As he followed Knuckles he got a nagging feeling without really noticing he realized he could also see the lines of light going from him to others behind them. Knuckles took a moment to glance back to Brandon's eyes glowing making the stallion shake his head as they came to a complete stop just outside of the forest. Brandon held up a hand and started from five to count down, though it did seem to take Knuckles a second to figure out what he was doing.

"Hope you guys had a good stroll, but if you wanted to join in the conversation you could have just said," Brandon called out, the lines disappeared a few seconds before but both of them knew they were there. Not even a second later Luna and Shining dropped their cloaking spells, with Shining growing.

"That is one good ability you have if you can detect somepony through that spell," Shining said as they came closer.

"Not sure if that cloaking spell was made with a human who as far as we can tell, can see the connection between other ponies in mind," Luna said then turning her gaze to Knuckles. "Of course you knew the whole time."

"While definitely improved, it still doesn't completely cover the sound of your hoove steps. At least if you've trained enough to be able to discern the noise. But I think both of us knew at least you two would follow which is good because that cloaking spell will come in handy for what I'm about to ask," Knuckles said making Brandon give a sigh, Luna gave the bat pony a harsh stare, Shining took on more of a stoic look.

"Knuckles you really better have a plan, because I am really not in the mood to put myself in any more danger than what I've already done. Especially since just what happened with Bird," Brandon said, and although slight he could see Knuckles wince a bit.

"I do thank you for saving her and I will apologize to her myself once this mission is over, which with your help may just end today," Knuckles said.

"So, does that mean that you got some information from the two you caught?" Brandon asked.

"Not a whole lot, the two I caught are just low-end members, similar in rank to the ones you apprehended in town. But they did give me some basic information about their plans that do worry me. Which is why I wanted your alls help," Knuckles said as he pulled out a map.

"Can you at least tell us what you learned?" Shining spoke up making Knuckles nod.

"Of course, the first plan is set in motion for the Summer Sun Celebration which is the main concern. The second plan still seems to be in a planning phase so I doubt that the ones we caught so far will most likely not know any more than that," Knuckles said as he unrolled the map.

"Summer Sun Celebration? Isn't that in a week?" Brandon asked.

"It's six days, they'll start setting up two days before. But no matter, we need to try to prevent whatever plan they have set in motion before innocent ponies get hurt," Luna said as she started to study the map.

"Yeah, but what exactly do you need me for? I mean no offense, but I'm not the stealthiest person even if you use the cloaking spell on me," As Brandon was saying that and looking at the map he glanced up at Luna, and again he saw something had changed about her. But he didn't want to say anything just yet.

"Hopefully we won't need to as I'm hoping we can do this at a distance, but I must ask, can you use your ability at will?" Knuckles asked making Brandon frown a bit.

"I think, but I haven't actually tried," Brandon answered giving a shrug.

"Try to at least," Knuckles requested making Brandon raise an eyebrow.

"If I knew how then I would, but I really don't have any idea at the moment how to control it," Brandon responded trying to be as clear as possible, before giving a sigh. "But I can at least try."

"Try taking a deep breath and concentrating on connections to you first," Luna said as Brandon nodded and closed his eyes taking a deep breath. Though when he opened his eyes nothing happened.

"Nothing, at least so far," Brandon said making Luna raise an eyebrow.

"Here, try to just focus on mine and your's relationship, and only ours. Might be easier first to only focus on one at a time," Luna suggested.

Brandon once again nodded and took another deep breath and closing his eyes to try to concentrate on his and Luna's relationship. He couldn't help but remember the first time they met and how awkward both of them were at first, but their relationship took off really fast after that. Memories of all the letters they exchanged before she moved in to take care of him in a dark period of his new life. The smile that spread across his face couldn't be helped especially as he remembered when they first kissed, and when he opened his eyes he saw the light between him and her for a brief second.

"That was a bit better, and I wish we had more time but even with the time we have I don't think it would be enough to fully utilize it. But hopefully with a bit of luck and a little more practice on the way there we can hopfully use it to our advantage," Knuckles said as he started to look towards the map.

"So, just to be clear, your hope is to reliy on an ability I have barely any control over to find somepony of higher rank?" Brandon asked making Knuckles nod.

"That's why you haven't turned the two you caught in yet?" Shining asked.

"I understand all of your skepicsim but this may be one of the only way to find out, as Brandon asked, a higher ranked pony. I am not asking you all to get any where close to their encampment. Just enough to set me on the right path," Knuckles replied.

"So, how come you can't get the information from your two prisoners?" Luna spoke up.

"It seems they are under a magic contract of silence for at least their chain of command," Knuckles answered. "As I said they couldn't give me much information of their plans to begin with. While part of this may be from them being lower in ranks, it may also be a result of the same contract."

