, she was SO tired! She's worked really hard today with her flying, it shouldn't be long now until…" Rainbow was interrupted as she felt Electric quickly hugging her, squeezing the tiny filly in-between them into a warm, yet uncomfortable position, Electric quickly realised this and pulled away. "Thank you, Rainbow Dash, Scootaloo's always been so embarrassed about not being able to fly. We're very happy that she has somepony like you, she really needs it right now." "Are you kiddin', it's my pleasure! Little Squirt here just keeps getting more awesome every time I see her. I wouldn't trade our time together for anything!" "You're lucky, Dash." Electric whispered under her breath. "What was that?" "Nothing! Nothing. Ha, just sayin' that I'd loved to 've seen her today. I bet she was really awesome." "Ha, you're not wrong there." Rainbow said as she nuzzled Scootaloo. "But here, she needs a good rest now, so go and tuck her into bed, I'll still be here in the mornin'. Just… Just promise me that you won't forget that she's not home again. Even a town as safe as Ponyville isn't a nice place for little fillies all alone, especially at night. She could 've been hurt or scared. She was with me today, but who knows what might happen in the future." "Thanks Rainbow Dash, I won't forget again." "Ha, I know you won't, you seem like a good enough mare, and we all make mistakes." "No, but seriously, Rainbow Dash, thank you for all you've done today." "Again, my pleasure… Say, do ya think we should meet up sometime. With you're husband maybe, just so I can show you some tips in teaching Scoots about flying when I'm not around." "That sounds great… We'd love to." "Good, we'll discuss the details later though, you look exhausted and this little one needs a soft bed." "Oh, I've just had a long day is all, no biggie. But I'll get her to bed right away. I look forward to seeing you again, I bet she can't either." The two shared an innocent laugh, before Rainbow handed Scootaloo over to Electric, feeling somewhat uneasy throughout the transaction, but quickly dismissing it as a dumb thought. "Have a nice night!" Rainbow shouted as she began her short trip to her cloud home. … Rainbow pondered on her thoughts of Electric Breeze. Her interaction having not gone as she had expected. She had braced herself for Scootaloo's parents to be the scum of Ponyville, being a disgrace to the pride all ponies took in love and friendship by neglecting their own foal and being all around unpleasant. Yet Electric Breeze had appeared as kind, caring and certainly showing a loving affection for Scootaloo. However, Rainbow knew that something was amiss, a parent wouldn't have just forgotten that their filly wasn't home. She knew from talking with her own parents, as well as her experience with Scootaloo on the mountain, two weeks prior, that any reasonable guardian would've mentally broken down at the mere thought of their precious foal being in danger, let alone being stranded in the cold of the night on their own. They would've quickly set out with furious determination to find their little darling, swiftly finding them, and taking them to the safety and warmth of home, never letting them out of their sight again! It simply didn't make sense to her that a parent could just forget about their foal being alone in the night. Rainbow hoped that her parents were still awake, maybe they could have understood. Rainbow quietly opened the door to her cloud home, not wanting to wake her parents, if they were asleep. However, she ultimately found them sharing a loving kiss on her sofa. Whilst Rainbow had always found her parent's affection for each other embarrassing as a young filly, she couldn't help but smile at it as a grown mare. "He, should I just leave you two at it then?" "Oh… Uh… Hi Dashy. Are you okay? Is Scootaloo safe at home?... What were her parents like?" "Ha, I'm fine dad, and Scootaloo's safe at her home. But about her parents… I only got ta meet her mom, and she definitely wasn't what I was expecting." "Oh, how so? Was she kind? Have we just been over exaggerating things?" "Well… Ya see mom, her name's Electric Breeze, an' she was actually kinda nice, she was constantly complimenting me, an' she clearly loved Scootaloo. But… at the same time… There was something a little wrong about her. I mean, she just FORGOT, that Scootaloo wasn't home. Who does that! So now I don't know what to think, whilst she's clearly a good mare, I'm also glad that we've been tryin' find out more about Scoot's home life. It wasn't as bad as I thought it be… But still." "Rainbow… Are you really telling us that this mother, just forgot that her daughter wasn't safe at home?" "Yeah, yeah I am dad. It doesn't seem right, does it?" "No, it isn't right Dashy. It's good to give foals a little leeway as they grow up, it helps them get more independent. But just… FORGETTING! Forgetting that your little filly isn't at home, not caring that they might be in some serious trouble or alone and afraid in the dark. Especially with somepony as small and young as Scootaloo. I'm sorry Dashy, but I can't forgive that kind of neglectful parenting!" "Now calm down Bow. There's got to be more to this than meets the eye. We're only going off Rainbow's first interaction with Scootaloo's mother. We don't know everything yet. You said it yourself Dashy that you didn't meet Scootaloo's father, maybe he was more concerned. And even then, you also said that… Electric, was that her name? Was otherwise a nice pony, that's got to be worth something Bow." "Yeah, I can't deny that there was clearly something wrong about her, and were gonna need to look into this more, but she was still nice, and I think we can trust her with Scootaloo." "Sorry Rainbow, I guess I did over react a little. It's just… After spendin' all day with her, I can't help but want her to be safe with a family that'll love her like we were. So, hearing that her mom just… Forgot about her. I just can't stand it. "Oh Bow, I'm not saying that we should just forgive Scootaloo's mom for what she did. You're right, that kind of parenting should not be excused. I'm just saying that we need to consider the reasons why she forgot, so we can understand her a little better. Anger isn't going to help anypony… As tempting as it seems right now." "Sorry guys, I really lost myself there." "Don't worry 'bout it dad, we all get angry, especially at times like this. But I arranged to meet up with both of Scootaloo's parents some time soon, so I can find out more about 'em. So at least we're moving forward with the investigation. I won't lie though, I'm kinda angry myself at what she did… But we don't know everything yet, so we've gotta stay calm." "Thanks, Dashy, I'm okay now. An' it's good to hear that you're gonna be meeting with Scootaloo's parents again, the more we can learn, the better. But… You said before that you think we can trust Scootaloo with her parents, are you really sure about that?" Dash looked away from her parents upon hearing Bow's comment, showing hesitation in responding. Though she quickly felt Windy's hoof gently brushing through her mane, as she gave her daughter a concerned, yet welcoming smile, easing Rainbow's mind and compelling her to speak. "I… I don't know dad. I mean, Electric just forgot about her daughter! I don't care if she clearly cares about Scootaloo, no responsible parent should do that. And I don't know if I like the idea of leaving Scoots with that kind of pony… Not until I know more." "Sorry Dashy… Forget I brought it up. We'll continue our investigation in the mornin', but for now, let's get some rest. There's nothin' more we can do today." "No, I… I'm jut gonna go check on her real quick. I'll look through her window to make sure that she's safe and asleep, and then I'll be right back here." "Are you sure you want to do this Dashy, it's getting pretty late, and you look almost as tired as Scootaloo was." "Yeah, mom, I don't think I'll be able to sleep right if I don't know that she's safe. I know it's weird and mushy, but I gotta do this." "Okay then Rainbow, but get home quick! Scootaloo's parents aren't the only ponies who should be getting worried at the thought of their little filly being out alone at night." "Ha, okay mom, I'll be back soon." Rainbow Dash hugged her parents before taking off to Scootaloo's house. Part of her didn't know what she was doing. She knew that Scootaloo was safe and asleep. Yet another part of her needed reassurance, needed to know that, despite Electric's mistake, she could still provide proper hospitality for her Scootaloo. That night had left her only with more questions than answers, though she did find comfort in the fact that at least the situation wasn't as bad as she had thought. But now she couldn't help but wonder why Electric had forgotten about her own daughter? And why had she looked so run down? Those questions could wait for the morning however. As Rainbow Dash only had one goal on her mind as she flew back to the small home. === Distress === Rainbow Dash arrived back at the small family home. The light that once burst from the windows, illuminating the surrounding area, having been replaced by a solemn and silent darkness, connoting that Scootaloo's parents had gone to bed. "Well, she did look pretty tired." Rainbow thought to herself. Rainbow didn't bother pondering on the concept of the sleeping parents for too long however, knowing that she had a purpose for coming back to the humble home so late at night. She had visited Scootaloo's home only once prior to that evening, during the trials for the right to bare the Ponyville flag in the Equestria games, which the CMC had won with an excellent routine. Though some comments on Scootaloo's handicap from her former bullies, in an attempt to discourage her and prevent her from wining the right, had left her with almost no self-esteem, causing Rainbow to visit her and give her the encouragement she needed to perform the routine to the judges. Rainbow had very fond memories of that day. Her sister very rarely showed weakness, thus she had learned to treasure and enjoy the few opportunities she had to show her comfort and support to the filly, bringing them closer together. Though now, Rainbow could only question why Scootaloo's own parents hadn't talked to Scootaloo about her self-esteem themselves. Had she just not told them about it? No. Whilst Scootaloo did try her hardest to masquerade her self-doubt and inner turmoil behind a confident façade, she was still a young filly, and thus couldn't properly convince those who cared for her that everything was fine in her darker hours. Her parents simply had to have noticed her struggles and should've acted upon them. In fact, where had they been that day? They were absent from their home when Scootaloo needed them most, her spirit shattered, and confidence destroyed! Leaving only Rainbow to step in and restore the energetic and loyal filly to who she was meant to be. It was possible that they had been at work that day, though Rainbow recoiled at the thought of Scootaloo being forced to face similar instances of turmoil by herself due to her parent's absence. Rainbow crept around the house to where she remembered Scootaloo's room to be. Moving quietly, as if to not wake up any of the sleeping ponies, though she really knew that doing so was pointless. She reached Scootaloo's window, gently hovering to get a good view of the sleeping filly. She had expected to see her sleeping peacefully, snuggling into a soft pillow and far off in an amazing dream that only the mind of a filly could conjure. She was not prepared for the devastating reality. Scootaloo rigorously fidgeted across her bed, uncomfortably swaying from side to side. She showed a horrified facial expression, her face recoiling into her head and her eyebrows pushed down, putting pressure on her eyes. She noticeably flinched every few seconds, projecting painful groans from her mouth. Scootaloo was having a nightmare! Rainbow pushed her hoofs on the glass of the window, so desperately wanting to comfort the distressed filly. To take her in her forelegs, as she had done earlier that night, to gently rock her and stroke her soft fur until she calmed down and recognised that the exaggerated illusions of her mind could hurt her no longer. Though the glass, the invisible barrier, denied either of them the release of the nightmare's perish. Rainbow couldn't burst into the room, like the supermares she and Scootaloo had always admired, and safe her sister from her terror. All due to the invisible barrier. Scootaloo would be forced to survive by herself all night, with nopony to comfort her or assure her that it was just a dream and make her a cup of warm milk. And Rainbow would be forced to live, knowing that she had handed over the filly she cared for more than anything to parents that would let her sink from the peaceful sleep she took in her older sister's own forelegs, into the nightmare she was faced with now. Rainbow knew from her own foalhood that one of the many roles a parent encompassed, in showing their love for their colt or filly, was always recognising when their foal was suffering a nightmare. They would then quickly wake their foal, showing them that the darkness they were just faced with wasn't real, only a product off their still over active imagination, before making them a warm drink or reading them a soothing story to send them back into a, much more peaceful and happy sleep. But Scootaloo's parents were nowhere to be seen. They were likely sound asleep themselves, ignorant to the torment their daughter was faced with, leaving her to fight for herself like no pony her age should've had to. This concept angered Rainbow Dash, believing their actions to be a serious neglect of their daughter's, her Scootaloo's, needs as a young filly. Though she really knew it wasn't their fault for sleeping, Electric had looked exhausted and it wasn't a hyperbolic suggestion to theorize that the father had been also. Rainbow Dash was about to leave, knowing that there was nothing she could do for the precious foal behind the glass at that time, the restriction only leaving her more determined to help the filly and her family even more in the coming days! Though she suddenly heard Scootaloo muffler some faint words in her sleep. "No… Don't… I'm not… NO!" This left Rainbow's heart even more shattered than it had been previously, breaking it into tiny, indistinguishable pieces as despair filled her body. The nightmare had become real for her also. Something was hurting her Scootaloo, not being able to help completely broke Rainbow Dash. Anger, once again, began to consume her. She furiously begged Luna to reach Scootaloo and to stop her unjust torment, saving ponies, especially foals, from their sleeping mind's torment was her job after all. Though Luna had all of Equestria to care for, she couldn't always help everypony, leaving some ponies to be forced to face their struggles alone, as the princess of the night dealt with the more oppressive and terrifying dreams of other ponies. Rainbow rested her head on the invisible barrier between her and Scootaloo once more, ashamed of herself for failing to protect the pony she loved so deeply. She then raised it to take one final glimpse of the filly, tears pouring from her eyes like parallel waterfalls. "I'm gonna help ya Scoots. I promise! This is never gonna happen again. Ya here me. NEVER! You're gonna be safe from now on… I guarantee it." Rainbow finally pushed away from the small house, knowing that she would only fall deeper into despair the more she reminded herself that she couldn't help the orange filly. She quickly shot back to her cloud home, not wanting to make her own parents worry any longer. … Rainbow Dash arrived back at her cloud home, expecting to see the light that once illuminated the surrounding sky to have vanished, a similar scene to what she had seen with Scootaloo's home. However, she still saw a single light beaming from her living room's window. Her parents really had waited for her. She slowly dragged herself into her home, the anger and disappointment she felt with herself for being unable to help Scootaloo out of her nightmare still overwhelming her. Her parents rushed to the door to meet their daughter, whilst they knew her to be a strong and independent mare, they couldn't help but worry when they became aware of her being out alone at night. She was destined to always be their little Dashy. They initially met her with cheerful smiles, though they quickly adapted to show concerned frowns upon seeing the dazed and depressed state that their daughter was in. "Dashy, what's wrong?" "Not now mom, go get some sleep, we can talk in the mornin'." Rainbow attempted to go to her room, hoping to drown her despair and disappointment in a peaceful sleep, ideally making her more fit to help Scootaloo in the morning. However, she suddenly felt her mother drag her towards her effortlessly, as if she had the strength of Big Macintosh, for an affectionate, motherly hug that she knew her daughter needed. She gave her Rainbow a concerned, parental look that Windy hadn't shown her for almost a decade. "Rainbow Dash! I thought you knew better than to hide your sadness from those who love you. Something clearly happened whilst you were down there, and you look just awful! Talk to me Dashy… We both love you so much. And were not going to let you just waltz of to bed feeling so glum. You expect Scootaloo to open up to you. Give her a good example to look up to." Rainbow sighed, knowing that she was going to have to open up to her parents about what she had seen, knowing that supressing her emotions from her parents was what caused her foalish burst of anger on them when they found out that she was a Wonderbolt. "Uh… Fine mom, I guess it would be wrong for me to not tell ya. Just… Don't tell anypony else this alright… It's is kinda mushy." "We wouldn't dream of it Dashy." Bow said, entering the conversation. "Now tell us what's on your mind." "Okay guys… Here it is… I was down at Scootaloo's house, expectin' to see her sound asleep, like she was in my forelegs earlier, it would'a been real cute and I would'a been worryin' about nothin'. But… Instead… Instead I saw her looking so distressed, she was rollin' around everywhere and she was making these horrible groans… She was having a nightmare. Now I know, foals get nightmares all the time, but ain't it the parents job to wake them up and tell 'em everythin's all right. Her folks were sound asleep, just ignoring her! Ugh! I so badly wanted to help her, blast into her room and take her back in my forelegs, ya know… Like you used to when I got scared at night. But I couldn't. I was so… POWERLESS! An' now she's gonna have to go through the whole night in that horrible dream! I just can't forgive myself, I should 'a been able to help her… In some way." Rainbow began to feel her eyes swelling with powerful tears, the thought of being unable to help somepony, especially her Scootaloo, was crippling her! Though she suddenly felt both her parents embracing her with a tight hug, similar to that which they gave when Rainbow had been through a rough day as a foal. They just couldn't leave their little daughter so emotionally distressed. "Oh sweetie, don't worry yourself over this. It is terrible that Scootaloo's having a bad night, but it's the excellent day we gave her that she's going to remember, not this nightmare. And we're gonna be here for quite a little while yet, so we're gonna be able to help her properly. So please, don't get so upset dearie. It's going to be alright… Mommy's here now." "Mom!" "Oh, but she's right Dashy, daddy's here too. Don't think that we're not gonna comfort you when you're upset, just because you're a grown mare now. It's horrible that Scootaloo's parents aren't gonna comfort her, and you can bet that we're gonna try our absolute hardest to help her in the comin' days. But right now, we've got our own filly in distress." "Daaaad! I'm not a filly anymore!" "Oh, but my little Dashy, you'll always be our little filly." The two loving parents brought in their daughter closer to them, practically lifting her of the ground in their show of the love and affection they had for their Rainbow. Whilst initially hesitant, Rainbow finally let go of her confident façade and gave in to the embrace. Rainbow accepted that seeing Scootaloo, the one filly she was determined to keep safe at all costs, afraid and alone with nopony to comfort her had deeply upset her. She hated being so powerless to help somepony so small. Thus, her parents showing her the love that Scootaloo deserved came as a comfort to her, it reminded her that she wasn't alone in her quest and that Scootaloo wouldn't be forced to suffer through such horrible isolation for much longer. It also reminded her of the many nights from her own foalhood where her parents would take a break from their constant support and would instead hold her close to them, reassuring her that whatever troubles she was faced with were insignificant compared to the love they had for her. Rainbow remained peacefully in her parent's comforting grasp, letting her previous despair and worry wither away as a pleasant warmth filled her, making her feel like a filly in a perfect state of bliss, and showing her that they were going to help Scootaloo. No matter the obstacles they would inevitably face. "Ha, alright my little pony, its time for somepony to be getting to bed." "But mooooom." Rainbow said jokingly. "Ha, no buts little filly, it's very late and you look so exhausted. So, listen to your mother Dashy." "Okay then, it is pretty late. I'll see ya in the…" Before Rainbow could finish her sentence, she felt her father sweeping her off her hoofs and carrying her in his forelegs. "Um, dad… What're you doing?" "Ha, you really think I'm gonna let my little foal walk to her own room?" Bow said, nuzzling his daughter. "Okay dad, I'll give ya this one." The three walked through the large home until they reached a white door with Rainbow Dash's cutie mark painted onto it. "I'm guessing' this is your room Dashy." Rainbow gave a small nod, causing Bow to open the door and turn on the light. He revealed a relatively small room, in comparison to the size of the rest of the house at least. It had a dark blue aesthetic, with an occasional Wonderbolt poster attached to the cloud walls and a draw holding a feminine mirror, juxtaposing Rainbow's usual coltish demeaner, off to the left. She had also recently installed an oak wood shelf to the right of the room, to hold her Wonderbolt trophies. There were currently only two of them, yet she knew that wouldn't be true for very long. At the back of the room rested a small cloud bed, with two pillars at either side of it, one holding a lamp, the other, a picture of Rainbow and her five best friends. A rainbow banner also hung over the bed. Bow gently tucked her daughter into the bed, lifting up the covers and carefully placing Rainbow under them, as he had done so many times all those years ago. Rainbow suddenly felt the weight of the day catch up to her, she had found it fun, yet she now felt as exhausted as she did after a rigorous Wonderbolts show. She found her mind trying to turn of and enter Luna's realm, though she wasn't quite finished with the day yet. "Hey… Guys." "Yes?" Both her parents responded. "Thanks for everything… I don't know if I could do this alone… And its nice to know that there are other ponies who love Scootaloo as much as I do." "Oh Dashy, we're happy to help, and I assure that we're going to find out what Scootaloo's going through and fix it. But you get some sleep now my darling, you can't help her whilst you're tired." "Okay mom, have a nice… sleep…" Windy saw Rainbow's breathing change and her eyes force themselves shut. Connoting that sleep had took her. "Ha, she really is the world's greatest napper, isn't she?" "That she is Windy. Ha, we've raised her good, hu." "I'd certainly say so, she's loyal, determined, and the way she loves Scootaloo unconditionally is just adorable!" "She's grown 'to a fine young mare… Doesn't mean we can't coo over her when she's cute and asleep though." "Ha, no it does not Bow. I know she's a gown pony, but I can't help but see our little filly right there… But come on, as cute as she is, we should probably get some rest. We've got another foal who needs our help tomorrow, and we need our sleep for that just as much as Rainbow does." "I suppose you're right Windy. I can't wait, that little pony's just as energetic and determined as our Dashy! I've really taken a liking to her… Lets hope we can help her soon… I don't think any of us want to see her suffer any longer." "I can agree with you there, she deserves so much more, and we're gonna make sure she gets it... He, but I love how concerned you are Bow. You gentle-colt you!" "Thanks, Windy, I love you too. Now, after you my princess." "Ha, you old charmer." Bow turned of the light of Rainbow's room and shut her door, leaving it slightly open just so they could here if their daughter fell into a nightmare. The two then quickly headed to the master bedroom of the home, which Rainbow had neglected to take herself when she moved in. They swiftly got under the covers and wished each other a good night before falling into a blissful sleep. Unaware of what was to come over the following days, but prepared to face any obstacles. To ensure that the two fillies they loved so deeply were properly cared for. === A new day begins === Rainbow awoke from her peaceful slumber, dazed and confused, as her mind desperately attempted to comprehend the world around her, and as her eyes grudgingly adjusted to the light. Whilst a younger version of herself would have done little to resist the pain of waking up, instead deciding to give in to her mind's urge to fall back to sleep, she had since joined the Wonderbolts. Thus, she had gained more discipline in dealing with the struggle, that came upon her from readjusting to reality, and was now able to get out of her soft bed at the early times her new job required. She slowly shook her head and blinked a few times, as if to speed up her mind's recovery, to allow her to move on with her day without the restraint of being stunned and tired. She was about to move from her comfortable position, when her white door crashed open. Her parents emerged from the corridor, greeting her with a tray that held a delicately made meal. It contained two fried eggs, giving of a delightful aroma, with a perfect dash of parsley sprinkled onto them that was certain to offer a splendid rush of flavour, without becoming overwhelming. Three slices of brown breaded toast were also present at the side of the plate, with corn yellow butter smeared all over the otherwise healthy cuisine. Just how Rainbow liked it. Steam rose from the plate, giving of an amazing scent that soothed Rainbow's senses, causing her to energetically arise from her sleeping position. Her mind having completely adjusted to reality. "Aw, thanks you guys. You didn't need to do this." "Oh, but we did dear. You had such an awful night last night that we just had to make you feel better. It's our jobs ya know." Windy said in a welcoming tone. "Yeah… But you're my guests here. I should be takin' care 'a you for once." "Come now Dashy, you're still our daughter, and you just weren't yourself last night. So like it or not, we're gonna care for ya." "Ha, okay dad… But seriously you guys, thank you… For everything lately." "Oh, you're welcome Dashy, we're just being your awesome parents! Now eat your breakfast sweetie." "Well if you say so mom." Rainbow said sarcastically, winking at her mother. Windy then took the trey and placed it next to Rainbow, who then quickly began to devour the meal as if she hadn't eaten for days! Showing the etiquette of a new born foal as she indulged in the exquisitely made dish. Rainbow had practically finished the meal when her parents sat beside her. "So, Rainbow, what're our plans for the day? After what you told us last night, it's more important than ever that we find out more about what Scootaloo's going through at home." "Oh, uh… Yeah dad." Rainbow bulged out, finishing her final mouthful. "We should be able to… Wait, no. Not today. Sorry you guys, I totally forgot. My friends Rarity and AJ are takin' Scoots an' her friends out to Rainbow falls today, as a reward for workin' so hard lately. There's this theme park thingy up there for a bit, and those fillies should be just about tall enough to go on most of the rides… We think at least. They wanted me ta go to, but I couldn't. Spitfire wanted me to do some drills with the new Wonderbolts recruits today, so I had to say no, as much as goin' out with 'em would'a been totally awesome!" "Wait, you didn't tell us you were going out today?" "That's the thing mom, Spitfire cancelled on me just a couple days ago, said that they already had enough staff and that me bein' there would just 'a been a waste of my time. I guess I could 'a told Rarity or AJ I could go now, but I'm sure they already had plans, and I didn't wanna ruin 'em." "Well that was very mature a you Rainbow, I know how much you love theme parks, 'specially them roller-coasters." "Yeah, the adrenaline rush is almost as good as doin' a Sonic-rainboom! But I know Scootaloo's gonna love it, and that's all that matters. Just hope she can get on the rides okay… But hey! At least we get some time together now." "Ha, you're right! Oh, I have SO missed our mother/daughter time. EEK. This is going to be so much FUN!" "HEY! I'm standing right here!" "Oh… Sorry Bow. You can join in to." "Ha, okay then, there really is no stopping you when ya get excited, is there Windy? But, as long as I got some time with our Dashy, I'm good." "Thanks guys. This is gonna be great, I can show you the best spots in Ponyville and we can…" Rainbow's speech was interrupted by a loud KNOCK at her front door. The intensity and strength the mystery pony showed in their force on the door suggested that they were either a dominant and strong pony exerting their power, or were there with an important message and had no time for delay. Possibly both. "Nah! Who's knocking at this hour." Rainbow said with an annoyed voice. "One sec' guys, I'll be right back." Rainbow arose from her bed and headed towards her front door, surprisingly agile for having just woken up. Her parents followed her, intrigued as to who would be visiting somepony else at six in the morning. Rainbow would have told them to wait in her living toom, whilst she dealt with whoever was visiting her, though she ultimately didn't care if they were there or not. Thus, she just shrugged and allowed them to follow her to the door. Rainbow opened to the door as quickly as she was able to, curious as to whom would be so forceful in their knock so early in the morning. Ponyville's residents had not built a reputation as being violent. Though everything was suddenly as clear as the daylight that burst through from Equestria and into her home when she saw the mare at her door. She had a bright, lightning yellow coat, like that of Scootaloo's mother. As well as a mane and tail of a mustard yellow at the centre, spreading out to a bright orange towards the edges. Her mane was spikey, making her appear confident and stallion like. Her cutie mark showed a light-yellow lightning bolt, with three flames of dark-yellow, light-orange and dark-orange spewing from the top of it. Whilst it was untraditional for ponies to wear cloths for their everyday activities, Rainbow knew that this mare was visiting on no mundane business, wearing a dark blue suit, with yellow and red buttons, and a lightning bolt badge for accessories. In addition to her iconic dark shades, masking her brown eyes, that had become indistinguishable from the mare herself. Spitfire, captain of the Wonderbolts and now friend to Rainbow Dash. "Hey Crash, how are ya?" Spitfire said in a raspy, stallion like voice, though still containing just enough of a high pitch to connote it came from a mare. "I'm good Spitfire… But what are you doing here? Don't ya have that drill session with the new recruits today?" "Yeah… Well about that… em." Spitfire showed a blatant contrast to her usual confident demeanour, not looking Rainbow in the eye. She would have usually looked on at anypony with a proud glare, staring down any naive new recruit that dared questioned her authority! As Rainbow knew all to well. Though, now, she appeared week, timid and even afraid of the same pony she had once scalded and mercilessly imposed the nickname "Crash" onto. Rainbow knew exactly what she was there for. "Let me guess Spitfire, you were with the new guys, but you FINALLY realised that you weren't gonna get anywhere with 'em without my awesomeness whippin' 'em into shape for ya. Ha, its about time my unrivalled skill and talent was recognised. Maybe I should be captain." "HEY! Don't forget who your boss is! Em… I mean, err, yes, yes. You're help with these guys would be really appreciated. They're actually quite a handful, and I know how good you are at keepin' the little snowflakes who think they're better than everypony else in line. Soooo… I know we said we weren't gonna need ya today, but if you're not busy, would ya mind?" " Now whilst I'd love to go and teach those know it all's a little lesson in teamwork and discipline, I'm sorry Spitfire, I got plans today. My parents here are finally in Ponyville, and I'm gonna show 'em all the good spots." Having focused all her attention on Rainbow Dash, Spitfire hadn't noticed the proud parents standing directly behind her. Thus, in a sign of respect, Spitfire raised her wing to her head, in a salute to the two ponies who had raised one of the Wonderbolt's most talented flyers. "Good day Mister and Misses Dash, I hope you have a wonderful day." "Thank you, Miss Spitfire, but there really is no need for the formality, we're no different from any ordinary ponies, we just so happen to have raised the most awesome pony in Equestria. Speaking off. Rainbow, you simply must go with your friend here, this experience might help you clear your mind from everything that's happened lately, and I know how much you love showing how tough you are to other ponies. So, go on, have fun, we'll be fine." "But mom, you guys are my guests here, and you helped me so much yesterday. I can't just leave you alone!" "Oh, we'll be fine Dashy." Bow said, taking a slight pleasure from the fact that he towered over the three mares. "You go enjoy yourself. He, I think we could use a little rest after everything we did yesterday anyway." "At least Scootaloo had fun Bow." "And that's all that really matters. But any way, you go have fun Rainbow, you deserve it." "Well, if you guys say its okay, then I guess you're in look Spitfire." "Phewph…Thanks for this Rainbow. I hate to admit it, but we really do need your help with this new batch of recruits." "It's nothin' Spitfire. But you owe me one now, K." "Okay Rainbow Crash." Rainbow hugged her parents goodbye, before departing with Spitfire to the Wonderbolts academy, where her and Spitfire's new victims waited for their fate! She couldn't help but feel guilty for abandoning her parents, especially after her mother had seemed so exited for their time together. Though they both had seemed more than happy for her to go, and were likely correct in their assumption that doing these drills with the recruits would likely clear her mind completely of the prior night's turmoil. Thus, her guilt cleared quickly, as she became more and more exited for the day that was to come. === Helpful outside sources === As Rainbow and Spitfire sored gracefully through the sky, Spitfire couldn't help but ponder on the final part of Rainbow's conversation with her parents. They had mentioned some pony, Scooter… something, she couldn't quite remember, who she hadn't ever heard Rainbow mention before. Whilst she didn't usually make a conscious effort to peer into the personal lives of her colleagues, there was still some time before they arrived at the boot camp, and she couldn't help but make an attempt to satisfy her curiosity. "Hey Crash." "Yeah Spitfire." "Who was that pony your parents mentioned back there?" "Eh… What are you talking about?" Rainbow asked with a confused expression. "Ya know, Scooter roo, I think was her name." "Oooohhh, Scootaloo. Yeah, she's just a big fan of mine… And I'd be lyin' if I said she wasn't like a little sister to me by now." "Ahhh, I didn't know you were the mushy type Crash." "Oh, shut up! I'm just bein' a good mare! She… deserves it." Rainbow found herself, almost instantaneously, stopping in mid-air. The terrible experience from the prior night having crept, like a grotesque centipede, back into her conscious, making her feel uncomfortable as it prowled around her mind as it plagued her once more with her doubt of Scootaloo's safety. Spitfire suddenly realised that her teammate had stopped flying, and thus trailed back. Though she was never the most intuitive of ponies, she could tell that there was something causing great distress to Rainbow Dash. "Hey, Rainbow." Spitfire asked in an unusually sympathetic tone. "What's wrong?" "It… It's nothin' Spitfire, lets just get to the academy." "No, Rainbow, there's clearly something in that dense little head 'a yours that's bothering you. And I wouldn't be doing my job properly if I didn't sort this out right away… It's about this Scootaloo mare, isn't it? "Uh… Yeah. Fine, I'll tell you. Just, please, take this seriously." "I will Rainbow Dash, now start talkin'." "Okay. Scootaloo's an amazing, incredible, awesome little filly, who just gets better and better every time I see her. She's only eight years old, an' can't even fly yet! But she's always pushing herself to new limits, testing herself… Ya know. You might've guest from her name that she's pretty good on a scooter. But my Celestia, she's trained so hard on that thing that she could probably reach speeds on that thing that could give us a hard time! She's so determined to always get better, to learn how to fly, to help other ponies, to get faster on her scooter. She's one of… No. She is the greatest filly I've ever met!" "Wow, I can see why you've taken a liking to her Rainbow." "Yeah! But would ya believe it, she's the one who admires me! Even before I was a Wonderbolt, she was startin' up a Rainbow Dash fan club. She'd try an' copy everything I did and 'd always get this adorable little smile every time she saw me. But then there was this one night, where me, her, my friends Rarity and Applejack and their little sisters were out campin'… And I MAY'VE made the really dumb mistake 'a tellin' some less than foal friendly stories to those three fillies. But that's the thing, the other two had their older sisters to protect them from the nightmares. Scootaloo had nopony. Then, on this one night, towards the end of the trip, she finally got so scared that she ran away from the cave we we're sleeping because she thought that the Headless horse was gonna get her." "My Celestia! You told little fillies that story!" "Don't remind me! Anyway, I don't know what it was, I think Luna may have visited me in a dream, I can't quite remember. But, something. Something came over me that made me KNOW she was in danger. I flew out as fast as I could, and low and behold, I saw her going so fast that she went straight off a cliff, luckily, I was there and caught her just in time. I dread to think… Never mind. She had been pretendin' the entire trip like the stories weren't bothering her and that she was the same fearless pony I had always seen her as. I'm still disgusted with myself to this day that I didn't realise what she was goin through, and that the tail of the Headless horse, ya know, one of the scariest ponytails in existence! Might have been a bit too much for a tiny filly with nopony to comfort her! But, despite all that, I'm still really thankful that that night happened, 'cause that was the first time I ever got to show the little Squirt the comfort an' support she really needed from me, not just constant compliments and jokes, but somepony to actually take her in their forelegs and tell her everything's okay, to really be there for her when she's not feelin' so hot. That night… That night was the first time we were really sisters, and we've stayed that way ever since. The time we've spent together over the past couple 'a years has been incredible. And through it all, she's helped me see things in different ways, an' I've supported her through some of her darker times, and stopped her from doin' some dumb things she's not quite ready for. More than that though, she really has become like family to me. I… I love her… Ha, go ahead and laugh Spitfire" "Don't worry Rainbow, I'm not gonna. I think it's noble that you've taken this filly under your wing. That you've gotten so close to somepony you're not even related to. I definitely couldn't do that… But Rainbow, some of the things you're describing… Isn't that the parent's responsibility? Not yours. I mean, don't get me wrong, I think it's great that you're willing to show this one little filly so much love. But don't you think the parents should've… Ya know, been the ponies to step in when she was doin' those dumb things she wasn't ready for. That shouldn't be your responsibility." "That's the thing Spitfire, I was just about to get to that. Ya see, I think it was about… Two weeks ago now, when Scootaloo was with this teenage, stallion Pegasus. He was a good flyer, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw him at the academy in a few years. But by Starswirl's beard did he have no common sense! He actually though that this tiny little, eight-year-old filly was thirteen!" "Seriously! That makes no sense!" "I know right! I've only ever seen that level of stupidity in bad Daring doo fanfiction! Only there it was to for a lousy excuse to move the plot along. This was real life! Anyway, him and Scootaloo were gonna go down this HUGE hill, like, it was practically a mountain." "Wait! Are you talkin' about that ginormous peek that you can practically see from all the way up Cloudsdale half the time. "I'm sad to say that I am. An' those two were just gonna go straight down it, as if it were any ordinary hill!" Spitfire looked on at Rainbow, her mouth pressed down with the unbearable weight of shock. Like Rainbow, Spitfire had become synonymous with pushing herself to unbelievable lengths in order to better herself, often putting herself in danger and disregarding any concern for her own physical wellbeing. However, she was also similar to Rainbow, in that she couldn't help but feel uncomfortable at the idea of a young filly risking so much for a simple thrill. Whilst she more than encouraged young foals to push themselves, or else they could never reach their potential, she detested the idea of somepony so small permanently injuring themselves because they couldn't recognise a reasonable limit. "Rainbow. She could've gotten seriously hurt! That hill's way to steep for a little filly. And that's coming from me. I hate accepting limits!" "I know Spitfire, it was reckless of her to even think that goin' down there was okay! Movin' on though, she had done two races before that one, and this was gonna be the tie breaker. Only I had been watchin' 'em the entire time, ready to step in just in case she fell… So then there she was. At the top of that huge hill, I knew she was going to get really hurt if she went down it, but I had been feelin' really overprotective all day, and I thought that if I stopped her from racin' it would make her think I didn't trust her. But eventually, just as she was about to ride down, I remembered that part of bein' a good sister IS stepping in sometimes to stop your younger sibling from doin' somethin' that'll get themselves hurt. So, naturally, I swept in an' saved her like the awesome streak of awesomeness I am! I made sure that the Pegasus stallion would think a little more in the future, an' that that Scootaloo knew that I still trusted her, but that she was still a filly and wasn't ready for such a big drop. We hugged it out, forgave each other, and I was just happy that the filly I love so much was safe. "Nice story Crash, but how do Scootaloo's parents fit into all this?" "Well, ya see, that night I got thinkin'. Why hadn't Scootaloo's own parents stepped in when they found out that their little daughter was gonna go down the biggest hill for miles. They had to've known, and no reasonable pony would've let their foal do somethin' like that… Then I realised. I hadn't ever seen Scootaloo with her parents. Not even once! So I decided, I had to know what Scootaloo's home life was like, that there were… ARE other ponies besides myself that love her like she deserves. I tried to find out a little bit on my own for a while. But I got nowhere. Nopony else seems to know anything and Scootaloo just wouldn't budge whenever I asked her myself. So that's when I got my own parents involved, they were always so good at gettin' me to tell them things when I was a filly, even when I REALLY didn't want to. And so far, they've been a huge help, we all gave Scootaloo a great day yesterday, and they've encouraged me to go see the parents directly, I just met the mom yesterday. She seemed nice, but a little off and immature. And I'm gonna be meetin' the dad soon as well, so everything's good… Ha, sorry, I just gave you a needlessly long story summary of everythin' that's happened so far, I guess I just got carried away. But yeah, that's Scootaloo and my relationship with her." "Ha, I never did take you as the sisterly type Crash, but I guess now that I'm seeing it, it kinda suits you… Now Rainbow, I don't got a lot of experience with foals, an' I'm sure that your definitely better at this than me. But if you don't mind me sayin', it seems to me like you might be getting' a little too nervous about all this." "I AM NOT!" "Oh yeah. Then why did your parents have to talk you into talkin' to this filly's folks, when it was clearly what you needed to do?" "Yeah… Right. She didn't want me to… And so, I…" "EXACTLLY! Look, if I learned one thing from my brief experience with foalsitting, back when I was a teenager, its that you've REALLY gotta get tough with foals when they need it. They have to remember that you're in charge sometimes. I know it can be hard, given that they're so small an' all, an especially with how close you are to this Scootaloo, but you're gonna need to be a little stricter with her right now. Just sit her down and get her to tell her what you need to know to help her, without any arguing." "Yeah, that's all good, but I don't wanna scare her or anything. I mean, I'm not the tallest pony in Equestria, but I must be a giant to her. An' if I get to strict on her, it could damage are sisterhood." "He, you're probably right… See, you're so much better at this than me. So, I guess you're just gonna have to find that right balance, bein' strict enough with her to get her to talk, but not so much that you give her too much of a scare. I'll leave that part up to you Crash." "Thanks Spitfire." "You'll do great…Though I do hate admitting that you're better than me at something." Spitfire said sarcastically. "Ha, come on now, let's just get to the academy." "Couldn't agree more." The two mares flew off into the morning sun and towards the Wonderbolts academy, ready for a day of intimidating the best and brightest flyers from all over Equestria, all in a similar position to what they had once been in, in order to find the absolute finest and passionate pegesi to join the prestigious Wonderbolts. Rainbow and Spitfire's unmatched flying speed made their trip short, Rainbow watching as the long line of recruits stood in a perfect straight-line formation, juxtaposing Spitfire's berserk description of them. Nevertheless, she was prepared to once again find the greatest young fliers Equestria had to offer. The day went by very quickly, Rainbow taking full advantage of the same intimidation techniques that Spitfire had once imposed on her, breaking those with weak souls and inspiring those who were truly fit for the challenge to push themselves harder. By the end of the day, she believed she had picked out a select few from the once large crowd of recruits who were capable of standing beside her as an ally in the Wonderbolts. Though there were still more challenges these ponies would be forced to face, she saw a passion in them that would guarantee their victory. The day began to come to a close, Celestia dropping the sun once more as Luna effortlessly lifted the moon to take its place. Though the view of the moon was distorted by horrific rain clouds that were slowly consuming the sky, ready to release a torrential storm onto Equestria. Rainbow stood at the edge of the academy, stretching her wings, prepared to make the short flight back to her home to greet her parents before slipping into a well-deserved rest that would properly prepare her to continue her investigation into Scootaloo's home life the next day. She was finally ready to discover the whole truth. === Scootaloo's confession === Rainbow stood at the edge of the Wonderbolts academy. Her day, whilst very enjoyable, had been physically taxing, thus she couldn't wait to snuggle up in her bed, properly preparing her for whatever the next day brought. However, just as she was about to take of to her cloud home, she felt the light pressure of somepony else's hoof on her shoulder. "Hey Crash." "Oh, hey Spitfire. I'd stay an' chat, but I got parents to get back to." "Yeah, I know, I just wanted to say thank you for coming here today. Ya didn't need to, and I'm sure you and y' parents would 'a had 'a great time, so we're really thankful that you helped out. We've really needed ya." "Ha, what can I say except your welcome… I'm just THAT awesome." "I guess I owe ya that one." Spitfire said jokingly. "But seriously, it's been my pleasure. I'm happy to help." "You're a good friend Crash. Now please, take a couple weeks of, show your parents a good time, an' figure out what's goin' on with this Scootaloo filly an' her folks." "I will Spitfire, thank you. I know that somethin's not right at her home… I just need to find out what" "I'm sure you will Crash, this is YOU we're talkin' about, you never give up when you care about somethin'!" "Thanks Spitfire, I wouldn't be nearly as persistent without all that Wonderbolts trainin'." "You're to kind Rainbow. Now go on, that 'storm of the centuary' I keep herrin' about should be starting soon, and I wouldn't' wanna be flying home in the rain if I was you." Rainbow Dash looked up with a discomforted face. The sky had turned completely to an evil black, blocking out the majestic dark blue of the night that lay behind it. The clouds twirled and roared, with an occasional small lightning bolt jolting from the growing anger. The storm was ready to wreak havoc. Rainbow had heard of this storm a week prior, the citizens of Equestria had all agreed to have a large storm then to allow for sunny weather conditions for the following weeks. Having one large storm as opposed to multiple smaller ones had become a common tradition for the country, thus the ponies had grown accustomed to preparing themselves for the onslaught of rain, hail and lightning that bombarded their cities and towns once every two months. Rainbow had almost forgotten about the storm's existence, having become so used to it, thus she frowned at the reminder. "Yeah, flyin' home in this weather 'd be a nightmare! So, I should probably… Before Rainbow could finish her utterance, she felt a splash of water crash upon her nose. There was a moment of silence, before a barrage of freezing raindrops landed upon the two pegesi. "Ha too late Crash!" Spitfire shouted over the loud and obnoxious sound of rain shooting from the clouds. "Ugh! This'll be fun… Meh, it'll be over quickly. See ya later Spitfire." "See ya soon Crash, good look with the filly. And thanks again for everything today." The two mares gave each other confident and reassuring smiles, before Rainbow set off into the now almost pitch-black sky, the wind howling and the air around her having been consumed by the endless, freezing rain that made Rainbow's fur stand on end in a failing attempt to catch any resemblance of warmth that remained. However, Rainbow was a strong mare and had flown in similar conditions in the past, thus she found herself being able to fly with little hindrance from the weather, bizarrely seeing it as a minor inconvenience, rather than the omnipresent obstacle that assassinated any plans of travel! As other ponies would've seen it. … Rainbow had almost arrived safely back at her home, having long since reached Ponyville, light illuminating from each of the small homes, giving her a better sense of direction. Though she had idiotically decided to take a short cut across Sweet apple acres, rather than sticking to the longer, yet better lit route through Ponyville. Nevertheless, she was familiar enough with her surroundings to navigate her way through the solemn and heartless black. However, as she flew along what felt like an endless field, the weight of the rain finally beginning to wither her stamina, she noticed an anomaly. Whilst it was small and practically invisible, Rainbow was certain that she saw a dark orange lump in the vast abyss. "N... N… No. It… It can't be." Rainbow thought to herself as terror consumed her subconscious, and her heart sank into oblivion. Rainbow flew to the lump as fast as her now feeble body would allow. Her suspicions were confirmed. Scootaloo lay there. Her whole body having turned limp and numb from the endless streams of biting, glacial water that passed over her, as if she were a lifeless rock. Rainbow quickly took the filly into her forelegs, determined to provide as much warmth as possible to her unconscious sister. The little body had lost all strength, the drops of water that continuously fell down her practically turning to ice as they dripped off the tiny filly. Scootaloo showed no sign of movement, remaining paralyzed in Rainbow's forelegs, the bitter rain having frozen her whole body and taken every ounce of her might. Rainbow held her sister in a tight grasp. Watching intently as she let out tiny breaths that turned to frost as they hit the air, before disappearing into the black void of the night. She fired off to her cloud home, ignoring her body's groans for a slower, less strenuous flight, instead flying at speeds faster than she could ever have thought possible under normal circumstances. Scootaloo once again appeared so small in her forelegs, her tiny body so limp from the unbearable cold that bombarded her. Thus, Rainbow shot home with an angry determination, wanting so desperately to get her Scootaloo to the warmth and safety she was in such dire need of. Nothing was going to stop her from protecting the little filly in her forelegs. Only a few minutes passed before Rainbow reached her home. "Mom! Dad!" "Welcome home Dashy, did you have a nice…" "NO TIME MOM!" "Oh, what's the… Oh my! OH MY! WHAT HAPPENED!" "I was on my way home, when I found her unconscious in this field. She was cold, alone, and barely had enough strength to breathe! I hate to think what might've… Never mind. Here just take her. I need to go get towels, blankets, anything that'll warm her up!" "Don't worry about it Dashy, you stay with her, I know she's unconscious, but she still trusts you more than anypony else. We'll go get the towels and blankets." "Thanks dad. But are you sure you know where to get 'em." "We may have had a quick look around the house when you left this mornin'. I think we're familiar with it by now. Right Windy?" "Right! Hold her tight Dashy, we'll be right back." Rainbow waited patiently in her living room whilst her parents gathered what Scootaloo needed., holding the filly tighter than she ever had done before. Scootaloo's frozen fur finally began to melt, causing uncomfortable lukewarm water to be released into Rainbow's already wet coat. Though she couldn't have had the slightest of cares. Her Scootaloo was safe in the warmth of her home. "Oh Scoots. Why did ya have to go and do this! Never worry me like that again." Rainbow was aware that Scootaloo couldn't hear her, though she still found talking to her reassuring, it reminded her that the filly she cared for so deeply was still alive. "Okay Rainbow, we're back." Bow said as both he and his wife rushed down the stairs with a many blankets and towels between them. "Thanks, guys. Now let's get Scoots warmed up." Rainbow wrapped Scootaloo in a towel, lightly rubbing her with it in an attempt to dry her soaked fur. She then gently laid the filly on her sofa, resting her tiny head on a cushion. Bow and Windy then proceeded to place three very thick blankets on top of her, producing the heart-warming image of an adorable sleeping filly, oblivious to the torrential weather outside. If somepony were to see Scootaloo in this state, they would've been unable to guess that she had, only moments prior, been found unconscious in a field in the pitch black of night. "Okay, she's safe now. Those blankets will've warmed her up soon and she should wake up, you have nothing to worry about now Dashy. But are you sure you're okay. I mean, you were stuck in that storm as well, and seein' your little sister unconscious in a storm like this one can't 'a been good for ya." "I'm fine dad. Just… A little shocked, and kinda angry. How could've Scootaloo's parents let this happen. SHE'S THEIR DAUGHTER! I'm no parent, but even I know that ignoring your foal going out is a huge storm is one of the WORST things you can do!" "I know Rainbow, we're angry too, and we WILL get to the bottom of this. But you never know, maybe her parents have noticed, and are really worried right now. We don't know why Scootaloo was out on her own, so we'll just have to ask her when she wakes up. But for now, lets just be happy that she's warm and safe. We'll talk worry about what she was doing later." "Yeah… Yeah. Thanks mom, I guess I got a little carried away. Scoots is safe and that's all that matters." Rainbow looked over at her sister with a happy smile and a sigh of relief. Her little Scootaloo really was safe. "Thanks, guys. I'd probably be totally lossin' it right now if it weren't for you." "Your welcome Dashy, is there anything else we can do." "Uuummm… Ah. I got a couple cans 'a vegetable soup in the cupboard over the oven. Would ya mind heatin' one up for Scootaloo. I'd do it myself… But I really don't wanna leave her right now." "On it!" Windy said obediently, as if she were one of the Wonderbolts recruits that Rainbow had been training. "Thanks mum." Rainbow then turned to face Scootaloo, so calm and peaceful, whereas she had once been so cold and alone. She gave a disheartened expression, being unable to ignore her turbulent thoughts of what may happened to her little filly had she not spotted her. She then suddenly felt her father's gentle hoof on her shoulder, who then proceeded to give her a welcoming and loving smile that melted her doubts. "It's alright Dashy, she's safe now." "Yeah, but what if…" "What if nothing. Who knows what could've happened. But what did happen is that you, like the awesome pony you are, swooped down and saved this little filly from the storm. Now, the foal we all love is safe and warm, and it's all thanks to you Dashy. You should be proud 'a yourself." "Sorry dad, I know she's safe now, but I just hate to think what might've happened if I hadn't… If I hadn't…" "Now calm down my little pony, I know that you love her dearly, that's why ya so upset. But hey, she's safe now, and she's not going anywhere. You saved her Dashy, nothin' bad happened and she's gonna be alright. Just look at her over there, she's perfectly fine, you have nothing to worry about anymore." "Okay… I think I'm good now." Rainbow said whilst letting out a large breath to calm herself down. "She's perfectly fine… Thanks dad, I hate getting all mushy, but I just can't stand to think of my little Scootaloo so alone in such a terrible storm. I really needed you to calm me down there, I could 'a…" Before Rainbow could finish her utterance, she heard a groan coming from her sofa. Both ponies quickly turned to see Scootaloo slowly opening her eyes. The warmth of the nurturing environment having finally healed her. "Wh… What happened?" Scootaloo said in a very weak voice. "Scootaloo!" Rainbow squealed before rushing to embrace the filly with a loving, yet gentle hug. "Rainbow Dash? Wait, where…" Before Scootaloo could finish talking, she felt Rainbow's hoof on her lips, signalling for her to remain quiet. Rainbow needed this moment. "You have no idea how scared I was Scoots. You were knocked out in a field in the middle of a storm, practically frozen solid! I checked to see if you were still breathing, which thank Celestia you were! So, I took you back here and you're safe now. But… You were so cold back there Scootaloo, I was so afraid I might've lost you." "Sorry Rainbow, I didn't mean to make you mad." "Oh Squirt, I'm not mad! I'm just so happy that you're alive and safe. Now come 'ere you!" Rainbow brought her sister closer to her, not so much as to squish her or make her feel uncomfortable, but just enough so that the embrace seemed loving and genuine. "Thanks Rainbow… I can always rely on you." "Don't worry about it Scoots… But don't you ever scare me like that again young mare! Do you understand? Also, what were you doing out in a storm like this? It's not safe for anypony to be out tonight, let alone a filly!" "Oh, em… I just got caught on my way home. It… it's no biggie… Really." "Scootaloo. I know that isn't true. Please don't lie to me, I wanna help you but you're gonna have to be honest with me… So please, just tell me why you were out." "Yeah, Rainbow, em… Ya see…" Scootaloo showed noticeable hesitation and anxiety in her voice, she desperately wanted to avoid telling Rainbow about what had happened, and the pity that she would inevitably receive as a result. Thus, whilst Rainbow was more determined than ever to discover the truth, she noticed how torn the filly was. So, whilst Spitfire's words of discipline and strictness remained strong in her mind, she brought herself to ignore them, replacing her once bold glare with a friendly and reassuring smile. "It's okay Scoots… Don't worry about that for now. You Just focus on getting warm, we'll talk later. Alright?" "Thanks Rainbow, you're the best sister ever!" "Hu? That's… Not possible." "Wait what! Why?" "'Cause you're the best and most awesomist sister ever ya silly filly! Now get over here an' be cute ya little Squirt!" Rainbow pushed Scootaloo back onto her back and began to gently nuzzle her stomach, causing her to let out an uncontrollable, adorable high pitch giggle. For a sweet moment, they could both forget the appalling situation Scootaloo had been found in. "Ha, ha, I don't mean to intrude on this adorable little moment you two are havin', but my Celestia if this isn't the CUTEST thing I've ever seen. Here, I officially nominate and award Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo with the greatest sisters OF ALL TIME award!" "Thanks dad." Rainbow said whilst chuckling. "Ha, I can always rely on you to get all sappy, can't I?" "Always Dashy, always." Scootaloo then raised her mouth to say something, but was quickly interrupted by Windy bursting into the living room, holding a bowl of hot soup that she had prepared for the little filly. "Here we are Dashy, give it to her once she's… Oh darling, thank Celestia you're awake! You gave us such a scare! But don't worry, you're out of the cold now… And we're going to keep you safe. Here, I made you a nice bowl of vegetable soup. Now drink up little miss, or you won't get better!" "Thanks, Windy, just what I need right now." Scootaloo attempted to reach out her hoof to take the bowl, though before she could push out her leg from the cover, she felt Rainbow quickly pressing her own hoof down on it. "No… No, you stay under the sheets Scoots, I got this." Rainbow then proceeded to take the bowl from the trey, and began to feed Scootaloo the soup. Whilst the young filly was initially opposed to the concept, despising the foalish way in which she was being treated, she soon came to accept her reality. Admitting to herself that the warmth from both the blankets and the soup was too southing and relaxing to put up any resistance… That, and being catered to by the most awesome pony in all of Equestria was the coolest thing ever! It wasn't long before Scootaloo had finished the soup, taking a bizarre enjoyment from Rainbow feeding her. Though she was certain to force her idol never to tell anypony what had taken place. However, she was ultimately just thankful for being nursed her back to health. Whilst her coat had once been freezing and dreadfully soaked, it was now warm and comforting, southing her body in allegiance with the perfect atmosphere that the grown ponies had worked so hard to create. Whilst Rainbow didn't wish to ruin the blissful scene that stood before her, Spitfire's earlier words once again crept into the forefront of her mind. Scootaloo had now fully recovered from the storm, Rainbow herself had also dried. Though the fact still remained that a young filly had put herself at serious risk by leaving home during a ferocious storm. Rainbow had to know why. "Hey Scoot'." Rainbow said in a significantly more serious tone than she was used to when speaking with the filly. "Yeah." Scootaloo responded apprehensively, attempting to deny that she knew what her sister was about to ask." "Huuuuuuuuu. I know you don't wanna talk about this, an' I don't wanna pressure you. But Scoots. What were you doing out there?" "Seriously Rainbow. I was on my way home from the clubhouse an' I got caught in the storm. What else is there to say." "Scootaloo! I know you don't work that late. I know you're schedule. An' even then, it's against the law for anypony your age to be workin' so late. So please, stop fighting. I'm not gonna get mad. An' I'm not gonna laugh at you. None of us are. We all love ya here Scoots, an' we wanna know what's wrong. But we need ya to be honest with us." Scootaloo finally let go of her lie. Coming to the inevitable conclusion that Rainbow was too persistent, and loved her too much to just ignore her when something was clearly not right. She had no way out. She had to face her fears. She had to tell the truth. "Okay. I'll… I'll tell you the truth Rainbow. I… I ran away." "Good. That's a start sweetie. But why would you want to leave home in this weather?" Windy asked. "I WAS SCARED! I was scared… alright? My… My parents just… They wouldn't stop arguing! I was in my bed, tryin' to get ta sleep. But their voices were even louder than the rain! I don't know what it was about. But they were just being so mean to each other. I couldn't take it! So, I ran… Ran away. I thought I could make it to the clubhouse without getting too cold. Sure, it would 'a been freezing, but there are some blankets there from my last sleepover, so I figured I'd be fine. An' even if I wasn't. It didn't matter. ANYTHING was better than staying home. I just didn't want them to… to… to…" Scootaloo was noticeably tearing up from her recollection of the traumatic experience. Thus, Rainbow, completely giving in to her loving instincts, took the little filly into her forelegs and kept her in a close hug. "Shhhhhh, sh, sh, sh. It's okay Squirt, it's okay. It's over. They're not gonna hurt you. I'm here now." Scootaloo found her sister's words and embrace unbelievably comforting. All her supressed fear and sadness had now been released. She finally had somepony to cry to. Thus, she just wailed into Rainbow's soft fur. "There, there, let it out. You're all good now Scoots. Rainbow couldn't deny that she sounded like Fluttershy, her friend clearly having an influence on her life that she was reluctant to admit. Though she couldn't deny that being there to support somepony, especially her little Scootaloo, created an amazing feeling that she would be sure to treasure for years to come. "Th… Thanks Rainbow. I… I… I needed that. You must think I'm weak now, hu. I… I'm so pathetic!" "Now don't say that Scoots. You got scared. We all get scared. You're still awesome, nothing's ever gonna change that." "Do you mean it?" "Of course, Squirt, ponies who tell ya they're afraid 'a nothin' are lyin' to ya! An' hey, ya told us the truth, an' for that we're real proud 'a ya." "Absolutely Dearie! You've clearly been through a lot tonight, and were very happy that you felt comfortable telling us. We love you darling, and don't ever think you're any less amazing just because you get scared." "Right you are Windy! You're still that same awesome pony that showed us our daughter's a Wonderbolt! Don't think that just 'cause ya got a little frightened one time that we're gonna forget about all the great things ya've done." "Thanks guys, it means a lot." "Yeah. An' even better. Now we know what's wrong and we can help you." "Wait, what do you mean?" "Scoots, I'm gonna have to talk to your parents about this, they…" "Oh. No, you don't have to I'll be on my way now, but thanks for the…" "Scootaloo, they scared you so much that you ran off into the storm and got yourself seriously hurt just to get away from them. That's not okay! And I don't think you should go back there tonight, the last thing you need is to get sick from the weather again." "Wait, so you want me to stay here! Is this like a sister's sleepover!?" "I guess so Scoots. Ha, now you go and get comfortable. I'm gonna have a little word with those parents 'a yours. Nopony scares my Scootaloo and gets away with it!" "Oh Dashy, can't you just speak with them in the morning? That weather can't be good for you either." "Uh, Windy. Ya know that they're still her parents, right? They must be worried sick right now. They deserve to know where their daughter is." "Fair enough. Just… Be safe Dashy, we don't want you getting sick as well, now do we?" "I will be mom. An' Scoots, thanks for tellin' us, I know how hard that must 'a been for ya. But I got this now, you just stay warm, an' I'll be right back." "Thanks Rainbow, I really thought that you'd stop being my sister and think that I was weak an' pathetic if I told you the truth. But, you're still here for me. Thank you. "Scootaloo, I will always love you, don't ever forget that. Ha, keep her safe for me mom an' dad." Rainbow then reached out to hug her sister one final time, before beginning her short flight to Scootaloo's home, angered by the neglect the filly's parents had shown, yet still prepared to remain reasonable. As the door to the cloud home shut behind their daughter, Windy and Bow both took Scootaloo into a similar embrace to that which Rainbow had given her only moments prior. "What are you doing?" "Rainbow's not the only pony who was scared for you sweetie." "Yeah, an' she left us in charge 'a keepin' you safe. So, don't think we're letting you out of our sight young mare!" "Ha, thanks guys." "You're welcome dearie. Now, I happen to know where Rainbow keeps her Daring doo collection, want us to read you some before bed time?" "That sounds great!" "Alrighty then. Have you read any of them before?" "I've been meaning to, but no yet, no." "I'll go grab the first one then." Windy then raced to Rainbow's small, yet tightly pact book shelf, and grabbed her copy of Daring doo and the quest for the sapphire stone. She then quickly returned to the sofa that the other ponies were waiting on, and proceeded to snuggle Scootaloo between herself and her husband, making sure that she was comfortable and ready to enjoy a relaxing evening after all she had been through that day. === The guilt of a guardian === Rainbow arrived at the door of the small household, her anger stirring as the horrific memory of Scootaloo, unconscious from the barrage of biting rain bombarding her little body, tormented her. It plagued her mind, destroying any logic and reasoning that remained within her that would've even considered forgiving the filly's parents for their neglect. She bashed the door with a raging power that had long since possessed her, taking over her will and turning her into the same wrenching, anger endorsed fiend that she ironically feared the parents themselves would be. Though a faint, weak and innocent voice, sounding so similar to how Scootaloo had spoken when she woke, remained in her deepest subconscious. It begged for her sister to see reason, to not destroy the trust they had built, by acting so irrational. Rainbow tried her hardest to listen to this voice, not wanting to hurt the same filly she had sworn to protect. All just because of her own foalish temper. Though she didn't know weather or not she could keep the voice prevalent in her mind, with the angry haze that had built up making it sound so faint in her mind. Mere moments passed before Rainbow was greeted by Electric Breeze, who looked destroyed from the day, her mane a frenzy and her eyes gazing in separate direction. "Whaaaaaaaat!? Whose callin' at this hou… Oh. It's you Rainbow Dash. What brings you 'round this…" Rainbow swiftly placed her hoof on Electric's mouth, cancelling her utterance. She diverted her eyes from the yellow mare, knowing that she was not yet ready to gaze into the mare's soul without unleashing her passionate rage and ruining any chance she may've had of seeing her sister again! "Do you… Have ANY idea… What you've done!?" "Uuummm, Miss Dash, what're you talking about? Nothing's wrong here." "You mean you have… Sacred Celestia! What are you doing!? First there was forgetting she wasn't home yesterday! An' now this. What is wrong with you!?" "Wait, somethin's wrong with Scootaloo?" Rainbow finally brought herself to look at Eclectic, showing a face that put Flutershy's famous stare to shame. Her lips firmly pushed together into an oppressive frown, and her wyes dilated so wide that angry, red veins popped from the service. "Yeah. Something's WRONG with Scootaloo." Rainbow said in a sarcastic, deadpan tone, disguising her rage at Electric's toxic naivety. "But she's safe in… bed." "Yeah, guess again. I found Scootaloo unconscious from the cold, in a field where nopony could 'a found her. Luckily, I spotted her on my way home or else… We could've lost her… Ha, an' here's the best part. She told me that she was running away. FROM YOU! Yeah, apparently you and your mister were arguing so loud that it scared her half to Tartarus! So much so in fact, that she actually thought she'd be safer, freezing in her little club house. So, if I'm understanding this right. You two were being SO mean to each other, that you scared your own little filly, whose suppose to feel SAFE around you, so much that she ran out into one of the biggest storms of the year… Just to get away from you. An' she ended up gettin' so frozen from it, that her little body couldn't take it and she blacked out… Look, Electric. I've been tryin' to give you the benefit of the doubt for weeks now." "Emmm, how so?" Electric asked in a cowardly voice. "Ha! You think I don't notice when Scootaloo, the most awesome filly in Equestria! Gets all nervous whenever I even mention you guys? Yeah… I know somethin's up with her at home. I was givin' you guys the benefit of the doubt at first, I thought that maybe I was bein' a little over the top, not thinkin' straight. But in two days, you've not noticed that your own daughter's not being safe at home. TWICE! An' scared her so much that she almost got herself killed! My patience is all dried up. So, you'd better give a GREAT explanation for what's been happenin', and what Scootaloo's been going through!" Electric was noticeably in a state of shock from what Rainbow had told her, unable to comprehend that her actions had led to her own little daughter getting so gravely hurt. Guilt quickly built within her, she would never be able to forgive herself for what she had done. "Wow… I… I can't believe it. How could we have let this happen? How could we've let our own baby?... Here come on in Miss Dash, we'll tell you what you need to know." "Humph! Well at least you're sorry. But this had better be good!" "We'll talk in the Livingroom, I'll get my husband. WILD… WILD. Get down here!" Rainbow then turned to the stairs, watching a large Pegasus stallion with orange fur, identical to that of Scootaloo, slowly plodding down to the ground floor. His wings were giant and superbly brilliantly preened, juxtaposing the tiny wings of Scootaloo and Electric. He had a large neck, in addition to a bold, muscular chin that gave him a prominent masculine presence that most stallions could only dream of. He also bore a cutie mark of a grey tornado, which contrasted his orange fur. Finally, as he had almost reached the bottom of the stairs, he showed Electric a dazed and annoyed glance, his eyes half shut and his legs trembling from the weight of his tired body. "What is it El? It's late, get back to bed already." "Wild… I… we've… It's Scootaloo." "Wait, what's wrong with her?" "I'll tell ya what! I found her unconscious in a field, all because she felt safer out in the storm, than staying here, with you two arguing." "Wait. Who's… Oh. You're Rainbow Dash! A pleasure to finally meat you. But… Our little filly, did you really…" "She did Wild. Scootaloo got so scared from our argument earlier that she snuck out just to get away from us! She ended up blacking out in a field all on her own. Luckily Rainbow here found her and she's safe at her house now." "Oh… That's. Celestia, I can't believe we did that! Our own daughter, scared of us! That's no way for a filly to be." "Yeah, an' I've known for some time now that somethin's up here, somethin' that's not right for Scootaloo. So, you're gonna tell me everything Mister! "I guess we owe ya that much Rainbow Dash, come sit down, and we'll tell ya everything. My name's Wild Twister by the way, an' I know you've already met my wife Electric Breeze. Now get in here, you look frozen! I'll go heat you up some warm tea, and you and El can start talkin'." "Well… Thank you Mister Wild… Don't think I've forgiven you though!" "I know, nothin' could ever repay what we did to our daughter. But note that we never meant t' hurt her." Wild then flashed the two mares a charming smile, attempting to soften the horrific tension that had built between the three of them. Before heading into the kitchen to boil the tea. Electric then proceeded to take Rainbow into her living room, prepared to tell her the entire truth as to what Scootaloo was going through. They both sat down on a red, leather sofa, with shelves filled with books and ornaments surrounding them. The two then looked at each other, directly in the in the eyes, and began the fateful conversation. "Huuuuuuuuu. So, you wanna know what Scootaloo's home life is like. Am I right?" "Basically, I just wanna know what the filly's goin' through. I know somethin' ain't right, and she's too awesome for me not t' care about her. So, no lies, what's goin' on?" "Okay then. You've probably noticed that Scootaloo's rarely, if ever, around us in public, that's 'cause Wild an' I both have jobs that demand most of our attention. We're both weather ponies, specialising in creating the more… Shall we say, extreme weather conditions. I create lightning storms, I know how to make powerful electricity safely better than anypony I know, got my cutie mark in it when I was just a filly. Wild on the other hand makes tornados. That stallion's so fast he could 'a joined the Wonderbolts no problem! But he had no interest in all them aerial acrobatics tricks you guys do. "Wait, he DIDN'T wanna join the WONDERBOLTS! Ne… Never mind, not impotent. Carry on. "Oh yeah, he's fast alright. But he uses that speed to create massive tornados and hurricanes. Rather than to win races. He's a good man, real dedicated to his work, passionate about it. We're well paid for what we do, seein' as there are few ponies that can do it as good as we can, but is real time consuming, and absolutely exhausting! Heck, we're often here and back to the Dragon lands every weak! Making new storm for those hooligans to hurt themselves with. But my bosses say it helps keep good relations between ponies and dragons, so we do it for the sake of Equestria. So, you can probably guess, that with all the traveling, we don't have much time or energy for our daughter." "Wow, I'm sorry to here that, it's real tough on all of ya, hu? But still, you just forget she exists at night. I don't care how tiered you are, that's NEVER okay! "We… We know Rainbow Dash, and that's our fault. There's just so much going on in our lives most 'a the time that we… We forget about our own daughter. Yeah, that's no excuse! Sure, we have a lot 'a paperwork to fill out to show which storms we created, when we made 'em, bla bla bla. But that don't give us the right to just ignore our own little filly. We know, we just do it… An' we feel awful about it. We know we can't offer her the foalhood she deserves. She's had to mature so quickly to take care of herself, when she should be feelin' safe and loved. Cared for. All because we can't find the time for her!" Rainbow suddenly felt her anger wither away, the once tiny voice in her subconscious having prevailed in helping her see the logic and reason of the situation. That whilst imperfect, Scootaloo's parents still loved their daughter, and felt horrible for what they were forced to put her through. "Hey… Hey, don't say that about yourselves. You give her food shelter, and if ya didn't love her then ya wouldn't be feelin' this way. I'm not gonna pretend like you're the perfect parents, just to make ya feel better. But at the end of the day, you have well paid jobs, and give her everything she needs, and she clearly has a happy life. Not all parents can say they have happy foals. That's somethin' ya gotta earn, and that ya should be proud of." "I guess, but she deserves actual parents in her life. Ya know, ponies to teach her stuff, and tell her that the monsters in her nightmares aren't real." Rainbow Dash was suddenly unnerved by Electric's last comment, flashing back to the prior night, where she had seen Scootaloo suffering through a nightmare. Though she knew how much Electric was already torturing herself due to her parental failings. Thus, she couldn't bring herself to address the occasion. "Miss Dash, are you okay?" "Yeah, yeah. I'm alright. An' I get what you're sayin', she is just a filly, so she does need somepony to comfort her from time to time. But you guys give her what ever ya can, so cut yourselves a little slack, alright?" "Yeah, thanks Miss Dash." A moment of awkward silence stirred for a few seconds, before Wild came carefully into the room, not wishing to disturb the conversation he believed to be taking place. "Hey there, how's my lucky little lightning bolt doin'? Everything okay?" "We're good Wild." Electric said whilst chuckling. "Rainbow knows everything now." "That's great, so what…" "Hold up a minute. There's still one thing I don't know about. "Really? What I miss?" "Well… I know it's a little personal, but what were you two arguing over earlier. Not like its any 'a my business, but I just wanna be able to tell Scootaloo that what ever it was isn't important now." "Okay, fair enough… Well, in all honesty Rainbow Dash, we were just bein' petty. It was late, El an' I were both really tired from workin' on that blasted storm all day. An' naturally, we still had to do a tone of paper work. So, we just started bickerin' over who had to do what. And before you know it we'd… we'd become so scary to our own daughter that she ran out into the same storm that caused all are shouting in the first place!" "Hey, it's… It's okay, we made up." "Yeah… We did. WE'LL be fine. But Scootaloo! I'd be surprised if she could ever trust us again! Let's face it El. We can't give her the foalhood she deserves." "I know Wild. I… I know." The two remained silent for a moment, perfectly still, as the held each other in a tight grasp. They loved their daughter deeply, and wanted to do everything within their power to make sure that she lived the greatest life she could. Though with their pestering, demanding occupations, it had become increasingly difficult for them o spend quality time with Scootaloo. Not being able to watch her ride her scooter, not being able to have cheered and cried in delight when she had finally gotten her cutie mark, not being able to coo at how adorable she was when her little friends came over for the slumber parties she could never have. It broke their hearts. And the family only grew further apart. "Look. You two are fine ponies. You love each other, ya love your daughter, an' you can provide for yourselves. Sure, you ain't perfect, nopony is. But, just ignoring what good you can do for Scootaloo, you're only gonna hurt yourselves. "Thanks Rainbow Dash, we're just happy she has somepony like you in her life. You give her all the time and love she deserves, without even batting and eye. You're a good pony Miss Dash, and what you're doing for Scootaloo, letting her be a filly for once in her life, it really makes things easier." "Thanks, you guys. But really, it's my pleasure, she's an awesome filly. I'd better be on my way though, that same filly 's waitin' back at my place, and I don't wanna worry her." "Fair enough. Thanks again for letting her stay there tonight Rainbow Dash, we'd hate for her to be out in this weather, even if just for a minute, she's too small to cope with it." "Yeah, you're probably right. But she's more than welcome. We have a tone 'a room." "Great… An' Rainbow Dash… Tell her that we're sorry, and that we love her, we never meant t' hurt her." "I know, an' I'm pretty sure she knows that too really. But don't worry I'll tell her. Have a nice night you two, and thanks for the tea. I'll have Scootaloo back to ya in the mornin'." "Rainbow then shook Wild's hoof, before quickly exiting the small home and beginning her accent to her own cloud home. Her experience with Scootaloo's parents had certainly changed her stance on the issue that she thought she had finally come to understand. Scootaloo's parents weren't the horrific fiends she had envisioned them as, but instead, loving parents that struggled to balance their work with their family. They were good ponies, just flawed, like everypony else. She didn't know what she could do now, only that she had to do something for Scootaloo's family. And that her favourite little filly was likely still awake with her parents back at her home. === A peaceful night === Rainbow Dash quickly reached her cloud home, exhausted from her long, strenuous day, slowly opening her door, not wanting to wake her family, who despite probability stating otherwise, could still have already been asleep. However, she was ultimately unsurprised by the adorable image of Scootaloo snuggled in between her parents, who were reading to her what Rainbow knew to be the third chapter of Daring doo and the quest for the sapphire stone. The three ponies each turned to face Rainbow as she entered the room. However, Rainbow's eyes were quickly drawn to the slow, aching movements of the Pegasus filly. As well as her dreary eyes, struggling to remain open, and her chaotic mane that sprung out in many directions. Scootaloo looked exhausted. Inversely, Bow quickly sprung from the sofa, as if he were a Wonderbolt, and took one of the many left-over towels that had remained unused by Scootaloo, and wrapped it around his daughter. No Family of Bow Hothoof was going to freeze from torrential rain! Rainbow then proceeded to dry herself, the once biting water quickly evaporating away into the fabric of the towel, leaving her feeling refreshed, and her coat looking as if it hadn't ever once been wet. "Thanks dad, didn't notice how cold I was 'til I got back." "Ah, your welcome Dashy, you're home now, and that's all that matters… Now, I hate to have to ask, but did everything go okay… With her folks I mean?" Rainbow was silent for a moment, taking the time to properly comprehend her interaction with the two ponies that had been such a mystery to her for so long, before properly responding. "Yeah dad. I can't forgive 'em. But at least I knew what happened now… They aren't the worst ponies in Equestria, but they really don't…" As Rainbow spoke, she noticed how engaged Scootaloo had become in the situation. Thus, not wanting to make the filly think less of her parents, or that the night's turmoil may repeat itself, she abruptly stopped talking. "What? What is it Rainbow Dash?" "Don't worry Squirt, nothin' bad went down." "Ah, good. I thought that maybe somethin' terrible might 'a happened for a second there." Rainbow couldn't help but feel guilty for not telling Scootaloo the complete truth as to what had transpired. Though she also knew that the orange filly had gone through an incredibly traumatic experience that night and didn't want to give her little mind more to worry over. As mature as she was, Scootaloo was still a filly. "Yeah, it was all okay… But hey! Shouldn't little fillies be in bed by now?" Rainbow asked in a sarcastic manner. "Oh Dashy, you sound just like me! But, let us at least finish the chapter. It's so exiting!" "Yeah, Rainbow. Pleeeeeeeeeease!" "Ha, I know how ya feel Scoots." Rainbow said whilst giving her mother a playful stare. "But, you've had a huge day, an bein' out in this weather can't 've been good for you. Ya wanna be strong again tomorrow, right?" Scootaloo sighed, knowing that her sister had made up her mind and would not be swayed. "Yeeees. Rainbow." "Then you need your rest. Even the Wonderbolts need early nights to stay strong, ya know." "Really!?" The three ponies asked in unison. "Uh, definitely! Ya think we could work so well without a good sleep? Anyway, you're gonna get sick if we don't get you into a warm bed soon. Little fillies who get frozen need to get warm, and get lots of rest, to get better!" Windy chuckled slightly at Rainbow's final remark. "I guess so." Scootaloo said in a disheartened, yet understanding tone. "Don't worry Dearie, the book will still be here in the morning… But hey! I can't believe I forgot to ask you how your day at the fun-fair was." "Oh yeah! Dashy was tellin' us about how you were goin' up to Rainbow falls earlier. Was it fun? "Oh, absolutely! There were rides everywhere, people sellin' cotton candy. it was totally awesome! "Yeah, well you earned it, you three fillies have been working really hard lately, from what I've heard. So, I'm glad you got to enjoy yourselves. "Right you are Windy. But wasn't there this big roller coaster you wanted to go on? Did ya get to in the end?" "Well… Ya see Bow. I was tall enough to go on it, so was my friend Sweetie Belle. But Apple Bloom wasn't quite big enough for it… So, we just didn't do it. We agreed a long time ago that we'd never do something as Crusaders, if it meant leaving one of us behind. All for one an' one for all! That an' I'm pretty sure Sweetie was a little too scared to go on it anyways." "Ah Squirt. That's adorable! I'm real proud 'a you. I know how much you were lookin' forward to that rollercoaster. So not goin' on it, just for you're friends, shows how mature you are. You'd make a fine element of Loyalty." "REALLY!" "I know so Scoots! Nopony 'd be better element bearer than you! But hey, chill out will ya. It's late, an' you're already tired. So, don't waste your energy." "I am SO not tired. I bet I could fly… fly to Canterlot right now!" "Ha, take it easy there, little pony. 'Cause weather ya like it or not, you are absolutely exhausted! Whilst it was true that Equestria span around her at ferocious speeds, as if she were still on the tea cups at Rainbow falls. And that she struggled to keep her eyes open under the weight of what felt like Bulk Biceps resting on them. Scootaloo could never admit to anypony that she was actually tired. "But I'm not Bow… I'm fine… Seriously." "Ha, tell that to those dreary eyes 'a yours Squirt. Now c'mere here you!" Scootaloo then felt Bow gently lifting her from the sofa she rested upon, into the comforting embrace of Rainbow's forelegs. The warm and secure feeling it gave her beckoned the little filly to let go of reality. Though she found her phobia of Rainbow seeing her as small and weak preventing her from granting her mind's wish. "Ya know, you can fall asleep if ya want Scoots." "But… But I'm not tired yet. I'll go… Go to bed. But I'm fine." "I'm not gonna judge you Squirt, fillies need their rest. Even grownups need to sleep Scoots. So don't think that getting a little tired and needing to go to bed makes you a baby foal." "It's not fair though. You're… You're so much… Bigger than me!" "Not for much longer Squirt. You're almost ten now, yeah? Well that means, in a couple years, you're gonna have a massive growth spirt, don't worry though, all mares do. An' by the end of it, you'll almost be as tall as me!" "You mean it?" "Of course, she does Dearie. You'd never guess now, but Dashy used to be a tiny, adorable little filly, no bigger than you are now until she was about twelve! Remember Rainbow? "Egh, how could I forget? Even Fluttershy was taller than me at one point. Ugh, an' by Celestia! Would she not stop treating me like a baby foal just because she was like, an inch bigger than me." "Ha, must 'a been funny." "He, it kinda is lookin' back Squirt." "Ha, ha. But what I'm trying to get at Scootaloo, is that even though she was small, Rainbow still did some really cool, amazing things. And now look at her, she's a tall, strong, loving mare with the job of her dreams. The same's gonna happen to you Scootaloo. Sure, you're small now, but you're still amazing in your own way, and you're gonna get a lot taller very soon. You're going to do great things Scootaloo, and don't let anypony, or anything stop you." "Thank you Windy." Scootaloo showed noticeable discomfort in her voice, still unwilling to show the full extent of how exhausted she was in front of Rainbow Dash, not wanting to be seen as weak or pathetic by the three ponies she had come to idealise. Thus, Rainbow came to the quick conclusion that the she herself needed to calm down the little filly in her forehooves. "Yeah, but Squirt, even with all that don't think ya have to be ashamed 'a yourself, just 'cause you're still a filly a filly. Don't get me wrong, you've do a lot of awesome stuff, an' you're real mature for your age. We're all really proud of you for it. But don't think were gonna laugh at ya just 'cause ya get scared or tired real easy sometimes. You're young, its normal. So, stop thinkin' less 'a yourself, alright. And don't think ya have to hide stuff from us, just 'cause ya think were gonna judge you. We're only ever gonna help you. An' as good as bein' strong and independent is, it's always okay to ask for help. "But… Rainbow Dash… Everypony's gonna think I'm cute… An' weak." "Scootaloo, you have a tiny little body, short mane, and giant puffy eyes. It's kinda impossible for ponies to not find you cute. Trust me, I was you once, I know how annoying it is. But, don't worry, it won't last much longer. An' Squirt, nopony thinks your weak. By Celestia! You're only eight years old, an' you're already one 'a the most awesome ponies I've ever met! Don't think that little moments where ya need to be a filly, ya know, like you are, an' you need an older pony's help are gonna change that. So, let your guard down will ya, we all get a little sleepy sometimes." Scootaloo suddenly dropped her failing, tough mare act, instead showing peace and comfort in the embrace of her idol. Her body suddenly fell limp, and her eyes collapsed shut, as Scootaloo finally stopped wasting her energy. "Thanks… Rainbow Dash. You're… Best sister." "There, there Squirt, you're awesome, an I mean that. But you just go to sleep for now, we'll all still be here in the mornin'. Everything's okay." Scootaloo then curled up in Rainbow's forelegs, giving in to her body's desperation for rest. She suddenly felt tranquillity and warmth fill her being, southing her muscles. She had never felt so peaceful and comforted. "Night… Rainbow." "Good night Scoots." Rainbow whispered. Rainbow then watched as Scootaloo let out a tiny breath, before snuggling even deeper into her sister's forelegs, gently grasping them. She was suddenly so still, so peaceful, having come to terms with trauma she had been forced to endure, but taking such comfort in the care and love of the three ponies that treasured her so dearly. A smile was stitched to her face, taking her away into a realm that wouldn't torment or frighten her, as she had unfortunately seen on so many other nights, but instead took her to a realm of harmony and relief, where a foal could truly get what they needed. "My, is she asleep already?" "Yeah mom. Out like a light." Rainbow said whilst stroking Scootaloo's mane. "She's had a tough night, hasn't she?" "Yeah, nopony deserves to go through what Scootaloo did today. Especially not a filly!" "I know Dashy, but she's all better now. YOU saved her, remember? So, don't be so hard on yourself. But Rainbow… Now that she's asleep, what happened when you were with her parents? You're right, no filly deserves to go through what Scootaloo went through tonight, an' there gotta be a reason her folks were so mad at each other." "Yeah dad, I was thinkin' the same as you when I went down there. But after meeting them, hearin' what actually happened, I feel sorry for 'em more than anything." "Really, after everything that happened. Dearie, are you sure?" "Ha, I know right, I was as surprised as you are. But after seein' 'em together, it's clear that they love Scootaloo, but they both have such demanding jobs, that they just can't make time for her. They can't be there when she needs 'em. They both feel terrible about it, but there's nothing they can do. "Wow… That's. I see it now, we certainly couldn't have coped if we had no way of being there for you in your foalhood. The thought is just terrifying!" "Yeah, seems to me like they're all victims here. But that doesn't change what they did!" "I know dad, what they did was horrible, but they worked the hours I did today, almost every day! So, yeah, they're gonna get a little mad every once in a while." "I guess… Wow. So that's it then. They're not bad ponies, they just can't be what Scootaloo needs as foal. I really do feel sorry for 'em." "Absolutely! Dashy, we have to do something! That poor family deserves better!" "I know mom… An' I think I know what I need to do." "Oh really? Then what…" "Not… Not now guys, I've got a lot to think about right now. I don't mean to keep you guys in the dark, but I just need to get my head straight before we move forward." "Okay Dashy, were not going to force you, just tell us when you're ready." "Thanks mom." "Your welcome Dearie. Now anyway, it's very late, and you've had a big day. I think it's time for bed. Little fillies who get frozen need to get warm, and get lots of rest, to get better!" "That ol' line, hu?" "Oh, you of all ponies can't complain." "Ha, ha. Never change you two. Now come on, you really should get to bed Dashy, we'll tuck Scootaloo into one of the guest rooms and then…" "NO, no. I… em… Guys, this might sound weird, but with everythin' Scootaloo's been through tonight, an' with how cold she was earlier… I kinda wanna keep her warm… I can't really explain it, but I just wanna know that she's safe. So… "Ha, ha, you don't need to say it Rainbow, I know exactly how you feel." "Really?" "Ha, you have no idea Sweetie. Remember all those nights when you were a filly, after you'd had a rough day, or had been out in the cold for whatever reason, where we'd let you sleep in our bed." "How could I forget? You guys were always there for me after I'd had a bad day, and your bed was always so warm an' comfortable. An' no matter what I'd been through, I always felt better in the mornin'… Thanks you guys, I don't think I ever have before." "Oh, you're welcome Dashy. But there's the thing, those nights weren't just for you. We just hated seeing you so distressed and alone, that we had you sleep with us. Not just to make you feel better, but to reassure us that you were okay after everything you'd been through in the day. So, don't worry Dashy, what you're feeling is perfectly normal. It's just something parents do sometimes. Or, ya know… Something older sisters do sometimes… I suppose." "Wow, I… I didn't know you guys got so scared for me back then. I didn't mean to worry you." "Oh, it's alright Dashy, you were a filly, we were just being parents… Now go, get into bed, and snuggle up with her and protect her 'till morning just like we used to for you." "Ya know what. That sounds like a great idea 'round about now. Have a nice sleep mom and dad. And thanks again for everything." "You're more than welcome Darling, were happy to help." "Absolutely Dashy. Now you go an' get a good sleep for tomorrow." Windy and Bow then embraced their daughter one final time, being certain not to crush the tiny filly she held in her forehooves, before heading to their own room to rest for the night. Rainbow, holding her sister in a gentle grasp, also headed to her bedroom. She slowly trotted down the corridor and gently opened the door, not wanting to wake the little filly, who had been through so much that day. She then quickly got both herself and Scootaloo underneath the warm blanket of her soft cloud bed, delicately placing Scootaloo onto the cloud, before laying on it herself, curling herself around the filly's tiny body. She was sure to hold her sister tight, taking comfort in the thought that her little Scootaloo was safe and asleep for the night. She stroked her hoof through the filly's mane a few times, reassuring herself that she had in fact saved her sister from the storm. A few minutes passed before Rainbow disregarded her fear of what could've happened, instead taking pride in the happy thought that Scootaloo was right there with her. "Good night Scoots." Rainbow whispered. Rainbow then took a moment to smile at her sister, proud of the mature mare she would one day become, though ultimately happy that she was a filly, if only for a brief time. She then placed her wing over Scootaloo, determined to keep her warm, which the young filly gently grasped and cuddled into, showing a smile as she did so. Thus, after all the turmoil that the night had brought, Rainbow Dash was finally ready to put the day behind her and go into the rest she so sorely needed. … The next morning arrived quickly, with Rainbow Dash sparking awake after what felt like a mere minute! Though her rest had still left her feeling refreshed and revitalised. She quickly lifted her wing, desiring further reassurance that her sister was safe. However, her fear was quickly spirited away, completely disappearing and being replaced with a feeling of complete bliss and delight. As Rainbow was blessed with the adorable image of Scootaloo snuggled deeply into the soft cloud bed, her tiny hoofs stretched into a hug around Rainbow's body. She was sound asleep, completely oblivious to the world around her. Rainbow was convinced that the sight could even have thawed the evil heart of King Sombra. She laid her wing on the filly once more, wanting to allow her more sleep, before curling around her sister even tighter, keeping her as safe as she possibly could from the world that so gravely hurt her the previous night. Though just as she once again rested her hair on her pillow, she heard her door slowly creek open. Thus, giving in to her newly received protective instincts, Rainbow peeked her head over the covers ready to protect Scootaloo at all costs! Only to find her mother emerging from the corridors, with a welcoming smile stitched to her face. "Good morning my little ponies, did you sleep well." "Yeah mom, you?" "Oh, absolutely Dashy. But your father and I both woke up so early, and we couldn't get back to sleep. So, we found the ingredients for pancakes, and… Well, ya know. Sorry we didn't ask for your permission first. But we just wanted to make our fillies a little treat." "Nah, it's okay mom. But, thanks for thinkin' of us." "Oh, Sweetie, it's our jobs! And we wouldn't have it any other way." Thanks mom, I'd get up an' join you, buuuuut…" Rainbow gently lifted her wing from Scootaloo once again, revealing the loveable sleeping filly to Windy. "Oh, isn't that just the CUTEST little sight!" "In it? Even she couldn't deny how cute she looks." "Well she was absolutely exhausted last night, it makes sense that she'd sleep heavy." "Right. So, I wanna give her a little longer, she is too comfortable right now for me to wake her up. But I don't wanna disturb her by movin' myself. So, you just go enjoy your breakfast, we'll be up later." "Oh, don't worry Dashy, we'll bring a couple plates through, you just stay there and keep her warm." "Will do mom, thank you." With a giant smile attached to her face, Windy then quietly closed the door to Rainbow's bedroom and headed back down the corridor to the kitchen, once again leaving Rainbow alone with Scootaloo. Rainbow took a moment to look down on the tiny filly, pondering on why somepony so small, young and innocent had been forced to go through so much, just because she didn't have parents who could be there for her when she needed them. She knew that the previous night had only been one example of what were unquestionably many experiences of Scootaloo being forced to suffer through an experience nopony her age should've had to. It was apparent that Electric and Wild loved their daughter and didn't deserve all the blame for what had happened. But, she simply couldn't deny the strong feeling within her, that Scootaloo was not receiving a proper foalhood in their care. Rainbow knew what she had to do. Though part of her questioned weather or not it was the right thing, or if she was even mature enough to handle the responsibility that would inevitably come as a result. As, whilst seemingly insignificant in comparison to the two days that came before it, Rainbow knew that this new dawn would be the most important day for her and Scootaloo's relationship that the two had ever seen, remodelling it into much more than that of mere sisters, making it what it now needed to be. She would need advice, as this was not a decision to be taken lightly. What she planned to do would undeniably change Scootaloo's life, and Rainbow needed to here from the ponies she trusted more than anything that she could only improve the filly's life by taking her into her home. Full time. TO BE CONTINUED: <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Fan author: James Pwyll tags: character:Main 6, character:Other, character:Spike, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Fan === "Oh wow, I can't tell you how good it is having Ponyville back to normal!" Rainbow declared as she eagerly chugged down a large chocolate milkshake. Her friends all giggled to this ravenous display, all while carefully sipping their own drinks. Well, with the notable exception of Pinkie Pie, who was downing hers even faster than Rainbow was. And speaking of the latter, after wiping away some stray chocolate from her lips, she looked around, smirking at her surroundings. "Can you just imagine how twisted Discord was in the head to turn our homes into...whatever it was all that was supposed to be?" The others nodded, fully agreeing. The incident with Discord's chaotic rampage through their town was indeed a difficult time for them, but now, things were back to normal. Ponyville was safe yet again, and everypony was looking happier than normal as they passed each other by in the streets, no doubt relieved that this bizarre situation was behind them. Twilight and her friends were off to the side, sitting outside together at the town's local café. Twilight herself, taking in a deep breath, sighed with contentment as she looked to her fellow ponies. "I'm just glad it's behind us now. Discord is a statue again, Equestria is safe, and we can all just relax for a bit." Pinkie, by contrast, seemed somewhat deflated. "Awwww, it would have been nice to have chocolate rain just a teensy-weensy bit longer!" Fluttershy leaned over, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Chocolate rain always sounds good, but it would be quite a mess to clean up afterwards." Pinkie looked to her, then to Rarity, who spoke next. "Indeed. One can only imagine how difficult it would be for me to stage my outdoors fashion shows with that kind of weather as a constant." Applejack chuckled shortly afterwards. "Well, ah'm jus' happy we get a moment like this to ourselves. Say what ya will about Canterlot, but ah much prefer jus' bein' in a quiet place like this." Then she realised what she'd said, and looked over with a blush to Twilight. "Erm, no offense, sugarcube." Twilight giggled. "None taken. I know Canterlot's not for everypony. Heck, why do you think I chose to live here all this time?" The group had a good laugh at that, ended only when the nearby waiter gave them all replacements for the drinks they'd finished. Twilight gave him a thankful nod, and only after seeing him leave did she make a start on hers. "In any case, I'm just happy we did what we did. Saving Equestria once was certainly an experience. But twice? Definitely wasn't expecting that." Rainbow chuckled. "Meh, what can we say? Guess heroism just kind of our thing." Twilight raised an eyebrow to that, but before she had a chance to refute that point, she was distracted by the sound of approaching footsteps, and ones she knew well from years of having lived with their owner. She smiled, turning to see that it was indeed Spike here. "Glad to see you here, Spike. Care to join us? I can call the waiter back to get you a drink if you like." But Spike shook his head, smiling to her. "Thanks. But I'm not actually here for that. I just needed to tell this colt here where to find you." Only now that Spike had said that did Twilight and the other mares notice that, yes, he did have a young colt walking right next to him. He couldn't have been any older than Apple Bloom, possibly a touch younger, and he bore a light blue coloring in his fur with a mop of unkempt dark-blue mane atop his head. And as he looked to them, he was grinning widely, like he was looking at the most astonishing thing he'd ever seen in his life. The way his voice wobbled as he spoke to them certainly added to that notion. "Um...hi. M...my name's Blue Sky." Twilight smiled to him, turning in her chair to be able to face him fully. "Well hello there, Blue. Can we help you with something?" Spike tried to hold back a laugh, prompting Twilight to look to him with confusion, after which he waved her off. "Trust me, this is gonna be good." Twilight, of course, had no idea what he was going on about, but instead looked to Blue, who took a nervous step forward. "Um...well...I'm from Canterlot, and when my Mom said she was coming here to visit a friend, I asked if I could come along." Twilight nodded. "Okay. What for?" Blue gulped. "Well...er..." Then Spike, who rolled his eyes, nudged him in the side. "Go ahead. Ask her. It'll be fine." Twilight looked from her faithful assistant to Blue, growing more and more confused as to what was going on here. After a while, and after taking a deep and calming breath, Blue reached into the saddle-bag he'd been carrying with him and pulled out what appeared to be a quill and parchment. He took a step closer to the older unicorn and after gulping loudly, offered it to her. "Could...could I get your autograph?" Now, if ever there was a statement that was going to take Twilight aback, it was that, as she slowly blinked to the young colt before finally managing to get some words out. "Um...pardon?" Blue blushed a little. "I'd...I'd like an autograph, if it's okay. You don't have to if you don't want to!" he hurriedly added. But Twilight shook her head. "No, it's just...I'm sort of surprised. I mean, why would you want my autograph?" Blue looked to the others. "And from them too, if they're okay with it." Twilight tilted her head. "But...why?" Blue stared at her, looking utterly flabbergasted that anypony would ask such a question. "Because...you're Twilight Sparkle! Twilight Sparkle and all her friends!" Twilight nodded. "...Yes?" "You helped beat Discord!" Blue added. "...Yes," Twilight confirmed again. "Well...that makes you a hero" That makes all of you heroes!" he said while looking to each and every one of Twilight's friends. The latter mares all looked to one another, sharing in Twilight's apparent surprise at this unexpected situation. Blue, for his part, was becoming increasingly confused about all this. "Don't...don't you all know you did something really great for Equestria?" Twilight smiled to him. "Oh, we do. It's just...well...I wasn't expecting somepony to just...come up to us like this." Hearing that, Blue's ears drooped slightly, and he looked away from her. "Oh. Well, if you don't want to..." But before he got the chance to finish, he was suddenly surprised when Twilight used her magic to levitate the quill and parchment out of his hoof. He looked back to her, eyes wide, as she smiled to him. Taking the quill into her hoof, she put down her name, making sure to get her signature just right of course, before offering it back to him. "Well, far be it from me to deny the request of our very first fan." Blue looked like he was about to explode with glee over that, and when Twilight offered him the parchment again, he eagerly accepted it, looking to it with the same kind of excitement a colt his age would usually reserve for opening a Hearth's Warming gift. He leapt into the air, laughing giddily, prompting a smile from all the mares watching. Then, when he finally came back down to the ground, he rushed over to Rainbow. She already knew why he was with her now, and so gave a quick cackle. "Heh. Sure thing, kid." And just like that, Blue had his second autograph. "You're friends are gonna be so jealous when you go back home with this thing." But barely had Blue got the parchment back when it was taken from him again, this time by the blue magical aura of Rarity, who cleared her throat before adding her own signature to it. "One must always make time for their admirers. Especially the polite ones." Pinkie was next, who giggled as happily as she usually did before putting her respective mark on it. "You know, a fan is just like a really devoted new best friend when you think about it. SO HELLO, NEW BEST FRIEND!!!" she screamed out, much to Blue's delight. Fluttershy came afterwards, and while she was her usual calm and quiet self while writing, she nevertheless smiled to Blue when she gave the parchment back to him. "Thank you for your appreciation. I honestly wasn't expecting it." Chuckling, Applejack was the last to add her name, and as she wrote, she glanced down with a sly look to Blue. "It's always nice when folk are willin' ta say 'thank ya' fer a good deed. Yer a good'un, Blue." Now with all six names, Blue looked to the parchment like it was the most precious treasure in the world. He did his best to contain his excitement, but his youth finally managed to let that excitement loose, and he rushed forward, catching Twilight in a surprise hug. "Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!" His enthusiasm was infectious, as all of the mares smiled to this youthful display of joy. Twilight, after Blue had eventually parted from her, eventually reached forward, patting him on the head. "I imagine you've got quite a story to tell your mother when you see her next." Blue himself squealed loudly over this whole encounter, then began to run off, with words of "thank you" being called back with every passing moment. After a while though, he was too far away to see, and Twilight looked back to her friends. "Well, that was certainly interesting." Rainbow leapt out of her seat. "Heck yeah! You hear that, girls? We're heroes! Bet you anything we're gonna have tonnes of ponies knocking at our door for autographs!" Fluttershy let out a little "meep" over that prospect, with Rarity holding her close soon afterwards. "Don't worry, darling. She's just exaggerating." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "You serious? Where there's one fan, there'll be more!" Applejack tapped her own chin, looking where Blue had run off. "Ah know we did somethin' big fer Equestria, but ah never thought we'd have ponies comin' up ta us ta ask us stuff like this." Pinkie giggled. "It'll probably happen a whole bunch now, AJ! If Princess Celestia called us once to save the word, she'll probably do it again someday! And then we'll be even more famous and popular!" Twilight looked to her, then back to the road Blue had run down. Spike sat beside her, taking hold of the milkshake she'd long ago forgotten about and giving a quick slurp. Looking to him, Twilight smiled, giving him a pat on the head much like she'd done with Blue. "Pinkie's not wrong. Things changed when we first acquired the Elements. They're part of our lives now, which means there's every chance that world-shaking events like Discord or Nightmare Moon might happen more and more in our future." Her friends looked to her with concern. "Do you really think so, Twilight?" Fluttershy asked nervously. Twilight sighed. "I'm honestly not sure, Fluttershy. But if it happened once, or twice in our case, then it can happen again." It gave them all pause for thought, even Spike, who looked to his lifelong friend with worry. But after a while, Twilight started to smile again. "Still, on the plus side, at least we know we'll get ourselves a few admirers out of it," she remarked jokingly. Laughing, Rainbow raised her glass. "I'll drink to that!" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Octavia Hates Her Toothpaste author: Cloud Hop tags: character:Octavia, character:Other, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Seriously, A Lot === Octavia Hates Her Toothpaste Seriously, A Lot There are very few things in this world that frighten Octavia Philharmonica. After having to deal with a band of egotistical maniacs, everything else in life just seems to slide off. Except for her toothpaste. Every morning, she would get up and go to the bathroom. She'd wash her face, and then she would stare at the mirror in silent tribulation over the self-inflicted torture she was about to endure. Slowly, a hoof reached for the dreaded tube of toxic teeth-whitener. As her delicate hoof bumped up against the cool plastic, a shiver ran up her spine, as though the echoes of a thousand screams were assaulting her ears. The hoof lunged forward, as if throwing itself upon a blade to end its misery, and snatched the forsaken tube. Bringing the detestable object in front of her eyes, her other hoof slowly began to unscrew the cap. As the cap was removed, a deafening silence was released into the bathroom. No stench betrayed the toothpaste's sinister motives. There were no telltale signs of the horrors locked away in that chemical mixture, sealed from the world by nothing more than a cap on a plastic tube. If they loaded this stuff into gas canisters, it could probably be used for chemical warfare. This, however, did nothing to stop Octavia from slowly squeezing the flattened cylinder, letting the tiniest little lump of paste arch over the edge. With a trembling hoof, she grabbed her toothbrush from the sink, and delicately, ever so carefully, deposited the tiniest dab of paste on the smooth, white bristles of her tooth-cleaning apparatus. Setting both items down, she took a deep breath, and put the cap back on the toothpaste, desperate for anything to delay the inevitable. Octavia grasped her bristled tooth cleaner, and slowly lifted it up. Looking at herself in the mirror, she saw the toothbrush hovering in front of her, covered in a sickly grey goo. She knew what it meant. She knew what she was doing to herself. She knew she couldn't stop. She had to do this. It was for the best. It was only toothpaste, right? With a cringe, she opened her mouth and shoved the toothbrush inside. She resisted the sudden urge to vomit as the full, unbridled acerbic taste assaulted her tastebuds. The vile mixture practically boiled with a repugnant palate borne of rotten corn starch and nauseating levels of baking soda. She didn't want to know what would happen if she accidentally swallowed some. She squeezed her eyes shut, begging her brain to please just temporarily stop processing the nerve endings on her tongue as she brushed with a ferocity borne of desperation. Yet, as Octavia finally released her mouth from the endless torture and spat out the horrendous mixture of hatred and pain, she knew it was worth it. As she washed away every last trace of that horrid paste made from the tears of orphans left in abusive foster homes, she knew that her daily torture was a regrettable, but necessary evil. After all, how else could she ensure her teeth stayed nice and pearly white? The rest of Octavia's morning routine was, at the very least, not nearly as painful, but perhaps just as pointless. First, she took a shower, her hoof softly gracing the crystal knob as she struggled to find that microscopic interval between liquid magma that would boil her skin off, and freezing cold ice-water siphoned directly from the north pole. Once the shower had found a comfortable temperature, she delicately stepped inside the rushing waterfall, and opened her mouth. A cascade of warm water washed across her tongue, rinsing away the remnants of her toothpaste. Gargling shower water was a laughably immature and uncouth action, but thankfully the tabloids didn't follow her into the bathroom. Usually. A small indentation in the clean marble of her shower wall held an impressive array of hygienic products. Anti-dandruff shampoo, moistening shampoo, mane conditioner, fur shampoo, fur conditioner, some unspeakable mixture intended for hoof-care, and a few other things she had forgotten the purpose of. As a slight fog began to rise behind the shower door, octavia reached a hoof out and plucked the anti-dandruff shampoo from its perch, popping the cap open and squeezing out a small, white dollop of innocent looking goop. The trick to using anti-dandruff shampoo is to never, ever let it get in one's eyes. The problem is that ponies' manes tend to be just slightly above their eyes. Consequently, each and every morning, Octavia came within a few centimeters of blinding herself, should a single errant drop of contaminated water make it into one of her gorgeous, mulberry eyes. A half hour later, the gray earth pony stepped out of the shower and tugged a towel off the an intricately detailed towel rack. As she carefully dried her fur, she wondered why somepony would bother designing an intricately detailed towel rack. Then again, one might as well ask why high-class toilets existed. As Octavia picked up her hair dryer and meticulously dried each strand of her silky, charcoal-colored mane, she decided she didn't want to know the answer to that question. Tonight she had a very important performance to attend, and she needed to spend the day practicing, not pondering the philosophical implications of bathroom design. Before she could start, however, she still had various aspects of female grooming to attend to, as dictated by society for various arbitrary reasons. A dash of eyeliner, just enough to accentuate her eyes, and then a good ten minutes spent delicately attending to her eyelashes with a curler. Eventually, she lifted up a comb, and scrupulously straightened out her mane, curling her bangs around a precisely calculated curve, before attending to her tail. She trotted out of the bathroom, picking up a white collar with a pink bow-tie and stopping in front of a full-length mirror. Octavia gingerly tightened the collar around her neck, until it rested upon her neck at just the right height. There was an entire magazine devoted to the proper placement of bow-ties. They loved Octavia. It wasn't mutual. Alas, she really didn't want to wind up on the front-page again, with some tabloid reporter screaming bloody murder about how her bow-tie placement was an insult to the world of fashion, the princesses, and the universe itself. So, she spent another minute looking at herself in the mirror, making extra sure she'd put her collar on properly, and that her hair wasn't plotting to betray her at the exact wrong moment. Finally, her morning routine complete, she walked into her kitchen, her hooves softly clopping on the polished hardwood floor, sending echoes through the silent house. As she perused through her cabinets, the sound of wood smacking on wood was her only reprieve from the silence, and she longed to fill it with the somber tones of her beloved cello. Her stomach, however, demanded to be satiated, and she couldn't just eat anything. Her profession allowed her little more than walks around the park for exercise, so to maintain her physique, she ate a carefully balanced diet of fruits and flowers. Daisies in the morning, grapefruit in the afternoon, and strawberry salad in the evening. It wasn't always the most filling breakfast, and she had been running out of ways to prepare that accursed grapefruit, but such was life in the spotlight. After breakfast, Octavia wandered in to her living room, where a polished black case held her most prized possession. The recently vacuumed carpet tickled her hooves as she silently approached the instrument she had devoted her life to. Two quiet clicks, and the top of the case opened to reveal an immaculately maintained cello of unparalleled craftsmanship. Delicately, she lifted the instrument from its padded home, cradling it in her forelegs like a mother would cradle her foal. Practiced hoofs caressed the edges of the instrument as it was lowered to the floor, soon joined by its eternal companion – a bow strung from octavia's own mane. Another quiet sound filled the living room as the case was gently closed and pushed across the soft velvet of the couch. A bow was drawn, carefully, across the strings. After taking a deep breath, Octavia began to play. There was no plan, no song, no sheet music to follow. For a few minutes, every day, Octavia needed to warm up before practicing her songs. In those precious few moments, her creativity erupted out of her cello's strings like an unstoppable tsunami of melodic beauty. Empires fell, and lovers quarreled. Adventure and tragedy emanated from her vibrating strings, so crisp and poignant they seemed to fill the whole house with the stories of ponies past. And then, it ended. Her muse was locked away and buried under the sound of shuffling sheet music, as Octavia looked over the songs she was to play at tonight's concert. Once again, the bow was set upon the strings, and Octavia began to play... The carriage shuddered to a halt in front of a grand hall. Octavia's band was performing at one of the most famous concert halls in Canterlot. Honestly, she could have just walked there, but that would have risked ruining her mane, and Frederic wouldn't stand for that. "Octavia!" Ugh, Frederic. "Are you ready for the concert?" he asked, trotting up to her. Octavia pulled her cello out of the carriage. "Am I ever not?" "I'm just making sure you've been practicing. I want everypony to be perfect." Octavia raised an eyebrow. "I'm always perfect, Frederic. We all are." He hesitated. "I'm just concerned, Octavia. Last concert a few of your notes were just a hair off tempo." "Oh, well excuse me for putting a bit of feeling into it!" "Hush, you two, not in front of the press!" hissed Beauty Brass, lugging her tuba behind her and pointing over to a group of photographers. "Actually, not backstage either. Just shut up for two hours and get along, for crying out loud." Frederic sighed. "Where's Harpo?" "Right behind you," said a blue stallion lugging a harp on a cart behind him. "Augh!" Frederic practically jumped out of his fur, and Octavia had to muffle her laughter. "Don't do that, Harpo!" The harpist shrugged. "Sorry." The bickering followed the quartet as they trotted backstage into the rehearsal room. It continued through 3 separate iterations of the second movement, 10 iterations of measures 40-50 of the first movement, and even during their playthrough of the coda. "Octavia," interrupted Frederic, "are you sure your G4 is tuned properly?" She simply glared at him, as though he had asked her if the sky was blue, or if her fur was gray. "No, really, listen." He played a long, solitary G4 on the keyboard. "Your piano," she said matter-of-factly, "is out of tune." Frederic probably would have launched into a 5 minute long tirade about the intricacies of tuning pianos had a stagepony not knocked on the door at that exact moment. "5 minutes 'till curtain!" he called through the door. Frederic was forced to summarize his entire rant with an acidic glare, as he set about propping the doors open so Harpo could wheel his harp onstage, where yet another meticulously tuned piano awaited. Why Frederic put so much trust in that rehearsal room piano, Octavia would never know. She didn't care, either; all that mattered was lugging her cello onstage and making sure all her sheet music was in order. It wasn't long before she was nodding with the rest of her bandmates at the stageponies. The large red curtains were drawn away, and the stage was flooded with light, as the faces of several hundred ponies peered out from the darkened seats. Not a pony stirred in the massive amphitheater, leaving nothing but a strange feeling of stillness. Then, Frederic filled the concert hall with the first quiet notes of Beethooven's Moonlight Sonata, the sound of the piano reverberating through the hall like water filling an empty cup. Soon, it was joined by the deep, warm tones of Octavia's cello as they danced around the piano's notes, lifting them into the air. The low timbre of the tuba was next, saturating the hall with a thick texture peppered with the delicate plucks of a harp, each note like a drop in the ocean. The audience barely breathed as the song washed over them like a warm stream, tickling their ears and dancing with their imaginations. Some swayed ever so slightly in their seats as the choir of instruments swept them away to another world. Hearts fluttered and emotions were plucked like strings, as the sound of Octavia's band rippled across the concert hall, leaving no soul untouched. The show ended with a standing ovation, as Octavia and her band politely bowed, before making their way to the reception. Once again, an immaculate performance that would no doubt earn her several more accolades to add to her illustrious career. Octavia, the most renowned cellist in all of Equestria, so used to the mountains of praise heaped upon her she was numb to the kind words that various important ponies offered her as she marched through the crowd. She simply nodded and stood around, looking important. It was all she ever did at these stupid receptions. She considered getting a glass of wine, but that would entail finding the proper glass. Big, round glasses for red wine, smaller, flatter glasses for white wine, tall, thin glasses for champagne, and stemless glasses for the punch. Always start on the left side of the table, move to the right, go all the way and don't leave early because that makes you seem impatient. Be sure to sample a decent amount of the food or you'll look picky. Try to avoid talking at all while eating, and always carry a napkin with you - it looks sophisticated. Don't look anypony in the eye unless you intend to talk to them. Make sure you don't accidentally bump into anypony, especially not pegasi. Smile only when addressed. Don't yawn, fart, or burp - unless you are near the chef, in which case a quiet burp is considered polite. Don't look at anypony's cutie mark unless it's brought up in conversation. Rules upon rules upon rules governing the intricacies of social interaction. Octavia wanted to gag at it all. Then, she notices a stallion who doesn't seem to belong. His suit is wrinkled, dusty and doesn't seem to fit him very well. His mane is a mess, and he seems very nervous. Then he turns his head and looks straight at her, and she gasps. It was him. A few months ago, during the week of Hearth's Warming Eve, Octavia found herself on the outskirts of Upper Canterlot. She was to perform with her bandmates on an open stage in Whitemare Park. Ostensibly, it was a charity performance, but Octavia knew it was really just a PR stunt. Like any other public performance, outside the stage area, ponies were hawking their wares. Normally, Octavia would not associate with such riffraff, but today, as she trotted towards the backstage entrance, a lone painter caught her eye. He was on the very edge, as though the rest of the ponies had pushed him aside, and seemed very nervous. He wasn't having much luck selling the few paintings he had on display, and the canvas he'd set up was devoid of color. As she walked past, he glanced at her, and time slowed to a crawl. His eyes glimmered in the setting sun, his ears poking through a straw hat. Octavia's heart fluttered, and a strange feeling overtook her. After that brief, yet interminable moment, she blinked. Wrenching her gaze away from the stallion, she continued towards the stage. She was distracted the entire performance, anxiously wondering if the stallion would be there when she finished. Her curiosity had been piqued, and she found herself questioning the unfamiliar feeling that had coursed through her. There was something enticing about him, something she couldn't quite put a hoof on. The second she'd left the stage, she quickly trotted back towards the stallion, intent on solving the mystery for good. Upon reaching the stallion's modest stall - which was more like a collection of various belongings than a stall - Octavia was surprised to find him putting the finishing touches on a painting. "Oh, hello, I was just fin -" The poor stallion had barely started greeting her when Beauty Brass came up from behind. "Octavia, my dear! What are you doing, fraternizing with such ruffians?" The stallion glared at the intruder. "I, uh," Octavia hesitated, "I was just browsing his artistic offerings, that's all." "Darling, this art is painfully amatuer. Remind me to show you some real art once we get back to civilization." The mare trotted off without another word, leaving Octavia alone with a very insulted artist. "I-I'm really sorry about that," muttered Octavia. "She's not very… tactful." He lazily waved a hoof. "Oh, never mind her. Anyway, I'm Clerkovski, and I heard you were interested in my répertoire?" He said the last word with an exaggerated french accent that made Octavia giggle. "Oh yes, I was hoping you could tell me more about this one…" They talked for almost an hour, laughing and enjoying each other's company. He worked as a cashier at a store near the edge of the slums, and painted in his free time. He'd always wanted to go to art school, but could never afford it. His parents had barely been able to keep a roof over his head when he was a child, let alone save up to pay for post-secondary education. As the sun crept lower and lower, Octavia found herself wishing this conversation could last forever. At the same time, she knew what the price of being caught lingering too long with a slum dweller would be. The aristocrats did not take kindly to rich ponies that got too involved with the lower class. Eventually, they worked their way towards the painting that was still drying on the canvas, and the stallion sat down beside her. "This one… I painted during your performance. The stage lights are so bright, and your cello so large, its shadow envelopes you completely. The audience becomes interested in the cello itself, instead of the performer behind it." Beauty Brass' words echoed in her head, and suddenly the fallacy of her judgement became clear. They were looking at the paint, not the painting. The result, not the idea. The execution, not the effort. It took Octavia a moment to realize the stallion was still speaking. "I hope it isn't… creepy, or anything. I just saw you up on that stage, and it was as if you were trying to express yourself through that beautiful music… But you were too tied up, too constrained by the sheet music, and… well, it inspired this." Octavia tore her eyes away from the painting and stared at the ground, blinking away tears. A hoof touched her shoulder. "Are… are you ok?" The gray mare said nothing, and instead looked up into those wonderful eyes; the eyes of the pony who had taken things buried so deep inside her heart, not even she had known about them, and put them on a canvas. Right here was the perfect romantic moment. Right here, she could kiss him and take him out to dinner and take a walk through the park and go back to his place and - and - and… "I… I have to go," she blurted out, and then she galloped away into the night with her cello, too conflicted and frightened to take the plunge. She pushed the stallion out of her mind, rationalizing that she wanted somepony more sophisticated, more familiar with proper social conventions, one that wouldn't ruin her career simply by fraternizing with her. With such a busy schedule during the holiday season, she almost believed it, too. Almost. Back in the reception area, Octavia realized she was staring, her mouth frozen in an expression of shock. She blinked and shook herself out of her stupor. Nodding to him, she turned away to try and preserve what little dignity she had left. Standing around, operating on autopilot, Octavia frantically wracked her brain for a way to catch a moment with him, to get a chance to say something. Anything. Octavia abruptly began weaving her way through the crowd, working her way towards her target. It didn't take long for her to be approached by some ridiculous rich pony who wanted to congratulate her on playing some ancient song everypony had heard a hundred times before. This time, however, she struck up a brief conversation, talking about how inspiring it was to play the music of old dead ponies. Yeah, right. "Oh, excuse me, I need to visit the restroom," said Octavia, bringing her impromptu conversation to a blissful end. As she trotted past the stallion, she jerked her head towards the hallway by the restrooms. It took a few tries, but eventually he caught on. For a brief moment, they were away from the party, and Octavia had a few precious moments to speak without inadvertently destroying her career. "How did you get in here?!" she hissed. Not a very romantic greeting, really. "I-I-I bought a t-ticket?" he stuttered. Octavia glared at him. He rolled his eyes. "Ok, I found a ticket." She raised an eyebrow. "I know, who would throw away a 200 bit ticket to Octavia Philharmonica? But there it was, lying on the street -" "Wait a minute," interrupted Octavia. "In the street? I doubt someone would have dropped a ticket to one of my concerts in the Canterlot slums." She smirked. "Were you looking for me?" The stallion scuffed the ground with a hoof. Octavia sighed. "If only I could go looking for you..." The stallion nodded in understanding. "So, I take it things are going well at that store you work at?" Octavia's head inched closer as she fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Where is it?" "It's not important -" "Au contraire, it is very important." "Oh? Oh. Oh. Uh, 28476 SE 602nd Street, right next to Trot Avenue." "Why thank you." Octavia realized just how close her muzzle was to his, so close that she could feel his warm breath on her nose. All she needed to do was lean forward and - "So then I was like, Harpo? With a cannon? What are you thinking, darling?!" It was at that precise moment an exceedingly annoying pair of unicorns exited the ladies restroom and snapped Octavia out of her reverie. Cursing under her breath, Octavia cast one last sidelong glance at the stallion who had unwittingly stolen her heart before vanishing into the ladies restroom. So close, and yet, so very far. The rest of the reception went by in a blur, as she stole glances at the out of place stallion, who was trying desperately not to make a fool of himself. He was only partially successful. Octavia, on the other hoof, spent most of her time regretting her missed chance. Round and round her thoughts went, swirling around that one mistake, that single what-if that she simply could not stop thinking about. She had almost kissed him, almost felt the touch of his lips against hers, almost had a taste of love... Alas, it was gone now. Blown away by the whims of reality, crushed under the heels of sophistication. Finding herself back in the rehearsal room, she gathered her belongings and trotted out the backstage door. She half expected him to be waiting there for her, but he was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it was for the best, as she couldn't be seen consorting with a pony living in poverty - it would be uncouth for a lady of her class. She almost gagged as she began walking home, the wheels on her cello case clattering along the stonework road. Octavia cherished the one freedom society had not managed to pry from her cynical, jaded hooves - walking. She would often walk back to her house after a concert, always trying to find some untrodden path to explore. It was in those precious moments, when she was simply trotting through the city with a cello behind her, that she could pretend she was not Octavia. That there were no performances to attend, or rules to follow, or hideous morning routines that existed only to please the nobility's sadistic sense of normality. Tonight, however, was different. Tonight, she found herself walking down an alleyway near her house, only to abruptly break down in tears. Of all the things Octavia had thought about doing today, sobbing uncontrollably was not one of them. If, hypothetically, she had put "sob uncontrollably" on her to-do-list, she most definitely would not have done it while clutching her cello case in an alleyway filled with crumpled papers, old magazines, and empty cans. Despite this, the gray cellist could not ignore the undeniable fact that she was inexorably bawling her eyes out. It was like a dark shade had been eating away at her, dissolving her insides until she could feel nothing but misery and helplessness. It was as if everything she enjoyed had been sucked out of the world, and now she had nothing left to do but cry. But why? She had once given a private concert to Princess Celestia, for heaven's sake. Hadn't she succeeded at everything she had ever wanted? Achieved things most ponies could only dream of? If that was true, why did she feel so... empty? Her heart returned to the stallion she so desired - perhaps it didn't matter if he was her soulmate or not. Maybe she just wanted to feel somepony's lips touching hers, to taste the love she had been denied for so long. Slowly, a plan began to form in the back of her mind. It probably wouldn't work, but it gave her a reason to stop crying. Perhaps she could sneak out early next morning? She had a cowl she never wore that would obscure her face and flank. She could find the shop where he worked, and perhaps they could find a secluded area, away from prying eyes. A place where she could be herself, free to love whomever she wished. As she began trudging back towards her house once again, Octavia realized she didn't feel like herself. The real Octavia had been swallowed up long ago, replaced by a mask that never came off. It was late in the evening by the time Octavia returned home, trudging through her door with all the enthusiasm of a college student on finals week. Her cello diligently followed behind her, silently rolling across her carpet, until she came to one of her couches. The gray cellist gently picked up the case and set it on top of the red cushions, before turning around and sizing up the rest of her house. She needed to get drunk. Not the innocent, socially acceptable kind-of-tipsy you get from a bit of wine. No, she needed to get falling over, puking in the toilet, passed out drunk. She was absolutely and utterly sick of existing. Her mind was no longer interested in maintaining even a single faculty of reason, and was content to simply drink itself into oblivion rather than deal with all the pain. But that wouldn't be socially acceptable, now would it? she thought. With a shudder, Octavia remembered that she had already done one socially questionable thing today. She'd likely already exhausted her social grace period, and one more slip would send her tumbling into Tartarus. After hearing about her brush with the ungainly stallion in the reception, the tabloids were probably already waiting outside, ready to pounce. She let out a small, pathetic whimper, as her mind once again submitted itself to the harsh reality of its mistress, and decided to simply turn in early for the night. Yes, that was it. She'd just go to bed; tomorrow, she'd feel better. She knew she wouldn't feel any better, but she kept telling herself that, as if saying it over and over would somehow make it come true. Unfortunately, Octavia's life was not a fairy tale, and there were no wish-granting stars or magic beans that could make something happen. Octavia pondered this, while trotting into her distressingly bleach-white bathroom. Nothing ever really changed when she was simply letting things happen to her. A hoof picked up her toothbrush, as she desperately tried to distract herself from the impending caustic nightmare. Not a single important thing in her life had been accomplished by simply letting things happen to her. A trembling hoof reached out towards her acerbic toothpaste, grasping the demonic container and hoisting it into the air. Opportunities simply passed her by, like a warm wisp of air flowing past her nose... In a flash, Octavia found herself back in that hallway, next to the stallion with whom she was so enamored. Once more, she felt his warm breath along her muzzle, only for her to be pulled away before she could get close enough. She'd let the opportunity slip through her hooves, just like all the others. She had let things happen to her, instead of making them happen. It was over as soon as it had began, and Octavia was back in her bathroom, her hoof frozen in the act of unscrewing the forbidden paste's cap. It was an action the hoof would never know the joy of completing, because at that moment, Octavia snapped. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!" With an incoherent scream of rage, Octavia flung the half-opened tube of gag-inducing paste into her bathroom mirror, sending angry fractures through the glass. The toothpaste bounced back into the sink, and she started screaming at it, unleashing a torrent of vitriol and cursing that would have impressed Vinyl Scratch. She accused the tube of ruining her life, of dragging her along like a puppet, of binding her to the demands of society. She yelled about how much she hated it, how much she despised the untold bitterness of its acrid taste, and how no word existed to describe the revolting goop she had stuck in her mouth for years. In her rage, she smashed her hoof into the sink, as if crushing that accursed tube of bitterness would somehow make everything better. All it really did was give her a nasty bruise. The pain that radiated up her foreleg startled her. Her ranting dissolved into quiet sniffles, and she realized that she was crying, once again. Her eyes slowly arched upwards, until she was forced to take in the dreadful sight captured behind the splintered mirror. Her mane was a mess, her makeup was ruined, and her eyes were red. Was this her life? Octavia abruptly felt nauseous, as if her own stomach was revolted at what she was doing to herself. She didn't want to be here anymore. She wanted to be anywhere but here. Without thinking, the gray earth mare galloped out of her house, the door left swinging on its hinges as she plunged into the night. Her tears fell behind her, like glittering drops of sadness, lost in a sea of misery. Several minutes later, she found herself in a nearby park, and stopped to catch her breath. Trotting along the cobblestone path, Octavia's quiet whimpering was the only sound that broke the silence of the night. There was just a touch of fog, giving life to faint moonbeams that filtered through the trees arching over the path. Before long, she had reached an outcrop, a clearing free of the trees' protective canopy, with a few benches scattered about. The whole of Lower Canterlot was visible beyond a thick stone palisade that protruded out from the side of the hill. It was a breathtaking view, but Octavia was hardly in the mood to appreciate it. Instead, she looked up, towards the stars, listening to the silence of the night, interrupted only by her own sniffling. Why are you doing this to me? she thought. Why does everything have to be so complicated? The cold night air ruffled her fur, and strands of her mane danced in front of her face. The stars did not answer, content to continue twinkling in the night sky, oblivious to her woes. Even here, sitting alone in a park, she could hear the faint sounds of the city wafting through the air. What did she want out of life? What was the point of all this? What was the purpose behind her actions? Did she even have a choice, or was her soul bound to the whims of society, swept up in a whirlpool of make-believe? Was she nothing more than a marionette, being tugged along by an aristocracy oblivious to her desires? Is this even what she really wanted? Octavia shook her head. Of course this is what she wanted. She spent her entire foalhood with her beloved cello, and she honestly wasn't sure if she regretted it. Regret implied that she had made a choice she wished she hadn't. Certainly she had done plenty of stupid things, it was the nature of being a foal. However stupid, those moments had made her who she was, and she saw no reason to change them. Perhaps she did not regret anything, then. At least, not until the academy. She'd gone to the academy because that's where everypony who studied music went to. But the academy didn't teach her how to write her own songs. Instead, it beat a bunch of musical theory into her head. Composition was reduced to the rules of harmony and chord progressions and identifying deceptive cadences and sight singing. There was no heart or soul in it, only a bunch of rules prescribed by a bunch of stuck-up, old ponies. She had never enjoyed playing all her homework assignments, but she'd convinced herself that it was for her career. She wanted to be the most sought after cellist in Equestria. She wanted to be an expert in her craft, an artisan of unmatched skill and precision. And I succeeded, she thought bitterly. Oh, she was the most sought after cellist, that was for sure. This, however, did not mean she got to play a bunch of interesting music, or even that she got to compose anything. No, it meant she was a slave to the upper-class, hired to play a bunch of ancient music that had been played so many times before there was barely any room for Octavia to be herself. No, she had to be whatever they wanted her to be. Perhaps, then, the problem wasn't her instrument, but her music. What if all she really wanted to do was express herself? No music by old, dead ponies, no neo-classical avant-garde pieces, just Octavia with her cello, playing whatever her heart wanted. A leaf tumbled across the grass and on to the gravel trail, rolling up against the palisade overlooking the hillside. Octavia studied the leaf, struggling to get past that impenetrable barrier with nothing but the wind to guide it. ...What did her heart want? She was abruptly reminded of the gaping, blackened hole in her heart; the aching loneliness that sucked all the enjoyment out of everything, haunting her everywhere she went like an angry specter. The unending desire for companionship that grew more and more unbearable with each passing day. Her thoughts returned, unbidden, to the stallion that had whisked her heart away. What was the point of this stupid career if it meant she had to sneak out of her own neighborhood just to go see him? What joy could be derived from a life bereft of love? Why did she even bother existing when she denied herself the only thing that really mattered? Octavia lifted a hoof up and gingerly wiped the tears from her cheeks. What was the purpose of all these social conventions, anyway? They seemed to exist solely so potential mates could prove their normality to potential mates. In fact, she'd read somewhere that most ponies tend to prefer partners who are considered successful by the societal standards. If she threw away her career, she would be labeled a failure. But... would she really want a partner that valued conformity? Why would she want to fall in love with somepony who wanted her to behave a certain way, instead of somepony that adored the real Octavia? If she wanted to find her soulmate, she wasn't going to do it by pretending to be somepony she wasn't. That stallion that had caught her eye certainly didn't seem to care about silly things like money. He was an artist, he understood her. He would love her for who she was, not who she pretended to be. It occurred to her that she had an entire upper-class house filled with fine glassware she really didn't care about. Such material wealth meant nothing to her - she partook in such drivel simply because society expected consumerism from her. She could sell the whole thing, or rent it out, or do any number of things, and she wouldn't miss any of it. She just wanted her cello. She wanted to play. She wanted to be loved. Octavia stood up and trotted over to the stone fence, peering over the edge. It seemed as though everything in life that was worth fighting for followed the same pattern. She wanted to do what she loved, she wanted people to love her music, and she wanted to find a special somepony with whom to share her love. Everything she cared about, everything that really mattered, it was all love. In that moment, everything changed. Octavia made a choice, and that choice would echo across the fabric of her future like the wings of a butterfly, transforming everything in its wake. She trotted, then galloped, back to her house, as her mind was filled with possibilities she had dismissed as preposterous only hours before. Tomorrow, she would visit the stallion of her dreams; to Tartarus with the consequences! She'd take him out to dinner, in whatever simpleton restaurant he fancied. They'd kiss, and if those snotty, upper-class ponies didn't like it, they could go buck themselves. The song she had banished from her thoughts earlier that day came back with a vengeance, and for once she felt as though she could embrace it, let it flow through her. That was it, that was it! Tonight, she would write that song down. Put the finishing touches on tomorrow morning, and play it for him. It wouldn't be perfect, but he would understand. He always did. Later that night, a small grey mare slipped under the covers of her bed. She hadn't bothered to do the dishes, or take a shower. She'd brushed her teeth with water, and hadn't even flossed. Perhaps tomorrow she'd get some toothpaste that actually tasted good, and not worry about keeping her teeth white. She'd written out that wonderful melody that was still bouncing around her cranium, and simply hit the hay. She was now free of the pressures of society, not because of some miracle, but because she had chosen to ignore them. Between her career and her happiness, she had chosen her happiness, and she fell asleep with smile on her face. For the first time in years, the sunrise promised something more than just another dreary day - it promised a ray of hope. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Roses for Hearts and Hooves Day author: Hoodwinked MCShelster tags: character:Roseluck, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Trail of roses === The sun was just peeking over the horizon, giving the dew covered roofs of Ponyville on this morning a golden shimmer. There was a slight breeze, rustling the leaves of the gardens surrounding the ponies' cottages. No pony was roaming the streets quite yet, only the earliest of early birds were rising and getting on with their day. One of these ponies was Roseluck, whom trotted out her door, a watering can held gently between her teeth. Her green eyes were still heavy with sleep as she walked to the first batch of flowers. As she began to water the flowers, she took a deep breath of the cool air. A sweet fragrance of flowers from her large garden filled her nostrils along with the distant aroma of freshly made sweets and baked goods from Sugarcube Corner. The faint breeze stirred her red mane and carryed even more smells to her nose. The new scents reminded her of the cards fillies and colts would give each other during their Hearts and Hooves class parties. She smiled as she now remembered that it was the dawn of Hearts and Hooves day. That explained why she had so many orders as of late. Her ears drooped slightly and a faint smile showed on her face as she realised how ironic it was that everypony got roses on Hearts and hooves day, except the pony who actually grew them. A quiet sigh escaped as she continued to water the flowers. She made her way to the roses behind her cottage and sprinkled them with the remaining water in her watering can. When it ran out, she set it down on the ground and sat on her flanks. She gazed at the beautiful ruby red roses she had grown from seeds. If she really had to have flowers for today, she could just sit there and stare at their beauty for as long as she wanted. Her shoulders slouched as she sighed once again. She wished she had a special somepony to give her some flowers for a change. All her friends had their coltfriends to take them out, but she seemingly was forever single. She never really had the way with stallions, she was too awkward and shy to ever try to talk to them. The last time she tried was at the Hearts and Hooves day dance before she graduated and she ended up tripping over her tongue badly and even worse, over the snack table. She cringed at the memories and shook them away. She sighed and went back to gazing at her roses and silently counted over them one by one. Thirty-one… Thirty two… Thirty-three... As she counted the end of the bottom row, she saw a lone rose laying on the ground next to the bush. She quickly counted again but all fifty of her personal roses were accounted for. She walked over to the rose and inspected it. It was just a plain red rose that was cleanly cut and had been dethroned nicely. She picked it up gently between her teeth, taking a small whiff of the sweet flower. As she looked back up she saw another rose laying not too far away. She galloped over and picked that one up too. Once again, she saw one around the corner of her house. She picked that one up as well and looked around for more of the beautiful flowers. They were fresh enough to possibly sell to colts and stallions that had forgotten the day and had had to buy their significant other a last second arrangement of flowers. This saved her the trouble of cutting and stripping a new batch of roses. She eagerly followed them, which had now turned into a winding trail down the empty, sleepy streets of Ponyville. The only sound around was the clopping of Roseluck's hooves trotting over to another flower. The on and off sound of hoofsteps kept going for several moments. Not long after she had started, her mouth was full of the red flowers. Thank Celestia they had no thorns or the roses wouldn't be the only thing red in her mouth she thought. Roseluck was so focus on keeping them placed in her mouth as she picked more and more up, she hadn't noticed the change of the clip clop of her hooves against the street were now softened as she now walked on soft grass, still wet with morning dew. The dew soon made the fur on her nose and chin slightly damp, but she took little notice to that as she quickened her hoof steps quickened even more as the space between the roses broadened. She had enough flowers to make several small arrangements for her shop, she could stop now and turn back and begin to put them together and place them on the shelves before she had to open her doors, but she was growing curiouser and curiouser where they all were coming from. Maybe some delievery pony hadn't locked their carriage good enough and a load of roses slowly fell out as they transported them away. Or maybe some stallion had gone overboard with the flowers and couldn't carry them all and dropped them as he galloped to where ever he was going. It didn't quite explain why the trail started at her backyard but that was all she could think of. It had been quite some time since she started her little adventure and she was growing a little tired of the on and off galloping, especially since she was now heading up some sort of hill. She found it hard to keep up her breath with a mouth full of stems and leafs but she didn't need to worry about that any longer, for her nose came in contact with a large grouping of flowers. She looked up, her neck silently complaining after having to support her head being so close to the ground for so long. What she saw was something similar to the romantic movies that she would watch if she felt lonely, especially on today, accompanied by a large tub of chocolate chip cookie dough icecream held snuggly in her forehooves. A red and white checkered quilt was neatly placed down on the ground next to a tree. Candles, a basket containing what she assumed delicious food, a bottle of wine along with fancy glasses, and a heart shaped box all sat on the quilt. Her jaw dropped, the roses she held promptly falling into a heap. She stared at the spread and gaped as her mind tried to wrap around the situation. As the gears turned in her head, some movement caught her eye. She looked over to the tree, where now standing next to it, was a tan stallion with a brunette mane, holding a bouquet of roses in his mouth. He took the flowers into his hooves and greeted her in a charming voice. Her cheeks were quickly becoming warm and a quite adorable shade of pink. All her mind was capable of was an internal squee and thinking that she probably wasn't going to open up the shop today. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Discord Rules author: randomfacts137 tags: character:Discord, character:Main 6, character:Princess Celestia, character:Princess Luna, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Adventure, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== ...Celestia Drools === Discord Rules Chapter 1 …Celestia Drools "Alright girls! Let's show him what friendship can do!" Twilight shouted, confident that her plan would work. The six mares were lifted up into the air by the power of the Elements of Harmony. Suddenly, all of them felt a grinding pain emanate from their respective Elements. The gems shattered, releasing a massive influx of energy, knocking all of them out. "Uuh… where am I?" six voices spoke at the same time, the high-pitched one just a bit faster than the rest. Twilight tried to push herself up with a hoof, and rub her forehead with the other, but instead, both hooves rose up to meet her face. "Ow!" the six voices said again, "What's going on?" It seemed that something must have happened to her and her friends to make them disoriented. There was a strange pair of appendages on her back, and she couldn't turn her head around to see them. "Wh-what the heck!?" the voices chimed out in unison. Twilight tried to bring her hoof to her mouth, again meeting in failure. She hadn't tried to say that, but her mouth had moved on its own. "Girls, where are you?" Twilight shouted. Her friends had to be somewhere close by, judging by how loud they were. Twilight decided to check herself over, if she could. Looking down at her hooves, she could see that they weren't just the lavender that she thought they were. Examining them closely, she could see streaks of blue, orange, white, pink, and yellow. "Where did these come from?" the voices murmured. All of a sudden Twilight realized what was going on. The lack of full motor control, the multitude of voices, the mixture of colors, they all added up. But there was only one way this could be possible. Twilight loudly thought Hello? into her mind, hoping to get some sort of response. Hello? Twilight? Hey! Twi, what's goin' on? four other voices echoed through her mind. Twilight could feel the presence of another, completely silent. She recognized the voices that spoke, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack, respectively.It was entirely reasonable to assume that the silent one was Rainbow Dash. I don't know girls, but it seems like we're in the same body, Twilight thought back, I don't know what the implications could be, but I don't think any of us can fully control our limbs. We'll need to work together. Got that, Rainbow Dash? No response. Rainbow Dash!? Are you alright!? Speak to me! Twilight mentally shouted, panicking about her friend. Huh!? Oh, sorry, I just… got a little distracted, is all Rainbow replied, imagining her own body rubbing her neck with her hoof. Suddenly, the six minds in one body all attuned to one thought at the same time. DISCORD!!! All six of them tried to get up in different ways, causing them to collapse to the ground. They tried again, meeting the same result. Girls! We can't all do this at once! Twilight scolded, projecting her emotions over the mental barriers, We need to work together! She felt all the tension in their body go out, as they sensed what she was going to do. Twilight looked over them, examining their body, analyzing the optimum working pattern. The first thing she noticed was the odd coloring. They were a mixture of several different colors. The next thing she noticed was that they were an alicorn, and much bigger than Celestia. All right, I'll take the horn, Rarity can take the voice, Rainbow'll take the wings, Fluttershy can take the front hooves, Applejack can take the back hooves, and Pinkie can have the legs. All right! I get the legs! a rather pink voice thought. Amusement passed over the mental borders. Even in her thoughts, Pinkie still managed to project massive amounts of color into a conversation. Speaking of thoughts… Twilight… well… thought, we need to find Discord! Pinkie sprung their legs and jumped into the air, landing perfectly on their hooves. Alrighty-then! Let's go! she 'yelled' as she sprinted off, before suddenly being lifted into the air when their wings started flapping. Forgot about these, didja? Rainbow's voice practically oozed smugness. They flew up to where they had been fighting Discord. He was sitting on his throne, watching all the chaos around him. He looked over and saw the ponies, recognizing the colors. "What!? How… how are you still alive?" Discord shouted. "We don't know, but we're going to take you down, Discord!" Twilight shouted, forgetting that she had given Rarity the mouth. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that, hmm? Your precious Elements are sitting over there, where they can't do anything at all." Discord smirked, pointing at a puddle of molten gold and shattered gems. "No! The Elements! How did you do this!?" Twilight and her friends called out at the same time, "This isn't possible! They can't be broken unless we are!" "Well, maybe your Elements thought that you were, being like that and all." Discord said, pulling a banana out of a nearby cloud and drinking the root beer out of it. The six mares, in unison, looked over themself. They were practically the epitome of chaos, and the Elements probably wouldn't work with them like that. "But… but we're supposed ta be the Elements, aren't we?" a southern accent emerged from their mouth. "Yes, yes you are. But, I don't think that the Elements can be represented by you, anymore, can they? Sure, you still have that trait that allows you to have each Element, but you aren't very harmonic anymore, now are you?" Discord said, sounding like he was explaining something to a six-year-old, "You can't represent Harmony because you are Chaos, pure and simple." "We ain't nothin' like you!" Applejack shouted out of their mouth. Discord smirked again. "Oh, I never said you were. As a matter of fact, being like me would be impossible if you were an agent of chaos. Which you are, by the way." "Now what in the hay is that supposed ta mean?" "Oh, it just means that chaos never does the same thing twice. If it did, it would be much more boring than it is." Discord snapped his fingers and pulled a balloon out of his nose, blowing into it to deflate it, "Just look at this. The first time I did it, you were surprised. If I were to do it again, you wouldn't be surprised by it, meaning that this entire thing would be so much more boring!" He looked over at them, looking them over. "Now Twilight, I bet you are just dying to know how my magic works, aren't you?" She bit their lip and looked everywhere but at Discord, "N-no. I can handle myself. I don't need to know how your magic works." He leaned over and grabbed them by the chin, turning them to look at his face, "Now, now, don't lie to yourself. You can lie to me, but don't lie to yourself. You know you want to…" he trailed off as he spun ball of pure magic in between his fingers. "No. I-I don't w‒" He glared at her. "I said don't lie to me. I hate it when ponies lie to me, even when they know I can tell they're lying." "Wait… you said I could lie to you…" "Did I? You must have been mistaken. I said no such thing." He dared her with his eyes to contradict him. "Anyway, since you won't admit anything, you have no further use for me. Begone." He snapped his fingers, "Oh, and goodnight…" They fell asleep, darkness taking their vision. The last thing they had seen was Discord's face. === The Crown of Harmony === Discord Rules Chapter 2 The Crown of Harmony "Hey… are you alright? Can you hear me?" a voice echoed out of the shadows. Their eyes quickly started shaking uncontrollably, due to six ponies trying to make them move at once. The girls quickly registered what was going on by piecing together the events from their various memories. Twilight forced their eyes open, instantly recoiling from the sudden light. Looking around, they could see that they were no longer in Ponyville anymore. There was also nopony around, nopony who could have been trying to wake them up. After looking over and fully understanding what was going on, Fluttershy was the first to break down. Her thoughts echoed with grief as based in her past, a life of being teased by others. She just couldn't take any more. Pinkie seemed a little downtrodden, but still managed to keep herself together, and remain a little cheery. Rainbow was pissed that she had no choice in the matter, Applejack was worried about how her family would recognize her, Rarity was stressed, mostly about how garish their colors were. Twilight, well, Twilight was analyzing the situation for a solution. The girls comforted Fluttershy as best they could, and, noticing the direction of Twilight's thoughts, decided to focus on fixing their problem as well. After sitting in one place for fifteen minutes, Rainbow Dash decided she had had enough, and took off flying, distracting all her friends from their near-stupor. After a time, Rainbow noticed an old pony, just wandering around the countryside, just looking for something. She swooped down and landed next to him. "I have been searching for you." he immediately stated. "What!?" Rainbow shouted. The angry thoughts from her friends were suddenly silenced by this sudden revelation. "You see, I am quite old‒" "No doubt about that." Rainbow interrupted, instantly attracting rude remarks from four of her friends. "‒and my family has been studying the patterns of the world for generations. We have records dating back thousands of years, all the way back to when writing was first invented‒" "So? What does this have to do with us?" Rainbow interrupted again. "‒and there has always been something when Discord breaks free. Every time this happens, something ascends to a higher level, usually by combination and melding. You… you have combined, but you still need to meld. You are not complete." the old stallion explained, ignoring Rainbow Dash's interruptions. "What do you mean, I'm not complete? I'm totally complete! There's no pony more complete than Rainbow Dash!" the aforementioned mare pulled a pose and scraped the ground with her hoof. He looked at her like she was stupid, "There are two alicorns currently in this world. Did you not ever stop to wonder how they came to be? They were once three ponies each, and melded to form two extremely powerful ones. You six are destined to be even more powerful, if you succeed. You will become one, and rule over this world as a goddess." "If, we succeed? Hah! This is Rainbow Dash, the world's fastest flier! Nothing can beat me!" she was simultaneously ignoring all her friends and controlling their entire body at once. Apparently, Rainbow had the greatest mental fortitude, or her friends weren't trying hard enough. Suddenly, Twilight wrenched the mouth away from Rainbow Dash. "I'm sorry about my friend, but she's really a good pony." "I understand. I have dealt with bigger egos than hers before, though not often." the elderly stallion joked, his eyes crinkling up with laughter. "Anyways, you must go find the Crown of Harmony, if you wish to defeat Discord. He is more powerful than anything in existence, so the Elements were constructed to defeat him. However, the Crown was made as a way for the Bearers to defeat Discord without the Elements." All of them attempted to look at him suspiciously, prevailing. "And just how does the Crown work?" "The Crown combines your minds, it melds you together, finalizing your fusion. It will grant you the full abilities of being an alicorn, and you will rule Equestria alongside Celestia, Luna, and Cadance." he explained. "As long as you have a pure heart, the Crown will work. Then, you can defeat Discord at your leisure. Please! You must do this, for the sake of Equestria!" The girls quickly discussed their options, and settled on a decision. "We will find this crown, and we will stop Discord, no matter the cost!" Relief showed on his face, and he let go of a breath. "Thank you. Now, you must venture past many obstacles to get to the Crown. First, there is the Stonebreaker Castle, among the Venture Mountains. "The mountains are steep and filled with dangerous creatures. They are massive, and they go on for miles. Going around would be too long, and going through, too dangerous. The only way past the Venture Mountains is to pass through Stonebreaker Castle. "Inside the castle is said to be a guardian, though what it is guarding remains a mystery. There is a secret passage through the mountains behind the throne, and you must pass through it to continue on your journey. "Next is the Shattered Jungle. Do not ask why it is called that, as I do not know. The jungle itself is very dangerous, filled with wild creatures and poisonous plants. It is also said to have a guardian, but again, we cannot know what it guards. "The jungle is quite large, and encompasses most of Northwestern Equestria. The only way to get past is to go straight through. Now, note that these areas I'm describing have some sort of enchantment on them, something that prevents Discord from changing these areas. "Finally, you must reach Pine Tree Tower. It is called that because it is shaped like a pine tree, with each leaf being an entire room. The place is quite large. It is here that you will find the Crown of Harmony. "Along with the Crown, the Tower is home to many powerful magic artifacts, some of which are thousands and thousands of years old. The Tower is the oldest thing in existence. It does not break, it does not erode. Actually, the Tower is infinite. It can hold as many artifacts as it needs to. You must find the Crown amongst the various artifacts, and be sure to not touch anything else! "Now you know what you need to do. Go, and save Equestria from the vile demon! Go, and become a goddess!" he shouted before coughing. "Go! I will rest now, for my task is complete. You must perform your duties!" They nodded and ran off, eager to get rid of Discord as quickly as they could. The stallion started laughing, his wheezes gradually fading to a deeper tone. He began to laugh maniacally, throwing his hooves up in the air. This revealed the puppet strings dangling down from the sky. If one were to follow the strange twists and turns of the strings, they would find the marionetteer at the end. Naturally, this one was the Spirit of Chaos himself, Discord. "Hmph. These ponies, always believing anything another pony tells them. Anything but a pony, and they doubt it. I need to remedy that." he gave another laugh before flushing himself up a toilet. === Nympha and Prattle === Discord Rules Chapter 3 Nympha and Prattle "Ugh. Wh-wh-agh!" Twilight yelled as she came to her senses. It was morning, the day after the strange pony had told them about the Crown of Harmony. After speaking with him, they had all agreed that it was best to get some sleep. Now, you may be wondering why Twilight yelled. This was because there was a strange creature before her. She had never seen its like before. It had eight limbs, four eyes, and two heads. Its heads were of a unicorn mare and a changeling. It had one pony eye, one lizard eye, one fish eye, and one changeling eye. It had an ant leg, a spider leg, a dog leg, a pony leg, a changeling leg, and three fly wings. It was the most bizarre and horrifying thing Twilight had ever seen. Then it took a step toward her. She took a step back. Then it spoke. "We... apologize... for... scaring... you... We... did... not... expect... ponykind... to... come... here..." the changeling head said slowly, buzzing as it did so. "Yes, we did not expect anypony to even remember this place existed. Are you hurt? Perhaps affected by this vile demon... Discord, was it?" the unicorn head spoke, anxiously as she searched all over them for a sign of injury. "Yes, we were." all six of them replied at once, surprising the two-headed… thing with all their voices. "Oh, perhaps you were like me and dear Clarity, sorry, Nympha, here? We were fused into one, as well as a few other animals. Were you conscious during the process? No? Well, it is excruciating. Imagine‒" their shared black hoof clamped over her mouth. "We… apologize... for... Prattle... here... Our… fusion... only... made... her... worse... than... she... used... to... be..." the changeling, apparently named Nympha, explained, still rather slow. "Why do you speak like that? And why did Prattle call you Clarity?" Twilight stole the mouth again, leaving Rarity's thoughts to sulk in silence. Twilight just couldn't help herself. She needed to know more. "I… speak… like… this… because… I… can… not… breathe… properly… We… have… one… pair… of… lungs… They… are… Prattle's… I… am… fine… for… the… most… part… it's… just… incon…venient..." Nympha the head stated, "Prattle… called… me… Clarity… because… I… was… disguised… as… a… unicorn… named… Clarity… and… I… fed… off… of… her… but… she… didn't… mind… when… she… found… out… She… helped… keep… me… in… disguise… Then… Discord… came... along… and… fused… us…" After listening carefully, Twilight could detect a quiet breath in between each word. The she shook her head. "So, why are you here again? You said something about this place not being somewhere you expected other ponies to go, I think." Twilight asked. Rarity's thoughts were still sulking in their mental corner, while Rainbow's thoughts mentally laughed at her. "We were just on our way to Twister, and we decided to camp here for the night. Have you heard of Twister? It's this peaceful little town that things like us built. It's a haven for mutants, like us. Oh! We could go there together!" Prattle, well prattled. All of a sudden, Pinkie took hold of their mouth. "Silly Prattle, we aren't going to get to Twister until after Stonebreaker Castle, but before the Shattered Jungle!" Her reveal of their plans was quickly registered and all of them forced Pinkie to shut up. "What!? Y-y-you're going t-t-to St-stonebreaker C-castle?" Prattle stuttered, "That place is dangerous! I've heard there are all kinds of monsters there! We were planning on going around the Venture Mountains!" Twilight and the rest shook their collective head, "We can't do that. We are on a time-sensitive mission, and we cannot be delayed!" She held their head high, feeling proud. "And… what… mission… would… that… be…?" Nympha gasped. Twilight felt that Nympha wasn't entirely comfortable with her… condition, no matter what she might say. They thought for a second. "Well, after Discord won, he fused us together, and left us out here. Then this strange pony woke us up, and he told us that we must find this crown, and when we do we'll become like Celestia and Luna. We must do it was fast as possible!" "That… pony… doesn't… seem… very… trustworthy… does… he…?" Nympha asked, "He… might… have… lied… to… you…" "We can't risk that he might be telling the truth! We have to finish this mission, for the sake of Equestria!" Twilight shouted. "Have… it… your… way… We… are… going… somewhere… safe…" Nympha nudged Prattle, trying to get her to turn around, "We… wish… you… luck… on… your… journey…" All this time, Prattle was staring at the ground, downcast that she couldn't help her new friends. Both were obviously certain that the alicorn would fail. Watching the mutant disappear into the distance, the small group decided to keep moving. They headed directly to the mountains, right toward the center. Celestia, Luna, and Discord were sitting at a table. In front of them lay several tea cups, each filled to the brim with the strongest alcohol they could find. "Your turn, Celestia." Discord murmured, feeling a little woozy from all the alcohol. So far, they had each consumed enough to kill three full-grown elephants. Celestia grinned and grabbed another teacup, draining it in seconds. "Your turn, Luna." she said, as a pink burbling pillow floated over and refilled her cup. Luna grimaced. She did not drink nearly as much as her fellows, and so was not used to this much alcohol. She was feeling much more than just woozy, and she hadn't even had her next drink! Luna reached over and drained the cup, a bit slower than the others. Discord smirked, "Getting to be too much for you, Luna? You should quit now, while you're still sober enough to think!" "No, Discord. I will not quit. I have… uh… merely wished to savor the taste! Yes, I wish to savor it!." Luna grinned nervously. The brew tasted nasty, so she wasn't sure they would believe her. Luckily, they seemed just buzzed enough to believe it. "Well, that's nice. I'm sure the pillow is happy that you like its work." The aforementioned pillow burbled in happiness. "Yes. Enjoyed. Of course. Anyways, Discord, it is your turn. Unless you were stalling with this conversation?" Luna accused, trying to push the heat onto him. "Of course, Luna." Discord smirked again. He grabbed his cup, tipped it sideways, and drank it through a straw sticking out of a wall. He set it down and wiped his lips off. Luna groaned. It was going to be a long night. Also, for some reason, she felt like there was something they were forgetting. Something… something important. === Suspicion === Discord Rules Chapter 4 Suspicion Look, a town! Pinkie Pie's voice shouted inside their collective mind. Twilight had noticed at the same time. A small town, about half the size of Ponyville. She shuddered. She still had to get used to the idea of what Discord had transformed Ponyville into. It's very dimensions warped minds and drove ponies hysterical. It was a miracle they had gotten away from… that place unscathed. This place seems to be inhabited, Twilight noted, seeing movement among the buildings. Pinkie quickly hopped them over to the town without a second thought. As they moved toward the town, Twilight noticed that the place was filled with only ponies, for some reason. There were no other species, and there were no mutants. When they reached the outskirts of the town, ponies began to notice them. They soon had attracted a large crowd, most of which were too afraid to approach. They must be think we are one of Discord's monsters, Twilight concluded, after a second of thought. Even over only the two-day journey the alicorn had set out on, they had already fought off several vicious mutated… things. It was near impossible to even tell what they were before Discord had taken over. Pinkie walked them over to the large crowd, while, at Twilight's urging, staying an acceptable distance from the villagers. Twilight cleared their throat, causing several of the townspeople to tense in fear, then said, "There is no need to fear. W‒er, I do not wish to harm you." Her declaration, and the absolute surety in her voice made some of the townspeople nearby sigh in relief, and relax, before realizing what was going on and tensing up again. Overhead, a flock of purple floppy forks flew through the liquid spoon cloud, raining kitchen utensils on the townspeople, who paid them no mind. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut apart, which a nearby house decided to demonstrate by cutting some tension out of the air with its chimney, then eating it. The glares of the townsfolk burnt holes into the rainbow colored grass floating above the alicorn, which proceeded to consume itself with a vengeance. A lone figure stepped out of the crowd, apparently a respected person, as the other villagers parted quite quickly for him. He called over from a fair distance away, "What are you? You seem to be one of the monster's creations, but never before has one demonstrated the ability to speak any known language," he examined the alicorn from his position, "and you seem to be friendly, at least." He looked into their eyes, and saw that they had fragmented pupils, which the alicorn had only noticed recently, when a traveller had pointed them out to them. The stallion seemed vaguely perturbed by them. Twilight blinked, then spoke, "I do not know what I am. I cannot remember anything from before Discord's reign‒," several townsfolk gasped in shock, apparently frightened by Discord's name, "‒but I do not believe that I have any reason to hurt you. I also think that the reason you have not seen any intelligent creations of Discord is because they have all moved on to the town known to them as 'Twister'. It is apparently a haven for us." The stallion appeared to think for a moment, then turned and asked, "Why have you not gone there? You said it is a haven, yet here you are. Is there something wrong?" He stared suspiciously at the alicorn, before adding, "Also, before I forget, what is your name? If you have one, that is." Twilight panicked, then conversed quickly with her friends' thoughts. They agreed on the simplest story, the truth, or, at least, part of it. Twilight looked back up at the stallion, who was staring curiously, then said, "I am on a mission that I believe may end Discord's reign of chaos. For reasons I cannot disclose, I must be the one to carry out this mission, and I cannot tell any of you what it is. And my name?" Twilight closed her eyes, then looked back up, "Is Harmonia." "Reasons you cannot disclose, eh?" the stallion glared at the newly dubbed 'Harmonia', "Hm… I suppose if you don't stay long we can let you stay. And, how long do you plan on sitting here? I can't imagine it being very comfortable." He chuckled as Twilight started, not realizing that she had been sitting in the same position for their entire conversation. "Thank you, and I only plan on staying the night, if I am not somehow trapped here overnight!" She raised her voice at the end of the sentence, turning to glare at a group of aggressive-looking ponies holding what looked like restraints behind their backs. This time, it was Twilight's turn to chuckle at the bewildered look on the stallion's face. "That reminds me, what was your name?" The stallion glared at 'Harmonia', making her back up with the force of his stare, "I don't think it should matter to you. You are only staying here for the night. You. Shouldn't. Care. You got that?" Twilight nodded frantically, wondering why he was suddenly so hostile. Perhaps he didn't like his name? Or maybe he still suspected that she wasn't being honest? Or… was it both? Nevertheless, afterward, the stallion calmed down a great deal. He led Harmonia to a small, seemingly poorly-off inn, which made sense, as there probably weren't many visitors from out of town. The innkeeper looked up from her work, saw the potential customers, and ignored any danger they might have posed to her, "You want to stay in this inn? I-I-I can get you whatever you want! Whatever you want! We don't get much business 'round here, so I'll always be free!" Twilight, more than a little perturbed by the mare's excitedness, and a starting to get a little worried about her friends, whom she hadn't heard from in a while, decided to get this conversation out of the way as soon as possible. "Uhh… yes! I would like to rent a room in this… lovely inn for one night!" She grinned nervously, hoping the conversation would end quickly. Twilight noticed that the stallion had disappeared on her, leaving her here alone. "Only one night?" The mare seemed to droop a bit, before perking back up, "Well, one night's better than nothin'! I'll show you to your room right away!" She grabbed Harmonia around the neck and practically dragged her to the room. "Here it is! Sleep tight!" Giving another grin, the innkeeper disappeared back down the steps. Finally, I'm alone. All right… is anyone here? Rainbow Dash? Pinkie? Applejack!? Rarity!? Fluttershy!? Where did you all go!? Am I all alone in here? Twilight, panic-stricken, began to sob. There was no reply. === Stonebreaker Castle === Discord Rules Chapter 5 Stonebreaker Castle Rainbow Dash!!? Pinkie!? Applejack!? Rarity!? Fluttershy!? Where you all have gone!? Twilight called once more. She waited a few seconds, waited for someone, anyone to respond. She was about to mentally shout again, when she heard a small noise echo throughout her head, causing her to freeze in absolute, paralyzing fear. Temporarily shaking off her fear, Twilight decided to call out once more. Hey, guys! You better respond, or else I'll… I'll… Twilight slowed, wondering what she would really do. And while she was at it, why she had been so afraid before. Before she could contemplate further, she heard a weak stream of thoughts bounce off her mind. T… Twi? Is… is that you? Applejack's voice entered Twilight's mind. The relief that Twilight felt from discovering that at least one of her friends was still all right was strong enough to ease all the panic she had been feeling earlier. Applejack! Are you okay? What happened to the others? Where were you? Why didn't you respond to me earlier? Is there someone else here with us? Were you the one who made that scary noise earlier? Twilight's questions seemed to visibly detract from Applejack's thought strength. Applejack's voice grew weaker, and it distorted. It almost sounded like five voices at once. Sorry, but I can't answer most of those. All I know is that you're becoming the dominant personality, Applejack replied. Her voice, or maybe it would be voices, was becoming increasingly more dissonant, each separate tone becoming each of Twilight's friends voices. Wait, do you mean… you're going to fade away? Is that what's happening!? Twilight's mind began to shift into overdrive, processing all the available information, and trying to create a way to fix this. Her friends' voices got even weaker. Twilight… if you keep on like this, you'll kill us, Rainbow Dash's voice rasped. The shock alone of hearing her arrogant friend sounding so pitiful caused almost all of Twilight's mind to shut down, leaving only the bare minimum. You'll… you'll die if I think too much? Twilight was in shock. It was just too much. There was no way her brilliant mind could be such a detriment. That… that can't be true. It just can't. I can't accept it! She's right, darling, Rarity whispered, You're thinking much more than we are, and doing much more in general. Our mind has decided that the five of us are unecessarily taking up resources. It's going to get rid of us if we don't start doing something. Okay… I'll… I'll take a step back! You five can take the body! I'll just be the mind! It'll work perfectly! Twilight shouted, her mind crazed with the possiblity she might lose her friends. T-twilight… you sound… scary… Fluttershy's already soft voice was now almost imperceptable. She didn't sound like she was holding together under the stress very well. Twilight began to calm down. She needed to think calmly, rationally. She definitely couldn't afford to lose herself, not at a time like this. Okay, I''ll be the one who plans everything out… Rarity, you can be our voice. Everypony else, you get the same jobs as before. Is everyone okay with that? All five of her friends agreed with her, not that they had the strength to disagree in the first place. Twilight then sat back, and let her friends take over for her. The next morning, after saying goodbye to the townsfolk, who were noticeably more friendly when they noticed that nothing bad had happened overnight, Harmonia set off in the direction of the Venture Mountains. The rocky range seemed much closer than yesterday, only a couple hours away instead of days. The villagers attributed the phenomenon to Discord, saying that the mountain range had been moving back and forth since he had taken over. After a few hours of travel, Harmonia arrived at the base of the first mountain. It was much taller than had been suggested from a distance. Near to the alicorn was a pass between this mountain and the next, with crumbling walls all over the slope. Harmonia clambered through the ruins, heading toward the biggest, and surprisingly intact, structure in the entire pass. Stonebreaker Castle. Legend has it that the guardian of the Castle was the original King of Equestria, the one who crossed over the World's Ocean from the ancient homeland of the ponies. King Stonebreaker. The name alone chills the air around Harmonia. Or perhaps that is merely Discord trying to freeze clouds in midair. The old king was a cruel stallion, and he merely petrified his opponents, then crushed them, earning him his name. It is said that he was finally defeated when the Princesses, his daughters, petrified him, and, using the Elements of Harmony, sealed his soul into the castle he ruled from. Stonebreaker Castle certainly had the feel of an ancient king's soul. It was a decaying fortress, falling apart at the seams, yet unyielding to the forces of time as well. Harmonia reached the entrance of the castle, where all of Equestria's heroes had passed through at one time or another, for more reasons than anyone could count. Passing through the threshold, Harmonia shivered. The castle walls were literally screaming the word "Haunted!" at her. After Harmonia glared at them intensely, the walls shut up. She continued her walk through the entrance. Beyond the entrance, everything seemed completely untouched. There were no spiderwebs, no dust, and most surprising of all, no sign of Discord's mischief. It all looked the way it must have the day the Princesses defeated their father, and imprisoned him here. What do you think, Twilight? Is there some kind of enchantment over the entire place? Pinkie asked, acting surprisingly solemn, perhaps realizing the seriousness of the situation. I think that this place needs a good cleaning. What kind of king would live in a place this dirty? Twilight asked, before realizing what she just said, Wait, am I turning into Rarity or something? Not that that's a bad thing, it's just, I don't normally act like that. I think all our minds are influencing each other, Fluttershy stated loudly, surprising everyone, Before, I could never do something like this. Now? I feel like it's nothing. The only explanation for such a fast transition would be if somehow you all were influencing my thoughts. An interesting observation, Fluttershy. You seem to be showing traits from Rainbow Dash and myself most strongly, though. I wonder why that is? Twilight thought, Pinkie also seems to be less, well, Pinkie, and Dash wasn't boasting at the walls when they were yelling at us. It seems that you're probably right, Fluttershy. Somehow, during their conversation, they had ended up in front of the throne room. Harmonia couldn't even remember walking during the dialogue. Opening the large doors, the alicorn strutted regally toward the throne. Upon it was a strange unicorn statue. The statue was strangely shaped, with higher shoulders and a broader skull than modern-day ponies. It had a very long horn, and it was wearing a finely carved set of royal-looking clothes, with a massive, detailed crown upon its head. Upon closer inspection, the statue seemed to be made out of an unknown mineral, with microscopic detail preserved in it. The statue seemed to have the same level of detail all over, as well. It must have been the petrified King Stonebreaker. Harmonia backed away from it, and navigated around the back of the throne, searching for a way through to the other side of the fortress. Before she got very far, she heard a cracking sound, and the entire throne room shook. Moving to see what had happened, she spotted the empty space where King Stonebreaker had been, and the small pile of dust lying on his throne. Harmonia turns around and looks around the room. There was no one there. A small noise echoed behind her. Spinning, she saw… absolutely nothing. There was nothing there. Sighing in relief, Harmonia turned back to the search for the escape route, and began fumbling around the back of the throne. This was going to be a long search. === King Stonebreaker === Discord Rules Chapter 6 King Stonebreaker "Whee!" Luna cried as she slid across the pink ice. Discord had poured liquid nitrogen all over the throne room, which had then frozen completely smooth, creating a surprisingly pink ice skating rink. Celestia slid by her, the two of them only centimeters apart, before slamming into a wall that had suddenly sprung out of the ground. Luna began laughing, only to crash into a similar wall. Discord, who had been checking the blue, ticking watch he had drawn on his arm with a pink shard of ice, began walking toward the sisters, while rotating in the air. Reaching Luna's collapsed form, Discord grabbed a lever sticking out of his stomach and flipped it, causing Luna to rise up into the air, giggling. Walking over to Celestia, he pushed a button on her head that launched her up into the air, before settling back down at the same height as Luna, and they were set back down, on their hooves. "Now, I think you two need to know this. You know your little ponies, the… what's it called… the Helements of Armory? Something like that. Anyway, something's happened to them. They tried to use their helements on moi, attempted to petrify this beautiful face in order to preserve it for all eternity. Unfortunately, it backfired and fused them together! They are now one big, ball of chaos, ripe for manipulation. And what's more, they're just about to meet your old father, King Stonebreaker!" he grinned as he relayed the awful news to them Celestia and Luna took the news in silence, not responding at all. Minutes passed, and they still didn't move. Discord was beginning to think that he had killed them with shock, when Celestia said, "That is how it is meant to be." "I'm sorry? Did you just say that this was how it is meant to be!?" Discord shouted in surprise. How could something done by him, the agent of chaos, have been predictable!? A voice startlingly similar to his own came out of the shadows, "Yes, yes she did. And the reason why is because of me." A mirror image of Discord slithered out of the shadows and stood upright, facing him. "I am Discord the Puppetmaster. I am the True Chaos, the one that worms into your heart and eats away at your soul. And I am not you." Harmonia was checking the throne room once again. It was the third time she had searched it, yet she still could not find anything. The throne room was as empty as the first time she had searched it. Harmonia was beginning to think that she had been deceived, that there was no secret passage through Stonebreaker Castle, when she heard a loud cracking behind her. Remembering the disappearance of King Stonebreaker, she was on the lookout for him. What she saw was not what she expected. King Stonebreaker was still petrified, yet he was moving swiftly toward them. He was walking faster than any pony could move. His eyes were filled with hatred, paralyzing Harmonia, and he reached the alicorn quickly. His massive hoof slammed into their stomach and threw them across the room. Individual thoughts were silenced as Harmonia began moving as if she were one creature, as if she were not six beings in one body. Magic flew from her horn, causing explosions where they struck. She flew directly at the stone king with magic streaming from her horn, and kicked him at near-sonic speeds, then flew away, nursing a sore hoof. Her eyes focused and expanded, her vision going red, as Fluttershy's Stare activated inside them, aimed directly at the animated statue. He emerged from the magical smoke, completely unharmed, and ignored the Stare, instead charging directly at Harmonia. She stopped Staring just in time, and jumped out of his path, causing him to slam into the wall. As he was stuck, dazed, Harmonia ran up to him and bucked him through the wall, causing pain to shoot through her hooves. King Stonebreaker emerged from the rubble, again, completely unharmed. He stalked up to them and bucked Harmonia right in the face, throwing her across the room again, and through a wall. She lied there, dazed, waiting for the king to come through the smoke. He did, and he lifted up a hoof to crush them where they lay. All of a sudden, all the creatures that Harmonia had ever known filled her mind, and she knew that all of them were hoping that she could bring an end to all the chaos. That she could survive. Rage filled every corner of Harmonia's mind, removing the limits she had unconsciously kept upon her abilities, subconsciously fearing what she could do. As the king's hoof descended, Harmonia lashed out at it. As she struck, the entire statue shuddered, and the king was thrown across the room. No longer registering pain, Harmonia climbed out of the rubble and walked over to King Stonebreaker. His hoof had been shattered, and the rest of his body was riddled with cracks, although they were slowly disappearing. The king rose back up and attempted to strike Harmonia again, which she blocked. She then lashed out, hitting him directly in the chest, shattering it. King Stonebreaker stumbled backward, clutching at the gaping hole in his chest. Harmonia struck again, this time in his face, then followed it up with a massive blast of magic. His entire body crumbled and the magic kept going, shattering part of the wall behind the throne, revealing the secret passage. With the destruction of the object of her rage, Harmonia calmed down, her multiple personalities separating once again. What… what was that? Fluttershy's thoughts asked, what happened to us? None of them knew. Instead of waiting in the possibly unstable castle, Harmonia ventured through the secret passage, which widened into a long tunnel. Along the tunnel walls were paintings, ones of conflict. Every painting seemed to have the same figure in them, a mismatched creature that resembled Discord. The very first painting was old, older than anything that Harmonia had ever seen. It was painted in very precise strokes, with infinitesimally small details all across it. It had a civilization of some sort of bipedal, hairless ape, with the Discord-like creature wreaking destruction upon it. The creature seemed to be Discord, only its body parts were different animals. A spider's left arm, a gorilla's right, a zebra's hind legs, nine fox tails, the head of one of the hairless apes, four insect wings, and short, stubby horns sticking out of its head. Moving on to the next painting, Harmonia noticed that it was less precise than the first, but no less detailed. It depicted a city of some sort of lizard-like bipedal creature. Again, a Discord-like creature was attacking it, only this time, it had the lizards' head, one wing that seemed to be made out of light, one that was made of steel, yet resembled a dragon's. It had no legs, and instead had a single limb that ended in a wheel. It's arms were metal, one ending in a two-fingered claw, the other in a cylinder. Again and again, the paintings showed civilizations being destroyed by a creature that was made up of many creatures from the same time. As the paintings kept going, the amount of civilizations per painting was slowly growing, and they seemed to be following a pattern of there being a group of technology focused ones, then a group of magically focused ones, then technologically, then magically, and so on. The level of technological or magical advancement seemed to be slowly decreasing, as well. Hundreds, no, thousands of paintings lined the walls, showing a historical record going back more than billions of years. If each civilization had developed in the same amount of time Equestrian civilization had, and they no doubt had taken longer, due to their advancement, then this cave must be older than their planet is suspected to be. After a while, the paintings seemed less and less detailed, eventually deteriorating into what looked like cave paintings. Harmonia began to sprint down the long cave. After a certain point, the paintings just… stopped. there were no more. Harmonia looked at the very last painting. It was unfinished, and it depicted six ponies using the Elements of Harmony against Discord, then fusing, then fighting King Stonebreaker. The accuracy of the painting surprised her. She had expected it to be another cave painting, and only storing one frame of time. But it was just as detailed as the first few, and painted in multiple scenes. The fur on the back of her neck stood up, and she turned around, but there was no one. The entire passage was empty. There was no one who could have drawn the paintings, and especially not captured such detail in the battle with King Stonebreaker, not after only a few minutes. Harmonia sprinted toward the exit of the tunnel, the creepy feeling of being watched following her. However, there was no where to watch from. The entire tunnel was straight and lit, with no dark areas. There were no holes in the walls, and there were no alcoves to hide in. Continuing her mad dash, Harmonia reached the end of the tunnel, and heard a loud roar behind her. King Stonebreaker had survived, and he was angry. With his occasional "encouragements" from behind, the alicorn managed to make it out of the mountain range and onto the low plain that stretched out before them. Taking one last glance behind them, and seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Harmonia sprinted out onto the plain. King Stonebreaker watched the alicorn go, angry that he could not pursue them. He retreated to his throne, and waited for his master, the one who had freed him from his stone prison, to return. The king knew that his master would be displeased that the alicorn had seen the past-paintings. Whatever his punishment would be, he would need to wait here to find out. If he didn't, it would draw his master's attention to his daughters, and he didn't want that. Despite his cruelty to other ponies, and despite their betrayal, he loved them more than himself. They were the only thing keeping him in this world. He settle back in his throne, wondering when his master would return. However long, he would wait, and wait, and wait, until the end of the world, if need be. He would wait until the sun died and the earth burned if it would save his daughters. He would wait. He would wait. === Twister! === Discord Rules Chapter 7 Twister! Several days passed, and Harmonia grew tired of the endless plains before her. The grasslands were certainly varied, and if one grew used to the strange colors, they would never be bored. However, after weeks of travel, the chaos became boring to Harmonia. It was as if… as if it were natural for them. Crossing over a large, undulating hill, Harmonia spotted a single oasis of stability. It was a town, albeit one with strangely shaped buildings, but a town nonetheless. There were several pony-shaped silhouettes wandering throughout the town, and Harmonia's eyes were drawn to them. There was something… off about the outlines. As if… as if they weren't even really ponies. Despite these ominous-sounding thoughts, Harmonia continued to approach the town. One figure seemed to notice her, and it waved. She waved back. A few other figures gathered around the first. It wasn't nearly as large as the last town's mob, not even close. As Harmonia got closer, their shapes became more defined, and Harmonia stopped in surprise. One of them was a bluish mare with a fifth leg, two horns, and a single wing. Another was made up of three colors, purple, red, and green, was androgynous, and had a mane made out of fire. The last one was a black and red alicorn stallion, with a glowing, rainbow cutie mark that seemed to be an explosion and a mane and wings made up of what seemed to be steel. He stood slightly apart from the others. The pony with the wrong amount of limbs approached Harmonia first. She spoke, "How are you? We welcome you to Twister, home to the mutants and rejects of pony, changeling, and gryphon societies. I am Vestigial Limb, and I'm the doctor here. I see to new arrivals, make sure that their mutation isn't causing any problems. Would you like me to examine you?" Harmonia simply stared, not comprehending for a moment. After a second, she registered what Vestigial had said, and replied with a negative. "No? Well, I hope that's because you don't have any problems, and not because you are too shy! Remember, I'm friendly, and these extra limbs aren't going to hurt you at all! Anyway, this is Various Chlorides, whose name I'm not too sure about," she gestured to the androgynous pony with the burning mane, "and Author's Downfall!" she pointed at the other alicorn. She then leaned in to whisper into Harmonia's ear, "He says that he isn't a writer, but I know better than to be fooled by that. Names never lie!" Various Chlorides simply stared emotionlessly in Harmonia's general direction, not giving away if they have even noticed her. Author's Downfall glared at Vestigial, apparently able to hear a whisper from a larger distance than most ponies. "And so that's introductions! Now, why don't you tell us about yourself? You can start with your name, previous appearance, relationship to Discord, new powers, old powers, family, friends, previous address, previous identity, previous occupation, and previous knowledge of history!" Vestigial listed all of that without taking a breath. She then pulled out a clipboard, and pencil and began scribbling things down. "Uh… our, er, my name is Harmonia. I previously used to be six ponies, but we were fused together by Discord. Um… as far as I can tell, we, uh, I have the same abilities as other alicorns, like Celestia and Luna. Uh…" Harmonia began before being quickly cut off by Vestigial. "No, no, no! Why!? Why is this happening!? You can't be a creation of Discord! You simply can't! You aren't chaotic enough!" She cried. Harmonia just sighed and said, "If he is chaos, then why would everything he does be absolutely chaotic? His biggest trait is his unpredictability, meaning that if there are standards for his chaos, then he would be betraying himself. Meaning, chaos has no standards, and therefore, you cannot judge me based on standards that you imposed on a system that you have no understanding of." As soon as she realized what she said, Harmonia clamped a hoof over her mouth. What had she just said? Vestigial and Author simply gaped at her, Author too surprised to keep himself looking irritated. Various didn't react at all, making Harmonia wonder if he was even paying attention. Vestigial pulled herself together quickly, turning to Various and saying, "Well, that was unexpected. But, is she authorized access?" Various's expression didn't alter, but he said, "Authorization for entering location designated: "Twister" granted," he turned to Harmonia, his movements slightly jerky, "You are now permitted inside the town. However, you will be observed for the next three days, or until you leave. You will be observed by Author's Downfall. Please comply, or we will use force." Vestigial awkwardly grinned at Harmonia, "Well, these days everything is dangerous. We can't just trust you right off the bat, you understand. We need to make sure you're safe to let into town." Author's Downfall finally pulled himself together and nodded once. He folded his metallic wings around himself, before disappearing in a flash of light, and reappearing on a nearby rooftop. He then closed his eyes, and turned invisible. Harmonia had wry grin, "You know, I wasn't even going to go inside the town, right? I was just passing by, when you stopped me. Look, I was even heading straight past the town," she pointed in the direction that she had been heading in. It passed by the town without entering it. It didn't even come close to the town. "I'm really heading for something much, much farther ahead." Vestigial just stopped in shock. Her head turned toward Harmonia, "Y-you didn't want to go in? Then… what? How? Since when does a mutant not want to stay here!?" She just clapped her hooves over her eyes and laid on the ground. "Well, I'll be off, then!" Harmonia cheerfully cried, before walking away with a smirk on her face. Then she slapped herself. She was causing chaos. That was the opposite of what she was supposed to be doing. But, if chaos really is the enemy, then why does it feel so right? "Oh, come on!" Ahead of Harmonia lay the Shattered Jungle. Above it, stone clouds zoomed around, knocking everything out of the sky. She had been planning on flying over most of the jungle, but her plans were apparently canceled. She looked around. The jungle really was as big as the old pony had made it out to be. It stretched from horizon to horizon, with no apparent end in sight. The plants that stood near the edge of the treeline seemed to be normal plants, but as you went farther in, they became weirder and weirder. So, Harmonia needed to pass through a massive jungle, with some sort of ancient guardian inside, and somehow make it to the other side without dying. Oh, and she needed to do it as fast as possible, so as to minimize damage to the rest of the world. Well, just another day in the life of a newborn alicorn, now isn't it? "Hmm… she is entering the jungle. Just as I planned," Discord the Puppetmaster, otherwise known as the True Chaos, muttered under his breath. He looked down at the vines running through the jungle. They varied through the entire spectrum of colors, and came in every thickness. However, there was one constant. A thick, purplish vine that wrapped around trees and large, sleeping animals. The True Chaos put one claw on the vine. It began to wrap itself around him. He quickly quelled its desire to devour him, and focused on the vine. The vine unwrapped itself from several nearby trees and animals, shrinking into the jungle. The True Chaos admired his handiwork for a moment, before disappearing and leaving the jungle entirely. === The Jungle === Discord Rules Chapter 8 The Jungle "What is with this place?" Harmonia asked, after stepping on a vine that squealed at her for the twelfth time. That vine wasn't the only weird kind. There were some that breathed fire at her, some that died the instant she touched them, some that wrapped around her, and some that just disappeared. "Didn't that guy say that Discord couldn't influence this place?" she wondered aloud, "Is this really how this place is normally?" Several creatures wandered around in the distance, and Harmonia decided not to approach them. The plants were bad enough. "Speaking of plants…" Harmonia muttered. Before her was a massive clearing, filled with a tangled mess of a purplish vine, with a single massive bud in the center. The vine hadn't been anywhere else in the forest, but it was overgrown in this one spot. "This seems suspicious," Harmonia said to herself. In the instant she said that, the bud in the center opened up, and she felt her hooves leave the ground. She looked around, and saw that she wasn't being held up by anything. Instead, she was being sucked in. She immediately began flapping in the opposite direction. Vines began to reach for her, and she shot bolts of magic at them, ripping them to pieces. The vines began to regenerate, and continued reaching for Harmonia. She performed a series of complex evasive maneuvers and flew directly at the plant's center. Vines piled up further and further, blocking any path directly to it. Harmonia had to settle for ripping her way through a wall of vines that regenerated at almost the same rate at which they were destroyed. Vines grabbed her back legs, and pulled her out of range of the main body. She continued firing indiscriminately, hoping to hit something vital. More vines wrapped around her, eventually cocooning her in an ever-growing mass of plant matter. Small cracks in the cocoon allowed Harmonia to see out. She saw the vines extending out of the small clearing and ripping up trees, smashing animals, and generally killing everything it could. Nothing could put up much of a resistance to it. Anger sparked in Harmonia's mind. These were the creatures she was here to protect. They weren't allowed to die. She released a burst of pure magic, decimating the shell of vines around her and allowing her to escape. The plant began to reach for her again, intent on capturing her alive while killing everything else. This, more than anything else, angered her. Why should she be the one to watch everything die? What made her so special, that she needed to be tortured like that? Her anger burned hot in her chest, then moved through her head and into her horn. A white and black flame burst out of the tip of her horn, destroying most of the plant, while leaving the other flora and fauna unharmed. Immediately, the vines grew back and began attacking again. Harmonia fought back, but even her anger could not sustain her long enough to prevent the vines from eventually grabbing onto her and imprisoning her. She eventually ran out of energy to power her magic, and collapsed, exhausted. The vines shifted, and one side of the cocoon opened. It revealed a large, eye-shaped object, that pulsed in all colors of the rainbow. The core of the plant glared directly at her. Harmonia summoned up all of her energy to slowly shift herself closer to the core. It stared at her, clearly believing that she could no longer fight. She would use that to her advantage. Once she was close to the core, Harmonia raised her head. The core glared directly into her eyes, a bit of confusion in it, wondering what she was trying to accomplish. She lowered her head… and rammed her horn straight through the core, destroying it instantly. The vines around her turned grey and crumbled, allowing her to fall lightly to the ground. All around her, the plant was dying, and the jungle was being liberated. Plants and animals rose up out of the ashes left behind when the plant died, and continued with their business. Harmonia was not so fortunate. Instead, she collapsed and was instantly asleep. "You're the True Chaos? That isn't even funny," Discord said, "I am chaos incarnate. There's no one else." ""You thought you were chaos incarnate," said the True Chaos, "In reality, all you are is one of my pawns." His voice was such that anything that heard it couldn't help but want to believe everything he said. Even Discord. "No! That isn't true!" Discord said. "Believe it or not, it is true. You two know," said the True Chaos, nodding toward the two Princesses. Luna and Celestia looked at each other, then nodded. Celestia stepped forward, "After our becoming alicorns, chaos seemed to become a more aggressive force, as if it was becoming more desperate. I suppose that was him," she nodded at Discord, "doing whatever he wanted." The True Chaos nodded, "Yes, yes, it was. You see, everything must be balanced, or everything will fall apart. And I don't want everything to fall apart, so I did my best to balance everything. However, when you two came along, you began to push toward order. I couldn't allow that to happen, so I cut off a piece of myself to balance against you two. The stupid piece, I might add." He glared directly at Discord, who glared right back. "You two were supposed to help me keep balance. However, you could not see the benefit in chaos, and you rejected that position to create order," he continued. Luna looked visibly pained at this, as if she regretted making that decision. Celestia however, stepped even farther forward, and said, "Of course! Chaos is evil! It does nothing but cause harm to living things!" The True Chaos simply sighed, "Chaos is life. Without chaos nothing could live. It is order that death belongs to." Celestia stepped back in shock. "In fact, what you saw Discord here create during his time in Equestria was simply another kind of order, albeit a strange one. The chaos was during the change to his order, not the actual presence of his order." "Wh-how can you call what he does order!? Order is when things make sense!" Celestia cried. "For once, I have to agree with Celestia here. I am not an orderly being! I am a chaotic one! I am the Spirit of Chaos!" Discord said. "It was order because things repeated. The repetition was not obvious, but if you looked close enough, you could see it. The repetition was the changes. It changed in a regular manner. If Discord was an actual 'spirit of chaos', he would be more subtle. To live is to cause chaos," the True Chaos turned to Discord, "And you're just preventing that." "B-but I–" "No buts! I have waited long enough, and now a new candidate for my place has appeared. I will take over your role to cause as much chaos as possible, and the new candidate will prevent either order or chaos gaining too much on the other." Celestia looked as if she realized something. "And who w-would that candidate be?" She looked like she was afraid of what the answer might be. The True Chaos glanced at her and grinned, "You know who. I shouldn't need to answer that." Celestia asked, "Just as a confirmation, who is it?" The True Chaos's grin grew even wider. "Why, it's your student and her friends, of course." === Pine Tree Tower === Discord Rules Chapter 8 Pine Tree Tower "That's it!" Harmonia shouted. Her voice was full of relief. It was justified, as the end of her long, tiring journey was in sight. A lone pine tree stood on the horizon, with a large rock beside it, a little shorter than the tree. After walking for a while, Harmonia realized that the rock was actually a massive mountain. The 'tree' beside it was actually thousands of feet taller. The few clouds in the sky barely reached the tree's middle. The millions of 'leaves' on the tree were, as the old pony had said, individual rooms. After several days of walking, Harmonia finally reached the base of the tree. It towered above her, reaching far, far into the sky. Each room was balanced precariously on branches less than half their width. She hoped they wouldn't fall while she was in them. Harmonia walked into the tower's base. Inside was a lift and a staircase. Harmonia stepped on the lift and inspected the massive number of buttons. There were thousands. She just looked and looked until she found one labeled "Harmonic Objects Floor". She pushed it and the lift roared up the hollow center of the tree. It stopped quickly, letting her out on a floor labeled "Dark Objects Floor A1a". She stepped out into the massive labyrinth of rooms and branches. The first thing she saw was a pedestal in a room labeled "The Alicorn Amulet". On the pedestal was the amulet itself. A short description was written on a plaque on the pedestal. Harmonia felt an immense temptation to take the amulet. After all she was an alicorn. Sure, that old guy had told her not to, but why should she care? She was an alicorn, a god, in essence. Why should she listen to some old geezer–No. We've seen what that amulet can do, haven't we? We can't take it. Not after he warned us. But that's the Alicorn Amulet! It's ours by right! And just imagine, all that power… Harmonia began to salivate, then shook herself. Her minds needed to agree on one thing, and one thing soon. After a short debate, the minds in favor of continuing on without the amulet argued the other side into submission. Harmonia turned and reentered the lift, which took off again without any prompting. It stopped again on "Dark Objects Floor D7z". Harmonia took one look outside, saw a crown labeled "The Shadow Crown", and got back on the lift, which kept going up. On "Protective Objects Floor F9x6H5", and Harmonia exited the lift one more time. Outside the lift were many rooms with various suits of armor, weapons, rings, crowns, and other, unidentifiable objects. Each was labeled with an description of its enchantment: complete protection, fire protection, poison immunity, the ability to breathe underwater, and so on and so forth. Most of the objects had negative effects too, the most common being "drives the user insane after repeated use". Harmonia entered the lift for, hopefully, the final time. After another short ride up into the heights of the tree, the lift stopped on "Harmonic Objects Floor". It seemed that Harmonic Objects were in short supply. And indeed they were. Half of the rooms on the floor were empty, and the rest appeared damaged or aged. None appeared to contain anything with any great amount of power. Eventually, Harmonia arrived at a single preserved room on the floor. She immediately knew what it was. She entered the room, and saw, at the other end, her goal. What she had gone on her long journey for. It was the Crown of Harmony. Under the Crown was a secondary plaque, which said, "If you be pure of heart and broken of mind, then take this crown, and begin your rule most kind." The essence was that it was perfect for Harmonia. After some trepidation at putting an incredibly powerful and ancient artifact on her head, she lifted it with telekinesis, and put it on her head. An extremely bright light poured out of her eyes and everything went black. "No…" Celestia whispered, "You can't have…" "I'm afraid I have, my dear Celestia," said the True Chaos, smirking. "No! She wouldn't… they wouldn't…" Celestia trailed off. "I believe they already have. You see, Celestia, time is shortened here. It is much, much shorter. As in, days pass on the outside for every minute," the True Chaos revealed, "So, in the time of this conversation, your student traveled for more than a month, and made it to the Pine Tree Tower." "N-n…" Celestia fell to the floor in despair. Luna looked like she was going to follow. Discord stepped forward, "I will not–" The True Chaos rounded on him, "You will not what? Allow this? I'm in charge here, and that's how it's going to remain. I am immensely more powerful than all three of you! I can feel it! Balance is already restoring itself, chaos and order are equalizing!" "B-but I–" "I already told you! No buts! No excuses! I am the most powerful here, and that will remain the way things are until my succesor arrives. Then even I'll have to do what she says. And I know she'll do her best to restore harmony." "Wh-what? A-are you switching to our side?" Luna asked, almost fearful, "Harmony is an orderly thing, isn't it?" The True Chaos merely smirked at her, "Actually, dear Luna, harmony is a balance between chaos and order. It is the state I've always tried to reach for, and it is so often confused with order." "But harmony is order! That is how our parents taught us!" Celestia seemed to have regained her ability to speak. "No, just think about it. Laughter is chaos. The requirements for being a bearer for the Element of Laughter are chaotic. Honesty causes chaos. Loyalty can cause chaos in whoever bears it. Generosity can create conflict between how much the bearer needs and how much they can give away. Kindness means being kind to everyone, even if that causes even more conflict. And I shouldn't need to explain Magic," the True Chaos explained, "Your student should be enough of an example." "Twilight is–" Celestia began. "Here," interrupted Luna. Celestia turned to her sister and began to ask "Wh–" when a massive light impacted the ground right next to her and knocked everyone over. === Harmonia Proelio === Discord Rules Chapter 10 Harmonia Proelio After the dust cleared, and their eyes adjusted to the intense light, the four gods looked up at what had knocked them over. It was a massive alicorn, white body, with a black mane, eyes, and tail. Her cutie mark was that of a solid grey orb. "Wh-who are you?" asked Celestia, dreading the answer she knew was coming. "My name is Harmonia Proelio," said the new goddess, "I was created from a fusion of six ponies. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkamena Diane Pie, Rarity Belle, and Fluttershy." "And what is your function?" asked the True Chaos, looking confident. "As a goddess, I rule over the opposites of friendship and battle. I am the true upholder of balance between order and chaos," said Harmonia Proelio, "and I begin my function now." Her horn glowed a dark grey, and the area around them dissolved, leaving them standing in the Canterlot throne room. Outside, everything changed back to its normal state. Discord began to disintegrate. His pained howls lasted mere seconds before he was permanently silenced. Celestia looked shocked, "Y-you k-kil–" Harmonia cut her off. "He did not belong. He was unecessary. And so, he was removed." Her gaze travelled to Celestia. "Death is orderly. This is what you wanted, is it not?" "N-no…" Celestia whimpered, reduced to something less than a worm under Harmonia's glare. She knew that Harmonia cared less about her than she cared about the worm. "Harmony will be upheld, and everything will be in balance. At all costs." Harmonia's expression had not changed once since her arrival. The True Chaos's smirk had changed to a nervous grin. It was clear that not everything was going according to plan. Harmonia turned to him, "You, you are chaos. You will be removed from the presence of order, in order to preserve balance." Her horn glowed, and the True Chaos disappeared. She turned toward Celestia and Luna. "You two are too well-established to be moved without causing chaos. I will leave you be." She stalked out of the room and flew off. Years passed, and Harmonia would appear time to time, either to stop fights or start them. However, whenever a powerful evil force appeared, Harmonia would always stop it right away. During those times, Celestia would always try to convince her former subject(s?) that they should join forces. Every time, she was refused. One day, Harmonia disappeared. Rumors abounded that she had left for somewhere else, to attempt to balance the entire planet, one country at a time. Celestia waits for her return to this day. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: One Last Day author: LDSocrates tags: genre:Dark, genre:Romance, genre:Sad

=== Beginning of the End === The streets of Upper Canterlot were mostly quiet that evening. The sky was as clear as the city was, and the majority of any noise came from the nearby palace as Princess Luna held her birthday celebration. But that was the surface. Below any basement, deep in the caverns of Mount Canterlot, in a certain tunnel, in a certain enclave, muffled cries of a mare that had the misfortune to meet a certain criteria could be heard. The mare was bound and gagged in the middle of a summoning circle of fresh blood. The coppery taste filled her nostrils as she tried to scream, tried to plead, tried to beg. The figures around her had little interest in what she thought, however. They were equines, like herself, though their exact strain and faces were obscured by crimson red cloaks and bodies wrapped in gauze. She didn't know how many there were, but that was far from the first thing on her mind at that moment. The first thing on her mind was the unicorn slowly approaching her with a knife in his or her magical grip. Each step rang in her ears like a clap of thunder. Each breath felt harder and harder to draw in as her chest seized up in terror. The cloaked stranger came to a halt just outside the circle, but the knife continued on, making a dive right for her throat. She screwed her eyes shut and let loose the loudest scream she could, not expecting to open them or hear her own voice ever again. To her great surprise, she didn't feel the cold of steel slice through her flesh or the taste of blood as she drowned in it. She cautiously opened her eyes to see that the knife had been stopped a hairsbreadth away from her throat by a black hand that had arisen out of the floor before her. "That's enough, ladies and gentlecolts, that's enough," a smooth, distinctly male voice echoed around the room from right next to her ear. "You have my attention." Several gasps were audible from around the room as the hand extended to show and arm, then a shoulder, then much more as the owner seemingly pulled itsself up from the ground. It looked like a bipedal shadow, though she couldn't see much from her vantage point on the cold floor. "My lord," the pony who had just tried to kill her gasped out, dropping into a bow. The voice was definitely female. "The Children of Silence humbly welcome you to the world of Equis." "I know you do," the entity purred. "I quite like the setup you've got here. Highborn unicorn virgin hogtied like a pig, magic candles that glow with black light… you've really got this whole cult thing down." "It is all as was instructed to us by the Codex of Unspoken Truth, your lordship," the apparent leader of the cult said with pride. "Ah, yes, that old thing," the entity said with disinterest. "Tell me, mortal, do you know what exactly the unspoken truth is?" "My lord?" she said, confused. "The unspoken truth is that you didn't have to do any of this shit. I am omnipresent. I could have shown up at any time," the thing explained with a hint of amusement. "B-but why did you have us do all of this, then?" the leader sputtered. "Why have us kidnap a highborn mare? Why tell us to sacrifice her in your name on this specific day on this specific year if you were only going to stop us?" A cackle rang throughout the cavern, a manic laugh that could only be likened to a fire, taking all joy nearby and destroying it to fuel itself. "To see if you would do it, of course! It was all just one of my little games, mortal." "Yes. Yes, of course. One of your games," the leader said, though it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself. "And now that you've won my game," the entity purred, "you all want your reward, do you not?" "Yes, my lord," she said excitedly, "we have longed for the day of your coming, and we are prepared to receive your blessing!" It chuckled darkly. "I'm glad you're at least enthusiastic about your prize. For winning my game of testing to see if you would tie up and murder a young mare who has yet to experience the glory of sex because an old book told you to, I reward you with… a painless death by atomization." Not another word was spoken before all the figures in the young mare's field of vision collapsed. Their gauze and cloaks just dropped to the floor, lifeless and without owners in newly formed piles of dust. "Mortals can be such idiots," it chuckled to itself again. "Worshipping an elder god never works out for the worshipper. One would think that they would understand that after a while." The young mare suddenly found herself face-to-face with the thing, though that wasn't entirely accurate. It had no face, just a head-shaped empty void where one should have been. "Now, as for you," it cooed. "Oh, I'm somewhat disappointed in their choice of sacrifice. Such a luxurious white coat, such a flowing, golden mane…" She felt its cold, lifeless hands comb through her mane, making her seize up and whimper. "It would have been such a shame if they made you a corpse on my account." Her gag suddenly fell from her mouth and her bonds fell away. She looked over herself in shock to see that they had been evenly split in two by some unknown force. "Get going," the thing said encouragingly. "Get going and… give the surface a message." Its voice suddenly turned coldly menacing as it whispered in her ear, "The end is coming, and the game has just begun." Terror washed over her once again as she scrambled to her feet and galloped away as the thing's terrible laughter rang in her ears, the sound threatening to follow her to her grave. Twilight surveyed the ballroom for the thirty-sixth time that evening - she briefly contemplated whether keeping count of that was weird before getting back to the task at hoof. Nopony suspicious looking yet; just the usual mix of nobles, businesscolts, socialites, and other assorted members of the bourgeoisie talking over wine but staying sober enough not to make foals of themselves. The band's brand of classical music rang throughout the large chamber – Octavia was playing especially beautifully that night. Twilight would have to compliment her performance after the party was over. If it ended well, anyway. The young unicorn's eyes found their way once again to the table where her friends were sitting. They were much more well-behaved than they had been at the Gala, thank Celestia, and they all sat together at a table toward the center of the room. So far they seemed to be following her instructions to stay sober, which she was thankful for. They all seemed to be laughing and having fun; even Fluttershy seemed to be giggling her tail off. All except Pinkie Pie, whose laughter was forced at best. Twilight's brows furrowed in worry. Pinkie was still twitchy and still casting her gaze this way and that, as if anypony in the room could be a changeling ready to sink their fangs into her neck. What worried her most is that could very well be the case, for all she knew. "Why don't you go join them?" Twilight snapped from her thoughts and looked over to Celestia, who she was sitting next to at the head of the ballroom along with Luna. Luna was busy accepting congratulations for her birthday from various partygoers at that moment, though. "Princess?" "You've done everything you can," she assured. "You and all your friends are wearing the Elements of Harmony and the guards have been put on high alert; go and enjoy yourself. If there truly is an impending disaster that the Elements can take care of, you're all more than ready for it this time." Twilight sighed and shook her head. "I don't know, Princess. Pinkie's Pinkie Sense has been going haywire all day, and she pinkie swears that something big is going to happen tonight. If it's so bad that Pinkie Pie is afraid…" Everypony should be scared for their lives. That's what she wanted to say, at least, but she didn't want to come across as overly dramatic. Hyperbole would not help her case, even if it felt accurate. Celestia leaned down and nuzzled their muzzles together. "I'll keep a special eye on all the guests in your place. Now go and have fun with your friends. That's an order." Twilight couldn't help but smile and nuzzle back. "Of course, Princess. Thank you." She got back on all fours and began trotting through the crowd over to her friend's table, getting several compliments for her tiara from various ponies. She gave token thanks to each of them but didn't stay to chat. It wasn't long before she had arrived at her destination, a sixth seat empty and reserved just for her between Pinkie Pie and Rarity. "How's everypony doing?" she asked as she took her seat. "Doin' just fine, Twilight," Applejack replied. "Not too fond of the hoity toity folks, food, and drink, but Ah guess it ain't so bad." Rarity let out a small huff. "I suppose 'ain't so bad' is an improvement over your outright disdain of high culture at the Gala last year." Rainbow Dash let out a snort. "And who was it that shook cake all over a prince at the Gala? Pretty sure it wasn't AJ." "He wasn't part of high culture, he was on a high horse, and I feel perfectly justified in kicking him off of it," Rarity said, closing her eyes and sticking her nose up like she tended to do when getting defensive. "I personally don't mind the food or drink," Fluttershy piped up with a content smile. "Don't get me wrong, Angel is a good cook, but nothing can compare to professionals." She and Rarity exchanged smiles that said "Glad somepony around here has taste," and "Why, thank you." "Forget the food, did you see the Wonderbolts' performance earlier?" Rainbow Dash said, immediately brightening up as if the mere thought of them made life worth living. "It was so awesome!" "It was darn impressive," Applejack admitted. Rainbow Dash paused for a second before looking hopefully at Twilight. "Are you sure I can't go and talk to them? Just for a little bit?" Twilight sighed and shook her head. "No, for the last time. We have to be in sight of each other at all times so that we're ready when-" "Ready when what?" Rainbow Dash cut in. "We don't even know if whatever emergency is going to come up is something we can do anything about!" "It's better to be safe than sorry, Rainbow Dash," Rarity scolded. "I admit that being confined to this table is a bit draconian, but we've got food and friends right here, and that should be enough for tonight." "Said the mare who earlier was whining about how Fancy Pants was here and tried to sneak away," Dash deadpanned. Rarity giggled nervously. "Now now, Rainbow Dash, we're supposed to be the Elements of Harmony, not the Elements of Snide Remarks," she deflected. "Or the Elements of Denial," Rainbow Dash shot back. "Or the Elements of Senseless Bickerin'," Applejack cut in, looking at the high-class unicorn and athletic pegasus in turn, just daring them to continue fighting. Twilight gave her a little look of thanks, and Applejack returned by tipping her hat. "Look, I'm sorry girls," Twilight sighed, "but Pinkie Pie's Pinkie Sense is never wrong, as I learned the hard way. Whatever happens, we need to be here in case the Elements of Harmony can fix it or, hopefully, prevent it." "I-I don't think that's going to be enough, Twi," Pinkie Pie piped up nervously. Twilight looked over at the pink pony, and she looked like a nervous wreck. She was hanging onto her chair with her forelegs to keep from twitching right out of it. "This is bad. Very, very, very bad. Like, all sugar in the world being stolen bad." "You look like you downed a whole bucket of the stuff before you came here," Applejack said, looking at her fellow earth pony worriedly. "Twilight, Ah think it might be a good idea to take Pinkie Pie home. Ah'm beginnin' to think this isn't her Pinkie Sense." "I'm not sick!" Pinkie Pie protested, throwing her forelegs up and slamming them on the table, drawing a few glances from nearby patrons. "I know what I'm feeling right now is my Pinkie Sense and we are in for a doozy!" "Calm down, calm down; it's almost midnight. If anything's going to go wrong, there's not much time left for it to happen before the party is over," Twilight tried to assure the shaken Pinkie Pie. She knew it was in vain, but she should at least make the attempt. "I'm sure everything will be fine," Fluttershy joined in, reaching over and putting her hoof atop Pinkie's. "Nightmare Moon is gone and Discord is back in stone." "Yeah, if we could deal with them, we can deal with anyone!" Rainbow Dash said, pumping her hoof up into the air before placing it on top of Fluttershy's. "We can deal with anything as long as we've got each other, right?" Rarity said with a smile, putting her slipper-clad hoof atop the others. "Darn tootin'! Whatever's coming, we'll send it packin', just like we always do," Applejack said, putting her hoof in as well. Twilight was tempted to remind them that those were both very, very narrow victories that could have easily gone the other way, but she didn't want to ruin the sentiment. She just joined her hoof with all the others, and with a forced smile that hid how worried she was said, "Right. We can handle anything that the world can throw at us." Pinkie Pie, as shaky and twitchy as she was, cracked the first smile she had that entire day. It was a shadow of her normal huge face-eating grins, but it was something. She simply nodded in agreement and pulled the two ponies next to her – Twilight and Applejack – into a tight hug. Though a bit taken aback, the two shared a glance and pulled the pony next to them into it until all six of them were in a chain of hugs. For just a few moments, Twilight's worries dissipated. She had her friends; all was right with the world. Nightwatch repressed a sigh as he glanced at the clock. Still a half hour until his shift was up. His post had been just as boring as he'd expected it to be. Not that normal guard duty was particularly thrilling, but just saying "Name?" and checking the guest list before letting them onto the castle grounds over and over again was somehow just more grating. It was no job for a guard. He had no idea why they'd been put on high alert, but he was fairly sure that the usual fare of unicorn nobles couldn't take on two alicorns. His boredom was momentarily lifted when he saw an… unusual pony trot up to him. The pony was wrapped head to hoof in gauze. From what the guard could see, anyway. He had a black cloak draped over him with a very low cowl. The poor pony's tail and mane also seemed to be completely missing. "Sorry about the odd attire," the pony apologized as he walked up to the guard. His voice was very smooth, and his tone contrite and somewhat embarrassed. "I had a disagreement with one of my fire spells a week ago, and only just got out of the hospital. I didn't want to burden the eyes of everyone here with my scarred visage; quite frankly my coat looks like melted wax." Nightwatch couldn't help but lower his ears a bit in sympathy. "Very sorry to hear sir, but I need your name before you can enter." The strange pony tilted his head. "Name? Why would you need that? Is there a list?" Nightwatch opened his mouth to respond, but suddenly found his mind to be totally blank. Was there a list? He looked down at the podium in front of him. There was no list there to speak of. "I… guess there isn't." "I thought so," the mysterious colt said with an odd touch of smugness. "I was told that this was a public function, so I can't imagine why you'd need my name." "Sorry sir, my mistake," Nightwatch said with a bow. "Go right inside, and enjoy your night." The colt nodded and said back, "Enjoy the rest of your life." Nightwatch couldn't help but blink at the odd parting words as the strange pony trotted into the castle grounds, but he thought nothing of it. After their tender moment of pure schmaltz, the six friends had begun enjoying the party a lot more as they just talked. Much to Twilight's relief, Pinkie Pie had once again started smiling and giggling, though she was still twitching and spasming here and there. Even then, she'd mostly just taken to listening to the others talk. "And I said, 'Dear, I'm sure you're a very nice colt, but I am so out of your league that I didn't even know your league existed until now,'" Rarity said, finishing her story. "That was a bit mean, don't you think, Rarity?" Fluttershy asked. "Well, it was true!" Rarity defended. "I'm quickly making my way through the fashion world straight into the ranks of the elite; I just can't be seen dating anypony." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. "You really won't settle for anything less than getting in Fancy Pant's pants, will you?" From how red Rarity's face went, it looked like all the blood in her body had been shot into her cheeks with a cannon. "I-I would do no such thing! He's a married colt!" Rainbow Dash burst out laughing and started flapping her wings, presumably at how flustered the unicorn was. "So, who exactly would you want yourself seen with, Rarity?" Applejack cut in, trying to defuse an argument. "Well…" Rarity paused and brought a hoof to her chin, her blush slowly fading. "I suppose somepony with flair and style, but wasn't high and mighty about it at all. I've seen far too many ponies in the Canterlot fashion scene like that. The less they're aware of how much poise and grace they have, the better. Oh, and can't forget being kind, loving, a gentlecolt, not afraid to do some nice things for me unlike a certain prince I could mention… things like that." She blinked and asked back, "What about you, Applejack?" "Me?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow and putting a hoof to her chest. "Ah never really thought about it. Ah guess somepony Ah could come home to after a long day workin' the farm and just relax with." "Not somepony that could work the farm with you?" Rainbow Dash asked, her giggle fit dying down. "Well, yeah, if the workload got too much Ah'd expect them to come and help a bit, but you know how the old saying goes: never mix business with pleasure," Applejack recited. "Ah guess Ah just want my love life and my work life as far away from each other as possible." She smirked a bit and asked, "And you, Dashie?" Rainbow Dash shrugged. "I haven't thought much about it either, but I guess somepony who could keep up with me." She paused and grew a smirk of her own. "I've got a lot of energy to vent, and I'm not gonna stop for anypony who couldn't handle it." Fluttershy quickly grew a blush to rival the one Rarity had. "Says the pegasus who takes four naps a day," Twilight teased. Rainbow Dash snorted. "Yeah, whatever. What about you, Miss Star Student?" Twilight opened her mouth to respond and paused. "I… don't really know. I suppose somepony who I could talk to who would understand me." "We understand you, Twilight," Rarity said. "Most a' the time," Applejack corrected. "I know, I know, that's a very broad requirement," Twilight admitted. "I just really don't know what I want." She paused a few seconds more before adding, "I guess somepony I could look up to. Somepony I could trust never to hurt me. Somepony more dependable than any pony I know." Rarity sighed wistfully. "Don't we all, dear?" Rainbow Dash lightly elbowed Fluttershy. "What about you, Fluttershy? What kind of colt do you want?" Fluttershy could have easily been mistaken for a deer in headlights at that moment. "Uh, well, um… I guess somepony who's… nice?" She moaned a bit. "I don't really know. Just… well, not really sure it has to be a colt…" Rainbow Dash's eyes just about fell out of her head. "Wow, Fluttershy, I never pegged you as a, well, um…" She cleared her throat, refusing to speak the homophobic slur that was on everypony's mind. "Filly fooler, I know," Fluttershy said, her face completely red. "Don't really see why everypony has to pick either colts or mares; both can be very nice." "Guess I never really thought about it that way," Rainbow Dash said, rubbing the back of her head nervously. Twilight could detect a hint of a blush on her blue face, but she decided not to comment. "Personally I don't think I'd mind a mare either." Rarity huffed. "At this point, I'm not sure there's a dependable stallion left in Equestria." "No mare ever really caught my eye, but then again, no colt really has either," Applejack said with a shrug. Twilight smiled over at the blushing pegasus. "We're your friends, Fluttershy. Of course we aren't going to judge you for who you date." Fluttershy gave an appreciative smile back, though her blush didn't lessen. "What about you, Twi?" Rainbow Dash asked with a smirk. "You ever find your stable door swinging that way?" Twilight could feel a light touch of heat find her face. "I've never really thought much about love before, let alone dating, so I can't really say… what about you, Rainbow Dash?" The pegasus' smirk quickly left her face and was replaced by a very fake, very nervous smile. "I-I haven't really thought about it," she said as her face turned bright red. A wide grin spread across Applejack's face. "Oh really? Then why is your face redder than my brother's coat, RD?" "I d-don't know what you're talking about," Rainbow Dash said, her blush deepening. Applejack leaned in with an elbow on the table. "Ah reckon you have thought about it, and you have a lot." "Really, there's no use denying it, Rainbow Dash," Rarity joined in with a smug smirk. The pegasus was cornered, and she knew it. Her eyes darted between the farmpony and the fashionista before she finally threw her hooves up in surrender. "Fine, fine! If it'll get you off my plot, I admit it: I like mares. Like, way more than colts." "Aha! I knew it!" Rarity said triumphantly, pointing a hoof at Rainbow Dash. "It's not polite to point, Rarity," Fluttershy said quietly. Rarity paused and put her hoof down with a clearing of her throat, sending the yellow pegasus a silent look of thanks. "What happened to not judging ponies for who they date?" Rainbow Dash said, looking around the table. "Rainbow, we're teasin', not judgin'," Applejack snickered. "The look on your face was worth an entire season worth of zap apples." Pinkie Pie giggled manically, kicking her hind legs. "You have to admit, Dashie, it was really fu-" Pinkie Pie was abruptly cut off with a loud thud. Twilight looked over to find the pink earth pony sprawled over on the floor. Her legs floundered and kicked like beached fish. Her tail flailed and lashed like an enraged snake. Every single muscle in her body writhed as if she were being electrocuted. The look in her eyes was of pure panic as control of her body was completely wrenched from her. Tears started welling up in her eyes as she started screaming, "It's here! It's here, it's here, it's here!" Twilight could feel all the eyes in the ballroom turn in their direction, but she didn't particularly care. She wheeled around in her seat to look at the princesses, who looked like they already had things under control. Celestia and Luna both nodded at the guards as they sealed the exits. The young unicorn hopped up onto the table and scanned the crowd. Some were shouting for medical attention and gathering around Pinkie. All eyes were on Pinkie… for every pony except one. A tailless pony wrapped in bandages and with a low-cowl cloak draped over him. He was close to a door and was walking away from it, so presumably he had just entered. He should have at least noticed the door get barred behind him, but he didn't even acknowledge it. He didn't acknowledge anything. He just waded through the crowd as if it didn't even exist. It seemed Celestia had noticed the strange stallion as well. She whispered to a guard and motioned toward him. Within seconds, several guards had surrounded him. She couldn't hear what they were saying above everything else, but he didn't seem to budge. One of the guards looked angry and tried to cuff him, but as soon as he did the bandages and the cloak dropped to the ground, completely empty. "Well, bang goes the sneaky approach!" a male voice reverberated throughout the chamber. "I guess I should've done this from the beginning, but hey, what's non-life without a bit of a challenge every now and then?" A figure… 'appeared' didn't seem like the proper word to Twilight. It was more that it slithered up from the floor in the center of the room. It was a creature not even remotely like anything Twilight had ever seen. It walked on its hind legs and its forelegs just rested at its sides. Its head was round as well as its very small ears. It had no facial features to speak of. Its skin was completely black… if it could even be called skin. No, the texture wasn't right. It was like somepony had taken a shadow and given it shape, and made it as dark as the blackest abyss. And yet something was still amiss. All unicorns had the ability to feel the magic in the air at least to a subconscious extent. She felt no magic in this being. To her magical senses, it felt like a gaping wound in the very fabric of magic. "Great party, I must say," the voice said, coming from the black creature as he turned to the princesses. "Too many stuck-up asses, but hey, the music is great, the atmosphere is nice, and it's a great night out. I really must commend you on raising the moon on such a wondrous night as this, Princess Luna." He walked casually over to a table and scooped up a glass of wine, the ponies at that table scattering. "To the exiled princess come home, forgiven of her crime for nearly killing everyone on the planet a scant thousand years ago!" He tipped the glass back roughly only for the wine to phase completely through him and spill onto the floor. Twilight briefly contemplated how the creature being able to pick up the glass and yet the wine passed through him made absolutely no sense before she shook her head. "Let's go, girls! Get in formation!" She heard her friends quickly jump out of their chairs and line up behind her; even Pinkie Pie, whose seizure was over since the threat had become apparent. "Hm?" The creature lazily swung around to face the six mares. "Oh, right, you're here. I would be surprised, but I already knew that. Go ahead and use those Elements of yours; I've got time," he said with a dismissive wave of his foreleg. Twilight only smiled. "I have to warn you; the last evildoer who said that didn't last long! Let's show him what happened to him, ladies!" The room began to glow brightly as her five friends charged up their elements. She quickly felt herself levitate off the table as the raw force of magic flowed through her mortal frame. She closed her eyes, letting the magic sink in, before opening them wide and aiming all her power directly at the intruder. She saw the rainbow stream of the Elements' power connect and begin to swirl around him in a twister of color. She slowly floated back down as the torrent of magic ebbed away. She sighed and let out a soft smile. For once, a crisis was actually averted instead of ended. Twilight was about to turn around and congratulate her friends when something went… wrong. The rainbow stream wrapping itself around the intruder like a snake started to turn gray. It gradually lost its color before it turned to black. Without any warning, it slowed down and simply dissipated – and the intruder was exactly where he was, still holding his empty glass. "Bravo, ladies, very nice light show. I truly feel welcome here," he said to Twi and her friends before he started looking around and holding up his glass. "Anybody want to give me a refill? I've never gotten drunk before because I don't have any organs to process alcohol with, but hey, five-trillion, forty-seven-billion, one-hundred and two-million, seven-hundred and fifth try's the charm, right?" Twilight barely registered her jaw going slack as she fell backward on her rump. The Elements of Harmony didn't work. The Elements of Harmony didn't work! "Uh, Twilight… what're we gonna do now?" she heard Applejack ask. "Yes, dear, please tell me you have a plan B," Rarity said hopefully. "Twilight always has a plan!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "Don't you, Twilight?" Twilight shook her head. "I… I don't. I have nothing." "I knew it, I knew it, I knew it…!" Pinkie Pie muttered to herself, holding her head in her hooves. The intruder held up a foreleg in their direction as he turned back to the princesses. "Quiet, kiddies, it's time for the grown-ups to talk." "Who are you and how dare you mock us?!" Princess Luna bellowed using the traditional royal voice. She was absolutely livid – beyond livid, with her chest heaving and her wings spread. Her sister, on the other hand, looked simply angry, probably trying to keep herself under control. The intruder gave a small shrug. "Nobody." Luna's face contorted into a visage of pure rage. "We demand you tell us your name at once!" she said with a thunderous stomp of her hoof. "I just did," he responded casually. "My name is Nobody." He got down on all fours as his shape began to change. It shifted and warped until he looked very much like a pony himself. He had much thinner legs, but it was clear he was trying to mimic their body shape. He laid his head down low in a bow and said, "And excuse me, Princess, but I'll mock anybody I please. It's not like you can actually do anything about it." Luna took a step forward, but Celestia raised a foreleg and held her back. "What exactly are you, Nobody?" the white alicorn asked. "You sure you want to know? You won't like the answer." He didn't give them time to answer before saying, "Eh, I'll tell you anyway. After several thousand years of life, I would have hoped that you'd learn that the truth hurts." He let out a little sound of clearing his throat. "I am a god, your highness. I am a god far older than your world and far beyond your comprehension. I am the god of the void. I am the god of the space between stars, and the space between all things. I am the god of nothingness. I am the god of forgetfulness, and the keeper of forgotten memories. I am the essence of absence." "We have heard of no such god," Luna snorted. "And how great could you possibly be if you were? You're the god of literally nothing!" Nobody suddenly sprang with energy and dramatically pointed at Twilight. "Pop quiz: What are objects mostly made out of?" "Empty space," she said reflexively. It was a basic fundamental of physics. "Very good, Twilight Sparkle, very good," he said, clapping his hooves together and making no sound. "Somepony get this mare laid, she really needs it." Twilight had only begun to blush when he added, "AJ, if you'd be so kind to do it, I hear you're good at bucking more than trees. Actually, I know you're good at bucking more than trees due to that whole 'omniscience' thing." Both the young unicorn and the farmpony were left with red faces when the latter managed to shout, "Hey, how do you know our names?!" "Why, my dear country bumpkin, I know everypony's name," he explained as if he were talking to a foal. "I know everything about everypony." Celestia scoffed. "Nopony knows everything." Nobody wheeled around to look at the white alicorn. "Oh, really? Then shall I start with you, oh wise and immaculate Princess Celestia?" he asked as he took a step forward. "I have nothing to hide," the princess responded, her expression coldly defiant. Nobody burst out laughing and stomped his forelegs on the ground. "Oh, that's rich; I haven't heard a lie that big in a long, long time." He raised his leg as if he were wiping a tear from his eye. "You've had thoughts about courting your most faithful student before, and she's not even a hundredth of your age!" Celestia's stoic expression completely crumbled. Her face grew bright red and she spat with venom, "I have thought no such thing!" He brought his hoof up to where his mouth should be and added, "Oh, sorry for letting that slip; you were going to wait until she was a bit further from the age of consent to bring it up, weren't you?" "I was not!" the princess protested with a stomp. She looked around to find everypony staring at her, even her sister. Twilight was staring mostly past her. She couldn't have heard that right. "Oh, so you were going to bring it up tonight? Splendid!" he said with great cheer, as if he were congratulating a friend on birthing a foal. "Perfect time, being your sister's birthday and all. The weather team would have made sure it was a cloudless, romantic night, there would be plenty of booze to get her nice and tipsy with before you broke the subject to her-" "Silence!" Celestia had become a mirror of her sister a few moments ago, with her chest heaving and her wings outspread. In the meantime, though Nobody had no face to speak of, Twilight could just feel smugness exude from his very being. "Very well, enough with your secrets. How about everypony else's?" "You can't talk to the princesses like that!" a noblemare at the front of the crowd said, staring down Nobody defiantly. His head snapped around on his shoulders unnaturally to look at her. "Oh, really? I can't? Well, neither can you. Come to think of it, you can't to anyone, can you?" The noblemare opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. A strangled choking sound came out of her throat as she collapsed to the floor, her eyes going wide as she clawed at her throat. "Honey? Honey, what's wrong?" a noblecolt said as he knelt down beside her. He snapped up his head at Nobody and demanded, "What did you do to her?!" "I am the god of forgetfulness; so, I made her forget how to breathe," he said with all the emotion of a pony commenting on the weather. "I do hope she relearns how before she suffocates. Purple doesn't really match her mane." Before Twilight could really react, Applejack was already galloping up to Nobody. "You give that memory back!" she yelled before turning on her forehooves and kicking him right in the plot – only for her hooves to pass right through it. "Applejack, honey, you can't hurt nothing with something. You can't hurt nothing with anything because it's nothing," he explained as the enraged farmpony tried her hardest to hit him, failing each time. "You do not treat our subjects like this!" Luna shouted. With a nod to her sister, the two alicorns charged up their horns and fired their magic directly at Nobody's chest. "Oh, woe is me, how could I withstand the combined might of two such accomplished mages," he deadpanned as the beams of magic had no effect. "I am a gaping hole where existence should be, you fools! Nothing you can do is going to hurt me!" The two alicorn princesses stopped their magical assault, a mix of anger and the unimaginable – fear – clear on both their faces. Applejack, however, was still bucking and swinging. "Applejack, sweety, cease this foolishness at once," Nobody sighed. The cowpony, of course, paid no heed. "Not until you make her remember how to breathe again!" she shouted. "Cease this foolishness at once or I will recite exactly what your parents said when they conceived you!" he threatened. When the non-blows kept coming, he cleared his throat and said in a clearly feminine voice, "'Oh you beast, you, ride me like one of your rodeos!' Oh, wait, nevermind, she's dead!" Applejack flopped down on her rump, panting heavily as she looked over to the noblemare. She was indeed dead, her face a deep purple and her eyes bugged out of their skull as her tongue lay limply out of her mouth. The noblecolt at her side hugged her corpse and began crying, cradling her empty husk in his arms. "I could send you to join her, if you like, sir," he offered. "I know what a broken heart feels like, and I can make you stop feeling it quite quickly. Better yet, I could make you forget she existed completely. Broken heart gone!" A shiver ran down Twilight's spine; it sounded like he genuinely thought he was offering the grieving colt a kindness. The fear in the room had become permeable. The princesses were clearly afraid of this… thing, so what chance did any of them have? Twilight took a deep gulp and asked, "Why are you doing this? You could clearly kill anypony in this room with a single thought, so why keep us alive?" Nobody turned around to gaze at Twilight with his eyeless face. "Ah, ever the astute Twilight Sparkle. I'm glad you asked, actually. Between all the paedo-shaming and the casual murder, I lost track of why I was here." He cleared his non-existent throat again and said clearly, "I am here to present a challenge, a riddle to all the brightest minds in Equestria: Why do I call myself Nobody?" "A riddle?!" Rainbow Dash said, flying up above the rest of the crowd and gliding over to Nobody to look him directly in the face. "That's it? All of this is just so you could ask us a stupid riddle?!" "Yes and no," he said. "There's a bit of a catch: You have one day to give me the answer. Midnight tomorrow night, to be exact." The bells started ringing high above the castle to signify that it was now exactly midnight. "Oh, perfect timing! You now have exactly twenty-four hours." Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs. "Great, we have a time limit. And what happens if we don't answer your stupid riddle?" "You all die." Twilight could practically feel her heart stop. The entire room went dead silent. It was if time was standing still, and only Nobody could move around as he swiveled his head to survey the crowd. "Allow me to be more exact," he requested. "If you don't, I'll widen the gaps between every single atom on this planet and cast what used to be your bodies, your homes, and your lands to the cosmic winds as microscopic dust, and the only people who will ever know are the denizens of other worlds who look up at the night sky and notice that a single star has gone out." The entire room had gone silent – except for Rainbow Dash, who let out a little scoff. "That's easy. You have no body, so you call yourself Nobody!" "Why yes, you guessed correctly. All of Equestria and the world is saved forever thanks to your deductive-" He stopped mid sentence. His neck suddenly extended like a striking serpent and put his blank face a few hairs away from hers. "Did you really think that the answer would be that simple? Hm? Did you?" She slightly shrank away and began stuttering. "W-well, I-I just-" He interrupted as his neck retracted. "And to think so many believe you're the best pony." He turned his head again to face the princesses. "You or one of your subjects have twenty-four hours to present me the correct answer. Until then… have a nice apocalypse." His form morphed again into that of a serpent as he took to the sky, slithering through the ceiling and just phasing right through it, leaving a stunned, frightened, and mortified bunch of ponies in his wake. === Party's Over === The Canterlot palace library was normally completely silent in the dead of night – or, more accurately given the time, the dead of morning. However, this particular morning the vast forest of filled bookshelves and empty desks was filled with the frantic scramble of four hooves on the marble floors, the soft hum of magic, and the softer sound of books flying through the air. Twilight Sparkle began to huff and pant as she dragged herself over to an empty desk and set the legion of books that was floating over her head down on it. The sheer weight of them all made the ornate antique groan slightly, but the young unicorn didn't much care. She grabbed the first tome and started rapidly skimming through the index for anything useful. She shook her head, set it aside, and went to the next one. When that one turned up nothing, she set it atop the first and grabbed another. Then another. Then another. It went that way for… she didn't keep track. Twilight had finally found an article that may have lead somewhere and read over it meticulously. When it too proved fruitless, she let out a frustrated growl and tossed the book at the growing tower of dead ends, causing the whole thing to topple over. "Twilight?" The young unicorn turned toward the thick rustic accent to find Applejack on the other side of the collapsed wall of books, looking at her with those emerald eyes of hers full of concern. The rest of her friends were standing behind the cowpony. Rarity looked equally concerned, while Rainbow Dash looked at the young scholar with a look of utter shock. Fluttershy was far behind them, her hooves shaking as she looked around. Pinkie Pie was back to her old self as she hopped over to the mess of texts. "Aw, your book fort fell down," Pinkie lamented as she looked at the toppled pile. "Princess Celestia told us you'd be here; we've been looking everywhere for you," Rarity said. "Twilight… did you just throw a book?" Rainbow Dash asked in slack-jawed amazement. Twilight's eyes widened as she realized what she did. "Oh horsefeathers!" she exclaimed in panic as she used her magic to start reorganizing the scattered texts. "Oh no, oh no, oh no…" "Twilight, dear, this may seem silly to ask, but are you okay?" Rarity asked as she trotted up and used her own magic to help. "No, I'm not!" the other unicorn wailed. "Some of these books are older than Princess Celestia and she'll send me back to Magic Kindergarten if any of them were damaged!" Applejack sighed. "Twilight, Ah thought we'd been over this: Princess Celestia would never – and Ah mean never – send you back to Magic Kindergarten." "Especially since she has a crush on you!" Pinkie Pie chimed in. A small shock shot up Twilight's spine, causing her to drop all the books she was levitating. Much to her relief, she was able to catch them again before they hit the floor. Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash all shot Pinkie Pie hard glares that she didn't seem to notice. "Pinkie, please don't remind me. I'm still not entirely sure I'm comfortable with that," she pleaded. "Oh, okay," Pinkie Pie said with a salute, completely unfazed. She paused and tilted her head as she fell back on her haunches. "Why, though?" Twilight groaned a bit as the wall of books began to take shape again. "How about the fact she's the co-ruler of our entire nation, one of the most powerful mages to ever exist, completely immortal, and, most importantly, over a thousand years older than me?" She tried not to, but she couldn't help but shout that last part. "She's like a second mother to me, for crying out loud! She probably knows me better than my real mother! She means more to me than anypony else in the world, just…" She sighed and hung her head low with a soft blush. "I don't think it's like that." "Dear, I wouldn't put much stock in what that… thing said," Rarity assured. "It was probably lying to drive a wedge between you and her. If anypony can solve this riddle it would be the two of you and Princess Luna, and if you're too nervous to talk to each other then it just might win." "But what if he's not lying? Celestia has been lied about in tabloids all the time; she's used to untrue rumors and can handle them. If it got her that mad… Nobody was probably telling the truth." Twilight's head sunk lower and she looked straight at the floor. "Even if I don't think about her that way… I don't think I could stand to break her heart." "Aw, sugarcube." She didn't see but she certainly heard Applejack trot around the huge stack of books, and then proceeded to feel the cowpony's forelegs wrap around her in a gentle – for Applejack, anyway – hug. "Just tell her that; Ah'm sure she'll understand." "But-" "No buts," Applejack interrupted, holding a hoof to Twilight's mouth. The cowpony then put that hoof under her chin and forced her to look into her own emerald eyes. "Ah reckon that if Celestia really does love you, she wouldn't want ya to fake loving her back just to keep her heart from breakin'. Don't ya think both of you deserve better than that?" Twilight looked deep into her friend's eyes before hugging her back, nuzzling her orange neck and blonde mane. "I guess we do. Thanks, Applejack." Applejack chuckled and gave her a small pat on the back before she pulled away from the hug. "No problem, sugarcube. What're friends for but to knock some sense in ya when you need it, right?" Twilight couldn't help but giggle. "Right." Rainbow Dash let out a loud yawn. "Sorry to interrupt, but now that we have Twilight, do you all think we could go home now? I'm beyond tired." The yawn spread over to Rarity. "Yes, sleep sounds lovely right about now. It's been a long night and we're not going to get anything done working like a skeleton crew." Twilight yawned as well but shook her head. "Sorry girls, but I'm staying here. The sooner I figure out Nobody's riddle, the sooner we can all get back to our lives." "Told ya that's why she was here," Pinkie Pie said. "Is that why you picked out this?" Rainbow Dash asked as she glided over and picked up one of the books from the stack. She narrowed her eyes of the cover. "'A Summary of Eldritch Monstrosities for the Open-Minded Summoner'?" Rarity gasped before glaring at her fellow unicorn. "Twilight Sparkle, while I may not be the magic expert you are, I do know that book is banned! It's forbidden magic!" "I know," Twilight admitted, "that's why I need to stay here. The Canterlot archives are full of books that are normally kept from the public. One of them may have some information on Nobody. The more I know about Nobody, the more likely it is I can guess why he's called that. If I'm lucky, maybe the answer is even in here." Fluttershy piped up for the first time in the entire conversation; the only reason any of them could hear is that they were in a library. "Um, Twilight, I-I don't think that's going to do much good." Twilight looked at the quaking pegasus, her eyebrows raised high. "Fluttershy, I don't know the answer, and I'm definitely not going to just roll over and accept our deaths." Fluttershy shook her head. "N-no, I didn't say you should. It's just that, well…" She looked around, fear plastered on her face. "He said he was omniscient," she said in an almost inaudible whisper. "That means he can see and hear everything we do." "I know what that means, Flutter-" Twilight paused, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. The implications of what she'd just said hit her like a train. "Oh. Oh no." Rarity huffed. "Probably another lie to intimidate us." "I-I don't think so," Fluttershy stammered as her quaking got worse. "I th-think he's spying on us right now…!" "You bet your cute yellow plot I am!" Fluttershy let out a horrified squeak as the six mares looked up to see Nobody perched atop a bookshelf next to Twilight's desk. He looked to be in his pony shape, with his legs folded under him as he peered down at them with his featureless face. Fluttershy stammered incoherently as she backed up, her face so red it looked like it was going to pop. "Aw, you look so adorable when you're about to faint, Fluttershy," he cooed down at the young pegasus. "In fact… you're so cute I could just pinch your little head off." Fluttershy's eyes almost rolled into the back of her head as she flopped over onto her side and lay completely still. "Fluttershy!" the remaining five yelled almost in unison. Rarity was the first to be by her side. The young fashionista pressed her ear against the pegasus' chest. "Her heart's still beating; she probably just fainted," Rarity said with a relieved sigh, her friends quickly joining with ones of her own. "My god, she's actually cuter when she's unconscious!" Nobody exclaimed in a tone far too lascivious for Twilight's liking. She and the rest of her friends shot furious looks at him as he cackled hysterically. He was rolling over on his back with his hooves flailing in the air, choking out between laughs, "The looks on your faces are priceless!" "Hey, that wasn't funny, you jerk!" Pinkie Pie yelled up at him, hopping up and down in anger and growling like a rabid dog. "And trust me, I'm an expert on funny!" Nobody's hysterics died down to a few snickers as he rolled back over. "Oh come now, it's not like I killed the poor mare. It's all in good fun." "Fun? Fun?!" Rainbow Dash yelled as she flew up to the deity. "You think making somepony faint from how scared they are of you and then talking about them like you're going to rut them that way is funny?!" "Not exactly in good taste, I admit, but I get my laughs where I can," he conceded. "The more and more ya talk, the more and more Ah don't like ya," Applejack said, taking a step forward. "You ain't no better than Discord!" "Ah, Discord," Nobody said almost wistfully, "such a brilliant young deity of madness and mayhem. Quite the entertaining fellow, too; knew just how to warp the laws of reality in the most fascinating ways. But please, don't flatter him by comparing him to me," he added, his tone getting much flatter. "I'm far older than him and his body count pales in comparison to mine." If Twilight didn't know better, she'd almost say he didn't sound terribly proud of that second fact. Almost. "Body count?!" Applejack roared. "Why, yes," Nobody said as he lazily examined his hoof. "Do you really think this is the first world I've done this to? I could give you an exact number, but it would take too long to say out loud. Needless to say, that noblemare earlier was just a single drop in a vast ocean of blood on my hands." He shrugged as he tucked his leg back under him. "Besides, I'm on a five-world killing spree, and I hope to break my previous record of twenty-six." Twilight was stunned into silence. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and most surprisingly Pinkie Pie was too. Rarity, however, was not. "You… you monster!" Rarity snarled. "You flatter me; I thought I was beyond the league of any monster in existence," Nobody said as if he'd been given the greatest compliment ever. "But really, I'm not all that bad. If I were truly bad, I would have used my power to separate matter to, say… skin everyone on this planet alive, watch you all run around in sheer agony for an hour or two, leaving you both pleading for the sweet release of death and begging not to die before I finally tore you apart atom by atom. You're welcome for me being sane enough to not do that, by the way." That was what shut Rarity up, the unicorn just gawping at him with no sound coming out. "Now, what was I here for…? Oh yes," Nobody said, turning his head to look at Twilight. "Because I like you a lot – or it may be your plot, or both – I'm going to make things a bit easier for you and tell you this: You're wasting your time here." Twilight managed to snap out of her stupor and shake her head violently. "I'm not about to lie down and let you kill everything, Nobody! I refuse!" she yelled with a stomp of her hoof. "When did I say anything about giving up?" he asked. "I just said you're wasting your time here, specifically." Twilight narrowed her eyes. "I don't believe you." "Come now, would I lie to you?" he asked in a sickeningly sugary voice. "If you wanted to." "Fair point," he conceded. "And if you're telling the truth, it's probably because you erased any book with any hints anyway," she accused. "Just because my sense of humor may border on the psychopathic does not mean I'm unsporting," he said defensively. "I would never do anything like that." "Sure you wouldn't," she mumbled under her breath. "I wouldn't," he said flatly. "Oh, and one last thing before I go: The riddle is why I call myself Nobody. I didn't get that name from anyone else. If anyone named me, it would probably be The Void, The End of All Things, That Sick Bastard… you know, things like that. For now, good luck!" Twilight blinked, and Nobody was gone. The six mares were left alone again… though they were all painfully aware that they were still being watched. Except Fluttershy, who was too unconscious to be thinking anything at the moment. The young scholar narrowed her eyes and trotted back to her seat. "I'm staying here; you go back home, girls." "But he said you were wasting your time here," Pinkie Pie said, her head tilting. "Pinkie, do you really trust him to be honest with me? I'm probably on the right track and he wants me to try to figure his stupid riddle out myself for his own twisted amusement," Twilight said as she picked up another book. "Well, no, I don't really trust him. He's a big meanie jerk-face," Pinkie snarled. "I'd personally have much stronger words for that beast, but I can't say any of them in polite company," Rarity huffed. Her composure was mostly back, but there was still a tinge of fear in her voice. "But what if he comes back?" Rainbow Dash asked as she flew back down to the floor. "There is no way I'm leaving you alone with that thing!" "Rainbow Dash, that wouldn't do a lick a' good and you know it," Applejack said. "You saw me try to fight 'im; all my kicks and punches just went right through. Darnit, not even the Princesses could hurt 'im!" "But-" Rainbow Dash tried to protest. "Applejack is right. Besides, if he wanted to kill me – if he wanted to kill any of us – he could have just done it a minute ago. Being a god, he probably could do it right now and there's nothing we could do to stop him." Twilight felt like she was just stating fact, but a deafening silence fell over the group as that realization started to fully sink into their brains. Twilight let out a sigh and added, "I don't know if he's leading me by a chain only to kill me later, or if he even will really leave us alone if we solve his riddle, but I just have to try. And no offence, girls, but I don't really think you're going to be much help here." She motioned toward the mountain of books she'd gathered. Applejack furrowed her brow. "Sugarcube, we know how to read. Now why don't you come clean and tell us the real reason you want us to leave?" Twilight just looked at her book and waved her hoof, refusing to look the cowpony in the eye. "I'll handle it. You all get going; there can't be many trains left running by now." Applejack sighed. "Alright, sugarcube. Just… be careful, okay?" "I'll try not to get any paper cuts," she said back flatly. Slowly but surely Twilight heard the soft clicking of hooves on marble started up as her four friends each gave their farewells and good lucks. Rarity levitated the still unconscious Fluttershy in the air and carried her off. Twilight could see out of the corner of her eye that Applejack had stopped mid-trot and looked back over her shoulder. The farmpony opened her mouth to say something, but shook her head before heading off as well. As soon as the sound of hoofsteps faded completely into the distance, Twilight said, "I know you're there, you know." "Aw, and I thought I was hiding so well too!" Twilight glanced over at the pile of books she'd already gone through to see the pony-shaped hole in existence lazing atop them. "I'm a unicorn; I can sense the huge hole you make in the field of magic easily." "I know, I know, I was just being facetious," the deity snickered. "Very noble of you to take the burden of saving the entire planet on your shoulders, by the way. I must wonder, though… why did you?" He brought his hoof against his non-existent chin and started tapping it. "None of your business," she said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "Oh, I think I can already guess the answer anyway." He didn't have a mouth, but she could just feel his manure-eating grin. "You're not sure you can do it, are you? So just in case, you want your friends to have one last day at home that's happy and carefree while they let you worry about preventing the apocalypse for once." He stretched his neck until his head was peering over the top of her book. "Am I right?" Twilight said nothing. She just kept reading, focusing on her book as it trembled in her magic grip. "I thought so." As before, she blinked and he vanished, this time leaving her completely alone with her books and her thoughts in the confines of the library. Dear Twilight Sparkle, I know what you heard about me at the party this evening, and I know what you must be thinking. You must think that Nobody is lying, that I would never harbor feelings for you, my most faithful student. I was hoping to confess to you in a much more conventional way and in much better circumstances, but I must be honest with you. I do have a very, very special place in my heart for you, Twilight, one that few ponies that have come before you have ever held. I never would have thought it myself, watching you grow up. I had no idea what a beautiful, brilliant young mare you would turn out to be. You are the most talented young unicorn I've seen in many a century, and I guess it was only natural such a special young mare would grab my attention. "Too clinical." Your sparkling eyes, your flowing mane, your adorable voice; I really get lost in the minutia of… you. Everything about you. "Too clichéd." You have no idea how many nights I've lain awake in my bed, wishing that I could get up the courage to tell you that I wanted you there with me. "Far, far too straightforward." Celestia allowed her mask of calm to slip for a second, letting out an irritated growl as she held the unfinished letter aloft with her magic and set it aflame over her wastebasket, letting the pile of ashes inside grow. "This is a lot harder than it should be," she mumbled to herself. "Love is never easy. That, and I imagine the fact that you were alive when her great grandfather wasn't even a twinkle in her great great grandfather's eye yet makes things just a smidgeon more awkward." Celestia didn't need to look; she could already feel the hole in the flow of magic behind her. She did anyway, and found Nobody in his pony shape lounging on the railing of the open balcony outside her room. "What are you doing here?" she asked as coolly as she could manage. "Oh, just heard you having trouble writing your letter – omniscience has its perks like that – so I thought I would drop by and help," he said with a sincerity that could only mean trouble. "Here, allow me." Celestia's quill was wrenched out of her magic control as it scribbled hastily along the next roll of parchment. Dear Twilight Spankle, You heard what Nobody said tonight; it's all true. I love you. I lust for you. I know you lust for me too, the way you swing your cute flanks when you're around me with that come hither stare, you naughty little filly. Meet me in my quarters tonight so I can rut your sweet plot into immortality, you sexy thing y That was as far as the quill got before Celestia slammed her hoof down atop it so hard it caused a crack in the antique desk. Her face was redder than a rose and hotter than her own sun. Her chest was heaving and her wings were spread wide in sheer rage. Worst of all, the sound of hysterical laughter rang in her ears louder than if she were in the echo chamber of a ringing bell tower. She swung her head around to see the deity rolling around on the railing on his back, his hooves in the air as he cackled with insane glee. "The look on your fahace!" he managed to choke out. "Ohohohhh I wish I had a mirror!" "Get. Out." Celestia snarled with as much restraint as she could muster. When Nobody's hysterics died down to manic giggles, he said, "Sorry Princess, but I can't exactly do that. I am nothingness; I'm everywhere. Between every atom and molecule, there I am. I'm even inside you, technically. Where exactly would I go?" She narrowed her eyes and let out a snort of smoke through her nostrils, turning her attention back to her work. "Then at the very least spare me your pestering." "Oh yes, I'll be sure to let you get back to your little romance drama while the clock is counting down to doomsday," he snarked. "I'll get to solving your riddle as soon as I'm finished with this," she said as she took her hoof off the snapped quill and threw it in the trash before burning Nobody's heinous draft. She let out a sigh and added, "There is still plenty of time left, and my concentration will suffer if I don't do my part for some closure. If this ends up taking more than another fifteen minutes, I'll drop it and get to work." "She means that much to you, huh?" he asked. "You know, you could always resolve this right now by just sauntering your pasty plot over to the palace library and talking to her." The princess paused before saying, "I don't trust myself to say the right thing face-to-face. I know I'd mess it up somehow. I need to get just the right words." She picked up another quill and another scroll and tried to think. "So you're confessing your love to her by letter when she's in your house at this very second? Romantic," he drawled. "What would you know about romance?" she muttered as her quill tapped against the paper. "I'm the keeper of forgotten memories. I know more about romance than anyone on this planet or any other. Good romances, bad romances, fleeting romances, lasting romances, straight romances, gay romances, interspecies romances, incestuous romances… the list goes on and on of what memories I have inside my cosmic mind," Nobody said. She scoffed. "Oh? Then what, oh god of love, is your opinion on my romantic aspirations?" "I don't dispense opinions when I've got facts." "A wise policy," she said. "See," he continued, "I heard what your faithful little student said about this whole affair to her friends already." His voice suddenly came from next to her ear as he whispered, "Want to know what her answer will be?" Celestia paused again as her quill gently tapped against the parchment. She had no idea how long she thought before she finally said, "No. I want to hear it from her; not you." "Suit yourself," he whispered with a giggle. His voice was back out on the balcony when he added, "If the suspense kills you, that'll save me the trouble." "Oh, I look forward to you trying," she sneered. "You look forward to me succeeding too, don't you?" The alicorn almost felt her heart stop and her blood run cold, all thought coming to a screeching halt. "It's a very common thought among immortals," he continued, his tone suddenly very serious. "You watch everything you know and love turn to dust before you and scatter to the winds time and time again, and sometimes you wish it would just… end. Sometimes you just wish that Death would stop passing over you and wrenching all your friends and loved ones away from you. You wish that Death would take you in its icy grip instead, just so you could stop your heart from breaking over and over and over again. You've thought that before… haven't you?" There was silence; deafening silence. The only sound was the gentle rustling of the wind as it blew through the palace gardens below. "Of course I have," Celestia finally admitted. "I could give you that, if you want," Nobody offered. His voice was… different; devoid of mirth or glee. If she didn't know how monstrous the deity was, she would almost mistake it for understanding and compassion. The alicorn rose onto all fours and looked directly at Nobody, staring into his eyeless gaze. "I'm sorry, but I must decline, Nobody. I am Princess Celestia, ruler of Equestria. I have a responsibility to my nation and everypony in it. They depend on me. They need me." Her muscles tensed and her gaze hardened. "They need me far more than I will ever need to end my pain." "Even if Twilight returns your affections, you know you'll still have to watch her die, right?" he asked. "Before your very eyes, the one pony you love more than any other in the world will wither, grow old, and die – and that's if she isn't tragically torn away from you on one of her more dangerous adventures." "It doesn't matter if she returns my affections or not," she said, though those words stabbed at her heart to say. "As long as she dies happy… I'm okay with that. As long as she lives happily, it doesn't matter if she's with me or somepony else." Nobody had no face, but she felt a smile radiating from the mass of nothing that was his body. A genuine one, or so she thought. "I would have been disappointed if you had said anything else, princess." Celestia could admit to herself that she was taken aback – she certainly wouldn't admit to him out loud of that fact – but a question was on her mind that she just couldn't set down. "What about you, Nobody? Surely as a fellow immortal you understand the desire for companionship. Haven't you ever had a mortal catch your eye?" Nobody scoffed. "Romance? Romance isn't for me. I'm omniscient – that right there puts a dash to any of the mystery of romance, which is half the fun. Nobody can confide any of their secrets in me; I already know them." He shook his head. "Let's say there were some mortal that by some great cosmic joke I had my eye on. What would we even talk about? Things I already know? What could we even do? Things I already have thousands of memories from across the universe of doing? I can't even find comfort in a lover's touch since I don't have a body with those fancy nerve ending things." He huffed and turned his head to look to the side. "I'm incapable of romance. Frell, I'm incapable of friendship." Celestia felt her gaze soften on the deity. "Then I pity you more than any other creature I have ever met." "I don't need you to pity me," he said with a disdainful wave of his hoof. "I already do that enough myself." Celestia didn't know quite what to say, but she felt a compulsion of what to do. She trotted over to the god and wrapped her wing around him, her face looking into his. For a split second, he did nothing. After that split second, his form collapsed and slithered away to another point on the railing before reforming again. "You just get back to your letter, you paedophilic, filly-fooling freak," he said with a much lazier wave of his hoof. "Pray I don't come back around before the world ends." Celestia blinked, and Nobody had vanished. The hole in the flow of magic was gone and she couldn't detect it anywhere nearby, so he wasn't hiding. She looked back to her desk with a soft sigh before trotting back over it to finish composing her confession. The end of the world was coming. It was really going to happen. It was really coming. Come the next midnight, everything and everypony on Equis would just be… gone. Applejack shook her head. No, Twilight or the Princesses or somepony would solve Nobody's riddle and everything would go back to normal. All the same, she couldn't stop thinking about it as she sleepily trotted down one of the many paths in Sweet Apple Acres. Her house was in sight, but with each step it only made her head buzz harder and harder. What was she going to tell her family? How was she going to tell them? How do she possibly break the news that everypony could possibly be dead by the end of the day? Well, without being an absolute monster like Nobody. Her gaze turned over to the orchard, the legion of trees she'd taken care of her whole life. The whole reason Ponyville existed to begin with. Three generations of her family had worked and toiled on that farm, the fruits of their labors giving bloom to a whole new town on the edge of the most dangerous forest in Equestria. Sweat, tears, and sometimes blood had been shed to make the place she called home what it was. And if Nobody had his way, all of it would amount to nothing. She shook her head violently as if those thoughts were mud spattered on her face. "Don't think like that," she muttered to herself. "Nobody wants me nice and scared. Evil varmint is probably watchin' right now, laughin' his black behind off as everypony else in Equestria starts panickin'. Well, he ain't getting that satisfaction from me." She expected the dark god to pop up behind her and taunt her about how scared she really was. Though she said out loud that she wasn't, deep down she couldn't lie to herself. She was afraid. Afraid that all her friends, all her family, and all the hard work she'd done throughout the years would just turn to dust. She was by far not the most well-read pony, but she'd understood that much about Nobody's threat: he was going to turn all of them and the entirety of Equis into dust. Anger burned inside her as the thought crossed her mind that he'd enjoy doing it. Applejack shook her head again as she stepped up to her own front door. She tried to open it as quietly as she could so as not to wake her family, but she quickly found that pointless as she found Big Macintosh waiting for her. He was stroking Winona as she whined softly at his hooves. The dog's ears perked up and she rushed over to Applejack, propping her paws up onto the cowpony's shoulders and covering her face with slobber. Applejack laughed as she spluttered against her dog's tongue. "Down girl, down!" she managed to say, the dog quickly obeying before cuddling up to her legs. She stepped inside and looked up to her brother before saying, "What're you doing up so late, Big Mac? Shouldn't you be in bed?" "Eeyup," he said simply. "I just wanted to make sure you got back okay." Applejack chuckled as she stroked the affectionate Winona at her hooves. "That's mighty sweet of you, but Ah'm just fine." "So I see." Big Mac paused a second before asking, "How was the party?" "The party was great," she lied with great, great difficulty. "Pinkie Pie settled down after a bit and we all had a great time. Rainbow Dash even admitted that she likes mares, which is a long time comin' if you ask me." She looked at her brother a bit warily. He was normally difficult to read, but there was a certain… sadness behind his eyes. She couldn't quite place it. Applejack let out a yawn before adding, "Well, Ah'm mighty tired, so Ah think Ah'm just gonna be hittin' the hay." Applejack walked over to the stairs, her brother's eyes following her. She was just about to set her hoof down on the first step when he said, "I know what happened tonight." Her blood ran cold as she looked back to her older brother. "Wh-whaddya mean?" "That Nobody fella dropped in and told us what was gonna happen," the large stallion said. "How the world was endin' and how you couldn't stop 'im. Unless… you did stop 'im?" Big Mac was never one to show much emotion, but she could definitely hear a hint of hope in his voice. Which is why it broke her heart all the more when she said with a sigh, "No; we couldn't. The Elements of Harmony did squat against him." "Oh…" he trailed off. "Sorry to hear that." The two sat in silence for what felt like eternity before the weight of a single word crashed on Applejack's head. "Wait… did you just say 'us'?" Her heart practically stopped. "So Apple Bloom–" Big Mac shook his head. "She don't know; fast asleep at the time. Granny Smith does, but she went to bed." Applejack released a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. "That… that's good…" There was another stretch of silence before Big Mac broke it. "So… how are we gonna tell her?" Applejack's brow furrowed. She couldn't help but turn her gaze up the dark stairway. She couldn't help but think of her little sister, all tucked up in bed, sleeping soundly without a care in the world besides going back to school after the weekend was over. She couldn't help but think what would happen to her if on the slim, slim chance that Nobody… She shook the thought out of her head and finally turned her gaze back to her brother. "We ain't. As far as Apple Bloom'll know, tomorrow is just an ordinary day." She paused and added, "No, better than an ordinary day. You and Ah, we're gonna treat Apple Bloom to the best darn day ever. Same with all her little Crusader friends." Big Mac gave her a small nod. "So… it's really the end of the world, then?" he asked, his voice grave. Applejack was silent for a few seconds before saying, "Ah'm sure it ain't. Ah know it ain't. Twilight will figure something out; Ah know she will. She's the smartest mare Ah know, and if there's a single darn pony in Equestria that can fix this, it's her." She started for the stairs again before admitting, "But just in case it is… Ah want it to be the best day of her life." Big Mac didn't say anything behind her as she climbed up the dark stairwell, careful not to wake her sister as she slipped into her own bedroom. Just as she was climbing in bed, Winona slipped into her room, whining. The cowpony smiled and scooted over, letting the dog hop in and cuddle up against her before the pair drifted off to sleep. === Darkness Before Dawn === Octavia let out a loud yawn as she stepped through the threshold into her apartment. A soft hum escaped her lips; the feel of plush carpet under her hooves felt so good after trudging through the streets of Canterlot. She heaved the case for her cello off her back and propped it up against the wall before bumping the door closed with her hip. She normally wouldn't be so uncouth as to close a door with her plot, but she was too groggy to care at that exact moment. The musician flipped on the lights. The place was truly a place of both decadence and clashing motifs. Modern manufactured and antique carved furniture adorned the spacious apartment; wires to devices that Octavia had ceased trying to learn the function of were strewn across the night-sky-blue carpet while old paintings hung on the wall. She had gotten used to the jungle of wires hooked up to the apartment's impossibly complex sound system; it wasn't like pestering her roommate was going to get them straightened out or anything. She'd learned quite a while ago that while having a unicorn around the house was useful, it was only useful when the unicorn felt like it. Her gaze eventually fell on her roommate, who was sprawled on Octavia's old black leather couch. The white unicorn was sound asleep, her violet goggles hung loosely around her neck as she softly snored. Blushing a bit and ignoring the fact that the DJ had her plot facing the door, Octavia trotted over to the prone form of Vinyl Scratch. It took just one whiff to discern the odor of hard cider on the unicorn's breath. Octavia rolled her eyes and stroked Vinyl's electric blue mane. "Drinking on the job again, I see," she giggled. The unicorn just lightly batted at Octavia's hoof, mumbling something incoherent about how she could drink some imaginary challenger into the ground. "I'd give you another lecture about drinking responsibly if only so your liver doesn't file for divorce, but when you're dreaming about drinking some more I think you're beyond my help." Vinyl promptly responded with a slurred mumble of, "I can drink however much I buckin' want, man. J… jus' don't tell Octy, please…" The earth pony let out a dramatic sigh and a soft smile. "You really are adorable when you're in a drunken stupor, you know that?" She giggled and nuzzled her cheek against Vinyl's. The unicorn's cheek was nice and warm from all the alcohol she'd no doubt downed. Octavia let out a snicker and added, "If you were awake you'd probably vehemently deny it, though. You just don't 'do' adorable, do you?" Another booze-fueled, sleep-talking answer didn't come that time. Vinyl just slept there peacefully, her chest slowly rising and falling with each breath as she snored. "I wonder how many other mares would have left you by now, what with your habit of getting drunk after every other gig?" Octavia mused as her hoof wandered down to stroke her roommate's back. "I guess a lot, after all the exes you've gathered over the years…" She smiled sadly to herself. "I really hope you don't think I'll end up like them." Her sad smile devolved into a frown. "Not… that it'll matter soon. None of it will matter after today… because tomorrow might not come." Octavia's vision began to blur as she blinked back a sudden influx of tears. She wiped at her eyes and mumbled to nopony in particular, "M-must have gotten something in my eye; I keep telling you to dust this place more often." Octavia didn't keep track of how long she gently stroked her marefriend's mane and back. She didn't particularly care. Vinyl hummed softly in her sleep at the contact, and that was all the reward she needed. After a while her eyelids got too heavy and her hooves too unstable for her to keep it up. She looked down the hallway to her bedroom, and then paused to look back at the unicorn as she slept, not a care in the world. Octavia smiled to herself before leaning in and giving Vinyl a kiss on the cheek. The drunken Vinyl responded by licking Octavia's cheek back. A deep blush spread through her cheeks like wildfire while the sleeping unicorn just smacked her lips before descending back into her soft snores. The earth pony's eyes softened before she climbed onto the couch with her marefriend – it was a bit tight, but it was big enough to hold the two of them. The sleeping unicorn wrapped her hooves protectively around her new bedmate and nuzzled her muzzle into Octavia's mane, the earth pony's face getting redder as her heart beat faster. "Good night, Vinyl," she whispered. "Sweet dreams…" She clapped her hooves together and the lights snapped off, leaving the two in the dark basking in each other's warmth. Luna glanced around the Canterlot Palace gardens as she trotted through them. The night was dark – just as she always made it – the air was crisp and cool, and the only sound was her own hoofsteps on the paths as she traversed them, through the hedges and the statues. The stars twinkled with their soft light in the canvas of the sky and the moon looked down from its celestial perch. All in all, it seemed just like any other night in the gardens. "We could have sworn we felt a disturbance," the Lunar Regent mumbled to herself as her eyes darted across the area. She continued her patrol  through the gardens, her horn glowing slightly as she tried to detect anything amiss. The alicorn didn't keep track of how long she'd been scouring, but she was snapped out of her concentration when she came to the foot of a very familiar statue. "Discord," Luna snorted to herself. She looked over the frozen form of the draconequus and chuckled, pacing around him. "When we laid thee low before, thou didst roar your defiance to the last. But oh, look at thee now: frozen forever in a visage of fear from the terrifying might of six young mares. We take it that thou wouldst laugh at such a joke thyself, provided thou still could." "Don't forget, we were brought down by the same six foals," a dark voice called from above with a cackle. All thoughts screeched to a halt within Luna's head at the sound. "No…!" Her gaze shot upward, and her eyes were met with a winged silhouette against the moon above. The familiar voice let loose another terrible laugh, sending a chill down Luna's spine as she slowly backed away and gaped in horror. "No, that's… that's not possible! The Elements defeated thee!" "You mean the Elements defeated us," the specter that should not be chuckled. "We were always together… I just tired of lurking in the dark corners of your mind and made myself manifest." Luna's eyes screwed shut as she shook her head. "This must be a dream, or some manner of trick!" A morbid laugh escaped the shadow's throat. "I assure you, this is no dream. The night shall last forever… as soon as I take my rightful place as the sovereign of the dark once again. And that means disposing of you, you pathetic excuse of a goddess…" Luna opened her eyes again to see the other alicorn diving straight for her. She tried to concentrate and cast a spell to rebuff her, but her mind was too wild with panic. As the dark figure set upon her, she closed her eyes and screamed. Nothing happened. There was no hostile takeover of her mind. There was no rending of her flesh from her bones. All that happened is that the night air rang with hysterical laughter. Visibly shaking, the Lunar Regent opened her eyes and looked about with great caution. Before her was an equine-shaped hole in the fabric of magic and reality itself, kicking its hooves in the air and cackling in that same terrible voice from her nightmares. "Nobody!" Luna snarled, her eyes narrowing to slits. Her gaze fell on him and she began to wonder if and hope that concentrated loathing could somehow kill the creature. Sadly, she was not that lucky. "Y-you cahalled, your Highness?" Nobody choked out, still speaking in Nightmare Moon's voice as the being rolled onto… her hooves, Luna supposed. "How dare thou startle us in such a manner?" Luna growled, her wings extending in anger. "Startle?" Nobody snickered. "Please, Princess, if you hadn't already recently visited the little filly's room, this garden would have a fresh helping of fertilizer right now." Luna's face heated up in a volatile mixture of embarrassment and rage. "Do not trifle with us, Nobody; we are hardly in the mood for thy demented brand of humor." "Take your threats and shove them up the darkest part of your black plot," she said with a wave of her hoof. "I'm a god higher than any other in the universe. I can do whatever I want with impunity; any protests on your part are just hot air and bluster that might as well be coming out the other end for all I care." Luna shakily took in a deep breath to steady herself. "Very well, then; thee may have thine audience with us. We do, however, kindly ask that thou dost cease using that wretched voice." "And I respectfully decline," Nobody said back. "I kinda like this voice. It's dark… smooth… and more than a little sexy. If you'd managed to keep Nightmare Moon's body and voice without turning into a psychotic bitch, you could have had the whole of Equestria and beyond clopping to your divine eminence." She snickered to herself as Luna's face grew hot once again. "We are plenty attractive as is, thank thee very much," Luna huffed, raising her nose up high. "Yes, and that's why you have all those suitors lining up at your chamber door," Nobody sniped back. "What business is our love life to thee?" Luna snapped. "I tend to make everything my business," Nobody drawled. "But please, let's face it: A thousand years ago, give or take a few hundred, you were a sex goddess with many a pony jumping at the chance to be your nightly companion. Now, you could cast a Want It Need It spell on yourself and you couldn't snag a date with a mare or a stallion." Luna snorted. "As if we'd ever want to date a mare; such conduct is unbecoming of a princess." Nobody chuckled knowingly. "Whatever you say, whatever you say." Luna could just feel a condescending grin radiating from the dark deity. "Except, it's not what you say anymore, is it? It's what your sister says now, and your sister decided a while after your banishment that there was nothing wrong with filly foolers or colt cuddlers. Don't you remember? I revealed to all in earshot that the Solar Regent herself was pining after the heart of a mare – her most faithful student, no less." "That's a bald-faced lie," Luna said, narrowing her eyes. "Celestia would never partake in such disgusting and degrading behavior." "Maybe not the Celestia you knew a thousand years ago," Nobody purred, leaning up against Discord's statue.  "So much can change in a millennium. Though some ponies out there are still stuck in the past, particularly the stuffy Canterlot elite, Celestia certainly isn't. She's a very different alicorn now, with new ideas and new ways of doing things. She's been giving more power to local governments over the centuries, giving the common ponies more and more say in the affairs of Equestria. She doesn't even use the 'royal we' anymore." She paused and emitted a small hum. "And yet… you still cling to it." "Tis a force of habit," Luna said defensively. "Tis how the princesses have spoken since the initial defeat of Discord." "Used to speak, my dear," Nobody corrected, "back when the two of you were so close, so utterly intertwined in mind and soul that you could trust each other to make the exact same decision the other would, to the point where you might as well have been one, single ruler." She chuckled and added, "But that's all gone now… isn't it?" Luna barely registered that her eyes averted from the deity. "Things have… changed between Celestia and I, yes." She stomped her hoof and looked back at Nobody with a cold, defiant fire in her eyes. "But we are still sisters, and nothing will ever change that." "Oh?" Nobody said, cocking her head. "Is that why she still hasn't restored you to full royal duties and given you back the power to rule you once had? She hasn't trusted you enough to tell her about her affection for her student, let alone running the country." "Tis a new age," Luna said, her voice wavering. "Much has changed in Equestria; we still have much to learn about exactly how much has changed before we can effectively rule the nation once again." Nobody burst out laughing. "Oh, you really are quite clueless, aren't you?" Luna narrowed her eyes and snarled, "What dost thou mean?" "You are an anachronism, Luna," Nobody said as if she were speaking to a filly that hadn't been paying attention in class. "Not only that, but you are a dangerous anachronism. You lost your frelling mind and tried to kill off most of the planet's population just because nobody appreciated your artwork." "That side of us was expelled with the Elements of Harmony," Luna said, her stance growing rigid. "We are as we were before we became Nightmare Moon." "Riddle me this, Princess: If you are who you were before you turned into Nightmare Moon, then what precisely is to stop you from turning into her again?" Nobody asked, standing as defiantly against her as she was. "Your subjects still don't respect you, they still don't appreciate you, and now you've got a heaping helping of distrust and fear on your plate. Buck, in the thousand years you were gone, you became a monster foals think is hiding under their beds. All of the factors that turned you into Nightmare Moon are present, plus a few new ones just to really needle you over the edge. So please, tell me, what makes you any less dangerous than you were, say, the year before you turned into Nightmare Moon?" Luna's eyes widened. Her gaze plummeted downward as she mumbled, "We… I know not." A few seconds of silence clung to the air before she added, "But even if I do… my sister will do the right thing. And so will the bearers of the Elements." Nobody snorted. "Yeah, because they're really going to risk the lives of everyone on the planet if you clearly show you're going to be a repeat psychopath. You don't have another chance, Princess: If you fall to your own madness again, your sister will put the kill order on you." "She would do no such thing!" Luna roared, her eyes snapping open and glaring at Nobody with a stomp of her hoof that left a crater in the ground. Her vision began to blur as she felt the grin emanating from Nobody grow wider. "If you're so sure of that, then why are you crying?" Luna wiped her eyes with her foreleg and resumed her glare at the dark god as she shouted, "Maybe because I would not blame her if she did! Maybe because I hate myself for what I did! Maybe because I do not want to be a danger anymore! Maybe because… maybe because all I want in the world is to never hurt anypony ever again…" She wrenched her eyes closed, but that did little good against the torrent of tears that were bubbling to the surface. "Maybe… maybe I deserve it…" "No you don't," Nobody said reassuringly. "You deserve to live. Death is no punishment; living with your guilt as it tears your heart to shreds from within… now that's a punishment that fits the crime." "I… I suppose thou speakest the truth…" Luna sobbed, her head hanging low. "However, all this distrust, this fear, this outright hate being sent your way from your subjects… I don't really think you deserve that. You clearly feel bad about what you did, after all," Nobody added. "Do… dost thou truly think so?" Luna asked, managing to blink back the tears and look up at the deity. "I'm not one to lie about such things," Nobody chuckled. "That's why I think I may have a very special offer in store for you… if you're interested." Luna sniffled and sat down, sitting up tall as she tried to regain her composure. "W-we're listening." "Good, good," Nobody purred to herself. "My offer is this: I use my powers as the god of forgetfulness to make everypony completely forget that Nightmare Moon ever existed, as well as erase every mention of her or the origins of Nightmare Night in every book across the planet. You'll have to do a bit of political maneuvering to create a new version of history of what happened to you for that millennium long absence, but as far as everypony will be concerned, they'll just be happy to have their princess of the night back." She leaned in close and added, "And your sister will have no reason to ever distrust you again." Luna narrowed her eyes. "What dost thou desire in exchange?" "Nothing at all; I'm a god, what could I possibly want from a lesser immortal like yourself?" she asked, waving her hoof as if she were brushing away the question. "There are no strings attached to this offer whatsoever." Luna gulped as the full implications sunk in. "That is… uncharacteristically generous of thee." "What can I say? I can be a kindly elder god when the wind blows in the right direction," Nobody said with a giggle. "So… what sayest thou, Princess Luna?" Luna averted her eyes to the ground as a silence separated the two immortals. After a while, Luna finally said, "We… will have to consider thine offer a while longer, Nobody. We cannot reach a decision on such short notice." "Very well; I have all the time in the world." She chuckled darkly and added, "Which, if my riddle goes unanswered, may only be until midnight. Don't wait too long." Luna blinked, and Nobody was gone, leaving her alone in the garden with Discord's statue and the sound of the whistling wind. She lowered her head and narrowed her eyes, both in deep thought and deep concentration as she turned herself into a cloud of vapor and wound her way against the wind. She reformed herself on the balcony of her bedchamber with a soft hiss. Luna let out a loud yawn as she trotted inside. Her gaze shifted from her personal desk, which held a scant few official documents and potential laws that had to be reviewed, to her bed. "Surely the nobles of Canterlot will understand if we don't feel quite up to delegation this evening," she said to herself as she sauntered over to her bed and climbed between the covers. A small frown crossed her muzzle and a shiver went down her spine at how cold her bed felt that night for some reason. "Must be the wind," she muttered as she turned over and tried to get some sleep before she had to lower the moon again. A chilled wind swept through the streets of Canterlot, softly whistling under the night sky into the ears of anypony out and about that early in the morn. One such mare shivered from her bare bed of cold stone in one of the capital's dark alleyways. She pulled her tattered cape tightly around her and pulled her hat tighter around her head, though neither did much good. The wind cut straight through the fabric and down to her very bones. The only sound that graced her ears was the sound of the cruel wind and the occasional hoofsteps of pedestrians who were out and about for whatever reason. She heard some sort of commotion going on about something that had happened at the palace a few hours ago, but she didn't pay it much mind. The raking claws of her empty stomach on her insides kept her from focusing on much, even the task of getting some sleep. The mare's ears perked at the sound of hoofsteps – hoofsteps drawing closer, reverberating off the walls of her alley and coming closer. Her horn glowed with a weak light, but sputtered out before it could do her bidding. "Bucking hay," she cursed under her breath. She pulled her hat lower over her head and huddled up against the wall out of the stranger's path, another shiver coursing through her body due to the cold wall against her back. The hoofsteps got closer and closer until they just stopped, right next to her curled form. She waited on bated breath, shifting her hooves under her in case she needed to run. "No need to be scared," a smooth male voice said. "I'm here to help." "The G-great and Powerful Trixie d-does not need handouts," the mare said as her teeth chattered, refusing to look up at the stallion. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is on the backstreets of Canterlot slowly starving to death, and that's if the cold doesn't get her first. Is she sure she doesn't want some assistance?" She shivered a bit more as her stomach growled against the cold, hard stone. "Wh… what's the catch?" "No strings attached," the colt assured. "I won't be demanding any… favors afterward like the last stallion who extended his hoof to your aid." A gasp escaped Trixie's lips and her head shot upward. Her eyes beheld a colt before her wrapped from head to hoof in gauze. His face was hidden by the low cowl of a blood red hood and cape that went back to his flanks, though from her low angle she could see saddlebags hidden underneath. "How… how did you know that?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. He let out a small laugh. "I make it my business to know everything, Trixie, and right now I know you need my help." The saddlebags he kept hidden under his cloak snapped open, and out floated a loaf of bread and a canteen. "Go ahead; take them." Trixie's eyes flitted between the offerings, the colt, and back again. "Trixie doesn't trust you. Something feels… off about you. She's too tired to place it." "Trixie doesn't have a choice," he said back. She felt like that should have been a threat, but his tone was somehow disarming. Keeping her eyes on the stranger, she took the loaf of bread in her own feeble magic field and brought it to her lips. She bit into it, and the second her dry tongue made contact with the soft, heavenly fluff past the crust her eyes shot open. She couldn't help but tear into it, her stomach eager to have some sustenance after so long being forsaken by food, proper manners be damned. She only stopped her gorging to levitate the canteen and chug down half of it before she could stop herself. Water dripping from her lips, she wiped her muzzle with her leg, panting out, "T-Trixie is most grateful, kind sir." The colt let out a good natured chuckle. "No need to thank me; it was no trouble at all." Trixie decided to leave it at that and wolfed down the rest of the loaf of bread and guzzling down the last of the canteen's contents. She let out a loud belch and promptly put her hooves over her mouth. "Apologies," she said. He waved his gauze-wrapped hoof dismissively. "No need to apologize. Once you've seen the things I have, lax manners don't even register anymore." Trixie arced and eyebrow and asked. "Are you… a soldier, then? Is that why you need all those bandages?" "I'm not exactly a soldier, but I've seen my own fair share of war," he said. "As for the gauze… well, let's just say I'm nothing pretty to look at and leave it at that." The unicorn's eyebrows raised higher. "There hasn't been war in Equestria in centuries." "I'm not exactly from around here." His saddlebags opened once again, both to take back the canteen and to remove a blanket from its confines. He laid the blanket gently on Trixie's shoulders, the mare sighing softly in delight as it warded off the cold. "You take care of yourself, you hear?" The stallion turned to leave, but Trixie couldn't stop herself from blurting out, "Wait!" The colt turned his head back around and tilted it. "Yes, Trixie?" The mare blushed slightly and looked to the side. "Trixie was wondering… if you would be so kind… if you could let her stay the night at your home?" she asked through gritted teeth. The colt just laughed. "You really do have a problem asking other ponies for help, don't you? Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have a home, myself. Not exactly, anyway; I guess you could say everywhere is my home." Trixie felt her ears lower in disappointment. "Oh… you're a wanderer, then?" "From a certain point of view." The mare lowered her eyes and curled up with her blanket. "Trixie thanks you for the help you were able to provide, at the very least." She heard no hoofsteps leaving the alley. After she started pondering what exactly what he was doing, he said, "I may not have a home myself, but I'm sure I could come to an arrangement with a hotel to let you stay there." She raised her head again, hope sparkling behind her eyes. "You would do that…?" "It'd be no issue at all; I'm a very powerful colt," he assured as he began to canter off. "Now come; if you want shuteye before daybreak, we'll need to get you to a hotel soon." Trixie briefly wondered how one could be powerful and still be homeless, but decided not to look the gift horse in the mouth lest it bite her. She shakily stood on her hooves and followed the stranger. She bit her lip when a realization hit her. "Trixie apologizes, but she didn't exactly catch your name, Mister…?" "Please, no honorifics. You can just call me… Nobody." === Daybreak === Darkness. Silence. Solitude. Oblivion. It was so sweet while it lasted, well and truly. Nothing to be afraid of, nothing to worry about. First touch came back. She could feel the soft embrace of covers and quilts on her fur and a pillow under her head. Sight came next. Soft light was gently pawing at her eyelids, begging for her to open them up and embrace the new day. Hearing came last. The songs of birds outside and the rustling of trees in the wind outside gently drifted into her ears. Along with… something else. "Is that… singing?" Fluttershy opened her eyes and quickly scanned her surroundings. She was back in her own room, in her own house. She glanced up to the window to see that it wasn't morning quite yet – the sun was going to rise soon. Memories started seeping into her brain of the night before. The party being crashed, Twilight vanishing in the chaos afterward, finding her in the library… …Nobody peering over a bookcase down at her… She shook her head. "That was an awful dream," she muttered to herself as she climbed out of bed. "Must've grabbed some wine by mistake and passed out." She had nothing resembling a hangover, but she decided to ignore that. As she fully began to wake up and her senses returned to full, she could definitely hear singing. A beautiful voice floated up from outside her house in a haunting melody. "Come, little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment. Come, little children, the time's come to play, here in my garden of shadows…" Fluttershy almost didn't register her hooves moving forward toward the stairwell. She found the song creeping into her house almost… spellbinding. She wondered who it could possibly be. She certainly didn't recognize the voice. It was female, soft yet dark, like a gentle breeze on Nightmare Night. The mysterious voice started cooing to itself in a mournful way that made the pegasus' heart ache. She arrived on the first floor of her home only for Angel Bunny to rush up to meet her. "Oh, Angel, there you are," she cooed. "I had the strangest dream last night. You wouldn't believe… hm?" She looked down at Angel to see him pushing on her foreleg as if she could shove her back up the staircase. The little rabbit looked… afraid. She couldn't imagine why. A smile crossed her face. "Oh, are you scared of the pony outside?" She patted Angel on the head, earning a scowl from him. "I'm sure it's nopony to be afraid of. She even sounds kind of… sad. I'll show you." "Follow, sweet children, I'll show thee the way, through all the pain and the sorrows. Weep not, poor children, for life is this way, murdering beauty and passions…" A little stroke of fear crossed the pegasus' mind at the sudden dark turn of the lyrics, but she didn't stop her trot towards the door. To her surprise, Angel hopped in front of her and waved his arms around as if begging her not to go outside. "Angel, what has gotten into you?" she asked the rabbit. "That mare outside sounds sad and hurt, and I can't just leave her alone out there." Angel ducked under her and started pulling at her hind hooves, desperately trying to keep her from the door. "Hush now, dear children, it must be this way, to weary of life and deceptions. Rest now, my children, for soon we'll away, into the calm and the quiet…" The mysterious mare started cooing to herself again, louder than before but still soft in tone. Her voice seemed to echo into Fluttershy's very skull. It sounded like the laments of a hundred years worth of grief, and the pegasus could feel her heart break a little with every passing second she heard it. Ignoring Angel's frantic protests, she opened the door. She immediately regretted it. On the bridge just outside her cottage sat Nobody, his head peering over the edge of the bridge. He seemed to be looking over the brook by her house and into the sunrise as he sang in that haunting female voice. "Come, little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment. Come, little children, the time's come to play, here in my garden of shadows…" His song apparently finished, the … Fluttershy didn't even know if he was a god or goddess anymore with that voice. The deity turned its head over to her and said in that same soothing female voice, "Ah, you're awake, Fluttershy." "N-no I'm not," Fluttershy stuttered as her legs quaked and she screwed her eyes shut. "This is all a dream, this is all a dream, this is all a dream…!" Nobody let out a soft laugh. "I assure you, my dear, this is no dream." Fluttershy whimpered and covered her eyes with her hooves. "I'm just going to count to three, and I'll be back in my bed, and you'll be gone. One… two… three!" She opened her eyes again, and much to her horror she was still in the doorway to her cottage and Nobody was still on the bridge gazing over at her. "Why don't you come over and have a seat with me?" Nobody asked, patting a spot beside… her, Fluttershy supposed. "The sunrise is quite beautiful this morning." Fluttershy froze up, stuttering, "I…I…I…!" "You don't want to test the patience of an elder god, do you?" When the pegasus didn't answer, a tendril of nothingness sprouted out of Nobody's back and slowly weaved its way through the air over to the panicked pony. Fluttershy's mind was wild with terror and her body seized up in fear as the tendril approached her. She couldn't move; she couldn't think; she could barely even breathe as the dark tentacle snaked ever closer. The tendril stopped its approach when Angel leapt out from behind Fluttershy and landed on it, trying in vain to sink his teeth into the mass of oblivion. The tendril slithered back until it hung in front of Nobody's blank face, the deity observing the rabbit as it kept trying to bite into her tentacle. Terror didn't flee from Fluttershy's mind so much as get kicked forcefully into the corner. Her legs stopped quaking with fear, but with rage. Her wide eyes narrowed into a look of pure loathing. "Get away from him!" The pegasus glided over to the dark deity and planted her hooves firmly on the ground. Her wings flared up behind her as she concentrated The Stare on the intruder. Nobody turned her head to acknowledge the pegasus. "A valiant effort, but the thing is, Fluttershy, I have no eyes. I just feel the arrangement of atoms around my nothingness so that I can detect the shapes of objects – I have no sight to speak of." That did little to dissuade the yellow pegasus. "Put Angel down. Now." Nobody chuckled. "High demands for such a fragile creature." She turned to regard the still clawing and biting Angel. "You two really do care for each other… don't you? Hm." The deity's head tilted slightly before the tendril wandered back over to hover over Fluttershy. Nobody shook the rabbit until he plopped onto the pegasus' back. "I had no intentions of harming either of you anyway; I just wanted to talk. The way you went out of your way to defend each other when there was no hope of surviving should I have chosen to get violent, though…" A dark laugh emanated from Nobody that sounded much more familiar. "I like that. I like that a lot." Fluttershy flared up her wings higher, shielding Angel protectively as she let down The Stare. "You're going to destroy the world and you dare say you don't want to hurt us?!" she snarled, taking a stomp toward the deity. "There is such a thing as disparity between desire and action; that is the recipe for the emotion you mortals call regret," Nobody said. Her tendril vanished as she turned her faceless head back toward the sunrise. Fluttershy couldn't help but let her rage recede into the recesses of her mind. Nobody had said those words as if she were quoting a textbook, but the pegasus could feel an undercurrent of sorrow – sorrow that she had experience with that emotion before. With her rage gone, the full weight of what she had just done dropped on her head like one of Derpy's slipped deliveries. "D… did I just-?" "Talk back to an elder god?" Nobody finished for her. "Yes you did." Fluttershy felt herself begin to shake. "And I-I could have-" "Been wiped from the very fabric of existence? Yes, you could have," Nobody finished again. The pegasus felt Angel hop onto her head and Nobody added, "Don't give me that look, bunny; I'm only stating fact." Fluttershy felt very faint, and she felt her legs buckle under her when she felt something – several somethings, in fact – wrap around her and hold her up. She looked to see that several tendrils had sprouted out of Nobody's back and had wrapped around her middle to help her keep steady. "Now now, no fainting," Nobody chided with a hint of the condescending mirth she'd known her for up to that point. "If you do that, you'll miss the sunrise." Fluttershy managed to stabilize herself, and the tendrils vanished when she blinked. "M-Miss Nobody, wh-what exactly do you want to talk to me about? If, um, you don't mind me asking," she managed to stutter out. Nobody sighed and shook her head. "Well, I was hoping that for once this would be one 'the morning after' conversation that wouldn't be incredibly awkward, but bang goes that hope." The pegasus pondered for a second what exactly that meant before the implication smacked her in the face. "Y-you… I… and we…?" she squeaked as what felt like all the blood in her body rushed to her face. Everything when numb and then black as the ground rushed up to meet her. She was quickly taken out of the sweet embrace of unconsciousness by a splash of water to her face. "Buck, I keep underestimating just how frelling fragile you are; it was only a joke!" she heard Nobody's female voice say through her snickers. "I am not f-fragile," Fluttershy managed to cough out as she opened her eyes. She saw Angel looking over her worriedly with a bucket over his head, which he quickly set down. The rabbit shot a death glare at the god, who was looking over to the prone pony as she snickered. "And why exactly do you have to be so… so dirty all the time?" The deity waved her hoof dismissively. "If Angel promises to leave the two of us be for now, I'll answer your question. I'd prefer to speak to you alone." Angel extended his middle finger on both paws in response, earning an uproarious laugh from Nobody. "Ohohohh, aren't you quite the feisty one?" Fluttershy gave Angel an assuring look. "Don't worry, Angel. You go back inside. I can handle this." He shot a look back that plainly said, "Um, no, you can't." Fluttershy sighed and nudged the rabbit with her nose. "Please…?" Angel looked at her sternly for a few seconds before sighing. He gave her a look that said "Please be careful" before hopping back into her cottage, slamming the door behind him. Fluttershy turned her gaze back to Nobody as she got back onto her hooves. The dark deity waved her over and patted the patch of bridge next to her again. The pegasus nervously gulped as she trotted over to Nobody, hiding her face behind the curtain of her mane and trying to ignore the fact Nobody was omniscient and could see it anyway. It took a lot of will and effort, but she eventually was able to drag her hooves over beside Nobody and sit her rump down beside the embodiment of the void. "So, I guess I owe you an answer to that question?" Nobody asked. "If you want to answer it," the pegasus whispered as she kept her gaze to the ground and her face behind her mane. "You don't have to be scared of me, you know," Nobody said softly. "I really don't plan on hurting you or any of your friends." Fluttershy gulped again. "B-but… you're planning to destroy the entire world – kill everyone." "When death comes by my hands, it's completely painless. One second you're alive, and the next second… you're not," Nobody replied. "It's a much more merciful death than mortals often offer each other." The pegasus briefly thought about whether Nobody was trying to convince her or herself, but didn't voice it and prayed that Nobody couldn't read minds. Fluttershy inwardly squeaked to herself before gathering the courage to ask, "Excuse me, Miss N-Nobody, but how exactly do you know that?" "I'm the keeper of forgotten memories; that includes the memories of the dead. Every single being I've ever wiped from the face of existence… I have all their memories, including the moment they died. They felt no pain." The deity's voice was wistful, mixed with sadness and a little bit of pride. "I… I guess that's nice of you…" Fluttershy's voice trailed off, the young mare unsure of exactly how terrified she should be anymore. Nobody scoffed. "When you have infinite power, there are infinite ways to abuse it. I like to think I've kept a pretty clean track record in the past few billion years." The deity paused and added, "I admit I've done things I'm not exactly proud of when the noise has gotten to be too much, but everypony makes mistakes, right?" "The… noise?" Fluttershy asked, uncertain she even wanted to know. "All the sound in the universe," she clarified. "I can hear it all – every single little sound in the vast expanse of everything. Every word, every breath, every heartbeat, every step, every clinking and clanking and whirring and humming of every machine…" Fluttershy's blood ran cold when she saw over a dozen tendrils start to snake their way out of Nobody's back. They wriggled, writhed and lashed, lacking any of the control that the god had previously shown. "…every deafening explosion, every sword clash, every gunshot, every blood spatter, every cracked bone, every battle cry, every scream, every dying breath…!" With every word the god's errant tendrils grew a bit longer and thrashed a bit harder. Fluttershy just watched them extend and writhe in terror, trying to stammer something – anything – out as she scrambled away from them on her back. Finally she managed with a shriek, "Nobody!" The deity stopped her rambling and the tentacles vanished. She cleared her throat and said, "My apologies. I just… sometimes lose control of myself when I dwell on how horrid this universe can be." She turned her head toward the prone Fluttershy and extended a tendril to help her back up to her hooves. "It's one of the reasons I kind of like you – you're such a quiet young mare, with little need for bluster. You barely add to the noise at all." Fluttershy gulped as she was set back into her seat by Nobody's tendril. "W-well, Miss Nob-body… if you like me so much, why do you keep scaring me?" "Because, my dear, when you're unconscious you are so much quieter. It's quite pleasant, really," she explained. "O-oh…" Fluttershy's voice trailed off, unsure of what to say to that. "I'm kidding," Nobody snickered. "I actually find the sound of your voice very soothing and it's certainly nicer than most of the other trillions upon trillions of voices I have to hear every second of every day." "Th-thank you," Fluttershy whispered, stealing a glance up at the deity. "You're very welcome," Nobody said back. The two sat in silence for… Fluttershy didn't know how long. Eventually she gathered up the courage to stop hiding behind her mane and actually look in front of her. Her eyes were greeted with the sight of Celestia's sun rising just over the horizon. The sky was painted in vibrant reds, soft purples and wispy blues, each cloud sporting a golden lining as the night retreated behind them and the day stretched to begin. "It's beautiful," she heard herself sigh as the sun quickly climbed across the sky. Nobody chuckled softly. "I told you as much, didn't I?" She let out a small sigh herself and added, "It's always sunrise somewhere on almost every planet, and a small portion of my cosmic mind is focused on every one of them. I like to pretend it's the only thing I can see and all I can hear is silence." "It must be nice, getting to see every sunrise across the universe." A small smile found its way on Fluttershy's face as she tried to think about what that must have been like. "The novelty wore out after the first few million years after stars, planets and sunrises became a thing," Nobody admitted, "and they're far from the most beautiful thing in the universe, but they're certainly up there. It's one of the few perks of my non-existence." "If you don't mind me asking, Miss Nobody, what is the most beautiful thing in the universe?" Fluttershy asked as she looked over to her companion, her curiosity getting the better of her. "I'm not telling, but you'll know it when you see it," Nobody said with a knowing laugh. The deity paused and added, "Now, about your question…" She turned her head to the young pegasus and leaned in. "It was about why I'm so 'dirty' all the time, yes?" Fluttershy blushed; she'd completely forgotten about that herself. "Y-yes, if you don't mind answering." Nobody snickered to herself. "Well, sex is but an aspect and expression of love, is it not?" "It c-can be," Fluttershy answered, her blush deepening. "Then this may be a bit of a shocker, but…" The deity's voice trailed off and she looked around as if she were afraid anyone were listening in. She leaned in and said behind her hoof, "I'm all about love." Fluttershy felt her head about to pop again. "E-excuse me?" Nobody giggled as she drew back to her full height. "I'm in love with love! Well, the concept and feeling of love, really," she corrected. "Love is such a wondrous feeling – the greatest feeling in any emotional range of any species anywhere. I have millions upon millions of memories of the feeling of love within my consciousness, and they are by far my favorite memories to visit." Nobody giggled again as she added, "I just find it so delightfully hilarious how so many sexual species react to sexuality, such an integral part of their existence. The most sublime expression of romantic love there is, and it's as if they're afraid of it! The irony is just so glorious, don't you think?" She turned her head over to look at Fluttershy almost expectantly. "I-it does seem a b-bit silly," Fluttershy managed to stammer out. "Of course, romantic love isn't the only sort there is," Nobody said, almost purring. "There's also familial love – the love between siblings, for instance. Like the love you and Angel feel for each other. And don't you deny it: I saw how both of you selflessly rushed to each other's defense despite almost assured death," she said with a wave of her hoof. "Despite being different species, the two of you keep each other in check not because it benefits yourselves, but because it benefits the other." She sighed wistfully. "If only all beings were so lucky." Fluttershy thought for a few moments, a smile widening on her face with each passing second. "Yeah… I guess I really am lucky to have him." She paused and added, "Nobody… can I ask you a very, very personal question?" "I won't stop you or punish you for it," the deity said back. Fluttershy looked shyly up at Nobody and asked, "Have you… ever been in love before?" Several seconds of chilling silence passed between the two. "No, I haven't," Nobody finally admitted. "Though I have many memories of the feeling, they are but wisps compared to the real thing, and… I am incapable of feeling love for various reasons." Fluttershy turned her head and hid back behind the curtain of her mane. "I-I'm sorry…" "Don't be," she said with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "I would ask you the same question, but I already know the answer is yes." The yellow pegasus' face once again turned very red. "Wh-what do you mean by that?" Nobody snickered, the tinge of sadness gone. "There's no use lying to a god such as I, Fluttershy. Ignoring your fillyhood crush on Rainbow Dash, I know you have quite… deeper feelings about somepony else." "S-so you can read minds?" Fluttershy squeaked. "I don't need to; just the way you look at her, the way your breath gets a bit shallow around her, the way your heart beats just a little bit faster – anypony with my omniscience could tell," Nobody said. "When do you plan on telling her?" "I-I really don't know," Fluttershy mumbled as she traced non-distinct shapes on the ground with her hoof. "Well, the clock is ticking, Fluttershy. This may be the last day you ever get to see her, or ever get to hear her laugh, or feel the soft brush of her fur against yours, or smell her sweet aroma… I'd savor it for all it was worth, if I were you." "I-I still don't really know, Nobody. What do you think she would say?" Fluttershy looked up to Nobody to see she was no longer there. She was left all alone on that bridge, the sun rising on the horizon as the young mare began to think over what she'd been told. Darkness. Silence. Solitude. Oblivion. It was so sweet while it lasted, well and truly. Nothing to be afraid of, nothing to worry about. Not having to deal with her hangover. Vinyl Scratch let out a pained groan as she stirred. Her head felt like somepony had hammered her own speakers into her skull, cranked the volume up to eleven, and left them on all night. Her mouth tasted like she had chugged a glass of griffin sweat, and she wasn't keen on recalling why she knew what that tasted like. Every little sound was magnified tenfold, to the point even the sound of her own moans made her want to fill her ears in with cement. All she could register was that she was not in her own bed, which was a bad sign. After the initial sensory overload died down, the DJ started to make sense of her surroundings. She wasn't in her own bed, but she was in her own apartment, much to her relief. She was just sprawled out on their older-than-dirt couch. There were certainly worse places to wake up in the morning. She could hear the sizzling of a pan on the oven emanating from the hall, and smell the blueberry pancakes that were probably the cause. With another soft groan, Vinyl crawled off her resting place and trotted down the hall, her legs shaking. She looked around the corner to see a familiar grey mare at the oven working her magic – well, not actual magic, but to Vinyl, everything Octavia did was magic. "Good morning, babe," Vinyl managed to mumble out, a soft smile on her lips as she sauntered into the kitchen and tried her best not to look like she felt like she had one hoof in the grave. Octavia took a moment to flip the pancakes and set down the spatula in her mouth before greeting back, "Good morning, Vinyl." She turned over her shoulder with a cocky smile but loving look. "You look like you had quite a wild night. How're you feeling?" "Babe, you and I both know that I feel as well as I look," Vinyl chuckled, trotting over to her marefriend. "But thanks for asking, Octy." "You're welcome, Viny," Octavia snickered. The DJ rolled her eyes. "You still gonna call me that after all this time?" "You call me Octy," the grey mare said back coyly, as if they hadn't had that exact same conversation before. "Yes, but Octy is cute; Viny sounds like the name of a pizza joint, sweetcheeks." Octavia let out a small snicker before suggesting, "Why don't you just relax and take a seat? Breakfast is almost ready." "Thanks, babe." Vinyl was about to go do as her marefriend bid her, but her red eyes caught sight of Octavia's flank, and she couldn't help herself. She leaned in and gave her treble clef cutie mark a lick, earning a shocked squeak from its owner. "V-vinyl!" Octavia sputtered, her face bright red and turning to see the offender just smacking her lips. "I knew there was a reason I called you sweetcheeks…" Vinyl giggled with a wink before she sauntered over to the table, putting an emphasis on each hip swing. "You are just awful," Octavia huffed half-heartedly. "It's part of my charm," Vinyl said with a smirk as she took her seat. Octavia just rolled her eyes and took the pan off the heat. Spatula clenched in her teeth, she moved the pancakes from the pan to a pair of plates. Setting the spatula down again, she huffed, "How do I ever put up with you?" "I would say it's because you love me, but I've gotta say that it's the sex that seals the deal," Vinyl snickered, floating the two plates over to the table with her magic. With a bright blush and an upturn of her nose, Octavia sauntered over to her seat and set herself down. "Careful with the lewd comments, hon, or I swear I'll announce to all in sundry that you prefer to be called Spanky in bed," she said with a devious smirk and a look in her eye similar to that of a cat looking at a cornered mouse. "Hey, hey, no need to whip out the Spanky card, babe," Vinyl said with a nervous laugh as she rubbed the back of her neck with a hoof. "We're trying to keep our relationship on the down-low anyway, remember?" "I know…" Octavia's voice trailed off, and her amethyst eyes lost focus. She looked like she was looking past Vinyl instead of at her. After a few seconds of silence, Vinyl said, "Are you okay?" She tilted her head in concern as she lifted up the syrup with her magic and poured it over her marefriend's plate. "Huh?" Octavia blinked a few times, looking at Vinyl in confusion for a few seconds. She quickly regained her composure and insisted, "Of course, hon. Everything's fine. Thank you." Vinyl raised an eyebrow as she moved the syrup from her marefriend's plate to her own. "Are you sure, sweetcheeks? You looked like you were thinking about something pretty hard." "Well…" Octavia's voice trailed off again. Her eyes looked off to the side, refusing to make contact with Vinyl's. "Well?" Vinyl prompted as she started cutting into her breakfast. Octavia's eyes snapped right back to Vinyl's with an unusually shy smile. "I was just wondering if we could… forget about the secrecy. Just for today? One day out on the town, just you and I." Vinyl's eyebrows raised so much she thought they almost ripped off her skull. "Octy, baby, keeping our relationship a secret was your idea in the first place. You know what those stuffy Canterlot nobles think about filly foolers." Her gaze hardened as she added, "I mean, none of my clients are nobles, so I have nothing to worry about, and everypony already knows what way my stable door swings, but you? You have a career to worry about! You played at the Grand Galloping bucking Gala last year! I know you love me and all – hay, what pony doesn't? – but I'm not about to let you ruin your rep over me." "I know, I know; I'm painfully aware of that fact," Octavia sighed, taking a bite out of her pancakes. "I'm just somewhat tired of all the hiding. When was the last time we even ate out together in public?" "The night you asked me out," Vinyl said, a small smile forming on her muzzle when she remembered that night – and their first kiss. "Exactly," Octavia said with a slight frown. "We haven't even once kissed in public – besides, well, that night, and I was too overcome with passion to care at that moment, and we were horribly lucky there were no paparazzi." "Tends to happen to ponies around me," Vinyl said with a chuckle before biting in to her breakfast. "My animal magnetism was just too much for ya." Octavia rolled her eyes. "My point is that ever since we got together, we've been too afraid to act like a normal couple, and it's all on my account." She sighed and locked her violet eyes with her marefriend's crimson ones with a pleading look. "Just… for one day, I want us to forget about that. I just want us to go out and have a good time, regardless of any stares we get. Please…?" Vinyl looked long and hard into her marefriend's eyes before she let out a sigh. "Okay; we'll take the day off and spend it together." She paused and added with a wink, "And if you end up regretting it, I promise my tongue and I will wash all your worries away." A bright blush found its way onto Octavia's face once again, but this time she didn't snap at the offender for it. "Thanks, hon," she said meekly with a small smile. She sat up straight again and donned her composed mannerisms once more. "Let's eat; I didn't make breakfast for you this morning only for it to get cold." Vinyl chuckled. "Whatever you say, babe. We'll plan our day after breakfast." She tucked into her plate and hummed softly at the flavor, smiling at her marefriend. With a swallow, she opened her mouth to thank her, but decided against it. She just basked in the other mare's company as a companionable silence fell over them and the sun's light began to peek through their window. === Lacuna === Rarity hummed a soft little tune to herself as she trotted down the stairs. She could already hear and smell breakfast being made. Knowing that the only one in the house besides her was Sweetie Belle, she let out a soft groan. "Well, I don't smell smoke yet; that's a good sign, at least," she muttered to herself as she went into the kitchen with the best fake smile she could muster. "Good morning, Sweetie Belle!" The younger unicorn leaped up in fright and wheeled around from her place in front of the stove. "Sorry, Sweetums," Rarity said with a giggle. "I didn't mean to startle you like that." "Who are you?" Sweetie said, backing up against the oven. "What're you doing in our house?" Rarity tilted her head with a raised eyebrow. "Sweetie Belle, what are you talking about? Is this one of your little games?" "H-how do you know my name?" Fear and confusion were plain in the filly's green eyes. Her gaze flitted between Rarity and anyplace where Rarity wasn't, clearly looking for an escape route. "Sweetie Belle, it's me, Rarity. Your sister, remember?" she asked as softly as she could, crouching down to look the panicked Sweetie in the eye on her level. Sweetie Belle's alarm calmed ever so slightly as her eyes connected with Rarity's. "I've… I've never had a sister. I'm an only foal." "That… that's total nonsense," Rarity said, shaking her head. "I've always been your sister, Sweetums. I was even at the hospital when you were born." "M-mom and dad never told me about having a sister before." Sweetie Belle's eyes suddenly lit up with the kind of wonder only a child of her age could manage. "Does that mean you're my long lost sister?" Rarity shook her head and rose to her full height, her brow furrowed in thought before she quickly adopted a smile. "Yes, Sweetie Belle, I'm your long lost sister. I've been looking for you and our parents for a very, very long time." Sweetie Belle scrambled up on her hooves and hugged Rarity's leg. "I can't believe I actually have a sister! Where've you been all this time?" she asked, looking up at Rarity with wide eyes. Rarity avoided her sister's gaze. "I've been… a lot of places. Mostly Canterlot." "I've never been to Canterlot before," Sweetie Belle said, awe apparent. "What's it like?" "Oh, it's a very nice place, darling. The architecture, the culture, the class…" Rarity sighed wistfully. She blinked and added, "But, um, I'm not here to tell you about my old home. I'm here to find out about your home. Come to think of it, I really should get back to exploring Ponyville." "But… you just got here!" The filly's lower lip began to tremble, her forelegs tightening around Rarity's leg. Rarity gave Sweetie Belle a soft smile and stroked her pink and purple mane with a hoof. "I'll be back soon, Sweetums; don't you worry about that. You can stand to wait for a while, can't you?" "I… I guess," Sweetie Belle said with a sigh, releasing Rarity's leg. "Promise me you'll be back soon, though!" Rarity giggled at the demand. "Of course I will. I'm just going to get a feel for the place where my family lives, after all." She turned around and trotted toward the front door. "See you soon!" "I better!" Sweetie Belle huffed after her. Rarity chuckled again. As soon as her hooves touched grass and the door swung shut, the mask of calm crumbled and gave way to creases of worry. "This is not good," Rarity whispered to herself. "Sweetie Belle has amnesia… I better go see Twilight about this." She trotted along the surprisingly empty streets of Ponyville. There were ponies out and about, but they all seemed strangely blurry to her eyes. "Great, maybe I need to start wearing glasses full time again," she mumbled to herself. "Howdy there, partner!" Rarity's eyes snapped to the source of the voice, and clear as crystal was Applejack pulling a cart of her wares. "You look a little lost, and Ah ain't ever seen your face around here before; need directions?" Applejack asked with a welcoming smile. "New in town?" Rarity repeated, looking over the cowpony as if she'd just admitted a manticore fetish. "Applejack, it's me, Rarity." Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry, Miss Rarity, but have we met before?" "Have we met befo–" Rarity shook her head before she got lost in the mire of confusion she found herself in. "Applejack, I've lived here in Ponyville for years. We've been friends for more than a year. I made your dress for the Grand Galloping Gala." Applejack's other eyebrow shot up to join its sibling. "Are you sure, Miss Rarity? Because Ah honestly swear Ah've never seen you before now. You must have me mistaken for somepony else." "Okay, so if I didn't make your dress for the Grand Galloping Gala, who did?" the unicorn asked, her voice starting to tremble. Applejack opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again without a word. Her brow furrowed in concentration and she brought a hoof to her mouth. A few more seconds of silence followed before she screwed her eyes shut and started tapping the side of her head. "Ah… can't seem to remember. Ah ain't even got a blurry memory; it's like there's a big hole where that memory's supposed to be." She sighed and looked at the unicorn with an apologetic look. "Mighty sorry, Miss Rarity, but Ah just can't remember." Rarity didn't bother to say anything else. She broke out into a gallop past the bewildered cowpony, her eyes wild with terror as she repeated to herself, "This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening…!" The rest of Ponyville passed her by in a huge blur until she came up to the old oak library. She burst into the door and yelled, "Twilight, are you here?" "Just a second!" came a call from Twilight's bedroom. The tapping of hooves on wood echoed out until the occupant entered the main library. "Welcome to the Ponyville Library! What're you looking for?" "Help; I'm looking for your help," Rarity choked out, her eyes beginning to water. "Sweetie Belle doesn't remember I'm her older sister, Applejack doesn't remember I'm her friend and… oh, darling, something horrible must have happened!" Twilight trotted over and put a hoof on Rarity's shoulder. "Calm down, calm down; I'll see what I can do. Ponies are forgetting who you are, right?" Rarity simply gave a nod and a sniffle. "Very odd," Twilight said as she trotted over to a bookshelf and began perusing its contents. "Anypony who hasn't forgotten you yet?" "I've only run into Sweetie Belle and Applejack this morning, so you're really the only pony who seems to remember me so far, Twilight," Rarity explained. Twilight went completely still for what felt like forever. "Twilight…?" The violet unicorn chuckled nervously as she turned back to face Rarity. "Actually, I, um… I have no idea who you are, Miss…?" Rarity felt her hind legs give way under her, her behind landing on the wooden floor with a loud thud. Sweat started forming on her brow. Her eyes stared out into the distance, beyond the library, beyond Equestria, and possibly beyond even Equis. "No… no, this isn't happening," Rarity muttered to herself as her vision began to blur. "This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't happening…" "Um… excuse me? Are you okay?" Twilight asked, trotting up to the stunned unicorn. Just as her hoof was about to find Rarity's shoulder again, Rarity galloped out the door, tears streaming down her face and her eyes screwed shut. "This isn't happening! This isn't happening! This isn't happening!" she shrieked to herself, not caring who heard as long as she could hold onto the vain hope that her mantra would come true. Rarity didn't pay attention to how far or how long she ran; it didn't matter if she didn't outrun the reality of her situation. Eventually her legs tired and she stopped, though she supposed it didn't take that long, seeing as she wasn't athletic in any way. She didn't bother to open her eyes; she could feel grass beneath her feet, and that was good enough for her. She completely collapsed and just cried into her hooves, repeating her mantra now and then in a feeble attempt to comfort herself. "Um… excuse me? Are you okay?" A small gasp escaped Rarity's lips, her eyes snapping open and looking up. Somehow, through the veil of her own tears, Fluttershy was standing before her clear as day. Her face wore a look of worry, and sympathy lay behind her teal eyes as she looked down at the prone unicorn. "Fluttershy?" Rarity sobbed out. She scrambled back into an upright sitting position and wiped her eyes with her foreleg. "I'm sorry you had to see me like this, darling, but…" She shuddered as she let out a sigh and looked at the pegasus hopefully. "Please tell me you remember who I am, Fluttershy. Please, just… say my name. That's all I need to hear right now." Fluttershy's ears flattened and her frown deepened. "I'm really sorry, but… I don't think we've ever met before." Rarity blinked the tears back as they pounded to escape from her tear ducts. She avoided Fluttershy's gaze and said, "I suppose I shouldn't have expected any less. Nopony remembers me anymore… why should I have expected you to be any–" Rarity's laments were cut short by the feeling of two forelegs wrapping around her, a soft mane draping over her back, and a warm neck pressing up against her own. "It doesn't matter what your name is or who you are; you're somepony who needs help, and… I'm here for you," Fluttershy whispered. "I'm here for you no matter what." Rarity let the tears flow freely as their essence changed from despair to joy. She wrapped her own forelegs around Fluttershy's withers and hugged her close, melting into the pegasus' embrace. "Thank you, Fluttershy," she whispered. "Thank you so much…" When Rarity opened her eyes again and blinked away the tears, the sight before her made all thought screech to a halt. The scenery before her was blurred and unfocused, but it was rapidly disappearing in an encroaching wave of blackness. "…run." "What?" Fluttershy asked. "Run!" Rarity yelled as she pulled away and took her own advice. She looked over her shoulder to see Fluttershy spot the danger and dash to keep up with the unicorn as the world behind them vanished. Rarity's lungs felt like a pair of furnaces, but her legs hurt so much from the strain that they were beyond pain itself. She just kept putting one hoof in front of the other, only daring to look back to make sure Fluttershy was keeping up. To her horror, the yellow pegasus was falling behind, and the wave of black was catching up to them. "Fluttershy, hurry!" Rarity shouted behind her. "I can't go any faster!" Fluttershy huffed between pants. "Then fly!" Rarity yelled back. Fluttershy screwed her eyes shut and flapped her wings. She took to the air, gliding along and gaining distance between her and the apocalyptic surge. Rarity let out a sigh of relief and flashed Fluttershy a smile. "We can do this, we can do this…" She tried to focus on her own race against death itself, but kept finding herself worrying over the yellow pegasus. Eventually, she gave in and looked behind her. She immediately wished she hadn't. The wave of nothing caught up with Fluttershy and began to tear apart her tail and hind legs, which just turned into specs of yellow and pink dust before blowing away on an unseen wind into the void. It wasn't until it reached her hips that Fluttershy noticed and looked back. She let out a terrified scream. "Help!" "Fluttershy!" Rarity skidded to a halt and about-faced, galloping with all her speed to her friend. She wasn't fast enough. The encroaching nothingness tore Fluttershy apart bit by bit. The pegasus desperately kept flapping her wings to try to get ahead, until those turned to dust as well. "Help me!" she shrieked, extending a pleading hoof toward Rarity as what was left of her fell. In the blink of an eye, it was over; all that was left was a gust of pink and yellow dust that the darkness quickly consumed. "Fluttershy… no." Rarity could only stare at the spot where two frightened, begging teal eyes had been just a second before. She shook her head and resumed her run, her heart freezing over with grief as the rest of her burned from exhaustion. "I'm not ready to die just yet!" she yelled as if challenging the encroaching void. Almost as if it responded in kind, she saw a wave of nothingness approaching from the horizon before her. She looked to her right to start running in that direction, but the void was encroaching from there as well. A glance to the left achieved the same result. "I'm…I'm trapped," she gasped to herself. Her gallop slowed to a canter. Her canter slowed to a trot. Finally, her trot slowed down to nothing. She looked around with the serenity of the condemned to see that the darkness was circling around her. "So… this is how it ends," she said with a small scoff and a disbelieving smile on her face. "Completely and utterly… alone…" She hung her head low and sobbed, but she was all out of tears to shed. The circle closed in on her and began ripping her apart, inch by inch. She watched clouds of white and violet dust drift away from her with dulled eyes. "That's funny… I don't feel a thing," she mumbled to herself. Her eyes snapped open. "I…I can't feel anything." She began to panic, flailing in the encroaching void. "I can't feel my legs!" she shrieked as she looked down to find her lower half completely gone and her upper half beginning to follow suit. "No, stop, please!" she begged to whatever deity may have been listening. "I know I've lost everything, but…but I don't want to die," she sobbed to herself as her forelegs began drifting away. They were gone before she knew it, the void creeping up her neck. "I don't want to die!" Rarity's eyes snapped open with a deep gasp. Her gaze darted around, only to find the luxurious comforts of her own room. She was wrapped deep in the covers of her own bed, the feel of the expensive fabrics quite literally dampened by the cold sweat that covered her body. The unicorn laid in her bed and shivered for several minutes as she let the sheer terror that flooded her mind slowly trickle away. She finally took in a deep breath that felt like it rattled her very bones, though it didn't calm her down as much as she'd hoped. She heard the doorbell ring downstairs, earning a small groan from the fashionista. She stole a look at the clock. "Who would come by at this Celestia-forsaken hour?" she muttered as she shakily climbed out of bed. "The sun is barely even up." Rarity dragged her hooves along the floor, unable to control their shaking as the events of last night's nightmare played over and over in her mind. "It was only a dream," she whispered to herself. "Just a petite little nightmare. Nightmares never hurt anypony." The doorbell rang again as she approached the front door. "Coming!" she sang as cheerfully as she could manage. She took a moment to try to regain her composure. The most she could manage was to stop her legs from shaking. Deciding that was good enough, she swung the door open with her magic and put on her best fake smile. "Good morning, and welcome to the Carousel Boutique." She was going to finish the rest of her greeting, but her words died in her throat when she saw who it was. "Good mornin', Rarity," Applejack greeted. "Ah was just swinging by to… oh Celestia, what happened to you?" Her eyes suddenly softened with pity. "What? What's wrong?" Rarity asked, looking herself over. "Rare, your mane looks like your cat slept in it and your face is covered in smudged makeup," the cowpony said, looking over her friend with a furrowed brow. "Were you… were you cryin' last night, Rarity?" "No; of course not," the unicorn lied, turning her nose up as if the very suggestion offended her. "I'm just fine." "Rarity…" Applejack sighed and pushed her way into the boutique, closing the door with her hoof. "You can be honest with me. You can put on a mighty pretty smile, but Ah can still see that something's eatin' away at you." "Of course n-not, don't b-be silly, Applejack," she stammered, avoiding eye contact. "Everything… everything…" A single glance at the emerald eyes full of worry looking at her shattered her already shaky resolve. "Everything's not fine. Everything… is far from fine." Rarity felt Applejack's cheek nuzzle up against her own. "You were crying last night… weren't you?" The unicorn mutely nodded with a sniffle as her eyes began to water once more. "I just fell in bed and couldn't stop. Even after I didn't have any tears left, I just kept on sobbing… it wasn't the most dignified moment of my life, I'll tell you that," she joked with a weak smile, finally managing to look her friend in the eye. "What's wrong, sugarcube?" Applejack asked softly. "I'm… I'm scared," she admitted more to herself than to her friend. "I'm so scared." She suddenly flung her forelegs around Applejack and buried her face in her friend's neck as the tears flowed anew. "I don't want to die, Applejack! I still have so much to do with my life, and… I don't want to leave what I already have behind." She sobbed violently and held the cowpony tighter, as if she was scared that her friend would turn into dust and slip away any second. Applejack returned the hug in kind and softly whispered into Rarity's ear, "Just cry it all out, Rare. Ah'm here, and Ah ain't going anywhere." She held the unicorn closer and stroked her back. Rarity quickly ran out of tears to cry, but that didn't stop her sobbing or loosen her grip on her friend. Every time her hold tightened, Applejack just nuzzled her cheek into her mane and said, "Ah'm here for you, Rarity, Ah'm here." After a while the mantra began to take hold and Rarity's sobbing died away. "I-I'm so sorry for acting like this, darling," Rarity apologized, nuzzling her friend's neck "Don't fret, sugarcube," Applejack assured, patting her on the back. "None of us are going anywhere, and you ain't gonna die. Twilight will figure all this out, and everything will go back to normal. You just gotta have a little faith." "I'll try, Applejack. I'll try." Rarity basked in her friend's warmth for a few more seconds before pulling away. She locked her eyes with the cowpony's and smiled. "Thank you. I really needed that." "Think nothing of it, Rare. What're friends for?" Applejack asked, returning the smile. "That would be a very long list," Rarity chuckled, "and even then you go above and beyond." "Aw shucks, Ah ain't nothing special," Applejack said with a blush. "I would tell you to not be so modest if I didn't know you'd be too stubborn to listen," Rarity giggled. "Now, what brings you to my doorstep this early in the morning?" Applejack's blush faded and her ears went flat. "Well, Ah actually came here for Sweetie Belle. Ah'm roundin' up the girls together and takin' 'em out someplace fun in case… you know." Rarity's ears flattened as well along with her sinking heart. "I see… I understand. I'll go get her." Rarity had just turned around when Applejack asked, "Are ya sure ya don't mind? Ah mean, she's your sister, not mine. Hay, maybe you could come with us." Rarity thought silently for a few moments. "No; it's fine. If I went, I'd just be the overbearing sister that I always am, right? I'll just let her enjoy herself the way she wants to." "If you think that's best. Ah promise Ah'll take good care of her, Rarity," AJ assured. "Nothing's gonna happen to her on my watch." Rarity glanced over her shoulder with a sliver of a smile as she trotted up the stairs. Applejack was looking back at her with the sort of determination in her eyes she'd begun to think only existed in fairy tales. "I have no doubt you will." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Precocious Shouldn't Be A Color author: Regina Wright tags: character:Noteworthy, character:Pinkie Pie, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== ...That You Wear So Well === It was when Pinkie tried to spin him, —muzzles brushing, chests touching— the low pitch song of polka swing serenading the moment as they missed the last step and collided. They fell together and made a pile of sweaty limbs, a grunt from her and a gasp from him. Pinkie's ears flattened as she turned her head to the side, the slight throb of pain tapping against her skull. Noteworthy was heavy, straddling her waist as he tried to yank his horn from the little hole it made through the dusty wooden floor. With her hooves on his chest, two tugs got him free and he moaned, blinking the saw dust from his eyes. She groaned, dragging her right hoof to push the furry furnace off. The stallion slid to the patio floor like a puddle going down a sewer drain, splashing his complaints on the way down. Nearby, the clear pitcher full of sweet lemonade and ice chose to clink —ice melting from the hot, hot sun— as the song concluded and white noise filled the air. First, she heard her heart thudding inside of its cage. Then, her pink face went red as the memory of the last few seconds played in her head, the music crooning. Her eyes stalked the planks that made the floor and then attacked, a quick and mostly intentional look at Noteworthy. She stared at him, her mind giving no answers. Then she looked away, blushing even harder. "I can't-" The blue unicorn sputtered, flushing to her surprise, spreading out on the ground. His big lazy rear wagging in the air as he fanned himself with his tail. "I can't get the dance right." He said, rotating his left fore-hoof. "Let's call it a day. I'll treat you to a cupcake at your place... This was dumb of me, anyways. Asking you to teach me the Canter Riot days before the Summer Solstice... It's getting late, you know. Real late. I thought I would have been great at this, you know?" His voice wavered into a whisper. "Maybe, I should try something else..." The big ball of fire sat over top of them. Directly in the middle of the sky, cooking the pearls of sweat off their bodies through a slight gap in the domed ceiling. And it was at those words, the idle reasons of a stallion who certainly didn't know a thing about day and night, time and temptation, that Pinkie Pie chose not to sigh. "What are you talking about! It's not late. It will never be too late to dance!" She said, refusing to head home early to think long and hard about the way he felt against her flank. "I won't be able to feel my hooves tomorrow, Noteworthy. So let's do it!" Pinkie forced herself up, the record in the old gramophone starting from the beginning, and they danced. She and her shadow, one step, two step. Her swollen hooves gliding across the floor. The lazy summer wind joined the party, playing with her curly hair as she twirled. At her first dip, Noteworthy lumbered to her side, moving in place to catch her. And so they were together, a few notes from the beat —him, not her—. And so they practiced, their intermingling breaths —her and him— steadily growing louder than the purring melody. With a final twist and dip, the song skipped as the needle moved over a old crack. Noteworthy leaned Pinkie back correctly, his fore-hoof in the middle of her back as they stood on their hind legs. And he had to ruin the moment by kissing her. And then Pinkie made it even worse by kissing right back. They parted, the hymn of their lips when their mouths were plucked from each other seemed to echoed even louder than the old Rookwell horn blaring its heart out in the track. Pinkie thought of touching her mouth, wanting to feel the heat that lingered there. But then Noteworthy just had to beat her, blatantly doing it in front of her. His face flushing even harder as he avoided her eyes. "You- You can't just do that." She blurted out, her tail twitching and twitching to catch her attention. Pinkie ignored and ignored because this —that kiss— was so unforgivable that she needed another word to make her everything known. Noteworthy said nothing, backing up into the thin shade the garden shack provided. His eyes, alight with the faint specks of the sun reflecting in them, seem to crinkle around the edges as if he came to some grand conclusion that he was unwilling to share. It infuriated her. It all infuriated her. "Do you like me!" She heaved, her heart in her throat. Wouldn't it be nice to die on the spot? "No." Pinkie swayed on her hooves, the revelation knocking her back. She looked left. She looked right. Eyes watering. Eyes hardening. Her little form deflated, her knobby knees rattling a SOS before she puffed herself up. All of this could be dealt with tomorrow. Or the day after. Or the day after that. She certainly hadn't seen her Ma and Pa down in Rookwell for a while. They might need her for six months. Maybe even forever. "I love you." He said, blushing. Her knees rattled even harder. "But I kissed you and I'm sorry. It was..." Noteworthy chuckled, the sound drifting and sticking into her ears like petals flying free from a meadow. She shivered despite herself and that only made her angrier. "It's not like... Look, I'm sorry. I wanted to confess during the Summer Solstice, not like this. I love you." He said again, his words taking turns in trying to make her faint on the spot. Noteworthy was indeed, the worse pony she ever met, ever. "You're not sorry." Pinkie pointed a hoof and stomped her way over to his corner. "But I'm going to make you sorry. Sorry!" She squished their muzzles together, carefully not press into his lips. "From the top!" The old gramophone sighed, the record playing from the start as if commanded by her words. Pinkie smashed their mouths together. Noteworthy chuckled again, the evil stallion. They kissed slowly and with that, they began to dance. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Fallen From The Skies author: Pedro Hander tags: character:Main 6, character:Original Character, character:Princess Celestia, character:Princess Luna, character:Rarity, content:Alternate Universe, genre:Adventure, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Event === FALLEN FROM THE SKIES The Event The sun slowly made its way through the firmament nearing the horizon line; the sky tinted in violet, orange and indigo tones as the night began to fall over Ponyville. Indeed, the skies were always so beautiful over Equestria; every season had its own kind of beauty, even when the winter came, covering the entire land with white snow. However, today was just a warm summer evening and the clouds looked like a watercolor painting showing all the glory of the nature. At the city, the ponies enjoyed the last strains of sun while they finished another day; the streets filled with life, shopkeepers did the last sales of the day, fillies played at the park, the smell of bakery in the air filled the nostrils of the nearby passers. As the sunlight faded, the streets became empty with exception of a few ponies which finished they daily chores; as every city of Equestria, Ponyville was a safe place to live, this way the residents didn't needed to worry about any kind of burglary or violence, those were very rare and isolated cases. Close to the market district, on the library, Twilight just finished some letters and reports related to her recent researches about ancient magic, as usual, she filled dozens of pages with every kind of information and theories she was able to find and develop. On the other hand, Spike was researching his gem cupcake baked by Pinkie especially for him, the ruby flavor was one of his favorites, and this one had a big gem right at the top. Right when he gave the first bite (which was a wave of pure delight), dozens scrolls landed right on his head burying him into a mountain of paper. Removing one scroll from his half eaten cupcake, he moved towards Twilight and glared her with a mouth full of rubies and pastry. "Hehe, sorry Spike… Could you please, send this letters to the Princess?" She took one of the scrolls who was stained with icing and cleaned it with magic, and putting it back on the pile. Spike stared at the unicorn with a frown and swallowed the rest of the cupcake. "Awww, come on Twilight… I have to send it now?" He cleaned the edges of his mouth with the back of his arm. "No whining Spike… Besides, it's just a few letters, when you finish it you can get the rest of the day free of any tasks, I promise" She gave him an awkward smile. "Besides, Princess Celestia must be waiting for these reports… I don't even know how I could delay this for three hours! Can you believe it?" Twilight said with a concerned face. "No…" Spike rolled his eyes. 'How can somepony be so paranoiac about a schedule?' She glared impatiently at him while gave a quick check in the letters again. "Ok, ok Twilight… You've won, I will send the letters, just stop staring me this way, it give me shivers…" Spike knew exactly her obsession with schedules, and he just couldn't risk the probability of another madness attack… Oh, that day still haunted him at his dreams… Meanwhile, in Canterlot, Princess Celestia was just finishing her daily routine of duties, today unfortunately was one of those days filled with paperwork and bureaucracy, and to make the things worse, she also had to deal with some hay-traders unicorns. 'Oh heavens… Why today they need agreements and licenses to everything… How I miss the old times when you could just use the royal Canterlot voi-' "…Princess?" An impatient dark coated unicorn interrupted Celestia from her musings. "…Oh, ermm, sorry…" "Very well gentlecolts, I will send the secretary of commerce to establish contact with you soon, Mr. Silver…" The Princess said to the dark gray unicorn, which was wearing such a strange hat… "Thank you, your Highness my company is surely pleased to serve the kingdom with the best goods" Mr. Silver bowed to the Princess; the strange 'hat' tumbled from his head and fell on the ground, revealing his bald spot. The Princess held her laughter, and just tried to look away awkwardly. Mr. Silver jumped and tried to catch his hat quickly, but this just caused him to trip and slip on the polished marble floor, which eventually caused him to fall face first before the throne. "…Oh m-my…" Celestia couldn't hold it anymore, she burst out into laughter. "… *huf* O-oh… I'm really sorry Mr. Silver… I didn't mean to-" She whipped a tear from her eye. The gray unicorn stood up with a displeased face, he could say some things to the Princess, but… well she was the Princess… "I'm fine… Have a fine day, 'Princess'." The upset Mr. Silver huffed and left the room followed by two royal guards who still chuckled at the situation. As soon as the guards left the room and closed the big double doors behind them, Celestia sighed. 'FINNALY ALONE!' She thought relieved. She stood up from the throne and gave a good stretched in the muscles; be a Princess was no easy task. The tired alicorn walked to the other side of the large room and went into a large hall, surrounded by colorful stained glass windows. One of her favorites and maybe the oldest of them was the panel with the depiction of the two royal princesses of the day and the night flying in harmony. As the last stains of sun passed through the window the colored glass cast beautiful shades at the floor. It was a relaxing view, something she used to do every day before moving the sun; this was her moment of peace… She walked through the mosaic of light, and then went into a large balcony; the floor was parted into two color schemes, one of them had numerous yellows and golden tones, and several allusions to the sun. The other was exactly the opposite, with bluish tones and shiny moon surrounded by stars carved on it. Celestia got into position and focused her magic: powerful jolts of energy flowed through her body and finally it reached her horn; she did this ritual every day, rain or shine, with or without her sister, for millennia; still every day was different, every day was special. The sun slowly descended into the horizon, and finally disappeared behind the mountains; at this time Luna was besides at the balcony, preparing herself to raise the moon. Soon after the daily duties of move the heavenly bodies were accomplished, Luna and Celestia went to the tea room, a place that both of the sisters enjoyed to have some chat, or relax from the daily stress; be an alicorn was no easy task… "Sooo…. I do suppose that you had a 'pleasant' day with the hay traders, don't you 'Tia?" Luna said with a grim and a sarcastic tone. Celestia glared the night princess from behind the tea cup. "It's easy for you to make fun of my day, when you sleeps during all of the major problems… Or you already forgot the changeling incident, when YOU were sleeping I got practically smashed and humiliated by Chrysalis." She said with feral eyes; the kind of eyes like those from a mad serial killer. "Thou scary eyes don't have any effect on me sister, besides, I am the princess of the night, so I don't have any obligation to be awake during the day" Luna just giggled "Also, is not my fault that everypony goes looking for you during the day court, I stay all the night available at the throne room." That bring a slightly disappointed tone from Luna, unfortunately, what she said was true; the ponies still felt uncomfortable to talk with her, and preferred to deal with Celestia. "I'm sorry Luna… but sometimes it feels so… frustrating to pass the entire day dealing with these situations. And by the heavens, the entire world seems to watch every move I make, every word I say, I can't even laugh without being questioned." She sighed. "Sometimes I just wanted to be a normal pony; walk on the streets without guards all around me, have a tea with my friends, talk silly things without going to the front pages…" Her tea was already cold, so she just cast a warming spell on the cup. "I know sister… I really do; is really annoying to deal with those royal problems, the ponies, the agreements, Blueblood itself…" she shook her head. "Believe me; you have to be strong psychologically to endure the night when he gets drunk…" The sisters broke into giggles. Blueblood was really a royal pain in the ass. "…Yes Luna, I think I prefer to stay with the agreements, and the common ponies…" She was about to have a sip from her tea-cup, when a scroll pop out from nowhere and fell perfectly inside her tea, showering her face with blueberry tea. Luna of course, started to laugh almost instantly, the royal princess of the day covered in tea wasn't a common occurrence. "Well, Isn't Twilight a hardworking apprentice…" She wiped a tear from her eye. Celestia cleaned her face with a spell, and before she could begin to read the letter another one appeared right at her face, in last then one minute, about a dozen of scrolls appeared around Celestia, surrounding her in a small pound of letters. "Too much strenuous sometimes…" She began to pick scroll by scroll and read it, while Luna finished her tea and went to the balcony to appreciate her stellar art. The sky was clear and moonlit, the starts sparkled magnificently, Luna loved the night, all of those little dots of light enlightening the obscure void of space. Today was full moon, not a simple full moon though; it was a blue moon, an event which only occurred every fourteen lunar cycles, but of course, nopony remembered that… Today, the brightness of the moon outshone great part of the small stars; still, one special star caught her attention, and that was a really bright one, right beside the moon. Luna knew very well every single star, constellation, planet, and they respective orbits and aligns, but in more than two thousand years of life, she had never seen such star… How could this be possible? She stared the mysterious star for at least half an hour, before asking Celestia. "Err… 'Tia?" Asked Luna in a reluctant tone; it was awkward for the princess of the night to not recognize a star in HER night sky. "Yes Luna?" Celestia eyes looked at Luna from behind a scroll that she was reading. "Can you recognize… That star? I mean- I don't even know if that's a star but… Come here, and thou shall understand." Slightly surprised by the question, the princess stood up and came to the balcony beside her sister. "What star Lun-" Before Celestia could finish her question, she saw the huge and brilliant object right at the side of the moon, and curiously it seemed to be slowing drifting to the left. Miles away from the castle, at the borders of the Everfree Forest, a small yellow pegasus was assisting a family of hummingbirds to get a new nest; since last night strange storm several birds fled from the deep forest to the shores of the Everfree. Fluttershy lived on the edges of the forest for many years, and during this time she developed a peculiar relation with the animals, and the own forest itself, she always knew when something was wrong with the place, and not just her; the animals acted like a live connection with the ecosystem. Since about a week ago she began to sense these strange feelings emanating from the forest surroundings, it started like a strange vibe; she had felt things like this earlier, like some time days before the weeds/tentacles incident. As the days passed by the vibe remained, and worsened; animals began to fled from the woods, the birds migrated, and even Angel became strangely unquiet. And since last night storm things got really uncomfortable; in the morning, the own air carried a really nauseous vibe, it was everywhere, like those days when you know that something bad was about to happen. Although, the strange vibe wasn't coming directly from the forest, it was everywhere; the 'thing' was impregnated on the air itself. The weather was unpredictable, and even Rainbow Dash couldn't understand what caused the storm; not like the weather ponies really could understand the Everfree climate, but that storm was really unexpected. Oddly, the evening was strangely quiet, not even a breeze disturbed the atmosphere, there was no more animal sounds coming from the woods, and the feeling had somehow decreased. It was quiet; too quiet… "What a wonderful scent, isn't it Angel?" said Fluttershy while entering home. The chocolate smell filled her nostrils, a little kettle gurgled at the fire; nothing better than a hot chocolate before sleep, and after all those problems, she really needed this. The room was dim, lit only by the warm flames of the fireplace; Angel was at the window looking to the bright night skies, his little silhouette half lit by the moon light. She poured some hot chocolate to herself, and went to the window to join Angel and immediately noticed the object that caught the bunny attention. "Oh my… That's a really strange star…" Fluttershy was about to take a drink from the hot beverage but before she could, something happened. It began as a weak noise coming from nowhere, evolved to a light vibration which caused her drink to rattle inside the glass, the noise became louder as so the vibrations; in a matter of minutes the entire hut was shaking, paintings fell from the walls, chocolate was splattered everywhere, and Fluttershy… Well, she panicked and hid under her bed. Back in Canterlot, both princesses were discussing about the possible sources of the strange light. "…Well Luna, I really don't think that this is a star, to be frank with you, a have never seen such a thing" Stated Celestia. "Maybe it could be a meteor…" Before Luna could reply, or even think about Celestia opinion- A sudden burst of light came from the object, followed by an explosion which enlightened the entire sky, seconds later a thunder sound echoed thought the air and made half of the glass panels of the castle to tremble and fly to pieces on the floor. "F-or sure, that's not a star 'Tia…" Celestia stood in place, eyes widened at the sight of the object quickly approaching the forest a couple of miles ahead. At this time, Flutershy was hidden under a cabinet at her bathroom, just spending her time speaking inaudible words to herself. "O-oh m-my… Oh my, for C-Celestia, p-please do-don't fall here… Not on- T-the forest… P-please" In Ponyville, Twilight, Spike and probably the entire city, went to the streets and roof tops to see the 'falling big bright amazing strange thing' as Pinkie Pie herself, named it. The light coming from it was intense; the usually dark night was glowing in a very peculiar blue tone, bathing the city in a nostalgic din light. At this time, the fallen 'thing' was almost as brighter as Princess Luna moon; it left some sort of ethereal yellowish trail behind itself. Another explosion reverberated across the lands, but this time the sound was closer to the ground; the object had finally reached the ground in some place between the forest and the mountains. Of course, the most adventurous ponies (Rainbow Dash) quickly darted to the woods seeking the meteor, what they didn't knew was that the Princesses were faster, and by this time they were just hovering above the impact zone. "What is this Celestia, it still glowing…" Inquired Luna in a mixed tone of curiosity and concern; she was the first one to land on the crashing site. The 'thing' left a respectable hole on the forest; al the nearby trees were… well, they 'weren't' anymore. It was just ashes and this strangely glowing yellow powder. As she approached the deeper parts of the crater, something on the object caught her attention; as the light began to fade away, they could finally have a sight at the… "An… Alicorn???" "T-this can't be possible… J-just can't!" Said the night princess, as she slowly backed away. "I suppose… that's this is exactly what it looks like, my dear sister…" Celestia spoke securely, but she was clearly as stunned as Luna. "In my entire life, I never heard about…" She stared at Celestia eyes. "… any kind of being, which possessed this… this…" She sighed. "There's no Alicorn except us, Cadence family, and Twilight… " She was hesitant about the alicorn thing, in fact, Luna hated to not be able to explain something. "Well Luna… Then I suppose that our Alicorn 'databank' needs to be updated, because this is exactly what looks like" Celestia approached the creature; right there, in front of her, was huge Alicorn, perhaps by her size, or even bigger. He had a brilliant white fur; a beautiful but broken chest plate covered his upper torso, attached to each ear, was a golden piece, and to the base of each hoof to almost the knees, a large metal piece. He was lying on the ground unconscious, his huge wings contorted and twisted, dirt and fragments of stone covered his body, from its wounds, ran some kind of silvery liquid, at his barrel, a deep bruise half hidden by the armor plates. Looking closer, the creature was severely wounded. "Luna, we have to do something, the ponies can't find him this way, besides he is terribly hurt…" During all the time, the Alicorn didn't expressed the minimal reaction to the princesses; his light was fading away, as so as his silver blood, that by now just soaked almost the entire crash site. "V-very well sister, let's get him to the castle, we can't fix him right here in the middle of the forest…" But then, when the princesses approached the unconscious creature, he suddenly opened his eyes and stood up in a matter of seconds. He was about a head higher than Celestia, and his eyes… Was nothing but white light. 'Definitely not a normal pony…' "You're hurt, please, let us help you!" Said Celestia He looked deeply into her eyes and just soared into the night sky, but before he could got some altitude, one of his wings apparently lost control; his body began to spin out of control. Without think, Luna took off and embraced his body with a blue aura of magic, levitating his unconscious body to the ground. "S-sister, he's dying, we can fell it! We have to go back to the castle, NOW" Celestia just nodded, and with a touch of her horn on her sister one, they just teleported instantly. Right on time; a few seconds later a horde of Pegasus arrived on the scene, but only to find an empty hole on the ground. Well… Not completely empty, 'cause right on the middle of the crater, one single piece of his armor was laying almost entirely covered with dirt and blood. "This thing caused all that 'firework' show???" Said a cyan blue pegasus while pointing to the object on the ground. "I'm pretty sure that's not the only thing that fell here Rainbow…" Said Twilight, which just appeared on the other side of the crater, followed by spike, and a small group of ponies. She observed the metal piece, and stared it closely. 'The princess must know something about it…' "C'mon Spike, let's go back to the library. We have to send some letters…" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Open up Your Eyes author: Pascoite tags: character:Sweetie Belle, character:Tempest Shadow, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, series:My Little Pony: The Movie

