Mending Light

Chapters

2 - The Shadow
3 - The Bar
4 - Declaration
5 - Pressure
6 - Flames
7 - Journey
8 - Engagement
9 - Nightfall
10 - Blades
11 - Eyes
12 - Foreboding
13 - The Letter
14 - Reunion
16 - Wrap Up
17 - Terror
18 - Escape
19 - Respite
20 - Truths
21 - Beyond the Sea
23 - Home and Family
24 - Old Promises
25 - Departure
26 - Routines
27 - Diamond
28 - Breaking Point
29 - Resolve
30 - Powder Keg
31 - Blood
32 - Murky Waters
33 - Just Rewards
34 - Together
36 - Moonlight
37 - Fighting
38 - Dating, Dances and Diplomacy
39 - Call to Arms
40 - The Storm Before the Storm
41 - Savage Land
42 - Unsafe Haven
43 - Fiery Approach
44 - Mercy
45 - Age and Experience
46 - Fire and Shadow
47 - Oblivion
49 - White Oasis
50 - Dreams of Tranquility
51 - Dancing Abroad
52 - Journey's Ends
53 - The More Things Change
54 - Pop Quiz
55 - Family Pains
56 - Familiar Comforts
57 - Mending Wounds
58 - Renewed Lessons
59 - Schemes
60 - Cycles
61 - Arrangements
62 - Drinks, Dresses, and Devotion.
63 - Traditions
64 - New Experiences
66 - Ancient History
67 - Moon Lights
68 - Rooftop Rendezvous
69 - Rising Anxiety
70 - Hidden Treasures
71 - Night Light
72 - The Monsters of Pasture
73 - Ivory
74 - Haunted
75 - Unexpected Booty
76 - Reinforcement
77 - Hideaway Home
78 - Hatred's Face
79 - Recuperation
80 - Parting
81 - Party Roster
82 - Occupation
84 - Interrogation
85 - Eye of the Storm
86 - Night In
87 - Strategies
88 - Dead and Tired
89 - Opportunity
90 - Pride Cometh
91 - A Ray of Sunlight
92 - Ashes
93 - Wreckage
95 - Freedom
Love
1 - The Angel
15 - The Knight
22 - The Date
35 - Open Positions
48 - Alone Again
65 - Seas of Knowledge
83 - Concealment
94 - Return

2 - The Shadow

The winter marched on at an unusually miserable pace that year. Time felt like a thick layer of ice clinging to my coat, making all the pain inescapable. That strength and enthusiasm from that first day of winter had quickly faded back into the constant self-doubt gnawing at my thoughts. That very same snow that typically brought me so much joy now only served to provide a dull ache in my heart.

I'd pushed myself to find her. I started by checking the weather schedules, where I first found her full name. Dusky Down. As Rainbow Dash had told me, she was a part-time weatherpony with an erratic schedule, but she picked up enough shifts that I was able to plan 'chance run-ins' with her. I was never able to get the nerve to actually face her though. Instead, I broke my silence only to talk to some of the ponies who shared shifts with her. I needed to learn more about her, what she talked about, what she liked, if she was… well, seeing anypony.

On my best days, when the promise I’d made to myself resonated strongest, I walked with my head high and nearly worked up the will to talk to her. Before turning tail, of course. Time and again, I planned to approach her, and time and again my cowardice undermined me. Each time I failed it felt like a nail in my heart. And each nail made it even harder to reach her the next time.

I’d seen her in the market, my courage screaming at me to just take that first step forward. But that voice was consumed by my fears and doubts. She’d do her shopping and walk away, and I’d follow after her lamely, hoping and dreaming that she’d stop and notice me, and then suddenly she’d slip from my sight, and I’d return home with yet another failure stacked against me. And so I spent that winter waiting, watching her. A month passed and she still didn't know I existed. The only thing I was confident of was the fact that she never would.

And then there were the worst days. There were fleeting moments I even wished that I’d never seen her standing in that crowded city hall. Dusky was an image of perfection, like something from another world, a forbidden beauty that I knew I’d never be worthy of standing beside. It was hopeless. I was hopeless. The darker voices of my doubt told me she’d never accept me, never like me. And there was an absolutely certainty she could never love me. Not unless I could prove myself, to do something so great that she’d have to acknowledge me.

Dusky walked alone along the streets of Ponyville. It was strangely ominous that night, in contrast to its typically pleasant demeanor. She approached an alley, preparing to pass the gulf when her hooves struck some upturned stone, causing her to trip forward. That's when they showed up. Two great stallion thugs, creeping out of the inky black.

She pulled back, still on the ground as she cowered, the two stallions hovering over her menacingly. Dusky cried out, but I was there for her, galloping forward and smashing into one of the villains in the nick of time, harkening. "Leave her alone!"

The stallion dropped, suddenly finding his position reversed as I stood over him. The second took a step back hesitantly, but decided to throw caution to the wind and charge. With a simple jump up, a turn, and a swift buck right into the thug's head, I quickly sent him rolling backwards. Dusky was saved.

She pulled herself up slowly, her leg strained from her fall, and as she saw me, she spoke my name as if giving it a gentle caress. "Thank you Night Flurry, you're my hero." she stood on her unsteady leg, but unable to stay upright, she was forced to lean on me for support, a simple motion that forced me to grasp her tightly, to keep her from putting weight on her bad leg. I lifted up, pulling her close to me as my wings beat, and together, forever, we ascended…

I shook the fantasy out of my head. An act of supreme heroism. There was really nothing else I could imagine that would ever win her to my side. Despite it all, every inadequacy and flaw, every terrible heart wrenching failure, despite everything I knew to be the truth, I had to persevere. My heart and soul shouted out to me, demanded I keep trying. And so try I would.

I pricked my hoof again, forcing me to struggle to hold the mouthful of pins steady between my teeth. Sewing is a lot harder for a pegasus than you’d imagine, and it takes a steady hoof to keep yourself from getting injured. Repeatedly.

I sat atop my couch, a cushy piece of cloud I’d fluffed up myself. The living room was a spacious affair, probably a little bigger than needed for only one pony, but space was something I could afford, and my home is something I still take a great deal of pride in. For some pegasi, a cloud house is an extension of themselves, and that’s how it’s always been for me. So when I’d come to Ponyville, I’d set about arranging permits and plans for one of the town’s few cloud houses. It was like my fortress, perhaps the only place I felt like I was safe to be myself.

I’d spread the pattern out on a long coffee table, a piece of real wood enchanted by pegasi magic, like a few other pieces of furniture I owned, to sit upon clouds without sinking. I worked my forehooves through fabric and thread, doing my best to follow the instructions. That pony at the fashion store had made it all sound so easy. Her studio was certainly full of inspiration, materials and dresses in colors and styles I could never conceive of.

"Oh, earmuffs to match a scarf? It would be such a delightful little winter ensemble, perhaps some quaint boots and fur-lined saddle?" She had beamed, levitating out numerous supplies and fabrics, comparing colors and materials against one another.

I just shook my head, keeping it held down, almost afraid to interrupt her. "I... um... n-no, just um... well, the earmuffs. I... I just want to m-make the earmuffs."

"Oh, I see! A do-it-yourself project, is it? How charming! Well then, dear, here's what you'll need." She’d pushed away the majority of materials, and levitated a small stack of fabric and supplies forward. "Now, let me tell you what to do..."

I sighed. She had been so generous, hadn't even charged me. But it wasn't anywhere near as easy as she'd told me. My stitches were sloppy, the cuts inelegant, and my hooves bandaged from all the needle pricks. It was, overall, a mess. The living room table was covered with half-completed, distorted, and misshapen attempts. None of them seemed worthy of her…

I could still see her, a vision that played through my head time and again, her black coat glistening with a light dusting of snow as she trotted across the winter countryside, scarf flowing gently in the wind. She deserved something better than the poorly-sewn ear muffs I struggled with, something I knew I couldn't deliver then. Dusky haunted my very soul. The refrain of her voice in my mind convinced me to try again. Just one more time. Just one more. One last try, just like the last five attempts. I needed it to be perfect.

Even after that, there was nothing for it. I returned the remaining supplies to the fashion shop, apologizing to the unicorn there as best I could. I just wasn't good enough. I didn't know if I ever could be, at something like this. So, in the end, she had helped me through it. I picked out the materials, and the color, and she'd done all the work for me. I’d simply bought them. A pair of fuzzy blue earmuffs.

It didn't feel the same, but... they were something. I planned to give them to her, and.. and then, I didn't know. I wasn't sure I could even speak with her, considering the failures leading up to this point. I’d carried a decent amount of cloud cover to this pre-chosen spot, waiting atop one of the smaller clouds, concealed from anypony below. This was a route I’d found she took pretty often. I’d wanted to say hello, to find some excuse to walk besides her and, well, and anything. I just wanted to tell her how I felt.

I held the earmuffs in one hoof, gazing at the tiny tag I’d affixed to them, her name drawn upon it. I wanted to give them to her, but felt like it would just be too presumptuous, an odd thought all things considered. And I remember… well, I don’t even know what I was thinking. I suppose I stopped thinking. And in a moment of utter impulse that would make my sister proud, I pushed the earmuffs away, off of the cloud and down onto the snow-covered path below.

They fell quickly, and it’d be hard to time what happened first, the impact of ear muffs upon the snow, or the realization of just how stupid I was being. With a rush, I stood, ready to swoop down and retrieve them when I heard a soft creak of hooves upon snow heralding somepony's arrival. I froze, throwing myself to the cloud as quickly as I had stood. If I was lucky, it wouldn't be her, just somepony else out for a walk. I could dive down, play it off as if I’d dropped my ear muffs, and then head home as fast as possible.

A quick peek was all it took to dash my hopes. Of course it was her. Her dark coat obvious against the warm glow from the half set sun. A thousand possibilities played through my head, each one worse than the last. It was obviously not the right color. She’d see me. She’d hate them, and laugh. Laugh at them. Laugh at me. I clutched at the cloud like a life preserver, barely breathing with only the soft ‘pat pat pat’ of her hooves breaking the surface of the snow.

I dared to look again, poking one eye over the edge of the cloud. Her form danced across the snow, and I was afraid she’d hear me just from the quickening of my heart. She stopped, something clearly catching her eye. And then, she turned and headed straight for my misguided delivery. I withdrew, cowering back behind the cloud in preparation against the coming laughter, the mockery.

Down below was only silence. My heart was in my throat, desperate not to be seen, not here, not now. Not after this blunder.

Her voice rang out, piercing through the dark thoughts like a brilliant light. "Thank you!" It echoed over the landscape before it died back into the quiet whisper of the wind. Not laughter, not mockery... I held still, trying to hold onto her voice in my mind. After an eternity, I heard her steps in the snow resume.

Pat pat pat pat.

I poked my head back around the cloud slowly, looking out over the field of white, quickly finding her as she trotted back the way she came. Under her wing, the telltale earmuffs. A part of me still wanted to call out, to fly down and explain myself, but that part remained quelled by the terror of the previous moment. In my struggles, the only victory was the faintest whisper heard only by myself. "You're welcome, Dusky." I stayed up there and watched her go, no need to try and follow her that night, but there was a thought, an image of her in my mind now, scarf about her neck and ears adorned with an extra layer of blue fluff. It brought the red out in my cheeks, and a warmth that wouldn't pass. It wasn't the victory I wanted... maybe it wasn't a victory at all. But somehow, at last, it felt like a start.

3 - The Bar

"It'll be fine! Trust me Flurry!" Mahogany casually hung a wing around my neck, goading me forward despite my protests. "You've been a mess all winter. I've barely even seen you. You totally gotta get out more." We flew in just past the town market, the various vendor stalls were closing up and the streets emptying as ponies began to head home.

I had just woken up when Mahogany knocked on my door, eager to get me out of the house on my night off from work. "You need to loosen up! Knock back. Fall down! Make a night of it! Get out of your house and drink your troubles away!"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, digging my hooves into the grass as the other pegasus continued pushing me forward. "I um... you know I d-don't drink Mahogany."

He gave his usual wry laugh, then nudged me more forcefully. "Then it's time to start!"

I gave a sigh and stopped resisting. Mahogany was more or less my only friend. A delivery pony for the Equestrian Parcel Service branch, which, he assured me repeatedly, was different than the regular postal service. We’d met soon after I'd moved here, when I’d begun building a cloud house on the edge of town. I’d needed a few specially enchanted pieces of pegasus architecture, and most of them were special order from Cloudsdale.

Mahogany was the one who had delivered those pieces over the course of a couple days. Each day, he showed up at my house and we’d talk a little more. After that, there came a point when I just kept talking to him, and Luna bless him, he listened. Soon, I'd started taking the time to fly to the EPS store and we would hang out together. He had grown to become my best friend. There was something that just rang true between us, in a way I never felt with other ponies.

But there was one side of Mahogany I have never understood. Mahogany was a drinker; I think the term I’d use now would be a binge drinker, but at the time I had never actually seen one of the ‘all-nighters’ he bragged about. He said he liked to be the first pony in the bar, and the last to leave. My drinking preference was a simple cup of chamomile tea, but for some reason Mahogany thought it would be a good idea to take me to the bar with him. He'd never pushed me to go, not like he had tonight, and honestly, I was too worn down by everything else this winter to fight him.

Mahogany stopped nudging me forward as we apparently reached our destination. A sign hung over the door, an age-pitted old thing touched up in bright, almost overbearing colors. 'The Lusty Sea Pony.' The name alone should have scared me off, the letters boxed in a blushing pony with a fish tail in place of her rear legs. "So... is that... ‘the Sea Pony’?"

"That's her, in all her lusty glory!"

"S-should I be worried?"

He leaned in, waggling his eyebrows at me. "What… You secretly a sailor or somethin’, Flurry?"

"Um... No?"

"Then you'll be fine!"

I was already committed at this point. If I just stuck close to Mahogany, I thought, I could probably get through the night without panicking too much. "I guess... m-maybe they have... tea?"

Mahogany's smile vanished. He stuck out his tongue; "Tea sucks," then stepped past me and pushed open the door.

I stood at the threshold a moment, staring at the door. In the midst of winter, the warmth coming from inside tempted me, even as I wanted to run away. I took one long last breath of the crisp winter air, and then stepped through the portal after Mahogany.

When I thought of bars, my mind went to cramped, dingy places filled with smoke and darkness. It was with that image in my mind that I found the surprisingly spacious interior to be almost welcoming. It was utterly alien to my senses, the harsh smell of fried foods and bitter drinks. The sounds were overwhelming, too many ponies and too many conversations. My ears folded back to try and cut down the noise, but my eyes were drawn to an ample fireplace that filled the room with a friendly light.

Mahogany waved to the collected patrons and began to move toward the bar. The place was full of ponies, causing me to follow Mahogany closely, not wanting to be left alone here. Not with so many strangers around, watching me. None of it affected Mahogany as he strode up to the stallion behind the counter and ordered confidently. "Barkeep! Three buzzards!"

I followed his lead, raising a hoof slightly and managing to whimper out a quiet. "And um... tea for um... for me, please?"

Shaking his head, Mahogany lowered my hoof with his. "Heh, nuh-uh, Night. See, one of the buzzards is for you." The barkeep delivered the order and Mahogany slid the first glass to me. The strong odor hit me hard as I fumbled to take the glass and hold it steady under a wing. "I present ‘The Buzzard’! My own creation, whiskey and soda, nothing finer!" The second glass, Mahogany immediately brought to his mouth, taking a long drink to drain it.

I sniffed at the other drink, the smell burning at my nose. "If um… if you say so…"

He took the final glass from the Barkeep with a practiced ease, turning away from the bar and out towards the tables. "Now then, let’s go meet the regulars!"

That threw me. "R-Regulars?" Mahogany had made it sound like we would get our own place to sit and just hang out together. He’d said nothing about meeting with any other ponies. I hesitated before following after Mahogany through the maze of tables towards whatever fate he had planned for me.

He slid up to the table, slamming down his whiskey glass in an overly-dramatic fashion as he called out. "Ladies!"

There were three mares sitting there. The first on the left, a light green unicorn sitting quietly as if lost in her own thoughts. The second, a shockingly tall unicorn covered in scales. I boggled a moment at the dragon-like pony, but a second look revealed the scales to be intricate armor, carefully painted to almost look like it was part of her. I traced the patterns carefully as I tried to match it with any of the branches of the Equestrian Guard, but my mind came up blank. The third...

Dusky. My legs froze up, and I just stared at her. She was already talking to Mahogany, a silly smile on her face. He responded violently and his wing suddenly forced me up to the table. "I just got my best bud, Flurry here, to help me tonight!"

My knees shook as I was suddenly thrust into the spotlight. I tried to stammer out some kind of greeting, but instead just slid the other glass of alcohol onto the surface. I've heard some unicorns have a spell that lets them teleport wherever they want, or turn themselves invisible. In that instant I desperately wished for something to make me utterly disappear.

"Let me introduce you to my drinkin' pals! This here's Dusky," He gestured a hoof towards her, not knowing that her name was already emblazoned in my mind. He moved his hoof to the first unicorn. "that's Terrabona, an'... an'…" He paused at the large unicorn in the armor. "Terra Number Two!"

Terra Number Two made no response, but Dusky gave a short snicker that made me smile when I heard it. "That's Starshadow, a newcomer and definitely far too sober to be a clone of Terra."

Mahogany nodded, extending a hoof. "Huh. Well, nice to meet ya, Starshadow!"

"Hi." Starshadow's response was as short as her hoof shake before turning her attention back to her book.

"Not too talkative, eh?" Mahogany pulled his hoof back and grasped his glass once again. "How'dja even meet, anyway?"

Dusky shot a glance at the first unicorn, who was busy draining her own drink. "Terra was already getting all... friendly with her when I arrived."

Terra threw up her forehooves. "An' she wash jus' here, sho I deshided to shay 'hi!'"

I cringed at Terra’s behavior, the slurred words making it obvious just how drunk she was. I shot Mahogany a look, then turned looked at ‘my’ untouched glass. Is this what he meant when he said he closed out the bar? It hardly seemed like something I'd want to be involved with.

My thoughts were interrupted as Mahogany wrapped a foreleg around me, pulling me into a close hug. "Haha, 'kay! Well this here's Night Flurry, mah best bud! He's new too!" Everypony was looking, Mahogany being way too interested in getting them to pay attention to me, as if I'd have anything worthwhile to contribute. I shrank back when he let me go, desperately wishing I wasn't there.

My eyes kept wandering to Dusky, sitting across the table with a warm smile on her face, clearly enjoying the company of friends. I felt like I was intruding. She was watching Terra with a strange look, like she was trying to figure something out and couldn't quite piece it together. Dusky’s eyes moved about quickly, stopping on each pony in turn before focusing on her friend. I leaned forward in my seat just slightly. She was right there. A spark of courage began to burn in the pit of my stomach, and all I'd need to do would be to open my mouth and say something.

The sudden sound of somepony crashing into the bar floor quenched that spark. All eyes turned to Terra, but I instinctively flinched away from the clamor. Dusky was already at Terra’s side, hefting her friend upright as Terra protested with repeated cries of "I'm okay! I’m okay!"

Mahogany chuckled, belatedly getting up to help Dusky steady her. "You sure you can even handle one more, Terra?"

Terra wobbled, shifting her weight from Dusky’s shoulder to Mahogany’s. Her stance widened as she tried to stop herself from falling again. "Shut up! I can and you know it!"

"Okay, okay. Just one more. I got this, Dusky. S'my turn anyway." Dusky gave a short nod as Mahogany took the brunt of Terra's weight and slowly began to guide her to the bar.

Dusky shook her head, then called after. "Grab me a cider while you're at it!" She moved to return to her seat, glancing about the table until her eyes settled on me. I shrank involuntarily beneath her scrutiny. That spark of courage desperately tried to rekindle. She looked towards Starshadow, who remained sitting off to the side, undisturbed by the commotion and not bothering to assist.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could do this. All I had to do was... was... "D-Dusky! Hi!" The words hung awkwardly in the air.

She turned her head slowly to peer at me. "Uh, hi."

"I-I'm N-Night L-" I winced at the slip, digging my hooves into the table, feeling it tremble slightly along with me "F-flurry!"

"So Mahogany said." Her voice was steady, and her gaze didn't waver, but I was just waiting for her to judge me. I was sure I'd come up inadequate.

I broke my eyes away from hers, voice dropping to a low whisper. "Haha, he did, didn't he? Ha…" The awkwardness in the air felt as thick and impenetrable as any blizzard. I was done. I had nowhere else to go, nothing else to say, my brain just locked up.

Dusky's voice filled the silence, but not with any question towards me, but to the armored pony sitting with us. "Sooo, Starshadow, you said you're a knight, right?" A sudden curiosity gripped me, as I wasn't sure if I had heard correctly. Equestria hadn't knighted anypony in... well, I still don't know how long. Over a thousand years, at least.

"Mmmhmmm." Starshadow answered lightly, as if it were the most mundane piece of information possible, but in my mind it was a revelation. Some kind of special Knight, that would explain the armor, certainly. Why she was in this bar must have been another story. I leaned in, ears swiveling forward to catch the conversation.

Dusky smiled eagerly, and I wondered if she was as enthralled by the idea of knights as I was. "Do you mind if I ask about Ostfriesen?"

Starshadow studied Dusky, as if questioning the sudden intrusion upon her thoughts. I wondered if she wasn't part of some secret quest, preparing for some far off adventure.

Dusky tilted her head, and I shrank back slightly in sympathy. The mood was shifting back into that awkward silence, only this time she was the target, not me. "What?"

"You are the first to ask further." The knight responded coldly.

"I am?"

"The ponies here always become silent and move on when I mention Ostfriesen."

Dusky blushed, just a touch, the color barely visible against her dark coat, but the sight of it raised a matching color on my own face. Her smiled had dropped in response to Starshadow's response. "Oh, um... sorry about that. That's not your fault. Towns this far in don't do well with foreigners."

"And yet you ask." Starshadow tilted her head, as if to study Dusky, and see what made her so special.

Starshadow's words just made me cringe, a pang of guilt hitting me as well. So that explained the armor entirely then. Not just a Knight, a foreign Knight. 'Ostfriesen', her homeland.

I watched Dusky, her smile returning in force, the excitement upon her face was contagious. "I'm a traveler. You might say visiting other places has left me more open-minded."

A... a traveler. I stared at Dusky anew. I'd looked at her schedules at work; it explained her long absences, periods lasting several months where she didn't take any shifts at all. She had been out doing amazing things. Things I'd only read about in storybooks. I glanced at Starshadow again. Knighthood. Adventure. ...Dusky. I felt my cheeks reddening further as my mind grasped at the possibilities.

She said something and I shook my head, trying to clear out the fantasies and return to the conversation as Starshadow responded to something else Dusky had said. "What would you like to know?"

Dusky's voice rose in a way that made my heart soar, her tone entirely different than it had been when I'd introduced myself. She was... almost giddy. "Anything. I've only ever heard the name in passing."

There was something there that made her shine, and I only wished I could say or do something that could make her that happy. Even if it wasn't directed at me.

Starshadow took a moment to consider, staring at her book before answering. "Our country is led by Queen Papaya and her council, which is comprised of our most experienced knights."

"Their chamber sits atop the Spire of Strength, a great stone tower in the centre of Castle Tapioca, our capital. The castle is named for Queen Tapioca, the first of the royal lineage. She is said to have taken on an Elder Wyrm in single combat and survived to tell the tale."

It was incredible... an entire country of knights, founded on the strength of its leader, and born of tales of dragons and heroism. It was almost unbelievable, but here was living proof. The story was certainly romantic, and even if it wasn't true, by the moon, I wanted to believe it.

Dusky sounded impressed, even if her expression remained far more passive than my own. "That's quite the feat. Although, given what I've heard of the monsters in your region, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

"Are the creatures of the Everfree not comparable?"

"Maybe? I don't know. Few ponies go in willingly and even fewer choose to pick fights." Dusky pulled back slightly, her expression saying that there was more she wanted to say, but held back.

Starshadow's face grew grim as she now passed judgement. "I see. Then perhaps it is time that someponies did." She stared at Dusky, but it felt as if her words were aimed right at me. That wasn't just an idle statement. That was almost a mandate. A chance to make up for past failures.

Dusky didn't sound so sure, although I didn't know why. "That's... uh, very brave of you."

"Bravery is part of our duty." She was so confident, so sure of herself.

I envied Starshadow, and these ‘Knights of Ostfriesen’. It was another dream. Bravery and duty. The words echoed in my head, but like my attempt to join the Royal Guard, I could never do it. But still... I stared at Starshadow, thinking of the possibilities. The image of myself in thick scaled armor, wielding some mystical blade mounted upon my hoof, protecting Dusky, adventuring with her. Doing something glorious and heroic that would earn her respect. And earn her love.

I nearly jumped as Mahogany and Terra returned, throwing several glasses of alcohol up onto the table. "Whew! Long line! Shtotally worth it, though!" Terra settled in besides Dusky, and I looked about, finding myself suddenly overwhelmed again. Starshadow, Mahogany, Terra... Dusky...

The panic rose up in my chest and I stood quickly. "E-excuse me…" I stepped back, and as my face reddened I slipped away.

I moved up to the bar, glancing at the barkeep nervously. "T-tea. I just need... tea." I gave out a long sigh, and looked back towards the others. Starshadow had resumed her reading, once more becoming oblivious to the rest of the bar’s patrons. Mahogany and Terra, now fully resupplied, continued their drunken banter. And Dusky sat at the table, a cider in hoof, smiling at her friends.

I stared from across the bar, conflicted by my feelings. I was nervous, unsure, utterly terrified. But... I'd spoken with her. She knew my name. Thoughts of romanticism and heroism kept swirling about in my brain, all around an image of her.

The Barkeep returned at last, setting a hot kettle down upon the bar. As I gripped its handle in my mouth, I slowly began to work my way back. The evening passed, and I ended up carrying Mahogany home that night. I remember as I trotted down the Ponyville streets, something inside of me felt... right.

I had a revelation. Despite it all, or maybe because of it all, I actually felt better. Mahogany had been right, everything had been fine. And in ensuring Mahogany got home safe, I realized that I would do it again. That was the night I took my first steps toward becoming a ‘regular’ of the Lusty Sea Pony.

4 - Declaration

I won't deny it; I wasn't thinking particularly clearly at that moment. I could argue that the least rational thing in existence is a pony with his heart set on love, but there were other thoughts pushing away my common sense as well. The light shining into the Everfree was patchy at best, as if the dense overgrowth was actively trying to block out Celestia's sun. That thought made me shudder, and as I poked my head through the foliage I took a moment to wait. I watched a moment before I slipped into a seemingly empty clearing.

I held my breath, feeling exposed. Something that resembled rational thinking finally broke into my mind, making me wonder just what in Tartarus I was doing there in the midst of the deadly forest. Of course, I knew exactly why I was there. Because of her. Dusky Down, the adventurous traveler. Bravery and duty, and Starshadow had given me a way.

Somepony needed to stand up against the creatures of the forest and make it safe for the ponies living in Ponyville. Now, to impress Dusky, to show who I could be to Starshadow, I'd decided that pony would be me. That morning, I'd polished off my old armor, from my attempt to join the Royal Guard. After I'd dropped out of the training, some strings had been pulled, and I had received the armor as something of a 'parting gift'. I hung onto it out of a strange sense of obligation. I'd thought that I could finally put the armor to the purpose I had failed to fulfill.

It would have been a terrible mistake, and as I stood in that clearing I was glad that I'd talked myself out of wearing the armor. I was making noise enough on my own, let alone with thirty extra pounds of metal plating. I barely kept myself from flying off in panic just walking through the forest. If something attacked, I was in no shape to fight it off, with or without armor and the meager training I'd received.

The forest was filled with threatening sounds. I was a stranger here, and it was persistent in telling me I didn't belong. I moved forward, determined to prove to myself that I could do this, that I could be brave, and adventurous. That I was worthy of being a knight.

A voice cried out, interrupting my thoughts. "Do not continue upon this trail!" I jumped as the voice echoed through the clearing, dropping down defensively, seeking its source while slowly spreading my wings in preparation to flee. "Or else your quest shall surely fail!"

I found her moving towards me slowly, one hoof raised in a placating gesture, strange patterns painted upon the hair of her body, and gold jewelry around her neck and forehoof. I stepped back carefully and glanced down at the ground. Directly in my path was a group of stones, arranged into a circle. The stranger came to a halt, gesturing towards them. "Mischievous creatures set these traps of stone, those who enter vanish, their fates unknown."

"S-stones? Traps?" I looked down at the ring and shuddered. I was already on edge, my nerves frayed all the more by this apparent close encounter, but the pieces were starting to come together. "I... thank you, for the warning. You're um... y-you're um... I... I'm sorry. I've heard rumors, but... I don't know your name... y-you're the zebra... who lives here, r-right?"

She bowed her head. "Zecora is my name. Would you be so kind as to tell me the same?"

I bowed quickly as well, not wanting to be rude. "Oh! Um... right! Right... I'm Night... Night Flurry."

"The unprepared should take flight, before they fall into a nasty plight."

"I..." She was right, of course. I knew I had no business being here, and yet I still paused. "Y-yeah... I should go..."

Zecora tilted her head slightly before giving me a kind smile. "I think there is still something here you must find, walk with me and tell me what's on your mind. I shall guide you out of the trees. Perhaps by then you’ll be more at ease."

I let out a sigh. "I...at ease? Well... I'm not... that is... I... I just came to..." I trailed off, thinking of just how stupid the end of that sentence would have sounded. I came to slay a monster, become a knight, and win a damsel's heart. "...to um... t-to pick some t-tea leaves."

"It seems you were lost before you arrived, to my ears your story is quite contrived."

My ears dropped back. Of course she'd seen through the lie. If she'd looked back, she'd have seen it written across my face. But something else about what she said grabbed my attention. "W-wait... lost... before I arrived? Um... w-what do you mean?"

She turned her head to lock an eye with mine and her gaze pierced me. I wanted to flinch away, but something held my eye to hers. "Your head thinks that you know, where you stand and where you go. But your heart does not give its assent, for it knows that something is absent."

I frowned, not sure what Zecora was driving at. "I... no. T-that doesn't make any sense… I mean… I'm making friends..." There was a lump in my throat, and at last I was able to break away from the Zebra's gaze. "...and... then there's... Dusky."

Zecora turned back and stepped closer, bringing up a hoof to set against my chin. She guided my head back until my eyes met hers and leaned in closer. "I see in you such a tangled fate, a soul upon which rests much weight. Friends will help you, I cannot deny, but you must learn it is in yourself whom you must rely."

My head dropped aside as I pulled away from her touch, unsure how to respond to the zebra's rhyme. I stammered, fumbling for a reply to tell her that I knew exactly how reliable I was, but then just fell silent. The truth of the matter was that I wasn't reliable. I knew this was all a fool's errand.

"Then... I guess... its n-not really worth trying. I'm not any good..."

She blasted out a snort and didn't look back. "Your soul is unfit for such lies. Why can't you see your worth with your own eyes?"

"I... b-because I'm useless. I mean... I can do my job. But... I can't... I'm..." I couldn't hold it in anymore, I had to tell somepony. It was time to confess. "I'm just not able to tell Dusky that... I l-love her."

Zecora laughed lightly. "Your claim to love does not sound quite so strong, I wonder if your heart is telling you that it's very wrong."

"I... I'm not wrong! I know it! I love her..."

She stopped, raising a hoof. I fell silent, ears twitching to listen for some oncoming threat. A minute passed with no signs of danger, and finally she lowered her hoof and continued to move forward. "The love you claim for her would not end in bliss. How can you love another, when love for yourself you dismiss."

"T-that's... different..." I slowed a moment, looking down. "It's... I'm..." The words died on my tongue. But that strange fire in my heart had been fanned anew. Of course I knew what love was. Here I was in the Everfree all because of love. "I... I understand love. Dusky is perfect. She... y-you'll see. I'm here to prove it! To... to be brave and prove I'm worthy of being with her!"

Disapproval was obvious on her face, but I was too fired up to flinch aside as she made her proclamation. "So I see. You did not come for tea." She pointed a hoof. "Ponyville is just ahead, but I will warn you of where your path has lead."

I turned my eyes to the trail, ears lowering at Zecora's tone. "I... I don't need a warning."

She laughed, but her tone was deadly serious. "You need to hear it now all the more, you're in greater danger than you were before. Only tragedy will come if you continue to stray, and so I tell you to go, do not stay."

I glanced ahead along the trail, nodding my head. "R-right. I won't stay here any longer, thank you, um... Zecora." I started to move past her, ready to leave the Everfree behind me.

She placed a hoof against my chest before I could go. "You misunderstand my word's intent, I do not speak merely of where you went. You must consider who you are, the damage done has not yet left a scar. And if you seek love for yourself and this mare, then with your choices, you must take care. Trod not upon the path of the Knight, for the path that suits you is one of light."

Her last words struck me like a stray lightning bolt. I staggered back from her hoof, my mind reeling. "Y-you... how did you... h-how?"

She closed her eyes and dipped her head. "You read like an open book, and I apologize for the assumptions I took." She stepped back, lowering her hoof down to dig slightly at the ground. "Now best be off, and hurry! To whatever your path leads you, Night Flurry.

I gathered my strength, and pulled forward to force a smile at the zebra. "I... yes. T-thanks again, Zecora... I'll... just... be off." I waved a hoof weakly and bowed my own head, not able to meet her eyes anymore. It was all too bizarre. The whole forest felt unreal, and Zecora most of all.

The trail was easy to follow as the sunlight grew through the foliage. I turned back at the edge of the forest, catching a glimpse of the zebra as she turned away to move onto whatever business I had interrupted. I gave a nervous wave back, but was sure she hadn't seen me. I let out a sigh and took wing, heading home with a head full of painful memories.

I flew straight home from the forest. The whole trip had been a mistake, but despite that knowledge, the fire in my heart still burned. There was something about the Everfree, wild and uncontrollable. I’d entered the forest afraid of the creatures causing some physical injury. Instead, the talk with Zecora had been an attack of a different sort, it opened old wounds in my heart, but alongside that pain was courage and defiance. Courage that urged me to action, and defiance to prove Zecora, and myself, wrong. To finally push away doubts and just tell Dusky how I felt about her.

It was with thoughts of the future and that foreign determination that I flew to the Lusty Sea Pony again. I had planned every word out in my head beforehand and repeated it over and over as a mantra for strength. It wasn't too late when I arrived, but I’d checked her schedule at work. She'd already be inside, there would be no way she would miss me when I entered.

I stood at the threshold, the goose bumps I felt had nothing to do with the chill winter air, and set my hoof on the door. One last deep breath, now or never. I closed my eyes and pushed inside.

“H-hello? E-excuse me...” I couldn't stop now, my focus on trying to keeping myself breathing as I continued. "there... there's something I need to say, a-and I've got to get it out before I lose the courage. I... I have to confess... I... I am completely infatuated with you! F-from the day I first saw you. Every time I see you, I just get a lump in my throat that won't go away. I'm sorry, but... I just... I need you to know how I feel. And so..." I opened my eyes nervously in the silence. “...Oh.”

Her seat was empty, along with most of the bar, a few patrons scattered here and there. I dropped down, disappointment flooding into me, everything had been for nothing. I should have known better than to get my hopes up. The courage was all just bravado, lies I'd told myself to get to this point, and now they were revealed. I felt like I was dying inside, my voice punctured like a balloon. "S-she's... not here..."

The sound of snickering snapped me out of my misery. "Nobody here but us chickens!" My head jerked towards the voice. Mahogany sat at a nearby table, doing his best to keep himself from breaking into laughter.

A second voice jumped in. "She who?" Blizzard Breeze sat across from Mahogany with a drink of her own. A green-blue pegasus, we'd met at one of those big weather conventions up in Cloudsdale through our mutual friend. And she'd heard me too, of course.

I panicked as the room closed in on me. "N-No! Y-you two! You can't say anything about this! I... t-this can't leave here! I... I knew it was a terrible idea... k-knew I'd screw it up."

Blizzard managed to stifle her own laughter before standing up. Her face showed some actual concern as she stepped towards me. "Okay, calm down. Look, whoever it is you thought you were talking to, you obviously care for her."

Mahogany snorted. "Yep. I'd figured you had it bad, Flurry. Let's get you a drink and get to work at getting you over her, whoever she is."

I nodded dumbly, looking down at the bar floor. "I... I was rehearsing that... I needed to be able to say it s-straight through, without thinking... or I knew I wouldn't be able to do it."

Blizzard glanced at Mahogany before she smiled back at me. She raised a hoof to tap against my head. "Well, there's your problem. You're not thinking."

A nervous laugh was all I could manage. "Yeah... that's been the problem since I first saw her... w-when I see her, she's all that I can think about."

Mahogany sighed. "Yep. He's gone. Ze evil, evil love. An' the only solution is more booze!" He raised his glass before downing the drink.

With a gentle prod, Blizzard leaned in closer. "Come on Night, its okay. Who is she?"

My voice failed me as I barely stammered out a whisper. "D-Du..."

"It's not that mail mare, is it?" Mahogany raised an eyebrow.

I shook my head, taking a deep breath. "N-no, it's... Dusky." The name came out like a sigh of relief.

"So what's the problem?" Blizzard looked up towards the bar ceiling in contemplation. "Why not just tell her?"

"A-after this?" I waved a hoof towards the few scattered patrons of the bar, most of which had turned back to their drinks by then. "It's hopeless... I just... can't."

Taking another drink, Mahogany gave his opinion on a slow drawl. "Aaaaaangst!"

Blizzard grinned at her drinking partner and flashed me a wicked smile. "Fine. I'll just tell her next time I see her."

"W-what? No! You can't! Please! If... if she ever found out I was this... this pathetic... this stupid..."

Mahogany cackled. "Do it, Bree! Reveal his secrets! Unmask his wuv!"

Ignoring Mahogany, Blizzard stepped back, glaring at me as if studying a bug. "Well, you're right. I'm convinced. Why would she want anypony so lacking in confidence."

"I... Y-yeah..." I dropped my head in defeat, staring at the bar room floor. Failure after failure, Blizzard was right. Best to just give up and go home. But without thinking my voice rose back up. "What... what am I going to do...?"

She pushed a wing under my chin, lifting my head back up to look at her. "Hey. Okay, question one: Does she know who you are?"

I gave a weak nod. "I.. yes? Maybe..."

Blizzard nodded firmly. "Does she know your name? Does she ever say hello to you?"

I tried to relax, but was far too worked up to untense now. "She... has. She said h-hi when she saw me... and... we... I talked back... a little... kind of."

She moved in to wrap her wings around me in a gentle, but firm hug. I shook, wanting to flail and break free, but her gesture was too strong. "Okay, next step. What does she like to do?"

That I could answer. I'd spent some much time thinking about what she'd revealed about herself the night before, there was no doubt of the answer. "She... likes to travel."

She pulled her wings back and clapped her forehooves together excitedly. "Perfect! I know just the thing then! The Fetlock Falls Winter Festival is happening next weekend, you could take her there."

My gut twisted as my hooves tried to buckle beneath me. "I... l-like a date? S-should I plan a trip schedule? P-pack some food? Do I need tickets? Oh Luna... I um..."

Blizzard giggled as she watched me and made some placating gestures with her hooves. "It's alright, Night! I already mentioned it to her, and she seemed interested. Next time you see her, just bring it up casually. Then suggest going together, maybe offer to pay for her train ticket, and there you go!"

Mahogany gave a dark laugh from his seat. "Awful lot of work and bits just to break his heart. You'd be better off forgettin' about her, Night. Mares are just trouble." He raised his glass towards Blizzard. "Present company excluded."

"Oh hush, 'Hoggy." She moved to the table and tapped her glass against his. "We're angst buddies, but don't be stomping Flurry's dreams. It's just a crush. It's cute."

Mahogany gave a snort. "He's my buddy. I'm not the one who'll be stomping on his dreams. We'll leave that to Dusky, I guess."

5 - Pressure

I woke up early that afternoon, stretching out my wings and limbs carefully before I stepped outside my cloud house. I took a deep breath, taking in the scent of fresh snow. The scheduled storm appeared to be winding down, but some of the clouds still appeared darker than they should, still heavy with snow. Another error from the Cloudsdale Weather Factory. I was sure the day team could handle it, but I made a mental note to triple check to be sure any remnant clouds were cleared up tonight so that the snow didn't end up out of control.

Before my shift started I had plans. That was a strange notion since I’d barely ever had plans in the five years I’d lived in Ponyville. I was meeting Mahogany at the Seapony again, breakfast tea in the late afternoon before I worked through the night. I could be a drinking buddy of sorts, make a few other friends, and eventually, I’d run into Dusky again.

I slipped into my flight satchels, checking the flaps to ensure that everything was properly secured. Fetlock Falls.

I smiled, almost not willing to believe it was even possible for it to all work out. We’d travel together, enjoy the Festival, and well... be together. It would be perfect.

The bar was pleasantly quiet when I arrived, Mahogany at the table the group seemed to usually frequent in the otherwise empty surroundings. I went to the bar to get a cup of my favorite chamomile tea, while Mahogany had already started with a Buzzard. I sat besides him, facing the fireplace and watching it flicker peacefully. Every so often, I glanced back at the door in anticipation, thinking of Dusky. But of course it wasn't Dusky who entered.

“There he is.” A red glow surrounded my tea cup, sliding it out of my forehooves and away from me. I flailed for the cup, but Terrabona was at my side, her horn glowing as she set the cup down just out of reach. “Alright flyboy. Just spit it out, I want details.”

I tilted my head up to look at her. “Just... spit it out? But… I like my tea. W-what are we talking about?”

Terrabona grinned, glancing at Mahogany who raised his glass to her in salute. “We need to talk about you and a certain mare. I know it all, so just fess up.”

My jaw dropped as I followed Terrabona’s look towards my friend. “M-Mahogany... you told her? Y-you told her about my confession?”

Mahogany raised his free hoof to his face and sighed. “Nope. I didn't. I promised I wouldn't. But you did. Just now. Smoooooooth.”

As she slipped into the seat across from me, Terrabona cackled wickedly. “I knew it! Now come clean! Tell me all about her.”

My ears dropped, heart beating under the pressure of Terrabona’s gaze. “I... I... s-she... t-that is... D-D—”

With a smack of satisfaction, Mahogany knocked back his drink and casually interrupted. “He’s got a crush on Dusky.”

Terrabona let out a sigh as she shook her head. “Well, obviously, but I was trying to get him to say it.”

He grinned back at her. “I already saw this show and didn't want to sit through it again. Sorry if I ruined the ending, I’ve never liked suspense movies.”

My cheeks burned red as I glanced between the two of them. “I... w-was going... to um... going to ask her... on a d-date.”

With a sudden outburst, Terrabona clapped her hooves excitedly. “Perfect! I was going to say you needed to take the initiative, but you’re way ahead of me!”

I flinched at the noise nearly as much as at the attention. “Well... I um... I still h-have to ask her.”

“You worry too much. You’ll ask her out, and it’ll be fine!”

With a snort, Mahogany leaned towards me, dismissively waving a hoof at Terrabona. “Or you’ll mess it up, make a total foal of yourself, and then have to ditch town.”

My eyes went wide as I leaned away nervously. “W-why would you say that?”

He gave a shrug and glanced at his now empty drink. “Just trying to help you imagine the worst thing possible so that if she doesn't issue a restraining order, you’ll be pleasantly surprised!”

Terrabona’s expression looked like it could cut through stone as she glared at Mahogany, before she relented and turned back to me. “Look, I’ll be honest Flurry, it might not work out. But if she can’t handle you being a little blundery, well…” She trailed off and just gave me a small smile.

I took a deep breath and tried to release the tension building up in my legs. “It’s just... so hard. I get so nervous around her... a-and with ponies in general... especially with her.”

Mahogany nodded, glancing around the empty bar. “Getting him to come here was a scheme which took years to execute! And now he won’t even have any booze to loosen his tongue!”

Terra grinned at me. “Oh he doesn't need booze. It might help. But what he needs is practice!” She leaned in, studying me like a fresh apple in the market. “Alright Flurry. Tell me, what are you going to say to Dusky next time you see her?”

My mouth opened, but nothing came out. I just stared at Terrabona, feeling my face go red as I began to deflate in place. “I... don't know…”

“Then it's time to figure it out!”

Mahogany sniggered into his drink, his voice full of sarcastic glee. “Yeah, show us your weapons, Casanova.”

Terra shushed Mahogany, but her grin wasn't innocent either. “Look Flurry, there's no one else here. Mahogany already knows. I already know. Just imagine she's right here. Close your eyes and just think of what you wish you could say to her.”

I backed away from her ever so slightly, the way she was looking at me just made me even more uncomfortable with the whole situation. I gave out a sigh, knowing she wouldn't let up. “A-alright... just... give me a second.”

The grin on her face widened and I started to wonder if this was all a terrible mistake. Mahogany wasn't much better, although he stayed quiet and just nodded lazily behind his glass. I cleared my throat, and closed my eyes, casting forth to see her in my mind. Dusky Down.

“Dusky, since the first day I saw you, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you.” I bit back the stutter, letting the words flow out now that I'd begun. “I... I'd been trying to get the courage to talk to you, but, I couldn't... I gave you the earmuffs you found. I left them there for you.”

“And now, I just wish that I could be brave enough to tell you... to say how much I love you... and to hope... That you'd look at me... and maybe see... just how special you are to me…”

I trailed off, sighing again just slightly. Why couldn't it be so easy to just say that to her face? Maybe I did need practice. I opened my eyes, only to be met with a vision of rapidly flailing hooves. “I... Terrabona? Why are you... what’s wrong with your legs?”

Her face wasn't the same devious smirk anymore; instead, she wore a panicked look. She finally stopped waving her hooves long enough to glance behind me and shout out. “Oh, uh... Hi, Dusky! Fine evening we're having!”

The voice behind me stopped my heart. “Uh, hi.”

“Um... what?” I didn't want to believe it. It had to be a cruel joke. My eyes darted first to Terrabona's, then to Mahogany's. They were both locked onto whoever was behind me. I forced myself to turn my head, blood rushing to my face. It was Dusky, I already knew. She peered at us, at me, a grim look upon her face. I barely squeaked out an answer. “H-hi?”

Nothing. Silence. I felt my face continue to redden and I wanted nothing more than to simply disappear from the face of Equestria. There was no hope that she hadn't heard anything. At best, maybe she believed I was talking about somepony else. “I... did... how... um... how long were you standing there...?”

At the table, Terrabona coughed quietly and shoved one of her whiskey glasses to me. It skidded to a halt at my side, and I eyed it cautiously, anything to keep my focus away from Dusky.

Dusky's voice remained steady. “Long enough to hear the whole thing.”

“Um... oh…” So she knew. It was hopeless. I didn't think then, my mind too clouded by my own doubts. I grabbed the whiskey and with only a momentary look at the golden liquid I raised the glass and poured it all into my mouth.

I think part of me believed it would make me feel better, or stronger, or somehow confident. I'd watched Mahogany and Terrabona drinking the stuff, certainly. I couldn't have predicted the burning in my mouth and throat. It was like trying to drink fire and I responded as one might expect. Wracked with coughing, I spit the liquid back up onto the bar floor.

My voice was hoarse as I struggled to regain my voice, the weakness of my words only matched by how weak I felt just then. “Well... I meant it.”

It was out in the open now, no sense denying it.

“I could tell.” Her voice was a bit strained, the very edge of her patience was worn out.

Everything was falling apart. This was why I shouldn't have come to the bar, why ponies were better off without me around. I was just an awful, awkward mess. I stumbled away from the table, not daring to look up. “I should... I should probably go…”

“Wait, Night Flurry.” Her voice cut through the haze. I looked to her. “Can we talk? In private?”

There was perhaps a brief twitch in her eye, nothing more. No anger there. No mockery. But why? Why in private? To humiliate me alone? Shout me down for even daring to think I was good enough for her? It was probably what I deserved. “Um... Yeah... yeah... wherever you want…”

Dusky turned aside and headed towards the back of the bar, towards a small hallway lined by several private rooms. I nervously took a step to follow after. I gave a sad look at Terrabona, who smiled at me apologetically, mouthing “Hooves crossed!”

I just nodded in response and followed after Dusky.

Once inside the back room, she pointed me over to a table far from the door, and without fanfare I crossed over to take a seat. Terrabona's gesture still echoed in my thoughts, and I smiled just a little as Dusky looked my way, still hoping for something beyond utter disaster.

Dusky silently waited at the door, her dark coat blending into the shadows. I started to open my mouth, confused, but she held up a hoof. I dropped back down in the seat, staying quiet. I could feel my heart beating harder, the wait was almost torture of its own.

Her voice suddenly lashed out like a whip. “Terra, I know you’re there! Cut it out!”

She waited a moment longer, then nodded in satisfaction at the faint murmurs through the door. She sighed and turned to face me, her face still just as stern with me as it had been with Terrabona.

She looked at me a moment, and I turned my eyes away. A slight sigh, and she moved closer, taking the seat at the table across from me. I felt her gaze, but she was still quiet. It felt like it dragged on for hours, although I can't imagine she'd have waited more than a few minutes. I dared to look up, my eyes meeting hers. Those beautiful eyes that drew me in and held me down.

Her eyes were hard, unwavering, uncompromising. “Look, Night Flurry, the whole romantic speech thing is flattering, but we hardly know each other. It makes the entire thing lose all of its weight.”

Defeated, I dropped my gaze. “I... I know... maybe... I um... well... this is my fault... I knew I shouldn't have listened to them…”

“Terra?” She asked, but I was sure she already knew the answer.

I gave a simple nod, not meeting her eyes again.

“Right.”

I closed my eyes a moment, taking a long breath. I had to come clean. She knew now, how I felt. It was already too late to disguise it. “Maybe it's just a crush, but maybe not.”

My eyes rose up towards her hopefully, but her expression remained the same. “I don't know... I really want to learn more about you, and to make this work.. but... I'm... I'm not very good at it…”

She suddenly looked worn down, tired. “Okay, slow down. Let’s start at friends. It’s simple and will let you sort your feelings out. From there we’ll have to wait and see. And if you’re really serious about getting to know me, the first thing you have to do is stop following me around.”

I felt the blush that burned across my face as I drooped down. She was tired. Tired of being followed. Tired of me. She knew. She'd known before I opened my mouth tonight, I felt like I could die right then and there.

Still, what she'd said. As I processed it, what she wanted from me wasn't for me to leave her alone. It wasn't for me to never talk to her again, which surely I deserved to be told. Let's start at friends. “I... would like that. T-to be friends. I'm... sorry. I'll just... take it down a notch... a few notches.”

I couldn't stop the nervous smile from peeking onto my face.

She breathed out quietly, granting me a slight smile of her own. “That would be a good start.”

“I won't make any promises that I'll stop feeling this way…” I cringed. It was the truth, and no matter how I tried, that wouldn't change. “but... I'll try to keep it more... um... civil... sorry…”

“I guess that will have to do.” Her voice maintained that same tone.

My mind drifted to my plan. The two of us, together. I looked at Dusky, trying to force myself to talk again and ask her. If she said no now, I wouldn't lose anything. The words still fought with me, my mind and heart at war, but at last my heart won out.

“Th-there’s this festival... in Fetlock. W-would you like to go?” My eyes went wide as my mind finally caught up to what my heart was doing, and I hastily added. “A-as friends, of course!”

She looked at me carefully, as if trying to see through me. Her simple smile faded into a harder expression, and for a moment, I thought I'd at last overstepped myself. Her response surprised me, she nodded her head. “I was already planning to check it out, but I wouldn't mind the company of a friend.”

My eyes went wide, and I couldn't help but keep the smile from lighting my face.

“Yes!” I sputtered slightly, trying to, as I'd promised, take it down a notch. “I mean... yes, so, um, I can get the train tickets in the morning.”

“Actually, I was going to fly.” she tilted her head, glancing to my side, my wings. “Can you handle the distance?”

Somehow, I thought the train would be the safer bet, but I was no stranger to long nights of flying. Still, the thought of just the two of us, flying side by side. Well, it struck me. “Um, yeah. I-I think I can.”

“All right, I think that covers everything, then. We should get back; the others are probably wonder what’s taking us.” She rose from the table, and began moving towards the door.

I called after her. “Dusky…” She glanced back at me. “I’m sorry… a-and thank you. For understanding and for... for being willing to stay friends…”

She smiled. “Just remember what you said and we’ll get along just fine.”

And with that, she moved back to the door and stepped back out into the bar.

I waited a moment before following her, trying to process everything. The time I’d spent following Dusky, letting myself get carried away by Terrabona, and my admissions here, now. And foremost was her smile. She was truly special. I’d do anything to see that smile, to see it protected.

With a quiet sigh, from contemplation or contentment; I cannot say, I rose from the table and followed after Dusky. We could start as friends, and finally I could do this right.

6 - Flames

When I was just a colt, my Father sat me down to tell me about duty. He was a figure of both respect and mystery in my life. He was always away on some errand of great importance, but those few times he was home he would be sure to take time for me. I'm his only son, and as such, there were certain things he felt he needed to tell me. He held great expectations for me, and who I would grow up to be.

"Night, we have a duty." He smiled in his deeply powerful way, a smile of which the weight never ceased to awe me. "To protect Equestria, and everypony who lives within it. To honor the gifts we have been given, and to respect the others with whom we share those gifts."

I didn't really understand then, I only had the perspective of a colt who'd never been more than a few miles from home. The only other ponies I dealt with regularly were my siblings, and they were... well, my siblings. "Even Spring? Diamond?"

He laughed warmly. "Yes, even your sisters. A hero doesn't decide who they choose to save. They act, protecting those weaker than they are, no matter the cost."

My small wings buzzed excitedly. "Like the Knights in all the stories!"

He nodded. "Just like a Knight. Striving to uphold honor, treating his word as his oath, and always diligently protecting others. Saving the damsel in distress."

So it was, like a Knight of old, I had promised Dusky I would stop following her, to try and be her friend, and I meant to stick to that promise. But my heart was still set on her, no words would stop that.

I stepped out of the brisk winter air and into the bar in a good mood. The future held a warm fire, a kettle of tea, and an all-night snow scheduled for Ponyville. Not to mention, my mind kept wandering to thoughts of the upcoming weekend in Fetlock as well.

What I didn't foresee was how loud the bar would be. I looked about, expecting a full house, but instead found the bar only just starting to fill up. At the center of the room stood a tall, somewhat lanky unicorn, her long, thin legs belying her powerful muscles. And against her red coat, dulled red painted scale-mail in a style I'd come to recognize as belonging to the foreign Knights of Ostfriesen.

I'd met Merriweather a few nights before, but been too distracted by other thoughts to pay her much mind. Now, sitting at our usual table, she cheered from inside a circle of empty glasses. Her sister, Starshadow, sat nearby, trying her best to ignore her as Merriweather pounded back another glass.

Across from Merriweather sat her opponent. Or would it be mentor? I couldn't tell. Mahogany was clearly doing his best to match the unicorn drink for drink. He turned to wave at me as I gathered up my kettle from the barkeep and approached the table. "C'mon Flurry! Fun's just starting!"

Merriweather tilted her head to wink, her voice low with a predatory note to it. "Oui! Drinks are on me snowbutt!"

I settled down next to Mahogany, nervously laughing as I presented my kettle and poured myself a cup of tea. "I um... brought my own, but um, thank you."

She leaned closer to her sister, prodding at her, with one eye focused on me. "Come on!" She levitated two glasses upwards, bringing one near her and the other towards her sister. "Mahogany here has shown me the finest of Equestrian tastes!"

I was about to raise up my tea cup to sip at the contents when Mahogany nudged at me with his hoof. "Hear that, Flurry? My drink’s popular with them classy ponies too!" I jumped, scrambling to recover from nearly dropping my drink.

Starshadow kept her cool, but refused the drink with a chilly glare. "That fact that you recommend it does not help its case."

I glanced up, smiling as Dusky and Terrabona approached the table. Dusky moved to sit on the opposite side of Mahogany, while Terrabona just stood at the table, grabbing one of the drinks.

Mahogany cheered, throwing a hoof around Dusky's shoulder. "Hey, Terra! Dusky! You're just in time! Her Highness Merriweather is buyin' again!"

Dusky glanced about cautiously, and I watched as she subtly shifted some of the alcohol away from Terrabona. "Yeah, that's... uh, great."

Terrabona responded with her muzzle already sunk into her drink. "The greatest!"

I clung to my tea cup, watching Merriweather and Starshadow, the two of them more or less dominating the table. I glanced at Dusky again, but her eyes were glued to the two sisters as well, as Merriweather made a spectacle of herself.

"Geez, lighten up, Sis'. This is a bar~."

"I am aware." Starshadow seemed used to her sisters banter, doing her best to both acknowledge and dismiss her. "Just as I am aware such things will not help you regain your honour."

Regain her honour? I glanced at Merriweather again. She certainly didn't act like any knight, not in the way Starshadow did.

Merriweather leaned over to her sister, her voice just as loud as she stage whispered. "Hey, gotta build a fanbase before the heroic deeds mean anything." She turned her head as Terrabona laughed. "You're supposed to wait until I tell a joke."

"A thief talking about honour! That's funny!" Terrabona slammed her forehooves down, shaking the army of glasses arrayed upon the table. I wasn't sure what she was talking about, but I suppose I was surprised that she was staring at Starshadow, not Merriweather.

It certainly got a reaction, as Starshadow straightened up to stare back. "You would dare call me a thief?"

Terrabona slammed her hooves down again to emphasize her point. "Yeah! You... you sexy-stealing thief!"

I stayed quiet, but this time the others seemed to fall quiet with me. I glanced about, suddenly feeling even more uncomfortable with the situation as I could feel the same awkwardness around the table.

Except Merriweather, that is, who seemed on the verge of breaking into laughter, giggling as she poked at Starshadow. "Siiiiis', you lied to me. You should've told me she was your type. I could've hooked you up with a nice mare back in Manehattan~."

I heard Dusky sigh, drawing my gaze to her. "Terra. You can't just go around accusing people of 'stealing your sexiness'. It doesn't even qualify as a proper pick-up line."

Starshadow continued to glare at her sister. "Technically, I just suppressed it." The matter-of-fact explanation hit the table like a terrible weight, startling in its confession.

Terrabona cried out, grinning at Dusky. "Told ya!"

"Wait, what?" Dusky's confusion probably spoke for us all with that statement. "That's a thing?"

Starshadow's expression did not change, nor did her tone. Both were completely serious. "Yes. I made it for a certain somepony who lets her loins run off with her."

Merriweather tilted her head curiously. "Oh, is that all that does?"

If possible, I'd have sworn that Starshadow's glare managed to intensify against her sister. "What do you mean, 'is that all'? I shut down your libido."

"I just dispel it, anyway. But, geez Sis', I expected something more creative, like making beds turn my hair into tarantulas or making me speak alternating Griffon or even suddenly sprouting a—"

Dusky thankfully interrupted the pair. "Oooookay, I think we're getting a bit off topic. Can somepony please fix this?"

Mahogany smirked at Terrabona and laughed. "Whatcha even need it for? You just try to make other ponies get busy." He nudged me in the side again, then turned to grin at me.

My mouth dropped a little, but before I could respond, Merriweather's horn lit up. She pointed it to Terra, wrapping her in a matching glow. "Oh, that's easy. I got it."

Dusky began to back away, looking around the bar. "Whoa, hold on. Maybe we should do this outside."

Merriweather grinned, the magic around her horn brightening in color and intensity. "Nah, I got it. Just relax and it'll be over soon~."

I rose from the table, leaving my teacup behind as I glanced around the room. Nearly everypony was backing away. There was a subtle pressure that filled the bar, like the pressure you get between your ears when you fly too high too fast.

Dusky yelled something, and I quickly looked to find her. She was scrambling to get into cover, and in that split second I realized exactly what was about to happen.

I knew what to do without thinking. Diligently protecting others. The damsel in distress. I cried out. "Look out, Dusky!" I pushed up on my hind legs, throwing open my wings and jumped directly between Terrabona and Dusky.

The world exploded into a shower of angry red sparks. I don't remember what it sounded like, I think whatever noise Merriweather's magic made was swiftly drowned out, as a wave of pain struck me. I think I screamed. I don't remember stopping, either. I twisted to my side, the force of the blast throwing me into the table, and then things went black.

Moments, hours, days seemed to pass in darkness. I heard voices in the distance, but couldn't make them out. Somepony called my name and a gentle caress against my face brought me back to the pain.

"How do you feel? Can you move?"

"I... um..." I clenched my teeth, straining to move. I slowly opened my eyes and found Dusky looking down at me. My voice caught in my throat. The last thing I wanted was for her to be worried about me, especially now that I knew she was alright. "Fine, just fine."

I took a deep breath, then pulled my hooves in to steady myself. I pushed upward, almost collapsing back to the ground at the sharp pain in my side. I bit my tongue, and powered through, somehow managing to rise up on all fours. I looked at the ground, and stood in shock a moment at the amount of blood on the bar floor.

Dusky's tone was grim and stern. "You are not fine." She moved to my side, and pointed a hoof at the point where I felt the pain the most. "Let me see your wing."

It was more of a struggle to unfurl my wing than I expected. The feathers seemed to stick, and trying to spread them caused a burning sensation to pierce into my side.

"We need to get you to a doctor."

I was about to protest, to tell her I'd be fine, or that I'd see somepony after my shift was over. But as I looked back, I caught her eyes. I traced their path, following back to my wing. It was then that I saw the mangled mess of feathers and welts, burning embers and magical residue. The blood on the bar floor was mine.

One of the tall unicorns approached, silent and graceful. Starshadow bowed her head before Dusky and I. "I apologize for my sister's rashness. May I?"

I looked back as the Ostfriesen approached me. I nodded, then gingerly extended my wing all the way outward. As Starshadow's horn began to glow, I prepared to flinch away, but a swift flash of magic later and it was over.

"I agree with Dusky Down's assessment. You should see a physician immediately."

Terrabona practically tripped across the bar, coming between Starshadow and I. She started talking, but her voice was quiet. I strained to listen to her, then to Starshadow in turn. I leaned forward, their voices getting indistinct. It was getting frustrating, all the whispering, and I just wanted to tell them to speak up, but couldn't. My mouth refused to work, and as I tried to bring this to somepony’s attention, the room seemed to spin, and then I fell into darkness.

I think I saw Dusky, as I swam through the inky blackness. I called out to her, smiling as she looked at me. She was safe. I'd saved her, that was what mattered. And so long as she was okay, whatever happened to me was acceptable. "Worth it." She faded from sight, the darkness swallowing me up again.

It was cold and dark when I awoke. As I peeked open my eyes, the silhouette of a mare stood blurry and non-distinct as my eyes adjusted to the light. "D-Dusky?"

A pleasant laugh answered my question, the image resolving into a white mare wearing a nurse’s habit. "Oh, no no no. I'm Nurse Redheart. I assume Dusky is the friend that brought you here. You're very lucky to have been brought in when you were."

I smiled and tried to rise up, but found I couldn't, still too weak to pull myself up. "I um... I can't feel my wings."

"Just a mild anesthetic, I wanted to make sure you slept through the night, the surgery was successful, but there were fragments of wood much deeper than we expected, and I imagine you would have been in a fair bit of pain."

"Oh... I didn't think it would be bad..." I tried to piece together the night before. "...h-how long was I asleep?"

"Nearly fifteen hours, dear." I gaped, and laid back in the bed as she continued to check on me, and applied more pain killers to my wing. As she finished up, she smiled. "A few of your friends are here to visit, if you feel up to it?"

I nodded and the nurse stepped out of the room. Mahogany poked his head in first. "There he is. Sheesh. You doing alright Flurry? Gotta suck being cooped up like this."

He trotted in, Terrabona following close behind. "I've been trying to tell ya, keep chasing after mares and this is how it ends up."

I frowned, both at Mahogany's statement, and at the fact that my wings were bandaged tight against my sides. "Well... yeah. I'm grounded. For a week, at the least."

Terrabona stuck out her tongue in mock disgust. "Blah, that does suck. But, I mean, still alive right? You and Dusky both!"

I pulled up the covers of the bed to hide my face. "Well... g-good. As long as Dusky is... safe." Part of me was proud of what I'd done, risking myself for her. But the way Terrabona eyed me only made the whole thing feel wrong.

She nodded to herself. "Well, you're both okay. Now, we just need to figure out your next step."

My head moved over to the door, part of me contemplating how far I could escape before Nurse Redheart dragged me back into bed. "Well... I don't really think... not like there's going to be a next step..."

Mahogany chuckled, and Terrabona ground a hoof into his side. "Shush. Listen Night, next step is easy! Your date’s still on right? Forelack Falls?"

I cringed. "F-fetlock... and... we're supposed to fly in. That's not a possibility now."

She tilted her head, face going hard. "So? Alright, we just need to readjust the plan. Travel is out, but Dusky likes other stuff! Like... books. And knitting. I assume she knits. She made that scarf herself. And um..."

Mahogany picked up where Terrabona trailed off. "Pasta! Everypony likes pasta."

Terrabona grinned. "Yep! Pasta! Perfect! I'm sure she'd love to go out for pasta with—"

A knock on the door interrupted her train of thought, as she and Mahogany both turned.

I tried to look past them, doing my best to rise up out of bed and peek around them, silently thanking Nurse Redheart for her perfect timing.

But it wasn't Redheart's voice that came from the doorway.

"Hello, everypony." Dusky's voice struck me like a lightning bolt.

I dropped back into the bed, trying to make myself small. My voice betrayed me again as I answered her call. "E-evening, Dusky..."

Terrabona's voice squeaked as she struggled to throw Dusky a response. "Hey. We were, uh, just talking about weather."

"Right." Dusky's voice sounded tired. She approached the bed, with the look of a pony who'd barely slept. "If it's about the night shift, I've got it covered."

I cringed. Of course. Of course they'd assign Dusky to fill in for me. I tried to bury myself deeper into the hospital bed. "Oh. Th-thanks..."

She came up to the side of the bed, looking down at me. "Anything special you do compared to the day shift?"

I tried not to panic, brain scrambling to come up with something to fill in that gap. "Um... I guess ponies don't care about gathering clouds early. Maybe they just don't see. B-but, it's good when I have to spend a lot of time with the Everfree."

"Anything else?"

There was so much more. I wanted to talk about the air currents at night, the temperature shifts and changes in how clouds react, along with my techniques, and the most ideal patrol route. "I-I don't think so."

She gave a short nod. "In any event, I'm glad to see you're awake."

I poked aimlessly at the blanket with one hoof, trying not to meet her eyes. "Umm... yeah.... I slept p-pretty much all day. Nurse said I was out for about fifteen hours..." I looked down, the habits of my life for the past five years were another reason why I'd slept so late. "But... um... I can't sleep at all during the night..."

Her voice was understanding as she nodded once more. "I'd be surprised if you could fall asleep again right after sleeping for fifteen hours."

"I've got a little something that can fix that." Mahogany grinned, holding out the flask he carried at his side. The room was silent as I simply stared at my friend

Dusky peered across the bed. "Mahogany..."

"No?" He offered me the flask. I pulled back, shaking my head. "All right, your loss."

I turned back to Dusky, finding my voice amidst the silence. "I.. um... Dusky?"

"Yes?"

"I... I... wanted to thank you for everything you did. Nurse Redheart says you brought me in and made sure I was okay... and I just... um... thanks..." I looked down at the blanket. I'd somehow managed to tangle it around my hooves in my fidgeting. I tried to relax and slough it off, but was still too tense.

She simply smiled. "What else was I going to do? Leave you at the bar?"

Heat raised up in my face. I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting. "I... I guess not..."

Whatever I'd been expecting, it certainly wasn't the sudden shift in her tone. "You really need to take better care of yourself so you don't end up in here again."

I blinked, looking around the room as I tried to parse what she'd just said. "W-what do you mean... I thought I took care of myself just fine."

She sighed, and suddenly any warmth in her voice was gone. "You jumped in front of an exploding wall of magic."

My face burned, but I knew what I'd done. I knew why I'd done it. I spun in bed, rising up to look her in the eye. "But... I... um... I did it to... I did it to protect you!"

Dusky and Mahogany both moved with me, each setting a hoof against me to push me back into the bed.

Mahogany tsked, shaking his head. "Real smooth, Flurry."

Dusky's hoof rested against me a moment, making sure I was staying down. "Look, I know your heart was in the right place, but if you were really paying attention, you'd have noticed I was already under a table. Throwing yourself into the open like that was nothing short of foalish."

I looked into her eyes, hard and cold, but held her gaze. Diligent in protecting others. Striving to uphold honor. Saving the damsel in distress. "It's.... it's who I am. I don't even know... I just... acted on instinct."

She held her stern look, but there was something else behind it. "You can't rely entirely on instinct in dangerous situations. If you don't learn when to let logic intervene, you'll end up putting yourself in unnecessary danger."

My gaze dropped away from hers. It was just like my time training with the Royal Guard all over again. What my heart told me I should do and what my head told me to do in conflict, and I always picked the wrong thing. "I... maybe you're right... but... It didn't feel unnecessary to me... I just... I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt... um... s-sorry..."

She was silent a moment, then leaned in slightly. "I can see what you're getting at, but think of it in reverse. You have friends and they don't want to see you get hurt, either. So next time, put a little thought into your actions."

Beneath the anger, that's what I heard. Concern. For me. She didn't want to see me get hurt anymore than I wanted to see her injured.

My smile fell from my face as I tried to talk through it. "I... oh... you're right... it was pretty stupid of me..." And beyond my own health, I'd manage to end up forcing more work onto her because of my stupidity. "A-and about the shifts... I... I never wanted you to get stuck with them. S-sorry..."

She moved her hoof onto my shoulder, and following the gesture up, she broke into a wonderful smile. "So long as you learn from your mistakes. We all make them, after all. As for the shifts, well, I'm used to getting shuffled around a lot, even if the night shift is out of the ordinary for me. Just promise me this kind of thing won't happen again."

I relaxed. "It... it's a boring shift... unless they planned some snow or something..." I grasped at my sheets again, the sudden realization of my plans from the night before. "Oh, Luna... that was last night, wasn't it?"

"It was still manageable. More or less."

I sank into the bed, going still. I took a deep breath, and turned my head to break away from Dusky's gaze. I drifted around the room, and found my eyes stopping on Terrabona.

She was tapping her forehooves together, eyes darting from Dusky, then back to me. She was puckering her lips, and whispering ever so quietly to the room. "Now, kisssss~."

My eyes went wide, the heat in my face burning red in embarrassment. I flailed, trying to think of something, anything, to get them out. "Oh... um... you know what, I think, um... I think those injuries did more to me than I thought... I'm suddenly really tired, yep... definitely need to get some more rest..."

Terrabona threw her hooves up. "Oh, come on!"

Dusky was already on the move, snorting out her exasperation. "Yeah, this is over. I need to get to work soon, anyway. Seeya, Night Flurry. Let's go, Terra," She grabbed her friend by the tail and dragged her towards the door.

Terra scraped her hooves on the floor, crying out as Dusky pulled her away. "Hey! Don't—"

Mahogany followed after, a clear grin on his face. He nodded to me one more time before he ducked outside. "Get well, Flurry! I'll bring some more 'medicine' tomorrow." He slipped out before somepony closed the door, leaving me in silence.

I laid my head down on my pillow, doing my best to breath and calm myself down. Terrabona... why did she so badly want to see me with Dusky? It seemed like every time she helped, all she did was make things worse between Dusky and I. All for what? Some cheap thrill for her?

A sigh escaped my lips in the noiseless clinic room. Noiseless except for the strange rattle at the window. It persisted for a few moments, then stopped, then began again moments later. I rose in bed, catching the telltale glow of magic as somepony threw my window open.

I threw my hooves down, weakly pushing myself up in the bed again. I barely had time to react before a slender unicorn swung into my room. She flew in, back legs first, landing in a skid before she dropped to all fours, posing dramatically.

Merriweather smirked at me, rising up at the end of the bed. "’Ey there, lover boy."

"Y-you!" She'd come to finish me off. That was the only explanation. I reached over to the nightstand, looking for any kind of weapon, but my hoof found no purchase. "S-stay back!"

She frowned, raising a hoof to make a 'shush' gesture. "Hey, calm down! You're going to summon that uptight Nurse! Can you believe she wouldn't let me visit you?"

I looked her over. She was still wearing the dulled scale mail and some kind of crossbow slung into a holster at her side. "I-I wonder why! You're the reason I'm in here after all! Y-you and your sister! Knights! Hah!"

Merriweather looked crestfallen, her ears dipping back. "Hey now... that's part of why I'm here. To apologize."

My hooves pulled away from the table at the side of the bed, slowly moving back to the bed sheets. "Um... oh? Really?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I didn't do it on purpose, you know."

She looked sincere. For as much as I'd heard about Ostfriesen from Starshadow, I'd not talked to Merriweather at all. Besides, as Dusky had said, it was my actions that had gotten me put in here.

"Well... I kind of overreacted to the whole situation, so um... apology accepted, err... Merriweather."

She grinned, not that wicked grin from before, but a warm grin. "Call me Merri." Her horn lit up again, lifting open a satchel at her side and levitating out a small box towards me.

I reached out, grasping the box in my hooves gently. "What... what's this?"

"It's a... well, I don't really know. But it's shiny." She snickered to herself, then lowered her voice into a more serious tone, the most serious I think I'd heard Merriweather be. "You showed a lot of guts last night. Sis and I were impressed. If you'd been born in Ostfriesen, you'd be a Knight already."

I raised an eyebrow at Merriweather, opening the box delicately. "Not me... I'm... I'm not good enough to be a Knight. Trust me, I've tried." I blinked. Inside the box was a solid metal Bracer, designed to slip over a forehoof and protect from the fetlock to the knee. It was ornately engraved and inlaid with gold which was long tarnished by age. It felt light in my hooves, but something about it held a terrible weight in my mind. I couldn't draw my gaze away from it.

Merri chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about that. I'm not that great a knight either." She looked down a moment, pondering something. I didn't interrupt, one eye still admiring the bracer, and the other watching her.

At last, she broke her silence again. “I got banished. For… well, there was this stallion. Things didn't work out.”

“So… you’re… not really knights then?” I didn't want to be disappointed, but somehow, I was. I idly handled the bracer.

Merri gave a brief snort. “We’re still knights. I mean, Sis’ is. She wants me to regain my honor, and then we can go home. I guess, I don’t really know what I want.”

“So… what about this?” I held up the bracer. “Why me? The… the apology is more than enough.”

That brought back her grin. “You Equestrians are so humble. Kind of a nice change from back home.” She levitated the piece of armor back up to her eye, looking it over. “It’s just some old trinket from home. A piece of traditional Knight regalia passed down something something. I didn't pay a lot of attention when Sis’ explained it.”

She gently lowered it back down to me, releasing the magic. “But you showed a lot of heart last night. And so, that’s a gift. And an invitation.”

She nodded. “If you ever want to be a knight… well, we’re living in one of the rooms above that bar now. I think you could make it. You know, if you ever want to be a hero.”

“A… hero?” I weighed the bracer in my hooves again. So that’s what the weight was. Responsibility.

Merriweather’s ears perked up, and she glanced towards the door. “Oh crap, that nurse is coming.” She darted for the window, throwing her first foreleg over the sill. She glanced back and smiled. “Get well soon, Night!” And with that, she vaulted out of the window in one swift motion.

I blinked. “R-right… bye?”

Redheart opened the door and trotted into the room, glancing about suspiciously. I waved nervously, feeling a bead of sweat carve a path down the side of my head. I tried not to glance towards the window, but couldn't help it as I anxiously fiddled with the bracer.

Her eyes narrowed, tracing a path back to the window. She walked up and slid it closed, then reset the lock. Turning her eyes back to me, she paced back to the door, then flipped off the light. “Get some rest, Mr. Flurry.” There was no questioning her. “No more… guests today.” The room went dark as she closed the door behind her.

I laid back in the bed and considered my friends. Terra, Mahogany, even Merriweather. I considered Dusky, as well. Maybe Fetlock wasn't a total loss… maybe I could make up for this whole mess somehow, buy tickets for the train up, if she was still willing to go.

Heroism. I gently traced the patterns on the bracer, wondering if that path would ever be open to me again. Exhaustion overtook me; despite all the rest I’d already had, I soon found myself drifting back to sleep. And as I faded, a faint voice echoed through the back of my mind. “You would be a great hero.”

7 - Journey

In my years living in Ponyville, I'd never been to the train station. Somehow, I thought it’d be busier this late in the day, but I found it mostly empty as I hobbled onto the platform. One pony’s presence stood out, though. Dusky was waiting for me, her eyes shifting from the few ponies walking through the station until they stopped on me.

She smiled, and I waved a hoof as I headed up to the ticket booth. She’d wanted to fly, but my stupidity had ensured that flying was still out of the question. My wing was bandaged up; orders from the Doctor were to stay out of the air for another week.

So now, I was walking everywhere. In some ways, it was nice. I'd rarely looked at the winter weather from the ground, always loving the beauty of the snow from above. Now I could appreciate it from a whole new level, a new view that left me just as breathless.

The downside was how sore I felt, both from all the walking, and the bruising on the side that had borne the brunt of Merri’s explosion.

I forced a nervous smile at the yellow mare inside the ticket booth. "T-two for F-Fetlock, please."

"Sure thing." She dug through some paperwork behind the counter, and I shuffled my hooves as I waited. She didn't say anything about my wing, but surely she thought it strange that a pegasus was taking a train.

The mare slid two tickets over the counter towards me. "There we go, that'll be ten bits."

I dug through my flight satchel and paid her. Tickets in hoof, I turned back towards the train and nervously smiled at Dusky.

She nodded, waving me over as the train pulled up to the platform. It didn't take too long to disembark its passengers, and soon we presented our tickets and began to board.

My legs shook as I stepped into the train. I glanced about dumbly, unsure where I was supposed to go, but Dusky already had a plan. She headed towards the rear of the train, leading me from car to car until we reached the coach. There, she took her seat, one of the rearmost, and I paused. A deep breath. We're just friends.

I moved to settle into the seat facing hers. I folded my back legs to my side, and my forelegs extended out in front of me, mirroring Dusky's pose. The seat was cushioned, although not as soft as cloud, or even as soft as the bed in the hospital. It all just felt... off. I didn't think I was doing anything unusual, but I just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

I pulled back on the seat, craning my head to take everything in. "You know... I've actually never taken a train before... I umm... I guess that's not too surprising for a pegasus, though…"

The truth was less about being able to fly, and more a side effect of never leaving town.

Dusky smiled at me and nodded her head. “Yeah, I only take it when flight conditions are especially poor.”

I tilted my head, recalling what Dusky had said about being a traveler. “In far off places?”

“Uh, sometimes? I was actually talking about Canterlot.” She studied me, her lips pursing slightly. "Sometimes they get carried away with 'artsy' to the point that it becomes unsafe."

I cringed, sinking down in the seat. I'd been assuming she'd visited all sorts of foreign places on the outskirts of Equestria, places I'd never imagined. But when it came right down to it, I'd barely left home. "O-oh, haha... well, um, I-I've never been to Canterlot, so its k-kind of far off for me?"

Dusky continued to watch me, but her tone was more curious than put-off. "Really? It's a beautiful city. You should really go there sometime."

"Y-yeah... Maybe one day..." The seat beneath me was suddenly fascinating, the weight of what I was doing starting to crash in on me. Here I was, on a train, heading out of town to someplace I didn't even know for Luna only knows what reason. A misplaced hope that somehow I could get Dusky to like me.

"Night Flurry." Her voice pulled me back. I raised my head back to look into her eyes.

"Try to relax a bit. If you're this tense the whole way there, you'll be too exhausted to enjoy the festival."

I took a long breath, not wanting to seem as frightened by all of this as I was. "Y-yeah... just you know, um... the train. Yeah, never been on a train... t-that's all."

Somepony shouted outside, and I barely stopped myself from jumping in my seat. "Passengers for Fetlock! Last call!"

Dusky smiled, continuing to talk down my nerves. "It's not much different from riding in a cart. You'll see soon enough."

"R-right... Okay, I'll just um... think of it as that." I tried to smile back, but I lacked experience with wagons as well.

It wasn't much longer when the train began to move, and I dug into the seat with my hooves. The motion wasn't too bad, it was like flying, only there wasn't any wind. I waited, breathing deep as I expected the whole train to shudder and toss me about. But that never happened, and although I felt the need to keep digging in to find safe purchase, I started to relax.

Dusky was watching me, and at last I pulled my head up towards her. She'd been to so many places, and now that we were on our way, I wanted to know more. "Oh! Um... you said you went to Canterlot... So, um... where else have you gone?"

She took a moment to consider before she answered. "Most of Equestria's major cities, plus all the smaller towns in between. There's more than that, but I can't name them all off the top of my head."

I turned my head, looking past her as I recalled my own experiences, or lack thereof. "I lived in Cloudsdale nearly my whole life. N-never got to travel much. I came to Ponyville for the job... I-I wish I could travel more."

Part of me believed that once I'd left home, the world would open up to me. That I'd be free, and could let the wind take me wherever I wished. Instead, I'd settled in Ponyville, and let my fears root me. I dug my hooves into the seat some more, trying to find solid ground, even as the train rolled onward.

"It's not too late." Her voice was full of well-traveled confidence. "The trick is to start small and nearby, such as Canterlot, then work your way up from there."

The trick? Small, nearby places. Like Canterlot, or... like Fetlock Falls? It was someplace new, someplace away from home. I fell into a train of well-worn thoughts as I listened to the click-clack of wheels.

Dusky started to yawn, breaking me out of my musing. I saw her closing her mouth, lowering her head onto her hooves while she tried to stifle the yawn.

I self-consciously twitched my wings, the bandages restraining the injured one. That was all my fault. Overtired from working the night shift, my night shift, Dusky was off of whatever sleep schedule she surely kept in preference to the long nights. I lowered my ears sheepishly. "S-sorry."

Her voice carried a hint of understanding. "I know. What's done is done. Look toward doing better in the future."

In the future. I considered that, scuffing at the seat again. "M-maybe I could k-keep an eye out while you nap? M-make sure we don't miss the stop and all?"

"I wouldn't mind resting my eyes for a bit." She sounded tired, and I thought if she could get just a little extra sleep, maybe she might have more fun once we arrived at the festival. "Just don't fall asleep yourself and... wake me if anything out of the ordinary happens."

I smiled at her, giving her the most reassuring smile I could manage. "O-okay. Yes, I can d-do that!"

"All right, thanks." She settled down into the seat, resting her head on her forehooves and closing her eyes.

I watched her a moment as she drifted to sleep, feeling my smile creep upwards. She really was beautiful. In the little time we'd spent together, it was sometimes difficult to appreciate that. My own fears, along with my string of poor decisions and bad timing, all had contributed to making me feel like a complete foal around her. But seeing her like that brought back the breathless memories of the first time I'd seen her in the crowded Town Hall not so long ago.

My eyes drifted to the train window, and I sat and watched the snow-covered scenery pass by. Time passed, and the rhythm of the train along with the peaceful landscapes calmed my mind. The conductor trotted through the train car, offering drink service, and I smiled when he offered tea. A warm drink to warm the soul. I sipped at it quietly as Dusky slept.

A slight sigh caused my ears to twitch, as Dusky murmured out some faint call. I glanced over, watching her to see if she was waking. Her eyes were still closed, only now they were clenched tight, her face held a look of anguish.

My heart wrenched. Probably just a bad dream. Nothing to do about that. She was so tired... but still. I raised myself up from the seat and moved closer. My ears pivoted towards her as I watched her tense in her sleep. She was clearly having a nightmare. A bad one.

Words came unbidden to my mind, old words I thought I'd left behind long ago. A light to keep the monsters away. I quietly called out. "H-hey Dusky? Dusky... um... you okay? Um... w-wake up?"

She didn't stir.

Worried, I raised the volume of my voice.

"D-Dusky? Um... Hey, it's a little early, but we're... um... ugh, I don't know... um, some great scenery out there... ha ha ha..." I forced out a laugh like I was making a joke, but even in my own head I sounded like an idiot.

Her eyes shot open, darting towards the train car in search of something, but as she blinked to awareness, they settled on me, and her expression slipped into a weak smile. "What's up?"

I stammered out an explanation, my own fears had gotten the best of me, waking her was such a mistake. "Oh, um... ha ha... n-nothing, really... you just... um, it looked like you were having a bad dream and... um, I-I was a little concerned... Sorry..."

Dusky was silent, staring past me as she surely contemplated my disturbance.

I dropped my gaze, cursing myself. "S-so stupid... I-I knew I sh-should have let you sleep. I'm so s-sorry!"

"No, no, I'm grateful." She shook her head, then sat up from her seat and smiled at me. "Thank you, Night Flurry. I... Nevermind, I'm fine now."

"Oh, um, okay... Y-you need anything?" I glanced back at the now empty paper cup that had contained my tea. "I can go f-find that conductor for another drink if you w-want one."

"No, thanks. I'm not thirsty."

I matched her smile with one of my own, still feeling like a foal. A mistake or not, she seemed to be alright now that she was awake. "Oh... good, good... Okay, well... I-I think we'll be there fairly soon."

Dusky nodded, and then seemed to come fully awake. Her ears perked up, and her eyes grew wide as she looked out the window, enraptured by the view.

I smiled, and turned to see. Outside, the landscape had changed dramatically. The simple snow-covered hills and plains had given way to a swift running river carrying little islands of ice downstream. The sounds of the river's flow grew, drowning out the now-familiar noise of the train.

The train turned a bend, and I was lost to the world. Before us, the water's roar reached a crescendo as the majesty of the waterfall appeared above the mists. I drew in a sharp breath as I tried to take it all in at once, my senses drowning. The unending white sheet crashed down in unison, creating a ripple through the air as the water caught the light of sun and cast it back, splitting it into a million specks of color.

I stammered, trying to say something that could capture what I was seeing in words. "I... I... ... beautiful..."

After the waterfall, it would be hard for anything to top that level of sheer beauty. The train station certainly tried, if just by the volume. It was covered in all sorts of flags, banners and decorations of all sorts.

Ponyville threw its own various festivals, but I didn't usually attend those. In fact, I usually volunteered for holiday weather shifts just to get out of them. But this was a tier above anything Ponyville did.

It was... hard to describe. I felt nearly overwhelmed by it all. I turned to Dusky, but she was looking back at one of the buildings on the other side of the train platform. I was just about to call to her when another voice rose above the general murmur of the train station crowd.

"Dusky! Flurry!" I glanced back towards the path into town as Blizzard Breeze set down. "Glad you could make it!"

I smiled, waving a hoof as she trotted over. "Oh, um, hello, Blizzard!"

"Hi, Blizzard." Dusky turned back, coming alongside me. "You weren't waiting for us, were you?"

She grinned wide. "Oh, no. Well, yes, but it's also part of my job to oversee things. I just happened to check the station when the Ponyville trains came in."

Dusky giggled. "So I guess no guided tour for us, huh?"

Blizzard shrugged, offering her apology. "Sorry. I can walk you to the gate, though."

"Sounds good." Dusky looked back, and a flash of concern went across her face. It was gone a moment later, but I frowned.

I was just about to ask her if something was wrong when Blizzard came to my side, lowering her head to examine the bandages. "Whoa, what happened to your wing?"

"I, u-um... uh..." I cringed, pulling back, not wanting to talk about that anymore.

Dusky stepped closer, saving me. "There was an accident involving alcohol and unicorn magic; he got caught in the blast."

"That's terrible." Blizzard eyed the bandages judgmentally. "It's not permanent, is it?"

I continued to pull away, just wanting to retreat from this conversation. "N-no, um, just can't fly... c-can't w-work..."

Blizzard scowled in a dark look that took me by surprise. "I hope that idiot paid."

My surprise was coupled with concern as Dusky agreed with her. "Me too."

I stayed silent, not wanting to add my voice to the accusations. Merriweather had apologized, after all.

But I didn't have to worry too much, as the darkness passed from Blizzard's face. "But hey, you're here, right? Don't let it ruin your trip." She raised a hoof to my shoulder.

I breathed out a sigh in relief and nodded. "R-right. I-I'll try."

Blizzard waved us on, and Dusky and I fell into line as we headed out. Her voice was full of pride. "So, what did you think of the falls?"

Dusky responded with a grin. "Awe-inspiring. It's definitely among the biggest I've seen."

My pace slowed as I thought back to falls, its flowing cascade like an endless, torrential rainstorm. "They were... breathtaking."

As we came up to the main street into town, Blizzard turned back to wink at me. "Most beautiful thing you've seen all day?"

Dusky was already looking down the street, taking in the flag-covered thoroughfare. "Hmmm, probably. I mean, the plains were pretty nice too, but the falls just give more of a sense of life."

I glanced between them, words on the tip of my tongue, but I was drawn to Dusky's eyes. Only the second most beautiful. I started as I realized they were staring at me. "Er, y-yeah... something like that."

"Cool." Blizzard smiled, and turned to lead us back down the street, guiding us to a large festival arch. "So, the festival's all around the town square. You can't really miss it. The knitting expo's in the town hall. Anyway, I gotta get back to work. I'll try to catch you on my next break."

And with a sweep of her wings she was off, gliding back to the train station as she left Dusky and I on our own.

I glanced up at the arch. A banner proclaiming 'Fetlock Falls Winter Festival' was stretched between two ornate ice-columns. Signs shaped like snowflakes were arrayed beyond the arch, directing festival goers to events all over town.

Dusky pointed a hoof forward and nodded to me, smiling. "Well, no use standing around out here. Let's go."

I stumbled after, trying to keep my eyes on her dark blue mane as we weaved through the crowd. Ponies cried out invitations to games and activities, food and drinks, all from somewhat gaudy red-and-white striped tents.

The options of what to do were laid out before us and I hadn't a clue on where to start. Not wanting to delay too long, I dipped my head and deferred to Dusky. "So, um... where to first?"

Dusky motioned her head towards a booth. "How about that one?"

As she trotted forward, I held back to take the booth in. A simple game of stacked milk bottles, and a row of carefully packed snowballs set upon the booth. Two foals were playing, throwing the snowballs clumsily as they bantered at one another.

"Step right up!" The stallion behind the counter, who was dressed in red and white winter attire, called out. He waved a hoof about his booth, directing our attention to the row of plush toys standing in rows on a shelf beneath the table. "Knock over the bottles and win your very own Wonderbolt!"

I gave the plushies a look and nodded. "O-oh, those are nice. I, um, g-guess I'll try it." I dug into my flight satchels, and set my bits onto the counter. The carnival stallion swept them out of view with a flourish and set three snow balls down in front of me.

I felt like I was sweating as I lined up my kick. I wanted to make it look good, I knew how to handle a snowball after all. I pulled back my leg and let it go, snapping the kick into the snowball.

The top bottle fell, and the carnival stallion cried out. "Oh! That's too bad! Good thing you've got two more shots!" He moved quickly to replace the top bottle, then moved aside and gestured with a hoof back towards the target.

I focused now, lining up again. The first shot had been too high, and too hard, but plenty of practice kicking clouds guided my aim now. I kicked, the snowball flying into the bottles, but it didn't have the power I needed. The bottles wobbled, but the snowball bounced aside to the ground.

"Almost! You've totally got this! If not, you can always buy more balls!"

Almost indeed. Now I had it. I narrowed my eyes and struck the final snowball perfectly, and sure enough, the bottles clattered noisily to the ground.

I rose back up from my kicking position, blinking towards the downed bottles. "I-I won?"

I never won at anything.

Dusky beamed at me. "Looks like."

The carnival stallion pulled me over the counter to shake my hoof. "Well, how about that? Did I tell ya or did I tell ya?" He pushed one of the plush Spitfires towards me, then leaned in and grinned wide. "Care to have another go? Build yourself a Wonderbolt armada?"

"U-um..." I paused. It had felt good, winning the prize. But now it was like there was a spotlight on me, and I just wanted to withdraw.

Dusky stepped forward, interceding between the carny and I. "While that sounds nice, we've still a whole festival left to see."

I breathed out, grateful for the intervention. I flashed Dusky a smile and nodded. "O-oh, right. Um... y-yeah, maybe we could come back after."

"Maybe." She turned and smiled at the other stallion. "Besides, I'm sure all your friends will get our bits one way or another."

He called after as we started to move back into the flow of the crowd. "Hey, just so long as you're having fun, right?"

We walked through the mass of ponies side by side. I kept looking for something else that might be fun for the two of us, or something that I was sure she'd enjoy, but it felt like there was just too much to take in. Everywhere I looked I saw more signs and banners, each trying to outdo the other for my attention.

I turned to Dusky, who seemed to be taking the entire festival in stride. She met my eyes, and I lamely stammered at her. "It's, um, a lot... b-bigger than I was expecting..."

She simply nodded and looked out at the crowd with a smile. "I have to admit, at least for a town this small, that it's surprised me too."

My words caught in my throat, and I turned away, once again reminded of just how much more experience she had over me. She'd been to bigger towns and more festivals than I could imagine. I started to let out another sigh when one of the tents caught my eye.

Memories of a street fair held in Cloudsdale came to the fore, my Dad spending the day with me. For a moment, everypony else was forgotten in a cry of joy.

"Skee Ball!" I grinned and waved Dusky along, weaving through the crowd to the booth.

Another carny stood nearby with a mound of snowballs and a shelf of more plush toys, statues, and other prizes. He could barely even start his pitch before I'd placed the bits in his hoof. I moved over to one of the wooden ramps and set myself up in preparation. At the top, circular rings blocked off the scoring zones, requiring a precise roll up the ramp to land in the center.

I kicked at the first ball with a bit of reckless glee, and watched it land in the second ring from the center. I grinned, already getting the feel for the game. The next snowball was right on target.

I tilted my bed back towards Dusky and gave her a smile. "I haven't played this since I was a colt."

"Looks like you haven't lost your touch."

"Yeah!" I grinned wider, hefting up the next snowball, and kicking it down into the center hole. The rest went in like I'd never stopped playing. I could easily have gotten a perfect score if I played again.

The carnival stallion congratulated me, pulling a little blue figurine of some sort from his prize wall. Still excited from the game, I practically giggled as I slipped it into my flight satchel alongside the little Spitfire plush, heady with the rush of winning.

I prepared to dig out a few more bits, ready to go another round, but stopped and smirked. "Dusky, you should try! It's fun!"

"Guess it's about as good a game as any." She paid the carny, and set the snowballs upon the track. Her first kick struck faster than I expected, but the speed caused it to overshoot the center, bouncing it off into the third ring.

I cheered her on, grinning. "Good shot! Just don't put so much force behind it, it's all about control."

Her next ball went in perfectly, but strayed off the center ring, bouncing off the shield and into the gutter along the side.

I nearly let out a snort, frowning at the cheap bounce. "Aw, you were robbed. That should have gone in."

As she gained her poise, my smile crept back on as Dusky's next shot neared the middle ring, and her last two went in. The carny congratulated her, passing her a prize, a cutie mark sticker, obviously meant for foals.

She looked away to slide the sticker into her flight satchel, the turned back to me and smiled. "You're right, that was fun. So what now?"

I started to look for another booth, but was interrupted by a harsh rumble. "Um, I... I'm g-getting a bit hungry."

She nodded, looking me over. "Light breakfast?"

I kicked at the ground slowly. "B-breakfast? I, um, d-didn't have one."

"That's not good." She shook her head, giving a sigh as she started to look about the various carnival stands. "Let's go find a food stand."

She sniffed at the air a moment, then picked a direction. We moved through the crowd, Dusky pulling ahead as I struggled to push my way through.

"S-sorry, I'm not u-used to daytime routine." I trailed off and continued to follow her as she led us away from the festivities, through the thinning crowd.

It wasn't too long before she came to a stop. I looked ahead to see where Dusky had led us, and found a pair of small diners, a sandwich shop set beside a pasta diner. I blinked, mind going back to what Mahogany had said to me in the clinic. Pasta. Everypony likes pasta.

While my own tastes would have preferred something a little simpler, Dusky was traveled; I was sure she’d prefer the pasta over a simple sandwich.

Dusky turned her head towards me, about to say something, when her eyes narrowed. Her focus went to something behind me, and before I could react she was moving.

A tall silhouette of a pony was rearing up behind me, and Dusky was suddenly calling out. "Look ou—oof!" I staggered away as Dusky collided with the figure's side, and with a cry of its own, the figure staggered back, one hoof dropping to the ground. The dark cloak around her body was torn off, and beneath, a large, armored unicorn had settled upon her knees. A wide smile split her face as she watched us.

Dusky stared back at the figure. "What the... Merriweather?!"

8 - Engagement

"Hi, there~." Merriweather grinned.

Dusky narrowed her eyes, her voice tinged with anger. "What in Tartarus is wrong with you!? Do you get some sort of sick kick out of messing with people!?"

I simply stared, unsure what to make of any of this. Why is she even here? Why is Merriweather following us?

I glanced at Dusky. We'd been having fun, at least, I hoped. Merri was going to ruin everything. I flinched, admonishing myself. Dusky and I were just friends.

Merri’s eyes went wide as she quickly spoke up to defend herself. "Whoa, whoa, hold on! It's not like that! I've been helping!"

Dusky stared back, all emotion drained from her response. "Helping."

Merri raised a hoof, bashfully scratching at her head. "Yeah! Helping! With games and... stuff! Like games." She looked between us. "'Cause I'm... y'know, sorry about the other night."

I raised an eyebrow. I hadn't seen her all day, what did she mean by helping?

"Let me get this straight." Dusky began to fill in the blanks for me. "You thought you could make up for crippling Night Flurry by following him around a festival and secretly cheating for him?"

My eyes went wide as I stared at Merri. I waited for her to tell Dusky she wouldn't do that.

She didn't. "Yep!"

Merri’s grin widened as my own face fell.

Dusky pressed her interrogation. "And you blew your cover to grab him because?"

"How else was he supposed to know who was helping him?" She paused again, waiting for us to acknowledge how helpful she'd been. When neither Dusky nor I responded, she continued. "Oh, and hugs. Healing hugs~. Those always help~."

With a sigh, Dusky shook her head. "Well, at least you're honest."

I pulled out the plush toy I'd won, or thought I'd won, in the bottle toss. I looked at the little smiling Spitfire nervously. "W-wait, that means... I d-didn't earn this. I should t-take it back."

Merri waved a hoof dismissively, sidling up close to me. "Oh, come on! It's not like they don't cheat too! I was just evening the odds~."

I frowned further, pushing away from her. "Y-you're not just making excuses, are you, M-Merri?"

She gasped at the accusation. "Hey, I'm not lying, just ask Dusky. She knows what's up." She smiled at Dusky, batting her eyes. "Right, Dusky~?"

"You're both right. She may be making excuses, but she isn't lying." Dusky sighed, and turned her attention to me. "These games are skewed to put more bits into the festival's pockets."

"O-oh. Um..." I fumbled the Spitfire plush, unsure just what to do now. I'd never wanted to cheat. But was it okay if they were cheating too? I'd been raised to know that two wrongs didn't make a right.

Dusky interrupted my internal struggle. "Also, when did you start calling her 'Merri'?"

I paused, not wanting to implicate her. She'd broken into the hospital, but solely to apologize. I swallowed, pushing one of my forehooves against the other as I avoided the answer. "Oh, um, s-she came to visit..."

She studied me carefully, and I became consumed in her eyes again. I was so insignificant beneath their scrutiny, I just shrank away. Dusky raised an eyebrow. "And you talked about the... incident?"

I glanced at Merri, then back to Dusky with a nod. "Y-yeah, she, um, a-apologized."

Merri jumped in. "Yep, sure did~! I'll even be sorry for the rest of the day. Let me show you around, I totally already scoped the place out!"

I tilted my head as Merri turned and began to walk away from us and the restaurants. I looked towards the pasta diner when Dusky came closer.

She slipped up fast, my eyes going wide at how close she was, and she whispered into my ear. "That's how it really went down? She didn't bully you into forgiving her, did she?"

With a blink of surprise, I met Dusky's eyes a moment. "N-no, she's... I'm o-okay with Merri." There was more to say, but I still didn't know if I should. Dusky continued to watch me, until I finally broke her gaze, but couldn't say anything else.

"Well, okay, if you say so. If she's going to be like this, it's probably best that we keep her where we can see her, anyway." Dusky turned and called out to her. "Hey! Merriweather! You're going away from the food!"

Before I could even call out Merri was back at our side. I'd have sworn she teleported if I hadn't watch her run back. "Oh! You're hungry! Right. Okay, there's sandwiches and pasta."

Merriweather pointed her hoof behind us vaguely. "Oh, and there are totally other places to eat. They're just, um... somewhere. Yeah! Somewhere. But you guys are totally up for sandwiches and pasta, right~?" She wiggled her eyebrows at us.

I shifted my weight from my right legs to my left, looking back at the restaurants and trying to avoid Merri's eyes. Things were going to be so difficult with her around.

Dusky seemed to agree, as she let out a sigh. "You're such a good guide."

Merri practically purred. "I am, aren't I~?"

The pasta diner was quite nice. Small, homey, and filled with an amazing aroma. It was a simple place, and I was momentarily drawn back to Cloudsdale, to Lavender’s Cafe. It had been been a tiny place, quiet and out of the way amidst the busier Cloudsdale thoroughfare. I’d spent many hours there, trying to find some peace away from my sisters, away from classmates, away from everything. It had been my sanctuary.

We waited for a server, taking in the atmosphere. The tables were small squares, covered in red and white checkerboard tablecloths. It was all very simple, which suited me just fine.

"Huh. Nopony here." Merri looked about as if trying to find an old friend, scanning the entire room.

Maybe she knew something I didn't. I tried to follow her eyes, looking about the room to see if there was some little detail I was somehow missing. "O-oh, is that bad?"

"Mmmmmaybe not~." She crossed past the 'Please wait to be seated.' sign, but before I could call her back, she was already meeting with a waiter, pointing a hoof towards a seat. "Hey, can we have that table?"

The stallion smiled at Merri. "Sure thing, ma'am. Plenty of space to go 'round." He motioned us forward. "This way, please."

The waiter led the way, Merri following close behind, and Dusky alongside her. I trailed after, until we stopped and took our seats.

Dusky glanced at Merri. "Why this one?"

She only grinned in response. "Oh, you'll see~."

"Here you are." The waiter distributed menus around the table. "If you're interested in the soup of the day, it's cream of broccoli. While you're deciding on that, care for a drink?"

"Water, please," Dusky bowed her head a little.

"Wi—" Merriweather stopped to look at me. I tilted my head slightly, but she quickly finished her sentence. "—water. Water too."

I glanced at the menu, needing something to steel myself. "U-um, tea, p-please."

"All right, two waters, one tea. Back in a jiffy!" He smiled and headed back towards the kitchen.

I lifted the menu, skimming through quickly to find something that sounded good. The problem was, it all sounded good, and I was famished. I soon began searching for an item with a generous portion, rather than what may be the best flavor.

When the waiter returned, I bowed my head and let the ladies go first. Dusky ordered some spaghetti with a side salad, and Merri ordered a large portion of pasta in a spicy sauce. When it came to me, I just ordered a large bowl of fettuccine alfredo. It was simple, and from the smells coming from the kitchen, promised to be very good. My stomach growled again.

Merri levitated her fork in the air, spinning it about aimlessly as she continued to look towards the kitchen. "Fettuccine sounds good. Kinda plain, though."

Dusky just watched her, eyes locked on Merri's. "It does. Your spicy pesto sounds good too."

I glanced between the two, Merri grinning absently, and Dusky watching her intently. I fiddled my forehooves, unsure about the tension between the two. I lamely added to their comments. "Y-yeah... both of your dishes sound, um... good."

We fell into silence. It didn't take long for the waiter to return. He set the bowls in front of us, the dishes looking as savory as they smelled, then made his leave.

I dug into the pasta, trying not to eat too fast, but even hungrier now that the food was right there.

My ears perked up as the waiter walked by again, leading another pair of ponies past the table. I turned back to my food, but apparently across the table, Merri had other thoughts beyond pasta.

"Didja get a good look at that~?" She licked her lips, although it wasn't to clean up the errant sauce.

Dusky sighed. "As good a look as I needed."

"Mmmm~. Well, if you're interested, I'm sure I can convince them to let you in on the action too~."

I felt my cheeks going red, but I just stared down at my plate, trying to pretend I didn't hear anything.

Dusky's voice was strict. "I'll pass."

I wanted to sigh in relief, but caught myself. She was just trying to keep Merri in check. It didn't have anything to do with us.

Merri giggled. "Aw, you're no fun~."

"Just eat your food." Dusky went back to eating, and we spent the next few minutes in silence.

As we finished, Dusky sat back and turned towards our unexpected guest. "Sooo... Merriweather, what else do you do in your spare time?"

"Oh, the usual knightly things Sis' and I do." She nodded, grinning. "Like training, spellcraft and knitting."

Dusky's voice went flat. "Knitting."

"Yep! Soft and warm is good for traveling, among other things~. That's why you wear that scarf, isn't it?"

I glanced at Dusky's scarf, thinking back to my own attempt at crafting. I'd picked up a few more materials, still hoping to be able to eventually make something.

Dusky nodded, eyes flicking downward and then back to Merri. "This is sewn, but yes, I do agree that clothing can be quite helpful for travel."

"Sewing is like knitting, right? Right?" Merri leaned in, batting her eyes at Dusky.

"You just want to go to the knitting expo, don't you?"

"Maaaaybe~."

I tried to speak up in agreement for the knitting expo, but stopped short. I knew my own attempts were pointless. If Dusky didn't want to go, I didn't want to make her, just so that I could try and fail to make her something again.

Dusky turned back to look across the table at me, smiling just slightly. "What do you think? Knitting sound interesting to you?"

I jumped, jarred from my thoughts. "O-oh, yes! Y-yes, everyone likes kn-knitting!"

She raised an eyebrow, and I shrank into my seat. "If you say so. I guess it's decided, then."

We paid for our meals and headed back into town, moving out of the street towards the festival. More snowflake-shaped signs pointed towards the Knitting Expo, set-up in the town hall.

We didn't get too far before Merri began to rush through the crowd, leaving Dusky to shout after her as we struggled to catch up. "Hey, wait up!"

She stopped rather abruptly, grinning as she looked up at another of the game booths. I took in the wall of balloons rather dumbly, a familiar doubt creeping up on me again. To the side, another carny stood by with more plush toys and prizes, taking bits and giving out darts. It wasn't exactly a game I’d choose to play, but still, maybe Dusky would find it fun.

We came up alongside Merri, Dusky turned to her and tilted her head. "What happened to knitting?"

She grinned back, tittering on her hooves. "We can do both! We've got time! Besides, who doesn't like darts?"

Dusky just shook her head. "Those of us without claws or magic to throw them?"

I'd never thrown darts either. Some pegasi were pretty adept at holding things with their wings, but it was delicate and definitely required practice. Otherwise, we'd be throwing them with our mouths, which wasn't something I'd practiced either.

"Pfff, c'mon! It's not that hard! I'll use my mouth too!" Her enthusiasm was pretty overwhelming, and she quickly brought out some bits and paid for a set of darts.

She lined them up and then lifted the first in her mouth. She whipped her head forward, releasing the dart faster than I could follow. It hit its target dead on, popping her first balloon. The next four darts followed quickly, each landing with a loud pop as they struck home.

With a bow, she turned back to us and grinned. "Next up!"

I just stared. There was no way I could top that performance.

Dusky shook her head, echoing my thoughts. "After that?"

"Aw, but its fun!" She pouted just a little. "Please? I'll pay for you!"

Dusky stared her down, but at last relented. "Okay, okay, fine. Under one condition: no playing over our shoulder."

"What? If that's what you really want..."

Dusky glanced at me. I looked at the dart booth, the balloons didn't seem rigged, but then, neither did the milk jugs, and especially not after Merri's performance. Still, I didn't want to cheat regardless. Committing another wrong was not the way to make up for a wrong committed against you. It only made things worse. I realized Dusky was still staring, and at last, managed a nod.