"I understand, and I do agree that the sooner we do find a higher up the better. But what makes you think they could tell you more than what you already know? " Luan brought up.

"They could be under the same or even a different contract, but even if I can only get little bit more information, it may be enough to at least minimize any damage," Knuckles explained.

"Okay, I can understand that but I hope we can completely prevent their plans altogether," Brandon said as he studied the map seeing landmarks he recognized. "Wait, they set up their camp so close to the old castle?"

"Yes, they want to make sure to keep a good eye on the town without risking exposure. The area their camp is in is more on the dense side so any wondering ponies might just miss it," Knuckles replied before pointing with his hoof to an area just off the camp. "This is where we are headed, and hopefully if things go well we won't need to get to much closer than that."

"That's the hope anyways, but the most I can do is try at the very least, right?" Brandon asked turning to Luna who bit her lip.

"Yes, and if you can't read their connections then we can always find another way," Luna said after a moment of thought. "Shining, I know you might want to go with us but for right now go start prepping the guard for a potential attack."

"But Princess..." Shining started before Luna straightened up giving the white stallion a hard stare.

"This is a direct order Captain, I do understand my sister has given you orders but I'm sure you can agree my order outweighs hers at the moment," Luna stated in a digentary and regal way, and to Brandon it made her all the more beautiful.

"Yes Ma'am!" Shining replied giving a saulute. "I will gather only the most elite to keep this as quiet as possible!"

"Very good, now you are dismissed!" Luna said and as Shining went on his way Brandon could see the slight smile on Luna's face.

"You miss bossing ponies around?" Brandon joked making Luna roll her eyes.

"I miss ponies listening to me, but I could deal without a lot of my responsibilities. Believen it or not, I dream of nothing more than having a normal life," Luna answered making Brandon nod in understanding. After all, dealing with the uncontrolled imagination of so many ponies during the night could exhaust a pony.

"So, you two reay?" Knuckles asked as he loaded his map back into his satchel and they both nod in response, making them follow him without another word.

They knew they had a bit of a trek ahead of them, which Luna kept making sure Brandon was okay which he assurard her they was perfectly fine. Even his injured shoulder wasn't feeling all that bad, though he did let her change his bandages which Knuckles then passed them a water flask. After avoiding a Crackadile pond, manovering through dead tress and getting poked by some thorns they arrived where two ponies where tied to separate trees.

"Ooohhh, look at the whore of a Princess he dragged with him!" One called out as they approached, that one was a stallion at least from the sound of the voice.

"At least I can deal with her, but why did you have bring that?" This one was a mare, though Brandon let the comment slide with a roll of his eyes.

"Hey, at least I wasn't left tied to a tree in the most dangerous forest in Equestria," Brandon mumbled.

"Anyway, would you like to give it a try Brandon?" Knuckles asked completely ignoring everything else, though Brandon could tell the whore comment had bothered Luna a bit by the way her eye twitched.

"Sure, I can give it a try," Brandon said walking towards the two ponies, though as he got closer the one who sounded like a stallion was actually a mare. Though he did wonder why she had such a deep voice, but just didn't feel like asking.

"You don't come near us!" The one with the mare voice said a bit of fear seeping into it.

"Oh, don't you worry, this shouldn't hurt," Brandon said trying to use his ability but once again it wouldn't work. He then tried to focus on his relationships in the hopes that it'll show more. Though the only links to show up was between him, Knuckles, and Luna though only for a few seconds.

"Why did his eyes just glow? What in Tarturas are you trying to do to us?!" The mare with the stallions voice asked in panic, though the three of them ignored the question.

"Sorry, no luck right now. Maybe if we wait a bit then it'll activate on its own?" Brandon suggested.

"Part of why I got you this early," Knuckles replied and thus the wait began.

They made some small talk and even told a few jokes as the two tied up ponies tried their best to whisper to each other. Though Brandon was curious about something, so he strained to listen to what they were saying which from what he could tell the two were in a relationship themselves. He also learned that the reason why they were caught was because they were sneaking off to have sex, which is something he really didn't need to know.

"Please tell me you didn't interrupt them in the moment?" Brandon asked raising any eyebrow at Knuckles who shook his head.

"No, I caught them before they got to their meeting place," Knuckles replied making Brandon laugh a little. Though Brandon tried to see the relationship links again, this time he saw the faintest line between him and the two mares.

"Still not what we're looking for, but it's an improvement..." As he was saying that his head started to hurt making him close his eyes. "Maybe shouldn't try so hard, starting to get a headache."

"Make sense, you aren't used to using magic. It only makes sense, just take a brake from it until your head stops hurting," Luna said as she pulled out a couple of pills. "Here, these are for headaches."

"Alwasys seem prepared," Brandon said giving her a little smile, though that smile quickly faded as he noticed something in the sky approaching the camp at a high speed. "What is..."

