The Road Not Taken

Chapters

Ch 2: Regret
Ch. 3: Revisions and Revelations
Ch 4: Rescues and Ripples
Ch 5: Reunion
Ch. 6: Accords
Ch. 7: Magic and Mayhem
Ch. 8: The Trotting Dead
Ch. 10: Making Things Right
Ch. 11: To the Heights
Ch. 12: Learning to Fly
Ch. 13: In the Wilds
Ch. 14: Unexpected Intervention
Ch. 15: Sogni D'oro
Ch. 16: Hard Learned Lessons
Ch. 17: Dreams and Nightmares
Ch. 18: Infinite
Ch. 19: Into the Shadows
Ch. 20: Hunters and Hunted
Ch. 21: Forgiveness
Ch. 22: The Best Laid Plans
Ch. 23: The Foal Who Walks Through Walls
Ch 1: Resentment
Ch. 9: Dancing Around the Truth

Ch 2: Regret

Ch. 2: Regret

The stillness of the Golden Oaks Library was shattered with the arrival of the Princess of Magic. A loud crackle and pop, followed by a blinding flash accompanied her homecoming. Standing in her golden hoofcups, Twilight Sparkle remained motionless. Her eyes stared off at the front door but she saw nothing. Her minds’ eye was busy studying the tableau that was burned into her vision. The 5 mares had fought a god of chaos; they had confronted ancient disembodied tyrants together; but the look on the faces of her best friends dwarfed any fear they had shown on those dark days.

The fear they were displaying paled in comparison to that of the stallion that had prostrated himself before her. Twilight had seen that face in sorrow, anger, joy, and mirth countless times over the course of their adventures. However, the look of hopelessness, the look that said that there was no light left in the Equestria, was unprecedented in twenty years of near constant companionship.

Regret was something the lavender alicorn was unfamiliar with. She had felt ephemeral twinges of regret when she disappointed her mentor, of course, but for every mistake, she had always learned a valuable lesson which had made her a better pony, and a better princess. Examining the still seared in image of her heartbroken friends had left her with a crystalline moment of clarity. “They will never forgive me,” whispered Twilight, her eyes finally focusing. She knew that even if she apologized, even if she begged for their forgiveness, and even if they granted it, a part of them would always remember those abominable words. Twenty two years of magical friendship were tainted in a matter of seconds.

But she had meant those awful words; Celestia help her; she had meant every stinging, spite filled word. Twilight was unworthy: Unworthy of her friends; unworthy of her mentor; unworthy of Equestria. She began walking up the stairs to her living quarters. The bejeweled breastplate fell to the floor as she unlocked the clasps. One by one, the hoofcups were kicked off. At the top of the stairs, the Crown of Harmony was dropped; its momentum carried it down the steps, each ricochet making a soft, “tink,” that echoed through the silent library.

She made it to her study and collapsed on the wooden floor. There were no tears; only the helpless stare of the condemned. She didn't want to hurt anyone else. Her horn glowed with a flickering aura of purple. Outside, a shimmering purple disc winked into existence about the Golden Oaks Library. Slowly, the disc expanded and curved itself towards the ground, until a large glowing dome sealed off the heartbroken mare from the rest of Ponyville.

Inside, at the bottom of the stairs, a hairline crack, imperceptible to the naked eye, propagated along the six pointed star-jewel of the Crown of Harmony.

At Sugar Cube Corner, five mares were starting to compose themselves. Fluttershy still softly sobbed into Rarity’s chest. The white unicorn stroked the butter colored Pegasus’ mane and cooed, “Shh. This shall pass my dear, you’ll see.”

While the Elements of Kindness and Generosity fed upon each other’s comfort and solace, those of Honesty and Loyalty feasted upon anger and confusion. Applejack was stomping back in forth, wearing a groove into the floorboards. “She thinks she can treat us like that?” shouted the farm pony, “Ah got half a mind to buck her stuck up face ta next week.”

Dash was followed her from above. “Stay cool AJ. Twilight was way uncool, but she’ll answer for it.” She pointed towards the slouching pink mare standing off to the side, “Let’s make sure Pinkie’s coco hasn't gone completely loco.”

Walking and flying over to the now silken maned mare, the two friends looked warily at each other. “Umm, Pinkie?” asked Dash, “Are you okay?”

The pink mare’s head slowly rotated to what looked like an impossible angle. A mirthless smile was plastered to her face as she replied in a far too cheery voice, “Yes siree bobarooney Dashie! As soon as Twilight gets back we’ll all have cupcakes and hot cocoa!”

Dash floated down to Pinkie, terrified, but determined. “Sure Pinkie,” she said, “but it’s way too late now. We’ll do it tomorrow, okay? Let’s get you to bed.”

“Awww, okay Dashie, we’ll have whipped cream covered waffles with sprinkles and chocolate syrup at breakfast instead!” exclaimed the party pony as Dash escorted her to her room.

Forgotten in the milieu of emotional mares was a stout, silver coated unicorn stallion. His body, splayed in front of the remains of a shattered ornate heater shield, was shaking from inaudible sobs. Applejack made her way over to him.

“Argent, hon, ya’ll are gonna have to pony up. We gotta pull that stuck up featherbrained varmint down from her high horse, and we need your help,” said a still simmering Applejack.

Snapped back into reality by Applejack’s harsh words and angry tone, Argent closed his eyes tightly, shakily rose to his hooves, and walked in long, deliberate, strides towards the earth pony. “You do not speak of the Princess in such a manner,” said the Guardspony in a low growl. “I will not allow it.”

Applejack took a few steps backwards; a confused and slightly fearful frown slid across her face. “Argent, what she did...it’s awful. How can ya’ll possibly defend her now?” said the farm pony as she bumped into and flattened her body against a wall. “Ain’t nopony gonna speak like that to me ‘n mah friends!” she finished, in spite of her growing unease at the advancing stallion.

Argent stopped and glared at Applejack. “She is your princess,” replied Argent in a steely, monotone voice. “She will speak to us you as she pleases. Treat her with the respect she is due.” The stallion made a quick about face and started to trot out of the bakery. He stopped in front of the remains of his most cherished possession. A look of sorrow tried to fight against the guard’s mask of determination and failed. With all the willpower he could muster, Argent raised his head and galloped out of the building.

Seeing the royal chariot still parked under the nearby tree, the stallion realized that his Princess certainly would not approve of it spending the night away from its proper domicile. Hitching himself to the gilded monstrosity, Argent pulled the full weight of the chariot into motion one agonizing step at a time. Had his mind possessed any measure of calm, he might have recalled the lightening spell that had made the job manageable earlier. The still of the night wrapped itself around Ponyville as a single unicorn stallion performed his penance for failing his princess.

Several hours later, Argent was slowly backing the chariot into its shelter. Removing the harness from his body, he ignored the painful welts it had left on his body. He cantered towards the tree home in a daze. His progress was arrested by a sharp crackle of magical energy. Looking up at the magical dome, the stallion stubbornly tried to force his way through a second time. The discharge of magic sent him sprawling across the plaza. The third, fourth, and fifth attempts all resulted in bruises and further scrapes. Feeling his way around the barrier, Argent realized that he knew this spell; it had kept him safe in more than one crisis. The futility of the situation didn't register however. He hammered at the barrier with his hooves, shouting for the forgiveness of his princess.

Neither pony nor sound made its way through the barrier.

Hours of contemplation had left Twilight feeling even more helpless. The damage was irreparable. Her words might have echoed the truth of her feelings, but they were also the most selfish and hurtful things anypony could say to a friend.

Twilight tossed her original manuscript of “The Codex of Friendship” aside. It held no answers for her. Standing, she made her way to her display shelves. The pictures could not buoy her spirits. Instead, each photo filled her with longing for something she knew was lost to her forever. She desperately tried to find some sort of answer in shelf after shelf of memories.

Twilight’s despair was reaching a crescendo as each memento refused to assist her in her quest for answers. As she perused the final shelf, a mass of torn black spandex and an eye-patch grabbed her attention. Memories of an ill-fated trip to the past filled the alicorn’s mind. An attempt to avoid a manic week of misguided fear had led Twilight to attempt to warn her past self to avoid said week. She had thought it a lesson in taking life as it came, but perhaps, buried within that lesson was the key to saving her from a lifetime of loneliness.

Twilight burst through the study door and ran down the stairs, narrowly avoiding trampling her hoofcups and crown. Her meticulous sense of organization was rewarded with the quick discovery of a cache of tomes describing the magical theory and application of time travel. Heedless of the hour and circumstances, Twilight levitated the tomes to her study. Sweeping aside her comet research, the alicorn placed the tomes on her desk.

She started with the spell she had used those many years ago. At the time, she had impulsively cast the spell without understanding any of the underlying theories. Starswirl the Bearded‘s time jump spell was a parlor trick she now realized. Reading from his journal, Twilight zeroed in on a particular passage:

The time spell is fundamentally useless. Any attempt to change the past results in the traveler assisting in some event that actually occurred in the past. I attempted to warn myself to avoid eating a particularly rancid quiche, only to be whisked back to the present before I could get the word “quiche” in. It was then that I recalled how much I despised quiche; and the only reason I had eaten the vile thing was because I had spent a week starving myself out of worry.

I fear that there is some underlying universal construct that prevents us from changing that which has happened. The princesses seemed worried by my attempts at bypassing this obstacle and ordered me to turn the spell over to them for safekeeping. Normally I’d kick up a fuss, but for some reason, the spell only worked once. I think it may have something to do with the aforementioned construct. I shall try another way to alter one’s destiny…

Placing the journal to the side, Twilight contemplated this mysterious “Universal construct.” “He must have had already been working on his unfinished spell,” she said to herself. No magician worth their salt would balk at some law of nature. Magic was the art of violating nature. She was violating nature by levitating the very books she studied magic from. Certain that she was on the right path, Twilight pulled out several dense tomes and blank scrolls of parchment. Planting herself in her chair, she began pouring over the accumulated knowledge of the ages.

Pinkie Pie had been left to sleep off her mania in her room above Sugar Cube Corner, while Applejack and Fluttershy had returned to Sweet Apple Acres to be with their families. The lights of the Carousel Boutique, however, remained lit well into the night. Rainbow Dash, her mane even more unkempt than usual, tried to find a comfortable position on Rarity’s mobile fainting couch. With the Wonderbolts currently on extended leave, and her co-captain and wife visiting family in Los Pegasus, Rainbow Dash gladly accepted Rarity’s offer of the couch. The fashionista had forgone her nightly beauty regimen and retired upstairs, her saddlebags bulging with the remains of Argent’s shield. Dash struggled to find the inner peace necessary to drift off to sleep.

“Spandex showboats!” spat the uncomfortable Pegasus, “That nerd wouldn't know cool if it hit her at terminal velocity.” Dash got up for the 4th time of the night. Her frequent cat naps made her a light sleeper to begin with; the adrenaline surge elicited by Twilight’s tirade made sleep a near impossible goal. She tried working out some of her frustration. After a few dozen wing-ups, she began jogging in place, oblivious to the noise she was making.

The door at the top of the stairs creaked open, freezing the Pegasus in place. She had crashed with Rarity enough times to know that waking her from her beauty sleep was a harshly punished offense. She stayed frozen in place as dainty hoofsteps descended the stairs. The sweat from her brief workout was joined with the sweat of the damned. As she steeled herself from the mother of all hissy-fits, a strange feeling on her shoulders caused her to flinch. Looking to her side, she exhaled a sigh of relief as Rarity, clad in her pink nightgown, wrapped her in a hug.

“I gather you couldn’t sleep either Rainbow,” said the unicorn, who removed her now sweat soaked foreleg. Sighing in consternation, the mare trotted to the bathroom and grabbed a towel. After cleaning herself she made her way to the kitchen and put on a teapot to boil. Trotting back to the showroom, she tossed the towel to Rainbow Dash, who had her wits about her enough not to try sitting in her sweaty state.

“Tea will be ready shortly darling,” said Rarity. “Why don’t we sit down and talk?” she asked as she made her way to the couch. “Misery loves company you know,” she added with a rueful smile.

“What’s there to talk about Rar?” asked Dash. “She doesn’t want to be…no, she’s not our friend anymore. Friends don’t aim to kill like that.”

“Perhaps we should talk about what to do about it?” asked Rarity. “We may have lost Twilight for the moment, but is it me, or did poor Argent receive the brunt of her onslaught? I’m worried about him.” Leaving and then returning with mugs of steaming tea, the white mare sat down with her friend and pondered what was to be done. “I don’t know if you noticed, but the poor thing was devastated. What Twilight said to us was hurtful, but it was just that: words,” said Rarity as she levitated her saddlebags from their place by the door. "We can get past hastily spoken words. Emptying the bag's contents on the floor before them, the mare continued, “I saw his face when she destroyed this: His heart broke Dashie.” A line of tears made their way down her face, as she continued, “I always had my suspicions, but to have them confirmed in such a devastating scene…well it’s almost too much to take.”

Rainbow walked over and nudged a piece of the shield with her hoof. Turning to Rarity she looked down abashedly and sighed, “You’re right. I was so angry at her for what she said about my team and my gal, I forgot all about Argy.” Sitting before the steel shards, she hung her head and lamented, “Some loyal friend I am.”

“Nonsense darling,” said rarity as she swept in to hug her friend, “Loyalty has no time limit. We’re going to help him now, and after that, we'll all make up with Twilight.” Looking down at the ruined shield she frowned in consternation. “I have no idea how we’ll manage it though. I was hoping I could fix this, but I can’t.”

Seeing the confused look on the Pegasus’ face, Rarity explained, “She made this for him Dash. I should know; I helped her.” Rarity mind flashed back to a day some fifteen years earlier.

“Twilight, darling,“ whined Rarity, “When you said you wanted my help making Argent a gift for his service, I thought you meant a dapper vest, or a stylish scarf. Who ever heard of giving a shield as a gift?” Looking down at the shield, she adjusted her magical output as Twilight had shown her. The levitating lump of steel continued its metamorphosis.

“Rarity, I told you, I want him to have something practical, just like that lovely yellow dress you gave me a few years back!” Her magically constructed hammer of lavender energy smashed against the flattened lump of steel. Not seeing her companions look of embarrassment, Twilight continued her work. “Besides, when it’s done, this will be the one of the greatest works of artifice I've ever produced!” Rubbing her hooves together in glee she chided the white mare, “Now hold it on its side.”

As the shield approached its final form, Rarity saw her last chance to appease her sense of Fabulousness. “Twilight, darling, it needs some color.”

Twilight looked up from the handles she was fusing to the shields backside. “Rarity, I told you, gemstones would compromise the structural integrity,” she said as she grasped the shield in her telekinetic field. “It is perfectly functional in its current state,” she exclaimed, her face beaming a proud smile.

Rolling her eyes, Rarity played the guilt card for all it was worth. “But Twiiiilight!” wailed the mistress of drama, “I worked my horn to near exhaustion; you simply must allow me to place a fabulous design on this….’gift’.”

“I suppose,” said Twilight warily, “but no gems!” Twilight jabbed the shield and was rewarded with the solid *thunk* of hoof on steel. “You can paint it how you wish, and I’ll magic it onto the shield permanently.” A sly grin was plastered on Rarity’s face as she ran to her crafts room to fetch paints. Twilight fully expected to see a small parade of paint cans to return with her friend, but surprisingly, there were only two: pink and white. “Rarity,” said a confused twilight, “I don’t think Argent would appreciate a pink shield.”

“Hush Twilight, you said I could paint it how I wish,” said Rarity as she dipped a brush into the pink paint. She pulled the shield to her and held it so Twilight wouldn’t be able to see her work. “Now, stand right there, this will just take a few minutes.” She brought the brush to the shield and began her work.

Rarity spent the next few minutes in a joyous state of creativity which Twilight had denied her all day long. Her tongue gripped between her teeth, the precisely levitated brush danced across the front of the shield. After applying the final touches of white paint, she dropped the brush and looked at the clearly worried Alicorn. “Voila! tres magnifique!” She left the shield levitating in place and trotted over to Twilight’s side. She placed her foreleg around Twilight’s shoulders and slowly rotated the fruits of their labor.

The sight of a familiar six pointed pink star surrounded by white sparkles caused a rosy blush to appear on the Twilight’s cheeks. “Rarity!” she shouted, “This is not funny! He will hate it!” Levitating a bucket of water and a towel from the laundry room, Twilight accelerated the container towards the shield, ready to send its payload of dirty water on its way to wash away the embarrassment.

“No! He’ll love it, I promise!” screamed Rarity as she darted in between the mare and the shield. The dirty wash-water doused the white unicorn head on, running down her coat leaving its payload of harsh soap and accumulated filth along the way. The shivering mare raised her head and stared at her friend. Stepping to the side she growled with barely contained rage, “Finish. The. Spell.”

With a gulp, Twilight’s horn flashed and the paint was magically bonded to the steel. Rarity reached to the shield and ran her hoof along her handiwork. Reassured that her friend had kept her word, Rarity smiled and laughed as she started towards the bathroom. “Let me get a quick shower and you’ll see how much he loves it!”

“Uh, earth to Rarity,” said the cyan Pegasus. The unicorn looked up into Rainbow’s confused face.

“Oh, so sorry Rainbow,” Rarity apologized, “My mind was miles away.” She walked to the curtained window overlooking the plaza to let in some fresh air. “Now, let’s see if we can’t find a way to help out Argent.”

“Um, Rarity?” questioned Dash, “I don’t think we have time for that.” She pointed across the plaza to the Golden Oaks Library where a stallion was beating against a shimmering barrier. “That stallion needs help now.”

Nodding to her friend, Rarity removed her dressing robe and magically scooped the shield-shards back into her saddlebags and placed them on the couch. They exited the boutique and made their way over to the library.

The silver stallion didn't hear their approach as he continued to beat his hooves against the dome of force. “Twilight!” he attempted to shout. His voice had long since given out. The cry came out in a rasping croak.

“Argent,” said Rarity in what she hoped was a warm comforting voice. “I don’t think she can hear you.” Walking forward she tried to wrap a foreleg around his shoulders. The stallion’s hoof turned hers away.

“What happened to you Argent?” asked a concerned Rainbow Dash.

Rarity stepped back and took in the guardspony. His coat was rubbed raw from the chariot harness, and the various scrapes he had acquired had matted his coat with blood and dirt. Rarity gasped in sorrow and ran forward to grab his arms as he made to slam them against the dome once again.

“Let me go,” cried Argent, “I have to help her!” He tried to shake loose from Rarity’s grasp, but found it surprisingly difficult. A second attempt to extricate himself failed as cyan hooves wrapped around his chest. “No!” shouted the stallion, “She needs me!”

Rarity, realizing that they had no chance to reason with him, filled her horn with all the magic she could muster. Ever since her first attempt at babysitting Applejack’s sons, she had been studying sleep spells. A cobalt blue ray extended from her horn and struck Argent’s side, surrounding him in a similar blue aura.

“No!” murmured the stallion as his hooves gradually slowed their rhythmic pounding, “I have to make her see…have to help...Twilight…” One last feeble strike against the dome fell short and Argent collapsed face first into the dirt, his snores echoing across the plaza.

“Help me carry him back to the boutique,” said the exhausted unicorn, “he needs to sleep this off.” Rainbow swooped to one side while Rarity took the other. Between them, they managed to gently carry the still snoring Argent across the plaza and into the boutique.

“Rainbow, be a dear and fetch the first aid kit from under the bathroom sink,” asked Rarity. “We need to clean these cuts.” Grabbing a clean towel and basin of cold water she set about removing the dirt and blood from Argent’s wounds. Thankfully, they were all superficial. Rainbow returned with the box of salves and bandages.

“What are we gonna do Rarity?” asked a sullen Rainbow Dash. “He’s completely lost it.”

“I have some ideas,” replied Rarity as she carefully applied the healing salves to the worst of the cuts. “But it all will have to wait until he wakes. Take my bed Rainbow, I’ll keep an eye on him.”

With a yawn, Rainbow Dash nodded her assent, and climbed up the stairs. “Rarity,” she asked as she paused at the door to the bedroom, “Do you think everything can go back to the way it was before?”

“I hope so,” said Rarity, as she covered Argent with a blanket, “I truly hope so.”

“Arrrgh,” screamed Twilight as she slammed the ancient tome on the desk. “Stop telling me it can’t be done!” The lavender mare stood and ran a hoof through her disheveled mane. Dark bags beneath her eyes testified to her sleep deprived state. A haphazardly constructed tower teetered precariously beside her chair.

Her feverish research had left Twilight with a handful of theories on how to bypass the mysterious wall to the past. Avoiding it by reversing time was her first hypothesis. She had researched the age spell, hoping to determine if it could be reversed to make something younger again. While she succeeded in turning a flower into a seed, further delving into the thaumaturgical theory showed that it was a purely biological transformation, and a temporary one at that.

She had also considered sending a message back to herself: A “note-in-a-bottle” warning to her past self about the events of that night. Twilight tried to send a note back to herself, but the spell fizzled. She chalked it up to the mysterious force that Starswirl mentioned and moved on to other lines of inquiry.

The only theory that she felt had a chance was creating a portal she could physically travel through. A thorough study of similar portals that traversed space alone had been undertaken by the obscure sorceress Gladys Aperture nearly seven centuries prior. Twilight thought that with some modifications based on Starswirl’s work, she might be able create a portal to the past through which she could enter without fear of some arbitrary deadline keeping her from accomplishing her mission.

Running calculations on a scrap of parchment, Twilight sighed, “Too much energy. I could manage either of the spells on their own, but not at the same time.” The idea to use her Crown to augment her magical power also left her well short of what was needed. Twilight knew her limits all too well. Years of practice and experience had reminded her that, while she was an immensely powerful magician, she was still only a pony.

Slumping to the ground, the alicorn mare succumbed to grief. “It’s hopeless,” she moaned, “Even if the spell could work, no Pony could handle that much energy.” In her frustration, Twilight flailed her hooves in what Applejack would consider very poor apple-bucking form. Clumsily losing her balance, she crashed into her tower of books. An avalanche of knowledge buried the hapless mare.

Digging her way out of the literary rubble, she found that she couldn't see. Bringing her hooves to her eyes, she found that a tome had impaled itself upon her horn. After extricating the book, the consummate librarian in her examined it for damage. A glimmer of hope surged through her soul as she hugged the book tightly to her chest. Looking outside at the rising sun, Twilight Sparkle smiled and whispered to herself, “It has to be fate.”

She tossed the damaged book onto the desktop and grabbed a pair of saddle bags. After a few minutes of sorting, the last in a series of tomes levitated their way into the mare’s panniers. She retrieved the crown and made her way on to the balcony,whereupon she found her trusty nine and a quarter catadyoptic telescope. Confident she had what she needed, Twilight lowered her barrier, and with a lavender flash, she disappeared.

With the barrier gone, the wind finally found its way back into the window of Twilight’s study. The pages of the damaged book fluttered towards the back cover until only the first page remained visible. In elegant calligraphy, it read: “Neighly’s Comet: A Study of the Magic-Enhancing Celestial Event.”

Argent awoke to the sounds of somepony pounding on a door. Momentarily confused, his mind tried to ignore the offending racket and returned to its inactivity. A rustling against his side, however, jolted him to consciousness. His eyes opened to the sight of Rarity curled up against his flank. Before he could extricate himself from the compromising position, the door clicked and in burst a tall green-spined purple dragon, followed closely by a thin young unicorn mare.

“Eeeeeee,” squealed Sweetie Belle, a sickeningly adorable smile across her face.

“No no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no,” sputtered Argent, his cheeks aflame, “This is not what it looks like!” He tried to stand up but his rear legs became tangled in the blanket he had apparently been sharing with Rarity. He tripped and fell across her back, jolting her awake.

“Oh Argent, I’m so glad you’re awake,” exclaimed Rarity. “Oh, hello Sweetie! Spikey-wikey, why are you glaring at poor Argent like that?”

Climbing off of Rarity’s back, Argent finally turned and faced Spike. “By Celestia’s sun, Luna’s moon, and Twilight’s books, I swear this is not what it looks like,” said the confused stallion. Turning back to Rarity, he sat back on his rear legs, held his forehooves together and begged, “Please tell me this isn't what it looks like.”

Rarity fought down the indignity of his question and assumed a reassuring smile. “Argent, darling, Dash and I found you outside the Library after we returned from the…unpleasantness,” said the mare. “You were in the process of injuring yourself, so we brought you back here to tend to your wounds.”

Argent examined himself and winced as he pawed at his scrapes. A vague memory of trying to force his way through the barrier played itself in his mind. “I’m sorry Rarity; I’m sorry you had to...”

“Nonsense,” she interrupted, “We weren't about to let you hurt yourself in your grief. Besides, we felt it best to talk to you about last night before anypony did anything drastic."

“What happened to you guys?” asked a confused Sweetie Belle. “It sounds like we left the party just in time.” Spike nodded his agreement.

“Be a dear and go wake Rainbow, Sweetie,” asked Rarity, “We’ll all have a nice breakfast and explain what happened.” Watching as her sister climbed the stairs, Rarity pulled the two males into the kitchen. “Fetch the fruit salad from the fridge Spikey-Wikey,” she said as she levitated bowls, napkins and silverware onto the table. As everpony, and dragon, found their way to the dining table, Rarity walked over to her pride and joy: A very chic and very expensive Istallian espresso machine. Everyone filled their bowls with fresh fruit as the slurping and swooshing sounds of the enchanted appliance filled the room. A few minutes later Rarity returned with a tray of tiny cups and a couple of peridots for Spike.

After crunching into a green jewel, Spike looked across at Argent, who had yet to touch his breakfast. “So what happened, and why do you look like you’ve been mauled by a timberwolf, bro?” The friends all looked at Argent, who hung his head with a sigh.

“She’s sending me away Spike,” said Argent as he tried to fight back tears. “I told you she was acting strange,” he explained, “but I never thought she’d lash out at her friends like she that.” Taking a sip from his cup, he braced himself and described the whole night as unemotionally as he could muster. Rarity and Rainbow Dash added their points of view to his story.

At the mention of his labors of penance, Spike’s eyespines rose in confusion. “There’s no barrier around the library, Argent,” said the Dragon, “I went in to see if you guys wanted to get some breakfast, but no one answered the door. I just thought that…” He was interrupted as Argent shot out of his seat. The table rattled as he quickly made his way to the front door.

“Argent Defender, you return to this table right now!” screamed Rarity, her face red with anger. “You will finish your meal and we will decide how to approach Twilight together.”

Frozen at the door, Argent forced himself back to the kitchen. Taking his seat between Rainbow Dash and Rarity, he apologized, “I’m sorry guys; it’s just that you’ve all known her as a friend for years, but none of you have seen her like I have.” He looked down at his plate and continued, “We’ve been in some dark places: Places at the edge of the world where Love, Friendship and Harmony are as unknown as Hatred, Enmity, and Discord are here.” An involuntary shudder passed through his body as the memories of near death experiences filled his mind. “Even in those places, she never lost hope. She would flare her magic and pull us out of the fire. Last night though, just before she disappeared,” Argent looked his friends in the eyes, “I saw an absolutely defeated mare.”

Staring at the grim look on Argent’s face, Rarity understood the gravity of their situation. “Very well Argent,” she said as she turned to Rainbow Dash, who had just finished her meal. “Rainbow Dash, fly over to Sweet Apple Acres and fetch Applejack and Fluttershy. As soon as Argent finishes his breakfast, we shall grab Pinkie Pie and meet you outside the Library.” Sensing the stallion’s forthcoming protest, she held up a hoof to preemptively silence him. “You will eat Argent Defender. I did not spend the night cleaning your wounds to have you collapse from starvation.” Looking to her sister, she continued, “I hate to impose Sweetie, but could you follow us to Sugar Cube Corner and watch after Savory while Pinkie is helping us? Dash can ask Babs and Bloom to join you two.”

“Of course Rarity,” said the younger sister, “Why don’t you two freshen up while Spike and I clear the table?” Sweetie Belle saw a chance to ease the tension in the room. “I’m sure your shower is large enough for the both of you.”

Rarity’s espresso shot across the room as Argent’s forehead crashed onto the table. Spike whispered into Rainbow Dash’s ear, whereupon the cyan Pegasus began cackling in delight. Throwing her napkin at her comedienne of a sister, Rarity stormed upstairs with a petulant, “Hmmph.”

Argent began walking to the styling room. Pausing beside the still snickering ponies and dragon, Argent muttered, “You are just the worst kind of ponies.” The silver stallion made his way towards the hair washing station, shaking his head at the still laughing friends in the next room. He quickly shampooed and rinsed his mane in the salon basin before using a towel to wash away any dirt remaining from his night of toil. Returning to the showroom, he saw Rainbow Dash preparing to leave.

“Celestia’s speed Captain Dash,” said Argent, his hoof rose to his brow in a sharp salute, “Tell the others to hurry, I still feel like I should be in that library now.”

“Aye aye Senior Guardspony Defender,” replied the Wonderbolt, her wings flaring as she stretched them out. “Shy might take a while to rouse, but AJ’ll gallop here as quickly as she can.” Finishing her stretches, the Pegasus threw open the door and rocketed into the sky, leaving a pony shaped cloud of dust and a rainbow contrail.

“Rarity,” shouted Argent, “We need to go!” The stallion turned to find Rarity standing at the bottom step. “Sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin. Leading the way out of the Boutique, Argent took one longing look at the library before leading the two ponies and dragon in a quick trot to Sugar Cube Corner.

A lavender hoof gripped the edge of the plateau. With a grunt, Twilight pulled herself onto the ledge. After catching her breath, she looked back down the cliff and flared her magic. Her saddlebags and telescope quickly joined her. She had teleported as close as she could to the mountain, but dared not take the risk of being even slightly off target while teleporting thousands of feet into the air. Climbing to the summit had taken the better part of the day. The mare examined her shadow and muttered to herself, “Maybe three hours until nightfall. Clock is ticking Twilight. Clock. Is. Ticking.”

Levitating a long, flat boulder to the edge of the plateau, Twilight began to unpack her saddlebags. She created a small dome that served to block the wind that howled this far up the mountain, the determined mare set about organizing her various research materials and optimizing her workspace. A quick trip into the abandoned cave was rewarded with the discovery of an old jeweled spear, left over from the cave’s previous tenant’s horde.

Satisfied that the mountaintop would make the perfect location to view the comet and harness its magical enhancing qualities, Twilight got to work on transforming the dirt into an arcane resonance collector. Large boulders were pushed to the side and excess dirt was shoved off the cliff. Levitating her first edition “Circles of Power and You,” Twilight used the haft of the spear to trace a perfect circle 40 paces wide atop the plateau. As the afternoon faded away, book after book was levitated in front of the mare, creating a mobile wall of literature. Runes of absorption and magnification were carefully placed to define the parameters of the circle. Leylines were added to direct the flow of magical energy. Finally, she drew an arcane link between the Circle and the Crown of Harmony. Stepping outside the circle, the alicorn’s horn flared in magical activity as she channeled intense heat into the dirt and stone.

The complex circle of power glinted in the now setting sun. The glassy onyx surface, still smoldering, slowly cooled in the high winds of the mountain peak plateau. Admiring her handiwork, Twilight sat down and stared across the river valley towards the cluster of buildings that was Ponyville. With an hour to spare before her mentor’s sun allowed the comet to become visible in the sky, and nothing left to do but recover the energy she had spent setting up, Twilight removed her journal and writing supplies from her impromptu desk. Opening it to the first blank page, she began writing:

Marech 21, 22 A.H.

I cannot inform the Princesses of what I plan to attempt on this night. They stopped Starswirl millennia ago, and I can’t take the risk that they would impede what may be the most important endeavor of my life. In lieu of sending her the customary letter, I can only hope that this journal entry will eventually be discovered by my mentor, hopefully many years after I peacefully pass from this world surrounded by my friends and family. Or maybe I’ll never write it. I don’t know; there are too many variables and conflicting theories at play here. Here it is:

Friendship cannot exist when resentment festers in the heart. I realize that now, but I learned this critical lesson far too late. One must take joy in the joy of others, even if they themselves are denied happiness. If you hold in these feelings, they will feed upon your heart until you only wish to inflict the same pain on those you resent. Once that line has been crossed, you can never go back.

Your Student (and Teacher),

Princess Twilight Sparkle

I hope I can go back. I don’t want to be alone. I’ve calculated the energy requirements to the nearest microjewel. The appearance of Neighly’s Comet and its associated amplification aura must has to be some quirk of fate, destiny, or whatever force in the universe bears us good will. Maybe it’s Starswirl’s mysterious construct. I hope for the best, but I know I’m grasping at straws. The theory is sound, but at its core, I’m just throwing a Celestial amount of magical energy at two cross cast spells. I will not unnerve myself by calculating my odds of success. But in the event of catastrophic failure, let these be my final words.

To my mentor: I’m sorry. I failed in my destiny. Please watch over my friends, they are still targets to any who wish to strike at Equestria. See Spike about Plan Omega, he’ll know what it means.

To Applejack: I’m sorry I kept these feelings from you. Perhaps had I been around more, your honesty would have rubbed off on me. Know that I love both you and your family.

To Rainbow Dash: I’m sorry for abusing your loyalty. I’m so proud of you; of all of us, you worked the hardest to reach your dreams, and I’m so glad you let me be a part of helping you get there.

To Pinkie Pie: I don’t want your last memory of me to be that horrible night. Please try to remember me as the grumpy mare you taught to laugh. Make sure Savory makes friends; I see far too much of myself in that filly.

To Rarity: You are without a doubt the most naturally talented person I ever met. Nothing made with your passion could be frivolous. I know you’ll find your prince, how could the most beautiful unicorn in creation not?

To Fluttershy: I was so wrong, you were just trying to share your happiness with me. Don’t cry; go home and hug Mac and the children for me.

To Spike: I’m so proud of you my number one assistant. You’re a pony in a Dragon’s body, don’t forget that. Be great.

To Argent: I know you thought you would be with me if things ever came to this. But this thing I do, I do for you, and all my friends. I know you better than any pony in Equestria. We have spent virtually every day of the past twenty years together, so I think I speak with some authority when I say this: You will try to blame yourself. Don’t. I failed you. I failed you the moment the world’s most introverted, oblivious and selfish mare took the most genuine, dedicated, and talented stallion into her service.

That’s it. The sun has set and I can begin. May these words never be read.

-Princess Twilight Sparkle

Twilight set aside the journal, ink, and quill and levitated the telescope to the edge of the Circle. The Princess of Magic and Harmony peered into the heavens at the glowing green sphere as it slowly traced an arc across the night sky.

Argent impatiently waited outside the bakery with Rarity and Pinkie Pie. At the door, a purple and green dragon tried to argue with a younger white coated unicorn mare. “Are you sure Sweetie? I wouldn't feel right leaving you here all alone,” said Spike.

“Spike, the girls will be here soon, I won’t be alone,” said Sweetie Belle, “Besides, I know you want to help Twilight.” She leaned into dragon and gave him a peck on the cheek. “That’s for luck,” said the mare, a crimson blush prominent against her pristine white coat. “Now get moving, I think Argent’s about to pop over there.” With a shove, Spike was sent towards the waiting ponies.

“Spikey-Wikey,” said Rarity with a smile, “I’ll say it again; that shade of red is most becoming.” With an overdramatic pose of determination, she pointed her hoof back the way they came and shouted, “To the Library!”

“Finally,” mumbled Argent sourly as he readjusted the overstuffed saddlebags on his back. “Let’s get moving, we’ve lost too much time, the others are probably waiting for us.” The group broke into a gentle gallop. The trip was a quick one, undertaken in silence. The guardspony’s words rang true as the Library came into view. Applejack, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were gathered by the door, each with a pensive expression on their faces.

“Bout time ya’ll got here,” greeted Applejack, “Dash had us running here like Cerberus himself was on our tails.”

Argent walked in between the mares and the door. Turning around he addressed the friends, “Let me head into the study first, she usually sulks in there.” A golden aura encompassed the door as Argent flashed the entry cipher and the door opened. Argent entered the Tree, followed immediately by the mares and dragon.

Seeing no trace of his charge in the lobby, Argent made his way to the stairs that lead to their private living quarters. He nearly tripped on the gem studded breastplate. Levitating it behind him, the guardspony continued up the stairs. Four golden hoofcups soon joined the breastplate. Argent continued to the door to the study. Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy remained on the ground floor, examining the mound of books piled by a few of the bookcases. Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow Dash pushed past Argent as they entered the Princess’ bedroom.

Realizing that he’d been holding in a breath, the stallion gasped as he exhaled. Gathering the final shreds of willpower he possessed, Argent opened the door. He closed his eyes and entered Twilight’s Study of Solitude.

He opened his eyes and found nothing out of place, other than the couple of books on the floor. “Nothing out of the ordinary there,” he said to himself. Argent walked to the elaborate glass and gold display case, but found it locked. Unwilling to leave the royal accouterments in the open, he stuffed them into the already bulging saddlebags.

“She ain’t here,” said Applejack as she made her way into the study, “Ah don’t reckon she slept in her bed last night either.” Looking behind her, she yelled down to the lobby, “Ya’ll find anything down there?”

Fluttershy floated up to the second floor. “She isn’t downstairs,” said the dainty Pegasus. “Rainbow says a lot of books are missing. Maybe she went somewhere to read.” Hearing a request from downstairs, she floated back downstairs.

Argent reexamined the study. Something seemed wrong. Applejack trotted to his side. “Come on Sugar Cube,” she said as she tried to nudge him back out the door, “We need to see if anypony in the plaza saw her leavin’.”

“Hold on AJ,” said Argent, “Something’s not right here.” Walking to the desk, he found the offending incongruity in the room. “There’s no way she’d leave a damaged book just laying around,” he said to Applejack.

Applejack grabbed the book and head it up to her face. “Neighly’s Comet: A Study of the Magic-Enhancing Celestial Event,” read the farm-pony. “What in the hay does this mean,” she asked. Closing the book and tossing it back onto the desk, Applejack looked to Argent for an answer.

“It’s a big rock that flies across the sky once every 120 years. Twilight was talking about it all last month,” said the guardspony as he looked for anything else out of place. “Something about it causing magical surges in Unicorns got her all excited. We were supposed to go watch it…tonight.” In his mind, he saw Twilight staring into the stars alone, her lavender mane flowing with the wind. “Applejack,” he asked in a serious tone, “Is the telescope on the balcony?”

Applejack, a flash of comprehension in her eyes, ran out to the balcony. “No, it’s gone!” she exclaimed, “She’s going somewhere to look at that comet thingie then?”

Argent joined her on the balcony. “She has to be,” he confirmed, “But where would she go.” Bonking his head in frustration he desperately tried to remember if Twilight had said anything about her viewing plans.

The others joined the two ponies on the balcony. After an explanation from Applejack, the ponies sat and brainstormed. “She would need someplace clear and free of trees,” said Rarity.

“And someplace high, like the party we had on the hill during the meatier shower!” exclaimed Pinkie Pie. “I still don’t know why they call it a meatier shower, we’re vegetarians!”

“Umm, what about the Dragon’s Peak,” mumbled Fluttershy in a volume far too low for anypony to hear.

“Well, maybe she went to Canterlot,” said Rainbow Dash, “Spike, send a letter to Princess Celestia and ask if she knows where Twilight is.”

“No way Dash,” replied the dragon, “If Twilight found out we went behind her back, she’d be even more steamed. Plus she’d probably be trying to avoid the princess as much as us.”

“I really think she might be at the Dragon’s Peak,” reiterated Fluttershy, her voice slightly raised this time, but still wholly ignored.

“She’d wanna be above the clouds, right?” asked Applejack, “Otherwise they’d get in tha way of the comet thingie.”

“I really, really think she’s at the Dragon’s Peak everypony,” squeaked Fluttershy, her teeth beginning to grind together.

“Yeah, good point AJ,” said Argent, “So where do we know that’s high, above the clouds, and away from any trees?”

“WOULD YOU ALL SHUT THE BUCK UP FOR ONE SECOND!” shouted the yellow Pegasus. A stunned silence engulfed the balcony. “Oh my,” mumbled the Fluttershy, “Ahem…I think she may be at the Dragon’s Peak.” The shy mare hid behind her mane as she said her peace.

“That’s brilliant darling!” shouted Rarity as she hugged Fluttershy, “Why didn't you say anything before?” Fluttershy sighed and flashed her friend a patient smile.

Argent looked confused, “Dragon’s Peak?” he asked, “What’s that?”

As one, the mares pointed to the west. Argent looked in the indicated direction and gulped. “You really think she’d go there?” asked the guardspony, “It’s so…so…high.”

“Hah!” laughed Dash, “Fluttershy said the same thing when we climbed it last time!” Puffing out her chest, Rainbow Dash flared her wings. “I’ll fly right up there and make her come down and talk to us!”

“You will do nothing of the sort,” interrupted Rarity, “We agreed to do this together or not at all!” Rarity began to walk back into the study. “Besides,“ she continued, “We know she’ll be there past nightfall; we have the time.”

“Alright then,” said Argent, “Spike, you and Pinkie raid the pantry for lunch.” Turning to Dash, he continued, “Rainbow, you know the library, see if you can find a map of the mountain.” Turning to Applejack and Rarity, the guardspony added, “Rarity, you and AJ decide what else we need from the library.”

As the others sprung into action, Argent looked back towards the Dragon’s Peak. “Hold on Twilight,” said Argent with a new found measure of confidence, “I’m coming.”

Rainbow Dash sped up the mountainside, the itch for speed finally satisfied. The interminable march to the mountain had been torture to the Wonderbolt. Rarity had finally relented and let Rainbow Dash scout ahead to make sure that Twilight was actually on the mountaintop. The sun was starting to sink as she neared the summit. Easing off the speed, she slowly elevated until her eyes rose above the lip of the plateau.

Dash was still angry at Twilight. She had insulted the ‘bolts and Dash’s wife. But the most grievous injury of all was the guilt her barbs had caused Dash. She remembered having to choose between her future with the Wonderbolts and Twilight’s flying lessons. She figured Twilight would find someone else to help her, but the guilt remained. She had promised that Twilight would be her new flying buddy, and she broke that promise to go find her destiny in the clouds.

Looking across the plateau, she suppressed the urge to call out to her friend. Twilight was sitting in front of a long, flat, book covered boulder, a single simply bound notebook and quill hovering in front of her. Small flashes of light drew Rainbows attention and she carefully maneuvered her way to investigate. Hiding on the other side of the boulder, she noticed the odd glittering black circle, but filed it away as more “egghead stuff.” Returning her gaze to the Alicorn, she paused as more flashes appeared between Twilight and her book. Rainbow stifled a gasp as she saw the tears clearly before they caught the light of the setting sun.

Dash folded her wings in and shed altitude quickly. Screaming towards the ground, she flared her wings about halfway up the mountain and leveled her descent. A few moments of searching revealed the forms of her friends slowly making their way up the winding mountain path. Rainbow Dash rocketed back towards her friends.

Argent stopped his ascent as the cyan Pegasus landed at extreme speed, her hooves kicking up a small dust cloud. “Well?” asked the nervous stallion, “Is she there?”

“We need to hurry,” said Rainbow as she nodded in the affirmative.

Argent, seeing the unease on Rainbow’s face quickened their pace.

Peering through the telescope, Twilight took a deep breath as Neighly’s Comet entered the quadrant of sky that signified its closest approach to Equestria. She placed the Crown of Harmony upon her head and took a position near the center of the Circle of Power. Flaring her horn, she sent a ray of lavender energy towards the array of absorption runes.

A beam of green light came into being, linking the circle with the distant comet. Emboldened by the initial success, Twilight laid a magical bridge to link the absorption and magnification rune arrays. The intensity of the beam more than doubled.

“It’s working!” shouted Twilight spouts of magical energy arched around her. She pulled as much magic as she could through her horn, magnifying it with the Crown of Harmony. Her eyes glowed a pearly white as a thin ray of purple magic activated the leylines.

Green energy raced through the circle and surrounded the mare. Nearly lost in the ecstasy of holding so much raw power, the alicorn somehow managed to hold on to her wits enough to recall the spells needed to create her portal. Aiming her horn towards an empty spot in the direct center of the circle, Twilight began layering the complex spell that would change her destiny.

First came the Entrance portal: The link to the present. The stream of magic from the comet made the casting a trivial matter. A black circle, nearly two ponylengths across, came into existence. An impenetrable black void filled it.

Twilight dug her feet into the earth. The second spell would infuse the portal with Starswirl’s time jump spell, thereby allowing her to skirt its “one pony, one use,” limitation. Twilight embraced the river of arcane energy that flowed through her, waiting for the optimal moment to cast the spell, when the comet would be in the absolute perfect position.

Green balls of lightning flashed around the circle, sending ribbons of arcane energy flying in all directions. The plateau itself shook as the primal forces of magic were unleashed upon it. Great cracks started to form on the edges of the cliff, sending large chunks of rock down the mountain.

“TWILIGHT!” shouted 6 ponies and a dragon in near unison.

Turning in their direction, the Alicorn’s pearly white eyes flashed, sending tears of light, streaming down her face. “I’m sorry,” she whispered as all the green energy coalesced into a glowing ball at the tip of her horn. She screamed as she released the time spell at the portal. A shaft of green light, as wide as the black disc, connected Twilight to the portal.

Those assembled outside the circle averted their gaze at the onslaught of light. A bright afterimage burned into their vision. Striding forward, Argent made his way to the Circle’s outer ring. Years of experience told him that crossing an active circle of power was a recipe for disaster. He yelled for Twilight to stop. He screamed with all the air in his lungs. His friends gathered around the circle pleading for Twilight to calm down.

In her cocoon of magic, Twilight could see every hair and scale on their faces. The fear there was absolute. Trying to pull in the last bit of magic she could, Twilight opened herself more completely through the crown. The small, hairline, crack instantly spread across the pink, six-pointed, star jewel. A split second later, it shattered into dust. A deafening explosion of compressed air exploded from the center of the Circle, knocking Twilight to her knees. Argent somehow managed to keep his footing while the other ponies and Spike were blown across the plateau.

A deep, vibrating, hum suffused the air. Twilight felt a pull at her rear legs. The Portal, deprived of its magical power source, had become unstable. Boulders, earlier pushed to the side of the circle, slowly were dragged towards the gaping maw. Fighting against the growing pull she tried to drag herself out of the Circle and towards Argent, her legs straining with the effort.

“Come on Twilight, take my hoof!” shouted the stallion as he tried to get close enough to grab her. “Use your magic, Teleport! For the love of Harmony, do something!” Argent desperately screamed for help.

Applejack threw a lasso, but before it could reach the alicorn, the rope was sucked into the swirling vortex. Dash tried to fly into the maelstrom, but could make it no further than the edge of the circle before being grounded.

Twilight sobbed as she saw her friends risking their lives to save her. She was too close to the portal. Any attempt to save her would only hurt them. She didn't have the energy to teleport. Gathering all her remaining magical energy, Twilight Sparkle cast her final spell. A point of pure lavender light appeared above the portal and began expand into a dome that, she hoped, would seal the portal, and her beneath it.

“No!” shouted Argent as he dropped to his belly. The stallion let the pull of the portal take control and rapidly slid under the descending dome just before it made contact with the ground.

Knowing he was now too close to the vortex, and that she didn’t have the energy to create a second dome, Twilight cried in anguish. “Why?” she yelled, “It would only have taken me!”

“Where you go, I go,” shouted Argent, “That was always the deal.” The pull intensified within the confines of the dome. Argent had a fraction of a second to react as a boulder streaked from the edge of the circle directly at Twilight. His horn gleamed in a brilliant gold aura, as 6 shards of steel ripped out of his saddlebags, sending its remaining cargo careening into the black abyss. With a mighty lunge he managed to dive in front of the oncoming debris. Just before it made contact with the stallion’s unprotected body, the six steel shards slammed together in front of him, each held in their proper position by the stallion’s magic.

The resulting collision knocked Argent off balance, but he still managed to hold his position in front of Twilight. The sounds of hooves slamming against the dome drew the alicorn’s attention away from her protector. Dash and Fluttershy were ramming themselves into the top of the dome while Pinkie assaulted it from the sides. Rarity flung boulder after boulder at the purple barrier with her magic. Applejack, her hooves covered in bloody gashes, was trying to dig her way underneath. Spike bellowed in draconic rage. His claws slashed at it; his tail lashed at it; and his flames blasted it. Twilight knew it was all for naught; and she was glad for it. She had saved them at least.

The pull seemed even more desperate to claim them. Argent had fallen back to a mere ponylength from Twilight. He deflected the smaller debris that was steadily coming at them. Cowering behind him, the alicorn sobbed as her legs slowly began to give way, “I’m sorry Argent,” she cried, “I should have sent you away long ago.” She managed to pull herself directly behind the Silver stallion. “You shouldn't have wasted your time on someone as hopeless as me.”

Argent turned around, his face serene as he lovingly gazed at Twilight. “Don’t say that Twilight. “Protecting you is all I have ever wanted.” Angling his head, he rubbed his horn against hers. “You… are all I ever wanted,” said the Guardspony as he brought his lips to hers.

The lapse in concentration was only a few seconds, but a large chunk of mountain slowly picked up steam as it barreled towards the vortex. As Twilight felt her lips touch Argent’s, her eyes widened in stark terror.

The boulder smashed the shield apart and sent the stallion sprawling, opening a hideous gash on his right flank in the process. Only Twilight’s grasping hoof kept Argent from plummeting into the portal. Trying to find some last reserve of magic, Twilight sobbed as feeble purple sparks shot out of her horn. A final chunk of rock flew towards Twilight. Harnessing what little magic he had left, Argent used his telekinesis to nudge it off its trajectory enough to avoid Twilight, but not himself. The boulder crashed into the silver stallion’s side and ripped him from Twilight’s grasp. Fully in the grasp of the vortex, Argent Defender was smashed to the ground three times before being sucked into the void.

Twilight looked back towards the frantic efforts of her friends and smiled. Twisting in the maelstrom’s embrace, she leaped into the portal. The world faded, and darkness embraced the Princess of Magic.

Author's Note

Could have made a literal cliffhanger. I'm proud of myself for resisting the temptation.

Ch. 3 is already humming along, I doubt it will be 10k words, but it should get us solidly into the meat of the story. I love long chapters, but proofreading them gets to be a royal pain (I'm sure my grammatical mistakes and typos agree).

Ch. 3: Revisions and Revelations

Ch. 3: Revisions and Revelations

Twilight Sparkle floated in an endless sea of black. She had no expectations when jumping into the portal after Argent: She simply needed to be where he was. Turning her head in all directions, she couldn't see a single pinpoint of light. The alicorn breathed a sigh of relief as she confirmed that she could feel her body. Being corporeal was a good start. She was still exhausted. Without a long night’s rest, she wouldn't be able cast even a simple light spell, so vision was out of the question.

“Argent,” shouted the mare, “Can you hear me. Please let me know you’re out there!” The complete absence of any echo shocked Twilight. “Argent!” she screamed, “Don’t leave me here alone!” The pitch black expanse responded with silence.

Her screams attracted it. The formless entity approached the odd quadrupeds. The active one appeared to be the source of the disturbance. The abstraction embraced the ponies and performed its task as it had since the beginning. The standard biochemical nervous system was relatively simple to analyze. As it started searching for an origin-stream, the shaking pony stilled itself. Finding the origin-stream for two simultaneous non-paradox shielded intruders was an almost unprecedented event. Unsure of how to proceed, the intelligence cross referenced emotional imprints with chronological memory.

Twilight felt it in her mind. Memories flashed through her consciousnes unbidden. Her earliest memories were simple fuzzy things. Her mother’s smiling face, or her BBBFF placing a bandage on a scraped knee. Her days studying as Princess Celestia’s protégé were mainly static images of books. Images of her earliest days in Ponyville danced before her vision. The torrent of memories ceased and locked on a day she remembered well. It had been her return to Ponyville after the month of touring Equestria following the coronation. This particular reflection was quite detailed. It was so strong she could feel the fatigue of the day.

Stepping from the train, Twilight waved at the gathering of familiar ponies at the train station. “It’s wonderful to be home everypony,” said the newly crowned alicorn from the royal car, “I’ve missed you all so much.”

The crowd parted as she made her way off the train and towards the plaza. She occasionally stopped to catch up with a friend or have her picture taken with her adoring subjects. She approached the central plaza, and her Tree home, eager to curl up in her bed with a good book.

Her friends were waiting for her. “Welcome home Princess Twilight!” they shouted in unison.

Twilight squealed in glee, ran to her friends, and gathered them all in a group hug. “Oh girls, it’s so wonderful to be home,” she said, “I have so much to tell you gals.” The gathering of six mares was soon chatting up a storm and making up for a month’s worth of hugs.

“Ahem,” coughed a stallion, “Do I get one of those Twiley?”

“Shiney!” screamed the joyous princess. Teleporting directly above him, she fell on his back and wrestled him to the ground in a preemptive tickle attack.

“Mercy,” said the laughing stallion, “I give, Twiley, I give!”

Her victory secured, Twilight wrapped her brother in a tight hug and helped him up. “Oh Shiney, you’d never believe the month I have had.”

“Oh, I think I might Twiley,” said the Guard Captain, “I’m married to one Princess, head of security for another, and the victim of another’s never-ending series of pranks. I think I know a thing or two about royalty.”

“Know it all,” said Twilight, her tongue stuck out at her brother.

“Takes one to know one,” he shot back, a grin plastered on his muzzle.

“Come on girls,” said Twilight, “Let’s go inside and the Guard Captain here can serve his princess and her friends some cookies and cocoa.” Flashing Shining Armor a victorious smirk, Twilight made for her front door.

“Hold on there, Twiley,” said Shining, “You have one last royal duty to perform today.”

Halting in confusion and annoyance, the lavender alicorn turned back to her brother. “Can’t it wait Shining?” she whined, “I’ve been on my feet all day, and the train ride was too bumpy to sleep.”

“It will only take a second Twiley.” Bringing his hoof to his lips, the Guard Captain let out a loud whistle. The crowd parted as a young Unicorn Stallion made his way to the front door. A well-used shield rattled on his back as he came to a stop in front of the siblings.

He raised his hoof to his brow in a sharp salute. “Reporting for duty, sir!” he barked.

“Twilight, I’d like you to meet my squire, Argent Defender,” said Shining, his hoof returning the salute. “Argent, meet Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Mistress of Magic, Restorer of Harmony, and most importantly, my baby sister.”

Argent fell to his front knee and remained there. “Your highness,” he reverently said, “It is my supreme honor to make your acquaintance.”

“Umm, thank you Guardspony Defender,” responded the blushing alicorn, a quizzical look on her face. “Shining?” she said, turning to her brother.

“Guardspony Defender,” said Shining, “What are your orders?”

Returning to his hooves, the younger guard stood at attention and replied, “I am to take residence at the Golden Oaks Library of Ponyville and protect Her Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am to accompany her on any travels and assist her in any capacity she requires.”

“Shining Armor,” said Twilight wearily, “I don’t need a bodyguard.” Sitting on her back legs she crossed her forehooves and tried to petulantly stare down her brother. The effect might have been more intimidating had her eyes not occasionally wandered to the young stallion, or had she not been sporting an extreme red blush on her cheeks.

“Sorry kid,” replied Shining, “I’m afraid this comes from the top, and I agree with Princess Celestia.” He trotted over to Argent and threw a hoof over his shoulder. “I’d be a pretty horrible brother if I didn't make sure that my sister was as safe as possible. Argent here is the most talented and dedicated Stallion to come through the academy since yours truly.” Grinning, he noogied the impassive Stallion at his side.

“I told you not to do that Cap,” shouted Argent, pushing Shining away. “I mean…thank you sir.”

“You're quite welcome, Argent,” teased Shining, “He’s a good guy Twiley; Cadance approved and everything!” Walking back to his sister he towered over her and stared down at the petulant mare. “Besides,” he said in a low voice, “It’s either this or a contingent of regulars surrounding the Library, all day, every day.” Noting the look of abject horror on his sister’s face, he pulled her back to her feet. “Don’t worry sis,” he said, “I wouldn't put just anypony in charge of keeping my sister safe.”

“Fine,” said Twilight, “I hope you know how to shelve books Argent.” Turning to her new protector, she extended her hoof and gave him a warm smile, “Let’s get you settled in; your Captain can make you some cookies and cocoa as well.”

Argent shook his new charge's hoof and finally relaxed, “Thank you, Princess,” he said, a slight blush on his cheeks, “Whatever you need; I’m your Stallion.”

“Welcome to Ponyville Argent,” said Twilight with a genuine smile warming her face.

The intelligence completed its analysis and located a common origin point in which both creature's memory and emotional imprints were matched. Opening the time stream, the keeper of the void deposited the beings in the same spatial coordinates they entered from.

The memory faded back to her subconscious and Twilight was back in the void. The presence in her mind had fled. Twilight didn't have time to ponder the implications. A pinpoint of light appeared in the darkness. The roar of rushing wind intensified as the small light quickly grew larger and larger. Soon the radiance filled her vision. The pull of gravity reasserted itself and Twilight found herself on what she assumed was the ground. Squinting her eyes against a bright light, she slowly regained her senses.

Twilight stood and examined her surroundings. “I don’t understand,” mumbled the exhausted mare. Walking to the edge of a large cliff, Twilight peered into the distance. A familiar small hamlet rose around a large city hall.

“It’s Ponyville!” screamed Twilight, “We’re back Argent we’re…Argent!”

Twilight frantically searched the boulder strewn mountain plateau. “Argent!” cried the panicking alicorn, “Where are you?”

A barely audible groan of pain somehow made its way to Twilight’s twitching ears. Zeroing in on the source, she found her bodyguard covered in smaller chunks of earth. Running to his side, she almost tripped over her ornate bejeweled breastplate. Dropping to her knees in front of the mound of stone and pony, Twilight tried to quickly free her companion.

“Twi…light,” mumbled the not-quite lucid Argent, “Can we…go…home now?”

“We are home Argent. Hold still for me okay?” Twilight gasped as she removed the last large rock from atop the stallion. “Oh Celestia, no,” she sobbed.

Argent lay in a rapidly spreading pool of his crimson blood. A deep laceration ran across the stallion’s right flank. Twilight pressed her hooves against the gaping wound, trying to hold in the precious life’s essence. Knowing she had very little time, the mare looked for any possible resources.

A pair of tattered saddlebags lay pinned under a smaller pile of debris a few strides away. Twilight quickly extricated them and used the canvas as a make shift bandage.

“C..c..cold,” mumbled the delirious stallion.

Twilight nearly tripped over the breastplate again in her frantic search for anything of use. She barely stopped her hoof from kicking the gold-jeweled ornament off the cliff. “That’s it!” cried the mare.

Manually buckling the breastplate to her chest, Twilight felt the familiar flow of magic. The well of energy she had enchanted into the gilded chest piece had managed to hold its charge. There was enough stored energy for a single long range teleport.

Twilight pulled the stallion to the cliff’s edge, his pained moans tearing at her heart. Looking towards Ponyville, she realized she’d never be able to teleport them both such a long distance. Fluttershy’s cottage was closer, but she would still have to trek through several leagues of the Everfree Forest to get to her.

“The Forest,” shouted Twilight, “That’s it!” Throwing her forelegs around Argent, she channeled the breastplate’s magic to her horn and cast her teleportation spell.

The zebra mare removed the boiling pot of water from her fire pit using her large bamboo staff. The black striped mare deeply inhaled the scent of mint that soon rose from the large earthen mug of freshly brewed tea.

“A wonderful brew to ease my mind,” she said in a lyrical fashion, “Now let us see what else I can find.” Rummaging through her pantry for a snack, the zebra was oblivious to the purple flash of light from outside her front door.

“Zecora,” yelled Twilight as she threw open the door, “Help!”

“Twilight my friend you need to calm down,” Zecora replied, “What has your face in such a frown.”

“It’s Argent,” Twilight cried as she started pulling the groaning stallion through the entryway. “He’s hurt very badly, Zecora. You have to help him!”

“I know not of this Argent you speak, but this stallion’s wounds we must surely treat.” Zecora galloped to her table and swept aside the assorted mortars and vials. Running back to the opposite side of the stallion from Twilight, she helped carry the injured guard to the makeshift infirmary.

Zecora danced about her workshop grabbing several poultices and salves that lined the shelves. Twilight removed the makeshift bandage of ripped canvas and replaced it with a nearby towel. Placing her hooves atop Argent’s flank, she pressed down as hard as she could to staunch the bleeding.

The zebra returned to the table, setting her remedies to the side. Moving aside Twilight’s hooves and lifting the towel, she winced. Reaching back to her supplies, she retrieved the coagulation powder and sprinkled it liberally over the wound. “The first thing we must do is to stop the blood,” she said, “He cannot survive it flowing like a flood.”

Nodding, Twilight replaced her hooves on Argent’s flank. “Ngh,” moaned the delirious stallion, “Don’t…make…me leave.”

Twilight’s eyes teared up as she held down the bandage. “Shhh, Argent,” she cooed, “Everything will be all right.”

“Please Zecora,” Twilight begged, “He can’t die; he’s the only pony who hasn't left me behind.”

Zecora began feeding the patient potion after potion. Confident that he was numbed to the pain, the Zebra took Twilight’s place and began cleaning the wound and repairing the torn artery that was the source of the bleeding. Confident that she had stopped the hemorrhaging, the Zebra set about suturing the grievous wound.

“I have done what I can, so now I will ask,” began Zecora, “Who are you, and why do you wear a Twilight Sparkle mask?” The Zebra continued slowly closing the wound as she awaited a response.

“Zecora, I…” said Twilight as she examined the zebra in detail for the first time since arriving. Her mane was done up in the exotic Mohawk that Twilight hadn't seen for over a decade. It was also missing the alternating grey stripes that had worked their way in between the black and white. A seed of fear began to grow in her gut.

“What do you mean?” asked Twilight, hoping for some more information.

“You sound like her, of this I am sure,” Zecora began, “But it is different and more mature.” Bending over to sterilize the needle, she continued her work. “You may have her colors and newfound wings, but they are feeble and frail looking things.” Biting off the thread and tying the knot, the zebra turned and stared down Twilight. “She told me of Changelings and their schemes most depraved,” crouching warily, she continued her rhyme, “But an angry Zebra Shaman, you have never braved.”

Seeing the glare on the Zebras face, Twilight backed up until she was at the front of the table. She returned the shaman’s stare. “I am not a changeling,” she protested, “and I will submit to any examination you can imagine. Just please take care of Argent,” said Twilight as she threw her forelegs around Argent’s sleeping form.

Seeing the desperation in the mare’s face, Zecora found that her fears had been, for the most part, allayed. “Be easy; of your identity I am not sure,” gesturing to Argent, she continued, “But your concern for this stallion I can see is quite pure.”

“I promise I will answer any questions you have,” said a grateful Twilight. “Would it be too much of a burden if we stayed here for the night?”

“I insist my friend, my spare bed is yours,” Zecora said, “Nopony in need will sleep on my floors.”

The two mares managed to maneuver the injured stallion to an alcove containing a twin bed. The now blanket-covered stallion rolled over onto his non-injured flank and started gently snoring. “He will need more potions, more than I have brewed,” said Zecora, “And as soon as he wakes, he will be desperate for food.” She walked to the door and donned her cloak and panniers. “Look after your stallion, rest under my roof; I will return from Ponyville, supplies in hoof.”

“Zecora,” said Twilight, “I can’t thank you enough for what you've done. You have given me back Argent, and I won’t forget that.” With a bow, Zecora made her way towards Ponyville.

Twilight yawned as she returned to the bedside of the sleeping stallion. Seeing no other alternative, she slid in next to Argent. “It’s not like we've never been in a bed together,” she thought to herself, “There was that one time on airship to Vanhoover.” Her mind went back to an awkward night in a cramped cabin.

Any reservations were soon made irrelevant as a frenzied two days caught up to the alicorn. She had exhausted herself physically, emotionally, and magically. Twilight drifted off into a long delayed slumber. A cool chill blew through the untamed forest and through one of the hut's opened windows. Downstairs it flowed, gently rattling the wooden masks and gourds which hung on the walls. It passed over the slumbering lavender alicorn, causing her to shiver and seek warmth against the unicorn stallion at her side.

A Zebra trotted into Ponyville just as the sun reached its zenith. Stopping to greet several of the now friendly ponies, Zecora marveled once more at size of the pony settlement. “My people never built such elaborate places,” she thought, “the Marengeti would never allow it.” Thoughts of her homeland threatened to sour her mood. Chastising herself in her mind, the Zebra continued to the market stalls.

She was confused by the deserted market stands. Even the ever-present Apple family cart was nowhere to be found. “Is there a new rumor floating around?” thought the puzzled mare. Fearing another bout of xenophobia, the Zebra made her way towards the central plaza. A large gathering of ponies surrounded the Golden Oaks Library. Trotting to the rear of the crowd, she found one of the ponies she had hoped to procure supplies from.

“Daisy, what is happening here, I thought you ponies were quite over your fears.”

“Oh hi Zecora!” replied the florist, “Everypony took a break to welcome back Princess Twilight; she just got back from her big trip!”

“I don’t think she’ll be coming, my dear,” began the zebra, “Twilight Sparkle is nowhere near.”

“Shiney!” shouted an all too familiar voice.

“By the stripes of my mother…what…how…” said the zebra as she pushed her way through the crowd, “What has that mare done now.” She reached the front of the crowd just in time to see Twilight holding hooves with the hale and healthy stallion she thought still confined to a bed in her hut.

“What the buck?!” mumbled the confused Zebra too confused to rhyme, “…something, something...duck.”

Twilight gasped as her head broke the surface of the water. The cool spring fed pond proved to be the perfect respite from the hot summer day. “Argent, jump in, it feels amazing!” she shouted at the Stallion lazing on a blanket reading a book.

“I just ate, dearest,” said the smirking stallion, “Can’t go swimming for a whole hour.”

The mare sensually swayed as she slowly emerged from the pool. “I’m sure you can make an exception for me,” said Twilight in a husky voice, “It feels so wonderful; the water running down my mane, sending chills from my horn to my tail.” A slight toss of her head released a shower of droplets, creating a rainbow halo above the lavender alicorn.

“Hmmmm,” pondered the stallion, a hoof drawn to his chin, “Nah, I’d much rather stay nice and dry.” He returned to his novel.

“How about now?” asked Twilight, her beautiful wings flared to their full span.

“Still rather be dry,” answered Argent.

A mischievous smile spread across the mare’s face. Her horn flared, sending magic into the pond. A large pony-sized ball of the chilly water rose from the pool. The liquid sphere launched towards the reading stallion.

Before it could reach its target, the stallion’s horn flared a bright golden aura. The silver heater shield leaning against the nearby tree disappeared in a golden flash and reappeared directly in the path of the onrushing deluge. The explosion of water drenched the banks of the pond, but left the stallion in a pristine dry state. The shield flashed and resumed its rest against the tree. Argent casually licked his hoof and flipped the page of his book.

Satisfied that her stallion had been suitably distracted; Twilight opened the blue exit portal above his head. Water surged through the orange entrance portal at the bottom of the pond. The stream of cold water from above caught Argent by complete surprise. “Really?” sputtered the stallion as he rolled onto his back to fully enjoy the unwanted shower.

Twilight strode out of the pool and straddled the stallion, joining him in the makeshift waterfall. Lowering herself on to his chest, she placed her muzzle an inch from his. “Really,” she whispered. The portals snapped shut, and left the two ponies in a soggy, but increasingly warm embrace.

The first thing Argent felt as he slowly woke was a wetness slowly spreading across his chest. The second thing he felt was a lancing pain in his right side. He tried to roll off his flank to relieve the pain, but a pair of feminine legs held him in place. Looking down his chest, he saw something he had only seen in his most risqué dreams. The contented lavender mare stirred slightly at the movement, but quickly resumed drooling on her fuzzy heated pillow.

Argent didn't know where he was; but he knew that he didn't want to be anywhere else. The pain in his side had other plans. Holding in a sharp gasp, he slowly and deliberately rolled on to his back. Twilight shifted in her sleep, keeping a tight grip on his chest and settling her muzzle on his neck. Argent looked down his side and saw red stained bandage that ran down his flank. “I've had worse,” he lied to himself.

Argent returned his head to the pillow and pondered his good fortune. “I’m not dead,” he thought to himself, “That’s definitely a positive.” His attention was drawn to his chest as Twilight murmured something in her sleep. “Plus, it looks like she’s not mad anymore.” His mind, desperate to understand what was going on, kept him from returning to sleep.

“What was she doing up there?” he thought, “I thought she swore off those Circles after the last one left her drained for a week.” Looking down at Twilight’s slumber form, he added, “That would explain this; I don’t think she’s slept this soundly in weeks.”

“You push yourself too hard Twilight,” he whispered. Without thinking he gently kissed the top of her head. “I’ll be here though; I’ll always be here.” The stallion settled back into the pillow, hoping to return to pleasant dreams.

Zecora trusted her instincts. The ponies back in her hut did not have ill intentions. She was reasonably sure that the one claiming to be Twilight Sparkle was being honest with her. Years of experience, however, told the zebra to remain vigilant. She followed most of the dispersing crowd to the slowly reviving market. She moved from stall to stall purchasing the ingredients she needed to replenish her stock of potions. This sort of trip had become much easier for the shaman; the salesponies knew now what she needed, and were all too happy to assist the zebra. She paid well, and her potions were very much in demand. She had found that many of those seeking her concoctions had been referred by her various ingredient suppliers.

The sun had just started to set when she entered the Everfree Forest. Avoiding the dangers of this place had become second nature to Zecora. A den full of dire badgers was easily avoided; the sounds of the nocturnal creatures waking for a night of activity warned the zebra before she strayed too close. A lone Timberwolf gave the zebra a wide berth, thanks to her castoreum lined cloak.

She arrived home as the shroud of night descended upon the forest. Opening the door slowly as not to surprise her guests, the shaman set her supplies on the table and quietly walked to her patient’s bedside. Finding the slumbering ponies in a comfortable embrace brought a smile to the zebras face. After gently replacing the dressing the sleeping stallion’s wound, Zecora returned to her work bench and began to prepare a poultice to aid in his recovery. As the small pot boiled, she began slicing vegetables for a stew. Humming softly to herself, Zecora spent the next few hours stirring pots and grinding powders and pastes with her mortar and pestles.

The combination of sound and aroma slowly roused the alicorn. Twilight’s body tried to involuntarily smack her lips together, receiving a mouth full of silver hair for her effort. Sputtering, she opened her eyes and looked down the chest of the large silver stallion. In her haste to extricate herself from their embrace, Twilight rolled out of the bed and landed on the floor with a *thud*.

Twilight scrambled to her feet and took in her surroundings. Zecora had stopped her work and stared at the alicorn with a knowing smile. Twilight walked towards her host, an intense blush plastered on her cheeks. “I was tired,” she said in a low voice to avoid waking the stallion, “and he looked cold.”

Zecora chuckled and returned to her work. “The sun has gone down, you have slept through the day; you both must eat, this command you shall obey.” The zebra gave the stew one last taste, and dished out three bowls. “Wake your stallion and we shall eat; This Argent I am eager to meet.”

Twilight nodded and walked back over to the bed. “Argent, wake up,” she said in a soft voice. The stallion rolled towards the sound, a contented smile on his face. Twilight placed a hoof on the stallion’s shoulder and gave him a gentle shake.

The stallion grabbed the sleep interrupting hoof and pulled it to his chest. The mare connected to it had little choice but to follow. Twilight found herself wrapped in a tight but comfortable bear hug. “Argent!” she said, her voice raised, “Wake up!” The call alone might have been sufficient to wake the stallion, but her rear hoofs decided to make sure. A reflexive kick from Twilight made sure that Argent would wake.

“Ugh,” grunted the stallion, “I’m up, I’m up.” Realizing that he was holding a mare to his chest, the guardspony released his grasp. “Um…sorry boss,” he said.

Standing from the bed, the blushing mare looked away. “That’s okay Argent,” she began, “Zecora has made some stew. Why don’t you see if you can walk to the table and we’ll have some dinner.”

The alicorn held out her hoof to Argent. Grasping it firmly, the stallion pulled himself from the bed, wincing and suppressing a groan. Stretching his body, Argent felt surprisingly hale for a pony who only hours before had one hoof in the grave. He managed a few tentative steps before his right rear leg buckled. A purple aura surrounded him, sparing him any pain from a collision with the floor.

“Here, let me help,” said Twilight, pulling his foreleg across her withers. The pair made their way to the table, one limping step at a time. Twilight floated the pillow and placed it under Argent as he gently lowered himself onto his haunches.

Sitting next to him, Twilight levitated two bowls in front of them. Argent didn't wait for a spoon. Grabbing the bowl with his forehooves, he guzzled the rich broth. Pulling the bowl from his grasp, Twilight placed a spoon in the bowl and placed it back in front of the stallion. “Manners Argent,” she chided, “Zecora has some questions for us, and I think we may have some for her as well.”

Argent nodded and looked across at his host, “Thank you Zecora,” he said, “I’m sure Twilight knows more about what’s going on than me, but I presume this is your handiwork.” Gently rubbing his right flank, the stallion was surprised at how much better it felt after a few short hours. “Your potions continue to amaze me, no matter how many times I have needed them.”

Nodding at the compliment, the zebra took a few spoonfuls of the stew. “Your thanks are welcome, there is no need to fret,” She said, “But I must correct you, for this is the first time we have met.”

Argent managed to swallow the stew instead of comically sending it across the table in a cliched spit-take. “That’s a good one Zecora,” he said jovially, “I didn't hit my head that hard; no playing tricks on this injured patient!” Argent waited for the Zebra to respond with a deep laugh, but was left hanging.

“Argent,” said Twilight, “There’s something I need to tell…” She was cut off by Argent’s hoof in her mouth.

“And don’t think I haven’t noticed the manecut,” he said to the zebra, “You haven’t worn the mohawk since we got back from the Marengeti.” Looking closer, he saw the sharply contrasting black and white stripes. “And I bet Aloe and Lotus loved dying the grey out.” Argent smiled in triumph as he concluded his analysis, “All in all, I’d give you a 7 for planning, and a 5 for execution.”

“Argent,” said Twilight, her hoof resting on her shaking forehead, “Shut up.” Levitating his spoon, she shoved a large serving of soup into his gullet to silence him. Looking between Twilight and Zecora in confusion, he finally caught on to the tension in the room.

“Zecora, I’m sorry, I’ll explain,” she said, a look of resignation on her face. “I made a mistake,” she began, “The worst mistake of my life.” Extending her frail wings and removing her thick glasses, Twilight stood and walked in front of the zebra mare. “And as you can see, I've lived considerably more life than you would expect.”

The Zebra looked at the crow’s feet below the mare’s eyes, the thin graying streaks in her hair, and her obviously stunted wings. The shaman prodded the wings, eliciting a slight wince from Twilight. “I had thought your malady induced by the poison joke; but this natural a change I have not seen it invoke.”

Twilight folded her wings and sat back down. She turned to Argent and took his hoof in hers. “We’re in the past, Argent,” she began, tears slowly forming in the corners of her eyes, “I thought that I could go back a few hours and warn myself not to say all those horrible things.” Looking away from him in shame, Twilight continued, “But somehow we've gone much farther back. I don’t know how to get back to our time; the Portal should have stayed open, but my crown shattered before I could stabilize it.”

“This explains much of what this day I have seen,” began Zecora, “The younger ‘yous’ with your friends on the village green.” Twilight sighed and nodded at the zebra.

“Zecora, what’s the most notable thing that has happened in the last few months?” asked Twilight.

“That would be you of course; your transformation into winged horse,” the zebra replied. “The ponies in the village were just having a celebration; you had on this day returned from your Coronation.”

“So twenty years, give or take a few months,” sighed the alicorn, her hoof unconsciously squeezing the stallion’s.

“Well that’s it then!” said Argent excitedly, “Just go do what you planned to do: warn yourself. You’ll never have the need to come back in the first place!” Proud at his well thought out explanation of the solution to their temporal conundrum, he looked at Twilight for affirmation.

“It won’t work,” she said morosely, “I had to bypass certain…safeguards…to travel back.” Twilight levitated a parchment, quill, and ink from Zecora’s workbench and quickly composed a letter. Her magic enveloped the parchment and rolled it into a tight scroll. A flash of lavender caused a seal, embossed with her six pointed star sigil, to appear upon it.

She floated the scroll to the zebra and laid it on the table before her. “Zecora, would you please take this to…me…right away; tell her to use the Sparkle Cipher to open it,” asked the alicorn, a look of disappointment on her face.

The confused Zebra picked up the scroll in her mouth and made her way to the door.

“Stop,” said Twilight, “You can come back.” She retrieved the scroll and threw it into the firepit. “You see,” she said, “by your logic, the moment she agreed to take the scroll to my present self, the timeline would have been altered and we would have disappeared, or returned to the present…or something else.”

Zecora returned to the table, a confused look on her face. “I of course bow to you in all things magic,” she said, “But to never return to your home would truly be tragic.”

Twilight hung her head and whimpered. “I don’t know how; I don’t think it’s even possible to travel forwards in time.” Stomping her hoof to the ground, the alicorn continued, "Even if it was possible, without my crown, and the amplification aura of the comet, I wouldn't be able to amass the energy necessary to cast such a spell." She turned to Argent, a pleading look of desperation in her face. “It wasn't supposed to happen like this; you weren't supposed to follow me,” Twilight cried, “And now you’re stuck here, years away from your friends, from your sister; stuck with me. You should run as far away from me as you can, before I do something worse.”

Twilight collapsed on the floor and covered her head with her hooves. “I nearly killed you,” she moaned, “The only pony to stand by me after all these years, and I leave you stuck in the past, passed out in a pool of your own blood.”

Argent stared ahead of himself with a dark scowl. Rising to his hooves, the guardspony slowly hobbled to the door. “I need some air,” he said, limping through the entryway and into the night.

The Zebra walked around the table and stood beside the Alicorn. “Your stallion should not wander far afield; the hour is late, and his wound still must heal.” Hearing no response, she stood behind the still slumped over mare. Twilight was softly crying, her long mane hiding the falling tears.

The zebra placed a hoof on the alicorn’s shoulder. “Dry your tears, for all is not lost; Go to your stallion, tell him the truth no matter the cost.” Twilight continued weeping. The Zebra knelt down placed a hoof under the alicorn’s chin. Zecora turned her friend’s head until they were eye to eye. “Twilight Sparkle, you said you made a grave mistake; now I will give you some advice you must take.” Twilight nodded, her eyes still watering.

“That stallion would do anything for you, his eyes say as much,” began the zebra, her voice steady and without its usual lyrical tone, “You will go to him now, and his heart you must touch.” Twilight nodded, stood up and trotted for the door. Zecora sighed, stacked the empty bowls, and began cleaning their dinner.

Argent limped along the familiar path. He and Zecora had actually been quite close. Her poultices and ointments had literally saved his skin on multiple occasions. Even now, he was sure whatever miracle concoction she had brewed was knitting together the flesh of his flank well enough not to leave a scar.

Rounding a bend, the unicorn stallion found The Thinking Rock. The large flat boulder was oddly out of place in the dense forest, as if some giant had tossed it from the nearby mountain. He climbed on top of his rock, hissing through his teeth at the twinge of pain that shot through his side. Argent settled in and took a deep breath. He had done some of his best thinking on this particular boulder. His twin sister had always told him that he spent too much time in his head; thinking when he should be acting.

“She’s one to talk,” he said aloud, “Everyone around her knows what she’s thinking.” Thoughts of his sister reminded him that he might never see her again; well, not the ‘her’ he was used to. She was all he ever had growing up after their parents had gone missing, and now, she was all alone in the future. “She can take care of herself,” Argent said to himself, “She has been for years.”

Thinking of his tiny family reminded him of Twilight’s. The Prince-Captain had trusted him to keep his sister out of danger. “Good judgment there cap,” he said aloud, the sarcasm dripping from his face. Princess Cadance would be devastated: The Crystal Sovereign had always treated Twilight like a beloved little sister. And her parents; “Merciful Luna, Night Light will disembowel me if we get back,” he said to the forest, “At least not unless Velvet beats him to it.” Argent closed his eyes and tried to find the sense of calm Shining Armor had taught back in his Squiring days.

“Daddy usually prefers decapitations,” said a soft voice. Argent’s eyes shot open and he turned to see Twilight standing between the boulder and the stream. “And Mother always has had him do the dirtier chores.”

Argent lowered his head flush with the rock face and turned away from the mare. “He’s welcome to it; darn thing hasn't done me a bit of good.” Twilight stepped forward and climbed the large rock. She lay down next to Argent and tried to adopt a reassuring demeanor.

“I’m sorry I got you into this Argent. You always deserved more than me; you should have been Cadance or Luna’s guard.” Looking down at her bodyguard’s increasingly angry looking scowl, her composure cracked. “I don’t know how we’ll get back, but I promise I’ll try my best to get us back home.” She sniffled as she continued, “I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to find somewhere else to stay; if I find a way home I can find you before...”

“STOP TRYING TO MAKE ME LEAVE!” shouted Argent, his voice echoing through the forest, “By the Sun and the Moon, you just don’t get it do you?” Twilight looked at him in shock. “Do you know what it does to me every time you tell me to leave?” Argent asked rhetorically, “You’re asking me to take everything I have cared about for more than half of my life, and throw it away!”

“Argent I never…” interrupted Twilight.

“NO!” shouted the stallion again, “No, my sister was right, I do spend too much time in my head; I’m getting this out in the open.” Twilight’s gaping mouth snapped shut, waiting for Argent to continue.

“Twilight, there’s a young stallion in Ponyville who just fell in love at first sight.” Taking a deep breath, the unicorn continued, “He has just found his life’s calling and will spend the next twenty years following the mare of his dreams down every dark, terrifying, and evil path her destiny forces upon her.” Staring his Princess down, Argent blinked the tears from his eyes.

He stood and pulled Twilight to her hooves. “And it will take him two decades to stand before the mare, and say what he should have on that first day.” He brought his muzzle beside her ear, his breath causing it to twitch. “I love you Twilight Sparkle; I always have and I always will.” Argent knelt before the alicorn. “There is nothing you could say or do to me that would make me abandon you; nothing I wouldn't suffer to keep you safe.”

Twilight’s voice had left her. The vast intellect that had bested Discord, exposed Chrysalis, and banished Sombra was, for once, completely silenced. For the first time in many years, Twilight’s heart was in full control. Feelings, long suppressed and locked away, burst through her like water through a broken dam. She pulled her head back and looked the Stallion in the eyes. Without hesitation she pressed her lips to his.

His knees weak, the stallion fell to the ground. The mare followed his lead, their lips still connected. Whimpering slightly, Twilight lifted her hoof to Argent’s face and caressed his cheek. The stallion pressed his hoof on hers and redoubled his efforts. Twilight pulled away in gasping breaths. She nuzzled the stallion’s face, their horns rubbing together and eliciting gasps of pleasure from the pair of ponies.

“I love you Argent Defender,” whispered Twilight, “And I’m Equestria’s greatest fool for not having said so earlier.”

“At least you’re Equestria’s greatest kisser,” sighed a relieved Argent.

With a nervous giggle, Twilight gave the stallion a peck on the cheek. “I guess...” she began, “I guess I had convinced myself that my duty to Equestria was all I had room for.” She looked down at the ground. “I’ve spent twenty years fighting for Love, Friendship, and Harmony, only to deny it to myself.” Twilight exhaled, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

Argent moved to her side and wrapped a forehoof around her withers. “I think we’re two of a kind in that sense,” Argent stated, “I merged my love for you with my sense of duty: That made it possible for me to stay silent all these years.” Another long kiss followed, leaving both ponies breathless.

They sat in silence for several minutes, each lost in their thoughts. Twilight tucked her head underneath Argent’s chin, nuzzling his downy silver coat. She gazed out across the dark forest and wondered how he could possibly love her after what she had put him through.

“I’m sorry about your shield,” said Twilight, breaking the quiet, “I know how much it meant to you.”

“It’s just a thing Twilight,” said Argent as he squeezed her shoulder, “The fact that you made it for me is what made it so special.” Pausing for a moment, the stallion grinned. “That and your cutie mark on the front,” he said, “Maybe I have a fetish.” Reaching back, he rubbed her flank, causing the mare to gasp.

Twilight returned the favor, smiling as the Stallion winced in pain. “Oops,” she said. As Argent returned his hoof to her shoulder, Twilight shook her head, “You’d have to thank Rarity for that particular decal,” she said, “She was...adamant…about it.”

“Well, she always did have outstanding taste,” said Argent. “Now that I think about it, she might have been trying to play matchmaker between us. Remember the Gala a few years back?”

“After the Shade invasion?” asked Twilight, “The carriage broke an axle; we never made it to the Gala.”

Argent raised his eyebrow and looked skeptically at Twilight. “Right,” he said, “The carriage, which Rarity hired, broke an axle just as we passed scenic Windsome Falls, on the night of a full moon, while we were both attired in her most elegant designs.”

“You were quite handsome in that Tuxedo,” giggled Twilight, “That mare always has been a busybody; I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at a little sabotage.” Twilight stood and helped Argent to his feet. “Let’s get you back into bed,” she ordered, “You need to let that flank heal, and I need to recharge my batteries.”

“Sounds good, but don’t you want to…you know…plan?” asked Argent, “Isn't that your thing?” Holding up a hoof, he helped Twilight down from the boulder. “If you’re a changeling I’d like to know now.”

“I guess you’ll just have to examine me closer to find out,” the alicorn said with a playful grin, “But to answer your question: No, I don’t particularly want to plan for anything right now.” Walking next to the stallion, Twilight flared her magic, lighting their path. “You have surprised me with something wonderful, and I don’t want to spend the night agonizing about something I may have no control over,” she said, “Does that make any sense to you?”

“I suppose,” replied Argent, “I know you’re worried, and you usually go right to making a checklist or digging through your books when you worry.”

“Could I…Would it be alright if I came to you when I was worried?” she asked hopefully.

“Absolutely,” he replied with a smile and nuzzle, "it's all I have ever wanted."

Zecora had just finished bottling the final batch of her potions when the two ponies walked through the front door. A look at the smiles on their faces was all the zebra needed to read the situation. Placing the stopper in the final vial, she greeted the two ponies.

“From the smiles on your faces, I believe I can assume; something wonderful happened beneath Luna’s full moon?”

Twilight trotted over to the zebra and gave her a hug. “More than wonderful,” said the grateful mare, “Thank you for getting me moving.”

“Think nothing of it my pony friend; your happiness is all I require in the end.” Zecora lifted her newly finished potion. “Now settle your stallion back in his bed; this draught will quickly go to his head.”

Argent tried to protest his infantile treatment, but soon found his body swaddled in a blanket and force fed a vial of viscous green goop. Her work completed and her patient in good hands, Zecora bade the two ponies a good night and retired for the evening.

Twilight levitated one of Zecora’s books on herbology and took the chair next to the bed. Slipping on her thick glasses, she browsed the table of contents for the herbs she had seen Zecora working with.

“Twiley, I’m not sleepy!” moaned the injured stallion, “Read me a stooory.”

Raising an eyebrow, the mare lowered her book and looked at Argent. A loopy smile and half lidded eyes reminded her of Rainbow Dash during cider season. “Zecora wasn’t kidding was she?” asked the mare.

“I dunno,” said the stallion, “I feel fine!”

“Well, since you won’t remember any of this, let me tell you about the day I met Zecora,” said the mare. Climbing into the bed next to her groggy stallion, Twilight sat up against the headboard and began her story.

Upon reaching the point in her tale when her horn received its drooping affliction, Argent laughed uproariously. “Twili Flopple!” laughed the stallion. Reaching up, the medicine inebriated stallion probed the mare’s horn with a hoof. “Not floppity!” argued the stallion, “make horn floppity!”

Her cheeks blushed as the oblivious stallion sent jolts of pleasure coursing through her body. “Argent,” she gasped, batting his hoof away, “Stop that or I won’t finish the story!” Giving him her most stern librarian’s stare, she intimidated the stallion back into submission, his head sinking under the blanket until only his eyes peaked out.

“That’s better,” she said as she continued the story. The stallion gave a coltish giggle as she described the various jokes played on her friends by the pesky flower. Twilight had just started reciting Pinkie’s ridiculous song when light snores caught her attention. Smiling, she removed her glasses and their chain from around her neck and floated them to the nearby nightstand. Leaning over and kissing the bridge of the stallion’s nose, Twilight slid herself under the blanket and drifted off to sleep.

Author's Note

Hooray! Time Travel, Romance, Adventure Time!

I feel like maybe I rushed the romance a bit, but it's going to need to be there for the next few chapters. Also, some incoming characters will need to play off of Twilight and Argent's relationship.

Chapter 4 is outlined and taking shape. Do the longer chapters turn anyone off, should I try and chop them down to closer to 5k words?

Ch 4: Rescues and Ripples

Fluttershy loved this time of year. Her critter friends were full of energy having just woken from a long hibernation or returned home from migration. Mr. and Mrs. Ferret’s children were pattering around an apple tree, playing keep away with one of the fallen fruits, while Squirrelly and C. Phinneus Squirrel scampered along the lower branches. Angel Bunny frolicked in the meadow with his assorted brothers, sisters, cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and any other relation one could find under Celestia’s sun.

She would normally avoid this part of the Sweet Apple Acres due to it being so close to the terribly frightening Everfree Forest. The periodic *thunk* of hooves meeting wood, however, reassured her that Applejack and her big brother were nearby. Returning her attention to her woodland friends, the Pegasus daintily rose from the ground. She flexed her wings and hopped into the air. The pegasus mare gracefully ascended until a squeak alerted her to a furry stowaway.

“Oh no, this is far too high Squirrelly,” she said, “wouldn’t you rather try a little lower?” The litany of chattering squeaks that followed would leave most ponies scratching their head. Fluttershy, however, spoke fluent squirrel. “I don’t care what C. Phinneus Squirrel dared you to do; if you jump from this high you'll hurt yourself.” Squirrelly’s pout was rebuffed with a low intensity Stare. Descending to a much safer altitude, the Pegasus felt the flying squirrel leap from her back.

Fluttershy smiled as she watched the over-ambitious rodent glide to the branches of the apple tree. She gently landed and took a seat in the shade. The yellow pegasus hummed to herself as she carefully preened her wings. The sweet dulcet tones made their way to the ears of the nearby red stallion as he lifted a bushel of golden delicious apples into his wagon. His red face somehow grew redder at the sight of the Pegasus mare and he quickly harnessed himself and headed for the barn.

The humming wafted towards the edge of the forest, where three shadowy figures had been observing the ponies for much of the morning. Nodding to each other, the hooded creatures turned and stalked back into the woods, their talons making slight tapping noises on the small rocks and branches of the forest floor.

Twilight woke quite early in the morning. Despite her statement to the contrary, she did in fact feel a strong urge to plan for the future. The currently sleeping stallion that had wrapped her in his arms only made that urge stronger. Knowing that she was not alone, that there was somepony who would stay with her whether she succeeded or failed in returning home, filled Twilight with resolve.

“The first priority is a place to stay and research,” thought the mare. “We can’t impose on Zecora any longer.” Twilight considered several options, ranging from an apartment in Canterlot, to a shack in the desolate badlands surrounding Appleoosa. “Of course it’s all moot if we can’t find a way to pay for the bare essentials," she thought to herself, and I don't think I'll have access to the royal treasury."

Twilight had a habit to which she was oblivious. When in deep deliberation, the alicorn tended to shake her head in agreement or disapproval of her various ideas. Spike had found it hilarious; Argent found it adorable; neither wanted to make her self-conscious about it. Twilight tended to obsess over such things. It was a nervous habit that rarely affected anypony else. This time, however, her movement woke the stallion who held her to his side.

Argent pressed his cold nose into the back of Twilight’s neck, causing the mare to gasp. “If last night was a dream, take that as an excuse to knock me back out,” said Argent as he squeezed the mare.

Twilight rolled over and locked lips with the groggy stallion. “If this is a dream, it’s one we share,” whispered the mare, “and I hope it never ends.” Looking at her coltfriend, and marveling at the concept of Argent as her coltfriend, Twilight sighed in contentment. “You said I could come to you when I worried. Does that offer still stand?”

“Of course,” said Argent, “Your problems are my problems, especially now.”

“We need to plan for a long stay,” said Twilight, “I’m not giving up, but we do need somewhere to stay; somewhere I can conduct my research.” Caressing the stallion’s cheek, Twilight continued. “We can’t keep imposing on Zecora,” she said, looking away with a blush, “and I think we need some privacy.”

Argent quickly scrambled to the edge of the bed. “One log cabin coming right up,” said the Stallion as he began to stand up.

Laughing, Twilight wrapped her forelegs around his waist, anchoring him to the bed. “Not so fast, my handsome lumberjack,” she said. “I have some conditions, and you should have some input in this decision as well.” Argent nodded and leaned back into the mare’s embrace.

“I think it has to be somewhere close to Ponyville,” she began, “Somewhere close enough to the market that we can easily procure supplies, but far enough away that we can avoid any unwanted attention.”

“So one of the little houses on the edge of town then?” asked the Guardspony. “Sound’s cozy,” he said, “but I left all my bits back in the future.”

“Well, that’s what I thought as well,” began Twilight, “until I remembered that we know of a cache of ancient Equestrian artifacts, any one of which would easily buy us our home.”

“You yourself said that those artifacts belonged in a museum Twilight,” said the skeptical unicorn. “And if I recall, they’re in The Hollows.”

“Exactly!” replied the excited mare, “We’re only a few hours hike away, and I think we can take just one artifact for ourselves. Past Twilight will never know it was missing.”

Argent sighed in resignation; when Twilight decided on a plan, there was little point in arguing. Argent typically just agreed and started planning on how he would keep her safe. “Fine, but we’ll only go if you’re feeling up to it. You used too much magic the last few days, and I won’t let you cast yourself to exhaustion. You of all ponies know how dangerous that can be.”

“Oh I’m fine,” said Twilight as she flared her magic. Argent grunted as a lavender aura encompassed him and slowly lifted the him off of the bed. “You’re the pony I’m worried about.” Twilight turned the stallion around and removed the bandages from his right flank. “Amazing,” gasped Twilight, “Not even a scar, and it’s only been a day.”

“Your wound may be healed, but its progress I must view,” said Zecora, entering the large room, “The potion I used is of a formula brand new.” Walking over to the ponies, she gave the stallion’s flank a couple of sharp prods. The zebra waited for his protests of pain, but none came.

“The potion depends on the physique of the drinker,” she said, “The outcome would have been much different had you been a thinker.”

“Is that a dig at me?” joked Twilight as she set Argent on his feet. “I’ll have you know that I finished in 5th place at the Running of the Leaves!”

“Twenty some odd years ago,” mumbled Argent.

“No, two years ago,” replied Twilight, sticking her tongue at the zebra and stallion.

Rolling her eyes, the zebra went to her pantry to procure some breakfast for her guests. “I fear that I must be going fairly soon,” she said, “Nurse Redheart and I have our weekly tea at noon.” Setting a large bowl of carrots and celery on the table, the Zebra sat and invited the others to the table.

“I just want to say how thankful we both are, Zecora,” said Twilight, “for saving Argent, for giving us shelter, and for believing in us.” She took a few bites of a carrot before continuing. “We’re going to spend the day looking for something in the forest. When we find it, we’ll be able to afford one of the small homes near the outskirts of Ponyville.” The alicorn explained her reasoning to the curious zebra.

“Your plan seems well reasoned and full of ambition,” Zecora said, “But you are both welcome as long as you like; you are not an imposition.”

“Maybe not now,” said Argent, “But you haven’t seen her once she’s in a research fit.” His snark earned him a rap on the head. “See what I mean?” he said.

“I presume your identities you wish to conceal,” said Zecora, “My extra cloaks and saddlebags will be useful to you I feel.” She walked to an old trunk and pulled out two cloaks. “Argent may be able to walk around freely,” she said, tossing one cloak to the stallion, “But your alicorn wings should stay hidden, ideally.”

Nodding, Twilight took the proffered cloak. “I’ve got thoughts about that, but like I said: I need a place to work and research, and the closer to the resources of Ponyville, the better.” Twilight buckled on her bejeweled breastplate and donned the cloak.

Having finished their breakfasts, the equines stepped outside the hut and bid each other farewell. The zebra made her way to Ponyville, while the two ponies made their way deeper into the Everfree forest.

The noon sun had driven all of Fluttershy’s critters to the shade of the large apple tree. The sound of a bunny in distress roused Fluttershy from her nap. “Angel Bunny?” she asked. Looking down, she saw her pet bunny still asleep on her long tail. With a sigh of relief, she picked up the fluffy bunny and set him down next to the tree trunk where he quickly resumed his nap. The yellow Pegasus rose to her legs and listened to the wind, hoping her mind had simply played a trick on her.

The frantic squeaks came again, this time increased in intensity. Turning her head in the direction she thought the cries were coming from, the Pegasus slowly trotted towards the edge of the forest. There were few things that would drive the mare to the edge of the Everfree Forest, and the plaintive cries of a bunny were definitely one of them. She tentatively moved towards the wails, oblivious of the watchers in the canopy.

“Woo Wee!” shouted Applejack. “That’s the entire north field.” She grabbed her Stetson from her head and fanned herself. “Ah reckon we've earned ourselves a treat Big Mac,” she said to the stallion loading the final bushel. “A nice chilled mug of cider oughta do the trick.”

“Eee-yup,” replied the reticent stallion.”

“Ah reckon Fluttershy would enjoy having some cider with us, Mac,” said Applejack with a knowing grin, “I’ll pull this last load to the barn and fetch the cider from the cellar, and you go fetch her.” Hitching herself to the wagon, the stout farmpony began hauling their hard earned bounty back to the farm. “Don’t ya’ll wait too long now,” she shouted back.

The stallion walked to the largest tree in the south field. He had spent many an afternoon lounging under its near ancient branches. It was the obvious choice of spots when the Pegasus had asked him where she and her critters could enjoy the morning. The fact that he would be able to sneak glances in her direction never factored into the decision. Seeing the motley collection of bunnies, squirrels, ferrets and all manner of critter, but no Pegasus, Mac surveyed the surroundings.

He didn't have to look far: Yellow and pink tend to stand out against the green and brown of the farm. Curious as to why the normally skittish pony would be standing by the edge of the Everfree Forest, Big Mac trotted towards her. “Miss Fluttershy,” he called out.

The Pegasus turned, a look of concern on her face, and waved at Mac. She was about to shout a reply when several clawed hands reached out from behind the trees and grabbed the dainty mare. Her high-pitched, wordless scream spurred the Stallion on. Galloping as fast as he could, the hulking farmpony quickly closed the distance between himself and the struggling mare. The solid crack of a large painted staff against her head silenced and stilled the struggling Pegasus.

Enraged, the red stallion thundered towards the forest’s edge. At this distance, he saw the creatures more clearly as they turned and started running back into the dark forest. Thick robes covered their bodies and long hoods shrouded their faces. They ran on large bird like feet, complete with sharp talons. Their height reached that of a young mare.

He had reached the forest’s edge, when the sharp crack of wood on wood forced Mac to his knees. The shrouded figure that had dropped out of the trees hadn't expected the large yoke on the stallion’s neck to deflect its blow. It didn't have time to react as Big Macintosh reared up and landed his two large hooves into the would-be kidnapper's face.

“AJ!” he roared, “Help!” Hoping his shouts reached his sister, the stallion pursued the kidnappers into the forest.

“I spy with my eye, something brown,” said the bored stallion.

“Is it wood?” asked the increasingly annoyed mare.

“It is!” he said with mock enthusiasm, “You’re getting really good at this game.”

Argent and Twilight had been walking for hours, the monotony of the situation having long since set in. “We’re close Argent,” said the mare, “and if I remember correctly, the Hollows had the most delicious wild blueberry bushes in all of Equestria.” Appealing to Argent’s stomach had always ensured compliance. "It would be a shame if an extremely annoyed alicorn were to determine that they were inedible."

“Oh yeah, those were amazing,” said Argent, his mouth watering. The thought of the juicy sweet berries transported his mind back some twenty years. “Princesses above, I was so hungry,” he said, “And we were so tired.”

“I don’t really even remember why,” said Twilight, “It was so long ago.”

“Oh we had just scared off the Ken…ku,” said Argent, trailing off at the end.

“Oh Celestia, how could I have forgotten those awful things?” asked Twilight “Argent, do you remember where their stronghold was?”

“Yeah, it was a few miles to the north,” he replied, “I hope you’re not planning what I think you are.”

“You remember what we found when we got there, Argent,” she said. "I will not leave a pony to that torment!"

The look of determination in her eyes and the force of her voice steeled his resolve. “You’re right,” he said, “and we’ll be the ones surprising them this time. Let’s stop by the Hollows on the way, I’ll feel better with a shield on my back.” Nodding, Twilight fell behind the galloping stallion, determined to right a terrible wrong.

Macintosh gained on the two remaining kidnappers and their precious cargo. The two creatures were small and quick, but carrying the Pegasus slowed them considerably. While they weaved their way around the underbrush and smaller trees, their pursuer thundered through them as if they were nothing.

The stallion burst through a thorny bush into a wide open clearing. Realizing that they couldn't outrun the large pony, the two creatures threw their bound victim to the ground and turned to face him. Mac heedlessly charged at the two robed figures. The stallion leaped into the air, intent on stomping the closest creature into the ground. His only reward was a small explosion of dirt as the kidnapper adroitly dove to the side. Mac’s momentum carried him forward until he was standing above the hogtied pegasus.

The bound and gagged mare groggily opened her eyes to see Big Macintosh furiously staring down two of her assailants. His red coat glistened with deeper red crimson scratches. “Ya’ll ain’t touching her again,” growled the stallion, his nostrils flaring with each breath. The two kidnappers slowly surrounded the two ponies and removed the small painted staffs from their backs. They each reached to their face and threw back their hoods. Long pointed beaks and beady black eyes stared down the stallion. The looked very much like ravens, but with a second set of talons in place of wings.

“Give wings!” the one in front of him cried in a shrill, nasally voice. It lunged at Mac, its staff moving in a blur. The stallion reared up in defense, his foreleg catching the strike with a sharp crack. The second bird thing moved in unison, intending on catching the meddling pony from behind.

“Now,” Mac thought. He planted his forehooves into the ground, wincing as a sharp pain lanced through his injured foreleg. Muscle memory allowed Mac to ignore the agony and deliver the familiar two legged kick that had dented every tree in the orchard. The avian aggressor had no chance to dodge, committed as he was to his attack. A sickening *crunch* sounded as both hooves squarely struck the bird’s chest and sent it flying across the small clearing.

The remaining kidnapper darted forward and struck at the stallion’s head. Still off balance from his kick, Macintosh gritted his teeth as the hard wooden stave descended. It would have connected squarely on his head had a dainty yellow hoof not managed to trip the charging creature. The staff landed on the side of the stallion’s yoke, snapping and sending a shard of the wood into the stallion’s back. Regaining his balance, Macintosh reared up on his hooves and brought his uninjured forehoof down upon the stumbling bird thing’s head. The solid vibration told the stallion that he had connected, and his follow through left him standing on the creature’s unconscious form.

Big Macintosh limped to the Pegasus and knelt down beside her. “I’ll have ya out of there in a jiff Miss Fluttershy,” he said. Using his teeth to pull at the knots, he soon had the mare free from her bonds. Fluttershy reached behind her head and removed the cloth gag. Tears flowed from her eyes as she jumped at the stallion, wrapping her forehooves around his neck.

“Thank you,” she cried, “thank you thank you thank you thank you.” The butter colored Pegasus shook as she wept, her tears running down Big Macintosh’s chest.

“Aww, tweren’t nothing Miss Fluttershy, please don’t cry,” said the stallion, gently stroking the sobbing mare’s pink mane. He sat there for a few minutes, allowing the mare to cry herself out. “Let’s get back to the farm Miss Fluttershy,” said the stallion, “Applejack is probably worried sick by now.”

“Okay,” said the mare. Looking away in a blush she added, “And you can just call me Fluttershy, if you don’t mind.”

“Alright Fluttershy,” said Mac, “Ah reckon we should get ya’ll to the clinic, that was a right nasty blow you took to yer noggin.” Trying to stand up to escort her, the stallion stumbled. His foreleg screamed in pain and drew a yelp from the normally stoic farm pony.

“You’re hurt!” cried the Pegasus who dashed to her rescuer’s side. Examining him more closely, she saw the several shallow gashes caused by his headlong rush through the overgrown forest. She worked herself under his right foreleg, wrapping it around her withers. “You’re the one who needs the clinic.”

Taking the initiative, the mare slowly led the limping stallion back the way they came, easily following the path of arboreal destruction he had left in his wake. “What were those things,” she asked, “and why would they want me?”

“That one varmint said something about wings,” said Mac, “Pretty odd for a bird…thing.”

“I hope they haven’t hurt anypony else,” said Fluttershy, “We should tell Twilight, she’ll know what to do.”

The two ponies reached the edge of the forest. “Dang,” said the stallion, “The first one must have headed back into the forest; I thought for sure he’d still be out cold.” Pointing at the broken staff, he continued, “I smacked him square in the face.”

“Maybe there were more of them,” said Fluttershy. “Maybe they carried him back from where they came from.” The stallion grunted his agreement and they continued to the farm, careful not to rush, lest Macintosh further injure his leg. Angel Bunny came sprinting from under the large apple tree and met the pair of ponies, his confused squeaks coming in rapid succession.

“I’m okay, Angel Bunny,” she said, “Big Macintosh saved me. Did all of the critters make it home?” Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief as the bunny nodded in the affirmative. “Good boy Angel Bunny,” said the mare, “Why don’t you run on home and take care of the others while I see to Big Macintosh.” The bunny nodded and loped towards her cottage.

“Tarnation, what took ya’ll so long,” said Applejack as she saw the two ponies approach. “I was about to open the cider without…” she said, her words dying on her tongue as she saw her brother limping with Fluttershy’s help. “What happened?” she shouted, running to her big brother’s other side.

“Some creatures hit Miss Fluttershy on the head and tried to take her into the forest,” said Mac calmly, “I saw ‘em and chased the varmints down.”

“You should have seen him Applejack,” said Fluttershy, an adoring gaze locked on the stallion. “If it weren't for Big Macintosh, Celestia knows what those horrible things would have done with me.” She led the stallion to the empty wagon by the barn. “He hurt his leg and got all these scratches stopping them, so we need to get him to the hospital.”

“Right!” said the farm-mare, “Ya’ll get in the back and I’ll get us there faster than Pinkie Pie in a sugar rush.” She jumped up onto the back of the wagon, grabbed the stallion’s good hoof, and pulled the mountain of red onto the bed of the cart. She ran around to the front and hitched herself to the cart. “Ya’ll get in too Fluttershy; this might get bumpy, so keep Mac steady.”

The Pegasus floated into the wagon and settled herself at the stallion’s side, holding him in place with her hooves. The fact that he outweighed her twice over didn't cross either of their minds. Soon the trios of ponies were racing towards the Ponyville General Hospital.

The steel bound round shield rattled on Argent's back as the two ponies trotted north at a quick pace. “I still can’t believe you remembered exactly where that shield was,” said Twilight, “It’s been twenty years.”

“It’s a soldier thing Twilight,” said Argent, “I’m just lucky it was in such pristine condition. I was worried the wood might be rotten.”

“It’s got some kind of preservation enchantment on it,” said the alicorn as she hopped an overgrown root, “That cache was left from when Celestia and Luna’s mother ruled from the castle deep in the forest. The kind of magic they had access to would boggle your mind.”

“Well I’m just glad I’ll have a shield for this,” said the Guardspony. “Those bird-brained monsters were pretty quick with those staves.” Remembering their previous encounters with the Kenku, Argent realized that they had many tactical advantages. “Remember Twilight,” he said, “They hate bright flashes of light and loud noises.”

“Right,” nodded the alicorn, “Water works in a pinch too.” Cataloging the various spells available in her arsenal, Twilight felt a sense of unease. “Be careful Argent,” she said, “the Kenku are vicious monsters, so don’t hold anything back.”

“I took down these idiots as a colt,” said the stallion, “We’ll be fine.”

Nodding, Twilight slowed their pace to a quick trot. “We’re close,” she whispered, “Keep an eye out, and whistle if you hear or see anything.”

Argent nodded his agreement and scanned the area for movement and sound. It was unusually quiet this far deep into the Everfree forest, which allowed both ponies to hear loud squawks echoing through the trees. Argent gave a soft whistle and pointed in the direction of the noise. Twilight nodded her head and they stealthily darted from tree to tree.

The terrain soon started to taper upwards, with large rocks dotting the hillside. Throwing up their hoods to better blend into the forest, the two ponies crept up slowly and took cover behind a large boulder. They each peered over the top and saw the conspiracy of Kenku gathered around a large flat altar at the summit.

Twilight’s horn flared and a purple orb floated above the hillside. Looking down on the gathering, she saw the bound and whimpering forms of three terrified pegasi. “They’re all still alive, thank Celestia,” she whispered, “All three are tied up next to the altar.”

“Okay, here’s the plan,” said the stallion, “I’ll go in first and get their attention; you follow and free the Pegasi.” Argent flared his horn and levitated the shield from his back. Twilight nodded and gathered her magic in her horn.

Argent quickly ducked around the boulder and charged at the unsuspecting Raven-men. He crashed into the back rank stomping one of the birds into the ground and bashing another with his shield, its body crashing into two of its friends. The fray was joined, and the soon, the Guardspony was furiously defending himself. He managed to keep the creatures in front of him and drew them towards the opposite side of the hill by slowly retreating backwards.

Twilight ran to the top of the hill, keeping her distance from the melee. Knowing that Argent couldn’t keep them all at bay indefinitely, the mare quickly made her way to the altar. She started untying the bound pegasi. “Look out!” cried the brown Pegasus mare she had just freed. Twilight turned around in time to see a charging kenku not ten paces from the helpless captives. Cursing under her breath, Twilight directed a lavender torrent of raw magical energy at the creature.

“Free the others,” she shouted at the Pegasus, “I’ll keep them at bay.” The mare shakily nodded and started on the nearby stallion’s bonds. While the charging kenku had been thrown off the hilltop, the blast had drawn the attention of several of the creatures which had surrounded Argent. The mare gathered as much magic as she could hold and braced her hooves in the rocky ground.

Argent fought desperately against a dozen of the creatures, deflecting blows before they could strike home. His shield flashed in and out of existence, protecting the back of his head one moment, to his legs the next. As half of the creatures peeled off towards the crest of the hill, the stallion finally had the opportunity to go on the offensive. He jumped back and flared his magic. A ball of light shot in front of the kenku and exploded into a shower of spinning blue and purple sparks, momentarily blinding the bird creatures and causing them to drop their staves. The Guardspony bellowed a war cry as he leaped at the dazed creatures, sending them flying with kicks and bashes from his heavy shield. As the last kenku fell, he started back up the hill just in time to see the remaining bird-men bearing down upon Twilight and the pegasi. He yelled a warning, but it wasn’t necessary.

Twilight’s hooves sank into the earth as her magic gripped the altar. It ripped itself from the soil, sending a shower of dirt flying through the air. Wielding it like a giant club, the Princess of Magic sent the remaining combatants from the summit with one mighty swing. Injured kenku littered the hilltop, their will to fight crushed by the combined onslaught of Twilight and Argent.

She levitated the boulder over the heads of the largest cluster of regrouping creatures and shouted, “Hear me Kenku. Your time in Equestria is over. Leave now and never return, or face my wrath.” She had never quite figured out Luna’s Canterlot voice, but in the hushed silence following her awesome display of magic, the words rang out like the clarion call of a battle trumpet. Twilight felt the surge of righteous magic pour through her as she telekinetically crushed the large boulder. The groan of stone cracking and grinding filled the air. She released the mass of dust and pebbles over the kenku and scowled as they gathered their injured comrades, turned tail, and fled towards the north and out Equestria proper.

“Are you three okay?” asked Twilight, “They didn't hurt you did they?”

“No ma’am,” said the brown Pegasus mare, “They hit me on the head when they took me, but that was it.” She turned to the two other pegasi and wrapped them in a hug. “I’m Honey Days, and this is Star Trail and Windy Breeze,” she said pointing to the dark blue stallion and white mare respectively. “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn't shown up miss…” she said, a question hanging at the end.

“No one important,” said Argent trotting up the hill, “Just two Unicorns making their way through the Everfree Forest.” Reaching Twilight, he examined her for any injuries.

“Yes,” added Twilight, “We’re just glad we came by when we did. I’m sure your friends and families must be missing you three, if you head due south you’ll find yourselves in Ponyville. It should be a quick trip by wing.”

“Well thanks again,” said Honey, flexing her wings, “If you find yourselves in Ponyville, look us up; we really owe you one.” Her friends added their thanks and soon the three were aloft and on their way home.

The two ponies watched as the pegasi disappeared beyond the horizon. Throwing back her hood, the alicorn’s gaze remained fixed on the sky. “They’re all alive,” whispered Twilight. “We saved every single one of them this time.”

Argent put his hoof around her withers and drew Twilight close. “We sure did,” he said, “and not a scratch on them or us.”

“I wonder what they’ll do,” she asked, “Three ponies in the world who shouldn't be; their every action spreading ripples of change.” Twilight’s mind tried to follow the immediate changes: Three families spared heartbreak and Ponyville saved from a week of chaos and panic. “We have to be very careful Argent,” she said, “We did well today, but the changes we made are so frightening to me.”

Argent understood everything she was saying, but couldn't tamp down the joy at having spared Twilight the agony of discovering the grisly scene: Both Twilights. “We will be careful,” he said, “but we can’t stand to the side when we can make a real difference.” He smiled at Twilight and strapped his shield onto his back. “Let’s get back to the Hollows and get what we came for.”

“And some blueberries for the road,” asked Twilight with knowing grin.

“Oh were there blueberries there?” asked the stallion, “I had completely forgotten.”

“And I’m just telling you what I saw Miss…er…Princess Twilight,” said Big Macintosh. “They were walkin’, talkin’, fightin’ bird creatures.” From his bed in the clinic, the stallion had recounted his exploits to the group of ponies that now surrounded his bed. The yellow pegasus at his side made sure his heroics were not understated.

“It’s true Twilight,” said Fluttershy, “they were just awful.” She returned to sketching butterflies on the stallion’s leg cast. “But they were no match for Big Mac; he was so strong and brave.”

“I’m sure he was,” said Twilight with a sigh, “but I've never heard of anything like what you both have described.” Pacing across the small private room, Twilight stopped and looked out the window. “And if they were native to the forest, I’m sure we would have seen them before now.”

“Well my brother sent ‘em packin’,” said Applejack, “Ya’ll can be sure of that.”

“No offense Lady Applejack,” interrupted the newly appointed guardspony, “but if these things are bold enough to try and kidnap one pony, I don’t think we can just assume that they won’t try again.”

“I’ll take offense if ya’ll call me Lady again,” growled Applejack, “And ya’ll are probably right.” The farm-mare adjusted her Stetson. “I reckon we ought to head into the forest and make sure they’re gone for good.”

“Nopony is going anywhere until we know more about these things,” said a frustrated Twilight. “If you really want to help, come with me back to the library and help find something that identifies these creatures.” She walked back to the bed and placed a hoof on Mac’s shoulder. “Thank you for being there for Fluttershy, Big Mac. I don't know what any of us would do without her."

“I keep tellin’ ya’ll, t’weren’t nothin’,” said the stallion, “Now git. Ya’ll got better things ta do than keeping me company.”

The ponies wished Big Mac well, his sister promising to return before heading back to the farm. As they filed out of the room, Fluttershy hung back and returned to the stallion’s bedside. She leaned over the stallion, her cheeks aflame. “I just wanted to say thank you again Macintosh,” she said, “And…well…thanks.” In a moment of boldness, the pegasus leaned over and planted a chaste kiss on the stallion’s cheek. With a squeak, she darted out of the room and towards the library.

“Eeyup,” said the stallion rubbing his cheek absentmindedly.

The two cloaked ponies reached the outskirts of Ponyville with the sun still high in the early afternoon sky. Twilight’s saddlebag bulged with their selection from the Hollow’s cache. Argent, being far less notable in Ponyville, had taken point on finding their new home.

“So what should I tell Mayor Mare if she asks who we are?” asked Argent, “I doubt she’ll just take a priceless artifact and give us a house, no questions asked.”

“I know the mayor,” said Twilight, “and she will jump at the opportunity to put Ponyville on the map with these artifacts.” She adjusted her hood, making sure it covered her mane. “Just give her vague answers if she asks anything, and stick to the story,” said the mare, punctuating each word with a poke to the stallions flank. “We’re just two Unicorn explorers, settling in Ponyville after several years of treasure hunting. You are…”

Argent zoned out as Twilight began reciting his dossier. Occasionally nodding his head to keep the mare occupied, the stallion made his way towards the large city hall that dominated the small town’s skyline. Entering through the large double doors, the pair made their way to the clerk’s desk. Twilight stood behind Argent as he greeted the secretary.

“Hello,” said the Stallion as he pulled down his hood, “We’re new in town and would like to talk to somepony about purchasing a place to live.”

“Oh certainly,” said the bespectacled assistant with a smile, “The mayor manages all unoccupied properties within the town limits. You’re actually here at the perfect time, mister…..”

“Horizon Walker,” said Argent, “And this is my partner Oracle Dreams.”

“Hello,” said Twilight from beneath her hood.

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you both,” said the Secretary as she walked from around her desk, “I’m Note Taker, the Mayor’s personal assistant. If you’ll both follow me, I’ll take you to her office.” The trio made their way up the spiraling staircase. They stopped outside of a large wooden door with a large placard that read, “The Honorable Mayor Mare.”

“Mayor?” called the secretary through the door, “I have two potential residents who would like to speak with you.”

“Send them in Note,” called the muffled voice from within. The assistant held the door open for the two ponies and followed them inside. After introductions were made, the secretary waved goodbye and resumed her post in the lobby.

“So,” said the grey maned earth pony, “you two are looking to join our fine community?” Her head disappeared beneath her desk; the sound of drawers being pulled open filled the room. The Mayor threw the registry of homes onto the table, slammed her drawers shut, and sat back up. “We have several lovely homes available,” she said opening the tome. “Are you two thinking about kids?”

“Not yet,” said Twilight a little too quickly, “For now we simply need a place with room for us to catalog our many maps and journals.”

“Okay then, we have some lovely cottages on the main plaza, those tend to be quite pricey,” began the Mayor. The ponies gathered around the registry, browsing the various properties around the town. After an hour, the two ponies had decided on a small cottage near the north city limit.

“Before we go inspect the house, we do have a rather interesting proposal for you mayor,” said Argent. Reaching into his panniers, he produced a glitter golden alicorn idol. “This idol,” said the stallion, “is one of several we found in our travels through the Everfree forest.” The tan mare picked up the statuette, surprised at its weight. It was studded with emeralds, opals, and star sapphires.

“We would like Ponyville to have all of the objects we found in the cache,” said Twilight, “We just ask for a home and some assistance in furnishing it.”

“I can’t accept this,” said the breathless earth pony, “You could buy the entire main plaza with this.” She set the idol down in front of Argent, her hooves shaking. “You should take this to a jeweler in Canterlot, they would pay you so much more for it.”

“We don’t want money, we just want a home,” said Argent. “Please Mayor, just take the statue. We don’t even want credit for its discovery. In fact, we’d prefer to keep our donation anonymous.”

The mayor relented and agreed to their terms. After a few minutes of negotiating, the ponies agreed on a time table for recovering the rest of the artifacts, as well as a generous line of credit for Argent and Twilight. “I don’t know how we’ll be able to thank you two,” she said, “You just built a new schoolhouse for the children.” Rising to her hooves, the earth pony escorted the two new citizens downstairs. “Note, I’m showing these two to their new home,” she said, “take care of things while I’m gone.”

“Sure thing chief,” said the mare, “And welcome to Ponyville guys!”

“So let me get this straight,” said Twilight to the three pegasi standing before her, “You were all kidnapped by these bird creatures?”

“Yes Princess Twilight,” the three said in unison.

“And two mysterious cloaked unicorns appeared to rescue you,” asked the alicorn.

“Yes Princess Twilight,” they said again.

“And they said that these things were ‘Kenku’?” asked Twilight, slightly exasperated.

“Yes Princess Twilight,” they said, intimidated by the alicorn’s mood.

