The End of the Beginning

Chapters

My first letter
Star Swirl is fading
Thy Dragon
An unexpected affection
Manehatten
More riddles
Los Pegasus Love Potion
Dragon Egg Hunting
Casanova
The Alicorn Amulet
The Hound of the Buckervilles
Hatched?

My first letter

To my most radiant and brilliant sovereign, Celestia, in the 3rd year of thy reign

Please allow myself, to express my thanks for thy assistance in sealing away my heartbreak and love for Princess Nightmare Moon, thy dear sister. What a tragedy that has poisoned her heart and turned her against Equestria. As her pet, I should have noticed before her outright challenge of your illustrious reign.

Thou art correct, I shall not fault myself, for though I be new to this world, recent events have matured and tortured my frame, as you well know.

Again, thanks are due thee, thou hast correctly directed me to the tutor ledge of Star Swirl. Though he be feebler and his time be short in our world. His wealth of knowledge and personal library will, with due diligence, enhance my impoverished status. Alas, even as I pen this note, Star Swirl seems to be fading away.

These words pain me, but fear not, in my new form, I no longer poise a threat to Equestria. Star Swirl is reluctant to believe that I was once a dragon, but does find interest in the mechanism that enables dragons to grow wings. He has tasked me to put it to rhyme, but all I can do are these simple lines;

To grow a dragon’s wings, must start with the breaking of its’ heart…the pain it feels may tear it up inside with injury, less pain…it must hurt so much, that it must fly away…thus so its’ wings grow.

My self-imposed exile to the residence of Star Swirl, is nothing compared to the fate of thine sister. One does hope that thee, perhaps with my help, may find recourse to her situation. Until that day let the statue of her remain near the Evertree forest. It is a most remote place, and unlikely to be disturbed. It was a great boom that thou didst pour all my love for thine sister into that statue. Along with my previous form, for indeed my wings tips did threaten to stretch from horizon to horizon. We both know that this was not as nature intended, yet as my heart did break each evening looking upon the moon where thy dear sister be, my wings grew ever larger, until the firmament above was replaced by my wings. That moon I could not escape even in the depths of the Canterlot crystal mines.

Now do I be a pony, an earth pony as thou wouldst say? Only my eyes suggest my heritage. If I return to my dragon form, would my wings still stretch? Star Swirl is silent on this; he knows not that dragons could be transformed into ponies or vice versa. Nor does he suggest what effect that magic would affect.

Before, I sent this, Star Swirl regained a moment of clarity, and I pressed him to read this. He grunted satisfactory and found some humor in it. He did show a smirk of knowledge upon reading the part about being turned into a pony; and some mumbling that thou, Celestia, art a great student.

I send this letter with all my generosity, trustfulness, kindness, humor, and loyalty (although both of us know there be some confusion there) and with the gratefulness of a heart that no longer breaks due to an absence of love for thy dear sister. In all sincerity, SKY, though now I think it best to call myself Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.

Star Swirl is fading

To my glorious princess Celestia, in the 3rd year of thy reign, my 5th letter

Thy letter has been well received here by Star Swirl. Thou be most generous to appoint me scribe to Star Swirl. May I be sufficient to his needs.

Yet, is this letter that I pen, be from me or him, or perhaps as thou dust suggest a combination of us. This new responsibility tasks me with the splashes of future events, that your humble scribe hopes to meet.

Now Star Swirl lectures me on the Crystal Empire. Did thou knowest? Star Swirl says the Crystal Empire recently disappeared, yet there is little reference to the Crystal Empire in the library. My instructions send me to delve deep into the obscure of the Crystal Empire. Wait this is repetitive, allow me to simply call the Crystal Empire – IT. It was ruled by a ‘dark’ unicorn named Sombra, but in a final act of defiance to his slavery the empire vanished. There be a prophecy suggesting that IT will return, but the detail are obscured and we could not decipher them.

Star Swirl is fading, really fading. Sometimes he is there and sometimes not. He has no memory of his vanished moments, and blames it on too many teleportations, so you also have our warning to only use that spell in dire times. It may be that his repeated use of that spell contributed to his early en-feeblement. He is aware that his time is short and now has me pen many scrolls without category or index. He humorously wishes me time to correct this oversight.