She turned back to Merri and confirmed it before picking up her first dart. She gripped it awkwardly in her mouth, struggling to get herself into position. Her throws were not at all as graceful as Merri's, and didn't have the strength, either. Every dart struck, but only three had the force and direction to pop the balloons. She threw her last dart, and seemed to sigh in relief as she stepped away from the counter.

"Ooo, not bad!" Merri nodded approvingly, then turned her head back to me. "Hey, Night! You're next!"

I hesitated, not really wanting to step up. I wouldn't even be able to pop anything. "U-um, I don't know..."

She was already giving her bits to the carny, then turned back and moved in close, fluttering her eyes. "But it's free~."

I started to lean away from her when Dusky came up alongside me. "It's the fastest way to get her to stop pestering you."

"O-okay." I quickly slipped past Merri and towards the darts. I tried to breathe and lift the dart in my mouth, fumbling it worse than Dusky had with her first dart. Once it was secured between my teeth, I shakily glanced towards the target and swung my head to release it. The dart plummeted straight to the ground.

I watched it fall in slow motion, then stared at the dart as if it were a deadly snake.

Dusky's voice came gently, like rain. A soothing sound that calmed my nerves. "Don't worry about that one. It's harder than it looks."

I nodded and steadied myself, throwing again. This time, the dart flew straight, but didn't hit any of the balloons. I took a deep breath.

Behind me, Merri shouted more encouragement. "Getting closer!"

I pulled my head back further, taking the next dart in my mouth and closing my eyes. I twisted and let go. A loud pop caused my ears to flinch back, and it took me a moment to register just what that noise meant. I cracked my eyes and looked at the bare spot where a balloon had previously floated.

I heard Merri cheer behind me, and my face split into a grin. With that small victory in hoof, I cast the next two darts carefully, but even though I didn't score anymore, I already felt like I was ahead. It had been fun, once I'd gotten into it.

The only one of us to win, Merri levitated her prize over to me. It was another plush toy, this one of Daring Do. "Here. For being such good sports~."

I stared at it. I didn't want to take the prize from her, she'd won it fair and square. "I-I, um, never got into D-Daring Do."

Dusky tilted her head. "Really? You should check the books out sometime. It's a good series."

I stuttered. I never really read those books growing up, I'd always been a bigger fan of the Star Horse series. Still, if Dusky recommended it, maybe it was worth reading through. "O-oh, I'll k-keep that in mind."

She smiled, then turned to Merri and picked the plush toy out of the air. "I guess I'll take her, then." She snuggled the little Daring Do into her scarf, her pith-helmeted head poking out just over the edge. I couldn't help but smile, looking at Dusky with her miniature companion.

"Oooo, that was fun! We should do another! " Merri pointed a hoof towards the next closest tent. "Like... that one!"

I watched Merri, raising an eyebrow. "Um... w-what is it?"

"Only one way to find out~!" And with that she was off.

"Wait, Merriweather!" Dusky called after, but Merri was already gone, not bothering to respond as she rushed ahead. Dusky shook her head with a sigh. "Just look up."

I glanced up, seeing the large board looming over the tent, topped with a mounted bell. I sighed just a little, then looked back to where Merri had run. For a knight, she was impulsive, inappropriate, and overly juvenile. "She's, um... I-it's like w-watching a foal, i-isn't it?"

Dusky giggled. "Maybe a little. I think there's a bit of that inside all of us, though. Come on, let's catch up." She trotted after Merri, and I followed.

We rounded the corner to the tent, revealing a Test of Strength booth. It was more manageable than the dart booth had been, at least. A target was set up to be bucked, and I had enough experience bucking clouds that I could manage a good kick. I followed the board upward, lines were painted along the way, each with a picture of a prize drawn beside it. At the top was a large Daring Do plushie. I smiled slightly, imagining the look on Dusky’s face if I could manage to win that and give it to her.

A great rush of air pulled my view away, as a pony swooped down from above, landing near the tent. Blizzard Breeze settled down, the snow stirred around her.

"Whew! Sorry I took so long. Weather went crazy for a bit there and my team was off bumming around." She flapped her wings once more, pushing the snow back down to the ground.

Dusky smiled, nodding to Blizzard. "Don't worry about it. Not like we had a schedule to keep. Besides, we've been pretty... distracted, anyway."

They looked at Merriweather, and I tilted my head to watch. She was leaning in close to the carny running the booth, batting her eyes again. His face was already going red. I sighed, and turned back to Blizzard.

She just stared a moment at our unusual friend. "Huh. I didn't know you were meeting up with somepony."

Dusky shook her head. "It wasn't planned. It just kind of happened."

"A pleasant surprise, then."

I cringed slightly, still not sure if Merri's presence was entirely welcome, or what she wanted, or what kind of trouble she was going to get us into. I just looked aside. "Y-yeah, um, p-pleasant."

"Good news, everypony." Merri sauntered back to the group, still grinning wide. "He's going to let us play three for the price of two!"

Blizzard tilted her head to look behind Merri. "Is he now?"

The carny spoke up, his voice breaking just a little. "Uh, yes. They look like real fine ladies and gentlecolt with an appreciation for Test Your Strength."

Blizzard nodded. "Good eye."

"Before we do that..." Dusky came forward, stepping between Blizzard and Merri. She pointed to each in turn. "Blizzard, this is Merriweather, Merriweather, Blizzard Breeze. Blizzard here is in charge of festival organization. Merriweather is a, uh, traveling knight."

"Traveling knight?" Blizzard eyed Merri cautiously. "I hope you're not planning on doing 'knightly' things over here."

Merriweather dismissed the thought with a wave of a hoof. "Nah, not really my style~."

Blizzard continued to watch Merri. "And what is your style?"

"You could say I do requests per pony~." She eyed Blizzard back, that same eye flutter as always. Then she shrugged, and her expression hardened. "What I don't do is the whole crusade bit."

I could feel the tension as Blizzard stared her down. "Hmmm, so long as you don't cause trouble, we'll get along just fine."

I looked at Dusky nervously, thinking back to the bar and my wing. Blizzard deserved to know what had happened.

Dusky shook her head, eyes darting to Merri and back to me. Her mouth opened, but no sound came out, only a breath forming the word 'Later'.

I looked back at Merri and nodded in return.

She grinned, waggling her eyebrows and interrupting my thoughts. "Gentlecolts first~?"

I stepped back, wholly unprepared. "M-me? W-why?"

"Because we made you go last in the other game." She pursed her lips and nodded.

"O-oh, um, th-thanks?" I moved towards the target, turning to position it behind me. "S-so, I, um, kick it?"

Dusky grinned. "Yep. Give it a good old-fashioned buck."

Merri cheered out. "Crush it beneath the power of your hooves!" I only wished she stopped there, but she giggled and added. "Work those thighs~!"

"R-right..." I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I wound up my hind legs, first one, than the other. I tried to imagine myself up in the sky breaking up another wayward cloud. "Um, here goes!"

I kicked out, feeling my hooves impact the target behind me. But unlike a cloud, it didn't give way. I quickly stumbled forward, cringing slightly as my bandaged wing tried to unfold on instinct. I reined the other side in, keeping it closed as I tried to regain my balance.

Merri let out a low whistle. "Not bad~."

I smiled, finally getting my legs back together. "R-really?"

"You did get a prize." Blizzard pointed towards the target line. "Can't argue with that."

My grin widened as I imagined the big Daring Do plush again. "Oh, w-wow." I looked up, noting that I'd only managed to clear the lowest level and felt a pang of disappointment, but the thrill of winning was still there.

"Your turn, Dusky~." Merriweather lowered her muzzle to nudge her forward.

"Heh, okay, just don't expect anything spectacular." She stepped forward to the target, and I paused to watch before getting my prize. She stretched for a moment with a lithe grace that made me smile.

She struck, shouting out with a loud. "Hiya!" She cracked the target dead center, but the ringer fell just short of the prize line I'd managed to clear.

I grinned awkwardly, not sure what to say. I wanted to say something encouraging, but not sound dismissive of her attempt. "U-um, that looked p-pretty g-good." I looked down at the snow, pawing at it with a hoof.

"Yeah, it was." She didn't sound upset. I slowly looked back to see her smiling. "I told you not to expect anything spectacular."

Merriweather waved a hoof. "Pfff, you're so modest~. I bet if Sis' were here, she'd be going off about how it's not about how powerful your hips are, it's about how you use them~."

Dusky snorted. "In those exact words?"

"Oh, she'd probably use stuffier language, but it's all the same, right~?"

Blizzard smirked. "Sure, let's go with that."

I stepped away as Merri took her turn. I moved over to the Carnie by the side of the booth and stuttered, pointing towards the prizes. "I, um... w-won... er... something?"

He pulled one of the flimsy plastic helmets from the wall, spinning it from the tip of one hoof, to other. At last, dropped the prize, catching it in both hooves and presenting it to me. "You sure did, son. That was a great kick, if I do say so. If you aimed a little higher, I think you could hit the bell, if you care to try again?"

I grinned awkwardly, shaking my head as I took the prize. "Oh um... th-that's okay. Th-thank you." I turned back to the group, holding the little plastic pith helmet, just like the one on the plush toy Merri had given Dusky. It wasn't quite a giant plushie, but still, it was something.

I came up from her side, smiling wide as I held the helmet out. Blizzard and Merri watched her, but Dusky seemed preoccupied, her attention divided between them and something else in the crowd. It was perfect. I lifted the helmet up and pressed it down on her head.

Her response was not what I expected at all. Her wings shot outward. She spun in place, buffeting my face and pushing me back. I flailed at the sudden assault, unsure how to respond, and when I opened my eyes again, I found her forehoof inches from my muzzle.

"Nice moves~." I heard Merri say, but I was too focused on Dusky's hoof.

I tried to keep the smile on my face, but I'd obviously screwed up somehow. I started to step backwards, lowering my head. I tried to keep my eyes on her, but couldn't meet her gaze, instead shifting beyond her to stare at the sky.

Dusky looked up, poking at the helmet. Her cheeks turned red, and her eyes bored through me. "Did you really just do that after what happened with Merriweather?"

After what happened with...? I thought back. The lunge in the alley, Dusky striking at Merri. Something was off. I shifted about. "I.. I, um... wanted to s-surprise you."

She shook her head, her voice strained. "Well, you surprised me, all right."

I sighed, looking up at Dusky, but her eyes suddenly darted to the side, watching something out of the corner of her eye. I turned my head to look, seeing a basket toss game across the street from where we stood.

Dusky turned her head, looking back and forth carefully.

I gave a nervous laugh, not really sure what she was looking for, and not sure what was happening. There was a growing sense of unease in my gut, watching her. She looked concerned, and about far more than just an ill-timed surprise. "W-well... um, mission accomplished?"

She turned back to look at me, a wry smile crossing her face. "Haha, yeah... real funny. Just don't do it again."

"O-oh..." I nodded, breaking from her gaze. I shouldn't have snuck up on her. It had been a silly notion, and now, that look in her eyes... there was something else going on here. I didn't know what was going through her head at that moment, but I needed to respect her. I swore to myself not to surprise her like that again.

My voice stuttered again as I tried to leave that awkward moment. "Um, s-so what next?"

Blizzard moved over to give her suggestion. "Have you been to the knitting expo yet?"

"That was the original plan," Dusky turned to her and smiled. She pointed towards the game booth. "But like I said, we've been distracted."

"Then I'll show you the short route." Blizzard laughed, turning to lead on. "Maybe we can get you there before it closes."

Dusky nodded. "One can only hope."

We soon moved through the crowd on the way to town hall. Blizzard led the way as I tried to keep up with her quick pace.

She looked back over her wing with a wink to me. "Well, how's the date going?"

I blushed, quickly looking back at Dusky, who had dropped behind to talk with Merri. I picked up the pace to come alongside Blizzard. "It um... it's... fine. N-not a date. We're just friends."

She giggled. "Riiiiiight. Just friends. But you're having fun, right?"

Despite Merri and the awkwardness and everything else, I smiled. I was having fun. "I... yeah. Yeah, I am."

"And she is too?"

I looked back at Dusky, still wearing the pith helmet. The Daring Do plush toy peeked out from her scarf, and I grinned. "I... I think so. I hope so..."

Blizzard spread a wing out to settle across my back. "You two are cute together. Just keep being yourself, and you'll figure it out."

Be yourself. I lowered my head just a bit, trying to figure out who that should be. We kept walking, but Blizzard stopped, prodding me with her wing before she pulled it back to her side.

I looked up. The fading sunlight glinted off a series of ponies frozen in time. A fence stopped us from getting closer, but we could see into the pavilion, and the numerous ice sculptures set-up throughout. They sparkled under the warm orange glow, the ice filled with captured color. All I could do was look up and gape. "W-wow..."

"Ooo, snazzy~." Merriweather stepped on behind us, but I just nodded dumbly.

Blizzard looked out past the fence. "The sculptors have been working pretty hard all day, but most of them aren't quite done. You going to be back tomorrow?"

Dusky trotted up besides us, eyes fixed on the ice as well. "Wish I could, but I've only got one day off. Gonna have to sleep the afternoon if I want to be able-bodied for my shift."

I cringed. They weren't even finished, and my injury was preventing Dusky from seeing them in their full glory. I cursed myself again and awkwardly dug into the snow.

"Huh, that's too bad." Blizzard snorted. "Wish that idiot hadn't messed things up for you."

Part of me wanted to blame Merri, and the other part to blame myself. Hard to tell which of us had been the bigger idiot that night. I strained my wing against the bandages and sighed. I'd have voted for myself.

Dusky's voice pulled me up. "Yeah, well, I've still been enjoying myself, so no sense dwelling on it."

I smiled and lifted my head. Dusky and Blizzard continued talking, but Dusky's eyes were still glued to the sculptures. First the Waterfall and then the ice sculptures. But still, the best part of the trip was sitting back and watching her.

We soon moved past the sculptures, continuing down the road. Soon, we came within sight of the entrance to the town hall. It was a large structure bearing some resemblance to Ponyville’s own town hall.

"Well, there it is." Blizzard stepped aside. "Just head straight and you'll be there in no time."

Dusky frowned. "You're not coming?"

She shook her head. "I need to make sure the sculptures are all set for the night. I'll catch up with you later." She unfurled her wings and gave a quick salute, then pushed off into the air.

Merriweather clapped her hooves loudly against the road. "What are we waiting for? There's knitting to be had~!" Without another word she charged ahead towards the entrance.

"Um..." I blinked, then glanced over at Dusky, still unsure just what to think of Merri's behaviors.

She smiled back, giving a shrug. "We're here; might as well."

The main room of the town hall was busier than I would have guessed. There were tables covered in socks and hats and scarves of every size and color. Ponies browsed through the goods, while behind the tables the vendors either bartered with customers, or were busy crafting more goods.

Merriweather's figure stood out in the hall, not just from her slightly larger frame, but also her frenzied shopping spree as she dashed from vendor to vendor. We caught up with her as she purchased a red scarf, gently nuzzling against it. "Mmmm, so soft~. I'll take it!"

I looked up at the levitating circle of knitting that orbited her head, the newly purchased scarf joining the ring of wool as she gave the vendor her bits. "W-wow, um... she really l-likes knitting."

Dusky walked alongside as we followed Merri. "We all have our interests. Some are just simpler than others."

"I-I know, b-but I..." I shrugged, trying to picture Merri sitting at a table, levitating two long knitting needles. "I guess I can't th-think of knitting as a very kn-knightly thing."

"People are more than their job. For instance, I like Daring Do, which has nothing to do with weather. And surely you must have something else you like."

I tapped my hooves together. "U-um, well, there's t-tea... I, um, m-make my own."

Dusky nodded. "There you go."

These craftsponies were incredible, the skill behind each and every hoof- and magic-crafted item made every piece a work of art. I knew from my own experience, each was a little piece of the pony who'd made it.

I glanced at Dusky's scarf, wondering just how much of herself she'd poured into making that. It was a beautiful piece, expertly crafted with an obvious attention to detail. My eyes wandered to her cutie mark. I’d seen it before, but never considered it. A pencil within a six-toothed gear. What did it mean? How had she gotten it? Just more questions about her I was realizing I didn't have the answers to.

I took a deep breath, about to ask her when she let out a quiet yawn, cutting off my question before it began. Instead, I asked. "T-tired?"

She smiled softly and nodded. "Getting there. I think it might be time to head back."

"Um, o-okay. S-sorry..." I bowed my head down, trying again not to dwell on why she so tired.

Dusky called out ahead of us. "Hey, Merriweather. We're thinking about going home. You coming?"

"Huh?" The nearly complete ring of wool encircling Merri's head parted enough for her to look out at us. "Oh, no, there's still so much to see. You two go on ahead~." She made eyes at us and winked before the opening closed again, Merri moving onward in her quest for knit goods.

"See you later." Dusky rolled her eyes at Merri, then smiled at me as we turned to head out.

We crossed beneath the archway well after Celestia had set the sun. The path back to the train station was now only lit by the firefly-filled street lamps, and from the moon watching out over the festival. We walked slowly in the brisk night air.

Dusky broke the silence, her breath crystallizing in the air before her as we walked. "I'd almost forgotten what peace and quiet is like."

I smiled, nodding. "So many ponies a-and then um... Merri. She's f-fun and all, but, um, this is n-nice. Th-thanks again... for c-covering and c-coming with me. I d-don't think I c-could have done this on my o-own."

She returned the smile. "Hey, it's what us shift workers and friends do."

"S-still... I appreciate it." We continued to walk down the low-lit path, and I considered how the day had gone. I'd had fun. But there was that nagging thought, still in my mind. "Y-you know... I was really nervous about today."

Dusky tilted her head. "Really? Why?"

"I-I didn't know if I'd be able to, um, r-relax with all th-those ponies around. A-and then my wing and I... I j-just really wanted it to be a good day."

"Well, I'm glad—" She stopped, her brow furrowing at something.

I slowed to a stop as well, tilting my head. "What is it?"

Her attention was turned ahead of us. A large stallion in an ill-fitting cloak wandered out of a nearby alley. He staggered in a fashion not unlike I'd seen Mahogany or Terrabona when they'd had a few too many whiskey shots. He lurched forward before stopping in the middle of our path.

I saw Dusky tense immediately. I gave the stallion my full attention, and something started to play through my mind. An oft-considered fantasy.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" He leered at us, staring at Dusky. "A pretty little mare."

I blinked. It was almost eerie, but... I knew what I had to do. "O-oh, excuse us, sir, we're just o-on our way to the train s-station." I stepped forward to put myself between Dusky and the drunk.

He barely looked away from Dusky, shouting me down. "Shut up, boy! I ain't talkin' ta you!"

I started to shrink back, my mouth open, but the fire rose in my chest. I took another step forward. "W-well, I'm afraid we're travelling t-together and we have to be on our way."

He laughed, but seemed to otherwise ignore me, his focus entirely on Dusky. "Say, why don't you ditch this sorry excuse for a stallion and let me show you a good time?" The disrespect! I seethed.

Dusky's voice rose up, remaining steady, calm. "And if I say no?"

I drew closer to the drunk, the scenario playing out before me so similar to what had happened in my mind time after time.

He smirked, a look that made me shudder. "Then maybe you just need a little... persuasion."

What would Mint do? Old memories came to the fore, my body responded to repeated drills and preparations from long ago. "I don't think the lady is particularly interested. Why not just head on home?"

He laughed again. "Lemme think... 'ow about no!"

"Well, I don't intend to back down either." My legs fell into a stance I'd thought I'd forgotten. I took a deep breath, wholly unsure of what I was doing, but at the same time never more sure. I knew that I had to defend Dusky.

I wouldn't have to sacrifice myself for her. I would defend her. I'd be a hero without getting myself hurt like before.

And as my determination steeled, everything suddenly moved at once. A startled curse came from behind me. I began to move my head back towards the noise, but it was then that the drunkard charged.

I turned my attention towards him. He came at me like a train, but I gave a quick leap out of his way. As he slipped by, hooves skidding in the snow, I lashed out, kicking with a rear hoof into his side.

He gave out a muffled cry, stumbling to the side before he regained his posture. He rumbled, a low laugh. "Ahahaha! He's got some spunk!" He lumbered towards me slowly now, grinning.

He was bigger than me, stronger for sure. I'd been around Mahogany enough to realize that he was surely no drunken festival-goer. My wing strained beneath its bandaging, although the other side was still free. I wanted to throw them open and give myself more maneuverability, but

A voice intruded upon my thoughts. The bracer! Put it on! I recalled Merri's gift, resting carefully in my flight satchel, but there was no time to get it out, let alone wonder why I'd think of it now.

He was coming closer, taking his time now. My ears twitched at the sounds of violence behind me. I had to finish this and get to Dusky. With her in my mind, I took the initiative back and charged the stallion.

He gave me that wicked grin, and lowered his head to charge back. I prepared to jump, and as he came for me, I dodged right, then lunged with my forehooves out.

I connected, punching at him with as much force as I could manage. I struck at his head, and it pulled back.

Too late, I saw he wasn't pulling back from the blow, but with a smile. He threw his head forward, headbutting me with the force of a thrown boulder. My forehooves went up at the last moment, but the impact crushed me, throwing me down.

I rolled along the rough ground, feeling the cold snow and loose gravel cut at me. I cringed, coughing as I tried to catch my breath. My bandaged wing felt like it was aflame. It was warm and wet, but I didn't have time to notice. I heard Dusky cry out and felt a surge of panic, but old training quelled it. The sound of hooves smashing through snow drowned out everything else, and I found my opponent standing over me.

I scrambled away as he dropped his forehooves where I’d lain. I pushed myself back up onto all fours, turning quickly to assault him. I punched with my hooves again and again, but it was like hitting a brick wall.

He lashed out with his hooves to return every punch I gave him. This had become an endurance fight, the last thing I'd wanted, and I was losing fast. He delivered a heavy strike to my jaw, forcing me to twist aside. He grinned, bringing his forehooves down together into my bandaged side with wicked glee.

I bit my tongue to cut off the scream, the taste of blood in my mouth. The opening was right there, but I struggled to maintain consciousness. In that moment, I acted, letting the momentum carry me. My good wing unfurled, quickly beating against the stallion. He turned his head away from the sudden buffet. I let my flapping pivot me back in a tight semi-circle, straining as I brought my rear hooves against his head.

He collapsed into the snow, and I landed as best I could, my one open wing doing its best to keep me steady while I regained my balance. I glanced at the stallion. He wasn't getting back up.

There was no time to rest, I turned back in search of Dusky, terrified of what I'd find. This had been some kind of planned mugging, and the sounds of violence I'd heard could only be other attackers, striking at Dusky while I'd be dealing with first stallion.

I found her, thankfully still alive, and so much more than alive. She stood, bathed in the low street and gentle moon lights. The pieces came together in a flash of insight. Her lunge at Merri outside the diner, and the reaction when I'd tried to surprise her. She was not the helpless victim I'd pictured, instead, she was a terrifying, glorious battle maiden. She stood triumphant over one attacker, her wings open and pointed forward. A glint caught my eye, drawing my attention to a blade mounted at the joint of one wing.

She faced a third stallion, and I found myself transfixed as he charged. She charged in turn, and as they approached one another, she juked to the side, slashing with her wing. They stopped, turning back to stare at one another.

Her opponent hesitated, his flank cut up by her wingblade. He stepped back nervously before he turned and ran off into the dark.

I broke out of my awe, rushing up to Dusky to help pursue the assailant. "Hey!"

"No! Stop!" My hooves ground to a halt as Dusky called after me.

"Don't—don't chase. There could be more." She was breathing heavily as she looked back, glancing around the street. "The other one, where did he go?"

I sighed, nodding. "He's right—" The bloodied furrow of snow where he'd dropped was empty. "Huh? He's... he's gone!"

Dusky quickly took in the situation and snorted. "Damn. We need to move, before they bring back more of their friends." She turned her attention to me, eyeing me quickly. "Did you drop anything? We can't leave anything behind."

I shook my head "No. I..." I watched Dusky retrieve her now-mangled Daring Do helmet and the plush toy Merri had given her. She was covered in bruises, a line of blood trailing from her mouth. My eyes went wide. "I, D-Dusky, are you okay? You're bleeding..."

She turned to me, tilting her head as she came closer. "Am I okay? I'm just a little bruised. You look like you just had a drawer full of knives dumped on you."

As I stood there, the fight began to catch up with me, and I began to feel more like Dusky’s description. She looked at me in concern, the two of us beneath the street lights, and suddenly I saw her for the first time. The damsel that needed saving was gone. She was capable and strong and just as beautiful, if not more so.

I leaned in closer. "D-Dusky, I..." I love you. I stopped myself in time and pulled my head back. We're just friends. Just friends.

Her expression darkened as she stared me down. "Night Flurry."

I tried to nod, pulling back further, my face going red. "I-I... S-sorry, I..."

"I'm going to call that adrenaline and let it slide. Now, let's get out of here."

9 - Nightfall

We rushed to the train station. Not quite running, but a hard enough pace that my legs burned. The train station was well lit at least. Dusky raised a hoof and we slowed to a canter. Glancing about, she quickly moved over to the restrooms, then waved me into the stallion's room.

Our hooves echoed in the emptiness. Dusky quickly checked the stalls for occupants, then turned on one of the faucets. I watched her dig through her saddle bag in silence. She was hardly injured, save a few cuts and the line of blood drying on her muzzle. I felt like I could collapse at any moment, but she knew just what to do.

She produced a little medical kit, and began to take care of my wounds. I watched dumbly as she cleaned off the blood and evened out the hair over the cuts. I tried to stop myself from flinching, but couldn't help it. The caress of her hooves, combined with the tenderness of the wounds was nearly too much. She frowned, occasionally looking over her shoulder at the door, as if at any moment our assailants would burst in.

My wing needed some additional attention; one of the hits had ripped a stitch out. Most of the blood had soaked into the bandaging, but thankfully those wounds were nearly healed. Dusky redressed the wing, wrapping bandages gently around me, then proceeded to patch up a long cut along my neck. In the end, I didn't look nearly as bad as I felt.

Dusky stepped back and looked over her hoofwork. "There. That's about as good as I can do. Best I can tell, there's nothing particularly serious, but you should get a professional’s opinion once we get back."

I flexed, feeling the bandages wrapped just tight enough. "U-um, okay. I... w-what about you?"

She was already looking in the bathroom mirror, her eyes taking in every detail. The blood worried me, but she seemed to take it in stride. "I've had worse."

"T-the way you fought... I c-can believe it." She was more amazing than I could have possibly imagined. "Wh-where did you learn to d-do that?"

She rinsed her face, cleaning off the blood and sweat. She pulled her head up, taking a towel in hoof to wipe off the water. "My mom."

My eyes went wide. "W-wow... she m-must be quite the mare."

"You could say that." She finished her clean-up effort, giving herself one last look in the mirror.

She glistened, the last sheen of water upon her mane dripping away as she turned back to look at me. There was a poetry in her movements I'd never noticed before, now revealed to be athletic grace. She was beautiful, and now I could see her in a new light. She stared into my eyes, and I was helpless to do anything but stare back. The moment seemed to stretch on into eternity.

"Night Flurry? You okay?"

I fell away from those sapphire depths and became uniquely aware of where we were. I dropped my head down, running my hoof along the line between two tiles. "I-I, y-yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure your injuries aren't getting to you?"

It was embarrassing, and wonderful, in a way, that feeling. But now was not the time. I nodded, not meeting her eyes again.

She turned her attention back to her field kit, moving quickly to replace the supplies, both the used and the unused, all shoved in as fast as she could manage. She set it all back into her flight satchel, and stepped towards the door.

"All right. We'd better get going, then. If anyone asks, a stack of crates fell on you."

I watched her work, every movement was intentional, even if I wasn't quite sure what she was doing. I stared past her, watching as she stowed the last of the waste away. "U-um, okay. But why—"

"Because it's pretty conspicuous. We don't want to leave evidence that we were here." She headed towards the door, nodding her head back out into the train station. "Now come on."

We walked through the still silent station as quickly as we could without breaking into a full gallop. Nearing the ticket booth, Dusky held up a wing, motioning me to stop. I just waited as she moved towards the stallion. I twitched nervously, constantly looking over my shoulder, the shadows holding new dangers that I could never have considered before.

"Two for Canterlot." Dusky set down the bits with a smile.

I tilted my head, waiting for her to collect the tickets and make her way back. "U-um, Canterlot?"

She nodded, directing me towards the platform where our train was already waiting. She moved us through the last leg of the station with a glance back every few steps.

Is she really as scared as I am? I shook the thought from my head. No. She’s just cautious.

We headed back through the train to the rearmost car. I couldn't tell if this was the same train we'd arrived in or not, but we soon found ourselves in the same seats we'd rested upon only this morning. I looked across to her seat tilting my head. I was prepared to ask her any of the hundred questions that were gnawing at my mind.

She preempted my curiosity with a shake. "Not yet." Eyes to the train car door, she maintained her vigil. The silence was oppressive, and Dusky kept watch, tensing ever so slightly.

When the train finally jerked into motion, she let out a sigh.

I released the breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "U-um, so... Canterlot?"

Her voice was a whisper, and she answered without looking at me, eyes still watching the door. "Yeah. It has to stop in Ponyville first, so we'll get off there."

The answer made sense, but it still didn't answer my question. "Then why?"

The train began to pick up speed, the constant noise of the wheels already beginning to fade into the background as I tilted my ears toward Dusky.

Her head didn't move, but her eyes flicked over to me and then back to the door. "In case anyone asks after us... or if the ticket vendor is working for them."

"Wh-what?" The last word hung ominously in the air. "'Th-them'?"

Now she turned her head, looking into my eyes for the first time since we'd boarded the train. It was like she was appraising me, her stare bored through me, and after only a second, it was past.

Her gaze relaxed. "Yes, 'them'. The thugs. They work for a criminal organization."

My jaw dropped with the weight of her implications. Too many scenarios played through my mind. "H-how do you know that?"

"Because I've seen him before. He was among those they sent after me."

"Wh-what?" Sent after her? Those scenarios only became more complicated. Was she a Special Ops Guard posing as a weather pony? Some kind of Superhero who had to maintain her secret identity while she battled criminals? Or perhaps a former criminal who had turned her back on her dark past. "Why would c-criminals be after you?"

"I made a naive mistake." She glanced past me, just for a moment. "I came across the site of a scuffle, tables and chairs knocked every which way. And there, in the middle of the carnage lay a scattered dossier, unattended, unguarded. It was an obvious plant. Someone wanted that information leaked, but they didn't want to take the fall for it. I was too eager, too blinded by my desire to be a hero. I took it straight to the Guard."

She'd turned them in. "Mistake? B-but it was r-real, right? I-If it could help bring down scum like that... h-how could it be a m-mistake?"

"People like that don't appreciate having their activities brought to light." She paused to look aside, as if lost. "Of course, I didn't charge straight ahead like an idiot, but my precautions were pretty nominal. I thought I was so clever, allowing myself to be interviewed under the condition of anonymity. Turns out anonymity isn't particularly helpful when some of the Guard is on their payroll."

The Guard is on their payroll. The words struck me, but I kept pushing through. "B-but that's... that's not your fault." My ears dropped. "I... I don't think I could have made any other choice."

"At the time, I thought the same thing. That's why I called it naive."

Her words were like a slap to the face. The world was so much larger that I imagined. So much more I hadn't seen or done that she had. But there was also so much more I didn't know. So many utterly horrible, terrifying things out there. Dusky was speaking from experience she knew I didn't have. "You... you r-regret it?"

She sighed. "I... I don't know. They knew where the safe house was; it wasn't even a matter of if, so much as when. The Guard who remained true to their station fought back valiantly, but... they never stood a chance."

I tried to come up with a reply, but failed. She'd been betrayed by those sworn to protect her. Those who remained true... never stood a chance. I swallowed. It’s all wrong. That's not how it's supposed to work. That's not how the stories go! That's not what... My thoughts turned to my father.

Dusky choked out her words, whispering grimly in the darkness. "I did what I had to. To survive, I... I left them behind; fled into the night."

I stared into my reflection in the darkness of the window. I could almost see him looking back at me. We have a duty. To protect Equestria, and everypony who lives within it. To honor the gifts we have been given, and to respect the others with whom we share those gifts. Not to destroy. Not to hurt.

I asked him in a low tone, as if I expected a response. "H-how... how can ponies even d-do things like that? I-I don't understand." He had no answer. I turned back to Dusky. "You did what was right. And i-if you did nothing else but survive, you w-won. If you had d-died, then... it would have been for nothing!"

"Shhh!" Dusky glared, raising a hoof to her lips. Her eyes moved from me to the door.

I waited. My ears dropped slowly as the silence surrounding us once again.

When nothing else happened, she looked back at me, voice a whisper once again. "No. It wasn't a victory; it was... barely getting by. And then I... I couldn't let it go. I found some Guard I could trust and they raided the operation, but the criminals knew they were coming. The Guard 'won' only by the strictest definition."

None of it was right. None of it was how it should have been.

"They came for me again, during the raid." Dusky continued. "I didn't hold back; none of us did. They lost someone important that day, but all that did was make me a target. And at what cost? How many lives?"

"B-but you did the right thing!" I struggled to keep my voice low. I needed to believe it. "I... I-if nopony else will stand by you, then I will. I sw-swear it!"

She raised a hoof to her lips and I let my vow linger. "Look... Night Flurry, I appreciate the sentiment, but you're better off putting as much distance between us as possible. The sooner you do, the safer you'll be."

"I-I don't care. I c-can't leave you now; it wouldn't be..." My heart raced. I pulled up to look her in the eyes, and every fiber of my being told me it was true. "...it wouldn't be right."

"Rarely is it ever that simple." She met my eyes, then let out a sigh. "Besides, we don't need anymore heroes. Promise me you won't try to be a hero. Because heroes, they..." She broke her gaze.

I hesitated. After everything she had told me, after what she'd been through, both tonight, and before, here she was telling me she didn't need a hero. No. That wasn't it. I flexed my bandaged wing against its bandages, the dull pain reminding me of my stupid lunge. She didn't need me to be that kind of hero.

I sighed. “O-okay then I… I p-promise I won’t be a hero. I’ll j-just do what I can to h-help.”

She tilted her head at me, raising an eyebrow. “Are you really sure about this? This isn't some game; it will be neither short nor easy.”

I was committed. Not only to her cause, but to her. I slid off the train seat, stepping over to her and cautiously raising a hoof to set against her shoulder. We’re just friends… but… but she needs me for this. “H-hey… Don’t worry about me. I l-learned my lesson. I’ll b-be careful.”

She looked at my hoof a moment, then followed it back to look me in the eyes. “I hope so. There is little room for error in what lies ahead.”

I gave her a nod, and tried my best to smile.

“All right.” She returned the nod, then lowered her head to rest it on her forehooves. “Well, in any event, we should rest and conserve our energy, just in case. But don’t fall asleep.”

I withdrew my hoof, looking at her resting on the seat. “Um, o-okay.” I stepped away, back to my seat, and settled down in the same position she rested in. No more heroes. As the train continued to move through the countryside towards home, I pondered just what exactly that meant.

The train arrived in Ponyville without incident. After everything that had happened, I wanted to be sure Dusky was safe, but she insisted she could make it home by herself. Instead, she let me walk with her through town.

Ponyville was quiet in those early hours, and we didn't talk as we made our way through town. At last, Dusky gestured for me to stop. She smiled softly, and motioned me back, and then continued walking home. I wanted to follow, but knew that I shouldn't. I wondered if I’d even be able to, or if she’d simply find a way to vanish from my notice. The times she’d slipped out of my sight when I’d tried following her so many months ago suddenly held a new perspective.

I watched her go until she was too far to see in the darkness. That was the end of our day together, the trip to Fetlock. And with all the weight of it in my mind, I breathed out a long sigh and trotted back to the clinic, and the room I was using until I could fly home.

Nurse Redheart hadn't been happy to see me, and the makeshift excuse Dusky had given me didn't seem to impress her. She’d insisted on redressing the wounds herself, but she at least commented that they’d been treated well. The burst stitch beneath my wing had nearly been healed, and thankfully no additional damage had been done. Just another few days and I’d be airborne again.

I’d spent the next day walking the town, trying to process everything that had happened. I went to the bar that night, but Dusky hadn't shown up. I checked her shift schedule, her next one being a few days off, and best I could think was she’d been trying to lay low.

It was the next night that my path took me to through the park. I wanted to lay back on a cloud and watch the stars, but the closest thing I could do until Redheart declared my wing fully healed was the stargazing hill.

I wasn't paying too much attention, honestly, lost along the pathways of my mind. I thought about Dusky and the criminals after her. About the train ride in, and the games, and the waterfall. The ice sculptures, and all the beautiful things… along with all the horrible ones. I didn't know what to think. And then I heard her voice again.

“Aren't you a little young to be looking for a job?” She was standing not too far ahead, with a filly who seemed to be having a deeper conversation with the dirt than with Dusky.

I slipped forward, stopping a few feet away to call out. “Hey D-Dusky!”

Damned stutter.

She looked over her shoulder and nodded at me. “Hi, Night Flurry.”

I walked up alongside her, glancing down at the young pony whom was occupying Dusky's attention.

The filly was covered in dirt, digging a hole in the middle of the park, and seemed rather upset with the entire process. She muttered something as I came closer. “Oh, great, another one.”

I continued to smile, although I wasn't quite unsure what was being discussed. “H-hi. Um… w-who is this?”

Dusky paused. “I don’t think I caught your name.”

The filly wasn't even looking at us as she dug at the ground. “Aster.”

“Nice to meet you, Aster. I’m Dusky,” She raised a hoof to herself, then waved it towards me. “And this is Night Flurry.”

“Mmm.” Aster didn't seem to care, more concerned with her task, planting a sunflower into the hole she’d dug.

Dusky continued with the line of thought that my arrival seemed to have interrupted. “Anyway, as I was saying, you might want to think more carefully about the difficulty of juggling school and a job at your age. Besides, I suspect that offer was for a bit farther into the future than immediately.”

Offer? “W-what? H-her? A job?”

Dusky nodded to me. “She’s apparently in with the park gardeners.”

“B-but she’s just a filly.”

“Exactly.”

Aster, meanwhile, had finished whatever task she’d set out to do, and was tired of whatever point Dusky was trying to make with her. “You’re dumb. Just ‘cause I’m a filly, doesn't mean I’m helpless.”

She bent down to grab her bucket in her teeth and headed away, leaving behind only the sunflower she’d planted.

Something wasn't quite right with that filly. I watched her go, wondering if we shouldn't go after her to make sure she was alright. “U-um…”

“Don’t worry about it.” Dusky shook her head, apparently considering the exact same thing. “Whatever her deal is, it’s not worth it. It’ll sort itself out when she realizes that reality doesn't match her expectations.”

Aster was nearly gone, knowing exactly where she was heading. Although, that final destination in life was never where you expected it to be. “I hope s-so.”

We watched until she crested a hill, and then was gone. With that, Dusky turned to me and smiled. “How are your wounds treating you?”

I lowered my head. “O-oh, they’re, um, a b-bit sore.” I lifted back up, not wanting her to be concerned. There wasn't really much to be concerned about now. “But they’re healing!”

“What are you doing out here, anyway? Getting restless?”

“Um, y-yeah, you could say that.” I glanced over towards the stargazing hill. She’d seen right through me. I didn't have any reason, but somehow I felt a little embarrassed by the whole thing. “I thought I m-might enjoy the sunset.”

She looked up, then tilted her head towards me with a sad smile. “You don’t get to see many of those, do you?”

“No... “ If I was awake before the sunset, I didn't often stop to watch it. I usually had paperwork to do, or some other preparations. And then, once I was in the air for my weather shift, it was already gone. “N-not many sunsets, no.”

Dusky pointed to the hill. “Wanna head up there? Sunsets are usually best seen from higher up.”

“O-okay.” I wished I could fly again. I wished I could go even higher with her. The thought of sharing a sunset with Dusky was… amazing. “That sounds n-nice.”

She headed towards the hill, and I followed. The top didn't take long to reach, the hill wasn't anything too high, just enough to let somepony sneak a peek over the tree tops of the Everfree or Whitetail Woods.

We prepared to settle down when somepony else arrived at the hill with us. I turned to find Dusky staring at the new mare. Her coat was almost the same charcoal shade as Dusky’s, capped by a pale violet mane, and a headband holding her hair back from her eyes.

The mare was locked on Dusky, and the hairs on the back of my neck rose. “Hello, you u-um… here to watch the sunset t-too?”

The tension was thick, and I cautiously moved closer to Dusky. She remained fixated on the other mare, and I began to worry more. Was this like Fetlock? More of… 'them'?

I tried to glean something, some clue. “Um… e-excuse me… what’s your name?” I looked to Dusky, trying to find some reaction, some hint of recognition to help me. “Do you t-two know each other?”

As if my words were a signal, the mare lunged forward, wings opened, swinging her hoof at Dusky.

I staggered back in surprise, but Dusky was ready. She stepped away, punching back.

The mare parried and pushed Dusky backwards. She tried to strike, but the mare seemed to take it into account, not even moving.

I froze as Dusky went on the offense. My hooves were shaking. I wanted to help, more than anything, but Dusky’s words played through my mind again. No more heroes. I’d seen what Dusky could do, she’d beaten two thugs with hardly a scratch, while I’d only barely managed to fight off one. She’d be fine. She didn't need me.

The fight gave lie to my hopes. Dusky tried to counter, but the other mare pushed past with a strike to her head. Dusky blocked, but couldn't push her back, and then Dusky buckled, letting the mare go over. Dusky pushed her aside, but the fight was taking a toll on her.

The other mare staggered, then returned her gaze to Dusky. It was my chance. I couldn't sit back and watch, not while her life was on the line. I could at least buy her time to recover. With no choice left, I charged.

The mare turned to me, raising one eyebrow. Then, a smile on her face as if she’d been waiting for me to make a move. She changed her stance immediately, ready to meet me head on.

Dusky’s voice cut through the air in ragged breaths. “Ni… Night! ... W-wait!”

I dug in my hooves, halting my charge. The mare glanced back at Dusky, and instantly relaxed her stance. “B-but… she…”

“I… it’s okay…” Dusky tried to catch her breath. “It was… a… a—”

“Pop quiz.” The mare glared at Dusky.

I was shaking. Those words weren't right. Was this all just some elaborate prank at my expense? No one was laughing. “A… pop quiz?”

The mare turned back to me and watched me. “That’s right.” Her tone said it as if I should have known all along.

I snapped. After everything that had happened in Fetlock, this was supposed to be some kind of stupid test? What kind of pony could possibly be so cruel? “Is… is that s-supposed to be some kind of joke?”

Dusky managed to come over, seemingly recovered. Her tone was more annoyed than angry. “Mom, what did I tell you last time?”

I blinked. “Mom…?” I glanced at the mare, then at Dusky, holding up a hoof. The charcoal coat was a hint, of course… and now that I looked, the similarities between the two was obvious. I deflated, totally unsure what was even happening now.

“Yes, I know. But not every fight is going to show up when it’s convenient for you. I waited until the filly was gone, didn't I?”

“I understand that, but this is also the kind of place where somepony else might call the Guard. Or get the wrong impression.” Dusky looked at me. “And yes, Night Flurry, this is my mom, the mare who taught me how to fight.”

It was all so matter-of-fact. I could barely even process it. “O-oh… y-yes, um, th-that mom.”

She continued to watch me, as if expecting me to make some other move. “Hmph, and you are?”

I started. “Oh, um… s-sorry. I’m Night F-Flurry… Mrs…?”

“Ward. Windy Ward. But you can call me Windy.” She looked back at Dusky with a smile. “And don’t worry about that. There won’t be any problems with the Guard.”

It seemed Mrs. Ward was already done with me. “Um, n-nice to meet you?”

Dusky stood firm against her mother. “And the ponies we freaked out? Being able to talk the Guard down doesn't guarantee they won’t be forming their own impression.”

“They’ll get over it.” Mrs. Ward looked at me again. “Unless you’re talking about him. Then he needs to get himself sorted.”

I shrank at her gaze. “U-um? I d-do?”

“See? How’s he supposed to back you up getting all like that? He’s already kind of scrawny for a stallion; he needs something going for him. At least the postal pony has muscles.”

Dusky let out a sigh. “My friends aren't just here to be bodyguards. Besides, I can take care of myself and I’d rather they not be in harm’s way. Anyway, what are you doing here?”

Mrs. Ward moved closer to Dusky, and this time, rather than throwing a punch, she leaned in to nuzzle her daughter. “Your father and I are on our way to Canterlot. He caught wind of a few deals and you know how he gets when that happens.”

Dusky leaned in, pressing against her mother’s neck. “Of course.”

I stood back a bit awkwardly, not wanting to break in.

A deep blue pegasus stallion set down as well, balancing a large wagon behind him. I glanced from him, back to Dusky, trying to see any resemblance. It was obvious, the eyes. They both had the same kind eyes. It could only be her father.

“Bravo!” He called out in a clear voice. “You’re giving your mother more of a run for her money each time.”

Mrs Ward hmphed. “Don’t spoil her. As I was saying, since we had to fly over Ponyville anyway, we just had to stop in to check up on our favorite daughter.”

Dusky smiled, and confirmed my suspicions. “Thanks, dad.” She rolled her eyes. “Only daughter.”

“Same thing, right?”

Dusky merely grinned. “Yeah, sure. Anyway, Night Flurry, this is my dad, Splendid Speech. Dad, this is Night Flurry, a friend of mine.”

Splendid stepped over, extending a hoof. “A pleasure.”

I raised my hoof to meet his, and quickly found him firmly pumping it up and down with more strength than I was ready for. “S-same here.”

Dusky looked between her parents. “Are you heading straight there or staying overnight?”

Splendid stepped away from me and gave Dusky a sad smile. “Straight away, unfortunately. The market waits for no one.”

“That’s too bad. Maybe on the way back? Or perhaps I could stop in Canterlot?”

Mrs. Ward moved towards Splendid’s side. “Probably. We’ll see what we can do. But I think it’s time that we left. We've had a long journey and there’s still a few hours left.”

Dusky moved towards them, stepping between her parents as they nuzzled against her mane. She smiled wide, closing her eyes, and I couldn't help but smile as well. I thought of my own parents, a pang of guilt in my heart. But I’d made that choice a long time ago.

She stepped back, and whatever I’d seen in that moment was gone.

Mrs. Ward looked back at me with a nod. “It was nice meeting you, Night Flurry.”

Splendid followed suit. “Perhaps next time we can chat for a bit.”

I nodded dumbly, the whole encounter just confusing things in my head. “Th-that would be n-nice.”

Soon, they were back in flight, Splendid carefully pulling his sky wagon while Mrs Ward flew alongside him. They waved, then continued their journey to Canterlot.

Dusky stood silent, watching them go.

I waited, alternating between watching Dusky, and following their progress until I couldn't see them any longer. “Well… your m-mother seems… um, interesting.”

“Yeah, uh, sorry about that.”

“No, no, she’s… a-amazing. I just, um…” In a flash, I realized just how close I’d come to assaulting Mrs. Ward. I looked away from Dusky, feeling my cheeks go red. “S-sorry I tried to attack your m-mother.”

Thankfully, she giggled. “I’m glad you think that. And… well, it’s no problem, really. I just didn't think you wanted one of her lessons just yet.”

This had only been a pop quiz… I cringed at the thought of what her lessons must be like. “No, um… p-probably not.”

“I must admit, I’m a bit surprised you held back as long as you did.”

I looked away. I’d wanted to help her, but at the same time, “W-well, I did make a p-promise, so, um…”

She nodded. “I’m glad you've taken it to heart.”

I raised a hoof up, then just stood there lamely. First the attack in Fetlock, now Mrs. Ward. Her words came back to me. How’s he supposed to back you up? “I, um… I’m w-working on it.”

Dusky looked back towards Canterlot, and I followed her gaze out into the sky. “Huh. Looks like we missed the sunset.”

I laughed, still not sure of what exactly we had experienced in its place, but simply glad things had turned out alright. “Th-that’s okay… things got p-pretty exciting.”

Dusky smiled at me, then her eyes traced back towards where her parents had flown. “So it did.”

The moon was on full display as Dusky and I parted ways. She left the park for home, but I was still a few days off before I could go home. I was awake, though, and I couldn't sleep. Not this early into the night. And the past few days had put too much in my mind.

The organization after Dusky. Heroism. Windy Ward. And of course, Dusky Down. When I stopped walking, I found my hooves had brought me to the Lusty Seapony. I stared up at the sign, wondering if the path I was walking was the right one. What other course of action could I take? I wanted to be somepony worthy to stand besides her, to help her in whatever way possible. Mrs. Ward had pointed the way. To back her up when she needed help.

I breathed in the cold winter air once again before I slipped into the bar's murky atmosphere. The hearth's glow was as welcoming as ever, and the typical night crowd was already dying down. I scanned the room, looking towards our group's usual table, but found it unoccupied. Instead, my target was sitting at the bar, levitating a glass of wine and leaning towards the barkeep with a lopsided grin.

"Oh, um... Merri! H-hey!" I called out; trotting forward as she lazily turned her head back towards me.

She waved a hoof when she saw me, that predatory grin widening. "Oi! Lover boy!"

I nervously stopped in front of her, bowing my head just slightly. "It um... it's Night."

"I know your name~."

"I... r-right. Yeah." I paused, looking down as the doubt began to weigh on me. I stammered at my words, not sure how to even approach what I wanted.

Merri watched me sputter a moment, then began to snicker. "You're cute when you're all flustered. Now come on, we're buds! Have a seat! I'll buy~."

"N-no, um... no thanks." I raised a hoof, scratching at my neck, and unable to meet her eyes. "I... wanted to a-ask you... about... t-that offer..."

"Oh? I thought you were only interested in Dusky~."

The heat rose in my face, but I shook my head to clear it away. "N-no! I mean, I... I am! I meant... your other offer. About... b-becoming a... knight." My voice dropped as I said the final word, letting it drop to the bar floor.

Her ears perked up, and she raised an eyebrow. "Wait, really? I mean... I didn't really think any Equestrians would take me up on that one. I just told Sis’ I'd give out the stuff and make the offers. I wasn't all that serious."

I nodded. "I... I need to become something more. I-if I want to help protect Dusky... o-or any of my friends... I need to be able to do more."

She mouthed out an 'ooooo', then her wide smile returned. "I think I get it." She jumped up from her seat, landing in front of me. "Alright, step one!"

"S-step one?"

"Kiss my hoof." Merri raised one hoof, presenting it before my face.

"I... w-what?" I sputtered, picturing all those old stories of knights swearing fealty to their Princess by kissing her hoof. Still, this was Merri. "I... is t-this some kind of joke?"

"Nope! This is ritually the first step to becoming a Knight of Ostfriesen." She lifted her head proudly, then tilted it just enough to see her wink at me. "On my honor."

"I... d-don't know if that helps..." I stared at the hoof, but when she did not relent, I leaned forward, bringing my lips to the hoof and gently kissing it.

As quickly as that, she withdrew it, stomping it to the floor of the bar. "Right! Step one, complete! Now then, come with me!" She rose up, heading to a small flight of stairs up to the bar's rooms.

"I... a-are..." I shook my head, terribly sure I was making a huge mistake. With a sigh, I followed up the stairs.

The second floor of the bar wasn't anything too impressive, a hallway over the length of the bar, with a over a dozen doors evenly spaced on either side. Merri stood in front of one of the furthest from the stairs, knocking loudly.

"Oi, Sis’! Open up! I got company!"

As I approached, I could hear Starshadow's voice clearly through the door. "I already told you that you cannot use the room for your... conquests while I am reading."

Merri craned her neck down to grin at me. "Nah, this time's different. He conquered me~." She fluttered her eyes at me for what felt like far too long.

Finally, the door cracked open. Starshadow tilted her head to observe first her sister, than me. "Him? He is the one who suffered from your ill-conceived magical intervention."

"Yep! And look at him! Already up and about. He's made of some sturdy stuff. I wouldn't have believed it myself, but he did it." Merri raised her hoof, waggling it before her sister's nose. "Kissed it and everything~."

Her sister blinked in surprise, opening the door all the way to look me over in a way that made me feel particularly uncomfortable. "Truly? You passed the test?" She turned to Merri, her expression becoming more of an accusation. "You actually administered the test?"

Merri nodded enthusiastically. "Sure did!"

"Were you drunk when you administered it?"

"Hey! No!" She paused, scrunching her nose. "Okay, maybe a little. But Night has got what it takes! He's rough around the edges, but with your training, he's sure to shine."

I interrupted, looking at Merri. "W-wait, her training? I thought you um... well... I mean... I don't really even know your s-sister..."

"Heh, nope!" Merri smirked. "I do recruiting. Sis does the training."

Starshadow bowed her head towards me. "I assure you, I am a far more competent trainer than Merriweather. I am proficient at both hoof to hoof combat, as well as several blade forms, both magical and non-magical. If you were able to best my sister, than you are prepared."

"I... don't really think I—"

Merri interrupted quickly. "He's Equestrian, Sis’. We can't hold them to the same tier as us. I admit, I held back a little. So take it easy on him, alright? Just start with the basics." She tilted her head away from her sister and gave me a wink, just out of Starshadow's line of sight.

"Hmmm. Perhaps you are right. He will be an excellent gauge how best to train other Equestrian knights." She turned around, leaving the door open as she marched back inside. "Come in, Night Flurry. We will begin with the basic tenants of Ostfriesen Knighthood and combat training drills."

Merriweather nudged at my shoulder with her muzzle, whispering to me. "You're in!" Then she followed her sister inside.

I stopped at the door frame, looking inside. It was just an ordinary room, sitting above a bar in the midst of Ponyville. But it felt like the portal to another realm. An Ostfriesen Knight. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and prayed I wasn't making a huge mistake. For Dusky. I stepped through.

10 - Blades

I've heard you can never appreciate what you have until you lose it, and while I don't know if I'd ever taken flight for granted, I certainly felt wonderful to be back in the air again. Nurse Redheart had given me one last check-up, and passed my wing with a clean bill of health. I was free to fly, provided, she warned me, I take no long flights until I'd built up my strength again. Then she'd glared at me and told me to avoid ‘falling crates’. She couldn't have known the truth, but as her stare burned through me I sheepishly nodded.

Now that I was in the air, I could feel my wings strain with the sudden activity. They'd been idle too long, and it would take a little time to get back into shape. Regardless, I pushed higher. The night sky called to me, and I needed to answer the call. I rose up, and up, into the stratosphere at the edge of where most pegasi safely flew. There, I sought out a cloud to land upon.

The moon was watching, and as I settled my hooves into the fluffy cloud, I bowed my head reverently. I laid back, wings spread out just so I could feel the feather’s open upon the cloud’s surface. I shivered in the cool air; the chill invigorated me. Above, a thousands points of light were set into an endless blanket of darkness, laid out in a way you could never see from the ground. I gazed upon my namesake from the closest vantage point possible I could find, and simply felt at peace. I'd missed it so.

The Red Hoof Ranch apartment complex wasn't really much of a ranch. I suppose it wasn't really red either. The whole place had that strange feeling about it, the feeling a building gets when it's too old. No matter how clean it was, there were some parts that were just never going to be properly fixed up anymore. Mahogany didn't seem to mind, he said the rent was low and the landlord didn't bother him much, so I guess it all worked for him. I trotted through the hall, counting the numbers as I went.

I never understood why more pegasi didn't live in clouds, but maybe not everypony had the time to put into building them. The paperwork for the permits hadn't been too bad, really. Mahogany always said he just didn't have the skill, complaining that his clouds always somehow ended up square, and I couldn't even figure out how he could do that.

I knocked on his apartment door cautiously, never feeling comfortable going into another pony’s home. In my mind, it was like invading their privacy, their sanctum.

On the other side of the door, Mahogany called out in a curt tone. "Who's there?"

"Oh um... Night! I just figured I'd um... pick up my key from you... while I was thinking about it." After the accident, Mahogany had done me a huge favor, making sure my house was in order while I was grounded.

He opened the door, giving me an odd look before he smiled. "Right. Hey Night. Come on in, if you want."

I looked in after him, cautiously stepping my hoof over the threshold. I'd been here a few times before. Mahogany called it his 'bachelor pad'. The faucet was running over a small sink, a small stack of dishes therein, while a radio played some soft music from the corner. "Alright, um... just so long as I'm not interrupting anything?"

Mahogany turned off the water and idly nodded. "Nah, just housework. You know the drill. Gotta move these dishes out of the sink, but that can wait. You want a drink or something?"

I shook my head. "N-no that's alright. Although, I do owe you a drink, or something. I don't know what I'd have done."

"No biggie. Buy me a round at the Seapony, and we'll call it even." He chuckled to himself "If high-and-mighty Princess Merriweather ever stops picking up the tab."

"Oh, um... right... well, she's a knight... I mean... alright! No problem!"

He moved to the kitchen table, digging through a stack of papers and unopened letters. "Just gotta find where I put the thing. Sorry about the mess."

I raised an eyebrow. "It's... not much of a mess. Just a bunch of mail? You um... boycotting the mail again?"

"Was that a joke?" Mahogany turned his head and eyed me carefully.

"I... maybe?" I cracked a smile. "I mean, they don't do as good a job as EPS, right?"

He snorted. "I wouldn't boycott the mail. That's dumb." He glared at the pile. "Besides, I don't need to boycott them; EPS already offers superior services at competitive pricing to any of the postal services. If you're going through traditional post you're practically throwing bits away. We do advertising too. We can design, print, and distribute flyers, brochures, pamphlets." His voice grew more gravelly and bored-sounding as the tirade went on.

"Um... Mahogany...? You alright?"

"Hm? Yeah, yeah. I dunno. I've just been kind of off lately." He pushed a hoof over the table, sliding the mail aside in search of the key. "Doesn't matter. Besides, what about you and Dusky, hmm?"

I started, thrown off by the sudden change in topic. I could feel heat rising in my face. "Err.. I... I mean... we're f-fine. We're just f-friends.”

Mahogany shook his head with a wicked smirk on his face. "Riiiiiight. So did you ruin your ‘not-a-date’ thing or what?"

"I... it... n-no! It wasn't a date!" I lowered my head. "It was... good. Um... yeah, good."

His hooves stopped rummaging as he turned to raise an eyebrow at me. "Good is good. Toooooootally good. You a hundred percent sure things are good? I'm just playin' with ya, but you're too easy a mark." He frowned. "Did something happen at the festival?"

The image of those thugs came to me, and I shook it from my mind. "N-no... well... yes. But no. It was... mostly confusing."

Mahogany sighed, resuming his search. "You really gotta get over this, Flurry. Seriously. You're gonna drive yourself buckin’ crazy if you keep chasing after her like that. I mean, I like a lil’ bit of schadenfreude as much as any pony, but I really hate seein' you like this."

"B-but... it's... it's not like that. We're... she's said we need to just be friends, so... we're just friends. That's... t-that's all."

"Good! Excellent!” Mahogany grinned at me. “ I tell ya, buddy, romance is dumb. Everypony gets all crazy, and can't talk to each other, and then there’s fighting and name-calling, and bitter recriminations and on and on.. It’s all so much better when you just talk and drink and strictly avoid doing anything stupid.” A chuckle slipped out. “Like, y’know, throwing open a door and bellowing out love declarations."

I flinched. "B-but... I... um... y-yeah."

He moved closer, lifting a hoof as if about to hug, but instead just punched lightly at my shoulder. "Yeah, sorry about that. Sometimes I realize that I'm not really the greatest friend. And my advice pretty much generally sucks. But if there’s one thing I don't want to see, it’s you beating yourself up over somepony who just wants to translate this fanatical devotion’a yours to minionhood status.”

My jaw dropped just a bit, my mind trying to wrap around the term. "M-minionhood?” That just seemed so extreme. Dusky wasn't some evil pony trying to control me. I flinched as I thought of those thugs again. Minionhood.

Mahogany nodded sagely. "Yeah. Means you're a doormat who does everything for her, and she just… She’ll…” He trailed off for a moment before shaking his head, as if to clear out an unwanted thought.“ It's literally the worst thing. And right now you, my friend, are shaping up to be the king minion."

My ears drooped, thinking of how Dusky had talked to me, and helped me. Those weren't the actions of somepony trying to take advantage of me. "I... n-no. But there's nothing wrong with being f-friends, right?"

"Friendship? No. Nothing at all!"

"A-and... I want to be friends with Dusky."

"She's a pretty wicked cool mare!"

"But... minionhood?"

"Trust me. It’s the worst. Absolute rubbish. Still," He went back to the table, digging through the last stack of papers. He removed one envelope from the stack, no key. He stared at the letter, muttering. "At least being a minion to a pretty mare is better than being one to your stupid family..."

I watched him struggle with the letter, glancing back at the pile. He mumbled to himself, jaw set hard, and seemed to be struggling with some terrible decision. "You... you sure you're alright, Mahogany?"

"I'm fine. Spiffy." The words were terse, and contrary to his posture. He glared at the letter, and I imagined that had he been a unicorn, it would have burst into flame by now. "Just... been some fallout from a bit of trouble back home. With the family."

"F-family?" We'd never really talked much about family. Come to think of it, I didn't know anything about Mahogany's family. I guess he didn't know anything about mine either. "Oh, um... well... sorry to hear that."

He shook his head, finally throwing the letter back as forcefully as he could manage. It flew over the table, hitting the wall and sliding to the floor without any fanfare. "Don't be. Families are lame."

"I... r-right. Lame.” It wasn't always the others who were lame. Unlike Mahogany, I knew what it was like to be the one who was singled out. I still couldn’t bring myself to blame them, though. “But... not in a bad way, right? Not, um... not always, anyway?"

He stuck out his tongue. "Most of the time. Mine at least." He paused, and I waited in the silence until he turned to me with a grimace. "My brother's an idiot. A total punk. I can't say I miss him much at all. Heh… That probably makes me a bad pony..."

So, that's why we never talked family. He hates his as much as mine hates me. I sighed, shaking my head. "N-no. Not really... I mean... not every family gets along."

"They're all too focused on the really, really minuscule picture to give a crap about me wanting to live my own life. Their whole stupid furniture business can rot, for all I care."

I watched him curiously. "Family expectations... t-they're rough. My parents were always supportive... b-but I could never be what they wanted me to be. I wanted to be... I tried... but I couldn't do it."

He nodded. "Yeah... like I said. Families are lame." He grew quiet.

Visions of my own family haunted me. I wondered what they'd done after I'd left. It's not like I expected that they'd celebrated, but surely there'd been some relief. "I... hey Mahogany? Thanks. Thanks for being my friend."

"Meh,” he said, feigning aloofness. “A lesser friend would've let me go, but you keep dragging me back in." He leaned back, but he seemed to be smiling more than his usual self.

"Well, um... likewise, I suppose. I need a friend like you sometimes... to watch my back."

"Happy to be of service!" He laughed, and moved back towards the table, resuming his search. "So let's find that key. Then what say we head to the bar?"

I returned his grin. "That sounds like a good plan."

The Leaf Sister Cartel. Dusky had put a name to the nightmare. Our night at the bar had been pleasant, until Blizzard had arrived. She was weary, weighed down by the destruction of the ice sculptures in Fetlock Falls, and bearing the brunt of the town's blame. She'd started to argue, making accusations against Merri. That was when Dusky had pulled us all into the Seapony's backroom.

It was the Leaf Sister Cartel which, she told us, had attacked us. The criminals who hunted her. And whatever they'd been after in Fetlock, it hadn't been solely Dusky. I couldn't decide if that thought comforted me or worried me even more.

One way or another, Dusky's revelation to our friends had only served to galvanize my course of action. So it was that after everypony had headed for home, I found myself flying over the White Tail Woods, searching for a particular clearing.

I set down at the appointed glade, the snow crunching softly beneath my hooves. The White Tail Woods were a far cry from the Everfree, but that didn't mean they couldn't be dangerous. The sounds of the night echoed through the woods, and a clear sky overhead as if Princess Luna’s stars had come to watch.

"Welcome, Night Flurry." Starshadow stepped into the clearing, her steps silent despite the snow beneath her hooves. "I will admit, part of me did not believe you would come."

"I... I said I wanted your training. That... that's not changed."

She grinned at me, but there was little kindness in that look. "I shall not go easy on you. If I am to be your teacher, than your well being is my responsibility. And that means my responsibility is to ensure you are ready for anything."

I nodded to her, eager to begin. "I... I'm ready."

"No. You are not. But you will be." She stood at ease, even with the two blades hanging at her side. She levitated a small pouch down to into the soft snow. "You have brought the bracer which Sister entrusted to you?"

Settling my own flight satchel down, I dug the ornate bracer out and set it down between us, then sat upon my hind legs. "Um... yes. Although I um... I don't really get w-why she gave it me."

Starshadow's horn glowed as she lifted the bracer up into the air. "This is one of the great artifacts of our family, passed down since Ostfriesen was founded over one thousand years ago." She spoke proudly, rotating the bracer in the air before me. "It is the last remaining piece of our country’s greatest hero, the Warlord Bellerophon, First Knight of her Majesty Queen Tapioca."

That had been in my satchel all this time? I gaped at the bracer. I'd known it had been more valuable than Merri had made it seem, but their greatest hero? "W-why would you e-ever even consider me f-for that!?"

She laughed, a low subdued chuckle. I think that was the first time I'd ever heard Starshadow laugh. Her eyes shone in the moonlight. "You and he may have more in common than you believe. He was a pegasus, a great warlord during the time of the Unification."

"I um... I'm hardly a warlord."

"Quite. But you are of a similar heart. They say Bellerophon cared for the ponies under his command greatly, and that as Queen Tapioca conquered the realms that would become Ostfriesen, Lord Bellerophon opposed her more than any other. And when they met upon the field of battle, it is said he saw the love she held for her subjects reflected in her eyes. He surrendered to her, sparing many lives, and pledging himself to serve her and her new nation."

"He became the First Knight, and the Queen's most trusted adviser. All for love and honor." She lowered her head and grew silent.

I stammered, unable to even imagine the weight of the history attached to this bracer. "I... I'm n-not worthy of it..."

Starshadow opened her eyes, smiling faintly. "I believe, for once, Sister chose well. Put on the bracer."

With the bracer before me, and knowing exactly what it represented, I hesitated. My hooves shook as I reached for it, Starshadow's magic releasing it as I took hold. I slid it over my right forehoof.

I wasn't sure what I'd been expecting. There was no magical zap, no surge of strength or confidence. I wasn't suddenly transformed into a hero of legend. The bracer fit firmly against my leg, but nothing more.

"Now then. Raise your hoof towards me." Starshadow lifted her own hoof in demonstration. She waited until I complied, then nodded. "Now, I wish for you to focus upon the bracer."

It was cold. That was the most obvious feeling. It wasn't as heavy as I expected. I tried to concentrate, staring at my outstretched hoof.

Starshadow continued, stepping around me as she talked. "All ponies have magic. A cutie mark is proof of this. For Earth ponies and Pegasi, it may not be as obvious as for a unicorn, but it is part of you. The moment a pony’s magic is strongest is the moment in which they earn their mark." She stopped behind me. "Now. Imagine that moment. Picture it in your mind, and continue to focus upon the bracer, and we shall see if you are ready."

I continued to focus on the bracer, but let my mind wander back to Cloudsdale, when a little colt kicked his first cloud and watched a single, solitary snowflake catch upon the wind. My heart soared at the memory, and it was then that I felt the bracer react. It was as though somepony had taken grip and pulled me forward, though I did not move. A slight tingling as whatever magic was in the bracer reacted to my own.

The bracer glowed and with a sudden flash a magnificent blade extended out from it. The entire length of it was not much longer than six inches past my hoof, and it appeared to be incredibly sharp despite knowing that it was over a thousand years old. The whole length of it was suffused with a dim light.

"A hoof blade." Starshadow stated. "A knight of Ostfriesen is always prepared. This is a common weapon among our ranks, a close-quarters backup for many hoofed species. A pegasus is best suited to master the form, as it requires expert balance, agility, and mobility, which is most effectively used in the air."

"A... hoof blade?" The blade followed the motion of my hoof as I stared in awe. The weight of it was surprising, considering that just moments ago the blade hadn't existed. I raised it cautiously, becoming uniquely aware of just how sharp the blade actually was. I... I could hurt somepony with this... seriously hurt somepony. I could... could...

Starshadow must have been able to read the expression on my face as she nodded. "This is not a toy, nor is this training a game. If you do not take this seriously, than we are finished, understood?"

I sat up straight, careful of the blade, and nodded quickly. "I... of course. I w-wouldn't take this for granted. I'm doing this so.... so I can p-protect my friends."

She watched me carefully as I spoke, but I did not break her gaze. Apparently satisfied, she smiled. "Very well. I did not think otherwise. If you wish to retract the blade, simply focus upon the bracer in the same manner as before."

With a deep breath, I focused on the bracer once again. It seemed easier this time, now that I knew what to expect. The blade flashed and disappeared back to wherever it came from.

Nodding her approval, Starshadow levitated another bracer from her satchel, it was plain metal, no inlay or engraving as on the one I now wore. She raised a hoof and the bracer set into place. "My specialization is in magic-guided blades, but I shall teach you the basic forms of hoofblade combat. I shall begin with a demonstration of the basic combat drills, then guide you through them. Now please, step back and observe."

I shuffled back to give Starshadow space as she moved into position. I tried to note her stance, but suddenly she burst into action.

Starshadow reared up, and thrust her hoof forward with a shout of exertion. The hoof blade extended in an instant. She began by making basic jabs with her hoof, stabbing at the air at some invisible enemy. Her strikes were fast, each flowing into the next with ease. It was incredible to watch, and more than a little overwhelming, to see what the blades and armor she wore so casually had previously only implied.

“And a demonstration of a more advanced technique.” She lunged. As she moved forward, she pivoted on one hoof and spun, slashing her blade in a wide arc behind her. The momentum carried her in a full circle, and she let the blade slash downward before it disappeared and her hooves struck ground.

An elegant form. She appears to be holding back. The thought struck me as out of place. I supposed it made sense that she was holding back for a demonstration of the most basic drills. But it was so far beyond my own skill, how could I make such a judgment? It had sounded like truth, but still felt... alien.

I shook off the strange feeling as Starshadow concluded her demonstration. She exhaled a long breath and relaxed her stance. "When you complete your basic training, you shall be able to replicate this demonstration. I shall walk you through the steps. Night Flurry, are you ready for your first lesson?"

I raised myself up, glancing at the bracer upon my leg. "I... yes. I'm... I'm ready."

Starshadow nodded. "Very well then. Let us begin."

11 - Eyes

Starshadow had talked me through the forms, and I'd pushed myself to meet her expectations. Years ago, after my brief training for the Royal Guard, I'd continued the training regime on my own, but eventually quit as I let that dream die. Now, despite being long out of practice, old muscle memory worked with me and I fell into the rhythms with surprising ease. By the end of our session, I was tired and sore, but proud of the fact that I'd somehow completed Starshadow's first training routine. I'd held my head high as I'd prepared to fly to work, and it hadn't quite sunk in that she'd told me to be back the next day.

I had it all planned out. I could wake up, spend time training, and then head to work with no problems. In theory, it seemed fine. It was only after spending my first night pushing my limits that I actually wondered if I could complete my shift without passing out from exhaustion. I'd get to work, get a hot cup of tea, and be just fine before heading out to tackle the weather.

I slowed to a hover as I arrived at Town Hall. As I dug out my work key to open the door and head in, I hesitated. Something felt off. I glanced at the building's windows in the fading daylight. The lanterns inside were still burning, long after anypony should still be working. My hoof fell quietly towards the door handle and found that it was unlocked. Somepony was still inside.

My heart beat faster. A-already? Did they follow us? Is this a trap? I... I'm not ready.

I eased the door open, the aches in my limbs forgotten as the moment took hold. I spared a glance back at my pack, wondering if I should put on the hoof blade, or if I'd just end up hurting myself.

I spied about the hall, sneaking towards the weather bureau office in the back. What am I doing? I shook my head, pushing the panic down. I'm not a hero. I'm not a knight. I'm just Night Flurry...

I crept forward as familiar thoughts stalked me. For all my effort tonight, my promises, I knew that it was for nothing. If they attack me, if they kill me, who would miss me? Not my family. Maybe Mahogany? Maybe... Dusky?

My hoof shakily rose to the office door. I stood to the side and began to silently push the door open. My head lowered as I craned my neck to peek inside. My ears focused, scanning for whatever noise I could find.

The voice came from behind, catching me completely off guard. "Oh! Hey Flurry. I didn't hear you come in."

I flailed, falling forward into the office. I hit the ground, and suddenly all those sore muscles lit up in pain once again. I tried to scramble back to my hooves, but my body screamed in protest.

"Oh shoot, I didn't mean to scare you, Night." Blizzard Breeze flew over me, landing down and offering a hoof.

I reached out and took her hoof, face red in embarrassment. "B-Blizzard? I um... j-just wasn't expecting anypony in the... the office this l-late."

"I was just doing some reading while I waited for you. Knew I could catch you before your shift started." She brought her muzzle in closer, looking me over. "You sure you're okay?"

Trying to avoid her scrutiny, I tilted back on my hooves, wincing slightly. "F-fine. Just um... busy... um... y-yeah. Busy. I was getting some— w-wait? Waiting for me?"

Whether she bought it or not, I couldn't tell. She stepped through the office and unshuttered the lanterns. Turning back, she nodded with a faint smile. "Yeah. Just... since the whole mess in Fetlock, I've been doing some hard thinking, you know?"

My ears dropped with the thought of those ice sculptures. "Are.... are you feeling better? It w-wasn't like it was your fault..."

Blizzard nodded, but her smile faded. She stepped around the desk, shuffling her wings restlessly. "Yeah. I'm better. It made me really look at where I was, and where I was going, you know?"

I tilted my head curiously, the questions echoing in my mind. Where was I? Where was I going? "Well... sort of?"

Something gnawed at me, and I couldn't hold it back. "I'm um, sorry... sorry for everything that happened in Fetlock. I really w-wish I could find a way to make it up to you."

"It's all right." She sighed quietly, but suddenly her smile was back. I couldn't tell if she was just putting on a brave face or not. "I'm shaking things up. Moving to Canterlot this summer. So I'll be closer, be able to hang out with my friends more."

I sat down on my haunches, digging a hoof at the floor. "O-oh? I mean... the change will be good, right? I can use that as an excuse to finally travel there?"

She covered her mouth with a hoof to try to stifle a laugh. "You've never been? Well, I'm going to find a new place there, and if things all work out, you'll have plenty of reasons to come."

"P-plenty of reasons?"

Her smile broadened. She raised a wing, placing a manila folder onto the desk between us. An employee work folder. My work folder. "I don't know if you know why I'm moving to Canterlot."

I shook my head, suddenly feeling much more nervous.

"There's a job there. One I've put off taking because I felt like I had to stay loyal to Fetlock." She grimaced, then shook it off. "Well, I'm taking it now. An administrative position in the Weather Bureau, and it's made me think about what I'll be doing."

"W-what you'll be doing?" I eyed the folder. "What does th-this have to do with my folder?"

Blizzard leaned in, picking up the folder and flipping through it with her hooves. "Been reading through the files, trying to think like an administrator. Your file is pretty impressive, Night. You've had nothing but good reviews."

I felt my cheeks going red again, as I dipped my head. "I... I just d-do my job. Nothing special."

She lifted out one of the pages, reading it before looking back at me. "It says that you've passed up moving to a better shift with more responsibility a few times. Is that right?"

"Well... yeah, I suppose. I... they weren't really... for me..."

Blizzard closed the folder and walked around the desk, opening a wing to drape around me. "Why is that? From everything I've seen of you, you're more than capable. Everypony thinks so. I mean, once they remember who you are. You just try to blend in when you could do so much more. I don't get it."

I shifted uncomfortably, but didn't move away. I just tapped my hooves, looking at the ground. "I guess... I never really wanted to. I'm happy with this shift... I-it's like home to me. I know it, and I do it well."

She nodded, her head turned to look out at the sky through the office window. "Sure. But you're the only pony on the shift. How are you supposed to develop skills working with and managing other ponies if you never have the chance?" She gave a soft squeeze with her wing, and smiled at me. "It can be really comfy just working solo and relying on yourself, but you'll never go anywhere just doing that."

"No pony should have to r-rely on me. I... It's a good shift." The whole direction of this conversation struck me as strange. I wasn't the kind of pony who could lead others at anything. "I... w-wait. What are you saying?"

Blizzard laughed suddenly. "What do you think I'm saying? Just... remember that Winter Weather conference where Mahogany introduced us? You had good questions at the seminars, you just never spoke up. I don't know if you're just comfortable here, or afraid." She nudged me with her wing before withdrawing it. "You have a lot of potential, but if you don't start doing something with it, than you'll always just be that really good worker that everyone relies on."

She shook her head, rising up from my side. "And that's not terrible, but honestly? You're suited for a lot more. Don't let a comfortable position hold you back."

I didn't know what to say to any of that. Blizzard either had too much faith in my abilities, or… Or... what?

I was a weather pony. Or had that been a mistake too? My cutie mark stood for snow, and I couldn't deny my love for it, or the joy I felt in bringing winter. This job was enough for me, wasn't it? Best I not work with others or I'd just get in their way.

I wasn't suited for more. I was a nothing. The words gnawed at me, but somehow they felt hollow this time. There were my friends now, and my desire to protect them. There was Starshadow, and knighthood. There was Dusky, and my promise to her. The old thoughts of how I'd disappointed my family, of how I'd left that life behind, they didn't weigh nearly so heavily upon the scale.

Everything felt so distant as I struggled to focus back on the present. "I... I'll think about it..."

"Good. One more thing, Night?"

I rose up slowly, turning from the window towards her. "Um... yeah Blizzard?"

She leaned forward and wrapped her wings around me in a hug. "We're friends. You can just call me Bree."

My hooves rose slowly, shaking, as I managed to hug her back. "Th-thanks... Bree."

Blizzard pulled back. "Now... keep up the great work."

"I... I'll do my best." I wasn't sure what my best would be, but I didn't think I could do anything less now.

I managed to get through my shift without incident, the quiet winter night passing like the wind. I replayed Bree's words in my mind over and over, trying to decide what I even wanted anymore. I needed somepony to talk to, and the only pony I talked with who worked weather was Dusky Down.

I could tell her all about Bree's idea, and ask her what she thought. I couldn't tell her about the knighthood. Not yet. Not until I was able to prove to her that I was ready to help her.

A quick check at the weekly schedule revealed that Dusky was coming in for the dawn shift, assisting Icicle Gleam's morning crew with the weather setup for the day. I'd waited, hoping to catch her, but she never showed up. A quick word with Icicle brought me an answer, but also more concern.

She'd cancelled all her shifts for the week, and nopony knew why. Nopony had seen her, and I still didn't know where she lived. There wasn't much I could do except head home, and hopefully find her at the bar that night.

With all the thoughts jumbled in my mind, I still managed to sleep through the day. It was deep, dreamless sleep, the kind that comes from a long, hard day. I awoke that evening and after a quick breakfast headed to the bar. With any luck, I could catch up with Dusky before Starshadow and I went out for our next training session.

I pushed open the door to the Lusty Seapony and frowned when Dusky was nowhere to be seen. The general crowd filled the bar, although our usual table sat nearly empty, with only Starshadow and Terrabona sitting at odds with one another.

Terrabona immediately began waving her hoof in a wide, exaggerated arc. "Heya! Flurryyyyy! How's it going!" She yelled across the bar, drawing a few annoyed stares as I quickly maneuvered through the crowd.

I reached the table, not yet taking my seat, but close enough that hopefully she'd stop shouting at me. "Um.. good?" A quick glance at the table revealed a graveyard of fallen glasses, the aftermath I'd expect from a long night's drinking contest with Terrabona, Mahogany, and Merri, although the latter two showed no sign of having been present.

Starshadow sat in silence with a single glass of wine. She nodded at me with a slight smile before turning back to her book.

Despite my new proximity, Terrabona's voice refused to drop in volume. "Thas' good! Good! Gooooood. Getta drink, Flurry!"

Eyeing her empties, I gave a nervous laugh. "R-right... a drink." I quickly retrieved a kettle and cup, returning to take a seat across from Terrabona. Nervously fiddling with the tea bag, I looked from her, to Starshadow. "H-hey um... have either of you... well... seen Dusky around anywhere?"

Looking up from her book, Starshadow shook her head. "I have not seen her since the last time we three were together."

Terrabona leaned her head down to the table, her voice coming out like air escaping a balloon. "Dussshky. Heh. Yeaaaaaahh~."

I blinked, feeling some relief, "Oh? You have? Good! She's alright, isn't she? She dropped all her shifts at work, so um... I just wanted... um..." I trailed off as Terrabona lifted her head and leaned over the table towards me.

"She'sh riiiight there." She raised a hoof, almost knocking over a several glasses before she managed to plop it against my nose. "I shee her in your eyessss."

I tilted back, letting her hoof drop away. "I um... eyes?"

She dragged her hoof back, staring at it. "The Eeeeeeeeyes~." She grabbed at her drinks, checking each until she found one that still contained liquor. Quickly knocking the drink back, she let out a satisfied sigh.

Starshadow did not look up, merely telekinetically flipping a page of her book. "She has been here all night." She wrinkled her nose. "She is astoundingly drunk."

Terrabona slammed the mug down, rattling the others. "I ain't been here all night!" She stuck out her tongue. "Well, maybe I wash. But... I had a train."

"I... a train?" I looked at Starshadow helplessly, but got no response.

"Did anypony shee where the train went? It had think on it..." Her words dropped off as she tried to focus on something behind me.

For a moment I figured Dusky would have come up behind me. I slowly turned my head, looking through the bar to see what Terrabona had seen. Nothing out of the ordinary. "So... w-what um... Are you doing alright?"

She began giggling as I turned back to the table. "That'sh right. There they are. The Eyesh."

Starshadow refrained from looking up. "They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul."

"Eshactly! The Eyesh!"

I raised a hoof, placing it against my head cautiously. "Well I mean... W-we all have eyes."

She smiled, pointing at her eyes. "Not those eyesh! Those are jusht your eyesh. I don' have the Eyesh. You have the Eyesh! It'sh diff'rent."

"W-what's different?" My eyes didn't feel any different. I looked about for some kind of reflective surface. Sure, Terrabona was drunk, but that didn't mean something wasn't off. I turned to Starshadow for confirmation. "Is something wrong? W-what do I have?"

Starshadow peered over her book, slowly closing it and setting it down on the table. "It is quite obvious. You have a rare, severe case."

"I-I do? So... this isn't just Terrabona being drunk?"

With a lurch that ended when she hit the table, Terrabona objected. "Hey! 'm not that drunk."

The armored unicorn nodded. "She is absolutely that drunk. However, it is my opinion that you do indeed have the eyes she refers to. You should probably get that checked out."

My eyes went wide, but I quickly shut them, throwing my hooves up. "I-is it contagious? What do I do about it?"

Terrabona clattered about, and suddenly her hooves clumsily pried my own from my face. "Let'sh shee." She brought her muzzle up close to mine, her breath definitely reeked of whiskey as she stared me down. "Mmm. Mmmmm. No Eyesh. Now."

"N-no eyes?"

She nodded, then looked past me again. "Nope! Now, letsh tesht it. Picture Dushky."

I raised an eyebrow, leaning away from the drunken mare. "D-Dusky?"

Her face split into a too wide grin. "Dushky. Imagine she'sh comin' through the door, an' itsh raining out. She'sh all wet, her mane ish dripping, an' she'sh all shiny." She leaned her face in. "An she shees you and shays 'Hiya shexy.'"

My face grew red, in part from the mental image Terrabona painted, and in part because of just how embarrassing this all was.

She fluttered her eyes at me, then nodded to herself. "Yesh. Like that. The Eeeeeeeyesh."

"E-eyes?" I looked over to Starshadow for help.

The knight was actually snickering. Our eyes met for a moment, and she raised a hoof to cover her mouth and turned away.

I returned my gaze to Terrabona. "Besides, t-that doesn't exactly sound like a thing Dusky would say..."

She stepped back, giving a short hmph. "No it doeshn't. You haff the Eyesh. But Dushky ish hard to read. I can't tell if she hash dem yet."

"Err... yet?"

Terrabona cackled as she returned to her seat, practically falling as she leaned into the table. She fumbled at her glass before clumsily sliding it to me. "We'll getter. A little boozsh helpsh the Eyesh! Makesh everything shexy!"

I slid the alcohol away, both from myself and from Terrabona. "W-what? Booze helps the eyes? But... I have the eyes? I never drink booze... and... um... you okay?"

She flopped her head into the table, tears streaming down her face. "Yesh. Jusht cause my shexy ish gone and all the boozsh in the world can't bring it back doeshn't mean I'm not okay."

Starshadow let out a sigh. She stared at Terrabona in concern, her book untouched for the last few minutes. "Terrabona? For what it is worth... I am sorry."

Terrabona rolled her head away, voice a harsh whisper as she curled her hooves around it. "Jush... leave me alone."

We sat in silence, Starshadow and I exchanging glances from time to time, watching Terrabona.

Standing quietly, Starshadow moved towards her to peer closer. She closed her eyes, shaking her head as she whispered. "She has passed out. Perhaps I should have stopped her from partaking of so much, but I did not feel it was my place."

I lowered my own voice. "Y-you just let her drink? All that?"

"She is not my responsibility."

"But... she..." I sighed. "No... I guess she's not." The unconscious unicorn sobbed in her sleep, and I met Starshadow's gaze again.

She broke her eyes away. "Ahhh. We have our training session soon, yes? I... suppose we cannot leave her here."

For all the awkwardness of the night, this moment surprised me. Starshadow had been nothing but stoic, confident, and as revealed in our training session, utterly deadly. Yet, here she seemed clearly embarrassed, awkwardly watching Terrabona.

"I... can move her up to my room. Allow her to rest in my bed. She may be confused when she wakes up, but at least she will be safe."

I let out a breath and nodded. With a subtle glow around her horn, Starshadow levitated our unconscious companion carefully. She forced a smile towards me, and headed upstairs with her ward. She returned a moment later, her face seemed somewhat relieved.

Terrabona would hopefully get some peaceful sleep, and after our training, Starshadow would wake her up and get her home. I'd never understood why some ponies drank the way they did sometimes, but for Terrabona, I could sympathize. I wasn't sure what had happened to her, but I still hoped she would be okay.

Starshadow nodded to the door and we headed out. We marched through the town in silence, Starshadow in quiet contemplation, and I unwilling to interrupt her. Once we reached our makeshift training clearing, at least then we'd have something else to talk about.

At the edge of town, Starshadow stopped her walk and looked up into the trees. "We are trying."

I slowed until I stood alongside her. "T-trying?"

"To make up for what happened."

"O-oh... to Terrabona? Or..." I left the question dangling, unsure myself just what she was referring to.

She grew silent again.

"So..." I glanced at Starshadow curiously. "Um... eyes? You s-said I had a rare and severe case?"

Through a low snort, a chuckle escaped. "Terrabona was merely stating the obvious, albeit in a very inappropriate manner. You look at Dusky Down in a way that is quite different from the way you look at any other pony."

I blinked. "W-wait? Th-that's what 'eyes' means? And then... I..." I thought back to Terra's drunken ranting. "...oh. And... Dusky... doesn't have them for me."

Starshadow laughed quietly before she trailed off into a measured sigh. "It is difficult to say. She does not look at you in the same way you look at her, that is certain. But you are easy to read. Dusky is elusive, and seems skilled at keeping her emotions in check."

I hung my head, lowering my ears. "Am... I just fooling myself?"

"That depends. What is Dusky to you, and what do you want her to be?" She stepped forward once again and headed into the woods.

"What is she? She's just a friend..." I looked up to see Starshadow's tail disappearing into the trees. "A... friend." The corners of my mouth turned up just a little as I sprinted ahead to catch up.

12 - Foreboding

Much of the ground was still trampled from our previous training session. The typically pristine snow was dirty and coarse, mixed with the debris from the forest floor. The glade was otherwise undisturbed in the last hours of daylight, and ready for us to resume our exercises.

Starshadow entered ahead of me, levitating her packs off of her back and setting them down against a tree at the edge of the clearing. “Having reviewed the basics, I believe now is a good time to test your abilities.”

The snow was so matted down it made no noise beneath my hooves. “I, um… okay? I mean… alright? What should I do?”

“This will be a simple exercise to teach one very important lesson.” Her horn glowed, and her own hoof blade, the simple metal piece, emerged from her satchels. Slipping it onto her hoof, she struck down into the snow. “The rules are simple. We shall fight until you are able to hit me, or until you give up.”

My eyes went wide. “H-hit you? S-starshadow… I… um… I don’t know if I… I don’t know if I’m ready for that?”

She lowered her snout, her eyes watching me from beneath her forelock. “Do you give up already?”

I straightened up, “N-no… of course not.” I shrugged off my flight satchel, digging in to retrieve the Bracer before affixing it to my hoof.

“Then I will not make it easy for you. But I promise that I shall not injure you,” she paused, giving that rare, mirthless smile. “Lethally.”

My hoof shook just a little as I set my Bracer in place. I sighed, stretching my limbs as I positioned myself into an awkward defensive stance. “Th-that um… that’ll have to do, I guess.”

I swallowed nervously.

Starshadow paced a bit at first, watching me as I watched her. She bounced, balancing a moment upon her hind legs. Her eyes stayed on me the whole time as she walked.

I tried to maintain my posture, but her casual gait and piercing stare made that even harder. She seemed to almost leave herself open, but still I waited, unsure what to do.

“Come, Night. You cannot hit me if you do not attack.” She bounced on her hooves again, almost anxiously. “And let me assure you, you really do not want me to take the initiative.”

I took a few cautious steps forward, not wanting to immediately jump in, but still not sure how to start. I hesitated a moment, but maybe that was all part of the test. I didn't even know what Starshadow was really capable of. If she wanted to know what I could do, what sense was there in stalling?

Swallowing my fear, I jumped forward. My wings unfurled, pushing me upward to raise my forehooves and extend the hoofblade to slash at Starshadow.

Like lightning, her own blade emerged. She hopped back just enough to raise her blade and parry with a great “Aha!”

Her deflection pushed me back far harder than I’d expected. I flapped my wings quickly to recover, but struggled to keep my balance.

Starshadow settled back down and resumed her relaxed stance.

I set my hooves down as I leveled myself out, then rushed back as soon as I was able. I feinted left, then stabbed forward at Starshadow’s side.

She stepped aside, knocking my hoof away with a downward parry. My hoof wavered, the force of Starshadow’s parry like a hammer up the length of my leg. I had nearly lost my balance, rear hooves flailing to find purchase as my wings worked to level me out. As she let my hoof fly wide, she made as if to strike, but stopped short. “You are open.”

As I managed to steady myself, I looked up. Starshadow rushed at me faster than I thought any unicorn could move, her own hoofblade flashed through the air, and I stumbled back further.

“That is twice now.” She drew back, the blade on her forehoof disappearing as she settled back onto all fours.

I paused, pulling myself together, back on the defensive. “T-twice?”

Starshadow pointed a hoof to my left, “There. On the ground.”

I carefully tracked her hoof, letting my eyes look to where she pointed, while trying to keep her in my peripheral vision. On the ground lay a small clipping of brown hair. It only took a second to realize it had been cut from my mane in Starshadow’s last strike.

“Had I aimed just a bit closer, that would have been the second time you had been killed in this encounter.”

Her words were said so matter-of-factly, they were chilling. I looked down at the clipping of hair again and shuddered.

“Three, were I to take advantage of this distraction.”

I quickly looked back at her. “B-but… You… I’ve barely begun training. You’ve trained… h-how long have you trained, anyway?”

She bowed her head, eyes never leaving mine. “Much of my life, to be honest. Now, then, enough talk.” She bent down, spreading her hooves into an aggressive stance.

I stepped back. “B-but… I can’t win. There’s no way.”

Starshadow advanced, step for step with my retreat. “Surely, you’re not holding back? You did catch my sister to pass the trials of Knighthood, did you not?”

“I…” I had not. I didn't even know what that trial had consisted of, as Merri had all but lied to her sister to see to my knighthood. My ears dropped. “W-well…”

Rising out of her stance back to her full height, Starshadow nodded. “As I suspected. Merriweather was not exactly forthcoming to me about the nature of your trial.”

I dropped my eyes, focusing on the trampled ground. “I… I didn't even know there were supposed to, um… be trials. Not until… until she was already lying. I just... I thought...“

“Thought what?” She relaxed, trotting through the snow towards me.

Had I thought that I was somehow worthy of knighthood? That I was at all capable of this? That I could ever manage to do anything right? No.

“I… j-just thought… I…” I saw Dusky. Mahogany. Terrabona and Bree. “I just… I wanted to be able to do something to protect my friends…”

Starshadow smiled at me, and raised her hoof to set on my side. “So you have said. Were you doing this for some misguided sense of glory, or lust for adventure, you would not have been worth making a knight of Ostfriesen.”

“But… I…” I shrugged away from her, turning my head. A part of me wanted that life of adventure and glory. And another part of me knew it was all a lie, especially after what had happened in Fetlock. The promise I’d made to Dusky echoed back in my mind. “I don’t know.”

“This test had two purposes, Night Flurry.” She withdrew her hoof and stepped away, counting her hoof once. “First, I did wish to confirm that she had not given you the test proper. I find it curious that she seems so interested in assisting you beyond her… usual intentions.”

I flushed slightly at the implications. “Sh-she’s of no interest to me. N-not like that, I mean. But… Merri and I… we’re friends.” I tilted my head back towards Starshadow. “I mean… so are we, right?”

Starshadow seemed taken aback. “Friends?” She pondered a moment. “Do not think that means I shall go easy on you in training.”

I shrank away, fearing I‘d somehow overstepped. “I wouldn't want it to mean that… I just… I thought… we’re talking, like this… and… with how much you were helping me… well… you keep sitting at our table in the bar. So, um… you must like our company...”

She looked at me curiously, raising an eyebrow. “Well… yes. You have treated me with respect. Dusky was one of the few who showed genuine interest in me and my homeland, and Sister seems to get along with Mahogany and Terrabona quite well. I suppose we could be… friends.”

At that moment, I could swear a hint of color reached her cheeks, and Starshadow actually appeared flustered. I gave her a short nod, and waited for her to recover.

I waited for her to continue, but Starshadow had gone quiet, and didn't seem in any rush to continue. I quietly tried to get her to resume. “You, um… said this lesson was for… two things?”

“Oh! That is correct. I would be remiss if I had not told you the most important portion of this exercise.” She counted her hoof twice. “Second, you could have easily won this encounter.”

My jaw dropped. “I-I could? How? You completely outclass me… Th-that was a hopeless fight.”

“Exactly.” She seemed quite pleased with herself. “Knowing defeat was inevitable, you could have refused to fight. I did give you the option to give up, if you recall, although I admit I deceived you slightly in my intent.”

“N-not fight?” I raised my hoof to look at the bracer. “But… what if I have to? I mean, isn't that the whole point of this?”

She nodded. “In part, yes. But another aspect of your training is not just to know how, but to know when you should bring force to bear.”

Starshadow lifted her hoof, removing her hoofblade carefully with her magic. “Every encounter will be different. But knowing that if you are not in an advantageous position, that nopony else would be hurt or held hostage by your inaction, there are times it is better to flee.”

“T-to flee? That just doesn't seem um… very knight-like... ”

“Perhaps not.” Starshadow continued. “But I am not training you to die. As a pegasus, you could easily evade an earth pony or unicorn. Or at the very least, you could lead them to a location where you may hold an advantage. Remember this, Night Flurry. Live and learn.”

I let what she was saying sink in. Old words crept into my mind from a past life. A hero wouldn’t run. A hero would stand, and fight. The talk with Dusky on the train from Fetlock suddenly came to the fore. And… die.

Something didn't add up. If that was what Dusky believed, why had she stood her ground at Fetlock Falls. Then it hit me. “Oh… Luna…”

My injured wing. She would have fled, just like Starshadow said. Except then I’d have been left alone. My stupidity, jumping out to try and save her, could have gotten her killed in the long run.

“Night Flurry? Are you alright? You have gone pale.” She moved closer.

I quickly nodded, doing my best to shake off the dark thoughts. “Y-yeah. Yeah… I just… you’re right. You’re so right….”

“Quite. Keep that in mind, Night Flurry. Are you ready to continue?”

I straightened up, checking the bracer to be sure it was secured. “I… yeah. Let’s go.”

Starshadow replaced her own bracer and nodded. “Very well. We shall continue with the basics. I will have you go through the practice drills now, then I wish to show you some basic dodges.”

I pushed the terrible feelings down and focused on Starshadow, beginning the drill regimen she had showed me the day before. Dusky had put her life on the line for me. I didn't want to ever put her in that position through my ineptness again. More than that, I wanted to be sure that if the day ever came that she needed me to do the same for her, I would be there for her.

Training, work, and sleep were all kind of a long, tired blur. After I finished up with Starshadow, I headed in for my shift. It turned out slightly longer than usual, as we received some new snow clouds that had to be set into place for the morning team. My whole body felt sore, but I was too tired to care. I wanted nothing more than to climb into my cloud bed and curl up tight. Sleep came quickly once I got home.

I meandered my way to the Lusty Seapony the next night as soon as I woke up. Curious how this has become such a habit so quickly. Merri was there, along with Starshadow, and Bree had made the trip down as well, though she still sat somewhat apart from the other two.

She waved as I came in, smiling as I gathered my tea and finally settled in at the table. “Heya, Night! You been thinking about what I said?”

I nearly dropped my teacup, having all but forgotten about Bree’s talk in the weather office. “Err, not exactly. I've… actually been waiting to talk, um… with Dusky. J-just to get another weather pony’s opinion on um… the whole thing, you know?”

She grinned. “Right. I’m sure that’s all you want to talk to her about.”

“Err… yeah. Maybe a few other things too.” I sighed. “Honestly… I’m starting to get a little worried.”

As if on cue, Starshadow looked past me as the bar door creaked open. She bowed her head in greeting. "Ah. Hail, Dusky."

My ears perked up. "D-Dusky?" I turned in my seat, waving a hoof at the familiar mare. "Oh! Hey, Dusky!"

She slipped in, closing the door behind her with a quick look back towards the street. She looked over the table at the group and smiled tiredly.

As I gave her a closer inspection, I noted the bags under her eyes. Her mane looked unkempt as well, as if she’d not had the time to brush it the past few days. I blushed a bit at that thought. "You, um... you okay, Dusky? You... s-seem kind of tired..."

"I'm okay. I've... just been flying for awhile and had a few long nights lately." She looked at each of us in turn before her gaze settled on Bree. "I found a few things out that you may be interested in, Blizzard."

Bree blinked, looking about the table at the rest of us before nodding. “Me? Err… sure. What’s up?”

Dusky glanced about the bar cautiously, then leaned in closer. "Although, I'd actually like to talk to all of you. In private."

Without another word, she slipped away from the table. After a quick word to the Barkeep, she motioned us towards the rear of the bar, into the private rooms. Bree stood to go, giving me a confused shrug before heading over. Merri and Starshadow exchanged glances, then followed after as well

My mind was piecing together the worst scenario. Somehow, Bree had been framed for some horrible crime, and Dusky was here to warn her before the Guard arrived. Or perhaps, having found Dusky in Fetlock, the whole of the Leaf Cartel was after us. I spared a look at my flight satchels as I trotted to the back room. No matter what the truth is, I'll be here for her.

Dusky waited at the entrance, giving the commons one more glance before she closed the door. She waited, ears twitching slightly as she listened. My thoughts strayed to when she'd pulled me back here alone, and Terrabona had attempted to eavesdrop. Dusky's caution now seemed more foreboding than it had then.

We sat, waiting, until Dusky was at last satisfied with whatever events were transpiring outside. She came to the back table where we'd arrayed ourselves and dug her snout into her satchel. At last, she carefully pulled out a bound scroll and gently set it upon the table.

She unfurled the scroll, facing it towards Bree, before leaning her forehooves upon the table to smooth it flat.

I tilted my head in to take a look at the paper. It was covered in long, written notes, numbers, and various detailed math work. I strained to read through it. My experiences at the weather college included more than enough math and science, but I couldn't recognize exactly what this paper was trying to tell us.

Dusky answered the question before I could ask. "This is a chemical analysis confirming a sample of plant extract I found."

Of all the things I’d expected her to reveal, this wasn't one of them. "A... plant?"

She nodded, either not noting my confusion, or too worked up with the answers she'd discovered. "The more I thought about it, the harder it was to shake the feeling that the Cartel’s presence and the vandalized ice were somehow connected."

Starshadow was rapidly reading through the scroll. "Intriguing... then this extract was mixed into the ice?"

"Yes," Dusky confirmed. "Ghost Leaf’s a powerful hallucinogen. A favorite among the rave crowd. And worth a pretty bit."

With a snort, Merri shook her head. "We don't have that kind of stuff back in Ostfriesen." When Starshadow shot her a grim look, Merri gave a quiet cough. "Just... different stuff. Which the queen has outlawed, of course..."

Dusky nodded solemnly. "There was another ice sculpting competition in Hoofington." She paused. "I got a sample from their warehouse, and had a friend in Canterlot confirm my suspicions. That's where that analysis comes in."

Drugs. The Leaf Sister Cartel wasn't just thugs, or criminals, murderers. Drug pushers. My hooves shook. Killing somepony was terrible, an unforgivable act, but for the victim, it was over. Getting a pony addicted to drugs though, it was like you took control of them, twisted them, made them something they weren't and then exploited that. I’d always found that far more horrifying. "M-monsters..."

Starshadow pursed her lips and nodded towards Dusky. "Then you shall have to turn this over to the proper authorities, yes?"

She lifted a hoof back, taking the scroll off of the table. She paused, taking a moment to steady herself. "Yes, I… I think I have to. Especially since there can be little doubt about the connection. Two nights ago, Hoofington's display was also vandalized, and its surplus destroyed.

Bree stared down at the scroll, her face expressing her confusion. “Why would they be smuggling it in ice blocks? Why bother sabotaging sculpture festivals?”

Dusky tapped a hoof against the table, “I don’t know why they’re using the ice. Maybe their old methods of smuggling just aren’t discreet enough. As for the sculptures… well, my guess is they did it to cover up for the theft and make it look like full-on vandalism.” She looked up, taking a deep breath. “And before anyone asks, yes, there was a Guard detail assigned to the display. I... stumbled across one of the corpses on the way out."

Scowling, Bree shook her head. “Bastards. All seems a bit elaborate to me… but I guess I can see the logic. As twisted as it is.”

I barely heard Bree, Dusky’s words had nearly knocked my breath out. They'd killed somepony to enable them to spread their poison. They'd killed a Guard, and Dusky had...

The shaking of my hooves persisted, but suddenly it wasn't just anger that fueled it.

"D-Dusky... th-that means... you..." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "You put yourself there? I-Into that level of danger? W-without telling us?"

To my surprise, she looked away from me. "I'm sorry, Night Flurry. Time was of the essence. I hadn't expected them to raid the warehouse that night."

I pointed a hoof, anger pouring out before I could think. "We... We could have helped! Y-you go, telling me not to play the hero, and... I listen! B-because... I care about you... and then you put yourself back into that kind of danger without even telling us what might have happened?"

She raised her head back to meet my eyes. "If I had waited, the surplus would have been gone. If I had hesitated at all, they would have secured the perimeter before I could get in."

Part of my mind wanted to stay angry at her, but more I was just relieved she'd made it home. Her eyes were hard, I couldn't help myself as my concern overwhelmed the anger and I broke her gaze. "I... I just don't want anything to happen to you. But... you're right..."

"I understand." She smiled a sad and gentle smile. "If it makes you feel better, my good luck was on par with my bad. They were so surprised that I didn't even need to draw my weapon."

Starshadow nodded. "The best kind of luck. I am glad you managed to avoid any significant confrontation."

"Yeah!" Merri cheered, a bit too enthusiastically. "You'd have kicked their flanks anyway, right? So what do we do?"

Dusky sighed, her exhaustion more pronounced. "We can't do anything. If our little group tried to oppose them, we'd be crushed." She looked down at the bar floor, and suddenly she was far away, somewhere else. "Trust me when I say I know what I'm talking about."

I grew silent. Nothing we could do. Not even with Merri and Starshadow. This was a terrifying organization; what good could five ponies do against it?

And yet... Dusky had done something. The sample, the chemical analysis, she'd taken a step, even knowing she couldn't oppose them directly, she still fought. She'd found something that could help bring the ponies responsible for all these tragedies to justice.

Bree let out a tired sigh, but raised her head to give Dusky a smile. “Thank you, Dusky. You put a lot of work into this, I can tell… and it means a lot to me.” She stood from the table and wrapped Dusky into a full hug, forehooves and wings. Responding in kind, Dusky hugged her back.

“I’m happy that it does. I… I wish I could do more. Really get them into the public eye. But the last time I tried that…” She started, looking away as she pulled out of the hug. “Let’s just say that it didn't end well.”

Bree pulled her wings back and sighed. With a sidelong glance at Merri, she smiled guiltily. “I suppose I owe you an apology. I just thought it was you and some drunks being stupid.”

With a giggle, Merri waved a hoof. “Don’t worry about it… Not the first time I've been accused of getting drunk and accidentally smashing something.”

Starshadow cleared her throat and gave Merri an ungentle nudge.

Merri coughed. “Oh. But yeah, I mean… I am sorry about what happened.”

“As long as I know it wasn't just some ponies being stupid, it’s fine.” Bree shrugged sadly, but gave Merri a sympathetic look. “I’ll live.”

Dusky shifted her weight to ensure her bags were in place and rose from the table. "Now, the real tough part will be finding someone in the Guard who I can absolutely trust. Or at least trust enough to not burn the report as soon as I leave."

I started as the realization that had been creeping up finally hit me. Absolutely trust. My voice slipped out in a choke. "I... I kn-know somepony."

Dusky turned her attention to me, her ears perked up. "You do? Someone you'd entrust all of our lives to with complete certainty?"

"I... absolutely." There was no question of trust. I knew I could trust this pony with anything. The question was if he'd even want to see me. "I trust him."

"A shame." Starshadow rose up. "It would have been interesting to engage with this Cartel."

Merri giggled, shaking her head. "C'mon Sis’, weren't we going to practice your whole non-interference thing? They're handling things just fine."

Her sister gave a quiet sigh. "I suppose. But should our friends be harmed, those responsible shall get the worst of us."

Dusky watched Starshadow carefully, giving her a steady stare. "No. That's too dangerous. This isn't about revenge. I needed to know they weren't after me or my friends. And to soften the collateral they wreaked upon Blizzard. We'll pass on the information to Night Flurry's contact, and then leave it be."

Starshadow relented, leaning back from the table. "So be it."

Dusky let out a deep breath. "Good. That's all. Thanks for listening, all of you." She smiled at me a moment longer. "And could you stay a moment, please, Night Flurry?"

"Er... s-sure?" I stayed put as Bree left, and Merri and Starshadow excused themselves from the back room.

Merri paused at the door and winked back, mouthing out "Good luck" as she shut the door behind her. I rolled my eyes.

Apparently Dusky had seen Merri as well, as she shook her head. She waited a moment after the door closed, then turned her attention back to me. "All right, about your contact in the Guard: you're sure they can be trusted?"

I took a moment to gather myself together. "Y-yes. I do. He's a Captain in the Solar Guard. I... I would trust him completely." My ears dropped slightly. "H-he and I... we just..." I paused, unsure how to tell this to Dusky without making her turn away from me. At last, I sighed. "We haven't spoken in a long time."

She narrowed her eyes at me, and I could practically see her calculating. “How can you know he’s trustworthy if you haven’t spoke to him in so long?”

I almost cringed, but I knew it wasn't an accusation. How could it have been? Dusky didn't know about him. “He… he never let me down. I know he’s trustworthy… A-and we lost touch because… I was the one who stopped reaching out.”

For a moment, she seemed taken aback, although she quickly recovered. "Then, as long as you're comfortable setting up the meeting, this should work."

"I... Yes. I don't mind. I... I'll write a letter tonight." It'll probably be a short letter, anyway. "And... I'll let you know once he wants to meet with us."