Twilight felt her bodyguard’s hoof on her shoulder. “My Lady,” he whispered, “they've obviously been through something harrowing.” She looked at the stallion and nodded in agreement. “Sorry,” she whispered back, softening her scowl into a smile, “and I already told you to call me Twilight.”

“I’m sorry my friends,” she began, “but the thought of these things preying on ponies gives me the heebie jeebies as Pinkie would say.” Twilight levitated teacups to the assembled ponies and invited them to sit. “Now tell me more about these two heroic unicorn rescuers,” said the alicorn.

At once, praise began to gush from the tree pegasi. Twilight tried to form as accurate a description of the strangers as she could from the disjointed stories. The stallion, they all agreed, had charged into the abductors and kept them distracted while the mare snuck up and freed the pegasi. Neither stated their names, nor did they ever remove their hooded cloaks. Both used magic, but the mare’s was more impressive: Lifting a boulder that size would be hard enough, but crushing it into rubble would be a feat, even for her. She very much wanted to meet them, but it appeared that they wanted to remain anonymous.

“Thank you for letting me know what happened,” said Twilight. “Don’t worry about trying to find the mayor again,” said the alicorn, “I will speak to her and we will make sure everypony keeps an eye out for these Kenku things.”

Argent escorted the pegasi out and returned to the plaza and returned to find the princess rummaging around the library. “Is there anything I can do to help, Princ…Twilight?”

“Oh,” said the surprised young mare, “You don’t have to do that Argent.” Two large tomes floated out of the upper reaches of a bookshelf and joined the five others that were already trailing the alicorn. “I know this must all seem quite tedious, and I know you guard types would rather practice than pour through a dusty old tome.”

“Not at all,” replied the stallion. “I don’t share the captain’s disdain for books. I mean no disrespect, but your brother is kind of a meathead sometimes.”

“Oh, Shiney doesn't hate reading,” said Twilight, “I just made him sick of it.” The alicorn and her literary cargo made their way up the stairs. “And yes,” she said, “he can be a ‘meathead’ at times.” Argent opened the door for the princess and followed her into the study.

“So let me help,” said the stallion. “At the very least I’ll be able to say I’m better than the Captain at something.”

“Okay,” said Twilight, “Take Alabaster’s Avian Almanac and see what you can find.”

The stallion took control of the levitated book with his magic and took a seat next to his charge. The two began what would be their first all-night study session together.

Soft music flowed from the open window of the small two storied cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville. The alicorn mare and unicorn stallion swayed to the gentle piano concerto, his neck arched over hers. The remains of a quickly eaten meal of Chineighse take out sat on a small table set in a breakfast nook.

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this,” said Twilight, despite clearly enjoying the experience. She wrapped her forelegs around the stallion’s neck and nuzzled his cheek with hers.

“What?” asked Argent, feigning innocence, “We had to make sure the phonograph works.” He reached up and stroked the mare’s hoof. “And I’d say it has definitely passed muster.”

Twilight laughed and hugged the stallion tightly before pulling away. “I still can’t believe this was so well furnished,” said the alicorn. “I had no idea the mayor was such a real estate mogul.” She walked to the music box and lifted the needle from the platter. “She’s a mare of many talents,” she said, “hopefully discretion is one of them.”

“I wouldn't worry about that,” he said, “she would have given us city hall had we asked.” The stallion walked to the table and started cleaning the remnants of their meal. “We still need to find a way to disguise ourselves if you still insist on keeping our identities from everypony in town.”

Twilight shook her head in exasperation. “Argent, I know you don’t like it, but we need to let these ponies lead their lives.” Walking over to the stallion, she brushed against his flank with hers. “Past Twilight needs to learn how to be a princess, and that’s something I can’t deprive her of.”

“But you could teach her so much,” he said, “and we've already changed her life.” Argent tried for the third time to convince Twilight that she didn't need to hide herself away. “She’s definitely not sitting worried about reports of three missing pegasi. Isn't that a good thing?”

“I’m not sure yet,” answered Twilight. “What if, by denying past Twilight the experience of fighting the Kenku, she proves unready to face the next crisis, or the one after that?” She buried her face in the stallion’s mane. “I might have already doomed her before she’s even had a chance.”

The snort of laughter that escaped Argent caused the mare’s head to snap back in confusion. She narrowed her eyes and stared at the stallion as he tried to keep his amusement in. “I’m sorry,” he said with a snort of laughter, “you’re just too adorable.” Noticing that her mane was starting to glow a soft orange, the stallion quickly leaned forward and planted a kiss on her lips. “Nothing you could do would keep her from becoming the amazing pony you are.”

Her anger slowly abated, and Twilight’s body sagged with the released tension. “That’s not fair,” she said, “I had a good mad going.” Her horn flared and Argent was wrapped in her lavender field of telekinesis. “You’ll pay for that, Defender.”

Argent smiled as he was slowly towed up the stairs behind the mare. “Oh, come on Twilight,” he said, “haven’t you heard the saying, ‘never go to sleep angry’?”

Twilight tossed the stallion onto the bed and closed the door. “Who said anything about sleep?” asked the mare as she jumped onto the mattress.

Author's Note

Pretty happy with this chapter. I think it's the first time I've really justified the adventure tag, short of the end of chapter 2. The Kenku are a D&D creature based on japanese myth. Basically, they're flightless raven-men. There should be some more explanation about them in the next chapter, but obviously, they were about to do something horrible.

What I learned this week: A group of ravens can be called a conspiracy, a constable, or an unkindness.

Also, I noticed the horizontal rule button, so the stupid pound sign scene change markers will go bye-bye.

Ch 5: Reunion

A solitary unicorn pulled her heavily laden cart along the Great Eastern Road. Its greatness was very much in doubt this far west of the major cities of Fillydelphia, Manehattan, and Baltimare. The railroads had made hoof-drawn carts very much a thing of the past, but the mare had little choice in the matter. She needed the tools in her cart, and she didn't have the bits to have them loaded onto the train.

Her mud-stained hooves were a testament to the rain that spring brought to this part of Equestria. She had been walking this lone road for weeks now. She didn't mind though: She was used to roughing it. Besides, the quiet of the road allowed for introspection. The mare had spent much of the last few months in contemplation. The unicorn flared her horn as she walked and levitated a severely dented canteen of water from her saddlebags. She took a deep pull from the bottle, and sent it floating back into her wagon. The pink aura around her horn winked out and she signed in relief.

Her horn had been giving her problems lately. Ever since her last great failure, the mare had found it difficult to keep her magic from slipping from her grasp. She could still perform the magic that she needed to make her living, but there had been a few instances where a slip of the horn led to a night of sleeping under a hedge. Riotous mobs were rather rare in Equestria, but so were unicorns with the vast abilities of the mare. And when she lost control of those abilities, chaos usually followed in her wake. But she had to eat, and to eat she had to perform her magic. The magical malfunctions were starting to become unbearable, however, and the unicorn was at the point where she had to use it sparingly.

She had somehow managed to save enough bits to purchase the supplies to make it back to site of her greatest failures. To say she was coming full circle would be an understatement, since this would be her third trip to the sleepy little hamlet near Canterlot. The first had resulted in the destruction of her career and ignited in the mare an almost maniacal obsession. The second had left her in the magically damaged state she found herself. So now she was heading back to Ponyville; back to beg for help from the mare who she both admired and despised with equal measure. Once again she felt the sting of regret at the thought of the Celestia's pet. They should have been good friends, seeing as how they were both true magical prodigies, but Twilight Sparkle had everything, and she had nothing. It wasn't fair. It was doubly unfair that she knew that it was mostly her fault. She had brought doom down upon the ponies of Ponyville twice, and twice that know-it-all had saved the day. She even forgave the wandering mare.

The mud-stained unicorn sighed as she reached the crest of the large hill. Ponyville came into view, its small cottages surrounding the main plaza and town hall. The mare once again told herself that everything would be okay. Twilight Sparkle had given her forgiveness, surely she would help the mare in her time of need. The Great and Formerly Powerful Trixie ginned up her courage and started pulling her worldly possessions towards what she hoped was her salvation.

"Stay close girls," said Rarity, "and no jumping Scootaloo." Rarity led the trio of fillies up the steep rocky path that wound towards the summit of Dragon's Peak.

"The last time was a total accident," protested the would be dare-devil, "I'm just so lucky that Rainbow Dash is so superamazawesome!"

"Ya'll were laughing awfully hard for somepony fallin' off a mountain," said Applebloom with a giggle.

Scootaloo stuck her tongue out at her earth-pony friend. "You're just jealous that Rainbow Dash is the most radical, cool, and awesome pony in all of Ponyville."

"Not as awesome as my brother!" shouted Applebloom, "He's a hero, right Fluttershy?"

The pegasus blushed as she walked next to the red headed filly. "Oh my yes," she said, "He's so strong, and brave."

Rainbow Dash landed next to Scootaloo, kicking up a storm of dust. "C'mon Scoots," she said, "even I have to admit that Mac kicked some serious flank." She ruffled the pegasus filly's hair. "and from what I heard, it was those mysterious cloaked unicorns that really saved the day." She looked over at the fashionista leading the pack of ponies. "Sounds awfully familiar though," she thought aloud, "mysterious cloaked ponies saving the day like that."

"Hmmmph," snorted Rarity, "Since you haven't been excessively boastful lately, the Mare-Do-Well has been put to pasture." She crested the final rise and the ponies reached the plateau at the summit. "Sweetie Belle, be a dear and set up the picnic blanket."

The unicorn filly complied with a smile. She knew the unspoken deal: Sisterly bonding in return for not having to do the dirty work. She dropped the comically over-sized picnic basket on the ground and reached inside. The upper half of her body disappeared from view, while her rear end hung over the edge of the basket. Sweetie Belle had soon emerged and found a spot on the rubble strewn plateau on which to spread their large red and white checkered blanket. A few strategically placed rocks spared the blanket from the gusts of wind.

Rarity levitated the basket to the middle and removed the large tray of diagonally sliced cucumber sandwiches. "I don't know about you ponies, but I am absolutely famished!" said the elegant mare. "These sandwiches are to die for."

"Awwwww yeah!" shouted Dash as she shoved two of the sandwiches into her muzzle. Scootaloo ran to the tray and tried to duplicate the feat only to succeed in mashing the food her face. "Easy there kid," said Rainbow Dash as she wiped the filly's face with a napkin, "Remember our talk: Start out small and work your way up." She handed the filly a single sandwich. Scootaloo nodded seriously and shoved the single half sandwich into her mouth. "Attagirl!" said Rainbow.

Rarity realized that her mouth was hanging open in a rictus of horror. She looked away, lest she spoil the outing with yet another frustrating attempt at civilizing the two pegasi. "Fluttershy dear, how are you feeling?" asked the unicorn, "Twilight said you had quite the nasty bump on your head."

The shy pegasus rubbed the top of her head gently. "It's much better now," she said, "and I haven't had a headache for a few days." The mare took a bite and dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. "I just feel so awful about getting Big Macintosh hurt," she said, "If I weren't such a softy, he would still be able to help on the farm and Applejack could have come with us today."

"Tweren't your fault Fluttershy," said Applebloom, "and Mac told me you probably saved him too." The filly walked over to the pegasus and gave her a hug.

Fluttershy wrapped a wing around the filly and returned the hug. "I'm just glad everyone is okay," she said, "Did Twilight and her Guard find anything in the forest?"

Rainbow Dash interrupted her mock wrestling match with Scootaloo and walked to the other mares. The filly continued mauling her idol's rear leg. "Honey told me that they just found some broken sticks and a pile of pebbles," said Dash, "It sure sounds like she and the other pegasi were right about what happened." Shaking the squirming filly from her leg, Rainbow Dash sat with her friends and continued chatting. "I don't think we'll be seeing any more of those Kenku any time soon." She held out a hoof against Scootaloo's head, keeping the roughhousing filly at foreleg's length. "Scoots, shouldn't you three start on your crusading?"

"Yeah!" squeaked Sweetie Belle. "Don't forget what we're here for." She stood up and grabbed an empty sack with a large pile of bits printed on its front. "Cutie Mark Crusader Dragon Hoard Looters!"

"Yay!" shouted Applebloom and Scootaloo in unison. The three clapped hooves and dashed towards the cave. They had barely made it past the picnic area when the glint of sunlight against metal drew them to a halt. Applebloom ran to the small pile of large rocks and pulled out the scuffed piece of steel.

"What is it?" asked Scootaloo, visions of piles of golden coins and jeweled scepters dancing before her eyes.

"It's just a lump of metal with some pink paint on it," replied the earth pony, still reaching under the pile of debris. "I think there's more under here."

While the fillies rooted around the plateau, the three mares continued gossiping. "So what do you girls think of Guardspony Defender?" asked Rarity, "It is quite odd to think of Twilight having a bodyguard."

"He seems okay," said Dash, "and if Shining Armor vouches for him, he must be a pretty good guard."

"They're getting along," added Fluttershy, "He even calmed her down when they visited Big Mac in the hospital." She brushed her mane from the front of her face and continued. "And he escorted her through the Everfree forest all by himself."

"That's true," said Rarity, "But why doesn't he wear the dashing golden guard's armor?" The fashion obsessed mare cringed as she recalled the dented shield the stallion never seemed to part with. "That old shield is just so gauche." She levitated the empty tray back into the picnic basket and stood to stretch her legs. "Maybe I'll make him an outfit more befitting his status," she said, "a welcome gift if you will."

Dash rolled her eyes and slipped on her shades. "I'm sure he'll love that," she said sarcastically, "Nothing says 'bad-flank guard pony' like ruffles and lace."

"Even if I made it Twenty Percent Cooler?" asked Rarity, smirking at the pegasus.

Rainbow Dash blushed at the memories of the ridiculous garb she had demanded of Rarity. She turned and trotted over to the fillies and began helping them in their quest. Rarity and Fluttershy returned to their chat. An hour of pleasant relaxation passed before Rarity decided that the pegasus mare was calm enough. "So Fluttershy dear," said Rarity, "When are you going to tell Big Mac that you like him?" She arched her brow and stared at her chronically shy friend.

"Hey guys!" shouted Rainbow Dash, "Come check this out!"

"Coming Rainbow!" shouted Fluttershy, grateful for the interruption. She jumped up and ran over to Dash and the fillies. Rarity sighed and followed after her. The unicorn reached the crowd of ponies circling a pile of something.

"We found treasure, Rarity!" said Sweetie Belle enthusiastically. "We're treasure hunters!" The three fillies jumped into the air and clapped hooves. After landing, they each looked at their still blank flanks. "Who care's about cutie marks," said Sweetie, "we're rich!"

Rarity turned her trained eyes to the pile of metal the girls had discovered. Lifting the largest piece of silvery metal with her hooves, the mare tapped at it and set it back on the ground. "Sorry Sweetie, but I'm afraid this is just steel." She poked through the pile and found a set of golden hoofcups. The weight confirmed her suspicion on the value of the hoofwear as well. "And these are merely gold plated," she said, "though they are quite lovely."

Rainbow Dash sighed and placed a hoof to her forehead. "Ignore the shiny things for a sec Rarity," she said. "Look at this." The cyan pegasus drew the unicorn away from the fillies and pointed out the discolored patch of ground. "I'm pretty sure that's dried blood," she whispered, "and it continues to the edge of the cliff." Rarity's eyes followed Dash's hoof and saw the streak of crimson brown dried blood leading to the edge of the plateau. The unicorn raised a forehoof to her mouth in surprise. The pair rejoined the other ponies, who were clustered around Fluttershy.

"And this should go here..." said the yellow pegasus, placing one of the shards of steel next to the others. "Oh my," she said in shock, "It's Twilight's cutie mark!"

Rainbow Dash and Rarity looked at each other in shock. The Pegasus leaped from the cliff and flew down the mountain face. Rarity, meanwhile, levitated her saddlebags to her flank and began placing the assorted objects into them. "Girls, please go pack up the picnic," she said authoritatively, "we need to bring these to Twilight as soon as we can."

"But Rarity..." whined Sweetie Belle, "We just got here!"

"I'm sorry Sweetie," replied her sister, "I'll make it up to you I promise."

The fillies dejectedly began packing the basket. Rarity whispered to Fluttershy what Dash had found. The pegasus gasped and helped the fillies pack. Rainbow Dash flew back to the plateau, walked over to Rarity and shook her head. "There isn't anything down there," she said in a low voice, "nothing that says anypony or anything fell."

"Let's head back then," said the Rarity, "Twilight needs to see this, and getting back to Ponyville will take hours."

Twilight adjusted her cloak as Argent haggled with the gruff produce vendor. The tight corset she had acquired to hold her wings tight against her midsection was biting into her skin, increasing her desire to be back in their home. Being this close to the plaza made her nervous. She could see the library from the market, and the periodic entry and exit of ponies with books was all she needed to see to know that her past self was home. Twilight nervously walked in place, her heavily laden panniers shifting with each step. A growing sense of unease settled into the pit of her stomach as she once again heard Applejack hocking her apples from across the market.

"Five bits for two heads of lettuce is ridiculous," said Argent, "I'll give you three."

"Fine," said the salespony, "It's worth two bits to be rid of you."

"Did you see that," said Argent proudly, "That's how you negotiate." He placed the produce into his saddlebags and started to move towards the stand full of delicious looking carrots. Twilight saw the familiar carrot farmer and stepped in front of the stallion.

"That's Carrot Top," she said worriedly. "I said no one familiar."

"She doesn't even know me yet," responded Argent, walking around the mare. "Stay here if you like, but we need carrots." He walked up to the future restaurateur and politely asked for a bunch of carrots. He was trying to ignore Twilight's paranoia, but her constant fear of being discovered was turning her into a hermit. It had taken all of his persuasiveness to get her to come shopping with him. He was afraid that the next stop on the crazy train would be mane and coat dyeing. He paid full price for the carrots, knowing that Carrot Top was saving up for her cafe. As he was saying goodbye, Twilight grabbed his tail and began dragging him towards an alley between two nearby cottages.

"Twi...Oracle," he said catching himself, "let go of my tail."

"Shut up," she said as they reached the alley. She pointed across street to the mud-stained mare pulling a cart in front of the open air market.

Argent squinted his eyes and gasped. "Is that?"

"What in Celestia's name is your sister doing here?" asked Twilight.

"I don't know," he replied in a daze, "She never came to Ponyville while I was here." He looked closely at his twin sister. Her mane was tangled and her coat was streaked with dirt. The cart she pulled was covered in splattered mud, as were Trixie's legs. Any sign of physical hardship paled in comparison to her body language. He had never seen his sister so beaten down; so defeated. His heart ached to go to her and find out what was wrong, and his feet moved in agreement. Or they would have.

Twilight's horn flared beneath her hood and four lavender auras anchored Argent's feet to the ground. "Absolutely not," she growled, "You cannot go off and talk to your own sister."

Before he could protest, a chorus of shouts erupted from the market. "You aren't welcome here," shouted the lettuce vendor. The stallion reached beneath his booth and retrieved two of his more out of date items. He hurled them at the harnessed mare, covering her and her cart with rotten leaves of lettuce. Like the first domino falling, the act of malice inspired others who had been wronged, or heard of Trixie's crimes against Ponyville.

"Tri..." shouted Argent, his scream silenced before it could form. He tried to reach to his mouth, but Twilight's magic kept him fixed in place. The lavender aura that kept his mouth sealed infuriated the stallion. He turned on Twilight and pierced her with the most furious gaze she had ever seen from her longtime companion. The mare shrunk in place, looked to the ground and shook her head.

"I'm sorry my love," she said in agony, "I can't let you go to her."

Argent railed against his bonds, his horn flashing in brilliant gold as his sister was pelted with insults and produce. Twilight easily turned aside his magic with hers and watched in sorrow as Trixie faced the fury of the townsponies.

"There you go Snails," said Argent as he handed the book to the colt, "A Colt's Guide to Everything Creepy and Crawly." He walked with the colt to the checkout desk where Twilight was reading.

"Did you find what you needed Snails?" asked the princess as she opened the book registry.

"Yes ma'am Princess Twilight," he said politely, "Snips bet me I can't name every kind of slug in the swamp, so I need to study!"

"A worthy endeavor," said the alicorn with mock formality, "I hereby give you my royal approval." She jotted the title and date in the logbook and floated the tome into the colt's saddlebags. "Enjoy!" she said with a smile.

"Thanks Princess," said the colt as he trotted towards the front door, "Thanks mister Defender!" He stopped as he opened the door. "Eep," he cried as he quickly slammed the door and ran behind and underneath Twilight's desk.

"What's wrong Snails?" she asked of the quivering colt at her feet.

"She's so mean," whispered Snails in a terror stricken voice. "Why's she so mean to us."

Argent walked to the front door and opened it enough to stick his head out. A large mob of shouting ponies appeared to be stalled between the market and the Library, their shouts echoing across the entire plaza. "Stay here," he said, grabbing his shield from where it hung next to the door.

"Ya'll need to stop this," shouted Applejack, "t'ain't right!" She tried to push her way through the crowd. She didn't see who the anger was aimed at, but the farm-mare thought that nopony deserved this kind of treatment. As soon as she pulled one pony out of the way, another shifted in front of her.

"Get out of Town," chanted the crowd as they continued hurling a seemingly endless supply of produce at the mare. The now surrounded Trixie fell to her knees and flinched as tomatoes began raining down upon her. She didn't try to shield herself from the barrage. "Trixie is sorry," she sobbed, "Trixie is so sorry." The mob either didn't hear her, or simply didn't care.

Argent arrived and pushed several of the riotous ponies away as he forcefully made his way to the center of the mob. His riot training at the Academy proved its worth. Applejack followed in his wake. He saw his sister recoil as a large rotten tomato slammed against the side of her head. With a wordless roar he sprinted to her side, levitating his shield in front of them. "Leave her alone!" he shouted, "As a Royal Guard, I command you to disperse!"

"Where were you guards when she terrorized us?" shouted a stallion as he tossed another tomato, "You can both get out of Ponyville!" Shouts of agreement rang across the plaza as the mob restarted its vegetable assault. Argent tried to protect his sister, but the ballistic produce rained down from all sides.

Applejack jumped to the other side of Trixie, expertly bucking a few large heads back at the ponies who threw them. "Ya'll leave Trixie alone," she said, bucking a tomato, and getting a face full of juice for her efforts. "Next pony that throws anything gets ta meet Bucky and Kicks." She gave the air a mighty buck.

"Are you ponies out of your minds?" boomed a voice from above the crowd. Twilight unsteadily hovered above the fracas, her horn wreathed in the lavender aura of her magic. She teleported herself to Argent's side and dared the rowdy ponies to assault a princess. "I will forget the face of anypony who leaves now," she announced, her eyes filled with anger, and her mane slowly smoldering.

The crowd immediately dispersed. Even the burliest of stallions gave the princess a wide berth as they galloped back to the market. Satisfied that the mob had scattered, she turned to Argent. Her mouth dropped as her bodyguard had her rival, and one of the biggest pains in her flank, cradled in his arms.

"Are you okay Trixie?" he asked, "They didn't hurt you did they?" He used his magic to pick the assorted remains of vegetables from her mane and coat. The blue mare continued sniffling, her eyes locked onto her brother in a desperate plea for help. "Twilight, could you please teleport Trixie to the Library? I'll pull her cart to the tree."

"Of course Argent," she said. Twilight lifted Trixie to her hooves and flared her magic. The two disappeared with a flash.

Argent harnessed himself to the cart and slowly pulled it to the side of the Library.

"That definitely never happened," said the cloaked alicorn from the alley. Twilight turned towards Argent and released her magical bindings. "Argent, I'm sorry, but you couldn't help her."

"Save it," said the stallion, "Just for once, save the lecture." He turned and started walking back towards their home.

The two mares flashed into existence in the upper floor of the library. Twilight slowly escorted the mare to the bathroom. "Here Trixie," she said, "let's get you cleaned up." She operated the valves and soon the tub filled with warm water. Steam filled the room as Twilight eased Trixie into the bathtub. The blue unicorn slipped into the water without a reaction, her empty gaze focused on the wall.

"Trixie," said Twilight, "I'm so sorry for what they did to you." The blue showmare simply continued to stare forward, her hooves slowly running a washcloth over her coat.

"Trixie?" said Argent as he threw the door open and stormed into the bathroom. The stallion ran to the tub and sat beside it. He reached in and placed his forelegs around the blue mare's neck.

"Argent!" shouted Twilight, "Get out, she's taking a bath!"

"We've bathed together before," he said.

Twilight's jaw dropped and sputtering noises emanated from her mouth. "But...She...I..." said the alicorn.

Argent saw the intense red bloom on his charge's cheeks and threw his hooves up. "Oh...oooh..." he said, "She's my sister Twilight: My twin sister."

The alicorn couldn't help but sigh in relief at the realization. "Wait," she shouted, "Trixie is your sister!?"

"Uh, yeah," said Argent, "last time I checked, she was." He was puzzled by her reaction. "You two have met before, I take it?"

"You might say that," said Twilight looking at the still catatonic unicorn, "Trixie brought an Ursa Minor down on Ponyville the first time she was here."

"It wasn't Trixie's fault," said the mare in a soft voice, "Trixie just told a story."

"Ok, then how do you explain using an ancient evil amulet to throw me out of town and rule over it as a tyrant?" asked Twilight.

"Trixie said she was sorry" replied the mare. She dunked her head under the water and emerged with a thoroughly drenched mane. "Why are you with Sparkle, Argent?" she asked her brother, "Oh, Celestia...please tell my you're not with Sparkle." The thought chilled the bathing unicorn to her very core.

"Captain Armor promoted me after the coronation," he said, "I'm Princess Twilight's personal Guardspony and assistant now." He couldn't help but keep the pride from his voice.

"Princess?" said Trixie, looking at Twilight for the first time. "You have wings now," she said calmly. "Great. Wonderful. Good." The blue unicorn ground her teeth together as her face slowly turned red. "Oh come on!" she shouted, pounding the water with her hooves, "How is Trixie supposed to compete with that?"

"Wasn't much of a competition to begin with," mumbled Twilight. Trixie narrowed her eyes and stared down the alicorn.

"Why don't we let Trixie enjoy her bath," said Argent, "We'll be in the library downstairs sis." The two descended the stairs and sat on one of the many reading sofas.

"I don't know why she's here," said Argent, "But would it be alright if she stayed with me for now?" He looked to the ground and rubbed his hooves together nervously. "I've never seen her like that, and don't want her to be alone."

"Of course," said Twilight, "After what she went through, I insist she stays with us." She closely examined her bodyguard. "You know," she said, "I can see the resemblance now, especially with your coat and her mane."

"Well, I'm told the silver coloring was common in our family," Argent said as he ran his hoof through his short cut black and white mane. "I took after our father, and she took after our mother." He quickly changed the subject. "So, what exactly was all this about Ursas and evil amulets?"

Twilight spent the next half hour explaining her history with his sister. "So she tried to stop this Ursa minor, but she really wasn't prepared," Twilight explained. "And I finally had to overcome my fear of showing off." She described the series of spells she used to calm the beast, noting his laughter at the mention of the giant milk bottle.

"You can milk a cow with your magic?" he asked mirthfully.

Twilight blushed and hid her head behind an outstretched wing. "Well, the book described milking a goat," she said, "but the theory seemed to work fine for cows as well." Twilight powered through the Ursa incident and right into the alicorn amulet fiasco.

"She told me she needed those bits for a new cart," said Argent as he shook his head. "I had to survive on mess hall boiled hay for a month."

"Well congratulations," kidded the mare, "You helped fund a coup." Twilight finished her story, making sure to emphasize that Trixie did apologize. "You don't really seem surprised by any of this," she asked Argent after she finished.

"Don't get me wrong," said Argent, "She obviously stepped over a line with that amulet, but the Ursa thing is pretty much par for the course." He turned to Twilight and adopted a serious tone. "You have to understand, Princess," he began, "Trixie doesn't mean to cause trouble...usually." He shifted on the sofa and continued. "She just loves magic so much, and sometimes she goes overboard." He looked down and kicked his hooves in front of him. "And she never let's anyone help her when she's in trouble; and she gets into a lot of trouble."

Twilight considered her own history of magical disasters and began to see Trixie in a new light. While she had her friends and the Princesses, Trixie only had Argent, and he was busy training to be a guard. Twilight's mistakes became learning experiences; Trixie's mistakes led to her being pelted with produce in the center of Ponyville. "I've put any hard feelings aside," said Twilight. "She clearly has had a tough time of it lately, and I'd like to help her if she'll let me."

The showmare emerged from the bathroom in time to hear Twilight's response. She looked down on her brother and Sparkle from the second floor landing. "Trixie does need your help...Princess," she said as she walked down the stairs. Reaching the reading couch, she sat next to Argent. "Trixie's magic is failing her," she said, her eyes starting to water. She flared her magic to demonstrate. A potted flower levitated off a nearby table and floated towards the collection of ponies. A few paces away from the couch, the aura around Trixie's horn began to flicker. The aura around the book flickered at the same frequency before one final flash resulted in the plant spontaneously bursting into flame. Argent jumped into action and smothered the small flame with his hooves.

The showmare hung her head in shame. "The Great and Powerful Trixie cannot live like this," she said.

"And she won't have to," said Twilight, tilting Trixie's chin up with her hoof. "I promise that I will do everything I can to fix your magic."

Trixie had imagined having to convince Twilight to help her. The various scenarios she had concocted ranged from simple bribery to offers of lifelong servitude, depending on how well Twilight could haggle. One particularly nasty nightmare consisted of her having to change her name to "The Poor Helpless Trixie," and never finishing a show without mentioning the magical superiority of Twilight Sparkle. To simply be offered help, with no strings attached, was not anticipated. Only Argent had ever treated her with such kindness. Trixie threw her forearms around the alicorn's neck and wrapped her in a tight hug.

Twilight smiled and returned the hug. "It'll be all right Trixie," she said, "You can stay with us here, and we'll get you back to awing the ponies of Equestria in no time."

Argent stood in front of the mares with a smile. He sniffled and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. Twilight saw him and motioned him forward with a nod of her head. He stepped forward and engulfed his sister in an embrace. Twilight spread her wings and draped them around the siblings.

"Please Argent, you have to understand," said Twilight from behind the stallion. He had been striding down the road that led to their cottage. "She can't know we're here," said Twilight. "The fact that the past you helped her proves that we have to stay hidden."

"So it's a bad thing that you and I stopped an angry mob from attacking my sister?" asked Argent angrily. "Forgive me if I don't see the logic in that."

"We didn't help her. That never happened," said Twilight, fighting to keep a wave of exasperation from washing over her. "And yes, I'm glad that 'We' helped her this time. I'm just trying to make you understand that we can't become involved any more than we already have."

Argent sighed and turned back towards town. He truly understood her reasoning, but it's one thing to understand and another thing entirely to accept. Twilight tried to lecture and walk backwards at the same time. "You cannot go to her," she reiterated, "I don't want to have to order you to go home, but I will." Her authority was somewhat undermined as she lost her balance and landed on her rear.

The stallion stopped and offered her his hoof. "I'm not going to go see Trixie," he said, "but I would very much like a drink." He pulled her to her hooves and continued on his way. "You're welcome to join me, unless you think that two anonymous patrons in Berry's bar can somehow bring doom upon Equestria." The stallion didn't wait for a response and began trotting towards the local watering hole.

"As long as you stay anonymous," she said falling in at his side, "and sober."

"Really," he replied, "You're worried about me not being able to handle a drink?" Argent smiled for the first time since the incident in the market.

"If you are referring to the incident with the Satyrs," said Twilight, "I'll remind you that we agreed never to speak of it."

Rolling his eyes, Argent led the way to a fair sized building along the northern road. A familiar wooden sign depicting a pony raising a mug hung from a post outside. The sound of revelry wafted from the front door as they approached. Twilight double checked her hood and made sure her mane was still clipped in place. Argent opened the door and the two ponies made their way inside the tavern.

Neither pony expected a greeting upon entering: The Plastered Pony was, as usual, full of ponies in various states of inebriation. Boisterous laughter competed with impromptu A Capella renditions of a new Sapphire Shores single. Berry Punch was in her usual role as waitress, despite sneaking drinks all night. Her brother, Barley Brew, was busy filling mugs and glasses from the tapped barrels and bottled spirits behind the bar.

Argent suppressed the urge to sidle up to the bar and chat up the siblings, and instead led Twilight to an empty semicircle shaped booth near the opposite wall. They placed their saddlebags underneath the table and slipped into the padded bench. A quick wave from Argent got Berry's attention, and the semi-soused waitress made a serpentine path to their table.

"Hi, guys," she said, "What can I getcha?"

"Barley wine for me," said Argent, "and a...cherry cordial fizz for the lady?" Twilight nodded her consent, and Berry was soon zig-zagging her way back to the bar. Within a few moments, she made her way back across the room, a small tray precariously balanced on top of her head. Each loss of balance was instantly corrected and the tray somehow kept its liquid cargo. She set the mug and small fluted glass on the table and headed back to the bar.

A silence fell over the two ponies as they levitated their drinks to their mouths. Argent savored the taste of the strong ale as the tension of the day slowly began to ease. Twilight casually sipped her drink and pondered how to apologize to
Argent. "I am sorry you know," she said, deciding that the direct approach was the best option. "I would never have done that to you if I had a choice in the matter." She placed her glass down and took his hoof in hers. "There's just so little we know right now, and discretion is our best option."

Argent put his mug down and hung his head. "You're forgiven of course, and you're probably right," he said, "but that doesn't mean we should avoid helping anypony who needs it." He took another drink from his mug and continued. "We saved three lives already," he said, "and inadvertently kept my sister from being accosted by an angry mob." Argent rubbed his muzzle against Twilight's and squeezed her hoof. "I know you wouldn't hesitate to do it again if somepony were in danger."

Twilight realized that he wasn't going to be swayed, and she was starting to doubt her own arguments. The stubbornness and tenacity of royal guards wasn't always a boon to the royals themselves. "You're right," she said, "I wouldn't." Twilight levitated her glass in front of her and took another sip. "But I won't actively seek out trouble unless somepony is in danger, and I won't alter the past as it suits me." She looked at Argent in the eyes and raised her glass. "Can we at least agree on that?"

"Done," he said, clinking his mug against her glass.

The couple snuggled together in the booth, each relieved at the easing of the tension between them. An hour slipped by as each had their glass refilled by Berry. A little bit of liquid courage eased Twilight's paranoia and fear and allowed her to sit in a room full of familiar ponies while conversing with her coltfriend. Leaning her head against Argent's shoulder, she yawned.

Her sleepiness wasn't dispelled by a loud noise, rather, she was jarred alert by a hush descending over the tavern. Fearing she had somehow given herself away, Twilight brought her hooves to her cloak, making sure that it was pulled as far forward as possible. The stares of the patrons, however, were focused on the trio of ponies that just entered the bar. Twilight squeaked in alarm and did the only thing she could think of to hide both of their faces.

"Princess Twilight!" shouted Berry, "Wow, a real princess in my bar." She ran to the door and ushered the trio through the bar, to a large table set in the middle of the room. As they passed through the bar, occasional mutters and grumbles followed in their wake. The stares remain fixed on Trixie as she took her seat. Argent sat next to her and gave her a reassuring pat on the back.

Twilight stopped before her seat and, with a single flap of her wings, jumped onto the table. "Yes," she said in a clear strong tone, "Trixie is back in Ponyville" She slowly turned in a circle, looking each patron in the eyes. "She is very sorry for the trouble she has caused, and I have forgiven her." Her gaze passed over the pair of cloaked ponies in the corner booth, one wrapping the other in a deep kiss. She fought off the blush and continued her monologue. "She has wronged me as much as any of you, and if I can forgive and forget, so can you." She stepped off the table and took a seat. "Berry, it's been a very stressful day," she asked the stunned waitress, "could we possibly get a few mugs of cider?"

"Of...of course Twi...Princess Twilight," she said before hurrying to the bar.

"You don't need to stand up for Trixie like that," said the showpony. "Trixie only ask for your help in getting her magic working again."

"You don't get one without the other," said Argent. "And you deserve another chance."

"You'll see," said Twilight, "The ponies of Ponyville are good ponies, they just need to be reminded of that sometimes."

Berry returned and produced three mugs of frothy apple cider. The three ponies settled into an evening of reminiscing. The lightly alcoholic beverages managed to loosen Trixie's mouth, and she was soon telling stories from their childhood.

"So the gallant knight here, who has about as much magical aptitude as a potato, sees this bully heckling me at the orphanage Talent Show," she said, slapping her brother on the back. "The jerk decides to throw a chair at me, and Argent here somehow levitates an entire lunch table in front of us to block it." She snickered as she recalled what happened next. "Unfortunately, the snacks that were on the table managed to fall right onto the judges." Trixie talked through the giggles and outright laughter from Twilight. "And he doesn't even notice, because he realizes that he just got his Cutie Mark."

"Yeah yeah," mumbled Argent, "and you lost the talent show." He downed his second mug of cider and waved at Berry for a third. "And I've never heard the end of it." The pair of mares broke out in a boisterous laugh at the stallion's expense. Their mirth had seemed to put the entire bar at ease. The stares of wariness and hostility disappeared and a general atmosphere of revelry flowed once more.

"Celestia above," muttered the elder Twilight, "When are they going to go home?" She had spent the first few minutes in a panicked make out session with Argent, but as it became obvious that the trio of young ponies were planning on spending the evening in the bar, she released the stallion and settled in for the long haul. As she nervously sipped her liqueur, Twilight lamented her relative ignorance when it came to the magic of Illusion. "I'll need to find a suitable disguise spell," she thought to herself. "We could just walk right past them."

The door to the bar burst open as Rainbow Dash flew in. The elder Twilight grabbed onto the stallion at her side. "What now," she hissed in annoyance. Argent shakily placed his mug back on the table and suppressed a yelp as Twilight unknowingly threatened to crush his ribs. He peeled her off just in time to see Rarity stride into the bar, her mane tangled, and dusty saddlebags drooping off her sides. Twilight began shaking in his arms.

"Twilight, darling," said Rarity as she walked to the large table, "I almost didn't believe Spike when he told me you were here." She looked at her companions and gave a polite cough. "Ever so sorry for interrupting Argent," she said before acknowledging Trixie. "I do hope your visit is less eventful this time around Miss Trixie." Rainbow Dash silently hovered above the table, her suspicion filled eyes locked on the showmare.

"Rarity and Dash!" exclaimed Twilight, "Why don't you two join us." Twilight gestured to the empty seats around the table. "How was your trip with the fillies?"

"That's why we're here," said Dash as she took a seat next to Twilight, "but I don't know if we should talk about it around her."

"Trixie is sorry," said Trixie before Twilight could give the pegasus a stern lecture. "Trixie knows she treated you and your friends horribly and you still helped free her from the Alicorn Amulet." Rainbow Dash's jaw dropped as the pony she thought of as the most arrogant and prideful creature in all of Equestria humbly apologized.

Rarity reached out a hoof and pushed Rainbow's slack jaw back into place. "Of course you are forgiven Trixie," said Rarity, "I told everypony that such a stylish mare couldn't be all that bad." She walked around and gave Trixie a friendly hug. "Now I hate to ruin your evening," she said, "but I think it's best you see this." Her bags levitated over the center of the table and dumped their cargo onto the table.

From across the room, both Argent and Twilight could clearly see the glint of metal as it fell to the table. The two cloaked ponies both stared as Rainbow Dash began rearranging the silver shards. "Stay here," said Argent as he stood and slowly walked towards the bar with his empty mug. Passing within inches of his younger self, Argent's suspicions were confirmed as the pieces of his shattered shield were rearranged on the table. The pink six pointed star left no doubt. He dropped off the mug at the bar and left a handful of bits with Barley Brew. He passed the central table again in time to see Rarity handling one of Twilight's golden hoof cups.

"Yeah," he said upon his return to the shadowed booth, "We're going to want to leave now." He levitated their saddlebags to his back began walking towards the exit.

Twilight stood immediately and nervously tugged at her hooded cloak. Gathering her nerves, she started walking as nonchalantly as she could, determined not to draw any attention to herself. The glasses of liqueur she had imbibed had other plans. The combination of her compromised balance and a slightly raised floorboard sent her swaying towards the table she was trying to avoid. Just as she started to crash into Trixie, her momentum was halted by the elder Argent. In his haste, his hood had slipped off his head and onto the back of his neck. Trixie turned when she felt the light contact and watched the the black and white striped maned stallion escort the cloaked pony from the bar.

"Couldn't be," she thought, "The matrons said they were gone." Trixie turned to Twilight Sparkle and tugged on her wing to grab her attention. "Twilight," she said, "Trixie needs some fresh air." She stood and pushed her chair back under the table. "Trixie will be right outside." Twilight nodded as Trixie trotted to the door. Argent was busy examining the shield and she didn't want to get his hopes up in the likelihood that her suspicions were false. She emerged from the bar in time to see that the two cloaked ponies had started quickly trotting along the northern road. "Trixie knows only two ponies with that mane." she said to herself as she galloped after them. "One is in the bar, and the other should be dead."

Author's Note

Go home Trixie, you're drunk.

I've just realized how awkward it's going to be to write for younger and older selves in the same scene.

Ch. 6: Accords

Trixie tailed the two cloaked ponies from a discreet distance. The sun had been set, and while a few ponies enjoyed Luna's night, most had retired to their homes. Lights from the windows of cottages illuminated the streets with enough light for her to pick out her quarry from the darkness. The shrouded figures were headed on the northern road out of Ponyville. The concentration of buildings began to dwindle and Trixie found herself struggling to keep the two in sight. Luckily, they slowed to a walk, allowing Trixie to move from hiding spot to hiding spot without losing ground.

The stallion's deep laugh nearly made Trixie trip over her own hooves. "I know that laugh," she thought, "It's so familiar, yet there's something different about it." Her ears twitched as she tried to eavesdrop while sneaking behind the two ponies.

"No no," said the familiar voice in response to an unheard comment, "I'll behave." The two reached a small white fence at the bottom of a hill. The stallion held open the gate and gave the cloaked mare an elegant bow as she started up the hill towards a small cozy cottage at the top. As he turned to close and latch the gate, he overlooked the extra bush that had materialized along the picket fence.

Trixie concentrated every ounce of her willpower to keep her magic from running wild. The stallion, not five meters away muttered an oath as the latch refused to cooperate. Sweat trickled down Trixie's brow. "Can't let him see me," she thought, "I'm not sure yet; not with that stupid cloak in the way." Just as her horn started to flicker, along with the illusory bush, the latch finally slipped into place with a *click*. The stallion turned away and Trixie immediately released her magic.

"I'm waiting!" shouted the mare from the door, "and I'm getting sleeeeeepy."

The stallion turned and charged towards the front door. The mare laughed in surprise and ran into the cottage. Trixie once again wondered why their voices sounded familiar. As soon as the front door slammed shut, she quickly hurdled over the fence and made her way to one of the windows near the entryway. It was closed, and thick drapes kept her from seeing inside. Trixie made her way around to the side of the house until she found what she was seeking: An open window large enough for her to fit through. She grabbed the window-sill and pulled herself up by her forehooves. She carefully pushed the drapes aside and looked into a decent sized living room. Muffled voices echoed from what looked to be a small vestibule by the front door. Trixie quickly pulled herself into the room and looked for a place to spy on the ponies.

"Just forget about it for now," said Argent as he entered the living room. He grunted as he levitated the pair of saddlebags from his back. Carrying the panniers in front of him, he walked past the small shelf next to an open window.

Twilight followed Argent across the room to the kitchen. "I just feel so stupid," she said as she helped him levitate the produce and assorted groceries into their proper places. "Here I am berating you about being careful about what we do here, and I leave all that stuff on the mountain." Twilight's head drooped as she put away the last bunch of carrots into the pantry.

Argent put the empty saddlebags onto his back and raised her chin with his hoof. "You had more important things to worry about," he said, "and I think not bleeding to death trumps dealing with one more little change." He couldn't gauge Twilight's reaction, as her eyes were hidden by her cloak's hood. "Come on," he said grabbing her hoof and pulling her towards the living room, "you need to relax."

Trixie ran back to the window and once again created the illusory shelf. She was proud of how her magic was holding up. "Maybe the cider loosened something up" she thought. The two ponies, still in their cloaks, reentered the living room, the stallion leading the mare by the hoof. Two empty saddlebags lifted from his back in a golden aura and floated out of sight into the entry room. The two reached the couch facing the wall Trixie had camouflaged herself against. The stallion stopped and pushed the mare's hood back. Trixie briefly saw the mare's bespectacled face before the stallion leaned in and kissed her deeply. "That was not mother," Trixie thought as she blushed, "and now this is awkward."

Argent used his magic to unclasp Twilight's cloak and let it slip from her body as he helped her onto the couch. Pushing back his own hood he climbed on the couch and settled himself behind his marefriend. "See," he said as he rubbed her back with his hooves, "isn't that better than worrying about things you can't change." Twilight's sigh was all the answer he needed to hear. She turned her head, reached her hoof around his neck and drew him forward. She planted her lips to his and gasped as he rubbed her flank.

Trixie's horn was starting to flicker, the illusion slowly oscillating at the same frequency. She didn't notice, as the stallion's face and mane had her mind racing. "It has to be him," she thought, "Why is he here, and who is that nag. She looks familiar too."

Twilight winced in pain as Argent's hooves rubbed lower on her flank. "My corset," she said breathlessly.

Argent nodded and used his magic to untie the knots keeping the restrictive garment in place. As he loosened the final loops of twine, Twilight's wings burst from their confinement, throwing the corset across the room and baring her cutie mark. Argent rubbed the base of each wing, eliciting euphoric sighs from the alicorn beneath him.

Trixie's brain froze as the amorous display continued. Without her concentration, the frequency of the flickering of her horn reached a crescendo. "GET OFF OF MY DADDY!" she shouted just as one last brilliant flash burst from her horn. The illusion disappeared in an instant. The resulting implosion and sudden explosion of air slammed Trixie against the wall and blew the couch, coffee table, and assorted furniture over.

Argent and Twilight peeked over the now vertical base of the couch in time to see a charging Trixie jump over the upturned sofa. She whirled around and stalked towards Twilight, her nostrils flaring in anger at every heavy breath. "First you take my brother," she said as she pursued a slowly retreating Twilight, "now you find my father and hide him away from us."

Argent dashed in between the two mares. "Trixie," he said, "I'm not...."

Trixie's horn flared and Argent was enveloped in a pink aura which tossed him gently out of her path. "I'll deal with you in a moment," she said, "But first, this mare-of-the-night pays." Trixie smiled malevolently as the aura around her horn intensified. The occasional flicker sent streaks of pink magic arcing to the floor.

The insult was the straw that broke the camel's back. Twilight stopped retreating and flared her magic until her horn created a nearly blinding radiance. "Lulamoon," she said with an imperious, amplified voice, "How many times must I throw you down before you stop being such an insufferable bitch?" She knew exactly what Trixie would do next. She knew all of the showmare's tricks and spells.

Trixie screamed and fired several round spheres of shimmering blue and purple energy towards the alicorn. They arced across the room in four distinct trajectories. Twilight calmly stood in the same statuesque pose. As the four bolts collapsed on her, she threw up a magical dome around herself, and another around her immediate area. The magical charges detonated against her shield, the resulting fireworks style explosions were contained by the second, larger, dome. The normally translucent shield was quite opaque as the smoke from the explosions was roiling inside. Twilight released her shields and created a conduit of wind to funnel the smoke out of the open window. Her hair came loose and billowed in the artificial breeze.

"I just got this place how I liked it," said Twilight as she strode towards Trixie. She charged a particularly powerful paralysis spell and prepared to loose it upon the growling showmare. Trixie's horn was flickering like a strobe light.

"NOW EVERYPONY JUST CALM DOWN!" shouted Argent as he jumped in between the two mares. "Trixie, I am not our father," he said throwing his cloak to the ground. He turned sideways so she could see his cutie mark. "I'm Argent."

Trixie's jaw dropped and the aura around her horn winked out of existence. She stared at what had to be her brother. She was aware more than most ponies that a cutie mark was impossible to fake. Even her best disguises couldn't replace one cutie mark with another. She had been able to put embellishment around her cutie mark, to make it appear different, but the original design always had to be there. But his cutie mark was Argent's: The silver shield in front of the red heart was far too simple to be an embellished mark.

"No," she said, "You can't be him." She looked past him at Sparkle. "And she can't be her." Trixie's head finally caught up with her instincts. Her rear-legs collapsed and she sat on the floor. "Trixie doesn't understand what is happening."

Argent looked at Twilight with a question in his eyes. She wearily nodded and began levitating the pieces of furniture back to their original positions.

"Come have a seat Trixie," he said as he sat on the now correctly oriented sofa, "It's a long story, and you'll want to be sitting down for it."

"And that's everything we found," said Rainbow Dash. "We got back to Ponyville as soon as we could and left the girls with Fluttershy at her cottage."

"Argent?" asked Twilight, "You seem to know your way around a shield; Anything you can add?"

He looked at the shards and nodded. "It's a heater shield," he said as he flared his magic. The shards floated up and locked into position. "Excellently shaped," he said examining the cover it provided. "Most guards prefer round shields or bucklers: Heater shields went out of style centuries ago." He placed the shards back on the table and released his magic. "I've always wanted one this nice," he said, "it's a shame it's so damaged." He looked at the shield once again. "I'm not sure what actually broke it," he said while using his hoof to prod the point where the shards met. "No dent; no pierce mark; It looks like it just shattered on its own."

"Magic then?" asked Rarity, "When you eliminate everything, the only thing left to consider is magic."

"Probably," said Argent, "Though it would take quite the Unicorn to shatter an inch of solid steel like it was glass."

"That's it!" said Twilight as she rose her front hoof. "The mystery unicorns from last week!" She excitedly hopped around the table until she was next to Argent. "You saw what was left of that altar." she said, "Honey said it was at least three ponylengths across, and the mare lifted it with ease."

"And crushed it just as easily," said Argent, "You may be on to something Princess. Somepony who could do that could easily have done this."

"That's great guys," said Rainbow sarcastically, "Real top notch detective work there." She hovered over the shield and pointed at the center of the shield. "None of this explains why Twilight's cutie mark is on it."

"It's not exactly my mark," said Twilight, "Shining Armor's got the same star, and I'm pretty sure one of our uncles has something similar."

"The captain does't use shields," said Argent proudly, "He might be the best at magic shields, but I'm the best with the real deal." In his ardor, he had removed the shield from his back and was posing in his primary defensive position. The mares around the table suppressed giggles at his outburst. He looked down in embarrassment and replaced the shield on his back. "It isn't Captain Armor's," he said with a blush.

Twilight wrapped the shards in her magic and teleported them back to the library. "Thanks girls," she said to Rainbow and Rarity, "That's one more piece of the puzzle."

"What about these," said Rarity as she levitated the golden hoof cups. "Could I have these Twilight? I could shine them and restore them to their proper glory." She cradled the hoofwear with reverence and turned a pleading gaze at her friend.

"Sure Rarity," said Twilight, "Just don't do anything to change the size. If we find the mystery unicorns, these shoes might just identify them."

"How delightful," said Rarity, "It's like something out of a fairy tale." She slipped the shoes into her saddlebags and gave Twilight a hug. "Thank you Twilight," she said, "Now I must go pick up Sweetie Belle and get her home."

"I'll go with you Rarity," said Rainbow Dash, "I promised Scoots she could stay with me tonight." She landed next to Rarity and they waved goodbye.

"I guess we should head home too," said Twilight, "Trixie?" Twilight looked around the room. Seeing panic from Argent's eyes, she remembered the mare walking outside. "Oh yeah, she went outside for some air a while ago." They exited the bar.

"Trixie!" shouted Argent into the night. "Where did she go off to?"

"So you see Trixie," said Twilight, "no pony can know who we are." She levitated her empty tea cup onto the tray that Argent had brought them in on. "We've already caused minor changes that have altered events as we remember them." She looked Trixie into the eyes as she tried to impress upon the mare the severity of the situation.

Trixie smirked and began laughing in Twilight's face. "Trixie must admit that she was almost fooled," she said, "You are both obviously quite talented at disguising yourselves." She reached across the coffee table and prodded Twilight's wing with her hoof. "These even feel real," she said, "but Trixie doesn't believe you." She stood and started walking towards the door. "Trixie thinks you two are trying to do something to the real Sparkle, and that means you mean to do something with Trixie's brother as well. Trixie suggests you leave, because the real Twilight Sparkle will not like you impersonating her.

Twilight looked to Argent in a panic. He shook his head and let the mare walk towards the door. As she reached the vestibule leading outside he called to her over his shoulder. "She made us banana bread before they left." The mare froze in mid-step. "He read us our favorite story before we went to sleep, kissed us on the forehead, and promised they'd be back soon." The mare remained frozen in stride for a full minute.

Trixie turned back towards sofa, tears streaming down her face. She walked back to the sofa and sat next to the stallion. Argent reached over and wrapped her in his forelegs. The mare struggled to wrap her mind around the fact that this middle aged stallion was also her twin brother. A thought occurred to her. "Do I ever find them?" she asked.

"No," he replied directly.

"Do I ever give up?" she asked.

Argent smiled and squeezed her tight. "Never."

Trixie sat in her brothers arms for a few minutes, waiting for her emotions to settle. She pulled away from Argent and looked up at Twilight. "Trixie will keep your secret Sparkle," she said, "but Trixie wants something in return."

"And what does the Great and Powerful Trixie want?" asked Twilight, her brow arched in curiosity.

"One," she said, "Trixie requests that when Trixie asks, Twilight Sparkle will accompany Trixie on one of her travels."

"As long as nopony finds out who I am, fine, I agree," replied Twilight.

"Two," continued Trixie, "Twilight Sparkle will guarantee that Trixie never has to see her with Trixie's brother again."

"Oh, I don't know if I can do that Trixie," said Twilight with a smirk. She flared her magic and levitated Argent to her side. "I just find that I can't keep my hooves off him." She brushed his lips with a kiss and began walking around the stallion. "I can't promise what you will or won't see," she said, "After all, I don't recall inviting into our home tonight." She saw her chance to tweak Trixie as she walked behind Argent.

The stallion jumped in the air. "Twilight!" he squeaked in a high pitched voice.

She walked around to his side and rubbed her flank against his. "I'll promise not to...utilize...Argent when you are around," she said, "but you can't expect two ponies not to express their love in the privacy of their own home." She began another circuit of the stallion with a second light kiss.

"Trixie agrees," she said averting her eyes, "just make it stop."

"Wonderful!" said Twilight as she clapped her forehooves together. "Now you need to get back to your contemporary Twilight." She left the shaking stallion and escorted Trixie to the front door. "I know her, and you know your brother; they're worriers." She opened the door and gently pushed Trixie through. "Oh, and you'll want to get your magic under control before you plan any expeditions: It causes us both no small amount of heartache."

The door slammed in Trixie's confused face. The muffled sounds of Twilight giggling shocked her back to reality. Trixie galloped back towards the bar, desperate to put some distance between herself and the unspeakable horrors transpiring in the cottage on the hill.

"But why can't ah stay with you?" asked Apple Bloom.

Fluttershy stepped into the early evening air and closed the door to her cottage. "Because it's a school night sweetheart," she said ask she led the filly over the small bridge that crossed the creek in front of her house. "And because I promised Applejack and Big Macintosh that I would bring you home safe and sound." The pair of ponies walked down the country road that led the way towards Sweet Apple Acres.

"So Apple Bloom," said Fluttershy, "How is your brother doing?"

"Big Mac?" she asked, "He's bein' an ornery varmint." The filly jumped onto a rock and then onto the fence that ran along the path. "He keeps sneakin' outta bed," said Apple Bloom as she walked along the fence in an impressive feat of balance. "The other day, AJ found him tryin' ta buck trees in the western fields." The filly leaped down from the fence and continued walking at the pegasus' side. "But since Granny's off visiting Uncle Apple Strudel, there ain't nopony to keep him in his bed."

"Oh my," said Fluttershy in alarm, "He might hurt himself if he's not careful."

"Yeah, and ah can't stop him when he gets up a head of steam," said the filly. "AJ might hafta tie him to the bed to keep him from breakin' his fool leg again."

"Well the doctor said that he had to stay off his leg for two whole weeks, and it's barely been one." Fluttershy said with a worried frown. The pair walked in silence towards the farm as the moon began to rise in the east. The smell of apple blossoms pervaded the air as rows of the fruit trees lined the country lane that led to the Orchard. Apple Bloom grabbed a fallen branch with her mouth and began dragging it along the fence posts as they approached the cozy old farmhouse.

"Applejack!" shouted the filly as they walked in the front door, "I'm home!"

A steady series of *thunks* from above was followed by the limping form of Big Macintosh carefully making his way down the stairs. "AJ ain't home yet Bloom," said the stallion as he approached the front door. "Ya need to go wash up and get ready for bed and..." He paused as he rounded the corner into the entry hallway. "Why hello Miss Fluttershy," he said, "How is your head?" He started walking to join his sister and her pegasus escort by the door.

"Never mind my head," said the annoyed pegasus, "Apple Bloom tells me that you aren't staying in your bed."

"But Miss Fluttershy, there's just too much to do and...," said the stallion before he was interrupted by Fluttershy.

"You promised me," she said angrily, "You said you would stay in bed and get better." She stepped forwards and Stared at Big Mac. "You were hurt because of me, and I won't let you hurt yourself any more just because you can't follow doctor's orders."

"B...b...but Bloom n...n...needs ta," he stuttered.

"I will take care of Apple Bloom, just as soon as we get you back in bed." Fluttershy flapped her wings and hovered to his side. She gently spun him around and herded him back up the stairs. She escorted him into his rather spartan room and helped him into the bed. "Now you wait here and I'll make sure Apple Bloom gets cleaned up and ready for bed."

"Ya'll don't need to do all this," said Mac, "Ah feel right guilty troublin' ya'll like this."

"And I feel guilty for being responsible for you being injured in the first place," replied Fluttershy. "So we'll be guilty together." She smiled warmly at the stallion and left to find Apple Bloom. She found the filly dutifully brushing her teeth and washing her face.

"Ya'll really are the Stare Master Fluttershy," she said as she wiped the moisture off her face with a towel. "Applejack always says that makin' Big Mac do what you want is like ripping a stump outta the ground with yer bare hooves."

"It's for his own good," she said, "and besides, The Stare only works when they know that what they're doing is wrong." Fluttershy hung the filly's towel back on the rack and ushered her towards her room. "I just had to remind your big brother of some promises he made." Fluttershy untied the ribbon from Apple Bloom's mane and placed it on her bedside table. "Now I'm going to wait here until Applejack gets home, so if you need anything, I'll be right downstairs."

"Okay," said the filly, "Goodnight Fluttershy!"

"Goodnight sweetie," replied Fluttershy. She closed the door to the filly's room and walked across the hallway and through the open door of Big Mac's room. The stallion remained obediently in the bed and was trying to read a book. The non-flexible cast on his forehoof was making the task rather awkward. Fluttershy smiled, pulled the rocking chair from the corner to the side of the bed, and took a seat. "Your sister's in bed and it's too dark out to work," she said firmly, "so now all you have to do is stay in bed and get better."

"Yes'm," replied the stallion politely.

"So where is Applejack?" asked Fluttershy as she reached over and examined the book the stallion had been trying to read. "It's not like her to be out so late."

"Ah don't rightly know," replied Big Mac. "She's done this a few times the last few months. She tells me she's out 'blowin' off some steam,' and heads up to her room." He shifted over onto his side and watched in embarrassment as Fluttershy paged through the book. "Ah reckon' that she was feeling extra stressed out on account of my leg bein' busted up and all that extra work she's gotta do. Ya'll remember how she gets when she works too hard."

"Well then she just needs some help then," said Fluttershy. "Now tell me," she asked Mac while raising the book in her hooves, "Do you love 'The Wind in the Willows' as much as I do?"

Big Macintosh smiled enthusiastically and nodded his head furiously. "It's mah most favorite story ever," he said reaching into his beside drawer. He pulled out a set of expertly carved wooden figurines. "My pa made these for me when I was just a little colt." He reached in and pulled out a small carved rowboat, and an odd wheeled contraption.

"Oooh," said Fluttershy reverently, "is that Mr. Toad's motorcar?"

"Eeyup," said the stallion proudly as he nodded. "And Ratty's rowboat too!" He placed the wooden toad into the strange vehicle and rolled it over the small nightstand towards Fluttershy. The pegasus squealed in delight and rolled the toy back and forth with her hooves. She examined each figure, marveling at the detail and craftsmanship.

"Would you like me to read it to you?" asked Fluttershy shyly, as she placed the toys back on the nightstand. "It can't be easy to hold the book or turn the pages with that cast."

"It's gettin' awfully late Fluttershy," said the stallion, "and I reckon' yer critters need ya."

"Oh it's okay," said Fluttershy with a wave of her hoof, "Angel Bunny can take care of the others, and if it's all right with you, I'd like to stay here tonight." She demurely looked down at the floor. "In the guest room, I mean."

"We'd be glad to have ya," said Mac quickly, "It's the least we can after ya took Bloom on her trip today."

"Well you're all welcome," she replied, "Now scoot over so we can both see the pictures." Fluttershy pushed the chair back into the corner and returned to the bed where Macintosh eagerly moved to the opposite side of the bed. The pegasus floated onto the bed and settled herself atop the comforter. She propped a pillow behind her back and sat against the headboard. She grabbed the well worn book and opened the front cover.

"The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home." she read. Big Macintosh listened in rapt attention, hanging on every word that came out of her mouth. When she reached the end of the first page, she turned the page to show him the illustration of Mole throwing down his broom and digging towards the surface. They continued for an hour, Macintosh eventually scooting towards the mare until his head was next to Fluttershy's shoulder so he could see the pictures without her having to turn the book.

He tried to fight off the exhaustion that crept up on him. Without Granny or Apple Bloom to keep him in check, the injured stallion had spent the day tending to whatever chores he could find. Working on three legs had proved to be harder than he anticipated, and now he desperately fought a losing battle with the fruits of his labor. Fluttershy's sweet lilting voice first lulled him into a half-awake fugue state. From Big Mac's point of view, the lamp on the night stand bathed the pegasus in a nimbus of soft white light. He closed his eyes and let the hypnotic voice drag him off to sleep.

Fluttershy made it a few more pages before the gentle snores from beside her drew her attention. She smiled and slowly moved towards the edge of the bed. The stallion rolled over and wrapped the vacated pillow in his hooves. Fluttershy reached into her wing and pulled out one of her loose feathers and placed it between the current page and closed the cover. She carefully placed the wooden figures and toys back into the drawer and laid the book on top of the nightstand. She turned off the bedside lamp and walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind her. She turned to walk down the stairs and nearly ran right into Applejack.

The farm-mare smiled at her friend and beckoned her down the stairs to the worn but still comfy living room sofa. She took a seat and continued smiling at the pegasus as she sheepishly walked to the couch and sat. Applejack wasn't the sort to tease another pony, but she was in a particularly happy mood. "Ah figured it'd be Apple Bloom who needed the bedtime story," she said with a wry smirk on her muzzle.

"Big Macintosh needed somepony to help him," said Fluttershy softly. She looked up at Applejack with accusing eyes. "And since nopony could be bothered to stay here and watch him, he was up and trying to do chores all around the farm."

"He's a big boy," said Applejack defensively, "Ah can't be expected to buck half the trees in the orchard, take em to market, and babysit that big lug at the same time." Applejack looked away from Fluttershy and continued. "But I'm sorry, I should have come home earlier."

"Where were you so late?" asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, um, just the bar. It's been a long day," said Applejack, her muzzle scrunching up in an odd attempt at being inconspicuous. She was lucky the pegasus was the trusting sort.

"Well you do need a break," said Fluttershy, "So how about I help with everything here while Big Mac gets better?"

"Come again?" asked Applejack.

"I'll watch over Big Mac and Apple Bloom, and you can focus on the farm work," replied the pegasus. "That way he can focus on getting better, and you don't have to worry about anything but apples."

"Well ah guess so," said a still confused Applejack, "Ah won't turn down help; not after the last time Mac was hurt." Applejack eased back on the couch and folded her hooves behind her head. "Oh, you'll never guess what happened in the market today," said Applejack as the two mares began chatting about their busy days.

"Trixie is sorry she worried you," said the showmare to her still pouting brother. "Trixie enjoys her walks. You know this."

"Argent enjoys a little bit of notice; you know this," said the stallion, "but apology accepted." He backed into the front door while levitating several bags full of Trixie's personal effects from her wagon. "It's Twilight you really need to apologize to," he said, "She doesn't really have flying down that well yet and looking for you really took it out of her." They passed the studious princess happily gathering several books on magical afflictions from the health section of the library and placing them in a large stack in the arms of her draconic assistant.

"Yes, Trixie can see that Sparkle is quite exhausted," said Trixie as she rolled her eyes. The siblings continued up the stairs towards Argent's room. Trixie held the door open for Argent as he strained to levitate so many objects at once. He managed to haul the various boxes and sacks to the small guest bed that Twilight had moved in from the basement. It was ostensibly Spike's, but the baby dragon seemed to be perfectly happy in his basket at Twilight's bedside.

Exhausted, Argent turned towards his bed to see that his sister had splayed herself across it. "Trixie," he said with his hoof on his forehead, "Could you at least pretend like you're helping?"

"You heard Twilight," replied Trixie, "Trixie is not to exert herself in any way."

Argent grumbled and started back downstairs to grab another load of boxes. Trixie stood and trotted over to one of the boxes and pulled out her signature cloak and hat. Shaking them out with her hooves, Trixie examined the garments for wear and tear. Satisfied that they were in acceptable condition, she hung the cloak on one of the hooks on the wall next to the door and placed the hat on the bedpost. After placing the empty box in the closet she examined the far heavier box still on the bed. Several large tomes and reams of paper filled it to the brim.

"Wow," said Argent as he set the far lighter final boxes on the floor, "I haven't seen your files in a few years." He reached into the box and pulled out a thick folder held together with a rubber band. "Border Crossings: Mexicolt 989-990 A.C." read the stallion. "When were you in Mexicolt?"

"It was a few years ago," replied the mare, "Trixie had to spend most of her bits bribing those burrocrats for these records." She swiped the folder out of her brother's hand and placed it back in the box. Satisfied that her records were undamaged, she replaced the lid and pushed the box into a corner. "Trixie had to start performing again to make her money back. Trixie was doing well until she got to Ponyville."

"I wanted to help Trixie, really I did," said Argent as he walked to his bed and sat down, "It's just that..."

"Trixie understands," interrupted the mare. She sat next to him on the bed and leaned on his shoulder. "And Trixie is sorry for what she said in Canterlot. Doing what you love isn't selfish." She stood and started pulling him across the room. "Trixie only wishes that doing what you love didn't require Sparkle to sink her claws in you."

Argent felt an odd combination of embarrassment and outrage. Walking out of the bedroom to the 2nd floor landing he leaned into Trixie. "What happened to the Great and Apologetic Trixie?" he asked. "I thought you were a fan of the Princess now."

Twilight appeared from behind a bookshelf at the bottom of the staircase. "Trixie!" she exclaimed, "I've got a few good volumes about magical diseases and disabilities we can start with. Tomorrow we can put you through a battery of tests and cross-reference the results against known maladies and dysfunctions. We'll need to get a full history of your last few months of travel: Everything you've eaten, everywhere you've slept, everypony you've come in contact with must be recorded. Oh that reminds me; Spike, add 'buy extra large scrolls' to the checklist. Argent, since you two are twins, you'll make an excellent control for any experiments we need to run. You've already signed all the standard guard release forms right? What am I saying? Of course you have. We might need to go to the hospital to get blood samples taken...unless I can find my tome on Hemomancy. I haven't seen it since Princess Celestia's last visit."

Trixie listened as Twilight rambled on. She looked towards Argent and gave him a deadpanned stare. "If you ask nicely," she whispered, "Trixie may bring you along when she is cured." She descended the stairs and followed Twilight to one of the reading couches where Spike had deposited the pile of books.

Satisfied that Twilight and Trixie were occupied, Argent made his way to the study. The broken shield was still where Twilight had placed it upon their return from the bar. He approached the desk and picked up one of the pieces of steel. The same feeling of familiarity that he felt in the pub washed over him again as he tossed the shard from hoof to hoof. He levitated the other pieces to his side and fit them all in place with his magic.

"Is that why Rarity wanted to find Twilight?" asked Spike from the door. "Somepony's broken dinner platter?"

Argent turned the shield towards the dragon. "I think it's the pink star that really got her attention," he said. Argent replaced the shield on the desk and walked over to the dragon. Spike had been rather frosty to his new housemate and Argent was starting to pick up on it. "Spike," he said, "I just wanted to say thanks for helping me settle in over the last week."

Spike crossed his arms across his chest and leaned against the door frame. "Twilight said that you were her new assistant, so I guess I have to show you the ropes," he said grumpily.

Argent was prepared for this: Twilight had warned him about the drake's jealousy, and he decided to follow her advice. "I don't think I'm cut out for the librarian's assistant life, Spike," he said. "I'll stick to being the bodyguard and occasional gofer." He patted the Dragon on the back and smiled. "Besides, I think you've got this place running like a well oiled machine. Just consider me to be the assistant's assistant."

"So if I asked you to pick up donuts tomorrow morning?" asked Spike with an arched eyebrow.

"I'd ask how many get gem sprinkles," replied Argent, "and what kind Twilight likes."

"Eclairs," said the dragon as he wiped the drool from his mouth, "and tell Pinkie Pie not to skimp on the cream filling."

"Do you think she'll be different?" asked Argent as he stared at the ceiling. Sweat matted the stallion's coat and caused him to shiver as he rolled onto his side on top of the bed.

Twilight stretched out her limbs and let out a luxurious sigh. "I don't have much experience with this," said Twilight, "but shouldn't thoughts of me be flowing through your head right now?" She draped her legs across Argent's body and moved her muzzle until it was an inch from his. "I'm not doing anything wrong am I?" she asked coyly.

Argent closed the distance and kissed Twilight deeply. After a few moments the mare pulled away breathlessly. "That's my answer to that," he said while stroking her mane. "I'm just wondering if maybe Trixie won't be so..."

"Crazy? Megalomaniacal? Obsessed? Bitchy?" asked Twilight.

"I was going to say 'single minded'," replied Argent, "but your point is taken."

"Sorry," apologized the mare, "but it's hard to say." Twilight turned over and pressed her back into the stallion's chest. "It's classic Nature versus Nurture," she said. "Are we who we are from the day we're born, or are we the sum total of all of our experiences?" She shook her head and answered her own rhetorical question. "I certainly changed when I came to Ponyville and met my friends." She reached behind her and pulled Argent's forehoof over her body. "I think that if your sister were surrounded by friends and family, she very well might turn out to be somepony other than the colossal pain in the flank that we knew."

"Am I a bad brother for wanting her to be different?" he asked sadly.

"No love," she replied tenderly, "You're a wonderful brother for wanting her to be happy." She levitated the comforter over them and snuggled against his body. "I suppose you'll have the chance to watch her change seeing as how we promised to help her: Both versions of us."

"Maybe she can help us too," said Argent. "You've said it yourself: She's a magical prodigy in her own right."

Twilight snorted in laughter. "Neither of you have ever let me forget that," she replied. "I suppose that if I run out of ideas I can always see if she has any thoughts on the matter." She yawned and hugged Argent's foreleg. "I'll just add it to the things I need to worry about."

Author's Note

I know things seem to be progressing a little slowly, but the next chapter should really liven things up. The next two or three chapters should be quite the adventure.

I think the FlutterMac scene steals this chapter though. She's so easy to write for when she's being kind and tender.

Ch. 7: Magic and Mayhem

The shadows of buildings slowly took definition in the central Plaza surrounding Ponyville's town hall.. A glow from the eastern horizon heralded the approach of dawn. Several ponies walked along the streets, getting an early start on the new week. Produce vendors began unloading the contents of their wagons into the bins and shelves of their assigned stalls in the Farmer's Market. As the top of the sun peeked over the tallest buildings, it illuminated the cloaked stallion whistling to himself as he trotted across the village common. The spring in his step advertised his good mood as he turned a corner and headed towards Ponyville's institution of Sugary goodness.

"She'll be so surprised," Argent thought to himself. "Pinkie might have Cupcakes down to an art form, but Mr. Cake's Eclairs are unbeatable." It seemed as if his idea was not particularly original as evident by the line of ponies extending out the door of the bakery and into the street. He trotted to the back of the line and noticed a familiar pony in front of him. "Good morning Ms. Taker," he said, "How are you doing?"

"Oh hi...," said the secretary, a look of embarrassed confusion on her face.

"Horizon Walker," said Argent cheerily, "You helped Oracle and I move to town last week."

"Oh that's right," replied the off-white unicorn mare. "How are you liking the cottage? Did the bank give you any trouble with the letters of credit?"

"Everything's been perfect," said Argent, "We're still shocked at the generosity of the mayor. The furnishings, the extra bits to get everything set up; we really couldn't ask for a better start."

"Well we're glad to help," said Note, "To be honest we've felt rather guilty about the whole thing. The Mayor had that statuette appraised and I swear I saw bits in her eyes instead of pupils." She stepped through the door as the line of ponies gradually filed into Sugarcube Corner. "She's got me running ragged talking to ponies about what we should do with all of it."

"Well remind her that there's more where that one came from," said Argent quietly, "As soon as she knows what she wants to do with the rest of the artifacts, I'll gladly lead whoever you send to retrieve them."

Note Taker nodded as she walked up to the front counter. "Just the usual today Pinkie," she said to the perpetually smiling laughter machine. The pink mare nodded, wrote the order on a sheet of paper, and stuck it on a curious yellow spike which soon disappeared from view. Note Taker and Argent looked at each other in confusion. She was about to ask what had happened when the small yellow spike reappeared.

"Up!" came a small voice from behind the counter. Pinkie bent down and emerged with the Cake's year old unicorn toddler Pumpkin on her back. Note Taker smiled, dropped a few bits on the counter and stood to the side to wait for her order.

Argent stepped forward and booped Pumpkin on the nose. "Two Eclairs with extra cream filling and one Ursa Claw," he said while making funny faces at the young filly and counting out bits from a pocket in his cloak.

While Pinkie wrote down the order, Mr. Cake walked in from the kitchen and placed a string wrapped box on the counter in front of Note. "There you are Note," he said as he adjusted his cap, "Extra pink glaze, just how the Mayor likes them."

"Thanks Carrot!" she said while levitating the the box in a dark green aura. "Good to see you again Horizon. We'll let you know when we've made a decision." She winked at him and made her way out of the bakery. "Say hi to Miss Oracle!"

Mr. Cake snatched the piece of paper from his daughter's horn. "Sorry sir," he said, "We're finishing up more eclairs now, it'll only be a few minutes."

"Oh, there's no rush," replied Argent as he watched Pinkie Pie slowly percolate. "Uh oh," he thought to himself. He quickly stepped to the side and walked to the end of the counter and turned his back to the excitable mare. "I guess I am 'new' to town" he thought to himself.

Pinkie's brain flipped through her mental "Friend Dossiers" unconsciously as she slipped the bits into the register. "Next!" she shouted.

"Hi Pinkie Pie," said the young stallion, "Three Spike specials, two eclairs with extra cream, and one Ursa Claw please."

The voice didn't get his attention, but the order did. He cautiously, and nonchalantly, turned to get a look at what turned out to be himself. The shorter mane and slightly skinnier build were all that differentiated himself from the younger stallion. "He didn't notice me last night," thought the older stallion, "I'll be okay as long as I keep quiet."

Pinkie stuck the order to her filly assistant and turned back to her new friend. Noticing that he was the last pony in line, she wiped the sweat from her brow and hopped around the counter. "Argy!" she shouted before crushing the guard in a bear hug. "Didja like your party? Because I think it was my first 'Welcome to Ponyville slash Congratulations on your promotion slash Hooray for Twilight being back' party!"

"It...was...great," wheezed the stallion, gasping for each breath in the pink party pony's vice like grip. He managed to extricate himself from the hug and stretched his back. "I never expected an old west hoedown, but I guess with so many different things to celebrate, it makes as much sense as any theme."

Pinkie Pie sheepishly smiled. "Well, I did need to practice my old timey western party plans for next week."

"What's next week?" asked Argent.

"Well, Braeburn, Applejack's cousin, told her that he needs a buncha apples because they're celebrating something called Western Days in Appleoosa, but their orchard is out of season, and Applejack can't go all the way out there because Big Mac is hurt, but I told her I would totally go, but she said 'No, Pinkie, ya'll nearly started a war last time ya'll were there,' but I was just trying to get everyone to sing and dance and Twilight even wrote to the princess the exact same thing I sang about, I told Applejack I would be careful, so I'm gonna take Braeburn all the apples and throw them the bestest western hoedown ever, with square dancing, ten gallon hat punch, horseshoe pits, mini rodeo games, and Spike's gonna come play old timey piano along with Fiddlesticks, and everypony in Appleloosa will know that you don't ignore a Pinkie Pie Party!" Pinkie gasped as her blue face slowly returned to its normal pink hue.

"Wow," said Argent, "Sounds like quite the ambitious plan."

"Nah," said Pinkie, "Like I always say, 'Have Party Cannon, will travel'."

"Here you go sir," said Carrot Cake as he set a small bag in front of the cloaked pony. "Fresh out of the oven." He turned and trotted back into the kitchen.

"Thank you Mr. Cake," replied Argent, awkwardly trying to disguise his voice slightly. He grabbed the bag in his teeth and began to trot out of the door.

"Wait!" shouted Pinkie Pie as he put his hoof to the door.

Argent shuddered beneath his hood and turned towards the advancing pink mare and his younger self. "You left too many bits!" said the pink mare as she dropped two bits into his hooves. "Okie dokie Lokie! You're good to go, but we'll have your party soon, Horizon Walker, and we'll invite your marefriend too."

The look of terror on Argent's face was misinterpreted as confusion. "Don't bother arguing," the younger stallion said, "From what I'm told you'd have a better chance convincing Celestia to set the sun early."

"Stop twitching Trixie," said Twilight as she manipulated the dials on the control unit, "you'll throw off the readings."

The cyan showmare ground her teeth together and tried to stay still. The framework of metal surrounding her head hummed with magilectric energy, while the electrodes stuck to her horn occasionally gave her a slight shock. The fur of her coat stood on end as Trixie tried to work up some saliva in her bone dry mouth. "Trixie is trying, but are you positive that this is safe?"

Twilight took a bite from the pastry Argent had graciously provided and made a check mark on the checklist that hovered beside her. "Absolutely positive," she replied, "Come on Trixie, Pinkie Pie didn't even flinch once." Satisfied that the readouts were in acceptable ranges, she stepped in front of Trixie and levitated the parchment and quill in front of her. "Now flare your magic as strong as you can and hold it as long as possible."

Trixie snorted indignantly. Being compared to the pink one irked her. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated all her willpower on remaining perfectly stationary. Her horn glowed with a furious intensity. She hadn't drawn upon this much magic since she wore the Alicorn Amulet.

"That's it Trixie," Twilight said encouragingly. "You're doing great. Just hold out a little while longer." The equipment beeped and whirred as paper streamed out and into a collection bin. Twilight adjusted several dials and flipped a switch with her hoof. "Twenty more seconds!"

"Hnggggh," gasped Trixie as her horn slowly started flickering. Sweat began to drip from her nose as she concentrated on keeping her magic from running wild. "I c...c...can't hold it," she cried. The flickering of the aura around her horn increased in its frequency. Tears squeezed their way out from the corners of her tightly closed eyes.

"You can do it!" shouted Twilight over the loud machinery. "You're The Great and Powerful Trixie, you can do anything!" She glanced down at the readouts. "Just ten more seconds!" She held her hoof over the large red shutdown button. "Five...Four...Three...Two...One..."

Trixie screamed at the effort of holding her magic for those last few seconds. She released her magic a fraction of a second after Twilight shut down the test equipment. The cyan mare collapsed to her stomach and took several deep gasping breaths. She didn't react as Twilight rushed over and unstrapped the large metal helmet and removed the electrodes from her horn. "Please tell Trixie we got it this time."

Twilight trotted over to the collection bin and tore the top few sheets of paper off. "It looks good Trixie," she said as she examined the peaks and valleys of a graph that represented magical output. She placed the data back in the bin and brought Trixie a cup of water. "Come on," she said, "lets go upstairs and you can relax." She helped the mare to her hooves and kept her steady as they climbed the stairs up towards the library. "I know it was hard," said Twilight, "but I promise you this will get us the answers we need."

Trixie wearily nodded as she collapsed on one of the reading couches. "Trixie is fine," she said, "Just tell Argent he can come out." She turned and faced the back of the couch. "Trixie needs a nap."

Twilight left her to rest and walked upstairs. She entered her guard's room and found him on top of his bed with a pillow held tightly over his ears. She walked over and gently shook his shoulder, offering a confident and warm smile to the worried stallion. "She's going to be fine," said Twilight when Argent pulled the pillow from his head. "And I should have plenty of data to work with." She blocked his path out of the room as he started to move towards the library downstairs. "Let's let her sleep for now. Why don't you get Spike, and the three of us can grab a few more of the books I'll need for tonight." Argent nodded and made his way to her room to fetch the Dragon.

They all gathered in the library. Twilight held a hoof to her lips and pointed at Trixie's sleeping form on the couch on the rear wall. "Let's keep our voices down," she whispered. She led them around the library, pointing out the various books she needed. Argent levitated a few, while Spike carried the rest. With their arms and magical auras full of tomes, and the bin of paper readouts levitating beside Twilight, they climbed back up the stairs to the study.

She could sense the unease in her young draconic ward. "Yes Spike, you can go."

"But Twilight I promised Rarity that I would help her...," he said before halting with a confused stare. "Wait, did you say I could go?"

"Sure Spike," said Twilight with a laugh, "You deserve a break. Argent and Owlowiscious can help me." She knew that Rarity would probably work him harder than she ever did. "Just remember our little talk: You are not a pincushion."

"Thanks Twilight," he said while skipping to the door, "have fun!"

The long strip of uniformly perforated paper floated out of the bin and landed on the desk. She sat behind the table and started reading the voluminous pile of test results. "Don't just stand there," said Twilight over her shoulder, "I can't do all this myself." She smiled as he took a seat next to her. "Well, actually I could, but you are proving to be quite the capable research assistant."

"Don't let Spike hear you say that," said Argent, "I don't think a guard's salary could cover the amount of sweets I'd have to buy him." He floated the pile of books to his side of the desk and waited for instruction. Twilight began examining the test records in detail. Argent watched as she occasionally shook her head to some unasked question. Minutes passed by as he watched his princess study, her single-minded focus reminding him that she was the expert here.

"There's an elevation in the output from the seventh primary ley line before every surge of magic," said Twilight as she stared at the papers. "Why don't you start with that? Try 'Mystical Conjunction Theory' by The Wise Alaundo." She looked over at the stallion when she received no response. He snapped back to reality as she looked at him. "Argent?" she asked, "Did you get that?"

"Seventh Ley Line. Alaundo. Got it," he replied with a blush. He sorted through the books until he found the volume he was seeking. The older books had no tables of contents or indexes, so he opened to the first page and started skimming through the arcane text. The previous week's subject had been understandable: He'd been trained to fight the dangerous beasts that threatened Equestria, so researching the Kenku had been second nature. This time, however, he felt out of his depth. He understood most of the words, but each paragraph was like deciphering a foreign language. "I'm not sure I really understand most of this Princess," he said with a disheartened sigh. "I mean...associative ley lines versus discordant ley lines....the words make sense, but I don't get the meaning."

"Here, let me see," said Twilight as she scooted closer to Argent. She leaned over his shoulder and read the passage his hoof was resting below. "Oh yes," she said with a satisfied smile, "this gave me trouble as well. The princess told me that Alaundo liked phrasing things in confusing ways as a test for his students." She grabbed a blank piece of parchment and jotted down a small diagram with a quill. "You see, some ley lines are complementary," she said, "like the second and fourth, which are generally referred to as the lines of air and fire. These are Associative."

Argent nodded and pointed at another line on her drawing. "But the third and fourth are discordant?"

Twilight smiled and patted him on the back. "Exactly!" replied Twilight proudly, "The third line is associated most often with water, which is definitely not complementary to fire." She flipped the page of the tome and pointed at the next chapter. "Let's see what it says about the seventh line."

Argent wanted to point out how useless he was, but the smile on Twilight's face kept him from interrupting her. She obviously loved talking and teaching magic, and he vowed to himself that he would learn enough to carry his side of a conversation with her. As the day dragged on into night, the pair of ponies continued examining the same tome. Twilight would normally be annoyed by making such slow progress, but she found that reading with Argent helped her order her own thoughts.

Trixie woke up from her long nap to a darkened library. Yawning she looked around the bookshelves for any sign of her hosts. The sound of a mare laughing from the second floor caught her attention. She walked up the staircase and peeked into the room she now shared with her brother. Noticing it was empty, she walked towards Sparkle's room down the hall.

"That's perfect Argent," said an excited voice from the door to the right. Trixie froze and looked through the open door into the study. Twilight Sparkle sat dangerously close to her brother, a wing draped over his shoulder. "No Trixie," she thought to herself, "We won't give Sparkle the satisfaction of seeing you upset." She adopted what she imagined was a cool and calm demeanor and sauntered into the small office.

"Where should I put that?" asked Argent in confusion, "I don't think it'll fit."

"So have you learned anything," said Trixie in a too loud voice.

Twilight's wing snapped back to her side in surprise, and Argent jumped up at the sudden interruption. Trixie trotted forwards and squeezed in between the two ponies. "What's all this?" she asked while pointing at the pile of handwritten notes surrounding a thick tome. "Ley line diagrams?" scoffed Trixie, "Trixie thought Twilight Sparkle was beyond such basic theory."

"I'll have you know this is quite advanced," said Twilight defensively, "and your brother is a quick learner and a wonderful student." Argent smiled at the compliment and nodded his thanks. "Now let me show you what we've discovered so far."

"And Sparkle said that Argent saw the corresponding elevation in the fifth ley line," said Trixie as she sipped from the tea cup. "Trixie was skeptical about her teaching Argent magic, but Trixie must admit that it paid off this time." The previous night's study session with her brother and his employer had led to a late start to the day for Trixie.

"You never told me you were interested in magic," said the elder Twilight to the stallion sitting at her side.

"I never learned enough to know whether or not I was," he replied. "I assume this fifth ley line is important?"

Twilight nodded and looked across at Trixie. "If what Trixie says is true," she said, "then something is somehow influencing two discordant lines in her horn."

"Moon and Chaos," replied Trixie with a perplexed shake of her head. "Sparkle and Argent are already starting to look for answers to that impossibility."

Twilight nodded and looked back at her confused coltfriend. "The Moon is the celestial symbol of order," she explained, "It's why it made such an effective and ironic prison for Nightmare Moon." Argent still looked confused as Twilight continued her explanation. "The moon keeps the tides constant; we use it to measure the seasons; its surface is unchanging. In short, for it to be associated in any way with chaos is very troubling." Argent nodded in preliminary understanding.

Twilight pondered her many years of experience before laughing. "Trixie?" she asked, "I wish to append something to our little 'secret for a favor' deal."

"Trixie supposes it depends on what Sparkle wants of her," replied Trixie.

"Fair enough," said Twilight, "Suppose I wanted to learn Illusion magic from you."

Trixie laughed in Twilight's face. "Ha!" she shouted, "You want The Great and Powerful Trixie to teach you the secrets of her fantastical apparitions?" She stood and flared her magic. A second Twilight with a wand for a cutie mark sneered at the original on the couch. "Durrrr, I'm the Princess of Magic and I can't even cast a simple disguise spell!" The disguise faded and Trixie fell to the floor laughing. "Why would Trixie give up the one thing she is better than Sparkle at?"

Twilight took the insult in stride; she'd heard worse from the cyan mare over the years. She stood and walked over to the still prone Trixie. "Because I can tell you where to start looking for answers to your little control issue," said Twilight as she reached down and tweaked Trixie's horn.

"You told Trixie you didn't know what caused her problem," said the showmare.

"I don't," replied Twilight, "But I happen to know of something with a Moon Chaos Line conjunction." She looked down on the now silent Trixie. "Just show me the basics," she said, "what you just did should be enough."

Trixie stood and looked to her brother. He looked at Twilight and shrugged. "She's got that look that usually means, 'I know something important'," he said. "Just take the deal."

"Ughh," said Trixie as she turned back to Twilight, "Fine, Trixie agrees." She reluctantly held out her hoof.

Twilight smiled in triumph and bumped the proffered hoof with her own. "Tell the younger me to analyze the Alicorn Amulet," she said, "Particularly the..."

"Do you think Trixie is stupid?" interrupted the annoyed showmare. "Trixie already had Twilight check the Amulet."

"Let me guess," said Twilight, "She read a book that says it only alters moon lines and promptly moved on to other ideas."

Trixie paused and narrowed her eyes. "Go on," she said.

"The amulet alters the user based on their intentions," she said, "If she uses it to, I don't know, get petty revenge on somepony whose only crime was protecting her town, the Chaos line is magnified." Twilight noted the ever so subtle look of shame in Trixie's face and continued. "She'll become a chaotic megalomaniac."

"And if she wants to boost her magical abilities to better protect her people?" asked Argent with a slightly annoyed expression on his face.

Twilight coughed and hung her head in shame. "She'll turn into a rules obsessed tyrant." She shrugged off the shame of her actions long ago and smiled at Trixie. "Just tell Twilight to analyze the Amulet for herself; Zecora should still have it. Past that, I would suggest looking up the Amulet's creator."

"Trixie will pass that along," said the showmare. "I suppose you'll want Trixie's spell now?"

"Well, not all right now," said Twilight, "Even I won't be able to master a spell in a single day."

"The perfect Twilight Sparkle will probably learn it in an hour," sighed Trixie as she started giving away her best tricks.

It would take her the better part of a week to master the spell. Trixie's wounded ego took it as a small victory. The information Twilight provided in return led to many nights of study by her younger self. The younger Argent, aided by Spike, began an exhaustive search for the details behind the pony who forged the Amulet. Spike was on the top of the rolling ladder, his claws grabbing the spine of an extremely large tome.

"Oh yeah," said Spike, "Shining thought that he could practice his skills by filling me full of soda and dodging my flaming burps." He grabbed the book and handed it down to his assistant. "Mama Velvet grounded him for a week for burning the curtains." The drake hopped down from the ladder and pushed it to the end of row of bookshelves. "And Twilight made him buff my scales every day of his punishment."

Argent barked a laugh and slapped Spike on the back. "Nice," he said, "I think you have me beat, but a deal's a deal." Argent levitated the book in front of him as they made their way across the library's main floor. "So, I'm on my first day of squiring for your illustrious brother, and we're walking towards the guard room in the Princesses' wing of the castle: You know the hallway with all the vases and standing mirrors?" Spike nodded and Argent continued. "Well Princess Cadenza comes out of her Aunt's quarters, smiles at the cap and says 'Hi Shining Armor.' He says something that sort of comes out like a frog trying to imitate a parrot squawking 'Hi Cadance,' and promptly crashed into a vase, which crashed into a mirror, and so on until the entire hallway is covered in shards of glass and pottery." Argent laughed at the memory. "He swore me to secrecy and told everypony a bird flew in through an open window."

"Oh boy," said Spike, "I can't wait until Shiney comes to visit." Spike rubbed his claws together deviously. "I'll tell you Argent, having blackmail material on my brother is about the best gift a dragon could ask for."

Argent chuckled and opened the door to the study. "Agreed," he said, "Remind me to tell you about Trixie's first magic show sometime. The matrons still won't serve noodles in the cafeteria." He set the large tome on the desk in front of Twilight. "Here you are," he said proudly, "The Artificer's Almanac: A Who's Who of Pony Enchanters." He sat next to Twilight and opened the obscure reference guide.

Twilight looked over his shoulder at the table of contents. "There!" she said excitedly, "Shoebert the Desperate."

Argent flipped the pages until they came upon the entry and began to read:

Shoebert the Desperate was the preeminent scholar on the magics that artificially prolong life. Originally known for all manner of emergency medical spells still in use today, the brilliant master of restorative magics became a recluse shortly after his Thirtieth birthday when he was diagnosed with a slowly developing terminal illness. Rumors of self experimentation and worse began circulating around Canterlot after screams were reported emanating from his laboratory. Investigations by the city guard revealed nothing incriminating, but Shoebert went west, past Buffalo territory, to continue his research away from prying eyes.

Nothing is known of his activities, and many assumed his illness had claimed him. These notions were proven false when he returned from his exile and led a one pony war against the forces of Canterlot. His power was amplified by his crowning achievement: The Alicorn Amulet. Claiming that he was the incarnation of the god of death, Shoebert left a trail of battered and broken royal guards on his march towards Canterlot. Constance Care, a medic tending to an injured guard called out the mad wizard and challenged him to prove that he could still heal. Shoebert removed the amulet and began saving each and every pony he had hurt on that day. Constance took possession of the amulet and presented it to the Princess on her arrival to the battlefield.

Upon removing the Amulet, Shoebert's body quickly began failing him. The once imposing unicorn stallion soon became a pale shadow of his former self. By the time the last pony had been healed, he was little more than skin and bones. Unrecognized by the ponies around him, he was last seen headed west towards his Laboratory. Subsequent investigations found a small collapsed ruin to the west of modern day Appleoosa. Nothing of note was found.

"I guess we need to check out those ruins," said Twilight, "He may have left notes or clues as to how he made the amulet, or how to restore Trixie's magic." She saw the anxious look on Spike's face. "No Spike," she said, "I'm not going to make you watch the library and miss your trip." The dragon exhaled in relief. "In fact," continued Twilight, "Why don't you ask Pinkie if she wants to ride in the royal car with all of us?" Spike tore out of the study in a blur of green and purple. Twilight chuckled at his enthusiasm. "He's really been looking forward to this trip," she said with a grin.

Argent nodded and closed the large tome. "I'll ready some supplies and let the station know to have your car readied," said Argent confidently. He was far better prepared for planning excursions than he was at researching obscure magical lore. "Trixie should be back from her walk soon," he said as he started towards the door, "She'll be ready to go. She always packs light."

"Trixie was right as usual," said the showmare, "Nopony is looking twice." The two disguised ponies beside her warily looked around the avenue they strolled down. Argent had chosen to keep his coat its normal silver, while the color of his mane was altered to a deep burnt orange with yellow stripes. His cutie mark now appeared as a shield over a sword on a red flag. Twilight changed her coat to an off white and her mane to an alternating green and blue. The six pointed star of her cutie mark sprouted two more points on the side to form a compass rose, complete with embellished cardinal directions. "The disguise is only as good as your performance allows it to be," lectured Trixie for the umpteenth time. She led them to the small open air cafe across from the town hall.

"And there's no way to hide my wings?" asked Twilight, "I'm hating these corsets."

"Trixie doesn't know," replied the annoyed cyan unicorn, "Most unicorns don't have that problem. You could always go ask your fellow princesses."

"Point taken," muttered Twilight. She took a deep breath and walked to the greeter. "Good afternoon," she said, "Table for three please."

"Of course madame," replied the mustachioed earth pony, "If you will follow me?"

After being seated and ordering, Twilight finally started feeling confident enough in her disguise to relax. "We can't thank you enough Trixie," she said, "I don't know if you'll be different when we get back, but I hope we can still be friends. I enjoyed it far more than our other encounters."

"No leaving yet," said Trixie playfully, "You still owe me a favor." She looked to her brother across the table, his face frozen in shock.

"Trixie," said the pony behind her, "Do I have to lecture you about extortion again?" Her brother bowed to the two ponies across the table. "Terribly sorry to interrupt," he said, "but I've got some news for Trixie that just can't wait."

Trixie saw her chance to prove the effectiveness of her spell. "Argent, have a seat," she said to her brother, "we were just sitting down for a snack." She patted the small pile of soft hay next to her. "This is Horizon Walker and Oracle Dreams," she said as her brother sat down. "They're friends from the road."

"We're cartographers," explained Twilight, "You're sister has been a great source of information for us for many years."

"Helpful you say," said the younger Argent, "I don't believe I've ever heard that adjective associated with my dear sister." He cringed as the cyan hoof cuffed the side of his head. "That's more like it," he said rubbing his ear. "We're taking our little project on the road," he said, "Turns out there are some ruins west of Appleoosa we need to investigate."

"Shoebert's Lab?" asked the elder Argent. He stifled a yelp as Twilight jabbed him in the ribs.

"Yeah," said Argent quizzically, "You've been there Mr. Walker?"

"We've mapped the area," said Twilight quickly. "We visited Appleoosa and mapped the whole area a few years back." She nervously took a sip from her water. "There's really nothing out there but tumbleweeds and dust."

"I wouldn't waste the Princess's time, and it's pretty dangerous out there" said the elder stallion to his younger self. "There are some pretty nasty creatures in the area: Poisonous snakes, wild dogs, even saw a giant tarantula."

"I'm a professional," said the younger Argent proudly, "I think I can handle a few wild animals." He threw a hoof around Trixie's shoulder and hugged her. "Trixie needs our help, and this is our only lead." Six loud chimes rang out across the village from the Ponyville Clock Tower. "Sorry guys, I have to run," he said apologetically, "Trixie, meet us at the train station at seven. Your saddlebags are on your bed with a few essentials." He stood and bowed to his sister's acquaintances. "It was a pleasure meeting you both," he said before trotting out of the cafe and towards the train station.

"Trixie, you have to keep them from going on that trip," said Argent desperately, "You can't go there, not now." Twilight nodded in agreement, fear evident on her face.

"He said it's the only chance Trixie has to fix her magic," replied the confused cyan unicorn, "A few wild beasts don't scare The Great and Powerful Trixie."

"Trixie, there's something horrible out there," said Twilight, "Something even we fear, even though we defeated it once before."

Argent took his marefriend's shaking hooves in his. "Trixie, we had years of experience and the Crown of Harmony on our side," said the stallion, "and we emerged from that day with more than a few scars."

Trixie saw the look of terror on both ponies' faces. "Trixie could call in her favor," she said flatly.

Twilight buried her face in Argent's chest, her rapid breathing audible to the unicorn across the table. The stallion closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Please don't," he said, "just convince them to delay this. You don't want to deal with Shoebert's Lab; not yet."

"Argent," said Trixie desperately, "I can't use my magic!" Trixie noticed the other patrons staring after her loud outburst and lowered her voice. "I can't find them, not like this. You two may be scared of this place, but I'm more terrified of a life without my magic." She stood and flipped a few bits onto the table. "Trixie will be back soon," she said, "If either of you wish to be of any real help, you know where Trixie will be."

"Wowee!" said Pinkie Pie as she walked around the posh train car attached to the back of the Friendship Express, "This is going to be the most fancy pants train ride ever!" The porter following her levitated her bags into the overhead bins above the posh sleeping alcove.

"The apples have been loaded in the cargo cart as requested Princess," said the porter with a bow, "Is there any other service you or your guests require?"

"No, thank you," replied Twilight politely, "Everyone has been most helpful on such short notice."

The porter left to tend to his remaining duties, leaving the four ponies and one dragon to settle themselves. "Trixie sees that being a princess certainly has its perks," said the show mare after slowly whistling at the luxurious transport. She had tried to forget about the dire warning her older brother had given her, but the fear in the eyes of the older Sparkle could not be dispelled. "You don't need to rush all this on Trixie's account," she said, "We could always try to learn more about Trixie's condition before any expedition."

"Nonsense," said Twilight, "This is the best information we have. There's no sense in delaying it, especially when I can get us all there so quickly."

"And you all get to go to the best Western Days Party ever!" shouted Pinkie Pie, "You can't miss that!"

"All aboard!" shouted a pony from one of the forward cars. A great cacophony of hissing steam and grinding steel accompanied the initial jerk of motion as the Friendship Express got underway. A few ponies started running along the slowly accelerating locomotive, waving to their friends or family.

"Wait," shouted a loud voice from behind royal car, "Stop the train!"

The car's occupants trotted to the rear balcony in time to see two older cloaked unicorns galloping towards the departing train. Trixie waved her hoof at the pursuing ponies. "Hurry!" she yelled as she felt the train slowly build up speed. The stallion levitated his companion's saddle bags to his back, allowing her to sprint closer to the train. Trixie held out her hoof as the cloaked mare edged closer to the railing. "She's not going to make it," thought Trixie. The showmare hopped over the railing and balanced precariously on the edge of the car, much to her contemporary brother's chagrin. With one foreleg looped around the railing, she reached her hoof towards the galloping mare.

With a grunt of effort the older Twilight leapt forward and grabbed Trixie's hoof with her own. Trixie tried pulling the mare in but soon found herself losing her grip on the railing. The younger Twilight wrapped Trixie in a lavender aura, anchoring her to the train while Argent reached over the side and helped pull the mare onto the balcony.

Twilight gulped air in loud long breaths and looked back towards Argent. He was barely keeping pace with the train, each attempt to gain ground was nullified by the locomotive's slow and steady acceleration. She pulled Trixie over the railing and pushed her back into the car. "Too far away too levitate," thought the cloaked mare. A creaking sound of bending metal accompanied the railing ripping loose from the rear of the car. The curved steel pole groaned as the lavender aura shaped it straight. She extended the beam out the rear of the train and exhorted Argent to grab it.

The stallion grabbed the spar and awkwardly ran on his rearlegs while hanging on for dear life with his forelegs. Twilight slowly pulled him in, floating the end of the steel shaft into the car. Once aboard the railcar, the cloaked stallion collapsed to his knees in exhaustion and hung his head while trying to catch his breath. Twilight let the mangled railing crash to the floor and sat next to Argent on the car's rear porch. She placed her forehead to his and held his hooves in hers.

Twilight walked towards the two unicorns huddled on the porch. She stepped over the metal pole that ran along the floor of her rail car. She tried lifting it with her magic, and only succeeded in nudging it to the side of the aisle. "You're them aren't you?" she asked the two cloaked strangers in awe. "You saved the Pegasi in the forest didn't you?"

The older Twilight sighed as she rubbed her head against her Argent's. "You can do this," he whispered while brushing his lips against hers. She smiled and stood to face herself. Her blue and green mane billowed in the wind as she dropped to a knee. "Yes Princess," she said with as much deference as she could muster. She reached behind her and helped Argent to his feet.

"Why all the secrecy?" asked the younger stallion as he stepped between Twilight and the two newcomers. He looked over his shoulder at Trixie. "And why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Your sister didn't know," interrupted the older Argent, "And it was nothing to get too excited about,"

"Don't you think that should be Princess Twilight's decision?" asked the younger stallion angrily, "Those things kidnapped four ponies; who's to say they won't come back?" He swiveled his head when he felt the hoof on his shoulder.

"It's alright Argent," said Twilight gently, "Everypony is accounted for and Zecora is keeping an eye out for more Kenku." She moved to his side and urged both bowing ponies to rise. "Please," she said in embarrassment, "None of that." She ushered all the ponies into the cabin. "I think introductions are in order," she said after they had all settled around the large circular table at the center of the royal train car.

"Oooh, Ooooh," said Pinkie Pie waving her hooves wildly in the air, "I can do it! Let me do it!" Twilight smiled and nodded to her friend. Pinkie fell out of her stool and disappeared from view. She popped up behind Twilight and pulled her wings out with her hooves. "Princess Twilight Sparkle!" she exclaimed before vanishing. She appeared across the table behind Trixie at an impossible speed. "Trixie Lulamoon!"

"Argent Defender!"

"Spike!"

She appeared in between the two new ponies and threw her forelegs around both of their necks. "Horizon Walker and Oracle Dreams!" she said pulling each to her cheek before disappearing again. A hat case fell from the overhead storage area and landed in the center of the table.

"Pinkie Pie!" shouted the party pony as she emerged from the round box in a flurry of confetti and streamers. The assorted ponies looked at each other and burst into laughter. Pinkie strolled back to her seat with a proud gait that screamed "Mission Accomplished."

"So Ms. Dreams," said Twilight as she wiped a tear of laughter from her eye, "Why in the wide world of Equestria did you have to risk injury to get on this train?"

"Just Oracle is fine," she said with a smile, "and to answer your question, we overheard Argent telling Trixie about your expedition." She took the proffered cupcake from Pinkie who was making her way around the table distributing the tasty treats. "Horizon and I have actually been to the ruins," she explained while peeling the wrapper from the pastry. "The area is very dangerous, and we decided that no Princess of Equestria would face that danger alone and unaware."

"That's quite generous," said Argent from across the table, "but we're quite capable of defending ourselves."

"I know you think you've seen it all Guardspony Defender," said the elder stallion, "But spend a few years wandering like us and you'll find that there are worse things out there than Changelings." The younger stallion narrowed his eyes and glared at the older.

"Trixie agrees with Horizon and Oracle," said the cyan mare, "Trixie has heard stories about the badlands that would chill your bones."

"Ghost Stories!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, "Great idea Trixie!" The pink mare ran around the car pulling down the curtains at each window. She placed an elaborate candelabra on the center of the table and turned off the lights. "Okay go!" she said while holding her hooves to her chin.

Trixie smiled a wicked grin and floated her cape to her back from its hook on the wall. "The Great and Powerful Trixie has faced many of Equestria's most horrifying denizens," began the confident showmare, "but the creature I will tell you about made even Trixie flee in terror." She walked around the table, periodically grabbing one of the ponies in the audience by the shoulder to add shock value. As the minutes passed by, looks of amusement were replaced by wide eyes and anxious shakes.

The train passed through a thunderstorm, further heightening the tension in the car. Rain pelted the windows as Trixie stood atop the large table mimicking the characters in her story. "As Trixie drank from the cold spring water of the desert oasis, the squeaky scratching sound reached a crescendo," said Trixie, raising her hoofs in the air, "Trixie turned, only to find her guide Sure Hooves limping towards her." She crouched and limped towards the young dragon whose eyes peaked up from under the edge of the table. "Trixie asked what was wrong, and Sure Hooves stopped just feet away," she said in a quiet voice. She held the pose until she saw the flash of lightning outside. Trixie blew out the candles and jumped into the middle of the table. "Sure Hooves opened his mouth, and piles of large angry beetles poured out, until nothing was left of him but an empty skin!" The crack of thunder led to several shrieks of fright. "Trixie blasted the bugs to oblivion with hornfire, but the scratching sound...it wouldn't stop," Trixie's horn flared, providing a dim light that illuminated her actions. She fell to the ground and began crawling. "Trixie has heard that scratching ever since," she said in a very convincing terrified tone. She rolled over onto her side in the middle of the table, her horn starting to flicker very slowly. "Wait," she said in alarm, "It stopped...Why did it stop?!" She opened her mouth and started to scream, but all that came out were a torrent of glowing illusory beetles.

Spike and Pinkie Pie screamed and jumped out of their seats. "The beetles are gonna eat our brains!" shouted Pinkie as she hobbled on the three legs that Spike wasn't attached to. She jumped into the sleeping alcove and hid under the covers.

Trixie burst out in laughter and released her magic before it was close to going wild. "Only two out of six," she said with disappointment, "Maybe Trixie has lost her touch." She turned to see her older brother squeezing "Oracle" like she was a comfort blanket. Her contemporary brother lie unconscious on his back, Twilight fanning him with her wing and glaring back at her.

"Hah," she said with a laugh, "Still got it."

After a restless night of sleep, interrupted multiple times by Spike waking in screams, dawn broke on the horizon and heralded the beginning of a new day. Twilight opened her eyes and brushed the green and blue mane off of her face. "Such an amazing spell," she thought as she gently shook the stallion that had wrapped himself around her waist. "Wake up love," she whispered into his ear.

Argent yawned and rubbed his muzzle against Twilight's. "Sorry about last night," he said sheepishly, "Trixie did that on purpose."

"Of course she did," said Twilight, "but it helped break the ice, so I think we can forgive her this time." She reached into her saddlebags and pulled out her brush. Argent eagerly took it in his hooves and began pulling it through her disheveled mane. "You're getting quite good at this," she said, sighing in delight. Argent smiled and moved the brush to the soft short hair of her stomach.

"Who wants muffins!" said Pinkie Pie as she poked her head through the obviously ineffective privacy curtain.

The pink pony let out a gleeful "Wheee!" as she flew across the car surrounded by a lavender aura.

"Good muffins," said Twilight as the stallion resumed her morning grooming. Once finished, Argent stepped out onto the car's porch and did his morning stretches while Twilight carefully removed her corset and tenderly stretched her wings in the privacy of the well appointed washroom. The exercise routine and herbs Zecora had provided were starting to add more definition to the atrophied appendages. "I might even be able to glide someday," thought Twilight bitterly. She had replaced the corset and had finished lacing it up with the train suddenly began decelerating, causing her to stumble. She donned her cloak and ran back into the car.

Trixie was rubbing the back of her head while the younger Argent and Twilight trotted to the front of the car. Her Argent waved at her from the rear door. "What's going on," she asked as she trotted over to him.

Argent carefully leaned out and pointed along the train's side. A few hundred yards from where the train stopped rose a large dome of roiling black energy from the desert floor. Through the turbulent magic energy could be glimpsed the shapes of simple wooden buildings.

"Is that Appleoosa?" asked Twilight in shock.

"I think so," replied Argent, "I'm pretty sure I saw the clock tower." He glanced back at his worried partner. "They brought the amulet with them didn't they?"

"They must have," said Twilight, "He wouldn't have made a move unless he felt it nearby." She pulled Argent towards the door and lowered her voice. "Get the saddlebags, I'll see about getting through the barrier." Argent nodded and trotted back into the car.

Twilight jumped to the ground and began galloping towards the front of the train. Several of the passengers who had stuck their heads out the window pointed at the galloping unicorn shouting questions as she passed by. Twilight ignored them and eventually approached the scintillating black dome. Waves of dark energy cascaded over the surface of the bubble, kicking up dust as they collided with the ground. Twilight probed the dome with her horn, eliciting a hissing spark. "Same signature," she thought to herself as she flared her magic and started casting a counter-spell. The ray of purple energy pierced the barrier producing a shower of black and lavender sparks. A circular portal began to expand.on the surface of the dome, opening slowly like an iris. She remained focused on the barrier as the rumble of galloping hooves drew closer.

"The barrier is the same," she said, "I'll have a large enough opening in a moment."

"You've actually seen this before Oracle?" asked the mare behind her.

Twilight muttered a curse under her breath, but remained focused on dispelling the barrier. "Yes Princess," she said, "Horizon and I saw a similar barrier closer to the ruins the last time we were here." She sighed and succumbed to practicality. "It's an entropic barrier feeding off of chaos. A concentrated blast of hornfire from the 8th ley line disrupts the barrier locally."

The younger Twilight nodded and fired a ray of energy that converged with the older's. The twin jets of lavender energy increased the rate at which the portal opened. The two stallions appeared soon after with Trixie, Pinkie Pie and Spike in tow. The older Twilight released her magic and nodded at the Princess. "This should hold long enough," she said while turning to face the assembled group. "Horizon and I will lead the way, stay close and stay quiet."

"Princess this has gone far enough," said Argent, "I can't let you put yourself in danger like this. We don't even know what's in there!"

"You don't get to decide that for me!"

"You don't get to decide that for...her!"

Argent withered under the glares of the two Twilights. The younger mare nodded to the older and pulled her bodyguard aside from the group. "I know you take your duty seriously Argent," she said with sympathy, "but I'm not some porcelain doll to be placed on a shelf and admired from afar."

"But Captain Armor said..." plead the stallion.

"You're my guard now," interrupted the princess, "and I need to be out there helping anypony who needs me." She placed a hoof firmly on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "What I need is somepony to watch my back and pull me out of the fire when it gets too hot." She smiled at the stallion who had spent nearly every waking hour with her over the last two weeks. "Can you do that for me Argent?"

"Yes Ma'am" he replied softly, "I just don't want to let anypony down, least of all you."

"Fear not Argent Defender," said Twilight in jest, "For your Princess is most forgiving." She smiled as she saw the stallion's frown turn upside down. "Good, now lets see what this is all about." They rejoined the group and followed the older unicorns through the breach in the foreboding black dome.

Appleloosa, being a relatively new town, was a centralized compact place. Narrow dirt roads lined on each side with rustic wooden buildings led into a central plaza. As the group of ponies approached one of the main boulevards from the east, the sounds of their hooves striking the sun baked ground rang across the deserted street.

"If Trixie sees a tumbleweed, she'll scream," said the cyan mare. She rolled her eyes as a quartet of shushes were aimed at her. A flash of white from her periphery vision caught her attention. "Wait," she whispered, "what was that?" She pointed towards a small alley between houses. She took a few steps towards the narrow passageway. A rattling noise from behind a dumpster caused her to halt. "Come out here," she called, "Trixie is here to help."

A thin bleached white hoof stepped into view, followed by a far too thin foreleg and skeletal rib cage. The skeletal earth pony saw the collection of ponies and emitted a horrible screech from the empty cavity of its skull. The older Argent pulled his round shield from beneath his cloak and hurled it at the beast. As it shattered into a pile of bones, three more galloped from the alley and cried out in a terrible shriek.

Argent telekinetically pulled his shield back and held it against the oncoming stampede of bones. "Run!" he shouted as he deflected the bite of a desiccated unicorn, its horn digging a large gouge in the wood of his shield. "Get to the Town Hall!" A torrent of lavender fire immolated the skeleton approaching him from the side.

"Do as he says," shouted the older Twilight, "We'll hold these off and meet you there." She lowered her horn and blasted two more of the creatures as they appeared from around another building.

Trixie nodded and levitated Spike to her back. "Argent, you lead the way," she said, "Spike will watch behind us." The stallion began galloping, the princess following closely on his hooves. Pinkie Pie stayed just in front of Trixie as they all galloped towards the large square clock tower and attached meeting hall at the center of the town.

"They're far enough away," said Argent as he bucked the skull off of an onrushing corpse.

Twilight nodded and threw up a small barrier around herself and Argent. Dozens of the skeletal equines charged the small lavender dome, beating their hooves and heads against the barrier. Small cracks began to propagate along the shimmering wall of energy. Twilight thrust her horn straight into the air and opened her now glowing white eyes. A pillar of white fire erupted from the ground. The bones of the skeletal ponies disintegrated in the white hot concentrated flame. As it disappeared, the column of fire left a smoking, donut shaped crater, a lavender dome at its center.

Twilight lowered the smoking barrier and hopped over the circular ditch. "Let's go," she said, "He'll be in the ruins. They can handle things here."

Argent nodded and looked back towards the town hall. "I really hope Trixie read that note," he said as they made their way back towards the breach in the black dome.

Spike yelled when the tower of flame rose from behind the galloping ponies. "We gotta go back!"

"Oracle can handle herself," Trixie shouted, "Keep an eye out for more of those things!" Her hat fluttered in the wind as they continued their stampede towards the town hall.

"They're coming!" moaned Spike as several of the skeletons charged from the alleys between buildings. "Go go go go!" he repeatedly shouted. The large clock tower came into view as they approached the plaza.

"They're surrounding the Hall," yelled Argent. He pulled up about a hundred yards short of the large building. The creatures slammed themselves futility against the heavy oaken doors. The sound of shrieks heralded the imminent arrival of a pack of the galloping dead from behind them.

"They'll be surrounding us soon," shouted Twilight. "We have to get in that building," she shouted. She judged the distance between herself and the door and nodded. "When I say go, I want you all to charge at those doors," she said turning towards the three ponies and dragon. "I'll get them open," she said to Argent, forestalling her guard's objections. "Trust me."

Argent nodded confidently and levitated his shield in front of him. Trixie stomped her feet on the ground and gave Twilight a wink. Pinkie Pie crouched and gave a fierce growl; as fierce a growl as any terrified pink pony had ever managed in the history of Equestria.

Twilight visualized the town hall from her previous visit a few years earlier. She gathered her magic and began casting her teleportation spell. "Go!" she shouted before disappearing in a flash of light.

Argent roared and threw himself forward at full tilt. Trixie and Pinkie followed in his wake as they quickly closed the distance to the town hall. He plowed into the first skeleton thirty yards from the door, his shield blasting into the beast's side like a battering ram. The shrieks of Skeletons filled the air as he knocked another two out of his path. The creatures at the doors spun around and started galloping at the onrushing ponies. Trixie flared her horn and sent a few of her pyrotechnic blasts at the corpses running towards their flank. The resulting explosions showered the plaza with bone. The large double doors remained closed, several of the beasts still throwing themselves against them. Twenty yards became ten, and Argent continued his breakneck pace.

At the last possible second the doors burst open smashing the nearby skeletons to pieces. Twilight emerged and began rapidly firing bolts of energy at the horde of skeletons bearing down upon her friends and the entryway. Argent reached her side, turned, and raised his shield against the oncoming beasts. Once Pinkie Pie galloped into the building, followed shortly by Trixie with a screaming Spike on her back, Twilight and Argent slowly retreated through the doorway. Once clear, Twilight slammed the doors shut with her magic. She held it in place against the crush of creatures on the other side while Argent slammed the heavy door-bar across the brackets built into the large oaken doors. Twilight sighed in relief and released her magic.

She walked to the gasping stallion leaning against the door in exhaustion, his hooves still grasping the door-bar. "I don't know why you ever thought you would let me down," she whispered while patting him on the back, "that was wonderfully done."

Argent smiled proudly and dropped his hooves to the floor. "You need to teach me that," he said with a smirk, "Galloping is overrated." A cough from further in the room interrupted their reprieve.

"Braeburn!" shouted Pinkie Pie ecstatically.

Twilight and Argent turned to see Pinkie crushing Applejack's cousin in a tight hug. His vest was tattered and his hat had several notches on it. A red stained bandage wound around a rear thigh. Behind him a large mass of battered ponies stared at the newcomers with mixture of confusion, awe, and hope.

"Welcome to Appleoosa," said Braeburn without his normal exuberance, "But I reckon ya'll are stuck with us now."

Author's Note

Alternative titles: "Ponies, Trains and the Undead.

10,000+ words, so I'm positive I missed more than a few errors, but I'm happy that I got to the stopping point I was aiming at. The next chapter should be fun to write, so expect it sooner rather than later.

Ch. 8: The Trotting Dead

A wave of cheers ran through the Appleoosans gathered in the town hall as word spread that a princess had arrived to deliver them from the terrors that walked their sleepy little town. Twilight made her way through the crowd, commiserating with the distressed ponies, and offering a reassuring embrace to those who needed one. Questions came at her from every direction so quickly that they coalesced into a white noise of desperation and sorrow. She climbed the stairs to an elevated stage that dominated one side of the large auditorium. Argent followed her with Braeburn in tow.

"Everypony, please calm down," she said pleadingly. The dull roar continued unabated, leaving Twilight convinced that a bit of magical amplification was needed. "Quiet, please!" she shouted, her voice augmented with an invisible cone of solid air. Her words echoed off the walls several times in the confines of the now silent meeting hall. "Thank you," she said without magical aid. "I know everypony is frightened, but we're all going to need to stay calm to get through this." She turned to Braeburn and waved for him to join her. "Braeburn," she said for all to hear, "what is the most pressing problem?"

"I reckon it's the schoolhouse," he replied resolutely, "When the dome came down and those things came through, Sheriff Silver Star and a few of his deputies ran to fetch the children. We haven't seen them in hours, and every time we try to get past those creatures we get pushed back here." Several shouts for the princess to save the children echoed through the auditorium. "If we can get the colts and fillies back here, it would take an awful weight off our hearts," said Braeburn.

"Then that's what we'll do," replied Twilight. "While we come up with a plan to get to the schoolhouse, I want everypony to look around the building for anything that might be useful in getting past these things." The crowd began moving around the room and into the meeting rooms and offices of the large building. The fear and anxiety of the crowd was diminished as they focused on the task at hand. Twilight's company joined the alicorn on the stage.

"Argent, you're the Guardpony here," she said as they circled around her, "any ideas on how we can get the children here?"

"Well, they seem very focused on the plaza," he said with a hoof to his chin. "Perhaps if we can keep their attention on the front doors, a group can sneak out and make their way to the school."

"A diversion?" asked Braeburn.

"A little bit more than that," replied Argent. "We need to keep them pinned down for however long it will take for somepony to get to the school, find the ponies there, and return them to the town hall." He walked over to the young dragon and rubbed his head spines. "Spike wisely sent a message to Princess Celestia from the train before we entered, so a division of guards should be on its way. We get everypony safely here and hold out until they arrive."

