No Heroes Part III - For Dreams

Chapters

Waking Nightmare
Finding Purpose
Beginnings
Hopes
Arrivals
White Walls and Perfect Acoustics
Coming Out
Calm Before the Storm
For Dreams
In Search of Harmony

Waking Nightmare

Fine Crime jerked awake in the darkness, barely managing to stop his scream. He sat up in the grass, eyes wide with terror, and became perfectly still.

Nothing. No scaled pillars, no hungry yellow eyes. He wasn't drowning, he wasn’t tasting blood. He was alive, dry, and awake.

He let himself collapse onto the ground heavily, wiping sweat from his brow and tears from his eyes. His hammering heart began to slow… calm… beat normally. His breath finally recovered in a long, deep exhale. But he was still afraid. An entire lifetime of dreams, and still he was afraid.

In the dark night he could hear crickets and frogs. He turned his head to note the river flowing not far away, its quick current carrying the waters westward. Water. He didn’t want anything to do with it right now. So he slowly climbed to his feet and walked away, into the nearby woods. His imagination kept playing hateful tricks on him. Was he being watched? Where was it, what was it doing? All his life it had made him squirm, and tonight would be no different.

Almost a month since his last nightmare, but it had returned. How bitterly disheartening. Not even a new record. Once he was far enough away that he could no longer hear the river he lay back down and took out a quill and scroll, his horn glowing dimly in the darkness.

Dear Luna,

The nightmare has returned. You’re suggestion has failed, I am sorry to say.

You have come to my aid many times in this matter, and I am grateful, but I can’t keep asking you to come coddle me in my dreams. I remember your words, and I know they are wise, but we both know that facing my fear is not something I can do under normal circumstances. I remain convinced that it exists, but I know not how to find it, so how can I face it?

You are the Princess of the Night. You guard us in our dreams. Surely you must know of some other way that I might be rid of these nightmares. I beg you, no matter how extreme it is, if you know of something then tell me of it! I would give anything to not fear sleep.

Your eternal ally,

Fine Crime

He rolled the scroll and pulled out his transmittal potion. He watched the note dissolve in the dark purplish mixture glumly, recorked the bottle and set it aside. With nothing else to do, he lay his head in the grass and prayed that the nightmare would keep at bay for the rest of the night.

When he awoke again it was morning, the sun just barely peering over the horizon. He yawned, glad that his sleep had been undisturbed this time, and began preparing for his journey home.

Home. That concept still felt rather odd to him.

He found the note near the transmittal potion, Luna’s seal set upon the wax. With low hopes he opened it and quietly read its contents.

Her reluctant suggestion was not like anything he might have expected.

“Hello Octavia.”

The mare glanced up from the sheet music in the grass, mildly surprised to see Fine Crime approaching. Why did he always make her feel uncomfortable? But at least he hadn’t sneaked up on her this time like usual. “Good morning, Fine. And how’s Ponyville’s most mysterious occupant?”

“I’m sorry to say I’ve been much better,” he acknowledged. He glanced at her company curiously. One was a muscular orange stallion with a grey mane to match hers, lounging on a white deck chair and wearing sunglasses. The other was a white colt with a green mane, who was standing on a stool and trying to play Octavia’s cello. “Ah let me guess: family.”

“Indeed.” She stood and gestured to the stallion, who offered a friendly wave. “My big brother, Chalk Board. He’s a professional surfer living in Los Angelicorn.”

Then she indicated the colt, who studied Fine curiously. “And this is Harpsi Cord, my youngest brother. They’re visiting for a few days, just to see my new home.”

“Who’s this guy, Octy?” Cord asked.

“Probably her stallion-friend,” Chalk noted wryly.

“What!?”

Octavia laughed at Chalk’s typical jab. “He’s just a friend, Cord. A new Ponyvillian, like me.”

Harpsi Cord gave his brother a grumpy look, but Chalk was already back to enjoying the sun, so instead he turned and gave Fine a hopeful look. “Do you play music, too?”

“If only I could be so fortunate,” Fine answered with a weak smile, “but alas, I lack the rhythm. Last time I tried to do something musical was most embarrassing. No, instead I devote my time to writing.”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “He changes jobs about once a week.”

“Sounds fun,” Chalk noted with a grin.

“It pays the bills,” Fine acknowledged. “I am truly sorry Octavia, but I need to ask a favor. Can I borrow your sister for a moment?”

Chalk waved a dismissive hoof without looking back, but Cord didn’t seem so willing. “But she’s not finished reading my song…”

“It will only be for a minute,” she told him with a smile. “Right, Fine?” He nodded. “You just keep practicing for a bit, okay?” The seemed to brighten the colt significantly.

“You let him play on your cello?” Fine asked as they walked away from the two. “Isn’t it important to you?”

But Octavia wasn’t bothered. “Cord is careful enough with it. Besides, it makes him happy. He’s of the firm belief that he’ll be a master cellist, like me.”

“Ah. So you’re his icon.”

She blushed, but couldn’t help smiling. “…something like that. But what’s going on? You look like there’s something wrong.”

He sighed, his entire manner shifting to something… drier. “I have an old burden I’m trying to take care of. I’m going to try to go out of town for a few days, specifically to the Crystal Empire.”

She eyed him thoughtfully. “What kind of burden?”

“The kind that can make life almost unbearable,” he replied with a tone to emphasize. “I don’t know if I’m going to go just yet, I need to round up a couple… friends to help me.”

“So why are you telling me?” she asked. “You seem to disappear for weeks at a time as it is.”

“I’m not disappearing,” he explained, “I’m just… keeping hidden. Hiding is my talent, as you know, and I practice almost constantly out of habit.”

“Must make it hard to maintain a social life,” she noted skeptically.

“You have no idea. But the point is I’m around, just not seen. This time, however, I really will be gone, and I needed you to know.”

“Why?”

“Because if anything happens while I’m gone, I need you to handle the team.”

She paused, processed his words for a moment. “Me?” she asked incredulously. “What makes you think I should do it?”

He sat down in the grass and gestured for her to do the same. “Octavia, when I started looking for candidates to join this team, I wasn’t supposed to be part of the team myself. That was a last-minute decision on Luna’s part. When I completed my report I recommended to the Princess that you be named the team’s leader.”

Her eyebrows raised in mild disbelief. “I’m flattered, but… what makes you think a mere cellist would make good leadership material? I would have thought you’d pick someone more… dynamic.”

He smiled knowingly. “You can be pretty dynamic yourself when you need to be. Anyway, Luna asked me to be the leader instead, largely because in my investigations I came to know all about everypony, and I already have significant leadership experience.”

“Uh-huh. Doing what, exactly?”

She expected him to throw out another lie, but to her surprise he merely shook his head glumly. “I’m sorry, Octavia. I’m not at liberty to say.”

His response struck a chord within her. All of a sudden his changed demeanor meant something to her. She realized he wasn’t using wit and lies… but he also wasn’t being that professionally serious stallion she’d worked with in the Crystal Empire. This was… something different.

Had he been using masks all this time? Was she speaking to the real Fine Crime at this moment? She studied him, saw how he drooped sadly, how the weariness reflected in his downcast eyes. He looked as if he were ready to collapse from a lack of sleep. And yet there was also a tenseness in the way he held himself. No… this wasn’t the Fine Crime she was used to seeing. Not at all.

“Fine… what’s wrong?”

For several long seconds he didn’t answer. He cast those weary eyes upon her, observed her face for a while, and sighed. “It’s nothing, Octavia. Just an old torment, a little insomnia. That’s all.”

Well, in a way she could believe some of that. He definitely looked as though he could use some sleep. But she wasn’t convinced. “Fine Crime, you need to learn to trust other ponies. Trust is important for a team to function, isn’t it?”

“I know,” he muttered, “but it’s not that simple. It’s not just other ponies I need to learn to trust; I still have to learn to trust myself.”

That caught her off guard. What could he possibly mean by that?

He went on before she could form a question. “Aside from that, my job – my real job – depends upon secrecy. I can’t talk about it, Octavia, but even if I did I’m not sure you’d understand. As for my problem…” he considered the topic for a moment, “…it has to be seen to be believed. There is only one pony I’ve ever really spoken to about it in my life. I’m sorry, but it’s not something I can easily share, not yet.”

She wanted to ask more, but something about his unhappy tone told her that there was no dragging it out of him. She felt that in pressing him she’d be overstepping her bounds. Even so, it seemed as if they’d somehow made progress. What kind of progress she couldn’t be sure, but it felt good anyway.

“I’ll try to hold down the fort,” she said at last. “You do whatever it is you need to do.”

He gave her an appreciative look. “Thanks, Octavia.”

Spike went to the door, glad for a break from spell training with Twilight. He wasn’t so glad to see who it was.

“Hmmph, what do you want,” he demanded.

“Nice to see you, too,” Fine replied glumly. “Is Twilight in?”

“Yeah,” the dragon answered, “but she’s not interested. Oh,” he noticed the pegasus who was just behind Fine, “hey Fluttershy. You’re safe, of course.” Fluttershy stepped forward, but paused to give Fine an uncertain expression.

The unicorn gave her a guilty look. “Convince her for me?”

A few minutes later and Fine was at last allowed in. Twilight appeared about as happy to see him as Spike did. Fluttershy sat between them, looking no less unsure of herself. “All right, Fine Crime,” the purple mare said with eyes sharp, “what’s so important you had to get Fluttershy to intervene on your behalf?”

He sat before her and used his magic to pull out a scroll. “I need your help with a spell. It’s too difficult for me… and I really need it.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And why should I help you?”

He let the scroll drop to the floor at her feet. “I know we got off on the wrong hoof, and I apologize for how I was before. I was… under a lot of stress. Please, just take a look.”

She studied him in her own high-browed manner, but finally sighed and lifted the scroll. She opened it and studied the contents, her eyes going back and forth over the words. And then they widened. “This… this is a really complex request. You want two ponies to be able to use it at once?”

He nodded. “One pony to activate the sequence, and another pony to watch that sequence.”

She rolled the scroll up and used it to rub the side of her head in a contemplative manner. “Fine… that really is a challenge. Why would you even want to use the Door of Fears that way? And why come to me? There are plenty of mages in the Crystal Empire that would do it. Given what you did for the Empire, Cadance herself might even be willing.”

“What’s the Door of Fears?” Fluttershy asked, looking as if she was afraid of the answer.

It was Spike who responded. “It was one of the traps King Sombra used to protect the Crystal Heart. When you open it you see your worst fears come to life. Me and Twilight both went through it.”

“Worst fears?” the pegasus asked hesitantly. “I don’t know if I’d want to go through something like that…”

Twilight glanced at the scroll again, then cast her gaze questioningly on Fine Crime, who had his head lowered unhappily. “Fine, what’s this all about?”

Spike made a ‘harumph’ sound. “You really think you’ll get the truth out of him?”

Fine glanced at the dragon guiltily, then sighed. He raised his head to give the two ponies his direct attention. “When I was just a foal, before I even had my cutie mark, something terrible happened. It traumatized me, and ever since it happened I have been plagued by the same nightmare. It’s the kind of dream that keeps you awake because you’re too terrified to try sleeping. Princess Luna has tried helping me in the past, but nothing works. The nightmare always returns.”

He turned his head away from them now, face filled with shame. “I… I need to get rid of this nightmare. Lately it just seems to be getting worse. Luna says I should face my fears to defeat it, but it’s not that simple. The cause of my trauma is something that can’t be tracked or predicted. I don’t know where to find it.”

He was silent for a moment, and Twilight at last spoke up. “I see… so you want to use the Door of Fears to face it.” He nodded, still not looking at them.

“That’s very brave of you,” Fluttershy noted helpfully.

“But… why do you want two ponies to use the door?” Spike asked.

Twilight was already aware. “He wants somepony else to face the nightmare with him.”

He dropped to his belly miserably. “I can’t face it on my own. I just can’t. This thing that haunts my sleep is… it’s like nothing you can imagine, and I was just a colt…”

Twilight considered him for several seconds. At last she was unable to fight her own sympathetic feelings towards the clearly distressed stallion. “I can try, Fine. You’re right, it’s a tough spell. But again, I have to ask: why do you want me to do it when Princess Cadance could probably do it for you?”

At that he sobered quickly, his face growing serious. He stood, as if to emphasize his words. “I want you to be there. I want to make amends with you, Twilight Sparkle, and so I want you to be a part of this very personal thing that I’m going through. Think of it… as a peace offering.”

Twilight thought about this for a moment, but then gained a surprised look as Spike gave her tail a tug. He gestured for her to come aside. “Umm… excuse us?”

“Are you really going to face your worst fear?” Fluttershy asked as Twilight and Spike walked away to talk. “I mean, that sounds really scary.”

“I have no choice,” Fine muttered. “Luna’s tried every trick she knows to help me get over this. It was she who suggested I use the Door of Fears… although she stressed it was a last resort.”

Fluttershy bowed her head thoughtfully. “I understand being afraid. I mean, I’m afraid of a lot of things. But you seem to be a lot braver that somepony like me. What could have scared you so badly?”

He shook his head. “I’d rather show it than say it, Fluttershy.”

“Show it…?”

But before he could answer Twilight came back, an annoyed look on her face. “Sorry about that, guys. Somepony needed to learn a lesson in sympathy.” She shot a dark glance towards Spike, who appeared to be nursing a bruised forehead. “I’m willing to help. I understand you’re trying to make amends through this, and it can’t be easy. Besides, it’ll make for good practice. But there’s a problem: the spell is so complicated that I don’t think I’d be capable of using the door and controlling the magic at the same time.”

He nodded. “I expected as much. That’s why I want Fluttershy to come along.”

The pegasus let out a high-pitched sound somewhere between a scream and a squeak. “M-m-m-m-me!? I couldn’t possibly!”

“I didn’t just ask you to come along to convince Twilight to talk to me,” he noted with a weak smile. “I want you to come along and go through this with me.”

“No no no, I can’t!” Fluttershy backed several steps away from the two unicorns. “I have enough of my own fears, like heights and dragons. I don’t need somepony else’s!”

“I have to agree,” Twilight told him seriously. “Of all the ponies you could have asked, Fluttershy is probably the worst!” The pegasus nodded her frantic agreement. “I know this is a very personal thing you’re asking, and I’m sure Fluttershy’s touched, but there has to be somepony else.”

“No,” he countered patiently. “I’m sorry I can’t explain why just yet, but it has to the Fluttershy. Absolutely no other pony will do.”

“But there has to be somepony else,” the yellow mare insisted, “somepony more qualified! Like Octavia, you and her get along wonderfully! She could…”

He turned to her directly. “Fluttershy, please. If it’s not you, this doesn’t happen. I’m begging you, try!”

Twilight glanced between the two of them and added. “You know, nothing in the Door of Fears can actually hurt you, and it won’t even be your fears. Maybe it won’t be so bad.”

The pegasus, fear etched on her face, looked from Fine to Twilight, then back again. “I… well… I don’t know…”

Fine lowered his head, his voice bordering on pathetic. “Please, Fluttershy. You’re my only hope.”

Fluttershy made a whimpering sound as she considered. She glanced at Twilight, but the unicorn raised her hooves; she wouldn’t press the pegasus one way or another. It was in her hooves. She stared at Fine for a few more seconds, struggling, but finally let out a frustrated sound. “Alright, I’ll do it! Just… just promise me it won’t be too scary.”

Fine looked up at her in surprise. And then, to both mares’ complete shock, he embraced Fluttershy. “Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!”

Twilight and Fluttershy were not at all comforted by the time the train reached the Crystal Empire. Fine Crime had been asleep when they awoke, and continued to slumber on into the afternoon. They were finally forced to wake him themselves a few minutes before arrival. When asked, he admitted that he’d not fallen asleep until well into morning, having been too scared to try. But, in a bittersweet tone, he was sure to let them know that no nightmares had plagued him.

He was quick to add that this did not get Fluttershy off the hook; he was going to use the door, no matter what.

Twilight’s brother Shining Armor met them at the station, and brief greetings were made. Princess Cadance was too busy at the time to see them, though she’d promised to do so that evening at supper.

“I have to admit,” Shining told them as they made their way through the glimmering city, “compare to your usual visits, this one’s caused quite a stir.”

“Really?” Twilight asked. “What for?”

“The Door of Fear is something most ponies don’t care to know about,” he explained. “We once tried to get rid of it, but it’s been made in such a way that it’s impossible to get rid of it without doing serious damage to the castle itself. Cadance was completely against letting you use it, and I don’t blame her. It’s dangerous.”

That made Fluttershy pause. “D-dangerous? But I thought nothing in the door could hurt you.”

“It can’t,” he agreed solemnly, “but that doesn’t mean the mind won’t shut down. Fear can be as powerful as any weapon.”

But Fine Crime was not deterred. “I know more about fear than most ponies, I assure you. I deliver it regularly. I know the risks, and I am willing.”

“I-I’m n-not sure that I a-a-am…” Fluttershy whispered as she followed behind.

“Don’t worry, Fluttershy,” Twilight reassured, “it won’t be so intense for you. If I understand the spell correctly, it’ll feel like you’re watching things happen. You should be like… like a ghost.”

That only made the pegasus squeak in fear. “A g-g-g-ghost…!? I don’t care to be a ghost!”

“You’ll be a friendly ghost,” Fine Crime told her. “You know, the kind that helps ponies take the safe path, or something to that effect.”

Twilight caught up with her brother. “BBBFF, if Cadance didn’t want us to use the door, why is she letting us?”

“Because Princess Luna asked,” he replied solemnly.

It was Twilight’s turn to stop. “Wait… Princess Luna personally intervened on Fine’s behalf? Why would she do that?”

Shining shrugged unknowingly, but Fine answered. “I told you before, Princess Luna’s been helping me fight the nightmare for some time. It’s intensity marks me as a… ‘special case’.”

“If Princess Luna thinks it’s okay, we’re willing to let you try,” Shining explained, “but Cadance wants to be there.”

Fine thought on this darkly for several long seconds. “That’s… okay. It’s not what I wanted, but if it’s the only way then I’ll deal.”

The purple unicorn fell back to a lagging Fluttershy, who looked not just a little scared. “Are you still sure you want to do this?”

But the Pegasus nodded, however nervously. “I promised to try, and I will. I just don’t know how much good I can do. I’ll probably be even more scared than Fine…”

That night there was a royal banquet honoring the Empire’s hero guests, Twilight and Fluttershy, who helped the Empire recover the Crystal Heart. Fine Crime’s contribution in defeating King Sombra wasn’t mentioned in the honors. The mares were both nonplussed by this; surely his deeds warranted some mention? Twilight in particular thought that finding the Crystal Heart paled in comparison to ending the Sombra threat once and for all.

“Don’t make such a fuss over it,” Fine told them. “I don’t need the recognition. This is how things need to be.”

“But why?” Fluttershy asked. “You were almost killed fighting him, weren’t you?”

“And you took a Sonic Rainboom blast, ground zero,” Twilight added. “I think that warrants some attention!”

But when Cadance finally came to speak to them, Fine was the first to address her. “Thank you, Princess, for leaving me out of the praise.”

She nodded, formally. Her manner made it clear that she didn’t care for him. Even so, her tone was civil. “You are welcome, Fine Crime. I know that you prefer to keep things… quiet.” She eyed Fluttershy and Twilight and asked in a whisper, “Do they know who and what you are?”

“No,” he answered. “They will in time, but for now I think it’s best they didn’t.”

“So they don’t hate you?”

He didn’t answer.

The four of them stood before the door. Fluttershy in particular was pretty confused. “I expected it to look more… creepy.”

Twilight chuckled. “Well if it actually looked scary, who’d fall for it?”

“I guess that makes sense,” the pegasus admitted bashfully.

“Are you absolutely certain about this, Fine?” Cadance asked.

He studied the door for several long seconds. He appeared to be wrestling with the question. He lingered…

Twilight decided to buy him time by offering some information. “Now remember, we should be able to pull you out at any time. The two of you will be able to see and talk to one another, but for Fluttershy everything will be… different.”

“Different how?” the Pegasus asked.

Cadance answered. “If I understand the spell Luna provided, for Fine it will feel real, but for you it won’t. There will be a certain… false quality to it. It’s apparently a difficult concept to explain. The point is, you shouldn’t be so easily affected by the door’s effects.”

“Which is good,” Twilight added, “because you’re afraid of pretty much everything.”

Fluttershy lowered her head a little. “I’m still not sure this was a good idea…”

“It’s not,” Cadance threw in, casting an unpleasant glance at the door. “Luna herself thinks so. But it’s the only option left, or so she claims.”

“…and that’s why I must do this,” Fine Crime said at last. He glanced back at the mares. “I want to try. Ready whenever you are, Fluttershy.”

The yellow mare chewed her lip anxiously, glanced at Twilight and Cadance. Twilight smiled supportively, nodded. Princess Cadance didn’t smile, but she nodded her encouragement all the same. At last Fluttershy sighed and took a deep, self-assuring breath. She stepped up to the door beside Fine.

The unicorn leaned towards her and whispered. “Thank you. Just remember: it’s not real.”

She trembled even as she wondered how he could encourage her; wasn’t this supposed to be his challenge?

“All right, here it goes,” Twilight said, and her horn began to glow. She closed her eyes to concentrate, the horn’s magical aura growing stronger. Soon small sparks began to fly.

The Door of Fears started to glow purple. Several long seconds passed with nothing else happening. But then, slowly, fading into existence like a mirage, a second door appeared. It was identical in almost every way, but had a strange fuzzy quality to it. It shimmered, shook like a scratchy projector image, but finally solidified.

Twilight dropped into a sitting position, panting from the exertion.

“Are you alright?” Cadance asked, worry etching her face.

“Y-yeah…” the purple unicorn muttered, shaking her head roughly. “Just a little winded.” Her horn continued to glow softly. “That was about as hard as I expected, but it worked. I think.”

“You think?” Fine asked.

She nodded. “We won’t know if it has the right effect until Fluttershy uses it. It’s going to be harder to close than I thought, too.”

“What do you mean?” Fluttershy asked.

“It’s just so complex,” Twilight answered, studying the door carefully. “And while you two are in there the spell will be directly affecting your minds. Canceling the spell means closing the door and freeing your minds at the same time.”

Cadance observed the two doors side by side. “I think this will work… but now I can see that there is an added risk. The Door of Fears breaks its connection when the door is closed. It’s automatic. But Twilight is right; the imitation door must be handled more carefully; closing the door without breaking its connection could be dangerous.” The Princess gave Fluttershy a serious look. “You should think carefully about using it.”

Fluttershy flinched, hesitated. She turned to Fine, who was observing the door hawkishly. When he noted her look he sighed unhappily. “I’m not so versed in this stuff,” he told her. “If they say it’s dangerous, I won’t argue. It’s up to you, Fluttershy; if you back out, I won’t hold it against you.”

She could tell by his expression that he expected her to do just that. He was resigning himself to defeat, and his despair was plain to see. She looked at the two doors, considered the danger. But, after nearly a full minute of contemplation and self-debating, she finally came to a decision. “I said I would help you with this, and I will,” she told him, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

He eyed her thoughtfully and nodded. His expression was entirely unreadable. Steeling her resolve as best she could, Fluttershy went to stand before the imitation door.

Princess Cadance sighed unhappily, but said nothing.

Twilight, on the other hoof, appeared proud. “Now remember, Fine has to go in first for the new door to work. If it becomes too much for either of you, just say the word. Remember, we’re right here with you.”

Fine glanced to Fluttershy, and they shared a moment of silence. He turned back to the door, hesitated. “Whatever happens,” he muttered, “thank you all for doing this.” The door’s handle glowed, and it opened. Fine fell into a sitting position, his eyes widened, and he became still as stone.

“He’s in,” Twilight, announced. “Fluttershy, now.”

The pegasus jumped at the forceful order but made herself to open the door.

The ground rocked under her hooves, and Fluttershy had to scramble to keep from falling on her face.

“Oh no… I didn’t think it would start me here…” Fine whispered, and the quiet horror in his voice caught the pegasus’ attention. Struggling to keep her balance as the world rocked, she looked around to realize she was in a small, cluttered room of wood. It looked like a cabin of some sort, combining a kitchen and a living room and a storage unit into a single space. Everything seemed to be covered in a pale dust, or was it a fog? She couldn’t really tell, but it gave everything a certain dream-like quality. Even the constantly-shifting floor didn’t feel as… solid as it should. It was truly difficult to understand.

She spotted Fine, who was himself shaded in that strange white haze. He had slipped on the wood floor and fallen onto his side in a corner, plates and tools smacking into him as the entire room rolled.

Fluttershy flapped her wings to hover as close to the center of the room as she could, glad to be free of that constant rocking. “Fine… where are we? What’s going on?”

For a moment he couldn’t answer. He seemed frozen to the floor, eyes wide and legs shaking. “Fine!” His eyes looked up at her as she dropped to hover just above him. “It’s okay, Fine. Remember, it’s not real.”

“It’s not real,” he repeated feebly. “It’s not real…” He forced himself to stand, his breath coming in short gasps. The cabin rocked and he almost fell; Fluttershy dropped down to help him stay on his feet.

“Fine, what is this place?” she asked, eyeing the room. Doors were slamming open and closed, an objects innumerable were sliding all over the place.

“Father’s boat,” he answered weakly. Then his eyes went wide again. “Oh shit, that means we’re on the water!” He scrambled, pressed himself against the wall as if trying to hide from something. “No no no, I can’t be here.”

Fluttershy didn’t understand why he was so afraid. She tried to piece things together. They were in a boat. That made a lot of sense. Were they in a storm, then? But why would anypony go out to sea in a storm? She wasn’t afraid of this, though; even she wasn’t’ so much of a scaredy-pony as to fear a little weather. Lightning, maybe. But he wasn’t a pegasus…

“Listen to me, Fine,” she instructed, “just stay calm! Just think, okay? Think. Stay with me. What’s going to happen next?”

“What…?” He stared at her mindlessly for a moment, shaking like a leaf. But then he looked around sharply. “Oh… oh no… we have to get out of the cabin!” He pushed his way past her and started scrambling for the open door.

“Fine, wait!” She followed, hovering a little to not have to fight the rocking boat. “What’s wrong?”

“We’re gonna sink!” he cried.

“S-s-sink!?” That had her attention. She floated above him and tried to guide him against the tottering, wild movements of the floor. When at last they reached the stairs he grabbed the guide rail and pulled himself along, giving her the opportunity to fly outside on her own.

Fluttershy immediately realized that something was really off. There was no weather; no harsh winds buffeting her, no rain, hardly any clouds. As far as she could tell it was a pleasant, sunny day.

But the ocean – for indeed they appeared to be in one – was raging as if it were in the most powerful of hurricanes! Waves rose tall above her head like giants, water sprayed across the sky. She’d never been over the ocean before, but she didn’t have to have been to know that there was something wrong about this entire situation.

And it scared her.

“Verity!” The cry brought her attention back to the sail boat, just in time for her to see the mast come sailing at her! She let out a cry and barely dodged, flying back from the boat to safety.

The voice called out again. “Verity, I told you to stay below!” She looked down to see a couple of unicorns struggling to maintain control of the boat. The one that had spoken was a yellow-coated mare with a bright red mane.

She was looking right at Fine, who was struggling to hold on to the side of the boat. Fluttershy floated down to him just as he caught the side rail and clutched it desperately. He turned his terrified gaze to the couple, shook his head. “Momma, Dad!”

The pegasus stopped, turned to stare at the two new ponies. Those were his parents? She flew closer… yes… yes she could see the similarities. He had his father’s muddy coat, his mother’s eyes… panicked, terrified eyes.

“Get him below,” the stallion ordered fearfully.

“You can’t hold it yourself,” the mare countered, but she was shoved aside.

“Get our son, Maple!”

Maple fell, gave her husband a horrified look, but managed to climb against the side railing. “Hold on, Fleur, just hold on!” And she began to make her way towards Fine, still trembling near the stairs.

Fluttershy flew to Fine, not knowing what to do. Should she try to carry him away? Encourage him? She had no idea. “Fine… Fine we’ll get through this!”

“Go back,” he shouted, but his words were aimed at his mother. “No, Momma don’t come over here! Please!”

Fluttershy didn’t even see the wave coming; it hit the boat and her at once. She closed her eyes, cried out… and blinked in surprise. There was nothing; no hard hit, no pain, nothing. She didn’t even feel wet. She looked around, saw that she was underwater… but she was still flying? How could that be…?

The wave passed, the dull watery noises replaced by the crashing of waves once more.

It was like a dream. The door couldn’t hurt her. She remembered Twilight’s words, and though she still didn’t understand she did feel a lot more comfortable after that confusing encounter. She was safe… at least it seemed that way. That meant Fine would be safe too... right?

She looked down to the boat and let out a horrified cry: Fine was gone. So was his mother.

“Fine? Fine!” She flew terrified circles around the boat; were had he gone?

She noted his father still at the helm, soaked and struggling both physically and magically to turn the wheel. He looked terrified! “I’m coming, Maple! Just hold on!” She turned to look where he was facing, and spotted Fine in the raging seas. Heart leaping into her throat, she flew for him.

He was frantic, splashing and crashing through the waters. “Fine, swim,” she cried. “Come on, swim!”

“I can’t,” he screamed. “I can’t swim!”

Sweet Celestia. She dropped down and grabbed him, tried to hold him up, but somehow she couldn’t get a grip on him. It was like trying to grab water. “W-what’s going on? Fine!” He dropped below the surface, and for a moment she lost him.

When he came up again, he wasn’t Fine Crime anymore. He was a colt. A tiny foal with a bright red mane, just like his mother’s. He couldn’t have been older than five. “Fine?”

Before Fluttershy could really understand what had happened, the colt’s mother was there, holding him tight against the waves. “Don’t worry, baby. Mommy’s got you!”

Fluttershy flew circles around them, not knowing what to do. She couldn’t lift the both of them! She dropped down beside them, tried swimming and realized there was no need. She looked into the colt’s face and saw complete terror. “Fine, remember. It’s not real! This isn’t happening!”

“Yes it is,” he cried, clutching his mother’s chest. “Yes it is! Momma, it’s happening again!”

“I know baby,” Maple whispered, her attempt at comfort lost in desperation. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. It’s going to be just fine!” The unicorn jerked her head about searchingly, her eyes looked through Fluttershy. “Fleur! Fleur, over here!”

Fluttershy turned around, noting as she did how her wings didn’t even splash the water. It was like the entire world was made of air. She spotted the sailboat making its way to them and felt a little hope. “Your father’s coming, Fine,” she noted helpfully. “Don’t worry, he’s coming!”

“No!” Fine squirmed against his mother. “No, please, tell him to get back!”

“What?” Fluttershy turned to see him struggling in his mother’s hooves. The mare didn’t seem to notice.

“Momma, swim!” the colt screamed. A wave hit, sent them under for a moment. He came up wet and sputtering, red mane covering his face. “Swim, please!”

“It’s okay,” Maple whispered. And then, to Fluttershy’s surprise, the mare looked her right in the eye. “He’ll be okay. Tell me he’ll be okay.” It wasn't in a tone of fear. It was a demand.

It didn’t make any sense. This was Fine’s nightmare. Everything up to now had made it clear that Maple couldn’t see her. But at that moment, just for an instant, Fluttershy was absolutely certain that the words were aimed right at her. “I… I…”

“Momma, swim away!”

The moment was gone, and everything was chaos once more. Fluttershy shook the feeling away and flew higher, going to the father. He was scrambling for a life ring, trying to throw it. He slipped, crashed to the floor of the violently rocking sail boat.

“Fleur, look out!”

Fluttershy looked up in time to see the wave coming. It was huge, at least triple the height of the mast! It looked almost as if there was something in it, something big. Fluttershy jerked around in horror, knowing the boat couldn’t take something that large. It tipped, began to roll. She saw Maple shove her tiny colt away.

And then the mast hit her.

Fluttershy let out a horrified sound and covered her eyes even as the wave washed over her, but it was too late: she’d seen. And Fine had seen it, too. He’d been right there… “Oh Celestia no…”

The wave passed and she could hear him scream, a scream so loud and terrible she thought it would echo in her mind forever. And then it stopped, just as suddenly as it had begun. The abruptness made her lower her hooves from her eyes; Fine was gone.

“Oh… Fine!” She dove, flying into the water as if it wasn’t there. She saw him sinking, tried to swim. She didn’t get anywhere. Remembering, she tried flying and found herself moving towards him. She could see him staring down into the murky abyss, down to his mother who was floating lifelessly below. Fluttershy realized she was crying for him.

She was almost close enough to grab the colt when she saw it, and when she did her mind froze. Soft haze or no, dream or not, the thing that drifted within the blackness absolutely terrified her. It was like a dragon… or a snake. Both. She watched numbly as its massive eyes observed Maple, as it opened a scaled mouth full of horrifying teeth and swallowed the unicorn whole. She couldn’t have been more than a crumb to it.

And them those monstrous yellow eyes centered on them.

Colt-Fine was kicking at the water, eyes blind with a terror. When Fluttershy saw those eyes she realized that whatever fear she felt at that moment was nothing compared to his.

This had been a mistake. How was he supposed to face this? He’d just been a colt when it had all happened. A colt against… that? It wasn’t possible to fight!

Her heart beating hard in her chest, she grabbed Fine and tried to fly to the surface… but to her horror she couldn’t budge him. This was his nightmare, and his terror was weighing him down. She glanced back and let out a cry; that massive face was coming closer!

But the cry revealed a truth; she could still speak, even underwater. “Fine, none of this is real!” She held him close, spoke into his ear. “Fight it, Crime, fight it! You’re not really here, it can’t eat you.”

He didn’t answer. He didn’t even acknowledge her. He just kept kicking futilely against the water, fighting to escape the monster. His mouth opened in a watery scream, bubbles erupting from his throat.

And that was when it dawned on her: in his mind, it was real. There really was a monster trying to eat him, he really was underwater.

And he was drowning.

Fluttershy screamed. “Twilight! Cadance! Get us out of here!” She gripped him tight, flapped her wings as hard as she could, but she just couldn’t move him! They were sinking. She looked behind to see massive fangs opening. “Twilight, please!” Fear gripped her, her own dracophobia terror mixing in with her fear for Fine into something entirely new. “Get us out, hurry!” She was in tears. Her wings wouldn’t move anymore; she could only clutch the colt and pray.

Then she noticed that his movements were slowing. “He’s drowning! Twilight…” She looked up to realize that they were within the thing’s mouth. “Twilight!”

The door closed with a slam, and Fluttershy fell onto her back with a thud. She lay there for several seconds, breath coming hard and sharp. She was alive. There was no monster, no water, no raging waves. She was alive.

Fine Crime…

She jerked to her hooves, looked to her side; the unicorn, a full-grown stallion once more, had fallen onto his side. Cadance was already there, shifting him onto his back.

“He’s not breathing,” the Princess noted worriedly.

Fluttershy scrambled to him, listened for a heartbeat. He was still alive. “Come on Fine, stay with us!” She pressed on his chest, gave him mouth-to-mouth, working furiously to rescue him. “Come on… come on…!”

“He’ll be okay,” Twilight assured her, but the worry was clear in her voice.

“I told you this was dangerous,” Cadance whispered fearfully.

On the third attempt to breathe into him Fine finally responded, coughing and sucking in a deep breath. His eyes flittered open, and Fluttershy felt a wave of intense relief…

And then, as if he were still in that ocean, the stallion let out a horrified cry and scrambled away from them. He was on his hooves and running, smacking hard into the stone wall. He collapsed, turned about and pressed his back against the wall in terror, gasping for breath.

“Fine!” The pegasus went to him, caught his cheeks in her hooves. “It’s okay, it’s over! You’re okay. You’re going to be okay…”

He stared into her eyes uncomprehendingly. Then he fell to the floor and broke down, wailing like a newborn foal.

“Fluttershy,” Twilight asked, “what in the name of Celestia happened in there?”

Fine had wept until he’d fallen unconscious, and now he was sleeping fretfully in a guest room. Outside, sitting around a table, the three mares discussed what had happened. Fluttershy told them everything, not omitting a single detail.

“Sweet Celestia,” Cadance whispered, “how does a colt take something like that?”

“Very poorly,” Twilight answered unhappily.

“I wanted to help him,” Fluttershy murmured sadly, “I really did. I tried… but I guess he was wrong to ask me, after all.”

“You did your best,” Twilight informed her kindly. “Nopony could ask more than that.”

“But what was the monster beneath the waves?” the Princess asked. Fluttershy shook her head silently, trembling in fear at the memory. “Maybe it wasn’t real.”

The pegasus blinked, gave her a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

“Fine was only a foal when he lost his mother,” Cadance noted. “What if the sea monster was just… dreamed up in his imagination?”

“It would make sense,” Twilight acknowledged. “Nothing of that size has ever been recorded in Equestrian history, at least not that I know of. Maybe he just dreamed up the monster. A metaphor for the sea?”

“It’s real enough to him,” Fluttershy told them anxiously. “I don’t know if it exists or not, but in his mind it is very real. But I hope it isn’t,” she added with a shiver. “It looked like it might swallow a dragon in one gulp!”

Cadance set a hoof to her lips thoughtfully. “I wonder if this is what caused his condition…?”

Twilight and Fluttershy shared a confused look. “What condition?” Twilight asked.

Cadance looked to them as if she’d forgotten they were there. “Did I say that out loud? I’m sorry, it was just a thought.”

“Wait,” the pegasus insisted, “what did you mean? Is there something wrong with him? Other than what he just went through, that is.”

But the Princess shook her head apologetically. “I can’t tell you. I am sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up. If he wants you to know, he will tell you.”

Twilight considered her former foalsitter seriously. “Cadance… you really don’t like him, do you?”

The Princess glowered. “No, Twilight, I don’t. I am the Princess of the Crystal Empire, and my element is Love. What Fine Crime does, what he is, what he represents defies everything that I stand for.”

“You mean you know what he does for a living?” Fluttershy asked, her curiosity piqued.

“And again, I can’t tell you,” the Princess declared in a manner that made it clear she wouldn’t budge on the topic.

Twilight was confused. “I don’t get it. You don’t think you still owe him for helping Applejack and Rainbow rescue us, do you?”

Cadance gazed at Twilight for a few seconds, clearly thinking hard on her response. “Girls… I know you want answers, but I don’t think I’m the one who should give them to you. All I can tell you is that Fine defies everything I believe in, and yet he is very important for Equestria’s wellbeing, so I support him when I must.”

Twilight couldn’t believe her ears. “That guy, important to all Equestria? Seriously Cadance?” But Fluttershy remained silent, head bowed as she considered the Princess’ words. She looked as if she had just solved some sort of puzzle.

The door to the guest room opened, and Fine Crime came trudging out. He looked like a wreck, with black mane disheveled and hanging over his face, hooves shuffling against the floor.

Fluttershy flew over to him with concern. “Are you going to be okay?”

“I haven’t been okay in twenty five years,” he grumbled without looking up at her. He got to the table and sat in a seat of his own, looking about ready to collapse.

“You should be resting in bed,” Twilight noted worriedly as the pegasus returned to her seat.

He rubbed his face with his hooves and brushed his mane back into place. “If you’d been through what I just had, you wouldn’t be able to sleep either.”

Cadance stood abruptly. “It seems that things are okay now. It’s late and I have an early start tomorrow, so I’ll bid you all adieu.” She gave the two mares a pleasant smile. “Good night, Fluttershy, Twilight.”

Fine watched her go sourly. “She can’t stand the sight of me.”

Twilight winced. “Sorry… she’s usually so friendly.”

“It’s not your fault,” he noted glumly, dropping his chin to the table. “Even the Princess of Love can’t get along with everypony.” He eyed Fluttershy, who turned her eyes away from him anxiously. “You wanna ask about it?”

“Umm… well, I mean… if you don’t want to talk about it…”

Fine made a ‘come on’ gesture with his hoof. “As of right now you know more about my life than any pony I’ve ever met, except Princess Luna. So go ahead, ask.”

The two mares shared a surprised look. Finally Twilight nodded, so Fluttershy, blushing and uncertain, spoke. “Umm… how old were you when… it happened?”

“Five.”

“By Celestia…” Twilight whispered.

“…and… how did you survive?”

At that question Fine sat up, considering. “What you saw isn’t exactly how things went. It was very precise, for the most part. But I didn’t sink down to that…” He paused, closed his eyes and shivered. “…my father rescued me.”

“But I thought you said the boat sank?” Twilight ventured.

“It did,” he acknowledged. “We were stranded on the waves for an entire night. When I woke the next morning we were on the beach. My father and I lived alone on an island for three months before getting rescued by a passing trade ship from Nildia.”

“Nildia?” Twilight asked. “Where were you when the boat sank?”

“The Everfree Sea,” he answered solemnly. “Don’t know exactly where, of course. I couldn’t have pointed out the island to you on a map.”

“So your father survived, after all,” Fluttershy noted with relief.

“Oh yes. Still kicking in Las Pegasus.”

“But what happened to the sea monster?” Twilight demanded. “Surely it didn’t just disappear.”

He shook his head. “I have no idea. I saw it sink into the depths, and nopony has seen or heard from it since. As far as I know I’m the only pony to have ever witnessed it… and I refuse to speak of it to anypony because I know I won’t be believed.”

“I’m not sure I believe in it,” the purple unicorn confessed apologetically.

He nodded. “I know, you’re thinking maybe it’s something my childlike mind imagined. I don’t blame you.”

“I believe it,” Fluttershy declared, earning surprised looks from the other two that made her shrink a little. “I… I saw it. I m-mean, I know it wasn’t real at the time. But… but I don’t think you just imagined it up.”

He nodded appreciatively. “Thank you for going in there with me.”

The pegasus blushed, glanced away meekly. “I… don’t think I was much help.”

“That’s not the point,” he replied. “You went in. That alone means the world to me. I’m sure it hasn’t solved my nightmare problem… but we had to try, right?

“When you have the time,” he added, sitting back once more, “I’d like you to come visit my place. Both of you.” He nodded to Twilight. “There’s something I’d like for you to see.”

Author's Note

This Episode didn't go exactly as I'd originally planned; some scenes were shuffled around, and others were thrown out entirely. However, having Fluttershy witness Fine's childhood terror was something I had planned on a long time ago, and that scene went fairly well overall, or so I feel. It was important to me, both to have Fluttershy witness it and to have Twilight there to help. For one, Fine needed to resolve his relationship with the unicorn; technically they are both the leaders of their individual teams which are supposed to be working together. Something needed to be done. As for Fluttershy, earning her trust and support is an important step to what's going to be a big element of this particular Series. Did he really have to have her come along? No. But he knew what it would mean if she did.

Although I feel this Episode went fairly well, I'm rather frustrated with how this overall Series is going to go. Fact is, I'm not sure how I'm going to do it. There's a lot of ideas and elements that need to be thrown together, and I want to get them done at once so that I don't have to stretch this story even longer than it's already set to be. Important topics that I'm trying to hit upon include:

1) Fine Crime attempts to cure his Bloodmane illness with Fluttershy's help.

2) Certain ponies from both teams travel to the Nildia (my variant on India) Coast to try and solve an international crisis.

3) Set some focus upon some of Octavia's family troubles.

4) Work on endearing Luna to her own team via dream interventions.

That last one is the hardest to integrate, but also one of the most important. Celestia was already beloved by the Mane 6, as well as almost every pony alive, when the show began. Luna doesn't have that huge advantage. For my final concept and one of the major points of this story to come across, she needs to gain a real appreciation from the public, starting with her own team. BUT, I can't have the dreams seem unrelated to the main material of this Series. I already have an idea of how to do it, the trick is implementing it well.

Other things of note about this Series: the final villain will be named and yet another 'secret' bad guy will make a cameo. AND, if everything goes well (and I'm really hoping it does), then by the end of this Series the stage will be set for the conclusion.

Finding Purpose

“So how long will you be gone this time?” Upper Crust asked from the table.

“Almost two weeks,” Octavia confessed. The cellist was going through her suitcases, making certain she had everything she would need. “It’ll take two days just to get to New Horseleans. Hey, have you ever been to one of these krewe parties?”

“I’ve never even been to the south,” Upper Crust confessed. “We were always of the opinion that Southern ponies were… uncouth.”

“You sound as though you’re not sure anymore,” Octavia noted curiously.

“There’s a lot of things I’m not sure of anymore.”

The cellist gave her house-mate a concerned look. “Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? Maybe you’d enjoy yourself.”

“Oh no,” Upper Crust countered with a smile. “Wander around the French Quarter seeing the sites while you’re working? I don’t think so.” Besides, she didn’t want to rely on Octavia for her entertainment. “You just go and have fun. Maybe if you find them to not be the ruffians I’ve heard horror stories about I’ll go next time.”

“Suite yourself,” Octavia declared, finally closing her suitcases and putting on her cello case. “My taxi should be here any minute. See you in a few.”

Upper Crust waved pleasantly as her friend departed. “Good luck!”

The door closed, and the smile on her face slowly faded to a frown. She glanced around at the quiet room for a few seconds, then down at the last bite of curry Octavia had made. An old family recipe, supposedly. It had been very good, an unusual taste on her tongue.

Cooking. Scratch one more thing off of the cellist’s list of skills. If only Upper Crust could have one of them…

She’d lived in Ponyville for almost two months now. It was a very different world, this small-town life. Most of the ponies didn’t have that posh, self-important attitude. Ponies were up front about their feelings, didn’t rely on servants and bellcolts. Ponies cared about one another here and worked together to solve problems. She’d even found a few that seemed to genuinely care about her, a true shock as caring about others was a sympathetic ‘weakness’ most Canterlot ponies had trained out of them by the time they had their cutie marks.

And yet for how very different Ponyville was, her own life hadn’t changed much. She had no job, no great hobbies. No character other than to be a sad, miserable little mare trying to understand how to better herself… and failing. It had been one long, miserable disappointment.

She cleaned her dish, taking a moment to stare out the window over the sink at the night sky. Ponyville. At least she liked the ponies here more. That was some kind of improvement, wasn’t it? Especially Octavia; the earth pony had let her stay here all this time, always supporting her despite her uselessness. It had to be frustrating for her.

That was why Upper Crust refused to join her on anymore of her job trips. She’d relied for too long on the cellist to keep her life interesting. She needed to do something with her life, on her own. But what? What could a former antiques acquirer do in a little place like Ponyville?

She shuffled out of bed, despite wanting for all the world to just stay beneath the covers. She’d hardly slept at all, mostly because of some dreams that kept coming back into her mind. It was rather vague now, but she knew the gist of them. One involved Jet Set, and she truly did not want to think about it. The other related to this new team she was with, and involved her being left behind by all the others because of her uselessness. She hated that dream… but she preferred that over having to lose her estranged husband for good.

Regardless of which dream she preferred, both kept her from having a good night’s sleep. This was the fourth night they’d come back to her, and she was getting tired mentally and physically.

But she refused to spend an entire day in bed! She would get out there and try to find something to do. She wanted a job, something to make her independent of Octavia. And she wanted it done before the cellist got home. She was tired of being a freeloader!

She scoured the kitchen for a few minutes and came to realize that it was out of a lot of things. Rather than make do with what was available she decided to have breakfast in town and do some shopping. There was a nice Italian restaurant Jimmy and Nye had shown her and she felt like having a big meal. She just wished she didn’t have to use Octavia’s money to get it…

Another cheery day in Ponyville. She passed among the citizens, always feeling nervous when they greeted her with such friendly faces. In Canterlot one always had to question the validity of a friendly face. Seeing ponies who were happy to see you for no other reason than that you were there was still very strange in her mind. She had to keep reminding herself that they weren’t after favors or casting judgment based on her clothing or manestyle or apparent wealth.

She was Upper Crust. She came from Canterlot. That was all they needed to know.

She was almost to the restaurant when she spotted somepony she recognized more than the others: Lightning Dust. The pegasus was trotting happily in the opposite direction, a tiny white-maned filly bouncing on her back sleepily.

“Morning, Crustie,” Lightning said cheerily as they approached one another.

Crustie. She still wasn’t sure she liked that nickname. “Good morning, Lightning Dust. You seem awfully happy this morning.” She really meant that awful part.

Lightning stopped, but bounced a little to let off energy. “Hey, I’m a morning pony. I take it you’re not?”

Upper Crust shook her head. “Coupled with some sleepless nights. I’m not exactly energetic right now.” She glanced at the filly unicorn on her back, noted how tired she looked… but happy. “And how are you, Keen?”

“Good…” the filly yawned through her smile. “I’m up… Honest.”

“I’m bringing her to Fluttershy’s place,” Lightning explained. “She takes turns with Twilight Sparkle and Octavia foalsitting while I do my morning weather duties.”

Upper Crust wasn’t crazy about children, but Keen was a quiet and well-behaved filly so she made an exception with her. “She looks like she’s about to fall back to sleep.”

“Am not…” Keen mumbled, rubbing her eyes sleepily. “…wanna see Fluttershy…”

“Yeah yeah,” Lightning told her before whispering to Upper Crust, “she’ll fall asleep as soon as I’m gone.”

Keen stood up slowly and gave the pegasus a determined look. Well, tried to. “Will not. I’m gonna play with Angel Bunny and… and the chickens…”

Lightning grinned and rolled her eyes. “Sure ya are, kid.” She turned her attention back to Upper Crust once more. “So what’s got you up so bright and early?”

“Job hunting,” the unicorn confessed sheepishly.

“Funbeans. Watcha gonna do?”

Upper Crust sighed. “I have no idea whatsoever. But there has to be something.”

“Sure there is. Why don’t you go see Rarity at Carousel Boutique? You’re both kinda upper level ponies, maybe she knows of something you can do.”

The unicorn took a few alarmed steps back. “Rarity? Oh no, I couldn’t. After how I treated her…”

Lightning tilted her head in perplexity. “What, were you a jerk or something?”

Upper Crust lowered her head shamefully. “Something like that…”

“Oh.” Lightning glanced around guiltily for a moment, as if looking for some sort of inspiration. “Well… I wish I could help, but I have to get to work. Maybe later, okay?”

“Y-yeah, maybe.”

“Don’t worry, Crustie, I’m sure whatever job you choose to go for you’ll knock out of the park. Right, Keen?” She glanced back, sighed good-naturedly: the soft blue filly had fallen asleep, wrapped in a tight little ball between Lightning's shoulders and face half-hidden in that pearly white mane. “I better get her to Fluttershy’s. Good luck, Crustie.”

Upper Crust barely managed to avoid cringing at the nickname as the pegasus walked by. “Thanks, Lightning.”

Upper Crust had attempted over a dozen things since breakfast, and none of it had worked. Oh, she’d given it a good solid try, but in the end she just didn’t seem cut out for the kind of labor she’d investigated. Her already low confidence wavering, she had decided to break for a late lunch. She was sitting at an outdoor table, glumly playing with her barely touched food, when she spotted the last mare in Equestria she wanted to meet: Rarity.

The white unicorn was eating at a nearby table and apparently hadn’t noticed her. Upper Crust considered fleeing the scene. She almost did. But she stopped herself, adamantly refusing to budge. This wasn’t Canterlot. This was Ponyville, where everypony knew everypony else, or so it seemed. She would have to face the fashion designer at some point, it was inevitable.

And there was no time better than now. She stood up and, steeling her nerves, approached the table. Rarity was intently reading a fashion magazine as she ate. Upper Crust stood before her at the table for several seconds, anxiously trying to find the right words to say in this situation. “Umm…”

Rarity looked up, right at her. The sudden motion made Upper Crust flinch, as if she expected a blow. She blushed and took a step back, but forced her feet to stop before she ended up bolting. Rarity’s eyes narrowed ominously at the sight of her, and all Upper Crust wanted to do under that gaze was hide.

“I had heard you were in town,” the white mare noted coolly. “Wanted to know how the riffraff live, did we?” Upper Crust shrank a little, tried to find words. What to say, what to say? “Is there something you wanted, Upper Crust?”

“I… I’m sorry…” Rarity didn’t look at all convinced. Upper Crust lowered her head shamefully, unable to blame her. “I’m sorry.”

Rarity continued to stare at her with bland unpleasantness for some time. It was making the yellow unicorn even more nervous than before. At last she turned back to her magazine, the disinterested motion making Upper Crust feel like an insect beneath her attention.

“…why are you even in Ponyville?” the white mare asked in her snobbish tone.

Upper Crust sighed in defeat and began to trudge past the table. “…trying to get a life.”

The words made Rarity sit up and turn to her, eyes confused. “Whatever do you mean?” When the other mare didn’t respond she dropped from her seat and followed. “Upper Crust… where is Jet Set?”

That made her stop, the sharp pang in her chest catching her breath. “He’s… he’s back in Canterlot,” she confessed miserably.

Her tone was apparently enough for Rarity to get the picture. The white unicorn walked up to her side, eyes wide. “You mean the two of you…?”

“I’d rather not talk about it,” Upper Crust whispered, and started walking away once more.

Rarity got in her way. “But you two were inseparable! You always teamed up against m…” The white unicorn paused, knocked herself on the head a few times. “No no, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t pry into something so personal. And here you are trying to apologize…”

Upper Crust sat and looked away. “No… I guess I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I mean… I was pretty rude…”

Rarity blinked, studied unicorn with a tilt of her head. “You’re… not at all like I remember you. Why it’s like I’m talking to some other pony entirely.” Upper Crust didn’t answer. “Why did you leave Canterlot?”

Upper Crust stared at her for a moment, and suddenly felt anger. She began to pace the grass in frustration. “Because nopony in Canterlot ever did a thing to earn the title of Important Pony. Because when I looked at everypony else I kept seeing rich snobs who hadn’t done anything in their lives and had the gall to be proud. Proud! Because none of the ponies there care about anything but appearance. Canterlot ponies don’t have friends, they have tools to popularity! And when I looked in the mirror I saw that I was just like them, and I hated it! Hate hate hate hate hated it!”

She dropped back to a sitting position, facing away from Rarity. Her anger had been spent quickly, and was now replaced with bitterness. “I didn’t want to be that kind of pony anymore. So when Octavia offered to let me come live with her, I jumped at the chance.”

Rarity spoke after a long, gloomy pause, and her voice was nervous. “Surely you don’t mean all Canterlot ponies are like that. I mean, there’s got to be somepony you know who doesn’t… fit the description?”

Upper Crust looked back at her, and saw that Rarity was really hopeful for an affirmative answer. “…there’s Fancy Pants…” she admitted at last. “He’s a good stallion. So yes… yes, there are some. But not enough…” The last sentence was dripping with bitterness.

“…and… Jet Set?”

That sharp pang again. “I… I don’t know.” Just thinking about him made her feel like crying. “I don’t know, and it tears me up inside…”

“Forget I asked,” the white unicorn rushed to throw in. “I’m certain things will work out just fine!” She added a forced, nervous laugh. “I know, why don’t you come with me to the spa? Cheer you right up!”

Upper Crust was flattered that the mare would move so quickly to make amends with her, but shook her head. “I appreciate it, honestly…”

“Oh come on,” Rarity interrupted with a winning smile, “my treat! Think of it as a sign of our renewed relations!”

“But I can’t,” Upper Crust insisted. “I… I’m trying to find a job here in Ponyville. I can’t live off of Octavia forever, and I won’t find a job if I’m lounging at the spa.”

But Rarity kept that charming smile and made a welcoming gesture. “Come with me anyway. Maybe if we chat for a while I could help you find something!”

“…really?” Upper Crust recalled Lightning’s words. “You… you think you could do that?”

“It’s certainly worth a try,” Rarity declared. “Besides, nothing cheers the spirit like a nice spa treatment!”

“Well… I suppose…”

“That’s the spirit!” Rarity turned and pointed as if she were a giving a speech. “Let us go onward on a quest for mutual fabulosity!”

“Erm… right.”

“Nye’s Nights and Jimmy’s Days?” Upper Crust observed the sign skeptically. “You really think this is where I’ll find my calling?”

Rarity wasn’t bothered by her doubt. “Trust me on this one, darling: for a pony like you this is the place to be!”

Upper Crust cast her cynical gaze on her companion. “You’re not about to suggest I serve drinks, are you?”

“Oh of course not,” the white unicorn answered as if she were being silly. “Nye’s Nights might serve delectable cappuccinos, but it’s just not the right atmosphere for ladies like us. No, we’re going to visit Jimmy.”

“How do you know the twins, anyway?” Upper Crust asked as they made their way to the left-side shop.