She raised an eyebrow. "Us? You sure? You wouldn't have to come, especially if you're uncomfortable."

"No." I knew I'd have to see him. That much was certain. "I'll come too... if um... if that's alright with you?"

"He's your contact. If you think it's best, then sure." She smiled, then rose and stretched a bit. "I think I'll go and get a drink. I've had a long last few days. I could use a little relaxation."

I nodded blankly as she moved towards the door, and flailed to get my hooves working, following after her as we slipped out of the back room. "R-right. I'm... I'm going to h-head home. Get that letter written."

"Thanks again, Night Flurry. You have a good night."

"Y-you too. And Dusky... t-take care." I lowered my head, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. "B-be careful."

"You too." She stopped to give me a weary wave as I headed towards the bar door. Dusky's revelations only made me want to push ahead with my training, but that'd have to wait. I'd meet up with Starshadow a little later, once I'd finished writing my letter.

A letter to a Captain of the Equestrian Solar Guard, the greatest pony I knew, one who I could never match up against. He was a pony I could trust absolutely, but whom I had turned away from long ago. Captain Noble Light, My father.

13 - The Letter

It was a short letter, as I'd expected. In part, because I couldn't just tell him what it was about. Dusky was worried, justifiably so, and the situation serious enough, that I couldn't just write out the truth. I could never believe my dad would be one to betray her, but Dusky’s own precautions made me think to take extra steps, just to be sure.

The other part of it was simply because, I just didn't know what to say. What do you say to the pony you respected more than any other, over even the princesses? He was a pony who I had once wished to impress, who I admired, and loved, and in the end, had turned my back upon.

It had been my choice to leave. It had always been my choice, what I had done had been best for my family. My sisters, my parents, they were better off without me. I’d learned that growing up,

My older sisters had such high hopes for me, and had tried to support me. Sun had helped me with my schoolwork when I was little, she was patient and kind, when she could be there. She was my oldest sister, and I never knew her too well, she had started raising a family of her own when I was still a colt.

Then there was Mint, next in line in the family. Growing up, she was the one who I'd looked to. She’d been a protector, and always willing to listen to me. She joined the Guard as soon as she was able. I had promised her that one day I’d be fighting alongside her, that the two of us would be unstoppable. She was confident, and strong, everything I wasn't. I could never live up to the potential they thought I had.

I saw so little of Sun and Mint growing up, though, our ages separated by nearly a decade. Instead, I had to contend with Diamond and Spring. They’d have been better had I not been born, I caused them nothing but strife. She was always teasing me, and more than that. Breaking my things, tripping me. She was always angry at me. I hated it, but I couldn't blame her, all I would do as a colt was cry and get her in trouble.

There was a time I thought Spring was different. She was the youngest of my sisters, only a few years older than I was. I remember how hard I tried to make her happy, to play the games she wanted to play and do what she wanted to do, but even then, she could be just as cruel as Diamond. Before me, they didn't have to worry about their little brother ruining their fun, ruining their lives.

Spring had told me so, the day I'd left them behind. She'd put in words what I'd believed for years. Who's even gonna miss you right? Those words still stung as badly as they rang true. It hadn't been a fight, she hadn't been angry. She'd simply confirmed what the voice that gnawed at the edges my mind had told me for years. That was the day I left home.

Lastly, to my Dad, I was his only son, and that bore some weight to uphold the family tradition. Since before the days of the Earth Unicorn Pegasus Guard, there had always been a member of my family serving Princess Celestia. Dating back as long as the family genealogy recorded, down to my grandfather, and now my father.

That legacy had passed to Mint, and the family had all expected me to follow along as well. I'd broken his hopes for me, along with my promise to my sister. I wouldn't be fighting alongside either of them. The armor I’d kept after leaving basic training was a testament to that.

Now, I was trying to open a door I’d closed over five years ago. This letter was asking for a favor, even if it wasn't a favor for myself. A favor for a friend, and one who I would not turn away from. All I could do was write down the facts, and pray that my father understood. He would. I knew he would.

To Captain Noble Light,

My apologies, I would not reach out to you if it wasn't necessary.

A friend has requested a pony they can trust with some sensitive information, and despite what has occurred in our past, I know you above any other can be trusted.

I have offered to facilitate this meeting. If you can give her the time, please contact me. This is a matter of the most serious nature.

Respectfully,
Night Flurry.

I sealed up the letter and addressed it to the Canterlot Royal Guard base. There was no guarantee he'd get it if I'd sent it home to Cloudsdale. I didn't even know if anypony still lived there. Maybe they'd all moved away, now. There was a pang of regret as I considered that, but I pushed it aside. I'd made that choice long ago. They didn't need to worry about me, now. They were better off without me.

My father had received my message, and replied back in due haste. His reply was terse, simply asking me when, and where. I passed that to Dusky, and she gave me an address in Canterlot where we could meet, presumably away from prying eyes.

The whole thing left me with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach. All the cloak and dagger, sneaking about, trying not to be seen, or heard.

As the day of our trip arrived, I grew more and more anxious. Would he be angry at seeing me? Disappointed? Could he possibly be happy? Those few moments we’d spent together when I was a foal were cherished memories for me, but how did he see them now?

At last, I pulled myself together and flew out to meet with Dusky. This time, my wings were in perfect shape, and nothing was stopping us from flying to Canterlot together, rather than taking the train. Before, I’d thought the train was a good way to travel with Dusky, without it being too intimidating. After the trip home from Fetlock, a train just felt too ominous now.

I waited for her just outside The Lusty Seapony. It was well into the afternoon and for the moment the bar was quiet, the usual crowds not arriving for another few hours. I sat on my haunches, letting the mobius strip of fears and worry run through my head, both about my father, and now more pronounced, for Dusky.

Everything was moving so fast lately, and I still didn't know what I could do. I wanted to help her, but always felt like I was coming up short.

Her voice interrupted my train of thought with a simple call. "Hello, Night Flurry."

I nearly jumped, but quickly breathed out a sigh of relief. "Hey, Dusky... you um... ready to go?"

She smiled towards me, scarf swaying almost hypnotically. “Sure. Have you been waiting long?”

I shook my head. “Oh, um, no, not really… just… been here, thinking.” I forced a smile.

Her flight satchels looked well packed, like she had already thought ahead for any possible circumstance. It made me wonder if I had everything I should bring, or if I needed more. I’d thought Canterlot was only about an hour’s flight away.

My own flight satchels weren't nearly as full. I had my father’s letter, just in case, as well as the Ostfriesen bracer. I prayed that I wouldn't need the latter.

She raised an eyebrow at me, but ended up simply nodding. “Alright. Guess we’d better go if we want to get there early.” She flapped her wings and kicked into the air, hovering up over the street. She looked back down at me and waited.

I quickly followed, coming alongside her in the air as we headed upwards and away from Ponyville. “Th-this will be my first trip to um… to Canterlot.”

“Canterlot is a beautiful place. It’s too bad your first time has to be for something like this.”

“It’s so strange… Canterlot has always been there, just on the horizon, but I've never made the trip.” We followed the train tracks below, and I let my eyes trace the path towards the distant silhouette of the Royal castle. I grinned. “Oh! We’ll be going up the mountain too!”

Dusky gave a short giggle, and I dropped my ears, feeling the color rise in my cheeks. It was still difficult to think of just how much more she’d seen than me, even something as trivial-seeming as Canterlot.

“Well, you don’t have to go straight home after we've met up with your contact.” Dusky glanced over and smiled. “Maybe you can use this trip as an excuse to tour the city.”

I considered that. Ever since I’d heard of Princess Luna’s return, I’d wanted to see her, maybe even watch her bring the night. I knew I wouldn't be spending time with my father. I slowed my flight as the guilt hit me like a bad downdraft.

Spreading her feathers for a moment, Dusky let herself drift back. As she came besides me, she resumed flight, her wings moving slower now to match my speed. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“I… well…” It ate at me. I hadn't considered how all of this would end up impacting her. Her information would be passed along, but if she couldn't press the importance of it, if somehow my dad didn't treat it seriously because of me, the blame would be too much. She deserved to know, just in case I’d unwittingly thrown her into my family problems. “Dusky, I… I need to come clean.”

Her face betrayed a moment of surprise that she quickly brought under control, but her gaze made me flinch. “Come clean? What do you mean?”

“A-about my contact… and… what happened between us.” I took a deep breath.

She pursed her lips, and eventually nodded. “Alright, Night Flurry. I’m listening.”

I watched the ground fly past. “He… I’m…” I couldn't bear to tell her he was my father, part of me was too ashamed of myself, even now. “I was in the Guard, once. A long time ago…”

She waited, glancing towards me when she could spare a look back.

“I joined up as soon as I was able to. I wanted to serve Princess Celestia, to… to serve Equestria, and do my duty to keep it safe. But… I couldn't do it.”

“You dropped out of training?” Her question was matter-of-fact, no hint of the blame I expected in her voice.

“Yeah... “ I sighed. “It wasn't for me… I just… couldn't.”

Dusky looked at me carefully. “That’s not your fault. I have some experience with that kind of training. Not everyone can keep up with the intensity.”

I recalled her mother, and their ‘pop quiz’. “It wasn't that… well, not entirely. I went through training for a few months… They said I was meeting expectations, that I was doing fine. I… I c-couldn't handle the stress, all the ponies…”

My ears fell. It was embarrassing, “But.. there… were expectations I could never meet. I’m sorry, Dusky.”

She raised an eyebrow. “What are you sorry for? It doesn't sound like it was your fault at all.”

“My… my contact. He… well… I moved on to the Cloudsdale Weather College after that, and… then got the job in Ponyville. We… I didn't contact him after I left.”

Dusky nodded. “And do you think he holds it against you?”

“I… I don’t know.” I sighed, looking down at the ground below. “I’m sorry, Dusky… if this ends up… I don’t know… I just… I wanted to help. I know he can help. I didn't mean to keep causing problems.”

She was quiet, the repetitive rap of wings and wind filling the air as we went. “It’s alright, Night Flurry. As long as this information gets into the right hooves, that’ll be enough.

I closed my eyes a moment and tried to find my center. Hopefully, it would be enough. I shifted my head up and looked ahead. The mountain loomed bigger than I’d ever seen. I tilted my head up to take in the peaks, well above even the castle that had always seemed to be the mountain's primary feature.

I let out a quiet “Whoa…”

I heard Dusky stifle a laugh, but I couldn't help but smile at the sight of it, close enough I felt like I could reach out and touch it. Thinking back to Dusky’s suggestion, I could take the time to do just that. I decided that I was definitely going to be exploring Canterlot once everything was over.

It wasn't much longer before we’d arrived in the city itself. While the Princesses’ Castle defined the city from a distance, Canterlot itself was so much bigger than I’d imagined. The skies were filled with Pegasi, and the streets had more wagons and carriages than I had ever seen in Ponyville.

Dusky glided down into the maze of streets and ornate buildings, guiding us through the traffic. I did my best to keep her in sight, as everything demanded my attention all at once. Canterlot was loud, louder than even Fetlock had been during the festival, and so full of things I’d never seen before.

The Castle overshadowed almost everything, though. It was huge, spires towering over the city, topped with symbols of the sun and moon. And on the opposite side of the city was the mountain, topped with beautiful snow that would persist all year-round. I wanted to look at all of it, but we had somewhere we needed to be first.

Setting down in a break in the traffic of ponies, Dusky settled in, throwing a look back at me as I came in. I landed not far behind, gaping at the busy city as I tried to get my bearings while keeping up with Dusky. It was clear she knew where she was going. That was for the best, as I would have been completely lost.

It didn't take us long at all before she motioned towards our destination. It was just off the main road in a little alley cove. A sign hung from a chain, a wooden placard engraved with a rose shedding a single red leaflet, and a fancy font declared the location to be ‘The Adorned Petal’.

Dusky slipped inside.

Part of me was just grateful to get off the street and into a much quieter locale. The other part of me nearly expected my dad to just be standing there, waiting. Instead, I found a half-empty cafe, ponies sitting quietly as they read newspapers and nibbled on small snacks.

A pony with a pale red coat, her mane pulled up into a tight bun, greeted us with a smile. “Can I get you two a seat?”

Dusky continued to take the lead. “Actually, we’re waiting for someone. Wanted to take one of the back rooms.” She nosed into her satchel, and came back up with some bits.

“Sure thing!” The hostess counted out the bits and nodded. “What’s the name for your party?”

Dusky smiled back at the hostess. “I’m Ebony Mist.”

It was the name she’d told me to send to my Dad. I didn't like lying like that, but still, I understood. Caution had to override my sensibilities here.

The hostess made a quick note, then led us back through a short hall, waving a hoof towards a side room. “And here you are, just let me know if you need anything!”

I breathed out as the hostess stepped away and the door closed behind her. “He… he should be here soon, then.”

Dusky nodded in response, and finally took a seat, facing the door. “It won’t take too long to give him the information. You sure you don’t want to sit out?”

I moved to join her, sitting on one of the cushions a few spaces away from her. My heart pounded. He’ll be here soon. “N-no… no, that’s alright. I need to see this through.” I gave Dusky a grateful smile. “But… th-thanks.”

“Don’t worry about it, Night Flurry. I should thank you too, for setting all of this up.” She gave me a reassuring smile in return.

I bowed my head. “Yeah… l-like I said… I just want to help…” I breathed out a sigh and turned to face the door, trying to gather my courage for whatever came next.

14 - Reunion

Time dragged on slowly as we waited for my father to arrive. The private room of the Adorned Petal was nice, nicer than the private room back at the Lusty Seapony. Still, I missed the familiar booths. Or maybe, I was just far too worried about the coming confrontation.

I heard the door creak open and practically jumped from my seat.

Noble Light stepped confidently into the room. His coat was silver, nearly white, his head crowned in the same purple mane that I remembered. He stopped just inside the room, closing the door behind him. His eyes met with mine, watching me carefully.

My hoof shot up in salute and I stammered out a quiet greeting. "H-hello, s-sir."

I did my best to hold it steady. I wanted this all to go well, and didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that for Dusky. Moreover, I didn't want my dad to think I wasn't taking this seriously.

He locked his gaze with mine and with a quiet breath addressed me. "At ease."

My hoof shook, but I dropped my salute, dipped my head to him and held my pose. I waited, unsure what to say, unsure what to do. He continued to watch me as well.

Dusky broke the uneasy silence, politely clearing her throat before cutting in. "Noble Light?"

His gaze left me and turned to her with a nod. "Ebony Mist?"

Dusky returned his nod.

"Then it appears we have some business to attend to."

She was just as emotionless as he was in her response. "I have conditions."

My dad responded without hesitation. "Name them."

Dusky tensed, as if she anticipated an attack. "I am anonymous and shall remain so. I can provide testimony, but I will not take the stand. If this is acceptable, I'll give you the information."

I shifted my eyes back and forth between the two, suddenly the third wheel in a high stakes transaction. Except this wasn't like haggling over the price of apples in the market. The information was being treated more like a lit firecracker, a lingering danger to anypony who touched it. Dusky wanted it out of her hooves, but not if it would come back to hurt her, or anypony around her.

Noble waited, thinking.

I held my breath, Dusky's conditions were just to protect herself and her friends. He couldn't deny her that, I just knew he couldn't.

"Very well."

Dusky didn't relent. "Do you swear? Upon your honor?"

My dad gave the barest hint of a smile. "Miss Mist, I assure you. My word is my oath. I promise you, by my position, rank and by the grace of her Majesty, your involvement goes no further than this room."

Dusky stood her ground a little longer, then at last I saw her relax. "Okay."

She sat back down at the table and gestured a hoof to the seat across from her.

I remained standing to the side, watching my father sit down. I kept an eye on the door, doing my best to stand still as Dusky told the story of what had happened in Hoofington. From the barest details of her flight in, then into her infiltration of the warehouse, the discovery of the ice, and lastly her escape.

She made mention of the Guard's corpse, and I frowned. I still wasn't comfortable with the danger that Dusky had willingly placed herself into for this.

My father sat quietly and listened, leaning in just slightly. When Dusky presented the analysis, he unfurled the scroll and read it quietly.

We waited in silence while he read. I saw Dusky fidget and glance to me from the corner of my eye, but I didn't move my gaze from my father as he continued to read.

At last, he looked back up at her. "I will see that this reaches the right sources."

Dusky sounded a little shocked, or maybe just skeptical. "So that's it? No questions?"

He packed away the research and placed the scroll under a wing. As he stood from the table, he spoke simply. "Your testimony was quite clear, as is the analysis. I have all I need. Thank you for your assistance."

With a sigh of relief, Dusky lowered her head. "You're welcome. I wish you luck."

He looked back over his shoulder before pushing open the door. "You too."

Glancing away from Dusky, his gaze lingered on me. "Take care of yourself."

Then, he stepped out, the door closing quietly behind him.

The silence fell back onto the room, and I released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.

Dusky rose from her seat, trotting closer with some concern apparent on her face. "You okay?"

I tried to force a smile, looking at her through my shaky nerves. "Y-yeah? Um, th-that went well, I think."

"It did. Thank you, Night Flurry." She moved closer, extending out a wing, and before I could react, she'd wrapped it around my neck and across my back, pulling me into a hug.

My first instinct was to pull away, the physical contact was wholly unexpected. Her feathers brushed against me and held close, though loosely. She was warm, as her body pressed against me. The feeling of it radiated out from her, and time slowed. Everything ran through my mind at once as I struggled to respond.

Before I could do anything, she pulled away. I stared at her, knowing my face was flushed red. I tried to say something, anything. Part of me wanted to go back in time and hold that moment. Another part of me just wanted to flee before I fell apart.

At last, my cowardice won out.

“I-I, um, think I could use some air. M-maybe s-see the city.” I stepped back, looking towards the door, but I stopped myself. I still wanted her nearby. “Would you… l-like to come?”

She just shook her head. “This whole thing has left me exhausted. I think I’m going to head back a little early.”

I deflated a bit. Canterlot seemed so different, so new. I’d wanted to see the mountain, walk through the city, and see the park. I wanted to see more, and I wanted to see it all with her. I felt torn, thoughts still lingering on the feeling of that hug.

Still, we were just friends, and I couldn't expect her to come everywhere with me. I wanted to see Canterlot, and now I was here. Dusky’s quiet strength bolstered me. I couldn't let this chance pass me by.

“O-oh… um… well, s-see y-you back at the S-Seapony?”

“Sounds good.” She gave a short nod and after a moment smiled. “Well, go on, then. You don’t need me to guide you out of the restaurant, right?”

I blinked, still trying to process all of the emotions conflicting in me after everything that had happened in the past few minutes. Once I finally pieced together what she’d asked, I gave a start and rushed to the door. “Um, r-right! S-see you!”

I moved quickly as I left the cafe. I needed to find somewhere to stop and gather my thoughts. Seeing my father had been harder than I’d thought, yet also easier.

There hadn't been any of the fighting or blame that I’d most feared would derail Dusky’s quest. And seeing him again, I couldn't help but see how very… old he looked. Older than I’d remembered him, and tired. His mane had been familiar, but as I reflected back I realized that it was streaked with gray hairs.

He’d listened to Dusky though, and that was all that really mattered. Both of he and I could put this behind us and move on with our lives. Whatever stress I’d caused him now would heal, and I could go home, back to Ponyville.

Then there was Dusky. I wasn't even sure how I felt anymore. We were friends, that much I knew. Her quick hug hadn't been anything more than a show of thanks, I could see that now. I hoped I hadn't made a complete foal of myself.

Now, however, I was outside in Canterlot properly for the first time in my life. I had to take advantage, see the sights, and experience the city. The busy streets and noises weren't really what I wanted though. No, once out and on the streets, I knew exactly who and what I needed to see.

It hadn't taken that too long to talk to my father, and there was still plenty of time before it happened. The moonrise. If there was someway, somehow, that I could see Princess Luna and watch her raise the moon, I just had to do it.

My oldest sister, Sun, was named for Celestia's first gift. I, as the firstborn son, was named for her second, the night, and all the peace and beauty that came with it. That was before Princess Luna had returned.

I’d been there, in Ponyville, when the Mare in the Moon had vanished, and when the pony calling herself Nightmare Moon had arrived. It had been one of the most terrifying moments of my life, but soon, the endless night she’d threatened had lifted, and whatever it was that had possessed her had gone. Princess Celestia herself had arrived and heralded the return of her sister, Luna, the true Princess of the Night and the mare in the moon who I had talked to for years. Part of me felt like I’d known her for my entire life.

The line into the palace was dismaying, and nervously asking a guard when and how I could watch the Princess bring the night only brought a chuckle. “I’m afraid she doesn't exactly give public shows. The line here is to see her for grievances. If you wish to see her in court, it might be a long wait.” He glanced at my side and smiled. “Of course, if you want the best seat for watching the moon rise, a pegasus like you can probably find a decent rooftop out in the city. Just keep an eye to the east.”

I stammered out a thank you and trotted away. I took flight, searching for a solid vantage point. It wasn't much different than when I’d done from cloud top in Ponyville to watch the moon move through the night. Still, here in Canterlot, so close to the Princess herself, it was like I would be seeing it for the first time.

I found a rooftop, a high building with a spire that tapered off, ending in a makeshift balcony of sorts.

I sat on the edge and faced east, looking beyond the mountain. I waited as the light from the sun behind me began to glow red. I turned my head to catch a glimpse of the sun as it dipped towards the horizon. I still longed for Dusky to be there so that we could share it together, thinking back to our missed opportunity in Ponyville's park. I shook my head and turned back to the east.

The city seemed to grow quiet, a respectful moment in the twilight between day and night. The sun disappeared, and in that moment there was nothing. Then, the darkness failed before the light as the stars flickered to life. The moon rose over Canterlot to take its place amid the heavens. I'd seen it all before, but never felt like I was a part of it. Here, knowing the Princess was no less than a few minutes away, the sight was more powerful than I'd imagined.

The thought of coming back to Canterlot on my own didn't seem nearly so daunting as it once would have now that I'd been here, now that I’d seen it, and experienced it. I didn't like the crowds, or the noise, but there was still such beauty to be found. The whole world is like this. Full of beauty and wonders that I've never even imagined. A smile crept onto my face. Maybe… maybe I really could see it all for myself.

The sound of wings alerted me to somepony else approaching. For a split second, I held hope that it was Dusky, coming to join me after all. I turned my head to greet her, calling out "Oh, hey D—" I froze as a very different figured settled down upon the rooftop. "D-dad..."

He nodded, standing a few feet away from me, his eyes up towards the sky. "Son. You, um... mind if I have a seat?"

I looked away. "It um... it's your city."

That prompted a short chuckle. "Hardly."

He came closer, at last settling down on the edge, a hoof’s length away from me.

There we sat, the slow build of city noise around us replacing the previous solemn quiet. He sighed, and I looked towards him, only to look away as he glanced in my direction.

He spoke first. "You didn't need to apologize, you know."

I raised an eyebrow, sneaking a glance towards him. "A-apologize? For... what?"

"Your letter. You apologized for asking for help." He smiled, and once again he seemed so much older than I remembered. "I'm always willing to help you, Night. No matter what."

"I... r-right... I..." I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I had hoped I wouldn't n-need you anymore."

"Oh. I see." He lapsed back into silence.

"I... I didn't mean it like that." I fell quiet along with him, fidgeting with my wings and hooves. I should leave. I'm just making it worse. He doesn't need me here. He only came out to... why did he come out?

Curiosity got the better of me. "Did... did you follow me here?"

He turned to take me in.

"Follow you? Not quite. But, I knew you well enough to guess that if you were still in Canterlot, you'd be watching the stars. You always loved the night sky." He dug a hoof at the roof, as if scrubbing something away. "I will admit, I was hoping I would find you."

"Y-you were?" I shifted to turn completely towards him. "Wh-why?"

A sigh escaped as he met my eyes. "Because, despite whatever drove you away, you're my son. And... I love you."

I met my Father's eyes, feeling like anything I said would shatter everything. "I... I know. It... it wasn't anything you did."

He pursed his lips, and his words were measured carefully. "Was it your sisters, then?"

"They..." I shook my head. My words were brittle and quiet. "No. I... I left for all of you."

"For all of us?"

My heart felt like ice, I blinked to try to clear out the tears building in the corners of my eyes. "F-for you. I... I w-was nothing but a disappointment. A f-failure. B-better for everypony if I just wasn't around."

He stood suddenly, but stopped short of stepping closer.

"Night... you have never been a disappointment. Not to me, not to your family." He sighed, slowly lowering himself back to his haunches. "It was my fault for not telling you that often enough."

"Well… y-you were always here." I waved a hoof towards the city below. "You were working. Doing everything I wish I'd been strong enough to do. You're still... s-still the strongest pony I know."

His voice was low. "Not strong enough. I'm sorry, Night."

The silence descended upon us once again. He had nothing to apologize for, he was only doing his duty. To protect Equestria, and everypony who lives within it. To honor the gifts we have been given, and to respect the others with whom we share those gifts. Not to destroy. Not to hurt.

I stared up at the moon as the question I'd wanted to ask him since the fight in Fetlock Falls pushed back into my mind. "D-Dad? H-how?"

He tilted his head, ears shifting. "How?"

"H-how... how can ponies do things l-like... like what they did to Dus—" I bit off my question before I said her name, remembering all the aliases and shadows everypony was working so hard to cast on this. "Like what they did in Fetlock..."

"In Fetlock? You mean the ice?"

I shook my head. "N-no. They..." I took a deep breath and swallowed, unsure just how much I could say without revealing Dusky. "They attacked us. Just... we... we were—"

He cut me off. "It's alright, I don't need to know." He narrowed his eyes. "Why do some ponies do terrible things to one another. I can't answer that, Night, I'm sorry. But they do. It's why I joined the Guard. So that I could protect ponies who just want to live, and not fight."

To live, and not fight. I reached back to my flight satchel and carefully pulled out the bracer, watching it glow in the moonlight. "I... I wish my friends could just live, without these things happening. Without having to… to fight."

“That’s always been my wish as well, son.” He watched the bracer carefully. “You… had to fight, then? In Fetlock Falls?”

My ears folded back. “I… I did…”

He came closer, pointing a hoof towards the bracer. “And, this…”

I cringed. “It… It’s a hoofblade.” I hurriedly added “I… I didn't use it. N-not for the fight. I’m just… t-training with it...”

My dad blinked. “That’s… a powerful burden, Night. Magical weapons like that… they’re a grave responsibility.”

“It… it’s okay. It was a gift… and…” I smiled slightly. “M-maybe I failed as a guard… but… I can prove myself as a knight, r-right?”

He stepped forward, resting a hoof atop the bracer. “That’s not what I meant. A weapon... well, a weapon is something few ponies should ever have to wield.”

I stared at the bracer. I’d felt the weight of it, the burden he mentioned before in it, when Starshadow first told me what it really was. “I’m… I’m being careful… I… I don’t want to use it… I just want to be ready to use it… if I have to.”

“Good.” He smiled, and pushed the bracer back towards my chest before stepping back. “A pony should never be too eager to wield a weapon. Remember that, Night. When it becomes easy to use a weapon, you should beware. That is the fastest way to lose who you are.”

“Wh-who I am?” I suppressed a shudder, and slowly put the bracer back into my flight satchel.

My dad nodded. “Who you are. Night Flurry. My son. You don’t have to be a Guard, or a knight, or anything else to make me proud. You just have to be yourself, and do what makes you happy.”

A hint of a smile slipped onto my face despite myself. “I… I mean… I’m just some weather pony f-from Ponyville. N-nothing special.”

He chuckled. “You’re a better pony than you give yourself credit for, son.” He turned back towards the city, looking up at the stars. “I’m… I’m glad I got to see you again. Even if it was just to pass along some information.”

“I… i-it was good to see you again too, um… Dad.” And, surprisingly, it was the truth. I watched him a moment, then turned out as well, mirroring his gaze up into the sky.

We sat in silence, respectful now, rather than awkward, and watched the sky. At some point, he lifted himself up, and we said simple goodbyes. I watched him go, and soon was on my way back to Ponyville, wings feeling just a little less weighed-down as I made my way home.

16 - Wrap Up

My spirits were high after the training session. I felt like I'd found a lot of answers I'd been seeking for a long time. Who did I want to be, and what did I want? I owed Merri and Starshadow a lot for all they'd done for me to shine a light on that.

I thought of my father as well, and our talk in Canterlot. My mood slipped a little as I flew on through town. I felt like I'd done him a terrible disservice, for all those years away. He'd said he was proud of me.

Maybe.... I should write him more... or find time to visit him in Canterlot again...

Lastly, there was that vision of Ostfriesen and the bracer's first owner, Bellerophon. I didn't even know what to make of that, save that Starshadow wasn't concerned. I'd never been too comfortable with magic, nothing against it personally, just from a lack of exposure, and I was certainly no expert.

Starshadow, however, was an expert. The bracer was a piece of Ostfriesen history, and she’d proven herself very knowledgeable of her country's history. She was well disciplined in magic, and apparently as talented as she was strong. I had no reason to doubt her analysis.

I came to Town Hall to find the lights were still on. I stepped through the door quietly, my ears swiveled forward at the sound of voices coming from the main room. I thought back to the last time, just after the incident in Fetlock. I’d wanted to see threats behind every shadow, but that was a hard line of thinking for me.

Still, if it really was something dangerous, if it really was a threat, I wanted to be ready. I thought of slipping on the bracer, but shook my head and left it where it was. I crept through the doorway cautiously, tensing my limbs in preparation for anything. What I found wasn't exactly a threat, but it did cause a familiar pang of depression in my heart.

Three familiar ponies stood gathered around a chalkboard, a unicorn and two pegasi. Twilight Sparkle was busy making notes beside a long list of names, while Blizzard Breeze and Rainbow Dash observed. Above it all were three words which, by themselves were innocuous, but once combined, made my ears drop.

Winter Wrap Up.

As I approached, Blizzard turned towards me with a smile. "Night Flurry! Perfect! We were just talking about you!"

I looked between the three, instantly feeling self-conscious. "Err... you were?"

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Yeah. Twilight's getting the assignments ready, and me and Blizzard got a special task that you're perfectly suited for."

"I... am? Wh-what's that?" I looked up at the board, reading through the names to try and find my own.

"Weather Team preparation and pre-preparation!" Twilight Sparkle smiled wide. "Rainbow Dash will be acting as the Weather Team Lead, but what I want is somepony with an attention to details to help me coordinate the set-up."

"And I'm more of a mare of action!" Rainbow jumped up into the air, boxing some invisible opponent. "This'll mean I'm one hundred percent committed to leading the team on the front line"

Twilight rolled her eyes. "Right. So, I've got a list of things I want to be absolutely sure are in order before we begin this year, and a lot of paperwork that you'd need to go over in lieu of Rainbow. It's a lot of responsibility, of course, but Blizzard and Rainbow both say you're reliable."

"Pre-preparations? And then... preparations?" I considered. "Th-this would be... in addition to my usual shifts?"

"Supplemental at first, of course." Blizzard glanced at the board. "You'd be able to work on it during your shift, to an extent, but as we get closer to Winter Wrap Up, you'll probably need to work more hours to keep everything coordinated."

Twilight raised the chalk up towards the board, letting it hover over a blank slot beneath Rainbow Dash's name with the label 'Preparation', "So, what do you say, Night Flurry? Can we count on you?"

They were putting an awful lot of trust in my abilities. All I did was run the night shift, pushing clouds around, I wasn't a coordinator. I wasn't a leader like Rainbow Dash. The dark voices in my mind shouted at me to turn it down and just stick to what I knew.

I glanced at Bree and she smiled at me, not-so-subtlety nodding in encouragement. She had told me to think more of myself, that she thought I was capable of more. She thought that I was better than my position. Her words, Merri and Starshadow’s words from this very night, began to drown out the voices of my doubt. They were putting trust in my abilities. The only one who didn't was myself. This was an opportunity, a chance to do something more.

"W-well…” I grinned nervously at Bree, forcing out the words through my stutter. “Y-Yes. I'm, um... I'm your s-stallion."

"Perfect!" Twilight wrote my name onto the board. "I'll have a pre-preparation checklist ready by the time your shift ends."

"That, um... that sounds p-perfect! Th-thank you, um... thank you all." I bowed my head. "I'll do my best."

Bree stepped over and gave me a hug. "You'll do great. Thanks."

I shifted awkwardly at first, then hugged back. "Oh, um... y-yeah... yeah, I'm sure I will."

The shift went by quickly, and as she had promised, Twilight Sparkle delivered an impressive-looking checklist for me. Her pre-preparations were more extensive than I'd expected, not just looking at the big picture, but going into details I'd have never considered. The only thing I'd ever done before during Winter Wrap Up was clearing clouds, now I was looking at vest sizes and getting ice scoring skates out of storage to be sharpened.

I took the checklist home to review so I could begin to prioritize. I slept soundly that night, a lot of responsibility set before me, but so much less weight on my mind.

The next night I headed towards the Lusty Seapony with plans already forming in my mind. The whole thing was oddly exciting, if a little intimidating, in a way I'd never felt during Winter Wrap Up.

Nosing open the doors, I was a bit surprised at just how empty the bar was tonight. I made my way to our table, finding it completely vacant, as well. By now, I'd have expected Terrabona or Mahogany to have found their way here, and our table covered with more glasses than bare surface.

The quiet was nice, just a few low conversations going on in the background. I sipped at my chamomile tea and smiled to myself. Things had settled down quite nicely.

The clop of heavy hoofs drew my eyes to the bar stairs in time to see Merriweather making her way into the commons.

She yawned wide, smacking her lips loudly as she stared at the table. She made her way over and practically flopped down besides me. "Mmmmm, mornin' Flurr'"

I laughed a bit, "Err... it's almost evening, Merri."

"Nnnggghhh. Is it? I musta fallen asleep from boredom." She cracked her neck back and forth.

"Boredom? Um... from what?"

She levitated my tea mug away from me and glanced inside, then wrinkled her nose and placed it back on the table. "Sis. She's in full paperwork mode. Gotta rescind all those knightly titles and honors from some random volunteer who up and quit on her."

My ears dropped back as I took the tea mug back into my hoof. "Err... right. Sorry."

Merri chuckled. "I'm giving you a hard time, Night. Don't mean anything by it. Honestly, I'm amazed she did all the knighthood paperwork in the first place, but she's serious. Was serious. I dunno."

I started to sigh, but took a breath and smiled. "W-well, I still owe you both... there anything I can do to help?"

"Weeeeelllll, maybe." She stood up from the table and grinned. "You wanna go check? Sis' might just make you sign your name a bunch of times.

"Oh? Um... sure, I guess." I pushed myself up from the table. "She's only doing all that work because of me, after all."

She laughed. "Well, and because of me. Remember, I'm the one who told her to put you on the payroll."

"Alright. Then the two of us can—" I stopped, unsure if Merri was joking again or not. "W-wait, there was a payroll?"

"Of course! All the—" She suddenly spun towards the bar door, grinning. "Oh, hi, Dusky~!"

I leaned to the side to look past Merri, smiling at Dusky's appearance.

"Hi, Merriweather, Night Flurry." She glanced between us, raising an eyebrow. "What's this about payrolls?"

I paused. She still didn't know about what I'd done. I'd planned to tell her, but not until I'd been able to show her just how serious I was. Now, I couldn't say that, well, not exactly. I considered how best I could explain what had happened. "W-well..."

Merri waved a hoof casually. "Oh, just the Knighthood that Sis' is dismissing Night from."

My eyes went wide as I stared at Merri. Did she really just...

"I... what? Knighthood?" Dusky's expression hardened ever so slightly as she looked over towards me.

"What?" Merri sounded more amused than repentant. "Was that supposed to be a secret or something~?"

"I don't know." Dusky fixed her gaze on me. "Was it?"

I wanted to disappear. I wanted to be almost anywhere else than right there. This wasn't how it was supposed to have gone. It never was. I almost considered bolting for the door, but held fast. "I... I-I..."

Dusky slipped past Merri, stopping in front of me with a smile. She raised her hoof and set it against my shoulder. "Hey. Whatever it is, if you want to talk about it, I'll listen."

I scanned the bar, eyes searching for something. I glanced at Merri, who gave me a nod and a wink. "O-okay. I, um, w-well..."

Dusky's hoof pressed against me lightly, and she motioned her head towards the back.

Taking a deep breath, I nodded and headed towards the back room.

Behind, I heard Merri respond to something unsaid by Dusky. "Nah, go on without me. I'ma see how Sis' is doing with the paperwork." She called after, "You two have fun~."

"Uh, huh."

Soon, we'd made our way into the private room and sat at the booth we always seemed to gravitate towards. We seemed to find our way to this room a lot, often because of my own failings. Now, I wasn't sure what to think. Would she assume I'd broken my promise?

Dusky stared at me while I tried to avoid her eyes. She tilted her head. "So..."

I met her eyes a moment, then sighed as my eyes fell back down to the table. "S-sorry... I, um... asked Merri to train me a-and... well, one thing led to another and suddenly... I was a kn-knight under S-Starshadow."

"That's... quite the leap." She took a moment, her voice still level. "But since its Merriweather, I can't say I'm surprised."

I let out a breath. I'd put that out before her, but those were just the words. She needed to know it all. I bent my head down and pulled out Bellerophon's bracer from my flight satchel, carefully setting it upon the table.

Dusky leaned in to examine the bracer, then looked to me for an explanation.

"Merri gave it to me. I... I thought m-maybe if I learned how to use it, I c-could stop being s-such a burden. I just w-want to protect my friends. B-but it was all too much... I.. I'm no knight..."

I stared down at the bracer and waited. Dusky didn't say anything. Slowly, I lifted my eyes back up to meet hers.

"I understand." She was smiling.

My ears rose, and I was caught in her eyes as she gave me her response. "Y-you do?"

"When I asked you to make that promise, I wasn't asking you to foreswear fighting." She was as sincere now as she'd been on the train coming home from Fetlock Falls. "I just didn't want you to do anything overly risky. But if you just want to be prepared, I have no objections."

Dusky had faced things no pony should have to face, and now she was ready in case they came looking for her. What else could I do but ensure I would be ready as well. It's what friends were for.

A smile spread across my face as I looked into her eyes. "Th-thanks, D-Dusky."

She nodded, the grin still upon her face, though her voice remained serious. "Just don't get carried away. Preparation doesn't mean much if you hurt yourself doing it."

My eyes were pulled back to the bracer. It was a gift, but it remained a responsibility. Knighthood or no, it was a weapon, and was not to be treated gently. If I was going to continue with my training, to continue to prepare, I wouldn't take any of it for granted. I breathed out, the words escaping under my breath. "To protect my friends..."

After everything that had happened, everything I'd done, she'd remained my friend. I owed her so much, just for giving me that chance.

"R-right. I... I'm going to keep trying. But... I won't lose myself to it. P-promise."

"I'll take your word for it." Her smile grew into a wry grin. "Shall we head back? Maybe we can catch Mahogany and Terra before they're completely plastered."

Dusky rose from the booth, and I returned the bracer to its place in my flight satchel. I'd done her so much disservice, and yet she'd stood by me. She had told me we should start at friends. And here we were. It was as I'd told myself time and time again, we're just friends.

We're just friends.

My feelings for her had been so muddled, that somehow I'd missed the point when we'd lost the 'just'.

We're friends.

I stood from the booth to follow her back out into the bar. She was my friend, and I was honored to be considered hers. I smiled back. "Y-yeah. Let's hope so.”

17 - Terror

The next week was a blur. True to her word, Starshadow continued to meet with me out in the Whitetail Woods, and I trained to be ready for anything. Those sessions were cut short, however, as my workload began to increase.

Twilight Sparkle maintained a very strict timetable, and wanted to be sure that nothing was left to chance. She said it was a lot of work upfront, but when the day of Winter Wrap Up came, everything would fall into place.

She mentioned the incident a few years back, when a surprise snowstorm out of the Everfree Forest had struck the town. It had grounded the weather team, and several ponies had gone missing in the whiteout, with nothing for us to do but wait for the storm to pass. "With proper precautions, even the most unexpected incident can be dealt with."

I didn't want to let her down when the day arrived. Not her, or Blizzard Breeze, or anypony else for that matter. So I moved through the pre-preparation checklist as efficiently as possible. The day before Winter Wrap Up, I moved on to the preparation checklist.

Ice scoring blades were sharpened and the sets sorted by hoof size, weather team assignments were given out, the cloud clearing routes were optimized to best prepare against random nimbus generation from the Everfree Forest, tasks were prioritized to provide the most assistance to the plant and animal teams, and more. Twilight was nothing if not thorough.

Winter ended, as it does every year. On the day of the Wrap Up, I helped clear the snow with a heavy heart. It couldn't be eternal, but I was always sad when the season passed into spring.

Still, despite my feelings, everything ran smoothly, and the first day of spring arrived without a hitch. I felt an unfamiliar sense of pride growing for what I'd help do. My weather work, my training, and my friends. How things had changed over the winter months.

All for the better, somehow. I slipped into bed that night feeling more accomplished than I had in all my years. A fresh new season lay ahead, and it really felt like nothing could go wrong.

I landed on the porch of the bar the next night. With the season shift settled at the office, I had a few days off to look forward to. I hadn't made any real plans, but to start, I simply wanted to spend a night with my friends, so the Lusty Seapony was the obvious destination.

The sound of laughter was heavy inside the bar, a sharp contrast to the relative peace of my last few visits. I could hear Mahogany loud and clear, and I already felt a grin spreading across my face as I pushed open the door, unaware I was opening it to face a nightmare.

She was a snow white pegasus, or perhaps cloud white would better describe her. Her brown mane was streaked with a light stripe, with a short forelock poking out from the tiered mass. She had a wide, mirthful smile, but I could see the glint of chaos behind it. The second I opened the door her eyes locked with mine and I knew there'd be no escape.

I stammered out a cry. "Y-you!" This wasn't like Dad. I didn't want to face her again. I couldn't.

I spun back towards the door, only to collide with the wood as a red aura held it closed. I fell onto my back, her laughter filling my ears.

Terrabona stepped over from the table, appearing above me with a grin. Her horn was still glowing, indicting her as the culprit who’d cut off my escape. "Oh, ho, Flurry! You can't leave just yet."

I looked up at her, pleading. "P-please, tell me this is a dream. P-please tell me sh-she's not here! Just... anything!"

Mahogany's voice rose above the crowd with a laugh. "Nope! Sorry, Night! She's been tellin' us all sorts of stories."

Rolling over to push myself up on my hooves, I glanced nervously towards Mahogany, sighing out in defeat. "R-right... Wh-what has she been telling you all?"

The white mare responded in a sing-songy voice. "Eeeeeevvvvverrrrything~"

I tried to look across the table, to meet her eyes, but couldn't quite do it. "H-hey... um... Sis'."

"C'mon Nighty! Take a seat! We were just talking about you!" called Spring Showers, my youngest sister, though still older than me. Her name belied her nature, she was far from a gentle rain. Being around her was always like being caught up in a storm, and in the past, I'd always been the one to get hurt.

"She was in here looking for you, 'Nighty'." Mahogany laughed.

My cheeks burned hot. "N-nighty? I... w-what”

Spring giggled. "Oh, his face is going all red. Priceless! Okay, now watch this.” She cleared her throat. “So, Nighty. Tell me more about Dusky~"

I felt my face grow even hotter. "D-Dusky? I... Wh-what have they been telling you, Spring?"

"Oh, just eeeeeevvvvverrrrything~" The giggle turned into a full laugh as she wiped a tear from her face.

I plodded forward, keeping my eyes off of her as I did my best to settle in at the table. Merri sat to one side with her usual grin. Starshadow had a book in front of her, though she was keeping watch on my sister with a cautious eye, glancing between Spring and Merri with a disturbing frequency.

Mahogany had a not-quite-full Buzzard, though from the lack of empty glasses, he'd apparently been far too distracted by our guest to drink too much. At least that meant maybe I wouldn't have to carry him home tonight, even if I’d never hear the end of him learning my sister called me ‘Nighty’.

Terrabona took a seat beside me, chuckling quietly to herself. "...I'm really sorry, Flurry. I swear, this was a lot funnier when you weren't here."

My ears fell flat, and I just nodded. "W-well... I can't blame you, I guess. She is my sister..."

Terrabona shifted in her seat a moment and downed her drink. "Honestly, I didn't even know you had a sister, Flurry."

Across the table, Spring sighed dramatically and pouted. "You didn't even tell your friends about us, Nighty? Like, not even the time we tried to mail you to Canterlot?"

Mahogany snorted into his glass. "You mailed him? Like standard shipping, or overnight? I'm pretty sure that violates a few regulations either way. No shipping live animals."

This was already going exactly as I was expecting. I dropped my head to the table, quietly mumbling. "I was... six? I don't remember..."

"Yeah! I think so!" Spring raised a hoof and counted off. "Which means I was nine? That sounds right! That was Diamond's idea, anyway." She spun back towards Mahogany and nodded knowingly. "He was always threatening to run away to Canterlot, so she just convinced him it'd be a faster trip!"

"D-Diamond... right..." I panned my eyes around to look at everypony.

Mahogany smirked at me. "You were six? How do you even run away to Canterlot when you can't fly yet?"

Spring giggled again, waving her hooves to draw attention back to herself. "He totally couldn't fly yet. He never really thought that stuff through. He just wanted to go to Canterlot and see Daddy. Di actually convinced him the mail pony would carry him there." She stuck out her tongue at me.

"Well... I was six... and... well... nevermind." I closed my eyes, just wanting the night to end. I couldn't leave. I'd just wait until she was gone. Once Spring had her fun, she'd go, and hopefully leave me alone again.

"We wrapped him up like a vase and packed him tight, then we just left him in the backyard for like... two hours." Spring laughed, dropping a hoof to the table. "Mom ended up making us cut him free. We got in so much trouble for that one."

I sighed. "D-didn't stop you, though..." Diamond and Spring had always been looking for ways to get rid me, one way or another.

"Eh! Flurry! That's it!" Terrabona prodded me with a hoof. "We've been hearing Spring tell stories about you all night. You've got to have embarrassing stories about her, right?”

Mahogany joined in with a cheer. "Yeah! Turnabout's fair play Right, Terra?"

I felt Terrabona's hoof continue to poke. "Dang straight. Now, c'mon, Flurry. Spill it." I turned to find her grinning entirely too wide.

Spring was just laughing now, nodding her head at me rapidly. "Do it, Nighty! Do it!"

I swallowed nervously as everypony's attention had turned to me. "Um... w-well I don't really have anything... not really."

Merri snorted, her horn glowing as she threw a peanut at Starshadow. "What kind of sibling doesn't have some kind of blackmail on their sister?"

As the peanut bounced off her head, Starshadow gave a subdued smile back. "Perhaps the kind of sibling which Night Flurry is. It seems unlikely that he would have stories about, for example, his sister running about pretending she was a dragon."

Merri smirked. "Hey, I only did that once. And I said I was sorry! And they fixed the chandelier!"

"Err... actually..." I glanced at Spring.

She had an eyebrow raised towards Merri, but she looked back at me with an odd grin and continued to nod.

"W-well, I just mean... she used to make me play damsel and knight..." I swallowed a bit, not really sure what I was trying to say. "And you tried to be the dragon once... err..."

Spring shrugged, throwing me a wink. "Hey, being the damsel all the time is boring. Sometimes you gotta be the dragon!"

Starshadow's simple smile stayed on her face. "Spring Showers, I believe that you would be nearly as inadequate as a dragon as my sister."

"Yeah!" Merri blinked. "Hey!"

The table was still laughing. I remained low, watching my sister.

Her eyes were locked on me, but I could only stare back silently. I'd known her too long to try to figure her out, but still, this whole thing was odd. Of all the places in Equestria, how had she found me here? Why? Hadn't things been better after I'd left?

We stared as if trapped, the awkward moment hanging in the air. I didn't know what to say to her, and apparently, she didn't know what to say to me, either. As we both sat silently, her smile started to slip.

Something about that smile punched me. I sighed. "S-Spring... w-why are you here?"

"Sheesh, Nighty." Her smile faded completely, her face scrunching up slightly as if she'd just swallowed something foul. "I'm your sister. And how long has it been since you've come to see me? To see anypony else in the family? Eh? Not seen you since your graduation! Not even for holidays!"

I didn't want to listen. Spring was always over the top, ever since she was a foal. I used to fall for her act, I used to think the world of her when I was a colt, but I’d only grown to become a burden for her, to the family.

Spring broke back into my thoughts. "I mean... it's been five years."

"Wow." It wasn't Spring who spoke up next, however. Mahogany leaned over his drink to look me over. "That's cold, Flurry. I hate my family and even I go back for Hearth's Warming."

I sighed. "I... um... w-well..." I slumped in my seat. "Not like anything's changed..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Spring frowned, her ears dropping back. "You don't... still hate us do you?"

"H-hate?" I flinched. "I don't... I—" My words were cut off by the sound of a loud crash against the side wall of the bar. It was a heavy thwack, all at once, like a big crate had fallen from a pegasus cart. Something big had hit the side of the building, and the sound had definitely come from above ground level. "Um… wh-what was that?"

The sound echoed through the room, and the others grew quiet as we all stared at the wall. The silence lingered a moment longer before everypony else resumed their conversations.

I sat, head craned to glance at the wall. A weight had settled on me, but I couldn't place it. I let out a breath and turned back to the table.

Spring pushed herself up and looked around at us. "Well? Aren't we gonna go check it out?"

"Probably just some pegasus who can't hold their booze." Mahogany downed the remains of his buzzard. "Lightweights."

"So you're just gonna sit there?" Spring leaned her head down, giving Mahogany a glare that reminded me of Mom. "What if they need help? C'mon!"

I remembered, growing up, how Spring had never been able to leave anything to harm. Stray birds weren't anything unusual in Cloudsdale, and Spring had practically kept a clinic for them. Her 'broken birds', Mom used to call them. There were times I'd contemplated just how much better she'd treated those birds than her own brother, but I shook that thought away.

I glanced at the others and gave a sheepish grin. I rose, knowing nothing would discourage her from heading out now. I may as well join her to be sure nothing happened, either to Spring, or because of her. "Y-yeah. You're right, Spring. Let's go."

She pumped a hoof and gave a cheer. "That's the spirit! Nighty and Spring, together again! We fly!"

And with that, she practically skipped to the door.

Starshadow raised an eyebrow, watching Spring dart out the door. "She certainly seems excitable."

"She... yeah. I guess... she's not that bad..." I smiled sheepishly and turned to follow my sister. I heard the chairs behind me scrape across the floor as the others moved to join us.

It was growing dark outside, the sun had just set as Luna's moon began its rise into the sky. The noise of the bar faded into the background as I turned to search for Spring. I just hoped she hadn't run too far ahead.

She hadn't. Spring was always the first one in, ready to do… whatever it is she usually did. Now, for all her energy and enthusiasm, she stood at the corner of the bar, looking into the alley with eyes wide, her face frozen in shock.

I stepped forward cautiously, keeping my voice low. "S-Spring?"

Her movement was stilted, unnaturally forced, as she shakily turned her head towards me. Her eyes were full of tears as she choked out the words. "N-night? I think... I think they're dead..."

I came alongside her to get a look around the corner. There was a pegasus, apparently the source of the noise, laying crumpled against the wall. He was a Guard, from the looks of his armor. I felt my stomach churn. His coat was covered in deep cuts and blood, some caked, most fresh.

My knees went weak as I spotted the deep cut stretched across his throat. He wouldn't be waking up. He was, without a doubt, dead.

Dead. I turned to the second figure, the image of the first refusing to leave my mind, until a far worse vision replaced it. She was stretched across the ground, her dark coat wet with blood. I prayed it wasn't her own.

"D-Dusky!" In that moment, all else was forgotten. I rushed to her side, the terrible feeling in my stomach had crystallized into a heavy dread. I looked her over for any sign of life, fearing I’d find the same deep cut along her throat. Dead. "Please, no, please don't be d-dead..."

Other voices filtered in. Merri's echoed through the emptiness. "Dusky? Whoa... uh, Sis’?"

"Yes." Starshadow answered. I heard them drawing their weapons. "If there is one, there could be others. Terrabona, Mahogany, see to her. Merriweather and I shall create a perimeter." There was a noise like wind, and the two sisters were off.

"See to her? R-right... err..." Terrabona came up behind me, a whisper escaping her lips. "Oh, Celestia... Dusky..."

Mahogany cursed to himself. "I knew I shouldn't have let him take you off alone..."

I blinked, looking back to Mahogany. “Let… him? What?”

"Some guard was looking for Dusky earlier." He narrowed his eyes at the corpse. “Something’s been bugging me ‘bout this… I don’t know why I trusted him...”

I gaped at him. It was just like Dusky had said on the train, like the last time she'd gone to the guard. Somehow, she’d been betrayed. That had to be it. The dead guard was a traitor, he just had to be. I needed to know more. I was about to ask Mahogany for the whole story when Dusky stirred, immediately calling my attention back to her.

She woke with a groan, her legs shuddering violently as she tried to move. The progress she made was swiftly defeated as she fell back to the ground with a cry.

"D-Dusky, no! If you're hurt, just stay still!" I turned to the others. "Mahogany, get your cart. Terra... help me keep her steady."

"Gotcha!" Mahogany galloped past us to get his work cart, the wooden wagon he used to transport packages out of town. This was the second time it would be used for an emergency. The first, when my wing had been critically injured.

Since then, he’d claimed it was both more efficient, and critical for our safety. “That cart saved your life!” He’d told me, prodding at my wing. Now, I sent a quiet thanks to Luna for that. I would have to give Mahogany an apology for whatever doubts I’d had about it.

Terrabona inched forward, reaching the opposite side of me "Goddesses, Dusky... What happened?"

Dusky forced her eyes open, grimacing at the effort, her muscles straining as if trying to lift a great weight. She must have recognized me, or been too tired to continue, as her attempts to struggle soon stopped. She coughed, trying to say something, the first words came out. "Too many..."

The rest was garbled as her voice failed her.

Mahogany turned the corner, harnessed to his cargo cart. It wasn't the best way to get Dusky to the clinic, but we didn't exactly have many options. All we had to do was get Dusky in as gently as possible, and then we could get her to safety.

I glanced across at Terrabona. She was breathing quickly, staring down at Dusky. She seemed to have locked up, the shock of violence done to her friend was still too much for her, but I needed her help now. "T-Terra... please... can you get her into there? Y-you know... um... magic?"

"Yeah... yeah, Night." She nodded almost mechanically and her horn beginning to glow. I helped her guide Dusky into the cart as carefully as I could, not knowing just how hurt she was, and doing my best to keep her from being hurt any further.

As we settled her down, I came alongside her. "Y-you'll be fine Dusky, we'll get you to the clinic, and everything will be fine..."

Terrabona's magic faded, and she silently climbed up into the wagon after me, settling on Dusky's other side.

Dusky murmured out something as she tried to rise again, but Terrabona and I quickly held her, her meager resistance fading. "Clinic? No... they'll... they'll find..." Her words failed her again as she collapsed back.

Mahogany turned his head back in confusion. "Did she say no clinic? What the hay even happened here?"

Terrabona blinked. "Err... No clinic? Then... where?"

I frowned. A guard traitor. Can't trust the clinic. We didn't know anypony else with medical expertise. Dusky's back was bleeding badly, and her shoulder had suffered a deep gouge. "I... I don't know..."

"Well, if not there..." Mahogany paused a moment, tapping a hoof to his chin. "Twilight Sparkle maybe? Or that zebra in the Everfree."

Terrabona shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no. Not the Everfree. It's way too late to even think about risking that."

Dusky didn't have much time. "Well... Twilight it is, then. Let's go Mahogany!"

"Right! I'm going to fly low, just in case she gets too restless. Keep her still."

Before we could move, Spring called out. "Wait! Wh-what the hell, Nighty! What the hell is happening?! Th-that is a dead Guard!"

I'd nearly forgotten about her in the rush of activity. She still stood at the corner of the building, looking like she'd been struck by lightning. Her eyes were red with tears, and I recognized the same fear in them that I knew that she could see in me.

I looked to Terra and nodded, though I'm not sure she noticed. I flew to my sister. "Spring? Spring, listen to me, alright? I need you to fly to Canterlot as fast as you can and get Dad."

She shook her head, closing her eyes. "What? I... I c-can't! I mean... ah, Celestia, Night! He's dead! She's dea—"

"She's not dead!" I snapped out, and Spring’s eyes went wide. I sighed, trying to keep calm. I couldn't afford to panic, not now, and I couldn't let her panic either. "Spring... Spring please... Go find Dad. Tell him to meet us here in Ponyville at the Library tree near the center of town. Don't tell anypony else. Just... please... we can talk later, I promise. We'll talk later and we'll figure things out between us, but none of that is important right now."

She was quiet, tears still streaming down her face as she stared back at me. At last, her resolve came together, and she nodded. "R-right. Get Dad. G-get Dad... Ponyville Library. Nighty?"

I looked at my sister. She wasn't the same as I remembered her, either. She was older, and her face filled with experiences I couldn't imagine. I wondered just what I must look like to her right now. "Yeah, Spring?"

"Just... be careful, Night." She spread her wings. "I don't wanna lose you again."

I blinked at her words, but had no time to process them. "I... I'll be careful."

Spring nodded, and with a rush of air, she was off in the sky. I watched her go for just a moment before I hovered up and returned to the cart.

Mahogany cleared his throat. "Okay, you ready to go now?"

I turned my head back to watch Dusky. She was barely breathing now, we had to get her to somepony soon. "Yeah, we're ready. Go."

Dusky's face was pale. I settled down and placed a hoof upon her to keep her steady in the cart. Terrabona's face looked almost as pale as Dusky's, and she was holding Dusky's hoof tight between her own. Her voice was barely audible, but I could hear her speaking under her breath. "Dusky... no, no, no..."

I closed my eyes and sighed, needing to keep calm, and needing Terrabona calm as well. I raised my voice a bit. "You're safe, Dusky... w-we're getting you help."

Terrabona lowered her head as I spoke, and closed her eyes. She trembled, but grew silent.

Mahogany broke in a gallop, lifting the cart up into the air behind him as he flew as fast as he dared through the town.

We made it to Twilight’s Library in good order, though every second we were in the air felt like an eternity. Dusky faded in and out of consciousness, her breathing remained shallow as she fought to stay awake.

“We… we made it, Dusky. We’ll get Twilight, and she can help... “ I glanced up at Terrabona, as if for confirmation.

Terrabona stared back at me as if trying to ascertain the same. All I could do was nod awkwardly.

“We’re here.” Mahogany announced as he began to unharness himself from the wagon. “Get her down, I’ll get the door.”

We lifted Dusky out as carefully as possible, Terrabona levitating her while I guided her outward. I kept a hoof against her unconscious form and Terrabona strained to keep her in the air. Mahogany rushed ahead to knock on the door.

It wasn't terribly late in the evening yet, and the lights were still burning inside. There were times working the night shift when I'd seen the library lit all night long, the pony within was true to her name when it came to the hours she kept. Now, her late hours meant she would be awake and ready to help, or so I hoped.

She opened the door promptly and tilted her head, blinking at Mahogany “Um, hello?”

“We have an emergency.” He stepped aside to give Twilight a view of us, Terra still keeping Dusky cradled in her magic.

She didn't hesitate one moment, her horn glowed bright and she gently took Dusky’s limp form from Terra’s grip. “Dusky… What in Equestria happened to her?”

I followed as she carried Dusky inside. “W-we, um… we don’t know… she… she didn't want to go to the clinic, though… W-we brought her here… you were the only one we could think of, Twilight…”

Twilight, still holding Dusky aloft, levitated some blankets into the room and carefully spread them across the floor. She lowered Dusky onto the blankets, doing what she could to make her comfortable. She raised a hoof to her head in thought.

“Do you need anything for her?” Mahogany stepped towards Twilight. “I can run to the clinic and get it for ya, just give me the word.”

Twilight shook her head. “No… I have a spell that should do the trick.”

I found myself still at Dusky’s side, standing over her as she lay upon the blankets. She looked helpless, and I felt just as helpless. All I could do was talk. “Hear that D-Dusky? Twilight’s spell will work, a-and you’ll be fine…”

Mahogany sighed behind me. “Yeah… just fine.”

Twilight stepped to the other side of her, and looked me over. Her gaze traced the room. “I’ll need you to step back. I need to focus.”

I blinked, not really hearing what Twilight had said. Her horn began to glow bright.

“Night Flurry?”

I glanced up at her, and she smiled, nodding her head to the side. “Please, step back.”

“R-right… right.” I retreated slowly, wary of the amount of magic suddenly building around Twilight’s horn. It glowed purple at first, then grew brighter and brighter, the white light filling the room. The only time I’d ever been so close to so much magical power was when Merri had tried to cast a spell on Terra, the one which had backfired and injured my wing.

I looked down at Dusky again, lying on the blanketed floor. Was this what she’d felt that night? The weight in my stomach felt like I’d been swallowing stones, and all I could do to help was stand aside and wish things were better. Had she felt as helpless as I did?

That magic built up, layer after layer of brilliant white light. It was getting hard to look away from, until at last, the light peaked in a flash, and quickly faded. All that remained were the spots in my eyes, and the faint dusting of magenta light that surrounded Dusky’s body.

Twilight let out a long breath. “Phew, okay… that should do it. She’s going to be asleep for a long time now. But when she wakes up, she’ll be as good as new.”

I heard Terrabona sigh in relief. “Thank Celestia…”

“I’m going to move her into a bed.” Twilight’s magic once again folded around Dusky. She suddenly looked far more exhausted; the spell had apparently drained her quite a bit.

I froze as she went, not wanting to leave Dusky’s side. Part of me knew there was nothing else to worry about, she’d be safe here with Twilight for now, but I had to stay by her side.

A hoof rested on my shoulder from behind and I turned to see Terrabona. “C’mon… sh-she’s fine. We should go…”

I shook my head. “I… I can’t.” I wouldn't leave her. “B-besides… I sent Spring to get Dad… h-he’s coming here… I need to be here so we know what to do…”

“We don’t even know what happened, Night.” Mahogany grimaced. “Some guard was after her in town, and then we find her like this with… you know. That other guard.”

“M-my Dad... he’ll know what to do… and… I won’t leave her alone like this.”

Terrabona’s eyes were damp, lines down her muzzle from the tears she’d apparently been holding back until now. “Flurry I-I… I’m n-not cut out f-f-for th-this… We just saw a pony killed! And Dusky was nearly… and… oh… Aster...” She seemed suddenly terrified, looking towards the door.

My mind was made up, one way or another. “I… I can’t leave her. You two… should go… get somewhere safe.” I glanced at Terra. “Make sure everypony else is safe.”

She frowned. “I… I don’t want to leave her either… No pony should be alone for something like this….”

Mahogany nodded, standing besides Terrabona. “Besides, if it’s my fault she’s in here, I gotta do something for her, right?”

I smiled at them. “Well… I guess we’ll wait and see what my Dad has to say… Thanks… both of you.”

Twilight returned from the side room, and looked about at the three of us. “She’s comfortable. Whatever did that was vicious, but I’ve checked to be sure the wounds are healing up now. She’ll be asleep for a few days, though.”

I stood, and headed back towards the room where Twilight had placed her. “I’ll be with her.”

She blinked as I passed. “Well, really, it’d be best to let her res—”

“He’ll be fine, Twilight.” Mahogany stepped up. “We’ll uh, try to fill you in while we wait for Flurry’s Dad to show up. He’s a Guard, I guess?”

“Y-yeah… r-right. Some kinda Guard…” Terrabona stammered out a nervous laugh.

Twilight conceded, though she still sounded unsure. “Well… I guess it can’t hurt her if he’s back there.”

They talked quietly as Terrabona and Mahogany caught Twilight up with the night’s events. We’d wait for my father to arrive, and we’d figure things out from there. For now, I just needed to be sure Dusky was going to be alright.

She was curled up on the bed, now beneath the blankets Twilight had supplied. Her face that had only been filled with pain all night was finally at rest, her breathing seemed normal.

I finally broke, then. I lowered my head and started to cry. “I’m here, Dusky. Just… D-damn it all, Dusky… just… be alright.”

18 - Escape

She slept. Already, Dusky looked so much better than she had lying half dead on the ground outside the bar. She'd recover, of that we were sure, though the doubt still gnawed at me. All I could think of was staying at her side, so afraid for her, but so helpless to do anything.

Twilight Sparkle continued to read, reviewing the book on medical magic that she’d hurriedly retrieved. She wanted to see if there was anything else she could do to ease Dusky's rest while we waited.

We were all trying to deal with all of this however they could. Terrabona had been crying in the other room for some time. This was so much to take in, and I’d probably be right there with her if I wasn't so focused on Dusky.

Mahogany was swearing quietly, pacing about anxiously. He was angry, and I could understand that feeling as well. Though I couldn't be sure who he was angrier at, the ponies who had done this, or at himself.

They should have gone home, but none of us wanted to leave the library, not with Dusky still asleep, and not with the threat of whoever or whatever had hurt her still out there.

Nearly two hours passed in silence as I hoped for some word from my father. At last, my ears picked up the sudden sound of somepony knocking to enter the library.

A moment later, Mahogany poked his head into the back. His voice was low, and full of suspicion "Hey, Flurry? He says he's Noble Light. Is that him?"

I nodded, and looked over at Twilight. "I'll... I'll talk to him. We'll find someplace safe to take her... just... take care of her."

Twilight looked up from her book to smile at me. "Of course. She's my friend too, Night Flurry."

I smiled back and nodded gratefully, then slipped out the door.

I entered the main room of the library, and stepped into a scene I couldn't have anticipated. My dad, Noble Light, stood in the center. He wasn't in his armor or displaying any sign of his rank, just a small flight satchel. His wings and mane were ruffled, likely from a stressful flight from Canterlot to Ponyville. Levitating a mere foot away were two small crossbows, aimed straight for him.

Merri stood to one side, her magic holding the weapons, while Starshadow paced nearby, one eye on my dad, the other on Terra, who seemed far more nervous of the crossbows than Dad did.

He gave me an awkward smile, although that had nothing to do with the weapons in his face. "Hello, Night. This isn't what I'd hoped for in meeting you again."

I sighed. "Merri, p-please stop threatening my dad."

"Well, we had to be sure. All things considered." She narrowed her eyes, but the crossbows floated back, folding up and slipping into the holsters slung just beneath her flank.

I breathed out in relief, though the hard part was only just starting. "We um... have a problem, Dad..."

He nodded matter-of-factly. "So Spring told me. Your friend was attacked. A Guard was killed. But first, is she alright?"

I glanced back at the room where she rested. "Y-yeah... as... as alright as can be expected. She's asleep. She's going to be for awhile, while she heals."

"Thank Celestia for that. Now, what happened?" He looked about our little group.

Mahogany gripped a flask in his hooves. "It was my fault..." He glared at my dad. "Some guard wanted to see Dusky. Said his name was Light Horn. He had a sheet with Dusky's picture on it. So I led 'em straight to her. Then they went off alone. I shoulda' stayed with her."

I frowned. Dad hadn't known Dusky's name, he'd only met her as Mist when we'd given him the information from Hoofington. "We... we don't know exactly how... but... it was a Guard... a traitor, it had to be... he... maybe more, attacked her. She wouldn't go to the clinic, either. "

My dad's face fell dark as the story unfolded. He looked down at the floorboards of the library, frowning. "Traitors? Maybe. But something doesn't quite make sense here."

"Oh! We can solve that one!" Merri raised a hoof. "Check this out." In one smooth motion, she revealed a helmet, tossing it casually to the floor. The dead guard's helmet, faded and dented from impact.

Starshadow stepped forward, placing a hoof on the helmet to stop it from rolling. "We recovered this from the body of the deceased guard when we returned to the bar."

I blinked at the pair. "You... went back?"

Merri's grin was a bit too casual for everything that'd happened. "Well, yeah. You all were so busy getting Dusky here, someone had to dispose of the body. Sis’ drew the short straw while I was making sure no pony followed you here."

"And it is good that I did." Starshadow levitated the helm up from the ground. "What we have here is a modified helmet, laced with enchantments. All fairly subtle, I am unsure Merriweather would have noticed them in our rush."

Dad moved closer to the helmet, examining it. "Enchantments?"

"Two of them." Starshadow spun the helm slowly to give the whole room a view of it. "The first is a typical illusion spell, albeit extremely well done. It would make even the keenest eye think this pony was one of your guards."

"The other is far more insidious." Starshadow's voice dropped as she came face to face with the empty helmet, her horn glowing brighter for just a moment. "It is protected from my probing, and was damaged along with the helmet, or possibly as a result of the death of the pony wearing it. But... I think that it modifies others behavior."

"B-behavior?" A spell designed to somehow distort or change the ponies who saw it? Or worse, had it somehow changed the pony wearing it? I shuddered at the thought.

My dad motioned towards the helmet, and Starshadow lowered it down to him. He took it in hoof, turning it and examining it. "This is a level of disguise deeper than any I've seen before." He glanced past me, towards the room where Twilight and Dusky were. "If the Leaf Cartel is hunting her, we need to get her somewhere safe until I can find out what level of infiltration they have, and how we can counter it."

I looked up at my father, thinking back to everything Dusky had told me about her experiences with the Leaf Cartel. "A... safe house? She.... she won't like that."

He sighed. "She doesn't have much choice here, Night. If they know she's in Ponyville, they're not going to give up."

"How can we trust that they won't know where she is then?" That same helpless feeling crept over me. "If there's more infiltration... then... there's no way we can guarantee she'd be safe even then..."

Dad stepped over, placing a hoof against my shoulder. "I can guarantee it. Because I won't be doing this through official channels. I have a few places in mind where I can take her that aren't affiliated with the Guard."

"I'm not leaving her." I spoke quickly, feeling the heat in my face rise up. "I mean... I can't. I'm going too."

He stared at me a moment, hoof still pressed firmly against me. At last, he nodded. "Alright, Night. Alright. The rest of you should head home. They've attracted too much attention, and for all they know, they succeeded. They're not going to make another move until they reassess what happened tonight."

"Go home? Go home?!" Terrabona blinked at Noble, then started to giggle oddly. "Sure! We just saw a dead body, plus Dusky almost dying, that’s perfectly normal! And some evil organization is out there waiting to mind whammy all of us, like they did Mahogany! We're all perfectly safe going home!"

Mahogany chimed in quickly, coming up alongside Terra. "I already screwed this up. I coulda' done something, instead of leaving her behind. Not doing that again."

"Dusky is our friend as well." Starshadow stepped forward confidently, with Merriweather right beside her. "Do not think that we will be left behind."

Dad closed his eyes. "Getting her out of town undetected will be hard enough... but... six of you?"

"Ahem" Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat politely as she stepped into the room, levitating an empty pitcher besides her. "If you need a quick way to get six ponies out of town, I could provide a means."

My dad bowed his head respectfully as she walked into the room. "Ah, Ms. Sparkle, a pleasure."

She nodded with a polite smile. "Captain. I could get six tickets from the Ponyville train station without drawing any attention to myself. No pony would question if I reserved a train car on short notice for six ponies. Then, it would simply be a matter of getting everypony on board."

"A private car on the Friendship Express? That could work nicely..." Dad leaned back on his legs. "I've a place where you can lay low without attracting too much attention. Ms. Sparkle, if you would be so kind as to book six tickets to Myrtail Beach, I believe I can handle the rest."

"I can get them first thing in the morning." She smiled, heading towards her kitchen, carrying the empty pitcher along with her.

"Myrtail Beach?" Mahogany gave my dad a strange look. "You sending us on vacation or something? Cause I only have so many leave days."

Terrabona's off-kilter laugh was disturbing, with no humor residing in it at all. It was sad and heartbreaking, in a way. "Vacation! Right! S'just like vacation! 'Cept for the dead body! And all the blood.... and.... and..." She slumped back upon herself, her lip quivering as she began to break down, sniffs quickly becoming sobs.

Mahogany moved towards her and shook his head. He held out a hoof, offering his flask to her.

She took it quickly, guzzling down whatever was inside, before curling up on the floor, holding her hooves close to her chest. "S'just a joke. A funny, funny joke."

I sighed, wholly understanding what she was going through right now. Dad was watching her when I called his attention back. "If we go... how will we know when to come back? How will we know who we can trust?"

"I'll only send somepony I know I can trust." He extended a wing, digging a hoof in to remove a small emblem of a star burst with a phoenix engraved over top of it. "My seal. If they have it, you'll know I sent them."

"Then... I trust you, Dad. I'll go." I looked to the others, met with the small nods of affirmation. "We'll go."

"I know this is hard Night... and it might get harder. I'll do everything I can for you, for her and your friends, alright?" He stepped back, looking me over carefully. "I'll go make the arrangements. You all, do what you can to prepare. I promise you, as a Servant of Celestia, as a Captain of the Guard... as your father, Night. As your father, I promise you, I'll do what I can to keep you all safe."

He hefted up the enchanted helmet, looking down at it carefully before removing a bag from his flight satchels. He slipped the helmet into the bag and did what he could to conceal it.

"Take care, Night. Take care of her." He looked towards Merri and Starshadow, Mahogany and Terrabona. "You all, take care of him. Take care of each other."

He seemed reluctant to go, hesitating as he looked back at me. I nodded, and before I knew it he was gone. I let go of my breath.

Terrabona started to laugh again, the same dull dead laugh, now with the faint slur of alcohol. “Itsh s’all a joke. More jokesh.”

“Terrabona?” I watched her carefully. “Are… are you going to be okay?”

“S’fine. All fine! Jusht fine…” She was shaking slightly, a huge smile forced upon her face. “Ish April Foalsh Day and you got me!” She stepped forward with a stagger.

“Ho’kay, you've had enough of that, Terra.” Mahogany moved alongside her, easing the flask out of her grasp. “C’mon, then.”

She struggled weakly, grasping the flask like a child might a stuffed bear, at last collapsing to the ground. She curled in tight on herself, weeping quietly.

I sighed, that same feeling of helplessness driving home. “D-damn it…” I looked over at the others. "Mahogany?"

He had given up retrieving his flask for now, letting the unicorn keep it. "Err... yeah, Flurry?"

"You know where I live... I... just need you to go there, get anything you think we might need for the trip."

He saluted sloppily with a wing, but his face was serious. "Gotcha, boss."

I turned to the two sisters in their armor and weapons, feeling a bit of disgust rise up in my throat at the thought of any more fighting. "Can... you two be sure Terrabona's okay?"

Starshadow glanced to Terrabona's unconscious form. "Of course."

"You're going to be with Dusky, then?" Merri raised an eyebrow at me.

I nodded, feeling my ears drop guiltily. "Y-yeah..." Terrabona needed somepony to help her through. So did Mahogany, probably. We were all stressed and breaking, but I knew where I had to be.

She nodded back, no hint of the usual teasing in her voice. "Alright. Make sure she knows she's safe, Night."

We split off. Merri and Star turned to help Terrabona, asking Twilight if there was someplace to ensure she was comfortable. Mahogany headed out as carefully as possible to retrieve whatever kind of luggage we might need. And I, in a haze, returned back to the room where Twilight had tucked in Dusky.

The library grew silent as I approached her. The others voices were still low in the other room, but they didn't register as I focused upon her. "Dusky... I..."

Thoughts came to me of the night, Dusky's injury, finding her in the alley, and my sister. Spring Showers, who'd tracked me to Ponyville somehow, and who I'd likely never see again. Not after what she'd seen tonight.

I sat down on my hind legs and looked at Dusky. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell her she was safe, that everything would be better. There was no lie I could say to comfort her, and she probably couldn't even hear me.

With nothing to say, and no reason to say it, I stopped thinking, and started talking.

"You know... seeing Spring again brought up a lot of memories, Dusky. Memories I thought I'd buried. She asked if I still hated them, my sisters... maybe I did for awhile, but that was never why I left... I was actually happy to see her tonight, at the bar..."

"When I was a little colt, I followed her everywhere, even when she was mean to me. Her, and Diamond... and Mint, and Sun. Mom..." I sighed. "I... I should go see my family again, maybe."

I laughed to myself. "I can tell them all about this, right? How I sat up all night with a friend, talking to myself... a-and all for nothing. Because everything turned out fine... Just little Nighty, worrying again... I... I guess you didn't hear did you..."

Nighty. Spring had called me that when we were little. The nickname had stuck with her, even as I'd left it behind. It wasn't the only name I'd left behind. My eyes grew wide. There was a lot I couldn't do for Dusky right now. But there was one thing I could do. Something I'm not sure I could do under any other circumstances, but here, now, it only seemed to perfect.

"My name... M-my real name... before I changed it." I took a deep breath. "I was Night Light. My father's surname, the firstborn son, named for the gift of the night."

I felt a weight lift off my chest as I said the old name. "It sounds funny saying it now. W-when I was little, my Mom told me a night light was a little magical light you would keep in your bedroom at night to keep away all the monsters. 'That's silly.' I told her... 'A real hero isn't afraid of monsters'"

"I... I was ashamed of my own name... it just never felt like it was really mine... S-so, when I moved to Ponyville, I changed it to match my Cutie Mark." I raised my head smiling. "Night Flurry, weather pony first class."

"I would have thought ponies like Merri and Star... like you... you wouldn't have any need for something as silly as a night light. Y-you weren't afraid of anything. But... there are monsters in the world... who make even the bravest ponies tremble..."

"Names are funny things, eh Dusky? You spend your whole life trying to be somepony else, and in the end... your name was right all along."

This was who I was, and maybe the name didn't matter. I couldn't abandon my friends. Not when I'd only realized just how much they meant to me. How much she meant to me. Not as some symbol or elusive figure I chased after, nor a damsel in distress or a brave adventurer and hero.

She was Dusky Down. She was as mortal as the rest of us, a pony who simply tried to live her life and do the right thing, she ate and slept, and Luna forbid, bled like the rest of us. She was my friend, and I couldn't abandon her, because I knew she wouldn't abandon me.

"I'm Night Flurry now. I've grown to like the name, but... for however long you need, I... I can be Night Light for you..."

She was still sleeping, my words only serving to comfort myself. I probably only imagined that in the dead of night, as I held my vigil, her lips curved into a tiny smile.

I wasn't expecting the next morning to be so tense, but the necessity of secretly getting Dusky out of town made things more difficult than I'd imagined.

Twilight went out early and got the train tickets, a late morning passage to Myrtail Beach. Then she set about packing a supply bag for Dusky, once more promoting the benefits of preparations. After seeing the results of her plans for Winter Wrap Up, I wasn't going to argue.

We all gathered in the main room of the library once again. With Twilight's help, we'd lifted Dusky from her bed and perched her upon my back. Then Twilight had tied a blanket around her, both helping to disguise her, and to keep her comfortable. I kept my hooves wide apart for stability, hoping to keep her steady.

Mahogany had made it back to the library first thing in the morning, none of us quite comfortable with the idea of splitting up just yet. He'd returned with a satchel full of supplies for myself, and another from his own apartment.

I glanced around at everypony. “W-Well? We um… all good?”

"I left a note at the store. Told them I'm real sick. Probably gonna kill my vacation time." Mahogany shrugged. “But I got pretty much anything we can need, I guess.”

Terrabona had finally woken up not too long ago, and had been very quiet all morning. She seemed distracted, understandably, though she kept looking towards the door, as if about to make a run for it. "My shop is all locked up anyways. I don't have to worry about that. I just hope no pony else worries about me..."

She glanced towards the door again and sighed.

I wasn't sure if Merri and Starshadow had slept at all, though to be fair, I hadn't either. They stood in the room without their armor or weapons, possibly for the first time ever since I'd met them, looking almost like any other pony you'd meet in Ponyville. Though, knowing that just the night before they’d been watching our backs, brandished weapons with startling ease, and disposed of a body without batting an eye, I knew that was a dangerous assumption.

Merri grinned. "Vacation time, right? Never been to the beach!"

Starshadow nudged her. "This is serious, Sister." She waved a hoof towards Dusky and I.

"Right." Twilight cleared her throat. "Captain Light said we have a window of opportunity. Most of you aren't likely being watched." She levitated out the train tickets to us, two coming toward me.

I gingerly took the tickets in my teeth, reaching back to slip them under the blanket, into one of my packed satchels. "All of you can board with ease, and get to the private car. But we can't risk Dusky being seen. So..."

Twilight continued where I left off. "So I'll be helping one final time, teleporting Night and Dusky into the train."

It was all easy enough, but I was still apprehensive of anything and everything going wrong. I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded to the others. Now more than ever I had to stay calm. "A-And... we'll all meet up on the train."

One by one, everypony slipped out the library, until it was just Dusky, Twilight, and I remaining.

She took a deep breath and smiled. "Don't be nervous, Night. I've had a lot of practice with this."

I nodded. Magic was still something I wasn't comfortable with, but after everything she'd done for us, I trusted Twilight. "R-right. I'm okay, so long as we're safe."

She stepped forward, putting a hoof against me, then closed her eyes as her horn began to glow.

I clenched my eyes tight, expecting pain or some kind of burning. Instead, there was a bright flash, and then a slight pop, like all the air being sucked out of a room. My ears immediately picked up the sound of other voices.

"Okay, here we are." Twilight's hoof moved off my chest. "Good luck, Night Flurry. And make sure Dusky stays safe."

I opened my eyes slowly, finding myself inside an empty train car. "Um... Y-yeah... Yeah, I will. Thanks, Twilight. For everything..." I craned my neck back to ensure Dusky was still secure. "Everything."

Twilight smiled at me and bobbed her head. "That’s what friends are for, Night. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her."

I smiled back in return, knowing exactly what she meant. "Yeah. Me either."

Twilight closed her eyes, and with a flash of magic, was gone again. I let out a sigh, taking in the train. It was more ornate than the train car we'd taken to Fetlock Falls. The seats were larger, better cushioned. In general, it all felt very warm, inviting, but our purpose on this train still weighed heavily.

I moved towards the back of the car, where the seating was cut off by a dark curtain. Poking my nose through, I smiled at the sight of rather comfortable sleeping arrangements, sets of bunk beds set upon either side of the aisle. I was determined to get Dusky as comfortable as I could, and a soft bed was far superior to a train seat, no matter how plush.

I picked one of the beds against the far wall. The blanket Twilight had wrapped her in untied from my waist easily, and with a careful lean, I managed to move Dusky off my back and into the train bed, then spread Twilight's blanket back over her.

Mahogany slid the curtain aside, looking about the room. "Wow. Cushy. Already here, Night? Nice. Twilight works fast." He stepped over to look at Dusky and frowned. "Well... at least we didn't have to put her in a crate, right?"

"Yeah... I can't imagine that'd be too comfortable." I sighed, looking down at Dusky. "But... we'll be safe now."

Mahogany sighed. "Yeah. Safe. For now."

He walked off towards the front seats of the train car.

I started to call after him. "Mahogany—"

He turned back, interrupting me. "You're gonna sit with her?"

I bit my tongue, then nodded. "Y-yeah..."

"'Kay." He looked me over. "Let me know if you need a break. I deserve to put in some monitor time too."

I tilted my head, still not completely clear on what had happened to Mahogany that set this madness in motion. "I um... I'll do that..."

"You better." Mahogany turned back, sliding closed the door between the sleeping car and the seats.

I sat in the darkness of the sleeping car, considering Mahogany. I wouldn't let him beat himself up over this...

The conductor entered from the rear of the car, interrupting my thoughts with a tap on the shoulder and a demand to see our tickets. I presented them, apologizing for entering without having them checked before, and pointing to Dusky with a forced laughed about heavy sleepers. By the time he'd been satisfied, I could hear the others in the train.

Dusky shifted a bit, and I stopped, unsure if that meant she was waking up, or needed help, or whatever it might mean. She frowned, curling up beneath the blanket, it was just like our trip to Fetlock. She'd napped, trying to catch up on missed sleep before the trip, only to suffer some nightmare. I'd woken her up, then.

Now, she was sleeping deep, recovering from her injuries and from the effects of Twilight's magic. Whatever nightmares she had, I couldn't wake her from.

Myrtail Beach was farther from Ponyville than Fetlock Falls. Much further. I hadn't had time to really think on that until the train was already underway. Once again, I found myself going further from home than I'd ever anticipated, although once more for reasons I'd rather have never occurred.

I sat with Dusky the whole day, and now the sun was setting into night as the train rolled onward. Starshadow came in to check on me at some point. I think she and Merri had been standing on the other side of the curtain the whole time I'd been talking to Dusky.

It had started the night before, when I'd told her my birth name. Night Light. It was something I could never tell her, or anyone, but there I was, telling her in the middle of the night, reflecting on my past.

Once the train had started moving, I'd needed to push away my own sense of dread. A dark feeling that trains only took ponies into danger. I'd tried to dismiss my fears, my worries, but they gnawed at my mind. Talking helped.

Some part of me realized that I was always afraid, my whole life I'd been afraid. Afraid I was a burden, afraid I wasn't doing enough, afraid of disappointing my family, my friends. My voice talked back, I hoped that by voicing my own fears, maybe I could find a way to overcome them.

Talking about my friendship with Mahogany, the training with Merri and Starshadow, the travels I’d been on with Dusky, they all made me realize just how much stronger they made me. That realization strengthened my resolve. I wasn't alone. I hoped that somehow, if Dusky could hear me, she’d know she wasn't alone either. Her friends were here for her, no matter what.

I don't know what could possibly be going through Dusky's mind, but she seemed to be sleeping soundly, not tossing, or turning. She stretched at one point, as if reaching out, her hoof brushed against me. I'd set one hoof upon the bed from then on, just in case.

Terrabona's voice whispered over the sound of the train. "...Flurry? Have you been here all day?" The low moonlight filtered through the window shades to reveal the unicorn stepping through the curtains into the sleeping car. Her eyes stopped on Dusky's form, then turned back to me. "You look awful."

I blinked at her blunt statement. "I do? Oh um... well, yeah... I kinda... wanted to make sure she knew she was okay."

Terrabona came closer, revealing the tear lines down her face. Despite this, her gaze was hard. "Have you slept at all?"

My ears dropped back. "I... guess I haven't." Truth told, I was wiped out. By this point, I'd been awake well over a whole day. "I'm not that tired, really..."

Her voice bit at me. "Sure you aren't."

I looked away from her glare. "Well... I have to keep her company, you know? But... um... how are you doing? Heading to bed?"

"Me?" The skepticism in her eyes faded as she let herself look out the window. "No, probably not. This is all too surreal for me."

"Surreal?" My curiosity was piqued. I couldn't help but feel the same, considering that without sleeping, it still felt like the day I'd seen one of my sisters for the first time in five years. Surreal was a good way to say it.

Terrabona's focus was upon the window. "Just seeing everything going by like this... flying by. It's... like nothing I've ever seen. I talked a bit to Merri. She kind of feels the same. Star is unshakable... and Mahogany found the drink car. Don't know what he's up to now."

The trip was bothering her? The train? I thought I'd been the only one uncomfortable with travel "Oh...? I guess... that doesn't bother me. N-not the speed, or the movement."

I flexed my wings and shrugged apologetically.

She sighed. "I guess it wouldn't. I've never been on a train before. I traveled with my parents all the time. But that was by hoof, walking, or on my dad's wagon. Never on anything this... fast. Or big. Or loud."

"Well... it's funny, when you think about it. I've barely even looked out the window. Until a few months ago, I'd never been outside of Cloudsdale and Ponyville." I thought back to what I'd been saying to Dusky. "Now, look. At the blink of an eye I'm on a train going Luna only knows where."

My eyes moved back to Dusky, still sound asleep. "Life knows how to force you down strange paths. Not all of them are bad."

"Yeah... that it does." I felt her hoof against my side. "But seriously, Flurry. You need to sleep sometime."

I forced a smile. "I... I've pulled long weather shifts before. It's um, it's nothing, really."

Terrabona stared, her eyes boring into me.

I squirmed. "I... I... w-well... I just don't want to leave her alone. L-like, I don't know. I just think... she needs to hear a familiar voice."

She looked back and forth between us, then sighed. "You know you aren't going to be much good to anypony if you keep this up, right? Least of all her."

I didn't have a very good counter-argument to that. "I, w-well... Maybe once we get there."

"Well, if it would make you feel better, I'll stay and watch her. Besides," She tilted to point behind her "There's another bed right there. You wouldn't be leaving her."

I glanced at the bed, only a few steps away, just across the train aisle. "Alright, maybe you're right. You win. She'd probably say I need to take care of myself, first, anyway."

Terrabona smiled. "Excellent. She'll be glad to hear you coming to your senses."

I stood up wobbling a little on tired legs. "Dusky... I'm going to step aside for a few and, well... take a nap. Terrabona's gonna be here. If anything goes wrong, she'll wake me up. Right?"

Her smile widened. "You'll be the first to know, Flurry. Promise." She paused a moment, then reached forward to hug me.

I bowed my head at her embrace, tiredly hugging back. "Thanks, Terra..."

She let go, and I felt a sudden wave of exhaustion make my legs go weak. Admitting I was so tired had apparently made my body give up trying to hold it off. I slipped over to the bed and managed to get myself beneath the sheets.

She started to talk, voice raised just enough for me to hear clearly. "He's a good pony, you know that, Dusky? A little stubborn for his own good, perhaps. But a good pony."

I smiled, closing my eyes as my head hit the pillow. "Good night, Terra."

She laughed quietly. "Good night, Flurry."

I felt myself drifting to the rhythmic sound of the train, and Terrabona began talking once again.

Her voice had lowered back to a whisper. "So... what do you want to hear, Dusky? I guess we could go over the shop inventory? Let's see... thirty two buttons, red. A bent medallion, I'm pretty sure it's pewter. Two matching jugs, probably cider jugs but they're not labeled. A rubber ball..."

Terra's tone was strangely relaxing, or perhaps that was solely my fatigue taking hold as I fell into a long-delayed rest.

19 - Respite

I awoke to a hoof prodding into my side. I attempted to bat it away, yawning lazily as I stretched upon the odd surface beneath me. It wasn't my bed, and while that should have bothered me, my exhaustion clouded my mind beyond the point where it mattered.

"C'mon sleepyhead." A familiar voice made my ears twitch, and once again I felt the hoof prod at me.

My mind drifted a moment longer before it snapped back into focus, the events of the previous days quickly replayed through my mind. "T-Terra! Where's Dusky? Is um... everything okay?"

She smiled. "She's fine, right where she was before. Now come on. We're here."

"Here?" My ears twitched as I took notice of the lack of train noises. I looked across the aisle, finding Dusky still bundled up on top of the other bed. "Okay... good. Here."

I got myself out of bed, stretching out before I turned my attention to Dusky. She was still asleep of course, but with Terra's help, we managed to gently lift her up and settle her across my back.

Dusky's forelegs draped to my sides, hanging limply as she slept. I looked back to make sure she was secure and carefully brought my wings up to try and balance her out. As I gently nudged her, she let out a quiet exhale, a low "Mrph" of noise as her forehooves rose up and wrapped around my neck, giving the barest squeeze.

I felt myself blush at the gentle pressure. "D-Dusky?" I waited for a response.

No answer.

I sighed and turned back to Terra, ready to get off the train. "Alright... I um... I guess we gotta get the others and um... head to the hotel."

We made our way onto the platform, meeting up with everypony else. I could see the city of Myrtail just beyond the train station. It was something like Canterlot, though not nearly as fancy. Where in Canterlot, the eye was drawn up the mountain into the sky, in Myrtail they were drawn down to the horizon, to the endless blue-green expanse just beyond the city.

I gaped at it, the ocean. It stretched out as far as I could see, glittering as if it were filled with a million gems. I wanted to fly up and up and see just how far it went. Even the air smelled different here, a tangy scent carried by the wind.

Mahogany carried our luggage over; his own, mine, and the packs Twilight had prepared for Dusky. The bags made an intimidating stack, but he hefted them with ease in a display of his experience lifting packages for the EPS. "So uh... what did your dad want us to do now?"

I reined in my enthusiasm as the reality of the situation weighed upon me once more, quite literally as I remembered Dusky was on my back. "Oh, um... right. We need to check in at the Dunes Village Resort... I just don't know where that is."

Merri sauntered past. "Easy enough. We ask~." She moved toward one of the train station attendants. A moment later, she turned back to us with a wink and waved us on.

We rented a small cart to load our luggage into, and at Starshadow’s insistence as a way to get Dusky out of sight. I made sure she was as secure and comfortable as possible, though there wasn't nearly enough room to sit alongside her. Mahogany was quick to strap into the front of the cart, perhaps out of habit.

That surreal feeling creeped up on me again as we moved through the city, that feeling of suddenly finding myself here, now, when I should have been back in Ponyville asleep in my own bed.

The streets of Myrtail were wider than Canterlot, a line of palm trees separating the carriage-filled street from the sidewalk. Sellers were set up along the walkway, smiling at us from behind small carts and booths as they tried to sell all sorts of souvenirs and snacks. Beyond the first few blocks the road curved to run parallel with the beach, and the small shops and cozy-looking restaurants gave way to larger hotels and resorts.

Eventually, Merri stopped at an intersection, glanced back and forth and turned right. "Aha! There!"

I tilted my head to look up at the building, large golden letters mounted above the entrance read 'Dunes Village Resort.' It was big.

"How is... this place... I-it's so... big." Terrabona echoed my thoughts. "Really, really... big."

I just nodded dumbly. "Yeah..."

Mahogany shook his head at us, rolling his eyes. "Really, You two? Bah. Next thing you'll tell me you've never been to the beach, either."

I lowered my head self-consciously, glancing into the wagon at Dusky. "Err... n-not really, no."

"Hey, I've been to beaches!" Terra waved a hoof towards the building. "Just not ones with, like... all this."

Starshadow chuckled. "Ostfriesen does not have much in the way of tourism either."

"Coooome on!" Merri had rushed ahead and now rocked back and forth anxiously in front of the door. "I wanna see our room. Dibs on the fluffiest bed!"

I stepped back, sliding Dusky off from the tarp in the wagon, and working carefully to prop her on my back once again. "R-right... we need to um... get to our room. For her sake."

Merri waved us in as she held the door open with her magic.

The lobby was a fairly large oval room with the back wall practically all windows, presenting a beautiful view of the ocean. Several ponies lounged about on odd-looking reed furniture, reading through some brochures, or looking over a board with flyers posted to it.

Standing at a desk facing the entrance was a light orange unicorn who smiled wide as I approached. "Welcome to the Dunes Village Resort, can I help you?"

I glanced at the others and stepped closer, smiling awkwardly. "R-right. Um... we have a reservation. Should be under um... Light?"

She flipped open a large book, moving her hooves through the pages quickly until she stopped as if she’d known where to find it all along. "Here we are. Three rooms for six occupants. And we already received your payment, Mr. Light, so let me just get your keys."

I flinched at the name. "I'm not... that is... err... r-right."

She was already ducking below the desk, lifting her head back up with six keys in her muzzle. She set them down, sorting two for each room. "Here you are, Mr. Light. You all enjoy your stay!"

"T-thank you." I took the keys in a hoof, turning back to the others and holding them out. "So um... we have three rooms."

Merri grinned. "Me and Terra~! I call it."

Terra's eyes went wide. "Oh, no, no, no." She grabbed two keys with her magic. "Me and Dusky."

"You're no fun." Merri stuck out her tongue. "Fine, I guess Sis’ and I will share. As always."

I nodded to Mahogany. "And that leaves us, right? That should work."

Mahogany grinned. "Roomies! I like it! I can share all my bad habits with you."

"Right... um... so..." I glanced at the keys. "Fifth floor? We can't exactly fly up there... are there stairs?"

"They got elevators." Mahogany headed towards a door on the side wall, hitting a buzzer with his hoof. "Magic lifts. They're all over in the big buildings in the Whinney City."

The door opened, revealing an empty closet-like room. "S-seems cramped."

Mahogany waved a wing as he stepped inside. "Well, they don't really consider pegasi when they make them, since we don’t usually need ‘em. C'mon, they're fine."

Terra laughed nervously. "Right... well, no worse than the train, I guess."

We gathered into the elevator, Mahogany pressing another buzzer on the inside. The door to the lobby closed, sealing us in.

Starshadow was looking down at the floor curiously, her horn glowing faintly. "We are being lifted. Magic acting upon a counter weight of some kind in relation to the button pressed by Mahogany, which I assume was assigned a specific floor. Quite ingenious, for something so simple."

I nodded, not quite understanding it and feeling a bit uneasy in the close quarters. Dusky's hooves clung tighter around my neck, as if she were uneasy with the whole thing, as well. I wasn't usually the type of pegasus to get claustrophobic indoors, but in these circumstances, I could definitely feel an instinctual need to stretch my wings.

After what felt like far too long, the door opened, but not back into the lobby. Now it led into a long hallway lined with doors, much like the second story of the Lusty Seapony. We quickly left the magical elevator, heading down the hall to find our rooms.

"Five-oh-seven. Ooo, lucky number." Merri winked at us as she magically slipped in her key, swinging open her door with her hoof. "Not bad."

Mahogany walked past her, heading to the door next to the twins’ room. "So we're Five-oh-nine, eh Flurry?"

I nodded. "I um... yeah. I just... need to get Dusky settled." Five-oh-eight was across the hall, set opposite the wall between the other two doors.

Starshadow leaned in close to me. "Do not worry, Night Flurry. We will be watching over her as well." She smiled, then nodded to Merri.

Her sister nodded back with a serious expression that seemed so odd upon Merri's face, then she slipped into their room, while Star remained with us in the hall.

Terrabona's eyes were locked on Merri and Starshadow's room, watching as the door closed. She slowly turned towards the room she and Dusky would share. "Um..."

"Terra?" I tilted my head as she stared blankly at the door.

She blinked and pulled away from whatever thoughts she’d been exploring. "R-right."

Her key levitated up into the lock. She stood looking into the open door like it was the portal to Tartarus.

I waited a moment, but she didn't budge. Carefully, I slipped in front of her. "Um... Terra?"

She blinked again as if just now noticing me. "Huh?"

I pointed a hoof into the room. "H-help with D-Dusky?"

Her eyes traced back toward my back. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, I can help."

The room itself was impressive, though I’m not sure what I was expecting. It wasn't too big, not bigger than my house back in Ponyville, but certainly bigger than the rooms at the Seapony. A small counter split the room in half, the side nearest the door had a small closet and wash room to the side, opening into a small commons room, with seats and a table. From there, an opening in the counter led to two beds, and windows providing another view of the ocean.

With a nod to Terra, I headed in, moving through the room to come alongside the beds. I looked back at Terra, who still seemed a bit dazed. I glanced about the room carefully, hoping she hadn't detected something wrong

Mahogany followed in after with our luggage, depositing Dusky’s bags in the room before he gave out a low whistle. "Yeah, this is the life."

"S-says you." Terra's voice mixed fear and awe. "It's all just way too big... and enameled... and I dunno."

Starshadow entered, closing the door behind her. "It is adequate. Though somewhat more ornate than I expected."

"Pfff, yeah. 'S'like you ain't ever seen a full cooler before." Mahogany poked about the room, opening doors and cabinets.

"That's not what I was looking at and you know it!" Her voice dropped into an angry mutter. "Not like you've ever seen one either."

Mahogany waved a forehoof dismissively. "That's besides the point."

"No, it's the whole point." Terra glared, her tone growing heated.

I coughed loudly, hoping it would be enough to stop them from continuing. "Terra? Over h-here." I approached the beds.

The anger draining out of her voice. "Er, right. This is more important. Sorry, Flurry."

Mahogany had been defused as well. "Right. Yeah..."

I pushed my wings out and up to hold Dusky up. "Ready?"

She nodded, horn beginning to glow. Dusky lifted off my back, and I pulled back the bed sheets. I looked up at Dusky's face as she floated overhead. She still seemed so peaceful in that moment, it was hard to believe how close she'd come to death.

I watched her settle down onto the bed, hearing her give a soft sigh as she got comfortable, and then everything began to crash in on me. Since the moment we'd found her in the alley outside the bar, I'd struggled to stay calm, to talk things out, to lead the others, and do whatever we needed to do to keep Dusky safe. Now, we'd made it. We were safe. Safe...

I reached up to pull the sheets back over Dusky to tuck her in. "I guess we made it. Pretend vacation, right?" I forced out a laugh, feeling like the whole situation should somehow be funny.

"You m-missed the whole train ride. Although... I guess I sort of did too... I d-didn't get much chance to watch the scenery. I..." My heart sank in my chest.

"Y-you... you nearly died, Dusky. A-and I know... I know you're going to be okay, but..." The last ounce of the strength I'd been pretending to have finally fell apart, revealed for the sham it was.

I tried to continue, but my words became unintelligible. With that reservoir of strength gone, the weight of everything that had happened collapsed down on me. Here I was, sitting in an unfamiliar room hundreds of miles from home, looking at the face of a friend who I'd watched bleeding out upon the cold, lonely ground. A friend I was utterly terrified of losing.

"I... I just... I felt l-like, after everything... w-we were finally friends... real friends. N-not just something I kept saying, h-hoping it would happen."

I could hear Terra and Mahogany, but couldn't make out their words through the sound of my own sobs. My throat was choked with phlegm and eyes burning with tears. "I-I don't want to lose any of my friends... Dusky... I..."

As if in response, Dusky stretched out a hoof, awkwardly resting it upon my shoulder. As quickly as I'd broken, she was there to give me strength. I went still, my voice barely a whisper. "Dusky?"

I don’t know what I expected. The voice that responded wasn't hers. "Night?"

"T-Terra?" I turned towards her, careful not to disturb Dusky's hoof. I couldn't help but cough out a laugh amidst my sobs. "L-look at that... sh-she's telling me to stay strong."

Terra sighed. "Yeah... she does that sometimes. And you are strong. As long as you don't give up... that's what strength is, Flurry."

I nodded slowly. “I… I won’t. I c-can’t. Not anymore.”

Mahogany cleared his throat. “Yeah, c'mon buddy. Let’s let her get her rest, alright?”

Before I could respond, Terra was already talking, moving quickly to push Mahogany out the door. “Actually, I’m dying to see the beach, eh? Mahogany, let’s go.”

“Hey! Terra! Get—okay okay! Fine!” He looked over past the pushy unicorn. “You uh… sure you’re gonna be alright, Flurry?”

I closed my eyes, feeling Dusky’s hoof brush away as it fell from my shoulder. I carefully took hold, and slipped it back up onto the bed. “I… I think I will be, yeah.”

Terra’s voice whispered. “Yeah… I think so too. I think it’ll be okay.”

I didn't see or hear from anypony else the rest of the day. I sat by Dusky’s side, still talking when I could think of something to say. The low sound of the ocean was a strangely constant presence, like the train before. The sun set, and Luna’s moon rose over the ocean.

I watched it move across the sky and continued to talk, to Dusky, as well as to Princess Luna, as if either of them could hear me. To the Princess, I asked that she watch over Dusky’s dreams, and eventually the moon passed out of sight of the hotel window. I believe she heard me, as Dusky continued to sleep peacefully.

Night gave way into morning, and morning into afternoon. Starshadow had stood guard in the room all night, and although she'd made sure we were alright, she seemed content to let me be. Eventually she slipped out to be replaced by Merriweather.

In the afternoon, the sounds of the ocean were joined by ponies playing, going about their business. The sunlight peeked through the curtains, casting light across Dusky’s face.

I rose up to close the curtains, but looked back at her. “I… I wonder if you’d rather have these open for the sun, or um… closed for the dark?”

She made no response, and I sighed. “It’s so weird… the sunlight, and um… the b-beach. I don’t even know what to expect from the beach.”

I closed the curtains, leaving just a tiny fraction of it open before sitting back. “I imagine you've been to tons of beaches. This is probably nothing new to you.”

“I… I can’t believe how much I've seen, just recently. Places I’d never dreamed of going to just a few months ago.” My mind wandered as I thought back on the beauty of Fetlock Falls’ namesake, Canterlot in the moon light, even what I’d seen of the ocean so far had its own unique appeal.

A smile came to my lips, a strange thought coming into my mind. “It’s… it’s fun. Even when the circumstances aren't the best. It’s just taking the time to enjoy the little joys of someplace new and… and it’s the ponies who go with you that make the trip really special.”

I turned away from the window, about to return to her side, when I stopped. Her head was raised from the pillow, her eyes open as she blinked wearily at me.

I paused, my head knew that she was going to wake up, but my heart hadn't believed it until now. “Um… D-Dusky?!”

She struggled to push herself up, still clearly drained. Her eyes were just as bright as ever though, and she answered me with a smile and a tired voice. “Good morning, Night.”

I responded automatically, unable to keep the joy out of my voice. “Morning!”

There was so much I needed to say to her. There was so much I’d already said even though she couldn't hear me. I needed to explain what had happened and where we were. I wanted to know what had happened to her, and needed to be sure she was okay.

A hundred thousand things to say all crowded into my head, and I sat, trying to think, trying to know what to say.

I stopped thinking. I jumped forward, wings pushing me up. I couldn't help it, not after everything she’d been through. I grabbed her and pulled her tight against me into a hug. I hoped she could forgive me, but seeing her awake again was too much.

I was nearly in tears, holding her tight. She felt tense, unsure, and the old worries rose in the back of my mind. Then I felt her hooves rise up and hug back, and those dark voices went silent.

She lifted her head up, her nose gently pushing against the forelock of my mane.

I felt my cheeks go red, but I didn't care. I held her in the hug to welcome her back, and in that moment, nothing needed to be said at all.

20 - Truths

"Oh, I see how it is. You were just waiting until I was in the bathroom, weren't you?" Merriweather's voice interrupted us.

"Wh-what?" I was still holding Dusky close to me, overwhelmed by seeing her awake. I slowly let go and pulled away, looking into an empty corner. "N-no, it was just... w-we were, um..."

"Really? That's the first thing you say?" Dusky's voice still sounded hoarse as it carried her disbelief.

"Aw, geez, c'mon, it was just a joke. In case you didn't know, things have been kind of tense lately." Merri moved in closer to look over Dusky's injuries. "Wow, you're looking pretty good for what you've been through. That Twilight's a real wizard. Maybe even better than Sis'~."

I let my gaze fall back upon Dusky, really looking her over for the first time since she'd woken up. Her mane was unkempt, lacking the elastic that usually pulled it back into a ponytail. Now it simply hung loose and unbrushed. Her coat was worse, bald spots revealing scars that had so recently been deep cuts.

But the most important thing was in her eyes. When I peered into them, I saw the same beautiful fire behind them, driving her. That was all I needed to tell me she'd be alright.

Dusky and Merri had been talking, but I'd done little more than stare, lost in my thoughts.

I couldn't help but smile as I dropped my gaze. "I, um, th-think you l-look good... um, t-too."

"Thanks." She glanced at me with a strange look, almost as if she were relieved. "So where are we, anyway?"

Merri flashed a grin, waving a hoof as if to present the room for the first time. "Myrtail Beach. Nice, huh?"

Her expression wasn't exactly harsh as she narrowed her eyes, but her tone was cautious. This wasn't a vacation, and she knew it. "Why?"

My eyes fell to one of the scars beneath her neck. "B-because you were... h-hurt and we needed s-someplace safe."

She gently placed a hoof on my shoulder, a smile upon her face. "Right and I’m glad you thought of that, but... well, a resort doesn't strike me as a first choice for lying low."

I nearly cringed, finding myself falling under the weight of that hoof despite the warmth. "U-um, well... th-that's..."

Merri picked up for me. "It was his dad's plan. Something about choosing somewhere unofficial so the info wouldn't leak out through the Guard."

Dusky tilted her head. "That doesn't make the vacation destination any less odd, but I suppose that may be why he went with it in the first place."

I nodded slowly. I briefly wondered why, exactly, my dad had sent us here. It had all made sense at the time, or so I'd thought. Now I questioned my choice.

Dusky looked over her coat in the hotel light. "How long was I out? A week?"

I pulled out of my reverie. "Um, two days? Maybe three?" I looked towards Merriweather for confirmation, the time had blended together for me into one long, strange, journey.

She only shrugged. "Something like that."

"That's not very long." Dusky glanced between us with a faint smile. "Everyone must have been on the ball."

"Sure were!" Merri grinned wide and gave me a wink. "You should've seen Night, being all organized and leaderly."

"Really?" She turned to me and flashed a smile. "Well, thank you, Night Light."