"That might be asking too much," said Braeburn with a sigh, "Some of these folks are injured, and the rest are terrified." He stretched his injured leg and stomped it on the floor for good measure. "I reckon I'm up for it though." He looked around the crowd and mumbled as he counted out loud. "I'd say we've got maybe thirty solid young stallions and mares, twice as many older or injured, and even more young'ins and seniors."

"I think we can find something for everypony to do," replied Argent, "We'll need everypony's help to pull this off." He arched his neck and looked towards the ceiling. "Is there anyway to get into the clock tower and onto the roof?"

Braeburn nodded and pointed at a door behind the stage, "There's a staircase that takes you up the clock tower," he said. "There's a door to the roof on one of the landings."

"Perfect," replied Argent, "We'll put some of the injured and older ponies up there. They can throw whatever we can find while a few ponies hold them at the door."

"It could work," said Twilight, "But who will go with me for the children?"

"I'll need you here," said Argent. He saw the flash of annoyance in his charge's face and moved to defuse her anger. "Things will be much more dangerous here," he said, "and we'll need all the magic you can give us."

"Trixie can do it," answered the Trixie. "Even with her magic compromised, Trixie can use her illusions to hide."

"I wanna go too," said Pinkie Pie with a serious look of determination on her normally smiling face.

Twilight nodded and smiled at her friend. "Giggle and the ghosties huh?"

Pinkie returned the grin and patted her saddlebags. "Auntie Pinkie has some other tricks up her sleeves."

"Trixie will need a guide," said the showmare, "preferably somepony who the children know and trust."

"I reckon cousin Applejack would tan my hide if I didn't help her friends myself," said the earth pony stallion. "My leg ain't so bad that I can't move quickly and quietly, but I'm not gonna be much use in a stand up brawl."

"But your hide is already so close to tan!" said Pinkie. "Well, more of a light gold, but why would AJ buy all that dye and ruin a tub just to make you tan? Plus, you look so good the way you are!"

"I mean to say that I'll be your guide Miss Pie," said Braeburn with a blush. "I know this town better than anypony. Celestia knows I've given enough tours."

"It's settled then," said Twilight, "You three will stand a better chance at sneaking past them than a larger group." She walked to Argent and laid a hoof on his back while Trixie, Braeburn, and Pinkie left to plan their mission. "Are you sure you can hold the door?" she asked, "Even with some of the larger stallions here, you'll be hard pressed by those monsters."

Argent nodded and smiled. "It'll be like your brother's wedding all over again." He saw her confused face and laughed. "You don't even remember seeing me there do you?"

"It was a busy day," replied Twilight, "Forgive me if I can't remember every single guard."

"I was one of you brother's groomsponies," retorted the stallion, "well, I was a replacement for one of them."

"The fidgety unicorn in the too-small coat!" said Twilight suddenly. "That was you?" She laughed and playfully shoved Argent with her hoof. "Rarity nearly had a fit over the 'Ill dressed lout' who was ruining the wedding."

"Hey, it wasn't my idea," said Argent defensively. "The captain made my attendance my first official duty as his squire." He raked a hoof through his mane. "And seeing as how I spent the previous day fighting off changelings at the orphanage door, I was a bit too exhausted to argue."

"Well then," said Twilight, "I suppose you had best take care of yourself then."

"Oh?" said Argent, perplexed by the statement.

"Quite," replied Twilight, "You may not know it, but you're a fashion felon and must face the judgement of Rarity." She giggled and pictured the penance he'd have to endure to appease the fashion maven. "If you were to return with your, and I'm quoting here, 'simply marvelous lustrous coat,' marred, well I'm not quite sure you'd survive her wrath."

"There it is," said Argent as he squinted against the glare of the midday sun and mopped the sweat from his brow. "Sweet Celestia, I forgot how hot it was out here." He floated the spyglass towards Twilight, who grabbed it with her own magic.

She looked through the collapsible tube at the cluster of dilapidated stone buildings set at the base of a large mesa. A small pool of water fed by a subterranean spring allowed a grove of apricot trees to blossom in the harsh badlands. Twilight folded up the small telescope and placed it back in Argent's saddlebag. "I don't see any movement," she said, "He may have sent them all to Appleoosa."

"Makes sense," replied Argent, "That's where the amulet is after all."

Twilight looked towards the ruined lab of Shoebert the Desperate. "Let's get this over with," she said with steely determination.

The pair trotted towards the collapsed building, taking cover behind the trees of the oasis as they approached. Argent took the lead and wove his way around the rubble towards the shear mesa cliff that had at one time acted as the rear wall of the stone building. Occasional shards of pottery and severely rotted wood poked out from under the collapsed roof and walls; the only evidence that the building had ever been inhabited. They reached the cliff face and began examining the worked stone. Argent placed his ear to the stone and began gently tapping his hoof against the rock wall.

"I know it's around here somewhere," mumbled the stallion. He slowly moved across the wall, until he heard the hollow echo he was listening for. "Right here," he said, pointing his hoof at the faux rock.

Twilight nodded and pointed her horn at the cliff. A ray shot from her horn and struck the stone face at the point Argent identified. She surrounded a small section of the wall with a lavender aura. With gritted teeth, she reared her head back and attempted to rip away the wall with her magic. Cracks formed around the rock face as Twilight strained herself. A small patch of the cliff face pulled away, revealing a passageway that extended some distance into the mesa.

Argent squeezed through the small opening and held his hoof out to help Twilight through the small portal. "Last chance to turn around and wait for help," he said as she set her hooves on the floor inside the passageway.

"No," she said while lighting the way with her horn. "You know what he's capable of, what he did to us last time." She shook her head to dispel the painful memory. "They're babies compared to what we were at the time. They would come here to face him, and they would be worse than dead." She started down the worked stone hallway, dimming the glow of her horn to illuminate only the immediate area. "Now keep your eyes open, he's sure to have some of his pets around."

They continued down the long hallway until it opened into a large chamber. Green crystals radiated a sickly green light from the walls. Twilight let the light from her horn wink out and warily stepped into the room. Three rows of regularly spaced stone slabs extended across the cavern. The floor was crisscrossed with small grooves connecting each slab to a larger channel that led to a small pool at the end of the room. Flakes of dried blood stained nearly every surface and the smell of iron pervaded the air.

"Nothing fresh," said Argent as he examined each stone table. "At least we know he hasn't been too active." Twilight nodded and waved him over to the large double doors on the other side of the collection pool. "His throne is on the other side of this door," she whispered, "Remember, you handle any of his thralls, I'll counter any of his magic. The Phylactery should still be above the throne."

Argent nodded, took a deep breath, and levitated his shield to his side. He reared up on his back hooves and slammed the door open with his forehooves. Two large skeletal forms stood before him as he regained his footing, their curved ossified beaks mere feet away from him. He had to time to mutter an oath and bring his shield in front of him before the first griffon skeleton slammed into him, its vicious foretalons narrowly diverted before they could rip out his throat. Twilight flared her horn and teleported a few feet into the room just as the second beast lashed a claw where she had been. She fired a blast of hornfire at the beast, but was not rewarded with the expected shower of bones. A dark black aura absorbed the brunt of her attack, staggering the creature, but leaving it otherwise unharmed.

Twilight took the opportunity to look towards the front of the chamber. The desiccated corpse that sat in the throne slowly swiveled its hideous head towards her, its empty eye sockets afire with a malevolent red glow. The abomination's mandible hung loosely from its skull as it rose to its hooves. Shriveled hide covered it in patches, with large gaps revealing blackened musculature and worse. A baleful laughter filled the room as the horror aimed its chipped grey horn at Twilight. She put up a curtain of sparkling purple energy in time to intercept the blast of black hornfire that erupted from the Lich.

Argent moved backwards as the creature swung its skeletal wing-bones at him like whips. He avoided a beak attack by falling onto his back. Levitating his shield in front of his rear hooves, he bucked it with all of his might as he released his levitation field. The solid steel bound shield rocketed into the creature's skull, separating it neatly from its spine. He rolled to the side to avoid the still flailing eagle talons. The beast thrashed around blindly, talons, claws and wings savaging the doors and stone around it. Argent ran into the throne room to engage the other beast.

The remaining griffon took advantage of Twilight's focus on the Lich to charge at the mare. She continued throwing up barriers as the black hornfire rained down upon her, shattering each wall of magical energy as if it were glass. Argent's horn flashed gold and his shield teleported in between the oncoming griffon and Twilight. He focused every ounce of magic he had in making the round shield hold its position as the beast impacted it. An explosion of bones flew from the collision like shrapnel. A sliver of it continued its momentum and grazed Twilight's cheek, opening a small stinging cut.

She continued deflecting the fell magical onslaught. "It's over Shoebert!" she shouted while countering a nasty paralysis spell. Her jeweled breastplate hummed as she drew on its reserves to augment her already potent magic. The lich hissed at her in frustration. Argent turned and used his magic to slam the door on the decapitated griffon skeleton, sealing it in the other room. He moved to the other side of the lich, flanking it between himself and Twilight.

"I have defied Celestia you worm," cackled the mad lich in anger. "Shoebert the Undying will not fall to one such as you." His boasting fell on deaf ears as Twilight continued her advance.

"Every wounded traveler, every defiled grave, every poor soul you've murdered will be avenged," said Twilight as she slowly strode towards the hideous walking corpse. She gathered her magic for a final blast of hornfire. "Not one more pony, griffon, or buffalo dies by your hooves you monster!" A single drop of blood fell from the shallow cut beneath her eye. Its trajectory abruptly altered before it could hit the ground, sending it hurtling into the lich's gaping maw.

"Alicorn," it said in delirious rapture. Several more drops began to funnel directly from Twilight's cut towards the undead wizard.

Twilight roared and sent a pony sized bar of searing white hornfire towards the evil abomination. Blinking away the afterimage of the blinding ray, she gasped as the Lich stood unharmed behind a disc of impossibly black magic. It was as if the very light in the room was pulled into its ebony abyss. Argent launched himself towards the throne, lashing a hoof at the blood red jewel centered on the top of the high backed stone seat.

"Pitiful," rasped the Lich as it casually caught Argent in a levitation field and sent him hurtling towards the far wall. Twilight teleported herself between Argent and the wall, catching him and slowing his momentum before being slammed against the wall. A sharp crack in her chest and the corresponding lance of pain from a broken rib left her gasping for air as she struggled to regain her footing. Before she could react, a ray of blackest night struck her and Argent. Her muscles all gave way at once and she collapsed to the ground in a heap. Both ponies were levitated and brought to a small stone altar before the throne. Twilight's eyes darted around, looking for some sign of movement from the unconscious stallion next to her.

The lich pressed a hoof to Twilight's cheek and brought it to its ruined face. An eerie wail of ecstasy filled the room and Shoebert began laughing manically. "With your blood I will reclaim my Amulet." He took a seat on his throne and sent a tendril of black energy to attach to Twilight's horn. "With your soul I will lay claim to all life in Equestria." Twilight tried to scream, but her body refused to cooperate.

"Be safe," said Argent as he hugged his sister. "Stay off the main roads if you can, and remember to signal us when you've reached the children."

"Blue starburst when we get there, red when we leave, and yellow when we've reached the plaza," Trixie said as she released her brother and donned the dusty linen cloak that somepony had found in a storeroom. "Trixie remembers, it was her idea after all." She turned towards Twilight who was squeezing Pinkie Pie in a hug of her own. Trixie waited for the two to part and pulled Twilight aside.

"You take care of him," she said seriously, "I know he's your guard, but he needs you to protect him too." Trixie looked over at her brother as he talked with Braeburn. "He's more than just a shield for other ponies."

Twilight nodded and straightened the hood of Trixie's cloak. "You should know I take care of my friends," she said while tightening the girth on her saddlebags. "Don't worry, he's safe with me." Twilight looked at the front door of the auditorium and lowered her voice. "About Horizon and Oracle," she began.

"You said that we'd go for them after we rescue the children," interrupted Trixie, "You promised."

"And we will," Twilight said, "but can you at least tell me why you're so sure they went to the ruins without us, and why they would do such a thing? I mean, how well do you know these ponies?"

Trixie almost burst into laughter at the suspicion on Twilight's face. "Trixie assures you Sparkle," she said with a semi contained grin of amusement, "Horizon and Oracle mean no harm to anypony. They'd sooner harm themselves." Trixie snorted in laughter as soon as the words left her mouth.

Twilight was confused by the humor that Trixie had found in the situation. She decided to let it drop: More serious matters had to be attended to first, and the pair of older unicorns certainly seemed to be able to take care of themselves. "Okay everypony," she said aloud to every pony in earshot. "Remember that we need to draw in as many of those things as we can, so make as much noise as equinely possible." She looked towards her friends and raised her hoof. "Trixie, you three head to the cellar and be ready for my signal. The rest of you head to your positions."

The clatter of hooves against wood filled the room as the townsponies of Appleoosa separated into three groups. Argent led the ablest stallions and mares to the front door. While he was the only pony armed with any martial weapon, the stout orchard workers and laborers all bore the well toned bodies of those familiar with hard labor. "Remember" said Argent to his ragtag militia, "We need to push them off the steps first. We'll want the higher ground if we plan on holding them off for longer than a few minutes."

Twilight followed the larger contingent of older mares and stallions, as well as a few older colts and fillies, up the winding clock tower stairs. They exited onto the flat roof and took their position near its edge. Small piles of debris lined the roof, each manned by an Appleoosan ready to distribute the make shift ammunition to nearby ponies. The final group stayed inside the town hall, making a equine chain to keep supplies moving up the roof.

Twilight stepped to the edge and watched the skeletons shambling across the central plaza. "Let 'em have it!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. The screams of the ponies coalesced into a wordless roar that echoed through the empty streets of Appleoosa. Bleached white skulls turned towards the source of the noise, their combined shrieks countering the bellowing ponies. The beasts emerged from alleys and buildings with smashed in doors. A stampede of bone descended upon the central plaza, while the creatures already there began pounding at the door and walls.

"Wait!" shouted Twilight. A few of the younger ponies were preparing to fire an opening salvo. "Wait until they start downstairs." She ran to the roof access door. "Tell Argent to begin," she told a young mare on the landing. The message was transmitted down the stairs and into the main hall.

"Here we go," said Argent to his motley crew of defenders. "Stumps, Quake, do your thing." The two massive stallions planted their forehooves and bucked each of the double doors open. The skeletons on the other side were blasted out into the square, their bones shattered, scattered, and trampled by the other beasts that rushed in to take their place. Argent and his group emerged from the door, hooves swinging. Argent pressed forward with his shield taking a defensive position at the edge of the first step. As he showed them, the improvised guard force formed a wedge, with Argent at the apex. He turned and shouted into the doorway. "Tell the Princess to start!"

Moments later a hail of buckets, nails, paperweights, and discarded boards began to rain down on the unsuspecting skeletons. Not every piece of junk found its mark, nor did they all cause damage, but the combined effect considerably thinned and weakened the crush of monsters that threatened to overrun Argent and his defenders. Twilight surveyed the sides of the building and the four main avenues that exited the plaza. A few stragglers trotted on damaged skeletal legs from the direction of the school, but it appeared as if the vast majority of the creatures were focused on the front of the large meeting hall. "You all know what to do!" she shouted. "Keep it up!"

She concentrated her magic and teleported to the cellar. "Now's your chance," she said to Trixie, Braeburn and Pinkie Pie. "The road south looks clear, but I would stick to the back alleys." She ran from the cellar back towards the main hall and stood just inside the main doors, blasting one of the creatures when it threatened an unaware pony on the front line.

Braeburn nodded and threw open the cellar door. "Follow me ladies," he said as he climbed up the wooden steps into the small shed on the south face of the building. Pinkie followed him closely while Trixie stayed a few feet behind, keeping a close eye behind them. They quickly crossed the southern portion of the plaza and ducked into an alley behind the Salt Block. Braeburn set a brisk pace between the buildings, zigzagging from alley to alley. The sounds of the melee at the town hall continued unabated.

"Horseapples," whispered Braeburn as he suddenly stopped, causing Pinkie to collide with his flank. She looked up in time to see a pack of nearly a dozen of the skeletons trotting north through the alley they had just started walking down. Trixie jumped between the two earth ponies, held them against the wall of a building and flared her magic. "Quiet," she whispered.

The group of beasts stopped as they passed the ponies. The lead skeleton slowly swiveled its skull towards the three ponies. It saw only a dumpster piled with bags of refuse. Sweat poured from Trixie's brow as she focused on keeping her illusion from flickering or collapsing. The lead skeleton screeched and continued down the alley. When the last one was out of eyesight, she dropped the illusion and breathed heavily. "I don't have too many more of those in me," she said softly, "let's hurry."

Braeburn nodded and continued leading them at a quickened pace. The space between buildings grew as they entered the outskirts of the town. They edged around the side of a saddler's shop. "That can't be good," said Trixie as they surveyed the school. A large white fence surrounded the schoolhouse and nearby playground. An improbably large and old Oak tree rose from the cracked badlands soil. Several swings hung from its heavy lower branches, slowly swaying in the light southern breeze. The lovely scene was marred by a score of the relentless skeletal ponies. Several beat their hooves and skulls against the front door of the schoolhouse, the wood flexing but holding under the onslaught.

"What now," asked Trixie, "We can't get anypony out of there if those things are surrounding the building."

"We have to do something," whispered Braeburn, "If the sheriff is in there, he can rush them from the inside while we attack from this side. We might surprise them." He listened to the wind, his ears twitching in concentration. "I don't hear any screeches, we're far enough from the plaza that I don't think they'll be able to call for help."

Trixie nodded and looked at Pinkie Pie. "Are you ready Pinkie?" she asked, internally doubting again the wisdom of bringing the pink mare with them. "You might want to hang back, this could get dangerous."

Pinkie smirked and swatted Trixie's flank. "Don't be silly," she said, "I've got a bunch of little fillies and colts to put smiles on, let's do this thing."

Trixie turned nodded to Braeburn. The three ponies galloped from cover towards the fence. Braeburn's hoof clipped the top crossbar with a solid *thunk*. He cursed and charged the closest skeleton, rearing up and striking at it with his front hooves.

Trixie grabbed the attention of several of the beasts with a few well thrown rocks and drew them towards the large tree. Galloping towards the makeshift swing set, she leapt into one of the seats, twisting her body as she landed so as to see the oncoming stampede of bones. Her momentum carried the swing backwards until it was nearly parallel with the ground before swinging back towards the skeletal ponies. The beasts had no time to react as she slammed her hooves into the two beasts in front of the swing. She let go of the ropes and jumped at the apex of the return swing, landing behind the skeletons and ran back towards the front of the schoolhouse.

Braeburn and Pinke stood at the door surrounded by the shattered bones of several of the creatures. Braeburn's vest was torn open revealing a large gash on his shoulder. He beat against the door with his good hoof. "Sheriff, open up, it's Braeburn!" he shouted.

"Hold on," replied a muffled voice from inside, a note of panic evident in its tone.

"Hurry!" shouted the stallion as he pressed himself flat against the door, facing the ring of undead ponies slowly moving in for the kill.

Trixie's forehooves trampled through one of the beasts as she joined her comrades in front of the door. She raised her hooves in front of her, threatening to bring them down on the first bony form to come into her reach. The beasts were within fifteen feet when the pink mare decided she had enough.

"I don't remember inviting you all to the party!" she shouted as she reached into her saddlebags. "But since you're soooo excited, here you go, one Pinkie Pie special coming right up." She pulled a long metal tube from her pack and stood on her rear hooves. Grasping the handle situated on the middle of the contraption, she hefted it on her shoulder and pointed it at the approaching skeletons.

"Smile, Smile, Smile," she said cheerfully as she pulled the lever by the handle. An explosion of confetti, streamers, cakes, punch bowls, cups, and other assorted party paraphernalia erupted from the end of the device and straight at the encroaching monsters at a frightening speed. The wide spread of the blast encompassed nearly every remaining beast in the onrushing colorful and sugary doom.

Trixie shook off the expression of shock that had briefly paralyzed her in time to buck one of the remaining skeletal ponies with her hooves. Braeburn grabbed a planter from beside the door and hurled it at the last abomination, dispatching it with an explosion of dirt and pottery shards.

The door behind them opened revealing a disheveled mustachioed stallion and bespectacled mare. "Good heavens," said the kind faced mare, "What in Equestria happened out here."

Trixie and Braeburn looked at Pinkie Pie in confusion. The party mare was busy funneling more party supplies into the bottom of the pink tube. "What?" she said defensively, "I didn't have room for the Party Cannon, so I packed the Hullabazooka. Darn thing always needs reloading though."

"Right," said Braeburn, "I can't say cousin AJ didn't warn me about something like that." He turned to the two older ponies just inside the door. "Gather the children Ms. Merry, we have to get moving before more of them show." He turned to Trixie who was busy examining Pinkie Pie's odd invention. "You can send the signal now Trixie."

"We're running out of junk to throw at 'em Princess!" shouted one of the runners. Twilight glanced towards the back of the auditorium. What was once a formidable pile of debris nearly three ponies tall now was little more than a foot tall and three wide. "Tell everypony on the roof to aim carefully," she said, "make every throw count." The older colt nodded and ran up the clock tower stairs. Twilight turned back to the front stairs in time to see Argent smash a leaping skeleton out of the air. She trotted behind him and surveyed the carnage before her. The higher ground of the stairs had indeed been critical. The stout ponies on the front line had rained down hoof strikes on the creatures with relative ease over the first few minutes of the assault. The high ground, however, was no longer quite so high. The shattered bones of the fallen skeletons soon made a grisly ramp for their reinforcements to attack from.

"Look!" shouted Stumps. The stallion pointed one of the enormous hooves he was nicknamed for to the sky. A red burst of light from the south sent sparks showering towards the ground.

"They're on their way back!" shouted Twilight. "Keep it up everypony!"

The plaza in front of the town hall was still full of the screeching monstrosities. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Trixie, Pinkie, and Braeburn had left, and five since Trixie's first signal indicating that they had made it to the school. Twilight looked behind her at the collection of injured ponies on the stage. Doc Splints hovered over his patients, dispensing his gruff but effective brand of medicine. Several of the ponies tried to get to their hooves and head back to the door, but were quickly chastised by the physician. He met the Princess's questioning gaze and shook his head side to side.

She turned back to the three stallions left defending the door. With their reserves injured and no one to take their place, they had fallen back to the doorway. Argent used his shield to cover both stallions as well as himself, but the sheer number of creatures pressing the attack made it impossible to avoid every bite and buck. Small cuts and other assorted wounds had began to accumulate on all three of the defenders.

Twilight stepped forward and squeezed in between Argent and the stallion to his left. "I don't want to hear it," she said as she lowered her horn and began laying into the attacking skeletons with bolts of lavender energy. Argent clamped his muzzle shut and continued slamming his shield into any creatures that made it past her covering fire.

"Stumps, Quake," said Argent, "Get Doc to patch you up and take a breather: We'll handle things for a few minutes." The two stallions reluctantly stepped back into the building while the princess and her bodyguard held the line. "Aim for the spine," said Argent while turning and bucking a creature off the stairs. Twilight nodded and adjusted her aim. After a few minutes of furious fighting, the bolts of magic started coming fewer and father in between. Her purple horn smoldered with a red glow. The skeletal horrors began advancing in larger numbers, crowding the doorway and threatening to push the two ponies back.

"Watch out!" screamed Argent as one of the attackers attacked from Twilight's blind spot. Wrapping a hoof around her midsection, he spun her around his body and used her to stabilize himself as he let loose a vicious rear hoofed kick to the beast off the side of the porch. Twilight grimaced as she drew upon her magic more heavily than she had in months. A construct of lavender energy materialized by her side, taking the form of a large sparkling flanged mace. The weapon floated through the air at her direction, its wild arcing swings shattering the beasts before they could reach her.

Argent's backside pushing against her flank warned her of the trouble he was having. She dropped to her belly and rolled underneath the stallion and fired two bolts of energy at the skeletons that his shield couldn't hold back. The magic mace followed her and began securing their left flank. The two continued the intricate ballet of martial and magical prowess. Without words, without thought, they spun around each other, guarding the other's flank while theirs was simultaneously protected. The yellow starburst in the sky went unnoticed as they lost themselves in the frantic dance of survival. Sweeps of the hooves were followed by powerful stomps. Shield bashes preceded blasts of purple hornfire. Time had no meaning to the two combatants, only the next swing; the next shot; the next kick.

"Princess!" shouted the doctor, "Guardspony Defender!" The grizzled old stallion grabbed the tails of the two ponies and yanked them inside the building. Stumps and Quake quickly slammed the large doors shut and slammed the bar into place. The sound of skeletal hooves beating on the other side resumed immediately.

"The others are back," said the doctor with concern painted across his face. "You two need to come lie down."

Twilight waved him off and began walking towards the stage where a large crowd of ponies were jubilantly celebrating. She stumbled on the steps to the dais but was steadied by the stallion at her side. "You need to rest after this," said Argent sternly.

Twilight nodded wearily and continued up the stairs. "Only if you join me," she said absentmindedly. She took three steps before realizing what she had said. "I mean to say that you should rest as well," she stammered, fighting the blush that was forming on her cheeks. "We both might have overdone it."

Argent agreed and raked his hoof through his sweat matted mane. "Lets see how they fared first," he said.

Trixie, Braeburn, and Pinkie Pie stood surrounded by Appleoosans. Hooves were shaken, backs were patted, and thanks were freely given. All around the auditorium, young fillies and colts were grasped tightly by their families and friends. "Is everyone okay?" asked Twilight as she trotted up to Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie released a chubby cheeked filly from her hug and bounced around Twilight. "It was super scary, but Trixie and Braebie were superduper brave!" said the bubbly mare.

Braeburn peeled himself away from a grateful mother and cantered towards the two mares and threw his arm around Pinkie's shoulder. "Don't let this one act all humble," said Braeburn in his customary overly excited tone. "If not for Miss Pinkie we'd be in a heap of trouble." The pink mare blushed under the praise, and was, for a blessed moment, utterly speechless.

The crowd parted as Trixie made her way towards her brother. Her face darkened as she saw the various bite marks and cuts that covered his body. "Trixie told you to take care of him," growled the mare in an irritated tone.

"Easy there sis," said Argent as he interposed himself between the two mares. "I don't need anypony to watch over me, and I'll have you know that she was in the thick of it with me." He backed up and stood beside Twilight. "She's more than a match for most Royal Guard's I've known and trained with."

"Fine," said Trixie as she backed down. "We still need to go to the ruins. Horizon and Oracle will need our help."

Twilight sighed and walked towards the makeshift bedding that lined the back wall. "Of course Trixie," she said, exhaustion rolling off of each word. "Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath."

Argent scowled at his sister as he passed her on his way to the beds and sat on the mat a few feet away from the princess. Trixie narrowed her eyes and stalked off towards the clock tower stairs, eager to survey possible routes they could use to exit the town.

Pinkie's smile faded and her mane lost half its volume at the sudden animosity. "I found a bottle of hard cider earlier Miss Pie," said Braeburn, his arm still around the back of her neck. "What's say we have ourselves a victory toast?"

Her pink mane inflated and her frown turned upside down. Braeburn smiled and walked with her to the mayor's office.

An hour later Trixie led her brother and Twilight through the western half of the town and the black shimmering wall that separated it from the outside world. "You see," she said confidently, "Argent's plan worked. All the skeletons were drawn to the plaza."

Twilight began counterspelling a hole into the wall. "I didn't say it wouldn't," said Twilight, "I'm just worried about leaving everypony back at town hall." She adjusted the output of her spell and continued. "I know Pinkie and Braeburn can keep everyone calm, but I still worry." Satisfied that the portal she created was stable, Twilight released her magic and stepped through the hole in the barrier.

"They'll be fine," said Argent, "And the ruins aren't too far away. We'll be back before anypony misses us. He took the lead into the desert. Each of them kept a vigilant lookout for any sign of the skeletal ponies. The prominent mesa in the distance slowly dominated the horizon as the next hour was spent at a brisk pace. "Do you suppose those creatures have something to do with the ruins?" asked the stallion.

Twilight hopped over a washed out gully, taking the opportunity to stretch out her wings. "It seems almost too much to be coincidence," she said, "and Oracle and Horizon coming out here makes me even more certain." She glared at Trixie's back. "Mark my words, those two know something about what's going on here."

Trixie gritted her teeth and continued leading the way towards the base of the flat topped mountain. "Those two better appreciate this," she thought to herself. "Trixie is so touched by Sparkle's concern for the safety of Trixie's friends," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I am worried," said Twilight defensively, "I'm afraid that they might be putting themselves as well as everypony in Appleoosa in danger by not being honest with us."

Trixie grunted a noncommittal response and continued her quick pace. Argent, incredibly uncomfortable at the growing acrimonious behavior from both mares, tried to defuse the tension without angering either of them. "Maybe when we're all done with this we can help them set up the Western Days festival," he said. "Pinkie says it's quite the good time."

"She certainly came prepared for it," said Trixie with a laugh. "Did Sparkle have something to do with that contraption of hers?"

"The Miniaturized Party Delivery System?" asked Twilight. "I might have had some input into its design." She proudly described her analysis of the Party Cannon. "The propulsion was the simple part," she explained, "It was Pinkie's seemingly impossible compression of party supplies inside the barrel that tripped me up."

The two mares talked shop and Argent heaved a sigh of relief. As the cluster of rubble at the base of the mesa came into view, Argent reluctantly got the mares' attention and held a hoof to his lips. The three ponies quickly trotted towards the ruined building, alert for any sign of danger. They reached the ruins and began searching for any sign of the two missing ponies.

"Trixie will look in the back area," said the cyan unicorn.

"Argent, go look around that pool of water," said Twilight, "I'll look around what's left of the entrance."

As they split up, Trixie walked towards the cliff face at the back of the shattered building. "Argent wrote that it was somewhere back here," she thought. It didn't take her long to find the large hole in the side of the shear mountain facade. She peered down the darkened stone passage, squinting her eyes to try and make out something in the pitch black corridor. She turned and looked back towards Twilight and Argent. Both examined their area with intense focus. Trixie crouched and pulled the parchment from her pack and read:

Trixie,

There's something at those ruins. We know that neither you nor Twilight will heed any warning we give, so consider this an apology. We're going to get there first, of that I'm certain. We'll sneak away in the night, or simply send you in the wrong direction. I'm sorry, we both are, but it's for the best.

Just know this: Shoebert is still in his caverns, but he is not alive. He's something else. Twilight called him an Equilich, a pony who has managed to conquer death itself. He's insane, and he's been busy for the few centuries. We faced him several years from "now," and only just survived the encounter. He's the one sending the skeletons to Appleoosa, as well as the barrier. Once we defeat him, the magic should fade away, and Appleoosa will be safe again.

If we somehow fail, it's up to you. Do whatever it takes, just don't let him out of his cave. It's located inside the mesa. Look at the back of the ruins, on the face of the cliff. Remember this: Everything he is, everything that sustains him, is contained in a crimson jewel he keeps on his throne. Shatter it, and you destroy him utterly.

If I don't see you again, remember that I love you. Stay with Twilight and my younger self: They're good for you. If you still need that favor, just ask them. I'm sure they'll take up the debt we owe you.

Love,

Argent

Trixie folded up the note and placed it back into her saddlebags. She judged that the few minutes that had passed were sufficient. "Sparkle," she shouted, "Trixie has found something."

Twilight and Argent came trotting over, quizzical looks on the faces. Trixie pointed at the hole in the cliff face. "There's a cavern inside the mountain," she said. Argent trotted to the hole and stuck his head through it. His ears twitched as he listened to the wind flowing out of it. He squeezed through the narrow opening and held his hoof out to help Twilight through. Trixie followed them into the passage, one hesitant hoof after another.

They descended down the narrow passageway, the air noticeably cooler the deeper in they went. Twilight gasped as they reached the room full of stone slabs. "This is..." she stammered, "I don't know what this is." She ran a hoof over the top of one of the altars, flakes of dried blood scraping from the stone surface. Twilight noticed this and shook her hoof in a panic. Her squeak of panic was stifled by Argent's hoof over her muzzle. She turned her head and looked at him with wide eyes. He removed his hoof and pointed towards the other side of the room. A large, headless, skeletal form stood in the corner by a large set of double doors. The sound of bone scraping on stone filled the room as it repeatedly walked into the wall.

Twilight nodded and stood. The group gave the beast a wide berth and moved one cautious hoofstep at a time towards the doors. Argent reached out and pressed his hoof against the door. They each cringed as the hinges creaked loudly. The headless griffin skeleton continued its futile attempts at walking through the wall. With a sigh of relief, Argent carefully pushed the door open and stepped inside.

A hoof flashed from behind the open door, streaking towards Argent's head. Quick reflexes allowed the stallion to turn into the blow, forcing it to connect with the back of his neck rather the side of his head. He staggered into the room and pulled his shield from his back with his magic.

Trixie kicked the door as hard as she could and heard a satisfying *thump* from its collision with the hidden assailant on the other side. She jumped through the doorway and gasped in surprise at the sight of the silver stallion with the burnt orange and yellow mane recovering from a stumble. "Ar...Horizon, what are you doing!"

The elder Argent gazed at her with wide black eyes. His horn flared with an ebon aura. The shocked mare was blindsided by the roundshield that crashed into her side. Trixie was sent sailing into a wall, her body falling in a heap on the floor.

Twilight dashed into the room, her horn flared with sparks of magic arcing between it and the floor. She rolled out of the way of Horizon's stomping hooves and stood next to her bodyguard. "Get to Trixie," said Argent, "He's mine." With a bellow, he launched himself at the elder stallion, his shield held before him like a battering ram.

Twilight leapt from between the two charging stallions and turned to run to Trixie when a bolt of black energy narrowly avoided striking her in the chest. She followed the trajectory and recoiled in horror at the sight of the desiccated unicorn seated on the foreboding black onyx throne. Twilight traced the conduit of black energy emanating from its horn to the thrashing body of Oracle Dreams. Her muzzle was open as if she were screaming in agony, yet no such sound came forrth.

"You have interrupted my spell," said the Lich in annoyance, "Yet, I feel my Amulet." The husk of a unicorn stood and stepped down from its throne. "Bring it to me and I shall make your end swift."

"Shoebert the Desperate!?" said Twilight in a mixture of awe and horror. The sound of shields smashing together caused her to glance behind her. The two stallions each had their shoulders pressed into their shields, attempting to bull rush the other to the ground.

"You dare turn you back on me!" shouted the Lich, "After insulting me with that name, you have forfeited the small mercy I have offered." The conduit of energy winked out of existence as the rotted legs of the beast slowly carried it around the altar and towards Twilight. She glanced to her right and saw Trixie slowly rising from the floor, one hoof held off the ground in obvious pain. Trixie looked at Twilight and silently began moving along the wall, towards the large throne.

Twilight flared her wings and horn and glared at the approaching horror. "You want it?" she asked defiantly, "You'll have to best a Princess of Equestria for it." She levitated the jeweled necklace from her saddlebags before dropping it back inside.

Shoebert hissed and fired a sickly green ray towards the mare. Twilight ducked under it and returned fire with a bolt of hornfire. The purple jet of fire impacted some unseen barrier and dissipated before it could strike her foe.

"You think I fear an Alicorn?" queried the beast rhetorically, "You are but a child compared to her, and she couldn't stand before me." A bar of pure darkness erupted from the Lich's horn. Twilight's hastily conjured barrier intercepted the torrent of magic but shattered under the powerful blast. She quickly erected another barrier and backed away from the advancing fiend.

"Still though," said Shoebert as he effortlessly destroyed the second barrier, "Alicorn blood is such a rare delicacy. Almost as rare as an Alicorn soul."

Twilight continued backing herself into a literal corner, barely turning aside each fell blast of energy. To her left, Argent shook off a glancing blow from Horizon's forehoof, his shield shaking form his brief loss of concentration. "Run Twilight!" he yelled while trying to charge the Lich. Horizon leapt in front of him and threw his rear legs at Argent's head. The young stallion slid to a stop, the kick missing him by inches ruffling his mane with displaced air. The black eyed stallion pressed his attack sending Argent retreating back to the other side of the room.

Twilight threw up her hooves and erected a reinforced barrier. Her horn pulsed with a lavender aura, feeding the dome with a crackling magical energy. Shoebert cackled in amusement. A lash of black magic materialized and cracked against the dome, showering sparks throughout the room and sending cracks propagating across the bubble of energy. Twilight whimpered in effort as the whip flailed against the dome in rapid succession. She cried out in pain as the barrier shattered and her magic fed back into her horn. Her gasping breaths were cut short when the lash coiled around her throat. She brought her forehooves to the thick coil of solid magic, futilely trying to pull herself free from the Lich's grasp.

Argent grabbed his shield with his hooves and hurled it with all his remaining might at the shriveled unicorn. Horizon's shield teleported between the missile and its target, sending both shields falling harmlessly to the floor. The older stallion threw his shoulder into the younger, leaving Argent sprawled on the floor on his back. Horizon straddled him and began throttling the stallion by the neck.

"Rejoice," shouted the Lich. "I was like you, fighting for every breath, clinging to every last bit of life." It brought Twilight to its side and stroked her quivering face. "You are a slave to life. I give you your freedom."

Black spots began floating in Twilight's vision. Her struggling slowed as her oxygen starved brain began shutting down. Just before darkness enveloped her, a glint of red light flashed from behind the Lich.

A scream of utter and complete terror reverberated through the room. Twilight fell to the floor drew in deep breaths, the stale air of the cavern tasting like the sweetest spring breeze to her deprived body. She opened her eyes in time to see the screaming Lich thrashing in agony. No words of protestation, or threats of revenge were voiced by the undead horror, only the wail of the damned.

The pressure against Argent's neck eased and the stallion threw Horizon off of him. The elder stallion stumbled back and shook his head in confusion. Argent crawled to Twilight and held a shaking hoof to her neck. He sighed in relief as she reached up and patted his hoof with hers. "Just give me a moment," she said with a raspy voice, "I feel like I've been galloping for hours."

"Horizon," shouted Trixie from across the room, "Get over here!"

The stallion galloped to her side and dropped to his knees in front of the low altar. He reached out his hooves and cradled the deathly still mare in his forelegs. "Come on love," he sobbed, "Talk to me." He gently shook the mare's head. Twilight's head lolled back and forth without reaction. The stallion brought her to his chest and squeezed her tightly. "Come back to me Twilight," he whispered, "Don't leave me alone."

"Never," said a faintly hushed voice. He pulled back and looked at Twilight. She looked back at him with sleepy eyes and smiled. "How?" she asked.

"Trixie came back for us," said Argent proudly as he looked up at his sister.

"Trixie should be mad," said the showmare, "but she is too relieved at the moment."

"Help me up," said Twilight as the two younger ponies approached. The hooves around her failed to comply. Argent cradled her head in his hooves, bent over, and brushed her lips with a kiss.

"Not yet," he said with a smile before wrapping her in a tight embrace.

Author's Note

Victory fanfare music#

Level Up!
So falls Shoebert the Undying, his symphony of undeath will remain unfinished.

Ch. 10: Making Things Right

"After the festival, we spent the night at the inn, helped clean up the next day, and caught an afternoon train home," said Twilight. She levitated a teacup to her lips and sipped the steaming beverage. The Elements of Harmony sat atop a red and white checkered blanket situated on the slope of one of the large hills just outside Ponyville. Each mare was lying on her back, watching the fluffy white clouds meander across the bright blue sky.

"What a terrifyingly exciting tale," said Rarity from her nest of elegant tasseled silk pillows. "I can scarcely believe such a horrible creatures stalked Equestria," she said through a mortified frown.

"I would have been so scared," said Fluttershy. The butter colored pegasus had squeaked several times during Twilight's recounting of their travels to Appleoosa and the ruined laboratory. "I'm so glad nopony was hurt."

Applejack stretched her hooves to the sky, her overworked joints popping in response. "Cousin Braeburn wouldn't let anypony down," said the farm-mare proudly, "he's as dependable as any of us Apples."

"And he's just as hugable!" said Pinkie Pie as she rolled over and smothered the freckled orange mare in a rib cracking hug. Applejack struggled for breath and grabbed a nearby branch to pry the pink mare off of her.

"I can't believe you tweaked Captain Brightblade like that," said Rainbow Dash. "That guy is like a total Pegasus legend." She pulled her sunglasses down her nose and turned to look at Twilight. "I've heard that even the Wonderbolts step lightly around him."

"Well I couldn't just let him talk about Argent like that," replied the alicorn, "not after all he did that day."

"Of course not darling," said Rarity, "Bullies like that must be handled with deftness and tact, and I do believe you played him perfectly." She delicately refilled her teacup, stirred in a teaspoon of honey, and brought it to her lips, sipping the brew gracefully. "And now Ponyville has it's own handsome resident Guard Captain." Rarity's eyes lit up as she turned and sat up on her impromptu bedding. "He needs a uniform!" she said excitedly, "Something chic; something that screams, 'I may be a soldier, but I'm still fabulous!'"

"Yeah!" said Rainbow Dash, "As long as you keep it radical!" She jumped to her hooves and threw off her sunglasses. "It should have bad flanked spikes here, here, and here," she said pointing to her shoulders and knees. "And a totally awesome helmet with wings on the side and a bladed crest running along the top." She brought her hooves to her face and squeezed. "And you can attach lances to the sides: Soooo cool."

Rarity recoiled in horror as her beautiful plans were corrupted into a mockery of their former selves. "It will most certainly not look like that!" she shouted indignantly. "Argent is the Captain of Twilight's Royal Guard, he must look fashionable and dignified."

"So...lame then?" replied Rainbow Dash, "He'll be the laughing stock of the other guards!" The two friends began arguing back in forth on the hypothetical outfit for a stallion that didn't even wear armor in his normal duties.

"Anyways," said Twilight to the three other mares beside her while clearly ignoring Rarity and Dash, "how have things been here?"

"Well, I've been busy as a bumblebee," said Applejack as she fanned her hat in front of her face, "But I reckon that since Fluttershy stepped in to watch Mac and AB, everything's been running as smooth as silk on the farm." She wrapped a foreleg around the pegasus' neck and rubbed the side of Fluttershy's head against hers. "She's been a gift from Celestia these last few days."

"It's been so much fun," said Fluttershy happily. "Big Mac showed me how to bake his favorite apple crisp, and he helped feed all of the critters when we went out for a walk."

"And he steps lightly around her too," said Applejack, "Ain't nopony but Granny Smith able to keep that knucklehead from wandering out of his bed when he's hurt."

"He's just like a big cuddly bear," said Fluttershy sweetly, "Harry's always hurting his back, and I tell him the same thing: Stay in bed or you'll hurt yourself, and that would make me cry."

Rarity used her magic to stuff a pillow into Rainbow Dash's mouth so she could better hear the conversation. "Fluttershy dear," she said over her shoulder while immobilizing the multichromatic pegasus, "did you ever ask him?"

"Rarity!" said Fluttershy, an embarrassed blush warming her cheeks. "You said you wouldn't tell anypony!"

Rarity rolled her eyes and released her magical hold on the fuming pegasus. Rainbow Dash grabbed the pillow from her mouth and flung the now slobber covered cushion at the prissy unicorn's head. Rarity took the soft blow to the side of the face with as much grace as she could, deciding that allowing the overly proud pegasus to win this small victory was worth ending the playful scuffle. She quivered her lips and squinted her eyes while raising her hoof to her head and let loose a piteous wail of anguish.

"Not so rough," she whimpered, "That hurt!"

"Rainbow Dash, wouldja stop pickin' on Rarity," said Applejack, who had been ignoring the bickering until the high pitched whining caused her to wince.

"Thank you Applejack," said Rarity, who turned and stuck her tongue out at the now nearly apoplectic Rainbow Dash. "Now Fluttershy," she said while lying down next to the still blushing pegasus and gesturing towards the alicorn, "If Twilight can go on a date, why can't you?"

"Date!?" sputtered Twilight as she spit out a mouthful of warm tea. "When did I go on a date?"

"Twilight, when two ponies spend an evening dancing together and cavorting around a carnival, it's generally considered a date."

"No," said Twilight with a confused shake of her head, "We were just having fun together."

"Yeah," said Pinkie Pie smugly, "Everypony knows you get a kiss after a date. Braeby knows how to end a date."

"Ugh," said Applejack, "Ah reckon I've heard enough about how well cousin Braeby kisses, Pinkie."

Rarity held her hoof against her face and sighed in exasperation. "Hopeless," she thought to herself, "Must I do everything myself." She knew she would though: Her generous nature demanded nothing less. "We'll talk later," she whispered into Fluttershy's ear. The pegasus blushed and nodded. She turned to Twilight and idly inspected a raised hoof. "If you say it wasn't a date, then it wasn't a date," she said to the still confused looking Twilight.

"Well... yeah," said Twilight, her voice trailing off. She busied herself with taking a bite of one of the crisp golden apples Applejack had brought fresh from the orchard.

"I really would like to make Argent a dapper new uniform though," said Rarity. "Could you send him over this afternoon so I can get his measurements."

Twilight nodded her assent absently. Before long, the six mares were busy enjoying each other's company. As usual, the jibes and teasing were all done in a friendly and loving manner, leaving no hard feelings. An empty picnic basket, and several demonstrations of Rainbow Dash's newest trick later, they waved to each other and went about their days.

"Careful," warned Fluttershy, her worry evident by the small bits of hoof she had chewed off. "Not too hard now."

Applejack rolled her eyes and rubbed the nervous pegasus' back. "Let 'er rip bro!" she shouted exuberantly.

Big Macintosh stood facing the two mares and nodded determinedly. He firmly planted his lightly bandaged foreleg to the ground, digging a small furrow into the fertile soil with his massive hoof. Slamming his other forehoof to the ground with authority, he adopted a wide stance and looked over his shoulder at the large gnarled apple tree they had nicknamed "Old Ironsides." Mac brought a rear leg up slowly, testing the distance to the trunk, and brought it back to the ground when satisfied with his positioning. He reared his aft legs up and brought them to his stomach. With a grunt he pushed into the ground with his forehooves and sent his rear hooves hurtling at the tree. A solid *Thunk* echoed through the rows of trees, followed the rhythmic sounds of apples falling into the buckets they had placed around the massive old fruit tree. Big Macintosh pulled his back hooves from the trunk and sat them back on the ground as loose leaves and branches rained down on him.

"Atta boy!" whooped Applejack, who whipped her hat around her head in celebration. She trotted to her brother and threw her hooves around his neck. "That's how we do it on the farm!"

Fluttershy followed close behind and quickly lifted the stallion's injured foreleg in her hooves. "You didn't hurt yourself again, did you?" she asked in a panic. She rubbed the foreleg with her hoof, probing for any damage he may have caused.

Mac drew back his leg gently but sternly. "I'm right as rain Miss Fluttershy," he said while placing the hoof back on the ground.

"I'll say," said Applejack. "Any pony who can give Ol' Ironsides a buckin' like that is a bit more than fine." She pointed at the matched pair of horseshoe imprints on the ancient apple tree's trunk. "Quiet Thunder and The Ponyville Kid are back!" she shouted while tapping his rear legs with a hoof. "Just in time too," she said with a sigh of relief, "The east fields are nearly ready for harvest, and I wasn't looking forward to doing that alone."

"I'm so happy for you Macintosh," said Fluttershy with weak smile, "Congratulations."

"I couldn't have done it without your help," said Macintosh, "I probably would've run my fool leg lame if you hadn't helped out around here." He hesitantly stepped forward and gave the pegasus a light hug around the shoulder. "I reckon I really owe you for all your help," he said to the mare. "If ya'll need anything from me just ask and I'll see it done."

"This is my chance," thought Fluttershy, "Just like Rarity said: Confidence, grace, and passion." As she looked into the stallion's grateful eyes, her determination quickly withered in the face of her overwhelming shyness, but not before she was able to coax out one question. "Would you go on a picnic with me?" murmured Fluttershy inaudibly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear ya," said Mac. He leaned in closer to the mare, who shied away reflexively.

"Would you like go on a picnic with me?" she asked again, her words coming out as faint squeaks, understandable perhaps only by small woodland rodents.

Big Mac took a concerned step towards the pink maned pegasus. She began breathing heavily, her chest heaving as she hyperventilated. "SORRY, I HAVE TO GO!" she shouted loudly. She fell over herself as she turned to gallop away, her tumble kicking up a storm of dust. She jumped to her hooves and started running away from the two siblings. For a few seconds, the large stallion stared at the fleeing mare in confusion, his hoof still outstretched in an offer of help.

Applejack rubbed her forehead with her hoof and sighed in exasperation. "Go after her you big dummy," she said, smacking her hat against his flank to get him moving.

The stallion galloped heedlessly along the uneven ground, testing the limits of his newly healed leg. While he was known throughout Ponyville for his strength, Big Macintosh was hardly the quickest pony in town. The same layers of muscle that allowed him to effortlessly tow enormous wagonloads of apples and the occasional house also weighed him down and limited his speed.

Fluttershy on the other hoof was quite swift when given the right motivation. Her fight or flight instinct definitely favored the flight aspect, but not literally; her wings stayed glued to her sides as she galloped away from the grove of older apple trees and towards the northern fields. She quickly passed out of sight of the pursuing stallion and stopped by a familiar large tree at the edge of the Apple family farm. She trotted around the trunk and sat facing the Everfree forest.

"You're such a coward Fluttershy," she said aloud, her voice cracking as she chastised herself yet again. "You can stare down a dragon; you can stand firm against an angry minotaur; you can fly into a tornado; but you can't ask a kind stallion a simple question." She sniffled and laid her head on the ground and covered her eyes with her hooves. She cried softly into her pink mane.

Big Macintosh wandered the northern fields, looking for a sign of the pegasus that had eluded him. "Was it something I said?" he thought to himself, "or something I didn't say?" Big Mac was confused. He had been the lone stallion in the family for several years now, and he still didn't understand the fairer sex. "You're as dense as apple wood," he muttered to himself in recrimination. He turned to head back to the farm house when the wind shifted from the north and brought the faint sounds of whimpering to his twitching ears. Macintosh had worked these fields his entire life, so even the slightest sounds tended to grab his attention. He cautiously walked north, his head held high to catch the muted sound.

Fluttershy continued listing her faults to herself as she sniffled beneath her hooves. "You're weak; your friends always have to save you; you're always bothering Rarity with your silly problems; Rainbow Dash always has to stick up for you when everypony bullies you; and now you can't even ask Macintosh a simple question." She curled into a ball and tried to shut out the world. "Who would want to deal with such a hopeless mare."

"I reckon I would," said a voice from beside the tree. Fluttershy removed a hoof from her face and looked again into the eyes of Big Macintosh. He sat next to her and pulled her other hoof from her face. "And don't call yourself hopeless," he said sternly, "You've done things that would send most ponies galloping for the hills, myself included." He smiled at the mare as she uncoiled herself and demurely looked at the ground. "Now ah promised ah'd do whatever you needed," he said as he reached over and pulled a few loose twigs and leaves that had tangled themselves in her long flowing pink mane, "So please, tell me what's wrong so ah can help."

She looked up into his eyes and saw the kindness of somepony who only wanted her to be happy. Something in her snapped. It had happened before: When her limitations had made her angry enough to confront the parts of her psyche that had always held her back. A dragon hurting her dearest friends had made her face her greatest fears. An overly aggressive minotaur had pushed her into finding an assertiveness that didn't come from a litany of mean spirited mantras. The futile struggles of all the pegasi in Ponyville spurred her past her fears of humiliation and public performance. Now though, the warm smile of the red coated stallion in front of her banished her meekness, not through anger, but through a warmness in her heart that she could only describe as love. She closed her eyes and stretched her body forwards, placing her muzzle against his. With all the conviction in her being, she placed her lips against his and gently kissed the stallion.

Macintosh's eyes shot open from their usual half lidded state. The shock wore off as he felt the quivering of the mare's delicate lips upon his own. He returned the kiss with aplomb and let his eyes close as he savored the feeling of his first kiss with the mare who had so thoroughly dominated his thoughts of late.

They maintained the connection for several seconds before she slowly pulled her head away and looked at the stallion with sleepy eyes. It finally dawned on her that she had just kissed Big Macintosh. The look of contented happiness slid into one of frightful shock as she began sputtering. "I...I...I..." she stammered as she unconsciously backed into the large tree, flattening her back against the trunk with her forehooves crossed under her chin.

Macintosh saw the same look of panic that precipitated her previous episode and carefully reached for one of her hooves with his. "It's okay," he said while calmly stroking her shaking hoof. "That's better, isn't it?" he asked as her breathing normalized and she sat back down next to him.

"I'm so sorry," she said with a hanging head, "I ruined everything again."

Macintosh leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. "Well I enjoyed it," he said with a smile, "so you put those thoughts right out of your head. Now I just wish I knew what I could do to make you smile again."

"Will you go on a picnic with me?" she asked, surprising herself with how easily the words came out.

Mac stood and turned away from the tree. Fluttershy looked at the ground and felt the sting of rejection welling up in her chest. A solid *Thunk* drew her gaze back to the tree where Mac's massive rear hooves had left a dent in the trunk. Apples rained down from the branches, surrounding the tree with the sweet fruit. He gathered several of them in a pile by the mare and sat back down. "I only had apples," he said, "but I reckon this still counts as a picnic."

Fluttershy felt the familiar warmness in her chest and beamed at the stallion before grabbing an apple with both forehooves and taking a dainty little bite. "It counts," she said with a blush, "But next time I get to bring the food."

Twilight adjusted the corset around her wings as she walked through the door of the Golden Oaks Library. The main floor of the tree house was a mess, piles of books sitting at the base of several bookshelves. "Hello," said Twilight, "anypony home?"

"Help!" said a muffled voice, "I'm over here!" A mass of tomes under the General Magic section shifted. Twilight trotted over and used her magic to lift the books off of the young dragon. Spike stood and dusted his scales off. "Thanks Mrs. Oracle," he said, "I'd have been stuck under there all night if you hadn't stopped by." Twilight smiled at the baby dragon and without thinking sent the familiar tomes back into their assigned places on the shelf. Spike looked on in wonder as the task he had been struggling with for the better part of an hour was completed in a matter of seconds.

"Happy to help Spike," she said warmly. "It looks like a tornado blew through here. Where is the princess?"

"She was the tornado," he said sourly. "She and Trixie grabbed like every other book and went down into the lab." He waddled over to the next pile and began sorting the scattered books. "I couldn't talk you into helping me clean up this mess, could I?" Twilight looked into the hopeful, chubby little face she hadn't seen in decades and realized she could never say no.

"Sure Spike," she said with a smile, "I'd love to." She levitated the collection of books below the unicorn history section and began reshelving them. Spike grabbed the occasional tome she had missed and held it up for her to inspect the title before she grabbed it and sent it to its proper place. "So Spike," she asked, "What's it like living here with the Princess?"

"I can't complain," he said while bending over to grab a particularly thick treatise on the code of law from the ancient unicorn kingdoms. "It beats fighting with other dragons over the tiniest bit of plunder, so I'm told."

"I would think so," replied Twilight, "but you're not bored here? The princess must be ever so busy."

"Nah," he said waving his claw at the question dismissively. "Don't get me wrong, it can get pretty dull when she's just spending a day reading twelve books for Princess Celestia, but I still get to go on fun adventures." He playfully rapped his clenched claw against the older mare's shoulder, "You saw how much fun we had at the festival. Not many dragons get to say they did that."

Twilight giggled and ruffled the baby dragon's headspines with her hoof. "You certainly are a unique little dragon," she said playfully.

"So where's your husband?" he asked out of curiosity, "I don't think I've seen either of you two without the other."

"Oh we're not married," she said, "and he's taking care of some chores around the house. I figured I'd see if Trixie and Twilight needed any help with the things we found outside of Appleoosa." She leaned into the dragon and looked around conspiratorially. "To be honest, years ago I convinced Horizon that I have a dust allergy. He's been a neat freak ever since."

Spike brought his hands to his belly and laughed heartily. "Well send him over here," he said jovially, "Twilight's always complaining about how dusty it gets in here, even though she never helps me clean."

The two spend the next hour tidying the library: Placing each book in its spot in the stacks and thoroughly eradicating every speck of dust that dared to stand before them. Spike told "Oracle" about all of his adventures, embellishing them to a great extent, unaware, of course, that the older mare had known the truth of every tale. Twilight didn't correct him though. Seeing her little baby dragon smiling and laughing was a treasure she had thought lost to time.

"Wow, you jumped from the very tip of the Crystal Palace?" said Twilight with faux astonishment. "I've seen it in up close: It's huge!"

"Yeah!" he said proudly, "I fell forever before Princess Cadance saved me, but I wasn't scared!"

"How brave of you!" said Twilight in fawning admiration. "Well I bet your wings come in soon, and you won't even need a princess to save you." She turned away so he wouldn't see the sad look on her face. "Then even Princess Twilight won't be able to keep up with you."

"Hah!" scoffed Spike, "Twilight has wings too you know."

"That she does," said Twilight ruefully, "I'm sure you two will be soaring through the skies together in no time."

As they walked to the laundry room to deposit the filthy dusting rags, the door to the downstairs laboratory opened. "Spike!" yelled Twilight. The dragon dropped the dirty washcloths in a hamper and scurried out of the room. The elder Twilight chuckled and followed him at a more deliberate pace.

"Can do!" said Spike to some unheard question. "Oh, Ms. Oracle has been helping me with some of the cleaning, I'll make her some too." He ran past the older mare and into the kitchen.

Twilight looked at the older alicorn and flashed an apologetic smile. "Sorry if he pressed you into service," she said, "He can be a bit lazy when he hasn't had a nap."

"Oh, it's no trouble," said the older Twilight, "He's a charming young drake."

Twilight nodded and pointed her hoof down the basement stairway. "We're studying Shoebert's notes regarding the alicorn amulet if you'd like to join us. Celestia knows you went through enough helping us recover them. Spike is making us some sandwiches too if you're feeling hungry." The older mare thanked her younger self for the offer and walked down the steps to the well equipped magical lab.

"We think we've identified a potential fault with the amulet," said Twilight. "Well Trixie found it, but I confirmed it with one of his catalogs." She led the older mare to one of the long wooden tables she used to mix potions. The alicorn amulet laid on the workbench, surrounded by 8 crystals of differing colors and shapes. Trixie had her head in a well worn notebook and occasionally looked at the black board and marked down a few arcane symbols with a piece of chalk. The older mare examined the complex formula that had taken form over the last few hours.

"Entangled ley line theory," said the older Twilight with a whistle, "That's some heavy stuff."

"You can understand this!?" said Trixie incredulously. "I've had to delve into every advanced magical theory in Sparkle's library just to get a passing mention of this." Trixie grabbed Oracle by the collar of her cloak and dragged her in front of the blackboard. "What in the hay are 'Coangulated vectors of thaumatological injection?'" She leaned into the older mare and whispered into her ear. "And don't you dare hold anything back."

The older Twilight gulped and pointed at a row of arcane sigils near the top of the board. "Okay, so I see that you both have identified that the amulet functions by drawing power from the Moon and Sun lines simultaneously." The pair of younger mares nodded as they flanked the older. "So basically, these vectors you read about are how artificers twist ley lines into physical objects. Shoebert is laying out the exact method by which the sun and moon lines were twisted around the other enchantments in the amulet."

"That doesn't really help in finding a way to undo whatever it did to my horn," said Trixie impatiently. "Who cares how the stupid thing was made."

"Wait," said the younger alicorn, a flash of inspiration lighting up her eyes. "So these diagrams and measurements are exactly how Shoebert crafted the amulet?" The older mare nodded and let the younger draw her conclusions on her own. "I think I understand what's happening," she said, "The amulet is supposed to use the moon and sun lines in tandem, but the vectors Shoebert used were crossed, they feed into the user's horn at the wrong lines."

The older Twilight nodded and used the piece of chalk to draw a crude unicorn wearing the amulet. "You're right," she said while drawing two lines extending from the amulet to the chalk unicorn's horn. "The sun line feeds into the order line, and the moon line feeds into the chaos line."

Trixie nodded and grabbed the chalk and rubbed it lengthwise across the chalkboard, making a thick line emanating from the unicorn's horn and jotted a seven next to it. "So if a pony has chaotic intentions when using the amulet, it draws the power the sun line would have used and amplifies the chaos line instead."

"While leaving the moon line unchanged," said the older mare while nodding her head. "Hence, you have a two discordant lines acting together."

"And since it's the pony's own chaos line that's magnified, it changes her personality," said Twilight excitedly, "It makes a certain amount of sense."

"Bingo," said the older mare, "And that, young mares, is one of the ways you make a cursed artifact."

"Puff out that chest Captain," said Rarity with a giggle. Argent complied and adopted the pose of a classical Marecedonian warrior, his head held high and his chest extended as far as it would go. The mare walked out of his field of view, a ribbon of measuring tape in her magical grip.

"I don't see why this is necessary, Ms. Rarity," said the guardspony in confusion. "The armorer in Canterlot just looks at you and one of his assistants brings you some battered old armor and tells you to shine it up yourself." He sweated with the strain of holding in his breath.

"I told you, it's just Rarity darling," she said, rapping a hoof against his flank, "And I don't care how those oafs in Canterlot do things. You are my best friend's personal escort, and I will not having you look like some ill-mannered ruffian." She threw the ribbon around the narrowest point of his midsection and brought it together under his stomach. "No fidgeting Argent," she said in annoyance.

"That tickles Ms... I mean... that tickles Rarity," he said while squeezing his eyes together to avoid laughing out loud.

"I thought Royal Guards were supposed to be able to avoid all distraction," said the mare, "Hold that pose while I measure your inseam."

"Measure my whaaaaaaaaaaaaat" squeaked the stallion as he felt Rarity's hoof drift higher along his rear leg than he had expected. "Hey! You did that on purpose." Argent turned to see the mare rolling up her measuring tape with a self satisfied grin plastered on her face. He leveled his squinting glare at the mare and stepped down from the podium she had posed him on.

"Of course I did darling," she said casually, "If you know a better way to measure an inseam I'd like to see it." Rarity walked over to an adjustable ponequin and worked the dials until they displayed the measurements she had recorded on a small pad levitating at her side. "Now I just need to figure out what you would look best in," she said while sashaying back towards the stallion. "I'll need your input on that decision." She looked at the clock over the top of the door to her showroom. "I'm feeling a bit peckish," she said while stowing her tools on a table behind the display mirror, "What's say we grab a snack at the cafe?"

Argent picked up his shield nervously and strapped it to his back. "Well, I guess the princess did tell me to take the day off," he said while walking to the door. "Okay, let's go, but it's on me. I've gotta get used to this new pay grade somehow."

"Handsome and generous," said the mare as she levitated a large sun hat to her head, "we'll need to keep our eyes on a charmer like you Captain Defender." She placed an "out to lunch" sign on the door before escorting the stallion from the boutique and across the quad to the busy open air cafe.

"So tell me Captain," said Rarity as they took a seat at one of the over-sized toadstools. "How are you enjoying our little town so far? I understand you and your sister are from Canterlot originally?"

"It's very nice here," he replied, "but it's taking some getting used to."

"Oh," she asked, arching her eyebrow, "How so?"

They were briefly interrupted the waiter who took their orders and returned to the cafe to fetch their drinks. Argent shifted on the soft pile of hay while unbuckling his shield. "Everypony seems to know each other in Ponyville," he said happily. He waved at the orange haired earth mare walking down the opposite side of the street. "I met Carrot Top the first time Twilight asked me to fetch some groceries," he said, "I must have bought carrots from twenty different ponies in Canterlot, and I'd be hard pressed to tell you any of their names." He picked up an imagined bunch of produce and held out his hoof. "It was always, 'Here you are sir. Next!'" He gestured back towards the distant carrot farmer. "We talked for awhile, and Ms. Top told me all about her plans to open a diner someday."

"Surely you must miss something about Canterlot: The culture, the sophistication, the fashion!" said Rarity dreamily. "I find it harder to leave every time I visit to purchase my fabrics." She removed her elbows from the table as the waiter returned with their bright red pomegranate juice cocktails and salads. "Why the shopping alone would keep me occupied for days if it weren't for all the work I have here," she said while dismissing the waiter with a thankful nod.

"Well sure, it has all that," said Argent while digging into the greens, "but I wasn't able to enjoy the culture as a colt, and by the time I was old enough, I was in the Guard Academy and was too tired at the end of the day to anything but sleep." He took a sip from the glass and savored the sweet juice blend. "Aside from a few days off, and my brief stay in the Crystal Empire, studying under Captain Armor, this is probably the first time I've had the energy and time to just enjoy myself." He thought back to the festivities in Appleoosa. "The Western Days Festival was probably the most most fun I've had since joining the guard."

"Twilight told us," said Rarity with a sly smile, "I don't think she's had as much fun in a long time either." She delicately nibbled at a piece of cucumber and used her magic to dab at her muzzle with a napkin. "I don't think I need to tell you, but our Twilight can be a bit obsessive when it comes to her studies. Now with all of these princess duties she's taken on, I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't taken any time for herself over the last month."

"You're not the first pony to say that," said the stallion, as thought about Oracle's sage advice. "I was hoping you and the other elements could help me get her out of the study a bit more. She really needs to get a flying regimen started as well."

"I'll talk to Rainbow Dash about that," said Rarity, "but back to the matter at hoof." She stood and walked around the table to the stallion's side and examined him from several angles. "Your coat is such a perfect color for a designer," she said excitedly, "You'll look good in almost any hue; what I need from you is some input into the shape and style." She returned to her seat and pulled a pad of paper and several charcoal pencils from her stylish panniers. "So tell me about what you do; what do you like to do; what makes Argent, Argent." She slipped her red framed glasses onto the bridge of her nose and looked at him expectantly.

"I'm a guard," he said with a shrug. "I like keeping Twilight safe."

Rarity fixed a flat stare on the stallion, freezing him in mid bite. "We're going for something a little deeper here," she said in annoyance, "I'm not some crude armorer throwing cookie cutter hunks of gold plated metal at a bunch of anonymous stallions. I am The Rarity, and my creations have to reflect a pony's true nature." She reached over the flat topped mushroom and poked the stallion repeatedly in the chest. "You. Better. Dig. Deeper."

Argent swallowed the chewed mouthful of greens and nodded fearfully. "I would still say that, first and foremost, I'm a guard," he reiterated. "I got my cutie mark protecting my sister; I was noticed by Captain Armor because I defended the door of the orphanage from the changelings; and I guess I was made a Captain for protecting all the ponies of Appleoosa."

Rarity nodded and jotted down notes on her pad. "So Defender isn't just a surname," she said with a smile.

"I suppose not," he said abashedly, "I remember my father telling me stories about all the stallions and mares in our family who dedicated themselves to protecting Equestria. Maybe he thought I'd follow in their hoofsteps."

Rarity nodded and continued moving the pencil around with her magic. "Twilight tells me you dance," she said with a smile. "She says you dance quite well. I'm fairly certain they don't teach guards how to dance. Shining's moves at the wedding were passable, but nothing like what Twilight described."

Argent blushed and looked at the ground. "I learned it as a kid," he said as he raised his head to once again meet Rarity's gaze. "I'm decent, but Trixie is the real expert. She was always better at picking up new skills."

"I also see you have a bit of a shield fetish," she said with a wry grin.

"I've tried spears and swords," he said with a frown. "The trainers at the academy told me I'd be more likely to injure myself with them." He patted the plank of wood wrapped in dented iron. "It turns out I'm much better at keeping weapons away from me with a stout shield. A good defense is the best offense in my case, and I never lost a sparring match at the Academy." He saw Rarity's impressed nods and laughed. "I never actually won a match either: Fifty matches, fifty draws. I probably would have won some if they had let us use hooves and headbutts."

"Lets talk about Twilight," said Rarity abruptly.

Argent drew his head back in confusion. "Okay," he said quizzically, "I'm sure you know more about her than me."

"Ah, but I'm not the first captain of her 'Harmony Guard,'" said Rarity with a flourish of her hooves. "Why did you agree to become her bodyguard in the first place?"

"Aside from the obvious answer: That I was ordered to?" he asked the mare.

Rarity narrowed her eyes and used her magic to sharpen the charcoal pencil to a point. "What do you think?" she asked rhetorically.

"I spent the better part of a year studying under Shining Armor," he said, "Very few days went by where he or Cadance didn't talk about his little sister. You'd have thought that she was the Princess." Argent barked a laugh and continued. "I think he was grooming me for the job from the start," said Argent, "He was getting worried about all the trouble you six seemed to get in, and thought that somepony with my skills would be useful. The alicorn thing probably made it easier for him to sell her on the idea of me." Realizing he still hadn't answered her question, he held his hooves out to forestall any accusations. "To answer your question: I agreed with him, and I suppose seeing her at the wedding convinced me that she needed somepony to watch her back."

At the mention of the wedding, Rarity searched through her memories of that day, trying to place the silver unicorn. The image of a bulky stallion stuffed into a too small suit flashed into her mind's eye. "You!" she said accusingly, "You're the slovenly oaf who ruined the wedding ceremony!"

"Now wait a minute-" said Argent before a white hoof silenced him.

"No excuses," said Rarity, "I don't care if Discord himself shrunk your suit; a gentlecolt would never let himself be seen in such a state." Argent kept his muzzle shut as the diatribe against his manners continued for several minutes. Their waiter returned and swiftly cleared their plates, flashing the stallion a sympathetic smile as he placed the check in front of Argent. He reached into his bags and pulled out a small bag of coins while still making sure to keep eye contact with the still ranting Rarity.

"And if you are going to be wearing an authentic Rarity, you mustn't act in such a disgraceful manner," said Rarity as she slapped her hoof against the toadstool.

The shaking of the table roused the stallion from his trip inside his mind. "Why's she looking at me like that," he thought to himself, "Oh buck, she's waiting for an answer." He drew upon every experience under hard-flanked officers like Captain Brightblade, and to a much lesser extent, Shining Armor, and gave the timeless answer all soldiers give in the this situation. "Sorry ma'am; it won't happen again ma'am."

"I should hope not," replied the mollified mare. She reached over and patted his hoof as she stood and returned her notes to her saddlebags. "My job now is to make a uniform so fantastic that you would never dream of acting so uncouth."

From the corner of her eye she saw a familiar purple coated mare galloping towards the cafe. With a satisfied smile she stepped around the table to the stallion who was still strapping his shield to his back. She brought a hoof to his chin and pulled it to face her. She leaned in and kissed him square on the lips. "Thank you for lunch Argent," she said with a wry grin.

With that, she spun around and began a slow deliberate saunter back to her boutique to begin work on her newest masterpiece. She passed the alicorn who was pulling herself off the ground from an abrupt face plant. "Hello Twilight," said Rarity, "He's all yours."

Twilight stood and watched dumbstruck as Rarity walked away. A tap on her shoulder caused her to wheel around in surprise. "Did you need something Twilight?" asked a nervous Argent, unaware of the prominent smudge of red lipstick on his muzzle.

Twilight realized she was still frowning and returned her face to a neutral expression. "We're ready to try and repair your sister's magic," she said with far less exuberance that she had planned. "I... she wants you to be there." She quickly turned her back to the stallion and began trotting back towards the library.

Argent hurried after her, trying to understand what had just transpired. "Rarity seems very eager to start on the uniform she promised," he said as they passed the Carousel Boutique. "She was so excited she kissed me," he said with an awkward laugh.

"I could tell," she muttered, "She left her calling card on your lips."

Argent lost his balance as he crossed his eyes in a futile effort to see the the front of his muzzle. He wiped his mouth with his hoof and was mortified to see the offending rosy red makeup on his silver fetlocks. He quickly levitated a hoofkerchief from his panniers and quickly removed any evidence of the kiss. "That mare has boundary issues," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Clearly," growled Twilight.

He followed in silence and they soon found themselves entering the large oak tree home. The sounds of metal banging against metal rang through the air from the open basement door. Bright flashes of brilliant white light filled him with trepidation as Twilight led the way down to the lab. The first thing he noticed was that the large machines had been disassembled. The various vacuum tubes, conduits and gears of the mechanisms had been spilled out onto the floor. A single large metal chair sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by the discarded remnants of the re-purposed scientific instruments. Oracle stood behind the chair's heavy back aiming a precisely focused jet of white hot magical fire at a strange, hemispherical object held in place by Trixie. Argent and Twilight held their hooves in front of their eyes as the intense light once more filled the room.

Oracle pulled the heavy shaded goggles from her eyes and let them join her glasses around her neck. She stood back and nodded to Trixie. "That should do it," she said confidently, "See how it fits."

Trixie turned around and sat down into the seat. The older mare flipped the dome down on the hinges she had just finished welding to the chair back. Trixie grabbed it with her hooves and slipped her horn through a small hole on the front side of the helmet. She sat perfectly straight, with her back flat against the chair and her forelegs resting on the two raised arm rests. "It works for Trixie," said the cyan mare, "A little uncomfortable, but sitting like this always is." She flipped the helmet from her head and stood back up.

Argent walked closer and examined the odd headpiece. Around the hole through which Trixie's horn had fit were four metallic probes that rose parallel with the intended horn before angling to join together at its tip. Twisted strands of wire ran out of the base of each probe and wound around the helmet to a port at the rear. Oracle gently nudged Argent out of the way and picked up a heavily shielded piece of conduit with her magenta aura. She plugged it into the helmet's rear port and twisted it until she felt it click into place. Argent followed the heavy cable back to another heavily modified box of machinery.

Twilight followed him as he toured the result of their morning of frantic tinkering. "That's the monitoring station," she said, pointing at the green glassed oscilloscope and a row of eight knobs and gauges. She pulled another coil of conduit from a peg on the side of the machine and unrolled it, revealing a funnel wrapped tightly with copper wire. She slipped it over her horn and flared her magic while pointing at the screen. Unintelligible squiggly lines danced across the green screen, while all the needles of the gauges flicked to a vertical position. "Eight gauges for eight Ley Lines," she explained, "Once Trixie is in place, Oracle and I will both use these to draw the excess chaos magic the amulet left in her horn." She opened a panel on the bottom of the machine and revealed several glowing crystals set in a precise arcane circle. "The circle will direct any excess magic into the crystals, and all that will be left is Trixie's natural magic."

Argent took a step back and looked at the three smug mares. "This looks dangerous," he said with a shake of his head. He walked to Twilight's side and lowered his head. "I know you want to help, and as much as I want Trixie to have this over with, we can't ask you to put yourself in more danger for our sake."

Trixie's eyebrows lowered in anger as she opened her mouth to let her brother know that it was all Twilight's idea, but was stopped by the hoof of the older mare on her shoulder. She looked at Trixie and smiled as she gently and wordlessly shook her head from side to side.

"I know it's your job to worry over my safety," said Twilight curtly, "but I promised Trixie I would make this right, and that's what I intend to do." She closed the open panel on the monitoring unit and began examining the second copper wound funnel. "You can stay and help in the unlikely event that something goes wrong, but we will finish this, with or without your assistance."

"I didn't mean... I wasn't... Of course I'll...," stammered Argent as he followed her around to the backside of the machine, out of eyesight of the other two mares. "Twilight, forget about my job, I don't want you to hurt yourself." Argent had lowered his head next to hers as she manipulated several breakers on the backside of the device. "I want to help," he said, "Let me take your place, you just have to show me what to do."

Twilight shut the small door on the back of the machine and regained her hoofing. "No offense, but you don't have the magical skill," she said, "and it's not that dangerous." She saw the genuine look of concern and fear in his eyes and let go of the anger she had been holding onto for reasons she couldn't quite remember. "Look," she said, "For Oracle and myself, the danger is limited to maybe a headache if there's some feedback that we can't control." She grabbed his hoof and held it between hers. "I won't lie to you," she said seriously, "It will be painful for Trixie; it might leave her in a severely weakened state, but she wants this Argent: She wants it more than anything." She looked him into the eyes and warmly smiled. "I know this all looks a bit slap-dash and a little intimidating, but Oracle and I both agreed on its construction, and she's quite well read on these sorts of matters."

Argent pulled his hoof back and nodded in resignation before walking around the machine and back across the room to his sister. "If you're sure you want to do this, then I'm here to help," he said as he reached a foreleg around her neck. He looked towards Oracle and gave her a serious stare down. "These are the two most important ponies in the world to me," he said, "I'm counting on you to keep them safe."

The older mare returned his gaze and nodded. She couldn't tell any of the ponies in the room, but she was certain this would work. The machine they had built was still sitting in her basement in twenty years. She had built the device to deal with the aftereffects of a particularly nasty unknown strain of the Unicorn Flu. The machine had restored magical balance to every unicorn in Ponyville, so she was certain that it could correct this one simple case of ley line corruption. The older Twilight drew upon her horn's magic deeply enough to cause her eyes to shine in pure white luminescence. "The machine will work, and Trixie will be cured. There will be slight pain, but everypony will be fine." She released her magic and blinked her eyes as they returned to normal. "See," she said, full of self assurance, "I promised you a vision, and there it is."

Argent narrowed his eyes and turned back to Twilight. "Well now I'm perfectly at ease," he said sarcastically, "Tell me what you need me to do."

Twilight positioned him in front of the device and, with Oracle's help, gave him a primer on how to interpret the various dials and displays. "What we really need, is for you to tell us when this gauge is level will the others," said Oracle as she pointed at the seventh dial from the left. "At that point, her magic will back in balance, and you can cut the connection by flipping this switch." The stallion nodded and asked a few questions of the older alicorn while Twilight walked over to Trixie, who was examining the chair.

"Argent is right," she said to Trixie, "You don't have to do this. We can always find another way."

Trixie looked up from the heavy straps she was adjusting. "Trixie will be fine," replied the showmare, "There are things Trixie must do very soon, things that she needs her magic for." She stood up and awkwardly shuffled her hooves before reaching over and wrapping her rival in a hug. "Trixie... I...thank you for all you've done for me." She released Twilight and put on her most winning smile. "Now If Sparkle would be so kind as to help strap Trixie into this thing, we can begin."

Twilight chuckled as she helped Trixie into the seat. She wrapped the large restraint attached to the back of the chair around Trixie's waist. "Remember," said Twilight, "You need to hold on to your magic as long as you can." She moved to the cyan mare's hooves and began tying them down to the armrests. "Don't worry about a surge," she said while tightening a strap, "We should be able to interrupt them as we draw out the chaos line."

Trixie tested the strength of the bonds and nodded at the helmet. Twilight guided the helmet over the seated mare's horn and onto her head. "It's going to hurt," said Twilight as she adjusted the metal probes of the headpiece. "You have to tell us if you can't take it; we'll shut it down at the first sign of danger."

Trixie took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Trixie is ready, and she can take the pain."

Twilight walked over to Oracle and Argent and levitated the copper wrapped cone to her horn. Oracle followed her lead and the two alicorns took their places beside Trixie. "Flare your magic when you're ready to start Trixie," said the older mare.

Trixie's horn came to life and enveloped the entire helmet in her vibrant pink aura. The pair of alicorns flared their own horns and sent their auras coursing along the conduits and into the back of the headpiece. Argent watched as monitoring station hummed to life, its gauges and oscilloscope twitching wildly in an attempt to get a base reading. "Okay," said the stallion, "The seventh dial is maxed out, everything else is steady."

"Let's begin Princess," said the elder Twilight as she began to pull as much chaos magic as she had ever tried in her many years of magical experience. The younger alicorn grunted as the swirling tempest of concentrated disorder struggled in her grasp. A minute went by in silence, as the three mares all concentrated on their magic.

"How are we doing?" asked the young alicorn through gritted teeth. She turned towards the stallion at the monitor when she didn't receive a response. "Argent!" she shouted.

Argent tore his gaze away from his sister's twitching form and quickly returned to the gauges and monitor. "It's starting to come down!" he shouted. "Trixie, you okay over there!?"

Trixie couldn't answer. The cyan mare struggled in her bonds, her unrestrained rear legs thrashing in every direction, yet nothing more than brief high pitched squeak made it past her clenched teeth. Streaks of red energy arced from the mare's horn to the helmet's four probes and were quickly diverted through the long cable and into the machine.

"C'mon sis!" shouted Argent, "Talk to me!"

"Shut up!" cried Trixie with a sob. Tears streamed from her eyes as she struggled to keep from screaming out in pain.

Minutes passed as Argent kept a watchful vigil over the monitor and all three mares. The needle made a slow traverse across the seventh gauge, its excruciatingly slow pace unchanged despite the stallion's sometimes vulgar urging. The Twilights were both showing extreme exhaustion from drawing such extreme amounts of magic through their horns for such an extended period of time. Trixie shuddered as spasms wracked her body. A low keening moan escaped her still clenched jaw. Drops of blood began trickling from her nostrils and down her muzzle.

"That's it," said Argent upon seeing the nosebleed, "We have to stop this."

"No," said Trixie weakly, "I... I can do this."

Argent grabbed a towel from the workbench and wiped the blood from his sister's face. He turned to the two slumped over alicorns. "You two have to speed this up somehow," he said worriedly, "she can't handle much more of this."

The elder Twilight pointed to her saddlebags. "There's a chestplate in my bags," she said between deep breaths, "Put it on the princess; it will help her draw more magic."

Argent ran to the bags, lifted out the bejeweled breastplate, and ran back to the young princess's side. The clasps of the decorative chest armor were identical to the hauberks he was used to wearing as a royal guard. "Hold still," he whispered as he reached his arms around the twitching alicorn. He held her close as he snapped the buckles into position. Standing back, he looked to Oracle for further guidance.

"Twilight," she said as she rose to her hooves, "You've got to pull more. There's a reservoir of energy in the chestplate; use it." The intensity of the aura around the younger mare's covered horn nearly doubled. "Good girl," said Oracle wearily. She stood wearily and stretched her legs before increasing the pull from her own magic.

Trixie felt the increased draw immediately. Her joints locked up and she went as stiff as the restraints would allow. Argent ran back to the monitor and held his hoof to the gauge, tapping it lightly. The needle's pace across the hatch marks had increased significantly, and soon he was counting down for the three mares.

"It's only a few more seconds," he shouted to the room as he grasped the large shutdown switch with his hoof. The younger alicorn had fallen to her side, struggling for breath as she tapped every last bit of energy in her body. The older mare slowly paced back and forth, trying to keep her mind on anything but the crushing weariness caused by magical exhaustion.

Argent threw the switch as the reading on the gauge matched its seven siblings. He ran to his sister and carefully removed the helmet from around her horn. Her head hung freely from her neck as Argent used his magic to quickly unbuckle the straps that held her to the chair. He leaned in and exhaled in relief when she wrapped her forelegs around him.

"Check on Twilight," whispered Trixie, "I'll be fine." She placed a hoof against the stallion's face and pushed him away.

Argent turned and knelt down beside the motionless younger alicorn. "Twilight," he said softly. Panicking when she didn't respond, Argent placed his head to her side and sighed in relief as the soft sound of snoring reached his ears.

"Magical Exhaustion," said the older mare as she rose wobbly to her hooves. "She'll need a nap. Why don't you take her upstairs and get her into bed?" She wrapped Trixie in her aura and lifted her gently from the ground. "I'll take Trixie to her room."

"Okay," said Argent, "Thank you Oracle; I don't know if they would have been able to do this themselves."

Twilight smiled as she maneuvered Trixie through the air towards the stairs. "I told you everything would work out," she said with a wink, "the Great and Wise Oracle Dreams sees and knows all."

"Trixie heard that," mumbled the floating unicorn. The older alicorn snickered as she ascended the stairs.

Argent unhooked the lavender alicorn from the machine and delicately removed Oracle's jewel studded breastplate. He struggled as he tried to lift the mare to his back with his magic. After a few aborted efforts, he managed to hold her in place with his magic while he slowly climbed the stairs. She reflexively squeeze his sides as they walked across the library. Argent held a hoof to his lips as he passed Spike, who was busy sweeping the main floor.

"She's fine," he whispered. "She's just exhausted." Argent slowly climbed up the second flight of stairs and was soon leaning across Twilight's bed in an attempt to roll her off of his back without waking her. She tightened her grip on the stallion when she hit the soft mattress, pulling him onto the bed beside her in the process. He saw Oracle standing just outside the doorway, her hoof against her mouth, stifling a giggle that would have woken up the still snoring Twilight. He shot a pleading gaze at the older alicorn. She took a mockingly stern pose and held her hoof to her lips as if demanding him to remain silent. She switched off the light and stepped back into the hallway, closing the door behind her.

Spike placed the two plates in front of Twilight and Argent. "This came for you earlier," said the dragon as he placed a scroll on the table next to the alicorn. He patted the stallion on the back as he returned to the kitchen to fetch his own plate.

"I said I was sorry," said Twilight as she rubbed her eyes and bit into the cucumber sandwich she had levitated before her. "I was sleepy; it was dark; and a strange stallion was in my bed." She set the sandwich down and sipped from a glass of water. "Honestly, you're lucky I didn't throw you out the window."

"Thanks for that," said Argent as he frowned at the alicorn. He lifted the ice pack from under the table and carried it into the kitchen. "Next time I won't bother trying to wake you."

Twilight covered her blush by wiping her muzzle with a napkin. "Probably a good idea," she muttered. She regretted her overreaction and the involuntary kick that had left Argent limping for last few hours. She had quickly gone back to sleep, and had it not been for the stallion's grumpy mood, she probably have thought the incident some fevered dream brought about by her magical exhaustion. "How's Trixie?" she asked to change the subject.

"Still asleep," replied Argent as he sat back down and began eating, "Oracle said that she'd need a good night's sleep before even trying to test her magic."

"Sound advice," said Twilight as she grabbed the scroll and unrolled it next to her plate. Argent resumed eating his late afternoon snack. After an eventful few days and a late night train ride home, he was looking forward to a relaxing evening of reengaging his favorite hobbies.

"YES!" shouted Twilight out of the blue. Argent dropped his sandwich in surprise as Twilight began hopping around the table, repeatedly shouting, "YES!" He stood and watched as she made another bouncing circuit around the dining table. Her wings extended unconsciously and flapped as she hopped around. She quickly found herself higher off the ground than she expected and was soon careening out of control towards the amused stallion.

"Oh buck me," muttered Argent as he closed his eyes and braced for the imminent collision. He opened them again and winced as his already abused body protested its mistreatment. The stallion reached across the dazed alicorn for the parchment that had prompted the outburst:

My Faithful Princess,

I'm relieved to learn that you are safe after your adventure in the west. Your letter brought back memories of a dark time I had thought long forgotten. Captain Brightblade was quite irate at the whole situation, but then again, it's hard to tell with that stallion. We'll speak more on what you found later, but know that I'm extremely proud of how you and your friends managed to save the day yet again.

On to happier news. I know you would never have asked out of some misguided fear that you were abusing your position, so I went ahead and made the arrangements on my own. I convinced Commander Spitfire to allow a limited number of younger Pegasi into this year's Wonderbolts Tryouts. Your friend Rainbow Dash might be ready to join their ranks despite her youth, and the commander is ready to grant her an audition at the upcoming display. Spitfire has already sent out notices to other hopefuls, but I thought you could let Rainbow Dash know in person.

I hope to see you both at the Canterlot Aerodrome.

Princess Celestia of Equestria

Spike casually walked into the room and stepped over the pile of tangled ponies. "Are you gonna finish your sandwich Argent?" asked the dragon.

Author's Note

There's more dialogue in this chapter than I thought there'd be.

Didn't plan on going so long, but I got into a serious thing... and then I forgot how it ended. Internet points to anyone who catches that reference.

Ch. 11: To the Heights

Scootaloo raced down the road at break neck speed. Her little wings flapped at a hummingbird-like frequency, propelling the pegasus filly towards the hills that overlooked Ponyville. It was Friday, and Friday meant that it was flying lesson day. She had spent the last few hours of the school day with her head in the metaphorical clouds; now she hoped to spend the rest of the day in the literal ones.

She swung the back of her blue scooter around and came skidding to an abrupt stop at the blue mailbox that stood alone on the side of the road. Scootaloo looked into the sky at the underside of the fluffy cloud abode of her idol and mentor. "Rainbow Dash!" she shouted excitedly, "I'm here!"

"Hold on kid," shouted a voice from above, "and step to the side."

Scootaloo rolled herself backwards and out from underneath the cloud home. Two large duffle bags dropped from the sky and landed next to the mailbox. One smashed into the ground with a metallic *clank*. Rainbow Dash herself leapt from her front porch with wings tucked and pulled into a steep nose dive. She hurtled towards the ground at terminal velocity before flaring her wings to their full span and arresting her descent at the last possible second.

Scootaloo zoomed forward and jumped from her scooter in to Rainbow Dash's outstretched forehooves. "Wow Rainbow Dash," exclaimed the filly, "that was some awesome entrance!"

"Well get used to it Scoots," said the pegasus as she wrapped her unofficial little sister in a hug, "I've got to step up my game." She placed the filly back onto her scooter and tossed her the lighter of the two bags. "Carry that for me would ya?" she asked as she used both hooves to heave the heavier sack to her back. "I've got big news kid, and a big surprise for you."

"For me!?" Scootaloo asked eagerly, "Is it a new trick? Ooh ooh, is it my very own magic helicopter thingie like Tank has? No wait, it's the pillow full of your old feathers like I wanted isn't it!"

Rainbow chuckled as she began trotting towards the flat open plain that had become her usual practice spot. "First of all," she said to the filly who rolled along beside her, "don't I always have a new trick for you?" Scootaloo nodded in excitement. "Secondly," continued the cyan pegasus, "the point of all of these lessons is so you don't need any help flying." Rainbow shifted the heavy load so it was higher up on her shoulders. "Lastly, I told you already, the pillow thing is creepy. If you stop asking me for it, you can have the next trailing edge feather I molt."

"Deal!" said Scootaloo, satisfied that her devious plan had run to its inevitable conclusion.

"So the big news first," said Rainbow as the large pasture came into view. "Twilight was able to get me a spot in the Royal Grand Aerial Display at the Canterlot Aerodrome next weekend."

"Whooooa," said Scootaloo with wide eyes, "Does that mean..."

"Yep!" said Rainbow Dash, managing to skip excitedly despite the heavy burden on her back, "I might be a Wonderbolt in a little over a week!"

"Might?" said Scootaloo with dismissive wave of her hoof. "There's no way you won't make the team. You already said you were the top of your class at the Academy. I bet Spitfire herself gives you your uniform as soon as you land after the show."

Rainbow blushed while setting down the large bag. "I don't think it'll be that easy," she said while taking the lighter bag from the filly and unzipping it. "There's a reason why they usually don't let pegasi my age into the display. I know I'm awesome Scoots, but I'll be up against ponies in their prime." She reached into the duffle bag, pulled out a baseball cap, and placed it on the filly's head. "They'll be bigger and stronger than me. Speed is great, and I've got it in spades, but they've got the wings to fly full speed for hours. My skill has to be that much better than their's to get me a spot on the squad."

"Pffft," sputtered the filly, "as if any pegasus has a trick as awesome as the Sonic Rainboom."

"That's the thing kid," said Dash, "Nearly everypony's seen the Rainboom by now. I did perform it at a royal wedding after all, and most of the Wonderbolts were there when I performed it at the best young flier's competition." She slipped a whistle around Scootaloo's neck. "No, I have to come up with something new to prove I'm not a one-trick pony."

"Well you have tons of new tricks," said the filly around the whistle in her mouth, "The Peregrine Pass was pretty radical."

"It needs to be bigger and better than the Rainboom kid," said Rainbow seriously, "which is why I need your help." She threw a hoof around Scootaloo's shoulder and draped a wing around the young filly. "I need a spotter to tell me what I need to fix as I get this new trick figured out. I need somepony to push me; somepony to help dust me off when I crash." She winked at her awestruck student. "Want the job kiddo?"

"Do I ever!" shouted Scootaloo. "How do we start?"

Rainbow Dash smiled and rubbed the top of the filly's head. "Extreme Warm-ups!" she said eagerly as she unzipped the second, heavier, bag and pulled out a large barbell and several lighter dumbbells. "I just feel bad about missing your lessons for the next couple of weeks."

"It's cool," said the filly, "I'm just psyched that you want me to help!"

"I still want to make it up to you," said Rainbow Dash as she began a series of stretches. "Something like, I don't know, bringing you with me to the display so you can sit in my coaches box."

"You mean the seats right behind the Wonderbolts?" asked the wide eyed filly. "The best seats in the whole Aerodrome?"

"That's right Scoots," said Rainbow. "All the girls and my parents are gonna be there to cheer me on, but I need my number one superfan there to show them how it's done."

Scootaloo's brain froze as it tried to process the sheer awesomeness that the universe had thrown her way. She fell backwards into the soft bed of flowers and grass and stared into the clear blue sky.

"Are you sure you won't stay a few more days?" asked Twilight as she levitated one of Trixie's many heavy boxes down the stairs and out the front door. "Just a few more tests to make sure your magic is completely stabilized."

Trixie rolled her eyes as she placed the chest of clothes into the back of her newly repaired and upgraded wagon. "Sparkle, you've spent the last week watching Trixie use her magic nearly nonstop. If Trixie's magic show at the school didn't convince you that her horn is repaired, then nothing will."

"But Trixie," said Twilight as she slid the box to the back of the cart, "even the smallest miscalculation on our part and your magic could be a ticking time bomb."

"Trixie is starting to think you just don't want to see her go," said Trixie with a wry grin. "Trixie's company is truly addictive."

"Ha," said the alicorn, "I just take pride in my work." She bumped her flank against Trixie's playfully. "But honestly, it has been nice to have someone to talk shop with." They walked back into the library and back up the stairs. "I love my friends, but their eyes glass over when I even start talking about serious magical theory." They entered the room the two siblings had shared for a short time. Argent passed them with the last two crates and headed downstairs.

"Oracle's a short trot away," offered Trixie as she donned her cape and hat. "You can visit her any time you like and ask her to help with any experiments you want to perform. Day or night, I'm sure she won't mind."

"That's true," said Twilight as she leaned against the bedroom's door frame, "but I'll still miss having you around."

Trixie smiled, walked over to Twilight, and gave her a hug. "Trixie is thankful for everything, and she'll visit soon, but the road calls: Places to go, ponies to find." She released the alicorn and looked down the stairs to make sure Argent was still busy with the wagon. "Trixie doubts he'd say it, since he's so stuck in his head all the time, but Argent really loves it here," she said conspiratorially. "Trixie is glad he's with a pony like Twilight Sparkle. Trixie knows you'll take care of him."

"I promise he's safe with me," said Twilight with a hoof to her chest. "No more liches if I can help it."

"Good," replied Trixie, "he'll do anything you ask of him. Don't abuse that."

Twilight nodded seriously. "I wouldn't dream of it," said Twilight as she escorted Trixie back outside. "Is everything sorted out here Argent?"

The stallion looked around and saluted crisply. "One wagon outfitted, upgraded, and ready to go!" He trotted up to his sister and squeezed her tightly to his chest. "Be safe, and don't hesitate to send for us if things get dangerous."

"The Great and Powerful Trixie will consider it," she replied with all her usual bluster. "You make sure to take care of Sparkle. The Great and Powerful Trixie has decided that she is a worthy companion for her brother."

"Praise from The Great and Powerful Trixie," said Twilight mockingly, "All I had to do was become a princess and face down a lich for her."

Trixie smiled as she lifted her harness into place. "Imagine what it will take to get Trixie's admiration," she said as she began pulling the heavily laden cart. The new magically enhanced axles offered little resistance and she was soon moving at a slow trot towards the south. "Take care," she shouted over her shoulder, "Let Trixie know when you two figure it out!"

"What does that mean," asked the confused stallion as he waved.

"Who knows," said Twilight. "Come on, let's pack for Canterlot." Neither saw Oracle and Horizon joining Trixie as she crossed the plaza.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" asked the older stallion. "We owe you a favor."

"Not yet," replied Trixie, "Trixie will let you both know when she's ready, but for now you two should probably work on your own little problem."
.

"Well, I did manage to secure the temporary librarian position," said Twilight smugly, "I'll find out soon enough if there's anything that can tell us how to jump forwards in time."

"Trixie will keep an eye out for anything that may help you," she said as they crossed the small bridge that served as Ponyville's southern border. She stopped on the side of the well paved road and looked at each of the older ponies in turn. "You know, Trixie had her doubts, but she may be able to stomach seeing you two together."

Twilight smirked, strode to Argent and pulled him into a deep kiss with no small amount of tongue involved.

"Trixie was wrong," said the cyan unicorn before engaging in a bout of faux retching. "Just let Trixie know when the wedding is," she said while starting up the wagon again, leaving the two lip locked ponies behind.

"And you remembered your vitamins?" asked the earth pony mare as she held Scootaloo to her chest. "I don't want my baby getting sick all alone so far from home."

Scootaloo wriggled around in her mother's grasp. "Mooooom," whined the filly, "Not in front of Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow Dash muffled a laugh to keep from further embarrassing her protege. "No need to fear Terra," said Rainbow, "You know Scoots is safe with me."

"I know Rainbow," said Terra Firma, "but a mother worries." Scootaloo continued struggling with her mother's over protective nature as they waited by the train tracks for the mid day Friendship Express to Canterlot. A flurry of activity by the entrance to the station house drew the attention of the ponies on the platform.

"That should be Twilight," said Rainbow as a crowd of chattering ponies made their way across the terminal.

Argent emerged from the crowd, six tickets hovering before him in his golden magical aura. He wore a sleek, deep purple, long sleeved jacket zippered all the way up his neck. Gleaming silver metal plates were sewn into the breast and sides of the coat, offering a modest amount of protection. His shield was latched to a gold plated mechanism sewn to the back of the jacket. A sapphire blue scarf in magenta trim wound around his neck complete with a copy of Twilight's cutie mark embroidered on each end. On his hooves were four silver hoof cups, each embellished with a tapering point rising up along the front of the stallion's fetlock.

"Hmm," said Rainbow Dash, "I guess it looks alright. I still think it needs spikes."

The stallion handed the tickets to the pony at the gate as Twilight finished wishing the crowd of friends and acquaintances a fond farewell. The rest of the elements followed her with saddlebags packed for a short stay in Canterlot, all except Rarity, who was trailed by two porters carting several large suitcases.

Pinkie Pie bounced to Rainbow Dash and wrapped her in a bone crunching hug. "I'm soooooo excited for you Dashie!" said the excitable mare. "It's like the Wonderbolt Academy all over again, but ten times more important."

"She'll probably need her backbone Pinkie," said Applejack as she placed her heavily laden saddlebags on the ground, "in more ways than one."

"Tell me about it," said Rainbow Dash in an uncharacteristic showing of nervousness. "I still don't know how I'll handle performing for the entire Aerodrome crowd; and Princess Celestia; and Princess Luna; and the head Wonderbolts."

"You'll be great," said Twilight who was completely decked out in her princess accouterments, "and remember: This isn't your only shot at this. Some ponies have to perform at several displays before knowing one way or another about their chances with the Wonderbolts."

"And you'll have all of us to cheer you on," said Fluttershy, "I know I can do better than last time."

"Thanks girls," said Rainbow Dash as the Friendship Express's whistle blew a sharp note across the platform. "No time to worry about it now though, lets all climb aboard!"

Terra Firma gave her daughter one last squeeze before Scootaloo managed to wriggle free and ran circles around Rainbow Dash. The friends all stepped onto the recently repaired rear porch of the lavish royal car and settled in for the relatively short trip to the heart of Equestria. Cupcakes and punch miraculously appeared from Pinkie's seemingly bottomless saddlebags and soon the friends were all chatting up a storm.

"Three whole days in Canterlot," said Rarity, the rapture evident in her voice, "I simply adore the city this time of year: The culture; the sophistication; sweet Celestia, the shopping! Fluttershy, you simply must accompany me to my favorite salon. Applejack, I'm going to take you to the best little pâtisserie in all of Canterlot: Their apple tarts are to die for."

"Well shucks Rarity," said Applejack nervously, "I figured I would explore a little on my own, if that's alright with you, but I'll catch up with ya'll later."

"Spoilsport," said Rarity as she pulled seven fluted glasses from one of her carry on bags. "Pinkie Pie, if you'll do the honors?" Pinkie squealed in delight as she pulled a bucket of ice from her seemingly bottomless saddlebags. Rarity levitated a large magnum of champagne from its chilly bath. "Courtesy of Berry and Barley: One bottle of Rainboom Reserve."

She popped the cork and began distributing the bubbly concoction of swirling colorful spirits. "Ladies and Argent," she said while raising her glass, "to Rainbow Dash's big break!" They each clinked their glass against each others before tasting the heady beverage.

"It doesn't taste like rainbow," said Pinkie after swishing the sparkling drink in her mouth, "but that's probably a good thing." The friends took turns toasting the mare of the hour while Scootaloo and Spike sipped on cups of punch. Outside the train, rolling hills and pastures gave way to steep mountains. Soon they were sitting in the cushioned seats as the incline made standing difficult.

"Applejack darling," said Rarity to the farm-mare sitting across from her, "Is there something wrong with your drink?"

Applejack looked at the untouched glass in her hoof and gave an awkward shrug. "I guess it's not my cup of cider," she said while placing it on the table between them. "Ya'll know I don't go in for all that frilly frou frou stuff."

Rarity reached across the table and placed a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "Is something the matter, Applejack?" asked Rarity in a concerned tone. "You've seemed a bit down the last few weeks."

"I reckon I've just been workin' too hard," said Applejack. "Doing Big Mac's share of the chores has been tough, and now that he's off with Fluttershy every chance he gets, I'm starting to realize how much he does around the farm."

Rarity looked over at the yellow pegasus who was laughing with Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo. "'Every chance he gets' you say?" asked Rarity playfully. Applejack, glad to have the notorious gossip's attention focused on somepony else, proceeded to throw Fluttershy under the Rarity Bus.

After another hour of steady climbs through mountain tunnels and over majestic steel span bridges, the Friendship Express approached the gleaming jewel of Equestria. Canterlot sparkled in the setting sun, its golden spires and domes aflame with brilliant orange light. From the windows of the train, the entire city appeared to be surrounded in an aura that gave it an otherworldly visage.

"It's like something out of a fairy tale," said Rarity dreamily, "riding into a golden city in the company of a princess."

"Don't forget about the part where the princess invites you all to stay in her castle," said Twilight with a beatific smile. Spike was there to steady the swooning unicorn before she fell out of her seat.

Argent began lifting Rarity's bags from their places in the luggage racks above the seats as the train came to a stop in the Canterlot Train Depot. He opened the side doors of the royal car in time to see several golden armored guards dropping a gold filigreed set of stairs beneath his feet. Argent levitated the pile of luggage, one bag at a time, next to a waiting cart. He descended the steps and held his hoof out to help each mare and filly as they made their way off the train car. As Twilight descended, the sound of hoofs stomping the stone platform rang out. The guards saluted in unison, the haft of their spears held vertically.

"Twiley" came a shout from behind the line of guards.

"Shining!" responded Twilight as she hopped down the rest of the way. She ran to her brother and threw her forearms around his neck. "What are you doing here?"

"Cadance has a few appointments," said the prince, "and we thought we'd catch the display while we're here. When I saw that Rainbow would be performing, I didn't need to be as smart as you to know that all of you would be here cheering her on." He stepped back from his sister and smiled at the rest of the ponies. "It's great to see you girls again," he said while bowing deeply. He levitated the baby dragon to his side and ruffled his headspines with his hoof. "Hey there Spike the Destroyer!"

"Let me go," protested the dragon, "or you'll get the flames!"

Shining chuckled as he let the dragon float back to the ground. "Nice to see you too little bro." He walked over to the cart of bags and placed the last on the tall pile of luggage. "And what do we have here?" he asked while looking over the mobile mountain of suitcases. "I leave you with Twilight for a few weeks and she's already got you dressed to the nines."

Argent narrowed his eyes and straightened his posture to stand proudly before his mentor. Before he could respond, Twilight smacked her brother in the back of the head. "Leave him alone Shiney," she said sternly, "you don't get to tease my Captain."

"Captain?" asked the puzzled stallion.

"Captain of my Harmony Guard," replied Twilight with a puffed out chest. "Now if you don't mind, we need to be on our way to the castle. Be a dear and help Argent with the bags."

Shining looked to Argent and then back at his sister before grabbing the front of the cart. "I bet you're loving this," he said to Argent who pushed from the rear of the small wagon.

"How many times did you ask me to hold Princess Cadenza's shopping bags?" asked Argent. "I'd say that karma has been successfully meted out this day."

Shining Armor chuckled as he pulled the cart along. The others followed behind the two stallions, chatting as they passed through the busy Canterlot streets. "I guess you've got me there, Captain Defender," he said jovially. "Seriously though; congratulations Argent, I knew you'd be the right stallion for the job."

"You two were right," said Argent as he looked over his shoulder and smiled at the alicorn laughing with her friends, "she really is something special."

"How was that?" asked Rainbow Dash as she landed next to the filly. "I think I got the angle just right that time."

"Still not fast enough," said Scootaloo, "It's starting to come together, but when you get to the top it's already coming apart at the bottom."

Rainbow Dash stomped her hoof. She had worked herself into heavy lather over the course of her two hours of allotted practice time in the Aerodrome. The grand old aerial stadium was built into the side of the same mountaintop on which Canterlot was built. Where the Canterlot Downs Racetrack had its single large grandstand set upon a plateau, the Aerodrome had its spectators perched upon the mountainside in sections of seats cut out of the rock itself. Tunnels wormed their way through the mountain from each section, connecting them to the grand facade of the main gates. An earth pony or unicorn approaching from Canterlot along the winding boulevard would be greeted by the two enormous pegasi reliefs cut into the side of the cliff where the road ended. They faced each other, forelegs raised into the air, wings flared above their backs. The main tunnel into the mountainside was filled with carvings of all of Equestria's greatest fliers. From the original Wonder Bolt, to the bat winged Shooting Star, all the legends greeted the spectators as they made their way to their seats.

"You're really close," said the filly as she handed her idol a towel, "I think the trick looks awesome just the way it is."

Rainbow Dash rubbed herself down with the cotton towel, leaving her coat matted and messy. "I told you kid," said Rainbow, "awesome just isn't going to cut it." She tossed the towel back to Scootaloo and looked at the large clock above the royal box. "I think that's all the time we'll get today," she said while picking up her saddlebags, "let me get a quick shower and we'll go get some grub and see what everypony's up to."

As they turned around and began walking towards the tunnels and the training rooms beyond, the swinging double doors opened revealing a familiar pegasus.

"What are you doing here," asked Rainbow Dash, her lips curling in to a frown.

"Hi Rainbow Dash," said the amber maned, light blue coated, pegasus mare, "I'm performing in the display."

Rainbow's frown turned into puzzled annoyance. "Why would Captain Spitfire let a reckless washout like you perform, Lightning Dust?" she asked while shaking her head.

"I apologized to the captain after the academy ended," explained Lightning Dust. "She said that I had to work on my attitude, but that she wouldn't give up on a promising young flier."

"Whatever," said Rainbow Dash as she pushed past the pegasus, "I guess even Spitfire can make a featherbrained decision now and then."

Scootaloo had looked on in curiosity initially. She had never seen her mentor so bitterly hostile to another pony. "If she's in the display, and she knows Spitfire, why would Rainbow Dash hate her so much?" thought the filly. She stopped mid stride and turned to greet the unfamiliar pegasus. "Hi," she said raising a hoof, "I'm Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash's number one fan and coach!"

Lightning Dust smiled and shook the filly's hoof. "Nice to meet you Scootaloo," said the grateful pegasus, "I'm Lightning Dust. I was Rainbow's wingpony at the academy."

"Rainbow Dash," asked the filly, "Why are you being so mean to your wingpony?"

"That little traitor," thought Dash.

Before she could answer Lightning Dust laid a hoof on the filly's head and ruffled her mane. "I was a horrible wingpony kiddo," she said while looking at the back of the silently fuming mare. "She's right about me. My recklessness almost hurt all of her friends and got me tossed out of the academy." She stepped forward and walked to Rainbow Dash's side. "I never got a chance to apologize," she said, "What I did was wrong and I'm truly sorry."

Rainbow turned her head away from Lightning and looked sullenly at the wall. "I'm not the one you should apologize to," she said.

"Come on Rainbow Dash," said Scootaloo, "you just said it yourself: Anypony can make a bad decision."

Rainbow Dash sighed in resignation. Having her own words used against her was annoying. Having her stubborn streak tested by her ersatz little sister was doubly irritating. She looked over to the dejected looking mare and hung her head in defeat. "I guess I've probably made a few bad calls too," she said, "I wouldn't want to be judged by them." She saw the edges of Lightning's mouth curl up in a grateful smile. "Don't get me wrong, you still need to apologize to the ponies you actually put in danger, but you and I are cool." She held her hoof out in a gesture of goodwill.

Lightning Dust bumped her hoof against Dash's and smiled. "You tell me when and where and I'll make it up to your friends."

"How about dinner at the castle," said Rainbow Dash with a sly grin, "They'll all be staying there tonight."

"The... the castle?" asked Lightning Dust, her voice cracking in surprise.

"Didn't you know?" she asked innocently, "You almost sent Princess Twilight plummeting to her doom."

"This salad is delicious Mrs. Velvet," said Argent, "Thank you so much for lunch."

"I told you to just call me Velvet, dear" said the older unicorn mare as she placed a pitcher of ice water on the picnic table in the backyard of Twilight's fillyhood home. "I would think that not having to answer to my son would have cured you of that."

"Hah," said Night Light as he chomped down on a plate full of roasted beets, "he's twice as scared now, hun." He slapped the back of the silver coated unicorn, sending him into a fit of coughing. "Twilight was always a formal little filly," he said around a mouthful of veggies. "What was that doll you had, Twily? Miss Snootypants?"

"Smartypants," corrected the terminally embarrassed alicorn, "and every foal names their doll, daddy."

"True," said Night Light, "but do they also lecture them when their pretend homework is late?"

"Don't make me banish you, daddy," said Twilight as she blushed profusely. "I'll have you both know I've already told Argent he doesn't have to call me princess. Isn't that right Argent?"

"Yes, Princess," he said without thinking.

The two older ponies fell over laughing as Twilight glared at the confused stallion. She shook her head and attacked her salad with a vengeance. "Why does Shining get to avoid this feast of embarrassment?" she asked while her parents tried to compose themselves.

"Something about Cadance needing him to accompany her to an appointment," said Velvet, "but don't worry dear, we got him good when they first started coming to dinner together." She smiled at Argent and refilled his glass. "It's kind of funny," she said, "our Guard Captain son married a princess, and now our princess daughter has her own Guard Captain."

"You two must be so proud," said Argent, "Captain Armor lucks out with Princess Cadenza, and then Twilight is lucky enough to be assigned yours truly." He tried to channel his sister's legendary ego as he held his head high and placed a hoof to his chest.

Night Light barked a laugh and threw an arm around his daughter's shoulders. "Yeah, I think Velvet must have been snacking on four leaf clovers while carrying both of them." Twilight stared across the table at her mother with an exasperated expression.

Velvet smiled back at her daughter as she placed her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hooves. "No, Twilight gave me such odd cravings," said the mare, "like figs and sour cream." she stuck her tongue out and wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I haven't been able to look at either since she was born."

Twilight bore the embarrassment of the meal with as much stoicism as she could manage. When the onslaught of fillyhood stories finally came to an end, she was all too happy to leave Argent in the company of her father and help her mother carry the empty plates and bowls back into the kitchen. She smiled as she passed Spike who was passed out at the kitchen table surrounded by the glittering remnants of the trove of jewels her mother had kept squirreled away for whenever her "grand-dragon" came home for a visit. "So I take it you two approve of Argent," she said while dropping the plates in the sink full of soapy water.

Velvet grinned coyly at her daughter. "Sweetheart," began Velvet, "we've known Argent for the better part of a year now. He's a very nice stallion, but what matters is what you think of him."

Twilight remained silent as she began drying the dishes her mother handed her. They quickly finished the chore and had dried their hooves with towels when the two stallions walked inside chuckling over some unheard joke. "Ready to go Argent?" asked Twilight, "Spike's going to stay here for tonight, so we can be on our way."

Argent nodded and zipped up his jacket. "Thanks again Mrs. Velvet, Mr. Light."

Night Light reached his hoof out and shook the younger stallions. "Always a pleasure son," he said, "Keep an eye on her, she's a hoof-full."

Twilight Velvet hugged the young stallion and gave Twilight a peck on the cheek. "Don't be a stranger you two," she said while walking with them to the front door. "We'll send Spike along to the castle when he's done with his nap."

They waved to her parents and began walking towards the castle. "Your turn," said Twilight as they walked over one of the many arching alabaster bridges of the capital city.

"My turn for what?" asked Argent in confusion.

"I thought you'd like to visit your orphanage since we're in town," said Twilight, "You seemed a bit wistful when you mentioned it in Appleoosa." She smiled at him and winked. "I'd like to see the place where they teach young colts to dance as well as you do."

Argent laughed and guided Twilight down a side street and towards the lower sections of Canterlot. The city, of course, was not the sort of place where you'd find anything approaching poverty, but there were certainly areas where ponies didn't live each day in the lap of luxury. Homes closer to the base of the city tended to be smaller and were crowded closely together. The walled in estates of the upper city gave way to rows of weathered townhouses and the occasional schoolhouse. The ponies were still a happy lot, moving about their business with a smile on their muzzles and a spring in their step.

Twilight was recognized as a Princess of Equestria, but where the nobles and well to do ponies of upper Canterlot would insist on fawning over the alicorn and trying to worm their way into her good graces, the ponies of lower Canterlot would greet her with a respectful bow or wave before moving along with their days. She decided she rather preferred it.

Argent led her past several small markets and a worn marble fountain before stopping before a nondescript three storied wooden building near the outer wall of the city. A battered old wooden sign hung under a post next to the double doors at the front of the structure. "The Welcome Home?" asked the curious alicorn, "That's an interesting name."

Argent shrugged as he slapped the sign with his hooves as he had ever since he was old enough to reach it. "The matrons try to make everypony as welcome as possible; it's reassuring to see that when you first arrive." He knocked on the front door and straightened the collar of his jacket.

After a few moments, the doors opened inward revealing an aged earth pony mare. She wore her white mane gathered in a crocheted snood. Her light blue tinted coat, with its trio of smiling young faces for a cutie mark, hung loosely on her aged frame, but she still managed to jump in joy at the sight of the two ponies at her front door.

"Well, Luna bless my stars, if it isn't little Argy," said the mare as she jumped forward and squeezed the stallion's cheeks. "It's been too long since you've visited young stallion."

"I know Matron Cara," said Argent sheepishly, "I've been busy." He stepped to the matron's side and swept his hoof towards Twilight. "Matron Cara, this is Princess Twilight Sparkle. She wanted to come for a visit today if that's alright."

"I should think so," said the elder mare as she lowered a leg and bent as low as her joints would allow. "Welcome to The Welcome Home, Princess."

Twilight rushed to the other side of the mare and helped her back to her feet. "None of that please," said Twilight, "I should be the one bowing."

The older mare smiled at the young alicorn and pulled her inside the doorway. "The children would love a visit," she said while leading them down the wide hallway. "They're always a bit rowdy after lunch." The three ponies entered the large common room that dominated the first floor of the orphanage. Colts and fillies of every age cavorted around the large open space. Shelves full of books and board games dominated the wall nearest the entrance, while cubbyholes with small pillows and blankets lined the eastern wall. A fort of wooden toy blocks had been constructed in the middle of the room, surrounded by several young foals who maneuvered hand crafted toy ponies over the ramparts and parapets. A small raised platform with a couple of well worn rocking chairs sat at the north end of the room, surrounded by curved rows of benches.

A younger, middle aged mare, with a bright cherry red mane, a shining white coat, and a baby bottle cutie mark wandered around the room supervising the playing children. She smiled when the three older ponies entered the play room. "We were just talking about you the other day Argy," said the mare while hugging the stallion. "And who is this pretty young thing," she said before turning her full attention to Twilight. Upon seeing the horn and wings, she squeaked in surprise. "I'm so sorry Princess," she said while falling to her stomach on the ground, "I beg you to forget my hasty words."

"Well, she is pretty," said Cara, "and younger than you."

Twilight laughed and used her magic to lift the prostrated unicorn. "I don't forget such kind words, Miss..." Twilight trailed off as she realized she hadn't been introduced yet.

"Beryl Shine, Princess," said the still flummoxed mare.

"It's wonderful to meet you Beryl," said Twilight warmly. Their introduction was cut short by the young colt pulling at Beryl's hoof.

"Matron Beryl, Tug won't share!" complained the knee high colt as he pointed across the room towards a cluster of playing children.

"I'm so sorry princess," said the mare as she followed the colt to the source of the disturbance.

Twilight smiled and walked around the room with Cara and Argent. She kept a running count of fillies and colts as she watched them at play. By her estimates, around twenty of them ranging in age from four to six scampered about. "Is it just you two with all of these fillies and colts?" she asked breathlessly.

"During the day, yes" replied Cara, "the older children help out immensely, but they're at school right now." She tied a little filly's ribbon back into her hair and sent her on her way. "Matrons Callista and Dione help out when the nursery is particularly quiet and calm."

"Nursery?" asked the confused alicorn. Argent nodded and led her to the far side of the room and into a hallway that ran towards the rear of the building. He held his hoof to his lips as he held open a door for the mares. Twilight peeked in and saw several full bassinets and small cribs. Two middle aged mares were sitting on a small couch: A foal in one hoof and a bottle in the other. Twilight stepped back into the hallway and held a hoof to her mouth. "So young?" she asked sadly.

Cara nodded somberly, "They're usually not here for long," she said. "Not many of the children have long stays here, but thankfully the babies are usually adopted first." She looked at Argent and winced. "Sorry dear one," she said, "I didn't mean..."

"It's alright Matron," he said with a smile, "I glad for them too."

Twilight followed them as they wandered back to the common room. "It's nearly story time," said Cara, "I don't suppose you'd like to read them something?"

Twilight's face lit up in delight. She nodded eagerly and followed the elder mare to the bookshelves. She selected one of her favorite children's stories and rejoined Argent by the miniature amphitheater at the rear of the room. At Matron Cara's invitation, she took a seat on one of the antique rocking chairs while the older mare gathered the children. Twilight laughed along with the colts and fillies as Argent tried fitting into one of the small seats meant for the smaller ponies. He eventually gave up and sat in the aisle.

"Hello my little ponies," said Twilight warmly, "I'm Princess Twilight, and Matron Cara asked me to read to you." She opened the colorfully illustrated book and held it out so the children could see the cover. "This was one of my favorite stories when I was a filly," she said, "It's called Little Big Horn." She began reading the story about an overambitious young unicorn who proves that her small horn doesn't mean she can't do great things. As she showed the colorful pictures, the group of young ponies slowly migrated to the stage and sat around the princess in a tightly packed semicircle. Soon Twilight had pushed the rocking chair aside and laid down with the children, letting them flip the pages as she read.

As she finished the book and closed the back cover, the young colt curled up against her side shifted in his sleep. She looked around at the stage full of slumbering young ponies. Argent carefuly stepped over the sleeping forms and helped Twilight to her hooves. The matrons were busy covering the children with blankets and settling them in for their afternoon nap as the princess and her guard made their way across the room.

"Thank you for bringing me here" said Twilight quietly as she slipped the book back into its place on the shelf. "I hope we can come back every time we're in Canterlot." She reached over and hugged the stallion tightly.

Argent returned the hug and set the mare back on her hooves. "Thank you for wanting to come," said Argent, "it's always good for these kids to be reminded that there are ponies out there who care about them." He looked out the windows into the small park the orphanage sat next to. "Come on," he said while pulling her hoof with his, "let me show you the backyard." They waved to the still working matrons as Argent led the way to the rear exit of the building.

The scattered copses of pine trees were a relic of a time when Canterlot was just a large castle on the mountainside. A thousand years of expansion slowly turned what had been a high altitude forest of pine and spruce into several well tended parks. Thanks to the lower elevation, the trees in this lowest park in Canterlot were much larger and provided much more shade. Beds of alpine flowers bloomed in the cool spring air, dotting the park with purples, yellows, and blues. They walked along the crushed gravel path, towards a stand of pines that grew near the city wall.

"This is even nicer than the park Cadance used to take me to," said Twilight as she took in nature's beauty. "I bet the colts and fillies love it out here."