=== Open up Your Eyes === "Like a foal," Twilight Sparkle had said. Which certainly didn't explain much. Tempest Shadow lingered languidly in the lobby of one of Twilight's private offices. The one in the Friendship Castle this time, as Twilight invariably inhabited this one around Hearth's Warming even though she'd assumed the rulership of Equestria three years ago. Canterlot suited Tempest more, and Twilight always dispatched her on missions from there anyway, so she'd rarely wandered down to Ponyville. Except something had caught her attention: an extra spring in Twilight's step upon announcing her visit this year. Had she acted the same in previous years and Tempest had simply missed it? Possibly. Her mind merely managed military might and informed international intrigue, but the extra light in her liege's eyes finally registered with her and made her ask why. Tempest let out a sigh and pushed open the doors that led outside. Pinkie had plastered posters and draped dainty decorations all over town, and when Tempest had glimpsed them all out Twilight's window and cracked a smile at it, she had wondered what worked everypony up so. And thus came Twilight's answer: "Like a foal." She remembered her own foalhood, of course, but still, she could never quite surmount the mental block that told her it had been nothing but a time of misery and rejection, even though she knew better. "Leave it in the past," Twilight had said. "Have a new Hearth's Warming this year. Make magnificent melodies in your head, let lovely lyrical language live in your heart, wallow in the whispering wonder of the season." Then came the biggest smile she'd ever seen on Twilight, which was saying a lot. "Like a foal." And darn it, Tempest was trying. All day long, alliterative song, the words in her mind left adult things behind, and she was trying. But it failed to foster festive feelings, so Twilight had asked her to make that her main mission for the day. Pinkie Pie seemed the easy route. Only she could use "Fizzlepop Berrytwist" without earning a scalding glare in return. Well, easy in a way. Pinkie could leave anypony in high spirits, though often a bit confused as to why. So Twilight had suggested Sweetie Belle, and to her knowledge, Tempest had never met her before. If it didn't work, then an invitation to have holiday dinner at the castle with Twilight would do, and the princess would explain everything, but of course learning the lesson by herself would make it sink in more. Tempest did understand that. Time sure passed quickly when Tempest found herself deep in thought. Here she stood, already staring up at a rather nice clubhouse on the edge of Sweet Apple Acres. Not too structurally intimidating, but still the tactical high ground—no, no! She tip-tapped a tentative hoof-tip to her tête. Like a foal. What a wondrous hidey-hole! One could gaze upon the scenery all around, have a nice secluded spot to do some coloring, or—well, hang out with friends, though a frowny face formed. Yes, she'd made her peace with Glitter Drops, but she still couldn't quite envision herself engaging in any childlike pursuits with her. Alone, then. She walked up the ramp to the sounds of faint humming from inside. A voice as clear as a bell, and the tintinnabular tinkling tantalized her ears to the point she could even wrap her thoughts around the melody. Oh blow, winds, blow, the drifts of snow will ne'er our friendships chill. The stars' soft glow will let us show the love's warmth we hold still. Twilight's admonition helped her get in the mindset and form the little sing-song silliness that could let her experience the holiday in a way she never had, or maybe forgot. But to feel them, to mean them… she hadn't gotten there yet. Tempest poked her head through the doorway. "Hello?" Sweetie Belle looked up, her mouth slightly agape. "Oh, I'm sorry," Tempest continued. "I should have knocked before entering." "No problem," Sweetie Belle replied with a swift, swishy smile. "Twilight told me to expect you." That didn't bode well. "And… what did she put you up to?" "She didn't say." A frilly flick of her hoof beckoned Tempest in. "Usually I help ponies with their cutie marks. Were you having some trouble with that?" Briefly, Tempest glanced back at her flank, covered as it always was with her tactical bodysuit. "No." Sweetie Belle's own eyes wandered that way as well. "I don't think I've seen your cutie mark before. What is it?" "That's not important." "Then why did she send you to me?" Tempest hadn't exactly planned on getting anypony else too involved. If Twilight had wanted to send her on a cloak and dagger mission to retrieve some piece of insight, fine, but not even informing her contact? She quickly let the center of her vision blur and evaluated what she could see in her periphery. Out the window, no surveillance. No magical listening devices present, either, just this… this child. Like a foal. She sat down in one of the empty chairs. Why couldn't she shut down the part of her brain that endlessly told her to beware what lay around the next corner, to regard even her closest comrades with suspicion, to take her job with her wherever she went, whatever she did? "Twilight said I didn't understand what Hearth's Warming was about." Tempest blinked once and gazed over the pages strewn about the table: crayon drawings of Santa Hooves. "She said I'd lost my connection to my childhood." Rather like this chair. Its height placed her far closer to the floor than she was accustomed to; she might as well have simply sat on the floor, and then her more… adult-sized haunches wouldn't hang over the edges. She took a deep breath and scooted up to the table. Like a foal. "Well, grab a crayon and join in!" Sweetie Belle replied, already diving back into her task. "Apple Bloom and Scootaloo did some of these with me before school, but now they're home helping their families get dinner ready." Tempest idly took hold of a crayon in her shaky, shimmery magical grip, and scratched out a silly stick-figure Santa. "Don't you have to as well?" "Not yet," Sweetie Belle said with a shake of her head. "My sister Rarity insists on a proper feast, and while she could probably make something to those standards, she prefers to order it from a fancy restaurant, so I don't have to leave until it's time to help her carry it home." "Oh, Rarity's your sister?" Tempest asked. She squinted one eye and stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth as she attempted a more accurate drawing. "I didn't realize." Funny, the little loopy lines on her page had her smiling. The day's good cheer had brought her here for such a special time of year, as Twilight said, but in her head, she'd rather be alone instead. But not so fast—her distant past had sparked a memory at last. But blurry yet: a pirouette of steam from yummy chocolate. "Do you smell hot cocoa?" A small giggle escaped Sweetie Belle's lips. "Yep! I came here straight from tutoring at the School of Friendship, and I brought a couple cups of Headmare Starlight's empathy cocoa. I thought they just might come in useful. Would you like one?" "Mmhmm." Santa's hat didn't have quite enough of a fluff puff. She gave it a nice tufty tip, and wouldn't it look better if she glued a cotton ball to it? It would do, though. She took a swift swig of the steaming beverage in front of her. "There," she said with a final stroke of her red crayon, "as instructed." Sweetie Belle gave a goofy grin and glance. "Nice. But it's not like this was homework." "No, I didn't…" With a frown, Tempest held a hoof to her chin. Had she only followed orders, those of Twilight and Sweetie Belle? She'd certainly sat down to her task in such a manner. But there was something else, just beyond her grasp. Sweetie Belle's mouth opened, and she tensed her jaw just a bit, but whatever had been poised to spill out instead rested on a languid smile. "Is the cocoa good?" "Yes, though I can't say I'm experienced enough with cooking to identify all the flavors. Peppermint, I know, but… cinnamon? Nutmeg?" She took another tantalizing taste test and breathed in the sparkling sumptuous steam. Something about it loosened the muscles all down her back. Which didn't go without notice, as Sweetie Belle followed the ripple of relaxation. "I'd thought about making some cards for my family, too, but—" she pointed out the window "—it's starting to get dusky. Do you want to watch the Windigo Patrol?" Tempest sat bolt upright. "Do they need help organizing a defense?" Then she leaned in and hissed, "I thought windigoes weren't real, though." "Well… yes and no. The Patrol is just for show, to commemorate the way they were banished long ago. It's for the foals. Don't you remember?" Had she heard that before? "I guess… yes, once when I was over at Glitter's house. She looked out the window trying to find pegasi just before dark, but she never really explained why." "Just like the weather service reporting on Santa Hooves sightings. It gets kids excited. Or those who are kids at heart." By Tempest's reckoning, Sweetie Belle qualified as a kid, period. But Tempest did follow her beckoning over to the window and pulled up a cushion. The evening light softened all to a pleasant painted purple, and… hm, she could blend in well right now. It would make excellent camouflage. No, no, no! Like a foal. She peered up as the darkness crept in with visible speed, the upper points of the taller buildings still awash in the last bits of orange, and the cloudless sky so clear that each individual star shone like little spear points. Never moping—hoping, yearning, feathered wings all sloping, turning, Luna's night will keep her sleepers, safe from harm, from jeepers creepers… For a filly-sized moment, Tempest's heart fell. The little songs had risen in her heart, and she'd gotten close to what Twilight wanted for her, but this song, it— Luna, helping to keep everypony safe from danger. The same Luna she'd betrayed and imprisoned. Then a thrill ran down her spine. Movement! "Did you see—?" Sweetie Belle followed her extended hoof and giggled. "Yeah, that's Bulk Biceps. He volunteers every year." "Another!" Tempest cried, her breath partially fogging the window as she leaned forward. "That's Thunderlane." "There they go! Are they chasing one?" Another giggle sounded from beside her. Yes, she remembered, peering over the rooftops with Glitter Drops, the pegasus flight holding back fright, keeping count—who would win? Glitter had seen three, but Fizzy could swear she'd counted the same one twice. Glitter—no, Sweetie Belle—she leaned in front of Fizzy—Tempest—and smiled. "The first time I ever stayed up to look for them, my sister Rarity had a better time just watching me than paying attention herself." On a whim, Tempest returned to her Santa drawing and folded it in half before scribbling on the outside: "To Twilight Sparkle, Happy Hearth's Warming." "How late do the pegasi stay out on patrol?" she asked. Sweetie Belle momentarily scrunched up her nose. "I don't know. I've never stayed up late enough to be sure. We could ask Rainbow Dash, if you really wanted to know. I bet she could tell us." "No, it's not important." She rested her chin on a hoof and scanned over the drawing Sweetie Belle had completed. Beside Santa stood a large tree. Some tinsel to pop and a star up on top, with the strings of bright lights holding off the night frights of the frosty foes roaming through windigoes' gloaming… She must have begun humming one of the Hearth's Warming carols, because Sweetie Belle had added her lovely voice, but now stared at her. "Why'd you stop?" Sweetie Belle asked. Under the waxy tree lay an array of cheery packages. Gifts? "Was I supposed to get a present for Twilight Sparkle? Or—" her cheeks ran cold "—was I supposed to bring one for you? I'm sorry if I should have! I didn't realize—" "It's alright," Sweetie Belle said, holding up a hoof. "It's not expected at all. You're new to this, and everypony understands that." "No, no, I do remember gifts from when I was little. I just didn't think…" "It's alright," Sweetie Belle repeated. "That's not the point anyway." "Then what is?" Sweetie Belle only gave another of her mysterious grins. "I should go soon, to help Rarity carry dinner home." Tempest's answering smile faded. "Oh. Yes, of course." But Sweetie Belle had paused in the doorway and extended a forehoof back toward her. "Well? Aren't you coming?" "I… But you don't even know me." "Twilight said you could have dinner with her if you didn't make any other plans, right?" That grin warped into a smirk. "Yes…" "How did that make you feel?" At the time, it seemed more like a work thing. But now that she thought about it… "I appreciated that she wanted to spend time with me." Oh, but that meant—"I don't want to spurn her invitation!" Tempest said. "Think about the way she told you. It sure sounded like she thought it would be good for you if you did make other plans. So why don't you have dinner with my family?" Twilight had mentioned something about not being alone on Hearth's Warming. "You don't mind?" "It's a time for friends!" Tempest began to open her mouth. Yes, Sweetie Belle didn't know her. And if it felt that good to have Twilight ask, then how much better for somepony who had no motive at all? From Sweetie Belle's nod, she'd anticipated just that question. "A-alright," Tempest replied, suddenly feeling very light on her hooves. Outside, the fluffy flakes fell in downy diamond drifts. A curl of snow, a swirl wind blow—long ago! She plowed through pearlescent peaked piles, then stopped and flopped, on her back, although her lack: no wings to flap, yet sings, mayhap, her arms suffice, make wings of ice— Yes. W-with Glitter Drops, she used to make snow alicorns. The songs and rhymes used to run through her head then, too. "And thank you, Sweetie Belle." "Rarity will have a present for you. I told her you'd probably be coming along, so she thought it proper to make you something. Even if you didn't come, she would have dropped it off at Twilight's castle for you." By the twitching of the filly's nose, she knew more than she let on. "What… what is it?" And her nose twitched even more, her ears joining in as well. "You'll see when you open it after dinner." "Oh… okay." "But that doesn't mean you shouldn't drive yourself nuts wondering about it." Tempest frowned. "But why would I…?" Then she grinned. Like a foal. The piece she'd lost her grasp on so long ago. The piece Twilight wanted her to find. The piece she had found here without even realizing it! The drawings, the cards, watching the Windigo Patrol, dinner with friends, agonizingly anticipatory attention awaiting her gift. "Because it's fun." Sweetie Belle doused the light and led the way down the ramp through the soft, silent snow sponging all sound. But even in the dimness, Tempest could see a broad grin on her. What could her gift be? Say a hat or a cloak—it could mask her like smoke! No, less work and more play, hm, some nice gourmet hay? Or a book, or a ring! It could be anything! But it didn't depend—she could share with a friend. "Thank you," Tempest said again. The music in her head: how had Twilight known? Though maybe in Equestria, everypony had songs running through their minds all the time. That seemed to fit. Except she'd forgotten hers long ago, and it had only emerged once since then, when she… When she was with Twilight Sparkle. As her captor. And now her friend. It had returned. Like a foal. "And call me Fizzy," she said. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Changeling Assimiliation author: PonyThunder tags: character:Princess Celestia, character:Princess Luna, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Drama, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Changeling Assimilation === Background music The events that immediately transpired after the defeat of Chrysalis and the reformation of the changelings were filled to the brim with joy and optimism. What seemed for so long to be an impossibility had suddenly become a reality. The changelings had radically transformed from their weak and feeble state into something vibrant and beautiful. Their hardened and sinister exteriors were merely a mask that they had worn for so long that all, including themselves, believed to be their true selves. Nopony knew that what lay underneath was a loving, peaceful race like any other. For several days after, that was the perception. The changelings were finally redeemed, and it seemed as though everypony was excited to welcome them with open hearts and open hooves. But soon, the optimism faded and those who didn't feel that way began to voice their opinions. And as they spoke outwardly, their voices grew louder as others felt more secure in joining in. Suddenly, the public perception appeared to have shifted. There were still plenty who were ready to accept the changelings as they had accepted others, but speaking out from either side often resulted in heated disputes. In a matter of days, it became evident that something needed to be done or conflicts would continue to rise within the kingdom. Twilight found herself called into council with Celestia and Luna. For the most part, her duties as princess of friendship were mostly straightforward, and as such she didn't often have much a role in the more political aspects of leadership. But tensions were growing, and they were desperate to reach the correct conclusion on what to do. She trotted through a long, tall hallway towards a meeting room in the Canterlot castle. Several security guards adorned the sides of the door in front of her and opened it when she arrived. She noticed that the castle grounds appeared to have more guards than usual, and she began to wonder why as she walked through the entrance and the door shut behind her with a powerful thump. She began to ponder the reasons, but her thoughts were immediately interrupted by the sounds of a heated argument coming from the opposite side of the room. Celestia and Luna were sitting at a large, round table much like the one Twilight had in her castle. It was solid stone, likely carved out more than a millennia ago. That table had probably been present for countless discussions and arguments in its long history, and now she was about to take part in the next. Luna and Celestia both seemed very irritated with each other. "All I'm saying," said Celestia, "is that how can you suggest we don't allow any of them to become a part of the kingdom? They didn't do anything wrong, they were just misguided is all." Luna sighed. "We've been going around in circles for hours now. You think we should just open up ourselves with open hooves to these creatures, but how can we be sure this isn't just another cunning plan?" Celestia scoffed. "Everything is a cunning plan or an attempt at backstabbing, isn't it? Why can't we just assume for once that our supposed enemies have good intentions?" "Assume? You think we should assume everything will be fine?" Luna replied, audibly irritated. Celestia opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Luna. "Kingdoms aren't built on assumptions!" "You're right," Celestia replied angrily, "they're built on love and compassion." Luna snorted, putting a hoof to her forehead. "There's just no reasoning with you. I understand that we can't just completely allow the changelings to assimilate, but you're acting like we have to accept them and open ourselves completely to them despite the threat they pose." At this point, neither had even noticed Twilight standing out in the open as she watched the argument unfold. It hurt her to see them argue with such hostility towards each other. She had always known them as two of the most level-headed ponies she'd ever known, but here they were hurling words at each other, their voices echoing against the walls. Celestia opened her mouth to respond once more but noticed her and smiled. "Twilight, I didn't notice you there. Surely you can agree with me that the changelings should be allowed to completely assimilate into the kingdom? Don't you agree this talk from my sister is outright ridiculous?" Twilight stood frozen, unsure of what to say. It wasn't like Celestia to put her between the two of them like this. On one side, she found herself agreeing with Celestia that the changelings should be allowed complete rights from the get go, but the nagging thought that it may cause problems was there as well. If they immediately let the changelings into the kingdom, allowed them to live among everyone, there could be more problems that could arise. It's true that their kind had been reformed and they were no longer under the rule of Chrysalis, but that didn't guarantee every changeling would uphold those values. All it would take is a handful of changelings to decide to use their powers for bad, and a lot of damage could be done. It's possible that-- "Well?" Luna interrupted Twilight's thoughts several seconds after Celestia had asked for her opinion. "I...I don't know." "What?" said Celestia. "I don't understand. How could you side with her on this?" Twilight snapped back to reality. She wasn't sure where her opinion lay just yet. On one hoof, she felt sick just thinking about taking Luna's side. But on the other, she knew that simply accepting all changelings with open hooves was a dangerous idea. "I'm not siding with either of you." The air was silent, and she continued. "I think we need to incorporate ideas from both sides." Celestia interrupted her. "I just don't see how you can honestly say we shouldn't let them all join our kingdom. They're changed!" "That's true," said Twilight, "but not all are. The changelings were very close to Chrysalis, and I have no doubt in my mind that some of them will have run off to join her after her refusal to change. It's entirely possible she has an army, albeit still small, that could easily infiltrate the kingdom if we were to allow all changelings free reign. They could do a lot of damage." "See?" said Luna. "At least she agrees with me. Why can't you accept that we can't let the changelings in?" "I'm not saying we should disallow all changelings to enter either, Princess Luna." Both princesses were stoically silent, until Celestia began to speak, this time more calmly. "So what do you propose?" She thought for a moment. The pressure was beginning to build up on top of her. It seemed like so short ago that her life was simple and carefree, and now she was being expected to make complex decisions like this one and to give advice to ponies that had been in leadership for longer than a millennia. But she shook it off and delivered what she thought was the best plan of action. "I propose that we implement a system for assimilation. A series of tests that can distinguish between true changelings and those who are still under allegiance to Chrysalis. I know first-hoof just how radically different these new changelings are. They're nothing like the sinister changelings from before, and in more ways than simple appearances. We can have changelings who desire to become citizens undergo several tests to gather data about how they react to certain things. I can devise a system that takes these variables and discerns if they are with Chrysalis or not." Celestia and Luna looked to her and both were nodding heads. The tense atmosphere of the room was beginning to dissipate. She continued. "The biggest test will be simple: unreformed changelings will be thirsty for love, and we all know that when they are near immense love that their inhibitions are greatly reduced." Celestia spoke up. "We can ask for assistance from Cadence for that. She is the princess of love, after all." Luna found herself agreeing with both of them. "We can get in contact with Thorax to devise the tests as well." "Yes," Twilight replied with a smile. "Who better than a changeling to tell us who is real and who is not?" Celestia spoke. " I admit that it's rather unlike the values we typically adhere to, but as you said: with Chrysalis still at large, we can't risk another infiltration. "I...hadn't considered any alternatives," said Luna. "When Chrysalis has been neutralized or shows that she has been redeemed, then we can do away with these rules and allow the changelings in like any other." "Yes, that sounds like a good plan of action," said Celestia. "Thank you, Princess Twilight. Where would we be without your level-headed advice? I don't think my sister and I would have ever left this room had you not arrived." Twilight smiled. It felt like she was finally beginning to understand her true role as the princess of friendship. In time, she was sure that the threat Chrysalis still posed to the kingdom would be dissipated, but in the interim before that time the only logical course of action was to be careful, yet optimistic. In many ways, her role was about extending the offer of friendship to creatures of all shapes and sizes, but sometimes it was simply about being the glue between two friends who had lost sight of what the other was saying. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Once Upon A Villain author: Doctor Disco tags: character:Fluttershy, character:Starlight Glimmer, genre:Drama, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Temet nosce === "Once a villain, always a villain…" I murmured, the words ringing through my mind. They could only keep repeating, and I couldn't help but keep saying it under my breath. "Once a villain, always a villain…" Oh, how the words angered me beyond belief. I know he realised it after but… We'd parted ways already. Him to Celestia knows where to 'explore the realm'. And little old moi? Well, I thought a nice evening stroll in the gardens nearby would be refreshing. Especially after having to put up with him and Twilight siding with him. That still made me mad. Why couldn't Twilight see that Starswirl didn't know anything about friendship? Just because he was this great wizard, didn't mean he knew everything. I mean-! Get it together, Starlight, you're hyperventilating. Taking a deep breath, I sighed. I just… I can't believe his words! How insensitive! "Once a villain, always a-" I mean, seriously. That just disregards any and all cases where people have changed and gotten better. Subjectively, everypony is their own villain, so would that make us all villains? And what about someone like me or Discord? Or even Stygian? I shook my head, realizing I was just recycling the same thoughts over and over again. Besides, it's all in the past. Just… breathe. Phew. The gardens sure are nice at this time. A nice, cool breeze, but not too cold! Just right. Just enough to allow for meditation and comfortability. As far as I knew, I was the only one there. It was quiet, it was peaceful. Everypony else had retired to bed or stayed up to chat with the Pillars and the Princesses. Obviously, I couldn't sleep, what with all these raging points inside my head. But enough of that. Just focus on the peace. You know, maybe if I hadn't just been on a crazy adventure reviving the long lost Pillars of Equestria and eradicating the influence of the Pony of Shadows from an innocent colt, I would be enjoying the gardens more. Alas, my mind was too jumbled as it was from lack of sleep and the overflow of madness. Closing my eyes, I stood still in the middle of the cobblestone path. I tried to reach out with my other senses, to feel what was around me. I could feel the gentle touch from the wind, it's tendrils snaking and weaving all around me. I could smell the sweet aromas and scents from the flora planted around me. Finally, I could hear the rustling of the leaves and the wind, my ears flicking and searching for noise. Actually trying to focus on what was around me was very… relaxing… But then I frowned. At first, I didn't know why, until my ears flicked again and I scrunched my eyes tighter, turning my head this way and that to hear better. It was… gentle, quiet and… sobbing? Opening my eyes, I peered through the darkness. The moonlight filtering through the trees and bushes granted me vision, and what I saw surprised me. Just on the path parallel to mine was a pink-maned and yellow-furred pony. Fluttershy. What was she doing out here? And not only that, why was she crying? Should I go talk to her? Would she even like me talking to her? Or should I just... No. Deciding to be the friend that I was, I would check on her. It was the right thing to do. The only problem was… how to approach her without startling or scaring her and making it all feel natural? I guess it didn't really matter in the end. I got around to finally sitting beside Fluttershy with a sore nose. Well, okay, so maybe it does matter. As I was trying to look inconspicuous by studying my surroundings and purposefully making my hooffalls loud, I had failed to see a loose piece of cobblestone that I… well, that I tripped on. And fell forward. Onto my face. In front of Fluttershy. So at that point, I groaned, and I heard Fluttershy gasp. Knowing she would come over to help me, I held a hoof up and said "Fine! I'm fine! Don't worry about me, sorry! I'm just a clumsy idiot." Rolling over, I rubbed my nose before getting to all fours. Brushing myself off, I looked over to Fluttershy and saw she was quickly wiping away her tears and was on the edge of her seat, worried for me. Smiling weakly, I giggled. "See? All good." Fluttershy continued to frown with a slight mark of confusion. "A-are you sure?" I could hear the shakiness in her voice, and I pursed my lips slightly before waving a hoof. "Oh yeah. Just fine! I'm in a beautiful garden enjoying the night after an adventure with my friends and now I have one of them right here with me." Fluttershy smiled a small smile, and that was a little victory all on it's own. "It is, isn't it?" she said, sniffling and gazing up at the night sky. "You bet," I said, trotting over to her side and sitting down. "Luna sure outdid herself tonight with how radiant the stars are right now. Must be because of Starswirl and the others returning, eh?" Fluttershy hummed in approval, before looking away and closing her eyes. Frowning, I adjusted my seating to sit just a little closer before gently draping a hoof over Fluttershy. "Hey," I asked, "What's wrong?" She quickly glanced at me and wiped her moist eyes with two hooves, shaking her head. "Oh, no, I'm perfectly fine. Don't worry about me." Obviously, she wasn't. "No, you really aren't," I said. Yeah. I went straight for the elephant in the room. Or would it be statue in the garden? Since we were in a- you know what, it doesn't matter. The point is, I wouldn't let her think that her weak excuse was enough to make a mask for her. She blinked at me for a few seconds before closing her eyes again and hunching over. As her body shook a little, she sighed. "No… I guess I'm not..." I was getting a little more worried. "Fluttershy? Seriously, what's bothering you?" Fluttershy sniffled before leaning back against the bench, eyes still shut but tears escaping. "I was just… just thinking of what Starswirl said, I g-guess. Once a-" "Once a villain, always a villain," I almost spat. "It's the stupidest thing I've ever heard come out of a smart pony's mouth." "But what if it's true?" Fluttershy said, and now I looked at her kind of funny. What? She continued. "I kn-know it's… it's stupid for me to think especially with you being you… n-no offense…" "None taken," I said off-hoofedly. Fluttershy went on. "But I… I keep thinking of a time w-when I became this… this monster that drove away her friends and I… I locked myself away. I didn't want the world to have somepony like me in it then. I was mean, I was assertive, I yelled and made Rarity and Pinkie cry…" I looked at her in surprise, honestly not expecting to hear any of what Fluttershy was saying. Fluttershy? Mean? Angry? Unkind? In all my time of knowing her, even when I myself was trying to control her in an effort to further my misguided village and it's goals, she was nothing but kind. And to think… to think it plagued her even now. It must have been something. "Fluttershy," I said, not allowing her to say anymore, "You are the nicest, kindest, most loving and gentle pony I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. If somepony else had told me what you've just confessed, I would never have believed them." Fluttershy turned her tear-filled eyes towards me and I whispered "Starswirl understands that what he said today was wrong, and I know I've been thinking them over and over, but you should be the last of anypony to be thinking that you could be a villain." Fluttershy smiled, but her lips barely stretched up and her eyes didn't lessen in her self-misery. "And yet, when Discord came back the first time, he… h-he made me… he made all of my friends the complete opposite of what we… of what our Elements were. I w-was kindness, s-so I became mean. I almost couldn't believe what I had done when Twilight restored me and… and just thinking of that-" I couldn't take it anymore. I would not and could not listen to Fluttershy degrade herself. Gently grabbing her face in my hooves, I turned her head to look me straight in the eyes. Gritting my teeth and with my own steely and fogging gaze I said "Fluttershy. You need to stop. You are not a villain. You could never be a villain. Not like me or like Discord. Not without something or somepony else messing with you. And I would never believe it unless I saw it with my own eyes. You can't keep blaming yourself for what you did when Discord put his influence on you, or when you were mean to your friends." I could see Fluttershy's eyes moving in thought. "B-but I-" "No buts!" I shook my head. "No more, Fluttershy. Just look at me. I was a villain once. I know that. I've probably doomed countless parallel timelines, and I have to live with the fact that I could've destroyed Equestria as we know it all because I didn't understand what Friendship was, and because of a stupid childhood experience that, thinking about it now, seems like the stupidest thing for me to go off on. "But you know what? Twilight helped me change. Your friends helped me change. You helped me change. I became somepony you could rely on. Somepony you could call a friend. And, heck, you even got Discord of all beings to change! Well, I mean, he is a god of Chaos and chaos is constantly in a state of flux but that's not the point! The point is, Fluttershy…" I motioned to my own chest before grabbing Fluttershy's hoof and placing it against hers, and we both felt her heart beating quickly and fluidly, and I smiled softly into Fluttershy's eyes. "You are a good pony. Nothing will change that. Not even being a 'villain' once. And with all the good you've done yourself, there is no chance that anypony who knows you would not forgive you for making a mistake. For being mean. For being unkind. Screw what Starswirl said. He doesn't know anything about friendship. At least not a lot, and not yet." Finally, I sighed and blinked my own tears away. "Don't think that being a villain once means you will forever be a villain. Besides, aren't we all villains to ourselves? We are always our worst critic. We are always doubting ourselves, and we always find a way to think of why we might fail at something. But do not let yourself think that that means you are a villain." Smiling once more, I looked up at the stars. "After all, time heals all wounds. And no better than some of your best friends to help you get through them, hm?" I was almost caught off guard by the pair of yellow forelegs that wrapped around me. Fluttershy hugged me tightly, gently, and I could see her glad, relieved smile, which made me so happy to see. I could only smile myself. "Thank you, Starlight." Fluttershy hugged me a little tighter. "You're such a good friend. Even though… e-even though you have so much yourself to worry about, you took some time out to help somepony like me… thank you." Patting Fluttershy on the back, I nuzzled her. She returned it, just before smiling softly at me. Of course, I returned it with a bright shiny smile of my own. After all, a smile like that on Fluttershy? It was worth more than a million bits. "What are friends for?" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Waterproof Mascara author: FabulousDivaRarity tags: character:Applejack, character:Big Macintosh, character:Original Character, character:Rarity, character:Sugar Belle, genre:Sad, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== It Won't Run === "Hey Rarity, you got any waterproof mascara?" The question, perhaps innocuous to some, was one of complete shock to Rarity, because of who was posing it. Applejack, in all of her rustic southern glory, had asked her about mascara. Certainly, they had spa trips together, sometimes facials, but Applejack had never been a make up wearing kind of pony. It took Rarity a moment, after processing the bombshell of a question, to recover herself. "Certainly, Applejack. I have a tube I haven't yet opened that you may have. Should you choose to use it after this tube has run out, they sell it in the pharmacy." Rarity went over to her vanity and opened up a drawer with a box inside of it with a latch on top. Upon opening the latch, the box revealed itself to have three shelves inside, the top one being for eye make up, the second for skin care, and the bottom for lipsticks and blush. A blue tube of mascara was still preserved in it's packaging, and Rarity took the liberty of opening it for her, knowing how difficult that could be at times. She turned to Applejack. "Here you are, darling." Applejack smiled and put it in her saddlebag. "Thank ya kindly, Rarity." "It's no problem at all, Applejack. If you don't mind my asking, though, why do you need it?" There was an almost imperceptible freeze in Applejack after the question was posed. But it was so brief that surely it must have been imagined. She didn't blush, nor did she cower. A true mare of courage, she just spoke calmly. "If it's all the same with you, Rarity, I'd like to keep that to myself for now." Rarity nodded understandingly. "Of course, of course. I'm just happy you came to me, darling. If you ever want to talk about the reason, or make up in general, I'm here." She promised. Applejack smiled. "Thanks." She and Rarity shared a brief embrace, before she began to walk toward the door of the Carousel Boutique. "Say hello to your family for me!" Rarity called. "Will do! Give my best to the little ones!" Applejack replied. "I will! See you soon, Applejack!" "Bye, Rarity!" With that, Applejack went out the door. A beautiful sunny day shone down on Ponyville, and the streets were full of life. Parents and their foals played happily in the warmth, earning giggles and hearty chuckles from parents. Applejack smiled at the sight, which normally would have been earnest, but today that smile was tainted with sadness. The walk to Sweet Apple Acres from the Carousel Boutique was one that Applejack usually enjoyed. The long route gave her time to think about what she needed to get done, and plan for it, along with checking off her daily chores. She could process many things during that walk normally, but today her mind was stuck on one thing: The make up item she now carried in her saddlebag. Or, more specifically, the reason it had come to be there. Applejack approached her farm, her shoulders releasing tension she hadn't realized she had been carrying as she took in the familiar earthy and sweet scents that surrounded it. It was still home after all these years. Since Granny Smith had passed away, Big Mac and herself had been running the farm on their own, and Apple Bloom had moved away to continue her education alongside her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders. She still came and visited regularly, but it wasn't the same. Today Applejack had asked Big Mac to run the farm while she took care of some errands. He hadn't minded at all, and when she approached him now with the new rake, seed packages, and mulch, he had smiled at her. She smiled back, and went inside the homestead. Sugar Belle was in the kitchen, taking a fresh pie out of the oven. Since Granny Smith's passing, Sugar Belle had moved into the house and become a sort of matriarch for them all, and not too long after, the couple had married. Sugar Belle wiped her hooves on a nearby towel, dusting it with a thin coat of flour. "Hi, Applejack!" "Howdy there, Sugar Belle. That's a mighty great smelling pie." Sugar Belle smiled. "Thank you! It's Apple Rhubarb." Applejack smiled back at her. "I'm sure Big Mac will love that." Her glance went to the nearby staircase. "He still asleep?" Sugar Belle nodded. "I got him down for a nap about an hour ago." "I sure do appreciate you foalsittin' my little appleseed." "It's my pleasure, Applejack! Honey Crisp is such a sweetheart." Applejack couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I guess he is." "Go be with him for a while. I can help Big Mac out if push comes to shove." "You sure?" "Go on." Sugar Belle smiled. "Thanks, Sugarcube." Sugar Belle nodded, and Applejack made her way quietly up the stairs. Honey Crisp's room was Granny Smith's old one. She carefully opened the door and peeked inside to see him sleeping soundly. Smiling a little, she went inside completely, and closed the door behind her as softly as she could manage, before she tiptoed over to his bedside. Her son lay in his bed, the picture of innocence as he slept. His honey colored hair accentuated his tan coat, and when his eyes were open, they were green as a golden delicious apple. Looking at him, so cherubic and sweet, one might have never guessed that he had been the reason for Applejack's visit to Rarity. They would have never guessed that her acquiring the make up was for a reason beyond beauty, and was one so sad that she needed something to draw attention to her eyes so no pony would see the tears running beneath them. Her little appleseed had been playing with a friend yesterday. At five years old, he was more curious than a cat. He asked her question after question constantly, seemingly without end. Most of his questions were fairly typical for his age. Things like, "Where does rain come from?", "Can I have pie for lunch?", or "Why do trees grow outside and not inside?". But yesterday's question had thrown her for a loop because it had been so unexpected. When the playdate had finished, Honey Crisp had come up to her wearing his thinking face. She waited, as had become her custom when he adapted that expression, but the question he posed her was one she hadn't been expecting. "Mama, how come I don't have a Daddy?" Applejack's breath had caught in her throat, and she hadn't known what to say. She had been wrestling with how to answer that question for years, and she had honestly thought she would have at least one or two more to figure it out. About a year after Granny Smith had passed, Filthy Rich had approached the Apple family with some pony who wanted to do business with both of them. Applejack was the one who made most of the financial decisions in the family, since Big Mac kept the farm running, and so she had gone with Mr. Rich to meet their prospective partner. Honey Glaze was an incredibly handsome stallion, solidly built, with amber eyes, a brown coat, and a golden mane. Years of farm work and beekeeping had made him an expert in his field, and he was sharp as a tack. Applejack and Mr. Rich had both agreed to partner with his farm, and they had become business partners. When he came to Sweet Apple Acres one day to ask Applejack out to dinner three months after that, the farm mare began to have doubts that he only wanted to be business partners. Their romance was not a whirlwind as one might have expected. They courted one another for over a year. Everypony had said how good they were together, and Applejack couldn't have agreed more. She thought that he might have been her special somepony. Their lives, though not completely connected yet, were entwined enough to make her think she knew every important thing about him. Except there was one thing she couldn't have known. One day when she was working the farm, she was suddenly struck nauseous without warning. She couldn't make it to the house, so she had gotten sick in the fields on a pile of mulch. The seed of suspicion didn't plant itself inside of her until two days later, when being outside still made her sick. She had gone to Ponyville Hospital, and they had confirmed her suspicions. She was pregnant. The excitement she had felt was unimaginable, and she had rushed home to tell her family before going to see Honey Glaze. She told him the news, and spun off a dream of how their family would be perfect before she caught the look in his eye. It was a look of total disbelief. This was not an uncommon reaction, but something in those eyes made her pause. Something else was there. "Applejack," He had said to her, "I'm sorry, but this just isn't a good time for me. The business is taking off, I'm being called to conferences in different cities, and I don't have time for a baby." "What are you sayin'?" She'd asked him. "I don't- I can't be a part of the baby's life right now." She had felt her eyes well up with tears, but had stayed strong enough not to release them. "Fine, then I guess you aren't a part of mine either." She had run off after that, the knowledge that he didn't want the baby destroying her. He knew just how much she'd been desperate to know her own parents, and to know that he was forcing their- no, her- child to go through that pain was too much to bear. He hadn't come after her. He'd never apologized, never wrote her a letter, never spoken a word to her again. She had brought her foal into the world with no father to sign his birth certificate, but she had promised to be both a mother and father to him, to be whatever he needed. For her son to ask her that question had been heartbreaking. Fortunately, it seemed that luck was on her side, as Sugar Belle had called out that a fresh pie was ready. Honey Crisp had scampered inside at the mention, and Applejack had been left alone, mercifully, in a place where she could cry. She had known in that moment that this would happen again. Her boy was curious as a cat, and he wouldn't go without answers. She would have to answer this question someday. Mercifully though, it was not today. She had cried herself out in the time her son had been inside, and pulled herself together when he came back out to play. She had had a pit in her stomach as she half expected him to ask her that again, but he hadn't. It wasn't until he went to bed that night that she could finally breathe. Thus came the mascara that rested in her saddlebag. She hoped, perhaps in vain, that accentuating her eyes just a little more would draw attention away from the tears that might fill them. She kissed Honey Crisp on the head, and went to the bathroom. She set down her saddlebags, and Got out the mascara. Sugar Belle had make up removing wipes in the drawer nearby, so she hadn't worried about that portion. She had only worn mascara a few times, so it took a total of five make up wipes being used to get it right. She looked in the mirror, and said a silent prayer. Thank Celestia they made waterproof mascara. She finally decided she looked like herself again, just with a bit more eye makeup, and she put the mascara away. As she exited the bathroom, she could only pray that it wouldn't run like Honey Glaze did. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Bug In The City author: PointlessGizmo tags: character:Changelings, character:Fancypants, character:Original Character, character:Trixie, genre:Comedy, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter 1 - Yesterday's Heroes === AUTHOR'S NOTE - Yes you've guessed it, this is another warning that this story won't make sense if you've not read the first two stories in the series. They're just as badly written as this one, so there'll be no nasty surprises waiting for you. Go check them out if you haven't already. #1 - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/30120/The-Braggart-and-the-Bug #2 - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/32554/Back-to-the-Swarm Alternatively, don't. Just don't complain when this story makes no sense. :D Anyway, for those of you still with us, read on... ----------------- The hazy midday sunshine spread an inviting, warming light over the royal city of Canterlot as its residents bustled about their daily business. The air was cool and clear, with a pleasant breeze that carried with it the enticing smells of the affluent downtown areas of the city. The delicate fragrances of expensive teas and the tempting scent of Canterlot's finest restaurants mixed with the divine aromas of the high-end perfume stores to form an exquisite olfactory treat. Classical music could be heard emanating from many buildings, merging with the crisp, perfectly spoken upper-class accents of all the ponies around to complete a scene that massaged all of the senses with velvet hooves. It was the sort of day that made everypony present feel glad to be alive. Yet amid this perfect scene, one pony in the city wasn't feeling quite so cheerful. From the balcony of a 3rd floor apartment in the city center itself, a familiar blue unicorn gazed down at the other citizens going about their everyday tasks. Her mane was disheveled, and her face was contorted into a fearsome scowl. Unable to stomach any more of what she was seeing, Trixie strode back into her apartment, slamming the balcony door shut as she did so. The noise caused Leech to awake with a start from his midday nap. "Careful Trixzzie," warned Leech with his usual buzz, "Thizz izz Czelezztia'zz apartment, not ourzz! If Trixzzie break doorzz, we'll be in big, big trouble!" Trixie stopped for a moment and glared at her friend, attempting to think of a reasonable, yet bitingly witty comeback. Alas, she knew Leech was right for once, and instead resumed cantering up and down the living room of the apartment. "Why izz Trixzze szzo upzzet anyway?" ventured Leech, not entirely sure if he wanted to know the answer. "Why am I upset? Just look at them all, Leech! Going around, doing all their everyday things, without a moment's thought for me - I mean - us. We saved all of them from becoming freaky mutant pony-bug thingies and yet now we barely turn anypony's head when we walk down the street!" Trixie said sulkily, her bottom lip curving into a pout. "Well..." began Leech, cautiously, "It wazz two monthzz ago now." "So what?" hissed Trixie. "It would have taken considerably more than two months to set things right if Aurora's plan had come to pass! Canterlot's debt to the Great and Powerful Trixie should be nothing less than eternal!" "Even if we aren't heroezz anymore, we zzstill have awezzome apartment!" enthused Leech, attempting to lift Trixie's spirits and failing miserably in the process. The apartment was indeed a grand one. It was one of several properties owned by the Canterlot royal family around the city. Typically it was used to put up guests of the royals when there were no spare rooms at the castle itself, or sometimes simply as a place for the princesses to relax - out of the public eye, but still easily reachable if they were needed. Open-plan and spacious, its white marble floor seemed to stretch forever in either direction, with a sitting area at one end and a kitchen/diner area at the other. Its side walls contained large leaded windows, giving the place a bright and airy feel. Along its back wall were silver-framed doors leading to a bedroom (Trixie used this. Leech slept in a basket by the couch), a bathroom and of course, the balcony. Sturdy stone pillars in each corner completed its stately appearance. Alas, even such a fine dwelling as this could not improve Trixie's mood. "Where did we go so wrong?" she complained, throwing her head back and applying a melodramatic hoof to her forehead. At that moment, a newspaper was pushed through the mail slot in their front door, the clanging of the slot and the soft flump of the newspaper landing breaking Trixie's concentration on her perceived woes. Curious, she trotted over to the newly delivered document and levitated it to her eyes - it was the daily Canterlot Chronicle, the city's most-read newspaper. As she began to read, her face once again took on a deep, intense frown. Leech looked on, worried that Trixie's face would collapse in on itself if she screwed it up any harder! "Bad newzz?" he asked quietly, before shutting his eyes in anticipation of the shouting that would almost certainly follow. "Yes. Yes, you could say that," answered Trixie calmly, setting down the paper and trotting off to her bedroom. Leech was surprised at Trixie's somewhat neutral reaction - she'd had something of a hair trigger temper over the last week or so. Intrigued, Leech cantered over to the dumped newspaper, and attempted to read the front page. His literacy had once again improved since arriving in the city, although he still preferred not to read if he could avoid it. His eyes scanned the paper in front of him, and after several minutes he made sense of the headline: ELEMENTS OF HARMONY SAVE EQUESTRIA! YET AGAIN! FOURTH TIME IN AS MANY WEEKS! "Why Trixie upzzet? Surely Equezztria being zzsaved izz good thing!" he buzzed to himself. "Because we're yesterday's news, Leech!" said Trixie bitterly, her voice making Leech jump and scatter the newspaper all over the floor. Leech hadn't seen her exit the bedroom, and her sudden reappearance had startled him. "Really?" asked Leech. "Leech doezz not remember zzseeing uzz in yezzterday'zz paper..." "Exactly!" replied Trixie. "How can Leech and Trixzzie be yezzterday'zz newzz if we not mentioned in yezzterday'zz paper?" he enquired, scratching a hoof to his head. "It's a figure of speech!" Trixie began exasperatedly. "Those Elements save Equestria on such a frequent basis, they've taken all the glory. They're the big heroes now. They are the recipients of the love and admiration of Canterlot. They are getting the attention that is rightfully mi... um, ours!" she ranted. Leech wasn't listening, however - his attention had been drawn to a bag of magic show props that Trixie had retrieved from the bedroom. He also noted that she'd put on her stage costume, consisting of her signature cloak and hat. "What izz Trixzzie doing?" he asked. "Trixzzie hazz no showzz planned, hazzn't done showzz zzsince we arrive here!" "Exactly!" replied Trixie with a firm nod. "That is something I aim to correct. If we can't be heroes anymore, we'll have to win back the hearts and minds of Canterlot the good old fashioned way - with our amazing stage routines!" Leech wasn't entirely sure this would be feasible in such a high-standard city as Canterlot, but he was for anything which would make his friend happy. And less bad tempered. But mostly, he was concerned with Trixie's happiness. ---------- Trixie left the apartment building, and trotted through the early evening sunset with her magic trick bag levitated behind her. There were still plenty of ponies in Canterlot's streets, making the most of the summer evening's residual warmth. Trixie's head hung low as she dodged and weaved her way through the crowds of ponies, many of whom were too self-absorbed to even watch where they were going. There was once a time, not so long ago, that Trixie would be plagued with adoring fans every time she set hoof outside. Everypony who was anypony would greet her as she passed by, passing ponies would whisper to each other about her - Trixie often overheard the word "hero" mentioned. She could walk into any business in Canterlot, and immediately be offered wares or services free of charge. Trixie had adored every moment of it, and had hoped that her day in the limelight would never end. Alas, she had discovered the hard way that Canterlot culture was a fickle and rapidly-shifting one. Everything was transient and nothing was permanent. Clothes came into fashion one week, and were out the next. Celebrities were made and cast aside every day. The so-called "in" crowd changed their preferred eateries and hang-outs with alarming frequency, taking their entourage of admirers and hangers-on with them wherever they went. And, as inconceivable as it had once seemed to Trixie, Canterlot dealt with its heroes just as it did everything else - they could be dropped in an instant if something else came along. Some ponies did remember Trixie and Leech, and did give them a respectful nod or a quick greeting as they passed by. But it wasn't a patch on what Trixie had become used to. A determined smile appeared on her face as she raised her head. "They don't see me now, but their eyes will all be on me soon enough!" she thought. With this, she approached her destination - Le Cheval Merde, one of the more prestigious of Canterlot's cabaret bars. A large sign near the entrance advertised that they were looking for acts, in particular magicians. Trixie's cocky smile became even wider. "This will be too easy!" she grinned, and with a deep breath she entered the bar. ---------- Making her way through the heaving crowds, Trixie began to search for the manager's office so that she could impress him with what would doubtless be the finest assortment of tricks he had ever witnessed. He would immediately offer her a million-bit contract, and she would once again be the darling of Canterlot. As she searched, she passed through one of the bar's several performance rooms. A magic act was just beginning on the stage - Trixie decided that it may be amusing to see what she was up against. She quickly took a table near the front of the stage so she could get a good look at whatever feeble parlor tricks this so-called magician had up his hat... Fifteen minutes had passed, and Trixie had been unable to take her eyes off the tricks being performed on stage. They were some of the most technically difficult and spectacular feats of magic she had ever witnessed! Self-transmogrification, self-levitation (which was much harder than it sounded), precise teleportation and even a time travel routine were just some of the incredible things the magician had done. As one may expect, the best trick had been saved for last. The gray unicorn on stage removed his black velvet top hat to reveal his deep raspberry-colored mane. Closing his eyes in concentration, blob-like clusters of mysterious energies of various hues began to gather around his horn. His concentration deepened as the magical streaks of color began to spin in an ever-enlarging vortex around his head. Soon they were spinning intensely, becoming a glowing halo-like band around the stallion's entire body. Then without warning, one streak of color shot upwards, bursting into a magnificent rainbow-colored shower of light. One by one, the others followed suit, creating a breathtaking indoor firework display, composed entirely of magic energy. As the magician took a bow, riotous hoof stomping accompanied his departure from the stage. The audience were amazed! Trixie on the other hoof, was horrified. She couldn't compete with this! Her plan to get back into Canterlot's collective eye was in ruins - she sulkily hung her head again as he heart began to sink. As she shifted her gaze upwards to give the departing magician one last angry glare however, something bizarre happened. Trixie's horn very briefly flashed green, and a bright green flash appeared in her vision, leaving an faint image of the magician briefly burned into her retinas. She blinked profusely to get rid of both the image and the spots she was seeing before her eyes, as if she'd been staring at a high-powered light. With a few blinks, these passed, and Trixie decided it would be best if she just went home. She couldn't hold a candle to anything she'd just witnessed, and figured that any attempt to impress the bar's management would be embarrassing at best. However, as she turned to head for the exit, a large Earth pony stallion stood behind her. His white fur looked bright yellow in the glow of the stage lights, but his jet-black mane and matching black suit jacket retained their normal appearance. He adjusted a small pair of spectacles upon the bridge of his snout and addressed Trixie. "Judging by your attire, you are here for the magic act auditions, yes?" he said, in a snobbish, nasal tone. "I do hope so, since fancy dress is against our dress code." Trixie didn't know how to respond - she certainly didn't want to be seen committing such an etiquette faux-pas in front of a gathered crowd of Canterlot's must-know ponies! Attempting to gather her thoughts, she stammered out a reply. "Oh y-yes, of c-course! Magic tryouts! Yes, wh-why else would I be here dressed like this? I'd be a very silly filly to come to a bar dressed like this if it wasn't for magic tryouts!" she spluttered, a nervous smile doing nothing to detract attention from the bullets of sweat on her brow. "Indeed," replied the stallion, "Allow me to introduce myself - I am Class Act, the owner of this venue. Please step into my office, and we can begin your audition." Without another word, Class Act turned on his hooves and briskly trotted towards a room marked 'Private'. Trixie stumbled several paces behind, her mind a confused mess as she attempted to figure out what to do. She'd never suffered from stage fright before - it was certainly an experience she thought she'd never encounter! ---------- Ten minutes later, Trixie nervously fumbled through her card tricks for the third time as Class Act stood behind his desk, looking distinctly unimpressed. Trixie's own magic repertoire was still fairly limited - without her special effects and Leech's assistance, she didn't have much material to work with. Her teleportation still wasn't working as it should, and she'd ended up teleporting herself to the top of a nearby set of shelves. Her chainsaw juggling act fell flat after she realized she'd only packed one chainsaw, and her other tricks were simple sleights of hoof rather than genuine magic. Under her breath she cursed herself for not bringing Leech with her - ironically, she had been afraid he would botch her big chance. As it turned out, Trixie was doing a fine job of messing it up for herself! "Miss Lulamoon," interrupted a bored-sounding Class Act, "Is there really any point to continuing this act? I think we both know that such tricks are not of the caliber expected of my venue's performers. Please, don't waste any more of either of our time." "Wait!" cried Trixie desperately, "Please, let me do one more trick!" Class act sighed and looked at his pocket-watch. "Fine," he said half-heartedly, "But do make it quick. I have other acts to evaluate." Trixie's mind raced as she attempted to think of a spectacular finisher. It was now or never - if she failed this audition, her reputation as a magician would be ruined throughout Canterlot. She would never be the center of the populace's attention again. Failure was not an option, and yet it seemed an inevitability as every avenue Trixie's thoughts followed turned out to be a dead end. Just as she was about to give up and burst into tears, the blinding green flash once again appeared in her vision, causing her to jump back a little. The image of the magician from earlier once again briefly appeared before her eyes, and an overwhelming feeling of calm and confidence washed over her, although Trixie didn't understand why. Her mind seemingly acting of its own accord, her horn glowed and slowly began to summon colored orbs of light from thin air, just as the magician on the stage had done. She began to spin the orbs around her head, until they became an intense, streaky halo of brightly glowing magic energies, again just as the magician had just minutes previously. Class Act's eyes widened and his mouth began to open as the halo glowed brighter and even more intense than the stage magician had conjured. Trixie's new confidence began to falter as she struggled to control the dozens of spinning orbs, and before she knew what had happened, she released all of them at once. They shot upwards and simultaneously detonated into a sparkling spectral blur of rainbow colors, more spectacular but shorter-lived than the display the stage magician had performed. A tense silence followed, as Trixie buried her face in a front hoof, chiding herself for losing control of the orbs too soon. She had no idea how she'd even managed to summon them in the first place, not that it mattered - rejection was a certainty. However, when Trixie removed her hoof from her eyes, she saw that Class Act was smiling broadly. As he retrieved his glasses from the floor and balanced them back on the end of his snout, he approached Trixie. "That was the most stunning rendition of the classic Prismatic Orb Shower routine that I have ever witnessed! And I loved the comedy act at the beginning, you really had me going. I genuinely thought you were a terrible magician!" he laughed. Trixie was too shell-shocked to be offended by Class Act's cruel dismissal of her usual routine. "So does this mean...?" she asked nervously. "Absolutely." beamed Class Act. "Trixie Lulamoon, you are hired! You'll have a regular evening slot as of this time next week." Trixie's mouth couldn't help but bend upwards into a jaw-aching grin. This was it! Soon she and Leech would be back in the spotlight, and living the high life once again! Excitement tingled through her whole body as her mind contemplated the limitless possibilities that now lay before her. She turned to Class Act, who was preparing her contract. "That's not all I can do, you know," she said grandly, "I have another routines which I do with my assista-" "And I must say Trixie, I'm jolly pleased you seem to have stopped palling around with that beastly changeling creature." interrupted Class Act. "I remember him from when you first arrived here, frightful little monsters they are. I'll bet with powers like yours, you did most of the heroics when you saved Canterlot, eh? Shifty things, changelings, never know what they're thinking. Who knows what sort of plan his so-called heroism is a part of? I expected to have seen him tagging along with you tonight, but am most pleased that he is not." Trixie's excitement suddenly dropped several levels upon hearing her friend spoken of in such a way. Had this not been such a prestigious venue, Trixie would have walked away then and there. Instead she looked awkwardly at the floor and shuffled a hoof. "Now then," continued Class Act, "Here is the contract. Did I hear you say something about needing an assistant? Well, the contract stipulates solo acts for the first few weeks, but after that we can get you an assistant. As long as it's not that ridiculous changeling chappie of course!" he said with a snooty snigger. Trixie looked down at the parchment before her, and gripped the quill shakily in her magic. Fighting her heart's urge to walk away for the sake of her friend, she signed the document and passed it back to Class Act. She still felt excited at the idea of performing on the Canterlot circuit, but couldn't help but feel a heavy tinge of guilt among it all. She thanked Class Act for his time, and headed for home. A thousand questions without answers rattled around inside her mind, but one question rattled louder than the rest: What was she going to tell Leech? === Chapter 2 - Changeling For Hire === Leech dozed happily on the couch waiting for Trixie to return, a nearby lantern's fading light shining upon his glossy black chitin. His legs occasionally twitched and kicked as he lay flat on his back, dreaming of Trixie and himself performing their shows on stage once more. City life had been a very different experience for the little changeling, and whilst he enjoyed it for the most part he couldn't help but long to be out on the open road again. For all the new and exciting opportunities Canterlot presented, Leech found life a little monotonous - every day seemed to be the same routine, much as it was back in the hive. He secretly yearned for the days where every day was a new adventure, and neither he nor Trixie knew what awaited them around the next corner. His dreams and semi-sleeping musings were interrupted by the sound of the apartment door opening. Leech immediately jumped to his hooves as a soggy Trixie made her way into the room - it seemed as though the weather had changed during Trixie's walk home! Despite her sodden hat and cloak clinging to her equally deluged fur, Trixie seemed to be in good spirits. Noting this, Leech bounded up to her, a grin of anticipation spread across his face. "How did Trixzzie do? Did Trixzze blow bar poniezz away with amazing magiczz?" he asked. Trixie beamed back at him. "Was there any other possible outcome?" she laughed. "All who witness the Great and Powerful Trixie's shows are immediately and forever entranced!" "Huzzzzzah!" buzzed Leech. "Zzso, when do Trixzzie and Leech zzstart doing showzz again?" he asked, eagerly. Trixie winced involuntarily, but just about managed to maintain her cheerful demeanor. Her eyes darted around as she struggled to pick between one of the several excuses she had concocted during her somewhat drizzly trip home. She couldn't simply tell Leech that the bar owner was a narrow-minded snob who had a grudge against changelings - Leech had enough problems fitting in with Canterlot society, without knocking his confidence any further. Quickly settling upon a reason, she answered her friend's question. "Well... you see.... thing about that is...." Trixie began unsteadily, a tight knot forming in her stomach, "The bar manager knows about you and thinks your talents would be wasted being a mere assistant." she lied, unconvincingly. Incredibly, the gullible Leech seemed to take the bait... more or less. "Really? It izz nice of him to zzsay zzo but... Leech likezz being azzizztant!" he protested. "It none of manager'zz buzzinezz what Leech doezz!" "W-well," stammered Trixie, not expecting such a response, "the stage is also very small. Only big enough for one performer, you'd fall off if we both tried to stand on there!" Trixie looked down at Leech as he seemed to mentally chew upon everything she'd said. Trixie also immediately contemplated her own words. A small stage? What an absolutely ridiculously feeble excuse! Nopony would believe that, not even Leech! She gulped heavily and forced a huge smile, and hoped to Celestia that he'd somehow be satisfied enough to back down. On this occasion, her prayers were seemingly answered. "Well, Leech cannot zztand where there izz no room, Leech zzsuppozzezz!" he sighed defeatedly. His face dropped for just a few seconds, then immediately burst back into a smile as an all-too-rare thought entered his head. "Zzso if Leech izz not to be an azzizztant, what izz Leech to do?" he asked Trixie. "Doezz thizz mean Leech can get different job?" Trixie tapped a contemplative hoof to her chin. Her own savings were dwindling due to high cost of living in Canterlot (even without rent), and the initial contract with the bar didn't pay quite as well as she'd hoped. This could be a way for Leech to integrate with the local populace, and provide a useful extra income for them. On the other hoof, what exactly could Leech do? She decided that she had better get a more in-depth grasp of the situation before encouraging Leech in either direction. "What jobs would you like to do, Leech?" she asked in a gentle, almost motherly tone, sitting down next to Leech. If nothing else, she couldn't fault his enthusiasm and willingness to help. "Leech izz not sure, Leech hazz only ever done hive maintenanzze and azzizting Trixzzie!" Leech replied, looking a little lost. "Not much demand for thozze thingzz in Canterlot!" Quickly glancing around the room, Trixie noticed the newspaper still strewn across the floor where Leech had dropped it earlier. After a couple of seconds' annoyance that he hadn't bothered to pick it up, she cast her feelings aside and levitated the scattered sheets of paper towards where the two friends sat. Holding them in front of her face, she looked each sheet over carefully before dropping it back onto the floor. At last, she found what she had been looking for - the advertisements page. Placing the rest of the paper to one side, she expertly maneuvered the single page she still held to a position where she could read it properly. After scanning over a few useless want-ads, she happened upon a section labelled "Positions Vacant". To her delight, there seemed to be a good range of possible careers on offer. "Izz there any openingzz for handyponiezz?" asked Leech, hopefully. "Pony houzze fixing probably not that different to fixing hivezz!" As it happened, there were openings for builders, carpenters and groundsponies. However, Trixie remembered Leech's appalling track record in anything maintenance related - he wasn't ranked 1017 out of a hive of 842 for nothing, after all! For the safety of Canterlot, Trixie wisely told Leech that there was absolutely nothing available in that particular sector. Trixie's attention was then caught by a small advertisement at the bottom of the page. "How about foalsitting?" Trxie suggested, pointing a hoof to a paragraph stating that staff were needed at one of the city's day nurseries. Leech shuddered. "No thankzz!" he gasped, shaking his head vigorously. "Leech did brief zzervice in hive hatchery onzze, had to look after two hatchlingzz. Leech forgetzz their hive numberzz, but they called themzzelvezz 'Alter' and 'Shifter'..." "Oh, really?" responded Trixie, surprised. "What happened?" "Leech won't go into detailzz, but after zzpending a day with them, Leech was picking sugar zzsprinklezz from under hizz carapace for dayzz after!" groaned Leech, his carapace becoming itchy at the very thought. "Leech wazz glad when their zzsizzter collected them from hatchery! Leech never work with young creaturezz again!" "A shame," Trixie commented, "the foals here loved you when you first arrived. They thought the holes in your legs were funny!" ---------- Hours passed, as Trixie and Leech slowly made their way through the entire page, each advertisement proving unsuitable for one reason or another - if it wasn't Leech's natural lack of ability, it was because Leech didn't like the line of work or because the business in question would never knowingly employ a changeling. Leech had mooted the idea of morphing into a pony for the purposes of work, but decided the strain of a long-term dual identity wasn't worth the hassle. Besides, Celestia had promised him upon moving to Canterlot that he wouldn't need to disguise himself in public. Exhausted, both friends slumped back on the couch. "Well, that idea wazz a buzzt!" complained Leech, through a stifled yawn. "Well, I wouldn't call it a bust exactly, more of a -" Trixie began, stopping mid sentence upon seeing something interesting on another of the newspaper's strewn pages. Jumping down from the couch, she strolled over to the page and began to read. Her eyes strained to see the letters as the lanterns let out their final, fuel-starved gasps of luminance in the shadows of midnight. When she had finished however, the bright beam she wore on her face could have lit up half of Equestria. "Leech, I think you should see this - it could be perfect!" she exclaimed, before turning around to see Leech already sound asleep, having slumped off the couch and landed neatly in his basket without even waking up. "Never mind," she whispered with a smile, "I'll make the arrangements tomorrow morning." With this, and a hearty yawn, she headed to bed for what would be a troubled sleep - more of her unanswered questions played on her mind. For instance, what was the green flash her horn kept producing? Why did it seem so familiar? And just how the hay had she managed to perform a trick she'd never done before almost perfectly just by watching somepony else do it? ---------- The uneasy night's rest did little to resolve Trixie's queries, and she was equally as confused upon waking the next morning. Putting her own confusion to the back of her mind for the time being, she hurriedly scarfed down an apple smoothie for breakfast before brushing her teeth and heading out of the apartment. She had to hurry - the pony she wanted to speak to started work early and often finished late. If she didn't catch him during breakfast, she wouldn't get another chance until tomorrow! Leech of course saw none of this, as he continued to contentedly doze in his basket, drowsing comfortably as a beam of the dawn's sunlight shone directly onto him with a wonderful warming sensation. Some time later, Leech groggily rose from his slumber, stretching each leg in turn and letting out a colossal yawn. He slowly scratched his sides with his hind legs before heading out onto the balcony for breakfast. As it turned out, he was in luck this morning. A young couple sat on a bench near to the apartment complex, nuzzling each other tenderly and affectionately. Leech simply stood with his head over the balcony railings, siphoning some of the sweet waves of purest love emanating from the two lovebirds beneath him. After taking enough to fill him up, but not enough to adversely affect the blossoming relationship playing out below, Leech turned and headed back inside, contentedly licking his mandibles. "Good breakfast?" asked Trixie, who had returned whilst Leech was out on the balcony. "Blaaagh!" cried Leech, who again hadn't heard Trixie come through the floor. They really had to stop meeting like this! "Sorry," said Trixie apologetically, "But I've just been into town, and I've gotten you a job!" "Really?" said Leech, curiously. "What job did Trixzzie get for Leech?" Trixie smiled her biggest smile, and held up a page of yesterday's newspaper in her magic. It was the back cover, rather than the advertisements page that they had so uselessly studied the previous evening. Along the bottom of the page was a banner advertisement for the newspaper itself. In large letters, it proclaimed: "CANTERLOT CHRONICLE - Journalists and reporters wanted! All experience levels considered. Apply in person at the Chronicle offices on Canterlot's high street." "Zzsounds interezzting..." Leech conceded, "But Leech cannot write" How can Leech work for newzzpaper when Leech cannot write?" "I've managed to get you a position as a reporter," explained Trixie, "All you'll need to do is find news stories, take pictures of them, and remember what happened long enough for the journalists to type it up later on. Normally reporters make notes as well, but your new employer has agreed to make an exception for you. He says it's the least he can do for you." "Do for me? Who izz new employer?" asked Leech, unable to think of anypony he'd done favors for recently. "Do you remember Snap Happy?" replied Trixie, "He's head journalist at the Chronicle, and the pony you'll be working under. He's agreed to give you a trial because of what we did for him before." "Oh yezz, Leech rememberzz him from hive. We zzsaved him from life azz falzze changeling!" said Leech, recalling the events that led to their being in Canterlot in the first place. "Yes indeed. He reckons your disguising powers could be very useful for doing undercover investigative work!" Trixie explained. "He wants to see you in about an hour's time, do you know where the offices are?" "Leech thinkzz zzso!" replied the little changeling enthusiastically. He'd been past the offices enough times when out and about in Canterlot, and was fairly certain he knew his way there from the apartment complex. ---------- Around thirty minutes later, Leech figured that he'd better get going - he wanted to be early and make a good first impression! Bidding Trixie farewell for the day, he revved his wings and enthusiastically launched himself off the balcony, falling for a short distance before settling into a steady flight towards the Canterlot Chronicle building. Trixie stood upon the balcony, waving a front hoof at her unique friend until he disappeared into Canterlot's sprawl of exquisite architecture. Heading back into the apartment and closing the doors behind her, her smile faded as her face turned to an expression of intensive concentration and introspect. She had the most vital show of her life to prepare for, and a mysterious green glow to investigate... === Chapter 3 - Read All About It === Leech gently lowered his altitude as he approached Canterlot's main street, his wings buzzing slower and slower until he gracefully ceased his flight. Unfortunately he'd stopped flapping his wings slightly too early, and somewhat ungracefully plummeted the last 10 feet or so. Picking himself up and dusting himself off, all the while cursing himself for not practicing his landings more, Leech set off on hoof to complete the rest of his journey. The main street itself had bunting and flags suspended at various points above it as far as the eye could see, and so flying the last hundred or so yards to the Chronicle offices would have been hazardous at best. As he trotted down the street, past the trendy al fresco bistro cafes and luxury clothing stores, the ponies all around stared at him. Or at least, some of them did - others turned their noses away in disgust, or leaned in to whisper to their friends, all the while keeping one eye on the oblivious changeling who merrily strolled past. "I don't trust him one bit!" came a whisper from a table of a nearby bistro. "Me neither, what a frightful beast!" came a muted reply from an unknown mare. "What on Equestria persuaded the princesses to let him stay?" came another hushed comment, this time from a different group. "I fear no creature... but that thing... it scares me." quietly added a deep voice from the crowds. Leech didn't seem to notice, however - he continued excitedly down the street, bidding good morning to anypony who would listen. The majority ignored him, although some of the more friendly of Canterlot's residents returned the greeting politely. It wasn't clear whether Leech didn't hear the jibes aimed at him when he went out in public, or whether he'd simply become accustomed to them - for all of Canterlot's fast moving culture, it seemed that old prejudices held fast amid the torrent of constant change. Although the locals had tolerated Leech immediately after his and Trixie's arrival, the scars left in Canterlot's collective mindset by the changeling siege of the royal wedding ran deep. Public opinion soon began to go against Leech, although nopony would be so bold as to openly decry Celestia's judgement in letting him stay. ---------- His enthusiasm and anticipation distinctly undiminished, Leech trotted to the entrance to a broad, four story building between two jewellery stores at the far end of the main street. Its painted brickwork gleamed white in the morning sun, glowing even brighter than its golden-yellow painted doorframe and windowsills. A meticulously polished brass plaque to the left to the heavy, wooden, burgundy-painted front door identified it as the head office of the Canterlot Chronicle. Leech raised his hoof to knock upon the door, when to his surprise it opened - Snap Happy had seen him coming. Alas, Leech noticed the opening door too late to stop his would-be door-knocking hoof impacting with Snap Happy's snout. "Ack!" cried the off-white pegasus, stumbling back a few steps. Leech was horrified! "Oh my Zzcelezztia! Leech izz zzsorry for bopping new bozz on Leech'zz firzzt day! Pleazze forgive Leech!" he buzzed frantically, a pleading hoof reaching out towards the dazed head journalist. Hastily gathering his bearings, Snap Happy stepped forward again and greeted Leech warmly. "Think nothing of it, kiddo!" he said brightly with a smile, still rubbing his nose with a hoof. "Accidents happen, after all! Come on in, and I'll show you around!" His cheeks still aflame with embarrassment, Leech nonetheless gingerly entered the office, trailing several steps behind Snap Happy. ---------- After Leech had been given a guided tour around the entire building, taking in everything from the production offices to the printing press, he and Snap Happy stood together in the typists' room. All around them, various pony journalists tapped away at typewriters, all of them totally focused upon their task. Every now and then, a reporter would enter and drop a page of notes upon the desk of one of the journalists before heading off to the dark room to develop the pictures they'd taken with their cameras. Leech had never seen a group of ponies so contented with their work before - so passionate were the ponies with their chosen vocation, Leech was even able to absorb a small amount of the love they had for their jobs! Job satisfaction was a type of love that Leech had never sampled before - it had a unique flavor, not as sweet as 'normal' love, but still quite tasty. Leech quietly smacked his mandibles in satisfaction before turning to Snap Happy, who had been rooting around a nearby closet. He held in his hooves two items - the first was a large, boxy, flash-bulb type film camera with a broad carrying strap, which he placed around Leech's neck. Secondly, he took a slightly tatty brown fedora hat, with a small white card with the word "PRESS" in bold black lettering printed on it tucked into the hat's chestnut-colored band. The hat was designed for a unicorn, and had a gap in the front of the brim - as such, it fit perfectly around Leech's horn when Snap Happy placed it upon his head. "Well, Leech," said Snap Happy, stepping back to admire his work, "You certainly look the part, with your camera and your cliche hat! Now, let's see what you can do - for today's assignment, I want you to go out there and get me a real scoop." "A zzscoop?" asked Leech, thoughtfully. "Yep, this publication thrives on getting scoops as often as possible! Let's see if you can find me one." clarified Snap Happy. "Zzsir, yezz zzsir!" Leech said, with a salute that knocked his hat over to one side of his head. Too excited to bother fixing it, Leech dashed out of the typists' room, down two flights of stairs and back outside into Canterlot, his hooves barely touching the ground. Snap Happy simply gave a bemused sigh, rubbed a hoof through his short, turquoise mane and wondered what he'd let himself in for... ---------- Excitedly strutting back down the main street, Leech was having the time of his life, the door knocking incident having been long forgotten. He attracted the same filthy looks and whispered insults as before, but was still far too happy to take heed. "Leech not only getzz new job, but getzz eazzy azzignment, and better zzstill, an awezzome hat!" he chattered to himself. He strode on confidently - he knew exactly where he could get just what Snap Happy wanted, and knew the way there almost by instinct, being a frequent visitor to the place himself. As he made his way down the Canterlot cobbles however, Leech noticed a commotion at a nearby clothing store. A crowd of ponies hurtled out of the door, screaming at the top of their lungs, with shredded remains of what appeared to be very expensive suits and dresses hanging from their bodies. Behind them, a gray earth pony wearing violet-tinted glasses ran out, with what had been an exquisitely styled lighter gray mane. Now, amidst the curls of his perfectly-coiffured locks, several small, round creatures nestled, some of them chewing at strands of the distressed pony's hair. "My beautiful boutique!" wailed Hoity Toity, swatting at the creatures in his mane. "It's been overrun with these... ugh... parasprites! And it looks as if they've got very expensive tastes!" Leech could see scores of the multicolored winged blobs through the boutique's windows, devastating any clothing item that they came across. His thoughts immediately turned to his beloved new head-wear. "When parazzpritezz finished in zztore, parazzpsitezz might eat Leech'zz new hat!" he gasped. Clearly, this was a situation of some gravity. Wasting no time, Leech turned on his hooves and began to run the back way he had come - he knew a different route to the place he wanted to go to anyway. It would take a little longer, but it didn't matter. Nothing was worth risking his prized hat for! He raced right down to the far end of the main street, back past the Chronicle offices, and disappeared down an alleyway. ---------- After cantering a short distance through the relative darkness of the shadowy alleyway, Leech emerged into the pleasant green scenery of Canterlot's central park. Seemingly a world away from the main street that was still relatively close by, pathways of cream-hued gravel snaked their way around breathtaking flowerbeds and immaculately kept lawns, with benches beside them every few yards. All around, ponies sat on benches and made polite conversation with one another, whilst others admired the flowers and scenery around them. As Leech made his way towards his intended destination, he noticed a pony he recognized sitting on a bench next to a large fountain in the very center of the park. Canterlot celebrity and noblestallion Fancy Pants sat upon the bench, with a light green pegasus mare for company. He gently whispered pleasantries into her ear, before giving it a playful nibble. The pegasus mare giggled as she flicked a strand of her black mane from her face, and the two engaged in a passionate kiss. As Leech walked past, he couldn't help but sample some of the love they gave off. He instinctively coughed and retched - this love wasn't sweet at all! It tasted bitter and made Leech feel slightly nauseous. The sound of Leech's hacking and gagging attracted both of the embraced ponies' attention, causing them to disengage from each other and look at Leech in alarm. "It's that changeling!" whispered the mare to Fancy Pants, panic in her voice, "And look! He's joined the press! What if he's taken photos of us!" Fancy Pants retained the usual urbane, cool demeanor he was renowned for, although inside he was quite worried. He certainly didn't want his unicorn wife, Fleur, to find out about this! "Don't worry my dear, I'll ensure none of this sordid business reaches anyone it should not. I'll wager that he doesn't even know who I am!" he said, with partially-forced confidence. Getting up from the bench, he left his quivering partner for the moment and casually approached Leech. "Hello, young colt!" he said politely. "Do you know who I am?" Leech nodded. "You are Fanzzy Pantzz, national zzcelebrity!" he said, looking up at Fancy Pants with a proud smile. Fancy Pants' face began to flush, and his mask of confidence slipped as his brow involuntarily furrowed, and he began looking around as if trying to find a clue as to what to do next. Noticing a nearby pony collecting flowers, inspiration struck and he quickly regained his composure. "That's right, my little friend." he continued with a smile. "But I'm not just a celebrity - in my spare time, I collect things. I have many exquisite collections of various items - and at the moment, I'm collecting camera film. I've got an extensive collection back at my mansion, and I need just one more type to complete it. And as luck would have it, the type I need is the same type as your camera uses! Would you be interested in selling it to me?" With this, Fancy Pants levitated a wallet from his jacket pocket, and pulled out several pieces of paper. Leech's jaw dropped. "Here," said Fancy Pants, "is one hundred bits. All you need to do is open your camera and give the film to me, and it's yours!" "Zzsold!" replied Leech, gleefully removing the film from his camera and passing it to a relieved-looking Fancy Pants. In return, Fancy Pants rolled up the five twenty-bit bills and gently pushed them into one of Leech's foreleg holes. "A pleasure doing business with you!" called Fancy Pants, as Leech continued on his way. "What a zzsucker!" laughed Leech to himself as he exited the Canterlot central park with his now-filmless camera dangling uselessly against his chest. "That film only cozztzz five bitzz a roll!" Presently, Leech approached his intended destination - Pony Joe's Donut Shoppe and Cafe. He stopped at the door and looked up at the building. Removing his newly-found wealth from his foreleg, he gave an approving nod and strolled inside. "Zzsnap Happy will be zzso pleazzed with Leech, maybe give Leech promotion!" he buzzed. ---------- Back at the Canterlot Chronicle office, Snap Happy looked at the clock. The evening edition was due to go to press in 45 minutes, and they still didn't have a big scoop! He nervously paced up and down the production office, wondering where Leech could have possibly gotten to. His worrying was disrupted when he heard the front door bang shut and echo throughout the building's stairwell. "Leech izz baaaack!" called Leech from the foot of the stairs. "Excellent!" called Snap Happy from inside the office. "Did you find me a scoop?" "Leech did better than that, Leech found you two hundred zzscoopzz!" came the response. Snap Happy nearly collapsed in surprise. Two hundred scoops! That could keep the Chronicle in business for months, if not years! Could he have inadvertently stumbled upon the single greatest reporter that Canterlot had ever known? His surprise soon turned to shock as Leech entered the office... ... bringing with him the most gigantic ice cream sundae that Snap Happy had ever seen, two hundred light green scoops placed in a comically oversized wafer cone. Leech carefully maneuvered the colossal dessert into the office and placed the cone upon Snap Happy's desk, propping it up at either side with a typewriter and a book. "Ta-daaaa!" said Leech proudly. Snap Happy said nothing. He simply stared at the teetering treat with wide eyes, tiny pupils and an involuntary twitch in his left eyelid. "Zzsnap Happy would not believe trouble Leech had to go through to get thizz!" he said. "Oh... and what trouble would that be?" asked Snap Happy somewhat distantly, still unable to comprehend what he was seeing. "Welllll...," began Leech, "Firzzt of all, Leech zzseezz fancy clothing zzstore get eaten up by parazzpritezz! Purple shadezz pony didn't look happy!" Snap Happy suddenly jolted back into reality upon hearing this. "What?! You mean Hoity Toity's boutique's been attacked by parasprites? Leech, did you get any pictures of this?" he asked urgently. "Oh no, of courzze not. Don't worry zzsir, Leech wazzn't zzsilly enough to hang around there! Leech might have lozzt hizz hat!" Leech replied. Snap Happy buried his face in his front hooves. This was almost too much to take! "Zzso anyway, Leech hazz to go long way around to Pony Joe'zz, zzso Leech goezz though the park. Then Leech meetzz Fancy Pantzz, who offered Leech lotzz of money for hizz camera film!" continued Leech. "Why did he do that?" asked a perplexed Snap Happy. "He zzsaid he collectzz film!" replied Leech. "He zzseemed very keen, he even zzstopped kizzing hizz pegazzuzz wife to talk to Leech!" "Pegasus wife? But Fancy Pants is married to a unic...." Snap Happy's voice trailed off as his eyes went wide again. "Leech. Please. Tell. Me. You. Got. Pictures." "Why would Leech want picturezz of zzsome posh pony with wife? Fancy Pantzz gave Leech a hundred bitzz for hizz film - that'zz how Leech wazz able to get you zzso many zzscoopszz! Leech knew Pony Joe'zz zzstarted zzselling ice cream lazzt month, one bit for two zzscoopzz!" he said proudly. Snap Happy said nothing, but merely wandered over to his desk and pulled out a small bottle labelled 'DeGroot's rum 1680'. He added a dash of its contents to his usual cup of coffee before swallowing the entire steaming beverage down in a single gulp. "The story of the month and the scandal of the year, all in one day... and all he got was ice cream..." he sobbed to himself under his breath, before pouring himself another rum-infused coffee and downing it in one gulp again. He turned back to the still-grinning Leech. He knew the changeling had much to learn, and ultimately meant well - plus, he'd helped save Snap Happy's life, so he couldn't possibly bring himself to be angry with Leech. "Well, a good first day's work my friend!" he said with a forced smile and a quivering voice. "I'll sort a new film for your camera in the morning - meanwhile, go home and get a good night's rest!" "Yezz zzsir!" said Leech firmly, saluting with his other forehoof and finally knocking his hat straight again. With this, Leech trotted away down the stairs and exited the building, the front door's slam again reverberating through the stairwell. Snap Happy let out a long, despairing sigh. He wondered what in Equestria he'd let himself in for - the next few weeks were certainly going to be interesting to say the least! Noticing the giant ice cream still on his desk, and beginning to melt under the warmth of the office's lanterns, he gave the dessert a probing sniff followed by a curious lick. His frown soon faded and gave way to a broad, contented smile. "Mmmm.... pistachio!" === Chapter 4 - Lingering Remnants === Upon the apartment's balcony, Trixie watched the late afternoon sun slowly sink below the horizon, expertly guided as always by Celestia. As the last vestiges of its deep tangerine glow disappeared from view, giving way to the inky-blue skies of evening, the unicorn sighed. She'd spent all day attempting to figure out the mystery behind the sporadic green energy bursts from her horn, and the reason she'd been able to perform the other magician's trick with no prior knowledge of the necessary technique. However, her efforts had thus far amounted to very little. Of course, she'd long since worked out that she'd somehow become capable of a type of exotic magic that allowed her to temporarily assimilate the skills of others - that much was obvious. She'd already become painfully aware of its temporary nature when she'd attempted to perform the Prismatic Orb Shower trick again - the green flash did not come, and nor was she able to perform the spell. The questions that troubled her now were why, and where had this new ability come from? What were its limitations? Was it safe? Heck, she didn't even understand how to invoke it, at the bar it had somehow just... happened. Trixie headed back inside the apartment and slumped defeatedly on the couch, her face buried in her hooves. If she couldn't figure out how to use this new ability to her advantage within the next six days, her contract with the cabaret could be lost! Worse still, she could be made to perform anyway, and would be forced to use her regular routine! She could be a laughing stock, shortly followed by being an unemployed laughing stock! Failure was not an option - Trixie had to unravel this mystery. Her future in Canterlot depended upon it. ---------- A familiar dull thud against the balcony doors provided Trixie with a welcome distraction from her troubled thoughts. She let out a wry chuckle to herself as she remembered that she'd meant to leave the balcony doors open for Leech to fly in through - and as usual, she'd forgotten. Trotting over to the door and gently opening it with her magic, she brought the still-dazed Leech into the apartment's warmth, all the while wearing an apologetic smile upon her face. Fortunately, Leech was quick to forgive, and before long the duo were sitting side by side on the couch as Leech excitedly talked about his day. "...zzso Leech managed to get two hundred zzscoopzz of ice cream with the money Leech got from Fanzzy Pantzz! Bozz didn't know what to zzsay!" finished Leech proudly, some minutes later. Trixie couldn't help but laugh at the changeling's antics - for all the annoyance and frustration Leech often caused, he never failed to raise her spirits when she was feeling depressed. "I'll bet he didn't!" said Trixie with a chuckle, the mental image of Snap Happy attempting to eat a gigantic ice cream bringing forth another fit of giggles from the stressed showmare. Presently, Leech hopped down from the couch. "Doezz Trixzzie want zzsnack?" he asked, having heard the mare's stomach growl several times during his story. Trixie paused pensively for a moment, mulling the offer over in her mind. She didn't especially feel like eating, but presently her stomach made a noise reminiscent of a fully-grown dragon yawning. Realizing she'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't eaten a crumb since breakfast, Trixie concluded that she really ought to get some nourishment inside of her. "Yes please," she said to Leech, "There's some daisy and cress sandwiches in the refrigerator, can you grab me one of those?" Leech gave a salute to Trixie, just as he'd done with Snap Happy. This time he managed to punch the hat off of his head entirely, having neglected to remove it when he'd returned to the apartment. Quickly realizing his error, Leech hastily stopped his advance towards the kitchenette and levitated his hat safely back onto his head, where it belonged. Trixie, having witnessed the whole event, sat with her jaw dropped and her mouth agape. Leech's magic aura... it was the same shade of green and of the same opacity as the rogue flashes from her own horn! "Leech, do that again!" cried Trixie, forgetting her fatigue and leaping to her hooves. Although he hated to mistreat his precious head-wear in such a way, especially so soon after acquiring it, Leech dutifully slugged the hat across the room once again with a forehoof. Trixie shook her head vigorously. "No, no, not that bit - the other part, the part where you lifted the hat up!" she said, a mixture of impatience and urgency permeating her voice. Giving a nonchalant shrug, Leech duly obliged. Deftly grasping the hat within his horn's energies, he raised it up and held it in front of Trixie so that she could inspect it. Leech didn't bother to ask her reasoning - usually when he asked why Trixie wanted something done, he was still none the wiser when she'd explained. Trixie had never really taken much notice when Leech used his powers to do everyday tasks - after all, she herself and every other unicorn in Canterlot did the exact same thing. Yet now, her deep violet eyes were seemingly transfixed upon the emerald plasma that rippled and swirled around Leech's cliched reporter hat. There was no doubt about it, this was the exact same type of energy that she been emanating from her own horn. Her trance was broken by a somewhat distressed Leech. "Can Leech zzstop now?" he panted, "Leech'zz horn izz getting tired!" "Oh right... yes, of course, you can stop." replied Trixie, coming back to her senses. With a sigh of relief, Leech gently brought his hat back over to where he stood and again placed it upon his head, before continuing on his vital supply-gathering mission to the refrigerator. Trixie meanwhile, had descended into the shadowy depths of fervent thought once again. "If the energy I'm emitting is changeling energy..." she mused, before a wave of panic slammed headlong into her train of thought, causing her to sit bolt upright in horror, "... does this mean I'm still part changeling?" Struggling to quell the rising tide of worry that was rapidly building inside her, Trixie swallowed hard to combat the ever-spiralling feeling of nausea that threatened to burst forth from her stomach at any moment. With some effort, she managed to bring her breathing under control, and within moments she was able to think reasonably clearly once more. "No, no, that's silly - and impossible." she reassured herself, her adrenal glands reducing their output with each self-comforting word. "I was looked over twice by the changeling orderlies back at the hive, and had a thorough medical checkup by pony doctors shortly after I got here. Even when disguised, changelings have massive internal differences to ponies, which would almost certainly have been spotted. My body is definitely one hundred percent Great and Powerful Trixie!" Trixie paused once more, having ignited the fires of inspiration within her mind - her body was pure pony, yes... but perhaps... just perhaps there remained some stray vestiges of changeling energy intertwined with her own innate magic reserves. ---------- Presently, Leech arrived back from the kitchen area, sandwich in tow. He passed the plate to Trixie, setting it down onto the couch next to her. Seeing the snack, Trixie gave a warm smile to her friend. "Thank you Leech," she said politely, "I'll eat it in a few minutes. Just need to get my appetite back." she added, giving her adrenaline-gorged stomach a sympathetic rub as it recovered from her previous panic. "Zzsomething wrong with Trixzzie?" asked Leech with some consternation, noticing his friend's seemingly worried face. "Actually, Leech, there's something I need to ask you - about changelings, and the abilities they have." Trixie ventured, somewhat sheepishly. This was the first time she'd ever had to ask Leech for information! "Azzk away!" said Leech with a broad grin, although he wasn't really sure he'd be able to answer. He was just a lowly drone after all, and didn't really know much about his species as a whole - he just fixed things. Badly. "Basically, my question is this - when a changeling takes on the form of somepony else, what happens when they're asked to do something that only that pony can do?" she queried. "That'zz an eazzy one!" replied Leech, "Even bazzic changelingzz can copy zzsome of dizzguizze pony's talentzz. Cannot uzzually do azz well azz original pony, but izz enough to get by! Only high-rankzz can abzzorb knowledge though." he added, with more than a hint of lament. Trixie's suspicions were confirmed - the energy within her was indeed changeling magic, more specifically the type that allowed changelings to at least partially imitate the abilities of their intended targets. Trixie thought back to the incident at Ponyville, where Leech had taken Rainbow Dash's form - Leech's own innate flying abilities had been multiplied a hundred fold when in the form of the spectral-maned pegasus. Whilst not as technically impressive as the real Rainbow's, Leech had been able to accomplish competent stunts, swoops and dives, whereas in his normal form it was a miracle if he could even land properly. Of course. Why hadn't she made this connection sooner? "I see," replied Trixie, her worry slowly dissolving into an increasing sense of excitement, "but how exactly do you copy your disguise's abilities?" Leech gave another shrug. "Leech doezz not know, it juzzt happenzz when Leech uzzezz a dizzguizze." he replied. "Horseapples!" cursed Trixie under her breath. It seemed that this talent emulation power didn't quite work in the same way when combined with unicorn magic. It would require conscious effort to call forth, rather than being a subconscious part of disguising as it appeared to be in changelings. "Why doezz Trixzzie azzk, anyway?" queried Leech. ---------- With a slight sigh, Trixie decided it'd be best to divulge her secret to Leech - now that she had a better idea of what she was dealing with, she wasn't quite as concerned about causing undue worry for her changeling companion. She explained to him how she'd had a spontaneous flash of changeling energy which had allowed her to emulate another pony's trick with moderate success. She also told Leech of how she'd been racking her brains attempting to repeat the procedure, due to her need to bolster her own inventory of spells in preparation for her big show the next week. "Zzo Trixzzie doezz have lazzting zzside effect from changeling tranzzformation..." said Leech thoughtfully, remembering High General Clone's warning that side effects were a possibility. "Indeed," affirmed Trixie, "but it's an effect that I can use to our advantage... if only I knew how to use it properly!" she continued in a frustrated tone. Leech burst into another big smile and strolled over to the balcony doors, pushing them open as he did so. "Trixzzie follow Leech!" he said, beckoning Trixie with a forehoof. "Leech hazz planzz!" Curious to see what Leech had planned, and astounded that he'd been able to formulate a plan at all, Trixie hauled herself onto her hooves and cantered out onto the balcony to join Leech. She found him leaning on the balcony's railing, observing the ponies strolling by in the street below. ---------- Canterlot's evening life was always an experience to remember - every evening was like a weekend. No matter the day of the week or the time of year, every street in the city was alive with activity until the small hours of the morning. Bistros remained open, the delectable tones of classical music could be heard drifting through the night sky from concert halls, and street performers practiced their chosen arts among the bustle of ponies passing by in their evening attire. It was the street performers that Leech seemed to be looking at, intent in his eyes. "Trixzzie, help Leech pick a target." he requested. Joining her friend in peering over the balcony, Trixie's eyes scanned the heaving throngs of upper-crust ponies that made their way through the streets below. She noted several street performers stationed at various points in the crowds, some attracting more attention than others. There were three Earth ponies who seemingly formed a street dance troupe, a singing pegasus and a unicorn mime. "Alright," began Trixie, rubbing a hoof to her chin, "how about the dancers?" With this, Leech's horn glowed as he bathed his body in the familiar deep-green haze of magical flame, emerging as a perfect replica of one of the dancing ponies. He cantered back into the apartment in his new form, a pale yellow stallion with a chocolate-and-white striped mane and tail. Trixie remained on the balcony, and watched through the door in amazement as Leech began to dance all around the room, gracefully pirouetting and delicately spinning upon one hoof. Accidentally dropping his disguise mid-spin, he promptly fell over onto his flank. "Zzsee?" he said, getting up and rubbing his hindquarters, "It'zz eazzy! Juzzt zzstare at pony you want to copy and let your horn do the rezzt!" ---------- Encouraged by the ease with which Leech had taken on the talents of another pony, Trixie peered over the balcony once again and fixed a steely gaze upon the same dancing ponies that Leech had taken his disguise from. Trixie had never really cared much for dancing and the physical performing arts, instead preferring magic and illusions. Nevertheless, she focused an intense level of concentration on the ponies who cavorted and frolicked below her. Alas, nothing happened. Sweat streamed down Trixie's face, and she feared she'd give herself a snoutbleed, such was her level of straining. Still nothing, beyond a few feeble green sparks. Unable to concentrate any harder, Trixie ceased her attempt and collapsed into a panting heap on the balcony floor. "It's.... no.... good...." she gasped breathlessly, "tried... hardest... nothing... happened." "Maybe it'zz becauzze they're Earth poniezz?" suggested Leech, "Maybe Trixzzie can only copy unicorn thingzz?" "Perhaps..." panted Trixie, rising to her hooves, "Or maybe..." she thought to herself, "it's emotionally-driven. I've never cared much for dance, but those tricks I saw at the bar... I wanted more than anything else to be able to do them, and without warning, I found that I could! Besides, the only unicorn performer down there is a mime, and I am NOT mimicking that. I hate mimes!" Trixie decided that the only way to prove or disprove her new hypothesis was to test it - and to do that, she'd need to go where there were talents on show that she actually wanted for herself. Making a split second decision, she turned away from the balcony's edge. Suddenly sprinting back into the apartment, Trixie ran past Leech and into her bedroom, emerging moments later wearing her best evening cape. Similar in style and overall design to her usual show cape, it was a navy blue in coloration, with exquisite hoof-stitched golden stars on it. It had been one of the many gifts that Trixie and Leech had received for their heroics upon their arrival in Canterlot, although Trixie had never worn it until now. "Leech, get changed." she said briskly. "We're going out for the evening!" "Change into what?" asked Leech. "And where are Trixzzie and Leech going?" "Anything that's not a changeling." answered Trixie, remembering Class Act's disdain for Leech's species. "As for where we're going... we're heading to the Le Cheval Merde cabaret bar!" === Chapter 5 - A Night At The Cabaret === Trixie and Leech hastily made their way through the crowds of ponies in the streets of Canterlot, Trixie wearing a solidly-fixed expression of intent and focus, her eyes staring and unblinking. Her movement was brisk, with Leech having to break into a slow gallop in order to keep pace with her. "Why izz Trixzzie moving zzso fazzt?" complained Leech, his buzzing voice at odds with the tangerine-colored stallion he had disguised himself as. "I must get to the cabaret before the evening's performance starts, I want to see as much of it as possible!" answered Trixie flatly, her attention mostly taken up with navigating through the crowds. "Why izz cabaret zzso important? And why doezz Leech have to go in dizzguizze?" asked Leech, calling to Trixie from several paces behind. "Well," she began, slowing down and turning her attention more towards her friend, "I want to see if I can copy any of the talents we see at the cabaret. As for your disguise, well... um... several of the bar staff are allergic to the chitin that your exoskeleton is made from. Yes, that'll do." she finished hesitantly. Trixie clenched her eyelids as a wave of guilt washed over her - she didn't like lying to Leech, but had to in order to protect his feelings. Mercifully, the ruse seemed to satisfy Leech, and he asked no further questions on the subject during their journey. ---------- After a short journey, made even shorter by Trixie's maniacally fast trotting speed, the two ponies approached the entrance to Le Cheval Merde. Trixie noted with a smug grin that the sign asking for cabaret acts had been painted over with red letters that read 'position filled'. Her smugness was soon over, however, as she noticed another sign nearby which specified a 'smart' dress code. She looked over to Leech. "Oh no!" she cried, "You aren't dressed smartly enough to get past those doorponies! I'll be OK with my magnificent cape, but you aren't wearing anything!" "But Leech doezzn't even own any clothezz!" Leech protested. Trixie's mind raced. The show started in less than two minutes, so there was no time to go to a store and get Leech some classy clothing. Besides, most of the stores were closed by this time, it was only dining and entertainment venues that were open during the evening and night. A plan soon clawed its way out from the tangled mess of Trixie's scrambled thoughts - it was a long shot, but it just might work. Trixie deftly used her magic to swipe a hair clip from a nearby pony's tail - so smooth and quick was the process, the Earth mare didn't even notice her once-immaculately styled tail fall out of shape. Manipulating the small metal wire she held in her magical grasp, Trixie soon bent the hair clip into a circle shape, twisting the ends together to complete the ring. She then placed the newly-formed wiry hoop onto Leech's face, resting on his right cheek and encircling his eye. "There!" she said brightly to the confused Leech. "A monocle makes anypony look classy, no matter the rest of their get-up!" "Izz Trixzzie sure?" enquired Leech, giving a nervous glance to the two large, white Stallions standing at either side of the door. By the look of them, they were Royal Guard ponies working second jobs during their off-duty time - they certainly didn't look the type that Leech wanted to cross! Trixie didn't answer, instead resuming her fast-paced trot towards the entrance to the bar, Leech following behind, his nervousness increasing with each step he took to the stony-faced doorponies. Trixie trotted through the door with no problems, with one of the doorponies even giving her an admiring nod. However, as Leech approached, he was stopped by a large, white foreleg that was thrust out in front of him. "Just a moment, sir." said the doorpony, gruffly. "Eep!" squeaked Leech quietly, as he stared into the eyes of the stallion that looked him up and down. To Leech's surprise, the foreleg soon dropped back to the ground as the doorpony resumed his normal position. "Apologies, sir, I thought you were somepony I knew. In you go - nice monocle, by the way!" said the doorpony. Leech wasted no time in scurrying into the bar, silently thanking the powers that be for the fact he didn't have sweat glands! ---------- Inside the bar, Leech quickly discarded the makeshift monocle - being smaller than an actual monocle, Leech could constantly see it in his peripheral vision which irritated him a great deal. Making his way through the hot, crowded, darkened bar area, he eventually located Trixie sitting at a table near the stage. He trotted over to his friend and joined her, just as Class Act cantered onto the stage. The already-dim lights faded entirely, as a spotlight illuminated the center of the stage. "Mares and gentlecolts... please, put your hooves to the ground for tonight's Cheval Merde Cabaret Spectacular!" he said grandly. With this, every pony in the room stomped their hooves, bar Trixie - her concentration was taken with anticipation. If her hypothesis was wrong, she'd be back to square one when it came to figuring out how this new power worked, and her stage show would almost certainly be a disaster. It was all or nothing, and everything hinged on tonight's events - a fact that Trixie was only too aware of. After the hoof-stomping ceased (with Leech stopping a good 15 seconds after everypony else, attracting several glares from other ponies in the room), Class Act left the stage and the first act trotted into the spotlight. It was a dancer - Trixie sighed indignantly as the tutu-clad Earth mare began to perform ballet moves to the delicate refrains of an unseen harpist. Trixie didn't even bother attempting to invoke her new power here - she'd already tried it with dancers, and it hadn't worked. She cared nothing for the art, and found it all rather tedious. Instead, she gazed with increasing boredom at the twirling and tip-hoofing pony as she captivated the rest of the audience with her skilfully choreographed routine. After what seemed a lifetime to Trixie, the dancer took a bow and left the stage to the hoof-stomping of everypony except for Trixie and Leech, who wisely decided not to bother this time, lest he forget to stop again. Trixie's attention was piqued as the next act strode into view - a pegasus singer. Whilst Trixie couldn't hit a note even if it were stood three inches in front of her, she had always wanted to learn how to sing - this could be her chance to learn, rapidly! Within moments, the cream-colored mare's song filled the room, the pitch-perfect crispness of the notes she sang seeming to cut through the very air itself. The audience was entranced with the strong yet exquisite sounds that seemed to be administering a massage to their eardrums. Trixie looked upward to the singer, and as if on cue, her horn shot out a quick but substantial spark of green energy as the pegasus' image flashed before Trixie's eyes. Trixie flinched instinctively and rubbed at her face to dissipate the spots that had appeared in her vision. Her horn continued to tingle throughout the rest of the singer's act, and by the time Trixie had regained her bearings, the next act was making his way to the stage. ---------- It was the same magician that Trixie had seen previously, much to her delight. She could 'learn' how to do the Prismatic Orb Shower again, and perhaps some of his other tricks too! Sure enough, the magician performed the exact same routine that he had performed that fateful night when Trixie had first learned of her new ability. Trixie's horn shot a spark of changeling energy during almost every one of his tricks - his transmogrification, self-levitation, and of course the orb shower - but curiously not during his time-travel trick. Trixie could barely stifle a giggle at the magician's expense as she realized that this particular part of his routine must be faked! She also realized that her power could only imitate what the target was actually doing, rather than what she perceived them to be doing, which whilst disappointing in a way, made quite a bit of sense. Her horn beginning to feel somewhat heavy, Trixie could barely raise her head to examine the final act of the evening approaching the stage. It was another Earth pony, this time a deep brown stallion who introduced himself as an 'improvisation poet'. "Ponies of Canterlot, please hear my voice. Give me a subject, whatever your choice. Whatever you give me, I'll take little time To convert it to verse, and make sure it rhymes." he said, the rhyming seemingly coming to him without effort. "Roses!" called a voice from the back of the room. The poet on stage tapped a hoof to his chin for a few moments, before launching into another volley of verbose verse. "A most noble flower is the rose, Its scent a pleasure for the nose. But if you grab it by the stem, Your hooves will soon have cuts on them!" he quickly said, raising a few chuckles from the audience. And so the act continued for several minutes, with the audience calling out increasingly random topics in the hopes of catching the poet out, but the poet effortlessly coming up with a short rhyming ditty for everything from dragons to drain cleaner. Although she wasn't especially into improvisation or poetry, Trixie's horn flashed once more as she took on the ability to improvise rhymes. She wasn't entirely sure why, but Trixie was certain it had something to do with the admiration the poet was receiving from involving the audience in his performance. ---------- After the show had ended and the hoof-stomping had died down, Trixie and Leech were heading for the exit. Trixie felt partially excited at the prospect of testing whether her power-emulation had worked, and partially ill. She felt dizzy and her horn felt very heavy, as though it were physically full of the powers she'd duplicated during the evening. It seemed that the more powers she took on, the heavier her horn felt and the worse she felt overall. She currently held five extra abilities, and Trixie made a mental note that this was most likely the absolute maximum she could withstand before she'd feel too ill to perform. Before the duo could leave the bar, however, they were stopped by Class Act, who had finished his stage management duties for the evening. "Ah, Trixie!" greeted Class Act. "How wonderful to see you again. I trust you're still available next week?" Trixie looked at Leech with trepidation, and hoped he wouldn't say anything. "Oh yes, definitely!" she responded brightly. "Izz thizz Trixzzie's new bozz?" Leech piped up, causing Trixie to quickly slap a hoof over his mouth. "I say," remarked Class Act, "Your friend's got a bit of a strange voice. Is he alright?" "Oh y-yes," stammered Trixie, "he's just got a bit of a sore throat. I keep telling him to rest it but he never listens!" "Ah, it's a shame you didn't say anything earlier, we had a couple of strong liqueurs at the bar that would have cleared that right up! Alas, they're all gone now. Well, I'd better start locking up for the night. See you next week!" said Class Act, with a wave of a forehoof. Without another word, Trixie hurried from the building and into the now much quieter streets, the cool air of the night a stark but welcome contrast to the bar's sweltering heat and humidity, with Leech not far behind her. "Trixzzie, why did-" began Leech, before being cut off by Trixie. "No time to explain." said Trixie dismissively. "Quickly Leech, follow me!" ---------- Trixie began to gallop as fast as her hooves would carry her down the cobbled street, the rush of the air making her head feel clearer and alleviating the undesirable symptoms of her power absorption somewhat. Leech trailed behind, attempting to keep up, the motion whipping his temporary burgundy mane all over the place. Soon, the pair entered a dark alleyway that Leech recognized as the same one he'd run down the previous day. Sure enough, the two soon re-emerged into the stillness and silence of the empty central park, which was equally as beautiful under the moon's soothing glow as it was under the sun's brilliant rays. As she caught her breath, Trixie looked all around her. Visibility was excellent under the moon's light, and Trixie could quite clearly see that nopony else was around. "Perfect." she said to nopony in particular. "We're on our own. Now I can test my new power to its fullest..." Noting that they were no longer anywhere near the bar, Leech shed his disguise with a burst of green flame, returning to his normal insectoid form. He gave a grateful buzz of his wings before meandering over to join Trixie. "Doezz Trixzzie think powerzz worked?" he asked. "That's what we're about to find out..." Trixie replied quietly, her voice a mixture of concentration and excitement, with a not-insignificant undertone of fear. Trixie closed her eyes and thought hard, attempting to recall the powers she'd taken on that night. A green spark emerged from her horn with a pop, and the singer's image flashed before Trixie's eyes. Taking a deep breath, Trixie exhaled and with some trepidation, engaged her vocal chords. A near-perfect high C note left Trixie's mouth and sailed along the breeze into the darkened silence that surrounded her. Altering her pitch slightly, melodious notes of all kinds effortlessly poured forth from the ecstatic unicorn's lungs. ---------- Several minutes passed, and Trixie was still pacing around the park, a harmonious vocal melody still gushing from her mouth like a perfect fountain of sound. Just as Trixie was mentally congratulating herself on successfully emulating such an exquisite talent, the metaphorical fountain dried up, and the note Trixie was partway through singing suddenly turned to her usual off-key shriek. Leech clutched his ears as Trixie quickly ceased her performance. Noticing her horn felt 'lighter', Trixie deduced that she must have used up the musical talent she had absorbed that evening. "So," she said to herself, "Every power I take on can only be performed once before it's exhausted. Well, no matter - after all, I only need to do each one once on stage!" Undeterred by the loss of her new singing ability, Trixie decided to test her new magical abilities next. Focusing her mind upon the self-levitation trick she had seen previously, the stage magician's image briefly appeared before her. Her horn began to glow with its usual lilac aura, and slowly but surely Trixie began to rise from the ground! As the grass beneath Trixie's hooves gradually became more distant, Trixie noted how little effort she was able to accomplish her new tricks with. Her mind began to wonder whether, since so little thought was required, it would be possible to do more than one new trick at once? Deciding to take the risk, Trixie thought hard about the Prismatic Orb Shower. To her amazement, a dozen glowing orbs materialized from beneath her and began to follow her upwards in a stunning, luminous helix. As Trixie ceased to rise and held a steady altitude of around twenty feet, the orbs caught up with her and began to spin around her, just as before. Observing the incredible technicolor halo of magical light that encircled her, Trixie then began to think of the self-transmogrification spell that the stage magician had performed. Instantly, Trixie's body felt different, as though it were a malleable material and her will was a shaping tool. She imagined a beautiful set of white-and-violet patterned moth wings, which immediately sprouted from her saddle area, throwing off her cape and causing it to flutter to the ground. It landed next to Leech, who didn't notice - he was standing slack-jawed and looking upward at the stunning show that played out before him. ---------- Trixie felt a jolt as her horn became lighter once again and her self-levitation power ran out, but she held her altitude with a few gentle flaps of her newly-acquired wings. Releasing her control of the spinning orbs that surrounded her airborne form, all of them shot up into the air, with Trixie flapping her wings harder and ascending with them. She gave a jubilant front-hoof punch into the night sky against the breathtaking backdrop of the orbs bursting into shimmering splashes of glowing rainbow light. "Trixie can do the Prismatic Orb Shower, plus other things too because she has the power!" she joyfully called out, the poet's rhyming skill asserting itself. She gently lowered herself back to the ground just before her transmogrification power became spent and the wings retreated back into her torso. Her new powers all used up, her horn now felt its normal weight and the other symptoms had all subsided. Trixie looked towards the still-stunned Leech, and gave a long, hearty and slightly maniacal laugh as her adrenaline-filled mind took in the full implications of what she could now do. "PREPARE YOURSELF, CANTERLOT!" she yelled into the starry night sky above. "FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO... THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE CAN DO BETTER!" === Chapter 6 - Stealing The Show === Several days had passed since Trixie's incredible discovery of her new powers' full potential, days which had been largely uneventful. Trixie, as was her usual way, had become somewhat complacent and had left all the preparation for her cabaret debut until the evening before. Laying on her bed and staring up at the plain, white ceiling, she turned her head to the side with a sigh to gaze upon a calendar which hung on the wall. The next day had a large, red circle around it, and the words "CABARET DAY" scrawled in next to it. Although immensely confident in her new abilities, she still couldn't help but feel some nervousness at what would be the performance that made or broke her. Deciding she had better cease procrastinating and choose which powers she'd take on, she hopped down from her bed and cantered out of the apartment, slowly descending the six flights of stairs to the building's main entrance. Stepping out of the apartment complex and into the fiery glow of the evening's sunset, Trixie's eyes immediately began to scan the area for ponies doing things that would befit a performance of the caliber she was expected to perform. She'd decided against going back to the cabaret again - if she regurgitated a bunch of tricks that the audience had seen just the night before, it would not only prove boring for the ponies she sought to impress but could also attract unwanted suspicion. Trixie decided that the best way to go about the task at hoof would be to gather talents and skills from all corners of Canterlot, so as to keep things interesting and - perhaps more importantly - keep her tracks covered. Finding no inspiration in the immediate vicinity of her home, Trixie prepared to look further afield when a familiar buzz overhead caught her attention. Leech zoomed across the Canterlot skyline, his day's work completed, descending in preparation to enter the apartment via his usual method, through the balcony doors. "Leech, WAIT!" called Trixie, ugently. "I'm out here, so the balcony doors aren't..." She was cut off by the only-too-familiar sound of chitin meeting double-glazed door. "...open." she finished with a sigh. Leech appeared over the edge of the balcony railing, rubbing his head with a forehoof. "Why izz Trixzzie down there?" he called to Trixie. "Looking for... 'inspiration' for tomorrow's show." answered Trixie. "Fancy coming to help me?" Leech flew down from the balcony at once and landed beside Trixie, a smile across his face - he always loved to do things with his friend, and almost never turned down the opportunity whenever it presented itself. ---------- The two walked through the hustle and bustle of the city's cobbled streets, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the evening whilst trying to spot ponies doing interesting things. Leech was telling Trixie about his day, whilst Trixie half-listened as she attempted to spot talents she could 'borrow'. "... Zzsnap Happy wazz pleazzed with Leech'zz photozz. He even zzsayzz Leech ready to try advanced photography zzskillzz tomorrow!" Leech told Trixie excitedly. "Oh? And what skills would those be?" asked Trixie, with genuine interest. "Tomorrow Leech izz going to be trying it without the lenzz cap on!" Leech answered, his chest puffing with misguided pride. Trixie fought the urge to facehoof, and instead continued her talent search. She was, by this time, becoming concerned - they'd seen every street performer in Canterlot, passed by every open-air cabaret and were heading towards the city limits by now. During it all, Trixie had seen nothing that she thought would sufficiently impress Class Act and satisfy the high standards that his audiences generally demanded. As Trixie and Leech left the busy streets behind, they approached the outer walls of the Royal Castle gardens. Trixie let out a long, heaving, sigh as a feeling of severe anxiety began to well up inside of her. "Well, Leech," she said glumly, "we might as well turn back. We're not going to find anything worth using all the way out here, the only things here are Royal Guards, more Royal Guards, and Twilight Sparkle. Nothing here that we could..." Trixie began before stopping. Of course! Why hadn't she thought of this before? ---------- Twilight cantered contentedly across the Castle gardens, having delivered her latest friendship report to Celestia by hoof - in addition, she'd been to the Castle's library to stock up on study materials. Noting the opportunity that lay before her, Trixie quickly positioned herself by one of the gardens' exits and waited for Twilight to trot by. Twilight, knowing nothing of this, proceeded towards one of the large, wooden door-like gates that were set at various intervals into the immaculate white brickwork of the gardens' outer walls. Pushing the gate open with a hoof whilst she flicked through one of her new study books, Twilight wasn't prepared for what awaited her on the other side... "Twilight Sparkle!" cried Trixie in the friendliest voice she could muster, "How wonderful to see you again!" "EEK!" screeched the surprised Twilight, losing focus on her magical grip and dropping the library books onto the ground. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" said Trixie, struggling to contain the urge to laugh. "Let me help you gather up those books." "It's fine, really." replied Twilight, recovering her breath as she levitated the books back up onto her saddle area, where she'd been carrying them before. "Oh, what's this?" enquired Trixie. "Are those magic books?" "Yep, they certainly are!" answered Twilight, forgetting to be angry as her favorite discussion topic was raised. "As the number one student of Celestia, I bet you've mastered loads of incredible and spectacular spells!" continued Trixie, just about able to keep her face from screwing up in disgust at herself. "Toadying to Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies. Yeuch!" she thought. "Well," Twilight replied with a blush, "I have been working on some of the more advanced magics as of late." "Well, from one Great and Powerful unicorn to another, Trixie would love to see a demonstration of your doubtless amazing skills!" said Trixie brightly. Stunned by the fact that somepony else seemed to take an interest in her endeavors for once, Twilight agreed to demonstrate some of her latest accomplishments with almost no hesitation. "What could go wrong?" thought Twilight. "After all, Trixie is a hero now, she's obviously turned over a new leaf. There can't be anything sinister going on here, can there?" Within minutes, both Trixie and Leech were seated on a bench within the Castle gardens, with Twilight standing before them on a patio area paved with red bricks. Both eagerly watched the Element of Magic as she prepared to show them her very latest and most technically challenging magical feats. "Alright then, first up we've got this, which is a more advanced version of the standard object transformation spell..." began Twilight, gesturing towards a nearby patch of grass. "Pffft! Transformation is foal's stuff!" scoffed Trixie, "Any idiot can turn a rock into a horseshoe, or a carrot into an onion!" "Very true, but this version can transcend object groups. The examples you gave were a mineral to mineral and a vegetable to vegetable transformation." explained Twilight. "I can turn this grass..." Twilight's horn gave off an intense violet flash. When it had cleared, the earth was bare where the grass had once been, with a small ceramic mug resting in the center of the once-green piece of land. "...into kitchenware!" finished Twilight with a smile. Trixie was agape. A vegetable-to-mineral transformation? This was incredible! Instinctively, her horn gave a flash of green, although Twilight fortunately didn't notice, being momentarily preoccupied as she changed the mug back into the lush, green vegetation it had previously been. "Next, I've been working on my teleportation skills." Twilight announced. Trixie's ears pricked up. This was one skill she really needed 'help' with. "I managed to get the accuracy of my teleports down to a T," Twilight explained, "but they used up a lot of energy and had a slow recharge time. But more recently, I've streamlined the process..." In a flash of white, Twilight disappeared and reappeared behind her amazed audience. "So... I... can... teleport... rapidly... and... with... total... accuracy!" she explained, teleporting to a different location with each word before ending her sentence back where she had begun. Rapid-fire teleportation! Trixie's horn gave a distinct yet mercifully unnoticed flash of green once again. She was definitely going to use that one! Just as Trixie prepared to absorb whatever incredible power Twilight showed them next, Twilight caught sight of a nearby sundial. "Celestia's beard!" cried Twilight. "I didn't realize what time it was! I'm supposed to be meeting the other Elements at the bistro in Canterlot Square! Sorry to cut things short, Trixie, but I'm going to have to-" "Wait!" said Trixie, barely concealing her desperation. "That's two tricks - for a first show, three should be enough, so if I can get just one more out of her..." her mind told her. "Can you do a Prismatic Orb Shower?" asked Trixie hopefully, having become somewhat attached to that particular trick in recent days. Twilight snorted. "Of course, who can't? Now that really is foal's stuff!" she laughed, effortlessly summoning the familiar orbs of energy and twirling them around her body. ---------- Some minutes later, after a spectacular series of rainbow-colored flashes from Twilight and an altogether more muted green flash from Trixie, Twilight bid Trixie and Leech farewell and headed towards Canterlot's main streets. Trixie and Leech trotted from the garden some time afterwards, a devious grin spread across Trixie's face despite the discomfort of her horn. "Perfect!" she cackled. "That silly filly just gave me my meal ticket to stardom! Wait til the ponies of Canterlot see these tomorrow!" With this, the two friends cantered across down, heading back towards their home. As they passed through Canterlot Square, they noticed Twilight and her fellow Elements plus Spike sitting around an outside table of a nearby bistro. Keeping their heads low, they forged ahead and hoped that Twilight wouldn't notice their presence or attempt to acknowledge them in any way. "Hey! Trixie! Over here!" called Twilight, giving a wave. Trixie cringed and gritted her teeth as she cantered over to her gathered rivals. Leech said nothing, instead locking piercing gazes with Rainbow Dash as he instinctively licked the remains of his broken left fang. It seemed that Leech could hold a grudge just as well as Rainbow could - she still hated him for what happened back in Ponyville! "Hello, Twilight." said Trixie flatly. "Why have you called me over?" "I just saw tomorrow's show being advertised!" explained Twilight. "Why didn't you mention it earlier? I've just bought a ticket, I can't wait to see what kind of magic you're going to come up with! I just called you over to wish you luck! Right, girls?" "Break a leg, darling!" "Go get 'em, sugarcube!" "I bet it's gonna be super-duper...um... looper!" "Yay!" Rainbow said nothing, still gritting her teeth and staring at Leech, who had his hackles raised and was seemingly poised to take a flying dive at the cyan pegasus! Trixie's smugness and excitement crumbled like one of Granny Smith's hip bones upon hearing this news. Bidding a subdued farewell to the Elements, she silently trudged away. She picked up Leech in her horn's magical grasp as she passed him, taking him away before a fight broke out. Setting him back onto his own hooves once the bistro was out of sight, he resumed walking alongside her. "I can't believe it!" said Trixie, her voice beginning to crack. "Just as soon as I get a perfect repertoire for tomorrow, it turns out she's going! I can't do her signature tricks in front of her, she'll expose me!" "Leech could take her plazze, like Leech did with Rainbow pony?" Leech suggested. "We couldn't do that, not to the personal student of Celestia!" sighed Trixie. "Then we really would be heading for the dungeons! Besides, we're meant to be heroes now. That's not what heroes do." "Oh." replied Leech sadly, realizing his moral compass still needed a bit of fine tuning. "Besides, your role is going to be covering my moment of glory for the press!" Trixie quickly added, noticing how crestfallen Leech looked. To Trixie's relief, Leech did indeed appear to perk up considerably at the news. ---------- Neither Leech nor Trixie said any more for the rest of the journey back to the apartment complex. After a slow, longer-than-usual slog up the stairs, Leech and Trixie entered the apartment. Trixie slumped onto the couch with a sigh as Leech lit the lanterns, the evening's dappled sun having long since given way to the infinite black sky of the night. "Trixzzie will think of zzsomething!" ventured Leech, attempting to encourage his friend. "Trixzzie alwayzz doezz!" "But what can I do, Leech? She's the personal student of Celestia, and a massive egghead to boot. There's no way I could outsmart her." she said with a frown. "If Trixzzie cannot outzzsmart her, Leech zzstandzz no chance either!" added Leech dejectedly. With this, Trixie's eyes opened as wide as saucers, as with a renewed vigor she leapt from the couch, completely forgetting her worries and the discomfort in her horn. "Leech! That's it!" she cried, scooping Leech up into a hug. "That...izz...what?" grunted Leech, the air being squeezed out of him by Trixie's vice-like embrace. "There IS a way we can keep Twilight away from the show tomorrow! We can't outsmart her..." she began, releasing her hold on the now-breathless changeling. "... but we can use her own studiousness against her!" she finished with glee. With this, Trixie began explaining her plan as Leech listened intently to her every word. === Chapter 7 - Incident In Aisle 13 === Trixie awoke the next morning feeling as though she'd been on a cider binge, despite the fact she hadn't touched a drop for months. Her horn felt as though it were hewn from dark matter, its weight seemingly impossible for its size and causing Trixie difficulty in raising her head. Sliding off her bed, Trixie landed upon a set of legs that clearly weren't up to the task of supporting her body, and she immediately fell in a crumpled heap upon the dark green marble tiles. Lifting herself up, her legs shook and attempted to buckle in protest, but Trixie managed to get them to hold firm long enough for her to trot over to the couch and slump into the supportive softness of its cushions. Trixie wasn't sure whether her condition was down to nervousness at what the coming evening would hold, or a dire side effect of storing borrowed powers for an extended period - but either way, she'd have to get better before nightfall! Trixie wiped the seemingly endless torrents of sweat that ran down her face away from her eyes, as she focused in an attempt to prevent the room from spinning. The smell of food wafting over from the kitchenette made her nausea even more intense, and she instinctively raised a hoof to shield her nose from the delicious yet currently unwelcome aroma. "Leech!" croaked Trixie "Are you cooking again? Tell me you're not, I don't think the fire brigade will appreciate being woken this early!" Leech paced over to Trixie from the kitchen, and gasped audibly as he noted his friend's increasingly frail physical condition. "Izz Trixzzie... OK?" he asked, despite knowing the answer for himself already. "DO I LOOK-" Trixie began harshly, before altering her tone. "I mean, I'll be alright. Just nerves, that's all." "Hmm, Leech izz not zzso zzsure. Maybe Trixie should ditch new powerzz?" Leech suggested in a concerned tone. "No, no, it's fine, really." Trixie assured him, unconvincingly. "I've only got to hold onto them until tonight. Besides, it means I'll feel better as I release each power, so by the end of the show I'll feel great!" "Well, if Trixzzie is zzsure..." said Leech suspiciously. "The Great and Powerful Trixie is always sure!" said Trixie with a smile, her mood improving a little. "Doezz Trixzzie want breakfazzt?" asked Leech. "Hmm... I'm not really sure." replied Trixie, noting that she still felt very sick. "Maybe a bit later. What are you making anyway?" "Leech izz cooking hay." said Leech proudly. "You mean, you're cooking grass to dry it out and make hay?" asked Trixie, raising an eyebrow. "Nope, Leech izz juzzt cooking zzsome hay. Over a nizze hot, naked flame for that home cooked tazzte!" Leech replied, mistakenly believing he was reassuring Trixie. Despite her condition, Trixie instinctively leapt to her hooves and galloped across the apartment towards an ever-thickening plume of smoke that rose from the stove top. Sure enough, a frying pan filled with hay was aflame, orange shoots of plasma rising high and threatening to scorch the ceiling. Ignoring the pain that pulsed through her horn, Trixie levitated the burning pan into the half-full sink, immediately quelling the flames in the cooling embrace of last night's dishwater. With a sigh of relief, Trixie turned around to see Leech looking solemnly at the floor and shuffling his hooves. She approached him and placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder. "Never mind," she said with a smile, "you may not have made breakfast, but that bit of excitement has made me feel quite a bit better. How about we go out for breakfast this morning? You aren't due at work until this evening, after all." Leech brightened up immediately, and Trixie had to admit he had made her feel better even if it wasn't in the way he'd intended. The adrenal rush from fighting the fire had indeed stopped most of her symptoms, although her horn still felt tender to the touch and like a dead weight on her forehead. Still, she could walk properly and think of food without heaving, so it was definitely time for breakfast! ---------- After a short walk into the heart of Canterlot, Trixie and Leech were sitting outside a cafe, at a table that faced out into Canterlot Square. Trixie was somewhat gingerly eating a dandelion sandwich, whilst Leech was skimming love from any couples who happened to pass by. Leech noted with interest that the majority of the love in Canterlot was nowhere near as strong or sweet as it had tasted elsewhere - it tasted watered-down and somewhat half hearted. Nevertheless, he soon gathered enough to satisfy his hunger for the morning. Trixie too was deep in thought - would her idea to keep Twilight away from her show work? After Leech's gaffe in the kitchen, Trixie began to doubt whether he'd actually be able to keep the plan going for long enough. She pondered whether he'd mess it up before she had time to do what she needed to. If he did mess it up, it would be game over for the new life she had planned - it all hinged in Leech. An individual who doesn't even seem to know how fire works. Trixie shuddered involuntarily at this most terrifying of thoughts! "Doezz Trixzzie have everything needed for tonight?" asked Leech, snapping Trixie out of her thoughts. "No, I don't, not yet. We need to go shopping to get the supplies. That's why I came to Canterlot Square, they've got all the stores we need to go to." replied Trixie. With this, she finished her sandwich and got to her hooves, and motioned for Leech to follow her. Together they left the cafe and headed towards a large, grand-looking store called 'Gracy's'. Billed as the most prestigious department store in all of Equestria, Trixie and Leech stepped through the revolving doors and emerged inside the store itself. Or rather, Trixie emerged - she then had to go back into the revolving door to retrieve Leech, who'd managed to get himself lost in there. "It...wazz...like...being washed down plughole! Never-ending zzswirl of door and doorframezz!" gasped Leech dizzily. After a double facehoof by Trixie, the duo wandered up and down the store's seemingly endless array of aisles, that stretched for what appeared to be eternity in either direction. Upon their shelves lay an extraordinary range of products, from homecare to clothes, outdoor furniture to fine jewellery. Everything about the place was huge, not least the majority of its price tags - both Trixie and Leech felt somewhat out of place looking at the caliber of the other customers! The super rich and social elite of Canterlot milled about the store, placing items in their shopping baskets without even looking at the prices - oh how Trixie wished she could shop with such impunity! ---------- Presently, Trixie had gathered most of the things she'd come for - a set of plates and a potted plant, which she'd be using for her cross-group transformation routine plus a bunch of silk roses of varying colors. She planned to rapid-fire teleport around the audience, giving these out to the ponies she materialized closest to, remembering how the poet pony had benefited from including the audience in his performance. She was seeking one last item, this time an item that would be needed to help keep Twilight away, when she became aware of a commotion behind her. She spun around only to find a worried-looking Leech staring upwards at the seething face of an obviously enraged Prince Blueblood. Presently, Blueblood turned to face Trixie, his eyes mere pinpricks as a result of his furious indignation. "Is this... filthy object yours?" he demanded. "Now listen here, pretty boy," began Trixie, "he's not an object, he's my friend, and I'd suggest you step away from him you pompous piece of-" "I care not!" sniffed Blueblood, interrupting Trixie. "This creature just assaulted me! In a public place! I ought to have him banished to the moon!" "Leech did not!" protested Leech. "Leech got dizztracted looking at all thizz neat zzstuff and bumped into prince pony's leg! Leech zzsaid he was zzsorry!" "Sorry is not enough, insolent whelp!" snarled Blueblood. "I take it you're also 'sorry' for what you and your verminous brethren did at our dear Cadence's wedding?" Leech shrank back in shame at this, as ponies all around began to whisper grimly among themselves at the scene that unfolded before them. "Leech...alzzo... helped... zzsave... you..." he countered, feebly. "Ha! You supposedly 'saved' us from a second attack by YOUR species! More likely you're trying to win our trust so you can destroy us from within! And you even had the gall to coerce this fair maiden into your vile scheme!" boomed Blueblood, pointing a hoof at Trixie. Trixie steeled her body and prepared to give Blueblood a dental bill that even his immense wealth would struggle to cover. Nobody spoke to her friend like that, and she sure as hay wasn't going to tolerate being called a 'fair maiden' by a creep like Blueblood! However, her subconscious stopped her just as she prepared to charge at him - if she gave Blueblood a public humiliation now, she might as well not bother with her show tonight. She'd be run out of Canterlot in an instant, and Trixie was fed up of being run out of towns, being no stranger to leaving in a hurry when a magic show didn't go as planned. No, she couldn't teach Blueblood a lesson in respect, not right now anyway. Calming herself, she gently trotted between Leech and the still glowering prince. "I am sorry if my friend has caused you any problems," she said calmly, her eyes closing and her head hanging low, "but I can assure you I am not being coerced in any way. If my friend's presence here is a problem, I will ask him to leave." "Well, please do!" spat Blueblood, shooting another glare at Leech. Leech shrank again from the stare, now laying on his belly on the ground with his forehooves ineffectually covering his eyes. He peered through the holes in his limbs to see Trixie's face looking down at him, wearing a gentle expression tainted with deepest regret. "Leech, please wait for me at home. I will finish up here." she said softly. "But... but Leech..." he began to stutter in protest. He noted Trixie's soft but serious expression, and all the other ponies in the store now staring at him. Admitting defeat, he ceased his incoherent pleading and sadly headed for the exit, feeling the stare of Blueblood following him until he was totally out of sight. Almost immediately after he left the building, the assembled ponies returned to their normal shopping, the incident seemingly forgotten in an instant. That is, by all but two individuals. "That beast has no place here, young unicorn. You should know better than to bring our enemies into the very heart of our society!" said Blueblood sternly. Trixie was in no mood for debating the finer points of allowing a changeling into Canterlot. Instead, she strode up to Blueblood until the two were standing snout-to-snout amid the shelves of goods. Staring into the prince's blue eyes, she uttered just three words: "Don't. Push. It." she snarled through gritted teeth, before turning quickly and marching determinedly towards the aisle that held the last thing she needed. "Hmmph. Commoner." muttered Blueblood haughtily, before levitating his basket and trotting snootily in the opposite direction. The rest of Trixie's shopping went without incident - she found exactly what she was looking for in the toy aisle, headed for the checkout counter and paid with some coupons she'd received upon arriving in Canterlot. She was certainly relieved she wasn't paying cash, not at Gracy's prices! Cantering out of the exit, Trixie's stare remained fixed straight ahead - she dared not look down at the floor. She didn't want to catch sight of the trail of little salty spots of water that led to the exit. ---------- Leaving the store and emerging into the freshness of the mid morning air, Trixie's ailments were all but forgotten as she moved briskly through the city's streets and back towards the apartment complex. Although she had a thousand and one things on her mind, her main concern was getting back to her home and checking on Leech. "He's resilient enough." Trixie thought to herself. "He went through far worse back during his hive days. I'm sure he'll be alright. Entering the apartment complex and galloping up the flights of stairs, Trixie ignored the fatigue in her legs and pushed the apartment door open. Standing still for a moment to listen for signs of activity, she heard nothing. Not at first at least - after a momentary spike of panic that Leech hadn't come back, she was able to detect a faint whimpering emanating from behind the couch. Trixie set her purchases down on a nearby table, and trotted over to the couch. Peering behind it, she saw Leech curled in a ball between the back of the couch and wall, gently sobbing to himself. A burning pang of sorrow and regret pierced Trixie's heart as she levitated Leech from the behind the couch and set him down on the seat next to her. "It's alright Leech." she said quietly, attempting to comfort him. "Blueblood is just a snobbish flankhole, there's no need to take any notice whatsoever - I'll be sending a stiff letter to the palace about his behavior today." She placed a hoof around the still-shaken changeling's shoulders and received a shock when Leech uncurled his body and batted the friendly gesture away. He turned to face Trixie, his tear-stained eyes beneath a brow contorted downwards in what appeared to be... anger? "Leech! Why are you..." Trixie began, her hoof instinctively recoiling in surprise. "The embarrazzement, Leech can deal with." whispered Leech shakily. "Leech had worzze back in hive. But... b-b-but... what really hurtzz izz..." "What? What is it?" asked Trixie, having trouble keeping her own eyes from filling with tears. Leech shook his head mournfully, and croaked through a voice strained by the tension of holding back another wave of sobs: "... why didn't Trixzzie help Leech..?" === Chapter 8 - A Star Is Born === Trixie, for possibly the first time in her life, was at a loss for words as she looked into her friend's grassy-green segmented eyes. Tears flowed down his chitin-coated cheeks, leaving powdery, whitish streaks of salt as they dried. Trixie again placed a hoof around Leech, pulling him in closer to her. This time, Leech offered no resistance, instead burying his face in Trixie's fur and sniveling. "I tried, Leech. I did try to help you, really I did." said Trixie in the most soothing voice she could muster. "It's just that..." "Trixzzie tried at firzzt," conceded Leech, "but then... but then Trixzzie juzzt givezz up and zzsendzz Leech away!" With this, Leech burst into another round of bawling, muted somewhat by the fact his face was still pressed firmly against Trixie's shoulder. Trixie could only rub Leech's exoskeleton comfortingly as her friend let his emotions flow through his eyes and into her own coat, creating an unpleasant-feeling damp patch. She didn't care, not at the moment. She had wronged her friend deeply, she knew this, and she was determined to set things right. Making a snap decision, she released a heavy sigh as she swallowed the lump in her own throat. "Leech... " she began softly, "forget about tonight's performance. I'll call it off, I have no right to ask your help tonight after what has happened today." Trixie couldn't help but cringe as she felt the career she had dreamed of for so long, and had been so close to her grasp, begin to slide away from her. Deep down, however, she knew she was doing the right thing. Leech was in no fit state to help her, and to even expect his help after her failings would be supremely arrogant, even by her standards. To her surprise however, Leech immediately freed himself from Trixie's embrace before half-jumping-half-falling off the couch. He rubbed the tears from his eyes as he addressed Trixie. "No!" he said urgently. "Trixzzie waited too long for thizz chanzze, Leech not going to ruin it for her. Leech will zzstill help Trixzzie, if Trixzzie will let him!" he added, almost pleadingly. "Leech, are you sure you want to, even after that?" asked Trixie uncertainly, an eyebrow raised in disbelief and surprise. "Leech izz alwayzz zzsure!" replied Leech, parroting Trixie's own words from earlier that day with a small smile on his face. After another hug, Trixie took Leech into the bathroom and helped to to clean the tear-streaks from his facial chitin, as well as drying the face-sized wet patch she had in her own fur. With both of them sufficiently calmed, Trixie and Leech headed back into the lounge. Noticing that it was almost lunchtime, Trixie suggested that they again head out for food. Leech eagerly agreed to this, and requested that they go to the same cafe they'd visited that morning. There were always plenty of couples at that particular cafe - a veritable buffet for a changeling like Leech! ---------- Before long, the two were once again seated at the very same table they'd had breakfast at, Trixie having just been served a bowl of carrot soup by the pegasus waiter. Leech was in far better spirits now as he merrily sampled the love from the various couples who invariably congregated at cafes during lunchtime. Some tasted very sweet, most tasted slightly bland, and a few of them even had the same bitter taste he'd gotten from Fancy Pants and the pegasus in the park. Trixie watched with bemusement as Leech gorged himself without even opening his mouth, his facial expressions alternating between joy, nonchalance and disgust as each unique flavor permeated his senses. "We may be roughly the same shape, but changelings are just so different to ponies!" she thought, her bemused smile fading as this thought seemed to stick in her mind in a somewhat uncomfortable manner. "Interezzting meal!" buzzed Leech, smacking his mandibles, "Zzso many different flavorzz! Zzsome of them not too good, though." he added with a slight retch. Shaking the discomfort from the forefront of her mind, Trixie looked at Leech with concerned eyes. "Leech, I understand you want to help me tonight... but I honestly don't think it'll be good for you. Not after what happened earlier." she said, her eyes turning away from Leech and instead focusing on the floor. "Izz nothing!" replied Leech with a dismissive wave of a hoof. "Bezzidezz... zzsometimezz it'zz better to do what izz bezzt for your friendzz inzztead of yourzzelf!" Trixie couldn't help but smile at the little changeling's seemingly endless emotional durability. Had the roles been reversed, Trixie knew she wouldn't have forgiven anypony for being responsible for such a humiliation. And yet just a couple of hours later, here she was sat with her friend as if nothing had happened. Trixie thought that it was unbelievable, inspirational, and most of all... "It's better than you deserve." Trixie's mind told her, grimly. Wincing at the chiding she had mentally just given herself, Trixie glanced towards the clock tower that stood in the very center of Canterlot Square. Early afternoon - she still had much to do to prepare both herself and Leech for the coming evening, so there was no time for sitting around in cafes! Quickly slurping the last of her carrot soup from her spoon, she got up and prepared to leave. As she turned to head for home, she called back to Leech. "Leech, can you go and tip the waiter?" she asked. "Umm... izz Trixzzie zzsure she wantzz Leech to do that?" Leech asked apprehensively. "Oh yes," affirmed Trixie, "to thank him for his great service." With a shrug, Leech headed into the cafe, scanning the room until he saw the pegasus that had served them. He was loading dirty plates onto his saddle area, ready to take them into the kitchen for cleaning. Leech casually strode up to the waiter and, revving his wings to give him a bit of extra pushing power, gave the waiter a huge shove, tipping him onto his side. The dark gray pegasus gave a yelp as he fell, sending the plates he was carrying sailing through the air, some of them landing on the slate-tiled floor and smashing whilst others landed in the meals of other customers. "Thankzz for great zzservice!" Leech said with a smile, before flying out of the cafe and catching up with Trixie, who had mercifully already begun to walk home and had thus seen nothing. "That'zz how poniezz zzsay thankzz? Leech will never underzzstand Canterlot!" Leech thought as he landed next to his friend. ---------- The afternoon seemed to slide by far quicker than Trixie would have liked. Her nervousness increased tenfold with every passing minute, and by the time the early evening rolled around she was a wreck. All her previous ills from that morning had returned with a vengeance. Leech had left the apartment by this stage to clock in with Snap Happy - officially, he would be covering Trixie's premier performance on behalf of the Canterlot Chronicle. Trixie of course, had very different plans for him. Alas, she was unable to think about Leech in her present condition - instead she stared at her reflection in the mirror, anticipation and doubt swirling like an emotional maelstrom behind her eyes. "What if my new powers don't work? What if they run out too soon? What if Twilight turns up?" she thought, barely able to hear herself think over the fierce roar of her blood coursing through the veins of her inner ears and the continuous brutal thumping of her heart. Cantering out of the bathroom on shaky legs, she noticed the time on the clock that was hung upon the lounge wall. There was no further time to waste - it was now or never. Apprehensively levitating her signature cloak and hat over from a nearby peg, it didn't take her long to change into her familiar stage garb before heading out of the door. The walk to Le Cheval Merde that evening felt to Trixie like the longest and most anguishing trek she had ever embarked upon, despite it being mere minutes from the apartment complex. Her hooves dragged with every step as the very atmosphere seemed to be resisting her every attempt to move forwards. She'd heard of how debilitating stage fright could be, but she never thought it'd feel anything like this! Presently she saw Leech waiting for her near to the entrance of the bar, seated at a table outside a bistro that had closed for the evening. Like Trixie, he too was dressed for work with his camera dangling from his neck and his beloved 'Press' hat perched upon his head. Trixie trotted over to greet him, levitating her hat from her head as she did so. Magically reaching into the depths of the oversized cone-shaped headwear, she pulled out a box and placed it on the table in front of Leech. "Izz thizz thing Trixzzie zzsaid Leech izz to uzze to dizztract Twilight pony?" asked Leech, his speech impediment making the sentence difficult for him to say. "Indeed it is," said Trixie with a nod, "as I told you, all you need to do is play with it and when Twilight walks by, ask her to help you. Her eggheadedness and inability to let things lie will do the rest." she added, smirking. With this, Trixie trotted away and, glancing back at Leech for just a few seconds, entered Le Cheval Merde. Leech was left to examine the box that had been placed before him. Straining to read the words, after some minutes he was able to deceipher the text printed upon the cardboard container's lid: PlotDevice Puzzles™ Ltd - 1500 PIECE JIGSAW Printed upon the box was a large picture of hundreds of jelly beans of varying colors. Leech quizzically scratched a hoof to his head. "What izz a jigzzaw?" he wondered out loud. Eager to satisfy his curiosity, he levitated the lid from the box to see what was inside. He found the lower part of the box to be filled with many hundreds of oddly-shaped pieces of thick cardboard, which he tipped out onto the table and spread out in front of him. Scratching his head once again, he ran a hoof through the pile of pieces as he attempted to figure out what he was meant to do with them. Each of them looked to Leech like a tiny, oddly-shaped picture of a few of the jelly beans that were printed upon the box. ---------- Whilst Leech attempted to figure out the inner mysteries of jigsaw puzzles, Trixie was in the backstage area of Le Cheval Merde attempting to figure out the inner mysteries of just what the buck she was going to do if things went wrong. She'd passed by the queue of ponies waiting to enter on her way in - not only was said queue very long, it also contained some of the most important and influential ponies in all of Canterlot. Fancy Pants, Hoity Toity, Photo Finish and (to Trixie's chagrin) Blueblood to name a few of them. Class Act had even taken the liberty of selling tickets to what was ordinarily a free entry cabaret. Failure was absolutely not an option, not in front of an audience such as this one! "Trixie!" called Class Act from outside the door. "It's showtime. Your destiny awaits!" The unabated excitement in the usually-stuffy bar owner's voice made Trixie shudder even more. Not only was she relying on doing well in her performance, but it seemed that Class Act was too! Feeling more nervous than ever, she left the dressing rooms and cantered onto a darkened stage, taking her place behind a heavy red velvet curtain that hung between the front of the stage and the audience. Trixie closed her eyes and attempted to bring her rapid breaths under control, slowing them to a more 'normal' rate after what felt like hours. "Mare and Gentlecolts!" boomed the voice of Class Act through the speakers either side of the stage, each syllable striking Trixie in the heart with an adrenaline-coated spike of terror and trepidation. "Please put your hooves to the ground for Canterlot's hottest new magical talent... The Great and Powerful Trixie!" With this, the curtain parted, as the spotlight burnt at Trixie's eyes as though somepony had just summoned a miniature sun and placed it directly above the stage. Shaking, nauseated and now half-blinded, Trixie stumbled towards the front of the stage and took in what she saw around her. The low, intense rumble of hoof-stomping gradually ceased as the audience settled in to watch Trixie perform. Sweat again poured from Trixie's brow as she noted everypony in the room staring at her, many with stony expressions. Under normal circumstances, she would have loved this, and had often dreamed about giving such a performance for most of her life. Alas, the reality certainly wasn't living up to the fantasy so far! Swallowing her rising panic, Trixie dutifully removed the first set of props from her hat, and prepared to perform her first act... ---------- Twilight hurried through the streets of Canterlot, the street lamps lighting her way as the evening's light began to decline. She hated being late for anything, and Trixie's show was no exception. Her hooves clicked and clacked as she raced across the cobbles, having run all the way from the Royal Castle's library. As usual, she'd gotten lost in her magic studies and hadn't kept a proper track of the time. She forged ahead, seeing that Le Cheval Merde was in sight just ahead of her. "I hope I haven't missed too much! I don't want to... oh, what's this?" she panted, noticing Leech sitting at a table, messing with something in the glow of a nearby streetlamp. Leech looked up from his pile of pieces and waved a hoof. "Hello Twilight pony!" called Leech. "Good evening, Leech." replied Twilight. "What are you doing out here? Aren't you meant to reporting on Trixie's show?" "Yezz, and Leech will," Leech responded, "but Leech hazz to do thizz firzzt. Trixie bought a picture at the zzstore today but it'zz broken, wantzz Leech to put it back together!" he explained. Confused, Twilight took a closer look at the items on Leech's table, before letting out a gentle chuckle. "Leech, that's a jigsaw! It's meant to be in pieces!" she explained politely. "Zzso how doezz it work if it'zz broken? Can Twilight pony help Leech?" enquired Leech. "The idea is that you put it back together to make the picture on the box." Twilight said, levitating the lid to where she could see it more clearly. "1500 pieces, huh? Well, this shouldn't take too long. I'll get this done in a jiffy and then we'll head inside." ---------- Back on stage, things were going better than anticipated. Where a single pot plant and five plates had once been, there was now a plate and five pot plants. The advanced transformation spell that Trixie had 'borrowed' had worked well. Feeling that particular power beginning to fail, Trixie just had time to change everything back to its original state before with a splutter of green energy, the first of Trixie's new powers became depleted. Although the reversal had been unnecessary to the show, Trixie had begun to get her second wind and had wanted to show off. (Plus, Trixie rather liked the plates and planned to keep them after the show was done with.) There was a gentle hum throughout the room as the audience whispered to each other about what they had just witnessed, with many of the previously stony looks now changed to expressions of wonderment. "Now, ponies of Canterlot! Prepare yourselves for the Great and Powerful Trixie's next amazing feat!" proclaimed Trixie, her usual stage grandeur flooding back after her initial success. Her horn also felt lighter by this time, having jettisoned one of the stored powers. Focusing her energies and thinking of teleportation, Twilight's image once more flashed before Trixie's eyes as she felt the rapid-fire teleportation spell flow through her body... ---------- Outside, things were progressing a little more slowly. Twilight sifted through the pile of cardboard pieces, rapidly levitating each one before her eyes before setting it down into one of two piles. "What izz Twilight pony doing?" asked Leech. "Sorting out the ones with straight edges." answered Twilight abruptly, attempting to concentrate on her task. "Leech can help!" buzzed Leech, levitating some of the pieces that didn't have straight edges up to his face. "What are you doing?" wailed Twilight, noting that some of the pieces Leech held were beginning to bend. "If Leech breakzz thezze peg bitzz off, all piecezz have zzstraight edgezz and Twilight pony not need to zzsort!" he answered proudly, believing he was helping. "Don't do that!" cried Twilight, removing the pieces from Leech's grasp before he could do anything with them. "Look, just watch what I do and then you'll know for next time, OK?" ---------- Inside Le Cheval Merde, the floor of the main performance seemed to be in danger of collapse, such was the intensity of the hoof-stomping that was taking place. Several of the audience members now had silk roses as a memento of their evening, delivered to them by Trixie without her having taken a step. The teleportation routine had been an even bigger success than her first trick, and by now Trixie had the audience eating out of her hoof. As the hoof stomping died down, Trixie once again addressed her now admiring audience. "For Trixie's grand finale, Trixie shall perform her stunning rendition of that classic routine, the Prismatic Orb Shower! But do not mistake this for any mere magic kindergarten version, my dear ponies. Oh no, what you are about to witness is possibly the greatest version of this legendary spell that you shall ever lay your eyes upon!" she pontificated grandly, raising a unified 'oooh!' from the audience. Her horn now feeling so much better for being relieved of two-thirds of its burden, Trixie concentrated harder than she had ever done before as Twilight appeared before her eyes one last time... ---------- The brief, fleeting image of Twilight that Trixie had seen was doubtlessly of a neater appearance of the real Twilight at that particular moment in time. Her mane looked as though she'd been standing in a gale, her pinprick pupils darting about her widened eyes as she scanned the useless pile of cardboard fragments that lay in front of her. To her, they all looked like the exact same picture of a few useless segments of jelly beans, utterly unsortable other than those with straight edges and those without. She stared at them for a moment, the image of half-complete jelly beans branded into her retinas. "What madpony created this thing?" she snarled, her nostrils flaring and her teeth gritted. "Izz there problem?" asked Leech innocently. "Problem? Why no, Leech, there's no problem at all other than this thing is impossible, impossible, IMPOSSIBLE!" Twilight cackled maniacally, her sanity slipping away by the second. Both Twilight and Leech were distracted from their puzzle-based problem when they heard a deep, thudding wave of sound coming from inside Le Cheval Merde. "What in Equestria is that?" gasped Twilight. "It'zz Leech'zz cue!" answered Leech, immediately taking flight, as Twilight galloped behind him. The two entered the bar to the absolutely deafening roars of cheering ponies, their combined hoof-stomps forming the pulsing bass-line of congratulation that they'd been able to hear from outside. Twilight watched in awe as Trixie stood upon the stage, bowing before an audience of Equestria's most important celebrities and nobleponies. Leech scooted down to the front of the room, deftly weaving through the tables, chairs and cheering ponies, and readied his camera. With some difficulty, he managed to maneuver the camera to his eye, pop off the lens cap, and hit the shutter release. The blinding flash of the flashbulb briefly enveloped the entire room in a bright white haze, but nopony noticed - least of all, Trixie who was still preoccupied with soaking up the praise that rained upon her from all angles. The next morning, doormats throughout Canterlot had the morning edition of the Canterlot Chronicle land upon them - emblazoned upon the paper's front cover were two things. Firstly, a slightly crooked picture of Trixie taking a bow before her audience. Secondly, a large headline above it which simply read: A STAR IS BORN! === Chapter 9 - Back On Top === Trixie awoke the next morning to what felt like a low ringing in her ears... yet the sound seemed to be coming from an outside source. Blinking her eyes hard against the luminous onslaught of the sun's rays beaming through her bedroom window, she sat up in her bed and let out a long, drawn-out yawn. Slowly coming to her senses after the night's slumber, she began to focus on the hushed but persistent hum that continued to invade her eardrums. It almost sounded like... voices? Lots of voices, all of them jostling over one another to be heard, occasionally punctuated with rapid bursts of clicking. Her early morning grogginess was soon shattered by an overwhelming wave of excitement as her memories of last night's victory came flooding back to her all at once, causing her to leap out of her bed with gusto. "Today, I shall celebrate my long-overdue return to the spotlight, where I rightfully belong!" she thought, "But first... I really must find out what that noise is!" Cantering from the bedroom to the lounge area, the click-clack of her hooves on the polished marble floor echoing off the high ceiling as she did so, she was surprised to see a panicked-looking Leech braced against the front door. Upon seeing his friend, Leech immediately began buzzing agitatedly to her. "Trixzzie! Help Leech! Hordezz of marauding poniezz try to zzstorm apartment!" he wailed, pleading to Trixie with his eyes. "Leech cannot hold them off for long! Uzze magic to make them go away!" "Marauding ponies? In Canterlot? Surely that can't be right!" replied Trixie, a look of confusion appearing on her face. Sure enough, the door that Leech was braced against occasionally flexed and bowed slightly, as though somepony - or indeed someponies - were attempting to barge their way through. The sound that Trixie had awoken to was far louder in this room, and to Trixie it seemed to be coming directly from behind the door! Whoever was trying to get in was also making something of a terrible racket whilst they were doing so. Trixie listened more intently as she deciphered the garbled mass of vocalization that continued to permeate her apartment... "Can we get a picture?" one voice said. "Can I have your autograph?" another piped up, over the madding crowd. "I'm from the Equestria Inquirer, could I have an interview?" came yet another voice among the many. Trixie's mouth couldn't help but bend upwards into a delighted grin. "Leech, these aren't marauders!" she laughed, grabbing the surprised Leech by his forehooves and twirling him about the room in a delirium-induced semi-tango. "They're the Great and Powerful Trixie's army of new fans! Sounds like there's some press outside there too!" she continued, her voice becoming higher and cheerier with each syllable. Leech, after he'd recovered his bearings from the unexpected and impromptu dance, looked to Trixie with a semi-disappointed look on his face. "But... Leech thought he wazz Trixzzie'zz prezz coverage pony. Well, changeling." he muttered dejectedly. "Don't worry, Leech, you are!" Trixie replied brightly, "Which is why I'm going to give you a head start over all the other journalists out there!" With this, she levitated Leech's camera and all-important press hat over to him, deftly placing the camera around Leech's neck and nestling the hat snugly onto his head. Immediately after this, Trixie quickly dressed herself in her trademark stage outfit, before adopting a dramatic pose before Leech. She stood with her legs straight and her head held almost vertically, with her eyes closed in faux-concentration, and her horn aglow as though she were about to cast some sort of epic spell. Her left side was facing Leech, who stood in confusion at what was happening before him. "Well, go on then!" encouraged Trixie. "Get an exclusive photo of Trixie in a suitably grandiose pose, then get off to work! Your photo will be on the presses whilst the competition is still interviewing me!" ---------- Leech, now that he understood the plan, wasted no time in snapping several photographs of Trixie in her imposing stance before rocketing towards the balcony doors so he could take flight. Trixie meanwhile was flicking through some old pieces of paper, small clouds of dust being flicked from the pages as she shuffled through them. Her concentration was broken by the all-too-frequently-heard sound of Leech meeting closed glass door. Presently, she found the page she'd been looking for, and took it over to Leech who was, as ever, sitting on the floor and rubbing at his head. "I think I need to speak to Celestia about getting some balcony doors which aren't transparent." she mused, helping Leech to his hooves and ensuring he wasn't hurt. After establishing that her friend was alright, she rolled the page up and popped into one of Leech's foreleg holes. "What izz thizz?" Leech asked, glancing towards the sheet that Trixie had given to him. "Well, the Chronicle is almost certainly going to want some words to go with their exclusive snaps!" Trixie explained. "Luckily I pre wrote a few press interviews for my inevitable stardom a few ye... I mean, weeks ago. This one should do nicely, just tell Snap Happy to ignore the date on it." she continued, somewhat sheepishly. Giving a salute, once again knocking his hat off-kilter, Leech opened the balcony doors and look flight into the morning skies of Canterlot. As he did so, he looked downwards, and noticed a heaving throng of ponies from the entire cross-section of Canterlot society at the apartment complex's main entryway, all of them vying to catch a glimpse of Canterlot's hottest new cabaret sensation. "You there, young changeling!" called a voice from the crowd. Leech halted his advance and settled into a hover, as he looked down towards the pony who had called him. None other than Fancy Pants looked back up at him. "Hello!" Leech responded, giving Fancy Pants a cheery wave. "Ahem, yes, greetings." Fancy Pants responded, a little flustered at having to deal with Leech again. "Tell me, is your friend Trixie at home?" "Indeed she izz." answered Leech. "Trixzzie zzsayzz she will be addrezzing fanzz shortly." "Exactly what I wanted to know. Thank you." said Fancy Pants. "Doezz Fanzzy Pony want Leech to get him more film from work? Leech izz zzsure Zzsnap Happy won't mind!" "No, no, it's quite alright." Fancy Pants quickly responded. "By the way, I'd appreciate it if you told nopony of what went on that day..." Leech gave a nonchalant shrug - he knew he'd never fully understand ponies, so didn't bother to question Fancy's motives. Instead, he bid Fancy Pants farewell before resuming his flight towards the Canterlot Chronicle offices. ---------- The late morning and early afternoon would prove to be an exhausting one for Trixie. The moment she'd opened the door, a seemingly never ending torrent of ponies had flooded into her apartment, many of them holding out autograph books or pushing hoofheld tape recorders into her face and asking questions. She tried to address everypony in due time, but the sheer numbers quickly overwhelmed her. Fortunately, a pair of royal pegasus guards had been dispatched to investigate the commotion, and with their help Trixie had managed to marshal the gathered mass of fans, admirers and press into a large group outside the apartment building. Deciding it would be far easier to try and address them all at once rather than make herself dizzy attempting to deal with them individually, Trixie strode onto the balcony to be greeted by a cheer that rattled the very air around her. It took every fiber of Trixie's being not to burst into euphoric laughter, but she nevertheless