What I'd done wasn't much, no more than anypony else would have done. The attention felt undeserved, as I blushed a little and looked away. "I-I just wanted you to be s-safe."

Her words hit me like lightning. My eyes went wide, ears shifting forward. Night Light. She was smiling at me. "W-wait, you, um... h-heard me talking?"

"Sometimes. I don't know how much of it was a dream or not," Her words were somehow both terrifying and calming. "But that particular statement stuck with me."

Again my name echoed through my mind in her voice. Night Light. I should have been ashamed that I'd even told her that name. It'd felt right then, and somehow it felt right now.

I was shaken out of my thoughts once again by Dusky's voice. "Okay. I know this may be hard, but can you gather everyone? I need to know everything that's happened while I was out."

"E-everything?" The details weren't pretty, though I suppose Dusky knew that better than anypony.

She nodded with a heavy expression. "I know I'm asking a lot, but if we want to get through this, I need to sit down and piece this together."

"Okay then." Merriweather pointed a hoof to the door. "Go on, Night."

I paused. "M-Merri?"

She nodded with a grin. "Go get everyone."

"Wh-what?" I glanced at Dusky, who was just watching curiously, then turned back to Merri. "What about you?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm standing guard, silly." She pointed her hoof back to the door, more forcefully this time. "Now, go on. It's rude to keep a mare waiting and you've got two of us sitting here~."

"U-um, right," I jumped up, scrambling towards the door. "I'll b-be back."

Dusky called after with a simple thank you, but then a second voice joined her: a loud gurgling rumble that somehow filled the hotel room.

I stopped and looked back, staring at Dusky to be sure she was okay.

She shrank down in the bed. "Um, think you could get something for me while you're out?"

I relaxed and smiled back. "Right. I'll get something for all of us."

With everypony gathered in Dusky's room, we ate the room service meals in awkward silence. The food was good, though I found that I lacked much of an appetite, knowing what we were about to discuss.

Dusky, understandably, was not shy about her own hunger. After two days without food she was already looking and sounding better as she ate through the oats and grass I'd picked out.

The six of us sat in the hotel room, eyeing one another uncomfortably in the silence, no one quite sure who should begin. Mahogany had apparently not stopped drinking upon arrival at the hotel. Terrabona looked almost sick, and I realized I'd barely seen her in the room since we'd first arrived. Merri and Starshadow were both looking at one another, then at Dusky, as if they were communicating with one another without ever opening their mouths.

I was trying to decide how to start the story when at last Starshadow turned to Dusky. "Very well, I shall tell you what I know on one condition."

Dusky eyed her skeptically. "A condition? Why? This is serious."

"I know." Starshadow looked to Merri for confirmation. "That is why you have to tell us your side too."

Dusky's eyes flitted from Terra to Mahogany and then stopped on me for just a moment. "All right. But it's not pretty. Are you really sure you want to know?"

Terra made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a choke. "Do you think our imagination would be much better?"

"No, you're right." Dusky gave Terra an apologetic look. "It all started with a member of the Guard named Light Horn."

Mahogany reacted instantly, snorting in disgust.

Dusky's gaze dropped. "It's not your fault, Mahogany. I didn't really pick up on him, either. He had us both fooled."

Starshadow coughed. "If I may interject, neither of you can reasonably be blamed. The enchantment was tailored to fool even experienced unicorns."

Dusky's eyes went wide and her pose stiffened. "Enchantment?"

"Indeed. But I shall speak on that more when it is my turn."

Dusky nodded and took a deep breath. "Light Horn claimed he was an Equestrian National Investigator, and that he was researching what I'd discovered in Hoofington. I'd hoped to be able to get him somewhere familiar, but he insisted on interviewing me in private."

Mahogany let out an expletive as he stared at a single point on the floor.

Her ears dropped in sympathy to Mahogany. "I went along with him on my own, but the further we went, the more I felt that something was wrong. Soon, it became obvious that we were being tailed. I was being set up."

"I wanted to trust the Guard, but I was so sure something was off. That there was some kind of enchantment makes too much sense."

I shuddered. Once again, the idea of something so insidious as to manipulate how a pony thought was nearly paralyzing. There were times I wished I was somepony different, but having that forced upon me was horrifying. I was thankful I hadn't had much of an appetite earlier.

"I led them into some old warehouses, and tried to escape, but there were just too many of them. I had to fight them off as best I could until I could make my escape." She glanced at us once again, and I followed her eyes.

Terra's face was pale, Mahogany was scowling grimly, and I was sure I wasn't looking much better. It was certain that Dusky was leaving out the worst elements of the fight, but we'd seen how it ended, and the scars still visible on her body spoke volumes.

"I was fading fast, desperately trying to get somewhere safe before I passed out. One of them followed me, we clashed, and then it went black." Dusky concluded her explanation quietly. "I remember seeing Night Flurry, hearing you all, and then... well, I guess it's your turn."

We fell quiet, back into awkwardness. Suddenly, Terra stood. Making a straight line to Dusky, the unicorn marched forward.

Dusky pulled back, looking a little unnerved. "Um, Terra?"

"Dusky." Terra stopped in front of her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Terra?"

"Dusky. You're alive." Terra teared up, not letting go as she repeated it like a mantra. "You're alive."

Dusky lifted her hooves to hug her back until Terra’s chant faded. “I’m sorry.”

Starshadow coughed politely, clearly feeling the tone of the room. "If this is too uncomfortable, Merriweather and I can take it from here while the others wait in another room."

She needed to know everything. Everything. I looked up. "N-no. I'll d-do it."

"Are you certain?" Starshadow watched me carefully.

I straightened up, but I felt far less confident than I hoped I sounded. "We have to f-face this if we w-want to help."

As the others resumed their positions, I began to tell Dusky what had happened from our discovery at the bar, onward to our arrival here in Myrtail, the others adding in their own details as we went.

Mahogany led the way across the hall to our room. The food had been eaten, our stories told, and now we all just needed to wait.

I glanced back at the door, feeling strange to be leaving her behind now, after all that had happened. I was exhausted and scared, and with only a few hours of sleep on the train, could use a long nap.

I turned my head back, and suddenly found myself face to face with Mahogany.

He scowled deep at me, the faint smell of whiskey still on his breath. He stared me down. "Night. We gotta talk."

"R-right." I glanced up and down the halls, then pointed towards our room.

I slipped in first once Mahogany opened the door. Inside, the room was much the same as Dusky's, save that Mahogany had thrown our luggage into the corner of the room rather haphazardly. The table was already starting to collect a mass of bottles.

Mahogany backed into the room, carefully closing the door and waiting in a fashion similar to how Dusky had listened at the back door of the Lusty Seapony for eavesdroppers, though more clumsily than she'd have done it.

"Um... Mahogany?"

He locked the door, pulled the chain lock closed and dead-bolted it. He breathed out a sigh and turned to me. "Okay. We gotta figure this out. What are we going to do?"

The question caught me off guard. "D-do? Um... I think we just have to wait."

Mahogany glared at me, then came in close again. "Just wait? Just wait for what, Night?" He raised a hoof to his head as if trying to hold back a terrible headache.

The pieces had fallen into place. Having heard from Dusky about exactly what'd happened, the source of his fears was obvious. I decided that maybe I could give him some room to vent. "Are... you alright? Is this about what happened with um... with that Guard?"

"No!" He nearly shouted, then suddenly backed down. "Yes. Maybe. It's about you, and me, and Dusky, and all of this!"

"You heard Starshadow, and Dusky too... it... it wasn't your fault." The thought of the enchanted helmet once again sent a shiver through my spine. "That kind of magic isn't right..."

He nearly spat. "Dusky shook it off. But good ol' Mahogany? Nope! Face it, I'm the reason she was hurt. The weak link! If she'd died, it'd all be on my back."

I found myself shaking.

"N-no, Mahogany. It's on them... a-and Dusky isn't dead." My voice lost its strength. "Dusky is fine..."

Mahogany gave a grim laugh. "For now."

"F-for now. And if something else happens... we'll stand with her."

He raised an eyebrow at me and, surprisingly, flinched away. "Yeah? Maybe. And what happens if they come for us first? What if they come after you?"

I flexed my hoof slightly, feeling foolish even as I did it. "I... I've been training. I... I can fight."

"You can? Maybe. Dusky and Merri and Star, sure. But what if they go after somepony like me?" His tone was deadly serious. "What if they go after somepony like Terra?"

It was my turn to shrink away. "I... don't know."

He sighed, like he'd just given up. "Yeah, thought not."

I stared down at the unfamiliar floor in silence. Mahogany let it linger too as he walked further into the room, digging out a bottle from the room cooler.

He moved towards the table and took a seat, dropping down with a glass and the bottle. He poured the whiskey and took the shot, then stared down at the empty glass. "And what about you, eh?"

"Me?" I tilted my head up towards him. "What do you mean?"

"You. And her." He waved a hoof at the door. "I thought you two were just friends?"

The past few days were such a blur, but that answer was obvious, perhaps more so than it had ever been before. "Well, yeah... Of course we're friends."

He glared over his bottle. "Yeah, but not just friends, eh?"

I twitched. "Wh-what? What do you mean? That... she... we're not. She's made it clear, we're friends."

He poured another glass with a snort. "You've said that so many times I think you believe it. Most friends don't sit with their friends for days on end, Night. Not the way you did."

"It... I..." My ears dropped. "Most friends don't n-nearly die on you like that... m-most friends don't need you to sit up with them until you're sure they're okay..."

"Yeah, maybe not." He poured again, but this time raised up the glass of golden liquid to stare into it. "I don't know, Night. Just don't get all creepy stalkery again, y'know?"

I sat at the table across from Mahogany and nodded. He had a point. I'd overstepped my boundaries with Dusky too many times. I'd sat with her, talked to her, and hugged her so tight when she'd woken up. She called me Night Light.

"I... y-yeah. It... it's all so confusing, Mahogany. I want... I... I don't know what I want. I guess... this. What we have right now... and... I don't know..."

The shot glass balanced on his hoof, he spun the liquid slowly. "This is why love sucks, Flurry. No pony knows what they really want, and then both ponies try to force the other into doing what they want, and then everypony walks away unhappy."

I tapped a hoof on the table. "I don't want that to happen to either of us."

He raised his head to look at me. "Okay, then the real question is, Flurry, what do you want?"

"I... I just want her to be okay. That's enough."

"Heh. Enough for any of us, considerin' the circumstances." He reached out for another glass and slid it towards me, empty. "Now c'mon. Clinkies." He raised his glass.

"Um… clinkies?" I lifted the empty glass hesitantly.

"Yeah. I told ya I'm gonna share all my bad habits. Now, clinkies." He raised his glass and tapped it to mine. "To friendship and being okay."

I couldn't help but smile. "R-right. Friendship. And... being okay."

I don't know how long I slept once we’d finally gone to bed. It was apparently long enough that light was peeking through the closed curtains of the hotel window. Mahogany was gone, his bed unmade. That just left me, alone in the room with my thoughts.

Everything here was so different, and I was entirely unsure what to do. I'd taken my father's advice, led all of my friends here, and for what? Safety seemed like an illusion. Dusky was awake, but now my feelings about her were more confused than ever.

I'd thought I'd finally gotten past it, past whatever my own problems had been to keep her away. I didn't even know what I'd wanted from her before. She'd persevered and helped me make a friend when all I'd deserved was to be rejected. I wouldn't let my old habits push her away.

Mahogany had been right. I needed to talk to her. I needed to know.

I poked my head into the hallway of the hotel room and looked back and forth out of simple precaution. Nopony else was out there, and Dusky's door sat closed.

For just a simple hotel door, it was surprisingly intimidating. I took a deep breath, and ever so slowly knocked my hoof against the wood.

At first, there was no sound. I started to wonder if anypony was inside the room at all, when the door cracked.

Starshadow stood in the door and nodded with approval before stepping aside to let me in. "Hello, Night Flurry."

I blinked, somehow expecting it would be Dusky, despite knowing the two sisters were still guarding her. "Oh. Um..." I spied Dusky moving from the beds with a smile. "Star? Could um... you just... s-step outside a moment?"

Starshadow raised an eyebrow at me, then leaned back to make room for Dusky to see me.

She stopped just behind Star, tilting her head. "Hi, Night. Everything okay?"

"Nothing important, really... I just needed... c-can we talk?" I gave Starshadow an apologetic look. "Alone?"

With an appraising glance at Dusky, Starshadow pursed her lips. "Are you feeling up to it?"

She gave the unicorn a bit of a smirk. "I think I can manage."

Starshadow turned her head back and examined me a little uncomfortably, then nodded. "I shall be just outside."

She bowed politely and stepped past me, closing the door behind her. I bowed back as best I could before I walked in, stopping as I met face to face with Dusky.

She was still obviously injured, the small bald patches across her body were still visible. Unlike before, her mane was tied back into her trademark ponytail, and although her scarf was still missing, it didn't detract from her beauty at all.

I shook that thought from my head and forced out a smile. "Dusky... hi."

She smiled back. "Hi. So, nothing important. No word from your father?”

I shrank slightly and shook my head. There’d been no word from Dad… nor was I entirely sure how he’d send word, or what he’d even say. The uncertainty was strong, but at the moment my thoughts for Dusky weighted stronger.

“Then what's on your mind?"

I took a deep breath. "Just... I... I've been thinking. About... me... a-and you."

Her smile faded for just a moment, a flash of concern across her face before her more stoic expression took over. "And? What did you need to say to me alone?"

"J-just that... well..." I needed to breath more. Why had this been so much easier to say when she'd been sleeping? The words were all the same. "We're friends..."

She leaned her head forward. "Are you sure you're alright?"

I nodded quickly, biting my tongue. I tried to organize my thoughts, everything I wanted to say and everything I needed to say getting jumbled in my mind. "I... just couldn't... I... I need to know the truth. "

She pursed her lips carefully, though her voice was still calm. "The truth is what I told you. There isn't much more to say, unless you mean something else?"

I cringed, not knowing what she was thinking now. The truth could mean a lot of things to a pony with so much darkness in her past. "N-no. I mean... about me. I... I need to know... we're friends, right?"

The cautious look disappeared into a smile. "Of course."

"Th-then... th-that's what I need to know... I don't want to..." The words were all like molasses on my tongue. "If... if I ever step over a line, if I ever get too... Aggggghh!"

I closed my eyes. Everything I wanted to say just sounded so wrong. I didn't want to lose the friendship we'd built. I opened my eyes.

She was leaning forward, concerned.

I stared straight into her eyes and my mouth moved before my brain could stop it. "Dusky... I love you."

The silence was deafening. I wanted to scream, I wanted to run. Her gaze held me in place. Starshadow was just outside the door. At the very least, when they killed me, I would finally stop embarrassing myself in front of Dusky like a damned foal.

She blinked slowly, gaping at me. Then, she gathered herself together and closed her eyes.

"Oh, Night... don't you think 'love' is a little strong?" Her mouth turned into a small smile. "I mean, we haven't even had a first date."

My heart sank. At least that was the answer. The truth, as she said. I stopped. My brain began to catch up to the words she had said.

"I... w-wait..." I couldn't hold back the smile that rose up from my heart. "Does... does that mean we'll have to change that?"

"Maybe. If we're in agreement, I don’t see any harm in trying."

I stammered, head soaring, face burning red. "I... absolutely!"

Her smile grew to mirror my own. "Although, that'll have to wait for another day.” She tapped a hoof on the hotel carpet. ”I don’t quite trust this place enough for something like this on such short notice."

I nodded, "I... guess it’s good to b-be safe, y-you know, even after your um... well... yeah." I stepped back to the door, my hoof reaching to pull it open. "I... I'll figure something out soon, then, okay?"

She waved a hoof. "Sounds like a plan."

I felt giddy, about to step out of the room when I stopped myself. I looked over my shoulder at Dusky and lowered my hoof from the door. I turned around to face her, elated and terrified, and with a few steps, gently hugged her. "Um... Have a good afternoon... Dusky."

She hugged back, pressing her muzzle against my neck. "You too, Night Light."

21 - Beyond the Sea

It took quite a lot to convince myself I wasn't dreaming. I pinched myself, slapped a hoof across my face and even dunked my head into a sink of cold water. I watched myself in the mirror, mane dripping, and laughed.

This whole situation was madness. Far from home, in the midst of this unknown city, working to keep Dusky safe, and here I was, thinking about a date. Not just thinking about it, utterly terrified of it. I'd never looked at a mare the way I looked at Dusky. I'd never even been on a date before.

Love was the only word I could think of to explain how I felt for her, but she said that word was too strong. What did that mean? How did she feel for me? Did she feel the same? It wouldn't surprise me if she understood it better than I did.

The important thing now, against all odds, was that she'd decided I was worth giving a chance. I had to find the right place. I trotted through the hall, glancing at Dusky's door as I went to the elevator.

The lobby was quiet, with only a few ponies lounging about, including the receptionist who'd greeted us the day before. My destination was a large bulletin board just inside the entrance, with large letters over the top proclaiming 'Events'.

It was like a giant monthly planner, listing out the shows and special activities across Myrtail Beach, as well as in-hotel events. My eyes traced down the list. First was a boat festival, cutely titled the 'Seapony Festival', then listings for bands appearing at local clubs, and a 'Wine Tasting on the Pier.' event. At the end of the month, there was even a Wonderbolts show, which sounded impressive, though I hoped we wouldn't still be here that late.

Nothing jumped out at me. I had to find something perfect, something I knew she'd enjoy. I lingered on a karaoke contest, but dismissed it as too crazy. I'd only embarrass myself trying to sing. What would Dusky want to do? Would we even enjoy the same things? What if she didn't have any fun at all?

I sighed and trotted away from the board, glancing out the giant windows onto the beach. The ocean was... huge. My wings flexed as I felt that urge again, to go out and fly and see it all. Maybe there was something in that.

I wandered past a restaurant inside the hotel, one that was almost intimidating in its fanciness. Past that my ears perked up to a familiar laugh as it echoed from the hotel bar. Honestly, I should have guessed it'd be coming from the bar.

Mahogany sat alongside Terra, tipping back a shot as she laughed, cradling a drink of her own. A half-full bottle sat between them.

Terra took her drink and smacked her lips, before pulling away the empty glass. "See? Dis' is what I needed. No blood! No dumb trains. And no dumb fffffancy!"

Mahogany rocked forward, raising a drink as if in toast, but drinking it before anypony could respond. "Yeah! Screw fancy!"

"Yeah!" Terra parroted, pouring another drink. "Screw the fancy!"

I raised an eyebrow at the pair as they traded turns, drinking and cursing. Terra was probably Dusky's best friend. If anypony could help, it'd be her. I approached slowly, taking the seat alongside Mahogany.

Terra leaned her head against the counter and waved a hoof. "And Flurry!"

"Yeah! Screw Flurry!" Mahogany stopped mid drink. "What? Flurry?"

I grinned awkwardly. "Oh um, hey Mahogany. Hey, Terra."

Mahogany burst into laughter. "Hey, Flurry! What brings ya 'round to our humble abode? Take a load off! I get you a drink?" He dramatically swung a hoof around the bar. "At Mahogany's, ev'rypony knows yer name!"

I blinked, casting a look about the bar. "At... Mahogany's?"

He grinned wide, raising a glass. "I've claimed this kingdom fer the duration of our stay as a ruler in exile. You and Terra are welcome here, of course, so partake as you wish!"

"I'll drink to that!" Terra clinked her glass against Mahogany's and downed the liquid within. "We're drinkin' our cares away! I'm helping!"

As the barkeep approached, I smiled apologetically and ordered a tea. He shrugged and went back to retrieve my drink. "Helping! Um, right. So um... m-maybe... you two can um... give me some help?"

Mahogany nodded. "I'm a just ruler, Flurry. Speak your wishes, and I shall see it done!"

"Well... I'm, um... just... curious." My face burned red as I stammered through the question. "Where w-would you take a mare out on a date? Y-you know... if you were going on a date?"

Mahogany's expression had turned into a flat stare.

Behind him, Terra made a rising squeal that quickly shifted into an ominous giggle. I suddenly doubted the wisdom of this course of action.

"Yessssssss." In a blur that would have made Rainbow Dash blink, I found myself face to face with Terra, her hooves grasping my cheeks as she pulled me off my seat. "Tell me everythinggggggg!"

"So she finally caved, eh?" Mahogany chuckled. "I guess it was either gonna be you here crying, or the two of you actually doing something.

Terra tilted my head back and forth in her hooves, examining me carefully. "So, what happened?"

I nodded from within her grasp before I finally pushed her hooves away. "Y-yes...." I couldn't stop the grin from creeping onto my face. "M-me and Dusky... w-we're going on a date..."

"About time!" She pulled me towards her again, this time into a tight hug. "Congratulations!"

I grinned like an idiot, but felt incredible despite it. "I um... don't really deserve congratulations... I mean... she's the one giving me a chance."

Terra noogied a hoof into my hair quickly. "Aw, c'mon. She's giving you a chance because you're worth giving one to. She just finally sees it."

My ears dropped a bit from the attention, my cheeks burned. "I... j-just doing what I can."

Terra waved her hoof dismissively. "Bah. Even grumpy here figured it was a foregone conclusion."

Mahogany set his glass down and gave Terra an odd half-smile. "Grumpy? Hey, I just didn't wanna see my buddy get himself hurt. You and Dusky have been pretty obvious, even without Terra's meddling."

"Hey! I haven't meddled! Much! I mean, Dusky doesn't really take to meddling too well." She glanced back at me with that over-large grin. "She just needed to find the right one."

"I uh... w-well I think you're jumping ahead here, T-Terra. I mean... I don't even know where we should go for a first date."

I glanced between the two, Terra still staring at me in barely contained glee, and Mahogany already flagging the bartender for another drink. I started to doubt they could even help me, but then I considered my other options. Merri and Starshadow. Neither of them seemed a much better option for dating advice.

"So um... I thought... you two could help?"

Terra giggled like a foal with candy on Hearth's Warming Eve. "Yes! Alright. Let me tell you what to do."

Mahogany rolled his eyes, sliding his new drink closer. "Ahh, right. Here we go."

She cleared her throat. "Okay. You're going to want to go big, but don't. Keep it simple. Find someplace quiet with low lights, get her roses, candle light, and definitely, definitely not the fancy." She shuddered.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Err... fancy? But.. isn't a date supposed to be um... something special?"

"No! No fancy!" Terra spun to press her hooves into my cheeks and stared at me. "No. Fancy. The Fancy is the last thing you want."

I shrank back. "Are... are you drunk?"

Mahogany cackled. "She's not nearly drunk enough yet!" He spun down from his chair and draped a hoof across my back. "Flurry, I don't do this very often. Dating is crap, and romance is worse... but you're my buddy."

This was absolutely the worst idea. "Um... okay?"

"Terra's crazy," Mahogany quickly cut off Terra's denial. "But she's right. Dusky's not gonna be impressed by some fancy-schmancy place. Why else would she hang out with us at a place like the Seapony, eh?"

"I um... hadn't really thought about that..."

He squeezed my shoulder with his hoof and waved about the bar. "Flurry, we've been thinking. What we need is a little bit of home."

Terra clapped her hooves together. "Right! We've all been kinda stressed... what we need is a night where we kick back, forget about the fancy, and just be with friends. And to celebrate your newly found dating status, we've decided to give you the most important part!"

Mahogany leaned in with a stage whisper. "Honestly, we were gonna make you do it anyway."

"D-do? Wh-what?" I knew Dusky didn't like surprises, at least, not the jump out and shock her kind, and I certainly wasn't going to start off any kind of relationships with her by lying. "I... I'm not going to do anything to trick Dusky."

He scoffed. "Trick? Flurry, I'm insulted!"

"Yeah!" Terra pouted her lip out. "We're not the types to engage in trickery! Just a little... get together"

Mahogany grinned wide. "Get this. In my scouting out of the locale, I have placed reservation upon a barrel of vintage Sweet Apple Acres cider. All you have to do is bring Dusky here." He patted my neck before he took his hoof off my neck. "And we'll all make a toast to being okay."

"To... being okay?" I laughed as Mahogany threw my words back at me. "Merri and Starshadow too?"

Terra cheered. "Of course! And trust me, Flurry, nothing is going to make her happier than a night with all her friends together, just like back home."

"Y-yeah... Yeah. I think you're right, Terra. I'll do it." I raised a hoof and held it between us, Mahogany and Terra each raising a hoof to meet mine in agreement.

I left the two of them to their plans, convinced somehow that they had the best of intentions. A night to relax might actually be just what we all needed, although, the idea of it being a date still had me nervous. At least with the others there, if I screwed up somehow, Dusky would still be with her friends.

Beyond the hotel glass, the ocean still sparkled bright, like it was catching Celestia's light and trying to mimic the stars in the night sky. I pressed a hoof against the glass and gazed out at it. It called to me in a way I'd never felt before.

Mahogany and Terra were intent to drain the bar, Dusky wasn't in her room, and Merri and Starshadow were probably with her, keeping watch. Everypony was occupied doing what they needed to do to cope with our 'exile', as Mahogany had called it.

I wanted to go out there and experience it. The beach and the ocean. I bit my lip and hesitated. My hooves moved before I realized it, my heart already set upon the course of action before my mind could stop it. I couldn't hold myself back any longer.

The salty air struck my nose immediately as I left the hotel. I dug my hooves into the beach sand and smiled. It was kind of like snow, but grittier, and warm on the surface. Digging in deeper, it was cooler below, the grains of sand clinging to my coat.

I moved through the sand, letting each step sink in as I approached the water. The sand grew wet as I came to the edge, my hoof leaving an imprint that filled with water as the ocean rushed forward to engulf it. The cool water splashed against my legs, then retreated back.

It was endless. I could fly across that ocean and it seemed like I would never find the other side. The water continued to lap at my hooves as I stared for I don’t know how long.

"Pretty impressive, eh?" Merri wandered up besides me, gazing out across the sea.

I nodded dumbly. "Beautiful..."

She gasped dramatically. "More beautiful than Dusky~?"

I pursed my lips. The ocean was incredible, gorgeous almost without compare. "I... no. No, it's not."

Merri let out a low whistle. "Dang, it's got you good, eh?"

"I suppose so..." I smirked at Merri, then turned and started to walk along the beach.

She stepped into my path with a cough. "Err, I'm heading the other way, actually. Walk with me?"

With a shrug, I turned to walk back along the beach with her. "So what have you been up to all day, Merri?"

She chuckled. "Sis went off with Dusky to do... whatever. I've just been pony watching on the beach, if you know what I mean~."

"Err, not really." The ocean was right there, dazzling and wide. "Just seems like... better things to watch, you know?"

Merri snickered. "It all depends on the view."

"It's... new. And so big, Merri. Is the whole world like this?"

"As much of it as I've seen. Ostfriesen has a beauty to it all its own, and everything we've seen in Equestria is just as unique. So yeah, probably."

What wonders lay beyond that ocean? What wonders still sat within Equestria that I'd never seen. The more of the world I saw, the more my own limited perspective bothered me.

I lowered my head with a sigh, but cut short as a shard of white caught my attention. It was like a piece of a dinner plate, contrasted against the wet sand. I quickened my pace to reach it, carefully digging around it with my forehooves.

Merri trotted after, lowering her head towards my little excavation. "Oooo, what'dja find there?"

As gently as I could, I lifted it from the sand pit, a perfectly formed sand dollar, rounded and white, with a rounded five point star seemingly etched upon it. "It's perfect."

"Sure is! Nice find! What're ya gonna do with it?"

There was really only one thing I could do with it. "Do... do you think there's some place in the town where I could get it put on a pin? Or a chain or something?"

She looked down, studying the sand dollar. "I don't know. Feels like that'd ruin the beauty, you know? That kind of thing is best left unspoiled." Merri winked at me. "Especially if somepony plans on giving it as a gift."

I blushed, but didn't care. "M-maybe just some kind of box then..."

"Yeah! Solid gold, lined with jewels!" She nudged me in the side. "Don't go overboard, casanova."

"R-right..." I chuckled, carefully holding the sand dollar. "Should we um... head back, then?"

Merri grinned wide. "We could. But, meh. Sis’ is busy. Dusky too, I'd wager. We've got some time to kill."

I tilted my head. "Err... doing what?"

She cracked her neck back and forth, then looked down at me. "You know, Sis’ always had her training regimen planned for you, but we've never sparred. It'd be good for you to face somepony different. I think we can find someplace secluded enough to let us stretch our hooves. What do ya say? I promise I'll go easy on ya~."

My hooves dug into the sand slightly as I flexed. I slowly smiled back at Merri. "Yeah, alright let's do it. I um... need to stay in practice, after all."

"Alright! C'mon. And be careful with your gift for Dusky~."

My cheeks were still red as I stowed the sand dollar carefully under a wing. Seeing Dusky as hurt as she'd been, and knowing just how helpless I'd felt... I never wanted to let that happen again. No matter what happened now, I needed to be ready.

I walked with Merri along the ocean shore, prepared to continue my training.

23 - Home and Family

It was with high hopes that we continued that evening. Our dinner together had been wonderful, and I'd hoped the bar would only serve to cheer Dusky up further. Instead, the night had been oddly sobering, even for one who doesn't drink. The weight of where we were, and why we were here was heavy on us all.

In the end, it was Dusky who'd broken the silence, humming along with a song playing from the corner. The others joined in quickly, likely looking for any reason to be merry. I couldn't help but marvel at Dusky's resilience, for all she was facing and all that had to be on her mind, that she was able to keep going.

Spirits raised, or at the very least, not crushed, we decided to quit while we were ahead. I walked with Dusky back through the lobby and up to her room. I stood at the door awkwardly and offered her a smile.

"It's been a lovely evening. Thank you, Night." She stepped forward and offered a short hug, that I quickly returned.

"N-no... thank you, Dusky. For everything." Another moment I didn't want to let go.

She held on to that hug longer than I dared believe before she finally unwrapped her hooves from around me. "Good night, Night Light."

"Good night, Dusky." I waved a wing slowly as she headed into her room.

She gave me one last smile through the door as she closed it behind her, leaving me alone with my thoughts in the hallway.

When I woke the next day, I felt amazing. The sea air that pervaded everything had a familiar scent, not like when we first arrived, and the sound of the ocean was welcome. I stretched my wings carefully before I slipped out of the room. Mahogany was still buried under a pile of blankets sleeping off the party.

The night before we'd tried to make Myrtail feel like home and failed, but now I wondered to myself what it would be like if it was home. Not in the hotel, obviously. It was the idea that I could move to Myrtail and start a new life, if I needed. I'd done it before, to Ponyville, and surely I could again. Especially if Ponyville wasn't safe anymore. Not safe for us, or simply not safe for Dusky.

I stepped out into the hallway without much of a plan except to exercise my legs and maybe my wings. The beach remained an incredible, wonderful thing to me, so most of my thoughts drifted to taking it all in once again.

A door shutting to my left made me jump, and I stopped to stare but no pony was present. I turned back towards the elevator and found myself facing Terrabona.

She grinned, and rushed forward. "Flurry! You look like you just saw a ghost."

I turned my head back down the hallway, as if I expected somepony to poke their head back out of their room to apologize. "Um, nope. Just uh, somepony shutting their door a little too fast, I guess."

She glanced over my shoulder to check as well. "Huh. Weird. Well, in any case, where are you headed, eh?"

"M-me? Just the beach, I guess... I dunno." My stomach rumbled. "And uh, maybe find somewhere to get some breakfast."

"Breakfast! There's gotta be someplace in this city that sells good pancakes! I'll treat!" She grabbed my hoof before I could really protest, and down the elevator we went.

She whistled some random tune as we descended, one hoof tapping a different beat entirely. Catching me watching her, she stopped and grinned wide.

"You um... alright?"

Terra rocked a bit on her hooves. "Sure, sure, sure. Just, bleh." She glanced about and gave a shrug. "Fancy crap, you know?"

I'd been hearing enough of it to get some idea, though hadn't really gotten the story. "I um, guess I don't. It's all so new to me, I hadn't really considered it to be something, well... bad."

The elevator pinged and she led the way through the lobby. "It's not. I just don't like it. I don't want to live like this, or even get used to it."

I pursed my lips, considering my own thoughts this morning, on how comfortable it was getting here, and how easy it was to think of leaving Ponyville behind. "I... think I can understand that. It's just... hard to consider going back, after what happened."

Terra stopped and shook her head. "It's not hard to consider. It's home. I don't get wanderlust like I used to, like Dusky does."

My ears perked up slightly. "Wanderlust? L-like... Dusky?"

"Yeah. You know she travels, right? For months at a time, she'll pack up and go. I can't do that anymore. I miss my shop. I miss the bar." Her nose wrinkled slightly as she stared ahead. "I miss Aster."

Wanderlust. I'd known that Dusky traveled, though I hadn't realized the duration was quite so extreme. It was hard to think about getting to know her so well, only to have her suddenly disappear on an extended trip. I made a note to myself to ask her about it, but at the moment it was Terra’s last statement that drove me to distraction.

"Aster?" The name sounded familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. Certainly no one who came to the bar with us.

"I was going to help her make a garden at home. I insisted, I promised her I'd help, and then I just disappear? What is she gonna think of me? I was trying to be a good role model!" She sighed and slumped.

I watched her as we walked, trying to get some read on her. She wanted to be a good role model? I admittedly didn't know her well beyond the setting of the bar, so that made it hard to judge. "So, Aster. She uh, a good foal then?"

She picked her head up, smiling slowly. "Yeah, well, no. I mean, she's a hoofful. But I think she's got a good head. Just needs a little guidance."

"And uh, you mean your guidance?"

"Well, she listens to me. I can make a difference and I ca—" Her eye twitched. "Oh Celestia, I'm doing it again. I miss her, and I want to be there for her. And... and I need a drink." She suddenly sounded drained as she turned mid-step and aimed herself straight back towards the hotel bar.

"Wh-whoa, wait, what?" I rushed to cut her off. "Terra, it's barely morning! I don't even think they'd be serving this early. And what about pancakes?" I forced a smile, completely unsure what was going on in her head.

She just stared at me, then shook her head and returned to our original course, away from the bar. "Yeah, alright. But I don't wanna talk about it anymore, alright?" Her head whipped back towards me, and a mischievous grin replaced her previously dour look. "Besides, you owe me a story about you and Dusky, anyway."

Her sudden shift caught me off guard. "I... do?"

"Yep! You two were late coming to the bar last night, and you came down together, but didn't enter from the entrance nearest the elevator. Dusky's mane was all made up too, and then neither of you ate anything in the bar and Mahogany swore he could smell pasta on both of you. So, tell me, Flurry. How was your dinner with Dusky?"

I almost missed a step as I stared at Terra. "I, ah... wh-what? Are... are you some kind of mind reader?"

She cackled. "Not at all. But you're an open book. And Dusky thinks she's hard to read, but I'm finally starting to get her vibes."

"Her vibes?" I raised an eyebrow. "Are... you sure you're okay? Maybe we should go to the bar."

"Nonsense, Flurry!" She reached a hoof around my neck and guided me out of the hotel. "We are on a quest for pancakes! They will be fluffy with a crispy edge, soaked in butter and syrup. They shall be numerous and delicious!"

It was like she was a completely different mare, though I still wasn't sure what was going on with her. I let out a sigh and smiled, at least she seemed to be feeling better, and if it got her mind off of whatever was bothering her for the morning, then I suppose that would be as much as I could do for now.

We found a little diner not too far from the hotel. Terra ordered a couple of stacks of pancakes, and then began with her more detailed interrogation. “Where’d you go? What did you order? What did she order? Was there music playing? Did you kiss?”

I nearly choked on my breakfast at the last one, but sighed as I answered each of her questions in turn. “A um… pasta restaurant. Pasta. And um, more pasta. I don’t think so? Um, n-no.”

She continued to ask questions in that vein until apparently she was satisfied with whatever she was trying to find out. “Excellent. You did good, Flurry.”

“I um… okay?” I raised an eyebrow at Terra's questionable criteria. “I had a good time. I… I was just trying to be sure Dusky did too.”

“That’s why you did good. Keep that up, and you’ll do alright.” She gave me a quick hug, and once we made it back to the hotel, she split off to go wander the beach, though I suspected she wanted some time along as much as anything else.

Once again on my own, the ocean pulled to me as well. For much of the rest of the day I found myself walking the beach or flying over the ocean as far as I dared while keeping the beach in sight. I needed some exercise, some time alone as well, just me and the open skies held aloft in that special communion between a pegasus and the world above.

The descending sun was a signal that I'd probably been out too long. I headed back to the hotel, hoping no pony had worried about me during my absence. Beyond the noise of the ocean, the beach seemed rather quiet. I looked back over my shoulder at the bright orange sun sinking through the sky.

Sitting at one of the hotel tables on a raised platform, Dusky watched the sunset. Her tail lazily swished back and forth.

I stopped myself from staring, clearing my throat carefully. "H-hey, Dusky, um... mind some company?"

Her ears twitched, and she peered back over her shoulder and smiled. "Oh, hi, Night. Not at all. Come have a seat."

The bench at the table was wide, designed for several ponies to sit at it at once. I hesitated, looking down its length. I pulled myself onto it and sat, leaving plenty of room between us. I didn't want to sit too close, in case that made Dusky uncomfortable.

Dusky raised an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"

I glanced over at her, trying to make sure there was still plenty of room. "I... um... n-no. I... s-sorry. Just, well..." I sighed. "I'm not very good at this."

"It's okay, you'll get it figured out." She patted a hoof into the space between us. "In the meantime, come sit beside me. I won't bite."

Scooting closer, I met her eyes and smiled back. "I just... I keep thinking I'll do something wrong."

"You probably will." She giggled, but before I could process that, she was already nudging me gently with her muzzle. "And so will I. The important thing is that we learn from the mistakes when we do."

I let out a deep breath, shifting slightly to get comfortable. "That... actually makes me feel a lot better. I mean... I'm far from perfect."

She shook her head. "No one is perfect. And I've certainly learned there's such a thing as trying too hard."

"Trying to hard..." I let my gaze pass over the ocean. "I've been doing that for a long time... I... I'm sorry. I want to try my best, Dusky. But... I'll try not to um... try too hard."

"Believe me, it's easier said than done." Her voice shifted, getting distant as she looked out over the ocean. "But I'm happy you're willing to try."

My thoughts turned over in my head, back to what Terra had said. Thoughts of Ponyville and long trips, and of the shadows that seemed to follow Dusky. "You... you do a lot of travelling, right?"

She nodded, her expression brightening. "Every summer, give or take."

I pushed forward, trying to frame my own thoughts as I questioned her. "And you always come back to Ponyville?"

"To put it simply, after a while, I start feeling a little homesick." She tilted her head towards me, keeping an eye out towards the ocean. "And Ponyville is my home."

"Home?" The word had a strange weight behind it. First Cloudsdale, then Ponyville, though the attachments I had to those places had never felt terribly strong.

"I spent a lot of time growing up there." Dusky suddenly seemed far away, and I wondered if she was thinking of home even then. "As much as I like seeing the big cities and all the wonders of the world, some peace and relaxation is often just as nice."

My heart sank. "B-but... what if it's not so peaceful anymore? I mean, w-what if it's not safe for you there?"

She let out a sigh. "I've considered that, but I'm not ready to give up on Ponyville just yet."

"I... I'll stand with you, Dusky. At home, or... or away." I took a deep breath, and turned back to the sunset. "There's so much I've missed. So much to see in this world."

"You've still got plenty of time." She leaned against me just lightly. "Plus, I can be your tour guide."

I blinked. "Y-you would?"

She giggled. "What, you think I'd just leave you to wander a far off city on your own?"

Flustered, I felt my face redden again. "I um... I guess not. But... still, I can't think of a better way to see Equestria, than by your side." I shifted slightly to lean back against her, not putting my weight into it, just returning her own gesture.

"I'm happy to hear that." She was so warm, the closeness between us was electrifying in a way I'd never felt before. I wanted the moment to stretch on forever.

A third voice interrupted the moment, mumbling out a greeting from behind us. "Oh, um... excuse me, you two um... I mean, h-hi, Night."

The voice burned with a painful familiarity, like hearing Spring again, only this voice was more painful. This was the voice of a pony I'd hurt far more than Spring had ever hurt me. I didn't want to turn my head.

Without missing a beat, Dusky nudged me once again, then pulled away. "Hi, Mint Creme."

"M-Mint?" How could Dusky know her?

Mint's voice was clearly unsure, quieter than I think I'd ever heard her. "I, um... yeah. Hi, err... how you doing?"

I slumped down, my eyes following the wood grain of the table. "What... wh-what do you want, Mint?"

She sounded hurt, painfully so. "Aw, horse feathers, Night... I... I don't want anything. I just thought I’d say hi to my favorite brother. I... I'll go."

"I... I'm your only brother." I tried to blink away the sudden tears.

I glanced up at Dusky. She was watching me with some concern, but I managed a smile. "D-Dusky... I'm sorry... can you excuse me for a moment?"

She nodded, a gentle smile answering my own. "Take your time."

I looked across the hotel balcony at my sister. Somehow, she looked just as I remembered her, with a light green coat that was topped by a sun yellow mane tied back into a ponytail.

She was backing away towards the door into the hotel, shaking her head. "I... I shouldn't have interrupted you two... I... th-this was a bad idea, I'm sorry."

"M-Mint. Mint, wait." I rose from the table and started walking towards her, hearing my own hooves echo loudly on the wooden terrace.

She raised a hoof, then lowered it. Her mouth opened as if she were about to respond, but couldn't find the words.

I felt much the same, not sure what I could even say to her after so long. I stopped a leg's length away, about to say something, but my words failed me. Instead, I closed the gap and pulled my sister into a tight hug.

She seemed to hesitate, then her own hooves wrapped around me. Her voice was choked as she broke into tears. "W-we've missed you, you know."

My own tears fell, but I couldn't stop myself from laughing. "I... I guess I missed all of you as well."

Mint laughed back. "You guess?"

I gave her a squeeze before I pulled free. "I... I've been thinking about you a lot, lately."

She disentangled herself, raising a hoof to ruffle my mane like she used to do when I was just a colt. "Y-yeah, me too."

I smiled at my sister, wiping the tears away again. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Mint. I never meant to break my promise."

Her hoof raised up to my side. "No, Night, I'm sorry. I never wanted to lose my brother, not for any promise."

I glanced back at Dusky, still struggling to keep myself in control. "D-Dusky, this is Mint. My sister."

Dusky smiled widely. "We've met."

"Oh, umm... right." I raised an eyebrow at Mint. "You've met?"

My sister grinned guiltily. "There was an incident, and well, she thought that maybe I was a spy." She shrugged.

My eyes went wide. "A... spy? Mint? What?"

She flailed a hoof, ears dropping back a little. "Well, I wasn't! I mean, I guess I was. You know, for Dad."

"Oh, right." I sighed, "Sorry about that, Dusky."

She waved at Mint, still smiling. "We figured it out."

Mint stepped up besides me, ears still hanging back. "Dad said I was the only one he could trust with this. I didn't want to upset you, Night, so I tried to stay hidden. I... I didn't know if you'd want to see me or not."

I'd spent five years away from my family, keeping my distance because I didn't want to upset them. Hearing Mint say the same about me felt like she'd kicked me in the heart. I fell to my haunches. "Mint, I... I really did miss you."

She hugged me again. "You're still welcome at home, Night. Mom misses you. Me, Spring, Sun and Diamond, we all miss you."

"Mom..." They were better off without me, weren't they? "D-diamond... doesn't she hate me?"

Mint laughed sadly. "Do you really think that?"

I wasn't sure what to think now, but old beliefs died hard. "W-well, yeah. After everything she did? She must hate me."

"Sun and I have talked about it, and Diamond really beats herself up over it. She blames herself, though in fairness, we all took some of the blame." She sighed, pulling away to look me in the eyes. "Night, just... promise me. Promise me you'll come home, at least once. Let Diamond say her piece, and let Mom know you're alright."

For Mom, and for Diamond, but surprisingly, for myself more than any of them, I needed to do this. A door I thought shut forever had opened, and it hurt how badly I'd missed it. "I... y-yeah. I promise, Mint. I promise."

Mint sniffed. "I'll hold you to this one, Night."

There would be no promise breaking this time, not if I ever hoped to mend this rift, not if I ever hoped to speak with my sister again. I wouldn't break her heart. "Th-then I'd best live up to it."

She glanced over my shoulder. "It's later than I thought. Night? Dusky? I'll see you two around, right?"

I nodded dumbly. "Y-yeah, of course. Of course, Mint."

Dusky came up beside me and nodded to Mint. "It’s not like we’re going anywhere anytime soon."

Mint blinked. "Oh uh, right. Right. Sorry! I'll catch up with you, then. You two... enjoy the rest of your night." She smiled and turned, glancing back at the two of us before slipping into the hotel.

With a sigh, I gave Dusky a sidelong glance. "We missed another sunset... sorry."

She giggled. "That's okay, we'll have more chances, I'm sure."

"Yeah." I grinned wide, feeling like I'd just cast off a heavy coat of rime from my wings. "So we shall."

24 - Old Promises

Myrtail beach's day to day had come to be boring routine as weeks passed by. With still no word from my father, we were all starting to feel pretty pent up. Sparring with Merri or Starshadow, whichever of the two wasn't watching Dusky at time, was one escape. Going out on dates with Dusky was another.

We'd gone out to dinner a few times now, nothing too fancy. The little pasta restaurant was as much our restaurant as anything. It was a strange feeling, sharing that time with her. It was awkward and clumsy, like I’d been blindfolded and spun until I was dizzy and didn't know which way to go. But it was wonderful too, like every moment with her was a precious gem that I wanted to gaze into forever, except that doing so would mean that I’d miss the next moment, and the next one after that.

On the opposite side of those feelings sat my family, feelings that had kept me awake on more than a few nights since seeing Mint again. My thoughts were torn towards them. On the one hoof, the years of separation, and how it'd apparently affected them. And affected me. On the other, Mint's own words had put to rest what I'd believed for so long.

Since she'd approached that night, I'd started seeing her now and then in the hotel and beach. She would wave, and I'd wave back. It'd been too awkward to do much else, and she'd seemed content to give me my space, now that she'd said what she'd wanted to say.

This time, she stood at a hotel door, presumably her own, with her muzzle stuck into a bag as she sought out her room key.

I stopped to look at her for a moment. She was still the same Mint, but standing in the odd hotel lighting, circles under her eyes were apparent. "Um... Hi. Mint."

She glanced up and gave me a tired smile. "Night? You alright? You look off."

I peeked down at myself. "I um... do?"

She stifled a yawn, then shook her head. "Let me guess, didn't get much sleep?"

"Seems not." The reason for her deduction was suddenly apparent. "I'm guessing you didn't either, hm?"

"Nah, not really. Just... thinking." She sighed. "You wanna come in? Talk about... I dunno, stuff?"

A smile crept up on my lips. "Stuff sounds good."

She managed to get the key into her mouth and fumbled open the door. I slipped into my sister's hotel room and looked about curiously. It was, as one might expect, a match to the other rooms I'd been in. There were two beds, though one remained untouched, and in the corner was a small, well-maintained stack of luggage. Mint had always been one to keep everything in order.

She closed the door and followed after me, moving into the open common area. Taking a seat, she tilted her head to examine me, pursing her lips. "So... how are you doing, Night? I mean... really doing?"

I sat down across from Mint. "Me? I'm good." The ease of the words surprised me in just how much they rang true. "I had an eventful winter, Mint."

She giggled. "Eventful? So it seems. I hope I'm not prying but... you and Dusky, you two are together?"

I blushed, hearing it put like that. "W-well, kind of? I... want her to be my special somepony. We're just starting to figure that out."

"You two are cute together." She coughed a bit, then laughed. "At least, that's your big sister's opinion. Take it with a grain of salt."

"Your opinion has always meant a lot to me, Mint." I watched her a moment, then took a deep breath. "What about... what about you? What about the rest of the family? How... how is everypony doing?"

She hesitated, just a moment. "We're alright, honestly. Most of us. Diamond maybe not, but she's still managing. Spring's kind of in a rut too, trying to figure out where she belongs. But, I mean... Sun has her own family now, and I have mine."

My smile faded slightly. "W-Wintergreen, right? I remember the wedding."

"Yeah, Wintergreen." Her expression shifted, her head rose up proudly "We had a foal, Night. His name is Custard."

My jaw dropped. "A... foal? You? Y-you're... a Mom?"

She stood, walking to the nightstand between the beds. "Believe it or not, yeah." She returned, cradling a small photo frame in one wing. She unfurled it towards me, nudging the contents forward. "And you're an uncle. Again."

I took the frame in my hooves and glanced down as I processed it all. The photo displayed Mint draping a wing over the stallion I recognized as her husband. He was looking down at something in her forehooves, a look of joyful pride in his eyes. There, Mint was cradling a young colt. His coat was a pale yellow green, and he had the same bright green eyes as his mother. Same as mine, as well.

An uncle. Again. It brought back a lot of old feelings, as well as an odd hollowness. "He's... amazing. Custard?"

She nodded. "Yeah. He's four, now. Reminds me a lot of you, you know. I'm trying to do things right for him, Night. That's another reason I needed to find you again."

That was like a knife in my heart. I changed the subject ever so slightly. "How old are Sun's kids now?"

She closed her eyes. "The twins are eight... Speed is five."

"S-Speed?" I slumped in place. "Sun had a third foal?"

Mint stepped closer and wrapped her wings and hooves around me. "Yeah, a colt as well."

"Two nephews... Goddesses, I've missed so much." I blinked at the tears welling in my eyes, leaning into Mint's hug. "M-Mint... am... I a bad pony?"

"What?" Her hug tightened. "Why would you even think that, Nighty?"

I returned the hug at last, weakly at first. "I abandoned you all. I... I felt abandoned too. Thought that you'd all be better off without me. I..." I swallowed the words as they died in my throat.

Mint shushed me. "Nighty, you're my brother. You'll always be my brother, and I love you. What you did... hurt. All of us. But I understand why you did it, except..."

I shifted in her hug to look at Mint. "Except... wh-what?"

She squeezed again, her own tears breaking loose. "Except how could you feel we'd ever stop loving you, Nighty?"

That was a question which I couldn't answer. There, holding my sister tight, it seemed such an obvious flaw in my thinking, but it had defined my life the past five years.

"I've missed you, Mint." I wept into her coat, muzzle pressed against her chest. "I've missed so much. I... I want to be there for you again. I want to be there for Custard, and to be the uncle he should have grown up knowing."

Her head rested atop mine, my big sister, held me tight like I was still the little colt and she my defender. "There's still time, Night. We've all made mistakes that we wish we could take back."

There's still time. It echoed what Dusky had said to me as well. It felt like I'd spent the past five years doing nothing, being nothing. I could be more, and do more. I could fulfill old promises one way or another, and stop regretting the past.

I raised my head slightly, smiling through the tears. "Sis, I have an idea."

A short flight later, we found ourselves away from the civilization of Myrtail Beach and out of sight of any onlookers. The beach cove that Merri and I had discovered for privacy would serve the same role today.

"It hardly seems ideal, Nighty. I'm not going to go crazy on you or anything." Mint spun a hoof in the water of a tide pool, looking about the secluded patch of beach.

"Don't treat me any differently than any other pony you'd do this against." I grinned, having at least one advantage Mint didn't know about, the months of training with Starshadow. "Besides, maybe I'm not such a pushover."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright. But no crying for mercy, yeah?" She paused. "But seriously, Nighty, you don't need to do this."

I laughed. "I know. I want to, Mint. I owe you this. I... I owe myself this."

Mint began to hop up and down. She grimaced at the sand beneath her, then her wings unfurled and her stance widened. "Now then, let's go."

I fell into a defensive stance of my own.

She raised an eyebrow. "That's not a standard stance they teach in the Guard."

My hooves dug into the sand. "No, I um, might have been trai—"

Mint lunged forward as I spoke, a lightning fast kick off that threw a forehoof into my side.

My eyes went wide as my breath left my lungs. Her strike came and went shockingly quick, and I suddenly realized just how outclassed I actually might be here. I stumbled to the side, only just managing to turn as she kicked again. This time, I raised my forehoof in time to block Mint's follow-up strike.

She kicked both forehooves, but this time I ducked aside. Head low, I thrust my wings forward, striking Mint in the face. The blow dazed her a moment, enough to deflect her to the side, her wings flapping to balance her back.

I took a moment to catch my breath. "I guess you are going to be serious."

She grinned wide, apparently enjoying this a little too much, and landed a measured distance away. "You said you wanted to spar." She raised a hoof and waved towards herself, signalling me to make a move. "So let's spar!"

I jumped forward, my wings giving me extra speed as I struck at Mint with my left hoof. She blocked the first, but I quickly threw a second kick with the right to try to get past her defenses.

Instead, she turned my hoof aside, letting my momentum carry me forward. She grinned as she leaned in and smashed into my chest.

I spun to catch myself in the air, but found the ground before I could right myself. I rolled, closing my eyes a fraction of a second to gather my wits. Quickly, I tried to pushed up on all four legs.

Mint was already pushing her advantage. She'd lept while I was still off balance, closing what little distance I'd made. Even as I started to stand, she tackled me back down, driving me into the sand as she pinned me.

She still had that immense smile upon her face. "You give up yet?"

I tried to flex my hooves, but her weight made that a fight I wouldn't win. "N-no." I tried to dig in, to get some traction to push her off. My wings stretched out and found room. Then it struck me, and I returned a smile of my own to Mint.

Mint looked at me in confusion. "There's no way you can get enough lift to try and fly, Nighty. That was a good effort, but—"

My wings threw up from the ground, carrying a wingful of sand along with them. Mint instinctively raised a hoof to cover her eyes, and I did what I could to roll forward, headbutting her in the chest.

It was enough. Mint staggered back, but to her credit, was already moving her rear hooves into a stance in anticipation of another strike. Her wings rose to her side, poised to strike as she settled back into a ready pose.

My legs nearly slipped in the loose sand as I struggled to get up off the ground. At last, I fell into something resembling a defensive stance and faced Mint.

We stood there in the sand, watching one another for any sign of motion. My breathing was heavy as I tried to recover. Mint's was measured, a veteran who hadn't even really started to warm up.

I couldn't help it. I broke first. Mint standing there in front of me, her face grit with sand and an expression mixed with overly serious concentration and genuine enjoyment. I started to laugh. Just a snicker at first, then a full laugh that I couldn't hold in.

Mint stared, then in an infectious moment began to laugh along. "Nighty, what are we doing?"

Forcing out words through the laughter, I sat back on my hind legs. "Sparring, Mint, what else would we do after five years?"

"Yeah, ha ha. What was I thinking?" She relaxed her stance, then walked over and sat down in the sand next to me. "I'll just go to Cloudsdale and just tell Mom 'Hey Mom, saw Nighty and beat the hay out of him.', she'll love that."

I grinned, the circumstance had somehow reached the pinnacle of ridiculousness. “Well, just tell her it was all my idea.”

Mint let out an exaggerated sigh. “Like she’d believe that, Nighty.” She nudged me with a wing and leaned in close. “Was fun, though. You’ve kept practicing?”

“Well, sort of? I stopped after I… left the Guard but,” I couldn’t help but laugh again. “Like I said, it was an eventful winter.”

“You weren’t kidding.”

I raised a hoof towards Mint. “I promised you… one day, we’d fight together. Maybe, this isn’t what I meant then, but, it’s a start. Are, um... we good?”

She raised a forehoof and bumped it against mine. “We were always good, Night. But are you?”

“Yeah… yeah, I think so.”

Her wing nudged me again before wrapping around me in a feathery hug. “You never owed me anything, Nighty. But you ever need some more training, or somepony to spar with, I’m here for you.”

I looked towards the sky and smiled. “Yeah. And you know that goes both ways. I’m here for you too, Sis.”

25 - Departure

I wonder what the hotel bartender must have come to think of us, over the course of that month. Some of us had ended up spending more time in the bar than on the beach, and we certainly weren't acting like normal tourists.

Mahogany sat between Starshadow and I, letting the bartender refill his glass again. Starshadow had a book levitated in front of her as she twirled a glass of wine, and I nursed a cup of hot tea, sipping now and again as I listened to my friends while away the evening.

"I'm tellin' you, it's all Terra's fault. Throwing me under the cart like that." Mahogany grumped, one hoof wrapped around his drink. He raised the glass and mumbled into it as he drank. "'m not a buckin' prince."

Starshadow replied without lowering her book, "Nor is Merriweather a princess. Thank goodness for that."

"All I'm sayin' is, not into that. She's a good drinkin' buddy. That's it. I'm not tryin' to pull a Flurry here."

I blinked, putting my tea down as I eyed Mahogany. "Pull a... um... me?"

"Yeah, you know. Date someone within the friendship circle. Gotta be done very carefully, or it throws everything outta whack." He scrunched his nose up and motioned the bartender back towards his now empty glass. "Plus you know, Merri's Merri. Fun to hang out with, but I'll pass on anything else. Dating ruins everything."

I frowned for a moment, but before I could gather my thoughts, Starshadow was already replying.

She lowered her book to look at Mahogany with an evil smile on her face. "Unless Merriweather has already decided that you are the one."

Mahogany glared at her. "I don't really think Merri's the type to deal with one."

"You would be surprised." A bookmark slid into place as she settled her reading upon the bar top, the glow around Starshadow's horn faded. "Ostfriesen seems exotic and foreign to you, but to us, your everyday lives are fascinating. She sees a pony like you, a solid, strong, and dependable pony of a wholly non-threatening nature, and it is no wonder she has become infatuated."

"Yeh huh. Pull the other one now." He barely waited for the bartender to finish pouring before he threw back his glass. He dropped it back to the bar and waved for another.

Starshadow winked at me from behind Mahogany, then pressed on. "Surely, you had considered that spending so much time with one another, some attachment might form."

Mahogany rolled his eyes. "Hmmmm, nope. Nope. If she's makin' attachments that's gonna be her problem."

She shifted closer to Mahogany until they were almost snout to snout. "I assure you, if you make it her problem, I shall make it your problem."

I coughed politely. "I, um, not sure how much that's helping, Star."

Mahogany sneered. "Well excuse, me! Just because she only has a brain in her flank doesn't mean I gotta humor her."

Starshadow turned a glare on Mahogany as if she were about to set him on fire.

"This... this isn't really the place you two." I glanced around the bar room, looking for anything that could serve to distract them from the situation. To my relief, I spied Mint stepping into the bar, waving a hoof. "Mint! Oh, um, you guys! It's Mint!"

Mahogany broke his glance off to turn to my sister. "Who’s Mint?"

I quickly hopped off the bar stool, wings carrying me up and over to land next to Mint. I hugged her tight, whispering into her ear. "Good timing."

"Oh?" She glanced over me towards the bar curiously. "Well, not just timing. I have some good news too."

"Sheesh, Flurry." Mahogany had spun to face us, drink still in hoof as he tsked at me. "Didn't you and Dusky just start dating? You're already after another mare?"

Starshadow's horn glowed for a second as she flicked Mahogany's ear. "Stop being insensitive. That is Sergeant Creme, his sister."

Mahogany flinched. "Gah! Hey! Calling me insensitive. Ponies don't do that. Rude." He twitched his ear a bit, then tilted his head. "I thought his sister was the white one? Good ol' wass her name. Springy. She was fun."

Mint snickered. "Springy? Oh, that's good. Gotta remember that one. Nah, I'm just the boring sister."

"The boring sister?" Mahogany shook his head. "How many sisters you got, Flurry?"

I scuffed a hoof, feeling a little embarrassed that I'd never even brought them up to Mahogany. "Um... four."

"Four? Dang, Night. Wait, is she the one who tried to mail you to Canterlot?"

Mint snorted. "Hardly. And I'm mostly here on official capacity. Mostly."

Starshadow smiled, though her voice remained low. "Hello, Sergeant. Here to spread the news?"

"Sure am!" She giggled, giving me a quick salute. "Coast is clear. Daddy says you all can return to Ponyville."

Mahogany looked to the bartender, giving an overly dramatic sigh. "See, this is why I hate romance. It always ends too soon. I'm just sorry you had to hear it this way."

The Bartender slid him another drink and wandered off without comment, leaving Mahogany shaking his head. "He's heartbroken, so sad."

Mint rolled her eyes, then shook her head. "Anyways, yeah. Daddy finished fumigating, so for now, mission complete. I'm heading back to Canterlot tonight, and got tickets for you all to take a train back soon."

I breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. I mean, great, really. You've... you've told Dusky?"

She nodded. "Already ran into her. Wanted to be sure she heard it straight from the horse's mouth, then I wanted to catch up with you before I left."

I smiled. "Thanks. Getting home is... well, it's going to be a relief for everypony, I think."

Mahogany gave a cheer. "Yeah. Back to my same ol' boring apartment and same ol' boring job. Whoo!"

Starshadow shot Mahogany another glare before bowing to Mint. "I believe the release of tension and a more familiar setting will be beneficial to us all, yes. Thank you for your diligence, Sergeant Creme. And I do wish to apologize for our initial misunderstanding."

Mint waved a hoof. "Don't worry about it. Dusky and I figured it out. And Night and I figured it out. I'd have done the same in your position."

As if just remembering something, Mint perked up. "Speaking of figuring things out, I got a gift for ya!" She reached her head back, pulling out an envelope from her satchel.

I took it from her, sitting back to carefully open the letter. Inside was a flier for a Wonderbolts show in Whinnyapolis, along with a ticket. I curiously glanced back at Mint.

Her ears dropped back, and for a moment she looked like she did when we were younger. One of those rare occasions when she knew she was doing something not quite right. "It's a small show, and none of the big names are going to be there. Soarin and Spitfire and Fleetfoot are all performing in Baltimare that weekend. I mean, I would go, but after a month here, I'm gonna have a lot to catch up with."

"Um... okay? Well, I guess it could be fun." I was as much a fan of the Wonderbolts as any pegasus, though I'd never gone out of my way to attend any of their shows, still something was off with the whole thing. "It is the Wonderbolts, after all."

"Yeah, well. Wonderbolts. Mostly the Reserves performing, but still a hell of a show." Mint laughed strangely, almost guiltily.

"I mean, it's a great gesture, Mint. I... I appreciate that. Is... is there something... wrong with the show?"

She lowered her head and took a deep breath. "Well, there's another reason I think you should go. If you can do it." She pointed a hoof at the ticket. "It's a free pass I got... for family of the performers."

My eyes went wide. "Family of the... oh. Then, the Reserve?"

"Diamond."

The name hung in the air.

Mahogany clapped his hooves together behind me. "Diamond! Who's Diamond?"

Starshadow whispered just loud enough to fill the room. "Another of his estranged family, I believe."

"Figures." He grunted, the clinking of ice against glass signalling he'd retrieved another drink. "Waaaaay too many sisters to keep track of."

My hoof shook slightly as I stared down at the ticket "Diamond will be there?"

"She's in the reserves. They say she's got good talent, and she volunteers for a lot of the away shows." She gave a short sigh, placing a hoof on my shoulder. "She travels a lot, I think she's doing it just to stay away from Cloudsdale. Bad memories, I think. You two might have more in common than you think."

I was unsure how that made me feel. I never wanted to be anything like Diamond. Diamond was cruel, she was hurtful, she hated me. Or, she had been, as a foal. I was certainly different than I'd been as a colt. Maybe she had changed as well.

A sigh escaped my lips. "I... suppose." I placed the ticket back into the envelope, then slipped it under my wing. "I suppose she deserves a chance, right?"

Mint grinned broadly, hugging me tight. "That's the spirit!" She stepped back and tussled my mane with her hoof.

"You'll take care, right, Mint?" I gazed at my sister, trying to keep from tearing up.

"Of course, I will." She poked at me with her hoof in a mock jab. "And I'll be seeing you."

I nodded, though her tone told me that it wasn't a question. "Tell... tell Custard his uncle says, um, hi."

Mint waved a wing as she headed towards the door. "Sure thing, Nighty. Don't be a stranger!"

I sat back down in the bar, watching her leave, though not forever. This time, she was only leaving for now.

Mahogany snickered behind me. "You alright there, 'Nighty'?"

I felt the envelope tucked under my wing and turned back towards the bar. "Yeah. I guess I am."

The next two days were spent packing, preparing for the train ride home. Everypony's moods had improved with the news of a return home, though the range of those moods was intense. Terra was on one extreme, practically vibrating with anticipation. Mahogany put on a face of indifference, but even he seemed happier with the news. Dusky, Merri, and Star had all taken on a more cautious approach, and I couldn't blame them, considering why we were here in the first place.

My feelings were surprisingly mixed. I trusted Dad, and if there was any reason he didn't think we could come home, he wouldn't have given us the all-clear. It was good to see everyone so happy to head back, but something else ate at my mind.

After hearing we were heading home, I made one small concession to this trip as a vacation. The day before we were scheduled to leave, I found a souvenir stand, searching for something that would capture the feel of the beach. At last I found something suitable to put onto one of my shelves back home.

It was just a simple snow globe, but somehow it felt appropriate. The contrast of the beach and the ocean against the glittery 'snow' made me smile. Just the token of it, having something that said I’d been here was important to me, and it let me pack my things for home with a better sense of conclusion.

On our last day in Myrtail, we walked back upon the path we'd arrived on nearly a month ago, this time with Dusky walking with us. The luggage was packed, tickets in hoof, and everypony ready to just go home. The train platform wasn't that busy, and we'd arrived early enough to check in and get into place long before the train arrived.

Spirits were high, and once the train pulled into the station, Terrabona actually cheered. We filtered into the train, once again treated to a privately booked car.

I followed behind Dusky, stopping when she settled into one of seats towards the back, giving her a view of the whole train car. I stopped in the aisle, smiling a bit guiltily. "Um, Is this seat taken?"

She giggled, then patted a hoof on the seat to her side. "Of course not."

I settled into the cushy seat and slipped off my bags. I carefully set them down on the seat before turning to Dusky. "So, um... back on the train."

"Yeah, I guess so." She smiled at me.

Soon enough, the train began to pull forward and I couldn't help but sigh. "Y-yeah. Trains."

She nudged me gently with her snout, that nudge turning into a short nuzzle. "There's a reason I'd rather fly, but that's not always an option. Besides, it’s not like trains don’t have their own advantages."

I nodded, blushing at the contact. "Well... it's not just the train." I paused, then reached back over to my bag, retrieving the box I'd gotten from the souvenir shop.

Dusky tilted her head curiously as I opened up the box, sliding out my snow globe. A small sign posted on the tiny sculpted sandscape read 'Myrtail Beach'.

"I bought it the other day, once I heard we were leaving." I shook it gently and held to up towards Dusky. "It just seemed perfect for me."

She giggled again, and her eyes went from the snow globe down to my cutie mark. "Never would have guessed."

I chuckled quietly, watching the snow fall. "Maybe it is a little obvious."

"So then, what else is bothering you?"

"It's just... going back." The last of the snow landed upon the beach, and I took a deep breath before I continued. "I'm... happy. I mean, I can't think of a time I've been happier. My time with you, catching up with Mint, the beach, all of it."

Dusky shifted in her seat, leaning in closer to me with a smile on her face, but her eyes watched me closely.

I looked at her and smiled back. "For... for as awful as the circumstances that brought us here, it's been... well, I just... I almost wish this trip wasn't ending."

She tilted her head and laughed quietly. "If this trip never ended, then how would you ever see any of those other places you've been wanting to see?"

My mouth opened to respond, but I stopped as my words failed. "Oh. Right."

I wanted to see what else I was missing, what else the world had to show. So why was leaving Myrtail bothering me so?

"You're right. I guess... I mean, um... this." I awkwardly leaned over, gently nuzzling against her. "This feeling, you and I, and even my family. I... I'm afraid that once we get back, things will just go back to how they were."

I sputtered a moment, suddenly finding myself talking without seeming to be able stop "N-not that that's a bad thing, what we had before, or who we were. I mean, that was good, and if we were just friends it'd be fine, but I l-like... this. And, what we are... um..."

My ears dropped. "I... I'm rambling."

"You underestimate yourself." She slid back from me, smirking just a little as she looked into my eyes. "We'll be the same in Ponyville as we were in Myrtail. It's tied to us, not where we are."

I blushed, looking back into her eyes, still as beautiful as when I'd first lost myself in them. "S-sorry. I'm... I'm scared, and worried, and I just... I get worked up sometimes, and I—" I stopped myself.

It wasn't just being scared of what I might do to hurt this relationship, I was also scared of what might still be waiting for us in Ponyville. What if something like this happened again? My thoughts drifted back to our last train ride, and suddenly I knew what I wanted.

Dusky watched me curiously. "Are you okay, Night?"

A laugh escaped my lips, the absurdity of it all in my mind. "I just... I just realized what might make me feel a little better."

She raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"A... a promise." I smiled. "Promise me you won't be a hero."

She stared a second, then broke into a laugh of her own. "And what makes you think I would try to do that?"

I frowned, scuffing a hoof against the seat. Maybe I still didn't understand, and it probably wasn't the same at all, but still, it was something. "Well... your trip to Hoofington."

Her smile shrank a little, but the smirk remained. "That's not quite the same thing, but I know what you mean." She leaned in again and nuzzled against my snout. "I promise to try to stay away from danger."

"Maybe not the same, but still. Thank you, Dusky." I slowly returned her gesture, nosing back. "We'll see what Ponyville and the future holds then... t-together."

"Together." She shifted her head against me, sliding up until I felt a new warmth pressing against my face. She pulled back, a gentle kiss indelibly marked upon my cheek.

The train continued onward to Ponyville, and I couldn't wait to get home.

26 - Routines

The train arrived back in Ponyville late in the day. The initial excitement of our return home had faded into a listless exhaustion for everypony by the time the train pulled into the station. The platform was practically empty, just a few ponies boarding the train for its next stop in Canterlot. The tension of that moment, exiting the train, was more than I'd have anticipated. Despite our assurances of safety, it was clear Dusky was worried something would still be waiting for us.

Instead, Ponyville spread out before us, peaceful and quiet in the late afternoon. Everypony was eager to get home, and too tired for long goodbyes, especially knowing we'd likely be meeting up at the bar soon enough. I had to admit that even I was eager to get home and rest in my own bed, but there was still some lingering fear of returning to some status quo. That was a fear which Dusky dispelled with a tight hug before she headed into town.

Her first priority was to check in at work, she said. I probably should have joined her, but I wasn't quite up to dealing with Rainbow Dash tonight. Instead, I wished her luck and gathered up my bags to prepare to head home.

That was when I saw him.

An armored guard strode across the platform. He was walking casually, moving from the ticket booths towards the train. I traced his path with my eyes. If I'd followed after Dusky, our paths would have intersected. It was enough to cause me to stop, part of my mind instantly growing suspicious at his sudden arrival.

A Pegasus. Random chance? Or did they expect you to fly? Check the sky for more.

The thought was almost like somepony else whispering into my ear. I glanced up at the sky, but didn't see unusual cloud formations nearby. My eyes turned back to the Guard. He was whistling to himself as he continued along his way.

The optimal time to strike would be now. If he is planning something, best to make the first move. Block the eyes first. Divert attention with a wing jab to the face, then sweep the forelegs. Once he falls, strike the head.

My eyes went wide at the mental image. This pony hadn't done anything, and yet my first thought wasn't to get away, but to instantly attack him?

What choice do you have? You have chosen to stay in this town. If they know where you are and are hunting you, you must make a stand.

What choice did I have? Certainly not to resort to violence first, that was never who I wanted to be. I thought back to Dusky. I knew she'd done things that she regretted...

She has done what she had to. That is why you're training yourself, is it not? To be useful to her?

Maybe, when I'd started, that was all I'd considered. Now, it had become something I was doing for myself. I wanted to be able to help her if the time came, but it was something I did now because it just made me feel better about myself.

The strange thoughts, was this some enchantment at work? Was this like what had happened to Mahogany? To Dusky? I shook my head, trying to think clearly.

No. This one has no enchantment. Those spells increased feelings of trust towards the focus of the spell.

Then what was happening here? This guard wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary, probably just a pony who lived in Canterlot, and had been assigned a patrol in Ponyville. I shouldn't have given him a second thought, except here I was, plotting out an attack? I felt sick.

I looked around, wondering if somepony was playing a cruel trick on me. Paranoia like that wasn't going to help me, nor was it going to help Dusky. Besides that, it just felt wrong. "N-not like that..." The guard moved past me, then turned to board the train without so much as looking at me. I sighed. "Not like that."

The general noise of the station rose as train prepared to depart once again. I tapped a hoof nervously, unsure who could have played such a prank, or even how they'd do it, or if it was all in my head. Maybe the stress of the trip had gotten to me more than I'd thought. I gave one last look around the train station, then spread my wings and headed for home.

The comfort of my own bed eased me into my usual dreamless sleep. The next day I spent some time getting the clouds of my house back in shape after a month of neglect, then set out towards Town Hall. I hoped Dusky had been able to get her schedule settled. I wasn't sure if things would be easier or harder for me. I'd plenty of time off saved up, but... a month gone without notice wasn't going to make me any friends.

I took a deep breath as I landed in the town center, gathering my thoughts as I walked the last few steps to the Weather offices. Inside, the Town Hall had a buzz of activity that was usually just starting as I left after my shift. Mayor Mare was in her office and a few ponies were waiting to see her. A few of her assistants were already darting about with stacks of paperwork, causing me to weave a little to find my way towards the corridor that led to the weather office.

Just stepping out of the office door, I spied Rainbow Dash's unmistakable mane. She tilted her head at me a moment, then waved with a smile. "Yo, Flurry!"

"Um... yo? Rainbow." I waved back a little awkwardly.

She walked up with her typical bit of swagger, the extreme confidence that always made me a little uncomfortable, and a little jealous. "Ha! Knew you'd be back today. It'll be good to have you doing the night shift again, even if it's just temporary."

That was a lot to process, and I mentally flailed a moment before I could pry for more information. "You... figured? Temporary? W-wait, you're not mad about it?"

She shrugged. "Meh. I mean, sure, I was pretty upset at first. But then Blizzard explained what was up. I got Icicle Gleam and Cloud Kicker to cover your shift while you were gone. But if you do end up taking the promotion, we'll probably need to hire somepony to fill in when you're gone."

"You will? Wait, promotion?" None of this was making any sense at all, and I was struggling to keep up. "Blizzard explained um... everything to you?"

She gave me a flat look. "Um, yeah. I mean, that's why you're here, right? She said she was going to meet with you today to talk about it."

I knew Dusky had come in last night, but that wouldn't explain why Blizzard had known what to tell Dash. Unless Dusky had already run into Blizzard and explained things to her, that would make some sense, but it wouldn't explain anything about a promotion.

Still, if Blizzard explained everything to Dash, then it would probably be best to play along until I could find out what she knew. "Oh. Um... right! Yeah, that's uh, why I'm here. That and to have you put me back on the schedule, um, for now?"

She shrugged. "You can just show up for your old shift like you used to. I guess I'll go track down the others to let them know they're off the hook tonight. Cloud Kicker's not really into the late nights like you are."

"Err, right. I'll have to thank her and Icicle for covering." I grinned sheepishly. "Um... thanks for understanding, Rainbow."

"Hey, no problem. I can't really begrudge you and Dusky running off for a big opportunity like that, you know?" She leaned in and failed to whisper. "I mean, I've had to run off without warning too sometimes. All that saving Equestria is hard work. Guess I can understand it from the other side of things too."

Saving Equestria? Right. "Right. And um... thanks for that too."

"No problem, Flurry! Now, I gotta be off. Dusky's a fellow Daring Do fan, you know? Gotta stand by for friends like that." Her voice dropped into an actual whisper this time. "I'm glad she's okay."

Rainbow Dash sped off, leaving me standing in the hall alone.

I called after her. "M-me too... Thanks." How much she actually knew or what she believed, I couldn't say. Maybe Dusky or Bree had already told her the truth, or maybe Twilight Sparkle had told her. It didn't matter, I suppose.

It made me feel a little better, that there were ponies outside our circle of friends who were supporting us, supporting Dusky. I'd never gotten along terribly well with Rainbow, but if there was anything I could say about it, it was that she could be counted on to support her team. I looked up to her in that regard. I wanted to be that kind of pony, one who could be there for my friends, through thick or thin. It took me a moment to recall that, apparently, Blizzard was waiting for me in the Weather Office.

The door let out a familiar creak as I entered the office. Things hadn't changed much in my month away, save that the paperwork looked a little more disorganized than usual. On the other side of the desk, Blizzard Breeze sat with her primary feathers deftly working a quill over some parchment. She wore a closely bundled scarf with black and white stripes cutting across it.

Catching sight of me, she set her quill down and rose up from the desk. "There you are, Flurry. I knew you'd be in today." She trotted over and pulled me into a hug, one wing wrapping around my neck.

I smiled and hugged back, "Hi Bree. I um, like your scarf."

"It's a kafiya." She giggled. "And you're probably just thinking about Dusky's scarf."

My face heated slightly. "W-well yours is very nice too. So... you knew I was coming?"

Blizzard let go, her smile slipping into a more serious disposition. "I talked to Dusky last night. She explained what happened."

"I... oh. Yeah." My ears dropped, though I suppose if Dusky had told her, it was fine. "So that's how Rainbow knew too?"

Her tone bit at me, she sounded insulted by the idea that she would betray Dusky's trust. "What? No. I told Rainbow that you and Dusky were helping me with some special training. Remember the position I took in Canterlot?"

It felt like years ago, when we'd discussed that, her new promotion and moving out of Fetlock. "The uh, administrator position?"

She grinned proudly. "I'm on the Equestria Snow Administration team. I'm one of the ponies responsible for the winter schedule for the whole country. I've been selecting ponies from towns all over Equestria for some dedicated winter weather training."

"So... you told her we were attending that training? But, won't she question why she's just finding out now that we're back?"

Blizzard laughed, crossing back to the other side of the desk. "I told Rainbow that two weeks ago. I knew you'd be back, just like I knew you had to have a good reason for leaving the way you did."

I felt tears welling up in the corners of my eyes. It wasn't just Rainbow who was dependable. I had some good friends close to me as well. "You... you didn't have to do that, Bree."

She sat behind the desk and eyed me carefully. A wicked smile spread over her face. "Mmmm, no. I didn't have to. But then, you wouldn't owe me. And I have a favor I need from you."

"A... wh-what?" I stammered as my stomach sank. I'd been so inspired by the support, the help that our friends had provided, but somehow it had all been for some kind of personal gain?

I sighed, feeling suddenly defeated. "What... what do you need me to do?"

She grinned, and placed her hoof on the desk between us. She slid some paper across the table. "Just sign here."

My eyes skimmed across the parchment, trying to deduce what exactly I was signing away. I couldn't have read it correctly, it felt too much like some kind of joke. I looked up from the paper at Blizzard, trying to get a read on her.

"B-Bree... this is..." I swallowed. "Th-this is what Rainbow was talking about? Th-this is for a promotion?"

"Mmhmm." She tapped the paper. "I have plans for you, Night. I need ponies I can trust, ponies who know what they're doing, and who know winter weather."

"A-and so... you're forcing me to take a promotion?"

She sighed, her wings rustling slightly. "I'm not forcing you to do anything, Night. I'd hoped you'd had time to think about it, and were ready to step up."

I read through the paper again. In my month away, I'd already taken other steps that seemed far greater than this, and I'd seen things far scarier than anything Blizzard Breeze could set before me. I set my jaw and reached over to where she'd left the quill.

I signed my name and smiled. "You, uh... you didn't need to blackmail me, you know."

Bree chuckled. "Well, I thought that maybe you still needed a push."

"Maybe I did. Thanks, Bree. For everything." It was another step forward. More responsibility, perhaps, but winter weather was my passion. If there was anything I was confident in working harder towards, it would be that. Dealing with my relationship with my family, the actual threats that had faced Dusky, and the fact that I was dating her? Those were things I looked towards with uncertainty, but I was still forging a path forward.

My job? My special talent? That seemed easy in comparison.

The rest of my day after the talk with Bree had been surreal. I wouldn't be back on the weather schedule for a few days, so there wasn't quite a reason to sleep through the day as I usually did.

In fact, things were starting to shape up so that I wouldn't be working the night shift for a whole lot longer anyways. After being in that position for so long, it felt strange to think I’d be moving on, that I’d be changing.

For tonight, however, I’d be going back to one routine at least, though perhaps with a bit of added celebration.

I knocked on Mahogany’s door in the Red Hoof Ranch apartment complex. I looked at the peeling wallpaper as I waited, wondering how old the faded floral patterns actually were. Coming to Mahogany’s apartment always felt like going back in time.

The door opened sharply, pulling my attention away from the decor and towards my friend. Mahogany glared at me for a second before he slumped. “Oh right. Flurry. We’re doing that tonight?”

Mahogany looked more miserable than he had during our whole trip to Myrtail. He’d been perhaps the least enthusiastic about coming home, but even he’d wanted to get back to Ponyville, or so I’d thought.

“Um, yeah, if you’re still up to it.” I forced a smile.

He craned his neck back into the apartment and narrowed his eyes. “Yeah. Yeah, I could use a few drinks.”

I shifted on my hooves to try to look in past Mahogany. “You sure? Everything all right?”

“Yeah. Fine. Perfectly fine.” He looked back at me and stepped out the door, locking his apartment behind him. “Just back to the same old grind, ya know? Better than being cooped up in some dumb hotel, I guess.”

My ears fell a little, as I suspected I knew exactly what was bothering him. “And uh… work was alright? Like… getting back after a while?”

He snorted, then started to trot through the apartment halls. “Yeah. Regular ticker tape parade. The Princesses came out and welcomed me, gave me the key to the city and a big crown.”

I followed after, lowering my head as we headed out. I’d known the trip was hard on everypony, and I felt a little bad for how well things had gone for me. Bree wouldn't be able to smooth things over with Mahogany’s boss, after all. “R-right… sorry.”

“Bah. Not your fault, Flurry.” He paused, falling back to walk alongside me. “My boss didn't much appreciate me being gone so long, so he sent a letter to my emergency contact.”

“Your emergency contact?”

“My family.” He sighed. “Because I’m an idiot.”

I cringed. I knew Mahogany was on the outs with his family, perhaps worse than I was. Than I had been, anyways.

“My Dad got the message. So I came home to an express letter straight from Shirecago, straight from the horse’s mouth.” He spit the words.

“R-right… your dad.” I’d very rarely heard Mahogany speak about his father. It was nothing like my relationship with my dad, where things were tense, but I’d always respected him. Mahogany hated his father.

“Two strikes, he said.” Mahogany sneered. “Said I’d made nothing of myself in all this time, so he was only giving me one more chance, then he’d bring me back where I belong.”

I stopped in my tracks. “Where… where you belong? You mean… he'd take you back to Shirecago? Can he even do that?”

He turned to look me in the eyes. “No. Never going to happen. This was my fault, Flurry. Not your fault, not Dusky’s. It was all on me. I just want to live my own damn life. The only way Birch is going to drag me back there is dead.”

We continued walking in silence, Mahogany lost in thought and me unwilling to broach the subject again. As we neared the bar, he seemed to visibly relax, letting out a deep sigh.

I decided it was as good a time as any to reach out again. “You know… if you need me, I’ll be there for you Mahogany. Anything you need, I… I’ll do whatever I can to help.”

“Thanks but, I can handle it, Flurry. I've dealt with them before.”

I came up closer and pulled him into a hug. “I know. I mean… just letting you know I’m here for you.”

He seemed to stiffen, then squeezed one hoof around me tightly for just a moment before he pulled away. “Alright, alright, enough of that. Sheesh.”

I couldn't help but grin. “Sorry, just… seemed like you needed a hug.”

“Yeah, maybe. But come on Flurry, enough worrying about crap that’s not going to happen. For now,” He pulled open the door and inhaled the rush of bar air. "It’s good to be home."

My smile was unabated as I looked up at the familiar sign of the blushing sea pony. "Yeah. I suppose it is."

27 - Diamond

The wind was to my back as I flew over Equestria. No train this time. Instead, I let my wings stretch out for some long distance flying, and so far the currents had all been in my favor. Maybe that was a sign of things to come. I certainly hoped so.

I was perhaps a quarter of the way to Whinnyapolis. The trip would end up being a full day's flight, but I'd accounted for that and packed fairly light. I wouldn't be spending much time in the city anyways. A day's flight in, and then one day there for the show, and a day's flight back. Easy.

Sitting in my meager bit of luggage was the ticket Mint had given me. Whinnyapolis Presents: The Wonderbolts. That by itself was a strange feeling, going such a distance to see a Wonderbolts show. Not that I didn't enjoy the Wonderbolts. In fact, I think I still had my Wonderbolts collectors cards stored away at home.

Of more concern was just who else would be in attendance.

Her voice echoed through my mind as I flew, a rough voice, full of hate from a long time ago.

"Just a wannabe. A pathetic little Night Light." She shoved me with her wings, pushing me down into the soft cloud.

"Sh-shut up! Y-you know I h-hate th-that name." I started to push myself back up, but felt her hoof on my head, pushing me back down into a face full of fluffy nimbus.

She sang my name back mockingly, rubbing my face into the cloud. "Night Light, Night Light, stupid scared little Night Light."

I cowered away as her hoof pulled back and mumbled back, "I'm not g-gunna be Night Light. I... I won't! I'll b-be somepony else... I'll... I'll..."

She put a hoof to my chin as I trailed off and lowered her head towards mine. "You'll go running back to Mom, just like you always do.

I tried to hold back my tears, tried to be brave, but I was only seven, and she was eleven, and big for her age. Not fat, just big, and strong, and she knew it.

"Things were a lot better before you came along, Night Light."

Diamond had always been like that. When Mint was around, they were at odds while Mint tried to keep her from me. When she was with Spring, she tended towards more mischief and pranking, which was still hurtful, but nothing like when she was alone. I had far too many memories like that one.

I had been ashamed of the promises I'd made to Mint, and Spring was like a force of nature, you couldn't blame her, you simply tried to get out of her way. With Diamond, I knew that her problem was always with me. She made sure I knew it, every chance she got.

There was only another twelve hours or so more to go on my flight to meet with her again. I closed my eyes a moment and tried to think of just about anything else, but those memories were hard to look past. I kept flying forward.

The stadium was actually fairly impressive. I was familiar with the Cloudsdale stadium, but hadn't expected the stadium in Whinnyapolis to at all compare. There was an open field marked off with white lines markings which were obviously in place for more ground-based events. Today, however, the focus was upon the air. There were large hanging hoop-like clouds arrayed in the general circular track form, though with far more use of vertical space than any ground race could manage.

My seat was in the friends and family section, a VIP bleacher set in about the middle of one side of the oblong stadium with the announcers booth was almost directly behind us. I nervously flagged down a snack vendor, acquiring a soft pretzel, determined that no matter what happened afterwards, I was going to enjoy the show itself. Then I sat quietly amidst the other ponies, all pegasi, from the looks of it, and waited for the event to start.

The buzz of so much noise was almost overwhelming as the audience packed in. Whinnyapolis was a fair bit larger than Ponyville in every regard, and I think the entire town's population could have fit inside with plenty of room to spare. I tried to keep my head down, not looking at the others seated near me as I nervously bit at the pretzel.

"Fillies and Gentlecolts!" Speakers across the stadium boomed to life. "If I can direct your attention to the sky above our stadium, it is with great excitement today that we present today's show. Please join us as Whinnyapolis welcomes..."

The announcers paused dramatically, as the audience's eyes, mine included, were glued to the sky.

The air crackled, and down came a streak of lightning, an instantly familiar blue and yellow uniform leading the trail of jagged light. "Chain Lightning!"

The next came down in a tight spiral, spinning around the lightning before it could fade, a blue mist in their wake that seemed to extinguish the storm as it descended. "Tempest Sweep!"

The next two came in together, an orange streak from the left, and a yellow streak from the right. They nearly collided, but crossed just past one another, only to continue flying down and cross back once again. "Skyrocket and Sun Chaser!"

"Diamond Wing!"

I swallowed hard and my stomach suddenly regretted eating that soft pretzel. There was a turquoise blur, but with a stripe of red straight through it, the pony at its fore zipped around in a precise pattern. The contrail formed a pentagon, and as she completed her sky drawing, she zipped up into a loop.

Apparently on cue, the other four Wonderbolts arced away from their displays, looping up at a precise angle until each met at one corner of the design, extending hooves and wings to mimic the pattern among themselves. At last, all five were free falling, wings outstretched to almost touch at the tip.

"And last but not least, Ballistic!" The sixth came in out of nowhere, flying straight down through the formation the others had formed and threading the needle between their wings.

The other five broke away from one another just as Ballistic cut through, each twisting backwards into a half-loop downwards. Ballistic slammed into the center of the stadium ground with a dramatic impact, and the others each completed their loop to land in position surrounding her. There was a stunned silence in the stadium as the six began to wave to the audience.

"They are, the Wonderbolts!" The crowd broke into a tremendous cheer, and swept up in the moment, I was right there with them, forgetting why I was there and genuinely enjoying the spectacle.

After the impressive entrance, the Wonderbolts went through a practiced routine, more acrobatics, precision maneuvers, and expert timing. Some earth ponies and unicorns think that flying is easy, and that the Wonderbolts are renowned for speed alone, but knowing just what they're doing, speed was only the smallest part of it.

To conclude the show, the six had an exhibition race through the course set up over the stadium. They sped through the cloud rings, weaving and diving as each racer pushing for every bit of speed and control. The whole event was amazing, and in the end, Skyrocket won the race, with my sister coming in fourth. I had mixed emotions as she sped through the finishing line, unsure if I should be happy for her, upset with her, or even disappointed she hadn't done better.

The stadium began to empty as the show ended, and I sat still as the other ponies made their way out. Not everypony was heading for the exits, however, as a small group moved their way down to the field. With a glance down at the line forming, I took a deep breath to muster up some resolve, and opened my wings to glide down to the end of the line.

It wasn't a huge group, mostly foals accompanied by their parents, each bouncing excitedly about. A few had autograph books, others had cards or hats or other items to have signed. I almost wanted to find a way to get one myself, and felt a smile creep onto my face at the thought of starting an autograph collection. Diamond might one day have a trading card with her picture on it. Maybe she already did. I resisted the urge to ask one of the foals.

The Wonderbolts stepped back out into the field with a small cheer, the six pegasi accompanied by some additional ponies wearing headsets and carrying clipboards. They consulted a moment with the Wonderbolts, then two of them headed towards our line and started directing ponies onto the field.

I watched Diamond as she talked with a couple colts as she signed her autograph. Getting a closer look at her now that she wasn't speeding over the stadium, she was wearing the half-uniform of the reserves, a waist to neck vest in the familiar blue and yellow colors of the Wonderbolts. There was only one other performer in the reserve uniform, and the crowds of ponies surrounding the other four were telling.

More shocking in her appearance were the stripes of red running through her mane. Those were new since I'd last seen her, and they certainly fit, making her normally blue hair stand out against her similarly light blue coat. She was smiling wide, her wing gripping a quill as she signed another book for a filly wearing flight goggles before she sent her off with a salute.

I approached slowly, waiting for somepony else to run up between us and forestall the moment. Instead, she stood alone, watching the other Wonderbolts as the foals gathered around them.

I cleared my throat. "N-not, um... not as long a line for you."

"Yeah, well, I'm just a reserve. The Wonderbolts are the heroes. But you know, someday, right?" She turned to me with a grin. "So you fan or just a—"

She stopped, and I instantly felt like I was a colt again. Her face shifted away from her initial shock into a hard gaze that bore into me. She lifted the goggles up from over her eyes and began to walk towards me.

I sputtered, suddenly unsure about this. Why had I let Mint talk me into this? How had I even considered this a good idea?

A hoof against my shoulder only proved my doubts and fears all correct. The strike landed hard, and I made no effort to block as it knocked me to the side. I shied away, keeping my balance.

Her face was red, but inside that mask of rage, her eyes welled up with tears. "How... how dare you? How dare you?"

"D-Diamond... I..." I glanced around. Several of the other groups had turned to check on the disturbance, but so far, they all just watched curiously.

"Shut up. Shut up you complete, utter horse apple." She pushed me again, but as I started to pull away, she grabbed me.

I felt like I was being crushed. Her grip was tight, and she was squeezing me hard. I struggled a moment before I really started to understand what was happening. She was hugging me.

To my further surprise, Diamond sobbed a bit as she squeezed tight. Her voice strained over the rising emotion. "You stupid little... you... you... goddesses... Night... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

My hooves shook as I struggled free of her grip, bringing them up to hug her back. "Diamond, S-Sis... I... I forgive you."

With emotions high and needing a moment away from the spectators, Diamond led me out of the stadium and into one of the private rooms. There, she gave me another hug, just as bone-crushingly tight as the first.

She eventually released me, letting out a deep sigh. "Damn it, Night. I... I never thought I'd see you again."

I grinned awkwardly, scraping a hoof on the floor. "I... I didn't think so either. I thought, well, maybe we'd both be better off that way?"

"I... I can hardly blame you, Night." She looked away. "I did a lot to you. I'd say I didn't mean it, but..."

My ears dropped. "I... know. I know you hated me. I'd... I don't know. I just wanted to find a way to... to get past that."

She choked, biting out a laugh. "Hate you? Night, I... yeah, maybe I used to. But that wasn't your fault."

Part of me knew that, I suppose. Especially now, after talking to Spring, and Mint. Still, those memories still hurt. I couldn't help but laugh at her words. "M-maybe not. But it wasn't just you."

Diamond furrowed her brow and tilted her head to look at me askew. "No, but I certainly never helped. I was so jealous of you, Night."

"J-jealous? Of me? Why? What did I have that you didn't? Or... or that you didn't break?" It came out harsher than I intended, but old feelings were stronger than I'd believed.

She was crying as she stared at me, tears slowly tracing down her cheeks. "You know why? Why I broke your things? Why I tormented you, or tricked Spring into hurting you? Or just hurt you myself?"

I could only shake my head. I'd never thought on it much. My old self was convinced it was something I'd done to deserve it, and I wasn't sure what else it could be.

"Your name." She broke eye contact as if she couldn't bear it. She forced a laugh before she could continue. "Damn you, I hated your name. Night Light. You were Mom and Dad's only son, and they were so proud."

"N-Night Light... I used to hate that name too. N-not just because of you. I wanted to be more than just a night light."

Her laughter was far less forced as she roughly pushed me with her hooves. "Ya dunce! You still don't get it? I hated you for that too. You didn't realize what your name meant... took it for granted."

I wobbled back from the hit, but my jaw dropped down. "For... granted? What do you mean?"

She placed a hoof on her chest. "You think the rest of us got names like that? Mint? Diamond? Spring? The only one of us who was honored like that was Sun."

Her hoof turned to prod at me. "Night Light was Dad's way of saying you were special. From the moment you were born, all I could think about was that name, and how much I wished I'd been the one that Mom, and Dad, and even Mint all looked at and hoped the best for."

I was stunned, and my lack of response spread back to Diamond. We sat next to one another in the silence, each guarding our next words. The room was thick with emotion. "I... I didn't even realize. I... I'm sorry."

She chuckled. "Why? You didn't know. Besides, look at me now." She reached up to adjusted her goggles absently. "You get in the habit of pushing yourself too hard to make ponies notice you, sometimes, you end up on the path to becoming a Wonderbolt."

I smiled sheepishly. "S-still... I wish... I wish that... I don't know. Something between us could have been... better."

"Yeah... me too, Night. I'm sorry about all that. I don't know. I guess I'm happy now? I've... had to do a lot of work to find myself. Still trying. But that's on me." She swallowed. "I shouldn't have taken that out on you."

My hoof rose towards her. "I... I came all this way from Ponyville to meet with you, Diamond. You... you up to trying to start again? Brother and sister? Um... Night Light and... a-and Diamond Wing?"

She glanced at my hoof in disbelief, then grinned. "Well, I don't know that you're my real brother. He's kind of a pushover... a bit of a... what did Spring always call you?"

"A, um... a doof?"

"Yeah. A doof." She brought her hoof up and bumped it against mine. "But you seem pretty okay. Maybe we could try the whole sibling thing over. And why don't we both try not to screw it up so badly this time, alright?"

"Yeah, alright, Diamond."

She stuck out her tongue. "Even if you are a still a doof."

28 - Breaking Point

"How's the tea tonight?" Dusky's voice came to me over the barroom din, pulling me out of my thoughts.

It was crowded tonight, everypony else was talking loudly and enjoying themselves, while our little group was in a quiet mood, almost contemplative. Starshadow was reading, and Dusky had been nursing a cider as she sat besides me. Even Merri had slowed her usual drinking pace, with both her more eager drinking buddies missing at the moment. I didn't know where Terra was, but Mahogany was still working late to make up for the time he'd missed while we were in Myrtail.

Meanwhile, I'd still been thinking about Diamond, and the rest of the family. Long thoughts, as I looked back at the things that had happened, what felt different now, and what felt the same. There was a lot of pain there, an old wound, and very deep. Now, however, the wound was healing. Still sore, to be sure, but healing, in a way I'd never considered possible.

My eyes broke from my tea to focus in on Dusky, a distracted smile on my face. "Oh, i-it's nice."

She leaned in to place a hoof against my back, a subtle caress that brought heat to my face. "Well, that's good. Maybe I'll have to try it sometime."

My response was lost at the sound of the doors swinging open as one of our missing crew arrived. Terrabona strode in, the smile on her face speaking volumes. She came to the table without a word, then quickly settled into the seat next to Dusky, the side opposite me. Her whol entry felt a little dramatic, and in the silence that followed, Terra's grin never falling.

I heard Merri laugh wickedly, and two glasses of whiskey levitated across the table to settle in front of Terra.

Dusky broke the silence first. "I take it you and Aster had a fun time?"

The words had only barely left Dusky's mouth when Terra responded. "We have a date on Saturday!"

"I'll take that as a yes." Dusky turned herself back towards the table, though she kept her head tilted in Terra's direction. "I guess that means you also didn't get all the repairs done?"

Terra waved a hoof rapidly in response. "No, no, we got that done just fine. Saturday is our dinner date!"

Dusky smirked, and nearly suppressed a giggle. "'Our' meaning yours and Stalwart Stone’s?"

I smiled at that. For all Terra's meddling, it was good to see her so happy, whoever this Stalwart Stone was.

Terra nodded excitedly. "And Aster’s."

"What?" Dusky turned back to face her and stared, waiting a moment. "Terra. I thought you said you have this romance thing down pat."

She only beamed wider. "I do!"

Dusky giggled, shaking her head. "Says the mare who wants to bring a foal on a dinner date. Look, I can foalsit for you if you want. Just do me a favor and have a proper date, okay?"

"Yeah! How would you even have sexy times with a foal around, anyway?" Merri was nodding to herself, apparently in agreement with Dusky, but with quite her own spin on the end goal.

My face burned, and I took a moment to decidedly not look at Dusky. My thoughts still lingered on that caress.

Starshadow punctuated Merri's statement by closing her book loudly. "Sister. Such speech is not becoming of—"

"Oh, come on. Lighten up, Sis'!" Merri poked her sister with a hoof, her serious face breaking into a wicked grin. "Besides, how's beating around the bush supposed to be more mature? We're not blushing schoolfillies anymore."

The heat in my face intensified, and I started to shrink down in my seat.

Starshadow casually pushed Merri's hoof away. "While that is true, she did not broach the subject and prying into such matters is inappropriate."

Merri giggled. "Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry I implied things about the usage of your lady bits, Terra."

I heard Star let out a pained sigh as she put a hoof to her forehead, but it was drowned out by Terra's laughter. I simply slumped further, face still red as I tried to make myself invisible from the conversation. I glanced to the side to see Dusky give me a sympathetic smile.

She cleared her throat and tried to shift the conversation. "Anyway, just tell me when and I'll be there."

"Okay, okay." Terra had grabbed one of the whiskeys that Merri had provided and took a long drink. "Our reservation is for six, so... five-thirty?"

"Sounds like a plan." Dusky glanced over towards the clock, and her expression fell for just a moment. "Speaking of time, I've got a shift in the morning, so I'd better duck out."

Lowering her glass, Terra jutted her lip out. "Aw, but we're just getting started."

Merri cheered as well. "Yeah! I haven't even bought you a second cider yet!"

She shook her head, already rising up from the table. "Sorry. I really would like to hang out more, but fatigue and storm clouds don't mesh well together; that's how someone gets hit by lightning."

"Oh, yeah. That'd be bad." Terra's exaggerated expression of sadness fell into a real frown.

I stood up alongside Dusky and nodded in agreement. "V-very bad. T-Take care of yourself, Dusky."

"You too." She said quietly as she leaned in, pressing her muzzle against mine. That same warmth came to my cheeks, but it was not unexpected this time, as I gently returned the gesture.

She pulled back and raised her voice. "See you later, everyone!"

As she headed out, I slipped back into my seat with a contented sigh, sipping at the last bit of tea. The warm feeling didn't go away, and had little to do with the tea.

The moment of contemplation lingered on for only a few moments before I heard snickering. My ears perked up as I glanced down at the empty mug. "What, um, what's so funny, Terra?"

"You." She slid over into the seat Dusky had just vacated, her whiskey following along as she prodded me with a hoof. "All this grown-up talk about dating and mares and mares using mare parts and you haven't even fainted."

Star sighed. "This entire discussion has such an air of impropriety. Have you considered that perhaps that is the reason Dusky left?"

I flailed a moment, trying to gather my thoughts. "That's not what I... I mean, it's not really something I th-think about. Spending time with Dusky is more than enough. D-dating her is... wonderful. I wouldn't want to—"

Merri's voice rang out far too loudly over the bar crowd. "Think about foals?"

My eyes went wide. "F-foals?"

Terra put her hoof beneath her chin and examined me like a fresh bale of hay. "Yeah, you know, now that you mention it, Merri, just imagine what Night and Dusky's foal will look like."

Merri's pose shifted to mirror Terra's, making me even more uncomfortable. "She'd be a pegasus, that's probably obvious, though."

Some part of my brain had locked up, prevented me from articulating more than a single word at a time. "Sh-she?"

"Hmm. Hmm. Yes. You'd definitely have a filly. You'd probably do well with a daughter, Flurry. Think of her like a little Dusky. She'd probably look a lot like Dusky too. Though she'd probably get your eyes."

"M-my eyes? I-I don't know wh-what you two are talking about."

Terra giggled more. "Eyes, Flurry! The Eyes, remember! Very important. Come to think of it, you do know where foals come from, right?"

My face burned, I tried to talk more, but could only stutter in place as the table all turned to watch me. Even Star had raised an eyebrow at me, as if she were just as curious what my response would be.

Merri laughed. "Ahhh, look at him! He knows! And now he's thinkin' about it.~"

"A-am not! I-I'm... not interested in Dusky l-like that... I... I mean... I am... err, I w-wouldn't n-not, th-that is..." Thankfully, in a sense, my waning voice was drowned out by Terra and Merri's laughter.

Star rolled her eyes, looking back down. "Despicable, both of you. Night Flurry is a perfect gentlecolt and you two seek to corrupt him."

"Corrupt? Nah, we're helping!" Merri grinned wide at Terra.

Terra's smile grew in response. "We can both see it, now that she's not hiding it. Dusky's into you. And I don't mean just into you. She's into you into you. A mare's got needs, Flurry."

It wasn't as though I hadn't noticed. Even tonight, she'd made an effort to make contact, touching my back, gentle nuzzles. Those brief moments were mixed, wonderful feelings of warmth blended with an awful sense of guilt. Dusky was amazing, for so many reasons. I didn't want to be with her solely for physical ones, but I couldn't deny how looking at her, nuzzling her cheek, or holding her hoof all made me feel.

I sighed and dropped my head to the table, which only prompted more laughter from the others. I didn't notice that somepony else had approached our table until they cleared their throat.

His coat was a chalky white, like burnt ash in a fireplace, topped by a light red, almost orange mane which was tied back into a short cropped knot. The cutie mark on his flank was a campfire, with a marshmallow on a stick over it. There was something in his eyes as he scanned our table. "Pardon me, I need to talk to you all in private. I've news about your friend, Mahogany."

Something is wrong.

I tried to compose myself, but was still too flustered from Merri and Terra to say much.

Starshadow, however, wasn't flustered at all. Her voice was steady, she clearly sensed something too. "Mahogany? He is working late, is he not? Has something happened?"

"He's fine. But we should discuss this in private, please." He motioned back to the rear of the bar and then headed to slip Barkeep a few bits. I carefully watched him go,

This is an illusion, like the false Guard. This is a trap.

Terra glanced about, "It is kind of weird for him to be this late, even with the extra hours."

"Sis...?" Merri raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." Star closed her eyes. As the pony disappeared into the back room, she opened them and nodded. "Everypony follow me."

We stood from our table and followed after the stranger. He was lighting a lantern in the back room as we entered, and I watched Merri take position at the door, staying back as Star led us in. The room appeared otherwise empty.

I stopped in the center of the room, awkwardly reaching out a hoof to stop Terra as well. She came alongside me and gave me an odd look, but the sudden noise drew both our attention.

Starshadow had lunged forward, but this mystery pony was ready. He sidestepped her strike as if it had been in slow-motion, then threw a hoof out, but not in attack. "Hold, please! We don't have time for this!"

Besides me, Terra gaped. "Wh-what the hell, Starshadow! This guy is some hospital orderly or something, you can't just attack him!"

Coming from behind, Merri whistled. "He just dodged Sis. She was going to knock him off balance, get him pinned, and he saw it. He's definitely not what he appears."

The pony nodded, reaching down to his leg as if scratching an itch. "I'm not. But I don't have time for deception with you four. Your friend’s in danger."

Starshadow regained her balance, maintaining her stance. "Mahogany?"

Dusky.

My heart froze. "N-no... not Mahogany. Dusky."

The stranger twisted at his foreleg and a simple metal band appeared upon his leg. A second later, it was off, and the pony was gone. His features morphed, like looking at a reflection in a river. Soon, in his place, a pony appeared with a familiar face, royal purple mane, slicked back in a more military style, and a cutie mark of shield upon a sunburst. His voice confirmed the worst. "Yes. Dusky has been taken."

"D-dad?" The shock of seeing him here and now quickly gave way to fear and rage. "Wh-what do you mean? Taken?"

He raised a hoof to place a familiar device upon the table. It was a folded metal blade, one which could be placed upon the fore of a wing. His eyes dropped sadly as he stepped back. "Night, I'm sorry. They want her more than I could have anticipated. I thought I'd have time, that I could get a warning to her, but their timetable must have accelerated."

My hoof shook as I reached forward. There was no doubt in my mind. This was Dusky’s wingblade. I stared at it, holding it carefully.

"Perhaps you should tell the entire story, yes?" Star watched my dad closely. "You are Night Flurry's father? The same Noble Light who sent us to Panamare Beach?"

He smiled sadly, but shook his head. "We met in Twilight Sparkle’s home that night. I sent you to Myrtail Beach."

Starshadow nodded her approval.

"And yes." He nudged the silver loop that had previously sat on his hoof. "Forgive the deception, that was for them, not you. The same illusion spell that was placed on the guard helmets by the Cartel, only refined by unicorn artificers in Canterlot."

He sighed. "After we cleared out the guard of infiltration, I got word from my agent inside the Cartel. He told me that they'd called off the hunt on Dusky due to a few issues. First, they were suddenly exposed, and getting too much attention from myself and Canterlot. Second, there’s been a rise in competition from the Manehattan Mob, and that is pressure they couldn't afford to ignore.”

“But, apparently someone else in their organization has disagreed. I only just got word that a second group was being sent by the Cartel to retrieve her, though I thought I’d have gotten more time." He glanced around the room. "You all are at risk again. Perhaps more than before. They got to Dusky by targeting Mahogany."

I shook my head quickly, clutching her wingblade tight in my hoof. "But… she… gone?"

Dad's face was pained as he turned to me. He stepped closer. "Night, I'm sorry. I got there too late. They'd made it look like an accident to draw her in, but the threat to Mahogany’s life was real. Dusky traded herself to them to spare him."

My heart sank. She'd done it willingly. She'd traded herself, sacrificed herself. For all her talk about not playing the hero, for all her promises not to put herself in danger, she was gone.