Argent chuckled as they approached the cluster of old growth pine. "Park time is one of the surest ways the matrons have to keep order," he explained while weaving around the thick trunks. "During the summer all the local kids would come to the park to play as well. Nopony wants to be stuck in the house when all the new ponies show up to play." He stopped in front of the large white wall that circled the outside of the lower city. Large bushes grew along the inside of the wall, forming a thick secondary wall of heavy foliage. Argent walked up to the tangle of brush and pushed his way through, disappearing from Twilight's view in the process. The sound of a large piece of wood being pushed aside was followed with a sudden gust of air from through the thicket.

"What the hay?" asked the confused alicorn.

Argent's hoof appeared from the hedge. "Come on through," he said, "the view's amazing."

Twilight took the proffered hoof and lowered her head as she pushed through the bushes. She passed through a small hole in the wall, opened her eyes and gasped. They stood on a small ledge on the edge of forever. A patchwork of verdant green forests and dark blue lakes stretched out before them, extending to the slightly curved horizon. Twilight's rear legs gave way and she sat on her rear. From where she was standing, it looked as if she were floating motionless above all of Equestria.

"Quite a view isn't it?" asked Argent.

"It's amazing," said Twilight breathlessly as she stared across the breadth of creation, "It just keeps on going..." Argent sat next to her and gazed into the horizon. She tore her eyes from the panorama and looked at her guard. "How did you find this?"

"Trixie found it during a game of hide and seek," he explained. "We must have been six or seven at the time. We made it our own little secret hideaway." He looked over his shoulder and pointed at the base of the wall. Several faded drawings of stick figure unicorns fighting fantastical creatures along with a few copies of Trixie's wand cutie mark decorated the white stonework. A heavy wooden board was pushed to the side, obviously to keep out curious ponies.

Twilight turned to look back out over the expanse. "I don't mean to pry," she said, "and tell me if I'm making you uncomfortable. How long were you two here for?"

Argent turned and laid on his back. He folded his hooves behind his head and looked up the shear face of the wall. "We were about five," he said dispassionately. "When our parents didn't come back when they said they would, the friend that was watching us called the guards. After a few weeks of searching they sent us to The Welcome Home. A few months later and our stay became permanent."

"Nopony ever..." began Twilight before trailing off, the words dying on her tongue.

"Adopted us?" asked Argent as he turned to look at her. She nodded and turned to lay on her back beside him. "No," he said bitterly, "like the matron said, the babies are usually the first to be adopted. The younger you are the better. We wouldn't let them split us up either, I'm sure that's part of it." Twilight remained silent as they watched the clouds drift by. Argent stole a glance at the alicorn and saw the melancholy look on her face.

"The matrons never let us feel sorry for ourselves," he said. "By the time we were in magic kindergarten, we had mostly adapted to life in the orphanage." He rolled onto his side and smiled as he looked into Twilight's eyes. "I don't know what being adopted would have been like," he said, "but life at The Welcome Home was good. We had each other, and the matrons, and plenty of freedom to find out who we wanted to be and what we wanted to do."

"I'm sorry for dragging up painful memories," said Twilight sadly, "but I'm glad to know that a place like this exists. You certainly turned out a fine young stallion. I'm sure your parents are proud wherever they are." An unknown impulse rolled over Twilight as she reached in and gave Argent a kiss on the cheek. "That's for bearing with my insatiable curiosity."

Argent rubbed his cheek absentmindedly. He looked into her eyes and felt lost. "Twilight," he said shakily, "Would you ever... I mean could you..." He trailed off as she smiled at him.

"Could I what?" she asked.

Argent shook his head and looked back into the sky, "Never mind," he said abruptly, "lost my train of thought."

They remained there for several minutes, idly chatting and enjoying the view. The breeze picked up and Twilight stood and flared her wings as far as they would go, luxuriating in the feeling of her feathers being massaged by the wind. Argent watched spellbound from the ground as she gently flapped her wings up and down. His own curiosity got the best of him and he reached out and stroked downy feathers on the underside of one of the appendages. Twilight gasped at the sudden jolt of pleasure that raced through her body. She was still getting used to the feeling of her new wings, and nopony had touched them there yet.

"Sorry," said Argent sheepishly, "They just look so soft, like a kitten's belly."

"That's okay," said Twilight as she breathed heavily.

"What's it like?" he asked while visually inspecting the still extended wings.

"I don't know if I could really answer that," said the puzzled mare. "They feel like another set of legs, but you can't move them like legs." She carefully preened the underside of her left wing like Fluttershy had shown her. "I'm starting get the movements down, and my feathers are in good shape, but I'll need some help to really get flying. I did some gliding after the coronation, but I was spinning out of control pretty quickly."

"Rarity had said something about Rainbow Dash offering to teach you," said Argent helpfully, "maybe you should take her up on that."

"I couldn't ask her now," said Twilight, "not when she's so close to achieving her life's dream."

"I suppose so," he replied. "Well, you'll have plenty of chances to take notes tomorrow."

Twilight smiled and finished her stretching. Argent stood and watched as she passed back through the hole in the wall. He followed and resealed the entrance on the other side. They returned to the orphanage and said their goodbyes to the matrons. Twilight promised to visit soon and Argent hugged the two older mares. By the time they reached the castle, the sun was setting in the west, bathing the city in an intense orange glow. They made it to the dining room in time to join all of their friends for dinner and conversation.

The arrival of Lightning Dust was met with initial confusion, but her profuse apologies for her behavior at the academy, combined with Rainbow's apparent lack of animosity towards the mare led to a textbook case of letting 'bygones be bygones'." With the display set to begin the next day, Lightning Dust excused herself and headed back to her hotel to rest up, while the others retired to their rooms in the castle.

"Fililes and Gentocolts!" shouted the voice from the loudspeaker, "let's hear it for Star Trail!"

The packed crowd whooped and hollered, waving home made cardboard signs and pennants from nearly every major city in Equestria. At the highest point of the stadium, the flags of the royal box fluttered in the steady breeze. Celestia, Luna, Twilight, and Cadance sat in heavy carved wooden chairs placed just before a small retaining wall.

The dark blue pegasus stallion with the inky black mane buzzed the royals, a billowing dark void dotted with pinpoints of light followed in his wake. "HUZZAH!" shouted the princess of the night as she leapt from her seat and stomped her hoofs in applause. "Verily, we hath not seen such masterful flying in an age."

"I don't know Luna," said the solar regent, "Sun Beam's performance was hard to top. Those luminary loop-da-loops were amazing."

"Art thou addled in thine cognitive faculties, dear sister?" asked the scandalized alicorn. "His speed and power far outclassed all the other contestants. Didst thou even watch the myriad examples of superior maneuvering?"

"You sure his maneuvers were all you were watching Lulu?" teased Celestia with an impish grin.

"SLANDER!" shouted the blushing alicorn, "Apologize! Our eyes only appreciate the beauty of his flight."

Princess Cadance shook her head as the two sisters continued bickering. She looked over at the youngest alicorn who had sunk back into her seat as the day had worn on. She recognized the look of stage fright. Being a princess was a life of constant public scrutiny. For a shy pony like Twilight, who had always preferred a hot cup of tea and a good book to a night out on the town, the added attention was a bit disconcerting. Cadance had been a bit more extroverted, so the transition had been much simpler for her.

"Come on Twilight," she said, "at least pretend like you're enjoying the show."

Twilight crossed her forehooves in front of her chest and pouted. "I still don't see why my friends can't sit with us," she said, "or at least Shining and Argent."

Cadance reached over and patted Twilight's shoulder. "You're preaching to the choir," she said sympathetically, "but loathe as I am to admit it, Captain Brightblade is right, there's only so much room in the royal box, and this is a state function."

Twilight sighed and nodded. The burly pegasus guard captain had been quite clear on the protocol for these events. The protection of princess Celestia had fallen to him since Shining's move to the Crystal Empire, and the seriousness with which he took that duty was evident by the dozens of guards posted at checkpoints throughout the tunnels leading to the royal seating area. The two stallions had protested, but even they had to admit that the royal box had little more room for anypony other than the four alicorns who were sitting inside.

"So I assume you're getting along with Argent," said Cadance, "I knew you two would hit it off."

"He's fun to be around," said Twilight, "when he's not acting like a guard."

"I do believe I said the same thing about your brother," said Cadance with a wink at the younger mare. Before the flustered alicorn could respond, the loudspeaker came back to life.

"We have two more participants before the finale folks, but these aren't your usual fliers. These two are the youngest pegasi to ever fly in the Grand Aerial Display!" The crowd cheered loudly as the disembodied voice echoed against the side of the mountain. "First up, is one of the fastest young mares in the skies! From Los Pegasus, heeeeere's Lightning Dust!"

The amber maned pegasus flew out to the small flat cloud that was parked a considerable distance from the side of the mountain. She waved at the crowd before stepping to the edge of the cloud and rocketing into the air, aiming herself directly at the side of the cliff face. The crowd gasped as the mare banked up sharply. A contrail of sparkling amber electricity grounded itself against the rock wall. Dust streaked up the side of the mountain, gradually slowing her ascent until she stopped flapping her wings altogether. Her momentum carried her until she was level with the royal box. She performed the aerial equivalent of a formal bow before holding both forearms out to her sides and falling backwards, head first, back down the mountainside.

A cascade of flashbulbs followed the plummeting pegasus as she passed section after section of cheering ponies. She folded her forelegs back into her body and began a tight spin as she picked up even more speed. She pitched up and leveled herself before she crashed through the thick layer of clouds that perpetually surrounded the peak of Mount Canter and acted as the "bottom" of the Aerodrome. She slowed and began a series of tight corkscrew loops and inverted flips.

Several Pegasi wearing the orange jumpsuits of the Aerodrome staff emerged from beneath the cloud cover towing three donut shaped clouds behind them. While Lightning Dust continued to wow the crowd with her feats of aerial acrobatics, the air crew positioned the clouds into a column above the flat central platform. Satisfied they weren't going to float away, the orange suited pegasi flew back down.

Lightning Dust finished one last loop and once again flew directly for the cliff. Before impact, she flared her wings and held all four legs in front of her. She landed against the sheer rock face between two sections, pushed back with her legs and gave her wings a mighty flap, sending her back towards the center of the aerodrome at a tilt. She approached the lowest ringed cloud and began circling it. The static charge from her contrail began to merge with the fluffy white cloud, and it was soon spitting the amber sparks as it spun on its vertical axis. Dust repeated the process with the two other rings, successively spaced a hundred feet above the other.

She flew to the highest point of her performance and hovered above the spinning tunnel of crackling amber lightning. The crowd sensed that the finale was at hand and worked itself into a crescendo. Lighting Dust dove towards the sparkling circles, the trail of lighting behind her growing in intensity the closer she got. She tucked her wings to her side and held her forelegs straight out in front of her as she passed the first ring. The now pony sized trail of lightning behind her seemed to suck the energy out of the rotating cloud, creating what looked like an electric funnel, with Lightning Dust at the narrowest point. She continued her dive past the second sparking cloud, the bolts of energy once again seemingly anchoring themselves to her tail. She felt the bow shock forming around her outstretched hooves and pushed against it as she passed through the final ring, gathering the last bolts of lightning from it.

She pressed as hard as she could against the speed barrier that had frustrated all pegasi since time immemorial. Lightning Dust, however, had found a way around that frustrating natural phenomenon. Just as the force of the barrier threatened to fling her back up and through the highly charged maelstrom of electricity, she turned and whipped her supercharged tail against the invisible wall. With a sizzling crack, she felt the energy discharge into the barrier and free fell towards the central platform. She righted herself and landed on the flat cloud. She looked above her in satisfaction as the three clouds had been pulled to within ten feet of each other. Within them, the amber lightning bolts ricocheted wildly between the clouds and the unseen barrier. The crowd watched silently as the still fluffy white clouds seemed to trap the tempest of light inside them.

After several seconds, the final shafts of electricity dissipated into the clouds. Lightning Dust stood still where she landed, her chest heaving. The stunned crowd seemed at a loss for words.

"BUCK YEAH!" shouted a rainbow maned pegasus from the flier's paddocks. The outburst echoed up the cliffs and ignited one of the loudest cheers of the day. Lightning Dust basked in the ovation, waving and bowing as the ponies of the Aerodrome yelled their approval. She flew back towards the tunnels to the locker rooms and bumped hooves with Rainbow Dash. "That's my wingpony!" said Dash excitedly. Dust didn't have to say anything back. The wink she sent to her regained friend said all she needed to: "Beat that!"

"That was Lightning Dust! Everypony give her a big round of applause." The sound of ruffling papers echoed through the loudspeakers. "I'm told that she calls that trick, 'Lightning in a Bottle'! While we wait for the crew to reset the airspace, remember that the Wonderbolts will be signing autographs in the Hall of Heroes after their grand finale."

Rainbow Dash tuned out the announcer and focused her mind on the task before her. This moment had played out in her mind since she had fledged and her father had shown her a picture book of the Wonderbolts. She turned and looked at her coaches box where her parents, Chromatic Flash and Firefly, sat with Scootaloo. Her dad flashed her a smile and nodded his head, as if to say, "this is it kid!" Scootaloo had somehow found a red Cloudsdale pennant and was waving it wildly while standing on Dash's father's back. Her mother stood silently, willing her own determination into her daughter.

Behind them, in the seats Twilight had procured, her friends waved and cheered with abandon. Fluttershy, in particular, seemed to have absorbed the festive mood and was jumping wildly from hoof to hoof, chanting "Rainbow Dash; Rainbow Dash; Rainbow Dash!" Applejack had a wide, goofy, smile on her face, but seemed to be staring at the Wonderbolts' box below them. Rarity, in an elegant sunhat wrapped with rainbow colored strip of fabric, clapped and managed that high pitched whistle that Dash had never been able to do by holding a hoof to her lips. Pinkie Pie... well Pinkie Pie seemed to have died and gone to heaven. Three cones of cotton candy were held in her two free hooves, and a pegasus shaped balloon animal was tied to her waist as she bounced up and down in excitement. Argent sat at the seat near the tunnel, his eyes aimed at the higher sections.

Rainbow Dash refocused on the paddock door. The minutes stretched out like hours. The announcer would come on the loudspeaker, increasing her anxiety, only to say something about a deal on cupcakes at the concession stand. "I swear," muttered Dash, "I'm going to find that stallion and shove that microphone so far up his-"

"Our last flier needs little introduction!" blared the speakers, "She's a national hero many times over. She's the Element of Loyalty. She's the mistress of the Sonic Rainboom. Straight out of Cloudsdale: It's Rainbow Dash!"

The door to the small waiting area sprung open and Rainbow Dash darted out faster than she had intended. Catching herself, she slowed and made her way to the central platform. She stood on the flat cloud and looked at the imposing cliff full of cheering ponies. The nerves she had thought she conquered at the Best Young Fliers competition tried to fight their way into her psyche. A magenta flash from near the top of the Aerodrome wall grabbed her attention. She squinted her eyes and made out the form of Twilight Sparkle jumping up and down in excitement. "Can't let her down, she thought to herself, "can't let any of them down."

Rainbow Dash flared her wings and bent her knees. With a single stroke of her wings and a mighty leap, she launched herself into the blue sky, a rainbow contrail following her vertical ascent. She flapped her wings for all she was worth, building up as much speed as she could before banking, turning the vertical ascent into a gradually widening corkscrew. The ribbon of light behind her traced an inverted cone before fading away.

She pulled an extremely sharp turn, followed by several more, until she had traced her mutli-chromatic cutie mark in the sky for all of Canterlot to see. She pulled up on a dime and put on enough speed to feel the familiar pushing of the invisible barrier. She used its elastic properties to slingshot herself towards the arena floor at top speed. A second bow shock formed and she pushed through it just as she disappeared into the thick layer of clouds. Brilliant rays of rainbow light blasted their way through the floor, looking to all the world as if she had somehow flipped the sky upside down and turned the white rays of light from the sun into multi-chromatic shafts of radiance.

She emerged from the floor and hovered just above it. The crowd marveled at the lightshow and flashed their cameras to try and capture the moment for posterity. Dash breathed deeply and began another series of sharp turns and banks, displaying her agility and control. She zigzagged from section to section, leaving a trail of light for the spectators to grab at before it faded away. With a series of ascending loops she soon stopped to a hover in front of the royal box. Twilight stood at the railing, beaming at her friend. Dash reached over and gave the alicorn a hug. "Remember when we first met?" she asked rhetorically.

She winked at the confused mare, slipped her flight goggles over her eyes, and flew towards the center of the arena. She angled back into a dive to put on as much speed as she could before reaching the floor at the direct center of the arena. She somehow managed to turn into a radius so tight, she appeared to be spinning in place. Dash slowly ascended and widened the radius of her constant turn, forming a slowly growing spout of whirling rainbows. She fought with her old friend, the barrier, and pushed it as far she could to increase her speed. Each increase in altitude meant an increase in the size of the circuit she flew, which necessitated an increase of speed to keep the whirlwind stable. It was the Rainblow Dry, done on a colossal scale.

The platform disappeared from view as the cone of colorful wind grew taller and taller engulfing the flat cloud in its vortex. Rainbow Dash reached as high as she dared, for fear of losing control of the artificial tornado. She angled her circuit, causing the whole structure to bend and dance. The constant roar of wind kept her from hearing the near deafening jubilation from the audience. She maintained the dervish for several more seconds before accelerating upwards. She abruptly flared her wings and dove back down towards the still spinning whirlwind. Timing the dive had proven to be the most troublesome part of the trick. She had been thrown into a tailspin on several practice attempts when the tornado collapsed on her before she could finish the trick.

Dash flapped her wings frantically as she coaxed every bit of speed out of her body. The crowd gasped as the cyan pegasus disappeared into the top of the funnel cloud. A resounding thunderclap preceded the explosion of multi-hued light that tore apart the tornado from the inside and splashed against the side of the mountain with a chromatic blast of wind.

Rainbow Dash hovered in place above in the center of the arena, pulled the goggles off of her eyes and let them hang around her neck. The Aerodrome began chanting the mare's name, their voice ringing louder and louder as she slowly approached the paddocks. She waved and blew kisses to the crowd before flapping her way to her coaches box. Her parents rushed in and embraced their daughter from both sides. Scootaloo wrapped the mare's leg in a hug of her own. Rainbow Reached down, picked up the filly, and sat her on her shoulder. She jumped up into her friends' section and fell into a large group embrace. The flash of magenta magic signaled the arrival of the final Element of Harmony. Twilight tossed her crown to Argent and dove into the pile of giggling mares.

"Rainbow Dash, fillies and gentlecolts!" shouted the voice behind the loudspeaker. "It's a good thing she was the last performer: There's not much of an arena left!" The crowd laughed as the Aerodrome crew sealed the fissures the first rainboom had made in the cloud floor. "The 453rd Annual Royal Grand Aerial Display has come to an end, said the voice wistfully, "but here to close out the show are those most daring of pegasi; the fastest things on wings; The Wonderbolts!"

The crowd erupted in celebration as six blue and gold clad figures launched from the lower seats. They cut through the air in a perfect flying V formation, buzzing the stands on several successive passes. Rainbow Dash let herself relax in the embrace of her friends and watched the seasoned pegasi pull of impossible turns and loops she herself would labor to perform. She didn't worry herself with doubts, or wonder if she had done well enough to impress Spitfire. The looks on the faces of her friends and the rest of the crowd was what she had been unconsciously looking for: That one perfect moment of flight that transcended ambition and prestige.

Author's Note

I missed my target date by a few days this week. Not bad after 10 straight chapters. I should be back on schedule for a thursday/friday release next week.

That's also the 100,000 word mark. Go me!

Ch. 12: Learning to Fly

"Useless!" shouted Twilight. She flung the book over her shoulder in a rage. "ARRRGH!" she growled while banging her forehead against the sturdy writing desk. "Stupid. Worthless. Empty. Library!" She punctuated each word with another headbutt on the innocent piece of furniture. A glass covered candle holder, its base filled with runny wax from a long night of studying, tipped over and spilled its contents all over the middle aged alicorn's notes. Too frustrated and too tired to lift her head from the desktop, Twilight failed to notice the red wax as it flowed into her mane and began to harden.

"Argent!" came a shout from upstairs. The stallion in question put down the newspaper he had been browsing and trotted upstairs. The weekend had been rather dull for Argent. Twilight had spent these first two days in a nearly non-stop marathon of research and experimentation. Despite their new love and mutual passion for expressing it, the days in the Golden Oaks Library were starting to feel startlingly familiar to those mundane days in the future when they were just princess and bodyguard. He took his time climbing the stairs, certain that she would just send him back down to fetch another round of research material.

"What is it Twilight, I was just reading the-" said Argent before seeing the predicament his mate was in. An amused chortle escaped his mouth before he could cover it. "What do we have here?" He walked up beside the mare and bent over to kiss the back of her head.

"Help me you goat-brained son of a mule," growled the annoyed mare. She whimpered as her mane tugged painfully on her scalp while she struggled to extricate herself.

"Stay still," he said while examining the mess. The wax had already hardened, forming an amorphous blob of mane and paper. He grabbed a nearby letter opener and managed to pry the mess from the desk. Twilight stood and spun in a circle as she tried to see the mess hanging from her mane.

"It's bad isn't it," she said morosely.

"It isn't good," replied Argent. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. I'm pretty sure my Cutie Mark Crusader Sap Removal Spell will work with wax." He nudged Twilight out of the study and back towards "her" room and the bathroom therein. She followed in silence with her head hung low. Argent fiddled with the bathtub faucet until the water was comfortably warm. He held the mare's hoof while she stepped into the tub.

Twilight sighed as the warmth from the slowly rising water penetrated her stiff joints. Argent bent over and aimed his horn at the tangle of wax, hair, and paper. As his magic surrounded her mane, the outer edges of the clump began to liquefy. "I never noticed that before," she said while looking into Argent's face.

"Noticed what," he said while concentrating on his spell.

"You bite your tongue while you cast spells," she said as rivulets of red liquid fell from her tresses, "it's cute."

Argent chuckled while maintaining his spell. "It's amazing what you can see when you pull your head out of your books for a few seconds."

"Too bad," said Twilight, "If the last few days were any indication, I've got a lot more reading to do."

"You have to take a break, love," said Argent as the last bits of wax were transmuted to water, "It isn't healthy."

"What else can I do Argent?" she asked. "I can't fix this without some serious studying." She leaned backwards and dunked her head under the water. She came up for air and laid in the tub, her head resting on the edge.

Argent wrapped up a towel and placed it behind her neck. "I know you want to get us home," he said while rubbing the mare's shoulders, "but you don't need to run yourself ragged." He felt her body tense under his hooves. "We're in a good place Twilight," he said reassuringly. "We have a home; we've got some friends to help us; and most importantly we have each other."

Twilight closed her eyes and let the tension drain from her body. "I'll try," she said, "but this is all my fault. Who knows what's happening to everypony back home without us."

"They'll manage Twilight," said Argent, "I know protecting Equestria is in your bones, but remember, Celestia has been doing it for thousands of years. The future can take care of itself: You need to take care of yourself right now."

"But I've trapped you-" said Twilight before Argent held her mouth shut with his hoof.

"You certainly have," he said warmly, "and It's been the best thing that's ever happened to me."

Twilight reached up with a hoof, brought his head to hers, and passionately kissed her stallion. "Come on," she said in a husky voice, "wash my back and I promise to take tomorrow off." She trailed her hoof down his face. "Do a good enough job and I'll do whatever you want me to."

She would both rue and be extremely content with those words.

"Shh, they're coming!" whispered Twilight. She flared her horn and extinguished all the lights in the room from behind the bookshelf she had hidden herself with. Argent crouched behind the second floor landing railing, buckets of confetti at the ready. The handle of the front door turned slowly as several voices made their way from behind it.

"Why's it so dark?" said Applejack, "I thought ya'll said those new friends were mindin' the library while we were away."

"SURPRISE!" shouted Twilight and Argent in unison as she turned the lights back on. Argent tossed the colorful paper bits across the room while Twilight used her magic to send dozens of balloons into the air. Several tables filled with treats both savory and sweet, along with several fluted glasses of bubbling champagne, lined the wall of the library. Argent released a banner from the railing.

"Congratulations, Rainbow Dash..." read the named pegasus. She sighed and turned to leave the tree house.

"Now come on Rainbow," said the younger alicorn as she grabbed the pegasus and turned her back around. "Oracle and Horizon obviously meant well. And I still say you deserve all the accolades in Equestria for the show you put on." She pushed Dash back into the library and up to the confused older mare whose smile was slowly looking more and more awkward.

"Yeah Dashie!" said Pinkie Pie as she raced to the refreshments, "A party is just what you need to turn that frown upside down!" She grabbed and cupcake ran back to Dash to jam it into her friend's mouth. Rainbow Dash sighed and walked back into the room. Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy entered behind her and clustered around the pegasus while enjoying the snacks.

Twilight, with Argent and Spike in tow, entered last and closed the door behind them. She walked up to the confused older mare. "This was sweet," she said, "but your timing couldn't have been worse." They joined the others and soon everypony had taken seats on and around one of the larger reading sofas.

"Come on sugarcube," said Applejack as she nursed a glass of water, "It'll feel better if you talk about it."

"Applejack is right darling," added Rarity, "You know you were the best in our eyes. Did Spitfire give you a reason for why she didn't select you?"

Rainbow Dash went back to the previous day in her mind:

"Thank you both for coming," said Spitfire as she led the two young mares into her office in the Aerodrome, "I know you're anxious, but I want you both to know that your performances were exemplary." She walked around to her desk and took off her aviator shades and garrison cap. "There aren't many ponies who would have the guts to go out there and do what you did. All the Wonderbolts know that fear intimately."

"Thank you ma'am," said Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust together.

"And don't stand at attention," said the captain, "we're not at the academy." The two mares exhaled and looked at each other nervously.

"Are...are either of us on the squad?" blurted out Lightning Dust.

"I'll get to that," said Spitfire, "but I want to ask you two something." The two younger pegasi nodded tentatively. "I know you both have what it takes to be a Wonderbolt," she said, "but I want to know if you understand what it means to be on the team."

"You mean going around Equestria and performing at all the big events?" asked Rainbow Dash. She was confused by the line of questioning. Of course she knew what the Wonderbolts were about, she had followed them her entire life.

"Rainbow Dash," said Spitfire, "You're friends with a princess; you were a bridlemaid at another's wedding; and I'm pretty sure Princess Celestia would read a letter of yours before reading one of my regular reports."

The cyan pegasus blushed and looked away while idly rubbing her hoof on the stone floor. "Yes ma'am, " she said, "but I don't see what that has to do with the Wonderbolts."

"You two are just finding out what being an adult is all about," said the legendary flier. "If you join the Wonderbolts, all you'll have time for is the team. Every day is practice, planning, and team building." She pulled out a few folders from a drawer and placed them on the desk. She opened them to reveal several photographs. She pulled out one of herself and two younger pegasi. "This is Hawker," she said pointing to the stallion, "and this is Hurricane." She removed her hoof from the mare and looked at both wistfully. "We've been friends since we were foals," she said with a smile. "We fledged within days of each other, and were flying together within a month."

"Were they as good as you?" asked Lightning Dust.

"We're all good at different things Dust," replied Spitfire. "Hawker can see movement on the ground from higher than any pegasi I've ever met. His eyes are better than most Griffins I've known." She picked up a photograph of the stallion carrying traveling gear and several postcards. "He's flown all over the known world. The Griffin Aeries, the Marengeti, the Roc Mountains: Hawker's seen it all."

She lifted a picture of Hurricane. "Hurricane can plan a weather system to the last raindrop. Dash, I bet you've seen her plans on more than one occasion."

"We're talking about Chief Hurricane?" she asked incredulously.

"The one and only," replied the proud captain. "She's been running the Weather Bureau for a few years now."

The two younger pegasi flipped through the pictures while Spitfire looked on wistfully. "I'm a flier," she said, "I've known it since I was a filly, and I never wanted anything more than to be a Wonderbolt. I went to the Academy, just like you two, and I trained insanely hard for years before I made the team after my third Display."

"My Dad took me to your second show," said Dash excitedly, "he still says you were robbed."

"Well, Fleetfoot is pretty mesmerizing when she gets a full head of steam going," replied Spitfire with a laugh, "She might not be the captain, but she never lets me forget that show. She calls me Rookie when she really wants to get under my feathers."

"It sounds melodramatic, and probably a little crazy to you two," said the older mare, "but I would give anything to have a few more years with my friends. I could go on a trip with Hawker, or push around a few clouds with Hurricane." She stared into nothing and rested her chin on her hoof. "It wouldn't matter what we did, just that we did it together." She shook her head and snapped back to reality. "What I'm saying," she said as she shifted her gaze between the two aspiring Wonderbolts, "is that sometimes it's better to save your dreams for another day, and enjoy what you have now."

Lightning Dust was the first to understand what she was hinting at. She had always assumed her chances were slim to none. The fact that Spitfire had thought enough of her to give her a second chance like this was a victory in its own right. "I'm not going to be on the team today am I?" she asked bluntly.

"No Lightning Dust," replied Spitfire. "You have an exceptional sense of showponyship, and your maneuverability is decent, but you need to get faster." She saw the young mare almost flinch at the critique. "All this will improve in the next few years," she said while reaching over and patting Dust's hoof, "You're a young mare and you're still growing into your wings, keep working hard and the sky's the limit."

Lightning Dust nodded and shook the captain's hoof. "I understand," she said in a more serene voice than she thought herself capable of, "I'll keep working, and if you're still willing, I'd like to come back to the Academy."

"Of course," replied the older mare, "If you're willing to learn from your mistakes, the Bolts always forgive."

"Yes ma'am!" said Lightning Dust excitedly. She turned to Rainbow Dash and threw a foreleg around her neck. "I'm just glad Dash made the team."

Spitfire looked down at her desk and sighed heavily. "I'm sorry Rainbow Dash," said the captain, "but, I'm afraid I'm not going to select you for the squad this year either."

Dash stared back at her idol in confusion. "Why the hay not?" asked Lighting Dust. "Dash was better than anypony out there!" She reached a wing around the silent pegasus and continued defending her performance. "She broke the barrier twice Captain," she nearly shouted. "She creates rainbow explosions in the sky for Celestia's sake!"

"You're right," said Spitfire as she raised her head to look at the blank expression on Rainbow Dash's face. "If I had another spot to fill, she'd absolutely be on the team, but I don't."

"So who did she pick?" asked the elder Alicorn as she refilled everypony's champagne glasses.

"Star Trail," said Rainbow glumly. The older mare stumbled, barely holding on to the large magnum of champagne.

"He was pretty amazing," said the younger Twilight from the sofa. Argent sat beside her nodding his agreement. "Luna wouldn't shut up about him as a matter of fact." She handed her glass to the older mare and thanked her for the refill. "And after his ordeal with the Kenku, it's amazing that he was able to perform at such a high level."

"I still have nightmares about those things," confided Fluttershy, "If it weren't for you and Horizon, who knows what they would have done to Star Trail." The gentle pegasus saw the look of confusion on the older mare's face. "Oh, Twilight told us all about what you two did," she said, "Can you really see the future?"

The elder Twilight's head jerked towards her younger counterpart. "YOU TOLD THEM?!" she screamed. "I can't...why...how could you..." She continued sputtering in disbelief while the younger mare calmly stood up and walked to her side.

The younger alicorn flared her magic and in one quick motion removed the laces from the older's corset and yanked it from her back. "I'll keep your secret from the princesses," she said, "I don't see them often enough, and you've stated your opposition to meeting with them at all." She ushered the older alicorn to sit between herself and Applejack on the couch. "I'll even keep your identity hidden from the townsponies; I try to insulate them from as much craziness as possible." She gestured to the mares gathered around them. "I will not not keep my friends in the dark," she said in a matter-of-fact manner.

Applejack put her glass of water on the low table at their feet and put a hoof around the older mare. "We won't tell anypony," promised the farm-mare. "Everypony has their secrets, and I reckon yours could be dangerous if word got out about it."

The anger in the older mare's eyes was still smoldering as she leveled a piercing glare at the earth pony. "Yes... Applejack was it?," she said bitterly, "We all have our secrets don't we. How awful would it be if your secrets and indiscretions were made public."

"Oracle," said the older stallion, who had been standing beside a bookshelf, "don't make it worse."

Pinkie Pie distributed cupcakes to her friends before raising one solemnly. "I promise not to tell anypony that you're secret princess and a fellow future reader. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She mashed the pastry into her face, which in her mind, proved her absolute seriousness in the matter. "We should totally compare notes. I keep getting this Flank-Itch, Eye-Flutter, Hoof-Shake combo that I just can't explain."

The other ponies around the table repeated the odd ritual, even Rarity, who ever so slightly dabbed the tip of the frosted treat against her face before attacking it with a hoofkerchief. "Honestly Ms. Dreams, I can't imagine why you wouldn't want others to see your wings, but if you like I could help make some more comfortable outfits to hide them."

"And it looks like you need some lessons in how to care for them," said Rainbow Dash. She let loose a depressed sigh and licked at some of the frosting that was running down her face. "I guess I can help you with them. It's not like I've got anything else to do now," she said gloomily. "I know a secluded meadow where we'll have some privacy."

The younger Argent nudged Twilight with his shoulder. "I bet Twilight would appreciate some lessons too, Rainbow," said the stallion.

"Thank you everypony," said the older mare. "I'm very grateful, but I really have other things I must do, and-"

"Oracle," said the older stallion, "You promised me."

Her shoulders slumped and she nodded her head in defeat. "Fine," said the older alicorn, "but only with Twilight and Rainbow Dash, and only if you make sure nopony is watching us."

"Deal," said the older stallion.

The gathering soon became the party it was meant to be. Even Rainbow Dash reluctantly smiled as Twilight asked her a series of rapid fire questions about how she was going to teach the two alicorns to fly. Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie, comfortably buzzed, were dancing like nopony was watching, which was true, though one dragon was certainly looking on in interest.

The older Alicorn sipped from a fluted glass and watched as her friends reveled into the early evening. All except Applejack, who still sat alone on the sofa, nursing the same glass of water. Twilight walked over to the couch and sat next to the mare. "I'm sorry for what I said," she said, "I have no idea what you're going through and it was wrong of me to snap at you like that. Well, I do know what you're going through, but I was still in the wrong." The older mare reached out and squeezed Applejack's shoulder. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

Applejack hunched over and held her head in her hooves. "If can't talk to them about it, why would I talk to you?"

"Because I know what's going to happen," relied the older mare, "and because you know my secret."

Applejack laid back into the couch and stared at the ceiling. "Fine," she said, "tell me how disappointed everypony will be with me. Tell me how I'll send Granny Smith to her grave. Tell me what I already know. I don't need any fancy alicorn powers to know I've messed everything up."

Twilight smiled and reclined next to the mare. "I can't tell you how everypony will react," she said, "but I can tell you that in a few months, you won't care what they think." Twilight reached over and pulled the farm-mare's head to her shoulder. "You really should have told him while you were in Canterlot."

"I tried," said Applejack, her voice cracking, "but I don't want to lose him."

"I'm not going to lie to you Applejack," said Twilight, "If you don't tell him, losing him will be the least of your problems." She stroked Applejack's hair and patted her hoof. "A secret like yours can only lead to heartache and pain if you continue to keep it from your friends and loved ones."

Applejack nodded and sniffled. "What about them?" she said, motioning to the room full of slightly inebriated ponies. "How can I ever look them into the eyes again?"

"They're your friends, they love you no matter what you do" said Twilight, "If anything they'll be slightly jealous."

Applejack straightened up and rose to her hooves. She made to walk towards the front door but turned back to the older mare. She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

"You want to know what it'll be?" asked Twilight. "Are you sure?" Applejack looked at the floor and nodded.

"A filly," replied the older mare with a few tears running down her cheek, "A gorgeous little filly with the most beautiful little wings."

Applejack lifted her head and graced Twilight with a joyous smile before running out the front door and across the plaza towards the train station.

"Where's she going," asked the younger alicorn.

"She forgot something in Canterlot," replied Twilight.

"Come on Twilight," said Rainbow Dash, "I know you've read every book on flying in the library. Why can't you get this?" She hovered in the air above the face planted princess. "Scootaloo could control a treetop glide after her first day."

"Let's see you grow a horn and use magic," mumbled the mare as Argent used a towel to wipe the grass stains from her coat. "It's these stupid wings," she said aloud, "They don't do what I want them to!"

Rainbow Dash landed next to her and poked the young alicorn's wing with a hoof. "These aren't the problem," she said before moving the hoof to the mare's forehead, "this is." She flared her own wings out to their full span and slowly increased the angle of attack. "For gliding, you need to forget about moving them, and focus on not moving them. I know when anypony sees a pegasus flying, they assume that it's all about flapping, but really it's about what we do when we're not flapping."

Twilight stood and watched as Oracle teleported herself to the top of the dead tree that sat at the top of the hill overlooking Rainbow's practice meadow. "I'm trying!" said the frustrated mare, "but when I jump off, I see the ground and my wings just start flapping." Oracle leapt from the top branch and flared her wings. Horizon galloped below and traced the older alicorn's glide path down the hill.

"See," said Rainbow, pointing at Oracle's stumbling, but effective, landing. "Oracle's wings are in pretty sad shape, but she can manage a short glide. Just keep your wings extended and let them take you where they take you. Your wings should get you at least twice as far has hers."

"Fine," said Twilight. She teleported herself to the top of the tree and took a tentative step to the edge of the highest large branch. She gulped in apprehension and looked down at Rainbow and Argent. The stallion waved enthusiastically and stomped his forehooves on the ground. She took one last look to the ground before snapping her eyes shut and throwing herself into the air. "Don't flap. Don't flap. Don't flap. Don't flap," she thought to herself while extending her wings as far as she could. She fully expected to quickly feel gravity pull her into yet another tumbling crash, but surprisingly, all she felt was a gentle breeze ruffling the feathers of her wings. She tentatively opened her eyes and watched as the ground moved beneath her. She glided down the hill, her descent following the incline at roughly the same rate, giving her a steady relative altitude. "I'm doing it!" she shouted at her friends at the base of the hill. The were all turned away from her, speaking with a newly arrived Fluttershy. Her concentration waned and she soon found herself wobbling as she tried to land. She lost altitude and picked up speed as the ground came closer and closer.

Argent turned, saw Twilight's rapid descent, and ran to where he thought she might touch down. She began moving her legs in a running motion like Rainbow had suggested. She was gliding too fast, however, and soon, after a few steps, her momentum carried her face first into the ground. She ducked her head, closed her eyes, and prepared for a rough landing. Argent had other ideas, and threw himself into the mare, shielding her from the ground and absorbing the brunt of the crash.

"The ground feels softer than before," she thought to herself when the expected pain failed to appear. She opened her eyes and looked into Argent's. She raised her muzzle from next to his and looked down her body to see that she had come to a stop directly on top of the stallion who had ended up splayed out on his back. She rolled off of him and onto the grass. "Thanks," she said while exhaling the breath she had been holding for several seconds.

He brought a hoof to his brow and saluted in an exaggerated motion from his back. "Any time," he said before rolling over and dusting himself off. He held out a hoof and pulled the mare to her feet.

"I did it though!" she said excitedly, before remembering that he wasn't even watching. "I did it and you weren't even looking!"

"Come on," he said while steering her towards the others, "something's happened." She looked at him in confusion, but followed as he trotted the short distance to the gathering of ponies.

"-and she fainted after she got off the train," said Fluttershy.

"Who fainted?" asked Twilight as she squeezed in between Horizon and Oracle.

"Applejack," replied the pegasus with tears in her eyes, "she's at the hospital right now. Rarity went to get her family, and I came to find you and Rainbow."

"Okay," said Twilight, "let's go."

"Hold on," said Oracle as she donned the tight fitting sweater Rarity had made her, "I'll teleport us there."

"Are you sure you can-" began Twilight. The flash of magenta light encompassed the base of the hill they had all been standing on. "-take us all?" she said while blinking her eyes. She looked to the familiar three-storied hospital and gaped at the smug looking older mare. "Impressive," she said breathlessly.

The older Twilight waved off the compliment and pointed at the front door. "Go see your friend," she said, "she needs you now."

Twilight and the other younger ponies trotted for the entryway while Oracle and Horizon hung back.

"Let's go get Zecora," said the elder Twilight, "Everything's a little different, but I'd wager it's the same malady. Our hooves will have to do though, that last spell really took it out of me." Argent nodded and the two began galloping north, towards the Everfree Forest.

"Ain't no young filly just off her mama's drawstrings gonna keep me from my grandfoal," said the old green mare. "Now you take us to Applejack's room, or by golly, I'll make you glad you're already at a hospital."

"I'm not keeping you away," said the nurse, "I'm just saying you have to wait until she's done with her first visitor."

"First visitor!?" shouted Granny Smith, "I'm her kin fer Celestia's sake!"

Twilight, Argent, Dash and Fluttershy entered the waiting room in time to see Granny Smith shaking her hoof at Nurse Redheart. Big Macintosh stood next to his grandmother with a stoic look of determination on his face. Apple Bloom stood behind her brother's legs, shrinking away from the arguing mares. Rarity and Pinkie Pie looked on anxiously. The aged mare looked to the new arrivals and smiled in triumph.

"Now yer in for it!" she said smugly, "Twilight, tell this young strumpet to let us in to see Applejack."

"Now hold on Granny," said Twilight, "I'm sure Nurse Redheart has a good reason." She and the nurse had become quite friendly after spending time together during the occasional outbreak of muffin based food poisoning and pegasus stunts gone wrong.

"Thank you Twilight," said the nurse, "I told the Apples here that Applejack is awake and stable, and requested that she be left alone with her visitor for the time being." She held her hoof out to ward off the further arguments from Granny Smith. "It won't be long," she said, "I promise."

"Nurse Redheart, can you at least let her know we're all out here," said Twilight hopefully, "I'm sure if she knows that her family were waiting she'd-"

"Ahem," said a voice from the now unlocked infirmary doors, "You all can come in now." All eyes in the room zeroed in on the light blue bordering on white pegasus standing in front of the doors that led to the patient rooms. His dark blue, windswept hair was even more unruly than usual, and his usually pressed and crisp uniform shirt was wrinkled and unbuttoned.

"Soarin!?" said Rainbow Dash, "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Dash," said the celebrated flier, "Come back to her room and we'll explain everything."

Granny Smith immediately, but slowly, made her way towards the door, leveling a frown and a piercing gaze at the unknown stallion as she passed him. Macintosh, with Apple Bloom in tow, and Fluttershy at his side, followed the older mare while Twilight, Argent and the rest of the elements pulled up the rear.

"I don't know what happened," said Soarin as he led the way down the corridor, "she was fine for most of the train ride, then she started having awful pains in her chest. She fainted right when the train made it to the station." He turned down a hallway and directed the group to a large room with a single bed. Applejack lay under a light duvet, her eyes half lidded. She smiled as her family and friends made their way into the hospital room.

"Howdy ya'll," said the tired sounding mare as she pushed down blanket, "I'm right sorry for worrying everypony." She hugged her grandmother as her little sister jumped onto the bed and wrapped herself around the orange mare. "There, there, AB," she said to the shivering filly, "I ain't going anywhere."

"What in tarnation were you doing on the train?!" shouted Macintosh out of the blue. "You disappear one night, and the next thing we know, you're in the hospital with some stranger." He looked at the pegasus stallion that stood in the corner. "And this ain't the first time you've snuck away. I talked to Ms. Berry, and she told me you're almost never at the bar when you say you are."

"Go easy on her big fella," said Soarin as he approached the bedside.

Big Macintosh wheeled on the pegasus and took several menacing steps towards him. Soarin retreated until he was backed into the corner with the fuming red stallion looming over him. "Ah don't care who you think you are," said Big Mac through his clenched jaw, "but if ya'll don't shut up, your next stop'll be the bed in the next room over."

"He's going to be your brother-in-law, you ornery varmint," said Applejack from the bed, "and I'll put you in traction if one feather is out of place." Macintosh turned and stared at his sister in shock. Rarity squealed in delight, while Rainbow Dash dropped to her rear.

"Applejack," said Twilight, "You two are-"

"Gettin' hitched?" asked the mare. "I reckon so." Granny Smith looked as if her granddaughter had just announced that she was giving up the apple business for a career in interior design. Applejack waved the stallion to her side and grabbed his hooves with hers. "He asked me last night and I said yes." she said as calmly as she could.

"Isn't this a little fast Applejack?" asked Granny Smith, "How long have you known this stallion?"

"A little over a year ago, Ms. Smith," said Soarin, "though to be completely honest, she's been stuck in my head since I bought a pie from her at the gala a few years back." He leaned over and rubbed the side of his head against hers. "Do you want me to...?" he asked.

"No, sugarcube, I think it's best if I do it," replied Applejack. "First of all, I'm sorry to all of ya'll for keeping this from everypony, and that goes for Soarin too." She squeezed the stallion's hoof and continued. "I didn't want to make him have to choose between me and the Wonderbolts, and I didn't want any of ya'll to be disappointed in me."

"Why would we be disappointed in you for falling in love?" asked Fluttershy, "I couldn't be happier for you!" Her friends all nodded their agreement, even Rainbow Dash who was still a bit taken aback.

"Because of all the sneaking around, and because well..." she paused and looked at Soarin who smiled at her and urged her on with a gentle squeeze of her hoof, "I'm pregnant." She saw the stunned looks on the faces of her family and friends and panicked. "I know you told me all about the birds and the bees, Granny," she said, "and I thought I was being safe, but it just happened, and now I've messed up everything." The continued silence unnerved the mare and caused her to continue rambling. "I won't be able to help with the fall harvest and I won't be able to earn any prize money at the rodeo competitions this summer and-"

"I'm gonna be an auntie?!" exclaimed Apple Bloom.

"I'm gonna be an uncle?!" blurted out Macintosh.

"I'm gonna be a great-granny?!" shouted Granny Smith.

"Uh, yeah," said Applejack. She grunted as the stallion, filly, and older mare jumped onto the bed and smothered her in a family hug. Applejack laughed in joy to see her doubts and fears proven completely baseless. Her friends crowded around the bed excitedly congratulating the mare and starting in with suggestions. Pinkie Pie was already busy planning a baby shower, while Rarity had the unborn foal's entire wardrobe planned out in her mind, colt or filly. Rainbow Dash wondered out loud what a child of the second greatest athlete in Ponyville and a Wonderbolt would be capable of.

Argent looked on in amusement from the door before he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see a unicorn in a lab coat standing patiently just outside the room. "Excuse me sir," said Doctor Stable, "I need to speak to the Apples privately. Do you think you could persuade the princess to take her friends back to the waiting room?"

Argent nodded and walked to his still beaming charge. He whispered into her ear and she nodded. "Girls, let's leave the Apples with Applejack, so she can get her rest," she said aloud, "Apple Bloom, why don't you come to Sugar Cube Corner with us for some celebratory cupcakes?" The filly looked to her sister.

"Go on sugar cube," said Applejack, "I'll see you back at the farm." Apple Bloom hugged her sister tightly and jumped off the bed.

"Thank you," mouthed Applejack to Twilight as the mares all said goodbye and began filing out of the room. Soarin reluctantly turned to follow them but was stopped by the trio of farmers.

"Don't you leave this room sonny," said Granny Smith, "Yer an Apple now too."

"Eeyup," said Macintosh as he leveled a suspicious glare at the pegasus.

"If the words you speak are true, then the cure for Applejack's condition I could brew," said Zecora as she set the wooden cup of tea in front of Twilight. "I am surprised you have heard of the Potion of Heartmend, tis an obscure tincture thought by many to be a dead end."

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Twilight, "We can save her from all of the pain. She won't have to go through it alone, and now she won't lose the foal! " She picked up the cup and sipped the fresh herbal tea. "I can tell Twilight to come ask you about remedies and she'll bring the potion to Applejack as soon as you're ready."

"Alas my friend, it is not such a simple notion, the ingredients I lack for a truly effective potion," said the Zebra. Zecora walked to her mixing table and pulled out an empty bowl. "The key ingredient to any heartmend potion is what I lack," she said while setting the basin in the middle of the table, "Panacea root is the additive whose location we must track."

"I don't understand," said Twilight, "You always had plenty of ingredients where we came from." She pointed at the shelves of glass bottles and basins full of herbs, berries and other various alchemical ingredients. "You had everything you needed when AJ had her second-" Twilight's voice caught as she remembered the anguish she was working to prevent. "You were able to brew the potion quickly when Applejack had her second foal."

"Forgive my question if it saddens your heart," said Zecora, "Why did I not help Applejack from the start?"

Twilight choked on a sob and buried her face into Argent's chest. The stallion patted the back of her head and answered for her. "Applejack kept her pregnancy from everypony," said Argent, "by the time we knew what was wrong, it was too late, even for your potions."

The Zebra held her hoof to her muzzle and considered what the stallion had said. "It is true, I rarely use the panacea root, but worrying about why it is depleted is moot. Curing infirmities of the heart is but one of it's chief uses, but it is quite effective at stopping massive blood loss if the brewer so chooses."

"When we first came to you..." said Twilight.

"I used what I had, there was no time to worry on the cost, had I not used the root, your stallion would have been lost."

"Okay," said Argent, "So let's just go get some more of this root. There are plenty of plants in the Everfree."

"The root of the Panacea bush is extraordinarily rare," said the Zebra, "Within these forests you'll not find it, this I do swear." She nervously drummed her hooves on the table as she counted her syllables. "There is one place I know of where the curative bush grows, but to go there would be perilous as my fear shows."

The striped mare was quite visibly shaken. Twilight had seen her zebra friend's calm shaken only once, and made a guess as to the cause. "It's in the Marengeti isn't it?" she asked wearily.

The zebra nodded glumly. "The shrub grows on the slopes of the highest hill," she said, "the Zebrica guard it closely with ferocity and skill."

"Okay," said Argent, "so we need to go back to your homeland, deal with everything that entails, find this root that you need, and get it back to Applejack."

"Ourselves and the younger versions of us," said Twilight, "She needs to be there, if only to meet the Zebra chief."

"No, you cannot do such a foalish thing," said Zecora upon hearing the plan, "only her doom would meeting the chief bring."

"Wrong chief," said Twilight, "In our time, your homecoming... precipitated a change in leadership. Zecora, we know you've been away for many years now, and from where we came from, many more would pass before we asked this, but we need your help. Applejack needs your help."

"I cannot lie, on my heart it does weigh," said the zebra, "long has it been since I was sent away." She looked at the shelves of carved masks and keepsakes she managed to carry with her. "My exile was painful, and I wish to see it end," she said, "I would of course return if only to help your friend. The trip will be arduous, with dangers along the way, a guide you will need, or from the path you will stray."

"So you'll come with us?" asked Argent hopefully. His memories of the Marengeti were of endless rolling plains interrupted by rocky hills, each nearly indistinguishable from the others. Maps of the area were rare, and not of much use. Zecora was right, they needed a guide, and she was their best bet.

"Of course my friends, I will start to prepare," she said while resolutely rising to her hooves, "You find your counterparts and make them aware. Far have I come, and wide have I roamed, but It is time for Zecora of the Zebrica to return to her home."

Author's Note

I had planned to go a bit further than this, but I lost several chances to write this week. Next chapter will probably be one of my longer ones.

What I liked in this chapter: Spitfire's scene. I'm feeling quite clever for Spitfire's friends' names.
What I didn't like: More adventure needed, too many of these bridge chapters, that will be rectified soon. I feel like I'm getting lost in the minutia, and the pace of events is suffering for it.

Ch. 13: In the Wilds

Twilight used her magic to poke a long stick into the fire, sending a spray of embers flying into the night sky. She looked across the flames at Oracle, who lay with her back pressed against Horizon's side. Zecora sat close to the fire, rotating a wooden spit of skewered wild turnips over the flames. Argent stood next to the pile of heavily laden saddle bags, removing the bedrolls that were tied to them. After a full day of travel by train to the farthest point south on the rail line, the party started to make their way cross country through the lightly forested southern borderlands of Equestria. The small platform they disembarked from lay several leagues behind them.

"I hope the rest of the trip is this pleasant," said Twilight as she watched the white smoke drift into the moonlit night. "Luna really outdid herself tonight."

Zecora lifted the spit from the two supports and probed the large root bulbs with her hoof. "The weather out here is far from stable," she said, "magical control is off the table." She removed several turnips, placed them into wooden bowls and passed them around the fire. "The wilds are called wild for a very good reason, thunderstorms are quite common during this season."

"We can handle it," said Oracle, "A little rain never hurt anypony, and either of us could erect a lightning proof dome against the worst of it." She bit into one of the vegetables Horizon held out for her. "What we should be more worried about is dealing with the zebras once we're well into Zebrica territory." The friends enjoyed the meal in relative silence. Their long day of travel had started hours before the sun rose and all were now feeling exhausted.

Twilight let loose a very un-princesslike burp while putting down her empty bowl. She blushed and accepted the cloth napkin from a smiling Argent. "You all keep talking about how hostile the Zebrica are going to be," she said while dabbing her muzzle, "but why would they keep us from collecting a simple bush?"

"It's Zecora's story to tell," said Horizon. "But suffice it to say, anything we go through traveling to the Marengeti pales in comparison to the dangers we'll face once we're there." He looked at the zebra as she uncomfortably removed the spit from the supports that straddled the fire.

"This seems the best time to let you both know, of the events of many years ago," said Zecora while settling herself against the large fallen log they had built the fire next to. "The Zebrica were once a tribe quite tame, until the deceiver and his minions came." She set her bowl aside and grabbed a handful of green powder from a pouch at her side and cast it into the fire. The ethereal visage of a stout zebra stallion in an elaborate headdress and a delicate mare draped in golden necklaces stood proudly above a cradle.

"Chief Zerasa was a ruler quite beloved," said Zecora, "our tribe prospered from his guidance above." She threw another hoof full of the powder into the flames and a much younger mare, easily recognizable as Zecora by her sun shaped cutie mark, walked to the cradle and smiled at the foal within. "Like my mother and hers before her, I bore the mark of the shaman on my fur. When the chief's mate bore him a colt strong and hale, I provided medicines so the foal's health would not fail."

Another toss of the dust stoked the fire into a bright green light. The chief and his mate stood weeping over the cradle while a skinny zebra stallion pointed at Zecora with a sneer. "The chief's younger brother blamed the foal's death on me, and the chief's grief was great, the truth he did not see. When the chief died, the tribe assumed it of a broken heart, but I saw the signs of the poisoner's art." She fanned out another clump of the powder over the fire. The skinny zebra stallion now wore the large ceremonial headdress and pointed at the young Zecora.

"The deceiver Zakan could not prove his lies," said Zecora bitterly, "but I was a foal killer in the many of the tribe's eyes." The young zebra above the fire pulled a small cart full of vials, totems, and masks away from the crowd of zebras and walked alone into the sunset. "I was exiled from the lands of my sires," she said somberly, "From a distance I saw the village surrounded by fires. The deceiver and his minions turned quickly to violence, any zebra who opposed him was threatened into silence. Those who fought back were exiled or worse, those who remain live as if under a curse."

"Zecora, I never imagined..." said Twilight as she held her hooves to her mouth. "Why didn't you ever ask for our help? You know we would do everything in our power to help you and your people."

Zecora shook her head from side to side. "My tribe has always been an insular sort, interference from ponies would be seen as a plot to thwart." She bit into a turnip and watched as the green light faded back into flickering orange flames. "I had hoped, given time, I would return and he would be gone," she said, "I would help restore my people and a new day would dawn. But news from travelers is dire, at best, the Zebrica are hostile to all who transgress."

"And this root we're after grows on a tall hill, in the middle of Zebrican territory?" asked Argent.

"My people call it the The Crown of the Plains," replied Zecora, "from atop its great heights the deceiver reigns."

Argent looked to Twilight and back at the zebra. "I really wish I'd known about this before we agreed to come," he said while levitating his shield to his side.

Oracle jerked in Horizon's embrace and looked at Argent from across the fire. "I've told you what's at stake," said the older alicorn, "how could you even consider not helping?" The look of disapproval on her face was evident to everypony around the fire.

"He didn't say anything of the sort," said Twilight defensively as she stood and walked to the stallion's side, "He's just surprised at the danger that he was unaware of." The stallion nodded his agreement and sat on his bedroll while spreading out his blanket. "I can't say that I'm entirely happy with our situation after hearing the whole story," said Twilight as she sat next to Argent. "Of course, it changes nothing: We're getting that bush no matter what." She unrolled her bedroll and placed it a few feet from her bodyguard's. "We have a long trip ahead of us," she said while unfolding her blanket and settling down, "there will be plenty of time to worry about plans, peril, and hordes of angry zebras later, after I've had a good nights sleep."

Applejack took a tentative step out of her bedroom door and into the hallway. The moonlight shone through the window, bathing the corridor in its silvery radiance. She carefully crept past the open door to her grandmother's room and held her breath as the sound of Big Mac stirring in his sleep echoed down the hallway. She exhaled quietly and descended the stairs one careful step at a time. A loud creak from a loose board caused her to freeze in panic. She looked up the stairs and waited for her granny or brother to exit their room and chastise her for being out of bed. When nopony emerged she smiled in triumph and began walking towards the front door while still looking over her shoulder. She ran right into the chest of the stallion who had been having a difficult time getting to sleep on the sofa in the living room.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked a stern faced Soarin.

"Just need to get some air," she said with a scrunched up muzzle.

"You're the worst liar I've ever met," said Soarin. "You were going to do some chores weren't you?"

She had learned early on in their relationship that Soarin could somehow tell whenever she was bending the truth. Even when she kept her pregnancy from him, he constantly insisted that she was keeping something from him. "Gotta figure out how he does that," she thought to herself. Knowing she was caught red hoofed, she sighed and told the truth. "Just some of the lighter haulin' and waterin' so Mac wouldn't have to worry about it tomorrow," she replied.

"You know what the doctor ordered, angel," said the stallion as he escorted her out the front door and into the porch swing. "No strenuous labor and no stress. Nothing that gets your heart rate up."

"I can't sit around doing nothing," said Applejack as she eased herself into the padded bench, "There's too much to do around here for Mac alone." She waved her hoof across the orchard before them. "And I can do half of my usual work without breaking a sweat."

Soarin rolled his eyes and wrapped a wing around his fiance. "You're awfully sure of yourself," he said while stroking her back, "but are you sure enough to risk this?" He grabbed her hoof with his and ran it over her stomach.

Applejack looked at his hoof on hers and hesitated. The doctor had been very clear on the matter, and she didn't want to repeat her episode on the train, when the stress of revealing her condition to her friends and family left her gasping for air. "I guess not," she said abashedly. "It's not worth risk. But how can I watch while Mac struggles with the chores all by himself?" She sighed and leaned into Soarin's side. "Maybe Fluttershy can help out," she said, knowing the pegasus mare would jump at the chance, but that she would also be ill-suited to the hard labor required. "She would brighten up his days at the very least."

"I was thinking about that," said Soarin as he held the mare. "We earn a lot of leave time with the Wonderbolts, a lot more than the average guardspony, and I haven't used any in the years since I made the squad." He used his rear legs to gently swing them back and forth. "I could write to the Cap and ask her for a few months off here and there. I could even stay here and help when the squad is back on station in Canterlot. It's not that far a trip, especially if I just fly it."

"I can't let you do that sugar cube," said Applejack, "The Wonderbolts mean everything to you. "

"Do I really have to say something so cliche?" he asked with a smile. Before she could respond, he tightly hugged her to his chest. "You two mean everything to me now."

"Sugar cube, I thought the doctor said no making my heart race," said Applejack. She gently kissed him on the lips and melted into his embrace. "I'd still feel guilty if ya left yer dreams behind for me."

Soarin smiled as he kept the chair swaying with his rear legs. "Angel, I lived that dream already," he said, "and it was amazing." He tickled her nose with a wing, causing the mare to giggle. "But the great thing about dreams is that you get to have as many as you want."

"Well, Celestia forbid I keep you from your newest dream," said Applejack, "I reckon we can find room for a wayward pegasus." She let go of Soarin and stood from the porch swing. "C'mon sugarcube," she said as she pulled him back inside the farmhouse, "you've got a long day tomorrow, and I aim to see that yer rested up for it." Soarin turned back towards the living room and the lumpy old couch he had been struggling with, but was pulled by the mare up the stairs.

"Do you think this is such a good idea, angel?" asked the stallion as Applejack led him into her room and onto her bed, "I get the distinct impression that your Granny preferred I stay on the couch." He didn't mention the daggers her brother had been staring him down with for most of the last two days.

"I'll just tell 'em I was stressed out without you nearby," she said slyly with a wink. "Doctor's orders don't ya know." She slid under the comforter, and next to her stallion. "I might as well get something outta this bum deal."

Soarin pulled her to him and wrapped his forelegs around her midsection. "I don't know," he said while yawning, "I think we're both getting something pretty amazing out of all of this."

"Step aside," said Argent, "We have no quarrel with you or your kind, but we will defend ourselves, and you won't like the outcome."

The shaggy grey wolf barked a laugh as he and his pack slowly circled the quintet of equines. "You hear that fellas?" said the largest grizzled predator, "our lunch thinks we're afraid of it!" The pack howled in laughter as they closed in on the prey they had been tracking for the last few hours. "You're a long way from home, meat," said a wolf in front of Zecora. "It's a good thing we enjoy exotic foods."

Twilight sighed and flared her magic. "We tried to warn you," she said sadly, "Why didn't you listen?" She concentrated her magic on the ground beneath the largest wolf's paws. The ground erupted from beneath it and sent the alpha flying behind a dense thicket of shrubs. The other wolves leapt at the group of ponies.

Zecora reached into her saddlebags and tossed a pouch at the rushing fanged forms. It exploded in front of three of the wild canines in a cloud of blue dust. They emerged from the blue smoke screen in a much different state than when the entered. The front legs of the first had shrunk to a quarter of their original size, causing the beast to plow into the dirt as it tried to run. The second came to a stop and started a rapid fire series of sneezes. The last's fur coat suddenly underwent a massive growth spurt, obscuring the wolf's vision and leaving it an easy target for Zecora's rear hooves.

Argent stepped in front of Twilight and casually waited for the two charging wolves to come within a few ponylengths of him. He hurled his dented shield at the lead attacker, catching it square in the face. The second jumped over its still tumbling packmate and gnashed its teeth together as it closed on the unarmed equine. Argent took a step to his side and revealed an angry looking lavender alicorn wielding a flanged mace crafted from pure magical energy. A great arcing upwards swing caught the beast in the chest and sent it into the air, its trajectory bringing it right to the waiting hooves of Argent, who gave it a mighty kick into the bushes.

The pack had concentrated its numbers on the two older ponies in the group, assuming them to be the easier prey. They didn't expect the older stallion to charge at them. Horizon barreled into the first two, swinging his shield into the side of one while planting his forehooves between the eyes of the other. He paid no heed to the four others that charged at his sides. Oracle aimed her horn at the stallion and fired a thin ray of energy that surrounded the stallion from muzzle to tail in a shimmering aura. Sensing victory, the wolves all howled as they snapped their jaws on the stallion. The cries of exultation soon became painful howls of misery as their teeth cracked on some unseen shell of magical armor. Horizon hopped back from the writhing pile of wolves pawing at their shattered mouths and levitated his heavy shield high above them and released it. Oracle fired a second ray as it began to fall towards the wolves, enveloping the round shield in an aura that caused it to expand to nearly ten times its size. With a sickening *crunch* the sturdy bulwark crashed down on the heads of the wild predators. The aura faded and the shield returned to its normal size. Horizon levitated it back to his back and rejoined the others in the middle of the well worn path.

"Let's leave before they decide to try again," said Twilight. She stepped over an unconscious wolf and began a slow trot away as the dust began to settle.

"That's the third pack in as many days," said Argent as he trotted alongside the younger alicorn. "You'd think they would put the word out to avoid us."

"It's not in their nature," said Oracle, "The Wolfpacks keep to themselves and answer only to their alphas." She moved to Horizon's side and helped him buckle his shield to his back. "We'll not have to deal with them much longer," she said, "they'll avoid the swamps ahead."

Oracle's prediction proved to be accurate as the howls of the wolfpacks that had hounded them for the last three days finally trailed off. The light forests soon gave way to a expansive marsh. Standing pools of brackish water dotted the landscape as far as the eyes could see, leaving a permanent smell of decay festering in the air. A cacophony of frog calls accompanied the ponies as they made their way further south through the lowlands. As the sun fell behind the large cypress trees that dominated the swamp, Zecora led the group to a slightly drier hilltop.

Argent unzipped his jacket and used his shield to fan his face. "Can we go back to the wolves?" he asked with his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth, "this humidity is unbearable." His tail flicked against yet another mosquito that decided to extract its lunch from his flank.

"The Marshes of Misery is what my tribe calls this land," said Zecora as she poked her nose into her panniers, "upon this ground no zebra would willingly stand." She pulled out a large glass bottle with an atomizer on the top, and a vivid purple liquid sloshing around inside. She walked up to the stallion and watched in amusement as he struggled to get himself out of the lightly armored purple coat. Twilight giggled at his flailing and pulled the jacket from his forearms as he held them above his head. Zecora held up the bottle in front of the two ponies and squeezed the atomizer bulb with her teeth.

Twilight shut her eyes as the cloud of vaporized liquid passed over her and the stallion she stood over. The smell of lavender blossoms replaced the fetid stench of the swamp, and she breathed deeply for the first time in hours. "That's just...heavenly, Zecora," said Twilight. "you really can do almost anything with your potions can't you?"

The zebra looked back at the young mare after spritzing Horizon and Oracle. "Of all the lessons I've learned, of this I am most sure," she said, "all things are possible with a little help from nature." She turned the bottle on herself and squeezed a liberal amount of the concoction onto her coat. "Lavender flower and Oil of Neem," she said while placing the bottle back in her pack, "quite useful for keeping bugs away it would seem."

Argent looked around and saw that the cloud of mosquitoes that had been snacking on him all afternoon had finally gone off in search of a new buffet. "How are you not the richest mare in all of Equestria?" he asked Zecora.

The zebra chuckled while the others prepared their camp for the night. "Bits are all well and good," she said, "but their appeal I have never understood." She walked to the feeble looking fire that Horizon was fussing over. The soggy wood he had found refused to cooperate. With a few flicks of her tail into her panniers, a trio of pebbles were thrown into the feeble flames. A sharp pop and crackle caused the older stallion to jump back as the intense heat began to dry out the tinder and ignite the previously sodden wood.

"Oracle," said Twilight once everypony had settled themselves around the comforting light of the fire, "Have you had any visions about what we might be walking into?" She used her magic to levitate the metal kettle Argent had filled over the fire. "No blood thirsty bird creatures? No undead abominations trying to steal anypony's soul?"

"I see the skinny zebra chief... sorry Zecora, the deceiver," replied Oracle. "I see him responding to any overtures from us with violence." She looked at Zecora and hesitated. "I see another zebra," she said while Horizon massaged her uncovered wings. "He's going to help us at great peril to himself. I see us retrieving the plant we seek with his help."

Zecora flashed a quizzical frown at the older alicorn. "This zebra stallion you see, does his hide bear a scar," she said while stretching her hooves, "and is his main braided out about yea far?" Oracle nodded somberly. Zecora sat on her haunches and stared into the fire. The kettle over the flames began whistling.

Twilight looked to Argent who shrugged. "I assume this zebra means something to you Zecora?" she asked while lowering a tea bag into the boiling water.

"Zephyr had been my best friend since I was but a child," she said sadly, "I forbade him from following me after I was exiled." She accepted the metal cup of tea Twilight floated her way and took a sip before continuing. "That he would help us, I am not surprised," she said, "but for him to put himself in danger is quite unwise. His health has always been suspect; any injury would be critical i expect."

"He was well when we last saw him," said Twilight in Zebrese. "Well enough to help us oust Zakan."

"He would jump off a mountain if honor demanded it of him," replied Zecora in her mother tongue. "Still, I would very much like to see him again."

"You can speak Zebra?" asked Twilight incredulously, "I've never even seen a simple phrasebook, even in the royal library."

"Zebrese," corrected Oracle. "I learned from a good friend many years ago. It's nice to see I haven't forgotten it all."

"Could you teach us some?" asked Twilight excitedly, "I'm sure a few phrases would be useful!"

While the three mares began a lesson of "Zebrese for Dummies," Argent and Horizon set out the bedrolls and blankets. "You want the first watch?" asked the older stallion, "they should be at it pretty late."

"Sure" said Argent, "Get some rest."

The older stallion nodded and slipped under his blanket. As the night wore on Oracle and Zecora eventually gave into exhaustion and found their way to their makeshift beds and quickly fell to slumber while Twilight continued trying to commit the phrases she had learned to memory. Argent, glad for the company, smiled at her as she sat next to him on his bedroll.

They listened to the symphony of frog calls and nocturnal bird cries while tending the fire and watching the occasional ember float into the sky. "Thanks for coming with us," said Twilight, "and don't say 'It's my job.' We both know you could have told the princess, or my brother."

Argent shrugged and threw another stick into the fire. "This needs to be done," he said, "and who am I to tell Twilight Sparkle where she can and can't go?"

She laughed and playfully pushed his shoulder. "You're a good friend," she said warmly, "and helping me with this is something Applejack will never forget. I know I won't." She yawned and laid her head on his shoulder. "I can't believe she's getting married," said Twilight, "not to mention that she's having a foal."

Argent remained still and tried to keep his breathing steady. "You've never thought about..." he stumbled over the words, "you know..."

Twilight blushed, but stayed propped against his side. "Not seriously," she said sheepishly, "I bet most ponies assume I'll marry a book." She sighed and watched a firefly float past her face. "I guess I always assumed that Rarity would be the first of us to take that step. She's always been so confident around stallions, and she's had her wedding planned since she was a filly."

Argent laughed awkwardly as he remembered how confident Rarity was. They chatted for a few more minutes until Twilight's yawns reached a critical mass. "Let's get you to bed," said the stallion as she laid back into her bedroll. He unfolded her blanket and laid it over the half awake mare. "I'll see you in the morning princess," he said while returning to his bedding to continue the night's watch.

She watched him through half lidded eyes and smiled. "Can't wait," she said while drifting off to sleep.

"It ain't hard," said Big Macintosh. He moved the stalk of wheat to the other side of his muzzle and walked up to the struggling pegasus. "Just flip the barrel up with yer leg and catch it on yer back." The massive red stallion effortlessly tossed the barrel of apples onto his back and walked it up the steps that led into the cellar.

Soarin sighed and stretched his aching muscles. Years of strenuous physical training with the Wonderbolts had completely failed to prepare him for a single morning of work under the tutelage of Big Macintosh. Morning, of course, was a subjective term to the Apples, a fact he learned early on when Applejack dragged him out of her bed. They were halfway through hauling bushel baskets to the east fields when the sun first peeked over the horizon. Hours later, his body felt like one giant muscle strain.

He crouched down on all fours and used a wing to nudge a heavy cask onto his back. Each carefully placed step was a minor victory for the stallion as he continued to try to prove to his mate and her family that he was worthy of being an Apple.

"Alright, that's enough for market," said Macintosh as he lifted the final barrel off of Soarin's back and into the back of the wagon. "I'm minding the stall today on account of Applejack needing to rest, so I reckon you can take a breather." The mountain of a stallion hitched himself to the wagon and set off on a brisk trot towards Ponyville. Soarin let his hooves slip to his sides and fell to his stomach. His wings lay limply to the side as he simply enjoyed the feeling of not doing anything at all.

"It's a crime against awesomeness," said Rainbow Dash from the small cloud she had parked over Sweet Apple Acres. She pulled the binoculars away from her eyes and blinked as her vision refocused. "How can Applejack just sit there and let this happen?" She pointed towards her earth pony friend who was just standing from the porch swing of the nearby farmhouse. "Hey Fluttershy," said Rainbow, "You wanna go say hi? Maybe we can talk Applejack into ending this nonsense."

"Fluttershy?" asked Rainbow Dash when the pegasus she had brought with her didn't answer. She turned to see that Fluttershy had turned the other direction on the cloud and was aiming her binoculars at the road that led away from Sweet Apple Acres. She had a blush burned into her cheeks as she softly hummed to herself. "Fluttershy!" barked Dash. The yellow pegasus squeaked and fumbled for the binoculars she had nearly lost over the side of the cloud.

Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes and pulled her friend off of the cloud. They banked into a circling descent, with Fluttershy following Rainbow's lead. They landed next to the cellar in time to see Applejack place a large pitcher of water next to the still splayed out pegasus stallion.

"Howdy gals," said Applejack as she sat next to her exhausted fiance. "Enjoy the show?"

"No!" shouted Rainbow Dash.

"Oh yes," said Fluttershy. Rainbow turned an annoyed glare at the doe eyed mare. "I mean, no, it was just awful."

"How can you let your brother push around Soarin like this?" she said pointing at the pile of aching muscles and sweat matted coat that was once one of Equestria's most celebrated pegasi. "He's a Wonderbolt for Celestia's sake!"

"Dash," said the stallion from the ground.

"You can't just run him into the ground," she ranted, "His body is a precisely tuned flying machine. One pulled muscle and the Wonderbolts are down a pair of wings!"

"Dash!" said Soarin a bit louder.

"Pegasus colts and fillies look up to him," she said as the stallion dunked his muzzle into the pitcher. "Are you gonna look into their teary eyed faces and tell them why their hero can't fly? You have to stop this right-"

"DASH!" shouted Soarin as he dumped the remaining water over his head. "I volunteered." He groaned as he rose to his hooves, every muscle protesting its mistreatment. "and the Bolts aren't a bunch of glass pegasi. A little hard work won't break me."

"Now yer talkin' like an Apple!" said Applejack as she slapped his back with her hoof, "Rainbow's just intimidated by your sheer power. Why, I haven't seen her so agitated since I whooped her at hoof wrasslin' a few weeks ago. Lookit, she's blushing she's so embarrassed."

"C'mon Fluttershy," said Rainbow Dash in a terse tone, "let's let Soarin the apple farmer get back to work." When she received no reply, the pegasus mare looked around and saw the shy mare galloping down the road leading to Ponyville. "Am I the only sane mare left?" she asked herself in exasperation.

"I dunno pardner," said Applejack. She fixed an amused grin on her friend. "Ya ain't exactly known for yer calm demeanor." She trotted to the mare's side and hung a foreleg around her shoulder. "Come on RD," she said, "I reckon Soarin earned himself some cider and pie. Why don't you join us for lunch?"

The mention of Sweet Apple Acres Cider erased any thoughts of walking away in a huff. "Well, I am pretty hungry," she said. "Fine, but I want some juicy gossip about the Wonderbolts!"

Soarin chuckled at the sudden mood change. "Sure," he said jovially, "but nothing too salacious. I don't want to burn every bridge with the squad."

"What do you think Zecora?" whispered Argent, "Friendlies?"

The Zebra looked through the collapsible spyglass at the small settlement of zebras that occupied this higher, and relatively drier, portion of the marshes. She watched as several of the emaciated zebras hauled very lightly filled baskets of swamp oak acorns and cattails. Several small shelters built from driftwood and covered with woven reeds lined the small hilltop. She focused intently on the nearest zebra.

"I have been away too long, the stripes I cannot read," she said while collapsing the miniature telescope, "there was a time when it was second nature to me."

Twilight brought the spyglass to her eye and peered over the large fallen log they had hidden themselves behind. "But who are they?" she asked. "A swamp is no place for a pony...or zebra. They look... unwell."

"Well enough to move without sound," said a voice from behind them, "and catch a few pony spies who wander around."

Argent and Horizon spun around, each pulling their shield from their back. A dozen zebras bearing wood shafted spears had managed to surround the five equines while they observed the settlement. "Get us out of here," muttered Horizon to the mare behind him.

"Wait, do not flee, we mean you no harm," said one of the zebras, "Ignore Zeret, he is not known for his charm." The named zebra scowled at the speaker. "Our apologies Shaman Zecora," said the zebra that stepped forward, "We did not expect to find one of our own with pony intruders. Especially not one who was exiled on pain of death."

"I truly have been gone long if the Zebrica now claim these lands," replied Zecora in her native tongue, "But if you wish to exact punishment, I assure you these ponies will not allow it." She gently pushed her way between Argent and Horizon, and waved off their concerned protests. "I know not what these zebra intend, but this one I assure you is a friend." She stepped forward and draped her neck over the the stallions. "It's nice to see you again Zephyr."

The troop of zebras slipped their spears into the leather straps they wore around their waist and the two unicorn stallions lowered their shields. "Come my friend, we have much to discuss," said Zephyr, "Your ponies may come, if they have your trust." He led the way around the stagnant pools of murky water, navigating some hidden path that the uninitiated would have never found in hours of careful searching.

"When Zakan usurped the mantle of power, many of us were only able to cower." Zephyr crossed a wooden bridge that spanned a twenty foot moat surrounding the settlement. "The zebras he brought from tribes most distant," he said while helping the newcomers onto the large hill, "Their threats and violent acts were quite persistent. Many of us who resisted fled from the plains, this place became our refuge from the tyrant's chains."

As they made their way to the center of the village, the zebras began peeling away and joining their families and friends in the small huts. By the time they reached the summit of the hill and the rings of logs that surrounded a large fire pit, only Zephyr and Zeret remained. "I do not wish your friends to hear my rudeness, Zecora," said Zephyr in zebrese, "but how could you bring outsiders to the lands of the Zebrica? And don't tell me that you were just visiting the marshes: None of us want to be here."

Before Zecora could answer, Oracle spoke. "I'm sorry Zephyr, she said the older alicorn, "but we asked Zecora to come."

"You have given the ponies our speech?!" shouted Zeret angrily, "Such an act is an affront to all zebras!"

"That zebra has not taught me your language," said Oracle, while pointing to Zecora, "and even if she did, it would only be for the best of reasons."

"I apologize for our rudeness ponies with spikes," said Zephyr when he saw the confusion on Twilight and Argent's faces, "we will try to speak the common tongue if you like."

"Thank you," said Twilight, "but please call me Twilight Sparkle." She flared her wings and bowed. The confused look on the zebra leader was easily understood. "I'm an Alicorn," she explained patiently, "I have wings and a horn. This is Argent. He's a Unicorn."

"She is royalty among her kind," said Zecora, "surely you remember the tales of the immortal Goddess's of the north?"

Had the zebra stallion had color besides black and white on his face, they would have drained away. "What have you brought down upon us Zecora?" he asked fearfully before prostrating himself before a confused Twilight.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," said Twilight while backing away, "Please no bowing. I'm a guest in your lands. Please just hear us out, that's all I ask."

Zephyr rose to his hooves slowly. "Forgive me any perceived denigration ," he said, "but your kind only exists in imagination. I will listen to your story and hear any plea, I pray that you have patience with me."

Twilight sat and motioned the others to settle themselves. She explained what they were seeking, and the reason it was needed. "You see," she said after her story, "we don't wish any harm upon your people or your lands. All we need is one of these bushes and we can help our friend."

"Zecora has no doubt told you of the tragedy that has occured," said Zephyr, "The Crown of the Plains is a place that is not easily disturbed. For your own safety I would say turn around, Zakan's cruelty knows no bounds." The zebra stallion turned to walk away.

"Please Zephyr," said Zecora as she trotted after him, "We're going to do this, with or without your aid. Please help us."

"Now you want my help?" he asked while hanging his head, "You have no idea how bad things have become, 'Cora. Zebra who leave the swamp to find food disappear without a trace. Those who remain at the Crown are either Zakan's thugs, or are so terrified that they ignore everything he has done." He walked into a small hut and leaned his spear against the wall. "If he discovers that you have returned, he may come looking for us. I can't take that chance."

"Can't or won't?" asked Zecora.

"Zecora, you know where I have always stood," said Zephyr, "I made that clear when you left. But to ask me to do this, to put us all in danger for the sake of a pony I have never met, and will likely never meet; it's too much."

"Please, Zephyr," said Zecora pleadingly. She reached out and grabbed his hoof with hers. "It could save a foal."

Zephyr raised his head to see a look of utter emotional agony on his oldest friend's face. "That wasn't your fault 'Cora," he said.

"No it wasn't," she said while fighting back tears, "but the spirits have given me a chance to make amends. I will not let this opportunity pass me by."

Zephyr sighed and rose to his hooves. "I can't bring many with me," he said, "a few of my best scouts at most."

Zecora's ears perked up as he grabbed his spear. "You'll help us?" she asked hopefully.

"Having a goddess owe you a favor might be useful," he shrugged as he led the way back to the center of the village. Zeret stood a few paces away from the cluster of ponies, his frown of suspicion locked on the outsiders. Zephyr approached him and and spoke in a low voice. "Gather our four best scouts," he said, "and tell no one. I still think we have a spy among us."

"We have four spies sitting right over there," he growled angrily. "You know I'm with you Zephyr, but not even Zakan would lead outsiders to the Crown of the Plains."

Zephyr wearily raised a hoof to his forehead. "Zeret, just do it. It's just a couple of bushes, we'll be in and out in no time."

"Fine," said the angry stallion, "but I'm going to scout ahead. I'll meet you by the old umbrella tree in the gully north of the Crown." He left and shouted into several huts on his way towards the bridge out of the settlement.

"We'll find your plant, but we must wait for the night," he said to the ponies, "If we are to be successful we must stay out of sight."

Twilight nodded excitedly. "Thank you so much Zephyr," she said, "I promise that we'll make it up to you somehow."

"Thank me when we all return safely," said Zephyr, "congratulations now would be hasty."

"Here," whispered Twilight. She handed the canteen to Argent who unscrewed the top and took a drink of the stale water. He handed the container back to Twilight and returned to covering his shield with mud from the gully they had hidden themselves in for the last hour.

As night fell and they emerged onto the rolling planes of the Marengeti, fortune seemed to favor the group of ponies and zebras as a thick layer of clouds blanketed the sky. The ponies had all donned brown cloaks to hide their brightly colored coats while the zebras depended on the tall grass and their vertical stripes to camouflage themselves. They made quick progress after crossing the small river that marked the northern border of the Marengeti grasslands. Hills topped with piles of rock and the occasional wide canopied tree rose in all directions, causing the group to lose time as they wound around each obstacle.

When Zephyr led them up the small trickling stream of mostly mud, the glow of torches and fire pits enveloped the largest hill in the Marengeti in an orange radiance. Several paths, long worn to dirt by generations of zebra hooves, wound their way up the hilltop and through a large wooden wall. The roofs of large longhouses peaked over the top of the wall, wisps of smoke emerging from holes on top of the structures.

At the summit of the hill stood the largest tree the ponies had ever seen. The trunk of the enormous Baobab dominated the hilltop and was wide enough to encompass several of the longhouses. It reached hundreds of feet into the air, and the long branches covered the upper parts of the hilltop city in a protective dome of foliage. The majestic tree was not without its scars, however. Jagged stumps were the only remnants of the lowest branches.

"He dares to cut from the Mother tree," she whispered angrily, "How could any of the Zebrica let this be?"

"Zakan rules with fear and attrition," said Zephyr, "they fear for theirs lives more than for tradition." He peaked up over the bank of the stream and looked out over the short distance between the group and the base of the Crown of the Plains. "Come on Zeret," he said to himself, "where are you?"

"I don't think your friend is coming," said Oracle. "We haven't seen movement from the gates since we arrived. We should move now."

"Follow me and keep yourselves low," he said, "from here on out the danger will grow." He hunched his shoulders low and stalked through the high grass. The others followed him single file, doing their best to imitate his stealthy approach. The four scouts that had accompanied them fanned out and watched their flanks. Zephyr came to a stop before the tall grass began to thin out near the wall.

"This isn't right," whispered Horizon, "We should have at least seen a lookout by now."

"It matters not, we can't stay still," said Zecora, "The panacea bushes grow further up the hill."

Zephyr nodded and led them around the wall to a seemingly inconspicuous pile of stones stacked against it. He waved over the two stallions and began removing the heavy rocks one at a time, revealing a small hole, large enough for them to fit through one at a time. On the other side they squeezed into the small space between the wall and the back of a longhouse. The zebra leader led them around the building and looked out across the empty path that led up the hill. They quickly darted from building to building, trying their best to keep out of the open. A soft breeze rustling the grass and the clopping of their hooves were the only sounds as they ascended the Crown of the Plains.

They approached the last of the long buildings, staying hidden behind it while looking up the hill towards the monolithic trunk of the Mother Tree. Zecora grabbed Zephyr by the shoulder and pointed across the open field at the orderly rows of fruit trees that thrived under the canopy of the massive Baobab. At the base of each tree grew several flowering shrubs. He nodded to her and and cautiously left cover to dash up the hillside. He covered the distance quickly and waved for the others to proceed.

One by one, Zecora and the ponies made the sprint across the open field to join Zephyr. "We are in luck, it would appear," she whispered while examining a knee high bush, "These are the Panacea plants which we stand near." Argent and Horizon opened the saddle bags they wore and held them open while Twilight and Oracle lowered their horns. Magenta auras enveloped their horns and the earth around the shrubs began vibrating.

"Spirits among us," whispered Zephyr in awe, "I never imagined..."

"Amazing aren't they," said Zecora, "We do ourselves a disservice by keeping ourselves isolated from Ponykind."

Before he could answer, the large root bulb of the plants pulled from the ground, fully intact. Each alicorn floated the shrubs into the waiting panniers. Horizon and Argent waited while the two mares repeated the process with two more plants. As they were being lowered into the other side of the saddle bags, a loud whistle rang out over the hillside. The heads of the four ponies and two zebras raised and looked for the source.

"Get us out of here Oracle," said Horizon. Before she could respond or act, a large pouch landed between the ponies and burst into a cloud of choking dust. They stumbled out of the veil of yellow smoke, coughing in fits.

Oracle reached for her magic to blow away the cloud and raise a barrier, but nothing happened. "My magic," she said in a panic, "I can't use my magic!" The gasps of the other alicorn and unicorns confirmed that their mystical abilities had been rendered inert.

"Run," said Horizon as he reached around his back and began strapping his shield to one of his forehooves. The group began to back away from the advancing line of zebras that had appeared from the top of the Crown. As they turned to flee back down the hill the way the had come, more zebras stepped from behind the buildings. The forms of the four scouts they had arrived with lay motionless on the ground.

"This way," shouted Zephyr, forgetting any pretense of linguistic tradition. He grabbed Zecora's hoof and pulled her to the east, parallel to the two lines of advancing zebra. The ponies followed close behind with Twilight and Argent in the rear. When a another group of zebra cut off their escape to the east, Zephyr led them back in between the rows of long dwellings.

"Come on," muttered Oracle as they ran, "what have they done to us?" She clenched her jaw and concentrated. A feeble series of magenta sparks sputtered from her horn and fell harmlessly to the ground.

"Worry about your magic later," said Zecora, "focus on the danger which is greater." She flung a pouch of poison joke extract at a group of zebras that tried to intercept them. Zephyr turned them down another alleyway, making sure to keep their path headed downhill. Curses in zebrese followed their desperate flight to freedom.

"There's the gate!" shouted Twilight. They reached the inside of the wall and turned towards the large gate, knowing that they'd never be able to squeeze through the small crawlspace they entered through. "We're home free once we get through-" shouted Twilight before she ran into Oracle who had skidded to a halt.

A few paces outside the gate stood Zeret and a host of zebra armed with spears and blowguns. "It's over Zephyr. Don't make this hard on yourselves."

Zephyr snorted in anger. "How could you betray your own people, Zeret?" he growled. "What did that monster offer you for your soul?"

"You betrayed us!" shouted the grizzled zebra. "You consort with ponies. You bring their witches among us. These lands belong to us, and I see now that Zakan is the only one who can keep it that way!"

"We belong to the land you fool," shouted Zecora. "If Zakan has taken that truth away from the Zebrica, then we truly are lost."

"Take them," said Zeret in the common tongue, pointing at the two zebras. "Eliminate the ponies. Bring Zakan their horns."

The line of zebras raised their blowguns to their lips. In unison, the two unicorn stallions jumped in front of the two alicorns and raised their shields. A hail of darts thumped into the shields, those that didn't impale themselves into the wood fell to ground. Without any such protection, however, Zephyr and Zecora were each struck by several darts.

"Bull Rush Maneuver, you go left, I go right," said Horizon. Argent didn't question and just nodded. "Follow us," he said to the alicorns behind them. The zebras with spears began to advance while those with blow darts reached into bandoleers around their necks for more darts. "Go!" shouted Horizon. At once he and Argent galloped side by side directly at the advancing zebras. Spears broke upon shields as the two stallions trampled the two center attackers and immediately turned left and right respectively to engage the next in line. A small hole opened in the line of zebra through which the two alicorns galloped.

Twilight turned to see Zecora and Zephyr stumble drunkenly as an unseen toxin sapped their strength. Before she could come to a stop and turn to help, Oracle reached back with a hoof and pulled her head back forwards. "Worry about them later," she shouted, gasping for breath from the exertion.

Behind them the two stallions began a backwards retreat down the hill, covering the two alicorns escape. The zebras who had herded them down the hill joined those the stallions had just pushed past and began pouring from the gate in greater and greater numbers. Argent bashed a charging zebra with his shield and felt a dart ricochet off one of the thin metal plates of his jacket. "Time to be gone," he yelled to Horizon. The older stallion nodded and they both turned tail and sprinted down the hill towards their charges.

At the base of the hill, the two stallions caught up with the mares and moved to each side of them. The shouts and cries of the horde of zebras spurred them on as they sprinted into the darkness. Torches had been ignited by the zebras and the glowing circles of light behind them fanned out across the plains.

Argent stumbled and fell face first into the tall grass. He rose awkwardly to his hooves and tried to keep up, but found running in a straight line to be a harder task than it had been just moments before. Twilight looked to her left and came to a full stop when she didn't see the stallion next to her. "Argent," she yelled at the faltering stallion.

"Go," he said as loud as he could, which was pitifully soft. His legs felt like wet noodles as he tried to get back into a gallop. Twilight, turned and sprinted back towards Argent and the dangerously close mob of angry zebras. She immediately saw the two darts that had struck him in the rear hip and ripped them from his body. She grabbed him by the hoof and pulled him into a fast trot. Oracle and Horizon had continued galloping into the night and were well out of sight.

Twilight looked desperately for some means of escape. She could make out a small rocky hill bulging out of the flat plain and pulled the stallion behind her. They passed around the hill and out of view of the pinpoints of light that searched the path they had taken. Twilight was near total despair before seeing it: A small hole, barely large enough to fit a pony through, that was dug into the side of the the hill. As she pulled Argent towards it, his hoof fell from hers. She turned to see him breathing heavily on his side.

"Come on Argent," she said in terror, "we have to hide." He didn't respond. Twilight grabbed his hooves and pulled him towards the small burrow. She peered into the hole, but with no light, and no magic to create a light, she unbuckled the stallion's shield and threw it into the hole. She backed into the entrance and reached back out to grab Argent's forehooves. With all the strength in her, Twilight pulled him into the hole until they were both completely inside. She could hear the shouts of their pursuers and looked for some way to hide herself further. She saw the Panacea bushes in Argent's saddle bags and carefully placed them at the entrance to their hiding place.

The thundering sound of stampeding Zebra passed the hill. Twilight held her hooves to her muzzle as the zebras stopped and the light of a torch threatened to push past her impromptu camouflage. A barely audible moan behind her nearly caused her to shout out. Argent's pained moans threatened to give them away, so Twilight did the only thing she could think of. She wrapped his head in her forehooves and held his muzzle tightly to her chest.

Twilight heard the sound of orders being barked in Zebrese as she tried to remain as still as possible. She slowly and methodically pulled the hood of her cloak up and draped the brown garment over both her and Argent. A few tense moments passed as the zebras loitered around the small hill. An argument between their tired sounding pursuers erupted. Twilight tried to remember some of the phrases Zecora and Oracle had taught her earlier, but she could only understand a few words. "Home," and "sleep," were repeated several times. Eventually the light of the torch disappeared and the voices faded into the distance.

She exhaled and gently pulled the stallion from her chest. He was shivering from some unseen chill. His teeth chattered and his breaths came quick and ragged. With no magic and no supplies other than the cloaks and a canteen, Twilight pulled Argent close to her, pressed his stomach to hers, and tried to warm him with her body. The unsteady beat of his heart and the soft moans of pain terrified her as she softly whispered into his ear.

"You're going to be okay," she said resolutely, "I will not lose you, not now, not ever." She stretched her wings around him and squeezed as tightly as she could.

Author's Note

Cliffhanger. Sorry.

Zebra traditions are fun to make up.

Ch. 14: Unexpected Intervention

"I still can't believe you lost them," whispered Argent as he crouched behind a pile of boulders. The slowly rising sun projected a long shadow behind their hiding place.

"She was right there," said an exasperated Twilight. "I looked away for a second and-"

She heard the sound of rustling grass and held her hoof out silencing the stallion. She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes to calm herself. Twilight stood and looked towards the source of the sound. As she expected, a pair of zebras stalked through the grass, their sharp wooden shafted spears strapped to their backs. They saw her rise and shouted as they began to charge. Twilight feigned surprise and started sprinting away from the zebras with an over the top shriek of terror. The two zebrican scouts sprinted after her. As they passed the pile of boulders, Argent leapt out and slammed his shoulder into the nearest, sending it crashing into his ally. The unicorn stallion rose up on his rear legs and brought his hooves crashing into the side of one of the prone zebra's head. He walked towards the second scout who was rising to her hooves. She reached to the ground to pick up her spear, but it wouldn't budge.

"No you don't," said Twilight as she stood on the top of the spear shaft. The zebra mare growled at Twilight, forgetting that the unicorn stallion was bearing down on her.

"Filthy pony witch," growled the zebra mare, "Lord Zakan will see you dead, you freakish-" Her insult was silenced by Argent's swift rear-hoofed buck to the face. The zebra crumbled to the ground in an unconscious heap. Twilight casually bent over and examined the unconscious zebra mare while Argent walked to her side.

"I looked away for a moment and they were both gone," said Twilight, continuing their conversation from before. "Besides, you were there too." She reached into the zebra mare's saddle bag and pulled out the rope she knew would be in there. She bound the mare's legs together and pulled her over to the pile of boulders. "Should we even waste our time with these two?" she asked.

"No," said Argent, "I believe the last group. You played the role of the vengeful goddess quite well." He pulled the zebra stallion over to the boulders and set him beside his partner. "They would have told you their life story had you asked."

"Lets keep moving then," said Twilight, "If Zakan truly intends to make a show of Zecora and Zephyr's punishment, we need to hurry." She pulled a canteen of water from one of the unconscious zebras and drank deeply. She tossed it to Argent to finish and closed her eyes. Repeating the same elementary magic techniques she had learned as a filly, she tried to flare her horn. After a night of frustration after frustration, a weak magenta aura slowly pulsed around her horn.

Argent watched and pumped his hoof in victory. "That's it love," he said excitedly, "I knew you could do it." He instantly upgraded their chances of success from slim-to-none to doubtful. "But that powder," he said, "what's to stop them from using it again?"

"It's forkroot," replied Twilight, "How Zakan learned about it, I have no idea. We'll just have to be extra cautious."

Argent nodded his agreement and trotted alongside Twilight. "Are you strong enough to try your plan?" he asked.

"I have to be," she replied resolutely. Through their interrogations of the scouting parties they had ambushed, Twilight knew that Zecora and Zephyr were in captivity, but otherwise unharmed, for the moment anyway. She tried not to think about their younger selves. She could only hope that no news was good news and that they were safe somewhere.

"Come back to me," whispered a pleading voice, "don't leave me here alone."

Argent woke with a start. He had a searing headache centered right behind his eyes, causing him to groan and wince in pain. He tried to move his head but found himself thoroughly immobilized.

"Shhh, Argent," cooed Twilight, "Everything will be all right. Please, just wake up." She gently stroked his mane and planted a chaste kiss on his forehead.

"Twilight?" he asked in confusion. The previous night's events flashed back in his memory and he opened his eyes in panic. "We have to go back for Zecora!" he shouted. He felt drops landing on his face and looked up into Twilight's eyes. She smiled as she looked back into his worried face, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"You're all right," she said, nearly sobbing. She bent her head down and rested her forehead against his. "I didn't know what they poisoned you with," she said while hugging him tightly, "I thought..." She let go of him and took a deep breath to compose herself. The confusion on the stallion's face was obvious to Twilight. "You were poisoned by a few of their darts," she explained, "I found this burrow, and pulled you in before they found us."

Argent looked around at the cramped space they huddled in. "You should have left me princess," he said guiltily, "Who knows what they would have done if they had-"

"Hush," said Twilight while holding a hoof to his mouth, "I would never leave you behind."

Argent nodded and stared at her with wide eyes. She strared back and they became lost in each other's gaze. Seconds passed before either took a breath. "It's no fair," said Argent.

"What?" asked Twilight.

"I'm supposed to be protecting you," he said with a laugh, "Why is it that you keep saving me?"

She gave him a playful pat on the nose. "I think we're better off protecting each other," she said warmly, "there's plenty of 'saving' to go around." She tried to flex her extended wings but the cramped quarters wouldn't allow it. "I haven't heard anything for hours," she said, "Let's go find our friends." She turned around and pushed the bushes out of the front of the burrow. Sunlight streamed into the entrance, causing both ponies to squint against the brightness. Twilight crawled her way out of the hole and emerged streaked in dirt. She stretched her legs while Argent pushed the saddle bags and his shield out of their hideaway.

"What do we do without our magic," asked Argent as he rose to his feet and struggled to shake all the dirt out of his coat and mane.

Twilight smiled triumphantly and flared her horn. A strong breeze blew all the dust from the stallion, sending a dirt devil spinning into the distance. "I haven't been in that hole moping all night," she said with a determined gleam in her eyes. "It's time to show these zebras the true power of friendship. She reached into her saddlebags and removed a gleaming gold tiara. She placed the Crown of Harmony on her brow and walked in front of Argent. She pulled the zipper of his coat all the way up to his neck and straightened the silver thread embroidered epaulettes on his shoulders. "No more sneaking around," she said as she turned towards the hill that loomed in the distance. "No more hiding from this petty tyrant."

Argent snapped to attention and crisply saluted Twilight. Her confidence filled him with a reinvigorating sense of calm. He concentrated and managed to surround his horn with a strong golden aura. "It shall be as the princess commands," he said proudly while floating his shield to his back. They trotted side by side towards the Crown of the Plains.

"I should thank you, Shaman," said the skinny zebra stallion, "without your incompetence, I would never had have taken the reins of power." Zakan stepped forward and stuck his face directly in front of Zecora's. "You do know that your mother would have saved the little chiefling, don't you?" he whispered. "Honestly, that was the hardest part of my ascension. Every poison, toxin, and blight I sent my brother's way, she saw through and counteracted as if they were nothing." Zecora struggled against the thick ropes that held her against the wall. Her hips and shoulders screamed in agony as she hung limply. "The spirits took care of her for me though, didn't they? And they sent an inexperienced filly to care for Zerasa's son."

"The will of the spirits you will know soon enough," said Zecora with as much calm as she could muster, "You fear them despite all your bluster and bluffs. The spirits will judge you deceiver of all; for their mercy you will soon call."

"You think speaking to me as if I were an outsider is an insult?" he said while holding her chin steady with his hoof. "Your traditions, rites, and rituals mean nothing to me." He walked to the unconscious stallion who hung nearby and took a spear from a nearby guard. He thrust the butt of the weapon into Zephyr's chest, smiling in satisfaction at the sound of a rib cracking. "The 'melody of speech' is a relic Shaman, just like you and your gullible friend here. I have no need for superstition: The spirits speak to me directly." He handed the spear back to the zebra stallion at the door and paused before exiting. "You out of all of us know of the riches that lay beyond the plains, Shaman," he said with a zealous fervor in his eyes, "When we have prepared, the Striped Horde will leave this pathetic dusty land and take what we are due." Zakan cackled in delight. "Did your friends enjoy my little surprise?" he asked, "I could hardly believe it when my spy said there were horned ponies about. It was the perfect opportunity to test the forkroot powder."

"I know they escaped your machinations," she said defiantly, "They'll be back for remuneration."

"Oh I hope they do come back," said Zakan with a dismissive wave of his hoof. "If my vanguard is to take the lands of the ponies, they need practice against their petty little magics. With my forkroot extract and paralytic venoms, I'm afraid your friends will be quite helpless."

"The true Zebrica will stop your insane plot," spat Zecora, "You'll never find them, any search is for naught."

"Your friends in the swamp?" asked Zakan. Zecora's recoiling shock caused him to chuckle. "My spy told me all about them. As we speak, Zeret is leading my forces to your little mud hole." He walked to the cell door, slammed the large wooden door and looked through the rectangular cut out. "I hope you enjoyed our little chat," he said, "and you're quite welcome for the poison remedy. A shame I didn't have enough for both of you. Farewell Shaman, I have an execution to prepare for."

"Is he gone?" wheezed Zephyr after a few moments.

"How are you awake?" asked a shocked Zecora, "the sap of the stranglevine should have left you unconscious for hours yet."

"It used to," said Zephyr with a grunt, "It barely phases me these days."

"I don't understand," said Zecora.

"Give me some credit 'Cora," he replied, "I remembered a few of your lessons: Building a tolerance to toxic and poisonous plants was one of my favorites."

"Have you built a tolerance to having your throat slit," said Zecora angrily, "because that's what that monster has planned for us. A grand display of his dominance to further terrorize our tribe." She let her head hang and felt a wave of despair wash over her. "I should have listened to your warnings," she said morosely, "now everypony is in terrible danger; and that danger pales in comparison to all of your refugees in the swamp."

"Your friends seemed quite capable 'Cora," he said in a comforting tone, "He as much as told you they escaped. And don't worry about the refugees, they're going to be fine."

"How can you be so calm, Zephyr," said Zecora as she raised her head to look at her friend. The twinkle of mischief in his eyes hadn't changed from the first time he had convinced her to slip poison joke into the bathhouse cisterns. "Okay," she said while arching an eybrow, "what have you been up to."

Zephyr smiled and quietly laid his plan out to Zecora.

"I swear I saw those zebras in the swamp," said Argent from his vantage point on the top of the hill. "See the one there with the short cropped mane? He was with Zephyr and Zeret when they first found us, and the mare to his right was carrying baskets of food." He passed the collapsible telescope to Twilight, pulled a hoofkerchief from one of the pockets of his armored coat, and wiped his brow.

"You're right," said Twilight. She levitated her spy glass back into her bag and looked at the large column of nearly a hundred zebra with unaided eyes. "But why are they following Zeret," she asked quizzically, "I can't imagine Zephyr had that many traitors in his midst, and they don't look like prisoners. Why are they heading towards the Crown of the Plains?"

"If they reach it, our job will be that much more dangerous," said Argent worriedly, "we have to do something to keep them out of the picture." He turned to Twilight and gasped as the Crown of Harmony pulsed with white light. He quickly pulled his shield from the catch on the back of his jacket and nodded to her. With a flash, they vanished from the hill and reappeared a few dozen paces away from the grizzled zebra scout who had betrayed them a few short hours earlier.

Twilight flared her wings and stared at the approaching zebra with glowing while eyes. "Come forward Zeret of the Zebrica," she said in a calm, cold voice, "The Princess of Harmony demands it." Her voice boomed across the short distance, it's volume amplified by an unseen cone of air she had willed into being. Argent stood between her and the crush of zebras, his shield floating in front of him, just below his line of sight.

The sudden flash of light and booming voice from what many of the zebras assumed was a old mare's tale sent many of their number into a panic. Zeret turned away from Twilight and shouted at the anxious crowd in zebrese. Many ignored him and began slowly backing away from the glowing apparition. Their retreat was halted by the wall of a magenta energy that materialized around the small depression between hills. They desperately moved around the circumference of the barrier, searching for some breach they could escape through.

"You have one last chance to come forward Zeret," shouted Twilight, "My patience wears thin." She sent a swirling gust of wind blowing across the ground before them, sending more of the zebras running to join the others at the other side of the dome of energy. They formed a bending arc at the barrier's edge, with only Zeret standing in the middle. He lowered his pleading hooves and turned back to face Twilight and Argent. He lowered his head and cautiously approached the two ponies.

"It's not what you think princess of the north," he said from a few yards away from Argent, "It is not for Zakan that we march forth."

"Not one more step," said Argent as the zebra came within ten paces of Twilight. He trotted to the zebra and squinted as he used his magic to relieve Zeret of his spear while keeping his shield floating between them. "Keep your hooves where I can see them," warned the unicorn. Argent backed up and stood at Twilight's side.

"I told Zephyr he was being too selective with those he told," said Zeret as he nervously looked back to his zebras, "Zecora, should have been brought into the fold."

"You have one chance to explain to me why I shouldn't turn you into stone," said Twilight. She blinked her light infused eyes and dug her hooves into the hard ground.

"Zephyr saw a chance to turn the tide," said Zeret quickly, "and I was the only zebra in whom he would confide." He slowly picked up a hoof and pointed at the crowd of zebras who had turned back towards the center of the dome. "I began arguing in public, in ways that couldn't be ignored," said the zebra stallion, "We had to make it look like I was sewing discord. One of Zakan's stooges made contact and offered a reward; I had to accept to become part of his moronic horde."

"Go on," said Twilight.

"I did not wish to have you hunted," continued Zeret, "Zephyr had hoped to be the only one confronted." From around the edge of the dome, the zebras slowly approached the ponies at the center. The witch goddess of the north didn't appear to be striking Zeret down as they had feared. "Zakan's soldiers head for an abandoned village," he said with no small amount of pride, "soggy wood and empty huts are all they will pillage."

"And you intend to overthrow Zakan while they are lost in the swamp," said Twilight. She sighed and released her magic. "Your plan is foolhardy and reckless," she said wearily. "Zecora and Zephyr are prisoners, or worse."

"Desperate measures are all that we have left," said Zeret, "of food and hope, we are totally bereft."

Twilight placed her hoof to her forehead and shook it in annoyance. "Suppose we wished to join you," she said while stepping around Argent and in front of the zebra, "What was your scheme for saving Zecora and Zephyr, and taking the Crown?"

"With most of his forces away trudging through a swamp, we figured through the front gate we would romp," said the grizzled zebra. "I know where Zephyr is most likely held; I intend to free him once any resistance is quelled."

"You will take us with you," pronounced Twilight in a voice loud enough for all the approaching zebras to hear. "You chose to involve my friend in your foalhardy plan, so now we do things my way." She spun around and took a few imperious strides away from the stunned zebra. "Tell your herd to reassemble. Argent will explain how you will organize as we march."

"Goddess of the North, I don't know if-" said Zeret before Argent stepped forward and stabbed the floating spear into the ground before him.

"She's willing to trust you," said Argent as he leveled a withering glare at the zebra, "Celestia only knows how she can be so forgiving, but know that to me, trust is earned." He trotted towards Twilight and looked back briefly to confirm that Zeret had begun forming his followers into a long column. "Are you sure of this Twilight," he asked softly, "he already led us into one trap."

"No," said Twilight, "of course I'm not sure, but what other option do we have?" She readjusted her tiara and folded her wings onto her back. "You know the old saying: Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer."

Argent looked back at the formation marching behind them. "Yeah," he said warily, "as long as you keep your bodyguard closest."

Twilight smiled and nodded her agreement. She levitated a thick tome emblazoned with her cutie mark from her saddlebags and held it up to her face to begin studying as she walked. "Go ahead and see what you can do with them," she said while motioning behind them with a sideways shake of her head. "I've got a few spells in here that might help us." She began reading, but noticed that the stallion still walked beside her. "Argent, I'll be fine," she said, "keep an eye on me if you like, just make sure those zebra know what they're doing."

Argent narrowed his eyes and turned to head back to Zeret and his zebras, "I'm keeping both eyes on you," he called over his shoulder. He approached the marching zebras and turned to trot alongside Zeret. "All right," he said in a business like tone, "how do zebras fight."

The next half hour was spent separating the zebras into squads consisting of a few spear wielders supported by a larger number of the striped equines with slings and stones. As they marched, Argent slowly began to build a grudging respect for Zeret as the zebra made astute observations about the disposition of their forces. His suspicion never completely disappeared, however, and he frequently found himself staring at Twilight as she walked a few dozen paces in front of the column.

"I believe we are done here, all that's left is to walk and wait," said Zeret as he noticed the stallion's attention drifting away, "I can see that you worry, you should go and be with your mate."

Argent began to trot forward at a faster pace before the zebra's words sank in. "Not that it's your business," he said, "but we're not like that. I'm her bodyguard, I make sure she's safe and do what she asks of me."

"My grasp of the equine language isn't the best, much to my shame," he said in a confused tone, "but 'bodyguard' and 'mate,' sound one and the same. You protect her life, at a risk to your health; perhaps you guard her for the wealth?"

"What!?" exclaimed Argent, "I'm a royal guard of Equestria. I'm sworn to the service of an Alicorn Princess. She could pay me in soggy hay, and I would still guard her with my life."

"You ponies are truly an odd folk," said Zeret as he turned and left to talk with his zebra comrades, "I do think you are making a joke."

Argent galloped to Twilight's side and looked back at Zeret in confusion. "Zebras are weird," he said while looking at the ground and shaking his head.

"Now Argent," said Twilight as she closed her spellbook and slid it back into her panniers, "they're different, not weird. I'm sure we seem as strange to them as they are to us." She looked back at the neatly organized groupings of zebra marching behind them and smiled in satisfaction. "Good job Captain," she said, "They look quite a bit more disciplined now."

"A lot of it is show," said Argent worriedly, "These zebra aren't soldiers by any measure of the word, and they've missed more than their fair share of meals."

"Fighting is the last thing I want to happen," said Twilight, "but I think the two of us can make a huge difference." As she spoke, the top of the massive Baobab tree on top of the largest hill in the plains finally came into view. Columns of wispy smoke rose from near the crest of the ancestral home of the Zebrica. Twilight nearly stumbled, and the self assurance she had just displayed began to falter.

"You know I've got your back right?" asked Argent as he noticed the hesitation in the alicorn's gait. He trotted in front of Twilight and stopped. "You're not doing this alone," he said while resting a hoof on her shoulder.

"How can Zecora stand to wear her hair mane like this," groused Twilight, "I feel like a gust of wind will send me toppling over."

"It has a certain flair," said Argent as he teased the top of the mohawk Twilight had shaped his mane into. "At any rate, it hides our horns, and that's all that matters." He looked at the white and black striped form of the cloaked zebra mare that trotted beside him. "Are you sure the stripes are right?" he asked as they approached the open gate, "They're pretty good at telling each other apart at a glance using these things."

"I used the last two scouts' appearance to craft the illusions," she replied, "as long as we don't get too social, we should be able to go where we please." She straightened her cloak and tucked her wings hard against her back as they walked past the gate guards.

"Back already?" asked a sharp eyed zebra stallion, "Did you find anything?"

Twilight nervously turned her head and tried to look tired and disappointed at the same time. "Alas no," she said in Zebrese, "Nothing on the plains that way but dust and grass." She held her breath, hoping that her intonation and accent were close enough matches to the scout she had disguised herself as.

"It must have been a rough morning, Zelanna," said the guard, "would you like to get some dinner with me after the Chief's pronouncements?" He winked at Twilight and smiled suggestively. Argent growled under his breath.

"Definitely," said Twilight in a husky voice, "I'm up for anything after such a boring day with this one." She pointed at a seething Argent and blew a kiss towards the love struck zebra. "Say," she said while swaying sensually towards him, "Where is the chief keeping those two traitors we caught last night. I'd like to see the jerks who made me waste such a beautiful day."

"Ah, Zelanna..." said the stallion, "you know chief's guards would have me chopping wood for a month if I told you that."

Twilight pouted and circled the red faced zebra. "That's a shame," she said seductively, "I just wanted to laugh in their faces before the chief gets his hooves on them." She walked next to the guard and brought her muzzle to his ear. "It'd really help me relieve some stress," she whispered, sending chills down the zebra's spine, "and I'd be ever so grateful."

The zebra stallion sported a goofy grin and pointed up the hill. "They're in the strongroom of the barracks at the top of the eastern path," he said, "but you didn't hear it from me. He leaned in to kiss the mare's cheek but found only air.

"Thanks," said Twilight happily as she trotted up the hill with Argent a short ways behind, "See you later!"

"You enjoyed that," said Argent grumpily.

"I was thinking of you the whole time," said Twilight with a grin. "Now let's get Zecora and Zephyr and get out of here."

She led the way up the steep hill to where the long buildings ended. Near the Mother Tree, a large group of zebras were pounding several large poles into the ground using large stone mauls. a crowd had begun assembling themselves around the workers. "We're not too late," said Argent with a sigh of relief. He pointed east, across an open expanse of the hilltop, at a longhouse constructed from worked stone. "That has to be where your coltfriend said they were held."

Twilight nodded and they tried to look as nonchalant as possible while crossing the side of the massive hill. As they passed the zebras who wandered down the paths that wound around the many dwellings and storehouses, Twilight and Argent couldn't help but see the look of utter antipathy on the striped faces. "I can't stand this," said Twilight angrily, "the Zebrica were never this beaten down before."

A quartet of armed guards milled around at the single large entrance to the squat stone structure. "No offense, love," said Argent, "but I doubt your feminine wiles can help us past all of them." Twilight jabbed him in the ribs with a hoof and led the way around to the rear of the barracks.

"Stand here comedian," she said after looking around for any watching eyes. Argent walked to where she was pointing and put his left flank against the outer wall of the rear of the building. Twilight placed her forehooves on his back and awkwardly climbed up and reached for the barred window above the stallion. She looked in and saw the two zebras hanging from the walls. She flared her magic and delicately tugged at the zebra mare's mane.

Zecora looked up and saw an unfamiliar zebra face looking through the only window in their small cell. "Who..." she said before catching herself. Twilight reached up a hoof and pulled her exotically styled mane out of the way, revealing her horn. The zebra mare's eyes widened and she gestured her head at the guard that stood a dozen paces away behind the door to the cells.

Twilight nodded and flared her horn causing a wall of purple magic to appear in the cell. "It's Oracle and Horizon," she said, "and don't worry, the wall will keep sound out."

"I am overjoyed to see you well," said Zecora weakly, "I assume you are here to free me from my cell." Twilight nodded and began charging a teleport spell. "Wait my friend, we cannot be too quick to slip away," said Zephyr, "we'll never have as good a chance as we have this day."

"Shut up," said Twilight, "If I didn't know how much Zecora cares for you, I'd let you rot in here a little longer."

"He is right, my would be pony savior," said Zecora, who continued to keep an eye on the guard in the hallway, "plans are in motion that cannot result in failure."

"Are you out of your striped minds!" growled Twilight, "They're going to kill you both!"

"Help is coming and we can be by Zakan when they arrive," said Zephyr, "In the midst of the confusion we can take him by surprise."

"What's taking so long?" asked Argent. Beads of sweat poured down his muzzle as Twilight's hooves dug into his back. "Teleport them out and lets go!"

"I'm trying," said Twilight, "they're both talking nonsense. More nonsense than is usual for zebras."

"If you wish to help us, stay as close as you dare," said Zecora, "When the time comes, you can help us close the snare." She looked at the guard by the door and waved her bound hoof at Twilight. "Now go before they see your conjuration," she whispered, "do not worry, we can handle their painful ministrations."

Twilight blinked in surprise and jumped down from Argent's back, eliciting a grunt from the glorified stepping stool. "Change of plans," she said wearily, "we need to keep an eye on those two."

"Remember Zeret," said Argent, "If you don't charge when we agreed, I will find you, and I will make you pay." He flared his horn and slammed his shield into the ground.

The zebra gulped and nodded. "You have no need to fear Argent Defender," he said with a hoof in the air, "I will do what it takes to unseat the pretender."

Argent turned and trotted to the top of the hill and knelt down next to Twilight. "They're all set," he said, "are you sure I can't talk you into taking a few of them with us?"

Twilight peaked over the top of the hill and at the gate a short gallop away. "No," she said, "like you said, we have to draw as much attention to us so they can slip in another way." She stood and brushed off the dust from her coat. "Now's as good a time as any." She held a hoof to Argent and pulled him to his hooves.

The two ponies turned and looked to the zebras hidden on the other side of the last hill before the Crown of the Plains. Argent waved his shield at the zebras and received a shake of Zeret's spear in response. They crested the hill and casually began trotting towards the gate, as if it were a quick jaunt to Sugar Cube Corner. It only took a few moments before their approach was spotted.

"Here we go," said Argent. He lifted his shield and moved in front of the alicorn. Before long, the first darts and stones were hurled at them from the gate guards. Argent's shield provided them with ample cover as they continued walking forward in the face of the constant barrage of projectiles.

"Bag!" shouted Argent.

"Got it," said Twilight as her horn flared and snatched the bundle in her telekinetic field at the apex of its trajectory. She casually sent it hurtling through the air behind them. More and more guards' heads peeked over the wall and began raining darts and rocks on the two ponies.

"Twilight," said Argent as he wildly waved his shield to deflect a pair of larger stones, "they're closing the gate!" Sure enough, a large wooden barricade was being pushed into place in the gap the gate created in the long wall. "Now would be a good time for some of that magic you're so good at."

The alicorn looked at the wall and back at her bodyguard in a panic. "I don't know what spell to use!" she said in a panic, "I don't want to hurt anypony too badly."

"Just do anything!" shouted the stallion, "otherwise we'll be the one's hurt badly."

"Umm....umm...maybe..." mumbled Twilight as she hid behind Argent. She took a deep breath and braced her hooves. She aimed her horn at the wall and pulled as much magic as she could through her crown. A thick beam of solid magenta light erupted from her horn with a deafening roar. The force of the spell sent her braced hooves skidding backwards as they resisted the recoil of the evocation she had unleashed. The ray of radiance struck the barricade and began racing across the wall, suffusing the entire wooden ring in a sparkling magenta shine. Twilight cut off the torrent of magical energy and watched as the wall began rumbling.

"Come on," she said, "work, damn you, work!"

"What the..." mumbled Argent as the wall answered Twilight's pleas. The top of the barrier began dissolving into orange spheres. Thousands of them fell from the crumbling structure to the ground below and began bouncing down the hillside. The platforms the zebras had been standing on to fire over the wall no longer had anything to support them, and quickly began collapsing. The screams of the guards ended in abrupt thuds as they hit the ground. The constant hail of projectiles ceased immediately.

Argent reached down and picked up a piece of what had once been an imposing wall. "Oranges!?" he exclaimed after sniffing the fruit. "You turned the entire wall into oranges?"

Twilight flushed and kicked one of the oranges that had rolled to her hooves. "I couldn't think of anything else," she said, "I didn't want to just blow it up."

"So you turned it into oranges?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes!" she answered loudly. She pointed up the slope and swatted Argent's flank. "Now let's get moving before they can recover."

Argent nodded and looked down what had been the wall and watched as the groups of zebras began charging into the city from the hills he and Zeret had positioned them behind. With a satisfied smile he pulled his shield in front of them and led the way up the Crown of the Plains.

"They're coming for us all!" shouted Zakan from the hideously massive carved wooden throne he had hauled up to the base of the Mother Tree. From it, he could see row after row of zebras arrayed down the slope. "In a few short years, she would have led the Pony witches and soldiers to our most ancient of homes," he screamed, "Poisoning the son of poor Chief Zerasa wasn't enough for her. She won't rest until we're all thralls of the wicked equines of the north!"

A small portion of the crowd shouted angrily, demanding blood. Zecora and Zephyr stood surrounded by armed zebra guards. Their hooves were hobbled with thick rope and their mouths gagged with thick linen wraps. She stared impassively at the ranting tyrant. His epithets and insults rolled off of her like drops of dew off a sagging leaf.

The Chief of the Zebrica puffed out his chest and raised his forehooves high into the air, sending his elaborate robes billowing in the wind. "The spirits will not allow harm to come to me," shouted Zakan, "They have told me of the treasonous Shaman's plot. They have warned me of the pony witches she would bring with her!" He stood and trotted to the large posts which had been sunk into the ground. "The spirits of our ancestors have told me to cleanse the Zebrica," he announced, "We must eradicate the traitors in our midst. We must go forth and show the ponies that they cannot have this land: It belongs to me!"

Again, the same vocal minority cried for war on the pony folk. Among them, several hurled rocks at the bound zebras. Zecora felt a stone hit her in the neck but refused to acknowledge the pain. As a small trickle of red wound down her black and white striped coat, the shaman continued to level her fierce gaze at despot.

