E.q.Gee Rule Sixty-three

One month after Fall Formal, Dusk's treehouse...

"Holy cow..." Applebuck's brother, Apple-buckaroo gasped, upon hearing Dusk's story. "All that happened in four days?! That was one crazy adventure!"

"Sure was.  But I made lots of friends in the end and got the crown and saved many lives...again." Dusk shrugged as he continued to arrange books on the shelves.

"What happened to Sundown?" Silver-Belle, Elusive's younger sibling, asked practicing his magic on blooming a flower. "Was he arrested?"

"For about a week. It was very troubling and uncomfortable to picture him in jail." Dusk stated "But now he is released and pardoned. I hear that he's residing in the unicorn range and he's told me made friends with a crystal pony and griffon."

"Sounds like it too good be true." Silver-Belle said.

Dusk nodded "It is sometimes - he's struggling to push aside his old self away, but given some time and few good pointers, I believe he can become something great, maybe even better pony than I ever was."

"I doubt it." said Scooter said as he read a Daring Dan novel "No one can beat Dusk Shine. When you are with your friends and your big-crown-thingy, there's nothing you can't handle."

Dusk chuckled but then felt a gold wing land on his shoulder.

"There's nothing he can't handle...except for me..." Flare chimed.  Dusk blushed and the rest of the colts in the room giggled.

"Wow - cool battle scars Ms.Warden!" Scooter praised, seeing faint gashes on Faye's neck.

"Barbra and I are done setting up the training course. We're gonna have you start flying now." Faye said.

"Now?" Dusk asked.

"Yup." Faye answered, dragging Dusk out by his wings as Barbra walked in.  The colts in the room, joined by Barbra, started to sing at the top of their lungs "Dusk and Flare! flying above the trees! K-I-S-S-I-N..."

One month from Fall formal, Neighborhood near Canterlot High School...

Sonata Dusk was young girl,  who lived with her two bandmates on whatever they could acquire.  Thanks to their magical rubies, they had the power to command anyone to their biding. Unfortunately, they abused their power so much that people started to have suspicions of them and questions for them.  That's when Sonata's superior,  Adagio Dazzle, forced to group to relocate to an area out side of the town. Luckily, they were able to afford a house that was directly in front of Canterlot High School.

While Adagio was out looking for jobs, and her other bandmate Aria Blaze went to the supermarket., Sonata decided to take a walk under the clouded October sky.  The side walk was painted orange and maroon with dead leaves and wind didn't stop hollowing.

Sonata wanted to be alone for while. Wanting to just get away from Aria's augments and Adagio abusive 'leadership' she figured a walk would do.

But it wasn't really doing much to help her until felt something plop onto her shoulder.  She was disgusted to find out it was bird poop, coming from a magpie who resided in a nest the tree above her.

Angered, Sonata grabbed a stone and hurled it at the Magpie while it resided in its nest. The stone destroyed the nest, scaring the Magpie away, and spilling out a few coins, some marbles, a paperclip....and a glowing key with ancient markings on it.

"The Carnelian Key?" hissed Sonata in disbelief. What in the name of Equestria...is it doing here?!"

She picked up the key and examined it. And sure enough, she felt that it was pulsing with some much unicorn power.

"Somepony, not someone, was here recently..." Sonata gasped.

"Hey! Birds are people too!"

Sonata glanced her, finding a angry pink-haired teenager rushing up her, followed by a concerned rainbow-haired teenager.  Decided to stuff the key into her Pocket, Sonata sprinted all the way home. It wasn't long before she out of the pink-haired-teenager's sight.

The pink-haired teenager grumbled "Its not right for her to treat animals like that!" he shouted in fury.

"Its okay, Ben." The Rainbow-haired teen assured the pink-haired teen "The magpie will build another nest. In the meantime let's go back on our walk..."

"Okay, Richie..." Sighed Ben.

As the two friends resumed their walk elsewhere, Sonata grinned evilly within another part of the neighborhood, cradling the key in her hands, thinking of dreams of absolute power all for herself and one to share.

That's when the same Magpie swooped down and stole the key from her.  The bird ignored Sonata's curses, flying towards the next secure place it knew.

Sonata groaned, seeing that her prize was lost as soon as she found it - Maybe forever.  But had she died to chase after the magpie instead of mope all the way back home, she would have noticed that it had flown through a window of a colorless house in front of a mailbox that read on its side:

STAR S. SWIRL The BRAIDED

Custodian of CHS