When he finally goes and does not return, what would you have me do? Star believes I could learn magic, but I be only an earth pony, at least in form. Star Swirl suggests that the horn of a unicorn allows them to focus the magic within to the point beyond. If I can but focus, it is conceivable I could do some magic. In any case, there is much to categorize, study, and do here. As per your earlier suggestion, completed works will be returned to Canterlot. Thou need open a library.

I would return to Canterlot, but it seems your magic to transform me achieved an oversight and would present an embarrassment. There is no cutie mark on my plot, much to my diversion, since I am certainly not cute. Perhaps, it is because I was a dragon before being transformed, or perhaps in my creation you remembered the ancient days when few ponies had cutie marks, or perhaps being transformed from a infant dragon to a grown pony I skipped the acquiring period. Yet to ponder, that in only two short generations, almost all ponies, within thy realm, have cutie marks. This was meant to be and gives me just cause to travel to the northern hinterlands, the western plains and prairies, and the southern jungles and deserts, knowing that in these lands they are many who have no cutie marks.

As always, I shall maintain my service to Star Swirl, until we both feel he is gone. Then complete the index for his library, and finally explore the lands beyond.

With sincerity, your servant and scribe sends his generosity, trustfulness, kindness, humor, and loyalty, Sumponeigh Knot Yew.

Thy Dragon

To my brilliant and illustrious princess Celestia, in the 4th year of thy reign, my 10th letter

Much to our chagrin, Star Swirl and I, appreciate the complaints of you and your sister in former days, concerning his silent appearances. Thy insistence upon bells upon his garments, gave us a few extra moments of last dictations concerning many interesting things that I may spend many years researching on thy behalf. Yet it has been two fortnights since his last appearance, and with deep regret I think he be gone forever.

However, thy confidence is required, and you have been remiss in this. Star Swirl did validate that just as I was meant to be thy sister’s dragon, so you too, had a dragon. Yet, because of his un-control-able nature, thee and thy sister turned him to stone. For this reason alone, I sadly admit I was glad thou were not present when I brought the last scroll of Star Swirl’s to his self-named pavilion repository. Thou hast chosen a good name for it, and Star Swirl would approve.

Yet, I must address thy behavior. First that Star Swirl left Canterlot, after thy ascension to the throne. He would not waste time in discussing why he left and confirms that I should trust thee. Then thy having to turn thy own dragon to stone because of the chaos he created. Finally, to confront thy rebellious sister and exile her to the moon. And now, myself as evidence, without a cutie mark, cannot pass amongst the ponies of Canterlot unfettered, feared and bespeckled. All that could offer thee comfort midst the weight of thy crown and recent troubles are gone. I beseech thee; do not push any more away.

Perhaps, I speak unfairly. Thou hast secured Equestria, defeated, banish, or exile all threats. Thou hast mastered the elements of harmony, restored peace and stability, and silenced all challengers. Any one of these efforts could define thee as a great monarch and worthy of praise for many generations to come. To have done them all in such a short span of years will trial thy spirit beyond expected bonds for nothing so tests us more than our successes.

To rule, to be a monarch, is indeed to be alone. Do not imprison thyself in the glittered cage of Canterlot. Lead by example and not by edict. I am thy friend, and I will not fear thy wrath. Yea know where to find me, and whatever fate thou decree I will accept. But as thy friend, I have the duty not only to befriend and support, but to cut and direct our friendship in a productive direction. We know that I am loveless, and probably lack the tack to speak soothingly. Yet in my trustworthiness and loyalty, I was compelled to speak these stinging words. These are difficult and hard times, and more await us. Let me offer council, as thee has so wisely consoled me in the past.

I shall attend to a few details here, and then travel into the northern hinterlands in search of more answers to the disappearance of IT, (the Crystal Empire). Your loveless scribe sends all his generosity, truthfulness, kindness, humor and loyalty, Sumponeigh Knot Yew.

An unexpected affection

To my devoted and forgiving Princess Celestia, in the 4th year of thy reign, my 11th letter

Thou hast humbled me sorely. Not by thy words, but by thy affections.

