Chapters Twilight kept pacing around the room, her gaze not fixing in any particular place. “It’s all my fault! I should have known that the portal would close at sunset. I should have taken us out before that!”
Applejack walked to her side, blocking her path and touching a hoof to her shoulder. “This ain’t your fault, sugarcube.”
Rarity approached from the other side. “She is right, darling . We all got a little carried away with how beautiful this land is. Besides,” Rarity pointed at the mossy green round carpet adorning the center of the room, who had been on the losing end of Twilight’s hooves for the last hour, “a furrow across the room would ruin the delightful decor.”
The memory of a small purple dragon chiding her for the same reason bought a sad smile to Twilight’s lips, and for the first time since Seabreeze brought them to his home Twilight took notice of something besides her own pacing. It was a cozy room, the walls peachy and the floor light blue. On the wall there were a few large windows that doubled as doors and a passageway for the more private parts of the house. The central table was a large, white mushroom with pale green circles haphazardly spread across it’s surface, and most of the other items in the room followed a similar fungal theme.
The overall effect was oddly calming.
Twilight sat and sighed. “I still think I should have stayed with Fluttershy. What if she -”
Rainbow Dash was suddenly in front of Twilight. “Didn’t we just talk about that? Gee, Twilight, chill out! We can’t understand the Queen anyway, and she did ask to talk with Fluttershy.”
Pinkie went by springing on all four hooves. “It’s not as if we are trapped forever, the portal will open again next year!”
Applejack was opening her mouth to answer when the largest window opened, Fluttershy and Seabreeze flying through. A purple flash of light later Twilight was standing in front of the pair. ”Fluttershy! Did you find anything? Is there another exit?”
Seabreeze glanced at the startled Fluttershy, then back at Twilight. “Sorry, we breezies don’t know another exit. But there is one. Wait.” He went for the bedroom, coming back with a book carefully held in his hooves. “A pony found a way in many years ago. This is his journal. Take it.”
Twilight looked back at the book, now in her purple aura. “How did it get so small? A pony journal should be larger than this house.”
“Um.. “ All eyes turned towards Fluttershy, who had walked to the center of the room. “The Queen told that it shrunk together with the pony when he asked the Queen to turn him into a breezie. Seabreeze is the only one that can read it.”
Twilight nodded and opened the book, quickly scanning it’s pages. “I’m not seeing the name of the pony, but whoever he was, he kept a record of his whole journey. We should be able to follow from the end to the start and -” Twilight’s eyes opened wide. “Wait, if this pony was turned into a breezie, isn’t he here? He could tell us where the exit is, perhaps even guide us!”
Seabreeze lowered his head. “He can’t. He was Bluezephyr, my great-great-great-grandfather. The queen is the only breeze alive that knew him.”
Twilight nodded slowly. “Sorry.” She looked back at the book idly swaying in her magic. “Are you sure you want us to take the book? It seems important to you.”
Seabreeze shook his head. “It’s no problem. Next year you can give it back.”
A bouncing pink figure passed between them. “Told you so!”
Seabreeze pointed at the book. “He came from outside the kingdom. It’s too dangerous for breezies out there. The Queen said you can turn back to ponies after you leave the kingdom. I will take you to the border”
Twilight looked through a few more pages and closed the book. “Well, seems like we are as prepared as we can be. We can leave at any time.”
Fluttershy yawned and pointed at the open window, where a few stars could be seen against the midnight blue of the sky. “Maybe we should wait until morning? We had a full day.”
Seabreeze laughed, the others quickly joining. “Yes, maybe.”
The ponies woke up with the sun (to Rainbow Dash’s vexation) and were joined by a small group of breezies, the same ones that they led from Ponyville, each carrying a pair of baskets and talking excitedly.
“They want to go with you to the border. To say goodbye,” said Seabreeze with a smile.
The group flew over the fields, brought to life under the morning light. Gone was the gentle glow of moss and strange flowers; in it’s place an explosion of color, with large flowers of many shapes forming an intricate carpet, while breezie-sized trees gently swayed in the always present breeze. More than once Rarity reached for her sketchpad.
The scenery was also notable by the absence: there was no animal life. No birds, no insects, no animals on the ground big or small.
After a while the group finally saw the low stone wall that marked the kingdom border. It was made of gray stone, graced by delicate green moss. At regular intervals large white obelisks rose from the wall, their faceted tops glowing even in the daylight. Beyond the wall was a huge green field, with gigantic - or, rather, normal-sized for a pony - trees visible in the distance.