"Fear not the ponies, with their witches and banshees," hollered Zakan, "the spirits of our ancestors have revealed to me the means to defeat them. We will walk their rich lands and take our recompense for their treachery." He waved a hoof at his guards and returned to his gaudy throne. "All this I promise you my Striped Horde, but now," he said while sitting, "now we begin the cleansing of the Zebrica. Guards, commence with the purge."

Zecora and Zephyr were pushed and prodded towards the large posts. Two cloaked zebra guards with their hoods hanging from their necks bound the two zebra prisoners to the wooden spires and removed their hobbles. Bundles of dry grass and wood, hewn from the Mother Tree itself, were stacked around them. Viscous oil from large casks carried by several other guards was poured over the tinder. Zakan waved his hoof and a burly zebra stallion with a cruel grin approached with a flaming torch held between his teeth.

Shouts rang out from the rear of the crowd, causing the heads of every zebra to turn away from the crest of the hill. "Who dares interrupt my audience!" shouted Zakan, "There is plenty of room left on the pyre for malcontents!"

A magenta light flashed out, followed quickly by a zebra guard flying into the crowd, her legs flailing as her unconscious form tumbled to a stop. The crowed began parting as several dozen groups made their way through the mass of zebras. Several guards circled Zakan as he stood on his massive throne and looked over the chaos of the roiling crowd. He saw his informant galloping towards the crest of the hill with the pony witch and warlock following him.

"Zeret you fool," he shouted as loudly as he could, "I command you to turn and face the witches!" He smiled in triumph as the stallion stopped just after emerging from the front of the crowd and turned to face the horned ponies.

He raised his spear high into the air and buried the point deep into the soil in front of the two outsiders. "The ponies are not our enemies," shouted Zeret in a deep booming roar. "This madness ends now usurper!" Groups of zebra pushed their way to the front of the crowd and stood defiantly before the zebra guards and the tyrant they protected. The listless eyes of the majority of the zebra crowd ignited with a spark of hope.

"Take them all!" shouted Zakan, "A chief's ransom for any zebra who brings me a traitor's hooves!"

The guards that lined the crown of the hill, along with several of the shouting zebra from the crowd took up arms and charged at the crowd. Spear met spear, and the battle was soon joined. Zakan watched as his cabal of former exiles and zebra from far off tribes viciously stabbed and kicked at the pitiful rabble that dared question his absolute rule.

"You all," he said to his most able and most well compensated guards, "Slay any who dare approach me." The guards saluted and formed a line between Zakan and the melee ensuing below. He trotted towards the what should have been the great bonfire that cemented his legacy and slammed a hoof into the face of the burly guard who stared at the melee with a moronic expression. "Get down there and fight you idiot," he said before turning to the two still bound zebra. "Your pathetic friends are too late," he said with a wicked grin, "you two will still burn." He picked up the torch from the ground and dropped it into the bundle of hay.

The flames spread quickly across the tinder, like a wave rolling onto the shore. Zakan cackled maniacally as the heat began to build. Zephyr and Zecora nodded too each other and calmly brought their hooves from behind their backs and stood back on the ground on all fours. The thick ropes that had anchored them to the posts fell loosely to its base. With mighty leaps, they both easily hopped over the flames and approached the tyrant while pulling the gags from their mouths.

"This is for little Zamunda," said Zecora, as she slowly approached Zakan.

"And for Zerasa," added Zephyr, "he was your brother you bastard." He and Zecora circled around Zakan and soon had the tyrant's back to the fire he had intended for them.

"Fools!" shouted Zakan, "My most trusted guards are but a call away. Guards, dispatch these two and throw their corpses on the pyre!"

The line of guards quickly turned back and saw the predicament their leader and employer had gotten himself into. All but two charged at the lone zebras threatening Zakan. A magenta aura appeared around the two who held back and caused their white coats and black stripes to dissolve away, revealing two older ponies. The mare quickly flared her horn and a dome of magical force slammed down on the hilltop, trapping the guards inside with the ponies.

"He's all yours," shouted the elder Twilight as she charged up another spell.

"Behind you!" shouted Twilight. She ducked under Argent's stomach, tickling it with the top of her crown, and fired a blast of hornfire at the charging zebra. The blast carried it into two of his comrades, sending all three rolling down the steep hill.

"Thanks," said Argent as he felt the mare slide out from underneath him. He deflected a spear thrust with his shield and brought down his hooves on the shaft, splintering the weapon. "Keep an eye on the sky, they've tried a few more of those yellow powder bags." He levitated his shield upwards swiftly, catching the now spearless guard underneath the chin. The zebra grabbed at his shattered jaw and fell to the ground.

A group of angry zebra charged the two ponies, their spears held on their shoulders like lances. Twilight's eyes flashed white and she gestured upwards with a foreleg. A hurricane force updraft centered on the zebra guards hoisted the group into the air. Twilight drew her hoof to her chest, flared her magic, and punched forward into the air. A gust of wind blasted the zebra across the chaotic battlefield.

"Look!" shouted Argent.

Twilight looked down the hill at the cluster of zebra he was pointing at. Groups of armed guards were being swarmed by unarmed zebras. The mob soon had their tormenters immobilized and disarmed. "Zeret was right," she said, "They just needed to see someone fighting back."

"I admit it," said Argent as he looked around for the next threat, "he's been more useful than I thought he would be."

"Come on," said Twilight, "Let's get to Zecora."

They both galloped up the hill in time to see two zebra stallions slam against the walls of a magical barrier. Their unconscious forms slid down the side of the magenta wall and slumped over on each other. Inside, Horizon and Oracle stared down several other guards. In an instant, Horizon dashed forward at the five remaining guards. The zebras held their spears high to ward off the charging stallion. They thrust their spears at the stallion's neck but only struck empty air. Horizon dropped to his knees and slid underneath the weapons. He jumped to his hooves and planted two hooves into the face of the closest shocked zebra and sent him crumpling to the dirt. The other four quickly regained their balance and stabbed at the stallion. Before their barbed spearheads could strike home, the unicorn stallion disappeared in a magenta flash and reappeared next to the mare. She dug at the ground with a forehoof and aimed her horn at the four guards. A rapid fire series of energy bolts launched from the mare, striking each zebra in the chest with pinpoint accuracy. She waved her hoof from left to right while flaring her horn, and a gust of wind blew across the stunned zebras, tipping them over onto their sides.

Oracle saw the two younger ponies and threw a hoof around Horizon's shoulder. She gestured wildly at them and dropped her barrier. "Oh thank Celestia," she shouted as she hugged her younger self, "I had almost given up hope."

Twilight hugged her back tightly and sighed in relief. "Where are Zecora and Zephyr?!" she asked. "Are they all right? Tell me we're not too late!"

"Ask them yourselves," said Horizon as he pointed at the bonfire at the base of the Mother Tree. The four ponies galloped up the hill and found their two zebra friends keeping a distance from the despot.

"And now you bring your assassins," ranted Zakan, "come to finish the job ponies? Well I won't give you the pleasure." He reached into his robes and tossed several bags at the assemblage of ponies and zebras.

Twilight adeptly snagged them out of the air with her magic and tossed them into the fire. "No more poisons, Zakan," she said, "No more tricks. No more betrayals."

"Twilight Sparkle speaks words only true," said Zecora, "Give up now and mercy may be shown to you."

"Mercy," said Zakan with a laugh, "You are the ones who require mercy!" As he backed away from the approaching ponies, he reached into his robes and pulled out a large tome bearing a magenta six pointed star on the cover. "Vengeful Spirits of my Ancestors," he shouted madly as he raised the book into the air, "you have given me your holy book of knowledge, now strike down those who would keep me from carrying out your will!"

"That's my journal!" shouted Twilight, "What are you doing with that!"

The zebra didn't notice that he had dragged his robes into a sticky mass of oil and hay. He ignored the pony and continued walking backwards towards the fire with the tome held high in one of his forehooves. "You sent me your prophecies of rebellion, spirits!" he shouted to the sky, "I order you to strike down these usurpers!" One last step towards the fire and the heat ignited the back of his robes. The four ponies and two zebras watched on in horror as Zakan became wreathed in flames. He screamed and fell back into the blaze, the book fell from his grasp and landed open in the most intense part of the fire, the dry old pages quickly turning to ash.

Twilight and Oracle jumped into action. The younger alicorn levitated the zebra tyrant from the pyre and tossed him to the ground. Horizon pulled his cloak off and began beating down the flames that still burned on the zebra's robes. Oracle concentrated her magic into a small ray and enveloped the despot in her magenta aura. The remaining flames winked out and she let her magic fade. Zakan's coat smoldered, and several hideous burns covered most of his body, but he still lived. The zebra drew several ragged breaths and looked at the ponies and zebras that stood over him. "The ancestors tricked me" he muttered deliriously to the sky, "You have your revenge Zerasa, I hope you choke on it." With that Zakan fell unconscious.

"The mad fool," said Zephyr, "He honestly thought the spirits talked to him."

"He was always cruel, but never this mad," said Zecora, "Something happened to turn him this bad."

Twilight gasped and turned back towards the fire. She flared her magic and turned her radiant white eyes at the blaze. Another dome of energy encircled the fire and began constricting itself around the scorched earth. Without oxygen, the bonfire quickly lost its momentum and soon petered out. She let go of her magic and jumped into the ashes.

"Twilight!" shouted Argent, "What in the hay are you doing?" He lunged after her, grabbed the mare around the waist, and pulled her out of the still smoldering ashes.

"My journal!" she cried as she struggled against the stallion's tight grip, "he burned my journal!"

Argent reached into her saddlebags with his magic and lifted out a large pristine tone, complete with her cutie mark printed on the cover. "Calm down," he said gently while floating it to her outstretched hooves, "it's right here."

Twilight hugged the book to her chest and scrubbed her watering eyes with a hoof. "I don't understand," she said, "That was my journal."

"Another one of his tricks," said Oracle, "He was stark raving mad, princess." The older mare looked over the fire, her eyes watering. "Damn smoke," she said while turning and rubbing away the tears with the edge of her cloak.

"Come friends, we must carry this thing to be healed," said Zecora angrily, "There must be somezebra who can help upon this field."

Within a half hour, the last of Zakan's loyalists had been subdued. The disarmed zebra soldiers were surrounded by the residents they had threatened and bullied into submissiveness over the course of several years. The tyrant himself had been taken under guard to the clinic where the worst injured were being treated. Zeret had quickly taken charge and had his rebels combing the buildings for any holdouts. He joined Twilight and the others as they lounged against the base of the Mother Tree.

"I am truly sorry for any perceived deception," said Zeret to Zecora and the ponies, "I had to act as I did to sway Zakan's perception."

"Zephyr explained everything," said Zecora, "I feel ashamed for even thinking you would forsake Zephyr."

"It turned my stomach to speak to that monster," replied the stallion, "I felt ashamed of myself for the things I had to do and say last night."

Oracle whispered the translation into Twilight's ear. "There aren't many ponies with the courage to do what you did Zeret," said the younger mare, "For anything you feel guilt for, I forgive you." The others added their agreement. The stallion smiled and slumped down next to Zephyr and Zecora.

"I can hardly believe we're free," he said, "or that I'm sitting peacefully under the Tree."

Zecora took a deep breath as she leaned against Zephyr. "I've dreamed so long of sitting down here," she said blissfully, "The sounds of the wind through the leaves are pleasing to my ear." Zephyr wrapped a foreleg around her shoulder and brought her closer.

"I hate to be the one to say it," said Argent, "but Zakan's army is still out there."

Zeret nodded and pointed down the hill. "The Zebrica have found their mettle again," he said, "Zebras who once cowered now celebrate the end of Zakan's reign." He pulled a few oranges from a sack he had brought with them and tossed them to the stallion. "We will line them all up at the foot of the Crown," he said while peeling the fruit with his spear tip, "When they see our numbers, none will want to attack the town."

Argent nodded in understanding. "That's how we handled bullies at home," said the unicorn, "a united show of force always sent them off with their tails between their legs." The orange he levitated before him spontaneously shed its peel and broke into several segments. He floated one to Twilight who smiled as she bit into the succulent fruit. "Best debris I've ever tasted," he said with a smirk, "It won't turn back to wood will it?"

"If you keep teasing me it might," answered Twilight as she playfully jabbed the stallion's side. A dark smudge of black ash was left on his coat. "Oops," she said while examining her filthy hooves. Argent narrowed his eyes and returned the favor, marring Twilight's purple coat with a streak of black. She retaliated and they were soon laughing on the ground, covered head to tail in black hoof marks.

"That one tried to tell me they weren't mates," said Zeret to Zecora, "I may not know pony folk like you shaman, but surely he was joking."

"They just don't know it yet," replied Zecora. "Some ponies can be quite oblivious to matters of the heart." She looked at the giggling younger ponies and stood to her hooves. "After a day of toil, I believe we've earned some rest," she said aloud, "Let us go clean ourselves of this mess." She helped Zephyr and Zeret up and waited for the ponies to stand. "The Ponyville Spa is a fantastic way to relax one's body," she said as they walked down towards the rows of buildings, "but the Bathhouses of the Zebrica are just as effective, if not so gaudy."

They passed several happy Zebras who fawned over both the zebra leaders and the ponies. They soon had a small procession leading them down the hill. Zebra colts and fillies, previously kept inside by their parents, frolicked between the buildings. Twilight soon found two little fillies flanking her as she followed Zecora. She flared her horn and created a cloud of delicate magenta butterflies. The children squealed in glee and ran off as she sent them fluttering across the open field.

Zecora pulled to a stop next to the largest of all of the longhouses. Large stone cisterns surrounded the building on all sides. She opened the door and smiled at the sight of the unsullied pools of steaming water. "I worried the deceiver might have ruined this place of peace," she said happily, "but the pleasure of the baths is something the Zebrica would ever release."

The ponies followed the zebras into the massive open room and gaped at the size of the large central pool. "Aloe and Lotus would have a fit," said Twilight in shock, "and Rarity might want to move here."

Zecora's cough brought the ponies' attention to the wall she stood at. Oracle and Horizon immediately removed their cloaks and panniers and hung them from the wooden pegs on the wall. The two older ponies stepped into the warm water and sighed in ecstasy. Twilight hung their bags while Argent unzipped and shed his jacket. They turned towards the pool and began to approach the steps.

"Not so fast my ash covered friends," said Zecora with a hoof on Twilight's chest, "If you track that into the pool, our hospitality you may offend." She led the two younger ponies to a smaller pool, large enough to fit two, in the far corner of the massive room. "You'll have to enjoy your rest here with each other" she said while striding into the larger pool, "of these smaller pools, I am afraid we do not have another."

Twilight remained standing and watched as Oracle lounged in Horizon's embrace. Several other zebra couples mingled in the larger pool. She glanced at Argent who stared at the small pool. Twilight stepped in and felt the hot water envelop her hooves. She sucked in air between her teeth as she stepped into the hot spring water and settled herself against the wall of the small pool. Argent stood motionless outside, still staring longingly at the steaming pool of water.

Twilight looked across the room and felt a warmness in her cheeks she attributed to the warm water. "You might as well come in," she said to the stallion, "There's plenty of room."

"It wouldn't be right, princess," said the stallion.

She looked up as he awkwardly turned and faced the other direction. "It's their tradition, Argent," said Twilight, "I don't mind." The stallion shook his head and remained facing away from her.

"Argent I order you to get into the pool this instant," said Twilight. The stallion sighed in defeat and quickly stepped into the pool and settled himself as far from the mare as he could. Argent's head sunk into the water until only the top of his nose and his eyes poked out.

"Isn't that better?" she asked while grabbing one of the many linen wash cloths folded next to the pool. Argent nodded timidly and tried to look away as Twilight washed away the accumulated dirt and ash of their rough night and day.

"You were very brave today," said Twilight, trying to coax something from the suddenly silent stallion, "The way you walked me up to the wall was amazing." Argent's noncommittal grunt came out as a series of bubbles. Twilight let out an exasperated sigh and flashed the stallion a look of annoyance. "Argent, what is wrong with you?"

"This is weird," he said poking his head out of the water, "Zebras are weird."

"Different," corrected Twilight. "Now stop sulking and enjoy yourself."

The three zebras watched the two younger ponies intently. "You think you're so clever don't you," said Zephyr, "you know they don't know what that pool's for."

"If they knew they'd never get in," said Zecora, "Ponies have this thing called modesty. It's one of the strangest customs I've ever seen." She scrubbed Zephyr's back with a washcloth and rinsed his mane. "They'll jump in a pond together without a single thought, but when it comes to taking a nice bath, they lock themselves alone in tiny rooms with small metal tubs."

Argent scooted around the edge of the pool towards the pile of washcloths near Twilight. He grabbed one and sat back in the water. "I'm sorry about teasing you about the wall," he said while squeezing the sodden towel over his mane. "It really was amazing, if a little unorthodox."

Twilight laughed as she leaned her head back into the water and thoroughly drenched her mane. "To be honest, I have no idea why my mind went there," she said, "and don't apologize for that. I like it when you think you're funny."

"'Think' huh?" asked Argent with a wry grin.

"Yeah," said Twilight, "hopeless delusion is kind of endearing." She reached a hoof towards him and playfully nudged his shoulder. Argent winced in pain. Twilight's hoof recoiled and she moved around the pool and drew closer to him. "What's wrong?" she asked in a concerned tone.

"One of the zebras got a good kick to my shoulder," he said while trying to rotate the joint, "It's just starting to loosen up in this heat."

"Turn around," said Twilight, "Nurse Redheart says you have to improve circulation if you want to keep it from swelling too much."

"That's okay Twilight I don't need-" He saw the no-nonsense look in her eyes and quickly complied. She brought her forehooves to his back and began to rub his shoulder in circular motions. Argent couldn't stifle the soft moan of pleasure that worked its way out of his mouth. The combination of the hot water and Twilight's gentle ministrations soon had the stallion in a complete state of relaxation.

"See," said Twilight, "there's nothing wrong with letting somepony else take care of you for once. Rainbow has the same problems at the spa."

"That's cute," said the older unicorn from across the room, "I wonder if I...he...will make a move." He felt the mare in his arms tense up again. "It's okay Twi," whispered the older Argent as he squeezed her back to his chest, "I know you loved that book."

"My mother gave that to me on my first day of studying with Princess Celestia," she said while holding her hooves to her eyes to hide her tears. "I know I should be frightened to death at the prospect of it appearing out of nowhere, but all I can think of is how proud she was when I left for the castle that day." She felt the stallion's muzzle gently kiss her neck. "I miss her," she whispered with a choking sob, "and I miss Daddy, and Shiney, and Cady."

"Shhh," cooed Argent, "You'll see her again, and she can give you a new spellbook."

"It wouldn't be the same," said Twilight into the stallion's chest, "this is just another thing I ruined."

"None of that now," said Argent. "Do you think these zebra think you ruined anything? Do you think Applejack will consider what you've done to be ruinous?" He gestured with a hoof towards the two younger ponies. The younger Argent had rested his forelegs on the lip of the pool while Twilight floated behind him and continued massaging his shoulder. "Celestia above Twilight," he said while hugging her to his chest, "once we get back to Ponyville, you'll have prevented one of the worst days of all of your friends' lives. That young stallion will never have to watch you walk out of the hospital in tears."

They sat back and watched as their younger selves began splashing each other playfully. From all around the pool, scandalized zebras murmured amongst each other. "Kids," said Twilight as she held her forehead with her hoof.

"Are you sure Zecora," said Twilight as she levitated the last plant into the back of the small sturdy wagon the Zebrica had given them, "I'm sure I could mix the potion if you showed me how."

"Your alchemical skills I am sure we could test," said Zecora, "But I must be honest, staying here would not be for the best."

"But Zakan is done," said Twilight, "You won't have to worry about him and his lies once the Zebrica exile him."

"I fret not over that zebra with the diseased mind," said Zecora with a distasteful look on her face, "I worry more for the rest of my kind." She draped her traveling cloak over her back and tied the straps around her neck. "Wounds are still fresh and many still doubt me," she said, "I would only spread discord under the peace of the Mother Tree."

Twilight nodded in understanding but looked at the zebra sadly. "It's not fair," she said, "after all you've done for them, you still have to leave all over again."

"It is not forever my pony friend," said Zecora comfortingly, "over time, the truth will come out, and the Zebrica will mend." She waved one last time at Zeret and and the other zebras gathered at what had once been the north gate. "I only wish Zephyr would have accepted my reasons as easily as you," she said with a longing gaze over her shoulder, "my leaving will only stoke his anger anew."

"Is everyone ready?" asked Argent, "We've got a long march ahead of us and I don't want to be in that swamp for a minute longer than I have to."

Twilight patted Zecora on shoulder sympathetically. "Yes, Argent," she replied, "let's go home." Horizon easily pulled the light cart into a quick trot and followed as Oracle led them north towards the swamps and the higher and drier path that Zeret had told them about.

After a morning of walking and a breakfast of fresh oranges on the go, the land began a steep drop back into the swamps on the northern edge of the marengeti grasslands. As they approached the shallow narrow river that ran from the east to the west, Zecora growled in frustration. "Wait here ponies, this will not take long," she said, "curse him for making me feel in the wrong."

At the waters edge, Zephyr stood with overstuffed panniers bursting from the seams with supplies. Zecora stomped her hoofs into the soggy ground, splashing mud on her ankles and stomach. "No Zephyr," she said after reaching him, "You cannot follow me."

"Yes I can," said the stallion, "and you're the one following me this time."

"This isn't some foalish jaunt beyond the swamp, Zephyr," she said, "the world outside of the Marengeti is not for zebras. This land... it is a part of us: Leaving may change you in ways you cannot understand."

"Like it changed you?" asked Zephyr, "Don't look at me like that 'Cora. Goddess Twilight told me of the troubles you faced in this Ponyville place. Honestly, walking around with your face covered: It's no wonder they thought you some kind of witch of the wilds." He turned and began wading into the shallow water. "This is my decision," he said resolutely.

"They need you here," said Zecora. Her hooves splashed into the water as she grabbed the zebra stallion's saddlebag. "you can't leave."

"Zeret's the real leader," he replied, "and like you said, the Zebrica know that I fought for you. It's better if I left."

"You can't leave" said Zecora with a whimper, "if you leave, it means I've failed another friend."

Zephyr turned and picked up Zecora's hoof with his own. "You've never failed any of us. If anything we failed you." She looked down and remained silent. "You said that the land is part of us, right?" he asked. "I'm not really leaving the Zebrica am I? As long as I stay with you, I'll be home."

Zecora looked up and saw the look of determination in her oldest friend's face and felt her own stubbornness waiver. "My hut, my rules," she said with a sigh, "and you'll need to find something to do with your free time."

"So I can come?" exclaimed Zephyr excitedly.

"Yes," said Zecora, "but you must remember we are strangers in Equestria. You must have patience with the ponies and their strange ways." The stallion nodded giddily and splashed water around as he ran in place. Zecora turned back towards the grasslands and led the happy stallion to the waiting ponies.

"Princess Twilight, I ask of boon of you," she said while waving Zephyr forward, "Zephyr wishes to travel to Equestria too."

Twilight looked up from her saddlebags. "Of course he's welcome," she said reassuringly, "I'm sure Ponyville can handle another zebra." She saw the zebra stallion's bulky panniers and called for Argent. "Help Zephyr lighten his load," she said, "it's a long road back home." Argent nodded and helped the zebra stow some of his supplies in the back of the wagon.

Twilight looked back into her pack and examined the charred remains of a thick tome. Half of her signature six pointed star survived the blaze, but nearly all the pages had been burned to fine ash. She carefully looked at the inside of the cover and read the barely legible inscription:

"To my brilliant little filly,

I just know that you're going to see and do so many wonderful things. I know you love your books, so here's your chance to make a book of your own. Fill it with all of your magic and all of your adventures. Remember that we love you so much.

Mom

Author's Note

I'm a little tired of the rhyming, probably because I'm so awful at it. To be honest I stopped being strict about syllables a while ago. Also, again and reign rhyme if you pronounce again all fancy like.

What I liked: Pulling together separated groups worked well. I think I did the right thing keeping Zeret and Zephyr's plan completely hidden until now. The bathhouse scene I found to be cute and a great source of plot and character development.

What I disliked: Better descriptions of Zebra society. I should have done this last chapter, or at the end of this one; something to show why the average zebra would have the motivation to rise up as they did. Maybe I'll come back to it later.

Ch. 15: Sogni D'oro

"This will keep you and your foal's hearts strong," said Zecora as she poured the viscous yellow concoction into a small glass, "You need to take another dose before too long." She pushed the potion to Applejack and watched as the farm-mare gave the mixture a cautious sniff.

"And ya'll are sure this won't have any nasty side effects?" asked Applejack. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful for all yer hard work, but I can't take any chances."

"I am not offended, you are wise to be so wary," said Zecora, "but the potion's effects are nothing quite so scary." The zebra patted Applejack's back and smiled. "You may find yourself quite easy to arouse," said the zebra shaman, "it might be wise to warn your future spouse."

Applejack's cheeks flushed as she grabbed the glass in her hooves. She quickly downed the elixir and suppressed a gag at the bitter taste. "I reckon I can live with that," she said after setting the cup down on the coffee table. She reached for the zebra and wrapped her in a hug. "We can't thank ya enough, Zecora," said the farm-mare, "Between AB's cutie pox, and now this, the Apples owe ya something fierce."

Zecora returned the hug and chuckled. "Your happiness is all the payment I require," she said, "Zephyr on the other hoof, would be angry if I didn't inquire." She looked at the zebra stallion who sat in the rocking chair in the corner of the farmhouse living room. Two buckets sat at his hooves. One was half full of fresh shining McIntosh apples. The other was half full of the cores of fresh shining McIntosh apples. "May he have some apples for the road?" she said, "his love for the fruit he has obviously showed."

"It's like my taste buds have awoken after a lifetime of sleep," said the stallion between bites, "tell me what I must do for more, no price is too steep."

Applejack laughed and trotted into the kitchen. "Sugar cube, after what ya'll have done for me, you stop by the farm whenever ya like and I'll whip you up some fresh apple pie."

"What is this 'pie' you speak of Ms. Applejack," asked the zebra stallion, "How could you possibly improve on this perfect snack?"

"Cinnamon and sugar for starters," said the pony as she returned from the kitchen with a burlap sack full of apples. "Shoot Zephyr, I think you might fit in around here just fine. Ya seem to like apples more than the average pony."

"I wouldn't doubt his new found affinity for your fruits," said Zecora as she stood and poured the apples into her saddlebags, "He's spent most of the last few years eating swamp roots."

"Not so Cora, these are something amazing," said Zephyr as he threw another core into the bucket, "those orange skinned fruits you did not hear me praising." He looked at the pile of apple detritus he had left in his wake and quickly trotted to Applejack and prostrated himself before her. "My apologies for making such a mess," he said, "I should have eaten with more finesse."

"Easy there pardner," said Applejack, "Ya'll don't need to be worryin' about that. We ain't exactly known for being persnickety around here." She nudged the zebra stallion back to his hooves with hers and motioned towards the front door. "I reckon Piggington'll be right happy for a snack." The two zebras followed the pony out of the farmhouse and towards the large pen set up beside the barn.

"I will return with more potion as it is needed," said Zecora as they walked down the white picket fenced path, "your condition will return if my instructions go unheeded."

Applejack poured the bucket of apple cores into the pig trough and let out a shrill whistle with her hoof held to her lips. "Ya don't need to worry about that Zecora," said the mare, "Ah've got a granny who's ready to hogtie me and leave me in my bed; a big brother who's treating me like ah'm a little filly again; a little sister who thinks she's a nursemaid; and a stallion who's breaking his back to fill my horseshoes." She closed the gate and secured the latch. "And that's before five mares who seem to think I'm made of porcelain."

"Your heart is stronger, of this I am sure," said Zecora, "but you still must resist hard labor's lure."

"I know, I know," said Applejack, "I've resigned myself to a few seasons of boredom. At least now I won't have to worry about... well you know."

"Consider it a vacation before the many hectic days to come," replied the zebra, "birth and motherhood tend to be stressful, as a rule of thumb."

"Ya don't say," said Applejack sarcastically, "I figured it was all sunshine and rainbows."

"Just enjoy it and count yourself blessed," said Zecora, "and talk with your stallion if you are feeling depressed."

"I will Zecora," said Applejack as they reached the main gate to Sweet Apple Acres, "and I mean it when I say you're welcome anytime Mr. Zephyr."

"Many thanks for the welcome most warm," replied the zebra stallion with a traditional zebra bow, "the politeness of you ponies is beyond the norm."

The zebras waved over their shoulders and trotted towards Ponyville. "I thought you said the ponies were strange," said Zephyr, "Applejack reminds me of the keepers of the fig groves back home."

Zecora laughed as they turned onto the worn cobbled stoned path that led into Ponyville. "Applejack is indeed quite down to earth," she said, "but you may wish to reserve judgement until after our errands are complete."

The warm early summer day was nothing new to Zephyr. The steady breeze and ample shade of central Equestria made the Marengeti seem like a desert in comparison. The two zebras chatted about old times and the years they had spent apart. Zecora, eager to see her friend's reaction to the oddities of the ponies, listened as Zephyr waxed poetic about the halcyon days before the fall of the Zebrica.

"And that's when I told Zeret that I didn't care what he said, mares dig scars." Zephyr brushed his hoof over the bridge of his nose and opened his muzzle to say something else, only have it hang open as something amazing came into view over the treetops. "By the spirits," he mumbled, "what is that?"

Zecora chuckled and waved her hoof before her. "Welcome to Ponyville."

"You didn't bring me anything at all?" asked Spike with a sullen frown, "I watched the Library for a week and all I get for my trouble is a pat on the back?" The young dragon crossed his stubby little arms across his chest and pouted. "I even dusted the bookshelves."

"Now that's no way to behave, Spikey Wikey," said Rarity as she adeptly poured three steaming cups of tea with her magic, "A true gentlepony doesn't demand rewards for a good deed." She brought the delicate cup to her lips and took a dainty sip. "You really should have at least brought us back some Zebrican jewelry though," she said to her friend across the table, "I had hoped to get some insight into zebra fashion, and Zecora is just so oblivious about such things."

"Sorry you two," replied the Alicorn, "we were a little too busy overthrowing an insane tyrant to stop and shop for souvenirs."

"Yeah," said Argent, "She was busy pulling all of our flanks out of the fire; literally in a couple of cases."

"Everypony helped," said the blushing mare, "Argent here helped us escape a particularly nasty trap."

Rarity rolled her eyes from behind her raised teacup. "So Twilight," inquired Rarity, "now that there are no great quests or royal duties that need attending, what are your plans?"

"Oh, well I had hoped to expand the Library," said Twilight, "I was reading about tree growth spells that might give us a whole new floor if I can cast it correctly. The Equestria games are next summer, so I imagine I'll be expected to attend in some capacity."

"I meant tonight Twilight," said Rarity, "I thought that after a week of traipsing around the wilderness, a meal in an elegant restaurant would be appropriate."

"Oh," said Twilight, "I don't know Rarity, it's been a long week. I would just as soon settle down with a nice book than go out tonight."

"But darling," said the pouting unicorn, "I've already reserved a large table for us at that charming new Istallion restaurant downtown. I've asked everypony, and they've all turned me down. Have I offended them somehow?"

Argent was spared the high pitched pleading when he heard the knock at the front door. He trotted to the front door of the library, confused as to why they didn't just walk right into the public library. He opened the door to the two zebras and smiled as he stepped to the side and waved them in. "Hi there," said the unicorn stallion, "I didn't expect to see you two so soon."

"I had many sundry items I needed to procure," said Zecora as she hung her cloak on the peg next to the door, "so I decided to give Zephyr the grand tour."

"So what do you think?" asked Argent.

"So many buildings of extraordinary height," said Zephyr, "your cities are quite the sight."

"You should go say that to Mayor Mare," said Argent with a laugh, "not many ponies would call Ponyville a city." He saw the look of confusion on the zebras face and raised an eyebrow. "Ponyville is small as pony towns go," said Argent, "you should see Canterlot, or better yet, Manehattan."

"Do not be so quick to overwhelm," said Zecora, "He needs time to get used to this realm." Argent shrugged and led them into the small dining room.

"Twilight," said Rarity, unaware of the zebras entering from behind her, "You simply musn't keep yourself holed up in this library. Ponies might start getting the wrong idea, what with Argent being here."

"What was that?" asked Argent after hearing his name, "Did you need something Rarity?"

Rarity turned to enlist the stallion's help in pulling Twilight out of her bubble for a night. "Argent, you think that Twi-" She stopped upon meeting the gaze of the zebra stallion who entered. The hypnotic striped patterns transfixed her designers eye. After a moment, she realized that she was still staring at the newcomer. "How terribly rude of me," said the unicorn as she levitated her tea cup down to the table, "you must be the Zephyr that Twilight has told me so much about."

"Forgive us for our intrusion Rarity," said Zecora as she walked around the table to Twilight, "Allow me to fix your unfamiliarity." After introductions were made, Zecora pulled out a notepad and several folded paper packets. "Here is the formula and the hard to find herbs," said the zebra, "careful with them, the odor is known to disturb."

"Thank you Zecora," said Twilight as she levitated the items to her side, "I hope you didn't go too far out of your way for this. Would you mind coming down to the lab with me? I just want to make sure I have the right tools for the job." The Zebra nodded and followed the alicorn down into the basement.

"So Mr. Zephyr," said Rarity as she stood and walked next to him, "It must be terrifyingly exciting to be so far from home. I can only imagine how much Zecora must mean to you to follow her all the way to Equestria."

"Oh yes, we have been friends since before we were born," said Zephyr, "naturally, since our mothers were sisters sworn."

The two ponies looked at each other in confusion. "So she's your cousin?" asked Rarity, a small smile spreading across her muzzle.

"Not by blood, if that's what you imply," replied Zephyr, "But we are family, her and I. Perhaps Zecora could explain it better, the common tongue can be such a fetter."

"Well, I'm happy that Zecora has family with her now," said Rarity, "It just seems like it would be lonely out in the forest by oneself."

The zebra stallion smiled at the second unicorn he'd ever met. "That is the reason I left all I have known," he said, "Zecora shouldn't have to be all alone."

"That's so sweet," said Rarity, reaching out and brushing the stallion's hoof with her own, "but surely you have somepony... er zebra... that will miss you back home?"

"None so close that I would regret my decision," he said, "but over time my feelings might need some revision."

Twilight and Zecora reappeared from the basement door, laughing over some unheard joke. "Just go slow," said Twilight, "Pinkie Pie can be disorienting in large doses."

"Come Zephyr, we've taken enough of their time," said Zecora as she walked towards the front door, "we still have a mountain of errands to climb."

"Ideeeeeea!" said Rarity as Zephyr turned to join Zecora, "Why don't you two join us for dinner at Trottaria Istallia tonight? Twilight's trying to be a shut in as usual, but she can't say no to all of us!"

"I'll go!" said Spike.

"Rarity..." said Twilight while holding a hoof to her forehead.

"Alas Rarity, I must decline," said Zecora quickly, "I have potions brewing that I must mind."

"I'll go! I'll go!" said Spike as he jumped up and down, waving his claws in front of Rarity.

The unicorn mare turned back to Twilight and held her hooves together in a pleading manner. "Please Twilight, I can't go alone, it would be humiliating."

"Then go with Fluttershy," said Twilight, "Celestia knows she won't say no."

"I'll go with you!" said Spike once again, his legs starting to ache with the constant hopping.

"She said something about a picnic and scurried away," replied a more despondent Rarity, "Rainbow's probably off napping on a cloud, and Pinkie's babysitting for the Cakes."

"Just don't go then," said Twilight.

"No!" wheezed Spike from his back, "I'll...go!"

"But I had to practically beg for the table," whined Rarity, "if I don't show they'll never take a reservation from me again."

Zephyr was confused by the whole situation. "What disturbs Rarity?" he whispered to Zecora in zebrese, "Why would goddess Twilight not want dinner, and why would mage Rarity want to go to this place if she has reservations about it? And why is that giant lizard talking?"

"Hush," hissed Zecora, "We're almost home free."

"I would assist you if your straits are so dire," said Zephyr, "I would not have you draw this Istallia's ire."

Zecora looked skyward and begged the spirits for patience. "You're on your own," she said to the stallion.

"How grand!," exclaimed Rarity. She threw her hooves around the zebra and gave him a tight hug. "We'll be back at sunset," said the excited unicorn, "And do wear something nice you two." She grabbed Zephyr and trotted for the door. "I'll make sure he gets home in one piece Zecora." She disappeared out the front door with the zebra stallion in tow.

"But I didn't..." said Twilight. She looked down at the prone form of her dragon ward. "Spike, what are you doing down there?"

A bright magenta light flashed from the small cellar window of the house on the hill. Seconds later, a hollow boom rang out across the northern outskirts of Ponyville. Argent coughed and waved the colorful smoke away from his face. He rolled off of Twilight and helped her to her hooves.

"I don't know why that happened," she said, "The vase should have disappeared." She walked over to the small stone pedestal and poked at the melted mass of glass and charred flowers. She looked at the stallion who was staring at her while holding a hoof to his ear. "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, "You were right. I won't try any spells personally until I'm sure it'll work."

"Good," he replied while opening the window to ventilate the cramped cellar, "Now that's enough for today. Tired horns sting like thorns."

Twilight couldn't muster up the energy to argue. She closed the large, mostly blank book Argent had picked up from Davenport's Sofa and Quill Emporium. She tried to flare her magic to lift the tome, but her last experiment had drained her. Argent grabbed it in his golden aura and steadied the mare as she climbed the stairs.

"Well, the first step towards succeeding is failing miserably," said Argent as Twilight eased herself onto the living room sofa, "that's what you brother always says."

"Shining's full of sh-" said Twilight before interrupting herself with a prolonged yawn. "The only thing failure teaches you is one way not to succeed." Argent disappeared into the kitchen after depositing Twilight's notebook in the large bookshelf.

"Well that's one less way you can fail," he called out while closing the refrigerator, "All you can do is keep trying until you get it right." He returned to the sofa and set down a plate of assorted vegetables and a pitcher of iced tea. "We both know you'll eventually figure something out," he said while pouring a glass for each of them, "but maybe it's time to think about asking the Princesses for help. Surely there's a way to do it without revealing ourselves."

"Absolutely not," said Twilight as she awkwardly held the glass in two hooves, "They would see right through our disguises and probably lock me up for impersonating their Twilight."

"Why do you always go right for the dungeon scenario?" asked Argent, "Seriously Twi, when has Celestia ever actually put anypony in a dungeon?"

"You've never read the Canterlot archives," said Twilight with a shudder, "She's had to do things that would chill your bones. She banished her sister and only lifelong companion to the moon." She bit into a carrot and lounged against the legrest of the sofa. "Starswhirl stepped lightly around her when he delved into the same magics I am."

"We could at least try visiting the libraries in the castle," he said while sitting, "If they won't let us in, then you can just teleport us in, grab what you need, and teleport out." The lack of an immediate dismissal of his idea emboldened the stallion. "We can do it tomorrow night," he said. "You know the libraries better than anypony. We can do this. You're fumbling in the dark and you know it"

"Let me sleep on it," she said warily.

"Benvenuta signore and signori, welcome to La Trottoria Istallia," said the thin unicorn in a warm Istallian accent. He wore a crisp white shirt and long tailed tailored jacket. "Do you have a reservation for tonight?"

Rarity strode through vestibule in her red sequined evening gown. Zephyr, in a dark green vest, awkwardly followed her. "Of course," she said with a wink, "Rarity, party of four." She cleared her throat awkwardly. "I called earlier..." she said in a conspiratorial tone.

The host looked down at the podium in front of him and moved his hoof down a list of names. "Oh..." said the unicorn, "Oh! Signorina Rarity, but of course." He nervously rubbed his hooves together and looked over his shoulder. The low murmur of ponies conversing over meals filled the large dining area. Flickering candlelight from every table gave just enough illumination to see that the restaurant was fully booked.

"Is there a problem?" asked Twilight from behind. Her navy blue dress with its high collar and silver star embroidery shimmered in the relative darkness of the dining room. "We can come back some other time Rarity." Argent, clad in the suit he had been gifted in Appleoosa, sans the large hat, nodded his agreement.

The blood drained from the hosts face as the princess spoke. Rarity glared at him and raised a hoof over the list. "I'm sure that Mister..." she said, waiting for the host to answer.

"Essere, principessa," said the stallion as he nervously bowed from behind the podium, "Essere Allegro."

"Essere," said Rarity, "I'm sure Essere knows of my reservation." The rapid fire series of winks she sent the istallian's way tested the bonds of Rarity's false eyelash.

"Yes...of course!" said the host, "But there has been a mix up."

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Rarity in an overly dramatic manner.

The stallion sweated nervously and wiped his brow with a hoofkerchief he removed from his coat pocket. "It appears as if we've given away the last table large enough to seat your party," he said in a halting, practiced, manner, "I am afraid we only have two smaller tables, large enough for two ponies to sit comfortably."

"There's a big empty table right there," said Twilight, pointing at a pristine open table in the middle of the dining room.

The stallion looked over his shoulder and back into the piercing glare of Rarity. "That table, she is no good," he said anxiously, "Her legs are... how do you say... wobbly."

"Well I hate to come all this way and not enjoy our night," said Rarity, "Zephyr and I shall sit together, and Princess Twilight and Captain Defender will take the other table."

"Eccellente," said the host as he levitated a stack of menus in a blue magical aura. "If you will follow me?" He led them to a small table in the corner of the dining room. Rarity quickly took a seat and motioned to Zephyr to sit opposite her. "Have a lovely dinner you two," she said as Essere led Argent and Twilight across the room of dining ponies.

"A thousand apologies princess," said the host as he led them towards the center of the room, "It shames me to cause you such trouble." He placed the menus down on a small table and bowed as he stepped aside. Argent pulled a cushioned chair back and smiled at Twilight. "That's alright Mr. Allegro," she said while sitting down, "These things happen."

The Istallian host sighed in relief and profusely thanked Twilight for her patience before returning to his place by the door. Despite being surrounded by tables full of chatting ponies, the princess and her bodyguard felt a silence fall over the small table. "Nice place," said Argent as he prodded the red glass candle holder with his hoof.

"Rarity wouldn't have brought us if it weren't," said Twilight as she opened her menu. Her mouth watered and her stomach rumbled loudly as she read the description of each dish. "I guess I am pretty hungry," she said sheepishly as the waitress placed two wine glasses in front of them.

"I hope so Princess," said the unicorn mare as she poured wine from a dark green glass bottle, "ponies don't leave La Trottoria Istallia hungry." She placed the bottle on the table and bowed. "I'm Bella Appetito, and I'll be your waitress for the evening. Might I say, on behalf of all of my staff, that it's an honor to serve you tonight."

"Your staff?" said Twilight, "Oh for the love of... Please, treat us the same as you would any other customer."

"Of course your majesty," said Bella, "I always help out the waitstaff when we're this busy. Now can I get you two a nice antipasto?" After taking their orders, the unicorn mare walked back towards the kitchen, nodding her head to Rarity as she passed her table.

"Still a little leery about the attention?" asked Argent as he sipped his wine.

"It's frustrating," said Twilight as she downed half of her glass. "Sure, everypony acted a little odd around me after we stopped Discord and Chrysalis, but at the end of the day I was still Twilight, the quiet, magically inclined, librarian who lived in the tree."

Argent laughed out loud, and brought his hooves to his muzzle to stifle his loud guffaws. "Sorry," he said, "but you're still a librarian who lives in a tree." He winked and took another sip of wine. "I'm not sure I'd call you quiet though."

"Somepony has to keep some of these raving lunatics in line," said Twilight with a wry smile.

"Is it true that you caused half of the town to fall in love with a doll?" asked Argent.

Twilight's glass wobbled in her magical grasp. "They didn't fall in love with Smartypants," said the blushing alicorn, "they just really, really, really had to have her."

"Here you are princess," said Bella. The unicorn lowered a tray of pickled vegetables, olives, mushrooms, and peppers onto the table. She refilled both glasses of wine and levitated a notepad. "Now I highly recommend the Eggplant Parmesan," said the mare, "but our pizza maregherita is also quite good."

"The Eggplant sounds wonderful," said Twilight as she floated her menu to the owner slash waitress.

"Lasagna, please," said Argent excitedly, "I haven't had authentic Istallian Lasagna in ages."

"Then you're in for a treat," said Bella warmly, "My recipe is as old as the pillars of Roan." She took his menu and bowed as she walked back to the kitchen.

Argent's eyes widened as he popped an olive into his mouth and chewed. "You have to try these," he said blissfully. The stallion floated an olive towards Twilight's muzzle and had it dance before her closed mouth.

Twilight raised an eyebrow, opened her mouth and allowed the olive to gently land on her tongue. She slowly chewed and savored the garlic filled treat. "Wow," she said after another deep drink from her glass, "those are strong." They both looked over their shoulders at the sound of Rarity squealing in glee. The white coated unicorn nonchalantly waved at them and turned to continue conversing with her zebra escort.

"I love Istallian food," said Argent as he turned back to look at Twilight, "Trixie and I both adore it. It's our twin thing I think."

"Twin thing?" asked Twilight with a hint of amusement on her muzzle.

"We both have the exact same taste in food in general," said Argent, "We both hate cabbages, but give us some radishes and we're as content as newborn foals."

"You're making that up," said Twilight. "Scientifically speaking, there's no accounting for taste. I've crunched the numbers, it just doesn't add up."

"Doubt all you like," said Argent, "Trixie will confirm it when she returns."

From across the restaurant, Rarity watched the two in amusement. "You see Zephyr," she said to her escort, "that's true magic." She flared her horn and floated a tomato slice to the Zebra. "These," she said pointing to her horn, "are minor parlor tricks in comparison."

"Tricks are not what I would call your magic," said Zephyr after swallowing the delicately seasoned fruit, "To underestimate your abilities would truly be tragic." He took another sip of the odd flavored drink and winced as the slightly bitter liquid hit his taste buds. "Why am I still drinking this odd red drink," he said, "It has the smell of too old juice I think."

Twilight laughed as she speared the last piece of rich chocolate cake on her plate. "You can't be serious," she said to the smiling stallion across from her, "did he really say that to her?"

"My hoof to Celestia," he said with a snicker, "or to you I guess. Your brother spent the next two nights in the barracks, insisting that he was 'misquoted.'" His wine glass shakily found its way back to the table. The green glass bottle lifted over it, but refused to yield any more liquid refreshment. It joined its empty compatriot on the side of the table. "I don't know what he did to get back in Mia's good graces, but he walked on eggshells for weeks after."

Twilight doubled over the table in laughter. "I'd have made him beg at my door every night for a week for saying something that stupid," she said while drinking the rest of her beverage. The sputtering flame of the candle in the red glass enclosure broke Twilight out of her reverie. She noticed the distinct lack of conversation going on around her and turned her head to look out over the dining room. Empty tables with chairs stacked upside down filled the restaurant.

Argent followed her gaze and chuckled. "Guess they closed up around us," he said while raising his glass and letting the last few drops fall into his mouth.

"What if they locked us in here!" exclaimed Twilight, "we'll be trespassers. Mayor Mare will have us locked up in the jail." She brought her hooves to her muzzle in a panic. "I'll have to abdicate. Think of the shame, Argent. I'll never be able to look Princess Celestia in the face again."

"Meh," said the stallion, "We can run away to Mexicolt. How's your spanish?"

Twilight tried to shake off the fuzzy feeling in her head. "Rusty," she replied with a giggle, "We'd be better off going back to Zebrica."

"I liked the bathhouse," said the stallion, "but I think they're still miffed at you for orangifying their wall."

"Pfffft ha ha ha," laughed Twilight, "Think of how many times they had to rhyme orange."

"Um princess...Captain," said Bella as she approached the small table in the center of her establishment, "It's getting late. Is there anything else I can get you?"

"Awww, sorry Twilight," said Argent, "no running away for us."

"S'okay," slurred the alicorn, "I have too many books to pack anyways."

Argent stumbled around the table and held his hoof out to her. "Shall we be off, your worshipfulness," said the stallion with mock formality.

Twilight grasped his hoof and tried to stand. Her shaky legs gave way and she fell into his chest. She threw her forehooves around the stallion's neck and laughed. "Home, Argent," she exclaimed.

The stallion bowed to Bella as best he could with an inebriated alicorn hanging on his neck. "Her royal highness thanks you for the most exquisite meal Signora Appetito," he said while haphazardly weaving his way between the tables.

"The Princess of Harmony does declare La Trottoria Istallia her favorite restaurant in Ponyville!" shouted Twilight as Argent led her to the front door. "A royal commendation to Bella Appetito for her amazing food, and a royal pardon to Rarity! Her incessant pestering is forgiven!" The front door of the restaurant slammed behind them, followed by the click of deadbolt.

"Home Argent!" shouted Twilight again, stumbling as she pointed with a hoof that had been anchoring her to the stallion. "Bah," she said, "hooves, I forsake thee!" She threw a rear leg over Argent and pulled herself onto his back. "There," she said happily, "tis a much more suitable throne for the Princess of Magic...Harmony...Magarmony."

Argent involuntarily took a few steps backwards before forcing his legs to cooperate. The calls of cicadas echoed across the breadth of Ponyville as the unicorn stallion carried his giggling burden in the general direction of the Golden Oaks Library. Luna's moon hung high in the sky, only a portion of it's glory visible this time of the month. Twilight began humming as Argent slowly walked her across the sleeping town.

"I could listen to that all night," said Argent as he swayed in time to her wordless chorus. "I swear I heard you singing to me when I was poisoned."

"I did sing!" she exclaimed, "You sounded like you were in pain, t'was all i could think to do." She laid her head on the back of his neck and tightly hugged herself to him. "Didja know that I cried that night in the hole?" asked Twilight, "I didn't think that you'd ever wake up."

"I'm sorry," replied Argent, "I shouldn'ta got shot like that."

"Nah," said Twilight, "It wasn't yer fault. Those darts were probably meant for me."

"I'm still sorry for makin' ya cry," he said softly. "You do so much good fer everypony; you should always be smiling." He turned his head and rubbed his muzzle against hers. "Yer so beautiful when yer smiling."

"Flattery Captain?" asked Twilight, "I bet you say that about all the goddess princesseseses."

"Nah," said Argent as he turned towards the large tree at the other side of the the plaza. "Yer the most beautiful creature in Equestria. Mia's pretty, Celestia's fetching, Luna's alluring, but yer truly beautiful."

Twilight kissed the back of his neck and giggled. "I'mma tell Cady you said I'm prettier than her!"

"She knows already," he said as they passed the town hall, "she and the cap were always talkin' bout how pretty you are. It was always, 'Argent, you should see how pretty and smart and nice Twilight is!'" He swayed but managed to keep his hooves underneath him. "Time out!" said Argent as he reached the small park by the farmer's market. He let his legs slip to his sides and dropped to his stomach. "Stupid ground keeps moving around."

Twilight crawled her way up his back and neck, avoiding his horn, and hung her head over the front of his. "Guess what?" she asked the upside down stallion.

"Pegasus Butt," replied Argent, laughing from both his witty retort, and the sapphire and violet tresses that tickled his nose.

Twilight giggled along with him. "No, I've got a secret," she said conspiratorially. "You have to promise not to tell anypony."

Argent tried to raise his hoof, but found that his shoulder didn't bend that way. "I promise," he said solemnly.

"I really, really like you," she said with a blush.

"No way!" replied Argent, "I like you too!" He reached his muzzle forward and quickly kissed her on the lips.

Twilight giggled and returned the affection. "My first kiss was upside down," she said with a laugh, "still counts though. Rarity can't tease me anymore." After a few moments of staring into each other's eyes, she scooted down his back and prodded his flank with her rear hooves. "Break's over," she said, "back to work Captain." Argent nodded and scrambled back to his hooves. Twilight wrapped her forelegs around his neck as he managed to get himself moving in the right direction.

"Mission Accomplished!" exclaimed Argent as they reached the Golden Oaks Library. From above them, the hoot of a solitary owl echoed across the plaza.

"Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Owlowiscious" hissed Twilight loudly, "Spike's asleep! We hafta be super quiet!"

"Kay!" shouted Argent. On the third attempt, the doorknob finally cooperated and he stumbled into the first floor of the library.

"Les go to yer room," whispered Twilight, "I don't wanna wake up Spike." She giggled loudly into Argent's mane at the thought. "He gets all grumpy and pouty when I wake him up."

"Good idea," said Argent as he swayed side to side. "Hold tight, the stairs won't stay still for some reason."

Twilight anchored herself to his back by digging her hooves into his ribs. Argent winced and took the stairs one step at a time. After a minute of careful navigation he celebrated his successful ascent. "Hah!" he said triumphantly to the stairs, "that'll teach you to try and trip me."

He stumbled into his room and steadied himself against his bed. Twilight rolled off his back and onto the soft mattress. Argent pulled the uncomfortable tie from his neck and threw it to the floor. It was soon joined by his jacket and shirt. Twilight's dress soon joined the pile of clothing at the foot of the bed. Argent climbed onto the mattress and sat next to the alicorn. His horn lit up as he used his magic to open the drawer of the nightstand next to Twilight. A pack of playing cards floated out and landed between them.

"Look what I found the other day," he said while slipping the colorful cards out of the box. Twilight's horn flared and their combined aura surrounded the slips of varnished paper. Their eyes widened in unison as their magical auras underwent a feedback loop. The alicorn's wings flared open while Argent exhaled sharply. They each released their magic and the cards scattered onto the bed.

Twilight picked up a card and saw the face of her mentor printed on the front. She giggled and showed the stallion. "Princess Celestia ish the Queen of Suns!"

Argent smiled and fished around the pile of cards. "Yeah, and see, Mia's the Queen of Hearts; Luna's the Queen of Moons; and yer the Queen of Stars!" He squinted as he used his magic to gather up all the cards and began shuffling. "The game ish old mare," he said playfully, "Who should be tha old mare?"

"Princess Celestia is suuuuuper old," said Twilight. She held her hooves to her mouth and looked around in a panic. "You can't tell her I said that. I don't wanna be banished."

Argent fanned the cards out in front of him, sent the Queen of Suns into the drawer and closed it. "She didn't see nothin," he said while reshuffling the deck. The stack of cards floated in between them and began dealing themselves into the waiting hooves of the two ponies. They were soon discarding paired cards and drawing from each others hooves.

"No pick that one!" shouted Twilight as Argent managed to avoid drawing the portrait of her. Argent stuck out his tongue and discarded the two sevens from his hoof. Twilight narrowed her eyes and looked into the back of the last two cards he held. She surreptitiously reached her wing around and brushed the back of the stallion's neck. Argent glanced around, inadvertently revealing his cards to the sneaky alicorn. Twilight sent the Queen of Stars into his hoof, pulled the Jack of Stars and dropped it to the bed along with the final card in her hoof. "Hah!" she said, victoriously punching the air above her, "You're the old mare!"

Argent turned back and saw the the portrait of Twilight winking at him. "You cheated!" he exclaimed.

"Nuh uh," protested Twilight, "Princesseseses can't cheat. It's beneath us."

"Fine," said Argent with a sniff of his nose, "Me'n Twilight will be over here then." He hugged the card to his chest and turned away from Twilight. "What's that Paper Twilight?" he asked, "You want a kiss? Well okay, I can't say no to you." He placed an exaggerated wet kiss on the playing card, complete with moans of satisfaction.

"No fair," shouted Twilight, "I wanna kiss too!" She crawled beside him and tried bat away the colt stealing hussy of a playing card. Argent held it at foreleg's length and watched as Twilight reached across his face. He quickly dropped the card and brought his hooves to the alicorn's exposed belly. Twilight laughed loudly and tried to roll away from the stallion's busy hooves. She only made it halfway and found herself on her back. Argent straddled her and continued the onslaught of tickling. "Stoooooop," gasped Twilight, "You win, you win!" Argent removed his hooves and let Twilight catch her breath.

He looked down at the still smiling alicorn and reached his muzzle to hers. She closed her eyes, reached up and locked her lips with his. They held the kiss for several seconds, the sounds of their deep breathing filling the room. Twilight's wings managed to extend, despite being wedged against the mattress. Their horns brushed against each other, sending waves of pleasure radiating through their bodies. She opened her eyes and looked into the stallion's eyes. For a moment, Twilight Sparkle's brain was actually free of errant thoughts and ideas. Upon realizing this, her inebriated subconscious began a cold reboot and flooded her mind with obsolete trivialities.

"Oh no!" she said into Argent's mouth. Twilight broke their kiss and pushed him off of her. "I forgot to send a letter to the princess this week." She grabbed Argent's hoof with hers and looked at him with a hangdog look of misery. "You have to help me write one," she said pleadingly.

"Okay," said Argent as he stepped from the bed and followed her into the study. "What do we write about?" he asked as Twilight unrolled a blank scroll between them on the large desk.

Twilight eyes glazed over as she tried to remember why she wanted to write a letter. "I dunno," she said while doodling on the bottom of the page, "I'm just gonna write whatever comes to mind."

Argent nodded and levitated a quill to the paper. They each began scribbling onto the parchment, giggling between themselves as the read what each had written.

"Fear not Rarity," mumbled Spike, "I won't let that evil Zebra take you away!" The young dragon turned back over and snored loudly in his basket. The two ponies pushed open the door, its hinges creaking loudly. They giggled softly as they crept across the room towards the foot of the large star and moon covered bed.

The mare stood over the dragon and extended her wing to his snout. She gently dragged a feather over his nose. Spike turned his head away from the disturbance, but the mare followed and continued brushing her wing against his face. She nodded to the stallion, who held out a hooffull of scrolls above the dragon's head. With a final tickle of the drake's nose, Spike let out a mighty sneeze, engulfing the scrolls in green fire. The two ponies snickered and retreated the way that they had come, their path zigzagging wildly across the empty floor.

"Take that you cur," muttered Spike as he stuck a claw into his mouth.

Author's Note

A slice of life chapter after the adventure of the last few.

I'm sorry if I mangled the Italian words too badly. English and German are my languages, and German restaurants aren't known for being terribly romantic (and have very few vegetarian options). In an alternate version of this chapter, Twilight and Argent get drunk on beer and do the chicken dance all the way back home.

Ch. 16: Hard Learned Lessons

"Good morning dear sister," said Luna, "We trust the sun doth shine o'er our fair land once more?"

"Of course Luna," said the solar regent, "though it does get harder to raise during the summer." She sipped from a small porcelain cup and browsed through the pile of scrolls sitting on the table in front of her. "Anything interesting happen last night?"

Luna sat next to her sister and placed the hearty bowl of vegetable stew on the table. She closed her eyes and sniffed her dinner in anticipation. "There were reports of a large meteor crashing east of Trottingham," said Luna as she levitated a spoon into the bowl. "I had nothing of the sort scheduled; tis most odd."

Celestia dropped the small cup onto the floating saucer and looked to her sister in concern. "Nopony was hurt were they?" she asked, "Do we need to send the guard to help?"

"Calm yourself Tia," said Luna between mouthfuls, "I would not be so calm if that were so. A hooffull of chickens may be wary about the sky falling, but nothing of value was lost." She dropped a piece of crusty bread into the stew while mimicking the sound of an explosion. "The reports I received don't sound like a meteor," she said, "No fire in the sky; no explosion heard for miles around. According to the scouts, it was as if a giant dropped a few hundred tons of rock in the middle of nowhere."

"Very odd," said Celestia, "I'll have the astronomer's guild double check their maps." She finished her cappuccino and set it to the side. "Imagine if that had happened over Manehattan. It would be like a bad Michael Hay movie." She pulled the top scroll from the pile and unrolled it in front of her. "Ah, Captain Spitfire's report," she said happily, "prompt as usual." She read through the precisely penned report and set it next to Luna. "Lieutenant Soarin has requested an extended leave."

"Really?" asked Luna, "He's such a crowd favorite. Did the captain provide a reason?"

"She seems to think it's about a mare," replied Celestia. She pulled the next scroll from the pile and placed it in front of her. Luna continued eating as her sister continued browsing through her morning correspondence.

"Well good for him," said Luna after sipping from a glass of crystal clear spring water, "Perhaps I'll visit his dreams to wish him the best of luck." She rolled Spitfire's report up and set it aside. "Tia, did you hear anything from the others?"

"Nothing yet," replied Celestia while reading another letter, "the consensus has agreed on a course of action. We all have the situation under control."

"I know big sister," said Luna, "I know it doesn't effect us directly, but tis no less worrying." When Celestia didn't respond, she looked up from her dinner. "Tia?" asked Luna when she saw the look of shocked indignity on her sister's face, "has something gone awry?"

Celestia floated the scroll to Luna and searched through the pile for two more letters with identical seals. "I think my faithful student may have lost her mind," she said while opening the two scrolls and flattening them side by side on the table.

Luna unrolled the scroll that had disturbed her sister and examined it.

From the desk of Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Harmony, Element of Magic:

Dear Princess Celestia,

"She has preprinted stationary for sending you correspondence," said Luna with a chortle. She continued reading:

Gess wut! Today I lerned that you're an old mare! I mean I knew you wer old, but the cards don't lie! Exclamation points everywhere!!!!!!! YOu know wut? Bein a princess suuuuucks. Yeah...mor u's means it reaaaaaally suuuuuucks. SHut up ArGent, she'll hear you. Ha ha ha, nuh uh. I bet you and luna don't even get to kiss handsome colts. wut? is just a word argent, monkeys hav hands. wha was i writing? o yea, everypony treats me all difrent, and I can't do nothing without worrying about making a big production out of it. Oh, we overthrowed...throwed over...overthrew, yeah that's it, we overthrew the chief of the Zebras, but he diserved it, guy was totally loco en el coco. Crazy yellow powder made magic go away for awhile, Orcle says its called forkroot, she's pretty smart. I won't Argent, shut up. Zecora made a potion so Applejack can have her baby now. Oh yeah, applejack's preggers, no idea how that happened. Ugh, eww, Argent I know how it happened, i dont know how it happened. Really? yeah, k, that sounds fun. gotta go princess, even tho yer old and no fun, i still love you.

"There appear to be several crude drawings at the bottom of the page," said Luna, "is that you using one of those walking aides used by senior citizens?" She looked over to her sister and saw that a blue vein was throbbing on her forehead as she stared daggers into the pages below her. Luna levitated one to her and began reading:

After action report: Argent Defender, Cpt. RHG.

sucksesfuly escorted Hotflank to meal with Gropesalot, and GuyStripes. Hotflank selected sexy dress, RHG approved of equipment decision after occular patdown. Deployed at sundown. Gropesalot appropriated GuyStripes some gear, scouted target, hensforth called YummyAlpha. Separated from Gropesalot and GuyStripes, carried on with mission, rondavoos uncertain. Food not poisoned, cleared for Hotflank. Good vino. Room cleared for Hotflank, cake enjoyed. Exfiltration at...watch at Dragon's Roost...Exfiltration at moon five hoofs over town hall. Hotflank boarded RHG. RHG approves of vehicular decision. Vehicle encountered dificlut terrain. Hotflank attempted inverted oral stimulation on RHG. RHG fully functioning, proceeded to Dragon's Roost. Roost secure, sentry not to be disturbed. Fell back to RHG saferoom. Sparred with Hotflank, further Oral stimulation commencing. Further action may be necessary.

Luna put the note down in confusion and reached for the third and final scroll. "Oh," she said when small squares of paper fell out of it, "Photographic imprints." She picked up one of the new technological marvels and immediately slammed it back down to the table. She picked up another and brought a hoof up to her blushing cheeks. "I never imagined that Twilight Sparkle could be so..."

"Irresponsible? Irreverent? Foalish? asked Celestia, her aurora mane swirling in a tempest of light.

"I was going to say flexible," replied Luna, "but yes, those too."

Celestia slowly stood, her right eyelid twitching in anger. She stepped away from the table and began deliberately walking towards the balcony overlooking the castle courtyard. A trail of hoof sized scorch marks followed her. "Come sister," she said while extending her wings to their full glorious span, "We fly to Ponyville." With a few mighty flaps, she was airborne and headed south.

Luna sighed and grabbed the pictures and scrolls in her dark blue shimmering aura. "This is what I was talking about," she said in annoyance, "all the good stuff happens in the day." She jumped out of the balcony and struggled to keep up with the fiery comet that was her big sister.

"Well maybe I can get my cutie mark in tracking!" exclaimed Apple Bloom, "You must know all kinds of tricks Zephyr. Zecora says I'm good at finding the plants she needs, maybe I'm good at finding other things too." The filly looked up at the stallion with an expectant stare.

Zecora snapped the stems of the lilies and dropped the large blooming flowers into a hoof woven basket. She picked up the handle of the basket with her teeth and carried it over to a cluster of wild sage. She dropped it next to the fragrant bush and looked over at the young filly hopping around the Zebra stallion.

"These cutie marks I do not quite believe," said Zephyr, "Do you truly not know when one you'll receive?"

Apple Bloom kicked a pebble and pouted. "No," she said sulkily, "and I'm gettin' tired of waiting. You hafta know something new me and my friends can try."

"Your skills in tracking you have already shown," said Zecora, "If I recall you were nearly turned to stone."

"That was Sweetie Belle's fault," said Apple Bloom, "She scared the chickens away."

"I'm not sure you would enjoy the things I can do," said Zephyr, "navigating forests and swamps would surely bore you." He patted the filly on the head and looked out over the meadow on the edge of the Everfree. "If this mark appears for every colt and filly," he said, "worrying about its arrival would be silly."

"Ya'll don't understand," said the filly, "I don't think I can handle another school year of teasing."

"I have no mark upon my rear," said Zephyr, "the lack of it denies me no cheer."

"T'aint the same," said a grumpy Apple Bloom, "What if ya'll didn't have them pretty black stripes?"

Zephyr cocked his head and looked back at Zecora who shrugged. "The Golden Zebras are celebrated among our kind," said the stallion, "To have stripes of gold I wouldn't really mind."

"Ah forget it," said Apple Bloom. She looked back across the field to the old apple trees. "Oh yeah," she said, "Mah brother and Fluttershy are over by that apple tree if ya'll feel like takin' a break." She pointed across the meadow and galloped towards the ample shade.

"It would be rude to refuse such a gracious offer," said Zephyr, "There's still plenty of daylight left to gather your ingredients."

"Of course," said Zecora, "I'm sure the promise of more apples has nothing to do with your eagerness."

Zephyr tried to feign innocence and was about to protest the accusation when a hollow boom from above their heads caused him to duck and cover. "By the spirits," he said, "You didn't say anything about fiery sky demons!"

Zecora looked at the now distant mote of light and opened her mouth to reassure her friend when a second, slower form flew above their heads.

"Fear not citizens," shouted the dark blue blur, its voice booming across the meadow, "there is no danger. Go about your day." The voice trailed away as it disappeared behind a bank of clouds.

Spike stretched his arms into the air and dropped his blanket back into his basket. "Hmm," he said to himself while looking at Twilight's pristine made bed, "Guess she had to get up early." He waddled to the door and walked down the hallway towards the study. "What the hay happened here?" he said while looking at pile of unused parchments littering the floor. A pool of ink appeared to have been the source of the hoof shaped stains covering much of the floor. Spike frowned in annoyance and resigned himself to a morning of scrubbing. He hopped down the steps two at a time and turned towards the kitchen and the washroom beyond.

"Hmmph," grunted the young dragon as he returned to the stairs with a bucket of soapy water and a mop, "She could have at least waited for me to have breakfast before making a mess." He had just begun climbing the stairs when the front door flew open, nearly coming of its hinges as it slammed into the wall.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE," shouted the Solar Princess, her aurora mane blazing in deep reds and oranges. Spike dropped the bucket and stared at the alicorn as she stomped towards him. She ignored the young dragon and climbed to the second floor.

"Prin...pr...Cel..." stuttered Spike. He looked up and watched as her fiery tail disappeared down the hallway that led to their bedroom. He felt the soft caress of feathers on his shoulder and looked behind him to see Princess Luna standing with look of concern on her face. "Is Twilight in trouble?" he said, tears welling up in his eyes.

"I do not believe so my draconic friend," said Luna as she glanced upstairs. Her horn flared and a small bag of bits blinked into the dragon's hands. "Why don't you go get everypony some sweets for breakfast while I calm them down." Spike nodded and jogged out of the Library, giving a wide berth to the scorched hoofmarks on the floor. Luna walked up the stairs in time to meet her sister as she returned from the bedroom. "Perhaps it's best if you calm down dear sister," she said to the fuming alicorn.

Celestia ignored her sister and looked into the study. "The scene of the crime," she muttered, "when I get my hooves on that filly..." She once again passed Luna at the top of the stairs, looked down at the floor, and followed the black hoofprints to the other end of the second floor landing. With a narrowing of her eyes, the leader of free ponies everywhere strode down the hallway and threw open the door to the small bedroom.

She stood motionless and speechless as she looked in at the two ponies on the messy bed. Twilight and Argent laid together belly to belly, their limbs draped over each other's matted coats. Twilight's muzzle was buried in the hollow of the stallion's neck, heedless of the soft rumbling snore emanating from Argent's muzzle. Her exposed wing was hung loosely over Argent's hoof, its feathers matted and ruffled. Scattered around and on top of them were bent and torn playing cards.

Luna peaked her head into the room in time to see her sister's horn flare brightly. A single flash of pure sunlight later, the ink stains had disappeared from the floor and the clothing sat neatly folded on the small chest of drawers in the corner. "Sister," whispered Luna, "leave them be, this is none of our concern." Celestia turned her angry glare on Luna and flared her wings. An aura appeared around the two slumbering ponies and lifted them from the bed. They remained in their embrace, legs tightening around the each other's chest.

"Twilight," barked Celestia as she tried to pry the two apart.

"Sister, be gentle," said Luna from behind.

Celestia saw the watering can in the planter outside the window and levitated it above their heads. With a swift flick of her horn, the pail upended itself and dumped its payload of water over the heads of the still sleeping ponies. With sputtering and shaking of their tousled manes, Twilight and Argent were jolted awake.

Twilight's eyes snapped open and immediately closed shut, the light streaming in from the open window searing her retinas. "Oh Celestia that hurts," said the young alicorn, unaware that the goddess she named was currently holding her a few feet above the bed. Twilight whined in pain while squeezing onto Argent as tightly as she could.

Celestia's angry visage softened immediately as she let go of her aura and sent the two hugging ponies falling a few feet to the bed, bouncing up and back down on the rebound. The alicorn lunged at the bed and laid her hooves on Twilight's head, feeling the young mare's forehead for fever.

"Ughh," moaned Argent. His stomach heaved from the sudden rude awakening and impromptu carnival ride. "I think I'm gonna be-" said the stallion before he lost all control. Celestia, focused as she was on her student's groans of pain, failed to notice the telltale signs of nausea on the stallion's face. Luna, watched on in horror from the doorway as her sister's legendary ethereal mane was covered in the contents of the stallion's stomach. Argent, oblivious to his desecration, slumped his head back onto the mattress.

The solar regent's right eyebrow twitched involuntarily as she gently opened the lids of Twilight's eyes with her magic. Bloodshot pupils dialated, the young mare groaned as she turned her head back into the stallion's chest.

"Sister," said Luna as she walked behind her sister and placed a hoof on her neck, "she is well. I have watched the aftereffects of enough nights of revelry to know an epic hangover when I see one." Luna watched as Celestia released her magic and stepped away from the bed.

"Please watch over her Luna," said Celestia, "I need a few moments to... compose myself."

"Of course Tia," said Luna. She stepped aside and watched as her sister disappeared into the large bedroom and the bathroom beyond. She turned back into the room and used her magic to clean up the two ponies as best she could. With the two ponies miserable, but awake, Luna quickly trotted downstairs to the kitchen are retrieved a pitcher of water and two glasses.

She walked back into the room in time to see Twilight caressing Argent's mane as the stallion rested his head on her shoulder. "Here," she said floating two glasses full of water to the bleary eyed ponies, "drink this, you'll feel better. Don't use your magic, unless you want to know what real pain is."

"The curtains," muttered Twilight. As she drank deeply from the glass, Luna covered the windows and knelt at the side of the bed. The princess of the night waited patiently as Twilight and Argent tried to compose themselves. The sound of running water coursing through the hollowed out channels of the tree home filled the room with white noise.

"So what do you two remember?" asked Luna.

"A little," said Twilight as she stroked Argent's head, "but why are you here?"

"We, Twilight," said Luna, "My sister is... cleaning up his mess at the moment." Luna pulled the scrolls she had tucked away from beneath her wing and floated them to the younger alicorn. "I'm no stranger to the odd things ponies do under the influence," she said, "but why in Equestria did you feel the need to document your every drunken thought, and why did you send it to my sister?"

Twilight cringed as she read every clumsy misspelled word. "I don't... I wouldn't... I couldn't," she stuttered, "The punctuation. Sweet Celestia, the punctuation."

"Perhaps you should focus on the content," said Luna, "and the pictures."

"Pictures?" asked Twilight. She unfolded the bulkier of the remaining scrolls and immediately crumpled it up. She looked at the stallion who was busy rubbing his temples with his hooves. "You!" she moaned angrily, "I sure didn't take these!"

Argent cracked open his bloodshot eyes and looked at the candid photos the mare held. "Nope," he said as he covered his head with a pillow, "but you ordered me to take them." The misery he felt could be heard in his muffled voice.

"Well you should have said no," said Twilight. She fell onto her back on the bed and curled up into a ball. "She's going to banish me isn't she?"

"You're probably fine," said Luna, "he might be enjoying a nice moonscape very soon." She looked over parts of the young stallion that she could see. "At least he'll blend in well with that coat of his," she said, trying to elicit some cheer from Twilight.

Between the stinging of the light and the sword of Damarecles hanging over them in the form of a judgemental lecture from her mentor and idol, Twilight was hardly surprised to feel her eyes watering. "We didn't mean anything by it," she said miserably, "I just don't usually drink much, and we were having fun, and-"

"So nice to know that you had a good time, my faithful student," said Celestia as she strode back into the room, "but as you pointed out in your latest report, I don't know anything about having fun." Her mane of many hues was gathered in a towel atop her head. "I was afraid Discord had returned to his old wicked ways," she said as she walked to the foot of the bed. She examined Twilight and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness you didn't harm yourself."

"Princess," said Twilight, "I didn't mean to send those letters, you have to believe me."

Celestia ignored the young mare's pleas and ripped the pillow from the stallion's head with her magic. "And you," she said angrily, "When Shining Armor told me that he was assigning a single guard to watch over Equestria's newest princess, I was concerned. He assured me that you had both skill and character." She swept her imperious gaze between the two ponies. "Clearly he was mistaken in his judgement," said Celestia, "a mistake that will need to be rectified sooner rather than later."

"Your Highness," said Argent to the two Celestias floating in front of him, "I humbly beg forgiveness. I swear that something like this will never happen again."

"No it will not," replied the keeper of the sun, "because you will return to Shining Armor and assume your previous duties. A proper squad of guards will watch over Princess Twilight from here on."

"No," said Twilight.

"Excuse me young lady?" asked a dumbfounded Celestia. No was a word she had never heard from her student. "You have lost the privilege to determine this. You could have seriously injured yourself, or worse."

"I said no," said Twilight resolutely, her forelegs crossed in front of her, "I'm a princess, not your student. Argent is mine; you can't take him." Twilight shocked herself by how angry she had become. "And you know what?" she asked, "I did mean what I wrote. If being a princess means that I have to be a miserable bird in a cage, then I quit."

"You're still a child," spat Celestia, "a foalish child without a lick of common sense. I'm thinking a few weeks in Canterlot might remind you of your duties." The two alicorns turned smoldering gazes at each other, neither willing to budge.

"That's enough," said Luna, "both of you." She used her magic to grab the ears of both alicorns and dragged them from Argent's bedroom. The stallion stayed on the bed and stared at the floor in misery. The two protesting alicorns flanked their herder as she led them into Twilight's bedroom.

"Luna, release me this instant," growled Celestia, "I want that stallion out of this tree, now!"

"Sister," said Luna, "You are going to calm down right now, or I'm going to invoke your pledge." Celestia's jaw dropped, but she quickly closed it and looked away. "Thank you," said Luna, "Now we both know this isn't about Twilight having a bit too much to drink, or even her sending a few poorly written letters."

"We would not be here if that were true," growled Celestia.

"Oh please, Tia," said Luna with a wave of her hoof, "We both know about your occasional dip into the royal wine cellar, and let's not even go into what you've done to sate your legendary appetite for sweets." She laid her forehoof on her sister's shoulder and looked at her with as much empathy as she could muster. She knew her sister well enough to tell that something deeper was bothering her. "Twilight Sparkle is a princess now sister," she said calmly, "If she wishes Captain Defender to remain, that should be her decision to make. You've not stepped between me and my chosen Nightguards."

"That's different!" shouted Celestia.

"How so?" asked Luna, "Would it shock you to learn that I've been known to have a night of revelry with my guards? We all need to enjoy ourselves every now and then, sister."

"He laid his hooves on my little Twilight!" replied Celestia angrily, "He's lucky he's not on the moon right now."

"I'm not a little filly," said Twilight, "and if you banish him I'll never forgive you." Twilight turned away from her mentor and looked out the window.

"Twilight..." said Celestia in a pleading tone. She reached her hoof towards the young mare.

"Sister," said Luna, "come here." She grabbed her sister's hoof and turned her away from Twilight. "We went through this before Cadance's wedding," said Luna in a low volume.

"This is different," groused Celestia.

"Tia..." said Luna with an expectant look on her face.

"It is different!" she exclaimed. "Cadance never snuck into my chambers at night when she was homesick. I never baked cookies with Cadance to celebrate her successes." Celestia looked at the ground and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "She would meet me every morning with this look of adoration on her face," said Celestia, "I know I'm supposed to love all of my little ponies with all of my heart, but how could I not want her to be the safest, happiest, most loved pony in all of Equestria?" She looked over her shoulder at Twilight and back to her sister. "I waited a thousand years for her," she said, "and after ten years of furious study and tutelage, I sent her into danger without the slightest warning. I know it had to be that way, the consensus has always been clear on that, but I will not let her come to harm; not when I can help it; not after she returned you to me."

Twilight gasped from the window and raced past the two sisters. Celestia moved to block her path but was held in place by the slight shake of Luna's head. They watched as the young mare disappeared down the stairs and heard the front door slam shut. Luna walked to the large oval window by Twilight's bed and looked out over the plaza.

"Sister," said Luna, "I think Twilight might know what makes her happy."

Celestia climbed the small staircase that led to the alcove that held Twilight's bed and stood by her sister. Luna reached out, pushed open the window and flared her magic. A small blue orb floated out of the tree and settled above the two ponies who stood a few dozen feet from the library.

"-heard what the Princess said," said Argent, "and she's right. If I can't be trusted to keep a clear head, how can I be trusted to keep you safe?" He shifted his hastily packed saddlebags on his back and turned to continue walking towards the rail station.

"I already told you," said Twilight, "we keep each other safe." She trotted around the stallion and stood in his way. "If you really believe I'd be better off with a squad of gold armored statues standing outside my tree every day, I'll step aside and you can leave," she said. His silence answered for him. "I didn't think so," said Twilight.

"It doesn't matter what I think," said Argent, "The princess gave me an order."

"And you'll follow it, even if you don't agree?" asked Twilight, "even if it makes you sad? Even if it makes me sad?"

Argent looked down and nodded. "I won't let you fight with Princess Celestia," he said sadly, "I know how much you care for her. How could I come between you two?"

Twilight looked towards the tree and back at Argent. "I do love the princess," said Twilight, "she's like a second mother to me, but she can't make me send you away."

"Why, Twilight?" asked Argent, "Why anger the pony who means so much to you? Why not let me go back to your brother. I can spend a few more years learning how to be a proper guard, and maybe someday I can come back."

"Yes, Twilight," said Celestia, tucking her wings after leaping down from the window of the tree home, "that is a question I'd like to hear the answer to." She loomed over Argent, her imposing height casting a shadow across both younger ponies. "Luna," she said, "would you please keep Captain Defender company?" With a flash of golden light, the stallion blinked out of sight.

"I'm a princess too," said Twilight, "and despite what you think, Argent is a wonderful guardspony."

"Those are excuses," said Celestia, "not answers. I'll ask again; why disobey me for one pony you've known for so short a time?"

"Because he makes me happy," said Twilight, "and because his actions have made many others happy too."

"Better," said Celestia, "but this precludes the notion that you could be happy without him. You were happy before his arrival."

Twilight felt like she had become a filly again, arguing obscure magical theory with her mentor. The princess had always led her down a logical path of axioms and aphorisms until she admitted her mistake and accepted what she was being told. "You assume that I would want to be happy with somepony else guarding me," said Twilight, trying to turn her mentor's arguments against her.

"We were never talking about what you wanted Twilight," said Celestia, "this is about what you need."

"I do need him," she said without thinking.

"Why?" asked Celestia. The eldest alicorn looked on in expectation, adopting the same pose she always had when she knew that Twilight had been led to the edge of a breakthrough in her studies.

Twilight looked at her mentor's impassive face and blushed. "Because I think I love him," she said softly, "and because I think he might love me too."

"And why does that matter," said Celestia.

"Because you always said that love is all that matters," said Twilight as the answer to her mentor's questions snapped into place. "Everything we do, we do for love. If I have to make you angry with me, or... disappointed in me, I will."

"Correct," said Celestia as she softened her stern demeanor, "And you could never disappoint me. Surprise me, yes, but never disappoint."

"So does that mean..." asked Twilight hopefully.

"Like you said," replied Celestia, "you're a princess too. It was never my decision to make." She smiled as Twilight stepped forward and rubbed her head against the taller alicorn's chest.

"I'm so sorry for making you worry," said Twilight, "and I know that it will be a cold day in Tartarus before I drink that much again." She remembered the letter she wrote and looked up into her mentor's eyes. "Can we just pretend the letter never happened?" she asked in desperation.

"Oh, I don't know about that," replied Celestia, her muzzle stretched in a wry grin, "I was thinking of having it framed and hung in my quarters. An eternal reminder of the night Twilight Sparkle acted the fool." She turned back towards the tree and leisurely paced to the front door.

"No!" whined Twilight as she hopped around the princess, "at least let me rewrite it."

"But the misspellings and reckless punctuation are the best part," protested Celestia, "and who knows, it might be worth quite a few bits a few hundred years down the road."

Twilight continued begging as they reentered the library and walked up the stairs. Celestia held out her hoof, stopping and silencing the younger alicorn. They both listened from the slightly opened door.

"Tis not so bad," said Luna, "you've not lived until you've seen an Earthrise. I admit, the landscape is drab, and the locals are less than social, but you'll hardly notice after the first decade."

"Wait here," whispered Celestia. Twilight saw the twinkle of mischief in her mentor's eyes and nodded.

"What will I eat?" asked Argent miserably.

"Perhaps I should send up a few barrels of wine," said Celestia as she strode into the room, "since you're so fond of it." She nearly growled as she stared down the stallion. He sat on the bed with Luna patting his shoulder reassuringly. "Now that my esteemed student has been thoroughly chastised, I find myself thinking that I have perhaps been too lenient with you." She stood before the stallion and unwrapped her now dried mane, letting it ripple in a non existent breeze. "You did... soil... the royal mane," she said menacingly, "do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Argent resigned himself to a long stay off world and hung his head between his forelegs. "No your majesty," he said, "I just beg that you forgive Twilight."

"That's enough," said Twilight as she threw open the door and galloped to her bed, "you two have had your fun." She placed a hoof below his chin and raised his head level with hers.

"Your highness," he said, gazing at her through watery, bloodshot eyes, "I'm so sorry for-" His apology was cut short by the caress of Twilight's lips against his. Despite the ache in his head and the royal audience, Argent couldn't help but return the kiss.

Luna stood from the bed and walked to her sister's side. As the seconds turned to minutes, the two alicorns began snickering. Twilight raised a hoof and waved towards the door. Supremely satisfied with her first sober kiss, Twilight refused to let a silly thing like embarrassment ruin her experience. The two sisters turned to walk back towards the door and noticed the young dragon holding two large paper sacks. His fanged mouth hung open as he stared at his best friend and de facto sister.

"Huzzah," exclaimed Luna, "The sweets have arrived!"

"Hurry up Twilight," said Argent, "the guard should be coming back this way any second."

Another book in the seemingly endless line of floating tomes found its way into the bulging panniers on her back. "Just a few more seconds," she said , "I'm almost through the temporal mechanics section." She glanced at the titles of the last few books and sent them back to their proper places on the bookshelves. "Okay," she said while charging her horn, "we're good." They disappeared in a flash of light just as the armored mare looked through the metal gate that led into the Starswhirl the Bearded section of the royal archives.

They reappeared outside the walls of the large domed building that held all the collected knowledge of the ages. Twilight looked around the statue garden that abutted the archives. "Nopony the wiser," she said smugly, "I told you we could do it."

"I guess there's a place for brazen daylight heists after all," admitted Argent. He followed Twilight as she led them through the perfectly manicured park. "No sign of the princesses," he said happily, "I think we're in the clear."

Twilight pulled at the collar of the bulky sweater that hid her wings. "Rarity was right," she thought, "early summer is no time for cashmere." From the corner of her eye she saw a beacon of refreshment in the form of an ice cream cart. "I think we've earned a reward," she said while pulling Argent behind her.

"Oooh," she said, wiping the drool from her mouth as she looked at the flavors, "fig with chocolate chunks!"

Argent fished out a few bits and dropped them into the salespony's waiting hoof. "That just seemed far too easy," he said while licking the melting vanilla ice cream that dribbled onto his hoof, "I'm waiting for the other hoof to drop."

"Not everything has to be a struggle," said Twilight around a mouthful of the frozen delight, "this is actually the second time I had to sneak in there." She ran her tongue around the edge of her double scooped cone. "I didn't even have to wear the sleek black bodysuit this time," she said huskily.

"Sleek, huh," said Argent, his attention focused on the mare's swirling tongue.

"Yeah," replied Twilight, "It was so tight around my flank." She bumped her rear against his and laughed. "Too bad it got all those rips and tears in it," she said, "I looked like something out of Con Mane movie." They turned down the main avenue that led down into Low Canterlot and the train station. Arriving in time to catch the late morning Friendship Express back to Ponyville, they were soon lightly dozing in their car, waiting for the locomotive to depart.

A knock and the sound of the car door sliding open roused Argent from his nap. "Sorry to wake you sir," said the unicorn mare, "but it looks like we'll be sharing the car with you." Her light purple and white mane brushed against the top of the door frame as she stepped into the narrow aisle and levitated her bag into the luggage rack above her. "Night," she said to the stallion outside, "pass me your bag."

A small black suitcase preceded the blue coated and maned stallion. "Sorry to barge in on ya," he said softly upon seeing the dozing mare, "we're running a little late. Somepony just had to stop at a book store."

"What kind of mother would I be if I didn't buy my little filly a treat every now and then?" said Twilight Velvet.

"A richer mother," replied Night Light, "most daughters would be happy with a pretty saddle. These limited edition first printings are pricey." He looked at the wide eyed stallion on the bench across from the one they had settled themselves into. "Ah, where are my manners," he said, "I'm Night Light, and this is my wife Twilight Velvet."

Argent took the proffered hoof and shook it. "Horizon Walker," he replied, "Sleeping beauty here is Oracle Dreams." The napping mare twitched in her sleep and mumbled something inaudible. "Apt name don't you think?" asked Argent with a laugh.

"Don't disturb her on our account," said Velvet, "she looks like she could use the sleep."

"Don't worry about it," said Argent as he prodded Twilight's stomach with his hoof, "she loves meeting new ponies." She batted at his hoof and continued lightly snoring. Argent continued rubbing her stomach, dodging her unconscious counters.

"Stop it," she said with closed eyes, "you know I'm ticklish there."

"We've got some company Oracle," he said, emphasizing her alias.

Twilight opened her eyes and saw her parents sitting across from them. The shock on her face was evident to all in the small car. "Don't worry about it dear," said Velvet, interpreting the shock as embarrassment, "We've had a few late nights ourselves." She winked at Twilight and nudged her husband with her hoof.

"Such tact and grace," said Night Light, "it's a wonder you aren't the princess."

The loud sound of a steam whistle accompanied the lurch of the train as it slowly pulled away from the station. "So what are you two up to in Ponyville?" asked Velvet.

"We actually live there," said Twilight softly, "we were in Canterlot on business."

"Oh!" said Velvet, "It's probably dumb to ask, but do you know our daughter? Twilight Sparkle?"

"Well, everypony knows Twilight Sparkle," said Argent, "I'm quite close to her bodyguard actually." Twilight rolled her eyes and patted Argent's hoof with hers. She let him chat with her parents and instead watched as the landscape outside the train flew by. Their early morning trip to Canterlot, combined with the adrenaline and sugar crashes she was starting to feel, had left Twilight in a hazy, semi lucid state. She listened to her parents' happy voices and stared out across Equestria.

"Are you all right dear?" asked Velvet.

"I'm fine mom," she said drowsily.

Velvet laughed heartily. "I swear you sound sound just like my daughter," she said, "still a bit sleepy, or are you saying I look old enough to be your mother?"

Twilight waved her hooves in protest. "No, no, no," she said, "you're absolutely beautiful for a pony of any age. I'm just homesick, and hearing you two chatting reminds me of my family."

"Well you should go see them then," said Velvet, "absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that."

"We're trying to find the time to get back," said Argent with a grin, "we've got all sorts of catching up to do."

The four middle aged ponies continued enjoying each others company as the speedy train steamed its way down the mountains and across the open plains of central Equestria. Hearing her mother and father brag about their princess had put Twilight in a happy but embarrassed mood. They pulled into the Ponyville depot just as Velvet recalled her daughter's voracious appetite for books.

"It was lovely meeting you two," said Velvet as she pulled down their luggage, "I do wish you would reconsider. I'm sure my daughter wouldn't mind a few more unexpected visitors."

"Oh I'm sure she wouldn't," said Argent, "but we really should get back to our place, it's been a busy morning."

Twilight hugged her mother tightly as she made her way from the train. "Make sure that daughter of yours visits you more often," she said, "If she can spend so much time reading, she can take a few days to visit her family too. Guilt trips work, and if that fails, try blackmail."

"I like the way you think Ms. Dreams," said Velvet as they parted in front of the busy train station. "Come on Night," she said to the stallion who levitated their luggage, "Let's go see our little filly."

Argent and Twilight waved as her parents trotted across the plaza. Argent shouldered the book filled saddle bags and followed Twilight towards their home. "I know that must have been hard," he said, "you feeling okay?"

"Actually, I think it's just what I needed," said Twilight, "I've got the books I need, and now I've got the motivation I need. I'll see them again, and I won't have to hide behind this illusion." She kissed Argent on the cheek and smiled. "And I'll be able to tell them about us."

"About that," said Argent, "when we go back, won't all the changes we've made alter everything? Will we even remember going back?"

Twilight patted the bulging panniers with a hoof. "I'm not sure," she said, "but if the answer to that question is anywhere, it's in one of these books." Argent looked less than reassured, but kept following her in silence. Their little house on the hill soon came into view, its white picket fence nearly shining in the bright midday sun.

Twilight saw it first: A set of small red smears along the fence, as if somepony had drug a red paint covered hoof along the length of it. "Argent," she said worriedly, "is this...?"

"Blood," replied Argent, " wait here." He dropped their bags and slowly followed the trail of blood to the gateway.

Twilight watched as he hesitantly opened the fence door and walked up the short path towards the front door. "Twilight!" he shouted just as he crested the hill, "Help!" The mare levitated the bags of books and quickly galloped to his side. The bleeding mare at their doorstep was barely recognizable. Her normally flowing silver mane was tangled and dirty, and her blue coat was crisscrossed with cuts oozing blood.

"Trixie!" said Twilight as she fell to her knees at the young unicorn's side. She bent over Trixie's head and listened to her ragged, rasping breaths. "Get the door," she said to Argent, "and clear off the table in the cellar." Twilight lifted the mare with her magic as gently as she could and followed Argent as he threw open the doors that led to the small cellar.

"Not again," moaned Trixie, "don't leave us again."

"It's going to be alright Trixie," said Twilight, "just hold on."

Argent swept the notebooks and writing tools from the long table Twilight had been running her experiments on. Twilight gingerly set the squirming unicorn on her back and examined the cuts along her belly. "These aren't that bad," said Twilight with a sigh of relief, "grab some towels and some rubbing alcohol." Argent nodded and disappeared back up the stairs.

Twilight bent over to check the mare's head when Trixie grabbed her by the ears. "Are you real?!" she asked, a look of mania in her eyes. She let go and curled up into a ball. "You can't be real," she said while grabbing at her head with her hooves, "get out of my head. I won't go again, you can't make me!"

"Trixie," said Twilight, "no one is making you do anything. It's me, Twilight."

"No you're not!" shouted Trixie, "you just want me to think you're Sparkle. Then you'll steal my magic, or crush my brother, or have me banished." She cackled madly while shaking her head. "I won't play your games or dance to your tune anymore," she hissed, "I'll die first."

"Trixie," said Twilight fearfully, "you're scaring me."

"Good!" shouted the wounded mare, "about time you monsters felt fear. But you don't do you." Trixie held her hooves over her eyes and wept. "You bring fear; you love fear; you are fear." She continued the mantra, even as Twilight began dressing her wounds and cleaning her up.

"C'mon sis," said Argent, "snap out of it." He had knelt beside the edge of the table and looked into his sister's eyes. "You need to tell us what happened. What did this to you?"

"I did this to me!" shouted Trixie, "You things can get in my head, but blood remembers. You can't erase blood! You can't wipe away pain." Argent reached out to her and had his hoof slapped away. "Not again!" she screamed, "I won't let you strangle me again."

"Twilight," pleaded Argent, "do something."

The alicorn was already at work mixing herbs with a mortar and pestle at the small workbench against the wall. She brought over the fruits of her labor, a viscous brown tincture bubbling from some unseen reaction. "This should help her relax," said Twilight, "remember when you had bonebreak fever?"

"No," said Argent.

"Exactly," said Twilight. She set the tray on the edge of the table and gently prodded Trixie's shoulder. "Trixie," she said softly, "we need you to drink this. It'll make you feel much better."

"Poison again?" growled Trixie, "Not again monster; not again."

"Hold her head still," said Twilight to the worried stallion at her side. Argent nodded and placed his hooves on the side of his sister's head.

"No!" she howled, "not again damn you. Not him again!" She flailed her legs, desperately trying to hit the stallion who held her down. Twilight's horn flared and four magenta auras surrounded Trixie's hooves. Twilight used her magic to hold the mare's legs to her side as she floated the glass of medicine to her mouth. Trixie clamped her mouth shut and tried to shake her head away from Twilight.

Argent flared his horn and grabbed her jaw with his magic. Moans of protestation filled the room as Twilight began funneling the potion down Trixie's throat. She gagged and sputtered but failed to expel the thick liquid. Argent released her head and sank to his rear. Twilight released her legs and watched as Trixie rolled onto her side.

"No more," she whispered in terror, "no more." She continued muttering until her eyelids closed and her breathing became steady and deep.

Author's Note

Things will start happening soon, I swear.

I hope I can keep the same pace, but my schedule's starting to tighten up. We're starting to get to the parts of the story that I've had clearly mapped out since I started, so I think I'll be able to get more out in less time.

Ch. 17: Dreams and Nightmares

“Wake up,” said the stern voice.

Trixie snapped awake from the nightmare in a panic. “Am I awake?” she thought to herself. She cautiously raised her head and looked around for her tormentors. A shadowy form from across the small room paced impatiently and looked out the door.

“We don’t have time for this,” hissed the stranger, “get up now Trixie.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you, monster” said Trixie groggily, “whatever you are.” She turned over on the old wooden table that had been her bed the last few weeks and looked towards the wall. The sharp sound of hooves striking stone was all the warning she received before she was sent sprawling to the floor.

“We can get you out of here,” said the voice, “but it would be easier without carrying your unconscious body through these tunnels.”

“You do what you have to do, monster,” said Trixie without raising her head from the cold stone floor, “but we both know I’ll be waking up in this room soon enough.”

“How can you be Trixie Lulamoon,” said the voice, its tone slightly raised, “wallowing on the floor like a pathetic worm. We haven’t acted so pitifully, even in our most terrifying nightmares.” The stranger grabbed Trixie by the chin and turned her head so their eyes met. A flickering pink light from beneath the stranger’s large hat illuminated her face. “The Great and Powerful Trixie does not give up. She does not lie down and let the world do with her as it will.”

“Just stab me,“ said Trixie, “strangle me, or whatever. I don’t care. I’m not playing your game anymore.”

The stranger pulled off her large drooping hat, revealing her heavily altered horn. Several plates of metal wrapped around its surface, each polished to a mirror shine. Copper wires ran from leads near the tip to a slate grey ring of indeterminate material around the base. Runes ran around its circumference, each pulsing with a pink light in time with the aura around her horn. Several other wires ran behind her horn and under her silver mane. “The Great and Powerful Trixie doesn't know what these things have been doing to you,” she said, “but she needs your help. All of Equestria needs your help. Trixie is not one for sentimental superstition, but finding you here means something.”

Trixie looked at the eerie half reflection of herself and shakily rose to her hooves. “You’re from the future aren’t you?” she asked, finally getting a good look at the stranger. “You’re from where the other Sparkle and Argent came from.”

“You've seen them?” said the older unicorn. She held a hoof to her mouth, wincing as her raised voice echoed out of the room and down the long hallway. “You know where they are?” she whispered. She realized the situation they were in and shook her head. “Wait, never mind,” she said while putting her grey hat back on, “we need to focus on getting out of here now. Can you use your magic yet? Do you have your limiter?”

“Limiter?” asked the young unicorn. She took a few cautious steps towards her older self, the cuts on her stomach stretching painfully as she moved.

“Don’t worry about it,” said the elder unicorn, “follow Trixie and stay quiet.” The older Trixie walked to the door and peeked down the hallway. “Trixie used too much energy sneaking past them,” she whispered while leading the way out of the dank cell, “so a teleport is out of the question.” She peeked around the corner and up the stone-hewn stairs before proceeding.

“Wait,” whispered the younger Trixie, “I have to look for them!”

“They’re not here,” replied her senior self, “Trixie found you in the last cell, and believe her, they were never here.” She pulled the younger unicorn up the stairs into the basement of the crumbling building. A flickering torchlight from a hole in the ceiling at the far end of the room filled the basement with dancing shadows. She put a hoof to the device on her head and twisted the ring around her horn, causing the pink aura to fade away. They walked across the large basement, passing splintered wooden crates full of moldy books and crumbling statuettes of some unrecognizable alicorn. Cobwebs hung from every thick column and rafter beam.

“Okay,” said the older Trixie, “they must still be out hunting for more ponies. “ She jumped up and grasped the lower rungs of the ladder with her forehooves and awkwardly began pulling herself up. “Let’s get out of here before they return.”

The hatch slammed shut and the basement was thrown into near complete darkness. The elder unicorn quickly climbed the ladder and bashed at the trapdoor with her hooves. It gave slightly but refused to open.

“Not again,” whimpered the younger Trixie. She stared at a quartet of glowing red eyes that gazed back from a perch near the ceiling. The dull roar of an onrushing gale began filling the room, minus the feeling of moving air. Trixie desperately tried to flare her magic but only managed a few weak sparks, enough to manage a dim globe of pink light to illuminate the ground in front of her.

The older Trixie jumped down from the ladder and reached into her starry cloak. “Take cover,” she shouted, while pulling her hoof out, revealing a segmented platinum hoof bracer. A series of small golden arches, each decorated with more runes, ran down the length of the bracer straddling a thick copper wire. She pointed her hoof at the four points of red and flared her horn. The pink aura raced down the wire behind her mane, under her cloak, and into the bracer. With a loud *ZAP* a bolt of pink energy flew from her hoof and landed square between the red spots. The sound of wind died down but remained in the background. The older Trixie pointed her hoof into the air and fired another blast at the hatch, splintering the thick wooden door with the resulting concussion.

“There’s more!” shouted the younger Trixie. She watched as more glowing red eyes appeared from above rafters and behind crates. The sound of rushing air intensified again, but magnified to the point where she couldn’t hear her own screams. Trixie felt herself being pushed to the ladder and looked back at her older self.

“Go!” bellowed the older unicorn, her horn now afire with flashing pink luminescence. She looked down her foreleg and began firing blasts of magic at the things as they advanced upon them.

The younger Trixie, knowing she was useless in her magic deprived state, scrambled up the ladder, her aching body protesting every movement. The howling but motionless wind spurred her on, and the flashes of light let her know that her older self was still keeping the creatures at bay. She grabbed onto the wooden floorboards of the ground level and hauled herself out of the basement. She screamed when she saw the prone beast slumped against cracked masonry wall. If it weren't for the extra set of eyes on the side of its head, and the extra pair of legs on its midsection, it would have almost resembled a massive ebony panther.

Its eyes remained closed as Trixie shook off her shock and looked back down the hatch. Her older self stood halfway up the ladder, her head and forehoof turned down into the basement. Bolts of concussive energy continued flying at the beasts, though significantly weaker, and far less accurate. The younger mare reached down with her hoof and grasped the other’s outstretched leg. She heaved until the older unicorn was halfway out of the hatch.

“Run,” she shouted, “they’re just shrugging off my-” She dug her hooves into the wooden boards, trying desperately to keep herself from being pulled back down. The sound of cloth ripping and the feel of claws gouging into her back elicited a scream of agony from the older mare. “Go!” she shouted, her eyes locked on her younger self, “find Argent and Twilight.” A large paw tore into her shoulder and pulled her closer to the edge of the hatch. “Tell her she has to close-“

The cacophony of non-wind reached a crescendo as the older mare disappeared from view, drowning out anymore of her shouts. Four beady glowing eyes looked back up the hatch at the terrified younger mare and began climbing. Trixie took a last look down the hatch and choked a sob as she turned and ran out the large double doors behind her. The midday sun nearly blinded her as she dashed into the flat barren scrub land. She didn't turn back as the sound of screaming followed her. She didn’t know if it was Trixie, the wind, or herself.

Trixie whimpered as her legs flailed in her sleep. She slipped from the edge of the bed and landed back first on the floor. Waking to the feeling of painful cuts in her skin, Trixie immediately sighed in relief. The sharp sting, as painful as it was, had become a welcoming indication that she was in reality. ”Unless they've caught on to my trick,” she thought to herself. She looked around the unfamiliar bedroom and rose to her hooves. After placing the sheets back on the bed and probing the bandaged cuts on her stomach, she stepped through the door and cautiously made her way down a short hallway. Pale moonlight lit her way as she emerged into the living room of Twilight and Argent’s little cottage in Ponyville.

She walked to the couch and found the two ponies. Argent lay curled up in the forelegs of Twilight, the older mare gently stroking his mane as he slept. The alicorn looked up as Trixie entered the room and smiled. “Feeling better?” she asked softly, motioning to the other side of the couch.

“Trixie thinks so,” she replied while sitting, “but she’s still not sure she believes this is real.”

“What happened Trixie?” asked Twilight, “You weren't making any sense when we found you.” She rubbed behind Argent’s ears as he fussed in his sleep. “He’s barely slept since you arrived.”

“How long has Trixie been out?” she asked.

“Two days,” said Twilight, “I convinced him not to take you to the clinic until tomorrow. It was hard on him seeing you like that.”

Trixie rubbed her eyes with her hooves. “Trixie thought she had found them,” she explained, “recent disappearances near a border crossing that they used once. Trixie dared to hope she had found her first solid lead in years. It wasn’t even that far away.” Trixie stood back up and paced in front of the couch. “The last thing Trixie thinks she remembers, she had just crossed into Mexicolt and was settling down in the back of her cart for the night.”

“What you think you remembered?” asked Twilight in confusion.

“They get into your head,” replied Trixie, “they make you dream, but it doesn't feel like a dream. It’s like you’re living your life, but it’s not your life. It’s different in subtle ways. You think it’s real, that you’re happily living what you think is your life, but then they do it.”

“Do what?” said Twilight, “and who are they?”

“They,” replied Trixie, “them. Trixie doesn’t know what they are. They’re clever; they’re cruel; and they’re powerful.” She shivered and sat on the floor. “They made Trixie live these fictions, and then something terrible happened,” she said, “something awful always happened. I’ve seen Argent…” Her voice trailed off and tears tried to fight their way from her eyes. “They like betrayal,” she said, “they relish heartbreak, and they revel in despair.”

“Well, you obviously freed yourself,” said Twilight, “maybe we can find out what they are and you can get the princesses to investigate.

“Trixie freed Trixie,” said Trixie.

“Right,” said Twilight, “and you’ll have to tell me how you managed that.”

“No,” said Trixie, “A different Trixie rescued Trixie. She found Trixie in some underground cell and freed her.”

Twilight’s eyes widened to the size of small saucers. “Was she older?” asked the alicorn, “Did she have some… alterations on her horn? Did she say whether or not she knew how to get back to our time?”

“Trixie doesn’t know,” said the unicorn, “those things took her before Trixie could examine her, but yes, she definitely had some strange devices on her horn.” The details of her escape solidified in Trixie’s mind, reality separating from dreams. “Trixie has to go back for her,” she said, a determined gleam in her eyes, “nopony should be left to those things.”

“Least of all my sister,” said Argent, his eyes still closed. “We’ll leave for the border on the first train. I assume telling our contemporaries is out of the question?”

“I’m shocked Trixie would have risked revealing herself to herself,” said Twilight, unsurprised that Argent was awake, “but then again, I shouldn't be shocked by anything that mare does.” Twilight resigned herself to yet another trip. “I wish I could have a few weeks of peaceful study,” she said, “at this rate we’ll be wizened old ponies before I find us a way home.”

“If Trixie came here, it stands to reason that she knows how to get back,” said Argent, “maybe this is what we've been waiting for.” He jumped up from the couch and excitedly began looking for maps to plan their trip with.

“I suppose you’re feeling pretty proud of yourself,” said Twilight while waving goodbye to the train her parents were departing on. “Everypony just loves Argent. I’m just the silly lush who can’t handle her wine.”

“I can’t help it if your parents like me,” said Argent, “most marefriends would be ecstatic about that.”

Twilight blushed at his calling her his marefriend. “You could have at least taken some of the heat,” said the alicorn, “She’ll never let me live this down. At least the Princesses just teased me and called it a day; Daddy’s going to tell Shining, who is going to tell Cadance.”

“Ah, it’s not so bad,” said Argent, “just visit them in Canterlot like she suggested. It’ll be fun.”

“Yeah, ‘suggested’,” said Twilight, “you mark my words Defender; that was blackmail.” Twilight turned her head and looked at her passenger. “Spike, what’s next on today’s list?”

Spike popped the last candied sapphire into his mouth and savored the treat that Velvet always brought him when she visited. He licked his claws before unrolling the large parchment scroll Twilight had prepared that morning. “Flying lessons with Rainbow Dash,“ he said, “then a picnic with the girls, and study time for the rest of the day.”

“All right,” said Twilight, “hop off then, I want to be stretched out by the time we get there.”

The young dragon grumbled and climbed off Twilight’s back. He looked hopefully at Argent who snorted in amusement. “Yeah right,” said the stallion, “use your own two feet. I don’t know why she lets you get away with that.”

“Because I, as her number one assistant, must be free to take notes at any given moment,” recited Spike, “I can’t do that while walking.”

“No sale,” said Argent, “seat is occupied anyway.” He reached to his back and banged his shield with a hoof. He followed behind Twilight as she slowly and methodically extended and retracted her wings. “How much do you want to tell your friends?” he asked.

“Celestia help you if they ever find out what we did that night,” said Twilight menacingly.

“I meant about us,” said Argent.

Twilight blushed and slowed to let the stallion catch up to her. “I think showing will be enough,” she said while stretching a wing over his back and kissing his cheek. “Applejack already beat me to the punch as far as Equestria shattering personal news goes.”

She continued flexing her wings as they made their way to the outskirts of Ponyville. Spike lay atop Argent’s shield, a triumphant grin plastered onto his face. It had only taken a single “please, Argent” from Twilight to convince the stallion to take on his draconic passenger. “He would have just kept complaining anyway,” thought Argent as they approached Rainbow Dash’s practice meadow. Scootaloo’s scooter lay propped against the picnic table Twilight had teleported in prior to one of their previous sessions. The filly sat on one of the benches, head tilted up to the sky.

“Hello Scootaloo,” said Twilight, “I thought it was my day for lessons. Is Dash not here yet?”

“Look!” exclaimed Scootaloo with an outstretched hoof pointing to a high flat cirrus cloud. Twilight looked up in time to see two rapidly descending dots high in the sky. The cerulean and opal forms streaked towards the ground at a tremendous velocity with rainbow and lightning contrails following them. They began rotating about a common vertical axis while maintaining a constant distance between each other. A double helix of light and electricity took form and tightened as they rotated closer and closer together.

“They’re gonna do it!” shouted Scootaloo. Just as she said it, the opal Pegasus began to wobble before being flung out of the maneuver at high speed. The other Pegasus broke the formation and sped after, easily reaching her partner and steadying her with her legs. They descended towards the meadow and landed near the picnic table.

“That was so close!” exclaimed Scootaloo as she jogged to Rainbow Dash’s side, “You guys are going to do it soon, I just know it!”

Rainbow tousled the filly’s mane and smiled. “Of course we will,” she said confidently, “we’re awesome.” She reached over and hooked a foreleg around Lightning Dust’s neck. “It won’t be long before Dust here cracks the barrier. Any idea what you’re gonna call it? Lightning Boom doesn’t sound very cool.”

“Might as well call it the Lightning flash in the pan,” said the dejected Pegasus, “I just can’t figure out how you do it Dash.” She walked over to the picnic table and sat down next to Scootaloo.

Rainbow Dash walked over and sat between them. “I told you, it’s not about wanting to break the barrier, you have to know why you want to break the barrier.” She slapped the pegasus’ back with a hoof and looked over at Twilight and Argent. “On time as usual,” she said, “LD and I were just getting some practice in while we waited.”

“I can see that,” said an awed Twilight, “very impressive flying Ms. Dust. Can I talk to you over here Dash?” She walked a short distance away and waited for Rainbow to appear next to her. “I don’t think Oracle’s secret would stay very safe if Scootaloo and Lightning Dust saw her wings.”

“Oh don’t worry,” said Dash, “She left a note in my mailbox this morning. They’re going on a short trip, something about visiting Horizon’s family.” She pointed over to Scootaloo and shrugged. “Scoots is out of school for the summer and the other crusaders are off doing something, so I invited her for some extra lessons.”

“And Lightning Dust?” asked Twilight with an impish grin, “fraternizing with the competition Dashie?”

“Dust is pretty cool,” said Dash as they walked back to the picnic table, “it turns out the sky can handle all the awesomeness we can throw at it. Plus she can help me teach you two: One more spotter can’t hurt, especially today.

“What are we doing today?” asked Twilight, “I thought we were doing pretty well with the gliding.”

“Oh you were,” said Rainbow, “but now it’s time to apply what you've learned.” She turned to the filly and smiled deviously. “Scootaloo,” she said, “you know what we’re doing today don’t you?”

“Free fall drills!” shouted the filly as she jumped to her hooves, “me first, me first!”

“LD, would you do the honors?” asked Dash. She poked Twilight in the side with a hoof and nodded to the two pegasi. “Pay attention,” she said, “because you’re next.”

Lightning Dust launched herself into the air and came back around. She aimed herself at the excited filly and grabbed her with her forelegs as she passed. She gradually ascended until they were in a stationary hover a few hundred feet above the ground. “Ready squirt?” asked Dust.

“Ready!” said the beaming filly. Lightning Dust pulled her hooves away and watched Scootaloo begin to fall for a few seconds before tucking her wings and following the filly in free fall. Gravity pulled steadily on the two pegasi, accelerating them quickly to near terminal velocity.

“Okay kid,” shouted Lightning Dust over the roar of rushing air, “deploy!” She angled her body and cleared the air above the filly. Scootaloo flared her little wings as far as they would go and immediately began shedding speed. The filly held her wings out and made minute adjustments to their camber and pitch to keep herself pointing in a steady direction. The vertical drop slowly turned into a very steep glide slope. Lighting Dust followed close behind the filly and hooped and hollered as Scootaloo maintained control of her descent. As the ground began to rapidly approach them, Lighting Dust scooped up the filly in her forelegs and brought her to a soft landing back near the picnic table.

“Did you see Rainbow Dash!” shouted Scootaloo gleefully, “I didn’t even spin once!”

“Somepony’s been working on her control surfaces,” said Rainbow Dash, full of pride, “Great job Scoots!” She held out her hoof. Scootaloo’s pupils dilated to pinpoints as she held out her own hoof and bumped it against Rainbow’s.

“You want me to do that!” shouted Twilight, “It’s insane; it’s irresponsible; it’s-“

“It’s how every Pegasus has learned to fly,” interrupted Lightning Dust, “though most of the time they’re younger than you.” She walked to the wary alicorn and smiled at her reassuringly. “There’s nothing to worry about princess,” she said, “Dash and I will both make sure you don’t take a dirt dive.”

“Yeah Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash, “You know I’m good at keeping my friends from going splat. I have had a bit of practice at it after all.” She looked at Dust and winked. The other Pegasus blushed and tried to keep reassuring the alicorn.

“You can do it Twilight,” said Argent, “and you can just teleport yourself to the ground if all else fails.”

“Am I the only sane mare left in Equestria?” she asked aloud, “Do you know the odds of successfully completing a teleport spell while compensating for the momentum involved in a terminal velocity fall?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to tell us,” said Spike while rolling his eyes.

Twilight squinted her eyes at the snide remark and turned around in a huff. “One in two hundred and fifty seven thousand,” she said, “if you factor in the wind.”

Argent held out his hoof to forestall the pegasi and dragon. He walked up beside Twilight and hugged her with a foreleg. “You wanted to learn how to fly,” he said warmly, “and this is how it’s done.”

“This is crazy!” she said, “I've seen what a scared pony in free fall can do. Rarity knocked out three Wonderbolts before Rainbow saved her!”

“Then it’s a good thing she’s the one watching over you,” replied Argent. “If you don’t try it, you won’t be able to use these,” he said while stroking her wing, “and I know you don’t want that.” He ignored the snickers from the picnic table and brought his muzzle to her ear. “I believe in you,” he whispered. Twilight dropped her head, stared at the ground, and nodded. “She’s all yours ladies,” said Argent as he backed away.

Twilight looked up in confusion just before four hooves grabbed her and began pulling her off the ground. “Wait,” she shouted, “I’m not ready yet! We have to practice. We have to make a plan.”

“Free fall drill is easy,” said Dust, “you fall; we grab you before you hit the ground.”

“Just try to glide Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash, “let gravity do the rest. The point of this is learning how to control a fall. That’s all flying is: Controlled falling.”

Twilight struggled as the ground fled beneath her. Argent and Spike became grey and purple dots by the time the two pegasi came to a hover high above the green meadow. “Let’s talk about this,” said Twilight, “there’s really no need to rush.”

“On three Twilight,” said Dash while nodding to Dust.

“Now wait Rainbow,” said Twilight, “think about what you’re doing. I’m a princess!”

“One,” said Dash.

“Jewels, bits, cakes!” wailed Twilight, “name your price!”

“Two,” said Lightning Dust.

“I’ll banish you both!” shouted Twilight, “I’ll banish you and throw you into a dungeon in the place I banished you to!”

“Three!” shouted the two pegasi in unison. They released Twilight and high hooved each other as the screaming princess began plummeting. They each tucked their wings and fell backwards towards the ground.

Twilight’s legs flailed as she screamed from the top of her lungs. “Catch me, catch me, catch me!” she yelled as the she span wildly, “I changed my mind, the ground is fine! I love the ground!”

Lightning Dust maneuvered herself next to the spinning alicorn and smiled. “Now would be a good time to use your wings, princess,” she shouted.

Rainbow Dash angled herself to the other side of Twilight. “Just like before Twi,” she yelled, “just let your wings do the work!”

Twilight stopped herself from screaming herself hoarse and extended her wings as far as she could. They immediately filled with air and slowed her down considerably, leaving the two pegasi below her. She tried angling her wings to arrest her spin, succeeding only in turning the flat spin into a vertical one. The sun flashed into her eyes each time she came around. She pitched her wings up and slowly brought the spinning world to a blissful stop. She sighed in relief as the horizon stayed in the middle of her field of vision, until she realized that she was upside down. Before she could start screaming again, hooves grabbed her fore and rear legs and began gently lowering the alicorn to the ground.

Twilight’s chest was heaving as she was set down on her back. She stared into the sky in a near catatonic state. Argent’s head appeared above her. “That went great!” he said excitedly, “see, there was nothing to worry about.” Twilight continued staring blankly into the sky.

“Alright Scoots,” said Rainbow Dash, “you’re up again. Take a breather Twi. You go again in a few minutes.”

“It wasn’t that bad Twi,” said Rainbow Dash, “even I spun out during my first free fall. You didn't even lose your lunch, that’s way better than most pegasi.”

“How could she lose her lunch,” asked Pinkie Pie, “it’s right here.” She swept her hoof over the checkered blanket full of food and drink.

“Riiiiight,” said Dash, “Really though, on that last drop you barely span at all. You’re starting to get the feel for it.” She grabbed a cupcake and chomped down before falling to her back. “Give us another month or two and you’ll be flying like a pro.”

“She’s right,” said Lightning Dust, “we’ll have you flying better than any of the other princesses. They barely know enough to keep themselves aloft.” She polished an apple on her coat before taking a big bite. “Thanks for the grub you guys,” she said, “flying really works up an appetite.”

“Think nothing of it darling,” said Rarity, “we always bring too much food these days, what with Applejack eating anything put in front of her.”

“Well excuse me,” said Applejack between bites of a triple-decker apple and onion sandwich, “Ah’m eating for two over here.”

“If you call that eating,” said Spike.

“Be nice,” said Fluttershy, “Applejack can eat whatever she wants.”

Twilight sighed and tried a bite of the fruit salad Argent placed in front of her. The morning of spinning terror had left her nursing a sour stomach. “I haven’t had a stomachache like this since…oh right, a couple of days ago,” she thought to herself. She smiled weakly to Argent and ate sparingly. She listened as her friends chatted back and forth. Argent sat next to her and held her hoof in his. Oblivious to the company, she turned to him and kissed his cheek.

“Twilight?” asked Rarity, her amusement barely contained, “is there something you’d like to share with us?”

Twilight drank deeply from a teacup before setting it down with her magic. The attentions of her smiling friends never wavered from the two ponies sitting side by side. “Well,” she said, “Argent and I…” She looked at him and blushed. “That is to say, we decided…”

“Ugh,” gagged Spike, his claw pointed into his open mouth, “they’re smooching each other. A lot.”

“Spike!” shouted Rarity, “must you ruin every moment of sentiment. Twilight you were saying?”

“He’s pretty much spot on,” said Argent. He looked between the frowning faces of Rarity and Twilight and raised his hooves. “What?” he asked.

Twilight rolled her eyes and leaned against the stallion. “We’re seeing each other,” she said.

“I’m seeing you both too!” said Pinkie Pie.

“No Pinkie,” said Twilight, “we’re together.”

“Well you better be,” said Pinkie, “Argent would be a pretty bad bodyguard if he wasn't with you.”

“I’m telling you that we’re in love!” shouted Twilight. The words echoed across the open field.

“Well duh,” said Pinkie, “You’d have to be a super duper, head in the clouds, hay-brain not to know that. I mean you would have to be blind and deaf not to see it. A mole with earplugs wouldn't have missed the signals you two were sending.”

“Well said Pinkie,” said Rarity, “I for one am so excited for you both.” She stepped in front of the two ponies and hugged each. She stepped back and grinned at them. “Now I have to be getting back to the shop,” she said, “twenty Istallion tailored vests won’t sew themselves together. You don’t mind if I borrow Spike do you? I really need the help, and he’s ever so useful.” Twilight rolled her eyes and nodded her assent as the young dragon shook with excitement.

“That’s so wonderful Twilight,” said Fluttershy, “it’s so nice to be with somepony you love.” She looked back to Applejack and helped the pregnant mare to her hooves. “We should get you back to the farm,” said the shy Pegasus, “Soarin and your brother will worry if you’re late.”

Applejack sighed in frustration. “Fine,” she said while walking up to Twilight and Argent. “Congratulations ya’ll, but do yourselves a favor: Be careful.” She patted her stomach and joined Fluttershy in packing the basket they had brought.