There I be, in the hinterlands of the north, without fuel for fire so necessary for our correspondence. When lo did I behold a group of pegasi flying across the firmament. I knew then that thou had decreed my fate to end me beneath the falling snow. The pegasi flew overhead and then descended and took up station round about me. They said nothing and awaited solemnly. So I too did await and listened. From the south I could hear the rumbling thunder of thy army galloping. Their hooves stirring the light snow upon the ground, shaking it up into the air, forming a cloud of crystal staining the horizon. Thee and thy army charging were a glorious sight to behold; pennants flying like tongues of fire, nostrils snorting steam like volcanoes, clinking armor sounding like some jamboree of falling nails.

You brought them to a halt before me, step down from thy chariot, and approached. As I bowed to you, ye did the unexpected. Ye stood beside me, and face thy army. Commanding the pegasi to fall in, you called for a review. Pegasi to the right, a blessing of unicorns to the left, and two herds of earth ponies with chariots in the center. Then addressing the army, you said “An error un-corrected, becomes a mistake”. Then turning to me, ye had me read my letters to you.
Reading the first letter to your army, I noticed some raised eyebrows among the ranks. In the second thru ninth letters we heard a gasp, and with the reading of what I thought to be my final letter, the grinding of teeth. But that stopped because of you. You move close to me, leaned against me, and dipped you head and neighed approvingly.

Then standing firm, you addressed the army and pronounced “Our errors are corrected”. Then remounting thy chariot, ye turned the army south and marched away, leaving me to ponder thy act of affection.

I did not know how cold I was until I felt thy body lean against me. I will not return to Canterlot with thee, for thou have become the sun. To look long upon thee, I would either fall in love or go blind, and since I am loveless, I do not yield to become a blind pony, nor a pony who can not return thy affection.

My investigations into the disappearance of ‘it’ (the Crystal Empire) have been fruitless. An inquiry amongst the few inhabitants proves even more disturbing. They without exception have totally forgotten ‘it’. I have assigned some good here, and they in turn will keep me informed on any unusual events. ‘It’ remains a mystery, a nagging sore in my memory. Be of good cheer, ‘it’ will be a place of regular interest to me. I have come to conclude that the more we use the words ‘the Crystal Empire’ the more we are forgetting. Some spell must exist that is erasing our memories. While calling it ‘it’ before was a convenience, now calling ‘it’ ‘it’, has become an imperative.

I send this letter in gratitude of the affection you have shared with me, however unworthy or incapable of my returning that affection. Also, my generosity, trustfulness, kindness, humor, and loyalty are continuously extended, sincerely, Sumponeigh Knot Yew

Author's Note

A herd of unicorns is called a 'blessing'.

Manehatten

To my eminent and admired Princess Celestia, in the 5th year of thy reign, my 13th letter

As per thy instructions, I have arrived at the isle of Manehatten. It is a small community divided, with a good port. Two groups of ponies live here, calling themselves ‘old ponies’ and ‘new ponies’. Their principal division is the presence or absence of cutie marks. Being a port, there are also many ponies and other strange creatures from over the sea. Manehatten has one major street, a recently cobblestone cattle path, called Bridalway. It is on this street that most shops, business, and trading houses can be found. There is much confusion in the issue of who belongs and who calls this place home. There is only one ferry line connecting the town to the main land, but many small fishing boats will also deliver thee to the isle.

Thee be gracious to entitle me with ‘esquire of Equestria’, this seal of approval has empowered me to ‘corral’ the leading members of the community and ‘haggle’ into existence a city council. Note how I attempt to use local ‘slang’ or manner of speaking; it serves me well in ‘pushing’ forward projects. The council has agreed to purchase and maintain the ferry service, insure adequate food and water distribution, arrange for cleaner streets, patrol the docks, and provide fair protection for all ponies and others.

A charter (enclosed) is available for thy review. The city council looks forward to thy presence to officiate the ‘grand gala’. I find it disconcerting to ask, but might I request a single dance with thee at that event, beware other members of the community will also ‘monopolize’ thy time.

Our recent encounter in the northern hinterlands seems awkward to me now. Your last letter confirms this. It was brave of you to see the events of those tumultuous times as neither successes nor failures. With the one exception that flatters me, of being your friend.