I couldn't react, it didn't seem real. It couldn't be real. She'd just been here, in the bar tonight. I'd seen her, talked to her, touched her. She couldn't be gone.

"No..." Terra reacted for me. She whispered at first, visibly shaking. Then her voice rose sharply as she violently shook her head. "No no no! Not again! I... I can't do this! I just made a date, I just—oh Celestia no, Aster!"

Whatever Terra feared for that foal must have overridden anything else in her mind. She reared up, and spun. Her horn lit up just long enough to throw open the door as she bolted out into the crowded bar.

Merri couldn't react in time as the turquoise unicorn escaped. "Terra, don't— ah, crap." She turned to Starshadow, her voice clearly pained. "Sis? Should I...?"

Star nodded, eyes never leaving my Dad. "Do it. Make sure she stays safe."

With that, Merri was out of the room just as fast as Terra. Star's magic shut the door shut behind her.

Noble stood aside as she went, then sighed. "I doubt they'll be waiting. So long as she doesn't do anything foolish, she should be safe. They got what they wanted."

All the pain of that sentence settled in on me, the terrible meaning behind it. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. Only one word could escape. They got what they wanted. "Dusky..."

Dad frowned, but slowly nodded.

"Then why are we still here talking? We still have time." Starshadow's voice cut through the air. "If we move now, we can still catch up to them."

"Too dangerous. There's too many, if we move too fast, they might decide she's not worth keeping alive."

I blinked, trying to clear my eyes of the growing tears as those words struck me. "Sh-She's alive?"

Star tilted her head towards me, then turned back to Dad. "Well? Is she? She had me convinced that they had her marked for death. If that were so, time would be of the essence."

Dad sighed. "They do. But, she's also a special case. They won't want to kill her right away unless they have to. Dusky did something to hurt the Cartel's leader very deeply, and for that, she'll want to make her pay. I’m sure they have something worse in mind."

"I see. Then, again, why are we not moving now?" Star leaned forward, her words holding the edge of a threat.

"Because we're not ready. And fortunately, neither are they. Their obsession with her is to our favor in this case, and will buy us time." He took a moment, considering. "I've been paying close attention to this ever since she brought me the information on Hoofington. I've looked up everything I could about Dusky. My agent, my spy in the Cartel, he's the one who apprised me that they were about to strike again, and it has been his belief that should they get her, they'll keep her alive, for awhile at least. Long enough to allow us to respond."

Starshadow hissed, making her displeasure clear. "I cannot accept that. We should move immediately. If this agent of yours was really so reliable, you would have been ready for tonight. Instead, the best you can do is come bearing bad news."

My dad stood his ground, but his voice sounded so tired. "I'll need time to get a squad ready. I'll need time to coordinate ponies in Canterlot with the Guard in Fi—"

Star cut him off with a command that would tolerate no rebuttal. "You have one day, Sir Light. I have respect for you, and what you've done for Dusky, but at this point things are out of your hooves. If you want to make this right, gather only those you know you can trust, ponies like Sergeant Creme, who I know will not hesitate, and meet back here tomorrow, or my Sister and I will depart to find her ourselves."

"A-and me... I... I'll go as well. I won't... I won't let anything happen to her." I barely stepped forward on my nearly useless legs. "N-no sacrifice... no sacrifice would be too great. E-even..."

Even your life?

Dad looked at me, exhausted but not defeated. "Don't say that, Night. You know she wouldn't want y—"

I couldn't help but snap as well. "We don't know what she'd want! She's gone! Sh-She's gone... and... the Moon damn her, sh-she promised... She..." I broke as the weight of it all finally overtook me. I wouldn't let her be gone. I couldn't.

But she was. She was gone, taken, despite all our efforts. Despite everything any of us had done to stay safe, to train, to hide. They'd come, and they'd found her, and they'd hurt Mahogany to get her. I'd wanted to stand with her. Now, there was nothing we could do. Nothing anypony could do.

After the little time we'd spent together, it was over. My world was over.

Star's voice cut like a dagger. "Do what you can in one day, Noble Light."

He sighed once again. His voice was ragged, filled with a strange mix of resignation and pain that spoke volumes. “I'm going to see this fixed, Night Light. You have my word. Tomorrow. I'll be here."

Night Light.

But I couldn't see it. I curled up, burying my head in my hooves. All I wanted now was to just shut out the world, to lie there and hope everything would just go away. Anything was preferable to this pain. One day wouldn't matter. Dusky would still be gone. She'd been right to fear the Cartel.

As my father and Starshadow's voices grew less and less distinct, I let myself cry until I was simply making the motions, no tears left. I was hollow, broken and useless, just like always. Had Dusky never met me, she'd never have gone to Fetlock, never have learned about the Cartel activity there, never gone to Hoofington to be tracked back here. If not for me, Dusky would still be happy. She'd live to see another day. It was all my fault.

Darkness engulfed me, smothering me to death.

And then, something came to me.

Night Light. I believe it is finally time we talked...

29 - Resolve

I hadn't expected Tartarus to be so bright. I didn't know where else I could be, for surely there was nowhere else which could make a pony feel so abandoned, alone, and utterly hopeless. A featureless hell, blindingly bright in all directions, which for all its warmth, felt isolated and alone.

But there was a voice. This hell is your own making, Night Light. This is what you feel, now. Or what you choose not to feel. Lost, alone, isolated, but you are none of those things. Come.

The voice faded, and the great nothingness was replaced by a long hall of gleaming, elaborate marble columns which I swear I'd seen before, though I knew I'd never been to such a place. I slowly uncurled and found my footing, the floor feeling surprisingly solid for a surface which hadn't existed moments before.

"Come? Where? Why?" My head drooped as I stared down at the foreign marble tiling. "What's the point?"

Dusky's voice echoed through the halls. "You're stronger than you think."

"Dusky? Dusky, where are you?" My ears perked back up, trying to locate the source of her call. "I... I don't know what to do..."

The other voice returned, certainly not Dusky's. It was a male voice, hard and commanding. So swift to surrender? How disappointing, I thought you were worthy.

The words cut to the quick, but there was something hauntingly familiar about that speaker. "I... I've heard your voice before. Wh-what is this?"

It has taken time to make you hear me. Whispers at first, in moments when I could reach out to you. I can give more answers when you arrive. Now come.

I looked over my shoulder, and found only darkness behind me. "Wh-what about Dusky? Where is she?"

You already know. I can help you save her. I can help you fight.

There was something tantalizing about the darkness, inviting in a terrifying way. My heart still hurt, and part of me wanted to simply fall back and let that pain go. The abyss beckoned, but I knew that was wrong. There was something else though, something strong.

The pain in my heart was intense, but it only hurt so much because I was starting to realize just how much Dusky truly meant to me. It was fear. Fear I'd lost her, but there was also strength. The knowledge that I couldn't let her down, not now. Not when she needed her friends more than ever. I took a step forward.

The step became a canter, then I broke into a gallop. Wherever I was, I had to get out of here. I had to find out what had happened to Dusky, to find her and help her however I could. Not because of some stupid need to be a hero, I'd made a promise. I had to help her because I knew she’d do the same for me.

My hooves skidded to a halt as the columns suddenly ended, the long ornate hall shifted in appearance to become the walkway in Myrtail Beach. The marble was now a rough stone path, with the familiar hotel towards the end. I looked backwards to find the hall, but again, there was only darkness.

"Wh-what is this? Where am I?"

Continue forward, do not hesitate.

I grit my teeth and charged forward into Myrtail. My wings unfurled and I pushed up, flying over the street far faster than I could run. The scenery shifted time and again, from Myrtail Beach's streetscape, to the Snowpony festival in Fetlock Falls, then to the nighttime streets of Canterlot, and then to the familiar terrain of Ponyville.

I kept flying, but found nothing. Dusky was nowhere to be found, and an emptiness within me grew. It dragged me down like an anchor around my legs. I flew for what felt like forever, but couldn't keep going. I sank to the ground, exhausted. "I... I can't. I can't go any further."

You can. You must!

I tried to walk again, but collapsed in exhaustion. As I fell, the grass parted into soft cloud, white puffs knocked loose around me. "Y-you. Answer me, who are you?"

We have met before, when I showed you my past, and my oaths.

My eyes rose to trace the room where I'd fallen. The cloud was familiar, and there was little doubt. This was my home, the living room of the cloud house I'd built in Ponyville. "Your past? Your... oaths? I don't know what you're talking about."

Stand. The voice ordered.

I breathed out a sigh, body sore and mind at its breaking point. I had reached whatever limits my heart had. "I... I can't."

You can. You choose not to, because that is the easy way out. But if you wish to fight for what you want, for what you believe in, then you must.

My legs strained to push upwards. "I... I don't even know who you are, or what this is all about. L-last thing I remember was... was Dusky. She's gone. I thought... I hoped... I don't know."

You would help her?

"Of course!" I pushed against the cloud, struggling to stand back up. "Of course, I promised her..."

A sky blue hoof lowered in front of my eyes. I can help you. Take my hoof, and stand.

I raised my hoof towards his, then hesitated. Something felt wrong, but I couldn't figure it out.

Take it!

I grabbed the hoof, and felt its strength lift me up. A now familiar pony stood before me, though I'd never truly met him, only seen him before in a dream. I stepped back, eyes wide in shock at the long dead pony before me. I should have run, or screamed in terror. I only stuttered out its name. "B-Bellerophon...?"

The ancient Ostfriesen Knight smiled, and it sent a chill through me. "I am. You have my word, Night Light, we shall see Dusky safe. You have my oath."

I woke with a start, breathing quickly as I fumbled about in an unfamiliar bed. The panic faded slowly as I recognized the room as one within the Lusty Seapony. Either Dad or Starshadow must have brought me up here after I'd broken down.

The vividness of the dream still lingered in my mind, and part of me wished it had all been a dream. Perhaps Mahogany had spiked my tea, and I'd gotten drunk and had a nightmare. My worst nightmare. Perhaps Dusky was still safe.

She is not. You know it was no dream, Night Light.

I nearly panicked again. The voice was in my head, completely distinct now, recognizable as coming from somepony else. I glanced around simply by instinct, searching for the source, but I knew that answer as well. Keeping calm as best I could, I quietly called out. "Bellerophon?"

I am, or was, Lord Bellerophon.

"H-how... how is that even possible? I don't understand." My mind raced for an answer, and the only thing I could imagine was the bracer, the hoof-blade that he had once worn, passed down to me as a gift from Merri and Starshadow, though that gave no explanations.

There will be time for that later. For now, you must prepare. there is much to do if we are to save your friend.

I don't know how late it was when I trotted down the stairs, but it was late enough that the bar was, for the first time ever to me, completely empty. A few muted lamps illuminated the room, ensuring I wasn't going to stumble through complete darkness.

The Barkeep wasn't at his post, likely in bed for the night as well, and his absence gave the whole place a forbidden atmosphere. I wasn't supposed to be here. No pony was, but the telltale light coming from beneath one of the backroom doors told a different story.

I crept up, leaning my head to tilt an ear. On the other side were voices, familiar and unfamiliar.

Mahogany's came through the loudest, which was a relief in itself. "They put a bag over her head and loaded her into a cart. They'd propped me up for that, made me watch. That's when they gave me the message and told me give it to all of you."

The room went deathly silent as I pushed open the door. I scanned the room, finding multiple faces peering back. Most were familiar, Merri and Starshadow, my Dad and my sister, Mint. Though there was one stranger amidst them who I couldn't place. They were all staring at me. I glanced at Mahogany and nodded. "A, um... a message?"

He nodded, closing his mouth and swallowing before he continued. "That... we're helpless against them. That what happened to Dusky will happen to all of us if we try to stop them."

I shook my head, closing the door behind me. "I refuse to accept that."

Mahogany snorted. "Well, me neither, Flurry. I don't care what anypony says, I'm going to help her, anyway I can."

"Good. Because I don't intend on backing down either." I looked at the other ponies in the room and smiled. "I'm guessing, we're all here to bring her back?"

"Of course. Dusky is our friend." Starshadow bowed her head. "It is good to see you back on your hooves, Night."

"We were worried." Merri's bow mirrored her sister's, even her expression lacking its usual levity. "And we're not gonna sit back and let her just get taken."

The stranger, an orange unicorn with a vibrant red mane, spoke up. "I'd told her I'd help, no matter what. I just wish I'd been here."

"Don't we all." Mint looked at me oddly, then nodded. "Night, this is Blaze. She's a good friend of Dusky's. Dad's had an eye on her for awhile, and after she got transferred to Canterlot, she's been training with me."

My dad had sat with his head down since I'd entered. Now, he looked up at me, his eyes sunken. "Night, this is all my fault, and I will make it better."

"No." I stepped up to the table. "I spent a lot of time thinking. I already blamed everyone. I blamed you, I blamed Mahogany. I... I blamed myself. I can't do that anymore. Casting blame gets us nowhere. And... and Dusky is still in danger. Dad... you have a plan."

It wasn't a question, because I already knew the answer. He wouldn't be here if he wasn't ready.

He was watching me carefully, a faint smile crossing his face before he turned his attention to the table. "There's been preparations being made for this for awhile now, though to really go through with the intended plan, I'd hoped for more time."

Starshadow cleared her throat, her voice carrying obvious disapproval. "Time we do not have, Sir Noble."

"I'm aware. This wasn't a rescue plan initially, either, so we'll have to improvise." He reached for a scroll setting on the table and unfolded it, wings spreading the map. With a nod to Starshadow, she levitated weights onto the corners. "This is the building where she'll be taken."

"We know where she is?!" My eyes tried to take it all in at once, though I was no expert on blueprints. There were multiple floors, each big enough to fit a building the size of the Lusty Seapony inside of it, and then split into a staggering number of rooms.

Dad put his hoof down on the map. "Fillydelphia. The Cartel has a big presence there, one we’ve been preparing to root out for some time now. They’re centralized here, at the New Leaf Paper Mill."

Starshadow leaned in. "A Paper Mill? That sounds more legitimate than I expected."

"It is legitimate, but mostly just a front for the Cartel's real operations. The first floor is where they keep their equipment, and run their day-to-day operations, with the second floor of the building acting as a security floor overlooking it. Catwalks watching over the whole operation. We can expect the Cartel will be watching everything from there."

Mint tapped a hoof on the table before she chimed in. "If it's a legitimate operation, then that means there's innocents there."

"Bah." Blaze narrowed her eyes. "Making deals with devils means it’s their own fault if they get hurt."

Everypony's attention turned to Merri as her hoof slammed on the table. "Hey! They may not know. Lots of ponies have done something wrong without knowing it, alright?"

Blaze looked struck and settled back down. "Right, guess that's true. Can't judge 'em on that."

Dad continued. "Regardless, they are a factor. One way or another, we need to get past the first floor and get to the third. This is their prison block. More catwalks above the paper mill, likely to prevent any curious Pegasi from flying up as well. They have it listed publicly as office space, but odds are, this is where we'll find Dusky."

I flexed my wings. "Can... can we get to it from the roof? Come down to the third floor?"

"Flying won't work. Their roof is too secure, and the windows on the other levels are barred. We'd have to work our way down from the eighth floor, and those floors are where they've got their enforcers, their labs, and their private suites. We'd be overwhelmed."

Starshadow levitated a small quill towards the map. "What of this? The fourth floor seems to lack any significant structure like the other floors. No walls, doors, or other such markings."

"Storage space for their shipments. It may seem empty, but it'd be primarily filled with crates."

I nodded slowly. "Then that should be where we go. If we can sneak in or create a distraction, we need to make our way there, and then down to the prison. Does um, does this building have any elevators, like the hotel in Myrtail?"

"Elevators?" Dad glanced at the plans. "Yes. Here, and here... two elevators towards the rear of the building. We'd need to get past the first floor, but then it'd be easy to reach the fourth."

Mint leaned in and poked at some other lines. "And from there, to the stairs along the opposite wall. We can come into the prison block without alerting anypony on the catwalks."

Blaze nodded. "And once Dusky's free, we all head up and take out their leader, right? Cut off the head of the snake and keep them from ever hurting Dusky or anyone else ever again."

"No, confronting their leader is not our priority, Blaze." Mint set a hoof on the other pony's side. "This is a rescue, not an assassination."

I nodded at my sister's words. "Yes. Dusky has to come first... all else... I don't like it anymore than you, um, Blaze. But we need her safe above all else."

She stared at me curiously, then nodded.

Starshadow hummed a moment. "And what about reinforcements? You mentioned the need for a distraction, I think it would need to be sufficient to both scare the civilians out of the building, and to attract all attention away from our activities."

Clearing his throat, Mahogany glanced about. "Yeah, I mean. I'm down for whatever helps, but... isn't the whole point that they don't see us? Else we're just making an even bigger problem, not just for Dusky, but for all of us."

"We really need one hell of a distraction." Merri chuckled. "Hey Sis, remember that one time back in the Manege?"

Her sister's eyes went wide. "The explosion was s— you don't seriously mean...?"

"You gotta admit it’d be a pretty great distraction!" Merri laughed.

Dad's head was lowered, a hoof placed against his chin. "I... might be able to manage that on short notice."

Mint raised an eyebrow, "Dad?"

"There aren't enough guards in Fillydelphia right now to do anything. That's why I wanted time." He raised a hoof to forestall Star's objection. "But that doesn't mean I don't have ponies already there. And it doesn't mean there's not a group all set to take advantage of a little bit of chaos."

I mirrored Mint’s expression. "Um...Dad? You alright?"

"Yes... just considering." He nudged the weights off the blueprints, letting them roll back up. "We have a plan, or at least the start of it. As you all know, time is against us. We head out tonight, do any of you need more time?"

Star and Merri looked at one another and nodded, Merri speaking for them both. "We were ready yesterday."

"Not much else I can do, now that we're committed." Mahogany moved over to my side and nodded his head.

"D-dad?" I glanced at everypony there, each of them were Dusky's friends, my friends. Save one. "Dad... what about you? Why are you coming?"

Dad stared at me. "Night. I owe it to her, for failing to protect her like I promised. And I owe it to you, because she means something to you."

"Alright." I glanced down at my hoof, the gold bracer already fitted onto my leg. "I'm ready."

30 - Powder Keg

Our flight to Fillydelphia was being done as fast as we could manage. Mahogany had 'procured' the wagon he used to carry packages out of town, a wooden wagon large enough to hold four ponies in the back. The yoke was adjustable, allowing it to be pulled by up to two ponies.

With four pegasi among our group, a rotation was arranged. Two of us would pull the wagon through the air, one rotating out to fly free, and then rotating to rest in the back with Merri, Star, and Blaze.

I took the first position pulling as we flew, needing to do something to keep my mind occupied. I didn't want to think about what fate Dusky was facing now, or about just how crazy this whole endeavor was. I especially didn't want to think about the voice in my head—silent now, waiting for when I needed him.

I knew I'd need to tell Starshadow eventually. Last time, we'd thought it was some kind of dormant magical memory, and she'd asked me to inform her immediately if there were other incidents.

Not yet. Bellerophon interrupted, making me shiver. I didn't like that he knew what I was thinking at all. It would be best if she were not distracted for now, yes?

It made sense, so for now, I let it pass.

What it meant, however, was that when it was the end of my time in the air, I was without anything to say. Starshadow was unsurprisingly stoic, watching the scenery go by below. Merri was surprisingly shaking, her eyes closed as she whispered something to herself.

I prodded Star, pointing at her sister. "Is she...?"

Star shushed quietly, leaning in to whisper. "She is uncomfortable with heights, and doing her best to convince herself otherwise. She will manage." She turned to look back out from the wagon as we flew over a forest, leaving me with only my thoughts again.

Then, there was our third passenger, Blaze. I turned to face her, only to find that she had been watching me.

She turned her head quickly, looking back out over the forest below us.

"So um... you, you're Blaze, right?"

She turned back to study me, her bright green eyes staring into mine. "And you're Night Flurry, eh?"

I nodded, trying to meet her gaze. "I uh... sorry. Mint said you're a friend of Dusky's. I'm afraid I don't know much about you."

She pursed her lips a moment. "I suppose Dusky didn't mention me? Or Ivory?"

"No, she never did. Sorry." I wanted to think that Dusky would have told me more about herself, but in all honesty, she hadn't had much reason to really trust me until recently. Not to mention that what I did know about her past gave her good reasons to keep secrets, even if only to protect her friends.

Blaze glanced away. "Well, makes some sense, I suppose. Still though, you don't really seem her type."

I started at the sudden shift in topic. "I... don't?"

"Well yeah, I mean, no offense. You're not really much of a fighter, are you? I figured Dusky would have to find somepony who could keep up with her, you know?" She leaned forward as she spoke, smiling like she was confiding in me.

It all felt a little strange for some reason. I'd seen Dusky fight back in Fetlock Falls, but I'd also seen the toll taken by the fight that had taken us to Myrtail Beach. "Well, I suppose. I, um, well, I'm trying to train. I might not be much of a fighter, but... but I'll do what I can to support her."

"Me too. It's why I joined the guard, in fact. Dusky might not have told you how we met, but basically, if it weren't for her, I'd be dead." She almost smiled as she said. "I'm not exaggerating either."

I raised an eyebrow. What Blaze was saying was probably true, but something about it didn't seem right. "I'm sure... I mean, Dusky is pretty amazing. Still though, she's not invincible." I glanced away. I'd seen more than enough to know that was the truth.

Her voice slipped slightly. "Well, yeah, no pony is invincible."

"No... no we're not." I sighed. "Blaze? Why are you here?"

She tilted her head with a quizzical look. "What do you mean? I was sleeping in the barracks, when Sergeant Creme showed up with Captain Light. They pulled me aside, and asked me if I'd be willing to risk my career, my future, and my life on a mission. When they said it was to save Dusky, of course I signed up."

She sounded almost too eager to throw it away. I shook my head. "Okay, sure, but... all that, for Dusky? Why?"

"I just said! To save Dusky! Aren't you here for the same thing?"

I wondered. I was certainly here to save Dusky, that much was certain. "That's not what I'm asking, Blaze. Why risk so much for her? She saved your life, right? Do you owe her something?"

"Of course I do. She saved my life, and..." She paused, stopping to think for a moment. "And she opened my eyes. Made me see that things in the world weren't always the way I thought they were. So, yeah, I owe her. She's my friend."

I smiled. That seemed more like Dusky than the amazing warrior out to save the world. "That sounds about right."

She tapped a hoof against the side of the wagon, scrunching her nose before she turned the question back on me. "What about you? Is all this because you're Dusky's coltfriend?"

That was certainly part of it, I knew that much. More than just a coltfriend, though, as weird as those words sounded coming out of somepony else's mouth.

A sigh escaped my lips. "I love her, Blaze. And I know that probably sounds ridiculous, we've not even been dating that long, but I know it. I want her to be happy, and I can't sit back while she's in danger. I'm not a guard like my dad, or my sister, but I've been training. I think I can hold my own, if we have to fight. I can do something to help her."

Her expression was stern. "We'll have to fight. I can tell you that much. I'm not expecting it to be easy."

"Neither am I. I... I don't know what I'm expecting, to be honest." A sudden thought came into mind, a memory of a train ride that seemed so long ago. "Blaze, we're doing this for Dusky... and... and she wouldn't like it if something happened to us on her account. Promise... promise me you won't take any unnecessary risks, alright? We're going to save her, we're... we're not going to be heroes."

Blaze stared at me, then chuckled. "I take it back. Maybe you are her type. Okay, You got it, Night. We get Dusky, and we all come back alive."

"Thanks, Blaze."

I turned to look out the wagon. The scenery passing by barely registered as I considered what was to come. Bellerophon did not intrude, perhaps for the best. I could trust Blaze, but Bellerophon was something I didn't understand, and that still terrified me.

We camped out before arriving in Fillydelphia, getting some rest just within sight of the city. From a distance, it looked nothing like Canterlot with its tall spires and gleaming domes. Instead, Fillydelphia was a a lot of large box-like buildings in grays and browns, all clumped up together in a way that felt inelegant, though perhaps I was biased against it by the grim deeds we were about to undertake.

When the next morning came, we ventured forward on hoof, my dad and myself leading the wagon in as everypony else sat in the back. Merri, most of all, seemed relieved to be travelling on the ground. Everypony else seemed wary, and I could feel it too. As if every pair of eyes on the street was focused on us.

Dad, back in the enchanted disguise he'd come into the Seapony wearing, negotiated the streets as if he'd lived here all his life, and I just did my best to follow his lead, trying to focus on him rather then on the dense street traffic. I turned when he motioned to turn, and stopped when he motioned to stop, and as near as I could tell, everything went smoothly for everypony in the back.

Soon, he steered the wagon into a small lot, and backed it into a space before he began unhitching himself from the yoke. "Alright, Night. It's time we got to work."

I fumbled with the buckles around my chest, unhooking myself as well. "Here?" The building we sat in front of was underwhelming for a criminal headquarters, or perhaps even for a paper mill. Instead, a sign in a simple hoof-written font read 'Wild Oats'. "A diner?"

Dad chuckled as the others began to gather in the lot. "We're not ready yet. First, we need our distractions handled." He turned to the group. "Mint, head over towards the Guard station and make the report like I told you. Take Starshadow with you, and get her some gear. Meet back in that alley in about three hours."

Mint bowed her head, grinning. "Right. Come on, Starshadow. I want to hear your opinion on Equestrian armor."

"I find it lacking, why?" Star deadpanned as she followed my sister away.

"Merri, Mahogany, Blaze, you three are going to go in the diner and order breakfast." Dad finished roping off the wagon.

Merri cheered, bee-lining towards the door. "Well, if we're not going to be flying again anytime soon, I say let's eat!"

Mahogany shrugged, and grimly quipped. "Could be our last meal, may as well have a good one."

Blaze just rolled her eyes. "Alright, but don't even think about leaving me out. I didn't come all this way to sit it out in a diner."

"Night and I are just going to go arrange for some fireworks." Dad smiled, patting a hoof against my back. "We'll be back, and then you'll have to be ready. We're going to need every one of you."

Blaze held his gaze before at last she nodded and headed in.

I turned to look up at the skyline, the city looked so intimidating from the street. "D-dad... which one is it?"

He hummed a moment, then put a hoof against me to turn me towards one of the buildings, sitting only a few blocks away. "That's New Leaf Paper Mill."

It wasn't even the tallest building here, and from outward appearance, no more or less ominous than any other. No spiked parapets or monstrous guards, nothing to make it stand out in any way. To the ponies here, it wasn't a place of dread, it was just another building making up the city.

"She's there?"

He nodded. "It's the only place they could take her."

I sighed. So close, but we still had much to do. "R-right. Let's go, then."

We walked through the city, moving away from the Diner and the Paper Mill both into the outskirts, an area much less crowded by tall buildings and traffic. Here, there were long warehouses with several smaller shops set among them.

Dad nodded his head towards one such warehouse, which to my eye was indistinguishable from the others. There, Dad walked up to the door and knocked his hoof against the door in a rehearsed pattern. He opened the door slowly and started to walk in, motioning for me to follow.

The warehouse was well lit, windows letting the early afternoon sun through. There were numerous crates scattered about haphazardly, and I started searching the corners for any pony who might be waiting.

A good place for an ambush. Ah, there. Up, and to the left.

Following Bellerophon's prompts, I tilted my head up, glancing to the left to spot the shadow of a pony standing on top of one of the stacks. I only hesitated a moment, slipping my hooves into a combat position. I called out the alias that Dad had said to use while he was in disguise. "Ash?"

He stopped, turning his head towards the figure in the shadows. "They say Luna protects the night."

The figure seemed to relax, and called back in response. "But we keep the shadows safe."

"And ensure no one fears the dark." Dad smiled. "Drift, that you? Stop lurking, we've got business."

The figure emerged from the shadows, swooping down to meet us on our level. A pegasus stallion, and big too, with a faded blue coat, and on his flank was a cutie mark of a rose frozen in a thin coat of ice. His hooves landed on the stone floor with a loud clack. "I wasn't expecting two of you. And you're not exactly recognizable like that."

Dad smirked. "Going by Ash right now, suits the disguise. Just a little something I appropriated from the enchanters."

"It's good." He glanced at me. "And him? He's got good instincts to spot me. New recruit?"

"Right. Drift, this is Snow Fall. Snow, this is Drift Rime, he's my stallion, an inside agent." Dad shifted in place, frowning at the other pegasus. "There's been no word back from White Riot since the incident, and I'm worried things might be moving faster than I like."

Drift nodded slowly. "Well, I got the message you sent ahead, and things are ready. But are you really sure you want to get the Family involved in this mess?"

"Not at all, no. But it's going to be the best of a set of bad solutions. The Mob is already posturing. I want to set them over the edge."

My eyes went wide. "Over the edge... y-you're going to use the Mob to attack the Cartel?" That Dad would resort to such means shook me.

He looked at me and sighed. "I'm going to clean house, and if I have to use the Mob to do it, then that's what I'll use."

Drift's wings rustled as he glanced at me. "Right, well, I've got your distractions ready." He pointed a hoof to one of the crates. "Once you play that card, it's going to be a big signal to the Family. They'll smell blood in the water, and I'll make sure they take the bait."

"Blood? Y-you mean for this to turn into a fight? What are you doing?" I couldn't hold back my distaste for how it felt like he was manipulating the whole event. "What if... what if innocent ponies get hurt?"

His face dropped, and he turned to place a hoof on my shoulder. "I've thought of that, Snow. A lot. If this spills over, it'll be something that can't be ignored. And no matter how many plants the Cartel has in the Guard, they'll be forced to act. Reinforcements from Canterlot are nearly ready, and can move in faster than either the Cartel or the Mob will be able to predict."

I shrugged off his hoof, staring him down. The disguise made his face that of a stranger's, and his actions felt just as foreign to me. "And what about Dusky? I thought she was our priority?"

"She is, Snow. Trust me." He started to raise his hoof up again, but hesitated and set it back upon the warehouse floor. "We're going to rescue her, and get her clear of the building, and then I'm going to ensure the Cartel is crippled so that it can never hurt her again, understand?"

Drift cleared his throat. "It seems I don't quite have all the information, Captain."

Dad sighed. "You don't. Things have gotten complicated, and I'll be personally overseeing a rescue operation. I don't know what's happening in that building right now, but I don't like that I can't get a message to White Riot. We'll gather up the distraction, and strike at Noon. Drift, have things ready on your end by then."

He nodded. "Just give us an entrance, and the Family will exploit it."

"Right." Dad took a long breath. "Drift, stay safe. I want to see you back in Canterlot after this is all over."

"I'll be careful, Captain." He raised a wing in salute. "You too. Save who you need to save."

Dad nodded, and returned the salute.

I should have, but I couldn't bring myself to. The whole thing felt wrong to me.

As Drift Rime slipped out of the warehouse, we turned to the crate which he had indicated for us. Dad knelt to let me lift it, settling it on his back. He stood and tested the weight, then used his wings to steady the box before heading to the door.

I trotted alongside him as we left the warehouse, silent for now. As the door closed behind us, I glared at my dad. "I hate this."

He didn't turn his head. "It's not ideal, no."

"No, I mean... I mean, what we're doing. It feels like... like we're doing all the wrong things to save her."

"We're doing the only things we can to save her." He stopped as we walked. "I know, son. I know it's dirty tactics, and in a perfect world, we'd not have to resort to it. But it's not fairy tales, Night, and we're not heroes. We just do what we can to save as many ponies as we can."

"Or just to save one." I looked back into the city proper, seeking out the building that held Dusky once again. "Am... am I just fooling myself? Am I the selfish one for wanting to save her? For... for making you do this?"

"I don't think anything you're doing for her is selfish, Night. Things were going to happen like this eventually. I tried to arrange things to dictate the when and the how. Anytime ponies like the Cartel, or the Mob, get their way, it means innocent ponies are going to get hurt."

"I... I know." I narrowed my eyes towards the Fillydelphia city center. "I... I hate it. I'm sorry, I just hate it all. The Cartel, the Mob, the pain they inflict. That... that ponies like Dusky have to fight."

Dad sighed, and I felt his wing stretch to brush across my back. "Me too, Night. Me too."

We gathered back behind the lot where we’d parked the wagon, moving towards the alley and out of sight of the street. Time was counting down now, as the sun rose towards noon.

As we approached, Mint perked up and gave Dad a salute, her voice not quite a whisper. "We're set. Couldn't find a proper helmet for a unicorn though, but the rest will fit her. Hopefully she can be convincing without a helmet."

"I can do without the helmet, I feel it might restrict my head movement too much in any case." Star spoke in the same hushed tone. She pulled a plate of barding out from the satchel she carried and studied it closely. "Though I still do not understand what this charade will gain."

Dad nodded. "It'll have to do, I suppose. Starshadow, you will be attracting eyes and gaining time for the rest of us. The more ponies watching you, the less will be focusing on the rest of us."

"I have never been the best at gathering attention. That has always been a specialty of Merriweather's."

"Somepony call for me~?" As if she'd been waiting, Merri turned into the alley and practically strutted towards us, Mahogany and Blaze followed close behind.

Dad smiled. "Merriweather will be doing just that. She is, after all, a wanted criminal, and a notorious thief."

She whistled lowly. "I am? Well, I can do that, what'm I stealing?"

"You already stole it." He settled the box down off his back. "Though, I suggest you be very careful with it."

Merri tilted her head, stepping over to the box and examining it for only a few seconds before curiosity got the better of her. Her horn lit up as she slid open the lid of the crate and peeked inside. "Whoa ho ho! You really know how to treat a mare~."

Coming alongside her sister, Starshadow lowered her head to look in as well. "That... is a very large amount of explosive material. Should we really be entrusting this to Merriweather?"

Dad laughed quietly. "I hope so. It's enough to cause a good deal of noise, though not nearly enough to cause any kind of structural damage." He stepped towards the wagon and lifted one of the pieces of Guard armor that Mint had 'procured'. "You two are going to put on a show. A very valuable item was stolen by the great thief Merriwe—"

"My thief name is Silvertongue~" Merri grinned a little too widely.

Dad didn't miss a beat. "Silvertongue, then. The point is, caught in the act, you're now being pursued by the Guard, Private Starshadow in particular. And I feel that the New Leaf Paper Mill is the perfect place for you to make a stand."

Merri looked at her sister and winked. "Just like playing knight and bandit when we were foals."

"For both of you, there's two objectives. To keep eyes on you both as long as possible." Dad motioned towards the crate. "And to plant the explosives. I recommend getting the crate as close to any of the machinery as possible. Once we're clear of the first floor, once you think you've pushed the act far enough, you can set it off. Destroying one of their paper presses will make a lot of noise, and bring a lot of attention to the building, both positive and negative. I intend to use that confusion to make our escape."

Merri leaned against Starshadow. "Just like playing knights and dragons as foals, eh, Sis? Lots of chasing, and probably an explosion. You're it~."

Blaze stepped forward, waving to hoof. "And us?"

"Blaze, you, Mint, Mahogany, Night, and myself will walk in one by one, walk to the desk like we belong there, and check in. Once the distraction starts, and the Cartel guards on the upper catwalks are watching Merri and Star, then we move to the elevator in the back as discretely as possible. It might get more than a little chaotic. Once we're there, we head to the fourth floor, and then down to find Dusky."

Dad glanced up at the sun, making some mark in his head. "Make your final checks. I'll go in first, and keep the ponies in the front occupied as the rest of you come in. No sense waiting any longer."

I checked the bracer sitting upon my hoof, looking at my friends as they each took a moment to adjust their own weapons. Mahogany pulled out a simple box cutter taken from the ESP store, while Blaze slid a sheath of long knives into a satchel. Star finally donned the Guard armor, sans helmet, and Merri slipped on dense scale mail. I turned to see Mint kicking out, her legs each clad in horseshoes, apparently weighted for combat. Dad was watching me, whatever preparation he had needed was finished, he was already ready.

These were my friends, and Dusky's. They were here, risking their lives for her. I'd already said it to Blaze, but... I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened. I needed to say something, and with a nod to my dad, I took a deep breath. "No... no fighting unless you have to. We're not here for revenge, or... or to prove ourselves... we're here to save her. We save Dusky, and we all get out alive, alright?"

Everyone voiced affirmation, but the mood felt grim. I think we all knew just how dangerous this was going to be. Deep down, part of me felt awful for the whole situation. This is what I'd wanted. The chance to prove myself, to save Dusky to prove I loved her. Now, the whole ordeal left a bitter taste in my mouth. Every time I'd gotten close to something I'd once believed was pure, I could only see how tainted it really was.

Dad gave the signal, and he started to walk out of the alley, towards the New Leaf building. I counted to sixty, then followed.

I didn't want this. I didn't want any of this. And I especially didn't want Dusky to suffer anymore. "We don't need anymore heroes. Don't try to be a hero." I mouthed the words to myself. "Because heroes, they..." Dusky hadn't finished the sentence, back on the train coming home from Fetlock, but the meaning was perfectly clear.

Heroes die.

I shook my head at Bellerophon's interjection. "That's why I promised not to be a hero."

Dusky was waiting.

31 - Blood

I crossed the threshold into the lobby. I struggled to stay calm, to keep a straight face in light of the plan we were about to enact. Dad stood at the desk, conversing with the receptionist. I glanced around as casually as possible, trying to look like I was just waiting patiently. I was, in a way.

Another pony stood by the door in uniform, a bulky stallion with a hard expression that discouraged any funny business. Beyond the desk, the building stretched out, filled with activity. Ponies in white outfits operated large machinery that spooled out huge reams of paper, bringing to mind my experiences in Cloudsdale's weather factory. Up above, catwalks ran parallel with the floor paths, and more ponies in uniform marched about. Unicorn guards.

"Can I help you, sir?"

I pulled away from my reconnaissance and looked towards the voice. Dad had stepped aside, and now the secretary was looking at me. Unrehearsed and unready, I stepped forward and cleared my throat. I knew nothing about paper... but I did know weather. "Ah, um... yes, sorry. I'm here to talk to your um, your distribution manager?"

She nodded, glancing down at a directory as she wrote something else. "Right. Your name please?"

No turning back now. "It's ah... Snow. Wanted to discuss shipment size going up towards Whinneysota, and uh, how best we can optimize deliveries."

"Of course, Mr. Snow. I'll just make a note and send that back. If you don't mind waiting a litt—"

All conversation ended as a loud thump struck the front of the building. I turned to locate the disturbance. Merri. Right on schedule.

She had collided with the door at practically a full sprint, pushing it open and sliding into the lobby in one terribly smooth motion. She looked back out into the street, glancing from side to side at the ponies in the room. Her horn was glowing, securing a crate, which I knew was full of explosives, upon her back. "Did she see me? Crap!" She turned to the desk, giving me a harsh shove as she shouted at the receptionist. "You! Where can I hide?"

"What's going on here?" The guard by the door acted quickly, moving to cut off Merri from heading deeper into the facility.

"Ah, see, I need someplace to hide before she catches up." She casually brushed the guard aside . "This place seems big, looks like a good place to get lost. Can you be a dear and lock that front door?"

"You need to turn around now." The guard pointed a hoof up towards the unicorns on the catwalks, their horns glowing. "Don’t make us use force."

"Stop right there!" Star's voice rang out from the doorway. She stood tall, covered in the gleaming plate of the Equestrian Guard. Her typical no-nonsense expression looked downright frightening.

Merri sighed dramatically. "Aw, crap. Too late. Officer No Fun is here."

Dad nudged me as he went by, slipping past the receptionist, now riveted to the unfolding drama. Merri and Star were certainly creating a spectacle. I waited a moment then stepped aside and moved to follow.

Starshadow marched into the center of the lobby. "You there! Grab that thief! She is wanted by the Fillydelphia Guard for larceny, property damage, and... and..."

Merri smirked. "You're just mad because I stole your helmet~."

"And she stole my helmet!" Star raged, her horn blasting a bolt of light into Merri's side. "Surrender now, Silvertongue!"

I glanced back as Merri took the blast, crying out. The crate on her back was shaken free, and my eyes went wide as it tumbled across the floor. Knowing the explosives contained therein, I almost expected it to detonate.

Merri laughed in response. "Surrender? Why? You're not even trying. I count six of you, and one of me... I gave you one shot, and you blew it. If you all are gonna gang up on me, I'm gonna have to stop playing nice."

Their banter continued, but I suddenly noticed a lot of the workers were dropping what they were doing and edging towards the building exits. No pony paid much attention to me as I practically galloped across the floor, ducking between the machinery towards the elevator.

I caught sight of Dad ducking into an alcove, and breathed a sigh of relief. I skidded on my hooves and glanced up to see the unicorns above us firing magical bolts downward back in the direction we'd come from.

That was escalating faster than I could have imagined. "You uh, think she can handle herself?"

He stood just inside the frame, holding the door open. "I believe Merri will be fine. She knows better than any of us how long she can push the act."

I turned back to wait, catching sight of Mahogany as he turned the corner. I waved him over before I stepped onto the elevator.

Soon after, Blaze and then Mint arrived, each from a different direction. Dad breathed out as Mint stepped inside. "Alright. Night. Floor four, please."

I jabbed my hoof at the button the second Blaze was inside.

Precious seconds ticked by as the doors closed. At long last, we were sealed in our course. The elevator shook and began to climb, a faint, tinny music accompanying us. The hollow, calming noise was completely at odds with my heartbeat, and this was only the beginning of our mission.

"Well, that was easy." Mahogany rocked back and forth on his hooves. "I honestly didn't think we'd get this far without a fight."

With a look upward, Dad took a moment to consider. "We’re doing well so far. I've ensured the deck is stacked in our favor as much as possible. If we're lucky, we'll be able to meet with Riot and free Dusky without any incidents. Otherwise, stick with the plan, be careful, and we’ll be fine. "

Mahogany's face went grim. "Right. Careful." He idly flipped his box cutter out, fidgeting with the blade in his hoof. "We're the very image of careful, we are."

Silence fell as the sharp ding of the elevator brought us up another floor.

A whistle filled that silence, following along with the elevator music, and all eyes quickly turned towards the source. Mint caught herself and cleared her throat. "Err, sorry. This stuff plays all the time in Canterlot. Gets stuck in your head."

Forcing a laugh, Mahogany took a deep breath. "Well, gotta enjoy the little things, right?"

"I guess." Blaze awkwardly looked away. "It's not even that good a song."

Ding

Mint harumphed. "Not my fault it's catchy."

Blaze muttered back. "Doesn't mean you gotta sing along."

My sister rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, I wasn't singing! I was humming."

"Well, whichever it was, I gotta say," Mahogany set his blade back. "I really hate elevator music."

I closed my eyes in preparation. "Yeah... I'm starting to dislike it too."

Ding

The doors opened.

I assumed that we'd be greeted with a line of armed Cartel thugs, surely our entrance wasn't unnoticed. Instead, the fourth floor was a dimly lit tower of wooden crates and cardboard. The area around us looked like it had seen better days, it had been neglected by the cleaning crew at the very least.

"Great." Mahogany muttered. "More boxes. It's like I never left the shop."

Blaze glanced up. "What do they even keep in here? It can't all be..."

"Shhh." Dad stepped out and lifted up a hoof. He pointed quietly towards a passage through the boxes. He whispered back. "Move quickly, but quietly. We don't know who else is up here." He signaled with his hoof as he took the lead, pointing across, then down. Our destination. Third floor. Dusky.

Before we could even move, the whole floor echoed with a tremendous crash. I looked back at the others, Mint's ears were swiveling to try and make it out. Something was going on within the maze, a bit too close to comfort.

Mahogany frowned. "That sounds pleasant." His words were punctuated just a second later by a loud crash. "Somepony's taking out their rage on all this packing material."

Dad shushed again. He waved a hoof towards Mint, who quickly moved up to the fore of the line. "Keep going to the stairs. Merri should set off the distraction soon. See if you can't use it to clear the way." He glanced back at the rest of us. "We'll follow after, but if we have to fight up here, I'd rather not get flanked with guards from the third floor."

Mint saluted and dashed ahead, her head low as the her weighted shoes clacked upon the hard floor.

Those noises grew louder. There was surely fighting up ahead, and I felt a deep dread in the pit of my stomach, the same feeling I'd gotten when Dusky had crashed into the side of the bar. It was too much to be a coincidence. I couldn't wait any longer, not when she was so close, and when Luna only knows what was happening here.

My dad's hoof stopped me. "Keep your head! We rush headlong into this and we gain nothing."

I grit my teeth, but nodded. The crates were all stacked too high to make flying over them an option. It was Dusky, it had to be. Part of me wanted to laugh aloud that we'd come so far to rescue her, only for her to have made her own escape, but now was not the time.

Dad's ears swiveled, then perked up, and he suddenly pushed me aside. "Cover!"

The world exploded in a hail of splintered wood and tumbling boxes. I half-stumbled half-jumped back to dodge a crate, looking through the rising dust to see Mahogany grumbling, but still standing, and Blaze's horn glowing as she deflected some of the smaller debris away.

And there she was. Dusky lay amidst a pile of collapsed boxes, pushing herself upwards. She seemed to notice us, then shook her head to focus upon a towering white stallion who stood just in front of us. He, however, either didn't notice us, or didn't care, as he charged straight at Dusky.

Dad moved first, flicking his hoof to break the illusion spell that he'd worn this whole trip, then he lunged forward to throw himself in front of Dusky's assailant.

Dusky was already in motion, and I glanced back at the others. I met Blaze's eyes, and with a nod we moved. Dusky was the first priority.

Dad's voice cut through the cluttered battlefield as he met his opponent head to head, not letting the earth pony push past an inch. "Riot! What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Riot. That was the name of Dad's agent, the one he'd tried to contact, but failed. The one who was supposed to help us, but here he was, apparently in the midst of attacking Dusky, not saving her.

I moved closer to Dusky, intent to form up and give her some support and reprieve. I only took my eyes off of Riot long enough to check on Mahogany and Blaze as we all dashed around the bulky stallion.

"Out of the way, old fossil. You'll get your turn."

"Old fossil?!" Dad struck his head forward and pushed back against the bigger pony's momentum. "Riot, I am your commanding officer!"

Riot seethed. "That's why you'll get your turn."

“Have you lost your mind? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Autumn Leaf.” Dusky said the name quietly, then shouted out. “He… he’s taking out everyone he thinks is responsible.”

“Thinks? THINKS?!” Riot surged forward again. “You all threw her under the cart!”

Dad kept him at bay, but the struggle was starting to take a toll. “She was a criminal who got herself killed.”

Riot continued to push forward, screaming now. “No! She wasn't just a criminal! She was… she was…”

Dusky stood with us now. “A kind soul? Is that it? Then why would you do this in her name?”

A kind soul? The hulking stallion looked monstrous, and I sincerely doubted that Dusky had started this fight. I glanced at Dusky, almost afraid to ask just what had happened to bring her to this point.

But Riot answered first, his head dropping down. “Because… I’m not as kind as her.” In one solid strike he broke through Dad’s defense, throwing him aside and lunging straight for Dusky.

We all moved at once. We weren't doing anything glorious, it wasn't some concentrated effort with everypony acting in unison, it was a brawl. A terrible, miserable brawl, against an opponent who seemed to shrug off even the deepest wounds.

Bellerophon was ready. He’s using magic. Or… no. Some kind of stimulate. He is clearly pushing himself beyond normal limitations.

I dived in, striking, dodging, the fight was like a dance, though with none of the joy.

He’s overextended his reach, strike now.

I struck, hoofblade flashing through the air to rend the stallion’s flesh. The streak of blood that split across his side made me cringe, but Bellerophon’s urging kept me going.

He’s going to lunge, right hoof leading, dodge to your right and kick.

I dodged, rotating to kick his side. Behind me, I could see Mahogany drop down upon Riot and stab his boxcutter into the back of his neck, the blade emerged bloody with each strike, before Riot finally threw him off.

He’s left his flank exposed, aim for the tendon, just below the hock.

I aimed and slashed. It was surreal, almost as if I wasn't there, but simply observing as my body reacted to his prompts. I don’t know how long the fight lasted, time seemed to slow in the heat of the moment, but for every hit Riot dealt to one of us, we all retaliated in kind. He was like a huge monster, capable of crushing any of us, if he could connect.

We darted in to do what damage we could, and then retreat before he could strike. The whole exercise was exhausting. Everypony, even Riot, was starting to tire. I wanted to stop and catch my breath, but didn't dare take my eyes off of the melee.

Through it all, he was so focused on Dusky, so intent on his damned revenge.

All of this fighting, the blood and fire to come. This entire conflict is all because of his thirst for vengeance.

All the pain she’d been through. The past constantly pursuing her, haunting her. All because of him.

Bellerophon urged me. End it now.

Dusky struck Riot's already injured foreleg, and started to dart back, but he was already moving. His attention had been set on her the entire fight, and this was the opportunity he’d apparently been waiting for. He raised his hoof to hammer down against her, and I couldn't take it anymore.

Now. NOW!

I took the opening.

Jumping in between the two, I thrust the hoof blade forward. Not a slash or a cut, but a deep, straight push through his neck. Whatever force drove him on, be it magic or just hate, I can’t say, but he refused to relent. He continued to push me back even as I held firm, sword lodged into his throat.

I pressed back, partially to keep him from collapsing atop of me. But mostly, because I wouldn't let him hurt my friends anymore. I wouldn't let him hurt Dusky, and I wouldn't let him move one step further.

Somepony braced me from behind, and I began to feel Riot’s weight shift, the purpose and rage that drove him draining out, along with his blood. Now, it drenched me, clinging to my legs and coat.

White Riot was dead.

Excellent.

32 - Murky Waters

Well done.

"Sh-shut up." I whispered as I pulled the blade out of Riot's throat, letting the stallion fall completely down to the floor. I looked down at my hoof, now stained crimson in his blood. "Just... shut up."

Mahogany panted, "Is... is it over?"

The body of Riot was still. There was no life left in him, and that was all because of me. It was I who had reached forward and snuffed out his life. The still-warm blood pooled around my hooves. I did this...

"Yes. Yes, he's dead." Dad's voice was hoarse. "Damn you, Riot. Damn you for all of this."

Blaze sounded exhausted, verging on sick. "How... how could anypony have that much blood?"

My legs were weak, and my stomach felt worse. Blood dripped from the edge of the hoofblade, each drop rippling outward as it impacted into the pool. The ripples distorted a vague, terrifying reflection of myself that gazed back, it’s eyes empty. There was nothing else in that moment. It stuck to me, coated me like filth that would never come free. The smell of it was nauseating and hypnotic.

I wanted to scream, but couldn't moved. I felt like I was just going to collapse into the pool besides Riot and let myself drown there. Blood for blood. I'd taken a life.

Something shook me free of that thought, a jarring sensation that felt equal to that terrible final blow I'd struck against him. As I sought the source of the disturbance, it dawned on me that it wasn't just me but the building itself that was shaking. A roar echoed through the storage room. As quickly as it began, the noise and the motion subsided into little more than dust falling from the ceiling.

Blaze glanced about. "Whoa! Uh, was that it?"

"Was that what?" Dusky spoke at last, and though her voice sounded exhausted, I was still glad to hear it.

"That is our distraction." Dad walked towards me. "We need to move."

I dismissed the hoofblade at last and backed out of the blood. My forehooves left sticky, red prints upon the floor, but I pushed that thought from my mind. There would be time to consider that later. There was someone far more important right now.

"Dusky?" I turned to find her standing at my side, a worried, sad smile on her face that almost broke my heart. "Are... are you okay?"

She nodded, "Night Light... yeah, I... I'm fine, thank you."

My first impulse was to hug her tight and never let go, but I flinched away, unsure if that was at all okay, after what I'd just done. On top of that, her expression wasn't quite right, almost beyond tired. I didn't know what she'd been through, I could only imagine. "We... we should go."

"They're going to be panicked now, right?" Blaze stepped forward, stamping a hoof down with a loud clunk. "We can head up and strike before they know what's coming."

Dusky winced, "You can't be serious, Blaze."

Dad had knelt on his forelegs to examine Riot up close, but now he looked over his shoulder at Blaze as he stood. "No. We're in no condition to deal with the numbers they have, especially not now." He glanced at each of us, then nodded.

I was at last coming around, returning to reality after nearly losing myself. White Riot was still dead, his blood still clung to my hooves, but I couldn't let it stop me. Not when we had nearly finished what we'd come here to do. "I... I just want to get you out of here, Dusky."

She came up closer, and gently pressed her muzzle beneath my chin, not saying anything, just giving her support.

It was almost too much, I nearly broke down then and there, but managed to hold it all together. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but for everything I'd been through, it was nothing compared to what Dusky had been through. Her strength was incredible, to give me support now, and what I needed to do now was return that gesture. I bent my head down to nuzzle her back. "Thank Luna you're safe."

Dusky lingered a moment before she slid away to address Dad. "What's the plan?"

"Mint is already down on the stairs waiting, and when the explosives went off, she should have ensured we wouldn't have anymore company. If everything went right, Merriweather and Starshadow are gone, and Mint will join us." Dad looked over his back, pointing towards one of the stairwells across the room. "We head down, avoid any fires, hopefully avoid any guards, and try to escape in the panic. They'll have plenty more to worry about soon enough."

“Sounds simple enough.” She turned to looked back at me. “But first, we need to cover you up.”

“Me?” I glanced down at myself and flinched as I saw the blood again. “Oh… right.”

Dusky stepped over to the crate wreckage and lowered her head to grip a tarp in her teeth. She pulled the half-buried tarp out from the shattered wood and dropped it down in front of me. “Wipe off your hooves on this.”

“Err… Right.” I stepped forward and rubbed my hooves on the tarp, leaving bloody stains behind until they came back clean. When I looked back up, Dusky had removed a cloak from her bags and was moving towards me again.

She tossed her head to throw it over my back. “There. You won’t draw nearly as much attention on the way out.”

I smiled. We weren't safe yet, but somehow having her there, working with us once again, made it all feel like it had come together. “Thanks, Dusky.”

Dad began to move towards the stairs. “Alright, good. Dusky, stick close to Night. He knows where to meet up if we get separated. Mahogany, you and Blaze are in the best shape, so you'll head down first."

Mahogany tilted his head. "Sure, right. I feel like a million bits."

Blaze looked at Mahogany with a faint smile. "No hassle. Just as long as he can keep up with me."

"Hey, I pulled the cart that got you here. I mean, I literally carried you this far."

Dad sighed beneath his breath, but his voice remained patient. "Go now. Chat later."

Mahogany and Blaze disappeared down the stairs. Dad counted to ten, then waved us through.

We ran down the stairs, two flights to reach the third floor. There, the sound of flames crackled through the doorway. I checked on Dusky, finding her close behind, and then continued on.

We reached the second floor to find Mint standing just within the door frame, a unicorn lay crumpled beside her. Faint wisps of smoke were starting to fill the stairwell from below. "It's getting hot down there, so just get down to the first floor and go straight out the side. Once you're on the street, get as far as you can before heading to the rendezvous."

I paused to nod, just a moment. "R-right. See you soon, Sis."

"Go!"

I dashed down the stairs, only looking back to ensure Dusky was still with me. Below were shouts, and more fire and smoke. To one side was a hallway leading back into the building. Black smoke filled the passage, where barely minutes ago we'd run through to reach the elevator.

Dusky poked at my side as she came down behind me. "That way." The emergency exit.

Without another word, I rushed the door and came out into an alleyway. I opened my wings and prepared to fly, but Dusky poked me again.

"Not yet." She shook her head as she led away from the door. "Stay low, stick to the alleys. Do you know which way to go to get back to your rendezvous?"

I had to think for a moment to gauge which direction we'd exited from. "It's... that way."

She nodded. "Then lead the way."

We ran. My heart was still beating. I kept expecting somepony to challenge us, to see more ponies swooping down from the sky and stopping our escape, but those fears never manifested as we made our getaway from the Paper mill. Eventually, we found the alleyway, and a sharp whistle sounded as the wagon came into sight.

Merri and Star were already strapped into the front of the wagon, while Mahogany hovered just above and Blaze sat in the back.

"Dusky!" Merri cried out as we came to the back. "The only thing that could make this better was if you'd gotten to see how cool I was."

Star rolled her eyes, but her face reflected a smile nearly as wide. "You can tell her all about it once we're out of the city."

"Agreed." Dad came up behind us, pointing to the wagon. "Night, Dusky, get in and lay low. Mint, Mahogany and I will be flying out while Starshadow and Merriweather pull."

I tilted my head. "We're not going to fly out?"

"It's too risky this close. You and Dusky are bit too... suspicious looking."

The blood had mostly dried now, what little could be seen beneath the cloak Dusky had given me. I glanced at her and realized she wasn't much better, though the gore on her was less, and her dark coat hid it better. "Ah, um... right."

I flapped my wings to lift me up into the wagon, then turned to extend my hoof to Dusky as she followed suit.

Doing my best to keep out of sight, I settled down across from Blaze. Dad and Mint jumped up to hover next to Mahogany, exchanging a few quick details, then the three took off. Merri and Star quickly pulled forward to follow.

None of this should have ever happened. I watched Dusky as she hunkered down, keeping the bloodied parts of her coat behind the wagon sides. I sighed. "Soon, we'll get as far from this damned city as we can get."

She pushed against me, resting her head against my neck. "Thank you, Night Light. I'm sorry."

I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. "What? Why? Why are you sorry?"

She pressed harder against me, and I leaned back just slightly to support her. "For worrying you. For making you come all the way out here." She lifted her head, and stared into my eyes. "For making you... kill."

My ears dropped, and I couldn't hold back my frown. "I... I did worry, of course I did. But, that's because I love you. As for the rest, coming out here was nothing... a-and... I hope I never have to kill again."

Dusky nodded slowly. "I always hope the same thing. But... stuff like this just keeps happening."

"I guess that just means I need to try harder, so that there won't be a next time. And when there is, I... I just want to do what I can to protect my friends."

The wagon moved on quickly, and I rested. My body was sore and the stress of everything that had happened still weighed upon me, but for now, none of that mattered in comparison to the mare who rested her head against my side. She was safe.

We headed out of the city in a hurried silence. Though it seemed like we’d won, there was still a pervading sense of dread behind us, the threat of pursuit. I was exhausted, but couldn't help but keep an eye on the road, suspicious of any other traffic. It felt like it took far too long to reach the meet-up point.

We waited there, hidden from the air by a thick canopy of trees, but it didn't take long for Dad to arrive, with Mahogany and Mint in tow. He settled to the ground and did a head count. “Good, everypony is accounted for.”

Dusky glanced out of the wagon and sniffed. “In that case, we need to find a place to bathe. Preferably somewhere that doesn't involve more flying.”

“W-we do?” I stared at Dusky, and even through the soot and gore, images of her glistening with water pushed to the forefront.

“Oh, my~.” Merri gave voice to my thoughts, only making the heat in my face heighten.

Dusky did not sound amused. “Not the time.”

“Don’t worry,” Mint fluttered closer. “I gotcha covered. Already scouted out something nice and secluded.”

Nice and secluded. Just me and Dusky, alone, bathing in the wild. “S-sis’?”

“Look, in Filly, we had the benefit of the confusion and the city’s oversaturation of scents.” She pointed down at my foreleg, still stained in Riot’s blood. “We stay like this for long and it’s going to stink. Sooner or later, it’s going to attract uncomfortable questions. Or predators. Maybe even both.”

I nodded, letting her logic sink in. “Oh. Um, that makes sense.” The vision of her didn't fade from the back of my mind.

“Well? What are you waiting for? It’s not like that water’s going to come to you.” Mint hovered just above the ground, pointing a hoof into the woods before she led the way.

I rose from the wagon and followed after Dusky, trying to keep my mind on the task at hoof, and not on her tail, swishing back and forth in front of me. Soon, the trees parted enough to see a small lake.

Dusky slipped her flight satchels off and moved closer to the water. “We should do this as quickly as possible. Even this far out, we can’t let our guard down. Keep an eye on the tree lines.”

I blinked. “Oh! Um, okay!” I turned away, facing the trees as the others approached.

“Not you, Night.” She called out from the water's edge. “You need to bathe too.”

I looked up into the trees, the blush in my face growing again. “R-right. You can, um, go first. You need your p-privacy.”

I heard her sigh, then wade out further into the water. My eyes strayed from the treeline, slowly looking back towards the lake, seeking Dusky out.

“No peeking~.”

I eeped as my head turned back, finding Merri face to face with me. “I w-wasn't!”

Her smile was entirely too wide. “Bath time rules. You either gotta join her, or no peeking.”

“R-right.” I straightened up, maintaining my vigil upon the treeline, while Merri sat next to me and stared out at the lake.

After a few minutes, she nudged me. “Oy. You’re up.”

I turned to see Dusky heading ashore further down the lake’s edge, as much the vision of beauty as I expected.

Merri nudged me again, snickering. “You can stare later, ya pervert. Go wash up.”

“R-right, right.” I practically jumped down the shore, stopping just shy of the water. There, I slowly waded out in the cold water. Despite the sudden chill, it felt more refreshing than I could have hoped. Once the water was high enough, I stretched my wings out over the surface and sighed, then began to scrub the blood out of my coat.

The water around me swirled with a rusty cloud as the blood came free, my chest and forelegs were restored, eventually leaving no trace of what had happened. Not on the outside, anyways. I would never forget what I'd done to White Riot.

"It feels, well, I dunno. Kinda like crap, don't it?" Mahogany's voice came from behind. He moved through the water to come alongside me, keeping noticeably clear of the fading crimson.

I glanced over and gave him the best smile I could manage. "It's not the best experience I've had, no." I continued to scrub. "But… I don’t know."

"Well, I left 'stab a stallion to death with my boxcutter' off my life's to-do list, but there you have it." He forced a laughed.

I stopped scrubbing, looking at the once pristine water. "That was probably the hardest thing I've ever done, but... I have no doubts that I’d do it again. I don’t want to, but I would."

"Everypony else jumped in. You, your Dad, that Blaze-whoever. I had to do whatever I could to keep up."

I frowned. "If it hadn't been for you, for all of you... I don't know if I'd have made it."

He fell silent, and I turned back to continue washing away the blood.

Mahogany dunked his head under the water, rubbing his hooves through his mane. As he brought his head back up, he let out a deep breath. "So, hey, you going to take that thing off? I mean, it's over right? Not gonna need your blade out here. Least I hope not."

The golden bracer was still on my foreleg, distorted under the surface of the water. It was a bit odd that I hadn't thought to remove it before coming into the water. "I guess it slipped my mind." I started to move my hoof down to remove it, when an unexpected wave washed over my head.

I sputtered, shaking my head to get the water out of my ears. They flicked a moment more before I found the culprit.

"Gotcha!" Merri floated not too far away, a self-satisfied grin on her face, and her forehooves raised just above the surface as if ready to pounce.

With an exasperated groan, Mahogany kicked away. "Splash fighting? Really? Mature, Merri, real mature."

"Hey, I'm just making sure you two aren't getting all moody." She pushed her forehooves through the water, lightly splashing. "Gotta lighten things up. We did it, after all. Now come on, finish up and we’ll head home."

Mahogany snorted, but he had that same edge to his voice I'd heard earlier. "Yeah. We did it, alright. All us. And he's done. It. It's done."

Merri waded back to the shore. "You're just jealous you didn't get to see my cool distracting moves. Well, I can go into more detail if you want~."

“Yeah, yeah. I’m sure it was super great.” He grumbled as she drifted away. “You didn't have to watch some stallion die on the floor.”

I stopped to stare at Mahogany. This had hit him harder than I thought. “You… you sure you’re alright?”

“I… yeah. Yeah, just hunky-dory. I’m just not a super hero, Night.” He sighed, then started to head back. “I’m not built for this crap like everypony else here.”

My ears dipped. “I know what you mean… I don’t know how they can live like this.”

“Yeah, I think you do.” He stopped and turned his head. “You did it too, Night. I don’t know what you've been up to trying to impress Dusky, but you were like somepony completely different up there.”

Somepony completely different… I cringed at the thought.

“Don’t change too much chasing after her, Night.” Mahogany shook his head and continued ashore.

The cold water suddenly sent a chill through my spine. I had been letting Bellerophon guide me during the fight, but at times, it felt like he’d been more in control than just a guide. That was the danger. It was too easy. Too easy for me to say it had all been him, that Bellerophon had killed him, not me.

He only helped me exactly as I wanted. I stared down at my reflection in the pool, remembering how only hours before I’d seen a similar reflection in the pool of Riot’s blood. I stepped backward and started to wade back towards the others. The scariest thing was that, for a moment, I wasn't sure if that thought had been mine, or Bellerophon's.

Mahogany was right, I didn't want that change. I had to tell Merri and Star about Bellerophon as soon as possible.

33 - Just Rewards

The more distance we gained from Fillydelphia, the more confident we became. Before long, our pace quickened as we took the wagon to the air once again. Despite her fatigue, even Dusky insisted on taking her turn in helping pull the wagon.

At last we approached Ponyville, and Dusky directed us towards the Lusty Seapony. The bar seemed an odd choice of destination. I'd have thought she'd want to go home as quickly as possible, but perhaps there was still more going on than I knew.

Our little group arrived rather late, and as we all loaded out of the wagon, Mahogany wheeled it towards the back of the bar.

Dusky hugged everyone, as if the second her hooves touched the ground of home, she couldn't hold herself back any more. She was nearly in tears, hugging each of us in turn, giving us all her thanks and her apologies. It was everything, and more, to prove to me that we’d all done the right thing.

“Thank you again.” She stepped back to look over each of us. “I owe you all so much.”

Blaze grinned wide. “Hey, we all know you’d have done the same for us. And don’t you deny it. I know firsthoof.”

I smiled. I knew it too. As the others spoke in agreement with Blaze, I stepped forward to wrap Dusky in another hug. At last pulling back, I looked at her with a tired smile. “Um, so now what?”

"It’s been a long…" Her smile waned a little as she scrunched her nose to consider, which caused my own grin to widen. "However long we were out. Everyone should get some rest. You deserve it."

“Wait, what about my awesome tale of awesomeness~?” Merri called out, trying to sound disappointed.

Dusky shook her head and grinned. “I’m sure we’ll all be happy to hear it when we’re a bit fresher.”

“Oh, okay. Well, everyone hurry up and sleep! Drinks on me tomorrow night~!” Merri cheered as she pointed her forehooves towards the bar, then marched ahead. Starshadow shook her head as she followed after.

As the others departed, I couldn't help but feel myself lingering on the past. It hadn't been that long since we'd found Dusky here, badly hurt and near-dead, and now, barely a month later, we were here after pulling her from the jaws of the abyss. Had her life always been like this? Full of fighting and running and terror?

How much blood had been spilled for her? By her? How much pain and guilt was she carrying on her conscience?

You could protect her. You could ensure nothing like that ever happens to her again.

I frowned. I can't make her that promise. I can only stand alongside her, for as long as she is willing to let me.

With my help, you could do so much more.

An image of White Riot flashed in my mind again. How much blood would be on my hooves? I... I don't know if I want your help.

You do not wish to protect her, no matter what?

Of cour— I paused as another thought struck me. I... No. I don't know if I do.

Bellerophon laughed. You do not sound so certain. You know what I can do. I can guarantee her safety. Hers, your friends, your family. I can ensure she never need live in fear or have to fight or spill blood ever again. All you need is to re—

"Night!" Dad's voice cut through Bellerophon's, and the specter fell silent in my mind. "Night, you alright?"

I let out a breath and turned to face him. Dad stood with Mint and Blaze at the end of the alley, the concern on his face obvious.

"I'm... fine. I'm fine." The others appeared to have left or gone into the bar. My leg moved to rub against the sword bracer. I needed to talk with Merri and Star. Dusky as well, of course.

Mint smiled sadly as she came forward and gave me a hug. "We're heading back to Canterlot, Nighty. Are you going to be alright?"

I hugged her back, squeezing my sister tight. "I... I don't know, Mint. I think I'll be alright, but... I don't know."

Dad came forward as well, setting a hoof against my shoulder. "You're strong, Night. I don't mean your fighting, though, I can appreciate the hard work you've done to keep yourself in shape. I know it's hard, but don't let Riot's sins weigh you down. You're better than that."

Tears welled in my eyes as I hugged Mint. "I w-won't. Or... I'll try. I don't think I could ever forget that, wh-what I did."

"It's not supposed to be easy." Mint's grip tightened. "If you ever need to talk, you know I'm there for you. If not me, then I'm sure Dusky would be willing to talk too."

I nodded vacantly. Since the moment Dusky had been taken, before that even, they'd been supporting me. "Dad? Mint? I, um..."

Mint slowly released me from her hooves. "Night?"

"If I were... th-that is..." I looked between my father and my sister. I'd walked away from them so long ago, and now they'd come back into my life through chance and through tragedy. They had been there when I needed them most, even when I'd thought they'd never care. "I think... I think it's time for me to come home."

Dad bowed his head, but the smile on his face couldn't be contained. "That is your decision, of course, Night. You will always be welcome back home. I think your mother will be very happy to hear that."

Mint laughed. "And we didn't even have to send Sun to find ya."

"Send Sun?" I tilted my head.

"Mint, shush." Dad feigned a cough, then gave me an odd look. "Night, I suppose I should apologize. Since you came up to Canterlot with Dusky, I'd been hoping you'd be willing to reach out to us again, for more personal reasons. I realize that there's been misunderstandings in the past, but I thought perhaps, you were ready. I might have told Spring where she could find you, and of course, I assigned Mint to follow you down to Myrtail for several reasons. I suppose I was hoping to show you that we all missed you."

My tears did not stop. I nodded weakly. "I... I know. And... I missed all of you too. I didn't even know it, but I missed you. I... I've made peace with the past, and I think I've found who I am now."

Who I am had turned out to be the pony I had always been. Not a royal guard, or a great hero, or anything else which I'd tried to pretend to be. I was Night Light, and I was a weather pony. I was a pony who found solace beneath the light of the moon, peace in the fall of a fresh winter's snow, and beauty all throughout the world I'd seen, with so much more to see. I loved with all my heart, and while I hated the fighting, I would not bear to let my friends face the darkness alone.

You hear that? I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Yes, I fight to protect those I love. But not your way. Not to keep them from the pain, but to bear the burden with them. If I let you do as you wish, I fail them in every way possible.

"I'm glad to hear that, Night." Dad approached me and gave me a firm hug of his own. "I never had any doubts that you would. My greatest wish has always been for you to find your own path to happiness."

I hugged back, and as Dad pulled away, I felt lighter than I had in a long time. I glanced past Dad and saw the other member of our party: Dusky's friend, Blaze.

She stood at the corner of the building, glancing out away from the alley, likely doing her best not to intrude on our conversation.

I nodded to Dad and to Mint and walked over towards her. "Blaze?"

She shifted awkwardly as she leaned away from the building. "Hmmm? Oh, uh, sorry. I was just waiting."

"Oh, heh. No problem. I guess the family stuff is, um... well, awkward. Sorry about that."

She waved a hoof. "Nah, don't worry about it. Kinda reminds me of my dad too."

Slowly, but deliberately, I gave her a hug. "I... I need to thank you, Blaze. For everything."

To my surprise, there wasn't much hesitation before she hugged back. "You too, Night Flurry. I mean, hey, ponies like us have to be there to watch out for ponies like Dusky, am I right?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "I suppose so, Blaze. I suppose so."

"We'd best get back." Dad looked out towards the waning sun. "There's going to be a good deal of questions about where we've been, and a lot of fallout to deal with in Fillydelphia."

"I'll... I'll see you soon, um, sir. Dad. And Sis." I lifted my hoof in salute and smiled.

"Indeed, Night. Son." He saluted back, and Mint and Blaze followed suit. "See you soon."

Mint grinned. "Love you, Nighty!"

The three started their trip towards the Ponyville train station, leaving me alone outside the Lusty Seapony.

Perhaps a moment too late I called after. "L-love you too, Mint. Dad."

Alone in Ponyville's night, I took a deep breath. The darkness had always been comforting to me, the calm and quiet of that lonely vigil through Luna's gift. I turned towards the bar and pushed open the door.

Inside, the familiar warm light of the bar fireplace bathed me. I moved towards where Merri and Starshadow sat, our usual table, which itself seemed like such a strange concept. It could be any other day, like we'd not just come home from a trip to Tartarus.

Merri waved me over "Oy! Night! We almost thought you'd gone home."

I glanced at the table. No extra glasses, and even Merri only had one in front of her. My ears dipped. "Just you two? Did Dusky and Mahogany go home already?"

"They are talking in the back." Starshadow sat without a drink or her usual book. "I believe Dusky wished to speak with you as well."

"Well... good. I, uh, probably need to speak with her too." I looked down at my leg and began to twist off the bracer. "And… I kind of need to talk to you." I hadn't taken it off since we'd departed for Fillydelphia, and it felt heavier off my leg than it had sitting on it.

No need to tell them now. After what you have all been through, it would be best not worry them.

I grit my teeth. "I think... um, I have a problem."

"Hmm? Is the hoofblade not working?" Starshadow raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in her chair. "Or, ah, something else?"

Merri’s ears perked up and she turned towards the back, waving a hoof. "Oy, Mahogany!"

He walked up to the table sullenly, "You all take care. I gotta go... home, I guess." He looked down sadly, as if he were considering adding more.

I pursed my lips. "Hey, Mahogany? Thanks. Thanks again for coming. I know it was hard but… I know what it meant to Dusky… and to me."

He turned away and sighed. "A-any time. I may not be a shining knight like you, Flurry, but... I'll do my part to help."

Shining Knight. I frowned. "Mahogany... take care. See you soon?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm like an unlucky bit. You just can't get rid of me." He grinned, but the humor seemed strained.

Merri watched him go, then turned back to me. "He really needs to get laid."

"M-Merri!" My cheeks burned. "N-not appropriate!"

Starshadow sighed. "Sister, you are truly impossible."

"What? He does." She lowered her head. "Maybe that Blaze mare. She looked pretty fit, right? And she’s Dusky’s friend, so points for her there. I mean, I’d offer, but—"

"Please, Merriweather, give it a rest." Star rolled her eyes.

"Hmph. You two are such spoil sports." She pouted a moment, then looked up as the door to the back room opened again. "Dusky!"

She waved as she approached the table. Her eyes drifted to the bracer, then back to me. "How are you holding up?"

I smiled—hard not to when she was looking at me. "Me? I... good. Good."

"Alright, good." She looked back to the bracer. "Did I miss anything while I was back there?"

Starshadow frowned. "I do believe Night Flurry was just going to talk about a problem he is having. Dusky, is the back room still open?"

She pursed her lips. "Yeah, should be."

"Then I think we had best move this there." Starshadow rose from the table and nodded to Merri, then to me.

I nodded, but my eyes strayed back to Dusky. "Do... you mind?"

She smiled and nuzzled gently, lifting my chin. "Of course not."

We rose from the table, Merri slamming back her drink before we all moved back into one of the bar's privacy rooms. These rooms had heard so much ill news, it almost felt ominous as they others took seats. I closed the door behind me and turned towards them.

"I, uh... there's an issue."

Starshadow nodded as I set the bracer upon the table once again. "This is related to the psychometric response you experienced once before? Have you encountered another vision?"

Yes. Tell them yes. They will not understand. It would be best if they believed that, rather than learn the truth.

I'm not going to lie to my friends. I grit my teeth. "No, not exactly. It's more like, you said this bracer once belonged to Bellerophon, right? Well, he, um... still owns it."

Star narrowed her eyes. "Elaborate."

"Well, he, um, is kind of... in there. I didn't realize it at first, it was like overhearing a whisper, but then, when Dusky was taken..." I shrank in my seat.

Dusky was frowning, her eyes locked on me. "Night?"

"I had a dream... he offered to help me. He would show me. He would help me fight, he would help me to... t-to save you." My ears fell. "I couldn't bear it. I agreed."

Dusky's expression darkened. "And what was the cost?"

"No... no cost. Except... he's... he's in my head." I looked down at the floor. "He's in my head, because I thought... I thought I needed him to make me stronger."

None of this would be necessary if you had just listened to me.

"Sh-shut up, I told you, I'm not going to lie to my friends. I'm not..." I glanced up at the others, all staring at me, and sighed. "I didn't want this, Star."

She nodded. "Trust me, if we had even the slightest suspicion, we would not have given the artifact to you."

"Dang, Night, I just... dang. I had no idea." Merri seemed unusually crestfallen, staring at the bracer. Her eyes raised up over the table at me. "Wait, he's in there now? Can he hear us? Hello, Belly! What do we have to do to make ya stop bugging our friend?"

Star tilted her head. "Sister, I am not so sure that is a wise course of action."

I have no desire to speak to... Them. Bellerophon's tone was oddly bitter.

"He, uh, says no."

Merri rose up, moving closer to put her hooves against my head. "Aww, come on, Belly!" She shook my head. "Oooooiiii! Wake up!"

"Merriweather! Stop!" I barely heard Dusky’s voice as my hoof raised of its own accord, pushing Merri away.

“Do not touch me.” I heard my voice, but it wasn't me talking—somehow, it has him.

I snapped back into the moment and pulled my hoof back. “I… Merri… I’m sorry.”

“Err, not your fault, Night.” Merri backed away, glancing to her sister. “Not your fault.”

Dusky called out to me, but her voice was on edge. “Night?”

“Dusky… I’m here.” There was a moment I hadn't been, and that was terrifying. I looked at her eyes, and saw her examining me carefully, worry upon her face.

Starshadow was studying the bracer, but one eye stayed on me. “That is worrisome. It is certainly going to require more research. I only worry that away from Ostfriesen we will not have access to the proper documents.”

“Sis’?” Merri came back to her sister. “If this is because of me, then maybe it should be me who goes back?”

“Out of the question, Merriweather. You were banished.”

“Yeah, but—”

“You were banished! You know what will happen if you go back.”

Dusky cleared her throat. “Either way, we need to figure this out, and bickering isn't going to solve anything.” She looked back into my eyes, watching closely. “And frankly, none of us are going to do any good without a full night’s rest.”

The table was silent. I fidgeted. I hated to worry her.

With a sigh, Starshadow sat back. “Dusky is right. Without all the information we can gather, it would be unwise to act. The consequences could be permanent.” She eyed her sister plainly.

Merri sighed as she broke away from her sister’s gaze. “Alright, fine. We’ll all get some rest, and figure out what we do about Belly later.”

Starshadow gave the slightest smile and turned to me. “In the meantime, will you be alright, Night?”

So long as you never do that to my friends again. You hear me? Just… just me alone.

Bellerophon practically hissed. You are making a mistake. So be it.

I forced a smile. “I… yeah. I think so, Star. I… I can manage.”

Dusky came closer, her posture seemed deflated, more exhausted than she’d been the entire trip back. She nuzzled next to me, her eyes closed, but lines across her face betrayed hints of tears. "No more experimenting with artifacts we don't know anything about, okay?"

I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it, despite having just experienced its consequences. I lowered my head to nuzzle back. "I can honestly say, that's not a promise I thought I'd ever have to make, but, um... yeah. No more of that."

"It's not something I ever thought I'd say either." Dusky giggled, making me feel a little better. Worrying her was the last thing I wanted. She slowly pulled her head away and smiled. "In any event… Night Light, there’s something I want to give you."

I tilted my head. "Give me...? Dusky, you don't have to give me anything."

Her smile grew wider. "Oh, I think I do." She once again leaned in, but rather then lowering her head to the side for another nuzzle, she came in close, and planted her lips against mine.

It drowned out everything else. Fear, worry, and doubt all faded to nothing. After a second, I let myself get lost in that moment, tenderly returning the kiss.

I can't say how long it took, a second, a minute, a day. My eyes closed, and I simply savored her touch, her taste, her warmth. At last, she broke the contact and slowly pulled back.

She smiled, in a way I'd never seen before. "We were a little short on time when I really wanted to give that to you. I hope you don't mind."

It took me a moment to respond as the feelings washed over me. "M-mind?" My voice squeaked out. "I... n-no! Not at all, Dusky. ...N-not at all."

She laughed and then threw her hooves around me and hugged me tight.

I unfolded my wings to wrap around her, and squeezed gently. "I'm so glad you're safe. Dusky... I... I love you, so much."

Holding me in the hug, she nestled her head against my neck. "I love you too, Night Light."

I held her there for as long as I could, until she yawned loudly. With one last squeeze, she released me from the hug. "I suppose I should get some sleep."

After everything we'd been through since she'd been taken, I couldn't just leave it at that, not until I was sure she was safe somewhere. I didn't want to let her go, now or ever again. I smiled at her, and held her hoof. "Dusky... do... can I... w-walk or fly you home, maybe?"

She smirked at me, "As romantic as that would be, I think I'm going to room here tonight."

With a frown, I nodded. "Oh. Um, okay. Then... I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded and kissed me gently on the cheek. "Okay. Good night, Night Light."

I nodded as she trotted out of the back room, and back out into the bar. I watched her go, and breathed out quietly as I turned back to the table to retrieve the bracer and head home.

"Ya know," My nose bumped into Merri. She leaned her head down and winked. "I don't think she'd mind some company tonight~."

The shock of her presence was offset by the slow realization of what she'd proposed. "Y-you... you think?"

Behind her, Starshadow cleared her throat. "She has had a very difficult time the past few days."

"And sheesh! How long was that kiss. Thirty seconds? A minute?" Merri laughed. "Go on, Night."

Star smiled. "At least offer to walk her upstairs?"

"I... I could do that. I... yeah. Yeah." I rushed out the door and scanned the bar. Dusky stood at the bar, and was just taking a room key from the bartender.

"Dusky!" My knees felt like rubber, like I'd barely spoken to her all over again. "I, uh... y-you know... if you want, I... I can just, um, here. I can... be here for you... tonight."

She laughed, that wonderful, beautiful laugh. "I wouldn't mind having somepony to snuggle with."

"I... yes. Gladly."

She glanced over her shoulder at the stairs, then nodded towards me. "Then, shall we?"

"Y-yes. It would be my absolute pleasure."

Together, we moved through the bar and up to the rooms. Dusky slipped the key into the door and opened it up, revealing the same vaguely familiar-looking room, with its muted lights and single bed.

Dusky moved over to the dresser and slipped off her scarf, then set about untying her mane.

I stared a moment, then closed the door behind me, making sure it was locked. Maybe this was all a dream. I'd wake up in this very room, the night after her abduction. Or perhaps I'd wake up in my house, in my cloud bed and everything up til now had been a dream, No Dusky, no bar, nothing.

She tilted her head at me and smiled. "You alright?"

My face was red. "Y-yeah. Um, sorry."

She smiled, then stepped over towards the bed, pushing the covers back. "Nothing to be sorry about."

With a sigh, I shrugged off my flight satchels and set them onto the dresser, then turned back towards the bed. Dusky had snuggled under the covers, her head resting on her forehooves. "You're just... you're just so beautiful."

Her grin widened. "Aw, thanks, Night. You're looking pretty handsome yourself."

The blush grew, but I couldn't help but smile. I pulled back the sheets on the opposite side and moved carefully, trying my best not to disturb her position. I wanted to be sure she would be comfortable, and would have plenty of room. "I just... what did I do to end up with somepony like you?"

The bed shifted as Dusky shuffled closer. "By just being your own, sweet self."

I stared up at the ceiling and breathed out carefully. "I think... I can manage to keep doing that."

Dusky slipped in close, settling her head against my chest. She mumbled softly as she made herself comfortable against me. "Good." The long, stressful journey had taken a toll on everypony, and somehow Dusky had persevered for so long, against so much. Now, in a cozy bed, safe, settled against me, her exhaustion seemed to catch up with her.

I gently nuzzled against her mane, drawing in her scent. I listened to her breathing, feeling her heart beat, and slowly let sleep take me too.

34 - Together

I was slow to wake that morning. The adrenaline and the emotion of the last few days caught up quickly, and my body and mind were both reluctant to return to consciousness. My ears twitched as an unfamiliar sound reached them. It was a quiet, rhythmic breathing, and as I started to stretch out, I found it strangely difficult. There was an odd weight pressed against my chest.

I should have been alarmed, but Instead I found the presence comforting. My eyes opened and there she was, safe and sound and still resting peacefully. Dusky Down. She was beautiful as she had ever been, though that beauty seemed different now, more real, maybe.

Once, I'd only seen her as a pony I could prove myself to, even if I did so by sacrificing myself to save her. At least I’d die having saved something that mattered. She was a means to an ends, and that made me feel awful about how I’d acted around her.

When we'd gone to Fetlock Falls, I found her to be more than just a face. There, I'd first seen her fight, and had my first glimpses into her past, and how it haunted her still. I don't know if she thought it'd scare me away or if it was only a warning not to get too involved, but I hadn't cared. Instead, I'd thrown myself into training for all the wrong reasons. I was unprepared, and naive, and chasing a dream, trying to be somepony I thought she wanted me to be.

That had always been my problem. I was always trying to be somepony else. Trying to be who I thought others wanted me to be to make them happy. Be it my sisters, my dad, or Dusky, it was hard for me to put myself and what I wanted first. Then, just the night before, Dusky had told me who she wanted me to be to make her happiest.

Myself.

So now, here we were.

Dusky had tried so hard to keep others from getting involved in her battles. She'd suffered for trying to do the right thing, for trying to keep others safe, and for trying so hard just to live her life. If I could do nothing else but ensure she slept peacefully, without worry, to keep away all the monsters while she slept, then I would be happy. It’s what a Night Light is for.

I would help her shoulder her burdens, and fight her battles, not to impress her or from some misguided vision of how I could protect her. But because she was worth fighting for. I wanted to be with her. I loved her, and the weight of that word and its meaning was growing stronger every day.

I felt her shifting, and as I turned my eyes back onto her, I found her looking back at me, her head still settled upon my chest.

She smiled lazily. "Good morning."

"Yeah... Good morning, Dusky." I knew my cheeks were red, but I didn't care at this point. She was the only one who could see it, and I was certain she knew how I felt. I reached my head down towards her.

She raised her head, nuzzling against my cheek, which likely only made the blush grow.

"Did... did you sleep well?" It all felt so awkward, but what else could I say?

Her smile widened. "Best in weeks. You?"

"I can't think of a time I've slept better..." That was the truth, and I wondered just how much of it had been exhaustion, and how much of it had been her.

"Glad to hear." She shifted further, taking her weight off of me, while keeping her head next to mine.

It was a reminder that all good things had to end. The sunlight was forcing its way into the room, our night together was already behind us. "The only bad part is knowing that eventually, I'll have to get out of bed..."

She giggled faintly. "Yeah. As comfy as this is, I need to think about visiting the clinic."

"I-is something wrong?" Had she been hiding some injury? I scanned her face for any sign of pain, but she shook her head.

"I hope not. I mean, I feel fine right now, but I was just in a serious fight and a captive of the Cartel. I should get a check-up to be safe."

I let out a sigh. "Oh, um... I sh-should probably do that too, shouldn't I?"

"Probably. That whole brawl was quite the ordeal for everyone." Her face darkened. "Plus, it might be good to check for side effects to the other thing."

Of course. Him. "R-right. The... other thing."

She edged in closer and set her nose under my chin. "We'll get it figured out."

As we set out from the Seapony, I started to grow worried. I'd come this far with her, and for now, I wouldn't leave her side. My concern was focused on Dusky's behavior, as the moment we'd stepped out of the bar, she'd starting sweating, despite the relatively cool day.

Our destination was the clinic, and we couldn't get there fast enough. Dusky's gait started to grow irregular. She must have noticed something off, for not much later she began to move faster. Her increased pace only became more erratic, though I’m not sure she noticed.

I steeled myself to ask her if she needed help, but my question was cut off before I could start. A loud cry drew my eyes to a single cloud that had been lazily drifting through the Ponyville sky, and an unmistakable rainbow mane poking out over the edge. "Dusky! Flurry!"

In a second, she had zipped down from her perch and landed in front of us, eyes darting back and forth. "Where have you two been?"

I tried to meet her gaze, but the words died in my throat. "U-um..."

"Things came up. Bad things." Dusky sighed, shaking her head. "Sorry, Rainbow Dash."

Rainbow's critical expression shifted to a grin. "Right, bad things. Next time, let me know, so that I can cover for you. Or help kick some flank."

Dusky laughed. "Well, hopefully I won't need to, but I'll try." Her head dipped slightly, and her knees wobbled. "I can't really guarantee it if things get really... in case they get really..."

I moved to her side a moment too late. She tried to raise her hoof, but that only served to make her more unstable and she collapsed all at once. "Dusky!"

Rainbow Dash moved in one swift motion, wings thrown open as her forehooves caught Dusky. "Whoa!" She glanced at me. "To the clinic, Flurry! Let's go!"

I had only started to raise a hoof in protest when Rainbow rushed off, Dusky's limp form already clutched close. I swore under my breath, kicking up dust as I charged after her. Even with Dusky's weight, somehow Rainbow Dash was way faster than I was, but the sudden adrenaline drove me through town as fast as I could fly.

Rainbow Dash had already summoned the nurses when I finally caught up. I moved past her and followed Dusky as the nurses carefully placed her onto a gurney. From there, they moved her to one of the side rooms, where they began to run some tests. I paced quietly, watching. I just tried to stay out of the way, to let them do their work, and that was harder than anything.

At last, one nurse with a name tag reading 'Tenderheart' approached. "Mister...?"

"Oh uh, Night Flurry. Is... is she alright?"

Her face was stern, but she gave me a sympathetic nod. "She's going to be fine. But first, and this isn't going to be a fun question, but... Ms Dusky. Is she a drug user?"

I felt the blood drain from my face. "D-drugs? No, no never. She wouldn't."

Tenderheart sat down next to me. "Her condition is the result of Ghost Petal withdrawal. There's still traces of it in her blood, and as the last of the narcotic is leaving her system, she's experiencing increased heightened sensitivity and pain. Combine that with the fact that she's fairly bruised up, and it's no wonder she collapsed like she did."

The Cartel. It was such an obvious explanation, she'd been poisoned somehow, perhaps that was how they'd planned to kill her. The way they killed all their victims. My teeth clenched.

"Mister Flurry, please. I understand that this kind of thing can be a little shocking—"

"N-not shocking, no." I interrupted, realizing what she must have been thinking. "There was... an incident, recently. I... I think she was poisoned."

"Poisoned? That's a very different circumstance. The dose seemed quite large, it would have to be to have caused this severe a reaction. Anything you can tell us can only help her."

I cringed. "I... don't think I can. I... I'm not at liberty to discuss it, but... if you contact Guard Captain Noble Light, in Canterlot, he should be able to give you the details."

Tenderheart nodded, pulling out a notepad and quickly jotting something down. "Noble... Light. Alright, excellent. We almost didn't know what it was, had I not seen a case of Ghost Petal withdrawal back in Medical School. It kills pain, dulls your sense of touch, but in larger quantities, it clouds the mind, makes a pony irrational, and violent. With a massive enough dose, it's like setting a clock, it makes a pony faster, stronger, immune to pain, but when time runs out..."

White Riot. I wondered how big a dose they would find if they could sample his blood. Things were starting to become clearer.

"Suffice it to say, it's not worth meddling with."

I nodded. "I promise you, Nurse Tenderheart, Dusky would never willingly touch such a thing."

"I'll take your word, Mr Flurry." She stared at me, then nodded. "She's hooked up to an IV now, and we're wheeling her into a room to rest. With any luck, she'll sleep through the worst of it now."

"Can... I go sit with her?"

"I doubt she'll make good comp—" A change crossed over her face as she must have seen the pained expression wash over me. "Well, that is, of course. I'll show you to her room.

I sat at Dusky's bedside, one hoof resting atop hers as she slept. After the first hour, her breathing had become stable, whatever pain she'd been in had subsided, and it seemed she was finally getting some real rest once again.

There was a sharp knock at the door, and without waiting for a response Rainbow Dash let herself into the room. “Heya, Flurry. She doing alright?”

I gave her a tired smile. “She’s doing as well as she can be. All that um… bad stuff just caught up at the worst time. She’s strong, though.”

Rainbow nodded, then unfolded her wing to place a book upon the bed stand. "She probably already owns this one, but that one’s my favorite. You ever read Daring Do, Flurry?"

"Err, me? No, um, no, not really." As she narrowed her eyes, I quickly backpedaled. "N-Nothing against the series, of course. I just never got around to reading it."

Her expression softened, if only a little. "Well, you should give it a try. She's a pretty awesome mare, and it's got adventure, excitement, evil villains, you know, all that cool stuff."

I frowned. "I almost think I've had enough adventure and villains."

Rainbow laughed. "You sound like Rarity. The books are still good. Dusky's a fan, I bet she'd get a kick out of talking about the books with you."

"I... suppose." It was usually better to just agree with Rainbow Dash when she got pushy like this, but in this case she had a good point. If Dusky was a fan of the series, there had to be something worth looking at. "Can't hurt to take a look, right?"

"Exactly! It's my favorite series, so you know it's the best."

"Well, I'll give it a chance." I chuckled, but let the laugh die on my lips as I looked back to Dusky. "I suppose I have a little bit of time. Maybe I'll sneak in a few chapters while she's sleeping."

Rainbow watched me curiously. "You're really gonna sit with her all night?"

Dusky was sleeping pretty deeply, and the Nurse said she’d be fine, now that the Ghost Petal was completely out of her system. The steady IV drip was ensuring her body got what it needed to get back up to speed. Still, I wouldn't let her wake up alone in a strange place, not so soon after Fillydelphia. “Yeah. I am. Sorry, Rainbow.”

“Nah, it’s cool.” She sat opposite of me and looked at the bed. "I wonder if all this means she's gonna have to cut her big trip short."

I frowned. “Her big trip. She goes every year, right?”

“Yeah, it’s why we only schedule her part time. She tends to make a big tour out every summer. I guess that’s just how she lets her wings lead, ya know?”

Letting your wings lead. It was what some pegasi called it when they flew to get rid of restlessness. It didn't matter where, or how, but sometimes, a pegasus just needed to fly. It made sense, from the way I’d heard Dusky talk about her trips. It wasn't just a vacation, it was almost her calling. She and the road were inseparable.

I smiled softly at Rainbow. “I… I go altitude flying. Slow, but high. At night, usually.”

“Never woulda guessed, Flurry.” She grinned. “I go fast. Anywhere, as fast as I can get there. Duh.”

I laughed under my breath. “Never would have guessed.”

Inseparable. It was a curious thought. I’d considered her trips before, we’d talked about them while we were in Myrtail, and the topic had come up on a few dates. Dusky had even offered to be my tour guide. All things considered, perhaps now was a good time to start planning for the future.

“Hey, Rainbow… can I ask you to do me a favor?”

She perked up from a half doze. “Bwah? Oh, right. Yeah, whatever you need.”

“Can you go back to Town Hall and get me some paperwork to do?”

“Paperwork?” She treated the word like a poison. “If you’re really that bored.”

I laughed again. “I’m not bored. Just… I need to do something, right? Besides, less paperwork for you, right? I just need that, and the applications folder. And some of the work transfer forms, if you can? I can give you a list of what I want.”

“Sure. Just write it down or something. I’ll be there and back before you know it.”

I grinned, and started to think things through. Dusky would still plan on taking her trip, I just knew it. And if she was going on her trip, I would ensure things were in place so that I would go alongside her. That meant finding somepony I could rely on to cover my shifts while I was gone. Somepony who might be willing to train to take the position over when I moved into the promotion Bree had planned for me. And I think I had the perfect pony in mind.

36 - Moonlight

I worked hard to keep my week as normal as possible. Between weather work, planning out paperwork with Bree, and just trying to get back into a normal rhythm, it mostly meant keeping myself preoccupied—all while the others researched the Ostfriesen swordmaster who'd taken up residence in my head.

It was more than a little surreal that, somehow, this had become my life. Even stranger, despite all fighting, the craziness, and the real moments of horror, overall I was happier than I'd ever been.

Still, the plan tonight was to find out what everypony had learned about Bellerophon, and to find out what, if anything, we could do about him. Letting my thoughts linger on that put me on edge.

When I reached the Seapony's backroom, it was already later than I'd hoped. The others were all waiting, Starshadow sitting with several books laid out upon the table. Merri was balancing an empty glass on her snout, while Dusky sat across from her, poring over a book of her own.

"Hi, Night." Dusky turned as I took a seat beside her and nuzzled gently, but she must have caught some sense of my mood. "You doing okay?"

"I've... been better." I forced a smile, then turned to face the two sisters across the table. "So... what have we learned?"

Starshadow hesitated, then sighed. "Not much, I am afraid. Bits and pieces of lore, but nothing we did not already know. After Tapioca united Ostfriesen, Bellerophon simply disappeared from the history books."

"Twilight didn't know anything either." Dusky looked down at the table. "And I couldn't find anything useful in the Canterlot Library."

"Then what do we do?" I tapped my hooves together nervously. "I... I mean, there's something we can do, right?"

Merri exchanged a glance with Star, and the two nodded in unison. "Well, we've got one idea, but it's not exactly the best plan."

"We have access to the source material right there." Star pointed at me. "If we can talk to him."

Dusky immediately spoke up. "I don't like it. How can we be sure this is safe?"

Merri's grin faded. "We... really can't. I mean, he's in there, listening, right? He reacted last time when I tried to talk at him."

"I... I don't know." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

Dusky moved closer, nuzzling gently. "Night..."

Starshadow leaned over the table. "Perhaps you can talk with him again, Night? You have been able to communicate, yes?"

I lowered my head, breaking eye contact with Dusky. The look on her face was breaking my heart. "I can try, if... if he feels like it. He's not exactly been cooperative with me."

"Night Light." Dusky set a hoof on my side, then nudged my chin up. She met my eyes once again.

I stared back, and then nodded, drawing on her support. I took a deep breath. Well? I know you're there.

His disdain came back thick. Hmph. And now you wish me to talk, eh? I thought you preferred me silent.

You're in my head. Just... just answer their questions, please.

Fine.

I let out a long sigh. "He says he'll answer."

"Excellent." Starshadow levitated some parchment onto the table and lifted a quill. "Now, to begin, ask him the nature of this possession. Was it a spell he was aware of?"

"It was. A spell cast by a maniac, and accepted in righteous anger."

W-wait, what? It was my voice speaking, but it wasn't me making the words. I felt adrift, unattached. I could see the others, vaguely colored splashes of light in a dark, dark room. I could see myself like that too, and the sensation filled me with dread. I thought you were just going to answer questions!

Bellerophon's voice echoed back from the darkness. That is exactly what I'm doing.

I could hear the others, but it was garbled. I tried to fly forward, to get closer to the table, but my wings didn't make a difference. It was like flying through tar, everything felt heavy and sticky. The feelings of claustrophobia clung to me. Many pegasi suffered some level of fear in enclosed spaces, though almost everypony worked through it. This was something entirely different, and I flailed at the darkness.

"Night?" Dusky called.

Dusky! I tried to call back. The voices were the best anchor, and I did my best to pull towards them.

"We were not expecting to speak so directly, Lord Bellerophon." Starshadow's voice sounded unsure, now that she was actually talking to him.

Even Merri sounded off-guard. "Y-you remember Tapioca, right? Queen of Ostfriesen? Sword of the Plains?"

Disdain filled his voice. "I remember her. I remember her prowess, her promises, her treason."

Merri suddenly stood her ground. "Treason!? But, she saved Ostfriesen! She was a hero!"

"She was a liar, and a whore!" Bellerophon shouted.

As his rage grew, the room grew fuzzier, less distinct. I screamed in the void. What are you doing! S-stop it! Stop!

If Merri was about to say more, Starshadow quickly shut her down. "We're getting off track. We're trying to determine how, and why, you are here, Lord Bellerophon." She bowed her head. "Please explain the spell that brought you here."

Bellerophon smoldered, but as he grew calmer, it became easier to navigate back. The fuzzy shapes became the more distinct faces of my friends once again. Wherever I was, I couldn't breath, but I felt like I'd just flown a marathon.

"Very well." He glared at Merri, but soon turned his full attention to Starshadow. "After I was tossed aside by her Highness, I departed Ostfriesen. I wasn't about to betray my oaths, even if she'd betrayed me. I slew the enemies of the country. I protected lives."

Starshadow nearly whispered. "You went rogue?"

He scowled. "I swore an oath as a Knight. As the first Knight! I simply lived those oaths with no master. And then I met Broken Tooth. He was insane, I knew it from the moment I met him, but he was a brilliant wizard, and he had discovered something incredible. Immortality."

"Not possible, no matter how strong the magic."

"And yet I stand here, talking." He smirked at Starshadow. "Dragon's blood is very difficult to obtain, but it is such a powerful ingredient."

Both Merri and Star fell silent, stunned by Bellerophon's words.

Dusky spoke at last. "You're talking, but it isn't you I see standing here. Clearly, it's not true immortality. There's a cost, isn't there?"

For once, Bellerophon's expression softened. "That is true, yes. It wasn't true immortality, as you say. I still... died. But then I woke up to darkness. The spell couldn't anchor me to a body, instead, it anchored me to my armor. The only piece of my battle armor to remain is this bracer." He traced a hoof along the golden metal set upon my leg.

"Well, there we go!" Merri clapped her forehooves together. "We destroy the bracer, and boom! No more possessed Flurry! Easy!"

There was rage again, more intense than before, and once more the world grew more distant. I swam against it, but was quickly feeling lost.

Bellerophon's sword flashed from its bracer, the blade pointed against Merri's throat. "As I thought! You would let me die?! Just as Tapioca spit upon my honor, so do her descendants. You are as des—"

"Stop!" Dusky stood up from the table, pushing his hoof aside and the hoofblade away from Merri. "They're not Tapioca. Her sins are not theirs!"

More than anything else, I focused on Dusky's voice, and tried to work my way back towards it. The world slowly came back into focus.

Bellerophon wavered, and at last dropped the blade. "It's not worth the effort."

Merri blinked. "Jeez, thanks Belly. You're a real winner too."

"This is ridiculous. No one wants to kill you, but what you’re doing, it’s..." Dusky sighed and stepped away, glancing at the door. Her eyes held back a sheen of moisture. "I... I need some air."

D-Dusky no... don't... don't go. I reached out to her, fumbling through the darkness, but couldn't do anything as she nearly ran for the door. Damn it! Damn it, no! Go after her! Let me go after her!

Bellerophon stared down at the table. "This was a mistake."

There was a sudden pop in my ears, like I'd just dropped in altitude far too fast. I blinked, finding myself back in the real world.

Merri was practically staring daggers at me. "Damn right it was. You've gone and made Dusky upset, ya asshole."

I recovered quickly, frowning. "Merri, I'm so sorry! I just... um... wait here, alright? I'll... I'll be right back." I spun out of my chair and ran out of the back room, intent to catch up with Dusky.

Merri's voice called out from behind. "Oh, err, hi, Night? Welcome back!"

I was already out the door, looking into the barroom. The other patrons were enjoying their night, the general din of conversation filling the bar, but Dusky was nowhere in sight. I hurried out towards the front door and into Ponyville's streets.

She'd needed some air, she'd said. I stopped on the front step of the bar, looking about. She sat on a nearby cloud, not too far up, probably the first one she'd found. She was sitting on her haunches, head raised up to stare at the moon.

I pushed upward into the air and approached from behind, ever so quietly calling out to let her know I was here. "D-Dusky?"

She turned to look at me, eyes red with tears, the moonlight revealing trails of moisture down her cheeks, and it broke my heart that I'd done this to her.

I lowered myself onto the cloud, wrapping my hooves around her. "Dusky, I'm... I'm so sorry."

She pressed against me as I held her tight. "I... I just can't stand to see you like that."

My ears dropped, and I felt myself sinking. "I was afraid you'd hate me."

"No, Night Light." She shook her head, then pressed closer. "I could never hate you. But, him? Pulling a blade and threatening our friends—that's not you, Night! It's like you're gone, and when it happened, I kept wondering: are you going to come back?"

That had been my own fear as well, that vague sense of being unattached while Bellerophon had been in my body. I forced a smile, though I was sure Dusky could see right through me. "How could I not come back? I have so much to come back for now. And... I'll fight for it."

"I wish you didn't have to fight for it." She nuzzled against my cheek. "Just real Night, one-hundred percent of the time."

...I am such a fool. Night Flurry, forgive me.

With a sigh, I shook my head. How? Why? This was never what I wanted.

It is far from what I wanted, either. He hesitated, though I could feel him waiting, almost as if he were holding his breath. Please, let me... let me talk to her.

"Wh-what? Let you..." I let the shock wear off, then turned to Dusky as she raised an eyebrow. "He uh, well... wants to talk to you. He's... asking permission."

"I..." She stared into my eyes, and I stared back. "Promise me you'll come back."

I drank in the moment, holding her there in the moonlight. "For this? Nothing could stop me. I promise."

Dusky nodded, and gave me a squeeze before she sat back. "Okay. I... I'll hear him out."

Alright... say what you want, and then... I promised her I'd be back.

Bellerophon pulled me away. I will not keep you from her.

Again, the void surrounded me, but this time, the moon lit the world, as if it were a beacon casting out the darkness. It was beautiful, in an eerie way, as if I was looking through the moon into its heart, and it shone down upon me.

Be at peace, Night Light. The moon seemed to speak to me, an elegant voice filled with serenity and sorrow. Remain calm, and you will be safe.

Upon the cloud, Bellerophon turned away from Dusky and drew in a deep breath. "I must apologize, to you, to your friends. This isn't what I wanted."

Dusky frowned. "What did you want? You made choices that you knew weren't going to end well."

"An angry heart drove me to grim measures." He took another breath, as if savoring it.

She pointed her hoof at my chest. "And now you would inflict that on him?"

Bellerophon sighed. "When he wore the bracer, I could see through him. The more I spoke to him, the more I could feel the world. And soon, I could be in the world around him even when he didn't wear it. I wanted to breathe and to fly again. I wanted to live, and he wanted to defend his friends. I thought... I thought we could both get what we wanted. But, not like this."

Dusky stared down to the ground. "Not through Night."

"I don't know how to end this. If you destroy the bracer, it is possible that it will..." He took a long pause. "It may destroy me. My life has been so long already, alone in the darkness. Maybe I deserve that, yet even now I don't want to die. Perhaps that fear would keep me here. It is impossible to know."

"So you really don't know what can be done to change this? He just has to live with you in there?"

Bellerophon closed his eyes. "I... cannot say. But, I can promise this, I vow that I will no longer force this upon him."

"I'll hold you to your word." Dusky's voice was stern, and her words concise, but then she paused. She looked back at Bellerophon. "How long is 'so long'?"

Bellerophon began to speak, then stopped. "I don't know. I couldn't keep track. The darkness swallowed everything, even the moon."

My eyes stared up at it, the brilliant light was warm when everything else in this void felt cold and lonely.

"The moon?" Dusky blinked as she looked up as well.

"When I first awoke in that blighted realm, the moon shone down on me. It was a comforting presence for one who had damned himself. Then, even the moon went dark. The light inside it replaced by a bitterness."

Dusky's face fell. "And... now? Is the moon still dark?"

He shook his head. "Not long ago, the light returned. That was when I began to see the world again."

A name passed through Dusky's lips, and she looked at Bellerophon. "Nightmare Moon."

He raised an eyebrow, "Nightmare Moon?"

Dusky nodded. "She was created over a thousand years ago, or so the legends say. A terrible villain, who was trapped in the moon, until recently, when she was freed, and defeated once again... and redeemed." She pointed at the moon, "While she was trapped, the moon was marked by the Mare in the Moon."

Bellerophon's shoulder's slumped, utter defeat upon his face. "One thousand...?"

Dusky stared, then slowly moved towards him and pulled Bellerophon into a hug.

He seemed too stunned to protest, only able to stammer out an objection. "Wh-what are you... It is still me, still Bellerophon."

She released him from the hug, then looked him in the eyes. "I don't agree with what you've done to Night, but no one deserves what you've had to endure."

He stared back, confusion washing over his face. "I... thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry. I... I will return control to him now. I shall be content with the moon, and the light it gives once again."

Dusky nodded firmly. "Understood."

Bellerophon's face grew morose, his voice wavering as he spoke his farewell. "I cannot keep you two from one another. Betrayal is the greatest sin, and there is no greater pain than the betrayal of a lover. I will not cause him to betray you this way."