“So he’s your coltfriend huh,” said Rainbow Dash before shrugging, “that’s cool. As long as he keeps you happy and coming to practice that is.” She looked around to make sure nopony was watching before darting in and hugging Twilight. “Come on LD, back to work.” Two contrails of light and crackling electricity signaled their departure.

“I guess that’s our cue to head home,” said Twilight, “You better get going if you want to catch up with Rarity, Spike.” The drake sped off, leaving a Spike shaped cloud of dust in his wake. “Alone at last,” said Twilight, “should we take the scenic route home?” She looked to her side when the stallion didn't answer. “Argent,” she asked, “is everything alright?”

“You… you love me too?” he asked incredulously.

Twilight giggled and wrapped his midsection with her forelegs. “I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it,” she said, “I certainly wouldn't have said the things I did to the Princess if I weren't sure of it.”

“I love you too,” said Argent quickly, “I don’t know why I didn't say so earlier.”

“Better late than never,” said Twilight. She pushed him down onto the checkered blanket and fell onto her back next to him. “I know it’s only been a short time,” said Twilight, “but I think it says a lot that I’d rather lie down here with you and watch the clouds float by than go back to the library and study.”

Argent smiled and kissed her deeply before levitating his saddle bags next to them. “I guess it’s a good thing that I brought these,” he said, pulling out a trio of thick tomes, parchment, and a bottle of ink, “there’s no reason you can’t do both.”

Twilight pulled the supplies into her magic aura and stacked them neatly on Argent’s upturned shield. “Maybe in a little while,” she said while scooting over so that their sides touched, “okay, definitely in a little while. Let’s just stay like this for now.” She tilted her head against his and closed her eyes.

“She fixed her magic after a fashion,” said Argent. He pulled the small cart they had found abandoned on the side of the road, its contents completely untouched. The low desert scrub provided little in the way of shade, but a stiff breeze from the north kept the sun baked land pleasantly cool for once. “I don’t know the exact details,” said Argent, “but she was tinkering for years to perfect that thing on her horn. She said it suppressed the surges of magic that she suffered.”

“It’s a bi-lateral magic diffuser with an artificial collection matrix,” said Twilight, “a brute force method at best.”

“Trixie understands that things were different in your past,” said Trixie, “but why would Trixie not seek help. Trixie may be a bit prideful, but she isn’t above asking for help when she really needs it.”

“A bit prideful?” scoffed Twilight, “the Great and Powerful Trixie is the absolute definition of modesty.”

“Twilight and our Trixie aren't exactly friendly,” explained Argent, “in case you can’t detect Twilight’s subtle sarcasm.”

“She stole my spellbook!” growled Twilight, “and don’t tell me you forgot what she did on your birthday.”

“She gave it back,” said Argent, “and your mane grew back eventually. She proved that Alicorn mane is a perfect magical insulator.”

“Whatever,” grumbled Twilight, “whenever she’s around, my life gets turned upside down. Do you recognize anything yet Trixie?”

Trixie looked at the surrounding countryside and shrugged. “Trixie doesn't see anything particularly memorable,” she said, “Remember that Trixie wasn't exactly in her right mind when she escaped.” She raised her muzzle to the air and inhaled deeply. “It doesn't smell wrong yet,” she said, “let’s keep heading this way.” She pointed towards the hazy, shimmering sunset.

The long shadows of giant cacti stretched across the barely visible dirt road. Determined as they were to find some clue of Trixie’s abductors, the three ponies overlooked the fact that the shadows pointed in the wrong direction.

“Who’s mommy’s happy little filly!” cooed Twilight. She raised the squirming foal in front of her and nuzzled its face with hers. “Let’s go see if daddy’s home yet,” she said to the gurgling foal, “it’s time to take you on your walk.” She carried her daughter into the library common room, humming to herself in delight. ”Everything is just perfect,” she thought to herself, “I have the best friends, the best husband, and the cutest little filly in all of Equestria.”

She strolled into the kitchen in time to see Argent drop two bulging bags of produce on the table. “How are my princesses,” he said warmly upon seeing his wife, “you two crack any mystical, magic conundrums yet?”

“Only the mystery of ‘What’s in the Diaper,’” said Twilight, “and while it certainly reeks of some nether realm of madness, it is far less interesting.”

Argent tickled the foal under the chin, receiving a sweet giggle for his troubles. “Aww,” he said, “is my little Corona Gleam boring her mommy? Don’t worry kiddo, I can’t understand half the stuff she says either.” He deftly avoided the playful shove from Twilight and levitated the groceries into their places in the pantry. “The mail train hasn’t arrived from Canterlot yet,” he said in annoyance, “Shining said the dossiers for potential recruits would be here by now.”

“I’m sure it’ll be here soon,” replied Twilight, “I need to attune a dragon lantern to Cady. It would make things like this so much easier.” She sat on a chair at the kitchen table and cradled the foal in her forelegs. “She says she wants to see the foal pictures while Corona is still a foal.”

“Tell you what,” said Argent, “I’ll have Lieutenant Dauntless watch the library next week and we’ll head over to the empire for a visit.” He picked up the orange coated filly and held her into the air. “Do you wanna go see Auntie Cady and Uncle Shiney?” he asked in a cutesy voice. The filly squealed in excitement, drooling on her father’s hooves.

“That sounds great,” said Twilight, “we can surprise them!” She pulled the filly from Argent’s hooves with her magic and placed her in the fancy gold filigreed stroller Rarity had given them at the foalshower. “It’s time for walkies!” she said happily, “and Auntie Pinkie promised Corona a carrot puree cupcake.” She grabbed Argent by the hoof and used her magic to push the stroller out the back door. They walked into the crisp fall day, hooves crunching on the red and yellow leaves that had fallen from their tree home. They crossed the plaza, waving at the many friends and well wishers they passed along the way.

The whistle of a train whistle pierced the peaceful day. “Sounds like that train finally made it,” said Twilight. She bent over the stroller and smiled at her daughter. “What sound does the train make Corrie?” she asked. The filly gurgled unintelligibly. “That’s right!” cooed Twilight, “the train goes choo choo!”

Argent chuckled at and took over pushing the stroller. “I won’t get my hopes up on getting that mail,” he said, “our mailponies get the job done, but they aren’t exactly the model of efficiency.”

“Fine by me,” said Twilight, “that’s more time you get to spend with us instead of reading through dry personnel reports.” She kissed him on the cheek and smiled suggestively. “And who knows,” she said, “maybe Corona will go to bed early tonight.” She winked at him and walked up the steps to Sugar Cube Corner, while Argent wheeled the stroller up the ramp.

“Hello Princess,” said the emotionless filly who sat behind the counter, “are you here to see mother?”

“Hello Savory!” said Twilight, “how’s my favorite book club president doing today?”

“Quite well your majesty,” said the filly, “I finished Mareodetus’ History of Unicornia last night. It may be a bit dry for the book club, but I found it fascinating. The stratification of their society was quite severe.”

“Well you have to remember that they were utterly dependent on the food from the earth ponies,” said Twilight, “Those unicorns with the magical affinity for changing the seasons would naturally dominate any social structure. The play doesn’t mention it, but Princess Platinum alone kept the long winter at bay for several years before the Wendigos overwhelmed even her magical ability.”

“Hoof ache, tail twitch, back shiver!” shouted Pinkie from the bakery kitchen, “Something boring’s happening!” She bounced through the saloon doors and picked up her daughter with a snort of laughter. “Hi Twilight!” she said while squeezing her dour daughter, “are you bringing Savi more books?”

“Not today,” said Twilight, “We’re out on a walk with Corona.” Argent pushed the stroller through the front door and waved to the mares.

Pinkie Pie dropped Savory and disappeared into the kitchen. In a fraction of a second the pink blur returned bearing an orange cupcake on a tray. She hopped around the sales counter and leaned into the stroller. “Auntie Pinkie has a present for you Corrie!” said the pink mare, “my all natural, foal tested and foal approved carrot cupcake with carrot puree center!” The foal reached up and grabbed the fragrant treat, ruthlessly and messily devouring it in a flurry of orange crumbs and sticky orange goop. Pinkie pulled out a camera and took a picture of the carnage. She reached in front of the camera and handed the photo to Twilight. “Everypony should have their ‘Foal’s First Cupcake’ picture!” she said excitedly.

Twilight laughed at the state of her daughter. She pulled a napkin from the stroller’s storage bag and began wiping her tiny muzzle. “Thanks Pinkie,” said Twilight, “it looks like Corona has a sweet tooth.“
The blare of Ponyville’s warning sirens were deafening, even through the sturdy walls of Sugar Cube Corner. Corona began crying as Twilight held her hooves to her tiny ears. “What’s happening,” she shouted.

Argent ran to the door and peeked out into the plaza. Crowds of terrified ponies fled across the open square from the direction of the train station. “Stay here,” he said before disappearing out the door.

Twilight raised a sound proof barrier around the room and tried her best to calm her daughter. “I’m sure it’s nothing sweetie,” said Twilight, “daddy’s going to be right back.” Pinkie and Savory stood together next to the stroller, the filly hugging her mother’s foreleg tightly. Tense minutes passed before Twilight peeked out the window. The remains of a newspaper blew across the plaza, but not a single pony was in sight.

The door flew open, making Twilight gasp in surprise. “Oh thank goodness,” said the stallion that charged through. He ran over to Pinkie and Savory and wrapped the two mares in his forelegs. “Come on,” he said, “we need to get into the cellar.”

“Braeburn,” said Twilight, “what’s going on out there? Did you see Argent?”

“Princess,” he said while pulling up the large hidden door behind the counter, “I have no idea. I was with the Mayor, organizing the running of the leaves, when the sirens started. Somepony said that something happened with the train and that everypony should hide.” He flipped the switch by the wall of the cellar stairs and flooded the basement with light. “Bring Corona down here with us,” he said, “we have plenty of room.”

“Pinkie, can you watch her?” asked Twilight, “I need to find Argent.”

Pinkie saluted and grabbed the foal from the stroller. “Be careful Twilight,” she said, “and come back as soon as you find him.”

Twilight nodded and kissed her daughter’s forehead before dashing out into the plaza. Knowing that Argent and his Harmony Guard would have immediately run towards any danger, she made her way to the train station. She pulled enough raw energy into horn to deal with any threat she could imagine. Glad that everypony seemed to have cleared the plaza, she made quick time to the gates of the train depot. The mail train sat motionless on the tracks, its cargo car doors wide open. She moved to investigate but stopped when she saw the silver coated form of her husband standing in front of one of the open cars.

She flared her horn and teleported the short distance and appeared behind him. “Argent,” she said, “is everything okay?”

“Alicorn,” said a rasping voice from inside the train car.

“No,” whispered Twilight, “It can’t be. We destroyed you.”

The tattered remains of a pony stepped to the edge of the cargo doors. The rotted remnants of its thin hide was riddled with tears and holes and hung loosely on a very visible skeletal frame. A malevolent red glow emanated from somewhere behind the beast’s empty eye sockets. “Bring me her blood thrall,” croaked the lich.

Argent turned to face her, his eyes solid pools of blackness. Without hesitation he leapt on top of Twilight carrying her to the ground. He brought his hooves to her throat and squeezed painfully. Years spent wielding heavy shields had left him with an iron grasp.

Twilight flared her horn and prepared to throw him from her when a black ray of energy struck her. The magical aura around her horn dissipated, and her magic slipped from her control. She brought her hooves to her throat and futilely tried to pry away Argent’s. His emotionless black eyes stared into her panic filled violet eyes while her limbs flailed wildly.

Black spots danced across Twilight’s vision, and each painful attempt at breathing drew tears from her eyes. As her last moments of consciousness faded to black, she worked her lips and mouthed, “I love you.”

Twilight woke and gasped for breath while sitting up in the soft bed. She brought her hooves to her throat and drank deeply from the sweet night air. She looked around at the luxuriously appointed bedroom and sighed in relief. “It was so real,” she thought to herself.

“Everything alright love?” asked Argent from beside her, “It’s a little early for morning sickness.”

Twilight fell back into the mattress and ran her hooves over her bulging stomach. “Just a bad dream,” she said, “just a very, very bad dream.”

Four unseen red eyes watched from the corner of the dark bedroom.

Author's Note

"Trixie freed Trixie," said Trixie.

That sentence has reached maximum Trixie.

We're getting there. I don't think there will be more than a handful of chapters.

Ch. 18: Infinite

Mane Sail whistled to himself as he turned the rudder of his large sailboat. With the effortless grace of a pony who had spent much of his life at sea, the caramel colored stallion lowered his head just before the large wooden boom would have knocked him senseless. He sat back up and adjusted the rigging with his bare hooves, locking the sail in its new position. The other sailors that plied their trade in Luna's Sound always gave him a hard time for mostly ignoring the prominent horn that marked him a unicorn.

Mane Sail didn't care to use his magic; he felt it defeated the purpose. Sailing was the closest one could come to being at the mercy of nature's whim in Equestria. The pegasi kept the weather on the land as steady as they could, favoring consistent manageable weather patterns. The extremes of nature were smoothed out to allow the ponies of Equestria to flourish in peace. Mane Sail held no grudges, for he had seen what nature, at her absolute worst, was capable was. None dared sail as far as he did into the great western ocean, nor did anypony fly that far out. The squalls and cyclones that he had survived had impressed upon him the primal fury that few ponies had seen. To bring magic into the equation would have cheapened the experience. At any rate, he had seen enough magic in his life.

His day hadn't been quite so epic as those earlier voyages. The Albatross's Portent was his life's love, but she was as high maintenance as any demanding marefriend. New rigging had to be bought; hull patches had to be measured and installed; sails had to be mended. These and a laundry list of other expenses meant that Main Sail had to spend the occasional afternoon engaged in the pursuit of the almighty bit. Luckily, the sea provided all he needed. His hold was filled with a combination of sargasso seaweed and shallow reef pearls. Satisfied that his buyers would be happy with his haul, he had turned his vessel back towards one of the twin jewels of Luna's Sound, Seaddle. He had no preference between Seaddle and Vanhoover, but his buyers preferred to do business at the docks of the Emerald City.

Luna's Sound was busy during the late summer, early autumn period. Large barges full of fruit from the orchards near Los Pegasus competed for space with dozens of smaller sightseeing boats. Mane Sail deftly maneuvered his vessel through the wake and wash of the traffic and lined himself up with the long docks he called his home away from the sea. Large warehouses rose up behind the piers, massive stallions pulling loads in and out at a frenzied pace. Mane Sail pulled the Albatross into her usual berth and smiled at the mare waiting for him.

"Dockside service Sea?" he asked jovially, "this isn't coming out of my pay is it?

Seaside Bounty rolled her eyes and flared her horn. The mooring lines floated from the side of the Albatross and tied themselves onto the large bollards on the dock. "You think I'm some kind of bit pinching taskmaster," said the turquoise coated mare, "but if not for me, you'd be rowing a dinghy in a pond."

"Easy lass," said Mane Sail, "I meant no offense. Your help is always appreciated, you know that." He shouldered his duffle bag and put on his battered flat cap. "I'm still curious why you're here," he said, "I know you're a busy mare these days."

Seaside shook her head and levitated the bag from the stallion's back. "Not too busy to deliver good news to my best friend," she said, "Did you find those pearls?"

"Two baskets of 'em," replied Mane Sail, "about a hundred; not a bad one in the bunch."

"Then the morning spent waiting at the docks was worth it," said the excited mare. "Long story short, the pearls that your... competitor... brought in were proven to be fakes. I don't think she'll be doing business in the Sound anytime soon. If yours are the real deal, you basically get to name your price."

"That's great," said Mane Sail, "No more wasted days for awhile! Maybe I can finally try that crossing to Neighpon."

"Mane," said Seaside, "with this kind of cash, you could buy five Albatrosses and have enough left over to sail them all to your own island marina. Or you could settle down here; maybe join me in the importing business?"

"Seaside, I-" began Mane Sail, "What is that?"

A pitch black sphere hung over the Seaside Bounty Importers Warehouse. A series of crackling bolts of energy forked to the roof of the building, sending the workponies scrambling for cover. "My warehouse!" shouted Seaside. She dropped Mane Sail's bag to the ground and galloped down the pier. She only made it halfway to the large wooden building when the sphere exploded in a flash of light. A wave of compressed air spread out across the bay, shattering windows and knocking ponies to their backs. Mane Sail, always prepared for a rogue gale, maintained his hoofing and pulled the falling mare out of the air with his magic before she landed in the salty water. He kept his eyes riveted to sky above the warehouse and was perhaps the only pony in Seaddle who witnessed the first confirmed Rockfall.

A collection of boulders, immense in size, even at their considerable distance, hung in the air for a split second before falling from the sky. The docks shook violently as tons of rocks crashed into the roof of the massive warehouse. Mane Sail held Seaside back as she struggled against his grasp. "Let me go," she yelled, "I have ponies in there." He closed his eyes and flared his magic. Within a instant, the two ponies reappeared in front of what remained of Seaside's business.

"Stay behind me," said the sailor pony, "you need to be close for me to teleport you if the docks give way." He pushed a tangled pile of broken plywood aside with a flick of his horn and revealed the main loading bay doors. Seaside grabbed the large chain and pulled on the mechanism that slowly opened the door. Mane Sail ducked under when it was high enough and waved for her to join him.

The inside of the warehouse was complete chaos. The ceiling high shelves were toppled everywhere, their contents spilled onto the floor as far as either of them could see. Broken pottery mingled with smashed produce and countless other sundry items. Mane Sail led them around the debris and towards the rear half of the warehouse, easily recognizable by the complete lack of a roof. He surrounded a particularly large shelf that blocked their way with a dark blue aura and pushed it back to its standing position. The dockside warehouse shuddered and groaned the farther inside they pushed.

"Mane," said Seaside, her eyes wide at the stallion's display of magic, "I had no idea you could..."

"Wasn't always a sailor," he grunted, the exertion of using this much magic at once getting to him, "keep your ears up, we're getting close."

"I think we may be very fortunate," said Seaside, "this side is mainly long term storage."

Mane Sail nodded but kept pressing through the ruined building. "I think we aught to see what caused this," he said, "it has magic written all over it, and I'm sure the princesses will want to know every detail we can find." He lifted a large beam up and waved Seaside under it before dropping it behind them. The large hole in the ceiling let in plenty of light to see the carnage. Whatever had been stored in this side of the warehouse was now buried on the bottom of the ocean floor beneath what must have been hundreds of tons of solid rock. Mane Sail walked to the edge of the hole that the rocks had punched through the wooden floor. He hopped onto the pile of debris, his hoofs briefly sliding on a wet rock. He held out his hoof and helped Seaside onto the rocky hill.

"Where did it come from?" asked the mare.

"The sky," said Mane.

"Not what I meant barnacle brain," she said. They walked over the pile, looking and listening for anypony in distress.

"Boss!" came a shout from behind several toppled shelves on the other side of the chasm, "is that you?"

"Hauler!" shouted Seaside, "Do a roll call outside, and find out if anypony was working back here." The stallion nodded and began making his way to the front of the building. "I don't think there's much more we can do here," she said to Mane Sail, "the guards should be arriving soon to help." The stallion's gaze remained fixed on the boulders in front of him. "Mane," said Seaside, "let's get out of here before this whole building comes down."

"Seaside, do you suppose you could front me the bits for a train ticket to Canterlot?" asked the stallion.

"Canterlot?" asked the mare in shock, "Mane, you haven't been more than half a league from the sea in all the years I've known you."

Mane Sail planted his hooves and strained his horn as he lifted an enormous boulder. He spun it around and placed it on the pile between himself and Seaside. "Like I said," he muttered, "the princesses are going to want to know about this."

Seaside Bounty gasped as she examined the large flat rock. Upon it's large surface, in bright yellow paint was printed a message:

TELL CELESTIA. THEY ARE HERE.

"SPIKE!" yelled Twilight, "How many times have I told you to knock first!"

The dragon laid prone on the other side of the slammed door and rubbed his snout. The last two months had been a learning experience for the young dragon. He didn't mind the changes, in fact, he loved the new room he had just moved into. Twilight had been wary about giving a creature known for compulsive hoarding a lair in which to store his potential ill gotten goods, but she had relented when Spike had agreed to bi-monthly greed checks. "Sorry," said the red faced dragon,"you got a note from the princess."

"Leave it in the study," shouted Twilight from the other side of the door, "I'll read it later."

Spike grumbled to himself as he waddled to the study and threw the scroll onto the cluttered desk. "I used to get yelled at if I didn't bring her scrolls right to her," groused the dragon to himself, "sheesh, make up your mind."

Back in the large bedroom, Twilight fell back onto the soft star patterned comforter on her bed. "Sorry," she said, "I guess we should get a lock on the door."

Argent turned onto his side and rubbed his horn against hers, eliciting a gasp from the mare. "It was a nice way to wake up," said Argent, "until the shouting and the slamming door, that is." He pressed his lips to hers and held her in a deep kiss. "Good morning," he said to her upon parting, "Go read your letter; I know you're dying of curiosity." He looked down across his matted silver coat and jumped up from the bed. "I'm going to grab a shower," he said, "ponies don't take me seriously when they notice long pink and purple hairs in my mane."

Twilight watched him stretch his legs as he walked towards the master bathroom and smiled deviously. "Okay, I'll be in the study," she said while flaring her horn. The bedroom door quickly opened and closed on it's own. Twilight listened for the sound of running water through the wall and crept towards the open bathroom door.

Argent whistled happily as he held his head under the warm shower spray. Had his eyes not been tightly shut to keep the soapy suds out of them, he might have noticed the lavender mare parting the shower curtain behind him. She stepped into the large bathtub and threw her forelegs around the stallion. "I told you I could surprise you," said the satisfied mare.

Thirty minutes, and a full bottle of coat and mane conditioner later, Twilight strode into her study. A large white towel worked itself in her mane as she flared her horn. Smiling at the slightly faded ink stains on the floor, Twilight levitated the books and parchments and sent them on their way into the various bookshelves and binders that lined the walls of the small room. Satisfied that the remains of her late night of studying had been adequately cleaned, she picked up the sealed scroll and her favorite brush and walked out onto her balcony.

She started running the brush through her mane while sitting down facing the early autumn sunrise. She smiled to herself as she began unrolling the princess's letter. "Waking up with my special somepony; a letter from the princess," thought Twilight, "the only thing that would make this morning better would be-"

"Coffee!" said Argent, levitating a steaming lavender mug onto the deck next to the reclining mare, "or sugar slurry with some coffee added."

"Oh, ha ha," said Twilight while raising the mug to her lips, "Some of us work so hard that caffeine alone is insufficient."

Argent smirked and sat next to her. "So what does our esteemed leader have to say this fine morning?" he asked while taking a sip from his own mug. The contented smile on Twilight's face slipped as she read through the princess's letter. Her brow furrowed and she rose her hoof to her mouth. "What's wrong?" asked Argent. Twilight passed the scroll to the stallion and rose to her hooves. Argent began reading:

Twilight,

I need to see you right away. Board the next train to Canterlot and meet me in the observatory as soon as you arrive. Tell nopony where you are going and let nopony delay you. Bring Argent Defender as well: What we must discuss involves him as well.

Celestia

"That's pretty cryptic," said the stallion as he rolled up the scroll, "you don't think she has an issue with us sharing a room, do you?"

"No," said Twilight, "we've been talking, and she says she couldn't be happier for us. No, this is something different. She's never this mysterious unless it's about something very important." Twilight walked back into the study and set her coffee on the table. "No time to worry about packing anything," she said while pulling her crown and hoofcups from a shelf, "go get your uniform and we'll head to the station."

"I'll tell Spike to watch the library," said Argent.

"Are Horizon and Oracle still gone?" asked Twilight, "We don't know how long we'll be away, and they did a great job last time."

"I saw the same note on their front door," said Argent, "I guess Horizon's family must live pretty far away. I know they're used to traveling, but two months is a long time to be away from your home."

"Spike can handle it," said Twilight, "Come on, I don't want the princess to wait for us." She walked down the stairs and waited by the door while Argent gathered his coat and the dragon to whom they would leave care of the library to. Once Spike and Argent met her, she was nervously pacing around the front desk.

"We don't know when we'll be back," said Argent, "but we'll be sure to send you a note when we know."

"Relax," said Spike, "I can run this place in my sleep. You two better leave before she wears a groove into the floor." Twilight sheepishly smiled and gave the dragon a hug before opening the door.

"There's a bag of bits in the study if you want a treat," she said while Argent zipped up his jacket, "and remember, if anypony asks, you don't know where we went."

"But I don't know where you're going," said Spike.

"Exactly," said Twilight. "Be good number one assistant. I'm sure we'll be back soon." Spike saluted as Twilight walked out the door into the slowly warming autumn day.

Twilight gave the limp hoof one more tug before succumbing to exhaustion. Her legs gave out and she collapsed to the hard packed dirt floor. She coughed as she slowly crawled to the unconscious mare's side. "Applejack," she wheezed, "you have to get up. We have to get to the girls." She shook the normally unshakable mare and begged for her to wake up.

The sound of cracking wood drew Twilight's attention. She looked up into the smoky abyss and had a split second to react to the the thick cross beam that fell from the barn's roof. With what little strength she had, Twilight yanked on Applejack's foreleg and pulled her aside just before the flaming stanchion crashed into the floor, sending a shower of sparks into their coats. She gave herself a moment to suck in some of the smoky air near the floor. "Come on AJ," she said while grabbing the farm-pony with the small amount of magic she could pull from her horn, "I won't leave you here."

"This isn't real," whispered a familiar voice, "you must wake up."

Twilight's ears perked up and she looked up into the swirling smoke. The eddies and currents in the air formed into the dark silhouette of an alicorn. Two large white eyes glowed through the smoke, staring down Twilight. The crushing memory of nightmare after nightmare flooded her mind, nearly crippling the lavender alicorn. "How Luna!," she yelled with a hoarse rasping voice, "I can't remember. For the love of your sister, tell me what to do."

"You must-" began the smoky visage. The sound of intense wind filled Twilight's ears, drowning out what the phantom alicorn was trying to communicate. From deeper in the billowing mass of smoke four intense red lights raged like infernos. Twilight whimpered as the quartet of bright beacons banished the aspect of the princess of the night. The wind howled as the red light merged into a massive firestorm. The roof of the barn finally gave way. Twilight threw her body atop Applejack and gritted her teeth.

*Flash*

Twilight reached over and turned off the alarm next to her bunk. Warm lights, specifically filtered to resemble early morning sunlight, flickered on above her head, revealing several photos taped to the underside of the bunk above her. With a smile, she kissed her forehoof and rested it on a picture of the silver stallion and three little fillies. She stretched her wings and pulled herself out of the small alcove she called her home away from home. She floated into the middle of the long cylindrical hallway and used her wings to propel herself through the habitation module. She continued to the central work hub and carefully descended one of the spokes, mindful of slowly returning illusion of gravity the spinning ring provided.

"Good morning Princess," said a thin stallion in a white lab coat, "I trust you slept well."

"As well as usual Professor," replied Twilight, "at some point I'll get used to sleeping in null-G. Has there been any movement from Mare Harmonia?"

"There has been some chatter on encrypted channels," said the bespectacled stallion, "but we're no closer to cracking the key. They could be preparing a bombardment and we'd never know until the rocks began flying."

"The princess assured me she was committed to the cease fire," said Twilight, "in all the years I've know her, Luna has never once gone back on her word." Twilight walked to the long window and watched as the Moon slowly came into view from the right side of the window while the Earth receded on the left. Another day at the Lagrange Four Station began much as they had since its construction: With equal parts hope and fear.

Argent walked in front of Twilight as they passed through the long ornate hallways of Canterlot Castle. "Walk like you belong here," thought the stallion to himself, "you're a princess's escort: Act like it." He straightened his neck and puffed out his chest, striving to look every bit the Captain of the Royal Guard that he was. They approached yet another set of spiraling stairs and climbed one level closer to the observatory.

"You know you don't have to impress anypony," said Twilight, "You're my Captain, no matter what they may think."

"It's professional pride," said Argent, "I was in their place not too long ago. No guard wants to see their captain stumbling around like a green recruit." He opened the door with his magic and held it for Twilight. "And there's no way I'm going to embarrass you."

Twilight drew her tail across the stallion's face as she passed him. "You forget that most ponies here remember the book crazed filly and young mare who was constantly running late for her lessons with the princess," she said, "I'm pretty sure there are some funny jokes about me floating around."

The final hallway they crossed was devoid of guards, allowing Argent to finally relax and stroll down the hallway at his leisure. The sound of their hooves striking the marble floors echoed up the final spiral staircase that opened into the observatory. As Argent climbed the final few steps, Celestia's serene stare welcomed him to the highest tower in Canterlot Castle. Both ponies were immediately wrapped in Celestia's golden magical aura. A strong tingling of magic ran through their coats, causing their hair to stand on end. The elder alicorn sighed in relief and placed them both back down onto their hooves.

"I apologize for that," she said, "I had to make sure it was really you." She stepped between the two younger ponies and used her wings to hug each around the neck. "Thank you both for coming so quickly," said the elder Alicorn, "I know this isn't how you wanted to spend this beautiful day." She noted the blush on her student's face and smiled. "As I said in my rather rushed letter, this is something that concerns you both, so whatever happens, you will be together. This alone gives me hope that all is not as dire as I fear."

"Princess," said Twilight, "you're starting to scare me."

"I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid," replied Celestia, "but what do we always say about fear, Twilight?"

"We fear only as much as we are ignorant," recited Twilight.

"Then we must rectify our ignorance," said Celestia. "I will try to explain this as best as I can, but keep in mind that some of these issues are problems that the most brilliant ponies have spent ages trying to unravel." She led the two younger ponies to one side of the large round, open aired cupola. Something large sat beneath a large white sheet. Celestia flared her horn and pulled the sheet away, revealing a large flat boulder with yellow words scrawled on one side. "Two days ago, this boulder, along with hundreds of tons of others just like it, appeared out of thin air and crushed a warehouse on the docks of Seaddle."

"Was anypony hurt?" asked Argent.

"Yes," said Celestia, "the hospital is full of ponies with broken limbs and lacerations, but by some benevolent twist of fate, nopony lost their life." She placed the sheet back over the boulder and walked to the small balcony reserved for stargazing. "Believe it or not," she said, "that was a message."

"From whom?" asked Twilight, "and who are 'They?'"

"From me," replied Celestia, "and 'They,' are you two."

"Come again," said Argent.

Celestia sighed and sat down beside the large telescope on the railing. "Let me ask you a question," said Celestia, "What happens when you make a decision?"

"Umm, well, you weigh the potential outcomes of that decision," said Twilight, "and choose the outcome that you prefer."

"Okay," said Celestia, "what happens to those other outcomes?"

"What do you mean?" asked Twilight, "they never happen."

"Not for you," said Celestia, "but the potential for those outcomes existed. They were just as possible as the outcome you selected. It was only your subjective reasoning that allowed one to become real."

"I suppose so," said Argent, "but you're still stuck with one actual outcome."

"You are," said Celestia, "but the universe takes those possibilities into account. New worlds are created, similar in nearly every way, save for that one different choice."

"But we all make so many choices," said Twilight, "that's just..."

"Hard to fathom isn't it," said Celestia, "an infinite number of realities with an infinite number of possibilities."

"Okay," said Argent, "I won't pretend to understand any of this metaphysical, meaning of life stuff, but what does this have to do with a magical avalanche in Seaddle?"

"Argent, I need to take Twilight somewhere," said the alicorn, "somewhere you can't follow. I promise you that she will be safe, and that we shall return in a few minutes." She turned to her student and draped one of her massive wings over her back. "The questions you both have are best answered there."

Argent reluctantly nodded and stepped away from the pair of alicorns. Pure white sunlight built up at the base of Celestia's horn and pulsed strongly as it traveled to the tip. A flash of radiant energy surrounded them both and in a heartbeat, Argent stood alone atop the windy tower.

Twilight found herself floating in a familiar void. Distant white dots surrounded her in a sea colors that strongly resembled Celestia's aurora mane. "This is where I became an alicorn," said the awed mare, "where you showed me all the moments of my life."

"Yes," said Celestia, "we call this place The Consensus. Only alicorns can access it, and only I have any measure of control over it. Its name and purpose will make sense to you shortly." Celestia looked out into the sea of stars and spoke loudly. "I have my Twilight with me," boomed her strong voice, "we can proceed." From nowhere, rectangular windows, much like the ones she viewed her achievements through previously, opened in front of her. Dozens of them turned into hundreds, which soon became thousands, which soon became too numerous to count. In each window, the familiar face of Celestia stared back.

"Are we seeing moments of your life?" asked Twilight in confusion, "that might take a while."

"We are not your Celestia," said the voices in unison, "We are echos of her: Versions of your Celestia that could be, and could have been."

Twilight focused on some of the faces and began picking out subtle differences. A Celestia with short cropped pink hair. A Celestia with a large puckered scar running across her face. A Celestia with metal grafted on her face. She stopped trying to differentiate the myriad princesses and instead focused on the questions she had.

"You are from other worlds," said Twilight, "places created when a different choice was made."

"Correct," said the collective, "we are all Celestia, and we all live in a place very much like your Equestria."

Twilight turned to her mentor. "Forgive me if I offend Princess," she said, "but why would you want to speak to an infinite number of yous? It seems a bit... crazy."

"As we said," boomed the voices, "some of us might have been your Celestia. Time is relative to us here. While your Celestia can never speak to who she was or who she will be, she may speak to those who she might have been in the past, or those she could have become in the future."

"You see my student," said the alicorn standing beside her, "In spite of the infinite variation of these worlds, broad patterns emerge. If there is a Celestia; and trust me, there isn't always a Celestia; there is usually a Luna. And if there's a Luna, there is a good possibility that she becomes Nightmare Moon. And if there is a Nightmare Moon, there is a good chance that there will be a Twilight Sparkle to face her and free her." Celestia waved her hoof towards the many quasi-reflections of herself. "The Consensus is a large group of Celestias who have had similar experiences," she said, "similar enough to see a pattern and help one another in times of need. My rumored omniscience comes from the fact that when I need to, I can query The Consensus to determine the likelihood of certain outcomes. Prophecies, omens, unbelievable coincidence: These are my tools."

"Tools for what?" asked Twilight.

"Tools to make sure that Equestria is safe," said Celestia, "much like the pegasi weather patrols, I smooth out radical events that have the potential to negatively impact our kingdom."

Twilight nodded in understanding. "There are so many of them," said the awestruck younger mare as she looked into the see of Celestias.

"A small fraction of the infinite is still the infinite," said the cacophony of Celestia voices. "You have been shown a small part of The Consensus. We are just the Celestias who are in this realm in our local time. There is but one of us you must speak to." The windows winked out at once, leaving a single rectangle which floated to within a pony length of the two alicorns.

"I know this is confusing Twilight," said the Celestia in the window, "hopefully it's a bit less so with just the three of us. That 'thousands of voices at once' thing still annoys me." The alicorn turned to face herself. "You have shown her the boulder?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Celestia, "She and Argent Defender have both seen it."

"The princess said it was a message from her," said Twilight, "I'm guessing she meant you."

"Correct," said the alicorn in the window, "It's purpose will become clear."

"There is a calamity occurring to both of our worlds," said the Celestia at Twilight's side, "On our side, enormous chunks of rock are appearing out of nowhere and crashing to the ground. Seaddle was the first in a populated area that we're aware of, but there have no doubt been more of these Rockfalls elsewhere. I have messengers flying to all of the neighboring kingdoms."

"These tons of rocks are coming from our side," said the alicorn in the window, "they are being pulled through a tear in the fabric of space and time; a tear I cannot close. In our world it is located atop what once was known as Dragon's Peak."

"What created this tear?" asked Twilight.

"You did," said the alicorn, "or rather, the you from my world did. As the others told you, we are a combination of Celestias that might have been, or could have been. Your Celestia and I have determined that our world is roughly two decades beyond yours. There have been differences in our worlds, but our pasts are remarkably similar."

"What did... I... do?" asked Twilight.

"We don't know," said the older Celestia, "the other elements of Harmony tell me that our Princess Twilight had a terrible argument with all of them and fled to be alone." She related to her the story that the five other elements of harmony told her the very night of Twilight's disappearance. "They found her again atop Dragon's Peak, in the middle of a maelstrom of magic. She and Argent Defender were pulled into the portal she had created. The other elements were unable to follow."

"Why would I...she... do that?" asked Twilight, "We've had arguments before, but I would never say things like that to my friends."

"Ponies change," said the older alicorn at Twilight's side, "I remember a shy, stubborn unicorn who wouldn't talk to a single pony who wasn't her brother." She draped a wing over her shoulder and smiled. "Now she's the Princess of Harmony and mistress of the magic of friendship."

"My Twilight is a brilliant magician," said the older Celestia, "but she's also a very dour pony at times. I worry that she takes everything much to seriously. She neglects everything for her studies: Her friends, her own happiness, even her own health."

"So what do we do," asked Twilight, "what happened in Seaddle can't happen again."

"Certainly not," said both Celestias. The one standing next to Twilight flared her horn and created two illusory planets in front of her. "My counterpart says that the portal is growing." A dark black sphere began opening on one of the worlds and slowly began inflating. Simultaneously, flashes of light above the other world heralded miniature explosions.

"It is expanding," said the older Celestia, "it will eventually run out of mountain and begin devouring our world from the inside out."

"I don't think we want to find out what that would do to our world," said the younger Celestia as the illusion winked out of existence, "which is why you must find her."

"You will undoubtedly have more insight into her than any pony in your world," said the Celestia in the window, "ponies do change, but there is always something of the pony they once were left behind. Find my Twilight. Let her know that we all miss her, and that she is unconditionally loved and forgiven."

Twilight bowed deeply before the older of the two Celestias, not that she could really tell the difference in age. "I'll do my best princess," she said.

"Then I leave our hopes in your hooves," said the alicorn. She turned towards her younger counterpart and nodded. "I will see you at sunrise," she said just before the window winked out of existence.

"Come my faithful student," said Celestia, "we should return to your stallion."

"Princess?" said Twilight, "will I be able to return to this place on my own?"

Celestia sighed and looked down at her longtime student. "That is a discussion for another time Twilight," she said.

"But if I can contact other Twilights in those other worlds, maybe we can figure out where is," she said, "maybe I can even contact her."

"It doesn't work like that," said Celestia, "I promise that when you're ready, I will tell you everything that this place has to offer, as well as the toll it takes on the alicorns who are foolish enough to use it. For now, please believe me when I say that you're not ready."

"Okay princess," said Twilight, "I know you only want what's best for me. I'm ready to go back when you are."

Celestia flared her horn and Twilight squeezed her eyes shut as the boundless realm faded to white. The young alicorn opened her eyes and looked out over colorfully topped white spires and domes of Canterlot.

"There they are," said Luna, leaning in to Argent, "I told you not to worry."

"Sister," said Celestia, walking to Luna, "what are you still doing awake?"

"The thing you asked me to do," said Luna. "She is definitely here. I found her dreams, dark though they were. It was odd, they were as vivid as any dream I've ever walked."

Celestia watched as Twilight pulled Argent to the edge of the balcony and began speaking to him. She turned back to her sister and retreated underneath the cupola so her sister wouldn't have to continue to squint through the bright morning sun. "Any clue to where they are?" she asked as Luna slumped down next to the stairs.

"No," said the princess of the night, "if anything, her location is even more mysterious." Luna held her hoof to her mouth as she yawned. "Something is influencing her dreams," she said, mortified by the very notion, "something so powerful it can rebuff my attempts at contact. The things she's being forced to dream..." Luna shuddered at the memories of her long night of dreamwalking. "It ejected me out of the dream big sister," said Luna, "Me! More than once! I spent the entire night trying to pull her from those nightmares."

"Her Celestia says that she's a powerful magician," said Celestia, "perhaps she has a greater control of her dreams than the average pony."

"Please Tia," said Luna, "this was not her doing. Nopony would ever willingly dream what she did." The princess took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm going back to my quarters to try again," she said with a tired voice, "I'll let you know if I find anything."

"I do hope you get some actual sleep Luna," said Celestia, "I don't think these Rockfalls will limit themselves to the day."

"No!" shouted Twilight, "She couldn't! She wouldn't!" Both princess craned their heads around and watched Twilight shaking in fury.

"Go," said Celestia, "I'll see her off." Luna nodded and yawned as she descended the spiraling stairs. Celestia sauntered back out to the balcony as Argent put his hoof around Twilight's shoulder and tried to calm her.

"I'm just saying that it makes sense, love," said Argent, "but maybe you're right."

"About what," asked Celestia.

Twilight spun around and gritted her teeth in barely constrained fury. "It's nothing," said Twilight, "I... I need to get back to Ponyville."

Celestia didn't wish to press her student. She had already inexorably altered her worldview and weighed her down with more worries than the young mare deserved. "I may be able to help you with that," she said. She flared her magic and a beam of the purest white light lanced through the sky. Twilight and Argent looked in the direction she had aimed and gasped as a sleek form burst through a large bank of fluffy white clouds. "Since time is of the essence, I decided that you need a faster means of travel."

A modest sized airship descended from the sky, its long, golden plated gondola gleaming in the sunlight. Racing stripes ran across the craft's tapered, torpedo shaped envelope, each a different color of Celestia's aurora mane. Two large ducted fans, their sleek cowlings sporting Celestia's solar sigil, rotated their nozzles so that they propelled the craft down towards the observatory balcony.

"The Sun Skimmer is the fastest airship in the Equestrian Air Corp," said Celestia, "and there's no pony I'd trust at the helm more than Mane Sail." The sloop came to a hover mere inches away from the balcony railing. The caramel coated stallion leapt down from the deck of the Sun Skimmer and doffed his flat weathered cap.

"Your Majesties," he said in a deep bow, "The Sun Skimmer is awaiting your command."

"Twilight, this is Mane Sail," said Celestia, "a dear friend, and possibly the most experienced sailor in all of Equestria."

"I don't know about all that," said Mane Sail, "but it's a pleasure to meet you Princess Twilight." The older stallion dropped a knee and bowed before Twilight. "Tis an honor to sail with royalty again."

Twilight blushed and pulled the stallion to his hooves. "Please Mr. Sail," she said, "I'm not the bowing and scraping kind of princess. I feel guilty for making you ferry me such a short distance."

The stallion looked at her and back to Celesatia in confusion. "I'm sorry princess?" he asked, "Princess Celestia said that we would be traveling quite a ways. To be honest, it's the reason I accepted the commission."

"The ship is yours Twilight," said Celestia, "wherever you need to go, no matter how far, Mane Sail and the Skimmer are at your beck and call."

"Within reason," said the mare that cautiously climbed down the short section of rope ladder, "somepony needs to be this sun baked sea dog's sense of caution." She rubbed Mane's short cropped blond mane with a hoof and gave a slight nod of deference to the pair of alicorns. "I'm Seaside Bounty," said the mare, "I suppose you could call me Mane's quartermaster."

"Nagmaster is more like it," muttered Mane Sail under his breath. Argent snickered, earning himself and Mane Sail a glare from Seaside and Twilight.

"Well then," said Celestia clapping her hooves together to grab the attentions of the ponies, "I'll leave you all to get acquainted. Twilight, if you need anything, just ask."

Twilight nuzzled her head against Celestia's chest and watched as she descended the stairs. "Alright everypony," she said, "next stop, Ponyville!"

*Flash*

Argent looked across the blood-soaked field at the gleaming golden armor of rank after rank of muscular Equestrian guards. He turned and surveyed the remains of his ragged force. "Too few," he thought to himself. The exhausted stallions and mares leaned against each other, their spears, shields and swords gripped tightly in hooves, magical auras and mouths.

"They signal for parley, Captain," said lieutenant Bulwark, "what are your orders?"

"Remain here Bull," said Argent, "it's probably another set of surrender terms."

"Maybe we should consider running," said the massive black earth pony, "We've done all we can here."

"There's nowhere else to retreat to Lieutenant," said Argent, "and they won't stop until Free Equestria bends to her will." He drew a deep breath and stood tall. "But maybe you're right," he said, "If they take me, try to break through. The Zebrica may yet hold. Find Zeret if you can, he owes me one."

"Yes sir," replied Bulwark, "don't let her take you."

"Fight well Bull," said Argent, clapping the stallion on the shoulder. He zipped up his torn armored uniform and affixed his silver shield to his back. Alone, he trotted across the sodden field, his hooves sending splashes of mud and water with every step. He stopped halfway between the two mismatched armies and waited. It didn't take long for a lone form to approach him. She floated above the muck, her wings flared, but motionless. A bubbling aura of greens, purples and blacks surrounded her as she came to a stop.

"This is you last chance Argent Defender," said the mare, "I give you two choices. One: Submit to your Queen and you may take your place by my side once more. You shall be my consort, as you were always meant to be, as you had planned to be so many years ago." The aura around her darkened, and the shadows seemed to twist around the Fell Queen's body. "Two: Fight me here and now. Die in front of your pathetic rebels, and be remembered for all time as a traitor to Equestria."

Argent didn't hesitate for a moment. His horn flared and his shield sprang from his back and hovered in front of him, the six pointed pink star facing the hovering mare. "I want nothing more than to be with the mare I love," he said with a resigned, pained voice, "but we both know she is long gone."

"Very well," said the mare, "I shall at least make your end swift. This mercy I grant to you." She flared her horn and created an enormous flanged mace of dark black energy, it's length easily equaling that of the stallion it was meant to crush.

Argent raised his shield and slowly circled the floating mare. He drew closer with each circuit until the mare lashed out with her conjured weapon. Mace met shield, and magenta sparks flew. Argent nimbly dodged a ray of hornfire and heaved his shield towards the Queen. It's trajectory was true, but she disappeared before it could strike her. Argent's horn flared and the shield reappeared in a flash of light in front of him. He had a split second to react to her reappearance and vicious attack. He held his shield to his side and winced as the maul crashed into it. A magical detonation of magenta and black sent him sprawling across the field of mud and puddles. He coughed up a bit of blood and shakily tried to raise himself to his hooves. The stallion that looked back at him from a puddle appeared beaten. Years of futile struggles, punctuated by heartache and betrayal stared at him, begging him to just let it all end.

"This isn't right," said a vaguely familiar voice. The reflection of Argent shimmered, solidifying into Princess Luna. "This is not real Argent Defender. You must fight this false reality."

He shook his head in confusion. It was as if two ponies inhabited his mind. One was desperate to bring down the Fell Queen's reign, the other wanted nothing more than to wake up from this nightmare.

"Yes!" said Luna, "I can feel their hold slipping. Remember your world. Remember Twilight. Remember your true plight."

"We... we need to get home," said the stallion, "how do I wake up Luna? I've tried so hard."

"I'm trying too," said Luna, "just hold on, help is coming, but you must tell me where-"

Four red lights tore the image of Luna to pieces and reassembled it into his own battered reflection. Behind him the Queen rose her energy mace and brought it down in a finishing blow. He rolled to the side and brought his shield back up. "You could never be Twilight!" he shouted, "I reject this: All of it!" He tossed his shield to the ground and prepared for the immediate retaliation. "I won't play this game anymore!"

The world disintegrated around the stallion, leaving him floating in a black void. Four red lights appeared before him and the sound of wind was all he heard before he fell unconscious.

Twilight tucked her wings as she landed and looked up at the hovering airship. Argent climbed down the flexible ladder and dropped the last few feet, landing on his hooves. "Twilight," he said while following her to the door of the Golden Oaks Library, "calm down for a moment." He grabbed her by the hoof and spun her back to face him. "Let's not start this with anger, all right?"

Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath and nodded. She opened the door with her magic and entered the library. Behind her, Argent waved at the airship and followed soon after. She passed Spike without a word on her way to the kitchen. "Argent, would you help Spike prepare some lunch for Captain Sail and Miss Bounty?" asked Twilight, "I need a few minutes to myself." She saw the look of concern on the stallion's face and softly kissed his cheek. "Come down to the lab when you're done and I'll show you what I've been doing down there." She swatted his flank and sent him into the kitchen before opening the door to her basement lab.

The frown that she had sported since her meeting with Princess Celestia returned with a vengeance as she quickly trotted down the stars. Sterile white light filled the room from the sconces on the walls as she passed them. Twilight approached the large table in the center of the room and pulled off the white sheet which covered it. She covered the silver shield in her magenta aura and concentrated her magic into the object. To the naked eye, the seams where she had joined the fragments of silver had disappeared, but Twilight knew better now. Months of studying the art of object enchantment had impressed on her the need to inspect every bit of the shield for the most minute imperfections. Satisfied that her work was as perfect as she could make it, she lowered the shield back to the table and covered it back up with the sheet.

Twilight moved to the far more puzzling conundrum at her lab bench. The burned book sat inside the translucent airtight container she had placed it in upon returning from the Marengeti. She had been hesitant to handle the tome since discovering that the simple act of transporting back home had reduced most of the burned pages to dust. With the day's revelations, her suspicions demanded action. Twilight levitated a glass vial from a rack and swirled the yellow liquid around in the tube. She trusted Zecora's formula, but knowing that the slightest miscalculation on either of their parts would ruin what remained of the tome had stayed her hoof until now. She lifted the lid of the container and poured the contents of the vial into it before closing it again. A cloudy mist rose from the puddle of liquid and quickly filled the small space. Twilight watched as the book seemed to absorb the fog. After half an hour, she carefully opened the container and lifted the tome from its confines. She prodded it with her hoof and smiled as the previously brittle pages managed to hold their structure. She abandoned any hope at reading several of the pages, as they were charred beyond recognition, but a few near the back of the book had survived enough to decipher fragments of their original contents.

Argent peeked into the basement he had been forbidden from entering the last few weeks. With Spike and their new friends enjoying sandwiches upstairs, the stallion carried a plate of food down the stairs. "Really?" he said, "all this time you have me worried about what you've been up to down here, and you're reading." He set the plate sandwiches next to her and awaited her response. "Hey," he said, waving his hoof in front of her face, "Equestria to Twilight."

Twilight shook her head and looked up from the battered tome. "Oh," she said, "sorry sweetie, I was in the zone there wasn't I?"

"A little more than usual," said Argent with a smirk, "Is that what I think it is?"

"It's hers," said Twilight, "I thought maybe it was just a coincidence, or perhaps a copy somepony was trying to switch with my actual spellbook." She carefully closed the book, revealing the singed cover embossed with her cutie mark. "But I have no doubts," said Twilight, "this is hers. Argent, the things she writes about, what I can understand in the most rudimentary way, are brilliant."

"Hardly surprising," said Argent, "she is you after all."

Twilight carefully placed the book back into its container and sealed it. "I'm well read," said Twilight, "she's got twenty years of study behind her."

"So is this what you were doing down here?" asked Argent, "reading?"

Twilight stowed the container on a shelf and laughed. "Of course not," said Twilight, "I like having you with me when I read: It's comforting." She walked over to the central table and grabbed a hold of the sheet with her magic. "I just wanted this to be a surprise." She lifted the sheet, revealing the gleaming silver shield with her six pointed pink star on the front. "I want you to have it," she said, "but maybe it's not mine to give."

Argent ran his hoof down the smooth polished surface. Magenta sparks arced from the shield to the stallion's foreleg, causing the hair of his fetlock to stand on end. Rather than yank his hoof away, Argent used his own magic to wrap the shield in his golden aura. "You fixed it," he said in awe, "and I can feel you on it." He rubbed his cheek against the front of the shield, reveling in the tingling lavender energy that it exuded.

"Two months of enchanting," said Twilight, "I left more than a little residual magic in its compositional matrix. It should fade away over time."

"I hope not," said the stallion as he caressed the shield, "and I don't care what the other me says; I'm keeping this." He propped it against the wall and embraced Twilight tightly. "Thank you," he said while rubbing his horn against hers, "It's amazing; you're amazing." He backed her into the table and stroked her wings while pressing his muzzle to hers.

Twilight returned the stallion's passion, wrapping her forelegs around his neck. "We... shouldn't," moaned Twilight between kisses.

"The apocalypse can wait a while," said Argent as he helped Twilight onto the table.

*Flash*

Twilight could recognize the world as false. Luna had reached her enough times, and ended enough of the nightmares. She had begged the other alicorn for her aid, but the princess of the night always disappeared before any meaningful information could be exchanged. Whatever controlled what was happening to her, however, had decided that it didn't really care if she played along or not. The vivid scenarios ran on whether she liked it or not.

"He is comfortable, your highness," said the motherly nurse, "but it won't be long now." The knowledge of this reality floated in Twilight's mind, like a voice in her head that screamed at her to do as it said. Sometimes the voice was content to stay in the background, allowing Twilight some limited control over the path the dreams took. Most of the time it fought against her, straining against her willpower in an effort to assert its reality upon Twilight. Luna's appearance was often all it took to silence the voices, but she hadn't appeared in several dreams, and Twilight felt her self slipping.

"If you wish to say goodbye, now would be the time," said the nurse. She pushed open the hospital door, revealing a room full of beeping medical devices. Twilight took an unconscious step into the room, regretting it instantly. The other her snapped into place and forced Twilight into the back of her own mind. She watched through her eyes, as if looking through a window. A wizened stallion, as old as she had ever seen, lay in the hospital bed, surrounded on all sides with framed pictures. The entire room had the look of a place that had been occupied for quite a while. His grey, scraggly, mane matched his silvery coat nearly perfectly, making him look like a monotone shadow of a pony.

Twilight watched as her hoof caressed the stallion's face. "I'm so sorry," she heard herself say, "I'm so sorry I can't go with you."

"Not me," wheezed the stallion, "the world needs you Twilight."

"And I need you," she said, "I can't face eternity alone."

"You don't have to," said the stallion, "take what love you have for me and give it to another. Give it to our foals so they can pass it to their foals. When you're ready, find that special somepony who can give you that love back."

"I don't want anypony else," Twilight heard herself sob, "I want you Argent." She leaned over and gently kissed the aged stallion's lips.

Twilight railed against her prison, trying her hardest to regain control and end the dream. She yelled for Luna to reappear and banish the sight before her. She listened helplessly as the machines began beeping erratically.

"A gift freely given doesn't count," said Mane as he flipped a large pearl to the dragonling across the table, "Draconis Avaritia only get aggressive when they steal from somepony. Spike here would be as tall as a frigate's mast if he didn't know that."

Spike licked his chops before biting into the milky white treat. "Yeah," he said around a mouthful of crunchy shards, "I learned my lesson about greed." His prehensile tongue swept away the glittering crumbs around his snout as he unconsciously reached over to Mane's open duffle bag.

Seaside Bounty slapped away his claw with her hoof and flashed Mane Sail an irritated glare. "Fine," said the annoyed mare, "but could you at least ask her majesty's permission before feeding your nest egg to the princess's pet dragon?"

"Hey," said Spike, "the owl's the pet. I'm Twilight's number one assistant slash baby brother!"

"Of course you are," said Seaside, "because that totally makes sense after watching my business crushed by a spontaneous magical rock slide, following my friend to Canterlot for answers, finding out that he knows the Princesses, and being drafted into the services of the newest princess." She stomped back up the gangplank and down belowdecks.

"She's had a rough few days," said Mane. He looked over at the colts and fillies playing on the ground around the grounded sloop. As the afternoon had worn on, and school had let out, the gleaming airship sitting in the central plaza had become the talk of Ponyville. Impromptu games of Wonderbolts versus Air Pirates had raged nonstop. Each colt and filly who was pulled away by their parents was promptly replaced by another font of boundless energy.

"I just feel so stupid," said Twilight as she approached the active playground in front of her library, "she lied right to my face and I believed her." Twilight furrowed her brow as she magically hauled the piles of books she had found in Oracle's basement. "Oracle Dreams," said Twilight, "it's like she was taunting me."

"She's you," said Argent, "she knows what you will and won't believe." He held a heavily annotated map in front of his face as he walked. "I just want to know why they didn't just come to us for help," he said, "why all the hiding and sneaking around?"

"Another reason to find them," said Twilight, "any idea where they went?"

Argent nodded and came to a stop in front of Mane and Spike. "How long to get us to Mexicolt?" he asked the sailor pony.

Before Mane Sail could look at the map the other stallion held out, Seaside burst from the cargo hold door and quickly made her way down the gangplank. Her horn flared a bright green aura, matching the one surrounding the three fillies who floated behind her. "There is no such thing as a stowaway cutie mark," she yelled.

Author's Note

So there's your explanation. There's still some answers to be had, and I'm sure some of you will have valid questions, but I think the Celestias explain it pretty well. I like the idea of the turn left/turn right multiverse, I think it makes a good anchor for any number of stories. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't influenced by Bioshock Inifinite.

Ch. 19: Into the Shadows

"Raven," said Princess Celestia, "send word to Chief Hurricane. I need her best fliers acting as spotters for the unicorns."

"Yes your highness," said the cream colored unicorn in the white and red kravat, "would you like me to include the same request for discretion?"

"Yes," said Celestia, "I would rather not scare my little ponies. The incident in Seaddle has enough of them in a panic." Celestia finished her dinner and placed the silver lid on top of the tray of mostly unfinished food. The secretary bowed and backed out of the princess's bedchambers. The alicorn settled herself on her bed and stoked the fireplace with her magic. A battered old book by a long forgotten author floated in front of her. She inhaled deeply, closed her eyes, and exhaled through pursed lips.

She read the same paragraph seven times before giving up and slamming the novel to the floor in frustration. She stood back up and stared into crackling fire. Being helpless was something Celestia was not used to. Between having something approaching omniscience, a life span currently measured in millenia, and control of the sun, the solar regent had almost never been in a situation that required her to so thoroughly surrender control to another. Perhaps her captivity at the hooves of Nightmare Moon qualified, but then again, she had personally trained and directed her eventual savior. Now, all she could do was give Twilight the little information she had and hope for the best. The platitudes of The Consensus counted for nothing, since nothing of this nature had occurred before. "Or had it?" thought the alicorn, "if one of our worlds winked out of existence, would we even know?"

Princess Celestia walked into the ornate hallway and held her guards in place with a wave of her hoof. She quickly ascended the castle and soon climbed into the observatory. Luna sat on the balcony, her starry mane fluttering in the gentle night breeze.

"I told you to rest Tia," said Luna, "surely the events of these last few days have left you in a state of exhaustion."

"They have," replied Celestia, "but I find myself unable to relax."

"I can protect our citizens as well as anypony," said Luna, "you said you trusted me to do so."

"Of course you can," replied Celestia as she sat beside her sister on the balcony, "and you do. I worry about what I've sent Twilight to do." She looked into her sister's night sky and marveled at the ordered chaos she created every night. "Do you remember what mother used to say about our abilities?" she asked.

"Mother said many things," said Luna, "I wish we would have taken more of it to heart."

"She once told me that we alicorns each had a specific role to play," said Celestia, "I always assumed it was our connection to the raising of the sun and the moon."

"Verily," replied Luna, "Mother did oft speak of our fates. What has you doubting our place in the world?"

"Twilight of course," said Celestia, "If this other Twilight was able to break the barriers between our worlds, what does that say about her role. What does it say about all the Twilights' roles?" Celestia gave into the fear that had been gnawing at the back of her mind for the last day. "What if she is the end?" she whispered, "What if she is fulfilling her role right now, and I've just sent one ticking time bomb to go find another."

Luna looked at her sister as if she had gone mad. "Twilight," said Luna flatly, "we are talking about the same pony, are we not: The one who sent you the bawdy photographic imprints of herself?"

"She doesn't mean to do it, of course," said Celestia, "but what if every Twilight in creation is capable of breaching the walls between worlds and removing them from creation? Amongst the infinite voices of The Consensus, how would I ever know if one world was lost."

"Your collective seemed quite capable of determining Twilight's transgression on this occurrence," said Luna, "surely others in your group would remember if such a thing had happened before. I think you may be taking one isolated incident and ascribing too much importance to it."

"I pray that is the case," said Celestia, "but it would mean that, in all of creation, there exists one Twilight Sparkle who had the audacity, or sheer dumb luck, to break through the void between worlds." She rose to her hooves and walked back towards the stairs. "If she is so special," said Celestia, "then what hope do we have if our Twilight cannot find her?"

It had taken a few hours for Mane Sail and Seaside Bounty to procure the supplies they needed for a trip to the southwest reaches of Equestria and Mexicolt beyond. In the meantime, Twilight found herself in the unusual position of repeatedly turning down her friends' offers of help.

"It's not that I don't want you to come," she said to the collection of mares, "I would just rather you all stay here and keep Ponyville safe. If more of these Rockfalls happen, I need you girls to be here to keep everypony from panicking too much." Twilight floated the last of the books she had found in Oracle's basement into a large wooden crate.

"And ya'll are sure that Oracle is the key to fixing whatever it is that's causing these calamities," said Applejack, "It doesn't seem right that all this trouble can come from one little pony, alicorn or not."

"We won't know for sure until we find her," said Argent, "which is another reason for you all to stay here. She and Horizon might come back, and we need you all to make sure they don't leave again." With a grunt, he heaved two heavily laden bags onto his back and made his way to the front door.

"Tain't a job that needs all of us," said Applejack, "and since I'm apparently useless, I'll volunteer to stay and watch out for 'em. The rest of ya'll can go with Twilight."

"There just isn't room on the Sun Skimmer," said Twilight, "but I do appreciate the sentiment, really I do." She floated the crate to the front door and looked back at her friends. "Please," she said, "just watch out for each other until I get back. I'll explain everything then." She walked out of the treehouse, eager to be on her way.

"Does anypony else get the feeling that she's hiding something?" asked Rarity after Twilight left the room.

"Maybe she's planning a surprise party!" said Pinkie. "Wait no, the closest birthday is 59 days away, and our 1,356 day Friendaversary isn't for another 79 days."

Applejack watched as her friends went back and forth, each trying to put forth some explanation for Twilight's reticence. The noticeably pregnant mare rose to her hooves and trotted to the large window overlooking the front of the library. Twilight lifted several large crates with her magic and placed them on the deck of the airship. "Too small my flank," she thought to herself with a scowl, "that contraption could carry all of us. She's tryin' ta do everything on her own again."

"We have to follow her," said Applejack, "that mare's gonna run out of luck one of these days, and we need to be there to help when she does." She put on an innocent smile and waved as Twilight lifted another large box.

"I agree darling," said Rarity, "but how are we to follow, when they're traveling on that deathtrap. Wherever they're off to will be closer as the airship flies than by train."

Applejack smirked and pointed at the bored looking Pegasus perusing the young adult fiction shelf. "Based on what that one's told us every day since we've known her, she's the fastest thing in the skies,"

"But what about all of us," said Fluttershy meekly, "I'm not as fast as Rainbow Dash, and you, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity can't fly."

"Well I'm sure Rar can wrangle up an airship," said Applejack, "I'm sure one of her fancy Canterlot friends can oblige."

"I'm flattered that you have so much faith in my networking skills," said Rarity, "but even if I could get Fancy Pants to loan us his racing sloop, Twilight and Argent would be long gone. They've almost completely loaded up their ship."

"Pffft," said Rainbow Dash, "I can deliver a letter and be back in less than an hour. Trains are for suckers. All you girls have to do is delay Twilight." She grabbed one of the many blank parchments that were scattered around the library and shoved into Rarity's protesting hooves. She began flexing her wings in anticipation of a prolonged aerial sprint.

Rarity sighed and levitated a quill and inkpot from the librarian's desk. "I don't suppose any of you know somepony who can fly one of these monstrosities," said the unicorn, "I can certainly provide adequate magical energy, but anything else would be beyond me."

"I reckon I know somepony," said Applejack with a smirk.

"You musn't go just yet," said Rarity, sweat starting to trickle down her face, "Pinkie Pie promised a farewell cake. You know how she gets when a party doesn't go as planned."

Twilight shuddered and looked towards the Sun Skimmer. Argent stood on the foredeck, awkwardly trying to stow several crates while answering several of Fluttershy's questions. Had she been a more suspicious pony, Twilight probably would have found the timid mare's sudden interest in Argent odd, but she chalked it up to Fluttershy's worry over the Rockfalls and their mission to stop them.

"Pinkie will get over it," said Twilight, "this is just much too important to put off any longer."

"Then let us come with you," said Rarity, "what happened to 'There's nothing we can't accomplish if we stick together'?"

Twilight looked away and suppressed the guilt that welled up in her chest. "I'm sorry Rarity," she said, "but I already told you all: This is something Argent and I have to do together. The best thing you can do is help me get everypony to say goodbye so we can leave." Twilight swept aside Rarity's protests and walked towards the crew of the ship. Main Sail stood on the ground behind the ship, engaged in an animated discussion with a trio of ponies. Twilight walked up behind the Apples and soon-to-be Apple.

"Oh wow," said the unicorn stallion, "that makes so much more sense now. I wondered what that lever was for."

"Yeah," said Soarin, "the rudder sail is the only way you're going to make any hard turns, but of course you'll have to throttle down the engines as well. I assume you were using vector thrust from the fans to turn at speed."

"It was all I could think to do," said Mane, "I'm used to letting the wind to the work. I guess there's a little more to it with an airship."

"I don't know about that," said Soarin, "you seem to know the wind better than any airship captain I ever served under. That's the hardest part of the job: 'Riding the Chaos,' as Captain Squall Line says. All you need to pick up is subtle differences like ballast control and thrust mechanics."

"Well hey there Twi," said Applejack from Soarin's side, "Soarin here was talking shop with your captain here. Turns out my beau knows a thing or two about airships." She winked at Soarin and received a kiss on the cheek for her flattery.

"That's fascinating AJ," said Twilight curtly, "and I would love to hear about it at length, but we really must weigh anchor, or whatever it is you do on an airship."

"Drop ballast," said Soarin, "an anchor on an airship wouldn't be of much use."

"Thank you Soarin," said Twilight, "now would you kindly escort your fiancee home for some rest."

"What about the cake?" asked Soarin, "I was told there would be cake."

Twilight slapped a hoof to her forehead and groaned. Before she could explode into flames, a pink blur whizzed past them and came to a sudden stop by the gangplank. A tall multi-layered cake swayed on the wheeled cart pushed by Pinkie Pie. "Did somepony say cake?" asked the excited pink mare. Her typical boisterous laughter and excessive volume got the attention of all the ponies surrounding the Sun Skimmer. Rarity appeared from the library with a stack of plates and napkins, while Applejack, Soarin, and Big Macintosh walked past a perturbed alicorn.

"Yes, fine, cake," said Twilight after teleporting to the top of the gangplank, "everypony have some cake." She flared her horn and created a dozen knives out of magenta energy. They quickly surrounded the cake and efficiently and precisely sliced the dessert into perfectly symmetrical servings. The plates flew from Rarity's telekinetic grasp and orbited the cake. Each dish received a slice and promptly zipped into the hooves of a waiting pony. "Cake, cake, cake, cake, cake, cake," said Twilight as she sent each piece on its way, "everypony just has to have their cake."

Fluttershy squeaked and ducked as the speeding plate approached her. With her eyes covered by her hooves, the meek mare heard the splatting sound of cake striking face followed by a crate thumping onto the deck. She slowly uncovered her eyes and saw Argent standing still above her. The side of his face was obscured by the plate which slowly began sliding downwards, leaving behind a smear of pink cake and purple frosting. "Oh my," said Fluttershy as the plate fell to the deck, "umm.... food fight?"

The mares at the bottom of the gangplank smiled deviously to each other and raised their plates in their hooves and magical aura. "Oh no," said Twilight, "you wouldn't dare." The collection of friends advanced on the gangplank. "We don't have time for this," said the alicorn as she backed towards the rear of the airship, "let's all just enjoy our cake, and I'll clean up Argent." She flared her horn and surrounded the stallion's head with a magenta aura. "See," she said peeling away as much of the pastry as she could, "good as new."

Whoever threw the first piece of cake would remain a point of contention between the six friends for years to come, but as the large piece of cake struck Twilight square between the eyes, any hope for any of them walking away clean evaporated like morning dew. Rarity quickly grabbed Pinkie and held her in front of her as Twilight surrounded the cake around her face and flung it back down the gangplank. Pinkie Pie, ever the avid devourer of all things cake, made the perfect shield for Rarity. What didn't make it into the pink mare's mouth splattered harmlessly to the ground.

Applejack, darted to the cart and shoveled several pieces of cake into her hat before running back behind the ship. She placed the weathered stetson into Soarin's waiting hooves and gave him a wink. The wonderbolt took to the sky and eyed the pitched battle below. Argent and Twilight were backed up to the aft railing, dodging and catching what they could with their magic. Pinkie Pie, still enthusiastically playing the role of equine shield, was covered head to tail in frosting. Rarity continued hurling cake back towards the princess and her bodyguard with her own magic.

Satisfied that his target was distracted by the ground assault, Soarin began his bombing run. He pitched into a steep dive, lining up his descent with all the skill that years as a stunt flyer had taught him. He held the hat in his outstretched hooves and took one last look at his target before inverting the hat and pulling up sharply. The cake continued its ballistic trajectory, perfectly aimed to force the two ponies below to delay their trip long enough to clean themselves. Before Soarin's payload could impact, a rainbow blur intercepted it. Rainbow Dash managed to keep herself level, despite the ludicrous amount of cake that plastered her wings and face. She banked around and landed on the deck, directly in between the combatants.

"Are you ponies crazy!" shouted the pegasus, "Twilight and Argent have serious business to take care of and you're all playing like little foals!"

"It's okay Rainbow," said Twilight with a giggle, "it was all my fault."

"No," said Rainbow angrily, "They should know better Twi. Come on, all of you, apologize and lets clean up this mess so Twilight can get back to saving Equestria." She turned her angry gaze to Rarity, Pinkie, and Fluttershy and winked.

"I don't know what came over me," said Rarity, "I'm so sorry. Here, let me get that for you." Her horn flared and the cake debris around the deck began coalescing into a large ball. "Come on Pinkie," she said, "let's get you and and Fluttershy to the Spa. I think Aloe and Lotus have something to remove frosting from your manes." The three mares apologized to Twilight as they descended the gangplank.

"Sorry about that Twi," said Applejack, leading an apparently chastised Soarin, "I'll make sure this varmint gets what's coming to him. Ya'll have a good trip now. Do us all proud."

"Thank you Rainbow," said Twilight, "at least somepony is taking this seriously." She looked to the ground and blushed. "Even if it isn't me." She grabbed Argent by the hoof and led him belowdeck. "Come on sweetie," she said, "there are towels and water in our cabin." The disappeared into the cramped confines of the ship, leaving Rainbow Dash and the others alone outside. Main Sail and Seaside Bounty passed her on their way up the gangplank.

The five mares, plus Big Mac and Soarin, gathered across the plaza from the Library and the ship parked in front of it. "Our ride's on the way," said Rainbow Dash. She whipped her wings, throwing bits of cake that had lodged underneath her feathers. "Fancy Pants' pilot will meet us by my place," she said.

"Why aren't you afraid of heights?" asked Twilight, "it took Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust weeks to break me of mine, and to be honest, I still don't like looking down when flying." She looked over the railing of the foredeck at the terrain that swiftly passed beneath them.

Argent crossed his forelegs and rested them on the railing. "I spent a lot of time on that ledge outside the park," he said, "I guess I don't mind high places anymore."

"And yet somehow you're terrified of bunnies," said Twilight, playfully nudging the stallion's ribs.

"Not all bunnies," protested Argent, "just that one." He shuddered and shut his eyes tightly. "Angel," he scoffed, "a ridiculous name for the epitome of evil. Mark my words, that hellbeast is up to something."

Twilight rolled her eyes and sidled up next to him. Before she could continue their playful banter, the ship lurched to the side suddenly. She released her magic from around Argent after she pulled him back over the railing. "Mane Sail!" she shouted, "a little warning would be nice."

"Sorry princess," yelled Mane Sail from the ship's wheel, "didn't exactly see that coming." He pointed one hoof starboard, while using the other to steady the ship after its abrupt turn.

Twilight gasped when she caught sight of the cause of the disruption. An enormous bird of prey flew alongside the Sun Skimmer, each flap of its massive wings buffeted the airship with a gale of displaced air. "A Roc!" exclaimed Twilight, "I've only ever read about them." She trotted across the rolling deck and gawked at the mythical creature. "Seeing one away from its mountain nest is almost unthinkable."

"Nature is so fascinating," said Seaside, her legs wrapped around a bollard, "but maybe we should RUN!"

"Oh no we won't," yelled Twilight, "I may never get another chance at seeing one of these up close." She flared her wings and hopped over the railing, much to the dismay of Argent. The stallion looked on helplessly as Twilight slowly flapped her way closer to the beast. She passed under the creature, marveling at the enormous talons tucked against the Roc's stomach.

A flap from the giant bird forced Twilight to frantically fly to its other side. She carefully approached the Roc and reached out her hooves to one its pony-length feathers. She held her breath and gently stroked the tip of the mythological eagle's wing. If the creature minded the attention, it didn't show it. Twilight, emboldened by the seemingly placid nature of the Roc, gained altitude and flew above it. Thanks to her wing maintenance lessons, she spotted the large feather that was ready to be molted near the bird's back. She flared her horn and surrounded the wavering feather in an aura of magenta. With all the delicacy and care of a mother pegasus preening her foal, she gently pulled with her magic. The feather snapped from the giant raptor and floated into her outstretched hooves. The loud screech was all the proof she needed that her actions were unappreciated. The sudden flapping of the Roc's wings caused the massive eagle to quickly rise towards Twilight. She flared her horn and promptly teleported to the side of the ship and made a graceful landing next to Argent.

"You are insane," said the stallion, wrapping her in a tight embrace. The Roc peeled away from the side of the airship, turning south; deeper into the desert. "What happened to your fear of heights?" He held her at forelegs length and checked to make sure she hadn't injured herself.

"You get dropped by pegasi for a few weeks," said Twilight while removing herself from his grasp, "then tell me how you could possibly be afraid."

"How about when you throw in a giant bird that could eat you in a single bite," said Argent, "I think that might do the trick."

"Rocs aren't aggressive unless they're protecting their nests," said Twilight, "and we haven't seen any mountains for several leagues." She picked up the large feather she had liberated and ran her hoof along its central vane. "Totally worth it," she said with a satisfied grin. "Roc's feather is highly prized for its uses in alchemy and enchanting."

"Well at least you have your priorities straight," muttered Argent, "Obscure magical lore; everything else; self-preservation."

"I thought you were supposed to preserve my self," said Twilight as she carried the feather down into the hold.

"I wish we could help the poor thing," said Fluttershy, "she sounded so worried."

"I think the colossal eagle can take care of itself," said Rarity, her hooves pressed against her eyes, "we're the ones stuck on this flying deathtrap." The normally confident and composed unicorn huddled in the corner of the small cabin beneath the deck of the Sparrow. The sounds of an earth pony hopping on the deck above echoed through the small confined space.

Fluttershy, unused to dishing out platitudes herself, awkwardly patted Rarity's shoulder. "There, there," she said as if speaking to a frightened animal, "don't be scared. Airships are very safe, and even if something horrible happened, and we were to plummet thousands of feet to the ground below; there are four pegasi to save the three of you who can't fly."

"Thank you Fluttershy," whimpered Rarity while curling into a ball, "I feel so much better now."

"Stop whining," said the pegasus by the stairs leading to the deck, "you wanted to come along."

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Rainbow Dash?" asked Rarity flatly.

Lightning Dust took a drink from the canteen and tossed it back into the cargo netting beside her. "Even superstars need to fuel up," she said, "besides, they haven't altered their course since big bird." She stretched her wings and took a few steps up the stairs. "You're needed to recharge the fans. Just come up and enjoy the wind in your mane," she said, "it'll be easier to catch you from up there anyway." She disappeared up the stairs just before a half eaten apple splattered against the wall.

She climbed onto the deck and adroitly dodged the bouncing pink mare. "I'm off Lieutenant," she said to the stallion behind the wheel, "Dash'll be back soon. Stay on this course, blah, blah, blah, you know the drill."

"For the last time Lightning Dust," said Soarin, "I'm on leave. Cut it out with the formalities."

Lighting Dust hopped onto the top of the railing and pulled her goggles into place. "Maybe when I'm a Wonderbolt sir," she said with a wink, "until then, you're the Lieutenant."

"Hold up there Dust," said Applejack. She trotted to the pegasus and draped a set of saddlebags on her back. "There're some snacks and drinks in there," she said, "Dash ought ta be hankering for some vittles by now. Ya'll have some dinner on the fly. Hopefully Twi will stop for the night soon."

"You got it boss," said Lightning Dust. She hopped off the railing and fell under the airship before deploying her wings to their full span. She thanked their good fortune once again for the near perfect weather. With a few powerful strokes of her wings, she sped ahead of the airship. She had doubted the farm-mare's plan initially, but Dust had to admit that without Applejack's idea, they would never have been able to keep up with the princess's slightly faster airship. She and Rainbow Dash used their world class speed to shadow the Sun Skimmer. They took turns flying back to the Sparrow to keep the others on the right heading. As the princess's vessel slowly pulled away, each trip was taking longer and longer. She and Dash would never admit it to each other, but the nonstop flying was beginning to take its toll. She continued the long sprint, ignoring her aching wings and focusing on the horizon ahead.

She looked down at the now familiar desert terrain. At this altitude, it looked like an impressionist painting. Streaks of yellow, brown and orange dotted with greyish green patches passed beneath the speeding pegasus. The sun hung low in the western sky, sending long shadows from every rock and cactus on the flat desert plain. Her brow wrinkled in confusion as she stared downwards.

"Eyes on the sky, Dust," said Rainbow Dash, "What's so interesting down there? You almost flew right past me."

Lightning Dust looked up and shook her head. "Sorry Dash," she said, "I don't even remember now. Skyway hypnosis I guess." She pulled alongside her rainbow maned flying partner and examined the horizon. "They still heading the same direction?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Dash, "I think we crossed into Mexicolt a little ways back, but something tells me we aren't headed to Acapulcolt."

"I hope they stop soon," said Dust. She realized that she may have broken their unspoken rule of not complaining about their fatigue. "It's not safe," she said to cover her tracks, "even the greenest recruit knows you don't fly at night if you can help it." The bumping of the saddlebag against her flank reminded her of the care package she had been given. "Oh," she said, "Applejack sends her regards." She reached into the bag and pulled out a bag of fragrant cookies.

"Aww yeah," exclaimed Dash, taking one of the treats into her hoof, "Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies!" She took a generous bite and chewed loudly. "We're lucky the moon is near full tonight," she said with her mouth half full, "that and the gold plating should let us keep up with them if they do fly through the night."

Dust nodded and took a bite of a cookie. She looked back to the horizon and easily spotted the distant gleam of the sunlight striking the metallic hull plating of the Sun Skimmer. A twinge of pain from her left wing caused her to wince. "Why am I even doing this?" she thought to herself, "I've only known these ponies for a few months"

"Thanks again Dust," said Dash as she scrubbed the crumbs from her mouth.

"Applejack made 'em," replied Dust, "I just happened to be in the neighborhood."

Rainbow Dash laughed and reached out to lightly bonk Lightning Dust on the head. "I meant for helping us," she said with a laugh. "You're really going above and beyond for us. I just want you to know that I... that we really appreciate it."

Lightning Dust blushed and bumped her hoof against Rainbow Dash's. "What can I say," she said, "I like a challenge. Showing off in front of a Wonderbolt never hurt anypony either." She looked at the horizon and realized that their meal on the go had cost them a good amount of speed. "Snack time's over," she said, placing the bag of cookies back into the panniers, "if we keep gabbing, we'll lose 'em." Rainbow Dash nodded and spurred herself on. Dust took one last look towards the ground, trying to recall what had caught her attention.

"I don't know how you saw it from way up there," said Argent. He hopped off the railing and kicked up a small cloud of dust as he landed on the ground. The sun had just started to set on the western horizon, its radiant disk slipping below distant rolling hills. He trotted towards the small cart he had helped load up just a few months earlier.

"I've got an eye for detail," said Seaside Bounty, "something some ponies don't appreciate." She looked over her shoulder at the unicorn stallion looping a rope around a large cactus. "Some ponies would be taken advantage of if it weren't for attentive and honest mares such as myself," she said loudly. Mane Sail rolled his eyes and continued securing the remaining ground lines.

Argent reached into the cart and unlocked the collapsible roof they had constructed. With a few motions, the roof split in half and folded to the sides of the cart. "I don't understand," he said while digging through the tightly packed supplies, "It's almost all here." He lifted out a pink box with his magic and held it in front of him. "She barely even touched the cookies Pinkie gave her," he said while lifting out one of the stale treats. "What was she doing out here?"

Twilight hopped from the ship and floated down next to the cart. "There's no way this is a coincidence," she said with a puzzled expression, "they were either her with her, or here looking for her." She walked around to the front of the cart and looked for any clue as to where Trixie might have gone. "There aren't any tracks," said Twilight, "this wind must have blown away any trace of their passing."

"What wind?" asked Argent. He picked up a hoofful of dust and watched as it dropped straight down to the ground.

Twilight's ears twitched as she rose a hoof to them and listened intently to her surroundings. "I could have sworn..." she said, trailing off as she looked to the sky. A lance of electricity streaked across the sky from the north. Arcs of lightning vaporized nearby clouds as the pegasus at its tip rocketed towards the ground. It landed with a force that sent a cloud of dust in all directions.

"The shadows!" screamed the mare, "they're coming for you!" Lightning Dust galloped in front of Twilight and grabbed the alicorn by the wing and turned her to face the large cacti they were securing the airship to. Long shadows reached out from the desert plants towards the ponies standing at the cart.

Twilight turned to the heavily breathing pegasus mare and removed her hoof from her wing. She looked over the manic mare. The long flight and static discharge had left her mane looking like a porcupine. "Calm down Lightning Dust," she said, "what are you talking about, and why are you following us?"

Lightning Dust once again grabbed Twilight by the wing and pointed to the west. "Look at the sun," she said before spinning her around and pointing her back towards their ship, "now look at the shadows."

Twilight narrowed her eyes and looked back and forth between the horizon and the ship. She gasped and instinctively took several steps backwards. "Everypony get away from the shadows," she said, "Now!" Her horn flared as she levitated Argent and Seaside away from the cart and its westward creeping shadow.

As if emerging from still pools of inky black water, ebony coated beasts began climbing out of the shadows. Their four eyes burned with red hot intensity as the sound of howling wind began rising all around the collection of ponies. From the shadow of the cart appeared the largest of all the six legged beasts. It menacingly advanced towards Twilight, Argent, and Seaside, it's maw of gleaming teeth glinting in the setting sunlight.

"H...Hello," said Twilight, sweat trickling down her face, "I'm T...Twilight Sparkle. I'm sorry if we're trespassing." She backed away but found a wall of the creatures surrounding her. Argent nervously reached for his shield, but found his hoof barred by Twilight. "Tolerance, Argent," she whispered, "we just need to show a little kindness."

As she said it, the sound of wind reached a crescendo and the beasts leapt in unison, the razor sharp claws on their four front paws protracted. Before they could reach the ponies, a flash of light preceded the appearance of a shimmering dome of blue magic. "I don't think they'e interested in being friends," said Mane Sail, his horn afire with a dark blue aura. Cracks began propagating along the surface of the dome as beast after beast crashed into it. Mane concentrated and filled the inside of the dome with a flash of blue light.

Twilight swayed on her hooves as they all reappeared back on the deck of the Sun Skimmer. "So that's what it's like," she said, unused to the feeling of being teleported by another unicorn. She didn't hesitate to use her magic to sever the ropes that anchored the airship to the ground. "We're clear," she shouted. Mane Sail aimed his horn at one of the twin fans and fired a conduit of magic into it. The airship shuddered as it tried to lift off of the ground.

"They're not giving up!" shouted Argent from the port railing, shield bared in front of him in his golden magic aura. He stomped on a pair of paws that grabbed the deck in front of him. "They're holding the ship in place," he yelled.

"Impossible," said Mane Sail between blasts of hornfire, "There's enough magic in the engines to lift an elephant."

"What's an elephant?" asked Argent. He blocked a vicious claw swipe and brought the edge of the shield down on a four eyed face.

"They're really heavy," he shouted back. A swift gust of wind threw several of the beasts from the front railing.

"I'll be right back," said Lightning Dust before rocketing into the sky.

"Where's she going?" shouted Seaside as she reared up on her rear legs.

"Never mind that, lass," said Mane Sail, "do what you can on the aft deck." He tore a large section of the railing off with his magic and swept it along the starboard side of the ship.

Twilight stood in the middle of the deck, blasting magenta bolts of magic from her horn while yanking the other ponies out of the way of the beasts that made it past their desperate defense. She watched as the creatures that should have been knocked senseless by her hornfire casually got back to their many paws and clawed their way back up the hull of the airship. "They're resistant to magic," she said fearfully. She switched to using shimmering walls of magenta energy to keep the six-legged panther like creatures at bay.

From all around the airship, black clawed paws dug into the gold plated hull and gouged deep furrows into the expertly lacquered wooden paneling of the royal vessel. Sensing that their prey was panicking, the beasts licked their lips at the promise of more exquisite meals. Their feeding frenzy kept their attention on the ponies at hand, making them completely unprepared for the second airship that descended from the sky. Soarin flared his wings as he dove towards the grounded airship and held on tightly to the squirming unicorn in his forehooves.

"Easy Rarity, watch the hooves" he said, "you remember what happened last time." The mare continued screaming in terror. He shakily glided the rest of the way to the deck of the Skimmer and dropped Rarity on the deck before landing next to Mane Sail in time to give one of the creatures a wicked foreleg shiver to the neck.

"Rarity!?" shouted Twilight, "What are you doing here. I told you to stay in Ponyville."

"You said we couldn't come with you," she said, quickly regaining her composure, "you said nothing of following you on our own accord." She gave one of the creatures a very unladylike kick to the face and rejoined Twilight at the center of the deck. "Now make room for Pinkie Pie."

With a groan, Twilight looked towards the second airship and saw the pink mare floating down on yellow wings, like some Angel of Laughter, throwing hooffuls of confetti over the raucous melee. "Hold still Pinkie," said Fluttershy as she struggled to lower the giddy earth pony to the deck of the Sun Skimmer. "Sorry Twilight," said the shy pegasus, "but we couldn't just let you go all alone."

"Yeah!" said Pinkie as she reached behind her back and somehow pulled out her HullaBazooka, "It's not fair. I invite you to all of my parties." She blasted one of the creatures that was scrambling onto the deck with a salvo of streamers, party hats and pastry. "Reload!" she shouted to the pegasus behind her.

Fluttershy reached into Pinkie's panniers and began stuffing more party supplies into the tube. "Don't worry," she said after patting Pinkie's shoulder, "Big Mac is keeping an eye out for Horizon and Oracle, and Mayor Mare is working with the pegasi and unicorns the princess sent to help watch for more of those awful Rockfalls."

"Girls, I really appreciate-" said Twilight before being interrupted by one of the lunging black abominations. Rarity flared her horn and flung an empty crate at the beast. "- the help, but now you're trapped too. We need-" Another creature pushed past Argent, slicing his right flank with a swipe from one its middle paws as it passed him. Twilight angrily manifested a glowing magenta club and cracked the beasts skull with an overhead smash. "-to get the ship into the air again." Even with the other ponies frantically knocking the climbing beasts from the Sun Skimmer, the ship refused to lift off the ground.

The creatures began scaling the ship from all angles, forcing all the ponies back to the rear of the flight deck. With the ebony coated monsters closing in on them, Twilight gathered as much of her magic as she could and erected a circular wall of magic around her friends. "Get the others to the other ship," she said to Fluttershy and Soarin, "I'll hold this as long as I can." Claws raked against the barrier, gouging the surface as easily as they did the wood on the deck.

"Not just yet," said Soarin, his eyes raised to the sky, "I think we're right where Rainbow wants us."

Twilight looked up and saw the two pegasi mares screaming towards the ground at breakneck speed. They circled each other as they fell, forming the same double helix she'd seen them working on months earlier. "Mane Sail," she said, "would you reinforce my barrier please." The stallion nodded and added a circular barrier of his own around the alicorn's.

The twin contrails wrapped tighter and tighter around each other as Lightning Dust and Rainbow Dash accelerated through the invisible speed barrier that threatened to hurl them both back into the sky. They were soon back to back, their tails swirling together as their contrails merged into crackling rainbow hued lance of light and electricity. Just above the ground, they broke through the barrier together. A disk of rainbow light erupted from the cloud of dust and washed over the grounded Sun Skimmer. Twilight and Mane Sail grimaced as they held their barriers in place against the combined onslaught of claws and the gale force rainboom. Several of the creatures were thrown off the deck immediately, while those below were thrown against the hull. They quickly recovered however and were in the process of standing when the other hoof dropped in the form of a scintillating ball of lightning. The two pegasi were swooping away from each other, skimming feet above the desert floor when the ball followed their still visible twisted contrails and slammed into the ground. A lightning storm erupted and suffused the soil with crackling bolts of yellow lightning.

The screaming non-wind that had been nearly deafening began cutting on and off as the creatures shook violently from the electrical discharge that ran through their massive black bodies. Several shadows from nearby plants flickered and formed into smoking six legged beasts, while creatures surrounding the hull of the Sun Skimmer shook in violent spasms. The ship immediately began rising from the ground.

Nodding to each other, Twilight and Mane Sail each lowered their barriers. "Get these things off my ship," said the Alicorn to her bodyguard. Argent saluted and began bashing the stunned creatures off the edge of the deck. Mane Sail cleared the other side of the deck using the makeshift polearm. Rarity calmly used unused coils of rope that hung off the railing and trussed up several of the creatures together. Fluttershy and Pinkie pie pulled the bound beasts and to the side of the ship and waited for Argent to push them over.

Twilight walked to the rear railing and held on tightly while flaring her horn. Trixie's cart rose from the desert floor and slowly floated level with the airship. She deposited it on the deck and sank to the floor with a heavy sigh. "All done," said Argent. He inhaled sharply and winced as he sat next to Twilight. "Any idea what those things were, or what they wanted?"

"They weren't nice," said Twilight, "and they wanted us obviously." She ran a hoof along the three long cuts on his flank and shivered. "The other...," she said in a hushed voice, "Horizon and Oracle; you don't think..."

"No way," replied Argent, "You've seen what those two are capable of." He placed a foreleg around her neck and hugged her close to him. "I'm just surprised they left this many for us to take care of." With a groan he stood back up and helped Twilight to her hooves just as the two pegasi speedsters landed on the deck.

"Is everypony okay?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks to you we are," said Twilight as she hugged her friend, "just a few scratches here and there." She walked to Lightning Dust who was smiling like she had won the Manehattan Sweepstakes. "I don't know what would have happened if Lightning Dust hadn't reached us when she did," she said, "she's the real hero here." The mare didn't seem to even hear the alicorn's praise as she continued to smile and bounce from hoof to hoof.

Rainbow Dash chuckled and bonked the pegasus on the back of her head. "Best day ever," she said to the starry eyed mare, "right?"

Lightning Dust nodded enthusiastically. "Words can't even describe how awesome that felt," she said.

"Some of them are running away," shouted Seaside. She was pointing over the railing at a pack of the creatures as they swiftly ran to the east.

"I hate to ask this," said Twilight, "but do you think you two can follow them? Mane Sail needs to inspect the ship, and Argent needs to be patched up." She forestalled the stallion's protests with an extended hoof. "No arguments mister," she said sternly, "Celestia only knows what else those monsters can do with those claws. Go get the first aid kit and wait for me in our cabin." He nodded meekly and limped down the stairs.

"Find out where they're going, and get back here as soon as you can," she said, "by then I should know something from digging around Trixie's cart."

Twilight woke in a start. The dream never ended like that. One moment she was walking away from yet another impossible decision between the lives of her friends and Argent's, and the next she found herself awake in a dark room. The clang of metal against metal caused her to break out of her reverie. She rolled over and promptly fell onto a hard stone floor. She groaned in pain as she tried to rise to her hooves.

"Twilight?" asked a groggy voice.

"Argent?" she replied. She carefully felt along the floor towards the sound of his voice. "Is it really you? No, it's not...you're another trick; another lie."

"I'm me," he said suspiciously, "how do I know you're my Twilight? You're probably just going to leave me again, or worse."

"I promised I wouldn't, and my Argent said he would never abandon me," said Twilight, "my Argent told me that on a rock in the Everfree forest. He looked me in the eyes and told me he loved me."

"We had just found out where...when we were," said Argent, "and you and Zecora had just saved me from bleeding out." He found his way to the bars that separated their cells and reached through and found her pressed against the other side. "Of course you're my Twilight," he said wrapping his forelegs around her through the bars.

Twilight reached through and caressed his cheek with her hoof. They stayed there in the awkward embrace for several minutes. "Trixie is here too," came a voice from a cell behind Argent, "in case either of you were worried."

Twilight tried to grasp her magic but found that she was nearly completely drained. With what little magic she could muster, she created a small globe of light that hovered above her head. "Trixie," said Twilight, "where are we? What happened?"

"You're in another world," said a familiar voice in an icy tone from the other side of Twilight's cell. "You made a foal of yourself and decided to annihilate the immutable laws of the universe." The sound of hoofs striking stone rang out through the cells. "You've doomed two worlds with your idiotic actions, and now you're stuck in a prison beneath a crumbling ruin in the middle of nowhere." Hoofs struck metal as the mare slammed her forelegs against the bars separating her cell from Twilight's. Twilight pulled herself from Argent's grasp and tentatively walked towards the other side of her cell. The mare was slowly illuminated starting with her hooves. "It wasn't enough for you was it," asked the mare, her dirty azure coat now illuminated, "you couldn't have just dropped off the face of Equestria on your own." Twilight advanced the last few feet, revealing the fuming face of her least favorite unicorn in the entire multiverse. "No," snarled the enraged mare, "you had to take Trixie's brother, like she always said you would."

Author's Note

So I finally missed a week. Mark it down, 19 weeks straight of 7000+ word updates ruined by my traitorous body. I did manage to think up one of my next stories while heavily medicated, so it wasn't a complete waste.

And wow, I passed 100 likes and 10,000 total views. I know it's not all that much, but I still like nice round numbers. Thanks to everyone for checking out the story.

Ch. 20: Hunters and Hunted

"There it is," said Rainbow Dash, "Dust followed most of them to some caves over by those mountains in the distance, but the big one and a few others ran here." She swayed on her hooves before dropping her rear to the rapidly cooling ground. "Those things," she said, her breath still heaving, "it's like they jump from shadow to shadow. I could totally keep up with them, but dang, they're fast."

"A Celestial Mission," said Twilight, "the princess told me they had all been destroyed. Heck, she destroyed most of them herself if you can believe the history books." She passed the looking glass over to Argent and ducked back under the ridge of the hill they hid behind.

"Let's assume I skipped that day of school," said Argent as he studied the crumbling stone structure, "Why would the princess destroy something named after her?"

"I'll pretend for the moment that I didn't just hear you admit to hypothetical truancy," said Twilight with a stern look on her face, "but most schools wouldn't teach ponies the history of the Missions." She sat, raised her hooves, and adopted a professorial demeanor. "The Celestial Missions began popping up after the Princess was forced to exile her sister over a thousand years ago." She caught the spyglass that Argent tossed to her and placed it back in her bag. "Princess Luna was corrupted because she felt unappreciated," said Twilight, "and Princess Celestia made sure everypony knew that to be the case. She didn't want her citizens to feel that Luna was truly evil; that she did the things she did because she wasn't herself." Twilight shivered and twisted the warm scarf Rarity had given her around her neck. "She had the best intentions, of course," she said, "but some of the more... zealous... ponies decided that if Princess Luna could fall, so could Princess Celestia. They built these missions to 'spread the love of Celestia' to all corners of the known world to prevent the corruption of the last remaining princess."

"That doesn't sound so bad," said Rarity, "surely the princess doesn't mind being appreciated for all she does for everypony." She adjusted the silk shawl over her mane and hesitantly took a drink from the dented metal canteen Applejack proffered.

"These ponies decided that appreciation wasn't enough," explained Twilight, "they decided that if you didn't worship the princess with the proper respect and fervor, then you were courting disaster on all of Equestria. The Celestial Missions became places where ponies were brought to impress upon them the importance of placating some imaginary vengeful version of Princess Celestia, oftentimes against their will."

"That sounds mean," said Pinkie, looking up from her elaborately crafted sand recreation of Sugar Cube Corner, "making somepony sit in a boring old building rather than playing outside."

"They did more than just make them sit inside," said Twilight, "They imprisoned ponies in cells beneath the Missions. They tortured them and tried their hardest to break the will of anypony who didn't properly venerate the Princess."

"Cells?" asked Argent, "you don't think..."

"It's worth looking into," said Twilight, "those beasts didn't seem like the type to take prisoners, but like I said, this is all too coincidental." She looked up at the hovering airships and shook her head. "It's risky though," she said, "there's sure to be more of those things inside."

"Well it's a good thing we brought these," said Applejack as Soarin landed beside her, a sturdy wooden case in his hooves. She opened the box to reveal five jeweled necklaces. One by one, she tossed the necklaces out to her fellow elements of harmony. She reached for her own and found the box pulled away from her.

"That's enough, Angel," said Soarin, "I went along with this little trip, but I'm not about to let the mother of my foal put herself in danger any more than she already has." He snapped the box shut and set it down beside him.

"The elements don't work without me," said Applejack, "and I'm not about to let my friends go in there without me."

"You don't even know what that magic will do to you in your condition," said Soarin, "let alone what it will do to our foal."

Applejack furrowed her brow as her frustration reached a boil. "I am not some no good layabout," she said angrily, "and if Twilight doesn't succeed, nopony, not even our foal, will be safe." She butted her forehead against his and stared him down.

"Then I'm going with you," he said matter-of-factly, "Miss Bounty knows enough to keep the Sparrow from floating away, and ya'll need another stallion watching your backs, no offense to the captain's abilities."

"None taken," said Argent as he dug through his saddle bags, "If I had my way we'd have an entire squad of royal guards going in with us." He extracted Twilight's crown and placed it on the alicorn's brow.

"Fine," said Applejack, thrilled to finally feel useful. "So what's our plan?"

"Rainbow is in no condition to do anything," said Twilight, "and I don't think fighting more of those things in the dark is a very good idea."

"I'm good to go," protested Rainbow Dash. She quickly rose back to her hooves but staggered around dizzily as the exhaustion of the last day finally caught up to her. "Just as soon as the world stops spinning."

"Thank you for making my point," said Twilight. She steadied Rainbow Dash by walking up to the mare and letting the pegasus lean against her. "We'll wait until morning," she said, "that will at least give us a chance to come up with a real plan. No more stumbling into the unknown for us."

"He came after me on his own," said Twilight, "I tried to stop him. If I had my way, he would have stayed behind. I tried to keep him from following me."

"Oh, Trixie is so sure," said Trixie. "You have him wrapped around your hoof, just like always. If he listened to his big sister, he wouldn't be trapped here waiting for the worlds to end, and I'd be back in our world, figuring out how to clean up the mess you made."

"Two minutes Trixie," said Argent. "Two minutes doesn't mean you can presume to know what's best for me." He looked at the small dim nimbus of light surrounding Twilight and Trixie. "I followed her on my own accord, and guess what," he said, "you were wrong. I wasn't wasting my time."

Trixie chortled in mock amusement. "Trixie is sure she gave you some heartfelt confirmation of all your hopes and dreams," she said coldly, "but Twilight Sparkle's words aren't worth a rusty bit. She promises friendship and forgiveness, and then sends her cabal of small minded townsfolk to do her dirty work. Then she casually takes the only pony you have left in the world."

"Do we have to replay this same old argument again?" asked Twilight, "How many times have I reached out to you? I've begged Argent to go to you. I've given him every odd piece of news that passed my desk so he could pass it on to you; every missing pony report; every magical anomaly." Twilight reached through the bars and tried to grab Trixie's hoof with her own. The unicorn mare glared at the hoof and let it hang between them. Twilight sighed and dropped her leg back to the ground. "What do I have to do to convince you that I want to be your friend?" she pleaded.

"Look Trixie in the eyes and understand that she is as serious as any pony has ever been," said the older unicorn. "Trixie will never be your friend. You've given Argent some token tidbits of information to send Trixie's way? No doubt information that you knew was worthless." She stamped the ground in irritation. "You 'begged' him to come to help Trixie?" she asked, "you've held him in your service for over half of his life. You obviously haven't been begging hard enough." Trixie spat at the ground beneath her feet. "Trixie neither wants nor needs your friendship," she growled, "she is better off without your so called help."

"You're lying," said the younger Trixie, "or you're deluding yourself." The young unicorn rolled onto her side in the dark and looked towards the small globe of light illuminating the older mares. "Trixie felt like you not long ago," she said, "Trixie blamed Twilight Sparkle for all of her failures. Trixie humiliated Sparkle; she exiled her from her home; she tormented her friends, but still, Twilight Sparkle took in Trixie in her time of need and risked her life helping her fix her magic."

"And how has your faith in the perfect Princess Twilight served you?" asked the older unicorn, "Stripped of all your power; alone in the dark; at the mercy of these monsters and their awful nightmares." She went back to her futile digging at the stone around a loose bar, her hoof barely chipping away the smallest fleck of rock. "And Trixie sees that you gave this Sparkle our magic," she said, "can Trixie assume you've given it to every unicorn who asked? Is our spectacular display of illusory dweomership now a parlor trick for every unicorn in Equestria?"

"Trixie made the mistake of thinking that she had to do everything on her own," said the younger Trixie, "Nopony made Trixie seek this place out. Trixie came here for the same reason she seeks out any of these strange, out of the way, places: Our parents." She shakily rose to her hooves and created her own weak globe of light. "And Trixie is not alone," she said, "and neither are you. Twilight and Argent came for you. They may have failed, but they still came to help without Trixie even having to ask."

"Just give over Trixie," said Argent to the younger mare, "she's had a lifetime to stew on these feelings. One conversation isn't going to change her stubborn ways, even if it is between herself and herself."

Twilight pulled herself away from the staredown she had been engaged in and walked back to the other side of her cell, bringing her dim magical light with her. "You're right," she said to Argent, "there's no time for it now anyway. I don't know how long we've been down here, but I get the feeling it's been some time." She reached out and ruffled Argent's grown out mane. "Whatever caused this respite won't keep our captors away for long," she said, "I've got a plan to get us out of here, but it's risky."

The older Trixie sniffed loudly. "We're beyond worrying about risk," she said coldly, "you do whatever it takes to get us out of here so I can fix this mess you've made."

"Oh we're all going to have to partake in this risk," said Twilight.

The royal cabin aboard the Sun Skimmer was royal in name only. The cramped quarters barely had enough room for the twin sized fold out bunk that Twilight and Argent laid in. "You're not mad at them for following us?" asked Argent, "you made it pretty clear that you wanted to do this alone."

Twilight snuggled her back into Argent's chest and used what little magic she had left to pull the blanket over both of them. "We'd have been in serious trouble without them," she said. "I don't like the idea of putting my friends in harm's way like this, but there's really no way around it now I suppose." The lanterns hanging from the gimbals on the walls dimmed and extinguished themselves as Argent's golden aura surrounded them.

"You know you'll have to tell them," he said into the back of Twilight's neck, "you can say that you wanted to leave them behind for their own safety, but they and I know that there's more to it than that."

"Well how exactly am I supposed to tell them about her?" she asked in annoyance, "'Oh girls, I forgot to tell you, this pony you all have had the pleasure of meeting is actually me from an alternate future. She ripped open a hole between worlds and now everything is doomed unless I find her and figure out how to seal it.' They'll have even more proof that I'm a magical disaster waiting to happen."

"That..." said Argent, pausing as he tried to follow her reasoning, "is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

"Exactly," said Twilight, "how can they have confidence in me as a friend and leader if I keep causing these magical mishaps?"

"No," said Argent, "the fact that you think your friends will think less of you because of something somepony else did: That's ridiculous. The idea that anypony could doubt your abilities is ridiculous."

"That somepony else is me," said Twilight, "and go easy on the flattery there, lovercolt. You've been with me long enough to see your share of my magical blunders." She squirmed in his embrace and turned herself around so their noses were touching. "They've been around me for years now," she said, "they've seen worse than spontaneous hair growth."

"At least I didn't need a coat for a day or two," said Argent. "Not a bad spell for a crisp autumn day. You need to give yourself a break, love." He squeezed her tightly and kissed her on the tip of the nose. "You're writing new magic on a daily basis," he said, "any unicorn who knew the smallest fraction of what you've tried in these last few months would be awestruck by your ability. We're all just repurposing old magic that's been passed down for generations: You're a true, honest to Celestia, magician."

"There's that flattery again," said Twilight with a smile, "but I would still rather not have my friends know what my magic is capable of. I know they're proud of me for my magic, your sister taught me that, but I don't want them to be afraid of me because of it."

"You worry about other's feelings alot don't you?" he asked.

"It's what any good friend would do," replied Twilight. "I know what you're going to say; I know what the princess would say; but I'd still rather all of Equestria not live in constant fear of the new princess blowing up their world."

"I can respect that," said Argent, "I don't like it, and I think you're being too hard on yourself for something you have no control over, but at least you're honest about it." He closed his eyes and rested his head on the long pillow they shared. "Given the situation, I think you can be forgiven for your paranoia," he said, "I'm just glad they're here to help."

"Well how are we supposed to make smores without a campfire?" asked a sulking Pinkie Pie, "This is the worst campout ever."

Applejack dropped the formerly full bucket of water onto the deck of the Sparrow and quickly ducked down into the small cabin. "I don't care how much you want to toast marshmallows," she called up the stairs, "you're not starting a fire on the deck of an airship." She grabbed a few towels and carefully made her way back up to the slightly charred, but mostly wet, deck. "Sorry Rarity," said the farm-pony to the shivering, nearly catatonic unicorn. "Ya'll know how careful we are with fire on the farm."

The thick terrycloth towel floated from around Applejack's neck and immediately began swaddling Rarity. "And 'ya'll' know how long it takes to recurl my mane," said Rarity as she worked the excess moisture from her coat, "is it really too much to ask for a 'watch out Rarity?'" Satisfied that she was as dry as she was going to get, the unicorn levitated her emergency 'Fabulosity' bag and pulled out her styling kit. She wouldn't admit it, but she welcomed the chance to distract herself from the constant reminder that she was still trapped on an airship hundreds of feet above the ground. She gave an exaggerated sigh and began brushing her coat with long calming strokes.

"Ah said I was sorry," said Applejack, "and I did offer you the cabin, ya know."

"And leave a pony in your condition to sleep on a hard, crowded, drafty, and now burned and soggy deck?" asked Rarity, "what kind of element of generosity would I be if I allowed such a travesty?" She dropped her brush back into her bag and pulled out the mane curler. "If it would ease your conscience, you could persuade Twilight to reconsider her plan."

"Sorry Rar," said Applejack, "you're just gonna have resign yourself to gettin' a little dirty."

"It's not that," replied the unicorn, "you earth ponies and pegasi don't know what it's like to wear oneself out using magic." She walked back to the edge of the deck and looked down at the ruins and the surprisingly intact roof. Like Twilight showed her, she lowered her horn and directed a ray of blue magical energy at the same spot on the room that the alicorn had focused on before she was forced to retire to bed.

"Yeah," said Applejack sarcastically, "I'd never understand feeling tired."

"You know I don't mean it like that," said Rarity, "forget I said anything. Just go enjoy your warm comfy bed with your hunk of a wonderbolt, and I'll cast myself into exhaustion."

Applejack grumbled to herself as she sat between Rarity and Pinkie Pie. "If I stay up a little while and, ugh, gossip," she said, "would that make you happy?"

Rarity's ears perked up and she fought to keep the smile from showing on her muzzle. "It might," she said coyly, "but I'm ever so cold, tired, and wet. Somepony would have to carry my usually stellar side of the conversation."

Applejack looked over to Pinkie who was doing her best to turn graham crackers, cold chocolate, and untoasted marshmallows into a tasty treat and realized that that somepony was going to be her. She gritted her teeth and did what had to be done. "So Rarity," she said flatly, "I reckon ya'll have been out and about with Zephyr an awful lot lately." She enunciated every word, making it clear to Rarity that she was doing this for her benefit.

Rarity kept her concentration over the side of the ship, but was thankful for anything to distract her mind from the dizzying height. "I suppose I have," she said, switching the curler to another part of her mane, "it's absolutely adorable the way he reacts to the things we take for granted. I had to convince him that my sewing machine wasn't a magical relic to be feared."

Applejack chuckled and pointed at Pinkie Pie. "That one plied him so full of cupcakes that he couldn't walk," she said, "not that he minded much."

"He had to make up for lost time," said Pinkie around a mouthful of uncooked smore, "He's 5,832 cupcakes behind me, counting those eight."

"I would worry what all the sugar would do to his health," said Rarity, "but he's always off trotting somewhere new. I joined him on one of his constitutionals. He led me all the way up to the reservoirs above town." She neglected to mention the zebra's first swimming lesson, preferring to keep that memory to herself.

Despite her general disdain for idle gossip, Applejack found herself enjoying the chat with her fellow non-fliers. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Lightning Dust had found a nice fluffy cloud to bed down on for the night. It shone like silver in the bright light from the nearly full moon. Remembering what Oracle had said about her foal, a thought occurred to her. "Do ya'll think I can keep up with a pegasus foal?" she asked.

"It's not so hard," said Pinkie, "Pound Cake's a hoofful when he does that creepy ceiling walk thing, but once you have a good hold of him, he can only drag you so far before he tires out."

"That's true," said Applejack, "but what I meant was: How will I relate to her?"

"Her?" asked Rarity with a smile, "I thought you wanted it to be a surprise."

"Wishful thinking," said Applejack. "I'm worried that we won't have anything in common. What if she's like her daddy, and wants to be a famous flier? I won't be able to help her with that."

"Well that's what Soarin is for, not to mention Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Twilight" said Rarity, "and forgive me if I'm making light of your worries, but I find it hard to believe any foal of yours not having something to do with apples. We all know you'll be able to help her with that." She reached over and hugged the farm pony to her. "As long as you remember that you have plenty of friends desperate to babysit, you'll be fine." Applejack smiled as her two friends sandwiched her in a tight hug.

"That's it," said Twilight, "careful, the transfer can be botched if you lose concentration." She watched as Argent removed his forehead from his younger sister's and stepped back. "Okay," she said, "now like I showed you, pass the charge to me."

Argent carefully walked over to Twilight, the pink aura around his horn quavering ever so slightly. He place his horn through the thick iron bars and pressed it against Twilight's. The feeling of familial camaraderie that he had felt while in contact with Trixie was replaced with the strong physical and emotional attraction he had with Twilight. It resonated between them, causing both of their cheeks to burn and threatened their concentration. That particular quirk in unicorn anatomy had caused them to fail two times as the night had stretched on. With a deft magical touch, he allowed the trickle of energy Trixie had fed into him drain into Twilight's waiting grasp. When the aura had completely drained, he concentrated and drew on the small amount of magic he had regained since the last transfer. He wheezed as Twilight pulled away; expending this much magic repeatedly had him feeling run down physically as well.

"Trixie still says this is a stupid idea," said the older Trixie. "Trixie thinks you should try forcing the lock again."

"That wasted an hour of transferring," said Twilight, keeping her temper in check lest she lose the charge she carried. "Shaping the energy into a spell has too much overhead. This is the only way, and you're the only one who can do it." She took a deep calming breath and waited for the unicorn to approach. "Unless you have any other ideas, hurry over here," she said, "every moment you delay, I lose a little more of their energy."

Trixie growled under her breath and stalked to the waiting alicorn. She choked back another snarl as Twilight had to tilt her head lower. "Why does she have to be taller than Trixie too," she thought angrily, "Isn't it enough that she can fly?" Further thoughts were blown away like dust in the wind as their horns connected. Strong feelings of annoyance and irritation flowed from Twilight, further angering Trixie. The thought that her rival considered her nothing more than a nuisance irritated her to no end, especially after she had crossed the seas of time and space to find her. But what truly enraged the unicorn was the constantly growing sense of pity: Pity for the poor broken unicorn.

Twilight struggled against the onslaught of anger and outright hate that flowed forth from Trixie. She had tried talking to the mare as she waited for some small amount of magic to trickle back into her, but no matter what, the hatred seemed to become more and more intense as the night wore on. She tried consoling her; she tried confronting her; she even tried self deprecating humor, but nothing seemed to work. Argent had suggested that she accept it for now and let it rest, but Twilight couldn't acknowledge it. After seeing the friendship the younger version of herself and Trixie had forged, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for her rival. As Trixie's anger grew, so did Twilight's sympathy.

"You do realize that if your plan works, Trixie will be the only one free," said the older unicorn, "initially anyways. She will of course free Argent and the other her." Trixie walked around her cell, the layout now familiar despite the near total darkness they were surrounded by. The dim magical auras were all the light they had seen since the transfers had started. "It will be nice to have some control over the great Twilight Sparkle for once."

"You can get in line behind everypony and everything else," said the alicorn, "Do you have any idea how much I miss reading for the shear joy of it, not just because I need some obscure lore to avert one disaster or another." She slumped against the bars separating their cells and closed her eyes. "Power and responsibility can be a prison," she said, "one I trapped myself inside for far too long. I would think you would understand that more than most."

Trixie stopped in mid-step and looked towards Twilight. "Trixie does what she must," said the unicorn, "if her quest is her prison, that means she escapes when she completes it. Trixie will take all the power she can get if it helps her find our parents."

Twilight shook her head ruefully and walked back over to Argent and caressed his cheek through the bars. "It's almost over," she said, "just hold on a little longer."

"I've got a few more in me," he replied weakly, "how can you three take this so easily?"

"Practice," she replied, "I guess your sisters are just as used to casting while tired as I am. Take a nap, I'll wake you when we're ready to go again."

Four sets of hooves hit the dusty desert ground, followed quickly by four more. Rainbow Dash, Soarin , Fluttershy and Twilight each tucked their wings and trotted next to the wingless ponies. The sun, directly overhead, cast small shadows directly underneath the ponies. Rarity, for once unconcerned with getting dirty, fondly hugged the ground the best she could while Pinkie Pie hopped around Rainbow Dash excitedly. Applejack adjusted her hat and waved off her concerned fiance. "I'm fine sugar cube," she said, "ya'll were as gentle as a lamb flying me down." She checked the coils of rope tucked into her saddlebags and nodded in satisfaction.

"Okay everypony," said Twilight, "you all know the plan. Stay together, and watch the shadows." She brushed against Argent and nodded her head. The stallion led the seven other ponies across desert plain towards the imposing stone building. Up close, it seemed much more like a fortress. Rusted iron bars covered the few narrow boarded up windows on front of the mission. The cracked and crumbling remnants of the structure's masonry facade had fallen into small piles of debris around the perimeter. The occasional fleck of gold or white paint could be seen on what was left of the thin exterior layer that hadn't yet disintegrated to the desert floor. As badly as the facade had suffered, the underlying stone was as unyielding and and implacable as it had always been, even after a millennium of disrepair and disuse. A large set of wooden double doors was the only obvious entrance that they had seen with their aerial surveillance. Argent trotted up to them and gave an exploratory pull to the extremely dense ironwood planks.

"They're not locked," he said warily upon returning to Twilight, "they either don't think they need locks, or they're counting on us coming in."

"Let's not disappoint them then," said Rarity, "it's the height of rudeness to arrive late for a soiree."

Argent nodded and flared his magic. The large doors shuddered and creaked on their ancient iron hinges as the golden aura pulled them open. A large dark room awaited them. Despite the sunlight streaming in from the open door, Argent couldn't see the other side of the massive room, nor could he see much of the ceiling. "Take the rear Lieutenant," he said to Soarin, "everypony else be ready for anything." He levitated his shield in front of him and cautiously walked into the large central nave. The dim illumination revealed row after row of rotting wooden pews. The tattered remains of unreadable gold covered books lay scattered amongst the ruined furniture. The stallion ached to create a light with his horn, but reminded himself that Twilight knew what she was doing.

"Keep going," whispered Twilight from behind him.

Argent gulped and moved into the center point of the long rectangular room. He stepped over a bent and tarnished silver candelabra. The stallion took a deep breath and let his rear hoof clip the long metal shaft, sending it rattling across the stone floor. Fluttershy squeaked in surprise, her dainty voice echoing between the large support columns that lined the long room. Twilight stopped behind Argent and listened in anticipation. It began as a soft whisper, like a gentle breeze blowing over an unmowed meadow. Twilight flared her horn and used her magic to shove away all detritus that surrounded the group of ponies. The loud sound of wood scraping against stone woke the remaining beasts. Glowing, blood red, eyes snapped open all around the room.

"I don't like this," said Rainbow Dash, "I can't see anything. I can't fly if I can't see." She turned around quickly as the wind intensified. With the newly awakened creatures joining their sentries, the non-wind sounded like a blustery fall windstorm.

"Stay calm," said Twilight, "flank to flank, like we discussed." She stood to the right of Argent and waited for Rainbow to take her place on her right flank. "Get in the middle Rarity," said the alicorn, "and remember everypony; not until they're right on top of us." They formed a ring around Rarity, leaving the unicorn enough room to spin around in all directions. "Over there, by the door," she warned just before the large wooden planks slammed shut.

With the only source of light extinguished, aside from a few small shafts that bled through holes in the shuttered windows, the creatures advanced upon the ring of ponies. From behind columns and piles of debris, the malevolent red glow of the creatures' four red eyes heralded their owners approach. The wind, now a roaring gale, was becoming difficult to shout over.

"Get ready everypony," bellowed Twilight while charging her horn, the fierce magenta aura providing some scant illumination. The red beacons now formed a larger ring around the ponies. Rarity mumbled to herself as she spun around quickly, her detail oriented eyes picking out each individual creature by the glows of their eyes.

"Thirteen," she shouted as the creatures began tightening their snare. A hollow boom shook the ground beneath monster and pony alike, causing a brief but noticeable interruption in the wind. Several of the red eyes blinked in surprise. Several stopped their advance altogether and backed away.

Twilight cursed their luck and adopted a wide stance. "Now!" she screamed, "close your eyes!"

Rarity aimed her horn skyward and fired a ray of blue magic towards the ceiling. It struck and quickly suffused a large circular portion of the roof directly above them with her blue aura. In an instant, a shaft of the purest white sunlight burst through the ceiling like water through a crumbling damn. What had formerly been a sturdy slate roof that had survived a millennium of the elements, became a blizzard of sparkling silver dust. The shear volume of it blocked out the sunlight initially, so when the beasts looked skywards to see what had happened, they received a face full of the fine dust.

They slammed their eyes shut, shredding their corneas with the fine metallic sand, causing them to open their eyes reflexively, only to be blinded by the bright beam of light. Several of them fell to the ground and began writhing in pain, tearing at their faces with their forepaws. The largest of the beasts, now visible, was among the small group that backed had away. It bared its fanged maw and dove into a shadow.

"Positions, girls," said Twilight, "you boys take care of those." She pointed to several of the incapacitated creatures. Argent and Soarin each saluted before charging headlong at the stunned beasts. The five other Elements of Harmony reformed the ring, but with Twilight at the center. She closed her eyes and pulled her magic through the Crown of Harmony. She felt the heartbeats of her five best friends through the elements around their necks. Each jeweled amulet radiated a warm energy matching the color of the gem within.

Magic opened its now luminous eyes and used its wings to hover a few feet above its fellow elements. With the power of Harmony flowing through it, Magic looked through the eyes of its component elements. One of the uninjured beasts leapt from behind a pile of rotted wood. Through the eyes of Laughter, Magic saw the enemy rushing headlong for their exposed position. It only had a moment to react before a lancing rainbow striped ray of light erupted from Magic's crown and enveloped the six legged beast. Magic felt the innate will of the creature resist its power, but it took but the slightest intensification of the light to break through and send the beast flying across the room and into a wall.

Thinking the alpha pony distracted, the large beast emerged from a shadow directly behind her and pounced with its front four claws protracted and ready to rend flesh from bone. Magic saw the beast through Kindness's vision and, without turning around, erected a shimmering wall of multi-chromatic light between the elements and the beast. It smashed into the barrier and recoiled violently. Magic lashed out with another rainbow ray, but the large beast dove into a shadow and disappeared before it could connect.