I wonder why are we friends? We surely do not owe each other anything, that we have not already paid to each other several times over. What is our friendship, better yet, what is friendship? To enjoy the company of another, or is it to prefer the company of one to another? Friendship to me seems to be the summation of the parts rather than a whole thing, yet the more I try to define it as one thing, the more it breaks apart into many things.

However, when one examines each part, the more friendship seems to hinge on the whole and that no single part defines it. This riddle is contradictory and possibly without solution as are so many things in life. Life could and is another such riddle and so it time. I can measure a road and know its length just as I could measure a day, but while I can walk that road again, I can not relive the day. A pony may spend its life traveling the road counting the paces. Yet the pony may not relive his or her life, while the road will continue to be measurable by another.

Being loveless like I am, do I share my generosity, trust, loyalty, humor, and kindness out of habit? If so, it is a good habit. Am I worthy to share myself with thee? – No. Are you worthy to share myself with? – Yes.

This is a riddle that is worth exploring, but I do not know if we could find an answer, or if we should. I wonder if we could view others as always being worthy of sharing ourselves with, would not courtesy increase? Whereas if we always view ourselves as being unworthy, would that lead to depression or humbleness? Sincerely, Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.

More riddles

To my glorious and understanding Princess Celestia, in the 5th year of thy reign, my 18th letter

As per thy direction, I have returned to Star Swirl’s residence to review materials not transferred to the Canterlot library. I had hoped more would be gone, but yea say your staff had troubles with the timber wolves. Remind your staff that in the future, the banging together of pots and pans, or any other metals, will scare them off.

The residence itself remains intact and still growing. It was good fortune that some books were not transferred, for I now discover them to be keys. Where particular books are placed on certain shelves they actually open secret doors to small alcoves, containing more scrolls. It is most amazing to me, that a tree’s hollow core does not kill the tree. The life and future life of a tree is close to the bark, not the interior. Therefore with care, did Star Swirl build himself a home within a growing tree. Fortunately its proximity to the Everfree forest camouflages it from those who might ravage or steal from the wealth of information contained within. The regular appearance of timber wolves also secures it. We can well understand why Star Swirl would choose to live in this quiet place so unlike Canterlot.

I have found, and surprisingly learned, a spell for walking on clouds. Most useful, for me, an earth pony, upon my upcoming trip to Los Pegasus, on thy behalf. As per thy direction, I will use upmost discretion with the royal couple there and their problems. I have found some suggestion of a love potion in Star Swirl’s note involving dew drops from a rainbow, a Pegasus feather, and a puff of cloud.

The city of Los Pegasus was built to modify weather conditions in the far west, much as Cloudsdale does here. Run by Pegasi, they have faced many problems from lack of water sources to corruption in government. The establishment of a royal family was meant to stabilize and correct some deficientsies. With the cities’ abundant sunshine it could become a vacation resort; however, the local buffalo may find this objectionable with their stubborn adherence to their old ways. Still, some old ways may be best because they work.

It keeping with this, I was surprised when yea added love to our list of riddles. I would say as a loveless creature that I would be impartial to this discussion, but for thee. It strikes me odd, so it was not your intention to lock away my capacity to love within the statue of Nightmare Moon, only my love for her. I beg to differ, but I have no evidence to counter your argument. Yea say that love motivates me to be loyal, trustworthy, kind, generous, and humorous and that it is part of our friendship as well. If I have love in me that do this, it most certainly is not the focus love I once had for MY Nightmare Moon and thy dear sister Luna. It may be the love that one has for oneself, the un-focus love that preserves and seeks to give hope, however false or vain, for a future self, that all of us possess.

But that is only the most basic love, poets would argue that there are many levels and many types of love, more that we could ever recount in a thousand years of correspondence, may we be so lucky. To have thy love, I would be most lucky, but thee would be most unlucky to give me thy love, since I could not return thy affection. So now do I add luck to our list of riddles, as thou did add love.

With all my generosity, kindness, trustfulness, humor, and loyalty, Sumponeigh Knot Yew.

