He Who Stands On Vigil

“You can do it, Sunny – just repeat after me!” – Hawkri sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose; the homework was always a challenge, especially the Maths.

“I just can’t get it! How would you divide five by three?” – filly’s voice trembled with disappointment and anger.

“You cannot. Well, not the whole. This would be the division with a residual. You see?” – Hawkri took a pencil and quickly sketched the algorithm.

“Oh! I see it now! But…” – the joy at the unicorn’s voice shifted to uncertainity. “Miss Cheerilee said we should do this the other way!”

“If Miss Cherilee will ask you, just say that I helped a bit.” – Nick smiled, ruffling the filly’s orange mane a bit.

“Thank you, Nick!” – with redoubled effort, Sunrise Glitter began to scribe the quill at the paper. Hawkri could hear her muttering and smiled, strolling outside with a mug of hot coffee and a cigarette in his teeth.

It was already a winter time in Equestria, and the view of Ponyville wrapped in snow was miraculous. Sipping a hot drink and dragging his first drag, Hawkri couldn’t help but breathe a smoke ring into the crispy, crystal-clear winter air.

“Won’t you catch a cold, standing outside without some coat?” – nurse Tenderheart scolded him with a smile on her lips.

“Weather pegasi put all they had into this weather, it’s quite chilly here! Now mark my words, you catch a cold and I won’t raise a hoof to help you!”

“Copy that, ma’am!” – Hawkri saluted mockingly, grinning. “Are you in a hurry? A cup of tea, maybe?”

“Not now, thank you – I have to get to the hospital now, it’s my shift. But thanks for the invitation, anyway!” – Tenderheart flicked her tail and looked at Hawkri behind her shoulder.

“My god that’s a mare.” – chuckled our hero to himself, sipping more coffee from his mug.

“Doing good here, Sunny?” – he asked, shaking off the snowflakes from his hair and bringing the crispy chill inside.

“Yeah, all good! By the way, Nick – there’s a letter for you!”

“A letter?” – Hawkri repeated, putting an empty mug to the table and a pack of cigarettes to the mirror stand.

“Yeah, it appeared from a puff of green smoke. You know, the sparkling one.” – Sunny waved her hoof in indication and handed Hawkri the scroll.

With her teeth.

“No telekinesis, in such age… I am quite sure this is not pretty natural for unicorns. Better ask Twilight about this one…” – Nick mused to himself, unwrapping the fancy purple ribbon with a seal that the scroll was wrapped in.

"Помяни заразу…” – he sighed out, rolling the scroll back.

“Sunny, I will go to Twilight’s. I won’t be long. Finish your homework and we’ll play chess once I come back.” – checking his pockets, Hawkri saluted to the filly.

“Yay, chess!” – the unicorn cheered without distracting herself from Maths.

“That’s an attitude…” – smiled Nick, closing the door.

“Twilight, you wanted to see me?” – he demanded, wiping his feet at the threshold of library.

“Yes, come inside!” – was the answer. Nick shrugged, put his coat to the hanger and proceeded inside, wiping his nose stealthily. Passing the kitchen, he waved to Spike, who was having a snack with a handful of rubies and topazes. Leaving the dragon to enjoy himself, Hawkri stepped to the room with the fireplace, where Twilight was comforting herself on a sofa.

“Take a sit, please.” – she hospitably waved a hoof at the direction of an armchair. Hawkri never objected.

“As I have mentioned in a letter, there is some special issue I want you to know…” – Twilight nervously fiddled with her hooves. “It is about you and Sunny and…”

“Whoa, whoa, missy – easy! Beginning is the good place to start, you know. Just take it easy.”

“O-okay. Now, that odyssey of yours – the one with adoption – has interested some… well, some rivals of Equestria.”

“What do you mean? That the fact I have adopted a filly has somehow threatened the political balance of yours?”

“Well, almost. It is about the Minotaur-Griffin Hegemony, specifically. Equestria was the last state to acknowledge their status of a full-fledged state. And so that they somehow found out that the adoption of such kind was authorized… They were just outrageous!”

“So, you mean, that the newly created inner – mark that! Inner! – precedent may become a sort of casus belli?”

“Generally, if you’ll omit some details.”

“Shoot.”

“Next is the fact that Sunny… Well, she’s quite a specific filly.”

“Now please, more details.”