retained her dignified demanor long enough to give a speech to the assembled ponies that stood below her. "Ponies of Canterlot, the Great and Powerful Trixie is here to answer any questions you may have for her!" she announced grandly to the crowd, causing an incomprehensible torrent of noise to burst forth from the crowd as everypony tried to speak at once. "One at a time, one at a time!" she snapped, still feeling a little irritable from the day's shenanigans. "I mean... would you be so kind as to raise your hooves if you want to ask me something?" she said sweetly, deciding that getting snappy with her fans could damage her chances of retaining her new-found fame! Trixie scanned the sea of raised hooves that lay before her, sticking up from the crowd like a bed of reeds from a riverbank. Her eyes moved to the interviewer from the Equestria Inquirer whom she'd attempted to speak with earlier. "You, at the front." she said briskly, pointing to the reporter. "Thank you, Ms Lulamoon." began the reporter. "Now that you've hit the big time, what are your plans for the immediate future?" "Oh that's easy. I'm in a contract with Le Cheval Merde for the moment, so I'll remain performing there for now." she replied, a little disappointed at such a mediocre question. "OK, you next." she added, looking toward a turqoise mare with a strangely-styled white mane and even stranger pink-tinted glasses towards the back of the crowd. "Trixie! Photo Finish is here to make you even greater than you are now. With my help, you could be making... ze magicks. Magicks of an altogether different kind to the kind you already do. Tell me you'll come to my studio tomorrow and let me work my genius upon you." she blurted, with plenty of dramatic pauses and a strange accent. Trixie didn't mind either of these things though, she was just pleased that this particular query was about her. Although it seemed to be more of a demand than a question, Trixie's answer was nevertheless the same. "I'D LOVE TO!" she squealed in excitement, before quickly remembering where she was. "That is, Trixie will come to your studio, just to see if you're as good as you say." she sniffed, re-erecting her veneer of haughtiness. "Excellent. I shall be seeing you tomorrow. Now, I go!" replied Photo Finish, as both she and her entourage broke away from the crowd and trotted away down the street. Trixie turned her head around and looked back into the apartment - it was late afternoon according to the clock on the wall, and high time Trixie began to make preparations for her evening. Leech would be back soon, and she didn't want him to come back to all this commotion and disturbance. "Alright, there's time for one more." Trixie called to her audience. "Erm... you, over there." she called, pointing to a teenage filly in the outskirts of the crowd. "Can you do a prismatic orb shower for us? I loved seeing you do that trick!" she called to Trixie, whose face immediately dropped upon hearing the question. "I can't do that, I haven't re-absorbed it from anypony!" she thought, her blood suddenly running cold and her ears dropping. Worse still, the filly's request seemed to be popular with the rest of the crowd, who began to chatter excitedly to each other, all of their eyes looking up at the showmare on the balcony. "Well, you see, Trixie... um... Trixie cannot do that just now, because... b-because..." Trixie faltered, attempting to find a valid reason not to fulfill the request. "Because... it's the daytime! The trick only really works in a darkened room or at night, when everypony can see it better. You can hardly see it at all in daylight!" Trixie hurriedly responded, her eyes nervously scanning the crowd for any adverse reactions, her mind fervently hoping that nopony would question her deception. "Oh, OK then. That makes sense I guess. I hope you do it at your next cabaret show!" replied the filly brightly, again drawing chatters of agreement from the other ponies present. "Yes, yes of course Trixie will." Trixie replied, her legs feeling weak as her body relaxed itself after her brief scare. "That is all the questions Trixie has time for today - now, I must go and practice, ready for my next amazing display of magic!" she finished, making a grand exit by teleporting off the balcony in a spectacular puff of smoke. ---------- Re-materializing inside the apartment, she could hear the gathered ponies slowly dispersing back into Canterlot, their voices growing ever distant as they made their way back home. Trixie slumped onto the couch, her muscles burning from being on her hooves all day and a pounding headache beginning to make itself known. Yet through the fatigue in her body and the dull thuds of discomfort from her head, Trixie couldn't have been happier. One decent show, and she was already even more famous than she'd been after saving Canterlot! If she'd had fingers, she would have pinched herself to ensure she wasn't dreaming. As she lay, contemplating the day's events and wondering what the coming days would hold, she could hear a conversation outside the building through the open balcony doors. "You heard Miss Trixie, she said no more questions." came a gruff voice. "Indeed I did, good sir," came a calm, smooth, classy tone. "I merely wish to invite her-" "Look, I know you're used to getting your own way, but she said she's had enough for today. Please, just come back another time." came the first voice again, sounding a little more annoyed this time. Wondering what the problem could be, Trixie wearily hauled herself back to her hooves and gently strolled back onto the balcony, pausing to rub at her tired eyes. Looking down at the street below, she could see that the crowd of ponies was completely gone, except for three - Fancy Pants, and the two royal guards who had helped manage the crowds during the day. The former seemed to be attempting to reason with the latter in order to get a private audience with Trixie, and negotiations weren't going his way. "Now look here, gentlecolts." said Fancy Pants, his classy tone becoming slightly darker, "All I ask is that I may-" He stopped as he noticed Trixie had reappeared upon the balcony. "It's OK, boys," Trixie called down to the guards, "let him say what he wants to say." "Ah, thank you." Fancy Pants remarked, as the guards parted and allowed him to come closer to the building. "I merely wanted to inform you that I would be attending a banquet at the royal castle tomorrow night, and I would be most honored if you were my guest for the evening." he finished, looking up at Trixie with warm eyes and a kind smile. Trixie could barely believe what she was hearing - fame, a photoshoot with Photo Finish and now she was to be Fancy Pants' new favorite party guest? It was although all her Hearth's Warming Eves had arrived at once! "I graciously accept your invitation, Fancy Pants!" Trixie called down to him, her headache and tiredness now a distant memory, replaced instead by excitement and just a small amount of trepidation. "Ah, splendid!" replied Fancy Pants, "I shall sent a carriage to pick you up at eight o'clock sharp tomorrow evening! Everypony who is anypony will be there, so I definitely think you'll be in good company!" he added, before turning to leave. Trixie could only stand there, dumbstruck, as she watched Canterlot's greatest celebrity canter away, having just invited her to accompany him for an evening at the royal palace. Thanking the royal guards for their assistance, she very slowly turned and headed back inside, gently closing the balcony doors as she fully comprehended what had just happened. After standing still in the center of the lounge for what seemed to be hours, she finally burst into a series of whoops and cheers, even doing a cartwheel in her intense jubilation! "Trixie, tomorrow is going to be the greatest day of your entire life!" she told herself out loud, before scurrying into her bedroom to find her very best outfit for the next evening. ---------- At the Canterlot Chronicle offices, Leech was also having a pretty good day. His photographs and Trixie's press release had been very well received by both Snap Happy and the Chronicle's readers, with sales of the afternoon edition being the highest they'd been for weeks. "You're definitely getting there, Leech my boy!" Snap Happy said enthusiastically, with a hint of surprise to his voice. "Wazz there ever any doubt?" Leech replied in a rare moment of egoism, his chest puffing out a little. Snap Happy decided not to give an honest answer to Leech's query, and instead continued to trot down one of the office's many corridors with Leech by his side. They were heading for the dark room to develop a couple more of the pictures Leech had taken that morning, when the two passed by a room that Leech hadn't seen before. He'd passed by it many times during his work here, but he'd never seen it with the door open until now. "What'zz in there?" Leech asked, stopping by the open door and peering inside. "Ugh. You don't want to know." Snap Happy replied, rolling his eyes. Apparently, Leech did want to know, as he'd already wandered into the room before Snap Happy could stop him. With a resigning sigh, Snap Happy quickly followed Leech as he began to explore the unseen office. "Leech not know thizz offizze wazz here! What izz thizz plazze?" Leech asked Snap Happy. "This is the office where the weekly gossip supplement is produced." Snap Happy explained, disgust very much present in his tone. "I don't care much for it myself, but the owners of the paper claim it's too profitable not to have. Leech looked in wonderment at the office around him. Most of it seemed to be the same as the other offices in the building - there was a wooden desk, on top of which sat a typewriter, a ream of paper and a filing tray. The smell of coffee was very much present in the air, but there was something in the room that Leech had never seen in any of the other offices. At first glance it appeared to be a slot machine, similar to the type Leech had seen on travel brochures for Las Pegasus. "That doezzn't make zzsenzze." Leech buzzed out loud. "Why would a zzslot mach-" "Dat ain't no slot machine, kid!" came a deep, obnoxious voice from the office doorway. Leech whirled around to see a large, pudgy beige unicorn standing in the doorway. His deep gray mane was heavily waxed and slicked back, although it appeared to be thinning in places, his teeth were yellowed and his eyes had heavy, gray bags beneath them. Leech involuntarily recoiled a little, as the unicorn spoke once again. "Whatchoo are lookin at dere, is da greatest ting ta' hit newsmakin' since da printin' press!" the newcomer continued in a semi Istallion accent. "Leech, this is Tattle-Tale, our gossip editor." Snap Happy explained, with another disgusted eye roll. "Tattle-Tale, this is Leech, my new reporter." "Hey, kiddo. Take it from me, you don't wanna be workin' for dis schmuck. Regular news is dull, ponies of Canterlot want - no, need - dirt an' scandal. I'm what keeps dis here publication afloat!" Tattle-Tale said with venom, shooting a cocky glance towards Snap Happy. "You also keep the local law firms afloat, Tattle. How many times have you been sued this year?" asked Snap Happy bitterly. "Two hundred an' fourteen!" laughed Tattle-Tale, sounding proud of this achievement. "But da money my articles make more dan pays for da court settlements!" Leech backed away again. He was beginning to regret asking what this office had been for now! Plucking up what remaining courage he had, he asked Tattle-Tale what the device on his desk was for. "Dis," began Tattle, "Is what I use for inspirin' my articles." "What he means is, he's so bucking lazy he just uses a machine to make up scandals for him, regardless of their truth." Snap Happy interjected flatly. "Dat dere is slander!" responded Tattle-Tale, pretending to be hurt. "I should take you to da courts!" "Well, I guess you probably know the courts inside out by now..." retorted Snap Happy, generating an enraged grunt from Tattle-Tale. "Anyway, ignore dis mook right here and listen up smart. When I pull dis lever, dese three drums right here start to spin, just like a slot machine. Da difference is, dis first drum has da names of all Canterlot's hottest celebs on it, da middle one has da sort of dubious activities dese celebrities get up to, and da third drum has locations and more names on it. Allow me to demonstrate." Tattle-Tale explained, his horn glowing and using his magic to pull a lever at the side of the machine. Leech observed as the three drums whirled around, each rotation threatening a public relations disaster for anypony unfortunate enough to have their names written upon them. After a few seconds, each drum came to a stop, and between the three of them they created a potential story idea for Tattle-Tale. Fleur de Lis seen shopping with Hayseed Turniptruck "See?" exalted Tattle-Tale. "Comin' up wid a juicy gossip story is as easy as fallin' off a log! You should definitely ditch the mainstream news before it's too late, kid. Dis is where da real profit is! Anytime you fancy a change from da dull world of news, come see me. I'll fit you up wid some real assignments!" "I don't think Leech will be doing that, Tattle. Come on Leech, we've got some pictures to develop." Snap Happy replied, guiding Leech out of the room. "An' I've got an article to write, plus a new sucker to add to my list!" sneered Tattle-Tale, closing the office door as Snap Happy and Leech left. "Zzso, Tattle-Tale hazz thingy that only exizztzz to churn out horrible zzstories? Zzseemzz a bit of a pointlezz gizzmo to me." Leech said to Snap Happy as they made their way down the corridor. "It's a part of the Chronicle I'd rather be without." admitted Snap Happy, somewhat sadly. "But the owners of the paper want it to stay, and so that's how it'll be. Sadly, many of the ponies around here seem to lap this sort of stuff up." ---------- Before sitting down to type his newly-invented gossip article for the coming week, Tattle-Tale levitated a screwdriver from behind his desk, and unscrewed a side panel on his gossip-generating slot machine. Sliding the first drum out, he produced a black marker pen from a nearby desk drawer. Bringing both the drum and the pen up to his face, he added "The Great and Powerful Trixie" to a blank space on the drum before re-installing it into the machine and re-tightening all of the screws. "Enjoy ya newfound fame, Trixie, cos before I'm done it's gonna turn into infamy!" he said grimly, before turning to his typewriter to fabricate his story of Fleur's outrageous shopping trip. === Chapter 10 - Flashbulbs And Front Pages === The next morning, Canterlot's streets were as busy as ever, with the various members of Equestria's upper classes hustling and bustling around the city, going about their usual daily business. Amid the sea of ponies, many clothed in the very finest quality garments at the cutting edge of fashion, a solitary figure darted through the crowds wearing nothing but a simple black cloak and hood. Its form entirely obscured, save for four ultramarine hooves at the bottom, it weaved and ducked down Canterlot's main street as though it were trying not to be seen. Peering from beneath the hood, Trixie was careful not to allow anypony else to lock eyes with her, lest her distinctive iris color give away her true identity. Fame had brought with it certain side effects that Trixie had neither wanted nor anticipated, not least a seeming inability to exit her home without attracting a heaving mob of fans asking for autographs or a magic demonstration. Three times she'd attempted to set off for Photo Finish's studio, and three times she'd been forced to retreat back into the apartment complex, hotly pursued by a throng of screaming fans. Only when she'd dyed one of her bedsheets black using her magic and then fashioned it into an all-concealing hood and cloak get-up had she been able to take to the streets unhindered. "Now Trixie is running late for her photo shoot!" she thought sulkily. "I hope Photo Finish isn't too cross with me! I hear she's NOT a good pony to get on the bad side of!" Shaking this dreadful thought from her mind, Trixie continued to somewhat shiftily make her way past the packed bistros and busy stores, frequently stopping to take cover behind conveniently placed fences or benches. During these covert stops, she flicked back the hood to allow some of the accumulated heat to dissipate. It was far too hot a day for wearing a full-body hood, and Trixie's nervousness at being discovered only served to increase her body temperature further. Stealthily crouching down behind a small wall surrounding an al fresco diner's garden, Trixie jerked her head back and allowed the head covering to slip down and rest upon her withers. She wiped her brow using the front of the cloak wrapped around a shaky forehoof, as the nervous tingles that permeated her entire body became more intense the further into the city she delved. If she were to be discovered here, she'd be swamped for the rest of the day - there were simply far too many ponies here for her to handle at once. "Come on Trixie, focus! The studio's just one block away, and if you hurry you won't be that late!" she told herself, raising her hood once more using her magic. Her identity safely concealed beneath the dark cloth once again, Trixie rose from her hiding place and strode quickly yet cautiously toward her intended destination. ---------- At the Canterlot Chronicle offices, Leech stood next to Snap Happy's desk. He watched intently as his pegasus employer deftly tapped away at his typewriter using nothing but his hooves. Leech had initially assumed that typewriters would require unicorn magic to type effectively, and was very surprised to witness the ease with which a sufficiently-practiced Earth or pegasus pony could operate one. Of course, typewriters intended for Earth ponies and pegasi were wider, with more sparsely-set keys, but the little changeling nevertheless found Snap's skill both impressive and quite mesmerizing. "There!" said Snap Happy proudly, finishing his typing. "Today's Chronicle headline story is all done! You did well to find it, Leech. A daring daylight raid in Canterlot's jewellery district... you got an excellent shot of the three culprits shortly before they were caught!" "Culpritzz?" buzzed Leech, looking confused. "Leech thought he wazz taking picture of zzsilly poniezz drezzed azz zzebrazz, not criminalzz!" "They were wearing masks and striped sweaters, Leech!" replied Snap Happy with a laugh. "I honestly didn't think crooks were stupid enough to wear those things anymore! Either way, accident or not, it was a great photograph. Well done!" Leech's chest puffed with pride at being congratulated. It was such an unfamiliar feeling to him, he eagerly savored it whenever it occurred. Studying the first draft of the evening edition's front cover, Leech noticed Fancy Pants among the crowd of shocked onlookers in the background of his photograph. With him, wearing an equally stunned expression, was his wife, Fleur. "Zzstrange!" muttered Leech thoughtfully, "Fanzzy pony izz with different lady pony than Leech zzsaw him with on Leech'zz firzzt day at work! Leech thought poniezz uzzually only had one companion!" Snap Happy glanced at the picture, then at Leech, before sighing heavily and reclining back into his seat, closing his eyes as he did so. "That's correct, Leech." he explained, wearily. "That pony is Fleur, Fancy Pants' wife. The pegasus you saw Fancy with the other day - I've no idea who she was, but Fancy was clearly cheating on his wife with her." Leech pondered hard - if a stethoscope had been held to his head at that point, the sound of rusted gears squeaking and rattling followed by the gentle tinkle of a five-watt light bulb flickering into illumination would have been heard. "Izz that why Zzsnap Happy wanted photo of Fanzzy pony with other lady pony?" he asked at last. "Yes. Yes it was." Snap Happy responded after an awkward pause, his head hanging as he answered. "Izzn't that a zzscandal like Tattle pony likezz to report on?" Leech enquired, curiously cocking his head as he looked towards Snap Happy. "Leech thought Zzsnap Happy didn't like zzscandalzz." "I don't!" Snap Happy replied sharply, his tone becoming increasingly defensive. "They're a crass invasion of ponies' privacy! And in the case of Tattle-Tale, they're usually a load of made-up horseapples! At least this one would have been based on truth." "Izzn't that zzstill..." Leech began. "Yes, it's still an invasion of privacy and it's still something I'd rather not publish. But... you must understand Leech, my return to this company hasn't been a smooth one. As you know, I've been away for an entire year. Everypony here thought I was dead, and in a sense I was, until you and Trixie rescued me and the others." Snap Happy interrupted, as he poured himself a fresh, steaming mug of coffee. ---------- Leech looked around the room and noted that the other journalists had finished their shifts and had left the office, leaving just him and Snap Happy alone. Satisfied that his employer - and friend - wasn't about to publicly demean himself, he resumed listening as Snap Happy continued his tale. "Before my capture and transformation at the hooves of Switcher, Tattle-Tale's gossip section was a minority interest. A small column tucked away in the back pages, where few read it and even fewer took heed. After my disappearance, the 'news' aspect of the paper took a nosedive in terms of quality and quantity. To help keep the publication afloat, the publishers turned to Tattle, giving him greater freedoms and more column inches, until eventually he had his own supplement. As his column grew, more and more ponies paid attention to it, and its popularity exploded. Now ponies across Equestria can't get enough of his sleaze and lies - gossip has always been prevalent in pony populations, Canterlot in particular, but Tattle's bile has kicked the whole thing up several notches." Snap Happy explained, followed by yet another heavy sigh and a mournful shake of his head. "But how doezz printing zzscandal help Zzsnap Happy?" asked Leech. "I just thought if I could print one decent scandal, something truthful, yet something that could best Tattle and his endless parade of half-truths and blatant lies, the focus would be back on the newspaper rather than the gossip supplement. With the spotlight once again on my side of the publication, I could then set about making the Chronicle all about news once again, and push Tattle's nonsense back into the minority interest, where it belongs." answered Snap Happy in a melancholy tone, opening a drawer in his desk and taking out his trusty bottle of DeGroot-brand rum. "But... I guess going down to Tattle's level will just make me as bad as him, truth or no truth. I guess I'll have to find another way of preventing the Chronicle turning into a vapid gossip magazine." As if by magic, Tattle-Tale stormed into the room, as though the mere mention of his name had summoned him. However, he had heard nothing of Snap and Leech's conversation, instead fuming to himself as he glared at a scroll he held in front of his eyes with his magic. "Wouldya believe it?" he announced, to nopony in particular. "Da publishers just sent me a copy a' dis new royal decree about standards a' journalism. Da overall jist a' it is, any stories 'bout other ponies hafta be based on 'substantial evidence' now! What kinda mooks came up wid dis loada nonsense?" "Most likely the Princesses, so I'd watch who you're calling 'mooks' if I were you, Tattle." Snap Happy answered, a hint of snarkiness present in his voice. Tattle-Tale looked shocked for a few seconds, before quickly shaking it off and giving Snap Happy a narrow-eyed glare. "Whatever. Da long an' short a' it is, I'm freakin' ruined if I can't substantiate my works a' genius!" Tattle-Tale snorted. His eyes turned to Leech, staying there for an uncomfortably long time before he suddenly turned on his hooves and bolted back to his office, leaving a bewildered Leech and Snap Happy behind. "That wazz... different." Leech said at last, finding his voice. "Well, Leech - looks as if my little problem just solved itself!" Snap Happy said brightly, putting the bottle of rum back into its drawer without opening it, and merrily guzzling his coffee. "Looks like my letter to the Wisdom brothers paid off! They must have raised the issue with the Princesses during one of their advisory meetings. I genuinely wasn't expecting anything to come of it - now it has, I reckon that's shut old Tattle down on a permanent basis!" Leech said nothing, instead silently contemplating the way in which Tattle-Tale had looked at him. Somehow, Leech wasn't entirely convinced that this new ruling would mean the end of Tattle-Tale's schemes. ---------- Meanwhile, Trixie's day wasn't going quite as well as she'd hoped. Sure, she'd reached Photo Finish's studio without attracting any undue attention, and Photo Finish herself hadn't been angry about her slight lateness. It had all gone downhill from there, however. From the moment she set hoof into the studio, she had been practically pounced upon by Photo Finish's ever-present army of stylists, designers and make-up artists. Sprays had been sprayed into her mane and combs had whipped it into many strange styles and permutations that Trixie didn't even think were possible. Make-up had been slathered onto her face, then removed, then re-added at Photo Finish's whim. The blusher was definitely Trixie's least favorite experience of all the cosmetics - the assistant who applied it was far too heavy-snouted with the brush. After the third or fourth application, Trixie began to feel as if she'd been beaten up, not partaken in a supposedly glamorous photoshoot! Her face and jaw ached from both the repeated make-up applications and the ridiculous facial expressions that Photo Finish demanded of her, including some frankly unnaturally wide smiles. Her limbs ached from being repeatedly dressed and undressed in various garish and uncomfortable outfits that no sane pony would actually consider wearing on a day-to-day basis. Worse yet, the shoot was overrunning, and Trixie wondered if she'd get home in time to prepare for Fancy Pants' arrival that evening. Her worrying session was interrupted by yet another blinding flash of the camera, a sight that Trixie was rapidly becoming tired of. As she rubbed at her increasingly sore eyes, the bold, brash, dominating voice of Photo Finish harshly invaded her ears once more. "Good, good!" Photo Finish said to Trixie. "Ve haf time for von more costume change! Zis vill be ze greatest of zem all! Somepony fetch me ze all-black ensemble zat she arrived in! Quickly!" she demanded. "Wait a mome-" Trixie began to protest, before being cut off by two of Photo Finish's assistants pulling the black hood and cloak over her head. "Yes!" Photo Finish said approvingly. "Now, it's really time to make... ze magicks!" "Great." thought Trixie despairingly. "An all-black cloak under baking hot studio lights... I'm definitely going to have to add a shower to my preparations for this evening. And now I'm going to need a new disguise - when these photos are published everypony's going to recognize me in my cloak!" Photo Finish was oblivious to Trixie's plight however, as she excitedly raced about the studio, rapidly photographing Trixie from every conceivable angle. After what felt to Trixie like an eternity, Photo Finish finally put the camera down and signaled to her assistants to begin packing the studio equipment away. "Ze magicks, ve haf made zem today my friend!" she gasped dramatically, throwing a hoof around Trixie's withers. "Ve must do zis again soon, ve vill go far together!" At that particular moment in time, Trixie definitely wanted to go far - as far from the studio as possible! Quickly bidding Photo Finish farewell, she hurriedly trotted towards the exit. Such was her rush to get back and get ready for the coming evening, she wasn't fully paying attention to what she was doing. As she exited the studio, the cool late afternoon air rapidly clearing her lungs of the hairspray and make-up dust that clogged them, Trixie didn't notice the back left corner of her cloak get caught in the studio's exit door. Only when she felt the tug of the fabric as it reached its maximum stretch did she realize what was happening, and by then it was too late too do anything about it. The thin cloth very quickly gave up its struggle to stay on Trixie's body and, with an attention-drawing ripping sound, the fabric around Trixie's chest tore. The entire cloak flew backwards off of Trixie as the stretched fibers returned to their original length, unveiling the startled showmare beneath. As the entire street momentarily became silent, Trixie had time to utter a mere two words before the inevitable stampede began: "Oh buck...!" === Chapter 11 - High Society: Act 1 === It took quite some time for Trixie to battle her way through her crowds of admirers, and all of her willpower not to use a repulsion spell to toss them out of her way. As annoying as she found the attention (something she never thought would be possible), she also recognized the importance of keeping her fans on her side. Throwing them halfway across the city would probably sway public opinion against her in a very short space of time! Exhausted, bedraggled and irritated, Trixie finally stumbled into her apartment and closed the door behind her, slumping onto the couch with a relieved sigh. She glanced towards the clock - half past seven. She had just thirty minutes to get ready for Fancy Pants' arrival, but all she really wanted to do was curl up with a nice cup of cocoa and have a nap! Summoning what little strength remained in her aching legs and what little inclination remained in her heart, she dragged herself to her hooves and slowly trudged to the bathroom to begin preparing for her evening, starting with a shower. As she made her way across the apartment, she nonchalantly opened the balcony doors with her magic - Leech would be home soon, and Trixie wasn't sure how many more impacts with the glass doors his cranium would withstand! Sure enough, Leech buzzed his way through the fading evening light, the cool breeze flowing over his chitinous shell as he made his way towards his intended destination; home. Launching into a steep downwards dive towards the balcony, Leech hurtled closer and closer to the apartment complex before, unusually, applying reverse thrust and touching down gently on the balcony. "Leech izz not zzstupid!" he thought out loud. "Leech divezz down, goezz zzsplat into doorzz! Thizz time, Leech izz ready!" With this, Leech smugly trotted up to the doors, before rearing up onto his hind legs and giving a great push with his forehooves. Unfortunately for Leech, the door he had been intending to push was already open, and Leech only realized this when it was too late. He overbalanced and fell forwards, unable to lower his front legs in time to avoid stumbling awkwardly through the door and landing flat on his snout. "Why univerzze hate Leech?" he mused sadly, sitting up and rubbing his face. "Leech, is that you?" called Trixie from the bathroom. "Yezz, Leech izz home!" Leech called, cheering up and forgetting about his sore snout. "How did Trixzzie's photo thingy go?" Trixie emerged from the bathroom, a cloud of steam bursting forth from behind the door as she cantered into the room and towels wrapped around her mane and tail. "Ugh... don't even ask!" she answered, rolling her eyes. "It's been a long day!" "Aww, that izz shame. Izz Trixzzie ready for big evening out at Cazztle?" Leech asked. "As soon as I'm dry and in my best cloak, I will be!" Trixie replied. "It'll be good to have a bit of down-time before my next show." "When izz nexzzt show?" Leech enquired, suddenly feeling a little uneasy. "If Leech rememberzz right, your nexzzt show izz..." "...Ten thirty. TONIGHT." Trixie gasped in horror, her face becoming pale and her pupils tiny. "Leech, I've double-booked myself! What can I do? This is a disaster! I can't cancel my show, Class Act will withdraw my contract! But I can't afford to miss this dinner evening either, I need to get myself in with Canterlot's social elite!" "It'zz OK, dinner thingy finishezz at ten!" Leech interjected. "Trixzzie can get to cabaret in that time!" "Yes, but I'll need at least an hour to... how shall we say... enhance my act." Trixie wailed, a spark of green magic shooting from her horn. "Mmm... if only there wazz more Trixxzie to go around. Leech hearzz legend about zzsomething called the Mirror Pond? Maybe we could uzze that!" Leech replied, thoughtfully. "We haven't got time to go hunting for something for something that may or may not exist! Besides, there's only room in Equestria for ONE Great and Powerful Trixie! But... you've given me an idea. Leech, make sure you're outside the castle entrance by nine thirty sharp!" Trixie said, her melancholy tone giving way to excitement accompanied by a devilish grin. She promptly finished drying herself and cast the towels aside. Glancing at the clock, she noted that Fancy Pants would be arriving imminently. "Trixzzie hazz planzz?" Leech asked. "I certainly do! Now, if you'll excuse me... I have a carriage to catch!" announced Trixie, quickly levitating her best evening cape over from her bedroom, draping it over her back and fastening it around her neck. "Remember Leech - nine thirty! See you later!" ---------- As the carriage rolled through the streets of Canterlot, Trixie gazed outside at the scenery as it glided past and at all Canterlot's ponies milling around the streets, blissfully unaware of who was inside the carriage that passed them by. She was thankful for the carriage's windows being made from tinted privacy glass - she'd had enough rabid admirers for one day! Feeling the rumble of the wheels beneath her and the gentle swaying of the carriage moving from side-to-side, her mind was suddenly cast back to the days where Leech would haul her along in her wagon. Her moment of reminiscence was interrupted by Fancy Pants, who was sitting opposite her. "So, Ms Lulamoon," he ventured confidently, "how are you finding your stay in Canterlot so far?" "Oh it's... lovely. Everything I dreamed of, plus a lot I hadn't bargained for!" Trixie replied, trying to hide her tiredness and her trepidation at what the evening would hold. "I hear you've got a show to perform immediately after our dinner party. I admire your commitment to your work! I definitely like commitment in a mare." Fancy Pants continued, giving a wink to Trixie as he finished. "Oh... um... thank you. Yes, I definitely like to be committed to my chosen profession! After all, I'd be foolish not to, since it's perfect for me! Or rather, I'm perfect for it!" Trixie answered, her confidence returning a little. "That's the ticket! I'm certain with an attitude like that, you'll fit in perfectly tonight. We'll be sharing a table with all manner of high-society go-getters! I'm certain you'll be the talk of the banquet - you're Canterlot's hottest new celebrity and of course, you're my guest!" said Fancy Pants. "Sheesh. And I thought I had an ego..." murmured Trixie under her breath. "What was that?" asked Fancy Pants. "Oh, I-I-I er, was asking h-how much further we had to g-go." Trixie stammered in shock. "We're just making our way through the castle gates now. We'll be disembarking soon." answered Fancy Pants smoothly. A minute or two later, the carriage gently bumped to a stop and a royal Earth pony guard, dressed in a valet uniform, opened the carriage door and bowed his head as Fancy Pants and his new favorite party guest made their way through the castle's grand entryway. ---------- Before long, Trixie found herself seated beside Fancy Pants at a colossal dining table, which stretched for several yards down the center of a huge dining hall. Velvet banners bearing the royal crest dangled from the room's magnificent ceiling arches, illuminated by the glow of ornate silver lanterns attached to the many support pillars that ran then length of the room. The soft ambient music of a harpist and cellist could be heard amid the hustling and bustling of the various waiters and serving staff moving around. Trixie looked up and down the table - all of Canterlot's movers and shakers were present. From fashionistas such as Hoity Toity and distant royalty like Prince Blueblood, to global superstars including Sapphire Shores and successful business magnates like Filthy Rich. Trixie's nervousness increased again - not due to her (much deserved) presence among such company, but due to the plan she'd conceived to alleviate the double-booking situation. Her attention was soon drawn to the waiters bringing out the food - at first glance, it appeared to be a simple dish of a carrot soup starter with a clover and hay baguette as the main. However, by the time the waiter had finished explaining about how the carrots were hoof-selected, imported carrots from halfway across the globe and that the baguette was home-made using only the most expensive ingredients, Trixie couldn't care less what it was. She was starving, and desperate to dig in! Eagerly levitating a spoon from the table, ready to demolish her carrot soup, Trixie stopped when she noticed several of her fellow guests giving her quizzical stares. "Trixie my dear," whispered Fancy Pants, leaning over to her, "that's your dessert spoon. Your soup spoon's the one on the right." "Right. Of course, Trixie was just testing you all!" Trixie blurted out, attempting to hide her embarrassment and levitating the correct spoon. "Bah, a spoon's a spoon! It holds stuff long enough for you to eat it! Who the buck cares what its designation is?" thought Trixie, although she wisely chose not to raise the point out loud. ---------- After the starters were gone and all present were busy devouring their main courses, Trixie was feeling more comfortable. She'd avoided any more etiquette gaffes, and had been making pleasant small talk with the other ponies at the table. Just as Fancy Pants had predicted, all attention was on her for much of the banquet, and Trixie had enjoyed answering the others' questions regarding her act and her new-found stardom. "I was there when when you made your debut." said Sapphire Shores, admiringly. "And I gotta say, Trixie, you were sen-sation-al! Say, when I go on my tour next year, I'm gonna give serious consideration to making you my support act!" "Wow! I'd definitely accept such an honor if it were offered to me!" replied Trixie, a mixture of surprise and shock in her voice. "Support act? Ha! Honey, this time next year YOU'LL be supporting ME!" she thought, again making the decision not to speak out loud. "A tour sounds great - myself and Leech would love to go travelling again!" Trixie continued, maintaining her veneer of politeness. "It's one aspect of our old lifestyle I liked, and Leech especially misses it!" The other guests looked towards each other uncomfortably before all eyes turned back to Trixie. Hoity Toity broke the brief awkward silence that followed. "Trixie, darling, let me give you possibly the most valuable piece of career advice anypony will ever give you. For Celestia's sake, ditch that cretinous little bug friend of yours!" he said, turning his nose up as he finished the sentence. "But Leech is..." Trixie tried to counter. "Leech is a changeling. It's really not good for your image. Do you think my empire would have gotten anywhere if I started employing dangerous feral species?" interrupted Filthy Rich. "In my line of work, image and reputation are everything. If your associates are of ill-repute, some of that ill-repute will rub off on you. Imagine if I'd opened my first store with a manticore stacking the shelves!" Filthy Rich's quip had everypony at the table in stitches, their laughter attacking Trixie from all sides like a swarm of invisible hornets, their barbs stinging her in places that real hornets could never reach. Fancy Pants, noticing Trixie's crestfallen expression and increasingly red cheeks, stifled his own sniggers and spoke up. "That's quite enough." he said, calmly but firmly. "I'm certain Trixie knows what she's doing in regard to the company she keeps. Any future decisions she makes, whether we agree with them or not, will undoubtedly be the correct ones." The other ponies at the table quickly subsided and went back to conversing among themselves as they polished off the remainder of their main courses. Trixie said nothing, and instead looked towards a nearby clock. Nine-twenty-five. Close enough. "Excuse me, everypony." she said, hopping down from her seat. "I need to go and powder my Great and Powerful nose!" ---------- Trixie cantered casually to the door of the dining hall and slipped out, bursting into a gallop as soon as she was sure nopony else could see her. Her hooves clacked on the castle's polished floors as she raced to find the exit. She was having serious doubts about her plan, given the nature of the conversation that had just taken place, but it was too late to back out now. She had to make this work. Emerging from the castle, Trixie looked frantically about the moonlit gardens. To her relief, Leech had shown up just as he's promised too. Trixie gently trotted over to her friend, who was facing in the opposite direction, and tapped a hoof on his withers. "BLAAGH!" yelled Leech, quickly spinning 180 degrees to face Trixie. "Trixzzie, don't zzsneak up on Leech like that!" "Sssssh!" Trixie hissed, putting a hoof to Leech's mouth. "I'm sorry, but we have to keep quiet! Nopony can know you're here!" "Zzso what izz Trixzzie's plan to make banquet and show run zzsmoothly?" asked Leech as Trixie retracted her hoof. "You are to take my place at the banquet." Trixie sighed, the words sticking uncomfortably in her throat. "You take my form, and then head back in there for the final half-hour of the banquet. As soon as it finishes, get away as fast as you can and return to the apartment. Under no circumstances allow anypony to accompany you home!" "Leech cannot keep company with Canterlot poniezz, Leech knowzz nothing about culture! Leech can barely fly zzstraight, never mind make zzsmall talk with important poniezz!" gasped Leech, mortified at the prospect. "Leech, I'm not thrilled at the idea either. But it's the only way! Please!" she implored, giving Leech her best puppy-dog-eyed look. "Leech... will try." conceded Leech, unable to forsake his friend like this. In a puff of green plasma, Leech quickly transmogrified himself into a near-perfect double of his friend, save for a chipped tooth on the left side of his mouth. Trixie removed her evening cape from her own body and levitated it over to the disguised Leech, draping it over his back and fastening it around his neck. "You'll do." she said, stepping back to admire her new duplicate. "Just don't smile wide enough for anyone to see that tooth, and try not to get involved in any intelligent discussion. Just nod and agree with what everypony else says and if they ask, you're feeling a little unwell. That's why you're not saying much. Got it?" "Got it." replied Leech, "But Leech hopezz Trixzzie knowzz what she izz doing!" "That makes two of us. Good luck!" replied Trixie, turning and galloping out of the castle gardens and into Canterlot's darkened streets, hoping to find some decent tricks to use for her show. Gulping hard, Leech turned on his hooves and slowly began to trot into the castle, his body tingling with nervousness and his mind repeatedly telling him; "Thizz... will not end well." === Chapter 12 - High Society: Act 2 === The substitute 'Trixie' cautiously paced through the castle's softly illuminated corridors, not entirely sure where 'she' was going. Leech began to wish he'd remembered to ask Trixie which way the dining hall was, but the shock of having such an outlandish scheme foisted upon him made his mind go blank. "Let'zz zzsee... dining hall meanzz food. Food hazz zzsmellzz. All Leech needzz to do izz follow deliciouzz zzsmellzz." he thought, quite pleased at the speed with which he concocted a workable strategy. Raising his nose into the air, Leech's nostrils soon became filled with the most appetizing aroma he'd ever come across. He wasted no time in following the tempting fragrance, his cautious trot turning into a crazed gallop as he attempted to find the source of the promising scent. He wasn't just interested in finding the dining hall now, he wanted to sample whatever was giving off such an incredible smell! Leech rocketed past marble pillars, and raced around corridor corners, all the while getting further and further away from the actual location of the dining hall. Leech neither knew of or cared about this, however, as the sensation in his nostrils drove him to find whatever was causing it. Several minutes later, the olfactory trail led him to an impressive set of doors in a dead-end corridor, in a far corner of the castle. Pressing his snout against the door, Leech breathed in deeply and nearly fainted from the unmistakable scent of extremely high-grade food. Wasting no further time, Leech eagerly pushed open the door to discover that the room wasn't quite as he'd expected. Most notably, the lights were turned off. This wasn't so much of a problem for Leech - as a maintenance drone, his eyes were adapted for work in low-light conditions, which gave them their green coloration. Peering through the blackness, Leech could see that there was no dining table or chairs - most unusual, for a dining hall. In fact the only major piece of furniture was what appeared to be... a bed? A bed with two silhouettes atop it, somewhat familiar silhouettes engaging in some sort of.. play fighting? "What zzsort of dining hall izz thizz?" wondered Leech, "The food zzsmellzz great, but..." Leech's thought processes stopped dead as the five-watt light bulb inside his head once again flickered into life. He'd been so distracted with locating the source of the smell, he hadn't stopped to consider that his own sense of smell differed from that of a pony. What smelt delicious to him might not smell so good to a pony, and vice-versa. The food he could smell was, in fact, very highly concentrated love, and NOT pony-type food. Catching the scent of it had caused him to momentarily forget he was meant to be acting as a pony, and instead rely on his changeling-senses to locate nourishment. So instead of the dining hall, he had in fact been led to... ...Shining Armor and Cadence's bedchamber. Right in the middle of them producing a buck-ton of ultra-potency changeling chow. Leech continued to stand in stunned silence, contemplating the magnitude of his folly whilst fervently hoping that the preoccupied lovebirds couldn't see him - or rather, Trixie - in the room's scant illimunation. A hope that was very quickly shattered, as the 'play fighting' shapes atop the bed suddenly ceased to move. "Shining!" came an urgent whisper through the dark. "Look! The door's ajar! Somepony's in the room!" ---------- What followed was possibly the setting of the new Canterlot land speed record, as the pretend Trixie shot out of the room as though he'd been launched from a party cannon, hoping he could lose his pursuer before he had a chance to get his bearings and turn the lights on. Leech became a blue-coated, adrenaline-charged blur as he thundered through the labyrinth of pristine corridors that comprised the castle. Not far behind, he could hear the clacking of hooves angrily pounding against the polished floors as Shining Armor attempted to apprehend the uninvited intimacy invader. "Leech izz dizzguizzed azz Trixzzie!" he thought, horrified. "Room wazz dark, zzso Leech hazzn't been zzeen yet. But if Armor pony catchezz up and catchezz glimpzze of Leech, Trixzzie'zz dreamzz are over!" Summoning every milligram of strategy and cunning his fear addled brain could muster, Leech took cover in an alcove and quickly altered his form to resemble a royal unicorn guard. Using his magic, he hurriedly removed Trixie's best evening cloak and stuffed it into a nearby pot-plant, covering it over in a thin layer of soil. Just as he had finished, the fuming Shining Armor came roaring around a corner and approached him. "You there! Guard! Tell me, has a pony run through here just now?" he asked the 'guard', panting with both exhaustion and fury as he did so. "What did this pony look like, Armor pon- I mean, sir?" stuttered the 'guard', awkwardly. "I don't know, I only got a fleeting glance, and it was dark. Could be anypony, I just wondered if you'd seen any suspiciously behaving ponies in the last couple of minutes." Shining Armor explained, calming himself a little. "I'm afraid not, but Lee- erm... that is, I will put out a security alert at once." promised Leech, becoming more nervous the longer the conversation continued. "Good, thank you. Good evening to you." Shining Armor said briskly, turning on his hooves and trotting at a more serene pace back to his bedchamber, to comfort his wife. Breathing a massive sigh of relief that Shining Armor was gone, and feeling his legs become weak as the adrenal rush fizzled out, Leech coated himself in green flame and re-emerged as Trixie once again. Digging the cape out from the plant pot, he hastily fastened the now creased and filthy piece of cloth around his neck. Satisfied with the cloak despite it sitting much too far to the left on his flank, he renewed his attempts to find the dining hall. ---------- "Trixie! Where have you been, and what happened to your cloak?" asked Fancy Pants as 'Trixie' finally made her way back to the table. "You've been gone for a full fifteen minutes! You've missed dessert!" "Trixie is sorry," said Leech, disappointed that the actual food didn't smell anywhere near as good as high-grade love, "but Trixie isn't feeling too well. Trixie went for a short stroll in the gardens, and Trixie's cloak fell off into a patch of mud." "Ah, I see." Fancy Pants responded, nodding his head. "I must say, you don't sound too well either, your voice sounds... different somehow." "Well, Leech has a sore throat, you see and-" Leech gasped as he clasped a hoof to his mouth, realizing he'd used his own name whilst disguised. "Ah, and he's passed it onto you." interjected Hoity Toity. "Typical vermin species, bringing their diseases into our fine city. Another reason why you should dump that undignified gutter trash where it belongs!" Leech felt relieved that his slip-up hadn't raised any suspicion. Relief that very quickly gave way to shock and indignation. "Vermin zzspeciezz?" He thought crossly. "The nerve of zzsome poniezz. Zzspeciezz izz no reazzon for Trixzzie to... wait a moment. Did he zzsay zzsomething about Trixzzie getting rid of Leech?" Leech's moment of somber contemplation quickly ended as his attention was drawn by a turquoise hoof waving at him from further down the table. Looking down the lengthy line of seated ponies, he could see the hoof was attached to Photo Finish. One of her entourage stood behind her, feeding her the last remnants of her dessert. After she had finished chewing on last morsels of the apple meringue, Photo Finish addressed what she believed to be Trixie. "Ze photos zat ve so beautifully crafted zis morning shall be ready to publish tomorrow. Soon, Trixie vill be ze most magical pony on ze catvalk as vell as ze stage!" she announced, grandly. "Oh, that's nice, Trixie guesses." Leech fumbled, attempting to sound interested. "Tell me, Trixie," continued Photo Finish, "vhat vas your favorite ensemble of ze day?" "Why didn't Leech azzk Trixzzie about Trixzzie'zz day in more detail?!" Leech thought, his mind a blur again as he searched for an answer. "Well... er.... Trixie liked them all!" Leech beamed, settling on the most vague answer he thought he could get away with. "Come now, do not sit upon ze fence! Ve haf a promising future ahead of us, but I need... ze feedbacks!" insisted Photo Finish. "Ugh... aah... the all-black one?" Leech said, thinking of the monochrome chitin armor he wore day in, day out. "Zzstupid anzzwer, zzstupid anzzwer..." he thought, sure he'd blown his cover. "Ah, excellent" gasped Photo Finish, dramatically. "Ze all-black cloak vas my favorite too. Ve shall definitely be using it again in your next shoot - together, ve shall claim black cloaks back from ze territory of shady travelers and ze Pale Pony of Death!" "I must remind myself to get my designers working on black cloaks - I've got a feeling they're going to be big news, very soon!" Hoity Toity added excitedly, a pen clasped between his teeth as he jotted a note onto a small notepad. 'Trixie' sighed once more as he slid back into his seat, the adrenaline surge once again subsiding. He didn't know exactly how many more lucky guesses would get him out of trouble, and he had no intention of staying around long enough to find out! Looking at the clock, Leech was overjoyed to see that it had just gone ten o'clock - the banquet would be drawing to a close very shortly, and Leech saw no harm in leaving fashionably early! "Well, it's been very nice meeting you all." he said abruptly, imitating Trixie's voice as best he could. "But Trixie really must be going now. Trixie has a show very soon, and must get the cabaret!" "Please," said Fancy Pants, standing up also. "Allow me to give you a ride in my carriage." "NO!" Leech quickly responded, remembering Trixie's instructions and taking Fancy Pants aback. "Well, at least let me walk you to the gates." Fancy Pants offered, recovering from the surprise. "Trixie thinks that'll be OK..." Leech muttered with a forced smile, somewhat flustered as he tried not to arouse any further suspicion. ---------- After bidding good night to the other guests, Leech and the still mercifully unaware Fancy Pants made their way out of the lantern-lit halls of the castle and emerged into the serene glow of Luna's moonlit night. As the two made their away across the gardens, the only sounds being the gentle rustle of the grass beneath their hooves and the chirping of crickets, Fancy Pants turned to 'Trixie' and smiled. "They loved you tonight." he began, kindly. "You're definitely a worthy party guest. Trixie... I have a proposition for you." "Awkward... awkward... AWKWARD!" Leech thought frantically. "As it happens, I'm on the organization committee for the Grand Galloping Gala, which takes place next week. Do you have a ticket?" he asked, leaving Leech somewhat relieved that it wasn't the kind of 'proposition' he'd been afraid of. "Umm... no?" Leech replied uncertainly, not entirely sure whether Trixie had a ticket or not. "Well, good. I've pulled some strings, and I've managed to get you booked to play the main stage at the Gala! The cabaret will seem like a mere sideshow when you've played to a Gala audience!" Fancy Pants said. "So Trixie - do you accept?" "Oh, yes!" gasped Leech, unable to believe what he was hearing. "Trixzzie will be zzso pleazzed with Leech!" he thought, his excitement causing him to involuntarily bounce on the spot. "Excellent, that's what I like to see!" Fancy Pants said with a grin. "And Trixie... good luck with your show tonight! I shall see you at next week's Gala. Goodnight!" Leech said his (or rather, Trixie's) goodbyes to Fancy Pants, and hurried away into the lantern-lit streets of Canterlot. He felt much better to be out of the gaze of Canterlot's social elite, and began to search for a place where he could switch back to his usual changeling self. Trixie's show would be starting very soon, so he couldn't afford to let anypony see him roaming the streets as her - this would only lead to confusion and suspicion as to how she could be in two places at once! Noticing a nice, dark, alleyway tucked between two buildings, Leech darted down it. Not bothering to check the area around him, confident that he was totally shrouded in the darkness of the alley, he deftly shed his counterfeit Trixie exterior and revealed his true changeling form. After the green flames had died down, Leech stood still for a few seconds - he suddenly had a strange feeling he'd seen a series of white flashes accompanying the usual green one that occurred during his transformations. "Probably juzzt zzstrezz. Trixzzie owezz Leech for thizz evening!" he thought, shrugging the nagging feeling off and happily trotting back to the apartment. "Zzstupid posh poniezz! Trixzzie would never get rid of Leech, ezzpecially now Leech hazz landed biggest gig of Trixzzie's life for her!" ---------- Some time later, as the clock tower in Canterlot's main street chimed midnight, Leech lay on the couch in the apartment and gazed up at the ceiling. Despite his success in securing what would surely be the performance that would firmly place Trixie in the ranks of Canterlot legend, he was troubled by what he'd heard during the dinner. What if Trixie DID want to send him away? What if he was a hindrance to her? Was that why she didn't help him during the conflict with Blueblood in the store? Does she even need an assistant now? Presently, he heard the front door swing open, and he quickly derailed his train of troubled thoughts as he leapt to his hooves. "Trixzzie!" he said gleefully. "Trixzzie izz home! How did show go?" Trixie said nothing. She merely shuffled over to the couch with her head held low and her eyes closed. She silently hauled herself onto the couch's cushioning softness and buried her face in her hooves. "What'zz wrong, Trixzzie? Did poniezz not like Trixzzie'zz show? Tell Leech who poniezz were, Leech will show them!" said Leech boldly, standing on his hind legs and boxing the air in front of him with his forehooves. Trixie looked up, her mouth turned into a slight smile at Leech's antics, but her eyes still a picture of sorrow. "No, Leech, it's nothing like that. The show was a great success." she said softly. "I managed to snag three decent tricks before the show, and perform them all without a hitch." "Then why izz Trixzzie zzsad?" asked Leech, not fully understanding. "It seems that I only had a finite amount of changeling magic infused with my own. After finishing the show tonight, my horn felt... different. Or rather, it felt the same as it did prior to my brief stint as a changeling hybrid. On my way home, I tried to duplicate some ponies' talents, just to make sure I still could. But I can't. I burnt through the last of my leftover changeling magic in tonight's show." she explained, her voice wavering slightly. "Zzso thizz meanzz..." gasped Leech. "Yes, Leech. I now only have my own magic and my sleight-of-hoof tricks to rely on once again. There's little hope that I can learn any advanced tricks properly in time for my next show, so unless I find a new way to augment my own power in the next two weeks, I'm finished!" Trixie continued, ending her mournful monologue with a defeated sigh. "Two weekzz..?" enquired Leech. "Yes, my next show is in two weeks. It's very fortunate I don't have any important shows between now and then - if I practice very hard, I might be able to perform a passable Prismatic Orb Shower under my own steam." "Erm... Trixzzie. About that timezzscale. It'zz a funny zzstory, really..." began Leech, who would have been sweating if changelings had sweat glands. "Grand Galloping Gala izz next week... and Fanzzy Pantzz helpzz run it." "Yeah? So?" replied Trixie, looking confused. "He azzked Leech... or rather Trixzzie... to be main zzstage act. And... well... Leech zzsort of zzsaid 'yezz' on Trixzzie'zz behalf..." The comforting blanket of silence and peace that had descended over Canterlot for the night was suddenly pierced by the shrill, incensed scream of a stressed-out unicorn whose day had just gotten a whole lot worse. "YOU. DID. WHAAAAAAAAT?!" === Chapter 13 - Books and Blackmail === Leech peered over the back of the couch as the snarling Trixie stood before him, her body trembling with indescribable rage. "I. Told. You. NOT TO ENGAGE IN ANY DISCUSSIONS!" she roared, causing Leech's head to vanish as he ducked down behind the couch. "But...b-but Leech wazz trying to help Trixzzie! Leech thought..." Leech began. "Leech thought? Leech THOUGHT? My hat does more thinking than you!" came the furious reply from Trixie, who didn't even wait for Leech to finish. "I distinctly told you not to enter any discussions - much less agree to anything on my behalf!" Leech said nothing, but instead curled into an even tighter ball on the floor between the couch and the wall. Trixie began to pace up and down the lounge, talking out loud to herself. "Right, so the Gala is next week... I don't even have time to learn ONE decent trick in that time, never mind enough to impress a Gala audience! OK... so... what am I doing tomorrow? Shopping in the morning, officially opening another coffee house that Canterlot doesn't really need in the afternoon... so tomorrow evening should be free. I'll just go along to Fancy's place tomorrow evening and explain that I can't attend the Gala. Then... t-then..." Trixie's voice trailed off. Leech cautiously poked his head back above the couch. He looked across to where Trixie stood to see the bold, overconfident showmare weeping like a filly. Surprised by what he was seeing, Leech forgot to be scared and trotted over to his friend, placing a hoof on her withers. "What'zz the matter, Trixzzie?" he asked gently. "This whole 'fame' thing, Leech - it's really not going the way I'd planned." Trixie replied between sobs. "I used to love it when everypony's eyes were on me... but I could always get away from it. Ponies would come, see our shows, be amazed, then they'd go home. Then we'd move on and there would be a whole new set of ponies to dazzle with my amazing presence. But here - there's no getting away from it. Everypony wants a piece of me, all of the time. I can't go anywhere, do anything without being watched. The slightest mess-up will ruin my reputation beyond redemption... and I've made the biggest mess-up of all. I've climbed to fame based on a lie, a lie which is going to be discovered very soon!" With this, Trixie burst into another round of crying, covering her eyes with a front hoof and her body shaking as she released her pent-up sorrows. "But Fanzzy Pantzz and other poniezz here are famouzz, they don't have thizz zzsort of problem." Leech responded, doing his best to calm the hysterical unicorn. "Not uzzually anyway, only real problem for them izz zzstupid flank-hole Tattle-Tale." Trixie perked up slightly at hearing this. "You may well have a point, Leech." she conceded, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I just need to get through this first phase before I can really reap the benefits. Perhaps the ponies here will calm down once I'm a little more established... you know, omelettes and eggs and all that." "Izz pazzt midnight, not time to be thinking of breakfazzt!" Leech said, looking confused. "It's a figure of speech!" replied Trixie, her smile returning as she wiped the remainder of her tears away. "You can't make an omelette without breaking some eggs. It means that for something good to happen, sometimes you have to put up with some bad stuff first!" "That makezz zzenzze... Leech guezzezz..." replied Leech, uncertainly. Although Trixie knew this new approach still wouldn't solve her magic problem, it was a start. She decided to cancel her Gala appearance, and then see what happened from there. Both she and Leech were tired by this point, and after Trixie had calmed herself sufficiently, both bid each other goodnight. Leech trotted off to his basket and Trixie retreated to the bedroom. Before retiring for the night, Trixie apologized to Leech for yelling at him - the little changeling, fortunately, accepted. Despite this, Trixie couldn't shake the feeling that the damage she had done ran deeper than Leech was letting on. She knew deep down that his heart had been in the right place, and more than anything else she should count herself lucky she had a friend so eager to help her reach her goals. "It'zz juzzt zzstrezz of fame... she doezzn't want rid of Leech." Leech thought as he fell asleep. "...Leech hopezz, anyway..." ---------- The next morning, Trixie was attempting to covertly make her way through town, this time dressed in a ridiculous get-up of a cloak and hood made from a flowery tablecloth. She'd attempted to leave the apartment using her black cloak, but as she'd feared Photo Finish's photos had been published so everypony recognized her wearing it. Some even sported black, hooded capes of their own! As stupid as she felt, the floral cloth she wore was anything but befitting of a superstar pony such as herself, so nopony figured it was her under there. Nopony, that is, except for one. As Trixie hurried along the cobbled streets, she was stopped by a beige unicorn standing in front of her. Possessing a heavily waxed or possibly gelled gray mane, and a cutie mark which appeared to be a ball of dung with bovine horns sticking out from the top, the unicorn spoke to Trixie in a distinctly out-of-town accent. "You's can't fool me wid dat hood. You's da great an' powerful Trixie!" said Tattle-Tale with a smirk. "Not so loud! I don't want everypony to know!" whispered Trixie fiercely to the pony obstructing her path. "Da word is dat you're gonna be doin' a big, fancy show at da Gala next week!" continued Tattle-Tale, ignoring Trixie's protests. "Actually no, I'm afraid I'm going to be cancelling that, I'll be speaking to Fancy Pants about it this evening. Now if you'll excuse me, I have places to be!" answered Trixie before bursting into a gallop and running past Tattle-Tale. Trixie, despite having heard of Tattle-Tale from Leech, had never met him before and thus didn't know what the treacherous journalist looked like. As a result, Trixie had no concept of what she'd just done as she hurtled away down the busy streets towards her intended destination. "Have a nice day, ma'am!" sniggered Tattle-Tale under his breath. "Cos yer evenin's gonna be awful!" ---------- The rest of Trixie's day went without a hitch. She was able to shop without being disturbed, thanks to her humiliating yet highly effective disguise, successfully gathering all the provisions she and Leech would need for the coming week. Then she headed over to the newest outlet of Star-Bucks coffee, shedding her disguise for a short while to cut the ribbon and declare the place officially open. She'd declined a complementary cup of their new quintuple strength espresso, citing the fact that she planned on sleeping at some point during the next three weeks. After successfully eluding the crowd of ponies at the coffee shop long enough to re-don her disguise, Trixie was finally heading back to the apartment. She planned to stop off and change her clothes before going to meet Fancy Pants. She couldn't let such a high profile stallion see her dressed in such a strange fashion, after all! As she approached the building, however, a crowd of anxious-looking ponies milled around outside, occasionally glimpsing up at Trixie's balcony as a couple of Royal Guards struggled to hold the heaving mass of ponies back. Sneaking around the mob, Trixie stealthily made her way into the apartment complex's front door and ascended the stairs to her own apartment. Pushing open the door, she was greeted by a visibly distressed Leech. "Trixzzie! Zzsomething awful hazz happened! Look at thizz!" he cried, thrusting the latest pull-out issue of 'Tattle-Tale's Gossip Corner' under Trixie's snout. Trixie levitated the document in front of her, her eyes widening and jaw opening in horror as she took in the words before her. The Great And Powerful Quitsie! Canterlot's latest superstar bails on Grand Galloping Gala gig! Latest rumor suggests 'magician' is doubtful she's got what it takes. More inside! Trixie stood for several minutes in a stunned silence, oblivious to the increasingly rowdy crowd of ponies outside, all clamoring to find out if the contents of the gossip paper were the truth. Snapping out of her trance, Trixie realized that the pony she ran into that morning must have been Tattle-Tale himself. "Of course. The cutie mark should have made it obvious!" she thought, rolling her eyes. "What izz Trixzzie going to do? Not enough magic powerzz to do Gala show, but now everypony knowzz about it! If Trixzzie backzz out..." began Leech, worriedly. "...then my reputation's down the proverbial drain." finished Trixie, grimly. Staring at the floor for a few moments before briefly glimpsing towards Leech, Trixie's face took on a look of grim determination as she strode boldly out onto the balcony. She looked down at the crowd of ponies below, who immediately began showering her with questions. "Is it true?" "Are you really booked to play the Gala?" "Why are you backing out? Are you ill?" "Can I have a large apple pie with a glass of OJ please? Oh sorry, I'm in the wrong place." "What are you hiding?" "Settle down, settle down!" called Trixie to the crowd below, who kept shouting and questioning regardless. "CALM DOWN, all of you!" she yelled, summoning a small flash of lightning with her own magic to help make her point. The little thunderstorm had its desired effect, and most of the crowd backed down, waiting for Trixie to give her explanation. Looking skyward for a few moments, drawing a deep breath and putting on her stage persona, Trixie spoke. "My fellow ponies! It is indeed true that The Great and Powerful Trixie is booked to astound any of you fortunate enough to be at next week's Gala! And what is more, the publishers of this... document... seem to have made an error! Trixie will be there, and she highly recommends YOU be there too!" she bellowed, before turning impressively and teleporting off the balcony in a puff of purple smoke. Rematerializing inside the apartment and using her horn to shut the doors, Trixie heard the crowd's cheers for a short while, gradually dwindling as the sated ponies began to disperse. Trixie stood, her head hanging, as a stunned Leech approached her. "But Trixzzie! How do you plan to do Gala show without better magiczz than Trixzzie'zz own?" he asked. "Not that Trixzzie'zz natural magiczz are bad of courzze, but...um...er..." "It's OK Leech, I understand what you mean." Trixie replied after a short silence. "The answer is - it's time for Plan B!" "There'zz a Plan B?" asked Leech. "Indeed. Leech, I'm going out for a short while. I'll be at Canterlot Castle library if you need me. Meanwhile if you see that Tattle-Tale pass by, tell him he's messed with the wrong pony!" she ordered, before donning her floral disguise and dashing from the apartment. "Leech will do better than that..." Leech whispered darkly, waiting until Trixie was gone before pushing the balcony doors open and taking to the mauve evening skies. ---------- A short flight and a shorter sprint across Canterlot soon brought Leech to his destination - the Canterlot Chronicle offices. He knew Tattle-Tale often worked late, so was fairly certain the vile unicorn would still be in his office. Standing outside the building, rapidly inhaling and exhaling to get himself suitably hyped-up, Leech burst through the front door and flew straight up the stairwell. Landing when he reached the correct floor, he hurtled down a corridor and stopped for a few seconds outside Tattle-Tale's office. Just as he prepared to buck the door open, Leech's berseker rage was swiftly interrupted by the door being opened by unicorn magic. Tattle-Tale sat smugly at his desk, his horn's glow fading as he finished opening the door. "Took ya longer dan I expected!" he said to Leech. "Come on in!" "Don't act friendly with Leech!" spat the incensed changeling, storming into the office. "Let me guess, you've come here ta clean my clock?" sneered Tattle-Tale. "Leech doezzn't care how dirty Tattle-Tale'zz clock izz!" growled Leech, looking at the clock on the office wall. "Yezz, it could do with a duzzting, but Leech izz hear to teach Tattle zzsome rezzpect! You zzspread falzze rumor about Trixzzie!" "Yup. An' I can do a buckload more dan dat if I feel like it! Dat little article was a warnin' shot, just ta show ya I'm not foolin' around! Take a look-see at dese!" continued Tattle-Tale, levitating a ream of photographs from a nearby drawer and holding them in front of Leech. Leech gasped as he beheld the pictures - a sequence of shots showing him de-disguising in the alleyway the previous night. After a minute or two, Leech realized that the white flashes that accompanied his transformation must have been Tattle-Tale's camera. "So, what'll it be?" asked Tattle-Tale. "I could print dese babies tomorra, and show da woild that Trixie shunned Fancy Pants' little party, sendin' you instead! Or maybe I could just publish dis mid transformation shot an' tell everypony Trixie's really a changelin'! Dat would get da tongues of Canterlot waggin'!" he continued, his grin becoming wider with each word. Leech gasped, taking an involuntary step backwards in horror. Given how Trixie had been the previous night, Leech shuddered to think how mad she'd be at him if she discovered he'd been caught changing his form like that in public! Then she really would get rid of him, or maybe even worse! Plus, Tattle-Tale was right - he really did hold Trixie and Leech's destinies in the flat of his hoof. "So, I tink you know where dis is goin'." Tattle-Tale said, breaking the silence. "You do a few small tasks fer me, an' I'll turn over da pictures and da negatives!" "Leech... acczzeptzz your termzz." Leech replied sadly. "Great. Meet me after woik tomorra, and we can get started!" said Tattle-Tale with his widest grin yet. "Now clear on outta here!" ---------- At the castle library, Trixie was having a decidedly better time than her unique friend. Seated amid the silent rows of dusty tomes, the only sounds being the occasional voices of ponies as they drifted past the closed library door, Trixie's snout was buried in a large, ancient-looking book. The book was called 'MacGuffin's Guide to Magical Artifacts', and was a reference guide for all kinds of legendary magic-enhancing trinkets. One page that had caught Trixie's interest was a page that detailed an exceptionally powerful magic charm known as the 'Alicorn Amulet'. It showed a picture of a gray, triangular amulet adorned with a diamond-shaped ruby in its center. A black-and-red metal alicorn head and wings extended from the top of the amulet, and a thick collar was attached to the amulet's back to allow a pony to wear it. Enthralled by the amulet's imposing appearance, Trixie read on about the amulet's abilities and history: The powerful Alicorn Amulet was forged by the hooves of the Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna, many centuries ago. Crafted from a magically-enhanced alloy of finest silver and steel, the amulet's real power lies within the enchanted ruby that resides in its center. The amulet was created during a time of unrest in Equestria, when certain high-profile unicorn clans abused their powers in order to gain status and personal wealth. The corrupt unicorns used their unique magical abilities to commit crimes against Earth ponies, pegasi, and even lesser unicorn clans. Theft, destruction of property, and ponies being driven from their homes were rife during this feudal era, and it seemed that nopony could stop these rampaging unicorns from terrorizing the land. These unicorns were eventually challenged - and defeated - by the Royal Sisters, and imprisioned within the Crystal Caves beneath Canterlot. They numbered in their hundreds - far too many to keep underground indefinitely. Though the Royal Sisters were vehemently against execution, they required a method by which to punish these unicorns for their crimes, and also make them harmless to others before their release. The Alicorn Amulet was their solution - the enchanted ruby in the center was capable of permanently depowering a unicorn, drawing in and storing their magical energy within the gem. After depowering all of the wicked unicorn clan members, they were released back into society, unable to hurt anypony with their magic again. However their combined magical energy remained stored within the Alicorn Amulet. It is said that anypony who wears the amulet can access this stored energy and use it to augment their own. It is estimated that around five hundred unicorns were depowered with the amulet before it became filled to capacity. "The power of five hundred unicorns!" breathed Trixie. "Just imagine how truly great and powerful I would be with that!" Trixie continued to read: Knowing such power could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hooves, the Royal Sisters took turns at wearing the Alicorn Amulet around their own necks, in order to keep it safe. To further protect the amulet, the collar on which it is mounted was imbued with a magical lock, that would only open when whichever Princess wearing the amulet wanted it to. Although the sisters could handle the energies contained within, a regular unicorn using the amulet would... "Yeah yeah, blah blah. Where can I find it?" muttered Trixie, her eyes wandering off the page and onto the next. "Ah, here we are! The good part!" After the banishment of Princess Luna, Celestia's duties and responsibilities as ruler increased exponentially. As such, she no longer had the resources to perform her duties, whilst at the same time keeping a constant guard over the Alicorn Amulet. She initially attempted to destroy the amulet, but the energies within were potent enough to make it indestructible. Instead, it was hidden in a place where Celestia believed it would never be found. Nopony knows for sure where the amulet is located, although its last known location was in the former Castle of The Royal Sisters, in what is now the Everfree Forest. "Very well then." said Trixie with a smile, closing the book and standing up. "I guess that's where I'll start!" === Chapter 14 - Trixie's Treasure Hunt === Bright and early the next morning, Trixie was charging about the apartment whilst putting all manner of items into her saddlebags. She had a big day planned, and she needed to make sure she was well prepared - her future may depend upon the outcome of the coming day's endeavors! "Water canteen... check." she said out loud, stuffing a small metal bottle into the bag, "Food... check. Lantern... check. Map... check." From his basket, the still-snoozing Leech sleepily opened an eye. Observing his friend's rushing about and fervent bag packing, he let out a stifled yawn and cleared his throat. "What izz Trixzzie doing?" he groggily asked. "Packing for today!" Trixie explained, brightly. "As I told you last night Leech, I've got a big day ahead of me. I'll be out of town for most of it, so if you want an actual physical snack you'll need to make it yourself. I'd recommend something cold - you remember what I told you about using the stove unsupervised, yes?" "Leech knowzz, don't uzze zzstove without Trixzzie prezzent, otherwizze Leech might cause an 'uh-oh'." Leech replied. "And by 'uh-oh', you mean 'catastrophic fire'. We've been lucky so far, but I think the Canterlot fire department are getting fed up of us." said Trixie, stopping for a moment to look at the singed ceiling above the stove. "Leech will be fine. Hazz Trixzzie got planzz to zzsolve magic problemzz?" Leech asked, rising from his basket and stretching his limbs. "Possibly, Leech. Possibly." answered Trixie, wondering if investigating a dubious legend actually counted as a plan. "Only time will tell. And if I'm going to put my plan into action, I need to get going! Goodbye for now my friend, and I'll see you this evening! Oh Leech, before I go, could you find my compass for me? I'll be needing it on my journey." "Zzsure thing, Trixzzie!" said Leech eagerly, rummaging around until he found a small metallic object and stuffing it into one of Trixie's bags. With this, Trixie thanked Leech before throwing her cloak over her withers and fastening it at her neck. For good measure, she activated her semi-invisibility spell with a flash of her horn. The streets were quiet at this hour, so hopefully there'd be nopony around to notice a partially visible blue-tinted silhouette in the dim morning light. Leech heard the clacking of Trixie's hooves on the marble floor as she dashed out of the door and closed it behind her. "Leech zzsuppozzezz he'd better get ready for work." he sighed out loud, although on this occasion he really didn't want to go. "And Leech normally lovezz hizz job, too." he said sadly - he hadn't felt this crushed since the time a Behemoth changeling had accidentally trodden on him. ---------- It was mid-morning by the time Trixie reached the borders of the Everfree Forest, her one-time home. She'd hoped that she'd never have to return to this place, but knew she could end up living here again if she didn't! She'd caught the train from Canterlot to Baltimare, and upon realizing the train didn't stop anywhere inbetween, teleported from the carriage as the train passed by the forest. Alas, she'd failed to take the train's velocity into account when doing this, and had ended up tumbling and rolling the last few hundred yards to the forest's edge. Fortunately, a low tier shielding spell had prevented her from picking up too many injuries. Making her way into the forest's foreboding shroud of darkness, she levitated a map from her saddlebag and held it in front of her eyes. She deftly scanned it, and decided to check her bearings against her compass. She rooted around her saddlebags, unable to feel the small, round navigational aid. Instead, she eventually found two metal prongs joined by a hinge, one ending in a point and the other with a pencil attached. "When will I learn not to ask that dolt to do important things?" she wondered to herself. ---------- Back in Canterlot, Leech dejectedly trudged into the Canterlot Chronicle offices, his usual get-up-and-go having long since got up and left. Snap Happy was quick to notice his employee's abrupt change in demeanor, and immediately became concerned. "Leech, are you alright?" Snap Happy asked. "You look pretty down in the dumps today. Is there something you want to talk about?" "No... it'zz OK." Leech replied morosely, not wanting to tell Snap Happy about Tattle-Tale's scheme in case he made good on his threat to ruin Trixie's career. "Well, this might cheer you up - we've had a swap-around with some of our reporters' shifts. Which means you've got today and tomorrow off!" Snap Happy said, attempting to sound extra-cheerful in order to brighten Leech's spirits. "Really? Leech can go home?" replied Leech, his face immediately lighting up. "Yep. See you in two days, my friend! Hope you feel better soo-" Snap Happy began to reply, only to watch Leech dart away before he could finish. "Gotta make it out of here, gotta make it out of here." thought Leech as he thundered down the office corridors, determined to leave before a certain unicorn found him. ---------- Leech's heart sank as he found his progress halted by a unicorn's aura snaring him and lifting his body several inches off the ground. He continued to ineffectually gallop in mid-air for several moments as the aura dragged him backwards and into an office, the door closing behind him. Leech ceased his futile running as he was set down in front of Tattle-Tale's desk. "An' just where d'ya tink you're goin', buster? We had a deal!" Tattle-Tale said sternly as his horn ceased to glow. "Just cos yous got da day off, doesn't mean you get ta keep me waitin'! It just means we got more time ta do what we gotta do!" "Yezz Tattle-Tale. Leech izz zzsorry Tattle-Tale. What doezz Tattle-Tale want Leech to do?" replied Leech, his gaze shifting to the floor. "Well, I'm sure you are aware of the l'il problem I've been faced wid as of late. Seems da mooks in charge around here want solid evidence ta go wid my articles. And what evidence could be more solid dan a photograph?" Tattle-Tale began, a malevolent smile appearing on his face. "Tell me Leech - do you know a pony by da name of Class Act?" "Yezz, he izz Trixzzie's employer." Leech answered with an affirming nod. "Right. But, did you also know he made his fortune wid da cold storage company he runs alongside his chain a' cabaret bars?" asked Tattle-Tale. "He's what you might call a cold storage tycoon, an icebox industrialist..." "...a refrigerator magnate?" chimed in Leech. "Yeah, dat too. Anyway, he's been givin' me some problems recently, so I'm gonna do an exposé on his cold storage company's environmental irresponsibility. Y'know, a bit a' public interest news instead a' da usual celebrity stuff I do." continued Tattle-Tale. "Zzso you want Leech to do undercover reporting to dig up the factzz?" asked Leech. "Facts, shmacts. Da reason I erm... 'hired' you is cos you can take da form a' any pony, right? And havin' somebody who can take da' form a' any pony means... I can get photos of any pony doin' anythin' dat I say they're doin'!" Tattle-Tale explained, levitating a large, empty can with 'Toxic Waste' emblazoned upon it from behind his desk. "What izz Tattle-Tale doing with zzstrange can?" asked Leech. "It's what YOU'RE gonna do wid it, Leech. See dat photographic backdrop a' one of Equestria's main rivers on da wall over dere? You will take da form a' Class Act, an' den pose wid dis pretend toxic waste can in front of da backdrop. Then I'll take a picture of ya, thus givin' me all da evidence I need to publish my article!" Leech was horrified - not only was this both immoral and illegal, but it could ruin Class Act. Leech didn't want to ruin an innocent pony's life, just as he'd been reluctant to participate in Trixie's plan during the Gemstone Festival. "Pluzz, if Leech helpzz Tattle-Tale ruin Clazz Act, there izz chanzze that Leech might ruin Trixzzie too!" thought Leech. "Clazz Act employzz Trixzzie after all! But if Leech doezzn't do what Tattle-Tale zzsayzz... Leech will definitely ruin Trixzzie'zz career!" Swallowing at the lump in his throat, Leech reluctantly shifted his form to that of Class Act, before scooping up the phony waste can in a forehoof and posing next to the backdrop. Leech put on his best 'sinister' face as the camera flashed and hoped that the tears he was blinking back wouldn't come out on Tattle-Tale's pictures. ---------- Using her finely-honed instincts and impeccable strategic thinking, Trixie had managed to locate the former home of Celestia and Luna without the aid of her compass. Well, almost - in actual fact she'd stumbled upon it purely by chance whilst fleeing from a pack of ravenous Manticores. She'd only just made it to the relative safety of the ancient stone structure and closed the doors before the three vicious lion-scorpion chimeras caught up with her. Breathing a sigh of relief as her trembling body leaned against the back of the castle's heavy, wooden doors, Trixie took a few moments to regain her composure. When she had calmed herself sufficiently, she squinted in the darkness as she rummaged through her saddlebags, eventually retrieving and lighting her lantern. Opting not to waste her energy with an illumination spell, Trixie instead carried the lantern in her aura as she began to scan the vast, empty halls of the castle for clues. Drips of water echoed through the otherwise eerily-silent corridors, save for the occasional breeze being turned into an otherworldly howl by the castle's acoustics. The lantern's light flickered across the damp blocks of stone as Trixie's eyes struggled to find any clues as to the amulet's whereabouts. As she shuffled through the seemingly eternal darkness, Trixie felt her hoof touch something - it felt like some sort of string, or wire. Moving her lantern down to investigate, she could see that she had indeed hit some sort of trip wire. Her contemplation of the wire was interrupted as a deep, booming, ghostly voice suddenly arose from somewhere, the corridor's echo making it sound as though it were coming from all directions at once. "Bewaaaaare, traveler! Leave this place at once! Turn back now! Turn baaaaaack!" the voice warned, causing Trixie to instinctively turn and begin to flee. As she did so, the light of her lantern reflected from something shiny hidden in a nearby alcove. Halting her 'strategic retreat' momentarily to investigate, she trotted over to the alcove to find a small, magically-powered record player, its remarkably untarnished brass horn being what had caught her lantern's light. Attached to the record player was... a thin wire. Tracing the wire back along the walls, Trixie soon came across the same trip-wire that she had touched. Her curiosity piqued, she touched it again... and sure enough, the record player once again played the ghostly warning. "Heh. Cute. But it'll take more than a recorded message to deter The Brave and Bold Trixie! I wasn't scared at all!" she told herself, before stepping over the wire and continuing on her way. ---------- Soon, Trixie came to a large room which seemed to be in far worse repair than the others. The gaps between the blocks that made up its walls were uneven, loose stones protruded everywhere. Vines were coming in through the walls, and the smell of damp was far stronger in here than in any other room of the castle. Trixie, however, seemed pleased by this. "Aha! I've read all the Daring-Do books, I know how this works. I bet one of these loose stones opens a hidden compartment when I pull on it!" she thought, setting her lantern down and gripping a loose stone with her magic. Giving the slab a firm tug, it slid out from between its fellows and fell to the floor with a dull thud. Looking around, Trixie noted that no hidden compartments had opened up and there was nothing behind where the stone had been but the darkness of the forest outside. Undeterred, she grasped another block and pulled, yielding similar results to the first. "Sooner or later, Trixie shall reveal the Alicorn Amulet's hiding place!" she said to herself, optimistically. Fifteen minutes and seventy loose stones later, however, the only thing Trixie had revealed was the sheer extent of the room's structural instability. Blocks began to fall from the walls without her pulling them, and Trixie noted with horror that the room's ceiling was beginning to bow. Amid the deafening crashes of pieces of wall falling to the ground, Trixie could just about hear what her mind was telling her: "OK, so maybe there isn't a hidden compartment after all. Now get the buck out of this room before you end up as The Flat and Squished Trixie!" Trixie certainly didn't need telling twice, grabbing her lantern and hurrying down yet another corridor just as the hall behind her caved in on itself. This meant she'd have to find a new route out when it was time to leave, although survival was higher on her list of priorities than forward planning at that moment. Hurtling up a spiral staircase, Trixie was somewhat dizzy by the time she arrived at the top. Deducing that she must be in one of the castle's towers due to the spiral staircase and the panoramic view of the forest through the tower's small windows, she once again began to search for clues. ---------- "Ah, I bet it's stored in here. Makes far more sense to store something valuable in a tower rather than the ground floor." she thought. As she looked around, she felt one of the floor stones sink slightly beneath her hoof, creating an audible 'click' sound. A low rumble soon began to fill Trixie's ears. "Oh no, not another recording!" sighed Trixie impatiently. However, the source of the sound was not a recording, as Trixie soon discovered. The rumble became gradually louder and was accompanied by an intense vibration through the floor. It seemed to be coming from a corridor that led away from the tower, into the castle's upper floor. Moving her lantern to illuminate this corridor, Trixie's jaw dropped as she noted a huge, round stone rolling down the corridor and heading directly for the tower room she was standing in! "Oh COME ON!" she gasped out loud. "So cliche it's untrue - Daring Do had to contend with one of these in almost every book!" Cliche or not, its predictability made the peril no less deadly. Trixie once again went into strategic retreat mode, hurrying back down the spiral staircase from whence she came. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw to her dismay that the stone was also making its way down the staircase, gravity causing it to gather even more speed! Arriving at the bottom of the staircase, Trixie could see that the way was blocked with rubble from the hall collapse she'd caused some minutes previously. With the boulder bearing down on her from behind and a solid wall of rubble blocking her escape, Trixie was quite literally caught between a rock and a hard place. "Only one thing for it!" she told herself. "PANIC TELEPORT!" Just as the round stone was about to roll over the spot where Trixie was standing, Trixie managed to summon one of her infamous panic teleport spells - like normal teleport spells, but with no control over where she would end up. Rematerializing in a flash of violet in an unknown part of the castle, Trixie took a moment to get over the shock of her most recent ordeal. "The book said the Princesses were against execution!" she gasped. "So why is everything in this bucking castle TRYING TO KILL ME?! They must REALLY not want anypony to get their hooves on this amulet." ---------- Having lost her lantern whilst fleeing from the boulder, Trixie squinted to see through the darkness as she made her way down the corridor. Her magic reserves severely depleted from the panic teleport, she was only able to produce a very dim purple light with her horn. Hung on either side of the thin passageway's walls were various cloth banners depicting various scenes from Equestrian history. Time hadn't been kind to them, the dampness causing many of them to mold and rot beyond recognition. "This is useless." she finally told herself. "I'll never find the stupid amulet. There's too much castle to look through, it's like finding a needle in several haystacks! What will I do now? I needed that amulet to save my career!" she sobbed. Noting that she'd lost her tablecloth hood and cloak somewhere along the way, Trixie figure she'd need a new cloak to conceal her identity upon her return to Canterlot. Seeing the various cloth banners on the walls around her, she pulled one down with her magic and fashioned a cloak from it. It had become almost entirely dark green from the years of mold buildup, and smelt nauseatingly musty. As Trixie turned to find the exit, she noticed a small gap in the stonework behind where the banner had once been. Shining her horn into the once-concealed space, Trixie gasped as she beheld a huge bag of ancient golden coins. Gathering up her newly found bounty, her mood improved considerably. "At least the day hasn't been a total loss!" she thought. "Wait a second..." Trixie quickly removed her makeshift cloak and examined it. Through the centuries of encrusted filth she could see a picture of... a treasure chest filled with golden coins. Trixie put the pieces together as she examined the other banners that hung around her. "A banner with a picture of coins on it, had coins behind it..." One of the banners depicted a scene of ponies fighting each other with swords. Recklessly tearing the banner down, Trixie noted that a secret compartment behind the banner contained the rusted remains of several swords and shields. She tore down several more banners to reveal empty spaces, before finally coming to a banner which caused a grin to appear on her face. It depicted a pair of Alicorns using a red gem to zap a group of angry-looking unicorns. "That's the Princesses depowering the evil unicorns from centuries ago! The amulet must be here!" she thought, her entire being tingling with excitement. She threw back the banner to reveal nothing in the hidden compartment except for a scroll. Levitating the heavily stained parchment over to her, she unrolled it and began to read: Sorry, but the Alicorn Amulet is in Another Castle. ---------- Hours later, Trixie angrily stomped through the gates of Canterlot as evening fell. The weather had changed during her long, treacherous journey back, and heavy rain fell from the blackened cloudy skies. It didn't matter to Trixie though, despite her luck in finding the coins she was incensed with fury at missing out on the Alicorn Amulet. As the rain soaked her moldy cloak, causing its smell to become even pungent, Trixie gingerly felt the lump on the back of her head with her hoof. As it turned out, teleporting onto a moving train was just as hazardous as teleporting off one. Deciding that she couldn't bear to go home and give Leech the bad news, Trixie instead decided to take a long, slow walk around Canterlot, trotting solemnly down a side street that she had never traveled down before. Looking around, she noticed all kinds of strange shops she'd never realized existed in Canterlot. "Mortar Brick's Building Repairs... Bitsan Piece's Bric-a-Brac... Another Castle Antiques and Curios... Mann Co... Lord Howard Hertz Budget Dental Surgery..." she began, reading the shop names out loud. Trixie suddenly stopped walking as inspiration struck her. "Hold on... Another Castle Antiques and Curios? I wonder..." she wondered out loud. "It's a long and pretty tenuous shot, but what the hay - it's all I have!" ---------- Trixie ran up to the decrepit-looking store and pushed open its door, a small bell tingling as she entered the dusty, grimy room. All kinds of weird and wonderful items lay upon the shelves around her, from old pegasus armor to rather creepy ancient creatures preserved in glass jars. From across the dimly-lit room, the shopkeeper trotted over, startling Trixie as he emerged from the murky gloom. "May I help you, Traveler?" he said softly. "Hmmm... something drew you to my shop. Something..." "It was the name." Trixie interrupted, less softly. "You have quite possibly the worst name for an antique shop I've ever seen. But, and I know this sounds ridiculous, I think your shop may hold something I'm looking for." The shopkeeper looked a little irritated at Trixie's insulting remarks about his shop's name, but retained his cool demeanor as he flicked back his plaited mane and adjusted his strange, foreign-looking hat. "Well, my grandfather named the shop. I merely inherited it from my father, who in turn inherited it from him. It is traditional for the firstborn of each generation of the MacGuffin family to take ownership of this shop and continue our hunt for Equestria's artifacts." the shopkeeper explained. "Wait, YOU'RE MacGuffin? As in author of the MacGuffin's Guides?" asked Trixie, somewhat shocked. "Ah, you have a keen eye." replied MacGuffin with a smile. "I did not write those guides, but my great-great-grandfather did. Since then, my family has dedicated itself to locating the treasures that he described in his books." "What do you know about the Alicorn Amulet?" Trixie asked, becoming bored with the history lesson. "The most mysterious and powerful of all the known magic charms! I have it here. My father acquired it some decades ago, and I have been its protector ever since." answered MacGuffin, producing a glass dome from behind the counter. Trixie's eyes became as wide as saucers as she gazed upon the Alicorn Amulet within the dome. She quickly turned to MacGuffin. "How much do you want for it?" she asked, urgently. "Oh no, I couldn't possibly." replied MacGuffin. "It is far too powerful and dangerous to leave my custody." "This is a shop. You sell stuff. The Alicorn Amulet is here. So sell it to me!" Trixie replied, increasingly desperately. "Isn't there something else you'd rather have?" asked MacGuffin, as he looked around nervously. "How about this glass orb? Legend has it, this orb gives you control over Timberwolves! Or maybe this book, the last remaining translation guide for the ancient language of Hasharbanu! Or maybe even this club, said to have been owned by the legendary neighanderthal Tarpan?" Trixie ignored the alternatives that MacGuffin offered her, sweeping them all off the counter with her hoof. Without saying a word, she levitated her bag of golden coins from her saddlebag and dumped them harshly onto the counter. MacGuffin took a moment to examine the bounty that lay before him. "I say! Ancient Equestrian currency! Solid gold, all of them! And you're offering me all of these just for this one silly little amulet?" he breathed, barely able to contain his excitement. Trixie again said nothing, merely smiling and nodding. MacGuffin looked back at her, his smile even broader than hers. "Would you like that gift-wrapped?" === Chapter 15 - A Mare Possessed === Trixie scurried out of the antique store, clutching her new acquisition to her chest as though it were a newborn foal. Hurrying into a narrow entryway between two of the slightly shabby brick buildings, Trixie took her forehoof away from her chest and examined the precious Alicorn Amulet she held. The light was fading fast and the rain continued to pour from the heavens, but Trixie cared nothing for the prevailing climate. All that mattered to her at that moment was unlocking and acquiring the immense power the legendary amulet reputedly held within. "Well, here goes everything!" she said out loud, her voice trembling. "My future's riding on this - let's just hope the legends are true..." Wasting no further time, Trixie nervously levitated the amulet in front of her, turning it around so that the back was facing her. She gently opened the sturdy collar on which the amulet was mounted, lifted it up to her neck and then closed the collar around it, clicking the magic lock closed at the back. For a moment, Trixie simply stood there in the driving rain, becoming soaked whilst waiting for something to happen. As the seconds ticked by, Trixie began to worry that she'd not only wasted her entire day and given away a priceless bounty of gold, but that she'd been naive for believing in legends. "It hasn't worked! Oh my Celestia, I'm finished! I'll be outed as a fraud! I might even be arrested! What am I going t-" At that moment, every atom of Trixie's being seemed to ignite simultaneously, a tremendous wave of energy bursting forth from within her chest. Her entire vision took on a crimson haze as she struggled to stay on her hooves amid the torrent of sheer power that was forcing its way into her body. She tried to scream, but every synapse in her brain had seized, causing her to open her mouth and croak feebly instead. Collapsing into a heap on the ground, Trixie began to regret ever putting the amulet on when suddenly, just as quickly as it had started, the rush of painful energy ceased. Trixie lay still on the ground for a few moments as her brain took in the fact she was still alive, before shakily getting to her hooves. The burning sensations and involuntarily muscle spasms had now given way to a delicious feeling of warmth and well being that enrobed her entire body. She felt comfortable, safe and above all else... invincible. "Time to see if this is just a placebo, or whether it's the real deal..." said Trixie to nopony in particular. "First things first - I'd better get back home where I can test things out in a more controlled environment." With this, Trixie pulled the hood back over her head and, for good measure, activated her semi-invisibility spell. To her surprise, once her now-red magic aura had died down, she couldn't see her own hooves. At all. Trixie couldn't help but give a gleeful laugh. "Full invisibility! This is incredible! This thing really HAS boosted my powers!" she thought. "Now I won't need these stupid hoods and cloaks wherever I go, I can be a mere shadow in the night! A specter, forever one step ahead of the watching eye of the Canterlot press!" Becoming visible again, Trixie threw her makeshift cloak and hood into the air and, with a pinpoint-accurate beam of scarlet energy, vaporized the fetid cloth before it reached the ground. She burst into merry laughter again, before turning invisible and heading for home, her entire form blending imperceptibly with the drenched and darkened scenery around her. ---------- In the apartment, things weren't quite so cheerful. A melancholy Leech stood at the balcony doors, watching the evening's rainfall spatter against the glass, the droplets running into each other and forming larger ones before continuing their journey to the bottom of the pane. As he did, he thought about his and Trixie's life before they'd ever moved to Canterlot; a carefree life, a life of travel and adventure, and above all else a life that Leech missed terribly. "Zzstupid Canterlot!" he thought. "Trixzzie izz all zzstrezzed all the time, shoutzz at Leech, flankhole Tattle-Tale takezz advantage of Leech at work, other rezzidentzz hate Leech. Leech not know why he botherzz zzstaying here!" Of course, Leech did know why he bothered staying - he wanted to help make Trixie's dreams a reality. Yet, here they were, living Trixie's dream and they were both unhappier than they'd been in months. Although he didn't care to admit it to himself, Leech's infinite patience with Trixie was becoming more finite by the day. "Izz zzstrezz. Leech izz zzsure. Trixzzie will come around zzsoon!" Leech thought, his usual optimistic smile returning as he turned away from the window. As he did so, Leech noticed that the apartment's front door was ajar. Leech was sure he hadn't left the door open - not today, at least. He'd checked it four or five times since he'd gotten home just to make sure. "Izz... zzsomeone there?" he called nervously, with a cautious glance around the room. A muted 'clack' of a hoof stepping gently on the marble floor was the room's only reply. "Leech izz warning intruder! Leech hazz a club!" he said, panic registering in his voice. Dashing over to the kitchenette, he quickly armored himself with a colander atop his head, and grabbed a conveniently placed club which lay on the kitchen worktop. Pacing on three hooves whilst holding his weapon aloft with his right forehoof, Leech crept about the silent apartment whilst listening for more suspicious sounds. Nothing but the howling of the wind outside met his vigilant ears. Just as Leech began to relax, a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder outside caught him off guard. With a yell, he stumbled backwards, stunned by the sudden flash, bumping into what felt like a pony as he did so. "Intruder! Intruder!" cried Leech, swinging his club overhead and bringing it down upon the shadowy raider's head. The club broke in half, sending crumbs flying in all directions. The unseen pony suddenly began to glow with a sinister red aura, causing Leech to dive to the ground and cover his eyes as best he could with his holey forehooves. As the brilliant crimson outline faded, Leech could hear a familiar laughter... "Trixzzie..?" he asked, uncovering his eyes. Trixie finished becoming fully visible, and used her magic to turn the apartment's lanterns on. All the while, she was laughing a deep, almost mocking laughter. "Oh, Leech! You silly little changeling!" said Trixie between guffaws. "That was priceless! You should have seen your face!" "Trixzzie wazz fully invizzible?" asked Leech, still shaken and stunned in equal measure. "How did Trixzzie do it?" "With THIS!" Trixie replied, pointing to her new Alicorn Amulet. "This is what I went searching for today, and as usual I triumphed! It boosts my power five-hundred fold! If there was ever any doubt that the Great and Powerful Trixie was the most powerful unicorn in Equestria, there won't be anymore!" Leech couldn't help but be impressed at Trixie's new levels of power, but at the same couldn't help but feel that her little prank had been somewhat cruel. "Trixzzie could have been hurt!" Leech said, attempting to raise the topic in a way that didn't involve openly criticizing his friend. "Leech uzzed that club you bought yezzterday for home defenzze!" "Home defense? Wrong kind of club, Leech. The club I bought yesterday was a sandwich. A cress and cucumber club, to be precise. It's my dinner for tonight - or it was, anyway!" Trixie explained, noting the pieces of baguette in her mane and on the floor around her. "Still, not a big problem with the Alicorn Amulet! Be amazed by my new fix-it spell!" Leech watched in wonderment as the ruby in the center of the amulet glowed scarlet, along with Trixie's horn and, disturbingly, her eyes. A similar aura engulfed each of the pieces of crumbled bread and smears of splattered condiment, levitating them in front of Trixie like some kind of edible swarm. With a flash, the floating pieces were gone and in their place floated a fully intact club sandwich. Looking at the sandwich, one would never know Leech had attempted to brain Trixie with it just minutes previously. Trotting over to the couch, Trixie casually sat down with her newly-repaired prize and took a big bite. "See?" she said, between chews. "Nothing to it! The Gala show will be a breeze, along with every show I do from hereon in!" "Won't poniezz recognizze amulet around Trixzzie's neck?" asked Leech. "OF COURSE NOT, you imbecile! It's an ancient artifact that nopony else has ever heard of! Gah, I'd use my fix-it spell on your BRAIN if it wasn't such a SMALL TARGET!" snarled Trixie, the red light flaring up in her eyes as she spoke. "Where did THAT come from?" wondered Trixie as she came to terms with what she'd just done. "I mean, no Leech. I shall integrate it into my costume so it's not quite so obvious." she explained in a kinder tone. "Izz Trixzzie... alright?" ventured Leech quietly, not wishing to invoke Trixie's sudden wrath again. "Yes Leech, just fine... I'm just... a little tired from today, that's all. Death defying missions into old castles and acquiring ancient superpowers do that to a mare!" she explained, not entirely convinced with her own explanation. "That makezz zzsenzze..." replied Leech, also harboring some doubts over Trixie's reasoning. "I reckon I'll go to bed and sleep it off, I've got a big show to practice for tomorrow!" continued Trixie, finishing off her sandwich. "Not that I'll need much practice with my new trinket on my side! Oh and Leech, could you get me a glass of water whilst I get ready for bed? That sandwich needs something to wash it down with." "Zzsure thing, Trixzzie!" Leech replied brightly. "Leech juzzt needzz to do a few thingzz firzzt, and then..." "Did I ask you to to get me a glass of water later?" Trixie asked darkly, her eyes once more aflame with red energy. "I did not. I asked for one NOW. And you will fetch me one NOW, do you hear me?" "Why izz Trixzzie -" "And another thing, will you knock it off with that STUPID, IRRITATING buzzing! Every other changeling I met could talk properly! Trust me to get the village idiot!" Trixie interrupted, her tone becoming harsher with each word. "Now I'll ask again - GET ME SOME WATER. NOW." After a short, tense silence, Leech spoke up. "No." he replied flatly. "WHAT?!" bellowed Trixie, the glow from her eyes now bright enough to cast a demonic red light over the entire room. "Leech zzsaid NO. Trixzzie can get water herzzelf! Leech not act as Trixzzie'zz azzizztant! Not any more! Leech is zzsick of being treated like horzzeapplezz, zzsick of Trixzzie's attitude! And Leech izz ezzpecially zzsick of being shouted at all the time! Zsso.... Leech quitzz azz Trixzzie's azzizztant!" Trixie said nothing, merely narrowing her gaze at her former assistant as her horn began to glow as red as her eyes. "Azz of NOW." Leech went on, turning his hindquarters to face Trixie. "Which meanzz Trixzzie can juzzt pucker her Great and Powerful zzsnout and plant big wet juizzy one right here on Leech's big... fat... shiny..." Leech didn't get chance to finish his resignation before he was forcibly ejected from the apartment, atop a blast of blood-red magic energy. Like a small, insect-shaped comet with a vivid crimson tail, he shot out of the balcony doors and sailed across the Canterlot night sky, eventually coming to rest in the outskirts of the castle gardens. "And don't you EVER come back!" growled Trixie from the balcony, her eyes still blazing and her horn smoking. As she slammed the glass doors shut behind her, the glow in her eyes ceased, returning them to their usual magenta hue. "What the buck did I just do?!" she cried. "Why in Equestria did I just shout at him and kick him out? What's happening to me? I must find him and make sure he's alright!" As she headed for the door, Trixie noticed the amulet's jewel glowing red, just as her horn and eyes had done moments previously. "The amulet... maybe this is the cause? I'd better take this thing off until I can get a better idea of what it does." she thought, fumbling urgently at the back of the amulet's collar in an attempt to undo the lock. Before she could, however, another colossal surge of the amulet's limitless energy washed over her, restoring the malevolent crimson sheen to her irises. "Gah, forget him! He was only dead weight anyway! I've got much bigger things in my sights, like showing Canterlot that I, without any shadow of doubt, am the single greatest Equestrian to have ever existed!" she proclaimed, ceasing her struggle with the amulet's collar and heading towards the bedroom, sniggering to herself as she went. ---------- In a dusty outbuilding in the castle grounds stood a wagon - a wagon that had once been home to Trixie and Leech. Covered with cobwebs and grime due to being stood up and left untouched for several months, it now played host to one of its former residents. Leech had sought shelter from the torrential rain in the outbuilding, and had been both surprised and pleased to see his old home parked up within. He sat upon the end of what had been Trixie's bed, tearfully rifling through a dusty trunk that contained all their mementos from their travels. "The headdrezz Trixzzie got from zzebrazz...." he sighed, lifting the feathered headgear from the trunk and placing it to one side. "The flyer for Gemzztone Fezztival... one of the zzstage fireworkzz that didn't work... the shiny pebble Leech gave Trixzzie for her birthday..." he continued, levitating the items one by one and placing them in a pile on the bed. "Zzso many happy memoriezz." thought Leech. "Zzo many travellzz and good timezz. Why hazz Trixzzie turned her back on Leech after we go through all thizz?" It didn't make sense. He'd been Trixie's only friend when she needed one most, and even though it took a while for her to reciprocate, she did in the end. Leech never thought he'd see the day when their bond would be broken, especially not like this. Tapping his head with a hoof as he blinked through the tears, Leech continued to ponder. "Izz zzstrange new amulet thingy connected to thizz zzsomehow?" he wondered, noting the drastic onset of Trixie's temperament alteration. "No, it can't be. The problemzz Leech had in department zzstore. The posh poniezz dizzcuzzing Trixzzie getting rid of Leech. Trixzzie shouting at Leech when Leech get her Gala show. All thozze happened before Trixzzie got zzstupid amulet." Leech's sorrow gave way to anger as he pondered his situation in further depth - or at least, as deeply he could manage. "Zzso that meanzz... Trixzzie really doezz want rid of Leech! Trixzzie thinkzz she'zz too good to be friendzz with Leech now! Izz not fair, after all Trixzzie and Leech go through! Leech show her! Leech will get revenge!" he growled out loud, jumping down from the bed and gazing grimly out of the wagon's door. "Trixzzie will regret day she mezzezz with Leech!" === Chapter 16 - Before The Storm === As the sun rose the next morning, Leech was dejectedly strolling through the castle gardens. Sleep had, for the most part, eluded him that night - partly because of his current circumstances, and partly because the wagon was freezing cold with no fuel in its stove. Groggily rubbing at his eyes, Leech was pleased to see the morning sun slowly make its way from behind the horizon and into the sky. "At leazzt izz not raining anymore!" he thought. "Rain zzsounded like avalanche on building roof lazzt night!" Making his way across the soggy lawns, the ground beneath him squelching with every step, Leech made his way to one of the gardens' exit gates. He wasn't entirely sure where he would go from here, seeing as he had the day off work and no apartment to go to. "Hmm. Leech hazz day off, but Tattle pony wantzz Leech to go and help make more phoney gozzip picturezz." he thought sadly. Leech exited the gardens and trotted down Canterlot's empty streets, the majority of the city's denizens still being abed from the previous night's exertions. The only ponies Leech could see during his melancholy canter were the various milkponies making their deliveries, the occasional royal guard and oddly, a vagrant rummaging through a nearby dumpster. Leech paid none of them any heed however, as his mind was preoccupied with his confrontation with Trixie. "Maybe Leech should apologizze for yelling at Trixzzie? No! Trixzzie wazz mean to Leech, Trixzzie should apologizze! But Trixzzie hazz alwayzz been a bit mean to Leech, doezzn't mean Trixzzie hatezz Leech... but she'zz never been thizz bad..." he debated with himself, back and forth until he thought his brain would melt. The more he considered his position, however, the angrier he became. "Trixzzie carezz nothing for Leech, Leech izz juzzt meanzz to an end! Leech will show Trixzzie a thing or two, why if Leech zzsaw her now..." Leech's attention was caught by the 'vagrant' pulling her head out of the dumpster and slamming its lid closed. As Leech turned to look, a familiar set of violet eyes looked back at him, framed by a messy mane and a banana peel hanging off the horn above them. "Leech!" cried Trixie, running towards him. "I've been looking everywhere for you since sunrise, thank Celestia you're alright!" Leech stared wordlessly at Trixie for a few moments, before flinging himself forwards and wrapping his forelegs around one of her own. "Leech izz zzsorry, Leech never wantzz to fall out with Trixzzie again, Leech never ever shout again! Leech wantzz to zzstay friendzz forever!" he yammered hurriedly, immediately disregarding his previous line of thought. "I know, I know." soothed Trixie, rubbing Leech's head with her other forehoof. "Don't worry, Leech, you haven't done anyth-... oh no, not again!" Leech looked up at Trixie, and noticed the malevolent red glow present in her irises once more. She pulled her hoof away from Leech's own and staggered backwards, shaking her head violently as though she was engaged in some kind of internal struggle. "No... no... I can't let this... happen... again..." she thought as she frantically attempted to suppress the shockwave of negativity and hostility that threatened to consume her mind once more. Alas, one unicorn's willpower was no match for the mystic energies of five hundred unicorns long since passed, and soon Trixie stood bolt upright, glaring at Leech with narrowed crimson eyes and a steely gaze. "As I was saying, you haven't done anything anywhere near enough to make up for your disrespect to Trixie the All-Powerful!" she boomed, striding purposefully towards Leech. "But Trixzzie zzsaid she wanted to be friendzz again... now Trixzzie zzsayzz Leech needzz to apologizze more? Leech doezz not underzzstand!" he wailed, backing away from Trixie's continued advance. "That's not a surprise, Leech seldom does!" snarled Trixie, pushing her snout into Leech's face and staring directly into his eyes with her own. "But try not to let it get you down too much, bug face! Now, until you have a suitable way of making amends to Trixie, stay out of my way!" With this, Trixie turned around and stomped away, shouting obscenities at a nearby milkmare as she went past. As Leech watched her leave, he picked himself up and furrowed his brow. "Oh. It. Izz. On." he hissed, before taking flight and heading further into the city. ---------- A short while later, Leech touched down at the end of the street where he worked, and galloped the rest of the way to the Canterlot Chronicle offices. As he did, Leech couldn't help but notice that the streets were beginning to become busier as the Canterlot populace began to awaken. He also couldn't help but notice that their stares were harsher, and their jibes were crueler than they'd been previously. "Vermin!" shouted a passing mare. "Get out of our city, parasite!" snarled a shop vendor as he opened his premises for the day. Ignoring them and the dark muttering from the other ponies who happened to be in the area, Leech soon reached his intended destination. Wasting no time, Leech barged through the Chronicle building's front door and flew vertically up the stairwell. He carefully poked his head around the corner of the corridor that led to the press offices themselves. He couldn't afford to let any of the staff see him in the office during his supposed day off, lest any of them become suspicious! Creeping cautiously through the building, Leech's heart stopped as he heard hoofsteps approaching. Thinking quickly, Leech deftly switched forms, becoming a large potted plant in a puff of green energy. From within his leafy disguise, Leech watched the pair of unicorn reporters trot past, hoping neither of them would question where the new potted plant had come from. Turning into a plant wasn't difficult - after all, changelings could imitate any living being, regardless of their disguise's sapience level. The pot had been a little trickier, but fortunately Leech had picked up a trick or two from Trixie during his time with her. Combining this with his own powers allowed for what was technically known as a partial inorganic transformation. Or as Leech called it, 'turning into stuff that isn't ponies'. "Morning, Leech." said one of them nonchalantly as they strode by. Somewhat crestfallen, Leech switched back to his original appearance. "How did pony know it wazz Leech?" he asked, disappointed. "Because pot plants generally don't have eyes." replied the other reporter, stopping and turning to face Leech. "Say, didn't Snap Happy say you were off today?" "Well... yezz... but... erm..." stammered Leech. "Leech forgot hizz... um... hizz hat. Yezz, Leech left hizz reporter hat at offizze. And if Leech zzseezz good zzstory during hizz day off, he can't report it without hizz hat!" "I hear you, my friend!" replied the first reporter, lovingly tapping his 'Press' fedora with a forehoof. "I don't know what it is about these things, but I just can't report unless I'm looking the part! Well, see you around!" Leech mopped his brow as he watched the reporters leave, which was a somewhat redundant action since chitin didn't contain sweat glands. But, it just felt right to Leech at that moment in time. Swiftly resuming his mission, Leech stealthily made his way to Tattle-Tale's office, encountering seventeen other ponies along the way. Thanks to his mastery of disguise and natural changeling cunning, however, he was only spotted fifteen times. Reaching his target, Leech took a deep breath in, and knocked the door to Tattle-Tale's office. He pushed the door open cautiously when the gossip-crazed unicorn told him he could enter, and scurried inside. ---------- Canterlot's streets had once more gained their usual hustle and bustle as its pompous populace awoke and set out to begin their day. Among them, a hooded and cloaked figure paced nervously down the main street, a pair of magenta eyes occasionally peering from beneath the hood. Trixie glanced around, paranoid about being recognized and attracting any unwanted attention. As she walked, the Alicorn Amulet jingled and clanked from within her saddlebags, where it resided since she'd taken it off. "It's no good, I'll HAVE to cancel my Gala show. This thing's defective - there's no telling what I'll do if I keep using it!" she mused pensively. "I just hope the citizens of Canterlot will understand, and that the gossip article calling me a coward won't have too much of an effect!" Presently, she left the busy main streets and approached an immaculately polished set of brass gates, at the end of a long pathway leading to an impressive white-painted mansion - the home of Fancy Pants. Trixie pushed the door buzzer button set into the wall to the left of the gates, and waited for Fancy to open the gates for her. She hoped he wouldn't be too disappointed at her turning down his offer of performing at the Gala, but knew deep down it was for the best. As she waited, a distressed voice called to her from behind. "Trixie? Is that you?" came the call. Trixie rolled her eyes and turned around, expecting yet another armada of crazed fans to mob her with autograph books, or stand next to her and grin as their friends took pictures. She really wasn't in the mood for this, but sighed defeatedly as she turned around and awaited the inevitable. What she found when she turned around, however, surprised her. "Class Act?" she exclaimed, noting the tired-looking pony before her. Sure enough, there stood Trixie's employer, looking as though he hadn't slept or shaved in days, his eyes bloodshot with heavy bags beneath them and his body exhausted and unfed. "Thank goodness I've found you." he panted, a moderate whiff of alcohol on his breath. "I've just come to wish you luck with the Gala performance tomorrow. You have no idea how much this is going to mean to me!" "Well... um... thanks, I guess." began Trixie, uncertainly. "But you've got an entire business empire at your hooves, why in Equestria is my performance going to affect you so?" "Because my cold storage company is under investigation by the Equestria Environmental Department! Some hack of a journalist has reported that my firm is committing environmental crimes, and there's not a shred of truth to it! Tattle-Tale, that conniving trickster... he's even got photos! I don't know where from, because I've never dumped waste into the country's waterways - Chilled Refreshments And Perishables has always prided itself on environmental responsibility!" yammered Class Act, his voice becoming increasingly desperate. "Well, I'm sorry to hear that... I've had an encounter with Tattle-Tale myself. He's a flank-headed cretin for sure, but I still don't get what bearing I have on all this." replied Trixie, sympathetically. "My business is going down the tubes! My customers are going to start cancelling contracts, and I bet I'll have to close it down before the year is out! Which means my cabaret bars will be my sole income from now on. And when you knock 'em dead at the Gala, they'll be the most popular bars in all of Equestria!" continued Class Act, a hopeful smile appearing on his face. "Do well at the Gala, and I'll make it through this whole ordeal just fine! I'll see you tomorrow!" With this, Class Act trotted away, a slight stagger to his step as though he were struggling to co-ordinate his hooves. Trixie hung her head and closed her eyes tightly. She wondered bitterly why nothing could ever be simple for her! Her best friend was missing, she didn't even know if reconciliation was possible, she had an amulet which made her angry every time she wore it and now she didn't know whether she could cancel her show! "Class Act was the pony who gave me my big break in Canterlot!" she thought. "I can't let him down like this. No two ways about it, I'll HAVE to perform after all!" She levitated the Alicorn Amulet from her saddlebag, and gazed upon it thoughtfully. Its enchanted ruby glistened in the mid-morning sun, occasionally emitting an otherworldly shimmer of crimson energy. "It's just for one more day, I only need to wear it until the Gala is over and done with. I'll have to be alert and control the impulses it gives me. You're strong, Trixie. You can do this. You're Great and Powerful, no mere bauble is going to mess with your mind!" she told herself as she placed the amulet's collar back around her neck. This time she wasn't knocked off her hooves by a wave of power hitting her, instead merely experiencing a moment of slight nausea before the familiar, addictive feeling of security and invulnerability coursed through her body once more. "See, this isn't so bad." she told herself out loud, a smile gracing her lips. "It's fine, maybe I just put it on wrong the first time around. No freaky glowing or angry shouting this time around." Presently, Fancy Pants arrived and swung open the heavy brass gates. He was surprised to find the hooded and cloaked Trixie standing at the end of his garden path. "Trixie, my dear!" he said smoothly. "You do look well! To what do I owe the pleasure? Are you ready for your big performance tomorrow?" "TRIXIE IS TOTALLY READY! MY MIND IS READY! MY BODY IS READY!" roared Trixie, her eyes burning redder than ever and her mouth contorted into a maniacal grin. "Oh, um, splendid." replied Fancy Pants meekly, taking a step backwards. "And will your little friend be present for the show?" "Leech? HAH! Don't make Trixie the All-Powerful laugh. I ditched that dolt like the dead-weight he is!" Trixie responded with a wicked grin. "Oh, excell- I mean, I am sorry your friendship's gone that way. Still, never mind - you've most likely learned a valuable lesson about trusting changelings. Say, whilst you're here, would you like to come in for tea and cake?" asked Fancy Pants, barely able to suppress a triumphant smile. "Darn straight, Fancy!" boomed Trixie, giving Fancy Pants an over-enthusiastic hoof bump to his shoulder. With this, Trixie boldly trotted down the path towards the mansion, as Fancy Pants quickly closed the gates and hobbled after her, barely able to keep pace. ---------- Meanwhile, at the Canterlot Chronicle offices, Leech was seated in Tattle-Tale's office, explaining his situation. Tattle-Tale, sensing trouble, eagerly listened to everything Leech had to say. "Well, I'm sorry yer friendship's gone south." Tattle-Tale said to Leech, thinly veiling his insincerity. "But tell me, what does this have ta do wid me?" "Tattle-Tale hazz photozz showing Trixzzie bailed on Fanzzy pony'zz party, right?" responded Leech, his gaze shifting to the side as though contemplating his own actions. "Oh, you mean my 'insurance policy', da one I'm usin' ta secure your services?" asked Tattle-Tale, a smug grin appearing on his face. "Yep." said Leech flatly. "Tattle-Tale can publish them. Leech doezzn't care any more." === Chapter 17 - Absolute Power Corrupts? Absolutely! === Tattle-Tale didn't quite know how to react to Leech's bombshell at first. His initial feeling was one of crushing disappointment as he realized he no longer held any sort of power over Leech. As he pondered the situation however, a malevolent smile soon began to spread across his muzzle. He glanced at a nearby desk calendar, and then turned back to face Leech. "Leech my friend, ya couldn't a' timed dis better!" exclaimed Tattle-Tale. "Yer ex-buddy Trixie's doin' da biggest show a' her career tomorra, meanin' she'll be da talk a' the town. So if we publish dese beauties da mornin' after... her popularity is gonna put my readership inta' da stratosphere!" "That'zz good... izzn't it?" queried Leech, not entirely sure what a 'stratosphere' was. "Good? It's fan-freakin'-tastic!" Tattle-Tale replied. "I might even win an award for dis one! Story a' da century!" "What... exzzactly will happen to Trixzzie after photozz are printed?" asked Leech, a tinge of remorse creeping into his voice. "Ha! Dat mare will be ruined forever! Everypony's gonna forget about da part she played in savin' da city all those months ago! Fancy Pants is a pretty influential pony, when everypony gets a load a' Trixie givin him da brush off, ain't nopony gonna take her seriously ever again!" came the reply, punctuated by sinister laughter. "Ha... ha... umm.... yezz, good one... maybe?" squeaked Leech in a tiny voice, attempting to laugh along but being unable to bring himself to. Ruined forever? Leech hopezz it'zz not permanent, Leech only wantzz to ruin Trixzzie forever for a little while... Leech's deliberations were interrupted as he caught sight of a letter on Tattle-Tale's desk. Tattle had been working on it when Leech had entered the room, and the little changeling was intrigued as to what the letter was for. "What izz letter Tattle pony izz working on?" asked Leech, trying to distract himself from his doubts for a few moments. "Oh, dat? Dat's a little somethin' I'm sendin' to a journalist friend a' mine back in Bronclyn. Much like me, he's a journalist dedicated ta' bringing celebrity gossip ta' da masses... warts an' all!" replied Tattle-Tale with a sneer. "What doezz letter zzsay?" Leech enquired, wondering why ponies would want to read about each others' warts. "Well, since we're on da same side now, guess there's no harm in readin' it to ya," began Tattle-Tale, levitating the document up to his face and clearing his throat. Dear Mud Slinger It's your old buddy Tattle-Tale here, with a little proposition for you. I'm based in Canterlot at the moment, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in working for me at some stage in the near future. I can guarantee there'll be no shortage of work - I've already accrued a massive readership, I've got an associate who can help produce all the photographic evidence we need, and a fully equipped office. But let me tell you the absolute best thing about working in Canterlot - the populace are the biggest bunch of petulant, gossip-hungry slugs I've ever encountered. Seriously, these ponies are just a load of vapid, empty-headed, mindless cretins who will gladly swallow any horseapples I put out there! Heck before the recent change in legislation I didn't even need to put pictures with my articles if I didn't have any. The place is a goldmine, a huge number of incredibly gullible and stupid ponies with too much money - and they'll gladly part with that money in exchange for any old gossip, even if it's just a steaming pile of scat. Too far up their own flanks to see the truth, and too lazy to find anything out for themselves. Don't worry about the legalities either - I make enough profit that I can skim cash off to pay any court fees with. I just tell the owners that it's "business expenses" - as long as they don't know where the money goes, it can't hurt them! With the rate at which my operation is expanding, I reckon in the next month or so I'll need assistance in running my gossip mag - too many rich morons to fleece, and not enough time! Write back to me with your decision, or feel free to visit the office. See you soon! Tattle-Tale "So ya see," explained Tattle-Tale, "when we run dis here exposé on your friend, I reckon my paper's gonna become too huge for me ta run all by myself! So I thought I'd extend an invite to my old buddy." Tattle-Tale deftly folded the document in half and slotted it neatly into an envelope, before setting it down on his desk. He rose to his hooves and headed for the office door, before stopping and turning back to look at Leech. "I'll take da Trixie pics to the print room dis evenin'," he said, "meanwhile, I want you ta find out all ya can about dis amulet thing you mentioned earlier. If she's really cheatin' on her performances, dat's double the scandal!" With this, Tattle-Tale strode from the office to get some lunch, leaving Leech alone with his thoughts. ---------- Leech made no effort to leave Tattle-Tale's office, his troubled mind instead contemplating his and Trixie's current situation. "Leech zzsure hopezz Leech knowzz what he izz doing..." he said sadly, before his attention was once again caught by something - the slot machine device Tattle-Tale used for his story ideas. Seeing the opportunity for a much-needed bit of fun, Leech reached out a forehoof and gave the handle a tug, sending the three barrels into a whirling frenzy of names and activities. With a 'clack!', the spinning barrels came to a halt, forming a sentence which Leech slowly read out to himself. "Filthy Rich... caught shoplifting... mare'zz underwear..." he said slowly, before erupting into riotous laughter. "Thizz izz fun!" he gasped between guffaws, before giving the lever another pull. "Photo Finish... admitzz... never bathing..." he read out loud once more, before another fit of giggles took hold. "Photo pony doezzn't bathe! Thizz machine izz zzso funny!" laughed Leech, falling onto the floor in hysterics, lying on his back and kicking his little hindlegs out. His laughter soon stopped as one of his kicking hindlegs hit one of the legs of Tattle-Tale's desk. Leech watched as the desk shot several feet backward, the documents on it being flung in all directions. The motion caused the slot machine on the desk to topple over, hitting a nearby filing cabinet... which in turn, like a huge metal domino, fell into a nearby set of wooden shelves with a deafening crash. Envelopes, files, folders and sheets of paper rained from the upended cabinet and shelves like giant flakes of confetti, which soon covered the floor of Tattle-Tale's office. Leech quickly got to his hooves and surveyed the scene of destruction. "Uh-oh. Leech had better clean up thizz mezz and get out of here!" he breathed, before quickly charging about the office, grabbing hoof-fuls of documents and stuffing them into drawers and folders, with little consideration of whether they were the actual places the documents had come from. Before long, Leech had placed all the documents and folders, more or less at random, back into the drawers and onto the shelves. The envelopes containing Tattle's letter to his friend and the incriminating photos of Trixie were back in their proper places, as were all items of furniture. His task complete, Leech quickly scuttled out of the building before Tattle-Tale returned. ---------- Meanwhile in Fancy Pants' lounge, things were proceeding with around the same level of success and organization. "I say, Trixie," Fancy Pants said uneasily to the tense-looking aqua mare sitting on the velvet-cushioned stool on the opposite side of the coffee table, "have you been sleeping properly lately? Your eyes are looking a little... well, red..." "My sleep schedule is fine. Not that it's any of your business." replied Trixie flatly, the glow in her eyes flaring a little. "Ahem... yes, of course, my apologies. Not proper to question a lady's sleeping habits, not proper at all. I'm sure you're perfectly capable of regulating your own rest periods." said Fancy Pants, sounding even more nervous. In an attempt to disperse the increasingly hostile and awkward atmosphere that was building in the room, Fancy Pants decided to hastily change topic. "What's that charming piece of jewelry you have around your neck, Trixie? I've never seen anything like it in my entire life! Is it an antique?" he asked, his eyes turning towards the shimmering amulet on Trixie's chest. "You could say so," answered Trixie through gritted teeth, "but then you could also say it's nothing to do with you." "I... er... well..." stammered Fancy Pants, not expecting Trixie's new-found aggressive streak. "And another thing - you said there'd be tea and cakes. I see no tea and I see no cakes - I have a busy schedule of practicing ahead of me, and I can't waste time making pleasantries with you under false pretenses!" continued Trixie, narrowing her eyes. "Ah...uh... but of course. I'll just go through to the kitchen and see what I have." replied Fancy Pants, a few beads of sweat forming above his now nervously-smiling face. Trixie sat on her stool, her increasingly erratic thought processes straining to ponder coherently. What... am... I... doing? I really should take... this thing off, I'm making... myself look incredibly... rude! No... no, I can't take it off... need to keep it on so I can... try and adjust to it... before tomorrow night! Just... hope... I can adjust before I alienate everpony I know...! At that moment, Fancy Pants re-entered the room carrying a silver tray in his teeth. Upon the tray was a dainty little cup and saucer filled with freshly brewed tea, and a small plate of assorted croissants. He set the tray down on the coffee table and gave Trixie a somewhat worried sideways glance. "I'm afraid I don't have any cakes in at the moment," he said, "but I do have a delectable selection of flavored croissants, freshly baked this mor-" Fancy Pants was cut off by a blue hoof swatting the plate of pastry treats off the table, sending them flying into the lounge wall. "NO!" boomed Trixie, her eyes turning completely crimson as another surge of the amulet's corrupting energy flowed through her. "I DON'T WANT THAT. How DARE you waste Trixie's time with false promises of cake! If you can't provide what you invited me in for, then DON'T INVITE ME IN. Now if you don't mind, Trixie has a hard afternoon of practicing to do... my legendary shows don't just create themselves, you know!" With this, Trixie stomped out of the room and out of the mansion's front door, slamming it hard behind her as she did so. Fancy Pants watched her angrily march down the garden path and out of the gates before letting out a sigh. "Quite the firebrand, that one." he mused, "Poor little thing, I guess the nerves must be getting to her! Oh well, I guess I'll just have to polish these croissants off myself. If I hurry, I can get them off the floor before the fifteen-second rule is up!" ---------- Several hours later, as midnight descended over the city, several of Canterlot's residents thought they could hear the sound of explosions and the crumbling of rocks coming from the mountains that surrounded the area. The sounds were distant and faint however, and anypony who heard them soon dismissed them as background noise. Unbeknown to them all, at the peak of a small mountain fifteen miles outside Canterlot, Trixie stood amid a crackling aura of deep red lightning. Trixie had teleported into the mountains - with her now-pinpoint-accurate teleportation spell - to test the Amulet away from prying eyes. Working the Amulet's magic to its fullest extent, Trixie viciously smashed the giant rocks that surrounded her with a mere nod of her head, and fearful scarlet beams from her eyes instantly melted the broken pieces of stone into magma which rained down around her. As the last of the fiery orange rain splashed onto the rocky embankment on which she stood, Trixie stopped to catch her breath and admire the carnage she had created. Still-glowing lumps of semi-hardened magma steamed in the cool night air, and little more than gravel remained where a mighty row of standing stones had been only minutes previously. Trixie surveyed the scene and let out a laugh. "Trixie is the most powerful equine OF ALL TIME!" she shrieked. "None of them would believe me. None of them ever thought I'd progress beyond a parlor magician! But Trixie has proven them wrong! Trixie has proven them ALL WRONG!" All remaining semblance of sanity now buried deep beneath the Amulet's influence, Trixie's thoughts began to wander. "Look at them all, the insignificant little whelps." she muttered in disgust as she observed the unknowing city from her vantage point. "All wrapped up in their pointless little bubbles of ignorance. All that wealth, all that status, all that prestige, wasted on ponies who neither appreciate nor deserve it. I don't even know why I'm performing for them tomorrow... with these powers, Trixie should not be a mere performer, existing only for the pleasure of others. If anything, they should live to please me!" Trixie grinned as her Amulet-infused mind concocted a scheme. "Tomorrow's show is going to be something these snobbish fools shall never forget!" she cackled. "It'll not only be the show that cements Trixie's place as the greatest magician of all time... but Trixie's place as the new ruler of all ponykind!" Her new strategy decided, Trixie powered up the Amulet once more and resumed the wanton assault upon the mountainside, her destructive frenzy continuing long into the early hours. ---------- A buzz of excitement coursed throughout the entire city as the sun rose the next morning, with ponies scurrying busily from place to place making preparations for the upcoming Gala that evening. Nopony even seemed to notice that one of the nearby mountains was half as tall as it had been the day before. They were all much too busy making last-minute purchase of dresses, suits and accessories, arranging transport to and from the castle, and some lucky Canterlot residents were even arranging dates! Leech trotted slowly through the bustling streets, occasionally stopping to take in a sip of the delicious excitement that hung in the very air around him, perking him up considerably after another chilly night's sleep in the wagon. Yet even this deluge of joviality and the fact nopony had insulted him as they trotted past couldn't lift Leech's spirits entirely. "Leech zzsuppozzezz Leech had better go to cazztle library and find bookzz on amuletzz. Tattle pony zzsaid he needed to know more." he sighed, turning around and heading back towards the castle. Entering the deserted repository of literature, Leech sat himself down at one of the library's many wooden study desks. Upon it, rather conveniently, was a book entitled 'MacGuffin's Guide to Magical Artifacts'. Trixie, in her rush to begin her search for the Alicorn Amulet several days previously, had neglected to put the book away before leaving. "Zzsome other pony muzzt have been zzstudying amuletzz too!" Leech buzzed. "Izz shame whoever it wazz izz too zzsilly and lazzy to put bookzz away! Zzstill, zzsavezz Leech from zzsearching!" Turning the tatty brown cover of the book over, Leech concentrated hard as he began to decipher the words on display before him. Hours ticked by as Leech took in each printed character, sometimes taking a few moments to make sense of some of the more complicated words before progressing to the next one. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Leech grinned contentedly as the first gruelling phase of his task was complete. "That'zz the contentzz page!" he said to himself, a satisfied smile on his face. "Now Leech will try and read page two!" Looking up at the clock, however, Leech's smile quickly dropped from his face. "Zzseven hourzz? It took Leech zzseven hourzz to read that one page? Izz nearly time for Gala, Leech izz zzsuppozzed to be covering Gala for Zzsnap Happy! Leech will juzzt have to flick through book and look at picturezz!" Quickly turning over the pages, Leech's smile returned when he happened upon an illustration of the Alicorn Amulet. "That'zz the one!" he cried out loud. "But there'zz zzso much writing about it! Will take Leech far too long to read it all!" "Whatcha doin?" asked a voice from directly behind Leech. "AAAGH!" yelled Leech in surprise, before whirling around and coming face-to-face with Pinkie Pie, dressed in her full Gala regalia. "Shouldn't you be at the Gala, Leechy? Hehe... Leechy. That sounds like lychee, and I love lychees! Do you like lychees, Leechy?" Pinkie rambled, not even pausing for breath. "Leech izz trying to read book about amuletzz." Leech answered, entirely disregarding Pinkie's query about his fruit preferences. "But Leech izz having trouble reading zzsome of thezze wordzz..." "No problem!" Pinkie said, scooping the book up in her forehooves. "I'll read it for you. But I'll have to be quick... I just came in here to find a couple of cookbooks, so I can get some new ideas for my desserts! I might even quickly whip up a few during the Gala, since I'm in charge of catering and all!" "Shouldn't prinzzezzezz have zzsorted that zzstuff?" asked Leech. "Well yeah, but they got called away to some urgent stuff in Saddle Arabia, they're not sure if they'll be back before the Gala is over. So me and the girls have been put in charge of some parts of the Gala! Isn't that exciting? Me and Applejack are in charge of catering, Dashie's organizing the firework display, Rari-" Pinkie began to reply. "Pink pony... pleazze, Leech needzz to hear about amuletzz!" Leech interrupted. "Oh, yeah... sorry!" replied Pinkie, as she began to read the Alicorn Amulet's history to Leech. Leech listened in rapt attention as Pinkie described to him how the Amulet was created, and how it had been used to remove and contain the powers of unicorns who had broken the law. With the history of the Amulet nearly completed, Pinkie began to read the paragraph that Trixie had elected to skip over. Knowing such power could be extremely dangerous in the wrong hooves, the Royal Sisters took turns at wearing the Alicorn Amulet around their own necks, in order to keep it safe. To further protect the amulet, the collar on which it is mounted was imbued with a magical lock, that would only open when whichever Princess wearing the amulet wanted it to. Although the sisters could handle the energies contained within, a regular unicorn using the amulet would quickly come to regret their decision. Whilst the Amulet does contain the combined powers of five hundred unicorns, that power is tainted by the evil unicorns' malice and hatred. An average pony wearing the amulet would soon find their mind overwhelmed by this negative energy, causing a rapid onset of insanity and loss of self. A non Alicorn wearing the amulet would very quickly become hyper-aggressive, emotionally unstable, and develop a powerful urge to subjugate and exploit everypony and everything around them, just as the corrupt unicorn clans did all those years ago. This makes the Alicorn Amulet one of the most dangerous of all known magical charms, as well as the most powerful. "Wowee!" giggled Pinkie. "I wouldn't want to meet a pony wearing that thing! They'd be loco in the coco, not to mention a massive Meanie McMeaniepants too! Well, Leechy, I'd better grab those cookbooks and head back to the Gala hall, it'll be starting soon! Are you coming?" Leech said nothing. He simply stared at the ceiling in stunned disbelief. "Umm... Leechy?" said Pinkie, waving a hoof in front of his eyes. "Pinky pony needzz to fetch other Element poniezz! Right now!" gasped Leech, snapping out of his trance. "Leech hazz made a terrible mizztake... Trixzzie izz in danger, and zzso izz everypony elzze! We muzzt zzsave her!" "In danger? What's Trixie in danger from?" asked Pinkie, cocking her head slightly in confusion. "Herzzelf!" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: No Pepper author: Estee tags: character:Princess Luna, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Comedy, genre:Dark, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== In Which Either No Reader Kinks Are Satisfied Or New Ones Are Born === When Twilight truly took a moment to consider it, she usually decided that Luna had an... interesting way of looking at things. (The ellipsis was mandatory, and frequently served as the mental pause during which a rational pony would consider putting the weapon down.) And in some ways, that was to be expected, for Luna was a mare who had effectively emerged from deep time. She was royalty. Additionally, the alicorn had the perspective which came both from great age and what a few considered to be a near-total lack of maturity. And of course, it took a pony of absolutely no class to describe Luna's viewpoint as that of a sick and twisted pervert or rather, it required one of rapidly approaching experience. But it was something to keep in mind when dealing with Luna: that the dark mare simply didn't perceive the world in the same way as everypony else. And for Twilight, it was something she usually remembered a crucial split-second too late. She didn't think about it as she rushed across silver-flecked marble into the Lunar throne room on that hot summer night, because the only thing she was truly thinking about was the book secured in the pinkish bubble of corona, which was being kept just far enough away from her left wing to give her safe flapping distance. This also meant it was close enough to keep an eye on, and Twilight had been doing exactly that from the moment she'd left the relative safety of the antique bookshop and galloped through Canterlot's moonlit streets. There were all sorts of considerations to keep in mind while transporting rare texts: damage, theft, and in this case, the very real danger that somepony might try to read it. "Luna!" she gasped as the doors were cleared, the bubble levitating up and over the head of the leftside Guard just before unwary eyes could fall upon the serious risk imposed by the back cover blurb. "I'm sorry for dropping by without notice, it's nothing important or crucial or where we need to call the others, it's just that I knew that of all the ponies in the world, you might be the only one who would truly appreciate this --" "Slowly, Twilight Sparkle," the dark alicorn calmly said, coolly staring down from the silver throne. "Allow your thoughts to catch up to your words." Twilight winced, and did so at the same moment the non-order put the brakes on all four hooves, sending her into a near-skid which abruptly ended at the base of the throne's ramp. (The Guards, who were trained in discretion, responded by simply closing the doors, and did so three seconds after a slightly faster movement would have allowed them to miss the crash.) "Sorry! I'm sorry, I'm sorry --" a wild glance to the left: the book was safe "-- I'm sorry --" "-- and your legs," Luna placidly continued, managing to do so around what was absolutely not a facehoofing which had been aborted halfway in. "There are times when I am tempted to instruct you in the benefit of patience." The Princess lightly shrugged. "Well, perhaps the opportunity for a direct lesson will eventually arise. So this is clearly about a book. What have you found?" "I found it moons ago," Twilight panted, forcing herself back to her hooves. "It just took forever to arrive. There were some complications... anyway, take a look!" The book floated slightly forward. "This may be the very last copy in all the world, and now I own it!" Hastily, "But don't read anything more than the title. We can't open it. At least not before we find some sugar. Maybe chocolate. And one of the survivors said the odds of finishing Chapter One are best if you read it while surrounded by puppies. And I'm only proposing we go that far because some ponies... well, I still don't believe it, but I guess there's a tiny chance we're both immortal?" Luna, looking vaguely intrigued, slowly got up from her throne and began to trot down the ramp, her gaze becoming progressively less squinty as she gradually closed in. (Twilight, who had already been sweating from a gallop on a hot summer night, welcomed the slow approach: it was always a little cool around Luna, pleasantly so, and the gradualness of the subtle temperature drop was a welcome sensation.) "Clearly a discovery," the older alicorn observed. "But one which requires precautions? I would presume that any magical protections required are already in place --" Which was when the title came into focus. Luna stopped moving. About two body lengths away and, with the slope of the ramp, roughly eight hoof-heights above the floor. "Oh," she softly said. "It survives. Somehow, despite everypony's efforts across the centuries, it is here..." Twilight, who had a tendency to miss tones (over and under, with an option for sepia), excitedly nodded. "Bartleby's Scrivenings!" she happily exclaimed. "Did you know that some ponies say this is the most depressing book ever written? I saw the title in an estate sale's catalog listing, and nopony's seen that title in nearly twelve hundred years! I'm not even sure how it survived! Or how the last owner did!" "The usual means, one would think," Luna quietly stated. "The book is placed upon the highest shelf, just barely within sight. Somewhere that the owner would require neck strain to see. And then you are simply aware of its presence. Unavoidably so. It looms, Twilight Sparkle. The shadow it casts possesses a rather singular weight. One strains to regard it every day, considering that the option to read it is available -- and then, having considered that option, a healthy pony realizes that they would... prefer not to. Until the night when the recently deceased changed their mind. What do you intend to do with it?" "Keep it safe," Twilight proudly replied. "By keeping it. Which also keeps everypony else safe." With a little frown, "I think that's why it took so long to ship. The pony who was certified to make the final transfer said one of the couriers was curious about the package and... well, as far as anypony can tell, he just read the back cover blurb. But I'm told he's feeling much better now and as soon as they released him from the asylum, he remembered about the book. And started screaming for somepony to get it away from him. Which meant he had to tell them where it was before they took him back in." "An unusually serene journey," Luna noted. "But still... to see a copy again, after so many were reborn by fire..." Twilight's frown became deeper, in no small part because somepony had just casually talked about burning books. "It's 'died by fire,' Luna." "Reborn," the older alicorn stated. "As ashes. Most of the populace believed the original trees would have preferred it that way. Have you made a final check of its authenticity?" The little mare took a deep breath. "That's part of why I came here. Everypony said you used to have the greatest book collection in Equestria, at least for that time period. I thought if anypony would be able to verify it... and I didn't even get to open it, nopony was willing to risk letting that happen in the shop..." Luna silently nodded, ignited her horn. Twilight receded her corona from the book's spine, providing a place for the flowing darker energy to get an initial grip. The tome was collected, floated across the short distance as the front cover slowly opened. "You did well to bring it here," Luna decided. "I am qualified to recognize the true. We need do no more than check the frontspiece. The original engraving contains distortions from tear stains which were never replicated." Twilight blinked. "How do tear stains damage an engraving? It would take acid." "Yes," Luna serenely replied. "I suppose I am being overly broad in describing the falling remnants of the liquid which the engraver used to keep herself from reading any more of the text as 'tears.' So let us see..." She looked. Dark eyes blinked, exactly once. "Yes," Luna quietly said. "It is authentic." The dark energy pulled the book a little closer. "In fact, it is authentically mine." And with that, the newer bubble darted behind the star-streaming tail, where it bobbed in a silent statement of both reclaimed ownership and I Dare You. Twilight stared. It was something which most ponies did when dealing with Luna, although it was the first time Twilight had done so as the opening move in lining up a potential attack. "Thank you for returning it to me, Twilight Sparkle," Luna stated. "You will be reimbursed for your costs, of course. Good night to you." The little mare took a single crucial hoofstep forward and in doing so, crossed the border which started the war. "Your copy," she softly said. It was the softness of a pillow which was being carefully pressed against a sleeping snout. "Yes," Luna calmly countered, and brought the book up just enough to make it visible over her back. "Do you see that little symbol stamped upon the upper right corner of the first page? My mark, Twilight Sparkle. A sign of ownership. Once, this very tome was part of my own library. But shortly after -- it happened -- certain ponies saw my absence as an opportunity. While my sister was understandably distracted, items vanished from the Lunar wing. A few were recovered. Others have never surfaced again. But this is mine. The proof cannot be disputed. And so I take it back. Again, my thanks." There was a response and to Twilight, that answer came in the form of pinkish energy lancing over Luna's long back, just before it yanked. The taller alicorn ducked just in time to have the book whistle past (and partially through) her mane, then exerted herself. The book came to a stop about halfway between them, as energies clashed across the corona borders. "It's mine," Twilight softly replied. "I paid for it, Luna. Even if it was stolen once, the statute of limitations on that crime ran out centuries ago. I'm the last owner of legal record. There might be one copy left in all the world, and the paperwork says that copy is in my possession. And possession is nine-tenths of the law." It was her book. She was going to not read it every day. Royalty considered that. The air around the dual bubble was now beginning to vibrate in shimmering waves. "I disagree," Luna stated. "At best, I am willing to acknowledge possession as forty-nine percent of the law. The remainder, of course, would be represented by the status of royalty." And this was nearly a whisper, "Majority rules, Twilight Sparkle. Release the book." And for so much else, the younger alicorn would have instantly obeyed. But this was about a book. "You're just half of the Diarchy," Twilight shot back. "You've only got twenty five and a half percent! This is mine!" Several lightning bolts struck the palace grounds in rapid succession. As with the book, the ownership was suddenly uncertain, although there was very little doubt about who would be getting the repair bill. "Let go," Twilight calmly stated. Almost passively, "No." Coronas, acting on actual emotions rather than tone, surged and spiked. The air filled with fireworks. The throne was shaking. Ice was starting to spread across the floor, with the dark alicorn standing at the center. Several wall hangings crashed down. "Let us," Luna softly ordered, "settle this outside..." Twilight furiously nodded, even as the most obvious idea in the world finally shoved itself through the curtain of rage. Her corona flared -- -- nothing happened. "Oh, yes," Luna snidely noted. "We never did place an exception into the lockdown security spell for you, did we? You still cannot teleport in and out of the palace. And as I happen to know the tracer spell, any attempt to escape with the book once we exit the building will allow me to readily follow you. Outside, Twilight Sparkle, and we will deal with this issue as fully rational mares." Two (theoretically) fully rational mares wearily looked at each other from the opposite ends of the new crater. "Red flag," Twilight panted. "Red flag..." It took a moment before Luna could refocus enough to speak. "Ah. Does that still indicate the temporary suspension of pony hostilities?" "Yes." "Fortunately," the older alicorn dryly noted, "neither of us are minotaurs. Yes. Red flag, then." Both mares sank to their haunches. The darker eyes took a slow survey of the landscape. "Interesting tactic when you saw the Reaminator, incidentally," the Lunar Princess noted. "I was not expecting you to deflect." Still panting, "Isn't that pronounced re-an-i-ma-tor?" "No. You misheard. Ream." "...oh." They both involuntarily looked to the left. "Did you know there was a lava flow buried there?" Twilight asked. "No," Luna admitted. "I wish you the best of luck in explaining it to the Royal Gardeners." "It was your spell!" "Yes," Luna admitted. "And now we know, due to your actions, what it does to soil after deflection. Had it impacted you, it simply would have -- reamed." She shrugged. "Very well. While we are both aware that continuing this would inevitably lead to my victory, the palace budget has clearly suffered enough. We must find another way to determine the book's true owner." Twilight's first instinct remained It's mine. Most of the leftovers were thinking about just how close the Reaminator had come to her fur, and the remainder was planning to look up every possible definition of 'ream' because up until the fight, she'd thought it just meant a whole lot of paper. "Fine," she reluctantly conceded. "So how are we doing this?" Luna visibly thought it over and in doing so, fully ignored the burning tree which crashed down on her right. "Another form of competition, perhaps? Something with less... initial destruction." "A game," Twilight tried. "A game with less initial destruction," Luna pondered. "I didn't mean --" But the dark eyes were already lit from within. "A game," Luna repeated as a slow smile spread through dark fur. "Yes. And as you have proposed that a game should settle this, I will naturally choose the contest. Dueling and wagering rules alike, Twilight Sparkle. The format is yours, the specific nature becomes mine. Do you agree?" "..yes," Twilight finally said. "But you know games which haven't existed in centuries, Luna. You know contests and rules which I don't. Anything you pick, you have to teach me. All of it. That way, it's fair." "As the game requires," the older alicorn replied. "Of course. The rules shall be cited as they apply, for each stage of the game. In this case, the one I have in mind comes in two parts." Twilight searched her memory for a two-part game, and a mind which generally sought fun between bookcases eventually discarded Shelve And Then Shelve Again. "What are we playing?" The smile became wider. "Pepper," Luna stated. "We shall play... Pepper." Twilight delved within. Without. The bottom of the crater had nothing to suggest, although the bubbling oil was waiting to see how it all came out. "I've never heard of it," she finally admitted. "Unsurprising," Luna shrugged. "I doubt there has been so much as a single round since my abeyance began. It was... discouraged." "Discouraged," Twilight carefully repeated. And with a show of teeth, "I apologize," the older alicorn lied. "I misspoke. 'Discouraged' was the wrong term. I should have said... banned." This repetition wasn't as careful. "...banned." "By my sister," Luna smirked. "In perpetuity." With false thoughtfulness, "I suppose that means for you, playing it would break a rule. I will, of course, understand if you choose to forfeit." This time, Twilight looked up, regarded the book floating high above them, protected within the dual shield. The interplay of light was sharp enough to keep her from reading any part of the back cover, and so playing a game to possess it continued to feel like the right thing to do. There were rules, yes, and there were RULES: anything laid down by Princess Celestia fell into the latter category. Twilight lived her life by not breaking the RULES. There were RULES. However, this was a BOOK. "I'm playing," Twilight shot across the crater. "How do we start?" "Do you agree," Luna countered, "that you will play the game all the way to the end? That if you stop at any point, you forfeit?" "Yes." The smirk outshone Moon. "Very well," the Lunar Princess shrugged. "We shall begin in the Lunar Kitchen. There is a certain need for -- supplies." The supplies were being carried in borrowed saddlebags, and they jostled against Twilight's wings as the alicorns moved through the palace: the smaller still wasn't used to placing the fabric in a way which would fully avoid the new limbs. Luna had offered no hints during the supply gallop, saying only that each stage of the game would be revealed only as active play required. It had left Twilight fuming and keeping a close eye on the dark mare, trying to pick up on anything helpful -- and as it turned out, there had at least been an example to follow. Luna's raid of the crisper had focused on green peppers (which only the Lunar Kitchen stocked: the Solar had no peppers of any kind), and none could be any larger than her ears: several specimens were held up for direct comparison, and anything bigger than that was put back. Twilight had done her best to match the standard. Peppers. The game of Pepper involved the actual vegetable. And for now, that was all she had, because her first assumption had been wrong. A game of Pepper, using peppers, had almost seemed as if it had to involve cooking -- but they'd left the kitchens, had moved through the quiet palace, passing the occasional Guard as the contents of their saddlebags shifted. They were, in fact, ascending: the kitchen was now two floors below. Maybe it's a distance game. Their coronas would fling the peppers from the top of a tower, and whoever didn't give distant citizens concussions won. Or did, as that would explain the banning -- -- the silver flecking in the marble was gone. The sparks of color were now gold. Uh-oh. "We just crossed into the Solar wing," Twilight hissed. "Yes," Luna calmly said. "But the game is banned," Twilight whispered. "By -- you know. We had a hard enough time keeping the silence spell intact around the -- argument. We shouldn't play near her --" "-- we are moving towards the playing field," Luna cut her off. "There is a particular plot which is always used. We will be using it." "A plot," Twilight tried. "Yes," Luna smiled. "A surprisingly large one." Twilight was now calling upon her mental map of the palace. Large plots of land... not when they were moving up -- -- the Solar guard came around the corner, and the pegasus mare blinked a few times. (It was unusual to see a Solar staff member, so deep under Moon -- but the further up you went, the stronger the odds became.) "Princess Luna," she said, and then glanced at Twilight. "Is something wrong?" Luna took a slow breath. "I am sneaking Twilight Sparkle into my sister's bedroom." Every limb Twilight possessed tried, and failed, to teleport without her. The Guard blinked again. Looked directly at Twilight. Beamed. "You are?" "I swear upon Moon," Luna solemnly said, "that such is my intent. And hers." "Finally!" the Guard declared. "Get her in there --" stopped. Winked. "-- sneak. Right. Sneak her in there. Do you want me to tell the others?" "Please," Luna smiled. "You'll have privacy," the Guard promised. "Total privacy. I'll reroute the patrols myself. Sneaking... it's about time...!" "Is it not?" Luna casually asked. "Good night to you, Glimmerglow." The pegasus saluted, took off and flew over their heads. Twilight's head gradually worked itself forward from the swivel. "Sneaking," she hopelessly tried. "Yes," Luna replied. "It has been anticipated for some time. One might even say a number for those of both staffs have been longing for it." And with the eternal cluelessness of a mare who, upon presented with the word 'date', would turn to calendar and palms before wondering if she'd properly annotated that last voucher, "...why?" The taller mare worked the shrug into her trot. "As it is not part of the game, I am under no obligation to explain it." "...oh," Twilight gave up. "But it lets us reach the playing area?" "Absolutely," Luna smirkingly assured the youngest. "In fact, it takes us directly there..." The double doors didn't possess much in the way of ornamentation. There were no special sigils or warding signs posted. In fact, there were only two indicators of what was behind them: they were very large doors, and Twilight's blood had just frozen. "...that's her bedroom," Twilight whispered. "Oh, good," Luna softly said. "I was in fact about to explain that part. Whispers only from this point forward --" "-- it's her bedroom," and all four knees were starting to bend. "I'm not allowed in her bedroom. Nopony --" "-- clearly somepony is," Luna sarcastically countered, "or where would she sleep?" "We can't --" "-- so once we return to the safe, you will dispel your half of the shield layering first," Luna casually whispered. "Then I shall use mine as a protective container while I float my book back to where it belongs. Agreed?" It's her bedroom. Molten steel poured into Twilight's spine, freeing her blood just before the metal hardened. It's my book. "We have to go through there?" "We play there." It was the sunk cost fallacy, and she only recognized that after the fact. She'd already come this far. She couldn't stop now. "But... we're in a tower. There's no private garden, so there can't be a plot..." "There is," Luna smiled. "In fact, it is the single largest plot anypony has ever seen." Her corona coated the doors, silently slid them open. "Shall we?" It would have been unfair to say that under other circumstances, Twilight would have been surveying the forbidden realm because under other circumstances, she would have been galloping for her life. As it was, she missed most of the details. She didn't really see how plain the room was. How the furniture was basic, the paintings were limited to a light-aged pair, and there were just a few mementos on the desktop: things which might have had historical significance, definitely had personal meaning, and when compared to the focus of her terrified attention, might as well not have existed. There was a bed. It was a very large bed and since it was a summer night, the (also very large) occupant had chosen to sleep on top of the rumpled sheets. She was on her side. Twilight seldom saw ponies sleeping on their side. A very few favored standing, most tucked their legs underneath, some had tried balancing on their backs -- but the white form was on its right side. The big body breathed as the borders of mane and tail slowly shifted, and a subtle heat filled the room. It served as direct counterpoint to the cool breath which wafted across the fringe of Twilight's ears. "So as we have reached the arena," Luna whispered, "allow me to explain the gameplay." Hooves silently slid across the floor. "In the first stage, the goal is to cook peppers. An even roasting is ideal. I will allow you to judge your efforts by my first result, as I have more experience: you will then match that appearance and scent. Whoever roasts the most peppers to perfection wins that stage." "We're cooking in here," Twilight frantically whispered. "Yes," Luna calmly replied. "And for the pony who wakes her, half their total is forfeit. Of course, she might wake at any moment, so there is also a certain requirement for speed --" Twilight, who was starting to get a very good idea of why Pepper was banned and had certain inquiries regarding Moon-banishment and what had to be packed first, still let the obvious statement go through first. The stun had provided it with a clear highway, as all the other thoughts were piled up against each other. "...but there's no oven. Or fireplace. Or..." Luna's hooves slid forward again. "As you have undoubtedly noticed," the dark alicorn whispered, "our ties to Moon and Sun come with certain... connotations. In my case, I am linked to cold. Ice. The chill of vacuum. When I am calm, the air is no more than pleasantly cool as it drifts out from my form. The gift of autumn's renewal. But when I become upset, such as when my property is denied to me... the temperature drops accordingly. And my sibling, linked to Sun... there is a warmth about her, is there not? Place her heart at peace, and every day near her is one spent in spring. But should she become angry..." Twilight swallowed, and wondered if it had been too loud. "But she's sleeping," the youngest said. "She's just..." Luna was at the edge of the bed now. Facing the mark. "As this is your first time playing," the dark mare said, "I shall take care of the... preheating." Her head lowered. The tip of the horn lightly touched the fur of the mark. (The big body twitched, and Twilight nearly went two body lengths straight back.) Began to rub, shifting in slow circles. "Basic stimulation," Luna whispered. "Let me see... to the right for an increase, circle to the left if the desired goal is surpassed. Yes, that was it." And she was smiling again, a smile Twilight would see over and over again in dreams which were never visited. "Time has not abraded that memory." This isn't... ...she can't... ...I can't... "The sheets!" Twilight hissed, because the air was in fact becoming warmer, and rather quickly. "The furniture, the -- the everything...!" "All fireproofed," Luna calmly said. "In case of... issues." Her corona lifted a saddlebag lid, extracted a pepper and gently pressed it against white fur, nodded with satisfaction at the soft hiss of sizzling and glanced back at Twilight. "I recall your definition of 'fun'," she casually added. "Are you having it yet?" It's for the book. It's for a book nopony can finish reading. Time passed. The pepper cooked. Luna levitated the sample until it was floating in front of purple eyes which hadn't blinked in two minutes. "In the interests of fairness," Luna whispered, "I will allow you to roast your first without interference, so that we start the game tied. Your move, Twilight Sparkle." It's the only copy... Shivering legs shuffled forward. Pinkish energy brought out a pepper. It was the sunk cost fallacy, and the water level was rising over her head. Moon is too good for me. I am going to die. They were making piles of roasted peppers: Luna's on the left, Twilight's on the right. The latter was uneven and tended to tip under stress, exactly like the waiting-for-death cook. She had to be quiet. Silence was her best hope to live. And yet words came out, because a mind so focused on its own imminent cessation of existence had a certain demand for distraction. Besides, for those who were so clearly about to die, the current opportunity for learning was obviously the last one and so shouldn't be wasted. "How did you find out? About the... heat." Luna coolly regarded her. "There were injuries." "Injuries." Because repeating that word seemed to be better than trying to find any of her own. "Yes. In what were, shall we say, awkward places. Or rather, one awkward place, which was repeated across a multitude of the injured. But as conquering a Princess was seen as desirable, they continued to come, in the hopes that eventually she would. And for her part, it was the only way to practice. She found mastery after a time, and now the only risk in being with her typically results from..." She nodded towards the huge body. Trying not to think about it (and failing), "I don't --" "I have been told that it is rather like having an affectionate landslide roll over you in its sleep," Luna horrifyingly clarified. "But her position should be stable for some time. She is dreaming." Another nod. "That is what sleeping on the side typically means, incidentally. Entering a dream state." "...really?" A solemn "Yes," as followed by "Now, as we are playing for high stakes..." The next pepper was extracted, and Twilight's horrified eyes watched the placement. "Luna!" "I," the dark mare said, "play to win." Her wings shifted again. They'd been shifting a lot, and every rustle of feathers sent Twilight's pulse rate into triple digits. "But that's... it's on her..." "Plot. Yes," the newest kind of nightmare told her. "You are apparently unaware that 'plot' is another term for -- now, what is the modern vernacular? -- oh, yes. Ass. It is another word for ass. And my sister has an extremely large, very hot ass. In fact, at the current moment, it is both the largest and hottest ass in all the realm." As proof of the space allotted, three more dark-coated peppers were levitated into place. "You are," Luna smirkingly noted, "let us say... falling behind?" Many things abruptly became possible when one was already dead, and so four shaking pink-tinged peppers reluctantly came up. Sizzling happened and from her place within the invisible coffin, Twilight failed to check what was happening on the other end. "But should you ever choose to indulge," Luna mercilessly continued, "or at least inquire, rest assured that there have been no -- injuries -- for some time. In fact, it has been long enough for the cruelest of the rumors to vanish. " She snorted, ever so softly, and Twilight waited for that to rouse the suddenly-much-more-giant-seeming form. "I have not heard the one about the beam since my Return." "Um," said a suicidal brain cell. "You have, of course, noticed that her horn is capable of radiating sunlight." "Er," chipped in the medulla oblongata, which couldn't really get any thought involved. "So for a time, some ponies theorized that such energies could be focused from the other end. Extremely focused." "Erk?" inquired the subconscious, which automatically began to redirect a sizzling pepper. "She does not lase," Luna irritably declared. "A good sear on that one, incidentally. You may wish to --" and then the hiss became urgent. "FOUL, Twilight Sparkle!" "...what?" "Not there!" Twilight looked. Please let me stop looking. She couldn't. She also couldn't seen to move the pepper. It was just roasting. Patiently. "Yes, it would go faster, and the sear would come on all sides at once!" Luna whisper-barked. "But you do not have permission! To insert, even in the name of pulling ahead... that would be..." And the dark body shuddered. A tremble of memory and purest rage. "...Luna?" It was almost a full Fluttershy imitation, right down to the desperate need to run. "...nothing," the alicorn said. "It is... nothing. Something which has not happened in a long time, and I had never considered the possibility of a recurrence until this moment." A second, larger shudder, followed by a steadying breath. "But you could not know that you were violating a rule, not when I failed to explain it. So simply relocate that. NOW." Her corona twitched, and the pepper flew across the room until it met its final fate as a coating of seeds and smear splattering across a memento. Dead. I'm dead. Is there something beyond 'dead'? I think I'm that too. The huge body breathed in a somewhat more steady way. Twitched, and the dark alicorn was the only one who noticed the movement. "So what are our current tallies?" Luna too-casually inquired. Her wings shifted again, and she glanced at the piles. "Hmm. Not a bad effort, for your first time. Although I am surprised the game has lasted this long, especially with your neglecting such a vital aspect of play." "...what?" 150% Fluttershy. Twilight hadn't even known it was possible to survive that level of internal terror, and she probably hadn't managed that part. A white snout took a deeper breath. Nostrils flared. "Well," the worst pony in the world whispered, "I have been using pegasus magic to steadily shift the scent of roast peppers away from her snout: something she may still be rather sensitive to after so many rounds of play. You..." Which was when purple eyes shot open. Powerful legs jerked, spasmed out, and Twilight just barely dodged the right hind one. The huge body also seemed to be getting larger: an illusion produced by the movement required to gain its hooves. "LUNA!" the entire world roared. "Half your total forfeited, Twilight Sparkle!" Luna abruptly shouted. "And now the second stage! Whoever she catches first gives up two-thirds! I would wish good fortune upon you, but -- !" Dark energy flared around that horn, and the younger of the Diarchy vanished. The last coherent thought Twilight had was Oh. Right. She can teleport out of the palace. And then instinct took over. As it turned out, even when the rational mind had reconciled its own death long ago... instinct, when confronted with a giant mare who was currently the owner of the largest, hottest ass and temper in the world, really wanted to live. She might have galloped. It was possible that flight was involved somewhere. But she didn't recognize any of it. There was only movement, with a whole world to hide in ahead of her and fire behind. Fire close behind, and the only way to reach the world was to get away from the fire. And so Twilight would never remember how she got out of the palace on that night. All she could ever bring back was the heat. The heat didn't seem to like her any more. She awoke under Sun. She also awoke to find her body draped across three sturdy branches, high in an oak tree and mostly concealed by the leafy canopy of summer, her fur touched by what she was hoping was the warmth of sunlight. And as an incidental extra, she awoke to find herself looking directly at a giant hovering white form. Twilight immediately closed her eyes again, and passively waited for the end. I'm going to die. Worse. I'm going to die without the book. I should have read it. That wouldn't have hurt as much. Plus I could have tried to leave some annotations behind. "I've been thinking," the Solar princess softly said. "About how Luna used to operate, and rather apparently still does. She lured you in, didn't she? She told you it was a game, and she didn't reveal its nature until it was too late for most ponies to back out. And backing out meant forfeit, and the one pony who thought he'd stopped in time... well, Luna was very careful to wake me up on her way out." The huge body heaved a rather soft sigh. "So did she lure you? Not telling you what was truly involved until it was already happening?" Twilight's head shifted just enough to qualify as a nod. "I see," the eldest quietly told her. "I'm... well, I'll admit it, Twilight. I'm angry. And some of that is with you. But it's misplaced, isn't it? I know that, and yet I can't seem to get rid of it. Not completely. So I thought we could... work it out." The youngest alicorn managed to force her eyes open, and said something very much like a prayer. "How?" The Solar princess gently nodded. "We're going to play a very old game. It's called Icicle." It started to reach her then, on that level of purest instinct. The part which wanted to survive. But the rational mind was distracted by a question, and so the internal scream of alarm registered just a little too late. "It's summer." And Celestia smiled. "Oh, that doesn't matter," the most evil pony in the world whispered. "In the end --" and smirked at her own not-so-private jest "-- it's all about getting the water into the mold..." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare author: Cheezy805 tags: character:Derpy Hooves, character:Original Character, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, genre:Tragedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter 1 === Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare 'Derpy, hahah! Look at her eyes!' shouted the grey colt. 'Yeah, hahaha, she can't see straight!' slurred his tall friend. Sticks was a little bit slow. Sticks and Stones had gathered another crowd around Ditzy Doo and were making fun of her again. She was almost used to it, but no matter how hard she tried, she could never avoid the torment. Ditzy had been born on the land to a Pegasus and an earth-pony. Because her father wasn't a Pegasus, her parents both lived in Ponyville. She went to school like a normal filly, but the problem was that she wasn't a normal filly. She had a problem that doctors called 'lazy-eye'. Her left eye wouldn't react as well to movement as her right, and so she would often be seen looking in two different directions at the same time. Ditzy was almost always made fun of for it. 'Can't you leave me alone?' Ditzy asked, her mismatched eyes filling with tears. 'Oh, look, we made her cry! With her eyes that messed up, I'm surprised she can! Hahaha,' Stones said to the crowd. When nopony laughed, he and Sticks turns around and glared. The crowd immediately forced a laugh. They were scared of the two colts, not only because they were the bullies, but because their parents were just as bad. If they told anyone about Sticks and Stones, their parents would probably go and yell at the young children. When nopony came forward against the laughter, Ditzy had had enough. She turned and ran as fast as her hooves would carry her away from the laughing bullies, and the laughter of the meaner ponies in the crowd. Before she came anywhere near the edge of the park, she ran flat into a sapling. It hit her right between the eyes, in her blind spot, and after bending forward, it launched her back a couple of feet in a comical fashion. She kept running away from the renewed laughter of the crowd, and ran right through Ponyville. She bumped into ponies here and there, much to their objection, but continued running. She crossed the town in a scant 10 minutes and ran straight into the forest on the other side. The grown-ups always told her not to go in there, but she knew her way around, and in another two minutes she found herself in a small clearing. She sat down on a log that she had moved next to a tree for comfort and began to cry harder. Why can't they just leave me alone? I never wanted to be this way! It's not my fault my eyes are different, I can't help it! Oh, why do they have to be so mean? She thought. After a while of self-wallowing, she heard a stick break and suddenly went dead silent. Experience told her that the creatures of the forest liked to play with little fillies, but only before eating them. She had barely escaped once, and didn't want to be found a second time. She quietly slipped down behind the log and began to back away, before tripping over a rock she hadn't seen. 'Ahh!' she squealed. 'Hey, it's alright, I won't hurt you' said a high, but obviously male voice. 'Are you okay?' he asked, offering a hoof. Ditzy looked up and saw the silhouette of a young unicorn colt. He appeared to have a dark brown coat, but it was hard to tell when he was standing in front of the setting sun. She stared sceptically for a moment. She had been offered a hoof up before, only to be tripped and pushed over again. One look at the smile on his face said that he wouldn't do anything like that, though. She took his hoof and lifted herself back up again. With the light from the sun no longer being behind him, she noticed that his coat was actually a light brown, but his mane and tail were dark brown and sticking up in all directions in spikes. 'You're, uh… Ditzy, right?' he asked 'Y-yes… Most people don't call me that, though…' she mumbled, looking down. 'I promise I won't make fun of you. That was really mean of those bullies earlier. I know you can't help being a little… well… different. I mean, we all are in little ways, but some people are just more different than others.' He said. 'Yeah… well, what makes you different?' she asked him 'Me? I do all I can to help people. I really don't like Sticks and Stones. They're bullies, and big meany-heads! They always make fun of my mane. It's not my fault it won't sit flat.' he said, pouting and trying in vain to pat it down.. Ditzy giggled, 'Well, I like your mane. It looks nice. Thanks, by the way…' 'Thanks? What for?' 'For not saying anything about my eyes... it just makes me feel bad when people do, and almost everyone does. So what's your name?' she asked. 'My name's Zeddicus. Call me Zedd. Yeah, I get picked on a bit because it's an unusual name.' he said. 'I think it's a pretty name!' she said, then immediately regretted it. Colts names weren't "pretty"… 'Haha, thanks' he said, blushing a bit. 'Come on, let's go back to town. It's nearly dark'. Ditzy nodded to her new friend and began to walk close beside him. They made their way back to the trail and kept talking. 'So, I've only been here for about a year. My mum's a unicorn and my dad's an earth pony. I have to admit; sometimes I wish I didn't have this horn. I can't use my magic yet, and it just gets in the way of hats, but I guess you have to put up with some things, whether or not you want to.' Ditzy knew this all too well. Both her parents had eyes that faced in the right directions, but her dad always had to wear glasses. They worked hard to put her through school and provide school, but her dad always had trouble working with his own eye condition. His eyesight was terrible, no matter what the town optometrist tried. 'So where did you live before?' asked Ditzy 'I used to live in Fillydelphia, but I was born in Manehattan. What about you? Did you always live in Ponyville?' 'I have for as long as I can remember. My mummy said that she lived in Cloudsdale until she met daddy, but I've never been there. I think I've seen you somewhere before… do you go to my school?' 'There's only one school in Ponyville, silly! Yes, I do, but I usually hide. I've always been picked on… that's why I try to be nice to everyone. I know what it's like when people are mean to you, and I don't like it, so I'm nice to anyone who's nice to me. Stop!' he shouter suddenly Ditzy flinched, and dropped to the ground. A moment later, when she looked around, she saw another sapling right in front of her. He had stopped her from walking into it. 'Oh, thanks…' she said, blushing. 'It's really hard to see things if they're not a bit off to the side of my sight.' 'It's alright. That's what friends are for, isn't it?' 'F-friends?' she asked, her eyes lighting up, then she jumped on him. 'Oh, I've never had a friend before!' she basically shouted, then realised how embarrassing a thing to say that was. 'I-I mean, um… oh, I'm so ditzy!' 'Haha, it's okay! I haven't really had a friend before, either… come on; we're nearly out of the forest.' He said, returning to his hooves. They continued to swap information about their lives and interests until Ditzy eventually completely stopped and looked around. 'Huh? What's up?' asked Zedd 'Nothing, I just lost track of where we are… my sense of direction is terrible' she said, 'my house is just around the corner.' 'Well, I can lead us around, then! I live just over there' he said, motioning with a hoof to a house across the other side of Mane Street. 'Wait, you didn't say that earlier. What if I lived all the way across the other side of Ponyville?' she asked. 'Oh, don't worry. I like walking with you. You're nice, and I know my around anyway; it's not like anypony would care if I got home a little late,' he said. She thought about that last comment for a moment; then disregarded it. 'Well, thanks for walking me home. I don't know how long I would have stayed there if you hadn't come along… I think I stayed there for two days once' she said. 'That's okay. I'll see you at school tomorrow, Ditzy! I can't wait! We'll be able to walk to school together, too, since we both live around here' he said with a grin. 'Hey, I didn't think of that, yeah! See you tomorrow, Zedd' she said, also grinning. When he began to walk across the street to his house, she turned and walked down the side street to her house. When she reached the front door, she opened it and ran into the kitchen, where her mum was already cooking dinner. Her dad was sitting at the table, reading a newspaper. 'Mummy, daddy, guess what!' she said excitedly 'What is it, dear?' asked her mother in a sweet voice, turning to look at her daughter. She cared for Dinky more than anything in the world, and her husband felt the same. 'Sounds like someone had big news,' said her father from behind the newspaper. He lowered it, and winked at her from behind his glasses. 'I made a friend! I made a real friend! His name is Zedd and he lives just across Mane Street and he goes to school with me and he's brown and he's a unicorn and he's really nice!' she said, pausing to take a breath. 'That's great!' said her mother, glancing to her husband. They had only been discussing that problem a few minutes ago. They had been worried about Ditzy. The teachers had relayed reports of bullying to them, and that she would always try to hide from the other ponies because they would make fun of her eyes. Ditzy had been slowly becoming more and more sad as time progressed, and they were about ready to send her to a different school, or home school her, if it would make her happier. 