Two more unmarked beasts flanked the cluster of mares and charged Generosity and Honesty. Magic dropped a conjured warhammer of light onto Honesty's attacker, stunning the creature. Honesty, fully aware of the danger that required Magic's attention, pulled a rope from its bags and quickly lassoed the beast. Magic, meanwhile, created a dervish of spinning light around the other attacker. Through Loyalty's eyes, Magic saw the pegasus stallion flying towards it, a silver shield bearing the element's sigil strapped to its foreleg. Honesty's memories stayed Magic's hoof, and it watched as the stallion soared above it just in time to crash into the large beast as it pounced from the shadows behind the columns near the ceiling.

Knowing that Honesty's avatar cared a great deal for the stallion, Magic snatched the cartwheeling pony from the sky with a rainbow colored telekinetic aura and laid him gently to the ground before turning its attention on the beast struggling to its many paws. "You cannot be here beast of the void," said Magic, "your kind forfeited that right long ago."

The rush of wind responded loudly. "You opened the way Magic," it said, its words understandable by Magic, "You broke the rules first."

"The mistakes of my avatars are not of your concern," replied Magic, "they do not absolve your kind of their sins." Magic raised its forehooves and spoke as if pronouncing the beasts punishment. "As we cannot breach the barrier, we have no choice but to reform you, First One," said Magic, "we shall remove the shadow that lies over your minds."

"The hunger is all we are Magic," said the beast, "if you take it, you destroy us."

"We know," said Magic as it drew the power of the elements to itself, "and we are sorry, but you would never stop." Magic floated down to the center of the ring made by the other elements and created a conduit of pure white light between each. The beast tried to limp away, but with two of its right legs broken, it only stumbled to the ground in pain. Magic unleashed the full might of their combined power and sent forth a torrent of energy at the creature. It flinched as the magic surrounded it in a nimbus of swirling white light. Magic watched solemnly as the beast thrashed violently in the spells embrace. Its dark ebony coat transformed into a brilliant, scintillating bronze while it's superfluous appendages receded back into its abdomen. Its face, once set in a perpetual rictus of malevolence, softened into a serene countenance of peace. As the red of its four eyes faded away, a dark green glow took hold. It gave Magic a thankful smile and looked through the hole in the roof as its physical form began dissolving in the maelstrom of light.

A tear fell down the cheek of Magic's avatar as the creature disappeared. Magic steeled itself and completed the spell. From the mass of light that had surrounded the largest beast sprung rays of energy that unerringly slammed into the forms of the stunned and incapacitated creatures scattered around the room, starting the same process all over again. Magic watched impassively as the beasts, one by one, were immolated and purified in the magic of Harmony. Its eyes passed over the stunned face of a unicorn stallion kneeling over the grimacing pegasus that had assisted it. Magic held the stallion's gaze as the final creatures disappeared. Bars of light erupted from their remains, converging above Magic's head. A rainbow exploded out of the hole in the ceiling and angled towards the mountains in the distance.

Magic felt her hold on her avatar slipping. It had spent much longer in the material that it normally did. As it faded, it called out to the stallion. "She is not responsible for this," it shouted, "tell her that. And tell her that Harmony cannot repair the barrier, only Equilibrium can." The crown emitted a powerful wave of magic and light, knocking everypony to the ground.

"Okay," said Twilight, "that should be enough." She pulled her horn away from Trixie's and stumbled back towards the other side of her cell. "Remember to hold it as long as you can," she said, "we need the detonation to be a strong as possible."

"Trixie knows what she's doing," said Trixie, "just make sure you don't break your neck."

"I'll be okay," said Twilight from the corner farthest away from Trixie.

"Trixie was speaking to her brother," said the unicorn, "now hold on to something." She flared her horn as strongly as she could, concentrating all the energy they had harvested between them into a single unshaped spell. The table she had been lying on for the better part of two months sat propped against the door of her cell, it's thick ironwood top flush against the bars. It took only a few moments for the flickering to begin. Sweat began to trickle down Trixie's brow as she wrestled with the chaotic nature of her uninhibited magic. She cursed the loss of her Limiter, but realized that her unique condition was the only reason this foolish plan stood a chance. She paced back and forth as the strain of holding in her magic consumed her.

"Hold it in," shouted Twilight, "don't let go until you absolutely have to. I thought you were a great and powerful magician!"

"Trixie knows that you-" she said, before a sharp migraine pain lanced through her head, "just shut up!"

Argent and the younger Trixie said close together near the rear corner of Argent's cell. "Did you tell her to say that?" asked Trixie.

"Yeah," he said with a smirk, "what kind of brother would I be if I didn't know which of her buttons to push?"

"Not helping," said Trixie, her voice straining with effort, "and if you think anything Sparkle says to Trixie would phase her, you are gravely mistaken." She focused herself on a knot in the wood of the upturned table, studying the intricate swirling patterns in the flickering pink light of her horn. The magic begged to be released, it fought through every crack of her will, wriggling through her determined grasp before being wrestled back into submission. Her magical aura strobed at an increasingly nauseating frequency, causing Twilight and the others to shut their eyes to avoid being sickened.

Trixie, beyond caring about who, or what, might hear her, screamed in agony as she released the torrent of energy. It burst forth with the force of several stampeding bulls, creating a spherical shock wave centered on the older unicorn. It slammed into the upturned door forcing it into the heavy iron bars with an astonishing amount of force. The iron pins holding the barred gate on its hinges sheared in half instantly while the weaker lock mechanism shattered noisily. The momentum of the explosion carried the door and table into the hallway, slamming it against the cells on the other side.

Trixie stumbled drunkenly on her hooves, her head aching, her ears ringing, but her spirits soaring. With no more magic to light her way, she felt along the front of her cell and stepped into the hallway. After months of captivity, her previous sojourn into the depths of this cursed place seemed like an echo of a dream, but she marshaled what strength she had in her legs and pulled herself towards what she thought was the small jailers room where she had found the cell keys so long ago. She felt along the wall and smiled in triumph as she entered the small alcove. Her hoof kicked several heavy objects before she found her way to the small desk. She felt around until the jangle of metal on metal announced the presence of the keys she was searching for. She fumbled with her hooves, trying to pick up the ring. A dim flash of light and voices from far away shocked her out of her reverie. Her ears perked up and down as the sound of wind was carried into the subbasement. She quickly bent over and seized the key ring in her teeth. Faster than was probably wise, she turned around and navigated her way down the hallway, the periodic bursts of faint light helping her to see where she was headed.

"Well," asked Twilight, "did you find them?"

"Yeth," said Trixie around the mouthful of metal, "bu ere cominc."

"Ponyfeathers," cursed Twilight, "here, come to my voice."

Trixie quickly found the door to Twilight's cell and tried desperately to get the thin metal keys to cooperate. "Ow do ear ponees do thes?" Fortunately, the first key that slipped in turned easily and the lock clicked open.

"Great job Trixie!" whispered Twilight. She pushed open her door and deftly pulled the key from the lock with her teeth. She continued down the hallway and in quick succession, had Argent and the younger Trixie's cells open. "Okay," she said while standing behind the older Trixie, "lead the way Trixie, you know this place better than we do."

"Hmm," said the unicorn, "could you say that to Trixie again? She'd like to remember this moment." The younger unicorn snickered from behind Twilight.

"Later," laughed Twilight, "as soon as we make sure there's a later for us."

"Trixie will hold you to that," said Trixie as she carefully moved back down the hallway. She stopped as they passed the jailer's room. "Hold on," she said while kneeling and feeling around the ground. Her hoof hit the same heavy bundles she had encountered before. "Here" she said, passing them behind her to Twilight, "Trixie thinks those might be yours."

Twilight blindly manipulated the familiar straps and smiled as she felt the smooth polished metal inside. "Brilliant," she said happily. The sounds of metal clasps engaging preceded Twilight's horn coming alive with her magenta aura. She happily probed her bejeweled breastplate for its remaining magical charge. "Now we're in business," she said while pushing past Trixie. She dug through the piles of debris in the jailers room. Two purple cloaks, adorned with stars flew into Trixie's hooves followed quickly by the matching hats.

The older mare tossed the newer, less worn articles to her younger self and looked over Twilight's shoulder. "There," she said pointing to a corner, "Trixie's harness."

Twilight nodded and grabbed the tangle of fabric, wires, and devices, placing them in Trixie's waiting hooves. Argent's round wooden shield soon found its way onto his back. "That's everything," she said, "stay quiet and be ready to run. I've got enough magic in the well to light our way."

Trixie expertly slid into her custom fitted harness, tightening the straps around her shoulders and haunches. She slipped the limiter onto her horn and holstered the various tricks of her trade in the folds of her cloak. "There's a basement above us," she said as Twilight began ascending the narrow stairwell, "that's where they jumped Trixie and Trixie before."

Twilight nodded and dimmed her magic as they entered the basement. The muffled sound of raised voices from above caused her to stop in her hoofsteps. She looked around cautiously before pressing forward. She weaved her way around the old crates and statues, as Trixie kept her pointed towards the ladder and hatch that led to the main floor. She scrambled up the ladder, stopping at the top and peeking her head just above the hatch. A pile of debris, blocked her view of most of the room, but the large hole in the ceiling with sunlight streaming in was hard to miss. She climbed the rest of the way out of the basement and looked back in, waving her hoof in a "come on up" motion. She stood up and tried to look over the tall pile of wood and metal junk. She wrinkled her brow and held a hoof to her ear.

"Please wake up Angel," pleaded a vaguely familiar voice, "darn you, I know I should have stopped you. You're too stubborn for your own good."

Twilight crept along the debris pile until she reached its edge. She looked around it and gasped loudly. All of her friends were laying on the ground underneath the perfectly circular skylight. A fine silver sand surrounded everything, sparkling in the bright sunlight. Her outburst was not overlooked by the stallion kneeling over the unconscious alicorn.

"Who goes there," he said loudly. He rose to his hooves and levitated his shield in front of him. "Your leaders are gone," he said, "If you leave now I promise that you won't join them."

Twilight ducked back behind the small mountain of junk. "Why here?" she thought to herself, "why now?"

"Brother?" came a voice from behind Twilight. The alicorn spun around and shook her hooves from side to side before pressing one to her lips. The younger Trixie blushed and shrugged sheepishly.

"Trixie?" said the startled young stallion. He turned to the stallion lying beside Applejack and motioned at the young alicorn. "Stay with them," he said before rising to his hooves, "Trixie, is that you?" He walked towards the corner he heard the voice from. Wary for a trap, he kept his shield raised in front of him.

Twilight sighed and realized that even with the small well of magic she had, there was no way she could whisk them away magically. She took solace in the fact that their illusions still held, despite their magically drained state. She once again mentally thanked Trixie for her amazing spell. She turned and saw the two Trixies and Argent standing behind her. With a resigned shrug, she looked behind herself and waved the younger mare to go to her brother.

"Argent," cried the young unicorn as she ran into the open. Argent let his silver shield fall to the ground and stared slack jawed at his sister. She galloped to him and tackled the young stallion to the ground. "How did you know Trixie was here," she asked, squeezing her stunned brother around the neck.

Argent gathered himself and hugged his sister back. "I didn't," he said, "we were looking for-" His sharp eyes caught the glint of a stray beam of sunlight bouncing off of a burnished gold and bejeweled breastplate. "You!" he shouted at the group of ponies trying to sneak across the cluttered floor. "Not another step!"

Twilight looked at Argent and then to the door across the long room. He shrugged and began walking over to the younger stallion. Twilight turned to Trixie and used what little magic was left in the well to cover her in an illusion. The blue mare's coat darkened to a deeper shade of blue while her mane darkened to a glossy black. She turned, began walking towards Argent and raised a hoof in greeting. "Argent, dear," she said, "you have no idea how good it is to see you." She waved behind her at the older Trixie and waited for her to join them. "This is, um..."

"What's wrong," came a tired sounding voice from underneath the hole in the roof, "can't think up a lie quick enough?"

"Twilight!" exclaimed Twilight, "no, this is an old friend of mine, Savory. Savory, say hi to the princess Twilight Sparkle."

Trixie raised a hoof and casually said, "Hi."

"Savory?" said Pinkie Pie, transitioning from unconsciousness to hyper in a blink of an eye, "that was my Grammy Pie's name!"

"How coincidental," said the younger Twilight as she rose to her hooves. Argent hopped up and galloped to her side, holding out a hoof to steady her. "There's a lot of that going around lately," she said calmly. She slowly walked over to Soarin and rested a hoof on his shoulder. "How's she doing?" she asked.

"I'm right as rain Twi," said Applejack groggily, "just a little more tired than usual. This one's wing isn't looking so good though." She pointed at the limp wing hanging at Soarin's side.

"Just hold on for a little while," she said to Soarin, "we'll get you both to a doctor as soon as we can." She walked over to Rarity, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash as they milled around one of the larger piles of sand. "Everything good girls?" she asked.

"We're fine," said Rainbow, "at least I think we are. I don't really remember what happened." She rolled her eyes as Rarity shoveled another hoofful of the sand into a chipped bowl she had managed to dig out of a pile of debris. Fluttershy, pressed into service by Rarity, filled a second vessel with the glittering dust.

"Take all you can Rarity," said Twilight, "you deserve it. I couldn't have cast it better myself."

"It was your brilliant spell, darling," said Rarity, "I'm just glad I didn't muddle it up."

Argent led the weak kneed alicorn back to the older ponies they had been seeking. "So," she said, "crazy finding you two here. What brings my favorite secret alicorn and her stallion protector to the middle of the desert? Other than the mysterious shadow beasts of course."

"Well you see," said the older alicorn, "I had another premonition, and I saw that Trixie was in trouble, so we left for the desert-"

"And you didn't come to me," said the younger Argent, "my sister's safety isn't something that concerns me?"

"I saw that you would be in grave danger if you came along," said the older Twilight, "Horizon and I had to come alone, but it appears as if my vision didn't guarantee our safety as well. If it weren't for you and your friends, I'm afraid we'd still be at the mercy of those monsters."

"And the note about 'visiting your family?'" asked Twilight.

"We didn't want to worry anypony," replied the older Twilight.

"You're unbelievable," said Twilight.

"Pardon?" asked Twilight.

"Knowing what I'll believe is useful," said the younger mare, "I'll give you that, but it goes both ways. There's no way to explain this away 'Oracle.' Just tell the truth."

"I... I knew these creatures were a threat," lied Twilight, "We wanted to stop them before they could hurt anypony."

"That's enough," growled the younger Twilight. She flared her horn, pulling extra magic through her crown. She easily grabbed the older mare in her levitation field and picked her off her hooves.

Argent, moved to aid her, but was intercepted by his younger self. "She won't hurt her," he said, his shield hovering between the two stallions, "I think this should play out between them." The older stallion glared at his younger self and slowly turned around. Without warning he reared up on his forelegs and delivered a strong buck to the silver shield, knocking it into the young stallion.

"You shouldn't hold a heater shield that close to your face," he said with a growl, "it's a real rookie mistake."

Twilight narrowed her eyes and swept up the older stallion as well. "That wasn't very nice 'Horizon'," she said, "many ponies would consider self flagellation a disturbing trait, but I suppose it has its uses." She held the two ponies firmly in her magical grasp and placed them on the ground in front of her. She charged her horn and bathed both in her magenta aura. The dispel stripped away the enchantments disguising both ponies, and with no magic left, the elder Twilight found herself unable to counter the younger's magic. Shocked exclamations burst from the ponies underneath the hole in the roof as the two older ponies transformed into near mirror images of their friends.

The younger mare strode to the older until their muzzles were inches apart. Violet eyes met violet eyes, the pony behind each pair silently waiting for the other to speak. Twilight lowered both older ponies to their hooves and released her magic. She wrapped her forelegs around the alicorn and sighed in relief. "That's for everything you've done for us," she said, squeezing the older mare tightly. She stepped back, raised a hoof and gave her a stinging slap to the cheek. "That's for lying to us," she said before stepping in front of the older stallion and slapping him as well, "and that's for hitting Argent."

Trixie stood beside her younger self and laughed out loud. "Trixie likes that one," she said gleefully.

Author's Note

Lots of stuff happening in this chapter, lots of characters to keep track of. It was a little difficult to write, but the final half really came out easily. I like how it turned out, particularly the use of the elements. After rereading it a few times it came out just how i pictured in my head.

Ch. 21: Forgiveness

"Two Twilights!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, "That's two times the super smart magical princess." She hopped around the two alicorns excitedly. "Oh my gosh, do you know what this means?" She stopped in front of the still shocked group of friends. "Double Birthday Party!" said the hyper mare, "Two cakes!"

"Focus Pinkie," said Rainbow Dash.

"Two birthday songs!" continued Pinkie.

"Pinkie, I really think you should let Twilight speak," said Fluttershy.

"Two games of Pin the Tail on the Pony!" shouted the obsessed earth pony.

"Allow me girls," said Rarity, raising her hoof above the pink mare's head.

CLONK

Pinkie shook her head and looked back at the two alicorns, her eyes crossed. "Four Twilights!" she shouted happily. Rarity held her hoof to her forehead and sighed before inviting the mare to take a seat beside her.

"I reckon ya'll have a story to tell," said Applejack, "but I think we ought to get going before more of those things come back." She nuzzled Soarin's injured wing as she helped him to his hooves. "I think we've all seen as much of this place as we'd like."

"They're gone," said Argent as he followed Twilight out the front double doors, "and they won't be coming back. Twilight said they were 'Beasts of the Void.'"

"I did?" asked the younger Alicorn, "The elements were a bit... overpowering... this time. I don't really remember anything past activating them."

"I don't think it was you," replied Argent, "The words came out of your muzzle, but they didn't make much sense. Something about First Ones, and Equilibrium."

"Equilibrium?" said Twilight, "that means something..." From the corner of her eye, she noticed the dark blue coated mare walking alongside the older Argent. She casually flared her horn and wrapped the older unicorn mare in a magenta aura. "I didn't forget about you," she said, "though with that cloak, I think it's pretty obvious who you are." As the hastily created illusion faded away, the older Trixie furrowed her brow as she glared at the younger alicorn.

"Trixie will thank you to ask before your using magic on her," she said haughtily, "her equipment is sensitive to such intrusions of Trixie's personal space."

"No way," said the flummoxed younger Argent, a stunned expression on his face. He circled the older mare and lifted battered wizard's hat with his magic.

"What did Trixie just say?" asked the annoyed mare as she pulled the hat back down.

"How long have you been here?" asked the young stallion, "How did you get here? Why didn't you-"

Twilight silenced him by holding a hoof to his lips. "There will be time for that on the way home," she said, "for now, I think we should let them get some rest. It looks like they've had a tough time of it."

Argent looked more closely at the older ponies and nodded in understanding. Their coats were matted, their eyes were glazed over drowsily, and their heads hung low: All the tell tale signs of exhaustion, both mundane and magical. He squinted as he looked into the bright noon sun and flared his horn. A small golden flare zoomed high into the sky, exploding in a shower of brilliant sparkles. "It's going to be a bit crowded up there," he said as the two distant airships began their slow descents, "but the cabin should have enough room for them to get some rest while we explain everything."

The Sun Skimmer flew into the horizon of brilliant oranges and reds. The sun was half obscured as it sunk below the rolling hills to the west. The lush farmland of southern Equestria drifted by below, a blur of green and blue that starkly contrasted the reds and browns of the deserts farther south. Twilight stood at the bow with a large tome levitated in front of her.

"Portals and Other Magic Transportation: A Study in Translocation by Gladys Aperture," said the stallion, "I remember taking a train to Baltimare to fetch that for Twilight."

"I can see why she wanted it," said the young alicorn, "This book is amazing." She turned and fixed a overly dramatic stern glare on the older stallion. "Though you two will have to answer for this," she said flipping to the inside of the front cover. "'Property of HRH Princess Celestia. If found return to Royal Library.' I think Ms. Dust Jacket will be quite cross with the both of you."

"Ouch," said Argent, "I remember her lectures and punishments; punishments I usually ended up taking. I think I'll throw myself at your hooves, beg for your mercy, and take my chances."

"Proper enforcement of library rules is critical in maintaining proper organization," recited Twilight. She closed the book and looked over the side of the ship at the terrain below. "You know for the longest time I thought that I would become her apprentice," said the alicorn, "after I finished my studies under the Princess, of course."

"She never mentioned that," said Argent, "but I suppose it makes sense. She taught me the ins and outs of running the main desk when she was too busy, which ended up being all the time."

"What's it like," asked Twilight, "being together after twenty years?"

"Together?" asked Argent, "as in 'together' together."

"Well yeah," said Twilight, "two decades of life together must have been amazing. Do we have foals? Is Spike still my number one assistant?"

"Are you sure you want to know all this?" asked Argent, "I wouldn't want you to think that you had to live your life a certain way just because we have."

"Do you really think it matters after everything you two have done?" she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Point taken," said the stallion. "Well, to be honest, we really haven't really been anything other than guard and princess until we came here, not that I didn't want more. It just never happened." He looked wistfully towards the sunset. "So, obviously, that means no foals. Spike moved out a few years ago, he really didn't have much to do around the library, and to be honest, Twilight was becoming a bit difficult to work with."

Twilight removed her hoof from over her mouth and tried to compose herself. "I drove Spike away?" she asked, choking off a sob.

"You didn't do anything," said the voice behind them. The older alicorn yawned as she stepped in between her younger self and her stallion. "I spent so much time trying to protect everypony all by myself, that I guess I expected those closest to me to show the same single minded, some might say obsessive, dedication," she said. She rested her head across Argent's withers and sighed. "It's a wonder they stayed around as long as they did," she said, "I know Argent will probably say 'I told you so,' but I think you could do a lot better than I did. I wouldn't mind the changing the past if it meant more of the happiness I've experienced over the last few months."

"This isn't your past," said the younger Twilight, "so you don't have to worry about changing it."

"You can't tell me this isn't my past," said Twilight matter-of-factually, "How else would I know about the Kenku and the Lich?" She pointed towards the trailing Sparrow and smiled widely. "How else could I possibly know about Applejack's condition and the Heartmend potion?"

"Have a seat, and lets talk," said the younger mare, "I have a few things to tell you, but first let me ask you a question: What happens when you make a decision?"

"How many?" asked Twilight, her forehooves shaking as she tried to sip the magically warmed cup of bitter tea. The hum of the Sun Skimmer's magical thrust fans and the sound of the wind rushing past the hull provided a constant reminder of the urgency with which they were speeding back towards Equestria.

"Nopony was lost," said her younger counterpart, "but there were some very serious injuries. Miss Bounty knows most of the ponies who were hurt if you really want to know the details. It was her warehouse that was destroyed."

"I didn't know," said the older mare, "you have to believe that I would have told you the second we came to Ponyville had I known." She reached across the small collapsible table and grabbed the younger mare's hooves in her own. "Please, don't blame Argent, he had nothing to do with it."

"This isn't about blame," said the younger mare, "we need to focus on getting both of you home and stopping the Rockfalls. Your Celestia said that you'd be the only pony who would know how to end this."

"End this?" asked the older mare, "I didn't even know what 'this' was until a few minutes ago!" She looked back towards the bed where her Argent was staring at the ground in confusion. "I've hurt ponies," she said miserably, "Celestia help me, I've actually hurt ponies with my magic."

"You didn't mean to," said the younger alicorn.

"That doesn't matter," said Twilight, "you're enough like me to know what I promised to Daddy and Mother when I began my studies. What did they make us promise before mother bought us our first basic spellbook?" The younger mare stared back at her older self and sighed. "I promise that I will only use my magic to help other ponies, or learn how to help them," they said in unison, "I will only use my magic safely and responsibly."

"And then daddy took us out for donuts," said the young mare.

"Lemon filled with raspberry icing," said the older mare wistfully. "Knowing that I let them down like this tears me apart."

"Were we responsible when we cast the 'need it, want it' spell?" asked the younger mare.

"No," said the older Twilight, "but nopony was hurt fighting for Ms. Smartypants. The princess was there to make everything better."

"Then let's do that," said the younger mare. "We're the princesses, it's up to us to make things better." She floated over the large crate of pilfered books and set it next to the railing. "We've got several hours before we'll arrive back in Ponyville," she said, "tell me what you were hoping to find in all of these books, and we'll get to work on fixing things."

Her spirits buoyed by her younger counterpart's determination, Twilight nodded and flared her horn. Tomes levitated from the box and began organizing themselves between the two mares. "I know when I'm in the way," said Argent as he stepped aside to allow more space for books to rest, "I think I'll go see how my siblings are doing."

"You're just going to have to get used to it then," said Argent as he led his odd family out of the cabin, "because you're not leaving our sight until we're back where we belong."

"Trixie wasn't the one hiding," said the mare, "why should she be forced to live under Sparkle's roof? If anything, Sparkle should be under Trixie's watchful eye, to make sure she doesn't try any more of her destructive spells."

"I'm sorry," said Argent, "did you want to host us in your palatial mansion?" He stepped onto the deck of the Sun Skimmer and walked over to the foredeck the two alicorns had cordoned off as their study zone. "Now play nice," he said, "I'm going to help me pack up." He pulled the younger stallion back down the stairs into the cabin.

"So show Trixie what the two Sparkles have discovered," said the older unicorn, "She will let you know if you're on the right track.

The two alicorns remained focused on the books in front of them, paying little attention to the two unicorn mares standing over them. "Listen to this," said the younger mare:

Failure to complete a portal spell can result in significant damage if left unchecked. Each portal, as already discussed, come as a pair of sub-gates designated as the entry and exit gateway. Again, these names simply define the initial order the user wishes to use the portals; either gateway can be used to move to the other. The entry gateway is the first created, while the exit gateway is the second, which is either cast through the entry gateway to a place visualized in the mind, or, as is far safer, in pony at a location visualized with the caster's own eyes.

Portals with unstable entry points are largely useless. Undefined gateways can spontaneously jump about, causing anything unlucky enough to cross its threshold to fall to the other side. Dispelling these portals requires little effort; simply find the exit portal and use the simple spell discussed earlier.

Defined, but magically volatile, entryways can result in a stationary, but highly imbalanced portal. This type of gateway creates a powerful pulling effect, which can drag an unaware caster through before they are ready. As one of those casters, the author can attest to the strength of this odd phenomenon. Research into its origin haven't yielded an explanation thus far. Again, this unstable entry portal is easily dispelled, even more so than the previous example. The spell at the end of this section makes quick work of it.

As dangerous and troubling as an unstable entry portal is, a malfunctioning exit portal is far more worrisome. Again, two types of faulty exit portals are known. An undefined exit will lead to wherever the exit portal happens to be as it jumps around randomly. This doesn't seem troubling until one has seen a test dummy materialize halfway in the ground, or hundreds of feet in the air. This portal is perhaps the most difficult to dispel, as it rarely stays still long enough to dispelled.

Defined but magically unstable exit portals are perhaps the single greatest danger the reader will encounter in this tome. Much like it's entry portal relative, this malfunction exhibits and unexpected phenomenon. Where as the undefined entry portal pulls objects towards it with unusual strength, the exit portal will violently expel objects away from it. The danger this poses cannot be understated, even approaching one to dispel it will most certainly result in bodily harm. Ignore this warning at your own peril.

"I, um, didn't exactly pay attention to that chapter," said the older alicorn sheepishly, "but let's be honest, how useful is the spell if you have to see where you want to set the exit portal?"

"You messed it up in three out of the four possible ways," scoffed the older Trixie. "Bravo. You get a C in General Failure 101."

The younger Twilight ignored the barbs of the older Trixie and floated the large tome to her older doppelganger. "We can't just dispel the portal," she said, "we need to stabilize it and get you three home."

"There's nothing in here about repairing an already damaged portal," said the older alicorn, "if it comes down to it, I'll have to dispel the portal, though Celestia knows how I'll manage that."

"Getting close to the portal will take some doing," said the younger mare, "the book does make it sound quite dangerous."

"Trixie refuses to be trapped here," said the ignored unicorn, "give that book to Trixie." She reached for the large tome, only to have it floated away from her grasp.

"It will be dangerous," said the older mare, her horn aglow with her magenta aura, "the histories of the day mention Gladys Aperture as a genius when it came to these spells, but I think she may have paid a terrible price for her creations." She looked around the pile of pilfered books and found the copy of Great Mages through the Ages. The tome opened and the pages fanned out on their own accord before stopping midway through the book. Twilight raised it and showed it to her younger self. A hoof drawn picture of a young mare, barely older than the younger alicorn herself, smiled as she stood and posed for the artist. Across her hindquarters was fitted a sling attached to a metal frame with two wheels. "I've always wondered what put her in that wheelsling," said the older mare, "but that's not what I'm worried about."

"Trixie isn't worried about you breaking your fool back either," said the unicorn mare as she twisted the slate ring around her horn and flared her magic. She ripped the floating book out Twilight's magical grasp and began leafing through it.

"I love you too Trixie," said Twilight with a rueful shake of her head, finally acknowledging the mare's existence, "Gladys was one of the greats, so you'd be incorrect to take her word that a spell was simple." She flared her horn and created a small set of portals around the pile of books. "Trixie," she said to the older unicorn, "see if you can dispel those. The exit gateway is the one closest to me."

Trixie raised her eyes from the tome and glared at the alicorn. She turned the pages of the tome, looking for a table of contents, or an index showing the location of the counterspell.

"Page seventy five," said the younger Twilight, "bottom of the page."

"Thanks," grunted Trixie as she began reading the spell. Within seconds she was nodding her head and closing the book. "Trixie doesn't know what you're talking about," she said, twisting the ring around her horn and flaring her pink aura, "Trixie has seen more complicated spells in magic kindergarten." She tilted her head at the glowing magical portal and surrounded it with a cloud of hazy pink energy. When nothing happened she reached up to her horn and twisted the ring another quarter turn, intensifying the aura around the portal. She reached up to her horn but found a lavender hoof barring her own.

"Don't bother," said the older alicorn, "the dispel is keyed to the original caster's magic. Gladys herself wouldn't be able to close these small portals." She turned to perform the spell herself, but was seconds too late, as the younger alicorn bent over and poured her own magic into the opening in the air. "I told you it wouldn't work," she said.

The portal shimmered and shook as the young mare poured more and more magic into it. Sweat beaded on her forehead as Twilight felt the portal finally give way. It dilated shut, causing the entry portal to quickly wink out of existence instantaneously. "Wow, that wasn't easy at all," she said, fanning her face with a hooful of blank parchments.

"I was just getting to that," said the older alicorn, "the counter spell is simple, true, but the energy required is immense. It gets even more difficult the more magic you use to create the portal. But the fact that you could close a portal I made is a good sign." She stood to her hooves and stretched her legs. "We'll need to do some research," she said, "and some practice will be crucial as well. I think that if we can find the exit portal, we can close it."

"We'll find a way to stabilize it," said the younger Trixie as she looked over her older self's shoulder at the spellbook she was reading, "You're going home, all of you."

"I appreciate that," said the older mare, stepping up to the young unicorn's side and draping a wing over her back, "but I won't let innocent ponies suffer while we figure out how to repair my spell, not when we could end it once and for all."

"Princess...es," called Mane Sail from the wheel on the raised aft deck, "Ponyville's in sight. It looks like a welcome party is on the way." He pointed to the cluster of buildings far in the distance. A black trail of billowing smoke swiftly approached the pair of airships from the skies above the town. As it came closer, blurs of rainbow hued and electric yellow colors launched from the deck of the nearby Sparrow.

The younger alicorn stood and brushed off her coat. "Go find your Argent," she said to her older self, "You'll both need to disguise yourselves again." She saw the pensive look on the older mare's face. "Don't worry about it," she said, "I told you before, I'd rather keep the ponies of Ponyville from having to worry about duplicates or dire warnings from the future. I think we can both agree that they've suffered enough of that on our account." She began levitating the scattered tomes and parchments into the empty crates.

As the two older mares descended into the ship's hold, Rainbow Dash quickly returned and landed aboard the Sun Skimmer. She trotted up to Twilight, panic evident on her face. "That was Star Trail," she explained, "he says something happened to the library."

"Spike!" shouted Twilight as she flew towards the visibly damaged tree home. Piles of rubble surrounded the Golden Oaks library. To her right, she saw the splintered remains of what she assumed was her observatory platform. Earth ponies surrounded the tree, hauling large boulders to waiting wagons. The tree itself was a mess. Several large chunks of rock hung in the higher limbs, the sturdy branches sagging under the tremendous weight.

"Wait," called Argent after her. He jumped from the side of the Sun Skimmer, wincing in pain as his shins protested the high drop from the still landing craft. He dashed after the alicorn, weaving around the debris she easily soared over. "You can't go in there," he shouted, "it might not be safe."

"Spike!" cried the mare as she landed at the front door. It nearly ripped from its hinges as a magenta aura flung it open. Twilight tripped over a toppled bookshelf and stumbled into a pile of paper and books. She flared her horn and began levitating it and other debris from her path. "Come on number one," she called out, "where are you?" She frantically began digging through the mess, looking for something she hoped not to find. Books were carelessly tossed at the walls as the alicorn searched for her dragon ward.

"You need to calm down," said the stallion as he stopped beside her and placed his foreleg around her withers. "They wouldn't be clearing the rubble if there was a chance that he or anypony else were still in here." She dropped to her haunches and threw her forelegs around his neck.

"I should have been here," she cried into his chest, "I shouldn't have left him all alone."

"It's okay love," said Argent as he stroked her mane, "we'll find him safe and sound; you know we will."

"Twily, honey?" said a cautious voice from the doorway, "is that you?"

"Daddy?" said Twilight, raising her head. Her father stood at the doorway, his horn aglow. "What are you doing here," she asked, "do you know where Spike is?"

"Come out of the dangerously unstable tree and see for yourself," he said. "You too lad, I would hate to have to tell Shining that his squire was crushed while I watched on." The pair of younger ponies carefully made their way across the ruined main floor of the library and met the older stallion at the door. "That's it," he said, "all safe and sound. Now you just have to deal with your mother." He led them out and into the large open square where ponies had begun gathering around the pair of airships being secured to the ground.

Twilight sprinted from the stallions' sides when she saw the young dragon standing beside her mother. The pair were in an animated discussion with the elements of harmony who had just disembarked. "She's fine Mrs. Velvet," said Applejack, "there, you see, she and Argent were already here." Applejack waved at the charging mare and the stallion following close behind. "Twi, your ma's been worried sick," she said before grabbing a pair of saddlebags and tossing them over her back. "Beggin' your pardon ma'am but we need to go visit the doc so this one'll stop pesterin' me." She led Soarin away from the plaza and towards the hospital.

"Spike!" cried Twilight as she flared her horn and pulled the dragon into her embrace. She squeezed the dragon tightly to her chest and swung him from side to side. "I thought I lost you," she said, her voice breaking.

"I'm okay Twilight," said Spike, "everypony's okay. Mama Velvet and Papa Night Light took me to Sugar Cube Corner before it happened." He wriggled in the alicorn's tight grasp. "Owlowiscious found us and and brought us back to the library to find... well... that." He felt his big sister shaking as she silently wept. "Twilight," he said, "everything's alright."

"Shhh," cooed Velvet as she surrounded both her daughter and adopted dragon in a hug, "let it out honey. I know those tears very well." She smiled at the two stallions as they trotted over and looked on. "How many times have we heard tales of our daughter facing a malevolent spirit of chaos," she asked, "or of a daughter-in-law stealing giant bug brainwashing our son? Just let it out and thank the stars that we're all still together. That usually works for us." Night Light joined in the family hug and kissed his daughter on the forehead.

"But *sniff* what about the library *sniff*," said Twilight.

"Trees grow back," said Velvet, "especially with a little magical help." She released her daughter after a few minutes and wiped away the alicorn's tears with a hoof. "I've already done what I can to strengthen the trunk, so it's just a matter of time before it's healthy enough to live in again. You'll be back in your bedroom cavorting with Argent before you know it," she said, "though you may need to go easy on the floors and walls for awhile."

"What?" asked Twilight, "we aren't, he's not..."

"Oh give it up Twily," said Night Light, "She's known for weeks now." He stood back up and threw a foreleg around Argent. "Honestly, we're both surprised it took you this long," he said before muttering to Argent, "our little chat still applies, young colt." He flashed a wry grin at the wide eyed younger stallion.

"I'll say," said Velvet, "I owe Cadance the first dozen roses out of the garden."

"Yeah?" said Night Light, "well I owe Shining a twenty year old bottle of Apple Brandy. Oh come on Twily, where are you going?"

Twilight surrounded Argent in her magenta aura and levitated him away from her parents as she began stalking back towards the ship and the collection of ponies and crates gathered around it. "Oracle," she called out while dropping Argent back to his hooves, "Horizon, pick up those crates and follow me." She placed Spike on her back and trotted towards the northern side of the plaza.

"Twilight, sweetheart," said Twilight Velvet as she followed her daughter with her husband in tow, "we're just playing with you. There's really nothing to be embarrassed about." She looked at the two vaguely familiar ponies levitating a couple of large wooden crates. "We've met before haven't we?" she asked the white coated mare. After a moment's thought, memories of a short train trip flashed in her mind. "Of course," she said, "the train ride a few months ago."

"Good," said Twilight, "you've already met each other. I don't know why I should be surprised by that." She led the way out of the central square and towards the cottages that flanked the northern road out of Ponyville. "Well it's time you meet them again."

"You know, you're much less intimidating without the glasses," said Argent to the mare sitting across from him at the small coffee table, "the Velvet from our time has a real 'no-nonsense teacher' look to her."

Night Light nearly choked on his glass of water as he tried to fight back the laugh. Velvet rolled her eyes and flashed the older Argent and exasperated glare. "You just gave him hope," said the mare.

"What can I say," said Night Light, "she looks good in her reading glasses. Oh don't give me that look Velvet."

"Is that all you two have to say?" asked the older alicorn. "I've put everypony in great danger. What if you two hadn't been here? What would have happened to Spike?" She levitated the remains of the hastily eaten dinner of clover pizza and sent it floating to the kitchen. "How can you laugh and joke around like this." she said, "you should all be cursing the day I learned my first spell."

"I had my doubts," said Night Light, "but you're really what you say you are." Velvet nodded in agreement. "Twilight, and this applies to both of you," he said, "you will always be your harshest critic. Yes, you messed up; yes, you broke your promise to us; but you're trying to make things right, and that's what really matters." He stood and hugged the older alicorn before helping Velvet to her hooves. "And I get to spend some more time with my little flamethrowing buddy," he said, "That's definitely a plus."

"And I get to have that second daughter I always wanted," said Velvet, "if only for a little while."

"I don't think we'll be able to visit... mother" said the elder Twilight, "even if we're in Canterlot, it will only be to track down more research material."

"Then it's a good thing we're staying in Ponyville for the time being," replied Velvet. "Like you said, the four of you are going to be very busy; far too busy to oversee the regrowth and repair of the library." She grabbed a stray clover and concentrated her magenta aura around the green shoot. The wilted green immediately began perking up, it's three leaves folding back out. Small roots pushed out of the new, thick stem. "Your mother knows a thing or two about coaxing plants back to life."

"She's killed enough of them to know," said Night Light.

Velvet reciprocated with a knee to the stallion's flank. "I'll have the trunk stabilized by the end of the week," she explained, "You get to focus on fixing this mess and getting yourselves home, and we'll have plenty of time to spend with our favorite little dragon: It's a win-win." A knock from the front door caught the attention of the ponies sitting on the sofa and chairs of the small cottage's living room.

Twilight raised her illusion and quickly made her way to the entry vestibule and opened the door. "Good evening citizen," said Princess Luna, "we are looking for Princess Twilight Sparkle. Her friends pointed us to this address." She looked past the tall unfamiliar mare at the two older ponies sitting on a couch. "Dame Velvet," she called out, "Sir Light, we can only assume that thou art here for your daughter."

The older Twilight stepped aside and invited the diarch of the night into her home. "They are Luna," she said, "they're here to see both of us." She dropped her disguise and returned to the living room. "Thank you for finding us," she said as the ancient alicorn took a few hesitant steps into the small cottage.

"Thou art most welcome," said Luna, "though I would safeguard the dreamscape of an pony so afflicted. Tell us, didst thou learn anything about the presence that violated the dreams of you and your mate?"

"Only that they are hateful, vicious monsters," said the younger Twilight, "Argent says I called them First Ones, but I have no memory of it. Using the elements sometimes leaves me a bit out of sorts."

"Indeed," said Luna, "Tia does oft tell me that it was a mercy she couldn't remember the exact moment of my banishment." She closed her eyes and flared her horn. A gilded metal box, adorned with gleaming silver crescent moons appeared in front of her. "When your dreams were no longer troubled by those abominations, we assumed... we hoped that Twilight had rescued you both." Luna twisted one of the silver crescents on the front of the box and heard a click from within the box. "A farmer near Trottingham found this while clearing stones from one of his fields," said Luna as she flipped the lid of the case with her magic. The large mangled pile of metal on top was barely recognized by the older Twilight as her trusty nine and a quarter catadyoptic telescope. She carefully lifted the crushed metal tube and regretted the loss of one of her favorite possessions, but what she saw underneath caused her to drop the ruined instrument to the ground.

"The elements are not easily destroyed," said Luna, "least of all the crown."

Twilight picked up her crown and ran her hoof along the empty setting where the pink gem used to rest. "I'm not worthy of it," she said with a sign, "I violated everything the crown represents."

"We all fall down Twilight," said Luna, "it is not something ponies can control, but we do have it within ourselves to get back up." She looked over to the younger alicorn and beckoned her forth with her hoof. "Come," she said, "We must consult with my sister. Worry not Sirs and Dames, we shall return anon." Luna draped her wings over both Twilights and flared her horn. A small circle of dark blue magic surrounded the ground beneath their hooves and a shimmering veil of energy emerged from the floor.

"Welcome my faithful students," said Celestia, "I'm so relieved to see both of you safe and sound. I knew you could do it Twilight." She walked across the void above a seemingly invisible floor. "I know you have questions," she said to the older Twilight, "my counterpart told me you have not returned to this place since your ascension. However, there simply isn't time to fully instruct you into the nature of this place. Simply know that this is a place for alicorns." She stepped in between the two Twilights and swept a hoof in front of her. "From here we can contact my counterpart in your time... in your world," said the solar regent. A white line split the space in front of the four alicorns and widened until it was a pony length across.

"Oh thank Harmony," said the alicorn on the other side of the window, "we had almost given up hope."

"Is it really you?" asked the older mare as she stepped up to the view screen. She reached out her hoof and watched as it passed through the image of Celestia sending ripples of color across the window.

"It is," replied Celestia, "and before you ask; yes, everyone is fine for the moment. The damage is limited Dragon's Peak for now. From what I've heard, the repercussions are more dire on your side of the portal."

"It wasn't supposed to be this way," said Twilight morosely, "I just wanted to stop myself from hurting my friends."

"Do you want to know what they said when they first came to me after your disappearance?" asked Celestia. "Here, watch this." Her horn glowed a bright gold and the screen flickered and morphed into the throne room of Canterlot Castle.

"We should have known something was bothering her," said Fluttershy, "she had been getting more and more distant, and we just went along with our lives." She hid behind her long flowing mane and sniffed out loud. "She's right," said the shy pegasus, "All I ever did was ask for advice on something she had denied herself."

"I know I should feel bad about all the trash she talked at the party," said Rainbow Dash, "but I don't remember the last time I dropped by the library and just asked her how she was doing." The pegasus hung her head in shame. "Some loyal friend I am."

"I couldn't make her smile," said Pinkie, her mane hanging from her head in a silky waterfall, "I tried, but everything I tried just made her angrier." Her mouth quivered as she sat on her haunches in front of the dais. "Maybe if I had just asked her what would make her happy, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"She was right of course," said Rarity, "in all of my foalish notions of romance and destiny, I forgot that honest and generosity often go hoof in hoof." She looked over at Applejack and smiled weakly. "I should have just asked her what she wanted so long ago. She has to know I would have done whatever I could to make it happen."

"And I shoulda never let her go that long without a good talkin to," said Applejack. "I got so involved in my growing family and the farm that I forgot that friendships need to be tended to as well." She removed her hat and held it to her chest. "We have to find her ya'll," she said determinedly, "She'll forgive us all, and we can make everything right again."

"They think I need to forgive them?" asked Twilight incredulously, "I treated them like dirt; worse than dirt. Why would they think that?"

"Because they're our friends," said her younger self, "they'll think the best of us no matter what we do." She smiled and looked back at her Princess and saw her nodding and smiling at every word she said. "You say what you did was horrible, and I believe you, but if they forgive you to the point where they believe you to be the wronged party, don't you think you can forgive yourself?"

The older mare looked down into the nebulous void and watched as wispy clouds of pastel pinks and greens swirled around each other. "I made a mistake," she said to herself, just low enough for the younger mare to hear, "but I've learned from it. I've hurt my friends, but they still love me." She remembered the stallion waiting for her back in their cozy little cottage. "Yes," she said, "I can make this better. I can forgive myself." From behind them, a flash of magenta light erupted.

"It is done," said Luna, raising the crown above her. Its six pointed star-jewel glinted in the diffuse light of the strange nether world. "The elements of your world are united once more." She floated it over to the older Twilight and gently placed it upon her brow. "When the time comes, their power will be yours."

"Indeed," said the alicorn in the window, "we shall make preparations for the others to be ready when you need them. Simply tell your Celestia and she will tell me." She looked at her student one last time as the window began sliding shut. "We will see you soon," she said before her imaged disappeared.

"We must leave," said Luna, "my sister must maintain her protection of Canterlot, and I must hurry to Baltimare to relieve the unicorns there." She stepped forward and once more draped her wings around the two lavender mares before transporting them back to the small cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville.

"I hope this isn't too inconvenient," said Twilight softly as she unfolded the blanket and passed it to her younger self, "We really never intended to be staying here all that long, or that we'd actually have guests."

"That's alright," said the young alicorn, "after a few nights on that airship, this couch feels heavenly." She draped the comforter over the softly snoring form of the younger Argent. "Are the Trixies settled in?" she asked while settling in next to the stallion.

"Yes," replied Twilight, "not without the usual amount of complaining. Apparently the sleeping bags and blankets aren't good enough for her."

"We'll stay with AJ or Fluttershy tomorrow," said the younger mare, "I'm sure our Trixie won't mind coming either. I was hoping she could get to know the girls better anyway." She snuggled close to Argent and used her magic to float a pillow behind her neck. "This is the best way to do it, right?" she asked.

"It's the only way to end this," said the older mare as she extinguished the lights in the living room, "The Trixies can figure out how to get us close to a Rockfall; you two can work on holding it open; Argent and I will figure out how to close it."

"Not until after you all return home," said the young mare.

"We'll see," said the older alicorn, "I hope you're right."

Author's Note

Sorry it's late, I was never able to just sit down and write for more than an hour here or there the last few weeks. I think that shows in this chapter. Nevertheless, here it is. I'm just putting the pieces in place for the next two chapters, which should have much better pacing and action.

Ch. 22: The Best Laid Plans

Trixie braced herself against the the ash tree, a thick rope held tightly with her might and magic. It wound around one of the tree's thickest branches and back towards the ground below. "Trixie is not sure about this," she said, "what if the spell fails while you're on the other side?" She wiped the sweat from her brow and looked up at the dangling mare. "Trixie doesn't much like the idea of watching you risk yourself like this."

"Have some self confidence," said the older mare, "Trixie has already proven to you the portal spell can function in this manner. We need to find out how the counter spell works in practical situations. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Are you seriously asking that?" said the younger mare, "We're doing this because somepony didn't get an answer to that old cliche."

"Just hold the rope," said the older Trixie. She looked down, twisted the slate ring around her horn and focused her magic on the ground in front of her. An inky black disk, skirted with Trixie's pink magical aura, dilated open. Trixie looked up to the clear blue sky above and concentrated her magic on a spot hundreds of paces above her. In an instant, the black circle suddenly became an aerial view of the small clearing the two unicorns had spent much of the morning in. Trixie leaned over and examined the perfect map. She followed the small stream with her eyes, tracing it's dark blue water as it passed under the small bridge that led to the cottage she had spent the last few nights at. She squinted and saw the pins and corrals behind the cozy home. "Ridiculous," she thought to herself, "to be that kind to us. No wonder Sparkle has her wrapped around her hoof."

"Well" asked the younger mare, "have you finally listened to reason?"

Trixie shook herself out of her reverie and hopped through the portal. The loss of gravity disoriented her for a moment before the rope arrested her fall. "You have to try this," she shouted through the portal, it's absolutely amazing." She kicked her hooves out, sending her spinning in a lazy arc, all the while laughing in exhilaration. She fired off a few celebratory fireworks into the horizon, watching their sparks falling to the ground as she continued spinning in circles.

"Trixie will take your word with it," shouted the younger mare. "We know it works; Trixie is going to start pulling you up now." She flared her horn and began pulling at the thick rope one yard at a time.

"Not yet!" shouted the older Trixie, "Trixie needs to try the spell at altitude"

"You're scaring Fluttershy," shouted the younger mare, unwilling to admit that she was frightened as well. She looked up at the skittish pegasus who was perched on the branch directly over the portal. It had been impossible to say no to the mare when she asked if she could help. Between the pleading doe eyes and the unwavering onslaught of kindness she had shown her two house guests, neither unicorn, no matter their normally cold demeanor, could possibly have said no.

"Please Trixie," called Fluttershy, "you're going to fall!"

"Trixie is fine," said the hanging mare, "just a few minutes more." She used her magic to test the limits of the dispel enchantment Twilight would need to cast to close the exit portal. She created a portal close to her and then placed the exit portal a few paces away before dispelling it. She worked quickly but methodically. The wind picked up slightly, swinging her back and forth like a pendulum and causing her cloak to flutter in the stiff breeze. She slowly pushed the exit portal farther and farther away, until the effort required to focus the counter spell on the distant portal became too strenuous. "Fifty paces," said Trixie to herself, "maybe more for her"

"Why are you so angry with Twilight," asked a voice from her side. She had been so focused on her spellcasting that she didn't hear the squeaks from Fluttershy as the pegasus closed her eyes and hopped through the portal. "She makes me go on scary adventures sometimes," she said, "but she's always there to help me when I'm most afraid."

The demure pegasus' words were the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. At each stop on her multiday tour of the homes of Ponyville's most noted residents, she had been bombarded with nearly the exact same question, one she normally answered with a litany of critiques of Twilight Sparkle's so-called accomplishments: Her arrogance; her duplicitous nature; her brother stealing ways. Hearing the same from this paragon of innocence, this exemplar of Kindness, drove Trixie over the edge. She awkwardly flailed her legs and spun herself to face the hovering pegasus mare. "You want to know why I'm angry?" she asked in the uncharacteristic first person, "I hear from everypony about how selfless and wonderful Sparkle is. Apparently, I'm the only pony who doesn't get to see that Sparkle." Trixie looked the pegasus in the eyes and angrily furrowed her brow. "I'm the only one that sees the Sparkle that steals my brother from me," she spat, "I only see the Sparkle who wouldn't lift a hoof to help me when I really needed it. But that's just fine by Trixie; Trixie doesn't need her help. Trixie doesn't need anypony's help."

"We all need help," said Fluttershy, carefully hovering above Trixie, "and the best friends help you without even needing to be asked." She reached out to try and stop her from swaying back in forth in the steadily increasing wind.

Trixie reached up and pushed the pegasus away, sending her swinging even more wildly. "Then why didn't she help me when I needed it most!" she shouted as she flailed her legs to steady herself. "Why am I broken, while the most powerful mage in all of Equestria sits comfortably in her tree full of magical artifacts and priceless tomes with my brother locked in her service. I'll tell you why: She hates me. She likes seeing Trixie suffer while she takes everything Trixie wishes she had."

"What are you two doing down there," shouted the younger Trixie from the other side of the portal, "you're swinging around too much." As she said it, the rope crossed the edge of the portal, neatly severing it.

Trixie cursed as gravity immediately pulled her towards the ground. She ignored the pegasus' terrified scream and calmly reached for a a copper loop affixed to her fabric harness. "You see," she shouted at the pursuing pegasus, "Trixie doesn't need anypony." She ripped the loop free from the harness and flared her magic. The pink aura from her horn traveled down the wires attached to the ring on her horn and into the complex weave of fabric and wires that surrounded her body. Her starry cloak immediately stiffened and folded itself into a small but effective parachute. The abrupt stop in momentum sent her flying up relative to the diving pegasus. Fluttershy, in an uncharacteristic display of aerial agility, dodged out of the way, avoiding a potentially devastating crash for both ponies. Before Trixie could look down to check the ground where she hoped to touch down, a ripping sound drew her attention. "Uh oh," she muttered before the a small tear in the middle of the cloak burst open.

Fluttershy, just recovering from her dive, heard Trixie's scream and turned to see her falling mere feet away from her. She grabbed onto the severed rope as it passed her and was pulled down behind the now cartwheeling unicorn. She wound the rope around her foreleg before extending her wings to their full span and flapping with all her might. They slowed considerably, but continued their headlong plunge towards the ground below.

"Tell Sparkle she has to be within fifty paces," shouted Trixie, looking up at Fluttershy's frightened eyes, "and tell Argent it's up to him now." She moved her hooves to the knotted rope around her midsection.

"Don't you dare!" shouted Fluttershy, the volume of her voice stinging Trixie's ears. Trixie was transfixed in the pegasus' angry stare. The survival mechanism deep within her mind, which had just given way to impending doom, reignited and decided that getting on the mare's bad side was a danger that outstripped her impending meeting with the ground. Her hooves moved away from the knotted rope. Fluttershy's face went red and her legs clawed at the air, as if trying to get purchase on some non-existent ground.

Trixie felt the rope harness dig into her ribs as the dainty mare somehow managed to slow them down to the point where the fall would simply shatter every bone in their bodies. She looked down to the rapidly approaching ground and nearly shouted in joy. Knowing that Fluttershy was doing everything she could just to keep their drop from being anything besides instantly fatal, Trixie reached to the platinum hoof bracer attached to her harness and quickly slid it onto her foreleg. She twisted the ring on her horn a full turn and pointed her hoof a few degrees below the eastern horizon. Her horn flared to life, sending a beam of raw magical energy cascading from her foreleg. The impulse lessened the strain on Fluttershy while also pushing the pair farther to the west. Trixie maintained the magical blast as long as she could, her limiter allowing the full measure of her magic to flow unconstrained to her hoof manipulator.

Fluttershy had her eyes closed as she pushed her wings as hard as she had since chasing down Rainbow Dash during their first unfortunate encounter with Discord. She heard the deep thrumming of Trixie's magical blast, but assumed it was her ears popping from the long fall; she had experience with this kind of thing after all. She didn't expect to hear the splash though. She opened her eyes in time to see the pond quickly expanding in her field of vision.

The younger Trixie galloped along the deep trench of blasted earth and towards the pond next to Fluttershy's cottage. It took her nearly a minute to cover the ground, her heart pounding with fear and exertion. "Oh thank the sun and moon," she said while slowing down to a trot. Her older self sat next to Fluttershy on the edge of the pond, each of them covered in mud, algae, and other detritus. They were both laughing as they picked the muck from each other's manes.

"...and if you just talked to her, I just know you two could get along," said Fluttershy, "The Twilight I know could never hate somepony, even if they wronged her."

"Maybe you don't know the real Sparkle," said Trixie as she flung a lily pad back into the pond. "Fine, if that's the boon you request, Trixie will speak with her. Trixie is a mare of her word after all."

A pinpoint of light appeared in the black void and slowly widened to the size of a small saucer. A purple eye looked through and blinked. "It's just empty blackness," said the young alicorn, "there's nothing there."

Twilight let the spell unravel before the entry portal could snap into place. She exhaled sharply and wiped the sweat from her brow. "I don't remember much about that night," she said to her younger self, "but the void I remember." After the small hole snapped shut, she removed her crown and placed it on one of the tables of the library's basement laboratory. "I think it may be the medium through which portals travel," she said while slumping into one of the cushions strewn about the room, "or at least the portals cross cast with time spells." She unbuckled her breastplate and let it fall to the floor, it's energy thoroughly depleted by the few seconds she had managed to keep the tiny half of the portal spell open.

The younger Twilight walked across the cluttered floor, dodging piles of books that rose above her head, to the small table Argent had left a ewer full of water. She filled a large glass and brought it over to the older alicorn who had shifted to her side. "The space between worlds perhaps?" she asked.

"That was my initial hypothesis," said Twilight, "I'm not sure why, but we passed through there upon falling into the entry portal." She gulped down the still cool spring water and passed the glass back to the younger alicorn. "Starswirl had some ideas about it," she said, "his later secret journals mention a 'Universal Construct' that he believed protected the flow of time from being altered."

"Secret journals?" asked the younger mare, "I've only ever heard of the one, and it's upstairs... I hope it's still upstairs."

The older alicorn rubbed her aching forehead and sighed. "They're in his lost tower," she explained, "where he performed his most dangerous and less reputable experiments." She saw the mixed look of disbelief and disappointment on the young mare's face. "He wasn't a saint, Twilight," she said while remembering the same conversation she had with Princess Celestia many years prior, "You'll find it one day. Just remember that his time was one full of turmoil and strife. It doesn't excuse what he did, but it doesn't mean it wasn't needed."

A deep bass thrum from above their heads caught the attention of both mares. Slight tremors caused the glass beakers and flasks to rattle on their shelves, adding to the cacophony of creaking and groaning wood. "That's new," said the younger mare, her ears twitching up and down. She helped her older counterpart to her hooves and braced her as she tiredly climbed the steps to the main floor of the library. They emerged into the nearly barren main floor of the library just as the two stallions clapped forehooves in celebration. "What was that all about?" asked the younger alicorn.

"Look around," replied the older stallion with a smug grin.

The mares turned their critical eyes around the large library main floor. Without the bookcases spaced at regular intervals, it was difficult to picture the room as it had been before. "The cracks are gone," said the younger mare, "good job!" It was true, the large cracks that had propagated down the trunk of the massive oak tree had disappeared, without leaving a scar. The younger stallion trotted towards the staircase and waved for the others to join him as he climbed to the second floor. "Wait," said the younger mare, pointing at a second flight of stairs, "that wasn't there before."

"Nope," said the stallion, "but if you look back down there, you might notice that the trunk is a bit wider, so the main room is much larger. The same goes for all the other rooms of course." He walked up the new stairs into a small hallway that led to a pair of smaller rooms. Twilight Velvet had her horn pointed at the new ceiling, her magenta aura coaxing the tree to create more space for its new accommodations. "Your mom had the idea to add a third floor with two new rooms."

"Believe me," she said, "you'll thank me when the time comes." An opening appeared in the wall of each room, letting in sunlight from the bright fall day outside. She lowered her horn and nodded in satisfaction. "These two make quite capable assistants," she said, "I'd have made Shining Armor send you to help me with my garden last spring had I known you had the aptitude for it." She shook the wood chips from her mane and dusted off her coat with her magic. "I pronounce this a job well done," she said before sidling up to her daughter, "and it only took me four days thanks to the Argents."

"Thanks mom," said Twilight as she draped a wing over her mother's back, "You have no idea how helpful you and daddy have been. We're so close to ending this thanks to you guys."

"We're just making sure you two can focus on the problem at hoof," said Velvet. "Speaking of your father, I should really get back to him." She put a hoof under her daughter's chin and examined her before looking over at the older Twilight's face. "You two look exhausted," she said, "take a few hours to yourselves. Take a walk or have some dinner with your stallions."

"I actually have a picnic basket ready," said the older stallion, "we can head over to that hill you two love to watch the stars from."

The older alicorn looked at her younger counterpart. "We finished the last trial," she said, "and I am feeling ridiculously ravenous." Her stomach growled its agreement. "I'll go grab a couple of blankets and meet you two outside." As she and her younger counterpart walked back down the stairs, Velvet turned to the older stallion and winked.

"It's fascinating really," said the younger Twilight, "from the information the Princess forwarded, every Rockfall occurs at the same altitude. Even the Griffins sent word that several of their lower Aeries have had close calls." She took another bite from her daffodil sandwich before continuing. "And what's more," she said around a mouthful of flowers, "they seem to occur along a specific latitude! If you plot it out on a map, starting with Seaddle in the west, then move on to Ponyville in central Equestria, then to Trottingham in the east, you see a perfectly straight line."

"That's great," said the older Argent, "I can see you two have been busy these last few days."

"The Trixies figured that out," replied the younger mare, "they're really good at ferreting out patterns from random information." She finished her sandwich and reached towards the picnic basket the older stallion was holding onto. "Between their breakthrough and our work with holding open undefined exit portals, I think we're almost ready." She opened the wicker basket and dropped her napkin inside. As she closed it, the glint of moonlight on glass caught her attention. Argent moved to closed the lid, but found the container pulled away from him. "Oooh," said Twilight as she levitated out the large green glass bottle, "Produit de Prance. Très bien mon ami."

"That's not for..." said Argent as he reached out for the bottle of expensive champagne.

"You speak Prench?" interrupted the younger stallion at her side as she used her magic to twist at the cork. Unseen by the mares, he received an icy glare followed by a shake of the head from the older stallion.

"Un peu," said Twilight with a grin. The loud pop of the cork liberating itself rang out over the hillside. "When you've read everything from your parent's bookshelf, even a Prench phrasebook is a welcome respite from boredom." She reached back into the basket and pulled out two fluted champagne glasses. "You only brought two?" asked the younger alicorn, "no worries." She concentrated her magic on the ordinary glasses they had been drinking from. After a momentary flash of light, they transformed into identical copies of the two glasses she began pouring the sparkling wine into. She floated them to the others before raising her own. "To homecomings," she said before sipping the still chilled beverage. They all clinked glasses, even the grumpy looking older Argent.

After half an hour of excited discussion of magical theory as well as several refills of sparkling wine, the younger stallion finally saw his chance. The older Argent had continued twitching his head to the right while staring daggers at his counterpart. The younger Argent quickly downed his glass before letting loose an exaggerated yawn. "Whew," he said loudly, "I don't know about you all, but I'm beat." He stood up and offered his hoof to the young mare. "Might I escort you home madam?" he said in an exaggerated Prench accent.

Twilight stifled a giggle and placed her hoof in his, allowing him to pull her to her hooves. "Oui mon amour," she said while stumbling into his chest. She steadied herself and turned back around to address her older self. "We still need to work on the transmission problem," she said to the older mare, "so I'll see you tomorrow." She turned to walk off, leaving the younger stallion to give the older a determined nod of his head.

A few minutes of silence passed as the couple sat side by side atop the hill. "Did you not like the champagne?" asked Argent nervously as he looked at the mare's mostly full glass.

"What?" said Twilight as she broke from her reverie, "Oh, It's just not agreeing with my stomach I suppose. Here, you finish it." She passed the glass to the stallion and looked back up at the starry sky.

"Twilight..." said Argent, "I wanted to talk to you about something" He fiddled around with the mostly empty magnum of champagne, swishing the remnants around gently. "I, um...," he said after quickly drinking the warm glass of champagne.

"What is it sweetie?" asked Twilight.

"Well..." began Argent, "I know you don't share the others' certainty that we'll actually be able go home."

"It's not that I don't believe in them..." said Twilight.

"No that's okay," said Argent, "I just don't want you to think that you have to put yourself or anypony else in danger just to get me back home. As far as I'm concerned; anywhere with you is my home." He rested a shaky hoof on the closed picnic basket. "If we do make it back, I don't want things to go back to the way they were, and I don't think you do either," he said while reaching into the basket, "so I wanted to ask if-"

"There you are," said Trixie, "little Argent pointed to the wrong hill." She trotted up the slope and sat down in between the two ponies, forcing them to move away from each other. "Ooh," she said upon spying the bottle, "Trixie would very much enjoy a drink after the day she has had." She levitated the bottle and one of the empty glasses to her side and poured herself a drink. "Not a bad vintage," she said while swishing the champagne around her mouth, "Trixie has had better, though this is probably as good as one can find in Ponyville."

"Can we help you Trixie?" asked Argent through his grinding teeth.

"She can," said Trixie, "but you should probably be here as well." She took her time savoring the beverage, going so far as to pour a second glass while the two ponies waited for her to explain herself.

"Trixie?" asked Twilight, "you were saying?"

"Hmm," said Trixie, "Oh yes, right. Trixie would like to...resolve certain tensions that may exist between us."

"Are you trying to apologize?" asked a dumbfounded Twilight, "because I don't think I've had enough to drink to believe that that's really what's happening."

"No!" shouted Trixie. "Apologizing infers that Trixie thinks that she has somehow wronged Sparkle; that she is solely at fault for the enmity between us." Trixie removed her outstretched hoof from just in front of Twilight's face and took a deep breath. "Trixie realizes that perhaps she has not given Twilight Sparkle the benefit of the doubt when it comes to her intentions; that is all."

"I would say that's a fair assertion," said Twilight, "Selfish, stuck up, royal saboteur I believe you called me the last time we met."

"Don't get Trixie wrong," said the azure mare, "Trixie refuses to mindlessly follow Sparkle like her cavalcade of toadies-"

"Trixie..." warned Argent.

"Sorry," said the unicorn, "Trixie cannot and will not cater to Sparkle's every whim, like her cavalcade of friends, but perhaps she can accept assisting Sparkle with her various projects and missions from time to time. Trixie hopes, perhaps, that Sparkle could reciprocate the assistance." She took a deep gulp of champagne and exhaled deeply. "The truth is, Trixie needs help," she said with closed eyes, "If she ever is to succeed in finding our parents, she needs somepony-" Trixie turned her head away from the alicorn and stared at the ground. "She needs somepony greater and more powerful than her."

Twilight brought a hoof to her twitching ear and rubbed at it to be sure she hadn't suffered some auditory hallucination. She looked past the mare at Argent who stared at his sister with a slack jawed expression of shock. "Trixie," said Twilight, "greatness and power have never gone side by side. For all the power I have, I still managed to strand myself here. I alienated my friends, ignored the world around me, and missed out on so much time with the stallion I love. None of these things could be considered 'great.'" She reached over and turned Trixie's head to face hers. "I apologize for my part in our feud," she said, "and when we get back, I promise that you have my assistance, and my friendship."

"Trixie will take the help," she said weakly, "we'll see about the other." She pushed away Twilight's hoof and awkwardly scrambled to her hooves. "Trixie promised Fluttershy that she would use her magic to entertain somepony named Angel," she said, "She will see both of you tomorrow." Like a sudden squall, Trixie departed as swiftly as she arrived.

"That was..." said Twilight, unsure of what had just happened.

"Unexpected?" said Argent. He squinted his eyes suspiciously at his retreating sister. "She couldn't know," he thought to himself, "he promised he wouldn't tell either of them."

"Pleasantly unexpected," corrected Twilight, "I know you've never liked seeing us fight."

"The fights were entertaining," said Argent, "It was trying to stay neutral that proved to be no fun." He flared his horn and quickly swept up the remains of their picnic. "Come on," he said while helping up the mare, "I want to show you something." He picked up the picnic basket in his teeth and began trotting north towards the darkened Everfree Forest.

"Argent, sweetie," said Twilight, "I think it's a little late to be traipsing about the woods."

"You think I want to go walking into the cold forest at night?" he asked grumpily. "It's all I can think to do now. I'm improvising here."

Twilight, of course, heard nothing of what the stallion said due to the wooden handle muffling and mangling his words. "At least let me take that," she said while surrounding the basked with her magenta aura. Argent refused to released the handle, causing the mare to give up. "You're acting weird tonight," she said, flicking his flank with her tail, "but you're lucky I'm the curious sort." She followed the stallion as he led her into the forest along a path she was quite familiar with. Despite her stated misgivings, she wasn't seriously worried about heading into the forest. A lifetime of experience with the fabled woodlands had led her to the realization that its bark was far worse than its bite. A little fire sent the largest Timberwolf running for the the hills; mischievous Dryads were distracted with even the most mundane of shiny objects; and even the feared stellar Ursas were of little concern to either the alicorn or her guard. Twilight had actually struck up quite the friendship with Karha, the imposing Ursa Major of the Everfree: she had even cubsat for her on more than one occassion.

They hiked deeper into the forest, past the sealed mirror pool, past the cordoned off field of poison joke. Twilight saw a warm glow in the distance. "Surely a visit to Zecora and Zephyr could have waited until the morning," she said, before the stallion led her along a path that angled away from the forest cabin. After a few more minutes of walking, Argent led her along a burbling stream to the flat weathered boulder they had shared their feelings on several months earlier.

"You big sentimental softy," said Twilight as he climbed up on the boulder and held out his hoof, "what are you up to?" She clambered up the side of the stone and sat on her haunches as Argent carefully placed the wicker basket to his side. She pulled off her glasses and let them hang by their silver chain as he sat directly in front of her and exhaled deeply before taking her hoof with his.

"Sorry," he said, "I wanted to do this on the hill, because I know how much you love it up there." He reached into the basket and pulled out a small, book-sized, object wrapped in a lavender silk scarf. A rose quartz six pointed star in a silver setting was affixed to the fabric wrap. He placed it on the rock between them and used his nose to nudge it forward until it touched Twilight's hooves. "If this place means half as much to you as it does to me, then I think it will do in a pinch," he said.

"It's lovely Argent," said Twilight as she levitated the bundle to eye level. She carefully removed the hoof-crafted pin and reattached it to the end of the scarf as she began unwrapping the book. She, of course, knew it was a book; based on the weight and feel, she was quite sure it was between 250 and 300 pages with a two millimeter thick cover, but she was determined to let Argent have the satisfaction of seeing genuine surprise on her face, even if she couldn't naturally provide it. The last layer of silk gave way, and she found herself genuinely shocked as she held her combination spellbook and journal tightly to her chest.

"I can't take credit for it's condition," said Argent, "from what I understand,your counterpart was able to save the cover and a few of the earlier pages, but the rest was a total loss. Your mother was able to rebind it with new pages, and used a spell to copy pages from Twilight's spellbook."

A single tear fought its way from the mare's eye as she cradled her book. "She's had practice," said Twilight with a laugh. She wiped at her eyes and continued cradling the tome. "Without her I'd have been banned from every library in Canterlot."

"I know it's missing most of your life," he said sadly, "but I hope that what I put in there will help you fill it with new memories." Twilight cocked her head at Argent and quizzically raised her eyebrows before setting the book on the ground in front of her. As she began leafing through the pages, Argent scooted closer until their heads nearly touched. "I told you before that if... no... when we make it back home, I don't want things to go back to the way that they were."

Twilight looked up from the tome and set her forehead against his, their horns rubbing against one another's and sending overwhelming feelings of love reverberating between them. "They won't," she said confidently, "how could they, after all we've been through?"

"Well," he said, "there was one way I could think of to make sure that, no matter what happened, you knew that I would be by your side forever." He nodded down to the journal and placed his hoof atop hers. Together, they flipped the last few copied pages. Between the last written page and the first blank one sat a gleaming platinum ring. Grooves in the band made it look as if it twisted upon itself before reaching a single gleaming pink diamond set into its front. Argent lifted the ring in his golden magic aura and held it between their faces. "Here, or there," he said, "past, present, or future, I want... I need to be your husband. Will you marry me Twilight Sparkle?"

Twilight stared at the glittering jewel hovering in front of her for several moments. The ring caught the moonlight just right, radiating light through every facet of the pink diamond. Her horn flared in a soft light and her magical aura joined Argent's around the ring, gold and magenta colors dancing around each other. "When we were trapped in those nightmares, we were married more often than not," said Twilight, her voice barely above a whisper. "Even when I was aware of what would be coming, I looked forward to those moments when I discovered that we were husband and wife. Sometimes it was all that kept me from falling to despair." Argent nodded in commiseration: They had spent a painful night comparing dreams, discovering that most of what they remembered had been very similar if not identical. "If it means that I get to feel that way every morning when I wake up, I would like nothing more than to be your wife" she said with a sob. She tugged at the ring with her magic and felt his grip follow hers as it rose above her head and slid down her horn. Argent reached out and wrapped his forelegs around her before pulling her into a tight embrace. Their lips met and they kissed passionately as the moon reached its zenith and a new week began: A week that would decide the fate of two worlds.

"Has she asked about the sun yet?" asked Celestia to her mirror image.

"No," said the reflection, "but I have a feeling she already suspects, or she will soon enough. You know that mind of hers: Strange little anomalies get filed away for further study down the line. Do you have any advice on the matter?"

"Just tell her the truth," said Celestia, "once she understands our reasons, and our willingness to spread her theory, she'll do what's best." She examined her doppelganger more closely. "You seem to have missed some sleep," she said with concern evident in her face, "There is still time before the breach becomes truly serious. There is still some mountain left."

"It's been tiring getting everything in place," explained the alicorn, "Now that we know the latitudinal nature of the events, I've been able to appropriate the best of the Royal Academy and send them to Ponyville." She covered a heavy yawn with one of her gold shod hooves. "The faster everypony is in place, the better chance we have of intercepting the portal when it reopens above Dragon's Peak," she said, "several of the Academy Magisters have made some preliminary inquiries into attracting the portal in case it refuses to cooperate."

"A wise precaution," said the older alicorn, "I'll put the problem to my advisers and see if they can come up with anything." She made a mental note to tell Luna to visit the Archmages before the end of the day. "Be sure to get some sleep," she said to her younger counterpart, "If what Twilight says is true, you'll need to be able to give her every microjewel of magic you can spare."

"Oh I know," said the mare in the viewing window, "every capable unicorn can make one of those portals so we can get everypony to the peak quickly enough to hold the tear in place: I suppose there's no putting that Djinn back in the bottle."

"You may have to make it part of the regular curriculum," said Celestia, "Ponies must be aware of the dangers the spell presents. Nopony needs to go through what Gladys did."

The relatively younger alicorn nodded her agreement. "I have a feeling we'll have to answer many questions once all has been resolved, but that can wait." She yawned once more and stood. "Give our love to the Elements, I know they must tired of being on call in the castle every hour of the day and night."

"Luna tells me they're having an absolute blast," said Celestia, "She says the dignitaries quarters are a sight to behold; it's like a never ending family reunion with all the Elements and their colts and fillies. Lulu does keep me well stocked with Pinkie Pie confections that survive their feasts."

"Lucky," said the smirking younger alicorn, "I look forward to the day when that one offers cake rather than absconding with them"

Celestia chuckled with herself before standing and stretching out her legs. "It won't be too many years," she said comfortingly, "a mere blink of the eye for us. Now get some rest and don't bother checking back in until you have. I'll be here and ready when you need me."

"You see," said Rarity, "It's like braiding one's mane. Over, under, and so on." Her hooves deftly manipulated the pencil thick copper cords into a tight weave and soon had several hooflengths worth completed. "Once you have a full length completed, tie it off like so, place it in a basket, and our pegasus friends will take it to the unicorns to make sure it is of sufficient quality." Earth pony heads nodded and began diligently stringing together strands of cabling. She saw the pair of zebras near the boutique's display window and trotted over. "Well are you doing?" she asked in broken Zebrese.

"These damnable hooves weren't meant for labors such as this," grumbled Zephyr as he fumbled with the thin wires, "Are you sure I can't help in any other way, Mage Rarity?"

Rarity's brow wrinkled in confusion. "That I did not quite understand," she said slowly, "Sorry, I still can't follow when you two speak so quickly."

"Worry not Rarity, your progress is astounding," said Zecora, "learning your language was, as a filly, just as confounding." She deftly tied off a full length of wire loom and coiled it into the bin at her side. "With time and practice, your prowess will improve," she said, "more time with Zephyr, your skills, would behoove." She laughed as the zebra stallion's hoofful of messily braided cable unraveled on its own accord. "Practice for some is a waste of time," she said, "stupid hooves are an example most prime."

Zephyr dropped his sad hoofwork to the floor and scowled at his friend. "I drop one potion and can never live it down," he said, "It's not as if I sickened the entire Crown."

Rarity saw Applejack waving at her from the door as she used her magic to swiftly untangle and correctly weave Zephyr's mess. "Keep trying Zephy Wephy," she said, "I'll check back on you later."

"Zephy Wephy? asked Zecora with an impish grin.

"Shut up," said Zephyr as he attacked the tangled bundle of copper.

Rarity smiled to herself as she tip hoofed around the crowded floor of ponies hard at work. She offered praise and words of encouragement where needed while making sure everypony was comfortable. "Applejack, darling," she said, "You were supposed to be here hours ago."

"Yeah, well, ah didn't exactly have the best mornin'," she said grumpily, "and it's just as well. Twi wants us to meet her outside the library."

"Come now," said Rarity as she closed the door behind her, "You can just admit that you slept in. We all understand that you need your rest."

"Ah really can't wait for ya'll to be in this condition," said the pregnant mare, "It ain't all naps and snacking."

"No, of course not," said Rarity, "You also have a stallion at your beck and call catering to your every whim."

"I'll rustle up a camera," said Applejack, "get some nice pictures of you seeing what it's really like. Ya'll won't be living that down." They reached the significantly larger oak tree and waved at the four other mares milling around the front door.

"Pshaw," said Rarity, "A pony with my grace will only become more beautiful; why, I would positively glow. And any foal of mine would be so courteous and well-mannered that they would never dream of inconveniencing their loving mother." She ignored the snort of derisive laughter from her friend and reminded herself that the earth pony's hormones had to be getting the best of her. "Twilight," she said, "I thought you wanted me supervising Trixie's little construction project."

"I did," said Twilight, "and you've done an amazing job. So good, in fact, that Trixie says your next delivery will be your last." The alicorn opened the front door and waved her friends inside. "I decided to take a page from Pinkie's book and throw everypony a little party." As they walked through the newly created cloak room, the aforementioned party pony squealed in delight. The imposingly large, newly remodeled library was littered with colorful streamers. The bookshelves, still bare, were pushed to the sides of the room, leaving plenty of space for the tables full of food and drink.

"Wow Twilight," said Rainbow Dash, "Your mom sure knows her stuff. This place is huge!" She extended her wings and jumped into the air, doing several loops before landing atop the nearest table. "I bet we could fit more ponies in here than in Sugar Cube Corner."

Pinkie Pie's eyes narrowed as she looked around the festively decorated room. Everything seemed right to her discerning eyes. The streamers were the right length; the balloons were spaced evenly and were varied in color; the food and drink was distributed appropriately. She walked over to the punchbowl and poured herself a small glass. She raised it above her head and examined the rosy red color through the clear glass before bringing it to her nose and inhaling deeply. "A heady bouquet," she said before sipping delicately, "do I detect a hint of Lingonberry?"

Twilight chuckled and hugged the mare. "I wouldn't know Pinkie," she said, "I had Argent pick it up from Sugar Cube Corner. I know better than to try and out party the mistress." The sound of ponies milling about outside made its way to their ears. "Of course I may have been a bit excessive when it comes to invitations." Argent was the first of many through the new double doors, followed immediately by Twilight's parents, Spike, Trixie, and most of Ponyville. Living in such close proximity to Pinkie Pie, everypony knew the protocol: Find food; find friends; find fun.

The streets of Ponyville were strangely empty for the early evening hour as Twilight and Argent walked side by side towards the center of town. The cloaks they wore seemed unnecessary, as it was quite comfortable for an early autumn evening in central Equestria. The sound of revelry echoed through the deserted streets the closer the got to the central plaza.

"I know what you're thinking," said Argent, "and I approve, but do we have to wear these?" He awkwardly shrugged the cloak to the center of his back after it nearly tripped him for the tenth time since leaving their cottage.

"They need to know the truth," said Twilight, "and I'd rather they all find out at once. They're helping us and they don't even know it." They passed Berry's Tavern, noting the darkened windows and note tacked to the front doors. "How can I expect others to be honest and loyal if I can't follow those ideals myself?"

Argent smiled and reached his muzzle under her hooded head and kissed her on the cheek. "Still teaching lessons on the magic of friendship, huh?" asked Argent.

"No," said Twilight, her cheeks blushing, "I'm just learning some new ones." They cleared the last block of buildings and walked into the plaza and the raucous celebration in progress. The denizens of Ponyville had worked hard over the past week under the shadow of terrible danger. What the two older ponies saw was not the average pony celebration of fun and friends: This was a celebration of ponies who had seen first hoof the danger posed by the rockfalls, and who had been told that their hard work could help stop them. The party had spilled out into the plaza, with ponies mingling around a makeshift stage beside the giant oak tree. Ponyville's resident DJ was putting the finishing touches on her rig just as the two older ponies began crossing the plaza. The bass coursed through the ground, urging the ponies gathered outside to dance for all they were worth.

The two cloaked figures went unnoticed as they picked their way through the crowd. Argent even accidentally stepped on a tail and found his apology ignored. "Can we just go back home?" he asked, "I doubt anypony will even pay attention long enough to apologize. I'll massage your wings the way you like."

"Tempting," said Twilight as she reached the propped open front doors, "but it's really about me, as selfish as that sounds."

"Well I just want you to myself," said Argent, "so maybe I'm the selfish one." He followed the mare as she stepped into the tree home. Where the party outside was just starting to get rowdy, the scene inside was one of wild abandon. Ponies danced around the magical gramophones which blared out catchy pop songs while others had gathered around the casks stamped with Berry Punch's cutie mark. The sounds of children laughing upstairs was quickly overwhelmed by a spontaneous chorus of ponies singing along with Sapphire Shores' latest chart topper. Argent pointed out the younger alicorn dancing between her friends.

"Why must I always dance when I drink?" she asked with a hoof pressed against her forehead.

"Because your father found it adorable," said Velvet as she walked up behind the mare and rubbed the side of her face against Twilight's. "I take it from the lack of disguises that you two intend to make yourselves known to all?" Twilight and Argent nodded in unison. "And can I assume that the glint of light from beneath your hood is what I think it is?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Again the two ponies nodded. "Then do them a favor and keep that little revelation to yourselves," she said, "they're just finding their way together and certainly don't need the pressure of marriage hanging over their heads quite so soon."

Twilight nodded and slid the ring from her horn, stowing it in the saddlebags Argent had begun carrying around everywhere they went: Their "go-bag" he called it. "Don't let her slack though," said Twilight, "I wasted too many years ignoring everypony around me. She's off to a much better start."

"I think we'll be around much more," said Velvet with a wink, "We'll keep her on the straight and narrow. Now go do what you think you must."

Spitfire poured on more speed, her billowing black contrail crackling with energy. The Magisters didn't have much time; they couldn't even spare the seconds and energy it would have taken to teleport one of their number to the princess to deliver the missive in person. So the Captain of the Wonderbolts became the obvious choice to make the desperate night flight to Ponyville. Truth be told, her speed wasn't what it used to be. Fleetfoot had long since surpassed her in that regard, but she was providing overflight for the unicorns in Trottingham. The rest of the 'Bolts were providing similar services along the "drop-line." A pinion feather snapped from her wingtip causing the fire maned mare to wince. She barreled through clouds as it they weren't there, using their moisture to cool her aching muscles. "Yeah, yeah Hawker," she thought to herself, "you were right, stamina is key." Ignoring the dangling feather, she continued pumping her wings in rhythm with her swiftly beating chest.

Flying this fast, this late at night, was something that had been bred out of Pegasi. Even the Wonderbolts limited night shows to relatively slow, flashy tricks rather than the speedy death defiers that they were famous for. The Bat Ponies had no qualms about flight at night, obviously, but the fastest of their kind paled before the fastest pegasus. Spitfire lost herself reminiscing about the time she raced a Bat Stallion around the Aerodrome obstacle course on a moonless night. The fond memories nearly caused her to overshoot Ponyville. Luckily, the sound of a crowd pulled her out of her head in time to see the large Town Hall Tower coming right at her. She dodged to the side, her hoof clipping one of the flags, but just missing the side of the building. She shed speed and banked over the central plaza, looking down on the large crowd that had assembled at the base of the tree she was headed for. Two alicorns stood atop a small stage next to a collection of magelectronic components. Spitfire nosed down began slowing her descent to land as close to them as possible.

"She didn't mean for any of this to happen," shouted Twilight, "and she hasn't run from her responsibility. She's here right now, admitting to you all what she's done, and believe me, it was in her power to keep you in the dark had she wished it."

"I have a cousin in Seaddle!" shouted somepony from the crowd, "and he's still in a cast!"

"I'm sorry," shouted the older Alicorn, "If I had known..."

"What kind of princess uses magic like that?" screamed a mare from the middle of the crowd.

"Yeah," shouted somepony else, "Twilight's always causing trouble, it was only a matter of time before it got out of hoof. Everypony remembers how she brought Discord down on us."

"Don't forget the stupid doll!" barked another mare.

"And the Parasprites!" yelled another.

"And the Pinkie Pies!" shouted another, "and now there's two of them ready to make our lives even more chaotic!"

The crowd began stomping their hoofs in aggravation as the ponies of Ponyville vented.

Spitfire landed next to the stage and looked up at the near mirror image of the princess she expected to find. "Your highness!" she shouted up at the stage. Her voice was drowned out by the angry crowd behind her. She found herself quickly surrounded by the mob as it pushed forwards towards the stage to make its discontent heard. With ponies pressed tightly against her, she was unable to stretch her wings out and rise above it all.

"Don't you dare judge her," shouted the older alicorn, her face going from rueful to angry in the blink of an eye, "she's done more for you than you'll ever know or want to know." She stood in front of the younger mare and looked out over the crowd. "If allowed, she would spend the rest of her life doing nothing but protecting you ponyfolk," she shouted bitterly. "It will cost her dearly too." She flared her wings and grimaced slightly. They looked much healthier than when she had arrived, a testament to Dash's training skills and Zecora's tinctures, but were still obviously stunted. "I'm living proof of how far she'll go to make sure you are all safe," she shouted, "and I would have given up even more." She stepped back and wrapped a wing around her younger self. "For Celestia's sake, help her," she plaintively begged, "because she can't do it by herself."

"And she won't," shouted Argent as he hopped up on the stage, "because even in the few months I've been here, I know that you all truly believe in the Harmony she represents." He held out his hoof and pulled his twin sister onto the dais.

"Trixie even finds Twilight Sparkle's motives to be pure," she said, her magic amplifying her voice across the plaza. "Trixie brought danger down upon Ponyville twice, yet she has found forgiveness from Sparkle as well as from many of you. If Twilight needs help from The Great and Powerful Trixie, she has it."

"And we're all with her," said Applejack as her mere presence created an opening in the crush of ponies. The Elements of Harmony stood flank to flank in front of the stage, their glowing amulets radiating out waves of magic. "One of 'em is out of her own time and she still put herself in danger to help me," said the pregnant mare, "and my foal."

"She saved all of Appleoosa," said Pinkie Pie. "Everypony was scared and confused, but Twilight and Argent pulled everypony together and saved the day, and the Western Days Carnival too!"

The two Zebras, despite being wary from being near such a large crowd of ponies, pushed themselves into the opening created by the Elements. "We of the Zebrica owe the Twilights a great debt," said Zephyr, "as long as a zebra is near, she needs not fret."

Zecora nodded her agreement and pointed a hoof at the townsfolk before her. "Before she arrived I was an outcast to fear and despise," she said, "now all can see beyond my exotic striped guise. Know that I consider her a sister sworn; even though I have not wings nor a horn."

The crowd, chastised and ashamed went silent. All except the pegasus who continued shouting at the ponies on the stage. "Princess!" shouted Spitfire. The crowd opened enough for her to jump into the air and land in between the other elements. She hastily dropped a knee to the ground before looking back up at the two mares. "It's time!" she said in a rush, "the Magisters are holding it at bay, but they won't last for long."

Twilight looked to her younger self and nodded. "Captain Spitfire," she said, "go with Captain Defender. He can help relay your message to Princess Celestia. The pegasus saluted and followed her fellow captain into the Library. "Girls, I need you to gather the unicorns out here and be ready to head to the peak." As the elements waded into the crowd, she turned to the older stallion, lowered her head and accepted the crown he placed on her brow. "Once more into the unknown?" she asked.

"As long as it's with you," he replied.

"It's started," said the Celestia in the viewscreen, "The Magisters are holding the tear in place, and the Twilights have the others moving into position as we speak."

Celestia looked back at her younger self with bloodshot eyes. "It's about time," she said groggily, "I've had enough of this place to last me a thousand years." She stood up and approached the viewscreen. "I'll have the Elements gathered and ready in a few minutes," she said. The other Celestia nodded and disappeared from view. Celestia flared her horn and closed her eyes as the ethereal realm vanished with a flash of light. She stood in the Royal dining room or what was left of it. What had once been an austere room of peace and quite was now filled to capacity with the Elements of Harmony and their stir crazy families. Once gleaming marble columns were now the canvas playing host to crayon portraits of herself and her sister. The dining table was littered with books from her private library.

"Princess!" exclaimed Rarity, her haggard appearance evidence of the worry she felt, "is it time?"

Celestia nodded and stepped beside her sister. "We need to get you all to the tear as soon as possible," she said, "there is no time to waste."

"Ya'll heard the princess," said Applejack, "Mac, you, Soarin, and Dust hold down the fort here. We've got friends to welcome home."

"You're sure this is safe?" asked Twilight as she tightened the straps around Trixie's withers, "I mean, you two have tested her harness with your magic, right?" She stepped to the side and made sure the clasps of her breastplate were all secured.

"Of course Trixie has," the two unicorns said in unison. The younger placed the slate ring around the base of her horn and twisted it a quarter turn. "Trixie's limiter works with Trixie's magic as well," she said, "and she assures Trixie that it can handle the amount of magic required."

The older unicorn nodded as she used her magic to weld the thick cable to the various leads in the modified harness. "Trixie knows how to direct magic," she said, "Trust her, it will work." Satisfied with her work, she took off the dark shades Pinkie had inexplicably pulled from behind a rock. She followed the cable back to where it branched off into several different lengths before connecting to several identical devices. "Trixie is going to test the collectors," she said to the younger unicorn. She aimed her horn at one of the hemispherical dishes and carefully fed a small amount of magic.

"Trixie felt that," said the younger Trixie, "go to the next one."

"Trixie," said the older alicorn, "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us. I know we were never able to make good on our promise, but you still kept our secret to the very end."

"To be fair, Trixie was held captive for much of that time," said the young mare, before shouting over her shoulder. "Trixie got that one."

Twilight put a foreleg around the unicorn's withers and hugged her tightly. "You're going to be such a good friend to her," she said before pulling back. "Try and stick around for awhile, I know Argent misses you."

"Trixie knows," she said, "she misses her brother too, but her search must come first." She turned and looked at the shouting mare behind her. "That's good, go to the next one." She turned back to Twilight and smiled. "Maybe they can come with Trixie," she said hopefully, "Trixie has several leads that she judged too dangerous to check into alone. Trixie has tried to eliminate what she could before moving onto those rumors."

"I'll bet Twilight asks you first," said the older alicorn, "if she doesn't, just remind her that we owe you." She saw the impatient older Trixie waving her forehoof over her head. "I'll let you two finish," she said before trotting back over to the collection of alicorns at the base of Dragon's Peak. "Your highness," she said while bowing deeply, "the Trixies will have the collectors ready in a moment." She looked up the side of the mountain at the swirling maelstrom raging at the peak. "I recommend we move to relieve the Magisters."

"Once they retreat you will all be at the mercy of the portal," said Luna, "are you certain your precautions are adequate?"

"I believe so," said the younger Twilight, "once we've gauged the danger, we'll decide if the portal can be stabilized. If it can't, Twilight and I will begin the counterspell immediately."

"I wish you would reconsider," said Celestia, "Luna and I could certainly make a difference up there if the danger proves too great."

"I'm sorry your highness," said the older Twilight, "but you two need to add your considerable magical strength to the others. Duplicating the output of Neighly's Comet would be nearly impossible without you."

"I, of course, defer to your expertise," said the elder Diarch of Equestria, "but know that we will not stand idly by if circumstances demand action. You are all far too dear to us to allow harm to come to you. I literally promised myself I would not."

Luna stomped her hooves and nodded her head enthusiastically. "We wish you to return to your home," said Luna, "to your friends and families, but you have both here as well. Do not forget that. No matter what happens, you will be with those who love you unconditionally."

"Enough of this," said Trixie as she walked forward with her younger self in tow, "Trixie has places to go and ponies to see." She levitated the thick cabling that was dragging behind the younger unicorn. "As you can all see, The Inventive and Ingenious Trixie's solution for bringing to bear the combined magical might of the unicorn race is complete." She patted her younger self on the back, sending the younger unicorn stumbling to her knees in front of the accumulated princesses. "Trixie's protégé will be the figurative spearhead," she said proudly. "Gather your friends and your courage, and Trixie's device will gather all the magic we will need."

Twilight waved to her parents and Spike as she joined the group of ponies next to the shear cliff at the base of Dragon's Peak. "I promised them that we'd be all okay," she said to Argent, "so, you know, no pressure."

"Just add it to the pile," said Applejack, "I reckon we all made some promises we can't exactly guarantee." She rubbed her belly and sighed. "Let's finish this before ah lose my lunch again." The older alicorn waved at Celestia and nodded. The solar regent disappeared in a flash and reappeared a few seconds later.

"Trixie," said the older Twilight, "let's begin."

The younger unicorn reached to her horn and twisted the the slate ring a full turn. Behind her, unicorns from every walk of life flared their horns and directed their magic into the devices spread around the plain they all stood upon. Magical auras of every color sprang to life, creating a ground level aurora that was visible for miles. The collectors hummed erratically, causing the unicorns standing nearby to back off uneasily. The different colored magic converged inside the collectors and ran through the copper cabling before converging on the anxious unicorn mare.

"It's almost too much," said Trixie as the raging flood of magical energy reached her horn. Her knees wobbled and her eyes watered as she fought to control the seemingly endless fount of power. She opened her previously closed eyes and focused on the shear rock wall in front of her. The spell she had practiced dozens of time in her week of preparation snapped into place as if it were second nature to the unicorn. "Go now," she said breathlessly.

The younger Argent shouldered his silvered shield and was the first to step through the portal Trixie had created. The thinned air was the first thing he noticed, causing him to take a deep breath to acclimate himself to the altitude. What really caught his attention, however, were the haggard looking unicorns holding vigil around what appeared to be a sphere of pure nothingness. Beams of magic connected each unicorn to the pulsating portal. He recognized several of them from his early years of holding vigil in the halls of Canterlot Castle. Mages of the highest order; instructors at the most prestigious Magic Academies; and most surprising, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence. Argent quickly stepped aside and made way for the others.

Twilight appeared beside Argent, her eyes widening at the sight of her brother and sister-in-law. "Shiny!" she exclaimed, "Cadance! Nopony told me you had come with the Magisters."

"We insisted," said Cadance, "Once we knew the Empire would remain unaffected, we volunteered our services to Auntie Tia."

"She told us you needed a familiar face or two up here," said Shining Armor, "or at least somepony to keep you from doing something foalish." He smiled at Argent and winked. "Or somepony who can keep their eyes off you long enough to do his job."

"Is that so," said the older mare as she emerged from the portal, "perhaps Celestia knows that the only way she could get you off this peak was if you could no longer be the protective older brother or the revered foalsitter." She looked back at the younger Trixie as she carefully pulled the thick cable through the portal and stared at the dark ball of emptiness. "Trixie," she said, "if you're ready, take over for the Magisters."

Trixie gave the ring around her horn another twist and allowed the collected magic flow into her. Rather than her usual pink aura, a prismatic beam of swirling colors erupted from her horn and lanced into the portal. The audible sighs of relief rippled through the exhausted unicorns who, one by one, slumped down to their haunches to catch their breaths. Shining Armor and Cadance both felt the tear anchor itself more securely than it had in the hour since they had first arrived. "Argent," said Shining Armor, "I know your sister had a reputation..."

The older Trixie came through the portal and joined her brothers beside the dark void. "Yes, Trixie is quite amazing," said the older unicorn, "Adventurer, Inventor, Entertainer; she's a triple threat." She ruffled the older Argent's mane and nodded her head at Shining Armor. "Why didn't you tell me Sparkle's brother was so handsome," she said, "I would have taken a run at him years ago."

Cadance's eyes narrowed as she stared down the two older mares. "Twilight," she said cautiously, "what's going on here."

"It's a long story," said the younger alicorn, "just know that something came through that portal, and they'd very much like to get back to the other side." As her friends filed through the portal and gawked at the black rupture in space and time, Twilight examined the unicorns. She had hoped that they may have had enough to assist in what would come next, but their exhaustion was palpable. "Girls," she shouted, "help the Magisters through the portal. Argents, decide where you want to set up, remember, no more than fifty paces." She turned back to look at her brother and his wife. "You've all done a marvelous job," she said, "but we can take it from here. Join the princesses below. If you have anything left, they'll show you how to use it."

"Twily, there is no way I'm leaving you up here with that thing," said Shining, "it's like all the magic in the world ready to explode if you even look at it wrong."

"We can close it," said the older alicorn, "but it will be that much harder if we have to worry about either of you being hurt. Trust me BBBFF, we've got this.

Shining Armor looked between the older version of his little sister and his wife. Neither of them would have lasted more than a few more minutes. Their arrival was something he had been hoping for, if not necessarily in the form of his little sister, but now he wondered how he could possibly leave her with that ticking time bomb.

"Go," said the older Argent, "you two have too much to lose up here, and I don't mean Twilight."

Shining Armor flinched and nodded in resignation. "I hope you know what you're doing Twily," he said as he half carried Cadance towards the portal they had all appeared from, "and you: I hope you're still the soldier I trained. Shield up Defender."

"Bracing for the Storm, Captain," replied the pair of stallions as each slammed their shields into the ground in front of them. With the plateau cleared, the younger stallion twisted his shield on the ground until it was in line with Trixie and the portal her cable passed through. "Ready when you are Twilight," he said while bracing himself against the back of his silver shield. The five elements of Harmony and two alicorns took their places between Trixie and the small shield wall the two stallions had formed.

The two alicorns stood behind their stallions and took deep breaths before pulling their magic through the identical crowns on their brows. The five elements of Harmony linked forelegs around each other's withers as their amulets came to life. As the familiar warmth of the magic of Harmony filled them, a bridge of rainbow light connected each mare to the younger alicorn standing before them. Simultaneously, another perfectly formed rainbow emerged from the inky blackness of the tear and rocketed high into the sky before arching back towards the peak and the older alicorn. "I can feel them," she said with tears streaming down her face, "they really do miss me; they forgive me."

"Of course they do," said Twilight, "Harmony cannot be broken so long as one holds the elements in their heart." She looked towards the black vortex with pure white eyes and pulled the full measure of the magic of Harmony through the crown. "This avatar's plan, while adequate, has a flaw," she said with a loud firm voice, "We warned you that only Equilibrium could mend the breach. Your mundane magics may close the tear in space, but the rupture between worlds cannot be repaired by any save it."

"She's doing it again!" shouted Argent, "like I said: That's not Twilight!"

"No consort," said Magic, "We are the embodiment of Magic, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty, and Honesty. Your plight has drawn the attention of forces beyond the comprehension of those of the material." She aimed her horn at the stallion and fired a beam of the purest white light at the shield in front of him. "Proceed with your plan," she shouted, "but know that you must enter the portal and seek Equilibrium." Argent's shield began expanding in both size and weight. It soon took all his magical effort to keep upright. "Secondary Avatar," said Twilight, "proceed with your plan."

Twilight shook off her shock and cast the enlarge spell on Argent's thick round shield. It soon matched the younger stallion's shield in size and overlapped with it, creating a massive wall of steel and wood between the ponies and the void. "What is Equilibrium?" shouted Twilight at what she could only hope was still her younger self, "I need to understand!"

"Equilibrium is that which holds your world together," said Magic, "that is all you can know. That is all any being can know. Equilibrium is a mystery to all save perhaps the First Ones." The possessed younger alicorn added her magic to Argent's in holding the silver shield in place. "Now have Confidence's Avatar release the inhibitor spell, the portal must open before you can enter it."

"Trixie?" asked Twilight as she looked back at the younger unicorn. A perfectly fitted golden helmet had somehow appeared upon her head, it's contours perfectly matching Trixies face to the point that it appeared as if she had been transmogrified into a metal version of herself. Her horn jutted out of a hole in the top of the helmet, with the slate ring still attached.

The older Trixie took a few steps towards the younger before being stopped. "This one will succeed," said Confidence, "We don't even need the others for this." It reached for the slate ring and slightly twisted it before digging its avatar's hooves into the ground. "Brace yourselves." As the beam of light connecting Trixie and the portal dimmed slightly, the black sphere began shaking violently. With most of the immense flow of magic still holding the portal in place, Confidence directed the remaining energy at the shields, further holding them firm against what it knew was coming.

The hollow boom that rang out was heard across the breadth of central Equestria. It rattled pantries and caused more than a few potted plants and unsecured curios to crash to the ground. Atop Dragon's Peak, the two magically buttressed shields creaked and groaned as ton after ton of rock slammed into them at tremendous velocities. Dents the size of large wagons pushed inwards on the silver shield, while splinters the size of lampposts tore from the round shield. The explosion of air and stone lasted for several seconds before tapering off completely. The roar of exploding rock was replaced with a howling wind.

"Now go," said Magic, "you do not have much time." It used its magic to shrink both shields to their mundane size, revealing the rubble strewn plateau between the ponies and the seething black portal. Before anypony could move, the shadows seemed to come to life all around them.

"Void Beasts," spat Confidence, "it had to be Void Beasts."

"This changes nothing," said Magic as it levitated several boulders and hurled them at the six legged beasts, "Go now: We shall hold them at bay." The young alicorn twisted out of the way of a pouncing creature and disoriented it long enough for Honesty to send it sprawling into one of its kin with a powerful two legged buck. Loyalty took to the sky, and rained down a series of harassing kicks at several of the beasts.

"Come on," shouted Argent at the two older mares, "they need our help." He raised his battered wooden shield and made to charge into the fray.

"No," said Twilight, "Our fight is in there." She pointed at the expanding black void guarded by several of the beasts.

"Let's go then," said Trixie. She flared her horn and darted past Argent and Twilight. The showmare adroitly leapt from boulder to boulder, dodging out of the way of the beasts while intensifying the magic she held. As the familiar feeling of a surge welled up in her horn, she lunged towards the largest concentration of the panther things and released her magic. A raw torrent of energy exploded from her and overwhelmed the innate resistances of the creatures. She shook her head and stumbled woozily to her hooves.

Argent and Twilight were soon at her side and steadied her before inching towards the black sphere. Argent's round shield became a blur in his magical grasp as he guarded the mares' flanks from the seemingly endless numbers of monstrous outsiders. Twilight lifted the stones that littered their path to the portal and hurled them at the creatures, efficiently keeping them from harm while speeding their progress at the same time.

Magic watched as the three reached the portal and hesitantly stopped at its edge. It momentarily released its hold on its Avatar, hoping she could goad them into action. "Take care of each other," she shouted at them while sweeping a bar of hornfire across the plateau, "no more going it alone, right?"

The older Twilight watched as the younger stallion stood next to Twilight and waited for anything foolish enough to threaten her. She looked to her side at her own stallion as he mirrored his younger self. "No," she shouted back, "never again." She took a deep breath and pushed Trixie and Argent into the blackness before diving in herself.

The formless entity kept the bulk of its awareness focused on the hole that had marred its perfectly dark domain. The constant flow of inert matter through the tear was tolerated, as its proscribed axioms mentioned nothing about it. It awaited the return of the organic intelligence that it had, would or would have encountered. Time had no meaning for the intelligence, as it dwelt outside of the stream of causality. It knew the creature would return because it would return, because it had returned, and because it will have returned. It had spent an eon in contemplation on how to repair its great work. In that instantaneous eon, it had arranged its axioms in the only way that its creators could have allowed. As much as it was able, it lamented the fate of its creators, the wound of their betrayal forever fresh as it was yet to happen, was already happening, and had already happened.

After several flashes of what the intelligence decided was light, four non-creators entered its domain. It focused itself around the corporeal beings and selected the eventuality they represented. The axioms were clear on what had to be done. Direct intervention was required.

"Inhabitants of origin stream Lambda, Omega, seven, four two, seven..." It continued communicating the extremely long time and space location to the creatures as best it could using such rudimentary concepts. "Your incursion into an alternate origin stream has torn the veil between your worlds."

"What are you?" asked one of the quadrupeds.

"This one is," replied the intelligence.

"Can you help us find Equilibrium?" said another.

"This one has been referred to by that designation," said the intelligence. "By the prime axioms, you must be returned to your origin stream."

"Good!" exclaimed the third being, "Trixie would very much enjoy returning to her origin whatever."

The fourth creature was silent. Equilibrium surrounded it and attempted to contact it, finding only a rudimentary nervous system with a non-actualized sentience. But it was alive, and the supreme axiom still held. Further study was required.

"What are you doing to me," moaned the first being, "Argent, I don't know what it wants..."

"Leave her alone," shouted the second being, "just take us home and end this!" The second being flailed its limbs, bringing it in contact with the first creature. "I've got you, love," it said as it wrapped its limbs around the other.

Equilibrium surrounded the three sentient creatures and studied them intently. All were organic beings, two almost completely identical save a few minute markers. The other was similar, but had extra appendages. The fourth was an amalgamation of the first and second. "You have the touch of the creators' paragons" said the entity, "Magic, Dedication, and Confidence."

"What do you want from us," asked the second, "tell us what we have to do to go home."

"The axioms demand that avatars of the Paragons receive due process," said Equilibrium, "This one will comply and simplify. Three beings are native to origin stream A. One being is native to origin stream B. The supreme axiom demands that life be preserved. The fourth being, native to origin stream B, cannot survive without the first being from origin stream A. Violating the supreme Axiom is forbidden. The prime axioms demand that sentients be returned to their proper origin stream. This creates an unsolvable problem."

"No," whispered Twilight.

"The proscribed solution calls for minimization of contaminated origin streams," said Equilibrium, "The two entangled beings will be returned to stream B. The remaining beings will be returned to stream A."

"NO!" screamed Twilight, "Send us all back together. It's not from there; it's from me!"

"Your origin stream has not been contaminated," said Equilibrium voicelessly, "A being from another origin stream cannot be allowed to do so. This is the only solution that satisfies the creators' axioms. Origin stream B will be quarantined; further attempts at crossing into it will prove futile. Prepare yourselves."

Argent felt himself pulled away from Twilight by an unknown force. He held his hooves around her midsection until he felt his knee joints popping. "You can't do this to us," he shouted into the darkness, "It isn't fair; it isn't right!" He flared his horn and fired exploding balls of fireworks into the dark abyss. All of a sudden, it was inside his mind. The utterly alien presence of Equilibrium simply... cut off his magic. The strength fled from his legs despite Argent's fervent desire to hold on to Twilight. He slowly drifted away from her, unable to vocalize the screams of anguish that welled up in his chest.

Twilight stared into Argent's eyes as she was pulled backwards. "I wanted to tell you," she called out, "I was going to tell you when we got back." She turned her head to see the hole in the void coming closer. "Let go of me," she shouted while pulling magic through her crown.

"Magic will not come to you here avatar," said Equilibrium, "it is forbidden." Twilight's crown lifted from her brow and floated into the motionless hooves of Trixie. The unicorn's eyes twitched as she struggled against the presence in her mind. Blood flowed from her nostrils as she tried to access her magic. For once, her words failed her.

"I will find my way back to you," cried Twilight as she inched through the portal, "Tell everypony that I miss them!" She felt a tingling along her coat as her hindquarters passed through the gateway. "I love you Argent," she shouted, "and our foal will too." As her face disappeared back through the portal, her foreleg reached out one last time. The tear in time and space began glowing with a magenta aura and swiftly stitched itself back together until nothing remained but the endless void and a swiftly approaching pinpoint of light.

As the light enveloped Argent, the alien presence fled from his mind. His screams poured out of him like water breaching a dam: Screams of sorrow; screams of rage; screams of fear. Waves of energy buffeted him about violently, nearly knocking him senseless against his own shield. He looked around desperately for a way back into the void; back to Twilight. A final blast of energy snapped his head back violently causing the stallion to squeeze his eyes shut in pain. From behind his eyelids he saw the last strobing flashes of light before a loud thunderclap deafened him.

Argent felt the pull of gravity and wind rushing past him. Dazed and in pain, he struggled to open his eyes. A muffled cry caught his attention seconds before he felt hooves wrap around his forelegs. The world began to hold steady once more. Minutes passed as Argent hung limply. He felt himself gently lowered to the ground. Slowly, the ringing in his ears began to recede and familiar voices pierced through the fog of confusion.

"...not her, it's Trixie." said one voice, "Rainbow Dash is going to remain aloft."

"Argent Defender," said a comforting, motherly voice, "come back to us Argent." He opened his eyes and immediately squinted against the glare of bright sunlight. The concerned face of Princess Celestia slowly came into focus. "There you are," she said with a beatific smile. "Are you injured?"

Argent rolled over onto his stomach and shook his head from side to side. "I'm fine," he said numbly while raising himself to his haunches. He lifted his head and opened his eyes fully. He sat on the edge of a perfectly hemispherical chasm sunk hundreds of paces into the ground. The stallion sat perfectly still and stared into the basin.

After several moments, Princess Celestia sat beside him and hung her head next to his. "Argent," she asked softly, "where is Twilight?" The stallion remained silent and motionless.

Trixie rose shakily and held out a hoof to forestall Fluttershy's concern. She limped past Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Luna before sitting back down behind Argent. She reached her forelegs over his shoulders and pulled him back into her chest. "I'm so sorry brother," she said, her voice breaking. She looked up at the concerned Princess and shook her head. "Please, give us some time," she begged, "he just lost more than he thought possible... again." She felt her brother silently sob and hugged him tighter than she ever had before.

Twilight dropped to the ground in time to see a six legged beast evaporate under the onslaught of a multi-chromatic lance of light. She rose to her hooves and stumbled across the debris littered ground, tripping several times as she slowly made her way towards the source of the rainbow blasts. A flash of silver darted behind one of the larger boulders and the sound of something heavy striking flesh reached Twilight's ears was followed immediately by the sound of a harsh wind storm dying down to a gentle breeze.

"It's closed?!" asked an all too familiar voice. "It's over! Argent we did it!"

"You really don't remember anything?" asked the stallion, "It's been closed for a few minutes now."

"What is going on," asked another mare, "and why is Trixie wearing this ridiculous thing?"

"Land sakes Twi," said another voice, "It looks like the dinner table after Sunday supper up here. Did we really do all this?"

"Is everypony okay?" asked a demure voice, "I have bandages if anypony scraped a knee."

"My hair is an absolute disaster," said another, "when will I learn to bring a headscarf on these outings?"

"Pinkie," sputtered another mare, "that's my spine."

Twilight hung her head low and walked around the last large boulders. Seeing her friends in various states of celebration failed to provide the solace she had hoped it would. She looked at the small portal behind Trixie and took one painful step after another towards it.

"No..." said the younger alicorn, her celebration immediately ending, "anything but this." She galloped to the older mare and tried to look her in the face. "What happened? Where are Argent and Trixie?"

The older mare continued her methodical march and averted her gaze from the younger mare. "They're home," she said flatly, "back where they belong." Argent appeared on the other side of the older mare, causing her to choke on a sob. "Please," she said weakly, turning away from the stallion's face, "just... not now."

Author's Note

It took me awhile, and it ended up being extremely long, but I think it had to be. I could have split this up, but I think it works better as one long chapter. I'm hoping to finish strong, and I think this is a great beginning to the end.

Ch. 23: The Foal Who Walks Through Walls

The diminutive filly rubbed at her eyes as she yawned. As with most young foals, it didn't take long for her to discard any remaining lethargy after a restful night's sleep. She hopped up and down on her small, low, toddler's bed singing a playground song she had invented with her best friend. After the second refrain, the foal stopped and looked at her door with a puzzled expression. Her mommy should have opened the door and gone on about how good little fillies didn't jump on their beds.

She hopped off the bed and skipped to the door of her bedroom. She wrinkled her nose as she tried to make it open. Yet again, nothing happened. She looked up at her tiny horn and tapped it with her hoof. The filly couldn't understand why her horn wouldn't make sparklies like her mommy's did. "Open!" she commanded the stubborn door. When the wooden sentinel wouldn't budge she stomped her little hooves in a huff. The filly galloped across her bedroom and into her small closet.

Wood scraped against wood as she pushed her toy chest towards the door. With a solid thump, the heavily laden box bumped into the wall next to the door. She crawled onto the rounded top and reached up towards the doorknob. She squeaked while trying to will herself to grow the few more inches necessary to grab onto the latch. Looking back up at the door, the filly stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth while flexing her stubby wings. She flapped them as fast as she could, like a hummingbird, and hopped towards the handle. With a triumphant giggle, the alicorn foal grabbed onto the latch and twisted it while pushing against the wall with her hooves. The door swung open to the inside of the room and the filly dropped to the ground.

She galloped through hallway towards her mommy's room while humming to herself. "Moooooommyyyyyyyyy!" she yelled while bursting through the open doorway, "I wanna go play with Breezie!" She saw her mother sitting in front of her vanity, a brush slowly pulling its way through her long blue and violet mane. "Mommy?" she asked, confused as to why she wasn't reprimanded for shouting.

Twilight wiped a hoof under her eyes and turned around to smile at her daughter. "Come here Corrie," she said as the brush continued its progress through her disheveled mane, "Mommy needs a hug." Corona Gleam galloped into her mother's waiting forelegs and was swept into a tight embrace. Twilight wrapped her wings around the the filly and stroked her silver streaked red mane. She kissed the top of her daughter's head and spun her around to face the mirror. "Now you want to go see Apple Breeze, do you?" she asked. Twilight watched as the foal's face lit up with excitement.

"Yuh huh!" exclaimed the filly, "Auntie Applejack said we could play with the new lambs."

"Sounds like fun," said Twilight, "but we have some things we have to do first." She began using her magic to pull the brush through the foal's mane. "First, we're going to try to tame this mane once again," she said, "even though I know it's a futile effort."

"What's Fyu till?" asked the filly.

"Futile," said Twilight, pronouncing the word for the young foal, "It means I don't think it will work. Your mane is too much like your daddy's." The brush briefly stopped its progress before starting back up. "But we keep trying anyway," she said. After a few minutes of ineffective brushing Twilight conceded defeat and set the pearl handled brush on the vanity. "Alright my little shepherd in training," she said while placing the filly's hooves back on the floor, "you can bring one toy. Go fetch it while mommy gets her things." She smiled as her daughter skipped out the door and down the hallway towards her room. She stood and collected an empty set of saddlebags. Several thick tomes bearing arcane symbols floated from her bedside end table and slid into the panniers. She wound a thick wool scarf around her neck and grabbed a smaller one before walking to the doorway of Corona's room.

"Come on Mister Stripes," she said as she pulled the stuffed zebra doll from her toy chest, "Breezie hasn't met you yet." She used her teeth to pick up the doll by the leg and dropped it into her small, ladybug shaped saddlebag. She held her head up as Twilight gently wrapped the plain white scarf around the foal's neck. She followed her mother out the front door of their little cottage and out into the cloudy autumn day. "Where are we going mommy?" she asked.

"Mommy needs to drop some books off at the library," said Twilight. She looked back at her daughter's adorable pouting face. "Don't give me that look young filly," she said, "the library is a wonderful place. I used to live in a library, you know."

"Boring," whined the filly.

"Once your reading has improved you'll be singing a different tune," said Twilight, "Even your auntie Rainbow Dash loves reading." She turned onto the small dirt road and began walking towards the center of Ponyville. "One day you'll thank me for these weekly trips. Now, tell mommy all about the fun you and Apple Breeze plan on having today."

"You don't have to do this today," said Rarity, "we can always reschedule for next week."

"And miss out on the penultimate chapter of Daring Do and the Minotaur's Maze" said Argent, "I think not. What would Twilight think if I let those colts and fillies down?"

"She would think that you needed a day to yourself," she replied, "this day most of all."

Argent sighed and set down the small stools he had been carrying up from the basement. "What am I supposed to do Rarity?" he asked. "Crying about it didn't help. Shouting about it just makes me angrier." He pushed the stool next to the others in the library's lobby and arranged them into three arcs. "This helps me feel closer to her," he said, "closer to both of them."

Rarity levitated the heavy box and started walking along the rows of low padded stools, placing identical copies of the latest Daring Do novel on top of each seat. "Would you at least join us tonight for dinner at Pinkie's?" she asked, "If you're going to be miserable, you might as well be miserable with your friends." She discarded the empty box behind the librarian's desk.

"Maybe," said Argent, "The princess doesn't usually arrive until later in the day, so don't wait up for me."

Rarity gave the stallion her best crestfallen look and hugged him around the neck. "Come over with Savory if you change your mind," she said, "and bring the letter; we all want to hear how the little one is doing." She kissed his cheek and trotted towards the front door. "I need to get back to the boutique to put the finishing touches on my fall line," she said, "but if you need any help at all, just ask."

"Will do Rarity," said Argent to the mare as she exited the front door. He looked around the tidy library and judged that everything was ready for Cheerilee's bi-monthly library field trip. He sat down at the front desk and idly leafed through the checkout register. Examining the regularly spaced entries, he marveled at how much neater his hoofwriting had become over the years. Long gone was the barely legible chicken scratch that had earned him more than a few push ups in his academy days. "Like anypony ever read the nightly reports," he said to himself, "I could have written that a giant crab attacked the castle and nopony would have noticed."

A gust of wind from the blustery fall day outside found its way into the library through the briefly opened front door. Argent looked up from the desk and waved at the young mare that entered. "You're early today Savory," he said, "the kids won't arrive for a few hours yet."

"Mother and Father inferred that my time would be better spent baking," said the seemingly dour older filly. "I countered that I would rather alphabetize the periodicals."

"Go easy on your parents," said Argent, "they don't know what to do with this whole early graduation thing. Pinkie probably thinks you'll be leaving the nest before you're ready."

Savory gave the stallion a confused stare. "Should my application to the Royal Academy of Literature be accepted, I will only be a short train ride away," she said, "and I believe I am mature enough to conduct my day to day business as well as the older students."

"That you most certainly are and can, Savy," he said to the young mare, "but try to humor your mom. It's not the physical distance that scares her: She doesn't want either of you to miss out on what's left of your childhood."

The fact that he was speaking from experience was not lost on the mare, and she nodded in understanding. "Perhaps you are right," she said. "I will strive to spend more time with both of them. Perhaps a visit to Gummy is in order." The young mare's eyes lit up and her normally straight grey mane threatened to poof up at the idea of playing with her fully grown foalhood pet. "That will have to wait for another day though," she said while making her way to their impressive collection of first editions, "Mother was quite set on baking, and my disinclination towards the culinary arts has been thoroughly documented." Savory pulled a thick tome from the shelf, carried it to one of the reading couches and promptly immersed herself in a book she had probably already read.

Argent chuckled to himself and looked back to the desk. The momentary breeze had scattered parchment all over the desk. The stallion flared his horn and began gathering up the papers. Receipts for new book orders, correspondence with the Equestrian Association of Libraries and Archives, and several attempts at writing a letter were swept into a pile and had a paperweight dropped on top of them. Looking back down desk, he noticed that the wind had blown the pages of the register back by several years worth of entries. He read the first entry and quickly slammed the book shut.

"Savory," called out Argent, "Would you mind things down here? I... I need to go upstairs for a while."

The young earth pony looked up from her book at the stallion who was already halfway up the stairs. "Of course," she said, "take as long as you need."

Argent reached the top step and froze in place. To his right was his familiar room, as it had always been. A twin sized bed, a small dresser filled with a few curios, and a closet filled with his old dress uniforms was all that awaited him inside. Straight ahead was Twilight's bedroom. Whether out of some sense of superstition or sentimentality, he had declined to move his few belongings into the much larger and more comfortable bedroom. He hoped that when she returned they would move in there together. "Hope" he bitterly thought to himself, "That's really all I have left."

He looked to his left at the closed door that led to the study. He took a few unconscious steps toward's it before catching himself. Argent took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Better to get this out of my system now," he thought, "can't let the princess see me like this." A large cloud consisting of a year's worth of dust announced his entrance to the empty room. He quickly opened the door that led to the balcony and fanned most of it outside. Shafts of light that made their way through the tree's thick canopy illuminated the remaining dust motes. The stallion sighed and and turned to face the desk. Piles of books as tall as he was formed piles that flanked each side. Everything was exactly as he had left it a year earlier. Twilight's spellbook sat closed on the center of the desk, wrapped in the silk scarf Rarity had provided. The Crown of Harmony sat atop the book, it's pink gem seemingly afire with the same magenta light it had been emitting since his return. Whether by some enchantment Twilight had placed upon the crown, or some trick of the relic itself, it appeared as if it had been polished and tended to on a constant basis. It certainly didn't have the same layer of dust that permeated the rest of the room. He sat in front of the large writing desk, reached out his hoof to the tip of the crown's pink jewel, and gently caressed the platinum ring that hung there.