Twilight’s ears perked at the sight. “A magical circle! It’s huge, even for a pony!”
Seabreeze slowed a bit until he was side by side with Twilight. “Aye, our border is magical.” He pointed to a place where the gray wall had crumbled. “We stop there. It’s where grandpa got in. We eat, if you want, and then we say goodbye; breezies can’t leave the kingdom.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Why can’t you leave?”
She was immediately met with an excited exposition in the Breezie language.
Twilight’s face was mired in confusion. “Sorry, I can’t understand you.”
Seabreeze shot her an apologetic glance. “I know your language. But not enough to explain. Easier to see anyway.”
The group landed close to the gap in the wall, the breezies unloading their baskets full of strange and colorful fruits. Everypony was enjoying the pause, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie using the opportunity to get into an impromptu eating contest. Twilight wanted to let everypony rest more, enjoy the current peace, but they couldn’t delay; the way the land outside was described in the journal, it would give Everfree a run for it’s bits.
With a forced smile, Twilight looked towards her friends. “Let’s go, everypony. We need to leave.”
Soon the other five ponies turned breezies assembled besides her, Rainbow Dash coming last with a distended belly. Seabreeze floated before of them, stopping in front of Fluttershy.
“To remember us by, “ he said, while gently placing a blue flower on her hair.
The friends turned around, waving at the breezies. Fluttershy came last, happy tears in her eyes. “Thank you! I'll miss you. I'll miss all of you!”
Passing over the low wall, Twilight heard her friends startled voices.
“Woa!”
Twilight looked back. The wall, and anything beyond it, was not visible anymore; in it’s place a large, featureless grassland.
Twilight’s eyes opened in realization. “That is what he meant!”
“Uh... “ Fluttershy floated to Twilight’s side. “How do we get back if we don’t find the exit?”
“Don’t worry, we can use the journal to get back.” Twilight flew a bit further, landing in the grass. “Okay, gather round.”
As her friends landed around her, Twilight’s horn glowed purple, unleashing a magical flash. Where six breezies stood before there were now six ponies, flexing their legs and wings. Twilight was glad to see that the journal was now at the proper size for a pony. A smile crept into her face; going into an unknown forest, based on an old story. It was just like old times.
“First things first. Rainbow Dash,” Twilight looked at the named pony, “ go high and take a look at where we are. We might need to come back.”
“Consider it done!”
Twilight turned to the other assembled ponies. “As soon as she returns I will explain what I found in the journal. Finding the exit might involve some danger.”
Flitter and Featherwind were leaving the palace, a concerned look on their face.
Earlier in the day, Spike had cornered Flitter in the market, jumping up and down with a scroll in his hand while shouting something indecipherable. Flitter had taken the scroll, frowning as she recognized Princess Celestia’s seal, and unrolled it; she was being summoned to the palace. Princess Twilight and her friends were missing; she and Featherwind were the last ones to have seen them.
Flitter had quickly gathered Featherwind, both leaving for the palace immediately. The palace guards quickly and efficiently led the two pegasi towards a small audience room, where before long they were joined by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.
The interview went as well as could be expected; both rulers gently, but firmly, asking them about everything that happened before Princess Twilight disappeared. Both rulers appeared always amiable and unconcerned, though Flitter had detected a twinge on Luna’s mouth from time to time.
On the way back to Ponyville Featherwind kept staring blankly, flying mechanically; Flitter could only guess at what he was thinking, though she didn’t even spare the effort to try. She had more to think on her own.
Author's Note
Feel free to point flaws, errors, or to make suggestions; I'm here to learn.
“Aaand quicksand. Check!”
Twilight looked back at the papyrus and pencil she magically made out of leaves and coal, keeping them away from the rivulets that were flowing from her mane. They would revert back soon, but it felt good to have a checklist for a change.
A dripping white unicorn paced around the campfire, sitting in front of Twilight while attempting to comb her mane back into it’s usual shape with an artesanal, if not lovely, comb. “You could have warned us a little earlier, darling.” she pointed down, beyond the clearing, where a clean brook flowed a couple pony heights below. “Thank you for finding this river, though; I couldn’t have continued with that disgusting muck on my mane.”