“Well…” – Twilight shuffled in her seat and sighed heavily. “When you left me to foalsit her a bit, I asked her to help me with a bit of shelving. And I noticed she cannot levitate!”

“So did I. This is not natural, isn’t it?”

“Quite, usually unicorns of her age do possess at least fundamental magic – I mean levitation, at least! This is like… well, natural to us!”

“Okay, and what is her ‘specification’? Why is she ‘specific’?”

“I cast a diagnostic spell on her – she never noticed that, don’t worry – and found that in spite of her lack of basic skills, she bears a great potential!”

“What kind of?”

“Quite… grim. When scared or when shocked, she can open a… rift. A space-time wormhole. She can go anywhere and at any time she wish. But this is only a potential yet. Has she got a surge yet?”

“None of that I know.”

“Her first surge may be lethal – for those who are around her.” – the grim statement hang above as a cliff.

“Great. Now what should I do?”

“Wait, that’s not the end of it. Somehow the Hegemony found that out, and now they wish to foalnap Sunny to use her forces to invade Equestria at the very beginning of its history!”

“You mean, change the history.”

“Yes.”

The long silence was interrupted only with the sound of crisping crystals, munched by Spike.

“Okay. I guess, we need some… harness for her potential?”

“Kind of. Princess Luna wanted to discuss this with you personally.”

“Wow. I was never yet trusted so much to behold and chit-chat to the royalty.” – Hawkri chuckled, scratching his chin.

“This is nothing funny! The fate of whole nation, neigh, the whole ponykind is in our hooves! And be advised, if they will succeed, the imminent transportation of yours here, in Equestria, will be lethal for you!”

“I see. There would be no Equestria. It would be another timeline, and I will be just dispersed between the many of timelines.”

“Indeed.”

The silence was as heavy as a ten-tons lead weight, hanging above. Nick hummed, drumming his fingers at the table.

“Mind if I smoke?”

“Okay.”

The bluish smoke danced above the two, making fantastic figures in the air.

“I guess we need two things. First, I’ll have to watch for Sunny and prevent anything that will trigger her surge and her… abilities?”

“Yes, and I need you to bring her to me so we could learn the fundamentals of magic. I need to limit her mana flow so that she would not accidentally trigger the shift.”

“Deal.” – Hawkri took one last drag and threw the cigarette butt to the fireplace.

The flame roared in the chimney, and that was the only sound to be heard.

“A-a-a-and – checkmate! I win!” – cheered Sunny, clapping her forehooves in pure joy.

“Indeed, I must say – you are one strong player! Keep up the good work, Grand Master Glitter!” – Hawkri bowed to filly, smiling brightly. But the unsaid words burnt the tip of his tongue.

“Okay, my little chess master, we should now have a supper and then – off to bed. But I need to talk to you about something.”

“Okay!” – answered the filly, hopping off the chair and making a beeline to the kitchen.

“Would you help me patch something up for supper?”

“Sure!”

All preparations done, Sunny and Hawkri were sitting at the table, listening to the blizzard and enjoying their meal. Hawkri took a sip of milk from his glass, wiped his moustache and began:

“Er, Sunny, I was talking to Miss Twilight, and she said she’ll… well, tutor you in magic. You see, my little pony, she said that unicorn of your age who does not possess the fundamentals is not very good, and she wants you to come to her each day to teach you.”

“Why so?”

“Well, I do not know much, but I am sure you will do great. You’re a great, determined filly, and I am sure Twilight will be proud of what you will do.”

“Well, I hope she won’t surge too early.” – thought Nick to himself, ruffling the filly’s mane a bit.

“I will do my best, Nick. I promise.” – Sunny smiled, finished her plate and hopped off, kissing Hawkri goodnight and trotting off to the bathroom.

“Она справится. И она, и Твайлайт.” – Hawkri murmured to himself, washing the dishes.

And he certainly hoped so.

“Hey, Diamond Coal.” – our hero greeted the burly stallion in a leather apron, who was holding the pincers with a burning-white piece of iron and a mallet in his telekinetic grip. Sparkles were spraying around with each blow delivered, shaping the raw metal into the form. Done with the shaping, Diamond Coal put the billet to the water barrel. Hissing and cloud of steam cloaked the blacksmith, who inspected the result of his effort and put it away with a satisfied grunt.

“Hey Hawkri. What can Ah do f’r ya?” – he demanded in a deep, guttural voice.