Just like that, I found tears running down my face as I sat upon the cloud next to Dusky. Bellerophon's tears, or my own, I couldn't say. I turned to Dusky and smiled wide, relief both at being back in my own skin, and at the promise he'd made. "S-see? I promised I'd be back."

I could never have foreseen her reaction. Not just a smile, or laughter, but a hug to end all hugs.

She practically leapt forward, hooves wrapping around me as tightly as she could manage.

My cheeks burned as I fell back upon the cloud, Dusky still locked on as she tumbled down with me. I couldn't keep the joy out of my voice. "A-and... glad to be back."

37 - Fighting

The harsh emotions of the past night contrasted sharply to the peace I felt following our talk with Bellerophon. The warlord was still there, still sitting in the back of my head like an itch I couldn't scratch, but now his demeanor was different. Everything he had revealed spoke of a life of tragedy, and a long, pained existence. He made no efforts to talk to me, nor to even respond when I tried to get his attention. If that strange void where I'd found myself struggling was where he existed now, I couldn't help but feel some sympathy for him.

Not that it wasn't a relief to know he wouldn't be working against me, or against my friends. A sense of self is such an odd thing to take for granted, and the more I considered those moments where I hadn't been in control, the more I shuddered. It wasn't even just the thought of Bellerophon taking control that disturbed me most. No, the most terrifying thing was that not long ago, I'd have given it to him.

Mere months ago, I'd thrown myself uselessly in front of a magical explosion thinking I could save Dusky with some useless sacrifice. The bargain with Bellerophon had been the same kind of well-intentioned stupidity that could have cost me everything, that could still cost me everything, and for what? I trembled as I thought about it.

When I first saw Dusky, I could have never foreseen how it would change my life. Most shocking of all, that the path I walked since then had led me to be happy with who I was in a way I wouldn't have believed possible. It was a new feeling, and I felt selfishly unwilling to give it up.

Instead, I was fighting. I fought to train my body, to keep my own mind in dealing with Bellerophon, and now, to carve out a job and a life where I could do the things I needed to do to be happy.

To that end, I waited in an empty office in the Weather Factory, staring at the nearly barren desk between me and the door. Bree had made the final arrangements, and I was here to ensure the most difficult and unpredictable piece fell into place.

The knock came quickly, and with a deep breath, I answered. "Come in."

Spring was already talking as she pushed the door open. "Okay, look, I can explain. I don't know what I did, but I probably had a very goo—" She blinked as her eyes settled on me. "Nighty?"

I smiled warmly, standing to walk around the desk and give my sister a hug. "Spring, good to see you."

She twitched, and then hugged back fiercely, tears and words spilling out of her. "Good to see ya, nothing! Last time, you're in some bar and there's that crash and that mare and th-that Guard, and oh Celestia, Nighty! I've been worried sick, even when Mint said you were just fine!"

I coughed out a laugh through her hug. "I told you, I promised we'd figure things out between us. And, in part, that's why I'm here."

As she released me at last, her cheeks puffing out like a foal who wasn't getting her way. "In part?"

"I admit, this is a business meeting. It's why I had them call you off the factory floor. We need to talk about careers."

Spring groaned dramatically. "Careers? Boring! Night, you cannot seriously be here just to talk about my job, after everything else?"

I nodded, trying to keep a straight face. "I am. I want to know about your job here at the weather factory."

She dropped back onto her haunches and slumped. "Sheesh, Nighty... I just, well. It's a job, right? You know. It's... fine."

"Just fine?"

"Well, yeah, I guess." She started to scuff her hoof across the floor, tracing some pattern only she could see.

I turned back to the desk and flipped open her file to one of the dogeared pages Bree and I had marked. "You transferred positions a lot. Must have finally felt good to find one you enjoyed?"

She responded with an exasperated sigh. "Right. Enjoy. I guess. I just... found a position I could do that I didn't really need to think about."

Bree's guess that she'd given up sounded more and more likely. I watched my sister a moment as she distractedly eyed the floor. Much like when she'd come to the bar, this was not exactly the Spring I remembered. Hopefully, that was something I could help change for the better. "So, you're not happy here." I feigned making some notes on some loose paper.

"Well, I mean, happy enough. I'm fine." She lifted her head. "Say, what's up with the twenty questions anyways, Nighty? Not like you're my boss. I've had this discussion with them like, a billion times. I do my work just fine."

I grinned. "Well, no, I'm not your boss at the moment." I continued to doodle, trying to make it look like I was doing something important. "Of course, I was trying to find somepony to work with, and was hoping to find somepony to do me a huge favor. It'd mean a lot to me."

Spring stared at me as the words sank in. "Mean a lot to— what? Are you hiring me?"

"I wanted to think of it more like, I'm offering you an opportunity."

She wasn't getting it, her confused expression giving way to a more familiar mischief as her mind went in a completely different direction. "So, you want... me to embezzle from the weather factory? Smuggle you extra snow clouds? Is this a scam? Are we going to be in cahoots?"

That was more the Spring I knew. I laughed quietly. "The truth is, Spring, I'm getting promoted. Not just that, but I need to be able to plan ahead for what I hope will be quite a long trip." I grinned. A summer trip that I hope to repeat. "So what I need is somepony to take my old shift. Somepony I can train, show them my routines. Somepony I can trust."

"So... you do want to hire me!" Spring grinned triumphantly, then shook her head. "Whoa, whoa wait, you want me to do weather work? Like, actual weather work? I'm not qualified for that! I'm barely qualified for anything!"

"Did you realize you've worked nearly every position in the weather factory?" I tried to do my best impression of Bree, whenever she'd given her most inspiring talks to me. "The Weather Bureau has agreed that your breadth of knowledge might make this a perfect test on a temporary basis."

Her face slowly fell. "I mean, I can't make any promises Nighty. I don't think I'm as good at that stuff as you think I am."

"Well, if you're willing to try." I kept my face stern. This didn't feel entirely great, I wasn't exactly good at this whole teasing thing. This was something I thought I needed to do. "If you take the job, Spring, I'll forgive everything you did to me in the past."

"Wh-what!?" Spring sputtered, flailing a limb. "N-not fair, Nighty! That's evil! Th-that's just... fine! Fine. I'll do it. I thought we were going to like, work stuff out now? Figure out the family-ness? Is that it? Just 'Oh ho, Spring, work for me so my career advances and I'll forgive you' blackmail?"

"It's really important to me that this all works. Although, I admit, I, um... I kinda lied about one thing." I closed her folder and moved back towards her. I hugged her again, feeling more than a little bad about this whole thing. “I can’t forgive you because I already have.”

"Fine! I'll throw you a freakin’ party too! And I'll w-wait what?"

"Spring, you're my sister. And honestly, I probably owe you an apology too." I squeezed, feeling the water collecting in my eyes. "I shouldn't have left. I... I should have talked to you, or to somepony, or... or something. I should have done more, and you didn't deserve to feel like I didn't love you."

She broke, sobbing as she squeezed back. "You're a butt, Nighty. A complete butt"

I broke as well, the tears welling up cutting paths down my face. "I, um... I learned from the best."

"D-don't think I won't get you back for this."

I smiled. "I'm counting on it."

A few apologies, a few more hugs, and a promise to see her again soon, and I was winging back to Ponyville. Spring would be following soon enough, and after I made her arrangements, she'd be staying in my house while I was gone.

It was perfect. I needed somepony to take my shift, and somepony to watch my house while I was gone. Spring coming to Ponyville would hopefully solve it all. My sister back, a new employee I knew I could count on, and somepony living in the guest room of my house while I hopefully traveled Equestria. So long as Dusky wanted me along, that is.

Whether she wanted me along or not, I wanted to be ready, to see the world, and to be at her side while I saw it. The first step had been to get my job in order. Step two was to get my home in order.

Though, I suspected that second step had been sabotaged. Spring's retaliation for my teasing had come swiftly, in the form of an obscure list of 'necessities' that she required for her stay in Ponyville. To find these oddities, my path led me towards an obscure shop with a hoof painted sign. Terra's Knickknacks. I’d never visited it before I'd become friends with Terrabona, and just hadn't had occasion since.

The window was crammed full of all sorts of random toys, trinkets, furniture and anything else a pony could imagine. As I pushed open the door, I found that initial impression proved true for the interior as well. The store was quiet and it was difficult to see very far through the cramped shelves. They were stuffed to overflowing with random junk with no discernible organization or purpose. It honestly made me a little twitchy.

Working my way towards the back of the store, I at last found Terrabona sitting at a counter. Her horn glowed as she idly flipped through a magazine. Her eyes shifted over towards me and she grinned wide. "Flurry! I didn't hear you come in."

"Afternoon, Terra. I'm, uh, just looking for some, um," I glanced between the list and the cluttered shop. "Stuff for my guest room."

"Oh? Thinking of asking somepony of moving in with you?" She waggled her eyebrows. "Well, I'm sure I can help pick a few things out that suit her tastes, though hopefully not just for the guest room~."

I tilted my head at her tone, "Not... just? Well, maybe if you have ideas. I mean, she gave me a list, to um, be sure I knew what she liked."

"Huh, I guess that makes sense. Gotta say, I figured by now you'd have some idea abou—" She scrunched her nose. "Wait. Wait, who are we talking about?"

"Err... my sister?"

"Oh? Oh! Okay, different plan!" Terra hopped off the stool she'd perched on and came around the counter. "Let's see this list, then."

"So, room stuff, so you need, like, wall shelves or..." She levitated the paper from my hoof and stopped short as she read the list. "A stuffed toy dragon-fish plush, pancake-scented candles, six large 'fort quality' cushions or pillows, candy dishes with candy separated by color, a crown, and a framed photograph of you in a dress?"

I chuckled awkwardly. "My sister has, um... odd tastes."

Terra smirked. "Well, I've got candy dishes, but you'll have to sort your own candy. I know there's a seapony plush around here somewhere which is halfway there. Pancake candles? I think there's some syrup-scented candles I found around here, and I got plenty of spare cushions, as well as a toy crown and a picture frame, though you'll have to get that photo yourself. I wish I had one of those."

I blushed slightly, watching as Terra trotted through the store, her horn glowing as she glanced left and right. While I feared finding anything, let alone something so obscure, would be impossible in this mess, Terra navigated the aisles with ease.

Soon, she was trotting back to her counter with a pile of items floating behind her head. "There we go! Turns out, I did have some pancake-scented candles. Cinnamon toast and strawberry jam-scented too. So we lucked out!"

"W-Wow, that was fast. How did you even know where that was?"

She winked as she opened up her receipt book, recording the items. "Talent, Flurry. It is my shop, after all."

"Was pretty impressive. Never got to see you at work." I watched her write each item down on a receipt. "So, um, what do I owe you?"

"Total for all this is going to be seventy bits." She paused, her eyes flitting over to her magazine. "Hmmm. On second thought, I think I can cut you a deeper discount, if you don't mind answering a question for me about you and Dusky."

I shifted slightly, keenly aware of what kind of questions she was most likely to ask. "I'm not going into any personal details, Terra."

"What?" She chuckled. "Oh! Oh, yeah, no, no. This is more just, like, your opinion kinda thing."

"Alright?"

Her eyes dropped down to the magazine on the counter, and she turned the page to show me. The opened page showed various styles of necklaces, bracelets, horn rings, all set with various gemstones. "Yeah. So, would it be weird if Dusky asked you to marry her?"

I sputtered, glancing down at the magazine. "T-Terra! That's what I was talking about. It's too early for me to even think about... about anything like that."

She shook her head with a laugh, but her expression sobered quickly. She looked past me. "Not about you two getting married, though, I mean, c'mon Flurry. That's just a matter of time now. I just mean, would it feel weird if Dusky asked you? Like, is it weird for the mare to ask the stallion?"

I paused. That I hadn't considered either. Not just marriage itself, but about the proposal. "I think... I think I would be honored that she asked. Though, maybe it's a bit weird. I might wonder if I'd taken a misstep, or taken too long to ask. Though, none of that really matters, right? I... I know I'd say yes."

I grew silent. Would Dusky say yes if I asked her? It was silly to even think about, we'd not been dating terribly long, not even known one another for much longer. It was ludicrous to think she'd marry me.

"Yeah, me too." Terra sighed, then let her eyes sink down to meet mine. She coughed, pulling the magazine back to look at the jewelry. "I mean, yeah. Right. You and Dusky are good together. Me and Stalwart too. Just a matter of time."

Letting a grin creep onto my face, I smiled at Terra. "Well, when the time comes, I'll be there to wish you the best."

She nodded back, her smile mirroring my own. "Yeah. Same here, Flurry. When the time comes."

Terra finished packing up Spring's ransom, and I dug out the bits to pay her. With a quick hug, I headed for home.

I couldn't stop smiling as I lifted off from the streets of Ponyville. Terra was searching for a path that I had only just realized existed. A path to achieve a wonderful, incredible, unreal dream. It was something I had only recently discovered I wanted my whole life. I was fighting for it, in body, mind, and job. I was fighting for happiness, but I was starting to see that it was not only my own happiness I wanted.

Just as I'd told Terra, It was too early, certainly, but she'd planted the seed in my mind, that maybe it wasn't too early to start thinking about it. Just a matter of time. And maybe not too early to start looking at engagement jewelry either.

38 - Dating, Dances and Diplomacy

With everything in my life in motion, the moments I shared with Dusky were the parts I wished would slow down and linger. Once she had gotten her hooves settled back into a rhythm and felt as safe as she could feel, I started to plan dates for the two of us. While Ponyville didn't have the widest selection in activities, I did my best to find new things for us to do. One of the most exciting of these, to me anyways, was the May Flowers Celebration Dance.

I'd eagerly brought up the idea, and Dusky had eagerly agreed. The only obstacle after that was in learning to dance, and that became a matter of replacing my usual fighting training with some simple dance lessons. The end result was that, while I wouldn't be winning any competitions, at least I wouldn't be stepping on Dusky's hooves.

We'd arrived well before the music started. The party was a simple thing, a semi-formal affair held in Ponyville to celebrate the first flowers of the spring. One of the Apple Family fields had been decorated with floral-patterned banners and bouquets arranged by the town's resident florists. A small band was tuning up, preparing for the main dance. It wasn't quite a Canterlot garden party, but it was our small town's best imitation, and it certainly felt special to me.

When the time came, Dusky held my hoof in hers as we walked out onto the dance floor. She wore a simple, yet stunning, red outfit trimmed in gold, sleeves down the forehooves but an open strip along her barrel to leave room for her wings, ending in a sweeping skirt across her back and down her rear legs. To complete the ensemble she wore a white rose clasped upon the neckline, with a matching rose clipped in a barrette upon her mane.

The dress was wonderful, the overall effect made her even more enrapturing than usual, which, to my eyes, was no small feat. She was such a wonderful pony, smart and kind, I almost felt embarrassed to see her as beautiful as she was.

As the band started the first strains of some Canterlot classical music, I smiled wide and gave a short bow to my special somepony. "May I, um... have this dance?"

"I would be delighted." Dusky grinned and dipped her head, then stepped up close as the music started. "I never knew you were a dancer."

I took the lead, swaying slowly as we followed the beat. The song was nothing fancy, a simple waltz, but the feeling was wonderful. Almost like flying, if nothing at all like flying. "Me either. Just... something I've always wanted to learn."

She closed her eyes, setting her head against my neck as she followed my movements. "Well, you're pretty good at it."

"A-and here I was worrying I'd just make a fool of myself." I was blushing, but couldn't be sure if that was from the thoughts of the potential embarrassment, or the feeling of her pressed against me.

She giggled. "Nah, I think you worry too much. You do just fine, Night Light."

"Maybe. I don't really worry so much anymore." I chuckled. That wasn't exactly the truth. "It, um... I guess it just seems a bit silly to worry about the things I used to worry about."

"It's not silly." She lifted her head to nuzzle against me. "Though I'm glad to hear you're not worrying about it as much."

Tilting my head, I pecked her cheek. "I have much better things to focus on instead of worrying."

We danced on as the music held us together. I wanted time to stretch on, but all too soon the moment ended, and our dance slowed to a halt. I stepped back and bowed my head once again, and Dusky beamed. As the band started their second set, I extended my hoof back towards her. "May I have the honor of another?"

Dusky set her hoof upon mine. "It would be my pleasure."

Twice more we stepped to the slow music before we fell prey to another Ponyville tradition, as the local party expert, Pinkie Pie, 'kicked it up a notch'. The slow dance music was replaced by a high-tempo, fast-paced tune that my careful dance steps could never hope to keep up with.

Pinkie Pie sang some song to the crowd and those who knew the words, including Dusky, sang along. The upbeat baker's cheer was infectious, and an already wonderful night somehow only got better. Exhausted and danced out, we waved a farewell to the Flower Festival to head back into town and grab some food to end the night.

The sun was still an hour from setting, and as I'd picked the night's activity, Dusky picked dinner, settling on a sandwich cafe with some outdoor tables. The waiters were just setting out candles as we were seated with our menus.

"I'm starving. I didn't expect dancing to be so, um, exhausting."

Dusky gave a tired laugh. "I don't think that was the dancing so much as it was Pinkie Pie. She can have that effect on ponies."

I lifted the menu and smirked. "Maybe. I haven't spent much time around her. Not since I first moved into town."

"No? That's a shame. She's not always so silly and hyperactive." Dusky's eyes grew distant, a sad smile growing upon her face as she looked past me. "She can be a really great friend."

"Maybe I'll have to stop by Sugar Cube Corner more often." I watched her a moment more, her eyes still so far away, locked on some memory that I couldn't see. "Dusky? Are you alright?"

She blinked. "Oh. Err, yeah, sorry. I was just thinking back on a good memory of a rough time."

"Oh. S-sorry." She had far too many memories of bad times, and deserved every good memory she could get. I'd have to ask her sometime, but not tonight.

With a smile, Dusky lifted her menu. "You have nothing to be sorry about."

I gave a sigh, but smiled anyways. "Doesn't mean I don't wish you had less of the bad, and more of the good."

"There's been a lot of bad." She leaned in closer over the table, stretching a hoof forward. "But the good has all been wonderful."

I grasped her hoof in mine and held it, shifting towards her. "If it were up to me, it would all be wonderful for you."

She stared into my eyes, just letting her gaze linger, but her smile faded slightly. "That would be nice. But life simply isn't that easy."

"It... it's not that easy, no." I nodded, squeezing her hoof. "Doesn't mean it's not worth fighting for."

We ordered dinner, and as we enjoyed our meals, the sun dipped towards the horizon, approaching the time for Celestia to bring the day to an end.

Finishing up her salad, Dusky suddenly tilted her head, looking down the road. "Is that Starshadow?"

I turned my head back, following her eyes to find our friend coming towards us at nearly a gallop. Looking back at Dusky, she had already tensed as Star slipped through the tables towards us.

"My apologies for interrupting but there is an issue." Star's face lacked its normal calm demeanor, it was the first time I could recall her looking actually worried. "Merriweather is missing, and all evidence points to a rather disturbing conclusion. I require your help."

"Missing? What's going on?"

Dusky glanced at me, then nodded to Star. "We should let the restaurant have their table back before we talk."

I nodded, reaching my muzzle into my bag to leave some bits on the table as we left.

Starshadow led the way, not towards the bar, but towards the outskirts of Ponyville. As the streets around us emptied, Star spoke her concerns. "I fear that my sister has left for home. She has has been quite concerned about recent events. I apologize, Night Flurry, but she blames herself for your current...condition."

I cringed. It wasn't Merri's fault that everything with Bellerophon had happened as it had. While she'd been the one to give me the bracer in the first place, she couldn't have known what was inside of it. "It's alright, Star. She shouldn't blame herself."

"Regardless, she does." She stopped her march to look back at us, crestfallen. "I felt the same about the incident with Terrabona. Sister and I don't belong here. I fear that our presence here in Equestria has done more harm than good."

Dusky stepped up, shaking her head. "Everyone makes mistakes, and you and Merriweather have both worked hard to make up for it. You're both our friends, and at the very least, I know I wouldn't be here if not for you two."

"I appreciate that a great deal, Dusky. I have felt something akin to 'belonging' here for the first time in years, ever since we departed from our Homeland." Star closed her eyes and nodded. "I have done my best not to dwell on my feelings, and friends such as you have been a welcome surprise here in my time in Equestria. However, now the circumstances of our departure are terribly relevant. For Merriweather, I fear fatally so."

She grew silent as we passed a small group walking down the main road into town. As we reached the edge of Whitetail Woods, Star took a deep breath and began to speak again. "My sister had long been something of an embarrassment to the Royal Court. Her behavior had been unbecoming for one of her ability. But, she was my sister, and I love her, so I found ways to temper her enthusiasm. The spell which I erringly cast upon Terrabona was one example. The incident which prompted her banishment was the last in a line of incidents which could not be ignored."

Dusky glanced at me as we followed her into the forest. "I don't think there's a need to go into detail of what she did."

Before long, we emerged into the clearing where Star had overseen my hoofblade training. There, she opened the satchel and lifted a large book, the most dominant feature of which was an intricate lock set upon the cover. "I quite agree, and I did not inquire too deeply into the nature of her activities. But I fear that her recent behavior has cast the exact circumstances of her relationship with Firetail into question."

I watched Star magic open the lock upon the book, and then flip through the pages as she settled the book down upon the ground. "Er... Firetail?"

"Firetail was a low-level delegate to the royal court. Not terribly important, in the grand scheme of things, but he was regarded as, hmm... handsome. And he had some affinity for my sister."

The heat in my cheeks rose. "I take it she returned that, um... affinity?"

Star nodded, her pace slowing as she skimmed through the book more carefully. "When their affair came into the public light, Firetail accused her of several terrible things, many of which I could not believe my sister would do, but Merri offered no defense. Queen Papaya couldn't look past it, despite my appeals. I had never received the whole story, until..." She stopped flipping through the pages and pointed a hoof at the page.

Dusky moved closer, glancing down to at the pages. "He was blackmailing her?"

"From what I read in her journal, it is now my belief that Firetail selected Merri specifically. She was a dupe he thought he could blackmail. Perhaps they did consummate, but regardless, his accusations were made knowing the court would not listen to Merri's protests. Instead, she remained silent and accepted the court's decision to banish her. I would not part with her, and so we left Ostfriesen. I assumed this was all there was to the story, and I did not wish to pry further into my sister's embarrassment."

Dusky looked up from the book. "But now you've broken into her diary. What changed?"

Starshadow almost looked ashamed, but kept her voice neutral. "Since we learned of Bellerophon, Merriweather has been quite insistent that she needed to return to Ostfriesen in search of answers. I did not understand why she was so adamant that we could find our solution back at home. In our talk with Bellerophon, it seemed to confirm whatever thought she had, and though I believed I had talked her out of this course, it seems I was wrong."

She was doing this all for my sake, all because she blamed herself for what had happened with Bellerophon. "Sh-she went back to Ostfriesen? B-but... if she's been banished... what will they do to her? What does she think she can find?"

Dusky frowned, still reviewing the journal. She pointed a hoof down at one of the passages. "I think I'm starting to see it. She says here that she stole Bellerophon's bracer from Firetail."

Starshadow nodded. "If she was simply trying to return home, there are things I could do to mitigate the damage if I could get there in time. Instead, it seems that Firetail was more than I assumed. Not a simple delegate or even a blackmailer. He is a member of the Descendants of the Justicar, and I fear she intends to seek them out."

Descendants of the Justicar? For the first time since our talk under the moonlight, Bellerophon's attention was suddenly focused. Impossible. What does she mean?

"Err..." I blinked, then turned to Star. "Bellerophon. He, um... he wants to know what Descendants of the Justicar means?"

She frowned. "I had hoped he could tell me. They were the ones in possession of his bracer. According to Sister's diary, before we departed, she went to confront Firetail one last time. I cannot say what her intention was, if she had real feelings, desired revenge, or had some other plan in mind, but regardless, it seems the encounter ended with her stealing the bracer. In her diary, Merriweather seems quite pleased with herself, believing he had stolen the bracer from the Royal Castle, and stealing it back seemed an appropriate farewell to a thief."

"But that's not the case, is it?" Dusky glanced at me, worry plain upon her face. "The bracer was theirs. They were planning to bring Bellerophon back."

Starshadow nodded gravely. "That has become my conclusion as well. Merriweather did not show the bracer to me until we had already passed beyond Ostfriesen's borders. She told me it had been a gift from a particularly generous lover, and she herself did not recognize the historical significance. I had my doubts that such a valuable relic would be a gift, but once again, I chose not to question my sister. Her behavior has always been unusual, but she has never wanted to hurt others. Firetail told her that the Descendants of the Justicar would have their revenge. And so would Broken Tooth."

The name hung in the air like a storm cloud, about to burst open. It was the name of the wizard whom Bellerophon had claimed granted him his immortality. He was now paying full attention, his voice filling my head. Broken Tooth still lives? None of this makes sense. In life, I was the Justicar, and I am uniquely aware that I have no descendants.

"Descendants of... err, Star? Bellerophon says he was the Justicar, but... they can't be his descendants."

"I know nothing more, sadly. Only what Bellerophon himself told us. But now you see the train of thought which has lead me to my conclusion." She motioned a hoof towards the journal. "Dusky, observe the next page."

Dusky flipped the page and her expression dropped. "There are pages missing."

"I suspect Merriweather ripped them out, so that I could not follow her." Star glanced at me. "It is why I need to ask your help. And his help. I need to know where these... 'Descendants of the Justicar' would be. And then I need to find them. And if this causes Merriweather any more pain," Her expression darkened. "I will see it returned tenfold."

39 - Call to Arms

Starshadow's words lingered in the air. Since we'd first met her, she'd always had an edge, a promise of violence just moments from being fulfilled. Never before had I felt that edge so keenly as I did now. Even in the midst of Fillydelphia, just before we'd attacked the Cartel, her prowess had been obvious, but she'd never seemed quite so dangerous.

"I..." I glanced at Dusky. The concern on her face mirrored my own. Star wasn't exactly asking for my help. She needed Bellerophon. "I don't know."

Starshadow snorted, her voice quiet. "I see. I shall find them myself."

Dusky hurriedly shook her head. "Wait, Star. Of course we'll help, but it's not that easy. Night and I are not as strong as you and we have to consider that Bellerophon’s help still comes with complications."

I nodded. "Yeah... I'll help. I just..." Complications was putting it lightly. Letting Bellerophon take control was terrifying, the loss of control, the sense of disconnection and worse, the way Dusky looked at me when it wasn't me in control. Well? Will you help?

He was silent for what seemed like a long time. I owe the heirs of Tapioca nothing.

I felt a spark of anger in the back of my mind. This was beyond whatever grudge he'd managed to cling to for a thousand years, Merri was my friend, and Star was my friend. I snapped back. Alright. Then you tell her that. I spoke aloud. "If you want to deny her, be sure she knows it's you turning her down. Dusky and I will help her regardless."

My body went numb as I slipped outside myself. Instinctively, I looked up. Even through the trees, I could see the moonlight filtering down, making me feel safe as I clung to reality.

As Bellerophon took control, Dusky's expression fell, becoming a mix of fear and anger, and it broke my heart.

Bellerophon closed the eyes of my body. "As he said. I will not help."

Starshadow drew closer, as if here was finally somepony she could take her anger out on. "Why?"

"Because I owe you, your sister, your country, nothing. You are the legacy of betrayal." He glanced towards Dusky, his ears dropping. "And, certainly, I could not assist without risking the bearer."

I watched Dusky frown. "She's not asking you to wage a war. Just... tell us where these 'Descendants' might be hiding."

Bellerophon's eyes glanced away, clenching my jaw. I could feel his indecision. "There's only one place it could be. The Forge."

Starshadow narrowed her eyes. "I have never heard of such a place within Ostfriesen."

"Likely not. It was abandoned after Tapioca and I signed our peace." He pointedly looked at Dusky. "You say this is not a call to war, but get involved, and we may very well find our hooves are forced. The Forge is a place where one builds an army. A fortress built into the caldera of a dormant volcano. When I ruled, my best unicorn artificers harnessed the magic there to forge weapons and armor. Once Ostfriesen united, I personally saw it deconstructed."

"Then, why would this be where the Descendants would gather?" Starshadow scraped a hoof in the dirt, as if ready to charge. She brought her snout directly in front of Bellerophon’s face.

Bellerophon slumped. "Because, before I died, it is where I led Broken Tooth. If this is all his doing, then that is surely where he has been all these years."

Starshadow lifted her head back from Bellerophon's face. "Then, I shall go to this Forge, and I shall find my sister."

I could feel Bellerophon's conflict, warring with himself as he considered. I let my sight drift up to the moon. You... you realize, I've been training not just for Dusky. I've been training for all my friend's sake. That includes Merri and Star. No matter what you think of them, they're good ponies.

His thoughts floated back to me. I wanted to return to my homeland. I dreamed of coming as a conqueror, or a savior. I would throw down their false kingdom and fulfill the promise that Tapioca made to me. Now, I wonder to what end? If I return to The Forge, will I find an army? My army? Was this always Broken Tooth's plan?

The confusion and doubt coming from Bellerophon was strange, and had I been able to in this state, I'd have shuddered. The bracer, had it not been stolen by Merri, had it not been given to me, would have been the catalyst to unleash a war. Is... is that what you still want? After everything you've seen?

I no longer know what I want. He looked up at Starshadow. "I will guide you there. It seems one way or another, I was intended to return to the Forge."

With a deep breath, Starshadow bowed her head. "Thank you, Lord Bellerophon."

I inhaled sharply as I found myself back in my body with a sharp pop. I glanced at Dusky, shuddering a moment. "Y-You're sure you're okay with this?"

"So long as you are, yeah." She sighed, looking over at Starshadow. "This is important. And I can’t just leave Merriweather."

"Thank you." Starshadow glanced up towards the treetops. "Ostfriesen is a difficult trek for the unprepared, and Merriweather already has a head start. Meet me here again tomorrow at dawn and we shall set out immediately."

I felt exhausted, but the hard part hadn't even started yet. "R-right. We'll find her, Starshadow. We'll find her."

Dusky stepped over and gently nuzzled against my neck. Ostfriesen was such a huge unknown, but I felt better knowing that no matter how hard the journey, I could surely count on her.

My feelings were split as Dusky and I made plans to depart. There was fear, of course. The dealings with Bellerophon and the scale of what exactly we might have to do both scared me. There was a lot that could go wrong, but I had no doubt that we had to help. Merri was a good friend, and I couldn't blame her for what had happened with Bellerophon. I was just as responsible as she was, with my misguided thoughts of heroism.

I talked to Rainbow Dash to make sure she knew something had come up,and she did her best to be encouraging, but her vigor was a little intimidating. There was a lot that could go wrong, even without getting into a fight. Ostfriesen was dangerous, and we were chasing Merri into the maw of some ancient volcano, where a crazy pony was potentially raising an army.

After departing the weather office, I headed to the Ponyville EPS store in search of Mahogany. If Dusky, Starshadow, Merri and I all disappeared from the bar without he and Terra knowing, I couldn't imagine what they'd think. I wasn't really sure what they'd think about the truth either, honestly, but they deserved to know.

A tiny bell rang as I pushed open the door, and Mahogany emerged from the back room to the front register. "Welcome to EPS, how can I he—oh! Flurry! What's up?"

"Hey, Mahogany. Oh um, nothing much." I glanced around the otherwise empty office. "Got a moment to talk?"

His eyes narrowed, and his hoof slid under the cabinet. "Yeah, yeah sure. Is it Dusky? What's going on?"

I shook my head. "Not exactly. It um, well, it's Merri. We're just heading out of town for awhile, me, and Dusky, and Starshadow."

Mahogany's hoof came up, setting a boxcutter on the counter. "Alright. Right. Merri this time. Right."

"Well, it's not like that." I lowered my voice. "No, um, no Cartel. We just need to catch up with her. No fighting... n-no killing. I just wanted to make sure you knew where we'd gone, so uh, you didn't worry."

"What do you mean. I won't worry. I can't sit back while my friends go off into danger." He muttered the last almost to himself.

I cringed, knowing exactly how he felt. "We, well, we shouldn't be in any danger. B-besides, after what happened in Fillydelphia, you can't keep missing work, right?"

He snapped back at me. "And you can?"

My stomach sank. "I... well..." I didn't really have a response. I hadn't really thought of it. Rainbow Dash had practically encouraged me to go, but the job hadn't been my real concern. "It's just what I need to do."

"You and Dusky and Starshadow? But not me? Or Terra, I'm guessing?"

I shook my head. "No... we can't keep pulling you out of your life, Mahogany. You can't just keep leaving it behind."

"And your life?" He leaned forward behind the counter. "C'mon, Flurry. You can't tell me to stop dashing off when that's exactly what you're doing."

I couldn't say I wasn't. What had changed was what mattered to me in my life. I wasn't leaving my life behind, just the stability of my house and my job. Since I'd started going into the Lusty Seapony, since I'd met Dusky, the things that had come to be my life weren't my town, my job, my house, but my friends.

My ears dropped back. "I'm going because I have to. Part of this is because of me, and, I want to make it right. I'm... I'm sorry."

"Dammit, Flurry." Mahogany came out from around the counter and sighed. "You're not gonna let me in on this are you? You sure you're not going to need backup?"

I gave Mahogany the best smile I could manage. "If we, uh, make it in time, Merri won't even be that, uh, that far."

He looked me in the eyes. "Flurry, you're a terrible liar."

"M-maybe... but we're not looking to start a fight. It's not going to be Fillydelphia, I promise." I slumped, looking down at the floor of the EPS office. "I don't want any of my friends to have to go through that ever again."

"It's not like I want to do that either, but dang." He tapped a hoof against my chest. "I owe you, and I owe Dusky. I know I'm useless in a fight, but I should be there. At least I could feel like I'm doing something."

"You're not useless, Mahogany, and I know Dusky would say the same."

"Bah. You two are in the minority in that opinion."

I raised an eyebrow. "Problems here, or...?"

He stared out the window in silence for a long pause, then sighed. "Nah, just... my dad's still giving me trouble. For somepony who 'gave up' on me, it sure lit a fire under his flank to harass me."

After the big blowup in the bar, I'd hoped that whole part of Mahogany's life had ended. "He's still bothering you?"

"Nah, not really. I mean, like, kinda. Been getting a lot more notices in the mail. After the break-in, it's all just been stupid crap."

"B-break-in?" That was certainly new. "Are you alright?"

"Blah, right, I didn't tell you Yeah, I already went over this with Dusky." He punched his chest with a hoof. "See? I'm fine, was just my dad being petty, don't worry about it."

I frowned. None of that seemed right, but it wasn't a problem that I could help solve now, considering. "Dang... I... sorry, Mahogany. Did you talk to the Guard?"

"The Guard?" He gave a bitter laugh. "Dusky said the same thing. I'm not you, Flurry. I don't know anypony in the Guard who can cut me a break."

I tilted my head. "You... kinda do."

"What? Your dad? Your sister?" He almost sounded hostile as he snapped at me. "I don't wanna be a drain on your family too."

"You're my friend. Same way you want to come help us... I want to help you. My dad isn't going to say no. I can ask him when we're back, if you'd rather not do it directly."

He grew quiet again. "Alright, fine. If this stuff continues, and I can't deal with it myself, when you get back I'll get some help from the Guard. So, don't die, Flurry. Dusky too. Or Merri or Star. None of you."

"Alright, good. We don't plan on it Mahogany. We'll be back. No, um, no sweat." I wish I could be as sure as I sounded, but I couldn't let the doubts creep back in on me.

Mahogany grumbled under his breath as he settled back behind the counter. "I'm holding you to that. And I'm gonna make you buy me a drink when you get back too, alright?"

"I'll, um, get you the best drink in the bar."

He waved his hoof. "Bah. Just a Buzzard is more than enough."

I smiled. "You got it."

We shared a quick high hoof over the counter, and I headed out as Mahogany went back to work. I turned back to watch as Mahogany sat at the counter, but it was so hard to read him. Things were definitely different between us, and it was hard to narrow down my feelings. When Mahogany and I first became friends, it had been because of a shared sense of being out of place.

Now, those feelings had changed for me, as I had taken steps to rebuild my relationship with my family, had found Dusky, and made new friends. Mahogany seemed to be floundering, with the false guilt he held over Dusky's injuries and abduction, the stress of his experiences in Fillydelphia, and now, his own family pressuring him.

Our lives had changed, but he was still my friend, and I wouldn't abandon him. Once we got back, I would make sure he knew we'd stand with him no matter what.

40 - The Storm Before the Storm

We departed Ponyville at dawn without fanfare. It wasn't like our secret trip to Myrtail Beach, nor like the organized rush out to Fillydelphia. There was a ticking clock to be sure, but the journey was going to be as dangerous as the destination. Once we crossed the threshold into the barren, broken Badlands, we were all on guard.

Starshadow took point, leading us along an ill-defined path of dried earth, winding through rocky outcroppings and sandy hills. She maintained a strict march, keeping us moving as quickly as we could without exhausting ourselves.

The trip was already taking some toll on Dusky. She wore her worry like she wore her scarf. While Starshadow kept her eyes forward, Dusky's eyes scanned side to side, seeking out any threat that may be coming. She was prepared and vigilant, carrying a pack filled with everything I could imagine us needing for the trip. It made me self-conscious over just how ill-prepared I was, but I think had I asked, Dusky would have wished that we'd all had more time.

Our path followed parallel to a distant cliffside, the flat land making for relatively easy travel. Even better, there was some relief in the weather, as the proximity to the cliffs cut the wind off, and the temperature was definitely dropping down. Still, there was something that bothered me about the path. It was an almost familiar feeling and I could have sworn there was a distant buzz in the air. My ears twitched to find the source, but there didn't seem to be any noise.

Dusky flinched as a sudden gust of wind cut across the path, throwing a blast of sand against us. She lowered her head to endure the gale, but it refused to end.

"Wait." I brought a wing up to block my eyes, feeling the dirt try to find purchase in my feathers. I shifted in the direction of the wind as the pieces fell into place. The low buzz, the temperature change, it was a shift in the air pressure and temperature inversion which, in this climate, could only be bad. I yelled ahead to the others. "This is storm weather!"

On the horizon, the sky was swiftly growing darker. A swirling gray-brown cloud moving towards us with frightening speed, and it seemed to be growing larger by the second.

"Sandstorm! A Badlands Sandstorm!" Star yelled as she turned back towards us, glancing towards the cliff. "We have about ninety seconds to find cover! Our best chance is to backtrack! Get moving!"

Dusky cursed, turning to run. Her head remained arced towards the cliff, her head shifting about as if she were searching for something. She broke off, leading directly towards the cliff. "This way!"

I followed, keeping my head down and trying my best to keep my eyes open. The storm was getting closer, I could feel it breathing against the back of my neck. Ahead, Dusky led on, aiming for a small cave carved out into the mountainside. Hopefully the cave was deep enough to escape the sand billowing around us.

Dusky nearly tripped in front of me, and I prepared to lunge to stop her as she instinctively flexed her wings. Taking flight in this weather would be risky at best, more likely suicide. If the storm caught up, the winds would give no mercy. Thankfully, Dusky caught herself in time, clamping her wings closed and pushing forward.

It must have only have been a couple minutes, but the rush into the cave felt like it took a lifetime. Dusky ducked inside first, then turned back to ensure Star and I made it inside. There was terror in her eyes as she looked behind us. Her voice was barely audible beneath the growing roar of the storm. "Hurry! It's almost here!"

Inside, the cave curved away from the entrance enough to ensure we were out of harm's way, if just barely. It wasn't deep, or even large, but it was protection. We huddled up close in the rear of the cave, which was large enough to hold all three of us, but little else.

Sometimes weather went wrong, but even ill-placed storms and bad planning could only cause so much damage. This was no pony-crafted storm. Only the Everfree Forest had ever been so ferocious, the sudden storms and vicious gusts that almost seemed to have a will of their own.

Dusky twitched restlessly, and I could see the impatience in her wings. She was pushing back the urge to rush back out and fight the storm. It was something a lot of rookie pegasi struggled with when they first started dealing with weather. We have a lot of control in the sky, and facing something outside our ability to deal with, something which denied us something that so defined us was never a comfortable feeling.

I'd dealt with the Everfree's tantrums during the Ponyville night shift often enough to know what I could and could not do. This storm was beyond anything I'd ever seen. Even the worst renegade weather from the Everfree had only been a fraction as bad.

"Hey, Star." Dusky turned her attention from the cave entrance to our friend. "Are you doing okay?"

I turned from my thoughts on the storm to glance at Starshadow. She paced in the back, her eyes cast down, and her mouth creased into a frown.

She slowed down as she gazed towards us, taking a few breaths to steady herself. "I am... fine. It is just the storm."

Dusky was focused on Star, and seemed to relax as she started the conversation. Whether she was talking to put Star at ease, or herself, I couldn't say. A change of topic was a welcome distraction for all of us. "So, is there anything more you can tell us about Ostfriesen? We know so little and any given detail could make the search go faster."

That once more piqued Bellerophon's interest, as he cast his thoughts forward. ...I am curious as well. How did Ostfriesen fare in my absence?

"Err... Bellerophon agrees." I glanced at Dusky apologetically. "He wants to know what happened after he, um… left."

Starshadow took a moment to gather her thoughts, closing her eyes. "Very well. Since Bellerophon's time, Queen Tapioca did much for the country. She ruled fairly, and established many laws to prevent her descendants from abusing their power. She created the knights to defend her people from the harshness of the land, and began to teach her people to cultivate and grow. The land prospered, and the ponies prospered, rather than wasting their energy on war."

That was our dream, she and I. Bellerophon sounded as if he were whispering, even with the howl of the sand outside I could still hear him clearly. When we first met, we were bitter enemies. We were too alike and it made us terrible rivals, but the more I spoke to her, the more I realized how deeply she cared for everypony. Neither of us wanted our people to die in needless battle, and so we turned our energies towards working together.

I swallowed, feeling his emotion more than usual. "That... Bellerophon says that sounds right. She cared. Apparently she cared, a lot. They didn't want anypony to die on their behalf, which is what drove them together."

Something about that had caught Starshadow's attention. She shot a worried glance at Dusky before turning her attention back to me. "Then, what drove them apart? May I ask, what happened?"

I turned to Dusky and frowned. Every time Bellerophon answered questions, every time he slipped in, I could see how much it hurt her, and that was the last thing I ever wanted to do. "Maybe... I shouldn't..."

Dusky sighed. "Don’t hold back on my account. It’s your body. If you’re okay with it, I’ll support your decision."

I took a deep breath and faced Star, giving her a nod in consent.

Starshadow paused, considering carefully. "Very well, then. Lord Bellerophon, you have spoken of betrayal, but our history calls you the greatest warrior to ever breathe. You knelt before Tapioca, the final warlord to do so, and the only one to do so without a single battle fought. You are a legend, a hero, but you speak of Queen Tapioca with such disdain."

I slipped out of my body again, disturbing how common that feeling had become.

Bellerophon seemed tense, and I could practically sense him tempering his emotions. "Over the course of our negotiations, we tried to find the greatest way to create the peace she dreamed of. In time, we complicated the matters beyond the needs of our people. Tapioca's spirit burned like a fire, fierce and unquenchable, and I found in her a pony every bit my equal. My superior in more ways than I wished to admit. Opposition turned to passion, and we became lovers."

Starshadow seemed to grow quiet, nodding slowly. "This makes sense, of course. Then, what was the betrayal? Surely, you must have known?"

He grated his teeth, anger rising once again, though for his credit he pushed it aside. "I learned the news from one of the nobles. They all knew it before I did. She had announced that she was to be married. She turned her back on... on what we had... I could no longer bear to look upon her."

"Then... you did not know. I... see." Star cleared her throat, looking down at the ground. "Tapioca's suitor was a pony to whom her hoof had been promised when she was very young. He was the heir to an influential family within Ostfriesen, a family which formed the core of her army when she had begun her campaign to unify the nation."

Bellerophon raised his eyebrow. "A political marriage? Then why was it so rushed? Why was it kept so secret, even from me? Especially from me!" His anger continued to swell, but behind it all I could sense a seed of confusion.

"Because, the Queen could not risk anypony knowing the truth. A truth that has been handed down only among the Royal Family—to her direct heirs. Queen Tapioca was pregnant. The marriage needed to be done quickly, so that the heirs would be valid, and that the promises she had made would not spark a new war."

The seed blossomed from confusion and quickly grew into revelation. I could sense it as Bellerophon released one burden in exchange for another. The hate, the betrayal, the sense of pain slowly lifted, only to have a new feeling of guilt take root.

"Tapioca, she..." He slumped forward, barely able to lift his eyes towards Starshadow. "You, are my heir?"

Starshadow nodded. "The firstborn daughters of Tapioca were twins, the Princesses Spirit Dancer, and Mirthful Heart. They never took the title of Queen, instead choosing to rule together after their mother died. Since then, twins have always been revered in Ostfriesen as lucky. Queen Papaya can directly trace her lineage back to them. Many other Ostfriesen nobles and knights can claim some link to Tapioca, and in turn, to you."

He sat still, the revelation had clearly shaken him, and his thoughts turned against him. I was wrong. Everything I believed, everything I did, all wrong. All of the pain I have caused was not because of some betrayal, but because of my own pride. I was too blind to see.

Y-you couldn't have known. I called out, but it seemed any attempt to comfort him fell on deaf ears.

Bellerophon turned his eyes away from his descendant, sitting silently as he stared at the wall. "Tapioca. Why didn't I let you speak. I am—I was a father... Gods, I am such a fool."

I think, had he been able to disappear, to fade into the nothingness where he drifted outside my body, he would have. His grief in that moment was overwhelming, a thousand years wasted on misplaced hate. I found myself back in my body without even realizing it, and Bellerophon's sorrow sat like an open wound in the back of my mind.

Bellerophon was terrifying, he was a force to be reckoned with, a powerful warrior of old kept alive by magic I could not comprehend. Yet, in that moment, I could only pity him. I felt tears, and as I looked up at Starshadow and Dusky, I couldn't be sure if they were his, or mine. "I... I think he wants to be alone."

Relief had washed over Dusky's face as it became obvious I was in control again. The moment hung in the air. The sand whistled outside, the storm still raging, but in our makeshift camp we sat quietly, taking in what we’d all just learned.

Starshadow slumped, breaking the silence. "I did not think that would hurt him so."

Dusky moved closer in the cramped confines of the cave, nosing through my mane before she looked up at Star, keeping her tone low. "The truth isn't always easy, but I think he needed to hear that."

Starshadow didn't respond immediately, lost in her own thoughts. "Perhaps it is time we rest. If we cannot move forward, then it is best we save up energy for when we are able to continue. I can keep first watch."

41 - Savage Land

When the winds finally died down, it was hard to believe the storm had actually come to an end. By that point, we'd been cramped in the cave for hours. Night had fallen, and clouds still lingered in the sky, blotting out the moon. In the pitch dark, Starshadow had been adamant that continuing our journey was not an option.

The next morning, we stepped out of the cave to a sight that made my stomach sink. It was all wrong. The desert, the Badlands, it was all exactly the same as it had been. When Ponyville had an all-day storm scheduled, the next day the grass was wet, the streets had puddles, and there was an effect. There was change. Here was this utterly alien world that could create such a monstrous storm, then utterly rejected any effects.

Maybe it was just the weather worker in me, but I found it unnerving.

Starshadow took the lead across the dunes. As if in contrast to the stormy weather and cloudy night, today the skies were clear, and the sun burnt fiercely. The temperature swelled to the extreme, and our journey was interrupted by frequent stops for water and rest, though there was no escape from the heat.

Soon, the hard rock and sand began to change into broken, bone-white plates. I couldn't have imagined that the Badlands could possibly become more inhospitable until I gazed out upon the salt flats.

"Are you sure about this, Star?" Dusky gazed out across the emptiness as we took another break, passing the water skin before pressing forward once more. "This place doesn't seem very defensible."

Star nodded. "I know it may not look it, but this is one of the safest routes I know, simply because it is more dangerous for the monsters than for us."

I took a drink, then passed the water skin back to Dusky. "It is?" The whole place sent a shiver through me, it whispered death. "How?"

"This region is filled with deadly pitfalls. Pitfalls that have been marked out by our expert cartographers. However, the monsters are either unaware or unable to utilize our markers. As such, the majority of species have learned not to enter the Ghostly Fields." Star turned away from the salt flats to gaze back at us. "Those foolish enough to do so are very unlikely to reach us."

"Oh." The salt flats were death. Anything that entered died, thus making it safe to travel. That idea didn't make me any less nervous.

Dusky shook her head, looking out towards the mountains in the distance. "Okay, that's.... fair enough, I guess. But what about creatures that don't care about the quagmires?"

"That is somewhat more problematic." Star took a moment to consider, then sighed. "While we currently lack the benefit of an archer, I am confident that, between my horn and your wings, the fliers of this region would regret attacking us."

Dusky frowned, and her eyes darted over to me. "I don't know. Do you really think we could take on a garuda?"

Garuda? I had some basic knowledge of creatures in the Everfree, but not what might be lurking out beyond the borders of Equestria.

A massive bird that resides in the mountains. Bellerophon contributed. Pack hunters. Were we to encounter a full murder of garuda, you would likely be torn apart more quickly than you could imagine.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. Comforting...

Star shook her head, turning towards the mountains out east. "One would not dare come this close to the Wyvern Peaks. The wyverns might be smaller, but they are fiercely territorial of their airspace and would not hesitate to mob a garuda. Conversely, easier prey is found on and around the base of the mountains. At worst, we might attract the attention of one or two errant hunters. Of course, were we to try going through the Peaks themselves, it would be a different story. Incidentally, it is for this reason that, if we wanted to go around the Ghostly Fields, we would also have to go around the Peaks—a one-hundred-mile lateral journey."

Dusky nodded slowly, watching the mountains as if able to see the creatures waiting, wyverns or garuda or worse. "Okay. Sorry for doubting you, Star. I just had to be sure haste wasn't getting the better of us. Lead on."

Star smiled and began her march into the flats, heading towards a distant post upon which a colored flag, the first marker along the path, hung. I hesitated, that same feeling rising in my gut that this was a threshold I was never meant to cross.

As she stepped into line behind Star, Dusky turned her head towards me. I glanced up, meeting her eyes, and and she smiled just slightly. I gave the barest nod, and moved forward behind her.

We moved from marker to marker, crossing the flats via a strange zig-zag path that avoided unseen dangers where the flats would give way, dropping a pony into a deadly, inescapable fate. Hour after hour we continued, seemingly making no progress, but Star continued to trust the markers.

The ground suddenly shook , like somepony had taken a hammer and pounded the earth beneath our hooves. Dusky glanced back towards me, her eyes scanning the plains, but there was no signs of anything coming. Star continued to walk.

A second tremor struck, and then more, like a giant invisible dragon was stalking us. We'd all stopped, trying to locate the source, but with nothing in sight.

In a flash, Dusky turned to run towards Star, shouting out to me, "Night! Help me get Star into the a—!"

I didn't even have time to react as the earth beneath us shattered, the once solid path cracking and falling away. I frantically flapped my wings, expecting to see the ground give way to a thick soup of primordial saltwater which would cling and pull anything unfortunate enough to fall into a slow, merciless death.

Instead, I saw a massive tunnel rushing towards me, hard white stalactites and stalagmites lining the entrance and a vile stench that surrounded me.

Bellerophon shouted. That's no cave. It's a mouth. Move! Move!

My mind rushed to make my body move but I was frozen in horror, watching the moments before my death as if it were happening to someone else. The jaws of the creature closed around me in slow motion, yet the only thing I could think was to tell Dusky I was sorry. I didn't want to die, and as death embraced me, there was nothing I could do.

The pony in front of me darted away, expertly turning his wings to dive out the side of the mouth as it closed, trapping me inside. As the creature fell away, the shock of it all took a moment for me to register that I was still there, sitting in the air, even as the teeth passed through me.

Damned fool. Bellerophon's voice was harsh. Bulettes will eat a pony whole if they catch you like that.

I... I... c-couldn't help it... If he heard my reply, he made no response. I tried to see where everypony was. Against the colorless plains, Dusky's dark coat was easy to find as she hovered carefully, Starshadow had found purchase on her back at some point, so at least they were both safe for now. Between us was the bulette, a large beast with scaly dragon-like legs and massive plated scales along its back. The head was all mouth, so much so that it was hard to believe the creature was made to do anything except eat.

Star yelled something, but as was so often the case when Bellerophon took control, it was hard to distinguish anything unless I focused on it. The bulette reared up and began to swipe at Dusky, but Star's horn exploded into a blinding light, sending the beast stumbling backwards.

Bellerophon took advantage of the sudden opening, lunging with his hoofblade extended. He began to slash at the beast, though the blade didn't seem to have much effect. It swiped a claw at him, and he moved as if he had foreseen the strike, stopping to sit upon the claw and stab downward into it as best he could through the thick scales.

Dusky was struggling with Star on her back. I watched her steer her flight towards the last marker we'd walked from, making little more than a controlled crash into the ground. I wanted to rush to her aid, but couldn't do much in this state. Bellerophon seemed to anticipate my desire, as he darted in and out, distracting the bulette to keep it from pursuing after Dusky.

He did his best to keep it occupied, and as it finally grew tired of his darting, he pulled back. He pushed hard to gain distance before his wings folded and he dived forward with enough force to stab the hoofblade deep between the bulette's plates. It roared and spun, but Bellerophon was too quick, weaving under its leg as the Bulette attempted to stomp the source of its pain.

What Bellerophon didn't account for was the tail. As he skid to a halt behind it, the bulette's thick tail swung like a blackjack, catching him in the head and throwing him across the salt flats.

Bellerophon landed on his side, and there was almost a vacuum there, a point where I could step back in and take control.

Don't. Came Bellerophon's voice. I can... I can deal with this pain better than you. If only for this fight. I'm sorry.

I hesitated as I watched him working to push himself back upright, then sighed. Alright.

Dusky ran past him, blade mounted upon her wing. I futilely called out to her, but there was no way for her to hear me. It seemed like suicide to me, but she was trying to do the same thing for Bellerophon he'd done for her. Distraction.

The bulette snapped out, hoping for an easy meal once again, but Dusky was already spinning away, slashing at its mouth, where the scales were far less dense. One of her strikes drew blood, but only truly succeeded in getting the bulette's attention focused entirely upon her. She jumped back and stopped attempting to attack, merely focusing on dodging away from the beast's strikes and keeping herself alive.

Bellerophon finally rose up to his hooves, and behind him came Starshadow, apparently recovered from the fall from Dusky's back. They conversed a moment, then Bellerophon nodded and took flight. Dusky seemed exhausted, losing ground in her desperate bid to stay ahead of the bulette. Not a moment too soon, Bellerophon returned to the fray, this time slashing at the bulette's eyes. It snapped at him, and he spun, kicking off the top of it's jaw to propel him higher, but stayed directly in front of it to draw its ire.

Starshadow had armed herself with her own hoofblade, and her horn burned bright, with red flames dancing across the hoofblade as she ran up to Dusky. She pointed to Dusky, then to the bulette.

As the creature rose up to strike at Bellerophon, I saw the plan. They were going to pierce into the exposed belly while it stood to strike above. It was dangerous, but we were fast running out of options. Dusky was already getting tired, and Bellerophon and Starshadow had both taken damage. I had no other answer. All I could do was pray.

Star raised up her hoof, blade pointed towards the beast, and began to shout. The blade grew brighter, the red flames shifting to a brilliant green that nearly outshone the sun. With the blade wreathed in flame, Starshadow clung to Dusky's back, all while Bellerophon continued to bear down upon the bulette's head, slashing at its eyes and mouth, a hundred cuts that did little but enrage the monster further.

Dusky kept out of the creatures sight, coming in to make one pass, but aborting at the last moment. Then, a second pass, and this time, she committed. Weaving into position with Star mounted upon her back, Dusky made her dive.

The blade thrust out, the green flame flaring out as it met the creature's scales. With a sickening sound, the belly scales began to melt and tear away, and Star thrust harder as the resistance fell apart. The bulette's roar was far less ferocious than before, rising and then falling to a whimper as it staggered back.

Dusky pulled away and dove to escape the coming retaliation, but instead, the beast fell back, collapsing to the ground with a quaking thud. She settled down a relatively safe distance from the beast, and Starshadow dismounted, while from above, Bellerophon came in for a landing besides them.

If the creature is not dead... Bellerophon's errant thought cut through the air. He glanced at Dusky and Star, and the three all took a careful stance, ready to move immediately if the bulette stirred once again. A cloud of dust rose up from where it had fallen, and refused to dissipate.

The lingering dust slowly settled, and within the broken crater lay the Bulette, its head bent to the side, mouth open and eyes lifeless. It was dead.

With almost a sigh of relief, Bellerophon pulled away, and I was in my body once more. It was like I'd been struck by a wagon. Outside the body, while Bellerophon had been in control, there was no feeling. Now, it was the full rush of adrenaline, stress and pain from the battle all at once. I barely managed to stammer out. "Wh-where did that come from?!"

"Yeah, what the hell, Star?" Dusky tilted her head, looking just as exhausted as I must have. "I thought you said monsters don't come out this way."

With the monster clearly dead, Star began to trot towards its corpse. "They usually do not. It is very curious to find a bulette out here. Normally, they linger closer to the border between the wastes and the farmlands, making themselves a nuisance against easier targets."

"Nuisance?" Dusky moved to catch up and walk alongside her. "Star, in case you didn't notice, that 'bulette' thing just about pancaked all of us."

My hooves felt like lead, but I pushed myself to follow after the two of them. My whole body felt heavy, like I hadn't slept in weeks.

"I am aware." Starshadow continued her march. "It caught us off guard and in a small group, which—I might add—is a bit of a feat. The bulette’s tunneling capabilities make it somewhat stealthy, but they are of limited help when it comes to the quagmires out here. I am surprised it did not fall into one sooner. In any event, it would stand no chance against a standard hunting party."

"R-really?" I blanched. Standard hunting party. What could possibly be standard about anything that had just happened? "Does that mean that life in Ostfriesen is always like this?"

"For everypony? No. For knights and their apprentices? Yes."

I stopped walking. Knights and their apprentices. Had I really thought this was what I wanted? How anypony could ever want this kind of life was beyond me. I'd only watched as Bellerophon had done the fighting, and I had wished I could be as far away as possible. "Th-this is what I signed up for?"

Star knelt, examining the mouth of the bulette, but she rose back up as I asked my question, turning to glance back at me. "If your strength were to advance that far, perhaps. We train protectors, not fodder."

She turned back to the bulette, and began to saw into the flesh in the bulette's mouth. Blood and meat peeled off as she worked to cut through the beast's jaw. The exhaustion, the pain, the smell, the blood, it all hit me at once, and my stomach revolted. I turned away just in time as my stomach emptied out onto the salt flats. I felt even sicker, embarrassed and ill and ready to vomit once again, but struggling to hold it back.

Dusky's wing draped over my back as she stepped alongside me. She was looking away from the bulette as well, calling back to Star. "Ugh. Is that... is that really necessary?"

Star nodded. "Yes. We cannot bring the whole thing with us, so a tooth will have to do."

"What, like a bounty?" Dusky pursed her lips, focusing.

"Correct. As I said, bulettes are a consistent nuisance. As such, it is quite likely we can use it to fund a significant portion of our resupply."

I backed away from where I'd thrown up, glancing towards the mountains, to the sky, anywhere I could except the corpse and Starshadow.

Dusky sighed. "How far are we going to have to lug that thing?"

"Not far. If you look carefully, you should be able to see Fort Rhenish."

Dusky turned and stared out into the distance. "Huh. Well, that's a sight for sore eyes."

I shakily followed her gaze, doing my best to force a smile as I looked out towards the distant shadow. "Y-yeah. I can't wait."

"Well," Starshadow's grim work complete, she moved back to the path once more, "then let us proceed."

Nearly three hours of nerve-wracking travel and we finally arrived at the destination. There were no further incidents after we left the Bulette corpse behind, but the tooth that Starshadow magically pulled behind us was warning enough that even along the safe paths, we were far from invincible.

Dusky was on high alert, and even Star seemed to have an air of extra precaution as we went. One such encounter was nearly the death of us. A second would be catastrophic.

As if crossing an invisible line, there was a moment where all concern washed from Starshadow's face. "A scout has spotted us. Should anything else happen from here on out, we will have a lance of knights upon us in an instant."

I glanced up to the sky, spotting a bulkier than average silhouette of a pegasus gliding along our path. Were they to dive down towards town, it was a sure thing that they would get there in no time at all.

Star had named this outpost Fort Rhenish, the first sign of the Ostfriesen border. Set well out from the verdant nexus of the country, this fort and many others like it were the real power of Ostfriesen. From here, the knights, adventurers, and militia rallied to keep the greater threats of the Badlands from encroaching deeper into the heart of their nation. It was an oasis of safety in the midst of this harsh land.

As it came into view, it was clear that Fort Rhenish was a far cry from even the most rural of Equestrian cities. Surrounded by a large wooden fence, each log ending in a sharpened pike upward, the town within was small, but felt like it would withstand any disaster. Indeed, the Badlands had likely thrown the worst at this structure, and seen it and the ponies within prevail time and time again.

The ponies inside were a varied lot, all carrying themselves in a way that instantly made me connect them to Merri and Star. They all had a bearing of competence in their stance that made me feel so small. The similarities ended there, however. Each of the Ostfriesens was decorated head to tail in vivid colors and bright designs. From sand battered cloaks to thick barding, no two ponies wore the same gear. It was as though each were trying to outdo the other, and no one cared to stop when they reached the ceiling of common taste. Many wore feathers, scales, even bones, like medals. Glancing back at the tooth Starshadow carried behind us, I realized that was almost certainly what they were.

Coming in the front gate, a pale orange pony wearing silver armor polished so bright I could see my reflection in it held up a hoof. "Hail, travelers. What brings you to Fort Rhenish?"

Starshadow immediately rose up. "I am Dame Solanum, Knight of Ostfriesen. We have come via Fort Westphalian. We had not intended to travel so far, but got sidetracked in the salt flats." She motioned the other knight's gaze towards the tooth.

"I am Dame Ignia." The knight bowed, then turned to examine the tooth. "Odd for them to strike out in the salt flats, eh? Impressive that you were able to defeat it with your... apprentices?"

Star turned back towards Dusky and I, shooting us a quick warning glance. "Yes. Both quite skilled, but green. I doubt I could have killed the Bulette without their assistance. For now, I am taking the beast's appearance as a sign to get lodging for the night. We can head back on the morrow."

Ignia measured out the tooth as Star explained, and at last took the tooth and carried it around the corner. She returned moments later with a jingling sack. "Current bounty is three hundred sovereigns a head on bulettes, plus fifty bonus for killing a young adult before mating season. I trust this acceptable."

"Very. I only need enough for housing for the three of us, and to resupply our rations."

"Bulettes have been encroaching intensely the past month or so. They're nothing compared to a rampant grim drake or if a bebilith comes down from the mountains, but if their population gets too big, word from the magistrate is they're going to raise it to five hundred and let the adventurers cull them down."

Star nodded thoughtfully. "I shall have to keep an ear to the ground if that happens. It would be excellent practice for my apprentices. Thank you, Dame Ignia."

"Fare thee well, Dame Solanum."

We continued on into the fort, and Starshadow breathed a sigh of relief. "That went well. I had wondered how I would pass you off to them, but this shall play in our favor."

Dusky seemed antsy, as if she were somehow more nervous now that we were in town than before. "Three-hundred sovereigns sounds like quite a bit."

Star glanced at the satchel. "It is quite reasonable. Not enough to live on, but enough for what we need."

For my part, I was simply trying my best to keep one hoof in front of the other for as long as I could. Sensory overload was one way to describe it, everything was so utterly alien, even the things I took for granted in Equestria as commonplace were completely upside down here.

At least the inn seemed familiar, another great wooden structure which, aside from the colorful attire of the clientele, I could almost pretend was the Lusty Seapony. A small bar, tables, a hearth in the corner, it seemed like home.

A light green unicorn moved from table to table, her intricate black uniform and white apron made her stand out from the other vibrantly attired ponies. She smiled as she noticed us enter, raising a hoof to push the glasses set upon her nose into place. "Welcome to the Unfettered Ale. If you're here for a meal, take a seat and I'll be with you in a moment. If you're here for a room, go speak to Hollow at the bar." She moved past us, cleaning some leftover plates and steins before disappearing into a rear room, returning only moments later to continue cleaning.

Star nodded, heading towards the bar and addressing the silvery pony, who sat behind it. "We require lodging for the night. Two rooms, if possible. One for myself, and one for my apprentices."

I raised an eyebrow at Star, but she shot a warning glance back, and I held my tongue.

"Two rooms, Dame, that's easy enough." His horn glowed a faint yellow as he lifted two small keys out from behind the desk. "Standard quarters, would be a-hundred-and-sixty sovereigns for the night."

"Acceptable." Star lifted the coins from the purse she'd been given, sorting it quickly and exchanging it with the innkeeper, then turned back towards Dusky and I. "We shall settle into the rooms first. Food can come afterwards."

Towards the rear of the open dining area, an archway led into a small hallway with nearly a dozen doors lining one side. Checking the keys, Starshadow opened one of the doors. "I know what you must be thinking, but this works best for our purpose."

"You know this place better than we do. The sooner we're rested and resupplied, the faster we can find Merriweather." Dusky stepped forward, taking the keys before we entered the room. She carefully closed the door once the three of us were inside.

To call the room spartan was generous. It was practically empty, with only a single simple wooden chair, a plain desk, and two flat wooden boxes packed with straw for beds. Compared to the glaringly bright outfits the Ostfriesen's wore, I had expected something brighter. I walked over to one of the beds and sat on my haunches, feeling all my exhaustion from the journey wash over me.

"You two should rest. I will find whatever supplies I can, and also inquire about any activity that may be a lead to the Descendants of the Justicar." Star glanced at me. "Bellerophon had no knowledge of his descendants, yet this group must have taken that name for a reason."

Dusky narrowed her eyes. "If it was only known to the royal bloodline..."

"Then, it is entirely possible that this conspiracy goes deep." Star bit her lip. "But I shall be content if we find Merri before becoming involved."

"We'll find her, Star." Dusky stepped forward and gave Star a hug. "Just be careful out there."

Starshadow returned Dusky's hug, managing a smile. "I shall. Now, rest." She slipped back out the door, leaving us alone.

The room was silent as I sat upon the hard floor. Dusky shrugged off her bag, then stepped over towards me and hugged. "You doing alright?"

I couldn't hold it back any longer. As Dusky hugged me tight, I leaned in and sobbed. "N-no. I'm... I'm sorry, Dusky... I'm... I'm just so scared."

She squeezed even tighter. "After what we saw today? The dangers in this land? You'd be a foal not to be."

I wrapped my hooves around her, resting my head against hers. "W-what do we do now? What can we do?"

Her head settled against mine. "We wait. And hope that Merriweather hasn't gotten herself into anything too dangerous."

With a sniff, I squeezed. "I never wanted this, Dusky. None of it. Th-this is never what I thought it would be. H-heroism. Knighthood. It's all falling apart... and it's all my fault."

She took a deep breath, still holding tight. "No, this whole thing is bigger than we could have imagined. These are machinations that began before we were even born. I… I’ve worried more than once that we’re in over our heads."

"I was so excited, t-to become stronger, to do my part..."

"Don't undersell yourself." She nuzzled against my cheek. "I need you just as much as you need me."

My cheeks burned. Dusky had never lied to me, and had no reason to lie now. It was staggering to believe, because I knew just how much I needed her right now. "I just... I just d-don't want to be alone."

"You're not."

I paused, considering those words. She needed me as much as I needed her. I looked up to meet her eyes. "Neither are you."

We hugged a moment longer, then slowly disentangled, exhausted, bruised, terrified, but not alone. Never alone. We moved to one of the straw beds, and fell into a deep sleep.

42 - Unsafe Haven

Dusky and I fell asleep cuddled against one another, and woke up in much the same position. My entire body was sore from the previous day’s battle, and my stomach growling in frustration that we’d ended up skipping a meal. Still, waking up with Dusky’s head settled on top of me, listening to her breath, made all that worthwhile.

We met with Star to in the inn’s common room, hastily eating our breakfast as she went through the supplies she purchased. Soon enough, we were on the move again, leaving Fort Rhenish through the back gate. The dirt path was hard packed—a much more dedicated trail than anything we encountered out in the salt flats, and that was quite a welcome change.

Once we were far enough from Fort Rhenish, Dusky turned to Star. “So, find anything?”

“Nothing definitive.” Star’s voice was even, but the disappointment was clear. “The innkeeper recalled a few red unicorns, passing through anywhere between one and three days.”

Dusky nodded. “I hope it’s not three. We’ll never catch her if that’s the case. Assuming we’re only a day behind, what’s the plan?”

Starshadow took a breath. "We will follow the trail into the valley, and then move north once we have a more direct path to the Forge. Within the borders of Ostfriesen, we should be far safer. "

"How much safer?" Dusky glanced about, already searching for threats. "If the bulette is any indication, we can’t let our guard down."

Star nodded, the barest of frowns crossing her face. "I agree, though that was outside the ring of our influence. Once we reach the valley, you will see."

“Okay. Would…” Dusky paused. “...Dame Lunaris have really come this way?”

Star turned to look back at Fort Rhenish. “I should hope so. There are a couple other, shorter routes that go straight through the mountains, but the pace required to outstrip the highway would be very dangerous.”

Dusky looked down the path as well. “I just didn't know how close she’d want to get. But this definitely seems too sensible a route to pass up.”

We walked on for half the day, moving at a much better pace than the past few days. The land sloped up gently through the hills, though the walk didn't become much more difficult. Soon, we approached the peak of its ascent.

"The forts and the outlying territories are one aspect of Ostfriesen, a part of our lives we must always be aware of." Starshadow stopped at the top of the path, pointing a hoof downward. "This is the other."

I walked up with Dusky, cresting the rise, and looked down into the valley. It was awe-inspiring.

Below, the path stretched on down the hill and out into the valley, where it began to cut through verdant forests, bright green and filled with a rainbow of flowers. Beyond the forest were bountiful plains, planted crops in neatly ordered rows, all expanding out from a crystal blue lake that sparkled in the sun. Rising above it all, set on an island at the center of the great lake, was an alabaster castle that towered over the land like a mountain.

"Ostfriesen..." Dusky whispered the word.

I could only nod dumbly, staring out at the vibrant landscape, so at odds with the deadly deserts surrounding it. It was beautiful, carrying the same kind of peace that one could find in Equestria. The scent on the wind was familiar, but with subtle differences carried from some distant sea. This was familiar weather, controlled and planned.

"This is the Tanzen Forest.” Star’s hoof began to trace across the land. ”Beyond that, the Dressur Plains serve as the breadbasket of Ostfriesen. That castle in the center is usually called Ostfriesen Castle, though the town upon which the castle is built is called Oasis. Further east lies the Coral Vale along the coast, the city where Merriweather and I were born."

"It's... beautiful." I looked further east, trying to catch a view of the coast, but all I could see was a mountain range, and further fields of crops stretching out beyond my line of vision. "To think... all this, hidden here beyond the Badlands."

Star laughed quietly, and her voice grew wistful. "It was not always so beautiful. Once, this land was as brutal as the Badlands we crossed to reach this point. This is the result of a thousand years of fighting, striving, and determination to make this lands ours. We have reaped many rewards for our efforts."

Dusky blinked, turning her attention to Star. "It's amazing."

Starshadow straightened, smiling wider. "Every Ostfriesen citizen looks out upon this paradise in pride, knowing how hard won it is."

Looking over her shoulder, then back out over the plains, Dusky nodded. "I can see why. How did anyone even survive long enough to turn it into this?"

Her eyes closed. "Necessity. Long, long ago, Ostfriesen was settled by refugees from a terrible famine. Their lands were engulfed in unending ice and snow, and they abandoned it, in need of a new home. They left their nations, their peoples, and journeyed across the Badlands, in search of paradise."

I nodded. "It seems like they found it."

"In time." Star took a moment to consider. "Many of those refugees did not trust one another, but they traveled together across the Badlands. Monsters and salt quagmires and worse cost them lives at every step, but they grew stronger as they traveled. They learned how to fight the creatures here, and how to navigate the land. They learned to work together and they survived despite all odds. Eventually, they reached their destination, a simple watering hole surrounded by sparse vegetation, clinging to life in a sea of death."

Ponies in search of a new home after a season of unending winter was how Equestria had been formed as well. Hearth's Warming Eve was the day the three tribes worked together to drive back the winter and create a nation where earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns are worked in harmony. Save for the terrible physical boundary between us, Equestria and Ostfriesen were perhaps more alike then it seemed.

I looked off to that shining tower in the midst of it all, the great white citadel which seemed to glow even in the middle of the day. "And they settled there? They made that castle?"

Star proudly nodded. "It was not so grand, then. A simple village, sewn from leather and reinforced with clay, they named it after that single source of comfort. Oasis. Fresh water and sustainable food. The earth ponies had brought seeds with them on their journey, and the first fields were planted there."

"So similar to Equestria's story." Dusky thoughts had apparently mirrored my own. "But if they'd already come together, why did Tapioca have to fight a war to unify everyone?"

Star sighed. "Stubborn pride. They prospered as one, but the unity was fragile. Old grudges still boiled underneath the surface, and all it took was one terrible incident to shatter the town. On the first day of the harvest, as the ponies began to gather food, a terrible black shadow fell over the town. A great dragon descended upon the fields, burning the crops and killing many. In the wake of that destruction, facing famine and death once again, the ponies turned on one another. Soon, many left Oasis, splintering out into the various clans across Ostfriesen."

I cringed, and glancing at Dusky, I saw her recoil as well. The only dragon I knew of was Spike, the assistant to Twilight Sparkle. I'd barely spoken to him, but he seemed pleasant enough. Beyond that, dragons were a mystery. "There... there are dragons in Ostfriesen?"

Star broke from her reverie with an uncharacteristic laugh. "Maybe there are. It is hard to say, these days. This is their land, after all. The large depression there, that pathway through the Dressur Plains that leads directly to Ostfriesen Castle is named for the incident, the Path of Dragons."

Dusky lifted an eyebrow. "Ostfriesen chooses strange ways to cope with tragedy."

"If you spend enough time, you may find that my fellow countryponies share a rather dark sense of humor. Dragons are of much less concern to us now, since Tapioca slew their master."

"She... she was amazing. Just, had a presence to her... I could certainly believe she had slain a dragon." My mind drifted back, to the first time I'd seen Bellerophon. A vision of the past, when he'd demanded audience with Queen Tapioca. Her name was said in the same way the ponies of Equestria spoke of Princess Celestia. I stopped as I noticed Dusky worriedly staring at me , and my ears dropped. "Err... just, remembering something I saw. Something I guess Bellerophon showed me."

Her wing draped over my back and wrapped closely. She nodded at Star once again. "So that's when Tapioca united the ponies of Ostfriesen?"

Star nodded, and gave a gesture onward before she began to walk down the path once again. "When Tapioca was born, it was our country's darkest time. Many pegasi had fled to the mountains, broken into various bandit camps and war parties which then resorted to raiding to survive. The unicorns sequestered themselves in their cities upon the western shore, refusing entry to any foreigners, and bickered amongst one another in a constant war. Meanwhile, the earth ponies cowered in Oasis. They farmed as best they could, fighting off the raiders and the monsters to preserve their lives, offering tribute to the dragon that had long ago destroyed their home. They suffered under the yoke of a cruel master, kept divided by our own prejudices and hatreds."

Dusky nodded solemnly. "Sounds a lot like when Equestria had to deal with Discord."

"Judging by historical accounts, an apt, if not perfect, comparison. Tapioca wanted to return to that age of cooperation, when ponies worked together and were the better for it. She wanted to see her people stop living in fear and hate, and to see them prosper. So, she began to train, and to fight, and to defend her village. Her influence grew, and she quickly turned her passion to others, organized them, training them to fight as well. She would unite all the disparate clans, and to do so, she needed a symbol. Something to give every pony pause when she entered a room."

Star traced a line through the air, from the distant capital city, to point at a distant mountain range. "The dragon. She went alone, not willing to risk the lives of her village in this gambit, and wanting to ensure her home remained defended, even if she died. There, they say, she confronted the eldest dragon and forced it to her will. She returned to her village triumphant, carrying a symbol of the dragon's oath with her, a pact that from that day on, the dragons would no longer interfere with the ponies who settled here. Tapioca was their chosen, blessed by the dragon to lead Ostfriesen into a golden age."

"Blessed by the dragon?" I pursed my lips. "It's... so is the dragon evil? Or, um... good? You make it sound like it was a monster, but then it sounds like Tapioca needed its blessing?"

"A little of both, perhaps. Surely, the truth of the dragon's motives, and how Tapioca overcame it has been mythologized, but to this day, the unbroken scale of a great black dragon rests behind the throne of the Queen. There is little doubt that it was given, not taken. Tapioca won the dragon's word through her valor. An earth pony overwhelming a dragon. That of itself is all we need to know." This was a matter of fact to Star, myths or rumors be what they were, it did not matter. Somehow, Tapioca had convinced the dragon to leave her people be. Though, by slaying it or convincing it, that much there was probably no one who could tell the truth.

Dusky paused a moment, then shook her head. "Saying you have an ancient dragon backing you would certainly help rally support."

"Not as much as she hoped. Still, it enabled her to forge an alliance with one of the unicorn cities upon the coast, combining their magic with her clan's strength. That army was enough to win her victory after victory, consolidating her power amongst the earth ponies and unicorns. At the end of her campaign, she turned her attention to the pegasi raiders in the north, but they had not been idle. This is where Bellerophon entered the story, a warlord who had been working in parallel to her, uniting the northern bandits into a military force to oppose Tapioca's rule."

I laughed nervously, assuming Bellerophon was listening in . "I, um... I guess we know how that turned out."

Star nodded. "Indeed. With the war ended, and the country united, Tapioca returned to Oasis, and began the construction of Ostfriesen Castle to serve as her new country's capital. On the ground level, the original oasis remains, and is open to all to visit. Since then, Ostfriesen's territory continues to grow. Year after year, we fight for every inch of land, seizing it and wrestling it under our control. In another thousand years, perhaps our descendants will have eliminated the Badlands altogether, and they may reach out to Equestria to trade in good faith across safe passages. That is the spirit that burns in the heart of our country today."

"It's certainly inspiring." I glanced down from the path into the valley once more. "You've done so much work to make it... to make it a home."

Star nodded. "Every adventurer, every knight, this is what they are fighting to defend. Our Oasis."

All the weight of that duty and history felt like it was crushing down on me. I lowered my head. "I... I'm sorry."

Star shook her head. "You should not be. You may have made a fine knight had you been born in Ostfriesen." She stepped over and set a hoof to my side. "You make a far better friend."

Be it from the patrols, the ring of forts with their adventurers and knights, or simply the magic that had tamed Ostfriesen within its borders, our journey along the highway went undisturbed by any kind of creatures. We’d moved swiftly through the countryside, traveling later than we’d dared before, and able to find camp when our exhaustion reached its limits. There were other travelers along the road as well, who greeted us respectfully, but otherwise left us to ourselves.

When we arrived at our next stop, the sun was just beginning to set. Starshadow named it Fort Mareginot, and it was much like Fort Rhenish had been, although everything here seemed grander, in a sense. It made me wonder what the capital must look like, the great white castle which rivaled Canterlot from a distance. I'd seen the interior, sort of, but that was just somepony else's memory of a thousand years ago. Had it changed? Did the heart of Ostfriesen reflect the variety of design that the ponies out on the frontier wore?

Everything here was so much like Equestria, but at the same time so very different. Alone on the streets walking towards the inn, I found myself facing a strange duality. I wanted to go home, but I wanted to see more. It was almost sad that we couldn't go down the Path of the Dragon, and see the capital of this country up close. Instead, we'd be moving north, back into the Badlands, and hopefully closer to Merri and not into more danger.

Most of the bounty we'd collected on the bulette was gone in Fort Rhenish, and so Star had pulled out a portion of her own wealth instead, dividing it up between Dusky and I. Dusky would be bartering for supplies, and I just had to get two rooms for the night.

The inn was similar to the Unfettered Ale back in Rhenish, the building built using heavy logs, but at a much larger scale. Inside, the building didn't open into a bar, but into a small lobby, with sitting areas raised up on either side of the main floor, where a couple groups sat around tables in quiet conversation.

A lone Earth pony sat behind the desk. His ruddy brown coat might have made him blend into the dark room, had it not been for the bright blue robe he wore. He glanced up as I closed the door behind me, shooting me a dark look as if I should know better than to disrupt his peace and quiet. His voice was gruff, and made it clear that I should not waste his time. "Need a room?"

I hesitated, still not quite sure how I was supposed to speak to ponies in Ostfriesen. "Err... well, yes, that is—"

"One hundred sovereigns."

I blinked. That was a little more expensive than I'd hoped, not to mention we'd wanted two rooms. "Well, that is, we uh, we need two rooms. One for um, Dame Solanum, and um, one for—"

"Two rooms? Two hundred sovereigns." His voice didn't change, and his eyes didn't leave mine.

"We're only in, um, in town for the night, and leave first thing in the morning, so um, we shouldn't be a problem. Just um, a knight and two apprentices..." I was starting to believe my argument wasn't going to get us anywhere, as the innkeeper continued to stare. "Err... we're heading north, so I guess the one room will have t—"

"North you say?" His demeanor shifted, as if I were an old friend he only just recognized. "I see, I see. You're going up to participate in the hunt then?"

"The... hunt?" I nearly panicked, letting slip that we were heading north. It seemed I was fairly fortunate that something else was happening in the north to cover my trail. I had to think fast. "I'm not sure. Um, Dame Solanum just said this was going to be very important.”

He snorted in disdain, but was still talking. “You’re just a rookie. You should be grateful to your master for having such insight to allow you to participate.”

“I, uh, well, yeah. Dame Solanum is very skilled, so um, I’m very lucky to have her as a, uh… a master…” I tried not to ramble, but it was never easy lying like this. Not to mention that I wasn't sure when I’d say something wrong, something that’d make it obvious that I wasn't from Ostfriesen, the whole conversation was taxing. “So um, what is this hunt anyways?”

“Hmph. You’ll find out soon enough, rookie.” He dug a hoof down under the counter, then grabbed a quill in his mouth and traced out something onto a scrap of paper. “Here. Two rooms. One-hundred sovereigns. Tell your master that you are amongst friends tonight.”

I started at the sudden price drop, unable to believe my luck. I dug the gold coins out of my saddlebag and set them on the counter. “Oh, um, thank you, sir. We’ll be on our way at, um, first light. So… no worries…” I took the scrap of paper and looked down at the symbol.

It was crudely drawn, an earth pony doing a quick sketch when drawing clearly wasn't his talent, but the design was obvious. A pegasus wing with a lance overlaying it. “My mark…” I said, or, my mouth said, but they weren't my words.

“What’s that?” The Innkeeper narrowed his eyes at me.

I took a moment to recover from Bellerophon’s slip, shaking my head. “Err, I said, um, odd mark.”

“Your master will understand. Make sure they see it, yes? Now run along.” He sat down and set about continuing whatever business he’d had before I entered.

I stared at the symbol a moment longer, then nodded and took the room keys, slipping the symbol and keys into my saddle bag. I’d wait outside the inn to meet up with Dusky and Star. It felt so familiar, but that wasn't me. It was all from Bellerophon, his emotions leaking through. I… I thought you weren't going to take control like that?

Bellerophon’s voice came back clearly. I did not mean to… I was simply shocked by that symbol. It is my own, my mark, and that means…

I nodded, Bellerophon confirming the suspicion I had as well. Th-the hunt… it’s not just a hunt. It’s them. The Heirs.

They are not my heirs. Bellerophon grew stern. And there is no hunt. It is the call to action. They are preparing to make their move. Time may be shorter than we’d feared.

R-right. I didn't like that tone. The last thing we needed was Bellerophon wanting to make this a crusade. We were only here to get Merri. Well… first, we need to tell Dusky and Star about this…

If the innkeeper is one of them, you may consider keeping a watch tonight.

I sighed. Dusky had been right to be cautious, even on the well-traveled paths. Ostfriesen was dangerous, and now we would be marching straight into the fire.

43 - Fiery Approach

With the next leg of our journey so close to reaching the Forge, Dusky asked if Bellerophon could remember how the city was set up. This resulted in a morning spent with him drawing out a map while Star and Dusky prepared our packs. The end result wasn't complete, but disturbing in its size. The Forge wasn't some single structure, or just an outpost amid the mountains. It was a massive city.

That, combined with the evidence of conspiracy the innkeeper had given me, and the details Dusky had learned about this ‘hunt’, the picture of just what we’d be facing was becoming very grim. If Merri had already beaten us there, finding her would be difficult. Finding her without any of us getting caught in the process was going to be even harder.

At the same time, the ‘hunt’ meant that at least they were expecting new faces to come in, which Dusky said could be the opening we needed to get in, find Merri, and get out. Leaving Fort Mareginot, we headed back into the Badlands, into both the frying pan and the fire.

We were beyond the scope of Star’s knowledge, and now it fell to Bellerophon to guide us. He would give his recollections, point the way, and I’d rely the message. Otherwise, we moved through the rocky wastes in silence; Star was focused upon the horizon, and Dusky seemed lost in her own thoughts. It somehow left me leading the party.

The landscape was disturbing, not only did it reflect the deadly grounds we’d initially crossed to reach Fort Rhenish, but we also found more slain creatures than could be counted. The hunt may have been a ruse, but the adventurers heading north certainly worked to keep up appearances.

As we grew closer, we emerged from behind a set of foothills to at last see our destination in its entirety. Standing out from the mountain range was one larger mountain, the top of it broken off, lacking any sort of jagged tip. Yet it still stood above the others, dominating the field of vision.

The Forge… home. Bellerophon’s voice reflected my own awe at the sight.

It wasn't quite what I expected, after the gleaming spires of Ostfriesen Castle, the Forge could easily be mistaken for just another mountain. There were no obvious towers or gates or great city built into the mountain like Canterlot. I had expected to see something after seeing the size of the map Bellerophon had drawn. Is… is it abandoned? There’s nothing here.

There’s nothing on the surface, no. The Forge is quite unique in Ostfriesen. An underground city, protected from both the savage elements and the creatures native to the Badlands. Pride crept into his voice. It was my greatest achievement. Perhaps in some other reality, it would be the capital of Ostfriesen, and this land would be as beautiful as that surrounding Oasis.

I looked across the mountain range, seeing the snow-capped peaks, even this far south. I… can see it. The potential, I mean. I’m… I’m sorry things worked out as they did.

As am I… He grew silent as we walked, moving along the road north. Some time after we’d departed Fort Mareginot, the path had grown old and long neglected. We were fortunate that the decay didn't halt our travel, however. Wait…

I slowed as Bellerophon considered. Hmm? What is it?

The path. It’s not nearly as neglected as it seems. He paused. Nor as abandoned… listen.

I looked down at the road, and began to see what he meant. The road was patched up, holes freshly filled with dirt, and as the others slowed behind me, we began to hear distant hooves stepping across the wastes.

Dusky turned from the path, moving very carefully to circle towards an outcropping of rocks off the side of the trail. She tensed as she approached, but as she rounded their edge, let out a sigh of relief.

Moving to follow, I came up alongside Dusky. Once the threat of an ambush was past, it was clear she’d found something. “What is it?”

“I think I found a crossbow, but I don’t know whose.” Dusky lifted her head to look back at Star and I. “Solanum?”

Star moved quickly to our position, and without much examination, lifted the broken crossbow out of its resting spot with her magic. She turned it, examining the butt of the weapon. “Those bastards.”

Before we could react, she was gone, sprinting down the road with her head low, her hooves falling with an eerie silence.

“Wh-what? Solanum!” Dusky whispered as loudly as she dared, but it was too late. She looked at me, the worry on her face evident. We’d come so far to toss it all aside now.

I frowned, and nodding to Dusky, we set off after Star as quickly as we could manage.

Dusky led the way, back to the main road and into the direction of the hoofsteps Bellerophon had clued me in on. If it were a patrol, or some of the hunters coming north, we were in trouble either way if Star did something rash.

We reached the top of the hill together and Dusky ducked down, motioning for me to follow suit. I crouched down and glanced over the hill. Below were three earth ponies in rough barding, carrying spears and hoofblades. They hardly had the same shine or unique flair as the Knights we’d seen throughout Ostfriesen, instead looking scrapped together from remnants.

It was mere second before we saw Star make her move. Ambushing the group from behind a large boulder, Star made short work of the first two as they clumsily raised their weapons. I winced at the blows, but saw no blood, which was in some ways more disturbing.

The third lashed out with her hoofblade, swinging in an awkward arc that looked wide open, even to me. Star parried and used that momentum to turn about and deliver a sharp kick to the pony’s head, striking her helmet with a loud clang that dropped her to the ground.

As the melee ended, we hurried down the hill to meet with Star. She was already turning towards us, there was little left to do now expect clean up before we got caught.

“What are you doing?” Dusky asked, her voice measured, but some shock creeping in.

“I will tell you after. Just move the bodies.” She lifted the third pony in her magic, carrying the limp mare behind her. “Quickly.”

I frowned at Dusky, then set to work. We moved the ponies off the path, doing our best to work quickly and quietly. The lack of blood from Star’s attacks was a result of deep burns, Star’s blades had cauterized as she’d cut. I could feel the bile rising in the back of my throat, but managed to keep it down.

Dusky guided me back to help cover our tracks. As we finished up and returned, Star was waiting. She led us towards a small cave set inside the rocky landscape. There, she’d hidden the two dead guards, as well as the third patrol member. She was still alive, lying on her back with her legs tied together. She certainly didn't seem like any great warrior, her coat was a dark green, almost brown. Part of that was just dirt, like she hadn't had a chance to clean up in ages.

Star quickly stepped up to the prisoner, and less than gently pushed her head. When it failed to awaken her, Star tried again, much more violently.

The mare shook suddenly, as if from a dream. “Gah! I didn't mean to oversleep, Sarge, I swear!” The expression swiftly changed as her shock narrowed in on Star, focusing into hate.

Star brought her head close to the survivor's ear. "I am not in the mood to play games. I have two questions for you, answer and this will all be over swiftly.”

“Or what?” The mare spit, but Star had positioned her facing her former companions, and as she saw them, the blood drained from her face. “You’ll kill me? L-like them? You won’t get anything that way!”

“No, I will not kill you. I will ask less nicely.” Star’s expression didn't change as she leaned in once again. “Now, answer me. A red unicorn came this way. What did you do with her, and what is the fastest way to enter the Forge?"

The prisoner struggled a moment, but was unable to make any headway against her bindings. She trembled, but did her best to keep any fear out of her voice. "I won't tell you anything."

"Very well. Know that this could have been avoided." Starshadow lifted her hoofblade into the mare’s sight, then placed a rag into her mouth. With it in place, she slid the heated blade across the prisoner's chest, carving a burning scar.

The pony screamed through the rag as Star let the cut linger. I turned away from the sight of it, but her scream still haunted me. This shouldn't have been happening. We were here to save Merri. This was just... wrong. At last, the noise ended, and as the mare coughed out the rag, she sobbed “M-monster!”

I could feel a sense of approval coming from the back of my mind, from Bellerophon. Her methods are brutal, but will garner results. Time is of the essence, after all.

Too brutal! I... I can't condone this. Any of this! I shuddered, recalling all the violence I'd seen, the violence I'd even participated in. White Riot's blood still stained my hooves. This goes too far.

Starshadow poised her blade in front of the mare. "My signet is not a simple pattern. It will take many strokes to complete. Consider your answers carefully."

I turned to look back, quietly wishing for her to simply answer the questions.

She squirmed. The fear in her eyes was open now as she focused on the blade, held inches from her chest. At last she swallowed, and the answer flowed out. "Th-there's a path out to the ash plains in the east! It's lightly guarded! Just the gatekeeper and he’s always sneaking off for naps!"

Starshadow nodded. "And? What of the Red unicorn who was taken captive?"

"What?" She shrank back from the blade as best she could. "Wh-what red unicorn?"

With a sigh, Starshadow began to bring the blade back into view.

“N-no! I don’t know! I swear!” The mare struggled in the ropes again, trying to inch away from the blade. “We've hardly even seen anypony a-and we certainly haven’t captured a red unicorn!”

Star shook her head once. "Wrong answer."

The stunned silence that had struck us when the blade first cut the scout was over now, and as Star moved to make the second cut, Dusky seemed to regain her senses. She lunged forward, her wing thrusting up to parry Star’s hoof. "Solanum! Stop! What are you doing?"

"I am doing what is necessary." Star snapped her head back at Dusky. "We have to find her."

Dusky shook her head and spared a glance at the corpses of the other two ponies. "Pain and suffering is necessary on the battlefield. This is cold-blooded cruelty.

The more information we have, the better prepared we will be. Bellerophon stated his position firmly. I propose continuing the interrogation.

No. I stepped forward. "I... I can't let you do anymore of this. I'm... I'm sorry. We need to keep moving."

Dusky looked down at the terrified scout. "I agree. She's already told us what she knows. We can get more concrete information once we’re inside."

Starshadow stared at her prisoner in frustration, but at last relented. "Fine. Then we must move. Assuming she has not lied to us, we can find this side entrance before nightfall."

"A-and what about her?" I called after, pointing at the scout.

"Leave her." Star was already on the move on, intent upon her mission.

I grit my teeth and moved to catch up to Star. "What? We can’t do that!"

Star stopped walking, dropping her head down to eye the prisoner. "We cannot have her returning to the Forge to warn them, nor do we have time to take her back somewhere safe. Either we leave her here, bound as she is, or we need to end her life."

"N-no! Y-you can't do this! You can’t!" The mare struggled against her bindings once again, but this time when she stopped, she seemed to give up entirely.

Dusky turned, raising a hoof towards the scout. "We’re going to leave you here, but we’ll be back. Unless, we’re walking into an ambush, of course.”

“I’m not lying! The passage is safe, I swear! I-if Old Ed challenges you, tell him, ‘I lay at the hooves of the Immortal Prince, Bellerophon.’” She was nearly in tears, something about all of this felt wrong.

“Then that settles that.” Dusky picked up the rag and gagged the mare once again. “Sorry, but we can’t leave you without this.”

Bellerophon sneered. Immortal Prince? What lies have spawned in my absence from this land?

I frowned. I don’t know… it seems… off, doesn't it?

Of course it seems off. Lies built upon lies. I am almost sorry we won’t be wiping them out.

I shuddered. You saw that mare as clearly as I did. You really think she’s a threat? That she deserves to die?

She clings to a false promise, which will cause a great deal of suffering. She may not deserve to die, but that will not stop it from happening.

I felt sick. I knew what it felt like to take a life, and couldn't write it off so easily as Bellerophon could. It doesn't make you right either. I walked out of the cave, head low. Dusky waited just outside, and Star walked just ahead of me.

Star lifted an eyebrow at Dusky as we approached. “Now what is it?”

Dusky shook her head. “Something’s not right. Troops and supplies are invariably making their way out here, yet, this patrol was a bunch of half-starved amateurs. Why?”

Even with the materials coming in, the hope of this army is the Forge itself. Bellerophon continued. It will require a large number of ponies to ensure it is functioning at its full potential, and doing so will most certainly alert Ostfriesen of its operation.

I swallowed. “Um, Bellerophon says that the Forge takes a lot of ponies to reach full capacity. If they weren't trying to draw attention, they probably weren't using the whole thing.”

Star narrowed her eyes. “All the better that we strike swiftly.”

Dusky shook her head. “That may explain some of it, but the gap still seems too wide. Their armor looks like it was made by an Equestrian apprentice. Even if they had been the ones to catch Solanum by surprise, I doubt that they could have won. What purpose does such an under-qualified patrol serve?”

Bellerophon considered. Perhaps you are correct, Night Flurry. Something seems off. Those ponies, they were sent out to die.

I gave a start. “Wh-what? No… Why?”

Dusky stepped closer to me. “Night?”

Decoys, perhaps. I am beginning to suspect that all is not as it seems in the Forge.

“Bellerophon says… he says they might be decoys.”

“That would make sense.” Star set a hoof to her chin. “The typical Ostfriesen monster hunter would not give them a second glance.”

“So, they could slink around and report if anyone dangerous was snooping around.” Dusky nodded, then her face paled. “Or, if they didn't return, still serve as a warning.”

The question lingered in the air. A warning to who? Those who opposed this rebellion, or those within the rebellion that did not stay in line? These ponies had been set up, to return with useful information, or die in the process. The Badlands were filled with monsters, but it seemed not all of them were wild animals.

44 - Mercy

The mountain loomed ever taller as we approached, its shadow falling over everything. The north road continued to show signs of use, of subtle repair. We chose to follow the advice of our unwilling informant and moved off that road to the east, following what Bellerophon described to be an old hunting trail.

The closer we got, the more on edge everyone became. Starshadow was barely restrained, more impatient and worried than I'd ever seen her before. Dusky seemed to take on the task of being the lead lookout, keeping her eyes moving to search out any signs of ambush. We'd spotted the distant shapes of pegasi near the north entrance, if they spotted us on this old eastern trail, it could certainly have raised some suspicions that our alibi of attending the hunt might not have covered.

As Star predicted, we reached the eastern gate as the sun crept just below the horizon. It was a large tunnel entrance with a metal portcullis sealing it shut. We halted our progress, just about to plan our next move, when an old pegasus in a thick cloak walked out the gate. He carried a pole on which hung three lanterns, dimly lighting his path as he moved stiffly through the gate. Once outside, he set two of the lanterns upon hooks set on either side of the entrance, then began to meander back into the mountain. We watched him go about his work, and as he began to head inside, we made our move.

Dusky put a hoof against Star's side and whispered. "Carefully."

Star nodded, then took the lead, approaching the gatekeeper from behind. She cleared her throat. "Sir?"

"Eh?" The pegasus swung the pole with his last remaining lantern like a staff, prepared to smash it across the head of any would-be intruders. In the low light, his coat appeared to be a faded blue. Despite his age, he certainly seemed limber enough. Like the scouts we'd encountered before, his armor appeared to be barely bound scraps, hardly what one would expect from freshly arrived warriors. "You there! Halt!"

Star raised a hoof to placate him. "Easy, sir. We are here under orders to enter the Forge through the eastern tunnel."

"Through the east—why, that's here!" He eyed each of us carefully, swinging the lantern from face to face. "You certainly look like one o' them. Buncha thoroughbred know-it-alls and green-blooded foals."

I looked over at the others, raising an eyebrow. It was hardly the reception I'd expected. I wondered if it was some kind of test, if there was something else we were missing here.

The gatekeeper, Old Ed if our information was accurate, made his way through, then waved us in. "Well, hurry up. Quit standing there swatting flies and come in so I can close the gate!"

Star glanced back at us and nodded, whispering back. "Be ready."

If this is a trap, we are likely already dead.

I swallowed hard at Bellerophon's words, but nodded back to Star nonetheless.

Stepping into the tunnel, the old timer moved slowly ahead of us, reaching a winch set into the wall. He cranked the gate closed behind us, the metal clang of its hard iron teeth dropping into the stone below it echoed through the tunnel. There would be no going back now.

"Well? Go on, then. Get going!" The gatekeeper was clearly done with us, and our captive’s comments about him going off to nap seemed fairly likely. The faster we were away, the faster we'd be forgotten.

"Thank you, sir." Star bowed her head briefly, then began to move down the dim tunnel.

It was all dark stone brick, with lanterns mounted often enough to provide waypoints through the darkened corridor. The brick facing was broken and loose throughout, the shattered angles reflected in the flickering lantern light, giving the whole tunnel a feeling of decay, and imminent collapse. It made the hair on the back of my neck stand up on edge.

The tunnel continued to slope downward, and after at least an hour of travel, it opened from a simple hallway into the entrance to a vast concourse. As deep underground as it seemed we were, I would have expected to feel more claustrophobic. Instead, the chamber was vast enough that it didn't feel confined at all. It should have been dark, but a dim blue glow suffusing everything, and torches were set at what appeared to be key points. The whole cavern sloped downward, like a great bowl.

Deeper into the bowl were many buildings. They were an odd mixture of designs, some were large, natural looking structures, great towers of stone with openings carved into them. Others were more what I would expect, homes built from stone or sometimes wood. They were numerous in number, and the city could easily accommodate several thousand ponies, and yet only a tiny fraction of them showed signs of life. The blue glow revealed many unlit buildings, and it appeared that a good deal of these structures were collapsed, and even those which were lit showed obvious signs of disrepair, even from this distance.

The city abruptly ended against a sheer stone wall. There were more lights concentrated there as well, and the layout of the city, combined with the activity present, all led to one location. A large tunnel, bigger than any other visible in the cavern, opened up, leading down deeper into the mountain.

Bellerophon focused upon it immediately. There. That tunnel leads to the Forge itself, closer to the heart of the volcano.

I pointed a hoof to the tunnel, whispering to the others. "Bellerophon says that's where we need to go."

Starshadow nodded. "A good deal of the city seems abandoned. This should help our efforts to sneak through."

"At least until we get closer to that entrance." Dusky pondered. "Then, we'll have to hope we can learn enough to convince them we belong in there."

The tremendous size of the cavern served us well, as we were able to move quickly and quietly into the city, keeping parallel to the main path. At one point, Dusky picked up the sound of a patrol, and we were able to move out of sight. As the sound moved past our position, Star peeked over the stones to watch the patrol for as long as she dared.

"This makes no sense," she whispered to us. "Their armor, their weapons, none of it would be seen as fit for a fresh recruit, let alone a seasoned knight. If this rebellion has truly been this long in the planning, why is it so ill-equipped?"

Dusky frowned. "Maybe they're not as powerful as we feared?" She glanced towards the great hallway. "Or they're keeping their best forces in reserve."

Star chewed on that idea a moment, then shook her head. "It does not seem right. There is something more going on here."

I glanced up at the stone spires, the faint lights within those caves, and it struck me. "They live here..."

Star tilted her head. "The traitors?"

"I... I guess?" I pointed upwards. "This place was a city, right? It used to have ponies living in it. What if they never left?"

Bellerophon's disdain was evident. Impossible. The Forge was abandoned when the truce was signed. I told you, I saw it shut down myself.

Dusky looked further into the cavern towards the city. "It might mean we have a better chance of finding Merri and getting out of here."

"We can only hope. There is an ill sense to this place." Starshadow stood from our hiding spot and motioned us forward, deeper into the city.

The dilapidated ruins did much to help our approach. We kept clear of the main street; Dusky insisted we do so to avoid any risk of detection by the patrols that came out this far. The collapsed and abandoned buildings gave us plenty of places to avoid unwanted eyes, and the rare patrols seemed to have no interest in examining the rubble.

We begun to notice some patterns in the patrols as we moved through the city. Despite their ramshackle appearance, and the general sense of desperation, the patrols came at regular intervals. They marched together, disciplined, without the kind of chatter that Dusky said she'd expect from untrained militia. My theory that they'd been living here seemed to be proving correct. These were hard people, living in hard conditions.

As that point seemed to solidify in our minds, we found ourselves facing the other side of the problem. A different kind of patrol approached. They were conversing loudly, their voices carrying far enough to easily forewarn their approach. We ducked into one of the crumbled buildings and listened to them talk about old kills. Instead of the usual groupings of undergeared ponies we'd encountered, we found this patrol to be smaller, and made up of ponies in the brightly colored armor we'd come to recognize as Ostfriesen.

Starshadow leaned in as they passed, frowning. "Those were most certainly reinforcements. They swagger as if they own this place. The typical arrogance of an experienced hunter."

Dusky nodded in agreement. "They're completely different from the previous ones. I have to wonder: how many are there compared to the natives?"

"And I wonder, which is the greater cause for concern?" Star pursed her lips.

“Depends on whether or not we have to fight.”

We were several hours deep into the city, and exhaustion was beginning to take a toll. We'd arrived at the gate into the Forge as the sun was setting, and now it had to be well past dusk. The moon would be high overhead, if we could see the sky. Out of necessity, we needed to find someplace safe to get rest before we could continue. Star was reluctant to stop our march forward, so close to our goal, but even she was feeling the drag of exhaustion.

Once we found a suitable building, there wasn't much to do to set up, we couldn't risk lightning a fire here. Dusky and Star examined the impromptu shelter to be sure it was stable enough, and I let my eyes wander. This had once been some pony's home. It had been more than just stone walls, cracked and broken.

I walked through an old doorway, examining the dusty remains. It was once a large home, the front room lead to a hallway, breaking off into several side rooms. It was impossible to tell what those rooms had once been, as any signs of habitation were long gone. I stood in that large room, keeping guard while Dusky and Star went in deeper to be sure it was safe.

Bellerophon sighed. This was my legacy. A thousand years, and it's all but gone. It should have been something special, something glorious, and instead it's all in ruin.

Nothing lasts forever… There was nothing I could say that would console him. The thought of everything I'd known or loved being a thousand years gone was almost more than my heart could take. I looked back towards the other room where Dusky and Star had slipped away and frowned.

My ears perked up at the sound of something clattering about outside, like rocks falling. I turned to call back to others when the blade flashed in front of my throat. A mare's voice, hard and unforgiving, came to my ear. "Shout and you're dead. Don't move, don't speak, do nothing without my permission. Understand?"

I froze, barely managing to nod my head. I tried to glance down without moving my head, her blade was perilously close to my neck. It was a wing blade, not unlike Dusky's, and it sat perched upon pale purple feathers.

"Good. Now step forward. Slowly. Too fast and my wing might slip." We moved out towards the back, standing in the doorway to the central room, where Dusky and Star now turned to look in mixed expressions of worry and horror.

"Let him go!" Star glared at the pony behind me, hoof moving to brandish her own blade.

"None of that!" The mare called. "No weapons, no movement, or your friend dies. I don't know who you are, or why you're sneaking around my city, but it ends now, so just come along quietly."

Star growled, but slowly released her grip on the hoofblade.

Dusky tried not to let any emotion show, but the pain in her face was obvious as she slumped in place. I frowned.

"Excellent. There's no need for bloodshed. Lord Firetail will have some questions for you. Now move." She pointed her free wing towards the door.

It was a simple mistake that would cost her everything. For just a split second, her attention was shifted away from the blade at my throat. That was all it took to give Bellerophon his opening.

He took control before I could react, pivoting to throw my head to the side and into our assailant. She'd been standing besides me, just behind my line of sight, with her wing out and the blade poised, and Bellerophon knew right where she'd be. His head slammed into her face.

I got a good look at her as she stepped back, a light purple mare with her mane tied back into intricate braiding. She wore a full set of barding, unpainted, but in much better repair than the other ponies we'd seen. I watched from above as Bellerophon moved quickly to subdue her.

Bellerophon rushed her, slamming her against the wall first, then not letting up as his hind legs bucked into her, letting her drop forward to the ground. Kicking off her wingblade, Bellerophon knocked it across the ground towards Dusky and Star. Then, he summoned his hoofblade.

"Now, then." He kicked the guard mare over onto her side, moving his blade towards her throat as he stepped up onto her side. "I believe the phrase is, as you said, move and you're dead. Solanum, ask your questions. I feel quite sure our friend here will be most obliged to answer."

I watched Bellerophon hold the hoofblade to her with my body. You can't just torture her, not again.

Starshadow actually appeared taken off guard, managing to pull herself together once Bellerophon addressed her. She moved up to this new prisoner and lowered her head. "Excellent. We seek a red unicorn who came into this way, possibly taken captive. Tell us what you know of her, and everything you know about Lord Firetail."

She spit in Star's face. "Filth! You'd best kill me as quickly as you can. When King Bellerophon is reborn, he will return Olymponis to its rightful place."

Bellerophon kicked her once more, hissing. "King Bellerophon wants nothing to do with this farce." He placed his hoof on her again, moving the hoofblade forward to show her the bracer from his old armor. "If this Firetail wishes to use my name to further his lies, then I will ensure he begs for death before the end. If you have nothing else to tell us, then you shall at least have your swift death."

Something had shaken her, but she quickly regained some composure, snarling from behind the blade. "You know nothing. You think some stolen artifact will sway me to your lies? My family has awaited the return of our King for over a millennium. You will get nothing from me."