“I couldn’t help it, there were s-snakes down there!” Twilight offered Rarity a sheepish smile. “And, as I recall, you were fleeing too fast to hear any warning.”
“Well, I couldn’t stay there with those icky snakes!”
“Oh, they are not icky.” Fluttershy arrived carrying a basket full of delicious looking fruit. “They even helped us find food!”
At her side Pinkie Pie was carrying a similar basket on her back while munching something. She swallowed with an audible gulp and smiled. “You have to try this, it’s delicious!”
“Uh… “ Fluttershy placed her basket on the ground and approached Twilight. “I don’t want to bother you, but are we close to the exit? I’m starting to think waiting for next year might not be such a bad idea.”
“Well… “ Twilight opened the journal and flipped through it’s pages. “It’s hard to say. Bluezephyr took a few days to go from where we are to the Breezie Kingdom, but he was often going in circles. If we keep going this fast, we should reach the exit tomorrow. I just hope the wyvern nest he described has been abandoned after all those years.”
Applejack stopped weaving a rope and looked at Twilight. “What in tarnation is a wyvern?”
“It’s like a small dragon -”
Twilight was interrupted as Fluttershy dove into the ground, trembling. “Dragon!”
“Don’t worry, “ Twilight covered Fluttershy with a wing. “They are very small for a dragon, not much larger than a pony. And they don’t breathe fire. Perhaps you can even befriend them!”
“Well…”
“Come on, Fluttershy, this is just like camping!” Rainbow Dash in front of the campfire and reared, the light leaving flickering sinister shadows in his face. “Hey, how about some campfire stories?”
Rarity and Applejack looked from Rainbow Dash to the cowering Fluttershy and said in a chorus, their eyes going wide: “No!”
At her house, Flitter was pulling book after book from her bookshelf. “Where is it? I know I’ve seen it somewhere.”
She stopped, looking down at the piles of books on the floor of her living room. Her chin suddenly lifted. “The box!”
She zipped to her bedroom and, hovering, looked at the top of her wardrobe, where an old wooden box lay. Blowing away the dust, she opened the lid and smiled when she saw the book penned by her ancestral.
“There! Now I can -”
There was a knock on the door. And then another. Hastily closing the box, Flitter back to her living room and opened the door.
On the other side was a small purple dragon, his eyes red, his crest listless.
Flitter felt a pang of guilt. “Spike! What happened?”
The small dragon sniffed. “Twilight is still missing, and Princess Celestia doesn’t know where to. I know you already told Princess Celestia and Princess Luna everything you know about it, but don’t you remember anything else? Please?”
Flitter stepped outside and looked around; nopony in sight. She pulled Spike inside, closing the door. “Spike, can you keep a secret?”
Author's Note
Feel free to point flaws, errors, or to make suggestions; I'm here to learn.
Rainbow Dash landed in front of the group. “There’s a cliff right ahead, with a lot of caves. I didn’t see any big lizards, though.”
Nodding, Twilight pointed to the open journal in front of her. “This should be the wyvern nest. I hope they have abandoned it, but let’s keep it down. We don’t want them to notice us.”
“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie whispered.
The six ponies advanced quietly, looking around. The lush forest gave way to a sheer cliff. A small waterfall fell from the top of the cliff and formed the brook they have been following. Up in the cliffs there were a large number of small caves, large enough for a pegasus to enter. Looking above, Twilight wondered if the scratches she could see in the closest caves were done by claws.
The group was almost past the caves when a loud noise came from the forest, and then another, each time presaging the appearance of a strange multi-colored smoke, each time closer.
Fluttershy looked alarmed at the smoke. “Oh my, those are birds!”
The third time the other ponies noticed it too. The noise could be heard as a cacophony of every kind of bird call imaginable, the large mass of birds forming a whirlwind of color.
Suddenly, out of the forest, a lone gray and blue figure emerged in a blur, banking steeply as it passed above the ponies, chased by a dozen larger green, scaly shapes.
“Flitter!” There was only a rainbow contrail where the cyan pegasus once stood, her voice vanishing in the distance. “You let go of her, right now!”
“Rainbow, wait!” Twilight turned to Fluttershy, panic in her eyes. “Can you calm them?”
“I don’t think so, they are too angry! And I can’t stare them if they won’t stop!” Fluttershy was hovering, eyes glued on the chase.