'We're so glad to hear you made a friend. Maybe I can meet him while I walk you to school tomorrow, eh?' said her father. 'Now, that's Ditzy's choice if she wants to make it' said her mother, fearing that he was an imaginary friend. 'No, I'm sure he'd like to meet you. He said that we could walk to school together tomorrow!' said Ditzy, excitedly. 'Well, that sounds great,' he said. Ditzy seemed determined that he was real, and considering that she wanted to introduce Zedd to her father, he was convinced that she wasn't imagining him. 'I look forward to it' 'Well how about you tell us more about him over dinner?' said her mother, turning from the stove with several plates of food balanced on her back. 'Give me a hoof, won't you Pine?' she said to her husband. He was named Pine Nettle, and had grown to become a logger. He was bigger than the average stallion, and below his dark brown fur and green mane, he had bulging muscles, and had a cutie mark shaped like an axe. Ditzy's mother was a skinny mare. She had golden eyes and mane, and a light blue-gray coat which seemed to run among the mares in the family. Her name was Spring Dew, and she had a fluffy cirrus cloud on her flank. She wasn't the strongest flier on the Weather Patrol, but she had wings sensitive enough that she could sense weather changes seemingly before they even happened. 'Sure thing, Spring' he said with a chuckle at his rhyme, then folded his newspaper and stretched to place it on the bench behind him. When he'd dropped the newspaper down, he reached and took a plate in each hoof, placing one in front of himself and the other in front of Ditzy while Spring bumped her flank to the table and slid her own plate down. As soon as they were all seated, Ditzy fanned her wings a few times to cool her dinner, and then began to talk all about Zedd. --- 'Daddy, daddy, wake up! It's time to go to school!' shouted the overexcited filly, jumping on the foot of her parent's bed. 'Really? You can't give me five more minutes?' he asked, sleepily. 'No, you've already had ten!' she said, frustrated. He racked his brain trying to remember if she was telling the truth. I definitely remember her trying to wake me up more than once… Alright, fine. 'Okay, I'm getting up' he said, sitting up. Spring had already left to do the daily weather forecast for the town. I had to go to work today, anyway, he thought to himself. After a quick breakfast of cereal and milk, they left the house; Pine bearing a toolbox on one flank, and a saddlebag balanced in weight with a thick résumé and cover letter, along with lunch in a box, and a sheathed hatchet; and Ditzy bearing saddlebags with lunch on one side, and simple English and maths homework on the other. They barely made it four strides down Mane Street before Ditzy heard a familiar, friendly voice calling out to her. She looked across the street and saw Zedd weaving between early morning goers to get to Ditzy. 'Hi, Zedd!' she said, excited to see her new friend again. 'This is my daddy' she said, already by Zedd's side, and turning to look to her father. 'Nice to meet you, Zedd. My name's Pine,' he said, offering a hoof. Unsure of how exactly to act while being treated like a stallion, he shook the adult's hoof and muttered 'I'm Zedd' without thinking. Ditzy giggled at the embarrassed look on Zedd's face and turned to walk to school. After a moment, Zedd glanced to Pine, who beckoned forward with his hoof, and ran to catch up with Ditzy. Well, I'm truly happy for her. I honestly thought we would have to send her to a different school… Spring will be over the moon with happiness, he thought to himself. He figured that he'd let them have their privacy, so he turned to take a walk before going to his job interview, before seeing Spring descending to him from the sky. Perfect, I can tell her now, he thought, sitting and watching her perfectly-shaped silhouette descending from the East in the early-morning glow. --- 'Daddy seemed to like you' said Ditzy when Zedd had slowed to walk next to her. 'Yeah, I guess I didn't make much of an impression' he said, shyly rubbing his mane with a hoof, then missed a step and fell flat on his face. Ditzy laughed loudly, drawing concerned looks from passers-by. After having her laugh, she offered him a hoof, which he took with one hoof, and used the other to cover his blushing red face. 'Oh, come on, Zedd, it's not that embarrassing. You look like that Apple kid… Macintosh, I think?' He blushed a bit harder, but removed his other hoof from his face. 'No way, I can't be that red' he said. 'Sure, sure' she said; then continued walking. She had noticed that her father had stopped following them and gone off on his own way. Even without looking around, she had a way of knowing things. Barely anything got past Ditzy, except the odd object in her path. But then again, they usually didn't get past her, but ended up smacking her in the face. --- One year later --- The day had gone by quickly, but also slowly. She had a math test that she had been studying for. It was a huge test, too. It would determine who would go into the high class in high-school, and who would go down to the lower classes. She was looking forward for the day to end, so it was going slowly; but the test seemed to fly past, and it seemed to take less time to answer each question on the test than it did to read them. She had only just finished the last question when the bell rang for lunch. After passing up her test, Ditzy skipped to her saddlebag in her locker and grabbed her lunch. She was in a good mood for the first time in months. The assignment she had handed up in the first lesson was marked before recess with an A, and she thought she should at least get a B on the math test. Zedd had agreed to meet her out at the canteen at lunch, so she took a bite of her sandwich and began to skip down the hall and towards the school yard. Barely half a step out the door, her hoof caught on something and she pitched forward, tumbling down five solid steps, hitting every one of them on the way down. The first thing she registered after stopping was pain, and she began to cry. Her nose hurt badly. It was the first thing to hit the ground. After a moment, she noticed laughter. She opened her eyes and saw Sticks and Stones at the top of the stairs through her tears. 'You're right, she is clumsy! She can't even watch out for somepony else's hoof in her path. Well, Derpy, I think someone owes someone else an apology.' said Stones sardonically from the top of the stairs. She continued to cry in relative silence, every so often with a sob escaping her lips. She wiped the tears from her muzzle and noticed a spot of blood. Her nose was bleeding! She had been injured, and everypony was staring at her. She had done this… Stones didn't trip her, she had walked into his hoof, and everypony was judging her… but she was bleeding! She tried to stand and keep going to the canteen. If she could get to Zedd, he would reassure her that she was in the right. When she stood, she promptly fell back down again and gave a small gasp of pain. Her ankle had twisted at some point on the way down, too. 'Come on, you idiot! What are you waiting for?' he said, expecting her to give in. 'She's obviously waiting for her apology' called Zedd from the crowd. The ponies that had crowded the scene parted to let Zedd through. He trotted up to Ditzy's side and upon seeing her blood; he turned to Sticks and Stones and shouted 'Well, go on! Where's her apology?' They both fell over roaring with laughter. After their laughter subsided to chuckling, Sticks turned to Stones and said 'You know, I think he's serious'. 'Yeah, I think he is, too. Well, you know what happens to ponies who demand things of us? They end up in the nurse's office. Get it?' he said, turning back to Zedd 'The only reason I'll be in the nurses office is because they'll be removing my hoof from your rear-end!' Zedd shouted up the stairs. Stones suddenly scowled, and leapt. Before anyone could see what was going on, Sticks was holding Zedd down while Stones stood above, preparing to hit him. 'Do you want to take that back before it's too late, you blank-flank idiot?' Zedd stared for a moment. They're going to hurt me no matter what I do. Good. They'll leave Ditzy alone…. he glanced to Ditzy, and she looked at him with something between fear and awe. He managed a weak smile in her direction, then turned back to Stones. 'I'll take it back the day you stop being such a bully. Look at this all! You've just hurt somepony, and when someone came to help, you try to hurt him, too! I think you're nothing but a-' His next words were cut off by a hoof to the jaw. 'Gah!' muttered Zedd, stifling a shout. There were tears in his eyes, but he kept a determined expression. This was for Ditzy. If he could distract them, they would leave her alone. Stones ended up hitting him twice more, once to the face and once to the gut, before being picked up in a grey glow. 'What do you think you're DOING' bellowed a grey unicorn stallion. He wasn't just anyone, he was the PE teacher; Stones' father. Sticks immediately dropped Zedd and bolted. It was to no avail, as the teacher caught him, too, in the grey glow. 'Both of you are coming to the principal's office directly. Stones, no dinner tonight and you're grounded for a month. Sticks, I'll speak to your father. Now you' he said, turning to Zedd, 'You don't look too bad, but you should probably go to the nurse's office. Take her with you.' He said, motioning to Ditzy. With that, he turned and marched back through the double doors, levitating two panicked-looking colts behind him. Zedd moved over to Ditzy. The crowd continued to stare in awe as the colt showed no sign of pain after being hit. The hits weren't hard, but he was still sporting a fat lip and bleeding. 'Are you okay?' he asked her quietly. 'Your lip… you… thank you' she said, tears of gratitude streaming down her face. 'Oh, Zedd…' 'Ditzy, seriously. We should get you looked at. You're bleeding!' 'So are you' 'Well let's go, then!' he said, laughing a bit 'Oh, right… my ankle is sore… I think it might be twisted…' she said She motioned her rear left hoof. Zedd lowered his neck for Ditzy to put a hoof over, and lifted her to her hooves. Together they climbed the stairs and limped down the hall to the nurses office. When they reached the nurses office, Zedd opened the door and helped Ditzy through. It was only a small room with a bed on one side and a desk on the other. There were pictures all over the walls to try and make it look less dull, along with a clock and calendar. The nurse turned in her chair to see who was entering and gasped when she saw them. 'Ditzy! Oh, what happened this time? You didn't run into something again did you? Take a seat on the bed. And, err, Zedd? What happened to you?' she asked, moving to the cupboard. 'Ditzy was tripped. She didn't fall. She has a twisted ankle and I don't know if it's just a bloody nose or if it's broken' said Zedd quickly. 'What about you?' 'It's just a sore lip. Help Ditzy first,' he said. She eyed him for a moment then moved to get a bandage and a splint for Ditzy's ankle. The two friends left the nurse's office. She had told them that they could both go home early. They headed to each other's lockers, Ditzy no longer needing support to walk, and left with their saddlebags. Zedd insisted on taking Ditzy's bag and, after a short argument, she allowed him to. She was secretly grateful, but that was beside the point. As they walked along Mane Street, Ditzy suddenly spoke. 'Thank you, Zedd. If you hadn't been there then they would probably have done that to me…' she said. 'Even so, I wish it didn't have to happen to you.' 'Please, it's nothing. If I hadn't been there, and something else had happened, I would never have forgiven myself. You're my best friend, and I'll always be there for you,' he said. She looked at him for a moment then lightly kissed him. He was struck dumb. He'd known her for a year, but they were only friends! 'Ditzy… what…?' he muttered in a daze. 'I'm kissing your lip better. What did you think I was doing?' she said with a wink. He stared into her eyes for a moment. Despite being misaligned, their gold colour made them the prettiest eyes he'd ever seen… how had it taken him a year to notice? She kept walking, and he had to struggle a bit to catch up, despite her limp and slower-than-normal pace. 'She told me to go home and rest, but I feel like something sweet. I got my pocket-money yesterday, so how about we go to the sweet shop?' she asked. 'Yeah… sure…' Zedd responded, still somewhat dazed. They made their way to the local bakery. It was owned by a couple with the last name 'Cake'. When they entered, Mrs. Cake immediately rushed over to greet them. 'Well, hello Miss Doo! What are my favourite two customers doing out of school at this hour, and *gasp* what happened to your ankle! Oh, dearie, take a seat, right over here' she said, ushering Ditzy over to a seat near the window. Zedd followed and sat next to her. 'The school bullies decided to trip Ditzy and I decided to intervene. It ended better than I thought it would, Stones is grounded. I just wish I could have stopped them from hurting Ditzy' he said, looking dejected. 'You should have seen him! He was so brave. I don't want to think what would have happened if he hadn't shown up! Well, anyway, we were let out early, so I thought of coming here. A good muffin always cheers me up, and who makes the best ones?' she said, flattering Mrs. Cake. 'Oh, thank you, dearie. You can have a free one for all the trouble you went to. No, I insist! You deserve more than that for being so brave, but I don't think you'd let me give you anything more' she said, turning and going to the counter. 'Zedd, do you remember what they did? One of them held you down for the other. They're scared of you! You aren't exactly small for your age, and they think that if they hurt me, they'll be too popular for you to go after them. They might actually leave me alone for a while, now, after what you did today.' 'Yeah, but still… your ankle…' 'It could have been worse. At least my nose isn't broken! But it is still a bit sore…' she said, crossing her eyes more than normal to look at it. Zedd leant across and kissed her lightly on the nose. Ditzy was a little surprised, but something stirred inside her. Her chest tightened and she felt a slight shortness of breath. If there wasn't a chair back behind her, her wings would be slowly extending. 'Payback' said Zedd, grinning, and Ditzy began to feel her cheeks burn. Mrs Cake came back over with two plates, a blueberry muffin on each. She put them down on the table and pushed them to either pony. 'Not a word from me, I promise' she said with a wink, then returned to her counter and wiped it of any loose crumbs. They both began to eat their muffins and talk about anything and everything, as they so often did. They both felt that the other was the only pony in their lives that they could tell anything to, but they put that down to being best friends. After an hour, young ponies began to fill the shop, some with their parents. A young pink pony came over to them and said 'Nice work today, Zedd! You're the only one who's ever stood up to those big bully meanie-pants's. But they don't wear pants so maybe they're big meanie-flanks? Meanie-' 'Thanks, Pinkie, we get it.' Said Zedd. Pinkie was new to town, and after moving from a rock farm somewhere to the south, she moved in with the Cakes. They were happy to have her, as she made a nice friend for their daughter. 'Oh, yeah, okay. But it was just so cool! I can't believe you stood up to them' she said, taking a seat. 'Even Rainbow Dash would be impressed with that'. 'Who's Rainbow Dash?' asked Ditzy 'Oh, right, she still lives in Cloudsdale' replied Pinkie. 'Uhh… yeah… hey, isn't that Rarity?' said Ditzy, pointing out the window. 'Oh my goodness, yes it is! I need to talk to her! Thank you for reminding me, I'll be sure to talk to you later, okay?' she said, then turned and ran out the door without waiting for a response. Zedd laughed as Rarity noticed the pink pony and began to rush down a side street, quickly followed by the hyperactive pony. They big good day to Mrs. Cake and left toward Ditzy's house. Zedd insisted on walking her home, and she didn't want to say no. When they arrived at her door, she invited him in. the day was still young, so why not? He entered the house with her, and she called out to her parents. 'Mom, dad, I'm home! Zedd's here with me.' 'Okay, honey' came the reply from her father somewhere upstairs. 'Do you want a drink?' she asked him 'No thanks. Take a seat, seriously. You need to rest.' He said, leading her to the lounge chair. 'Okay, fine, Mr. Worry-wart' she said. When she sat down, she subconsciously let out a breath of tension she hadn't noticed was there. 'Better?' 'Much.' Zedd sat down next to hear and leant up against her. He was happy enough to just sit there for all time and never move again. After a few minutes, Pine came in through the door to the lounge room. 'Hey Zedd. Not interrupting anything; am I?' he asked. Zedd quickly leant up off Ditzy and said 'Err, no, sir. Nothing. Hello. I, uh…' 'At ease, soldier. I've told you before to call me Pine' he said, then laughed. 'Yes… Pine… sorry.' 'Oh, Ditzy, what happened to your ankle? You didn't fall down the stairs again, did you?' he asked showing concern behind his glasses. 'No… I didn't trip…' she said. 'She was tripped.' Zedd corrected. 'What!' shouted Pine. 'Who did it? I'll wring their neck!' 'I think that's taken care of,' said Zedd, 'it was Sticks and Stones again. When I stepped in to help, they held me down and stated hitting me, then Stones's dad caught them. Maybe he'll finally believe those stories he's always gotten about them being bullies.' He said. 'Good. He might teach them some discipline. I have to thank you, Zedd, for stepping in. I think I might have something in the medicine cabinet for that split lip if you want it. Also remember that you're always welcome here. Why don't you stay for dinner tonight?' 'Uh, sure,' he said. 'My lip's fine, but I'd be happy to have dinner here. I'll just tell my parents.' 'You know where the phone is' he said, moving back upstairs to tell Spring what had happened. Zedd reluctantly got up and moved away from Ditzy to the hallway, where he picked up the phone. He pretended to dial a number, and spoke to himself as though he was talking to someone else on the other end of the phone. He went back to join Ditzy on the lounge chair. 'So everything's fine?' she asked sleepily. 'Yeah, I can stay for dinner. I don't think they'd care if I told them or not, anyway' he said. Ditzy had never met his parents, but from what he'd said about them, they didn't seem to realise they had a son. He stayed over for dinner almost once a fortnight, and had even stayed over for the night a few times when he was younger. Spring had put a stop to that as soon as he had started to mature and, despite thinking this was unfair, he decided to go along with it and stay on their good side. As he felt her familiar warmth on his side, he suddenly realised that at some point they had become more than friends. When, he didn't know, but now that he thought back on it, it hadn't simply been that day… whether or not they wanted to accept it, their relationship had changed, and they couldn't simply remain friends for long. Without voicing any of this, Zedd crawled up closer to Ditzy and noticed she was asleep. Her body healing must have taken a fair toll on her normal energy. Ditzy stretched a wing out across Zedd, and within a few minutes he was asleep. 'They look so cute' whispered Spring from the doorway. 'I must have missed it. She just seemed to become so mature one day… she couldn't have chosen a better person to be with' Pine whispered back. The parents let them sleep for now. There was a time to wake them, but that didn't have to come yet. Ditzy cracked an eye open. Her parents quietly moved from the doorway and vanished from sight. She looked across to the young stallion lying against her and smiled. She gently nuzzled him and returned to lying comfortably, warmed by his body heat; comforted with her wing across his back. === Chapter 2 === Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare – Part 2 Zedd slowly awoke. The sweet smell of fresh steamed vegetables was coming from the kitchen. He suddenly noticed how warm he was… and whatever he was lying against was soft. He took a moment to try to wake up and gather his thoughts and remembered it was Ditzy. He looked across to her leaning against him, her eyes closed and her mouth slightly open. Her breathing was soft and level. She is… incredible, he thought to himself, still staring, eyes still half closed. Ditzy suddenly shifted and slid off of his shoulder to lean against the back of the lounge. Zedd suddenly felt another hoof on his other shoulder, and turned with a start to see Pine looking down at him with a hoof to his lips. Pine beckoned for Zedd to get up and follow, so he did. Oh no… I shouldn't have done this. Now I'm in trouble! But… it was just sleeping, nothing else! He thought to himself frantically wondering what Pine was going to do. Pine pulled out a seat at the kitchen table; then took a seat for himself next to his wife, Spring. What's going on? Why are they both here? Oh no, they're going to tell me never to see Ditzy again… they're going to tell me to leave the house and they never want to- 'Zedd' said Pine, cutting off Zedd's thoughts. 'Yes, sir?' he asked 'err, Pine, sorry' 'I can see you still don't like calling people by their first name. Well, I guess that just means you're naturally respectful. I like that in a person,' said Pine. 'Um… to be honest, you've never given me a reason to be disrespectful… not-not that I'd ever be disrespectful to you!' he stammered. Pine laughed softly, trying to stay quiet so as to not wake his daughter. Right. Ditzy. 'So, Zedd. Ditzy's already told us a lot about you, but we'd still prefer to hear it first-hoof from you. Where exactly did you come from before Ponyville?' asked Pine. 'Well, I was born in Manehattan, but I moved to Fillydelphia when I was only young. I lived there until a bit over a year ago when I moved here. I had a hard time fitting in with anyone until I met Ditzy' 'And what do you like about her?' asked Spring. He noticed that he hadn't ever heard her say anything before, and noticed how her voice was somehow softer and kinder than Ditzy's. 'Well… she was kind to me after I moved here. People usually pick on the new kid, and I only ever wanted to be kind to people. I noticed that she was getting bullied a lot more than me, and when I saw her run away, I decided that she needed a friend. I did, too, but I went to help her for her sakes, not mine. She was nice to me, though… while other people made fun of my mane or my name, she didn't'. 'I notice you're going out of your way to not mention her eye condition' said Pine accusingly. 'What? Oh, yeah. I forgot about that… I judge people on personality, not looks; and Ditzy? She has the best personality of anypony I've ever met' he said, staring off into space. He suddenly felt a pair of forelegs on his shoulders and a head leaning against his neck. 'Thank you' whispered Ditzy, a tear forming in her eye, but not falling. 'So, dad, can I keep him?' she asked, raising her voice to a normal speaking level. 'I suppose, but only if he cleans up after himself' Pine said. Zedd just stared at him for a few seconds, wondering why he was being treated like a dog; then everyone else started laughing. Realising it was a joke, he joined in. 'Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Go and wash up' said Spring, returning to the stove. Ditzy left the room first. When Zedd moved to follow, Pine gently put a hoof on his shoulder to stop him. 'Zedd, you're the first real friend she's ever had. I don't think you would anyway; you don't seem like that kind of person, but just… don't hurt her. You seem to be getting closer than just friends; and that's none of my business, but this had to be said.' 'Don't worry. She's actually the first real friend I've had and I have no intentions of hurting her. She's-… she reminds me of me. I never thought there was another pony out there who was like me, but… she is.' Pine smiled at him and removed his hoof from Zedds' shoulder. Spring moved over close to him to say something quietly. 'Look out for her. She's going to need a friend when we aren't around anymore. She's smarter than most and one of the kindest ponies you'll meet, but she will always be rejected because of her eyes.' 'I'll always be there for her. I promise. There wasn't really much point in saying this quietly, though. Knowing how much like me she is, she'll have a way of finding out. She probably already knows, I'd say. Isn't that right, Ditzy?' he called out to the doorway. They heard a small 'eep' and rushed hoof-movement and laughed as she slipped and fell in the doorway, exposing her eavesdropping. Zedd immediately rushed over to help her up, but continued to chuckle softly as she blushed. 'Come on, we still need to wash up for dinner' he said, helping her up the stairs on her sore ankle. --- It was finally time to head home. Zedd had stayed over at Ditzy's house yesterday and walked with her to school today, but he still had to go home at some point so he didn't arouse suspicion. He was somewhat amazed that Ditzy didn't realise that she had never seen his house. 'What's up? You don't look too happy there, Zedd,' said Ditzy, waking him from his thoughts. 'What? Oh, no, it's nothing. I just, uhh… final exam pressure? Yeah, I'm nervous about the final exams coming up.' 'You, Zedd, are the worst liar I've ever met. We both know you're going to pass your exams with no less than a B on everything, so why the long face? Well, except for the obvious that you're a horse.' He smiled a bit at this. It was an old joke, but she had a way of making even the worst jokes seem funny. 'Fine. I'm wondering what I'm going to do for dinner. The fridge is nearly empty and I haven't been to the shop in a week.' 'Well, doesn't your mum do that for you? My mum does the shopping for my family…' 'Oh yeah, uhh… my mum never leaves the house.' Think, Zedd, think! 'she injured her hoof a while ago and can't walk. Mayor Mare gives her a pension, but I have to do the chores like shopping and cooking' Please buy it… please! Ditzy looked at him sceptically for a bit but eventually nodded and said 'It must be tough'. 'Well, I get to keep any bits that aren't needed for the bills or food, so it's not that bad. Being able to take care of my mum makes me happy, I guess' 'Not that. Living alone' she muttered, looking at the ground. His jaw dropped. He knew she was smart and that she was nearly impossible to lie to, but even so; how did she find out? How did she guess it? His heart rate rose and he felt a small pit of fear rise from deep in his chest. 'Ditzy…' 'Why did you keep it a secret for so long?' 'How long have you known?' 'Does it matter? I've known you for three years now, did you think you could hide it from me?' 'No, I just… I didn't want to lose you. Being alone… it-' 'Do you think it would have changed anything if you told me? If I'd known, you could probably have come to live with me! You didn't have to be alone!' she said, voice rising with her temper. Tears were forming in her eyes. 'I said I'd be here for you if you ever needed me, but it looks like you don't! If being alone for years on end is something you don't need me for, then you don't need me for anything!' 'That's not true! I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't find the right time and-' Zedd couldn't help but notice how incredible she looked. Her eyed, despite facing off-centre, were clear and golden. Her mane was smooth and silky, and her face itself was perfectly level. Symmetrical, almost. 'No!' she screamed, tears freely flowing down her face. 'You've proven you don't need me, and I don't need you either!' Before he could respond, she turned and flew as fast as she could through town. Zedd fell to his haunches staring after her. The most perfect pony he'd ever met, and he had just lost her because he was too stupid to tell her something. Spring Glow landed just behind him. 'Zedd' she said, softly. She never really raised her voice above a loud whisper. 'Go after her. Quickly. It's not too late to fix this if you hurry.' He turned and looked into her eyes. Ditzy was the spitting image of her mother, less the few wrinkles lining her face. Looking around through the square, he saw many of his classmates watching him. They all knew that the two had been together for years, and never thought they'd have any troubles. 'Go to her. You know where to find her' she said. She looked deeply sorrowful, but not a tear was present. He thought for a moment about where she would be, but nothing came to mind. He was about to ask where to find her when she took off again, flying back to the Weather Team HQ. I always go there when people pick on me. Mummy and Daddy don't like me going in there, but it's… peaceful. I can go in there and just enjoy the silence. Came the voice of Ditzy from the deep recesses of his mind. The forest. The Everfree Forest. Where they met for the first time. He took off at full speed, ignoring the shouts from ponies he had nearly knocked over. He needed to find her, quickly. He noticed a pink blur beside him. Everything was a blur at the speed he was moving. 'Hey, are you having a race? Can I join in? Pleeaaassee?? Come on, Zedd! One-two-three go! Wait, where are we going? Are you heading over to the forest? What's happening in the forest? Fluttershy doesn't live there yet and Zecora hasn't moved from whatever land she comes from, so-' 'Not now, Pinkie! Leave me alone!' he shouted. He didn't care if he hurt her feelings. He needed to do this alone, and her running along beside him speaking in riddles. She always spoke like that; talking about ponies no one had ever met, and he couldn't handle it right now. he glanced back and saw that she had stopped completely and was sitting on her haunches with flattened hair. Now wasn't the time to apologise; that would come later. He reached the forest in record time. Normally a 15 minute walk, he made in three minutes flat. He barrelled straight between trees, cutting himself on bushes and shrubs, and scaring small woodland creatures. The brush thickened the further in he got and then suddenly stopped as he toppled into a clearing. He could hear sobbing coming from nearby. Looking around, he noticed how much the clearing had changed. It was still green and full of life, but the log Ditzy had hidden behind the first time he met her had been eaten away and replaced with blackberry bushes. He finally saw a moving golden mane. He had missed it because she was in tall grass and between yellow daffodils. Zedd began to silently walk over, but stopped when he reached the tall grass. He sat and stared silently at the ground. The sobbing stopped for a moment and he knew she was watching him. 'I'm sorry' was all he could say. He thought about all of the things he could have said better than that, and the many ways in which she could, and was about to, reject his apology when he was knocked over backwards and felt her muzzle pressed to his own. His eyes opened wide to see Ditzy's own closed, and he closed his eyes, too, simply lying there; overwhelmingly glad that she didn't hate him. After what felt like an eternity, yet still not long enough, they broke apart and Ditzy buried her face in his mane. 'I'm so sorry, too! Please don't hate me!' she sobbed. 'I could never hate you, Ditzy. I'm sorrier than I have ever been… I was worried that you wouldn't like me anymore if you found out that I lived by myself and that your parents would tell you not to see me and that-' he was interrupted by another soft kiss; then the two lay in silence. The sun was inching closer to the horizon when Ditzy finally let him go. They'd been lying in that clearing watching the clouds and listening to the birds for hours, but it was time to return home. They got up and began to walk back into town literally touching sides. Ditzy draped her left wing across Zedd's back as they walked back into town, drawing stares from strangers which they ignored. They were happy to be as close to each other as possible and strangers staring at them wasn't going to change a thing. 'Come on, Zedd. You're going to live at my house from now on. I swear my parents will be overjoyed about it. Let's go and pack up your stuff,' said Ditzy, breaking the silence. Zedd nodded and they turned the corner to his house. Ditzy had never seen it before. It was completely dilapidated. The roof was crumbling, the paint on the outer walls were peeling, and in some places the walls had holes eaten through them by termites. Ditzy removed her wing from Zedd's back and he walked to the door. He reached a hoof out and lightly pushed it. The door swung open for a few inches, then creaked, cracked, and fell over; breaking into a few pieces. Ditzy winced when it hit the floor with a crash, but Zedd just said 'It's been threatening to do that for a while. Good thing it happened today and not a week ago.' They both entered the house and Ditzy's first thought was where's the rest of it? It was one single room with a stained mattress in a corner without sheets. There was a cooler in another corner of the room that was leaking. Zedd went and dropped his saddlebags next to it, taking out three carrots and four celery stalks, then dropping them into the left bag. His schoolwork was in the right bag. He looked around the room for any other possessions he had. From the wall he retrieved a picture of an earth-stallion and unicorn-mare with a unicorn-foal between them. The foal was asleep and both parents were smiling with pure joy in their eyes. There were two more frames on the walls. One was of a young Zedd and a sad, brown mare, but his father was nowhere to be seen. The final frame held the deed to the house- if it could be called that- signed to Zeddicus Zu'l Zorander. This was the first time Ditzy had seen his complete name and, under lighter circumstances, would have giggled at it. Zedd took it off the wall and placed it in his bag with the other two photos and his schoolwork, then lifted his bags and moved to the door. 'That's it. You've now seen my house. Come on, I don't want to stay here longer than I have to.' Ditzy wanted to ask what had happened to his parents. She stifled the thought as she didn't want to offend him, and moved to the door by his side. 'I'll tell you another time. If you get three A's on your final exams, then I'll tell you.' He said to her, somehow reading her mind yet again. How does he do th- 'I can do that because we think so similarly. You just wanted to know how I always guess what you're thinking, right? Well, I put myself into the mindset of being told what I just said and what my reaction would be to it. I'm not sure if that makes sense, but whatever.' 'Well, what am I thinking about now?' she said, forcing herself to think about bubbles. She had always liked bubbles. They floated so lightly on the wind, freer than birds. They would reflect light into rainbows and- 'Probably that spider on your back' he said, reaching forward to brush at her. She felt something crawling on her back and immediately flapped her wings as hard as she could to get it off, then slammed into the roof not realising she had even taken off. She settled back down on the floor a little bit dazed, but glad that the crawling had stopped. She hated spiders. 'Well, that's one way to get rid of them.' He said, looking up. His grin fell immediately and he dived forward, pushing her through the door and onto the ground outside, then dived after her. Not a moment later, the entire decrepit roof caved in, collapsing the floor, and the walls fell in after it. Zedd got to his hooves coughing. When the dust settled he saw Ditzy lying still on the ground staring wide-eyed at nothing in shock. 'Come on, get up. Let's get to your house' he said, offering her a hoof up. She didn't take it and so he lifted her to her feet with magic. His magic was still weak, so this took a lot out of him. Her knees shook, but she still stood. 'You… saved my life, Zedd…' 'Yeah, and you killed about a hundred spiders. We're even.' She turned to look at him and noticed that despite acting cool-headed, there was fear and shock in his eyes, too. She nodded without saying anything and took a few tentative steps forward, then immediately retched. Zedd rushed over to hold her mane back and a few other ponies stepped around the corners of houses to see what had happened. When she had finished being sick, half the town was already there. Rarity rushed over with a napkin and began to dust off Ditzy. 'Oh, Miss Doo, are you alright? I hope you're not injured. Please let me- oh, you can get that bit… and that one… here, take the napkin. Keep it' she said, handing the napkin to Ditzy who began to wipe the corners of her mouth. Not trusting her voice anymore, she looked at Zedd and nodded. He took the message as her wanting to get home. Zedd turned to the bulk of the crowd and called out 'It's alright, everyone! Nopony was injured. The house was collapsing anyway. You can all go and return to your business', then lifted Ditzy's left foreleg over his neck and helped her to walk back to her house. They barely made it to the front gate before Pine came rushing out the front door and said loudly 'What happened! Is Ditzy alright? You're not hurt are you, darling? Come on inside and lay down' Pine came up quickly and lifted her onto his back. He beckoned Zedd inside and rushed in to lay her on the lounge. 'Spring, get some tea going, quickly. That crashing earlier was something to do with Ditzy' From the kitchen they heard a kettle being placed on a stove and Spring walked through the doorway to see what had happened. 'What. Happened' said Pine, a little more viciously than he should have. 'My house kind of… collapsed, and I pushed her out the way. She's just in shock from nearly being inside a collapsing house. Oh, and there was a spider on her back' he said, scared by her father. Pine immediately turned to face him and shouted 'your house nearly fell on her?!' then sat and thought for a moment. She isn't injured… what else did he say? 'You… you saved her. Zedd, thank you! Thank you so much' he said. 'Zedd' mumbled Ditzy from the lounge. She had turned to face the colt and the stallion; Spring watching from the doorway. 'You're so brave' she muttered, weakly smiling at him. 'No, I just… reacted. I don't like seeing ponies get hurt, and if you did; I'd never forgive myself. I would have saved you even if it meant sacrificing myself. Thankfully, it didn't.' he replied Pine felt heartened by this. She was definitely in good hooves. 'Well, since your house is… gone… perhaps we'll need to clean out the guest room' he said. Zedd stared at him for a moment before realising what that meant. Suddenly, a huge grin broke across his face. He was going to live here! Live with Ditzy, and actually have a family! 'Thank you so much! Oh my goodness, I… it's…' he trailed off unable to say anything further. Spring walked into the room with a tray on her rump holding a kettle and four cups. Grateful to have something to help with, Zedd lifted the tray off her back and settled it on the rug between the four, using magic to pour tea into the four cups and life them to each pony, one by one. He could use magic, but not well enough to lift the cups all at the same time. As Ditzy sipped her tea, she felt strength returning to her and her heartbeat began to slow. She was releasing tension that she hadn't realised was there, and Zedd came to sit next to her. She gladly leant against him as Pine said 'That was a fair show of magic for a colt your age'. Zedd nodded at the compliment. He knew that it was on the lower side of average magic ability for his age, but he wasn't going to say anything against a direct compliment from Ditzy's father. Conversation eventually returned to normal and as the sun came close to the horizon, Spring quietly said 'how about we all go out to dinner tonight? We have a new house member and he saved the life of our only daughter; I think that's reason enough to celebrate. Besides, I could use a break from cooking' 'I think that's a great idea,' agreed Pine, moving to take the tray of cups and a kettle back to the kitchen, then to leave. They headed into town and many ponies waved and congratulated Zedd on his bravery that night. They had already forgotten about the shouting match in the street as word had spread of him diving into a collapsing house and dragging Ditzy from the wreckage. He would have a hard time quashing these rumours with the truth, but that could wait for a while. Ditzy draped her wing across his back and nuzzled his neck whispering 'my hero'. He smiled and nuzzled her back as they walked to town. Zedd noticed Spring also had her wing draped across Pine's back. They entered the restaurant as a family, Zedd happier than he'd been in years. === Chapter 3 === Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare – Part 3 She opened her eyes then promptly shut them again. Sunlight was streaming in through the open curtains and flooding Ditzy's room, pointing directly onto her bed. She had intentionally left the curtains open so the sun would wake her up early, but she still didn't want to get up. Why did I leave the curtain open… Oh, I don't care, I want to sleep! She thought to herself. She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow, but it was too late, she was already awake. There was no going back to sleep from here. She rolled out of bed and landed heavily on her hooves, then immediately remembered why she wanted to wake up early. She wanted to get up and cook breakfast for the rest of her family, and Zedd, before they woke up. She quietly crossed her room, avoiding creaky floorboards, and made her way into the hallway, then down to the kitchen. Retrieving several items from both the fridge and the cupboards, she placed a pan on the stove and turned it on to begin cooking. When the food was most-way cooked she became aware of another presence. Risking a sideways glance (with one eye) toward the doorway, she saw a familiar brown coat and messy hair. 'Good morning, sleepy-head' she said, knowing it was Zedd. He responded with a grunt and sat down at the table, immediately resting his head on his hooves. 'I woke up because I smelled something good, but I am not a morning pony'. 'How about I put on some coffee? Dad always drinks that to wake himself up in the mornings' 'I've heard that apples wake you up more than coffee, but I don't want to ruin breakfast. I don't normally drink coffee, but I wouldn't mind some, thanks,' he said, still drowsy but waking up a bit. Ditzy flicked a switch on the coffee maker and it began to hiss as it heated. After another couple of minutes, the toast and eggs were ready to be taken off the pan. Pine and Spring appeared in the doorway. 'Well, this has to be a first. Cooking breakfast for us? What's the occasion?' 'Does she need an occasion? It gives me a break from cooking' said Spring quietly from his side. 'I just felt like doing something nice for the family! I hope I did a good job…' The last time she had tried cooking for the family she had successfully burned everything from the toast to the juice. Pine looked over the food that was being put onto four plates and smiled. It looked and smelled good. 'It looks fine. Can't wait to try it' he said. Ditzy smiled broadly and finished piling food onto plates with renewed vigour. Pine took a seat at the table and noticed Zedd was already there, still half asleep. 'Not a morning pony, eh? Don't worry, I never was when I was your age, either.' He immediately perked up again and said 'Yes, si- um, uh… Pine…' awkwardly. He still wasn't used to calling him by his first name, and often let slip by saying 'sir'. 'Ditzy's making coffee. It's nearly done, right?' he asked her. 'Yeah, just a moment' she said, dropping two of the plates down on the table in front of her parents. She turned and moved to the coffee maker, retrieving two mugs, and poured some coffee. After adding milk she placed the mugs in front of Pine and Zedd. Pine took a sip and said 'Ahh, just the way I like it. Strong!' Zedd wasn't so sure about it anymore. If a pony of Pine's size wanted strong coffee, he would probably need to dull it a bit with sugar. He reached forward and added three teaspoons to his own coffee then took a sip. Still strong, but not bad. 'Jeez, one or two?' said Pine from across the table 'Teaspoons?' asked Zedd 'No, bags! Hah!' he slammed a hoof down on the table and laughed. Zedd chuckled nervously and put his coffee back down just as Ditzy dropped a plate in front of him and sat down at her own. Spring poured two glasses of apple juice, courtesy of the Apple family, and asked 'Do you have any plans today?' Ditzy immediately spoke up. 'We were going to go around town and ask how everypony got their cutie marks! Neither of us have ours and almost everypony else does… actually, the only pony left without hers is Applejack' It was well known that the Apple mares were always the last to get their cutie marks in their year levels. 'I think that sounds like a great idea' said Spring. 'Pine?' she asked her husband. 'Well, you're not going to get them by sitting around every weekend, so I guess that's alright. How about I tell you about how I got mine?' 'That sounds interesting… how does a lumberjack get his mark?' asked Zedd. 'Well, it happened when I was only a little bit younger than you two are now. --- 'Get off your lazy rump, Pine! That is not how family members of mine act. You need to work! The real world is a lot harder than this!' shouted the green colt. Pine's father, while a passable role model, was very strict. There was no nepotism with him, he would treat everyone the same. 'Dad, I'm tired! I've been raking these leaves for seven hours!' 'And you'll rake them for seven more if you don't get off your kiester and finish up the pile! There's a wind coming, and you'll need to start again if you don't finish soon.' 'What's the point anyway? These trees are just going to drop more leaves and I'm going to have to rake them again…' 'These trees aren't going to drop any more leaves after today, Pine. Today I'm going to teach you to use a saw.' Pine stared in disbelief. He had watched his father cutting down trees for years, but being unable to hold a saw properly due to his size, he was always given the rake to clean up. If he was lucky he'd be able to cut off loose branches with a small hacksaw, but never more than a few inches across. 'Move it, son! If you want to get to cuttin' we're gonna need all these leaves out of here! If you slip while sawing, you're in for a mite of trouble.' His father was named Oak Bough. His coat was leaf-green, and his mane was auburn, just like leaves in autumn. He was a well-respected lumberjack in Ponyville. Ever since the Apple family had begun to sell their incredible Zap Apple Jam, he had moved his family in. They had a good business going. All the ponies' houses needed wood; some were entirely made of it. Pine continued to rake with renewed vigour. Oak went back to his trailer and retrieved a well-worn saw and a brand new one, still sparkling in the sunlight coming between the forest canopy. Pine was done raking and he rushed over to the trailer to retrieve a net. This was something he had perfected. He tied the net to two trees and tied the other two corners to loose rocks and threw it over the pile of leaves. After the leaf pile was completely covered with the net, he and his father dragged the rock ends under the pile and tied all four ends together, making a large leaf sack. With the leaves tied down, they moved back to the trailer and the two saws. 'Pine, this was given to me the day my father taught me how to use it. This saw has been with me every day of my life since then. Now, I give you your own saw to use. Use it well, son.' He moved a hoof from his slightly rusted saw to Pines new one and picked it up. After looking at his son with pride for a moment, he gave it to him. 'So… are you going to show me how to use it?' 'If you're my son, you'll know how to use it. You'll know,' he said, voice cracking a bit. Pine had never seen his father get emotional over anything before. He knew that this was important not just for him, but for his father, too. He carefully put it on his back and picked up a small axe. He walked to a nearby tree and dropped the saw to the ground. He took his mark between a knot and a root and swung the axe. It struck dead-on where he wanted it to. Oak saw this. It was the worst tree in the vicinity for roots and knots, yet his son had chosen the perfect place to begin a mark. Pine removed the axe from the tree trunk and placed his new saw in the dent left by the axe. Slowly, he began to saw. It felt better than he could ever imagine. He had discovered something that matched his personality perfectly! The saw felt like an extension of his forelegs. He could almost feel the blade grinding through the wood. After what felt like no time at all, the tree began to groan. Pine quickly yanked the saw from the tree and gave an almighty buck. 'TIMBER!' he yelled as it fell with a resounding crack. He didn't need to, but in the euphoric state left by felling his first tree, he wanted to do something. Yelling just seemed fitting. A deafening boom filled the forest as the tree hit the ground, followed by the indignant screeching of hundreds of birds that were fleeing their homes. Oak laughed and placed a hoof around Pine's neck. 'I have never been more proud of you, son,' he said. Pine felt a light burning on his flank and craned his neck to see a mark. It was an axe. His father had a saw and he had an axe. He couldn't help but laugh with glee at the whole situation. He had felled his first tree, he had received his cutie mark, and he had finally made his father proud. Oak laughed, too, and moved off to retrieve his own saw and axe. 'Come on, son! There's more where that one came from'. --- 'Wow… that's awesome!' said Zedd after Pine had finished his story. Ditzy knew the basic story of how he had gotten his mark, but had forgotten most of it. He had told it to her one night when she had indigestion and couldn't sleep when she was a little filly. She still didn't know her mother's story. 'What about you, mum? How did you get your mark?' 'Oh, well, when I was a little bit older than you are right now…' --- She flapped her wings harder. School was over and she was out in the real world… she didn't know what she was going to do, but trying out for the Weather Patrol was a good start. There was a strong headwind coming toward her practise team. It hadn't hit yet, but she could sense it coming. 'Brace yourselves!' she called back. 'What for? It's perfectly clear ou- woah!' shouted a Pegasus, pausing when the gust hit and he was knocked back a few feet. All the other Pegasi immediately began to flap harder to overcome the headwind, but Spring stopped flapping completely. She held her wing joints taut to keep her wings extended, but let everything else go limp. She could feel small eddies in the wind and glided between them, wasting no energy. Sensing a backdraft a few feet away, Spring signalled for the group to go single-file behind her as she led them through it. The task they were set was simple. A mock storm had been made somewhere in Ponyville and they had to find it and subdue it. Another pony, Highwind Stray, had spotted the gray cloud in the distance and Spring had immediately begun to lead them along. The cloud was small, but powerful. It was made of condensed Cumulous, and wouldn't simply be able to be bucked away. When they reached the cloud another pony took the lead and sent Pegasi to strategic parts of the cloud, all to buck on his signal. He found every loose part of cloud, sometimes lightly kicking to loosen it, and placed a Pegasus there. When all 8 of the group were around it he shouted 'Now!' and they all bucked. The cloud roared as it blew apart and dispersed and the wind died down. 'Good job, everypony. You showed great skill today. Spring, Highwind, and Breeze, would you please report to HQ? The rest of you can continue with the drills.' Spring would have leapt for joy if she weren't already airborne. Being told to report to HQ meant they were almost sure to be accepted! She could finally begin work! When they arrived at the head office of the Weather Patrol, they landed on the cloud out the front and walked in. the building was only mid-sized considering it was located next to the Weather Factory. Spring looked over to the factory and noticed a grey van entering the Rainbow Factory directly. I wonder what they're delivering… the Rainbow Factory is so mysterious… oh well she thought to herself as she walked through the front doors. The pony at the front desk barely looked up before saying 'Go straight through, the boss is expecting you', and continuing to file her painted hoof. The three moved into the next room and stood awkwardly. The boss was a great, black stallion with a grey mane. Black ponies were rare and to have a black coat showed power. 'Take a seat' he said to the three, indicating a few seats across from his desk. After they were seated, he sat in his own seat and pulled out some files. 'Now, Mr. Highwind, it says here that you have strong eyesight. That could come in helpful with us locating stray clouds. If you would report to Sector 12 tomorrow morning at sunrise you can begin training as a searcher immediately. Are you happy with this job?' 'Yes, sir! Very happy, sir!' he said, enthusiastically. 'Good. A happy worker is a hard worker. You may leave. Take the day off.' 'Yes, sir' he said again, giving a bow before leaving the room. 'Mr. Breeze? The report says you showed leadership skills. We could train you as a Weather Patrol Captain, if this is true. Please give examples of your skill' Breeze began to tell of several instances where he had seen what needed to be done and immediately given orders. Without a leader in these circumstances, something could have, and would have, gone wrong. The final example he gave was just a short while ago in the mock storm chase, where he had ordered the ponies to different spots around the cloud. 'Without him we probably would have just stared at it until somepony turned up to fail us' said Spring. 'As untrue as I hope that is, I suppose you may be right. Very well, Breeze, if you would report to Sector 2 tomorrow, you can begin training immediately. You may also leave' said the Boss. 'Yes, sir' he said, also bowing before leaving. 'Now, Ms. Spring. It says here that although you have strong leadership skills, your voice is quieter than most. Am I right?' 'Um… yes, sir' she said. 'I see… shouting over a gale would be exceedingly difficult for you. Your report tells me that you can somehow sense changes in weather patterns before they happen. Is this true?' 'Well, I'm not sure about "before they happen", but my wings are very sensitive. I can feel changes in wind speed and direction before the bulk of it hits, and I can also feel slight… pulling whenever there's a backdraft or slipstream. That came in helpful today when we were rushing to the mock storm cloud. I led the group into a slipstream and we didn't have to fight as hard against the wind.' 'Very good. That's a most unusual skill… You know, I don't think we've had a meteorologist in a while.' 'Excuse me for asking, but what's a meteorologist, sir?' 'A meteorologist is a pony who studies the weather and predicts it for the good of everyone. Most of the time the workers at the factory control the weather, but if something goes wrong and we need a few days to clean it up a meteorologist may come in helpful in cleanup and telling the public. You'll also be able to deliver weather reports to the towns of Ponyville and Cloudsdale, should you accept.' 'That sounds like a great job! I- I would be honoured to take it' 'Very good. If you could report to Sector 1, Subsector 3 tomorrow morning, we can assess your skills and you can begin work the day after.' 'Wait, no training?' 'With this skill being so rare, there is no training to be given to you. If anything, you should be training other ponies. But, alas, it is not a skill that can be taught. You have a rare talent, my little Pegasus. Always remember that.' 'Th-thank you, s-sir.' 'You may leave' She gave a small curtsy before turning and leaving. On her way back through the front door she noticed a small burning on her flank. She turned and looked at the glass door to see her reflection. There appeared to be a fluffy white cloud on her flank. Just to make sure it wasn't a trick of the light, she craned her neck to see. There was definitely a mark on her flank. She immediately gave out a loud 'Woo-hoo!' before taking to the skies and landing on the one cloud in the sky where she could see all of both Ponyville and Cloudsdale. The cloud she sat on was fluffy and white. She had become a weather pony, all because of a talent she was born with. This was the best day of her life to date. --- 'The best day of your life? What about the day you met me? The day we got married? The day Ditzy was born?' 'I said "to date"' she said shyly, blushing. 'That was incredible. So you were born with your special talent,' he said to Spring, 'and you simply knew your own skill all along, but couldn't get a mark until you did something?' he asked, looking to Pine. 'That's right, I guess… I never really looked at it that way' he said. Ditzy spoke up. 'I think I know what I want to do,' she said. 'Well, come on, let's go!' said Zedd 'You two have fun. I'll take care of breakfast' said Spring, moving to pick up the empty plates and cups. They walked out the front, and Ditzy immediately began to fly a few feet from the ground. She was barely moving her wings at all… it was strange… almost as though she was being levitated. Nopony could fly like that without moving their wings a lot more. 'How are you doing that?' asked Zedd 'I can feel an updraft. My body is light enough that I can float on it, I just need to keep my wings completely still or else- Eep!' she said, then fell back to the ground. Luckily she hadn't been flying any higher, but she had dropped a loose feather in her right wing and had lost balance. Zedd made sure she was alright, then noticed the feather floating away. He chased it, Ditzy in tow. He ran all the way across town, the feather just out of reach, laughing all the while. Ditzy began to laugh, too, at how childish it seemed to chase a feather caught in the wind, but still refused to stop. Ditzy took to the air and began to glide effortlessly to it. 'Hey, no fair!' shouted Zedd from below. 'Well, it did come from my wing!' Ditzy called back. Zedd began to run frantically toward it. They were approaching the marketplace. Zedd overtook Ditzy without her realising. She had closed her eyes and was relying on her wings to guide her. Zedd ran straight into the marketplace. Somepony was blowing bubbles all over the place and one hit the feather. Instead of the bubble popping, it absorbed the feather and began to sink slowly to the ground. Zedd stopped in front of the bubble and stared in disbelief. The bubble was reflecting a rainbow and he could see the colours being refracted all over the grey-blue feather. It was entrancing as it hovered a foot from the ground, seeming to dance in the wind. He looked back and saw Ditzy, eyes still closed, flying through the air. She could feel an abnormality in the wind… several, in fact. She began to fly between the strangely spherical eddies of wind and felt something wet splash on her nose. She opened her eyes to see bubbles all around her. There were several ponies watching, but she paid no heed as she spread her wings wider and turned them up to stop her movement through the air. She watched as the bubbles moved through the air in response to her flaring her wings… she had control over them. Dance, bubbles, she thought to herself as the lightly began to fluff singular feathers to make certain bubbles move. She led them into formations of snowflakes and flowers, then gave a huge flap of her wings to spread them. They fell into perfect harmony, even while floating away, and a rainbow reflected between them all and coalesced to Ditzy as she landed. Zedd had never seen a more incredible sight. She seemed to glow under the spectrum-coloured light, and her flank flashed. He looked down to see seven bubbles on it. He suddenly became aware that she was staring at him, and he glanced away, embarrassed. She wondered why he had been looking at her hip… No, he's not that kind of pony… do I have dirt or something on- oh Celestia! She thought to herself, turning her neck to see the seven bubbles on her flank. She rushed over to him and jumped on his shouders shouting 'Zedd! Zedd, I got my cutie mark! I did it!' He was surprised by how light Ditzy was… it almost seemed to defy physics how light she was versus her body size. 'Good work, Ditzy! I saw. You looked amazing…' he said. 'Thanks, Zedd' she said, leaning down close to kiss him on the cheek. His front knees buckled and he fell flat on his face, Ditzy landing on top of him. 'Oh, sorry! I'm so sorry, Zedd!' she said, jumping off of him to help him up. 'I shouldn't have jumped on you' 'That's not why I fell- oh, um, yeah, I guess I just lost my balance, heh-heh' he said, taking her hoof to get up. They became aware that everypony in the marketplace was staring at the two and Ditzy massively blushed and hid her face in Zedd's mane. 'Come on, Ditzy. Let's go and tell someone. Hey, is that Pinkie over there? Oh, shoot, I still have to apologise to her for the other day. Come on' he said, leading her over to the pink mare. 'What do you want? I thought we weren't friends anymore,' she said, her hair still deflated. 'Weren't friends? Why would you think that, Pinkie?' 'Only because you never want to see me again! The other day when I only wanted to be a help to you, you told me to go away.' 'Look, Pinkie, I'm sorry about the other day. I was-' 'Oh, that's okay then!' she almost shouted, her hair puffing back to normal, 'Ditzy, good work on getting your cutie mark! I got mine a few months ago when I realised that I like happiness and I like making other ponies happy and I threw a party for my family and they liked it and were all SO HAPPY and GASP, I should throw you a Congratulations-On-Getting-Your-Cutie-Mark party! I'll be right back!' 'Um… at least she accepted my apology?' said Zedd, sheepishly. 'What did you do?' 'When you ran away the other day and I was running after you Pinkie started running with me. She thought it was a race or something and she started speaking gibberish. I told her that I didn't have time for it and told her to leave me alone. I didn't know it would affect her that badly' 'Well, I suppose it didn't do any damage…' muttered Ditzy. 'Well, should we go somewhere now? We could go to Sugarcube Corner, I guess. I mean, Pinkie would be done preparing the party by the time we got there' They began to walk to Sugarcube Corner, wondering aloud what Pinkie would have in store for them. Every time she threw a party it was somehow even bigger than the last one she held, and the last party she had was pretty big… Upon arriving at Sugarcube Corner, they noticed nothing out of the ordinary. They walked in and asked Mrs. Cake if she had seen Pinkie at all. 'Oh, well I saw a pink blur a while ago, but I thought that was just a trick of the light. She must be really excited about something!' 'Oh, okay… well, do you have any of those delicious blueberry muffins?' asked Ditzy. 'But, of course! Do you think I'd ever leave you without some? They just came out of the oven' Mrs. Cake turned and put on a pair of oven mitts, then retrieved a tray from the windowsill. There were six muffins on it; half blueberry and half raspberry. She took off one of the mitts and touched the tray. Finding it warm, but not hot, she allowed the ponies to each take one and passed over four bits to pay for them. 'Oh, and good work on getting your cutie mark, Miss Doo,' she said, moving to place the remaining four muffins under the counter for everypony to see through the glass. 'Thanks, Mrs. Cake! This is delicious, by the way' said Ditzy as she pushed the front doors open for herself and Zedd. ''Eah! If rea-y 'ood!' said Zedd with a mouthful of muffin. Ditzy giggled as he walked through the door and then followed. --- After a day of searching the town for Pinkie, fruitlessly, they decided to return home. How could I have forgotten to tell mum and dad? Oh, they're going to be mad, thought Ditzy to herself. They walked through the front door and noticed all of the lights were off. 'Hello? Mum? Dad? Is anypony home?' she called to the empty house. 'Maybe everypony has been invited to the party and they couldn't find us' said Zedd. 'Well, that wouldn't make sense,' said Ditzy, moving to flick on the lights. 'How could Pinkie, of all ponies, forg-' 'SURPRISE!' As the lights turned on, they saw numerous ponies all in a crowd around them. How they hadn't walked into one of them in the dark was beyond Ditzy, especially considering that they were blocking the exit. 'You're right that I didn't forget about you! I was beginning to wonder when you were going to get here, silly filly! I got the whole class here and your parents and some other friends of ours and everypony is here!' Pinkie rushed through the crowd and put on some music. 'Now, let's par-tay!' she shouted to the crowd, who began to talk and dance a bit. Ditzy and Zedd began to tell the story of what had happened again and again to eagerly awaiting ponies in the room. After telling the story for the fourth time, to the same ponies, Ditzy said she just wanted to talk to people. Others began to swap stories about what had happened to them, a surprising amount saying something about a rainbow, and they eventually began to dance. As the night wore on, more ponies began to leave and the tempo of the music began to slow. Eventually, Pinkie announced the final song was coming up, and the remaining couples got up for a dance. The song began to play as Zedd took Ditzy's right hoof in his left, and put his other hoof to her flank. They stood up and leaned together as the song began. It's sad we're worlds apart. There'll have to be a way for us to start. You're in an alternate reality. I know that you're not real, except for what I feel. I want you buried in my heart. Zedd held her closer to him and leaned his head against her neck as she responded in kind. The way you look at me, with such ferocity, it's makin' me just fall apart. Tell me, is this wrong? There's nothing for me here, but solitude and fear. Your bright colors make it clear. If I were to leave what more could I be than just some passing stranger? This is my life. This is my dream. This is my fantasy. Wanting for more Wanting your form To be so near to me. They leaned in even closer and began to hug each other tightly, still rocking side to side with the music. They were both hopeless dancers. This is my life. This is my dream. This is my fantasy. Wishing for more Wishing your form to be so near to me. This is my life This is my dream This is my fantasy... As the song ended, the two shared a passionate kiss. After what felt like an eternity, they broke apart. 'I love you' whispered Zedd 'I love you, too' she whispered back. They were pulled out of their trance by cheering and stamping of hooves. They looked around and noticed that everyone in the room had stopped dancing and was watching the two in the middle. Ditzy wished she could simply disappear. She began to blush hotly and hid a little bit behind Zedd. After standing in silence for a few long seconds, Pine came into the middle of the crowd. 'Come on, party's over. Unless you want to stay and help clean up, that is?' There was a mad rush as everypony who didn't live there ran to the door and tried to fit through it, four at a time. Someone even opened a window and dived out. Spring glanced around the room. There wasn't much mess at all; most of the empty drinking cups and packets of food were still on the tables. There was no food on the floor, nor where there any drink stains. There would be a time to clean up, but it could wait. Luna's moon had long-since risen and they were all tired. Pine followed Spring to their bedroom, flicking off lights as he went, and turned to say something before he closed the door. 'Now I don't want to hear any "bumping" in the night, got it? I don't want to hear anything.' Ditzy blushed and turned to enter her room. Zedd simply stared awkwardly. 'Don't worry, it's just a joke. Jeez, do you understand the meaning of "humour"?' 'Oh, err, right… well, good night, Pine, sir' 'Night, Zedd,' he said before turning and closing his door. Zedd made his way to bed without turning on the light. When he got there, he found somepony already in it. 'Don't tell me I have the wrong room' he muttered. 'Right room, I just wanted some company. Come on, lie down' whispered Ditzy. Zedd awkwardly climbed in and lay down. She was warm and soft. He leant against her in the double bed and pulled the covers over himself. He hugged Ditzy to him and cleared his mind, trying to sleep. Both comfortable in the company of each others, the two lovers slept. === Chapter 4 === Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare – Part 4 Zedd awoke slowly. He had slept better than normal and felt more awake than he had after waking up in years. He immediately became aware that he was still hugging Ditzy closely. He slowly moved back and slipped out of the bed to not wake her, then moved to the door. After opening it, he rubbed his eyes and turned toward the bathroom, then slammed into something solid. Stupid wall' he muttered blearily, then glanced again to see it was Pine he had walked in to. 'Oh, er, um, sorry, sir!' he said quickly. Pine continued to frown. Ohh no… thought Zedd to himself. He looked further down the hall to see Ditzy's door was wide open. Looking back, he also noticed that Pine could see right into his room and could see a blonde mane in the bed. Pine jerked his head for Zedd to follow and descended the stairs. Zedd was worried. He had offended Pine and broken his trust… he was going to be kicked out of the house and he'd have to find somewhere else to live. Pine beckoned for him to take a seat and moved to make coffee. After a few long minutes, Pine dropped down two mugs of it and took a seat. 'Explain' was all he said. 'Well, I went to go to bed last night… and when I got into my room Ditzy was there… and…' 'What happened?' 'Nothing! Seriously, I climbed into bed and we fell asleep, I swear that's all that happened!' Pine squinted at him for a few long moments before taking a sip of coffee. 'Ahh, much better,' he said, opening his eyes fully. 'Just wanted to make sure, y'know. What, surprised? I'm still not really a morning person until my morning coffee.' Pine completely changed his tone. 'Don't worry, Zedd! I trust you completely. Besides, I didn't hear any bumping,' he said with a wink. 'I'd know if anything happened. You can hear a pin drop from anywhere in this house, I crafted it with compressed balsa; it really reverberates. If they're listening up there, the girls can probably hear us talking right now,' His ears perked up at something and he downed the last of his coffee before quickly saying he had to get to work early to help train someone and rushing out the front door. After a moment of sitting by himself Zedd began to hear hoofsteps. He turned to look into the doorway and saw Ditzy standing there, except her eyes were aligned. He then noticed that she was taller, too. Oh, I'm an idiot, he thought to himself. 'Good morning… Spring…' he said, hesitating on her name. He still didn't like calling any adults by their first names. 'Good morning, Zedd. You slept well, I take it?' 'Yeah. Better than I have in years, I think' She gave him a small smirk and turned to begin cooking something. He immediately felt paranoid that she knew there was more than one body in his bed that night. 'I take it Pine had to rush off early? He said something about having to start early,' she said to him. Feeling grateful for the change in subject, he said 'yeah, he only left a moment ago.' Spring turned and looked at him for a second before her gaze shifted to the second coffee mug on the table. Her eyebrows furrowed in concentration as her mind worked hard on figuring something out. 'Err… what's new at the Weather Factory?' asked Zedd to avoid an awkward silence. 'I can feel a storm coming, even though there isn't one forecasted. I should probably be leaving soon, just in case,' she looked over at him. He seemed a bit disappointed. Maybe he wants to talk… the Weather Factory can wait, she thought. 'Is something on your mind?' Zedd's thoughts immediately spun. He didn't know what was right or wrong anymore. Ditzy has her cutie mark, so now I'm one of the only ones in our year level without theirs… every day that goes by Ditzy and I get closer together… I'm not sure how long it will be before- oh, I still need to answer her… Um… Spring stood silently by the stove. She considered saying something, but she figured that he'd speak when he was ready to. 'It's… I dunno. I…' 'It's about your relationship with Ditzy, isn't it.' Zedd shouted 'wait, what!' before he saw her flinch and recoil a bit from him. 'Oh, sorry. It's not... no. no… not entirely.' Spring turned back to the stove to cook breakfast while Zedd collected his thoughts and figured out what he was going to say. Before she knew it, he was pouring his soul out to her. 'Everypony else in our class has their cutie marks except Applejack, and even though I'm not being picked on for not having one, it's still awkward for me, but also… I don't know what I'm supposed to feel about Ditzy. One day we were friends, and then everything just suddenly changed, and it's not like I don't like where we are in a relationship, but the problem is that I don't know where we are. I've never been in a relationship, and I don't even know if this is one,' Zedd's voice began to crack a bit and every so often he would punctuate a word with a sob. 'I don't know what to feel. I've never done this before. It's weird. I don't know if she likes me back the way I do, and I don't even know how I like her, and I don't want to just ask her because she'll reject me and I don't want to lose her because…' his words trailed off and became incoherent before he fell silent, barely holding back tears. Suddenly Spring came over and gave him a tender hug. He felt warmth in it, and love. A mother's love… something he had never received before. He couldn't help but lean against her and sob as he let out all of his pent-up feelings; feelings that he didn't realise he had been holding in. After what felt like an eternity he finally pulled away. Spring looked him in the eyes and said 'Trust your heart and you'll know what's true and right. You're a smart colt. I know you know the answers to any questions you may have. Trust me.' He felt much better. Better than he had in years. Zedd couldn't remember what it felt like to be loved by parents, but he thought he remembered now. Ditzy came through the doorway and entered the room right as Spring dropped two plates of food on the table and turned to retrieve a third. ''Morning, mum' she said, taking a seat next to Zedd. ''Morning, Ditzy. Did you sleep well?' she asked. Ditzy blushed and mumbled something incoherently. She knew that Spring knew. Spring laughed lightly before beginning her breakfast. 'Do you have any plans for today?' she asked them both. 'Same plan as yesterday, I'd guess. Keep looking for my mark… I don't have the faintest idea what to do, though,' said Zedd. 'We'll think of something' said Ditzy, spirit burning brightly. 'Perhaps you could collect more stories? I'm sure the Cakes would be happy to talk to you. Maybe even your teacher, Math, could help,' suggested Spring 'Oh yeah, he did say something about being happy to help us with anything at one point,' said Ditzy. 'Then it's settled. We'll find Mr. Millien, and then go around finding others for help from them, too,' said Zedd. The conversation drifted to the weather and the forecast for the following fortnight, then Spring put the dishes on the side of the sink to be washed later. The three walked together toward the front door through the rumpus room, and Zedd suddenly realised why Pine had left in such a hurry. The room was still in complete disarray. Cups and empty food wrappers were littered all around the room, along with temporary tables being spread around the room and the sound equipment still being set up. Ditzy moved to set some music going while they cleaned up. Spring muttered that she had to clear off quickly, that the air was getting denser by the minute and that an unforecast storm was likely on its way and took off through the front door, promptly angling to some grey clouds spreading rapidly from the Weather Factory. As the music picked up, Ditzy began to make dancing movements while jumping around a bit. Zedd laughed, to which she said 'come on, get moving!' 'Well… who's Discord?' 'He's some mythical guy who apparently used to rule Equestria. I suppose the song fits here because, well, look around!' Zedd looked at the state of the room and grinned. He began to bop up and down on the spot, and when he took a step it was more of a hop. They continued to dance around the room picking up the rubbish until Zedd heard a crash from behind him and turned to see Ditzy on the floor between two halves of a table. 'I guess I kind of, ah, slipped?' she said, holding her head to stop it from spinning. 'Now that's some discord, right there' said Zedd, moving to help her up. He noticed a small bump beginning to appear on her head and immediately told her to take a seat while he got some ice. She thanked him and sat down, rubbing her head to test how much it hurt. 'Stop doing that, it'll make the bruise worse' said Zedd, re-entering the room with some ice wrapped in cloth. 'Sure thing, dad' she replied, mockingly. Zedd blew air through his nostrils in response and continued picking up the last of the rubbish with much less dancing. 'Pine can help me pick that up later. I guess he can scrap it in one of his little "projects" or something,' said Zedd, returning to Ditzy. Pine had a small shed out in the backyard where he kept his tools and knives. He would spend a lot of his spare time in there, whittling on blocks of wood or making small objects from them. Zedd hadn't been allowed in there for a while under the excuse that it would 'ruin the surprise'. Zedd followed Ditzy through the front door and closed it behind himself, hearing it click locked. They looked up into the sky and frowned. Clouds were covering most of the sky, ending abruptly at the Everfree Forest. Toward Cloudsdale the clouds were a dark grey, but above Ponyville the sky was being kept as clear as possible; every Pegasus available was up in the sky condensing clouds to be sent back to Celestia-knows-where. The two shared a quick glance and Ditzy said 'we'd better be quick in town. I think we might be in for a storm before long'. As they walked into town Zedd noticed a huge amount of ponies that he'd never seen before. More than that, they were all Pegasi. Zedd saw a flash of brown, and not recognising it, followed. They came to a side-alley between a house and Sugarcube Corner and Zedd peered in. It was a dead end, nopony could have gone in after all. Zedd led Ditzy into the bakery and they settled to talking to Mrs. Cake. 'What exactly is going on in town? I haven't heard about any festivals' said Zedd when they reached the counter. 'Oh, it's terrible! One of the main cloud generators blew last night and the Weather Forecolt had to evacuate the entire city of Cloudsdale. I heard that some of the ponies on night shift didn't make it out of the explosion… oh, the poor dears' 'Oh… wow. What's being done? Where will all these ponies stay?' asked Ditzy. 'For now I think your mother is leading the group up in the sky, and more are getting ready to leave any minute now.' They heard a series of dings from the back room. 'Oh, could I get a hoof here?' she asked, beckoning the two younger ponies to follow. 'I've been baking as much bread as I can for the extra ponies in Ponyville. I also put a little something extra in for those brave ponies going in to the heart of the chaos for clean-up and repairs.' Going out the back, they saw no less than twenty ovens. 'I never knew you had this many ovens! When did you get them installed?' asked Ditzy. 'A pony with a spiky, brown mane came by in a truck full of them a few days ago. He said that I would need them. Well, I didn't believe him at the time, but now… come, the bread,' she said, throwing two pairs of oven-mitts to the two young ponies. Ditzy and Zedd continued to question her as they moved the bread to the counter, tables, and windowsills. 'What did he look like besides spiky brown mane?' asked Ditzy 'He had a light brown coat and he wore a tie, I think' 'What about his cutiemark? What did it look like?' asked Zedd 'It was an hourglass, I think… oh my, I haven't ever seen a mark like that before.' 'Did he say anything unusual? I mean, he knew this was going to happen. Could he have caused it?' 'No, no, he was an earth pony. He said something about a leotard… no, that wasn't it… I forget what he called it, but he said he was a "time lord". Well, I thought he was raving, of course. I just let him be on his way and I haven't seen him since. 'Go on, you should get home as fast as you can. I don't want you being caught out here in the storm, it could turn bad.' Ditzy began to protest, but Zedd quickly hushed her and pointed outside. The rain was coming down harder than the sound let on. Ditzy gave a final glance to Mrs. Cake and thanked her, then left. 'Oh, no, thank you for all your help, dearies! I always appreciate a helping hoof around here, especially in a time like this' They moved quickly through town. Looking up, they saw innumerable Pegasi in the air, fighting the clouds, but it was a losing battle. Clouds were streaming above the forest, but dissipating in the distance. It's unnatural… clouds don't just go away on their own. Zedd was snapped out of his thoughts by a deafening boom overhead. He saw a streak of lightning hit a house nearby, and flames immediately ignited it. Ditzy slipped and fell over and Zedd stopped to help her back up. The two stood, watching the flames slowly spread. Ditzy gasped as a Pegasus fell out of the sky and landed in a nearby hay bale. Possibly a victim of that lightning strike… everything's going wrong… what do I do…. What do I do?! Zedd's thoughts were getting frantic. He noticed the hay had stopped moving entirely, and no Pegasi were descending from the sky to help. His thoughts went into overdrive. Somepony's injured, nopony's helping, that house is burning, lightning, LIGHTNING! He heard a scream from the house, followed by crying and wailing. His mind cleared. Everything went blank. 'Ditzy, go help whoever it is in the hay bale. I'm going in' Ditzy took a few seconds to register what he had just said, but then moved toward the hay bale. She suddenly stopped and turned to see he was gone. He was charging full-speed to the house. 'Zedd!' she screamed, voice lost to the wind. Even if he had heard her, Zedd wouldn't have reacted. Somepony was in that house, and he needed to get them out. Four feet from the door he spun and bucked without losing pace. The door fell in and he saw just how far the flames had spread. The entire kitchen was on fire, along with most of the living room. The wood in the walls was burning quickly. He heard another squeal from upstairs, followed by the crash of a burning beam falling. Zedd was up the stairs in a flash. They crumbled after him. He heard light thumping and scratching on one of the doors in the upper-corridor. He touched the doorknob and immediately recoiled, tears in his eyes, hoof burning. He turned and bucked this door, lightly, and heard it snap easily. He concentrated on his upper forehead as much as possible and watched the two halves of the splintered door glow and fly into the room. A gray streak noted a cat rushing from the room in a hurry. The screaming had stopped. That was bad. His mind was still oddly blank. Zedd was acting on instinct. He went through the hall and saw that all but one door were left open. Glancing into each room in turn, he settled on the last and bucked. The room inside was ablaze, along with the rest of the house, but a hole was blown in the roof and water was spraying in. This must have been where the lightning struck. 'Hello? Is anypony there! Please answer me!' Zedd called, vainly. Whoever it was screaming was either unconscious or dead. Zedd became aware of a voice in the back of his mind telling him to get out. The house was crumbling and he knew it, but if he could save someone, it would all be worth it. He took a tentative step into the room and the floor gave way below him, showing the kitchen below. He stepped back and muttered 'hop… skip… JUMP!' and leapt the gap into the room. There he saw her. A little blue-green filly was trapped under a beam, unmoving. Zedd felt something like anger in his mind. Even if she was dead, he would not let this fire consume her. He felt a sudden coolness on his cheeks and felt his eyes sting. He felt a sudden shortness of breath and noticed how smoky the house was becoming. He also suddenly became aware of how unbearably hot it was. Putting all of his strength into it, Zedd hooked his forelegs under the beam and heaved, then fell forward onto it in sudden pain, and rolled backwards, screaming. BUCK THAT WAS DUMB! he screamed in his mind. He had just successfully burned most of the fur off his forelegs and could already feel the skin blistering, along with a few sore spots on his neck where he had fallen forward on the beam. He got to his hooves, tears streaming freely, and concentrated harder than he ever had before. He felt the magic flowing and saw the beam glow. Nothing happened. He strained harder, holding what little breath he had left and grunting. He felt like his eyes were about to burst and could feel his mind straining, then the beam disintegrated. The wood within reach of the filly blackened, then whitened and turned to ash. He picked her up tenderly and blew the dust from her before turning back to the door and running, completely forgetting about the hole. The world flipped below him as Zedd tumbled into the kitchen. He curled up around the filly to protect her body from harm and felt himself make connection with the floor. Luckily he landed on his tailbone. Zedd picked the filly up again and ran through the doorway to the living room. The house was darkening by the second and the world seemed to be spinning. Trying his hardest to navigate the burning wood to the front door, Zedd almost fell over again. As soon as he was half a foot out the front door, the world spun and he looked up to the ground-turned-sky, briefly wondering why he was plastered to the ceiling of the world before everything blackened for a final time. --- 'Hurry up; we need to get him to the hospital!' 'Will he be okay?' 'Hurry, guards. These three have top priority. Your new mission is to get them to a hospital, fast.' 'Yes, Princess.' 'Into the wagon! Gently, we don't know how bad their conditions are.' 'I'm taking this one and going alone. She needs help the most. Besides, she's only small.' 'Very well. Men, on me! To Ponyville clinic, double time!' 'Wait! Zedd! Please, don't leave me!' Zedd opened his eyes in the rain. The sky was completely black and royal guards were all around. He immediately became aware that Ditzy was beside him. 'Zedd…' she said through tears. 'Let's meet again in the next life'. He didn't know why he said this, it just felt right. 'Yeah. I'll be waiting' she choked out. Zedd faintly wheezed a chuckle. 'Silly,' he said, 'just because you have a next life'. He looked into her eyes for what he knew would be the final time and blinked out a final tear before falling under again. --- 'Clear' Thump. 'Clear' Thump. 'Come on, come on. One more! Clear!' Thump. Beep. --- She left the two ponies in her wake, rushing to the Factory to help with whatever cleanup was necessary. The storm was bigger than she thought. Getting close to the factory, she was immediately redirected to help fight the clouds. She looked in and saw metal shrapnel everywhere, along with… red pigment? No, this was a cloud problem, not a rainbow problem. Wait… that was… blood. 'Tell them to spread out wider then go to town and launch the backup workers. We need all hooves on deck; this is going to be a big job!' 'Yes, ma'am' replied Spring's co-worker. He flew over, shouting over the howling wind for the Pegasi to spread out. When he saw them carrying out his command he saluted Spring and folded his wings in for a quick dive to town. The troops had helped, but the clouds were getting thicker. They had no chance. Highwind came to tell Spring to go home. 'It's too windy! You know you can't brace these conditions!' 'I can! I swear!' 'Look, you're the best at reading weather, but you're not the strongest flier, and if you get in trouble nopony will hear you calling for help! Go home and be with your family! Tell the town to go home, too!' Giving up hope on staying in the air, she saluted and dived to town. BANG. The air vibrated around her and she felt an intense burning all over her body, along with a sudden impact on her right shoulder. She landed in a moderately soft patch of something. Without a spare thought for what had happened, she blacked out. --- 'I think she's coming to.' 'Mum!' Spring opened her eyes and saw her family there. Ditzy was standing at her left side, Pine at her right. She mumbled something and winced. 'Don't speak, honey. The doctor says you're lucky to be alive. You were hit by lightning and landed in a hay bale. If Ditzy hadn't seen you land you might not have been found until the storm finished,' said Pine. Spring looked to her daughter and smiled. She mouthed the words 'thank you' and rested her head back down, already out of energy. 'Miss Glow, your recovery is going to take a while. You have a third-degree burn on your right shoulder, but that seems to be the only problem. Hardly even a bruise besides that. You were one of the luckiest ponies in Ponyville the night this happened. '"The night"…' she paused for breath. 'How long…' 'You've been asleep for four days. The Weather Factory is working on repairing whatever went wrong, but the storm is over.' She blinked and smiled in thanks before falling asleep again, too exhausted to do anything else. 'You may stay if you wish, but she does need rest. I'd recommend you don't disturb her. Now, Miss Doo, I believe there's another admitted here who you may wish to visit… Mister Zorander?' If she wasn't still heartbroken over his condition she would have giggled at his name. She nodded solemnly and followed him through a corridor to a room on the level above. When they entered a doorway, she saw him. Zedd was in bed with an oxygen mask on, but he was conscious. The doctor rushed over with shock on his face. While he checked Zedd's pulse and began to quickly ask him questions which Zedd didn't answer, Ditzy had a look above his bed. There was a shelf with a simple hourglass on it that couldn't have possibly been going for more than a minute. She thought back to the day of the storm and smiled to herself. It was the oven-stallion, whoever he was. When the doctor finally left to retrieve some hospital apparatus Ditzy moved to his bedside. 'Zedd?' He continued to stare ahead silently. 'Hello?' 'My… head…' His eye twitched and he slammed a hoof to his horn, moaning in agony. Ditzy was scared. She didn't know much about unicorn horns and didn't know why he would be hurting. Frantically, she reached for the help button and pressed it three times to signal an emergency. About 10 seconds later she heard hoofsteps and the doctor returned with two nurses. Ditzy began to blubber to him through tears of frantic fear 'I don't know what happened! I went to talk to him and he said something about his head and now-' The doctor cut her off. 'It's okay. Zedd, please calm down.' Zedd glanced out the corner of his eye at the doctor and held his breath tightly for a moment before blowing it back out and groaning. Every breath was a great shudder, followed by more groaning. It was taking all of his willpower not to scream. The doctor knew this and appreciated it for the sakes of the other patients resting nearby. 'Nurse Redheart, please prepare a sedative,' said the doctor. He turned to Ditzy. 'Your friend is in a lot of pain. I don't know why he's awake; I didn't think he would be for another day at least. We need to put him under so we can hook him up to some morpheme; that will take the pain away for him.' Ditzy had settled to just sitting by the foot of the bed and nodded silently. She moved up closer to Zedd's head and gently put a hoof to his. He felt the touch and cracked an eye open. His lips closed over his gritted teeth. Ditzy kissed him as the nurse injected the needle into his foreleg and Zedd closed his eyes again. --- Zedd awoke to dead silence. No talking, no rain, no anything. It was strange. He became aware of a piece of plastic piping in his foreleg, but decided to leave it be. He could feel a small amount of throbbing coming from the base of his horn. The more he concentrated on it, the worse it got. The room seemed to be pulsing. The entire world was throbbing with every beat of his heart. He leaned over to the edge of the bed and saw a plastic bag. More than grateful, he took it and emptied his stomach. He faintly heard hoofsteps and looked up to see a nurse coming into the room. Zedd felt another wave of nausea and leaned over the bag again. He felt a hoof on his shoulder and heard the nurse say 'it's alright, get it all out.' When he was sure nothing else was coming he leaned back up again. The nurse took the bag from him and tied the top through a piece of solid plastic. 'Now you need to know is that there was an incident. How much do you remember?' Zedd strained his mind trying to recall previous events. The room began to pulse more solidly and he grunted in indignation at how the world could be so inconsiderate by interrupting his silent thoughts. The nurse picked up a small remote and told him to press the button from time to time to keep the pain away. He pressed the button, but didn't feel any different, so he groggily placed it on the bedside table. 'I… storm… lightning… fire… filly… escape… darkness… Ditzy…' She seemed to understand. 'That's right. You ran into a house that had been struck by fire to save a little filly. She's already back in Ponyville, and has been treated for minor burns and smoke inhalation. 'You escaped the house and fell unconscious, then were transported here by the Princess's Royal Guard. Your friend, Ditzy, seems to think you thought you were going to die… you were almost right. You're very lucky. 'You overstrained yourself in the house. Your horn isn't mature enough for magic of that level, and you've given yourself an aneurism. Do you know what that is?' Zedd shook his head and felt the world pulse again, then noticed the pulsing had mostly stopped. Whatever that button was, it worked. 'It's when your brain… bleeds. By using your horn as much as you did, you actually overexerted the magic cortex leading into your brain and it split. This is normally much more serious, you're very lucky it's not worse. An MRI showed a small tear and internal bleeding, but it should be better within the next few days. You've also been transferred back to Ponyville.' 'Back…?' he asked 'Oh, yes. You have been unconscious for six days. You awoke briefly two days ago, but had to be put back to sleep again. You were transferred to Manehattan hospital on the first day, and you're now back in Ponyville. You were brought back yesterday,' she said. He leant back against his pillow and thought. He was close to Ditzy now. They were back in the same town, at least. --- 'He's right through here'. Zedd looked up to see the nurse pointing through his doorway. In came Ditzy, followed by Spring, Pine, and a small, blue-green filly with an older mare. 'Zedd, you're alright!' Ditzy practically shouted before rushing over to hug him tightly. 'Never scare me like that again' she whispered to him. Zedd was reduced to hugging her back as tightly as he could, tears forming in his eyes. 'I'm so sorry' he said back. When they finally broke apart Ditzy stayed by his side. Spring said she was gladder than he could imagine that he was awake. Pine grunted that he was the toughest colt he'd ever met. 'I don't think I'd have been able to do what you did. That took more than guts.' He felt something tugging in his chest, and realised that he'd never received a father's pride before. He smiled back with more gratitude than he could express. The older, unrecognised mare came toward him and began to explain how thankful she was that he had saved her little Heartstrings, and that if she could ever do anything to repay him she would. He looked down at the blue-green filly, then back to the matching-coloured mother and smiled. 'I didn't even think about it. It just sort of… happened. I knew I needed to help, and so I did' The little filly climbed up the side of the bed and hugged his foreleg. 'Thank you, mister! Mummy said she was scared for me, but you made her happy again!' He patted her back with his free hoof and noticed that the filly had missing patches of fur, along with a small burn on her back. He looked down at his own foreleg and saw small patches of fur in between what seemed to be a single, massive blister. 'My name is Heartstrings, but you can call me Lyra! I like the lyre, and it's a pretty name, I think. What's your name?' Zedd smiled at the innocence of the little filly. 'My name is Zedd,' he said. She suddenly looked confused. 'That's not a name, it's a letter!' 'Heartstrings' hushed her mother. 'What? Mr. Millien taught us the alphabet in English! Zed is the last letter of it!' Zedd laughed lightly and grunted as his headache returned. Trying not to scare the little filly, he grimaced and pressed his anti-pain button. His mind reeled as he tried to think of something to say. 'Well… I think the last letter of the Greek alphabet is Omega, so you can call me that if you want?' 'Oh… May… I'll call you Zedd' Everyone in the room shared a laugh. Lyra's mother brought her back down from the bed and left saying 'if you ever need anything, I'll be more than happy to help. I owe you more than I can ever repay' 'Please. Just seeing such a beautiful little filly made this whole ordeal worth it. Trust me.' She smiled and turned with tears brimming in her eyes. Zedd faintly heard 'why are you sad again, mummy?' from the hall as the two left. Conversation quickly turned to what Zedd had missed and what had happened in the "incident". There had been a memorial service held in Ponyville three days ago in memory of the two ponies who passed away in the accident. Representatives came from the Rainbow Factory with specially designed scrapers to help with the last of the cleaning up, but after saying something about something being "unusable" to them, they had cremated the remains and turned them over to the families. Pine had to work overtime to get enough wood for a new house. The family of three musicians would be staying with family friends of theirs, the Philharmonica's, while their house was rebuilt. Pine laughed about how Lyra was more than happy to have a friend to play with by the name of Octavia. Zedd was eventually allowed to walk around again. The shunt was removed from his foreleg and he no longer needed to rely on the painkillers. He went through withdrawl for a full day, but felt better than ever after that. The first time he stood up Ditzy had gasped. She pointed a hoof to his flank and before he could turn and look at whatever she was pointing at, he felt her jump on top of him. Barely having enough strength for himself alone, he promptly toppled to the floor, only to be helped up again by Ditzy. He turned his head around and saw a red heart on his flank, the sensation of burning probably missed in the burning house. It suited perfectly. It represented the love he felt for all ponies, and the length he would go to to help them. A full week after he woke up on the sixth day he was allowed to leave. Eleven days had passed since the storm. The town was bustling with new life. Half a step through the front door of the hospital, Zedd was deafened by a cheer and lifted up onto the shoulders of a huge group of ponies. They led him to the town centre and dumped him by the stage. Mayor Mare came out to give a speech, flaming red mane leading the way' 'Fillies and gentlecolts! We're here today to celebrate a true hero in the eyes of Ponyville! Ignoring all danger to himself, he risked his life to save that of a small foal, and came out alive. Zeddicus proved that it doesn't take bulk or brawn to be a hero; it only takes a strong and determined heart. Three cheers for the hero!' Zedd stood awkwardly in front of the whole town as they cheered for him. He, who had been the target of school bullies for years on end, was now a hero in Ponyville. All the same, he didn't feel at all right until he saw Ditzy cheering for him, too. As soon as he did, he grinned more broadly than he had in weeks. === Chapter 5 === The Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare – Part 5 Zedd had had enough of the party. He wished he could stay longer, but he was far too tired to stay on his hooves for much longer. Zedd heard a high pitched voice call his name and he turned in the direction of the speakers. He couldn't quite make out what the voice was saying as she was being drowned out by the bass-heavy music, but he immediately recognised the silhouette's poofy hair. 'Before you ask, yes I really do need to go, Pinkie. I'm sorry, but I'm st-st-still recovering,' he said, punctuating the sentence with a huge yawn. 'Do you really have to go? I mean really, really have to go? The party won't be any fun without the guest of honour!' said Pinkie. 'Pinkie, you can make anything fun, even school. I've been in hospital for two weeks, I think, but I'm still healing. If I stay here much longer I'm going to fall asleep on a park bench or something.' The party was being held in town. Pinkie had gone all out once again to make it her best party yet, and with the whole town invited, that it was. Streamers and balloons were all around the courtyard and lights had been put up on the town hall to illuminate the area. Pinkie had brought out her best speakers, borrowed from a close friend of hers by the name Vinyl. 'Come on, Pinks. I would know best of anyone; when you need to sleep, you need to sleep,' said a white mare with lightning blue mane. 'Go on, Zedd. Dream about me, eh?' she added with a wink behind her shaded goggles. Vinyl was only young. She had dropped out of school two years before the last year of high school, mainly to pursue her dream of becoming a world-famous DJ. Her mark was in the form of a connected double note(♫), and she had a love of all music, but focused on electronic; the more bass the better. 'Ugh… fine… I'll see you at school on Monday, Zeddie!' 'Yeah. Night, Pinkie.' He turned and began to walk back home, bass from the music still able to be heard long after the treble died away; cheers of happy party-goers still heard from half way across town. Ditzy's probably still out there having the time of her life. All the best to her, I don't want to be a drag on her fun. After only walking for a short while he began to feel his breath shortening. When he was no more than half way home, he had to stop and sit down, panting like a dog in summer. 'Do you need a hoof?' came a friendly voice from behind. Zedd turned and saw Ditzy standing behind him. She jumped up onto the back of the chair, hind legs remaining on the ground. 'No, thanks. Please, I just need some sleep. Go. Have fun,' he said, attempting to hide his shortness of breath. 'It wouldn't be any fun without you, Zedd,' she said. Zedd immediately thought back to what Pinkie said and sighed. 'Alright, thanks, I could probably use a hand,' he said, giving in. ditzy flapped her wings once and jumped clear over the bench, then helped Zedd to his feet. She let go and he nearly fell over to the left, so she caught him and helped keep him steady as they continued home. Zedd didn't really want to ruin Ditzy's night, but if she wanted to help him he wasn't going to say no. The house finally came into view and when they walked in, Zedd immediately dropped onto the lounge. Ditzy moved to go and make some tea in the kitchen, but Zedd faintly called her back. 'What is it?' she asked, leaning in close. 'Don't leave me, please. I…' he didn't even get another word out. He was already asleep. Ditzy couldn't help but smile as she went to the hall cupboard and retrieved a blanket, lying down on the lounge, too, and draping the blanket over them both. She felt his forelegs wrap around her and she snuggled up close against him, partially to be closer, and partially to minimise the chance of falling off the lounge. She fell asleep quickly, too; smiles upon both of their faces. --- He glanced around the room. The daily routine was going as it always did. Math Millien was the advanced mathematics teacher at Ponyville High School. He was a Pegasus with a silky white coat and sky blue mane, and his cutie mark consisted of four mathematical symbols (x - + ÷) in varying colours. 'Ditzy?' he called. He heard a voice from the back of the room respond and he ticked her name on the roll. 'Pinkamena?' Wait for the response. Tick. 'Vinyl? No… Erm, Rarity?' Wait for the response. Tick. 'Zedd?' Wait for the response. Ti- wait, there was no response… 'Zeddicus?' he repeated. He waited, but still no response. I swear I saw Zedd somewhere today… I know he's at school… He gave a final look around the room and noticed Zedd slumped low over his table, head in his forehooves. Math stood up from behind his desk and walked between the rows to stand next to Zedd. Never had a student had the nerve to sleep through one of his lessons before- much less before the lesson had even begun! 'Mister Zorander!' he yelled, and Zedd woke with a start. 'The answer is A: Somepony!' said Zedd groggily. 'Zeddicus, this is not English, this is Mathematics. I may teach English as well, but from what I remember of your schedule, you haven't been in my English class since foalschool.' 'Yes, Mr. Millien. Sorry, sir,' said Zedd. Math looked down and saw the blisters still healing on Zedd's forelegs. He remembered with a start how Zedd had only been discharged from the hospital a few days ago. 'Oh. No, my apologies; you must still be recovering from your injuries. Please, if you see the need, go ahead and speak to the nurse. I'm sure she would be happy to give you a cup of coffee or something of the like for a pick-me-up, then you may return.' Zedd was still too tired to even consider arguing, especially if it meant he could leave, so he got up and trotted to the door. 'But sir! I don't think I got enough sleep last night, do you think I could go out of class for a while, too?' asked Sticks innocently, but mockingly. 'Ah yes, young Sticks. Your friend was removed from this class because he could hardly count how many hooves he had, and if memory serves, the only reason you still remain is because your father is also a teacher here. I believe you need all the class time you can get,' replied Math, and the class roared with laughter at Sticks' expense. Math raised his voice for the whole class to hear and the laughter died away almost immediately. The class respected him enough to fall silent before he asked it. 'Now, if you would all open your textbooks to page three-ninety-four, we will continue our study of Pythagoras' theorem and its application alongside quadratics.' The door clicked behind him as Zedd closed it. The classroom wasn't large, but he had intentionally walked slowly to hear Sticks getting paid out, passing it off as a limp. He didn't even bother to stifle a yawn as nopony else appeared to be in the hall. 'Woah there, Zedd, I can see what you had for breakfast!' Zedd suddenly closed his mouth mid-yawn and looked up. Before he could even see where the voice came from he had to yawn again anyway. Trying again, he saw a grey unicorn stallion walking down the hall toward him. 'Didn't get kicked out of class, did ya? I did that a fair few times when I was in school, but I didn't think you would, eh?' The unicorn was the advanced English teacher. He was larger than most stallions, and had an Australian accent. On his flank was the image of a quill wrapped in a treble clef, and around his neck was a pair of ever-present earphones. Zedd smiled briefly before answering. 'No, Mr. Quill. Mr. Millien sent me to see the nurse.' 'Oh yeah, you just got discharged from the hospital, didn't ya? Well, how're you feeling? Tired, by the looks of it. And I've told you before, call me Bazz.' 'Erm… yes, Bazz. I kind of got kicked out because I fell asleep.' ''You kiddin' me? I swear I almost got more sleep at school than I did when I was at home. But, I suppose the principal wouldn't want me telling you that, so let's pretend it never happened, alright?' Zedd nodded, grinning. 'Anyway, go on, see the nurse. I think I might be late to class. As though anypony cares, though, right?' Just as he said this the bell went. 'Oh, well, whaddaya know? I guess old Mathie is just overly punctual. Alright, well, gotta go. Seeya, Zedd.' 'Yeah, sure thing. See you.' In all honesty Zedd hadn't heard half of what Bazz Quill had said. His Australian accent was normally easy to understand, sometimes even sounding sophisticated, but with his mind running as slowly as it was he could only stare and nod. After a few moments he noticed a few stragglers running through the halls to their classes and he began to walk down to the nurse's office. When he arrived he noticed another pony was already in there. There was usually one or two in there for scrapes and bruises, sometimes even a stomach virus, but not usually the first thing in the morning. The nurse had a red cross on her flank, along with a white coat and red mane and tail. He name was Redheart, and her life goal was to work at the hospital. When Zedd came in he saw her placing a small band-aid on a unicorn colt's foreleg. 'Now, I'd suggest using your scissors with your hooves until you have a little more practice in levitation, okay? That cut will heal itself by the end of the day. You can return to class now,' she said. The colt nodded with a sad frown and left. The high school shared a nurse's office with the primary school, so young colts and fillies would often be seen in tears over minor cuts and bruises. She noticed Zedd walking in and smiled as though she had been given an early Hearth's Warming gift. 'Young Zeddicus, I was hoping I'd be able to speak with you. But I guess you haven't come for no reason. What can I help with?' Zedd pondered what she meant when she said she had hoped to speak with him, then eventually remembered the situation and blurted 'Oh, yeah, I fell asleep in class. I mean, err, I, uh, Mr. Millien sent me here for… I'm not entirely sure. He said for me to get a "pick-me-up".' 'Oh, that's easy. Tea or coffee?' 'Erm, coffee, I guess… but I thought students weren't allowed to have it?' 'Oh, please, Zeddicus, you're an exception. I can only imagine how tired you would be; having to heal all of those burns… and I even heard you had a minor aneurism?' 'Erm, yeah…' he said, not entirely sure where she was going. 'Well… I can see your confusion. I'll get straight to the point. I want to be a nurse at Ponyville hospital, as you may know, but I need more experience. Now, having you here would make the perfect opportunity. Would I be allowed to just… examine you? I just want to have a look at the damage, would that be alright?' 'Yeah, I guess. What would you be doing?' 'Just a bit of this and a bit of that,' she said, eyeing a medical tool used to observe the retinas. 'One lump or two?' 'I'm sorry, what?' 'Your coffee, dear.' 'Oh yeah, two, I guess.' She quickly poured him his coffee and went to her cupboard to retrieve a few select tools that would probably never even be needed in a school, but she had anyway. After a half hour of testing the coffee began to kick in and he was becoming restless. 'Just one more minute and you can go, I swear,' she said. True to her word, no more than a minute later she was placing the tools back in a box and reflecting on what she had seen. Zedd had no idea what she might have seen in his eyes, or listening to his pulse, but she seemed to be greatly interested. 'I guess I'll go back to class, then,' he said. She mumbled something absentmindedly and retrieved a chart to start some sketches and record numbers. On his way out Zedd saw a certain young colt with a band-aid on his foreleg, tears in his eyes and another small cut on his opposite leg. Zedd held the door open for him and immediately heard 'Scissors? Right, sit on the table. I swear I'm going to have to tell your parents if you don't stop this' --- 'Have fun in the nurse's office?' 'Oh yes, oodles of it. I was poked and prodded and had lights flashed in my eyes, but I did win a prize! I got a free cup of coffee.' Ditzy eyed him (with one eye) for a moment before she spoke about her math lesson. 'Mr. Millien set some homework, but I guess you got out of it when you didn't come back. He tried to get Rarity up the front at one point to write out the answer to a question on the blackboard, but ended up making her sit down again when she couldn't get the 5 quite right and kept erasing it. We didn't learn much.' 'Right. Well, what do you have next? I have Music and History then double English. At least we're going to end the day with a fun lesson.' 'I have a flight lesson and home ec. I can't wait for English.' 'Why do you need flight lessons anyway? I've seen you fly, you're incredible.' Another glance from Ditzy. 'I-I-Incredible at flying, that is, erm, ahah,' he stammered, rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. 'They think that I need lessons because I don't live in Cloudsdale.' A voice rang out from behind them. 'Yeah, maybe you should move to Cloudsdale, then. Not only would we not have to look at your face, but you'd probably fall off!' They heard a stupid guffaw and turned to see Sticks and Stones approaching. 'Not these two again,' said Ditzy, face-hoofing. 'Leave her alone, Sticks.' 'You stay out of it. I don't want to hurt you, Zedd. It wouldn't look too good, beating up a "hero" now would it,' he said, eliciting another guffaw from Stones. 'Yeah, good luck doing that to begin with. Leave. Before I make you.' Sticks stared in disbelief at why Zedd would defend her. Look at her eyes! Who wants anything to do with a freak like that? 'Oh, you asked for it. You're gonna be back in the hospital by the time I'm done with you,' 'OI!' a voice rang out across the yard. 'The only reason he'll be in the hospital is because he'll be visiting you! Back off!' 'Oh? Who's going to make me?' Stones turned to be face-to-face with the large English teacher, Bazz. His pupils dilated and he seemed to shrink in size. Stones said in his slow voice 'Did you all hear that? A teacher just swore!' 'No, I said "back", but you can feel free to "take it" any way you wish,' he explained. The crowd that had gathered around them was roaring with laughter. Bazz had a way with words that often threatened to get him in trouble, but nopony could ever prove the double-meanings. Stones sat down hard with a confused look on his face; the gears could almost be seen clicking in his mind. 'Are you two going to leave any time soon? Recess is nearly over, and you wouldn't want to be late to class, would you?' Sticks and Stones quickly glanced at each other before scampering back to the main building of the school. 'Thanks, sir,' said Zedd quickly, 'but… what are you doing out here? Why aren't you with the other teachers?' 'Oh, I was, but then Math told me about what happened in his lesson this morning. I knew that Sticks would want to get someone back for it. Besides, can't a teacher come and enjoy nature from time to time?' He took a deep breath and stared off toward the forest, listening to the birds chirping. Zedd and Ditzy stopped to listen, too. They had never noticed how they could hear the birds from the school; they could only ever hear little colts and fillies playing on the playground. Ditzy moved and sat next to Zedd, linking her tail in his own, and Bazz plugged his headphones into a small device and began to walk back to the staff room, his head bobbing slightly with whatever beat he was listening to. 'Hey, good work standing up to those bullies, Zedd!' said an orange earth pony with a curly orange mane. Zedd looked up and noticed that while most of the crowd had departed, a few still remained. 'It was totally awesome! Man, you looked ready to fight it out!' said a yellow earth pony he didn't recognise. 'I must admit that it makes me feel a little safer knowing there are brave stallions like you out there,' said Rarity with a sigh. Ditzy shot a warning glare at Rarity. She was holding a book with hearts all over the cover, no doubt another of her love stories. At the look she received from Ditzy, she immediately picked herself up and hurried across the yard. A bell began to toll across the yard and they stood up to move off to their next lessons. 'See you at lunch, Ditzy.' 'Yeah' --- 'Okay, so we're supposed to be reading something by Wingian Hoofspeare. Here's the short version: death, death, incest, death, exit stage left,' said Bazz. He paused to wait for the laughter to die down (caused by him saying "incest" in class) before going on to say 'It's worth a read, but that can wait until later. For now, let's just go over a review of something else. Have any of you read any good books lately?' Leaning back in his chair, he was staring up at the far wall. Without even looking to face the students, he said 'Nope, didn't think so. So let's review some stories. Has anyone heard any good stories lately?' Still no response. 'Well, I suppose I could share a good one with you all. It's about a heroic colt. No, not Superstallion, this guy saved another person from certain death, but nearly caused his own in the doing.' He finally looked down from the far wall and saw the class all leaning forward with rapt attention. 'There ya' go. I could tell you this story, but I don't know it that well. Zedd, you probably know the story better than anyone else, would you tell it?' Zedd's jaw dropped. 'I-I-I have no idea what story you mean! I've never heard of anything like that, sir.' 'Ugh, mate, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me "sir"? 'Anyway, of course you do. This story was new about three weeks ago, you know.' Zedd finally began to catch on. 'Now, I don't think the colt's name was ever brought up. Let's just hear the story of this nameless hero.' Zedd walked up to the front of the class and began to speak in the third person, retelling the story of how the brave colt had saved the little filly from the pyre of the burning house despite huge personal danger. The class listened with great attention, but only three ponies in the room knew who he was talking about. Zedd ended the story at the point that the colt had passed out. The class applauded lightly and he returned to his seat next to Ditzy. Bazz shot Zedd a small questioning look and Zedd nodded. Conversation without words had been something Bazz mastered with some of his favourite students. When the class's attention returned to the teacher, he stood up from his chair and walked to the front of the classroom. 'Now, what do you think the moral of the story was?' he asked. Zedd knew he was playing them, so he sat silently. Ditzy followed suit. The orange pony from the school yard raised a hoof. 'Yes, Carrot Top?' 'Was it that no matter what danger you may be in, you should always try to help others?' 'It might have been. You're looking a little bit too literally at this; while that may have been close, it wasn't exactly the "moral".' He saw a purple hoof raised at the back of the room. 'Yes, Berry?' 'Is it that no matter what the outcome might be, you should always do what you think is right?' 'Once again, it might have been. Now, I'm going to tell you something. This colt still lives. You may respect him, or you may not. Whatever you think of him shouldn't matter; just know that he did what he believed was right, and he saved a life because of it.' 'Sir?' came the voice of Berry Punch again. 'Bazz. Not "sir". Erm, yes, Berry?' 'You're saying all of this as though we know him, but it was just a story, wasn't it? Heroes like that don't really exist, do they?' 'You tell me. Have any of you asked Zedd how he got his cutie mark?' The class collectively gasped and spun to face Zedd as fast as they could. The voice of Allie Way was heard from across the room. 'I knew you were in one of the fires, but it was you who saved Heartstrings?!' Zedd stared in disbelief. He was wondering why none of them were reacting to his recount except interest in a good story, but this would explain it. They all lived under a class-sized rock. 'Come on, sorry to do this to you all, but Zedd doesn't exactly need more attention than he currently has. Everyone take out your copies of Lamblet and we'll begin. Yeah, yeah, I don't know why he wrote this about goats, but just go with it. Not everypony is a pony. Err, wait…' he said. The class roared with laughter. That was part of his humour- he would say something intentionally wrong, but in such a way that it seemed like he was serious at the time. 'Come on, page one, does anyone want to read it? No? Fine,' he said, opening his own copy of the book to the first page and beginning to read. Whenever he came to a character he would put on a high or a low voice depending on who it was. Two of the witches had high, croaky voices, while the third bore a striking similarity to a bear snoring. Zedd laughed with everypony else until his ribs hurt. These were truly the best times of his life. --- The day of their final examination was drawing closer by the second. Zedd was feeling the strain more than anypony else as he had missed a whole three weeks of work, and hadn't been able to concentrate properly for almost a fortnight after that. He and Ditzy had begun to forfeit almost all of their spare time to study. At least together they managed to get something done. They worked their hardest, Zedd helping Ditzy with whatever mathematics she didn't understand, and also helping her a lot with her essay on Lamblet as she couldn't read the book anywhere near fast enough to write about. They studied their other lessons hard and finally considered themselves ready for testing, then studied some more. Once, Pine had kicked them both out of the house for a few hours to make them get some sunlight. Finally the week of their exams was upon them. 'Are you ready?' asked Zedd. 'Can you give me a week or two to answer?' 'I could, but then you'd be stuck herding clouds for the rest of your life.' 'Alright, yes. I think I am.' 'That's what I want to hear from my girl' said Pine, entering the kitchen while they weren't paying attention. 'What about you?' he asked to Zedd. Zedd nodded and grunted in affirmation. 'Then it's time to go. Your first exam will always seem the worst, but they get easier,' said Spring, placing lunches on the table for the two young ponies. 'Mum, you didn't need to make us lunch, we aren't foals anymore' 'I'm not complaining,' interjected Zedd. 'You'll be able to concentrate better if you don't need to worry about lunch. Now go, walk slowly so you don't wear yourself out before you get there!' Pine laughed a little bit at how overprotective his wife was getting. Zedd and Ditzy both thanked her for their lunch and turned to leave, tails intertwining as they walked. 'They're all grown up. I must have missed it,' said Spring from the doorway, tears enveloping her eyes. Pine put a hoof around her neck and gently nuzzled her. 'They'll be fine.' 'I know, it's just… I… I'm so happy for them.' They continued watching their daughter and foster-son walking to school at a slow pace, both laughing at something Zedd had just said. Pine turned back into the house with his wife and closed the door behind him. Their sides didn't stop touching until they both had to go to their workplaces. --- The English exam came and went, Bazz being more serious than they had ever seen him. He left the room at one point and Sticks immediately asked what the answer was to one of the questions. Bazz came back in before anypony could respond and warned him that if he spoke again his test would be confiscated and he would have to leave. Sticks figured he had just been hiding around the corner. Bazz left the room again after a short while and Sticks got up to see where he had gone. Nowhere to be found, he asked again what the answer was. By the time he had finished writing the answer, the paper glowed and disintegrated right below his hooves. 'Hey! What the?' 'I gave you fair warning. You spoke twice, and stole an answer to a question. You have failed English. You may leave.' 'But-' 'You may leave,' he said again in his deep, commanding voice. Everypony watched as Sticks left in dismay. Bazz immediately levitated his headphones. 'There is more than one way to hear people speaking in a test. I'd strongly recommend not doing it when a unicorn may be listening.' He was looking over to the small earth pony who had given the answer. He sat back down at the front of the room, bobbing his head to whatever sounds were coming through his headphones. Not a word was uttered after that. Mathematics passed in much the same way, but Math didn't leave the room at all while watching over his class along with the lower mathematics class. Only one warning was given, but no tests were taken. The days went by slowly. By the end of the second day, Zedd felt like he had aged five years. On the fourth day, Spring took Ditzy to Cloudsdale for her flight test. On the way out the door, her mother was urgently muttering to Ditzy. 'Clear, fly, fall, complete, clear, fly, fall, complete. Please tell me you're getting this!' 'Relax, mum, it's not like I'm going to die if anything goes wrong.' 'Please don't make me think of that! No, no, please, clear, fly, fall, complete!' She had said the wrong thing. Her mum got jumpy sometimes over the smallest things, and that joke had been a bit too much. She grimaced to Zedd (he had the day off, there were no tests to be done) and took off beside her mother. Hours later, Ditzy returned. Zedd had tried to study, but he couldn't get his mind to work. Instead, he had just borrowed the newspaper from Pine and begun to read. Zedd had long-since passed the point where he stopped finding newspapers boring, and had begun to read them almost every day. Spring looked shaken up about something and Ditzy looked a little uneasy. 'What's up?' 'They… somepony failed. I've been told that whoever fails is taken far away and they're never seen again… I didn't know the person, but still. I'm glad I passed,' Ditzy said. Spring moved off to the bedroom and wasn't heard from for the rest of the night. After the final exams on the Friday, they were told to attend an assembly. The principal of Ponyville High was there to speak to them all. First up was Bazz for the introduction. 'Congratulations, fillies and gentlecolts! You somehow beat the odds and managed to make it through the week. I wish all the best for all of you, and I also realise how you want to get out of here as fast as you can and grab an ice-cream from the local store.' He watched as several ponies licked their lips. 'Enjoy that thought, and suffer knowing you can't leave until this is over!-' pause for laughter- 'and here is Principal Lily to give you a final speech.' She shot a livid glance at Bazz who smiled sweetly as he took his seat again. 'Well, has it really been that long? You've already finished high school. Where do the years go?-' pause for crickets to chirp- 'Well, you've all become grown mares and stallions, and you're ready to pursue your own dreams in the world. I wish all of you the best, and… well, I would say more, but I suppose that Mr. Quill has already sidetracked you all. 'Your test results will be mailed out within the month, and you may speak with me or any of the other teachers at any time to clarify anything. Please, enjoy your lives. I look forward to seeing how far you've gone in ten years time!' Everypony in the room cheered and began to swarm the exits. Zedd fought his way through the crowd to speak one final time to Bazz Quill. When he finally came into view, Bazz seemed completely oblivious to the stampede going on in front of him. He was leaning back in his chair, earphones in both ears, and his head was bobbing lightly to his music. 'Mr Quill?' asked Zedd. 'Mate, I don't know how long it's gonna take you to realise my name is Bazz. It's an Austallion name, you know, Bazz.' Zedd had never known where his teacher came from. He never took geography either, so he had no idea where Austalliona was. 'It's an island, mate. The biggest island in the world. Far from here, at any rate.' Bazz finally looked down from the roof and removed the earphones from his ears. 'Walk with me,' he said. 'Sir, I just wanted to ask how you could hear Sticks talking in the exam?' 'Oh that's easy, can't you give me a harder question?' he asked. After a moment, he let out a huge sigh and said 'Alright, I guess I'll just settle for full marks and no difficulty. 'It's a spell that only I and a few others can do. Y'know my mark back there?' he asked, gesturing his flank. Zedd looked again at the quill wrapped in a treble clef. He had always wondered why he had two significant points to his mark when most only had one. Seeming to read his mind, Bazz went on to say 'the quill represents my talent in English. The reason I slept in school so much was because it was too easy- it was boring for me. I took up writing as a hobby, and only became better. The quill didn't appear for a while yet, though. It was about the time I took up my writing that I discovered my love of music. I'll listen to pretty much anything so long as it's well made.' He took out his little metal device. 'On this little device here, I have everything from the Canterlot Orchestra to one of DJ PON-3's new remixes. If Zedd was surprised that his English teacher knew about PON-3, he didn't show it. Vinyl was already becoming well known at a fast rate. 'Anyway, when I was writing once, I had my music going on full, and I felt a small burning. I looked back, and my mark was just there. I call it my "treble quill".' 'And the spell?' 'It just came naturally to me. I leave this device in a room and take my headphones with me and I can hear anything that goes on where the receiver is. I made it myself, but I completely forget how it works. Let's hope it never breaks, eh?' Zedd laughed a little at this. He was interested in knowing a bit more about magic, but he mainly just wanted to talk to Bazz. He had a feeling that they would drop out of contact after school finished, and they had become as close to friends as teacher and student could be. 'I know something else you'll want to hear, Zedd.' 'What's that?' he asked, happy that the conversation could keep going. 'I know your father' === Chapter 6 === The Tale of a Cross-eyed Mare – Part 6 Zedd froze for a moment then frowned. 'Not funny,' he said vehemently, casting his eyes to the ground. That was a bad joke from someone he considered a friend. 'No, Zedd, it's true. I… admit that I haven't seen him in a year or so, but at last check he was alive and… well,' said Bazz, imploringly. 'Fine. Let's assume you aren't lying. What does he look like?' Bazz glanced up to the sky and his eyes glazed over. After a few seconds of silence he said 'he's an earth-pony. Unusual since you're a unicorn,' he began, only to be cut off by Zedd. 'My mum's- was- the unicorn,' 'That would explain it, but it's still rare. You have his mane. And his eyes. I swear the only difference between you two is in the shape of your muzzle and your height,' he said. Zedd frowned and muttered 'we don't look the same.' 'Zedd, I saw him not too long ago. He wouldn't stop asking about you, he wanted to know you were alive and well. He cares about you.' 'That wasn't my father!' Zedd shouted. He refused to accept that someone that supposedly loved and cared about him would leave him on his own. 'Appearances can change, Zedd! How do you know what he looks like?' Bazz was raising his voice to match Zedd's. 'I have a picture of him and my mother.' 'Taken how long ago?' Bazz pressed. This struck hard and Zedd's face fell. '…When I was a foal…' 'Now, what did I just say, mate? That picture is probably seventeen years old. I hate to kick you while you're down, but you need to accept the truth before you can do anything about it.' Zedd fell silent and sat watching young Pegasi flying to town to celebrate school being over. Bazz sighed and sat next to him, casually placing an earphone back in. The sun had moved noticeably. All of the ponies had finally settled down either at their favourite places in town or back home, barely anypony was still in the streets or the sky. Zedd finally looked down and spoke. 'Can I see him?' 'If you have eyes, yeah, I guess,' Bazz said nonchalantly. Zedd shot him a violent glance and Bazz seemed to realise he'd said the wrong thing. 'You can do one better than that, Zedd. I'll help you find him. School's going to be kinda sucky without my favourite students in it, so why not, eh?' 'When can we leave?' 'What, you don't want to say goodbyes? This could take a while, mate. It's harder to track people than books make it seem. I'd know.' Seeing Zedd's sceptical expression, he quickly noted 'I'm a writer!' 'Well, when can we leave?' 'Zedd, think about this… it could take years. Years, mate! Ponies say that time flies and you'll be old before you know it, but they never left their normal lives for years. At any rate, this'll probably take a week at least to plan. I need to tell the school if I'm leaving, and you probably need to say goodbyes to certain ponies. Besides, it's a three-day trot to Manehattan. That's the last place I saw him.' Zedd felt his guts lurch. He had found a note under a loose floorboard once. All he could read from it was 'life is nought but a story. Who will read yours?' The paper disintegrated almost immediately after he picked it up. This was one of the most important decisions of his life, and if he went through on the plan a huge hole would be left in his story, not to mention Bazz's. Wait, why would Bazz be willing to go this far for… me? 'Bazz… why-' 'Your father is the best friend I ever had. Sure, I talk to people here and there, and most of the students here like me, but nothing can compare to the friendship I had with your father. We were brothers in all but blood.' Zedd looked back down at the ground. How could I have ever considered just leaving like that? All of his friends… Pine and Spring… Ditzy… 'Don't… you have anypony here that you'd be leaving?' 'As I said, mate, I don't have anyone here. My parents haven't been around for years, so it's not like I'm leaving them, and, well, I don't have a Special Somepony, so whatever.' He looked at Zedd staring downcast at the ground for a moment. His ears suddenly perked up and he glanced to a spot beyond Zedd. 'Come and talk to me if you want to go through with this. If you're serious, we'll leave in a week. Seeya later, Zedd.' Almost immediately after Bazz left, Ditzy appeared around a nearby corner and trotted over to Zedd with watery eyes. Zedd immediately felt worse as she said 'please don't go…' Zedd looked properly at her for a moment and saw how she looked so isolated. She was sitting away from him with her shoulders slumped and she was fighting back tears. She looked almost as though if he went, it would be the end of her world. 'Ditzy, I…' He trailed off, thinking harder than he had about anything ever before. This would be the most important decision of his life. Love, or closure? Fate plays a cruel game, he thought bitterly. He moved to sit next to her and she pulled back slightly. Zedd felt horrible at this. She saw the look in his eyes and knew this was causing him just as much pain as it was her. She buried her face in his shoulder and hugged him tightly with both forelegs and wings, tears finally overflowing. They sat and hugged together for the longest time, neither willing to relinquish the other for even a moment. Zedd closed his eyes and leaned against her neck as her tears finally stopped and the sobbing slowed. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that the sun was inching closer to the horizon. The moon began to rise. Zedd looked to the familiar collective of craters on the moon face making the shape of the Mare in the Moon. An idea suddenly struck him. 'Ditzy… let's go to the forest.' 'Why?' 'I don't know, it just feels… right.' After a sceptical look from Ditzy, they stood and began to canter towards the edge of Ponyville. Zedd was only taking in the small town's beauty and appeal for the first time now that he was considering leaving it. Sugarcube corner stood above most other buildings, only out shadowed by the hospital and the town hall. Numerous small houses were lining Mane Street with their quaint appeal. The tree near the centre of town was being excavated by Pine and his men; it was to become a library. Zedd wished he could see it complete. The further through town they progressed, the sparser the houses became until finally the town ended and a thick wall of trees and scrub began. The sky was beginning to redden as the sun set, but Ditzy didn't wish to say anything about going home. She followed Zedd into the forest, walking behind him to avoid walking into trees and bushes. They reached their special clearing and saw something they never expected. A small shack had been erected, and there were several animals sleeping under a small makeshift marquee nearby. Curious, the couple moved to investigate. 'Hello? Anypony there?' Zedd called to no response. A squirrel dashed over to Ditzy and climbed over her face to rest in her mane. Ditzy let out a small scream. Zedd fell to his knees laughing, then when he saw her blushing face he laughed even harder and fell over, rolling on the ground. 'Be quiet! He just startled me, that's all!' Ditzy suddenly felt a small squirrel hair on her nose and violently sneezed, knocking the squirrel to the ground. They both heard a high pitch gasp and a young yellow mare flew over to pick the squirrel up and embrace it. As soon as she realised that two other ponies were watching her she retreated to her house and found the door jammed shut. Glancing back at the two ponies (who still hadn't moved) she squealed and began to pound lightly on the door, quietly begging for it to open. 'Hey, it's alright, we won't hurt you,' said Zedd softly, leaning towards her and stretching out a hoof. The small Pegasus squealed again and curled up in a ball, the squirrel quickly running to the nearest tree. 'Please, it's okay. My name is Zedd, and this is Ditzy. What's your name?' The mare lifted her face just high enough that a watery blue eye was visible past her foreleg. 'Flutt-rm-mm,' she said quietly. 'I'm sorry, we didn't get that,' said Ditzy a bit too loudly. The mare recoiled a bit behind her hoof. 'Flu-hmm-mm.' She hid behind her hoof and her mane now. 'One more time?' asked Zedd, a bit quieter than Ditzy. The mare let out a small squeak and hid completely behind her hoof, shaking in fear. Zedd looked to Ditzy who gave him a look that said "I have no idea." He began to move towards the mare and, when she didn't run away, he gently turned the doorknob and let the door creak open. Ditzy moved over to stand next to Zedd and the mare chanced another look. Seeing the two much closer than before, she almost hid behind her hoof again, but then noticed the Pegasus and she was filled with hope. 'Oh! You're a Pegasus, too! You see, my friend Rainbow Dash was racing, and she knocked me off the cloud I was on- accidentally, I'm sure- and I fell down here, and-' She suddenly caught sight of Zedd again and fell silent. Ditzy looked to him and back to the Pegasus before slowly saying 'do you want to talk to me… without him?' The mare nodded slightly, then looked at Zedd again and eeped. Ditzy stepped in front of Zedd to shield him from view and she steered the small mare into her own makeshift home, nearly pushing her flat into the doorframe because of her depth-perception problems, and gestured for Zedd to sit outside. After the door had closed, the yellow Pegasus lightly sang a few notes and a swarm of fireflies lit up the ceiling, flooding the room with light. The entire house seemed to be made of some form of wood or another; save for a small pile of blankets in the corner that Ditzy assumed was a bed. 'I… still don't think I got your name….' Ditzy thought hard trying to discern whatever it was she was trying to squeak out earlier. 'I'm sorry, I just get a little bit scared around ponies I don't know. My name is Fluttershy.' She moved over to her "bed" and spread a few blankets around the floor; shielding their backsides from the cold wood. 'So why are you out here in the forest?' 'Well, my friend Rainbow Dash- she's another Pegasus- she was standing up to some bullies for me and they challenged her to a race. I didn't want to, but Rainbow convinced me to wave the flag to start the race. I'm not good at being the centre of attention, and I could barely stand there, but when they flew towards me I lost my balance and fell. I've been living down here for nearly a year now. My wings just aren't strong enough to carry me all the way back up to Cloudsdale.' She fluffed her feathers and extended a skinny wing to show Ditzy what she meant. A collective of fireflies landed on her extended wing. 'Even if I could make it back to Cloudsdale, I don't think I'd want to. I like taking care of the animals down here! They're all so cute and nice,' she said as a firefly landed on her nose. 'I don't think I've seen you before, though. I came in here with Zedd less than a year ago, why didn't I see you then?' 'Oh, I only found this clearing a few weeks ago. I used to live further into the forest, but I was very scared at night… this part of the forest is filled with cute little critters and it's not scary at all during the day.' Ditzy thought about this for a moment before realising something. 'I think Zedd would be getting cold outside. Should I let him in? Do you think you could handle meeting another pony?' Fluttershy gasped and rushed to the door to let Zedd in, but then stopped and blushed lightly. 'What's… the problem?' Fluttershy glanced back at Ditzy then opened the door. Zedd looked up from where he was lying on the ground. 'Hello,' he said, showing an honest smile. Okay, Fluttershy, you can do this. Please come in. Please come in. Just say please come in! 'Pleeeaa….' She trailed off and finished the sentence in a squeak. She ducked behind her hooves and blushed even more. Ditzy appeared next to her and called out 'come on in, Zedd.' As Zedd approached, Fluttershy felt her wings moving behind her and rushed over the lean against the wall and flatten them. Zedd walked into the house and glanced around, taking in what little she had in her house. Ditzy led him to sit down opposite Fluttershy. 'So, do you want to tell me your name yet?' Her hooves were covering her face to hide her blush and she let out a muffled sound from behind them. Zedd glanced to Ditzy and back again. Fluttershy began to lower her hooves from her face and suddenly shouted 'You're cute!' She looked absolutely shocked at what she had just said and she finally fainted, wings springing open and blush appearing bright on her face. Zedd blushed a bit and looked away. 'Maybe we should… go…' he suggested slowly. Ditzy nodded, refusing to make eye contact, and took a spare blanket to drape across the unconscious Pegasus before leaving. As soon as they were out of the clearing Ditzy spoke up. 'Let's go to the forest, it feels right!' she said mockingly. 'Well, we met someone new. You did, anyway.' Ditzy grinned at him and tripped over a root. Zedd sighed as he helped her back to her hooves. 'What are you going to do without me?' he asked. They both stopped walking. A cricket chirped and an owl hooted in the silence. Zedd regretted opening his mouth at all. He didn't know what to do. If he kept walking it would be inconsiderate. If he stood silently they would be there all night. He could try talking, but he didn't know what to say. Ditzy spoke for him. 'So you're definitely leaving?' He spoke without thinking. 'I have to, Ditzy. This could be one of the most important things to ever happen to me.' Ditzy looked shocked at this statement. 'You mean I'm not important?!' 'No! I mean, you're the most important thing in the world to me!' 'Then why do you need to leave everyone? Why do you need to go? Why are you leaving me?' Zedd was struck dumb. Either he had just told a lie or he was being selfish. He opened his mouth to answer, though nothing but a croaky 'Aaa…' came out. Ditzy grimaced and turned to dash through the forest. Zedd tried to follow, but was blocked by a thick patch of thorns. She must have been using her wings. He helplessly watched as she turned to a silhouette and disappeared. He was snapped back to his senses by an owl hooting nearby and he continued out of the forest alone. --- 'Zedd! You're back. You're either really early or really late. Don't the end-of-school parties usually last all night?' Pine asked as he trotted through the door, head held almost low enough to touch the carpet. Zedd offered a small sad glance and Pine's smile faltered. 'What's happened?' he asked, realising Ditzy wasn't with him. Pine glanced at a small burn scar on Zedd's foreleg and assumed the worst. Zedd couldn't answer properly. His throat was constricting of its own accord. He tried harder to speak and only succeeded in forcing out a sob. Pine called out to the kitchen 'Honey, can you put on some coffee? I think we're going to need it strong.' He beckoned for Zedd to take a seat on the lounge as he put down his ever-present newspaper. The front page was showing several ecstatic ponies rushing from Ponyville High. 'Take your time, son,' he said, despite being worried for his daughter. If he even knew where Ditzy was the information wouldn't be able to be forced out of him. 'I'm an idiot. I'm a dumb, selfish, foal! I… I drove away one of the only ponies who matters at all to me in the world. I'm so stupid!' He collapsed to the floor sobbing. Pine moved over and helped him to his hooves. 'Zedd, you're not stupid, that much I'm sure of. Now What. Happened.' Zedd sat down on the lounge and took a great, shuddering breath before beginning. He thought about everything that had happened since school ended, and while Pine looked saddened that Zedd would possibly be leaving, he knew that Ditzy would be safe. She's a smart mare, he convinced himself. If she gets into any trouble she'll come home immediately. I hope she comes back soon, though… 'I'm such a selfish foal,' Zedd repeated. 'No, Zedd. You're the most selfless stallion I know. As much as I hate to admit it, Ditzy's in the wrong here. She's probably just sad that she knows you need to do this, and she's covering it up with anger. Believe me, her words are lies. She isn't angry with you, Zedd.' He took to his hooves and moved out the door, heading Celestia knows where. Zedd was- as far as he knew- alone in the house, so he went to bed and cried himself to sleep. --- She rushed off into the brush. Ditzy knew the Forest better than anyone. She flapped her wings to vault over a patch of thorny vines and continued on into the darkness. Refusing to slow, she continued barrelling through the forest, breaking branches, yet still refusing to slow down. The pain of numerous cuts and scrapes was helping to distract her from internal pain. She finally hit a branch too big to snap through and collapsed, lying across it, sobbing. She looked up through the forest canopy and saw the moon directly above; the face of the Mare in the Moon staring sadly down upon her. The Mare almost seemed to be crying, herself. Ditzy lay there long enough that the moon passed out of her sight under the tree and she decided to get up and move. Some of the cuts were beginning to sting, and the temperature was lowering drastically. She thought for a moment about going back home and seeing Zedd and grimaced. She couldn't handle that right now. She decided instead upon going back and seeing Fluttershy. Maybe she could spare a bed. As she tried to take off, Ditzy realised her wings wouldn't move. Her joints had stiffened from overuse. She pushed a bit harder to get them to open and tried to glide to the forest floor and walk. Immediately after jumping from the branch, she realised how high up she was, and how weak her wings really were. Ditzy strained her hardest to keep her wings open and straight, but it was a useless effort. Her right wing gave in, followed by her left, and she dropped. Ten yards. Twenty yards. Thirty. How high was that tree, she thought frantically, still falling. Eventually she hit a patch of vines and snapped through a few before landing in a muddy puddle. She would have lain there catching her breath after the near-death experience, but she could feel herself sinking in the mud. Give me a break, her mind shouted as she grabbed onto one of the recently-broken vines with her teeth and slowly began to pull herself out of the puddle. She looked up and saw that the trees here stretched up a full hundred feet and must have been a yard thick. I must be pretty far into the forest. Drained of energy- physically and emotionally-, and covered with mud, she began to trudge along through the forest hoping to come across one of the paths she knew. Eventually she found a path, and looking both ways, decided which way would lead her back to her- or Fluttershy's- clearing. She began to pant from the menial task of walking. The mud was weighing her down drastically, and she racked her mind trying to think of where a stream would be so she could wash it off. Before she could complete the thought, she heard flowing water and moved toward it. At least something's going right tonight. --- 'You're bleeding! Oh no, oh no, oh no, what happened? Please, come in! I'll get some bandages!' Fluttershy began to move around frantically searching outside. A baby bunny hopped across from the small marquee outside to pass Fluttershy a roll of gauze and another of tape. 'Thank you so much, Angel Bunny,' said Fluttershy to the small rabbit who grinned with glee. She passed him a small carrot from under a wing and he scampered back across to the animal shelter. 'Fluttershy, please, I'm- nngh- I'm fine,' protested Ditzy as she plucked a thorn from her lower foreleg. Her good luck had run out at finding the stream. There were leeches in it and vines all around, some of which she had stepped on. 'No, please, you're my guest. I need to help you. You must be in a lot of pain.' Fluttershy tore off a piece of the gauze and strapped it down across one of her larger cuts. 'I'm sorry about earlier. I guess I must have looked like a foal.' Ditzy remembered what happened and blushed. No, you looked like a completely mature mare, she thought, but only answered with a small nod. 'I hope he's not mad with me,' she said timidly. 'No, he could never be mad with anypony. He's just too forgiving. And I… I must have hurt him a lot,' she finished with a whisper. Fluttershy uttered a small 'oh,' and continued dressing Ditzy's wounds. 'Do you want to stay here for the night? It's awfully cold out tonight. Oh no, the animals!' she said, gathering a spare blanket and rushing out to the marquee. From the house, Ditzy could see nothing more than Fluttershy leaning over outside. She picked up the blanket and walked back to the house, carrying a blanket full of woodland creatures. After placing them in the corner, she moved to assemble her own bedding. 'So… where do I sleep?' asked Ditzy. 'You can sleep right here.' Fluttershy gestured to the bedding she had just prepared. 'But then where do you sleep?' 'Don't worry about me, I can sleep with the animals. Isn't that right?' she asked in a higher voice. The animals simultaneously climbed out of the blanket and rushed to climb on Fluttershy, with the exception of a young tortoise that made it three steps out before Fluttershy sat down on the blanket. 'They like it when I sleep with them, and they're so warm! Come here, Mr. Tortoise,' she said, scooping up the shelled amphibian and placing him next to her. He turned his head and smiled widely at Fluttershy. Ditzy smiled and nodded, moving to her own bed. The glowing fireflies dimmed and she fell asleep quickly. She dreamt of a brown colt with a messy mane and a smile that could melt even the toughest of hearts. --- Ditzy didn't return for the rest of the day. The first day of the holidays was spent alone, and despite Pine's words, Zedd was slipping back into depression. Spring said a few kind words to him before heading out to work for the day, but they didn't have much effect. After wandering completely around the house for the twelfth time that morning, he decided to go out and plan. He had to leave, no matter how much anypony didn't want him to. Mental checklist. Find Ditzy. Find Bazz and tell him I'm going with. Find Pinkie to plan a going away party. Find Ditzy. Invite people to the going away party. Find Ditzy. I need to stop thinking like this, it's going to tear me apart. Maybe I deserve to be torn apart… Sugarcube Corner, come on, Zedd! Just stop thinking. I'm no longer thinking about anything. Nothing at all. Hmmmm… Unable to force his mind to go blank, he had resorted to making the voice hum. After a few moments of extreme concentration he walked into another pony. He stumbled back, torn out of his thoughts, and apologised. 'Sorry about that. Hey, you're Big Macintosh, right?' 'Eeeyup.' 'I don't see you much. I guess the farm keeps you busy?' 'Eeeyup.' 'Don't you ever get sick of it?' 'Nnnope.' The conversation was going nowhere slowly. Zedd changed tactics. 'What brings you to town today? You're not here very often.' The large, red stallion nodded to the trailer he was pulling. There were a few bushels of apples and a compacted stand. 'Sellin'.' 'Well… good luck with that, I guess.' 'Eeeyup.' Zedd walked away from the other stallion. Even the people he didn't know well were nice… he could only hope that ponies of other towns and cities would be as nice as those in Ponyville. Zedd was looking all around for Pinkie. As he walked, he continued to glance behind him repeatedly hoping to catch a flash of pink somewhere. Eventually he gave up and moved to Sugarcube Corner to wait for her. The door was half way open before he saw a flash of streamers and heard a crowd shout 'Surprise!!' He wondered what was going on, but then Pinkie's voice called out 'wrong pony! Get back into place! Zedd, over here!' He had half a second to take in the banner saying "Happy Birthday, Mrs. Cake!" before a pink hoof appeared around his neck and yanked him behind the lounge. He was awkwardly lying directly underneath her on his back. 'Pinkie, I-' 'Shhh! You don't want to ruin the surprise, do you?' she whispered frantically. Zedd put up with his discomfort for another full four minutes before the door opened again. Pinkie suddenly vaulted over the lounge and shouted "Surprise!" with the rest of the room. Zedd slowly got to his feet, back leg having massively cramped against the lounge back. The crowd laughed at the shocked look on Mrs. Cake's face. 'Thank you, dearies! I can't believe I forgot my own birthday! I guess I've just been so busy lately and all-' 'Talk later, Missus Cake, it's time to party!' shouted Pinkie, leaping over to set the music going. Zedd quickly wished Mrs. Cake a happy birthday and tried to get Pinkie's attention. The sooner he asked for some help, the sooner he could leave. Zedd wasn't in the mood for a party. This place is way too happy. Minutes passed and several ponies tried to engage him in conversation, only to be rebuffed and apologised to. 'Come on, Zedd, have some punch.' 'Sorry, but no. I need to do something.' 'But we're at a party!' Zedd sighed and turned to see who he was telling off only to see it was Pinkie herself. Well, that makes things easier, I guess. 'Pinkie, I need to talk to you.' 'What about?' she asked, drinking a whole cup of punch in one go and refilling it. 'Something's happened and I think I need to leave, so… I was wondering if you'd throw a going away party.' He was expecting her to look sad, but was surprised by her reaction. Her jaw fell open for half a second before she said, 'two parties in one week?! This is going to be the best week ever! When do you want the party? Ooh, we could do it tomorrow! Or the day after, if you like! Maybe the day after that?' 'I'm planning on leaving in six days. Maybe make the party five days from now.' 'Okie dokie lokie!' Zedd was glad to finally be able to leave this place and continue his search for Ditzy and Bazz. Closing the door behind himself, he took a deep breath of the cool air. 'Boo,' came a quiet, deep voice. Zedd turned to see Bazz sitting by the door, wearing a pair of blue-shaded sunglasses. 'Why are you out here?' 'I could ask the same to you. I'm out here because things like that just… get to me. I'm fine with loud noises, but if there's a huge crowd and loads of stuff going on, I just get overly stressed. So now I will ask the same to you.' 'I'm out here looking for you.' 'Oh? You have an answer, then?' 'I do. I'm going. This could be one of the most important things I ever do.' Zedd sat down away from the door to avoid being flattened if it opened. 'Alright, I'll send a letter to the school tomorrow. When do you want to go?' 'A week from now. I'm having Pinkie organise a going-away party in five days, and the day after that we'll leave.' 'And that's it. No more Ponyville.' Zedd didn't answer. He continued to think hard. 'I reckon it's about time for me to go back in. 'You coming?' 'No. I need to find Ditzy, too.' 'Your loss, mate.' He opened the door and closed it again, leaving Zedd alone in the street. Ponyville seemed emptier than normal. He sighed and began to walk back to the forest. If she was still there, maybe he'd be able to find her with the added sunlight. --- Ditzy woke up slowly. For a blanket on the floor, her bedding was surprisingly comfortable. She could feel several weights on and around her. Looking down, she saw several small animals sleeping against her for warmth. She closed her eyes and smiled. Looking across the room, Ditzy noticed that Fluttershy was missing. She probably hadn't been for too long, because the tortoise was still making his way across the room to lie next to Ditzy. 'Come on, Mr. Tortoise. Do you know where Fluttershy has gone?' The tortoise seemed to smile a bit and pointed his head to the door. As soon as he did, Ditzy heard a few notes being sung and the animals sleeping on her woke up and scurried out the open door. Ditzy stood, stretched, and received several cramps in her legs and wings. She had far overexerted herself yesterday, and sleeping on the floor probably didn't help. The tortoise followed her movements, and she picked him up on her back to walk out the door. 'Oh, you're awake! Thank you for bringing Mr. Tortoise out with you, he sometimes misses out on breakfast because he can't get out fast enough,' said Fluttershy. She was standing near a small pile of cut up fruit and nuts with animals eating from it. Ditzy placed the tortoise next to the pile where the other animals made some room for him to eat. 'Thank you so much for going to the trouble of helping me, Fluttershy. Is there anything I can do to repay you?' 'No, no, it was no trouble at all! But, um, if you wouldn't mind, do you think you could pick up some apples for the animals? I found a poor little injured birdie this morning and I don't think I'll be able to get them like I normally do… Big Macintosh should be in town today selling some, and I can give you a bag of bits, but if you don't want to that's fine.' 'No, I will! I'd be happy to, in fact. You're so kind, it's the least I can do. You helped me, so I'll help you, too.' 'Oh, thank you, thank you! I think the bits are inside-' She was interrupted by Angel stomping on her hoof. He held up a purse almost as big as himself. 'Thank you, Angel. Mummy's very proud. Um, here, there should be enough bits for a bushel of apples.' 'I'll get them back to you later today. Thanks again, Fluttershy!' She trotted through the forest and away from Fluttershy's clearing, smiling. She came upon the spot where she had run away from Zedd and crushingly remembered why she had gone back to Fluttershy to begin with. She stopped and looked down through the makeshift path of broken vines and brambles. Eventually she forced herself to move on, but not before she heard herself utter the words 'oh Zedd, please forgive me…' ''Re you okay there, Ditzy? Yeh're lookin' pretty glum.' Ditzy was snapped out of her trance by the farmer Applejack in the market. She had been dwelling on her sad thoughts, only succeeding in making herself feel even worse. 'No, I'm fine, Applejack. I'm just here to pick up some apples for Fluttershy.' 'What? But she never misses her Saturday bushel! She's alright, ain't she?' 'Yeah, she's fine; she just found an injured bird. Besides, I owe her for the bandages,' she said, lifting a foreleg to show several small bandages on it. 'Well, alright then. That'll be twelve bits.' Applejack retrieved a bucket of apples from the ground next to her stand and put it down on her counter. Ditzy passed the bits and thanked her. 'Now if Big Macintosh don't get here soon Ah'll be all outta apples before long. If yeh see him, c'n yeh tell him t' kick his flank in t' high gear? Ah'd appreciate it.' Applejack dropped the bits into a rectangular tin to the left side of her stand. Ditzy resumed her thoughts about how terrible a pony she was as she trotted back through town to the clearing. Zedd would probably be looking for her, so waiting at Fluttershy's would be better than looking for him. That's if he ever wants to see me again, she thought bitterly. I'm such a foal… Half way back across town she saw the familiar large, red stallion pulling a wagon full of apples. 'Big Macintosh?' 'Eeeyup?' She thought about what to say. Tell him to hurry up, or ask if he knew where Zedd was. She decided almost immediately. 'You haven't seen Zedd, have you?' 'Eeeyup.' She was suddenly filled with hope. 'Do you know where he's gone?' He pointed a hoof over the opposite shoulder, saying 'That-a-way.' She looked down to the forest and smiled broadly. 'Thanks Big Macintosh! Oh, also, Applejack says she wants you to hurry to the stand, okay?' The stallion let out a huge sigh before saying 'eeeyup' one final time and pulling the trailer a bit faster. Still in a good mood, Ditzy went to take off, but remembered her wing was still sore and she would probably fall, crushing the apples. She began to canter happily towards the forest instead. --- 'Hello? Is anypony here? Gah, what was her name…' Zedd racked his brain, attempting to think of what the mare's name had been. After a few moments he gave up and moved to the far side of the clearing where a group of animals were sleeping in a patch of sunlight. Only the tortoise paid him any attention, standing and beginning to walk (slowly) toward Zedd. 'Hello there, Mr. Tortoise. You haven't seen… whoever it is that takes care of you, have you?' Zedd started laughing at how he had been driven to talking to animals. After he stopped and looked back, the tortoise had changed direction and was walking to a nearby tree. Zedd followed behind the tortoise, who stopped and looked up. Zedd heard frantic whispering from above. 'No, Mr. Tortoise! Go somewhere else, he'll find me! Go! Eep!' Zedd looked up to see the yellow mare up in the tree. 'Why… are you up there…?' 'UM! I'm, uh… looking after this little birdie! You see? Um… cheep cheep… see? Bird!' He gave her an unamused expression, but she continued the show. 'Sorry, little birdie, but mummy has to go now, a-heh.' She flew down from the tree and stood in front of Zedd, hiding behind her pink mane. She's so shy… oh, that's her name! 'So, Fluttershy, how's the bird?' She gasped before muttering something about how he remembered her name before her gaze was drawn back to the entrance of the clearing. 'You're back! And you brought the apples!' --- She was nearing the clearing now. Not even the site of broken vines was able to dampen her mood on the way back. Ditzy continued to happily canter directly into the clearing, where she was met with Fluttershy attempting to make herself as small as possible in front of Zedd. 'You're back! And you brought the apples!' 'Well, of course I did! I owe you, remember?' Her thoughts stopped again as she looked at Zedd. His face wasn't betraying it, but she could see the hurt look in his eyes. Her good mood suddenly hit the ground and dissipated right below her. She dropped the apples to the ground in front of Fluttershy and began to walk toward Zedd. 'I'm sorry-' he began, only to be cut off by Ditzy. 'No, Zedd. I know you need to do this, I was just sad, and I didn't want to lose you…' 'Ditzy, you'll never lose me. My heart has grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all you. I've become a part of your heart, just as you've become a part of mine. And if you think of me now and then… if you don't forget me… then our hearts will be one.' 'I'll never forget you,' she whispered. 'I'm always with you.' He smiled broadly at her and embraced her as she began to cry. She pulled her head back to look into his eyes. 'How can you just forgive me like that? Why aren't you angry with me for all I've done?' 'I was never angry. I was sad because I thought you'd lost your way, but I could never be angry with you.' She looked in disbelief. He was so trusting. In her bitter, sad state she had feared he didn't love her anymore. Her mind had told her that he was leaving to get away from her… and she had believed it. Fluttershy picked up her bushel of apples and moved to her house as quietly as possible. She had a tear of happiness in the corner of her eye, jealous of what Ditzy had, but happy for their relationship at the same time. The couple was snapped out of their blissful trance by a tortoise stepping in between them. Zedd looked down and laughed before picking him up and giving him a hug, too. Ditzy couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her. 'Zedd… do you think Fluttershy would let up adopt a pet?' He looked between her and the tortoise a couple of times before realising that it was actually a good sounding idea. 'I don't know… maybe. We should probably clear it with Pine and Spring first, though.' Ditzy hummed a flat note. She watched as he put the tortoise back down and patted his shell gently, still grinning like a mad sheep. 'Well, come on, let's go back to town! I mean… my party's going to need guests.' Ditzy, finally accepting that which she couldn't change, followed. She didn't walk as closely to Zedd as she normally did; she was still mad with herself. --- The next three days had passed quickly. The town hired a new weather mare who, despite her extreme laziness, did an exceptional job keeping the skies clear. Fluttershy was being seen more and more in town, talking with a few other ponies, even, and Rarity was preparing to fix up a run-down carousel and turn it into a boutique. Pinkie Pie was working full-time at Sugarcube Corner, attempting to make enough treats to last a decade after Zedd's party, he thought. Ditzy was reluctant to forgive herself for her selfish behaviour, but she was putting on a bright smile for Zedd's sake. She didn't want his last memories of her to be sad ones. All too soon were all of the invited handed out and the party was looming. Pinkie had invited Vinyl (who was clubbing in Manehattan) back to Ponyville, but she had declined, saying she had a business opportunity she couldn't pass up. Tell Zedd that if he's ever in the big city he should come see me! I'm gonna be mixing alongside DJ Pwn-E for a few months before moving on to Canterlot. Sorry to miss your party, Pinks, but the club's just calling louder. About 2,000 watts louder, actually. ~Vinyl Zedd looked forward to seeing her again. Bazz had mentioned that Manehattan was where they were headed first. He decided to help Pinkie finish setting up her own sound system. It wasn't as good as Vinyl's, but it got the job done. The party was being held in the town square again. 'Pinkie, what can I help with?' 'If you think you can, could you help me move this speaker up to that ledge? It'll sound so much louder with the speaker up there!' She gestured to a ledge just under the town hall's roof overhang. The speaker was enveloped in a light brown glow and floated up to sit on the ledge, where Pinkie appeared to secure it. She grinned and held up her hoof to show he could let go, but it wouldn't have mattered anyway, because he dropped it in shock. Zedd swung his head around to face where Pinkie had just been and back to the ledge. She was gone again. He was getting a little bit worried now. He turned around quickly and almost collided with her. 'How did you do that?!' he shouted. 'Do what?' Pinkie began to chew on a muffin. 'Get from here to there and… where did you get that from?' 'Right over there, silly! Weren't you watching?' He looked back up to where the speaker was secured. There was no way she could have made it up there and back. As he turned to continue his questioning, he noticed that she had disappeared again. 'Wh… no. I don't even want to know.' Zedd left the area a little bit faster than socially acceptable and almost ran into Bazz coming around a corner. 'Whoa there! What's up? The party's starting in about half an hour, you know…' 'Yeah, I know that, it's just… never mind.' Bazz laughed as he realised what was going on. Pinkie had been pranking again, surely. He had to bail her out of detentions so many times at school that he almost had an extra sense of 'Pinkie-Pranking'. Sure enough, as soon as he rounded the corner he saw Pinkie standing next to… Pinkie. Zedd almost screamed with frustration at how he had no idea what was going on, but everyone else did. 'Pinkie, come on, you're scaring Zedd,' Bazz said, mockingly, making a face. 'Oh no, I didn't mean to scare anyone! Pinkie, you said nothing bad would happen!' Zedd recognised the voice. It definitely sounded like Fluttershy. Looking closer, he saw that there were odd lumps to either side of the second Pinkie's side, and her mane and tail looked like they were forced to be springy. 'Don't worry, Fluttershy, he's not really scared, but we did get him good!' She broke down into a fit of the giggles while Fluttershy continued to look shocked at what she had been a part of. 'Go on, you should probably wash up before the party, erm, Fluttershy, was it? I think one Pinkie is more than enough for Ponyville.' 'Come on, Fluttershy, you can use the bath at my house,' said Pinkie, leading Fluttershy away from the park. Zedd and Bazz looked around at all Pinkie had achieved in the two hours she had been setting up for. Streamers were strung between every pole in the park, most of them attaching somewhere to the hall. Several tables were spread around the park, piled high with baked goods and balloons. Bazz finally located a small platform to the side of the town's stage and remarked 'Dibs'. Zedd followed his gaze and chuckled. Even Bazz was just a little colt when it came to electronics. Plugging in his electronic device, the speakers kicked to life with music. Bazz grinned and moved to centre stage as ponies began to flood the area, whether for the music or because they were invited; only Celestia knew. Zedd could swear Pinkie had invited the whole town, so it was possible. Bazz beckoned for him to come up onto the stage and he complied. He suddenly noticed that most of the crowd was looking up there, almost as though they were expecting something. He tried to make himself as small as possible next to the large, grey stallion. The crowd began to go quiet of their own accord, so Bazz took this as his moment to act. His horn glowed and the music turned down nearly all the way. Bazz didn't even need to use magic to magnify his voice, instead simply raising it loud enough to reverberate through the park. 'Good evening, fillies and gentle colts! Alright, stuff the formalities. How is everyone tonight? Hungry, by the looks of it,' he said, pointing to Stones already raiding a snack table. It took Stones nearly five full seconds to realise the crowd was silently watching him and they started laughing. 'I'd ask you to just stave off your hunger for a few minutes while I get the notes out of the way, alright? Anyway, we've got a party, organised by the Ponyville-famous Pinkie Pie,' he paused for cheering. 'Unfortunately, this party is in recognition of two ponies leaving the town.' The crowd gave an audible 'aww' of disappointment. Bazz intentionally stayed quiet for a few seconds until somepony shouted 'Well, who are they?' 'I was wondering when you'd ask! Well, I'm pretty sure you can already guess. One of them, as you probably already know, is going to be Zedd. He's leaving to find his father, and I'm going with him.' He voiced it in such a way that he got almost no recognition. Zedd thought back to Mrs. Cake's party and remembered their conversation. If there's a huge crowd and loads of stuff going on, I just get overly stressed. He's probably just trying to minimise the amount of attention he gets, Zedd thought to himself. 'Despite the fact that he's leaving, this is a happy occasion! No sad faces tonight, okay? Oh, bugger, where's that donkey gone?' He raised a hoof to his glasses and scanned the group of ponies. The crowd murmured a small chuckle at the reference to their resident donkey, Matilda, who was rarely seen smiling, despite being a generally cheery character. 'Alright, well… Zedd, any words?' 'I… uh… um…' Any other words were lost as his voice broke off, leaving him- literally- speechless. He looked through the crowd nervously. He was never good at public speaking; why would Bazz do this to him? He looked into the eyes of his closest friends and felt a sudden, overwhelming sadness. Pinkie had returned with Fluttershy, but she had left her smile behind. One of her friends was leaving town. This was no occasion to be happy. His gaze moved on to Spring and Pine standing near the stage, tails intertwined. Spring's face was inscrutable, but Pine seemed… proud of him. Pine gave a small nod and a smile before Zedd moved his gaze again. Rarity was holding a handkerchief to her eyes. When she saw him watching her she gave a small sob and looked away. Zedd moved on. Sticks and Stones were standing over near a snack table, presumably to be first in when the speeches were over, but they were watching with appropriate attention. Stones' eyes were glazed over- probably thinking about donuts- and he didn't react. Sticks, however, gave a small nod; almost as though accepting their rivalry to be over and them to be equals. His eyes drifted to Carrot Top and Applejack. He didn't know either of these ponies very well, but they were kind to him, too. They seemed sad to see him leave. He couldn't see a single happy face in the crowd. He could, however, see Ditzy. She was wearing the most beautiful dress he had ever seen her wear. It was a simple grey to match her coat, along with a gold trimming to match her mane and tail. There was a bubble pattern around the edges complemented by a pearl necklace and complimenting her cutie mark. She had a teary look in her eyes, but she was smiling brightly. Zedd's mind cleared and the words just fell from his mouth. 'Hello, everypony. I'll try to keep this short. I've known you all for years, and some of us have become close friends; some closer still. I'm going on this journey because it could be one of the most important things I ever do. This could change my life forever, and even if it doesn't, I'll learn a lot about life on the way. 'Look at me getting all philosophical… Believe me when I say that I'll miss every single one of you every day that I'm gone. We may have had our hardships, but I think that the good here really does outweigh the bad. Once again, thank you all for being such great friends.' Zedd took a half step back and Bazz took the lead again. 'Truer words were never spoken. He'll be here all night if you want to talk to him, but for now, on with the music.' He turned the music back up to the level it was on and used magic to make himself heard over it. 'You can go back to your food now, Stones!' Zedd gratefully thanked Bazz for calling the crowd off before moving to where Ditzy had met her parents. 'No problem, mate,' he said, moving back to where the music stand was in order to set up a playlist. On his way through the crowd he was greeted with a few 'hello's and 'hey's, but nopony tried to stop him for a conversation. When Zedd eventually reached the family of three, Pine spoke up first. 'Zedd, I've known you for years now, and I still don't completely understand your motives. But I know that whatever you're going to do on your trip, it's important. I just hope it's going to be important enough to give up all of this…' 'So do I,' Zedd replied, giving Ditzy another glance in her incredible dress. Spring spoke, barely audible over the next track playing. 'I've told you before: you're a smart colt. Whatever you choose to do is the right choice. If something bad happens, you'll learn from it.' Zedd nodded to her, smiling, and turned to Ditzy. She didn't need to say anything, instead choosing to press her head against his neck in a hug. Zedd felt his heart lift and he returned the gesture as Spring lightly nudged Pine and the two moved on to speak with Bazz. Ditzy and Zedd spent their time becoming better acquainted with ponies they didn't know very well before speaking to their closer friends. Rarity was the first close friend they found. 'Good to see you, Rarity!' began Ditzy. 'Oh no, see me? I look garish compared to you, darling. I'd go as far as to say that that dress is my finest work yet! I do hope you like it?' 'Yes, Rarity, I love it. But… can't you please let me pay you for it somehow? I feel bad having it for free!' 'Nonsense, I won't take a single bit. It's a gift for a friend, nothing more, nothing less. Now Zedd, I wish I could have made something for you, but I couldn't think of anything to match your mark, nor your coat...' 'Don't worry, Rarity, I don't need gifts. I'm just happy to have you for a friend.' 'Ah, but it doesn't end there! Just because I couldn't get anything to match your mark doesn't mean I didn't get you anything! It's a little informal, but I made this for you.' She produced a small box concealed within her tail and passed it to him. Upon opening the box, Zedd found a grey tie with a white collar attached. 'Thank you, Rarity.' He levitated it out of the box, only to see it enveloped in a light blue glow. 'Allow me, dear!' She moved it to his neck and secured it tightly, unnecessarily double-checking by running a hoof along his neck. A little bit uncomfortable, Zedd took a half step back and looked down unsuccessfully trying to see it. 'No, no, no, here, try this,' she said, magically freezing a plate of punch into a reflective makeshift mirror. 'That looks really nice,' said Ditzy. 'Yeah, it does… simple but elegant?' 'Precisely! I'm glad you like it, Zeddicus.' Zedd shuddered at the use of his full name, but didn't press the matter; Rarity was far more formal than most ponies, and if he ever went to Canterlot he'd have to get used to it. 'Why don't you come with us? We were just about to go and have a snack.' 'Well… it'll go straight to my flanks, but Pinkie Pie did bake a special batch of blueberry muffins for this party…' She bit her lip as she considered for a moment before saying 'Very well, but I'll only have one!' Zedd couldn't help but smile to himself about how self-conscious she was, despite being the fairest mare in Ponyville. They went to the emptiest looking table and found Applejack talking to a cyan Pegasus with a rainbow mane, along with Pinkie Pie. 'Hey everypony,' said Zedd to the group. 'Hey, you're that new weather mare, aren't you?' 'Yeah, I am! The name's Rainbow Dash,' she said, extending a hoof. He shook it, saying 'I'm Zedd.' 'Well, duhh! You were just on stage, remember? Awesome party, by the way, Pinkie. I can tell we're gonna get along great!' 'Yes, absolutely swimmingly,' muttered Rarity, lifting a muffin with magic. 'How y'all doin', Zedd?' 'I'm great,' he said, taking a small bite of an apple fritter. 'Woah!' he suddenly said, barely restraining himself from scoffing the whole thing in one bite. 'Did you make this yourself?' 'Darn tootin'!' 'It's really good! Ditzy, give it a tr-' He cut himself off when he saw her with a muffin in each hoof and a huge bite missing from one, and he started laughing. 'An elegant dress does not make an elegant mare, I'm afraid,' noted Rarity from the sidelines. 'Don't worry, Ditzy, was it? Yeah, I've been in worse situations. Besides, those muffins are pretty good after all.' 'Good? They're great! I stayed up half the night preparing the batter and I only got a few hours sleep to make sure they were fresh for the party.' 'I'm indifferent as to how they were made; I only care about the final product. Though in this case, yes, they are, erm, "great."' Ditzy shrugged and went back to eating her muffins. 'Have any of you seen Fluttershy around? She just sort of disappeared,' remarked Zedd. 'Ah haven't seen her.' Rarity shrugged. Rainbow didn't seem to know who Fluttershy was. Pinkie was grinning broadly and pointing at the table, much to everyone's confusion. Zedd faintly heard somepony say 'down here,' and bent down to look under the table where, sure enough, Fluttershy was cowering. 'Why are you down there?' 'I don't like crowds or loud noises, and… I…' She looked up at Rainbow Dash before whispering to Zedd 'I'm not good with meeting new ponies.' Zedd smiled and shook his head slightly. 'Come on up, Fluttershy. Look, there's no crowd around here, and I can always tell Bazz to turn the music down a bit. Besides, Rainbow seems to be a nice pony.' 'Are you kidding me? I'm the nicest pony you've ever seen!' 'And a bit competitive.' 'The most compet- hey, wait a second!' They shared a laugh before Zedd turned to ditzy and nodded to the stage for them to leave. Ditzy finished her first muffin and began to walk alongside him to the stage. 'Have I ever mentioned how classy a mare you are?' 'You coulb menfion i' more,' she spoke through a mouth full of muffin. Zedd couldn't help but laugh at this comment before nuzzling her on the cheek. 'And that's why I love you,' he said softly, barely perceptible over the music. Ditzy blushed and swallowed, returning the nuzzle. 'Well, isn't this sweet? How're ya finding the party, Zedd?' Zedd snapped his attention back in front of him where Bazz was standing. 'Oh, uh, it's good. Y'know, you're really good at making awkward situations.' 'It's an acquired skill; an art, almost. It comes in handy sometimes, but most of the time it's just funny.' 'Right… anyway, Fluttershy wants the music to be turned down a bit.' 'Sure thing. I was just beginning to wonder how long it'd last before somepony told me to turn it down. Ah well, nothing lasts forever.' He didn't bother to walk to the stairs, instead just climbing onto the stage from where he was. They continued on through the party talking to friends here and there until the guests began to leave and the music's tempo slowed. Zedd bade his final goodnights to the guests before walking home with Ditzy. Half way home, Ditzy broke their silence. 'Zedd… how long do you think you'll be gone?' 'I… I don't know. I could be gone for a month, or a year, or three… I have honestly got no idea. Bazz couldn't give a definite answer, and he explained everything… it all depends on how much my dad has moved in the last year.' 'But…' 'I'll come home as soon as I can.' 'Zedd... I'm going to miss you so much…' 'And I'm going to miss you, too. Every night when I fall asleep, there's only going to be one mare in my mind. She's the most beautiful mare in Equestria,' he stopped walking and looked deeply into her eyes, 'and she's perfect because she's imperfect.' They slowly leaned in together, not breaking eye contact until their lips touched end their eyes closed. They came closer together still, Ditzy wrapping her wings around Zedd's back and each putting their hooves around the other in embrace. When they finally broke apart, panting, they noticed how silent it was outside and dropped back to their hooves to hurry home. Pine and Spring couldn't be found anywhere in the house, Zedd assumed they were still out. They went straight upstairs and Ditzy said she was going to get changed. Zedd moved off into his room and lay down on the bed thinking about everything that had happened that night, but focusing on his and Ditzy's kiss on the way home. Her lips were so soft and warm. He loved her so much, and she loved him back… the feeling of her wings lightly tickling on his back… the feeling of her smooth coat under his hooves… he could almost feel her against him. He closed his eyes against the light and continued to fantasise until he actually did feel something. His eyes show open and he saw Ditzy climbing on top of him, kissing him deeply. He closed his eyes again, turning off the light and closing the door with magic. --- Ditzy awoke slowly, feeling more drained of energy than ever before, yet she still felt better than ever before. She smiled to herself and snuggled deeper into Zedd's embracing hooves, enjoying the warmth. 'You're finally awake,' he whispered. She was slightly startled to find him awake, but got over it quickly, turning around in his hooves to face him and hug back. 'Yes. How long have you been awake for?' 'Probably half an hour now.' 'And you didn't want to get up at all?' 'Ditzy, I never want to let go of you again… I love you. Today is our last day together… I want to make it last.' Satisfied with his answer, she kissed him lightly on the lips and returned to leaning her head against his foreleg. 'I love you too, Zedd.' --- After another half hour of enjoying each other's warmth, they decided it was time to get out of bed. After quick showers, they descended the stairs together and moved to the kitchen. Pine had left for work an hour prior to them awaking and Spring had rushed out as soon as she heard them walking down the stairs to avoid an awkward conversation. After coffee and a quick breakfast, Zedd took his pre-packed saddlebags and the couple walked through the front door together, tails intertwined all the way to the centre of town. They saw Bazz waiting by Sugarcube Corner, saying his final goodbyes to the Cakes and Pinkie. 'I'm going to miss you, Mr. Quill. You were the best teacher at Ponyville High!' 'Well, look at it this way, Pinkie. You don't have to go back next year, so you won't be missing me as much.' 'Oh yeah! So that'll be good! But oh no, if I don't go back next year I won't be able to help out in the pre-school and see all of the little fillies and colts playing and happy…' 'I'm sure they'll let you if you ask. Maybe you could even get a job in the school, eh, Pinkie?' Her jaw dropped as she thought about it for a moment. 'That… would… be… so much fun! But I suppose I should just stick with baking. Maybe I can go and visit the school every week!' 'Sounds like a plan, Pinkie. Well, look who it is, little Zeddicus ready to leave on an adventure.' 'Yeah, yeah.' Zedd just brushed off the mocking tone. Bazz never really meant it. 'Are you ready to leave?' 'I wouldn't have my saddlebags on if I wasn't!' 'No, and you wouldn't have your glasses on either.' Bazz reached up to his face and blinked. He moved to get his glasses from his bag, but Zedd stopped him. 'Don't. I like your eyes.' 'Mate, I never go out in public without my glasses. School was the only place I wouldn't wear them because the principal told me not to.' After seeing the "Trust Me on This" look he was getting from Zedd, he put his hoof back down. 'Fine. For you, mate.' Bazz turned to face the cakes. 'You're great ponies. I'll be sure to recommend your shop to anypony considering coming to town.' 'Now, now, you don't need to do that, Bazz,' said Mr. Cake. 'No, but I want to. Thanks for being such nice ponies. I'll be sure to remember you. You too, Pinkie,' he said, grinning at the pink pony, then turning, ready to leave. Zedd turned and faced Ditzy again and the couple lifted their hooves to each other. 'Ditzy, do you remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too. I'll come back to you, I promise!' 'I know you will.' His hoof left hers and he turned around with Bazz to walk out of Ponyville. He didn't dare look back for fear that his morale would break and he'd run back to her immediately. Tears began to spill over and without even looking back he knew the same was happening for Ditzy. Zedd felt a reassuring hoof on his back and looked up to see Bazz smiling at him with a sad look in his eyes. Zedd nodded and steeled himself, trotting out of Ponyville with his head held high. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Illusions of Grandeur author: arandompenguin tags: character:Trixie, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter 1 === Illusions of Grandeur Chapter 1: Trixie was powerful, she was awe-inspiring, she was an Alicorn. Her strong wings beat slowly, lowering her to the ground as intense magenta magic spread from her horn, taking the path of least resistance to the ground. Where the magic landed the dirt illuminated in her trademark magenta, creating a landing circle of sorts. She spoke out as she gracefully stepped onto the earth, addressing the ponies crowded in front of her. "I am the Great and Powerful Trixie!" She began, her voice ringing out across the land, everypony hearing its call, "Behold my power!" She then- The psychiatrist interrupted her there. "Ok, I think I've heard enough of this particular dream." Dr Ideate declared, scribbling down some more notes in his little black book. "But Trixie was just about to get to the best bit! The ponies were going to bow down to her and-" Trixie began indignantly before being unceremoniously cut off once more by the psychiatrist holding up a hoof. "We've been meeting three days a week for what now? Seven weeks?" Dr Ideate asked rhetorically, "In all of that time I've come to one single conclusion from everything you tell me. You have severe delusions of grandeur." The psychiatrist gave his diagnosis to the mare sitting in front of him who looked at him in disbelief. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has no such ailments!" Trixie declared, jumping to her hooves for emphasis. "You see what I mean? Right there, delusions of grandeur. You not only refer to yourself in the third person but you bestow upon yourself the title of 'Great and Powerful'." Dr Ideate reasoned, trying to get Trixie to see things from the point of view of some other pony, his attempts failed. "Trixie has earned the title fair and square by being Great and Powerful." The show mare harrumphed, sitting back down and angrily crossing her forelegs. The psychiatrist sighed and rolled his eyes. Dr Ideate closed his notebook and pushed his glasses back up his muzzle so that they were resting afore his eyes before glancing at the clock and back to Trixie. "Listen, our hour is over and out next meeting is next week Tuesday ok? We'll talk some more about this and try to get you cured." Dr Ideate said in a more friendly voice, even if he did make it seem like delusions of grandeur were a disease that could be treated with injections and pills. Trixie was not won over and stood, grabbing her cape and leaving the room before slamming the door behind her all in one fluid movement. Trixie had been forced to leave her hat at home after some clumsy colt had spilled his drink all over it, leaving it sticky and smelling of oranges, but she still wore the cape, the material billowing out from behind her as she trotted out of the hospital where Dr Ideate held their tri-weekly meetings and headed for her wagon. Eight weeks ago Trixie had been performing for a crowd in Canterlot when an accident involving her performance placed a stallion in hospital with multiple injuries to his legs. Whilst she was being placed under arrest the arresting officer overheard one of the ponies in the crowd talking to his neighbour. "Is she crazy or something? Why does she keep trying to do these stupid performances?" The officer had taken those words into consideration and told the police office where she had taken Trixie that there is the possibility that she was insane. One thing had led to another and Trixie had been released after only one night in prison, she was then sentenced to go to a psychiatrist three times a week until she was either issued a bill of clean health or sent away to a mental hospital, whichever one came first. However, they also didn't want to spend too much money on this one pony and thus she was sent to the cheapest psychiatrist they could find, namely Dr Ideate of the Ponyville hospital. Trixie arrived at her stage wagon which she had parked at the edge of the Everfree Forest, she had put it there with the knowledge that she had to lie low for a while after her last performance in Ponyville, also there was the fact she had been banned from performing until her psychiatrist sessions were complete. Trixie hung her cape up on a hook by the door and closed it behind her, lighting the candles dotted around her home by hoof, she still hadn't gotten the hang of controlling fire spells. Trixie was sorely tempted to just ignore the psychiatrist's diagnosis, but cheap as he was, he was a pretty good psychiatrist. Over the seven weeks she had been to see him he had developed a sense of trust about their meetings, making her think twice about his ideas instead of just dismissing them. Did she really have delusions of grandeur? Surely not, she was indeed Great and Powerful and should be addressed appropriately, even by herself. But as much as she hated to admit it, Dr Ideate's words had an air of truth about them. Trixie dispelled her unwanted thoughts and picked up the stack of books she had 'borrowed' from Canterlot library last time she was there, they were all on illusion magic. Trixie was a big fan of illusion magic, she liked the way she could make things seem so different from what they were, the way she could create projections of things that weren't there. Unfortunately, she didn't have much chance of displaying her illusion magic during her performances, illusions aren't the most impressive magical feat and were unbefitting of one so Great and Powerful. The only part of her performance where she used illusion magic was the fireworks, projecting them coming up from the barrels she kept at the back of the stage and having them explode for emphasis. She chose the book she wanted to read and set the others down on the desk beside her bed. She flopped down on the small chair with a sigh and began to read. She had been reading for around an hour when she decided she needed a drink. Once she had quenched her thirst she picked her book back up and thought to herself 'This book is pretty good, I wonder who the author is?' She looked at the plain cover, it read 'On the concept of basic to intermediate illusionary magic' and below that 'A thesis by Twilight Sparkle' Trixie visibly recoiled, the name of the pony that managed to disgrace her was enough to send her reeling from the tome. She promptly opened the window and threw the book out, hearing a satisfying splat as it landed in the mud. Trixie let out a sigh that she had once more been thwarted by Twilight Sparkle before retiring to her bed, she didn't want to read any more tonight. Before she clambered into her bed though, she performed a quick check on the rest of the books to make sure none of the others were any of Twilight's, luckily there were none. She allowed herself a small smile before slipping into sleep. Once she had awoken and brushed her mane, she donned her cape and sat down at her desk to write a shopping list. Her pale magenta magical aura surrounded her horn as she telepathically picked up a quill, dipped it in ink and began to write. She had not quite yet mastered control over her telekinesis and her list looked almost illegible, like it had been written by a little filly. As soon as that thought passed through Trixie's mind she screwed up the paper in disgust with her hooves and chucked it into the bin behind her. 