Rarity struck a regal, proud pose. “Nye wandered into town, and my stunning beauty and regal charm made him unwilling to leave! The poor stallion is just hopeless, I’m afraid. Jimmy came along later. He’s more of a lady’s stallion, in the sense that he’s got rugged good looks and a tidy bank account. It’s too bad he’s not a Canterlot lady’s stallion or I’d have gobbled him up!” She giggled and opened the door, letting Upper Crust enter first. “Do try not to tell him I said that, hmm?”

Upper Crust’s first impression of the place was that it was dirty. It was a workshop, plain and simple. Broken carriages, malfunctioning machines and other mechanical things she couldn’t name littered the place. On second glance, however, she noticed it wasn’t really littered with junk; everything seemed organized into related areas. All the tools and shop equipment was neatly and cleanly stored away, too.

Even so… “If this pony’s so wealthy, why doesn’t he hire staff, build a bigger place? Why is he even working with his hooves?”

“Jimmy’s a very hooves-on kind of stallion,” Rarity noted, “and he likes to work hard. Now where is he?”

“Coming,” a voice called. It came from a closed door behind the counter. “Just give me a moment…” Rarity winked at Upper Crust and lead her to the counter. A few seconds later Jimmy came out from the back, looking flustered. “Oh, it’s just you, Rarity. I thought it might be Ace; he’s been after me to get his training cannon fixed for the past week. Hey, Upper Crust.” She nodded to him nervously. “So… what can I do for two of Ponyville’s most attractive mares?”

Rarity giggled and brushed her mane playfully. “Please, Jimmy, don’t tease!” Then she added in a sweet voice, “are you busy at the moment?”

The stallion sighed. “As a matter of fact, I am. I’ve got to go to Canterlot tomorrow, Foal Mountains four days later, and Hoofington next week. I’ve six designs that need to be completed by the end of the month and over a dozen local repair jobs on my plate in the meantime! So yes Rarity, I’m very busy. Whatever you came here to get fixed, I hope you’re ready to wait a while for it.”

“Oh I’m not here for me,” she replied, “I’m here for Upper Crust.”

He turned his attention on Upper Crust swiftly. “Alright then, what can I do for you, Upper?”

The yellow unicorn winced. “’Upper Crust’, please. ‘Upper’ alone sounds almost… derogatory.”

“She’s looking for a job, Jimmy,” Rarity added sweetly. “We were talking about it at the spa and you were the first pony I thought of!”

“Is that so?” he asked, the skepticism scarcely hidden. “No offense, Upper Crust, but you don’t exactly look like the type to go about working with your hooves on a workshop floor.” Upper Crust had to admit he was right. In fact she was wondering what on Equestria possibly made Rarity think that she could work here.

But Rarity didn’t miss a beat. “Go on, tell him about your talents!”

The mare gave her a lost look. “What talents? I don’t have anything.”

Rarity rolled her eyes. “Your cutie mark, darling! Tell him about your special talent.”

“I remember that,” he spoke up suddenly. “It was… estimating, right?”

“Umm… yes.” She glanced around the workshop. “…but I don’t see how that applies here.”

But Jimmy was studying her, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “An estimator, hmm? Yes… Rarity, you might just be a genius.”

The unicorn nodded smugly. “But of course.”

“Wait, what?” Upper Crust glanced between the two of them. “I don’t understand.”

He opened the small counter door and gestured. “Come with me, I’ve got something to show you.”

Anxious but curious, she followed him into the back room, Rarity not far behind. He led them to what was apparently his office, which was surprisingly large and filled with drafting tools and blueprints. He began to dig through a filing cabinet, finally pulling out a large file and dropping it on the desk. “Here, take a look at this.”

She did, flipping pages with her magic for a few quiet moments. “It’s plans for a… crane?”

He nodded. “A Cloudsdale construction company is trying to expand into Canterlot, and have their first building going up some time in the next nine months. Using cranes in Cloudsdale is an entirely different beast from using them on solid ground, though; they just don’t have the experience. So to save having to do all the proper research themselves, they want to hire an outsider to make a crane for them. Building codes in and the city design of Canterlot means any construction equipment like a big crane has to be purpose-designed and made on-site to suit the very specific conditions of the build site.”

Upper Crust flipped a few more pages, but finally set the file aside. “I don’t see how I can help with a big project like this.”

“You’re an estimator,” Rarity noted, as if that explained everything. It didn’t.

“I imagine you’ve never worked in Engineering, so let me explain,” Jimmy went on. “The reason I have to go to Canterlot tomorrow is to examine the work site, determine materials needed, sizes. I’m going to have to go through a huge number of checks and observations in order to figure out the cost of the project and come up with a bid. There’s a lot of work involved, but it all comes down to one thing: estimation. That’s where you come in, Upper Crust.”

She blinked, mildly surprised. A job that depended upon estimation for success? She pulled the file back to her and examined it a bit more. “So… you’re saying you want me to go to Canterlot for you and… come up with a price?”

“There’s a little more to it than that,” he noted seriously. “You’ve got to meet with the client, find out what they’re after, know what questions to ask. Talk to them about options, get a feel for their interests and pricing limitations. You’d have to figure out where the materials come from, and talk to the ponies that provide them for pricing, and the contractors who actually build the thing. Or maybe you just talk to the contractors and let them handle the materials.”

“But that sounds like an awful lot to take in,” she admitted fretfully. “I don’t know anything about a project like this, Jimmy. How could I possibly know what to do, and what to ask, by tomorrow?”

“I don’t expect you to,” he claimed. “You and I can go together tomorrow, and you can watch me work, maybe provide a little feedback of your own as it occurs to you. Think of it… as a training run.”

“But if I can do this, is it really going to help you out that much?”

“Upper Crust, on some projects it can take weeks to get a proper bid prepared. If you could do it for me, become my office and traveling assistant, you would save me tons of time that I could be using doing the actual designs or working the repair jobs. Yes, this will help me out phenomenally!”

“He’s always complaining about it when he comes to visit for tea,” Rarity noted happily, “so when you mentioned your special talent I immediately thought of him!”

“And I’m glad you did,” he told her honestly. “The next job you ask from me’s free, and I might buy you a drink while I’m at it.”

Upper Crust flipped through pages, read a paragraph or two. This… this really did seem like something she could do. She’d have to learn some things along the way, but really it was just a much more complicated version of pricing antiques. She could do complex; she had her experience in the Crystal Empire to prove it.

“…this…might work.” The mare realized she was growing excited, and that was a feeling she hadn’t had in months. “I… I want to try. I really do!”

“Good.” Jimmy clapped his hooves with a grin. “But there’s no time for dilly-dallying: you need to be up to speed by the time we meet the client tomorrow, which means we start immediately.”

“I’d be happy to,” she exclaimed sincerely. But first she turned and threw a hug around Rarity. “Thank you so much for bringing me here!”

Rarity returned the gesture. “Oh you’re welcome, darling, most sincerely. After all you are a Ponyvillian now, and we like to stand by our own.”

“So I’m beginning to understand,” Upper Crust confessed happily. “I’m coming to love this town.”

“I’m coming to hate this town,” she grumbled as they walked out of the Canterlot office building.

Jimmy laughed. “I take it you didn’t like them.”

“By Celestia were they conceited,” she answered. “I can’t believe I used to be like that! The way they talked you’d think they took lessons in pretending to know more than a professional engineer just for you!”

“They might not know what they’re talking about,” he conceded, “but those are the ponies that pay. I’ll get them their crane, and when they see how much cheaper it is they won’t be so sure of their precious ‘standards’.”

The unicorn blinked, gave him a questioning look. “You mean you’re still going to try for the bid?”

“Of course. You don’t back down from a job just because the clients are smartass snobs. You handled the meeting pretty well, by the way.”

She glowered. “I’ve spent my whole life living among Canterlot ponies. I think I know how to handle them.”

“That’s not what I meant,” he told her seriously. “You asked questions, pointed things out. You even saw a few things I missed. No notes, though.”

She blushed and smiled, happy to hear the constructive criticism. “I just knew what to look for. It’s… you know, my estimating thing.”

He gave her a confused look. “I know it’s your talent and all, but it’s so… nonphysical. I don’t really get how it works.”

“It’s all about setting a goal,” she replied confidently. “In my mind it’s all rather… automatic. When I was an acquirer I would look at a vase, for example, and the questions would pop into my mind; what’s the age, what’s the condition, who’s the seller, what’s the history, so on and so forth. In this case the target was a price for the crane, and the questions just… came to me. Where will it be located, who has the metal, what’s the workforce for construction going to require? Even if I don’t understand the engineering mathematics, I know how to find out the answers.”

“Well paint me impressed,” he declared happily, “and consider yourself hired. You’ll never need to know the in-depth math, but when I’m done with you you’ll be doing these meetings on your own. That is, of course, if meeting with snooty clients hasn’t scared you off?”

She was so happy to hear the word ‘hired’ she didn’t hardly care about much else. “I’m a seasoned socialite,” she declared proudly. “A few big-wig ponies won’t scare me off. This is just wonderful! I can’t thank you enough, Jimmy.”

“I think you’re helping me more than I’m helping you,” he noted, “but you’re welcome anyway. Why don’t we get a bite to eat before we head home?”

Upper Crust was in her own version of heaven. She finally had a job. And not some dull duty finding antiques that would sit in some case to be stared at by self-centered aristocrats. This was a real job, helping ponies do something that would be practical and have purpose. At last, no more going through life feeling like a waste of good air! For the first time in her life her special talent was actually good for something. Something practical.

They were at the station, Jimmy off to get their train tickets, when he arrived: Jet Set.

He came scrambling through the crowd, mane disheveled and seeming frantic. When he spotted her he let out a cry and came running, engulfing the mare in a hug just as she noticed him coming. “Jet…?” He stopped her with a kiss. She didn’t object, not in the slightest. On the contrary, she returned it with passion!

At last he pulled away, leaving her breathless. He wasted no time: “You have no idea how worried I’ve been! Two months not knowing where you are, what you’re up to, where you’re going! How could you come home without coming home?”

She finally recovered enough to stop him with a hoof to his mouth. “Jet, what are you doing here?”

He shoved her hoof away. “Looking for you! I was told you were back in Canterlot and came as fast as I could.”

She believed it; by the way he was sweating and how disheveled he looked, he may have galloped clear across the city. She was touched… and ashamed. “I’m sorry, Jet. I thought… I was afraid you might still be upset, or…”

“Upset?” He caught her hoof in both of his eagerly. “Uppity, I’m a wreck. I still wake up in the morning and reach for you. You have no idea how I’ve been longing just to see your face!” He felt at her cheeks as if to emphasize his meaning, face full of love. “You have to come back, Uppity. I know you’re going through this… this phase… but please, I’ll do anything.”

A phase? “Oh Jet,” she whispered, nuzzling him affectionately. “I know you mean it, and I love you for it. But I’m not going through a ‘phase.’ My entire life is changing.”

“But why?” he demanded miserably. “Why does it have to? We used to be so happy together…”

“Okay, got the tickets. I know you prefer aisle seats, so Ieeeeeooooh.” Jimmy paused, staring at the two of them and blushing. “I’m interrupting something, ain’t I?”

“You!” Jet Set was between his wife and the pegasus in an instant, horn glowing threateningly. “You keep away from Uppity, you hear me?”

Jimmy backed off. “Whoa, hold on! What’s going on?”

“She’s mine,” Jet snarled, “and I will fight for her!”

“Jet, calm down,” Upper Crust demanded.

“Yeah, I vote for calm,” Jimmy agreed.

“Shut up! I refuse to lose my wife to some…”

This could have grown into a serious complication, but Upper Crust was having none of it; things were finally going right and she wasn’t about to let her idiot husband mess it all up! So she calmly stepped up beside him, raised a hoof and cracked it over Jet’s head.

“I told you to calm down!” she snapped. “I told you before, Jimmy and me are not an item!”

“An item?” Jimmy glanced between the two of them, recognition and alarm mixing on his face. “Wait, you mean he thinks me and you…?” She nodded. “Where in the wide world of Equestria did he get that idea!?”

Jet Set rubbed his head tenderly, but it seemed things were finally sinking in. “But… but I saw you together and…”

“And jumped to conclusions,” she declared forcefully.

“First of all,” Jimmy said pointedly, “my brother Nye’s the tail-chaser. Second, I’m not the kind of stallion to go chasing after somepony’s wife! Third, I’m too busy running a business to go hunting for a mare-friend in the first place.”

Jet Set stared at the pony dumbly, then turned his attention to his wife. “But… if you two aren’t… you know… then why are you traveling together? What is he to you?”

Upper Crust glanced at Jimmy for a moment. How to term him? “He’s… my boss.”

“And friend,” the pegasus noted solemnly, and for that she smiled.

“And a friend,” she acknowledged. “Jimmy, would you give us a moment, please?”

He nodded, gave her one of the train tickets. “Train leaves in twenty minutes,” he noted gravely. “I’ll be waiting.” The message was clear: if she wasn’t onboard, he’d understand.

Jet sat on his haunches, still rubbing his head and wincing. “I… I’m sorry, Uppity. I guess I made a real ass of myself…”

She smiled and nudged him gently. “You’re my husband, Jet. I can’t blame you for making the conclusion you did; I have to admit, it had to have looked bad. To be honest, the fact that you were so upset about it is… touching. It shows how much you care. Can you imagine how I’d feel if you’d thought we were having an affair and didn’t care?”

He smiled weakly at that. “So… will you come back home with me…?”

She hugged him, tenderly. “No, Jet. I’m sorry, but I just can’t live here anymore.”

He returned her hug, his grip tight. “You… you mean with me…?”

“No,” she pulled back to look into his eyes, “I mean in Canterlot. I don’t belong here anymore, Jet.”

He considered her, his face a mask of confusion. “Then… where?”

“Ponyville.”

His eyes bulged, and for just a moment he looked as if he might start choking in his surprise. “Po… Ponyville!? That septic backwater?”

She smiled at his disbelief. “I know, I know. I used to think the same way. But I’ve discovered something there, Jet. I have friends – real friends, who look after me and want me to succeed. Ponies there are happy to be with me! They don’t fake their friendships there, and I don’t have to spend all my time pretending to be important.”

“But you are important! You’re important to me.”

She patted him on the cheek affectionately. “That’s sweet, really. But I can’t go back to living in Canterlot. I don’t need to visit art museums and be invited to galas. I don’t need the jewelry and dresses. I need to make a difference, and prove that I’m worth it. I hope someday you’ll understand, Jet, I really do.”

He sighed and bowed his head. “I want to understand, Uppity. I’ve been so unhappy without you, and I don’t know what to do about it.”

She smiled sweetly, patiently. “You could come to live in Ponyville with me. No,” she interrupted before he could speak, catching her own mistake. “No, you couldn’t. Not yet…” He looked like such a poor, defeated puppy. “I don’t think you’d be happy there, come to think of it.”

“But if it meant being with you…”

She shook her head, gesturing to the city that surrounded them. “You still need this, Jet. Even if we were together, you’d wish you were back here. Having you come to Ponyville is no more fair to you than it would be for you to have me come back to Canterlot.”

“…so there’s no convincing you to stick around…?”

“And I don’t think you should come back to Ponyville with me,” she confessed, even though doing so broke her heart.

“…but what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” he asked forlornly. “I want to be with you, Uppity.”

She hugged him, tears in her eyes. “And I want to be with you, Jet. I love you so much… but if we handle this in the wrong way we’ll both regret it for the rest of our lives.” She gave him a kiss as the train whistled. “I have to go.”

For a moment she thought he wasn’t going to let go, but after a few seconds his hooves dropped loosely from around her waist. “You’ll… come and visit, right?”

“I promise… but only if you promise to come and visit me, too.”

He smiled weakly. “Yeah… I can do that. I love you, Uppity.”

A gentle peck on his cheek. “I love you, Jet.”

She got on the train just as it started to move, and watched quietly as he slipped out of sight. She wanted to cry… and yet at the same time she felt good about herself. It seemed as if the two of them had really found some common ground. If there was a road to recovery, perhaps they’d just taken the first step down it.

She entered the train and found Jimmy. He was staring out the window solemnly, but turned in surprise when she sat next to him. “I thought you’d chose to stay behind.”

She smiled and wiped the tears from her face. “I told you, Jimmy: I can’t stand Canterlot. I’m certainly not going to live there.”

He nodded understandingly. She could tell he wanted to ask about Jet, but was hesitant. She hoped he would let the matter drop; she really didn’t feel like talking about it right now.

Finally he smiled. “So… Uppity, huh?”

She sighed, tilted her head towards him and used her best lecturing voice. “Nopony but Jet’s allowed to call me that.”

The smile became a grin. “So you’d prefer Crustie?”

She grimaced in disgust, and he could only laugh.

Twilight gazed up at the house, surprised at its size. Did Fine Crime really live in a place like this? She didn’t think it was big enough to call it a mansion, but it still seemed a bit much for just one pony living alone. She glanced around at the surrounding forest; the building took up most of the clearing. Why would he want to live so far out here? How had this place even been built without anypony noticing?

Well, he’d said he wanted her to see something, so here she was. After that miserable failure with the Door of Fears she’d come to understand him a little more, even if she wasn’t entirely over his previous behavior. The thing that really had her interested, however, was the royal response.

Cadance seemed to know of Fine Crime, going so far as to make it clear she was hiding information regarding him. He spoke as if he knew Luna personally, which was hard to believe given his constant lying… but Cadance had confirmed that the Princess of the Night had been trying to help him.

Seeking answers, Twilight had written to Princess Celestia on the matter. The response had alarmed her. Celestia had more or less confirmed, without stating any specifics, that Fine Crime knew all three of the Princesses! Not only that, but she’d encouraged Twilight to get to know him, because he might soon be important to her as well. Twilight was thoroughly confused, and therefor had to investigate.

So here she was, in the Everfree Forest gazing at a house that by all rights shouldn’t exist. She was tempted to go ask Zecora if she knew anything about all of this.

She took a deep, preparatory breath. She didn’t know what to expect, so she girded herself as she reached up to knock on the big wooden door. It opened at her touch, as if waiting for her to arrive. She paused at the threshold, wondering if she shouldn’t wait for him to greet her… but finally went in.

“Fine?” She found herself in a very big room, which reminded her somewhat of a ballroom. The entire place was made of expensive-looking, dark-colored wood. How could he afford a place like this? “Hello, anypony home?”

“Upstairs.”

She looked up towards the voice, but didn’t see anypony. There were two staircases, one on each side of the room, but they both lead to the same balcony so she just picked one arbitrarily. “Fine? Where are you?”

“Be with you in a moment,” he called, and she followed the voice towards an open door in a nearby hallway. She took a look inside and discovered what appeared to be a study. The walls were covered in bookshelves – an impressive collection, she thought – and the floor was covered in a dark red carpet. She spotted Fine Crime, sitting with his back turned to her at a desk, scribbling in a book.

“Take a look around, make yourself at home,” he called over his shoulder without looking at her. She was curious about what he was writing, but decided to hold off and explore the room a little.

He had a veritable ton of books. Nothing compared to her library in Ponyville of course, but still quite a few. The subjects were vast; romances, adventures, famous classics, infamous classics, historical novels, textbooks, horrors, and so much more. “Have you read all of these?” she asked, impressed.

“Most,” he answered distractedly.

Wow. Anypony who read that much was alright in her book. She came upon one shelf that didn’t hold any books, though. Instead it displayed awards. She read the labels thoughtfully; competition placements, honor from literary societies… all going to somepony named Verity Fine.

Verity Fine… she knew that name. She was an author of some renown. Twilight had read a few of her books. They were good; she liked the mafia one in particular. ‘Rose,’ that was the title. Why would Fine have…

She paused, staring in amazement at the two identical golden statues, each displaying an alicorn holding up a book.

“Fine…? Why do you have Verity Fine’s Foallitzers?”

“Check the cabinet below them,” he answered simply.

She didn’t know what he was getting at, but did as he suggested. To her surprise she found a veritable treasure trove of material: rough copies of completed works, covered in notes; half-written short stories; essays on such wide-ranging topics as mental disorders and magical studies; long practice pieces for potential novels. All of it by Verity Fine. “Wow! You must be a serious fan of hers!”

Fine paused, turned around to give her a bemused look. “Hers?”

She stared at him for a moment, uncomprehending. Then it hit her. “No… no way. You honestly don’t expect me to think that you’re Verity Fine, do you?”

“Verity Fine is my birth name,” he answered simply, going back to his book, “and I’ll admit it is a bit filly.”

“You’re serious?”

He finished his work and finally moved away from the desk. “Very. I suspect my parents wanted to have a filly.” He walked up to the trophy case and smiled at the awards. “I was writing since I was a foal, Twilight. It’s something of an escape.”

She looked from him to the trophies in disbelief. “You’re a writer. I never would have guessed.”

He eyed her attentively. “Luna tells me you’ve been making inquiries.”

She blushed. “I didn’t think you’d know about it… but after the incident with the Door of Fears and some of the things Cadance implied about you, I wanted to know… don’t take this the wrong way, but I wanted to know what I was dealing with.”

“It’s okay,” he said reassuringly. “This was going to come up eventually. Speaking of which…” His horn glowed, and a book floated out of the cabinet under the trophies. It hovered in front of her, and she took it tentatively.

“The Adventures of Kit and Caboose?”

“Sixth Edition,” he pointed out helpfully. “I’ve written and edited and re-written that story a thousand times in my life, but I’ve never tried to publish it.”

“It sounds like a children’s story,” she noted, though its size and heft suggested it was anything but.

“It’s a drama,” he replied. “It’s about a colt, his father and his pet bird trying to survive on an uninhabited island for three months.”

She gazed at him, surprised. “You mean it’s about you.”

He nodded. “It’s about twenty percent fiction, but most of the book is true to what really happened out there. There are notes telling which parts aren’t true, should you care to read them.”

She blinked, looked down at the book in amazement. “You mean you’re giving it to me?”

“I want your opinion,” he answered. “Besides, Fluttershy got to see the most terrible moment of my life, so it’s only fair I let you have some insight into what happened after.”

She stared at him for a moment, sat down heavily. “Fine… why are you trying so hard to get me to like you?”

He considered the question quietly. “To answer that, I need to tell you what’s really going on. Twilight, nopony outright says it, but the fact is of the Elements of Harmony you’re the leader. Yes?”

She tilted her head at him. “What does that matter?”

He sat, his expression calm yet serious. “Twilight, if you doubt anything I am about to tell you, just write Princess Celestia. She’ll confirm it.” He waited for her to nod before continuing. “For four years I worked as… an advisor to Celestia. My area was espionage.”

“Espionage?” He nodded. “Are you saying that Equestria actually has spies?”

“Yes, Twilight, that’s exactly what I’m saying, and I was the link between those spies and the Princess. She can’t directly control them, her movements are too closely followed, so she needs somepony special, somepony discreet, to relay information to her.”

The purple unicorn shook her head in disbelief. “Seriously, Fine? Next thing I know you’re going to tell me you’re part of the Dark Archons.”

He smiled in a strange manner, but continued. “You can imagine that Celestia doesn’t care for such underhanded elements in her Kingdom.”

“Of course not.”

“…but Princess Luna, on the other hoof, is more than willing to take the job. And she has: upon her return to Equestria she assumed complete control of all things espionage in Equestria.” He leveled a focused expression at her. “I work directly for Princess Luna, Twilight. I serve her, and would obey her command even if the command defied Celestia. I am here, close to Ponyville, at her behest.”

But Twilight shook her head. “Fine… this is all a bit ridiculous.”

He gesture to her pointedly. “Write Celestia, as her about it. She’ll tell you I’m being honest.”

She eyed him distrustfully. “I might just do that. But assuming this is all true: why tell me?”

“Because you are the leader of the Elements of Harmony,” he declared pointedly. “You and your friends are Celestia’s ‘team,’ ready to take on any challenge she presents you. But now Princess Luna has a team of her own.”

“But what would Princess Luna want a team for?”

“To support you,” he explained simply. “We’re here, right now, ready to answer the call and help the Element Bearers in whatever way we can.”

“Uh-huh.” She rolled her eyes. “And who exactly is on this team?”

“Octavia Melody, the brothers Jimmy and Nye Stone, Upper Crust, Lightning Dust and myself.”

Now Twilight was certain he was lying. “Upper Crust? The Stone twins? Come on, Fine. Lightning and you I can see, and Octavia I’ll accept ‘cause she’s so level-headed. But do you really expect me to believe that the brothers Stone and Upper Crust are part of some powerful team of heroes?”

“I didn’t say we were heroes,” he countered. “We’re more like… benchwarmers. Thing is, I’m their leader. You’re the leader of the Elements. We need to be able to work together, Twilight, and that’s why I don’t want us at odds.”

She stared at him quietly for a long time. Sweet Celestia, he wasn’t joking. “You really mean all of it, don’t you?”

“I really mean all of it.”

A dozen miles off the coast of Nildia was an island. To the average observer, it appeared to be an abandoned waste, without even trees. Just sand and water.

To the knowing observer, this would be strange, because not five minutes ago the island was populated by a small fishing village.

Mane Archon stood in the soft sand, glaring at the empty island. Tazel Wyrm was floating close by, giggling in her strange way. “This is not funny,” he noted bitterly. “I can’t imagine what would make you laugh at this situation.”

“Your frustration amuses me,” Tazel declared happily, flipping upside down and pointing at him.

Archon growled at the cat-snake thing. “You do realize that getting this to work is key to all our plans?”

“I couldn’t care less about your plans,” she claimed pleasantly. “I just do what Silma says.”

He turned on her. “You insubordinate shit. Aren’t you supposed to be watching the mainland?”

She waved a dismissive paw. “Oh please. Are you saying the great Mane Archon is scared of a bunch of backwater nilgiri?”

Archon glared, and his horn glowed dangerously. “Don’t push me, slave.” His black coat fluttered, and from somewhere within arose a long, strange blade with a circular metal barrel attached at the bottom and a curved handle. He pointed the weapon at Tazel threateningly.

“Oh no,” the creature cried out mockingly, “he’s gonna cut me with his weird alien thingy!”

That’s enough, you two.

Archon sneered. “Get the abomination out of my sight, Silma.”

Tazel straightened up, but was still grinning. “What are you so fuzzed up about? The island’s been destroyed. It worked right?”

“This isn’t about wanton destruction, you mindless golem,” he snapped. “It’s about finesse, fine control! We need survivors!”

And we need the Shades of Night.

“You need the Shades of Night, you mean,” Archon corrected.

I was using the ‘royal we,’ Mane. Now Tazel, return to the Mainland, keep the nilgiri occupied.

The creature glowered. “Aww, but I was having fun with this guy!”

Tazel…

“Fine! The nilgiri tahr are more fun than this twerp, anyway.” And with a clap of her paws and a poof of smoke she was gone.

Archon cast his angry eyes around the island. “That freak is going to betray us at the first opportunity, Silma.”

She is of my own making, Mane. She cannot disobey me.

“But she knows you’ll get rid of her when she’s served her usefulness.”

Yes, she knows. Even so, she is incapable of betraying me. I made her that way. But enough about Tazel. About the issue at hand…

He nodded grimly. “Yes… this is the third island we’ve wiped out. We still don’t have proper control, and Celestia won’t ignore us for much longer.”

That’s why we have Tazel on the mainland. She’ll throw any investigators off our trail.

“But for how long? We’re running out of time, Silma.”

As long as she must. Now come, we must continue our work.

Author's Note

For a while I was uncertain how Upper Crust would find a job in Ponyville, but then I made the engineering connection and everything happily fell into place. Thanks, engineering degree! It also finally gave me a good excuse to get her back in Ponyville to talk to Jet Set, and got Jimmy into the mix. Bonus!

It should come as no surprise to anyone that Fine Crime hobbies as a successful writer. I was hinting at that ever since his first devoted Episode in the first Series. Also, the 'Rose' story is actually my own; I just thought I'd throw it in there for my own amusement.

Also: it's rather difficult to describe a gunblade in a world that presumably has no guns.

And now for something completely different:
Character Detail: Upper Crust
This section will go into some information regarding my characters. It has basic info (Age, colors, etc) and also my own thoughts that went into the character's creation. Non-OC ponies will of course get all the same info, but focuses more on my changes than known facts. Also of note: I'm assuming ponies age at the same rate as humans. I know this isn't true with the show, which I'm mostly trying to stick to, but I figure I can make one or two little changes of that sort.

Aliases: Uppity (Jet Set only), Crustie
Species: Unicorn
Coat: Olive yellow
Mane: Light Persian Blue w/white streaks
Eyes: Dark Persian Blue
Magic Aura: Green
Age: 27
Cutie Mark: Antique Goblet with drafting lines
Special Talent: Estimation

Upper Crust was the very first pony I thought of when I came up with the idea for a Luna team. I considered her a personal challenge; the show had depicted her in an entirely negative light, and I wanted to see if I could turn that around. Her being such a notably pointless pony made her a perfect addition to a team based upon non-heroes improving themselves.

When I first did research on her for this story I scoured galleries searching for her Cutie Mark, but never found one; hence my decision to make one up for her. (Recently it was stated that her cutie mark is three dollar signs, but I stand by the decision of the time.) I chose estimation because it's non-specific and, at first glance, rather useless - but with a bit of creativity it can become a phenomenal tool.

I knew what I wanted to do with U.C. from the get-go. She hasn't really had a lot of attention in-story, largely because I'm trying to keep things somewhat balanced among all six characters. I kinda regret it, because I really enjoy writing about her relationship with Jet Set. The crash of their marriage was inevitable, but makes for great character-building material. She's already grown so much, and by the end of the story she's going to be a completely different mare. I've even got something in mind that will make her critical to the final conflict.

Of course, her relationship with the other ponies was an interesting subject to touch upon. Her relationship with Octavia I would define as 'sisterly.' And of course it was inevitable that she would have to meet Rarity, but I couldn't see the fashionista holding a grudge in the face of U.C.'s problems. But now she has to work with Jimmy, which pleases me as I felt her relationship towards the twins was somewhat... nonexistent. Hopefully now things will improve in that vein.

Beginnings

Dusk in Canterlot, and two groups of ponies were standing in the Royal Courtyard before the throne room. The twelve ponies had been summoned by the Princesses for something considered to be of great importance, and at that very moment Twilight Sparkle and Fine Crime were inside getting the details.

That left the rest to wonder what half of them were doing there.

“So let’s see if I have this right,” Rainbow Dash declared, eyeing Nye skeptically. “You and these guys are all supposed to help us in whatever Princess Celestia wants us to do?”

“Something like that,” he answered nervously. “I know it sounds… off. But it’s true.”

Applejack appeared no less uncertain. “No offense ta any o’ ya’ll, but ah’m not sure abou’ tha’ idea.”

“Hey,” Jimmy declared, “we find it unlikely, too.”

Octavia stood before the others with purpose. “We are here at Princess Luna’s request. She would not ask for us to assist you if it were not necessary.”

Nopony could argue that, and some didn’t bother trying. “Well I think this is good thing,” Rarity announced.

“Yeah!” Pinkie cried, jumping between the two teams and tossing a bunch of balloons. “More friends means more fun!”

Rarity rolled her eyes with a smile, her response not unlike that of the rest of the ponies. “Ahem, yes, of course. What I meant was… there’s surely strength in numbers, and is it not better to have the extra help?”

“I agree,” Upper Crust said, but glanced to the great doors behind them. “Still, what’s so big that they have to call all of us here?”

“Oh, maybe they wanna throw a big party!” Pinkie exclaimed. “And I bet they want us to set it up! Oh oh oh, I’ll make the cake!”

Applejack gave the pink pony a bemused look. “Uh, I don’t think we’re here for a party, Sugarcube.”

“Yeah,” Lightning Dust declared, doing an eager flip in the air, “I’m hoping for some kind of adventure!”

“I hope it’s not too dangerous…” Fluttershy noted.

“Aren’t you supposed to be looking after Keen?” Jimmy asked Lightning critically.

The pegasus waved a dismissive hoof. “Nah, I got Lyra and Bon Bon looking after her today. Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

He flinched. “Don’t remind me… I’m going to be a whole day behind because of this, and probably longer.”

At that moment the great doors to the throne room opened. As all eyes turned, Twilight and Fine Crime came trudging out. They both looked just a bit worried.

“So?” Rainbow demanded, flying over Twilight eagerly, “What did the Princess want?”

“Yeah,” Lightning threw in, similarly hovering over Fine, “What’s the mission?”

The two unicorns shared a concerned expression and gestured for their respective teams to gather close.

Fine was the first to speak. “I’m afraid we have a very long distance job ahead of us.”

“Oh come off it,” Nye declared dismissively, “I’ve traveled all across Equestria. Can’t be that bad.”

Fine raised an eyebrow. “Ever been to Nildia?”

That made the laid-back earth pony sputter. “…N-Nildia!? That’s on the other side of the world!”

Most of the other ponies shared similar reactions… save one. “I’ve been there,” Octavia noted abashedly.

“You?” Rainbow asked in alarm. “Why would you go all the way to Nildia?”

“My mother’s from there,” she noted in explanation, then turned her attention back to Fine and Twilight. “But why go there?”

“Over the past year the Nildian coast has been suffering,” Twilight answered seriously. “Tsunamis, freak storms, rogue waves. Entire communities have been wiped off the map, often with no survivors.”

“Hold on,” Rainbow interrupted, “you mean we’re supposed to go all the way over there just because their weather teams aren’t doing their jobs?”

“Nildia is a wild country,” Octavia noted expertly. “And even if it weren’t, almost the entire population is made up of nilgiri tahr.”

“Nilgawatsis?” Pinkie asked.

“Nilgiri tahr,” Fluttershy noted helpfully. “They’re like a goat. In Equestria they’re called ibex.”

“Ooh, ibex!” Applejack declared, “Ah’ve heard o’ them.”

“But don’t call them that to their face,” Fine noted helpfully, “they find it degrading.”

Twilight clapped her hooves to catch everypony’s attention. “The point is, these disasters are happening too often and too regularly to just be an unusual oceanic phenomenon.”

At everypony’s confused looks Octavia translated: “The disaster’s can’t be normal weather.”

“Then what is it?” Lightning asked in annoyance.

“That’s what we’re supposed to find out,” Twilight declared, but then her tone became uncertain. “I… have no idea how we’re going to do that.”

“I don’t understand,” Rarity noted when the group went silent. “This kind of foreign aid is usually Princess Celestia’s kind of work, or perhaps Princess Luna’s. Why are they having us do it?”

“Princess Celestia’s got her hooves full trying to negotiate the location of the next dragon migration,” Twilight explained. “I’m sure you girls remember what it’s like to negotiate with a dragon? She’s negotiating with the entire race. It’s not something she can be pulled away from.”

Fine Crime continued the explanation. “Meanwhile Luna’s performing her evening duties while at the same time trying to make up for all the work Celestia’s not doing because of the dragon negotiations. Her hooves are full, too. On the bright side,” he added with a weak smile, “we do have one big name to help out.”

“Really?” Upper Crust asked, “Who is it? Princess Cadance?”

“I wish,” Twilight muttered weakly. “…it’s Discord.”

“Discord!?” The chorus of shocked cries made the two unicorns back away at the volume.

“Yes, Discord,” Twilight muttered while rubbing her ears. “He’s already in Nildia looking into the problem. The team will meet him there.”

“The team?” Jimmy asked, “You mean we aren’t all going?”

“No,” Fine answered. “Half of us will go to Nildia. The rest will stay in Ponyville, as a precaution in case anything else comes up.”

“Then why not just have the Element Bearers go?” Upper Crust noted with a gesture to the mares in question. “Isn’t it our job to be the support?”

“The Princesses think this will be a good chance for us to start working together,” Twilight announced smartly.

Fine nodded. “Which is what we’re going to have to learn to do. So right now we need to decide who’s going.”

“Well it’s a given that Twilight and Fine are going,” Applejack noted.

At that Fine, eyes wide, reared back and waved his hooves in denial. “Me? No way! Not a chance in hell you’re getting me over the open ocean.”

Before anypony could question this, Twilight spoke up. “I’ve already volunteered to lead the Nildia team. Fine will stay behind to lead the others. I need two Element Bearers and three others.”

“I’ll go,” Rainbow declared confidently with a gallant pose. “You’ll need an ace flier.”

“Ain't no apples ta buck this time of year,” Applejack noted helpfully, “so Ah can spare the time. Ah volunteer.”

“If Rainbow’s going, so am I.” Lightning declared with a dark glance at her rival.

“No, LD,” Fine Crime interrupted, “I want you here.”

“What!?” The pegasus was clearly offended. “But they might need me over there! You can’t accept…”

“There’s no need for two ace fliers,” he pointed out severely. “And I’d like one of you to remain in Ponyville. Rainbow called it, Lightning.”

“But I… I mean…” Lightning was trying to form some sort of compelling argument, but in her anger she just let out a frustrated growl and landed with a huff.

“I’ll go,” Octavia announced calmly. “I can speak Hindi fluently, so I’d be useful, and I have family there who might help with lodgings.”

“You speak Hindi?” Nye asked, sounding impressed.

Pinkie bounced in excitement. “Oh oh, say something, say something!”

Octavia smiled. “Lagbhag.”

“What’s that mean?”

“Something.”

“Ooooh, say something else!”

“Ahem.” Fine caught everpony’s attention again. “I was going to suggest Upper Crust…”

“Me!?”

“…yes you, and Jimmy.”

“…alright.” Jimmy didn’t seem to have any problem with being volunteered.

Nye, on the other hoof… “Hold on, you’re asking Jimmy to go and not me? But we’re twins!”

“It’s alright, Nye,” the elder Stone noted.

“No, it’s not alright!” Nye shot back. “We should be sticking together.”

“And you need to learn to get along without from time to time,” Fine declared.

“What about me?” Upper Crust asked. “What am I supposed to do?”

But Twilight already had an answer. “We’ll undoubtedly be meeting with important Nildian figures. Having somepony who knows how to work with elite ponies will be a big boon. Rarity’s not going…”

“I should hope not,” Rarity noted dourly.

“…so you’ll make a great substitute as an expert in working with high-society ponies.”

“W-well… I guess…”

“So: the team is chosen,” Fine declared. The others didn’t look so certain, but kept quiet. “The team leaves in two days. Hopefully this won’t take but a couple weeks.”

Lightning was trying to learn her lessons, she really was. So when she was told that she would be staying in Ponyville she shut her yap, even though it took every ounce of her willpower to do so. But now, as they rode the train back home, she couldn’t help but think about Rainbow Dash, and thinking about that blue pegasus always pissed her off.

To think that arrogant little creep was going to go and be the hero while she sat around in Ponyville doing everyday work was unbearable. So she found her way to the cabin at the back of the last car, where she knew Fine was. She just couldn’t let it go.

She slid the door open, her presence interrupting what appeared to be a serious conversation between Fine Crime, Twilight Sparkle and Octavia. Curiously, Fluttershy was there too.

“Hey Lightning,” Twilight announced in her friendly tone, “come on in. We were just trying to figure out who’d be doing what on the foreign team.”

Lightning nodded to the unicorn politely, but then turned to Fine Crime seriously. “We need to talk.”

“I figured as much,” Fine admitted. He glanced at Twilight, who nodded.

“Come on, girls,” the purple mare said, “let’s go talk to Jimmy about what he’ll be doing.”

The three left, Lightning waiting impatiently for the door to close. As soon as it did she spoke up. “I want to go to Nildia.”

Fine sat next to a window and nodded. “I know, but I don’t think you should.”

“Why?” She hopped into the air, hovering overhead to show her frustration. “What makes you think Rainbow would be any better than me? I need to show that I can do this!”

“It’s not about who’s the better flier, LD,” he claimed.

“Like hell it isn’t! This is because she’s a Wonderbolt, isn’t it?”

“You really think Twilight and I would make the decision based just on that?”

“What other reason is there!?”

Fine Crime sighed and, before she could react, reached a hoof up and tapped heavily against a familiar spot under her left wing. Lightning cried out in pain and dropped to the floor with a heavy thud, clutching at the old wound.

“The muscle’s never going to be the same,” he noted apologetically. “The doctor said if you try to fly to the best of your previous ability it would break apart again.”

She groaned, breathing heavy as the fire-like pain began to subside. “It’s my risk to take, Fine…” she muttered as she began to get back to her hooves.

“Lightning, I’m trying to help you!” Fine glowered and shook his head. “You’ve got to stop this tough act and face reality. If you overwork yourself and the muscle breaks, there’s no guarantee it will be able to heal again. And that muscle isn’t just for your wing. You could spend the rest of your life in a damn wheelchair!”

“I know!” The pain subsided, she was finally able to give him the full effect of her glare. “You think I don’t? But I can still fly, and fly well. Just let me…”

He interrupted. “Stop competing with Rainbow Dash! I know you want to prove your worth to this team and yourself, but that’s not the way to do it. You just can’t match her anymore, Lightning. I’m very sorry to say it, but you can’t.”

She glared at him in silent fury. But her anger was more focused on the bitter truth behind his words. There was a time when she could have matched, even surpassed, that damn blue pegasus, and maybe she could do it again. The cost of doing so, however…

“…I still want to go.”

Fine sagged, rubbed his face with his hooves. He stared at her for several long seconds, and she tried to keep him locked in a determined glare. At last, with a sigh, he answered. “This isn’t the military, Lightning. If you really want to go, I can’t stop you.”

She let out a satisfied but grumpy ‘huff’ sound and turned to leave.

“…but hear me out.”

No, she got what she wanted. She wasn’t going to let him stop her with words. She reached the door and began to open it…

…and suddenly he was there, slamming it back closed. He loomed between the door and her with a dark expression. “No, Lightning, you need to hear me out. Now sit.”

But she wasn’t intimidated. “Or you’ll what?”

“I won’t do a thing,” he declared. “I won’t have to. There’s a thing called social services, Lightning.”

She blinked, caught entirely off guard. “Social services? What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Keen,” he snapped. “If you care about her at all, you will sit and listen to what I have to say.”

Lightning's eyes went wide as she realized what he meant; a lifetime living in an orphanage had made her well aware of the process. “Are… are you saying you’d…”

Fine shook her angrily. “I’m not the one you have to worry about! You’re the one who will be doing the damage.”

Now she was entirely confused. “Me? Why would I hurt Keen?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be raising her?” he asked. “Isn’t that what you decided to do?”

“Well… yeah…” She blushed, the idea still very new to her even after almost a month.

Now that he had her attention Fine left the door, walking back to his spot by the window. “Think about it, LD. Going off on adventures every time one comes up? When will you take the time to raise her? You have to stay in Ponyville for her.”

Lightning had to admit it was a good point. She liked Keen… and she felt an obligation. But what about what she wanted? “I… well… Fluttershy can…”

Fine shook his head. “You haven’t even legally adopted her yet, have you?”

Lightning blushed once more. “I’m… not really sure what to do…”

“What you need to do is be there for her,” he declared. “Keen needs you, Lightning. Not Fluttershy, not Twilight or Octavia. You. You believed her story of monsters, you rescued her from being turned into a changeling, you protected her when nopony else could, you took her under your wing and brought her to Ponyville.”

Lightning sat unhappily, head bowed. “Since when did you know anything about foals…” she grumbled.

“I don’t,” he admitted, “but I know this: you need to make Keen the most important thing in your life, and you need to do it now. If you don’t and you mess this up, they’re going to take Keen away from you and she’ll end up in another orphanage.”

“They can’t…” Lightning whispered fretfully, “she’d… she’d never survive. She still has nightmares. She still sleeps with me, so that when she wakes up in tears she can snuggle up to me and… and…”

Fine nodded. “I understand. And so do you. You need to make a decision, LD: your glory or Keen.”

Damn him, he was right. Damn it all to hell. She wanted to refute his words, to claim she could raise Keen and go on these little adventures with the others. But now all she could think of was her timid little filly trembling under the covers, wondering in terror which of the children in the bunks around her was a changeling waiting to pounce. Most foals were just the victims of over imagination, but for Keen it had been real. To risk making her go back to one of those orphanages…

She just couldn’t do it.

“…all right, Fine,” she whispered sadly. “…alright, you win. I’ll… I’ll stay…”

“Uppity!”

Upper Crust was grinning like a schoolfilly as her husband engulfed her in a joyous hug. “Oh so eager,” she whispered into his ear. “I thought maybe you’d have given me up for a new model by now.”

“No mare could possibly substitute you,” he declared happily, pulling her into their home by the hooves.

Home. It was so familiar. Also, so high end. Living with Octavia for so long had made her forget just how big her real home was. There was a time when she’d loved it… but now all she could think of was that it was far too spacious for a mere two ponies.

But Jet Set was still here, and that made it worthwhile. She grinned at his infectious happiness. “So how’s my husband getting along without his uppity queen?”

“Oh… I’m getting along,” he said in that way that long experience told her he was lying. “It’s not the same without you, hon.”

She snuggled up against him for a moment. “I miss you, too.”

“I like the surprise visit,” he admitted, giving her a peck on the cheek, “but if I’d known ahead of time there’d have been a gourmet meal waiting for you.”

“I didn’t know I’d be coming, either,” she told him. “It was important that I did , though. Something’s come up, Jet.”

“Come up?” He gave her a wary look. “What kind of something?”

She sighed and lead him into their living room, where they sat on the couch. “I’ve got to leave for a while. I don’t know how long it will be. Two weeks was the best guess.”

“Two weeks?” he asked with alarm. “What in Equestria would keep you gone for two weeks? Does this have something to do with your new job?”

“Not the one you know about,” she answered, knowing its cryptic nature would catch his curiosity.

“…what do you mean?”

She could think of no better way to say it. “Princess Luna wants me to go to Nildia on a diplomatic mission.”

Jet Set looked as if she’d just confessed to being the princess herself. “…Nildia? Come on, now, Uppity. You really think…”

“This isn’t a joke, Jet,” she told him sternly. “Me and five others are going to Nildia to help with their coastal problems. Two days from now I’m going to get on board a boat and travel farther in four days than I’ve traveled in the rest of my life combined.”

He stared, dumbstruck for almost a full minute. “Uppity… you’re serious…?” She nodded. “But… why you?”

She sighed and leaned against his shoulder. “I… I’m still trying to understand that. They chose me for some special team, Jet. I agreed to help around a month ago, before I knew it would lead to this.”

He wrapped a leg around her shoulder comfortingly. “I… don’t know what to say. I mean, I know what I want to say, what first came through my mind… but I don’t think it’s appropriate…”

She smiled. “You were thinking ‘Thank Heavens, my wife knows Princess Luna! We’re as high class as Fancy Pants, now.’”

He chuckled guiltily. “…something like that.”

She reached a hoof up and scratched his mane in that way she knew he liked. “It’s not about the prestige anymore, Jet.” He didn’t say anything. Perhaps he didn’t want to admit to her that such things were still important to him. She didn’t mind. “The Princess picked me to be part of this team, and she expects us to get results. I… don’t know how good I could possibly be, or how helpful. Part of me doesn’t want to go at all.”

“Then don’t,” he whispered hopefully in her ear. “Don’t go, Uppity. Stay in Ponyville. It’s what you want, right?”

She shook her head. “I promised I would help. I gave my word. I might not know what I can do to help, but it’s my responsibility to try.”

He considered this for a few quiet seconds. “…if you don’t know how you can help… why’d you agree to be on this team?”

She turned to look him in the eye. She wanted to be sure he understood how important her answer was. “I joined because I want to be proud of myself. Because when we have kids and I’m old and grey, I want them to look up to me. Because I’m a nopony, Jet.”

“You’re not a nopony!” He caught her up in a tight hug. “You’re not a nopony at all.”

But she pushed him away. “I am a nopony. I know you don’t understand, but think about it. When I lived in Canterlot I had to pretend to like what everypony else liked, act friendly with the dumbest and meanest ponies around, and buy all the fanciest clothes and designer toys just for other ponies to consider looking at me. And I needed them to. Don’t you see how pathetic that is?”

She realized that by insulting herself she was also insulting him. She couldn’t help it, because it was the truth. He stared at her, his feelings clearly hurting. “…Uppity, you really mean that?”

She nodded. “We thought of ourselves as Important, but in the past three months do you know how many ponies I’ve met who knew our names? One. Just one pony who lives outside of Canterlot knew who we were, and then only because we’d treated her like dirt for not living in Canterlot. …I don’t feel very important anymore, Jet.”

He stared at her, looking as if he’d just come to understand a very complicated puzzle. He lowered his head, thoughtful eyes shifting anxiously. “But… but I thought…” He glanced around the house, at the finery and expense. “…what do you mean, nopony knows us?”

Upper Crust sighed and leaned back against the couch. “Canterlot’s not the world anymore, not for me, and my new world has a very different concept of what makes a pony important. I joined Princess Luna’s little group because I want to be important in that world. I want to be appreciated, and to be appreciated I have to actually go out there and earn it.”

Jet thought on her words for some time. She didn’t know if she was getting through to him, but she hoped she was. She needed for him to understand. It was their only hope.

At last he embraced her, and gave her another little kiss. “I’m trying to figure it out,” he confessed. “I don’t really get it… but I think I’m starting to. You go on this trip, Uppity, and you do whatever you have to. I’ll be waiting right here when you get back.”

She snuggled up against him happily. Somehow she found she could believe his words. Maybe, just maybe she was finally getting through.

It was the next day at the Golden Oaks Library. Twilight had spent much of her day talking with friends and getting ready to go. She’d just given her extra Library key to Cheerilee, who had agreed to take over the place while she was gone in case anypony needed a book for whatever reason. Just when she thought she’d done everything, however, somepony came to her door.

“Octavia?”

“Twilight,” the cellist nodded politely. “I was hoping to catch you today. May I come in?”

“Sure,” she agreed, gesturing into the library’s main room. “What can I do for you?”

The pony entered the room, head held high. “I was looking for an outside opinion… and you seem like the best pony to offer it.”

Twilight followed, the door closing quietly behind her. “An outside opinion on what?”

“The team.”

Twilight paused, giving the earth pony a confused look. “The team going to Nildia?”

Octavia shook her head solemnly and gestured to herself. “About my team. Luna’s team. What do you think of it?”

Twilight stared at the pony for a few seconds. In truth this was the first time anypony’d bothered to ask her opinion on the matter. It would have been one thing to talk to Princess Celestia about this, or anypony else, but to someone who was on the supposed team? “I… dunno.”

But Octavia didn’t accept the dodge. “Do you like the idea? Do you think it’s terrible? What about the selection?”

Twilight wilted a bit under the bombardment. “Well… umm…”

Octavia lost her high-class look, replacing it with a troubled expression. “Please, Twilight, speak plainly. I simply must speak to somepony about this! What do you think of Luna’s team?”

Realizing the cellist wasn’t going to stop, Twilight finally sat and sighed forlornly. “Okay, I get it! …the truth is, I’m not sure of the lineup. I understand Princess Luna wants to help her big sister with this, and it’s really not a bad idea overall. But Nye Stone? Upper Crust?”

Octavia sagged at her words. “As I thought… I feel much the same way.”

That caught the unicorn off guard. “You do?”

Octavia nodded. “Supposedly Fine Crime personally chose who would be in this team…”

“He did?”

“…and he’s proven capable in the past. But I just can’t help feeling that he simply picked a bunch of ponies out at random!”

Twilight was rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “I had no idea he was the one who picked the members. Of course, the fact that he’s there at all…”

“It bothers me, too,” Octavia confessed. “He claims to always be around, but who in Ponyville really sees anything of him? He spends a lot of time with Fluttershy, true, but he’s supposed to be our leader and he’s never with us!”

“He does seem to be really antisocial…” Twilight confessed. She was coming to realize that Octavia had come to vent her frustrations, and in her mind this didn’t bode well for Luna’s new team.

“And not just him,” the cellist declared, “look at the others! Nye, who spends half his time lazing about. His brother Jimmy is strong, smart and capable, but can’t stick his nose out of his workshop. And then there’s Upper Crust who – bless her heart – has finally found something productive to do but is completely lacking in self confidence!”

“And you?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m a musician,” Octavia answered grumpily. “I don’t see how I really add to this team’s functionality.”

“Wow,” Twilight shook her head, “and I thought I was going to be harsh.”

Octavia sighed. “I’m sorry, Twilight. Really, I am. It’s just… I’m trying to have faith in this group, and it’s proving difficult.”

Twilight smiled and patted the pony on the shoulder. “You’re looking at this in all the wrong ways, Octavia. I mean yes, I admit, I have my doubts, but you should look at my team.”

The cellist raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

The unicorn grinned. “Well we have Pinkie, who spends all her time throwing parties and vacuuming down sweets to maintain her sugar rush. There’s Applejack, who lives, eats, breaths and sleeps apples. Rarity is so prissy and high brow it’s a wonder she can step outside her boutique for getting her hooves dirty. Then we have Fluttershy, who spends all her time playing with animals and is scared of her own shadow. We’ve got Rainbow Dash, who is so high on herself that her picture shows up in the dictionary under narcissism. And I spend all my time with my nose in a book.”

She laughed at her own descriptions. “I exaggerate of course, but you get the idea. Now, just based on those descriptions would you ever have thought that we would make for a great team?”

Octavia blushed and kicked at the floor anxiously. “Well, when you put it that way…”

Twilight nodded. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but a group of mishmashed ponies like us saved Equestria and the Crystal Empire. Based on that alone I think your team has a real chance, no matter how much I question the individual members’ abilities.”

The cellist sat and thought on this carefully for several seconds. “That’s a very enlightened way to look at it.”

The unicorn beamed. “Why thank you!”

“…I suppose I should reserve judgment,” Octavia confessed uncertainly. “It’s just that what I’ve seen so far hasn’t been encouraging. I don’t really feel like we’re a team.”

“I felt the same way about my friends,” Twilight confessed, “right up until we fought against Night Mare Moon. You just need to give it some time, Octavia.”

“Yes,” the earth pony agreed with little enthusiasm, “I suppose you’re right.”

Jimmy walked along the road quietly, his mind busy crunching numbers and worrying. He’d spent an entire day writing letters to clients explaining that he wouldn’t be working for a while as he was on royal duty. He anticipated that some of those clients would move to other firms to do the jobs he’d taken, and he didn’t blame them. It was a true annoyance, and he wondered how a business was supposed to stay afloat with interruptions like these.

But he knew someone whom he could ask about this kind of thing.

He paused in the street when he saw a certain familiar filly heading his way. “Hey Jimmy,” Sweetie Belle cried happily with a wave. “Going to see Rarity today?”

He nodded with a friendly wave of his own. “Yeah, I was hoping she could give me some advice on something.”

Sweetie blinked and gave him a perplexed look. “Advice? I dunno that she’d be any help with engineering.”

“Oh, it’s something else entirely,” he declared.

Sweetie eyed him with a mischievous grin. “Is that so? I wonder.” At his confused look she added, “You visit my sister an awful lot.”

“She has my favorite tea,” he declared, then gained an annoyed expression. “Nye doesn’t drink tea. I gotta enjoy it with somepony, y’know?”

Sweetie facehoofed, realizing that he’d missed her meaning entirely. “Ugh, you just go… enjoy your tea. I’ve got some crusading to do!” And with that she was off, running past him and in the general direction of Sweet Apple Acres. He chuckled at the filly’s enthusiasm and pressed on.

“Just a moment, please,” Rarity declared when he entered the Carousel Boutique, the bell on the door announcing his arrival. “Feel free to take a look around.” She was busy applying ribbons to a rather large-looking gown and hadn’t bothered to look to see who her guest was.

Jimmy waited until he was certain she was done before speaking up. “How’s it going, Rare?”

As soon as she heard his voice she turned to him with a beaming smile. “Jimmy! Always a pleasure to see you. Usually a surprise, too.”

“And today?” he asked.

“A big surprise,” she confessed. “I thought for certain you’d be spending all day contacting clients and talking things over with Nye. He didn’t seem all that happy about not going with you.”

Jimmy laughed. “Trust me, it’s not me he was worrying about!” She tilted her head at him inquisitively. “He only said all that because he didn’t want to embarrass Rainbow.”

“I see,” the white unicorn said with a sympathetic but amused smile, “so he’s really fretting that he won’t see her for a while?”

“That’s it.”

“Oh, the poor stallion is hopeless,” the unicorn declared knowledgeably. She then added seriously, “and your clients?”

“Dealt with,” he declared unhappily. “At least, as much as they can be dealt with. I’ll probably lose a few jobs to this.”

She nodded understandingly. “I know exactly how you feel. How about some tea to take the edge off?”

“Please,” he replied eagerly. “This day has been just horrid! I could use some.”

He followed her into her kitchen and took a seat at the table. He spent a quiet moment watching as she began to heat her kettle and gather the tea bags. “Can I ask you a question, Rare?”