"Hmph. So be it." He slid the bracer away from her face, positioning the blade back at her throat.

I struggled against him. No! You can't just kill her!

I will do as I please. Bellerophon's face turned to a snarl, but his hoof wavered, and I continued to push back.

Look at her! Look at this place! She's half-starved, there's no more fight there, not after what you said. I tried to exert myself back into my body, I was determined not to allow anymore unnecessary death. Maybe Firetail is lying to them, but they don't deserve death! If... if anything, they deserve pity...

He cried out in frustration as he jabbed the blade forward, but rather than slicing open her throat, the hoofblade struck the stone besides her head. "Very well. King Bellerophon grants you your life. Expect nothing else." He turned and walked away from the stunned mare.

She seemed completely off-balance now, having just stared death in the face. Unable to keep the tremble from her voice, she only barely managed to whisper. "What are you?"

Bellerophon did not look back. He looked up at the ceiling of the hovel and frowned. "I was the Aegis Insontis, First Knight of Tapioca's Court, Justicar Bellerophon, once known as Swift Wing."

Something in her expression changed, fear replaced by awe, or more likely a mix of both. "Swift Wing… no one should know that name."

He snorted, dark thoughts storming through his mind. “None would, now. Wiped from the pages of history. Just as I was. Just as you all will be.”

She was pale, but stared after as Bellerophon walked away. "I, uh, I’m Amethyst, M'Lord." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Amethyst Vein. I am the Regis of the ponies of Olymponis. The Oracle said you'd return. When the mare in the moon disappeared, he said, it was a sign that Tapioca's dynasty was over, and that we would return to our rightful throne in Ostfriesen. We've been waiting a thousand years for you."

Bellerophon turned. "I am not your Lord. I am not your savior. Tapioca had every right to that throne, and so do her children. You've waited on false hope."

Amethyst's head dropped back to the floor, her voice broken. “No, you can’t mean that.”

I have no purpose here. I thought returning to this place, I could find something. Peace, or solace, but this place reeks of decay, a relic long past its time. Just like me.

I gained control of my body once more, feeling a dull throbbing in my head from the impact in combat. It... it's still full of life. Maybe they're misguided, been lied to, and clinging to false hope, but... they're still alive.

I turned back to look at Amethyst. Whatever that false hope had been, it was gone now.

She had curled up on herself, Dusky and Star watching her carefully.

Dusky's eyes met mine, and I couldn't be sure who she was addressing. "It's for the best we keep the bloodshed to a minimum. That sort of thing just feeds into itself."

I looked away, nodding. "I... I couldn't let him. We can't just kill anypony who gets in our way."

She smiled, relief crossing her face. "Well, good. I wouldn't want to see him stain your hooves with anymore lives."

"Y-yeah. Me neither." The image of White Riot flashed through my mind and I suppressed a shudder. I walked towards the mare on the ground, Starshadow standing over her. "Amethyst? I'm... I'm sorry. It's complicated, but we're not here to stop you, or to stop Firetail or whoever is running things. We're just here to save our friend."

She shook her head, carefully pulling herself up. "I was a fool. We waited here for a thousand years for you. The Oracle told my ancestors, and their ancestors, that you'd return. We were supposed to see it in our lifetime, and instead, we've invited the enemy into our home. Lord Firetail has brought in his reinforcements, Ostfriesen nobles that have taken over Olymponis. They sit in the Forge and laugh and plot. They're using us, using my people, and I've turned a blind eye. All because they gave us hope you'd return. That you'd be something special." She glared at me, or more specifically, at Bellerophon.

Starshadow watched her carefully, subtly shifting between Amethyst and I. "This is not even Bellerophon. He is long dead, but his spirit remains, bound to the bracer upon the forehoof. He could not lead you even if he desired to. I simply wish to save my sister, Amethyst."

Amethyst sighed. "Then you oppose Firetail. Because the red unicorn can only be the prisoner captured by Firetail's loyalists." She glanced at me once again. "She is a special prisoner, selected to become the vessel for King Bellerophon's return."

"V-vessel?" I tensed. Wh-what does that even me? They want to make her like me?

That would only make sense if they were still in possession of my bracer.

Dusky stepped forward. "Amethyst Vein, we're not going to hurt you, or your people, if we don't have to. But we have to save that prisoner. Please tell us what you know."

"Firetail's lies have held the people of Olymponis down long enough." Amethyst glanced between us, and a fire returned to her eyes. "I swore an oath to serve Bellerophon, as has every leader of Olymponis since his departure. I will help you."

45 - Age and Experience

My intentions in sparing Amethyst had been simple, or so I’d thought. I didn’t want to see anypony else die, especially not by my own hooves. Even though it would have been Bellerophon’s decision to swing the sword, it would have been on me had I not tried to stop him. Still, our new ‘ally’ did little more than put everyone on edge.

We tried to rest up, but even with the level of fatigue, none of us could really sleep, not with Amethyst Vein in the room. I kept catching her watching me, a sidelong look that I did my best not to acknowledge. Even stranger were the looks I saw Dusky giving her. I fully understood why Dusky wouldn’t trust her, but there was something else in her eyes too, something I couldn’t quite place.

I didn’t have much time to confront either of them about it, as Bellerophon wasn’t giving me any peace, either. We should have at least left her behind, like we did the scout, though leaving her behind in enemy territory would be a far greater risk. This is a mistake you’ve made.

I sighed. I can’t. You’re far too eager to kill her. To kill anyone.

I am only trying to do what is necessary. There was a hint of mockery in his voice. We’re here to save your friend, are we not? We cannot achieve that just by asking politely.

No, we can’t. I just… I’m not going to let there be any more death than necessary. I glanced over at Amethyst, raising an eyebrow as she quickly glanced away. Besides… look at her.

What about her?

I don’t think she’s your enemy here. I hesitated, unsure who exactly was the enemy.

Dusky spoke up suddenly, stepping towards Amethyst. “So, now that we’re working together, tell me more about this place and your Oracle.”

Amethyst Vein spun towards Dusky. “Oracle?”

“Yeah, you said he advised the ancestors of your ancestors about the return of Bellerophon. Clearly, he isn’t an ordinary person.”

“That would be because he is not ordinary at all. He is a dragon of old, one who witnessed the rise of the vile Tapioca.” Amethyst turned towards me once again, awe in her eyes. “He was there. He saw her tyranny, and how each of her spawn inherited her iron hoof.”

Bellerophon’s attention now focused on Amethyst. Dragon of old… it can’t be…

Dusky didn’t let it cross her face, but she shifted subtly, as if she were about to defend herself from an attack. “And his real name? Surely it isn’t Oracle.”

Amethyst narrowed her eyes, but shook her head. “That, I do not know. Such questions are off limits to us.”

Star’s voice was low. “Could it be?”

“Broken Tooth.” Dusky confirmed.

My stomach sank.

Bellerophon’s anger rose, and he slipped in a bit too easily, directing his attention to the others before I could push back. The vile little worm! His lies have caused all of this, and now he sits here spreading this vile crusade. I should have killed him when I first laid eyes upon him.

Amethyst seemed more confused than anything else. “Eh? He does have one of those, but what…” She stopped, turning to stare at me, at Bellerophon.

“Bellerophon say that, um, Broken Tooth is responsible for his situation.” I let my eyes fall away from Amethyst’s gaze. “But, um, less nicely.”

“Situation?” Amethyst stepped back, eyeing each of us in turn, awaiting an explanation.

Tell her what he did to me. A thousand years lost, waiting in darkness for a lie.

“Trapped between life and death. A formless soul, lost for centuries in darkness, with nothing but his anger and grief to sustain him, held within this cursed bracer… th-that’s what he says.” I lifted my hoof to show her the bracer, the whole thing feeling unnaturally heavy as I held it there, as if all the weight of the mountain above us were crashing in on me.

In contrast, Amethyst seemed awed by it. “No, there has to be some kind of mistake. All this time, he’s always extolled your virtues, Lord Bellerophon the Untainted Hero. Lord Bellerophon the Immortal Prince. The Justicar who would right all wrongs. Why would he say all that if he meant to do you harm?”

Star narrowed her eyes. “Given that he is willing to proceed without the real Bellerophon present, it is safe to say he has ulterior motives.”

Dusky nodded. “A figurehead.”

“No!” Amethyst stepped back, setting her jaw. “That is what Firetail has planned. He must be going behind the Oracle’s back to trick us all. If he has his own agent as an unquestionable figurehead, he could get all of us, the Oracle included, to do as he wishes! That must be what’s going on!”

A figurehead… Bellerophon considered the word, and I could feel that same burning rage rising in him again. He was setting me up. Setting me up for his own ends.

Dusky lowered her head with a sigh. “But if the Oracle is so old and wise, shouldn’t Firetail realize that he’d eventually, if not immediately, catch on?”

Amethyst shrugged, her disdain obvious. “No pony ever said Firetail was smart.”

“Well, regardless, we’ll both need to thwart him to meet our goals.” Dusky took another deep breath. She was shaken, but doing her best not to let it show. Who wouldn’t be, after hearing that the thing which opposed their goal was a dragon? “Is there anything else you can tell us?”

Her focus shifted away from Broken Tooth, Amethyst’s voice dripped with venom. “Firetail is all about arrogance and pomp. He wants his presence to be known, to the point that he chooses his personal guard for their flair over their skills. If you can slip past his regulars, you shouldn’t have any problem getting your friend out.”

Dusky pressed on. “And just how much is between us and that?”

“First you’d need to get into the inner city. You’re all so painfully Ostfriesen that you wouldn’t need my help with that one.”

It was so absurd I almost laughed. I looked at Dusky, and found her glancing back, the barest hint of amusement crossing her lips before it was gone. It was only for a split second, something just for me, and somehow it actually bolstered my spirits.

Star considered. “Then what?”

“The inner city itself, there shouldn’t be any problems so long as the gate went fine and you don’t linger. The palace is another matter. Everypony there is in Firetail’s inner circle. They’ll know if somepony strange is trying to get in. That’s also before his personal guard.”

“Great. I’m guessing you can’t get them to let us pass?” Dusky didn’t sound too hopeful as she tilted her head at Amethyst.

Her answer, however, was more promising than I’d expected. “Maybe. They have full control of the palace and refuse to let anypony by without asking twenty questions—including me. But there might be another way.”

The picture is beginning to become clear. Bellerophon's mood had grown darker in my mind. If these Olymponians are an infection, then Broken Tooth is surely the heart of it. To fix this whole problem, we just need to eliminate him.

W-we just need to kill a dragon? This was ludicrous, and the sense of just what we faced was almost overwhelming. We’re just here to save Merri...

Bellerophon's smug attitude was only tempered by how deadly serious I knew he was. Don't delude yourself into believing stopping Firetail alone will fix this. Now you look at Amethyst Vein. She may have been raised to believe in Bellerophon, but it was Broken Tooth whispering lies into her ear. You won't find her faith shaken in the god who sits among them as easily as it is in Firetail. Now then, ask her what her plan is.

I swallowed. This was a delicate dance, and falling too far to any side would mean having to kill many, many more. Or, more likely, simply result in us getting killed ourselves. I eyed Amethyst carefully. "Which is?"

"Wait until the earliest hours of the morning." She straightened slightly, eyes narrowing. "Those outside are less supervised and as the patrols are consistently boring, many have started smuggling in flasks. They try to hide it, but they become sluggish and unfocused. That is when you can use the rear servant's entrance. Normally it would be too far in the open, but that window widens greatly at that hour."

I hesitated, looking at the others. I shouldn't be here. I'm just a weather pony. I never wanted to kill anypony, or stop anyone.

Death is going to be inevitable, Night Flurry. We can only do what we can to minimize it. If you will not take this opportunity, then I will. His threat hung in the air.

"So," I took a deep breath. "what makes this a 'might' scenario?"

Amethyst Vein almost seemed excited as she looked me in the eyes. "Firetail has my master key. Somepony will have to let you in. Lucky for you, the only pony I trust enough to keep things quiet should have a spare."

Dusky leaned in, still on edge. "And who might that be?"

"Old Ed." Amethyst's eyes didn't break from mine.

It took me only a second to connect it back to the older pony who'd passed us through the eastern entrance with little more than a few curses. "The... gatekeeper?"

She almost looked hurt, gritting her teeth. "Not just any gatekeeper. He’s my friend and one of our best fighters."

"Best?" Star kicked a hoof impatiently. "Then why have him tucked away at one of the rear gates?"

The venom returned to Amethyst's voice. "Firetail. He says it was the Oracle’s orders, but I know better. It’s because he doesn’t like Old Ed. The Oracle would never indulge such a petty thing."

"Did you talk to your Oracle?" Dusky questioned her, though I already shared Bellerophon's doubt that she could be turned against him. "I'd think he'd want to know if Firetail is making a power grab."

"No. He is busy with more important things, like the return of..." She stared back at me. "...of Bellerophon."

"Did Firetail tell you that?" Dusky pressed further.

Amethyst Vein pushed back at last. "Yes, but I don't need that glory monger to tell me what I already know."

Star stepped forward, staring Amethyst down. "Hold on a second. You expect us to double back? How do we know you are not leading us in circles?"

I cringed. We were so close, and Star knew it. If we trusted Amethyst Vein, we'd be stepping back from the edge of rescuing Merri. It was a risk to trust her, and perhaps a much greater risk not to.

Amethyst's stance was firm, and she spoke without any hesitation. "In case it wasn't clear, I have no love of Firetail. I'm also a mare of my word, but if you really want, I'll stop helping."

Bellerophon felt like a string pulled taut, ready to break. Her plan may save the lives that are so very precious to you.

I cleared my throat quietly. I hated this, every moment of it, having to choose which path would result in taking less lives. "Um, Bellerophon thinks it's a sound plan."

Starshadow sighed and walked away, gathering the supplies we'd set into the other room, and Dusky turned to give me a tired smile.

I returned the smile, doing my best to hold myself together.

Soon enough, we were back on the path, seemingly heading away from our goal. This time, instead of sneaking around the outskirts, Amethyst Vein led us straight through the streets of the city, cutting down our travel time considerably.

I glanced around at the meager buildings as we passed through a particularly well lit area. We'd avoided it on the journey in, keeping away from these more populated sections of the city. As we marched through, faces poked out to watch Amethyst and her 'guests'. Foals, with elders and parents, all ponies who clearly weren't soldiers.

You're so ready to start a war... but you know the cost of that. Weren't you the one who made peace with Tapioca to save lives? What makes these ponies unworthy of saving?

Bellerophon had seen them too and as he spoke there was some hesitation. They've all been lied to. Everyone of them has been raised to believe in this... crusade. That one day I would return to lead them in the bloody revolution foretold by this... oracle.

Well, I mean... would you have? Just... imagine if you'd been found in Ostfriesen. If somepony else had put on your bracer, and you'd woken up here, and the Oracle had told you all about the injustices that Ostfriesen had committed over the past thousand years, and only your faithful remained here. What would you have done?

Bellerophon went silent.

I pressed on. Maybe somepony, like Merri, was supposed to be a sacrifice, your new body. Would you have tried to save them like you did me? If... if you wanted, c-could you have simply pushed me aside and taken over?

More silence. Through it all, I could feel guilt and pain through my mind.

I thought so. Had things not played out the way they did, you'd have never been given the chance to learn the truth. You'd have led this crusade as readily as they would follow. I sighed, and waited, but he did not answer. Soon enough, we had returned to the long tunnel where we had first entered into the mountain.

We marched on in silence. Soon, we reached the gate back out to the Ostfriesen wild, only to find it abandoned.

I paused in the rear, watching as Amethyst Vein disappeared into the shadows. I frowned, feeling the bracer upon my leg. It didn't feel like a trap, but I couldn't shake the thought of a dozen armed guards suddenly appearing from the darkness, or spikes suddenly springing from the wall, like a trap from some twisted Daring Do novel.

Dusky poked her head into the corner where Amethyst had gone, and a few seconds later, waved us closer. Hidden with the shadows was a side passage, leading away from the hallway into a small, ill-lit room.

Amethyst turned back to ensure we'd all followed her inside, then looked back into the room and called out. "I'm here, Ed."

"What took you so long?" It was the same grizzled voice that had greeted us to the Forge. Old Ed slipped from the shadows, glancing among us as if appraising his executioners. "What is this?"

Amethyst Vein straightened her posture, like I'd seen some guards do for inspection as an old captain passed by. An almost imperceptible change, but a clear one. One I'd done myself, time and time again, when seeing my father approach. She wanted to impress him. "I've made a discovery. I finally have a way to expose Firetail's treachery."

"Is that so?" Old Ed turned to us, his gaze only strengthening the impression in my mind of a Canterlot Guard Captain. He was most certainly sizing us up as friends or foes.

Amethyst pointed a hoof towards me as she sidestepped, leaving Old Ed's eyes firmly set upon me. "This is the Voice of Lord Bellerophon."

His gaze burned through me. It was most certainly like my father at his most authoritative, but with none of the love and respect. I stepped back and let my eyes fall away.

Old Ed practically spat in disgust. "He's one of the fabled Voices? This rookie?"

"Yes. Lord Bellerophon has entrusted him with the First Name." Amethyst Vein stepped back into place, and emotion crept into her voice. "It is through him that I learned Firetail is incapable of completing the ritual."

I felt like a piece of fruit being bartered over. I needed to interject. "I-it's um, more complicated than that."

Amethyst frowned, stepping back in between me and Old Ed. "But in the end, you can hear Lord Bellerophon. That's the most important thing."

Dusky' voice rose up besides me. "Night is Night. He's a person first and foremost, before this... thing that has happened to him."

I turned to glance at Dusky, a little surprised to hear her say it so firmly. Her jaw was set solid, and her eyes had a fire in them that threatened to consume me. I wanted to grin as wide as I could, with only the gravity of our situation keeping me from giving her the biggest hug I could.

"That 'thing' is an honor." Amethyst glared at Dusky. "Any Olymponian would kill to host the will of Lord Bellerophon!"

"But we're not Olymponians!" Dusky didn't back down.

Amethyst's voice changed suddenly, from anger to some distant hope. "You could be! With Lord Bellerophon's blessing, being born an Ostfriesen wouldn't matter! You could live as a king among us!"

I felt like I'd been kicked in the chest, all my old dreams crashing in on me. I could almost laugh at how deep Amethyst's proposal cut me.

"Amethyst." Old Ed had placed a hoof on her shoulder, his voice suddenly much stronger than before. "Calm yourself. This is not a simple matter."

Star jumped in, her own tone attempting to match Old Ed's sudden calm. "He is able to channel Bellerophon's power, but it is not without cost. We have reason to believe that what you ask would have severe, or even fatal, long-term consequences."

Amethyst Vein fell back onto her haunches. "What? How... how is that possible?"

I sighed. "We don't know. Neither does Bellerophon."

Old Ed continued to support Amethyst as he gave us his attention. "Then, what do you intend to do?"

"Firetail is currently holding my sister captive, with plans to use her for some kind of ritual," Star narrowed her eyes. She was speaking not of plans, but of fact. "We are going to rescue her."

"The one that prepares a host for Lord Bellerophon?" Old Ed shifted uneasily, then turned to look back at me. His gaze wasn't as judgmental as before, and I met his eyes. "Doesn't he already have one?"

Dusky nodded. "That about sums it up. It's likely that he's trying to create a fraudulent Bellerophon with which to exercise absolute rule. None of us want that."

Old Ed turned from me, to her. "What do you propose? For us to oppose him directly would only cement his position."

"Then don't." Dusky met his eyes with the same fire as before, holding her head steady. I suppressed that smile once again, wondering how she did it, and only then noticing that for as confident as she looked, her knees still shook as she spoke. "We only need help getting in. We can rescue Lunaris on our own. His prospects will vanish with her and his power will collapse on its own."

"I offered them entry through the servant quarters," Amethyst Vein nearly smirked. "During 'Happy Hour', of course."

"And so you need my key." Old Ed's stern face slowly turned into a smile. "Very well."

46 - Fire and Shadow

Our party had grown larger with the addition of Old Ed, but this wasn't exactly a source of comfort. Instead, it only served to keep everyone on edge, with Dusky wanting to proceed as carefully as possible and Starshadow wanting to rush us forward. For me, it was simply disconcerting to always feel Amethyst and Old Ed's gaze on me, and wanting to get that attention off of me.

The deciding factor to all of these these tensions was sheer exhaustion. We'd been underground long enough that I didn't even know what time it was anymore. With the goal of getting us secured and rested, Amethyst led us back, directly into the heart of the city. I'd been afraid that something might tip off our foes, reveal us to be outsiders, but the knights who passed us in the streets barely gave us a second glance.

We ended up in a longhouse within the inner city. It reminded me of the Canterlot barracks, set with rows of beds and little else, this was clearly a soldier’s quarters, a fact which only added to our suspicions. Amethyst Vein claimed she’d be back at midnight, though how she knew what time it was, I couldn’t tell. Then, we’d enter the keep through the servant’s entrance, and from there, we’d find Merri.

Dusky insisted we take turns sleeping, watching the main road and the path to the building door. Though, if Amethyst Vein intended to betray us at this point, there was little we’d be able to do against the sheer number of ponies within the city. Despite the weight of everything, we somehow all managed to find some sleep, however restless it was.

Upon Amethyst Vein’s return, we set out towards the Keep, a dominant structure of intricately carved stone. Although I could see no difference in the lighting this far underground, the streets were certainly much emptier. I couldn’t know if it was midnight or not, but it certainly held the same feel as those late hour shifts I'd worked in Ponyville.

We slowed as Amethyst Vein turned down an alleyway. Around the corner from there, we could see a wooden door set into the stone wall, flanked with bright red and orange paint, stylized flames and banners which were as gaudy as they were crude. On either side of the door stood a guard, two knights in equally colorful armor.

We waited quietly out of sight as the two guards talked, pausing only long enough to exchange a flask between them. As Amethyst Vein had said, lax indeed, though they were still a problem standing there, blocking our destination.

Dusky leaned closer to Amethyst Vein to whisper. “You sure they’re not just going to sit here drinking all night?”

She shook her head. “They’re stupid and lazy, but they’re not that stupid. The unwritten rule is the officers turn a blind eye as long as they don’t catch anypony red-hoofed.”

Dusky sighed, shifting to view the guards again. “Seems like even that pretense is pretty lax. I suppose that’s what eventually leaves the hole, though.”

It is inexcusable. An insult. Bellerophon growled. That Firetail allows such sloth, that he holds such open contempt for these ponies.

I sighed. That’s not what we’re here for.

Merriweather. All that we could be certain of was that she would be well guarded. Amethyst and Bellerophon both agreed that she would be held in the inner sanctum, the place that had once been Bellerophon’s throne. It wouldn’t be easy.

I glanced over at Dusky. Her jaw was set, eyes darting as if by instinct. She was worried. She’d be crazy not to be. I was terrified, a small part of me wanted to run and never look back, but I couldn’t abandon Merri and Star. I couldn’t abandon Dusky. She perked up immediately at the sound of movement at the door, and all attention turned back to the entrance.

The guards had packed up, and were heading down the street. This was the moment, and all doubts were swept aside for the moment.

Amethyst Vein walked up casually, getting the door open easily as we did our best to look like we belonged there.

Inside, we found a cramped room filled with decayed wooden frames, beds that had once hosted the servants of the keep but had now been left to rot. The dust was thick on everything, only the path from the entrance to the door into the keep seeing any traffic.

Once we were all inside, Old Ed slipped into view from wherever he’d been hiding. “You’re late.”

“Couldn’t be helped.” Amethyst Vein grimaced. “They boozed up half a flask in front of the door.”

“Figures.” The anger in Old Ed’s eyes was only matched by his disappointment. “I checked up on the north wing. All the servants were accounted for as of an hour ago.”

Star edged forward, stomping a hoof impatiently. “Damn! The ritual. Are we too late?”

Old Ed watched her carefully. “Can’t say. It’s not like he can do the real thing.”

“If I… If I have Bellerophon, can he even do anything?” Even with Bellerophon being agreeable, I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. I didn’t want to think about what Firetail’s plans for Merri would be otherwise.

“A control spell. In the very least, a geas.” Star was ready to lead the charge down the hall.

Dusky stepped up alongside Star with a sigh. “We’d better move, then.”

“With things as they are, we will have to part ways here.” Old Ed gave a sharp breath, and I knew the tone. He knew exactly what was at stake here. “Take the hallway to the intersection and turn left. Pass two more intersections, then turn right, then left at the next. This will get you to the concourse just outside the sanctum. From there, you’re on your own.”

Amethyst came closer. “Wait. I’m going too. I must see Firetail’s foulness for myself. Then there can be no denying his betrayal.”

“Don’t be foolish!” Old Ed snapped at her. “If you’re seen, you’ll be tied to them. He’ll brand you a traitor and the hope of our ponies will die with your fall.”

Amethyst didn’t back down, but she let out a fierce growl. “But, how can I just sit back and force foreigners to do our work for us? We have always fought with all our strength to preserve our homes and we have always succeeded. This is our fight.”

No. Bellerophon’s voice urged in my head. They have suffered too much for my hubris, for my misguided anger. Generations of ponies have suffered. This is my fight. Tell them… tell her, I’m sorry. For everything. For the hardships she and her ponies have endured looking to a false hope. Tell her.

I came forward to set a hoof on Amethyst Vein’s side, only to have her whirl. I pulled back, but shook my head and looked her in the eyes. “No, Bellerophon says that isn’t true. It’s his fight, started by ancient, misguided anger. He says… he says he’s sorry for the hardships you have endured and that tonight, he will do what he can to put things back on track.”

Dusky watched me, the concern on her face obvious. “Night? What is he planning?”

Nothing. Bellerophon responded, a resignation in his voice. We’re here to free your friend. My temper has guided me to many rash decisions. I will not make more ponies suffer for another poor choice.

“Nothing more than what we’re already doing.” I shook my head. “He says he’s already done enough rash things in his life.”

“That’s a relief.” Dusky smiled, and my heart skipped a beat.

“I… I understand.” Amethyst lowered her head, looking like she’d just been struck. “If our cause is to be championed by Lord Bellerophon, then I will obey.”

No. No more of this. No one else dies because of me. Bellerophon sighed. This is no order, and there will be no talk of obedience. Tell her to live her life. Tell them all to live on their own terms, not beholden to some old legend. They expect so much from me, it is the least I can give them. Tell them I’m sorry.

I nodded, and turned to look Amethyst in the eyes. “Stop. He says it’s not about obedience. He wants you to live. To live your lives for yourselves, not for some old pony from a different time. That is his gift—and apology—to you.”

Amethyst Vein stared at me, mouth open without response.

“I see.” Old Ed stepped up and set a hoof to her side. “Thank you, Lord Bellerophon. We will consider your words.”

I let out a long breath. “That’s… that’s all he could ask.” I was ready to go. There was something about this place that was starting to weigh on me, like pressure building around the edge of my mind. The sooner we rescued Merri, the better.

We moved as quickly as we dared through the keep, eyes and ears open for whatever guards may have been posted. Out of the abandoned servants quarters into a kitchen crammed with empty crates and pots. We had to move slowly to ensure we didn't knock anything down, though we found the lack of any sentries more than a little disquieting.

The disrepair and quiet darkness continued until we reached the central concourse. There, it was like a whole new structure, polished and repaired with fresh paint and tapestries proclaiming the new ruler in residence. I could almost take this room and imagine it in Canterlot, leading to Princess Celestia’s throne.

Here, however, we found our first guards, two ponies walking through the great pillared hall in a long patrol. They only seemed half awake, or even half aware, and would hopefully not even notice us as we moved towards the throne.

That was where our first real hurdle within the keep came into play. Although it was likely we could sneak past them, the only way forward was two great doors at the end of the hallway. They were just too big to get through unnoticed, which left us with only one other option, a small side entrance into the throne room, hidden and locked.

Star prepared to get into position, violence apparent in her stance, but Dusky reached out to stop her, quietly pointing to one of the guards as they walked along their patrol. A key ring hung from his barding, the keys to the inner throne, almost certainly. Star stopped, and as she understood, she gave a silent nod. With that, Dusky slipped into the hallway to get into position.

She set herself against a pillar just outside the range of the patrol, pressing against it as best she could to remain unseen. She was breathing deeply, her ears twitching as the two guards approached.

I wasn’t breathing at all, ever second afraid those two guards would see some shadow out of place and the whole plan would fall apart. I tensed, but Starshadow placed a hoof in my way, shaking her head. Not yet.

Dusky’s wing extended out towards the guard, finding her mark, but at the last second, she pulled back. She settled back into the pillar and waited. I could feel my heart racing, as every part of me wanted to rush out there to help, but I knew that would accomplish nothing.

The second pass could not have come soon enough. Again, Dusky reached her wing out, and this time she eased the keys away.

The relief didn’t last long, as the guard stopped. “Huh?”

Starshadow readied herself. If Dusky had been discovered, we’d not have much time to subdue them.

The guard paused, then turned his head back, looking for his keys, surely. A moment passed, and his head turned back to his other side. “Ah!” He lifted his head, a flask in his mouth, taking a long, leisurely drink. It seemed the lax rules didn’t only apply to the guards outside the keep. After surely drinking the flask empty, he replaced it to his side and moved on. Dusky had won our way forward.

She looked back at us and nodded, then began to move back over to us. Her steps were stiff, deliberate, as if she was doing everything in her power not to gallop back. She looked like she’d just flown a marathon, completely drained from that bit of thievery. Soon enough, she rejoined us, and we snuck our way to the throne room door.

I kept watch as Dusky tested the keys in the lock. The guards lazily continued their route, Either completely unaware or simply not caring about their duty. Probably both. There was the faint click of the lock, followed by the creaking of the door. The noises all seemed to echo through the concourse, but the guards made no sign that they’d even noticed. As Star and Dusky moved forward, I gave one last glimpse out into the hall, then stepped back and followed to the throne.

The long pillared hall continued past those grand double doors, all leading up to a pair of stone chairs, strangely simple looking for the keep. The chairs were flanked by red banners adorned with Firetail’s crest, further announcement of his claim to this place. It was becoming clearer why Amethyst Vein was so frustrated with him.

Beyond the darkness and the freshly hung banners, the throne was empty. Merri was being held elsewhere.

“Guess it was too much to ask for the easy escape.” Dusky sighed.

“Indeed.” Star moved through the throne room, searching for our next route. The deeper path beyond the throne. She called out to me, but addressed Bellerophon. “You are certain this will take us to this ‘Forge’?”

Tell her I am certain. This was a passage I had installed for my own personal use.

I cleared my throat nervously. “Bellerophon says there’s no way he could forget his personal passage.”

Star turned back towards me. “Many things can change over one-thousand years.”

By itself, the Forge is of unrivaled value in this world, and the effort required to modify these tunnels, to deny themselves access to such a tool, would require a masochist or an idiot of epic proportions. Firetail may be the latter, but even he should be able to recognize The Forge’s worth.

There was that pain again, that strange pressure inside my head, whenever Bellerophon spoke. I hesitated a moment, then nodded. “Bellerophon says that The Forge is one of the most valuable artifacts in the world and that somepony would have to hate themselves very much to put so much effort into cutting off easy access.”

Dusky raised her voice as much as she dared. “Regardless, we’re not going to get anything done standing around. This is our safest bet. We need to at least check it out before we consider storming the front door.”

Star sighed. “Good point. Let us make haste.”

The tunnel in question moved us deeper beyond the throne, down into the unknown. The floor had been repaired recently, with signs of recent use, though it hadn't been prettied up like the throne and concourse.

With a stable floor and an open tunnel, It wasn’t long before Star’s speed increased to a swift canter. I sped up as well, hoping we weren’t running headlong into a trap, but it was hard not to understand Star’s desire to go faster. Her sister was somewhere up ahead—or at least, we hoped.

She came to a stop at a large stone door, carvings across the surface of it depicting old pegasi designs that looked straight out of a history book about Commander Hurricane.

The gate is still intact. Bellerophon mused to himself, a hint of pride in his voice. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised they’ve found a way in, if Broken Tooth is truly the one behind all this.

“Stand Back.” Star lowered her head, horn beginning to glow.

“Whoa! Hold on!” Dusky moved closer, waving her hooves. “At least let me try the keys before we go blasting things apart.”

Bellerophon laughed in the back of my mind. Or, you could try the actual key.

I shook my head. “Wait, um, Bellerophon says there’s no need for that either.”

“Oh?” Dusky looked at me curiously, then stepped aside. “Well, I guess it is his castle.”

The lock. Set the bracer against it.

I nodded, stepping up to the door. The stone lock looked like any other, but if magic was involved, looks could always be deceiving. I raised my right hoof, placing the bracer up against the door. The darkness grew, for just a moment, and then whatever spell was in the bracer began to glow softly, and the door responded in kind. The door slid apart, opening the way.

“I should have guessed.” Starshadow nearly grinned. “You had some powerful allies.”

Power attracts power. Sometimes possessing it has its benefits.

It took me a moment to recover, shaking off the shadows in my mind. I forced a smile back at Star. “He says sometimes being a ruler has benefits.”

“So it seems.” Star moved past me, back on the hunt. She barely looked before she turned down the newly opened tunnel.

Unlike Bellerophon’s passage, however, this wasn’t just a tunnel, but a wide hallway like the concourse up above. A dim orange light grew in the distance, like sunrise creeping over the horizon to fill the halls, but with a strong heat all its own.

Starshadow slowed as the tunnel widened. Whatever that orange glow was, it filled the room, and I almost wondered if we'd emerge out into a terrace, with the morning sun filling the sky with the first reddish orange hints of dawn. I'd seen enough sunrises working the morning shift to know that would not be the case.

The hallway ended outward into a great amphitheatre, like a concert hall in Canterlot, stone bleachers arrayed in an arc around a center stage. Beyond that stage, there was no wall, but instead an open pit that was the source of the orange light. The heart of the volcano, a boiling pool of liquid fire.

We should have been cooked where we stood, this close to the lava. Somehow, the temperature in the room and the hallway wasn't even making us sweat.

An old enchantment. This is The Forge itself, and the magic of this place funnels the heat into the forges. Bellerophon commented as I looked about.

The Amphitheater stretched out to the left and the right, deep tunnels surrounding the crater of the volcano, all glowing orange with power and fire. Around it all, there was the barest shimmer of distortion, a shield of some sort, keeping the great heat at bay.

Although we didn't have the heat to worry about, there was a much greater concern to our mission. The Ostfriesen guards were all very much present, the bright colors of their armor all but washed out in the lava's glow. They were scattered about the amphitheater, some carrying weaponry, others trying to repair old damage in the stone.

Upon the stage stood a figure dressed quite elaborately, even by the standards of Ostfriesen. An earth pony wearing golden armor that caught the light of the fire below and a long cloak that hid his flank. A plumed helmet sat upon his head to complete the look. It seemed almost certain this was Firetail, and sure enough, not far away was Merri, bound, unmoving, with two guards standing over her.

"Two dozen guards and Firetail." Star swore.

“There’s no way we can take them on. Honestly, I don’t know if I’d be a match for one of them. We’ll have to find a way to sneak around and slip her out.” Dusky frowned. “Somehow.”

“I will distract them while you retrieve Merriweather and Night secures our exit." Star’s tone of voice made it clear there was no room for negotiation.

"Are you crazy?!" Dusky hissed back. "Even if you don’t engage them, they’ll corner you. And if all three of us can’t even take them on, what good will that do?"

Star narrowed her eyes at the golden figure on the stage. “As somepony so obsessed with his status, Firetail is bound to certain rules of Ostfriesen etiquette. I will ensure he and his knights focus on that.”

Dusky looked like she was about to protest, but whatever words were there died on her tongue.

Starshadow lowered her head, fixed on her target. “They are getting ready. There will not be another opportunity. Save my sister." Without another word she moved down into the amphitheater.

Dusky swallowed hard and turned to look at me. Her eyes spoke volumes. Even with Bellerophon and Star, we were grossly outnumbered. What could we even do? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You'll stay safe?"

I knew she had to try to save Merri, and she knew it too. We'd gotten this far, we couldn't turn our backs on our friends. I stretched forward to give her a nuzzle. "I will. And you too. No heroism."

She blinked at first, it must have seemed like an insane request considering where we stood and what we were about to do, but then her face flashed with realization, and I knew she understood what I wanted to say. Don’t die. She nodded, and softly nuzzled back. "No heroism."

She turned back to the amphitheater, and as Star made her presence known, Dusky disappeared around the corner.

I sighed. That was the hardest part. Not any of the fear, the doubt, the potential for violence. It was that moment of watching her go knowing we may never get a chance to see or speak to one another again.

Down below, Starshadow approached the stage, her voice echoing through the amphitheater. "Firetail!"

He turned from examining a scroll, a moment of disgust on his face quickly replaced by recognition. "My, my, the prodigal sister returns! Truly, this is a special day! Your sister and I have talked so much about you, Starshadow."

"I am uninterested in your little games, Firetail." The guards had all turned to face her as Star stood tall, raising a hoof to display her blade. "I am here to regain the honor that was stripped from my clan by your accusations."

There was an almost stunned silence that hung over her words before Firetail began to laugh. "Seriously? Seriously!? I don't know how you found me, or how you got in here, but that's really all you want? To invoke some old honor duel?"

I stayed close to the wall of the hallway, trying to keep out of sight. I leaned in, glancing towards Merri's unconscious form to see if Dusky was there yet. So far, no sign.

Starshadow eyed her foe, moving up towards a short stair that led up onto the stage, positioning herself so that Firetail was facing away from Merri. The guards there glanced back at Firetail as she approached. "An honorable death is more than you deserve. You are both a liar and a traitor, Firetail."

Firetail shook his head, raising a dismissive hoof to the guards. They stepped aside, letting Starshadow onto the stage. "You have no idea what we're doing here, do you? Ostfriesen is shackled by old laws of honor, and bloodlines, but you know as well as I do the truth of Tapioca's ancestors, and all the lies your honor is built upon. Bellerophon saw it even then."

She snorted back. "I know you have been telling these ponies that Justicar Bellerophon will return to them, to lead them in some justified campaign for vengeance. But that is all just you feeding them lies. The royal lineage of Ostfriesen is as much Bellerophon's as it is Tapioca's."

"We all know that, but that's not what those ponies outside this keep believe. I doubt you, heir to the great deceiver herself, can convince them otherwise." He smirked. "Of course, you could be of some use to us, I'm sure. Much like your sister is going to be."

I glanced back towards Merri. Dusky had her up, the bindings undone, but she looked unsteady. I clenched my teeth, silently sending Dusky whatever strength I could. A low drumming made my ears twitch. It didn't quite register to me, but Bellerophon was experienced enough to recognize the noise immediately. Hooves on stone. They are coming.

Shifting away from my vantage point into the amphitheater, I turned to look down the tunnel. The bright light behind me only made the tunnel that much darker, but the rapidly approaching sound of running was quickly becoming apparent. I sighed, raising the hoof with Bellerophon's bracer. I guess it's up to you.

He took control, and the hoofblade magically emerged, the glow of the lava making it blaze like a sword of light. I could hear Bellerophon counting to himself as the ponies appeared. Two, four... no, six. Six from behind. Twenty five in the room behind us. I do hope you will not stop me from doing what I have to.

I floated outside my body, trying to look back towards Dusky, but something felt different this time. In the past, there'd been the moon, overhead. A calming, dream-like presence. Here, in The Forge, there was something dark and dreadfully oppressive unlike anything I'd felt before. N-not much choice, anymore. We're committed.

Bellerophon shifted into an offensive stance, beating my wings to test the width of the hallway. The six ponies arrived to face me, all dressed in the brightly colored plate of Ostfriesen natives. The two in the front leveling halberds, while those in the rear held blades in muzzles and magic.

"Lower your weapon, in the name of Lord Firetail and King Bellerophon."

With a smirk, Bellerophon began to lower his blade. "I would not wish to disobey King Bellerophon." In the moment that they began to lower their halberds, he rushed forward.

The first in line fell with a gash across his throat, but the second had a moment more to prepare, and she'd lifted her weapon to try and deflect Bellerophon's strike. It saved her life, but wasn't enough to keep back Bellerophon's strike, the momentum pushing the mare into the wall.

The hallway wasn't exactly cramped quarters, but with five attackers, it was cramped enough that it was hard to maneuver without Bellerophon leaving himself open. For every strike he could manage, the five others were ready to meet his blade, but he gave them no opportunities to strike back. The biggest danger was the unicorn in the rear, who magically twirled his blade into and out of combat without exposing himself, allowing him to push at Bellerophon without getting in the way of the his companions. The other three spread out, harrying from the left and right while the mare with the halberd continued to drive from directly in front of us.

I tried to get some sense of what was going on behind us, but could only faintly hear Dusky yelling, and more fighting. That same heavy darkness pressed upon me from all around, and I could feel a creeping claustrophobia upon my mind, something I'd never felt before. I couldn't move or see anything beyond the battle that Bellerophon fought to secure our escape.

That battle was going poorly, however. Bellerophon may have overshadowed them all in power and perhaps in skill, but these guards weren't lazy. The unicorn's blade lashed out, cutting a line across my foreleg. Belle hissed, the injury not deep, but enough to buckle his leg momentarily. The mare to the left lunged over eagerly, hoping to take advantage of the wound, only to find Bellerophon springing forward to meet her, driving the hoofblade into her chest. He pulled back quickly, removing the blade and dodging backwards before the others could take advantage of his exposed side.

He backed out the doorway, emerging into the amphitheater. Behind him, another six soldiers had weapons drawn. I could just barely make out the room, almost as if I were swimming in ink. I stretched out, trying to find the others. Dusky?

The darkness whispered to me. All dead.

Panic rose in the pit of my stomach. No! No, it can't end like this.

Bellerophon paused, turning to take in the situation. It’s no good. They’ve been surrounded. Damn it all. Night Flurry, I... I am sorry.

Two guards came closer to Bellerophon, setting hooves against him. He shrugged them off, only to earn a kick to the side in response. As he staggered back up, they pushed him forward to the stage. Dusky, Starshadow, and a bleary looking Merriweather stood nearby, guards surrounding them all. And standing upon the stage, his face livid even through the murky darkness, stood Firetail.

He held a hoof to his face, a deep cut still bleeding. He was practically screaming in rage as he stared down Starshadow. "You... filth! How dare you, how dare any of you!? I will be King of Ostfriesen, and nothing, not Queen Papaya, not the Knights, and especially not unworthy trash like you, will stop me."

Bellerophon chuckled, drawing the immediate ire of our host. "Unworthy trash? Every pony that stands here is a thousand times more worthy than you. You are just a power hungry fool who can't even see when he's being used."

"And just who in Tartarus are you? No colors, no clan?" He spit in Bellerophon's face. "Is this the best help that the great Starshadow could find to help her? My how the mighty have fallen."

Bellerophon only smiled. "This is who I am." He held up his hoof with the bracer.

One of the nearest guards began to prod him with a spear, only to have Firetail wave him away. The would-be ruler eyed the bracer, the hate on his face changing to shocked recognition. "That's... you're Bellero..."

His words were drowned out by the sound of a hurricane. It was like the Badlands sandstorm all over again, a solid wall of wind and fury crashing down upon the room. The darkness that had steadily creeped upon my mind since we’d entered the keep now took shape.

It descended from above on leathery wings that blocked out all vision before crashing into the stage of the Forge. Perhaps it wasn’t as big as I'd imagined from the old stories, but it was still large enough to bite a pony in half. Rows of jagged teeth jut from its mouth, perfectly sharp and exceptionally deadly, save for one large tooth which was broken at the base.

"Lord Bellerophon." The black dragon rasped, its voice like poison. Broken Tooth's head craned down as he loomed over Firetail, staring at us with a smile that was much too wide. "Welcome home."

47 - Oblivion

The dragon stretched his wings, his neck moving forward like a snake about to strike, bringing his head close to Bellerophon. "Over one thousand years since last we met, my friend. It is good to see you back in flesh. I could not have foreseen the appearance of the Mare in the Moon—after that, I feared you were lost forever."

The other ponies in the amphitheatre, those loyal to Firetail, seemed uneasy. Their weapons were still held at the ready, but many eyed the dragon nervously.

Firetail himself seemed unperturbed, making a motion as if wiping dust from his armor before he walked up to the beast. "Ah, Broken Tooth. As you can see, we have the situation well in hoof. Better than that, in fact, now that we have—"

"I can see that, Firetail. Now, step aside." Broken Tooth rumbled. "Lord Bellerophon and I have catching up to do."

The would-be leader grumbled, but bit his tongue and bowed.

"I have nothing to say to you." Bellerophon lowered his hoof, pulling the bracer away. "You will let these ponies go, and you will end this madness."

Broken Tooth chuckled, "Of course, of course. Whatever you think is best, Lord. Though, I have to wonder if you know who they really are. What lies have they been telling you in your time away?"

Bellerophon sneered. "Hmph. I know now where the lies started. It was not Tapio—"

Interrupting with a roar, the dragon shouted back. "Tapioca betrayed you! Turned her back on you! I know your pain, Bellerophon. So do the ponies outside this keep. They have been betrayed by those in Ostfriesen, cast down and hunted. Now, your faithful await. They need your guidance. They need justice."

Bellerophon hesitated. "I cannot deny that those ponies exposed to your vile influence for so long need guidance."

You know he's only saying what you want to hear... I looked at the great shadow that filled almost the entirety of my vision. After everything you’ve learned… you know he can't be trusted.

"What's this?" The Dragon turned his head, his eye focusing upon me. Not on my body, but on me. I shrunk back. "A little gnat still clings on? No wonder you feel so divided. You need only push away that pesky voice and claim your full strength."

Dusky's voice rose up. "Bellerophon, you can't..."

"I won't." Bellerophon shook his head. "I want nothing this lizard can offer me."

Broken Tooth sighed. "You speak as if you have a choice. If you won't submit willingly, then we shall simply continue with our alternative plan with one modification. You've already weakened that host enough that subduing it will be far easier than a fresh host, and possessing your bracer gives me an even better claim to solidify my rule."

"Our rule, you mean." Firetail stepped forward. "Once Ostfriesen is conquered, I shall be King."

I could hear Merri's voice call out from behind, though it sounded oddly weak. "Firetail, you're a moron. He just used you to get what he wanted out of Ostfriesen. Now that Belle's here, he doesn't need you."

“Yes, yes, you’ll have your position of power.” The Dragon waved a claw dismissively, but his neck craned towards the others as he glowered at Merri. "Soldiers. Execute those three. The existence of their bloodline offends me. I must deal with our guest of honor."

Firetail moved in front of the dragon, raising his hoof. "Don’t brush me aside! You said King before. I will be King of Ostfriesen. And these are my subjects. Do not think you can bypass my authority simply because we are on friendly terms!”

“Fine. Do as you will, but don’t let her interfere.” Broken Tooth began to stride off of the stage, letting the annoyance pass from his face as he gazed at me once again.

The dragon kept his eyes on me, raising a claw. With a sudden strike, he pierced through his scales, drawing out a thick strand of his own blood. His voice flowed into my head, like poisoned honey. Just let go, little pony. You've been clawing at the edge for so long, wouldn't it feel good just to let yourself slip into oblivion?

The emptiness where I floated began to close in around me, darkness and shadow swirling in to envelope me. There was no edge to grab onto, no light to move towards, all I could do was struggle to remain awake, remain in place. The other ponies faded from view, the soldiers, my friends, even Dusky faded into nothingness. I could feel the temptation that Broken Tooth whispered to me, to just stop fighting and let it wash me away.

Yes. You want to lose. Just let that sense of self fade into the darkness. Easier to let it happen than to fight and suffer. The result will be the same. Just let go. The words stuck to me, weighing me down.

I could sense more than see as Bellerophon readied himself. It was almost hard to remember that it was my body standing there, not his. Night Flurry. You are strong. Do not listen.

It was getting darker, quieter. I wanted to curl up and just sleep, and fighting against it hurt, but terror drove me on, fear of losing myself, and fear of losing everything I'd earned. Friends, family, love. All were worth fighting for.

Broken Tooth grinned. "Only a matter of time. This body is far too old, but I can still do what is needed. You’re going to accept this blessing, my old friend. Whether you want it or not."

The darkness crushed me, gripping tight until it snuffed the life from me. There would be nothing left, only oblivion, but instead of finishing the job there was a moment of release, as the shadows rippled.

"I’ll have my share of the bounty as well, thank you very much." Firetail's voice pierced through the haze.

Shock and anger grew clear through the darkness. Like a veil being pulled away, the shadows withdrew and I could see again. Though I knew I couldn’t really breathe in that state, I reflexively took a deep breath, just to get a grip on myself again.

The blood and hate that had filled my mind now filled Broken Tooth as he turned towards the source of the interruption. “Just what do you think you’re doing, Firetail?”

He grinned back, lifting his head up to face the dragon. A sickly purple aura surrounded him, and his eyes shone an unnatural green. “Showing you how much you need me. Though we both hold mastery over magic, I am the one who holds the court in my hoof. Without their support, you will never appear more than a crazed old dragon backing a mongrel of a warlord without so much as a claim to Bellerophon’s bloodline!”

Starshadow cried out in answer. “The ponies outside already think he’s Bellerophon. They’ve seen the bracer. They’ve heard him say the first name!”

Her words only served to further incite Firetail, and the aura surrounding him pulsed brighter as whatever magic the earth pony wielded intensified. “I don’t care what those worthless peasants think! And neither does the rest of Ostfriesen! It is only us nobles who can bring about Bellerophon’s restoration!”

They were words of inspiration, or a leader trying to rally those beneath him to follow his lead, however mad. The words died, however, in the deep laughter that filled the chamber. A low chuckle that grew until it drowned out all other noise, Broken Tooth’s laugh was filled with amusement, and tinted by what could only be the depths of insanity.

The laugh turned into a roar as the dragon turned on Firetail. “Pitiful pony! You have seen but a fraction of my power! What do I care if Bellerophon is recognized as legitimate by your council of clowns?”

Trying not to look cowed in the face of his ‘ally’, Firetail shook his head. “What?! Are you mad? You cannot rule without political power! You’ll be overthrown in a week!”

Broken Tooth’s laughter continued. He clenched his fist and pointed a bloody claw at Firetail. “No. You cannot rule without it. Whatever turmoil your precious little politicians cause will be inconsequential. No… it will feed into my conquest! When I stand upon the ashes of Tapioca’s nation, they shall know just how helpless they really were!”

“No! I will be King! I will not allow you to destroy what is mine!” His aura spiked, the blood magic flaring a sickly green within his eyes, and suddenly that same darkness that Broken Tooth had lashed out at me with was back. This time, however, it wasn’t as strong or focused.

It was a powerful spell, just as oppressive as the dragon’s magic had been, but somehow, it was easier to fight. It took me a moment to realize what was going on. Firetail wasn’t attacking me directly. He was attacking the dragon.

He is attacking us all. Undirected, without focus, but powerful nonetheless. Bellerophon grit his teeth. We have no means for attack as they do. We can only endure.

I was already so tired from that first round of fighting off the dragon. Now, it was Firetail and Broken Tooth both, and even if their attention was divided between one another and Bellerophon, it was still too much.

Firetail was apparently feeling the pressure too, his voice strained as he shout out to his guards. “What are you waiting for? Kill him!”

“Th-the Oracle?” One of them stammered in disbelief.

“Yes, you idiots!” He cried out, pushing more magic into his assault.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you!” A new voice called out. From the rear entrance to the Amphitheater, Amethyst Vein emerged. She marched in, surrounded by a group of armed ponies, with others spilling in from the sides.

Despite the newfound resolve he had attempted to pour into his spell, Firetail faltered again. “What?! Who gave you permission to be here?!”

“In case you didn’t notice, this is our country! Not yours!” Amethyst waved a hoof towards the stage, and her ponies advanced until they met the line of Firetail’s loyalists. “You and your thugs have already caused untold damage. I tolerated it because The Oracle deemed you worthy of trust! But now I see just how pathetic worms like you answer to such trust!”

With a sadistic grin, Broken Tooth made his move, clenching his fist to draw more blood, the force of his spell increasing.

The effect upon Firetail was instant, as his attention was now even further divided by Amethyst’s rebellion. “You poor, naive, idiot! Can’t you see? Your ‘Oracle’ is insane. I am your only hope for a future!”

Broken Tooth seized the moment. “Do not listen to him! It is as you say! He is a traitor who seeks now to assassinate me!”

Firetail dug in his hooves, mustering up all his strength, eyes flaring green in dark magic. He lashed out with a scream. “Grah! Screw it! Kill them all!”

“What?!” A guard called out, Amethyst’s soldiers approaching their line. “Sir, we’re out—”

“JUST DO IT!”

I braced myself against the onslaught, the magic rolling over me again. Firetail’s rage struck out against us like searing fire in the depths of shadow.

“For Lord Bellerophon! For Olymponis!” Amethyst’s voice roared, followed by a wave of shouts in echo.

The din of battle rose, then began to fade as the magical assault began anew. Broken Tooth and Firetail unleashed their magic, seeking to push one another out of the void. I simply held on to whatever I could, focusing on the real world and my real body, but it grew more and more difficult as the darkness swallowed everything up.

Insignificant fools! Give up! Disappear! DIE! Broken Tooth’s thoughts screamed through the miasma. I will not be denied my vengeance! I will show my sister how worthless ponies are!

Firetail shouted back into the void. I didn’t embrace this power for nothing! I will be King of Ostfriesen, and no pony, no dragon, no one is going to stop me!

I staggered at the sheer hate weighing down upon me. I can’t… I c-can’t keep up… I don’t have magic like them. It’s no use.

Bellerophon’s voice rose up. It’s not about magic. That is only the conduit. It’s about your mind. Your strength of self, and your will to live. He paused. And we have an advantage that they do not. There are two of us.

I snapped back into my body, Bellerophon returning to the darkness. I wobbled, knees threatening to buckle as I was unprepared to use them once again. Wh-what are you doing?

Bellerophon strained, but his voice held steady. You’ve pushed through more than enough on your own. I can bear the greater brunt while you recover.

Chaos was all around me. With the darkness lifted, I could see the battle between Amethyst Vein’s forces and Firetail’s. There was still a weight on me, the magic gnawing at my mind as I struggled to stay standing, but it was easier to fight it like this, back in my body, back as myself.

One guard charged past me with a lance, preparing to strike Broken Tooth, but with little more than a brush off, the dragon sent him flying away into a crumpled pile. I found myself in a rather precarious place, seemingly ignored, but otherwise vulnerable. There was no way I could fight like this, and even if I could devote all my attention to the fight around me, I was sure I was outclassed by everyone there. All I could do was hope that they’d all ignore me until, well, I didn’t know.

Honestly, in the midst of a volcano, so far from home, facing down an army, with a dragon overhead, it felt hopeless—no matter who won. Neither Firetail nor Broken Tooth was likely to let us live.

“This way! Firetail and his treachery end today!” I heard Amethyst Vein shout from behind. She had brought her soldiers, but I had no idea what she’d do if she won. Her loyalties didn’t lie with Firetail, certainly, but if she still believed Broken Tooth, then all that meant was trading one army for another.

Without looking away from Broken Tooth, Firetail grit his teeth and cried out to his guards. “Gah! P-protect me, you idiots!” A ring of archers formed around him, raising bows with magic and in mouths to fire down into the approaching force.

In my mind, I could feel Broken Tooth strain to press his assault on the Ostfriesen, taking the pressure off of Bellerophon and I for a moment. You’ve already lost, upstart. I’ve bred loyalty into these ponies for generations. They will fight, and die, for me. They will destroy your little army, and then they shall ‘rescue’ me. The dragon’s eye moved back to me. And then, Bellerophon, we shall finish our… negotiations.

Firetail screamed, half in frustration, half in defiance. “Kill them! Kill them all!”

There was sound nearby, closer fighting. I dared to turn my head, and caught sight of Dusky and Star fighting towards me. Dusky dueled with a stallion, but in only a moment it was clear she was outclassed. Her strike failed to do much, and her eyes darted over to meet mine.

The stallion noticed, and in a flash, he spun towards me, blade leveled to my throat. I began to back away, but a sudden assault slammed into my mind, freezing me in place. I flinched in pain as Broken Tooth’s voice filled my mind again. No escape for you either, worm. I need that body, if I’m to ensure Ostfriesen drowns in its own blood. Tapioca’s legacy will burn, and her heirs will pay for what she did to me!

The stallion approaching me was suddenly blasted away, a magic ball of fire smashing into his chest. The momentum threw him onto the stage, where he collided with Broken Tooth’s foreleg. Broken Tooth looked down at the sudden collision and almost looked like he sighed.

In a simple motion, he raised his leg, and brought it back down upon the stunned pony. The pony called out for help from Firetail, from his allies, his foes, anyone, but the sound of cracking bones signaled it was already too late for him. You see, Bellerophon? All of this could have been avoided. Now, I have no choice but to end this little annoyance.

You only show your true face, monster. Bellerophon growled in response. Tapioca bested you, didn’t she? The stories that she defeated a black dragon. It was you.

Goaded, Broken Tooth roared, silencing all else in the room. “Insects!” He began to move, walking forward to crush any pony in his path, no matter to whom they owed allegiance. Each word was punctuated by another grim footstep, the crack and splatter of another victim beneath his claws. “Stop interfering! Stop! Interfering!”

Bellerophon continued, and part of me could see the reason, no matter how sickening. When Broken Tooth raged, he lost part of his concentration, the weight on my mind lessened. Tapioca bested you, and you were forced to give her your blessing, is that it? Was all of this just your way to have revenge against her?

Amethyst Vein cried out in confusion as the Dragon continued to wade into the melee. “Oracle! Wait, we’re on your—”

I did not give my blessing! I was NOT BESTED! I thought I heard Dusky shout, but the noise continued to be drowned out by Broken Tooth. He brought a claw up, aiming for Amethyst Vein. Ponies are best when they know their place. And those who step out of line are best brought to heel! My sister never understood that! She gave Tapioca her blessing, after that filth dared lay a hoof on me! After she dared mar my beautiful face!

He slammed his claw down, but rather than making Amethyst another victim to his rampage, withdrew his hand with a scream of pain. The pain and darkness in my head all but vanished in that instant, and I risked a look away.

Standing in Amethyst’s place was Old Ed, the door guard. Upon his hoof sat a golden hoofblade, the gleaming sword now slicked in the dragon’s blood. Amethyst lay to the side, having been pushed out of the way.

Now, Broken Tooth spun, pulling away his claw to examine the damage, but Old Ed didn’t relent, lunging past me to drive the blade into the dragon’s side. Where spears and arrows had failed to penetrate the beast’s hide, the hoofblade dug in, piercing the blade into Broken Tooth’s hindquarters.

Broken Tooth roared, an ear-shattering noise that shook the room, dropping everyone to the ground to cover their ears.The darkness swirling in my mind shattered, whatever spell Broken Tooth had been weaving, his concentration was entirely broken, and it seemed Firetail’s efforts had ceased as well. It was strange to feel such blessed peace in the midst of the chaos, but I stood within the eye of the hurricane now, behind Old Ed.

“You dare…” The dragon’s eyes were wide, his side bleeding thick red, radiating heat I swore I could feel. “You dare to attack your superior?!”

Old Ed was poised, ready to make another blow. “The moment you laid claw on my comrades was the moment you lost that claim, beast!”

“Ingrates! All of you! It is only by my grace that you have survived as long as you have!” Broken Tooth turned back, death in his eyes. He began to raise his claw to smash down on Old Ed, but suddenly cringed in pain and pawed at his wound. “Gah! What is this?”

“The power of Lord Bellerophon’s blade, ‘Oracle’,” Old Ed brandished the blade upon his hoof. “Seems he found you wanting.”

More false claims attributed to my name? Bellerophon sounded distant, weak, but managed to communicate his disdain. I have only ever had a single blade.

Broken Tooth seemed to know this fact as well. “Impossible! The blue one wears his blade!”

I nodded to Old Ed, calling out, surprised at how weak my own voice sounded “It’s true. I have it and Bellerophon says he only has one bracer.”

Old Ed brought the blade forward in front of him. “Then why was it amongst his armor? Give it up. This charade is over.”

“Hah, so you were the one who broke into the vault. Do you know what the penalty is for stealing a king’s treasure? Death!” The Dragon aimed his head back towards Amethyst Vein and Old Ed and opened his mouth. A blazing purple flame erupted from his throat.

I was too close, I knew it, but before I could make a move, unsure if I could even manage to make myself move, something collided into my side, pushing me away and down. As we came to a stop, I glanced up to see a familiar dark coat and blue mane atop me. Dusky! She kept her head down, then lifted it up towards to the dragon.

The purple flames had been stopped, Star and Merri both stood over us, magically shielding us from the dragon’s breath. It faded, revealing no sign of Amethyst Vein or Old Ed now.

I turned to look up at Dusky, about to make sure she was alright, when everything collapsed in on me at once. The purple flames had never reached us, but it burned all the same. The darkness ate away at my sight, just as bad as it had been when I‘d floated outside of my body.

“Dusky, I… I’m o—ugh!” Whereas before, It’d felt oppressive and terrible, now it was all just direct pain assaulting me. “My mind… i-it’s… burning!”

I half heard, half felt Broken Tooth’s words as he screamed them aloud and into my mind. “Grah! If… If this is to be the end. Then you are all coming with me!”

In my mind, I could hear Bellerophon screaming. I almost didn’t realize that I was screaming along with him. Every instinct in my body wanted me to run, to get away. All I could hear was Broken Tooth crying out. Die. Die. ALL OF YOU DIE.

Still, through all of the pain and all of the darkness, there was warmth. I could feel it close, and I knew Dusky, Merri, and Star were there, doing whatever they could. I pushed through the pain, trying to raise a hoof, to open my eyes, to do anything. They were there for me. Together.

There was a final, terrifying gasp from Firetail and Broken Tooth, as the magic all collapsed in on itself. I could sense more than see them burn away, the flames licking at Bellerophon as well, but he held on. So did I, I suppose, though I don’t know how. If it was the fact that we were two against one, or that I knew my friends had my back, I can’t say. Somehow, I slowly opened my eyes.

Dusky stared back at me, concern written on her face. I couldn’t stand to see her so worried, forcing a smile onto my face, I managed to speak. “Ugh… D-Dusky I’m back… like I promised.”

Her frown remained a second longer, but before I could react, she’d pulled me into a tight hug. I was just too tired to even raise up my hooves to hug back, but it was enough. I was alive. Somehow.

Once she let go, Dusky gave me a once over, making sure I was relatively uninjured. Once she was satisfied that I’d be alright, she made the rounds, giving Merri and Star hugs of their own, while I looked about the Forge.

Broken Tooth was gone, his body burned away along his mind, destroyed by his own dark magic during those dying throes. Firetail lay motionless on the stage, though I knew he too was dead. The rest of the stage was littered with corpses, some burnt, some crushed, some simply killed in the combat. I felt my stomach turn and I looked away, out into the crowd.

Above in the amphitheater, Amethyst Vein’s militia stood tired and bloody, but victorious, for whatever measure of comfort they could take from these events. What little number of Firetail’s guards remained had surrendered, and were being stripped of their weapons even now.

They were gathering around some point off the stage, and soon enough Dusky approached me, Merri and Star behind her. I nodded as she gestured towards the gathering, and slowly rose up, heading over.

Limping over, I watched the ponies part ways for us in an odd mixture of suspicion and respect. No one here was in any shape to fight any further—the toll had already been too high.

Within the gathering, Amethyst Vein lay against one of the stone benches, wounded but not badly enough to slow her. Her attention was focused upon Old Ed, who lay next to her, burnt and still smoldering from Broken Tooth’s attacks, breathing heavily as he watched us approach.

Amethyst Vein didn’t acknowledge us yet, instead pressing her head carefully against Old Ed as she sighed. “You idiot! Why?”

“It’s… my job. I’m the retainer… of a proud and noble… bloodline.” Old Ed coughed out a response, pressing his head back against her.

She lifted her head from his side and poked his chest with a hoof. “That’s not fair! You… you’re family to me! You can’t just go doing stuff like that.”

“If the alternative… was to let you be crushed by… that beast, then… you’ll just have to deal with it.” Old Ed raised up his own hoof and willed the strength to push Amethyst's away.

Amethyst Vein frowned, shaking her head in confusion. “Beast… Why was the Oracle acting like that?”

“He was insane. He only meant… to use you. I’m sorry, Amethyst.” Old Ed watched her apologetically, slumping against the bench.

Amethyst Vein pursed her lips. “I don’t understand.”

“The whole… hunting accident. It was a setup. He… couldn’t control your parents any longer… There were tracks… something else, other than wyverns… But the search party… all working for him. I couldn’t prove it. So, I am… sorry, Amethyst. For failing then. For failing to get you out until now.”

She shook her head. “No, you’ve done more than I could ever ask.”

“Good.” Old Ed lifted his hoof, displaying the bracer. He turned it, letting it slide off and fall to the floor. “The fight is… finally over.”

We moved in closer, finally intruding upon the moment. Merri bowed her head to the pair. “Hey, give it a rest. You keep straining yourself and the damage might stick. Right, Sis’?”

Star nodded. “It is fortunate, as I do not think anypony here is in any condition to administer a healing spell.”

“Fortunate?” Dusky looked around, letting her gaze linger on the workshop and stage. “More like miraculous, considering what happened to the others.”

I sighed, and suddenly, found myself drifting once again outside my body. Wh-what? What are you doing?

I require answers.

Bellerophon strode up, lifting the second bracer in one hoof. “The Dragonbane. Where did you get it? It shouldn’t be here.”

Old Ed eyed him carefully, but did not hesitate in his answer. “From the royal vault… same chest as your armor.”

He paced, examining the bracer. “Impossible… We forged these to cut through scales, to protect the wielder from dragonfire. Eight were made. Two for Tapioca, six for the founding clans. It’s not something they would have given away.”

Dusky watched Bellerophon carefully, her brow furrowed slightly. “What about Firetail?”

“No way.” Merri shook her head. “Firetail’s line is small potatoes compared to those of the founders.”

Starshadow nodded. “As such, it is also unlikely that Firetail’s followers would have included any from those houses.”

“And why store it in the vault? Why store it with m—” He stopped, his hooves shaking. “Tapioca.”

“What?” Dusky’s voice betrayed a hint of curiosity.

“She left it… Tapioca must have left it when I… when I passed on.” Bellerophon’s voice broke as he spoke. He turned suddenly, setting the bracer before Amethyst Vein. “You now need to start being the regent these ponies need, not the one manufactured by Broken Tooth. Ostfriesen is not the enemy of Olymponis.”

“Wh-what? Wait!” Amethyst stood as quickly as she could. “Lord Bellerophon? What about you? Surely, you would be better suited to the task!”

Bellerophon turned, looking down at the carnage of the workshop and moving towards the stage. “I think not. My dealings with Broken Tooth are what led to this. These are your ponies to lead, Amethyst Vein.”

She rushed after me, an odd key of desperation in her voice. “No! We need you! Please!”

Dusky called from behind. “He really can’t. You have to understand, the strain is already too much for Night. If this continues, it may just consume him. I can’t allow that!”

Starshadow nodded, turning to her sister. “Did you find anything?”

Merri lowered her head. “I’m sorry. I tried to bargain with Firetail. I said I’d bring him the bracer if he only told me how to reverse the spell. But all he did was tie me up. And not even in the fun way.”

“It doesn’t matter.” He turned his head back and bowed slightly. “I will not lead you, Amethyst Vein. I can only advise you as best I can. After everything that’s happened, everything that I’ve seen, I can make no other choice. I’m staying.”

Wh-What? You can’t. A-after all of this, you… you can’t mean to…

Bellerophon sighed. I don’t. I’m leaving.

Dusky moved forward. “What? What about Night?! What are you planning?”

Bellerophon strode up the stage, and looked down at the bodies, until he reached one in particular. “When we fought, what Broken Tooth wanted to do to me, he opened a connection between he and I. But so did Firetail. That magic is fading, but it’s still there.”

Dusky followed, preparing to further argue.“Wha—”

Bellerophon bent down, shirking the bracer from my hoof. Purple fire still flickered across Firetail’s corpse, the remnants of his ill-fated dabbling with magic. Bellerophon reached a hoof down into the flame, and let it wash over him.

I fell back, both back in the sense of my body, and backwards into my body. The fire washed over me and I flailed a hoof, landing on my haunches, but just as soon as it started it was over.

In front me me, Firetail twitched, the purple flames moving out of me and into him, shrinking until at last they’d been extinguished. The earth pony rose up, slowly at first, but gaining strength. He looked up at me, bowing his head once more as he slipped the bracer onto his hoof. “I am home.”

49 - White Oasis

With the threats of Broken Tooth and Firetail removed from Olymponis, the inhabitants turned to more pressing concerns than watching over a small group of foreigners. Not that they didn’t take us into consideration—food and water were always prepared and brought in, and the ponies who came to us were very polite, very respectful. We simply weren’t in a position to be anywhere where we could make a difference. Not Star, Merri, or myself at least.

My struggle was with exhaustion, a kind I’d never experienced before. At its worst, it was a headache that seemed to weigh me down, making my brain foggy and body sluggish. Merri and Star told me that they had the same symptoms, a typical response to magical overexertion which any unicorn would recognize.

The pain and sluggishness were foreign to my body. For pegasi, overexerting meant flying too long or too hard, and usually resulted in a crash, with broken bones, bent wings, or worse. Knowing your limits was critical training in flight school, but being prepared for magical strain was not something I would have ever foreseen a need for.

In the times I was awake, Star had talked to me about some basic mental exercises I could do to clear my head, but either lack of practice or an incompatible mindset prevented them from doing much good. The only real cure was going to be bedrest, which was easy enough.

Dusky was in and out of our room. When I woke up and she was present, she would offer a nuzzle and a gentle hug, and talk to me until I was too exhausted to keep going. She was going out and helping within the city, and as much as I wanted to be there alongside her, I just wasn’t in any condition.

Over the next few days, our talks turned to our plan to head home. To my dismay, a quick journey back to Ponyville wasn’t going to be our next goal. Instead, we’d be heading deeper into Ostfriesen, back down to the castle, where Star would give an official testimony into what had occurred here. As my strength returned, we decided it was best to head south on our own, rather than waiting for Bellerophon and Amethyst Vein to be in a position where they felt stable enough to send their own envoy.

Heading out through the main gate, we made a much more deliberate path back towards Fort Mareginot. It felt like going home, even though I knew we weren’t. There was no sorrow leaving Olymponis behind, not after everything that had happened there. I bore them no ill will, but there were too many bad memories lingering within that mountain.

Before we knew it, we were in Fort Mareginot, with its solid wooden walls and garishly dressed ponies. It was almost a welcome sight in itself, for once we passed through that waypoint, we entered back into the cultivated, safe roads of Ostfriesen proper. As safe as these lands were capable of getting, in any case.

The guarded, smooth roads sped our pace considerably as we moved deeper into the tiered farmlands. The road wound down the foothills into the valley, through layers of plants and crops, each conspicuously separated from one another as if by design. As I recalled Star’s story of Ostfriesen’s struggle to expand against the Badlands, that thought probably wasn’t too far off.

Soon, we reached the Path of Dragons, a broad, flat road with high walls on either side. Traffic upon this main road was much greater as well, both coming and going from the great city of Oasis. Descending further into the valley, the hard packed dirt road was replaced with intricate stonework set in decorative patterns.

I looked up at the sky, trying to get a sense for the weather work being done here. I hadn’t been able to give it much thought on the journey into the north, but without the threats looming over us, I let my mind wander towards my own curiosities. With the hundreds of years of cultivation that Ostfriesen had performed, I’d just assumed they would have perfected their weather patterns, but instead, the air had a different, yet familiar sense to it.

There were clouds, certainly, but they were not neatly arranged or even properly distributed in any way I could make sense of. There were no pegasi in the skies, here, instead, the sky felt alive. My wings twitched uncomfortably. It’d been some time since I’d gotten to fly outright. Our journey with Star had kept Dusky and I on the ground for sake of keeping together. Flying through Ostfriesen might not be so easy, however, if the wind wouldn’t cooperate, and that thought made me realize why it felt so familiar. It was like the Everfree Forest, alive and untamed, but there wasn’t the same sense of malice as there was within those woods. The thought that all this work had been done without weather magic to bring rain and aid the plant’s growth only made their achievements that much more impressive.

When I brought my head back down, I found the road had turned, the path now leading towards the gap between two large hills. On the other side it straightened, and the full sight of Oasis lay spread out before us. The gleaming white city, framed by the carefully arranged countryside was astounding to look upon.

The land continued in its terraced pattern. It was a solid, vivid green, which beautifully contrasted the pristine white walls of the city. A dip in the land was set just before the castle wall, with the only path over it being a wide drawbridge leading to a grand gate. Long banners hung along the walls, each one as tall as several ponies. The banners depicted a deep green land around a central mound of earth, from which a single palm tree emerged. The leaves of the tree were arrayed into a figure eight lying on its side. A symbol for infinity. Ostfriesen certainly wasn’t subtle with its imagery.

Beyond the wall were large, gleaming spires, each capped with golden domes that shone in the sun, and even from outside, there was one tower far beyond the others which rose significantly higher. The whole city gave a similar impression to Canterlot, but with a more focused design towards defense.

Dusky turned to Star and Merri with a smile. “Fancy. You sure you’re going to be able to get used to Equestria again after this?”

Merri casually waved a hoof. “Oh, sure, the place and everypony inside looks nice, but I don’t need any of that. The party goes where I go~.”

Star glared at Merri, raising an eyebrow in silence.

“Uh, Sis’?” Merri tilted her head, still grinning. “Lighten up?”

Against all expectations, Star stuck out her tongue. “Just try not to seduce too many stallions on the way in. One riot per week is enough.”

Without waiting for a response, she smiled and began to walk towards the main gate.

I blinked, turning between Merri and Dusky in confusion. “U-um?”

Dusky began to laugh. “Guess I don’t need to ask how it feels to be home.”

Merri chuckled, glancing towards her sister. “Guess not~.”

Over the bridge, we approached the main gate. Two guards stood at the ready, in armored barding, and bright house colors, like so many others we had seen along the roads—and even amongst Firetail’s forces. I almost wondered how the Ostfriesens could tell who was actually a guard, or knight, and who was just somepony in fancy armor.

Dusky tensed, perhaps her train of thought going back to Firetail’s soldiers as well, but the guards waved us through the gate without even a word.

Inside, the city was suddenly very, very alive. Knights and civilians all walked the streets, talking, haggling, or marching along to whatever business they had. The knights all wore their own unique colors and armors, but the other citizens were not to be outdone. Those ponies were dressed in just as many garish colors as those upon the border. Within the city proper, the clothing wasn't just limited to armor. From simple saddles to flowing gowns and everything in between, it was clear that the military aspect of Ostfriesen's frontier was not the entirety of their culture.

Dusky smirked. “Let me guess, this isn’t a festival. It’s always like this.”

Merri draped a hoof across Dusky and grinned. “Now you’re getting it~!”

“This way to the castle.” Star pointed down the main road, then continued to move through the crowd.

It’s always like this. I boggled. Canterlot had been busy, and this was so much louder and busier than even that. It assaulted me, and I dropped my ears to try and drown out the noise.

Dusky’s voice cut through. “You okay, Night? We need to get going.”

I’d stopped walking, freezing there in the street. I looked at Dusky, shaking my head before I forced a smile and nodded. “Y-yeah. This place is just a bit much.”

She nodded and sympathetically smiled back. “Sorry. Once Star and Merri get their part settled, we can find somewhere a bit quieter.”

I took a deep breath and pressed on.

Star took a direct course through the city, and to my surprise the crowds thinned, though never dissipated, the deeper we went. We soon reached a second gate, with the central castle set nearly against it. Beyond that was the great tower which had been looming over even the outermost wall.

“This is the Spire of Strength, the seat of our power.” Star led through the gate and moved towards a large greenhouse from which the great central tower emerged. “The area around it is the first of the land cultivated to help us survive. Please be respectful while we are inside.”

“Of course.” Dusky nodded immediately.

I hesitated, feeling out of place even being here, but then gave a nod as well.

“Geez, Sis’, no pressure or anything, right?” Merri frowned, glancing back at me a moment.

Star snorted gently as she opened the entry to the greenhouse. “You could stand to show some extra respect, yourself.”

Merri rushed forward to follow. “Hey that was one time and I didn’t even start it!”

I glanced at Dusky and caught her glancing at me with a big grin. I let myself breathe and smiled back.

Within, the greenhouse was quiet, with a meticulously cared for path through a well-maintained garden. Small groupings of plants were set apart from each other, each with a small engraved plaque which bore a name, and some dating system which I couldn’t quite make sense of.

At last, we found ourselves in the final decorative ring of flowers and plants which all built up to a set of broad marble steps. At the top of those steps was an ornate gold archway carved with foreign symbols.

On either side of the arch stood a guard. They had Merri and Star's bearing, that supreme confidence that only hinted at the deadliness within. On the left was a yellow mare with two braids of pale purple. The other was light green, with a helmet that obscured both her eyes and her mane. Both wore unconventional armor, the yellow mare in a mix of chain and heavy barding, while the green mare wore thin leather, with a series of copper bracelets upon her forelegs.

The two knights exchanged a sidelong glance, then the yellow mare stepped forward. "Dame Starshadow. Merriweather. You know you are not supposed to be here."

Starshadow knelt on her forehooves. "I am aware, Dame Ivolana. Although, I would hope that you know me well enough to understand I would not return unless there was very good reason. I must see the Queen."

The mare worked her jaw, considering, then nodded. "I knew you as an honorable knight, Starshadow. Very well, we shall listen to why you are here, and determine if it warrants an audience. But... your sister..."

"Is part of the reason why I am here, yes. But not the only reason."

"It does not matter. You know that Merriweather was banished. You chose to follow her, but the punishment was not yours."

"We did not return to argue the banishment, only to bear witness to events to the north, and to give our Queen knowledge of what transpired.” Star straightened, taking on the same composure of her fellow. “I may have stepped down from my position, but I am still a knight."

Ivolana looked as if she'd swallowed bad produce, frowning at Star. "As am I. I cannot let her trespass go, Star."

"Sis’... it's okay.” Merri stepped up between her sister and the Knight. “I came back knowing what might happen. You sort things out with our Queen. I'll wait. I didn't come here to flaunt my punishment."

I frowned. We’d come so far. I hadn’t considered that we might yet lose Merri here. It didn’t seem fair, but I held my tongue. Star had cautioned us to keep respectful, and these were their people, and their laws.

Ivolana bowed. "Your compliance is duly noted, Merriweather. As is your concern for your sister, Star. I shall personally ensure no harm comes to her until the Queen has heard your story."

Star sighed, somewhat deflated, but bowed. "Thank you, old friend."

"Hibiscus.” Ivolana turned to her counterpart. ”Take Merriweather to a guest room. See to it she doesn't leave. I trust you won't leave, Merriweather?"

Merri nodded into a bow, her face somber. "Yeah, I won't. You're putting too much on the line for my sake already, Iv—uh, Dame Ivolana."

Ivolana smiled as the other knight stepped forward to lead Merri away. "So long as you understand that, I thank you as well."

Dusky turned to Star. "What about us?"

Ivolana raised an eyebrow as she appraised Dusky, then looked towards me. "Apprentices?"

"Not quite. They are good friends." Star turned to give us an apologetic look. "You two will need to wait, I fear. The effort required to have you enter the Spire of Strength with me would be considerable, and your words would have little weight with the Queen. My apologies."

Dusky shook her head. “I figured as much. Don’t worry about it.”

Merri snickered from down the path, calling back, "Perfect opportunity if you ask me. This might take some time, so why don'tcha go tour the city, eh? Make a date out of it~."

I blushed slightly. At least Merri still kept her sense of humor through all this.

Star's horn lit as she levitated out her remaining coins from our journey. "I am absolutely confident you are safe here. There should be enough there for meals and lodging. I cannot be sure how many days this will take for the Queen to verify our story. In the meantime, we may be separated, but if timing does not align for us to meet, I shall ensure that word of our progress is left at this gate."

Dusky took the coin purse and tucked them into her saddlebag. "We'll leave word of the inn once we get settled."

It felt strange to be just watching them go, after everything we'd been through to find Merri, to get to this point. My ears dipped slightly. "Be, um... be safe, okay?"

"We'll be fine." Merri gave me a wink. "Not like we're fighting off a dragon or anything."

I nodded. The hard part was behind us, certainly, but there was still that fear that something could go wrong. I couldn't let it just go with that. I moved past Ivolana towards Merri before she'd gone too far and gave her a hug, then stepped back to the gate to give Star a hug as well. "We'll be waiting, then. Good luck."

Dusky smiled and followed suit, giving the two sisters hugs. "Good luck."

Merri grinned, "You all worry too much. Now go on, have fun~." With that, she gestured a hoof towards the other knight and began to trot inside, the knight at her side. She craned her neck back and winked.

"Incorrigible." Despite her tone, this time as she watched her sister go, Star smiled.

50 - Dreams of Tranquility

With Merri and Star split off, we were on our own in Oasis. Ostfriesen Castle loomed over us, and the city set behind us. Our first goal was someplace to sleep, and to that end, Dusky led us away from the castle proper and into the city, though not directly back towards the marketplace. Instead, she took us down one of the large streets off the side of the main road.

We walked through the crowds of ponies, all going about whatever business Ostfriesen’s attended to during the day. I took a moment to consider that as we went. What was a normal day for an Ostfriesen? How many of them had journeyed out to the Badlands to slay some terrible creature? As I looked about, I couldn’t help but feel it was less than I would have believed. Fashions aside, these ponies were likely no different than Dusky and I, working somewhere in the city, then home to their families.

It was strange, but after everything we’d been through, there was something different about Dusky. I was a little overwhelmed, crowds always put me in an odd state of mind, with all the noise and activity. I always preferred to find someplace quiet. Even growing up in Cloudsdale, there was a tea shop I’d made my place of refuge as far from the busier portions of the city around the weather factory.

Dusky, however, seemed energized by it. There was something extra in her gait, and I suppose with good reason. The worst of it was behind us. If we were lucky, all that stood between us and the trip home was a bit of bureaucracy. We wouldn’t be making any crazy rescue attempts here, and the stress of being surrounded by threats was gone. Even if the ponies of Oasis seemed strange and utterly foreign, they weren’t our enemies.

We passed several inns on our way out from the greenhouse and the Spire. There were a few just beyond the Castle, but Dusky passed those immediately. We couldn’t be sure if our last remaining sovereigns, combined with Star's coins and what we'd received in Olymponis, were enough to get what we’d need. Without knowing how many days we'd be here, Dusky said she'd intended to use our money as carefully as possible.

We moved out beyond the view of the greenhouse and towards the northern edge of town. It was fascinating to watch Dusky work. We moved from inn to inn, and at each, Dusky inquired about room rates, asked a few casual questions about room, meals and such, and then thanked the desk clerk and moved on without another word. It wasn’t until our fourth attempt at a decent looking inn labeled the Roebuck Tavern, that Dusky brought her full game.

With supreme confidence, Dusky stepped up to the front desk and flashed a smile. She asked the room prices, and this time, began to haggle. By the end, she’d secured a room at the lowest rate we’d heard for a long two week period, while still leaving ourselves plenty of coin to get by for that time.

By the time we settled down and deposited our travel bags in the room, the sun had crossed most of the sky, giving us a few hours of day left together. With a smile, Dusky suggested heading back into the greenhouse set at the base of the castle and seeing the fabled source that Star had spoken of, the oasis that this city was named for.

We retraced our walk back to the gate, where we left the name of the Inn with the same Knight who’d escorted Merri inside, and then we found ourselves walking deeper into the greenhouse, past the Spire where Star had gone and into the very heart of the exhibits. Pillars and signage and decorative elements were set tastefully around the plants, framing it all in artifice, but as we approached the oasis itself, it seemed the Ostfriesen’s had decided it should be left as natural as possible.

There was nothing artifical around the lake. It was roughly the size of one of Ponyville’s lakes, large enough to be a sizeable source of water, but small enough to see across. It fit within the greenhouse with little difficulty, surrounded by ferns and palm trees and coarse sand that was clearly desert-like and not like the fine beach sand one might expect. Considering everything that had been built from it, I had almost expected some magical grotto of ever-bubbling water, like some old story of a fountain that could heal wounds and wash away fatigue. The truth of the oasis was surprisingly underwhelming.

I turned to say as much to Dusky when I caught her expression. She was engrossed, eyes scanning the lake, taking in every detail. There was certainly something special about this place, despite its ordinary appearance. A nation had been born here, and this water had been used tame this land, to make a home for a group of refugees who had nothing else. Dusky could clearly feel it, and whatever details she saw was enough to make a smile grow upon her face.

It was a wonderful smile, one that spoke so much about her. It was just all joy there, the joy of seeing something new, of discovering and experiencing and piecing things together. My eyes drifted towards her cutie mark for a moment. This was her element.

She glanced back and must have seen me watching her. She raised her eyebrow and smirked. “What?”

I shook my head. “Nothing. Just… I haven’t seen you like this before. It’s good to see.”

“What? Getting excited?” She giggled. “I’m not really that much of a stick in the mud, am I?”

I thought back to Myrtail, to the curiosity that hid in Dusky, but which I’d only really seen just behind her eyes. Here it was at its most pure. "N-no, more than that. It’s the little filly, splashing in the water for the first time. It’s the same way you look at..."

"Hmm?" She grinned wider. "At what? You can’t keep leaving me hanging like that."

"When…” I tried to find the right thing to say, but my mouth was already working before I could think. “Dusky, when does a dream begin?"

She tilted her head at me, squinting carefully. "A dream? What do you mean?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat and pushed on, the words already spilling out. "A dream. I don't have dreams, at least, none that I can ever remember. I've always wondered what it's like."

My mind drifted back to the dream where I'd first seen Bellerophon. That hadn't been a true dream, even then I'd known that. My sleep was otherwise undisturbed. There were no dreams, no nightmares, it wasn’t anything I’d ever dwelled upon, other than a vague curiosity, but now, it was just an abstract thought that had decided to gnaw at my mind.

Dusky considered a moment, lowering her eyes before she looked back at me. "I don't really think you ever know you're in a dream until you wake up."

"Oh..." I sighed, a hoof digging at the grass which clung stubbornly within the sands of the oasis.

She moved closer, bringing her muzzle up against my chin, lifting my head. "Why do you ask? Think you dreamt something?"

I nodded. "I don't know, but it seems like it."

"It's okay, Night. I'm here, if you want to talk about it."

I wanted to laugh, shaking my head in disbelief. "But... it's you."

"Me?" She didn’t sound particularly surprised, maybe I was too easy to read, though she wasn’t laughing either. She was pressing me on.

"This. Here. Now. What am I doing here, Dusky? What are you doing here?" I stared her in the eyes, those wonderful, deep, all too real eyes. "How could someone like me end up here, now, with someone like you?"

Dusky's eyes went wide, a reaction I could never have imagined, and a hint of color came into her cheeks before she recovered, giggling. "Flatterer."

I started, feeling my heart slump. "I... I'm serious. It's surreal." I pointed towards the placid lake. "We're standing at the heart of a city that a year ago I'd never even heard of. I've faced monsters, foes, possession, even a dragon. It... it's everything I ever wanted."

Her face fell, but she stayed silent, watching me.

I took a deep breath. "But it's not what I want now."

Dusky nuzzled once again, her voice quiet. "Things around me tend to get a bit crazy. I never wanted that to pull anyone else into it. I'm sorry."

I reached out to hug her. "Dusky. If not for the craziness, I... I don't know where I’d be. I started taking steps into this world because of you, because I thought I loved you. I kept walking because of me, because it was a path I realized I needed to walk down, for my own sake. Now, I stand here beside you because I don't just think I love you anymore—I know it.”

This place was so peaceful, the oasis at the heart of our journey. I closed my eyes. “I've been scared since we left Ponyville, afraid that I'd gotten my friends hurt, terrified of what was happening to me, and what might happen to us here, but I always had someone to look to for strength. If... when things get crazy, I never want you to feel like you're pulling me along. I want you to know that I'm beside you by choice."

She was quiet, and I was afraid I'd said too much. We'd talked about going slowly, about taking our time with this relationship, and I agreed. It had given me time to find out how I really felt, about her. More importantly, it had given me time to figure out how I felt about myself. I didn’t want to throw that away now, all because I couldn’t hold back.

I bit my lip, releasing her from the hug as I stepped back. "I, uh, sorry. I'm rambling again. Just... I guess all I wanted to say was, thank you."

Dusky smiled, stepping forward to kiss my cheek. "You're welcome, Night Light. And thank you, as well."

The heat rose in my face, and I nodded, turning to look back out at the water. “It’s… pretty incredible, isn’t it?”

She turned to stand besides me and face the oasis, that same wondrous smile returning to her face. “Yeah, it is.”

“I’m glad that I can see it with you.” The hardships, the fighting, the fear, it all washed away in the light of that smile. “Maybe there’s something magical about this oasis after all.”

“Something magical, eh?” She laughed a moment and leaned against me. “I’m glad you’re here to see this with me too.”

I looked up at the sun as it began to arc down. "You think… Ostfriesen has some place where we could share a dance?”

“Pffft, what?” A familiar voice called out from behind “You think Ostfriesen’s don’t dance? Oh, we dance~.”

My cheeks were burning red, and I nearly fell backwards at the red mare’s entrance. “M-Merri?”

“Heya, Night. Hope I’m not interrupting anything~.” She winked. “I don’t wanna butt in.”

Dusky eyed her carefully. “Should you even be here? You didn’t do anything rash, did you?”

“Who, me?” Merri thrust out her lip like a foal feigning innocence. “Nah, I’m a model citizen. They let me out on good behavior~.”

“Really.” Dusky gave her a sidelong glance.

“Yes, really, sheesh. The Queen pardoned me, pretty quickly, too. Sis’ is still in court with her, so I figured I should come down here and pay some respects to the source.”

I straightened up, considering. “Well, that’s good, right? Though, that doesn’t line up, does it? If Star is still giving her testimony, how did the Queen know to let you out already?”

Dusky nodded. “It’s not been that long, I assumed even if everything went well they’d keep watch on you for another day or so.”

Merri shrugged. “What can I say, Queen Papaya knows what’s up. Don’t gotta be an alicorn to be a wise ruler.”

Dusky seemed lost in thought a moment, then slowly smiled towards Merri. “No, I suppose not.”

“Now, I’m gonna be here a bit. Gotta uh, do some personal stuff at the oasis. Ostfriesen tradition and all. Knight stuff, even if I’m not really a knight anymore, you know the drill. You two get a place yet?”

Dusky nodded. “Yeah, just a small one though: the Roebuck Tavern.”

Merri smirked. “Hey, that’s fine~. I’m gonna stay in the barracks, anyway—for as long as Sis’ needs us to stick around, I guess. But I wanted to make sure I knew where to reach you two.”

“Sounds good. We’ve got the room for a couple weeks, so we should be set.” Dusky grinned. “And congratulations on your pardon.”

“Vindication~.” Merri laughed. “Now go on, you two should have some fun. This is just musty old ceremony. Boring.”

I glanced at Dusky. Merri wasn’t quite telling the whole truth here, but I suspected whatever she wanted to do, it needed to be done alone, for ritual sake, or just out of respect for her privacy. “Well, we’ll meet up tomorrow, then?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Dusky seemed to take the same cues, turning towards me to step away. “We’ll wait at the inn for you tomorrow, Merri.”

“Perfect! Roebuck Tavern. I’ll be there. Now go on, you two deserve a little fun without me barging in on ya. Go shake your booties~!” Merri turned to look back over the water. “And uh, thanks. Thanks a lot, you two.”

We made our way out of the greenhouse back towards town. I looked back at Merri once before we were out of sight to see her sitting at the edge of the oasis, looking down into water. I lifted my head back to find Dusky watching me, that perfect smile still set upon her face as she looked at me.

“Let’s go find some food first, alright?”

My doubts and fears were so easily pushed away by that smile. It still didn’t quite seem real, that she might look at me and smile the same way she smiled when she looked out over the oasis. All it did was make my heart grow, to think that I could somehow mean that much to her. I just wanted to see her happy, and somehow what made her happy was… me.

It was a confusing, nonsensical, amazing thought that seemed too dreamlike to be real, but her smile was only too real. I slipped a wing over her as we walked back into the city. “Wonderful. That sounds wonderful.”

51 - Dancing Abroad

Dinner and dancing in Ostfriesen was one of the most interesting and strangest experiences of my life, though of course I loved every minute of it. That gnawing feeling of disbelief had been washed away in the source of Ostfriesen's bounty, replaced by awe at this foreign city full of things beyond belief.

Dusky and I left the center of Oasis to find food, passing by the high-scale restaurants to find something a little more within our means. Eventually we settled on a cafe set on a street corner. It was a little green building with a short awning over the entrance and a few umbrella covered tables out front. It seemed fine on its own, but what drew my eye was the elegantly scripted sign that read 'Caffe Luna Rosa', with a stylized image of the moon and a wave depicting the mare in the moon.

I glanced up at the sign as we were about to walk past. "Luna...?"

"Probably not named after the Princess. At least, not on purpose." Dusky glanced in through the window to scope it out. "Seems nice. Want to give it a try?"

"Sure." It surely wasn’t anything but coincidence, but it certainly felt like a sign.

The interior of the restaurant was thick with the scent of spices, which burnt my nose. Once the initial punch was past, it wasn't that unpleasant, and gave the whole place an earthy tone. Even inside, the cafe was designed to look like we were in a garden, with lanterns and long troughs, and painted dividers that looked like fences.

Before long, an intricately dressed unicorn greeted us with a polite tone reminiscent to Starshadow. She was dressed up in a long frock with more ribbons than could possibly be necessary. Ostfriesen fashion definitely had a need to stand out, one way or another. She led us to a small table with a great view of the street corner and gave us our menus.

I settled in, still looking about. It wasn’t too hard to imagine this place in Canterlot, or even in Ponyville. It wasn’t the fanciest place, but the atmosphere was certainly unique.

The server returned before too long, levitating a pair of water glasses to the table. "What can I get for the two of you?"

Dusky's eyes scanned the menu. "Hmm. What's the house special?"

The server bowed her head to Dusky. "We've a lovely house salad, as well as our chef's specialty, a dumpling pot pie."

"Chef's specialty? I guess I'll try the pot pie, then." Dusky set her menu down and looked up at me.

I’d let my mind wander as Dusky had perused the menu, but I didn’t really have any preference, and surely whatever Dusky had ordered would be good, especially if it was the specialty. I set my menu down and nodded to the server. "Oh, um, make it two."

Before the server could take the menus, Dusky interrupted. “Uh, Night, are you sure?”

“U-um, yes?” I glanced at the server who peered at me patiently, then back to Dusky who only seemed to be concerned, though I couldn’t imagine why. “No? Maybe?”

Dusky breathed out slowly. “That particular dish contains meat.”

I flinched, certainly not expecting that. "Err, meat?"

The server nodded, interjecting. “I assure you that our meat is of the highest quality and prepared with the utmost care. But if you wish, I can give you a few more minutes.”

Dusky nodded, giving me a faint smile. “Maybe that would for be best.”

I considered a moment, then settled back in. It made sense. The early refugees had settled into an area surrounded by monsters, lacking the ability to grow more than a limited supply of crops, they'd survived with what was available. They'd likely survived with meat as the primary staple to their diets for generations.

“W-wait. No, I’ll have it.” I looked up at Dusky and smiled. It couldn't hurt to try it, after all. I was here, someplace totally new, and it only made sense to try something new while I was here.

"Two pot pies, excellent. I shall return with your orders." With a bow that still felt out of place from a restaurant employee, the server headed into the back.

As I turned back at Dusky, I found her giving me the strangest look. "What?"

Dusky tilted her head. "You sure you’re okay with this? I know meat isn’t to everyone’s taste."

I smiled in return. “W-well, you’re having it, right? It can’t be that bad.”

Dusky smirked a little. "My palette has had a bit more time to adapt. It comes from years of trying local cuisines. And, yes, while I did have to start somewhere, I don’t want you to feel obligated because of me."

“No, not obligated.” I scuffed a hoof on the table, but grinned. "I want to. I’d have already missed so many things if I hadn’t stepped outside my comfort zone. Besides, after fighting a dragon, how hard can this be?"

Dusky giggled, stretching a hoof across the table to set atop my own. "If you say so."

"I do." I shook my head. I'd have missed a lot of sights and experiences, but most of all I would have missed her. I thought back to Oasis and everything I'd said to her, my rambling and confessions, and her response. "Though, I'm already a bit spoiled. I've already seen the most beautiful thing I could imagine."

She tilted her head. "Was the oasis that impressive to you?"

"I... I was more referring to you. Going to be hard to find anything in the world that rivals your eyes, or your smile."

Dusky voice was deadpan, but the amusement never left her face. "Okay, this time you're definitely just being a flatterer."

I smirked, and felt some color rise up in my face. "Maybe a little."

Soon enough, the server returned with our food. The pot pie was steaming hot, filled with cooked vegetables, spices, and indeed, meat. The flavor was surprising, not foul or bloody as I might have imagined, but instead very savory, with a completely different texture than anything I'd ever eaten.

“Well?” Dusky asked between bites.

I finished off my current mouthful and smiled. “It’s good. I don’t know how often I’d want to have it, but… I’m glad I ordered it tonight.”

Dusky laughed, her smile growing wider once again. “Glad to hear.”

After dinner, we searched for someplace to stretch our legs and cut loose. Walking in the early evening, we found plenty of clubs that wouldn’t be too unfamiliar looking even in Ponyville. The problem was getting in, as most of the clubs had lines of ponies out the door.

We eventually came across one dance club that lacked the pristine, vibrant look so many of the other buildings boasted. I couldn’t be sure if this was an attempt to create a unique atmosphere, or if the building simply was much older and been allowed to deteriorate. Either way, I’d have wagered the place was just as busy inside as any of those other clubs, with an earth pony band rocking the stage.

The music was certainly unfamiliar, with a steady beat and a strong rhythm that only became stronger as we listened. Rather than jumping in right away, Dusky motioned us to the sidelines to watch first. I was surprisingly eager to step out there, but with so much going on, it only made sense to sit out a song to get some sense of what was happening here.

The ponies of Ostfriesen had dance styles and moves all their own, lacking the fluid movement of some of Equestria’s more high paced dancing, they instead moved in rapid but oddly stoic motions, snapping their legs out in sync and stomping quickly. It felt more like a fast paced marching drill back at the Royal Guard Academy than it did a dance.

When the second song started, Dusky looked back at me and began to head out onto the dance floor. I eagerly followed, unable to keep the grin off my face. We started by following the same basic movements of the other dancers, just to get warmed up. As the dance routines reached the more complicated movements, Dusky began to improvise. It took me a moment to recognize what she was doing, but I couldn’t help but smirk. This was practically a fight song, and so Dusky was treating it as such, mixing in her own fighting style. I grinned as I began to mix in a few of the fighting poses and drills I recalled from my Guard training.

It was like my training, sparring with Starshadow, or my sister Mint had been, but without the darker thoughts of that trainings purpose. It was a way to do something together with Dusky, something which we both enjoyed, and which allowed us to be close. We moved together across the dance floor. Maybe our moves weren’t the smoothest, maybe we missed a few moves in that unfamiliar dance, but it certainly felt like we were in perfect sync.

“Let’s slow things down a little!” the band’s lead singer called out from the stage after they’d completed the third song we’d heard. “Now that you’re nice and warm, why don’t you settle in close for a round of Frondly Waltz?”

My ears perked up. The more intense, fight dancing was one thing, and it had certainly succeeded at getting my blood pumping, but waltzes were far more my speed. As the song began, I offered a hoof to Dusky, who accepted it readily and moved in close.

We began to sway to the unfamiliar song, taking a bit of time to follow the rhythm, but getting it figured out fairly quickly. Dusky felt warm, pressed against me as we moved across the dance floor. These moments were priceless to me. We may have been in a crowded club surrounded by ponies, but just then, pressed in close as we danced, she was the only thing in the world that mattered.

Dusky gave a short squeeze with a hoof. “How’re you holding up?”

“Fine.” I grinned as I met her eyes. “Just fine.”

She nodded and smiled back. “That’s good. Wasn’t sure what you’d think of those first few.”

“It… it wasn’t my favorite.” I much preferred slow dances to the more rapid martial dance moves of Ostfriesen, though in the end, the important part wasn’t what we were doing, but that we were doing it together. “But it was still fun.”

“Yeah, it was a little weird.” Dusky settled her head back against me as the waltz continued. “Good thing that’s the norm on the dance floor.”

The waltz sadly didn’t last all night, as the band had apparently only used it as a transition between one fast-paced style of dance to another. We kept up for another few songs, but soon found that we were both feeling drained and ready for a peaceful and likely very restful sleep.

We settled back into our room at the Roebuck Tavern, snuggling up onto the bed together. As I’d anticipated, we both seemed to sleep well that night. I couldn’t be sure if it was from the night of dancing, or the peace of mind that our friends were safe. For myself, I certainly couldn't discount the effect of Dusky's presence, cuddled up with me as she slept. I only hoped I served as a boon for her own restful dreams.

When we woke the next morning, or afternoon actually, we eventually made our way down into the tavern room and settled in to wait for Merri. Sleeping in had caused us to miss breakfast, and so we ordered off the bar menu. The food at the Roebuck Tavern could have been something that was served back home without a second glance, and hay fries that could have just as easily been cooked up in the Lusty Seapony.

As we finished up our meals, Merri made her entrance into the bar. Lacking her armor, she was dressed in a light colored dress that was almost see-through, draped in long ribbons around her body and wrapping down her legs. “Hey, you two. Didja get a chance to shake your booties~?”

I blushed, thoughts of Dusky’s ‘booty’ intruding momentarily. “Y-yeah, we found a place.”

Merri stared me down, an evil smile on her face. “Good~. Good~.”

Dusky smirked back. “You’re looking uncharacteristically formal today.”

“Bah.” Merri lifted a hoof, carefully wrapped in a gauzy ribbon.” You should have seen me before. I always got into this kinda stuff. The only reason I didn’t wear any around Ponyville is Sis’ insisted we didn’t have room to bring any of the good stuff. But now that we’re back here, I had a chance to raid the old wardrobe~. Feeling pretty good, if I do say so myself~.”

Dusky giggled, eyeing the outfit. “Well, I’m happy you’re happy. If we have time, maybe you’ll have to show it off to me.”

Merri came in close to the table and wrapped a hoof around Dusky. “Pshaw, show nothing. If you see anything you like, let me know and you can have it~. Better than having it all sit around collecting dust, anyway~.”

Merri waggled her eyebrows at me then leaned in closer to Dusky as if about to whisper. It was not a whisper at all. “There’s at least a couple I could get you in that would get Night there as red as a beet~.”

I pictured Dusky in a similar dress to what Merri wore now, the ribbons and wispy skirt around accentuating without exposing her flank, and all that talk of Dusky’s booty flashed back into my mind. I struggled to find a response, but couldn’t get past the mental images Merri had put there.

“Merri.” Dusky’s voice was not appreciative.

“Oops, didn’t mean to get carried away~!” The evil grin upon Merri’s face only grew as we looked at me once more. “Cover your ears. We’re doing girl talk here~.”

Dusky sighed, though she seemed at least a little amused. “How much time do we have now, anyway?”

“Well, things are wrapping up, but Sis’ still has to work through a bit of paperwork, so probably about three days, give or take.”

Three days. It was both good and bad news. It mean that much longer before we were heading home, but at the same time, knowing everyone was fine, that we were safe here, and thinking back to the previous night. I certainly couldn’t object to three more days like the day before.

The curiosity had sparked in Dusky’s eyes once more as well. “Guess we can still see a few more things if we plan accordingly. Anything you’d recommend?”

Merri settled back and grinned. “Oh, yes, plenty. But why tell you when I could show you~?”

“Don’t you have things to do at the castle?” Dusky eyed Merri carefully.

“Some. Sis’ is the important one, though, so I can be in and out a bit. So, what do you say? Would you like me to show you around~?”

“Would I?” Dusky’s smile widened. A native Ostfriesen, and not just any native, but our friend, offering to give us a tour of her homeland. There was no way Dusky would turn that down. I might have to endure a bit more of Merri’s teasing, but to see more of Dusky’s smile, it would be more than worth it.

52 - Journey's Ends

"You two are gonna love this place, I promise. The view is spectacular." With a grin on her face, Merri led the way to our first stop on her tour.

With only three days here before the journey home, Dusky didn't want to waste any time, and frankly, I was more than a little curious as well. I still wasn't fully comfortable in the city, but Ostfriesen had more than its fair share of beauty, if one knew where to find it. And who better to show us where it was hidden than a native, and a friend.

"Ta-daa~!" Merri stepped aside, waving a hoof to beckon us on. Ahead was a large open-air square, raised several steps above street level. The rear of the arena was set against the city wall, and inside were numerous ponies in the midst of various exercises. Many were sparring or practicing combat forms of some kind.

Dusky raised an eyebrow. "It's a training field?"

"Not just any training field! The raised platform makes it the one with the best view~." Merri pointed towards a group of ponies in the midst of stretching, and suddenly the objects of Merri's attention were quite apparent, directly at eye level. "You gotta appreciate that level of fitness~."

My face burned red. "Y-you just come out here to look at... um..."

Merri grinned. "At what, Night?"

Dusky stepped up, shaking her head. "This isn’t quite what I was hoping for when I said I wanted to see 'the sights'."

"You want something a little more natural, eh? Little more like home? Okay, okay. I can do that." Merri gave one more glance towards the training grounds, letting her gaze linger just a little longer before she began to walk on.

We followed the road as it circled the training grounds, until eventually it met the outer wall and continued to follow alongside it.

Atop the wall, the silhouettes of ponies were just visible in the sunlight as they patrolled or marched or did whatever it was they were doing to keep guard. I glanced at Merri as she continued her confident stride. “Does the city come under attack often? I mean, what with the wall, and the guards, and the training grounds?”

“Nah, not really. Or, not often at least. About as often as Ponyville does.” Merri turned back with a wink. “But instead of having some local celebrities wielding ancient magical artifacts, we have a group of well-trained knights that know how to take on just about anything the Badlands can throw at us. And that doesn’t even count the locals who go out and bag a few bounties on their own.”

I nodded, then turned to Dusky to ask about Twilight, only to find that Dusky’s gaze had been pulled elsewhere, off towards a large gate which was set apart from the outer wall, apparently unconnected to anything.

Dusky slowed further as she observed the gate. “Hey, Merri. What’s that?”

“Hmm?” Merri stopped to look over. “Oh that? Just the Brushingboot Gate. Why? Wanna take a closer look?”

Dusky’s grin grew, and I couldn’t help but laugh as she responded. “Absolutely!”

The gate was older than it seemed. It was indeed alone, not even completely covering the road in which it stood. The stones in the walls of the gate were faded, but not in any kind of disrepair. Crowning the arch was a great statue, depicting a pony in a carriage in a great cloak and crown, wielding a trident. In front of her stood four more ponies, each in intricate barding and wielding weapons of their own.

“That’s the fourth Queen of Ostfriesen, Queen Lychee.” Merri’s voice came out surprisingly respectful as we stopped, keeping sight of the statue. “This gate was built to memorialize the battle of Silverglade.”

Dusky looked up in a bit of awe, eyes scanning every inch of the structure. “And the other four?”

Merri bent her head in close, flashing a smile. “No one knows.”

“No one?” Dusky glanced at Merri. “If there’s a monument, surely someone must have made a record.”

“Yeah. I guess some of the details must’ve been lost or fuzzy or something. Silverglade was supposedly a little outpost built along this road, far out from the main city, one of the first farm villages, but that winter, some big grimdrakes came down out of the mountains looking to hunt. Silverglade fell—no one left save for the runner who arrived in Oasis to warn the Queen.”

I frowned. “A whole town, just… gone?”