Los Pegasus Love Potion

To my glorious and affectionate Princess Celestia, in the 5th year of thy reign, my 19th letter

In response to thy letter, I see thee unwilling to abandon the riddle of love, rather than address the riddles of time, luck or life. So be it, love does appear to be the most important of qualities, only challenged by truth in prominence. We both concur that justice without mercy is tyranny; however mercy in the absence of justice is meaningless. So likewise, I must sadly report, that love when it eclipses all other values becomes choas. As yea had sent me to Los Pegasus to confer and help solve a problem related to a lack of love, it was my unexpected duty to report on the comedy of errors that occurred there.

I am so glad that you did further research into the concept of a love potion. Yet thy notes differ with what Star Swirl suggested. Yea found that it was not a puff of cloud, but a tuff. I see little difference, but I will experiment with size and density of cloud in this. Yea also found more contradictory notes that it is not dew drops from a rainbow, but a bright rainbow’s glow. And finally the ingredients should be stirred with a Pegasus feather, “fast not slow”. It is interesting to speculate on this last effect.

Los Pegasus appears to be a cloud city, but in fact is not. There is a large vertical cliff rising up from the desert floor into the center of a perpetual cloud, so that at a distance one’s eyes are drawn upward into the white clouds.

Upon arriving I meet with “Prince” Golden Nugget, a very ‘down to earth pony’. Indeed he is an earth pony who made his fortune as a gold miner, digging deep into the earth for veins of gold and buying or bulling out his competition; in this way did he earn his princely status. His practical nature makes him a good leader, seemingly content to work with what he must work with and always pushing for improvement. However, he seems to lack affection toward his future mare; the Princess Shyheart Whisperlisp. She is an alicorn, like yourself, with strong magic, and interesting enough unexpected luck – a recent addition to our list of riddles. Yet her quiet and reclusive nature is also damaging their relationship. She has keen eyes and quickly determined my inner nature. At which point she questioned me thoroughly on how I came to be in thy service.

My first experiment with the love potion I tried on myself looking into a mirror. It transformed me back into a dragon with my wings eclipsing the city, plunging it into night and chaos. The lack of light proved circumstantially useful, for in the dark, my ridiculous feelings of romantic self-love vanished. Thus did we later conclude that we could break the spell by denying sight to the participants. Prince Nugget pressed me a 2nd attempt; which turned out well. But the potion seems more of a poison as both Prince and Princess abandoned their duties, and eloped to hide themselves away in one of the gold mines, now abandoned. Again a lack of light broke the spell and the couple later emerged and returned to their duties.

I found recent events most humorous and suspect that Los Pegasus will prosper, as the royal couple have commissioned unicorns to cast ‘cloud walker’ spells on all who enter. As always, your loyal, kind, humorous, generous, and trustworthy esquire, the loveless Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.

Dragon Egg Hunting

To my enchanting and resplendent Princess Celestia, in the 137th YR (year of thy reign), my 1,652nd letter

It is amazing to me that over 137 years have passed since we began our correspondence. I, being in the form of an earth pony, never expected to live this long; perhaps it is my inner nature that has given me long life.

On another matter, yea did ask me how I introduce myself to new acquaintances; I usually begin by calling myself ‘Uncle Knot’. Which elicits the response ‘you are not my uncle’, and I agree ‘I am not your uncle, that is why you may call me ‘Uncle Knot’. When pressed, I give my full name – ‘Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew’. This usually forces a concession and default to ‘Uncle Knot’. The term uncle sometimes even encourages a form of endearment or eccentricity, which in turn gives me an ear in some conversations so necessary to my duties and functions.

I have some success to report in finding a dragon egg for Princess Whisperlisp. My original plan to find the dragon nesting area by following the dragon migration was not successful. The migration and subsequent events, which include dragons bathing in lava pools is actually part of their mating rituals. I had some difficulty in observing them, as dragons at this time are especially agitated and prone to prove themselves better than their peers by attacking anything that moves. This jousting for status they participate in is all part of a ritualized mating dance, while the dips in the lava pools cleanse the scales of parasites and dirt.