“Twilight, can turn us into them?” Pinkie was pointing at the wyverns. Applejack and Rarity looked at each other, gulped, and then nodded firmly.
“What? It’s too dangerous! There must be another way!”
Applejack took her hat off. “Sugarcube, listen to me. We can’t do anything while they are up there, and if we don’t do anything they will get hurt, or worse!”
Rarity stepped besides Applejack. “She is right. Better be turned into one of those dreadful things than watch our friends get hurt.”
Twilight nodded and turned to Applejack. “Can you lasso one of them, keep him still for a couple seconds?”
Applejack opened a smile. “Sure can, Sugarcube. Just bring one close”
Twilight turned to Fluttershy. “Tell Rainbow Dash to attract one of those things down!”
With a nod Fluttershy was off, trembling but determined. Soon she was on the way back with Rainbow Dash, three wyverns closely chasing them.
Twilight looked desperately between the extra two wyverns and the ponies on the ground. “Rarity, drive off the other two!”
“How?”
“I don’t know, throw rocks or something!”
Rarity looked around, a determined grin in her face as a large number of rocks started to float with a blue aura. “I don’t think I can hurt them, this will only keep them away for a moment.”
Twilight, already channeling her magic, nodded. “It should be enough.”
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy went through the middle of the other ponies, the wyverns in hot pursuit. The leading wyvern was suddenly yanked aside, a taut rope linking him to the orange rodeo pony. The other two wyverns turned to attack the ground-based nuisance; as they flew into a blue tinted whirlwind of rocks, they circled around, looking for an opening.
The two pegasi returned to the group as a bright purple flash engulfed the downed wyvern and the ponies; as it faded, five colorful wyverns were taking to the air, a lone alicorn on the ground tying the downed green wyvern with a rope.
“Keep them distracted, I will think of something!”
Twilight looked around, trying to find a way to drive off the wyverns. Throwing rocks but was a momentary distraction; taking them out one by one was too slow, and Flitter already appeared tired; Brute force would get everypony hurt, if it worked at all.
Rearing, Twilight took both forehooves to her head. “Aagh! Think, Twilight! The clock is ticking!”
“Flitter! Flitter! … Twilight?”
“Spike?” Twilight’s eyes went wide, sparkling. “Spike!” Twilight was at spike’s side in a purple flash. “Get on. Now!”
Spike was already mounting. “Twilight What is happening?”
Already halfway to the battle, which was already becoming a hairball, Twilight looked back at Spike. “Wyverns fear fire! Get ready to -”
“Twilight!”
Spike’s eyes went wide as he saw a wyvern coming right at them. “Twilight!”
Twilight tried to dodge as Spike attempted to breathe fire, but it was too late. The wyvern collided with Twilight, it’s claws…
In a moment Spike threw himself in the path of the wyvern’s claws. It hurt! Spike’s thick scales held, preventing any lasting harm, but in his attempt to shield Twilight he was thrown off.
“Spike!”
The ground was getting closer, closer…
Spike landed on something scaly and blue. Looking ahead he saw a large reptilian head with a colorful crest looking back. “Rainbow Dash?”
The head nodded. Rainbow dash looked forward and started to go to the ground.
“Rainbow, listen! They fear fire! We can drive them away!”
Without warning Rainbow Dash dove, dislodging the small passenger. With a quick twist she grabbed Spike with her front claws and started to climb again.
Spike finally had time to look ahead. Flitter was in the center of a whirlwind of reptilian activity, clearly tired. At her side a horned white and purple wyvern floated, horn aglow with blue, as a storm of stones encircled both wyvern and pony. An orange wyvern was lashing with hindquarters and tail, trying to keep a pair of green wyverns away, while a pink wyvern was having some success in jumping on the backs of her attackers. To the side a yellow wyvern was staring down three green wyverns, her unsteady wing flaps showing her fatigue.
Spike closed his eyes. He could do this; all he had to do was breathe fire, the largest fire he could create, just like he did when he helped Applejack with her family reunion. He opened his eyes, inhaled…
A large plume of green flame shot forward, cutting through the middle of the fight and heating some of the floating stones red. The green wyverns started to disengage, fleeing to the forest. In a few more passes Rainbow Dash and Spike drove away the remaining wyverns.
Rarity let the stones fall to the ground, the five colorful wyverns (plus one passenger) and the purple alicorn hovering around Flitter.