“But of course.”

He gestured to the door leading to her store. “How do you keep things running so smoothly when you keep getting interrupted to do things? As an Element-Bearer, I mean.”

She cast a smile over her shoulder. “With a positive attitude and persistence! And high-quality work. My clients can forgive me for being late on occasion, because they know in the end they’ll get the best product they can.”

He sighed. “I wish I could share your confidence.”

Rarity studied him for a moment, her face etched with concern. “Jim… you’re taking this much too seriously.” The kettle began to whistle, so she filled their cups and went over to him. “I work hard too, but you can’t stress so much over this kind of thing.”

“Says the drama queen,” he noted, reaching for his cup of tea.

She pulled it out of his reach with a dour expression. “Perhaps I am. I must admit, when it first happened to me I was beside myself with worry. Almost in tears. Yet after over three years of being an element bearer and going on little sojourns, you know what I learned? Some things are just more important.”

He stared at the tea she was denying him, then looked up at her sourly. “Like what?”

She thought about her answer for a couple seconds, then smiled and set his teacup down on the table. “Like tea with a friend.”

He looked down at the steaming cup and smiled weakly. “Well… I must admit I do enjoy the visits.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Rarity noted smugly as she sat opposite him.

“But I’m trying to build a legacy,” he noted seriously. “I was going to inherit father’s, but now I have to start from scratch.”

Rarity made an annoyed sound. “Is it really so important, Jim? What about your brother, or your friends? You spend all your time in that workshop. We worry about you.”

He blinked, caught entirely off guard by her words. “You… worry about me?”

She blushed and let out an anxious giggle. “Well yes, of course I do. It’s what friends do, isn’t it?”

He sighed, cheek in a hoof, and stared at his cup. “…friends. I used to think that Nye was the one who never made friends. Now I realize he just wasn’t with the right group. And me? I was too busy trying meet our father’s expectations to worry about making any.”

Rarity frowned uncertainly. “If it meant so much to you, why did you leave?”

Normally the thought of why made him angry… but today, for some reason, he just felt depressed. “Because he hated Nye, and was just using me. I needed some affection in my life, Rare. Once mother died, Nye was my only source of love.”

For a long time they said nothing. Jimmy devoted the silent moment to trying not to think about his father. He hadn’t any idea what Rarity was thinking. So when she reached a hoof over the table to touch his, it caught him entirely off guard. He looked up and found her azure eyes locked seriously with his own.

“Jim…” she told him steadily, “…at this rate you are going to be just like your father, and all the love you have left will be gone.”

Her words were… strangely piercing. He leaned back from her, letting her meaning sink in. He didn’t want to be another Stikin Stone. He already looked like the stallion, and that was bad enough. But… “But how am I supposed to achieve my dream without working for it?”

“Is a legacy really what you want, Jim?” she asked with a self-assured flick of her mane. “Are you really sure that’s what you need? Because if it is then perhaps you should have stayed in Manehattan.”

That hurt. He didn’t even know why it hurt, but it did. He wasn’t angry with her for her words, though. He wasn’t’ angry at all. Just… confused. He stared at her, her chin raised importantly as she sipped her tea and her face locked in that better-than-thou expression she took on so often. For once he felt she had the right to use it, even if he wasn’t sure why.

The bell in the store chimed, and Rarity was on her feet in an instant, tea forgotten. “Oh, a customer. Sorry Jim, I’ll be right back.” And she trotted out the door, a welcoming smile already having replaced her snobbish expression.

He watched her leave, turning in his chair as he did. His wing bumped his teacup, spilling its contents across her table. Jimmy didn’t notice at first. He was too busy pondering over her words. Somehow he felt as though she’d hit upon something of extreme importance. Something that should be plain and simple but was just beyond his mental grasp.

Fine Crime’s head rose out of the water, mouth opening wide to swallow as much air as it could. He splashed around in the water helplessly for a moment before abruptly finding himself on dry land once again. He crawled along the muddy beach, away from the waves, and fell on his back. He lay there for several seconds, heartbeat slowing and breath steadying. When at last he opened his eyes, calm once more, he was gazing up at a peaceful, beautiful world of stars.

A sapphire blue face came into his vision, looking down at him with an expression of mild annoyance. “Someday you will stop having this nightmare, Fine, and when you do I will kiss you for sparing me the trouble of having to come to your aid.”

“Nice to see you too, Luna,” he muttered weakly.

She glowered and shook her head, but stepped back. He turned onto his belly and tried his legs. They wobbled, but held. “I appreciate you coming again,” he confessed, “but I did say you didn’t have to. After what I had to go through in the Door of Fears, these nightmares really aren’t so bad.”

She raised her eyebrows critically. “You’re shaking like a leaf.”

“I didn’t say the nightmares don’t scare me,” he noted unhappily. “They’re just not as scary as the real thing.”

The Princess sighed in a tired manner. “I did not come here to debate the difference between dreams and reality, Fine. And for once I didn’t even come here to help you.”

She had his attention. He stood tall and gave her a serious look. “This is the first time you’ve come to my dreams on business. It must be important.”

But Luna shook her head once more, her face deathly serious. “I am not here on business either. At least not directly. I am here because I just read the scroll you left in my room. Remind me later to have a different talk with you about the privacy of royalty.”

He didn’t have to ask the question. The answer was clear on her face. “You don’t approve of my plan.”

“No Fine,” she answered solemnly, “I do not.”

He cringed. “I included my references. Surely you saw the documentation. It could work!”

She stomped her hoof fiercely, and when she did the entire dream world erupted in a flash of thunder. He backed away cautiously, suddenly a little worried. When she spoke her voice had that regal tone that made her anger clear. “That was not evidence, Fine. It was a handful of tales recorded from hearsay. You are proposing a dangerous gamble that could endanger not just the lives of innocent ponies, but one of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony! And what of your life? Have you even considered what we – what I – might have to do should this plan fail?”

She wasn’t just a little annoyed with him this time. He knew better than to keep to his informal nature: he dropped to his knees and bowed. “Princess, please! Hear me out.”

“Your letter explained everything I needed to know,” she snapped forcefully. “And I am telling you now: I will not assist in this fool’s errand. You will give this plan up, Fine Crime, and you will do so immediately!”

He jumped to his hooves, desperation filling him in the face of her anger. “You can’t ask me to do that!”

She took an ominous step forward, her horn glowing threateningly. “No?”

But this was too important for him to be cowed now. “I don’t want to kill anymore!” He stepped forward into another bow. “Please, Princess! This might be my only chance for a solution. Let me try!”

“Fine!” Suddenly her tone was no longer angry; it was urgent, worried. “You are a smart pony, more so than most. Surely you must see that the chances of this plan working are slim!”

He looked up at her imploringly from just before her hooves. “Yes, I know. I know that. But I have combed through countless tomes, explored every avenue of research. In all my life I have never found so much as a hint of a cure, except for this. I know it’s risky, but I have to try! Please!” He was in tears. He didn’t even know why, but he was. He miserably lowered his head into the muddy sands. “Don’t condemn me, Luna. Please, don’t make me spend the rest of my life like this. I never wanted to be a bloodmane.”

The Princess listened to him solemnly for several unhappy seconds, then finally sighed and knelt before him. “Fine…” she whispered, “…I know this is hard for you, but…”

He jerked away from her, anger filling him. “Do you, Luna? Do you really? Have you stood over your father while he was sleeping and seriously thought about taking a knife to him?”

“Calm down,” she ordered patiently. “Sit.” He wanted to argue, to say something mean, but even if she weren’t the Princess of the Night he just didn’t have the emotional energy. So he sat.

She studied him for a moment, as if to make sure he wasn’t going to interrupt, before speaking again. “Fine, there are so many risks to this plan. I do not approve of it, and I want to be certain that you understand why. To begin, just because a few guards insisted that a bloodmane who lived centuries ago was extremely calm during the last week before execution is no proof that she was cured. And that’s not considering that the accounts of these guards were taken as hearsay.”

He glowered, but only looked away without saying anything. He knew she was right, and so did she.

“Second,” she went on ominously, “you are talking about sealing yourself off, possibly for months at a time, to suffer from severe withdrawal. Are you sure your mind can take that kind of torture?”

He’d considered that too, and even now he wasn’t sure. He didn’t have to answer, though; his expression alone was enough to make his doubt clear.

“Third, the pony you’ve chosen to look after you is perhaps the least prepared to do so. What if Fluttershy cannot handle the pressures of taking care of you? What if she doesn’t agree to do it at all? I would think she’d not dare try.”

Now that he could speak towards. “Fluttershy will help,” he told her seriously. At her doubting look he added, “you also didn’t think she’d help with the Door of Fears.”

“This isn’t anything like walking through a dream state, Fine,” the Princess lectured darkly. “She will have to feed you, clean you, look to your health in every way. She’ll have to do so while putting up with a dangerous stallion who one can only imagine will be raging to be freed. What if the bonds holding you fail? You are putting her life on the line.”

“I won’t hurt her,” he declared forcefully. “I can’t: she’s immune to the visions.”

But Luna was by no means comforted. “You don’t have to have a vision to harm a pony, Fine. You know that. Can you be certain?”

“I can,” he declared with no less gravity. “I would never hurt Fluttershy, Luna. Not ever.”

“If only I could be so certain,” she replied gravely. “And what about your fate in all this? What if you are wrong, and this method doesn’t cure you at all? Eventually a decision will have to be made, Fine, and you will be in no condition to make it. If we freed you then, you may be uncontrollable. You could kill countless ponies in your bloodlust!”

He bowed his head, knowing he had no argument against this.

“If it came to that point, Fine… If I had to make the choice between trying to set you free or… or the alternative… I’d take the alternative.”

“And you’d be right to,” he admitted sorrowfully.

Even then, she wasn’t finished. “Months. Months with you not around to help the team we only just finished forming! Months gone by without the Mane Archon leading his organization at all. Will your responsibilities take a back seat to this? And should it fail, should I have to take extreme measures, what then? This team still needs you.”

“I know all that,” he whispered, looking into her beautiful cyan eyes. “I know all of it. But believe me, Luna: in my mind it is nothing compared to what I might gain. This is more important to me than anything I have ever done in my life, because it is my life. I’m tired of being scared of what I might do. I’m sick of having to enter the dungeons every month looking for some poor unlucky bastard to gut. I would give anything to just be a normal pony again.”

There was a long, uncomfortable pause as they stared at one another. Her expression was entirely unreadable. Had he gotten to her? Was she not moved at all? He had no way of knowing, but those eyes were boring into his as if they could see into his very soul. He couldn’t match them, so he lowered his head miserably and awaited her verdict. What else could he do?

At long last, she sighed. “I do not want to help you with this, Fine,” the Princess confessed, “but I can see how important it is to you. I need to think on the matter for a while. Perhaps you should think on it some more, too.”

She stood and turned, her magnificent wings opening wide and majestic in the night sky. Just before she lifted off he answered her: “I have been thinking about it, Luna.

“I’ve been thinking about it for twenty years.”

The ponies were all gathered at the Canterlot air docks, a large passenger blimp readying for departure. The place was alive with activity, from the workers piling luggage into the undercabin to the stewardess ponies seeing the passengers to their places.

Everyone was saying their goodbyes. Near the boarding platform Upper Crust was kissing her husband in a manner that hardly seemed appropriate for public display. Applejack wasn’t far away, saying goodbye to her relatively large family. At a spot rather far off from the open-air edge was Octavia talking with an uncertain expression to Fine Crime and Rarity. Rainbow, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Lightning were laughing together. And there was Twilight and Spike, having an animated discussion with Princess Celestia, who had come to see everypony off.

And among all of it Nye was sitting before his brother, shuffling anxiously. “You’re going to write to me when you get there, yeah?”

Jimmy rolled his eyes with a smile. “Yes, bro, for the last time! How in Equestria did you ever survive a year on your own?”

Nye shrugged unhappily. “Back then I thought you were in pop’s lap. Besides, I’m really more worried about what you’re going to do without me.”

“Me?” Jimmy asked incredulously. “You really think I can’t take care of myself?”

“Not really,” his brother confessed.

“That sounds amazing coming from you,” the elder twin noted with a chuckle. “Don’t worry, I’ve got five ponies to work with. It’s a diplomatic mission, Nye. Stop acting like I’m going off to war.”

“I know,” Nye grumbled. “I just can’t shake the feeling that we should be going together.”

“Oh, come off it! We both know you only want to go so you can be with Rainbow Dash.”

Nye sat up straight and gave his brother a harsh, angry look. “You never did get it, Jim. Even when we were colts.”

Jimmy was clearly caught off guard by his brother’s abrupt change in tone. He tilted his head uncertainly and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Forget it,” Nye grumbled unhappily. “Just… be careful, alright?”

Jimmy looked as though he wanted to press the issue. Nye was hoping he would. But he didn’t. “Don’t worry, bro, I will. You stay out of trouble while I’m gone, y’hear me?”

“Yeah yeah.” The two shared a brief hug, his sarcasm coming out despite his mood. “No crazy drunken parties or anything like that.”

“Exactly,” the elder brother agreed with a grin. “Besides, that’s Pinkie’s area!”

Nye watched his brother head for Rarity, feeling less worried and more annoyed. That stallion was going to be just like their father if he didn’t figure things out soon. The worst part was that Nye had no idea what he could do about it. Maybe there wasn’t anything he could do…

“Hey, Nye!” It was Rainbow, who abruptly appeared over his head with a grin. “How the heck are you gonna get by without me to look after your hide?”

It was supposed to be a joke, but he was in no mood for them. He was glad to see her, though. “Rainbow… can we talk?”

“Sure, what’s up?” He glanced around at all the ponies wandering about on the busy dock. He couldn’t say the things he wanted to here, not if she was going to talk properly, so he gestured that she should follow. He made his way behind some large cargo crates where nopony was around, and she followed behind uncertainly. “Nye, what’s this all about?”

He turned to her and sat. For once he knew exactly what he wanted to say. “It’s about me. What am I supposed to do while you’re gone?”

She landed, looking not just a little confused. “What do you mean? I’m sure you’ve got plenty of things to…”

He shook his head unhappily. “That’s not what I’m talking about!” He sighed at her puzzled expression. “I mean… you’re gonna go off on this mission, maybe be a hero again.”

She smiled smugly and posed. “Well yeah, that is kinda what I do.”

“What about me?” he asked, lowering his head forlornly. “I wanted to go with you.”

“Hey, your job’s important too,” she noted helpfully, patting him on the shoulder. “What if something goes wrong over here?”

But he shook his head. “You don’t get it. What’s the point of me doing anything if you’re not around to see it?”

Now she really looked confused. She sat and scratched her head in a nervous manner. “Nye… I’m not sure what you’re trying to say.”

“You’re a hero, Dash,” he explained. He waved a hoof towards the blimp. “You, Twilight, all the others, you’re all heroes in your own way. What am I? I’m just me. I don’t feel like I contribute anything to any of it… being left out of this mission just seems to hammer that fact home.”

Recognition dawned on her face at last. She smiled comfortingly and sat next to him, bumping him lightly with her shoulder. “Come on Nye, you’re not so bad. I mean you did help me out in the Everfree Forest, right?”

“Well yeah,” he agreed, though he wasn’t comforted. “I had to. But I haven’t really done anything else, have I?”

“It was important to me,” she noted. “And Scootaloo, too. I’m sure when the time comes you’ll be just as awesome as you were then! Everyone will know that you’re a great guy, and…”

“Rainbow.” His serious, sad manner cut her off. “You know you’re important to me, right?”

The blue pegasus blushed and shifted nervously. He was putting her outside her comfort zone again. “Well… yeah… I guess…”

“I’m afraid, Dash,” he confessed, not daring to look at her. “You’re so… everything. Strong, confident, athletic, respected, pretty…” her face went an extra shade of red, “…fast, capable, brave. There are so many things you have. Compared to you I’m nothing. I need to DO something, Rainbow. I have to measure up. If I can’t… I want to deserve you. I don’t, not right now. What if a real stallion comes along, one who can really impress? Like a Wonderbolt. What am I gonna do then?”

For a long time he simply sat there with eyes on his hooves. He’d finally said it, the thing that had been bothering him ever since this dumb mission had been announced. To him it was important that she knew, even though he couldn’t imagine what her response might be. A hundred possibilities ran through his mind, none of them pleasant.

And the response she picked didn’t match any of them: after glancing around to make sure nopony was watching she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

He gaped at her blushing, smiling face, his entire body rigid with shock. Did she really just…?

“That’s… sweet,” she confessed, looking as if the word felt strange on her tongue. “You don’t have to prove yourself to me, Nye. You’re already a hero in my book.”

He felt his face burning. “You mean it?”

“Yeah, I do. But,” she pressed a hoof against his chest warningly, “if you tell anypony I did that I swear to Celestia I’ll drop a Sonic Rainboom so hard on your head they’ll be feeling the shockwaves in Manehattan!”

He stared at her hoof as if it were dangerous for a moment, then smiled. “Alright… then I’ll just have to tell them I did it to you, instead.”

“What…?”

He leaned forward and pecked a kiss right on her lips. She fell back from him into a sitting position, blushing even more wildly than before and looking about frantically. “W-would you stop it already? I have a reputation to keep!” She was grinning, though.

He laughed for a moment, and then stared at her happily for several seconds. She blushed and shifted, for once at a loss for words. He was so glad he’d met her… “Come back soon, okay?”

She grinned and hopped into the air. “Y-yeah, I promise.”

“And take care of my brother.”

“I will. Now stop trying to butter me up! You’re throwing me off my groove.”

Abruptly there was a loud cracking sound. The two ponies looked up to see Lightning Dust, who’d apparently just landed hard atop one of the crates. Keen was on her back, peering down at them from over her mane. “Hey, love bird,” Lightning barked with a smirk, “the ship’s gonna leave without you if ya don’t hurry up!”

“Oh, right,” Rainbow replied with a blush as she rose up into the air. “Keep the skies clear for me while I’m gone, LD. See ya later, Nye!”

And just like that she was gone, a rainbow in her wake. Nye watched it fade with a happy smile, then noticed that Lightning and Keen were both watching him with interest. “…what?”

Lightning shrugged, the motion nearly toppling the unicorn filly from her back. “Nothing. I’m just wondering how a stallion like you netted a mare like her.”

He grinned and shook his head. “I have no idea.”

Author's Note

Ah, finally an update! I'm afraid this story is going to take time to write. Part of it is that I find myself constantly busy with productive (I shudder at the thought!) things around the house. But a major part also is that I'm really not sure how I'm going to handle a lot of the things that I want to have happen in this Series. All the characters need to grow, they all have their important roles to play, and a number of major subjects have to be brought up. And I don't know how I'm going to do it all... yet. At any rate, this Series will almost certainly be longer than the others, as I just can't get everything I'm after in nine Episodes.

Character Detail: Nye Stone
Species: Earth Pony
Coat: White
Mane: Aureolin Yellow
Eyes: Sepia Brown
Age: 23
Cutie Mark: A red high heel overlaid by three tacks.
Special Talent: Cobbling

Nye was the single hardest OC to come up with for this story. In many ways he was touch and go for the first few chapters that featured him. I knew I wanted him to be physically useless, and that included his special talent. Deciding upon his special talent and cutie mark would be plagued me, but once I figured it out everything else about him fort of just fell into place.

Nye was originally going to be an antisocial character, but then I realized that I already had one in the form of Fine Crime and didn't need to make another, so instead I reversed course and made him the social butterfly of the group, with this nature held back for the majority of his life by his family troubles. As for his eye for the mares, I simply went with that idea because it amused me.

Nye isn't very bright, or so it would seem, but this was meant to be a contrast with Jimmy. Where Jimmy has both brains and brawn, Nye has the emotional comprehension his brother lacks; he understands how and why other ponies are troubled and generally seeks to help. Basically, I wanted him to be the one that could cheer others up and maintain everyone's attitudes, even if he has trouble with his own life.

Nye's relationship with Rainbow Dash was entirely unexpected for me. It sort of just... came to be. That said, I delight in putting her outside her comfort zone with scenes like this, and I'm sure Nye enjoys it too. But I still can't see Rainbow handling relationships in the way the others would, so getting them to really show affection in public is still a bit of a no-no. Will there be some event in the future to change that? I dunno... but I'd like there to be one.

Hopes

Fine was in his office going over the scrolls that kept appearing at his desk when the doorbell gonged through the house. He’d been so focused on reading he nearly fell out of his chair. Grumbling under his breath, he considered ignoring the visitor. He relented, though; he never had company, so this would probably be important. He set the scroll aside and exited the room, sure to set the magical seals as he did.

The gong rang again, echoing even more loudly in the long hallways. Fine could imagine his guest’s impatience, so he cast his teleportation spell and was soon right before the door. He felt at the knife hanging from around his neck, just to be sure it was there, then brought his eye to the peephole.

Nearly a second later the locks were undone and the door opened wide. “Fluttershy!”

The pegasus trembled and fidgeted as she glanced around at the surrounding woods with wide eyes. “P-please let me c-c-come in…”

“Of course you can come in.” He stood aside and she wasted no time entering. “What in Equestria are you doing out here?”

Fluttershy took a moment to calm herself, a hoof on her chest. “I promised to come visit… so I came.”

He gawked. She came all this way through the Everfree Forest just to visit him? “Fluttershy, I told you I’d escort you here if you’d just tell me when you planned on coming.”

She blushed and hid behind her mane. “I know, but I had a little encouragement.”

For a moment he was still confused, but then a thought came to him. “Your furry and feathered friends dragged you out here, didn’t they?”

She winced with a nervous smile. “I guess you could say a lot of encouragement. I was just talking to them about how I’d like to see where you lived, and before I could stop them…”

He laughed. “Well, I’m glad you have such encouraging friends! I promise to escort you back home after your visit.”

“I’d appreciate that,” she said, but then took a look around the spacious entrance hall. “I never thought your home would be so big. Do you live with somepony else?”

“Nope, just me."

She gaped at him. “You must be very wealthy.”

“Meh.” He shrugged. “I only paid for the residential portion of the house. The Archons handled everything else.”

She tilted her head with raised eyebrows. “Like what?”

“Oh, archives, the treasure room, a potions la—wait.” He leaned forward a little, a touch of excitement in his voice. “You mean you believe that I’m the Mane Archon now?”

Fluttershy chewed her lip and nodded. “After how Princess Cadance acted when we were in the Crystal Empire, the way she seemed to be keeping secrets, it sort of supported what you’d told me. And in the past couple months, the way you dodge certain topics around the others but not around me…”

A relieved smile came to his lips. “So you finally get it? That when I said I’d never lie to you, I meant it?”

She shifted for a couple seconds... then gave him a very direct look. “Yes. You said I could help you with something. I thought the Door of Fears was it… but there’s something else, isn’t there?”

Her perceptiveness surprised Fine. He leaned back a little and cocked his head as he studied her. “Yes… yes, there is something else.”

Fluttershy sat down before him, her expression unusually serious. “Fine… you visit me a lot, help me when you can. You asked me to help you in the Crystal Empire. Yet you don’t visit the others all that much. You hardly visit Ponyville at all.”

Fine wasn’t sure where she was going with this. “I’m a very antisocial character, Fluttershy.”

She eyed him, the harshness of her eyes defying her usual timid nature. “Are you just pretending to be my friend so I’ll help you?”

His jaw dropped. For an instant he felt a strange sense of panic welling within him. “No, not at all!” She didn’t look convinced. “Fluttershy… okay, yes, when we first met that was the case. But you are my friend… aren’t you?”

“I’m not sure,” she answered, looking not just a little angry. “I’d like to say yes, but I just don’t know.”

He sagged, her words like a knife to the heart. He tried to think of a way to recover this situation. After some consideration, he realized that honesty was probably his best chance. “Fluttershy, aside from Princess Luna, you are the only pony I can count on right now. You’re the only pony I can get close to.”

Fluttershy shook her head, expression critical. “I'd like to believe you, but you’ve been working with Twilight a bit lately. You don’t visit her like you do me, but she told me how you shared that book with her. And your loyalties to the princess are no secret at all. Why should I think myself special?”

She was asking. At long last, she was actually asking the question. Did that mean it was time? Fine studied her, and could see how unusually serious she was.

“Fluttershy… I want you to understand something. If I tell you the answer to that question, everything between us will change. I can’t say for certain if it will be a good change. I want to be your friend, and I need you to trust me, because the help I need is not some small task.”

She opened her mouth to speak, expression uncertain. He shushed her with a sharp motion of his hoof.

“I was waiting,” he continued. “Waiting to be certain that you would take the plunge with me. I don’t know that you are ready yet… but I suppose, since you’re here and asking me these questions, that it can wait no longer. I will answer your question if you really want me to, but should you decide to help, the task will be a challenge for both of us.

“So you tell me, Fluttershy: do you really want to know the truth?”

She stared at him, silently pondering his words. He could almost see the gears in her head turning. After over a minute of careful contemplation she nodded, though she didn’t appear at all certain of herself.

“You’re sure?”

Fluttershy hesitated and averted her eyes. “I… I want to know.”

He studied her thoughtfully, but knew that there was no going back. “Come with me.

“I must admit,” he said as they started towards a long hallway into the center of the house, “it’s not like you to be so… suspecting.”

“I know,” she confessed with a pout, “but after so long even I have to have my doubts. Y… you’re not… mad, are you?”

“Fluttershy, in my line of work you’ve got to suspect a lot of things,” he answered solemnly. “No, I’m not mad. If anything, I’m impressed.”

He paused and turned to face what was – as far as could be seen – just a plain old wall. His horn glowed, and somewhere within the wall there came the sound of objects sliding around. After a few seconds there was a loud clicking sound and the panels on the wall slipped back slightly. They dropped into the floor to reveal a hidden passage.

Fluttershy made a startled sound. “How did you do that?”

“Puzzle in the wall,” he answered simply, walking through the opening. She followed, but slowly.

The treasure room. Suits of pony armor, weapons, artifacts, books, heirlooms, jewels – and that was just one wall.

“Dear Celestia…” Fluttershy whispered, spinning around in place to look at the vast collection. “What is this place?”

“The Archons collect things over the years,” Fine told her. “Trophies from successful missions mostly, but we also keep safe dangerous magical relics, have a vast library of historically significant books… well, it would take too long to talk about everything. The ten highest-ranking figures of the Archons each have a collection like this one. Take a look.” He walked towards a plaque on one of the walls, gesturing for her to come closer. On it was a long, black horn with a chunk of the top missing.

Fluttershy took a frightened step back. “Is that King Sombra’s?”

He nodded. “I had to cut it off his head to make sure he couldn’t use his magic to escape Rainbow’s Rainboom. Kept it as a souvenir.”

She turned away from it with a shiver. “That’s terrible! Why would you keep something like that?”

He'd anticipated that reaction. “To remember the victory, of course. I know you disapprove, Fluttershy. That’s why you needed to see it.”

“Well I have,” she replied fretfully. “Can we move on now, please?”

He guided her through another two rooms, occasionally pointing an object or two out to her. She remained silent, the sight of Sombra’s horn having clearly affected her, but in the fourth room she came to an abrupt stop and retreated back behind the wall of the last one. “I-is that a dragon’s skull?”

He looked up at the massive thing hanging from the ceiling. “Sure is. Reddux the Tyrant, meanest and most pony-hating dragon that ever lived. Or so they say.”

She stared up at it from around the corner, trembling. “W-why do you have a d-d-d-dragon skull in your h-house?”

“Same as Sombra’s horn,” he replied, “to remember what I’ve done.”

Her horrified gaze turned to him. “You mean you killed a dragon?”

“The dragon,” he corrected, then added self-consciously, “but I was just lucky that time, really. By all rights I shouldn’t have survived.”

“I don’t like dragons,” she admitted, “but to kill one? Why did you do that?”

He blinked and took a second t study her with a frown. “It was self defense, and in the defense of Equestria and Celestia. Surely you know who Reddux was?”

She nodded feebly, still refusing to come out from behind the corner. “C-couldn’t you have just… d-defeated him?”

He tapped his knife uncertainly, realizing she might not be ready for what he really had to show her. But they’d already begun. “Come on, Fluttershy, let me show you what I really want you to see.”

She gave a weak, pleading smile, her eyes going up to the massive skull. “C-can’t we just… go around?”

Fine sighed. “It’s dead. It’s not gonna come back to life and try to eat you.”

She sunk back a little, hiding behind her pink mane. “Yes… but it’s still a dragon.”

Fine glanced up at the skull, then at the trembling pegasus. He didn’t want to press her, so he thought up another solution. He walked over to stand beside her.

“Hold still and don’t move too much.”

He reached a hoof over her shoulder and pressed her close, eliciting a surprised yelp from the timid mare. “W-what are you—”

His horn glowed and they were soon shrouded in black smoke. A second later, they both reappeared across the room. He let her go and she shrank back from him, looking around in alarm. “Relax,” he said with a calming gesture, “I just moved us across the room, that’s all.”

“Oh.” she blushed shakily, hiding behind her mane once more. “I didn’t… w-warn me next time, okay?”

He smiled – sometimes her manner was simply adorable – and nodded towards the next room. “Come, we’re practically there.

“Tell me,” he said as they walked, “have you ever heard of Elzibet Batherpony?” Before them was another opening, but this one was unlike the others in that it had a door.

Fluttershy paused, the name striking a cord. “She was a witch, w-wasn’t she?”

“No, Fluttershy,” he responded, the door’s hidden puzzle shifting and changing under his magic, “she was a murderer. Don’t touch anything in this room. Most of these things could kill you.”

The door opened with a metallic creak. He turned and saw that Fluttershy had her wings over her tightly closed eyes. He smiled and walked beside her, tapping her gently on the back.

She shook her head. “I d-don’t think I want t-to go in there.”

He rubbed her back, keeping his voice soothing. “You asked. You said you’d like to know what I need help with. It’s in there, Fluttershy.”

“I d-didn’t think it would be with anything s-s-scary,” she confessed, still not opening her eyes.

He studied her for a moment. Should he press her? He wanted to, he really did. Would it be considered cruel to do so? Probably. Still… she was here, right now, and now that she’d seen so much she might not come again. It was now or never, and never wasn’t an option.

But Goddess, did he hate himself for it. “Listen to me carefully, Fluttershy,” he whispered. “If you don’t help me, somepony is going to die. Soon.”

Her eyes opened. She gave him an alarmed, disbelieving look through her feathers. “You don’t mean that.”

“I do,” he replied ominously. “I mean it, Fluttershy. Until this is resolved, a pony will die once every three weeks… roughly. It’s been going on for years. I think you can help me stop it, but to do so you need to know what I’m planning.” She glanced away, the hesitancy plain on her face. “I told you this would be a challenge.”

They remained there for several long minutes. She appeared to be struggling with the decision, and he didn’t bother to try persuading her. He’d said all he needed to. Whether they did what needed to be done or not was entirely up to her. If she backed out… well, Luna would take it as a blessing, wouldn’t she?

Though it must have required all her willpower, Fluttershy stepped forward. Satisfied that she’d made her decision, Fine walked along with her, helping her with an encouraging hoof to her shoulder.

“Don’t let this be too scary,” she whispered. It sounded like a prayer.

Turned out it wasn’t scary at all, as Fine knew. The room appeared to be filled with more trophies like the ones in the other rooms. He thought she’d be pleased.

“You had me scared to death!” Fluttershy shot him an angry look. “I thought this place would be filled with… with… I don’t know, with something!”

She was about to gesture with her hoof at the room, which he noted would put her dangerously close to touching a flute on a pedestal. An instant of panic and he snatched her away, safe and sound, and gave her a glare that shut her up quick.

“Don’t. Touch. Anything.” He held her gaze for a few extra seconds, just to be certain she understood how serious he was. “Everything in this room is cursed. I repeat: some of the things in here could kill you. So please, be careful.”

She glanced around at the seemingly innocuous items all around her. She observed the flute she’d come close to bumping and pointed a hoof at it with a questioning expression.

“Everplay curse,” he said. “Those who touch it can’t stop playing, so they keep on ‘till they die of hunger or thirst.”

She took a wary step back from the flute. “Why not just destroy it?”

“Can’t,” he declared. “Destroy it and the curse jumps to the object used to do so. Plus we might have a use for it. This way.”

He led her around the room’s many trinkets and treasures, noting with satisfaction that she was trying to keep as far away from everything as she could manage. At last they came upon what he was looking for: a heavy wooden table. It had chains and cuffs all over it, and dark stains covered the top of it. At the center was an imprint of a pony’s back, with legs set at the sides.

Fluttershy ducked behind him. “Fine, i-is that what I think it is?”

He turned to her and nodded solemnly. “It’s a torture rack. It belonged to Elzibet Batherpony.”

She backed away from it slowly, taking care to keep well away from the other objects as well. “W-why are you sh-showing me that?”

He set his hoof on it, to show that it was safe. “This rack was cursed so that any unicorn kept in it wouldn’t be able to use magic. Unicorns were Elzibet’s favorite… toys. It’s magic is worn down and needs a recharge, but it’s perfect for what I have in mind.”

“W-which is…?”

He gave her the most serious expression he could muster. “I want use it on myself.”

“What?” Her fear was gone completely thanks to her surprise. “You…? Fine, why would you want to do that?”

“Have you ever heard of a Bloodmane?” he asked. She shook her head. “It’s an extremely rare mental disorder. I won’t bore you with the details. All you need to know is that those who have the Bloodmane illness are addicted to murder. They must kill regularly or suffer from withdrawal… which isn’t pleasant. A number of famous pony killers are suspected to have been Bloodmanes.”

She shivered. “Fine… I don’t want to hear this.”

He walked up to her, removing his necklace as he did. He offered the knife to her, but she refused to take it. “Take a close look, Fluttershy. What do you see?”

She gazed at the weapon quietly. “Umm… a knife?”

“But what is the blade made from?”

She blinked and gave him an uncertain look. She studied it a little more carefully, but after a few seconds she shook her head. “I have no idea.”

He sighed, a little surprised that she didn’t recognize it. “The blade was carved from a unicorn’s horn, Fluttershy.”

She pulled away as if afraid of being stabbed. “A u-u-unicorn’s horn?”

He nodded and sat, using his hooves to feel the blade’s sharp edge. “Long ago, I had a friend. My only friend at the time. She killed a unicorn and took his horn as a souvenir.”

Fluttershy sat in a manner that suggested her hind legs couldn’t support her anymore. “Dear sweet Celestia, Fine, why would she do that? And why do you have it?”

“She killed him over a jacket,” he explained as if the matter were trivial. “Both were homeless and needed to keep warm over the winter. Life can be cruel sometimes. As to why I have it…” The knife rose up into the air via his magic and pointed at Fluttershy. She stared at it fearfully, eyes growing cross as they followed its lethargic motions. It stabbed a few times into the air, as if Fine were using it to stab somepony she couldn’t see.

“I killed her, and took it for myself. She was my first.”

For a moment she could only stare, dumbstruck and with wide eyes. She cracked a nervous smile. “F-Fine… that’s n-n-not a good thing to j… to joke about.”

“It’s no joke, Fluttershy,” he replied, eyes sharp. “I’m a Bloodmane, and I killed my only friend when I was still a teen.” The blade came down to his hoof and he gazed at it with a solemn, brooding expression. “I’ve been killing ponies regularly ever since. I'm five days overdue, in fact.”

Her jaw dropped. She clearly understood just how serious he was. He waited for her to respond, but she only kept staring. And then, a terrified squeak coming out of her throat, she scrambled and ran away. He sighed and began to follow, not bothering to run.

He found her at the secret door way back in the first treasure room. But the door, set to a timer, had closed on its own, and Fluttershy was pressed against it as if trying to find some sort of secret mechanism. She had tears running down her cheeks and her breath was coming in short, terrified gasps.

“It won’t open just like that,” he said.

She jerked around and pressed her back against the wall. Her terror was as plain as day. “K… k-keep away from m-me!”

He sat obediently. “Fluttershy, if I was going to kill you I’d have done it months ago.”

She shivered, her horrified eyes locked with his. “So w-why didn’t you?”

He smiled. “Well for one, if I killed an Element Bearer Celestia and Luna would fight over who got to skin me and who kept the hide.” Fluttershy didn’t laugh, not that he’d expected her to. “The truth is... I think you’re immune.”

“…Im… Immune?”

“Yes, immune.” He tapped his knife, making it sway like a pendulum. He kept his eyes low, not wanting to intimidate. “You see, Fluttershy, three weeks after my latest kill I start to have hallucinations about killing ponies. These visions only happen when I’m with a pony, and the vision tempts me into the kill. If I resist and let the vision pass without acting, my body responds with intense pain.”

She scooted sideways and away from him, pressed tight against the wall. the wall. “…o-okay…”

He stood.

She slid even farther back.

He followed.

“Every time I meet a pony when overdue for a kill, I have a vision tempting me. Every single pony. Until I met you.”

She was caught trembling in a corner, looking as though she wanted to melt into the floor. He leaned forward so that he could look directly into her terrified eyes.

“I’ve never had a vision of you, Fluttershy. Even now, when I’m almost a week overdue, the visions won’t come. You’re immune. So you see… I won’t hurt you.”

She stared up at him, shaking like a leaf even as she considered his words. “Are you… are you r-really sure?”

He nodded. “I’m certain of it.” He stepped back, giving her some space and hoping she might relax. She did… but only slightly. “I need you to help me, Fluttershy.”

She shook her head violently. “I’m not going to help you kill ponies!”

He tilted his head at her, surprised at her declaration. “I don’t want to kill ponies.”

“But… you just said…”

“I’m a Bloodmane,” Fine explained in exasperation. “I have to kill or I’m in agony! But I don’t want to. I want to be cured, Fluttershy, that’s all, and I need your help to do it.”

Fluttershy shook her head once more. “I can’t! Th-there has to be somepony else you can ask.”

“No, it has to be you.” He began to pace before her. “Any pony who tries to help me runs the very real risk of being killed, or at least hurt. I don’t want that. But you can do this and there will be no risk. You’re safe, Fluttershy, perfectly and blessedly safe, and that means that if any pony is going to help me it has to be you.”

At last she separated from the wall and sat. She still looked very much afraid, though. “But what can I do?”

He turned to her, his voice laced with sincere hope. “Just watch me. Take care of me.”

Yet again, it seemed her surprise outweighed her fear. She thought about his words for a moment, clearly not understanding. “What do you mean?”

He gestured behind him, back to where the Curse Room was. “It’s conceptually very simple. I get put on that rack and locked down tight. I won’t be able to use my magic to escape, and if the shackles and bonds are done properly I won’t be a threat anymore. You would then just come by and make sure I had food and water until my body grows acclimated to the withdrawal.”

She bowed her head, frowning as she considered this. “Thats a rather strange image, don’t you think?”

He chuckled. “Yeah… yeah it sorta is.”

“But that’s really all you want me to do?” she asked, clearly expecting there to be something else.

He nodded. “Yet even that won’t be easy. If my sources are correct, the withdrawal symptoms can be… scary… and you’d have to visit me on a daily basis.”

She scratched the back of her head. “It still doesn’t sound anywhere near as horrible as I’d been thinking. But… are you really sure about this?”

“Oh', I’m sure,” he answered firmly. “I am tired of refusing to go out in public for fear that I might snap and cut open some poor innocent pony’s belly. Nor is it fun to go around looking for crooks and thieves or wading through dungeons for some gutter trash pony to carve up like a Nightmare Night pumpkin.”

Her eyes went wide and her cheeks blanched, prompting him to shake his head. “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. That was a bit much, I admit. But it’s the truth: I’ve spent almost half my life murdering ponies. It has to come to an end somehow.”

She thought about it for several minutes, head lowered and brow furrowed. “…and… you’re certain this will work?”

He winced and turned his head away with a sigh. “No. No, I can’t be certain, but it’s my only chance.” He gave her a sorrowful look. “You don’t have to decide right away. If you’d rather—”

“I’ll help.”

His mouth paused mid-word and he stared at her with wide eyes. “You will? I mean… really?”

She nodded patiently. “You sound surprised.”

“I am.” He sat down and scratched his head. “I thought you’d have to think it over for a few days, or weeks. I wasn’t even sure you’d agree to help.”

“I can’t just stand by and let ponies be killed. Besides—” she scuffing the floor with her hoof and pouted, “—I couldn’t help you when we went into the Door of Fears. Maybe… maybe this time will be better.”

He didn’t know what he was feeling right at that moment, but whatever it was it made him very happy, so happy he caught the pegasus up in a tight hug. “You truly do represent the Element of Kindness, you know that?”

She smiled and nodded as they pulled away.

“And you are truly a scary pony.”

Three days out and the trip had thus far been unremarkable. At least, it was for Octavia: she’d made the trip before. She was on the observation deck, staring through the sparse clouds at the blue ocean below. She couldn’t help wondering what she and the other ponies were supposed to achieve on this mission. She’d thought about it over and over again. Rogue waves? How were they meant to stop rogue waves?

A pair of dots skimming low over the ocean caught her attention, largely because of the rainbow trailing behind one of them. Rainbow Dash and Jimmy, practicing again. They’d been warned against flying on their own out over the ocean, but Twilight and the airship’s captain relented when they promised to stay close. It was good practice, after all; neither of the pegasi had much experience flying in ‘wild’ weather, and they both wanted to make sure they could handle themselves over the similarly wild Nildia.

Octavia watched the two pegasi dive, skim the water and rise up into the air. Jimmy faltered, dropped precipitously, recovered. They’d both been doing that. Rainbow had said something about pressure pockets between air layers, but that was really all beyond Octavia’s knowledge. All she knew was that when she saw either of them take that sudden plunge she would always tense up, expecting one of them to hit the water hard. They never did, though.

“No no,” a voice whispered nearby, “the pockets that way, turn right.” A second later Rainbow made a similar perilous drop, though she recovered quickly.

Octavia glanced at Upper Crust, who was studying the pegasi with careful concentration. She was always impressed when her friend did that. She wanted to ask how the Upper Crust knew where the air pockets were when there was nothing but water and clouds below, but she held her tongue. She’d overheard her explaining the details to Twilight just yesterday, and trying to follow it all had left Octavia with a headache.

But she was curious about something else. “Why are you watching them? They can’t hear you.”

Upper Crust didn’t answer for several seconds, her focus still locked on the air below, but finally she replied.

“Practice.”

Octavia looked her friend up and down thoughtfully. “You never practiced much before.”

Upper Crust closed her eyes and slowly raised her head. After a moment she blinked and relaxed, as if coming free of a spell. “I didn’t have any need to practice before,” she admitted. “Working with Jim has reminded me of what I can do when I put my mind to it. Besides,” she added with an anxious smile, “it’s fun.”

Fun? Octavia glanced between the unicorn and the ocean in perplexity. How was all of that fun? “If you say so.”

“Howdy, ya’ll.” Octavia glanced aside to see Applejack and Twilight Sparkle approaching. “What’s goin’ on?”

“Not much,” Octavia confessed, glancing down at the ocean once more. “Just taking a moment to watch our fliers at practice.”

“Again?” Twilight set her forehooves on the railing and looking down. “They’ve been at it every day! Rainbow I can kind of understand, but I would think Jimmy’d be sick of flying by now.”

Applejack glowered at the two ponies at practice. “Sure wish Ah could join ‘em, Ah’m plum bored. A pony can only explore so much on an airship, y’know.”

“Just be glad we’re not going by sea,” Octavia told her. “Traveling by boat to Nildia is a two-week journey.”

Applejack gave her a questioning look. “Ah know ya said yer brother an’ sister live in Nildia, an ya probably went ta visit an'' all, but why are they there in the first place?”

“I hadn’t thought about that,” Twilight admitted, turning to Octavia. “It would be good to know who they are before we actually met them.”

Octavia glanced at Upper Crust, who was back to studying the air below and mumbling to herself. She’d already heard all about the family. Well… it wasn’t as if Octavia were harboring any secrets, was it?

“Rochette is the elder of my two younger brothers,” she explained. “He works at the Equestrian Embassy.”

“Oooh, is he an ambassador?” Twilight asked hopefully. “That might be really useful!”

Octavia shook her head. “He’s of a lower rank, I always forget the title. The simplest way I can describe it is that he’s the assistant of the ambassador’s assistant. And he’s fluent, of course.”

“Well, who knows?” Twilight said, “He still might give us access to things most foreigners can’t.”

“Access?” Applejack asked with a smug smile. “Ah think just bein’ sent by the Princesses would do that, Twilight.”

Twilight blushed as if she’d said something silly. “Err, right, of course. What about your sister, Octavia?”

Octavia frowned and turned away. “Benjamina, the family’s black sheep. She’s a banker. Wealthy. Unless the Equestrian government’s arranged somewhere for us to stay, I thought we could stay with her. Goddess knows she’s got the room.”

Applejack noted her change in tone. “Sounds like ya’ll don’t get along none too well.”

Octavia sighed and went back to watching the ocean. “We… have differences of opinion.”

Twilight gave her a concerned look. “I don’t mean to pry, but what kind of differences?”

Octavia considered the question for a few seconds, but finally just shook her head. “I think you’ll understand when we meet her.”

The entire world was jagged, rocky edges. The sky was a soft combination of orange and velvet, as if an eternal dusk had come upon the land. A tall, perfectly cylindrical mountain arose amongst the threatening crags, its top flat, level and bare. And Nye was sitting at its very center, scouring his surroundings with a nervous eye.

He felt so alone. So strangely, terribly alone. “Jimmy?” The world echoed back the name pointlessly. “Rainbow?”

He stood and walked to the edge of the cliff, looking down anxiously at the sharp rocks below. How had he gotten up there? And where was everypony? “Hello?”

Nothing but echo. He sighed and sat back down, sorrow filling him. He didn’t know where his misery was coming from, but it was intense. He wished he had somepony to talk to…

A fog horn resounded through the perfectly clear sky. He turned around to see where it had come from, and was surprised to see an airship floating towards him. Hope filled him: he was going to be rescued! He reared back and let out a cry of joy, laughing for no reason at all. He waved at the ship, gestured to himself, tried to get the attention of the crew.

And then it floated right over him and moved on.

“Hey… wait!” He wanted to chase after it, but he was already at the edge. “Come back! You can’t just…”

He paused to stare: his friends were watching him from an observation deck on the back of the airship. They were waving, smiling. It almost looked as if they were saying goodbye. Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Jimmy, Octavia, the whole lot of them. Even…

“Rainbow!” He cried, rearing back again and trying to catch her attention. “Rainbow, please!”

The airship had moved on, but to his joy the blue pegasus arose and came flying back for him. But she didn’t land; she hovered out over the jagged rocks, well beyond his reach. “Hey Nye. Come to see us off?”

“See you off?” he asked, perplexed. “What are you talking about? Where are you going?”

Rainbow gained an annoyed expression, setting hooves to her hips. “What, you didn’t know? Princess Luna told her team to go on this super special mission with us! How could you not know?”

A special mission? But wasn’t she on a special mission already? “I… I dunno,” he admitted. “Come on, fly me over to the airship and we’ll talk about it.”

“Oh no,” the pegasus said, shaking her head, “we can’t take you.”

He gaped. “W-what do you mean?”

She shrugged and gave him a smile. “You’re a nice guy and all, Nye, but you’re not exactly hero material. Don’t worry, we’ll be fine without you.”

His heart leapt into his throat. “Wait! I can help! Let me come with you, RD. You’ll see, I’m perfectly capable of… of…”

The mare laughed meanly. “Yeah, sure, like you could do half what any of us could do. Fluttershy’s got more oomph, for pity’s sake!”

He shrank back at her painful words. “B-but… how am I supposed to prove myself to you…?”

“Prove yourself?” She laughed again, and this time the meanness of it wasn’t just in his head. “Oh please, Nye! Did you really think you could ever be deserving of this much awesome?” She flipped and struck a pose, grinning. “I mean come on, you can’t even fly!”

He sat, his mind growing numb and his heart breaking. “But… you told me…”

“I told you what you wanted to hear,” she explained as if this were obvious. “I was trying to be nice, you moron.”

He didn’t want to believe his ears. He didn’t even want to be here. He dropped to his belly and covered his face in shame. It was all the truth. He’d known it all along. She was right, he didn’t stand a chance. He was useless. Totally and completely useless. How was he supposed to do anything for anypony?

Abruptly his world was shaken – literally. He sat up in surprise as his body rocked. He and Rainbow both turned their attention to the airship. There, just before it, something massive was erupting from the jagged earth in an explosion of boulders and dust!

“Sweet Luna,” he whispered, standing and taking a terrified step back, "what is that thing!?"

It was massive. It had the body of a minotaur and eight long, hairless, monkey-like arms. Its head was an elephant’s, the flapping of its great ears sending vanes through the floating dust in the air. He couldn’t see below its waist for the rocks, but just by what he could see he imagined the thing to be hundreds of feet tall!

Massive, hairless hands reached forward and caught the blimp, as if it were a foal’s toy. Nye watched in horror as it squeezed, and soon the massive blimp was crushed. The cabin beneath rocked and shook violently, the inhabitants helpless against the monster’s simple attack.

“Jimmy!” Nye wanted to run for the blimp, but he couldn’t. He would have achieved nothing, but to smash himself against the rocks below.

“I’m coming guys!” Rainbow cried.

“Wait, Rainbow no!” Too late, she was zooming towards the airship. “Rainbow come back, you can’t fight that thing! Jimmy!” He attention went back to the airship, which the creature dropped haphazardly. It plummeted down what had to have been thousands of feet to the sharp, terrible rocks below. A few seconds later and he saw a rainbow get swatted into nonexistence, like a fly.

“No…” he sat again, staring as the streak of rainbow faded and disappeared altogether. “Oh dear sweet Luna no…”

And then something new occurred; a white light erupted from beneath the great monster. It let out a high-pitched scream, covering its face… and an instant later it was gone.

For a time Nye could only stare in amazement, misery and loss. But then something came into view, flying towards him in a fast but calm manner. It took some time for Nye to recognize what it was.

“Luna…?” He stood and took a few steps back, giving the Princess room to land before him. “W… what are you doing out here…?”

The Princess nodded to him regally, her expression unreadable. “I might ask you the same question, Nye. This is a rather peculiar dream for you.”

Dream? He glanced around, realization slowly dawning upon him. “You mean I’m asleep? It’s just a nightmare?” She nodded. “Oh, you can’t imagine how much of a relief that is!”

At last she smiled. “In truth I receive that response quite often. I apologize that I cannot remain here for very long, but something very strange has begun and it must be addressed quickly.”

He nodded. “I understand. But thanks for rescuing me from this, really.”

The Princess turned to look out over the great hole the monster had made. “You are most welcome, Nye. But before I go I must know: where did that beast come from? Where have you seen it before?”

“Err…” His eyes followed her gaze. “I… I’ve never seen that thing in my entire life. I guess I have some imagination, huh?”

She considered him seriously, appearing to have something pressing on her mind. “That thing came not from your mind, Nye. It has been appearing in the dreams of many ponies in the past few nights.”

Now that was surprising. “What? Seriously?”

“Very much so,” she acknowledged darkly. “It seems to have originated in Nildia. The nilgiri are almost all seeing it at once, and I cannot track it to its source.”

“But why would it be in so many dreams at once?” he asked, “And why would it spread all the way to Equestria?”

The Princess shook her head. “I cannot answer, for I do not know. It fills me with unease; I have not seen such a mass invasion of dreams since… well, that was a very long time ago. I have lingered here for too long, my friend: this thing must be tracked and stopped.”

He stepped up to her worriedly. “Do you think it’s dangerous?”

“I cannot say,” she admitted, her magnificent wings opening wide.

Just as she lifted into the air he added, “Princess, have you warned Jimmy and the others? What if this is connected to the situation in Nildia?”

She flew a quick circle around him, buying enough time to answer. “I intend to mention it to them at the first opportunity. Goodbye, Nye, and don’t worry: you are as important to this team as anypony else!” She arose high into the sky, her body blending in with the world above, and a moment later she was gone.

Nye jerked up, wide awake and alert. He was in his bed, safe and at home.

And he had a monster stomach ache. He had to remember never to take Pinkie’s ‘super cupcakes’ ever again, those things had way to much sugar. Maybe he’d skip out on her next party, just in case.

His stomach’s painful complaining convinced him to crawl groggily from bed and make his way for the medicinal cabinet in the bathroom. He opened the mirror and drank some tonic. That done he took a moment to examine himself in the mirror. He always looked like a wreck right after waking up. He shifted his head around to look at himself from various angles sleepily. Why did he have to look so soft? Not for the first time he wished he had his brother’s harder features. But then again that was probably his own fault for being so lazy…

He wouldn’t be falling asleep until the medicine kicked in, so instead he wandered outside his apartment and sat in the grass to watch the stars. No moon tonight. Maybe that was why he hadn’t seen one in his dream.

The dream wandered into his drowsy mind unbidden. He usually didn’t understand his dreams, but that one had been clear as day. Maybe Luna’s presence had a hoof in that. He smiled feebly; she’d called him important. Probably just trying to comfort a friend. There was nothing really important about him.

He could still hear Rainbow’s laughter in his mind. It had been truly humiliating. And what if it were true?

He rubbed his cheek, remembering how she’d kissed him. It had felt so good that even now he could remember it like it had just happened. He knew Rainbow wouldn’t have done that just to cover her true feelings, and this knowledge was all he needed to know for certain that his fears were unfounded. Maybe the others did think he was worthless. Maybe he was.

But Rainbow liked him. What more did he need?

Well, aside from her being back in Ponyville.

Author's Note

Quickie update! Truth is the Fine Crime/Fluttershy scene had been written as part of the last chapter, but it made the chapter way too big so I moved it here. And what do you get for all that? A quicker update.

I threw in the airship scene in the middle mostly because I wanted people to know where the Nildia team was during this chapter. It did give me the nice benefit of being able to talk about Octavia's two siblings, though.

Nye's nightmare is rather simple, but Nye himself is a rather simple guy. In truth there would have been more to it if not for the invasion of the giant god-monster thing that Luna fought off.

Character Detail: Jimmy Stone
Species: Pegasus
Coat: White
Mane: Cadet Grey with Violet streaks
Eyes: Hunter Green
Age: 23
Cutie Mark: A trio of wrenches
Special Talent: Mechanics

Nye's elder twin who had the fortune of inheriting their mother's pegasus wings. Jimmy is smart, hardworking, dependable and strong. In short, he's Nye's polar opposite. Designing him was easy to do once I had Nye formed and their backgrounds decided upon. He often thinks that it's his responsibility to look after Nye, largely because of how his father pressed him in this vein.

Jimmy's best trait is that he's often thinking of others before himself. This generous nature may explain why he tends to get along with Rarity - not something I'd planned at all. Does this mean there will be a relationship between the two? I have no idea. When Nye mentioned that Jimmy had no libido, it wasn't an offhand joke: it's the truth. He's so clueless about romance and love that even if Rarity did start going after him he probably wouldn't 'get' it.

Jimmy's fear is a bit of a hard one to address. What does he really fear? Why, it's being alone... not unlike his brother, actually. But he misinterprets his own fears, and thus does nothing to address them. My challenge is waking him up to the real problem.

Arrivals

The town was bustling with activity, the goat-like Nilgiri citizens and workers going about their noisy business. The air was unpleasantly hot and filled with moisture. The air dock glistened. The homes and structures surrounding it did not. They looked old and worn, though not uncomfortable. Everything seemed bright, the air dock a shiny new feature in an antiquated world.

In short, it was all exactly as Octavia remembered.

“This place looks awfully small for a capitol city,” Jimmy noted curiously as the six ponies and one dragon strode down the long walkway to the ground below.

“That’s because it’s not the capitol,” Twilight noted. “Delgiri is about three hours north of here by carriage, or so I was told.”

“Their capitol city doesn’t even have an air dock?” Spike asked from her back.

“The nilgiri value their traditions,” Octavia noted from the front of the group. “There are all sorts of building codes in the major cities to prevent skyscrapers and the like from ruining the traditional, culturally significant views. As a result modern elements like sky docks need to be set outside of the older cities.”

“Is it always so hot?” Upper Crust asked, eyeing the sun disapprovingly.

“We’re a lot closer to the Equator than Ponyville,” Twilight declared as if this explained everything.

“Yer not afraid o’a little heat are ya, city pony?” Applejack asked with a playful smirk.

“No,” Upper Crust answered uncertainly, “it’s just a little uncomfortable, that’s all.”

“I think it feels great,” Spike confessed, lounging on Twilight back to prove his point.