Before any of them could speak another word a column of fire shot down, not towards them but towards the camp lightening it up. They could hear the ponies going into a panic in the distance as a dragon flew overhead, breathing another fire breath towards the camp. Though Brandon could have sworn that as the dragon, no, a dragoness, flew over that she saw them down there.

"Shit," Brandon muttered and then turned his attention to his group. "We need to go now!"

"No arguments here, but what about them?" Luna asked pointing to the two mares.

"I can handle them..." Knuckles started but Brandon shot him down.

"No, I'll deal with them. But be ready to run okay?" Brandon said as he walked towards the two mare who were both understandably frightened. "Now, I'm sure I don't have to tell you the risk of a forest fire springing up and the two of you escaping aren't exactly that great. So, if I cut you two free do not return, do you understand me?"

"We would..." The one who sounded like a mare started before the station sounding once shut her up.

"We agree! Just please don't leave us here!" At that moment Brandon could tell she was thinking about the safety of her partner as he could now clearly see the link between them, this made him give a little smile as he could also tell she meant what she said.

"Very well," Brandon said managing to untie them both and although the mare with a female voice gave him a hard stare, the stallion sounding one guided her away. "Don't ask me why I did that right now, we just need to leave now."

There were no arguments about it as the three of them started to make there way out of the Everfree and back towards his house, though they could hear the steady flap of powerful wings above them. Almost as if the dragoness was following them after lighting the camp on fire, which again wouldn't surprise Brandon since he felt it in his gut that she had seen them. Though they had no idea if she was supposed to be apart of that camps plans, even if unwittaly, it would mean at least one of them messed up somewhere, though his thoughts were interrupted as flames came down separating him from the other two.

"Shit, you two go ahead and warn the town!" Brandon said and before they could respond he went off in a different direction hoping to lure the dragoness away. Which from the flapping of wings behind him worked, and not too long after the dragoness dropped in front of him. "Shit, at least you ain't frying me."

"Only because I need information," The dragoness stated standing up letting Brandon fully see her. Her main scales were a warm orange color, with her belly scales being more of a olive green color. Her eyes were beautiful, one being a flame red color and the other being more of a smokey grey. She also looked a bit familiar, as if he at least met someone like her before.

"S-so, what information are you, um, looking for?" Brandon asked trying to not to admire her beauty and hoping he didn't come off as fearful.

"I am looking for a particular gem that was stolen from my family. I am trying to retrieve this gem before the rest of my family finds out and starts a war," The dragoness said looking him over, sizing him up a bit.

"Uh, well I don't know about any stolen gems recently. Especially one from a dragon whose name I don't even know," Brandon replied making her give a little huff of smoke.

"Don't press your luck, but I very well know it's here cause I can smell it. It'll only be a matter of time before I find who stole it," She said clearing trying to point at him at the moment. Though thanks to his knowledge he got from Spike about dragon culture he knew how to respond.

"Hey, I like I said I don't know anything about a stolen gem but I am happy to look," Brandon said making the dragoness narrow her eyes.

"And why would I trust some creature that I have no knowledge of in any land?" She asked making him sigh, and that's when it fully hit him.

"You know that camp you lit up?" This made her pause before nodding. "Whether you believe me or not, they were after me. Me and my friends were hoping to discover their plan, which I think I did just by talking with you."

"You're suggesting that that camp was willing to start a war between ponies and drgaons to get to you?" She asked with skepctisim seeping into every word.

"Let me tell my story and then you can decide whether you want to flame broil me," Brandon said making the dragoness narrow her eyes.

"Fine, tell me your story but make it quick," She said.

So he started from the very beginning in the hopes of gaining her trust, though he did try to make it into a quicker verzon but knew it would still take a good bit. As he explained who and what he was, he could see some curiosity in her eyes but she did not interrupt as he continued. Once he finished explaining how he had escaped the groups base while nearly dying he could see her relax a bit. Though he could smell the smoke in the distances, so he quickly wrapped it up.

"Let's say I believe you, does this group even have the resources left to steal from the dragons?" She asked.

"I really don't know how far their reach is, but you've seen the camp. But it really is the only thing I can think of, and as I said before I would be happy to help in anyway I can and have the resources to do so," Brandon explained, and after a moment of pause she spoke up again.

"Names Glow, now let's get you out of here before that fire catches up," Glow said before taking off, and then hovering in the air.

"Uh, can't exactly fly in my situation right now nor could I since I'm still learning," Brandon said as he started to walk.

"Let's see if I can at least carry you out," Glow said coming down grabbing him from behind before taking off, which her strength surprised him a bit as they took off without issue, that was until the arrows started flying at them.

Author's Note

Remember to smile, smile, smile!