Only after they leave, was I able to follow a mated pair back to a nest. It seems that (prior to the migration) after the male partner has found a secretive nest area, which he is also well stocked with gemstones, he will lead her to the nest. There she lays her eggs, and ‘nestle’ them (did I just create a new word?). The male takes to the air and patrols the area for any dangers. And dangers do abound, many creatures do willing risk their lives to steal dragon eggs. Other creatures, I would call changelings, feed upon the love between the mother and her eggs or between the mated pair of dragons. This is probably the greatest threat to the next generation of dragons, for when the love is gone the dragons forsake each other and the eggs. With the nest abandoned, other fowl creatures do feast upon the eggs. I was able to garner an egg before the feeding began.

Still the task was difficult and injurious to my being, for one changeling did seek to steal love from me. She thought I had love with in to steal, fortunately it was not sufficient to sustain her, and she abandoned me. My loveless nature makes me an ideal pony to gather dragon eggs and yea be sure to request as many as I can gather per generation.

I postulate that the changelings do provide a useful task to the new dragon hatchlings; they break the baby dragons’ hearts fermenting the growth of wings. For I am under the impression that young dragons without wings are rejected by their parents and left to fend for themselves, but in truth even new winged dragons are left to their own devices for survival.

I will return to Canterlot shortly and deposit the egg with the magic guild hall for care and safe keeping. I would recommend that Princess Whisperlisp hatch the egg herself, as I suspect the new hatchling will bond to whoever is present when it hatches. Did thee also not experience the same with thy hatchling as did thy sister, Nightmare Moon, did with me? With my deepest kindness, humor, loyalty, trustfulness and generosity, Sumponeigh Knot Yew.

Casanova

To my merciful and compassionate Princess Celestia, in the 251st YR, my 3,000th letter

Events in my latest dragon egg hunt have been compromised by tumultuous events over the sea. As I reported earlier the conflict between the Hoofburgs and Bonbon royal families have found new intemperance over the mob. The hapless control over events that the common pony must endure only confirms that yea are the exception in wisdom, empathy, and justice; not the rule. Alas, my sympathy for the common pony is probably an expression of the discomforts I must endure as I travel about, but I doubt that is the full measure of my concern.

The country side is full of rogues and scoundrels, seeking outrageous fortune and committing crimes of murderous intent. How any pony can with stand the assaults of despair and poverty challenges my imagination. True, there are epiphanies of music and art, but they do little except color the social depravity a moldy decaying brown as one would find in a sewer. I may seem a bit cynical, but I recently became, by no fault of my own, the victim of one such a rogue’s affront.

The offender, Casanova , a pony of dubious character and intent, poisoned, thru his malicious lies, the Bonbon royal family against my search. Fortunately I found refuge in Huffington for a time, and a time and a half. There I heard that Casanova had made his fortune thru his sponsorship of a lottery, with proceeds to benefit the Bonbon estate. Raising funds for an embattled royal family is a noble cause, but his other romantically bankrupt activities earn him a place in the halls of infamy.

Beware Casanova’s smooth tongue for even I found the turning of a phase such as this “I decided to put myself in a position where I need no longer go without the necessities of life: and what those necessities were for me no one could judge better than me” attractive. I find no fault in his argument “my pride does not come from my having succeeded, for luck had a good deal to do with that; it comes from my having concluded that the thing could be done and having had the courage to undertake it”.

Indeed, I too came to the conclusion that something could be done, and I resumed my quest for dragon eggs. Disregarding previous repositories, I paid special attention to old mare’s tales and the chit chat of gypsy fires. Following leads, these took me to obscure places, dark places, and some places certainly without prospect. However, in the midst of this despair, I found hope, light and new bearings. It was also here that I found, what I would call, an exceptional egg. When it arrives at the magic academy, it may not look like much, but my sub conscious whispers of a blue dragon with lighting breath. Save it for someone special, in the manner I have instructed before.

I have also been warmly welcome in the City of Music, the great powers and royal families may have seen the exhaustion of their vain efforts. A prince of some talent, Netternick, has graciously accepted my assistance to insure a more stable future for all concerned. This could issue in a period of peace and contentment to replace many years of tribulation and upheaval.
As always, with generosity, loyalty, kindness, humor, and trustworthiness, Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.

The Alicorn Amulet

To my gracious and sponsoring Princess Celestia, in the 362nd YR, my 4,351st letter

Thank you so much for your copy of The Griffin by Edgar Apple Pony. It was a most furlong and hopeless shade of a love story. And you know how much I so enjoy these stories, being a loveless creature myself.