“You think red-hot magma feels great,” Twilight noted unpleasantly. “We’re ponies, not dragons.”

“You get used to it,” Octavia said with disinterest, head swiveling back and forth to scan the area at the bottom of the ramp.

Rainbow Dash hovered over them, scanning the crowds of nilgiri who hardly paid any mind to the presence of foreign ponies. “Isn’t somepony supposed to meet us? Not much of a welcome for the visiting heroes.”

“I doubt the nilgiri view us in the same light as you do, Dashie,” Jimmy noted with an exasperated smile.

“Octy!” A lone voice rang out over the crowds, catching their attention just as they reached the bottom of the ramp. It took several seconds, but they finally noticed a lone pony approaching them from the crowds. He was a short Earth pony with a dark purple coat and light green mane that clashed horribly against one another. When he finally got through the crowd he embraced Octavia in a big hug that she happily returned.

“Rochette,” she cried happily, “it’s been far too long!”

“Two-and-a-half years, roundabouts.” He pulled back with a grin, at which point the others noticed that he was significantly shorter than her. “How’s mum and pop?”

“Still arguing up a storm,” she answered with a chuckle, “and therefore just fine.”

The strangely-colored pony noticed the five others watching them and turned to address them properly. “Oh, sorry, how rude of me. You must be the delegation sent by the Princesses of Equestria. I am Rochette, Assistant Interior of the Ambassador.”

“A pleasure to meet you,” Twilight answered sincerely. “I’m Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Jimmy Stone, and Upper Crust. You already know Octavia, of course.”

“Eh, we might have met,” Rochette admitted as if his sister were beneath his attention. Octavia raised an eyebrow in amusement and bumped him with her flank playfully. “If you’ll all join me I’ll take us to the carriage for the capitol. The President has arranged for a banquet in your honor.”

“I guess Benjamina couldn’t make the time to greet us,” Octavia noted sourly as they all made their way through the crowds.

“You know Benji,” Rochette answered without concern, “too busy for anything but work, work, work. But she’s offering to let you and your friends – I assume they’re your friends?” Octavia nodded. “She offered to let all of you stay at her place for the duration of your stay, if you feel so inclined.”

“Really?” Applejack asked in amazement, “she can house all o’ us at once?”

“That’s very generous,” Twilight admitted, “and we’d be happy to accept if it’s not too much trouble.”

“I’m sure that will be fine,” Octavia agreed in a businesslike tone.

A few minutes later and the team, along with Rochette, were nestled in a long, comfortable carriage, the kind usually reserved for the rich. Rainbow, Applejack and Spike seemed to really appreciate the royal treatment. Jimmy and Upper Crust, on the other hand, were indifferent. Twilight was more interested in asking questions about Nildia, and Octavia was simply quiet.

“So tell me,” Twilight said to Rochette eagerly, “what’s it mean to be an Interior Adviser?”

The earth pony proudly sat up as tall as his tiny frame could muster. "The Ambassador’s main adviser helps him with all the details of Nildian policy. On the other hoof is my job: to keep the Ambassador in touch with events back in Equestria and help him recognize how such things affect foreign policy. I also work as a translator, keeping messages between the two nations easier to comprehend.”

“Ah” Upper Crust noted smartly, “so things like, say, visiting a team from Equestria is part of your job.”

“Something like that,” he acknowledged seriously. “To be honest, normally there’s be a much more elite welcome for something like this.”

“We understand,” Twilight said. “I imagine everypony’s pretty busy, what with the disasters that have been going on.”

The carriage was making its way out of the small town that had grown up around the air dock and was now entering a forested region. Rochette promptly tapped the top of the carriage, and a moment later small screens dropped over the windows. “To keep out bugs,” he noted helpfully at their questioning glances.

“So hey,” Jimmy started curiously, “how does a guy get to be Interior Adviser to the Ambassador of Nildia, anyway?”

“Family ties,” Octavia noted before her brother could speak up.

“I guess that helps,” he admitted sheepishly, “but I had to work for it, too. Mother taught us all about Nildian culture and history. The language, too. I was fascinated with the family history, so I went to school and majored in foreign relations.”

“Then somepony back home noted he was the great-great-grandson of a Nildian hero, and suddenly he’s got a cushy job at the embassy,” Octavia finished for him with a smile.

“It wasn’t that easy,” he muttered.

“A Nildian hero?” Applejack asked dubiously. “Like who?”

“Our great-great-grandmother was Karma Flash,” Octavia declared, though she clearly didn’t expect any of her friends to recognize the name.

“And who’s that?” Spike asked, confirming her suspicions.

“She was a reporter for the New Horseleans Tribune,” Rochette explained. “She’s the one who exposed the previous regime’s unethical activities, prompting the civil war that lead to the current government. Thus, a national hero.”

“Neat,” Twilight declared excitedly. “I can’t wait to learn all about Nildian history and culture! I don’t suppose you know of any books I could read on the subject?”

“Reading?” Rainbow Dash asked critically. “I don’t think there’s going to be much time for that while we’re here, Twilight.”

The unicorn blushed awkwardly. “Well, no, but I might want to read it when we’re done here…”

“I’m sure I have a copy of our father’s history on Nildia somewhere,” Rochette answered helpfully. “I’ll let you borrow it while you’re here.”

“That would be…” Twilight’s words were cut off when the entire carriage rocked to a sudden stop. After a moment of confused silence Rochette opened the carriage door and took a step out, gesturing for the others to wait.

A moment later he was back inside, face white. “Your… friend has come to see you.”

“Friend?” Jimmy asked, “what friewhoa!” A flash of light sent him and Applejack sprawling in opposite directions. When the light faded Discord was there in the carriage, lying leisurely in the seats they’d been taking up. The sight of him made more than a couple ponies groan under their breaths.

“Hey,” Applejack snapped, climbing to her feet, “tha’ wasn’ very nice at all!”

“I’ll tell you what’s not nice,” the draconequus countered plainly, patting the cushions, “all of you get the royal treatment while I’m avoided like some sort of villain! Oh, heavy is the burden of being me.”

“Well what do you expect?” Rainbow Dash demanded in her usual fiery manner. “You’ve got a reputation, y’know.”

The creature sat up, having to keep his head low to avoid banging it against the carriage’s ceiling. Somehow he still managed to put on a peaceful, innocent manner. “Now really, Rainbow Dash, I may have played a game or two on you ponies, but remember that I’m reformed!” He added the last word with a touch of mockery, an angel’s halo appearing over his head. “We’re on the same side now, and I for one would like to be treated like it.”

Twilight was the first to acknowledge that the draconequus had a solid point. “Alright, Discord, we get it, and we’re sorry. Aren’t we?” That last was aimed critically at all the others in the carriage, who nodded obediently. “We’re just… not used to the idea yet.” Rochette took the opportunity to signal the driver, and the carriage began to move forward once more.

“Well I don’t know why,” Discord said with a grin, raising his claw and spinning the halo that had once been over his head around a finger. “I mean, have I not been nothing but a responsible, upstanding member of the community? Just ask Fluttershy. Pity she’s not here.”

“Didn’t Celestia send you ahead of us to do something?” Jimmy asked the creature gravely.

“Oh, straight to business, as always,” Discord griped, the halo slipping out of his hands and flying violently across the room. It cut deep into the wall of the carriage, dangerously close to Jimmy’s head and making the pegasus duck fearfully. “Tell me, Twilight, why did you have to bring all the most dull members of your little group along?”

Twilight stood from her seat to glare at him. “Discord, this is important! Nilgiri are dying and you’re still playing games.”

The draconequus leaned back at her glare, gaining a surprised look when his horns stabbed through the roof. His eyes rolled up to observe the ceiling, appearing genuinely annoyed when he realized he was stuck. “Confounded… listen my little ponies, despite what you might think of me I care for death about as much as any of you. I might have been a chaotic dictator, but my fun never really hurt anypony.” He spared a few seconds to try to pull himself out of the ceiling, but couldn’t manage it, so instead he snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light.

An instant later he reappeared lounging in the laps of Rainbow Dash, Upper Crust and Rochette, who all gasped under his weight. “Oops, sorry,” he told them with a grin, “my aim’s a little off lately.” He snapped his fingers again and this time was in the carriage’s only vacant seat.

Octavia smiled smartly. “I suppose this is a job too big for the mighty Discord.”

He leaned up from his lounging spot to give the cellist a questioning look, which the others all shared. “Excuse me?”

Octavia leaned back in her seat smugly. “If helping us is too boring – or too difficult – perhaps you should just go back to Equestria and play with Fluttershy or Pinkie.”

The draconequus laughed loudly. “You see that, Twilight? This pony’s trying to manipulate me. How funny! You could learn a thing or two from that one.”

“You’re the one who doesn’t want to be direct,” Octavia noted simply. “You probably haven’t done anything but play games since you got here.”

Discord lowered himself back down on the seat. “Actually I’ll have you know I’ve been exploring under the sea along the coast.”

“Did ya find anything?” Applejack demanded eagerly.

“Not a thing,” he answered with uncharacteristic directness, leading to all the ponies lowering their heads in mild remorse. “I did learn some things, though.”

“Really?” Twilight asked, “like what?”

He began to count on his fingers, extra fingers growing out of his paw as he went on. “The seaweed is always greener in somepony else’s lake, I devoted all my time to floating, life is the bubbles, the fluke is the duke of soul, it’s hotter under the water…”

“Discord!”

“…oh, and there’s something really big under the oceans that may or may not be causing the waves.”

Everypony in the carriage went silent at the serious manner in which he’d said that last point. They all gave one another nervous glances, but none of them could recognize the thoughts suddenly running through Twilight’s mind. “…how big?”

He didn’t look at them, but instead stared up at the ceiling of the carriage with an uncharacteristically firm expression. “I don’t know. Huge, to be certain, but it somehow manages to stay out of sight. Light doesn’t travel very far when you go deep, and even I have limits to how far down I can go. But it’s unquestionably large enough to cause the waves that have been destroying the towns.”

Twilight considered this darkly. “We need to get a good look at it.”

“How are we supposed to do that?” Rainbow demanded incredulously.

“Yeah,” Jimmy added, “if Discord can’t get close to it, how are we supposed to?”

“I…” she thought for several seconds, but finally sighed in defeat. “I have no idea.”

The early morning sky over Ponyville was bright and sunny. To most ponies that was a good thing. If you were on the weather team it wasn’t good at all, because today rain was scheduled. There was still plenty of time to get the weather properly set up, though, and Lightning couldn’t do anything until she had taken care of Keen, which was why she was trotting along with the sleepy filly on her back.

“Flying?” she asked, giving the foal a curious look. “Ya really wanna learn to fly, Keen?”

The filly nodded her blue, almost white head sleepily. “I wanna fly on my own.”

Lightning would have laughed if she weren’t afraid of hurting Keen’s feelings. “So how are ya gonna fly without wings, hmm?”

Keen shrugged, rubbing her eyes in a vain attempt to wake herself up. “I dunno… maybe I can get magic wings…?”

“Magic wings?” Lightning had heard of a unicorn managing to do that a few years ago. She also remembered the stories stating that her wings burned up in the sun. “I dunno, little bolt…”

Keen stood up on the pegasus’ back. “…maybe I can…” She concentrated for a moment, her tiny horn glowing blue. Lightning, grinning, flapped her wings, a single quick beat. Keen slipped and fell back onto her belly with the motion, her horn fizzling out like a sparkler. The filly unicorn pouted at her failure.

Lightning chuckled to herself even as she felt just a little guilty. “Tell you what,” she told Keen, “if ever I meet a unicorn who can cast a spell to make wings, I’ll have him teach it to you. Deal?”

That made Keen smile through her weariness. “I’d like that. …maybe we can ask Twilight.”

The pegasus smiled and patted the tiny unicorn on her white-maned head. “Now I know you’re half-asleep, little bolt. Twilight’s out of town, remember?”

“I know…” Keen muttered, though it was obvious by her blushing face that she’d forgotten. She stifled a yawn and lay back down, snuggling between Lightning’s wings. Her fine, unusually long mane covered her face, and when her tail came forward to complete the circle she looked like nothing more than a ball of white hair, albeit with a tiny blue horn poking out. Her sleepy voice arose from somewhere within. “Maybe when she gets back…”

“Yeah, maybe,” Lightning agreed. She slowed her walk a little to make it more comfortable, knowing the filly would fall asleep regardless. She always did on the morning walk.

Lightning loved these walks. There was a time when she simply flew to get anywhere. It was fun and she enjoyed doing it. But so long as Keen was with her she preferred to walk. She didn’t have to think about the why. Despite everything she’d said, even though she’d wanted so desperately to go to Nildia with the others, at moments like these she was so very happy that she hadn’t.

And now the adoption was official. Well, semi-official; some know-it-all pony insisting she knew how best to raise foals would be coming by once a month for half a year just to make sure Lightning was doing her job as a parent. But it was a minor annoyance for the pleasure of having her own little filly to spend time with. How funny that Lightning, who’d never once before even thought about the concept of having children, was now raising one.

Lightning had been lost in happy thoughts when she arrived at the bridge to Fluttershy’s cottage. Now something caught her attention and made her pause; there was a chariot in Fluttershy’s front yard. It was one of the most recognizable chariots in Equestria, too: it belonged to Princess Celestia. She stared at the four-pegasus team strapped to it, amazed at the shiny armor and pageantry of the sight.

But there was no Princess Celestia. Lightning glanced around curiously, but there was simply no sign of the royal pony. Did that mean she was in Fluttershy’s cottage? But why would she be there?

Lightning didn’t know why she was so nervous. She’d met Princess Luna, hadn’t she? Heck, she worked for Princess Luna. So why would it be so strange to meet Princess Celestia? Yet even as she told herself this she approached the cottage with anxious steps. She glanced at the pegasus chauffer ponies, who barely acknowledged her. Oh for the days when she would dream of having a job like that.

Hesitating only a moment, Lightning knocked on the door. Under normal circumstances she and Fluttershy were friendly enough that she’d come to enter the cottage unannounced to deliver Keen, but knocking seemed appropriate right now. She waited, fidgeting nervously under the gaze of the royal ponies nearby, but finally the door opened.

“Oh, Lightning.” Fluttershy actually sounded surprised to see her. “I’m sorry, I forgot all about you coming by today with Keen. Umm…”

Lightning noticed how she wasn’t being ushered inside, and the yellow mare was clearly anxious about something. “I’m guessing you’ve got some special company…”

“…something like that,” Fluttershy acknowledged with a blush. “Umm, well, under the circumstances… oh, I don’t know…”

“A friend of yours?” a light voice asked from within. Fluttershy blushed and stepped outside to make room. Lightning felt her heart leap into her throat as Princess Celestia – the Princess Celestia! – emerged from the cottage with a gracious smile.

Lightning started to drop into a bow, but remembered just in time that Keen was still on her back. She paused, glanced back at the filly and tried to think of some alternative. Finally she just lowered her head and hoped it would suffice. “Princess,” she said in as respectful a manner as she could.

“Ah, if it isn’t Lightning Dust,” a new voice noted from inside the cottage, and a moment later they were joined by Princess Luna. “A pleasure to see you again.”

Both Princesses at one time? Lightning didn’t know whether to be thrilled or melt into unworthy pudding. “Oh… er… h-hello Princess Luna,” she offered, feeling strangely foolish.

“Lightning Dust?” Celestia asked thoughtfully. “Why you must be one of my sister’s loyal ponies. It is quite the pleasure to meet you.”

“L-L-likewise,” Lightning answered, glancing at Fluttershy questioningly. The yellow pegasus merely smiled approvingly.

Keen let out a yawn and began to shift on Lightning’s back. “…we there yet…?”

“And who’s this?” Celestia asked, lowering her head to get a closer look at the unicorn filly just as Keen’s tiny head poked out from under her mane and tail. The foal rubbed her eyes then caught sight of the Princess. Her eyes widened and she shrank back, hiding her face behind her mane timidly.

“Oh… umm… that’s Keen Arrow,” Lightning answered when it became clear that the apprehensive filly wouldn’t respond. “Sorry Princess, she’s really shy.”

Celestia giggled lightly, standing back to her full magnificent height. “She’s adorable! Is she your daughter?”

Lightning blushed, glanced away. “Err, yeah… adopted.”

“So,” Princess Luna noted pleasantly, walking up to get a closer look herself, “this is the filly Fine mentioned in his letters. The poor thing. But he did not lie; the two of you are a delightful sight together.”

Lightning blushed, this kind of praise sounding very strange to her ears. Fine had said that? Of all ponies?“Umm… thank you?”

Fluttershy walked closer to her fellow pegasus anxiously. She waved to Keen, who upon seeing her beamed and happily waved back. She looked as though she wanted to say something, but Fluttershy smiled and made a gentle silencing motion and the filly politely kept quiet. “I’m sorry, Princesses,” the yellow mare offered, “but I sometimes foalsit Keen while Lightning goes on weather duty. I forgot that it was my turn today…”

“That’s quite alright, my little ponies,” Celestia answered pleasantly. “This visit was rather impromptu. But under the circumstances perhaps it might be best if our two visitors waited out here for a moment longer?”

Lightning tried to avoid cringing, but failed. She needed to get to work, and she doubted the others on the weather team would believe a story about her being delayed by the sister Princesses of Equestria! She was supposed to be taking over Rainbow’s place as team captain, too; not a good way to build a reputation at all.

But she wasn’t about to say no to Princess Celestia. “Sure, I can wait,” she declared, hoping her thoughtful pause hadn’t taken too long. “I don’t want to be in the way and all…”

Luna glanced between Lightning and Fluttershy, then glanced back at the cottage. “Sister, you and Fluttershy should return. I will remain with Lightning for now.”

Celestia gave her sister a questioning look, which Lightning realized she was mimicking. “Are you certain, Luna?”

The Princess of the Night nodded confidently. “I have given my opinions and support. I think you will be able to form a decision without me.”

At that Celestia nodded. “So be it.” She gave Lightning and Keen another pleasant smile before turning to go back into the cottage. “Will you be staying too, Fluttershy?”

“N-no, I’m coming,” the timid pegasus called, giving Lightning another approving nod before following the Princess back into the cottage.

“Okay Keen, down you go,” Lightning ordered, gently dropping to her belly and letting the filly slide off of her.

The tiny unicorn turned to her and crept close, eyes on Luna. “S-she’s so... so… big.”

Lightning chuckled at that, realizing that to somepony as tiny as Keen the Princess must seem a veritable giant. “Don’t worry,” she answered, nudging the filly playfully, “she’s nice.”

Luna, hearing every word of the whispered conversation, smiled. “I try to be. Except on Nightmare Night when I eat little foals who don’t offer me any candy.”

Keen took a frightened step back, pressing against her adoptive parent as if to hide under her wing. Lightning chuckled and stood, causing the filly to tumble onto her side comically. “Don’t worry, Keen, Nightmare Night’s months away.”

“Indeed,” Luna acknowledged, leaning forward to look down on the trembling filly. “I promise, I’ve enough candy to last for a while, so I won’t be trying to eat you today.”

Keen didn’t answer, only ran to hide behind Lightning’s back legs fearfully. Princess Luna stood up once more, expression worried. “Oh my, but she truly is a shy pony. Forgive me, I did not mean to frighten.”

“It’s okay,” Lightning answered pleasantly, “it takes time for her to get used to strangers.” In truth she was a little disappointed; she’d hoped Keen would have been overjoyed to meet a princess.

“I understand,” Luna declared with a knowing smile. She sat in the grass comfortably, gesturing that Lightning should do the same. “I apologize that we are keeping you from your duties, Ms. Dust. My sister should be finished momentarily.”

Lightning took a moment to lie in the grass so her wing could shelter Keen, who was already yawning again despite her anxiousness. “It’s okay, really. But what are you and Princess Celestia doing here at Fluttershy’s? …your majesty.” She blushed at her own informal nature, having never spoken to royalty before today.

Luna glanced back at the cottage, her face masked with serious contemplation. “It is… an important issue that we are addressing, involving Fine Crime. He has made a very serious request of all of us. We have come to discuss the matter in detail.”

Lightning was by no means a subtle pony, but by now she’d been around Fine long enough to know when ponies were dodging. “So I’m guessing you can’t tell me any details.” Luna didn’t answer, but her expression said enough. The pegasus gestured with her head to the cottage. “I take it Fine’s in there, too?”

The Princess nodded solemnly. “I am afraid it is his presence that makes us so anxious. Until Fine leaves for home we cannot risk letting Keen in.”

Her words were very confusing. Lightning glanced at the filly, who was snuggling into a ball once more in the shade of her wing. “Are you saying that Fine Crime is dangerous?”

Luna closed her eyes and made a self-directed sound of annoyance. “I’ve already said too much, I fear, but yes. Fine is very dangerous at the moment.” Lightning opened her mouth, but the Princess interrupted sharply. “Do not ask, Ms. Dust. It is a private matter, which only a select few ponies are aware of. Fine will speak of it to you if and when he decides you should know.”

“And this is the guy who’s supposed to be leading our – sorry, your team? I’m sorry if it’s brash of me to say this, but how can we trust him when you can’t trust him to be in the same room as a filly?”

Luna set a hoof to her lips, thinking on the question thoughtfully. “…how to explain…?” She glanced around the bright yard, as if searching for inspiration. After a few uncertain moments her eyes locked on Lightning ponderously. “Tell me, Lightning, what do you fear?”

The question, seeming so completely off topic, made Lightning pause. “Wha… why?” Luna didn’t answer, only gestured that the pegasus should answer the question. “I… well, I’m not afraid of…” She coughed, choking down her bravado. This was Princess Luna she was talking to, not some foal she needed to impress.

“No, sorry, that would be a lie,” she admitted, shifting uncomfortably. “I used to be afraid of losing. Of not being the best. But after the Wonderbolts Academy fiasco… wait, do you know about that?”

The alicorn smiled comfortingly. “Go on.”

Good goddess, she did. Lightning slumped miserably, suddenly wanting to sink into some hole and disappear. But she went on, dragging the words out of her throat. “After… that… I became afraid that I wouldn’t be helpful to anypony. I wanted praise, true, but I also wanted to be acknowledged.”

Luna nodded patiently. “And now?”

Lightning winced. She’d hoped that the princess wouldn’t notice the truth, but she had. She took another glance at Keen’s sleeping form beneath her wing. As long as she couldn’t hear… “I guess… I guess I’m afraid of Keen.”

She waited for something. Mocking laughter, perhaps. A snide remark. Maybe just an amused expression. Instead the Princess merely waited calmly for her to go on. It was a welcome relief, and it made her feel better about the subject. “If I don’t do things right, they could take my little bolt away,” she confessed miserably. “I don’t know anything about raising a filly. What if they think I’m doing something wrong? What if I am? What if…”

She paused, not daring to speak the words that had crept into her mind. She shuffled back a little so she could snuggle against Keen worriedly, a shiver of fear running down her spine at the possibilities. But she wouldn’t say it out loud. She couldn’t.

Princess Luna’s expression was warm and confident. “I don’t think somepony who takes the matter as seriously as you do could possibly be at risk of such happening, Ms. Dust. Although I might recommend not worrying quite so much.” Lightning nodded, glad the Princess wasn’t going to press the matter further.

The alicorn continued, her tone regal but gentle. “You fight your fears every day, Lightning Dust. You were doing so even before you met your little friend. That is admirable, and I commend you for it.”

Lightning looked at her, touched. “Thanks! Umm… I mean, thank you your majesty.”

Luna nodded, her face abruptly solemn once more. “Fine Crime… he has his own fears. I have witnessed them, and they are of an entirely different element as yours. They are quite terrible to behold, and he spent much of his life fleeing them rather than facing them.”

Lightning considered this uncertainly, trying to imagine in her head a scared Fine Crime. “I didn’t think that jerk was afraid of anything. He always seemed too cold to have room for fear.”

“He is very afraid,” Luna replied, “and of all the things he fears one of the greatest is himself.”

That didn’t make any sense in Lightning head. “Why would anypony be scared of himself? What, does he refuse to look into mirrors?”

The princess smiled, but the expression lacked humor. “Fine knows that he is dangerous, Lightning. He fears what he can do, and what he could become. Sometimes he… hurts… other ponies, and he dreads the thought that he might hurt somepony important to him. That is why he seems so cold, and why he is so rarely seen in public: he deems the risk too great.”

“You make it sound like he’s sick in the head,” the pegasus noted, the Princess’ words making her strangely nervous.

Luna tilted her head with a curious expression. “In truth that is precisely how he described it to me. But to move on: Fine believes he has finally found a way to resolve this fear. He wants to fight it, but the risks are great for all involved, including both your allies and the Elements of Harmony. Celestia and I must weigh the situation carefully and decide whether he should be permitted to proceed.”

Lightning went from anxious to alert in an instant. “If it’s so dangerous for all of us, why aren’t we involved in it too? Don’t we deserve to know what’s happening?”

But the Princess shook her head. “This is not a matter numbers or aggression can assist in, Lightning Dust. Fine has chosen Fluttershy to help him with this endeavor, and for good reason. All other ponies may come under too great a risk.”

“No offense intended against Flutterhy, but I wouldn’t ask her to help with anything like that,” the pegasus countered seriously. “She’s scared of everything, and she’s supposed to help him, the scariest pony in Equestria, overcome his fears? Give me a break!”

She paused, clamping her mouth shut as she felt Keen shift beside her. Her tiny head poked out of her white hair with a yawn, and Lightning guiltily nuzzled her nose. “Sorry, little bolt,” she whispered, “I’ll be quieter, okay?” The filly nodded groggily and disappeared amongst her hair one more.

Lightning waited to be sure Keen was nodding off before looking back to the Princess with an apologetic blush. “Sorry…”

Luna shook her head, a pleased smile on her lips. “No, perhaps I should apologize for bringing the subject up. I suggest you try not to get involved with this, Ms. Dust…”

“…just Lightning. …your majesty…”

“…Lightning, then. Do not worry so much about Fine. He knows the risk, as does Fluttershy. And I know Fine well enough to know that he is not afraid to ask for help when it is necessary. If you are needed, they’ll let you know.”

Lightning wanted to argue the point, but held her tongue. It wasn’t acceptance, it was self control. After all, if she pressed the matter she might get riled again, and she had promised to be quieter for Keen.

“Alright, I’ll shut up about it,” she agreed, hardly satisfied.

Night in Nildia. The exterior hall Octavia stood in was huge, the walls made of glistening white concrete and decorated with lavish wool tapestries depicting luscious native landscapes. Behind her tall columns colored a soft grey arose to the ceiling, giving easy access to the interior courtyard of the mansion and a pond. The last time she’d come to this place the cellist had been astounded and impressed.

Now she was just mad.

She could hear the voices behind the door, though she couldn’t make out what was being said. Someone was angry, and she had a good idea who. The nilgiri servant who had guided her here looked as though he didn’t want to be there at all. She cast a firm, venomous glance his way to make it clear that he’d best not interfere before walking to the door and pushing it open just a crack.

“…pay you for? I told you this morning that there was no other option, didn’t I? What are you, an idiot?” The deep female voice, so markedly different from Octavia’s, was speaking Hindi. “Stop whimpering and grow a backbone! This contract is worth millions, and I will not lose it because my negotiator caught sight of a juicy flank. I want you to go out there and find Phurtīlā, and don’t come back till he sings! And if he sings the wrong tune, bring him back here so I can chop him into pieces and serve him as an hors d’oeuvre for our guests. …what are you standing around for? That means NOW!”

Octavia stood aside, making room as a lone, fretting nilgiri with one broken horn left the room. He hardly noticed the earth pony slipping into the room.

The office was large, just like the rest of the place. It wasn’t so lavishly decorated like the other rooms in the mansion, though what it did have most certainly cost a fortune. A couple display cases sporting ancient spears, pottery, and jewelry sat on one side of the room, showcasing the owner’s love of archeology. From the ceiling hung a full-sized antique fishing boat, which Octavia knew had been used by some ancient explorer whose name she couldn’t remember. Beyond that, a couple bookshelves and filing cabinets, nothing extraordinary.

At the back of the room sat a dark, antique wooden desk. It was very large, very neat, and looked incredibly heavy. Sitting at the desk, head low and scribbling on some parchment furiously, was a lone mare unicorn. She had a dark orange coat and a grey mane just slightly softer in color than Octavia’s, and had a slightly larger build. Octavia walked right up to the desk and glared at the pony.

After a couple silent seconds the mare stopped scribbling and let out a low growl. “…what does it take to get good help these days? Why are you…?” She looked up for the first time, their two sets of mulberry eyes locking for the first time in over four years.

The mare raised her glasses from her eyes, her expression startled. “Octavia?”

The cellist sneered. “That’s right, Benjamina. You do remember your little sister, don’t you?”

Benjamina smiled, dropping her glasses to the desk as she stood and walked around it. “Look at you! You’re a real lady now, aren’t ya?” She’d switched back to English. “Last I saw you you were still in school!”

Octavia stopped her with a hoof to her chest. “Where have you been?” she snapped angrily. “We all were expecting to see you today!”

Benjamina’s smile soured into an annoyed look as she backed off a step. “Nice to see you too, little sis.”

“It would have been nice,” Octavia agreed sharply. “I can understand that maybe you were too busy to see us at the air dock, and it makes perfect sense for you not to have been at the president’s banquet…”

“I wasn’t invited to that.”

“…but to not greet your houseguests when they first visit your home? All of my friends were hoping to meet you tonight, and you stood us up! Do you know what it’s like having to make excuses for something like that? It was humiliating!”

Benjamina shook her head, that annoyed expression still on her face. “Octavia, you have no idea how much work I put into this contract, and it’s at a critical stage. I had to…”

“This nation is facing an environmental crisis,” Octavia snapped, “but Rochette was able to come and spend the entire day with us. You cannot tell me that you couldn’t have spared the thirty minutes it would have required to come out of your office and greet my friends properly.”

The orange-coated pony sighed and rubbed her head with her hoof as if pained. For a moment she seemed very tired. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Octy, you’re absolutely right. I should have been there, and I don’t have a good excuse. I’m just so used to dealing with things in the business immediately…”

Octavia sneered and jerked her head away regally. “You haven’t changed a bit in four years, sis. Always the overachiever in everything but family.”

“Hey.” Octavia ignored her at first, but Benjamina stepped forward and set a hoof on her shoulder. “Hey.” The cellist made a frustrated sound and finally turned to give the businesspony her full attention.

“I didn’t want this visit to start out like this,” she admitted sadly. “I screwed up, Octy. I admit it. But please, let’s not bicker and feud this time. We almost never get to see each other, and for once – just once – I’d like us to get along.”

Octavia was taken aback, not just by her words but the sincerity that seemed bound to them. “Benji… that hardly sounds like something you’d normally say.”

Her sister smiled and shrugged. “Four years is a long time to go without seeing somepony you care about, especially when the parting was on such bad terms as ours.”

The cellist nodded solemnly. “We both meant what we said, didn’t we?”

“If I were a gambler, I’d wager that we still mean it,” the unicorn acknowledged. “So how about this time we just… agree to disagree? We are sisters, after all.”

“I guess you’re right,” Octavia said after a moment’s consideration. She then smiled and gestured to the door. “I see your temper hasn’t improved any.”

Benjamina laughed. “They’ve taken to calling me the ‘Fireball of the West,’ if you’ll believe it. But it gets the job done. I really am sorry about not showing up tonight, Octy. I promise I’ll make it up to your friends in the morning.”

Octavia took on her regal look for a moment. “You don’t have a choice: I told them you were guaranteed to show up for breakfast.” She winked. “I was prepared to be a fireball, myself.”

“Come on,” her sister ordered kindly as the cellist yawned, “you’ve had a long trip. Walk and talk: I’ll bring you to your room. So how’s everyone back home? Mom and dad still fighting like Timberwolves?”

“And loving every moment of it,” Octavia acknowledged with a grin. “They wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t get to see them so often anymore since I moved out of Trottingham.”

They stepped out of the office and started to make their way across the courtyard, fireflies glowing in the night and frogs chirping loudly. The grass was cool under their hooves, a stark but pleasant contrast to the warm night air.

“What about our siblings?” Benjamina asked as they walked the perimeter of the pond, their reflections shimmering in the water’s surface. “Chalkboard still a lazy bum?”

Her jovial manner made Octavia grin. “Yes, he still surfs. That’s one pony I don’t think will ever change.”

Her sister shook her head with a roll of her eyes. “And he used to be so hard on himself. Oh well, I guess not everypony can be like us, hmm? I hear Harpsi Chord’s taken a real liking to you these past few years.”

At that the cellist blushed. “Yes… he seems to think he’ll be a great cello player some day.”

“Everyone needs a hero,” Benjamina declared pleasantly. “You should feel honored he chose you.”

Octavia couldn’t help the doubt that crept into her mind. “I never felt like a hero…”

Benjamina paused at the entrance to a stairwell, her expression firm. “You should take more pride in your successes, Octy. I heard about what you did, helping to rescue the Crystal Empire from Sombra’s return. And now you’re on this team to help Nildia. Somepony out there must think you’re heroic enough.”

“I’m going to be a translator, Benji,” Octavia declared without enthusiasm. “That’s the extent of it. Not very heroic.”

Her sister gestured for her to follow. As they climbed up the stairs the unicorn noted pointedly, “They could have chosen any old pony or nilgiri to act as a translator. They chose you. Aren’t you proud? I am.”

It was Octavia’s turn to stop. She was so surprised by what she’d just heard she had to sit and think on it to be certain she’d heard it. “Did you just… did you really just say that?”

Benjamina paused to give her a smart smile at the top of the stairs. “Even if we don’t usually get along, I can still be proud of my sister. You make it easy, Octavia.”

The cellist hesitated, climbing the stairs with head low. “But… you said my career was pointless. I remember you laughing when I told you what I’d decided to do for a living. It really hurt…”

“And you proved me wrong,” the unicorn confessed, waiting patiently for her to catch up. “I might not visit the family much, Octy, but I do keep an eye on all of you. You might not be a rich pony, but you worked hard and forced ponies to recognize you despite all your setbacks. If I respect anything, it’s hard work. My only problem is that I don’t think you have the reputation I know you should by now, and it’s not your fault at all.”

Octavia had to sit down once more. Never in her life had her sister dropped so much praise upon her head before. Benjamina, the most critical, harsh, perfectionist pony she’d ever known. “You… mean that…?”

Her sister facefaulted. “If you’re going to keep doing this every time I open my mouth it’ll be time for breakfast by the time we get to your room.”

“Right, sorry.”

“…and yes, I mean it.”

Octavia was flattered. Truly. She had no idea what to say to this, so she didn’t say anything. Her sister… maybe she’d changed a bit in the past four years. It was a pleasant idea, pleasant enough that Octavia was starting to forgive her for not showing up that evening.

“So…” Benjamina added after a few nervous seconds, “…how long are you and your friends supposed to stick around?”

“Until the problem is solved, I guess,” the cellist answered. “I don’t really know.”

“However long it takes, we simply must take time to visit properly. I’ll do my part, sis. Promise.”

For the first time since this trip had started, Octavia was beginning to like how things were going. “I’ll look forward to it.”

“I am not looking forward to this,” Fluttershy noted anxiously.

“Perhaps you should consider what Fine is going through right now,” Princess Celestia replied beside her, though there was clear worry in her voice.

They were in one of the house’s four towers, in a windowless room on the fourth floor. The walls were made of dark wood, floor and ceiling similarly so. It was dimly illuminated by a candled, enchanted chandelier that kept the room in a flickering dim light. Fine had referred to this place as the Room of Solace, though he’d never explained why. In the center of the room sat the only piece of furniture: the rack, which had somehow been moved upstairs. And on the rack lay Fine, carefully being strapped in by Princess Luna’s magic. Just as Fluttershy had expected, the image was a strange one.

And somewhat disturbing.

Fine had his eyes closed tight as he allowed himself to be strapped in. “I know I’m fretting pointlessly,” he declared, “but you’re really sure I won’t be able to use my magic?”

“It’s alright to fret,” the Princess of the Night answered calmly. “Considering the stakes, I’d be worried if you weren’t bothered. To answer your question, yes, I am certain. I removed the old spell and forged an entirely new one with my sisters help. The curse should be stronger now than it ever was.”

“Good…” he muttered, though he didn’t seem comforted. “…that’s good…”

Princess Celestia took a sharp step forward, the sound of her hoof striking the wooden floor echoing eerily in the room. “Fine, you can still change your mind. You do not have to go through with this task.”

But he answered without hesitation. “Yes I do. I absolutely must go through with it.”

The Princess took a heavy breath of displeasure, but did not press him. She turned her eyes on Fluttershy, who shrank under that gaze. Celestia didn’t have to speak to make it clear she was making the same offer to Fluttershy.

The pegasus was nervous, even scared. But she reminded herself that she wasn’t the one taking the real risk. It was Fine Crime strapped to that rack, about to face weeks if not months of both mental and physical agony. If he was willing to go so far, Fluttershy wasn’t about to back down. It would have been like an act of betrayal.

Celestia clearly understood her intentions, for she turned away haughtily and said nothing.

“Alright, last part,” Luna noted quietly, a small horn-shaped cap and band floating over Fine. “Once this is over your horn, you shouldn’t be able to use your magic.” Encased in a dark glow, the cap slowly slid down over Fine’s horn, the band encircling his head. “Try it now.”

Fine simply lay there, eyes tightening as he tried to use his magic. For nearly a minute they all remained still. At last the unicorn relaxed. “Nope, it’s definitely working.”

“Can you move?”

He struggled against the shackles and bonds that covered his body, finally opening his eyes to try to examine himself. He tried to move his head, but couldn’t get it more than an inch up from the rack. His entire body was completely pinned, and after several seconds of straining he relaxed once more. “Got me wrapped tighter than a Hearth’s Warming Eve present. My compliments to the dark mistress.”

Luna was not amused, nor was anypony else in the room. “We shall wait for you to have a vision, as agreed. If you cannot free yourself, we will be…” She paused just short of saying ‘satisfied.’ “…we will accept the situation.”

“Alright,” he whispered, eyes flickering around at his bonds. “It usually takes around five minutes. Celestia, would you come within eyesight, please? The vision will be stronger if you’re both in view.”

Celestia did as he asked, going to stand regally beside her sister. Fluttershy hesitated, until he called her name. “Are… are you sure…?”

He made a motion with his head, perhaps meant to be a nod. “Consider it a preview of coming attractions. This way you’ll get a small taste of what’s coming.”

She sighed but approached, standing beside Luna and near his hind legs. She didn’t like to see him tied up like that, nor the fact that she’d have to keep him like this for an unknown amount of time. But if it was what needed to be done…

“How will we know when you’re having a vision?” Celestia asked.

Luna glanced at her sister in mild surprise. “You’ve not seen it?” Celestia shook her head. “Trust me, sister, you will know it when it happens.”

Fluttershy set her front hooves to the rack so she could get a better view of his face. “Fine… things will be okay, right?”

He couldn’t look down at her, but she still saw him smile in that charming way he only rarly used. “Trust me.”

“We’re trying to,” Princess Luna noted sourly.

His eyes went to her, a playful smile on his lips. “Oh, don’t be so ser…”

Abruptly his entire demeanor changed. His smile faded, and a strange, hungry expression came over his face. He stared up at the two princesses for several seconds, quietly studying them.

And then he jerked against his bonds with a force that made all three of them take a cautious step back.

His breathing coming in a slow, heavy rhythm, he strained against his bonds for several seconds. His eyes remained locked on the two princesses for a time, but then they shifted around, noting the bonds that had him pinned. His lips curled back into a sneer, he jerked about a few times as if to test his mobility. Once he seemed certain he wasn’t going to escape his eyes snapped back to the Princesses, hatred and eagerness combining in a freakish manner on his menacing face.

“Clever…” he whispered, his voice so low Fluttershy almost didn’t hear it. “Clever bitches.” He fought against the bonds yet again, face going red with the strain. He began to mutter something, but it was too quiet for her to hear.

Celestia leaned back, eyes wide as she listened. “Such language…”

Fluttershy couldn’t resist the question. “W…w-what is he saying…?”

The Princess shook her head, face alarmed and insulted at once. “You do not want to hear it. Just know he is describing in careful detail how he intends to murder us. It is most… graphic.” The answer made the pegasus shiver uncertainly.

Only Luna didn’t seem affected by his behavior. She remained sitting in place, glaring harshly at the Mane Archon but saying nothing. Fluttershy had to wonder how many times she’d witnessed something like this. Perhaps she’d even seen him kill.

Fine abruptly let out a short but fierce shout of frustration that made the pegasus jump in alarm. When he spoke again he was loud enough to be easily heard. “…kill you, I’m going to kill you both. You can’t keep me down like this forever. You’ll slip up, and when you do I’ll slit your throats, I swear it. You’re both gonna die and it’s gonna feel so good. I can just see the blood. Can you see the blood? It’s beautiful. Let me show you the blood, I wanna show you the blood.”

His voice was starting to grow louder with every word. “Come on, come on let me go so I can kill you. Let me go. Let me go. Let me go! Release me now so I can ram your damn horns up your cunts and rip your fucking wings off!”

The vulgar language had Fluttershy cowering on the floor, head under her hooves. “I-i-is he g-g-g-oing to be l-l-like this every t-t-t-time?”

Princess Luna shushed her kindly, rubbing her hoof between the pegasus’ wings comfortingly. “Look, he’s coming out of it.”

Despite her horror Fluttershy did as she was told and stood on trembling legs to watch. Fine was pressing against his bonds, but it looks more like he was stretching than trying to escape. His eyes rolled back and his mouth opened wide as a long gasp of relief escaped his throat. He began to blink rapidly, his entire body going slack and his breathing coming in short gasps as if he’d just run a marathon, small traces of sweat appearing on his brow.

Then he let out a miserable groan. “Oh goddess that hurts…” He glanced at the Princesses dully. “I guess that was a successful test run?”

“Indeed it was,” Luna answered solemnly.

Celestia glowered at him disapprovingly. “You are truly a monster, Fine Crime. The things you just said…”

“You don’t have to tell me,” he muttered, glancing away from her with a dark expression.

“This also proved something else,” Luna noted, catching everypony’s attention with her tone. “Fluttershy is most certainly immune.”

“I… I am…?”

“Indeed. I was paying close attention to his… descriptions. His bloodlust was only targeted at Celestia and myself.” The dark blue alicorn turned her eyes on Fluttershy thoughtfully. “He had no interest in harming you. I must wonder why.”

“I wonder,” Celestia noted, more to herself than the ponies in the room. “Perhaps it has something to do with her being in tune with the Elements of Harmony.”

“That’s not it,” Fine grumbled from the rack. “I had visions about the other Element Bearers in the past.”

“We may never know,” Luna admitted, stepping back. “Now that we are certain your bonds will hold, I suggest my sister and I return to Canterlot. Without us around the situation may prove easier for you.”

“I agree,” Celestia noted, though it was clear she was more interested in getting away from Fine. Fluttershy could tell the Princess wasn’t afraid of him. Her reaction was something more akin to disgust. “We will be checking in every now and again, but do not hesitate to call on us if you should feel the need, Fluttershy.”

Celestia made her way to the door, but Luna lingered. She stepped up to the rack and stared down at Fine, who met her gaze firmly. Fluttershy watched their silent exchange, wondering what they were thinking.

“Good luck,” she told him seriously. And with a last, grave glance towards Fluttershy, she followed her sister out.

Fluttershy couldn’t help feeling nervous. Here she was, in this barren dark room, alone with a stallion who had just attempted to kill the two most powerful ponies in the world. And she was supposed to… what? She walked timidly over to stand next to his head, observing him anxiously. His eyes caught hers, and he smiled. She couldn’t believe he could smile at a time like this.

“So… what now?” she asked hesitantly.

“Nothing,” he answered. “You don’t even have to stick around if you don’t want to. Just… check on me a few times a day. You know, to keep me alive and all.”

She eyed the rack he was on. He had so many straps and cuffs and ropes tied to him it was ridiculous. “This really seems a strange way to go about it, Fine.”

“Anything less and I could escape,” he reminded her. “If things go the way I expect, then in a couple weeks you won’t think it so extreme.” He glanced at her face and must have seen something he didn’t like. “Look, you don’t have to stay. I wouldn’t want to.”

She studied his unhappy face for a moment and realized that he really expected her to leave. Somehow that expression made her want to stick around, perhaps to prove to him and herself that she could handle it. She glanced around the darkly-illuminated room, wondering what it would be like to have to lie there alone for hours with nopony to talk to. Unable to alleviate the boredom, unable to so much as move. And he was willingly subjecting himself to that?

She sat, determine to go nowhere. At least not yet. “I’m not going anywhere.”

His eyes went to her, and he smiled. “…thanks.”

She returned the smile, and for a moment they remained that way. Quiet, anxious, not certain what to do. “Hey… do me a favor?” She blinked, nodded uncertainly. “Sing for me.”

She tilted her head questioningly. “Really?”

He nodded, or tried to as well as he could. “To pass the time.”

Author's Note

New formatting style! Opinions, please.

So Fine's finally taking the plunge with Fluttershy. I've been eager to get to this point for some time. I actually wanted to get to it earlier for the sake of shortening this Series, but couldn't find a way to do it without making everything seem jumpy. And now I have to resolve everything involving it before the end of the Series... yeah, I doubt I can do that and keep it under ten Episodes. Oh well.

Character Detail: Octavia Melody
Species: Earth Pony
Coat: Gray
Mane: Dark Gray
Eyes: Mulberry
Age: 25
Cutie Mark: Pink Treble Clef
Special Talent: Singing

When I first started this story I knew I needed to have at least one popular background pony, and seeing as of how Octavia's by far my favorite background pony she was the obvious choice. But I didn't want to make an Octavia that pandered to common conceptions: I wanted her character be a bit more original, if at all possible. I immediately nixed any potential relationships to Vinyl Scratch, which has been done to death by now. The idea of her parents being harsh on her and forcing her to learn the cello was also thrown out as too common. I also heard some speculations on the interwebs about Octavia being somehow related to Pinkie, so I kept away from that on principal.

With these few rules, I tried to make Octavia my own. She comes from a large, (mostly) loving middle-class family and has an Indian (Nildian) heritage. Why Indian? Why not? She's not elite but works to get there, and her image and reputation are extremely important to her. I wanted her to be a very capable pony: intelligent, resourceful, confident, amiable, honorable, hard-working. In a word: awesome. But because of her nature as a background pony these traits go largely unnoticed.

One of the unusual things I added to Octavia's personality was a complete disinterest in relationships or, to put it simply, a low libido. While this doesn't completely nix the idea of her getting involved in a romantic relationship, it does make it unlikely that one will form in this story. If there's any chance at all of a romantic relationship happening for her, it would be with Jimmy Stone, but that's iffy too as he has potential to be with Rarity. Decisions, decisions. Perhaps when the story is completed I can make a shipping fic about this potential triangle?

White Walls and Perfect Acoustics

The ponies were all gathered around a large wooden table in the inner courtyard of Benjamina’s mansion. Twilight, Upper Crust and Octavia were sitting on one side, Rochette, Applejack and Spike on the other. It was late in the afternoon, but still sweltering hot. Twilight and Upper Crust were visibly bothered; the rest didn’t seem to mind much. They were surrounded by tall, exotic flowers that they had originally appreciated. Now those flowers were nothing short of annoying thanks to the incessant bugs they seemed to attract.

Twilight glanced up at the sky for the fifth time in the last ten minutes and finally sighed in defeat. “Alright, I guess Rainbow and Jimmy are gonna be late. Why don’t we start without them?”

“Might as well,” Octavia agreed. “It’s not likely they’ll have anything new to report.”

“Alrigh’ then,” Applejack declared, “why doncha go first, Upper Crust? You get anything else outta the big shots?”

“Not a thing,” the unicorn confessed sadly. “They’re tired, like all the other nilgiri around here. Everypony in the government claims to know nothing. Octavia and I are inclined to believe it.”

“What about in the books?” Octavia asked Twilight seriously. “You spent so much time in the national library, surely you found something?”

“Nope, dead end,” Spike answered dully.

“It really doesn’t make sense,” Twilight added angrily. “In all of Nildia’s history there’s never been any cases like this at all. I mean, the occasional tsunami, sure, but repeated incidents so close together?”

“You’d have to go into local mythology to get anything like that,” Rochette noted sagely.

Twilight slammed her hoof on the table. “I am not about to start thinking that some ancient god is causing all of this!”

Applejack and the Interior Advisor gave one another concerned looks. “Ah know it sounds a little odd, Twiligh’,” the orange mare admitted anxiously, “bu’ Rochette and ah’ve been talkin’ ta nilgiri all along the coast fer a week. They all keep talkin’ abou’ their dreams featurin’ this ancien’ elephant character.”

Twilight rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Please, Applejack, these waves are real! Why would some god from an old abandoned nilgiri faith come back now after nearly two thousand years? It doesn’t make sense!”

“But Twilight,” Spike noted worriedly, “it also doesn’t make sense for all the nilgiri to have dreams of the same thing all at once. Don’t you find that a little odd? I mean even you saw it in your dream the other night.”

Twilight groaned and dropped her chin to the table in exasperation. “I know, but it just doesn’t… fit. This god… what was his name…?”

“In the faith he was called Aśāṃt Jal-Kṣetra,” Rochette answered helpfully.

At Twilight’s annoyed expression Octavia added, “In Equestrian it translates directly as ‘Riptide’.”

“This ‘Riptide’ can’t be responsible for the waves,” the unicorn grumbled bitterly. “Why would he wait so long to get mad that nopony’s worshipping him anymore? There has to be a reasonable, scientific explanation behind this.”

“Don’ ask me, Sugarcube,” Applejack replied with a lost expression. “Ah jus’ know what the nilgiri have been sayin’, and they’re all stuck on this idea tha’ Riptide’s back with a vengeance.”

“I suppose this means we won’t be able to count on the local populace for help, after all,” Upper Crust noted unhappily.

“The nilgiri take spirituality seriously,” Octavia replied in her usual regal manner. “If they believe some presumed-extinct god from a near-forgotten faith is haunting their dreams, it would be hard to convince them otherwise.”

“Princess Luna said she was looking into this massive dream invasion,” Twilight reminded them. “She hasn’t contacted any of us…?” A quick glance around the table confirmed her suspicions. “We’ll just have to trust that she knows what she’s doing. I mean she is Princess Luna, after all. In the meantime we need hard evidence!”

“Well ‘hard evidence’ is proving very elusive,” Upper Crust stated.

Applejack groaned and sat back in her seat in a slovenly fashion, her frustration apparent. “Ah can’ believe we’ve been here a whole week an’ don’ have anythin’ ta show fer it!”

“This is easily the most frustrating task the Princesses have ever given us,” Twilight agreed glumly. “We need a break!”

“I think I can accommodate,” a voice announced from the humid, empty air. A flash of light later and Discord appeared, standing tall atop the table. Everyone let out a surprised shout, not because of his sudden arrival but because he was holding a very banged-up looking Jimmy Stone in his arms.

“Jim!” Octavia stood up in alarm. “What happened to him?”

Discord set the pegasus pony down on the table gently, appearing genuinely concerned. “Another wave hit,” he explained simply. “Our friend here got caught in it.”

“I’m gonna be okay,” Jimmy answered, raising his head to smile weakly through his mane. “Just a broken wing and some bruises.”

“Thank goddess,” Applejack muttered.

“Wait, where’s Rainbow Dash?” Spike asked.

Just at that moment the blue pegasus’ rainbow wake appeared high in the sky, curving down towards the mansion in a wide arc. She landed in the grass near the table, panting heavily. “Hey guys, I got back as quick as I could! Thanks for carrying him Discord,” she added to the draconequus sincerely.

“Are you okay?” Upper Crust asked, stepping down to study the pegasus swiftly.

“Yeah, I’m alright,” Rainbow answered, walking up to the table. “I was a mile or so off from the island and saw the wave coming. Jimmy didn’t see it ‘till too late, though. He was lucky: he managed to fly high and missed the bulk of the wave.”

Jimmy groaned and laid his head back down. “Nye’s gonna kill me if he finds out about this.”

“Fortunately for him I was in the jungles nearby,” Discord added seriously. “If I’d not been there to snatch him out of the water there’s no telling where he might have ended up. Smashed on some mountainside rocks, I’d wager.”

“You saved his life?” Upper Crust asked, amazed.

The draconequus gave her a dirty look. “Oh, look: Discord has a soul!” He reached into his chest fur and pulled out a big red cartoon heart. “And a heart to boot.” A big cowpony boot appeared in a flash of light to punt the heart out of the mansion amid cheers from nopony visible.

“Well I appreciate the help,” Rainbow reminded him with a glower at Upper Crust. “Getting Jim back here would have been a lot harder without ya.”

“This is just perfect!” Twilight snapped furiously. “Another freak wave hits, nearly killing one of our own and probably wiping out another settlement, and here we are chasing our tails because we don’t have a clue what’s causing them!”

“It’s a sea monster,” Jimmy announced matter-of-factly.

Everypony went silent, staring at him dumbly.

“I saw it in the waters,” he explained. “I didn’t really get a good look, just a flash of something huge and bluish. But there’s one thing I did see, and that was its scales.”

“Scales?” Spike asked curiously, glancing at his own scaled body.

Jimmy nodded weakly and took a moment to eye the table he was lying on. “It was… I dunno… one scale was maybe four times the size of this table I’m on.”

Another moment of stark silence. It was Twilight who finally snapped out of it, leaning against the table to look the wounded pegasus in the eye. “Jimmy… are you sure about that?”

He nodded. “Give or take a foot. Now can somepony please get me a doctor?”

“I’ve got it,” Rochette declared, disappearing out of the courtyard at a gallop.

“Well at least somepony finally saw somethin’,” Applejack noted, though she didn’t sound very enthusiastic.

“H-how are we supposed to stop something t-t-that big…?” Spike asked.

“I’m not sure we can,” Octavia noted hesitantly.

“Well there must be something,” Upper Crust muttered.

“You could appeal to Riptide,” Discord suggested simply.

“Not funny, Discord,” Twilight grumbled.

He raised his hands in a calming gesture, his face patient. “It’s not a joke, Twilight Sparkle. I did find the once abandoned temple to Riptide in my recent searches.”

“Once abandoned?” Rainbow asked.

He nodded. “Oh it’s quite the attraction, now. You wouldn’t believe how many nilgiri are visiting the place since those dreams started. They should start charging admissions.”

“I don’t see how visiting an ancient temple helps solve the current crisis,” Twilight noted sourly.

“It’s worth a look,” Upper Crust countered. “At the very least we might find a clue or two relating to the dreams all the nilgiri have been having.”

“That’s Luna’s area,” Twilight grumbled.

“But it migh’ be connected ta the sea monster,” Applejack threw in helpfully. “Come on, Twiligh’, we’ve exhausted all our other leads.”

“I can show you were it is,” Discord offered, a flash of light putting him in safari clothing. “Come on, you’re in Nildia! You might as well see the sights.”

“We’re not here to see the sights,” Twilight snarled, but after a few seconds of contemplation she sighed in resignation. “All right, why not? It’s not like anything else we’ve been doing lately is working. We’ll all go tomorrow, first thing in the morning.”

“Excellent!” The draconequus flew up into the air with a grin. “I’ll see you ponies then! I have a date with the President.” And he was gone, flying off beyond the mansion and their vision.

“Why do ah get the feelin’ the President doesn’ know about this ‘date’?” Applejack asked worriedly.

“He’s just being Discord,” Rainbow replied in a disinterested manner. “Let him have his fun now and again; gets it out of his system.”

“I guess,” Octavia agreed, her eyes going to the pony resting on the table. “Jimmy, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Oh yeah,” he answered sarcastically, clapping his hooves together before letting his front legs fall limply to his sides, “just peachy. But you’ll excuse me if I decide not to join you guys on your little day trip tomorrow.”

The palace seemed very familiar, even if Upper Crust couldn’t place it. She had no idea how long she’d been wandering its gilded white marble halls, but it felt like an eternity. They seemed to stretch on forever, both in front and behind. Pristine, clean, perfect. Great archways signaled new hallways, stretching on with equal infinity beyond her sight. High above, the ceiling was cleared with great windows that kept the world illuminated in a pure, almost holy light. And she just walked on, her hoofsteps echoing quietly in her ears.

Why did all of this seem so familiar? Had she been in this maze before? She simply couldn’t recall. She kept glancing out windows, but was always rewarded with nothing but the bright light of an unseen world, almost as if the sun where right there in her face. Sometimes she would turn down one of the hallways, hoping for some sort of change in the scenery, but it was always the exact same.