“This.” – Hawkri unfolded the sheet of blueprints and handed it to the smithy.

He inspected it quickly.

“Ya s’pose that Ah will take that?”

“I need you to forge this for me.”

“ ‘kay. But this will cost a little.”

“How much?”

“Three hundred.”

“Damnit, Coal. Two hundred and seventy-five. Don’t be such a greedy.”

“Three hundred.”

“Two hundred eighty, my last price.“

The smithy stallion scratched his chin.

“Okay. Only f’r ya.”

“Thanks mate. When can I get it?”

“Lessee… Two days ‘t least. Come ov’r in three days, all sh’ld be done.”

“Thanks mate. This is priceless.”

The very next day Hawkri met Derpy, or Ditzy Doo, at his own threshold.

“Hey Ditzy, what do I owe the honor?”

“Just thought I’ll drop by and bring you some fresh batch o’muffins I’ve made.” – Derpy bubbled out, smiling. “By the way, where’s little Sunrise?”

“She’s in library with Twilight. Being tutored with all that magic stuff. Unicorns!” – Nick stood back to let the guest in.

“Come inside, Ditz, want something – tea, coffee, maybe?”

“Tea, please.” – Derpy shook the snow off her wings and took off the boots, following Hawrki inside.

While our hero was busy with making tea, Derpy was inspecting the photos on the walls. Most of them were of Sunny and Green Field, her mother. And the last frame was filed with the drawing Sunny put into the folder of documents.

“I knew her.”

“What?” – Hawkri was busy setting the teapot and two mugs on the coffee table.

“I knew Field. She was one great mare – raising a foal without a husband… She strived every day.” – Derpy’s crossed eyes watered.

“Hey, Ditzy – I know that feeling.” – Hawkri pulled the mare closer. “I saw her last moment, remember?”

“I know.” – Ditzy Doo wiped her eyes.

“Tea?”

“Yes, please. Chamomile and thyme, my favorite!” – the grief was forgotten as soon as Derpy sipped on her mug.

“Yeah… Well, Ditz – I shall say something to you.”

“How’s your shoulder?” – Hawkri was surprised with the question.

“How would you know?”

“It’s not a rocket science – I may be cross-eyed, but this was too evident. And yes, your strip-tease session at the pharmacy was a sight for sore eyes.” – giggled the mailmare, taking another sip of tea.

Hawkri blushed.

“Only if you say so. Well, it’s better. I’ve retracted the stitching material, so basically I’m all fine. Though the scars will stay.”

“Those were kind of wicked.”

“Sad but true. Anyway, Ditz – I shall say you something. Promise that no one will ever find out.”

“Cross my heart – hope to fly – stick a cupcake in my eye!” – Derpy mimicked the act of sticking something in her eye. The derped one.

“What was that?”

“Pinkie Promise, of course! Now what was that?..”

“I’ll be damned, that crazy pink candy-cotton ball looks like a local role-model!” – mused our hero to himself, drumming his fingers on the mug.

“Anyway, Twilight told me something about Sunny. Well, her and me…” – Hawkri briefly explained the situation to Derpy, while the latter was listening with a serious face.

Once Nick finished his debriefing and caught his breath, she asked:

“Now I see. I shall say no one, shouldn’t I?”

“Sure. This smells fishy, so I’ll have to make something out. This may also include some serious brawl.”

“Just you watch yourself. Stay safe. Please. Thanks for the tea.” – Derpy rose from her place and trotted away.

On the threshold she turned back and raised a hoof to her forehead.

“Aw, silly me – I forgot the very issue I came. This is for you.” – she reached into her saddlebag and produced a paper bag, emitting the smell of freshly baked pastry.

“Enjoy. And hug little Sunny for me, okay?” – the mailmare giggled, flicking her tail and blowing a forelock away.

“Она что, заигрывает со мной?” – Hawkri was confused with the attitude of Ditzy, which was rather obvious – he flushed like a moron, holding the bag in his both hands and standing there petrified.

“Ah-I will. Thanks for the visit, Ditzy.” – he regained his composure and waved a hand at Pegasus, who smiled and took off.

“Судя по всему, будут проблемы. А мне они не нужны. Абсолютно.” – Hawkri sat at the porch, ignoring the chill and lighting a cigarette. His mind was racing with multiple variants of how the events will develop, and all the varieties were equally shitty.

Too bad.