On another note, the works of H.P. Lovecolt are more than mere stories, but contain hidden tidings of actual events. H.P. and I have worked together to solve bizarre mysteries of hideous horror. Do not rebuke me for placing myself in dangers, I could not at the time tell you of. For if something terrible had happened, it would be best if you didn’t know the actual events. Only now that the danger seems to be passed do I relate the tale of the Alicorn Amulet.

The amulet appeared to be a meaningless trinket to my eye, but it called to H.P. and as he recounts tickled his subconscious. We discovered it at an antique auction, and we were hard pressed to purchase it. First because only H.P. wanted it and didn’t have the funds to successfully bid. And secondly, as a good steward, the funds that you support my activities with are well guarded and I do not make ill use of them. The amulet was purchase by another, a Mr. China Cup, much to that pony’s regret, as I will recall their sad experience. Sleeplessness plague the family, Mrs. Cup, whom the amulet had been purchase for as a gift, could not stand the touch of it. By chance, I later inquire if the amulet could be purchase. Mrs. Cup gladly gave it to me and almost refused payment of any kind. Yet, before I could tell H.P. of my success, some pony unknown had broken into their house, ransacking the residence.

With the amulet in hoof, I conducted several experiments, probing it with my magic. On one occasion, my inquiry sparked a feeling within me that I had not felt in centuries. I knew then to guard the amulet carefully, for the power within choose its’ welder and sought to control that pony. I could find no record for the amulet in the archives of either Star Swirl’s library or Canterlot’s. Meanwhile H.P.’s appearance seemed to decline, he was most sullen and moody, like a haunted pony. When I told him of my success in purchasing the amulet, he became manic and demanded, then begged, and then pleaded to participate in my experiments. I knew this was a dangerous course to follow, but his health was ebbing, and action was imperative.

I led him blind folded to that secret maze, both you and I know of, and allowed him to wear the amulet, with the promise that he would remove it when I ask it of him, for his distress was palatable. The reaction to wearing the amulet was immediate. His magical abilities increase manifold, and his attitude became demanding and dominant. He would not remove the amulet to fulfill his promise to me, and threatened me with all manner of torture if I would not lead him out of the maze. My appeals to his better side, kept him from fulfilling these threats. In better humor he realized that I had prepared this trap well, for while his magic could not find the exit, it did detect my hidden supplies in preparation for a long term siege. The magic of the amulet also told him of my hidden inner nature. So we had a long time to discuss my history. This sharing of confidence, won his sanity back and he relented and abandoned the amulet there in the maze. He will not suffer its mention again.

With all my loyalty, trust, generosity, humor, and kindness, Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.

The Hound of the Buckervilles

To my glorious and inquisitive Princess Celestia, in the 562nd YR, my 6,743rd letter

What a strange tale I must relate of the Hound of the Buckervilles. On behalf of an associate, I was visiting the home of Lewis Carrot, a writer of some promise, whose fanciful tales I find most inspiring as do many young colts and mares. I had no inkling that we would be pressed into service to search for a mysterious canine specter.

Lewis and I, arrive at the Buckervilles manor on the moor, in response to a local call for help. The staff and household reported a vicious creature, whose bark terrified all concerned. Joining with others we began a methodical search, the beast footprints left in the soft earth lead us to the moor, a dreary bog of treacherous puddles and dangerous sinkholes. Unfortunately we were forced to give up the search that day as the weather turned horrid and visibility was reduced to mere leg length.

Lewis returned to his home, but the Buckervilles were receiving guests and welcome me. I decided to stay and meet some of the others there, caution giving way to curiosity. The manor had plenty of room, and amidst the guests, I could remain somewhat incognito, but the staff did notice me and presumed it my place to help ‘the doctor’ as they described him. This doctor is supposedly the assistant of the famous Trottenham investigator Sherlock Hooves. At once, my suspicions were aroused since; I knew Mr. Hooves and had not met this doctor before. Yet, I held my peace, keep my advantage and continued with my inquiries. It seems that the Buckervilles had requested Mr. Hooves to assist with this mysterious hound, but Hooves regretted he had other pressing interests elsewhere, so he had sent the doctor to act as his proxy.