'This would be a lot easier if I just projected an illusion of the words onto the paper, it would take a lot less time and would require less precision.' She mused, unfortunately, she didn't have any idea where to start when it came to projecting illusions of words, it wasn't the same as a regular object where you could just visualise the object and use your magic to project the visualisation, words weren't objects and the technique would likely be different. 'You know, I think there was a section on projecting words in that book I was reading yesterday...' She stopped, remembering the author of the thesis. "Horsefeathers." Trixie muttered before opening the door to her wagon. She quickly checked if there was anypony nearby, there wasn't, and went to retrieve the book she had thrown out the night before. Hesitantly lifting it with her magic she spoke to nopony in particular, "The Great and Powerful Trixie should not be messing around with this disgusting mud and stupid book." But she knew that if she didn't learn how to project words now then it would very likely come back to bite her in the flank later on, as things often did. She floated the tome in front of her and re-entered her home before pulling out some old papers and setting the book down on them. Doing a quick damage check she could see that about half the book was completely covered in mud along with several rips and tears through some pages. She turned back to the contents page, which luckily had stayed intact, and found the section on projecting text. "Page Two-hundred-and-forty-seven" She read aloud before flicking through the decimated pages to page 247. When she reached it she once more threw the book out the window. The page was completely soaked in mud, the brown sludge obscuring all but two words in the top left corner 'Projecting text', the title of that section. She stood, fuming, the thought of projecting text now obscuring her thoughts, she had to find out how to do it, she would not be bested by a muddy book, especially not one by Twilight Sparkle. She thought about where she might find another copy of 'On the concept of basic to intermediate illusionary magic'. Canterlot Castle likely had only that one copy, and if they had others they most probably wouldn't let Trixie anywhere near them. She thought of anyone that might have a copy but could come up with nothing. There was only one thing she could do, find the original. And where was the original? Ponyville Library of course, home to Twilight Sparkle. "Horsefeathers." Trixie muttered once more. === Chapter 2 === Chapter 2: It was clear to Trixie that going there in her cape and hat (even if she couldn't wear her hat anyway) was a bad idea, she was sure the villagers would remember her and her previous performance. "Disguise it is." Trixie sighed, she hated having to go around in disguise, what was the point in hiding such a magnificent mare as her? However there was no reason to make getting the book difficult for her, especially as she wanted to get it as discreetly as possible, there would be no end to her embarrassment if Twilight found out she was using her thesis for research. Trixie was tempted to put an illusion on herself but she was pretty sure that Twilight would see through it in an instant. With another sigh she donned a pair of glasses and a hooded coat that would not only cover her face in shadows but also her Cutie mark. Checking in the mirror to make sure she was suitably disguised she left the wagon, gently closing the door behind her. Though she was on the edge of the Everfree Forest it didn't take her long to reach the library, the path clear and easy to navigate. She looked at the ponies' faces as she walked by them, making sure that they didn't recognize her. She made it to the tree house without any confrontation and entered the library. There she was, Trixie's nemesis, reading through some old tome and making neat notes in a small notebook she had levitating in front of her. She stopped writing and looked at the visitor. "Hello there, have you come to borrow a book?" Twilight asked in a polite voice, putting down the notebook and standing to greet her. Trixie wasn't expecting this, she was hoping she would be allowed to browse in peace, but then again, if she got Twilight to find the book for her it would mean less work. "Uh yes, the Gr-" Trixie began in a deeper voice than normal in an attempt to disguise it, but quickly stopped herself, "Ah, um, I was looking for a copy of 'On the concept of basic to intermediate illusionary magic', do you have one?" Twilight's polite grin turned to a smile of happiness. "Well you've come to the right place! I happen to be the author and I'd gladly let you borrow my original copy, as long as you're careful of course." Twilight said, locating the book quickly and handing it over. "Is that everything?" Twilight asked, Trixie replied with a nod, struggling not to get angry, that irritating smile of Twilight's always managed to rile her. "Ok then, I'll just need to write your name down and you can borrow my thesis for up to three weeks." Twilight said, walking to a table where she kept a registry, she levitated the quill next to it and looked over at Trixie expectantly. A name? Trixie was not expecting this, she thought she would be able to get the book and get out without any sort of interaction. "Are you ok?" Twilight asked when Trixie failed to respond, she looked worried, she was used to weird ponies but this one seemed to be especially odd. Trixie snapped out of her reverie. "Oh! My name is... it's Tia Star" Trixie responded quickly, spouting the first thing that came to her mind, inwardly she cursed Twilight for making her utter such a stupid name as her own. Twilight seemed not to notice Trixie's anger and quickly jotted down the offered name. "Ok! We're done, thanks for visiting." Twilight said, walking back to her own book and levitating the notebook again. Yes! She had the book, she was home free. Trixie let out a smile, hidden by the hood's shadow, and walked towards to door, book now safely in her saddlebag. Just as she reached for the door though with her hoof it was flung open, knocking Trixie flat on her back as a small dragon walked in, piles of paper in his arms. "Twilight?" The dragon called, struggling to see around the mountain of paper in his small arms, "I got the paper!" Twilight once more lowered her notebook and looked at the dragon, "Oh good, put them down over there please, I'll need some later," Twilight said before noticing the mare on her back by the door. "Spike! You knocked over a patron!" Twilight said disapprovingly, moving over to Trixie to help her up. "Sorry." Spike said, plopping the paper down before turning to Trixie. Twilight stopped in her tracks once she had reached the show mare, the sunglasses had fallen off her face and the hood had slipped enough to allow Twilight to view her face. "Trixie?" Twilight asked disbelievingly, "What are you doing here? Are you planning to destroy my thesis?" Trixie struggled to her feet and brushed herself off. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has no such thoughts!" She declared incredulously, reverting back to her normal speech patterns. Twilight frowned. "Then what are you here for?" Twilight asked, Trixie looked slightly embarrassed, she quickly tried to come up with some excuse but could think of nothing. "The Great and Powerful Trixie was... uh..." Trixie replied sheepishly, "She was looking to read the book." She finished lamely. Twilight was still confused. "But... why?" Twilight said, not satisfied with the answer Trixie had supplied. Trixie gave a small unintentional blush and hesitantly answered. "I... wished to learn something from it." Trixie responded, head lowered and for once she used the first person pronoun. Twilight was taken aback, she had never seen Trixie humbled in this way before. Trixie was surprised too, perhaps she had taken the psychiatrist's words to heart more than she realised? Twilight didn't really know how to respond. "I, uh, ok then." Twilight eventually said, she didn't for a moment doubt Trixie, there was truth in her eyes. Trixie stayed with her head down for several moments before sighing and looking straight into Twilight's eyes. "Do you want your book back?" Trixie asked without a hint of sarcasm, Twilight silently shook her head. "No, but I'm going to have to change your name in the registry." Twilight replied with a smile, she seemed to harbour no ill will towards Trixie. For a moment Trixie forgot herself and let out a laugh, it was an awkward laugh of someone unaccustomed to the action and it quickly and abruptly stopped. "Yes, well the Great and Powerful Trixie must be off, farewell Twilight Sparkle." Trixie said curtly, turning and departing the library through the door which Spike had left open. Spike himself was in the corner with the paper, a confused look on his face. The door closed behind Trixie and Twilight stood staring at where Trixie had been for a few seconds more. "Trixie seemed... weird, weirder than normal that is." Spike said, Twilight agreed. "She's not really that bad a pony." Twilight said, more to herself than her assistant. 'What are you doing Trixie?' Trixie thought to herself as she walked back through town towards her wagon, 'You're losing it, that was Twilight Sparkle there, remember her? How could you act like that?' Trixie seemed oblivious to the stares she got from the villagers as she walked through town with a frown on her face and cloak slipping down her back. Trixie's anger grew as she walked, what had even happened back there? Why so humble? However, seeing as she was the Great and Powerful Trixie, the blame must have been somepony else's. The only other pony she could think of to blame for her feelings were of course Twilight Sparkle, and so that was where she directed her anger. "Stupid Twilight Sparkle thwarting me again, forcing me to reveal things." She muttered as she neared the wagon. When she got inside she forcefully removed the cloak and flung it across the room, watching it as it hit the far wall and fell to the floor in a heap. She had left her sunglasses at the library and so couldn't throw those too, this thought furthered her anger. Trixie grabbed the book from her saddlebag and had half a mind the chuck it out the window to suffer the same fate as its copy. But she knew that it would be extremely foalish and she would regret it later. She gave a sigh and put down the book on her desk. She donned her cape and sat down at the desk, feeling slightly better now that she had the familiar feel of the cloth on her back. She opened the book and quickly found page 247 before greedily reading, slipping into reading mode. She read on through the day, hardly pausing to throw together a quick lunch before continuing. She had long since passed the section for projecting text and had gone back to the beginning of the book, reading it all the way through from cover to cover. She was so completely absorbed in her reading she didn't even notice night falling and had completely forgotten the reason for getting the book in the first place, to make a shopping list. She finished the tome just as her small clock chimed for 10pm. She let out a 'phew' as she shut the book, she had to admit it, the book was good. It told her everything she needed to know and more, and there was a handy glossary in the back so she managed to get what was going on. She glanced over at the clock. "Ten?! How could I have been reading for that long?" Trixie exclaimed, checking outside the window to confirm that it was indeed night-time. "I didn't even go to the shops, or test any of the things in the book." She sighed to herself. She was tempted to stay up further and practice some of the new illusions posed in the book but a massive yawn cut off that train of thought. She gave another sigh and removed her cape, carefully placing it on its hook before putting the book on her bedside table in case she wanted to check anything during the night. Satisfied that she was ready, Trixie climbed into her bed and curled up under the blanket, mind full of the various spells in Twilight's thesis. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Rainbow Dash Takes Twilight to a Bar author: DiamondStar4242 tags: character:Berry Punch, character:Princess Luna, character:Rainbow Dash, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Chapter 1 === The birds were chirping, the sun was shining, and sky was blue. All was peaceful in Ponyville. Everypony was enjoying the beautiful weather. Well…. everypony except Rainbow Dash. "Aaaaauuuuuugggghh. I am dead." The blue mare moaned. "I am never drinking again." A purple alicorn was standing next to the Dash's bed, levitating a book. Twilight rolled her eyes. "I don't think so Rainbow. Anyway, do you want a hay smoothie with a shot of espresso or a Bloody Mare, maybe?" she inquired "It's the perfect hangover cure!" she added "I want it to go away!" Rainbow sobbed. Abruptly, she stopped, "You know…I could use a hay smoothie, actually." Twilight beamed. "I make the best hay smoothies ever! I found such a great recipe in the 6th edition of '101 Ways to A Toned Flank.'" Rainbow rolled over and muttered something that sounded suspiciously like 'egghead'. Twilight's eyes narrowed. "At least I don't get drunk twice a week and have my best friend babysit me while I wallow in bed with a killer hangover. I'm responsible enough to stay far away from alcohol." Rainbow's ears perked upon hearing this. Hangover forgotten, she flew over to Twilight and grabbed her. "You- you've never had alcohol?!!" she cried, shocked. Twilight pushed Rainbow off of her and glared. "Yes. I've never even been in a bar!" she said proudly. "YOU'VE NEVER BEEN IN A BAR??!!!" Rainbow yelled. "Sheesh… What's your problem?" Twilight muttered "What's my problem? What's your problem! You have never had alcohol before and you've never been in a bar. You've never lived life!" Rainbow screeched. "You really need to get out more Twilight." She added "Woah… what's the big deal?" Twilight asked, confused. Rainbow's jaw dropped. "Your tongue has never touched hard cider and you are asking me what the big deal is? The big deal, Twilight Sparkle, is that you-you…." Rainbow's eyes rolled into the back of her head and she passed out. Twilight poured a bucket of cold water all over an unconscious blue mare. "AAH! Wha- huh?" Rainbow Dash spluttered. "What happened?" Twilight rolled her eyes. "You fainted." "What? Nonononono Rainbow Dash does not faint. A prissy Canterlot filly would faint. Rarity would faint. But a cool, awesome, soon-to-be Wonderbolt does NOT faint." Rainbow said. The purple alicorn could not suppress the face-hoof. "Well you did." Rainbow looked disappointed. "Damn it!" Twilight shook her head. "I didn't think me telling you that I have never had alcohol would get rid of your hangover." Quickly, Twilight scribbled something in her random, out-of-nowhere notepad. "Next time I'll tell you I'm pregnant." Rainbow nodded. "Works like a charm." "Wait you're pregnant?!!" she looked slightly panicked. "No… I'm not." Twilight groaned. "Oh good, and, by the way, I'm taking you to a bar tonight." Rainbow said sternly. Twilight sighed. "I thought as much." That very night….. The two mares stood in front of a bright club with flashing lights and a neon sign that said "Le Cheval" "The best bar in Ponyville." Rainbow said proudly. "The only bar in Ponyville" Twilight stated flatly Rainbow grabbed her hoof and dragged her to the door. They entered and Twilight winced at the loud music. "Not bad for a club that's called 'the horse', huh?" Rainbow shouted over the music. Twilight just sighed. Rainbow frowned and punched her lightly in the arm. "As long as you're here you might as well have a little fun Twi." "The things I do for my friends…" Twilight muttered. Rainbow pulled Twilight onto a seat. "Since you have never had an alcoholic drink before-" she shuddered. "I'll give you some suggestions. Do you want cider, beer, vodka, gin, wine, or whiskey?" Twilight thought for a moment. "I suppose I'll have…. Some wine?" Her response sounded more like a question than an answer. Rainbow clapped her hooves together in glee. "Awesome!" she said, "Bartender!" After a few seconds, a purple earth pony mare trotted to them. Rainbow gasped. "Berry Punch? What are you doing here? I mean that's a bad question you're always here, but what are you doing there?" Berry grinned. "Smooth, as always Dash. I'm working here… duh" "It's so weird seeing you sober." Rainbow said. Twilight elbowed her friend. "Ow! What the hell Twi—I mean you're looking great today Berry Punch! Hehe" Rainbow added quickly. Berry winked at Rainbow suggestively. "Thanks Dash. Anyway, what are you two going to drink today?" As Berry got their drinks, Twilight looked around. It was so dark and most everypony was drunk. DJ-Pon3 was handling the music and she and Berry Punch seemed the only two ponies sober other than her and Dash. "The only way this is going to work is if you have at least 5 glasses of wine Twilight" Rainbow said. "The wine here is not that strong so you have to work extra hard to get tipsy." Twilight smirked. "Rainbow Dash, are you trying to get me drunk?" "Pfft No…. Actually yes" Rainbow answered. "You've never had alcohol before and it's up to me to make up for it" "We're both mature responsible adults who don't fall in bed with the first pony they see after having too much cider." Twilight said, trying (and failing) to keep a straight face. Rainbow Dash couldn't hold it in. "PFFT- HAHAHAHAHA! Mature- ha- adults- hahaha" she laughed. The pegasus wiped a tear. "Ha good one Twi" Berry Punch appeared with the pair's drinks in hoof. "Here you go ladies. Have fun!" "Ahh finally. Sweet, sweet cider" Rainbow's mouth was watering. Twilight's eyes widened. "Go easy this time Dash, you don't want another hangover and I don't want to babysit you again." Of course Rainbow Dash did NOT go easy. And, sadly, neither did Twilight. 2 hours later…. "Ya know Dashie? I think you're right- hic- alcohol is g-great- hic." Twilight slurred. Rainbow giggled. "Of course I was r-right. I'm awesome." Twilight laughed loudly. "You're orange?" The two drunken mares burst out in a fit of laughter. "I think you're drunk Twilight." Rainbow said Twilight frowned. "I am a mature, responsible adult and mature and responsible adults don't get drunk Dashie." Rainbow laughed again. "Silly filly… if I'm not a mature, responsible adult then neither are you." Twilight was getting dizzy. You know what? Rainbow Dash looks really hot right now. Her rainbow mane looks so pretty. She looks really sexy…. Wait no… what am I thinking? I don't like Rainbow Dash. She's my best friend, I'm not romantically interested in her. Eh what the hell? I'm drunk off my ass so nopony will blame me if I do something stupid. Twilight did do something stupid, something incredibly stupid. She kissed Rainbow Dash full on the mouth. Since Rainbow Dash is about as stupid as Twilight is, she did something just as dumb. She kissed her back. === Chapter 2 === Twilight woke up with a messy mane and terrible hangover. She couldn't remember anything that had happened last night. The last thing the purple alicorn remembered was Rainbow Dash taking her to that bar and them drinking alcohol together. Twilight looked around and, surprisingly enough, she was not in her room. The princess took in her surroundings. The bed was incredibly soft and there were golden trophies in various spots around the room. The theme seemed to be rainbow. Slowly, Twilight realized what she desperately hoped wasn't true. Carefully, fearfully, she removed the blanket from the sleeping figure next to her. Rainbow Dash lay there snoring gracefully; unaware of the sudden panic that was taking hold of Twilight Sparkle. "Horseapples….. I slept with Rainbow. Rainbow Dash: my best friend, and the Element of Loyalty, and captain of the weather team, and the most self-centered pony on the planet. Hey, now Twilight no need to be rude she's not that bad. Wait she is, but back to the point. I had sex with Rainbow Dash! What am I going to do??" "Well…. good morning to you too egghead. I can see that you are having a wonderful time talking about me to yourself. I am so very sorry to interrupt, but you're kind of in my house, in my room, and on my bed." Rainbow Dash said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Also I have one teensy, weensy question for you. It shouldn't be too hard, being the smartass that you are. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED LAST NIGHT?" Twilight turned around, her panic momentarily overshadowed by her annoyance. "Good Morning Rainbow Dash. I see you're up bright and early to yell at me. Where's your bucking hangover, dear Rainbow? Wait, let me guess. Did it join the Wonderbolts and leave your sorry flank behind?" Rainbow Dash's face got red. "At least I'm handling the hangover better than you, your Royal Snootiness." Twilight took a moment to use Cadence's special breathing technique to calm down. She was angry and so was Rainbow, but the worst way to handle the situation was to yell at each other. "Ok I'm sorry Dash. I think I panicked for a moment there. I'm just confused and overwhelmed." Rainbow seemed to calm down and think for a second. "Yeah, I get it Twi. This is probably the first time you've randomly slept with somepony just because you were drunk. This is the first time I've slept with one of my best friends. Well there was that one time with Applejack— never mind. What I'm trying to say is… mistakes happen." Twilight blushed. "Well, the thing is, Rainbow. I don't want to dismiss it as just a mistake. I don't want to forget about it. I actually want…." Twilight trailed of shyly. "Twilight…..are you saying that you enjoyed having sex with me?" Rainbow smirked. "Are you saying you enjoyed—" Rainbow moved closer to Twilight and softly bit her ear. "this?" Twilight couldn't help but gasp, but then suddenly pulled away. "Wait! What I meant was I want to go on a proper date with you Rainbow. I want to be in a serious relationship with you. I'm just worried about if you'll be able to handle it." Rainbow looked offended. "Of course I can handle it! I'm Rainbow Dash I can handle anything!" Twilight giggled. "Only if you give me your word." Rainbow sighed a rolled her eyes. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye. You can trust me, egghead." Twilight smiled. "I know I can." Rainbow grinned. "Now where were we?" Twilight frowned. "No sex until our date" she said firmly Rainbow whimpered. "But, why?" Twilight shook her head. "It's the best way to start a healthy relationship." "How about after the date?" Rainbow said. "No" Twilight answered. "I'll take that as a maybe?" Rainbow asked hopefully. "Rainbow Dash" Twilight warned. "Aw pooh" Rainbow pouted Twilight smiled warmly. "We can cuddle…" Dash shrugged. "Better than nothing" Twilight nuzzled her. "You know you want to" she sang. Rainbow looked skeptical. "Fine" Twilight hugged her soon-to-be marefriend. "Yay!" Rainbow struggled for a moment, and then relaxed. She snuggled closer to Twilight and closed her eyes; the alicorn wrapped a wing around Rainbow protectively. "You are so adorable…" Rainbow's eyes flew open. She glared at Twilight. "I am not adorable" Twilight chuckled. "You are so cute!" Rainbow narrowed her eyes. "Am not!" "Are too!" "Am not!" "Are too times infinity" "Am not times infinity and one" "Fine let's agree to disagree" Twilight settled "Fine" Rainbow said childishly. "Now come here and cuddle already!" Twilight commanded. "Who's in charge, me or you?" Rainbow muttered. "Me, now come here and snuggle or else you won't get a piece of this--" Twilight gestured at her body. "before I take a shower." Rainbow dashed (ha, see what I did there?) over to her not-marefriend and got a piece of the Twi-Pie. In other words, they snuggled and Dash fell asleep. Twilight sighed happily and quietly levitated Rainbow onto the bed to take a shower. At "Le Cheval"….. Berry Punch yawned as she wiped down her last table. "Last night was soooo boring. The only interesting thing that happened was Princess Twilight making out with Dash." Luna nodded. "Yes, her dreams were strange that night. Now Ms. Punch where were we? Do you happen to have Sweet Apple Acres cider? I came all the way from Canterlot to test it. I heard it is delicious." Berry Punch nodded. "Yes I have some left. Rainbow almost drank it all, would you like anything else Princess?" Luna waved her hoof dismissively. "Call me Luna. We are the best of friends if you can get me some alcohol. I have had a hard week and I think it's time to have some fun. Raising the moon isn't, easy you know. I make the night so why not enjoy it?" Berry Punch grinned devilishly. "I like the way you think. My shift is over in a few minutes so I think I'll join you." She slid the glasses over to the Moon Princess. "After all, a little alcohol never hurt anypony." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: A Dash of Nightmare author: LordBrony2040 tags: character:Main 6, character:Nightmare Moon, character:Rainbow Dash, genre:Adventure, genre:Dark, genre:Tragedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Nightmare === Chapter 1: The Nightmare Rainbow Dash was in absolute misery as she laid on the cloud that matched her mood thanks to a few stray wisps of her pegasus magic charging it with thunder and rain. She wanted to cry. She wanted to shout. She wanted to smash something! "All anypony talks about is Mare Do Well this and Mare Do Well that!" she grumbled before looking over the side of her cloud and seeing three fillies playing in the grass below with that hated costume. It irked the Pegasus to no end that Rarity was actually making those things for the kids to play in. She was probably making a killing from the sales. It also brought back the memories of her friends from the previous few days. Even they had been gushing over the town's new hero. "Gotta hand it to the girl, that Mare Do Well can pull off some pretty amazing feats," Applejack's voice resounded in her memory. "Like everything I've done wasn't?" Dash mumbled. "I was really impressed with that spell she used to fix the dam, seems like something like would take quite a bit of study," the memory of Twilight said. "Yeah, and the strength and speed I worked for my whole life for means nothing to you," Rainbow grumbled. "But of course, you only care about something you can gain sitting around on your plot with your muzzle in a book." "She really cares about everypony's safety," Fluttershy said inside Dash's head; in truth, her oldest friend's abandonment hurt worst of all. "And I don't?" the Rainbow mare grumbled. "How many times did I stick up for you in school! In town? Twilight drags you up a mountain to face a bucking dragon and I'm tossed aside for trying to leave you at home where its safe?" "Have you seen her costume? If you ask me, she's a hero in fashion," Rarity's voice echoed in Dash's head. The pegasus grit her teeth. "A hero to you, you bit-loving mule," Rainbow grumbled. "And she's modest and humble, she let's her actions speak for themselves," Applejack's voice continued before the memory sifted to all her friends laughing at her. Correction my former friends, the pegasus thought to herself. "Rainbow Dash, hey Rainbow Dash!" The sound of her number one fan drew the pegasus's attention, and she looked down at the orange filly standing on the ground. A second later, Rainbow joined her on terra firma and patted the kid's head. "Hey Scoots, what's going on?" "We're heading off to the thank-you parade for Ponyville's greatest hero, Mare Do Well!" "Modest and humble and she gets a BUCKING PARADE," the chromatic pegasus shouted before she glared at the orange filly. "Scootaloo, the next time you want tips on how to fly, go ask your precious Mare Do Well cause we're through." After telling off her former fan, Rainbow Dash took to the air and looked at the large platform with the heroine's face painted on the front in what had to be Pinkie Pie's artwork, constituting in the last betrayal from the last of her former friends. And why am I not surprised. For a moment she thought about flying over there and unmasking Mare Do Well, but…if she did, then what would that prove? Sure, Rainbow Dash would finally know the pony who had set out to ruin her life but…then what? So what if they knew who the phony actually was, that would just lead to the town being more thankful. "Fine Ponyville, you want that hero, you can have her," Rainbow Dash grumbled. "I'm through with all of you." A mare as awesome as Dash could find weather work in a town of her choosing. She didn't need a bunch of sycophants who had the attention span of goldfish. She didn't need friends who laughed at her. She DIDN'T NEED ANYPONY! With a flap of her wings, the blue pegasus sped off in a prismatic blur, her letter of resignation to the Ponyville Weather Team already being drafted in her head. Fluttershy sat in the booth she usually shared Sugarcube Corner, her closest friends minus one. Instead, the other member of their lesson conspiracy sat with them. For some reason, it just felt so wrong to see the other mare there, sitting beside her in what was once Rainbow Dash's seat. But there she was, the mayor of Ponyville in all her glory. Without her help, none of what they had planned could have been accomplished. She had been the one to name Mare Do Well in public, insure the local law enforcement stayed away from vigilante activities, and set up the parade. Thanks to the mayor's authority, the building was completely emptied of customers and the Cakes were off doing…whatever married couples did on a walk through Ponyville, Fluttershy really didn't know, or want to. Everything she could think of brought a blush to her cheeks. "Well I must say that was certainly exciting, and good for town morale," the mayor told them. "When you approached me with this whole Mare Do Well idea Ms Sparkle, I thought it was a little…alright quite insane, but I can see that it is certainly fulfilling it's purpose." Twilight Sparkle nodded. "Yes, thank you for your help Mayor Mare. And don't worry, it should only take a few more days, then we can hang this Mare Do Well thing up for good." The mayor tilted her head in confusion. "Why would you do that?" "Oh, well by then Rainbow Dash should have learned her lesson," Twilight explained. And I for one will be glad to just put this all behind us, Fluttershy thought to herself. Everypony said Dash needed this, but…Fluttershy was finding those words ringing more and more hollow every time she thought of their last encounter in the very building they were in. If anything, the mayor's confusion only increased. "Rainbow Dash? What does this have to do with her?" "We're just trying to teach her a little lesson in humility mayor," Applejack explained. The mayor quirked an eyebrow. "By…wait, I'm afraid I'm not following your logic, I thought Rainbow Dash was in on this. She is one of your friends after all." Rarity's eyebrow quirked, "You thought Rainbow Dash was co-operating with us? How… Why ever would you think that dear? Just what did you think we were doing?" "I thought this whole mess of stunts was to drum up business for the town and gain tax revenue!" the mayor said. "Rainbow Dash's heroics doubled the sales of every vendor who made merchandise for her, and since sales were dipping, I thought you ponies invented this Mare Do Well in order to take all the attention off Rainbow so she could get back to living her life. What the buck were you really doing?!" The five Bearers traded looks before all of them looked to Twilight Sparkle, who was left to answer. "Well, she wasn't acting like a hero, so-" "But she is a hero," the mayor interrupted. "You all saved the world twice now. Not to mention all the other things she's done in the past few weeks. How can she not be acting like herself?" Applejack interrupted. "Yeah, but she wouldn't be quiet about it, so we thought we'd knock her down a few pegs." The farm pony's comment drew Fluttershy's attention. " What do you mean knock her down? I thought we were trying to provide Rainbow with an example to follow." "What?" Applejack asked back. "Look Fluttershy, you know how that girl is. She was being insufferable and needed to be taught a lesson." The mayor held up her foreleg. "Excuse me, but…what do you mean by that?" Applejack sighed and turned her attention to the mayor. "Rainbow was being insufferable over all them heroics for a bit long-" "Long?" the mayor asked, some annoyance creeping into her voice. "What do you mean long?" "Well you know, she did a few good things around town, but she was kinda milking the attention for a week after everything was done and it was getting a bit of a pain in the patootie," Applejack began to explain. "So we all got together than cooked up Mare Do Well to take all the attention away from Rainbow." Fluttershy looked at the farm pony sideways with a frown to avoid their gazes meeting. "And give an example to her about how a hero should behave, right?" "R-Right," Twilight agreed hesitantly. The mayor's face darkened. "Are you telling me you stabbed your friend in the back, purposely sought to undermine her popularity, while building up your own through connections to me because you thought all the attention she was getting was ANNOYING YOU?" Applejack frowned at the mayor. "Hey now it ain't like that." "Then tell us how it is Applejack," Fluttershy said, not nearly as soft as she usually was. "Look, all she did was save a couple of folks. Hay! I did that to them tourists!" Applejack exclaimed. "It ain't nothing for ponies to be getting all-" "I'll admit that the foal who fell down the well isn't that much of a rescue," the mayor interrupted. "But I please tell me how many days of getting a pat on the back a baby's life is worth, how much gratitude should the children and grandchildren of those elderly ponies Rainbow saved should have." She reared up and placed her hooves on the table to glare at the orange pony sitting across from her. "Please tell me how grateful I should be for Rainbow Dash saving the life of my aunt!" Twilight cleared her throat to get everypony's attention. "Look mayor-" The older mare turned to look at the purple unicorn. "No! You look Ms Sparkle! I don't know what you think you were doing. But what I think is that five very petty mares got tired of seeing their friend in the limelight, and decided to do something about it by doing their best to hurt her!" "Okay, I may admit that we might have gotten a bit out of hand," Twilight said. "But Rainbow Dash needed a lesson in humility. Remember what happened when Trixie came to town? If it wasn't for her, then the Ursa Minor would have never endangered everypony." Mayor Mare frowned. "I was under the assumption that two young colts were to blame for that incident, and they were given two months of community service for their actions. How was she responsible?" "She told them colts about it!" Applejack declared. "If it wasn't for her being all bigheaded, then nothing would have happened." Pinkie Pie raised a hoof, finally joining the conversation. "Um…excuse me but…I'm lost everypony. Why are we doing this again?" "To teach Rainbow a lesson," Twilight explained simply. "What lesson?" the pink pony asked. "That heroes are humble," Applejack told her. "They don't need thanks." "You mean thanks, like a town sponsored parade you all had a hand in setting up for yourselves?" the mayor asked. "And why are heroes supposed to be humble?" Pinkie Pie asked. Twilight rolled her eyes. "Pinkie, look at us. We're heroes and we're humble." It was then that Pinkie dove into the conversation. "Um…I'm not. I'm the best party pony in town, and I make sure everypony knows it." "Ummm...neither am I for that matter," Rarity added with a frown as she looked down at the table. "Does this mean you're going to drive me out of business next, darlings?" Twilight's muzzle bent in a confused frown and she looked over to Rarity. "I…what?" she asked. "Rarity, would you start talking sense? And why are you taking Pinkie's side now?" "I think I'm talking sense for the first time in several days," she muttered before she shifted her gaze between Twilight and Applejack. "And when Pinkie Pie starts beating Twilight Sparkle in a logical argument, I think it's time to start listening to her side! Now to rephrase an earlier question, I want to know why you two talked me into helping you undermine Rainbow's image because she decided to act a little differently that the two of you!" Pinkie leaned forward with a frown. "Was it because she was annoying you? Because if it was then…I better start looking out for an apple party pony trying to ruin me and...and…oh Dashie, what have I done?" the pony said as she became noticeably less pink and poofy. "Hey now hold on just a darn minute Pinkie, you saved that balloonist when Dash missed her, not to mention that construction crew, and I saved them tourists, and Twilight saved the whole town!" Applejack exclaimed. "Mare Do Well did a lot of good!" Surprisingly, it was Twilight who responded to Applejack. "But…umm, the correlation between our actions as Mare Do Well and our purpose for those actions isn't part of this argument," she said. "We made the costumes before the balloon happened after all." Then she looked over to Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Rarity. "I just…I…I wanted a reaffirmation of my own views because…her heroic archetype didn't correspond to the viewpoint I had," she looked down at the table with wide eyes. "Sweet Celestia, when I actually say it out loud…" "Would someone please translate that into normal Equine?" the mayor asked. "Twilight was mean to Dashie because Dashie enjoyed getting patted on the back for doing good deeds," Pinkie explained simply. Suddenly alone in her argument, Applejack looked at the other ponies, who turned their attentions towards her. "Hey now wait a cotton-picking minute here! Don't ya'll be standing like a bunch of high horses, looking down on me! Rainbow had it coming!" "Because she was different than you?" Rarity asked as she stepped away from the table and frowned at the farm pony. "Like I am? I thought we were able to get past things like that Applejack." Applejack shot a glare at Rarity. "This ain't about your stupid frou-frou-ness Rarity!" The white unicorn frowned. "And now the thing I've built my life around is stupid again," she said before heading towards the door. Before leaving, she turned back and glared at the farmer. "You know, I find it quite ironic that it turns out the Element of Honesty is the one we can trust the least not to stab us in the back. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go rip the stitching out of several yards of purple fabric and write a letter to Princess Celestia explaining what I feels like when you betray a friend." Applejack practically seethed at the comment. "Rarity! Get your prissy plot back here and-hey! Let go of me Twilight!" "Why? So you can take this outside, and let the whole town see us like this?" the unicorn asked absently before she looked up. "I…I think we need to all go cool off." Fluttershy looked over to Twilight. "What about Rainbow Dash?" The unicorn thought for a moment. "Has anypony even seen her today?" "I did," the farm pony grumbled. "She was just pouting on one of her stupid thunderclouds." The mayor frowned. "Thundercloud? There's no rain scheduled for today," she mumbled. Fluttershy's eyes went wide. "But that mean's she…she made a thundercloud?" the pegasus asked in a slightly panicky voice. "Oh…oh no. She…are you sure?" From the way her head was darting back and forth, neither pony knew who she was asking. "Yes," both the farmer and the mayor said at the same time. Next to Fluttershy, Pinkie's main deflated fully and she hung her head. "Dashie made it herself, didn't she?" The last unicorn at the table raised an eyebrow. "Fluttershy, what's wrong? What do you mean Rainbow made a thundercloud herself? What's so special about that? Pegasi make weather all the time." Fluttershy stared at Twilight for a few minutes, then shook her head. "No its…forget about it. Just…I'm going home." "What?" Twilight asked. "I…I don't understand. What's going on? What's so important that Rainbow Dash made a thundercloud?" "It means your stupid plan worked," Pinkie told them. "Now get the buck outta my house. I've got to plan a sorry party to cheer Dashie up, and ask for her forgiveness at the same time. Ones like that are always tricky." "Pinkie Pie-" "That's what my friends call me," the pink pony told Twilight, "and if you want to keep doing that. You'll go to Dashe's house tomorrow with me to explain everything before we get down on our knees and beg her not to hate us for what we did!" Rainbow Dash dreamed, or as close as what you can call dreaming when one was enveloped by a nightmare. It was a strange nightmare, different from the others. Her usual ones involved being laid on the ground with broken wings, although in the recent weeks a few of those switched to Discord simply taking them from her in the hedge maze and never giving them back. But this time she could fly just fine. She could do all forms of acrobatics, death defying feats, close call saves, and even a Double Rainboom. But no matter what she did, nopony in town would look her way, they all had eyes for a stage in the center of town. It was the stage where Mare Do Well stood. She hated that stage, and the pony who stood upon it. But what drew her full ire was the five ponies who stood around her, the other Elements of Harmony. The mayor was making some speech that Rainbow did care to listen to, and then Twilight Sparkle held up a medal to pin to the costumed super heroine's chest. It was a red jewel shaped like a lightning bolt. It was the Element of Loyalty. Well why not? Rainbow asked herself. You guys are already drooling all over yourselves for Mare Do Well. Laughing at me! Just go ahead and replace me with her then! YOU TRAITORS! "My, such anger, such rage. It's no wonder I could hear you from the depths of the forest." Rainbow Dash gulped and looked around wildly for the voice before something she'd heard Twilight talking about a few times before came to mind. "Wait…is that you, Princess Luna?" She had remembered Twilight telling her once about how Princess Luna was supposed to go into the mind of sleeping ponies and help with their nightmares. "Luna? Oh no my little pony. Luna was merely the skin I wore for a time. I am not she who summons the moon and stars. I am darkness beyond blackest pitch, deeper than the deepest night. I am the Lord of Nightmares, I am what brings fear into the minds of all those who exist." A shudder passed through Rainbow's body as it downed on her just what she was speaking to. " Y-You're the Nightmare thing we beat in the Everfree Forest when Luna first came back? But that's impossible! We beat you!" "And here I thought you'd be slower on the uptake," the golden voice told her before the darkness seemed to take a form. It still surrounded Rainbow, but she could just barely make out what looked like an outline of a pony. "And yes, I am what the sisters referred to as, the Nightmare. And you cannot beat me Rainbow Dash, like Chaos and Harmony, I am one of the forces that drive creation. To remove me from existence would be like removing a part of the soul of every pony. I have always been, and so I shall always be." Rainbow Dash found herself slowly backing away from the creature, but no matter how she moved, the pony of darkness was always in front of her. "W-What're you doing here?" "Why, answering your call of course," it replied. "What?" Rainbow whispered. "Your dream. Your loneness and despair, your rage…it called out to me. So here I am." "Hey! I'm not lonely!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "I got plenty of friends!" "You mean all those ponies who turned away from you when this Mare Do Well appeared? Even the little orange one abandoned you from what I can see. Oh, you mean Twilight and her friends! The friends that mocked you, the ones that embarrassed you, the ponies that told you not to brag while…well, do you need to be reminded of all the times they shouted their own praises? Awards? Fashion shows? And let's not forget the super party pony Pinkie Pie. Why do they get to sing their praises, and not you?" "I…" Rainbow grit her teeth and shook her head. "Fine! They made a mistake! And yeah I'm angry about it! But you know what? FRIENDS FORGIVE EACHOTHER!" For a moment it seemed as if the darkness recoiled at Dash's voice, but it was back a moment later with a voice that Dash could almost hear smiling. "Forgiveness? They toss you away like trash, and you forgive them." "Yes!" "And what happens the next time they decide to step on you?" The question gave Rainbow Dash pause. "What?" "Look at them," the voice told her before the image of her friends appeared. They were smiling and laughing like they had been earlier that day when Dash walked into Sugar Cube Corner. Twilight invited her over, and Dash went and sat. "No regret, no remorse. Did they even care they hurt you?" "Well-" "Did they even know?" Rainbow shook her head quickly, trying to clear away the doubts starting to cloud her mind. "I… That's cause I just didn't tell them!" "But shouldn't they have known without that?" the voice accused. "Isn't that what friends are supposed to do? Understand each other? Feel pain for one another? They just laugh and go on, not even a glance for your pain, nor an apology, or a single word." Rainbow gulped. She tried to deny it but… How many times had she seen Fluttershy in trouble over the years and needed to coax what was wrong out of her? How many times did some other pony in pain not admitting her problem stop Dash or one of the others from offering help like with AJ's apple harvest? Rainbow Dash looked back to the image of her friends laughing and talking, and Rarity going on about her upcoming trip to Canterlot for some fashion thing. A newspaper on the table caught the projected Dash's attention, and she read the small article about Mare Do Well before becoming depressed while everyone else just went on smiling. Unable to take it anymore, Rainbow turned away from the image before it could continue. "Why're you here?" "To grant the thing you desire of course." "…You're going to make me a Wonderbolt?" Dash asked with a skeptical eyebrow raised. "Oh come Rainbow Dash, we both know that's impossible now. Look at what they've done to you. Look at the image. The Wonderbolts are heroes with spotless records. They'll never let a pony like you join their ranks. Not after the fool that this Mare Do Well turned you into." "THAT'S NOT-" Rainbow Dash clenched her teeth and cut herself off, unable to finish the sentence. She wanted to say it wasn't true but...that was exactly what happened. "Yes?" it asked. Rainbow found herself shaking as she looked at the ground. Who was she kidding? The Ponyville Gazette had already run a piece on Mare Do Well and how she was the greatest hero ever, ending it with a question about Rainbow Dash and what had happened to her. The thoughts made her grit her teeth in anger. Then there was Scootaloo… "I don't think you need to worry about that anymore, she's into Mare Do Well now. And the rest of your friends…well, can you even call them that? Were you ever friends in the first place? They abandoned you so easily." Rainbow shrunk in on herself. "I…" "Did they ever really care about you?" "Fluttershy," Dash whispered to the darkness. "The one who used you for protection? Doesn't she sing Mare Do Well's praises now?" "…why are you doing this?" she whined as the truth hit her like a hammer. "Because you called to me. Because you were alone, and asked for my help." "What help?" the blue pegasus asked. "To grant you your greatest desire. You want to be a hero, I can make it so." A small spark of hope ignited in Rainbow Dash's mind. "How?" "Power. I can change things so not even Princess Celestia will be able to compare to you." The thought struck a cord with the blue pegasus. "I…" Being as powerful as Celestia? The thought was more than just a little appealing. "That'd be pretty cool." "And some little pony in a costume…well, she would be nothing to you. And as for your friends…" Images flashed through Rainbow Dash's mind: Applejack loosing her farm, Rarity's boutique in flames, all of Twilight's books being shredded. She saw them all being depressed and crying like she had almost been just two days ago. "I…no…I can't hurt my friends like that!" Rainbow shouted. "But they aren't really your friends, are they?" "I…" The voice sighed. "Very well. If that is your wish, you can remain a nopony, constantly being used and abused as she pushes clouds around for the rest of her life while pathetically begging for attention and pity in the guise of friendship." Rainbow Dash felt the presence begin to withdraw from the dream as she looked down at herself. Pathetic? Was that what she was? She had always tried to be cool and awesome, a pony other ponies cold look up to: a hero. For awhile, she had been that. For a long while. Ponyville had been her town, and she had always done amazing stuff. Twilight and the others came along, and they got the Elements of Harmony. Then, she was regulated to second behind Twilight, the hero. But Dash was willing to go along with it. She had more friends before than she ever did, real friends that did more than just want a few autographs. Then came Mare Do Well and everything changed. Everypony just forgot about her in favor of the new hero. Even her friends laughed at her. Correction: her former friends. "Hey look…" Rainbow Dash looked up at the images of her friends in the darkness, all of them. She looked at the image of Sugar Cube Corner where she sat in depression while they laughed and smiled, she looked at the images of her friends that showed them in various states of distress, and then she turned her attention to a new image that was simply her five former friends looking at her; looking down at her. Just like they always did…and always would. "You've got a deal." Although it possessed no form, Dash could swear she felt the departing darkness turn and face her. "I will say this now. This will not be like my time with Luna. I shall not make that mistake again. You enter into this pact of your own free will and we shall share in all things. Do you accept me into you?" "Yes," Rainbow Dash told the Nightmare before she felt the words enter her mind. "Now become one with my mind, become one with my body and let us walk upon the path towards the future together!" In the waking world, Rainbow Dash awoke with a scream. She felt her bones break, her muscles tear, her wings extend, and her head split. Her legs extended and her body increased in size. The wings on her back became longer and were covered by larger feathers. Her mane and tail grew before busting into a configuration of multicolored fire while the sky blue color of her fur changed to that of an empty sky at night. But the physical additions paled in comparison to those of the mind. The Nightmare was old, older than Celestia and Luna, older than the nation of Equestria. It was the avatar of the Void, as Discord was of Chaos and the Elements were of Harmony; brought into existence when creation split itself from oblivion at the dawn of time. It was Fear. It was the Black. It was the End. It was Death. Rainbow Dash panted as fourteen billion years worth of knowledge and information filled her mind. Her new form, black as night with a burning rainbow main and of equal size with Celestia herself filled the bed as she found her head leaning over the cloud mattress and onto the floor. Rainbow Dash? Was that who she was? "Yes," the dark pegasus spoke to the empty room before getting to her hooves. "That's my name." For some reason, the voice sounded wrong, deeper than what she was used to. And the name, it seemed…less than what they were. They needed to choose a new name. Rainbow shook the thoughts from her head. "No. I'm Rainbow Dash. The greatest…" she stopped and shook her head before she looked over to the setting sun. "Well, guess I'll figure that out tonight huh? So we going to go pound Mare Do Well? Rip off her mask and show everypony how much a phony she is?" "This is our first task." Rainbow Dash blinked at the involuntary movement of her mouth, then shook her head when the image entered her mind. "Oh that's…umm…okay I can see how taking him out might make us look cool and all, but…Discord's a statue. Taking him down when he's just a hunk of rock is capital L Lame." "I have done all I can to enhance your body on my own, weakened as I am. We require his magic" Rainbow Dash flinched. "Wait, you we're going to break him out and ask for his help? That's even worse than kicking him while he's down!" "No We shall devour him. We shall take his power and in one stoke, secure guaranteed victory against all who would try to challenge us while removing the greatest threat Equestria has ever faced for all of time. After all, if the creature broke out once, what's to stop him from doing it again? Will there be anypony around to stop him next time?" Rainbow Dash blinked as the full explanation of what that meant floated across her mind. "Oh…well…you might have a point there," Rainbow muttered to herself…or the Nightmare really. Taking out Discord as he was certainly seemed like a dick move, but…Rainbow could see the wisdom in it. With Chaos out of the way, the powers of Existence would be down to just Harmony, while the Void was still whole. With Discord gone, nothing could hope to stand against them. "Okay then…let's go kill an avatar." === Dear Princess Celestia: Rarity === Dear Princess Celestia They say that the greatest lessons are learned not form one's successes, but from their failures. If that is the case, then the epiphany that is due to come in the next few days shall make me a genius equal to Twilight Sparkle. Such is the weight of my error. While writing this, I can't help but think back to an earlier lesson I learned over the past year, one you were there to observe me speak of in fact. During the young flier's competition, I was granted wings by your student in what would be a process that allowed us all to go and observe and support our friend in her hour of need; and ironically, the whole thing was my idea. I say ironically because once we arrived in Cloudsdale, the presence of my wings made most of the pegasi population enamored with me. After all, I was a unicorn with magical butterfly wings, something most ponies had never seen before and well, I don't need to tell you how we ponies seem to become enchanted at the drop of a hat by anything that's shiny and new. I became so swept up in myself, I stopped caring about my friends and forgot the original reason we were all there. Even after your student tried to talk some sense into me, all I could seem to care about was how the crowd adored me. Then, after the comments of some less than reputable pegasi, I foolishly decided to enter the competition against my friend. Even worse, I went out during Rainbow's turn, changing the music of her routine to mine. To be honest, I still wonder if the reason she did so poorly at the start of the contest was because my music knocked off her rhythm. That day is my personal greatest shame, and even now I can feel my stomach churn over my actions. So when I started to see my friend Rainbow engage in the same egotistical actions I did, I agreed to partake in a plan to…curb these behaviors. I was even a little miffed about the whole thing. Didn't Rainbow see she was doing what I had done to her? That was the thought that ran through my mind when I agreed to help with Applejack and Twilight's idea. As for the plan, we did not decide to talk with her, or explain to her how we believed she should behave, or even just let it all go and expect Rainbow to work things out on her own. No, we decided to outshine her, like I did in Cloudsdale. I didn't see it at the time of course, all I heard was how we were going to in Twilight's words: set an example for Rainbow to follow. Although if I am to be honest with myself, I believe Applejack only cared about outshining her, the competitive nature of those two seems to cause no end of problems for their friendship. Getting back on topic, that was our brilliant plan: we were going to outshine Rainbow Dash. As for what Rainbow was doing that we needed to beat her, that's where things become complicated. She was helping ponies. She was helping ponies, and bragging about it. She wasn't hurting anypony, she wasn't mean or cruel, she didn't go around yelling at her friends, she was just bragging. Oh, and my friends were starting to get annoyed with her bragging. Before I go on, I should say that in all fairness, I don't think any of our friends know Rainbow Dash quite like I do; and even my connection with her was brought on more by necessity than anything else. Once again, it comes back to that Sonic Rainboom of hers. I don't really understand much about it, but apparently when Rainbow Dash performs the action, there is a bit of a backlash in the ether veins of her wings. They become overtaxed in a similar way that some unicorns find themselves after casting a powerful spell. For us, it means that magic is verboten for some time, for Rainbow Dash, it rendered her flightless once everything had settled down. I just thank Celestia um, you know what I mean, that it did not also mean the end of her cloud-walking, or she probably would have fallen out of Cloudsdale in the middle of her lunch. Of course I didn't find this out until the next day when Rainbow Dash had returned to Ponyville ahead of schedule thanks to a ride given by the Wonderbolts and I found her staying at the local inn. Even then, she believed her wings were just a little overworked, or she was coming down with a case of the feather flu, which had apparently happened the first time she performed the Sonic Rainboom as a filly. I must say now that what I am about to write must never be repeated to another soul. I only tell you this because you are the princess, and it is needed to be known just to understand the weight of my foolishness. Being the friend I am, I invited Rainbow to stay at my boutique rather than that ghastly place we call an inn after I found out about her problem. When two days passed and she had yet to lose a single feather, Twilight was called in and we learned that Rainbow's wings had been stressed like a horn, things became a bit problematic. She was all smiles and brave faces in front of her friends of course. That pony will never let anypony see her down. But, after the lights went out and she thought me asleep, I heard her crying into her pillows and came to comfort the mare. I could understand her fear. Nothing like this had ever happened to a pegasi before. While Twilight compared it to a horn being overcharged with mana, that is what happens when a unicorn experiences a surge, the rules might have been different for a pegasus. Rainbow Dash was struck by the fear of never being able to fly again. But fear is the most devious of emotions. Like timber wolves, where there is one, more are sure to follow until a vicious pack lurks in the dark corner of a pony's mind, striking down any hope and joy that is able to form. With the fear of loosing her ability to fly came the fear of being worthless, of being forgotten, of being simply cast aside for somepony better to come along and take her place. I tried my best to assure her that such things would never be, and while I could indeed make my case in respect to her friends never forgetting or replacing her, Ponyville was another matter, as were the feelings of worthlessness. After all, Rainbow's special talent is to fly (although considering her rather incredible ability for weather work I have to wonder if her cutie mark isn't a bit more encompassing) and what is left for a pony who can not do what they were born for? Ponies have killed themselves over less. The thought terrified me. After all, this was the pony who saved my life, and the thought that the act had cost her the most important thing to her, I cannot even describe what I felt that day. So distraught over this fear of my own, I filled the week with activities for her to do in order to keep her mind off such ideas. We talked about things, from her day with the Wonderbolts that was cut short, to who she thought was the best up and comer among the group, as well as personal topics like my family thanks to a visit from my parents. However, she was tellingly mute about her own. Over the following days, I came to a rather unsurprising conclusion about Rainbow Dash: the poor dear can only see the value in herself through the eyes of others. I know I'm not one to be making judgments on such things as I am very much the same way, but there is a key difference between myself and Rainbow Dash that I have support whether the things I create are successful or not. My friends are always there for me, and failing that, I have my family that moved to Ponyville this past year to support me as well. This is the case with all the other Bearers. Applejack has legions of kin to call upon, Twilight has both you and Spike, Pinkie lives with the Cakes and her family resides only a short distance from Ponyville itself, even Fluttershy can go to her animals for support should she need comforting. As for Rainbow, she had her friends, and that was it. But we were there for her when she needed us. We told her she still mattered, that she was still worth something, that everything was gong to be okay; and when everypony else left, I was there to hold her and stave off the worries that came in the night. A week passed, and Rainbow found herself able to fly again. She hasn't performed a Rainboom since, and quite frankly, I don't blame her. Overusing one's source of power on a constant basis is dangerous in the extreme and risky at best. It's probably why the poor dear still worries about getting into the Wonderbolts, as her greatest feat comes with such a price. But I digress. After a week of learning all these things about Rainbow Dash and how she puts value in herself through the eyes of other ponies to such an extent, it is no surprise to me she gained such a swelled head as a whole town cheered for her. So we decided to take those cheers away, in order to teach her a lesson about humility and how a hero doesn't need the support of other ponies to do heroic things. We created a new costumed hero persona that three of us shared (I simply designed the suit, getting sweaty while running around town was a bit much for me) and went around town performing acts Dash could not do. I'm sure Twilight thought the whole thing was simply benign, and they did do some good while in costume, so I can't fault them for their actions on that, simply their reasons for doing so. It worked about as well as it should have. Soon Rainbow was feeling irritable and moody with the town quickly forgetting about her thanks to the appearance of the shiny new hero and her stunning ensemble. So then she came to us for support, to reenergize her sense of self-worth. That is where my true failure as a friend stands out the most Princess. I will admit that I could get behind this whole Mare Do Well plot we concocted if it were to teach Rainbow that it was okay to fail, or whatever the hay we were supposed to be teaching her; after a little debate between Pinkie and Twilight that happened an hour ago, I'm not even sure what the real point of this stunt was anymore and I don't think they are either. But when our friend came to us looking for support, she found none. In fact, we did worse than abandon Rainbow when she needed us. Instead of talking about prior successes to cheer her up, we listed tasks that our heroic persona did. Then, to finish off her sense of self-worth, we laughed at her. We laughed at her pain, her panic, her abandonment; even as we were the ones abandoning her. We replied to her cry for help with cruelty. And as I write this, I have come to realize that those actions are my new greatest shame. When I was in trouble, after everything I had done to her, I reached out and found her hoof waiting to take mine. When she was in need and reached out to me, I slapped her hoof away, and laughed at her pain. I can only hope that with the Element of Loyalty comes the ability to forgive one's friends, if that is what we even are anymore. As for the lesson that I've learned? This experience has given me plenty. Do not judge others on the faults you have yourself. To be a friend is to offer support and advice rather than condemnation. The path to humility is not made with humiliation. And a true friend accepts the ponies around her for who they are, rather than trying to make them who we think they should be. Your Unworthy Subject Rarity. P.S. Please forgive the blotches of ink that some words may have become. I couldn't look away from the page as I wrote, and some droplets fell off my muzzle no matter how much I tried to stop them. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: One of Everything author: Megapone tags: genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life

=== One of Everything === "Oh, Vinyl!" Vinyl Scratch didn't even miss a beat. She just popped another cookie in her mouth and munched on it. "Yeah?" she said through a mouthful of crumbs. Octavia stepped in through the doorway to the kitchen. There was a bright purple scarf around her neck, and a smile on her face. "Ah! There you are," she said, eyeing her roommate. "I was wondering where you'd gotten off to." Vinyl lifted a hoof to wave. In the corner of the kitchen behind her, the radio sputtered out something about Fillydelphia and weather. It was doubtful she'd actually been listening to it—it was the same classical station Octavia had set it to that morning. No, more likely it was just white noise that Vinyl had left on while snacking. Then again, she was always snacking these days. Vinyl smirked at Octavia and said, "Sup?" Then she went back to shoving her hoof down the neck of the cookie jar. She came back out with a full three cookies and jammed them into her mouth. She chewed messily, moaning almost orgasmically as chocolate chips and crumbs sprinkled down onto the floor. Vinyl Scratch had always been a big eater. It was only a few months ago that Octavia had noticed her roommate's habit of bingeing and stuffing herself into a stupor—only to join in to help her eat more than she'd ever managed before. She hadn't been able to help herself. Something about Vinyl's cheeks, stuffed with food, and her belly, sloshing and groaning with far too many calories, was just incredibly enticing to her. And Vinyl, a secret glutton who'd been wary of giving into her urges for years, had finally just thrown all restraint away. There'd been lots of moaning that night, not only from eating. The following morning, she'd woken up with a full, aching tummy, and with the sound and delicious smell of hay-bacon sizzling downstairs. Octavia had kept her very well-fed ever since. And it showed. Octavia liked her marefriend big, and Vinyl's belly was anything but small. Big, round, and soft, it hung heavily beneath her frame with all of the consistency of Jello. It'd begun as barely a potbelly, but within a month, Octavia's feeding sessions had seen Vinyl well on her way to becoming a truly tubby mare. Nowadays, when she was on her back, letting Octavia feed her by hoof, Vinyl's stomach was a massive, round dome, jiggling with little waves of motion as Octavia rubbed her hoof gently across it. Today, Vinyl seemed to have found her own way to stuff herself. But that was hardly rare. These days, Vinyl was always snacking—even when she was at work, there was always a bowl of chocolate candies mere inches away. She needed thousands of calories a day to keep her bountiful figure growing, after all, and Octavia was always happy enough to provide. So Vinyl just waited for Octavia to respond, and in the meantime stuffed her face with another two chocolate-chip cookies. Her rosy, chubby cheeks quivered; more than once, Octavia had seen them puffing out with exertion as her growing roommate—no, marefriend—galloped toward another feeding. Her belly swayed beneath her, slapping against a pair of thick thunder thighs that rubbed together whenever she walked. Octavia had paid those especially close attention, licking her lips whenever she saw them pushing together, more than once daydreaming of pushing her face between them and lapping eagerly at Vinyl's— Ahem. She caught herself in the middle of a sexy daydream with a blush. "Ah, yes," she said. She glanced back over her shoulder. "I actually brought a surprise home with me! For you!" "From that concert?" Vinyl said. She grunted through a mouthful of cookies. "That have anything to do with why you're home so early?" "Yes," Octavia said. "The event was cancelled, I'm afraid. But I was able to gather some form of...recompense. It should be delivered—" The doorbell rang. Octavia brightened, and instinctively reached to straighten her bowtie. "That must be them!" "Must be who?" Vinyl stared after her as Octavia galloped toward the front door. Then she shrugged, and tossed another cookies down her throat. Moments later, Octavia came trotting back. "Why, the caterers, of course!" she said, grinning widely. Behind her, a thick-looking stallion bearing a massive platter of food lumbered into the room. He set the platter down onto the counter, grunted, and turned to go. Behind him, a train of three more ponies looked to be saddled with more of the same. Octavia beamed at Vinyl. "Three hundred ponies' worth of food has to go somewhere, doesn't it?" Vinyl's stomach rumbled as she ogled the platter. Loudly. The smell of untold delicacies wafted through her nostrils, and she found herself salivating. "Tavi. You don't mean—" "All yours, dear Vinyl," Octavia said smugly. She combed her mane out of her eyes and nodded toward the growing pile of food in the center of the kitchen. "Assuming you can finish it by tonight, of course…" "Tonight?" "I believe you heard me," Octavia said. "All of it." Outside, they heard the slam of a truck door as the last of the caterers left the building. The front door slammed shut soon after. Vinyl stared at the wonderland of food in amazement, already rubbing her oversized gut in anticipation. Vinyl may have been fat, but she was still barely two steps above chubby. As she ogled the mountains of food lying in wait before her, it was clear from the dreamlike haze in front of her eyes that she was imagining what eating all of this delicious food would be like. "But tha's...gotta be like a hundred-thousand calories in there," Vinyl mumbled. She was drooling. "More," Octavia said. She sidled up beside Vinyl and gave her chunky ass a squeeze. Vinyl moaned, either in desire or hunger, as Octavia's hoof wrapped around her thick barrel and squished her fat rump together. Octavia grinned sideways at her, one eyebrow arching up into her forehead. She patted Vinyl's belly and giggled as it bounced and swayed. "I want to see you fatter than you have ever been before, Ms. Scratch." Vinyl slurped up her saliva with a grunt. "Then what're we waiting for!" She dove for a platter of cookie assortments, her horn lighting up as she yanked the plastic covering from the top. "Let's—" "Vinyl!" Octavia's sharp voice froze Vinyl in her tracks. The tubby mare stood stock-still, whimpering with hunger, as Octavia slowly strode around to face her. "You mustn't start with dessert," Octavia sniffed. Gently, she placed the covering back atop the cookies. "It's rude." Vinyl whined. "But Tavi… I wanna eat." Her tummy growled, and she sniffled. "I'm so hungry." "And eat you shall," Octavia said. "But these things must be done in the proper order." She clapped her hooves, then nodded toward a platter of sandwiches. Vinyl turned to stare at it in awe. It bore a tower of clean-cut sandwiches that groaned under its own weight. Perfect for filling the tummies of a full party of classy ponies—or the grumbling belly of one very large, very hungry unicorn. "Gimme!" Vinyl drooled. "Take your seat," Octavia said firmly. "And I'll bring the plate over for you." Vinyl was in her chair in the blink of an eye. It groaned slightly beneath her weight, the rungs wrapped around her chunky hock as she squished her fat ass against it. The poor chair had faced quite a bit of abuse over the past months, but Octavia had a smug feeling that tonight's feeding would be its last. The instant the plate of sandwiches hit the table in front of her, Vinyl got to work. Octavia took a seat beside her, content merely to watch as Vinyl ate. At first, she was almost delicate about it, taking simple (if large) bites out of each triangle. By her fifth sandwich slice, though, she kicked it into a higher gear. Her hooves were a windmill of motion, constantly stuffing sandwich after sandwich into her mouth. She ate fast enough that she barely had enough time to swallow, her chubby cheeks bulging out as she crammed her mouth full of food. Her horn flickered with bright blue magic as it kept a steady line of sandwiches floating just within arm's reach, ready to descend into the depths of the fat mare's gullet. Octavia simply sat next to her, occasionally adjusting the position of a sandwich if it looked like the tower was about to fall. On the whole, though, she was more than happy to sit against Vinyl's side, cooing softly into her ear as she kept one hoof rubbing gently against Vinyl's stomach. She could feel it swelling with each gulp of food, growing tighter and bulging against her hoof as Vinyl downed enough sandwiches to feed a party of two dozen without even breaking a sweat. By the time she was done, Vinyl's gut had about the radius of a basketball, and sloshed pleasantly whenever Octavia poked it. "Very good," Octavia praised her. "You cleared your whole plate, you hungry mare." Vinyl licked her lips, making sure to clean every last bit of food off of them. An avalanche of crumbs and lettuce shavings covered her belly, though, which stuck out far enough over her legs to catch anything that fell during her feeding frenzies. She patted her belly and shot Octavia a skeptical look...before burping loudly. "Braaaaap," she let out, and then groaned. "Yeah, sure," she grunted. "S'good, but I'm still hungry. You'd better have more comin' if you think you're gonna fill this fat filly up." She took her gut in both hooves and jiggled it around a bit, folds of fat squishing against her hooves. "Oh, pooh," Octavia said. She got up from her chair and brought over the next dish. This time, it was an enormous bowl of pasta nearly two feet across. Vinyl stared at it with wide eyes, drooling visibly as Octavia struggled to bring it over. It hit the table with a loud thunk, its contents quivering noticeably. Thick, creamy sauce glinted in the light as what had to be a dozen pounds of pasta gleamed patiently within. Octavia pressed a hoof against Vinyl's stomach again. She smiled when she felt it rumbling again, impatient for its next feeding. "So you're still hungry, you big, tubby mare?" "Yeah," Vinyl whined. "So c'mon! I wanna eat." "Then eat," Octavia said. And Vinyl did. It was a wonder to behold. At first, once again, she was almost polite. Bereft of any utensils, she used her magic to scoop up big mouthfuls of pasta, eagerly gulping it down just as fast as she could lift it. She moaned as the creamy tomato sauce touched her tongue, some of it smearing across her lips as she went for her second mouthful. Octavia grinned and gently dabbed it Vinyl's mouth with a handkerchief. The big mare beside her waited impatiently for Octavia to finish, eager to get her stuffing back on track. And then she was off once more. Finding her magic too delicate and slow to work with, Vinyl changed tactics. She started to scoop huge hoof-fulls of pasta directly into her mouth, smearing her fur, hooves, and cheeks with sauce as she gorged herself full. Before long, though, even that wasn't enough. She squealed with delight, throwing away every inhibition as she dove into the bowl, shoving her whole muzzle into the pile of pasta and eating it directly. She snuffled and snorted like a pig, moaning in ecstasy as she wolfed down gulp after gulp of delicious, creamy pasta. Octavia curled against her side, still stroking Vinyl's belly as her marefriend made a complete pig of herself. "That's right," she purred into Vinyl's ear, feeling Vinyl's gut grow as more and more food found its way down her gullet. "You like stuffing yourself full, you pig of a mare?" Vinyl came up for air long enough to agree—"Oink oink!" she proclaimed proudly—and then dove back in. She inhaled the pasta, grunting and groaning and snorting as she gulped down in a single breath what most other ponies could barely have eaten in an entire setting. And all of this rich, high-calorie food was starting to have an effect. Vinyl's stomach had passed "big" and was now on its way to becoming truly bloated. It was large, ballooning outward against Octavia's hoof with every gulp of fatty food that Vinyl gulped down. It rolled out to cover her lap, a plush, soft surface that jiggled as its owner snuffled and grunted. It was starting to press against the table, the edge of the table biting into that huge, plump surface. The rest of Vinyl was beginning to fill out, too. With the amount that she was putting away, it was hardly even a surprise. Her thighs pressed together, then disappeared entirely as her stomach pushed out to cover them. Her cheeks grew chubbier and rosier, even as her bright piggy eyes squeezed shut in gluttonous delight. Behind her, her chair creaked and groaned, trembling in obvious pain as her rump grew and fattened until it was wedged tightly between the rungs. Vinyl's ass was enormous—a sight which only turned Octavia on all the more. To see her marefriend making a complete glutton was an aphrodisiac all its own, but to see the impact of that stuffing—to see the world around her shrinking as her body grew bigger, heavier, more bountiful… It left her panting with desire, biting her lip as she watched Vinyl smear her face and double chin with more and more creamy pasta sauce, even as ten times as much made its way down to her swelling gut. When the bowl was finally close to being empty, Octavia realized that she'd had her hoof clamped firmly between her thighs. She had, in fact, had it there for quite some time. She found herself panting, her cheeks flushed as she rubbed against her dripping, aching marehood. Vinyl's feast was more than an event. It was an experience, and one that her libido surely wanted to watch in every pound of its fat, rolling, jiggling glory. By the time Vinyl had polished off a serving of pasta large enough to feed three families in a week, her face was absolutely drenched in sauce and cream. Octavia took one look at her and laughed, unable to hold down a cascade of giggles at her marefriend's slobbiness. Vinyl just slurped it all up, lapping at every corner of her face that her tongue could reach, making sure she didn't let a single rich, fatty calorie go to waste. And then she burped. Loudly. "Ugh." Vinyl leaned back in her chair and groaned, her hooves cradling her huge, taut belly. She patted it gently, waves rippling across its surface as it jiggled like a bowl of Jello. "That was some damn good pasta." "Oh?" Octavia said. She stroked Vinyl's belly, loving the way its soft, arcing curves molded to her hoof. It wobbled as Vinyl patted it again, and she could feel its contents sloshing and gurgling as the big mare's body did its best to digest them. "I wouldn't have guessed from the way you seemed to be using the bowl as your feed trough." Vinyl smirked at her, though she was blushing slightly. "What else is a piggy gonna do?" she said. She squeezed her gut, letting fat folds squish around her hooves. "Other than oink for her feeder." "Mm… A piggy indeed." Octavia felt the mass of flesh at Vinyl's gut with a sense of awe, caressing the other mare's belly. Vinyl gasped when she felt Octavia's hoof slip inside of her belly button, which was now easily wide and deep enough to fit it. "Or," she murmured, her lips brushing against Vinyl's ear as she leaned forward, "a whale, at least by the time I'm done with you." A thrill ran up her spine. By the shudder of anticipation that Vinyl gave in response, it was obvious that she was feeling it too. "Well, what're we waiting for!" Vinyl said. "Let's keep going!" "Of course," Octavia said. "But I thought we might move to a...comfier location." She eyed Vinyl's gut pointedly, which was still pressed tightly against the edge of the table. Vinyl chuckled. "Right," she said. "Too fat for the table. Just lemme get myself up first." Except she couldn't. She scootched the chair back a few inches and tried to heave herself forward, but succeeded only in sending her massive gut slapping heavily against her thighs. She gasped, sweat running down her chubby cheeks as she tried to get herself free, but to no avail. Her fat ass was just too tightly wedged between the chair's arms. "Damn it," Vinyl wheezed. "I—I'm stuck." "Oh?" Octavia nuzzled against her tummy, feeling the soft flesh squish against her cheek. At the same time, her arm snaked its way around Vinyl's back, her hoof pushing against the other mare's large, supple rear. She groped Vinyl's fat ass shamelessly, letting the big mare's flank squish and jiggle in her grip as she continued to rub Vinyl's bloated, gurgling belly. Vinyl blushed. "Y-yeah," she said. "I think I'm just...too big." "Too big?" Octavia pulled back and raised an eyebrow. "Or not big enough?" "Huh?" Vinyl said, blinking. "What do you—mmff." Octavia had crammed a hoof-full of the same cookies she'd been snacking on before into her throat. Vinyl's cheeks bulged outward, filled to bursting with food once more. "Then," Octavia purred, kissing Vinyl's cheek lightly. "We'll just have to get you big enough to break out of the chair entirely." Vinyl just groaned in agreement. Octavia had expected that. So long as she was getting stuffed, her fat piggy didn't care what happened—which meant that Octavia was perfectly free to execute her plan. More and more cookies followed, Vinyl chomping through them as easily as though they'd been air. Her gluttonous zeal was a joy to behold, taking full control as Octavia fed her more and more. Once or twice, she had to yank her hoof away before she was finished feeding her her next mouthful, half afraid that Vinyl might swallow her down as well by mistake. But the cookies were doing their work. Little by little, bit by bit, her fat butt pushed more firmly against the rungs, wedging itself so deep that it was clear that there wasn't any other way to escape. The wood creaked and groaned as Vinyl's gut pushed outward, pressing against the arms even as her huge, gelatinous ass swelled and shook, straining against the confines of the tiny chair. And then, with a crash, the chair burst. Vinyl's flanks exploded through the back rungs even as the legs just...gave up. The whole thing shattered beneath her weight, the back snapping as the pressure of her enormous rear simply forced its way through. Vinyl hit the floor hard, though the padding of her massive, plump ass broke most of the impact of her fall. Her entire body shook and jiggled wildly, her belly wobbling as though it were full of water as it hit the ground. The ruins of the chair crunched and snapped beneath her, her massive ass rolling over it as her flanks jiggled and bounced. Vinyl gazes up at Octavia in awe. "Now that," she said, her growing third chin smacking against her neck as she spoke, "is one way to break a chair." Octavia giggled. "It had it coming," she said, and stuck out a hoof. "Need a bit of help getting up?" She did. The two of them struggled to lift Vinyl to her hooves, an effort which just barely succeeded in getting fat flank off the floor. Her belly wobbled and smacked against her chunky thighs as she balanced herself, her double chin slapping against her neck. She grinned sheepishly at Octavia, then chuckled when her stomach growled again. "Looks like I've still got more room," Vinyl said, patting her overstuffed gut. It gurgled and sloshed beneath her, stretched so full with food that it was hanging down past her knees. "You got any left for me to eat?" "Plenty." Octavia smiled at her fat marefriend. She gestured toward the living room. "After you." She got a good eyeful as Vinyl waddled away. Her big, powerful gut was easily her most attractive part, but that flank… Octavia found herself biting her lip, a line of drool slipping down her chin as she watched those two massive ass cheeks sliding against one another, a pair of thick, padded spheres slapping against the backs of her thighs and jiggling madly with every step. Vinyl's belly swayed from side to side as she heaved her bulk forward, and her rump jiggled with so much motion that it looked like a rough-swept sea. Octavia felt another throb of heat in her loins and groaned in voyeuristic pleasure. With a grunt of effort, Vinyl slung herself onto the couch. It groaned beneath her weight, the two couch cushions that her fat ass took up sinking a good four inches into the frame. She smirked over at Octavia and patted the one cushion left beside her, while also rubbing her tummy. "Well?" she said. "C'mon, then. This piggy needs a good stuffing." "I will, I will," Octavia laughed. "I am simply admiring the view." And what a view it was. A fat, round gut that could hold an entire foal. It rolled out over her lap, soft, smooth curves padded with enough fat to send Octavia sweating with desire. It covered most of her chubby thighs, though even those stuck out noticeably. Her Cutie Marks had swelled up to the size of salad plates, widening as her fat rear had done the same. They squished enticingly against the couch cushions, just begging for an enterprising young mare to come over and do terribly lewd things to them. In the blink of an eye, Octavia found herself at Vinyl's side. The big, chubby-cheeked mare grinned down at her, her chins sagging against her neck. "Well?" Vinyl said again, slapping her gut for emphasis. Her hoof bounced off it like a drum, and rippling waves reverberated outward from the point of impact. "Let's get this party started." Octavia smiled. "Say, Vinyl." "Mm?" "Are you feeling a bit parched after all of that food?" Vinyl licked her lips. "Lil' bit, yeah. Pretty darn thirsty, actually." "Excellent." Octavia nodded toward a trio of canisters leaning against the far war. "Levitate one of those over, if you please." Slightly nonplussed, Vinyl did so. It wasn't until Octavia had popped the top of, letting a sweet, tangy, fruity scent filter through that Vinyl's eyes went wide. "Is that—" "—the punch from the concert buffet? It is indeed." Octavia gave Vinyl's belly a pat. "And you must be ever so thirsty…" But Vinyl had already floated the canister up into the air and upended it over her face. Fortunately for the couch and carpet, Vinyl did replace the top before doing so, which meant that nothing spilled out save for a few drops out of the nozzle. Ostensibly meant to pour punch into cups and glasses, the nozzle nevertheless served as an improvised straw for Vinyl, who latched her lips around it and began to guzzle like a greedy infant. Gulp. Gulp. Gulp. Octavia watched each bulge of Vinyl's throat with increasing glee and arousal. Droplets of bright pink, sweet-smelling liquid seeped from the corners of her mouth, spilling down over her chins and gut. Vinyl seemed not to notice, instead completely focused on her task as she did her best to down nearly six gallons of punch. Each swallow made her gut expand a little bit more; Octavia could feel it expanding beneath her hoof, growing and sloshing with punch. Vinyl kept right on drinking, her chubby cheeks bloating out as her belly grew taut and rounded, swelling outward with gallons and gallons of sweet, succulent punch until it looked just about ready to pop. It took her a good three minutes to finish. Octavia just watched in awe, feeling her thighs grow wetter with arousal with ulp, ulp of liquid. And then, with a grunt and a gasp for air, Vinyl popped her lips off of the nozzle and tossed the empty container away. She burped, long and deep and loud, the vibrations from her muzzle actually making Octavia's mane blow out behind her. And then she groaned and leaned back, patting her huge belly. It resembled nothing less than a huge balloon now, jiggling and sloshing as it spilled over the sides of her lap and, in fact, the edges of her knees. She burped again, not even bothering to cover her mouth, and snickered. Octavia wasn't even bothered by Vinyl's lack of manners. In fact, her marefriend's slobbish actions only turned her on all the more. Such a creature, she marvelled—so perfectly obsessed with eating. Gorging, growing, swelling, gaining, never minding making a mess of herself so long as she grew huge and round and fat. She realized that she was sweating. She also realized that she had her hoof between her legs, and was rubbing it against her pussy with an intensity approaching religious fervor. She caught Vinyl glancing in her direction, and quickly pulled it away. "Man, that really hit the spot," Vinyl said, smacking her chops. Her lips and cheeks were covered with sticky pink punch, and her chins were absolutely drenched in the stuff. She gave her belly a resounding smack and smirked when the massive thing quivered like a drum. "Got any more where that came from?" Octavia grinned back. "Plenty, dear Vinyl," she said. "But there's still more feasting to be had." "Like wha—mmff." Octavia once again cut her off, using the tried-and-true method of "stuff Vinyl's face until she doesn't care enough to talk." It worked immediately, the creamy chocolate filling of the brownie she'd stuffed past Vinyl's lips oozing down her chins as the fat mare herself seemed to choke in some kind of food-fueled ecstasy. Then she was gulping it down, swallowing the sweet in the blink of an eye. "More," Vinyl said, her crumb-flecked tongue hanging out. And Octavia gave her more. They went on like that for a good ten minutes. Octavia had entire platters of brownies and cookies, and took great pleasure in feeding them to Vinyl as quickly as she dared. Vinyl was more than happy to munch them all down in turn, letting Octavia stuff her face in between swigs of a second canister of punch. Her belly rumbled and gurgled with each new bite, little ripples of vibration spreading across its surface as it was fed more than it'd ever had to digest in its fat, food-stuffed life. When the brownies were gone, Vinyl almost seemed winded. She'd nearly drained the second container of punch dry, and her stomach was vaster and more bloated than ever before. She couldn't even fit both hooves around it, and her gut easily matched an extra-large exercise ball in size. And then Octavia brought out the cake. It was an incredible, marvelous thing. It was five layers tall. It was rich, golden sweetness filled with a velvety chocolate mousse and drenched in a chocolate frosting so pure and sweet that the very sight of it sent Vinyl slobbering with a gluttonous lust. And then Octavia began to feed it to her. The instant the first slice hit her tongue, Vinyl moaned with a sound of ecstasy so strong that Octavia wondered if she'd actually had an orgasm. Then again, given the relationship Vinyl seemed to have with food, the notion of it wasn't quite as outlandish as it first seemed. The second slice sent her eyes rolling up into her head, her mouth trembling as it smiled impossibly wide with pure, unadulterated pleasure. By the time Octavia fed her the third slice, Vinyl had settled into a more comfortable routine: Accept slice, chew it twice, then swallow it whole and ask for more. And as more and more of the cake vanished into Vinyl's unrelenting maw, Octavia found voice growing more and more heated, her determination to stuff Vinyl growing ever-more intense. "You like that, DJ Piggy?" Octavia growled, stuffing another slice whole into Vinyl's chubby cheeks. Vinyl moaned, chewing quickly as drool slipped down the side of her mouth. "Eating more and more? An entire five-layer cake? Was an entire feast not enough?" Vinyl just moaned again. Octavia pressed harder, actually pushing her whole body into Vinyl's taut, massive belly as she fed her slice after slice. "You just want to grow, don't you?" Octavia murmured. She slid her free hoof across Vinyl's gargantuan, gurgling gut as she felt it swell and slosh with each slice of cake she fed her. "Goddess, filly—is there no level of gluttony you can't reach?" Her hoof slipped, smearing a fat stripe of rich brown chocolate across Vinyl's cheek. Vinyl just snorted like a pig, suckling on Octavia's frosting-covered hand as she whined for her feeding to continue. Beneath her, the couch springs creaked and groaned under her ever-increasing weight. Octavia was all but grinding against Vinyl's stomach by now, her aching marehood dripping slick, clear juices into the other mare's deep bellybutton as she continued to stuff Vinyl's face full. "More and more and more," she sneered, shoving the next slice in. Vinyl groaned with pleasure, her hooves rubbing against her gut as she struggled to swallow the next piece. "So huge. So fat. A gluttonous pig who can only eat and eat and eat—" Vinyl moaned, her throat bulging out as she accepted Octavia's "gift" of two slices at once. Her mountain of a belly gurgled and trembled against Octavia's crotch, leaving Octavia whimpering with lust. "Stuffing your face full," Octavia went on, grinding against Vinyl's enormous gut, watching as her flanks thickened and widened, fattening up until they were spilling off the sides of the couch entirely, "getting fatter, fatter until there's nothing left to—" She reached for the cake platter—and found it empty. Octavia stumbled, breaking off her sentence midway. Vinyl just stared at her, her eyes glazed over with a faraway, dreamy look. Then she patted her belly, took a deep breath, and burped, belching with an intensity and volume such as she'd never had before. The force of it sent Octavia's mane flying back once more, and her stomach jiggling and trembling as it sloshed and gurgled. Vinyl brought one hoof up to her mouth, her chubby arm flapping against her neck fat. She belched again, a bit more quietly. "Sorry," she said, grinning, clearly not sorry at all. Octavia stared down at her. She wasn't quite able to vocalize...anything, for some reason. She realized that she was panting, and that sweat was streaming down her cheeks and forehead. She inhaled deeply, struggling for breath as something screamed at her to continue. Vinyl eyed Octavia's position on her belly, then smirked at the other mare's exposed labia. "Well," she purred, "somepony's having fun." Octavia snapped back to reality in an instant. "Says the mare who wouldn't stop moaning as she ate." "Hey, that cake was good." Vinyl smirked. "And a certain somepony was encouraging me very loudly." Octavia blushed. Vinyl just chuckled and reached up to grope at her marefriend's flank. "Say," she murmured, "how 'bout we move this to the bedroom?" Vinyl waggled her eyebrows. "Looks like you're more than ready to have a lil' fun." Octavia's blush deepened, but she found herself nodding. She slipped off of Vinyl's belly and landed on the floor. The couch groaned as it sagged a little less with the absence of her weight—but not nearly as much as it did when Vinyl rolled herself off as well. Vinyl hit the floor with the force of a freight train. The entire ground floor shook when her padded hooves met ground, and her body didn't react much differently. Her belly bounced and swayed beneath her, and her rump did much the same. That ass—oh goddess, that ass. Octavia found herself staring at it, drooling slightly as a pair of fat, globular spheres larger than her entire torso rippled with bountiful mass, mere inches away from her eyes. In her wake, Vinyl had left behind an indentation—well, more of a permanent bend—in the couch a good five feet across, and nearly two feet deep. She eyed it for a moment, then turned to Octavia with a smirk. Her belly draped low beneath her, actually touching and smooshing out over the ground. Her legs looked like cute little "toy" appendages," even their thickness a piddling beneath the mass that was Vinyl's belly, ass, or tremendous thunder thighs. Vinyl's gut squished against them, almost threatening to swallow them up completely. Octavia swallowed. A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead. "Alright then!" she forced herself to say, somewhat cheerily. "Let's get you upstairs!" Doing so was easier said than done. A mare whose gut dragged along the ground when she walked was already difficult enough to transport on one floor, let alone up a set of stairs. Each step of Vinyl's also set the whole house shaking again, her massive weight looking like it could easily crush a pony beneath it. Her ass and gut were actually wide enough that they pressed up against the wall and banister on their way up, forcing Octavia to help push her upstairs by pressing her whole body against Vinyl's massive, jiggling ass and shoving. Vinyl sounded vaguely apologetic. Octavia was in heaven. She was also, upon reaching the second floor landing, vaguely grateful that the staircase hadn't simply shattered beneath Vinyl's weight. Vinyl collapsed on the bed with a heavy thwump, the bedsprings and legs groaning and creaking beneath her massive weight. She landed on her back, her hooves splayed to the sides, which allowed her enormous, soft belly to roll out over her like dough. Last night, she'd taken up a good half of the bed. Tonight, she took up nearly two-thirds. Octavia climbed atop Vinyl's belly with her heart pounding in her chest, thrilled at the prospect of Vinyl becoming big enough to serve as a bed all her own. "You're still hungry, aren't you?" she cooed, scootching across Vinyl's bloated gut. She felt her rump sinking into the soft flab of her marefriend's belly, and not-so-subtly grinded her butt and marehood against it. Vinyl belched again and grinned up at her. "A little," she confessed. "Perfect," Octavia said. There was already a pie in her hoof. Vinyl stared at it with wide eyes. "Wh-where'd you get that?" she slurred. She sniffed, her fat lips trembling. It smelled of cherry—her favorite. "Oh, just the pile over there," Octavia said innocently. It took some effort, with her neck now as thick as it was, but Vinyl managed to turn her head far enough to see the pile of pies stacked against the right-side wall. It was less than a pile than a mountain, nearly two-dozen pies piled high in a groaning, sweet-smelling pile. She found herself salivating again, thoughts of fullness vanishing from her mind. "C-can I have it?" Vinyl asked, sounding more like a fat filly than she ever had before. Octavia smiled kindly down at her. "All you want," she said, and began to feed her. Pie after pie disappeared down Vinyl's waiting gullet, fruity succulent pastries vanishing in a chorus of moans, gulps, and smacking lips. Octavia fed her by hoof, slice by slice of pie finding its way into Vinyl's growing gut. She could feel it widening beneath her by the fifth pie, an incredible, balloon-like mass with the consistency of marshmallow. It thickened, pushed upward, covering more of the bed by the second as she fed Vinyl more and more. Octavia began to rock herself back and forth, grinding her dripping pussy against Vinyl's sauce-spattered belly. Their moans mixed, Vinyl losing herself in her feeding frenzy as Octavia masturbated with folds of the other mare's fat. Another six pies found themselves devoured as Vinyl grew into an ever-widening pile of lard. Vinyl's cheeks were stained red, cherry juice mixing with and smearing across chocolate as she let Octavia stuff herself full of delicious pie. Octavia's rocking sped up, her vision blurring as Vinyl floated over pie after pie, yearning only to grow bigger, heavier, fatter. By the time the last pie was gone, Vinyl was enormous. She'd finished her third chin and had begun working on a fourth. Her ass was massive, her flanks a massive pair of pillows nearly reaching either side of the mattress. Her Cutie Marks were each well over a foot across, and rippled and jiggled as Octavia masturbated. The only thing larger than that ass was Vinyl's stomach, a magnificent, powerful organ that swallowed up her legs and spread across most of the entire bed. Octavia could feel every one of the tens of thousands of calories she'd stuffed down Vinyl's throat churning, gurgling, sloshing inside of it, digesting into more and more fat that would and was spreading across every inch of Vinyl's frame, leaving her more massive, softer, and fatter than even her wildest dreams. The bed groaned and shook, signalling that it was on its last legs—quite literally. Three of the middle legs had snapped, shattering where Vinyl's immense weight pushed them down toward the carpet. The others were just barely holding on, the entire structure struggling to bear the weight of a whale of a mare. Octavia moaned softly, her grinding slowing for a moment. She met Vinyl's eyes, and the other mare grinned. Her face dripping with sauce and pie crumbs, she'd made enough of a mess of herself that it was impossible to deny just how much of a glutton she'd become. Her belly was now big enough that it was clear she wouldn't even be able to walk until it decreased in size—if she tried, she'd merely be stuck atop it, a tiny body atop a massive gut that jiggled and sloshed as her tiny, pathetic limbs pressed against it, unable to reach the ground at all. Octavia smiled back. "And now," she purred, a surge of inspiration twisting with her arousal, "the final course." Vinyl gave her a look of confusion as Octavia slid down from her belly, her dripping marehood leaving streaks of clear juices in its wake. Her eyes widened when she saw Octavia lumbering back with a massive barrel resting on her back, a barrel which sent ripples across Vinyl's incredible gut when it was heaved on top of it. Octavia followed it up a beat later, scrambling up Vinyl's enormous belly and using her folds of fat for hoofholds. "This," she wheezed, peering around the barrel, "is the entire contents of the concert's chocolate fountain." Vinyl's eyes grew even wider. Octavia moved with a deliberate speed, yanking off the cover of the spigot at the front and letting a steady stream of liquid chocolate dribble out. "And you," Octavia said, "are going to drink every. Last. Drop." Before she could respond, Vinyl found the spigot shoved between her lips. Instantly, a cascade of sweet, liquid chocolate began rushing into her mouth, gushing down her throat. She found herself having to gulp it all down with a frantic concentration, struggling not to suffocate as her cheeks were bloated with far more chocolate than they could possibly contain. Her eyes rolled back, moans of pleasure coming from her throat as she downed gallons upon gallons of pure chocolate. Octavia kept tilting the barrel forward, forcing more and more of the chocolate fountain down Vinyl's throat. She could feel the other mare's belly expanding beneath her, reaching greater, more massive heights as it swelled up with its sweet liquid filling. It spread across the bed, filling it completely as it grew. She could see Vinyl's bellybutton growing, widening, deepening behind her, the other mare's entire body growing huger, more bloated, fatter by the second. She'd long since resumed her grinding against Vinyl's middle. Panting, wheezing, sweating with uncontrollable arousal, Octavia continued to pour the never-ending waterfall of liquid chocolate down Vinyl's throat. She humped Vinyl's gut for all she was worth, her moans mixing with Vinyl's as the huge mare's gut and flank grew even thicker and fatter. With a crash, the bed finally gave out. The legs shattered, and the frame crashed to the ground. The mattress protected Vinyl from any sort of real harm, though her weight actually crushed the bed frame flat as her massive weight pressed it against the ground. The impact sent her belly bouncing and jiggling, every part of her enormous body rippling with motion as she groaned in pleasure and satisfaction. She was officially larger than the mattress itself, her fat spilling over its sides in every direction, and Octavia loved it. The second the chocolate fountain ran out, Octavia tossed it to the side and pivoted across Vinyl's gut. "Finish me," she moaned, sliding down Vinyl's belly until her dripping, burning marehood was pressed directly against Vinyl's muzzle. "Now." Vinyl took to her new task with gusto, eating out Octavia as readily as though she'd been a four-course meal. Octavia moaned and whimpered, her whole body trembling with pent-up arousal as Vinyl's tongue lashed against her insides. She cradled Vinyl's fat in her hooves, a bountiful belly far too large to be possibly contained. She began to stroke it, massage it, knead it like dough. Beneath her, Vinyl groaned with pleasure, and Octavia imagined the ripples spreading out from the place of her rubbing, vibrations causing Vinyl's thick thighs to rub against her fattened clitoris, stimulating her with nothing more than the jiggling of her own, fat body. The thought only turned her on even more. Octavia felt her back arching, an unladylike grunt of lust forcing its way past her lips as Vinyl curled her chocolate-stained lips around Octavia's feminine lips and began to suck. Octavia groaned, whimpering, trembling as she felt her peak approach, turned on like she'd never been before by the combination of Vinyl's gluttony and pure, unadulterated size. Octavia screamed as she came more than an hour of masturbation having built up to an explosive climax that left her writhing and moaning atop Vinyl's gigantic belly. Vinyl moaned with her, her belly shaking as her own orgasm—born out of either gluttony or arousal, Octavia couldn't tell for sure—followed suit. Sweet, sticky femcum ran down Vinyl's cheeks, her muzzle twitching inside of Octavia's cunt as she slurped up as much of the other mare's essence as she could swallow. Groaning, Octavia allowed herself to slide once more so that her body was aligned with Vinyl's. She nuzzled into Vinyl's chubby cheek, letting her torso sink into Vinyl's massive, soft belly. "Wow," Vinyl said, chuckling. She belched again. "You really went all out." "My piggy of a filly deserves nothing less," Octavia said. She gave her a kiss and tasted herself on them, mixing with chocolate and cherry and cream and a thousand other incredible things. Vinyl kissed her back, and came away with a blush on her chubby face. "More of a whale now, I think," she said. She flapped her tiny legs helplessly against her massive sides. "I don't think I'm going anywhere anytime soon." "Good." Octavia gave her another kiss, this time planted on the bridge of her nose. "Good gluttonous fillies deserve the chance to rest." Vinyl grinned at her. "So long as you keep giving me those belly rubs." "Of course," Octavia said, smiling back. "You know I shall." Vinyl yawned. As Octavia moved back on her belly and began massaging it once more, Vinyl's eyelids fluttered. Soon, they were nearly closed entirely. As Octavia moved to kneading her massive gut right around the middle, Vinyl began to snore softly, slipping into sleep as her belly gurgled around its vast, sloshing feast. Octavia collapsed atop Vinyl's belly, exhausted. "Mm," she murmured, stroking Vinyl's gut with a gentle hoof. "You really are incredible, Vinyl." She lay there for a bit, simply stroking, cuddling against Vinyl's abundant pudge. A few minutes later, though, her own stomach grumbled. She wrote it off as another of Vinyl's gut's gurgles...at least until she felt a stab of hunger lance against her side. And then she smelt it: a sweet, succulent, fruity smell. Blearily, Octavia sat up and turned around—only to discover a pile of pies that, somehow, the two of them had missed. She glanced down at her empty belly and patted it gently. "Don't worry," she murmured. "I'll have you full soon enough." Vinyl came to about a half an hour later. She groaned, blinking up at the ceiling as she slowly awakened. She shifted her weight a bit, and marveled at the way her fat rolled from side to side. There didn't seem to be quite as much bloat as before, but her stomach certainly looked a good bit softer. She heard a grunting, snuffling sound from her side. Blinking, she turned in its direction. Leaning against the wall, an empty pie tin in her lap, was Octavia. But...was it Octavia? Bright red and blue juices spattered her cheeks, and crumbs flecked her chest fur. Her belly was round and taut, bulging to the size of a beach ball. Her thighs and cheeks looked more than a bit plumper than before. Her ass had rounded out beneath her, and her flanks squished against the floor with a bit of pudge showing through. She even had a slice of pie in her hooves, an item that she bit through before moaning in pleasure, rubbing her swollen gut with a sticky, cherry-smeared hoof. There was a small pile of pie tins beside her, scraped absolutely clean, as evidenced by the smears of pie filling across Octavia's chubby cheeks. Vinyl coughed lightly. Octavia instantly startled to attention, blushing. Then she glanced down at her belly and gasped. "Oh...oh, my," Octavia said. She took it in her hoof and flushed even deeper when there was a noticeable squish to her gut's pudge. She looked up at Vinyl, an almost desperate look in her eyes. "I was hungry!" she squeaked, her cheeks burning a bright red behind the spattering of pie filling. "Just a little bit!" Vinyl just laughed. It was a deep, uproaring belly laugh that sent her every fold jiggling and rolling around her. "Geeze, Tavi," she snickered, giving her own massive belly a pat. She winked, and Octavia blushed even more adorably. "Maybe we should feed you next time." Octavia smiled weakly back. Then she looked downward, her hoof curled around her swollen belly. She cradled it for a moment, feeling its contents gurgle inside. She looked almost thoughtful. And then she looked up again, met Vinyl's eyes, and smiled a bit more strongly. "Yes," she said. She patted her pie-stuffed belly. "Let's." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The River author: Ruirik tags: character:Main 6, character:Spike, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The River === Brass hinges sang their high-pitched squeal as the telescope shifted angles across the evening sky. A purple lid blinked over a catlike emerald iris, and the talon-tipped hand adjusted its grip before it moved to the focus. Through the balmy haze of midsummer evening he searched for his target: the long distant stadium of Cloudsdale, which had come close enough to his old home during its slow drift around the continent. Flashes of gold, green, purple, blue, and red illuminated the distant skies and drew the corners of his mouth ever so slightly upwards. In his mind he could hear the bugles call over the deafening roar of the assembled crowd. He could feel the arena shudder in jubilant exaltation as the Royal envoy heralded the arrival of the Princesses who would declare the Eighty-Second Equestria Games open then sit and honor the procession of athletes from all corners of the globe. And just like that, his smile faltered. Spike leaned back from the telescope and let a slow breath pass between his lips. Black care gnawed at the back of his mind, demanding his attention as he stood idle; fore yesterday he was in the Crystal Empire at the seventy-fourth Equestrian games. Tomorrow he would read in the papers the announcement of the One-Hundredth Games. Yesterday was over thirty years ago. Tomorrow would be over seventy years hence. Spike shook his head to clear those thoughts from his mind and moved from the window towards the inner sanctum of his home. There he stood near the hearth in which sat fragrant cedar knots waiting for a night cool enough to be set ablaze. That distant tomorrow that all too soon would become today. He craned his neck up to the photos gathered over the mantelpiece. From behind panes of glass lightly speckled by dust he saw faded faces looking back at him that brought a tightness to his throat and placed a heavy feeling in his stomach. They were all so young back then. Spike picked up the central picture by the brown wooden frame and held it close to his muzzle where he gently blew at the few speckles of dust that dared to gather there. A picture of Twilight, the colors dulled and the edges growing yellow, looked back at him through time, a youthful filly with bright eyes eager to learn. Held close to her chest was him as a young drake, back when he was still small enough to ride on her back all over the old Golden Oaks Library. A smile once more found its way to his lips as he considered the picture. How simple things had been back in those halcyon days when his biggest concern had been where she'd hidden his snack gems and comics. He turned back to the window, weights tugging the corners of his mouth downwards, then placed the picture back on the mantel with the others. A walk, he thought, would do him good. Ponyville was a town out of time in some ways: a curious place that progress had forgotten in its ceaseless march. Perhaps that was why Spike preferred to call it home when his duties as envoy to the dragon lands permitted him the time. Or perhaps it was in his nature as a dragon to cling to that timeless quality like it was the finest coin of gold. Yesterday he was following Rarity down these same dirt roads with a bucket of gems in his stubby arms. The day before he was checking off groceries from one of Twilight's many lists. Tomorrow he would lay a wreath on their weathered gravestones and brush his taloned fingers over the cold stone surface. The knot built in his throat once more, and Spike walked a little faster. Black care couldn't catch the runner whose pace was quick enough. He passed Sugarcube Corner, closed for the night with all the lights off. He could smell the almost sickly sweet scent of sugar as he passed by. The Cake siblings ran the place now, their parents having retired. Last Spike had spoken to them they'd said that Pinkie still came by when she was in town and helped out. The last he'd seen her she'd been much the same as when he'd first met her. Her exuberance was more muted than in the past, though no less effusive, and her bouncy pink mane had grayed a bit. But she was still Pinkie. A mile down he passed Rarity's boutique and felt his heart ache anew. He still saw Rarity more than all his other friends save Twilight. Her Ponyville Boutique was staffed by her daughter now while Rarity kept busy in Manehattan and Canterlot. Spike winced. Yesterday she'd designed a dress for Ember and a suit for Spike. Tomorrow he'd dig the old suit out of an ancient cabinet and marvel at how small he used to be. Breaking into a sprint, Spike dashed through the dark and silent streets of town. His long legs carried him in powerful strides through the winding roads, kicking dirt, sticks, and pebbles up as his claws propelled each step. For miles and miles he ran, the black care nipping at his lashing tail until–breathless–he fell to his knees at the crest of a hill overlooking Everfree River. Collapsing to his hands and knees, Spike clutched at the long grass. The delicate green blades crushed and tore between his fingers, and he clenched his eyes shut white he struggled to fight back the knowledge that had grown to torment him ever worse as the years flew on. He could still hear Fluttershy's anguished wails when they laid Angel to his final sleep, and he remembered Twilight first explaining to him the concept of death. He'd struggled to comprehend it back then. But in time he grew more familiar with it. First, it had been Angel. Next it had been Applejack's pain, muted, and held tight between her hooves like the still glowing coal when Winona passed. Then it had been Twilight's mother, the sweet mare he'd come to love like a grandmother, stricken down far too early. And one day too, even that terrible sound would be lost to time Yesterday Twilight had tucked him into bed and kissed him goodnight. Tomorrow he would mourn with Celestia and Luna at her memorial. He looked up, the river flowing before him in an endless cycle. Far in the distance he could see the veiled silhouette of Cloudsdale. In his mind he could still hear the roar of the crowd over the deafening burst of the fireworks. It had been Ember who had first told him how very like those fireworks ponies were to a dragon, their lives bright and full of color, only to be gone in a moment, never to return. Spike felt his eyes burn. Tears dripped unbidden down his cheeks. He thought of the night so very long ago when they had all sat on such a similar hill watching meteors draw lines of light across the evening sky. He could still smell that night when he closed his eyes. He could feel Twilight's warm chest on his back, pulling him close to her heart which beat a steady rhythm that had lulled him into a deep, safe sleep. Yesterday that rhythm was his lullaby. Tomorrow he'd struggle to remember it. Yesterday he was ten. Tomorrow he'd be over five hundred. He rose to his feet with measured breaths and stepped towards the river. His eyes caught sight of a leaf as it drifted down the current. How he wished in that moment he could be that leaf, so blissfully unaware of his existence. But he never could be, and he cursed the gods that he knew it. Yesterday Twilight told him that a story never truly had an end, nor did it have a beginning. Rather one is merely presented with an arbitrary point of introduction and conclusion. A slice of life achieved through countless moments leading up to it, and one that would leave ripples long after the author had penned the final period. The experience that the characters chose, either looking back or forward, was what made the story. Yesterday he rode into town, bouncing on Twilight's back. He couldn't know what tomorrow would bring. All he had was today. Maybe today was all he would ever need. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The dawn of a new day author: Abbilden tags: character:Main 6, character:Other, genre:Adventure, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Ch: 1 === "Under certain circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to muffins." -Humble Pie. The city of Canterlot was quiet at this time of night, with the citizens asleep in their posh beds on this, a cold and damp winter night. Foals dreamed of the night princess Luna playing tag with them, while the mares and stallions would cuddle with their loved ones in sheets of rest. Tonight was different however, for tonight in the streets below the two ruler's castle was a lone figure standing in a dark alley next to a tall, old office building. The figure was an earth pony stallion that had a swampy green overcoat what partly hid his scarred muzzle along with his boxing cutie mark. "Damn it!" said the figure. "Why is it so cold!? And where is that idiot?" he grunted as he rubbed his hooves together. "If he isn't here in five minutes, I'm gonna kick his ass all the way to the Crystal Empire!" As if it had heard the threat of said ass kicking another figure dashed from across the street to the dark, damp alleyway. The new figure, who was shown to be a bright yellow unicorn stallion, was panting for breath as he approached the stallion waiting for him. He had on him a grey sweater and on his right eye was covered by a eye patch. "Sorry I'm late, Stale," the unicorn panted in a low voice. "The streets were full of guar—" the unicorn was interrupted by a violent slap. "Oww! What the hell was that for!" he quietly bellowed as he gently rubbed his cheek. "For being bucking late! You realize how much trouble we will get in if we are caught?" shouted Stale. "And not just by the guards." "Sheesh. Sorry, your highness," the unicorn sarcastically replied. "So, where's the boss, anyway?" "Inside, you dolt. Now come on, Lemon! I'm about to freeze my bloody shaft off," The shivering stallion muttered. After they entered the building through an alley door the two looked at the design. The building's interior was old, yet it was also kept clean, like a renewed painting. Lemon Squeeze and Stale Crumbs then climbed into an elevator with a night attendant who wore a blue valet uniform. "Which floor?" questioned the attendant. "Top," Crumb curtly replied. The pair hurried through the opening gates into a dimly lit hallway with dark red carpet covered in fluers. Eventually, they reached a single door at the end of the hallway, a tall minotaur was standing guard, he wore a sports jacket, and a set of dark tortoiseshell glasses that reflected the hallway's dim light sat upon his nose. The two stallions stopped in front of the beast and calmly looked up at him expectantly. "You supposed to be here?" the unamused minotaur grumbled condescendingly. "We have business with the boss, now move," Crumbs snapped. The minotaur smirked at the stallions as he glared at them. "Password?" "Blueberry," Lemon stated, ignoring the absurdity of the password. The minotaur did not try to hide his disappointment as he pushed the door open. "Well, get in there." The two stallions walked into a bright crescent room and towards a secretary desk in the middle. A mare with an emerald green mane typed on an old fashioned typewriter. She wore glasses that were shaped as a cheesy sunrise. The room reeked of liquid soap residue left by past visitor's bubble pipes. There was also a comfortable-looking couch sitting on the right side of the room under a painting. The painting was of a seapony that layed on the rocky shore, looking at a faraway mountain like she wanted to climb it. Slowly, Stale approached the desk before clearing his throat and politely saying, "Excuse me miss," to the mare. Looking up to the source of the voice, the mare saw the two stallions in the dim lighting of the room. With a shake of the head to wake herself up, she replied in a Manehattan accent, "Is there something you require, gentlecolts?" "We're here to see Mr. Pike, our names our Lemon Squeeze and Stale Crumbs," said Lemon nervously. "Let me see here," said the mare. They watched as the mare pulled a hidden panel off of the bottom of the desk. On it was what appeared to be a list of names. Scanning the list with one of her hooves, she stopped near the bottom at two names. Tapping them, she finally said, "Ah yes, here you are. If you could just sit over there for a moment, Mr. Pike will see you in a moment." "Of course madam," said Crumbs to the mare. As Stale trotted towards one of the benches he noticed that Lemon was covered in a thin layer of sweat. "Calm down man, it's just a room," Stale said to Lemon. "Sorry, I'm just worried is all," replied Lemon. "I've heard of this guy , they say he is well connected." The stallion shivered before whispering, "There are even rumors that is he has connections in the Royal Court." "Well don't wor—" Stales began, but stopped as he heard the door burst open. A brown-coated stallion walked out of the room. His cutie mark was a dollar sign. His blue suit was perfectly accented by the silver streak flowing through his black mane. "So remember, Rich, don't forget to contact me when you see him," said a stern voice with exotic, elder like tone from behind the door. "Yes, Mr. Pike, but I still don't understand why you wish to meet Miss A—" Filthy began to reply, but was cut off. "You just worry about getting my employees an autograph with her and I'll take care of the rest," the voice interrupted Filthy. "Alright, Mr. Pike. Goodnight, sir," replied Filthy before leaving the room. "Mr. Pike, sir, your 1:55s have arrived," the mare said to the voice. "Thank you, Typo, my dear. Ah! My friends, come in, come in!" "Mr. Pike sir, it is an honor to see you," said Crumbs while he and Lemon entered the room and closed the door. The room they had entered was like an academy dean's office, with carpeting that was most likely from Saddle Arabia. There were shelves lining the walls that were filled with books of foreign languages, and a interesting statue that appeared as a faceless elephant sitting on it's rear was at the end of each shelf. In the back of the room was desk with a lamp of the spirit of chaos Discord on it. All in all, the room had an odd vibe to it, which was not helped by the stallion behind the desk: a tall, light yellow, elderly pegasus with a white slim mustache on his face and an equally white mane that was sitting forward like it was on the edge of its seat. He wore a dark blue jacket with a body suit resembling that of the wonderbolts, but this one was black with yellow arrows. A name plate identified the grandfather-like figure before them: Mr. Sunny Days Pike. Seeing that his guests were uncomfortable, and being the polite old man that he was, Mr. Pike asked them to sit in two wooden chairs facing the desk. "Come sit down, my friends. Get comfortable." Satisfied, Mr. Pike sat down in his more comfortable-looking velvet chair. "A pleasure to meet you Mr. Lemon and Mr. Crumbs. My contacts told me you two are some of the best for this job, is that correct?" asked Pike staring towards them. "W-well, I wouldn't say the best, but you know we are good at what we do," stuttered Lemon. "Hmmmm, now my friends, you do know why I asked for you to come here today, correct?" Mr. Pike questioned with a warm smile. "Yes, sir, you want us find a certain stallion, correct?" replied Crumbs with an attentive look. "And ya want us to "persuade" him to come along with us, right?" "Good, so you do know what you're doing. Yes, I do want you to find this stallion," said Mr. Pike handing them a picture. "This stallion is the key to drawing out our true target," Mr. Pike said with a grin. "The true target?" asked Lemon. Pike smirked as he said, "That's not important right now. I have others that will see to it." His mouth then straightened. "Now, listen here closely: I require complete secrecy in this task I am giving you. There cannot be a single thread connecting me to you if this goes south, do you understand?" The pair nodded in agreement. "Mr. Pike, sir?" asked Lemon. "Yes, lad?" replied PIke "What's our pay gonna be?" he said before being kicked by Crumbs. "Oww, what was that for?" "It's rude," hissed Crumbs. With a chuckle, Pike said, "It's alright lad. Do not worry, Mr. Lemon, you and Mr. Crumbs will rewarded quite handsomely after the job." "Now listen, I have a meeting to attend in Manehattan. You are to bring the stallion to this location," Mr. Pike stated as he handed over a paper with coordinates on them. "I will send send another helper to take care of the fish we're baiting." "Of course sir. Just one question before we go?" asked Crumbs. "Yes?" asked Mr. Pike. "What's this bloke's name?" The room felt as if the warmth was sucked from the very corner as Mr. Pike looked at them grimly and said, "This stallion's name is—" "Mr. Humble Pie!" a young stallion with a spiky mane and a very noticeable trottingham accent shouted to an older stallion sitting on a bench. The older stallion was writing in a book and had a similar physique to the young stallion, except this one was one was a bit older. The older stallion had a dark-grey coat on a skinny body, a light-grey tangled mane on top of him with a bushy, equally-grey mustache on his snout. His cutie mark was that of a pencil with a smiling and sad pony face. He wore a brown suit with a black tie, and had brown eyes under light grey eyebrows. Beside him was a huge male alligator with a blank look and eyes that looked like slits. "Hello there my boy, what can I do for you?" asked Humble in a medium-deep voice. "Oh, good! The innkeeper said you were here. Umm, well, uh, Mr. Humble," sweated the stallion. "Well, you see ,uhh, Mr. Humble I'm a f-fan," stuttered the stallion. Humble chuckled at the stuttering stallion before saying, "Calm down friend. Here, come sit by me," and patted the space by his side. "Well, that—thank you," stuttered the stallion before sitting next to Humble. "Now, then seeing as you know me how, about you introduce yourself to the audience?" said Humble throwing a hoof in the air. "Um, well, my name is Emerald Shine, Wait, what audience?" Emerald asked with a confused look on his face. "Why, Slit, my alligator," replied Humble, as he took out his journal before pointing at Slit. "Oh, hehe," chuckled Emerald nervously. "Well, sir, let me say its an honor to meet you and your gator." "Well, it's an honor to be me, and Slit here is honored to be himself, too," said Humble, writing in his journal. "Well, that's good. Um, well, sir, I am a huge fan of your works," Emerald stuttered, still sweating like a Canterlot noble on a hot day. "Ah! Well, there's something we have in common," said Humble. "I'm a fan of my works too, as is Slit here, is that not right boy," he said in a cheery tone to the alligator by his side. "Well, sir, if it's not too much trouble, I'd like to know what you think of my book," said Emerald, hoofing over a book with the title, "The Everfree Book". "Well, I don't usually read other peoples' works for review unless they ask, but… meh, why not?" Humble said with a shrug and turned to the first page. "I'm in a hurry, but I'll read the first chapter at least." Giving the the first chapter a quick read, Humble said "Mmmmm." "So, what did you think?" questioned Emerald. "Well, I found the idea of an orphaned colt being raised by timberwolves interesting," said Humble. "I liked it." Emerald sighed with relief before saying, "Oh good. I thought that with your... you know, um..." "Distaste of the jungles?" said Humble. "Yeahhh," said Emerald rubbing his neck. "Well, I've gotten over most of it, especially when my niece sent me some rare amaponian candy from the tribes there," said Humble. "Well, thats nice," said Emerald "Who's your niece?" "You might have heard of her name: Pinkamena Diane Pie," replied Humble. Spitting out the tea he had been drinking, Emerald Shine looked at Humble with an amazed expression. "Your niece is the element of laughter!" yelled Emerald. "Oh sorry! I got tea on you!" "That's alright, and eeyup," said Humble, going back to writing in his book. "She gets her sense of life's joys from me." He wiped his snout of the spat tea. "Wow," said Emerald in a low tone. "So, uh, what are you writing there, anyway?" Humble, looking up from his writing, looked at Emerald with a squint. "This here, my friend, is the sequel to my award winning book, "The Adventures of Con Colt" It's called, "The Adventures of Straw Hat," He said, holding up a notebook with the same words written on it. "Oh, can I hear a bit?" asked Emerald with an earnest look. "Sure, I don't see why not," said Humble clearing his throat before starting to read. __________________________________________________________________________________________ Chapter 1 Old friends, New enemies. "So, you wanna know how things went after that adventure Con Colt and I had with them diamond dogs. Well, after that escapade of ours, we received six thousand bits in gems from the dogs' hoard. We were the richest ponies in the city of Haystake, but due to us being young enough not to have our cutie marks (which didn't matter to me in the slightest, on account of me being a dragon) the "honorable" Judge Hale Bail decided it would be best for us to receive a bit a day over the next six thousand days. Also, he decided to leave me in the care of the widow Miss Shovel post and her sister Silk Wagon. They both had grey and black manes, white coats, and wore matching green shirts. Now, I ain't saying the two were bad folks, I'm just saying it ain't right for no old mare to make a boy my age civilised by making me wear tight fitting clothes and such. Eventually I had had enough of it and decided to run away. Well, at least that's what I was gonna do 'till Con told me if I stayed with the widow I could join a gang he was forming. So, after deciding to stay, I ran back to the widow. She cried over me and told me to put on clothes and shoes again. This process happened for weeks, 'till one day he came back. It was just a normal day when I had been coming back from the schoolhouse (another thing the widow forced me to attend, along with church) when I heard the voices of the widow, Judge Hale Bail, and an unknown one from inside the house of the widow. Thats when I saw him again. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ "Hello boy," my father said. "Wow, so Straw Hat's father returned?" asked Emerald to Humble. "Eeyup," said Humble putting away the book. "To be honest the novel has been finished, I just need to get a new editor; my old one retired." "Huh. Well, I look forward to reading the novel when it comes out," said Emerald looking at his watch. " Well, Mr. Humble, I gotta go. It was a pleasure to meet you." "The pleasure was mine," replied Humble shaking Emerald's hoof. "And good luck with your novel." As Emerald left the train station, Humble heard a wailing whistle. Turning his head, he saw the train taking him to his niece. "All Aboard!" yelled the conductor from the train. "Well, this is our ride I guess, come along, Slit, heh," said Humble, straining to get up from his seat while Slit followed close by. Heading toward his train car, two figures watched him enter before entering themselves. "I guess this our ride too, Lemon," said Crumbs, closing the cabin's door. === Ch: 2 === The crowd outside the castle of friendship was restless with excitement, Ponies of all races and other species as well, were gathered at the foot of the towering palace, all there to see the lavender colored alicorn be recognized as the world's most foremost scholar in the field of amazingness. Standing proudly on the balcony hovering above the celebrating crowd was the epicenter of the crowds attention, a smiling ear to ear and standing with utmost face Twilight was next to her family,friends the elements of harmony and the bowing princess of the fellow kingdoms along with a unicorn stallion with a wizard hat and bushy beard. "Twilight Sparkle for your amazing contributions in the field of being amazing you are hereby granted the M.I.Ts highest academic honor in the field of amazingness, the right to have Celestia be your second mother, all the books in the universe, and a kiss by yours truly," said Starswirl the Bearded while stroking his beard on a the blushing Princess while the crowd below stamped and clapped loudly "Thank you, Sir Starswirl," said Princess Twilight with a nod to the elderly wizard. "And furthermore, we have good news for you. Princess Celestia and Luna are announcing their retirement and we are giving you Equestria, my queen!" bellowed Starswirl before bowing down. As he did the crowd followed in suit, along with her friends/the elements of harmony, her family, and the princesses with smiles on their faces. Twilight was dumbfounded and could only express her emotions tumbling in her in one way. "Squee!" squeaked Twilight. "Thank you so much everypony, my first rule as queen of Equestria is too make it illegal to mishandle books!" "YAY!" shouted the crowd. "And it will be punishable by six years in Tartarus," said a grinning Twilight. "Yay! Again!" shouted the crowd. Waving at the crowd, Twilight felt the presence of hooves and claws of her friends and family, picking up her and throwing her into the air while chanting her name. "Twilight!" "Twilight!" "Thank you everypony, thank you, yes I do deserve this!" Shouted a laughing Twilight in the air. "Twilight!" "Twilight!" "Twilight!" shouted an average (if possible) Pinkie Pie to a still sleeping Twilight Sparkle. "Thank you everypony, now let me tell you about my plans for the new library system…" "TWILIGHT!" shouted Pinkie thru a megaphone causing Twilight to spill over from her bed in a tumble of sheets and blankets. "What the?!"asked a linen covered, sleepy eyed Twilight. ‚ÄúPinkie! What are you doing in my room? How did You even get in here?" "Well you don't have any windows anymore except those stain ones, speaking of which you should get those decorated (breathes) but that not the reason why I'm here. The reason I'm here is super duper important!" screeched a normal talking Pinkie. "My unkie's visiting me today!" "That's great Pinkie, but why did you have to come tell me at.." said Twilight glancing at a the royal clock. "Five-thirty five a.m?" "Oh! Well that's simple silly, Rainbow Dash is coming here and I wanted to be first." "Wait, Rainbow Dash is coming here?" asked Twilight with a puzzled look. "Nope," replied Pinkie turning her attention to a bouncy bed. "But, you just said-ahh!" Twilight would have continued if not for a blue gleam in the sky heading towards her room from outside her room's balcony caught her voice. "What the...ahh!" screamed Twilight as she was picked up and thrown to the other side of the room. "I overslept, I overslept, I overslept!" yelled a frantic Twilight shaking Rainbow Dash. "I overslept!" "Wwwwwhhhhaaaattttt ddddddiiiiiidddddd yyyyyyoooouuuuu oooooovvvvveeeerrrr sssssslllllllleeeeeppppppp fffffffoooooorrrrr?!" said a shaking Twilight. "Oh! I know, I know!" said Pinkie doing a perfect flip from the bed. "Daring Do is coming to Ponyville!" "Yes!" screamed a joyful Rainbow Dash, throwing her hooves up causing Twilight to fall down onto the floor. "Daring's coming here, here to Ponyville!" shrieked a fangirling Rainbow Dash. "Oh yeah, I forgot A.K.Yearling's coming here to do a book signing for her new book," said Twilight picking herself of and taking off the blankets still on her. "How could you forget!" shouted a distraught Rainbow Dash. "Well I am a Princess, I have a lot of responsibilities-wait, what day is it?" asked Twilight rubbing her eyes to get the leftover sleepiness out of her. "It's my uncle's visiting day Twilight," said a backflipping to proceed bouncing on bed Pinkie. "No, I meant what is today, Saturday?" "No, egghead it's Friday!" shouted Rainbow Dash. "But wait, Daring doesn't doesn't arrive till Saturday. Why are you saying you overslept Rainbow Dash?" asked TwIlight. "Well duh, to get to the line first for tomorrow!" said Rainbow Dash with a roll of her eyes. Facehoofing at the reply Twilight said‚ "Well why did you come to tell me?" "Well I kind of need you to, umm, get me to the front of the line," said Rainbow Dash with a blush and nervous chuckle. "Gasp!" gasped Pinkie hopping of the bed. "You can't do that Dashie, other people want to see her too, and it wouldn't be fair if you got to cut to the front just because Twilight's a princess!" "She's right Rainbow Dash, it just wouldn't be right of me or you to head to the front just because I'm a princess and your friend," stated Twilight with a hoof to her chest. "Ugh fine, guess I'll just have to head down there now and get a good spot," said Rainbow turning around. "Wait Rainbow," said Twilight. "Since you're here, how about I make you and Pinkie some eggs then you can go, I mean you need some food If you're gonna stay in line all day and night." "Yeah, and you got to meet my uncle first too!" said Pinkie in a chef hat. "Are you kidding me?! I don't have could have time for fo-" Just then Rainbow's stomach growled violently. "Ehhh, well I suppose I could have a bite," said a blushing Rainbow. "And what about my uncle?" asked Pinkie with puppy eyes. "Yes Pinkie, I will say hi to your uncle," said a grinning Rainbow with a roll of her eyes. "Yay!" shouted Pinkie lounging onto Rainbow causing them to both fall. "Owie." All of a sudden the room's front door flew open, turning their heads to see who it was they were greeted to the sight of a sleepy Spike. "What's going on!?" said Spike with a fast yawn. "I heard banging sounds." "Oh, that was us," said Twilight heading over to her assistant. "Sorry Spike, did we wake you?" "Actually I was just heading to the bathroom when I heard the noise-wait we?" asked Spike before noticing Pinkie and Rainbow. "What are you guys doing here?" Twilight then explained to Spike that Pinkie had come here to tell her that her uncle was coming here before Rainbow would come crashing in to see if Twilight could get them at the front of the line for the Daring Do, Spike had one thing to say. "Can I have a gem omelet!?" "Okay," giggled Twilight at the dragon's appetite. After getting ready for the day, Twilight headed down to the castle's kitchen where she was greeted to the sight of Pinkie muzzle deep in a bowl of oats and milk, Rainbow Dash reading "Daring Do and the River of Gloom", and finally Spike making a gem filled omelet. Seeing Twilight, Spike asked her what kind of eggs she would like. "I'll just have a hay omelet please Spike," she said before sitting down at the kitchen table with her friends. "So Pinkie," asked Twilight to the chewing of oats mare. "What's your uncle like? Is he anything like Maud?" Twilight said with a nervous chuckle. Looking up from her bowl before licking any oats and milk residue from her coat Pinkie smiled a huge smile at Twilight. "Of course not silly, He's the best uncle ever, not the best sister ever!" "Which side of the family is he on?" asked Twilight. "My mom's," replied Pinkie making a napkin swan. "Oh, he's your mother's brother?" said Twilight. "Yep and only sibling, younger by 13 years," said Pinkie blowing bubbles into the milk. "He's also a writer!" "What kind of stories does he write?" "Oh, you know adventures and funny stories," said Pinkie with a prideful tone in her voice before turning gloom. "But he doesn't let me read them." "Why not?" asked Twilight with a puzzled look. "I don't know, he says they aren't for fillies like me," replied Pinkie with a sigh. "Said they were too boring for a mare like me.." "Huh," replied Twilight, turning her attention to her cyan, rainbow maned friend. "So Rainbow what chapter are you on?" "What?" said Rainbow looking up from the book. "Oh, I'm on chapter fifteen where Daring is escaping her bonds from the evil mad Dr. Glass. Here I'll read you a bit," Clearing her throat Rainbow began. "Struggling against her bonds, Daring saw that she was in a tight knot. "Huh, seems Glass knows how to tighten his ropes better than last time, dang griffon," thought Daring to herself. "Still though, none the wiser about the problems of leaving a bound pegasus with her wings open. Moving around, Daring eventfully was able to unfold her wing and bring the tip to her mouth. "Okay this is gonna sting," she said before plucking a feather from her wings. "Oucf!" said a muffled Daring looking to see if anypony heard her. "Okaf now I nof I saw it around here..fhere it is!" announced Daring her sights on a toolbox with a padlock on it. "Bet there's something sharp in that toolbox," said Daring to herself before hopping over to the toolbox. "Ok, here I go!" she thought before proceeding to rock side to side in the chair causing it to fall over on it's side. A muffle sound of pain aside, Daring saw her luck was on her side for this lockpicking, taking the feather Daring was able to pick the lock." "Wait how does a feather pick a lock?" asked Spike bringing the omelets to the table. "Oh, Spike thats just artistic license, I'm sure what really happened was different," said Twilight cutting up her omelet. "Shhh, you two!" said Rainbow. "Now where was I? Oh yeah!" "Having succeeded at picking the lock, Daring used her head to open the toolbox and lucky for her there was a blade cutting tool just in the right position. moving the chair around she was able to set the blade against the rope, rubbing it against it for a while eventually she was able to cut the rope releasing her hooves from their bonds. Getting up from the floor Daring was about to sneak out when she heard a mook pony from outside that gave her a better plan. "Hey what's with all the noise?!" said the mook pony charging into the cabin. He saw the sight of Daring groaning in her seat with her hooves behind her back. Leaning in close he said, "Heh, looks like the little girl's tired. How about a little kiss girly?" chuckled the mook. "How about a kick?" said Daring with a smirk throwing her hooves on the pony‚Äôs shoulder before kicking him in his privates. "Owww!" said the mook wincing in pain on the ground. "And one the forehead!?" shouted Daring before knocking the mook out. "Now to find the key," she said rushing outside." "End of chapter fifteen," said Rainbow closing the book with awed expression. "Wasn't that awesome?!" "I agree that was amazing‚" said a edge of her seat Twilight. "Me too," said Pinkie helping Spike gather the dishes. "Me three, if a little unbelievable," said Spike while getting a bottle of apple juice. "Artistic license, Spike," said Twilight. "Yeah, yeah." replied Spike. looking at the clock Pinkie shrieked, "Oh my gosh! It's already eight! Uncle Humble's train arrives in ten minutes!" said Pinkie running to gather the dishes. "Wait!" shouted Twilight. "Your uncle's name is Humble? As in Humble Pie!?" "You know him?" asked Rainbow wondering why Twilight was fingerling. "Are you kidding? Next to Daring Do, Humble Pie is Twilight's favorite modern author!" said Spike. "I love his book "The Adventures of Con Colt"! Rainbow, Spike get cleaned up I'm gonna head out to go get Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity," said Twilight "Rarity said that Applejack and Fluttershy were helping at the boutique today," stated Spike. "Okay I'll head out, Pinkie are you coming?" asked Twilight to a Pinkie shaped dust cloud. "Pinkie?"\ "I'm telling you dear it looks great on you," said a smiling Rarity turning to face a purple faced Fluttershy. "I can't breathe," choked out Fluttershy falling down before Rarity and Applejack rushed to her aid by ripping off the corset. "Are ya alright sugarcube?!" asked a concerned Applejack. "I-I think so," replied Fluttershy. "ÄúSorry about that Fluttershy, but Applejack did you really go tear the corset?" asked Rarity levitating the ripped clothing. "It was choking her," Applejack said flatly, helping Fluttershy up. "Well fashion is never easy," replied Rarity putting on her glasses to start sewing up the tears in the cloth. "Sorry again Fluttershy." "Oh, it's alright I was happy to do it," said Fluttershy with a smile. "Thank you, now Applejack go take that box with my new fashion style and go put on please." "Remind me why I'm helping ya'll with your dresses?" said Applejack. "Because, your my friend you silly mare, and the clothes must be made for an agile person such as yourself," replied Rarity trying to sew the last thread in. "Now head to the kitchen, I want to be surprised by your appearance." "Fine," grumbled Applejack before heading off to the kitchen. Ding-dong. "Oh, I wonder who that could be?" said Fluttershy her attention focusing on the front door. "Would you mind getting that deary? This last thread is a bit tough," asked Rarity. "Ok," replied Fluttershy flying to the front door. Cracking it open she said, "Umm, hello can I help-ahhhhh!" screamed Fluttershy whirling around caused by a pink blur. "Fluttershy! Rarity! Applejack! I have somthing to tell you!" screamed Pinkie in the center of the boutique. "Pinkie! You scared poor Fluttershy and pushed her out of the way, say you're sorry," scolded Rarity finishing the thread. "I did?" said Pinkie turning around to a dizzy Fluttershy. "Oh I did! I'm sorry Fluttershy, are you alright?" "I'm fine, but was the boutique always pink?" replied Fluttershy her head shaking side to side. "Well other than the curtains no, but that's not what I'm here to tell you. I have something big to tell you, it's abou-" "What is with all the darn noise? I'm trying to put on this dang thing," said a voice that belonged to Applejack. "Applejack, it's just Pinkie. Are you done putting the cloak on?" asked Rarity. "I'm almost done, hold your carts...okay coming in said Applejack trotting back to the room. Before the three mares was Applejack in a white, black buttoned shirt, upon it was a light peach colored long coat with a dark blue hood. "Wow," said a recovered, awe struck Fluttershy. "It's so peachy!" said a giddy Pinkie. "Applejack, you look amazing!" said Rarity with a tone of pride in her voice. "It ain't something I'd wear for farming, but I'll admit, it's more comfortable than I expected," said Applejack. "Still who would wear this? I get that them Canterlot folks like odd clothes. But why this?" "Applejack," said Rarity. "I just make the dresses, I don't know what they're for, besides I don't even know if it is for a Canterlot citizen. All I got was a letter saying that it was to be dropped in the town's post office and I would receive payment upon said dropping off," said Rarity. "Now please take it off and put it carefully back in the box if you would." After putting the shirt and cloak away the three mares focus was now on Pinkie. "So Pinkie, what did you have to say to us?" asked Applejack. "It's my unkie Humbles visiting day!" shouted Pink throwing confetti in the air. "You have an uncle named Humble?" asked Fluttershy meekly. Borrowing Applejack's brother's words of wisdom Pinkie replied, "Eyeup, my uncle Humble Pie!" "Wait!" shouted Rarity pushing Fluttershy and Applejack away to be muzzle to muzzle with Pinkie. "Your uncle is Hu-Humble Pie!?" "You know him?" grumbled Applejack for being pushed. "Why of course I do, I love his book "The mind of an artist" and of course "The wood stallion's a-," stopping herself, Rarity because she remembered that particular book was for more mature audiences, she continued with a heavy blush. "Ehhh, well the point is I love his books. And you say he's coming today?" "I believe so," said Pinkie with blank expression before giggling. "My uncle taught me that." "When's he arriving?" asked Fluttershy. "ÄúOh, in five minutes," replied Pinkie relaxing. After a few seconds reality finally was able to hit Pinkie causing her to scream "Everypony, head to the train station!" "Pinkie, I'm sure your uncle will arrive when you get there. Right Rarity?" asked Applejack to a dress wearing Rarity shaped cloud of dust. "Rarity? Pinkie did you see where Ra-" Applejack stopped asking when she saw the remnants of a Pinkie shaped dust cloud. "Come on, Fluttershy. Lets head out," grumbled Applejack. "Oh, I'm just so excited I could burst!" said Pinkie before exploding...her cannon of confetti to check if it was ready for her uncle. "I know how you feel darling, your uncle is a fantastic writer," said Rarity putting makeup on. "I love his description of Captain Star's rugged fetlocks, his gentlecolt's mane, his golden spyglass-," Rarity stopped herself when she saw ponies looking at her. Blushing intensely she tried to move the attention to somewhere else. Fortunately, for her Twilight and the rest of her friends were trotting to the platform. Everypony stopped looking at her and turned their focus to the newly throned princess and proceeded to bow. "Thank you everypony, but its really not necessary to bow. Just go about your business," said Twilight causing everypony to go back to their pre-bowing state. "There you are Pinkie, good morning Rarity." "Good morning Twilight and Rainbow Dash," said Rarity. "cough" said Spike. "Oh don't think I could forget you Spikey wikey‚" said Rarity pinching Spike's cheeks causing him to blush. "Mo-morning Rarity," stuttered Spike. "So Pinkie, where's this uncle Humble of yours anyway?" asked Rainbow still reading her book. "Hmmm," said Pinkie before gasping. "There he is!" she shouted pointed at a locomotive heading towards the platform. "Come on Slit, I know you had a hard time back there but you can't plot revenge on miss Railrunner, she was just doing her job," said Humble to Slit's blank face. "Look I understand that a cage is no place for a sentient creature like yourself to be trapped in but in fairness they did say you got a little rowdy." The alligator just licked his eye while standing. "Besides miss Railrunner was nice enough to let you out early." All of a sudden the train made a ringing sound, looking out the window Humble saw the town of Ponyville past the train platform and on it was his niece speeding around the platform along with her friends. "Well would you look at that Slit? We got a royal welcome from Princess Twilight. How's my hair?‚Äù the alligator just looked at him expressionless. "Good, lets head out." Behind him Stale and Lemon watched him get his luggage. "Yes lets," said Stale. === ch: 3 === "After speaking to Mr. Emerald, I entered the doorway of the locomotive (along with Slit) to find myself on board a rather fancy-looking boxcar. It was, for instance, a lot more spacious than would be expected from an external look. Its row of cherry-red wood planks between seats were wider than the stagecoach that I had used to ride to the train station, and would allow a pony to be able to move without touching another passenger trotting the other way. Great for the germaphobes ain't it?" wrote Humble in his journal with a chuckle. "Where was I? Oh yeah! The train's windows had a unique look to them: they had small stained glass squares on the outside of the windows. The pictures seemed to have been made to look like they were spiraling white oak wood that filled the glass to the edges making it look like the window was framed. The seats looked like a bed to lay one's body on, with a blue-painted wood back covered in stars that made a dip on the sides before making a hill in the center. I then went over to a seat on the left side of the train and started a process called sitting while Slit started a process known as standing still. It was a comfortable lay; at the very least, far more comfortable than the subway at home with all the not-having-to-be-squeezed-until-one's-face-looks-purple. I put my right hoof over the window to feel the heat of the sunny day being absorbed by the glass." Humble wrote down with his mouth. "Sir, your ticket?" said a female voice. "Huh?" said Humble, looking up from his journal to see an orange-colored mare in a red velvet-like suit standing before him and holding out her hoof with an expectant look. "Your ticket, sir, if you would," stated the mare with no cracks of emotion showing upon her face. "Oh! You mean this ticket?" said Humble, pulling out from his pocket a blue card with the words "Equestrian Railways" printed on it. "What do you need it for?" he asked with a puzzled tone. "I need to punch it," said the mare. "But why, miss, um," said Humble forgetting that he does not know this mare. "Railrunner," said the mare. "Well, miss Railrunner, why would you want to punch an innocent ticket like this one?" he asked with a grin. "Sir—," she stopped, noticing for the first time the alligator below her. "Ahhhh! Why is there an alligator aboard the train!?" "Well, I believe he's doing the dance move, standing and being offended by your reaction," snarked Humble. "Sir, why do you have an alligator with you!?" she asked with a loud, unamused voice. "Because he does my taxes," Humble replied, seeing if his horseshoe was loose. "Sir, this is not the time to joke, or I will throw you and your alligator off the train," she said in a scolding tone. "No, really, he does my taxes. The little guy is great with a calculator," he said with a puzzled look and a shrug. "Little guy!" Railrunner shouted. "He is as long as two seats!" "Just more to love," said Humble picking up Slit's torso and hugging him. "Who's my little Slitty? You are, yes, you are," he said affectionately to the blank alligator. "Sir, I'm afraid I must take your 'Slitty' and put him in a cage in the back," she said. Looking at the train employee with puppy eyes Humble said, "Must you?" "I assure you, sir, he will be well taken care of," Railrunner said. With a sigh, Humble looked at Slit and said with a sad look, "Ok boy, go with the nice mare. I'll see you when we arrive." The Alligator proceeded to be taken away by another attendant. For a second, a sad look appeared in it's eyes. "Well, now that has been taken care of, can I please have your ticket now?" asked Railrunner with her hoof out. "But why do you wanna punch an in—" said Humble before being interrupted. "Sir, I have to punch more tickets so we can leave. If you would please stop joking and just hand me the ticket," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Fine, fine, here ya go," Humble said handing the blue card over to her. "Thank you," she replied before pulling out a paper puncher, punching a hole into the card, and then handing it back to Humble. "Thanks," he said to the already-punching-other-holes mare. "I guess." After waiting ten minutes, the conductor's voice was heard. "All passengers onboard, starting train!" the conductor bellowed. A second later Humble, felt a jolt that caused him to fall forward. Picking himself up and sitting back on the seat he said, "Always hated falling from glory." Looking out the window, he saw the train station going past the stained glass corners. Soon, the town of New Fleurens was out of his sight and into it came the swamps and lagoons. Slit would've loved the view, a chance to see his ancestral home deprived of him, thought Humble with a sad groan. Pulling the window cover down so that the landscape would stop reminding of his green friend, he surveyed his surroundings and looked at the other passengers. He saw that there were only five other passenger in the boxcar with him: first was a dark chestnut stallion earth pony with a scar on his muzzle that sat four seats behind him looking out a window, and a bright yellow unicorn stallion with an eyepatch was two seats behind the first stallion. For a second Humble could've swore he glanced at him with his good eye. Looking at the last three passengers, he saw a family of earth ponies sat on the other side of the train three seats behind him. A light, grass-colored mare with a calculator for a cutie mark nuzzling with a purple, brownish-colored stallion with glasses and a clipboard for a cutie mark, and snuggling against the two in the middle was a whitish-blue filly, sleeping soundly with the mare rubbing her back as she cooed with relaxation. The way the couple looked so content made Humble feel a familiar emotion for a moment, but he shook it off as something not worth remembering. Seeing as he might get some writing down, he decided to write a little bit of a comedy book that he had been putting off he called "Random Sayings." He decided to start writing like how a good writer always does by capturing the audience in a wise way. Clearing his his mind and pulling out a blank piece of paper and pen he began writing. "It's not how big your plow is that's important, it's how long it can be used…. " wrote Humble. As he wrote these words of wisdom, the two stallions behind him got up together and walked out of the boxcar, hopping over to the Bubble cart. The cart smelled like that of Mr. Pike's waiting room. Soap, cider, and the color red. It was empty save the two gentlecolts. With a groan, Stale Crumbs dropped down on a chair "So, that's the stallion? An alligator-carrying author?" "Apparently," said Lemon Squeeze, looking out the door window the had come through. "So, whats the deal with this guy? Why does Pike want him anyway?" "Hey, we're just the nappers; we get paid for taking, not hearing," stated Stale taking, out a bottle of hard cider and a pipe. Lighting it, he looked back at Lemon, who was still looking through the window. "Will you please stop looking out that damn window? I need your eye if something goes wrong." "Well excuse me for wanting to keep us covert," said Lemon. "Oh, yeah, because there's nothing more covert than a unicorn in an eyepatch looking out a window," chuckled Stale blowing a bunch of little bubbles. "Yeah yeah, keep laughing, scarface," said Lemon back out of the window. "Still, do you think it's a good idea to kidnap this guy? I mean, he's related to an element of harmony." "It ain't him we have to worry about, it's the other one," said Stale taking a swig of cider. "Yeah, I guess you're right," replied Lemon. "Hey, what you do think he's writing about? "Probably something to do with a Prance whore," said Stale with a laugh. In truth Humble had fallen asleep and was dreaming about a certain somepony whom he knew. In his dream, there in southern Manehattan's south central park area, was a young eight-year-old, grey coated, red maned, blank flanked colt who sat watching his only and best friend (not counting his little alligator) chase pigeons. This grey colt was a child of a rock merchant and a comedian, the two of whom were spending time with the family here. His best friend was a light-brown, blank flanked colt who had been brought with them so his mother might get better while she laid ill in bed at home. "Coil why do you chase pigeons?" asked the grey colt while taking out his pet alligator from his pocket for its daily brushing. "To hug them!" said his serponian friend like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I will hug them all di da," sung his friend, prancing towards them. "Yeah, well, be careful. You remember what happened last time," said the colt, scrubbing a particular hard-to-get-off piece of artificial lion meat on his gator's tooth. "How was I supposed to know that mama Pigeons hate it when you try to pet their babies?" said Coil now trying to see what it was like to eat bread like a pigeon. "Oh, I don't know, maybe when it squawks at you to frighten you off?" said the grey colt, putting the alligator back in his pocket for it's nap. "Oh, that was just a suggestion which I did not follow," said Coil walking over to his friend. "Besides, the baby birds and mother were alright." Just then, Coil's stomach growled. "I'm hungry." "Well, I gotta use the little colt's room before we can get something to eat. Can ya wait here for a bit?" asked the grey colt. "Sure, I can, but please hurry," whined Coil holding his belly. "I'm going, I'm going," said the grey colt, hopping off the bench and trotting in the direction of the restrooms. After using the restroom, the grey colt headed over to the sinks, and after washing his hands he went back to Coil. "Ya ready?" asked the colt to Coil, who was sitting upside down. "Eeyup—whoah!" yelled Coil before falling over on his face when the bench tipped over. "Coil!" said the colt rushing to his friends aid. "You alright?" he said helping his friend up. "Is it the pigeons attacking us?" said a blood-rushed Coil, wobbling in his friends arms. "Hahahah, looks like the blank flank babies been having too much hard milk," said a gruff voice. Looking up the colts saw before them two other colts, one a peach-colored pegasus the other a dark green earth pony. The pegasus had a cloud that appeared to be raining as a cutie mark, while the earth pony had a hammer as a cutie mark. "Who are you two?" said the colt putting his dizzy friend behind him. "My name's Rain Day," said the pegasus with a smirk. "And mine's Pipeline," said the earth pony who also was smirking. "Well, what do you want?" said the grey colt nervously. "Oh, nothing, just those bits you got," said Rain Day with a step forward. "What makes you think we got bits?" said Coil having recovered from his head rush. "Come on, we heard you say you're going to get lunch and I don't see no adults around to provide bits," said Pipeline bumping his hooves together. "O-okay, we don't want no trouble. Here's all our bits," said the colt handing over their money. "Will you please leave us alone now?" asked Coil nervously. "Oh, sure, once you hand over that lizard of yours!" shouted Rain Day, pointing at the alligator in the grey colt's pocket. It was poking its head out, having been woken up from its nap due to the shouting. "Slit?" asked the grey colt. "Yeah, hand him over" said Pipeline holding his left hoof up in a violent manner. "N-no!" shouted the grey colt. "What did you say?" replied a ticked off Rain Day. "You can't have Slit, he's my friend!" shouted the grey colt. Just then, he remembered Coil. "And Coil's pal, too!" "Aww, ain't that sweet. Now give me that bucking lizard!" shouted Rain Day pushing the grey colt down but not before grabbing Slit. "Hey, give him back!" shouted the grey colt and Coil, getting back up before running towards the pair of bullies. Unfortunately, due to the size of the two smaller colts, they were quickly both pinned by Pipeline. "Hahaha what wim—ahhh!" screamed Rain looking at Slit seeing that he bit his hoof. "Why you little bucking lizard!" spat Rain before looking at the grey colt. "Just for that, I'm gonna make lizard splat," he yelled holding up Slit by his tail. "NOOO!" yelled the grey colt, struggling to get unpinned. "Say goodbye to your liza—" said Rain day with a grin before being interrupted by a voice. "Hey, dung brain!" said a sweet and angelic, yet harsh voice. Looking up from his trap was when the grey colt saw… her. A heavenly being stood on top of a hill a few feet away. This being of pure beauty took the form of a beautiful dark yellow pegasus filly with a black as midnight mane, wearing a green vest and a cute little safari hat. On her side was a ball of thick-looking yarn, and while looking at her side, he saw that she too was a blank flank. Staring before this being, the grey colt could only say one thing. "H-hi," said the grey colt, gasping it out due to the weight on him. "What do you want, girl!" shouted Rain Day at the filly, with Slit still trying to get out of his grasp. "Put the alligator down and back away from the fellow blank flanks!" shouted the filly. "Or else what, girl?" said Pipeline in a mocking tone. "Yeah, you gonna throw your dolls at us?!" said Rain Day preparing to throw Slit down. "Something like that if you don't give up," said the filly with a smirk. "Ha, I ain't afraid to fight no girl," said Rain Day. "And we aren't giving up, either. Now get the buck outta here, blank flank," snarled Pipeline. "I'm giving you to the count of three to stop what you're doing," said the filly. "One… two" She would have said three, if not for the account of Rain Day throwing Slit in the air. "Slit!" cried the grey colt. And just before the alligator became part of the ground, a flash of yellow grabbed him in its arms and landed safely before putting him in a sand bucket. "I told you to drop him, not to throw him in the air," growled the filly. The grey colt could not believe what he saw next as Rain Day ran towards her. As it looked like his hoof was about to make contact, a Princess Celestia doll hit him in the gut, causing him to fall down. Seeing this commotion Pipeline got off the colt and Coil to help track the filly, quickly getting up, the two ran to help the filly, but by the time they got there, they couldn't even move. For when Pipeline had gone to attack her, she dodged his punches and was able to trip him before flying like a flash and wrapping them up in her yarn. Seeing that they were trapped, the pair looked down up at the flying filly. "Please, don't hurt us anymore!" cried the bullies. "Start hoppin'," growled the filly. "Yes, madam," they said in unison before hopping away, tied up. Once they were gone, the filly looked back into the bucket, grabbed it by the handle, and brought it to the colt. "Here ya go, mister," said the filly before getting a good look at the grey colt before her. Her heart raced; the cause? The handsome creature before her with his dark, cherry wood-colored hair and his moon-grey coat that surrounded his twinkling eyes, and beneath him were pink hooves. And he had a nice flank, too. Blushing at the last thought the filly said the only thing she could. "Here's your alligator," she said with a stunned look, handing the bucket over to the equally-stunned colt. "Thanks…. Coil, take Slit over to the food cart. I'll be there shortly, I just want to thank this cu—I mean brave filly," said the colt, blushing hard. "Okay. Thanks again, ma'am," said Coil with a smile and a wave, taking the pail with Slit in it over to the hay dog cart on the other side of the park. For the next few seconds, the two foals said nothing, the wind being the only sound while they stared at one another in equally-great curiosity. Speaking up with dry lips, the grey colt was able to finally say something. "Um, th-thanks for saving Slit," stammered the grey colt. "Your we-welcome," replied the filly. "Wait, the gator, you mean, right?" The colt nodded quickly. It was silent for another few seconds, neither foal knowing what to say and absolutely terrified of the other. "So," spoke the colt. "Where did you learn to fight like that?" The filly giggled; the cutest thing that the grey colt ever heard. "My grandpa taught me..." said the filly. "I live with him in New Fleureans. We're visiting here to see a museum." "Really? I live in New Fleureans, too, I'm just visiting family with my friend Coil," replied the grey colt. "Really? Maybe I'll see you there when I get back?" said the filly. "Umm, yeah I'd like that," replied the colt. "Well, I ,um, better get going; grandpa's probably worried," the filly said, starting to get off the ground. "Wait!" yelled the colt causing the filly to hover back down. "Um, how old are you?" "Hey, you should never ask a lady her age," said the filly with a grin. "Well, are you older than seven?" said the grey colt blushing. "Ugh, yes. Eight and a half, you? asked the filly. "Eight and three quarters," replied the grey colt before saying something that he found odd. "Say, you said you live with your grandpa. What about your parents?" The filly turned sad for a second before looking back up at Humble with a sigh. "My dad and mom disappeared when I was three, leaving me and my older brother and sister in the care of my grandpa." "Oh, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to make you sad," said the grey colt, looking away. "Its alright," said the filly with a shrug. "I don't even remember them much, except this hat they gave me," she said giving the safari hat a tap. "Well, I really gotta go. Maybe I'll see you around Fleureans?" she said, turning around. "Wait! Um, listen would you like to, umm, maybe go get some lunch with me?" asked the grey colt. "And my friend, I mean, also. Slit my pet alligator," said The colt blushing so hard it made his hair look grey. "I don't know," said the filly with doubt. "I'd be paying of course," said the grey colt quickly. "Well, why not. I never say no to a free meal," chuckled the filly. "I suppose my grandpa can wait a few moments, but before we go, can you tell me your name?" asked the filly. "Only if you tell yours me first," said the colt with a smirk. "Ugh, fine," said the filly. "But don't laugh." "I promise I will not laugh," said the colt, giving a salute. "Okay, my name's Artemis," mumbled the filly. "Sorry, didn't hear that can you speak up?" asked the grey colt leaning in. "My names Artemis," mumbled again the filly. "I'm sorry, can you say it one more time?" asked the grey colt putting a hoof to his ear. "My names Artemis!" shouted the filly causing the grey colt to tumble over. After a few seconds the grey colt started laughing on the ground while the filly blushed hard. "Hahahahah," laughed the colt before looking up to a hurt filly. "I'm sorry, I promised not to laugh, and I broke it," said the grey colt in an ashamed tone. "Its alright," said the filly with a sad look. "My friends call me by my mothers maiden name, anyway." "What's that?" asked The colt with a curious look. "Dazzle," said the filly with a smile. "Well, Dazzle, my names Humble," said the grey colt, "Humble Pie." "That's a nice name—sir wake up!" yelled Dazzle. "Wait, what?" asked Humble. "Sir, wake up!" yelled Dazzle. "What do you mean?" asked Humble. "Wake up!" repeated Dazzle before vanishing. "No, Dazzle don't go, don't leave!" yelled Humble as the ground under him cracked open, swallowing him whole. "Don't go." "Sir, wake up!" yelled Railrunner. "Huh!?" said Humble, waking right up. He looked around for Dazzle, but could only see the train and Railrunner. Putting the dream in the back of his mind, Humble said "What's wrong?" "Sir, we are almost arriving in Ponyville," said Railrunner. "Oh, how long was I asleep?" Humble asked. "About 4 hours," said Railrunner, trotting away to see if any other passengers were sleeping. Humble looked out the window to see the rushing Everfree forest pass by and, in the distance, the town of Ponyville. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Maud Gets Rock Hard author: TrollestiaSubject tags: character:Main 6, character:Maud Pie, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Hard like a... a... A very hard thing. === Maud Gets Rock Hard by TrollestiaSubject "Smoochy, smoochy! Give him a little kiss, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash said. Pointing to Rarity a small clay figurine featuring some kind of bovine being, with a disproportionately long penis, like half the total size of the statue. "Can we please get out of the mud? I rather not get my coat any dirtier than this!" A disgusted Rarity said, after trying to don't get mad at Rainbow Dash' immaturity. "What are the chances of finding artifacts like these so near of Ponyville?!" Princess sparkle asked rhetorically. Taking from between the mud near a river's bank, a small figurine similar to a cow lying on her belly, but with a hole tunneling from her mouth to where her tail should be. "At first I thought it was sedimentary, but I was wrong. It's not usual to find cooked clay between the mud." Maud Pie said, half-heartedly and pulling from between the compact mud, another disproportionate statue of a bull with an erection. She had called Twilight to watch over her discovery, but Twilight had informed Pinkie about her expedition, and Pinkie had 'dragged' her four bestest friends along with them. Fluttershy was looking timidly at the clay bull's erection at Rainbow Dash hooves, while Applejack and Pinkie were busy trying to find more statues between the mud. "They look like fertility idols! So interesting! How long you think they have been here, Maud?" Twilight asked, after a close inspection of the feminine statue. "Obviously not too long!" Pinkie shouted passing by in a rush, still looking with her nose inside the soft superficial mud, after Maud stood thoughtful for a moment, without an aswer. "Hey, Twilight, lend me that one for a moment. I think they fit together." Rainbow Dash playfully announced. "Simply brilliant." Rarity said with irony, while she was adjusting the kerchief around her head, and magically took off her sunglasses, to a basket in a picnic arrangement that they had set nearby the river. "Rainbow Dash, you should be more respectful with the legacy of ancient civilizations." Applejack tipped in, after she and Pinkie had searched all over the area without finding more relics. "Hey! C'mon! My interest is purely sciencetific!" Rainbow Dash claimed, with a serious expression, and a hoof over her heart. "Seriously, Sugarcube? Seriously?" Applejack retorted, skeptical. "She's such an egghead!" Pinkie shouted happily, from the background. "Just lend her the statues so we can carry on!" Rarity stressed, from dry ground. Reluctantly, Twilight gave Rainbow Dash the female Idol. Almost everypony, except for Maud and the princess, had their attention on Rainbow Dash weird play of a very excited bull flirting with a kind of shallow cow. "Hey, hey Fluttershy! Are you looking at this?" Rainbow Dash teased, to a blushing Fluttershy hiding behind her hooves, when Dash started to make the unexplainable flying bull descend over the cow's rump, probably simulating intercourse. Yet her attempt for making the statues join ended in an awkward failure, and while some of the mares around where starting to laugh at the inability from Rainbow Dash to have at least simulated intercourse, Maud only said, "It fits in the other end." And for everypony surprise, she was right. That bull figurine was standing slightly different than the other male one, and his erection fitted perfectly in what it seemed to be, the mouth of the cow. "Then the other must fit in the other end." Rarity added, she had went near to watch the assemble of the statues, fact that nopony noticed, since they all had done pretty much the same. Even Fluttershy, who remained wordless, hiding her face between her hooves, intimidated by the indecent statues. She was the only one in not make a comment to request Maud, join the statue in her hooves to the solved piece, but Maud just stood still. "Give me that, I'll do it!" Rainbow Dash requested, to which Maud reacted with apprehension. "I'll do it." Was her limited reply. "Just remember, I had invited only you." She said to Twilight, before walking ahead, and perfectly fit her piece behind the clay tunneled cow, that Rainbow Dash was holding in place by the bull placed in the other end. In that moment the statues started to glow. Magical energy started to being released by the veins and other similar conducts inside the clay figurines perfectly assembled, blinding the group for a moment, before start perceiving some kind of change in their bodies. Specially Rainbow Dash and Maud, Their groins began to swelling up, and before everybody could realize what was going on, a confused Rainbow Dash and an unamused Maud were each, the owners of a hardened horse sized, erect equine penis. Their veins covering them were pulsating, and their bare flesh looked so stressed that, judging by Rainbow Dash expression, they seemed to hurt, and very badly, at least to her. Maud looked as usual, less concerned about their altered state, even when her erection was also throbbing, and even starting to release some drops of precum from its urethra. Fact that didn't pass unnoticed by the other physically normal mares around. They had also changed though. Their minds were in a hazy state, almost like in a fog. Their crotches were itchy, and their bodies hot, which was hampering their straight thinking. Rainbow Dash tried closing her eyes and wake up, but that was very ineffective. Her raging boner was still pointing upwards, almost menacing her. Scared, Rainbow Dash tried to fly away, but before even reach twice her stature, the flowing air caressing the sensitive flesh of her member, prevented her from go further. Then she grabbed it between her hooves trying to pull it off, but it was so sensitive that she fell between moans, twirling down to the river's bank again, in a twister of premature cum, and drool. Over a fine layer of water, and a comfortable bottom of volcanic rock, Rainbow Dash turned to her friends around looking for help, but they seemed so confused like herself. Except for Maud who was keeping the calm. But didn't seem like very helpful in that moment, except for that beautiful erection between her legs, poking out from below her dress, that distracted to Rainbow Dash for a moment. 'It's bigger than mine!' Rainbow Dash thought, and while they had the same dimensions. Rainbow Dash couldn't avoid feeling atrected to that chunk of meat. Which prevented the word help, coming up from her mouth. With Rainbow Dash just seated there on the water, exhibiting her erection in a wordless way to ask for help, and everypony having mixed feelings, everything was starting to get awkward, till the moment Fluttershy ran ahead, and started to give Rainbow Dash the sucking of a lifetime. "Hey! No fair, I want some too!" Pinkie yelled, running to join Fluttershy, who wasn't even listening. While Rarity has started touching herself not far from there. Applejack's hoof had stared discreetly to stroke the upper part of Maud long shaft. Maud, indifferently, turned to stare at her, but Applejack kept playing innocent, like if she weren't aware of what her own forehoof was doing. "Look... 