Two days after the Derpy’s visit Hawkri was standing in front of the forge, inspecting the hanger of it. Sunny was still at school, and he had some time to run his errands. And basically, he was heading to the Quills and Sofas store to resupply the library with parchment and quills, but the forge appeared on his way.

“Hey Diamond – Hawkri here.”

The heavy, metal-fettered doors screeched open, and the familiar stallion emerged behind it.

“Don’cha let th’ chill ins’de, come quickly.”

Hawkri entered the stuffy atmosphere of the forge, stomping the snow off his boots.

“Ah got it all r’dy. Ya got money?”

“Sure.” – a generous bag plopped at the counter, its contents satisfyingly clanging.

Diamond Coal grunted in approval and levitated a lengthy object, enveloped in a skin:

“Ah made it all und’r ya sch’mes.”

“Thanks.” – Hawkri unfolded the covers and lifted the short wide-bladed sword. It was cubit-and-a-half-length, at its widest part three fingers wide. The black scabbard was laying on the counter.

“Looks good.”

“Ah used th’ very same alloy Ah use f’r those Roy’l Guard we’pnry. T’is will slice thr’gh th’ dragon’s scales in n’ time.”

“Quit that boasting. I want to test it.” – Hawkri scrolled the blade in the air; razor-sharp still hissed like a snake.

“Sure th’ng. There’s th’ dummy.” – the blacksmith pointed a hoof at the tight-rolled scroll of mat in the corner.

Nick positioned himself, draw an eight in the air with the blade’s tip, letting his wrist get used to the balance and weight of the blade.

With a short, elbow swing he sliced the mat in half with almost no resistance. Like a hot knife through butter.

“This is truly a masterpiece. You’ve outmatched yourself, Coal.” – Hawkri sheathed the blade, regulated the belt and hang it behind the back. With a smile, he brohoofed the smithy.

“I’ll need a whetstone.”

“Tis on th’ house, mate. Let it serve ya well.”

“It would.”

It all was as if Coal had anticipated what was coming – the very next day, when Sunny was coming home from school, the two were attacked.

Hawkri was walking leisurely near the filly, who was telling him, that today some pony at her class, the Thunder Flash, got her cutie mark in Maths, and that Miss Cheerilee took them to the field trip today to the City Hall, and that she saw Amethyst Star, and many more. Hawkri was listening carefully, sometimes inserting a few remarks, when something large knocked him down and snatched a filly.

Sunny screamed, but the scream came muffled, as she was knocked unconscious with the attacker. The cloaked figure, twice larger than Hawkri, rushed into the sidestreet, throwing the snow with large hooves.

“Сука!” – Hawkri immediately leapt up and charged behind the foalnapper, jumping over the barrels and unbuttoning his coat on the run.

It was a wild chase, and it ended only at the outskirts of the town, where the foalnapper stopped and put down the hood.

This was a bruising Minotaur, and little Sunny looked tiny in his giant arms.

“Поставь жеребенка, сука.” – the blade escaped the scabbard with a hiss, as Hawkri dropped the coat down to the snow.

“Put the filly down, son of a bitch.” – he repeated his demand, swinging the blade in the hissing windmill.

“Steel Hooves submit to no one rather than his Masters!” – the Minotaur bellowed, dropping his cloak to snow and putting the unconscious filly to it.

“Блядь, огромная зверюга…” – spat Hawkri, measuring his chances. He was faster – but a single blow from the Minotaur would have shattered his bones. All of them.

“If you want to pick a fight, be prepared to die!! Steel Hooves succumbed to no one!” – the beast bellowed again, snorting a puff of steam off his nostrils. He was all muscles. Just a bit higher than Hawkri, he was seriously outmatching him in weight. In hand-to-hand combat he was unmatched, and that was obvious.

“Let’s dance then.” – the blindingly-fast dexter caught Minotaur off guard, but he managed to dodge the slice with a feint.

“He’s a fast son of a bitch – for his complexion.” – thought Nick, dodging the blows and blocking the kicks.

The rivals circled around the lawn – Steel Hooves snorting, chin pressed to chest, and Hawkri concentrated, the slow, soft movements of his blade hypnotizing, distracting.

Then Steel Hooves charged at him, head-first, trying to impale the foe on his terrible horns – each cubit-long, razor-sharp – but Hawkri was faster. He dodged the charge and sliced both hamstrings of the foe, reinforcing the blow with a rotation of his waist.