Flitter was looking at the hovering figures, wide eyed. “Are you…”
Twilight came close, smiling. “Yes, they are my friends.”
Flitter furrowed her brow. “Is everypony here?” Twilight nodded. “Then come, the portal is near.”
As Flitter led the way, Twilight flew to the pegasus’ side. “Why are you here? How did you even know about this portal?”
“This portal only opens from the outside, then stays open for a week. You wouldn’t be able to exit on your own. And when Celestia’s Equestria-wide search for you failed, I was certain you would be here.” Flitter stopped and turned around, looking at the six hovering figures in front of her. “Can you keep a secret?”
Author's Note
Feel free to point flaws, errors, or to make suggestions; I'm here to learn.
It was nearing sunset when Seabreeze pointed at a grotto on the side of the canyon, near a waterfall. “There!”
As the group prepared to dive a quacking sound made them stop. A flock of ducks, one of them carrying a wagon wheel on his neck, was passing in front of the waterfall, drawing curious stares from Applejack and a wide grin from Pinkie Pie. In less than a minute the ducks were out of the way, the group finally diving towards the grotto.
Leading the belated breezie group and the other ponies turned breezies, Fluttershy and Seabreeze went inside the grotto, passing under curtains of overhanging moss and over glowing mushrooms. Reaching the end of the cave, the group passed through a hole in the wall, it’s borders coruscating with magic.
On the other side was a magical land, bathed in the golden gleam of an unseen sun. Moss and strange flowers glowed under the dimming light, competing for space on the ground with bushes. Further away a lake could be seen, divided into two levels by a waterfall and painted golden by the matching sky. To the left, ringing the lake, were large mushrooms turned into houses, their undersides softly glowing in a turquoise hue; as one moved sunwise, the mushrooms slowly gave way to a large castle in white and golden, with a red roof, constructed around another, larger, waterfall.
A large number of breezies gently floated over and around the lake.
Rainbow Dash’s eyes were glittering as she took the sight. “Holy mini-sized paradise!”
Rarity’s smile reflected the true beauty around her. “This is simply beautiful! So much inspiration.” Her eyebrows furrowing in consternation, she looked around. “Where's my sketchpad when I need it?”
At her side, Pinkie Pie bounced, her enthusiasm undeterred by her tiny size. “So… stinkin’… cute!”
At the sight of the new arrivals, breezies came out of their mushroom houses, embracing their belated friends and relatives. Seabreeze went over to an orange breezie whose eyes were filled with joyful tears, gently taking in his arms the baby his beloved was presenting, and receiving her embrace in return.
Close to the entrance, Applejack, her eyebrows furrowed in concern, came over to a crying Fluttershy. “You okay, Fluttershy?”
A kind smile on her face, Fluttershy let her tears fall. “I'm just so very happy they got to be reunited with their family!”
While the breezies cherished their reunion, Rarity looked back to the magical hole, her hoof covering her mouth. She turned back to her friends. “We'd better get going before the entrance- well, exit for us, closes.”
As the golden sky darkened and turned crimson, heralding the night, the hole flashed once with a white light and vanished.
Author's Note
Feel free to point flaws, errors, or to make suggestions; I'm here to learn.
Twilight was reading a review of the article on breezie ecology she helped pen when she heard excited knocking on the door. Spike was out doing the grocery, so Twilight got up and went to the door. “I’m coming!”
As she opened the door she saw Flitter, a radiant smile in her face. “Twilight, it was accepted! I’m in!”
“Flitter, calm down. What has been accepted where?”
Still beaming, Flitter brought forward a letter. “That article on breezie ecology you helped me write! I submitted it to the symposium on magical creatures that will happen at the Royal Academy, and it has been accepted!”
Twilight smiled back “Congratulations! It was mostly your effort, you know; I only helped polish it a little.”
Flitter looked away, blushing. “You are too kind.” She looked back at Twilight’s purple eyes. “Thanks again for giving me the journal of my great-great-uncle. You don’t know how much it matters to me.”
Twilight smiled sheepishly. “I kinda promised to give it back to Seabreeze next year.”
“Don’t worry, I will have it copied by then.”
“By the way,” Twilight looked confused, “Celestia asked me to tell you that you are forgiven, but that you should never again keep a secret from her when lives are on the line. Did something happen between you two?”
Author's Note
Feel free to point flaws, errors, or to make suggestions; I'm here to learn.