She had been amazed upon first arriving. Then, as time went on, she was annoyed. She gradually came to understand that she was totally and completely alone in this white, glimmering world. Annoyance turned to fear; where was everypony? Why couldn’t she get anywhere? Fear evolved into panic as she ran from hall to hall, window to window, seeking escape. She’d cried out, bucked the walls. Once she even tried jumping out one of the windows, only to land instantly on another solid marbled floor in another hallway just like all the others.

So now she just trudged along, feeling trapped in a massive universe of pearly hallways and blindingly-bright light.

There was no telling how long it had been. The complete absence of anything to focus on made the arrival of a new sound clear to her ears. It was a rhythmic, light thumping noise. Desperate for something new to grace her world, Upper Crust rushed after it, down hallways and around corners, praying that there might be some means of escape.

What she found startled her completely: it was an elderly pink unicorn mare with a purple mane. She was sitting in the middle of the hallway bouncing a large red ball under her hoof. Her attention seemed completely focused on the activity.

“Mom?” Upper Crust walked to stand in front of her, mildly amazed at the sight. “What are you doing here?”

“Hmm…?” The pony glanced at her, the ball still bouncing pointlessly. “Oh, hello Upper my dear. Just bouncing. You know how I love bouncing.”

The younger mare tilted her head at her mother in confusion. “But… how did you get here? Do you know where we are?”

“It doesn’t matter,” the pink unicorn replied, eyes locked happily on her ball.

Upper Crust didn’t understand. “Why are you bouncing that ball?”

“Because I love bouncing.”

She sagged, dumbfounded. “Mom, we need to find a way out of here. Come on.”

“Oh no, Upper. I have to keep bouncing.”

Now she was getting frustrated. “But why?”

“Why?” The elderly mare looked at her for the first time, the ball still bouncing steadily under her hoof. “There doesn’t need to be a why, the bouncing is why enough. Silly girl, don’t you know anything?”

Upper Crust was really starting to hate that thumping noise. “But it’s not achieving anything!”

Her mother smiled kindly and turned back to her ball. “It doesn’t have to achieve anything. We don’t have to achieve anything at all. Just be happy with the way things are, Upper Crust.”

She couldn’t stand it; she turned from her mother in a huff and trotted away.

“That’s a good girl,” her mother called ignorantly, “go and see your father. I’m sure he’s looking forward to seeing you.”

Upper Crust didn’t care. She just moved away from her, and from that horribly incessant thumbing sound! She trotted along, grinding her teeth in frustration until the noise finally abated and all she could hear was her own echoing hoofsteps once more.

Hours passed. Or maybe it was minutes. She had no way of knowing with that constant light. Regardless, eventually a new sound hit her ears. It was a voice, counting. She followed the sound, recognizing the voice but having difficulty identifying it.

And then, turning down a new hallway just like all the others, she found him: her father. He was a short yellow unicorn with a dark grey mane, sitting at a pure white table of the same marble as the rest of their surroundings.

“Five-seventy-three, five-seventy-five, five-seventy-nine, five-twenty-two, five-twenty-eight…”

“Father?” Upper Crust rounded the table and saw that it was covered in white feathers. They were in piles, and with each number a feather rose up from one pile and moved to another at random. “Father… what are you doing?”

“Five-oh-four, five-oh-six, five-oh-eight, four-ninety-nine…”

She stood beside him, waved a hoof before his tired-looking eyes. “Father, are you okay…?”

“Four-eighty-six, four-eighty-seven, four-seventy, four-seventy-four…”

She grabbed him and shook him. “Father, talk to me, what are you doing?”

“Four-seventy-seven, Four-seventy-nine…”

“Why are you counting the feathers?” she asked, glancing nervously at the table. “Father? What’s the point of all this?”

“Four-fifty-one, four-fifty-six, four-fifty-eight…”

Upper Crust ground her teeth in frustration and shouted right into his ear. “Pay attention to me!”

“Four-thirty-three,” His tired, mindless stare never faltered. “Four-thirty-nine…”

The mare let out a cry of frustration and raked her leg across the table, knocking the feathers into the air. They floated wildly and drifted down to the ground, and still the old stallion kept mindlessly on. “Four-ten, four-twelve, four-seventeen…” Feathers began to rise up from the floor to the table in quiet, pointless defiance.

Snarling in anger, Upper Crust turned away and stomped from the table: the old goat was dead anyway.

That thought hit her like a hammer, and just when it did the counting stopped. She stood perfectly still, listening to the silence, her heart pounding in her chest.

Her father was dead.

Slowly, fearfully, she turned around.

The table was still there, but it was empty. No feathers, no unicorn. Just a table, sitting without purpose in the middle of the hall.

Upper Crust fled, running as fast as her hooves could take her. Where was she, why was she seeing her dead father in this place? Was there some kind of escape? There had to be! Please oh please let this not be the eternity after death!

She galloped through the endless halls, crying out her frustration in short, angry screams. She had to find an exit, it had to be around here somewhere!

At last she couldn’t keep on running; she had to slow to a tired walk, her hooves aching and her mind numb. She didn’t care where she was anymore, or why she was there. She just wanted to go home. Ponyville, even Canterlot would be better than this…

At some point she realized she wasn’t in a hallway anymore. Blinking, wondering what horrible sight she might have to endure next, she glanced around.

She was in a vast room, its vast vaulted ceilings held aloft by pillars so wide she imagined it would take four Big Macs standing front-to-back to cover the diameter. Massive windows kept the place illuminated in that terrible bright light, and before her, raised atop a tall stairwell, was a pair of thrones. There was a pony on one of those matching seats, lounging comfortably. Upper Crust was halfway up the stairs before she recognized him: Jet Set.

He had a magnificent royal cape and a gold-gilded crown. He lazed on the thrown happily. Between the two thrones on a displaying plinth sat a big bowl of juicy purple grapes, which Jet was leisurely levitating into his mouth.

“Ah, Uppity!” He grinned at the sight of her, spreading his hooves wide in welcome. “Come, my beautiful queen! Sit next to me, enjoy the fruits of our labors.”

Upper Crust was finally at the top of the stairs, panting quietly. “Labors…?” she asked stupidly, “What labors?”

Jet laughed happily. “What labors, indeed?”

She stood before him, eyeing the other massive throne warily when he gestured for her to sit in it. “Jet, how did you get here?”

He smacked his lips on a grape and grinned. “Why, I belong here. Just like you, my dove.”

“I do?” Upper Crust couldn’t agree less. “Jet, what is this place?”

“Heaven, of course.” He laughed and winked at her alarmed expression. “What? We’re rich, Uppity. Isn’t that enough? Just relax and enjoy your just rewards!”

She took a step back, shaking her head in anger. “No… no! Jet this isn’t right. I shouldn’t be here.”

“Oh of course you should!” Jet shook his head at her as if she were a filly saying something obviously stupid. “Come on, Uppity, just take a seat. You deserve it, after all.”

“Shut up!” The mare stamped booth hooves angrily. “Why can’t you understand that this is wrong!?”

“This is not at all what I anticipated.”

Upper Crust blinked, startled by the new voice. She turned around to look down the stairs and was shocked to see, standing at the very bottom, Princess Luna. “P-Princess? What are you doing here?”

Luna smiled up at her kindly. “I could ask you the same question.”

Things began to click in her mind, and suddenly Upper Crust’s memory came rushing back. She groaned and sat, glancing back at her husband who was busy gorging himself on grapes and clearly hadn’t noticed the Princess. “Of course, I’m having that dream again.”

“Again?” Luna asked from the bottom of the stairs. “So you’ve been here before.”

The unicorn nodded dejectedly as she began to make her way back down the stairs. “Yes. While I’m having it I don’t remember anything, but then I wake up and I realize I’ve had this dream before. Then within an hour I forget all about it… until I have the dream again and the cycle repeats.”

The Princess nodded knowingly. “I understanding. That is not an uncommon pattern of recurring dreams.”

Once on the same level as Luna Upper Crust dropped into a proper bow, but only for a moment. “I hate this dream,” she muttered grumpily.

“I think I would, too,” Luna admitted, taking a moment to glance around at the brilliant white surroundings. “To be trapped within the illusion of perfection; it strikes me as very uncomfortable.”

“Illusion of perfection?” Upper Crust followed Luna’s example, head swiveling as she studied the area around her. “Yeah… I guess that does fit. I can never find the exit of this terrible place…”

Princess Luna smiled. “Perhaps the exit cannot be found by simply looking. Maybe you should make the exit yourself.”

For a second Upper Crust was confused by this answer, but just for a second. “I tried that,” she admitted sadly. “The walls are impervious, the windows just lead to more hallways…”

She went silent as the Princess set a hoof to her chest. She gazed up at the alicorn dumbly as Luna corrected, “Dreams are made from what’s in here, Upper Crust. You made this world, and so you can change it. If you but knew how, you could do anything you wanted, for this is your dream.”

Upper Crust sat, thinking on this. “I… don’t understand, Princess.”

“What is it that you dream of?” Luna asked gently. “I don’t mean this world. I mean when you are awake. What is it that you seek in life?”

A year ago she wouldn’t have had any idea how to answer. Now it was easy. “I want to do something amazing that will have ponies all across Equestria remember my name. I want to stand before my husband and have him be proud of what I’ve done. And when I’m old and have grandchildren I want them to see what I’ve done and be inspired. I’m tired of…” She hesitated before gesturing to the dream-version of her husband on his throne, “…that.”

Luna cast her gaze up to Jet Set for a moment, her expression unreadable. “That is a good dream. If you continue to pursue it, then someday you’ll make your exit from this prison, of that I am certain.”

Upper Crust shifted anxiously, both surprised and embarrassed at once. “You… you really think so…?”

The Princess nodded, lowering her head to the unicorn’s level with a proud smile. “For what reason do we live but to pursue our dreams? All ponies in this wide world have something they wish to achieve. Often the only thing differentiating the successful from the rest is that they had the drive to fight for their dreams. So you keep on struggling, my friend, and you will achieve everything your heart desires.”

Upper Crust felt… warm… when she heard those words. She grinned and nodded, suddenly very happy that the Princess was here with her.

“But for now,” Luna noted, standing tall once more and spreading her wings wide, “let me give you a helping hoof.”

The alicorn’s horn glowed darkly, and within seconds long cracks began to form in the pristine marble walls. No sound came as the cracks grew, spread, and eventually encased the entire world like a massive webbing. And then, with the sound of shattering glass, the world erupted! Walls, pillars, floor and ceiling rose up into a starry night sky in jagged pieces, fading into the endless abyss.

And the two ponies found themselves standing in an endless field of tall, swaying grass. It had to be one of the most beautiful things Upper Crust had ever seen. She beamed up at her Princess, unable to convey her gratitude.

The alicorn smiled down at her kindly. “Someday you’ll be able to do that one your own.”

Upper Crust nodded happily. “I will, I promise!”

For a moment Luna’s wonderful gaze remained upon her, but then the Princess began to scan their surroundings. “It pleases me to see that this dream of yours remains untouched by the foul thing that has haunted so many others.”

The unicorn sobered quickly. “You mean Riptide.”

“Yes, Twilight told me that was the name of it, from ancient Nildean theology.”

“You saw Twilight recently?” The unicorn asked, surprised.

“I visited her dreams earlier this night,” Luna explained patiently. “I thought it was time to check on all of you. Celestia and I are growing concerned. Already I have visited Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Before the night is over I also intend to visit Octavia, but then I will have to rest. It is well into morning back in Equestria and I’ve spent the entire night chasing after that supposed god in the nilgiri’s nightmares.”

Upper Crust nodded, but was curious. “What about the others? Spike, Applejack, Jimmy?”

The Princess gave her another of those lovely smiles. “I will simply have to visit them tomorrow. I must go soon, but before I do: how have things been going for you in the waking world, Upper Crust?”

The unicorn blushed, astounded that the Princess was inquiring about this. She really seemed to be interested in her, which was… unexpected. “I’m happy to help the others in any way I can,” she admitted, for it was the truth. “I’ve been talking with government officials and the more elite ponies, trying to gather information. I’m afraid they have nothing of use, though. But,” she added hurriedly, “at least I’m making myself useful as a liaison between the team and the government! That’s… that’s something, right…?”

“Indeed it is,” Luna agreed pleasantly. “I am glad to hear that you are so positive. Do not worry, Upper Crust, things will turn around soon.” Upper Crust couldn’t help grinning at this praise.

“But I must continue on,” The Princess declared, spreading her wings once more and taking off into the air. She hovered for a few seconds, smiling down on the unicorn. “Be of good cheer, Upper Crust. Your dream is within reach! I will be watching with great anticipation.”

And then she flew a great circle and disappeared into the starry night sky.

Upper Crust sat in the field, taking in the pleasant sight of it. Princess Luna had taken the time to comfort and encourage her. It felt so… good. She felt at the grass beneath her hooves, delighted in the softness of it. For this one time, she was free to do as she liked in her dreams, free from those terrible marble hallways and blinding light. The darkness felt so much more soothing…

For the first time she truly felt proud to serve the Princess of the Night.

Otto Hooftavius. Amatrottus von Pony. Baron Hoofstoskie. Andrew Lloyd Clopper. Their music wafted, swam, and at times erupted through the night air over an audience so large the concert had to be held outdoors. The brass, the strings, the choir, every pony in the orchestra worked together to forge a perfect harmony of sound.

And at the forefront, guiding them in a state of bliss, was Octavia.

She knew this was a dream. She didn’t care. She was enjoying herself as she knew she never could in the real world. At least, not until she finally finished her own composition. So for now she basked in the music of the masters she had studied all her life, letting her mane wave in music so perfect it caused the winds to stir about her. It was all so… beautiful.

When the music at last died and the audience roared its approval Octavia turned about and bowed, her mind filled with pleasure. She gazed out over the crowds, proud of her achievement even if it was only in her mind. She saw her family in the front row, standing and clapping their hooves in joy. Her parents, her siblings, all so proud of her dream.

But nothing made her so happy as to see the last seat filled. That seat had been empty for years, made so by the eternal strife that had plagued her family. But in the past week the seat had finally been filled: Benjamina had come at last to see her little sister perform. The sight of her made Octavia so happy she could almost cry.

She’d had this dream so many times now that she was able to predict everything that would happen in it. So when the world began to shake and rumble, she took note, for that had never happened before.

Suddenly, to her alarm, the audience in the center aisles began to disappear into the earth. A massive hole was forming, swallowing up everypony. Octavia could only stare in shock as her beautiful dream world was consumed in screams of terror. But Octavia didn’t cry out or flee, not even when she saw her family plunge into that inky black abyss. She just barely noticed the alicorn flying up from a seat in the back and disappearing into the night sky.

And then it appeared: Riptide. It arose from the darkness, massive and towering, its eight thin arms waving majestically and elephant head glaring down at her with angry pink eyes. Its trunk arose high into the sky, it took a long deep breath… and then it uttered a great trumpeting noise. The force of the sound sent a great, putrid wind against the stage, making Octavia stumble back at its force.

And when it was over she merely glared up at the thing in anger.

“How dare you,” she snapped, not bothering to shout. “So you’re the beast I’ve been hearing so much about. Have you no sense of privacy, of decency? Invading the dreams of others, hmmph! You’re no god. I don’t know what you are, but you’re no god.” She could say it easily, because she believed it.

The great multi-armed creature leaned back, seeming startled by her obstinate manner. It squared its mighty shoulders and glared, clearly intent on teaching her a lesson.

She didn’t wait to give it a chance. She reached to her side, grasping the cello that hadn’t been there a moment ago. She glanced back at the orchestra, at all the ponies there, and gave a firm nod. They all understood, and immediately the entire orchestra played a single note as one. The force of the tone literally flowed out from the stage in a visible wave that knocked the being Riptide back.

It shook itself as if to shake off water and glared, clearly furious at Octavia’s blatant refusal to be afraid. It let out another menacing blast of noise, but this time the cellist stood her ground. Once the thing was finished she set bow to string, eyes locked with the beast’s proudly. “This is my dream, and I will not let you soil it with your filthy presence. Let me show you what I can do!”

With that, she began to move the bow violently against the strings, a high-pitched scratching set of tones that made the thing cover its massive ears in pain. She ended it with a single long note, another visible wave flowing from her cello, but a soon as the sound died the orchestra began to play, hard and fast and loud!

The sheer force of the shockwaves sent Riptide reeling, it’s face shocked at this musical resistance to its presence. It recovered, pushing against the soundwaves with fierce determination, and let out a series of trumpeting noises, its own waves flowing against the orchestra’s. An acoustic battle was waged, a sea god furious against the rebellion of Octavia’s stubborn, powerful orchestra! She led the battle with her cello sounding loud and hard against the great beast’s animalistic, rhythm-less braying.

No matter how angry it looked, Octavia would not relent: she was the master of this dream, not it! Somepony had to stand up to it, and she was truly angered at the monster for its disrespectful intrusion into this private fantasy. She wasn’t scared of this thing, no matter what it was.

This was her world!

It seemed like ages, but the great Riptide at last showed signs of weakness. Its trumpet calls grew desperate, its anger was diminishing to frustration and strain. Octavia wasn’t even breathing hard. How could she? She wasn’t actually doing anything: this was all just a dream. She could go on forever, if need be.

Riptide, it seemed, was not so fortunate. It stopped making its calls altogether, covering its ears and grimacing against the endless bombardment of music. Tiring of the struggle, it changed tactics and went for something more physical: a single arm reached forward, pushing hard against the constant strikes of the orchestral soundwaves. Octavia ground her teeth in frustration and mentally urged her fantasy orchestra to play harder, louder, faster! Still that massive hand kept coming, struggling against the force of her music.

It was going to reach her. Despite everything, it was actually going to do it! But the cellist refused to relent; she played even harder, her music battling fiercely against Riptide’s clawing fingers. She would stop this thing, here and now! She screamed out in defiance as a long gray nail lowered down, just about close enough to crush her under its mass…

And then there was a flash of black across the thing’s wrist. Riptide reared back, jerking it arm away even as its hand disconnected and fell into the black abyss below.

Octavia paused her playing to stare in shock even as her orchestra continued to play its violent, angry melody. For a moment she wondered what had just happened… and then she sensed movement at her side. She looked to her right and was surprised to see Princess Luna standing beside her, regal and proud and gazing darkly at the great beast. The Princess turned her head to the cellist and nodded, as if encouraging her. Octavia needed no further urging: she played her cello and watched.

Riptide, still under an acoustic barrage, let out a furious screech that, to the mare surprise, sounded amazingly feminine. It clutched at its wounded arm with two hands, covered its massive ears with two more, and swayed from blow after blow of soundwaves. At last, casting one final angry glare at the stage, it sank back into the black abyss from whence it came, retreating from Octavia’s dream.

The music died, and Octavia let out a long, relieved sigh. She’d actually managed to ward off the beast that had been haunting the nightmares of so many. Her dream was safe! For a tender moment she basked in the silence and the victory.

And then she remembered the Princess.

She turned to her and bowed deep. “My thanks, Princess Luna, for your assistance this night.”

“No need to be so formal,” Luna responded pleasantly. “And you are very welcome. That was certainly a performance I’ll never forget.”

“You saw the entire thing?” Octavia asked as she rose, suddenly very happy.

“I did,” Luna confirmed, turning to face the cellist properly and sitting. “It is a true shame that you are not a unicorn, Octavia. You might have been so amazing as to put Celestia’s prized student to shame.”

Octavia blushed and grinned. “Thank you, but I don’t know about that…”

The Princess smiled in delight. “Modesty, so rare in a pony with so many gifts! Be proud, Octavia: it is very uncommon for any pony to grasp the laws of dreams, but only the truly gifted are able to use those rules in defense of their fantasies. Had you but been a unicorn, you probably would have been capable of traversing the dreams of others as I do.”

“Really?” Octavia considered this for a few seconds, but finally shook her head. “I wouldn’t dare. Dreams are the private realms of a pony’s mind, perhaps the most private. I would feel as though I were intruding.”

“Is that so?”

“Don’t get me wrong,” the cellist added quickly, “I’m glad you came, and I wouldn’t question your presence! I mean, you visit dreams to help ponies in their times of need, unlike that thing.” She cast a glowering glance into the great pit before the stage.

The Princess chuckled at the hasty words. “I took no offense, Octavia. I am simply impressed with you, that is all.”

The cellist glanced away nervously. “I’m not all that impressive…”

At that the Princess’ light manner faded. She studied the cellist critically, making Octavia not just a little worried. Had she said something wrong?

“Do you always put yourself down in such a manner?” Luna asked seriously.

Octavia winced at her tone. “Well… I don’t… I suppose…”

“Why?”

The cellist bowed her head submissively. “…I just… don’t want to be seen as arrogant. Besides, if I was truly capable I’d have a song of my own by now, or at the very least be an elite. I mean, I didn’t go to music school, I have no professional endorsements, and I barely make enough to get by on my high-brow appearance. Look at my sister Benjamina: she’s got more money than the rest of the family combined. Even my lazy big brother Chalk has led a successful, happy life doing what he loves. I try to take on the look of a high-class important pony, but what am I really? Just a simple mare from Trottingham…”

What was she doing? She’d not shared these thoughts with anypony before, not even in her family, so why share them with Princess Luna? Was it because of who she was? Octavia was suddenly ashamed, and quietly wished she’d never said anything at all. What would the Princess think of this horrible display?

She felt Luna’s hoof on her chin, and let it guide her to look up into the Princess’ warm face. “After all this time, I finally understand. Everypony thought you were overqualified for my team, Octavia, but Fine vouched for you. At last I know why.”

This had Octavia entirely bewildered, but before she could say anything the Princess went on. “Has it ever occurred to you, my little pony, that perhaps you are the reason you’ve not achieved your dream?”

This didn’t make things any more clear. “Isn’t that what I just said?”

Luna shook her head, an amused smile on her lips. “No, Octavia, you misunderstand. You doubt yourself. You put yourself down. You’ve done it for so long that you have actually come to believe your words.” The Princess set a hoof to Octavia’s shoulder, her expression kind. “You are one of the most capable ponies I have ever met, and I say that with complete sincerity. But so long as you don’t believe in yourself you will never achieve your dreams, Octavia. You must stop putting yourself down like this. You know what you can do, the battle you just had with Riptide is proof of that! Be proud of your talents, display them for the world to see.”

“But… I don’t…”

“Octavia,” Luna interrupted proudly, “what I just saw you do astounded me. At your age I never could have done it. I want to see you grow and succeed! You deserve it more than any pony I know. But getting there is entirely up to you. Do you want to achieve your dream?”

The cellist, amazed at what she was hearing, could only nod feebly.

“Then do it,” The Princess ordered firmly. “You can make all of Equestria proud if you just set your mind to it.”

Octavia’s heart was skipping around in her chest. To be so praised by the Princess of the Night… She’d never been so pleased with herself. She was happy, she was proud… she was eager! “I’ll do it,” she answered in a whisper, grinning euphorically. “I promise, Princess, I’ll make everypony proud.”

“I have no doubt,” Luna declared happily. She closed her eyes and seemed to be thinking. “It is growing late in the morning in Equestria. I must return. Goodbye, Octavia, it has been a true pleasure.” She turned aside and spread her wings, but before taking off she cast one more thoughtful look at the cellist. She sighed pleasantly. “It is truly a crime against the world that you were not born a unicorn. The possibilities!”

And at last she was gone, disappearing into the starry night skies of Octavia’s dream.

Octavia sat on the hard wood floor of the stage, out of breath but so indescribably happy. She wanted to succeed so much more now than she ever had, for herself and for the Princess. She cast her eyes about the night sky, examining the beautiful stars. Despite all her previous doubts, she felt as though everything was going to go perfectly.

At long last she understood why Fine was so loyal to the Princess of the Night.

Tazel Wyrm sat in the manner that any creature with the lower body of a snake could; wrapping her tail into circles and resting her cat-like upper torso within. She was surrounded by darkness, quietly rubbing her arm and trying to imagine not having a paw. Tall bricks covered in vines surrounded her, and she could hear bats in the ancient ceiling above. Such a drab place… but at least the locals kept bringing food; she snatched a few lychees from the bucket she’d nabbed upon returning and devoured them greedily.

You seem annoyed.

Tazel glowered at the wall. “Shut up, Silma.”

Such frustration! What happened, Tazel?

Damned pony. Tazel knew she would have to answer eventually. “I just got my hand cut off, and it wasn't very pleasant. So if you’ll excuse me I’m going to take a break from terrorizing ponies for a few hours.”

Cut off your hand? Clearly you mean in the dreams. How?

The creature raised her orange paw, turning it around a few times as if seeing it for the first time in ages. “I’m not the only one capable of manipulating dreams, Silma. You should know.”

…so, you met her again. The Princess of the Night.

Tazel grimaced and grabbed a mangosteen, using her claws to force it open so she could rapidly devour the fruit inside. “Yeah, I met her,” she grumbled after a few bites, “and she’s the one who did it. What really annoys me is that pony friend of hers.”

Pony friend? You mean you weren’t in a nilgiri’s dream?

“Not this time,” she answered angrily, chunking the empty shell into the darkness. “Some musician pony. Don’t worry, I didn’t leave Nildia this time.”

You mean a pony other than Luna gave you trouble? Really, Tazel?

“Would you just leave me alone?”

I can’t. We’re bound together, you and I. Where you go, I go. Unless you’re in their dreams, of course.

Tazel sneered and turned away, not that there was anything visible to turn away from. “Then just keep quiet! I wanna brood.”

…very well, Tazel, but do not expect to remain like this for long. Tonight only. Besides, Mane Archon and I have made great headway in controlling the creature lately. Soon it will begin its search of the Life of Earth.

“Wish you’d hurry up,” the creature grumbled, sulking. “I hate having you in my head.”

If it’s any consolation, I hate being here.

Tazel huffed and clapped her hands lightly. A puff of white clouds covered the floor beneath her, and when it faded she was sitting on soft grass. She rested down on it and turned to glare up at the ceiling. Her aching paw opened and closed over and over again, as if she making sure it was still there.

Dreams. Why did those stupid mortal things have to have dreams? She never did, and it annoyed her to no end. She kept entering the minds of these creatures, nilgiri and ponies and even the occasional griffon, and they all had some sort of hope, something they could achieve. Even if only in their minds. And every time she saw such hopes achieved it infuriated her.

Dreams were pointless.

Especially for a bastard creature like herself.

Author's Note

This chapter didn't go anything at all like I first imagined. Nonetheless, I am very happy with how it turned out. Many things were achieved for which I am very pleased. My original plan had been to show all the ponies in the Nildia team doing their individual inestigative jobs, but came to realize that such would only make an already long story even longer. The team meeting streamlined the information very nicely.

And I finally got to write Octavia's and Upper Crusts dreams, both of which turned out a bit different from my original plans. I was glad to have Octavia duel Riptide like that; as I mentioned before, I wanted her to be awesome. But the real issue I've been trying to touch upon is the team's relationship to Luna. At last I've managed to get these two ponies in on that.

And then there's the big reveal: Tazel is Riptide! That's a nice distraction, wouldn't you say? More importantly, I at last gently touched upon Tazel's growing frustration with the dreams she visits, which is going to be a big point later. So many good things happening so quickly; at last this story's picking up some steam. I couldn't be happier.

I have another story idea that I feel is too good to pass up, so I may start writing it in addition to No Heroes. If that proves the case then this story will slow down a touch, but hopefully not by much.

Character Detail: Lightning Dust
Species: Pegasus
Coat: Light Opal
Mane: Amber
Eyes: Gamboge
Age: 20
Cutie Mark: A lightning bolt striking amongst three stars
Special Talent: Flying

Lightning Dust struck me as the perfect addition to the team early on; she was capable and strong but not a hero. So I knew she had to be in. Problem was, when I decided to put her in I had no idea how to do that. Still, over time Lightning's character developed on the fly, and I'm quite happy with the end result.

One of the first decisions I made regarding Lightning was that she would love children, and her being an orphan came out from that. Despite this, Lightning as a mother is not something most people think of. Truth be told I didn't plan that, it just sort of... happened. But it's proving to be a great development for her character-wise. As soon as I'm finished with No Heroes I intend to write a story focused entirely on the concept of Lightning raising Keen.

Coming Out

It wouldn’t be time to open for another two hours, but Nye didn’t care: he was bored out of his mind and just a little depressed. So there he was in his own café, mixing up one of his hot chocolate mixes. A little sugar to help ease his mind, perhaps. Not that it would help. Nothing did.

There was a knock on the front door. “It’s open,” he called with disinterest. He didn’t look up until well after the Luna in the Stars was finished and frothing. When he did he was surprised to find that his visitor was Fluttershy. She looked about as unhappy as he felt. “Wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

The yellow pegasus stood before the counter and glanced up at him forlornly. “Umm… I know you’re not open yet… but I would really like a Rising Dawn right about now…”

If any pony could say no to that face, he had a heart of stone. “Sure, I’ll whip one right up.”

Fluttershy sighed and sat on the stool in front of him. “Thanks, Nye…”

He wasn’t in the mood for playing ‘talk to the barkeep,’ but Fluttershy wasn’t exactly one of his usual customers. When she did come it was usually when she was with her friends. She wouldn’t want a drink just for the sake of it, not her, so there had to be something really wrong. “So, what’s troubling ya?”

She gave him a surprised look, as if she hadn’t been expecting him to ask at all. “Oh… i-it’s nothing…” She glanced away anxiously, making it blatantly obvious that she was lying.

Not the type of thing she could easily share, eh? If this were a regular bar he’d trust spirits to loosen her tongue… but this was hardly a regular bar. Aside from his Cider Rainboom and a few others his drinks were more sugar, milk and coffee than alcohol. If she didn’t want to talk about it… “Here ya go, Fluttershy. On the house.”

She accepted the drink. “Are you sure? I can pay…”

He shook his head and took a sip of his own drink. “Nah, you look like you need the boost. Besides… I could use a little company.”

She smiled weakly and took a sip of the Rising Dawn. “It’s good,” she confessed, “as always.”

They were silent for several minutes, both lost in their own thoughts. Nye studied the pegasus with an experienced eye, reminding himself of how she really was the town beauty. Her delicate face, that beautiful long mane, her timid manner... not to mention that jaw-dropping flank. But somehow she just didn’t interest him anymore. Not that such was a bad thing; it just meant his mind was set on one mare in particular. A mare he dearly missed at that moment.

“So,” he muttered, “any news from Twilight and the others?”

She shook her head. “We’ve not heard anything from Princess Celestia. Well, if anypony has, I wouldn’t know. I’ve been too busy lately.”

“Really?” he asked with only a half interest. “Busy with what?”

For a moment she looked as though she wanted to answer him, but instead she merely glanced away timidly. “I’m just… busy…”

He sighed and leaned an elbow against the table, setting a hoof to his cheek. “I miss her so much right now…” At Fluttershy’s curious glance he added, “Rainbow Dash.”

She nodded wearily. “Fine did say it would take at least two weeks, maybe longer.”

Nye’s head dropped to the bar with a surprisingly loud thud. “You mean I gotta wait a whole ‘nother week?” he asked with a moan. “I’m dyin’, here.”

Fluttershy chuckled softly at his exaggerated manner. “Surely it’s not that bad…”

“That’s what you think,” he countered without enthusiasm, standing back up properly so he could take a long chug of his chocolaty beverage. “What about Fine Crime? Surely he’s said something to you about what they’re doing over there.”

The pegasus sank down in that anxious manner she had. “Fine’s… indisposed right now. Has Luna sent you anything?”

“Not a thing since they left,” he admitted glumly. “What's Fine busy doing?”

But once again she couldn’t look him in the eye. “H-he made me promise not to tell…”

Nye smiled at her manner, glad to finally hear her at least confirm that she was hiding something. “You two… you’re awfully close now, aren’t ya?” At her confused expression he added wryly, “You two wouldn’t be an item now would you?”

She blushed wildly, hiding behind her mane with eyes growing wide. “W-w-what? Why would you think that…?”

“Meh, yeah, you’re right,” he declared, already losing interest. “You two aren’t anything at all alike. What was I thinking?” He wasn't pursuing the topic, which confirmed his depression more than anything else.

“You were probably thinking about snozberries,” Pinkie declared.

Nye let out a shocked cry and almost leaped over the counter at her sudden appearance at his side. “Pinkie! When’d you get there?”

“Just now,” she replied as if there was nothing out of the ordinary. “I know you’re not open yet but you let Fluttershy come in so I thought if Fluttershy can come in so can I and besides I really didn’t want to wait for my nightly sugar rush so can I please please please have a Sweet and Elite please please please?”

He was already mixing the drink. “Yeah yeah, one sugar rush comin’ right up.”

“Yay!” She zipped over the counter to a stool beside Fluttershy. “Hey Fluttershy, how ya doin’?”

“Oh, hello Pinkie,” the pegasus answered, her timid voice so very different from the excitable mare’s. “I’m… fine.”

“Are not,” Nye noted dully.

“Really? What’s wrong?” Pinkie asked worriedly.

The yellow mare sighed despondently. “It’s nothing, really.”

“Sweet and Elite,” Nye announced. Pinkie began bouncing in her chair with excitement as he set it down, and she almost snatched it out of his hooves in her eagerness to drink it. Now that the pink pony was distracted… “You know, Fluttershy, if something’s troubling you we could always help in some way.”

“Yeah!” Pinkie cried, her drink already downed. “I can follow you and see what you’re up to and I’ll be all like ‘Let me try!’”

The pegasus was unable to resist smiling at her friend’s enthusiasm. “No no, that’s quite alright. It’s something I need to handle on my own.”

Nye took another sip of his drink even as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. “You’re making it awfully hard for us to be good friends. Can’t you at least tell us what’s going on?” He might not be in the mood, but he wasn’t about to ignore her.

But Fluttershy shook her head. “I can’t, you two. But you’ve already helped with the drink; a little sugar to get me going, I guess.”

“Sugar makes everything better,” Pinkie announced confidently, wrapping a leg around her friend and pounding her empty glass on the table. “Barkeep, get this mare a Sweet and Elite, stat! Better make it two,” she added, peering into her glass as if she’d just noticed it was empty.

“Ooooh no,” Nye said pointedly, “don’t go thinking that just because Rainbow and Twilight aren’t around I’m gonna slack off on their ‘one S&E per day’ rule.”

“Awwww,” the mare’s chin dropped to the table and she stared up at him with big, moist eyes. “Come on… I won’t tell. Promise!”

But Nye shook his head. “In a few minutes you’re gonna start vibrating or bouncing off the walls or… or… or something. I still remember what happened the last time I let you have more than one. Those windows aren’t cheap, y’know.”

“Oh come on,” she begged. “You're rich. And I paid you back for the damage, didn’t I?”

He raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Throwing a ‘Nye is Awesome’ party does not make up for smashing my windows, amongst other things.”

She grinned eagerly. “What if I threw a ‘Nye is Even Awesomer!’ party?”

Nye took a big chug of his drink. “The only way I’m giving you more than one drink is if you can get my Rainbow back early.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie!”

“Wah…? NO!” He jumped over the counter and caught the mare’s pink tail in his mouth just in time to stop her from running out the door. She jerked to a stop, stretching so much in the process that he was once again forced to question if she had a bone in her pink body. “Bad Pinkie, you’re not going to Nildia!”

“But you said…”

He facehoofed. “I regret what I said, and I take it back. I’m not giving you an extra drink!”

At first she pouted, looking as though she was about to try and ‘cute’ her way into another drink once more, but before she could get very far she abruptly began to vibrate. He stepped back and watched, always disturbed by how her entire body could be held so rigid and yet be vibrating all at once like that.

“OoOoOoOoOoOh! SuUgGaArR rRuUsShH!” she announced happily through chattering teeth. “Gotta go!” And she was out the door in a pink blur. Nye wiped the sweat from his brow, glad she was going to be in somepony else’s mane during the rush.

Fluttershy was giggling from her stool. He smiled weakly and returned to his spot behind the counter. “Well, that was interesting.”

“She always is,” the pegasus confessed happily. “Thanks for the drink, Nye.”

“Any time,” he replied, truly meaning it.

She dropped from the stool and started to leave, but paused to give him a curious look. “Umm… did you really mean it? I mean, the offer to help…?”

“Of course I meant it,” he said with no small amount of exasperation. “Why would you even ask that?”

She blushed and glanced away timidly. “Oh, umm, sorry. It’s just… maybe I’ll take you up on it later…?”

He grinned and nodded. “Ask whenever you need me. I’m sure the others would say the same.”

She returned the smile prettily. “Thanks.” A year ago that smile would have melted his heart.

As soon as she was gone his smile faded and he slumped over the counter. Well, that had distracted him for all of fifteen minutes.

Rainbow couldn’t get back soon enough.

Upper Crust was grumbling venomously under her breath as she made her way through the thick underbrush. If she were a stronger mage she’d have at least tried to teach that Discord a thing or two. Dropping them off in the jungle like this was not funny!

She wasn’t the only one to think so, either. In fact everypony in the team was grumbling in some way, struggling through the hot air and ridiculous amounts of foliage. And the bugs, sweet Luna the bugs! The unicorn couldn’t take three steps without having to swat at one. Twilight had already sworn a dozen times that the first thing she would do upon returning to Delgiri was find a anti-bug protection spell.

Even Rainbow Dash, who’d flown above the canopy to properly locate the temple, was having difficulties; the tall trees had thick leaves that were hard to fly through and kept limbs hidden often until it was too late to slow down. She’d learned her lesson the first time and was flying between the undergrowth and the sky much more slowly, though she would still occasionally crack her skull against a limb or two.

In fact the only pony who seemed well-prepared for the trip was Octavia. She was wearing a wide-brimmed safari hat that sported long nets tucked into a buttoned white shirt, protecting her face from bugs. She was also wearing some baggy pants, designed to keep the bugs out but let air flow so they weren’t too hot to wear. And last but not least, her mane and tail were both tied in tight buns, preventing them from getting tangled and caught on limbs and other such things.

She looked every bit like an experienced jungle explorer, giving every pony no doubt that she’d made this kind of journey before. When she’d first appeared Rainbow and Applejack had both laughed, even after she’d offered to help them find some similar attire. Even if they had agreed, though, it wouldn’t have mattered as Discord appeared and transported them into the jungle before any of the others could answer.

And now everypony was regretting it. Especially Applejack, who was snarling so fiercely to herself that Upper Crust almost feared for Discord’s health. Almost.

“You’re almost there, guys,” Rainbow called from somewhere above the canopy. “Just another thirty or forty feet!”

“Oh thank goddess,” Twilight cried, ignoring the fact that it would take them at least twenty minutes to clear such a small distance. “I can’t wait to get out of this jungle," she added, smacking at a bug that had landed on her cheek.

Upper Crust, easily the least prepared for the entire experience, couldn’t agree more. “The next time Fine decides I need to spend some time out of Equestria I’m going to kill him,” she grumbled. “With fire.”

“Which is what ah’ll do ta Discord if he says anythin’ about goin’ on another safari…” Applejack growled, clutching her hat to her head so it wouldn’t get knocked off by low branches again.

Twilight was the first to emerge from the jungle, and when she did there was a loud, frustrated cry. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

The others hurried after her, only to find when they emerged from the jungle that they were on an old, worn out cobblestone road, which stretched on neatly through the jungle on either side of them.

“A road?” Upper Crust asked, dumbfounded. “You mean he could have just set us down on a road!?”

“Why that… son of a…!” Applejack grabbed her hat and set it over her mouth, her face fierce as a wave of muffled obscenities exploded from her throat. Octavia and Twilight both took a few cautious steps away from her at the sight of her furious eyes just barely visible over the hat’s rim.

Rainbow landed on the old stone road before them, looking apologetic. “Yeah… I was gonna warn ya but figured any explosive reactions might be better handled out here.”

“Where is he?” Twilight demanded menacingly. “He’s lucky the others aren’t here or he’d be turned back to stone so fast…”

Rainbow cast an annoyed expression around before shrugging. “Haven’t seen the jerk since he dropped us off.”

“Probably for the better,” Upper Crust noted with a cautious glance at the orange mare. “If he was here Applejack’d probably rip his head off.”

“Which would only serve to amuse him further,” Octavia pointed out regally. “I don’t believe he has any reason at all to fear our anger.”

“Yeah, she’s right,” Rainbow agreed grumpily. “Getting angry at him just makes him laugh a lot. Let’s just get to the temple and get this over with.”

Twilight sighed. “You’re right, of course. Come on, girls, let’s get going.”

Applejack, who’d finally finished her vitriolic tantrum and set her hat back on her head, noted, “If he suggested this jus’ ta get a laugh…”

Octavia tapped her side and, at her dark glance, offered the earth pony her water bag. “Here, calm down a bit.”

Applejack took the water gratefully, drinking a long gulp; like all the others she’d not even thought to bring some. She handed it back with a whistle. “That hit the spot! Thanks Octavia, ah really needed that.”

The temple complex was on a side route nearby. The stonework became a set of stairs worn smooth from centuries of weathering. Upper Crust, following at the back of the pack, quickly realized that the path had been freshly reopened: bushes and limbs that should have been blocking the path had been cut away recently, and the grass between the stones had been crushed flat. The stairs had probably been rescued from the overgrowth not more than a week ago.

Applejack’s voice came to her as the earth pony cleared the top of the hill. “Whoa.”

“Yep,” Twilight declared bluntly, “that’s Riptide.”

The temple was of a squat pyramid design, but it still easily rose some four hundred feet into the air. It was made of ancient grey stones which Upper Crust, through quick estimation, figured must weigh at least a ton apiece. Great stairs, two per side, rose up to about three-fourths the temple’s height, presumably stopping at a balcony that encircled the temple at that elevation. And between the two flights of stairs, gazing down at them benevolently, was a great statue of who Upper Crust could only presume was Riptide.

The statue itself appeared to be made of bronze, and had obviously been cleaned not long ago. The statue, which was only a torso, had the thin but muscular god posing with two pairs of hands clasped together in what Upper Crust assumed was meant to be prayer. A third pair of hands was raised high to the heavens as if seeking a bounty, and the fourth pair was spread out with fingers over the stairs, as if the god were beckoning visitors to approach. The great elephant head had its trunk falling down along the chest, almost as if the designers hadn’t known what to do with it, but the rest of the features were of intricate detail. Riptide appeared old, kind, and approving.

Upper Crust was just a little confused. “That’s supposed to be the God of the Seas?” she asked Twilight skeptically.

The unicorn nodded. “And he’s a messenger god, according to the book Rochette let me borrow.”

“He doesn’t look all that scary,” Rainbow noted, and for once nopony considered her words to be bravado. The statue was huge, yes, but it was hard to be intimidated by its gentle expression.

“I was expecting something… meaner,” Upper Crust confessed, certain she was echoing more than a few of her friends’ sentiments.

“He certainly appears nicer than he did in my dream last night,” Octavia confessed, removing her hat and netting.

“Mine too,” Twilight confirmed, and Applejack, having experienced a dream a few days ago, nodded her agreement.

The temple was surrounded by a large clearing, which appeared to be natural as there seemed to be no rhyme or reason to where jungle stopped and clearing began. It was nicely trimmed though, and packed with nilgiri. The Nildian natives were all over the place, some in groups listening to speeches, others at booths, a few just enjoying the sight of the temple. Upper Crust noted the larger Nilgiri standing at the top of the stairs and how they were preventing some tourists from entering.

She immediately began to search around the area. She noticed that several nilgiri, including the guards, were dressed in light blue cloaks. Some had yellow markings, which she was quickly able to determine as signs of rank. “I think…”

“Come on girls,” Twilight declared confidently, “let’s see what’s in the temple!”

Upper Crust glowered as they all made for the stairs. “Wait, we need to…”

“Time’s wastin’,” Applejack countered, trotting after Twilight. “Come on, Uppity!”

The unicorn growled. “Only my husband calls me that…” But the orange mare was already well out of earshot.

“What’s wrong?” Octavia was still standing beside her, studying her curiously.

Well, at least somepony was going to listen, and it was the one she needed. “Would you come with me for a moment? I need a translator.”

Octavia followed, her confusion clear in her eyes. “But shouldn’t we be following Twilight?”

“Trust me,” the unicorn answered simply, eyes searching through the crowds once more. After a few moments she located a blue-cloaked nilgiri. She was orange-coated with green tints, and her cloak had a fairly large and complex yellow symbol on it. Upper Crust wove her way through the light crowd, Octavia close behind as she made a beeline for the nilgiri.

“Octavia, what do they call priests in the old religion?”

“Pujari,” the mare responded easily. “Why?”

Upper Crust was going to answer, but her attention was thwarted when two larger nilgiri sporting blue cloaks abruptly blocked her path. Bodyguards, no doubt. She didn’t mind; she took a step back politely, noting that she already had her target’s attention. “Octavia, would you translate for me?”

“Go ahead,” her house-mate answered regally. “Just try not to get us in trouble?”

The unicorn nodded and focused her attention on the nilgiri with the advanced symbols on her coat. “Are you the pujari of the temple?”

The nilgiri’s pink eyes studied her as Octavia translated. She didn’t appear to feel threatened at all. Just curious. “I am,” Octavia translated the answer.

“We are from Equestria, working with the government in seeking answers to the recent disasters,” Upper Crust explained, using her magic to pull out a government letter provided to the team members for situations like this. She floated the letter to the pujari, who studied it quietly. “We were hoping to have a chance to enter the temple.”

The priestess waved to signify she was done with the letter, and answered as Upper Crust set it back into her pack. Octavia translated with ease: “I do not understand what you would hope to achieve by entering the temple, but its closure was not related to the faith of the old gods. The temple has been abandoned for over two thousand years, and its structural condition is unknown. We’re currently trying to raise money so that a proper team of engineers can study its condition.”

“How very forward-thinking of you,” Upper Crust noted approvingly. “I’ll be honest: we can’t figure out what’s causing the waves.”

The nilgiri priestess smiled knowingly. “Perhaps you should look to faith. Have you been having the dreams?”

“Some of us,” Upper Crust replied, glancing pointedly at Octavia.

“Then you should know that the ancient Gods are returning,” the pujari declared. “Riptide is the messenger, heralding their coming. He summons the great waves of the deeps as punishment to those who ignore his call. That is what you should tell the public, as we do now.”

Upper Crust wasn’t here to argue theology and science, and she wasn’t about to be drawn into a debate. “Those of us from Equestria have a belief that if science cannot explain anything, perhaps faith can. We want to include Riptide as a possibility, but to do so we must show those who have hired us that we have truly researched the matter.”

The nilgiri’s eyes widened with happy understanding. “So you would like to visit the temple’s interior, take notes, photographs, the like. As proof of your ‘research.’”

The unicorn raised her head proudly. “We are professionals. We don’t intend to just ‘take a few photos.’ When I say we will be studying the temple, I mean exactly that. Of course, today is just a preliminary look.”

The pujari set a hoof to her chin thoughtful as she listened to Octavia’s translation. After considering the statement for a few seconds she nodded acceptingly. “If your studies will advance Riptide’s guidance, I cannot object. Besides, the temple really is closed off only for safety reasons. If you promise that your team will be cautious within and not harm anything, I will allow it.”

“Then I so promise,” Upper Crust responded with a smile. “You have our thanks, pujari.”

The priestess nodded and promptly removed a band from her arm. “You are most welcome! Take this band and show it to the guards. They will understand. And return it to one of my priests when you are done, please.”

Upper Crust accepted the band happily. “I will, promise.”

She turned to leave, but stopped when the priestess continued to speak. She turned back, but quickly realized that the pujari was addressing Octavia. She sat aside and listened to them speak, noting the cellist’s surprised expression and a blush. The priestess grew excited, though Upper Crust had no idea why. A few more lines later and the Earth mare was writing something on one of the pujari’s bands with a quill in her teeth, blushing as she did. The priestess promptly gave her a hug before letting them leave.

“What was that about?” the unicorn asked as they made their way back through the crowd.

Octavia blushed and glanced away timidly. “Nothing… she’s just… a fan…”

Upper Crust giggled at her friend's unusually shy behavior. “You mean she asked for an autograph?”

The mare was glancing around at all the nilgiri crowded around them, as if expecting all of them to start asking for autographs at once. “I didn’t think anypony knew of me here. I mean, I’m not popular or anything…”

“You should be proud!” Upper Crust declared, bumping her friend playfully with her flank. “You have fans around the world. Why does this upset you?”

“I know, I know,” Octavia muttered with a smile. “I’m just not used to the idea of having fans. That was some nice diplomacy, by the way.”

The unicorn knew her friend was just trying to take the attention from herself, but Upper Crust didn’t mind. “It was nothing. It’s not as though the pujari was against the idea.”

“We have a problem,” Twilight’s voice came to them as the two ponies approached the stairs up the temple. She, Rainbow and Applejack were just reaching the bottom of them. “They’re not letting anypony in.”

“They will now,” Octavia declared happily, gesturing to Upper Crust proudly. “We convinced them to let us in.”

“What!?” Rainbow shouted in anger, “how’d you manage to do that?”

“I asked the head priest for permission,” Upper Crust explained simply. “I saw they were turning visitors away, so we went to ask.” She sent the band to Twilight, who looked as if she’d just made a very silly mistake. “This will tell the guards we have permission.”

Twilight accepted the band, her expression mystified. “But if you knew we couldn’t get in without permission, why didn’t you say anything?”

“She tried,” Octavia answered, casting a lecturing glance at Applejack.

The cowpony grinned sheepishly, rubbing her leg. “Oh… er… sorry about that.”

Twilight facefaulted. “Oooh, I hate to have to go up those stairs again, but if we must we must.”

Rainbow huffed and rolled her eyes. “Oh come on, Daring Do would be disappointed in you! It’s just a few stairs.” All eyes turned on her flying form with a general atmosphere of annoyance. She blushed and flew a little higher, as if to escape the heat or their glares. “Eheh, I mean yeah, climbing stairs, no fun at all. Heh… oh, fine.” She landed at the bottom of the stairs and folded her wings, glowering. “Better?”

“Much,” Applejack declared smugly.

True to the pujari’s word, the guards at the top of the stairs allowed the team to enter the temple when they saw the band. The interior was dark and gloomy, with weeds and vines grown over much of the stonework. Twilight and Upper Crust managed to produce some light via their horns, which only showed that the place really was in a horrid state of disrepair.

“It all seems solid enough, though,” Applejack pointed out with a careful tap of her hoof on the floor.

“Okay, we’re here,” Rainbow noted with disinterest. “Now what are we supposed to do?”

“Look around for clues,” Twilight declared, digging through her saddle bag. She pulled out one book, set it aside, then pulled out another. “I’ve got Rochette’s copy of his father’s history book, maybe it has some information on Riptide.”

“It does,” Octavia noted knowledgeably. She was turning circles and taking in the temple's interior with wide, eager eyes. “No history of Nildia would be complete without references to nilgiri theology, and father was very thorough.”

Twilight eyed her blandly. “You’ve already read the whole thing, haven’t you?”

“Three times.”

“Three times!?” Rainbow asked in alarm. “Why would you read something so boring three…” Her words came to an abrupt end when Applejack set a hoof to her mouth, grinning apologetically to Octavia. The earth pony was too interested in their surroundings to notice.

“Well what would you suggest, Octavia?” Twilight asked with genuine interest.

The cellist thought about the topic for a moment, pausing her fascinated searching to focus. “Well, the book talks about the roles of the Gods in Nildian theology, and there were complicated rules regarding the worship of each god, which makes it impossible for a book on history to cover everything. I do know that Riptide’s temples had six levels in their designs, though the book doesn’t specify which levels are for what purposes.”

“Six levels?” Upper Crust asked, glancing around. “I was expecting more.”

“Riptide could control the seas, but he was only a third-tier god,” Octavia noted smartly. “That’s one of the reasons he was lumped with messenger status. I don’t recall anything stating that he could speak to ponies in their dreams… and come to think of it, he didn’t speak in my dream at all.”

“Now that ya mention it,” Applejack added thoughtfully, “he didn’ say a word in my dream, either.”

“Or mine,” Twilight agreed, perplexed.

“Well that’s odd,” Upper Crust said, “you’d think if he’s a god he’d at least be able to speak.”

“And the Nildian gods did speak,” Octavia mentioned, looking a touch uncertain herself. “In fact they spoke a lot: they were very opinionated.”

“Something’s not right here…” Twilight declared in a suspicious tone, flipping through her book with an expression to match.

“Well while we’re here,” Octavia said smartly, “I think what we should do is look around the temple for any evidence to show that Riptide could speak to ponies or nilgiri in their dreams. Symbols, ornamentation, anything.”

“Right,” Twilight agreed, snapping her book closed with confidence. “We’ll divide up into teams. I’ll go with Applejack to the bottom two levels. Upper Crust and Octavia can take the next two levels. Rainbow, you take the top two, which should be the smallest, and examine the outside of the temple, too.”

"Daring Do is on the case," the pegasus announced with a grin and a salute.

But the task was easier said than done. With only Upper Crust’s horn for light she and Octavia were forced to stick together in the dark halls. It seemed the pujari’s fears for the temple’s structural integrity were well founded, as several rooms were blocked entirely by fallen debris. They found statues and chests and faded murals and ancient words carved into the walls, but nothing remotely suggesting what they were after. At least, that’s what Octavia said; Upper Crust wasn’t really sure what symbols might have what meanings. In a land and religion so foreign to anything she’d ever known her powers of estimation were of no help at all.

At least her companion seemed happy; she had something to say for just about every minute thing they found. What minor goddess did this statue represent, what were her duties and association with Riptide? How did the marking on this mural indicate changes in Nildian culture in comparison to that older one in the next room? The style of the faded paintings on this bowl indicated the reign of a certain deity in Nildian theological history. The mare was a veritable fountain of information; suddenly all that talk about learning and appreciating her cultural heritage didn’t seem like mere talk anymore. Upper Crust could try to keep up.

Upper Crust was still able to estimate time fairly effectively; after about two hours they were greeted by an unhappy-looking Applejack. “You two find anythin’?”

“Nothing pertaining to our duty,” Octavia answered sadly.

“How were things down below?” Upper Crust asked.

“Crummy,” the orange mare replied in a tone not unlike Octavia’s. “The bottom level’s completely cut off, so we couldn’ even search down there, an’ the next one up didn’ have anythin’ worth talkin’ about.”

“Oh there was plenty to talk about on these levels,” Upper Crust noted with a grin at Octavia.

The cellist seemed oblivious to the unicorn’s meaning. “Oh I could spend hours down here,” she declared happily, glancing around at the dark room they were in. “I’d never actually been in one of these temples before and I just can’t believe how much I recall about…”

“Uuuh, right,” Applejack interrupted apologetically. “Hate ta spoil yer fun, sugarcube, but we need ta get topside and talk about wha’s next.”

Octavia pouted at her lost opportunity. “Oh… I suppose you’re right…”

“You can come back later,” Upper Crust offered helpfully, though she had little intention of being around when she did.

That cheered the cellist up instantly. “Yes, that’s right, I can! And the sooner we finish our jobs here, the sooner I get the chance to do so. Come on, ladies, we have a mystery to solve.” And she promptly trotted out into the darkness, leaving Upper Crust and Applejack to give one another disturbed looks.

“Umm… Upper Crust? I… don’t know how to get out.”

Jimmy, bandaged up and still sore, was sitting beside the doorway watching Twilight. The unicorn was almost hysterical, going through her things and tossing it all about in a wild search. He’d learned everything he needed to know: the search of the temple had turned up nothing of use. In Twilight’s words, a very educational but otherwise complete waste of time. And all the mares were blatantly furious at Discord when he returned them to the mansion. He was laughing even as they were literally throwing things at his retreating form.

And now Twilight had her tail in a not over some book that had gone missing. She had Spike helping her search, though he didn’t seem anywhere near as concerned as she did. “Why are you so worried, Twilight?” the dragon asked.

“Yeah,” Jimmy threw in half-heartedly. “It’s a book. You can just get another copy.” He noticed Spike’s frantic head-shaking a moment too late.

“It is not just a book!” the unicorn cried, in his face so quick he had to take a step back in alarm.

“Tried to warn ya,” Spike noted apologetically, “you don’t put down a book when Twilight’s around.”

“That’s not the only reason, Spike,” she declared fretfully. “That book was given to me by Fine Crime. He wrote it!”

“Wait, Fine writes?” the dragon asked, his awkward tone reflecting Jimmy’s thoughts precisely.