Minotaur bellowed and fell face-first to the snow, blood quickly collecting in a puddle under his legs.

“Now mark my words. My daughter will not be your tool, got it, steak?” – Hawkri spat at the Minotaur and wiped the blade at his coat.

“Now tell me what, fellow, before I begin playing butcher – who sent you? And how much of you bastards are there around here?”

“Steel Hooves never would say that! To you!”

“I thought so.” – Hawkri sighed and sheathed the blade, crouched near the Minotaur and produced his other blade.

The claw-like, curved, palm-length blade.

“See this little one? I bet he simply urges to make a closer meeting with one of your eyeballs. Anyway, being a cripple you already are – the missing eye would bring some charm to it. So, speak.”

“Eat some dang, horselover!” – spat out the Minotaur.

And he paid for those words.

The razor-sharp claw plunged deep into his eye socket, rich gore flooding to the snow.

The guttural roar of pain echoed around.

“Now when you’re done screaming, meathead, pray, tell me.”

“No! Better you kill Steel Hooves! Steel Hooves says you nothing!”

“Too bad for you.” – Hawkri stood up, stretched himself, unsheathed the blade. Minotaur was squirming below his feet, desperately trying to stand up. However, the sliced sinews effectively prevented that.

All he could muster is to stand on four bones.

“Too bad for you.”

With a wide shoulder chop, the Minotaur’s head flew off, painting the snow with rich vermilion of his gore. The decapitated body trembled for a second and fell down.

Hawkri wiped the blade, lit a cigarette and sheathed his sword.

“I will call you “Ranjar”. “The Piercer”.” – he addressed the weapon, kicking the horned head away to the Everfree. Beasts will take good care of this carrion, and he felt good about it.

“Oooff!!” – the torso was really heavy. In comparison to Hawkri’s 170 pounds he was twice as heavy. But, putting the decapitated corpse up on his shoulders, he strolled leisurely to the Everfree, dropping the body near some burrow.

“Bon appétit.”

Whistling a jolly tune, our hero went back to the lawn where the fight took place. Wrapped Sunny carefully into the Minotaur’s cloak and carried her back home.

He waited.

It was a sunset when Sunny finally awoke.

“Easy, easy, my little Sun… That big bad Minotaur is gone. Feeling funny?”

“Yes…”

“Does your head hurt? How much fingers do you see?”

“If ‘fingers’ are those strange things growing from your hoof – I see two.” – giggled Sunrise.

“Okay, looks like no concussion, but I’d better not be taking chances.” – Hawkri scribed a letter quickly, leaned from the window and whistled  - loud and ear-shredding whistle.

The familiar flapping of wings was not long. The owl flew close and sat at the table, asking:

“Whoo~!”

“Owlowiscious, I need you to bring this to Twilight. I need it now. Okay?”

“Whoo!”

“Well then, Godspeed.”

Owlowiscious took flight, and Hawkri turned back to the Sunny.

“Just stay where you are! You must lay down for the time being.”

“But I have a homework to be done!”

“I’ll talk to Miss Cheerilee. Don’t worry.”

When Hawkri was changing the cold compresses on the filly’s forehead, the gentle knock was heard at the door.

“Come in.”

Twilight trotted inside, confusion on her muzzle:

“Hawkri, what’s wrong?”

“Twilight, I’ll explain it all. Diagnose Sunny.”

The mare submitted, flaring up her horn. A purple aura enveloped the filly, who giggled:

“It tickles!”

“Tickles does not hurt, so keep it still!” – scolded Nick halfheartedly. Nevertheless, Sunrise Glitter obeyed and suppressed further giggles.

“She is okay, Hawkri. No concussion, no bone fractures, nothing.” – Twilight eyed Nick suspiciously.

“Sunny, if you feel okay…”

“I do!”

“Well then, guess you’d better turn to your homework. If you’ll need help, just call me.”

“Will we play chess after it?”

“Of course. I crave a rematch!” – Hawkri made up a scary face, causing Sunny to laugh.

“I am ready!”

“Okay then, go to your homework then, I have some serious issues to discuss with Twilight.”

“Yup!” – and a filly made a beeline to her room.

“That’s an attitude, you know!” – Twilight remarked, smiling at the sight.

“Wish I had the same when I was her age.”

“And how old are you, Hawkri?”

“Er. Twenty-one.”