'sugarcube,'I'm sure your friend will appreciate it more. I have something to do." Maud explained, starting to trot away, just a few steps though, to Twilight who was the pony at a farther distance from Rainbow Dash. Maud took a seat in the humid but firm layer of mud over the solid bottom of gravel next to the river, and just in front of the purple princess, like preventing her from witness what was going on with her friends in the water, and exposing shamelessly her throbbing hard-on fully available only to her, unlike her good friend's one. "Do you like it? You can have it." Maud bluntly expressed, after a deep sighing, and trying to not blush, or not too much at least. "I- I'm not too sure. I think those statues affected us in some way." Twilight managed to say, behind her burning face, after biting her lips, and starting to punish unconsciously her own drenched marehood with her hoof for being naughty. "I-I think I should analyze the effects of... You know. The physical alterations... For science!" Twilight concluded decidedly. "Celestia bless science." Maud requested, full with internal joy, as Twilight's hooves began to explore the surface of Maud's hardened flesh. Meanwhile, Applejack and Rarity, had went closer to look at the show that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were putting on. They had learned to please in unison to Rainbow Dash, who was holding their heads to please her shaft with her mouths exploring each side. It didn't take long before Rainbow Dash were splurting the equivalent of a whole bucket of cum on the faces of Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Rainbow Dash had put them together, in front of her releasing penis, with the farthest reach of her forelegs. Bathed on a slimy white substance, Pinkie and Fluttershy started to kiss each other, sharing the bitter fluids of their cyan friend. Rainbow Dash looked tired, but her erection hadn't ceased, not even a little bit. And after a bit of Fluttershy and Pinkie making out by themselves. They wordlessly decided, after looking the unsatisfied state of their friend, that having Dash between them would feel way better than just rubbing themselves. Scissoring at their own pace with Rainbow Dash between them, Pinkie and Fluttershy had lost notion of everything around them. However, Applejack and Rarity had a pretty good view of Pinkie's excited expression, with her eyes almost turned backwards, and her dripping tongue while her wild hips bursted with her own juices. Contrasting with Fluttershy's timid expression, blushing and hidding behind her mane and hooves, while scratching with delicacy, her unexpectedly long clitoris, unwraped above her dripping slit, at the other side of Rainbow Dash' meatpole. Exercise that seemed to be too demanding even for the trained speeder. The only thing these mares had in common were her gaping mouths, fighting for oxygen between moans. Applejack had noticed the way in which Rarity had been using her hoof, and unable to hold a little chuckle. Rarity felt her privacy suddenly invaded. "Like if you had never done this yourself." Rarity argued, slightly blushing, but not stopping her own hoof from caressing her vulva. "Well, you're the pony doing that in public. At least I can control myself." Applejack retorted out of pride, but really expecting for an opportunity to show her friend how to properly masturbate. "Is that so? You should look at your own hind legs. They are dripping with your own 'self control.'" Rarity said, ironically taking a mental picture of her dripping friend, to fuel her own arousal. "I- I... At least I don't need to do that myself!" Applejack answered with discontent, getting close to the meat piston grinding between Pinkie Pie and fluttershy. Inserting Rainbow Dash' hardened flesh varnished with her spilling precum, and her friend's vaginal fluids. Applejack had problems adjusting to their hastened pace, but her own lubrication and strong thighs made her catch up their rhythm. Her well toned muscles feel like strangling Rainbow Dash' sensitive new organ. Nevertheless, Rainbow Dash felt the dare of satisfy this new mare from inside, and with all her might, she started to push further inside the tight vaginal walls of Applejack, who had lost already any trace of rational thought. Pulling from Applejack's cutie marks, and even when Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie's legs where between them, Rainbow Dash soon was able to reach the cowmare's cervix entrance, and while hitting that spot was an overwhelming hurtful sensation, soon the pain turned into pleasure, and Applejack's conduct started to suck even harder Dash' flesh. Pinkie's swollen clitoris started to rub Applejack's one. Fluttershy started to rub her anomalous long, but not so hardened clit, between Rainbow Dash' swollen veins on her unnatural member and Applejack's firm but soft butt, and her rough, yet somehow silky tail. Rainbow Dash, who was furiously thrusting Applejack between Pinkie and Fluttershy, she had become a mindless mass of convulsing muscles. Applejack had slowly matched their hastened pace and accelerated breathing, and she could feel inside, who her womb was being pricked by Rainbow Dash. From between the waves of pleasure of everypony just rubbing against each other, soon a generous quantity of liquid was released from Fluttershy, in long and thick squirts through her pee hole. Her convulsing marehood was gripping Rainbow's damped flesh, while Dash kept trusting her damped member inside Applejack. Not long after that, it was Pinkie who couldn't resist more, and came buckets of female cum, replacing with sexual fluids the moisture in the few parts of Rainbow Dash's body that had only sweat on them. The flooding sensation of having two mares squirting while rubbing against them, made Rainbow Dash' own female parts cum a little, but the uncontrollable beast that had grew between her legs was still craving for the internal strength of Applejack suction. Growing up, to what Rainbow Dash felt like a dangerous state, Applejack could feel how Dash' flesh was about to explode out of its girth inside her, but right before her cervix entrance would give up to Rainbow Dash' drilling spearmeat. Applejack could feel instead, how and immense quantity of warm and thick fluid was crashing against the deepest part of her womb, with such might that her own insides felt washed in that substance, and was impossible for Applejack contain her pleased vagina from cum with all her own might. Applejack was even able to reach Rainbow Dash' face with the female juices squirting from where she was being skewered. Applejack was starting to enjoy Rainbow Dash' fluids being injected inside her, when suddenly she felt Pinkie's tongue twirling and twisting around her clitoris. After overcoming the first impression of Pinkie sucking her pee hole, and caresses with her tongue and hooves on Dash' member, Applejack got surprised again by Fluttershy's tongue, scavenging the grip of her lower lips on Dash' still throbbing rod, looking for the bitter oozing delicacy, as fresh from the source as she could get it. With her joint being explored by both friendly tongues, Applejack could felt a new splourt of Dash' cum-like fluid being relased inside of her again, this time even with more strength, which was more uncomfortable for Applejack, but since Pinkie and Fluttershy were holding her in place like some kind of twisted receptacle for their tasty snack, Applejack couldn't do anything else, than stoically resist the flooding inside her. That ended in a much more forceful, and much more satisfactory orgasm for Applejack, who fell beaten next to Rainbow Dash, into the shallow water. "Wonderful way of controlling yourself." Applejack heard from Rarity, who was looking at her from above. That was the last thing than Applejack saw before losing consciousness for first time that afternoon. A few moments ago, Twilight, while trying to stop her vagina from produce lubricating fluid by rubbing it with a hoof, was kneading with her other hoof, Maud's rock-hard erection, looking for irregularities. "It feels like flesh, no doubt of that, but it's too hard to be flesh. Its consistency is inelastic, and... warm, and very hard, like clay. "Thanks." Maud replied, tensing her meatrod in front of twilight's face. Twilight didn't know why she had said that, or why a limb like that one could move like it just did so near of her face, but she was getting ready to find why. "There's no testicles, and the... Female reproductive organs seem... Normal." Twilight added, after rising the protuberance to watch at Maud's standard genitalia. Maud didn't seem to mind. "The bulge even shows what apparently are veins, and I can feel Maud's heart beating through it." Twilight commented, like somepony were taking note, but only Maud could hear Twilight's comments, and she didn't seem very interested in her comments. Twilight was totally unaware of what her friends were doing behind Maud's back, the closer inspection of the idols' effects was too interesting. "Maud, do you have any feel on this protuberance?" Twilight questioned, strocking Maud's hardened meat with both of her hooves, one of them totally drenched with her own lubricating fluids. "Can you feel when I do this?" Twilight asked again, this time adding the warmth of her own cheek, to the feeling of her explorative hooves, on the firm meatpole standing up from between Maud's legs. "Twilight, it's a penis. Of course I can feel it. Actually your cheek... " Maud started, but she stopped when Twilight took her face away, because she felt a warm and gooey substance sticking to her cheek while she was rubbing her face on Maud's member."That's precum. Taste it. It's yummy. You'll like it." Maud concluded calmly. Twilight was a little scared, but she hadn't reasons to distrust Pinkie's sister, in fact she had proven very reliable in the past. And so, trusting on her word, Twilight took a small sample of the substance with her hoof, and was getting ready to taste it, till she remembered that she had been using that very same hoof to distress her marehood just a few moments ago, and there's no way in tartarus that she was going to taste that. "Twilight, do you like my erection?" Maud asked suddenly, after watching Twilight doubting about lick her own hoof. "W- Well, I- I'm... I..." Twilight struggled to say. "I think it's beautiful." Maud commented half-hearted, after standing up and walk around for a bit, looking at her irregular new organ. "Erections are beautiful, because they are hard. Hard like rocks, which are good. I like my erection, don't you like it too?" she questioned, this time with a bit emotion into her prose. "I..." Princess Twilight keep doubting, but just for one second before regain confidence on the scientific method. "It can't possibly be an erection, Maud. You are a mare! Mares don't suddenly have erections!" Twilight retorted, aparently forgetting the circumstances that brought them there. But not for long. "These bovine statues, there must be something about them!" Twilight belatedly concluded. "You think so? You are so smart. I mean it! Bovine ancient civilizations were kind of pervy, I guess. That explains minotaurs. What about you, Twilight. Aren't you feeling horny? Don't you have some kind of... Need?" Maud asked, teasingly this time, and taking her dress off. "Why- Why are you asking me that?" Twilight wondered, full of shame, feeling how her cheeks were obviously blushing, her horn was feeling unlikely sensitive, and she was unable to hid the biggest wingboner that she had ever displayed. But out of those reasons, Maud knew better. "Because you haven't stopped masturbating." Maud answered. "Just look at your friends, they are really into it." Maud pointed, and Twilight could see when Applejack was getting near the threesome that Pinkie, Fluttershy, and the affected Rainbow Dash were so acrobatically accomplishing. "Don't worry, it's just natural." Maud added, after noticing Twilight's concern. "They are already having a foursome, yet you are somewho resisting. Probably because you are an alicorn, or maybe you are really special. I was right on like you. I'm just sorry the rest had to come." Maud confessed. "Wait! Maud, do you like me?!" Twilight retorted, utterly surprised, but mainly aroused, for no other reason than Maud's skyrocketing erection, in front of her. "Twilight, you're the most beautiful mare that I have ever seen in my entire life, I fell for you at first sight even when I didn't believe in that first sight horseapples. I was so nervous the first time you saw me, that I'm afraid I said something stupid just after seeing you at the distance. I don't usually signal all the sedimentaries I find in my way, or eat them. They are tasty though. I just didn't want you to think I'm weird." Maud confessed, in her usual rough way, but somehow also with shame in her voice. "But... but, Maud. Why didn't you told me before?" Twilight asked, feeling the awkwardness of the situation, getting worse by the juices sliding down her hindlegs. "I don't know. You're a princess. I felt intimidated, I suppose. Also, you were a complete stranger to me. I was waiting to know you better." Maud answered, getting closer to Twilight, which fastened Twilight's heart beating. "I was glad when I saw your library. I like books, you see. I've written a few, most about rocks. Books are second to rocks, but I like them. I even recited to you my poetry, I opened my heart to you, and I've been trying that you know me better since then. So the next was invite you to do something we could both enjoy, but... We know how that turned out." Maud said, pointing a hoof to Rarity with her face on Applejack groin, while from below Applejack was also fancy-kissing Rarity's lower lips. Pinkie and Fluttershy were practically doing the same, but Rainbow Dash was alterning inserting her unsatisfied meatrod between Fluttershy's ass and Pinkie's mouth. Twilight had been drained automatically inside the scene, if Maud hadn't been there to cut her way there, with a kind of disappointed expression, and a total available meatrod, varnished on its own precum already. The smell was so intense that made Twilight's legs lose the balance. Maud took the opportunity to rub the sensitive end of her long member on Twilight's face. "Don't you find something magnetic about my lower horn? It's magical I assure you." Maud commented. "Maud! What's come over you? What's coming over me? Why does this look so delicious?" Twilight asked, that last part in a very low voice that only Maud's erected penis could have heard, before being introduced in Twilight's mouth. "See? Now we both are enjoying this." Maud commented, totally pleased by the outcome of their activity together. Not far from there, Rainbow Dash was getting too tired to continue trying to please her inexhaustible erection. Even when this time were Applejack and Pinkie the ones pressing its base between her thighs, while Rarity was the pony on top being penetrated, while Fluttershy was the one slurping all the tasty juices flowing from everypony joined. And while Maud preferred a relaxed environment, with only her crush pony and herself. The scene of the other mares was entertaining. But Rainbow Dash unsatisfaction seemed despairing, even hurtful, so Maud pitying Dash, gave her a tip. "Hey there! The next mare who touches the statues while they are glowing, will receive the transformation, and Rainbow Dash will get rid of the unsatisfaction." Maud said out loud. "Wait! How did you know that?" Twilight asked meekly, releasing Maud's tasty precum fountain from her mouth, but still caressing it with her hooves. "How? Experience, you could say." Maud answered, calmly. "Did you know about the power of the statues beforehoof?" Twilight answered a bit angered, but starting to caress her own marehood with one hoof again. Behind her cold stare, Maud thought that Twilight looked actually pretty cute when she was angry, but didn't feel the need of say anything about that. "I found them long ago. It was far from here. In a very interesting subterranean ruin made out of rocks. I've been keeping them since then. They are kind of amusing, and they meant no harm to any pony. Even their magic isn't anything unknown between unicorns. So, why not? They can mean a fun date..." Maud said, it wasn't a confession, or something she had been trying to hide. Maud never saw the point of deceiving anypony, and less to the pony that she wanted as lover. "Wait, so the activity you had planed for us wasn't the classification of unknown relics, but this... ?!" Twilight retorted surprised, even a little scared. Maud didn't know why. "Do you rather classify Rocks? I'm moved. Really. But I kinda wanted to buck off your brains out with a big hard erection. That's because I like you. Maybe even more than rocks." Maud explained, getting closer to Twilight, face to face, and even she was surprised about her own statement. She wasn't used to find something that she would enjoy more than rocks. After doubting for a while, Maud kissed Twilight on the lips, and the horny princess couldn't make more than kissing Maud back. A few kisses later, Twilight could perceive a warm sensation of something very hot being pressed against her belly. It was Maud's erection getting pressed between their bodies. Twilight concluded that was unnaturally hot for something so varnished with different fluids, that it was too hard, probably harder of what any real penis could even be, and that waste an opportunity like that could be a shameful waste. With that warm, like-stone fles, being rubbed between her crotch teats and swollen marehood. Twilight could even feel her chest becoming wet with the leaking fluids from Maud's rod. Twilight lowered her head to reach with her mouth the source of that leaking. Twilight never thought that she were able to such thing like a blowjob, but something in the air was setting the mood to forget about principles or hygiene. The truth was that the smell was very alluring, and that the taste wasn't that bad, in fact it was each time better, it was something from salty to cheesy, and kept improving. Maud, by her part, was enjoying rubbing her bare flesh between Twilight's teats and both sets of lips. When Twilight lowered a bit more her head, her horn was just offering itself to Maud's lips, that were missing some action after seeing at the distance how Fluttershy, who had touched the statue before the others, and had yet fresh Dash' cum on her face and mane, was giving herself something that looked like the best autofelatio ever, judging by her pleased face, careless attitude, and quantity of her own cum sliding out from her mouth and nose. Fluttershy was lying backside, with her wings extended inside the slim layer of water, with her hind legs bended over her head, held in place with her forehooves, and strongly sucking out her own cum. The rest were just able to lick around while caressing themselves, exchanging between whatever other part of her body that wasn't being licked already, Rainbow Dash was exploring her gapping ass with her tongue. Pinkie was suckling from her face the remaining cum that Fluttershy couldn't drink herself, at the same time she was helping with felatio in the lower part of her shaft, en even sharing with Rarity between kisses Fluttershy's long clitoris. Rarity was cleaning the naughty juices from Fluttershy's contrasting little and shy vulva, were releasing from her soft and swollen lips. And Rainbow Dash was also sucking her teats. Once Fluttershy touched the statue, Rainbow Dash returned to normal, recovering half of her energy, after recovering half of her blood back from that magical inflammation. When Maud told them that the first one touching the statue would receive the transformation, Rarity stood still, just considering the implications, while Applejack was just enjoying too much what Rarity was doing to her, so she didn't even thought about move away. Pinkie was the pony who ran to the statue first, but surprisingly Fluttershy won the race. Urgency, and a good set of wings didn't gave her time to understand the stakes of being the one with the transformation, and a curse of unsatisfaction. Fluttershy was too shy like to assault somepony with such grotesque thing, so after watch it for a moment, she decided that it looked delicious, and she started to suck it dry. A bad decision considering an unsatisfaction course, four horny mares around, and an infinite reserve of magically produced cum. When her stomach was filled, Fluttershy had lost complete control of her actions, and unable to contain her own desires, she took at the mare bugging her belly, and pinning down her cyan wings with her hooves, she started to force Rainbow Dash, who was the most tired mare around, into submission. And while Dash was willing to play with Fluttershy, Fluttershy just wanted a tight hole for her satisfaction. Her tick member didn't fit in Rainbow Dash' skinny ass, but her marehood had been pucking ready to play since she was dealing with the curse in her body. So well lubricated and puffed, Rainbow Dash below started to forget what it feels to don't meet satisfaction, while Fluttershy above found the warm and tight hole she was looking for, trying to meet hers. Maud had started to give service to Twilight's horn with her mouth, while Twilight was lowering her head for a taste of the liquid coming out from Maud's hardened alteration. Twilight's horn was irregularly warm, and while it was firm, her superficial texture felt tender, like if it were covered in skin. Maud knew that while the word "boner" referring to an erection, came from the illusion of an unicorn horn as a bone; an unicorn's horn isn't actually a proper bone, but an organ touching the brain. Maud had learned from certain silver maned unicorn, that its sections get stimulated when stroked or bend. Actions that Maud was so meticulously performing, changing speed, strength, and pace. That made Twilight's horn glow during its most pleasurable moments, and little magical sparks leaved an alkaline aftertaste in Maud's mouth. With her brain completely stimulated, Twilight could only react paying the favor back, trying to be so pleasurable with her mouth, as Maud's was being with hers. "Twilight, I'm going to come. May you drink it all, please?" Maud requested, and just as she had said, she came, and what a load. Didn't take long for Twilight feeling her stomach full of a substance much more thick and salty than the one she had been consuming in drops so far. "Thanks." Maud added, after finishing, with a little smirk on her face. Retrieving the tip of her colosal erection from Twilight's throat. Maud waited for her to stop her coughing behind strands of cum from her mouth. "You were pretty good, Twilight. I don't want you to think I say this to everypony that blows me out, but you were really great." Maud commented, trying to find something nice to say, appropriated for the occasion. "Wait... Other ponies have done this to you?!" Twilight wondered alarmed, while she was still throwing up the excess of cum from her stomach. "Well, yes. There was this funny colt from Manehattan. He wanted to know what it was to have three penis, but he ended being so good sucking. Not as much like you though." Maud answered, very thoughtful, but being clearly honest. "What! Three penises?!" Twilight exclaimed in a shock. "Also this blue mare who worked with us in the farm for a while. She was a terrible lover, but she was so good listening. In the end I guess she was all talk... I wonder if she accomplished her goal..." Maud added, remindful. "Blue mare? Wait, was she an unicorn?" Twilight asked. "Never mind. I have you know. You're so much better. There was also the first time when I found the statues. It was a mess, just like the one my sister is doing with your friends over there." Maud explained, signaling with her hoof at the other group of mares having fun in the swallow water with the rock bottom part of the river near from there. Rarity was now the one with a burning red erection sandwiched between the soft groin of Fluttershy below, and the strong thighs of Applejack pressing down from above. Both of them were laying with Rarity grinding between them, while Rainbow Dash was seated in the other side, on Fluttershy's face, who was hungrily kissing whatever thing was in her reach, whether it was Rainbow Dash' asshole, or Applejack's mouth. Fluttershy could identify the flavor of her own cum in there, and she liked it. Applejack was in a similar position, but she had to choose between suck Rainbow's very small but hardened clitoris, or Fluttershy's sweet tongue. In both of them, Applejack could still tasting the remaining cum that Fluttershy had, so repeatedly, leaved there. Rarity was enjoying the double teatjob from her twitching friends, as much as they where enjoying their clits being rubbed by the hard and rough texture of Rarity's veins on her swollen member. Applejack strong body had no trouble finding pleasure while rubbing herself against something so hard as Rarity's member. While Fluttershy, soft and delicate body, counted with the advantage of a very large clit. As large as a bit coin, and so sensitive like the shy pony herself. Pinkie was standing up in her hindlegs, stroking Rarity's horn with her forehooves, while enjoying her whole crotch area being teased by Rarity's mouth. Everything, from her teats to her vulva, was hers to enjoy, while Dash often joined to the fun from behind, sticking her tongue in Pinkie's ass, and sometimes, even reaching Rarity's tongue for a twirling session of pleasure half-way between her legs. Nopony in that orgiastic assemble, except for Pinkie Pie, was sure of what was being licked or sucked, and while there was not deterioration in the strenght, toughness, or quantity of excreted fluids from Rarity's crotchboner. The rather lazy mare was using like half or so of her blood to sustain her new limb always ready to go, and that was so exhausting for her like anything before. And while pamper her friends teats was part of her generous personality, soon the exhausted mare had to think in herself. Rarity started to penetrate the soft and kind walls of Fluttershy, getting sure that the strong and untamed hips of Applejack were just in the right place to rub her clit and teats against Fluttershy's, without forget to attend Pinkie's ones with her mouth. That way everypony would be satisfied, along with herself, soon. What Rarity hadn't taken into consideration was that she wasn't going to be satisfied so easily, and since she didn't want anypony feeling like leaved aside, as soon she came inside Fluttershy, she took her unnaturally insatisfied erection inside Applejack, and taking the same considerations, she was sure Fluttershy were enjoying the friction against the cowmare pony, before leaving a new full load coming out inside the roundimg-up cowmare. Rarity was spend right after that, but since her erection had actually a curse, she couldn't help but keep looking for a third hole, and Fluttershy's as had just the consistency she was looking for, it was very soft, warm, had been gapping for a while now, and her hole was totally wet since it was below the water level. With water gushing sounds with each thrust, and Rarity accelerating her movements, Fluttershy's ass was producing funny noises that were making Pinkie and Rainbow start to laugh, till they could hear Rarity coming, and not long after that, Applejack's moans as Rarity started to assault her ass too. Rarity was so obsessed for satisfaction, that she never realized that Pinkie Pie had came twice thanks to her mouth, with a little help of Rainbow Dash. Just when Rarity felt that Applejack's tight asshole was doing a better job than Fluttershy's soft one, pulling out her never ending reserve of cum. She could feel the tongues of her friends, on the base of her inserted meatrod. Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rainbow Dash were waiting with their mouth the taste of Rarity's milk, waiting meanwhile with the taste of Applejack's ass. Rarity hadn't even realized that they had moved, she wasn't even sure if she had even pleased Pinkie Pie, but she had the very sweet taste of her female cum dripping from her mouth anyways. She regreted have been such egoistic friend, but as soon she felt Applejack's ass absorbing her cum load, she took out her splurging member to share the magnificence of its squirts, and her wonderful taste an smell, with everypony around, spreading it on Fluttershy's face, Pinkie's mouth, Rainbow Dash even seemed to enjoy it on her mane, or wherever else they wanted. Even Applejack turned around in time for a few cups of it on her face. Maud that had been watching the scene, decided to do the same to Twilight. Maud'd wanted to come a couple of times on Twilight's face, but she came so much that after one single load outside her mouth, that Twilight's whole upper body had been drenched in the white substance. Every part, from her mane to her shoulders had been covered with strands of the thick substance. Even Twilight mouth seemed to have cum inside, Maud didn't know if a previous load was still returning from Twilight's stomach, or if some of this new load had fallen inside her mouth. Just one thing was clear, Maud wasn't satisfied yet, and by the way Twilight was cleaning the cum from her own face and was slurping it from her hooves, she wasn't satisfied yet either. "Now tell me, where do you want it next? I like your butt, but if you want it in the front I'm totally okay with that too." Maud asked, out for consideration. "My- My butt...? I've never..." Twilight started, blushing even more than before, and avoiding visual contact with Maud. "This isn't your first time, right? I mean, you're already an alicorn." Maud complained. "No! No. Of course no... In Canterlot, before moving to Ponyville, there was this marble statue that I animated a few times, and..." Twilight started again, but stopped after wondering why she was even confessing that. "Metamorphosed limestone, huh? Not a bad choice. So, I'm gonna take you want to start slow." Maud guessed, pushing Twilight backwards to leave her lying on her backside. "I'm going to make you don't need that statue again." Maud said, aligning her burning prick within the entrance of Twilight's marehood. "No, actually Celestia destroyed it. Apparently animate inanimate object can be very dangerous." Twilight continued her story, half of it was a lie, but no matter what, Twilight was never going to say which one. She felt very glad when she felt the pressure in her vaginal entrance growing up, and she was unable to speak anymore. Clenching her teeth, Twilight held as strongly as she could from Maud's coat and mane, which was hurtful for her, but she withstood it knowing that Twilight probably had never had something so thick inside her, since every single marble statue she knew in Canterlot was of a mare, or had a smooth groin. "Twilight, you're so tight, even when you're so wet it would be probably impossible to fit a penis this thick inside you at any time." Maud commented. Twilight didn't know what to answer back. 'Thanks' and 'buck you! I can fit all this thing inside, push harder!' Were the two answers in which she could think about. Luckily she didn't need to say anything, and like if Maud knew exactly what she was thinking, her member suddenly reached deeper inside in one thrust. Every muscle in Twilight's body reacted, and she was unable to speak or even think for a while, even when Maud was being very tender with her, Maud was grinding herself really slow inside her, and Twilight was grateful for that. Maud's member inside felt very hot though, it was almost burning her insides, Twilight even became to imagine Maud's hot rod even boiling their lubricating juices dry, and sealing her secretion glands by burning them, and when she rationalized that something like that had to be impossible, she just remembered the improbable fact of Maud bucking her with a gigantic penis, in first place. "Twilight, relax, don't be afraid. I like the way your body is trembling but please, don't be afraid. I want to be your special somepony, not something to be afraid " Maud kindly expressed, and Twilight, that after all was with the honest and trustworthy sister of one of her best friends, felt glad for giving Maud her first time. Didn't take long before Twilight were ready to move herself, and when she first moved her hips up, she noticed that she had been the only one moving all this time. She wasn't able to move further because she had been the first one thrusting her hips upside, and the slow grinding movement of Maud inside her that she was feeling, had been her own natural suction and lubrication mind-tricking her. After noticing how patient and generous had been Maud with her, Twilight couldn't help but to look at her with such warm smile, and what could have been, a glimpse of love in her eyes. Twilight even noticed a subtle expression in Maud, the corners of her mouth had tensed, her pipils had dilated, her nostrils had expanded, and her usual half-hearted stare had became somehow less half-hearted, and more joyful. Maud wasn't just excited, or egoistically enjoying, she was really happy for being one with her. "Ok, Maud. You can move. Just please, be gentle." Twilight requested. "Don't worry, Twilight. Part of the statues effect is that you can stretch just as much as you want, like that clay cow, or even more. My first time under their effect I passed through my kitty pet, from her ass to her mouth, while... Somepony else was passing through the other way around. When the effect ended, my pet ran away. You can't be better than that after what we did. So don't worry. I won't hurt you. Just try to enjoy it." Maud said, with confidence, looking at Twilight's eyes. Her confidence perspired into Twilight, and Twilight pulled from her mane to kiss her. Maud used that opportunity to push herself into Twilight, for her length it had been impossible not to, Twilight knew that. With her lips pressing against each others, and their curious tongues meeting half-way, both of them had most of their concentration in the slow and steady penetration. Both could feel perfectly how Twilight's walls were giving up, allowing the entrance of Maud even further. Even though the blazing warmth of their bodies, or the electrical feeling of their galling touch, both could feel every fold in Twilight's flesh, and every swollen vein in Maud's rod. And with each new thrust, Maud could feel how both sets of Twilight's lips contracted around her. Above with a pleasurable hard and strong kiss, that Maud was starting to love, and below with a comfortable suction, and the release of even more warm lubricating fluids, that Twilight needed so much. When Maud finished drilling Twilight, with not even half of her erection inside her. Maud started to poke out Twilight's womb entrance with the suction of the flourished point of her unnatural member. The force of her thrusts was able to lift Twilight's body, and Twilight seemed to star enjoying that. Since she never stopped embracing, or kissing Maud, with a smile on her face. "You're lucky I learned to control myself. Even when I'm like this you're the only pony I can think to do this. That has to be love." Maud said, messing Twilight's insides, yet she had a pleasured silly expression on her face. "Twilight, are you ready? May I go deeper?" Maud asked, attempting the best possible experience for Twilight. Who was thrusting her hips by her own, to kiss Maud's member with the entrance of her poking cervix, while she was hanging from her legs, clinged to Maud. Under natural circumstances, intrauterine sex had been impossible, but under the magical affect of the bovine idols, Maud was able to insert her hardened flesh right through Twilight's cervical mouth. With her inwards completely full, Twilight could feel how Maud was starting to invade her intestinal área, and even her stomach. That much pressure wasn't disagreeable though. It was weird forTwilight to feel something twisting there, but her hungry womb was enjoying being unnaturally stretched beyond its bounds. When Maud leaned Twilight back against the mud below to facilitate her invasive unfolding, and get a better friction inside her, from Twilight's mouth started to come out some kind of foam, that Maud absorbed with one kiss. Twilight's body had stopped any voluntary movement, but her tongue kept reacting to Maud's one, and her marehood kept contracting with each movement of Maud's rod. Twilight's pee started to spray out when Maud used the curvature of her erection to rub against Twilight belly from her interior. Twilight was enjoying too much releasing it, like to feel ashamed for that. A bulge became visible, from between Twilight's teats, to her belly. And one of Maud's hooves, and other of Twilight at the other side, started to rub the small budge between them, and there, between kisses and caresses, Twilight was able to feel something else besides pee flowing from her. Maud, who had some experience, could identify the meaning of Twilight's throbbing grip, and when she felt the distinctive pace and strength of the liquid that Twilight was squirting between them, She let free her mouth from their passionate kiss. Twilight immediately started to gasp for air, and moan as signal of gratitude for every internal organ being messed inside her. Maud in fact was grateful for her expression, her face could be considered calm and her sight cold, but without stop moving inside her, Maud was honestly moved by Twilight's expression. Just a special somepony could have that compatibility degree. Watching Twilight wallowing in the aftermath of her lonely orgasm, Maud decided to be reciprocal with her. Fastening the pace of her hips, and the strength of her thrusting, Maud started to chase her own orgasm. With Twilight yet sensitive for coming after a long time, Maud's accelerated thrusting was even more intense for her. Her erection was almost reaching her chest by inside, but when Twilight noticed Maud serene expresión, she remembered that Maud would never do anything to hurt her. Maud had been watching Twilight being crushed from inside. She wanted to look at Twilight's eyes in the moment she were coming inside her. Maud's judgemental sight was doing a mental recording of every little detail. Maud wanted to offer Twilight unforgettable experiences, and being able to remind what Twilight enjoyed the most, was part of her plan to please her in the future. It was with clenching teeth and ears being pulled back, that Twilight welcomed Maud's cum into her womb, the strength of the injected cum was practically visible through the slim layer of skin knoting in Twilight's belly, and the splashing sound was almost audible from outside for both mare. With one of those mares satisfied, Twilight just stood there, lying on a fresh layer of mud, warmed only by her own sweat, and Maud above, and inside her. She had heard Maud's confession, and now she had to decide whether or not, accept her love. Nopony had declared to her before, and definitely it was going to be pretty hard to beat such declaration. But the case is that Twilight had a thing by the weird hind walking creatures that she had meet inside the mirror's world, so she wasn't ready to decide yet. But it had been such a great wonderful first date-like hang out anyways. Then Maud kissed her lips, and sucked her womb entrance with her retrieving member fully erected. When Maud was completely outside, Twulight was relieved because apparently none of her internal organs had been severely damaged. She had been right trusting on Maud, and right there, looking at the humongous quantity of meat that had been inside her just a moment ago, the only thing she was able to say was, "More... Please..." Opening her lower lips with her hooves. Twilight was still dripping Maud's cum from inside, along with some other fluids mixed there, like sweat, pee, even a little of blood. And yet, Twilight was already excreting her own lubricating fluids again. "I just took it outside to let you see that there's nothing to be afraid. And because I want you to suck me clean." Maud expressed honestly, rubbing her throbbing meat, near Twilight's mouth. But Twilight seemed a bit reluctant, not about taste a wonderful piece of meat like that one again, but to taste her own naughty juices on it. Maud understood that, and stopped insisting. "You're lucky I learned to deal with the effects of the statues, or we would be like that." Maud said, signaling at the group of mares in the water. Applejack was practicing her round-up skills over Rarity this time. Her advantage was clear tough. Over Rarity's backside, Applejack was strongly entrenched inside Rarity's asshole with a meaty anchor. And her lips where keeping an strong lock on Rarity's horn. The white mare wasn't even resisting at all. And on top of that, her friends were helping to subdue her. Pinkie, lying on the water below, was slurping most of the fluids that their coitus were producing. Rainbow Dash was next to her, sucking Rarity's teats, like if she had any hope of taste milk out of them, Rainbow was was also licking the bulge that Applejack was doing from inside Rarity's belly, and that one had way more chances of releasing milk-like fluid in any moment inside Rarity. Fluttershy started out just kissing Rarity, but in the moment she started to close her eyes and moan Applejack's name. Fluttershy saw lost the proximity and the especial feeling of the moment. But not wanting to waste a nice set of lips, Fluttershy meekly stood in her hind legs, and guiding Rarity's muzzle, she managed to make her kiss her vulva. And while Applejack kept sucking her horn, Fluttershy took her hat to have a better sight of her expression, and weared it on herself. Fluttershy was being licked with the strength that Applejack could thrust her hips, and Applejack was doing so, that before coming, Applejack raised Rarity up un the air, and falling backwards, now Rarity was the pony on top. Proving to everyone around that she was not weak or lazy, Rarity started to thrust her own hips on Applejack's rod, just at the same pace, and with the same strength that Applejack was doing before. With Rarity on top, and with her belly fully exposed, everypony could have a clear view of their union, both participating mares felt kind of proud though. They both had reasons to. Rarity was proving how tough she could be, when the situation requires so. While Applejack was showing everypony that she could be also tender and delicate, when it comes to the important things in life that have to be done in that way. Pulled out from Rarity's ass by Pinkie Pie, who kept pleasing both mares orally, Applejack invaded Rarity's marehood next, not without being sucked for a while by Pinkie and Rainbow Dash first. Strolling between their marehoods and coitus, Pinky kept tasting both bouncing mares, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were nonchalantly suckling Rarity's teats, and belly knot caused by Applejack who kept sucking Rarity's horn, and inserting herself as deep, but as softly, as were equinely posible. Under all that attention, Rarity had came several times, and while she didn't want to make it evident in front of everypony else, she was glad to announce it with her body, for her cowmare friend behind. She was really enjoying their time together. While she was unable to hide her moans, and Applejack's name was passing unnoticed through her lips, she was gladly adding an extra tightness to each of her inner contractions, as sign of gratitude for being chosen as main target of her lust. The truth is that Rarity was starting to regret her own moderation before, and she was starting to crave for the experience of being used in such denigrating manner, as a mere meathole. Due to all of Rarity's tightness, Applejack wasn't being able to moving as freely, or as fast, as she would have wanted. Which was fine, because since her mating partner was Rarity, she was trying to be a little less rough of what she would have been. But Rarity's tightening insides were doing a pretty good job internally, Applejack couldn't help but to come, forgetting every consideration that she had been having for Rarity. Grinding Rarity's tight internal walls, Applejack could only think in releasing her load as deep inside of her refined friend as possible. And when she did, her unsatisfied member was still hard, fighting against Rarity's internal contractions. Pushing and pulling her juices inside, it slide in both directions till a second load, expelled with even more strength that the first one, finished dripping out of the white mare. Tired of prove anything to anypony, Rarity was enjoying being used as a simple masturbation sleeve by Applejack, and as a yummy fountain for her friends, while they were masturbating too. Applejack kept coming inside Rarity at a much faster and desperate pace than Maud was doing inside Twilight's womb. Rarity also seemed to be enjoying it in a much more wild way. Twilight was being much more docile, and was being treated more tenderly than Rarity. The dusk had come, and the red light from the sky made the scene look more romantic when Maud, looking at Twilight's eyes, and was pulled from her mane, by Twilight asking for long, and tender kisses, that could only be interrupted by Twilight's moans. Maud was wordless, with her usual straight expression. She seemed to be only enjoying the modest pleasure of watching her special somepony in ecstasy. But in fact Maud's firm but throbbed erection, was coming as much as Twilight herself. Even her bouncing inside the purple alicorn was barely noticeable from Twilight's viewpoint. Maud's lower body seemed to know pretty well what it was doing though. "I'm glad you're enjoying our first time."Maud said, without obtain an answer from the pleased princes below. "Twilight, may I spit in your face?" Maud asked fearlessly. "What?!" Twilight asked back, surprised. "That turns me on. Only clean saliva, nothing like hawking or so." Maud explained. "Well... If that turns you on." Twilight replied timidly, before opening her mouth up to Maud. "I didn't say in your mouth." Maud said, before suddenly spitting in Twilight's mouth. "That was kind of hot though." She ended. Twilight didn't mind too much since they had been fancy-kissing a lot before. Just after feeling Maud's kind of cold saliva crashing on her palate, Twilight closed her mouth, and often one moment deciding if she should spit it out or not, she gulped it down. "It's fine, you can spit in my face if you want." Twilight said, closing her mouth, lowering her muzzle, and giving Maud a really cute expression, even if that wasn't what she was trying to do. Maud spat between Twilight's eyes and nose, making her close her eyes for a second, and when she opened them, she asked, "Do I look pretty?" "You look like mine now." Maud answered, with pride in her eyes, and a slight smile on her face. "We can try anything you like, go ahead!" Twilight exclaimed. "Are you sure?" Maud asked back, feeling like Twilight was thinking with the vagina, judging by how her body was twitching. "Of course I am." Twilight answered meekly, almost fainting out after her latest multiple orgasm. Maud walked backwards to unsheathe herself out of Twilight. Between stretching strands of their fluids, Twilight's vagina was resisting to be unplugged, but with only a small portion of Maud inside her, before being out of range and totally emptied, Maud tried passing one of Twilight's legs between them to turn her around. The overwhelming feeling of Maud's tip Twirling inside her, made Twilight's free legs push the mud below to take Maud out of her, but once she was turned backside up, and without nothing inside her for first time in a while, Twilight started to do weird faces to Maud, moving her rump anxiously, and with her back and wings covered in a slim layer of fresh mud. "Are you aware of how hot you are to be a librarian?" Maud asked, almost like reclaiming. "I like that about you." She added, almost smiling, and starting to caress Twilight's cutie marks with her hooves, and her rump with her erected member. "A hot librarian is also my fantasy. But I don't love you only because you are beautiful, or because you're an Alicorn Princess, or even for being a librarian. I love you for who you really are, even if you weren't all that. I love you because you're a smart and strong pony, loyal and kind with your friends. Somepony who tries to be helpful with anypony who needs it. Also, I like your ass. It's small and perky, just the way I like them. In any case I only wanted to let you know that I'm not in 'a crush' because I think you're pretty, or because you're a princess, and not everything is about your ass." Maud reassured. Twilight was still waiting for some more invading loving, and she was still moving her rump indicating to Maud that she was ready, doing some kind of faces that she thought, were indicating that. Her tail and wings were up in the air by their own will. Twilight hadn't been paying a lot of attention to what Maud said, but she was sure that a rock never had heard something so beautiful from Maud, like what she just said to her. "I have a question. Is it true what ponies say about pegasi wings? Maud said, going away for a second. "I- I don't know." Twilight answered, stuttering. "I haven't been an alicorn enough time like to find out." Twilight deduced, looking back at Maud who was looking for something in her dress pretty close from there. When Maud returned, she passed her erection to the lower part of Twilight's rump, and started to caress her wings with her hooves. Her hooves where rough and clumsy, though. Twilight tried to enjoy it, but Maud's hardened meat under her belly, and between her teats, was felling a lot better. "I would like to tell you why I have a rock as pet. My first pet ran away. She was a white pussy. A cute one, not like Rarity's one. She was with... me, the first time we... I mean, I, got under the effect of this statues. I... did things to her, but she seemed to have enjoyed it so far. Tell me. Will you run away as soon the effect ends?" Maud asked, still teasing Twilight. Twilight wasn't in a pretty good position to answer that, yet she considered her options. Maud was terrible giving wing massages, but her hornjob had been wonderful, even considering that it hadn't been the first one she had received. Twilight had experimented back in magical college, small things like hornjobs, and while she had never actually given one, she received plenty of them from a mint mare whose name she could remember right there. In any case that was added to a hazy list of pros. And while her member wasn't natural, she was the owner of the statues, so that should count like one or two more pros. So she yelled, "Yes, yes, I accept." more or less imagining Queen Chrysalis conducting the wedding, between a purple Celestia in blue-night dress, and a black tuxedo dressing Maud. "I'm gonna take that like a no." Maud said. imagining that Twilight was imagining pretty much what she had, just that in her imagination, Princess Luna was officiating the wedding, Twilight was Twilight, Maud had a big smile on her face and Pinkie's manestyle, and they both were wearing white tuxedos. "Twilight, I really like you, and I've been feeling like bucking you in the ass since I saw you. I'd have wanted to buck in the ass other ponies before, but they don't last, it's just a thought, and now the only pony I can think is you, since I came to know you better, even for the rest of my life. I want you to be my special somepony, and I want to be yours. That's why I want you to know me better." Maud explained, rubbing her excited flesh between her teats, while they both were groping one of them. "Oh, Maud..." Twilight replied tenderly. "You know what's great about having a rock like pet? They don't run away from you. No matter what you do with them." Maud started, smiling, kinda of, before inserting Boulder into Twilight's asshole. "Now you will see why Boulder can be so fun sometimes." Maud assured. "Oh! Maud?!" Twilight commented, in an scared tone of voice. "Let's face it. I'm an ass pony. If our relationship has any future you have to know how enjoy your ass." Maud reassured. "But... Boulder...? What's going to happen to him?" Twilight said, a little worried for how little she was enjoying Maud's pet in the ass. "Don't worry. Boulder will come out when he feels ready. He always do." Maud explained. Experience had taught her that things in the ass always tend to come out by themselves, but her words didn't seems to have any tranquilizing effect in Twilight. "I think you're resisting the effect of the statues somehow. I can because I learned, with Practice. You can because you're pretty magical yourself, I guess. Or because you're smart enough. And that's fine. I rather a smart special somepony, or I won't be one. By the way, will you be my special somepony?" Maud proposed. "Maud? But... We both are mares." Twilight replied meekly, while Maud was still playing with her hoof, in her ass. "So what? Nopony cares about that nowadays." Maud retorted. "But, Maud. I decent from a distinguished family of unicorns, and you come from a farmer family of earth ponies. What do you think other ponies will say about that?" Twilight wondered, getting used to what Maud was doing her in her rear part. "Well... I guess someponies will get upset, but then again, there's someponies that always do. Equestrian society need to learn that love can born between any kind of ponies... Wasn't that the real origin of Alicorns? When love brought together Commander Hurricane and Princess Platinium? All those things about kinds should be forgotten. So, until you're planning the rest of your life alone like the princesses... Princesses... " Maud repeated, noticing something pretty interesting at the mention of the princesses."Twilight, your holes just got tighter when I mentioned the princesses. Doest it mean you like one of the princess? Or both? Do you have a thing for your former teacher? That's cute. Celestia... Celestia... Luna.... cadence... Wow, you're getting even tighter." Maud concluded, licking her hoof, totally drenched in Twilight's love juices. "Maud, you're killing me!" Twilight shouted, almost about to cry, from below a mixture of pain for trying to regal, and the pleasure of being naughty. Twilight's red face was hidden in the mud where it was being scrapped with every effortless movement of maid's hoof when she just said something so ugly like the K word. Everypony in the other group got shocked after hear that word so clearly from her friend, almost next to them in the bank of the river. "Twilight, what's wrong with you?" Rainbow Dash shouted back, after cleaning Pinkie's semen from her mouth. "You don't really had to say something like that, Twilight!" Applejack added, after gulping down her mouthful of Pinkie's semen. "By Celestia's mane, dear. Why do you had to shout that in a moment like this?" Rarity added, after spilling shocked, her share on Pinkie's cum, in Fluttershy's face. Fluttershy didn't say anything, but she faited out, on her back, after hearing the word 'killing,' the moment Rarity spilled Pinkie's cum on her face. Pinkie saved Applejack's hat from falling to the water, and put it on herself. "Twilight, you almost killed my crotchboner with that!" Pinkie replied, nopony cared, and everypony not fainted out kept sucking the sweet cum splurting hosepipe between her legs. Pinkie tangled Rarity's mane around her member, I'm part for the silky feeling, and because Rarity's mane was pretty enough like to deserve an erect penis inside itself. After another exaggeratedly big load of cum, Pinkie aimed on fluttershy face trying to wake her up. But satisfied, pretty tired, and with a full stomach, Fluttershy decided instead, just to snuggle herself between the sweet substance and sleep, after gulping down a last drink of it, that she had recollected from what had fallen on her chest. The other mares kept sharing Pinkie's sensitive member. With games like teasing it with their tongues, to suck on it as hard as possible, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity, kept sharing her drinks directly from the source, swapping cum while they were kissing. Specially Applejack who was in the middle, and who was making Rarity and Rainbow Dash kiss each other, delighting herself with the viscous properties of Pinkie's magical cumcandy. Pinkie's cum was thick and very sweet, and her premature ejaculating member made pretty obvious the fact that the loads, or the insatisfaction, of the mare suffering this course, were infinite. Her friends used Rarity's mane to tie down Pinkie's ejaculations, but her mane was too smooth like to form a strong knot. The shallow water had turned white thanks to all the cum spilled on that part of the river, mostly by Pinkie Pie. The others have had their turn and while they know moderation, or wanted their turn, nopony was waiting behind Pinkie Pie, and they all were enthralled in Pinkie's cumfest. "You know, my first time wasn't pretty different than that. That's why I wanted something special, only you and me. But your friends were going to find soon or later, so it's fine, I guess." Maud calmly explained to Twilight, who was still a bit stressed, with her rump in the air, and her face and wings covered in mud. "But, Maud. Pinkie is there... Isn't that a little weird? I mean, she's your little sister." Twilight questioned, having learned how to deal with Boulder inside her ass. "I- I... She... Pinkie is... I trust my sister, and I know she'll take responsibility in every decision she takes." Maud assured, after a bit of uncertainty at the beginning. "I know the statues can be a little weird, but in the end they are more like a prank, or a good time to spend together, and when you love somepony especial, that's what you want to do." Maud explained, aligning her excited flesh spear, along with Boulder, in Twilight's rear. "I want you to be happy, Twilight. but I'll be happier if that happens with me at your side. I know it's a bit weird," Maud added inserting herself inside Twilight's ass, "and kind of egotistical," she continued, "but that's just as love is... I guess." She concluded. Twilight remained wordless for a few moments, she was unable to speak. Maud's gigantic member was causing such ruckus in her insides, than even her thoughts were producing only moans to retort Maud's weird speech. All the rocks it had lacked were substantially replaced with rocks in Twilight's anus. Maud was pushing herself along with Boulder in the tip, each time deeper inside. The hurtful sensation of being invaded in such way, soon opened the way to Twilight's internal parts rubbing against each other as they never had before, slowly building up small waves of pleasure that were being born in the base itself of Twilight's spine. From her tail to the tip her horn. An electrical feeling was growing up due to Twilight's insides being stimulated like never before by something incredible hard. Didn't take long for Twilight's grunts and moans, to become like if her heart were about to come out from her throat. Instead a white foam did, it had an acid bittersweet flavor, and smelled like what Twilight had taken as lunch before, Maud's cum, and something acid not so tasty like those things before. Maud had came, Boulder was lost, Twilight was in that state when every movement of her partner inside her produces an slight orgasm, and Rarity had fainted out for real, after having Rainbow Dash and Applejack groping her with her mouths and hooves, while Pinkie was feeding her of fresh sweet cum from her infinite reserves. Maud was enjoying so much Twilight's submitted and grateful attitude toward her, that even when she was trying to be gentle and soft, to give Twilight something to enjoy, Maud couldn't help but to start grinding her rock-hard meat each time faster inside Twilight's tight but soft ass. Twilight strong but flexible sphincter was pressing the base of Maud's rod, while her warm and tender anus was enthusiastically sectioning with her soft texture, all the length of Maud's erected member. During an apasionante moment where neither Twilight or Maud had control over her actions, Maud released another warm load of liquid pleasure inside Twilight intestines. While Maud's cum was flowing, Twilight could feel Boulder being pushed even deeper inside, but rather than get scared, Twilight enjoyed the naughty pet crawling in those forbidden parts, that no pony had reached before. "Twilight, may I ask for a little request?" Maud wondered. After taking her yet rock-solid member burnished in fluids out, to watch Twilight's ass gapping for a while. "I- I don't... think you need to." Twilight started, gasping for air, and half face covered in mud. But after look the straight look on her face, Twilight knew that she really meant it. "Go ahead." She concluded, trying to give the matter the soberness that a matter in need of a princess could require, even when she had :even just ass-bucked. "Suck me clean." Maud requested, pushing her firm member on Twilight's clean cheek. It was smeared in juices from both, but its enticing aroma made Twilight mindlessly take it into her mouth. "So, how do you like the taste of your ass?" Maud asked, pulling Twilight's head closer by her horn. Twilight tried to get away at the beginning, and even use magic to push Maud away, but she had started to stroke her sensitive horn off, and she wasn't able to focus any magic at all. Twilight always had felt certain aversion to fluids, juices, and excretions, specially her own. But right then, with Maud's fluids still flowing out into the mix inside her mouth, the same fluids that she had savored before, and were still flowing out from her nether holes, Twilight couldn't help but to endure the her own flavors, thing that wasn't so bad at all. It was more or less the same, but more bitter and slimy. Suddenly Maud went out of Twilight's mouth, and ejaculated on her face. "Some fell in my eye." Twilight signaled, smeared in a copious quantity of Maud's salty fluid. "Sorry." Maud replied, twisting the corners of her mouth in something like a smile. Twilight rubbed her eye for a moment, before turning around, swinging her tail up in the air, before bending her forelegs down. Maud spat on the tip of her tense and clean member, before inserting herself Inside Twilight's ass again. "Hooowdy!!" Pinkie came shouting, practically out of nowhere, and splashing mud around. She was wearing Applejack's hat, and her long erected penis came jiggling along with her. "Double Pie sisters attack!" She announced, before impaling Twilight's throat. "Pinkie. I- I'm... Do you mind? I'm enjoying a private moment here. Why don't you go back with your friends?" Maud reclaimed to her sister, with a bit more of jealousy than anger in her voice. "Don't be silly!" Pinkie claimed throwing her twisted head at Maud. "Everypony is spent there. I'm not gonna buck their unconscious bodies, that's rape!" Pinkie explained, and started to stretch out Twilight's esophagus till she reached her stomachic mouth, and after enjoying the pressure and acid feeling of twilight's body down there, Pinkie retrieved her own erection, covered in glooie strands of Twilight's mucosa, to let her take a breathe before repeating once again, and again, and again. Close from there, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack, were taking a nap. They all had suffered the unsatisfaction of being cursed, and they all had been pleased several times by their friends. Her bodies were tired, and after Pink filled their wombs and stomachs with hot sweet milk, little else they could do than falling asleep. They were peacefully sleeping in a compact pile, everypony tenderly snuggled with each other, their content faces all bathed between substantial amounts of their body fluids. Her battered manes and tails, signals of their own satisfaction, her warm smiles were stained with the droll, and other secretions that her friends had managed to push out of their hearts. Their whole bodies were covered in Pinkie's cum, and most of their holes were still dripping her cum, along with the one of their other friends. "Besides, we need to finish in both sides, or the course will not be broken." Pinkie added, felling how her cum was about to come out. "Fine. Just to break the curse, but you have to follow my lead." Maud accepted, after coming in Twilight's ass again. Pinkie knew that Maud's lead was hard and slow, but she was also getting tired of being unsatisfied. Also, she wanted a blowjob from Twilight, so she made it last. Pinkie didn't cum so fast like with the others, after all this might be her only chance doing this since her sister seemed to be looking for a serious relationship with her Alicorn friend, and Pinkie was going to respect that. "Wait! How comes you know how to end the effects of the statues? Did you know about them beforehoof?" Twilight barely managed to ask, in one chance Pinkie gave her to breathe. "Of course I knew, Twily, gagly, flashy! I was there with Maud the first time we found them. We got crazy we did a lot of funny things to each other and we stretched Maud's little white pussy in the same way we're now taking you only that you aren't so small, we enjoyed it a lot but Maud's pet didn't but the curse was broken and since that moment Maud's my very bestest friend." Pinkie explained, but since she didn't stop thrusting herself into Twilight's mouth, Twilight couldn't understand even half of it. Maud was relieved for that. "Since then Maud adopted a rock as pet, and you know the rest..." Pinkie finished, and that's the only part Twilight could really hear. Both mares were enjoying, each one their part of Twilight. The heat was building up. Their thrusts were firm and strong. Maud was particular enjoying Twilight's silky tail, While Pinkie seemed to find joy stroking Twilight's horn, sometimes with her hooves, and sometimes between her perked teats. The sisters had achieved a pace were their members seemed to meet each other half-way inside the purple princess, separated only by Boulder who was still rolling inside her. And while Twilight had came several times, the Pies were doing the very best they could to enjoy her one last time, as long they could. "My, my. You seem awfully quiet since you're focusing all your attention on them." Rarity announced, getting Twilight's horn inside her own lubricated marehood. "It's not fair! You're the only ones doing Twilight." Rainbow Dash reclaim, after arriving flying along with fluttershy, who immediately picked on one of Twilight's wings to start cares in and nibbling on it, while Rainbow Dash took the other to do the same. "To be honest I think this all is a bad idea, but if that's what y'all wanna do, then I'm not goin' to stop you." Applejack commented, before laying on the mud under Twilight's belly, and unable to suck on her teats that were being groped by Maud, she started to lick their coitus. Altering between Twilight sensitive clit, and Maud's rod when she was pulling it, or marehood when she was pressing it against Twilight insides. Her face suddenly became drenched with Twilight's female cum, and she knew that getting dirty for a well done job had their rewards. Now she was really anxious about getting a taste of Maud's cum, it surely wasn't going to taste to apples, or even so sweet like Pinkie's one, but she was really curious after the taste of rocks it due to her diet. Twilight could feel Rarity's fluids sliding from her unfolded marehood to her face. Not all of them were Rarity's, Twilight had learned from Maud, to distinguish the properties of the liquid from those magical members, and her own female juices. Twilight was surprised in the way Rarity was using her horn to please herself, Twilight felt uncomfortable with the hindlegs of her Fashionista friend at the sides of her head, and her weight stroking her head, so she tried to be rough with her horn with the intention of her friend riding off her head, but instead Rarity seemed to enjoy it more. Her internal folds were evidently contracting, and her horn became so stimulated in way it never had been before, that without noticing, she was coming from her horn again. In the other hoof, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were giving her such wingjob, that Twilight never thought such pleasure could be delivered through her wings, they were grooming and pimping each feather and each skin pore in her wings, in a way she never felt really confident to do herself. She had washed her wings before, but she really never took the time to explore that part of her body before, they were mostly bones in the core, and felt like so, but actually wings are pretty much muscle, and many things that had seemed to hurt her before, were now being incredibly pleasurable. Twilight never had felt confident to relax her wings before, but under the expert guide of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, Twilight learned about how feathers caressed against the natural angle of growth made her feel a relaxing sensation, and which feathers, when they are pulled or stimulated, make her feel and an even funnier sensation, other very different to ticklish, of pain, but something arousing, something perceptible for all her muscles in her body, something that was clouding her mind and was bringing other feathers around to have the same effect. Applejack below, was craving for the love juices of a princess, she had never tasted something like that before, but it ought to have a good taste. She was so curious about Twilight's flavor because it had been the only one of her friends that she hadn't tasted today. She was also interested on Maud's flavor, after all, her diet consisting on rocks seemed pretty interesting, and something like that had to give her a very particular flavor to her fluids too. Waiting for their juices, for what seemed an awful lot, Applejack could feel a hoof starting to play with her nethers. It was Twilight's hoof, the other one was firmly clinging to Pinkie Pie's cutie mark. Twilight was being lifted mainly by her wings thanks to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, who kept teaching to Twilight and Maud how to use pegasi wings as erogenous zone, nibbling and pressing the right bits of her relatively new anatomy, yet unexplored. Pinkie's not-so-mini-her, was stretching Twilight's throat in a way Twilight never thought possible, but she never had dreamed with intrauterine sex before, and yet that's what Maud was doing to her right then. It felt much weird with Pinkie occupying her mouth in the other side, it was like if they both were clenching her intestines down. In fact they were rubbing their elongated members in unison with the one of her sister, inside twilight's abdomen. Twilight suddenly felt like she was being tunneled like the clay cow in the weird set of statues that had caused all this. And weirder was the fact that Twilight was enjoying it. When she felt Rarity's cum sliding from her forehead again, thanks to her indulged horn, or the tenderness and care that Fluttershy, but specially Rainbow Dash that didn't use to be like that, were putting pampering her wings, Twilight couldn't help but to feel flattered. And along with the grateful moans from all her friends, and her acceptance to all her moves, the Pie sisters started to increase their well coordinated pace, and Applejack increased the strength of the suction in her kisses on Twilight's invaded marehood. Applejack was carresing her own crotch just like everypony not-inside-Twilight around. And just when her marehood was in that wonderful zone where every movement of her hoof produces a little orgasm, she heard a desorganizated rain of everypony's moans, and a shudder in all the hind hooves surrounding her. That ended in the collapsing tremor of all her squirting friends around, but specially in Twilight's body above her. Not just on her, but also inside her. Applejack could hear the slight sound of the Pinkie coming inside, and she could see how both of her members were scraping against each other, in a weird and incestuous way, almost fighting for Twilight's insides dominance. Fact that made her come, but also rush her mouth to Twilight's marehood, with hope of having some of Maud's cum, but she got only Twilight's bitter juices. With Rarity fainting out again, over Pinkie Pie this time, The pink and excited mare just pushed her friend out of the way, and unsheating her member by lifting the upper part of Twilight's body in front of her. She started a new insertion, this time inside Maud's stressed but lubricated lower lips. "Pinkie, what are you doing? I didn't hold down for you to do this with me! I just thought it was too soon." Maud said, like fighting a very hurtful sensation. "You're being kinda meanie with Twilight. You knew we shouldn't hold up once we were doing this to her." Pinkie commented, grinding herself as fast as she could inside Maud. Everypony around was amused at the complex structure in which Twilight was inserted. Pinkie was eagerly attacking her own big sister marehood, while all that bouncing made Maud's member satisfy by chance the purple mare between them. When Twilight came, that made both of Maud's organs come, which made her sister come too. And then, as last prank of the day that had just died, Pinkie changed holes, from Maud to Twilight. Everypony was still in place, and while Twilight's horn had given to Rarity pretty good action, the others had enough energy to play with themselves at least one last time. And they, under the effect of the statues, were just taking mental notes on Twilight's tired face, soaked mane, and docile body. Everypony except Maud. "Pinkie, you're losing control again." Maud warned, starting to feel how her flesh inside Twilight's butt was being compresed even more thanks to Pinkie's rod entering in Twilight's marehood. "I'm not!" Pinkie countered, and without more explanations, she started to rub the whole length of her flesh with the soft insides of Twilight, and the rock-hard erection of her sister behind Twilight's vaginal walls. Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash kept playing with the wings of the princess, while Applejack kept stimulating her nethers along with what she could catch up of the Pies. Both sisters were standing in her hindlegs while Pinkie was holding the tired Twilight up between them. "This way the curse won't break" Maud adviced, pressing Twilight's teats, pushing the hardened meat of her sister against hers. Grinding inside considerably faster, starting to lose control herself. Pinkie always knew how to have fun, and double penetrating a princess after having an orgy with your bestest friends, is one of the best things you can do to have fun in Equestria. Everypony accelerated their pace, even Rarity who was half unconscious started to masturbate at the scene. Hooves got drenched, vulvas squirted again, and while Pinkie wasn't even containing a single bit. Maud felt every ecstasy moan filling the air like a cheering for her throbbing member, and while she had wanted something better for Twilight, her sister just knew her tastes, and her weak points, too well. So unable to contain anymore, Maud released all the cum she was saving for Twilight alone, since her sister started to bug them. When both Pies released their creamy content inside the deepest parts of Twilight body, Applejack finally got her chance to slurp some of Maud's cum. She was authentically surprised by how contrasting was Pinkie's slippery, sweet flavored cum, compared to Maud's thick, almost solid, salty jizz. They came so much that some of their cum made its way through Twilight's body, and came out from the other side, and while Twilight had tasted both fluids before, she hadn't tasted them mixed along with some of the flavors from her own inwards. Everypony was coming, everypony with different intensities, but none of them as hard as Twilight Sparkle. Maud came pretty hard too, and Pinkie tried to not fall behind any of them, but everypony else was half asleep anyway. And so, everything became blurry for a moment. "Hey, the curse. Is it broken? Pinkie?" Maud wondered, after regaining breath, thinking that the curse could only be broken performing the same position than the bovine statues were displaying. "I'm smooth! It's not fair, I wanted to cum some more inside you!" Pinkie answered, also alarmed, wondering if they had even performed that last position before, and why the curse never had been broken like that before. "Well, it's over now I guess. Where is my dress? I feel like naked when I'm not wearing it." Maud said, yet a bit dizzy by all the blood flowing back to her head, and the darkness of night that had fallen so suddenly in her opinion. "What a horrible night to have a curse." Pinkie retorted, fetching Maud her dress. "Oh, yeah! That's what I call a good archeological expedition!" Rainbow Dash said, stretching her muddy body off, from what had seemed like a long nap. "I'm gonna need vacations to recover from this expedition." Rarity mentioned, magically cleaning the mud from her pristine coat. "Oh, my..." Fluttershy said blushing, and those were her only words. "Dont worry, Sugarcube. We all did thing we hadn't do if we hadn't been under the effect of those silly statues." Applejack reassured to her ashamed friend. "I wanted to cum inside Rainbow Dash." Pinkie Pie added, happily bouncing away. "That reminds me, an unicorn once told me impregnation between females using these statues was possible. So until you want to have a foal without know who is the other mother, I recommend you all a contraceptive spell right away." Maud explained, having a little of trouble to get on her dress again. The world around her was still spinning. "At least our first experience wasn't an incestuous one." Rarity commented, with relief in her voice. "Actually, Fluttershy is my cousin." Rainbow Dash confessed, blushing a bit, but nopony commented anything to that. "Wait a moment. Where is Twilight?" Maud asked, slightly alarmed, probably in the most alarmed way she had asked for anything in her life. "And the statues? Where are the statues?!" Pinkie pie asked, at the edge of freaking out. "I'm here!" Twilight said out of nowhere, her messy mane and stressed expression seemed a bit off to the elegant and centered self that Maud had seen so far, yet it was a bit dark and Maud hadn't recovered completely yet. "Twilight, I want to say, that I'm sorry for how everything turned out. I didn't know my sister was going to do what she did to you. I think that the statues affected me after all, but I want to explain that everything I said was true. I know I'm doing my rocktorate, and you're a princess and all, but my feelings for you are true, and if you accept to be mine, you will be in good hooves." Maud clarified, visibly blushing. Everypony found evident that Maud wasn't used to declarations or confessions, but inexplicably everypony found her declaration towards Twilight, very moving. "Now it's my turn to explain, to you all, an interesting concept that Princess Celestia ordered me to study after becoming a princess." Twilight countered, standing on her hindlegs, displaying a double erection, each one the size of one of her legs. "The concept of retaliation." She finished, smiling sinuously. Twilight had hid the statues, and before dawn, she had double bucked everypony. Except for the Pies, they were raped at the same time as last. The curse was broken when Twilight and Pinkie double penetrated Maud in the same fashion that the clay bulls were doing with the cow in the set of statues. Maud ran away after that just like her white pussy did long ago. Boulder was recovered later, in Ponyville. Twilight kept him. Spike never knew what he had missed for not going to that expedition, just because he wanted to take one free day from Twilight and eat some jewels. Rarity made them all promise to never speak about what happened during that expedition, she wrote it down in her diary though. Fluttershy was able to speak again, over time... Applejack told the whole thing to her family. Her brother had a hard-on. Granny Smith explained them the risks of inbreeding relationships. Apple Bloom considered that they ought to be perverts to think in something like that. Rainbow Dash wrote a Daring Do fanfic based on this experience. It never had positive reviews, but had a huge commercial succes when she changed the names of the characters to make it an unrelated story. Pinkie's friends made her a parade for every single mare in Equestria that she hadn't raped yet. They weren't an awful lot of them. Maud finished her rocktorate like the second best in her class. She stills in love with Twilight... The end. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Sun, Moon, and Twilight author: Dreec tags: character:Princess Celestia, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Adventure, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter 1 === Sun, Moon, and Twilight There she stood on the highest tower in the palace. Again, she had to raise the moon and lower the sun. Again, she pondered why she had to take this role. Again, she spread her wings and leaped into the air with a single, powerful flap. Again, she let herself be flooded with magic powerful enough to move the two celestial orbs and keep her afloat. Again, it took no effort to push the sun below the horizon and lift the moon on the opposite side. Again, she landed with a dull 'thud' on the balcony floor. The alicorn inspected her work. "Failed again..." The night she created never seemed to be as beautiful as Luna's. To the untrained eye it would seem about the same, but the alicorn knew better. As far as she could tell most of the constellations were identical, yet it felt undeniably different. Nopony would feel inspired by this alignment of the stars or the moon. Even in these clear winter nights it was obvious something was missing. It felt dull, lacking the usual magic and the romantic sheen. The night she called forth just wasn't the same. But the night didn't even belong to, her did it? The connection between the alicorn and Luna's night was only artificial after all. The lack of beauty was just a small sign of it. It was simply agonizing for her. She strove to meet everypony's expectations; that is what she did her whole life. But in the last few days the alicorn had to constantly face her own inability to fix anything. Not even the night would acknowledge her work, as if the stars themselves were trying to mock her for her shortcomings. Every. Single. Night. The sun, on the other hoof, felt the same it ever had. While raising the sun, the alicorn was engulfed in its comforting warmth. The icy and ever-twisting dagger in her conscience almost melted away for as long as the ritual of breaking dawn lasted. In contrast to the night, which was more like a delicately crafted masterpiece of art only a real artist could pull off, the preponderance of the day was focused in that enormously powerful ball that brings light to all of the lands. She snapped out of her drifting thoughts and let her head hang low. "So... another night in the archives then," the alicorn sighed. One of the two guards at the balcony entrance spoke up, startling the alicorn who had forgotten that her new, ever vigilant guards were with her. "The Royal Archives are prepared, ma'am." The alicorn looked at the two stallions. Their breath formed visible puffs of vapor, yet they tried their hardest not to show how cold they felt. It was a good idea to mix the Night and Day Guards, she thought to herself. By doing so, she hoped to ease the confusion in the palace and to calm the common-pony folk until the most recent obstacle was resolved. If it is possible to resolve this at all, echoed her mind. She shook her head at this thought. She couldn't give up hope just yet. "Thank you, Phalanx," she replied towards the golden clad unicorn of the Day Guard. "Could you inform the kitchen staff that they can go home? I will skip dinner tonight." Gladius, the silver armored pegasus Night Guard, raised his right front hoof to his head in a perfectly drilled example of a salute. "I will send somepony right away, ma'am." After he took off to attend to his new duty, the alicorn raised an eyebrow at Phalanx. "I was pretty sure I told everypony to stop that." "Please excuse him, ma'am," he said with a concerned look. "Most of the guards are more at ease if we can keep something resembling a chain of command." His face took a serious expression. "That is what we were trained for after all." The alicorn flinched a little, feeling a sudden pang of guilt, but tried her best not to show it. She needed to stay firm. It was her duty. The only pillar keeping Equestria together was not allowed to waver even in the slightest. Too much depended on her at the time. "It's all right." She tried to reassemble her stoic mask. "We all lost something. But rest assured: I won't stop until everything is fixed again." While she moved past Phalanx she said, "Given what I just claimed, we should probably get going." Phalanx followed the alicorn inside the tower, the highest one in the palace, before they made their way down to the Royal Archives. She had started to dislike the archives. They were created after Luna dabbled into far too dangerous knowledge, which ultimately led to her transformation into Nightmare Moon and, soon after that, a thousand years of banishment. To prevent such an event from occurring again, Celestia started to collect the most dangerous arcane arts and knowledge to limit access to them, for the most part even to herself. If only she had kept it that way. After a short while, they arrived at an enormous wooden portal, at the centre of which sat a large seal modelled after Celestia's solar cutie mark. Phalanx gave the two guards, a mixed pair again, a simple nod which made them step aside and, again to the pain of the recipient, salute in that well drilled manner. The alicorn frowned at her personal guard, who shrugged in return. "I will try to take care of that later, ma'am. If you will excuse me, I will instruct the next shift not to interrupt you. Oh, and because the weather pegasi scheduled snow tomorrow, we need to prepare for that as well." He set off as the mare flicked her horn to move the lock aside and entered the old archives. The familiar smell of old tomes, dusty shelves and knowledge reminded her of home. Yet this place made her uncomfortable. Enormous and ancient wooden bookshelves, each filled to the brim with hundreds of books, lined the walls. Every single one was preserved with numerous magic spells invoked by Celestia herself. The alicorn felt incredibly small, these seemingly endless mountains of knowledge towering over her. The answers she was looking for had to be here. Books had always held the answers to all the questions she had faced in the past. But knowledge holds consequences. An opened book can hardly be ignored, and once its secrets are revealed there is no turning back. "Don't get distracted now, you foal..." she mumbled to herself. "You are running out of time. Equestria needs you. Everypony needs...." The icy dagger in her gut twisted around. Equestria didn't need her. The inhabitants of Equestria needed their princesses back. They needed Celestia and Luna. The portal closed shut behind Twilight Sparkle. A long night of lonely study ahead. Again. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ++++++++++++++++ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ A few weeks earlier... After Spike finished his usual chores way ahead of time, he decided to prepare lunch for Twilight. For quite some time the unicorn had been studying even harder than usual. Her sleeping habits had become affected by her staying up way past midnight on a regular basis, working all night just to sleep late into the following day. Usually, he would let her sleep, since that is what she seemed to lack most these past few weeks, but she also needed to eat properly. And by Celestia's mane, he would make sure Twilight would eat properly. "Twilight?" he whispered as softly as he could. The baby dragon waited a few seconds before trying again. "Twilight get up. It's almost lunchtime and I made your favourite!" No reaction. Spike grew impatient. He had felt the urge to do something for her, so he decided to make her favourite meal: daffodil sandwiches and celery soup. And this would not be in vain. He was convinced that Twilight would enjoy the food he made, and after a claw-made meal, he might even be able to get her to take a break for once. For a while now it had become increasingly difficult to get her to eat properly, and it took Spike a big chunk of effort to make her stop work for even a moment to grab a bite to eat or just relax for an hour. With growing frustration, Spike started poking her. "Twilight?" Still no reaction. "Come on, Twilight!" He poked again with a little more force, which finally resulted in her giggling a little. "Ugh... Spike?" Twilight tried to stifle her giggle. "Wha-? Why are y-? Do you have any idea how late it is?" She pulled her blanket over her head. "Let me sleep." Spike had no intention of letting that happen. "Do you have any idea how late it is? I made lunch for you and I promise it will pay off if you get up," he said while tugging softly at her blanket. Twilight tried to think of a response which would let her return to sleep. Unfortunately her mind was still clouded by her sudden awakening, and wasn't up to the task just yet. After a few seconds she realized what Spike had just said. "Lunch?" She removed the blanket from her head. "It's that late, huh? Fine, I'll get up." "Great! I'll heat the soup, you get your morning stuff ready!" he exclaimed while running out of the room. With a grunt, Twilight climbed out of her bed and almost stumbled over some books from her last study session. Which, again, lasted almost until dawn. Twilight gasped at the mess in front of her, "Oh no!" Nearly the whole floor was covered in books, various papers and plenty of scrolls. The suddenly more than awake Twilight was shocked by the display. She forgot to put the preservation spell back on some of the books she loaned from Celestia, leaving them completely vulnerable. "Celestia will have my horn! Oh no no no no no." Carefully, she lifted the books up with her magic, engulfing them in a purple haze and stacking them neatly. "Allright, now full concentration," she said, before sticking her tongue out in an expression of determination. A glowing, purple layer of magic formed around her horn, an indicator of how much the unicorn was straining her magical abilities. Then a second layer appeared. And a third. After a few seconds, she focused enough power to unleash the spell, which resulted in several purple ropes forming out of thin air. These suddenly snapped around the stack of books only to disappear after a few seconds, leaving a purple sheen on them. "Doing all those books simultaneously is pretty hard," she mumbled while rubbing her forehead. "Oh!" Her horn glowed again, levitating a scroll and quill from her nightstand. "Magical Morning Workout... CHECK!" Twilight felt the urge to check the books for any flaws. She would never forgive herself if they ever got damaged while in her possession or, even worse, disappointing Celestia by sullying these ancient and one-of-a-kind books. Usually no pony was allowed to remove them from the palace, but Celestia herself gave permission. Being the personal student of somepony with the ability to raise the sun comes with some decent perks. "Oh well, I can check on them later," she said to herself and, almost giggling, added, "actually, I should read some of them again!" Already positively giddy about the next session, her growling stomach reminded her of what Spike had said. "Daffodil sandwiches and celery soup! Yes!" Before heading downstairs she tended to her mane, the condition of which gave the false impression that she had had a horrible night. The smell of freshly made soup filled the library. Mixed with the aroma of old wood, paper and ink, it warmed her heart. It smelt like home to her. The kitchen was only outfitted with the most basic of necessities - an oven, some shelves, a tiny bit of workspace, and a table which seated about six ponies. How Spike learned to cook and, more importantly, how he was able to craft any decent meal in this sorry excuse for a kitchen was a mystery to her. Even after consulting plenty of books, Twilight was unable to create a decent meal without something going wrong. Most of the time she would just end up getting some greasy but addictive fast food. "This smells delicious, Spike! But I thought you don't like celery soup?" Twilight went to the table and inhaled a deep whiff from the steaming pot of her favourite soup. "I know you like it. And it's not like I dislike it or anything. Its just that I prefer a more solid diet. Gemstones. You know. My sweets?" He hardly stopped himself from drooling. "Thanks, Spike. I really appreciate it. I guess thats why you are my number one assistant after all." Spike smirked at her. "Oh? I am sorry I didn't hear you." The unicorn frowned down at the purple baby dragon. "Not this again, Spike. We've been through that already, and I can't say I want to storm another dragon lair to save you." "You... you wouldn't save me anymore?" "O-of course I would!" Startled by the sadness in his eyes, she instantly regretted the way she had phrased that. "You know I didn't mean it like that. Spike, I will always save you. You would do the same for me, right?" The sadness in his eyes vanished as he flexed his arms and smiled genuinely. "You can bet on that! Don't worry, Twi, just pulling your leg a little." While moving the freshly made sandwiches to the table he added, "Trust me. I learned my lesson from that too." With everything in place, they dug in. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ++++++++++++++++ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Listen, Spike, we have been over this a hundred times by now." Twilight was pleased to see that Spike was concerned about her, but she had to do her work. "I am fine. I lack a little sleep, I agree on that, but that just happens sometimes." She was overworking herself with her research. She knew that. But she couldn't just leave things unanswered or unlearned, especially not with her current subject of interest. Her new project was proving to be her greatest challenge so far. She wasn't sure why she started to investigate it, but the lack of books concerning the matter was disturbing to her. "This is important to me and I think I can strike it big here," she argued. "Twilight, I know it's important to you, but don't you think it's weird that you have a day and night assistant?" His expression grew slightly angry. "You work almost double the amount we do! That can't be healthy." Ok, Twilight, compromise. You can do that, she thought to herself. "I still don't think I need a break at all. I have been very busy lately, I know, but I also know my limits," she said with a serious expression. "Come on Twil-," he tried to argue before Twilight cut him off. "Fine, how about we take the day off? We could go to Sugarcube Corner to get some sweets and after that... we could pay Rarity a visit," she said, winking at Spike. Her friend had asked her over several times in order to get Twilight out of the library for once, but she had repeatedly refused, as politely as possible of course. "Really?" he asked suspiciously. It was unlike Twilight to give in but he was happy he succeeded, even if it was just for today. And he would see Rarity! "I guess thats OK. You really need a break, Twilight." Twilight was about to insist that she didn't need a break but caught herself before she could go on. Since she had agreed on a break already it seemed silly to her to keep this argument going. "Come on, Spike, let's get going before I change my mind," she said while lowering herself, offering her back to her assistant. Without another word, Spike climbed onto her, a little smile on his face as he enjoyed the small victory he just achieved. They left the library and made their way to Sugarcube Corner. The sun was shining brightly and the sky was as blue as it could be. Since the Running of the Leaves, barely a week ago, it had started to get a little colder. Still no reason for winter clothing, but every time the wind hit Twilight she felt a pleasant little chill. She had to admit it felt good to be outside after being cooped up for so long, the fresh air clearing her lungs and mind with each breath she took. After a few minutes she felt almost newborn, clean, all the dust from the library falling off of her. As pleasant as it felt, she missed her books already. If only I could find more informa-... she was interrupted in her thoughts as she felt Spike shifting on her back. "Twilight?" he asked nervously while fidgeting around with his tail. "Yes?" "Are you sure everything is alright?" "Yes, Spike. I am fine," The words had slipped out in a harsher tone than she intended. "Would you let that matter rest now, please?" Twilight could feel Spike jerking back a little, shocked by her rough response, and only then noticed that she almost yelled at him. "I am sorry, Spike." she said in a much softer voice as she lowered her head. "Huh?" the baby dragon was perplexed by this sudden change of mood. "I know it troubles you that I work myself to the bone, but you know how it is," she tried to explain. "Sometimes I just get absorbed into my studies and lose track of my surroundings." "I didn't ask for an apology, Twilight." "I know you didn't. But one is due and we both know it. I promise I will take better care of myself, so stop worrying so much. Let's just enjoy the day, OK?" He put his arms round her neck her from behind. "It's OK, Twilight, I understand." Soon they arrived at Sugarcube Corner where they bought some sapphire cupcakes for Spike and two pieces of cloud cake, a supposed delicacy from Cloudsdale. After that, they made their way to Carousel Boutique to pay Rarity her long overdue visit. Rarity's concern, without a doubt ignited by Twilight's purple-scaled, over-eager guardian, had to be taken care of as well. If Twilight had to spend an afternoon outside the library to calm all the fuss about her, she was happy she could do it by visiting one of her best friends at least. And, even though she wouldn't like to admit it, the fresh air seemed to have worked wonders on her mood. The boutique was open, but Rarity was nowhere to be found in the showroom. Twilight cleared her throat to draw some attention. "Rarity?" Twilight asked into the room. "Yes, one moment, dear!" sounded from one of the backrooms. She motioned Spike to get off her back while waiting for Rarity. After a few moments the white coated and purple maned fashionista entered from her working room. "Forgive me for making you wait, Twilight. You have to use your creativity when it strikes you." She noticed Spike while trotting towards Twilight, with as much elegance as ever. "Hello, Spike." They exchanged a knowing glance,"how are you doing?" "Fine, really. Finally got some free time," the purple assistant answered in a poor attempt at feigning ignorance. Twilight frowned at them. She was probably right about her over-eager guardian being the reason for Rarity's numerous attempts to get Twilight out of the library. "I brought some cloud cake from Sugarcube Corner, well, Cloudsdale as Mrs. Cake explained to me. For some reason they can only make it in Cloudsdale, so they don't get it that often. I always wanted to try some, but never got the chance." "That sounds fabulous! Let's go into the kitchen and get some tea to go with that cake of yours," she turned towards one of the back rooms, "and while we wait for the tea you can tell me everything about your newest project, darling." Oh that's how it is going to be, thought Twilight. Well, I saw this coming. They took their places at the kitchen table and watched Rarity make tea. Spike didn't wait to indulge in his treats, and with a satisfied smile on his face, fell asleep soon after. After steeping the tea Rarity poured some for herself and Twilight. "Rarity?" Twilight sniffed at the tea. "Is that... is that blend... Morning Dew? "Why yes, Spike told me you like it. It's so hard to get here that I had to make a friend from Canterlot send me some. I hoped you would like it." "Yes I do like it... very much so," she said while her face took on a nostalgic expression. "That's the tea I used to drink with Celestia after she raised the sun in the morning..." Just the fragrant smell brought back pleasant memories of their almost daily ritual of morning tea. Almost every day she would watch Celestia raising the sun at the highest tower of the Castle, then share this particular tea with her - probably the only time that Twilight and Celestia could spend time together as a little more than student and teacher. Twilight couldn't spend much time with her aside from the morning tea, even while living at the palace, between Celestia's duties concerning royal affairs and Twilight's lectures. "I wonder what else Spike told you, Rarity. He tends to get a little dramatic lately." Which wasn't exactly the truth. The day so far had made Twilight realize her own exhaustion, so her assistant wasn't too far off. "Oh... it was... kind of obvious, wasn't it?" She glanced over at the fast asleep Spike. "He was really worried, Twilight. I know he probably made everything sound a lot worse than it actually is, and you seem in good health, but your complexion could use some refreshment to be honest." "I'm fine, Rarity. It's true that I worked myself a little too hard, but it's not the first time, and it probably won't be the last. You of all ponies should know that when the creativity strikes you, you have to use it while it lasts." Rarity sighed. "I guess that I, of all ponies, can't argue about that. So what have you been working on, darling? The last time I saw you working that hard on something was when you searched for clues on the Elements of Harmony." "Well I won't bother you with all the details, "Twilight replied, " but did you ever think about how your magic really works?" "Whatever do you mean, darling? You just concentrate on something, and if you get it right, it happens." She levitated her cup, and took a gentle sip as if to prove a point. "At least for the simple spells I guess, apart from levitation and my gem-locator, I am not that skilled in magic." "Yes, but where does the energy to perform levitation come from? Even magic is bound to the laws of physics - if you lift something it requires force, if you heat something it requires energy, if you teleport... well, I haven't figured out how that works just yet." "I never thought about it that way to be honest," Rarity had to admit. Twilight became excited, as she rarely had somepony to talk about her research apart from Celestia. "Yes but that's just the tip of the iceberg." "There is more?" "Yes! Like, you don't get exhausted if you use magic right?" "Uhm actually, I do. I think everypony gets exhausted after straining themselves with too much magic." "No, what you mean is mental exhaustion. Unicorns need to concentrate on the task and that's what burdens your mind. Remember when I made those wings for you?" Twilight shifted, visibly uncomfortable about what she had to reveal. "I couldn't think straight for almost thirty minutes because my concentration couldn't keep up with the spell." "Oh my, I didn't know it put such a burden on you." "Well it was a new spell. If I have more time to understand the spell beforehoof this doesn't happen." With more determination, as if that could push the last fact aside, she continued. "What I mean to say, Rarity, is this: if unicorns don't provide the energy for magic, what does?" Rarity was dumbfounded by that statement. She had no particular skill at magic except for levitation, locating gems, and transforming cloth, but she knew there were other magic abilities that should require a lot more of whatever Twilight had just explained. "But surely somepony has questioned this matter before? I mean, it's obvious what you are getting at, and I am perplexed it didn't strike me before, but somepony must have thought about that." "That's exactly it, Rarity." Twilight's eyes burned with excitement. "No pony did. Whatever I was able to dig up in my books about the matter was just empty words. Beating around the bush, so to speak." "I guess your determination is understandable if you explain it like that. But is it really that important? It works, right?" "Ugh.." Twilight groaned. "This is exactly the point Rarity, if we understand how magic works, we could use it a lot better," she argued. "What if everypony uses it the wrong way? There are a lot of unicorns with almost no magical ability. We could help them with this research." "Well, it does sound important, I guess." "It is important Rarity." "Did you ask Princess Celestia about this? She might be able to help you." "Yes, I did, she sent me some books on the matter, but they didn't turn out to be that useful. I guess I will report my meager findings and ask for some more advice." Her eyes shifted towards Spike, who was still fast asleep. "I planned on doing this today, but Spike sort of forced me to take a break." She paused for a few seconds. "Which admittedly was overdue." Rarity clapped her hooves together. "You are right! So let's forget about your work for a while." Rarity led the conversation into topics that were, in her opinion, more pleasing than the research of magic itself. So she went on about the newest fashion in Canterlot, the newest Ponyville gossip and how she wanted to expand her clothing range to include 'socks'. Twilight was surprised she could get herself to relax a little. Listening only with the surface of her mind, she drifted in and out of the conversation. When Rarity got into the newest gossip, Twilight would sometimes react with a faked little gasp, just to find her friend burning with excitement while sharing the oh so dark, unspoken truths of Ponyville. When fashion came up, she would just nod here and there. Twilight never had an eye for fashion and rarely wore any clothing. If she did, it would serve some practical purpose, like keeping herself warm or following some dress code for official occasions. After a while the conversation wound down, and while finishing their cake and tea, Twilight's thoughts drifted off to her research again. Since the books from the princess didn't turn out to be useful, she was at a loss for ideas. How was she supposed to find something if she wasn't even remotely aware of the underlying concept behind this mystery? All she had were some loose theories based on even more vague theories. The sky, slowly gaining a slight green tint, signaled that the sun was going to set soon, making Twilight snap out of her drifting thoughts. "Oh... I almost forgot. I still need to write a report to Princess Celestia," she said while she carefully levitated the still fast asleep Spike onto her back. Rarity nodded at her friend. "You had better get going then. Don't let me keep you away from your work." She tried to stifle a giggle as this was exactly what she and Spike had intended to do for today. "Thanks for the tea, Rarity. I really needed that break," Twilight had to admit again. Rarity smiled at her friend. "No no no, Twilight Sparkle, I enjoyed this as much as you did, the cake was delicious. Just make sure you don't trouble Spike so much. Promise me to take better care of yourself, ok?" Twilight gave her the most reassuring smile she could muster. "I will try." "Oh wait, I almost forgot," Rarity exclaimed excitedly and went to a drawer. "It's getting rather cold lately, and with the winter coming I thought of promoting my new collection by placing a nice scarf on a nice mare as a promotion. And oh look!" She turned back towards Twilight. "What have we here? A fabulous mare." As soon as Rarity stopped speaking Twilight knew exactly where this was going. Rarity returned with a rather cute scarf. It was apple-green with a delicate leaf-like pattern colored orange and yellow giving it a very autumnal feel. Even Twilight's low aesthetic senses could pick up on the fact that Rarity's new fashion line showed great promise. "Thanks, Rarity, bu-" Rarity was already in full motion to wrap the scarf around Twilight's neck. "And don't you think about thanking me for that, darling. The others each already got something from my collection, and you are the only one that missed out on some accessoire." "Tha-,"she barely stopped herself from saying thanks. "I mean, it looks really pretty. I like it. Don't worry, I'll make sure to show it off, Rarity." Back at the library, Twilight placed Spike in his basket upstairs and decided to write the letter that was riding on her mind all day. Dear Princess Celestia, Today I learned another lesson about friendship. Sometimes, your friends know more about you than you know about yourself. And while they only want to help you, and express that they are worried, this can sometimes be mistaken as them bothering you. I learned that you should listen to your true friends. If they are worried enough about you to express it in this fashion, chances are high that there is a reason for it not quite as obvious to yourself. However, I do not write to you just because of my most recent lesson about friendship. My chosen subject of study turned out to bear no fruits so far except uncovering more questions. Thank you again for the books you have sent me. Sadly, they turned out to be not that helpful. While they grazed the topic of my research, the actual information on the matter proved to be meager at best. I would like to ask you for some further assistance. Could you perhaps share any of your knowledge? Can you recommend any other literature on the topic? Can you point me towards any other sources I could rely on? Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle PS: I will send the books back after I check them again, just in case I missed something. Twilight had read through the letter three times but found nothing to fix. She was getting a little desperate to ask Celestia for so much help, but the feeling of how important her findings could be just wouldn't let go of her. She turned towards the books the princess had sent her. It was the first time that books, hoofpicked by the princess no less, didn't hold the answer to her questions. They didn't even help. They only made clear that next to nothing was known about that subject yet. It was hard to believe no pony had researched this topic so far. One of the most fundamental wonders of pony history untouched? Did everypony besides her fail? Did no pony care? Twilight couldn't believe that. She was determined to find out how magic works, where it came from, and how to aid those with less magical talent. Twilight sealed the scroll and placed it next to Spike's basket, so the first thing he would do in the morning would be to send the letter to Princess Celestia. The exhaustion of the last few weeks suddenly caught up to her and despite the evening being rather young she decided to go to sleep. One night without study won't make a difference, was the the last thing on Twilights mind while her head hit the pillow. A few seconds later she fell asleep. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ++++++++++++++++ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The letter and Spike were gone, indicating it had already reached the princess, and with some luck, Spike had made something edible by now. After tending to her, yet again, messy mane, Twilight made her way downstairs to eat. On her way down, she skipped the last few steps with a joyful jump, almost bumping into Spike. "Well look who's up already, it's pretty early for you." Spike couldn't help but smile at Twilight. It had been a while since he saw her with that much energy. Twilight let out a small giggle. "You were right, Spike. I really needed a break. Sorry for worrying you." "Already forgotten all about it, Twi, don't worry. There's some soup left from yesterday if you're hungry. You know, it tastes better on the second day." "Oh, I actually hoped there would be some leftovers." Twilight felt considerably more hungry now that she had the prospect of indulging in her beloved celery soup. While both of them made their way to the kitchen, Spike gave a brief report on his chores. "Oh and before I forget Twilight, I sent the letter to Princess Celestia this morning." "Good job, Spike. Please tell me right away when you get an answer please." "Well, she already did. The letter is on your nightstand. Didn't you see it?" "Uhh... I guess not. I didn't pay attention." In her mind she scolded herself - she was eager to read that letter now, but her stomach won the very short argument between curiosity and plain hunger. "But hey, that was pretty fast!" she exclaimed. "Let's get that soup boiling so I can go read it!" Twilight hoped that this letter would enable her to make some progress on her current research topic. After pleasing her stomach, Twilight made her way to her study and bedroom. She fetched the letter with her magic, cut the seal, and rolled it out on her reading table. My dear and most faithful student Twilight, I would like to help you with your research as I am able to see its importance. Therefore I hereby invite you to the palace, if you can spare the time. I take it that Spike is able to deal with the library alone for a while. I await your quick answer. Your loving mentor, Princess Celestia of Equestria PS: I will take care of transportation, as soon as you have made preparations. Twilight's face shifted from disbelief to pure bliss after she read the letter again. She couldn't believe that the princess was taking professional interest in her research. Generally, Celestia would be interested in anything Twilight did, but this was different. She knew that her current topic of study promised to be important. But 'Princess Celestia, Ruler of Equestria' important? Scholars from all over the world would give their last bit for a chance to conduct research with Princess Celestia. In her mind she had already scribbled down a mental checklist. - Make sure Spike doesn't ruin the library. - Answer the princess. - Pack the books from the princess. - Ask Rarity to look after Spike once in a while. - Make absolutely sure Spike does not destroy the library. She didn't miss Canterlot, neither did she miss the palace, but she did miss working directly with the princess. The private training and lessons she had received were some of the most precious times she could remember. Twilight liked her new life in Ponyville, but sometimes she missed the relationship she had with Celestia. Even if it mostly consisted of morning tea. This would be a great chance to spend more time with the princess. After writing a short reply that she would like to take up on that offer as soon as possible, she started packing all the books she would need. She was only interrupted once, by yet another quick response from Celestia saying that a carriage would pick her up tomorrow. With these things in mind, she wasted no time instructing Spike, who was more than happy about the chance to take care of library all by himself for some time - even more so after Rarity agreed to look after him once in a while. The night came as fast as Princess Celestia's answers. But this time it wasn't rest well spent. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ++++++++++++++++ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Darkness. Twilight's mind couldn't come up with anything else to describe what filled her vision. The all-encompassing blackness around her was without form. Even the darkest night she had witnessed had held at least some sort of illumination, be it the stars or the moon, but nothing could be spotted in this void. After what seemed like an eternity, something filled a distant part of the darkness with light. Two orbs appeared at what Twilight took to be the horizon - one radiating a golden aura, the other shining like the purest silver. As they grew in size, they also grew in brilliance. After a few seconds, she had the feeling they didn't grow, but instead drew closer to her. Just as she was beginning to worry that the orbs would engulf her, they slowed and halted at a respectful distance from her. Twilight followed the golden orb with her gaze as it started to move upwards, describing an arc above her. As soon as it reached the 'horizon' at the other side of Twilight, the silver orb she assumed to be the moon followed the arc the solar doppelganger had traveled before. The two spheres kept the unicorn between them, serving as an axis for their rotation around her and forming a permanent line consisting of sun, moon, and herself. As she watched the orbs rise and fall through the 'horizon', she noticed that they caused ripples on whatever surface she was currently standing on. She followed the tiny waves with her eyes as they slowly closed in on her. Curious, she tried to figure out what exactly the plane was made of. It reflected the two objects rotating around Twilight like a mirror, but it was completely black and flat apart of the ripples the orbs caused. She followed the ripples with her eyes, and as the first tiny wave hit her hooves, for the first time she noticed her own reflection. But it wasn't her. Exactly mirroring her stance was a grey mare, her face completely void of any emotion. The pony on the other side was connected to her at the hooves as if they were standing on each other, completely defying gravity. She examined the pony on the other side of the mirror. She was covered in what seemed to be glowing white runes. Her eyes were closed and everything but her head was engulfed in something like a heat haze, distorting her features in a strange way. Twilight noticed that the orbs had stopped in their tracks. They had risen just enough so that they were barely visible above the horizon at opposite sides of her. She thought about taking a step towards what seemed like the sun, to figure out why they had stopped, but her heart skipped a beat as she was suddenly terribly afraid to move even a single step. The surface was some sort of liquid. The only coherent thought in her head was that she was in fact standing on that other mare. She looked down again at the mirrored surface, but instead of the grey mare a purple unicorn now stared back at her, covered in the same glyphs as before but with brightly glowing eyes and without the hazy distortion. She knew those eyes, cold and hard though they appeared. They belonged to herself. Panic gripped her mind. She tore her gaze away and frantically ran her eyes over her body, finding the same runes now adorning her own coat and pulsating with a bright violet sheen. In shock, Twilight stumbled backwards, losing control over her body. She fell. She fell through the surface. She fell past the mysterious mare. *WHUMP* She fell out of bed. "Ugh..." Twilight groaned. Disoriented and still wrapped up in her blanket, she struggled for a moment to regain control over her body. As she finally unwrapped herself and stood up, the sore spot on her shoulder, which she had landed so gracefully on, reminded her of how devastating gravity could be. Dear Princess Celestia, Physics is painful. Your hurting student, Twilight Sparkle After tending to her furious mane, she went downstairs only to find Spike and a pegasus of Celestia's Royal Guard talking. After he noticed Twilight trotting down the stairs, he said with a smile, "Good morning, Miss Sparkle." It didn't take him long to notice her confused expression and the need to explain his presence. "Uhm... we are here to take you to the Palace. The Princess informed you, I take it?" "Oh yes! She did," Twilight answered with an embarrassed giggle. "I just didn't expect anypony so early," she added. Spike tried to suppress a chuckle. "Well, Twilight, it is past noon. Pretty early for you, I know." Twilight could feel the heat rising in her cheeks. She glared at Spike but couldn't keep it up for long. "You could have woken me up, Spike." "Please, Miss Sparkle, we just arrived five minutes ago. No harm done. We already moved your luggage into the carriage." He pointed vaguely in the direction of the door. "We will wait outside until you are ready." With this, he left the library. It didn't take Twilight long to grab her saddlebags and give Spike a few final instructions. "Tell Rarity if something goes wrong, OK? I don't know how long this research will take, but I will write you a letter and keep you up to date." With that said, and after a big hug, she made her way outside. After she stepped outside, she turned back one last time so she could say with a small laugh, "No parties, Spike. I'm going to trust you on this!" Four bulky pegasi strapped in front of a carriage waited for her. Twilight didn't mind this sort of transportation, but she would have been fine with a normal carriage, one that stayed on the ground, for example. She recognized this one as a larger version to the one she used to get to Ponyville the first time, just about twice the size and filled with her luggage. "We are ready, Miss Sparkle, just hop on. It won't take long. I take it you have flown before?" "Yes indeed, several times in fact. But these flying carriages make me kind of nervous - I'd rather stick to my balloon." She eyed the flying contraption suspiciously. "They just don't seem very safe to me." "Don't worry, we are the best. Before you know it, we will be at the Palace," he responded with a reassuring smile. She boarded the carriage, and not a minute later was high up over the clouds. The pleasant feeling of the wind whipping through her mane made her smile. Sometimes she was envious of pegasi for this feeling of freedom. After a while, though, she began to shiver from the cold. Twilight searched for something to shield her from the chilly wind without success until, with a sudden smile, she opened her saddle bags and used her magic to levitate the scarf from Rarity around her neck. "Guess friends are with you wherever you are..." she mumbled. "Something wrong, Miss Sparkle?" one of the Pegasi called back, struggling to overcome the howling wind with his voice. "Nothing wrong at all. I was just thinking aloud," she returned with a smile, now feeling a little more cozy with the scarf protecting her from the chill. The guard hadn't been exaggerating when he had claimed his team were the best. She had never traveled that fast before. Twilight couldn't help but get excited over the opportunity to conduct her research together with Princess Celestia. The dream she had experienced earlier still nagged at her. She had never considered dreams as something important, just the brain playing tricks, but this one had felt awfully 'real'. Twilight dismissed it for now, more important matters were at hoof after all. So it was that they made their way towards Canterlot, the palace, Princess Celestia, and, hopefully, answers. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Pen And Paper Hearts author: JMac tags: character:Dinky Hooves, character:Original Character, character:Pipsqueak, character:Silver Spoon, character:Snails, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== It's all in the game. === Pen And Paper Hearts "I scream my war cry and charge," declared Trogor the ogor. "'I will eat your livers!'" "I raise my axe and charge at my battle brother's side," stated Hard Head the minotaur. "I, the mighty Stupendor, summon the arcane forces of nature, preparing to blast it right between the eyes…!" "Um…" began Hermione Shyblossom, the pixie-fairy. "Is it too late to reconsider?" "That, like, totally depends, Quiz," answered Silver Spoon, from behind her GM screen. "Guys? Hermione is trying to call you back, do your characters listen to her?" "Oh, what is it now, Quiz?" snapped Snips. "Don't tell me you want to talk to them." "Yeah, Quiz. Your character always wants to talk to the monsters," said Snails. "Don't you ever just want to hit something?" "Actually, no, I really do not," said Quizzical Greystone. "I apologize if I am ruining the flow of your game, but I just do not think this is meant to be a combat encounter." What was your first hint?, thought Silver Spoon. Maybe that you're a low level party up against two dragons? She had to hide her face behind her screen to keep everypony from seeing her laughing. Once again, Quiz saves me from having to administer a total party kill. "Not combat? Oh, now that's an understandable mistake, for a rookie," said Snips, puffing himself up and affecting what he thought was a knowledgeable tone. "But when you have been gaming as long as I have you'll learn not to be fooled by such distractions." "I feel very strongly about this," said Quiz. Nothing in her tone indicated strong feelings. But her friends knew Quiz well enough to know that if the shy little unicorn was willing to speak up at all then she must feel very strongly indeed. "We're gonna lose initiative!" whined Button Mash. "Well, fine! Silver, I back my spell down to 'stand by.' But this better be good, Quiz!" "I have to back Quiz up," said Dinky. She usually did. Dinky and Quiz shared the role of the party's 'voice of reason.' "This is the first encounter, and we really don't have a plot hook yet. I know Silver's style, she expects us to talk to these guys." "Well, they do have us trapped, and they haven't tried to eat us yet," said Truffle. "That does indicate that the dragons want to talk." "I will go out and have a word with them," Quiz offered. "One way or another, it should not take much time." "Ok, but I'm not powering down, Quiz," warned Button. "If things get hairy it's up to your character to get clear of my area of effect!" "I understand, Button." It was well known that Button had taken the 'itchy trigger finger' quirk. It earned him five building points just for having an excuse to run his character the way he wanted. "Wait, Miss Quizzical shouldn't have to go alone," cried Pipsqueak. "Let me go, too." "Oh, you always want to protect Quiz," grumbled Dinky. "She's our only cleric, we're supposed to protect her." Pip's answer might have been a little more defensive than necessary. "Anyway, it's a good idea. I'm wearing Barding of Flame Protection. If there's trouble Quiz can hide behind me." "Thank you, Pip," said Quiz. "But my character is a pixie-fairy with only eight hit points. Having you at my side will do me little good if I fail to convince the dragons not to eat us." "Oh, let him go with you, Quiz," snapped Dinky. "He won't be happy if he doesn't get to be your white knight." "So, is this the action you all agree on?" asked Silver Spoon. "Yes, I believe so," answered Quiz. The rest of the party had no further debate. And so, Hermione the pixie-fairy, and Sir Bright Lance the noble destrier, went forth to parlay with the dragons. # "I waste it with my crossbow!" screamed Gloria the griffon, trying to take aim at a fleeing goblin. "You can't, Dinky," said Silver Spoon. "You can't shoot without hitting Sir Bright Lance." "Arggg! Pip, you are always in my way!" "I...I'm sorry…I...." Pipsqueak was confused by Dinky's outburst, but managed to recover. "I'll get him for you!" It was nothing for the Pip's character to run down and catch the goblin. "Don't squash him, Pip!" called Truffle. "He might know something." "Okay. I take him alive, Silver. And I give Gloria back the pouch he stole." "Thank you," grumbled Dinky, reluctantly. "Well, this is a good time to take our first break," said Silver. "You can interrogate your prisoner after lunch." In fact, Silver had not expected them to capture the goblin, and she needed time to think up something. Everypony took out the brown bag lunches they had brought, and Silver Spoon pulled a beautiful, lacquered bento box from under the table. This would be the first of two breaks today, as this was going to be an extra long gaming session. This was because the game was canceled next weekend in favor of another event. "So, has everypony made their plans for the Hearts and Hooves Day dance?" asked Silver, between bites of avocado roll. "I'm going with Twist," said Snails. His voice took on a dreamy quality. "It'll be our first date, unless you count lunches. Do lunches count?" "Actually, the dance hardly counts," said Truffle. "The chaperon to participant ratio is almost one to one. Hay, who wants to trade? I have daisy and mango chutney." Button waved half a sandwich. "PB and J?" "Your mom's homemade grape jelly?" "Yep." "Trade!" Sandwich triangles were passed across the table. "Anyway, I'm going with Peachy Pie and Sunny Daze," said Truffle, with a satisfied grin. "Both of them?" gasped Snails. Truffle shrugged, with obviously affected nonchalance. "They were standing together and I asked, 'Would you like to go to the dance with me?' I thought I'd take the one who answered first, but they both said 'yes' together. It would have been rude to pick just one." "Dude!" exclaimed Snips. He gave Truffle a high hoof. "I asked Sweetie Belle, and she said 'yes'!" cried Button. "She said yes, she said yes, she said yes…!" "You might want to calm down there, Button," said Snails. "Hay, I hear the whole CMC have dates now." "Yeah." Snips nodded. "Rumble and Featherweight asked Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. I'm not sure who's going with who. Actually, I don't think they're sure, either." "They're still arguing over which one is the other's wingman," laughed Truffle. "Rumble and Feather have dates?" asked Silver. She tried not to sound disappointed. "There's still one Crusader who hasn't been asked to the dance," sneered Dinky. She had been inducted into the CMC just that summer. Dinky was glaring right at Pipsqueak when she said this, and the only pony who didn't notice was Pip. "What are your plans for the dance, Quiz?" asked Snips. "What?" Everypony was glaring at him. Quiz's social anxiety was well known, and to ask her about a party was clueless and insensitive. Quiz looked up from her notebook, which she had begun filling with observations as soon as the subject of the dance had come up. "Oh, I am actually quite excited about the dance." The room fell silent and everypony stared. Finally, Dinky spoke. "You? You are excited about the dance? You, Quiz?" "Oh, yes. It is an aspect of friendship that I have not had the opportunity to observe. I expect the evening to be quite fascinating." "So you plan to hide at the back of the room and watch everypony," said Silver. "Like a naturalist watching wildlife from a blind?" "I would have chosen a less derogatory analogy," said Quiz, taken aback. "But yes, that is largely my plan for the evening. I am looking forward to it. Oh, dear, have I missed the whole point again?" "Yes!" cried everypony. "Bother," muttered Quiz, going back to her notes. "And what about our beautiful GM?" asked Truffle. "It would not be like you to be without plans for Hearts and Hooves Day." "Of course. And yeah, I have been asked to the dance. Like, several times, actually," Silver Spoon preened a bit. "But Diamond Tiara and I are going together, dateless. There's always a bunch of colts who go stud, and we plan to dance with them all!" "I'm going stud," said Snips. Silver ignored him. "Wait, one can do that?" Quiz looked up, with alarm. "I thought that arriving without a date would excuse me, that showing up alone would indicate a reasonable desire not to participate…" Silver laughed. "Sorry, Quiz. It's not all about dating. If you show up at the dance somepony is totally going to ask you to dance." "I'm going stud," repeated Snips. He continued to be ignored. "It's even worse than you think, Quiz," said Dinky. "Pinkie Pie is organizing the dance. Do you really think Pinkie is going to let you just hide all night?" Quiz sighed heavily. "It was, perhaps, an unreasonable hope on my part." "I still don't get how you and Pinkie get along so well," said Silver. "There can't be two ponies in all of Equestria so totally different." "Miss Pinkie claims that she understands me," said Quiz. "That may well be true. However, if that is the case then it must be me who is confused about myself. That actually seems likely." "Can we get back to the game, now?" demanded Dinky, making a ball of her empty lunch bag and tossing it into a waste basket. "If you guys will hold the goblin down, I think I can make the little weasel talk!" # "This is a trap," said Hermione Shyblossom, looking at the corridor ahead of the party. It had suddenly grown so narrow the party would have to walk in single file to proceed. "If it is not a trap then it is an ambush." "Quiz, you think too much," sneered Snips. "You should concentrate on drawing the maps, and leave the thinking to the better players." "You take that back, Snips!" cried Pipsqueak. "Miss Quizzical is a good player! You can't say she isn't, just because you make her do the mapping! And keep the dungeon log! And be the party cleric…!" "Oh, here we go again," groused Dinky. "You are always jumping in and defending Quiz." "You do it, too," said Pip. "That's different. And if you don't understand how it's different then I'm not going to explain it to you." Actually, Dinky couldn't explain it because she didn't understand how it was different. "Please, I do not need to be defended, I do not take offense," said Quiz. "And I do not feel I have been taken advantage of. I enjoy mapping, and I thought I was being rewarded. It came as a surprise to me that nopony else wanted to map." "Quiz's maps are beautiful," noted Truffle. This was an understatement. Every player had take at least one of Quiz's maps home as a keepsake. Silver Spoon had five of them framed on her bedroom wall. "Anyway, Quiz is right," said Dinky. "But if it's a trap it won't go off until we're all caught in the corridor. If I scout ahead of the party I can probably find it." "But if it's an ambush you'll be caught all alone," said Pip. "Let me come with you." "No thank you," snapped Dinky. "I don't need your character's big hooves getting in my way." "This would be a good time for a break," said Silver Spoon. "I know I could totally use a snack, if anypony wants to bribe the GM." Most of the players shuffled off to the snack dispensers, leaving Truffle, Quiz, and Silver alone at the table. From down the hall they could hear Dinky's angry protest, "No, Pip, you can not treat me to a juice box!" Quiz shook her head. "I am finding their behavior confusing, much more so than I am normally confused by my fellow ponies." She already had her notebook ready, in the hope that somepony could explain things to her. "Well, Dinky picks on Pip a lot," said Truffle. "And she picks on him because she likes him." "I have been told about this. I will not pretend to understand, though I admit normally I find their bickering oddly endearing. But over the last week Dinky has been growing increasingly mean to Pip. He has done nothing I know of to deserve such treatment." "Well, Quiz, can't you think of something Pip hasn't done that Dinky might be feeling hurt about?" asked Truffle. "I...oh! Yes, of course." "And the longer Pip puts it off the more hurt and angry Dinky gets," said Silver. "And the angrier she gets the more afraid to talk to her Pip becomes." "That is the most awful, tragic, saddening thing I can imagine," said Quiz. "Can nothing be said to them to make them understand?" Before Quiz got an answer the other players returned, and the game resumed. It didn't really matter. Truffle and Silver didn't actually have an answer anyway. # There was more bickering, but not enough to spoil the adventure. It was one of Silver Spoon's best efforts, and the whole party came away laden with treasure and rich with experience. Everypony agreed, the next time the dragons needed a favor it would be nice if they thought of the party. Even Snips admitted that it was a good idea, which was as close to apologizing to Quiz as he would get. Derpy came to walk the two littlest ponies home. Since they were neighbors she and Pip's mother took turns seeing the kids home after the game, and tonight was Derpy's turn. "Miss Derpy, I need to ask Miss Quizzical something," said Pip. "You and Dinky go on, and I'll catch up." "Alright, Pip. But keep us in sight," said Derpy. Dinky just gave him a look. Once they were alone Pip just stood there, looking at Quiz, until finally she had to take the initiative. "What is it, Pip?" "Um...Miss Qui...er...Quiz, you know that since my mum is a chaperon I get to go to the dance with you older ponies." Pip was puffing up his chest, and he pitched his voice a little lower. "Yes, Pip. I think it will be nice to see you there." Pip inhaled with all his might, then said the next thing all in one breath. "Quizwillyougotothedancewithme?" "What?" "Please go to the dance with me, Quiz," pleaded Pip. "You can tell anypony who asks you that you're with me, so you won't have to dance. If you don't want to dance with me that's okay, too." "I...," began Quiz. A moment later she repeated that. She'd said the word 'I' five times before she managed a complete sentence. "I am honored, Pip. Truly I am. But Dinky has been expecting you to ask her." "Do you really think so? She's been really mad at me lately." "Dinky is mad at you because you have not asked her to the dance." "Oh. Oh! Really? Are you sure, Miss Quizzical?" "I am certain. Now, please hurry home. I expect you to have a long talk with Dinky this evening. I do not expect to have to have this conversation again." "Thank you, Miss Quizzical, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Pip gripped Quiz around the neck so hard she couldn't breath. Then he dashed off to catch up with Dinky and Derpy. "Quiz? What the hay?" Silver Spoon always left well behind her players, because she couldn't stand to be seen by most of her friends in the company of 'those gaming geeks.' While she hung back she was not out of earshot. She had heard Pip and Quiz's entire conversation. "Quiz, he wanted to go with you!" "Pip should go with Dinky. This is obvious to even me." "But...that little guy worships you!" Quiz nodded. "And that is something I would not take advantage of, for any reward. I have done the right thing. How quickly Pip ran to be with Dinky confirms this." "I…" It was Silver Spoon's turn to be unable to complete a sentence. "Okay, I agree. But I think you totally owe Pip at least a dance. And don't think I won't tell Pinkie as much!" "Oh dear…" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Fizzlepop Berrytwist and Old Friends author: Needling Haystacks tags: character:Tempest Shadow, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: The Movie

=== After the Fireworks === Tempest Shadow stood on the edge of the festival, watching her fireworks fade with Twilight Sparkle and her friends beside her. Fizzlepop Berrytwist, she corrected herself. She had been Tempest Shadow for so long, it was hard to think of herself as anything else. That would have to change. "That was amazing!" Pinkie Pie said, jumping into the air splay-legged with her typical exuberance, "Where did you learn to do that?" Fizzlepop Berrytwist smiled, a little sadly. "I taught myself," she said, "For awhile, I tried to bring my magic under control but... light shows were all I could manage." "Well, I think it's pretty incredible," Twilight said, patting Fizzlepop on the shoulder. "Wasn't much use under the Storm King," Fizzlepop said, staring at the spot where the light show had been, "Reveals your location to the enemy without conferring any tactical advantage." She glanced aside at Rainbow Dash, but held her tongue. She had no right to criticize the other pony. "You mean laik a Sonic Rainboom?" Apple Jack said instead in her country drawl. "Yeah, yeah," Rainbow Dash said, dismissing the issue, "It all worked out for the best, right?" "Yes, but maybe things would have gone more smoothly if you had listened to Twilight," Fluttershy said quietly. Fizzlepop noticed that Twilight seemed to be trying not to say something herself. It was comforting to know that even the Princess of Friendship struggled at times. "Perhaps," Fizzlepop said, "I wouldn't have found you, and Celeano and her crew would have been with you all the way to the Hippogriffs." She sighed. "And I suppose if I had had more faith in Spring Rain and Glitter Drops's friendship, none of this would have had to happen." A high-pitched whine suddenly filled the air. The other ponies immediately looked to the source, and Fizzlepop followed their gaze to see Pinkie Pie, looking fit to burst. "WaithereI'llberightbackthis'llbesogreat!" she said all once before vanishing faster than Fizzlepop would have thought a pony could move. "There she goes again," Applejack said, looking after her friend, "I wonder what set her off this time?" "Who know with her?" Rarity said, "But besides all that, Trixie's magic show is about to start. I would hate for us to miss my stunning costumes." Everypony looked askance at Rarity. "Ahem. And her performance, of course," Rarity added abashedly. "But didn't Pinkie Pie ask us to wait here?" Fizzlepop asked. "Did she?" Rainbow Dash said, "I couldn't make it out." "Oh, it'll be fine darling," Rarity said with a dismissive wave, "If I know Pinkie Pie, she'll find us no matter where we go." Fizzlepop was uncertain if that was a good thing, but went along with the group. Some time later, after the magic show ended, the plaza looked empty. There were still a few ponies milling about, mostly coming from the magic show, but by and large sleepiness had finally overwhelmed the festive atmosphere and ponies had turned in for the night. Twilight was waiting on a purple unicorn that Fizzlepop had yet to meet. Said unicorn was speaking with the magician. "Thanks for the offer," the magician said with a yawn, "But the Fatigued and Groggy Trixie will be more comfortable in her wagon." It was at this point that Fizzlepop's peripheral vision detected a fast-moving object coming right at her. Instinctively, she spun to face it, moving slightly out of the way in the process, and charged magic to the stump of her horn. Pinkie Pie skidded to a stop, her eyes going wide. Fizzlepop immediately stopped the magic, a few stray sparks falling. Her own eyes widened, but in shame rather than shock. "I am so sorry!" she said, "I never meant to..." "Oh, it's ok," Pinkie Pie said with a grin, every trace of fear gone from her face, "But guess who I fo~und?" Breathlessly running to catch up were a light blue unicorn and a bright green unicorn. Fizzlepop's eyes slowly widened as she recognized them. It had been years, but it was unmistakably her so-called... Fizzlepop caught herself again... her FILLYHOOD friends. "Fizzlepop!" Spring Rain said as the two of them threw their forehooves around the dark purple pony. Fizzlepop stood their stunned. Slowly, hesitantly, she returned their embrace. "I'll just leave you three to catch up," Pinkie Pie said with a grin. "La la la," she sang as she bounded away. After several minutes, Spring Rain and Glitter Drops pulled back. Tempest (Fizzlepop!) saw tears forming in Spring Rain's eyes and shamefully looked away. But she was surprised by what she heard next. "We were so worried!" Spring Rain said, "It's so good to see that you're alright!" "Not just us," Glitter Drops said, her voice tinged with anger, "Your parents, the teachers... everyone in town! We looked all over, but when we couldn't find you we..." Glitter Drops hesitated and Fizzlepop looked up. Glitter Drops was looking down, her teeth clenched. "We feared the worst," Glitter Drops finally finished. "...Sorry," Fizzlepop said weakly. "When we heard the armies were lead by a purple unicorn with a broken horn, we thought it might be you!" Spring Rain said, "But we couldn't get close enough to tell!" "Err, sorry," Fizzlepop said again. It was becoming a habit. She looked up. "I... can't make up for that," she said, "And I won't ask you to forgive me, but I do wish I hadn't served the Storm King." "We know, it was to fix your horn," Spring Rain said, "But..." "I'm not mad about that," Glitter Drops interrupted, looking Fizzlepop in the eye, tears now falling from her own eye, "I'm mad because you let us think you were dead!" Glitter Drops started to sob. Fizzlepop began to reach out a hoof, then pulled back. Spring Rain put her own hoof around Glitter Drops' shoulders. Fizzlepop was about to say sorry again, but it would have seemed hollow. "It was hard," she said somberly. Then she brightened up, "But we always hoped. And here you are! Safe and..." Spring Rain looked up at Fizzlepop's horn. "Well, mostly sound," she finished abashedly. "It's... ok," Fizzlepop said slowly, "For a long time it wasn't, but I think it really is now." "Yes, but that's the best part!" Spring Rain said, "You see, after you left, we went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns..." "I know that," Fizzlepop said, a bit irritated. She knew she had no right to be, but old habits died hard. "Yeah, but after you left we reached a decision," Glitter Drops said. Spring Rain nodded. "We decided that..." Spring Rain paused for dramatic effect. "We would devote our studies to ways to fix broken unicorn horns," Glitter Drops dropped into the silence. Spring Rain looked irritated at having her thunder stolen, but she nodded. "You... you did that, for me?" Fizzlepop said. "Well of course!" Spring Rain said, "If your magic wasn't going to get better on its own, then we were going to help you! Even if we didn't know where you were, we had faith that we'd see you again some day." "And a little thing like you being missing wasn't going to stop us being friends," Glitter Drops said, smiling for the first time since she arrived. Tears welled up in Fizzlepop's eyes. The stern facade that even the Storm King's betrayal and Twilight Sparkle's forgiveness had barely dented fell at last. Fizzlepop threw her hooves around her friends and wept with abandon. The three just sat there for a time, until Fizzlepop's tears slowed. Then Glitter Drops patted Fizzlepop on the back. "Hey, not to start things up again," she said gently, "But you haven't even heard the good part yet." "*hic* huh?" Fizzlepop said, wiping her eyes. Spring Rain handed her a handkerchief. "Courtesy of Pinkie Pie," she said by way of explanation. As Fizzlepop wiped her face, the other two began their story. "In Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns," Glitter Drops began, "We knew we wanted to find a way to fix broken horns, but little more than that. At first, we had no idea how to even start to do that. Magic was always an option, of course, but that was too broad to be of much help." "But, as we progressed, we let our teachers know what we wanted to do," Spring Rain said, "Though we didn't tell them the WHOLE story. Anyway, healing magic was the obvious route..." "But I had no talent for it," Glitter Drops cut in, "Thankfully, there was a newer path. Prosthetics. Peg legs have been around for centuries, of course, but recently fully functional legs and even wings have become a possibility. A little magic can make them even better, but for Earth Ponies and Pegasi that's of limited help." "In those," Spring Rain said, "A little healing magic can prevent rejection, but it's only used when the pony is first fitted. So while at first I studied ways to reattach legs, wings, or horns, we didn't have your horn to work with..." "That left me," Glitter Drops said, "After graduation, Spring Rain here continued to hone her skill with the attachment aspect of healing magic, while I went into cutting-edge research on magic artifacts. I realized that there were plenty of stories of ancient artifacts that could act as a conduit of magic, even if the method of creating them was lost. You can't exactly deconstruct an ancient treasure every day, but I kept an eye out." "I don't know if you've heard," Spring Rain put in, "But we've had a lot of invasions since you left..." "Huh. That might explain why everyone is so accepting," Fizzlepop said, pondering. Her stoic expression was already starting to reform, but now her friends knew that was not all she was. "Maybe. I mean, blowing Canterlot apart was pretty bad, but so was creating floating checkered orbs and chocolate rain! And Discord's kind of a celebrity now," Spring Rain said. "Word of Discord's return reached out even to where I was," Fizzlepop said, "Though I'm a bit fuzzy on the details." "We'll fill you in later," Glitter Drops said, "The point is, one of those involved a Centaur, much like the Storm King. Only this one could steal magic on his own. When it was over, Princess Celestia asked my team to study it, and maybe find a way to prevent it from happening in the future. We didn't manage that, but we did find what I really wanted to find... A way to channel magic through a foreign object as if it were a horn." Fizzlepop's eyes lit up. Spring Rain and Glitter Drops both broke into huge grins. "That's right!" Spring Rain said, "Just this moon, Glitter Drops put the finishing touches on the artificial Unicorn Horn!" "Now, we haven't tried it on a unicorn with no horn yet," Glitter Drops said with a tone of caution, "But now that you're back, and with the fragments of that staff to study... well, I'd say we can have you fitted before the year's out!" Fizzlepop's eye teared up again, this time in pure joy. She swept her friends into a big hug once more. As she looked up at the stars, a smile on her face, Fizzlepop felt truly happy for what felt like the first time in forever. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Hearts and Whooves Day author: SixShooterOutlaw tags: character:Derpy Hooves, character:Doctor Whooves, character:Lyra, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Chapter 1 === It was an early winter morning, the first rays of the sun were barely peaking over the horizon. Derpy Hooves was getting ready for her mail route, she had just finished brushing her mane and was eating a chocolate chip muffin with a cup of coffee before heading out. After she was done, she put on her scarf and left. Once she arrived at the Post Office, Derpy talked to the Postmaster of Ponyville, got her mailbag and filled it with the days mail. Due to the holiday being right around the corner, there were many Hearts and Hooves cards. This made her feel a little depressed. "I wish I had a special somepony" she said to herself "Especially around Hearts and Hooves day". She picked up her mailbag and placed it on her back and left the building to begin her route. Derpy always began with the houses and businesses closer to the Post Office, like Sugarcube Corner and her friend Lyra's house. She had a package for her, so she went to her door and knocked. The door was opened by the minty green unicorn. "Hey Derpy" Lyra greeted her friend "What's up?". "You have a package with perishable items in it" Derpy explained. "Oh, it's probably from my mom in Canterlot" Lyra replied "She sends me cookies every Hearts and Hooves day. She says it's because I don't have a coltfriend to receive gifts from so she sends these" Lyra chuckled "Every year it's like, 'Yay, another Hearts and Hooves day without a coltfriend! Thanks for the reminder mom!' ". Derpy laughed a little at that "My reminder is all the cards and packages I deliver" Derpy added "I deliver countless cards and lots of packages around Hearts and Hooves day, and that's just the seasonal stuff, not the everyday things" Derpy sighed "But I do love seeing the looks on the faces of ponies who receive cards from a loved one who couldn't be there, it makes my job that much better, helping them out like that" Derpy said smiling. "And then there's those like us, who get things from family and friends" Lyra added. "Their hearts are in the right place though". "I know" Lyra responded "At least this year, I'm not going to have my annual blind date with whatever stallion Bon Bon decided to set me up with" Lyra shuddered "She always says 'that's what best friends do'. I tell her she doesn't have too but alas, she insists and I give in". Derpy laughed "She does pick the most...interesting stallions for you". "You don't know the half of it. She's always saying 'She's found the stalion of my dreams' but, they never amount to much". "Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I have to go, see you later!". "See ya!" Lyra said waving to her friend as she turned around and went back inside. Derpy continued on her route until she came to her next destination, her best friend, Doctor Hooves's house. Usually this was a very easy delivery, but as of late it was getting harder. A few weeks back, she had started to develop a crush on him. Now, she can't even think of him without blushing, let alone talk to him. Today she had a package for him, this one wasn't perishable but she knew that he would find it odd that she didn't stop to chat since she always did. Derpy took a deep breath and walked up to the door, she knocked and waited for him to answer. "Just a moment" Doctor Hooves called from inside, then the door open and the brown Earth Pony was standing there "Hello Derpy, how are you this fine morning?". "I-I'm doing good" Derpy stammered "How are you, Doc?". "I'm alright". "That's good, I have a package for you" Derpy said as she reached for the package and gave it to him. "Those must be the cables for my latest invention, how wonderful!" Doctor Hooves took the package and set it next to him "Thank you for bringing it". "A-All part of the job" Derpy said blushing a little. "Say, do you have plans for Hearts and Hooves day this year?". "Umm...no I don't" Derpy answered blushing more "Why do you ask?". "Uh...no reason" Doctor Hooves replied quickly "Oh look at the time, I have to wash my shower curtain, ta-ta." he closed the door. "That was a little weird" Derpy thought to herself then shrugged "But then most things he does are weird". After she finished her rounds, she stopped at the cafe for a late breakfast. She ordered some pancakes and had just began to eat them when Lyra walked up to her table. "Hello again" Derpy said smiling. "Hi!" "What brings you here?". "I was going to get something to eat" Lyra answered "I'm gonna go order something, do you mind if I join you?". "Not at all". "Great! See you in a few minutes" Lyra said as she headed inside the building, she returned a few minutes later with a cup of coffee and a honey bun and sat down directly across from Derpy. "Hey Lyra, can I tell you about something that happened earlier?". "Sure, go ahead". "I had a package for Doctor Hooves, so I had to go and talk to him. We chatted for a few moments then he asked if I had plans for Hearts and Hooves day ". "What did you say?". "I told him no, then I asked him why he asked and he acted strange and excused himself". "That is odd". "Yeah, why do you think he asked me that?". "Maybe he likes you" Lyra suggested. Derpy blushed, "I doubt it, he probably sees me as nothing more than a friend". "Why do you think that?". "It's just a feeling I have". "Well, we'll see when Hearts and Hooves day comes around". "Yeah". The two mares chatted a while longer, then said their goodbyes and went about their day. It was Hearts and Hooves day and there were couples spending the day together everywhere. After she finished her daily rounds, Derpy decided to stay home. She was enjoying a book, when she heard a knock on the door. She hopped out of her chair and walked to the door, she opened it and was surprised to see what was out there. It was Doctor Hooves, he had a bouquet of flowers in his mouth and a box of chocolates in his hoof. He took the bouquet out of his mouth and began to speak. "Hello Derpy, umm I was going to ask if you if you'd like to go get some lunch together?". Derpy smiled "That sounds great". "Oh! These are for you" he said then he gave her the flowers and chocolates. "Thank you, Doc". "You're welcome" Doc said smiling "Now let's go!". The two ponies headed off to spend the day together. Later that evening, the sun was setting and Doctor Hooves was walking Derpy back home. "I had a lot of fun today" Derpy said happily. "Me too" Doctor Hooves agreed as they reached her front door "Well we're here". "Yeah". "Hey Derpy?". "Yeah?". "Would you like to do this again sometime?" He asked " I mean, go out to lunch, maybe a dinner or perhaps even breakfast-" his rambling was stopped when Derpy kissed him on the cheek. "I would love to" Derpy answered blushing. "Great! We'll have to talk about it one of these days" Doctor Hooves said with a huge grin "I'll see you then" he said as he began walking home "Good-night Derpy". "Good-night, Doc" she replied. Derpy walked into her house and got ready for bed. The next morning, Derpy was heading out for her rounds. She had just walked out the door when she noticed a note was taped to it. Dear Derpy, I told you so. Lyra. This made Derpy smile and chuckle as she headed to the Post office. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Fantastical Far-Fetched Feats of Flower 'Power' Heart author: scribe-feather tags: character:Original Character, character:Other, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Story One: The Crinkling Sleepover === The Fantastical Far-Fetched Feats of Flower 'Power' Heart Story One: The Crinkling Sleepover By Scribe Feather As the last minutes of the school day ticked away, the students were eagerly watching the clock that seemed to purposely slow down time because they wanted this day to end. Among the eager faces was the young Flower Heart. The school bell rang and all the kids eagerly rushed out the school. Now wasn't a time to dawdle, it was Friday! Weekends were always a favorite of Flower Heart when she was a filly. A break from school meant time to hang out with friends, sleeping in, and not having to worry about homework until Sunday night. This weekend was especially exciting for the blue filly. Her unicorn friend, Moondancer was having a bunch of friends over for a sleepover. Her sleepovers were always the funnest, her parent let them stay up late and they were never short of snacks or ice cream. All her friends would be there too! Though now that Flower thought about it...Moondancer always acted a bit...weird before bedtime. As everypony got ready for bed and tried to burn off the excess sugar that would most likely keep them awake for the next ten years, Moondancer would disappear. She would return to the bedroom as everypony was just settling down for bed, pajamas already put on and a bit of a twitchy, nervous expression to her. Probably just Flower being overly suspicious. Of course, who could blame her? She needed to keep her detective skills sharp if she planned on doing something with it one day. Her teacher always said to stay curious and that's what Flower did! The sun was beginning to set on the quiet town and Flower was making her way to Moondancer's house, sleeping bag and tooth brush in tow. She was only a little bit late, but if you asked her she would say it was intentional. A rather punctual filly in most cases, Flower Heart normally came to social gathers a little bit late so she wouldn't be stuck in a room with the host and no one else. When she arrived at Moondancer's house, half of the other guests were already there. The group had gathered in the center of the living room, couch cushions taken off of the furniture to make a sort of makeshift nest. The girls gossips, joked, whispered in each others ears and even talked about a book or two that they read recently. After Moondancer's parents reminded them for the hundredth time to quiet down the party was eventually moved upstairs into Moondancers's bedroom. They were nice enough to let them carry the couch cushions up so that their nest could be rebuilt in the bedroom. Another half hour passed as two more guests arrived. Moondancer's mom peaked into her bedroom. "Hey Moondancer, why don't you come downstairs and help your father with the ice cream." "Aww, but moooom, can't he do it himself? I wanna stay up here with my friends," Moondancer called back. "No honey. I think you should go help your father with the ice cream," Moondancer's mom did some kind of weird gesture with her neck and wiggled her eyebrows in an odd manner. Parents are weird. Moondancer paused with a puzzled look before her eyes lit up with perked up ears. "Oh! O-oh right...That...Ice cream..." The white unicorn blushed as she followed her mom out of the room. Flower didn't understand why she was so embarrassed. It was just ice cream... Conversation and chatter continued as usual until Moondancer finally returned. Moondancer returned with her father with many bowls of ice cream in hoof. She seemed oddly shyer than when she left. Like she was hiding something. And to make the strange situation stranger, she was already wearing her pajamas. But Flower didn't have time to worry about that now. NOW it was time for ice cream! Bowls of ice cream were given to all the fillies who all eagerly dug into the tasty dessert. Moondancer's mom and dad were the best, they let us eat up in her room where all her toys and blankets were! The sleepover seemed to pick up when sugar was introduced. Ponies giggled loudly and hopped around the room as the desert worked into their systems. The more they played, the quicker the sugar worked through their system and in the later hours of the night all the fillies started to grow tired. Pajamas were slipped on and teeth were brushed as one by one, the guests slipped into their sleeping bags. True to sleepover tradition, Moondancer had her comfy bed to sleep in. Talking was still quite frequent, but much quieter to avoid waking up Moondancer's parents. The talking got quieter and quieter, slowing down in frequency until everypony fell asleep. In the quiet of the night, Flower found herself waking up a couple hours after they all fell asleep. Sleeping bags were always too thin for her taste. Why couldn't she take her bed with her to this sleepover? Her bed was comfier. The sleeping bag was alright, it was her favorite shade of green (which is ALL of them) for crying out loud. She could say it was comfortable...Ish. Not as comfy as her bed. Flower stared up at the very dark ceiling till her sleepiness pulled her back to sleep. Suddenly her ears started to perk at a strange noise. Some kind of rustling. A plastic crinkling. Like shopping bags or bubble wrap, but without the popping of the bubbles on bubble wrap. So mostly like shopping bags. "Oh no..." She could hear one of the other fillies say in a harsh whisper as the crinkling became louder, followed by the movement of blankets. Then there were hoofsteps, rushed ones. Whoever was moving among the darkness needed to get to where ever they were going and fast. Sounded like Moondancer after hearing the bed mattress creak about. The shadow covered pony snuck into her bathroom, closing the door very very quietly, and turned on the light. Now Flower turned her ears to super hearing mode. It was the only sense she could rely on now to figure out this little mystery. In the quiet bathroom, the plastic crinkling seems to grow louder, but the pony inside appeared to be taking careful steps to avoid any loud noises. She constantly paused, likely listening for any activity outside the bathroom. The crinkling was followed by a few minutes of silence and than some water was quietly run. Sounded like the sink. Next was more plastic rustling, but this rustling sounded heavier. Like a thicker plastic was being moved about. A bit more of that quiet crinkling from earlier was heard and then hoofsteps back out the bathroom as slowly as they came in. The shadowed filly tip toed back to her bed, obviously stepping over the mess of sleeping bodies around her. She climbed up into bed and that seemed to be it. With nothing else interesting happening in the black darkness of the room, Flower found her eyes growing heavy again. She was soon back to sleep. Almost instantaneously, the morning sun filtered through the half open bedroom window. Birds began chirping their songs as the ruffling of blanket fabrics and sleeping bag materials filled the room. Everypony was starting to wake up. Flower was the first to make it to the bathroom. The moment everypony started to stir, Flower was up on her feet, making her way to the bathroom. The door closed and locked with a couple of giggling shouts coming from the other fillies. In past experiences, it was always a hassle to get there first thing in the morning. With the door closed, Flower had a moment to herself. The whole bathroom to herself! A strange smell poked at the filly's nostrils, calling attention to itself. It was a familiar smell. A dirty smell. With her highly trained detective skills, Flower found the source of the smell almost right away. The trash can! Or more specifically, the balled up yellow thing that sat inside of it. The urine stench was heavy on this thing as the curious Flower examined the mess like a trained detective. It was a diaper! But not a baby diaper. It was more like one of those grown up diapers. Pull ups, but for big kids. Flower thought about pulling out the diaper for a closer examination. That's what detective Flower would do...But, ew, it was covered in pee! Picking it up would be gross! However, this case needed more looking into! While she still had the bathroom to herself, Flower did a little detective work. First, some snooping, but Flower never called it that. Snooping was for nosy ponies, detectives investigated. Under the sink was the first place Flower looked. Usually the ideal place people put kinda-sorta-private things that could easily be accessed, but hidden away from most. Most, except for Flower Heart, super detective. The items were rather typical. A few toilet paper rolls, cleaner, and a couple issues of Hype Feathers Monthly (only the most popular magazine in Flower Heart's age demographic.) However, digging a little bit deeper revealed a plastic package, tucked deep in the dark to hide it away. It was a pack of Dry Clouds, for ages 8-10, bedwetter diapers. Or 'nighttime protection' as Flower's heard some parents refer to them as. Flower always found that a bit confusing. Like, what if they needed daytime protection? Would they get a new set of diapers just for daytime protection? Why call them anything different to begin with? Just call them diapers, wouldn't that just be easier to say? Flower remembered when her brother wore these. Well, not EXACTLY like these. His were more...Boyish and blue. They had pictures of Wonderbolts doodled on it to make it look like real underpants. Which always seemed a bit silly to Flower. Who ever heard of real underpants that could absorb a pony's pee? This pack of 'nighttime protection' was a recently opened one. There were only two pairs of the twelve pack missing. Matching the patterns on the ones in the pack with the used one in the trash, Flower expertly deduced that that wet diaper came from this pack! She had all the clues she needed to draw a conclusion. Moondancer was a bedwetter! Case closed! There were a couple knocks on the door, "hurry up, Flower!" Moondancer called out. "Alright alright, keep your 'jamas on," Flower quickly pushed the package of diapers back into the cabinet, moving things about to hide them better. This case needed further investigation, but she couldn't raise any more suspicion by spending any more time in here. The door slowly opened, revealing Moondancer standing there impatiently. "Finally!" the red maned pony yelped, before rushing into the bathroom and pushing the door closed. Flower's ears twitched again as the sound of crinkling plastic could be heard from the bathroom. It was much harder to hear this time since most of the other fillies were awake and playing around her. She had to use her super extra hearing to keep track of the sounds. Moments later, Moondancer finally emerged, less tense than she was when she entered. The bathroom was quickly occupied by a new filly and the cycle continued until everypony was down for breakfast. Moondancer's dad was already busy with cooking everypony pancakes, placing the food in neat little stacks on plates. He expertly floated mixing bowls and cooking utensils, pouring the pancake batter in perfect sized circles every time. His horn gave off a faint, yellow glow as he worked. Flower always wondered how unicorns did that. Like, did they have to train with their magic to float things around or did they just...Know how to do it? "Morning girls," Moondancer's dad said with a smile as he floated a plate of pancakes to Flower. "Sleep well?" "Yes!" The fillies answered in unison with big smiles. Some giggled amongst themselves, retelling inside jokes that were created the night before. "How about you, Moondancer," her dad said, floating the last plate of pancakes down to where the filly sat. "Sleep well?" He did that same eyebrow wiggle like her mom did last night. "Uhm...Kinda..." Moondancer answered back meekly, quickly diverting her attention to her pancakes. The filly blushed a bit and her dad seemed to pick up on...Whatever she was embarrassed about. Her dad paused for a moment. "We'll talk about it later," her dad answered back with a soft smile. He turned back to the kitchen area and started to clean up. Everypony dove right into their delicious pancake breakfast. Between bites, the fillies chattered between each other, exchanging quick cliff notes of what happened last night. There was even talk about doing it again next weekend. With the main part of the sleepover concluded, the guests started to return home, one by one. Flower was one of the last ones, taking the longest to finish her pancakes. She said her goodbyes, thanks the parents for letting her sleepover (something that her mom would ALWAYS remind her to do), and left. Flower walked home with her sleeping bag slung over her shoulder. She replayed the events that happened during the sleepover. The ice cream, gossip, prank phone calls, and pillow fights. And most notably her diaper investigation. She was reminded of those kid detective books her mom let her read. Those stories always had a resolve of the plot where the culprit was exposed and brought to justice. Comparing her adventures with that source showed the filly that her case didn't have any of that stuff. She never exposed Moondancer's secret after all that investigating. Kinda felt like a waste of her detective powers. The filly realized that if this case were written in a book as well she'd probably call it "The Case of the Case of Diapers". It wouldn't have much of a plot resolve or an ending. It'd probably just end abruptly without a closing line or even an epilogue from the editor. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Mare-Magnet author: Dream Quill tags: character:Other, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, genre:Tragedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== A Welcome Party gone nuts === I hit the ground with my back, hard. Fear welled inside my heart and I looked up to the imposing mare now standing over me. The look on her face sent shivers down my spine and my flee instincts were in full gear. But my struggle against the forcefull grip of her magic was futile. She held me in place as she stared full of lust in my eyes. Violet ones met my deep green with a few scattered amber flecks in them and a lot of fear but this, as every single time this happened, went unnoticed by the entranced female on top of me. For the last half an hour or so I tried to fend her of, to escape. This was not what I wanted, what I hoped for when I moved to this quiet and peacefull town a few days ago. This was exactly what I had tried to escape from when I moved here. "No please..." My plea was ignored like I knew it would happen but I had to, at least, try. The mare bent down and licked my jawline sensually and the muscles in my jaw clenched at the touch of the wet appendage. I began to fight desperatly against her magic but how was I supposed to break free from the grip of this one pony. Why had it come to this? How even? We both were on a "Welcome to Ponyville" Party not two hours ago and she seemed really nice and reserved. Not even interested in such kind of thing. But here I lay, sprawled on the ground and held down by her magic that was more forcefull than even iron shackles. I whined and tears started to leak from my eyes. I gathered all my willpower, which admittedly was even less then that of some yellow pegasus that I came to know as Fluttershy, and forced my mouth to cooperate with my thoughts. "Please... let me go... I don't wan-MPH!" My sentence was cut short by her tongue invading my mouth as I so dumbly let it open. I cursed myself for such a fault that I learned not to do a while back but I foolishly believed that I could talk sense into this one mare, that it would be different this time. But it was not. It never was. More tears strained my cheeks and actually didn't go unnoticed this time. She broke her kiss and looked down on my, igniting a glimmer of hope that she came to her senses and would let me go. But it was exstinguished not a second later when her lips curled up into a smile. "Oh look at that. Tears of joy? I'm flattered." Horror came where the hope left and I stared up in this lavender face which was illuminated slightly by the magenta glow around her horn. I shook my head and tried again to break free but again I did not even manage to shift my hooves in the slightest. Pure untainted panic run through my veins and the cold claws of fear dug into my heart. "No... please no... Tw-AAAHHHHNNNN" My body tensed as the pleasure spiked through it. She rubbed her back hoof against my marehood. It did not help in the slightest that I was oversensetive there by nature and so the first cry left my body without leaving me the littlest chance to hold it in. This, naturally, encourages the mare on top of me do repeat what she thought was something I wanted. I couldn't blame her. I never could blame anypony other then myself. Between my gasps and involuntary moans I managed to stutter. "Don't... please... not into mares...." This managed to get the attention of the mare one more time but again not in the way I had hoped. She grinned. "Oh? Well then your lucky you ran into me. Because I know just a spell or two." Her horn glowed brighter until it was enveloped in a almost blinding light. The logical part of my mind abandoned me after I felt a long and hard thing grow between our bodies and I began my struggle anew. All I could think of in this moment was to run away, to hide, to be everywhere but here. And I really wished, not for the first time in my life, that I had the horn of a unicorn or the strengh of an earth pony. But I was just a weak pegasus. All I could have done was fleeing before it came to this but I was oblivious. And I cursed myself again for not noticing. By now I should have experience with the signs mares gave off when they were more and more entranced by me but I wasn't. Fresh, desperate tears joined the growing puddle underneath my head and I was downright sobbing now. "No! Oh sweet Celestia! Please don't do that to me, Twil-AHN" Again I was cut off by something rubbing against my hole but this time I knew it would not just stay outside and torture my body into obeying. Then she whispered into my ear. "Funny that you chose to call for her. Because, you know, she is my mentor." I tried to cry out for her to stop, to not do what she was about to do. But my cry came to be a loud cry of agony, desperation and slight, non-deniable, lust as none other then Twilight Sparkle herself penetrated me. Spreading me wider and wider, oblivious to my shrill shouts of pain and panic. She was about to reach the one thing that I managed to keep through all these ordeals with other mares and horror was all that my heart consisted of at this point. She poked my hymen and I cried out again in hurt. But all I received was a chuckle from her. "A virgin? Why, I'm honored you give you virginity so willingly to me." I fought so hard to break her magic that I could swear I heard my bones breaking and cried out one last time. "NO!" But it was to late. With one strong thrust she broke my hymen and took away the only thing I had left. As her magically created appandage slid deeper and deeper into me I was broken, my struggling ceased and my body went limp. A dull ache radiated from my abdomen and I could feel the warm liquid of my blood flow out of my marehood. It wasn't much but it seemed to fit me. "Ngh... you're so tight." I did not respond. Deeper and deeper she parted me and I was lost. My body began to betray me as the pain made way for pleasure I never felt before. But my soul was shattered, my will broken and my resistance fled my body as the instincts took over. A moan escaped my lips and I made no effort to mute it. "See I knew you would like it. Wait till I'm all the way inside." All the way? What did she mean? Certainly she couldn't sink in me much deeper as she already did, or could she? A gasp flew past my lips as she prodded at something deep inside me. It felt so impossibly weird, but oh so good at the same time. Too late I saw the lustful grin on the youngest princess' face. "There it is." With a grunt and a strong push she pressed past the last barrier my body had to offer and slit right into my womb. My back arched upwards from the immense feelings that flooded my senses. Disbelief, vulnarability, a slight, barely noticable, pain and unspeakable amounts of pleasure. I screamed, screamed til my voice went hoarse but instead of stopping the alicorn it only spured her on. "Never thought you were a screamer. But go on. Scream as much as you like. Nopony will hear us." The phrase certainly was meant to be a reassureance or just plain bedroom conversation but it brought back the cold fear. I was alone, nopony would hear my calls for help, nopony would ever believe me even IF I could get out of here when Twilight was done with me. Who would believe when an absolute nopony as myself claimed to be raped by the bookish and reserved librarian that everypony in equestria looked up to? The princess of friendship. The same mare that just stole her virginity and now began thrusting, albeit gently, in and out of her. Neither spoke anymore. Just grunts from her and moans of immense pleasure from me. My body acted on its own and more and more it showed just how much it liked it. I imagined being somewhere else, my mind fled my body and left it behind not able to cope with it all. I was at a beach, Watching a beatiful sunset. Next to me sat my chosen one, my stallion. My knight that would protect me from everything. He was silent but we needed no words. I leaned against his shoulder and sighed happy. This was what I always wished for. Nothing could possibly go wrong anymore. I was here... and I was happy... One last strong thrust was all it took to break my self-induced trance as my body began to tense to the point of convulsion as my orgasm hit me completely unprepared due to the temporary escape of my mind. I heard myself neigh in pleasure and soon felt her cock in me pulse. My eyes widened in horror as my mind came to the conclusion that this only could mean that- AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH Blinking colorful spots apeard in my sight as the first shot of sticky, hot semen hit the back of my womb and I prayed for a merciful unconsciousness but it never came. Twilight grunted in extasy on top of me as shot after shot filled me up to the point where it began leaking out around her cock. She collapsed on top of me and finally her magic faded. With it my restrains and the hard thing inside of me vanished. I couldn't move... I couldn't think... I was tired and the sudden absence of the cock inside of me left me with a feeling of emptiness I never felt before. So tired... I wanted to sleep... And never wake up again. Just before I slipped in my dream I felt the mare snuggle up to me. "Well that was fun." === Reflections === As I gained consciousness again, albeit slowly, I felt myself moving. Actually moving, not being moved. I didn't have to open my eyes as they were already slightly open. My vision was blurry and my eyes hurt a little like I hadn't closed them for a long time. I noticed that I wasn't so much walking as limping. My right forehoof radiated a dull pain which quickly told me why it would be a bad idea trying to put weight on it. I blinked, which eased some of the pain I received from my eyes and helped me to see a bit more clearly. Apparently I left the library and was now walking through the streets of this town. My lips curled slightly up in a ghost of a smile. Good. As more and more of my body began to report for duty I became aware that I was hurt in several places. Not caring where I went I just let my hooves follow their own will. The first thing that came to mind was trying to move my wings, cause it would be much less painful to just fly if they were fine. But the sharp pain that came in response from my left one told me that flying was out of question. As I took stock of my body I desperately tried to ignore one region of it entirely. But to no avail. The ache and the strange feeling of something foreign in my womb were just too prominent. I felt unbelievably dirty at a area I could never hope to reach and clean. Tears began to well up in my eyes again as the inevitable memories swarmed my mind mercilessly. I couldn't blame her for what has happened as it was not her fault. And because... she would not even remember what she did. I went through this way more frequently as I cared to count. Every single time it was the same. A small smile crept to my lips again. At least I would not destroy her life now that my body has moved me out there on autopilot. It wasn't exactly like sleepwalking as I was not asleep during it. I just let my instincts of flight take over and shut my mind down so I didn't had to think. Thinking was bad as it brought back the memories. Memories that would take me several months to cover under a thick layer of ignorance and denial just to have every single memory of every single mare resurface when it happened again. To turture me, to mock me and screaming at me that it was all my fault. I did not know how and I did not know why. But I knew... it was my fault. I watched my tears fall to the ground below me and noticed that it was still dark. And again it was a good thing. Nopony would see me like this. All I had to do was guiding my steps just the littlest bit so I could get out of town. I just needed to get away... as far as I could. Nopony will ever know what has happened. The worst that could happen was that the mare would wake up and blush at the very detailed dream she had and maybe question herself what was wrong with her dreaming something like that. Nopony had to suffer because of me. I would never allow that ever again. Soon my wounds would be healed. None of them were severe and I learned how to nurse myself quite a while ago so I would not bother anypony. Suddenly my relatively good forehoof slipped underneath me and I cought me with my other one to support me out of reflex. Pain shot through the limp upwards, so much of it that I could have sworn that I saw it traveling up my leg and I cried out as it hit me. Almost instantly it buckled under me and I fell, face first, into the dirt. Clenching my teeth and squeezing my eyes shut. My ears swiveled back and forth hastily trying to catch any sound that could mean that I had drawn the attention of somepony towards me. After what felt like a little eternity I calmed down and struggled to get on my hooves again. Carefully avoiding the one which caused me to yelp. Looking in front of me for the first time I discovered that I wasn't that far away from what looked like systematically planted trees. Good. Didn't want to stumble into the Everfree by accident anyway. I knew it wasn't season for any kind of fruit that would grow in these parts so I could head in and hide there. At least to rest a bit. Maybe I could find a pond and wash me so that I didn't look like I was raped. Then I could just head towards the hospital and pretend that my injuries came from a crash-landing. I smiled again. Yeah that was a good idea. Nopony would ask me any inconvenient questions and I would probably be in good care. That was good. Just pretending nothing ever happened at all. Maybe I myself would come to believe it at some point. My thoughts apparently kept me busy longer than I thought and my wonderful legs had kept moving into the orchard. I looked over my shoulder and no sign of the town could be seen anymore. I sighed relieved but it turned into yet another yelp as I stumbled over a root. Again I had hit the ground but this time all strength my flight instinct had given to me disappeared. An overwhelming fatigue flooded my senses and in a matter of seconds I drifted off to sleep. "Mommy! What are you doing?" "Shh, sweetie. It's alright. See? I'm just cuddling with my filly a bit." "B-but Mo-" *gasp* "That feel so weird. P-please stop..." "Oh, sweetie. Believe me, you will enjoy it." "No. Mommy... please... lemme go..." I did not wake up scared. I did not bolt upright. I did not even open my eyes. Tears soaked my fur as the dream lingerd a bit before fading completely. It was the oldest of my buried memories and at the same time the most painful. My body ached and now the part of me that was formerly focused on walking noticed that my fetlocks burned and a dull pain radiated from them with every beat of my heart. That, sadly, was not new for me either. If I would part my fur to take a closer look I would see the burn marks that the magic left behind on them. Luckily they would be unnoticeable if not looked for directly. I felt too tired to get up already but the fear of that dream kept me awake. A sob escaped me and I made no effort to hold back the oncoming tears. What kept me going, I wondered. After that night I had everything taken from me that I managed to save over all this ordeals. So what kept me going? Maybe it was hope, maybe just plain fear of death. I wasn't able to finish my thoughts though because a worried mumble drifted to my ears. Maybe earlier in my life I would have tensed up or even attempt to escape but I gave it all up just then and there. The voice... was female. The irony slapped me so hard across my muzzle that I almost thought it was an actual blow. Here I lay, barely escaped one mare only to be found by another one. I heard the unmistakable groan of a wooden cart and then an impact as the cart fell forward. Apparently because the pony pulling it left it with haste. I just kept my eyes closed and waited for the inevitable to happen. It had to be every second now that the mare was close enough to take in the view of my body fully and whatever it was that kept mares advancing on me would take its effect on her. A hoof touched my shoulder and, albeit I gave up, my body tensed involuntarily. I heard a small and broken voice utter a plea and I registered belatedly that it was my own. "Please just leave me alone..." "Eenope." My heart skipped a beat and my eyes shot open. The voice was way too deep to belong to a mare and I felt myself crying again but this time out of relief. There was a stallion with the mare I heard before. Whatever charm I possessed never seemed to work whenever there was a stallion or at least three mares around. "Hey sugarcube. What got ya roghed up so badly?" That was the mares voice but it didn't matter. I was safe. Unable to process the feelings that flooded me all at once I just stayed there a bit. Unmoving. Grinning to myself like a madmare and crying until a face came into my line of sight. I could not make out many details but it was red and definitely a stallions. His deep, but somehow melodic, voice resonated all the way to my core. "Are y'all alright?" The worry in his voice brought new tears of joy and I let them flow freely as I slowly shook my head and stuttered the only response I thought they would believe. "Got hit by a strong current.... crashed here..." He nodded and then disappeared from view but shortly after I felt myself getting lifted of the ground. A second later my sight was blocked by what I first mistook for a red wall. I soon noticed that this wall was moving and that it had fur. I felt myself blush when I finally registered that I was lying on the back of the stallion and even more as I started to feel his muscles flexing under me. It felt so good, so relaxing, so secure that I soon got lost in the feeling of his fur rubbing against mine and his smell, oh sweet Celestia this smell. He smelled a bit of sweat and musk but it wasn't unpleasant. Quite the opposite. To me it was the most heavenly scent I've had ever smelled. The scent of a hard working stallion who kept his body clean after work, so that only the fresh sweat could be smelled. Oh Celestia I loved that scent. === Welcome to Ponyville === "Hey, is everything alright?" A bit dizzy I searched for the source of the voice and I found it to belong to a lavender unicorn with a really straight manecut. Her sapphire blue mane looked like it was actually trimmed with the help of a rule or something. Not even the pink stripe which ran through it succeeded in making her appear less like a bookworm. Her eyes though were something else entirely. They were curious, friendly, warm and, at this very moment, slightly anxious. For a brief moment I wondered if I had ever seen such a mysterious shade of violet. It was almost as if they glowed with some underlying secret. As if there was more to them as what was visible to the naked eye. The promise of a great mystery and of an immeasurable price, if somepony would take the time and indulge in them. I sighed internally. Why couldn't these eyes belong to a stallion? "Yeah. I'm okay. Just… what's the deal with this hyperactive pony?" The mare giggled behind her hoof. "It's just how Pinkie is. She is actually a very kind pony and cares for her friends. Though she can get a bit overexcited at times she tries her best to make friends with every new pony in town." She hesitated a bit but continued after a few seconds. "So… I take it that you are the new pony?" I nodded. "Mhm. Moved here just yesterday. My name is Amber Dream. Pleased to meet you… erm." "Oh I'm Twilight Sparkle." She held out her hoof for me to shake but I stood still in shock. That mare in front of me couldn't possibly be the Twilight Sparkle, could she? The princess Twilight Sparkle? A quick, and maybe not so subtle, glance at her sides showed me that what I beforehoof thought was a unicorn was, indeed, an alicorn. I tried to swallow the lump in my throat but it was already too late. She let her hoof drop back to the ground and her eyes saddened at my behavior. I felt a pang of guilt in my heart. It was painfully obvious that this mare didn't want to be treated in any other way than a normal mare. My ears fell flat against my skull and I tried to apologize hastily but she already was on her way through the crowd. Not hesitating this time I followed after her and attempted to stop her by placing a hoof on her shoulder. She actually turned around but as our eyes met again the whole world turned upside down. ~~~+++~~~ My back was on the ground. The noise of the crowd had vanished so instantly that my ears ringed with the volume of the silence around me. I tried to move but my hooves and my wings alike met an unbreakable resistance. What was going on? Panic crept into my soul as I could feel the touch of hooves on me. My eyes darted around and soon found another pair with a very mysterious shade of violet. Briefly I wondered if I had ever seen such a color. The pony they belonged to had a straight manecut. It actually looked like she trimmed her blue hair with the help of a rule or something. Not even the pink stripe which ran through it succeeded in making her appear less like a bookworm. Her eyes though were something else entirely. Her gaze was half lidded, sultry, and filled with a desperate hunger to fulfill a need which had been unfulfilled for way too long. They apparently burned with desire. And they almost screamed it out loud. The promise of a great night and immeasurable pleasure, not caring in the slightest if the target of this gaze wanted it or not. "Twilight… please don't…" The mare giggled behind her hoof. "Don't what? Don't delay it any longer? Don't tease you and go for it for real?" She pouted playfully. "Awww but I like teasing." An involuntary moan escaped my lips as she brushed against my privates. She grinned deviously. "See? I knew you would enjoy it." I gasped and tried my best to hold back more noises but it was futile. A whimper forced its way past my lips, supposed to be a sound of desperation and to make her stop. But it only spurred her on. The only few words I could say between my pathetic attempts to not sound like I enjoyed it were that I wasn't into mares. But instead of stopping her she just kept on molesting my marehood. She leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Oh? Well then you're lucky you ran into me. Because I know just a spell or two." Her horn began to glow brighter and brighter until I was blinded by a flash of magic. ~~~+++~~~ I blinked. "Look I'm used to this kind of reaction by now. I just… don't like seeing the shock on anypony's face." The only thing I could do was staring at her but that was not what I did. I sighed and hang my head in shame. "I'm sorry for it nonetheless. I didn't want to hurt your feelings. I was just kinda overwhelmed. Never thought I would actually meet one of you princesses and that in a small town like this." I stood in the middle of the crowd again, to be precise, in front of Twilight and apologized for my behavior. What was going on here? A quick glance over the crowd revealed that nopony else seemed to have noticed anything. They were just chatting about things I could not quite catch. But just as I thought that I may have just imagined being raped my eyes fell on a midnight blue pony which looked utterly confused and offended. Her turquoise eyes stared wide open at nothing in particular and what was even more interesting was the fact that nopony else seemed to care. I left Twilight, all but forgotten, behind and made my way through the crowd. Somehow it was of utmost importance now that I found out who this strange pony was. Eventually I found her and this time I was the pony who had the anxious look on its face. "Are you alright?" Apparently me addressing her directly startled her immensely. She stared at me, wide eyed and her mouth agape. I was worried for her wellbeing because she looked ready to faint then and there. It took her only a few moments to regain her composure. She appeared to be a, albeit just a little, taller than normal unicorn. Her mane was a lighter blue and her midnight blue coat shimmered a bit. Her posture could almost be described as regal. "Thou can see us?" I eyed her up and down as if I would find something that would explain her strange question. But I found nothing. "Erm yes. Why shouldn't I?" She eyeballed me for a few seconds and just as I began to feel uncomfortable her horn started to glow in a very beautiful shade of blue. I wouldn't be able to describe the color if my life depended on it. It was just beautiful. Yes the color of her aura should be named beautiful blue. But what happened in the next moment extinguished these thoughts. The world around me shifted and changed, turned itself upside down again and one more time I could feel the hard and unyielding wood under my back. A pain shot through my head as if it had the purpose to split it open but I could not scream. I struggled as hard as I could against the magical restraints but they would not give in. Fresh, desperate tears joined the growing puddle underneath my head and I was downright sobbing now. "No! Oh sweet Celestia! Please don't do that to me, Twil-AHN" I was cut off by something rubbing against my marehood but this time I knew it would not just stay outside and torture my body into obeying. Then she whispered into my ear. "Funny that you chose to call for her. Because, you know, she is my mentor." I tried to cry out for her to stop, to not do what she was about to do. And it never came. A new voice cut through the silence. "ENOUGH!" Confused but thankful I searched for my savior but she was not within my field of view. Twilight for her part seemed to have frozen in mid movement but what confused me even more was that she actually was not moving at all. Like somepony had just stopped time itself. I tried to break free from my restraints once more but just like before it was futile. So I tried to address the other pony which must have been here with me. "E-excuse me? I'm really grateful that you stopped her but can you please free me?" My request was met with nothing but silence. I waited and with every passing second fear took hold of my heart again. Certainly whoever had saved me could not keep time from flowing for long. I wasn't a unicorn but even I knew that it was a magical feat to behold. Just when I opened my mouth again I finally got my answer. "I cannot believe what I see." The sound of hooves on wood echoed through the room and then the same midnight blue pony which seemed so out of place before stepped into my view. The look on her face was shocked, her eyes glued on the lavender pony on top of me. "What have you done? Sadness replaced shock and I found myself unable to interrupt her thoughts. I felt sorry for her. Here I lay, mere seconds before I would lose the only thing I had left, and the sadness in her eyes made me feel sorry for her. She shouldn't have been here nor should she have seen what happened here. My heart fell into an endless pit as I realized. She wasn't here to help me. She couldn't even if she wanted to. And I smiled. "This is a dream… isn't it?" Her silence was all the answer I needed. "This already happened… and it cannot be undone… right?" I closed my eyes and let my tears flow freely. I felt the world shaking around me but I didn't care. But suddenly I felt the urge to tell her. My voice was barely a whisper. "It's not her fault." This managed to gain the attention of the blue pony and she even took her gaze off of Twilight to look into my eyes silently questioning me to explain. But I shook my head. "I don't know how but I do this to other mares… please don't be mad at her. It is not…" I blinked and was greeted by a white pillow. I was resting on my side and my wing throbbed a little signaling that I lay on it for too long. A blanked was draped over me and the smell of disinfectant in the air told me that I apparently was in the hospital. Strange. I must have fallen asleep on this stallion's back and he had carried me all the way to the hospital. I tried to move myself to a more comfortable position but flinched as several parts of my body protested furiously. My breath caught in my throat and a tiny whimper escaped me as the pain hit me full on. I told myself to keep on breathing. This was not the first time I was in pain and I knew better than to risk passing out due to the lack of oxygen. After a few moments to prepare myself mentally I changed my position in spite of the agony the movement caused me. When the pain died down again, which took remarkably more time than before, I looked out of the window and up to the beautiful moon in the equally beautiful night sky. I didn't know why but I whispered like there was some being out there who would hear me. "It's not her fault." === Nightly therapy === Try as I might the merciful ignorance of a dreamless sleep deluded me. My gaze stayed fixed on the window in my room here in the hospital. I did not know if my memories betrayed me but I was not able to tell who this strange, midnight blue Pony in my dreams was. What did she even do in there? I did not remember meeting a pony quite like her but still she seemed awfully familiar. Desperate to bury the memories of my encounter with Twilight I began to check on my injuries and how they have been treated. Not that I was a nurse or even vaguely knowledgeable enough to say if they should have been treated any other way but I had nothing else to do. Like any other Pony of my kind I checked on my wings first. My right one was neatly resting at my side but even a non Pegasus would be able to tell that it was in severe need of a prolonged preening session. My left wing though probably was in a much worse state because it was tightly bound to my side and bandaged. Just the tiniest strain in my wing's muscles told me that I had hurt my joint at some point trough the night and I winced at the pain that it emanated. This however informed me of other sources of discomfort throughout my body. My right foreleg as a whole seemed to throb with my heartbeat as there were several injuries at once. The fetlock seemed sprained, or at least I hoped it was just that. But the fact that it was only bandaged and not in a cast did mean that it was not broken. The shoulder radiated a dull ache I recognized. I guessed it had been dislocated but was put back in its socket when I was brought in the hospital. Resulting in a pulled muscle. The examination of my foreleg led me to another realization. They had treated my magic burn marks. Shock and unbearable shame flooded my mind. They knew. They had to after they found the evidence of restraint on my legs and probably on my wings too. Burying my face in the pillow to muffle my sobs I began to cry. My snout hurt a little from falling the other night but I couldn't care less as the fabric beneath began to dampen with what tears were left in me. And suddenly the awareness of my situation came crushing down on me like a ton of bricks. I was raped, my womb was tainted with the seed of Equestria's newly crowned princess and I didn't even know if it could impregnate me. I wasn't in heat but the possibility still stood. At least it wasn't unheard of. My panic only rose to higher levels when I realized that the semen was magical. Maybe it was enchanted to impregnate? How could I know? I was just a Pegasus after all and on top of that I didn't even understand our inherent magic at all. How was I supposed to understand that of a unicorn, or in this case, an alicorn's? The tingling sensation my underbelly decided to sent me just then didn't help settle my fears in the slightest and broke my stubborn ignorance of my lower half. I felt the bile rise in my belly, the new sensations so foreign and wrong that I was ready to throw up then and there. And throw up I did. All I could do to not drown in my own puke was to turn my head so that the contents of my stomach, which were plenty thanks to the welcome party, spilled over my pillow and a large portion of the upper bed before it began falling down the side and landing with a wet splash on the disinfected floor. A burning exploded in my throat due to the acid corroding it and my nostrils filled with the unmistakable scent of puke. I couldn't breathe but I couldn't stop throwing up either. My stomach seemed set on emptying every last thing it contained. Somewhere in the middle of it the door to my room opened but I didn't notice. That is until I felt somepony pick my head up and shove a bedpan under the stream of half digested food. When there was nothing left to throw up my tummy convulsed in what must have been the most painful way possible, trying to find anything else to push up and out. My breath came in short pained gasps and my head felt a little dizzy from the forced lack of oxygen. I was sure I had my eyes open but I saw nothing. My brain was simply unable to process any other thing than the utter need to extricate everything from my body that did not belong in it. So I never saw it coming. "There there. Everything will be alright." Panic shot through my veins faster than any substance should have the right to do when I heard the mare's voice. Cold unforgiving terror griped my heart when her hoof patted my mane affectionately, leaving no question as to what her intensions were. How could I forget that nurses were mostly mares? How could I forget that a hospital was the least safe spot for me to be? "Look at the mess you made." She tsked gently and proceeded with cleaning up said mess. I tried to scoot away from her, tried to get up and flee but all I managed was a weak squirm and some pained whines whenever my struggling put too much strain on any of my injured body parts. This however didn't go unnoticed by the mare with the nurse cap upon her light pink mane. Her coat shimmered like a freshly polished pearl in the moonlight and I had to admit that she probably had difficulties fending off all the stallions that were certainly trying to catch her tail (if you catch my drift). In the gentle light of the moon even I myself couldn't do anything about my thoughts being enraptured by her beauty. But I could shake these stray thoughts away easily as she looked straight in my eyes. Hers were the half lidded lusty pools that promised unlimited pleasure. The eyes I feared the most. I could only imagine that mine went from enraptured wonder to horrified in a split second. "Please don't struggle too much or else you could hurt yourself further. Plus-" She winked and gave me a coy smile. Her face came nearer and nearer until her snout was practically inside one of my ears. She whispered, of that much I was sure, but the closeness to my eardrum made it sound as if she just spoke normally, if dripping with lust and an underlying threat. "If you do so nevertheless I have to sedate you for your own wellbeing." Instantly my body went rigid. Not a single muscle dared to move and even my breathing was so shallow that it seemed like I wasn't breathing at all. She had threatened to drug me into submission if I didn't do so willingly. Fresh tears welled up in my eyes as I resigned to my fate and let my body fall limp. I averted my gaze but every other thing I could look at was the crust of my rapidly drying puke on the edge of the bed. So I decided that it would be for the best if I just stared out of the window and to the moon. My mind would flee my body again like it always did. Only to be brought back by another orgasm that was forced upon me. This time, though, it seemed like I wouldn't be granted such a retreat. Normally the mares would just go "straight for the prize", like they say. But this nurse, she was different. Her hooves danced over my barrel and my belly in a fashion right between stroking and tickling. To say it enthralled me wasn't an exaggeration and I felt little shivers coming from my body more and more voluntarily. Her caressing my body felt good and caring almost intoxicating so. It didn't feel like the teasing I received from time to time if something like this happened but like she really cared. That she actually wanted to make me feel good instead of just forcing pleasure upon me. I shook my head firmly to chase these thoughts away but they kept nagging at the edges of my conscious mind combined with the actual not so bad feelings my body provided. But I stayed focused. If this mare really put so much effort in the wellbeing of her patients then she was the best nurse I've ever heard of and that might give me the chance to stop this from happening. So I took all my willpower and concentrated on the fact that I did not like mares that way and never will. That gave me the strength to speak firm but kind. "Excuse me, nurse. Would you please stop your advance and leave me alone? I'm not compppfffffff!" My whole body shook when the caressing ended abruptly with a sharp pain surging through my abdomen and all the way up to my head. My mouth opened and what came out was a mixture of a pained shout and an involuntary moan of pleasure as she had bitten one of my nipples. Stars exploded in my vision as the certainness that she would not stop was driven with force in my mind. When the sting of pain made way for a much lesser and duller one I heard her actually giggling at my extend. But before I could say so much as a word she began to massage the teat and lick the bitten nipple on top of it softly, speaking between her licks. "It seems that you have a little ache that needs tending to. I will make you feel better." Pain and pleasure flared in perfect harmony with every lick over my hurt nipple and I could feel how my body started betraying me again while the pain held my conscious mind firmly in place. I couldn't flee. I couldn't pretend that I wasn't there. Every moan out of my sore throat actually felt like it was one of my own and not one only my body would conjure. My awareness was chained to the situation and I could feel my resistance melting away with each lick that brought pleasure and pain combined. I couldn't have been prepared for what came next. She took my nipple in her mouth and began suckling on it like a newborn foal. My back arched and my mouth opened for another, louder moan. The harmony of pain and pleasure was gone and they were now fighting for dominance over each other with my mind right in the crossfire. I didn't even realize at first that her other hoof had found my second teat and started kneading it as well. That is until she decided to pinch the nipple on top of it eliciting a near scream from me. In a very strange way it felt like she was doing a surgery on me. Every action planned, every suckle meticulously thought through, everything set up to bring me both agony and ecstasy at the same time. That was when my ears picked up a sound that was definitely not one of my own. They swiveled in the direction facing away from the window and when my gaze followed their lead I couldn't help but stare at the display before me, shellshocked. My room was not a single bed room like I thought it would be. There certainly weren't supposed to be many accidents in a little town like this so it never occurred to me that they even had any other thing than one bed rooms. But it wasn't one. There before my eyes laid another pony in a second bed and by the sounds it made she was enjoying the show quite much. The sudden lack of sound on my behalf didn't go unnoticed by the nurse, though. And thus she stopped suckling on my one nipple only to do the most merciless thing she could do right then. She bit in my other one hard enough that I was sure she must have broken the skin. My high pitched scream filled the room and mingled with the moan it caused from the mare in the other bed. It took way more time for the pain to lose its sharpness this time and I could feel hot tears flowing down my cheeks as the sobs wrecked my body. This had been too much for me and the pleasure she had brought me dissipated almost immediately. But again it did not stop the nurse from continuing. In fact it prompted her to look a little lower. The gasp followed by an amused coo confused me at first. But I did not need to ask as she provided the answer willingly. "Would you believe this? Your juices are glowing, sweetie." The blood in my veins froze with such quickness that I should have died then and there. It must have been the magical sperm leaking out of me because I got wet from her 'ministrations'. That brought me to realize another thing, namely that, indeed, Twilights semen was enchanted in some way and I desperately hoped that it would just be that it glowed. Another involuntary moan escaped my lips. She just had to have a taste of it and again I was not prepared for it because my mind had reeled with panic concerning an unwanted pregnancy. On the first lick followed several more. Every new one more erratic, more desperate than the one before. "Oh Celestia. You taste divine!" It took her no time at all to clean me on the outside but she wasn't going to stop there as she seemed addicted to the fluid leaking out of my body. She let go off of me and took one long breath of air before, literally, diving in once again. She pressed her snout with such force in my nethers that I could feel the tip of it entering me as her tongue darted out and began eagerly squirming around inside of me. That proved to be too much for my already weakened mind and I began to moan in earnest pleasure. My body had betrayed me and my mind followed suit. It gave in to the immense amount of pleasure and reduced me to a quivering moaning mass of pure ecstasy. This in itself proved to be too much for the other mare and her oppressed moans floated through the room while her whole bed shook with the convulsions only an orgasm could provide. I myself wasn't too far behind but that was the last coherent thought that graced me with its present for a while as everything went white. ~~~+++~~~ I bolted upright and immediately regretted doing so as I opened my mouth to scream in agony. But everything that came out was a hoarse whine. My throat felt terrible. Dry and sore at the same time. I looked for something to drink and in fact there stood a glass of clear water at the nightstand of my bed. Greedily I took it in my hooves, noticing that the action hurt my right fetlock a bit but I didn't care. In a few strong gulps I emptied the glass and put it back sighing in contentment. Just then I checked my surroundings but wasn't able to find anything out of the ordinary. My bed and pillow were clean and the bedpan too. A look to my left confirmed that there was another bed in my room but it was empty and freshly made by the looks of it. It looked like there hadn't been a pony at all during the last few days. Confusion filled my mind and I was just about to believe that everything was just a nightmare but then I felt for my nipples and winced. The pain in itself was indicator enough but I could even feel the indents of teeth on them. So I sighed and sank back in my bed. "Whoohoo me…" === Questions === I had stared at the ceiling for the last few hours. Try as I might I could not even hope to describe how I felt in that moment. As a matter of fact I felt nothing at all. Don't take me wrong, the feelings were there, every single feeling known to ponykind and maybe even a little more each fighting in a destructive storm through the back of my mind. I myself had cut off the connection to them and was now standing a distance away while watching how the raging force of nature tore apart everything in its wake. Only a few of them stuck to me and were impossible to shake off. Deep and unforgiving despair, guilt, maculation and fear. The knowledge that all of this was my fault didn't help either and I knew that I would never be able to cope with any of it. Ignorance and denial helped in the past but they wouldn't now. My uninjured hoof traveled from my chest to my belly as I came to terms with the possibility of a pregnancy. Abortion wasn't an option. It never was. After all, I could not bring myself to punish an unborn life, to take away the chance of a new life, just because it was conceived under such circumstances. The hope that its… 'father' would take care of it and furthermore responsibility for what she had done brought a little warmth to my otherwise cold heart. I could never live with them, that much was for sure. Not after what she had done to me. Nevertheless I would, as it was my conviction that my own milk would be the best the foal could get. But what would happen after the foal wasn't dependent on it anymore? Nursing was said to be the most bonding experience every mother could have with her foal. Would I even be able to leave my own child then? Tears welled up in my eyes because the answer was clear as day. No, no I wouldn't. I would be forced to live with my rapist the rest of my life, very likely to be raped even more times due to her being, and remaining, female. With a firm shake of my head I let go off the depressing thoughts. I reassured myself that it was still more plausible that I would not conceive. I wasn't in heat and I didn't even know if the semen, albeit enchanted to at least glow, was fertile. The door to the room I was in opened, further distracting me from my thoughts and replacing it with fear instead. But to my intense relief in came a stallion dressed in a doctor's overall. What was way less relieving though, were the two stallions clad in the golden armor of the royal guard following the doctor inside and remaining at the sides of the door. The doctor, completely ignoring the guards, wore a little comforting smile as he stood next to my bed. What caught my interest was that he left quite a distance between himself and my form. Wondering as to why he did that, it didn't take me long to understand. And as I did my ears fell flat against the sides of my head and I averted my gaze, no longer able to look him in the eyes. It was painfully obvious that he kept his distance because he didn't want to frighten me. For all he knew I was raped and very likely to be afraid of stallions. It seemed that he interpreted my action wrong and spoke in a very careful and comforting manner. "You don't need to be afraid. You're safe now and I'm just here to inform you of a few…" He hesitated briefly and I could imagine that a look of uncertainty crossed his features. "Circumstances." He concluded weakly. I remained silent and he took that as prompt to continue on, his voice losing some of the warmth it carried just moments ago. "I'm terribly sorry that I must break this news to you, but due to the nature of your injuries we had to assume that you were being raped and thus called the guard to begin the investigation on your case." A few moments he waited for any reaction out of me, but he got none as I just stared absently at the sheets covering the area where in this very moment could be a new life forming. Again he misunderstood my silence and took a few steps away from me. "If you are not comfortable to speak with a stallion right now, I'm sure I can get the guards to leave and the questioning continued by a mare in privacy." At this my head snapped up and terror took hold of my voice, as I voiced what had to be the least he expected. "NO! No mares! Please, don't send the guards away." The look I received as an answer was one of utter confusion. I almost could see the gears in his head try to work with what they got and slowly they came to a conclusion as realization took the place of confusion. It lasted only a few moments till it changed again to a new incredulous one. "A… a mare did this to you?" All I could do, was to hang my head in shame, as my eyes closed and a few tears began to fall. A long silence stretched on in the room and I could only imagine how absurd that must have sounded. Rape was a crime nearly unheard of in Equestria, so unheard of in fact that not even a sentence was set for it in the law, but as our rulers were all mares, one could fathom that it was never judged lightly. That a mare had raped another mare, furthermore in this particular way, was without precedence, as it was deemed impossible for nearly every single unicorn to cast the spell that was needed. As fate would have it, just one being capable of magic this advanced, resided in Ponyville and I heard the gasp from my side as the stallion reached the inevitable conclusion. "D-do you know… who?" Again I didn't answer right away, but as I did my voice was void of any emotions. "I remember. Every… single… detail." And one more time, I did something that was obviously unexpected. I lifted my head and smiled, what would later be described the most sad smile ever seen. "Don't judge her. It's not her fault." This proved to be too much for him as he whirled around and hurriedly left the room. I remained in my bed, unmoving for a few more minutes, as I saw something that said everything about the severity of my situation. A single tear ran down the cheek of the stoic face, belonging to the guard whose face was visible to me. === Fate === After the doctor had stormed out, I was left alone once again. Well, if one ignored the guards standing at the door, but they could have been statues instead and nopony would have noticed. 'Twas as it was supposed to be, but I still couldn't shake the picture of the one single tear from my mind. A few moments later their sight unnerved me and so I opted to look out of the window instead. The sky was almost void of clouds and its hue of blue was not ugly, but again my thoughts went on, about how it paled in comparison to the color of that pony's aura in my dream. These thoughts led me to others about colors and suddenly two orbs of the most mysterious shade of violet popped up before my mind's eye. Shocked I blinked several times as events, likely to unfold, forced themselves upon me. Probably they arrested Twilight in this very moment, dragging her out of her home and onto the streets. Reporters from both, close and far away, would flash their cameras, further deepening the troubles I had put her through. Maybe a mob of citizens would have built by then and asking for what gave them the right to just drag her princess through the streets. I almost could hear the gasps of the crowd, when they heard about what happened. There was a chance that there would be an uproar from the crowd and even though the guards would keep them at bay, a few would throw things or stones at the lavender alicorn. Shunning her for a crime she did not even remember committing. The feeling of tears running down my cheeks brought me out of my imagination and I instantly realized why. Here I lay. Raped. Possibly impregnated. And I cried because I ruined the life of the very mare that took everything from me, even my dream of living peacefully with a stallion by my side. I cried for her, not for me. Because I broke the promise I made myself, that I would never again destroy the life of another pony, regardless what they did to me. But I couldn't help it anymore. I should have said that I didn't remember anything about the night. Maybe then the doctor would have just covered everything up and she could have lived on, oblivious that she sired a foal through rape. Now though, there was bound to be a huge scandal. Not a single newspaper would go without a photo of her 'highness', the princess who raped an innocent mare and even sired a foal through it. Irritated I shook my head a few times. When did it become a fact that I would even be pregnant? Confused as to why it seemed so dead set to me just a mere seconds ago, I frowned at my hooves. My first idea was to call for a doctor to run a pregnancy test, but I discarded it almost as quick as it came to me. It would be another weak at minimum until this test would make sense. Because my body would start to prepare for the foal to grow inside of me and just then it was possible to even tell. Fear rushed through my system again when the possibility hit me again. It had done that several times already and I really should have realized by this point, that the possibility was very real, but my practiced denial overshadowed the fact time and time again. And it never lost one bit of its force. My stare was fixed at the sheets again, just over the place where my belly was and again I felt terrified beyond belief. But there was something else and I tried to fight it back, at first. A hoof laid itself on it and despite me crying still, a small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. Fear ebbed away, never quite leaving, but dulled due to the other feeling. Maybe it was this feeling that made me so convinced that I was pregnant before? I was at a loss of words to describe exactly what it was I was feeling, but it came very close to pleasant anticipation. Giving birth was a part of my dreams, after all. Maybe, just maybe, this could work out in the end. Maybe I was able to learn how to love Twilight and maybe, though it was a very, very small maybe, the princess could figure out what it was, that drew mares to me and she could heal it? That was if they didn't sentence her to a life imprisonment for rape. Could I convince them that it was consensual? It would safe her and would spare me a life as a branded mare. But most importantly, it would prevent my foal from being an outcast, even if it meant that I had to live with my rapist. Repeating that night over and over again. A strange calm washed over me then and I didn't need to wonder as to why, because I knew it was the calm that came with accepting ones fate. A chuckle void of joy escaped my lips. Fate. Destiny. What grave words in pony culture. My gaze shifted slightly to where my flank would have been, but I didn't look at the sheets. I could almost see the two open wings that made up my Cutie Mark. The most cliché Cutie Mark a Pegasus like myself could get, if they would have been the wings of my kind or even any known animal. No, the wings on my flanks were so full of feathers that they had to be bigger as Celestia's own, consisting of no color, at all. A passerby would have described the color as 'pure white' but I knew better. The wings in my Cutie Mark lacked all colors, they simply had none. The irony of it all got the better of me and I began to laugh, lacking any happiness or mirth in the action, while I buried my face in my hooves and bent over to let my mane fall around it to hide myself away from the cruelty. Wings, the Cutie Mark to represent freedom more than any other and here I just accepted my fate of being a victim to recurring rape of unknown quantity during my future. I didn't care, that there were technically ponies watching me, I didn't care that, at any moment, the door could open to reveal even more ponies. I just cried. Everything came crushing down right then and there. Every single advance in my past, some more prominent then others. Every single time I was on the verge of just giving up, but finding the strength to go on, to live on. My years of denial caught up to me and threatened to strangle me in the process. A few gasps of breath were everything I could manage between my sobs and silent screaming. I rocked myself to and fro in an unsuccessful attempt to calm me. I didn't care to look up when I heard the doors open and not even when this was followed by quite the commotion. My head became more and more dizzy, the few gasps obviously not providing enough oxygen. Losing consciousness sounded not half as bad to me, but that changed with one sharp and shocked intake of air, as I felt a wing wrapping around me. The flinch, it brought out of me, distanced my eyes enough from my hooves, so that they could open and open even wider, until I was staring at the matted fur on my forelegs and everything went to dead silent. A hoof stroked my mane and I was breathing now, even if it was just shallow. The wing around my back pulling me in slightly, not with enough force to make me lean in but I did so nonetheless, my hooves sinking to the sheets in the process. I must have looked like a truly broken mare then and maybe I was. Because the wing tightened the tiniest amount around me, while a not unexpected voice drifted to my ear in what was merely a whisper. "I'm so indescribable sorry for what I've done to you." There was genuine regret in her voice, but no single sign of a tremble or uncertainty as she stated. "We will make it through, together. I will be there for you and our foal and I promise that I won't let something like this happen ever again." I didn't shy away and felt my eyes close once again, as my body relaxed into her embrace. A tiny voice in the back of my head asked why I wasn't freaking out, but it mattered none. The pony stroking and holding me just confirmed what I had feared and instead of screaming, crying, or even beating her, I just let everything go. Again my uninjured hoof laid itself upon my belly, where I now knew for certain, a new life would grow, only to be covered by a lavender one, gently stroking. "I believe you, Twilight…" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Rainbow Factory - A Poem author: dashie76 tags: character:Main 6, character:Other, character:Rainbow Dash, genre:Dark, genre:Sad, genre:Tragedy, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Rainbow Factory - A Poem === Rainbow Factory - A Poem By dashie76 I do not own Rainbow Factory. This is a fan made work. Come, young child, and you will hear A tale of woe and murder and fear A horrible government conspiracy A lab: The Rainbow Factory You see, there's a test, a flying test Young flyers compete to see who's the best Those who fail, with bad flying gaits For them, a terrible fate awaits You see, way back when, 'fore Nightmare came The sun and rainbows Celestia gave But after the massive Nightmare scare The moon was left in Celestia's care But she couldn't handle that kind of excess She still had to act as royal princess Now, only two things could be used by her She thought, and thought, until she was sure Rainbows they'd have to do without For the sun and the moon had to stay on their route But the unicorns took on the rainbows themselves They experimented with hundreds of spells They finally made artificial rainbows They weren't as good, but their color still glowed Until a group of insane pegasi Found another solution and managed to lie To the entire land 'bout what they might see Inside the Rainbow Factory Not a well-oiled machine that shines and glows But one spattered with blood that creaks and groans For the pegasi needed special ingredient To get all the different colors and gradients What is this substance of need, you ask? Live pegasi children are used, but alas Nopony had found out this secret yet And if one fails the exam, they should get A one-way ticket out of the country Instead, they are shipped to the Factory Where ribs are smashed and ponies are dropped Into a gigantic metal pot Where bodies are broken and shattered and torn And once the children's bodies are scoured Of every last bit of color found The cogs begin to grind and pound The remnants are burned, all clues are erased So the horrible deed might have never took place In the Factory, such blood was shed At least, that's what my grandfather said But sometimes, faintly, you might just hear The grind of levers, the screams of fear The splash of blood on linoleum floor The cries of agony, terror, and gore And I think that maybe Celestia missed A few murderous workers who fell off the list Of pegasus ponies to kill that day When Celestia went to make them pay Now, some say because I am tired and old My brain is rotted and turning to mold But heed this warning, young child I met The Factory is not over yet. === Rainbow Factory - A Poem - Part 2 === Rainbow Factory - A Poem By dashie76 Although I did not write the original Rainbow Factory, the plot of this poem is my own. It's finally happened. We're over. We're done. The Factory's workers have stolen the sun. They riled up their unicorns yesterday and stole the celestial body away They have broken out comrades locked under key And rallied up several outlawed refugees They've gathered an army. They've started a war They've slaughtered nine thousand. They're spreading the gore They came, of course, to me to ask If I would join their horrible task I said that I had reformed, which was true And when they attacked, away I flew I saw the wrongdoing of my ways But still, the age-old guilt remains That I was once leading the Factory Was causing this sort of catastrophe Celestia is done, she is captured, you see They're planning to execute her publicly In front of all of the ponies to grieve And watch their beloved princess leave They stormed Canterlot with a battle cry- "Long live the Factory! All shall die! No parent or child remains alive! A new age is coming! The time is nigh! Canterolt falls to our supremacy! And we'll make a new Rainbow Factory! But this one will be on a larger scale! And all of Equestria to us will hail!" They plan to convert the great city Into a new Rainbow Factory And spread sinful rainbows across the land I cannot allow it. But I have a plan Five friends of mine very close to my heart I brought together and we're going to start The biggest rebellion that we've ever had We might not make it. And though it'd be sad As long as we get the job done together And save our land Equestria forever As long as I get my chance to repent We can die in peace, and I'll be content. === Rainbow Factory - A Poem - Part 3 === Rainbow Factory - A Poem By dashie76 Although I did not write the original Rainbow factory, the plot of this poem is my own. We've finally done it...it's over...we've won... The rebellion got back...the beautiful sun... My friends have told me...that they would make sure... My name would go down...in historical lore... The mare with the apples...said once every year... When...the cider...season was near... She'd always put aside...one mug to remember... The way that I loved it...and for that, I thanked her... The animal lover...said my memory would live on... That she'd give other pegasi...a project to work on... A statue of cloud...commemorating me... Proclaiming my bravery for all to see... The pink one could barely stop crying to say... That her gift to me was one for my birthday... Once every year...on its...anniversary... She would throw the "biggest, most bestest party..." The dressmaker said...that she'd stitch me a flag... A sheet of honor...a bravery rag... She'd hang it on top of...the mayor's abode... So all could see...the rainbow she sewed... And finally...the bookish...unicorn explained... That never again...would evil reign... That she'd make the next artificial rainbows... The best ones of all...that shined and glowed... Alas...now...the time is nigh... For me to pass on...for me to die... To Pony Heaven...and the joy it brings... Alas...I still regret...many things... Leading the army...I just now beat... Being vain...with boastful flying feats... But most of all...making my friends... Stay with me...till the bitter end... And now...the light...comes...for...me... Black dots...at the edge... of my vision...I see... Just one...last...thing...to say with a sigh... Thank you...for hearing...my story... Good Bye. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Hearth's Warming at Dusk author: Auto-Buscus tags: genre:Adventure, genre:Alternate Universe, genre:Comedy, genre:Romance