Despite my misgivings I found the doctor most congenial, surprisingly thorough and inquisitive. We decided to keep watch together that evening and discovered something unusual. Strange lights appeared on the moor and were answered with a lit candle in one of the upper staff rooms. Upon questioning the staff, one fearfully admitted that she would follow the lights to her brother, recently escaped from prison. It was their special signal to check if it was safe for her to bring him leftover foods and clothing from the manor’s stock. The doctor and I decided that we needed to verify the maid’s story, so we escorted her out to the moor to meet her brother.

It was then that the creature attacked. It trampled the doctor into the soft earth and went for the maid. I used my size to block the creature, and gave it a taste of my reptilian stare. It wisely and thankfully decided not to test my strength, and ran off into the mists. After dusting ourselves off, we continue to meet up with the maid’s brother. Upon seeing the three of us, he panic and tried to gallop off, but Sherlock Hooves was waiting for him (Hooves had been secretly walking the moors as part of his investigation). We convince this escapee to return to prison and stop putting his sister’s position and life in jeopardy.

I returned the maid to the manor, without explanation and a wink. Sherlock and the doctor continued their search of the moor. I look forward to reporting their exploits and firm inquisitions of Mr. Hooves in my next letter. I have confidence that Mr. Hooves is up to the task. With all generosity, kindness, loyalty, trustworthiness, and humor, Sum-po-neigh Knot Yew.

Hatched?

To my sovereign and regal Princess Celestia, in the 998th year, letter # 11,987

This is extraordinary, that a plebe on the day of her admission entrance exam to the magic academy should actually hatch a dragon egg. This is a bit of an inconvenience to me, as your dragon egg collector. I cannot replace the egg with another. I must wait until after the next dragon migration before I can find a nest location again. I had chosen that egg on behalf of my Cadenza. It was my hope that the colors would be a closer match, not that it matters much. It is very difficult to understand what future any dragon will take, for there are so many variables between the dragon and hatcher as they grow and influence each other.

To think that an untrained unicorn could hatch a dragon egg without even a cutie mark. It boggles my mind. We both know that the entrance exam to the magic academy is about how well the unicorn handles pressure and failure, not about actually hatching a dragon. Who is this Twilight Sparkle? You tell me she got her cutie mark upon completing the hatching and has named the dragon Spike. Well, well, well, they are bonded to each other now. I am grateful that you have decided to make Miss Sparkle your special student, keep your eye on her. The investment of a dragon egg will be expensive if she falters.

Yet she must have blinders on her harness, for you say she does not seem to notice that she alone has a dragon companion, unlike the other students at the school. Please keep her in ignorance of this. We would not want her to pick up a false sense of pride like that other student who left the school before completing her discipline. What was her name again? Something like Sunset?

This is a difficult thing for me to speak on, as you know my inner nature and my estranged relationship with thy banished sister. Thank you again for all the investment of your compassion for me over these past 1000 years. Has it really been that long? To think of all the little things we have done over those years. Why did we do it all? Was it duty? Was it loyalty to each other? Was it the fact that we saw the need and had the moral imperative to act? I hope it has been fun for us, for there is little point in saving Equestria if we didn’t have fun doing it.

I know you would argue it was love that motivated us. But I still argue love is trapped beyond me, all I will concede is my loyalty, generosity, honesty, humor, and kindness. Why do we always stumble over this riddle and when will it end? I know that you have plans for the redemption of your sister, but you still do not tell me. Perhaps this is necessary as my involvement would further jeopardize your intent. I do not know, but I am curious. I trust you enough to let you remain silent on this. But do not pretend that I will remain silent upon completion of that future event of your sister. I have a duty to her too.

Still, how can any of us see the future? For us it might seem to go on forever, we do not measure it by the passing of years or the loss of friends. We must be careful not to delude ourselves that it will go on forever. Replacements should be considered. It is amazing to me that if we go on for another one thousand years, who would notice? Or if we should perish at the next sunset, who would remember us a thousand years from now? Will it really matter? Only in our knowledge that we did our best does it count and only to us. And that is the best I can offer to this riddle we call life. Sincerely Sumponeigh Knot Yew