“Okay, that is not the essence. What was the problem?”

“Sunny was attempted to foalnap.”

“WHAT?!” – Hawkri backed up – such outrage startled even him.

“WHERE THE HAY WERE YOUR EYES?!”

“Hey-hey-hey, sheesh! I was knocked down, you know!”

“Who was that?” – Twilight asked, already in her usual calm manner.

“A Minotaur.”

“Where is he now?”

“Head – in the heart of the Everfree, the rest – elsewhere there.”

“You mean…”

“I chased the motherbucker and chopped his bloody head off. He told nothing.”

“Minotaurs… Suppose we’ll hear of them again. Hmmm…” – Twilight sat on her haunches and raised a hoof to her chin in deep thought.

“Let’s go outside. I need to smoke.”

“Okay.”

The two were standing on the porch. Nick was smoking and Twilight kept pacing in front of him to and fro.

“Twi, cut it out.”

“Listen what. I can put a sentry barrier on Sunny. So anytime…”

“No way, Twilight, no magic will be laid to her!”

“Why so?”

“We do not know how her own energy will react to the intrusion. We do not need her to surge.”

“Right… What then? And what if the Griffins will appear?”

“Well, I don’t have wings.”

“Hmmm…”

Cigarette burnt Hawkri’s fingers, and he threw the butt away, cursing and sucking on his burnt digits.

“I can ask girls to keep an eye on Sunny. Rainbow and Fluttershy may patrol the sky.”

“Are you kidding? I doubt they will agree to do it.”

“Why?”

“I… er… I’ve played ass on both Flutters and RD. That was long ago, but…”

“I don’t think they still hold the grudges. Well, Fluttershy certainly won’t. And Rainbow…”

“Cut it off, Twilight. I am the one who would stand on vigil for it.”

“Okay… If you say so…”

“Hey Twi?”

“Hmm?”

“Can you do me a favor?”

“Concentrate. Feel the energy building inside your… errr…”

“We call it ‘hands’.”

“Right. When you feel the tension inside your hands, the pressure to be released, bend your… errr…”

“Fingers?”

“Right.”

Hawkri sat on the floor of the library and closed his eyes. The silver amulet on his neck, enchanted by Twilight, rhythmically twitched. The energy began swirling around his palms, and he lifted arms to accumulate it. The twitches of amulet became more and more sporadic, he was now literally jumping on the chain.

“Now!”

Hawkri bent his fingers as Twilight had shown him, and a burst of energy erupted from his hands, sweeping away a heavy stone, brought specifically for his training.

“I did it?” – he asked, opening his eyes.

“Well, you did…” – Twilight answered confusingly, her ears drooping down with the sight of a great boulder hammered half-deep into the basement wall with the impact.

“You’ll have to work on the energy flow control.”

So passed a week. Sunny learnt magic with Twilight, and so did Hawkri. When they were learning pyrokinesis, Hawkri managed to nearly set the whole basement on fire by hurling an overheated fireball in the wrong direction. Twilight barely managed to dispel the fire threat, as Hawkri was circling around, roaring with pain and dipping his burnt hand into the snow basket.

It was Saturday night, when a tuft of bluish fog appeared before Hawkri. Sunny was already asleep, and Hawkri was sitting at the living room, studying a book Twilight gave him. The tuft transformed into a scroll and fell to our hero’s lap.

Bepuzzled, he unwound it and read. And what he had read there made his eyebrows nearly merge with the hairline.

Quietly, not to awake Sunny, he threw on his coat and made a beeline to Cheerilee’s cottage.

Knock-knock. Knock-knock-knock.

“Cheerilee, beg your pardon for the late visit – can you do me a favor?”

The sleepy mare yawned:

“Sure. What do you need, Hawkri?”

“I have to go to Vanhoover. Princess summons me. Please, could you possibly foalsit Sunny? I’d be so much obliged.”

“Sure! Sunny is a wonderful filly, so bright and so obedient…”

“I know. Please, Cheerilee.”

“Sure!”

“Then here are the keys. I left a note for Sunny, just tell her that I went… er… on business trip, okay?”

“Sure, Nick. Godspeed.”

Hawkri beamed and hugged the helpful mare.

“Thank you, Cheerilee. I owe you one!” – he yelled, making a beeline to the station.

What he had seen at the platform started him.

All the Mane Six were there.

“Er – hi, ladies… And what are you doing here?..”