“Yes, and he’s very good. He won two Foallitzers,” she announced. “That book was important to him, and he let me borrow what may be the only copy! I have to find it, he’ll kill me if I don’t get it back!”

“I’m still trying to get over the fact that Fine can write,” Jimmy noted thoughtfully.

“More important issues at hand, guys,” Twilight growled. “Oh my gosh, what if I left it in that crummy old temple? Now that I think about it, I might have!”

“Well you could get Discord to…” Spike started.

Twilight rounded on him fiercely. “I am never letting that… that… draconequus transport me anywhere ever again! Ooooh, but now I’ve got to find some other way to get back to the temple…”

“You know Rainbow can reach the coast in under an hour,” Jimmy pointed out smartly, “so she can get to the temple even faster. Just have her go pick it up for you.”

The unicorn beamed. “Yes! That is a great idea!” She practically flew into him with a hug, jumping back at his pained shout. “Oh, sorry! Sorry. But yes, that’s a great idea, I’ll just ask her to fly over there and pick it up. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Because you were too busy panicking?” Spike replied dully. She shot him a dark look which had him rapidly changing his tune. “Uuh, I mean, you would have thought of it eventually!”

“I’m just gonna head off to bed now,” Jimmy noted, cautiously stepping out of the room backwards.

Everything looked strangely… big. Jimmy didn’t understand why at first. What he did know was that he was surrounded by his old builder logs, which he was carefully piecing together. He was surrounded by massive toy log buildings and houses, all of his own design. He used to love playing with these logs. He didn’t know how he’d suddenly acquired so many, and he didn’t really care: he had his favorite toy back! So he built, and built, and built some more.

A high-rise of logs here, a small hill with a house there. He’d made a bridge so big and sturdy he could walk across it, all with his little toy logs. They weren’t so little anymore…

Of course, he was a colt. He kept thinking there should be something wrong with being a colt, but every time he did he found himself distracted by the urge to make another design.

But eventually he was surrounded by a veritable forest of his own designs, and he was starting to realize something: he wanted to share it with somepony. Not show it. Share it. And that was the moment he understood how utterly and completely alone he was.

He sat in the middle of his massive collection, looking around for somepony, anypony other than himself. “Pops?” He tilted sideways, raising an ear and listening, but no sound came to him. “Ma? Nye?” He suddenly felt very nervous. “O…Octavia…? Rarity…?

“…anypony…?”

He began to wander, his footsteps eerily silent. The ground was flat, plain and a dark grey. There were no walls, no ceiling, no sky or sun, only that same dark gray all around. He would call out occasionally, but there was never a response.

He didn’t run or panic, but the entire time he was wandering he couldn’t fight the quiet, ever growing fear within him. He didn’t like being alone. But this wasn’t just being alone… this was isolation.

After what seemed like ages of miserable walking he finally sat down and sighed, his silver mane flopping over his eyes. He was surrounded by a mass of his own achievements, which he considered true marvels. Other ponies liked them, he knew that much… and suddenly he didn’t care. Everypony liked them. Just them.

He looked up at one of the toy log buildings. This was him. This was his legacy. And right now it all amounted to trash. Very very good trash, but trash all the same. He raised a hoof, intending to merely feel at the building’s hard interior. But as soon as his hoof pressed gently against it the entire building collapsed in a pile of tiny wooden logs.

The pegasus stared at his ruined creation, dumbstruck. “Wha… I didn’t mean…”

He heard the sound of another collapse and turned about to see another building in ruins. And then another fell, and another. “No… wait… stop!” It was no use. He could only watch in horror as all his masterpieces collapsed, one at a time all across existence. Soon there was nothing but piles of discarded, dull, pointless logs.

And Jimmy could only sit there and cry. All his hard work…

“Somepony find me!” he screamed into the drab sky, but the only response was total silence. He bowed his head and wept, staring through his tears at the logs scattered all around his hooves. “…find me… please…”

There was nothing else for him to do. Miserably, without interest, he gathered up the toy logs and started building again.

A castle. It was all done and ready to be displayed… to nopony. He had no interest in his work anymore. It was still a magnificent design, something he might have been proud of once, but now he just stared at it dully. One more masterpiece all to himself…

A shadow came over him. Sniffling, he glanced up to find cyan eyes. It was a mare… an alicorn. A Princess?

“That’s a splendid castle, Jimmy,” she declared pleasantly.

He stood and turned to her, somewhat amazed at her size. His first instinct was to be astonished that a princess was talking to him… and even knew his name. His second?

“Oh thank goddess,” he cried, hugging her leg tightly. “Please oh please don’t leave me alone here!”

The alicorn laughed, the sound music to his ears. “I only just arrived! I won’t be leaving just yet.”

“Never,” he urged, pressing his head against her leg. “I don’t wanna be alone anymore. Talk to me, look at me!”

The princess was startled by his behavior. “Jimmy… whatever is wrong? I thought you enjoyed building…”

“NO!” He jumped back to deliver a buck against the castle, sending it toppling in a clatter of toy logs. “I don’t care about the stupid design. Look at ME! I’m more than just a name on a blueprint!” He collapsed, wailing fresh tears.

Normally he’d have fought to maintain his composure, but he couldn’t do that this time. He didn’t care to try. He just wept and wept and wept some more. He didn’t gain control again until he was all out of tears, and when he finally looked up he saw the princess laying before him, watching with sad eyes. The sight of her still amazed him, though he couldn’t express it properly. He merely wiped his tears away and noted, “Y…y-you’re still here…”

“Of course I am,” she replied quietly. “I wasn’t about to leave you, Jimmy.”

“How… do you know my name…?”

She blinked, leaned back with curious eyes. “You have no idea who I am?”

He shook his head dejectedly. Sighing, the princess shifted so that her horn just touched the top of his head. A soft glow emanated from it…

…and suddenly Jimmy wasn't a colt anymore. He shivered as if he’d just jumped into a cold bath and glanced at himself in amazement. “I… wha…” He looked up at the Princess, still sitting across from him with a soft smile. “Princess Luna? What happened to me…?” He could still remember everything, including his previous amnesia. And it had him completely confused.

“It’s one of the many potential elements of dreams, Jimmy,” she explained quietly. “Your mind was reduced to a… let us refer to it as an older state. It’s perfectly normal.”

“Oh,” he replied dumbly. He glanced around at the endless expanse of discarded toy logs. “So… this is a dream? I didn’t think my dreams could be so… odd.”

“You’ve likely had this dream many times,” she noted patiently, “but merely forgot. Ponies dream often, but forget the majority of their dreams in the process. I can help you remember this one, if you’d like.”

“No!” He shook his head wildly, then remembered who he was addressing. “I mean… no, Princess, thank you. This is a terrible dream…”

She eyed him thoughtfully. “Perhaps it is, Jimmy. Perhaps those are the best dreams to recall.” She cast her gaze over the dull scenery. “Tell me, have you any idea what this dream means?”

Shouldn’t dream interpretation be her job? Well, he wasn’t about to point this out, so instead he examined his surroundings and thought, unhappily, about what he’d seen before her arrival. Slowly he came to recognize how it all made a strange sort of sense. And the more he thought on it, the more he thought of Nye and Rarity and the things they’d tried to tell him before he’d left for Nildia.

And now he felt like crap.

“So,” Luna asked smartly, “was it significant? Or should I let this dream fade into obscurity?”

He sighed in resignation. “I don’t understand how a pony can achieve so much and still be so unhappy… but that’s exactly the road I’m on. No, Princess, I don’t want to forget this.”

A thought occurred to him. “Umm… if you don’t mind my asking… why are you here?”

“Last night I visited some of your teammates in their dreams,” she noted pleasantly. “It would not be fair for me to not visit the rest of you as well.”

“Oh. I didn’t know I warranted such attention.”

She didn’t seem at all pleased by his modest response. “I care for all my subjects, Jimmy,” she announced seriously. “Why should you be less important than any other pony?”

He gaped, realized he was staring and glanced away with a blush. “You… mean that?”

She stood, scowling at him. “Of course I do! I can see why your brother frets over you so much. Do you think I visit ponies in their dreams merely because it is my duty? I wouldn’t deserve my crown if that were so!”

“I meant no offense,” he declared swiftly, afraid of her anger. “I just… until now I’ve never known a princess to…” He stopped himself from completing that sentence, realizing that he’d almost made a grave mistake.

“Yes?” she asked ominously.

He considered his words very carefully. “I understand that your sister’s job is running Equestria’s government, and that keeps her very busy. It just seems at times… like she’s more concerned with governance than anything. So to have you going around personally helping the everyday pony like myself with his personal issues just strikes me as… odd.” A thought struck him, which he had to add. “Pleasantly so.”

Luna raised her head royally. “Celestia cares for her subjects just as I do, but you are correct in your assessment that she’s a very busy princess. She cannot simply take the time to go and visit ponies.”

He tilted his head, not just a little perplexed. “But you do?”

The princess smiled kindly. “I am not so… diplomatic as my sister. Even where that not the case, I am nocturnal, and nearly all the governing ponies of the land are sleeping when I go about my evening. So you see, Jimmy, I do not need to work much with governing Equestria, and can focus my attention on guarding the night.”

The pegasus considered her words for a few seconds, tapping his chin thoughtfully. It all seemed so obvious, but there was still the fact that Luna was visiting ponies in person in their dreams. It made her seem so much more… personal. “Celestia’s the CEO we casual workers never meet,” he concluded. “You, on the other hand, are the project manager whom everypony knows.”

The princess raised an eyebrow, her uncertainty blatant. “I’m not sure I understand the allegory.”

“Nopony sees the CEO, the big boss of the company,” he explained. “Because of that, nopony understands him. His decisions are met with derision and uncertainty. Some ponies even go so far as to think he’s just greedy, and making changes because he’s mean to boot.

“But the project manager is always there personally, checking to make sure things are going smoothly. If there’s a problem, he addresses it. The ponies see his face, know his voice, even come to know him a bit. Ponies are always more likely to appreciate him, because they know his interests are their own.”

Luna didn’t seem any less confused. “I cannot be certain whether you are insulting my sister or praising me. Both?”

He blushed and glanced away anxiously. “Okay, maybe that was a bad example.”

The Princess giggled in her pleasant manner. “No, I believe I understand what you intended. There is a difference between myself and my sister in terms of public perception.”

“Exactly!” He let out a sigh of immense relief. “I was so afraid I might… I don’t know, say the wrong thing in the wrong way.”

Luna’s expression turned wry. “It would seem you and Nye are not all that different, after all.”

Now it was his turn to be confused. “Me and Nye? We’re total opposites!”

“Yet you are both so awkward when you are trying to make a point,” she noted agreeably. “Nye is open and carefree, not afraid to speak his mind. It’s typically only afterwards that he realizes any mistakes made. You, on the other hand, pay careful attention to your words but still seem to… what is that term he uses? Screw up?”

Jimmy couldn’t help being amused by the comparison. “Well we are twins,” he said with tired acceptance, which earned him another giggle.

“I will have to move on soon,” she noted, glancing about at the piles of toy logs all around them.

“Already?” he asked fretfully, but at her regal glance he had to look down shamefully. “I… don’t want to be alone here…”

She nodded in understanding. “You will remember this dream, Jimmy. If you want the nightmare to end, you will have to address the issue which it represents. I trust you understand your burden?”

He glanced up at her through his silver and purple mane unhappily. “I think so…”

“Then the rest is up to you,” she declared firmly, spreading her vast wings wide and hovering into the grey air. “I am sorry I cannot wake you myself, and I really must pursue my duties. But allow me to give you a parting gift…”

She arose, her dark azure form impossible to miss in that unchanging backdrop. He watched her go with a heavy heart, wishing that he could only wake up.

Then, with the sound of shattering glass, she smashed through… thin air? He stood and stared, dumbstruck at the hole that seemed to hover in the world for no apparent reason. Before he could really process what he was seeing a soft glow appeared, and the hole began to widen. It spread out beyond his vision, creating a vast night sky glimmering with stars. And just when the entire horizon in all directions was covered in Luna’s beautiful night he saw grass growing from the hard ground. Within seconds he was standing in a field, the wooden log piles overgrown with vines and flowers.

He glanced around at the pleasant scenery. This was nice and all, and he was truly grateful to the Princess… but he was still alone.

“Well, this is odd.”

Jimmy jerked around at the familiar voice. Not twenty feet away stood a familiar store. It was his own, and Nye’s café was there, too. But what really had his attention was Nye himself, standing outside his café with a bemused expression on his face.

“Hey bro.”

“Nye!” Jimmy paused and looked up at the building behind his brother. Obviously he was still dreaming, so that wasn’t really Nye. Still… he wasn’t alone anymore. Now he really was grateful to the Princess. “I suppose a dream version’s better than nothing.”

“A dream version?” Nye asked skeptically, “what are you talking about?”

“I’m dreaming,” the elder Stone twin explained, not expecting dream Nye to understand. “You’re just a figment of my imagination.”

“You sure about that?” his brother countered smugly. “I thought I was the one dreaming.”

The twins stared at one another dumbly for almost a whole minute. When understanding dawned their response was almost the same.

“You mean you’re the real Jimmy!?”

“Well yeah I’m real,” Jimmy announced, gesturing to Nye in amazement. “How can you be real? It’s got to be sunup by now back in Ponyville.”

His brother waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh come on, Jim, you know I sleep till noon at the very least! But that doesn’t explain why we’re both here.”

“I was… I don’t…” Jimmy’s mind was churning with explanations, but he gradually thought he understood. “I think Princess Luna merged our dreams.”

“She can do that?” Nye asked, glancing around thoughtfully. “Well this is clearly your dream world. I mean, there’s no Rainbow Dash. No mares at all, in fact. Boooring. Why would Luna put our dreams together?”

Because she was trying to help. Jim sat in the grass and grinned, suddenly so very glad he was on her little team. He gazed up at a full moon shining in the sky, large and beautiful, and tried to send his appreciation up to her with his mind. A silly thought, but this was a dream, wasn’t it? Maybe it would work.

“Jim?” Nye approached slowly, face concerned. “Are you okay?”

He looked at his brother, saw his concerned expression. He was genuinely worried. The realization was so incredibly delightful: Nye cared. He always cared. At last Jimmy understood what he really wanted, and it was something similar to this.

“I’m fine, bro,” the pegasus whispered happily. “I think I finally get why you like the Princess so much.”

Nye sat in the grass heavily, looking completely confused. “What are you talking about?”

Jimmy laughed at his brother’s typical response. “Nothing, Nye. You know, when I get back from Nildia I think I might just take a vacation.”

“A vacation? You?” Nye moved forward to set a hoof to Jimmy’s forehead. “You don’t seem to be running a fever. Maybe I really am dreaming you up.”

Jimmy could only laugh and give his brother a big hug.

“Yep, definitely dreaming.”

The library was large. In fact it was downright enormous.

Which was exactly how Twilight liked it. There was nothing she enjoyed more than to sit with Celestia in a quiet library such as this and discuss whatever came to mind. She didn’t get to talk to the Princess very often anymore, so she relished the opportunity. Even if it was just a dream and she was reliving an old lesson, it was a delight to be here.

Yes, a dream. A familiar dream, old and repetitive, but welcome after a hard day like this one had been. She was mildly worried that the Riptide god thing would interrupt once more, but the dream had been going on for some time and she had no reason to suspect that would happen this time.

Which was why she was so surprised when the books in her dream library seemed to come alive and attack! They flew from the shelves, covers slapping loudly as the books opened and closed in an abrupt wind. But the books didn’t attack Twilight: they went straight for Princess Celestia. The Princess, caught off guard, was soon completely encased in a veritable mountain of books, and no matter what Twilight tried she couldn’t get to her beloved mentor.

But these events didn’t scare Twilight, for this was only a dream and that wasn’t the real Celestia. No, she was angry. She glared about the library, just waiting for the demonic Riptide to show up again.

Which wasn’t what happened at all.

“So,” a husky female voice called, “you like books.”

The unicorn jerked about to face the intruder and was surprised to see a strange… thing… coiled atop the book pile. She knew instantly from its appearance who it had to be, but this recognition had her completely mystified, so much so that she completely forgot her anger. “You’re… Tazel?”

The cat-snake hybrid spread her arms wide with a happy grin. “Hey, you know me! Great, that saves me a lot of time.”

Twilight took a worried step back. “W-what are you doing here? How’d you get into my dream?”

Tazel’s grin widened in a way that made Twilight question if she had any bones in her face. She twirled a book atop her finger playfully. “Oh come on, Sparkley, you didn’t really think Luna was the only one who could enter pony’s dreams, did you?”

“That’s Princess Luna to you,” the unicorn snapped. “What do you want? Don’t try to play all chummy or anything, I know you worked with King Sombra in the past.”

Tazel rolled her eyes such that they rotated a complete 360-degree turn, her expression annoyed. “Why are you mortals always so direct? Maybe Discord did me a favor exiling me to that island for all those years.”

“Discord?” This creature was nothing but confusion. “How do you know Discord?”

“That’s not important right now,” Tazel snapped. “For once direct is a good thing. I have a boss too, y’know, and she gets antsy if I don’t report in from time to time.” She grinned and leaned forward with a hand to her cheek, as if conveying a secret. “She doesn’t know I’m here. Ooooh would she be mad!”

“Cut to the chase,” Twilight snapped impatiently, keeping on her guard. She just knew this was going to be a trap. Or a trick. Or… something.

“Fine,” the creature grumbled, clapping her paws together. Instantly a book appeared from the air and landed in her paws. Tazel, her wings beating slowly, floated down from atop the pile to land before the unicorn. Clearing her throat playfully, a pair of glasses abruptly appearing over her pink eyes, she read the title. “The Adventures of Kit and Caboose. Recognize that title?”

Twilight’s jaw dropped. “The book! Where did you… nevermind, I need that back!”

Tazel’s snake-like body uncoiled, and in an instant she was tall above the unicorn and glaring. “Excuse me, but I think my interest trumps yours. Now tell me where he is.”

Twilight was caught completely off guard. “Where who is?”

Tazel glared and patted the book with the back of her paw. “Verity Fine! I have to find him.”

“And why would I tell you where he is?” the violet mare demanded forcefully. “What makes you think I know him in the first place?”

At that the creature went from frustrated to afraid. She dropped down to grab Twilight’s shoulders and shake her. “Don’t say that. You have to know where he is, I need to know! Tell me you know!”

Abruptly this creature, whatever it was, didn’t seem at all threatening. In fact, she actually seemed… desperate. Twilight kept her guard up, but eased her tone. “Why do you want to find Fine?”

Tazel slithered back in a curious showing of anxiousness, clutching the book near her chest. Her eyes darted around as if she feared somepony might be listening. “He’s… important to me. I don’t wanna say.”

Twilight glowered and took a deep, calming breath. “And you expect me to help you because of that?” she asked skeptically. “How do I know you’re not out to kill him or something?”

The creature cringed. She seemed so very timid all of a sudden, and it made absolutely no sense at all. “I just wanna see him again.”

“See him?” Now Twilight’s curiosity was getting the better of her. She knew it, and she imagined she’d regret it, but she couldn’t help it. “You mean you’ve met him before?”

Tazel nodded fretfully and displayed the book as if it were evidence. “This book, these pages. I read them. They’re about us! He wrote about me. I thought he’d forgotten after all these years, but it’s all right there!” She clutched the book close once again, her hold on it almost loving. “He’s the only pony who was ever nice to me... the first pony I’d met in hundreds of years. I didn’t have a friend before Verity… or since.”

“Uh-huh…” Twilight didn’t believe this, not at all, but the creature was putting on a good display of sincerity. Enough to at least put a grain of doubt in her mind. “And who are you in the book?”

Tazel showed her the cover and pointed to the name. “I’m Kit.”

“Kit?” The unicorn raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Kit was a bird.”

“You mean this bird?” A clap of paws, a puff of smoke, and Tazel was no longer the strange creature she normally appeared as. Twilight gaped in surprise to see a big, somewhat fat green chick standing atop the book.

“Whoa.” Twilight had to admit she was impressed by the act… if not convinced. “Obviously you can change shapes. That doesn’t prove to me that you’re Kit.”

The chick dropped into a sitting position, appearing both pathetic and cute at the same time. “Please, I need to find Verity!”

Twilight had to shake the strange concept of that voice coming out of the bird’s orange beak. “So you want me to help you? Well then why don’t you help me? Why were you with King Sombra?”

The chick’s feathers fluffed and its eyes wouldn’t match Twilight’s. “Umm… I had to. And… well…”

“And come to think of it,” the unicorn added, her mind piecing things together rapidly, “why do you have Verity’s book? I’m almost certain I left it at the temple in Nildia! So how did you discover it?”

The chick’s tiny head looked about rapidly, as if searching for some sort of inspiration. “Well… maybe… m-maybe I just found a different copy.”

“No.” It all made sense. The thought was astounding, but it seemed the answer to all Twilight’s problems had more or less just fallen into her lap. “There was only one copy, which I forgot at the temple. Which means you were at the temple!”

A puff of smoke saw Tazel returned to her regular form, and she did not look happy. “Listen you little brat, I only wanted to meet an old friend! I’m taking a huge risk talking to you and I’m not leaving until you tell me exactly what I want to know!”

“Forget it!” Twilight took a threatening step forward, horn glowing. “You helped King Sombra. You found my book at the temple. You can enter dreams. You can change your physical appearance. You’re Riptide!”

Tazel’s face froze in surprise, her anger completely gone. A strange sound escaped her throat, as if she were stifling down a rebuttal. The response was all Twilight needed for confirmation. “You’re killing innocent nilgiri,” she growled, taking another ominous step towards her foe. “I’m going to stop you.”

Tazel stared at her dumbly for a few seconds, but then her expression grew vicious. “Stop me? Stop me!? You don’t have the slightest clue what’s really going on. You and your friends and all their precious little dreams can rot in hell!” She flew back, just barely dodging as Twilight shot a bolt of magical energy at her. “I came here with nothing but good intentions. Did it ever occur to you that monsters have hopes and dreams, too!?”

“Yeah, what kind of dreams?” Twilight countered angrily, “to kill even more nilgiri? World conquest? You’re dreams are nothing like…”

“Freedom!” Tazel shouted furiously. “All I ever wanted was to live a life of my own. Verity gave me that for a tiny, precious time in my life, but then it all got taken away from me! I’ve had it with these dream worlds I keep visiting. I’m sick and tired of watching all you stupid mortals chasing after pointless desires that you’ll never achieve! We’ll wash away your dull little lives!”

“We?”

But Tazel wasn’t listening. She hardly seemed to understand anything at all anymore, except her rage. She clutched at her head, tears streaming down her cheeks as she glared at nothing at all. “I want the voice out of my head, I want to be free, I want to see Verity!” Before Twilight could response the creature flew down and snatched her up by the throat. The unicorn twisted and kicked wildly as she was lifted off the ground and choked. “Why do you deserve to be happy, huh? What did I ever do? It’s not my fault I was made a monster! Where is he, where is Verity, where is my colt friend!?”

A beam of purple energy zapped from Twilight’s horn to Tazel’s chest. The force of the hit sent her flying, and Twilight collapsed to the ground and gasped air. “Wha… wha… what is wrong with you!?” she demanded, slowly sitting up to gape at the monster. “Are you crazy?”

Tazel squirmed on the ground, howling in a fury and serpentine tail lashing about violently. “Yes! Yes, that’s right, call me crazy! I’m crazy! I’m the villain here, and I dared to want something better, so I’m crazy! Loopy! Insane! Bat-shit off my rocker all screws loose one apple short of a bushel just escaped the institution crazy!”

Twilight believed it. She stood and stared, not really knowing how to react to this… thing. And to her surprise she couldn’t help feeling pity.

Tazel’s eyes caught sight of the book. She slithered over to it in an instant, clutching it close and glaring at Twilight as if daring her to try and take it away. “I won’t give it back! I refuse! You want it, come and get it.”

Twilight studied her quietly, trying to understand Tazel’s behavior. “You… you need help,” she noted sadly. “Do you want…”

“Shut up you hair-brained twit!” Tazel tapped her head with a paw, face furious. “There is no help for voices in the head. I’m through playing with you! I almost have the monster under our control, and when I do I’ll use it to wipe out everything! Fuck you, your kindness and your harmony!”

And then, with a puff of smoke, she disappeared.

Twilight stared at the spot where the creature had once been, mixed feelings of anger and pity stirring within. She wanted to wake up so badly. She had the pieces, she knew Tazel was responsible for everything. Something had to be done as soon as possible!

And until she woke up there was nothing to be done about it.

Author's Note

A few sacrifices had to be made with this chapter. The visit to the temple didn't end at all like I'd planned, an entire scene was skipped over, and I don't like how I started or ended Twilight's dream.

Despite all that, I don't mind because I was able to get a lot of things done with this chapter will being only a little over my personal word-count limitation. So yeah, I'm fine with this. With the changes I made I might actually be able to finish this story in nine chapters after all. However I'm still debating on where to put my special villain's cameo scene...

After winning Random Romance's first contest I decided to consider entering their second. Fortunately I came up with an idea pretty quickly, and it's going to be longer than my last entry. I'll be focusing on that one-shot for a while then promptly get back to No Heroes.

On an entirely unrelated note, I finally saw Equestria Girls. To be honest, I had very low expectations. There were a few points of annoyance, but overall I thought it was very good, proving once again that the writers know what they're doing. I've had the "Help Twilight Win the Crown" tune stuck in my head for quite a while now. Nothing like a good musical scene to get the MLP inspirational gears a turning.

Character Detail: Fine Crime
Real Name: Verity Fine
Species: Unicorn
Coat: Dappled browns
Mane: Carmine Red (but dyes it black)
Eyes: Rosewood Red
Magic Aura: Maroon
Age: 30
Cutie Mark: A pony camouflaged against his coat
Special Talent: Hiding

Fine was the very first character I conceived for this story, and in fact he was conceived before the story itself. As is typical of me, when I first saw MLP my immediate instinct was to devise some silly shipping fic in my head. It was dumb and pointless, as they always end up being, and had no chance of seeing the light of day. But the OC I came up with stuck with me and ended up being Fine Crime.

It doesn't require Sherlock Holmes to guess that the original shipping had Fine and Fluttershy together, and that got re-translated into him coming to her for help. An actual romance between the two is very unlikely... in this story. However if I get the urge I might go ahead and write a sequel piece that details their relationship and how they see one another, and I just might turn it into a romance. But that's a long ways off, as I already know what my next major story in the No Heroes universe will be and it won't star them.

A lot of people think of the best fighters being those who are the most talented mages or the strongest warriors. I for one prefer the combatant who is never seen. I love stealth. Favorite warrior? Ninja. Favorite ranged weapon? Sniper rifle. Favorite ship? Type VII U-Boat. Favorite plane? B-2. Who needs super strength when you can stab your foe in the back? Some say that's the coward's way of fighting, but I just got a headshot. They're dead so their argument is invalid.

Because of these preferences I usually have at least one character in my stories who is capable of all these things, and of course Fine is it for No Heroes. His abilities and his cutie mark were inevitable additions to Luna's team.

Calm Before the Storm

It was early morning at Benjamina’s mansion. Dark clouds rolled overhead, threatening rain, but that didn’t stop the team from gathering at the meeting table in the courtyard. Everyone was present. Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack, Jimmy, Octavia, Upper Crust, Spike. Rochette and Benjamina were there, too. Even Discord, hovering over their heads and lazing on a cloud as if the conversation didn’t concern him.

Twilight stood before the meeting table, all present ready for her announcement. She wasted no time. “I’ve solved the problem of the waves.”

“Really?” Rochette asked, jumping to his hooves in excitement.

“Well it’s abou’ darned time,” Applejack added. “Ah was startin’ ta think we’d never figure this out!”

“I take it all back,” Spike noted, coming alert for the first time since he’d been dragged out of bed, “that’s worth getting up over.”

“So what’s the source?” Octavia asked regally.

“Riptide,” Twilight answered.

Rainbow Dash obviously had doubts. “What, seriously?”

“Did you find something in the temple that helped?” Benjamina pressed curiously.

“If she did she didn’t say anything to the rest of us about it,” Upper Crust noted with disapproval.

“I didn’t solve it in the temple,” Twilight corrected, “I found her in my dreams.”

Mocking laughter came from the cloud above them. “Ohoho, that’s rich,” Discord claimed, his upper body still hidden by the cloud. His tail was swinging back and forth over their heads playfully. “You’re gonna believe what you saw in your dreams? I didn’t know you could be so silly, Twilight. I should be impressed.”

Twilight glowered at him but decided not to let his comments bother her: there were more important issues at stake. “Last night I was approached by a creature that could change her shape. She claimed to know Fine Crime after she had read his book, which I’d left in the temple.”

“Ah don’ know, Twiligh’,” Applejack muttered hesitantly. “Are we gonna rely on dreams, now?”

“It does make some sense,” Upper Crust noted thoughtfully. “Riptide has been plaguing the nilgiri in their dreams. Some ponies, too.”

“Oh yes, what magnificent puzzle-solving skills you all have,” Discord declared playfully, clearly not buying the idea one bit.

“You might believe it yourself if the thing’d visited you in your dreams,” Octavia noted sourly.

“Not possible,” he countered, finally dipping his head through the cloud to grin at them mischievously, “draconequus don’t have dreams!” He stuck a mocking, slithery tongue out at her, and she huffed unpleasantly.

Jimmy glanced up at him with a puzzled expression. “You don't? Really?”

Twilight coughed to catch everyone’s attention, then turned to address Applejack. “You remember that thing you saw in the Crystal Empire? The one that was guarding the Crystal Heart?”

The cowpony nodded. “Yeah, ah remember. It kinda reminded me of him.” She gestured up to Discord with a glum expression.

“Sounds like someone with class,” he threw in with a grin, sunglasses flashing into existence over his eyes.

“She’s the one responsible,” Twilight assured them. “I don’t know what she is, but her name’s Tazel. As for why…”

A flash of light and Discord was abruptly on the table, head down so that their faces were within inches of one another. He no longer appeared interested in jokes. “Did you say Tazel? As in Tazel Wyrm?”

The unicorn took a few steps back, uncomfortable at the close range of his strange eyes. “Yeah… come to think of it, she did claim to know you.”

“What!?” Rainbow was in the draconequus’ face. “You’re not in league with that thing, are ya?”

Discord scowled and stood up to his full height. “I would never work alongside that abomination. But it can’t be Tazel, I dealt with her ages ago!”

Twilight gave him a concerned look. “Exiled her to an island?”

His eyes went wide in alarm. “What? How’d you know that?”

“She told me in my dream.”

He tugged at his beard, face serious as he considered this. All the ponies were watching him, not accustomed to his unusual grim manner and not sure what to expect. When he finally spoke he seemed to be thinking out loud. “It could be her. Tazel was able to enter ponies dreams, that was the one edge she had on me.”

Spike was the one to ask the question on the minds of every pony present. “So who the heck is she? And what?”

Discord eyed the dragon, a wry smile coming to his lips. “Oh, a history lesson, is that what you’re after?” He was abruptly dressed in a robe and mortarboard. “I’m glad somepony finally has an interest in the tragic tale of Discord.” He swept a tear from his eyes as if he really meant it, but nopony was fooled.

“Just get to the point,” Octavia grumbled impatiently, dropping back into her seat with a scowl.

Discord appeared behind her and rubbed her head as if she were being cute. “Oh, look at you all feisty and eager! When we have more time I’d like to pay you a few more visits.” Octavia’s scowl only deepened, and she refused to reward his playfulness with so much as a glance.

Twilight set a hoof to her cheek with a dull expression. “Discord, this is kind of important?”

“You have no idea,” he declared, once again standing atop the table and looking serious. “You want to know who Tazel is? Fine. You all know how I took over Equestria over a thousand years ago? Well at the time that I first made my bid to rule, Tazel was also there wanting the same thing. I don’t know where she came from or what she is, but we agreed on one thing: Equestria wasn’t big enough for the two of us!”

“So the two of you had a fight,” Benjamina concluded for him.

She was rewarded with some red tape abruptly flashing into existence over her entire head. “This is my story, thank you,” Discord told her with a grin as she fought to remove the stuff. Jimmy moved to help her as he continued.

“Tazel had powers similar to my own, and a similar penchant for fun,” the draconequus declared approvingly. The ponies all cast glances at one another; they didn’t think him fun at all. He didn’t notice. “Because of this we thought it only natural to have a prank war! It was epic entertainment at first, until Tazel broke the rules.”

“Rules?” Jimmy asked skeptically, still working to free Benjamina from the tape. “I didn’t think you had any.”

Discord snapped his fingers, and when the light faded there was a miniature steel building where Jimmy had been. A second later the stallion’s legs broke through windows and struggled to free the rest of him, to no avail. His muffled shouts only made Discord giggle.

“Well I do,” he went on with a royal air, interrupting just when Twilight was about to snap at him, “and I adhere to them… mostly. I had fun, but Tazel was just plain mean.”

“And what do you think you are?” Rainbow snapped, glaring in his face. “You get Jimmy and Benjamina…”

Another snap of the fingers and Rainbow’s hooves were abruptly five times larger than before, the added weight sending her crashing to the table painfully.

“Enough!” Twilight shouted angrily, jumping onto the table and glaring at the draconequus. “We get it, no more interruptions. Now undo all this!”

“Not until my story’s finished,” he answered smugly. She eyed him furiously, clearly wanting to add something else to the conversation, but finally sighed and helped Applejack get a quietly steaming Rainbow off the table.

“Anyway,” he went on, brushing his mane back with mocking pomp, “as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted… Tazel tried to form a pony army to stand up against me. Worse, her mass pranks were seriously harming the ponies. Some even died, and that was most certainly against the rules. Obviously she had to go.

“Army or no she lost, and I became ruler of Equestria,” he continued smugly, but then his tone grew serious once more. “Because of her misconduct I realized that Tazel was too dangerous to keep around, so I exiled her to some island in the Everfree Sea. It was so remote that even with her teleportation powers and flight she’d never be able to get back to the mainland; she’d starve first.”

There was a brief pause, all the ponies watching him as he stood quietly in a triumphant pose. After a few seconds it was Octavia who dared speak. “Can we ask questions, now?”

“Of course,” he replied with exaggerated politeness.

Applejack was first. “If this Tazel is stuck on some island way out in the middle of nowhere, how can she be in our dreams?”

“She shouldn’t be able to,” he answered thoughtfully. “She needs to be within a certain distance of a sleeping individual to use that magic. It works just like Luna’s.”

“Then she must have escaped!” Upper Crust declared fretfully.

“But how could she?” Rochette asked with concern. “It couldn’t have been easy.”

“I have no idea,” the draconequus admitted, tugging on his beard once more. “I suppose she could have been transported off the island in the unlikely event of a ship landing there.”

Twilight’s eyes lit up, and she raised up to set her hooves on the table and catch everypony’s attention. “I think that’s exactly what happened. I think Fine Crime and his father accidentally freed Tazel!”

“What?” Octavia shook her head. “That doesn’t sound like Fine at all. What makes you think he would do something like that?”

“He didn’t know,” Twilight explained. “When he was a foal he and his father were stranded on an island in the Everfree Sea. They lived there for three months; the book I lost was his recounting of those days. In the book he mentions befriending a magical bird that would play games with him.”

Upper Crust rolled her eyes. “A magical bird? Really?”

Discord was listening to the story intently.

“I thought it was just an embellishment myself,” Twilight confessed, “something to make the story more interesting. But what if it was true? They were rescued by a Nildian trade ship, and the bird was never seen again. Could the bird have been Tazel? Can she change her appearance in the real world, too?”

The questions were aimed at Discord, who nodded grimly. “That was within her power. She used to take on an innocent form in order to trick ponies into bring her to their homes, and then the carnage would begin. If your friend was on her island then she wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to escape.”

“So what are we waiting for?” Rainbow demanded fiercely, flapping her wings futilely against the weight of her oversized hooves. “Let’s go get her!”

“But how are we supposed ta defeat somethin’ like that?” Applejack asked, worry etched in her face. “Ah mean it’s not like we have the Elements of Harmony with us this time. What are we supposed ta do?”

“Leave her to me,” Discord declared, flying high above the table. He was clearly in no mood for debate. “I’ve dealt with Tazel once, I can do it again!”

Twilight jumped onto the table. “Discord, wait!”

Too late; he was already flying off. As he disappeared there was a flash of light, and everything was righted; Benjamina’s face was tape-free, Jimmy was out of his steel prison, and Rainbow’s hooves were back to normal.

“Rainbow!” The pegasus turned to Twilight with an alert expression. “Follow him and see what happens. He might actually be able to pull it off.”

“I’m on it!” she declared with a salute before leaping off.

“Just watch!” the unicorn shouted after her. “Whatever you do don’t get involved in the fight yourself!” There was no way to know if she heard.

“But what are we supposed to do in the meantime?” Jimmy asked restlessly.

“Rochette, can you call on some carriages to bring us to the temple?” He nodded and left in a hurry. “We’ll head out there, just in case.”

“If Discord dealt with her once, he can probably do it again,” Octavia noted smartly.

“True,” the unicorn agreed, “but even if he does the question of what to do with her after is in the air. I think we can talk her down.”

“Really?” Benjamina didn’t sound convinced. “What makes you think you can do that?”

“When she confronted me in my dream Tazel was really eager to meet Fine Crime,” she explained seriously. “If we can get the two of them to meet, maybe we can end this peacefully.”

“But Fine’s back home in Ponyville,” Upper Crust noted hesitantly. “How are they supposed to meet?”

“In Fine’s dreams, of course. Spike, take a letter!”

“It’s about time I went home,” Fluttershy noted quietly. She was hovering near the chandelier, prepared to blow out the dimly glowing candles. “I’ll see you tomorrow…”

Fine was below her, still strapped to the rack. He was staring straight up, his gaze unfocused and his body still. “I’ll look forward to it,” he whispered in a voice so low she almost didn’t hear him.

She blew each candle out, trembling in the complete darkness of the windowless room. She was careful in her landing, afraid she might end up on top of him. As she softly touched down she could hear his slow, heavy breathing nearby. It was a measured, forced rhythm, a sound she was growing to hear more and more from him. It meant he was resisting the pain that occasionally entered his body, the pain of withdrawal.

She stood in the darkness for several seconds, listing with growing unease to that breathing. She hated this work, having to keep him tied down like a beast. More than once she’d considered giving up and freeing him, but she kept reminding herself of what success really meant and backed down. It had been over a week since the princesses had bound him to that table, though, and she was beginning to regret ever agreeing to help.

“Are you okay?” She jumped at the sound of his voice coming from seemingly nowhere.

No, no she wasn’t. “…I think I sh-should be asking y-you…”

He huffed grimly. “You know full well how I’m doing.”

She took a careful, unsteady step towards the voice. By the sound of his breathing she had to be right next to him. “Are… are you sure you don’t want me to… to stay here?”

“We’ve talked about this before,” he whispered patiently. “You need to take care of your pets.”

True, they had discussed this many times. She did have her duties back home, and he would be fine on his own for the night. He always was. But leaving him here with nothing but the pain and the murderous thoughts that he confessed kept creeping into his mind seemed so… wrong. It had to be torturous for him, and wasn’t she supposed to be helping him through that? Wasn’t that why she was here?

His chuckle came to her through the darkness. “You’re not scared of going through the Everfree Forest again, are you?” He was trying to sound casual, but his voice was strained.

“After a week of going through it at least twice a day, that’s one fear I’m… sort of over.” Maybe not entirely, but she was getting used to it.

“Just go, Fluttershy,” he whispered kindly. “I’ll be fine.”

She couldn’t trust his attempt at confidence, but there was nothing she could do. She couldn’t devote all her time here, not until she could find somepony to look after her animals. So, with a heavy heart, she turned away. “I promise I’ll be back soon.”

He didn’t answer, which was typical. She sighed and went to the door, which she could just see in the dark now that her eyes had adjusted.

“Goodnight, Fluttershy.”

She paused at the door, glancing back in mild surprise. He usually didn’t bother with a goodbye at all.

“Umm… goodnight.”

She entered the stairwell, the door closing quietly behind her. A simple ‘goodnight’ shouldn’t seem odd, but in this case it really did. Before, when he kept visiting and helping her around her cottage, he’d been jovial and always said his goodbyes, but ever since she’d learned the truth his entire manner around her had changed. He seemed more distant and less… happy. He’d become like an entirely different pony.

She walked down the dimly-lit stairs which wound around the tower to the third floor below, her mind preoccupied with his strange behavior. Perhaps it was the withdrawal acting through him? She wasn’t certain if she liked that idea or not, but if that was the case how far would his personality descend?

She reached the secret doorway that hid the stairwell from the rest of the house. She’d come to learn that the entire building was riddled with doors like these. Apparently Fine had a penchant for them… which in his line of work was probably a good thing. She reached up with a wing, brushing it gently against a high spot in the wall where the sensor was hidden.

The door opened with a swish and the pegasus let out a surprised cry; a pony was standing right on the other side.

“Princess Luna!” Fluttershy took a long, comforting breath. “You startled me.”

“My apologies,” the alicorn answered gently. “It was not my intention. I thought you would be home by now, Fluttershy.”

The yellow mare took a quick bow, having almost forgotten to do so, before answering, “I was just about to leave. Were you coming to check up on Fine?”

“Not quite,” the Princess replied with a mildly guilty tone. “Something of great import has come up in Nildia, and it involves Fine. I must speak to him immediately.”

“Oh…” the pegasus glanced back up the stairs hesitantly. “…I just turned out the lights and everything, but he’s probably not asleep. He has trouble sleeping lately.”

“Asleep or not, I must speak with him,” Luna insisted. She eyed the smaller pony regally for a few seconds. “Mayhap it is good you are here: you may wish to know of the situation. Will you join me, Fluttershy?”

“Of course.” As if she would say no.

“It is appreciated.” Luna stepped past and lead the way upstairs, the pegasus following behind timidly. What could possibly be so important? Fluttershy really hoped it wouldn’t require canceling their little ‘project.’ She couldn’t stand the idea of having to start this terrible task all over from scratch!

The two mares entered the darkened room silently. If Fine recognized their arrival he made no indication of it. Luna seemed to have no difficulty finding the rack he was on in the darkness; perhaps being the Princess of the Night granted her night vision? Fluttershy’s eyes once again needed to readjust to the blackness, but fortunately the Princess’ starry mane glistened clearly and made her easy to follow.

Fine’s breathing had returned to normal, indicating that his pain had gone away. For several seconds there was nothing but silence, but then his voice came up from the dark, patient but grim. “I didn’t expect to see you anytime soon.”

“We need to talk,” Luna told him, her voice firm. Fluttershy wasn’t sure she liked her tone.

“Does it have anything to do with the Archons?”

The alicorn’s shimmering mane shifted back and forth in the darkness. “No, Fine. It involves Nildia.”

A solemn silence filled the room once more. At last Fine spoke. “I doubt I can be of any help to them. Unless you want to cancel our little… experiment.”

“You couldn’t even cross the ocean,” Luna replied critically, which made Fluttershy cringe. Fine didn’t respond, though.

After a tense moment the Princess spoke once more, her voice abruptly much more caring. “Do you think you’ll have a… ‘reaction’ to my presence in this darkness?”

“I couldn’t say,” he answered gravely. “I need to see you, but I doubt seeing your mane alone will cause a vision.”

“Good. Then I’ll ‘cut to the chase,’ as they say in these modern times.” Her tail dropped low, indicating she’d taken a seat. Fluttershy followed suit next to her, curious despite her worries. “Not long ago my sister received a letter from Twilight Sparkle, who believes she has found the source of the freak waves along the Nildian coastline. Do you recall anything about one Tazel Wyrm?”

Fine’s answer was swift and certain. “Yes. I didn’t see or meet her myself, but she helped King Sombra return to power in our last encounter with him.”

“Twilight believes Tazel is responsible for the waves,” Luna went on. “She found a way to infiltrate dreams, much like I do, and was once a rival of Discord back when he ruled Equestria. She’d been plaguing the Nilgiri – and a few of the Nildian team – with nightmares about an ancient god named Riptide to fool us all into thinking that the god was responsible for the waves.”

“I don’t see how I come into this equation,” he noted quietly.

The Princess didn’t hesitate. “I apologize for this, Fine, but I must request that you think back to your time on the island in the Everfree Sea.”

“The island doesn’t bother me, Luna,” he reassured her, then added with an audible shudder, “just how I got there.”

“Do you remember a little bird?”

Another long silence, and when Fine spoke again his voice was hesitant. “…you mean… Kit…?”

Luna pressed him, her voice hard. “This is important, Fine. Twilight stated that in your book you befriended a bird with strange magical powers. Was than an embellishment or did it really happen?”

“…it happened,” he answered slowly. “Kit was real. …she was my… friend.”

Fluttershy found herself leaning forward to hear better. Fine had promised to tell her anything if she asked, and so far she believed him, but she’d never once asked about the island. In truth she hadn’t even thought to. Now that the topic was out, though, she found herself very eager to know more. Especially now; why hadn’t she thought to bring such an important subject up?

“What happened to her, Fine?”

“…I don’t know. Father put me to sleep because I refused to get on the ship. I never saw Kit again.”

Luna sounded as if she were piecing together a puzzle. “So she could have boarded the ship with you.”

“I don’t know. Why are you asking about Kit?” Luna hesitated. “Did they find her?”

Luna seemed to be considering how to answer. Fluttershy was finally able to see her outline in the dark, and she had her head bent low in clear thought. “If they did… would you like to see her again?”

“Of course I would!” Fluttershy wasn’t sure she’d ever heard such eagerness in his voice. “I’ve made so few friends in my life. Even if she’s just a bird, I cried when I first realized I’d never see her again. I know I was just a colt, but…”

Luna’s head shifted; she appeared to be staring at Fine. After a second’s pause she said, “There is no easy way to say this. Twilight believes that Tazel and Kit are one and the same.”

“What?” Fine seemed completely shocked by this revelation. “If that had come from any other pony, I’d have thought it a joke. How could that be possible?”

“Tazel can change her physical form at will,” Luna explained. “Discord, who fought her back when he ruled Equestria, confirms it. More importantly, he claims that after his victory he exiled her to a distant, isolated island in the Everfree Sea. The only way she could have escaped is if she were taken off the island by a passing vessel.”

“…like the one that rescued my father and me…” he concluded, clearly understanding that this was a very real possibility.

Fluttershy was amazed at how calm he was taking all of this. She was certainly in a state of alarm! What if his foalhood friend really was behind the waves? That would make her responsible for the deaths of unknown numbers of nilgiri. Didn’t this bother him?

“Twilight wants you and Tazel to meet,” Luna noted solemnly. “If she is your friend Kit, then perhaps you can convince her to stop ravaging the coast.”

Fine shifted against his bonds, the movement easily recognized by the sound of the shackles. “I understand… but I don’t want to quit this, and we both know that crossing the ocean’s a challenge for me. How are we supposed to meet?”

“I can introduce you,” the Princess replied. “You can meet in your dreams.”

“Ah.” He sounded as if this answer should have been obvious. “That makes perfect sense. When can we meet?”

“Tonight, I hope,” Luna answered with relief. “Twilight and the others are on their way to face her as we speak, and Discord may already be battling her. I intend to go there in the dreamscape, though I might not be…”

“No.”

Luna paused, her starry mane tilting back in the dark. The motion seemed to suggest surprise, and Fluttershy could understand why. She couldn’t resist asking the question ahead of the Princess. “But Fine, I thought you said you wanted to see her?”

“Now is a terrible time for us to meet,” he replied ominously. “Luna, you know the kind of dreams I have when suffering from withdrawal. Introducing her to me now is not a good idea: I’m in week six.” That had Fluttershy worried; what kind of dreams did he have? Thinking back on the one time she’d witnessed him having a violent vision, she decided it might be better not to think on it.

“I know,” the alicorn whispered, “but what if she cannot be stopped? You may be needed to end this.”

He was silent for several seconds, apparently thinking hard on the subject. As he did he began to breath in that slow, steady rhythm that meant he was in pain again. Fluttershy fidgeted, wishing there was some way she could help, but she knew there was nothing. The Princess did not move at all, her brilliant mane flowing softly in the breeze-less room.

“We can try,” Fine whispered at last, his voice strained, “but please, only as a last resort. I can’t guarantee any self control in a dream.”

Luna’s mane tilted, indicating her nod of acceptance. “Very good. I will relay the news to my sister, and she to Twilight.” She stood as if preparing to go, but paused. Her mane became blocked by something, and Fluttershy realized the alicorn was looking at her. She could only see the outline of her face, but there was an intense feeling that made the pegasus anxious.

After a nervous moment the Princess turned her head once more to face Fine. “How are you handling the… ‘treatment?’”

“Everything’s about as I remember,” he replied without hesitation, though his voice still strained from pain. “I’ve two more weeks before I hit my lifetime record. After that… we’ll just have to see.”

“And you, Fluttershy?” Once again that darkened face turned to the pegasus.

Fluttershy glanced at Fine anxiously, thinking about how much she wished it was all over. She didn’t want to keep doing this… but she couldn’t possibly back down now, not after they’d already started. No matter how much she wanted to. “I’ll… I’ll be okay.”

The Princess of the Night stared at her for a while. The smaller mare couldn’t return the gaze, instead glancing away timidly and hoping she’d been convincing enough. Probably not; she certainly wasn’t convincing herself.

“Fine, have you considered allowing others to watch over you?”

Fluttershy felt her heart sink. “No… I can do it…”

But the stallion hesitated. “I’m not sure anypony else could. What if I had a vision?”

There was a sigh in the shadows, clearly coming from the Princess. “You are bound so tight you cannot hardly move a muscle. Your magic has been nullified. Still you fear what you may do?”

“There are no guarantees,” he whispered unhappily.

“I can do this,” Fluttershy assured her, prompting the Princess to study her once more. The pegasus tensed nervously under that gaze but knew she had to be convincing. She fought to make her voice sound firm. “I can do it.”

Luna sighed after a moment’s thought. “Very well. I must hurry back to Canterlot. Celestia is waiting.”

“Luna?” The Princess paused, half-turned away from the rack. “…I think you should cast a sleep spell on me. It’s not easy sleeping when you’re in my condition.”

“Of course,” Luna whispered understandingly. She turned back, and a moment later her horn appeared in the darkness, glowing brightly. Soon a similar glow appeared around Fine’s head, his face abruptly visible to Fluttershy. She took the opportunity to study him; his eyes, focused on Luna’s horn, appeared worn out and dull. His face was drawn and hard, almost as if he were withering away. She felt a weak sound escape her lips at the sight of him; he didn’t look at all well.

His eyes closed quickly, and when they did the glow faded. His breathing was rhythmic and deep, the calm and gentle breathing of the unconscious.

Fluttershy took a step away, genuinely worried. Had she not been feeding him enough? He hadn’t complained. Was it the pain? Maybe she’d been doing something wrong all this time.

“Do not let his appearance disturb you,” Luna whispered from just above her. Fluttershy gazed up to find the mare studying her in the dark. “It is merely a reflection of the mental trauma he is suffering.”

She said that, but Fluttershy was by no means comforted. She stared at Fine’s outline, just barely visible to her eyes, and wondered if she shouldn’t try something else. “I’ve been seeing him all this time, but until now I never realized how gaunt he was becoming.”

“An illusion of the light of the magic,” Luna assured her calmly. “Fluttershy, I must ask for a favor.”

A favor? She was so busy already… “Y…yes…?”

She felt a hoof touch her shoulder, and turned to find Luna’s horn glowing once more, illuminating the space between them. At last the Princess’s face was visible, and it was etched with concern. “If this task becomes too great, I want you to call on your friends for help.”

The smaller mare hesitated, glancing at Fine’s sleeping form. “But… he wanted me to…”

“You know how stressing this task might become,” Luna reminded her gently. “He trusted you to start this, and in that he was wise. But I believe it was an error to only include you and not others. Fine wants us to believe that only you are safe, but his bindings are strong. In truth he does not wish for others to know of what he is. He fears their scorn.”

That did make a lot of sense, and Fluttershy had long suspected it. To hear it from Luna only confirmed it in her mind. Even so, Fine was trusting in her to do this…

The Princess went on. “Fine does not understand friendship, Fluttershy. It is perhaps his greatest flaw. He thinks the others will fear and hate him for something that was truly never his fault, but you and I both know this is not the case. I want you to promise me that if ever you think the burden is too great you will not hesitate to gather your friends.”

Those words struck Fluttershy with an epiphany. She gazed up at the Princess, recognizing for the first time the truth in her words. Fine had lived his life alone and isolated by his own personality. Even his special talent was geared towards solitude, and he openly acknowledged that he had only a select few friends, and she wasn’t sure how much he valued even those.

It all made perfect sense to her. A pony like him wouldn’t really understand friendship, would he? She could help him in that area. He had chosen to trust her, and worked hard to spend time with her. Maybe he only saw her as a means to an end – suddenly that seemed a lot more likely – but what if he was reaching out without even knowing it?

He had been nice to her, and she had responded in kind. It was only natural. Perhaps she could show him what else he was missing by asking others to help. But not yet; at this stage he’d probably be offended, perhaps think she’d betrayed his trust. She had to wait… she just hoped she didn’t have to wait for too long.

“I promise.” She looked up into Luna’s eyes with a renewed confidence. “I want to help him in whatever way I can.”

Luna smiled, recognizing her determination. “Very good. Then I will leave it to you. I trust you to make the proper decision when the time comes.”

Three carriages raced through the Nildian jungle road. They were small, they were light, and they were fast, which was exactly what the team needed. Twilight and Applejack were in the first one, followed closely by Octavia and Upper Crust. The last held Jimmy Stone. They were determined to reach the temple as quickly as possible, but by the roads it would be at least three hours before they could arrive, leaving the team with nothing to do but wait and fret over the situation.

They were a third of the way there when Spike, riding between Applack and Twilight, let out a belch that produced a letter from Princess Celestia. Twilight wasted no time reading its contents, and what she found worried her.

Spike noticed her concern. “What’s wrong? Is it a no go?”

She shook he her head, slowly. “It’s not that. According to this Luna is willing to introduce Tazel to Fine, but she claims that doing so is dangerous.”

“Dangerous?” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “How can it be dangerous?”

“I don’t know, there’s nothing in the letter about that,” the unicorn confessed, turning the letter back and forth studiously. “It only states that ‘Fine is undergoing a very serious experiment that could threaten anypony who dares to enter his dreams.’”

Spike leaned against her to get a closer look at the letter, scratching his head. “An experiment that affects dreams? I didn’t know you could do that.”

“Me neither,” Applejack confessed, “but ah suppose it does make some sense. Ah mean Princess Luna had ta learn ta enter ponies’ dreams somehow, right?”

“Hmm…” Twilight let the letter drop onto the seat between her and Spike. “It seems the experiment has a lot of personal importance to Fine. I wonder if it has to do with his fear of the sea?”

“Fear of the sea?” Applejack was clearly surprised to hear that. “You mean a tough guy like him’s afraid of getting’ wet?”

“It’s a bit more complicated than that,” the unicorn noted timidly, realizing she was dangerously close to revealing Fine’s secret. “I promised not to tell anypony why, but he’s terrified of the open sea.”

Applejack considered this with a look of intense thought. “That would explain why he was so gung-ho about not comin’ on this trip with us, I guess.”

Spike had the letter and was reading it intently. “Says here that Fine was okay with meeting Tazel, though, so we should be fine.”

“Only as a last resort, Spike,” Twilight corrected. “We need to at least try to deal with Tazel without him.”

“And just how are we supposed ta do that?” Applejack asked seriously. “If Discord fails ta stop her, what are we supposed to do?”

“I don’t really know,” the worried unicorn admitted. “If he hadn’t flown off so quickly I’d have asked him for some sort of information about her.”

“Tell me we’re not goin’ in there without a plan,” Applejack responded skeptically.

Twilight considered the situation for a moment. “Well, Rochette and Benjamina are busy alerting the government even as we speak. They should be following along behind by maybe an hour with some soldiers.”

“Assuming they can convince the president that a strange creature posing as a water god is living in an old temple and causing the waves,” Spike pointed out dully.

Twilight winced, recognizing his meaning. “Well… assuming they are coming, all we technically would have to do is keep Tazel busy until they get here.”

“An’ if they aren’ comin’?” Applejack asked.

The unicorn sighed unhappily before admitting, “I have absolutely no idea.”

Spike facepalmed. “I shoulda stayed in bed…”

Author's Note

I had two options with this part of the story: make a single very long chapter or divide it into two smaller ones. I chose the second option because it made more sense in my head, though some might disagree. Regardless there's no way the coming events will go via small word counts and I felt it warranted it's own chapter.