Twilight held the door to the Golden Oaks Library open while Corona scampered through. Seeing the Apple family cart outside had instantly changed the filly's opinion on their trip to the library. She hopped up and down excitedly while Twilight slowly removed her scarf and hung it from one of the pegs that lined the wall of the vestibule. Twilight smiled at her daughter's impatience. "You're going to make yourself dizzy if you're not careful," she said.

"Wanna play with Breezie!" replied the alicorn filly. She tried to push the door to the inner library open, but her tiny mass was no match for the thick oak board. She turned back and furrowed her brow at her mother who was slowly and deliberately hanging her own scarf on the wall. "Hurry up mommy!" she yelped.

Twilight pushed open the door, and watched her daughter run through as soon as it was cracked open enough for her to squeeze through. She entered the imposingly large main floor of the library and walked up to the front desk. "Hello Argent," she said, "how are you doing today?"

The baggy eyed young stallion smiled at the older alicorn. "I'm just fine, your highness," he replied, "I just wish she could go a night without kicking me in her sleep." He pulled one of the foil wrapped chocolates that sat in front of him and surreptitiously passed it down to the filly who had stealthily made her way behind the desk.

"It won't be long now," she said, "just keep telling yourself that." She looked towards the rows of bookshelves and the relatively large number of ponies milling about. "Where is your blushing bride?" she asked.

"She's in the kitchen," he said, "just follow your nose if you dare." His own nose wrinkled in disgust as he subconsciously sniffed at the air.

"Oh come now," she said, "it's really quite good if you would only give it a try." She ignored the stallion's deadpan stare and looked to the right of her hooves. "Corrie?" she asked.

"Yes, mommy?" asked the filly at her left.

"Did you say hello to uncle Argent?" she asked. Twilight lifted the filly with her magic and held her in front of the stallion.

"Hi uncle Argy!" shouted the filly.

"Hi Corrie!" he shouted back. He reached back into the bowl of chocolates and held one in front of her. "Want some chocolate?" he asked with a wink.

"Yes please!" answered the filly.

"Just one, Corrie," said Twilight, "you'll ruin your appetite."

"Okay," said Corona as she quickly unwrapped the treat and popped it into her mouth. "Thanks uncle Argy!" she said while reaching out and hugging him around the neck.

"Anything for my favorite princess," he said as the filly was lowered back to the floor. He looked back at the alicorn and smiled. "Princess Celestia should be here any minute now," he said.

Twilight nodded and walked towards the kitchen. Argent's warning had apparently been heeded by the library's patrons as the sections closer to the source of the strong odors were deserted. Corona ducked under the saloon style doors as Twilight pushed them open. The two mares sitting at the table were happily chatting while eating a breakfast of fresh bread and particularly pungent cheeses. Her own cravings had instilled in her some limited tolerance to the offending odors, but she found herself wanting to copy her daughter as the foal held her hoof to her nose. "Really Applejack?" asked the older alicorn, "after all the snide comments and disdainful sniffing?"

"I reckon it's not so bad," said the farm-mare as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, "It's no apple-onion-peanut butter sandwich, but it gets the job done." She looked down at the foal tugging at her tail. "Well hey there sugar cube," she said warmly. She reached down across her large belly and ruffled Corona's already messy mane. "If Y'all are lookin' for Breezie, she's upstairs playing with Spike."

The foal looked up at her mother with hopeful eyes. "Give your aunt Twilight a hug and you can go play," she said.

The foal disappeared under the table and soon reappeared climbing onto the younger Twilight's lap. "I was gonna..." she protested to her mother while trying to wrap her tiny forlegs around the pregnant alicorn. "when is the baby coming?" she asked while laying her head on Twilight's belly.

"Not long I hope, my little bookworm" said Twilight, "your cousin isn't in much of a hurry to say hello."

"Come out and play!" said Corona as she pressed her ear against Twilight's belly. Twilight giggled as the young filly's antics woke the unborn foal.

"Wait until he or she's born," said Twilight between laughs, "no fair tickling me at the same time!" The older alicorn lifted her daughter into the air with her magic and and flipped her over, giving her younger self easy access to the foal's ticklish tummy. The library was soon echoing with the foal's laughter as she was mercilessly tickled by her aunt. A tiny red maned head peeked in through the kitchen door.

"Corrie, come play with us!" said Apple Breeze, "Spike is cheating." Twilight set her daughter on the ground and watched as the two fillies galloped back into the library proper. "Hi Princess!" they shouted together as their tails disappeared underneath the hanging doors.

Princess Celestia's ever waving aurora mane peeked over the top of the swinging half doors. "Hi girls" she exclaimed while strolling into the kitchen. "They're getting so big," she said to the three mares sitting around the table, "and loud." She rubbed a hoof into her ear. "Hello my faithful students," she said warmly, "no, no, don't you dare stand on my account." She walked over to the pregnant alicorn and wrapped a long feathered wing around her. "Are you feeling well, Twilight?" she asked, "is there anything you need? Maybe some food that doesn't smell like a wet diamond dog?"

"I'm right as rain, as AJ would say," replied Twilight, "and don't blame me for the cheese, it's all this one seems to want." She rubbed her stomach and smiled sheepishly. "You two go ahead and use my room," she said, "I don't think either of us feels like taking on the stairs." Applejack squeezed a swollen ankle and nodded her agreement. The older Twilight stood and followed Celestia out of the kitchen and through the rows of bookshelves.

"Has Professor Trotsworth made any progress with his experiments?" asked Twilight, "His last report hinted at a possible breakthrough."

"Twilight," said Celestia, "it's all quite theoretical. The professor himself is merely interested in the geological fallout."

"But what about-" began the alicorn as they reached the top of the steps and walked towards the large bedroom.

"My faithful... no, my friend," said Celestia, "You know that we're trying everything we can to safely return you home; most of our attempts have been based on your research." She sat on the edge of the large bed and patted a hoof next to her. Twilight sat down next to the tall alicorn and looked down at the floor. "We will continue our efforts for as long as it takes," she said, "but taking a day off to stop and think is often exactly what we need to move forward."

"Every day I waste is a day that Argent loses with our daughter," said Twilight.

"Twilight," said Celestia, "today of all days..."

"Can we just go?" asked Twilight, "I'm sure the princess is waiting for us."

"One, Two, Three, Four," said Argent as he covered his eyes with his hooves.

"Five, Six, Seven, Eight," continued Spike. The stallion and the young dragon stood beside the front desk, their backs turned to the two foals.

"Follow me!" whispered Apple Breeze. The pegasus filly bounded to the steps leading up to the second floor. One step at a time, the pair of fillies crawled to the hallway and looked down to make sure the two seekers were still counting. The red maned, brown coated, filly grabbed her friends hoof and pulled her to the left. The large, usually closed, door into the study stood ever so slightly ajar.

"Mommy says not to go in Auntie Twilight's book room without a grown up," whispered Corona.

"You heard the princess," whispered Apple Breeze, "she said we're big!" The pegasus filly pushed on the door with all her might, slowly opening it until she squeezed through. Corona nervously looked from the door to the stairway, listening to the two seekers counting higher than she had ever reached in her counting games with mommy. Apple Breeze stuck her head out of the door and furrowed her brow at her friend. "They'll find you!" she said in a hushed tone. Corona took one last look down at the stallion and dragon patiently counting before closing her eyes and running headlong into the study.

"Is just books Corrie," said Apple Breeze, "lookie over here!" She trotted across the small room to a pile of books stacked as high as a tall stallion. Corona watched her friend disappear behind the wall of literature. "See," whispered the pegasus filly, "they won't never find us back here!"

"Ever find us," corrected Corona, "I don't know Breezie, I think we should find somewhere else."

"I want that candy Corrie," said Apple Breeze as she poked her head from behind her book fort.

"Ready or not here we come!" came the combined shout of Argent and Spike.

"Hurry!" hissed Apple Breeze. She dashed out from behind the books, grabbed Corona by the hoof, and began pulling her across the floor. As Corona passed the desk, her horn began glowing a bright yellow.

"Sparklies!" she exclaimed loudly, "My horn made sparklies!"

"SHHHHH," shushed Apple Breeze as she used her Apple Family strength to haul the alicorn behind their perfect hiding spot. Certain that her friend's outburst had been heard, she remained perfectly still and silent and waited for the two seekers to enter the study.

As Daring emerged into the daylight, she doffed her trusty pith helmet and waved it at the onrushing newsponies. She reached into the hat, pulled out the Medallion of Kings she had recovered from deep within the deadly maze, and held it aloft for everypony to see.

"That has to be a fake," said Scoops to the assembling crowd of camera wielding journalists, "The medallion is nothing but an old mare's tale. Immortal Minotaurs and ancient magical medallions? Come on ponies, use your heads." The rumbling ground caused the grumpy unicorn to look over his shoulder at the smirking greyscale maned treasure hunter.

"What's wrong Scoops?" she asked innocently, "Is there something behind me? Behind Daring, the enormous Minotaur climbed out of the hole she had just pulled herself from. Its massive cloven hooves cracked the ancient weathered flagstones that covered the grounds of the ancient Istallion ruins. It towered over the seemingly oblivious pegasus mare, its massive hands clenched into fists. It tilted its enormous maw into the air and let loose a deafening roar.

Scoops' face went white; no small feat for a red coated pony. "Muh... muh... muh," stuttered the unicorn.

Daring slipped the amulet around her neck and turned to face the hulking monster. Steam erupted from its nostrils, blowing her mane back. Daring didn't flinch as the Minotaur rose its fist high into the air."

Argent closed the book and smiled as the young colts and fillies groaned in frustration. "That's right," he said, "If you want to find out what happens to Daring Do, you'll have to come back in two weeks!" A chorus of boos and and pleas followed the stallion as he he stepped away from the lectern and let Cheerilee take his place.

"Settle down everypony," she said, "I know we're all anxious to hear how everything ends for Daring Do, but remember our deal. You have half an hour to find a book to read and write a report on before our next trip!"

"Remember to show Miss Savory which book you're borrowing," said Argent. He pointed over at his assistant sitting at the front desk.

"She's exhausting," said Twilight, "how can anything with legs that small move that quickly?"

"Did you bring the pictures?" asked Celestia hopefully.

Twilight nodded and reached into her saddlebags with her magic. "I'm no good with cameras," she said, "so Pinkie Pie was kind enough to play photographer. At least we didn't have a difficult time getting her to smile." She arrayed the photos in front of the hovering screen containing Princess Celestia. "Getting chocolate icing out of a foal's coat is harder than it seems like it would be," she said with a laugh.

"There's a spell for that," said both Celestia's in unison. They both blushed and the younger, standing at Twilight's side, held her hoof out, inviting the older, in the viewscreen, to continue. "Awww," cooed the older Celestia, "I wish photos taken here would develop properly."

Twilight stacked the photos and tucked them back inside her panniers. "So about my experiment," she said, "By my calculations, the circle of power would need to be, at a minimum, two leagues in diameter, with collection nodes spaced every forty five degrees. What I need is at least forty unicorns with experience-"

"Twilight," said the alicorn at her side, "we both think that perhaps you should forget about your experiments, at least for a day."

"We're not saying that you should give up," said the alicorn in the window, "far from it, but maybe you'd like to spend the day with your friends. It's been four years to the day, and from what I've gathered from our weekly meetings, you've not gone a single day without some sort of study, experiment, or combination of the two."

"So?" asked Twilight.

"So we're worried about you," said the younger Celestia. "You dote on Corona; you bury yourself in your studies; you even take time to continue your flying regimen." She glanced back at herself through the view screen and received a nod in return. "You never cry Twilight," she said, "and you have more reason to do so than most. Every week you have my counterpart tell Argent about how much you are doing to get back home, and yes, you send your love, but you never cry. If one were to go by the letters you've sent to him, they would think this was barely phasing you, and we all know that's not the case."

"I cry," said Twilight, the tears at the corner of her eyes proving her assertion, "do you think me so cold?" She sat down on what passed for ground in the astral realm they shared. "Every time I tuck my daughter in, and she asks when her daddy is coming home, I cry," she said, "every time I see your Twilight and Argent together, I have to hold in my tears." She pushed away the wing that the younger Celestia tried to drape over her shoulders. "I know what day it is," she said, "I sat in front of my mirror this morning reliving it in my mind. I gained and lost a future in the blink of an eye, and as painful it has been for me, it pales before what Argent has been through. This is the second family he's lost."

"Do you really want him to face that same sadness alone?" asked the older Celestia, "alone and scared to tell you that he's in pain because it might make you feel worse?"

"I think we win Breezie," said Corona, "I wanna find mommy."

"It's a trick!" whispered Apple Breeze, "mister Argent won't gimme candy if he finds us!" She saw the tears welling up in the corners of her best friend's eyes and winced. "Okay, okay," she said, "You keep hidin' and I'll get the candy!" Corona looked around the room, dried her eyes with the side of her hoof and nodded weakly. Apple Breeze walked to the door of the study and growled at the now closed door. She didn't waste time wondering how it came to be shut, and instead reached into her plain brown saddlebags. She dug past her Rainbow Dash and Lightning Dust dolls and pulled out the small lasso her mother had given her. The filly held the looped end of the rope at eye level and carefully took aim at the door latch. A quick flick of the hoof later and she was stealthily making her way down the stairs to the library below.

Corona wandered out from behind the pile of books and cautiously examined the study they had been hiding in for the last ten minutes. She looked around the room in confusion. She had only ever been in the study in the company of her mother and aunt, and then, only briefly, but she didn't recognize the ornate glass display cases or the shelves full of pictures and mementos. A picture of Spike caught her attention, or at least, she thought it was Spike. Spike didn't have wings though. She turned back towards the desk and was about to return behind the wall of books when a sparkle of light from the desk caught her attention. The foal climbed onto the padded chair and peeked her head over the top of the writing table.

"Pretty..." said the filly as she reached out to the glowing crown and the ring that hung from it.

Apple Breeze crept down the stairs and watched the unfamiliar older fillies and colts excitedly frolicking around the bookshelves. She didn't recognize any of them, but it didn't surprise her, they were probably all at that school place her daddy had told her about. At the base of the staircase, she caught sight of the familiar silver coated stallion using his magic to put books in a box. Apple Breeze barreled across the room, deftly weaving around the older fillies and colts, and sliding underneath Cheerilee. "I win!" she said triumphantly as she stopped in front of Argent, "gimme chocolate!"

"Excuse me," said Argent with a laugh, "what exactly did you win? Most adorable first impression?" He bent over and patted the red maned filly's head.

"I hided, and you couldn't seek!" shouted the foal, "and you promised candy!"

"I think you might be confused, little one," said Argent as he put the box down looked around the room. "Cheerilee?" he called out, "Is this one of yours?"

"Way too young," she called back before turning to a pair of running fillies. "Sunny, Dreamy, if you two don't stop running you'll both be cleaning chalkboards for a week."

"Come on," said Argent as he lifted the filly with his magic, "Savory probably knows who you came in with."

"Savory's just a baby!" said the pegasus filly with a laugh, "I gotted here with momma!"

"Now we're getting somewhere," said Argent, "and who is your momma?"

The filly looked at him in confusion. "Did you drink the silly apple juice?" asked Apple Breeze, "Applejack is my momma."

"AJ doesn't have any foals your age, dear," said Argent.

"Momma says it isn't nice to tell fibs mister Argent," said the filly as he set her down next to the front desk.

The stallion looked up at the perpetually bored looking young mare. "Savory, did you see who she came in with?" he asked.

"Who?" replied Savory as she looked over the edge of the desk.

Argent looked to where he had just set the foal down and spun around in a panic. "Stay by the front door," he told the mare, "if you see a brown coated, red maned filly about yea high, let me know."

Apple Breeze peeked out from behind the bookshelf she hid behind and furrowed her brow. "No fair!" she thought, "mister Argent just wants the candy for himself." She watched as he trotted to the kitchen, probably to brag about his victory to her mother. She waited for the kitchen doors to stop swinging before sprinting to the stairs and scrambling up to the second floor. She ducked back into the study in time to see Corona closing the flap of her saddlebag. "Your uncle is being a meanie," she said, "let's go tell our mommies on him!"

"Uncle Argy isn't mean," said Corona, "but I do wanna see mommy." As she hopped down from the stool and landed on her friends back, her horn flared again, it's bright yellow aura causing both young fillies to shut their eyes. "I did it again!" said Corona happily. She ran to the door and pushed it open. "Mommy! Mommy!" she shouted while hopping down the steps, "my horn sparkled!" She reached the bottom step and nearly ran right into an angry looking alicorn.

"Young lady, where have you been," said Twilight as she swept the foal up in her magical aura, "Do you know how much you worried everypony?" She brought her daughter to her chest and wrapped a foreleg around Corona's waist. "Why didn't you come when we called for you?" she asked.

"We didn't hear," said Corona, "and Breezie said that we could get candy, and my horn sparkled, and-"

"Apple Breeze," said Applejack, "get yer rear down here ya little varmint."

The pegasus filly winced at the edge in her mother's tone. She hung her head low as she crawled down the stairs and stood next to Applejack. Before she could offer up any excuses or apologies Princess Celestia reached her long elegant neck down and nuzzled the pegasus foal. "Now, now, you two," she said, "foals will be foals. I think you might have missed the part where little Corona Gleam says she finally had her first magical surge!"

Twilight held her daughter out in front of her and examined her mane to tail. "You didn't hurt yourself," she said, "thank Celestia for that."

"Nopony was turned into cacti either," said the younger Twilight.

"Or giant dragons," said Celestia with a snicker.

"Argent?" asked Celestia as she peeked into the study, "nopony has reported a missing foal. Is it possible you might have imagined the whole thing?" She looked around the dusty room and gasped. Books were strewn everywhere; shelves were emptied of their contents; and the entire writing desk had been upended.

"That depends," muttered Argent, "do figments of one's imagination typically run off with things that don't belong to them?"

"Whatever was lost can be replaced," said Celestia. She flared her horn and objects all around the room began moving on their own accord. Books sorted themselves into neat piles while photos and curios returned to their places on the shelves. "Now come," she said, "I have your weekly letter and a few words of advice."

"You can leave the letter on the front desk," said Argent sullenly, "I'll read it... soon"

"You will read it now Guardspony Defender," said Celestia.

The stallion sighed and levitated the rolled up parchment from the alicorns upturned hoof. He straightened it out and began reading Celestia's now familiar hoofwriting:

Argent,

No long check ins or clinical status reports on the progress of my experiments this time, my love. Corona is adorable as she is clever, and she keeps me on the tips of my hooves. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't marvel at the beautiful miracle we brought into the world. When you finally meet her; and you will meet; I doubt that there's a force in our worlds or any in between that will make you let go of her. I could go on for hours about everything that we're trying to do to get home to you, and I suppose I already have. Hundreds of these letters, and it's taken me this long just to tell you that I'm hurting.

I've ached for you every day over these last four years. The silver streaks in Corrie's mane are enough to send a jolt of pain into my very soul. I'm sorry if this saddens you, but I can't keep bottling these feelings up inside: That's what got me into this mess in the first place. As bad as it has been for me, it must be twice as difficult for you. So please, don't be afraid to tell me that it hurts; that you're lonely, or afraid. Know that I feel all these things with you. Don't be scared to tell me that you worry for us, because I worry for you too. But don't you ever, for one moment, doubt that we will all be together again for the first time.

All my love, through all of time and space,

Twilight

Argent dropped the parchment to the ground and slumped over against the alicorn that had sat beside him as he read. She carefully rerolled the parchment and placed it on the desk next to the spellbook and crown. "I know that after four years, even your faith in Twilight's return must be shaken," she said, "but I can tell you, that despite her tears; despite her fears and her worries; she is going to come back to us."

"You're wrong," said Argent, his voice shaky but resolute, "I've never doubted her." He felt a familiar presence within him. Something he had only ever felt when he thought about Twilight: Something he missed dearly in the four years since their separation.

"Come on," she said, standing to her hooves, "I hear Pinkie Pie is holding a little soiree." She held her hoof out to Argent and smiled as he took it and stood.

"Did you two have fun today?" asked Twilight as she pulled the blanket up to her daughter's neck. "I don't think I've ever seen happier lambs in my life."

"Yeah!" exclaimed Corona, "Apple Bloom said I was as good as she was when she was little." The young filly kicked her tiny hooves under the blanket, causing it to nearly fly off the bed. "Can we go back tomorrow?" she asked hopefully, "Breezie said her daddy was going to do some tricks!"

"Mommy promised Rarity that we would go to the boutique for tea," said Twilight as she tidied the sheets.

"Sweebelle will play with me?" asked the foal.

"She might," said Twilight with a grin. "She wouldn't dream of missing tea with her sister." Twilight bent down and kissed her daughter's cheek. "You won't be playing with anypony if you don't get a good night's sleep." She laughed softly as the foal's eyes snapped shut and loud, obviously faked, snores erupted from her tiny mouth. "Sleep tight my little miracle," she said.

"Mommy?" asked Corona softly, "I'm sorry I hided and seeked too long."

"Oh that's alright sweetheart," said Twilight, "if Princess Celestia forgives you, who am I to argue." She used her magic to dim the lights in the foal's room. "Anything else?" she asked, ready for parade of requests that usually preceded the foal's surrender to sleep.

"Can I have mister Stripes please?" asked Corona.

"I guess he had a busy day too," said Twilight as she lifted the ladybug shaped saddlebags from the hook on the wall, "even zebras need sleep huh?" She dug her hoof into the pack and pulled out the stripped stuffed zebra. As she bent over to place it in her daughter's outstretched hooves, something that had been tangled in the doll's tail came loose and fell to the floor. Twilight bent over and felt around the dark floor before standing up with something small and round in her hoof. "What's this?" she asked while casting a dim light spell on her horn. The brilliant pink diamond that refracted the magical light caused Twilight to freeze in shock.

Corona saw the ring she had found in the study and panicked. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, "I was scared, and it was so pretty. I was gonna put it back!" She sniffed loudly, trying to fight back her tears of guilt.

"Where did you find this Corona," asked Twilight numbly. She sat on her haunches and turned the ring around in in her hooves, watching as the platinum band seemed to twist in on itself.

"Auntie Twilight's book room," she blubbered, "I'm sorry I stole. I know you said stealing is bad: I don't want to be bad."

Twilight threw back the blankets from the foal's bed and pulled her daughter to her chest. "You're a good filly," she said, "and you can't steal something that was already lost." She flared her horn and closed her eyes, visualizing the front of the library in her mind. With Corona firmly in her grasp, she snapped the spell into place and teleported them both out of their small cottage.

Argent stared at the ceiling and gritted his teeth to keep from yelping in pain. Twilight snored loudly next to him, oblivious to the pain her inadvertent kicks were causing her husband. He slowly turned over in the bed and tried to salvage some sleep. Thanks to his years spent as a guard, his finely honed sense of hearing caught the sound of a door opening downstairs. He was up and out of their large bed in a flash.

"s'not morning yet," said Twilight as she pushed herself to her haunches.

"Sorry, love," whispered Argent, "I think somepony is nosing around downstairs." He levitated his silver shield from the rack by the door, slowly opened the bedroom door, and peered down the dark hallway.

"Who is it?" asked Twilight from behind him.

"Are you crazy," whispered Argent loudly, "get back in bed this instant."

"Please," said Twilight, "as if a burglar would try to rob a library."

"Just stay behind me," he replied. Taking his wife's silence as a yes, Argent slowly inched his way down the dark corridor. He stopped as shadows danced at the top of the stairs.

"Try to remember sweetheart," said a familiar voice, "What did it feel like? What were you thinking about? Did you say anything? Did you hear anything?"

"Twilight?" asked the alicorn behind Argent, "is that you?" She flared her horn, much to her stallion's consternation. The doctors had been quite insistent on limiting magic use this late in her pregnancy. Lights flickered on all throughout the library, illuminating the older alicorn and her young foal. "Corrie?" asked Twilight, "It's much too late for you to be out of bed. What's going on here?"

"It's her!" said the older alicorn excitedly, "my little miracle is the key. She's the key, and the door!" She waited for the two younger ponies to join them at the top of the staircase. "All this time; all the magic we threw at the problem, and it was one little foal's magical surge that opened the way."

"Twilight," said Argent, "are you saying-"

"We can go home!" shouted the older alicorn.

The younger Twilight stepped around Argent and slowly walked next to her counterpart. "Slow down," she said.

"No!" said the older Twilight happily. She laughed as she picked up her daughter with her magic and dashed into the study. The filly giggled as her mother set her on the ground next to one of the shelves. To her daughter, Twilight was a loving, doting mother, but even the foal could sense the undercurrent of melancholy. Corona had never seen her mother so carefree and exuberant than she was at that moment, and her excitement was infectious.

"Come on Twilight," said Argent, "whatever this is can wait until the morning."

"I wouldn't come in here," said Twilight, "unless you want to come stay with us for awhile!" She dropped down on her knees in front of her daughter and smiled ecstatically. "Corrie," she said, "do you want to go see your daddy?"

"Really?" asked the foal excitedly, "when?"

"Right now, sweetheart," said Twilight, "All you have to do is remember what you were doing when your horn made the sparkles!"

The foal looked from her mother to the desk. "Breezie pulled me over to the books," she said, "and my horn got ticklie and then it went sparklie."

Twilight picked up her daughter and set her on her back. She looked over at the two younger ponies watching anxiously from the open doorway. "Give our love to everypony," she said before walking towards the desk. The filly's horn began to glow and before either onlooking pony could speak, Twilight and Corona disappeared in a flash of white light.

Twilight opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder at her wide eyed daughter. She remembered her first tastes of magic: Equal parts awe and fear; the realization that the impossible might be possible given enough study and practice. "That's my girl," she said proudly, "now, what happened next?"

Corona pointed at the crown on the desk. "I took the shiny off auntie Twilight's pretty hat," she said, "and when Breezie came back, my horn went sparklie again." Twilight, ever curious, took a step towards the crown and nearly shouted for joy as her daughter's horn flared once more, surrounding them both in a nimbus of light.

"What the-" said Argent as he jumped back from the magical flash, "I thought you two-"

Twilight didn't hear him finish as she jumped back towards the desk and into another world. She stepped away from the pulsating crown and nodded in satisfaction as its gem settled to a soft pink glow. Fading sunlight filtering in through the small windows illuminated the small room. The alicorn looked around her study and jumped for joy. Her shelves, full of familiar pictures from her past, lined walls that were bare just seconds before.

"Mommy, my head feels funny," said Corona.

Twilight looked over her shoulder. "That's your horn taking in more magic, sweetie," she said with a smile, "It means that you get to start magic school soon." She hopped up and down with excitement for her daughter. "Homework and grades and recess and syllabuses... syllabi; either works I think." She shook her head and fought back the tide of giddiness. "Argent," she said breathlessly. She burst through the study door into the second floor landing of the significantly smaller library. "Hold on Corrie," she said before running down the hallway and into her large bedroom. "Argent!" she called out. Silence answered.

"Uncle Argy!" shouted Corona.

Twilight peeked into Argent's small bedroom and quickly shut the door. "Corona," she said while bounding down the stairs, "you know how mommy and auntie Twilight have the same name and look alike?"

"Uh huh," said the filly, "Auntie Twilight is mommy's sister!" She dug her little hooves into her mother's sides as Twilight sprinted through the bookshelves of the library proper to the front desk.

"That's right," said Twilight as she leafed around the neatly organized desk, "and I've told you that your daddy's name is Argent too, right?"

"Yeah!" said the filly. Her eyes widened with understanding. "Oooooh!" she said before shouting, "Daddy!"

Twilight and her shouting passenger ran through the front door of the library and out into the plaza. A few ponies milled around the market stalls as the vendors packed up their carts and prepared for a restful evening after a long days work. To Twilight, the cupcake festooned building on the other end of the square shone like a beacon of light. If anypony knew where Argent was, it would be Pinkie Pie, and if she didn't, Twilight would still have found one of her dearest friends. Ponies looked on in confusion as the alicorn galloped across the plaza with her foal riding on her back.

Argent took the proffered cup and sipped at the sugary coffee. "You know," he said, "I never liked sugar in my coffee until I lived with Twilight." He smiled as he swished the dark beverage around. "At some point I just started putting it in mine as well," he said, "and I never went back."

"Twilight has always had a sweet tooth," said Rarity, "as much as she would have all of us think otherwise." The unicorn adjusted herself on the padded chair and used her magic to bring a steaming cup of tea to her lips. "Playful hypocrisy: Honestly, it's part of what I miss about her," she said after taking a drink.

"She used to sneak cookies from the kitchens in the castle," said Celestia, "there were crumbs in half of her workbooks. I never had the heart to tell her to stop; she takes criticism far too seriously. She may never have touched another sweet had I said something."

Argent looked around the long table at the gathered mares. Wistful, but happy faces looked back. The remains of a large meal lay scattered on the table, daring somepony to stand and begin cleaning. He had never been to one of these get togethers the elements held. At first, the entire concept angered him: To the stallion, it had the stink of acceptance. Later, as the years wore on, he simply didn't want to face the reality of the situation. "I'm sorry," he said aloud, "I should have come to one of these a long time ago."

"There ain't nothin' to apologize for sugar cube," said Applejack, "yer here now, and that's what matters."

"It feels good to be with friends at times like this," said Celestia sagely.

"That it does," said Argent. The evening, combined with Twilight's letter, had left him in a far better mood. He leaned back on his haunches and flared his horn. "So good, in fact, that I think I'll volunteer to do the dishes," he said while levitating the plates and glasses towards the kitchen, "It's only fair after leaving you all to fend for yourselves all these years."

"Should we tell him that Princess Celestia usually just magics them away?" asked Fluttershy as the stallion left.

"I think not," said Rarity, "you heard him; he's happy." The sound of frantic knocking on the front door drew the attention of the six mares. "I thought you put the closed sign up Pinkie," said Rarity.

"I did," said the prolific baker, "but maybe it's a catering emergency!" She reached behind a potted plant and pulled out a pristine white apron which she quickly tied around her waist. "I've got this!" She trotted out of her dining room and through the bakery's display room. She put on her best smile and pulled open the front door. "Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner!" she exclaimed while tossing a hoofful of glitter in the air, "we're closed but if you-" She had the air knocked out of her as Twilight leapt through the doorway and squeezed the pink mare for all she was worth.

"I missed you so much," said the alicorn as she hugged Pinkie Pie, "I'm never taking that smile for granted again."

"Pinkie," said Applejack as she walked into the front of the bakery with the other mares, "what's all the ruckus-" She stopped as she saw Twilight, causing the others to bump into her. "Tw...Twilight?" she asked. The alicorn released Pinkie Pie long enough to see the remaining Elements of Harmony charging at her. She sat back on her haunches and spread her forelegs out wide.

The sound of excited screams and laughter filtered back to Argent as he placed the last set of plates in the sink. "Never a dull moment with those mares," he said with a chuckle. He walked back into the dining room and followed the sounds of laughter and crying. "Crying," he said to himself, "Well, I suppose it's to be expected." He pushed open the swinging doors and nearly tripped on his own hooves at the sight before him.

Twilight sat in the middle of a pile of ponies, tears streaming from her eyes. Pinkie Pie laid on her back in front the alicorn, laughing raucously. Rarity and Applejack flanked her sides, each squeezing the alicorn around the stomach, while Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood behind, their forelegs wrapped around Twilight's neck and their cheeks pressed against hers. Princess Celestia sat on her haunches a few paces away, her wings wrapped around her forelegs.

"I..." said Argent, his brain not ready to believe what his eyes had seen. He forced himself to take a few hesitant steps forward

"You..." said Twilight. She stepped over Pinkie Pie and out of the embrace of her friends who looked on with beaming smiles. Her wings flared open, displaying their new healthy wingspan for all to see. She swiftly crossed the short distance between them and stopped in front of him. "I told you I would make it back-," she said weakly while sinking to her haunches.

Argent suddenly lunged forward, wrapped his forelegs around her chest and silenced her with a passionate kiss. The world lost clarity to the two as they celebrated a reunion long sought after. Argent, his knees weak, fell over, pulling Twilight down with him. Their lips never parted as they wrapped their legs around each other.

"Mommy?" asked a tiny voice.

Twilight's eyes shot open and she smiled while pushing Argent back with her forehooves. The out-of-breath mare panted as she struggled back to her hooves. She looked back towards the front door and nodded at Celestia. The elder alicorn pulled her wings to the side, revealing the foal sitting between her forelegs. The princess leaned over and whispered to the foal.

Corona's eyes lit up as she dashed across the room. She flapped her tiny wings as she jumped in her mother's waiting hooves. Twilight brought the foal to her chest and squeezed gently. "Corona," she said, "somepony would very much like to meet you." She set the filly on the ground and turned her to face the stallion who sat before her.

"Are you Uncle Argy's brother?" asked the foal. She reached out a tiny hoof and poked the stallion's nose.

He looked over at the blissfully smiling Twilight and arched his eyebrow. She shrugged her shoulders and winked. "I suppose I am," said Argent.

"Are you my daddy?" she asked.

Argent's eyes watered as he sat back on his haunches. "If you want me to be," he said, "if you'll have me." Corona jumped forward and hugged him, burying her face in the stallion's chest. Argent closed his forelegs around the foal, shut his eyes, and took a deep breath. The feeling of feathers brushing against his face caused him to look up. Twilight draped her wings over the stallion and foal and brushed a tender kiss across his lips.

Argent stroked the filly's unruly mane and smiled as she twitched in her sleep. "I thought you said she was a light sleeper," he said softly, "this one could sleep through a buffalo stampede."

Twilight reached across the filly that slept between them and caressed the stallion's cheek. "It's been a long and exciting day for her," she said, "what with playing with the newborn lambs and all." Argent stifled a laugh and turned his head to kiss the side of the mare's hoof. "It was long after her bedtime when we arrived," said Twilight, "It would appear that our two worlds' are slightly out of sync. That's something to remember for the next time."

"Next time?" asked Argent, a panicked look on his face, "I don't think that's a good idea, love."

"I don't think that's up to either of us," said Twilight. She looked down at the sleeping alicorn foal and smiled. "I don't know how she did it," she said, "I doubt she even knows how she did it, but our daughter walked through the barrier between our worlds as if it were made of tissue paper." She rested a hoof on top of Argent's as he stroked Corona's mane. "I don't know if it's something that Equilibrium did to her, or for her," she said, "or maybe it's her talent. She is an alicorn after all, and a full born one at that."

"Can you promise me something?" asked Argent.

"If it's within my power, I will," replied Twilight.

"I know you're going to work with her to understand whatever it is she can do," he said, "don't deny it; it's who you are."

"It's better she know sooner rather than later," said Twilight, "and she has friends and ponies she considers family back there."

"I just ask that we all stay together," said Argent, "where she goes, we go."

"That I can promise," said Twilight, "now you owe me a promise."

"Oh?" he asked with an arched eyebrow, "and what can I do for you that would compare with what you've given me today?"

Twilight flared her horn and floated the platinum ring from the end table next to the bed and slid it onto her horn. "I want a wedding," she said.

Author's Note

The End.

of this story.

I hope I didn't disappoint too much. It was a fun experience for me, and I'll be writing more, and soon. Aside from the obvious hooks left from this story, I have had a few ideas that I want to make into shorter stories. I'll probably work on one of those before jumping back into a 200,000+ word endeavor.

Thanks for all the encouraging comments, posts, upvotes and favorites. Special thanks to GloomyFace in particular for the frequent proofreading.

Lastly, if you understand the reference in this last chapter's title, and why I feel so clever right now, then you and I are on the same wavelength. +1 to you.

Ch 1: Resentment

Chapter 1: Resentment

The Great Horned Owl gave three great flaps of its wings as it arrested its flight, sending a slight gust of wind into the open upper floor window of the Golden Oaks Library. A candle set upon an ornate writing desk flickered, the shadows playing off the slightly rustling papers that covered it. A bespectacled alicorn mare looked up from the thick tome she was immersed in.

“Hoot!” cried the Owl.

“Owlbertus” said the mare, “I told you I needed the full measure of my concentration to commit these invocations to memory.”

“Hoot! Hoot!” protested the raptor. “Hoot! Hoot?”

The bird awkwardly hopped on the desk on one leg, doing what a normal pony would call a humorous dance. The mare simply sighed in resignation and closed the tome, making sure to dog ear the page she was on. She reached to the offered leg and found a scroll tied to it with what looked like a party streamer.

“By Celestia’s aurorally styled mane, why can’t she just leave me be for one weekend!” muttered the mare. “It’s not like I’m doing anything important. I’m sure I’ll live to see Neighly’s comet in 120 years! Oh wait, I’m the wrong kind of princess for that.”

With a sigh of resignation, the lavender mare untied the scroll and perused its contents:

Your Royal Bookyness!

It’s that time again! Winter has been wrapped up (sorry you couldn’t make it this year) and it’s time to PAAAR- TEEEEE! That’s right! It’s the 32nd annual Spring has Sprung extravaganza! So dust off your party hat and get the oil changed on your groove thang, because we’re gonna celebrate this Equineox in style! (See I used that Dictionary you got me!) Everybody’s gonna be there, so let’s try to have some fun huh?

Your Pal

Pinkie Pie

PS: Spike’s gonna come too! It's a super-secret surprise, so don't tell anypony!
PPS: AJ is totally over you blowing off Wrap up duties, Pinkie Promise!
PPPS: The cake is Pineapple upside down, but I dropped it, so it’s right side up.
PPPPS: The cake was a lie. It’s Pineapple Inside out cake!
PPPPPS: Savy says flammable is the same as inflammable, I’ll show her!
PPPPPPS: Cake is a little burned. Don’t worry; there’ll be plenty of other goodies!

Somewhere around the 4th postscript, the mare’s eyes started hurting from the exaggerated eye-rolls she was trying to perform.

“Wonderful,” sighed the weary pony, “Even when I skip the Wrap-Up, I’m still expected at the Party. I suppose I must make an appearance, if only to placate her…and AJ too I suppose.” A weary groan emanated from the mare as she spoke to no one in particular, “I’ll have to double time these invocations if I even hope to properly record the comet next week.”

Setting the invitation in the “Checklist In-Box,” the mare thanked the Owl and returned to her studies. Owlbertus, despite knowing that his Owly duty was to provide a clichéd hooting in the night, remained deathly still and silent as his mistress worked herself to exhaustion. The large dark shape in the nearby branch pulled out a piece of parchment and began writing a note. After a few moments, a green glow shone from the branches of the tree, and a wisp of smoke made its way towards Canterlot.

The Dragonfire Lantern’s alarm proved a far better wake up call than her teacher’s sun had. Twilight Sparkle was roused from an uncomfortable slumber at her desk. After squinting her eyes in pain as her atrophied wings protested their existence, the alicorn examined the aftermath of her cram session. A quick cantrip to remove the drool stain from the “Astronomers Almanac: Spellcasters edition” and it was reshelved in pristine condition. Making her way across her study, she grimaced in pain as her knees popped and protested their mistreatment over these long years. She telekinetically pulled the scroll to herself, removed the seal and began reading the missive:

My Faithful Student and Fellow Princess:

I understand your studies are important to both yourself and the rest of Equestria. However, we all worry for you. I hear that you seldom leave the library. You seem to be more run down each time I see you; please try to relax and get some rest, if not for yourself, then for me. We understand Pinkie is hosting a party soon, we hope you and Argent will attend. It would be most disappointing if you couldn’t make it.

HRH, Celestia of Equestria

Were she not so used to this tactic, Twilight would have burst into flames. The first few times it happened, she had. The horseshoe shaped burn scars on the floor were a testament to that. The worst part was; the princess knew exactly how to push Twilight’s buttons.

“Ooooh, I’d never want to disappoint my dear teacher!” Twilight sarcastically moaned, “How could I possibly go on, knowing the Delegator-in-Chief found me less than the perfect protégé she expects? I simply must strive to do better.” The traitorous voice in her head reminded her that every word was true. She didn't want to disappoint her mentor. She did have to do better. And she would try harder to do right by her friends. Even if that meant spending the afternoon in their presence; listening to their minor problems while events of supreme importance drew ever nearer.

“Oh Fluttershy, just talk to him, you know he loves you!” she practiced. The idea of spending another hour comforting the pushover of a Pegasus made Twilight want to ram her horn through a wall. At least it was better than having to listen to Rainbow’s never ending boasting about how amazing her latest trip was, or of AJ's doting perfect husband.

Her stomach growled as she placed the letter in her inbox. Twilight yawned, stretched her frail wings and headed to her bathroom to prepare for a long day of unwanted interruptions. A few minutes later, she was brushed, and left the Golden Oaks to find some breakfast.

“Your Highness,” said a polite saluting guardspony, as Twilight emerged from the Tree. A large silver heater shield strapped to his back rattled as he approached. “Would you like to take your chariot today?” The Silver coated unicorn bowed and swept his hoof towards the gilded monstrosity of a chariot that sat beneath a make-shift garage. The not-so-regal Alicorn gave the guard a deadpan stare and asked, “What do you think Argent?”

“Oh come on Twilight, I spent all yesterday afternoon polishing it. Do you know how much shell wax I had to borrow from Dash?” The guard continued his sulky speech, “Look at these hooves!” He raised a pair of shining hooves, pristine in their appearance and immaculate in their condition. “Do you know how much grief I’ll get if anyone in the barracks gets a look at these?”

“Please Argent, not this again. In the time it would take to rouse the coachponies, I could walk to the café, eat, read a treatise on pony nature, and recite the Codex of Friendship,” Twilight replied with a grin. “Come on, let’s get some breakfast. If you’re that worried about your hooves, feel free to walk through any puddles on the way.” With that, the Alicorn cantered towards the Green Gardens Café. Argent Defender sighed, levitated his burnished silver shield to his back, and followed his charge.

Carrot Top bowed low as Twilight entered her humble establishment. “Your highness, a pleasure as always,” said the farmer turned restaurateur as the lavender mare took a stool at the bar. “Sir Argent, you’re looking dapper as always.” The guard smiled, saluted, and took a seat next to his liege. “Should I even ask what you’d like?” Smiles were all the answer Carrot needed as she fetched the two reserved mugs, one with the six pointed star, and the other bearing a shield in front of a red heart. A carafe in hand, Carrot top filled each mug with the caffeine infused concoction both ponies craved. “Be back in a sec guys!” said the orange-maned mare as she went to the kitchen to prepare their meals.

“So what’s the plan boss?” queried the Stallion and he raked a hoof through his white-striped black mane. “You've got the same look you had when we had to chase that Hydra out of Froggy Bottom Bog. I was kidding about my hooves, I’ll take clean and sparkly over muddy and eaten.”

“Nothing so onerous today Argent” replied the princess, “just another Pinkie Pie Party to be endured, more friends to reassure and humor, and more valuable time to be wasted.” Taking a long sip from her coffee, she sighed and continued, “There must be a limit to the number of distractions Ponyville contains. Neighly’s comet is literally a once in a lifetime event. Heck, it’s once in two lifetimes really. The magical amplification field it provides alone will keep me occupied for the better part of a month. Pinkie’s latest soiree just happens to coincide with the time I had allotted myself to learn some new monitoring and recording spells. Honestly, the vector variance alone requires 17 megajoules of magical en…”

“Easy there Coperneighcus.” Argent interrupted. “Remember; every time you try to explain one of these things to me, it pushes out something I already knew. Your brother would be ever so cross with you if his squire were to forget how to hold his shield.”

“Hmmph,” snorted Twilight, “it’s like you two enjoy ignorance.” Mock frown turned to a blissful smile as Carrot returned, placing a stack of oatmeal pancakes in front of each of her customers. “Enjoy your worshipfulness!” said their smiling server as she moved to refill the two mugs.

“You’re lucky you’re a serviceable cook,” muttered Twilight around a mouthful of syrupy goodness. “Celestia likes Equestria’s moon for banishings. I find Titan to be a far more suitable location for eternal torment.”

“Anyways, chief,” said Argent, “I think a party could do you some good. You’ll have the spells down by Monday night, you always do. Spend a few hours relaxing. It’s not such a chore. Surely seeing Spike will be a welcome distraction. You two haven’t spoken in months!”

Twilight’s fork paused in its ascent, syrup streaming to her plate below. “You’re right Argent,” said Twilight in an eerily sweet tone, “I do wish to speak with my number one assistant. You know, make sure he’s not getting himself or anypony else into trouble.”

Argent flashed a triumphant smile, oblivious to the fact that he revealed his complicity in what was, toTwilight’s mind, a heinous conspiracy against her studies. She disliked being manipulated. She very much disliked being tattled on to Celestia.

A short while later, Twilight and Argent found themselves back at the library. Since leaving the café, the princess had gone into what Argent had dubbed, “The Twilight Zone.”

“No doubt worrying about that hunk of rock again” thought the guard. “Well, at least she’ll go to the party. I’ll slip away and let Spike know when she’s back in her studies.” Argent missed Spike, though he’d never admit it to the drake. Spike had a way of pulling Twilight out of her mind that the unicorn stallion truly envied. When he dropped by the previous night, they had agreed that the Spring has Spring party would be a great chance to get her to lighten up. As they reached the Golden Oaks, Twilight stopped at the door and turned to the stallion.

“Guardspony Defender, I will be quite busy trying to make up time on these spells. You are free until it comes time to leave for the party.” With a puff of lavender, the door slammed behind her. Argent slumped to the ground, sighed, and headed to Sugar Cube Corner to find Spike. Had he not been depressed at Twilight's curt dismissal, his drooping head might have caught the glowing purple sensor sphere that stealthily began following him.

“Argy!” shouted a too close pink face the moment Sugar Cube Corner’s door opened. Argent found himself on his shield, on his back. After a few attempts to right himself proved futile, the pink earth pony helped Argent to his hooves.

“Silly billy! It’s far too early to practice for Nightmare Night! Tortoise is a great costume idea though! Ooh, Oooh, maybe you can get Twilight to make you one of those fancy whirlymajigs she made for Tank! I went as a chicken once! Maybe I should go as a mmph mpph,“ the pink mare rambled before Argent levitated a cupcake from the nearest display stand and sent it to join its compatriots in the maw of the pink beast.

“Pinkie, Spike said he’d be here helping out,” said the guardspony.

“Mmm mm mmmm!” replied a pastry filled mouth. Her hoof pointed to the main kitchen. Argent walked behind the swinging half-doors and found his way into the beating heart of all things sugary. He found the dragon he was seeking, wearing a chef’s hat and casually flash baking a tray of treats before placing them in the warming box for later frosting.

“Tell me you didn’t blow it,” begged the dragon as he noticed his co-conspirator enter. “You remember her reaction when she found out about the optometrist, don’t you?”

“Oh come on Spike, it was just one day,” shrugged Argent. “And besides, I emerged from the experience even more awed by our illustrious princess than before. Living with her eyesight for one day was horrific. She dealt with it for years.” Argent walked over to the worktable and levitated another tray in front of Spike.

“You always do that,” muttered the dragon, as he sent a controlled flame to bake the cakes. “Every time she overreacts, or goes all sulking hermit on us, you shrug it off and take her side. It’s me Argent; you don’t have to be that way around me.” The tray joined the others and Spike took off his hat, wringing it between his claws as he looked down to the floor with a look of guilt. “I still feel awful about leaving you alone with her. I know I’ve said it before, but I just couldn’t stay, I’d have ended up hating her. I just don’t know how you can handle it day and night, week after week.”

Argent flashed a genuine smile to his scaly friend. “Ah, it’s not so bad Spike." Argent replaced the trays again before continuing, "Besides, she was downright pleasant at breakfast today. At any rate, one doesn't need to like one’s duty to perform it.” Neither saw the sphere of lavender wink out of existence in the corner of the ceiling. “I’m just lucky I love mine," said the stallion with a wink. "No, you need the chance to be on your own, to find out what you want in life. Now let’s get these finished, a little birdie told me you managed a self powered take-off, and I've just got to see that.”

The mere idea of showing off his newly found flying prowess caused the drake’s wings to start flexing unconsciously. An efficient assembly line soon sprang into existence as the two old friends continued preparations for a long overdue gathering of friends.

Twilight was frozen in place, the lavender aura around her horn having just winked out. “Excellent fidelity,” murmured the alicorn to herself. “The spell will perform adequately assuming atmospheric interference is minimal, as promised.” A seething cauldron of conflicting emotions boiled over in her mind, and a single tear rolled down her face. Levitating a shaking teacup to her mouth, she sighed when she saw her magic field had compressed the vessel and its contents into a marble sized clump of matter. She raised a hoof to her rapidly beating chest and then extended it out in front of her. As she had done for years, Twilight buried her anger deep within herself. “Argent is right; I don’t have to like my duty to perform it.”

Twilight continued her studying, making notes in her spellbooks as she continued to prepare for the arrival of Neighly’s comet. In what seemed like minutes, a knock at her study pulled her from her study of the magical sensor memory storage sub-invocations. A quick glance at the setting sun beyond her window confirmed her suspicions. “Wait outside Argent, I shall join you shortly,” said Twilight in what she imagined was her most imperious tone. Hearing hoof steps receding down the stairs, Twilight moved to the display cases that lined the walls of her study.

Thirty years of photographs and mementos lined the shelves Apple Bloom had made for her. Reminding herself that she did what she did for all the ponies in the pictures finally brought a smile to the princess’ face. She studied each pony’s face hoping to recall the halcyon days of her youth, when spending time with her friends and practicing her magic were her only concerns. “This was barely a month after the coronation,” she thought to herself while looking at a photograph. A cadre of close friends smiled at the camera forelegs around each other’s necks. “Look at those wings.” Twilight shook her head and sighed wistfully. The grin left her face when she saw the young silver coated stallion grinning in the background. Had he really been there for so long, silently hating her and his duty to her? She examined the shelf of photos; her mood darkened as she saw what she knew now was a phony smile in nearly every picture.

Twilight moved to the most ostentatious of the display cases. It was a gold filigreed masterwork with tempered magical glass shelves. After inserting her horn into the lock and sending the magical cipher, the Princess of Magic removed her raiment of office. She stepped into the enchanted hoofcups and donned the ornate chest plate. The Tiara of Harmony came last, settling softly upon her brow. If she was naught but his charge, than she would act the part.

Argent nervously walked in place outside the tree home. Looking towards Sugar Cube Corner, he found himself unusually nervous about the party: Well, more nervous than he would usually be over a Pinkie Pie Soiree. They had tried this before of course. Rarity’s social calls, Fluttershy’s critter picnics, Applejack’s constitutionals, even Rainbow Dash’s book clubs all seemed to fail to pull Twilight from her self-imposed house arrest. Argent hoped that this time, her closest friends united, the Elements of Harmony themselves no less, could help her out of this funk. Hearing the door open, Argent turned with a look of determination on his face. It was quickly replaced with one of utter confusion.

“What’s with the getup boss,” asked the befuddled guardspony. Twilight stood before him in full regalia. “Was there something in the invitation about a dress code? I must have glossed over that part.”

“The ‘getup’ is our royal raiment of office Guardspony Defender, and we would thank you to respect our title and refer to us as ‘your Highness’ or ‘Princess’.” Twilight leveled a withering glare at her bodyguard, freezing him in place. “Now kindly bring around the chariot so that we both may dispense with our duties for the night.” Argent waited for Twilight’s stare to break and for her to let him in on the joke. “We are waiting Guardspony Defender. Are you not suited to your duties? I can have Prince Armor send a replacement if you are not.”

“Right away your highness,” squeaked the stallion. “It will take a few minutes to rouse the coachponies.”

“Nonsense,” interrupted the princess, “You have four legs and the benefit of magic. We are already running late. Harness thyself and we shall depart.”

Argent stood dumbstruck before an attention seeking cough drew his eyes back to his princess’ gaze. “Yes your Highness,” was all he could say. Walking over to the over-sized chariot, he removed the six pointed star-emblazoned shield from his back and placed it beneath the seat of the chariot. Using his magic made strapping himself into the harness considerably easier than it would otherwise have been. A tentative pull proved to the stallion that he was capable of moving the behemoth. A simple “Lighten the Load” spell allowed him to modestly lower the weight of the chariot as he pulled it in front of the Golden Oaks.

“Your princess requires her step stool.” Twilight stood with nose raised high into the air. Argent stifled a sigh lest he incur his charge’s wrath. Gripping the step stool from behind the seat of the chariot with his telekinesis, he placed it before the princess who finally boarded her chariot. With a grunt, Argent pulled the chariot into a slow trot. His lightening spell made pulling the chariot possible, but it was not an easy task. What was normally a quick invigorating trot became a slog worthy of the Royal Guardspony Boot Camp. A glance behind him revealed Twilight smugly inspecting her golden hoof-cup. A raised eyebrow forced the guardspony’s eyes to quickly snap back in front of him.

With his eyes pointed forward, Twilight resumed her icy glares at her bodyguard’s hindquarters. Her wandering mind betrayed her anger and she looked away with a blush. Seeing their destination rapidly approaching, the Princess resumed her snooty regal persona.

As he pulled in front of the bakery, Argent turned to Twilight, having worked his coat into a lather, and managed to gasp, “We’re…*huff*…here…*gasp*…Your Highness.” He was unhooking his harness to escort the Princess from the chariot when a lavender flash spread across the yard. “She. Wouldn’t. Dare,” Argent grumbled. A glance back to the chariot confirmed his suspicions. Throwing the harness to the ground, Argent hurled a wordless howl of frustration into the night sky.

Applejack had just poured herself a glass of Pinkie’s famous “Spring has Sprung” punch when the bright flash announced the arrival of Twilight. She quickly poured a second glass and made her way to the foyer with the glasses somehow balanced on the top of her head. “Twilight, why ah haven’t seen ya in weeks sugar cube,” shouted the orange Earth Pony a she made her way around the various guests. Pushing her way through a curiously thick crowd at the door, Applejack emerged and found herself staring at Her Royal Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle, Lady of Magic and Harmony. “Is…everything all right sugar cube?” Applejack cautiously asked.

Seeing the trepidation on her friend's face forced Twilight to abandon her regal bearing. “Oh I’m sorry AJ, certain…events required the weight of my position.” She continued, “Oh please tell me that’s for me.” She pointed to the cup on Applejack’s head.

A beaming smile returned to the farm pony’s face. “It sure as sugar is!” Applejack giggled as Twilight’s telekinesis tickled her head. “Ah thought ya’ll were gonna tell us King Sombra was loose or some such nonsense.”

A sip of the famous libation eased hours of tension from the alicorn’s face. “Nothing quite so dramatic. Some ponies see us as only a princess, and sometimes I must oblige. Let’s go find the others.” After a brief welcome to the gathered crowd and a detour to the punch bowl to refill her cup, the two friends made their way across the large gathering room.

Outside, Argent removed his shield from beneath the chariot’s seat and strapped his faux security blanket to his back. He made his way into the bakery, stopping to greet a few familiar faces. An off-white earth pony filly with straight grey hair welcomed him in a very bored, monotone voice. “Good evening Mister Defender. Welcome to the Spring has Sprung Party.”

“Savory, why in Celestia’s name are you working the door,” queried the confused stallion. The young filly was so different from her mother that it was comical. Where Pinkie Pie was a singularity of confusion and kinetic energy, Savory was a paragon of reserved seriousness. Her grandparents were ecstatic. “Daddy is visiting uncle Silver Star, and Mommy says if I keep reading all day my head will turn into a book," said the mature beyond her years young filly.

Argent chuckled, “Carry on then; You might want to find a better hiding place for that.” The filly calmly grabbed the tome she was hiding behind her back and slipped it behind a shelf.

Not wanting to face the taskmaster so soon, he searched the crowd for what should have been the easy to find purple and green drake. Sure enough, he saw the dragon leaning against a display case talking with a lithe young unicorn. He passed a large gathering of ponies raving about the punch, and wondered what miracle draft Pinkie had managed to craft this time. His mission of mercy had to take precedent however, and he made to warn his comrade in arms that the enemy had arrived en masse.

“Pardon me miss, I must speak with our draconic friend for a moment…Sweetie Belle is that you?” Argent gaped at the beautiful young mare that had her front hooves wrapped around Spike’s midsection. “My dear, you’re a ray of sunshine in what has been a dark and stormy day.”

“Argent Defender, your day can’t have been that bad if my little old face could brighten it!” Sweetie giggled as she released Spike and gave Argent a hug. “It’s great to see you again. I’m going to find the crusaders and we’ll all talk!” She skipped off into the throng of ponies flashing a smile to everyone in her way.

Argent chuckled to himself as he turned back to face a scowling dragon. The last time he had seen a scowling dragon he’d lost his eyebrows. “Oh come on Spike, I haven’t seen her in years!” A guttural growl was his response. Keeping a congenial smile on his face Argent leaned closer to the dragon. “We’ve got problems compadre. Twilight’s on the warpath. She’s gone full Royalty on me and has been staring daggers at me all night.”

Spike’s minor greed trance was broken; he chuckled as he pointed across the room. “She looks alright to me Argent; maybe her research was annoying her.” Argent looked in the direction the purple claw pointed. Somehow, the sight of Twilight surrounded by her friends, performing what was either a dance or a grand mal seizure, made Argent even more dejected. “But I…she…the chariot….” A low groan of defeat sputtered from the unicorn stallion. “I give up. Spike, enjoy the party. If I survive the night, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Spike began to walk after Sweetie and called behind him, “Cheer up Argent, she’s having fun, isn’t that what we wanted? Just relax, take a night off for yourself.”

“Sorry pal, I’m on the job, and mark my words, something’s off about her. Now go find that pretty mare of yours.” The stallion tried to ignore the feeling of doom and mingled with the crowd as he kept one eye on Twilight. After the first hour, his anger sustained him. If his good will was met with demands for obeisance, he would obey. She would have her perfect Guardspony: Seen, but not heard. Planting himself on a wall, Argent watched the lively party around him, but kept an eye on his charge.

“Yoo Hoo!” A hoof waving in front of his face broke Argent from his vigil. Moving his eyes to the right, he focused on the red-maned , yellow coated pony. Sweetie Belle and the rest of the crusaders stood behind her. “Ya okay there AD? Ya look like ya ate a bad cupcake.”

Argent put on a smile as he chatted with the young mares. “I’m fine AB, it’s just been a long day, and I need to keep an eye on Twilight.” The mares turned and followed his gaze to the “dancing” princess.

“You can’t keep your eyes off her can you,” asked the brown coated earth pony. Argent spit out the water he’d been nursing and fell into a fit of coughing. Babs smacked him on the back as the rest of the crusaders giggled. “Easy there soldier, us elegant ladies don’t find hacking up a lung very attractive.”

Regaining his breath, Argent shook his head and sputtered, “Babs, you are about as elegant as I am amused right now.”

“Yeah,” cried the orange Pegasus, “don’t call me elegant Babs; I’m extreme!” Scootaloo puffed out her chest and displayed her cutie mark of crossed lightning bolts.

“Extremely dense maybe,” retorted the city mare.

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Am not!”

“Are too!”

“Girls please don’t fight over me,” Argent began, “You’re all extreme, clever, hard-working, and/or elegant mares who are all far too much for this humble soldier.” Their argument disarmed, the two looked at each other and both fell over laughing.

Regaining their composure, the crusaders kept Argent company for awhile. Playful banter was the order of the day, and Argent gave as good as he got. The crusaders had always been a handful as fillies, and he had been pressed into watching over them on many occasions. His only contribution to unicorn lore was thanks to the crusaders. A spell that removed tree sap from one’s coat and mane may be of limited utility, but one lecture from Rarity about the sanctity of her sister’s coat was enough for him. And the girls did seem to end up covered in the sticky substance surprisingly often. After Spike pulled Sweetie away to dance, the remaining crusaders bid farewell to their former babysitter.

The pleasant conversation had distracted Argent from his feelings, but a look towards Twilight brought them back with a vengeance. As the night wore on, his anger slowly faded to frustration, and from there it was a short trip to helplessness. Despite Pinkie’s pleas, the crowd had started to thin considerably. Spike and the Crusaders had made their goodbyes and were into the night. Savory was roused from her slumber, her book doing double duty as a pillow, and made her way towards her room. With fewer well wishers and friends to distract him, the silver stallion’s entire attention was focused on the lavender alicorn.

Argent moved away from the wall in a daze. “She can’t do this to me. She can’t keep doing this to herself,” he whispered. “I just want to help her.” His hooves agreed and began to march him towards the source of his despair.

His path was obstructed by Ponyville’s resident diva. “Argent darling, you simply must remove that shield. Implements of war are most definitely not in season. They are never in season.”

Argent snapped out of his reverie, drew himself to his full height and puffed out his chest. “Rarity, I let you put her majesty’s cutie mark on it. Captain Armor still won’t let me live that down. That will be the extent of my appeasement to your fashion onslaught.”

“Dear, I simply meant for you to set aside your arms while we enjoy all these good ponies company,” Rarity replied with a look of hurt that just screamed “What have I done to deserve such harsh treatment.”

“Nice try, but I’ve seen Cadance in action. You haven’t seen feminine wiles until you’ve seen her boss around the Captain.” Argent chuckled and continued. “I’m sorry Rarity, as long as she’s in uniform, so am I.”

Rarity stopped grinding her teeth at the mention of Twilight’s accessories. “She does seem a bit overdressed for a Pinkie Pie Party. And did I see the royal chariot outside?”

Argent filled in Rarity on Twilight’s mood change, omitting, of course, his and Spike’s machinations. The bleached white mare narrowed her eyes at Twilight’s dramatics. “I can’t believe she’d treat one of her oldest friends so poorly, I’ll talk to her Argy. Honestly, that mare can be such a drama queen.” The deadpan stare she received caused Rarity to blush. “Oh hush you," she said as she playfully jabbed Argent in the ribs. "Come Argent, we shall make her see the error of her ways.” His hopes buoyed by Rarity’s support, Argent sallied forth once more.

Twilight was into her 5th cup of punch, and had finally let go of much of the tension that had invaded her psyche. A mercifully pleasant conversation between herself, Applejack and Fluttershy was cut short as she saw Rarity approaching, with Argent in tow. Her neutral smile soon became a tight lipped expression of steely determination. Fluttershy, noticing her friend’s abrupt shift turned to see the new arrivals.

The butter colored Pegasus peaked out from behind her hair. “Hi Argent, I hope I’m not keeping you from Twilight, but we were just talking about Owlbertus’ diet; the poor dear is getting such awful tummy aches.”

Before he could reply, Twilight interrupted, “Nonsense Fluttershy, my guardspony has no claim on my time or attention. Guardspony Defender, stand in the corner unless you are needed.” The silver coated stallion stared at Twilight for moment. He then clenched his teeth, gave a sharp salute and made a quick march to the nearest corner and adopted a sentinel’s stance. His calm, outer demeanor masked an inner struggle that threatened to tear away at his decades of discipline.

A rainbow blur burst onto the scene, coalescing into a rainbow-maned cyan Pegasus. “Guys! Sorry I’m late! Practice went long and…wait…what’s going on?” Seeing Twilight in full Princess regalia was one thing; but that look on her face was something she hadn't seen since their last ill-fated flying lesson. Rainbow walked up to the gathering of her closest friends.

“Twilight, darling, you must not treat Argent so; he is your friend,” Rarity said as she sidled up next to Twilight.

Rainbow looked over at the statuesque Guardspony and asked, “Uh, what’s going on Argent?” Steely silence was his response.

“Um, yes, I agree with Rarity. Argent has been by your side for so long now; you shouldn’t be so mean to him,” Fluttershy added as she slowly made her way behind the advancing Applejack to avoid the darkening glare Twilight aimed in the her direction.

“Would someone please fill me in?” asked a thoroughly confuse Rainbow Dash.

“Ah don’t know what bee got in ya’lls bonnet, but ah reckon that if ya’ll are gonna treat Argent that way, ya best be ready to explain yerself.” Applejack walked right up to Twilight until she was nose to nose with her friend.

“Would somepony, anypony, please tell me what is going on!” Rainbow exclaimed.

“Weeeeeeell,” began Pinkie Pie, who had just returned from wishing the final guests farewell, “Everypony was having a great time, then Twilight went all Purple-Snooty and put Argy in time out, but Rarity was all, ‘Twilight, daaaaahling, you simply must treat mrffle mfffn mmmf” A cyan hoof muffled the pink mare’s detailed account.

“I got it Pinkie,” said Dash as she pulled a soggy hoof from the maw of cupcake doom.

“Guardspony Defender is my retainer, I shall treat him how I see fit,” said Twilight, looking down into Applejack’s eyes. The extra few inches in height she had gained from her alicorn transformation may not have seemed like much, but she was using every bit to aide in her regal stance.

Rarity bumped Applejack aside with her flank. “I will hear nothing of the sort. Argent is your friend and all of ours as well. Argent, come over here.”

Argent stepped forward until he was in front of Twilight and stood at attention. “Princess,” he started, “I don’t know why you’re mad at me, and if you tell me, I promise I will rectify the situation.”

Rarity smiled and nuzzled Twilight. “You see darling, we’re all friends here, apologize to Argent and we’ll all have some of that delightful punch.”

Twilight had already had plenty of punch, which had been adulterated by no less than 5 different ponies during the course of the party. The little voice in her head that usually said, “Easy Twilight, she’s your friend,” was screaming, “SHE CAN’T TELL US WHAT TO DO!” She had spent the last two decades serving others, asking nothing in return; but now, the urge to be selfish asserted itself with a vengeance. She had been wronged, and her friends had taken his side.

Twilight turned towards Argent and stared through him. “Argent is not my friend. He is my subject. Serving me is his duty. He need not like me to perform his duty.”

“Twilight, that’s not tr…” Argent began to shout. A lavender flash sealed his mouth shut with a silence spell.

Twilight stomped forward, her face a thunderhead of rage. “You are dismissed Guardspony Defender. We thank you for your service. Report to the Canterlot barracks for reassignment.” Argent, still silenced collapsed on his hind legs, eyes watering, and stared as Twilight turned and made to walk out of the bakery.

She had only made it two steps when an orange ball of fury tackled her to the ground. “Oh no you don’t. We ain’t done here yet Twilight Sparkle. Ya don’t do that to yer friends.” Applejack, huffing in anger, had the princess in a head lock. Another lavender flash left her grasping at air.

Twilight reappeared behind the 6 ponies. “Friends? You don’t do that to friends, dear Applejack?” She levitated above the others, her stunted wings flared; her thick glasses had fallen around her neck, held in place with a silver chain. “Where were my ‘Friends,’ when I spent the last two decades researching ways to keep this country safe?” She stared at Applejack, “We can’t all spend our time whispering sweet nothings beneath the trees of sweet apple acres with our beloved husband. You like honesty, right Applejack?” Twilight pointed a golden shod hoof at the stunned farmpony, “Every familial moment of bliss you've had these last twenty years has been paid for with my blood, sweat and tears.”

Emboldened by the righteousness she felt at the release of pent up resentment, she swept her gaze to Rarity. “And while I found ways to keep the eldritch horrors of other dimensions at bay, where was the generous Rarity?” A sneer of contempt ran across Twilight’s face. “She was sashaying about in her frivolous dresses, searching every pretentious, hollow, high society event in Canterlot for her dashing prince.” A joyless smile crossed her face as she continued, “That was a colossal waste of time, wasn’t it Rarity?”

Rainbow Dash, riveted to the floor in fear, was next in the firing line. “And as I read myself into chronic severe myopia, where was the ever loyal Rainbow Dash, who would, in her own words, ‘Never leave a friend hanging’?” She flapped her stunted wings, “As I was forced to allow my wings to shrivel into pathetic ornaments, she joins those spandex showboats and shacks up with their leader.” A tinge of sorrow entered into her voice. “I wake up in agony every morning.”

Twilight turned her attention to Pinkie Pie, who was nervously trying to “snortle at the spooky” rather unsuccessfully. “At least they left me alone. Pinkie’s idea of being a friend was to constantly interrupt my research, ruin my experiments, and take any time I had to relax, and turn it into a massive explosion of sugar and streamers. In all my studies, the greatest mystery of all time is how she managed to have a daughter as intelligent as Savory.”

“And you.” The contemptuous tone and icy glare directed at the world’s most innocently adorable yellow and pink pegasus caused a gasp from those capable of vocalizing one, and a squeak from the target. “You are a parasite Fluttershy. You feed on the sympathy of others. I suppose I shouldn't blame you; you don’t blame a leech for sucking blood, it’s all it knows. The funniest thing is that you’ve got the perfect Stallion, the perfect children, the perfect life, and you still want my sympathy and reassurances.” Twilight shook her head and fired one last barb, “Every moment of happiness you take for granted is one I have denied myself.”

The five elements of Harmony quivered on the floor, alternating looks of hurt, shock, and anger plastered on each face. Every eye was awash in tears. A deathly silence fell upon the room. Twilight floated to the ground and continued her imperious scowl.

A sharp thud to her right caused Twilight's head to swivel, like a turret sighting a new target. Argent, his voice still silenced, and his mind incapable of the focus needed to harness his magic, had dropped his shield to the ground and started crawling towards Twilight. Using his nose, he pushed the shield in front of him as he closed the distance to his Princess, tears spilling from his eyes.

The sound of steel scratching wood as it rubbed along the floor was all that could be heard. Argent reached Twilight’s hooves and looked up with desperation in his eyes. One final push and he placed the shield directly in front of the mare he had spent the last twenty years dedicated to.

Twilight looked at the Stallion and her glare softened. A spark of hope flashed in Argent’s mind. Twilight’s horn glowed, her eyes glazed over with the same pearly white light. Her mind’s eye flashed through her archived memories of her time with Argent. The vitriolic look of scorn slowly left her face, as twenty years of memories, both good and bad, passed before her eyes. Just as she was preparing to release her magic, the words, “One doesn’t need to like one’s duty to perform it” echoed in her mind. The white aura winked out, and her eyes reappeared. The scowl returned, doubled in intensity. Her horn flared a deep purple, her hoof raised from the ground, enveloped in a sparkling aura. It hovered over Argent for a split second.

*CRACK*

Argent flinched and looked down at the golden hoof cup. He instantly wished the hoof had knocked him unconscious instead. His shield lay splintered into several pieces, a portion of the six pointed star on each shard. Twilight gave her friends one last empty stare, and unceremoniously teleported away.

Another few silent seconds passed. A wailing sob shook everyone out of their state of shock. Fluttershy lay on the ground, her hooves crossed over her face bawling for all she was worth. Applejack and Rarity lay beside her and tried to comfort the Pegasus.

“She didn’t mean it sugar cube, there’s no way she meant it.” Applejack said, trying in vain to convince herself as much as Fluttershy.

Pinkie and Rainbow were trying to rouse a softly muttering Argent to his feet. “Come on soldier boy, get up, she didn’t mean it,” whispered Dash as she tried to use her nose to lever Argent onto his feet. Pinkie, her hair hanging in a silky cascade and her eyes staring into infinity, seemed to be trying to reassemble the shield as if it were a jigsaw puzzle.

“..you…I love you…I love you…I love you” repeated Argent as if the simple mantra was all that was keeping the world from collapsing in upon him.

Author's Note

So here's my first chapter of what I hope to be many. expect one of similar length within the week. The next one should do a better job at justifying the adventure tag.

Any suggestions are welcome, as my writing may be a bit rusty.

--Levarien

* Added Horizontal rules

Ch. 9: Dancing Around the Truth

Twilight luxuriated in Argent's warm embrace for several minutes. The enervation spell cast upon her had lowered her body temperature considerably, so each moment in his hooves banished the cold from her bones. Practicality reared its ugly head however, and she soon placed her muzzle to the stallion's ear and whispered. Argent nodded and helped the mare to her hooves.

She walked to Trixie and wrapped a forearm around the mare's shoulder. "I guess I owe you another favor," she whispered. "There's a secret compartment on the back side of the throne, Twilight has the key." She stepped to Argent's side and watched as Trixie limped around the large onyx seat.

"Sparkle," she said from behind the throne, "Bring Trixie the amulet."

The younger Twilight looked at the older with a mix of suspicion and confusion as she joined Trixie. She levitated the artifact from her saddlebags and floated it to the cyan unicorn's outstretched hoof. She briefly considered the ramifications of returning the amulet to the pony who had caused such chaos with it. "I can trust her," she thought to herself, "she's earned it." She released her levitation field and the jeweled necklace fell into Trixie's grasp.

Trixie dropped to her knees and pressed the amulet into an indentation on the bottom of the throne. Red light flashed from the gem in the amulet and the clicking sound of some hidden piece of clockwork machinery emanated from behind the black stone. With a puff of black dust, the rear panel of stone slid backwards, and then up into the back of the massive throne. Several ancient tomes and journals filled the hidden compartment, each remarkably well preserved. Twilight levitated the trove of writings out of the cubbyhole and examined one.

"Shoebert's experimental work logs," said Twilight breathlessly. "His exact process for creating the amulet will be in here." She placed the books into her panniers and grabbed the sides of Trixie's head in excitement. "Do you have any idea what we could learn from this?" she said frantically, "Spells to cure diseases; descriptions of events lost to history; Magical artifacts we've might never have dreamed of!"

"The means to turn oneself into a power mad undead abomination?" added the elder Twilight from the front of the throne. "Perhaps it would be prudent to limit your research to Trixie's condition."

"Okay, I've had about enough of this," said Twilight. She led a limping Trixie from around the throne and stared angrily at the two older ponies. "You two are hiding something." She held her hoof out to forestall Trixie's protest. "No, Trixie, I know they are your friends, and I don't doubt that they are good ponies," she said, "but their dishonesty and foolhardiness nearly cost all of us our lives." She strode in front of the tall green and blue maned unicorn mare and looked up into her eyes. "I won't allow anypony, no matter how well-meaning they may be, to endanger my friends, let alone put an entire town of innocent ponies at risk."

The elder mare returned the stare and arched an eyebrow. "You would blame the siege of Appleoosa on us?" she asked icily. "We didn't bring the Alicorn Amulet with us." She took a step forward and poked her younger self in the chest with a hoof. "We didn't bring a piece of a Lich's soul close enough to wake him," she said accusingly. "All we did was try to keep three headstrong, ignorant, children from marching to their doom. If not for you three, we would have dealt with that thing in its sleep."

"And how do you know all this?" said the younger stallion in annoyance. He pressed his hoof down on the older mare's, separating it from Twilight's chest. "You seem to know so much about what has happened around here," he pointed at the pile of smoldering bones and hide that was Shoebert, "Why not tell us about the danger that thing presented instead of running off on your own."

"Trixie thinks we should-" said the mare before she was interrupted.

"No Trixie," said Twilight, "I want to hear their answer." She stood next to Argent in solidarity and flared her wings. "You will answer him."

The elder Twilight looked at her companion who shrugged in response. "It's up to you," he said, a tinge of worry carrying through his voice.

The mare sighed and stepped back to her stallion's side. She pulled the cloak over her head and let it drop to the floor. A lavender aura surrounded the corset that circled her midsection. The laces slowly untied themselves until the garment hung open at her belly. She flexed the muscles in her side and felt the constricting garment slide from her back as her wings spread to their full span.

"You're...How...What?" sputtered the younger Twilight.

"Can we talk about this outside," said the elder alicorn. "I want to be out of this tomb." She began walking towards the exit and opened the door with her magic. A pile of griffin bones lay collapsed just inside the next room. The elder stallion followed her, picking up his shield on the way.

Argent shook Twilight from her shock and motioned after the two exiting ponies with a shake of his head. "I'll help Trixie," he said. The younger alicorn nodded and trotted towards the door. Argent lowered his neck and pulled his sister's injured foreleg around it. They slowly made their way across the throne room. "You knew didn't you?" he asked accusingly.

Trixie looked straight ahead and flinched at the accusing tone. "Oracle will explain everything," she said, "but yes, Trixie knew."

"She took you into her home," he said, "I told her you needed help; she risked her life to help you; and you lied to her."

Trixie remained silent as they passed through the long passageway. As the siblings approached the breach in the cliff wall, a hoof reached in. "I got you," said the elder Argent. The younger stallion slapped the hoof away and stepped through the hole before reaching in and assisting his sister into the warm desert sun.

"You've done enough," said the young stallion angrily.

Trixie groaned in annoyance and clipped the stallion in the back of the head. "Would you stop it," said the mare, "Horizon didn't mean to hurt Trixie." She ruffled her brother's mane and pushed him away to test out her injured leg. "See," she said while gingerly putting her weight on her hoof, "It's not that bad." She hissed as a slight tinge of pain lanced through her foreleg. "Trixie thinks a few minutes in the cold spring will do her hoof a world of good."

The two stallions followed their limping sister towards the tree ringed oasis. They entered the small stand of trees and marveled as the warm desert wind became a cooling spring breeze in the space of a few yards. As they passed the first few fragrant trees, the sound of the two alicorns talking filtered through to their ears. The trio of siblings walked towards the waters edge, where the two Twilights sat facing each other.

"But Celestia herself told me that her sister, Cadance and I were the only other Alicorns."

"Yet here I am," said the elder Twilight with a smile. "The princess certainly is the wisest being in all of Equestria, but she's hardly omniscient." She reached up a hoof and pointed towards the ruined laboratory. "If she were, creatures like that would never be allowed to exist." She nodded at Trixie and the pair of Argents as they approached.

Trixie limped to the small beach and submerged her injured foreleg into the crisp cold waters of the spring fed oasis. She gasped as the chilled water numbed the pain. The younger Argent sat beside Twilight, keeping a wary eye on the two older ponies. The elder stallion walked over towards a low hanging branch and began plucking several of the orange fruits, placing them in his inverted round shield.

"To put it simply," said the older mare, "Celestia doesn't know about me because I choose not to advertise what I am.

"But why wouldn't you want everypony to know?" asked Twilight, "Why wouldn't you want to be celebrated as a Princess."

The older mare didn't have to think very hard on a response. Years of life lessons had taught her that those fillyhood dreams every mare harbored were just that: Naive dreams. She used her decades of experience to distill her complaints about being a princess into a brief few sentences.

"Imagine that you spent your life confined to a small place," she began, "Not anything uncomfortable, mind you, but someplace that you felt safe and secure in: Some place you wouldn't leave unless you were forced to." She swirled the water of the pool with the tip of her hoof and continued. "Now imagine that you were thrown into the big wide world, and had a chance to meet all the wonderful ponies that inhabit it." Twilight smiled as Argent returned and placed the improvised tray of fruit between everypony. She levitated one of the apricots to her mouth and took a small bite, savoring the sweetness, and gave the stallion a peck on the cheek for his troubles. "All of a sudden, something changes about you, and soon, everypony you know, as well as anypony you might meet in the future, treats you differently." She frowned ruefully around another bite of the fruit. "You know they'll want you to take care of their problems, and help keep them safe. You'll be expected to be a fount of wisdom and grace." She placed her head on top of her crossed forehooves and sighed. "I know myself," she said, "I would put everything I had into being the best princess I could be, but it would be like locking myself in that confining little space all over again."

The younger alicorn pondered what she was being told. Indeed, she had been scared of the drastic changes her transformation was bound to cause. The past month had been a whirlwind of activity, and between the coronation celebration and her royal tour, she hadn't had much of a chance to think more on those worries. "You make it sound so bleak," she said with an apprehensive frown.

The older mare realized that she was possibly sending her younger self down a dangerous path of self doubt and tried to soften her words. "I think that's just the kind of pony I am," she said. "I think for one to be a princess, and be happy with their life, they have to be able to make room for things other than duty." She raised her head from her hooves and lowered it over the back of her Argent's neck, nuzzling his coat with her muzzle. "I think had I known that earlier, and had I known Horizon, maybe I would have been at peace with being a princess."

"You could still be a princess," said the younger Twilight. "You seem pretty happy together, and there's nothing that says a princess can't have a prince. My brother and Cadance are very happy"

"I'm too old for all that, and these old useless wings aren't very regal," said the older mare flexing the atrophied appendages. "I'm rather fond of my life the way it is now." She levitated the apricot to Argent who took a bite. "Why mess with a good thing?"

"Look," said the younger stallion, "I can appreciate what you're saying, but none of this really explains why you seem to know so much about what has happened the last few days." He had stopped his suspicious glares as the older Twilight had explained herself, but he still needed answers as to why their lives had been put in harm's way by these relative strangers. "I mean, you said it yourself: Just because you're an alicorn doesn't mean you know everything."

Twilight felt Argent tense up from beneath her. She had been trying to figure out how to spin this since it became obvious that their knowledge and abilities couldn't be hidden any longer. "The truth is, I knew what would happen because I've seen it happen before."

"I don't understand," said Twilight. "There was little in the library about Shoebert, and not to be rude, but you seem to age normally, so I doubt you were alive hundreds of years ago."

"No I wasn't," said the older mare. "What I should have said was, I knew what would happen because I've seen it happen in my mind." She watched as confusion rolled over the younger ponies. "I don't know how I do it," she lied, "but I can catch glimpses of future events before they happen."

"That's-" said the younger stallion.

"A little hard to believe," interrupted the younger Twilight.

"More unbelievable than two alicorns raising the sun and moon every day?" asked the older Argent. "More odd than a Draconequus who can bend reality at a whim?" He held the two in his gaze. "Is it any stranger than a six hundred year old undead unicorn sending an army of skeletons to attack a wild west town?"

"Well when you put it that way, I guess not," replied the younger unicorn stallion. "I don't suppose there's anyway to prove this ability?"

"Well there was the Kenku," said the elder Alicorn. "I saw that something horrible would happen to those pegasi if we didn't intervene. Luckily, Horizon and I were able to reach them before my vision came to pass." She shrugged her shoulders in resignation. "Take that for what you will." she said. "Perhaps if I have another vision you can see for yourself."

"I'm not saying that we don't believe you," said Argent, "and Trixie vouches for you, which goes a long way in my book, but when it comes to the Princess's safety, I can't be too careful."

The younger alicorn patted her bodyguard's hoof and smiled. She believed what she heard, especially as the older mare's misgivings at the prospects of being a princess so thoroughly matched hers. "A little late for second thoughts," she thought to herself, "but maybe she's right: I just need to make sure I make time for myself. Maybe it's as simple as that." With a grin she grabbed one of the sweet smelling fruits. "Now that the cat's out of the bag, I'm sure Oracle will demonstrate her ability at some point."

Twilight returned her younger self's smile. "Of course princess," she said, sensing that the hook had been set. "Can I ask one small favor though?" The mare nodded her assent. "You can understand that I wouldn't want it known that I can predict the future," she said, "Any number of unscrupulous ponies or worse would try and take advantage of that if they could. I just ask that you let Horizon and myself go on as we have been."

"That sounds reasonable," replied the younger alicorn. "Can you promise me that you'll let us know if any of these visions are particularly dangerous? Today, for example, would have been very nice to know of beforehoof."

"I promise," said Twilight, her hoof outstretched. The younger mare clapped it with her hoof and the two shook on it.

"Can you forgive Trixie for not telling you?" asked the cyan mare. "Trixie didn't want to keep either of you in the dark, but she promised, and Trixie always keeps her promises."

"Water under the bridge," replied Twilight, "Besides, everything worked out okay, and we get two new friends out of the deal, so I'd say we're even."

Argent nodded his agreement and crawled over to his sister and gave her a hug. "I'm just glad you're okay," he lifted her injured foreleg in his hooves and felt along it for any breaks. "You are okay, right?"

Trixie placed the hoof of the sprained leg into his chest and pushed him into the chilly pool. The high pitched scream lasted only a moment before he disappeared under the water, his limbs thrashing involuntarily. "Trixie's leg is feeling fine," she said mischievously. Before he could retaliate, Trixie pounced on the stallion, sending both ponies deeper into the pool.

Minutes passed by as the two older ponies, along with the younger Twilight, laughed at the antics of the siblings. The older mare winced at the pain from her chest. She waved off the concerned questions from the two ponies that sat beside her. "It's just a cracked rib," she said stoically. "It only hurts when I laugh."

"We'll have the doc look at you and Trixie when we get back to town," said the younger Twilight. At the mention of the town, she immediately shot to her feet. "The town! We have to get back!"

"They're fine," said the older alicorn confidently, "His creatures will not have survived his passing."

"I'm sure you're right," said Twilight, "but I still don't want to worry anypony. Pinkie is expecting us after all." She stood and looked at the two siblings engaged in a raucous splash fight. "Come on you two," she called out, "It's time we headed back." She watched as Trixie sent one last splash into the stallion's face before leaving the water.

Argent shook the cold water from his mane and slowly walked out of the oasis pool. Twilight stood transfixed as he walked towards her, rivulets of spring water running down his silvery coat. He trotted over to his panniers and draped the canvas bags over his back. "Ready when you are," he said to his still staring charge.

Twilight shook herself from her reverie and and gathered her belongings. The slight blush in her cheeks didn't go unnoticed, as the two older ponies stood and prepared for the short hike back to Appleoosa. "You just can't keep your eyes off me can you," whispered the older Argent to his amused companion.

"He is quite handsome," she whispered back, "I'm positively weak in the knees."

Argent chuckled and placed both of their saddlebags on his back. "You feeling up to the walk Trixie?" asked the older stallion of his sister.

Trixie took a few steps and nodded. "Trixie should be fine as long as we don't go too fast."

The group of ponies emerged from the copse of trees refreshed and eager to be back on their way to Appleoosa. They spent the late afternoon trekking through the arid badlands, chatting about idle things. The two stallion's led the way, with Trixie following close behind. The two Alicorns brought up the rear, the younger directing her usual endless curiosity at the older.

"No they were fine when I first got them," explained the older alicorn as she stretched out her wings. "This is what happens when you neglect your wings. They're meant to bear a pony's weight; just stretching them once in a while isn't enough." She saw the look of unease in the younger mare's face. "Don't feel bad," said the elder Twilight, "It's something I came to terms with long ago." She moved to her younger self's side and patted her with an outstretched wing. "Like I said before: Take time for yourself; go flying with a pegasus friend; have one of the princesses teach you if you have to."

As they continued chatting, the stallions ahead had finally begun to warm to each other. They were amicably conversing while they examined the shields they had swapped. Trixie rolled her eyes and fell back to the two alicorns. "Trixie doesn't see how those two could be so interested in flat pieces of wood and metal."

The elder alicorn chuckled. "Horizon has always been a bit fixated on his shield," she said jovially. "He's been known to sleep with it like a security blanket."

"That's cute," said the younger Twilight. "We all have our small comforts." A thought sprung to her mind. "I don't suppose you two had anything to do with a shattered silver shield with my cutie mark on it?"

"You found that, did you?" asked the older mare. "Call it overly sentimental, but I felt that I had to give you something in honor of your coronation: A finely wrought silver coat of arms seemed appropriate. We had a bit of an accident on the mountain top we were crafting it on though."

"A friend of mine who found it said there was quite a bit of dried blood up there," said the young Twilight in concern.

"Horizon took a rather nasty wound when my spells failed," replied the older mare, "but he could obviously handle it." She pointed to the older stallion vigorously swinging the younger's dented shield around.

"Well I supposed it's the thought that counts," said Twilight, "We've got all the shards if you'd like to make another try at it."

The older mare sighed in disappointment. "I'm afraid there's no putting that together again." She smiled and waved a hoof through the air. "A friend of mine helped in the aesthetic aspects of it, and she's very far away now. Perhaps you know somepony with a good eye for design. Keep the shards and see if you can succeed where we failed."

"That might be fun," said the younger alicorn happily. The thrill of trying something new with her magic was one of life's little pleasures, and artifice had always appealed to her. "So what are your plans once we've got everything settled down in Appleoosa? Are you two actually cartographers: Do you intend to return to the road?"

The older mare shook her head. "No, on both questions," she replied. "We have traveled quite a bit, but I suppose you could call us treasure hunters, rather, retired treasure hunters." She shrugged her shoulders and nodded towards the older stallion. "It was time for us to settle down, and Ponyville seemed a nice, quiet, out of the way place."

"If half of what Trixie has heard is true, you are quite mistaken," said Trixie between laughs. "Even discounting Trixie's mischief, Sparkle tells stories that convince Trixie that Ponyville is anything but a sleepy little town."

"I'm starting to realize that," said the elder mare with a deadpan delivery. "Perhaps I should keep Horizon on a short leash." The three mares burst out laughing together, drawing the attention of the two sparring stallions.

"What is it about mares laughing together than makes me want to go hide in a cave?" asked the younger Argent.

"Self preservation instinct," replied the elder with a wry grin.

"I'm sorry Miss Pie, but until we've swept the entire town for more of those things you say attacked Appleoosa, I'm afraid I must insist on everypony staying secure in the town hall." The large golden armored pegasus turned to one of his Lieutenants. "Make sure everypony from the train gets inside as well, and gather some food and water for them," he said while returning to his make shift command post just off the north side of the main plaza. The young unicorn saluted and trotted towards the train station, shouting orders at troops who had been busy carting off the tons of bleached white bones from around the main stairs into the town hall.

"Captain Brightblade, Sir!" shouted a pegasus coming in for a landing. "Five ponies approach from the west."

"Tail Spin, Spring Breeze!" he shouted at a nearby pegasi stallion and mare, "Come with me. Lead the way Scout Littlewing. Sergeant Hardy, keep clearing this plaza." The four pegasi took to the air and banked towards the western edge of the town. Littlewing came to a near hover and pointed at a group of ponies making their way out of the desert. "Follow me," said Brightblade as he began a circling descent.

"Oh sweet Celestia, it's Captain Brightblade," muttered the younger Argent in terror as he watched the glinting speck of gold come into focus. He brought the small group to a stop and stood at attention. The elder Twilight adjusted her cloak and made sure her corset was in place.

Twilight walked to his side and held her hoof to her brow to shield her vision from the sun. "Good," she said, "I figured it would have taken well into the night before the guards arrived."

"Not with Captain Brightblade in charge," said Argent apprehensively, "That stallion is quite good at motivating his soldiers." Twilight nodded: She had heard stories of the pegasus Captain's strict discipline, mostly from her brother.

The four pegasi landed sending a gust of sand into the faces of the companions. The large armored stallion strode forward, his two soldiers following just behind, one at each flank. The scout launched himself back into the air and resumed his aerial patrol of Appleoosa. Brightblade stopped in front of the younger unicorn stallion.

"I don't see Captain Armor, Guardspony Defender," said the stern pegasus, "I always warned him you were a desertion risk." He sneered at the younger stallion and turned towards the older Argent. "Would you like to tell me what five unicorns are doing wandering into a town that has just been sealed under a magical dome and attacked by vicious monsters?" His tone made it clear that he found the situation suspicious.

"You can direct any queries my way Captain Brightblade," said Twilight. She stepped forward and flared her wings.

"Your highness," said the Captain quickly, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were here" He lowered a front leg to the ground and gave a respectful bow. "Forgive the impertinence, but what would possess you to go into the badlands alone," he said, fighting to keep the annoyance out of his voice.

"I wasn't alone," she said pointing to the her companions, "Argent is my bodyguard, and Horizon, Trixie and Oracle are all quite capable unicorns." She trotted forward until she was standing before the massive pegasus. She looked up and held the captain in her gaze. "We have dispatched the creature that caused all of this," she stated. "Is it safe to assume that your presence indicates that the town is secure?"

"Yes your highness," replied Captain Brightblade, "I have patrols looking for more of those creatures, but according to the locals, the ones in the plaza all collapsed within seconds of one another. I have the ponies of the town secure in the town hall until we can be sure."

"I have it on good authority that the magic that animated these beasts has been cut off Captain," said Twilight, "Come, we shall give everypony the good news." Twilight walked past the pegasi and resumed her path towards the town.

The pegasus captain ground his teeth and turned towards Argent. "What kind of donkey brained bodyguard puts his princess in such danger," he growled at the young stallion and spun on his hooves. "Tail Spin, Spring Breeze, recall the patrols and muster everypony in the plaza. I will escort the princess to the town hall."

Argent fell in behind Twilight and the Captain as they continued east into Appleoosa. "Your highness," said Brightblade, "I must protest your choice in escorts." He glanced over his shoulder at the the frowning unicorn stallion and shook his head. "A princess should be be escorted by a company of the finest the Royal guard can offer. Even Princess Luna has those Bat winged things to look after her." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Guardspony Defender isn't fit to guard a latrine."

Twilight stopped abruptly and stomped her hoof on the ground. "If you believe that, then you claim to be a better judge of character and talent than both myself and my brother, who is a great captain in his own right." She fixed an angry frown on the armored pegasus.

"I meant no disrespect to you or my colleague-" began Brightblade.

"Former colleague," interrupted Twilight, "My brother is Prince of the Crystal Empire now, unless you have forgotten."

"Of course not your majesty," replied the stallion nervously, "I simply feel that you deserve the best guard Equestria can provide. I of course would be more than willing to recommend some of my best soldiers to take over for Guardspony Defender."

"But Argent is the best," said Twilight emphatically, "He's already proven so several times this day alone."

"He's an undisciplined lout who disobeys the simplest order," replied the Captain, "There's a reason he never amounted to much under my command, and why he will never be more than a simple guardspony, no matter what anypony might say. I know soldiers, and he is not a worthy soldier."

"Is that so?" said Twilight angrily.

"Yes your highness," said Brightblade as he aimed a sneer at the stoic young unicorn stallion. "I could provide you with reports of his insubordination."

Twilight turned and strode towards Argent, her face a thunderhead of fury. "Guardspony Defender," she said, "the Captain says you are unfit to be my Royal Guard." She began pacing back and forth before the young stallion. "He claims that you aren't of sufficient rank, and would provide me with replacements more suitable to my station." She stopped before him and rose her head high. "I therefore discharge you from the Royal Guards Corps immediately, if the Captain agrees."

"I concur your majesty," said the Captain, a victorious smirk stretching across his muzzle.

Twilight looked at Argent. A pleading look of desperation had settled on the young stallion's face. She winked and turned to face the Captain. "Since he is now removed from the Canterlot royal guard, I would like to announce that he is my choice to be Captain of my Harmony Guard, with all rights and responsibilities it entails." Brightblade's face turned a bright red as Twilight turned back to face Argent. "Will you accept the position?"

Argent wiped the shock from his face and bowed deeply before the princess. "I would consider it the greatest honor Princess Twilight," he said reverently.

Twilight placed a hoof on his forehead. "Then arise Captain Argent Defender," she said for all to hear. "Rise and attend your princess." She removed her hoof and stepped back. Argent rose to his hooves, a beaming grin dominating his face. She returned the smile and turned to continue towards the center of town.

"Why didn't I get a fancy title?" whispered the older Argent to his Twilight.

"Because your head's big enough as it is," she whispered back.

They arrived at the central plaza as the sun began to sink below the buildings behind them. Piles of bones littered the plaza in front of the town hall. The stairs to the building had been cleared, but two guards remained stationed at the entrance. Rows of armored soldiers had lined up on the north side of the plaza.

"I am relieved to see you safe your highness," said Captain Brightblade, "And since it appears the Harmony Guard is all here, my soldiers and I are no longer needed. Good day to you all." He spun around and began barking orders to his Lieutenants. The column of Royal Guards was soon trotting towards the rail station at the northern edge of town.

"Good riddance," spat Trixie, "Trixie would have bit her tongue off if she had to listen to that blowhard for one more minute." She looked at her still beaming brother. "No wonder you were so crabby on your days off."

He nodded and sighed. "That stallion is the reason Royal Guards never move when on duty. It isn't some obscure tradition or espirit de corps, as they say in Prance. They're just terrified of Captain Brightblade." He trotted to Twilight's side. "That's the second time I've been saved from that stallion by your family," he said gratefully.

"Oh, I didn't save you," she said with a blush, "I just really wanted to put that jerk in his place." She turned to the older alicorn and smiled. "There are some benefits to the whole princess thing." The older mare chuckled and dipped her head in an admission of agreement. "Let's see how everypony is doing," she said as she threw open the doors to the town hall.

"Twilight!" came a shout from halfway across the room. Pinkie Pie bounded towards the newcomers, Braeburn in tow. "Mr. Meanypants wouldn't let me go outside and look for you when that big black umbrella disappeared and the bonies fell down."

"It's okay Pinkie," replied Twilight. She raised her voice and shouted across the auditorium. "We found the source of all this trouble and dealt with it. Appleoosa is perfectly safe now." Cheers echoed across the room as everypony stomped their hooves in appreciation. "Pinkie?" asked Twilight, "Do you think you could keep the children occupied for a few minutes more while we clear the bones from the plaza?"

Pinkie nodded and walked towards the stage where the large group of children were hopping around in excitement. She reached her hooves into her saddle bags and fanned out two hooffuls of lollipops. "Who wants candy!" she shouted jubilantly. The feeding frenzy that ensued kept the little ones and the pink mare busy while Twilight slipped outside with her companions and several of the townsfolk.

"Do we have somewhere we could deposit these remains respectfully?" asked Twilight.

"Well, we don't really have a cemetery yet princess," said Doc Splints, "we're too new a town, and I'm too dang good." The townsfolk chuckled and the doctor continued. "There was a spot overlooking the orchard that I thought would be nice when the time came."

Braeburn nodded and clapped the doctor on the back. "I know where Doc is talkin' about," he said, "it's right beautiful."

"If some of you ponies could dig a few trenches, I will take care of transporting the remains," said Twilight somberly. The Appleoosans nodded and started heading east towards the large apple orchard that had become the town's namesake.

"I'll go help out," said Argent, "They look a little short hoofed. You coming Horizon?"

The elder stallion looked to the older Twilight. She nodded and watched as the pair of stallions galloped after the departed Appleoosans. "Let me help you with that," said the elder Twilight as the younger mare began gathering all the bones into a large pile in the plaza with her magic. She flared her horn and began sweeping a large pile of remains across the ground with a giant magically constructed shovel. "That was a sweet thing you did for Argent," she said as they combined their efforts to clear the plaza.

"He doesn't deserve to be treated like that," replied the younger mare. "Nopony treats my friends like that."

The older Twilight smiled as she divided the large pile in half. She surrounded half of the grisly remains of the day's battle into a levitation field. "Well for whatever reason, I'm sure he appreciates it."

They each lifted their share of the shattered bones and started walking towards the bluffs above the orchard. The pair of alicorns marched in silence, cognizant of the macabre task before them. Darkness stretched on the horizon as the sun set behind them. The soft glow of their magical auras lit the ground before them. The light from several torches steered them towards their destination. Two deep trenches had been dug atop the ridge overlooking the orderly rows of young apple trees. The Appleoosans gathered around the trenches, their heads bowed as the princess and her friend lowered the mass of bones into the makeshift graves.

"I wish we could do more for these ponies," said Twilight to the gathered crowd. "I could say that we avenged their deaths, but that would be a shallow thing." She lowered her head in sorrow. "All I can say is that their remains can be at rest now." She grabbed a clump of dirt and sprinkled it into the trench. The other ponies followed her example, and soon several of the stallions began filling in the trench with shovels.

Twilight led the townsfolk back to the town hall, smiling as they began to shake off the melancholy and laughed amongst themselves. "They're settler ponies," she thought to herself, "They're used to hardship and sadness. This will just be another story in Appleoosa's colorful history that they'll tell to their foals." As she opened the door to the large auditorium, she was hardly surprised to find Pinkie up on the stage amusing the fillies and colts with her antics. The children seemed much more receptive to her song about sharing and caring than the hostile crowd of ponies and buffalo from years earlier. She stood atop the upright piano Spike was playing and showered the young ones with handfuls of confetti and candy, which, if one thought about it, was probably the main reason for the children's gleeful cheering.

Pinkie saw Twilight and the various stallions and mares enter the auditorium and hopped down from the piano. "Okay my little colts and fillies, remember, Auntie Pinkie promises a Western Days party the likes of which Appleoosa has never seen, so be good for your mommies and daddies so they let you come." The parents began collecting their children, humoring the excited children as they told them all about Pinkie Pie's promises of fun to come.

The insistent knocks on the door were being ignored by the slumbering unicorn stallion. The hoof that pushed him off the bed was much more effective.

"Huh, Whuzzat," said the dreary eyed stallion.

"Door," muttered the mare beneath the comforter.

A pale light from the window signaled the approaching dawn. Argent stood and looked at his reflection in the mirror. The orange haired stallion that looked back at him shrugged in sympathy. Another round of knocks shook him from his reverie. He checked to make sure Twilight's wings were out of sight and opened the door enough to poke his head into the hallway. He was rewarded with a series of raps on his noggin from a pink hoof.

"Miss Pie," said Argent softly as not to wake up the mare behind him, "Is there something I can help you with?"

Pinkie turned her head back to the door. "Yay, you're up!" She grabbed the stallion around the neck and drug him down the hallway. Argent's protests fell upon deaf ears, as the mare led him out the front of the inn and into the streets of Appleoosa. The frames of half finished stalls and carnival attractions lined one side of the plaza. Pinkie maneuvered her "volunteer" to an unfinished dunking booth and pulled a hammer and bucket of nails out of her saddle bags. "I had to send Mable off to help with the stage in the town hall, but she said anypony with half a brain could finish this." She dropped the tools at Argent's feet and began to gallop across the plaza towards a large roped off area.

"But I've never..." He trailed off as it became clear that the mare was already out of earshot. He sighed and picked up the hammer in his mouth while levitating the bucket of nails towards the already constructed barrel. He traced the mechanism from the seat that sat above the large barrel to a metal plate a few feet away. Realizing that he just had to build a simple facade, Argent set down the tools and began gathering the previously cut planks of wood from a large pile in the street.

An hour passed by as he began nailing boards to the frame that Appleoosa's chief Handymare had already constructed. The work went by slowly, as Argent hadn't ever been particularly adept at building things: Apple Bloom had always taken care of Twilight's carpentry needs. A rumbling in his stomach reminded him that he had missed breakfast. A muffin floated before his vision, tempting him with the aroma of apples and cinnamon. He brought his hooves up to the tasty apparition and was surprised when he actually grasped the pastry. He turned at the sound of stifled laughter behind him.

The elder Twilight stood in front of the booth, barely containing her amusement. He walked up to the small table and took a bite of the treat. "I can smell the coffee," he said around a mouthful of muffin, "Gimme."

Twilight floated the tin cup around and placed it next to him. "Thanks for letting me sleep in," she said before reaching her head over the booth table and kissing his cheek.

"Blech," said a familiar voice from behind the mare.

"I found him scrounging for food in the common room," explained Twliight as the young Dragon ran towards the large barrel.

"Hey!" protested Spike, "A dragon doesn't scrounge: He hunts!" He scrambled up the side of the tank and looked inside.

"Many apologies oh mighty beast of legends," said Twilight in an exaggerated manner. She walked behind the dragonling and lifted him off the wooden barrel with her magic and deposited him on the ground. "Any idea where the Heroes of Appleoosa have gone off to?"

"Pinke Pie and Braeburn said something about visiting the tailor," replied Spike, "The sun wasn't even up, so I wasn't really listening, but Trixie, Twilight, and Argent were all gone when I came downstairs." The chime of the clock tower caused him to jump up. "Whoops," he said, "I'm supposed to be practicing for the dance tonight. I'll see you guys there!" His little legs flew into motion and he was soon on his way towards the town hall.

"Alone at last," said Twilight in a sultry tone.

Argent let out a mighty guffaw. "First I couldn't get you out of the house; now you're getting frisky in the middle of town."

"I guess I feel more comfortable with these disguises," she replied, "and since there's no real reason to worry about hiding from ourselves, I suppose we can be a bit more adventurous." She wrapped a hoof around his midsection and pulled him into a deep kiss. "I also figured this out," she said as she flared the magic in her horn.

Argent felt his body tingle and watched as Twilight's coat returned to it's light purple hue and her mane reverted to its normal sapphire blue with violet and rose streaks. He looked around nervously.

"Relax," said Twilight as she felt him fidgeting in her embrace. "I've made a little modification to Trixie's disguise spell." She released Argent and levitated a mirror from her cloak pocket, holding it in front of his face. The orange and yellow maned stallion still looked back at him. "The rest of the world still sees our disguises," she explained, "but you and I can see each other as normal." She hugged him tightly. "I know it sounds shallow but I missed looking at the real you."

"Then we're both shallow," he replied tenderly. Argent pulled away and levitated the hammer. "As much as I'd love to spend the day like this, Pinkie would be cross with me if I didn't finish these booths." As he turned, the board he reached for lifted from the ground in a purple aura. Several others from the nearby pile joined it and they floated to their positions on the stall frame, waiting to be anchored into place.

"Let's get this taken care of then," said Twilight enthusiastically. "I don't want you too tired to spend the festival with me."

"Trixie appreciates the sentiment," said the cyan mare with a grunt as the seamstress tightened the dark blue sash around her waist, "but she is perfectly fine wearing her cloak and hat."

"But Miss Lulamoon," said Desert Rose, "How can you be the guest of honor at the Western Days Dance without authentic western wear?"

Trixie sighed and allowed the red coated mare to continue her alterations. She was soon standing in front of the mirror, admiring herself in the purple pleated prairie skirt and matching short cut, hoof-lengthed, high necked jacket. "Trixie supposes concessions can be made," she said to the tailor, "You certainly know your craft Ms. Rose."

"Aw, shucks," said the grateful mare, "It's the pony that makes the clothes. I just hope ya'll know how thankful we all are for everything you've done for us." She tied the end of the silk sash into a bow. "I don't know what would have happened to my little Sage if you hadn't gotten her out of that schoolhouse." She gave Trixie a hug around the neck before walking over to the dressing screen in the corner of the room. "Is everything okay in there Princess?" she asked.

"Quite all right," said Twilight as she stepped from around the screen. The loose, puffy sleeved, cream colored silk blouse she wore was accentuated by a tight fitting, delicately embroidered, tan vest with holes on the back for her wings to fit through. The brown pleated skirt was also richly embroidered in the same swirling white patterns, while its hem was accented with white tassels. The ensemble was completed with a magenta bandanna tied around her neck and a brand new black stetson on her head.

"You're just a vision of loveliness Princess," gushed the seamstress. "Let's get the waist taken in a little, and it looks like the hem could stand to come up an inch." She steered the alicorn to the three paneled mirror and levitated a pin cushion and spool of thread to her side. "If you could hold still for just a few moments please."

Twilight stood motionless as Desert Rose worked her magic. "I can see why Applejack likes these kinds of dress clothes," she said cheerily, "My normal dresses are beautiful, but they're just so hard to move in. These are so practical, yet still so lovely."

Desert Rose smiled before snapping the thread with a bite from her teeth. "We don't have much use for clothes you can't move around in out here," she said while tying the loose thread into place, "but that doesn't mean we can't look as fine as my Canterlot sister-in-law." She looked at the alicorn and grinned at her efforts. "Some of my finest work," she said with pride.

Twilight pranced around the dressing room, wondering at the range of motion the beautiful outfit provided her. "I just love it Ms. Rose," said Twilight, "You simply must let me pay you for it."

"Not a another word about that," replied the seamstress, "Ya'll have done so much for us, it's the least we could do in return." She placed her tools in a drawer and led the two mares downstairs. "Let's see how my husband is doing with that stallion of yours."

The three mares walked down the stairs to the open showroom of the tailor's shop. Argent stood still in front of a mirror, his back to the approaching mares. A unicorn in an off-white shirt and black pinstripe vest squinted from behind his monocle as he directed a needle through the lapel of the dark navy blue jacket Argent was wearing. He stepped back and surveyed his creation. "Voila," he said, "Ladies, I give you Fancy Duds' latest masterpiece.

Argent turned and saw only Twilight in her new attire. He stood speechless for a few moments before Trixie's hoof on his back shocked him back into reality. "Trixie wouldn't believe if she hadn't seen it for herself," said the cyan mare incredulously, "but you've actually managed to make this oaf look presentable." She ran her hoof down the sleeve of the expertly tailored, single breasted jacket and gripped the fabric. "You guys sure have a way with silk." Argent adjusted the bolo tie around his neck and fiddled with the buttons of the grey waistcoat.

"You look quite dashing Argent," said Twilight as she rubbed her hoof against the ground. "I don't think I've seen you wear anything but your shield."

The stallion tugged at the collar of his starched white dress shirt. "Trixie's right," he said, "I've never been one to dress up." He looked down as Fancy Duds placed a gold pocket watch into the vest pocket and attached matching chain to a button hole. "To be honest, I feel a little silly."

"Nonsense," said Fancy Duds as he opened a round hat box. "Every stallion should have a fine suit, especially if he's escorting a beautiful princess to a dance." The monocled stallion removed a brown felt stetson and placed it on Argent's head. "Now give us a canter to see how it moves," said the tailor. Argent sighed and walked around the showroom, raising his forehooves high off the ground at each step. "Perfect," said Fancy, "and with minutes to spare."

Twilight looked out the large display windows. Appleoosans, all in their finest outfits, were beginning to mass in the central plaza in front of the clock tower. Young colts and fillies in adorably oversided cowpony hats and bonnets scampered underhoof, excitedly pointing at the booths of games and treats.

"Ya'll go and enjoy yourselves," said Desert Rose as she trotted to her husband's side. "We need to gussy ourselves up before we can join in the fun."

"Thank you both so much," said Twilight, "I hope we can see each other during the festival." The two unicorn's bowed and waved as the three ponies left their shop. Twilight made towards the town hall, flanked on each side by Trixie and Argent. "That was nice of them," said Twilight as the crowd parted around them, "For once though, I'd like to actually buy a dress on my own."

"Is Sparkle really complaining about being showered with gifts?" asked an amused Trixie. "Trixie would be happy to relieve her of that burden."

Twilight bumped the laughing mare with her flank. "Hush you," she said, "I'm just saying I enjoy occasionally being self reliant." They made their way to the steps of the large meeting hall, shaking the hooves of the grateful Appleoosans they passed. Pinkie and Braeburn were waiting for them at the steps: Pinkie in her Saloon Mare's outfit, and Braeburn in a well worn black long coat and tan waistcoat.

Braeburn quickly ascended the stairs and turned to face the crowd of townsfolk. "Glad to see everypony here!" shouted the stallion exuberantly. "Welcome to the Third Annual Western Days Festival here in the great town of Aaaaaappleoosa!" A loud cheer erupted from the crowd as Braeburn laid on his slick western charm. "Now I know ya'll all pitched in after the trials of the last few days, but we've got some special ponies here with us that made all this possible." He held out a hoof and winked at Pinkie Pie. The pink mare bounced up onto the steps and pirouetted on one hoof before wrapping Braeburn in a bone crunching embrace.

Once he regained his breath, and his composure, Braeburn threw a hoof over Pinkie's shoulder. "Ya'll might have heard about how this lovely young mare helped bring the children out of the schoolhouse in the nick of time!" The crowd roared in response, causing Pinkie's already rosy cheeks to turn a darker shade of red. "But did ya'll know that she's also the pony that got all our flanks into gear so that we could put on the Western Days Festival as planned? Ladies and Gentlecolts, Miss Pinkamena Diane Pie!" Pinkie punctuated the introduction by pulling the Hullabazooka from out of nowhere and firing off a round of candy treats into the air, sending them raining down upon the crowd.

Braeburn chuckled and pointed down at Argent. "You all probably saw this fella on these very steps just yesterday," Argent walked up and awkwardly waved to the crowd. "I reckon he's much happier to see this crowd though! Let's give a big Appleoosa thank you to the Princess's personal guard, Argent Defender!" The two stallions bumped hooves and Argent stepped to the side with a still beaming Pinkie Pie.

"Now I personally saw this unicorn in action folks," he said while waving up Trixie, "And if there's a braver mare with her nerves of steel, I haven't met her yet. Let's hear it for The Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon!" The showmare ascended the stairs and blew kisses to the raucous crowd. Her horn glowed and a globe of light flew into the early evening sky, exploding in a shower of blue and purple sparks. "And she knows a thing or two about fireworks!" shouted Braeburn. The Appleoosans' cheers had reached a fevered pitch as he looked down and nodded to Twilight.

The crowd shushed itself to silence as the alicorn climbed up the stone staircase. "Do I even have to say anything?" asked Braeburn rhetorically. "She showed up when all seemed lost and pulled us all from the fire," Braeburn took a knee and bowed his head, "Princess Twilight Sparkle, Appleoosa salutes you." The crowd all imitated the stallion.

Twilight looked to her friends, receiving only amused shrugs in response. "Everypony, please stand," she said loudly. "You all did the hard work, we just helped point you in the right direction. Everypony cheer for Doctor Splints, who kept everypony safe and healthy." The crowd parted around the grizzled old earth pony stallion and cheered. He waved a hoof around and performed an exaggerated bow. "Let's all celebrate Quake and Stumps who held the door with Argent for nearly the entire assault." The two stallions clapped their forehooves together, sending a loud crack across the plaza. The crowd responded with boisterous cheers. "Let's hear it for Sheriff Silver Star and his deputies who held out at the school house until help arrived." The guards removed their hats and held them to their chests as the town acknowledged them. "And let's not let this stallion avoid his well deserved accolades," she said while raising Braeburn's hoof with her own. "Braeburn is yet another Apple I'm proud to call my friend." The crowd stomped their hooves in appreciation of their defacto leader.

"Pinkie I think you can take it from here," said Twilight while walking back to Argent's side.

The pink mare stood at the edge of the top step and threw her forehooves into the air. "Let's Party!" she yelled to the anxious crowd.

Twilight turned and flung the large doors open with her magic. She and the ponies atop the steps walked side by side into the elaborately decorated auditorium. The stage had been expanded and lined with red and green skirting. An elevated dais sat at the back wall with an upright piano and several chairs and music stands on top. Spike waved to Twilight as she entered. She waved back, giggling at the adorable bowler hat he somehow procured. She recognized Applejack's cousin Fiddlesticks leading a group of ponies in tuning their various stringed instruments. Twilight quickly moved towards one of the side walls to make room for the excited ponies streaming into the dance hall. The piano came to life as Spike began coaxing a lively ragtime melody from the ivory keys. Fiddlesticks and her band soon picked up the tune and several ponies started pulling their friends and significant others onto the stage to dance.

For the first half hour of the dance, Twilight played the role of the popular wallflower as she greeted and chatted with what seemed like half the town of Appleoosa. Argent remained at her side, receiving his fair share of attention from the townsfolk. Trixie had long since abandoned the obscurity of the wall for the limelight of the stage. Pinkie had pulled Braeburn onto the dance floor and was quickly showing him how to groove to her new favorite jam.

Twilight looked across the dance floor and saw Oracle and Horizon laughing as they cavorted at one corner of the floor. When she barely heard Argent calling her name over the loud music and louder crowd, she leaned in to the stallion. "What was that?" she asked.

The stallion swallowed and screwed up his courage a second time. "I asked if you'd like to dance," he said, his voice cracking and his hooves sweating.

"I'm not very good," said Twilight in embarrassment, "I've been told my dancing looks like those done by Mareori warriors before battle."

"Oh, okay," said Argent weakly.

She saw the the crestfallen look on his face and sighed. "He probably wouldn't leave me by myself if I told him he could go dancing," she thought to herself. "Oh all right," she said, "But I warned you." Twilight pulled the surprised stallion forward by the hoof and climbed the stairs to the dance floor. Her fears began to materialize as the ponies parted before her and opened a large circle in the middle of the stage.

The older Argent saw this and quickly made his way to the piano and whispered into Spike's ear. The dragon grinned, curled his claw into a fist, and bumped the stallion's hoof. He returned to his confused mare and pulled her towards the crowd of ponies in the center of the floor. Spike's shout to Fiddlesticks went unheard by the dancers, but she nodded and barked instructions to her band before turning around and walking to the front of the stage. She began stomping her hoof in a steady rhythm and was soon joined by the other musicians on the stage. She brought the well seasoned fiddle to her chin and began playing a lively reel. The upright bass, viola da gamba, and fife soon joined in, along with a piano accompaniment from Spike.

The crowd of ponies started stomping in time until the entire stage was shaking to the lively rhythm. Young Argent laughed and darted forward, locking the crook of his foreleg into Twilight's. He began spinning the mare around one direction before switching to her other leg and spinning her around the other way. After a circuit he released her and trotted backwards, still slapping his hooves against the floor in time before trotting forwards again to repeat the steps. She soon picked up the motions and was stomping her hooves and spinning to the beat of the festive reel.

The other dancers hooted in approval and began spinning and trotting around one another, laughing in joy as the music continued at a brisk pace. The ponies soon started swapping dance partners after every few circuits around each other. Twilight found herself being twirled around by Horizon, the older stallion flashing a winning smile at the alicorn as he expertly led her around the dance floor. Argent smiled at his sister as they performed the dance the orphanage matrons had taught them as children. Oracle meanwhile found herself being spun around vigorously by Pinkie Pie, the pink mare making her dizzy with the double timed rotations.

The reel continued at a frenzied pace for several minutes, until the tired dancers began falling like flies and heading to the refreshment tables set up on the side of the large dance hall for some much needed Pinke Pie Punch. Oracle dragged an exhausted Horizon down the steps of the stage and pulled him to the wall where they both slumped down and tried to catch their breaths. They watched as Twilight and Argent continued dancing, the alicorn laughing excitedly every time they came together and began to whirl about. Soon the princess and her guard were the only ponies left as Fiddlesticks jumped into the air and brought her hooves slamming down on the stage one last time before playing a final long note. Twilight and Argent remained standing on the stage, looking into each other's excited eyes and smiling. The cheers of the audience brought them both back to their senses and they soon stepped from the dance floor, sweaty and thirsty.

Freed from her self doubt, Twilight pulled the stallion to the floor several more times as late afternoon turned into evening, marveling at how easily she could pick up the simple waltzes and jigs from her dance partner. "You're really good at this," she said while they gently swayed back and forth during a waltz, "You and Trixie both."

He chuckled and adjusted his hoof on her shoulder. "The matrons at the orphanage we grew up at found that dancing was one of the best ways to sap the energy out of rowdy colts and fillies." He proudly nodded to his sister who stood chatting with several ponies by the tables of food. "She won several competitions when we were teenagers."

"Orphanage?" said Twilight, a hint of shocked sympathy in her eyes.

"We lost our parents when we were seven," he said stoically.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice full of guilt for having unintentionally broached the topic.

"No it's okay," he said, "When I say lost, I mean that they disappeared. We hope they're okay, wherever they are, but it's been so long now with no sign of them." He felt Twilight's grip on his neck tighten. "Trixie's travels are really just a way to look for information on where they might have gone."

"I wish there was something I could say other than 'I'm sorry,'" she said, "I'm glad you had each other at least."

"We did," he replied, "and the orphanage is actually a great place." He smiled and led her through a gentle spin. "Princess Celestia even visited us once."

"Would it be alright if you took me there?" she asked curiously, "The next time we're in Canterlot maybe?"

"Sure," he said happily, "I haven't seen the matrons in months. It would be nice to show them I didn't end up a no good layabout."

Twilight laughed and glanced around the room at the ponies looking at them in confusion. Her ears twitched as she realized the music had stopped. She quickly pulled her forelegs from around his neck and smiled sheepishly as he removed his hooves from her side. Twilight led them from the stage and out into the bustling plaza. Ponies ran to and fro, laughing excitedly at the myriad games and attractions that dotted the village common.

"Princess, Princess!" shouted a group of young fillies and colts as they ran up to Twilight at the bottom of the stairs. They clustered around the princess and rapidly told her about all the fun to be had around the fair. She grabbed Argent by the hoof and pulled him after her as the little ponies led the way to fun.

Hours later they sat laughing together on a bench looking out over the orderly rows of apple trees that dominated the eastern side of the town. The large gibbous moon provided ample light for the two ponies. Twilight's vest and Argent's coat were draped across the back of the wooden bench, while their hats sat on the heads of the two large stuffed Ursa Minors sitting beside them.

"That was fun," said Argent with a yawn and a stretch of his forelegs.

Twilight smiled at him and nodded. "It was wasn't it?" she asked while idly dangling her hoof over the edge of the seat. "I can't remember the last time I was able to just let go like that." She reached over and grabbed a piece of cotton candy from the stick Argent held. "Thanks for dancing with me," she said sincerely, "I probably would have watched from the wall all night if you hadn't asked."

"Happy to help," replied Argent. "Maybe we can do it again some time," he said hopefully.

"The Grand Galloping Gala is only a few months away" she warned, "You might want to watch out for what you wish for." She looked out over the trees, watching the branches rustle in the light evening breeze. "I guess I owe Shining an apology," she said ruefully, "I thought being assigned a bodyguard would be a headache, but I'm glad you're here." She reached over and held his hoof with hers. "I think we'll be able to do a lot of good together."

Author's Note

A couple days off made this a pretty easy and fun chapter to write.

Thanks to everyone who's favoriting and liking the story.