=== Chapter 1 === In the polar north regions of the world, miles North of Equestria where the winter weather thrived for much of the year, there was a mountain which was a prison of sorts for a being so ancient that few knew of his existance. Tucked away in the caverns that lie within the base of the mountain, an old enemy of the world sit dormant, frozen in time for many, many years. Stashed there by his brother, for reasons unknown. Not that much was known about him anyway. There was probably less known about him by anypony in Equestria or in any of the other kingdoms for that matter, than there was about the Crystal Empire when it had recently resurfaced. Very few books spoke of his existance, let alone any details about who he was. 'Why?' You might ask. Well no one really knows why, except for the one who put him in his prison, oh so many years ago. Discord! For many years he sat, frozen like a statue in his cave. He and his minions of old, five white bat ponies, or thestrals if you want to use the technical term, slumbered for over a millineum, while the world went on. However their slumber was soon to end, as their prison, their own individual encasements of ice, began to melt from around them. Hour after hour, they began to thaw out. One of them gained consciousness after days of the thawing process and was able to bust his way out of his encasement, that was almost melted away. The largest of the minions, a tall thestral stallion with a small beard on his chin, a scraggly short mane, and large bushy eye brows, wasted no time awakening his comrades. He busted the ice around them, followed by shaking their bodies to wake them up when he had finally gotten them out of their imprisonments. It proved effective as each one he shook awake, woke up and each of them that had waken up did the same to the remaining until they had all woken up. All five of them proceeded to stretch their muscles after being frozen in time for over a millineum. Each of them were disgruntled and furious, as if they were still living in the moment when they had all been imprisoned by the one they hated the most for putting them there. Their rage was halted when one of them gestured to the place where their boss once stood, the small remnants of his ice prison had been reduced to a few shards of ice sticking out of the ground. Had he escaped on his own? Did he leave? Given his power that he had, it would have come as no surprise if he would have been able to leave despite the fact that the several inch thick wall of ice that kept them hidden in the cave was still in tact, but it didn't make much sense to them for him to leave them there. The largest of the group, knowing this, called out for him. "Master!" he shouted. "Are you alive?" "Yeeees..." replied a voice from deeper into the cave. It had nearly startled the group, as the looked around for him while the cave echoed. He was deeper in the cave, too deep to see him from where they were standing. There was no light that far back, but they could see a pair of yellow eyes and red irises inside them staring back at them, there was no doubt in their minds that it was him. "But stay where you are, do not come any closer until I've had the chance to regain my strength. Given the fridged temperatures outside, that shouldn't take too long." "It is such a relief to hear your voice once again, my lord." replied the same stallion, obviously the lead minion of the group. "I extend that to you as well, Claus!" said the voice of their master. "It brings me great joy to be free once again! I can no get back to finishing what I started oh so long ago! Turning the world into a winter waste land!" "Soon Discord will pay for what he has done to us!" said another stallion, this one smaller and thinner than Claus and wore an eye patch, and a stocking cap made out of old rags. "I can't wait ta see his face when we shove him in this prison for... however long we've been here!" "In due time, Skua!" chuckled the voice. "In due time!" "And it'll be great to see you in action again, the way you move when you do your wintery spells and-" began the smallest thestral of the group. She was about the size of an average pony mare and had a short silver mane and tail and the only mare. She spoke out from her mind, only to get interrupted by her fellow minion for more ridicule. "Please don't start on that again, Fidget!" said Oscar, a stocky stallion with a deep voice, and the second largest of the group as he deadpanned his only female compatriot, while she blushed furiously with embarassment. "You will never have a chance with the boss, so why even bother? Besides, everything that comes out of your mouth is creepy! Right Ed?" The second smallest of the group, and the only one who couldn't speak, nodded in agreement to Oscar's statement, while chuckling. "He's only nodding because he was asked a question!" contested Fidget, who was glaring at Oscar furiously before a smug expression came upon her face. "I'm sure the master loves a good compliment every once in a while, don't ya boss?" "Perhaps he'd be more impressed if you actually did something around here for a change, Fidge!" snapped Skua. "All you do is fawn over the boss and make stupid remarks!" "You're one to talk!" quipped Claus, stomping the ground with his hoof, making the ground shake. "When you clowns mess everything up, I have to step in and fix it! You're all worthless without me!" "Oh yeah?" said Skua, foolishly contesting the dominant of the minions. "How would you like to fix your teeth once I'm done kicking a gap into them?" A mere five minutes out of bondage and he'd already forgotten his place. Annoyed, Claus took advantage of his own strength, tackled Skua and pinned him down to the ground to express his dominance. "I'd like to see you try!" he said before letting up and allowing Skua to get back on his feet. "On second thought, I think I'll pass... jerk." he said as he climbed back on to the rock he had been sitting on prior to being knocked down to the ground. Ed threw in a few grunts and groans to keep himself in the mix. Just because he coldn't talk, didn't mean he had nothing to say. Whether or not he would be heard was irrelevant to him. "Agh" exclaimed Fidget. "Our powers aren't working either!" she said as she looked down at a light blue colored crystal that hung around her neck. "I can't make a single blast with this thing!" "We have been out of commission for quite some time. How long, I'm not sure, but once we regain our strength our powers will work again!" said Oscar. "And when they do, we will be unstoppable!" said Skua. "Just make sure that you numbskulls keep the plan, whatever it may be! We don't need anymore screw ups! That's how we lost the first time!" noted Claus, causing a flamewar among the other four. They clearly didn't like it when he blamed their failures on him, never taking the blame. A bit arrogant? Perhaps, but the negative energy made their master's power increase by the moment. What, in any normal pony's environment, would be considered petty and immature, in this case was almost brilliant thinking on his part. Brains and brawn. Claus stopped arguing with the others for a minute and mentally noted the thick wall of ice that closed them in. After just waking up, none of them were yet strong enough to escape, not even their master from the looks of things, so they weren't home free yet. Though he was pretty confident in their chances of escaping once they had all fully recovered from their long rest. "Master" said Claus, knealing before his hidden master. "When we do escape, how will we find him?" "Don't you worry about that, Claus..." he said giving a few faint manical chuckles. "Don't you worry about that. He will come to us!" "You're positive?" "I'm banking on it, Claus!" he said prior to throwing a rock out of the darkness he was hiding in, which Clause saw coming as he ducked to avoid it. The rock then hit the wall of ice and cracked it slightly. "Once he heard of my intentions to freeze everything, he didn't like that. It interfered with his plans for spreading worldwide chaos, so he had to get rid of me. Understandable. But now I'm back and our battle for this world will only intesnify! He has the ability to sense magical imbalances, so... once I begin to really show my stuff, Discord will be rushing back here to put me back in my prison. But... this time will be different! This time I'll be ready! And the five of you had better ready as well! Because once I've taken him down, I'm going to need all of you to help me release my secret weapons that will help me finally take control of the world!" Claus stared down at the crystal necklace that hung around his neck. Each of the minions possessed one. He smirked when he thought about how fun it was going to be when he and his comrades returned to action. "It will be done, my liege!" With no response from his master, Claus rejoined the others as they began to quarrel among themselves, while their boss sat back and took it all in, laughing all the while as they had been doing exactly what he needed them to do. "That's it..." he said to himself, breathing heavily. "Keep it up! I'll have the power I need to get back on my feet the more you bafoons bicker. But why stop there? I can bring my windegos back once I get the entire world turned against it's self, and then finally I'll be able to accomplish my goal, and every creature shall be at my mercy!" He said as he chuckled maniacally, while his minions bickered amongst each other. "Who will be able to stand in my way, this time?" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Rainbow Dash The Vampire author: Orangeblossom1212 tags: character:Rainbow Dash, character:Soarin, character:Twilight Sparkle, genre:Mystery, genre:Romance, genre:Sad, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== My beginning === Most ponies just think I'm lazy, sleeping and taking so many naps, that however is not the case. I have to care and provide for all my vamponies. Every single one that lives in my Castle. And I'm of the royal blood line, therefor the sun will not hurt me. However it's brightness is quite annoying. It won't kill me but I always put on sunscreen before I leave my house, in the middle of the day, it's just a good thing to keep on hoof in case I get to hot. I'm a princess by night and an awesome hero by day. My birthday is coming up. I'm turning 115, but my friends will never know my true age... Unless I were to tell them, but I can't do that can I? No. I can't risk it. If they panic or spread my secret in any possible way..... I'd be forced to get rid of them and every pony they told. Me more than most vamponies don't like to kill unless we have to. We have lived peacefully for decades now, and they're my friends! I couldn't live with myself if I were to hurt them. I was only 43 years old when I wanted to rebel against my fathers ways, and save the ponies. When my father heard of my idea to defend the ponies instead of killing them he shunned me. He couldn't be right, right? All those stories all the books, the stories telling us about how awful all the ponies are. That couldn't possible be true. They can't all be like that right? It wasn't long after that that my father was killed. I was only about four years old in comparison to a pony but already I was to rule over all the vampires. I mean it was my job after all, being a direct descendent from Count Dracula and the royal blood line. However the counsel always laughed at me and called me stupid for my ideas. They said my father was better, and If I wanted to be a good ruler, I would follow in his hoof steps. But I disagreed, instead I made a deal with them. I would go through with one of my plans. If it was a success we would continue, and they would have to start listening to me and actually consider my ideas. They had to realize that my ideas might turn out to be for the better. So that night, me and a group of my gaurds went out and got a blood truck. We sent out letters to all the high schools asking if they would like to participate in our blood bank. They didn't know that we were vamponies. Nor did they know that their blood wouldn't go to use the way they thought it would, no, it would save lives, this much is true, but it's main use was mostly to satisfy vamponies. But either way, that was just the beginning of my plans. The first thing I did was set up the castle. Now all the rooms, except for the two main towers, would be turned into guest rooms for all my vamponies. All the vamponies in the area were offered a room, and would be given daily rations by the pint. They all agreed to help hunt animals in the ever free that were coming to close to the ponies and to help run blood banks. This also would help me to provide food for my subjects. As time moved on, I had more castles made across the globe for my vamponies. We had a steady easy food supply, that was simply given to us by the ponies without harm. However the closer I got to the ponies, the more I wondered what it would be like to be with them. The more I thought of this the more I longed to see the sun. It's been about 70 years since then, and I am now 115. Almost a full adult. Princess Luna came to me the other night. She told me that she's been watching me and my dreams sense my father's death. She told me that she was proud of me, for all the things I have done, for all the things that I've accomplished. She said that she knew of my dream to see the sun and to care for all of my subjects. She said she knew that that was what I wanted, but that at the same time that I wanted to be free. "I have seen your dreams Rainbow, I can tell you miss your mother very much. But you also hold bitterness in your heart. You must let go. If you dwell on the past it will control you. Trust me, I know how you feel. I once made the same mistake, and it took me a thousand years to find myself again. Don't loose yourself as I did. Now, all that aside, I have come to inform you that I would like to propose a deal," Princess Luna told me. "Ok, what is it you wish to propose," I asked trying to sound as regal and mature as she was. Oh my gosh! An alicorn! I'm talking to an alicorn! I'm meeting a real life pony! N-no! Come on Rainbow Dash, play it cool, play it cool. I mentally told myself. I stayed calm but inside I was jumping up to the moon and stars with happiness. "If you promise to make it law among your subjects, that the blood you seek for survival, will be taken peacefully without harm from my ponies, I shall take you under thys wing as a personal student. And I will help you live amongst the ponies like you wish." "Really!?" I asked my eyes filled with stars. Princess Luna smiled, "Yes but you must agree to the condition!" "Wait! What condition?" I asked, now listening very carefully. It was one thing to mess something up concerning me, but it was another to agree to something that could affect my subjects negatively. "You must promise to continue your rule over your subjects, as to keep them from harm. As well as make the law I ordered earlier." "Ok, is that it?" "No, you need a spell," Luna replied with a smile. "A.....spell," I asked unsure as to where this was going. "Indeed, a spell. You see your fangs, bat wings, and pointed ears may startle my little ponies. We don't want that. We want them to except you and feel safe around you." "Wait so your, like, really serious?! I get to be a pony?!" "Yes, but only when you choose to be. The spell will activate and deactivate on your command. However there is one more you should know," The Moon Princess said. "Alright, lay it on me." "If you wish to be a pony by day and a vampire by night, you must go to school." "School?" I asked to make sure that I heard her correctly. "Yes school," Luna confirmed. "But I already completed school decades ago," I explained. "Yes but amongst the ponies you are only 15 years old, and it is law that you go to school until your 18 years of age. You never know, they might teach you something you haven't learned. It's also a good way for you to meet ponies and make some friends." "Ok, do it! I'm ready," I told the Moon Princess confidently. "Very well," Luna replied lighting up her horn. I felt her horn gently tap my head and the ground began to shake. "Whoa!" I yelled, my eyes darting around in confusion. "I will see you soon, Rainbow Dash!" I heard Luna call from above as everything began to dissolve into nothing. I woke up. <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Trials Three author: NorsePony tags: character:Discord, character:Other, genre:Adventure, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Colt Who Fell Into The Gloaming === Long ago, in the days when history yet lay lightly on the land, a clever, curious, hardworking unicorn colt fell into the faerie lands, called the Gloaming. He had found a dim hollow among a tree's roots. It did not smell of badger, so the colt explored it, as colts are wont to do. It became a tunnel that was deep and twisty, but had no branching paths and was lit by a pale moss, with smooth walls devoid of roots to clutch and snag at his purse tied around his neck. These things made the colt suspicious, because he paid attention to the stories of his elders, but his suspicion did not dampen his curiosity, so he continued on. The tunnel went on and on, until finally the moss faded away against a brighter light from ahead. The colt emerged from the tunnel into a land of twilight. The sky was empty of sun or moon and the stars were strewn across it as thickly as spilled milk. They lay a pale light across the world that cast no shadows, but illuminated everything equally. The colt looked for the Farmer among the stars, to get his bearings, and felt afraid when he could not find it. The Snake, the Pegasus' Wing, the Haybale, all were gone from the sky. The colt knew what this place must be, so he turned to go back through the tunnel, but it was already too late. A guard stepped from behind the tree and leveled a spear at him. The guard was tall and slender, with limbs dusted with fur like cinnamon powder. His yellow eyes and cruel mouth looked down on the colt as he said, "You will come with me." The colt suffered himself to be driven through the forest. Each time he glanced back at his captor, the guard's form had changed. Now broad and muscular, now scaly and fat, now two-legged, now four-legged. Only the yellow eyes and the cruel mouth were unchanged. An hour later, they came upon a multicolored city. Its walls looked to have been built by a thousand thousand different architects and masons, so varied were they in material and construction from one span to the next. Inside the gates (one golden, the other wood), the city itself was a patchwork, the streets, markets, and people made in every form imaginable and some not. The crazy-quilt streets were lit by candles and torches and gas and magic, and sometimes a citizen atop a pedestal gleefully shining light from their ever-changing skin. The curious colt could not help but to stare. Some of the people stared back at the colt. Others pretended not to. Some transformed into yellow-eyed horrors and grinned cruelly at his reactions. Others transformed into yellow-eyed visions and grinned cruelly at his reactions. The colt began to keep his eyes on his hooves as much as possible. The guard herded him into the middle of the city, toward a castle that was strangely all of a piece, a foreboding pile of dark stone with thick walls and sturdy towers. As the colt looked, the whole castle transformed in a gleam of light, becoming a confection of golden minarets and airy bridges, the whole surrounded by a latticework wall of silver and pearl that let the colt see the white stone of the keep. His guard barked a laugh. "You're in luck, boy. The king is in a good mood." Minutes later, the colt was led into the presence of the king, and saw his good mood for himself. The colt kneeled on the throne room's fine thick carpet, and the king leaned forward in the throne, beaming at him. His yellow eyes smiled, his beard lay over a jolly paunch, and his mouth was hardly cruel at all. "Welcome, my boy, welcome to the Kingdom of Gloaming! We're so happy to have you as our guest. What is your name, dear one?" Because the clever colt had paid attention to his elders, he knew that the Gloaming was the faerie kingdom, and that you should never give your name to one of the fae. Names have power, and the fae cannot be trusted. So the colt said, "I am sorry, Sire, but I have forgotten my name." "Forgotten your name? Oh dear, oh dear." The king's smile was unchanged, but his eyes had hardened and the carpet under the colt's knees became thin and shabby. "That will never do." He raised a clawed hand to stroke his beard thoughtfully. "Then I propose a game. Three challenges will be set before you. If you complete them within one week, I will grant you any boon you wish. If you fail, you will remain here until you remember your name." The clever colt knew that the fae keep their word in matters of games. He also knew that the fae always cheat. But the king's boon was his only chance to return home, so he said, "I accept." "Excellent!" The king clapped his tentacles together with a moist slap. "We'll have such fun. Puck!" In a flash of light, a small figure appeared and bowed to the king. "Puck, this forgetful boy is in your charge." The king's grin widened to show too many fangs. "Challenge him." Standing deep in the castle before the door to the first challenge, Puck was hardly bigger than the colt, leaning back against the damp stone wall on two hairy and behoofed legs that were crooked like a goat's, with two naked arms crossed imperiously over his silk vest. His yellow eyes swept over the colt for the hundredth time, and for the hundredth time he shook his shaggy head. "The first challenge is simple. Ring the bell. When you do, I will return." Puck turned away as though to leave, but turned back with a sly smile. "Oh, and… lift with your hooves." Grinning, he vanished in a flash of light that left the colt dazzled. Blinking, the colt pushed open the door. As his vision cleared, his eyes widened in dismay. Despite the narrow dungeonlike hallway outside, the room was huge. Thin clouds swirled beneath the distant ceiling, engulfing the tarnished brass hinge the size of a wagon from which depended a bell broad enough to live in comfortably. The hardworking colt set to the task with a will, using his magic to push and pull and tug and strain against the bell, but to no avail. The bell was simply too massive for him to move. Panting, he stopped and considered. With a few moments of thought, he realized that striking the clapper against the bell would ring it just the same as the other way around. The bottom of the bell was nearly eye-level with the colt, and he edged closer, peering under the bell's skirts while determinedly ignoring its vast weight over his head, and was able to see the clapper. It was a brazen boulder, but a boulder would be easier to move than a hillock. The colt used his magic once more, shoving at the clapper. It swayed as though in a stiff breeze, but did not come near striking the bell. The hardworking colt set his jaw and strained harder, but after an hour of effort the clapper had only swung halfway to the bell. Exhausted and sick at the thought that the first challenge might defeat him and he would never see his home again, the colt curled into a ball on the floor and slept. When he awoke, the damp chill of the naked stone floor had soaked into the colt's bones. He rose stiffly and began trotting laps around the bell to warm himself up. Soon he was galloping, his mind running in circles no less than his body. While his mind was so wandering, he happened to notice the way his hooves felt against the stone floor, the way his legs flexed at the ankle to give his hooves strong purchase on the stones. It seemed to the colt that without that purchase, he would hardly be able to run at all for slipping and sliding. At that thought, Puck's words of the day before flashed through the colt's mind like a thunderbolt. Lift with your hooves, he had said. And in that moment, the clever colt had an idea. He skidded to a stop and brought his magic to bear against the bell's clapper. But where before he had given it no thought at all, now he focused his mind on an image: himself with hooves firmly planted and able to use all his weight and strength in the task. And the clapper moved, slowly at first but more easily than it had before. The colt imagined as though his life depended on it, and he pushed, then pulled, then pushed, and in ten minutes or half an hour, the clapper kissed gently against the inner surface of the bell. On the return swing, the colt put everything he had into it, and the bell rang, loud and golden and deep enough to rattle the colt's grinning teeth. When the colt turned to leave the room, Puck was standing by him. Today he was shaped like a pony about the colt's age, but with the same monkeylike, shaggy head he'd worn yesterday. "Well done, young master," he said. His tone was impressed, but his too-clever grin made it into mockery. "The second challenge awaits." Elsewhere in the maze of passages beneath the king's castle, Puck and the colt stopped at last before a door. Puck had become a gleaming yellow-eyed fish swimming languidly through the air, and now he gestured with a long fin. "A book awaits within. Read it to learn how to unlock the door. I await your success with bated breath. And don't forget, things are not always as they seem." With fishy lips split in a grin, he vanished in a flash of light. The colt turned the door handle and entered the room. The door had no handle or knob on the inside, and it swung firmly shut behind him with the noises of latching and locking. He pushed on it experimentally, and it was indeed sealed fast. The room was small and cozy, with rugs on the floor and hanging on the walls and a merry fire crackling in a tidy hearth. The only other furniture in the room was a small square table with a heavy tome lying closed atop it next to a platter of steaming food and a mug of clear water. The colt was parched and hungry after a day and a night of adventure, but because he had learned well from his elders' stories, he knew that to eat faerie food would trap him forever in the faerie realm. But the faerie king himself had promised the colt a boon, and the faerie king's magic could undo the trap of faerie food when the colt wished to return home. Having cleverly worked this out, the colt ate and drank with gusto. When his repast was reduced to a few crumbs and a lone drop of water clinging to the inside of the mug, the colt pushed the platter aside and was startled when it and the mug vanished with a flash. The colt opened the book to the first page. The paper was filled by nine large symbols the colt didn't recognize, arranged in a grid. Frowning, he flipped through the pages, finding each one much the same, though later pages had varying numbers of symbols. He returned to the first page and bent to the task of puzzling out the strange symbols. The symbol in the upper left corner was a square with a dot in its center. The one to its right was a sketch of a grasping hand. And in the upper right corner of the page was another square, this one bisected horizontally by a straight line. Frowning in puzzlement, the colt examined the three symbols on the second line. The first and third symbols were identical to the ones above them, but the middle symbol was an artfully stylized sun. The third line had the same dotted square symbol in its first place, but the second was a teardrop shape that the colt realized was meant to be a candle flame, and the third was the dotted square again. With his chin in his hooves, the colt sat staring at the page, deep in thought. The book was meant to show him how to open the door, according to Puck. It was possible that the door only responded to a command word and this book contained that word somewhere inside. But if that were the case, then this book was written in some faerie tongue which the colt could neither speak nor read. That seemed too great a challenge to be overcome in the next six days, so the colt optimistically decided that that was not the challenge he faced. He raised his eyes to the blank face of the door. If it was not opened with a magic word, then it must require ordinary magic. If so, then the book was-- "A spellbook," he said aloud, smiling at the inscrutable symbols. Rather than decoding an entire language in six days, he only had to decipher how the fae folk wrote out instructions for magic. The colt returned to the symbols and recalled his own magic instruction, which he had always paid close attention to because he never shirked hard work. His grand-dam had taught him that casting any spell had three steps: gathering magic in your horn, visualizing an image that determined the effect, and releasing the magic so that it could do its work. The clever colt thus understood that the faerie spellbook's symbols represented those three steps, and so he paid special attention to the second symbol on each line. This was the first page of the book, so these spells must be the basics of basics. The first line's grasping hand symbol became clear to the colt as the image for telekinesis. A unicorn imagined it differently, of course, but knowing that the faeries had hands made it obvious. The second line's sun gave the colt pause for a moment, until he realized that it must be an image for light. Therefore, the third line's candle flame was an image for fire. Each of those spells demanded very little magic, so perhaps the dotted square symbol represented that. The colt turned to a random page near the back of the book and confirmed that the first symbols on that page were squares mostly or completely filled with ink. He was dismayed to notice that two of the lines on that page had four symbols. He racked his brain, trying to remember anything in his lessons that could account for that fourth step, but couldn't think of anything. Unsettled, he turned back to the first page. The symbol of the bisected square took the colt only moments to decipher when he realized that telekinesis and light spells both required one to continually feed them with magic, while the fire spell's dotted square would represent the fact that lighting a fire only required one to release your collected magic. Having made so much progress so quickly, the clever colt felt confident and sure of himself. He would decipher every spell in this book, and one of them would be a spell to open doors, and then the challenge would be complete. He turned the page and the book exploded. The pages ripped free from the spine and whirled through the air in a papery maelstrom. The colt's face and hooves were sliced by the tornado as he leapt for the errant pages and he fell back against the wall, where he could only watch as the pages were shredded and the pieces thrown all around the room like confetti. The attack lasted only moments, but that was all it took. When it was over, the colt surveyed the damage with his heart in his stomach. So this was the king's idea of cheating. It seemed hopeless, but the colt didn't give up. He carefully gathered all the shredded pieces together into a pile to begin putting them back together like a jigsaw puzzle. Several hours later, his concentration was broken by a flash of light as a midday meal appeared on the table. The colt ate it absently as he fretted over what he had accomplished so far. Safely away from his work area, several dozen symbols had been reassembled, their torn edges stuck back together with his own saliva. Looking at the small array of symbols, the colt worried that he would spend all his allotted time undoing the king's treachery. But he pushed the thought out of his mind. He was getting faster with practice, better at seeing which scraps went with which. He could finish this challenge. He would finish this challenge. Filled with newfound determination, the colt bolted the rest of the food and was already hard at work by the time the platter and mug vanished. By the time the evening meal appeared, the collection of completed symbols had grown to hundreds and the pile of scraps had shrunk significantly. The colt continued working hard until he couldn't keep his eyes open and he finally had to sleep. When he awoke, it was the third day of his week. The colt devoured the food waiting on the table and plunged back into his labor. He worked at a feverish pace through the day, stopping only to eat and drink. At last, sooner than he would have thought possible when he began, he pasted together the last two torn scraps to form the last symbol. As he slumped back in relief and rubbed his tired eyes, his dinner appeared on the table. The colt gratefully ate and drank, his gaze playing over the drifts and whorls of random symbols scattered over the floor. During the work of piecing them back together, he had become as familiar with them as the back of his own hoof. The visualizing images were what had captured his imagination and were what he sought out now. The image of a budding plant, what spell could that be for? The ant? The whirlpool? The cloud? He had paid close attention and worked hard during his magic lessons, like any hardworking student should, and had shown an aptitude for magic beyond his tender years, but he had never learned of any spells to which those images might apply. The mystery was fascinating, and his curiosity got the better of him. He reached out with his magic and floated the budding-plant symbol toward him to look more closely. So intent was the colt on the symbol as it drew close, he failed to notice that his image was slipping. For barely a moment, the image of the budding plant overlaid his image of carrying the paper. The surface of the wooden table sprouted a young green living twig which grew rapidly toward the colt, thrusting like a spear at his eye. The colt scrambled backwards away from it, which broke his concentration on his magic, and the twig ceased growing as suddenly as it had started. The colt pushed himself to his hooves and stared at the needle-sharp tip of the twig. Cautiously, he backed away to the furthest corner of the room and cast a spell at the twig, imagining the budding plant. The twig thickened into a sapling branch and all along its length, twigs sprouted and grew in all directions, tiny green leaves budding forth from them. The colt ended the spell and frowned thoughtfully at the branch, which now looked for all the world like any ordinary young branch growing from any unremarkable tree. As he was puzzling on it, he remembered--his image had slipped, and for a moment he had been visualizing two images at once. He regarded the infamous scrap of paper contemplatively. He had certainly been imagining bringing that paper close to his eye, the better to see it, and the growing twig had followed the same path. His eyes went wide with a shock of realization: the four-symbol spells at the back of the book must require two simultaneous images. The colt dashed to the haphazard drift of repaired symbols scattered on the floor and stared at them with new eyes. Each image could be combined with others to create a different spell than either of the two alone. He quickly rearranged the symbols so that all of the images were to one side. Before he began sampling the images, his sense of caution reasserted itself over his curiosity, and he broke the branch off of the table and set it in a corner of the room to serve as his target. The process of experimentation fascinated the colt and kept him awake long into the night. When he finally allowed himself to sleep, the branch and its successors had been burned, drenched, shrunk, launched, vanished into thin air, and had a dozen dozen other indignities visited upon them. The colt fell asleep satisfied that he had learned much, and that the challenge would be solved in the morning. But it was not to be, for the colt had underestimated the cleverness of the fae. He awoke on the fourth day and enjoyed his breakfast, marshaling the spells he had learned the night before. When his meal was finished, he stood and faced the blank door. With the image of an open door in his mind, he cast a spell. Nothing happened. The failure did not faze the colt. Obviously the faerie would seal the door in a way that would not respond to the most likely spell. He gathered magic again and imagined the budding plant and the pane of glass at once. Spreading out from the middle of the door, the wooden surface turned to glass, allowing him to see the hidden mechanisms inside. To his dismay, the door was filled from floor to arch with clockworks and machinery. The hardworking colt would not give up, however, and turned his eyes to where the handle was on the other side. Reaching through the door with his magic, he imagined turning the handle. The works inside the door clicked and jiggled, but unsurprisingly the door did not open. So the colt patiently and painstakingly traced the machinery with his eyes, watching the jiggling and the shimmying as he manipulated the handle, until he found a complicated cluster of parts that could only be a lock. The colt began to poke and prod the lock with his magic in order to learn how it was put together and so how to disable it. Progress was slow, and the noontime meal came and went unnoticed behind him. Some hours later, the door gave a satisfying thunk-THUNK as the locking mechanism disengaged at last. Weary but happy, the colt turned the handle--and nothing happened. The machinery moved freely and the lock's parts spun and jigged cheerfully, and they were not attached to anything else in the door's works. Somewhere else in the door was the true mechanism that would solve the challenge. He had wasted an entire day on a faerie jape. It was then, near the end of the fourth day of his captivity, that the colt cried. The shock of being so close to victory only to have it stolen away, and the constant worry of the deadline hanging over him, and his homesickness and the thought that he might never be able to see home again, finally defeated his resolve and determination. The colt sank to the floor and sobbed piteously with great heartwrenching cries of pain. In the end, he slept, curled around himself in front of the treacherous door. The colt woke early on the fifth day, sore and exhausted and hungry and, most of all, angry. The faeries thought cheating was some grand joke, so why should he not cheat in return? He went to the array of image symbols collected together on the floor and looked them over, remembering what some did and gambling on others. Without leaving the symbols, he looked at the door and gathered magic. The image of the flame combined with the grasping hand created a lance of fire that struck at the door but shimmered into nothingness before touching its surface. The flame with the cloud created a fiery blanket that pressed to the door but did not harm it. The ant and the paper, and some careful experimentation, flattened the sturdy wooden table to the thickness of paper. The colt slid the table beneath the door and stood back before releasing the spell all at once. The table returned in a blink to its original size and shape, exerting tremendous pressure against the bottom of the door, which shattered the table into flinders without so much as wiggling the door in its jamb. The colt continued attacking the door with everything at his disposal, but to no avail. The wings, the rainbow, the oven, the bottle, the fish, all for naught. The door was protected by spells the colt did not know how to defeat. The morning meal appeared eventually, the platter and the mug sitting with dignity on the floor in the table's absence. The colt ate and drank ravenously, and as he tore a hunk from a steaming loaf of bread, the answer came to him. He had decided to cheat, like the fae did. But he had not cheated like the fae did. He had approached the problem directly, instead of with cleverness. The colt popped the last bite into his mouth and faced the door, gathering magic. His gaze focused on the stone wall into which the door was set, and he imagined the decaying log and the hungry mouth, and channeled as much magic as he could bear. The thick, sturdy stones of the wall slumped like caramel on a hot day, drooping toward the floor before shivering apart into a rattle of sand and pebbles. The door still stood, proud and alone, and the colt put his hoof against it and pushed. The door fell over with a boom into the hallway. He stepped out over it and Puck was there, gleefully applauding in a centaurlike form with six arms. "Well done, well done! And on only the fifth day, too. You're quite something. The third challenge should be a breeze for you." He blinked at himself, wrinkling up his nose. "Oh, that was awful. I should be ashamed of myself." A grin burst onto his face. "But I'm not!" With a playful gesture, he led the colt away from the fallen door. The third challenge was to take place in a spacious courtyard somewhere in the midst of the castle, open to the twilight sky and decorated with artfully shaped trees and stone-paved paths that led between beds of colorful flowers. The thousands of candles that filled every inch of the paths and floated in the air like dandelion fluff were most likely a new addition. "Your challenge is to blow out the candles," said Puck. The colt narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What's the trick?" All three of Puck's left arms fluttered to his chest in exaggerated dismay. "Trick? My dear boy, you sound as though you don't trust me. Which means you're finally learning." He leaned over to the nearest candle, which floated unsupported in the air by his chest, and puffed it out with a gentle breath. A moment later, it re-lit itself and continued burning as though nothing had happened. "The trick, as you so charmingly put it, is this: you must blow out all the candles at once. If any are left alight, they will all continue burning." He made as though to leave, but turned back with a thought. "Oh, and…" A snap of his right hands' fingers created a globe of water surrounding the candle he had blown out. It continued burning merrily, its yellow light dancing through the water. "The king doesn't care for the thought of his garden being swamped, so the candles can't be drowned. Third time's the charm, so best of luck!" Puck snapped again, dismissing the watery globe, then with a cheerful wave, he vanished. The colt regarded the candle with no less suspicion than he had given to Puck himself. He spun on his heels and marched away through the garden. Several minutes later, he stopped beside an arbitrary candle and used the images of the lake and the cloud to form his own globe of water around it. As promised, it continued burning. He ended the spell and the globe splashed onto the grass to be absorbed. With a sigh, the colt began walking the garden to learn its layout and get an idea of the size of the challenge. Several hours later, he returned to where he started, wearing the frown that had creased his brow for much of the circumnavigation. The garden was enormous, filling at least as much space as the colt's village. Creating rain was the most obvious solution, but that wouldn't work. Therefore, wind was his best hope. A big enough gust could sweep across the garden in a moment and put out all the candles at once. With that thought, the colt set to action. He went to the approximate center of the garden and plucked a twig from a tree. Imagining the budding plant and the grasping hand, he made the twig grow into a tall, sturdy, naked tree trunk, deeply rooted in the manicured lawn. He redoubled his efforts and caused a spiral staircase of short limbs to grow from the trunk, and near the top he made a bowl-shaped platform a little larger than himself. Sweaty but satisfied, he climbed into his crow's nest and surveyed the garden. From that vantage, he could see the entire expanse of it and all the candles that were his targets. He gathered all the magic he could hold, and imagined the sky for wind and the grasping hand to direct it. A blast of air pressed him down into the bowl of his platform and made the treetop pitch and roll, but it stood fast. The colt peeped over the edge and sent the wind rushing in all directions to fill the garden. Candles snuffed out in a spreading wave of darkness, but the wave crested and fell back just over halfway to the garden's walls. The colt watched with disappointment as the candles reignited, light rushing back to his lookout like the tide coming in. It occurred to the colt to wonder if he could begin several gusts at once and let them each blow out a portion of the candles. It would test his ability to the limit, but the hardworking colt was willing to try. He again gathered as much magic as he could hold, and rehearsed what he would imagine, as a spell's images needed to be clear in order to have the desired effect. After a moment, he felt ready, and he cast the first spell, the sky and a hard push from the grasping hand to push the wind out of the north corner of the garden. Quickly, so quickly, he cast the second spell, set to come out of the west. Then the third, in the south. But even as he cast the fourth, in the east, he knew that it was useless. The first gust of wind had already dispersed, and the candles in the north were shining again. He watched the rest of the candles reignite and sat down hard in his bowl-like lookout, beginning to fret again about the end of his week, which seemed to be racing at him faster in times of setback such as this. As though to underscore the point, the midday meal appeared before him then, the platter and mug perched on a tray with legs that spread wide to balance in the bowl. The colt ate mechanically, taking no pleasure in the food, his mind churning as it tried to figure a solution. When he finished, the tray and all disappeared in a bright flash of light that dazzled the colt's eyes. Blinking his vision clear reminded him of entering his first challenge, when he had been dazzled by Puck's disappearance. Puck had left after saying something that had, in the end, given the colt the clue he needed to solve the puzzle. The colt's eyes narrowed in thought. Before the second challenge, Puck had said things are not as they seem, and in the end the colt had succeeded in the challenge by unlocking the door in a rather unconventional manner. Was Puck an ally? Or was he only playing some deeper game? Whichever it was, he had given the colt clues before each of the previous challenges. What had he said while leaving the colt in this garden? Third time's the charm. But what did that mean? Maybe that he should create three separate gusts, that four was too many? The colt stood and tried it. Initially, it was promising, the candles all around winking out obligingly. But when the gusts met in the middle, their winds merged into chaos, and many of the candle flames danced frantically but did not go out. The colt tried it several times, sometimes beginning in the center and sometimes beginning at the walls, and each time the result was the same. Three gusts in such a large space could not meet with enough power to extinguish all the candles. The colt thought some more, pacing little circles around the bottom of the bowl. Perhaps it had to do with the spells themselves? An ordinary spell had three steps, after all. Maybe the clue was about the third step, the manner in which the magic was released. He had been releasing the magic steadily, in the manner of a telekinesis spell, in order to control the wind with the grasping hand image. What would happen if he released it all at once, like a simple fire-lighting spell? Looking out over the edge of his perch, the colt gathered magic into his horn and imagined the sky and the grasping hand. He swallowed nervously, then released the spell, using the burst of magic to give the wind a violent push outward from the center. The wind howled around him far more powerfully than before and his tree tried to throw him to the ground, but he somehow managed to cling to the bowl. Squinting through the mane whipping his face, he saw the candles going out so rapidly that he thought for certain that he had succeeded. But the wind petered out just feet from the wall, leaving a thin band of light all the way around the edge of the garden, which then widened and closed in around his tree as the candles re-lit. Brushing his mane back out of his face with a careless hoof and a scowl, the colt resumed pondering. He had been very nearly successful, and he felt he was on the right track, but he needed something more to create a strong enough wind. What else could Puck have meant? The colt's scowl deepened into thoughtfulness as an idea bubbled up from his mind. He had learned only two days ago that a spell could use two images to change its effects. Was it possible to use three images? He paced rapidly around the bowl, considering it. Images needed to be crystal-clear while casting a spell. Using two images was already a challenge, because they could not be allowed to bleed into one another, but had to remain separate and perfect. Imagining three simultaneous images would greatly increase the difficulty of that separation. The colt decided to try it. He climbed down out of his tree and focused on one of the bottom rungs of his spiral staircase. He gathered a little magic and imagined the budding plant, the grasping hand, and the shining sun, wanting to grow a leaf that shed light. The rung-branch extruded a tiny twig, which sprouted a little sun-shaped leaf. His images had bled one into another, and he mentally kicked himself. He tried again, re-imagining the three images, focusing on the next rung up. A tiny twig emerged, which sprouted a small leaf, which promptly burst into flame. Grumbling, the colt knocked the twig off and stomped the flame out. The hardworking colt continued experimenting into the night and through the morning of the sixth day, gradually learning the knack of imagining three things at once, until at last, between bites of his midday meal, he was able to create ten perfect leaves in a row, each one glowing with a silvery-blue luminescence. By the time the platter and mug disappeared, the colt felt ready to take on the candles again. He ascended his tree and took his place in the lookout bowl. Closing his eyes, he rehearsed what he would imagine, getting each image perfect and ready in his mind. Then he gathered all the magic he could hold, and imagined a sky, gray and lowering with chill winter winds. He imagined a second sky, high and blue and skimming warm summer gusts across the ground. And he imagined the grasping hand, its arm muscular and powerful, strong enough to wrangle the wind. He released all the magic at once. The wind roared in his ears and flattened them painfully back against his head. His mane was bramble whips attacking his face. The tree he stood in was twisted and bent one way and another as though it was no more substantial than a blade of grass. There was a CRACK that the colt felt as much as heard, and he was falling through the roar of the wind, spinning in the air so that he could not tell the darkness of the sky from the darkness of the ground. Desperately, he sucked a breath and imagined the lake and the cloud, suspending himself in the middle of a globe of water. The roar of the wind instantly ceased, replaced with a low vibration that pulsed in the colt's waterlogged ears. Without the wind to toy with him, he stopped spinning, and through his strange bubble he could see the last flickers of candles winking out. Then the globe struck the ground and despite the cushion of the water, the colt was struck hard enough to knock the breath from him. As his body reflexively sucked for air, it found only water. In his drowning panic, his spell failed, and that saved his life. The windstorm was over, the candles were out, and in the darkness of the garden, the colt choked and vomited. When he finally caught his breath, he lay limp on the ground and rolled his head to look around the garden. It was ruined, as though a hurricane had rampaged through it. Trees were uprooted, grassy lawns had been torn to shreds by flying debris, and the flowerbeds were denuded, with the colorful flowers scattered hither and yon. The colt closed his eyes for a long moment, and when he reopened them, Puck was standing over him. The faerie was wearing the form of a diminutive jewel-encrusted dragon, like a statue come to life. As always, his yellow eyes and cruel mouth were the same in every form. He smiled down at the colt. "Very nice work. I particularly like the redecorating you've done. Fetching, yes, quite. I think it's an improvement, but the king is very particular, sadly." The colt started to speak, but coughed instead. He spat a bit of watery phlegm onto the grass and tried again. "My apologies to the king for ruining his garden." "Ruined? This? Pish-posh, my boy, think nothing of it." He clicked his claws together and a blinding light made the colt fling an arm over his eyes. When he lowered it, the garden was restored to pristine condition, except without candles. "See? Nothing to it." The colt eyed him. "What about the king not wanting his garden swamped?" Puck grinned hugely. "Why, that was a lie, of course!" "Of course." The colt let his head fall back onto the grass with a thump. "On your feet now. It's time to see the king." Puck led the colt past the throne room and out of the castle. As they were crossing the moat, the colt asked, "Where is the king?" "He is waiting for you by the tunnel back to your sunlit world. He knows you wish to return as soon as possible." "That is very kind of him," said the colt neutrally. His brief meeting with the king made him suspect that the king had never been intentionally kind to anyone in all his days. "It is," Puck agreed. "Our beloved king is always in the midst of a whirl of affection, just like you no doubt will be once you get back home." "Mmm," mumbled the colt, wondering. Puck and the colt traveled through the forest and arrived at the tunnel, and as promised, the king was there. His smile made the colt's skin crawl. Two guards wearing large, muscular forms flanked the tunnel's mouth. "Hello, my dear, forgetful boy!" boomed the king. "You've succeeded in the challenges and have earned your boon. I--" He laid a clawed finger alongside his long, hairy nose in an attitude of sudden thought. "Wait a moment. I seem to recall that the terms were that you had to surpass the challenges within one week, yes?" The colt's heart sank in horrible anticipation, but he made himself say, "This is the sixth day, Your Highness." "I don't believe it is. You see, in your world, six months have passed. It's only fair for people to be held accountable to the rules of their own world, isn't it?" He smiled again, and his yellow eyes gleamed with cruel glee. "So I'm sorry, my little lost lamb, but you have failed. You will remain here with us." "No!" "Oh, yes. Though--" The king transformed between one second and the next, his wicked claws and fangs disappearing, his towering bulk shrinking. "Hm, perhaps I could be convinced to allow you to return to your home and family. All I need is your name." He leaned toward the colt, one beseeching paw outstretched, waiting. The colt was trapped. There was no telling if he could leave the fae lands without the king's boon, and anyway he couldn't hope to run past all four faerie to get into the tunnel. If only there were some way he could disappear. His eyes widened, and the king's narrowed impatiently. But the colt was too deep in frantic thought to care how scary the king looked. When he had first been testing the symbols, there was one that had made his table-branch vanish. But what symbol was it? Unbidden, Puck's words floated through the colt's mind. A whirl of affection. That was it! With a triumphant grin, the colt slapped the king's paw away, and before the king even had time to be outraged, the colt imagined the whirlpool and cast the spell. With a small flash, the faithful little branch appeared in midair above the king and fell down to poke him in the eye. The king reared back with a roar of mingled anger and pain, and the wholly-not-disappeared colt felt his bowels loosen. Things seemed to slow down for the colt. The guards shifted their weight to charge at him, but it would be minutes before they took their first step. The king's paws had claws again, and his muscles were tensing to swing at the colt's neck, but that was a goodly time off as well. So the colt spent a little while thinking about what had happened. The branch had not disappeared like he had thought, but rather it had gone somewhere and stayed there until that place had been reopened moments before. So, the clever colt reasoned, if he opened two gates to that place at once, he should go in one and come out the other. He hoped. But, looking at the king's claws inching toward his throat, he didn't have a lot of choice. He shoved magic into his horn and imagined a whirlpool where he was standing, and a whirlpool at the opposite end of the tunnel, and, with a sudden insight, he imagined the open door standing between the two. With a brilliant flash, the colt vanished. The king cursed as his claws rent the air where he had been. The sunlight was blinding after so long spent in the twilight gloom of the faerie lands. When the colt forced his eyes open, through his tears he could see that he was standing exactly where he had imagined. He let out a whoop of joy and leapt into the air with a kick. As he twisted around to land, he saw something on his flank, and let out another joyful whoop when he got a clearer look at it: his new cutie mark was a whirlpool with two large stars floating in it. The sight gave him an idea, and he spun to yell into the mouth of the tunnel, hoping the horrible king would hear him. "You can't beat me with faerie tricks or faerie lies! You'll never catch Star Swirl!" With another kick and a laugh, he ran toward his village, already yelling at the top of his lungs, "Mom! Mom, I'm back! I'm safe!" === Epilogue === The king and Puck heard the colt's shout echoing faintly down the tunnel. Puck smiled to hear it, and smiled more at the king's anger. "Come now, Oberon, my liege. Surely things are more interesting this way?" The king grunted. "You risk my wrath, Puck, speaking so familiarly." Puck walked a slow circle around the king, well within reach of the terrible claws, counting off points on his multi-jointed fingers. "I sensed, as did you, my lord, that boy's potential. I designed his challenges to bring out that potential. As we both just saw, my plan worked. He is more knowledgable in magic now than a hundred of the Dayside's paltry wizards. He will only grow more skilled with age. Knowledge makes power. And power…" He stopped directly in front of the king, smiling impertinently up into the hard yellow eyes. "Power, my most puissant lord, makes chaos." The king grunted again, but this time thoughtfully. "As always, your wisdom is greater than your sense, Puck. Our faetouched boy cannot help but be destined for fame and infamy. Recently, I have sensed that a new sun will be rising over the Dayside. With a guiding hand, perhaps those two threads can be woven together to make a fascinating cloth. Perhaps I will travel soon and discover how interesting things can become in the daylight world." "An excellent choice, my lord Oberon. Though you will need a new name to disguise yourself." "Oh," said the king, tugging on the small white tuft of his beard, "I'm certain I'll think of something." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Blooming Love author: Azreale tags: character:Apple Bloom, character:Cheerilee, character:Scootaloo, character:Sweetie Belle, genre:Romance, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Sweet Bloom === Apple Bloom stared intently at her classmate who was to the far left of the room, sitting in her desk, diligently writing down the notes that Miss Cheerilee herself was writing on the blackboard in front of the class. Since a year ago, Mayor Mare had allowed Cheerilee a bigger school budget, so all the desks and boards were fancy and new, and the classroom smelled fresh again. Anything that Miss Cheerilee was saying was drowned out by the scratch of her favorite classmate's pencil. Even though it was across the room from her, Apple Bloom could still hear every scratch it made on the crisp white paper before her. The classmate's eyes darted up and down rapidly, making sure to take down every note she could for the test coming up at the end of the week. Apple Bloom ripped her own eyes away and looked down dejectedly at her own page, which was completely blank except for two names scribbled messily, hers at the top, and her classmate's down the margins. Working on the farm didn't leave much time for practicing her penmanship, so teasing her about it had become one of Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon's favorite torture methods. Apple Bloom saw Cheerilee flash her a knowing look that told her that the teacher knew she wasn't paying attention. Quickly looking to the blackboard, Apple Bloom picked up the pencil with her mouth and scratched down her classmate's name again to look like she was doing work. Cheerilee smiled and nodded once subtly at her before turning back and continuing her lesson. Apple Bloom let out a breathless sigh and rested her head on her desk, which sat at the back of the classroom, far from Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. One too many crazy antics had gotten them all sent to different corners of the room — Scootaloo to the right, Sweetie Belle to the left, and Apple Bloom to the back row. Even though the three of them had gotten their Cutie Marks years ago, they still goofed around and acted like fillies whenever they had the chance. Applejack would always tell Cheerilee that 'old habits die hard, Ah guess' when she came to visit, but Cheerilee was less than pleased that the three hadn't outgrown their childish ways yet, even when they were in grade eleven. The farmpony tossed her head back up, propped it onto her right hoof and resumed her staring. The classmate never noticed her, which mildly surprised Apple Bloom. Her light orange eyes were forever burrowing themselves into her classmate's back or mane, or staring at her mouth or into her eyes when she turned to look at the clock. Something like that was always noticed by, say, Diamond Tiara. The second that Apple Bloom looked towards the class bully, Diamond Tiara's head would swing to meet Apple Bloom's gaze almost instantly, and stick her tongue out at her. It was almost as if Diamond Tiara had eyes in the back of her expertly styled mane. It wouldn't surprise me if she did, Apple Bloom thought with a smirk as her eyes flicked quickly to the back of Diamond Tiara's head and then back again. That mare is a monster after all. "Apple Bloom," Cheerilee called out to her. Apple Bloom's head snapped up as she met her teacher's gaze and saw that she looked very unimpressed with the farmpony who constantly zoned out every class. "Y-Yes, Miss Cheerilee?" Apple Bloom answered back as sweetly as she could with the sweetest smile she could manage. Looking at her classmate made the latter easy. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo turned around to her and they each gave a worried look. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon just grinned and hid their mocking laughter. Apple Bloom swallowed hard. "Can you tell me the answer to the question that I just asked?" The teacher asked, cocking her head questioningly to the side. Apple Bloom gave a panicked glance to her friends. Scootaloo shook her head and gave an apologetic look, but Sweetie Belle tried to mouth something out to her. Apple Bloom stared at her lips, trying to read them, but to no avail. Looking back to Cheerilee, the farmpony sighed. "Ah'm sorry Miss Cheerilee, but—" A loud ringing filled her ears. The whole class shifted their gazes from Apple Bloom to the clock on the right wall. Both hands were right on the twelve, telling the students that it was time for lunch. "Well done today, class! Remember that we have a test in Draconequus History at the end of the week, and it will be worth ten percent of your final mark, so study hard!" Cheerilee called out hopefully to her students, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. Ponies of all different kinds filed in a disorganized fashion out of the classroom and down the hallways to their lockers, the cafeteria, or outside. Apple Bloom heard Sweetie Belle's voice chime out above the ruckus. "Come on Apple Bloom, we don't wanna be late and have our spots taken!" The young mare called out, waving her arm in the air to grab Apple Bloom's attention. The farmpony nodded excitedly and snatched up her supplied into her saddlebag, making sure to stuff the 'blank' paper as far down as she could. "You comin', or what?" Scootaloo yelled with a grin. Apple Bloom leaped up from her desk and started trotting happily to her friends. "Ah'm comin', Ah'm comin', just gimme—" "A few minutes alone with Miss Cheerilee." Cheerilee said with a frown as she walked over to the trio. Apple Bloom stopped where she was and shrunk down a bit, squeezing her eyes shut and berating herself silently for not escaping sooner. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo gave their teacher a confused look. "What for, Miss Cheerilee, if you don't mind me asking?" Sweetie Belle asked charmingly, batting her eyelashes innocently. Apple Bloom averted her gaze back to Cheerilee as fast as she possibly could. "I need to discuss something privately with Apple Bloom, if you could part with her for a few minutes. I promise that it won't take too long." Cheerilee assured her friends. The unicorn and the Pegasus exchanged glances, but shrugged and nodded nonetheless. "Alright, whateves. Just don't take too long, Bloom. We'll be in the usual spot." Scootaloo called out, already turning around to leave. Sweetie Belle gave Apple Bloom a smile and wave before trotting out after her friend. And with that, the farmpony was left alone with her teacher. "Please, take a seat." Cheerilee ushered Apple Bloom to a chair and sat her down, taking a seat right across from her. The two earth ponies stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Cheerilee let out a long, exasperated sigh as she leaned back in her chair. "Apple Bloom, what's going on?" "Ah beg your pardon?" "I asked you, what's going on? Every single day, no matter what I'm teaching, you just… zone out! Every time that I look at you, you're staring off into the distance, completely oblivious to your surroundings. What's going on with you? Is there a problem at home?" Cheerilee leaned back in, a concerned look spreading across her magenta colored face. "N-No! It ain't nothin' like that, Ah promise you!" Apple Bloom waved her hooves back and forth rapidly. "It's just…" She deflated. "It's just what?" "It's nothin', you'd think it's stupid." Apple Bloom muttered under her breath. She didn't intend for Cheerilee to hear it, but the teacher did. "Of course I wouldn't, Apple Bloom." She reached out and put a friendly hoof onto her student's shoulder. "Nothing that troubles any of my students is ever stupid." "It's just that…" Apple Bloom fidgeted in her seat, trying to find the least silly way to word her concerns. "Ah have a crush on somepony." The earth pony bowed her head, almost feeling shameful that she was taking up Cheerilee's time for something like this. A red flush crossed her cheeks and she half expected her teacher to be angry with her, but instead, Cheerilee pulled her in for a hug. "Oh Apple Bloom, that's wonderful! I remember the first time that a crush returned my feelings, and it felt so wonderful! Knowing that a stallion likes you back is one of the best feelings in the world." Cheerilee closed her eyes and sighed dreamily. "And you never know who you'll end up marrying someday!" The teacher's eyes drifted towards her desk, where a picture of her and a tall red stallion locked in an embrace stood. Apple Bloom's eyes fell to the floor. "But how do you know if somepony likes you?" The two mares locked eyes again. Cheerilee thought about an answer for a moment. "Well Apple Bloom, that's the thing — you don't. That's part of the wonder and mystery of it all. Unless the two of you talk, you can never know for sure. Hearing it from somepony else's mouth is never a way to know for sure. You just have to talk to him yourself, and see what he says!" Apple Bloom frowned. "Nopony would ever like me though." She mused sadly. "And just why is that?" Cheerilee asked, putting a hoof under her chin and making Apple Bloom look at her. "Because look at me! Ah'm a farmpony! Ah don't pay attention in class, so Ah'm as dumb as a rock, and Ah can't even write mah own name without it looking like chicken scratch!" Tears pricked at her eyes. "Nopony could ever like somepony like me." "Oh Apple Bloom." Cheerilee pulled her in for another hug. "Stop speaking such nonsense. You aren't as dumb as a rock, you're bright and smart, and anypony would be lucky to call you their marefriend." The teacher gave her a humored smirk, "And we can always work on your penmanship after school, if you want to." "Would you be willing to help me?" Apple Bloom gazed up at her teacher hopefully. The older mare laughed heartily. "Of course I would! I wouldn't bother bringing it up if I didn't want to help you!" "Oh thank you, Miss Cheerilee!" Apple Bloom beamed with happiness. "Ah just know that if Ah could write better, more ponies would like me! Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are always makin' fun of me 'cause ah can't write well!" "Well, I'll be sure to have a word with those two about that. But back to the matter on hoof — why don't you go tell this stallion what you feel. I'm sure he would return your feelings. You're a smart, beautiful mare now, Apple Bloom. I've loved seeing you grow up over the years." Cheerilee's gaze drifted to Apple Bloom's flank, where a cutie mark of a red apple with a wrench and hammer making a cross over top of it, sat proudly. "Do ya really think that would work?" Apple Bloom lifted one eyebrow in doubt. Cheerilee just beamed warmly and rested a hoof on her shoulder. "I really think it would, Bloom." The teacher used Apple Bloom's nickname. The two sat in silence for a second before the younger mare's face broke into a wide smile as she went in for one last hug, one that left Cheerilee panting for air afterwards. "Oh thank you, thank you, Miss Cheerilee! You've helped me so much today, Ah don't know how Ah can thank you! Ah'm gonna go tell her how I feel right now!" Apple Bloom jumped from her chair without another word and ran out the door as fast as she could. Cheerilee sat in stunned silence for what felt like a very long time. Staring back at the spot where Apple Bloom was sitting, the teacher could only think of one thing: "Her?" ~~~~~~~~~~ Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo sat quietly, eating their lunches outside of the school underneath a large oak tree. It was their favorite spot, their usual spot, and it was the spot where Sweetie Belle had gotten her cutie mark when she had sung a calming song to Apple Bloom many years ago, after Scootaloo had attempted to pick the earth pony up and fly around with her, only to drop her once she had gotten into the air. Apple Bloom had suffered a broken foreleg and many cuts and bruises from hitting the tree branches on her way down, and as the ambulance came, Sweetie Belle had sung her friend a lullaby, the same one that Rarity had sung her when she was younger. Both mares looked up in time to see their third member racing towards them, full speed. Apple Bloom wore a big smile on her face as she stared at the white unicorn sitting in front of her. Scootaloo raised an eyebrow in confusion but kept eating. Sweetie Belle lowered her sandwich and cocked her head to the side, letting her rose and lilac colored curls to fall to one side. "What's up, Apple Bloom?" She asked, her voice sweet and innocent and questioning. Apple Bloom's smile didn't falter for a moment, but she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. "Sweetie Belle, Ah have something to tell you…" <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: Hearts and Holes: Filling You Up author: An Intricate Disguise tags: character:Main 6, character:Other, character:Princess Cadance, character:Queen Chrysalis, character:Shining Armor, genre:Comedy, genre:Drama, genre:Romance, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, warning:Sex

=== Setting Sail === "Honey?" spoke a tired-awake, lethargic and bored Cadance, laid next to her husband. "Yes, darling?" a much more tired Shining Armour replied. She hated when he started dozing off right after they'd finished, but at least he was consistent. "I'm going to go and get a job." "Mmh, you already have a job..." Shining rolled around on the bed and pushed his muzzle up against the duvet, brushing Cadance's side. She ignored it. "Being princess of an essentially self-governing nation doesn't count. Besides, I have so much free time that I think I might actually go insane if I stay cooped up in this castle any longer. I can only handle so much stagnation before I start to feel like death." Shining chuckled. "You're being dramatic. You can't be feeling that cooped up in here." Cadance gave him a pointed look. "Do you know how many door-handles there are in this castle? Don't answer. There are eight hundred and twenty-six. They also come in fourteen different varieties and eight colours. How do I know that? I counted." If sleepy Shining was listening, it wasn't especially apparent. It took him a good twenty seconds to say anything. It didn't annoy Cadance though. All the while, her mind was spinning with a small excitement that threatened to wake her all the way back up. "What would you do?" Shining finally mustered. "What else? I'd put that nuptial law degree and masters in psychology to good use. Celestia didn't put me through all of that schooling so I'd never see proper work in my life." She could feel it now, that spark of energy that came with talking about something that excited her. She found herself smiling, despite the hour, staring up at the dark ceiling. "I could counsel ponies to help them with their relationships, or with psychological problems. I could help ponies find love, I could..." suddenly, a brainwave, and Cadance found herself sitting straight up with a grin. "Oh, I know! I could help ponies that are looking to end their relationships!" This actually seemed to get Shining's attention. He looked at his unduly excited wife with a very tangible puzzlement. "Why do you sound so excited about that prospect?" "Do you know how many ponies are statistically unhappy with their marriage, yet unable to leave it?" Cadance was out of bed all of a sudden, walking over to her desk and pulling out articles and documents, all dog-eared, as if she'd been considering this for a while. "For a long time, Equestrian culture didn't allow divorce, and even now, the mentality once fostered has forced ponies to stay together even when they're miserable, because they either feel as if they owe it to their shared children or that they would be shamed or otherwise disadvantaged if they did go through with a divorce. They aren't exactly easy to get here." "...should I be glad for that? You sound more married to the idea of splitting ponies up than you are to me right now." Cadance did the mature thing and threw a pink slipper at him. "Listen, sweetheart. Here in the Crystal Empire, a lot of the ponies are still stuck a thousand years in the past, fostering the same old mentalities that used to make a lot of ponies' lives hell. If I can do something like this to remind my citizens that they're free to pursue who and whatever it is they want without guilt, promote freedom of choice, and help ponies find new love, then of course I'm going to do it. Besides, I'll bet the bits could be good, and there'd be some really funny stories." "Goddess, are you always this devious?" Shining asked, eyebrow raised at the morally questionable love of his life. "Only when you roll over and die after two minutes without finishing me," Cadance smirked. As she said before, Shining was consistent. "I'll be your first customer at this rate," Shining snickered. The pair of them laughed, but Cadance's heart wasn't in it. The idea of setting up a business, one that dealt chiefly with relationships, with finding ponies that were right for one another and putting single ponies in the game? It was exhilarating, it was mind-boggling, it was... not conducive to healthy sleeping patterns whatsoever. So Cadance got up and started planning. She sat at her desk and she worked and worked as her husband began to snore in the background, going through everything from prospective names to ideas for business models, services she might be able to offer, how much capital she could pour into starting a business like this. When she realised she didn't have everything she needed, she snuck away from a sleeping Shining and entered the library, skulking around her own castle at night like an escaped prisoner, scooping up books on various aspects of law and relationships, especially law pertaining to relationships. And luckily, she found that with her current qualifications, she was legally able to solicit advice and help handle both marriage and divorce proceedings. Apart from that, it wasn't as if she needed any qualifications to begin hooking ponies up. It couldn't be too difficult, after all. She'd simply need to find an office, come up with a name, and register her business with the legal authorities, and she'd be able to help ponies find new partners and enrich their lives in no time. Because hey, everypony deserved a shot at happiness, right? Placid Lake was a nervous pony, that much was clear to anyone who met her. She walked with a troubled, rushed gait, and often kept a portion of her mane and face hidden under a large, blue beret, which contrasted with her cream coat and dark brown mane. The other elements of her attire were both a short, black pencil skirt—formal and easy, but not flaunting in any way—and a small brown saddlebag. Placid Lake liked to blend in with the scenery as best she could, and wasn't a particularly loud pony. But right now, she needed to be. She'd spent a fair amount of time standing outside the large, shared office building in the uptown of the Crystal Empire, of which she knew Princess Cadance had procured a floor for her purposes. Adverts had been travelling around the Crystal Empire for days now, as well as word of mouth, and the opportunity to work under the Princess of Love? It was incredible, it was exciting, it was everything that Placid Lake truthfully needed. But getting there hadn't just meant getting ready, or versing herself on both her routine, and everything she was able to find out about the job. It had meant hours waiting in nervous anticipation as Cadance went through the line of prospective interviewees, of which there were many of various ages and genders. Placid Lake imagined many were unqualified, and had just seen the interview process as an excuse to speak to the princess face to face, seeing as she was tirelessly conducting them herself. Placid didn't mind waiting. She'd gotten used to biding her time by now, and this would all be worth it if it came together. When her turn eventually came, and she walked through the door to find the princess, she looked a lot less... frazzled than she'd anticipated. Placid had imagined that with so many hours of non-stop interviewing, the alicorn would be ready to hit the desk, but instead, she greeted Placid with a short wave and a big smile as the nervous pegasus walked further into the room. Nervous for a good reason, but she could do this. Deep breaths. Eventually, words came from Cadance. "Hey there! Welcome to Princess Cadance's Heart Healing and Divorce Emporium, for all of your love related needs! Are you here for an interview?" Placid noticed that the princess seemed to frown for a moment, after speaking, her eyes travelling over her, but the moment was lost when Placid blurted something in spite of herself. "That's quite the long name. Have you not considered something snappier?" "...I'm working on it," Cadance answered with a sheepish smile. "Honestly, I'm surprised it took someone this long to call it out, but it's difficult to think of a way to combine 'divorce' and 'happy' in the same sentence." She shook her head, forgetting the notion and replacing it with that same smile from before. "So, who are you, and which position would you like to apply for, assuming that's why you're here?" "My name is Placid Lake," she replied, tipping her beret before removing it and holding it against her chest with a hoof, not wanting to place it on the desk and appear rude. "I was hoping to apply for a junior position as a dating and marriage consultant, or fill any other position that might be available." She smiled, making sure not to be too brash about it. "When I heard about what you were doing, princess, I came almost immediately. It'd be an honour to work under you." Cadance seemed to scrutinise her words for a while, interviewer mode turning on. "You... flew all the way here to apply? How did you hear about the opening from outside of the Crystal Empire?" That was an easy one to get around. "Simple! I'm here on vacation, and I heard a couple talking about the opening firm when I was sat in a cafe yesterday. I'm between jobs right now, so I weighed up my options and figured that working here would be a great option for me, considering it's only a half hour commute from my current home." "I see..." Cadance flicked through her note cards for a few seconds, looking back up at Placid, who really couldn't tell how this was all going yet. "And you have an interest in relationships?" A nod. "If it isn't too invasive of me, are you currently in one?" "I've been single for around six months," Placid Lake replied, biting her lip and allowing her eyes to hit the floor for a moment. "The last colt I was with, we tried for a while, but he just wasn't my special somepony. We parted on good terms, at least." "That's healthy," Cadance smiled, and it felt legitimate. "I'm both happy and sorry to hear that. Is bringing happiness to other ponies important to you?" "Of course! I absolutely adore seeing ponies caring for and loving one another. It sustains me more than anything." "And your qualifications? Experience?" Now was time for the test. The documentation had been easy enough to produce, but would it be good enough? Placid Lake pulled a resume from her saddlebags, one she'd tailored specifically for this interview, and laid it on the desk in front of Cadance. Her potential employer gave it a glance over, and while Placid wondered and waited, trying not to sweat, she began to see Cadance's face light up. "You have a glowing record from flight school, and your list of volunteer work and public sector customer relations experience leads me to..." She cleared her throat, hoofing the resume back to Placid. "You know, usually, I'd run through a list of hypotheticals, ask a bunch more questions, and look for specifics about your previous work, like a good interviewer, but honestly, I'm so impressed that I think I've only got one question for you." "And that is?" Placid waited with baited breath. If it was 'when can you start' then this had gone better than she ever could've expected, better than she'd dreamed. Cadance peered at the resume again, then at Placid, eyes narrowed, as if she was double checking something, and then with a wry smile, lowered her voice, dropping the friendly tone. "Who are you really?" Placid Lake froze over. "I... excuse me?" "I've got a bit of an advantage over most interviewers," Cadance admitted, "in that I can feel what's in their heart. I can sense their joy, sorrow, fear... and I feel all of that in you, of course, but most of all, I can sense their love. It's the driving force of a pony, after all. With you, I can't feel that flow of love whatsoever, which leads me to believe that you're not a pony. That might sound a little neurotic, but I'm afraid after a few borderline world-ending scenarios, you grow cautious about these things." "I-I... erm..." Placid Lake didn't know what to do right then, what to say! "Would you mind if I cast a quick scrying spell on you? It isn't a particularly long process, I promise." Shit. She needed to do something right then, or things were going to go way south. "Wait!" Placid Lake called, waving her hooves at Cadance as she fell to her haunches. Emergency plan B, here we go. "Wait. If I told you that I was a changeling, would you be angry with me?" Cadance raised an eyebrow. "If it's simply a thing of comfort? No. If you've lied to me more on your resume and I find out? Yes, most definitely." Placid Lake sighed. Time to go all out. "What if I told you my name was Chrysalis?" Cadance didn't react with shock, not like she'd expected her to. In fact, she barely moved. "In that hypothetical situation, I'd ask you what should stop me from arresting you right here and now. And, again, purely hypothetically, if I was Queen Chrysalis right now? I'd be making my excuses and leaving." There was no malice in her tone, only clear, stone cut clarity. Placid Lake transformed in spite of the warning, and there stood Chrysalis in her place, the creature she'd always truly been. "I'm sorry that I've lied to you. I did it with the best intentions." Cadance looked as if she was ready to spring from her seat in an instant, but she didn't charge up her horn. "You should leave now, while you're still able to." Chrysalis feared Cadance, honestly. With all that she'd done to her in the past, and with the shift in the power dynamic now that Chrysalis had lost all of her people and so much of her power, there was no way she could take the Princess of Love on. "I will if you truly want me to, but I only came here to atone." "I'm sure that's a load of steaming hot crap," Cadance spat in response. She was usually so sweet and calm, every other time Chrysalis had seen her. She wasn't sure if she liked the change as she usually would. Cadance shrugged her withers from the opposite side of the desk, relaxing back into her chair. "You've got a minute. Explain why you're here." Chrysalis took a deep breath. This was going to be difficult. "I'm being honest with you. I've had... I've had a long time to think about all of the things I did. At first, it was only ruthless pragmatism, me trying to find a way to provide for my people, who I never thought would be accepted or understood. Then, after so many setbacks, it became callous viciousness, a desire for revenge. I've realised how useless those emotions are." She paused, considering something for a moment. "You said you can tell how creatures feel. Do I hate you?" Cadance was silent for a moment, trepidatious. "...no. You don't." "I want to start making amends for all the bad things I've done over the years. You and Shining Armour are at the top of my list. I thought that by helping you, helping other ponies? I might be able to take the first step towards turning over a new leaf..." Chrysalis hung her head. "I understand if you wish to turn me away. The only reason I didn't reveal myself until I was forced was that I knew you wouldn't accept me if you knew who and what I really was. I wouldn't accept me. I wouldn't trust me, being in your hooves." Cadance narrowed her eyes, brows furrowed. "I don't. There's something you're holding back. Tell me the real truth. Everything." Chrysalis couldn't bring her eyes to meet those of the princess. "Fine. I realised that working in an environment like this, I'd constantly be around ponies that were in love with one another, and that it would give me some of my strength back. I'm starving, princess, truthfully. I've been malnourished and weak for months, and I'm running low on fumes. If I didn't find a solution, and soon, I knew there was only a limited amount of time left for me." "And you couldn't just share the love in your heart, like all the other changelings managed?" Chrysalis tilted her head. "Do you realise how old I am, Cadance? Older than Celestia. Almost as old as Discord. The other changelings, they've only lived a single lifespan. They were able to change their ways because they've not been so solidly set in them? Me? I've been forced to be this way for as long as I can remember, and many lifetimes of memory before that. It isn't a switch I could just flip like the others. Selfishly, it was the main reason I abhorred the notion. Well, that and a lack of trust." "So you admit you don't trust ponies, that you've lied to me about who you are, and that your reasons for coming here weren't legitimate, yet expect me to let you stay?" Cadance's face was like stone. It wasn't right on her. "I wasn't lying about my reasons," Chrysalis said, and she begged with her heart that Cadance would listen. "Perhaps I do need to feed to survive, but I can do so without hurting ponies. I could've gone elsewhere, but I chose here because I owe a debt to you, to you and your husband, and I'd do a lot in an attempt to make it up to you. That matters to me more than anything else, besides my own life." For a long time, Cadance was silent. There was a knock on the door, making Chrysalis jump, but Cadance shooed them away. When she came to sit back down, she'd found words. "How do I know that you aren't plotting something? That this isn't a plan to return to your original power, perhaps more, and try to steal my country away from me?" "I suppose you don't," Chrysalis admitted, for she could truthfully find no counterargument. "As I've said, if you ask me to leave, I will, but if you allow me to stay, I promise to work hard for you. It may shock you a little, but that resume is an understatement. I've filled so many positions in covert operations over the years that I may as well be an expert in interpersonal communication. I'm sure I could be an asset to you." "And that's what scares me," Cadance replied, snickering despite herself. "It'd be stupid for me to take you on, and I absolutely know it." "Then send me home, princess." "No. You'll stay here. You'll work for me, and you'll work hard." Cadance risked it, she risked a smile, broke her stoic countenance. "We're here to help ponies find new relationships, so I'll have a try at repairing ours. How does that sound?" Chrysalis smiled. Not a malevolent or otherwise evil thing, only a simple smile of happiness, of relief. "We need to do something about the name, though. What you greeted me with sounds legitimately terrible." "...is it honestly that bad?" "In my four-hundredth year of rule, a band of changelings chose to name one of our settlements 'Greck' after the name of a sludge-like substance we'd been forced to eat for years, which was abundant there. That name had more poetry to it than Cadance's Heart Dealing Horse Emporium, or whatever it was." "Heart Healing Divorce Emporium," Cadance muttered, seeming like she was already regretting her decision. "Yes... that." Chrysalis pointed at the desk. "May I?" Cadance nodded, and the changeling wooshed up the papers with names written on them using her horn and began to pick through them. "Courtship and Courtrooms... too serious." A frown. "Finding Hearts... too simple, but at least it's shortened." A slight hum as she reshuffled the documents. "What does this crossed out one say?" Chrysalis moved the paper back a little, staring intensely, as Cadance began to shuffle on her hooves. "...Pound Town? I didn't realise you were running a brothel here." "Okay, that's it! No more reading for you, bug lady!" Cadance swiped the papers from Chrysalis, earning a growl for either that or the nickname. The moment Cadance's eyes hardened, Chrysalis lost the temper. "I don't like that name. I am far more imposing than a simple bug." There was a single piece of paper on the floor that Cadance hadn't remembered to grab, Chrysalis scooped it up. "How about..." "Ooh, are we thinking of names for you now?!" Cadance jumped up and down in place like a filly, a big smile about her. Chrysalis blinked. "Why are you suddenly so excited?" "Two things make me truly happy in this world. Naming things, and getting ponies in relationships. That's why I've thought of ship names for so many ponies I know! Twidash, Sparity, Flutterdog... the list goes on." Chrysalis probably shouldn't have said what she was about to. "Have you ever considered that perhaps the excitement you display at these prospects is a little alarming?" For the first time since her reveal, Cadance's eyes truly darkened. "You will not take away my right to make cute pony couple names." Have you ever seen a pink, angry love demon? Chrysalis hadn't until this moment, and she'd almost forgotten what it felt like to sweat in her usual body. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forget I said anything." "Why do you think I'm doing this, after all?" Cadance said with a now manic glee about her. Chrysalis wondered if she'd triggered something. "Because... you wish to help ponies in matters of love?" "Because it's fun! It's fun and it's wonderful and I know everything about how to make ponies happy!" Cadance all but squee'd, grinning like a mentalist. A few moments, and she blinked out of it, her eyes seeming to change back to usual, and Cadance clearing her throat with a forced cough. "Erm, and yes.... to help. Of course." Why was it that through all of that, it now felt as if it was Cadance hiding something, either from Chrysalis, or from herself? "Anyways, I'd probably call you cheese legs." And just like that, Chrysalis stopped contemplating the very important question of what had caused that monumental but momentary change in Cadance and started focussing her attention on not leaping across the table and attempting to strangle her. "Cheese legs?" She repeated, her throat so dry she sounded as if she was about to cough up sawdust. "Well, sure! Like emmental, or one of the other holey cheeses." "I am a queen," Chrysalis mumbled, hiding behind as much mane as she could. "Oh!" Cadance announced, suddenly very excited, though managing not to start prancing around this time. "I think I've got our name! Hearts and Holes." Chrysalis looked at her legs, then at Cadance's flanks, where her cutie mark rested. "That... sounds like an innuendo." "I know, right?!" Cadance grinned, writing up the name and testing a strapline. "Hearts and Holes: however big the gap is, we can fill you up!" "...I think it gives off the wrong message. How about something else that's related to us?" "Alright, how about Princess Cadance and the Conniving Bitch Bunny Boiler: you'll get divorced because of us!" Chrysalis looked about ready to commit a war crime. Again. "...Hearts and Holes it is." Cadance gave her a very smug and satisfied grin. "I think we're going to enjoy working together more than I realised." "If this reintroduction is any indication? I think a part of me is beginning to favour the prospect of execution." <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: And Thus, I Became the Tatzlprincess author: Miss Marionette tags: character:Discord, character:Main 6, character:Other, character:Princess Celestia, character:Princess Luna, genre:Comedy, genre:Slice of Life, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== Celestia's Bad Day === "Celestia, princess Celestia! It's time to get up! The sun needs to be risen, and you are hardly even out of bed!" The voice was like hooves on a chalkboard to me. Not because it was unpleasant, no, but simply because I didn't want to get up. The bed was comfortable, Luna had left me to my dreams alone for once, and I was content. Maybe if I simply laid there, I would be allowed to just raise the sun a little later than usual? Usually the ponies wouldn't freak out too awfully much…. "CELESTIA HAS YET TO RISE!! It is the return of Nightmare Moon! Doomed, all doomed!" I heard a pony from outside my window. I couldn't help but give a loud groan, shaking my head as I finally rose to my hooves, shaking the sleep from myself. I had forgotten, that these are my ponies that we're talking about here. Ponyville practically went into lockdown whenever something new or strange they didn't understand reared it's head in their direction. Of course, for all their quips and quirks, I still do love my little ponies. Even if they can be a tad bit extreme. Kibitz was waiting for me as I stepped from bed, a tray of tea already set out, the older stallion looking over our schedule for today. Thankfully, it was a shorter one. Only five feet long instead of the usual. I sat down on my haunches, levitating the morning tea up to my lips and taking a small sip, doing my very best to not shudder. Tea, my eternal curse. The drink of all classy citizens and royalty. Oh, how I would throttle the inventor of tea should he and I ever meet. When you have to drink a singular beverage every waking moment of everyday, you can grow sick of it. I, an alicorn, am no different. So, I sat there, drinking and brooding on my dislike of the beverage, before finally I had consumed a sufficient amount to put Kibitz's mind at ease. "Was the tea to your liking, Princess?" Kibitz asked, following after me as I headed for court. Like clockwork, I heard Kibitiz's watch go off, and the sun was raised. There, crisis averted, no more running, screaming ponies in the streets. "Yes, Kibitz. The tea was, like always, a delight." I told him, lying through my teeth. If anything, this batch of tea had been more distasteful than any before it! I'd only been able to get through one cup, before it had become too much to handle. I shuddered at the thought of their being a still nearly full pot of the stuff. "Ah, well, delightful. It was a gift from a foreign diplomat, a 'Drocdis' fellow, odd name. I will be sure to save the tea for later consumption." Oh, joy. I hid my distaste for that fact behind a small smile to Kibitz. Ah, at least he was being a good butler. As I walked, I found my mind wandering to Twilight's last report. Discord had been up to no good again, faking some odd cold to drag Twilight and Cadence on an epic adventure to get the petals for some flower. To make a type of tea. The flower had been guarded by a giant tatzlwurm, and in the end, Discord hadn't even needed it to heal himself in the first place. Sometimes I wondered if my reforming method even worked on him. Sure, he was Fluttershy's friend and all, but he still had his moments of just...insanity. I suppose that's the price for having a sentient WMD at your disposal. Court resumed as it normally did. Half of the problems were caused by the Flim Flam brothers. Naturally, I let them do their...songs, until I eventually said what I always do. They have to give everything back, say sorry, thee end. After that, things became interesting. This farm goes here, you repay him, easy things. Of course, towards the end of it, I did have a few slips of the tongue. No doubt just an off day. Finally, after many hours, Kibitz signaled that court was over, and I would be taking no more appointments. I was thankful, as my mouth, eyes, and tail ached. No doubt from sitting here in the same spot for much too long. "Congratulations, Princess. Today is a rare day, with not much planned. Feel free to go enjoy yourself. I will go attend to smaller matters." Kibitz spoke, before walking off. I just gave a relieved sigh at that. Now, when I do have the rare moments of freedom to do with myself what I will, I have a special spa I like to head to. Today, I wouldn't be attending that spa. I just wanted to lay down, and rest the aches I was feeling in my body. Ruling a kingdom for a thousand years all by your lonesome, sometimes you had just off days. On my way back to my room, though, I was suddenly intercepted by the one person I always adored seeing, and yet really wish I hadn't been found by on my way to relaxation. "Sister!!" Luna declared, suddenly flying down next to me, quite full of energy. I suppose a thousand years on the moon could be considered the ultimate power nap. "Hello Luna." I responded, slowing my pace but still on the B-line for the glorious salvation I knew to be my bed. "Sister, we simply must tell thou of our adventurous night!" This may take awhile. "At the start of the night, we believed it was going to be a boring one. Oh, never before hath we been so wrong before! First, we had to take it upon ourselves to slay a nest of Manticores that were beginning to get close to Fillydelphia! After that, there was a vast parasprite swarm, destined to consume Manehatten, had it not been for our quick thinking, and the help of the Pink one! Who knew you could play so many instruments at the same time? After THAT, I had to save a family from a group of evil cockatoos, and then..." By the time that Luna finished with the explanation of her night, I had reached my bed, and was getting comfortable in my favorite spot. "Sister, are you okay? Your eyes…" Luna spoke, and I paid it no mind, just laying my head down. "I just need a rest, Luna...Today in court was straining." I said, adjusting myself to get comfortable. Luna stayed there for a little bit, seemingly perplexed for a few moments, before nodding her head. "Very well, sister. I will be but a shout away, should you need me!" Luna declared, before walking out. Oh, I do love my sister, but being stuck on the moon for a thousand years has left her rather talkative. Soon enough, I drifted off to sleep, enjoying a good nap. By the time I woke up, my tail hurt to my mother, My whole mouth ached with a pain straight from Tartarus. A small area around my eyes also felt no end of agitation. I stumbled out of bed, looking for the light switch. I went to use my magic, before an appendage suddenly shot from my mouth, and hit the light switch. I froze, looking at it. It was long, black, and rather slick looking. As I stared, I felt my jaw...split, and the appendage was joined by two siblings, stretching out from my mouth. A quick test, and I could fully control the trio of them. Up and down, side to side, forward and back. Had I not been a being of over a thousand years old, who has seen some rather...well, weird things in her time, I would of, for lack of a better term, flipped shit. Instead, I jumped to the one being that loved to not only pull pranks on me, but at the same time, would have the ability to do such a transformation upon myself. "Dithcord…" It was hard to speak when your bottom jaw is split in two and your tongue had become a trio of tentacles. As if he'd been sitting back, waiting for this exact moment, the spirit of chaos and disharmony appeared, and burst into a fit of giggles at the sight of me. "Oh, Celestia! This! This is much too rich! Or, or, or, should I say, Tatzlestia?!" He giggled, falling onto his back in mid air, laughing and laughing. I thought, for a few moments, about banishing him to the sun.Yet, the way he spoke of it, he had to know something. What in the name of me was a Tatzl? "Antherth, now." I spoke, cursing the appendages leaving my mouth, before I fully retracted them once again. It took me a few moments, glaring down Discord's grinning face the whole time. "Answers. Now." I commanded, stamping my hoof and staring at the dreaded draconequus. Reformed my plot. He'd be going back to Boot Camp Fluttershy soon enough. Maybe she could stare him down for awhile. "Mmm, one moment, Celestia...I just have to, hehe, enjoy this. Some of my finer work, I must say!" Discord mused, floating about. Roasting him on the sun was looking really appealing, before he suddenly began to run his hand down my tail, but it wasn't as it once was. Oh no, the 'solid' bit was much, much longer. I turned my head, eyes widening at the sight. My tail had shifted. No longer was it a long collection of hairs. Oh no, it was a longer limb, not too dissimilar to that of a lizard, the top covered in a line of my hair, the tail ending in a tuft of the stuff. "And the final piece…" He said, before holding up a mirror to my face. I could only stare, my eyes seemingly...tattoo'd. Strange colored, almost lightening bolt looking things came from my eyes. My new tendrils shot out, wrapping firmly around his neck, torso, and tail. Part of me wanted to crush him, while the other part wanted to eat him. I had a feeling I could. "Now!" I barked, tightening my grip while he squirmed. "Let GO and I'll tell you." He said, and I gave a small huff, before letting go, retracting the tendrils back into my mouth. He flopped down, giving a few coughs, probably just throwing up a show to tease me. "You are now a Tatzlpony. Remember Twilight's last letter, when I said I needed the tea?" Discord asked, and I nodded my head, sitting on my haunches and working to keep my tail out of the way. "Well, I did need to make tea from that flower, but it wasn't for me. You see, I've been planning this prank for quite some time, Celestia. I studied the flower, but more importantly, it's guardian. The tatzlwurm. It and the flower shared a very...special relationship. Symbiotic, or something." Discord went on, waving his hand in the air. I really had no idea where he was going with this. "Long story short, Celestia….The tea you drank this morning? It was from me, and it was made from the flower the tatzlwurm guarded. You are now a tatzl, it's ingrained in your DNA. There are no known spells to fix this either, because that would make the prank, well, no fun! I'd suggest not letting anyone else drink from your tea pot again….ever. Who knows what might happen?" Discord spoke, snickering. I tried to lash out at him again, but he snapped his fingers and vanished into thin air. Tea...it was the bucking tea. I always, always knew the damned beverage would be my downfall. I looked about, letting out a heavy sigh. This was not going to be easy, or fun. How could I explain this to the populace? To Kibitz? To Twilight Sparkle? Most importantly, how could I explain this to my sister, Luna!? "Celestia~!!" I heard Luna shouting, coming down the hallway. My sister, the vanquisher of night monsters and threats. My sister, so hyperactive with energy and brash choices. My dearest sister, who is more likely to strike first, ask questions later. My sister, who was barrelling right for my bedroom. All I could think of was one thing. "Dammit, Discord." === Sisterly Bonding === I would like to take one moment to reiterate something. Making it perfectly clear, if you will. I love Luna, with all my heart, mind, body, and soul. That's the exact reason why I sent her to the moon when she became Nightmare Moon. I dare say that next to my student, Luna is the one pony that I love above all others. Now, with that all out of the way, let me make another thing clear. Luna is, like everyone else in Equestria, a Pony. Therefore, a tad bit xenophobic. So, with those two items out of the way, I believe that my next actions should be completely understandable. When Luna came bursting through my door, I gave her no time to think. Like a whip, I spun about, smacking her into the wall with my new tail, before she fell unconscious. Were my actions perhaps a tad rash? Would it of been better to sit down and maybe try and talk things out with my sister instead of knocking her unconscious the moment she came into my room? You don't rule a kingdom for a thousand years, uncontested, without being a trifle paranoid. I moved quickly after that, not wanting to waste time. She was an alicorn, after all. On top of that, she was also rather energetic and robust. She would not be down for long. So, acting quickly, I sent my tendrils to work, while using my magic to focus a sleep spell onto her. Just to buy me a little more time. The first two wrapped around my dear sister, pinning her wings to her back, and she in place. The other grabbed a piece of cloth, before resting it over her eyes. I would rather not have her freak out the very first thing. With all the preparations I could think of in place, I lifted the sleeping spell. With that done, I reached up with my free tendril, and gave her horn a quick rub. Luna woke up with a loud gasp, a blush on her face from the very brief stimulation. "C-Celestia? Where art thou? Why do we ache as if struck by a tail like appendage, before slamming int a wall? Why is it dark when we've not raised the moon? Most disturbing, why art we being held by strange appendages!?" Luna asked rapid fire, and anytime I saw her trying to start up a spell, I gave her horn a quick tap. Imagine striking a dog on the nose. It is the same effect. "Luna, I need you to make me a vow. When I remove the cloth from your eyes, you may not scream, shout, let it all out, try to end me, call for help, or a variety of other things that do not include sitting in this room calmly, discussing things calmly, with NO smiting whatsoever. Deal?" I asked, wanting to be totally thorough with my sister. "We suppose so. We still see not why any of that is needed, but we will make it our vow. Now, please, remove the blinding cloth from our eyes so that we may see our sister sunbutt." Luna said, and I gave a small breath, before tossing the cloth from her eyes. Luna looked around herself, before her eyes finally rested on me. I sat there at first, trying to not look too strange, despite my eyes, tail, and tendrils coming from my tri-split jaw. You know, no pressure in that at all. At first, Luna could only stare at me, and I at her. I had no doubt in my mind that had I not made her make that vow she would be freaking out quite heavily at the sight of me. I know I almost had, and would if I saw Luna in my condition. I worried that I'd hit her to hard for a few moments. For a monster slayer, she was taking this a bit easier. Of course, I was restraining her. Perhaps there was a natural calming agent in the tendrils I didn't know about? "Sister..if not for the vow we just gave, we would be reacting much more harsh. Please give me a reason not to lash out besides that vow...if you even are our sister." Luna said, and she was not happy. I can't say I'd be very happy in her position either. I was a strange creature entangling her in tendrils after all, and while I am quite sure there is more than a few out there who would find it greatly alluring, my dear sister was not among their number...I hoped. "Discord dosed my tea with the petals of the Tatzlflower that Twilight Sparkle had to cut down for him." I answered, and that seemed more than enough to appease my sister. Discord had that effect on ponies, and my sister was no fool. She knew that this form, and me in it, would cause mass problems. Something right up the new 'reformed' Discord's alley. "Thou had me when thou said Discord...So, Discord is the cause of whatever affliction thou is now suffering, and he had not provided thou with any method as to which thou can cure yourself?" Luna asked, and all I could do was sigh and shake my head. Now, that actually would of been something unpredictable of Discord, giving me an easy way out of his pranks. Alas, for being a spirit of chaos, Discord wa surprisingly predictable in his pranks. We were at stage three, where he would sit back and laugh and laugh at the fruits of his brilliant planning, which he enacted in step one. Then was step four, of him laughing at us trying to find a way out of it, before finally came step five. Discord pouting that we got out of the prank till he could enact his next prank. Oh yes, for a spirit of chaos, he was predictable in many things. "Well, we simply must find a way to turn thou back! Consult Starswirl's library! Call on Twilight Sparkle! Make a national announcement and a call to arms of the people to find the cure!" Luna declared, and I blanched a bit. "No, Luna! We really do NOT want to call attention to my change among with people!" "And why should we not? There may be some miracle cure! This might be a common affliction!" "Sister, they had to battle a giant worm with their alicorn magic after they pulled the flower from the ground, which in of itself was as large as a building. I doubt that this is a common affliction. Discord even said himself that there are no spells to cure this." "I see thine point, but it still begs the question, what are we to do? Should we even trust his word that there are no spells?" "We must simply…keep calm, and flutter on. We will act like nothing is wrong, find a way to hide my tail. I will say my eyes is just an alicorn exclusive illness, and I will keep my mouth in it's natural state. During that time, we will hunt for a cure. If there is a spell, and Discord lied, we'll find it...Do you think you can keep this silent for me, Luna?" I asked, looking to my dear sister with pleading eyes, while finally retracting my tendrils back into my mouth. I was kind of getting tired of tasting Luna the whole time I was speaking to her. Luna looked about, stretching out her legs and wings, seemingly debating something in her mind. The chance to lay me out? Maybe. She did spend her night's on various adventures, after all. This whole thing might of been a front. Finally, she just sighed, and saluted with her forehoof. "Thou can count on us, sister!" Luna nodded, and I let out a relieved sigh. Well, that was one giant conquered. I don't think I would be able to pull the wool over Luna's eyes. Things would be much easier with her on my side, anyway. "Oh, and Luna, please don't drink the tea in the teapot. We need to study it for it's properties. Try and find a way to cure myself with maybe what caused it. Just, whatever you do...Don't drink it." I warned, and my sister nodded. The clock was getting around that time, and I knew I'd need to lower the sun soon. "Very well, sister. On our exploration of the night and of dreams, we will be ever vigilant on the hunt for a way to cure thou! Worry not sister, thou shall not suffer long!" Luna declared, before suddenly bursting from the room at a gallop, on her latest mission. I sighed, shaking my head before reaching forward and using my tendrils to tug the door closed. Didn't want anyone stumbling in on me like this, after all. I glanced outside, focusing a bit of magic and helping the sun back down over the horizon, before watching the moonrise up as well. It was actually a bit of a relief, no longer needing to rise and lower them both. Even I have to admit that there's been more than one occasion where I slipped up and, well, rose either the wrong celestial body, or both at the same time. I was ever so thankful for when I could just pass them off as eclipses. I sat down on my haunches, considering my options for the moment. I couldn't simply go out as if nothing had happened. The ponies would notice in an instant, and I would have mass mayhem and chaos on my hooves. Probably declare either end of days, or a brand new world order. That, of course, was bad. So I scratched that off the list. I ALSO couldn't just hide my head in the sand and wait for someone to find a cure. I tried having Luna rule both the day and the night once. She did not like it, and neither had Kibitz. So, that was also off the table for things I could do. So, there was only one course of action left that I could honestly take in this condition of mine. I would need to bamboozle all of my subjects into thinking that everything was just fine. As much as I didn't like the thought of it, I also didn't enjoy the thought of mass rioting in the streets and ponies hurting themselves while bumping their heads into the walls. I was amazed how that was the cause of many injuries during the Changeling invasion. It was a trifle embarrassing, but of course, that whole event was...Luna didn't let me live down being fooled so thoroughly for weeks. Twilight's air of 'I told you so' had been rather persistent for sometime, and even know I get the feeling that she would whip out the event at a moment's notice to prove a point. Eventually, I turned my eyes to the teapot with the vile mixture inside. The mixture that had caused this. I stepped up to it, looking down at the thing. Tea. If I drink it, this happens. If I didn't drink it, a large portion of Equestria trade and commerce would collapse. I hated moments like this. Ah, the many things you do for national stability. My brain began to go to work, thinking of how I could study this thing. Find a cure. Most of the time, I would simply have Twilight Sparkle write me a research paper on the topic I needed to know about, and that would the source of my knowledge. Then, it hit me. Twilight Sparkle, my good and faithful student! That adorable mare that I've known since a filly, that glorious egg head! If there was a mare whom I trusted, and had the brains to solve such a conundrum without freaking out, it was Twilight Sparkle. "I'll write Twilight a message, calling her to Canterlot...Claim it's a test or something? Possibly…" I spoke to myself, before trotting over and writing a message, calling Twilight to my side. It didn't take all of five minutes before a message arrived, from Twilight Sparkle. I opened it up, and found that she'd be exhilarated to visit, and had a rather important matter she needed to discuss with me. I smirked a bit to myself. I wonder which one of us had the more important matter to discuss. I let me tendrils out, and wrote a swift reply to let her know how I looked forward to her visit, and that she should only bring herself. Princess business. I sent the message, and looked down at my tendrils. "Alright, Twilight...You're my only hope." === Tatzltea Troubles in Ponyville === "Twilight!! Twilight! Come oooon! You don't wanna be late for my super special awesome spectacular town wide extravagant omega alpha happy fun joy sponsored by Fluttershy Tea Party do you!?!" I heard Pinkie Pie's voice, bouncing around the halls of my library as I got ready. "Pinkie, I doubt we're going to run out of tea! Did you see the size of the pot that Discord gave Fluttershy? I am just freshening up is all. If I don't do it here, Rarity will do it there. Patience is a virtue!" I reminded her, combing a few knots out of my mane. The sun was slowly setting outside, and I could hear the hustle and bustle of the whole town outside. Pinkie Pie was holding the biggest tea party that Ponyville had even seen, with everypony attending. Vinyl 'DJ Pon-3' Scratch would be providing music, with a few performances from Octavia and Lyra to add some 'class' to our tea consumption. Fluttershy and Discord would be providing the tea, and as much as I didn't trust Discord, I had full faith that Fluttershy could keep him in line. Finally, I checked off the last detail on my list of proper mane, tail, hide, wing, and horn care. Spike was off, running errands for Rarity. I was almost thankful, knowing that he would only be swallowing down the tea to look good for Rarity. That dragon...how he expected interspecies relations between a dragon and a pony to ever work out, I would never know. What would the children look like? Though, I suppose it makes him happy, so it's not in my rights to rob him of that. I finally walked down into the main room of the lobby, only to see Pinkie twitching in all manner of ways. "Uh, Pinkie sense going off? What's THAT one mean?" I asked, sitting back on my haunches to observe the party pony of our town twitching and contorting in all many manner of ways that I swear only she could pull off and NOT need intense medical attention. That's just Pinkie for you, I suppose. Eventually, the Pink, poofy mane mare of Ponyville stopped, and shrugged. "I have no idea! Whatever it is, it's something totally new, and TOTALLY weird! I look forward to it!" Pinkie smiled that big, bright, Pinkie Pie patented smile. I just gave a small sigh, before smiling and gesturing to the door. "Come on Pinkie, let's get out there. I am sure that you wanna be the one to deal out the tea." I don't think I have ever seen her bolt out of the library so fast. I followed after her, chuckling a little bit. The town was completely done up for the grand drinking of tea. It had been Fluttershy's idea, actually. She wanted a small tea party with just us six girls, but then Pinkie began to invite others...Till, eventually, though extended invitations and a lot of begging from Pinkie Pie to Fluttershy, it became a whole town event. To sweeten the pot, as it were, we were trying out a whole new type of tea, as it were. Discord assured us, while he was helping Fluttershy make the tea, that Princess Celestia had had a cup in the morning and simply loved it. While it was Discord saying it, Princess Celestia knew her tea. Not even HE would risk incurring tea related wrath from it's biggest sponsor in Equestria. I looked out at the sun setting farther, and watched as the stringed lights all began to light up, dangling all over, connecting the buildings. I took a brief sniff, and sighed in delight. The tea smelled amazing, and I picked up the pace, joining a number of other ponies all hurrying to the main event. I don't think that there has ever been such a vast gathering before, all in the name of drinking and enjoying tea. I smiled, seeing more and more ponies. I dare say that there wasn't a single pony staying in for this one, even foals allowed to stay up for a cup. Maybe Pinkie Pie had started a new Ponyville tradition, and I would be the princess presiding over it all? I had to admit, that was a little exciting for me. My first Holiday!! The large tea party was set up in the center of town, all based around the biggest teapot I had ever seen. It was floating over a roaring fire, and was as big as a house! We had a rather elaborate contraption all setup and ready. All one needed to do was pull a lever, and the grand teapot would tip ever so slightly to pour down a massive funnel towards the awaiting cup. Depending on the lever that was pulled, it would either be hot or iced once it got to the desired cup. After that, we had a vast 'tea prep' table set up, in which to allow those to make their tea their own. Sugar, honey, cream, the works. I saw Pinkie fast at work, darting about, delivering tea to every table as fast as she could. Rainbow Dash landed next to me as I trotted over to our special table, set aside for me, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Spike if he ever showed up. "Hey Rainbow Dash. Excited?" I asked the pegasus, nudging her with my wing. Oh, that tea smelled utterly heavenly. Rainbow Dash shrugged, looking around at all the different ponies. "Eh, tea isn't usually up my alley...but I know me being here and drinking tea will make this all twenty percent cooler, at least." Rainbow Dash smiled, and I patted her on the back with my wing. "That's the spirit girl!" I encouraged, and Rainbow Dash just smirked a bit, before something caught her attention and she dashed off again. I finally reached the table to find Rarity and Applejack giving one another quite the stare down, teacups next to them on the table, filled. Rarity's was steaming, piping hot, while I could see the ice in Applejack's. Fluttershy was only looking between the two, so I sat down next to her, and Pinkie Pie had a cup set for me before running off again. "So, Fluttershy, what's up with them?" I asked, gesturing to the pair. "Oh, um, well...Rarity thinks tea should always be as hot as it can be without burning your mouth, while Applejack, well, says that tea should be as cold as...um…" "As cold as a windigo's behind on a winter solstice blizzard!" Applejack filled in for Fluttershy, before Rarity scoffed loudly. "How uncouth! Tea is meant to be hot and steaming! Applejack, darling, I think I would know a thing or two about tea! It is the drink of high society!" "Pfft! Are ya'll suggesting we don't have tea on the farm? Why, Ah been enjoying iced tea with Big Mac, Applebloom, and Granny Smith fer years!" "Applejack, darling, I'm not saying that that method of tea drinking is okay on the farm, but in a high class social event such as this, you must show SOME class!" "Well excuuuuuuse me for not wanting tah burn mah mouth on some tea! Twilight! Tell Rarity that tea shouldn't be hot enough to burn yer tongue off!" "Twilight! You've been with Celestia most your life, PLEASE tell Applejack tea has a certain temperature that one must adhere to!" I looked between the pair, blinking a few times. I swear, they could literally fight over the color of the sky if it wasn't proven to be blue. "Well, girls, Princess Celestia is the last word on tea, and she has enjoyed it at all temperatures. Some mythical teas even grow hotter or colder as you drink it. So, I feel that you can drink tea at any temperature and it'll be okay. I mean, why don't the two of you try out each other's tea?" I asked, before switching their cups. They looked almost dumbfounded, before grumbling about how they supposed they could give it a shot. I smiled, happy to resolve yet another conflict between such GOOD friends...No, Twilight, never again. Finally, a loud horn was blown and a hush fell over the crowd. We all turned out heads to see Pinkie sitting behind the horn, a wide smile on her face. She soon Pinkie'd over to sit at the table, followed by Rainbow Dash. Mayor Mare walked up behind the microphone, smiling to us all before tapping it a few times to ensure it was working. "Hello, everypony! I would like to cordially welcome you all to this, Ponyville's first, ever...' she paused, staring at the name of the event for a few moments. "Super Special Awesome Spectacular Town Wide Extravagant Omega Alpha Happy Fun Joy sponsored by Fluttershy Tea Party!!" Pinkie Pie shouted out, and mare we called Mayor nodded a few times. "Yes. That. Let us all take a moment to thank Fluttershy for catering the event….and let the tea drinking commence!" With that done, everypony in Ponyville, including myself, lifted up their own cup and gave it a drink. It was thee most amazing tea I had ever tasted. No wonder Princess Celestia had liked it so much! Music began to fill the air as Vinyl Scratch began to get to work on the turntables, Octavia seated next to her, the pair of them sipping their own cups. Pinkie drained down her cup, followed by another, and a third, all in under five minutes. Applejack would drink hers, once Rarity's, before letting out a resounding 'Yeehaw!', proclaiming that that was a buck of a kick! Rarity sipped hers more gingerly, before agreeing that the sensation wasn't too unpleasant. I enjoyed my own cup, and as the music played the tea party began to go in full swing. While the tea kept flowing into our cups, everypony going back for seconds and thirds, the Cake's, Bon Bon, and Big Mac all had stalls set up to cater to the event, providing the food with which we could wash down with tea. I turned and smiled at Fluttershy, raising my eyebrow. "Hey, Fluttershy, where's Discord?" I asked, canting my head at the mare. "Oh, um, he said he had a few more pots he wanted to deliver. Canterlot, Manehatten, Fillydelphia, Appaloosa, places like that." Fluttershy smiled, and I let out a small 'Ah' before beginning to sip my tea. I couldn't place it, but I began to feel a dull ache in my tail, mouth, and around my eyes. I shook it off, before sipping down another cup of tea. Suddenly, though, things go weird. The first one to be 'affected' as it were, was Pinkie Pie, who'd been chugging the tea like a mad woman. She gave a sudden shriek, which turned into a bit of a squeel. We all turned, and my jaw literally dropped from my mouth. Pinkie Pie had, well, changed. Her tail was long and lizard like, a poofy line of hair traveling down it, before ending in a tuft. Her eyes had odd, almost lightning strike like designs, bright, neon pink, zigzagging from her face. As if to go full on weird, her lower jaw had opened up two ways, and a trio of three, dark pink tendrils had slithered out. We all stared, before another screech could be heard. At first, I thought that it was somepony fainting at the sight of Pinkie Pie, as us ponies aren't the most accepting bunch. When another screech sounded, I thought it was just hysteria catching, and then I turned and saw Applejack. Applejack's eyes were huge, as she was suddenly up and stamping her hooves. I watched as red, lightning strike marks suddenly grew in under her eyes, marking her. After that, her tail seemed to drop off all of it's hair, before swelling out, long and lizard like, with that red hair, ending in a tuft. Finally, her lower jaw split, and a trio of tendrils almost fell out, before feeling about. "Thith ith NOT yeehaw!!" Applejack declared, speaking around those three tendrils. I looked around, my eyes full of shock. Pony, after pony, after pony was struck with the affliction. Those not turned watching in terror as their compatriots turned, before they were next. No one was spared, not even foals or the elderly. Suddenly, it dawned on me, when I felt the ache in my body. "Oh….HORSEFEATHERS!" I can't say it was pleasant, but it wasn't painful either. I barely noticed the effect on my eyes, before all the hair of my tail fell out. I turned and watched with wide eyes. Yep, just like everypony else, I wasn't spared from gaining a lizard like tail. A sudden, sharp pain, and my lower jaw split. I watched, and three long, dark purple tendrils grew out from my mouth. As I stared, something finally clicked. I'd scene this kind of thing before. When I went with Discord on a very certain mission with Cadence...And we fought that giant Tatzlwurm. "Dithcord!" I spat, before glaring at my tendrils. The town was on the brink of tearing itself apart. Everypony had changed into these, these...Tatzlponies! Pinkie Pie was suddenly next to me, leaning in. "Thith ith tho my fetith…" She whispered, and I just glared at her. Now was NOT the time for her dirty fantasies! Finally, I pulled the tendrils into my mouth, and decided now was the time to step up. I flew into the air, and summoned one of the more...useful Alicorn abilities. The Royal Canterlot Voice. "EVERYPONY! Remain calm and do NOT panic! I, Princess Twilight Sparkle, will get to the bottom of this! Princess Celestia will know what to do! There is probably some spell which will totally fix all of our issues!" I declared, and it seemed to appease the crowd. If only because they didn't want royal, alicorn, canterlot vocal wrath brought down upon their heads. I floated down, glancing to Rarity, who was staring at her own dark purple tendrils. "Rarity, do you know when Spike'll be back? I MUST get a letter to Princess Celestia." I asked, and she looked at me, before managing to swallow down her own tendrils. "He...ahem, he SHOULD be back right about...Now, actually." Rarity said, and just like that, Spike rounded a corner, holding a collection of boxes. He gazed at the sight before him for a few moments, before dropping all the boxes. "This is so NOT my fetish!!" Spike spoke, turning tail to run. On instinct, my tendrils shot out of my mouth, wrapping around the dragon and dragging him back, kicking and shooting fire at my tendrils, but they thankfully were unphased. I dragged him up to us, the whole group looking down at him. He seemed about to scream, before instead burping a letter right into my face. It bonked against my nose, before my magic caught it. I lifted Spike into the air, before opening the letter and reading it over. Celestia...wanted me in Canterlot, NOW?! I read over the letter a few times, before quickly summoning some paper and a quill. I wrote a quick reply, and squeezed Spike to get him to shoot fire and send it. "Um, Twilight, you can probably let Spike down now…" Rainbow Dash said, and I gave a small eep, before dropping the little baby dragon. "Thorry Spike…" I said, pulling the tentacles back into my mouth. He only burped out another letter, looked at Rarity, and fainted. "Oh, it isn't THAT bad!" Rarity huffed, scowling at the dragon's unconscious form. I read the letter, and smiled. "Uh, Twilight...How are you going to fix this? I don't think my animals can handle this very well…" Fluttershy said, hovering there and examining herself. "Yeah, Twilight. I'm not sure if they make Wonderbolt suits accessible to this." Rainbow Dash said, glancing to her tail. "...Ah think Ah could use these on the farm." Applejack mumbled, glancing down to her new appendages. "Simple, girls...I am going to see the princess! She will surely know what to do! You have stay here, keep things as calm as you can. Maybe keep the party going?" I ask, and as if on cue, the music started again. Pinkie Pie was up there with Vinyl, doing her little jig while Vinyl just seemed to shrug, and drop thee beats. Octavia had seemingly fainted next to the other mare, so there was no one else really to tell the alabaster mare to freak out that she was using tentacles to work her turn tables. "Oh yeah, you girls got this." I smiled and nodded to them, before raising into the sky and setting off for Canterlot as fast as I could. At least, I hoped they had this. As I flew, a though occurred to me. Something Fluttershy had said...Discord was taking teapots to every corner of Equestria. I hurried along even faster. All I could think of as I flew was one simple thought. "Dammit Discord!" === You win some, you lose some. === Waiting for Twilight Sparkle to arrive was, well, a bit torturous. Sure, Luna was out on a quest to try and find a cure to this, but there was nopony I trusted more than Twilight Sparkle to fix a problem. I had yet to find a problem I couldn't point her at. Sister coming back to seek revenge, and needs purified? Send Twilight Sparkle. Have a gala that's boring, and you want crashed? Send Twilight Sparkle Discord has woken up and needs put back in his place? Send Twilight Sparkle. Wedding is infiltrated and I'm too much of a thick twat to notice my niece is acting strangely? Twilight Sparkle. Have an empire that is suddenly back on the map, with the lord of all side burns here, trying to conquer it again? Send Spike the Dragon….with Twilight Sparkle to accompany him. The point was, when you had a problem that needs a quick fix, you sent Twilight Sparkle and Co. Of course, I also knew of how fickle that ponies could be.There was no way I could predict how her friends would react. If Twilight overreacted, I could entangle her and keep her still till I would be able to calm her down. Was that a bit cruel? Maybe, but all the motivation I needed was to look outside, and then to my bedroom door. If I didn't have this problem fixed by the morning, I had no idea how my ponies would react. It would be anarchy in the streets, heads bumping into walls, into each other, stampedes of xenophobic, scared ponies all about. I shuddered at the thought. Oh, Discord would no doubt get his kicks out of such an image. To see it come true? Why, he'd be utterly delighted. Eventually, though, I felt a few stealthy knocks on my door. "Princess?" I heard Twilight's voice, and I let out a happy sigh. There, now I could begin the quest to fix this whole issue. I had to play my cards right with this. I couldn't just stun her like I had my sister. I was Luna's sister, after all. Some rough housing, even at my age, was expected. Twilight, well, that'd just be frowned upon. "Twilight, come in...but you must promise me that you will not freak out, under any circumstances." I said, and listened to the silence for a few moments. "Um...you have to promise me the same thing." Princess Twilight said, and I blinked a few times. What a curious notion, I almost had to smile. Oh, I bet that my little secret would be much more frightening to her. "Deal...now come in, and hurry." I said, sitting up and squaring myself with the door. I glanced down at the teapot which contained the liquid which caused this whole mess. Oh, how I hoped that Twilight wouldn't ask for a cup. We needed to study it, find out if there was a way to reverse the process. Otherwise, I would have tossed it into my fire. I focused on the door again. It opened, and I visibly twitched. There, in front of me, was my dear student Twilight Sparkle. Purple hide, horn, wings, purple eyes...And then, I focused on the symbols on her eyes. At the trio of tentacles hanging out from her split lower jaw. At the long, lizard like tail that grew from her behind. Just. Like. Me. The same signs. Oh, dammit Discord. "P-Princess…Celestia?" Twilight gapped, looking at me. I instantly put it all together. Twilight had come to me for the same exact reason that I had called out to her for. "Twilight...you have to tell me. How exactly did you come into contact with Tatzltea?" I asked, jumping to the assumption that she'd had to drink tea to become a tatzl. Why wouldn't Discord stick to that method? Twilight seemed to need to take a few moments to compose herself, taking a deep breath before focusing on me. "Pinkie Pie threw a town wide tea party. Catered by Fluttershy and...Discord. The whole town…" Twilight said, and I could only stare. A whole town, under the effects of this dreadful concoction? The part where it was turning everypony into Tatzls wasn't good either. "So...a whole town, converted into Tatzlponies…" I mused, thinking on it. That was not good. It could become completely isolated if we didn't revise this epidemic swiftly enough. Plus, along with that, mass mayhem and chaos. The look on Twilight's face told me that that was only the start of it. "Twilight...is there more?" I asked, leaning in towards the mare. Oh yes, there was definitely more. Discord was one for theatrics. Two princesses and a whole town? Why stop there? "The last I heard about Discord...he was delivering teapots all over Equestria, with the Tatzltea. Judging by the size of the flower that we had to get, he has more than enough petals to make tea to convert a sizeable chunk of the population...if not everypony." Twilight responded, and my ears fell flat on my head. I could picture it now. It was essentially the same image of chaos as before, but now everypony had tatzl features. Discord floating above it all, laughing like there was no tomorrow. "Princess, surely we can put a stop to this! Place Discord back into stone, banish him to the moon or the sun?" Twilight asked, looking around as if the answer was waiting to come and smack her in the face. "No, Twilight...we can't place Discord back into stone or banish him. The matter of the fact is that Discord has yet to do anything wrong, or breaking his contract of being a good guy." I said, frowning. It was true, too. Besides making the tea, and floating about delivering it, Discord had yet to do anything wrong. I could still function, the tea didn't cause any harmful changes, and he wasn't using magic for the change. Discord was simply going about, handing out tainted tea. I couldn't punish him for that, when I myself had slipped a laxative or two into Blueblood's own beverage whenever he shows up. Could I be blamed? I think not. Twilight slumped down a bit, looking almost defeated. I myself let out my tentacles to rub at my temples, finding I could control them easier and easier. It was foolish of me to think that Discord could have only had one pot of the Tatzltea. A creature like him? That wasn't near grand or chaotic enough. No, not by a long shot. Now, this, this was much more up his alley. Finding a cure for the affliction could come later. For now, we had to stop Discord. As fun as running a kingdom with a sudden widespread trait of mouth tentacles, that sort of duty really wasn't for me. "Twilight, you said that he was delivering those teapots all over Equestria?" I asked, suddenly getting an idea. Oh, it was a horrible, dastardly, wonderful idea, I must admit. I would be lying if I said that when the idea came to me, it didn't fill me with joy. Twilight looked at me, giving a nod of her head. "Knowing Discord, he has probably already delivered a good chunk and at completely random areas." Twilight said, and I nodded my head. I could work with this. "Very well. Twilight, follow me. What I am about to do may seem a bit drastic, but it is the only way to stop the whole of Equestria from becoming Tatzlponies, and possibly sending out nation into complete and utter chaos." I said, before I began to run forward, bursting from my room and heading for the throne room. Already, out in the streets of Canterlot, I could hear the screams of shock and terror. It seems that Discord had already made his Canterlot deliveries. I had to pick up the pace, so now I simply teleported into the throne room, Twilight by my side. The guards on booty looked at me in terror, and seemed to almost want to ready their weapons. I just rolled my eyes, and flashed the royal sunbutt. It was an unmistakable sight that not even becoming a Tatzl could change. Sitting squarely upon my throne, my horn began to glow brightly. There was one spell, which I could only pull off while in her thanks to certain amplification systems I had put in place. If my subjects thought that the royal Canterlot voice was bad, they had forgotten it's bigger brother. The Royal Equestria Proclamation Voice. "Citizens of Equestria! Listen to me, your Princess, Celestia of Equestria! Stop what you are doing! If thou art drinking tea, cast the cup from your lips this very instance! The tea of Equestria has been tainted! For too long, have we enjoyed the splendors of tea, and now it has betrayed us! Surely you have seen the new ponies, with strange tails and tentacle mouths! Even I, your princess of the sun, is afflicted! This is the price we are paying for over consumption of tea! It gives me no great pleasure-" Let me just take this moment to say, that I have never felt more pleasure for a proclamation before in my life. "-that I must forbade the drinking, making, or selling of all tea, or tea related products! Cease now, citizens, unless you wish to join those of us afflicted by the Tatzl! This is a steep price, I know, and I will mourn it most of all,but for all of us, we must move on from tea! For the unity of Equestria, and for ponies who this really isn't their fetish, tea is now BANNED...A substitute will be announced later in the week." Twilight looked at me with a look of sheer and utter disbelief. A sound of silence set over the city, before a new, louder sound began to rise up. All across Equestria, came a mighty sound of mourning. Tea, our national drink, now banned. Tatzl or nontatzl, Earth Pony, Unicorn, Pegasi, all were affected. All joined in the mourning for the tea. It no longer mattered what you looked like on the outside. It no longer mattered that I had tentacles coming out of my face. No, in one foul swoop, I had stopped Discord's plan, reunited a splintering xenophobic nation, and defeated my age old enemy. My face was one of resolute seriousness, but on the inside...Oh, on the inside I was a joyful, dancing filly. "Princess...are you sure something so drastic needs to be done?" Twilight said, looking at me with such pity filled eyes. "Tea has always been your favorite beverage. Surely there must be another way! Some secret spell that can fix all of our problems?" Twilight asked. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. I had to keep on a mask of complete and total sombrarity to this latest development. It wouldn't be as genuine and nation bonding if I didn't. "No, Twilight...it must be this way. There is no deus ex machina coming to save us this time. No spell to simply cast. The reign of tea...must come to an end, lest we all become Tatzlponies." I said, a few tears of utter joy rolling down my face. To her, they looked like tears of sadness. "Sister! We have just heard the announcement! Art thou okay? Are thou sure in thine's choice? One so drastic?" Luna asked, flying in and landing next to me. Oh, it was rather difficult to keep a straight face….But I pressed on! For the good of Equestria, and no small part for my own personal enjoyment. "Yes, Luna...for the good of Equestria, this is how it MUST be. I know not how I will cope, but I will. I will set the example, that we can live without tea. That we can press on without tea. That we will not fall to Discord's wiles. It will be a long, hard, depressing road, but it is one we all must walk." I had every head bowed in respect, to my loss and their own. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" I said, slowly getting off my throne. "I must take a moment to be alone and cope with my loss." I spoke, before teleporting into my room. Once I was in my room, I took only a few moments to put up the proper spell as to soundproof it, before I utterly shouted in joy. I danced, trotted, laughed, and cried, all in my joyous outpouring. At last, at last, I had beaten the dreaded beast that was tea! I sat back on my haunches, giggling like a mad mare, before Discord suddenly appeared, a rather coy smirk on his face. "I must say Celestia, when I heard that announcement...well, I thought you'd be more torn up about it. The sacrifice of your nation's national beverage? Of your own personal drink? You seem rather delighted." Discord said, and I only smirked back at him, shrugging. "Oh, of course, I am torn up over it all...But, as a good ruler, I am quite sure I will endure. What matters to me, is that I stopped your dastardly prank. How does it feel to lose, Discord?" I asked, before Discord burst into a fit of gut splitting laughter. It was not a pretty sight to watch...and it was rather annoying. "What happens to be so funny, Discord?" "Oh, oh nothing...Just the fact that you thought you've beaten me!" "...What did you do?" "Oh, well, when you made the announcement, I was understandably rather upset. All this tea, and no one to drink it anymore? So, I simply did what anyone in my position would do. I dumped it in all the major water supplies and cloud factories." Now, I like to think that I am a woman with unlimited patience. That nothing can topple my resolve to stay calm and keep my head level. That no matter what is thrown at me, I will keep calm and flutter on. Let me just say, that I have been able to do this for over a thousand years. I am allowed one slip up now and again, especially when Discord is involved. In the next moment, I gave a shout of pure rage, and lashed out in the same way I had seen Twilight Sparkle lash out only once. I burst into flames, and promptly set everything in my room on burning fire. I burnt everything to a charred crisp, before falling back to my hooves, eye still twitched, looking at Discord. A pile of ashes, which suddenly popped up two eyes. I suddenly got a rather crazy, insane idea. "Discord...please remove the tatzl tea from Equestria's water supply?" I asked, giving him my best, begging pouty face. The pile of ashes reformed into Discord, and he stroked his chin for a few moments, before finally just shrugging. "Okay." Five minutes later, after I set the room on fire again, and Discord properly reformed, he raised his claw. "On ONE condition." I was not going to like the condition, by the smirk he had on his face. "Yes?" I asked, canting my head and looking at him. Oh, how I hoped it was just something simple. Maybe standing on my head or something. That smirk told me otherwise. "You can't cure yourself, or any ponies already afflicted. You must stay Tatzlponies, forever. Deal? Deal." He said, before teleporting away. I just sighed, closing my eyes and falling into a heap. I'd have had accepted the deal anyway, weighing my options. If ponies kept converting after my big announcement, not only would that spread chaos and distrust, but I might of had to bring tea back! The door burst open, Twilight and Luna were standing there, eyeing up my room. "We take it Discord has visited thou…" Luna said, and I sighed before nodding my head. "Twilight...Get used to this form. We're going to be stuck like this for a very, very long time." I said, frowning at Twilight. Twilight took a moment to look at her tail, and then her mouth tentacles. "I….suppose it could be worse." Twilight said, and I smiled a bit. "That's the spirit." I chuckled. "Now, on three…" I said, as I knew that we were all thinking along the same lines. One. Two. Three. "Dammit Discord." *** It took a few days to get everything accounted for, but Discord had kept his word. Only those who had ingested the tatzltea had become tatzlponies. At the end of the national consensus, we found it to be about a fifty fifty split, of those converted and those not. After my big announcement, we mourned tea together as a nation, but disposed of any and all signs of it. It was tainted, after all. I put on a good show, giving public speeches about unity, togetherness, and finding new, exciting beverages to enjoy. Naturally, though, ponies will be ponies. Basically, still slightly xenophobic. I found that, more often than not, non tatzlponies actually prefered my sister to myself. Not that I could blame them, the mouth tentacles were unsettling. Thankfully for the Crystal Empire, only Cadence had enjoyed the tea of that day. Shining Armor was never a big tea drinker, so the crystal ponies got a tatzl and non tatzl in office. It was probably for the best, as well. Ponyville became the tatzl capital of Equestria, as the whole population had been converted. Twilight and her friends helped everypony adapt as best they could while adapting themselves. Some took it better than others, and we worked on adapting to our new bodies and cultural norms. Earth ponies and pegasi actually took to being able to handle and manipulate things rather well. Much more useful than a pair of hooves. Eventually, we found a new normal. I took to the lack of tea rather well, while keeping on a sad face. I sampled everything I could. Sodapop, Cider, milk, mixes, until eventually I settled on coffee. Iced, sweetened, and made my own. Naturally, the nation clung to coffee, and to avoid another incident, I simply rotated my beverages. To keep them from all clinging to one drink, as to avoid Discord ever getting to pull the prank again. And thus, I became the tatzlprincess of Equestria, Tatzlestria. Tea was defeated, I found various ways to get back at Discord, and life was good. Now to wait for the next nation disaster...I hope they like tentacles. ~FiN~ <|endoftext|>

<|info|> title: The Face Of Chaos author: Alpha Scorpii tags: character:Discord, character:Other, genre:Adventure, genre:Dark, series:My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

=== The Face Of Chaos === The Face Of Chaos I can feel the snow under my hooves. It's warm, almost hot. Another of Discord's doings. The top of the mountain which I'm climbing right now is covered with those cotton candy clouds he likes so much. He has even created a little forest of giant lollipops up there. Discord... I know I can't do anything against him. I know that my magic is useless against his ungodly powers. However, it's vital that I distract him, I have to try. He seems to be drunk with his own success, so much that he doesn't realize that his dominion over Equestria is not really absolute. He thinks that he has already won, and instead of searching for the Princesses or me, he just flies around there, creating luminous bushes and dancing chairs. He doesn't consider us dangerous, he doesn't care about us. Still, we can't take risks. If by any chance he discovers the Princesses before they can retrieve the legendary Elements of Harmony, we will lose. Forever. That's why I have to distract him. Ugh... I think I'm too old to be escalating mountains... but I have to keep going. For Equestria. Yes... Equestria is behind me. I could see the entire land from this height, I only have to turn my head around... but I dare not, for I fear what I may see. My legs tremble every time I think of what Discord has done to our land. The roads which once united our different cities are now unwalkable, turned into soap, cheese, or boiling lava. Not one of the rivers has water anymore; they have orange juice, or chocolate milk, or... much less pleasant liquids. All our forests have become the paintings of a mad artist, each tree with a different colour, some of them turned upside down and rooted in the air. My library must still be running through the ruby-coloured fields, with its two new giant chicken legs, under a sky which now looks like a chessboard. Our cities and towns, with half of their buildings floating, are filled with wingless pegasi who cannot fly anymore, with hornless unicorns whose magic powers have vanished, and with earth ponies who now find themselves flying or casting random spells, unable to control their bodies. Fortunately, my horn is still in my head. I wonder why Discord didn't take my powers away. Maybe he forgot about me in his rampage of nonsense, or maybe he doesn't consider me a menace. Maybe he left me because he wants me to do what I am doing now: going to him, to challenge him. Yes, maybe Discord just wants to play, and I am his toy. Fortunately, he doesn't suspect that this is just a facade, something to give more time to Celestia and Luna. I hope they find the Elements. I reach the top of the mountain, the forest of lollipops. Why is Discord so obsessed with candy? Well, I guess I can't blame him for that. One of my little pleasures is to sit in the park of Canterlot and have an ice cream while I listen to the music of the minstrels. Oh, how much I miss those peaceful days... Please, please Celestia, Luna... please, retrieve the Elements and save us, so we can return to our lives. I walk through the candy woods, and I find Discord at the other end, sitting on a throne, contemplating the twisted Equestria he has created. In his talon he holds a glass of chocolate milk, and swimming in the brown, sweet liquid, there are... oh, by the stars... There are Windigoes in the chocolate! Our ancient enemies, the cold demons who almost condemned the entire ponydom to a freezing death, are just ice for the drink of the Chaos God! Are his powers limitless? Isn't there any creature, above or under the ground, that he fears? "Well, well, well", he says, without looking at me. "Look who's here! My old pal, Star Swirl the Bearded!" He drinks the glass. Literally, he slowly gulps the glass, leaving the chocolate intact, with the Windigoes still swimming in it. Then, he throws the liquid down the mountain. I hear an explosion, and after that, the ice spirits fly away, scared, wanting to escape from the Undoer of Harmony. "Do you like it?" he asks, pointing at Equestria with his lion paw. "Of course not," I say, remaining calm, but not too much. I don't want him to suspect anything. "I knew you would say that. Of all ponies, you unicorns are the most boring." Discord jumps off from his throne and levitates around me, smiling and looking at me with those red and yellow eyes. "And what do I owe the honor of your visit, old pal?" he asks. "We're not pals. I'm here to defeat you and free our land from your curse." "Again?" Discord yawns. "This is starting to get repetitive, you know? How many times do I have to defeat you before you understand that neither you nor your pretty alicorns can beat me? Speaking of which, where are my beloved Celestia and Luna?" "I don't need them this time. I can take on you by myself." Immediately, the draconequus starts to laugh, loudly. "Good one, grandpa!" he chuckles, wiping a tear with his lion paw. "Oh, I love jokes... Hey, do you want to hear one?" I don't answer. He could easily trick me with his lies and mind games if I let my guard down. "Yes, yes you do!" he exclaims, as he lands in one of the giant lollipops and summons three pony skulls and a rubber chicken. Discords starts juggling with those objects, as he recites: "Fillies and gentlecolts, hobos and tramps, Cross-eyed mosquitoes and bowlegged ants. I come before you, to stand before you, to tell you a story I know nothing about." He has let his guard down! This is my chance! I bow my head and I shoot a magic projectile through my horn, a spell designed to encase the objective inside an unbreakable magic cage. Discords just deflects it with a movement of his tail, and the spell clashes against a lollipop, exploding in confetti. "One bright morning in the middle of the night Two dead fellows stood up to fight. They stood back to back, facing each other, Drew their swords and shot each other." I won't let his games affect me in any way. I attack again, this time forgetting about sophisticated spells and going to the basics: the classic magic blasts designed to turn the objective into ashes, nothing fancy. I shoot three of them. Smiling, Discord catches them and adds them to his juggling. Then, he reunites the skulls, the rubber chicken and my magic blast into a small snowball, and throws it at me. Being him, I expect the worst and teleport myself to a safe place, at ten meters of distance. A wise decision, because as soon as the snowball hits the ground, it explodes with a brutal strength. There is a flash of light, and Discord appears by my side. "If you don't believe my lie, it's true, Ask the blind mare on the corner, she saw it too!" He levitates away from me and laughs hysterically again. "Wasn't it good, old pal?" he asks. "Stop calling me that!" I roar. I wonder why he keeps referring to me by that nickname. He doesn't know me more than he knows Celestia or Luna. I guess he just wants to mess with me. Then again, he's the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony. I shouldn't try to search for any kind of logic in his actions. "I am not your pal, and you are not my friend!" I say. "You're just a demon who plays with the lives of ponies!" "I know! And I love it!" He laughs again. That laugh hurts my ears. "I will not rest until you're banished to the loathsome dimension you came from!" I say. Theatre, it's just theatre; I don't stand a chance against him. Even if I was young again, the struggle would be futile. But I need to gain more time... Another spell. It's the only thing I can do, even though I know it's useless. I summon a small maelstrom of fire above his head, enough to destroy a full-armored minotaur. Discord opens his mouth and swallows it. "It needs more chocolate milk," he chuckles. Fortunately, I'm too old and experienced to let my rage take control of my actions. Discord's buffoon antics will not affect me. Come on, one more time... I use the Spear of Stargazer, a deadly arrow made of lightning, in theory capable of piercing even through the scales of an adult dragon. Discord allows it to hit his chest, but the spell does nothing. It doesn't even leave a burnt mark. "Come on, old pal. I know that you can do better than that." I try with something simpler: a spell designed to cause temporary blindness. Discord blinks, and it backfires. I fall to the ground, with my eyes momentarily disabled. I am surrounded by darkness. Luckily, I saw this coming (I'm not trying to make a joke) and I prepared the spell to last only a few minutes. I'll be fine in no time, and I know that Discord doesn't like to break his toys too soon, so he won't kill me. I hope. "A blindness spell? Seriously?" I can hear his voice, coming near me. I can also hear the random songs his feet make when walking. A squeak, an oink, a laughter, a moo, a scream of terror, a yodel... I feel his talon flicking my horn. "I am disappointed, Star Swirl. I expect third-rate spells from regular unicorns, but not from you, the greatest pony wizard alive! ... Oh, it's not funny if you don't look at me! Here, let me help you..." I heard him snapping his fingers, and my vision returns. I still can't believe he has this much power. I look at him. He's standing right in front of me, smiling in that insulting way only he knows how to do. "Come on, let's continue!" he says, stepping back. "Hit me with your best shot, old pal!" As much as I would love to do it, I can't. Not only because it would be useless, but because I feel tired. I've used too many spells in a short amount of time, and after escalating a mountain all by myself. I'm getting too old for this... ... I wonder if Discord can feel tiredness, too. Would it be possible to tire a creature which is practically a god? And could I do it, being as old as I am? Could an elder unicorn like me find a way to weaken Discord, so that the Princesses may have a chance against him? Maybe if I trick him into using too much of his power, just like I did... It would be a suicide, but I have to try. "Fine, I'll do it," I say, as I stand up. "But only if you give me your best shot, too." Discord looks at me with surprise. "Excuse me?" he asks. "Let this be our final battle, 'old pal'. I'll unleash my most devastating spell, even if it costs me my life, but only if you release all of your power. I know that you're restraining yourself. Cotton candy clouds? Lollipop forests? Warm snow? Come on, Discord, I know that you can do better than that." He scratches his chin, unsure. "Or aren't you as powerful as you brag about?" I ask. The correct choice of words. Discord looks at me with a mixture of feelings in his face, between offended and excited. He's seriously considering it. "Come on," I insist. "Show me the true face of chaos." He smiles. "Ok," he says. "Let's do it, Star Swirl." That's it, I'm dead. Although I still have enough energy to perform a spell from the list of the most powerful ones, I have no doubt that Discord, with his full power unleashed, will crush me effortlessly. But maybe that will give the Princesses the time they need. It may also tire him, making him weaker. And I know Discord, he will surely gloat about his victory over me once he's done, he'll let his guard down. Maybe Celestia and Luna can catch him by surprise when they get here. I decide to use the Flame Sphere of Silver Voice. Given my actual status and how tired I am, I probably won't be able to hold it properly, and the spell will go crazy, consuming me and the top of the mountain together. With a bit of luck, it'll cause some damage to Discord, although I doubt it. I start to gather magic in my horn. Discord does nothing. My last thoughts are about Canterlot, my beautiful city. About Clover the Clever, my student and friend. About Celestia and Luna, my dear children, the future rulers of our country. I just wish I could live to see it. I open my eyes, ready to perform the spell. I can feel the insane amount of energy in my horn, it's difficult to control. The time has come. Discord does something: he disappears. The sky over the mountain turns black, and a dark mist surrounds me. The cotton candy clouds vanish. I feel a terrible cold, it's difficult to breathe. The sounds of the world around me have stopped. Instead of getting out of control and engulfing the place in an inferno of blazes, my spell just goes away, the magic energies are sucked by the dark mist. I wasn't expecting this to happen. What is Discord doing? And where is he? Something moves beyond the mist. Something big, gigantic. I look up, and I look around. An enormous creature has appeared from thin air, and it surrounds the mountain with his snake-like body, long and sinuous, turning and twisting itself in ways that would be impossible even for a boneless animal. Instead of scales, the body is covered in a sticky brown substance, which looks as if it would melt anytime soon, and at the same time looks as stable and hard as steel. Some things emerge from this substance. They are... dear Elements of Harmony, they're limbs! I see hundreds and hundreds of limbs from different animals, all across the gigantic body of the snake, all of them moving and twitching! I see talons, hooves, tails, feathered wings, insect wings, scaly tails, claws... and heads. Sweet Equestria, the body is also covered in heads! Living heads of griffins, ponies, dragons, dogs, eagles, timberwolves and many others! Heads which scream and laugh, while others shout in pain, and sing, and moan! It's like a chaotic symphony that drills in my ears! I fall to the ground, wanting to cover my eyes to not see that abomination, but I can't, my hooves don't answer, and my magic is gone. The chorus of screams and laughs continues, and I can feel my heart pounding faster, aching. It's so hard to breathe... and my head hurts... all this chaos... The whole world has been reduced to the top of the mountain; even the forest of lollipops is no more. Just the black sky, just the dark mist... Just the heads, making all that terrible noise, cutting my soul with that mad melody of screeches. It's been only a few seconds, but I can hardly remember anything of what is outside this darkness. Canterlot... Equestria... Names, but their meaning is lost. Only darkness... and pain. My head hurts... The monster, or whatever it is, turns at me with his real head, gray and big, and just like the rest of the body, very snake-like, although it has a very familiar white goatee. His eyes are closed. My head... The creature opens his eyes, and I scream. I scream as I've never screamed in my life before, I scream so hard that I think my lungs are going to break. The eyes of the monsters... his eye sockets are empty... my head... There are no eyes, just... light... white light, but it's not beautiful... my head, it hurts... It's just like the light Discord uses for his tricks... ... I can't... My heart, my head... The light... it hurts... ...I can feel... mind... fading... ...I can— I open my eyes. I'm back at the lollipop forest, and the sky looks like a chessboard again. My head doesn't hurt anymore, and my heart goes at normal rhythm. New cotton-candy clouds are forming above my head. Equestria, Canterlot... My memories have returned. Discord lands before me. He smiles, as always, and seems very pleased. "Did you like it?" he asks. "That was my real body." I don't answer. I just scream and crawl away from him. From it. I have to call him it now, now that I know what it really is. I'm scared. "Did you really believe that the Spirit of Chaos and Disharmony would look like this?" it asks, pointing at its body, at its eagle claw, its snake tail and its dragon leg. "This is just a costume, a disguise, something that allows me to walk among you without causing too much collateral damage. I can't go around there with my real shape, because your minds would crumble at my presence. You would go insane, some of you would even die just by looking at me, and I wouldn't have little ponies to play with anymore." It approaches. I try to crawl away again, but a giant lollipop blocks my withdrawal. I'm scared. "Don't worry, I'm not going to use it anymore," continues Discord. "After all, what I want is not to destroy Equestria nor to kill its inhabitants. At least, not yet. For now, I just want to have fun, to play with you. You ponies are the funnies toys I've encountered in centuries. So rest assured, I'll maintain this dopey shape so you don't go irreversibly mad." I can't answer; I can't think of a spell to use, I don't even care anymore about gaining more time for the Princesses. I just want to get away from it. I'm scared. It laughs. "Look at you! Reduced from a powerful and proud wizard to a shivering terrified pony, and the only thing I needed to do was to return to my real self for a few seconds! What do you say, old pal? Did you like the true face of chaos? Do I look powerful enough to you now? Do you think I brag too much about my powers? I would say that I don't brag enough!" I'm scared. Discord summons a stone pedestal and jumps on it, twisting its red tail around the base. "Now, go down there and tell your fellow ponies what you saw!" it says. "Tell them about my true self, my true nature! Tell them, until they understand how far I am above them! Tell them that this world is mine, my new playground!" he raises his eagle arm, striking a pose. "Tell them that I am the new go—" Its words are interrupted when a rainbow blasts it from behind, quickly turning its skin into gray stone. Discord is imprisoned before my eyes. The rainbow spins around the statue and turns into a wave which expands itself across the sky, tuning the land with light and colours, and undoing the chaos. Slowly, Equestria is healed from its wounds and returns to how it was once. Two winged figures land in front of me. Each one wears a golden necklace, and each necklace has three gems. The white winged unicorn also wears a crown with a seventh gem, purple and star-shaped. They approach me, and I manage to see through my fear and recognize them. Celestia... Luna... my children. They come to me and smile, as Equestria heals around us. They hug me, and I hug them back. Tears flow down from my eyes, but they are not from happiness, they are not celebrating our victory. Those tears are my fear, which is still dripping from my tortured soul. I wish I could be laughing with my children. I wish I could enjoy this new Equestria, free from the hand of Discord. I wish I could smile again... but I can't. I won't be able to smile in a long time, because I've seen it. Of all the ponies in Equestria, I am the only one who saw it, the horror nopony should ever face. I've seen it, it burned itself into my retina, and it will follow me everywhere, until the day I die. Even if it's now trapped in stone, it will never leave my mind, my memories... my nightmares. I've seen the face of chaos. I'm scared. THE FACE OF CHAOS - END <|endoftext|>