For Dreams

The sky was overcast with clouds, rain just beginning to fall on the sandy beaches of the Nildian coast. Mane Archon, silver mane flowing in the wind, stood on a tall hill over the waters. He was studying the waves with anxious eyes. His breath came out in long gasps, the strain of his spell having taken a significant toll. He was waiting for a reaction, a surge, anything.

But the sea was calm.

“Silma?” he whispered anxiously, not daring to hope, “are you finished?”

I am.

He glanced down the beach one way, and then another. There was nothing but the light drizzle and the natural waves. “The spell is finished?”

I believe so.

Mane dared to smile, a relieved laugh breaking free. “I can’t believe it. We… we did it. We have control!”

Yes, the beast is at last tamed. We need no longer fear its wrath.

He let out another laugh, this time with abandon. He dropped to his haunches and stared up into the sky, letting the soft rain patter on his face. “Twenty-five years I’ve been fighting it. Thank you, Silma, I thought I’d never succeed.”

We did it together, Mane, and only together will we maintain control of it. We must compel it to search immediately.

He nodded, a dark grin coming upon his lips. “The Life of Earth, eh? Alright, it shouldn’t take a beast like that too long to find your precious gemstone.” He focused intently, and his horn began to glow white. The magic shimmered, flickered and grew brighter. He began to grind his teeth with the effort, but after nearly a minute the horn dimmed and he relaxed. “It is done.”

He glanced around, expecting to hear some sort of confirmation. There was none. He frowned, nervously tapping a hoof against the box hanging from the necklace on his neck. “Silma?”

Something is wrong with Tazel.

He raised an eyebrow, yet again wishing there was something physical to that voice for him to observe. “Other than being Tazel?”

She is unraveling. She may have seen things in somepony’s dreams. She’s turning rebellious.

That alarmed him. “I thought you said she had to obey you no matter what.”

Yes, but if her mind breaks then she will be of no further use to us. Perhaps it was a mistake to have her visit the dreamscape so frequently for so long.

He didn’t like the sound of that. He’d seen many a strange thing in his journeys, some of which might be called maddening, but he’d never had the chance to enter ponies’ dreams. He imagined doing that for a while could lead a pony to lose his mind, and Tazel had never been far from madness in his opinion. “I won’t be sad to see her go,” he noted seriously, “but what about the gemstone? She had the other doesn’t she?”

I will reclaim it once we have the Life of Earth. I need to help buy her some time.

“Some time?” He glowered at the sea, for lack of anything else to glower at. “Just let her fry.”

She has to keep our enemies busy until we get the stone. She is facing Discord as we speak, and her power alone is not enough to face him.

“Discord!?” Mane turned about to cast a fearful gaze into the jungle, as if expecting the draconequus to be right behind him. “How are we supposed to stop him? My collection makes me strong, but to fight against somepony who defies the laws of reality itself?”

Do not worry, Mane. We’ve always known that he would have to be dealt with sooner or later, and I think I know just the way to do it. Tazel’s breakdown couldn’t have come at a more opportune time.

Mane shook his head in distaste. “You’re one cold pony, Silma. What about our cover? Everypony thinks that Riptide is responsible for the waves.”

Tazel’s ruse has been uncovered, but that should be okay. Let them think Riptide is on the loose. Indeed, let us claim that it is.

He caught her meaning and smiled darkly, turning to watch the waves once more. “I see… Riptide, hmm? I like that name a lot more than its regular one. Always wanted to have a pet to name.”

I always wanted a pet to whom I could feed my political opponents.

Mane laughed at the thought, relishing what he knew was coming. “Well, I guess for once we’ll both get what we want.”

The carriages rumbled to a stop before the stairwell, and the ponies wasted no time disembarking. When they did there was a collective cry of alarm; the bodies of nilgiri were everywhere. The steady shower from the clouds had tiny streams of blood running down the stairs and along the stone road, making a couple of them feel just a little ill.

“What happened here?” Jimmy whispered, kneeling before one of the bodies to inspect it.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Twilight declared fearfully, hesitating before the stairs as her eyes scanned the bodies. “They look as though they were attacked by… I don’t know. Discord said Tazel was willing to kill, but this doesn’t seem right at all!”

“But it does,” Upper Crust noted. She had an expression of intense focus as she studied the bodies quietly, one at a time. “They were all running away, and those wounds aren’t from magic. Tazel didn’t do this.”

“Then who did?” Octavia asked fretfully.

“There’s only one way ta find out,” Applejack declared, leading the way up the stairs at a trot. “Come on, ya’ll, we gotta hurry!”

The others followed, and what they found was a strange and horrid sight. Nilgiri bodies littered the area, some with spears sticking out of them at wild angles. But among the bodies were strange things; Nilgiri trapped in steel boxes and struggling to escape, others handing upside down as if caught up in some invisible rope, a few trapped in big blocks of ice. All around there were either dead bodies or nilgiri trapped in strange prisons.

“The guards,” Upper Crust noted seriously, and upon some inspection the others realized that the captured nilgiri were indeed the temple guards.

“Whoa, what happened to them?” Spike asked, hiding behind Twilight and looking around as if expecting an attack to come from anywhere.

Applejack looked around at the bodies in horror. “But… why are they like that when the others are de… de…”

Twilight raised herself to her hind legs so that she was standing against one of the steel boxes. She leaned forward to get a better look at the nilgiri who’s head was still sticking out and struggling to get free. “Hey, calm down! What happ…” The guard snapped his teeth as if to bite her, his expression so fierce she fell onto her back in alarm. “Whoa! What’s wrong with him?”

It was Octavia who recognized the situation. “Jimmy, look at their eyes…” Everypony followed her suggestion, and they quickly recognized what she had: all the nilgiri guards had red, glowing eyes with no pupils.

“Just like in the Crystal Empire,” Jimmy noted fearfully. “Twilight, this is the same kind of magic that helped King Sombra enslave the ponies in the Empire.”

Applejack snarled angrily at the memory. “Then Tazel really was helpin’ Sombra out!”

“No,” Upper Crust countered ominously, “I don’t think this is Tazel’s magic. It doesn’t seem like her style.”

“And how would you know what her style is?” Jimmy asked her skeptically.

“Call it a guess,” she replied, tapping her cutie mark with a hoof to emphasize her point. “And I think they are the ones that killed the others. Discord must have done this to them to stop them.”

“Guess he’s not all that bad,” Spike suggested hesitantly, eyeing a nearby body and looking ill.

“We don’t have any more time for speculation,” Octavia noted, she and Twilight already at the foot of the temple. “Come on, we need to get inside!” They all ran to the top, hooves fumbling on stones worn smooth with time and slippery with the rain.

“Rainbow!” Twilight was the first to get to the top, and thus the first to find the pegasus. Rainbow’s body was encased in cement, her head sticking out the side and facing towards the temple. When they approached they found her gasping in slow, struggling breaths.

Applejack dropped down beside Rainbow’s head, face twisted with terror. “Rainbow! Come on, sugarcube, talk ta us. You’re alrigh’, right?”

The blue pegasus, teary eyes wide, struggled to get a word out of her throat. “…b …b …br …breathe…”

“Everypony stand back,” Twilight ordered, taking a few paces back from the concrete-encased pegasus. Her horn glowed brightly before a streak of purple energy erupted from it, striking the block. There was a loud popping sound and cracks formed in the concrete. “Applejack!”

“Got it!” She darted to the block and gave it a solid buck, smashing the block to pieces.

Rainbow let out a loud gasp and sucked in air as Jimmy and Octavia worked to pull her out of the rubble. She lay on her back and devoted a few seconds to just breathing while the others cheered her survival.

“I’m so glad your okay,” Twilight confessed happily, but immediately gained a lecturing glare. “I told you not to get involved in the fight! Would it have killed you to listen to me?”

“I… I… I didn’t…” the pegasus managed to get out with visible effort. “…she… cheap shotted me… while I was… was watching…”

“She’ll be okay,” Jimmy noted while feeling Rainbow’s chest studiously. “I don’t think there’s anything broken. Just a tight fit.”

She pushed his hooves away weakly, a strange mixture of relief and sadness of her face. “I would give… just about anything… for you to be… Nye instead.”

He chuckled with a grin. “I’ll be sure to let him know you care.”

“She’s probably the first mare to ever say that,” Octavia whispered conspiratorially to Applejack, who giggled in amusement.

“Rainbow, what happened to Discord and Tazel?” Twilight asked, snapping everypony back into the moment.

The pegasus sat up slowly with Jimmy’s and Applejack’s help. “I couldn’t see,” she answered, at last able to speak normally, “but I think they both went inside.”

“Then that’s where we need to go,” the unicorn declared confidently. “You up for more?”

Rainbow was on her hooves at last, and delivered a confident smirk. “Are you kidding? I’m too awesome to quit over something like this! Let’s get going.”

They found Discord just inside, and he wasn’t happy. He was hovering just above the floor, rubbing his chin and glaring at the stairs leading down into the rest of the temple. He barely acknowledged their arrival. The draconequus clearly hadn’t been exchanging pleasantries with Tazel: there were cuts and bruises all over his body and his larger eye was puffed up and black. Still, he looked a lot better than most of them had expected.

“What’s goin’ on?” Applejack demanded, standing before him and scouring their dark surroundings. “What happened ta Tazel?”

“She’s inside,” he replied, his eyes locked intensely at something nopony could see. “Some sort of barrier is keeping me from following.”

“So she’s hiding from you,” Rainbow declared with a look of disapproval. “What a coward! Can’t she fight for whatever it is she’s trying to do?”

“She did,” he noted darkly, “and she wasn’t winning.”

Twilight approached the stairs, her horn glowing dimly. “I feel the shield. It’s all around, isn’t it? But at least this means she’s contained for now.”

“She’s not finished yet,” Discord noted grimly. “I remember how she was. I guarantee you she has something up her sleeve.”

“We need to talk to her,” Twilight explained. “We might have a way to convince her to stand down, but we need her to go into the dreamscape.”

“Tazel doesn’t want to talk,” he snapped. “That’s got to be the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard! Besides, you’d have to stand up to her in your dreams, and I can’t follow you there.”

“Well someone’s goin’ ta be doin’ it anyway,” Applejack noted with alarm. They all turned and saw her shaking Jimmy. He seemed barely able to stand on his own hooves. “Come on, Jim, this is no… time for a nap…” She let out an abrupt yawn, her eyes getting droopy.

“What’s going on…” Octavia asked, falling to her haunches and rubbing her eyes.

“A sleeping spell!” Upper Crust cried, eyes going wide.

“Oh dear, that’s not good,” Discord noted as he quickly reached down and tried to shake Octavia out of her growing weariness. “She’s going to try and attack you all in your dreams!”

Twilight turned for the exit, but already she was moving sluggishly. “We have to… get out… oh great…” She fell to the floor, out like a light.

“Discord,” Rainbow shouted, flying just above his head, “get us out of here! Use your power or… or whatever…” She dropped slowly to the ground, eyes drooping.

“Too late,” he replied worriedly, watching helplessly as one by one the ponies fell asleep. “I’m sorry, there’s nothing I can do. Just try to remember that in your dreams she can’t really hurt you!”

The was no world, at least not in terms of something Octavia could stand on. The universe was comprised of a soft purple, plain background no matter where she looked. Floating all around were seemingly random objects: a cello, a trio of flutes, a stage light, a bunch books just to name a few. It all seemed so random, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

She tried to find something solid to press her hooves against, but there was nothing; she was floating weightlessly just like everything else. She thought on this for a moment, and with a bit of mental compulsion began to drift towards a piano nearby. She set her hooves to it, using it as though it were the ground, and immediately felt more confident. She took a moment to examine her surroundings, but nothing really made sense. Had she ever had this dream before?

Dream. Yes, she was dreaming. Her mind worked to try and remember when she’d fallen asleep. What had she been doing? There was something important happening. She’d been… in a hurry? No, that didn’t seem right. Trying to find something? That sounded a little closer, but it was still off.

She couldn’t remember, but she knew it was important.

“Octavia Melody.”

She jerked about, trying to find the source of the voice, but there was nothing. Just random floating objects. “Who’s there?”

The piano jerked up with a thunk, and she realized immediately that something had landed on the bottom side. “You probably don’t even remember me.”

“I remember the voice,” she noted seriously, turning in circles. From which direction would it come?

“I remember everything about you.” With the sound of shattering wood and piano keys the instrument shattered under her hooves. She jerked about just in time to see the tail as it swung wide and sent her flying through the air. Wincing at the pain she focused her mind and managed to stop her motion, but when she looked to the piano there was nothing on it.

“What are you?” the cellist snapped, turning about as she glared. “Where are you!?”

“You don’t remember at all,” the voice hissed angrily. “You cut my hand off!”

“I did no such thing,” she countered, floating her way to a large floating stage. As soon as she landed she connected the dots. “Riptide. Luna did that!”

“Maybe, but you fought back,” the voice whispered in its ever-unpleasant tone. “Nopony ever fought me like that before you, Octavia.”

She was already getting tired of this. “Come out and face me you monster!”

“Monster?” Abruptly something appeared, walking onto the stage far opposite Octavia. “What makes me a monster?” Octavia quickly recognized what she was seeing: it was a nilgiri. Not just any nilgiri, but the pujari of the temple.

“It was you?” She took a cautious step back from the priestess, not sure what to expect.

“I really must thank you for the autograph,” the nilgiri noted with a dark grin. “After that wonderful performance the other night I just had to know who you were. It’s so much easier to target a specific pony’s dreams when you know her name.”

Octavia glared, understanding dawning on her. “Tazel. You were posing as a priest, but all along you were brainwashing nilgiri!”

The pujari shook her head and waved a dismissive hoof. “Oh no, I can’t do the whole mind control thing. Had a little help there. But forget the small stuff: what’s your dream?”

The cellist hadn’t expected a question like that. Cautious but confused, she asked, “What are you talking about?”

The nilgiri tilted her head in a snobbish fashion, as if Octavia were being ignorant. “You have a goal, don’t you? A grand wish. Tell me what it is.”

“Why?”

Tazel grinned wickedly. “So I can crush it.”

Octavia lowered to an aggressive stance. “Go to hell.”

“Haven’t you heard?” the nilgiri asked, and suddenly her voice turned vicious. “I’m already there!”

In a single horrifying instant the nilgiri opened her mouth and, emerging like a true demon, Tazel erupted from her throat! Her face was contorted in menace, claws reaching out for Octavia as she flew at the cellist with alarming speed. Octavia barely reacted in time, dropping to her belly and letting the monster zoom past harmlessly.

Or so she thought; just as it was passing Tazel’s tail wrapped like a whip around her throat and dragged her across the stage and into the air! Octavia struggled furiously at the appendage, wincing each time she was swung into guitars, drum sets, massive speakers and anything else heavy Tazel could locate. After nearly a dozen such hits she was at last released, sent spiraling randomly into the void.

Concentrating, Octavia fought to think of something solid. A second later she landed hard on a floor made of bricks. For a moment she wished she’d thought of something softer, but she reminded herself that it was only a dream and rapidly jumped to her hooves. She looked up just in time to see and dodge an incoming harp that smashed into the bricks with a crash.

“I won’t let you keep this up, Tazel,” she snapped, glaring up at the creature and imagining her cello. It was in her hooves in an instant, but before she could play Tazel was there. Alarmed by her speed Octavia was unable to react in time as her cello was snatched away and swung at her like a bat, once against sending her sprawling.

“Oh no you don’t,” Tazel hissed, raising the cello by the neck and threatening to smash her with it. “I won’t give you the chance to fight back!”

Octavia kicked off the ground, just barely escaping as the instrument was smashed to splinters on the bricks. This was bad; Tazel was too quick! Thinking fast, she thought of something less musical and more heavy: Tazel lunged but was stopped with a hard thwack when a carriage abruptly dropped into place between the two of them. Octavia took the opportunity to get some distance between them.

Tazel’s paws clutched the top of the carriage and hauled her over, but she stopped halfway to lay leisurely on top of the thing. “You’re good for somepony without any experience, I’ll give ya that.”

The musician turned to face her opponent, frustration and anger filling her. “What do you want, Tazel!?”

The creature sneered, eyes flashing furiously. “What do I want? It doesn’t matter what I want! I’ll never get it, because I’m a slave. Wants are meaningless, just like hopes!” She rose up, snatching the carriage and lifting it over her head. “I’ll show you how pointless it all is!” With a menacing snarl she threw the carriage at Octavia.

Octavia focused on the thing, and it stopped in midair just a few feet away. An instant later and it was hurtling back at incredible speeds! But Tazel was gone…

The creature smashed into her from the side, knocking her on her back. Tazel’s tail rapidly wrapped about her waist and hind legs. Octavia kicked at her with her forelegs, trying to land a hit in the face.

“Yes, squirm!” Tazel’s feline face delivered a toothy, demented grin as she rose up into the air, carrying a struggling Octavia along. “Fight me, show me your defiance! I’ll squeeze the life out of you!”

The cellist ceased her struggling and laughed mockingly. “You can’t! You stupid beast, this is a dream. You can’t actually hurt me!”

“No?” Tazel’s dark manner faded swiftly as she thought on this. “Come to think of it, you’re right.” Her tail jerked Octavia up and then threw her straight down. She crashed into the bricks, the pain intense but short-lived. “Nothing I do here translates into the real world, so I can’t kill you that way.”

Octavia sat up and glared at the creature, who was studying her with a playful expression. “But I can still hurt you. And I intend to. I intend to hurt you again and again until I am satisfied!”

The cellist grimaced and sent a barrage of bricks flying, but Tazel instantly disappeared in a white cloud. Octavia tried to get up, but didn’t see the attack; a paw caught her by the back of the head and smashed it down into the brick so hard it made her see stars.

“You know,” Tazel whispered in her ear, tail curling once more around the cellist’s body, “I might not be able to kill you in conventional ways, but the mind is another matter. Ponies have been known to die of fright…” She set a paw on the ground next to Octavia’s head, and as she watched it slowly began to change its form. The claws grew long and thin, the fur began to wither and blacken. “There are all sorts of things I can do to you, Octavia. We have all the time in the world.” The paw, now a hideous skeletal black talon, raked across her face teasingly. “So why don’t you tell me what you most want out of life.”

The mare struggled, refusing to show any fear even as she began to recognize her situation. “You can’t scare me,” she declared defiantly. “There’s one of you and six of us, and don’t forget Discord!”

“Oh please, is that the best you can do?” Octavia was lifted up off the ground and turned about to face Tazel, whose face had become gaunt and withered and furless. Her eyes flashed a bloodshot yellow as she grinned with wicked, black fangs. “You’re dreaming, Octy. Discord can’t touch me here, and your friends are all off in their own little dream lands. You’re all alone with me.”

A single talon came up and gripped the cellist’s face tightly. She let out a pained grunt as the claws pierced into her skin and struggled against the creature’s tail desperately. “We’ll stop you! We will, Tazel!”

“Keep telling yourself that,” she responded with an ominous chuckle, her claws going even deeper and making Octavia shutter at the searing pain in her head. “You think you can rely on them? A big bunch of losers? The bookworm that licks Celestia’s hooves? The inbred country hick too stupid to even speak properly? Oh no, you’re counting on that flabby little white stallion, the one who couldn’t even bother to come along! You know you can’t rely on any of them.”

“Shut up!” Octavia fought to free herself, letting out a small shout as those claws dug deeper into her face. She could feel the blood trickling down her cheeks. But the worst pain came from how she actually believed those words. She didn’t have faith in her team, she didn’t have faith in them at all.

“Ooh, is that a little fear I hear?”

Yes, yes it was. Octavia knew she was losing, but she just couldn’t focus! The pain in her head, the doubts about her team, knowing she might not be saved… what was she supposed to do? She kept struggling, crying out in agony as Tazel’s talon clenched just slightly over her face. Yet no matter how much it hurt, no matter how little hope she had, she would not give Tazel the reward of hearing her scream.

“Hmm, resistant little bug,” the monstrosity noted unpleasantly. “That’s okay, I’ll break you eventually. You gonna tell me what I want to know?”

Octavia shivered fearfully, but let out a defiant snarl. “Go buck yourself.”

Tazel sighed dully. “What does a lady gotta do to learn what a pony wants most and smash it to pieces? I know,” her voice turned ominous, “maybe I’ll rip your face off entirely.”

Oh sweet merciful Luna, she sounded deathly serious. Octavia let out a startled gasp as the talon tensed once more. “…w-wait…”

“Too laAUGH!”

Octavia was free, her body sent flying as Tazel flung her out into the open air. She didn’t know what had happened, only that suddenly something had her in a hold around the chest. When she looked up she was startled to see a familiar face. “Jimmy!”

“I think most ponies like her face where it is,” he declared smartly, giving her an encouraging look. He released her, allowing her to float on her own in the purple void. “Glad to see I made it in time.”

Tazel, face back to normal but furious, flapped her wings to rise high above them. “Who the fuck are you? How’d you get in here, you’re not even a unicorn!”

Jimmy glared back at her, confident and imposing. “Fortunately somepony out there had a plan in mind for just this situation.”

“A plan?” Tazel looked surprised, but before she could say anything else a beam of green energy struck her in the face. She let out a surprised shout, rubbing her face and dodging a second, purple shot even as a barrage of green ones began bombarding her. Octavia turned about and was amazed to see two unicorns standing on the bricks below, firing off lasers with their horns: Twilight and Upper Crust.

“You’re not getting away this time, Tazel!” Twilight shouted angrily.

Twilight might have been angry, but Upper Crust appeared outright furious, lasers blasting from her horn at an alarming rate. “You will leave my friend alone!”

Tazel let out a vicious snarl at this resistance. A wave of her paw saw a collection of metal bars appear in front of her, and with another they went flying like darts at the two unicorns. They didn’t even get halfway there before Rainbow Dash appeared, pushing a carriage in front of her that soon came to look like an oversized pincushion. She flew past with an excited whoop, waving to Octavia as she dropped the carriage off on a wooden stage where Applejack was waiting to buck it hard at Tazel.

“Everpony’s here,” Octavia noted in amazement, turning to Jimmy. “You all came.” She was too surprised to speak above a whisper.

“More than you know,” he declared with a wink, and suddenly he grabbed her and, ignoring her shout, sent her flying with an easy toss. “Nye, take care of our damsel in distress!”

“Nye!?”

She twisted around just in time to see the pony in question rearing up atop a plastic stage flat. She smashed into him and the two toppled through the air. “Not my best catch,” he noted jokingly, holding her so that they wouldn’t get separated.

“I don’t understand,” she cried, pushing away from him. “What’s going on, how are you all here?”

“That would be her,” he noted smartly, gesturing with a hoof over her shoulder.

Octavia spun about and let out a happy cry to see Princess Luna hovering high and regal above them all. Her horn was glowing intensely, and even as Octavia watched she saw Rarity, Pinkie, Fluttershy and Lightning emerge into the dream seemingly out of nowhere.

“Woohoo, we're floating!” Pinkie cried, flipping pointlessly in the air and laughing hysterically.

“Oh my, Pinkie watch out!” Fluttershy cried, pulling the pony aside just in time for them both to avoid the massive cement pipe that Tazel had sent flying their way.

“How rude,” Rarity snapped as Luna’s magic stopped the pipe from hitting the two of them. “Even in the face of such appalling, tasteless surroundings I cannot allow you to threaten my friends!” She leapt into the pipe, which was more than large enough for her to stand in, and nodded to Luna. It was sent flying through the air at Tazel, sharp diamonds firing out of it like bullets. The creature, alarmed and taking fire from all sides, barely managed to dodge.

“Hey Lightning,” Rainbow called, zipping past the pegasus with a taunting grin, “better move quick or all the fun will be over!”

Lightning huffed in a superior manner. “This all seems like overkill. But,” she grinned wickedly, wings spread wide, “far be it for me to let you have all the fun!” The two were off, a lightning bolt and a rainbow zipping around Tazel and taking turns delivering blows.

Over it all Princess Luna arose, wings spreading majestically and face ominous. “Tazel Wyrm, you have ruined enough dreams. Your reign of terror ends now!”

“Dreams dreams dreams,” the creature snarled, wincing as Upper Crust’s green lasers burned a series of black spots on her back. She was so busy struggling to dodge it was amazing she could bother speaking. “Why does everypony have to keep talking about dreams!?”

Octavia dropped onto the bricks with Nye, so amazed she forgot to use her feet and ended up on her belly. “Everyone came… you’re all here!”

“Of course,” Nye noted pleasantly, suddenly shaking up a big glass bottle in his hooves, “you didn’t really think we were gonna leave you hangin’, huh?”

She jumped up and gave him a tight hug, amazed at her own joy. “I just can’t believe it!”

He stumbled back and pushed her away. “What, we’re in the middle of a big battle and now you can’t get your hooves off me?” He threw the bottle at Tazel, who tried to knock it away with her tail. The bottle shattered and erupted in flames; the creature let out an agonized screech as her tail caught fire, instantly summoning up a bucket of water to douse it. She was distracted for long enough that she didn’t notice the massive piston come hammering down from above, smashing her in the back and sending her flailing. The entire machine, Jimmy standing resolutely on top, gave chase.

The cellist couldn’t believe what she was seeing: her dream was full of chaos as twelve ponies launched into an all-out assault on the creature. Stormclouds from Lightning and Rainbow, lasers from Twilight and Upper Crust, even exploding cupcakes from Pinkie! Tazel was frantically trying to escape, put entirely on the defensive by the overwhelming barrage.

“How… where did you all learn how to do this!?” Octavia turned to Nye for an answer, amazed to see him literally juggling flaming cocktails and simultaneously tossing them at their foe.

“Luna gave us all a crash course in dream control,” he declared proudly. “We're masters of our own dreams, now!”

“I thought this would be difficult,” Fluttershy admitted as she landed just behind the two of them, “but it seems Tazel’s the one in trouble. Are you okay, Octavia?”

The cellist thought she might cry: she’d never expected them to come for her like this! In just a few minutes all her doubts about this team and its chances were gone. They were here, they were all here!

And abruptly she didn’t want to miss this chance to work with them. “I’ve never been better,” she declared fiercely, turning to face Tazel. “Now let’s teach that abomination not to mess with our dreams!” With a thought her cello was back in her arms. She began her own musical assault, waves of sound radiating out to strike the creature no matter where she tried to hide.

Tazel was struggling, constantly fighting to ward off the ponies’ attacks, but there were simply too many of them. If she defended herself against Twilight’s and Upper Crust’s lasers, she would be bombarded by thrown or bucked debris from Applejack, Jimmy and Pinkie. Dodge their attacks and she would be ambushed by the powerful kamikaze-like assaults of Lightning and Rainbow. Flee them and she found herself assaulted by Octavia’s cello and Fluttershy’s song. In the meantime she constantly had to contend with Nye’s flaming bottles and Rarity’s gemstones, and all along Princess Luna was overhead, watching intently while her magic prevented the creature from escaping the dream.

At last Tazel could take no more: with a furious cry she summoned a huge collection of the debris and wrapped it about herself in a tight ball of junk.

“Enough!” Luna floated down amongst her allies, landing softly on a tall dark marble pillar. “I think she has had enough.”

Everypony ceased their assaults, though they all stood ready to attack at a moment’s notice. Luna stood regally over the defensive shell Tazel had formed, prepared to deliver judgment. “Tazel Wyrm, you are outnumbered and outmatched. There is no need to continue. Let us discuss the terms of your capitulation.”

There was a long, tense pause. The ponies were exchanging curious glances, wondering what the creature within the junk-ball was planning. Would she lash out? Surrender? Something entirely unexpected?

The Princess had no desire to wait. “Speak, Tazel! Give me your answer.”

“There’s no point,” Tazel’s despondent voice announced from within the junk ball. “I couldn’t do anything for you, anyway.”

“You can end the waves,” Luna pointed out seriously.

That strange kit-a-kit-a-kit-a-kit-a laughter drifted through the purple void, sounding hollow and dull. “You don’t understand how futile it is. Even if you kill me it won’t change anything. Everything is pointless. Everything you do, everything I do.”

“We have no intention of killing you,” Luna corrected angrily, “unless you force us.”

“I’ll be dead soon, anyway…”

That caught them all off guard. Luna glanced around at her friends, all of whom shared that same confused, alarmed expression. “I am sorry to hear that. Perhaps it you surrendered we might help you…”

“There is no help!” Tazel shrieked, the violent response leading some of the ponies to prep for an attack. “I’m a slave to fate, just like the lot of you! It’s pointless to do anything at all!”

She wasn’t making any sense. Luna turned her eyes on Twilight, but the unicorn appeared as confused as she did. The only thing she could do was press on and hope the creature would say something sensible. “Regardless, you will stop the waves. You are defeated, Tazel, and you will obey.”

“Obey.” The creature spat the word as if it were poison. “That’s all I can ever do: obey! What about what I want to do, huh? Nopony ever considered that, and now I’m gonna die!”

Luna stomped her hoof in frustration, a crash of thunder resounding in the cloudless void. “We do not intend to kill you!”

“Why not!?” With an abrupt crash Tazel smashed through her protective ball and rose up into the air, face furious as she glared at the Princess. The ponies all took up aggressive stances, but Tazel didn’t attack: she wasn’t finished ranting. “Go ahead, end my pointless life. That’s the way it’s supposed to be! We struggle on with these stupid pathetic goals and, win or lose, we die! In a century nopony will ever even remember the name Tazel, and everything I ever did will be forgotten. It’s the same with all of you!”

Luna was taken completely aback by this, as were many of the other ponies. Where was this tirade coming from?

It was Lightning Dust who answered, to the surprise of all. “You have it coming. Nopony wants to remember the bad!”

“And what will they remember you for,” the creature snapped, “the fact that lightning flies out of your ass? You’ve got six decades tops before you die, and then what? Everything you ever fought for, every good deed you ever committed will be forgotten! What’s the point of hoping? What’s the point of even trying!?”

Luna was already growing tired of this. She didn’t know why Tazel was suddenly going on this tirade, but they had more important business to discuss: she reared back to stomp her hooves once more, a crack of lightning reflecting her anger. “Be silent!”

“Or what? You’ll kill me?” Tazel spread her arms wide with a sneer. “Go ahead, I want it! I’m tired of all this pointless dreaming, anyway. One way or another I will be dead, so why waste time?”

“Dreams do have a purpose!” Everyone was shocked to see Nye, of all ponies, rising up on a cloud to confront the creature. He dropped to a combative stance, his face twisted in anger. “How dare you insult Luna’s domain? Dreams give us the inspiration to keep going!”

Tazel let out a fierce hiss, paws tightening and claws stretching out of her fingers menacingly. “But why keep going? You’ll never achieve anything you ever fight for!”

“Yes we will!” Now it was Upper Crust who spoke up, rising into the air on a pearly chariot. “Ponies achieve their dreams all the time. It’s what gives our lives meaning!”

“Meaning!?” Tazel shrieked, turning on the pony with menacing eyes, “What possible meaning can there be in such futility? Even if you achieve your goal you just replace it with a new one, and for every pony who succeeds a hundred others fail!”

“That’s why we keep trying,” Rainbow shouted up at her proudly, earning her a furious glare.

“When a pony achieves her dream she can help others do the same,” Rarity announced with equal pride.

“Those who succeed can inspire those who failed,” Octavia added, standing tall beside her cello. Tazel let out a vicious hiss at her words.

“Spreading our own happiness gives our lives meaning,” Fluttershy declared, her voice astonishingly loud and determined.

“Others want to have as much fun as we do,” Pinkie noted with a cheerful leap. Tazel made a disgusted sound and retreated backwards as if their words were arrows.

“And even if they can’t achieve their dreams, their lives are fulfilled by the pursuit!” Jimmie announced with bravado.

“That fulfillment is what makes our dreams so important,” Applejack threw in, rearing back to show her enthusiasm.

“Through our efforts we work together to make our dreams come true,” Twilight cried out triumphantly. “We fight for our dreams, and through them we make life all the more valuable. Our hopes and dreams are just one more element in our pursuit of harmony!”

Tazel let out a hideous screech, covering her ears and flailing about in the air as if she were in actual pain. “Shut up, shut up shut up shut up!”

“You are part of this world too, Tazel,” Luna announced majestically. “Perhaps your life has been filled with failure and pain, and if so you have my pity. But no life – and no dream – is meaningless, including yours. You can turn your life around if you would only accept our help.”

“Why don’t you understand?” Tazel bared her fangs, body lowering aggressively and leathery wings spreading wide. “You can’t help me, my dream cannot be attained! Nothing you can say or do matters. I’ll prove it! I’ll force you to crush me like the bastard bitch I am!” And she lunged, long talons reaching with vicious purpose for the Princess. The ponies all around let out surprised gasps, too slow to strike.

But Luna’s face hardened. “Let this educate you.” Her horn glowed, and a tall black portal emerged before her. Tazel, moving too fast to stop, disappeared into it with a howl of rage and surprise that ended abruptly when the portal winked closed. Tazel was gone, winked out of existence just like that. Complete silence filled the air as the ponies all stared in mute surprise at the Princess’ hard face.

It was Applejack who finally spoke up. “Princess… whadya jus’ do?”

Luna closed her eyes and bowed her head, appearing to take a moment to calm herself. “I sent her into somepony else’s dream, one that I hope will wake her up.” But then she cast a smile upon all of them. “Well done, my ponies. You performed above and beyond my expectations. I’m sure if Celestia were here she’d be just as proud.”

The ponies all gathered before her, their reactions mixed. Some, like Jimmy and Lightning, appeared relieved. Others, like Rainbow and Pinkie, were applauding themselves and others. Nye and Lightning approached the Princess to show their appreciation for her help.

Octavia could only watch them all, face beaming with pride.

“So,” Twilight asked, approaching with a smug look, “how do you feel about your team, now?”

The cellist sighed happily. “I feel… like we should have come together ages ago.”

Twilight giggled and turned her attention to the others, a calm happiness on her face. “Yep, I remember the first time I felt that. It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?”

“One of the best I’ve ever felt,” she admitted.

“Rainbow, get down here,” Nye shouted at the pegasus who was busy hoofbumping Jimmy.

“Yeah yeah,” she answered in mock annoyance, dropping down to land before him. “Whaddaya want, you…” Her words died when he planted a kiss on her lips that made her wings pop open as if they were spring-activated. Jeers and taunts came from some of the spectators; Octavia and Twilight shared wide-eyed, slack-jawed expressions.

Rainbow abruptly jerked away from him, face beet red as her eyes shifted around in alarm at their audience. “N-n-n-Nye! I thought I told you…!”

“Come home quick,” he interrupted, catching her cheeks with his hooves. “I. Am. Dying back in Ponyville!”

“He sure is,” Pinkie declared, abruptly bouncing circles around the two of them. “You should see him he’s all mopey and sad and grumpy and no fun at all! You gotta come home so he can be fun again!”

“Okay okay, I get it,” she replied fretfully, glancing away from the stallion anxiously with cheeks still red. “Just show some self control in front of the others, alright?”

Octavia listened to the laughter and joy that had so suddenly come upon all her friends. Friends… she’d never had so many at once. She could still vividly recall the surprise and overwhelming happiness of seeing them all arrive at the same time.

Wait… all of them?

“Where’s Fine?”

There was a moment’s pause as all the others glanced around in quiet confusion. Sure enough, Fine wasn’t there. And he wasn’t the only one missing.

“Did anyone see the Princess leave?” Twilight asked worriedly.

Tazel rose up off the ground, rubbing her aching head. Damn that alicorn bitch, she’d pulled a fast one on her. Not that it mattered; she was away from all those naïve ponies and their stupid ideals. Mind brimming with hateful thoughts, she focused on returning to the waking world… and cringed in disappointment. She couldn’t do it, which meant the Princess had to be around somewhere in this dream, as well. She let out a vicious curse and, coiling her tail, sat up to get a better look at her surroundings.

Her mind went numb with alarm at the scenery. She was on some sort of island, but what a grotesque sight this island was! Ponies in various states of mutilation hung from the tropical trees, swaying in a soft breeze like disgusting, insect-infested wind-chimes. The beach was covered in bones, broken and snapped pieces of pony anatomy and pearly-white pony skulls that seemed to leer at her. Bodies lay strewn along the forest floor not twenty feet away; limbs twisted, gaping wounds trickling what little blood remained within, some posed, others just randomly battered beyond recognition.

What mad pony’s dream was this?

But then she realized that she knew this place. She knew it very well; the curve of the beach, the placement of the trees, the rising hills beyond. She had instinctively known it was an island, and now she knew it was because she’d been here before.

This was her island. How could she forget it? She’d lived there for over a thousand years.

This was the last place Tazel wanted to be. The sickening scenery only made the situation worse! There had to be some kind of escape, but exiting the dream was impossible. There was only one thing to do: find whoever owned this dream and put the pony out of her misery.

She was just about to head into the forest when she heard a scream that only made her head ache more. She turned to face the sound and was not surprised to see a blue-coated pony emerge from the trees, galloping at full speed onto the beach. As he came towards her she took a moment to consider him and realized that he had no… ‘energy’ was the term she liked to use. This wasn’t the one behind the dream; he was just part of it.

The stallion was terrified, making his frantic way to her. “Help me, he’s gonna kill me!”

Well, at least there was one benefit to this place; As soon as he was close enough her tail lashed out, coiling about his body in a tight grip. Her paws, claws stretching out unnaturally, caught the pony’s face and forced him to look up into her cruel eyes. “Not if I kill you first.”

His neck snapped like a twig. Tazel relished that sound, imagining it had been that bitch Octavia’s neck instead. The body was sent flying into the water, the splash eerily dull. She quietly hoped there were more ponies like that one here to vent her frustration on; a single pony was hardly satisfying.

“That was supposed to be my kill.”

She turned back to the forest. There, violet eyes serious, was a mottled-brown stallion with a black mane. His dark vest was covered in blood, and she could sense that he was the source of this nightmare.

Or was it a nightmare? He was the killer in this world, or so it seemed… so did that mean he was not having a nightmare?

It didn’t matter. What mattered was that Tazel needed out of this dream. Who knew when Princess Luna would show her face? “You want to make something of it?” she asked him threateningly, gesturing for him to come closer.

The stallion tilted his head inquisitively, face ever hard. “You don’t belong in this world. You’re certainly no creation of mine. You should leave.”

“I can’t,” she snapped angrily, flying up into the air and taking an aggressive pose. “I’m stuck here, so I might as well have some fun!”

He began to giggle, his lips spreading in a demented grin. His strange behavior made her hesitate, and her nervousness grew when his giggles erupted into outright laughter. That sounded too real to be mocking. What was so funny?

“Here!” he cried as his laughter dimmed a touch. He magically tossed a decayed corpse at her. “You wanna have fun? Have it!”

She caught the body in both paws and tossed it aside in disgust. “What is wrong with you?”

“Everything!” His laughter was gone, the mirth on his face transforming to ferocity. “I’m weeks behind. It’s left me so twisted I’m slaughtering ponies even in my sleep. And I’m never satisfied!” He reared back and stomped his hooves in frustration, an eruption of sand and body parts blasting about him. He let out a snarl and jerked his head away from her. “But I’m gonna stay here, because as long as I’m killing ponies here I’m not doing it out there. So unless you want to be added to the list you better get the fuck out of my nightmare!”

So it was a nightmare, albeit a strange one. She could see that this pony was like Octavia: he knew how to control his dreams. Tazel had gone through enough for one day and had no interest in getting into another serious fight. She thought about trying to kill him quick, but cast the idea aside. What she needed was a princess.

“Luna!” The creature spun in place, eyes searching everywhere. The moon, the stars, the forest, the beach, the seas. “Come on out and finish this! Why are you wasting my time?”

“Luna?” His alarmed voice caught her attention. “Luna brought you here?”

She turned to find him studying her with renewed interest, his dark manner gone entirely. “It’s nothing to do with you.”

He ignored the statement, eyes wide as he took a few cautious steps forward. “It can’t be… are you Kit?”

Upon hearing that name all Tazel’s anger instantly disappeared. She stared back at him with equal amazement, not certain she’d heard him correctly. “What did you call me…?”

He took another step, his eyes going over her form. “You’re Tazel, aren’t you? Surely you’re not… Kit…”

She hadn’t been called that in so long. She glanced at their surroundings, so horrid and yet so familiar. So few had seen her island, and only two ponies had ever called her by that name. She couldn’t believe it, almost didn’t dare to hope. But she had to ask. “What is your name?”

He sat in the sand, face solemn as he set a hoof to his chest. “I am Verity Fine Crime.”

He’d said it. He’d actually said the name. She lowered her body to study him more closely. “Verity…? Is that really you?” She didn’t wait for his answer: she already knew. She flew forward in a flash and engulfed him in a hug, overwhelmed with a happiness she didn’t even know she could have. “Verity! My little friend!”

He squirmed and managed to free his face from her furry orange arms. “Kit, that really is you under there!”

She lifted him up and swung him through the air, laughing in her strange way. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed you!”

He laughed at her exuberance. “I missed you, too. Now put me down!”

She did as he asked, her toothy grin spreading from ear to ear. “It is so good to see you, Verity. When I saw you were alive I so wanted to see you, but I didn’t think I’d get the chance…” She realized she had tears in her eyes, which was an entirely new experience. “…look at me, I’m acting like a pony.”

He reared back to set his hooves on her chest, the only way he could bring his face even close to level with hers. “Where did you go? I cried myself when I saw you were gone!”

“I know,” she admitted with a guilty laugh, “I read about it.”

That made him pause. “Read about it? How?”

“Your book,” she replied as if the answer was obvious. “I got hold of a copy.”

His eyes grew wide with alarm, and abruptly he didn’t seem all that happy anymore. “You got it from Twilight.”

Tazel’s mood dropped at the mention of that name, the pain of her recent defeat still fresh in her mind. She hovered a few feet away from him, suddenly on edge. “You know her?”

He landed on all hooves and nodded solemnly. “I gave her that book personally. There were no other copies, Tazel.”

“Don’t call me that,” she whispered with worry in her tone. “Everpony calls me that. I’m your Kit, remember?”

“Maybe.” He didn’t sound so friendly anymore. “What’s going on in Nildia?”

She winced, sagging at the accusatory tone. “It’s… complicated.” She tried to dodge, gesturing at their surroundings. “What about you, why are you dreaming… this?”

“It’s complicated,” he replied dully, clearly not distracted. “Luna sent you here for a reason, Tazel.”

She grimaced; he was using that name regardless, was he? “She sent me away because I was insulting her precious dreams. Don’t get me started, Verity.”

“I might need to,” he noted. “Come on, Tazel, talk to me. We used to be friends.”

“Call me Kit!” She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him. “I want to be Kit. I want to go back to a time when I was free to do what I wanted, when I still could have naïve hopes and we were just two friends playing on the beach. Let me have that back, Verity!”

His ears perked up, catching something in her words. “Free to do what you wanted? You mean you’re not now?”

She sighed and dropped to the sand, head bowed. “I was never free. I was born a slave. Soon I’ll die as one. But at least when we were together I was permitted to act on my own for a while…”

“So,” he whispered sadly, “you want freedom. Funny, I want the same thing.”

“You… you do?” She looked at him, surprised by his words. “Freedom from what?”

He studied her for a moment, serious and cheerless. She thought he was going to respond.

But then his entire disposition changed. His lips curled into a toothy, disturbing smile, and weird hunger shined in his eyes. He let out a tiny chuckle. “From this.”

He was on her, the attack so fast that by the time she realized what was happening she was on her back. She cried out in surprise and pain, his horn stabbing deep into her shoulder. “Verity, what are you doing!?”

He didn’t answer. Instead he reared back and pounded both hooves at once on her chest. She let out a scream of pain as one of them dug into the fresh wound. She was confused, she was hurting, and for some reason she was scared. She shouldn’t have been scared, but she was. She reached up and caught his hooves before they could come down a second time, tossing him aside easily.

She began to rise, but didn’t get far before something pierced her tail. With a shriek of pain she twisted about to see a pike that was dragged back down to the beach. Her tail hit the sand, the pike going deep, but she managed to keep her upper body above the ground. She moved to lift the pike and felt something crack her on the back of the head.

She grunted and turned to face her attacker, surprised to see Verity dropping from above with a magical, purple sledgehammer hovering over his head. It came down with a mighty swing, her head barely escaping the hit. She snatched him up in both paws and shook him violently. “Stop it! Stop it right…” He set both front hooves to her chest and, with a blast of violent energy, knocked her onto her back.

“Can’t. Having fun.” His words echoed through the night amidst insane giggles.

He was mad. She’d finally found him after all these years, and he was trying to murder her! The sledgehammer came hurdling before her eyes. She clapped her hands and disappeared in a puff of cloud, the arcane weapon smashing into the sand where her head had just been. She reappeared a dozen yards away. “Verity, snap out of it!” He disappeared in a cloud of smoke before she’d finished the sentence.

She let out a scream of agony as three sharp steel points emerged from her chest. Gasping at the pain, she twisted her head to see Verity just behind her, a trident in his hooves and a manic grin on his face. That… that wasn’t the Verity she knew. He couldn’t possibly be…

She let out a snarl and wrapped her tail about him. If he wanted a fight she’d give him one! Letting out a hiss at the pain she pulled him away, the trident sliding out of her in the process. Blood trickling down her chest she turned to face him, tail squeezing ever tighter. “After all this time we finally meet, and this is what you decide to do? Why, Verity!?”

He huffed a hoarse chuckle, his breathing difficult. “I to-told Luna… bringing you… h-h-here was… dangerous…” He fought her grip for a few seconds, that monstrous smile still on his face. “I’m just… p-playing… y-y-you wanna… play… right, K-Kit…?”

She glared at him with loathing. “What happened to you, Verity?”

He paused his struggles to give her a smug, evil grin. “Life.”

She let out a screech at the pain, at first not understanding where it was coming from. Then she saw them: corpses. All the mutilated and desiccated bodies were coming to life, rising up and shuffling towards her. One half-decomposed unicorn’s horn had elongated to unnatural lengths to stab into her tail.

She felt her tail slacken and realized that Verity had teleported again. Before she had a chance to look for him several more corpses were on her, their bones elongating like spears into her body. She screamed and struggled to escape as more of them stabbed into her arms, tail and body. She was a living pincushion, unable to move for the pain!

And fear. She actually knew fear. She, a creature with near-godlike powers, was suddenly terrified for her life! “Verity please, stop!”

Black smoke erupted over her head, and a moment later the horrifying stallion was in the air, landing hard on her chest. She fell onto her back hard, letting out an tortured wail as the bones piercing her body shifted into new, agonizing positions. He grinned down at her, and she was faced with an understanding of her terror.

That was Verity. Her precious colt friend, that tiny innocent pony that had played with her all those years ago. The one who had snuggled with her at night, who sought her comfort against his terrors. Her one and only friend. The one pony she trusted to be there for her when she at last found him again.

And he was going to kill her.

“I’m not Verity anymore, Tazel,” he whispered happily, a black knife abruptly appearing over his shoulder. “Verity died as a colt. I’m Fine Crime, and I live off blood. Now,” he grinned as the knife turned to point at her face, “be a good girl and scream for me, won’t you?”

Tazel screamed. She flailed about and howled in terror. It took some time for her to realize that she was free. Not just free… she was out, surrounded by old worn stones and musty, hot air. She sat, wincing in pain: others might not be hurt in dreams, but she was not one of them. Blood trickled down the many holes on her body, forming pools on the worn stone floor, and she clutched herself tightly and wept.

Verity. The one thing she wanted to have back was her friend. For the first time in her long life she’d achieved her dream, and it turned out to be a nightmare! It really was pointless, wasn’t it? She let out a frustrated cry, claws digging so tightly into her arms she was gouging them.

“Things didn’t go as planned?”

She jerked about in alarm to find Discord hovering just a few feet away, eyeing her darkly.

“Keep away from me!” she shrieked, turning away and crying some more.

Tazel.

She raised her head in alarm, the voice in her head firm. “You too. I don’t want to talk to you!”

“Fine, don’t talk,” Discord replied, deaf to the voice. “You’re still going to pay for what you’ve done.”

Bring me The Light of Day.

“No!” She covered her ears with a hiss. “Get out of my head! I don’t want anything to do with you!”

Bring it, Tazel. Now.

“Let me go!” she shrieked, writhing in the air furiously.

Her tail lashed about, blood splattering across Discord’s face as he backed up in alarm. “Tazel, what are you…?”

…I have the Life of Earth. It gives me all the power I need.

They’d found it. Tazel’s horror grew tenfold. “No. No no no!” She was compelled to act, to leave and head for the sea, but she fought that compulsion with everything she had. “I won’t hand it over, you can’t just erase me!”

You knew this time was coming.

“Who are you talking to!?” Discord snapped, dodging another frantic lash of Tazel’s tail as she twisted and raged before him.

“Just let me go,” the creature cried pathetically. “You don’t need me anymore! Please!”

I can see that spending so much time in the dreamscape has broken your mind.

“I’m not a tool to be discarded!”

If you are so broken as to be like this, then I have no choice.

The compulsion hit her, and she realized quickly what was happening to her. “No… no please, I don’t wanna die!”

Discord caught her by the shoulders, shaking her. “Tazel! Snap out of it! What’s wrong with you?”

She squirmed against his hold, tears falling down her feline cheeks as she desperately fought the urge with every fiber of her being. “Please, Silma! Don’t do this!”

Goodbye, Tazel. Take comfort: you were at least of some use to me.

Discord’s eyes went wide. “Did you say Silma!?”

She couldn’t fight it anymore: she lurched forward and wrapped her arms and tail tightly about the draconequus. She begged, she wailed, she struggled with all her mental might as her body began to glow a pearly white. The pain, the horrible burning pain!

“Tazel!” Discord struggled to get away, not recognizing the powerful magic. He saw something small and glistening emerge from the painfully bright light of her body; it rose into the air, hovered over them for a few seconds, then abruptly burst through the temple’s ceiling, showering them in dust and bits of brick.

“What’s going on? What are you…” He felt the effects and at last understood. “Oh... not again.”

“SILMA!!!”

The ponies were jerked awake by the screech. They all got up from the stone floor groggily, a slow and uncomfortable recovery. As they finally came awake they gradually became aware of where they were and what had happened. There was no great battle of immortal beings going on. No sign of Tazel at all. But there in the center of the room was a tall, angry-looking statue.

It was Discord.

Author's Note

So ends the life of villain #2.

For a long time before writing this story I agonized over the one element that I couldn't figure out: Discord. The big baddies had a plan for taking care of all their problems, but I forgot all about him. At the same time I also wasn't sure how Tazel would be dealt with. This solution came to me right before I started book three, and I'm rather pleased with it.

Tazel Wyrm was always meant to be a tragic character. I don't know if anyone's connected the dots, but her issue with 'dreams' has been a long time coming. I doubt you kids will recognize it - might be before your time - but I took some inspiration for the dream debate from Final Fantasy 6's climactic final confrontation. I do so love that game. At any rate, Tazel's steady decent into madness was an idea I loved and ran with. I'm a little disappointed in the overall delivery, though; I'm not sure I channel insanity well, being the logical-focused person I am.

This story's not over! I've got one more chapter to shove in there before we can move on to book 4.

In Search of Harmony

Week nine.

Fluttershy sat in the dark, a bowl of stew on the floor next to her. Before her lay Fine Crime… except that he wasn’t Fine Crime anymore: he was something else entirely. The stallion resting on that rack looked like him, but there was no way he was of the same mind.

He was shouting. He was always shouting. “Are you just going to sit there and stare at me!? What am I, a freak for your amusement? Maybe I missed my calling in life. Maybe I should have joined the circus! Ladies and gentleman, behold our very own freak of nature! Don’t come too close, he bites!”

He snapped his teeth at the air demonstrably, a vicious snarl coming from his throat with each click. “I have an idea, let’s line up everypony in Ponyville! Charge admissions! You’ll make a fortune, but remember to keep the shock collar charged ‘cause wooo-we does this dog wanna chase! And rip and maim and decapitate, but who’s keeping track?”

He’d been at this for nearly thirty minutes, ever since she’d come to feed him. And she knew that he would keep it up for hours, even if she left. She kept her head bowed, wishing she could be anywhere but here. She began to tune his vitriol out, but the fury and callousness of his tone still rang through. The first time he’d been like this she’d been reduced to tears. A few times after, too. But now she was just miserable. And scared, scared that this might not work after all. What if everything had backfired? What if he remained like this forever?

He let out a scream so loud she couldn’t ignore it, her eyes jerking up to investigate. But he was still strapped down, unable to even glance at her. “Pay attention to me you little cunt! Isn’t that why you’re here, to comfort me!? Some comfort you’ve been, with your stupid fucking songs and stories. I’ve got a story for you!”

He was beyond communication by this point. She knew better than to try. Worse, he was beyond helping. Until he calmed down there was no way she’d be able to feed him; she’d tried once and was rewarded with porridge on her muzzle.

She wanted to help him. She was almost desperate; most of the time she couldn’t feed him, and he would accept no comfort at all. For a time she had been able to use The Stare to calm him down, but lately even that was proving fruitless. She was failing at her task, but what was she supposed to do when he was so furious?

At last she turned away, leaving the bowl behind.

“Oh, what, you’re leaving now? But I wasn’t finished. Hey, I’m talking to you! Get the fuck back here and feed me! You pathetic…” She closed the door, reducing his horrid shouting to indecipherable noises. With a deep and dejected sigh she sat, leaning heavily against the door. Tears were welling up in her eyes.

He couldn’t be managed. There was simply no way.

She needed help.

The two pegasi darted through the Ponyville sky. “So why are we going to the library again?” Lightning asked. “I’m supposed to be picking up Keen from Lyra right now.”

“Twilight’s called all of us together for a meeting,” Rainbow answered from the lead.

Lightning caught up so that she could properly show her disapproval. “Shouldn’t that just involve you and the other Element Bearers?”

“Nope, you guys too,” Rainbow answered confidently. “Apparently something big’s going on.”

Lightning let out an annoyed huff. “Maybe they finally figured out where Fine’s been hiding all this time.”

“That would be a miracle,” Rainbow agreed.

The two landed before the library’s front door, already opened as Rarity was going in. “Oh, hello Rainbow Dash, Lightning Dust,” she said, turning upon their arrival. "Have you any idea why Fluttershy is arranging this gathering? I've got a big order I'm supposed to be putting together right now.”

“Wait, Fluttershy called the meeting?” Rainbow asked in surprise.

“Oh great,” Lightning grumbled, “it’s probably some ‘emergency’ involving her animals.”

“Nevertheless we are all attending,” Octavia noted, appearing at the door beside Rarity with a proper air. “You shouldn’t be so quick to judge, Lightning.”

“Yeah yeah, let’s just get this over with,” Lightning answered unpleasantly.

Having all the Element Bearers and all of Luna’s team – sans Fine Crime – in the Library saw it noisier than usual. Pinkie in particular was sounded particularly excited... not that such was uncommon. “Hey, Rainbow! Lightning!” She darted in front of them, bouncing excitedly. “Hey hey, wanna start a party? Come on, everypony’s here already!”

Rainbow grinned at Pinkie’s enthusiasm. “I’d love to, Pinkie Pie, but I think it should wait until after the meeting.”

“A party does sound a lot more fun than this,” Lightning admitted with a gesture around the room. Rarity, still nearby, cast a lecturing frown in her direction, though. “Then again maybe we should go ahead and hear what Fluttershy has to say.”

Pinkie stopped bouncing and cast around at the other ponies. “Yeah, I guess it can wait, but after the meeting we’ll have a Just Because Party!”

“She’s been trying to drum up a party ever since she got here,” Nye noted as he approached the two pegasi. “Nopony’s getting all that enthusiastic about it, though. Hey hottie.”

Rainbow blushed a deep crimson, casting a glower at Lightning’s smirk. “Hey Nye, what’s up?”

“Can’t tell ya, too many ponies present.”

That one had Lightning laughing raucously.

Rainbow’s face went even more red than before as she began shoving him away from Lightning. “Shut up and stop trying to embarrass me!”

Lightning left the two lovebirds alone to see what she could learn about this little meeting. She found Twilight, Upper Crust and Applejack talking in a corner. “Hey girls.” They all turned to greet her pleasantly. “So what’s up with this meeting? Maybe the Princesses found a cure for Discord?”

The girls all frowned. Twilight shook her head despondently. “I haven’t heard anything from Celestia about that.”

“Still a lawn ornament, huh?”

“Ya shouldn’ talk about em that way, Lightnin’,” Applejack lectured. “He really helped us out over in Nildia.”

Upper Crust nodded seriously. “He went from monster to hero almost overnight thanks to his sacrifice. You should be more respectful.”

Lightning glowered at them; she still didn’t buy the idea that Discord had turned good. Still it was better to be diplomatic, a trait she was steadily learning now that she had so many… friends? Allies? Teammates? “Sorry, I’m still not used to the idea.” She decided to steer the conversation in a new direction. “Speaking of Nildia, have there been any of those freak waves since you guys came back?”

“That, at least, I have good news about,” Twilight answered with a relieved smile. “Looks like they’ve all stopped. I guess Tazel decided to quit after all.”

“Yeah,” Applejack agreed hesitantly, “but ah gotta wonder what happened ta her. Ah mean she was a mighty serious threat, an’ now she’s jus’ gone? Somethin’s not right.”

“I’m concerned too,” Upper Crust admitted, “but all we can do now is wait and see.”

“Upper Crust’s right,” Twilight agreed. “There’s no point agonizing over it now. All we can really do is wait and try to be prepared for if she comes back.” She cast a glance around the library. “I think everypony’s here, so why don’t we get this meeting started?”

It took a little time to get everypony arranged in a semicircle facing the small podium, which Twilight had pulled out of her basement for the meeting. Once they were all situated she went to stand at the podium, a big book hovering before her. “Okay Fluttershy, I found the book. Are you sure this is the one you wanted?”

She sounded very skeptical, but after inspecting the cover Fluttershy nodded confidently. “That’s the one.” The book dropped onto the podium and began to flip through pages of its own accord. The two mares had a brief discussion trying to find the proper page.

“Okay,” Twilight turned to the group to address them properly. “Thanks for coming, everypony. Fluttershy asked us all to come here for something important, so let’s give her our undivided attention.”

Fluttershy hesitated before the podium as Twilight stepped aside. She didn't seem her usual timid self, but it was clear to many that something was bothering her. At last she nodded, as if confirming something to herself, and stood before the podium proper. “Um, everypony, thanks for coming. There’s really no easy way to say this… so I’ll just read from the book, if that’s okay.”

She lowered her head and found the passage with a hoof. “This is a medical journal about psychological conditions… um, that is, mind sicknesses. This entry is about the bloodmane:

“A severe but thankfully rare mental disorder, the origins of which are largely unknown. Bloodmanes are driven by an innate compulsion for violence and m…m…murder.” She paused a moment, as if saying the word had been taxing. “…all ponies who become bloodmanes need to k-k-kill at regular intervals. Bloodmanes can resist this temptation, but doing so causes terrible withdrawal symptoms. There is…”

“Whoa whoa, hold it!” Applejack took a step forward, face concerned. “Fluttershy, why in Celestia’s name are ya readin’ us this?”

“I have to ask the same thing,” Twilight agreed nervously, and all the ponies present were clearly feeling the same way. “I mean it’s interesting in a morbid kind of way, but why would you of all ponies want to share it?”

Fluttershy glanced around timidly, fumbling for the right words. “W-well… you see… there’s something you all need to know.”

“What, that you’re a bloodmane?” Rainbow asked jokingly. “Come on, Fluttershy, not a very good prank.”

“Oh no, not me,” Fluttershy responded. “Fine Crime.”

Silence. Every pony in the room was staring at her, quiet alarm on each and every face. They all were thinking the same thing: for Fine Crime that was an easy thing to imagine.

Nye was the first to respond, letting out a weak chuckle. “O-okay, Fluttershy, that’s a good one. You had us going there, right guys?”

Fluttershy glanced away anxiously and said nothing, making his chuckles die slowly.

“Surely you aren’t serious,” Octavia noted hesitantly, taking a step forward to better observe Fluttershy. “I mean, he keeps away from us, true, but to call him a murderer…” Once more the pegasus didn’t answer, and she was unable to look any of them in the eye.

Twilight approached and set a hoof to her friend’s shoulder. “Fluttershy, really?”

The mare sat heavily beside the podium. She looked as though she were going to cry, her lip trembling and her mane covering half her face. “He made me promise not to tell anypony, but I can’t keep this up. I need help…”

“Wait, did he do something to you?” Lightning asked in sudden alarm.

“What’s he done?” Jimmy asked darkly. “Did he threaten you or something?”

“No!” Fluttershy paused, reconsidered. “Well… yes… lately he’s been doing a lot of threatening. But…”

“Why that indecent hooligan,” Rarity snapped fiercely, running over to grab her friend in a tight hug. “What did he say, what did he do? I promise you we’ll make him pay for whatever it was!”

“He didn’t hurt me,” the pegasus insisted quickly, breaking away from the embrace. “I appreciate you all wanting to protect me, but that’s not the kind of help I need.”

“No?” Upper Crust asked, perplexed. “Then what did you need?”

Fluttershy sighed and stood before them all again, gesturing Rarity away so she could proper have everypony’s attention. “Fine thought he knew how to cure being a bloodmane, and he asked me to help him do it. Right now he’s back at his home, undergoing… umm… ‘the treatment.’ I agreed to help him, because I knew he needed it.”

“Ooooh,” Nye interrupted, “so that’s why you’ve been visiting the Everfree Forest so much lately!”

“Is that also why nopony has seen him in over two months?” Octavia asked.

Fluttershy nodded. “He’s completely immobilized, and can’t leave his house. The longer he goes without… without… um…”

“…killing…?” Jimmy asked fretfully.

Fluttershy swallowed the lump in her throat. “…yes… the longer he goes without doing… that… the worst his symptoms become.”

“Wait,” Applejack interceded, “yer tellin’ us that Fine Crime’s a murderer?”

“How many ponies has he killed?” Rainbow added darkly.

The yellow mare frowned and glanced away. “Umm… I don’t want to know… but… the sickness makes him need to kill somepony at least once every three weeks.”

“What!?” Twilight took a horrified step back. “Are you serious? That’s seventeen murders a year! How long has he been doing this?”

“Since he was sixteen,” Fluttershy answered sadly. “He’s thirty now.”

“Celestia have mercy…” Rarity whispered.

“How did the Princess ever expect us to work with somepony like that?” Octavia asked in horror.

“Why was she working with him to begin with?” Upper Crust asked worriedly.

“Maybe she doesn’ know,” Applejack ventured hesitantly.

“She does,” Twilight corrected solemnly. “It all makes so much sense now! Celestia told me there were things about him she couldn’t share, and why else would Cadance not like him? She gets along with everypony!”

“That doesn’t explain why Luna would willing work hoof-in-hoof with a psychopath,” Jimmy reminded them.

“He’s not a psychopath!” Fluttershy shrank back at their combined gaze, but knew she had to defend Fine. “He’s just sick. He didn’t choose to be a bloodmane, and he hates having to… to kill. That’s why he’s trying to cure himself!”

The ponies surrounding her all shared dubious looks, and she was beginning to realize that they might not be willing to help after all. Worry filled her, but what else was she supposed to say? She thought frantically for some other argument…

Lightning flew over the others and landed beside Fluttershy, face firm. “I’ll help you, Fluttershy.”

“What?” Rainbow rose up into the air angrily. “Why would you wanna help a guy like that!?”

Lightning was prepared to meet them glare-for-glare. “Maybe he is a murderer, but ya know what? He saved my life in Foal Mountains, and Keen’s too. If not for him my little filly would be a changeling right now. Those of us who work for Luna all owe him: we wouldn’t even be here if Fine hadn’t decided we deserved it in the first place!”

Not everypony appeared convinced, but more than a few shared guilty expressions. Fluttershy was surprised; she’d never expected Lightning to step forward first. Feeling a lot more comfortable now that she had an ally she stood to her full height and turned her hopeful gaze on the others.

“I’ll help,” Upper Crust declared, stepping up and smiling pleasantly. “I took a very hard fall because of Fine, but thanks to that I’ve opened my eyes to what I was and what I wanted to be.” She cast her eyes on the others and added with emphasis, “He deserves to have the same opportunity he gave me.”

“Far be it for us to stand by and do nothing,” Rarity added regally.

“Ah guess we should give em a chance,” Applejack agreed hesitantly.

Twilight took a step forward to catch Fluttershy’s attention. “If this works, he won’t kill anymore?” Her friend nodded, and she considered this for a few moments before turning to the others. “I guess we’re all in agreement, then?”

Nopony objected, much to Fluttershy’s relief; she dropped her head with a heavy sigh. “Thank you everypony! I don’t think I could have kept this up much longer on my own.”

“What’s so bad about the treatment?” a puzzled Octavia asked.

Fluttershy shivered, recalling the last time she’d seen Fine. “Umm… you’ll just have to see it for yourself.”

Rainbow Dash hovered through the air just below the forest’s canopy, keeping a constant lookout for dangers. “You know I used to wonder why the heck Fine lived way out in the Everfree Forest, but now it sorta makes sense.”

Octavia was behind and below her, and wasn’t paying much attention at all to the woods. Unlike her pegasus companion she had a large saddle that held a pair of meals for the waiting Fine. She spoke with her usual regal air, “And what conclusions have you made?”

“He didn’t want to hurt anypony,” Rainbow replied. “He had to be trying to protect Ponyville from himself.”

“I suspected as much myself,” Octavia admitted. “I suppose his intentions are laudable.”

“Now if I could just understand why Zecora lives out here,” Rainbow noted sourly, dropping a bit lower to avoid some branches.

It had been three days since Fluttershy’s ominous revelation. In that time she and Twilight had gone to Fine’s home daily so that the latter – better at explanations – might be able to instruct the others. After the third day they’d had another meeting to discuss what the ponies would do when it was their turn to look after the bloodmane. It would mostly be two ponies at a time and the teams would be decided upon randomly, both because nopony felt particularly comfortable volunteering to be first.

Except Pinkie, who seemed particularly enthusiastic about the whole thing. Everypony simply accepted that as her ‘just being Pinkie Pie,’ though. There was plenty of alarm when she drew the longest straw. This made her last… and alone. Nopony else thought she was up to the task.

But that was something to be dealt with at the end of the week. Rainbow and Octavia had drawn the shortest straws, so they were the first pair. Octavia wasn’t certain she liked the pairing, but Rainbow hadn’t complained at all so she chose not to as well. Thus far the journey had been uneventful, and neither of them spoke too much. This didn’t bother Octavia; when it came to having things in common neither of them could have had a worse partner.

Rainbow slowed to let Octavia catch up, rays of sunlight shimmering off her wings as she dropped to the dirt. “Hey, you and Fine seem pretty tight,” she noted curiously, walking alongside her partner once she caught up. “You been to his place before?”

“I’m afraid not,” Octavia confessed. “As… ahem, ‘tight’ as others think we are he never invited me to visit.” She noticed how Rainbow was glancing around at the trees. There was something uncomfortable about her mood, as if the pegasus were on edge. “Is something the matter?”

“No no, nothing’s the matter,” Rainbow answered, her hurried tone entirely unconvincing. “It’s just that I think I might recognize this area. It’s weird, I’ve never been on this path before but I feel like I’ve been out here.”

“Well the path is very new,” Octavia noted. She wanted to carefully avoid suggesting that her partner might be afraid, though she certainly was showing signs of it. “Perhaps you came to this area before it was cut.”

Rainbow chewed her lip as they neared a curve in the path. “Yeah, I suppose. It’s just that if weheheer…” Her sentence died with a strange, weak sound as they rounded the corner, at last coming upon the home of Fine Crime. Her eyes went wide with abrupt fear at the sight of the familiar four-story building, its walls of dark lumber. Its form was as imposing as she remembered, tall and wide and just barely fitting within the clearing it had been built in. “…oh crap.”

Octavia didn’t notice how Rainbow had stopped walking until she was halfway to the door. She turned around to find the pegasus sitting in a stunned manner just at the edge of the clearing. “Rainbow?”

“A-are you sure this is the place?” Rainbow asked nervously, gesturing to the house with a hoof.

“We followed Twilight’s directions to the letter,” Octavia answered. She glanced between the house and Rainbow inquisitively. “I’ll admit it’s big, but I think your response is a bit much.”

Rainbow’s head drooped as she eyed the trees surrounding the house. “I remember this place now,” she muttered. “It’s dangerous. Fine actually lives here?”

“What are you afraid of?”

“I’m not afraid!” Rainbow stood tall and made a good showing of trotting up to the front door. “I’m just being cautious, that’s all. Last time I came here things went… badly. That’s all.”

Her repeating phrases was giving her away. Octavia followed behind, studying Rainbow curiously. “So what happened?”

Rainbow hesitated before pulling open one of the two front doors and letting her partner in first. “Let’s just say that you don’t wanna leave the clearing, especially behind the house. You might not come back.”

The two found themselves in a large ballroom, perhaps two stories tall. Octavia thought it rather fashionable; the wood-paneled walls were dark but not oppressively so, the tall staircases at the back of the room were of an exquisite design, and the whole place was illuminated by a pair of high, iron chandeliers. All in all she thought it impressive.

Rainbow let out a whistle as she closed the door and flew to hover near the center of the room. “Nice digs! Fine must be loaded with bits. Who knew?”

Octavia took a moment to reach into her pack and pull out some directions on a small scroll. “According to Twilight’s instructions we’ll find Fine in the Southeast tower. Um…” She glanced about the room at the three exiting halls and the two staircases. After a moment of further reading she made her way to the stairs on their right. “This way, I think.”

She glanced up at Rainbow, who was studying one of the chandeliers curiously. “So what’s beyond the clearing behind the house?”

Her partner gave her an annoyed look. “Listen, I promised Scoots and Nye not to share. Okay?”

“Ah,” Octavia replied intuitively, “it must have been that camping trip the three of you took.”

Rainbow floated over to land on the balcony just as she reached the top of the stairs. “Yeah, that’s the one.”

“This way.” Octavia led them into a nearby room which appeared to be a lounge. She eyed Rainbow curiously as they went on to a nearby hallway. “Speaking of Nye, what in Equestria made you decide to date him?”

Rainbow frowned and made a huffing sound. “Everypony keeps asking me that. Nye’s got his good traits, y’know.” She gained a suspecting glower, as if waiting for Octavia to make some sort of mocking comment.

But in truth she was very interested. “What kind of good traits?”

Rainbow smiled. Whether it was at Octavia’s honest attention or her own thoughts her partner couldn’t decide. “He makes me laugh.”

Octavia couldn’t help giggling. “I’ll grant you that one.”

“He’s just about the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.”

“Make that two,” Octavia acknowledged, though she was far from convinced. She waited for the next point, but it didn’t come. She glanced back and saw Rainbow glance hurriedly away with a blush. “What?”

Rainbow hesitated, glancing about as if afraid somepony might overhear. “You did not hear this from me. If you say anything I’ll deny it.” She waited for Octavia’s uncertain nod before going on. “He’s… cute.”

That made her pause. “Cute? You really think Nye is cute?”

“Well… yeah.” Rainbow couldn’t meet her partner’s eye. “I know most mares think Jimmy’s the attractive one, but there’s something about Nye. He’s just so soft, sorta like…” She made an anxious sound and shook her head. “Uh-uh, not saying that one out loud.”

Octavia giggled at her friend’s red face and went back to walking, studying the scroll. “To each her own, I suppose.”

Rainbow seemed to think she was being laughed at. She followed behind and added seriously, “Also, he’s loyal. As the Bearer of Loyalty you can imagine that’s important to me. And might I add he’s very dependable.”

“Dependable.” Octavia gave her a skeptical look. “Dependable at what, being late for work? Making cider rainbooms?”

Now Rainbow was getting testy. “I’ll have you know he once fought his own fears in order to rescue me. Saved my life!”

Octavia came to a stop, not certain she’d heard that correctly. “He did?”

Rainbow walked on, head held high. “Yeah, and nearly got killed himself in the process. Took a nasty hit to his leg too; he was limping for weeks, poor fella. He might seem slow to act or hesitant, but when it really matters Nye will be there for me, which means a lot.”

Octavia almost couldn’t believe her ears. “You really care about him. I’m sorry to say this, but I always suspected you were just humoring him.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Rainbow turned to her, eyelids lowered threateningly.

“I meant no offense,” she answered apologetically. “I’m glad you told me: I feel a lot better about what he brings to our team because of it. So thank you for that. Umm… this way.”

She went on nervously, hoping Rainbow wouldn’t stay angry. To her relief the pegasus appeared at her side with a friendly smile. “Ah don’t worry about it. I’d have doubted him too if I were in your horseshoes. While we’re talking about coltfriends,” she nudged Octavia playfully with an elbow, “what about you? There are plenty of stallions interested in ya, trust me.”

Octavia rolled her eyes in annoyance. “So I’ve heard. I wish they’d leave me alone.”

“Because you’ve already got one?”

“Because I’m not interested,” she countered with a haughty tone. “I’m trying to build a career, and that leaves me no time to be chased by stallions.”

“Seriously?” Rainbow sounded shocked. “But what about you and Jimmy?”

That surprised her. “Jim? Why would you think I’m interested in him?”

“You two just seem really close,” Rainbow answered nervously. “He’s always visiting you, or so Nye says. Ever since you two fought together in the Crystal Empire – which was awesome, by the way! – I sorta assumed…”

“He visits Rarity often as well,” Octavia noted, maintaining her proud demeanor. “Jim is like me: no time for relationships. I think we could be considered kindred spirits in that regard. Besides I think he just likes to be with ponies of high class.”

“I guess.” They came to a pause in a large, undecorated room. A quick scan showed the room to be completely empty. “Hey, this is a dead end! Are ya sure you read Twiilight’s instructions right?”

“You and Pinkie Pie were so busy with that prank on Applejack that you completely missed this part,” Octavia noted with an annoyed expression. She walked to one of the walls near a corner and, after studying her scroll for a moment, set her hoof against the wall and pressed. A quiet thunking noise suggested something had just unlocked, and one of the wall’s panels slid away with a swishing sound.

“Whoa, secret room.” Rainbow cried, taking a closer look at the hidden panel. “That’s cool! I’m starting to like this place a lot more.”

Octavia put away her scroll and hesitated before the dark stairwell before them. “According to Twilight’s notes, Fine should be in a room at the top of these stairs.”

“Great, let’s get going.”

She cast a worried glance at Rainbow, who was already beginning her ascent. “Aren’t you worried about what we might find?”

“Nah, it’s just Fine Crime,” her partner declared confidently. “He’s supposed to be tied down, remember? What’s so scary about that?”

Octavia wasn’t convinced, but followed anyway. “I just want to be prepared.”

Rainbow fired a confident grin back at her confidently as they approached the door at the top of the staircase. “Come on, how bad could it be?”

The moment the door opened they were assaulted by furious screams. Upper Crust and Applejack covered their ears, cringing at the sheer volume of the noise.

“I don’t wanna do this anymore! Let me out! Damn it Flutterbitch, get over here before I…!”

Applejack slammed the door, eyes wide as Fine’s voice was reduced to indecipherable shouting. “Horseapples! Rainbow said he was loud but ah wasn’ expectin’ anythin’ like this.”

Upper Crust sat on the top step, rubbing her ears. “He sounds positively furious! I can understand why Fluttershy was having such a difficult time.”

They both raised an ear to the door, trying to make some sense of Fine’s screaming. Applejack’s lips curled to an impatient frown. “Maybe we should go in. No point waitin’.”

Upper Crust didn’t seem so sure. “I was thinking maybe we should let him tire out. His lungs can’t keep that up forever.”

But Applejack was determined. “Twiligh’ said he calms down once he has a ‘vision,’ whatever that is. Ah’m gonna go in, try ta encourage one.”

Her partner sighed and stood up. “Alright, we’ll go. I wish we’d thought to bring earplugs.”

They opened the door again and found that Fine’s screams hadn’t decreased any in volume. They took Fluttershy’s advice and didn’t pay attention to his words, instead spending several seconds trying to get used to the noise and fighting not to cover their ears. Applejack, not wanting to listen any longer than she had to, moved quickly to the table and reared back so her front hooves were on the rack. She couldn’t believe the sight: he was strapped down tighter than a Hearth’s Warming Eve present!

Fine’s rage came to an abrupt end when he spotted her. “Wait, you’re not Flutterbitch.”

It took all Applejack’s willpower not to crack a hoof across his jaw for the insulting name. “Are ya gonna calm down so we can feed ya?”

“Oh, be calm she says. Yeah, we can be calm!” He launched into another tirade, spittle running down his cheek. Applejack cringed and considered decking him.

She saw Upper Crust move to the other side of the rack, eyeing Fine’s restricted form. She reached a hoof to tug at one of the bands holding his front legs down, eyebrows raised in alarm. Her expression was nothing compared to what it became when Fine jerked against his restraints at her with a snarl so vicious both ponies backed away instinctively.

Applejack studied his face and saw that the rage was gone, replaced by an eager smile and dark glint in his eye. His volume had lowered, too, and was now at least more tolerable.

But his words made her want to cover her ears again. “Such a nice blonde mane you have. I think I’ll cut it off and strangle you with it. No, nevermind, not bloody enough, there has to be at least some blood. Oh wait, a horn! I can snap it right off that head of yours. There’s a trick to that, you know, you have to pull at just the right angle. Setting a hoof to the back of the neck really helps to get it. Let me go and I’ll demonstrate.”

“I think he’s having a vision,” Upper Crust noted with a cringe.

“What’s the matter?” Fine strained against his bindings, his enthusiastic eyes locked on Upper Crust. “I just want blood. And screams. I know how to make you sing!” His eyes shifted to Applejack. “Yes… after I have her horn I’ll ram it under your horseshoes. Prying those off won’t hurt much, but when I start jamming the horn into the nail-holes I bet you’ll give me a chorus! Tried that once on a corrupt cop, fun times. Come on, let me go! I promise it won’t hurt for too long.”

Applejack shivered, taking an involuntary step back. “Did Fluttershy have ta listen ta this all the time?”

“I don’t think so,” Upper Crust noted, ignoring Fine’s continued ramblings. “She said she was immune, so he wouldn’t have said this… not that what he was saying was any more tolerable.”

Fine abruptly barked like a dog, effectively catching their attention. He didn’t seem so cheerful anymore. “Bitches, pay attention when I’m talking to you! Luna-fucking-damn! What do I gotta do, rip your fucking tongues out? I should, lots of blood when you do that.”

Suddenly his eyes closed tightly and he ground his teeth. He tried to arch his back but could barely move under his bonds. “Fucking hell that hurts! Let me go, for fuck’s sake let me kill somepony. Please!” He let out a long, agonized cry as tears fell down his cheeks. “Let me go! Let me go!” His eyes went to Applejack. “I’ll put a hook in your belly! Weigh it with rocks and hang you from a pole!”

Applejack covered her ears and dropped to her belly, horrified at the images his words produced. Was this typical of a bloodmane? How was he not in prison!? Worse, how could Princess Luna work with him? She was so very close to walking out on him. Would anypony blame her?

Something touched her shoulder; she leaped into the air with a startled shout and barely managed to avoid striking Upper Crust. She let out a deep breath to calm her nerves before noting that Fine had gone silent. She turned to find him visibly shaking, eyes clenched shut and a sob escaping his lips.

“I think it’s over,” Upper Crust noted, though she was keeping her distance from the rack and didn't look at all self-assured.

Applejack nodded and removed her hat to wipe the beads of sweat from her forehead. Taking a moment to steel herself, she put her hat back on and went to stand beside Fine once again. He had calmed significantly, faded eyes staring up at the ceiling.

“Are ya done now?” Applejack asked him with an irritated tone.

He didn’t look at her. When he spoke his voice was hoarse. “What are you two even doing here?”

“Tryin’ ta feed ya,” she replied, reaching into her pack and pulling out the carefully-wrapped sandwiches.

For a moment he didn’t answer, or acknowledge her in any way. But then, with a heavy sigh, he said, “You’ve got about ten minutes before I go off again. Let’s get this over with.”

“Don’t get too excited,” Jimmy grumbled, setting the picnic basket to the floor. He shot a worried glance at Rarity, who had been very poorly affected by the bloodmane’s threats. She was trembling near the door, probably trying not to imagine her pearly coat adorning Fine as a new vest.

He wanted to comfort her, but he knew he had to feed Fine before he went berserk again. Upper Crusty had noted how she and Applejack had been too slow; they’d been forced to wait nearly an hour before another vision calmed him down. He did not want Rarity to have to go through another batch of those horrible threats!

He opened the basket and carefully pulled out the salad Rarity had made for the occasion. He also had some tongs, happy his partner had thought to include them; Rainbow was still nursing the bite on her hoof from the other day. “Alright, Fine, open up.”

He did, keeping his dull eyes turned away. He chewed slowly, clearly having no interest in the food. He swallowed and asked in a bored tone, “Why are you ponies doing this?”

Jimmy wasn’t sure how to answer, so he bought time by giving Fine another mouthful of lettuce and hay. Indeed, why was he doing this? He cast a glance at Rarity. She had her eyes closed and appeared to be on the verge of recovering her wits. He smiled weakly, thinking of things he’d learned only recently.

“You recruited us into this team,” he answered at last while bringing some more of the salad to Fine’s mouth. “You saw potential in us. It’s only right we return the favor.”

Fine didn’t take the offered food. He turned his head away as far as he could, which barely amounted to anything. “I’m not worth it.”

Jimmy raised the tongs a little so he could better see Fine’s face. “Why would you say something like that?”

“I’m a murderer,” Fine answered darkly, still refusing to meet Jimmy’s gaze. “Everything I just said I would have done if I weren’t tied down. I don’t deserve help. I should be left here to rot.”

Jimmy pulled the tongs back to his shoulder, eyes going sharp. “You don’t mean that.”

“Yeah, I do. Luna should come here and put me out of everypony’s misery.”

“Stop that!” Jimmy leaned over and tapped the bloodmane on the forehead to try and make those eyes turn on him. They wouldn’t. “I get it, you’re depressed. It’s all part of the withdrawal. But for pity’s sake, have a little more faith! Do you think we’d even be here if we didn’t want to be?”

“You don’t want to be.”

Jimmy growled and dropped down so he was glaring Fine right in the eye. “What we want is our leader back! What happened to Mr. Fearless, the one who fought one-on-one against Sombra?”

This time Fine did meet his gaze, but his expression was still entirely devoid of pleasure. He spoke monotonously. “Unless you want to lose those lips I suggest getting them away from my teeth.”

“Ya can’t move, Fine,” Jimmy noted seriously, “and ya can’t scare me. Now you’re gonna eat this and keep going.” He proffered the tongs, still gripping lettuce, before Fine’s mouth.

Fine made no attempt to eat. “Why should I?”

“Because your friends are worried about you!”

His eyes shifted to Jimmy, his expression confused. “I don’t have friends.”

“Of course you have friends!” Rarity was abruptly there on the opposite side of the table. “We’re all worried about you!”

“You’re scared of me,” Fine corrected with a sneer. “You can’t stand me.”

“Of course we’re scared,” Jimmy agreed. “We’re scared you’ll stay like this forever. That’s why we’re here!”

The bloodmane huffed a dejected sigh. “Maybe it’s what I deserve. I’ll just end up hurting everypony if I’m set loose.”

“You can’t just give up,” Rarity noted regally.

“What do you care!? You barely know me!”

Jimmy shoved the food into Fine’s mouth before he could close it. “For Luna sake, eat!”

He was rewarded with salad being spit into his face. He grimaced and rubbed off the bits of lettuce and tomatoes. As he did Fine began to shout obscenities, making it painfully obvious that their ten minutes were up.

Rarity rolled her eyes as she walked around the rack to Jimmy’s side. “I am not going to listen to him rant for an hour. Let’s go downstairs and wait it out, hmm?”

“Oh no,” Lightning Dust snapped, reaching into her pack. “Forget it, I’m not letting him waste my time by being an asshole! I had the meal whipped up in a blender for a reason.”

Fluttershy, covering her ears to dampen Fine’s increasingly vulgar shouts, raised an eyebrow at the metal pipe her partner was taking out. “Umm, what is that for?”

Lightning set the bowl of blended fruits and veggies on the rack and gave Fluttershy a dark grin. “Tough love.” She turned to Fine, who was still spitting vitriol at them both. “Now would you please shut up?” She raised the pipe and brought it down with a loud whack on Fine’s exposed stomach. When he opened his mouth to let out a gasp she immediately shoved the pipe into his mouth.

Fluttershy covered her lips in an expression of alarm. “L-L-Lightning! What are you doing!?”

Fine squirmed, angry noises floating up through the pipe as he glared daggers at Lightning. She held the pipe firmly, though, and lifted the bowl of food. “Feeding him, whether he likes it or not.” And with that she dumped the bowl’s contents down the pipe.

Fluttershy stepped up to the rack, cringing at the sight of Lightning climbing on top of it and setting a hoof on top of the pipe to keep it firmly in place. “Don’t you think that’s a bit much? It might hurt…”

“Too bad,” Lightning replied with a smirk. “This is my revenge for the time he left me on my own in Big Reach’s mansion!” She cast a wicked look down at Fine. “Thought I’d forgotten about that, didn’t ya? Payback’s a bitch.”

Fluttershy moved by Fine’s head, taking a close look at his face. “B-but he might not be able to breathe!”

“He’s got a nose, don’t he?” Lightning smiled at her partner. “Relax, I won’t hurt him. I’ll just keep it on him till he’s swallowed it all, and then we can get out of here. Trust me, when this is all over and he’s a normal, productive member of society he’ll thank me.”

Fluttershy eyed the pipe. “I’m not so sure about that.” Fine, still struggling, was making furious noises and glaring up at Lightning.

“You should be relishing this,” Lightning noted with a critical look. “I mean c’mon, he’s put you through hell for two months! You deserve a little self-gratification at his expense.”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” Fluttershy answered hesitantly. “I mean, I could have said no…”

Lightning stared at her for a few quiet seconds, ignoring the small motions of the pipe in her hooves. “I was wrong about you. I thought you were just a wimp.”

Her partner offered a weak smile. “Well, I am… really.”

Lightning scratched her head in thought for a couple seconds. “What I mean is, you’re a lot tougher than I thought. You actually dealt with this jerk for six weeks all on your own? That couldn’t have been easy. You really impress me, Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy blushed, hiding a little behind her mane. “Um… thanks, but… um… I’m not all that tough. Honest.”

“You’re too modest,” Lightning claimed, pausing to look down the pipe. She frowned and set her hoof back on top of it again; apparently Fine hadn’t eaten all of its contents yet. “I can’t imagine having to deal with this day-in and day-out every day for six weeks, on top of my day job! How did you not crack?”

Fluttershy gave Fine a forlorn look. He’d stopped trying to object verbally and by now was simply glaring at the two pegasi in a sulking fashion. Every now and again she’d see him swallow a little of the cut up food in the pipe. “I came close to giving up more than once,” she admitted, “but every time I did I reminded myself what was at stake. I didn’t want somepony to die because I couldn’t handle it.”

“A lesser pony would have given in,” Lightning reminded her quietly. “I really think everypony’s proud of you. I don’t hardly know you at all – let’s face it, we don’t exactly share interests – but I’m glad to have somepony like you around to look after Keen when I’m working.”

Fluttershy looked up to see a genuine grin on Lightning’s lips. Somehow hearing that from her made her feel… good. She smiled back and nodded. “I appreciate that.”

An awkward silence passed between the two. After nearly a minute Lightning anxiously rubbed her mane and took another look down the pipe. She cast her eyes on Fluttershy, grinned nervously and gave Fine a hard kick in the shoulder. “Come on, hurry up already! I’m sick of standin’ here.”

“I can’t believe you’re actually doing this,” Nye noted, eyeing the pipe being held firmly in Fine’s mouth by a purple aura.

“I can’t believe Lightning thought of it,” Twilight Sparkle answered, sitting beside the rack with horn glowing. She set a hoof to her chin thoughtfully. “Then again, I guess it does sound like something she’d try.”

Nye paced around to the other side of the rack so he could get a closer look at Fine’s face. The bloodmane was watching him with half-closed eyes, not resisting but clearly angry. “I’m not sure I could do it. I mean, that looks really uncomfortable... and besides, I'm already creeped out by this place.”

“Like LD said, tough love. If he would cooperate,” she shot a lecturing look at Fine, “we wouldn’t have to resort to this. You’re too soft, Nye.”

He stood on his hind legs and patted his belly with a smile. “Yeah, ponies tell me that one all the time.”

She couldn’t help giggling. “I’m surprised Rainbow hasn’t tried to get rid of that yet.”

“Nah, she likes me soft,” he quipped, but his tone abruptly grew serious. “Do you think this is going to work?”

“He’s swallowing,” Twilight replied, gesturing to Fine’s throat. “I’d call that a success.”

“No, I mean this.” Nye gestured to Fine’s body, eyes on the many different bindings.

She hesitated, following his gaze along the stallion’s tightly-secured form. “It’s impossible to say. Princess Luna showed me the ‘evidence’ Fine was using as proof that it could work, but it didn’t amount to much. To be honest? I think this was an act of desperation.”

“After fourteen years I’d be desperate, too,” Nye acknowledged. He cast an unhappy glance at Fine’s face, the prisoner’s eyes darting back and forth between the two of them darkly. “He’s not in his right mind now, but if this doesn’t work I have to wonder what he’d want to do.”

“Luna told me exactly what would happen,” Twilight answered with a shudder. “It’s… better not to think on it.”

Nye glanced from Fine to her, face guilty. “Well in any case I’m glad you’re here now. I really don’t think I could have handled him on my own. Props to Fluttershy.”

Her lips rose in a sad smile. “She’s a lot stronger than most ponies give her credit… though I have to admit, I’m at a whole new level of impressed after this.” She glanced at the pipe studiously, her horn glowing a little brighter. “He’s done. Gonna take the pipe out now.”

The pipe was removed from Fine’s mouth. He took a moment to smack his lips and flex his jaw. Twilight and Nye were already on their way to the door when his voice rang behind them. “I swear to Tartarus the first thing I’m gonna do when I get out of here is see how you like having a fucking metal pipe shoved down your throat! Hey, where ya going? You, Celestia’s bitch! I’m talking…”

Nye leaned close to Twilight, trying his best to ignore Fine’s continuing rant. “Are you really sure you want Pinkie to handle him alone?”

They paused to at the door to glance back at Fine. “Pinkie drew the long straw, she gets to go it alone,” Twilight noted seriously, her horn glowing to keep the volume of Fine’s fury down.

“But it’s Pinkie,” Nye countered worriedly. “Surely somepony’s gonna go with her!”

“She wanted to be on her own,” Twilight reminded him, though there was no hiding the worry in her voice. “I know she seems like the worst candidate to do it, but we’ve thought that kind of thing before. I even insulted her once with that kind of thinking, albeit not on purpose. I want to give her the chance.”

He eyed her skeptically. “You trust her to do this?”

She nodded. “Is it any bigger a jump than, say, Fine trusting Fluttershy to do this on her own for weeks at a time?”

“Well, when you put it that way…”

She set a hoof to his shoulder. “We all have to trust one another, Nye, sometimes even when it goes against our best judgment.”

He sighed and opened the door, allowing her to leave first. “Far be it for me to argue with the leader of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony. Still, something about it just seems dangerous.”

He cast one last look at Fine, watching him struggle against his bonds. “I really hope you’re right about all this.”

The door closed with a quiet thunk.

The door opened slowly, a barely-audible creak the only sound to give away its motion. She stood in the opening for a few solemn minutes, eyes locked on Fine atop the rack. If he noticed her presence he was not bothering to show it. After several long seconds she at last entered the room at a slow pace, a picnic basket balanced on her back.

She paused next to his head, looking down at him with an expressionless face. His eyes, gleaming in the dim light of the chandelier’s candles, were locked upon her. The two lingered on in silence, neither bothering to say anything. His breathing slowed into a deep rhythm as he licked his lips in preparation.

At last Fine spoke. “You alone?”

She didn’t answer.

“You gonna try cheering me up?” he pressed darkly. “Throw me a party?”

The silence was ongoing.

He sneered. “What’s wrong, are you scared? Big mean bastard tied to the table’s gonna eat you!” He clicked his teeth at her a couple times with a grin that didn’t match his eyes. “Come on, get closer! I bet you taste like cotton candy. You’ve got so much sugar in…” He tensed abruptly, grinding his teeth in pain. After a few seconds his eyes gained that hungry look she recognized.

That was when she pounced, literally leaping atop the table to straddle his chest. She leaned down, her long pink mane surrounding his face as she looked him right in the eye. “Tell me what you see. Describe it to me.”

His eyes flashed greedily. “I see me stuffing balloons down your throat.”

Her hoofs caught him on either side of the head in a firm hold, and she lowered herself even further. He snapped his teeth in a vain attempt to bite her face. “More. Tell me something bloody.”

“…blood…” He said the word as if it was holy. “How about I slice your hooves off one at a time with a dull blade, sawing it back and forth and back and forth while you screech the most beautiful music?”

She let out a long shudder before sitting up. “You really are a bloodmane.”

“You look a lot prettier bathed in blood,” he noted wickedly, eye roaming up and down her body. “Get me off this thing and I’ll show you just how good you can look.”

She gave him a playful smile, tapping him on the forehead. “Tempting, but no.” Climbing off him, she turned to her picnic basket on the floor and carefully pulled out something. “I’ve got a treat for you.”

“Tell me it’s a hacksaw.”

She gave him a curious look. “Don’t you find it odd that I’m holding a conversation with you while you’re hallucinating my murder? I would have, and not just me. In fact someone’s questioning this entire scene as we speak.”

“I know,” Fine hissed, completely ignoring her words, “I’ll tie a bunch of balloons to your tongue. That would be fun. Then I can shoot you down with a slingshot!”

“Guess I was wrong,” she noted with a pleasant smile. “Oh well, can’t be right all the time. Here, have a gift!” She lifted her hoof so that he could see the cupcake balanced on top of it. She tipped a hoof into the rainbow-colored icing and licked it off with a grin. “My own special recipe! Haven’t made one of these in years.”

He grinned. “Can I have it with a side of your eyebaAUGH!” He let out a shout and cringed as pain erupted through his body. She frowned and pulled her hoof back so she could better watch him struggle. Her heart was bucking against her chest furiously at the sight of him: face strained, tears running down his cheeks, sweat beading on his forehead. Swelling within her was an old temptation, the kind she’d not felt in ages.

At last he relaxed, blinking away the tears and sniffing. He spoke with a tone of despair. “Sweet Luna, why does it have to hurt so much?”

She leaned against the rack, dangling the cupcake over his head. “I’m trying to give you a treat, here.”

He eyed the baked good with dull skepticism. “Sugar can’t solve everything, and certainly not this.”

She leaned forward, her long mane brushing up against his face. “Try it. If it doesn’t help then I promise I won’t try to feed you anything else.” She lowered the cupcake to just above his mouth, and after a few quiet moments he opened up. She set the top of it inside and waited for him to take a big bite before pulling it away.

Something red dripped from the cupcake onto his face. “Oops, sorry. Let me get that.”

She reached into the basket and pulled out a paper towel to wipe the drops from his chin. When it came up she found him staring at her with wide eyes. “You… is that… what I think it is?”

She smiled knowingly and displayed the cupcake as if it were a trophy, the red liquid oozing out of the dough in tiny amounts. “Like I said, my own special recipe. Now eat up.” She shoved the treat into his mouth firmly, forcing him to devour the whole thing.

She felt him shiver as the last small piece went down his throat. “Sweet gentle goddess…”

She leaned against the rack next to his face, her cheeks on her hooves. “Feel better?”

His eyes strained to look at her. “W-where did you get that…?”

“Don’t worry, it was my own blood. You should be sane for a couple hours now.”

He shifted as if to move away from her. “Why did you… I mean how did you know? Pinkie…”

“Pinkamina.” She brushed her long pink mane out of her face. “Call me Pinkamina.”

His jaw dropped just slightly. “You… you’re one, too?”

She nodded, petting his mane just above where its natural red color was coming out under the black. “I used to be, long ago. I knew from the moment I saw you that you were different, but I never imagined I’d found another! It was the first time.”

“What do you mean, ‘used to be?’”

Pinkamina ignored the question. “You know, when I saw you lying there all helpless I couldn’t resist thinking about how easy it would be. It’s the second time since being cured that I felt the temptation come back.”

He strained against his bonds. “You were cured!? You mean this will work?”

She nodded again with a pleasant expression. “Oh yes, it’ll work. I’ve been through everything you’re going through. Took me about twelve weeks to get over it. Consider yourself lucky: I didn’t have any friends to help me out like you do.”

He relaxed, a deep sigh of relief escaping his lips. “Oh thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” She turned back to her picnic basket and pulled out a half-dozen more cupcakes, these with white icing on top. She laughed when she caught sight of his worried look. “Don’t worry, I only put blood in the one! These are normal, promise.”

He relaxed once more, but licked his lips as if to get rid of a nasty taste. “About the blood. Umm… how…”

She said the sentence in his head just before he could say it. “How did I know that the blood would make you sane again? Experience due to an… unfortunate hallucination.” She bit her lip and cast her eyes away. “Hey… Did you ever… kill anyone close to you…?”

He studied her solemnly for a few seconds, clearly not missing the suggestion behind her words. “My first was a friend from my childhood. Other than that… no.”

Pinkamina sighed in a strange combination of sadness and relief. “Good… that’s good. You really are a lot luckier than me.” She offered him a cupcake. “Sorry about the size, I lost my small-sized pan.”

He ignored the cupcake, eyes locked on her unhappy face. “Who did you kill, Pinki…Pinkamina?”

She hesitated, her face half-hidden behind her mane as her eyes shifted away once more. “…everyone.” She shoved the cupcake against his mouth. “Open.”

He complied, and she went on while he chewed. “I never had anypony to talk to about it until now. The isolation can really drive you nutty.”

“Is that so?” he asked with a weak but wry smile.

She responded by shoving another cupcake in his face. “Shut up and eat.” She studied him with quiet intent. “Look… when this is over, if you ever wanna come by Sugarcube corner after hours you can. You know, to talk. You see things… differently once it’s over.”

He swallowed the last bit of cupcake. “Sounds like it’s not a good difference.”

“Not at first,” she admitted, “not for me. Maybe you’ll be different, I don’t know. I mean you’re the only other bloodmane I’ve ever met.”

There was a long, heavy silence between them. Pinkamina couldn’t meet Fine’s gaze; she clutched at her empty plate as if it were something special and kept her mane between the two of them. He studied her, his mind finally free to think rationally again. After what seemed like an eternity he finally spoke up. “I think we’ll be seeing a lot more of one another in the near future.”

Pinkamina nodded, a smile coming upon her lips. She stepped back and returned the plate to the picnic basket. She was just about to lift it up when he asked, “You’re not going already, are you?”

She bit her lip and glanced at him. “Umm… I don’t want the others to worry.”

“I can finally think straight,” he reminded her hopefully. “For the first time in months I can be normal! I don’t want to spend that time alone…”

Pinkamina’s head turned to observe the door for a few anxious seconds, but finally she went to sit down next to him. “Alright… what do you want to talk about?”

He chuckled. “I thought you were the master conversationalist.”

“Not now.” She bowed her head, mane dipping forward to tickle his cheek as she gazed at the floor with sorrowful eyes. “Just… not now.”

“Then how about this: tell me how you cured yourself.”

Her eyes flitted to him. “…that’s a long story.”

He tensed against his bonds demonstrably. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Princess Luna stood at the head of the rack, gazing down upon Fine’s face. “Are you absolutely certain about this?”

“I am.”

At the foot of the rack was Princess Celestia. “You understand what we will be forced to do if you are wrong?”

“I understand.”

The sisters shared a solemn look over the his body and nodded in unison. Celestia’s horn glowed in preparation as she locked eyes on the bound stallion. Luna’s glowed as well, her magic carefully removing Fine’s bindings one strap at a time. He lay perfectly still, not daring to make any quick movements: Celestia looked as though she might blast him at the slightest provocation.

His hind legs were the first to be freed, and he slowly lifted them up. It felt good to be able to move them at all.

Time lingered on, the only sound that of the occasional unbuckling belt or shifting chain. Soon the last bonds were removed; he was free. Moving slowly, he shifted onto his side and stood on legs weak from a lack of motion. He glanced at the underside of one of his front legs, noting how the fur of his coat had worn to skin from constant rubbing against the table. It didn’t look at all as bad as he’d expected, though.

“Fine?” He looked to Luna, who’s eyes bored into his own. “How do you feel?”

His mind was blank. He glanced around at the room as if seeing it for the first time. His unkempt mane, now almost completely back to its natural red color, swayed across his eyes. “I feel… clear.”

The emotion hit him, and it was like a sledgehammer to the gut. He dropped to his haunches and felt the burn of tears. “It’s all so clear…”

The Princesses breathed a combined sigh of relief. Luna gave him an encouraging, pleased smile.

“I have to admit, I never thought this would work,” Celestia confessed, standing beside Fine with a soft smile of her own. “I’m happy for you, Fine Crime.”

“Indeed,” Luna agreed as he let out a happy sob. “And we are proud.”

He held his hooves before his face, staring at them as if he didn’t know what they were. “Nothing,” he whispered. “I should have had a vision by now, but there’s nothing. I don’t have to see blood anymore. It’s just…” Words couldn’t do his feelings justice, so he stopped trying. He just sat there and wept at the simple, impossible thrill that was running through him.

He remained that way for several minutes, not even bothering to control his joy. But eventually he did calm down enough to take in his surroundings once more. When he did he realized that Celestia was gone. He didn’t care, but Luna noted him glancing about. “She went downstairs to tell the others.”

He raised his head in surprise. “The others? You mean our team?”

The Princess nodded. “And the Element-Bearers as well. Everypony came to show their support.”

They all helped. He still couldn’t believe it: all those ponies that he just knew would hate and abandon him had instead come to his aid. It boggled the mind, and he had to know why they did it. “I… want to see them now…”

“Of course,” she agreed. He wobbled off the table, helped slightly by her magic. “I think we can remove this.” The anti-magic shield on his horn floated off, and he abruptly felt his own magic flowing again.

He let out a pleased sigh, his horn glowing brightly. “I had no idea it would feel so good to get that thing off. It’s like stretching… in a metaphysical sense.”

Luna was beside him, and when she got so close he took a tentative step back. His alarm died quickly, though. She gave him a concerned look, but he shook his head apologetically. “I’m sorry, it’s just… I keep expecting the vision to come.” He bowed his head, mind racing. “I haven’t tried to hurt you. There’s nothing, no violence, no blood. Is it weird that I find that weird?”

The Princess smiled and gestured to the door. “Welcome to being normal. Are you ready for it?”

He returned the smile anxiously. “I… I guess… Is the world ready for a ‘normal’ Fine Crime?”

She turned to look him in the eyes, her tone soothing. “…maybe you should start going by Verity Fine.”

He gazed at her, surprised at the suggestion. But the more he thought of it, the more he liked it. “Maybe…” He followed her to the door while thinking on the name. Fine Crime had been his name for fourteen years, an appropriate title for somepony so terrible. But he wasn’t that pony anymore, was he? Could he go back to being a normal pony? Could he even remember what it was like?

They were in the stairwell covered in darkness when Luna spoke up. “Fine… I wanted to apologize.”

He paused, watching her glimmering mane as it descended a few steps ahead. “For what?”

She stopped and turned her head over her shoulder. Her eyes shimmered with guilt. “For a couple things. Doubting you on this, for one. I truly had no faith in this idea.”

Fine raised his hoof in a dismissive gesture. “I wouldn’t have believed in it myself. It was a desperate gamble, and to be honest I probably shouldn’t have done it. I’m just glad you decided to let me try.”

“To be honest, the only reason I agreed to it was because I believed you would try it regardless.” Her eyes drifted, unable to meet his gaze. “Yet there is something else, something more important that I felt I owe you an apology for: Tazel.”

His smile faded, and a long silence passed between them. “…you waited this long to apologize for that?”

Luna’s head turned forward once more. Her voice held something akin to shame. “I am sorry, but I was unsure if you could even comprehend. You haven’t really been… you these past few weeks.”

“Well, there is that,” he agreed quietly.

“I did not mean for things to go the way they did,” she told him with her face still turned away. “I sent Tazel to you, and that was my misdeed. I hope you can…”

“Luna.” She tensed at his tone. “I did warn you that it wasn’t a good idea… but I can’t blame you. How could I, after begging you to let me do this? Besides, I know what you were hoping would happen. Even a Princess can’t be right all the time.”

Luna looked back at him. He saw more guilt there than he’d thought she could possess. “You nearly killed your childhood friend because of me. We still can’t prove that you didn’t.”

“I know.” Fine descended the few steps between them so he could look into her face properly. “Believe me, Luna, I know. You did what you had to.”

She clearly wasn’t convinced. “I could have dealt with the problem in a different manner.”

He shook his head. “Luna, I’m the Mane Archon. I know all about making tough decisions, and I’ve felt the burn from when those decisions go wrong. Frankly I’m surprised you’re beating yourself up so much over this.”

She sighed and descended the stairs once more, Fine following close behind. “You’re not used to… this. This isn’t about professionalism between us, Fine. Not anymore.”

That statement confused him. “Then what is it about?”

She smiled weakly at the door, her wing rising up to touch the hidden panel. “This.”

When Fine stepped through the opening he was bombarded by cheers so loud he nearly fell in his surprise. Fluttershy almost knocked him down in her rush to hug him. “It worked, it actually worked!”

“Congratulations!” Twilight came to stand next to him with a grin.

“Hey buddy,” Nye’s wry voice called from beyond Fine’s vision, “welcome to being boring like the rest of us.”

“We’re all so very proud of you,” Octavia added, appearing opposite Twilight.

They really were all there. He gazed at them from over Fluttershy’s shoulder, grateful and astounded at once. They were all so happy… he just couldn’t fathom this response. He gently pushed Fluttershy away, which let him get a good look at her face. “Flutttershy… are you crying?”

She rubbed the moisture from her cheeks with a smile. “I’m sorry, it’s just… I was starting to think this would never end!”

“You and me both,” he whispered, taking a moment to brush her mane from her face. “Thank you so much for putting up with me. I know it wasn’t easy.”

She nodded and stepped away. “I didn’t do it alone.”

“Yeah,” Rainbow threw in from near the ceiling, “a little credit where it’s due?”

Fluttershy blushed. “I’m sorry, I know I promised not to get them involved…”

“What confuses me,” he interrupted, turning his head to slowly look at all the smiling faces, “is why you all helped. I mean… what I am… was… it had to be abhorrent to all of you.”

“Abhorwa?” Pinkie asked, abruptly standing between him and Octavia.

“Of course we helped!” Applejack answered proudly. “How could we not help out our friend?” He stared at her, lips moving to quietly mouth the word ‘friend’ as he tried to make sense of it. “What, you don’ think we’re friends?”

“I… I just…”

Upper Crust stepped forward to stand next to Fluttershy with a big smile. “We weren’t going to abandon you, Fine. You should have told us all in the first place.”

“Besides,” Lightning added smartly, “what kind of team would we be without our leader?”

He fell to his haunches, an unfamiliar emotion welling within him. “But… but I didn’t think any of you liked me…”

“Well I can certainly understand why you would think that way,” Rarity confessed haughtily, “but it’s your own fault for not being upfront with us to begin with.”

Jimmy appeared before him, setting a hoof to his shoulder. “You spent all that time hiding from us. What were we supposed to think? You could have spent all that time with us, helping us to understand.”

Pinkie bumped Jimmy out of the way with a grin. “Yeah, instead of being all cranky and avoiding my parties!”

Fine stared at her, then Fluttershy. After a few seconds he lowered his head guiltily. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know what else to do. I’ve spent my whole life avoiding… friendship…”

Celestia, who had been waiting at the back of the crowd, stepped forward to catch his attention. “And now they all understand why. Fine, you never gave friendship a chance. Perhaps now you can.”

“Indeed,” Luna said, appearing at her sister’s side. “You have a second chance at life, a truly rare gift. Perhaps this time you would like to go through it with some friends.”

He felt like crying all over again. They were all there to offer him their companionship! He’d never known such… such happiness. He wasn’t worthy of it, not at all, but he would accept it. “I’m free,” he said at last, smiling at all of them. “I don’t have to be afraid anymore. I want to try. I know I don’t deserve any of this, but for once in my life I have the choice.”

He felt something touch his side, and he turned to find Twilight smiling proudly at him. “You always had the choice, Fine. It was up to you to make it.”

He stifled a sniff, unable to meet her eyes. “And… despite what I was, and what I’ve done… you’ll still be my…” The word felt so strange on his tongue, “…my friend?”

Lightning landed next to him, bumping his shoulder playfully. “New life, new friends!”

“What you did was unforgiveable,” Twilight told him softly.

“But you’re not that pony anymore,” Fluttershy concluded, words of approval coming from the others.

Now he was crying. “Thank you… all of you…”

There was a brief moment of silence as they all watched him. He was so glad for their presence; for the first time in his life he felt that things were going right. He wanted to give each and every last one of them a hug! Even the Princesses, though he doubted Celestia would have appreciated it.

“Okay, that’s enough drama,” Pinkie declared, bouncing into the center of the room. “Come on everypony, it’s time to party!”

“A… party?” Fine winced as if expecting a blow.

“Yep, we got everythin’ set up for ya downstairs!” Applejack announced proudly. “Come on, everypony, let’s go have some fun.” Pinkie let out a thrilled cry at the support.

“What better way to get to know all your new friends?” Twilight asked with a grin, gesturing for him to follow them.

Octavia took note of Fine’s hesitation. “Don’t worry. Pinkie’s parties are quite lively, but you get used to them.”

“You coming?” Rainbow asked.

“Y-yeah…” he answered, “I’ve never been to a party before.”

“What!?” Pinkie was in his face. “Are you kidding me? Come on, we need to get some sugar in your body, stat! Applejack, get this stallion some apple pie!”

“I’m on it,” Applejack announced with a grin and salute. By now most of the ponies were heading out of the room. Fine couldn’t help smiling; he might actually enjoy himself for a change.

“Fine, we have got to talk,” Twilight mentioned over her shoulder to him. “Think about what’s been achieved tonight! It calls for further study: this could be a huge leap for all ponykind.”

“I think that can wait,” Celestia noted as the two left the room together.

Fluttershy giggled, gesturing for Fine to follow her out. “I hope you’re ready; Twilight’s can get really excited about that kind of thing. She’ll have all sorts of questions for you.”

“I’ll answer to the best of my ability,” he replied honestly. “Hey… how long was I on that rack, anyway? Sometime after week nine things got a little jumbled in my head.”

“Twelve weeks,” Luna replied confidently.

He paused; that was a number he recognized. “Really? Twelve weeks?” Luna and Fluttershy both nodded, not understanding his astonished expression. He ignored their questioning looks to cast a glance at the door, where Pinkie was ushering the last of their friends through. She cast a proud smile his way, and for just a moment her playfulness disappeared into something much more calm. She nodded to him, and he had the distinct impression that she knew exactly what was on his mind.

An instant later her bouncy cheer was back. “Come on you two, hurry your tooshies and let’s boogey!”

Fluttershy giggled as Pinkie disappeared through the door. “She takes some getting used to, as well.”

“I’m good,” he replied happily, heading for the door and the sound of laughter. “For once in my life, everything’s good.”

Author's Note

I curse foul weather and satellite internet. I could have had this up two days ago! Ah well, it's up now.

So ends Series 3 of No Heroes. Of course we still have Silma and Mane Archon to worry about, not to mention their 'pet,' so this is not at all the end. I'm still uncertain as to whether there will be just one or two more parts to this story, but we'll just have to wait and see. That said, the rest of this story will be much more straightforward about what's happening; no more beating around the bush.

As I'm sure you've all gathered, 'Pinkamina' was the secret 'villain' I had planned all along. Considering all the hyped theories about Pinkie being a murderer I thought it would be interesting to apply the bloodmane concept to her as well. This isn't her last appearance, either. 'Pinkamina' will make a comeback near the conclusion of the series, for better or for worse.

Of the many many sidestories I'm considering writing, one involves Pinkie finding the cure on her own. Very dark material of course, but also a lot of potential fun (if you're into that kind of thing).

I originally wanted each pairing to have some sort of lengthy conversation in which the Element-bearers all give sage advice to the 'rookie' ponies on Luna's team. I ultimately tossed the idea out as I could see the chapter was getting pretty long. Oh well, another time perhaps.

All hell breaks loose in the next story. I'm looking forward to it.