Merri nodded. “Grimdrakes are bad news.They’re worse in a hunting party, and they’re the worst when they’ve got a matriarch with them, as Silverglade found out. And Oasis was next. Ostfriesen was still growing, and wasn’t prepared for that kind of threat, but Queen Lychee resolved to defeat the beasts. She ordered the civilians to flee, and the knights to harry the beasts, driving them forward, until they reached this gate. Here, the Queen said, she would make her stand, and none would pass so long as she still drew breath.”

“The Knights harassed the beasts as they came, killing many of the drakes, but suffering terrible losses in turn. When they reached the gate, Queen Lychee killed several herself, and none passed through the gate. But she was badly wounded, and when the last of the drakes came, the matriarch came with them, enraged at the deaths of her children. Against her, the Queen could make no defense.”

She took a breath, letting the suspense build. “That’s when the four arrived. They weren’t knights, and no record could prove that they lived within Oasis. They were well armed, and well trained, and as the Queen stood her ground, they attacked and slew the matriarch. No small feat, that. After that, they just… disappeared. Some say they had fatal wounds from the battle, others say they were sacred guardians sent by the dragons, or even the Dragon itself, taking the form of four spirits. Lychee survived, and ordered the gate be adorned with the images of the four holy protectors. I guess she put herself in as well, 'cause why not?”

I stared up at the statues. It wasn’t that far fetched, all things considered, any one of those theories could hold some grain of truth. “That’s… wow, Merri. Intense.”

“Ha. Right? And Sis’ says I didn’t pay attention to history.”

Dusky nodded slowly. “They could have been part of the rebels in the north, those who followed Bellerophon. It’s hard to believe they were just in the right place at the right time.”

“Maybe.” Merri winked at Dusky. “But why spoil a good mystery, eh~?”

I tried to stifle sudden laugh, but failed as Dusky gave me an odd look. “S-sorry, it’s almost too much.”

Dusky half-smirked. “What is?”

“Just… what if that’s us? In another thousand years, will some gate forgotten in the middle of Olymponis have a statue to ‘Regis Amethyst’, with the four unknown foreigners who fought to free them?” I laughed, the sheer stupidity of that statement alone. “It’s… it’s so ridiculous.”

Merri snorted, barely holding back her own laughter. “Probably already commissioned, Night. The mysterious stranger with the wild mane. They’ll write romance novels about you, the herald of Bellerophon and your love triangle with the grey stranger, a scarved mare of mystery with a sexy butt~.”

“I w-wasn’t thinking about Dusky’s butt!” I flailed a hoof.

“But you are now~.”

I glanced at Dusky, face only growing brighter with embarrassment.

“I prefer the factual Night Light to any work of fiction.” Dusky snuck in closer to kiss me on the snout, then turned back to Merri. “Now c’mon, there’s still more of the city to see.”

Merri continued to giggle as she began to move past us, back down the road we’d arrived on. “Right, daylight’s burning you two, still so much to see.”

I nodded dumbly, my brain scrambling to regain motor control. I spun to follow after, not having to go too fast to catch up behind Merri and Dusky as they led on.

“Next stop, Trotgart Square. I tell you, there’s plenty of good sights there. I promise, the view is spectacular.”

Dusky looked askew at Merri as they walked ahead. “You said that about the training grounds and just wanted to look at butts. Got any more Brushingboots around here?”

“You want more history stuff? Sure, I guess I can find a few more spots along the way.” Merri turned to give me another wink, then pointedly glanced towards Dusky’s rear. “Though, just so long as we keep this pace, I’m sure Night can enjoy the view all day.”

I blushed hard, looking down at the white-stone of the roads of Oasis. When I spared a glance up at Dusky, she was watching me carefully. The heat rose in my cheeks, but then she winked and turned her attention back to the road, and I almost thought I saw her give a little extra wiggle as she walked.

The next two days passed all too quickly, and before I knew it, we were heading for home, back north along the Path of Dragons and out through Fort Rhenish. The Badlands were just as barren and bleak, but we moved swiftly. It was as if the path home were open to us. The Badlands had fought with all its might to keep us out, but was more than willing to let us go.

Both Merri and Star were in good spirits, despite leaving their home behind for a second time. What unfinished business they’d been forced to abandon when Merri had been exiled, this time they’d had a chance to rectify. The road home may be dangerous, but it was open to them once again. I almost found it a bit hard to believe that we were worth giving up their old life for, but then I looked at Dusky. Giving up an old way of life for friendship, for love, wasn’t nearly as crazy as it might seem from the outside.

There were no bulette attack, nor any other monsters crossing our path, almost as if they saw Merri and Star and decided we weren’t worth the risk. The salt flats were just as hostile, and soon after reaching the desert wastes the sandstorms began once again, though not nearly as fierce as the storm which had halted our journey in. These were merely dust storms, but we had no intention of risking a more dangerous one whipping up. I knew from experience that a mild storm out of the Everfree could turn into a dangerous thunderhead without warning.

We had no deadline, no fear for Merri’s safety. As such, the storms gave us a bit of respite now, a chance to rest, and for Dusky and Star to plot out our path home.

When the second storm hit the next day, we found refuge in a concave outcropping. Nearly a cave, it provided cover deep enough to keep the storm at bay, while having a unique shape that gave us a view of the sky overhead.

Dusky sat apart as we settled in, watching the storm from the closest vantage point. While Merri and Star prepared some food, I wandered over and lay down besides her to watch the sky.

A few moments after I settled next to her, Dusky spoke quietly. “It’s mesmerizing. When it’s calmer like this, it’s kinda beautiful in its own right. Reminds me a bit of the little flurries we put together in Ponyville.”

I watched the storm more closely. My first impulse was to disagree, snow was so much more than this dust and sand. I tried to watch the storm with fresh eyes, to just forget what I knew and lose myself in the patterns of the wind. They were chaotic and uncontrolled, yet, there was an odd familiarity to it.

“I don’t think it’s as beautiful as snow. It’s too heavy and gritty, even if the wind patterns are similar.” I glanced at Dusky, smiling. “But I see what you mean.”

She giggled, turning her head away from the storm to meet my eyes.”I like how you get about weather.”

I blinked in surprise. “How I get?”

She smiled and nodded, keeping her eyes on me. “You’re confident, certain about it. You’re usually so uncertain—not that there’s anything wrong with uncertainty, as that’s just part of being alive, but sometimes… I just worry. When I see this, though, I guess it’s how I know you’re doing just fine.”

Confident. Doing just fine. I didn’t feel like it, sometimes. I didn’t feel like I ever knew what I was doing, or what I was getting myself into. Though, at moments like this, maybe I could see what Dusky saw, just like with the wind. “W-well… I’m always fine when I’m with you.”

“Always charming, too.” Dusky smirked, but her smile quickly broke into laughter.

I grinned back, giving her a gentle nuzzle. “I try.”

Our journey continued on, and once we were past the wastes, we quickly found ourselves in the familiar greenery of Equestria. It was strange how our familiar home now had a nearly alien appearance to it. The broken landscape soon became well maintained roads through grassy meadows and forest as we walked on.

Dusky insisted we spend a bit of time cleaning up, finding a small stream where we could wash. Before we knew it, we had found our way to the edge of town, with Ponyville looking much the same as it always had, silhouetted in the setting sun.

“We’re home.” I grinned wide, almost tearing up. Ponyville had never looked so good. “We’re home!”

“And it’s almost dark, too. You know what that means~?” Merri slipped up between Dusky and I, wrapping her hooves around us. “First dozen rounds are on me!”

“Must you always be so excessive?” Star stepped in closer, face stern, but a hint of a smile breaking through. “Not that I do not think a celebration is in order.”

Merri released Dusky and I, turning back to Star to put a hoof to her chest. “Hey, I’m totally holding back~!”

“Really, now?”

“I just said ‘first dozen’, not ‘two dozen’. That’s a whole dozen of difference~!”

My home and my bed, could wait for now. It was going to be very strange going back to that ‘normal life’, though this hadn’t been the first time we’d returned from such a journey. I glanced at Dusky and smiled. I greatly suspected, it wouldn’t be the last.

Dusky pushed open the familiar doors of the Lusty Seapony and we stepped inside the bar.

It was much the same as it ever was, though it almost felt smaller than I’d recalled it. Our usual table was still occupied by Terra and Mahogany. The glasses between them looked like they were anticipating Merri’s dozen drinks, and had already made up for the neglected difference.

As Terra finished off another glass as she glanced at the door. She seemed to spot us, then took a second look and spit out her drink.

“Gah! Terra, what the hell?!” Mahogany tried to duck, but Terra’s unexpected spray had already drenched him.

“D-Dusky! It’s Dusky! And Merri and Night and Star!” Terra was already up from the table, waving.

“It is? Grah, why did you have to go blinding me just now?” Mahogany reached a hoof out, grabbing Terra’s mane to wipe his eyes.

Terra practically vibrated as we reached the table. “How was your, uh, trip?”

Letting out a giggle, Dusky pointed towards the back rooms. “It went well enough. Let’s get Mahogany cleaned up and I’ll tell you all about it.”

53 - The More Things Change

With plenty of drinks available, Terra and Mahogany sat by as Dusky told the tale of our ‘adventure’ in Ostfriesen. She didn’t tell them everything, leaving out some of the gorey details and more difficult moments. Still, she told enough that they were both visibly uncomfortable. As Dusky finished with our return home, they sat quietly, letting it all sink in.

At last, Terra voiced her opinion. “You’re crazy.”

Dusky smiled slowly, letting out a sigh. “Yeah… Sometimes I can’t help but think that of myself.”

“No, really,” Mahogany leaned forward. “Rebel conspiracies? Diggin’ up lost kingdoms? Fighting evil dragons? Dusky, yer a walking novel!”

“Know what that means?” Merri grinned wide, winking at Dusky. “You should throw it all together and publish it! Easy money~!”

Starshadow gave her sister a curious glance. “Because I am sure she is all too eager to romanticize our near-death experiences into an adventure book for a quick bit.”

“Hey, whatever helps her get past it~.” Merri leaned over to wrap a hoof around Dusky. “Right?”

Star sighed. “Merri, that is not the point, nor as simple as you make it out to be.”

Dusky laughed it off. “You’re both right to an extent. I think writing it down would be helpful, but I don’t want to romanticize it. What we saw, it should be told, but without the bad being glossed over. It should be more of a personal account—something that can help bridge the gap between our countries.”

Merri and Star began to nod in unison, apparently without realizing their sibling was doing so as well. As they noticed, Star stopped, while Merri began to giggle.

“Anyway,” Dusky grinned and turned back to Terra. “Enough crazy. How have things been with you?”

Terra fidgeted with a smile, running a hoof through her mane. “Well, I might be doing some summer travel after all.”

“Oh? Decided to come along?” Dusky settled back in her seat, taking a sip of the cider she’d ordered.

I lifted an eyebrow, glancing between Dusky and Terra. “Oh, um, you’re planning on traveling with Dusky this summer too?”

“Not exactly.” Terra levitated a card up onto the table. Fancy flowers and intricate line work all bordered carefully set bold letters. Together with their family, Terrabona and Stalwart Stone request your presence at the ceremony and celebration of their marriage

I glanced at the card, carefully rereading every inch, my grin growing with each word. “M-marriage? Congratulations, Terra!”

I turned to smile at Dusky, only to find her holding a hoof up to her mouth. She gave a forceful swallow, then gave Terra a shocked look “What?!”

“Hah! Toldja!” Mahogany pointed a hoof across the table. “Even Dusky thinks you’re bein’ too hasty! I win! S’your round next!”

Terra glanced at me with a sad smile, but her ears drooped as she looked between Dusky and Mahogany.

“It does seem a little sudden. Why don’t you fill me in on the other details?” Dusky reached out for the card and read it closely. “Like, when and where in Orlov? Also, isn’t Orlov a bit far away for Stalwart Stone to travel?”

I leaned towards Dusky to glance at the card, not even entirely sure where Orlov was.

Terra sighed, but pressed on. “I know we haven’t been dating very long, but the more time Stalwart and I spend together, the more we just click.”

“You say that about every couple.” Mahogany lifted his buzzard and drank. When he lowered it again, Dusky was squinting at him, but he shrugged. “What? It’s true.”

“I know. But I’m really serious about this. I admire his strength and conviction, even after all that’s happened. We know just what to say to support each other, almost without any other words spoken.” Terra glanced past us, the smile on her face looking much like the kind Dusky would sometimes give me. “Plus, he’s a bit of a romantic.”

Dusky must have seen something in that look as well. She nodded at Terra. “Well, it does sound like you two mesh well. How about the time and place? And his back?”

I tilted my head. I didn’t think I’d ever met ‘Stalwart’, nor did I know much about his back. I thought maybe, with Terra’s announcement, it might be a good idea to meet this gentlecolt. Any friend of Terra’s would be a friend of mine.

“We’re still working on that. I sent a telegram to a few places with dates, but they haven’t gotten back to me yet.” Terra tapped a hoof against the table. “I think his back should be okay. It might be a problem if we had to walk, but Orlov got a train station last year.”

Dusky nodded. “While that’s quite fortunate, you’re aware that trains aren’t necessarily the smoothest ride, especially out to a smaller city, right?”

“Yeah. I know. But it’s Stalwart’s hometown and his parents are there and he showed me pictures. There’s this beautiful beach that would be perfect!” Terra looked about wistfully. “Plus, I always dreamed of a destination wedding.”

Dusky laughed, setting the card back on the table. “Okay, Terra, you’ve convinced me for now. We’ll have to see what the finer details look like as you work this out.”

“Fine by me.” Terra smiled, but the look wavered as she kept watch on Dusky. “That brings me to my next question. Will you be my Maid of Honor? I know you normally travel around then, but the dates we’re looking at are all pretty early.”

“I’d be honored.” Dusky grinned wider. “And don’t worry about it. I have quite a bit of leeway to push things back.”

I didn’t know how I would handle a wedding. All it really made me think was just how much I wanted to ask Dusky the same question. Will you marry me. It was too early. If there were concerns about Terra rushing into things, then, well, I certainly didn’t want to rush into it either. I had to be sure.

Mahogany nudged me out of my thoughts. “Uh, oh. Here comes the boring, girly details.”

I glanced back at Mahogany, still caught up in the idea of the wedding itself.

Dusky grinned. “I think Mahogany’s volunteering to be a bridesmaid.”

“Uh, uh. Nope. Not unless Flurry here wants to be one with me.” Mahogany pushed me forward. “An’ Flurry doesn’t want any of that. Right?”

Dusky gave me an apologetic smile, though Terra was grinning ear to ear now.

I dug at the ground with a hoof and forced a smile. “Yeah, um… I don’t really like dresses. Err, wearing them, that is.”

Terra leaned over the table with her old evil grin. “Aw, but you’d both look so good in pink.”

Returning to Ponyville had a strangely bittersweet feeling to it this time. Though, it was obviously a relief to be home, to be out of danger, there was an emptiness to the fact that tonight I'd be sleeping in my own bed, alone, after having slept alongside Dusky during our trip.

I winged my way home, having said good nights to everypony, with Dusky’s including a long hug and a kiss that still lingered upon my lips. I wanted more than anything to be by her side again, and her summer trip was, hopefully, the perfect opportunity. Assuming that she’d still be happy to have me along. She'd become so much more important to me than I ever thought possible, despite the dangers that it had brought into my life. It was all worth it.

Terra’s wedding was prominent on my mind as well. It struck me now that, before we’d left for Ostfriesen, Terra’s peculiar behavior and line of questioning hadn’t been trying to push me to asking for Dusky’s hoof. Instead, she’d been gathering advice in preparation for asking Stalwart the question herself.

At last I settled down on the front landing to my house, the clouds yielding beneath my hooves with a comfortable familiarity. I had just started to retrieve my key from its flight satchel pocket when I noticed something was wrong. It was more a feeling than any real evidence. Something was out of place. I cautiously tried the door, and sure enough, it was unlocked.

I slipped open the door as quietly as I could, peeking into the darkened entry. I walked slowly, glancing everywhere, my own home an avenue for attack. Had the Cartel come back? Had they managed to identify me, and were lying in wait? Were they in Dusky's apartment too, waiting for her? My mind raced, and the need for that now missing hoof blade made itself known for the first time.

The living room appeared as I left it, but the kitchen was a mess. Dishes and food were scattered on the counters, with the remnants of what looked like a cake. The tins of tea leaves I kept on the counter had been left open, and I could smell the drowned, rotting leaves. It gave me pause. What kind of monster broke into a pony's home, made a mess of their kitchen, and went out of their way to defile their tea? My train of thought was interrupted by a great roar from the living room. I nearly jumped as the realization struck me. This was no pony, but a beast. Had some monster strayed out of the Everfree? Or had some enemy unleashed a creature into my house, waiting for me to return so it could attack and devour me.

I stood in the sudden silence, ears tilting towards the living room to listen carefully. The roar subsided, and then moments later, rose again. The beast was sleeping. Without a weapon, it'd be stupid to try to attack it, even sleeping. I crept forward slowly, only pausing when the beast made noise once again. At the very least, I could find out what it was, so that when I came back with help, we'd be prepared.

The sound came again, and I wondered if the animal might be in pain, dying. Perhaps that was why it had sought refuge in a pegasus house. Maybe I could ask the local animal expert, Fluttershy, to help me coax it out of the house peacefully. That'd be best, really. I didn't really want anything getting hurt if there was another way.

I reached the couch and glanced at the beast, hoping it wouldn't wake up, but rather than a wounded manticore or phoenix with a broken wing, I found a monster of a different sort. "Spring?!"

The sleeping pony flailed, letting out a half-snore, half-mumbled response as she struggled against the blanket. At last, she opened her eyes one at a time. "Bluh? Birwa... whirly..."

"Spring? What are you doing here?"

"Mmm'vited here." She slurred, rolling off the couch to stand on tired legs. "Bwah? Nighty?"

I glanced back to the mess in the kitchen. "Why are you sleeping on my couch?"

She moved suddenly, shoving me back. "Me? Wait, what are you doing here? You're back?!" Her shove knocked me off guard, then she used the opening to pull me into a hug.

I stumbled, then hugged her back. "I um, yeah. I'm back. Been gone awhile, but I'm home. Just... wasn't expecting you here."

"You invited me here, ya doof!" Spring pulled back, pouting as she stared me down. "Bree set me up here in Ponyville, but you'd already left, and then Dash said you were off on an adventure, and I was all like 'I'll do his job', and she was all like 'cool whatever get flying'. And I didn't really have any place to live, and once Bree vouched for me, Mahogany had your spare key, so I've just been sleeping on your couch for a week now."

My mind raced to catch up with her train of thought. "Okay, uh, okay, right. Right, this is about the job. Right. I didn't think you'd be transferred so quick, and definitely wasn't planning on the trip to Ostfriesen."

Spring tilted her head. "Ost-a-what-now?"

That was a story I was definitely not looking forward to sharing with my sister. Not all of it, anyways. "Just... an unexpected trip. And you know, I have a guest room."

"A what?" Spring looked down the hall. "Oh, I watered your plants too. Poor things were so dry."

"My... plants? Those are dried tea leaves, it's not supposed to be watered, Spring. And yes, a guest bed, I was setting it all up for you."

"They weren't? Huh. Guess that's why they weren't growing. I thought you were just a really irresponsible plant owner." Spring gathered up the blankets off the couch and started walking towards the rear hallway. "Now, show me this guest room!"

I blinked, then followed after. "It's not finished. I just started to set it up for you before I had to leave, and, well... I wanted it to be someplace you could kind of feel like home in... especially if I wasn't here..."

She stopped at the door, craning her neck back. ."Hey, why did you leave anyways? This was that big trip you were planning for, right?"

"Not... quite..."

Her face dropped. "Oh, hells, Nighty. Is this another trip like... before?"

I shook my head. “Not quite… it had moments that were… intense. But, at the same time… I saw some really amazing things. Things I couldn’t even begin to imagine before.”

She stared. “You really have grown up, haven’t you?”

“I… have. I suppose.”

Spring awkwardly shuffled the blankets in her hooves to shift the weight enough that she could step forward to give me a hug. “Just weird, is all. Feels like everything’s changing.”

I chuckled. “I know that feeling, Sis’. I know that feeling.”

54 - Pop Quiz

Although Rainbow Dash wanted to press me for details about my 'adventure', I was quite reluctant to discuss it with her. Not that she wasn't trustworthy, more that she was a little over-eager to hear about all the 'action', like it was just recounting a Daring Do novel. Maybe for her it was, but for me, the parts Rainbow might find exciting weren't exactly the things I wanted to dwell on.

Instead, I focused on my job, packing up my flight satchel for the evening shift. It wasn't even really my job anymore—not entirely. Spring was officially hired on, officially in the schedule. She was still back at home, as weird as that was. I figured that since she'd been covering for me almost since I'd left, the least I could do was give her a night to sleep in. Her 'beauty rest', she claimed. I wanted a night to think as well, a night out alone to process just being home.

The fact was, it was almost getting too familiar, coming back to pick up my life after disappearing for some long journey into danger. I wondered if Dusky had this feeling too. She mentioned getting homesick when she gone was too long, and I'd started to see that on our journey home. Though she was happy to be home, I still couldn't forget the look upon her face while we toured Oasis. It was travelling, exploring which brought her joy, but home healed her heart. I idly wondered where I would fall into her life.

I'd missed home, to be sure, but it was more the kind of longing for safety while in the midst of danger. Once that danger was gone, it had been a strange place, but I was with Dusky, and being with her, everything seemed to be just fine. After all, Ponyville was my second home, after I'd moved out of Cloudsdale. It was a wonderful place, but if I had to choose between it and being with Dusky, the choice wasn't much of a choice at all.

Just over an hour into my shift, a sharp whistle interrupted my train of thought. I slowed my flight. I'd been working almost mechanically, just letting my wings and hooves perform long, familiar motions while I let my mind wander.

I glanced around towards the ground, the same ill feeling rising in my gut as I'd felt when I'd first gotten to my house. Could it be an ambush? Was I being drawn into a trap? No clouds large enough to conceal a pony were nearby, and I took a moment to shake my head. Caution was warranted, but I wouldn't let my life give way to paranoia. A second whistle drew my eyes downward, where a familiar pony waved.

The differences between Dusky and her mother were only made more striking when contrasted with their similarities. They both had the same color coat, and same confident poise. Dusky wore it easily, letting the confidence carry her forward, while Windy Ward wore it like a weapon, making sure everypony knew she was not to be trifled with. Her light purple mane was tied back with a bandanna above her eyes—and those were the biggest difference. Unlike Dusky's eyes, which were like pools of light that I let myself drown in, Windy's were quite the opposite. Looking into them was to open yourself up for interrogation. Her gaze pierced you, left you defenseless, and though she smiled at me, it wasn't an entirely warm smile.

I landed with a bit of length between us, not really sure what this was all about. I felt butterflies rising in my stomach. "I, um, hello uh... Mrs. Ward? W-what can I, um, do for you?"

Her face didn't shift, her cold eyes working their way up and down. She spoke at last, but didn't answer my question. "You're lucky."

I tilted my head. "Lucky?"

"Lucky you're still alive, and lucky my daughter is still safe." She took a step forward, leaning in threateningly. "I heard about Fillydelphia, and I know all about your little acts of heroism up to that point. You need to think with your head."

Her words struck hard, but I shook my head. "I'm... I'm trying. I mean, the heroism. I made a promise to her, to your daughter..."

Windy didn't move, but her gaze grew more critical. "Good. You don't want to know what I'd do to you if I were to find out you got my daughter hurt. I look at you, and I see a liability. You're green, scrawny, and a fair bit too meek. You're lucky that no one has gotten serious with you. Or that you've had more competent fighters with you to carry that weight."

Those were all doubts I held in myself as well. Merri and Star, and Dusky herself, had all been there to help me, and when I'd needed to fight by myself, until now, Bellerophon had guided my hooves. "N-no..."

She bent her head down once more. "Hmm? What was that?"

"No!" I snapped back, but withdrew, lowering my voice. "I mean, yes, my friends are stronger than I am, and yes... I've had help. But that's why I'm training, why I was trying to get better in the first place, before..."

I stopped, about to say before Bellerophon. I wondered how much of my drive had been me, and how much had been him. I didn't really want to think on that.

Windy, however, grinned like a predator staring down its prey. "Then show me."

"Show you?" I suddenly had a suspicion why, exactly, she'd stopped me. I frowned, thinking back to our first meeting, when she'd attacked her daughter. A 'pop quiz', she'd called it.

She struck a combat pose, motioning me towards her with a hoof. "Prove to me that you've been training—that you can protect yourself."

"I... I don't want to fight you, though." I didn't want to fight at all. I wasn't a fighter, not really, not like my father or my sister Mint.

"Fight?" Windy shook her head. "No, this isn't a fight. This is you showing me what you can do. Now come on."

I'd fought against Mint in Myrtail, and asked Dusky to let me spar with her. Maybe this wasn't so different. I didn't like it, but I somehow doubted Mrs. Ward would take no for an answer. "Alright, fine."

She only smiled in response.

I braced myself, getting into my own defensive stance, then met Windy's eyes and waited.

With a burst of speed, she flared her wings then flapped hard, rushing in to buffet against me.

It was all raw power, no finesse or intent, but no less painful if it connected. It was a basic Guard test, teaching recruits how to react in combat, rather than freeze up. I dodged to the right, letting her waste her energy, while I dipped back. I kicked up into the air, bringing up my forehoof when I recalled that I had no more hoof blade

She pulled back from her strike, wings dropping to her side. "So you actually know how to use that stance. Not bad. Taking to the air might be smart, too, if your opponent wasn't a pegasus as well. "

Her wings opened up in preparation as she turned. She stepped forward slowly, almost casually, and I started to edge backwards through the air.

Stepping forward one hoof at a time, she analyzed me once more. "Something about this stance, though. It offers you no obvious advantage. I left you opportunity to strike, but you didn't take advantage. Why the hesitation?"

I kept watch of her movements, still backing away. "I... I'd been training with a hoof blade. I fell into that drill but couldn't follow up."

"Ah, yes. Hoofblades. Every recruit is so eager to pick up a weapon." Her pace didn't change at first, but then she launched forward with a lunge. "So much that they might cut corners!"

Her first wing strike was another obvious hit, and I dodged aside without issue, but the second strike came in hard, right where I'd dodged. I threw up a hoof to push it aside and used that momentum to push my wings backward, giving me more distance.

She didn't give me the chance, rushing after just as quickly, wings kicking up the wind around me as she kicked forward with her forehoof.

Dodging as best I could, I avoided her first two strikes, but the third got past, striking the side of my head. I dropped to the ground, letting gravity drop me out of her line. I staggered back, but managed to recover quickly enough to dodge out of the way of her dive. My head swam, but Starshadow's training kept me focused, as I managed to keep her in the center of my vision.

She didn't push her pursuit, instead landing at that same measured distance away. She grinned wide, amusement leaking through. "Not bad. But surely you're not going to just let your opponent beat on you until you can't stand."

I shook my head as my wits came back to me. "You're... you're Dusky's Mom! I can't just hit you. What would she even say?"

Windy laughed hard. "Do you know how many times we've hit each other? She'll know this is just like any other practice session."

That line of thinking was uneasy to me. I'd been taught as a colt to respect mares, Still, if I was seriously going to spar with Dusky, to train alongside her, I'd probably have to do exactly this with her. The thought of striking Dusky turned my stomach, but it was no different than training with Star, or Merri, or even Mint. Just because it was Dusky, or her Mom, didn't mean it wasn't 'any other practice session'.

I sighed. "Alright... I guess." I shifted in place, letting my legs move from defense, to a more balanced stance.

She simply smiled more, and began to walk forward once again. Slow, deliberate. She moved forward in a rhythmic pace.

One, two. One, two. One, two. I watched her moves, and as her wings began to tense down, I lunged.

She stopped walking, letting me close the gap. I rushed in, rearing up to strike with a one-two combo with my left, right hoof up try and block while my wings kept me balanced.

She ducked the first strike, then parried the second with her right forehoof. Then came the retaliation, her right wing shooting forward in a motion not unlike Dusky's own strike with her wing blades. I had a brief panic at that thought, the realization of just how fast and how dangerous this fight could be if it were serious.

I forced back the panic and evaded her strikes. I darted aside, ducking my head to avoid her wings, then she drove a hoof into my gut. I flailed out and swung my wings forward in the hopes of driving her back.

Instead, Windy sidestepped my clumsy strike without much effort. Then, with a forceful jump, she body checked me, slamming me back and even further off balance.

Reeling to the side, I flailed out my wings to pull away, struggling to regain my balance. I only managed to get back on kilter after what was surely too much time, but I quickly brought myself back into a defensive stance, ready for her follow-up assault.

Windy folded wings back to her side and nodded. "Good enough. You've obviously had some training, both standard Guard, and something else. That's definitely not Noble's style."

I took a few deep breaths before I realized I hadn't dropped my stance yet. I shook my head. "No... No, I've... I've never asked my father for help. I've got the early basics of Guard training, but after that, I've just been teaching myself. I had a friend help train me with the hoofblade."

She watched me carefully, nodding along. "Mmm, your effort shows, at least. Which friend?"

"She goes by Starshadow, she and her sister had been giving me a lot of help."

"Starshadow, and Merriweather, then? By all accounts, they're both competent teachers. However, I want you to talk to Noble. There are many things you could take from his style to improve your own."

Finally, my stance dropped, the adrenaline starting to bleed out. "Yeah, maybe it's time." I'd been meaning to take that next step, to reach out to Dad and the family as a whole, outside of any kind of crisis. This might just be an excuse to do so, but it would be enough.

Windy walked up closer. "Indeed. If you wish to protect yourself and help my daughter, you must learn as much as you can. Be as prepared as you can." She narrowed her eyes at me, with little doubt that she took this extremely seriously. "Because in that crucial moment, your enemy may not give you a second chance."

My ears dropped back. The enemy. Our enemy. What a weird concept to be so accustomed to. "I will. As much as I can for her. For myself."

She stepped up and then did the thing I least expected out of the entire encounter, and gave me a hug. It wasn't a long hug, or terribly strong as I might have expected, just a simple, gentle hug. "Good. You take care of yourself. And don't you dare forget what I said. I'd hate for Noble to tell me you ignored our little chat."

I recovered from the shock slowly, and managed to give an awkward hug in return before she pulled back. "I, uh... I won't. Mrs. Ward, I love your daughter. I love her more than anything, and... regardless of what you think of me, I'll do whatever it takes to make her happy, and to keep her safe. But, I've learned, part of making her happy is... is keeping myself safe, too. I'm not going to go back on my word to her."

She smiled, and this time, I could see the resemblance to her daughter. "Good. I'll hold you to your word as well, then. Good bye, Night Flurry." Without another word, she turned and walked away, kicking up not too far away to fly off.

I waved a wing in response, though she never looked back. I spoke aloud, but by that point, it was all to myself. "Good bye, Mrs. Ward."

Training with my father. Training with Dusky. That same fire, the reason I’d started training in the first place, was still there. I wasn't going to be letting myself slip, there was too much was on the line. While thinking about what Windy Ward might do to me if I let something happen to her daughter was bad, the thought of breaking my promise to Dusky was far worse. It was plenty of motivation for me.

Besides, it was time. I'd already made peace with my father, when he'd helped us rescue Dusky in Fillydelphia, but now it was time for me to go home. It was time for me to go back to Cloudsdale.

55 - Family Pains

Despite my run-in with Mrs. Ward, the rest of my night was relatively peaceful. I was more than a little sore from my impromptu workout, and the points where she'd landed strikes were likely to bruise. Windy had not been holding back on her hits, or perhaps more disturbing, maybe she had been.

It was still early when I stepped back into the house, not too long before sunrise, and it seemed that Spring was still asleep. Even if she'd been working the night shift while I'd been gone, she was likely not yet accustomed to working so late and sleeping through the day.

Now, my plan was to spend a little time relaxing and maybe once Spring had woken up, I'd head to bed. Dusky and I had planned a date for the night, or at least, planned to meet for a date. I certainly wanted to be well rested for that. I'd only had time to stash my flight satchel when there was a knock at the door.

Though it was still early morning for Ponyville, it certainly felt too late for me. Unless it were one of Spring's friends, I had no idea who would have come visiting this early. I cracked the door at first, then pulled it open wide as I recognized the pegasus on the other side. "Oh, hey Mahogany. What's up?"

Whatever Mahogany had been planning to say was stopped short as he caught sight of me. "Whoa, you alright, Flurry? You look like you crash landed pretty bad."

I looked down at myself, a bit of color coming out under my coat from the points where Windy had struck me last night. "Oh, yeah... something like that. It's not as bad as it looks."

"Well, I hope not... so, you good to talk?"

"Err, yeah, of course." I motioned Mahogany in and moved towards the kitchen. I'd had to throw out my tea leaves after Spring's 'help', which left me without many options to offer Mahogany. "Water? I'm, uh... fresh out of tea."

"Tea sucks, Flurry." Mahogany's nose crinkled as he moved towards the living room. He paused a moment as I joined him, then shook his head. "You and Dusky make an evil pair, you know that?"

I raised an eyebrow, totally unsure where this was going. "Evil?"

He nodded. "You poked at me about it before you left on your whole dragon adventure, and then Dusky came to me right after you got back. Well, you got me, now what?"

"Now what... about... your dad?" I hadn't even known that Dusky had gone to talk to him about it, though I suppose it didn't surprise me. It was something I wanted to approach him about as well. Before we'd left for Ostfriesen, I'd promised him I'd help somehow, to talk to Dad for him. Windy Ward's speech came to mind as well.

Mahogany scowled at the mention of his father, but he quickly let it drop. "Yeah. He's still as big a pain as ever. I figured I'd just live with it, Flurry. I can endure a lot. But by Celestia, he's persistent. He's just dedicated to making my life miserable. Thanks, Dad. As if I needed help."

I sat and considered. "Well, I guess I don't know how much evidence you've got..."

"Nothing really." He shrugged. "Not like I've been collecting it. More just trying to ignore it."

"Might make it harder... but I'll ask Dad. I'm sure he can figure something out. I mean, this sort of harassment isn't right. I mean, it can't be legal."

Mahogany laughed bitterly. "Oh, it wouldn't surprise me if it was just barely legal. Ol' Birch is the kind of jerk who would know just how far he can push it."

That seemed rather curious, considering what I'd learned about Mahogany's father. "He's... willing to go this far, but still insist it's legal? Seems... off."

There was hate and pain on Mahogany's face as he sneered. "Well, that's easy to explain. He's off. I'm just tired of him thinking he controls me, controls my life. Been tired of that since I left Shirecago, and I refuse to go crawling back now."

I nodded sadly, then reached over and hugged him. "You're your own pony, Mahogany. I think you've made that clear. We'll just have to find a way to make your Dad respect that and leave you alone, then you'll be fine."

He hugged back, unexpectedly tight for Mahogany. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. I'd be happy just to see the second part happen. You just let me know what Captain Noble wants me to do, and I'll do it. And, uh, thanks Flurry."

I pulled back and smiled, then twitched my ears as I heard offbeat hoofsteps coming from the back of the house.

Spring staggered into the room, eyes not quite open and mane disheveled. She looked at me and lifted an eyebrow. "Bluh. What time is it, Nighty?"

Mahogany suddenly gasped, looking at me with a devious smile. "Another mare? Flurry, you dirty cheater. Dusky will be heartbroken."

"I... cheater?" I flailed a hoof. "What, no! I don't love her, she's my sister! I mean, uh..."

Spring rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, love you too, ya doof."

My face dropped, and I tried to take it back. "W-what? No, I didn't mean it like that, Spring, I just mean I don't, um, not like, with Dusky and you... I'm sorry!"

Mahogany’s laugh was nearly deafening as he wiped his eyes to recover, "I'm just pulling your tail, I know she's your sister. I'm the one who gave her your spare key. Besides, she's been coming to the bar lately. She's fun to get drunk, she starts getting really flirty with ponies in the bar. We've needed somepony to watch fail at love ever since Terra stopped playing the field and you and Dusky actually hooked up."

"Well, fine. You're forgiven." Spring trotted over and kicked me tenderly, then glared at Mahogany. "Hey! I don't fail at love! I'm just picky. And I don't need to get drunk to get flirty! I'm perfectly capable of flirting. I'm probably, like, the best at it."

He grinned wide. "The best? Pfffft. Yeah, best at putting your hoof in your mouth. You just get more creative about it when you're drunk."

She snorted. "Not my fault no pony can beat me in a bubble off."

I raised an eyebrow. "Do I want to know what a 'bubble off' is?"

Spring nodded authoritatively, and she seemed completely serious. "That's when you blow bubbles into your drink with a straw. First one to get the drink to bubble out of the glass wins. It's a valuable skill."

Mahogany laughed even harder. "It's a riot. No pony can beat her because none of them try."

I reached out to pat Spring on the side, not entirely sure what I was supposed to say in relation to my sister's questionable dating tactics. "There... there? I'm sure you'll find someone that can challenge your... bubble skills?"

She lifted a wing and made a rather unladylike gesture towards Mahogany. "You're just jealous. Now, I have the day off, thanks to you, Nighty, and I feel like waffles. Is it still breakfast? Waffles for lunch? Doesn't matter. Let's go get waffles."

I glanced at Mahogany. "Err, want to join us for... waffles?"

He smirked. "You know what? Sure. Her treat."

After what turned out to be a shockingly pleasant breakfast, I slept through the day easily. Both the full stomach and the unexpected exercise of the night before did their work, and I fell asleep fast upon hitting my pillow.

I woke again late in the day, not too long before I'd agreed to meet with Dusky. My side still felt tender as I spent some time freshening up, a quick shower and brushing my mane. Then I left my house, eager to see her once again.

We'd decided to meet just outside the bar, without much else planned out. Neither of us had had the time since we'd returned to put anything concrete together. We'd head into town and get something to eat. Dusky was already waiting as I came in for a landing.

Her eyes immediately focused in on the bruises, as I probably should have suspected. Concern was clear upon her face. "Night, your side. What happened?"

I paused, unsure what I should tell her. It wasn't anything dire, just, unexpected. What would she think about her mother coming after me like that? Would it strain their relationship somehow? I hadn't told Mahogany because, frankly, I hadn't felt like he should know. That was an uncomfortable feeling, and I couldn't keep it from Dusky. Her trust was to important to me, and she deserved the complete truth.

"Well... it was a bit unexpected. I, um, was given a little test by, well... your mom." My voice dropped as I spoke, but I cut back in before she could respond. "But it wasn't a bad meeting!"

"By my—" Dusky stopped short, a bit of red coloring her cheeks. "She tested you?"

I blinked at the unexpected change, but forced a smile. "Err, yes. It went... alright. I mean, I'm still standing here. I think if it had gone poorly, there'd be a lot less of me left to go out on a date with you."

Dusky shook her head. "Unbelievable. She actually attacked you? And she hit you that hard?"

"I mean, it's not as bad as it looks. A bit tender, but I guess she saw whatever she needed to see." I watched as Dusky circled around me, checking the bruises closely. I'd been there when Windy had attacked her once, but I guess this was different. "In the end she gave me some advice and a hug and told me to take care of myself.”

She let out a deep sigh, then looked back at me with a small smile. "Well, I guess that's something. Consider it a 'Welcome to the family.'"

Now it was my turn to go red, my hooves nearly tripping me up, but I caught myself before I fell. "I, er, what? Welcome to..."

Dusky stepped ahead of me and turned to face me. "Not a word of this to my mom, but she wouldn't have bothered testing if you didn't already have her approval. Sorry, seems some of the weirdness of my life is rubbing off on you."

It framed the whole encounter in a very different light. She wasn't challenging me or seeing if I was worthy, she was confirming her beliefs. Perhaps she was even worried, if not about my safety, then at least about Dusky's happiness. It was an atypical way to go about it, but having fought beside Dusky, I think I understood.

At last, my smile grew to match Dusky's. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to be challenged to a fight. I, um... well, I'm happy she thinks that way."

"I'm glad to hear it too." Dusky breathed a sigh of relief. She bowed her head towards me and turned back towards the street, beginning to walk downtown.

"Though, she said I needed more training, recommended I ask my dad." I looked at her standing there in front of me and leaned forward to nuzzle her softly. "Which, uh, brings me to something I wanted to talk to you about."

She smiled and nuzzled in return, then she moved back alongside me as we continued our walk through Ponyville. "Oh? What's that?"

"Well, Mahogany swung by the house, and we had a talk about the whole situation with his dad. And that was after your mom had talked to me. Well, between dealing with those two issues, I just... figured I should talk to my dad again."

Dusky nodded. "I'm glad Mahogany is asking for help. As far as your dad goes, I think that’s the fastest way to get our answers—perhaps the only way if my mom thinks you could use his specific training."

I took a deep breath. "I agree. I thought it was, uh, a good reason to, maybe... visit home."

She looked back at me with a smile. "Oh? Going to go see your family, then?"

"Yeah. After everything up ‘til now, it just... it feels like it's time." A sinking feeling in my stomach confirmed my words. Guilt. "Probably past time, honestly."

Dusky moved closer, draping a wing across my back. "You've been through a lot. The important question is if you're ready to go back now."

That was something I'd been asking myself for a long time now. The answer still surprised me. "Yes, I think I am. Dusky, when I go home, would it be too much to ask if you'd come with me? I can do this, but, I'd feel better if you were there with me. If that's okay with you."

She turned her head and nodded. "I'd love to, Night."

I grinned wide, feeling a weight lift off my back. "Thanks."

We walked on a bit further, when Dusky's hooves moved away from the town and towards the park. "Speaking of travel, that reminds me. I'm planning out my summer trip. You were going to tell me that you were coming along, right?"

My ears shifted up, and I turned to look at Dusky. "Oh, you're making your plans?"

"Pretty much done, actually." She tilted her head to smirk at me. "Just need to make sure I was alright booking rooms for two."

My face burned. "Two! Um, two is good. I meant to tell you... once I was sure everything was alright with work, that is. Everything's pretty much in order for me to come, if you still want me to."

She giggled. "In order, eh? Sounds like your plans are pretty much done too, then? Because of course I'd love to have you along."

My grin grew wider. If our trip to Ostfriesen, the days spent in their capital city at least, had been any indication, traveling with her would be I could ever hope for. "Then you'll have me. I... I know how important your trips are to you."

Dusky stopped walking and turned to nuzzle against me. "They are, but they're not the only important thing."

I lowered my head, and she nosed at my mane. "It's the least I can do. After all, I love you."

"And I love you too." She slowed her her pace, looking down at something then sitting back onto her haunches. She'd guided us into the park, and then selected a beautiful spot on a slight decline, facing out towards the just setting sun.

I chuckled. "I thought we were getting dinner."

"We are." She pecked my cheek. "After the sunset."

"That does sounds wonderful." I sat next to her and turned to return the kiss, meeting her lips with mine and holding for a moment. After not nearly long enough, I reluctantly pulled back. "I... I still don't know what I did to deserve this."

"You survived my mother." She smiled and settled in, leaning against me as she watched the sun. "And most of all, you are just your sweet self."

56 - Familiar Comforts

I felt bad that I was so quiet on our flight into Cloudsdale. I should have spent the time talking to Dusky, but even her presence wasn't enough to distract me. All I could think of was how things would go wrong, and how big a mistake this was. Old thoughts and voices that crept into my mind, telling me I was wrong to do this. That I wasn't wanted.

I shook my head to clear out those thoughts, with only partial success. Those dark ideas had been gathering for years upon years, and only recently started to dissipate.

Still, even though I hadn't been there in years, I still remembered the way. The house was one of many within a row of homes in Cloudsdale. It looked much like those others, the light turquoise walls set amidst the sculpted cloud. The door was painted violet, with a small sign hanging from it bearing images of my parent's cutie marks, my dad's shield and my mom's star. I hesitated as I looked at that star, with its spotlight beaming downward.

I glanced back at Dusky, my heart going heavy in my chest. "Y-you don't have to go through with this if you don't want to. I'm asking too much of you."

She moved closer and nudged my chin up with her muzzle. "You're not. We're not taking on a bunch of Everfree monsters, it's your family."

The door was there, same as it had ever been. I could still remember pushing it open as a colt as I came home, but it was different. "I don't know... it... it looks like home, but it just... it doesn't feel like it anymore. She doesn't want to see me again, not after I ran like I did."

Dusky nudged my chin once more. "You'll be fine, Night. Just relax. Remember how happy Mint and your dad were? This will be the same."

I took one deep breath, then another, then knocked my hoof on the door. My hoof only landed once before the door opened. My mom stood there, waiting, eyes filled with tears.

"I... M-Mom..."

She stepped forward and wrapped her wings around me. "Shhh, it's alright, Night Light."

I pulled forward to hug her tight, everything spilling out. "I... I missed you so much."

She nodded. "I know. I missed you too. You were so close in Ponyville, yet so far away. But it's okay now. You're back."

I sniffed. "You... you knew I was in Ponyville?"

Mom squeezed and then released me, framing my face with her wings. "Of course I knew. You were lost. But I knew you didn't want to be found. It hurt my heart, but I knew it'd only force you further away if we reached out. You had to come home on your own."

I tried to shake my head, but her wings held firm. "I'm sorry, Mom. I'm so sorry."

"Shh, it's alright. Come inside and let's catch up." She lowered her wings and nodded her head past me at Dusky. "And of course you're welcome too, Ms. Down. I'm Guiding Light. I'd been hoping I'd get a chance to meet you."

Dusky bowed her head. "I'm glad to finally meet you as well."

Mom turned and stepped back into the house, leaving me speechless at the door.

Dusky stepped up to my side and planted a light peck on my cheek. "I told you it'd be fine."

I nodded slowly, then smiled at her as I recovered. "You did. Thank you."

We stepped through the door, though I hesitated, not quite sure what to expect. I felt lighter, just having walked back inside. Had Dusky not been standing besides me, I'd have felt like I was a colt again.

Dad came out from the kitchen, grinning wide. "Night, Dusky. I'm happy to see you both again, and in much more pleasant circumstances. I have to assume this isn't just a social call?"

I fidgeted a bit. It was true, I wasn't here just to drop in for a visit, but I still wanted to make it known I was here to stay, in a way. "Well, not exactly... I mean, I agreed to ask your advice on something for a friend, and I also want your help on something else, if you can. Beyond that... I just, I wanted to come home."

Dad chuckled. "I think I understand, Night. We can get to business, but I hope you'll stay for dinner first. We have a nearly full house tonight, but always room for two more."

My ears perked up. "Mom's been cooking?"

Dusky giggled besides me. "That sounds like a yes to me."

I could hardly contain my excitement and shot Dusky a grin. "Oh, um, well, yes, then!"

"Of course you will. I should get things ready." Mom leaned up to kiss my forehead, then walked past Dad into the kitchen.

With that, Dad grinned wide. "Excellent. Then let's go relax for a moment, shall we?" He glanced at Dusky. "Guiding has asked me to stay out of the kitchen today. She may have her hooves full, but she says in the kitchen I do more harm than good. Besides, somepony has to keep an eye on all you kids."

He led the way down the hall into the living room. It was mostly unchanged as well, though some of the furniture was different, and they were positioned differently than I remembered. A shaped cloud couch, similar to my own, sat in the center of the room, with a few fabric chairs facing it in a semi-circle. There was a lot of clutter on the ground, small toys and messes spread out over the living room, with the stairs up to the bedrooms right where I remembered them.

Along the walls were framed pictures, newspaper clippings and various awards from Dad's career. Beyond that were a montage of images of the rest of the family. Sun, Mint, Diamond, and Spring all had photos of important moments in their lives. Dusky stopped to look at the wall, lingering on photos of me. I knew there were picture of the day I got my cutie mark. I hoped there weren't any images of my days training with the guard.

A hoof lazily waved from the couch and Diamond's voice rose from amidst the cushions. "The prodigal son returns. And here I thought we'd finally scared him off for good."

Sun stepped carefully through the living room, her burnt-red mane pulled away from her eyes with a red bandana. She chuckled as she picked up some of the toys off the floor. "Well, no thanks to you, Di."

"Hush, girls. Be nice to your brother." Mom stepped in from behind the stairs, where the living room connected to the kitchen. She cradled a bowl in one wing, a spoon in the other, mixing as she stepped into the room. "He's been through a lot and the last thing any of us want is for him to leave again."

"You two have no idea how much he's been through." Mint chimed in as she descended the stairs. She first gave me a hug, then Dusky. "So good to see you both."

Dusky grinned as she hugged Mint back. "And to see you too."

I perked up, looking around the room at my sisters. "Oh, um, introductions! Dusky, the um, one on the couch is Diamond Wing. And she's Sun Smile. Diamond, Sun, this is Dusky. They're, um... maybe not quite monsters, but..."

"Monsters?" Diamond sprang up from her position on the couch, hovering in the living room. "Monsters! I'm insulted, Nighty! Come here, I'll show you a monster!"

She dived forward, grabbing me in a tight hug and almost crushing me. I tried to pull back, but she had already moved aside, pushing me forward with one hoof behind my neck. "Monster hug, now come on. Sit. Talk. Tell us all your embarrassing secrets, and we'll probably tell you all of Spring's."

I rolled my eyes as I took a seat. "Spring has no embarrassing secrets, they're all very public. Just the other day she was telling me about challenging stallions to a 'bubble off'."

Dusky tilted her head slightly, then laughed. "Well, they seem pretty friendly for monsters, Night."

I smirked at her, a lot of the nerves draining out of me as I motioned her over to sit down. "Yeah, on the surface, Dusky. Don't let your guard down."

Before she could make her way over, new voices came from upstairs. "That's it? Lame."

"Lame?! Nah, see, that's why he's so cool. You don't even know what he's capable of."

"Capable of being totally lame."

Mint shot me a wink, then whistled. "Private, front and center."

One of the voices stopped, and a small green blur shot down the stairs, ending his march directly in front of Mint with a frighteningly precise salute. "Yes, sir, Mom."

"Mom?" I raised an eyebrow at my sister, hearing Diamond snicker nearby.

Mint pointed a wing towards me. "That is your Uncle Night. Keep your wings to your sides. Half speed. Go."

The colt turned back and before I could ask, he collided with me, half speed still enough to take me by surprise as he hugged tight. "Oh, uh, hey there. You're... Mint's... son?" I glanced at Mint, who watched with a huge grin.

"Yessir. Private Custard." He released my leg, backing up and letting his wings flit in the air excitedly. "You're really Uncle Night? I knew it. You're awesome."

"I'm... awesome?"

One of the other voices followed from upstairs. "I bet he's not really a spy. You made that up Custard. It's total horse flop."

Sun hissed. "Language, Speed! Where did you learn that?"

Speed, a light red colt, shrugged as he kicked one of the loose toys on the ground. "Aunt Spring."

"Of course." Sun let out a curse under her breath that was worse than what Speed had said.

Shaking his head, Custard looked at me with an overly serious expression. "My mom says Aunt Spring is a bad influence, and I shouldn't say any of the words she teaches me."

I couldn't help but smile, and Diamond was back on the couch, laughing hard. "Your mom's pretty smart."

I could hear our Mom counting to herself in the hallway. "Nine, ten, eleven. Eleven ponies. Hmph. I should head back to the kitchen. There's an awful lot that still needs to get ready."

Dusky glanced at me as I sat with Custard, then looked back to Mom. "I can help out. Give Night some time to catch up with his siblings and nephews."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose, but if you don't mind, an extra set of hooves can work miracles in the kitchen." Mom walked back down the hallway, and Dusky waved towards me as she followed.

I waved back, then looked down at the colt who had apparently decided to lean against me. "So... Custard? And, Speed?"

Speed tilted his head, appraising me. “Yeah. So did you really fight a dragon?”

The color drained out of my face. How could he know that, I’d barely told anypony about what had happened in Ostfriesen, and I doubted Dusky would have been relating that story either. “N-not exactly. Um… Mint, what have you been telling them?”

“I haven’t been telling them anything. But you, ‘Uncle Night’, are a bit of a legend.” She stepped up to the couch and rustled a wing through Custard’s mane. “This one thinks you’re a secret agent of some sort, despite my evidence to the contrary.”

Custard nodded enthusiastically. “Why else would he have been gone so long without us ever seeing him? Why else would Mom cry like that unless he was in a lot of danger.”

It was Mint’s turn to go pale. She picked up Custard and set him on her back, and sheepishly grinned. “I uh… I never thought he heard any of that.”

Sun moved to the stairs and called out. “You might as well come down too, girls.”

Two more foals descended, the first coming down the stairs nearly stomping, the second following after slowly, stopping at the end as she watched everypony carefully. They were both a soft violet color, both a bit taller than the two colts, and there was little to tell them apart save for their mane styling.

Sun walked over behind the two and carefully brushed them forward with her wings. “Do you remember the twins, Night?”

I barely nodded. Sun’s twins were born while I’d been studying weather, and I never made the time to see them. “Only a little… Halo and Gentle, right?”

The filly in the front nodded, almost looking bored. Her sister, the shy one, just stared at me, trying to hide herself further under her mom’s wing.

Sun smiled sadly. “Honestly, Night, we didn’t know what to say about you.”

I looked at the four foals, each watching me carefully in their own way. I sighed. “The truth is… I ran. I… I have a lot of doubts, and a lot of pain, and sometimes, I can’t help it. And I was afraid I didn’t have anypony to talk to about it… and, in fact, I was afraid I’d only hurt or annoy you all with my problems. I didn’t think I was welcome here. Just… just a waste.”

Mint frowned. “Nighty…”

I saw Diamond sit up on the couch as well, looking at me with a frown.

“It’s fine. I… I found some ponies who accept me. And… who love me. And I’ve been reminded that my family always loved me as well. I just… never believed it. Or at least, never believed I deserved it.”

The foal hiding under Sun’s wing leaned towards her Mom’s ear and whispered something, and Sun nodded. “Go ahead, Gentle.”

She tentatively stepped out from her cover and came forward, moving past her brother to give me a hug. “It’s okay Uncle Night.”

I teared up as I hugged my niece back. “Yeah… it’s okay.”

Dad motioned everypony in and they joined in the group hug. “Welcome home, Night.”

57 - Mending Wounds

We sat and talked for only a little while longer. Speed, the youngest of the foals, was quickly bored of the novelty of 'Uncle Night', and he and his sister, Halo, started playing in the living room. Eventually, Sun put the two to work, picking up their toys before dinner.

Their sister, Gentle, had decided that for whatever reason, I was okay to be around. After everypony had released their hug, she climbed up beside me and curled up, nuzzling against my wing. She kept her head up, watching me. Her eyes were surprisingly deep for such a young filly. She didn't yet have a cutie mark, but if it ended up being for finding ways to comfort others, it wouldn't surprise me.

Of the foals, only Mint's son Custard had his cutie mark, a spiraling tornado on a shield, which bore an obvious resemblance to Mint and Dad's marks. Even at his young age, the colt likely knew exactly what he was going to be. I never had that sense of surety as a foal, even after I'd gotten my cutie mark.

Eventually, Custard managed to wiggle off his Mom's back and approach again, asking more questions about my 'adventures'. There was no way I could tell him about Ostfriesen or Fillydelphia. Rather than focus on the combat, I began to talk about the places I'd seen with Dusky, the positive experiences, rather than the things I'd done.

It seemed it didn't make much difference, as describing the Fetlock Falls ice sculptures or the Brushingboot Gate in Oasis, was enough to impress him. I continued to tell my nephew stories, and I had more than I would have thought. After so long spent doing nothing, I'd lived quite a lot in the past year.

Before too long, Mom returned to the room to summon us for dinner, and everypony moved into the dining room, seating ourselves around a long table. Mom had made quite an amazing spread. Dusky set a plate of battered sweet potatoes down amidst several other plates, then took a seat next to me as Mom brought out the final dish.

The smells of butter and heavy cream mingling together brought me back home more than anything else, as I nearly teared up at the scent of Mom's casserole. She had prepared an incredible amount of food, enough to feed everyone here and probably still have leftovers.

Mom took her seat, and all at once, we began to make our plates. It was a bit of a frenzy, each of us grabbing for the dish nearest and adding some to our plate, then passing it down. Mint helped Custard fill his plate, while Sun seemed to be stuck between helping Speed, and admonishing him for taking too much.

I waited. I was never one to jump in, my sisters had always been to fast and to eager for dinner. When dishes reached me, I took my portions of each then passed them on.

It was just like it had always been. Some things never changed. Or, perhaps they had, but not in the ways I’d feared. I’d changed, that much I knew. I didn’t want to be alone anymore. I wanted—

A warm presence brushed against me, pulling me back to reality. Dusky nuzzled, sitting back slowly as I looked at her. I couldn’t help but smile.

She smiled back. “Sorry if I interrupted your train of thought.”

I shook my head, glancing around the table, then back to her. “I was thinking about you and everypony, anyway.”

She smiled wider. “How sweet.”

This. I wanted this. Family. I had needed this, one way or another, and as I reached out take one of the dishes, I couldn’t stop smiling.

The eating slowed, with the appetites of eleven pegasi somehow sated. As Mom had prepared dinner, Dad stayed behind to do the dishes and clean the kitchen. Everypony else moved back to the living room to relax, the foals heading out into the back yard to play.

Mom took her seat and let out a long, satisfied sigh. "It really is wonderful to have all you kids back in the house. Such a shame Spring couldn't make it."

"You just got rid of her." Diamond laughed. "You eager to have her move back in already?"

She smiled softly. "Maybe not, but when your father is off on duty, it can get a bit lonely here, now that everypony has moved on."

"Well, not like we don't visit all the time." Mint stood at a back door, looking through a window into the back yard to watch the foals. "I couldn't keep Custard from visiting his favorite grandparents."

I glanced around at my sisters, that thought nagging at my mind. "Why is everypony here, anyway? Is there some special event I forgot?" I tried to remember if it was anypony's birthday.

Diamond laughed aloud again, and even Mint turned from the window to smirk at me. I looked at Sun, who had settled onto the couch with a glass of wine, and even she was smiling knowingly.

Mom chuckled. "Mint comes home a lot, and Diamond usually stays in her old room when she's back from her tours with the Wonderbolts. I asked Sun to come with her family too, of course. It just seemed like a good day for a big meal."

"Did... you know I was coming home?" It all seemed so ridiculous, how could she have possibly known? Yet, almost everyone was here. The dinner preparations. Everything just seemed too convenient.

"Of course I didn't, Night Light." Mom closed her eyes. "But your father has told me everything that's happened between you since you met him in Canterlot. He told me about Fillydelphia, and thank Celestia that you're okay after everything that happened." She turned to Dusky with the briefest of looks.

Mint nodded. "You told me you wanted to come home. We all knew it was just a matter of time after that."

"Hell, you actually came to find me." Diamond grinned wide. "With the dopiest look on your face. I mean, how could I resist giving you a hard kick, for old times’ sake?"

Mom glared at her. "Diamond Wing, you didn't."

I actually managed to laugh, remembering Diamond's reaction. "Well, um, sure you kicked me, but, um, you were the one crying."

Sun giggled. "You made Diamond cry, Night? Tell me your secrets."

Diamond waved a hoof. "Pfft. He was crying too."

"Oh, I wouldn't have questioned that." Sun nodded. "It's very hard not to make him cry."

Mint glared at Diamond alongside Mom. "I thought you two made up? All I'm hearing is punching and crying."

I nodded slowly. "Well, there was punching, and then a lot of crying. But I think we came to an understanding. We, uh, both agreed to, um, start over."

Diamond met my eyes and smiled. She seemed about to say something, when instead she turned to look at Dusky. "And starting over also means you didn't come alone. Wasn't expecting that. So, Dusky, what does my brother think a date is?"

Dusky looked over at me and grinned. "Dinner and dancing. He's gotten very good at dancing."

I blushed at her words, turning to watch Dusky.

Suddenly perking up at the topic, Sun leaned forward from her seat. "Dancing? Honestly, I'm shocked he can even hold your hoof without exploding. So how hard did you have to pull his tail to get him out from under the table?"

"Honestly, he was the one who approached me. Though we didn't start dating right away. Only after we'd gotten to know one another."

My face burned, but I managed to nod. "I, uh, didn't mean this to be about Dusky and I... I just wanted some... support."

Mint laughed, then winked at me. "Well, I'm sure Dusky is okay with a bit of interrogation. No knives, of course."

Mom frowned. "Knives? Which of you had the knife?" She stared between Mint and Dusky.

Dusky raised an eyebrow at my Mom, taken aback from the question.

I was simply boggling at the sudden implication of my sister and Dusky having a knife fight, wondering when I'd missed that happening.

"Well, uh. Certainly wasn't either me or Dusky..." Mint shrank back at Mom's gaze, eyes darting towards Dusky. She recovered by turning on Diamond and raising a hoof to her throat. "Still, don't push her too far, Di."

Diamond merely grinned wider. "Honestly? Hot mare with a knife? Sounds like a hell of night. Well, Dusky, if my brother finally manages to screw up this whole relationship, you wanna look me up?"

I started to stutter out a response, but Mint cut me off.

She fumed, anger obvious in her face. "Cut that out Diamond. You trying to set yourself up for another Compass Rose?"

I didn't recognize the name, but Diamond's reaction was immediate. The color drained from her face, and she pulled away.

Mint saw it too, and her ears immediately dropped. "Oh, hell. Sorry, Di. I didn't mean..."

Mom was already up, positioning herself between the two. "Mint Creme, that is enough! You should know better, Mint." She trotted over to Diamond and hugged her.

I watched Mint. She was crestfallen, the look on her face was heartbreaking, just like it had been in Myrtail when she'd first approached me.

Mom looked at Diamond before snapping at Mint. "I know you two are like oil and water sometimes, but there was no excuse for that. Diamond, you know we love you because of who you are, not in spite of it. Your brother is back, and the least you two can do is stop your feud."

Their feud. Those words struck me harder than Mom could have known. Diamond had always been a tormenter to me, and Mint a protector. It seemed that after I'd left, they'd both suffered scars I couldn't have anticipated. The fact that Mom was stepping between them to get them to stop because of me only seemed to confirm that the feud had been because of me.

Whatever the name 'Compass Rose' had meant to Diamond, it had hurt her a lot. Mint had said it specifically to hurt her. I'd never seen my sister lash out with such spite. I looked over at Dusky, who had turned towards me. Mint attacked Diamond in defense of me. I didn't have all the pieces to the story, except the inescapable feeling that this pain was because of me.

No, not because of me, but the pain caused by my absence. I'd always believed I'd made things better by leaving. It was clear that wasn't the case. Still, I was here now, and while it was still hard to step forward and say the things that were on my mind, it wasn't impossible. I looked at Dusky and motioned my head towards Mint and Diamond. Dusky smiled softly and nodded.

I stood up and moved between my sisters. "Diamond... Di. Mint. Sun. I... I screwed up. When I left, it was because I felt like a burden. I broke promises and was in the way. I felt like the little brother that no one wanted. It wasn't fair to me, but it wasn't fair to any of you either."

Mint stared down at the floor, then raised her head towards Diamond and nodded. "Sorry, Sis’. I shouldn't have tried to hurt you like that."

Diamond let out a sigh and looked at Mint. "I guess I can forgive you. I forget I can push too far sometimes, too."

"I never wanted anypony getting hurt because of me. I left for a lot of reasons, but no one was at fault." I was crying now as I looked at my family. "I didn't come home because... I needed to realize I was worth being loved before I could come home. I had to be okay with who I was, and... I am now."

Mom sighed, looking between each of us. "I love you all. But you need to put it behind you. Especially now." She looked at me last.

I was far from perfect, but it was difficult to realize that my family wasn't perfect either. I wanted to make this work as much as they did, but we would all make mistakes.

The rest of the evening went by fast. Dad came back from the kitchen, and the we all sat and talked about where life had taken us. I tried to tell everypony about my weather job and my time with Dusky, leaving out the more dangerous elements. In return, I learned more about Sun's kids, how Diamond had gotten an invitation to the Wonderbolt's Academy, and Mint's career.

The foals watched the sunset, and as the moon rose, Sun decided it was time for her to head home, taking her foals with her. Mint followed by taking Custard upstairs to a guest bedroom to get him tucked in as well. The house grew a lot quieter.

It felt like the time was right to bring up the issues we’d ostensibly come to address in the first place. "So, um, Dad. I suppose before it gets too late, I did have a few questions to ask you, if you don't mind."

He chuckled. "Not at all, Night. in fact, I was about to ask you what had brought you here. Do you want to talk in my study?"

Dusky leaned forward. “It would probably be best.”

Dad stood, and nodded towards the entrance hall. “This way, then.”

Dusky and I followed from the living room, out the entrance hall and into the room on the right. That had been Dad’s study for as long as I could remember. This was where he could be found, on those occasions where he was home from Canterlot. A large cloud desk was the focus of the room, though Dad had always kept it fairly clean. A couple metal cabinets, locked, I knew, were set on either end. It was neat, orderly, very clean. No clutter or loose files, Dad would never have stood for that.

He closed the door behind us and turned, bowing his head. “So, let’s hear it.”

“It’s about Mahogany. He’s having…” I paused. All things considered, this would sound the strangest coming from me. “... problems with his family.”

Dad considered. “Abuse, then?”

I blinked. Abuse was such a harsh word, but how else could I define how Mahogany’s dad treated him? Dad cut straight to the heart of it, before I could even properly vocalize it.

“Don’t look so surprised.” He trotted over towards his desk with a smile. “I know you wouldn’t come to me for something trivial and were it an emergency, we wouldn’t have had supper first.”

Dusky nodded. “His father has been actively interfering in his life, including breaking into his home.”

“Hmmm. That sounds pretty cut and dry. What’s the complication?”

“He didn’t report it to the Guard.” Dusky sighed. “We assumed this would severely limit his options, though none of us have the expertise to say for sure.”

Dad considered carefully, frowning deeply. “So you came to me. This will hinge on some other finer details. How long has it been since the incident?”

“About a month?” I looked over to Dusky to confirm. It’d all started before we’d even left for Ostfriesen, but that felt like forever ago.

Dusky’s stared past me as she thought back. “Yeah.”

He watched me a moment, following some train of thought going through that I couldn’t see. and then let out a sigh. “That is a problem. Since it’s his home, it’s quite likely he’s inadvertently destroyed or tampered with the majority of what we could use. Were there any witnesses?”

I frowned deeper and let out a sigh of my own. “Mahogany never said. But, I don’t think he even asked anypony.”

“He said Birch only stole gifts the family had sent over for birthdays and other events,” Dusky said. “It’s also likely that he had a key, so I don’t think it would have been particularly conspicuous.”

“It’s still worth pursuing. If anypony even saw him on the premises, we’d have a starting point. Anything else you can tell me?”

I thought back to when it had all started. Fillydelphia, and then Bellerophon, loomed so large in my memory. Birch had made quite an entrance though, when he’d stormed into the Seapony. “Oh, um, there’s also the bar.”

“The bar?” Dad’s expression turned quickly, the vague sadness washed away as he narrowed his eyes.

Dusky nodded. “They had a bit of a shouting match and Birch tried to drag Mahogany out of the bar when he refused to leave of his own volition. Mahogany hit him trying to break free, but the fight didn’t go any further than that. I think Birch decided to retreat because, by then, the whole room was watching.”

“If we can find somepony who was sober enough to corroborate your story, that should be an easy assault charge. That would also give us probable cause for the break and enter.” Dad stared at his desk.

We all grew silent. I tried to think of anything else that would help, anything that might give Dad an extra tool to use.

Dusky beat me to it, suddenly perking up. “You could talk to Barkeep. He’s got a really good view of the main room and while he sometimes knocks back a shot or two, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so much as faze him.”

“Good. I think this case is coming together quite nicely. I may need your testimony when we officially begin.” Dad spoke the final part cautiously, looking at Dusky as his ears dipped back.

I glanced at Dusky, knowing why Dad had asked that so carefully. Her last experience doing that had been against the Leaf Cartel, and had started all the trouble which had followed her. It wasn’t an easy thing to ask, when put into that perspective.

“Count me in.” Dusky smiled, “And don’t worry about me. This is different from the last two times.”

I breathed out. “Of course, me as well.”

Dad nodded. “If we can successfully press charges, he’s looking at a fine, community service and a restraining order.”

Dusky shook her head. “My experience with him is limited, but I somehow doubt he’ll adhere to any of that.”

“Perhaps not.” Dad’s expression grew grim. “Should that happen, we have ways of dealing with it.”

58 - Renewed Lessons

I stretched my legs lazily, blinking to clear the gunk out of my eyes. I’d gotten to sleep quickly when I'd gotten home, but it'd been late enough that I still felt groggy. I pulled myself out from beneath my sheets and crossed to the bathroom door. When I'd built the house, I'd decided it'd be easiest to have two doors into the bathroom, one directly from my bedroom, and the other from the hallway.

No noise, but that didn't mean much. I knocked. No response. It was safe to assume Spring was asleep already. Sharing my bathroom after so many years on my own still felt odd, but it wasn't terrible. It was a lot like when I'd lived in Cloudsdale, except less shoving. Honestly, it felt nice having a bit of company at home. I smiled to myself. Even if it is just my sister.

I turned the water on for the shower and glanced down at the sink counter. Spring's various beauty supplies were scattered about, some still open, others apparently empty but still set out. Toothpaste, hair brush, mane conditioner, rouge, eye liner, lipstick, I had never even seen Spring use half of this stuff. I spent a moment sorting everything, separating Spring's belongings from my own as the water heated up. At last, I stepped into the shower and let the water wash over me.

It’d been a day since I’d gotten home from Cloudsdale. By the time we'd finished talking to Dad, it had grown late enough that it was time to head for home. It was easier than I thought, but in part that was because I knew I'd be back. Mom had made sure I knew that, and Dad as well. I was welcome home whenever I wished. Dusky too, they'd insisted.

We'd flown home together beneath the stars. She left me to my thoughts as we flew, quiet, but close. She was giving me space, but letting me know she was there if I needed her. When I said goodnight to Dusky, I felt stronger than ever the desire to be with her. Saying good night to her had been harder in some ways than saying it to my parents. It wasn't because I feared I wouldn't see her again, but because I didn't want to stop seeing her. Missing her only made me love her more.

I'd spent yesterday alone, just time to myself, like it used to be. Everything was the same, but I wasn't. I wanted more than the things that I used to be content with, if I ever was truly content with them. Some part of me which I never knew existed now had a deep wish for something I'd never dared entertain. Family. Not just my siblings, nor my parents, but a family of my own. I had never imagined being a father, but spending time with my nieces and nephews made me want that for myself, and that feeling clung harder than I would have believed possible.

I turned off the shower and started to dry off. Before we'd parted, Dusky had asked if I wanted to spar with her today. I couldn't imagine I was up to her level yet, but I'd agreed eagerly. I had no idea what to expect, but I suppose I'd find out soon enough.

When I finished cleaning up after myself, I left through the second door into the main hall of the house. That's where the smell hit me. A sweet, perhaps slightly burnt cinnamon scent drifting from the kitchen. Following the aroma, I found Spring standing besides a number of saucepans and open packages.

"Spring? What are you still doing awake?"

She glanced away from the stove with a wide grin on her face. "Waiting for you, of course! I mean, I couldn't head home with you 'cause of my shift, and I didn't get to see you yesterday, but I wanted to get in on all the apologies and the hugging and stuff. So, I made you breakfast!"

I looked across the kitchen. Oats. Milk. Butter. Syrup. Spring had never done anything like this. "Breakfast? Are you feeling alright?"

She ladled a bowl of oatmeal out of the larger pan, then set it down in front of me, still grinning. "Of course! I mean, what's wrong with wanting to make you breakfast?"

I sniffed at the bowl. It at least smelled like oatmeal. "Did you... do anything to it"

"What?! No! I mean... no! Okay, yeah, that makes sense. I can't really blame you for being suspicious. But I'm a whole new Spring! I've matured, Nighty. I'm way too wise and cool for that kinda lame prank."

"Riiiight." I stirred the oatmeal slowly. Nothing seemed odd about it. "So then... why?"

"Why? A d'uh, Nighty. Cause you're my brother."

I stared at her blankly. 'Because you're my brother' had never been a reason why Spring did anything.

She frowned. "And uh, because you're so cool!"

Now I knew something was up. I put the spoon down. "Uh huh..."

She fluttered her wings, and unexpectedly blushed. "I uh, mean, it's because... I uh... really like the job."

"You... do?" That was not at all what I'd expected. "You made me breakfast because you like to work?"

"Well, you got me the job, right?" She laughed awkwardly. "I mean... okay, so this morning, there was some early morning rain scheduled, and I had to get the clouds into place, and I had some spare time, so, I started to play around with the clouds, and I... well, I made them look nice."

Early morning rain was a fairly common occurrence, along with laying down a little bit of fog some days. Still, the way Spring talked about it was familiar. "You arranged them nicely?"

She shook her head. "I made some shapes. Like, just some simple stuff, like I used to do when I was little. So, I had a few fun looking clouds all set up, when this... stallion... stepped out to open his shop. He said they looked nice." Her voice grew quieter as her blush intensified.

"So, it um, isn't exactly the job you're happy about." It felt more than a little uncanny to be on this side of things. Was this what Mahogany felt like watching me?

"Oh, nonono, I mean... that felt really nice to hear from, err, somepony else. But I love the job, Night. I love getting to spread my wings and touch the clouds and actually do something besides sitting on a factory line making the same stupid rain cloud or snowflake over and over again."

She held her gaze a moment, then lowered her head with a sigh. “I just… wanted to do something to thank you for the chance.”

Looking away from my sister, I cautiously lifted my spoon and dipped it into the oatmeal. I brought it up and cautiously put it into my mouth. It was sugary, nearly enough to hurt my teeth. I raised an eyebrow at Spring. She wasn't lying about making it, that was certain. I swallowed the first bite and breathed out. "It's... a bit sweet."

She perked back up, grasping at the excuse not to continue her story. "I used the last of your syrup! Oatmeal without syrup is just bluh. And you didn't have any mini-marshmallows for it." She poured herself a bowl, eagerly bringing it to the table.

"I, uh, can tell. Sorry about the marshmallows." I didn't use syrup often. Whatever jar she'd found must have been nearly full. Still, I took a second bite. It wasn't awful, just much sweeter than I was used to. "It's good, though. I, um... thanks. Thanks, Spring. This was a nice surprise."

She grinned. "The best kind of surprises, right?" She settled in and started to eat, shoveling the oatmeal in faster than could possibly be healthy.

I giggled, then resumed eating my bowl. It was practically a dessert for breakfast, and once I got through the initial bites, it was quite good. I'd nearly finished eating when a heavy rapping on the door interrupted our meal.

Spring glanced up from her second bowl, calling out "Awl gattit!" Before I could protest, she was up, rushing to open the door. "Mmmmnt!"

I tilted back to catch a glimpse as Mint stepped in, glancing about with a grin. "Swallow your food, Spring. That's gross."

Spring audibly swallowed her mouthful of oatmeal and then lunged into a hug. "Mint! What's up! You miss me that much?"

“Mint?” I tilted my head. “Did something come up?”

She waved her wing as she managed to pry Spring off of her. “You could say that. Remember last night? You asked Dad about training?”

It had been a brief exchange as we’d left, overshadowed by the talk about Mahogany’s father. “All he said was that he’d come up with something.”

Mint nodded. “Well, he did. Or at least, he sorta did. He asked me to step in and give you some help.”

Spring clapped her forehooves together. “Mint’s gonna live here too! Awesome!”

“What? No.” Mint rolled her eyes, lifting a hoof to her forehead. “I live in Canterlot, Spring. It’s not that long a flight. Not to mention my husband and son.”

“Oh, yeah. I guess if you moved in, Custard and Wintergreen would be moving in too. So how you gonna do your little train thing?”

Mint turned back to me. “Well, if Night is alright with it, I figured I’d fly in after my shift or on my days off, and give some extra tutoring on Royal Guard fighting style. I did tell you in Myrtail I’d be there for you if you needed it.”

I considered a moment. Not that it was really a tough choice, just that it wasn’t exactly what Mrs Ward had recommended. “I don’t think it’s Guard training I need, exactly. I guess I was hoping for pointers from Dad.”

“Then you’re in luck, Night.” Mint winked. “Dad taught me everything I know. Probably close to everything he knows too, though I’m sure he’s kept a few secrets to himself. I want to make sure you’ve got the basics down, then we can get into some more… unorthodox techniques.”

That was definitely more of what I had in mind. And certainly, spending more time with Mint couldn’t hurt. “Well, alright, then. I, um, can show you where I work out if you want. It’s not much, but maybe we can go over some of the basics, if you want.”

Mint grinned. “Sounds good, lead the way, Night.”

When I’d first started training with Merri and Starshadow, trying to be a knight and impress Dusky in all the wrong ways, I’d started building onto my house. Putting an expansion onto a cloudhouse was fairly simple, gather up enough clouds to form the base, add on whatever flooring or structure you desired for aesthetics. For some pegasi, home design was as much a hobby as reading or board games were for anypony else.

It hadn’t taken long for me to build the add-on that I just called my training room. Here, I had decided, I would be able to practice what Starshadow had been teaching me with the hoofblade. More than that, it had become a general purpose work-out room. It was nothing fancy, but it was enough for me to be able to train how I wanted in private.

Mint whistled as she glanced about. “Not bad. Clouds to cushion the impacts of falls. Training dummies too. You really have been taking this seriously, haven’t you?”

“The most serious.” I sighed. “You were there in Fillydelphia. That’s not something I ever want to happen again. Not if there’s any way I can help. I want to be stronger, Mint. For Dusky. For myself.”

She stepped closer and hugged. “Well, I’ll do my best. It’ll be hard work, but if you’re up for it, I’m here to help.”

“So long as I’m not too much of a burden, I’ll be happy for it.”

“Right!” Mint straightened up. “Then fall into the first ready position, if you remember it. I want to put you through the basic drills and see how much you remember.”

I was definitely rusty, I hadn’t been in the Guard long enough to develop muscle memory for the drills, but I still half-remembered a lot of it, and had been going through my own drills enough that what needed correcting was mostly cosmetic.

Mint worked with me as she would any recruit, and I started to see how she’d earned her position. Not to mention why Custard had seemed so well behaved. My sister really was a good teacher, and had a passion for, as strange as it sounded, fighting. She almost seemed to enjoy it like it were a sport. She stepped back to demonstrate a few of the maneuvers she described, and I started to realize just how much Mint had been holding back.

We’d been going at it for at least an hour. Finishing another routine, I took a deep breath and watched Mint. “How long have you been training ponies, Mint? When’d you get promoted?”

She tilted her head, then leaned back to think. “Hmm? Well, a few years ago. I didn’t want to get pushed up too fast or some ponies might call foul. Dad being a who he is and all. I pushed really hard to prove myself as more than just the Captain’s daughter, you know?”

I nodded. “Sorta. I mean, I was always trying to live up to Dad, until I left. I guess one advantage of being away for so long is I got to be myself without thinking about if ponies were judging me based on who my father was.”

“A lot of high expectations come with being a Light. I guess I can’t blame you for wanting— Dusky!” Mint suddenly walked past me back towards the entrance.

I blinked, feeling my face go red.

"Hello, Mint." Dusky stepped into the training room, Spring not too far behind. "You're helping with the sparring today?"

Mint nodded. "Yep! Today, and for a little while, I figure. I didn't realize you and Night were practicing together."

Dusky grinned. "We weren't before today."

I stammered as I found my voice once again. "Y-yeah. We've fought together often enough... I just thought, maybe it'd be smart if we, um, train together... a bit."

"Eh, he, he." Spring perked up. "Oh, I know how this goes. You and Dusky start to 'practice' and it's all in good fun, then things start to heat up, and you were all punch and kick and then suddenly you're wrestling to win, and Night looks up and sees Dusky standing over him, staring down, all covered in sweat. He reaches up to kiss her, and then they start t—"

Mint walked over and shoved a hoof into Spring's mouth. "That's just about enough of trashy romance theater, thank you, Sis’. You want to stay and make commentary, you have to stay and spar. Alright?"

Spring's face fell. "Awwwwww, fine. But don't blame me if it all ends with the two of them making kissy faces!" She turned and headed back towards the living room, closing the door behind her.

Dusky raised an eyebrow at Mint after Spring left. "Trashy romance theater?"

Giggling, Mint shook her head. "Spring has a not-so-secret love for a very specific genre of books. She thinks nopony else knows. We all know."

"Sorry about this, Dusky." I dipped my head. "I didn't know Dad would send Mint today to help me train. If you want to postpone our sparring, I'll understand."

"Postpone nothing, Nighty. This is perfect. If you're going to be training alongside Dusky, I can focus a little bit more on the gaps in both your knowledge." Mint smirked at Dusky eagerly. "Though, that means I'll need to learn where your strengths are. Care to go a round?"

Dusky glanced at me. "So long as Night's good."

"He can take five. I was running him hard on the basics when you arrived." Mint moved towards the center of the training room, stretching her neck back and forth. "Honestly, I've been wondering what you could do since Myrtail.”

Stepping in with a smirk, Dusky nodded. “I’ll try not to disappoint you, then.”

Mint grinned back, falling into a fairly standard Guard stance. She leaned in, almost seeming too eager to fight. She waited as Dusky carefully moved forward, content to let Dusky make the first move.

Dusky jumped in at last, striking with her wings one after the other. As Mint pushed each strike aside, she opened her own wings up and struck back with force.

With a quick leap to the side, Dusky avoided the wing strike, only to find my sister already in motion, striking at her new position. The two quickly fell into a rhythm of strike and counter, as Mint seemed to press every advantage and Dusky kept up her defense. Seeing her fight like this was as impressive as I remembered.

It was a lot like that first time I’d seen Dusky in combat back in Fetlock Falls. Though, this time, there were no stakes. The attacker wasn’t somepony intent to hurt or kill, but my sister, here to help me, maybe both of us, get stronger. In this context, somehow, it only highlighted just how amazing she was.

Like a mischievous imp whispering in my ear, I could hear Spring’s voice creep into my mind. Dusky standing over you, staring down, all covered in sweat. Dusky was fit, strong, muscular, but still lithe. She was indeed sweating from the exercise, her mane just a little damp from the perspiration clinging to her face. I shook my head before I found myself drifting any further into Spring’s tawdry scenario.

It shouldn’t have been so embarrassing, but somehow it was. I’d come so far, we’d come so far. Still, I couldn’t help but stare at her in awe. She was more beautiful than I could express, but I knew she was so much more than just the mare who’d first drawn my eye so long ago. She was patient and caring. She was loyal and strong. She was the best friend I’d ever had. She was staring at me.

I blinked, fumbling back into reality. What had I missed? They’d been talking, and Mint had asked me something. My observations? My mouth felt dry, and Dusky was still looking at me. “Oh, I, um, don’t know. It was hard to tell.”

Mint shook her head and sighed. "Spring might have been right about one thing. Distraction is definitely an issue."

“Or maybe we can put that focus to use.” Dusky continued to stare at me, her face breaking into a grin. She adjusted her stance and began to advance. “Coming at you, Night!”

59 - Schemes

Town Hall was busier than usual. That might be because I so rarely came to Town Hall during the afternoon, but in addition, Major Mare was hosting a major function. I didn't pay much attention as I avoided her political entourage and moved towards the weather office.

Blizzard Breeze was already inside, talking to the morning shift lead, Icicle Gleam. Gleam had filled in for me more than once while I'd been away from town. He sat back, relaxed as he talked with Bree, his ever present flight goggles hanging loosely around his neck.

Bree looked over at the door as I stepped in and waved. "Good, you're here. Now we just have to wait on Rainbow Dash."

"So, we can probably just get started." Icicle chuckled.

I smiled as I sat down at the table. "I suppose if she's not here early, then she'll probably get here too late."

Bree smirked. "We still gotta wait for her, before we can make this all official."

"Official?" My eyebrow raised. Since we'd gotten home from Ostfriesen, my job had been very different than usual. With Spring hired on to take my former shift, I'd begun focusing on the administrative work full time. It was odd, because I was actually doing less work than before. I'd already been doing a great deal of Rainbow Dash's admin work, while still managing the night shift.

Icicle shrugged at me. "I know as much as you, Night. She wouldn't tell me why I'm here, either."

Glancing towards the door, Bree paused, then let a smile creep across her face. "Well, I suppose I can't leave you in suspense too long. I think you both already know. Effective immediately, Night Flurry is being promoted to the position of Winter Coordinator and assigned to the Central Weather Office in Canterlot, reporting to me. Contingent on that, Icicle Gleam will be taking over as the office administrator under Rainbow Dash while continuing his role as head of the morning team."

I frowned. I knew Bree had been working on that, but I'd hoped to have more time before she could do anything like this. "Oh. Well, that's great, um, but I can't."

Icicle lifted an eyebrow. "You can't? Too much of a desk job?"

Bree's smile faded as well. "You've worked so hard to get to this, Night. You can't turn back at this point."

"I'm not turning back." Standing from the table, I walked over to the cabinets and opened up one of the drawers, flipping through the files with a wing. "I'm just... going a different route."

Icicle Gleam took the file as I slid it onto the table, flipping it open and reading through the forms.

Bree stared grimly at me. "I thought this was what you wanted? You'd be in charge of the winter weather schedule for all of Equestria. I know you can do it, Night."

"I could do it, I'm sure. But I wouldn't be happy. It wasn't what I wanted, Bree, it's what you wanted.” I swallowed, not meaning that to sound as harsh as it did. “And, I mean, I appreciate it. You believed in me when I certainly didn't believe in myself, and you helped me realize that if I put my mind to it, I can do whatever I want with my career."

"Like, a position with the Weather Bureau Regulations and Standards?" Icicle passed the folder over to Bree. "So, you want a job that'll let you travel, eh? Certainly sounds like it'd be fun."

With her eyes still locked on me, Bree took the folder from Icicle. "Regulations and Standards?" She broke her gaze to glance through the folder, frowning further as she did.

Inside that folder she'd find my application for the position, a copy at least, along with a copy of the resume I'd sent and a few letters of recommendation. As she scanned the documents, the fierce look in her eyes faded with each page.

At last, she closed the folder and sighed. "I created a monster. All this work, scheming behind my back. You really thought this through, didn't you Night?"

"I told you, I've been making plans, Bree. I didn't mean to keep it secret, more that... I didn't know if I'd get the job. And I didn't know you'd be moving so fast to get me up into Canterlot to fill that position for you. But, um, I just can't accept it. I'm going to pursue the path that I'll be happiest on."

Bree nodded slowly, then stopped and stared at me once again. "Oh. Oh my.~ You're going to propose."

Icicle tilted his head. "Propose. You mean him and Dusky?"

"Who else!" Bree picked up the folder, and suddenly her grin was back. "A job with required travel? He's not planning for his career, he's planning for his life."

I blushed heavily, knowing I couldn't deny it. The regulation position was one which required travel to a set number of cities each year, but the time and frequency of travel, as well as the destinations, could be set by the regulator. It was a position that would let me travel with Dusky every year, no matter where we went, without worrying about vacation time or strict work schedules. It would be a lot of hard work, but it would give me the freedom to be with her wherever she went. It was the only life worth planning for.

“Well, that sounds like a pretty worthy thing to plan.” Icicle chuckled. “And Dusky is a very… blush-worthy pony, after all.”

“I, okay, yes. I get it.” My cheeks were still hot. “I’m not changing my mind though. I love her.”

Bree shook her head, coming over to give me a hug. “I think that’s pretty obvious. I understand, Night. I was really hoping I’d get to work closer with you, but, I get it. Sometimes, we have to make some big choices to be with the ones we love.”

Icicle grinned as Bree let go. “And you know, if you’re still looking for something to propose with, I can help.”

“You can help me propose?” I raised an eyebrow at him, unsure what he had in mind.

“Well, not exactly to propose. But, my sister is a jeweler in Canterlot. She does custom work sometimes, and if you come with my recommendation, I’m sure she can help you find something perfect for Dusky.”

I’d done a little surreptitious shopping around Ponyville, but the town was a little light on storefronts specializing in marriage proposals. “Something perfect… yeah. I may have to pay her a visit.”

The storefront was in one of the upper quarters of Canterlot, a fancier district than I was really comfortable with. The majority of ponies were all wearing suit coats or fancy dresses, the kinds that were sold at Carousel Boutique. The shop itself was on the smaller side compared to those nearby. It still would have been bigger than anything in Ponyville. An elegant sign hanging above the door read 'Pegasean Legacy Jewelers' with a columned design painted upon it, resembling Cloudsdale architecture.

I pushed open the door, my presence announced to the shop by a tiny bell jingling overhead. A few other ponies were inside, glancing over the cases of gems and settings. I began to browse, taking in the rows of jewelry cases. There were lots of different colored stones, varied in size and shape, along with all sorts of loops and housings of various metals. The overall combinations of gems and jewelry were a bit overwhelming.

"Hello there! Welcome to my shop, can I help you find something?" A sea blue mare stepped up behind the counter with a smile on her face. A pair of glasses sat upon her nose, with a notepad tucked beneath a wing.

"You're... Crystal, right? I was recommended here by a coworker, Icicle Gleam?"

She giggled, but her smile widened. "My brother does like to recommend my shop to others. What are you looking for?"

"Well... I'm looking to... p-propose." I shrank down a little, looking at the case as I felt my face heating up. "I wanted to find something... special. Something as special as she is."

Crystal's grin grew wider, and after a moment she took a few steps back from the display case. "Certainly! If you just follow me, I can show you some pieces that may fit. I can already see that if she feels the same about you as you do about her, you'll both be very happy."

My blush grew, but I smiled back. "Yeah... thank you."

She led me to another case along the side wall, which was filled with several smaller pieces. She pushed her glasses up as she took position behind it. "So, tell me about her. Pegasus? Unicorn? Earth pony? What kind of tastes does she have?"

"Pegasus..." I paused to consider her tastes. In the time I'd been with her, she'd barely ever worn jewelry. A flower barrette set in her hair once while we'd been in Myrtail, a few simple outfits that all seemed to accentuate rather than overshadow her. "She's... simple, but elegant. It should be something that highlights how amazing she is, rather than being something that tries to outshine her."

She giggled once again. "Sounds like she has really good taste. So, you'd probably be looking at a necklace? Those are very popular with pegasi and earth ponies." She directed me towards a small grouping of necklaces, each attached to a long chain.

I admired each of them, trying to imagine how Dusky would react. There wasn't anything that I saw which she wouldn't make look good, but that didn't mean they were something she'd enjoy.

My indecision must have shown, as Crystal made a quiet, thoughtful noise. "I do custom work as well, of course. If nothing catches your eye."

"Custom work?"

She nodded. "I cut all the gems in this store myself, and can get the settings made to almost any specifications."

An idea immediately popped into mind. "Ms. Crystal, I think I need to order a custom piece, if, um, that's alright with you."

Crystal laughed, pulling the notepad out from her wing. "It's perfectly alright. Now, tell me what you have in mind."

I soared up above Canterlot with high spirits and a claim receipt. Crystal said she’d have the jewelry ready within a week, and then I’d be all ready. I only needed a time and a place, where I could ensure everything was perfect.

I paused in flight to look out across the land beneath Canterlot. The air at this altitude was refreshingly cool, the still blue sky was dappled with clouds. The world was beautiful in ways I'd never thought possible before. I wanted to see more, but above that, I wanted to see it with Dusky.

Still, there were the old thoughts in my mind, the frightened voice that said she was too good for me. Dark whispers that the world was too much, too big and too overwhelming to face. Better to just keep my head down and let it pass me by. It wasn’t a foreign voice, but my own. Old thoughts that crept in time and again. The difference now was, as convincing as the voice could be, I knew the lies it was telling.

I took a deep breath and continued on. It'd been a lot of work to reach this point, and there was still a lot of work left to do. I still didn’t want to rush into things, but for all we’d been through, there could be nopony else I could trust the way I trusted her. Nopony I loved the way I loved her, and somehow, she felt the same.

At the perfect place, and the perfect time, I would ask her to share her life with me. I only hoped I could create a memory which Dusky would hold in her heart as tightly as I held onto her.

60 - Cycles

The week waiting for Crystal Glint to finish my special order wasn’t quite torture, but it was close. I let the anticipation of seeing the finished work build up, but at the same time, Dusky had been working hard to handle Mahogany’s situation with his father. She brought me in with Mint to help them work through all the necessary paperwork and reports.

Staring down a seemingly endless stacks of legal paperwork that Mint brought from Canterlot put me in a strange sense of ease. It was just like working through the weather reports, each more technical than the last. There was a familiar flow to them. Once the others had given me the details, I only had to ask on points of clarification where the legal language of Canterlot seemed to get too verbose.

Mint was there to answer the legal questions and Mahogany was there to detail the situation. Between them, Dusky, and myself, we managed to complete the forms and get them sorted and prepared for my dad to officially verify and submit. Soon enough, Mahogany would have his restraining order, and the legal recourse he needed if Birch continued to harass him.

A few days later, forms fully submitted and everything in motion, we gathered back in the Lusty Seapony to relax. It felt like it'd been too long since we'd all gotten to just hang out together. Life kept moving forward in ways I could never expect.

Mahogany had begun his celebration early, already a few empty buzzards on the table, as I sipped at my tea. Star had a glass of wine that didn’t look like it had been touched, and Merri seemed to be competing with Mahogany cup for cup. Mint had even stayed in Ponyville to hang out, drinking a cup of coffee. Terra had curiously abstained from alcohol, instead chewing on her lip nervously as she looked back and forth between several resort brochures.

Dusky sat beside me, nursing her usual mug of cider and flipping through the pamphlets. “Okay, so let me see if I have this straight: Bay Breeze has the Sapphire Lagoon and Crystal Reef available. The Lagoon’s hall can only hold fifty, but the veranda is sizable enough for another fifty and faces the beach. The Reef’s hall holds all of one hundred and is three-quarters the price of the Lagoon, with a balcony that also holds fifty, but only the thinner south side gives a decent view of the beach and it’s distant.”

Terra nodded with a wistful sigh. “Yeah, I wish we could afford the Tsunami Sandbar. Then we wouldn’t have to decide.”

“It would be nice, but we don’t need it.” Dusky pointed a hoof at one of the photo spreads. “Sapphire Lagoon has a view that’s pretty much just as nice.”

“I don’t know… you really think we can fit everything in?” Terra’s face dropped as she looked over the papers.

Dusky grinned, folding the brochure up. “Of course. We’ll just need to make ample use of the balcony. Between Tower Tracer and I, I’m sure we can come up with a good layout. We might just need to make a trip down to verify, since I don’t like to rely on photos.”

I’d had so many plans of my own in motion since we’d returned home, trying to juggle work and family and my hopes and dreams, I’d barely been involved with Terra’s plans. She’d announced her engagement to Stalwart Stone when we’d returned from Ostfriesen, with Dusky acting as her Maid of Honor. Now their planning sessions had intensified as the big date approached.

Terra poked at the brochure again nodding, then slowly stopping as her face fell back into a frown. She settled her head down on her forehooves. “Mmm. But what about the weather? The outdoors will be useless if it rains.”

Extending a wing to comfort, Dusky pointed out another line on the brochure. “Well, Bay Breeze employs a private weather control team, so I don’t think that should be a problem.”

“But what about that rogue weather stuff you guys are always talking about?” Terra sighed again.

Mahogany echoed her with an over exaggerated sigh of his own. “Willya calm down? Orlov’s notta place witha crazy forest. ‘Sides, if their pegasi are slackin’, we can always send Flurry up. Right, buddy?”

I blinked as Terra’s gaze quickly turned to me and managed a short smile. “Y-yeah. Um, but I don’t think I’ll have to do that. Mahogany’s right. Rogue weather happens more in the wild when there aren’t pegasi around to keep it in check. The Everfree is one of those weird exceptions that sends it out.”

Terra narrowed her eyes at me. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah. I, um, I’ll still keep an eye out if it makes you feel better.” I tried to mimic the smile that Dusky always gave when she was trying to reassure somepony.

“Sorry, Flurry. I’da volunteered, but…” Mahogany shook his head with a chuckle. “...y’know, schquare clouds an’ all that.”

He wasn’t lying about that, his cloudwork was as bad as he said. I simply laughed along, reaching for my tea cup. “Right. Square clouds.”

With a sip, I let the chamomile tea linger a moment, closing my eyes to savor the taste. Barkeep always had good tea. Maybe not the best, but definitely more than just drinkable. I lowered the cup to find Mint staring at me, “Um, Mint, is something wrong?”

She shook her head, smiling ear to ear. “No, nothing wrong. I’m just admiring how much my little brother has grown up.”

My eyes went wide, and I could feel my face going red. “I, um, thanks?”

Mint giggled. “Sorry. Probably not the best time for that, huh?”

“I do not see what the problem is,” Star levitated her glass down to the table, giving me a smirk. “I am quite familiar with such feelings and do not believe there is anything to be ashamed of on either side.”

Merri gave her sister a sharp look and stuck out her tongue. “Oh, shush. We’re twins.”

“Somepony had to come out first.” Star deadpanned.

In contrast, Merri waved her forehooves frantically. “That’s only fifteen minutes!”

“Really?” Star shrugged, barely making an effort in comparison to Merri’s flailing. “The way you act, somepony might think it was several years.”

Merri stared at her sister, but quickly broke into laughter. “Look at you, making jokes. I think Equestria is rubbing off on you.”

“I joked before.” Star’s own stoic expression broke into a frown. “It was not a foreign concept to me.”

Leaning back into her seat, Merri grinned. “Mmmhmmm.”

Further conversation was cut off by the sound of the door being flung open, and a bellow that echoed through the bar, silencing the conversations. “Ma-ho-gany!”

The whole room turned to regard Birch as he marched towards our table.

Mahogany seemed to shrink behind his glass, voice just loud enough for his father to hear. “Dint I tellya to goway.”

Birch came right up to Mahogany, and lowered his head, staring down his nose at his son. “You think you can get away with manufacturing some trumped-up accusations?”

“Trumped-up?!” Mahogany spun in his seat, voice rising in the already silent room. “You grabbed me! You broke’nto mapartment! Yer a psycho!”

“You’re clearly not in your right mind, son. I’m just a concerned father, here to save you from yourself. Now, stop making up lies to discredit me and get your ass on that train.” Birch straightened up and pointed a wing towards the door. “Then we’re going to see a friend of mine about getting your head put on properly.”

It was like deja vu, watching this whole scene play out again. Mahogany rose up from the table and dug in his hooves. Beside me, Dusky was already up as well, and Star and Merri were both exchanging glances. Mint’s eyes were narrowed at Birch, but I moved mine to Mahogany.

“No!” Mahogany widened his stance, as if he were about to charge in and headbutt Birch. “You ain’t even said nothin’ to convince me since last time!”

“Convince you?” Birch made a show, snorting loudly, then pulling back in disgust. “You smell that? That’s the stink of entitlement. I am your father, Mahogany. I know what’s best for you.”

“Oh, yeah?” Mahogany gave a snort of his own. “How many Father of the Year ‘wards ya won for chasin’ yer son around tellin’ ‘im he’s a screw-up?!

Birch didn’t budge or crack. “Truth hurts, son. Sometimes a foal’s got to be taught a lesson.”

“In case you ‘aven’t noticed, I’ma grown up, no thanks to you!”

Birch turned away to let out a long sigh, letting it linger. “Yes, perhaps I should have had more of a hoof in your upbringing. Perhaps if your mother hadn’t coddled you far too much, you wouldn’t have grown up to be such a little shit.”

“You… Yer right.” Mahogany stepped closer, his tone definitely not matching his words.

“Of course I am, I’m your f—”

Before I could blink, Mahogany snapped forward, stopping just short of his father’s face.

“This place does stink like ‘titlement.” Mahogany jabbed a hoof at Birch, stopping short of striking him. “Ya come in here, treating me like shit, then you can’t even admit yer wrong. Ya gotta shit on Mom. Birch, the only foal here is you!”

“You ungrateful—”

“Shut! Just… Shut up!” Mahogany took a deep breath, then another. The anger was obvious in his face, but he somehow managed to settle his voice. “I’m going home. Ta my home. An’ I don’t want to see you ‘round here again.”

“You—”

“Get the hell outta my town, Birch!” Without another word, Mahogany turned and marched past Birch, and out the door.

“M-Mahogany!” I spared Dusky a glance, then shot up from the table and followed after him. Pushing pushed through the door, I called out again as I caught a glimpse of Mahogany taking flight. "Hold up!"

Mahogany glanced back and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not goin’ back in there, Flurry."

Opening my wings, I kicked up into the air to meet him. "No, you probably shouldn't. I just figured you might not want to fly home alone. If, uh, if you don't mind a friend coming along."

He squinted at me at first, then his expression lightened up. "Yeah, I wasn't really plannin’ on going straight home anyways, ya know, just in case."

"Well, that's fine." I looked back down towards the bar. "We should probably get a little distance."

Mahogany nodded and started to fly. "I'm honestly ‘mazed he didn't storm out ‘fter me. Hope he's not givin’ everypony else problems."

I frowned at the thought of Birch harassing Dusky, but then actually found myself starting to chuckle. "I, um, I'm pretty sure if he tries to give Dusky any problem, she can more than handle herself. And Mint's in there too. Not to mention Merri and Star."

"Yeah, I guess. Gotta regular oubliettes and ogres ‘venturing party for friends. There's the rogue, the guard, the wizard, and whatever Merri is. The seductress?"

I continued to laugh, shaking my head at what should have been a ridiculous thought, but instead fit maybe too well. "Yeah, that sounds about right."

Mahogany grew quiet as we continued to fly over the town, making a slow climb up to the clouds. Whether it was the adrenaline dying down or the cold air, or both, he seemed to be sobering up. "An’ then there's us. Well, maybe jus’ me. You're making yourself into something. I'm just not part of the group. No adventuring for Mahogany."

There was something on his mind that he was skirting around. The obvious candidate was still back in the bar, but it didn’t quite fit into this line of thought. "It's not exactly what I'd prefer to be doing. You know what Fillydelphia was like."

He snapped back bitterly. "Yeah, I do. I've got White Riot's blood on my hooves too, Flurry."

I shrank back quickly. White Riot’s face haunted me sometimes, on the nights I couldn’t sleep. "I didn't mean it like that, I just meant—"

"No, no, I know. But then dad came back, and tried to pull his crap at the bar that night. I just couldn't take him putting down my friends anymore. So, well, you saw. I hit him. I guess I'd hoped that would get him off my back. He denounced me an' everything. I figured he gets out of my life, I get out of his. Win, win."

"And then he just kept pushing." The break-in, the harassment at his job, and the constant passive aggression.

Mahogany growled under his breath. "Yeah. I guess hitting him just convinced him that I was ready to really start a fight. Made me a target, instead of an inconvenience. I'd never fought him before, I'd always just run away. Now, if I was gonna fight him, he didn't have any excuse to hold back. That's the real rub, Flurry. Hitting him didn't discourage him. It just proved that I was just like he is."

I turned my head to glare. "You know you're not like he is."

He shook his head again. "I don't know that. Hitting him felt good, Flurry. He knows it too. That's what tonight was about."

Some of the pieces started to fit together. "Tonight? Antagonizing you again? Wait, so you mean he wanted you to hit him?"

"Yeah. He was tempting me. He wanted me to strike again." Mahogany narrowed his eyes, considering. "I mean, he probably didn't really want that. But he’d gone on the attack, and I went back to running. I tried to ignore it all and just wait him out, but that wasn’t working for either of us. So maybe something in the back of his head needed to provoke me again."

I nodded. “And the restraining order was a challenge?”

He laughed, “Yeah. Telling him to stay away was a big red flag that said ‘come and get me!’. Ironic.”

Taking a deep breath of the fresh, high altitude air, I smiled. "But instead of letting him provoke you, you proved him wrong. You just showed him you're better than he is, and you're not going to fall for his bait again."

Mahogany snorted. "Yeah, maybe. If only he were smart enough to realize it."

I laughed with a little more optimism, hoping it'd catch on. "Well, I might be biased, but, I trust Dusky, and I trust my sister. I know they've been working hard to get everything together for that restraining order. Maybe that, combined with walking out tonight will finally drive home the message."

"You're siding with Dusky? Never woulda guessed." He rolled his eyes. "But maybe you're right."

My face burned. "Wh-what? She's usually right... or at least, she spends a lot of time thinking everything out."

Mahogany gave out a wry laugh. "You're too easy, Flurry. She's been busting her flank to help me out. I've not nearly been as helpful as I should've been."

"She's not the type who's willing to sit back when her friends need help." It was one of the many things I'd come to admire about her. Not being a hero didn't mean sitting back while your friends were hurt. "Neither are you, really. You've done a lot for her. For all of us. You said it yourself, the reason you hit your Dad wasn’t because you wanted to. It was because you were tired of him talking down to your friends."

He shook his head, his mood starting to sound better. "Nah, I’m not that good. Don’t make me sound like I’m just doing it for my friends, or whatever. Makes me sound like one of Twilight’s friends."

"What, you don’t think Pinkie Pie would say the same?" I glanced about, as if saying her name would summon her, even this high.

Mahogany cringed, giving the clouds around us the same cursory looks. “Ugh. No. I am not in the mood for a Pinkie party right now.”

If a Pinkie Pie party wasn’t an option, an idea came to my mind for something else. It was something we’d done more than a few times in the past when Mahogany had needed some levity. “Well, what about the theater? I hear they’ve been doing marathon showings of some classic comedy movies...”

He halted mid-flight, instantly knowing what I was hinting at. “The Blues Stallions?”

I nodded. “Might be playing. If not, well, there’s bound to be another one we can see. Could be better than flying about aimlessly, if you don’t quite want to go home yet.”

Mahogany chewed on his thoughts for a moment then grinned. “Damn it, Flurry. Let’s do it.”

My grin grew wider. Tonight felt like it was a win. No violence, no sulking, just a good friend and a good film. If Mahogany could walk away from his father and find a way to live his own life, it would be the biggest victory over Birch possible.

61 - Arrangements

"You sure this is how you want to spend your day?" Terrabona tilted her head at me as we trotted down Ponyville's main street. "I don't think shopping for flowers is something most stallions want to do."

We were heading into the market square with a list of tasks arranged by Dusky for Terra's wedding. Floral arrangements and other decor were the goals for the day. Honestly, browsing through flowers didn't seem all that bad a task, especially having seen how much Dusky was tackling with Stalwart's best stallion, Tower Tracer.

Aster tagged along too, carrying an empty basket atop her back. "If you'd let me, I could grow really pretty flowers."

"I know you can, dear, but we're going to need a lot of flowers, and I don't want you working that hard for the wedding." When Aster's face began to fall, Terra quickly added. "Besides, you're going to be the Flower Foal. You'll be plenty involved."

Aster may have been Stalwart's daughter, but it was pretty clear she already looked up to Terra like a mom. As Terra ruffled the filly's mane, Aster's expression reverted back to a more neutral expression. She clearly enjoyed the attention, even if she wasn't one to show it.

As we reached the first rows of storefronts, I grinned. "Terra's right. Flower Foal is an important role. As for me, well, I'm just happy to help. I don't know how much I can do but, um, I'll do my best."

In truth, Dusky had given me instructions on just how to handle things. I might not have much of an eye for flowers, but my job wasn't to pick out anything. My job was to ensure Terra picked something out and stuck with it.

'Don't let her hum and haw over one thing for two hours.' Dusky had said. 'She'll probably pick out one thing right away, then talk herself out of it. Just keep reinforcing her gut, and keep her moving down the list.'

At the moment, however, all of Terra's attention was on Aster. As much as Aster fussed when Terra magically pulled some dirt and grit from her tail, the foal was clearly in awe of the unicorn. She called her 'Miss Terra' still, but I wondered if, and when, that would change to 'Mom'. There was that pang again, watching them.

Roseluck had her booth set up in the market square, where she, Daisy, and Lily Valley did their day-to-day business, but that wasn't our destination today. For decorating larger events, the trio had a more robust garden with a much wider variety than the cut flower arrangements they brought for sale each day. It was all housed in a greenhouse just beyond the market, and it didn’t take us too long to walk through the square to arrive there.

As soon as we walked inside, Aster's whole demeanor changed. Her faux-sullen expression gave way to legitimate delight. She pointed down one of the long rows, almost bouncing in place. "Miss Terra! Can I go look? Pleeeeeease?"

Terra grinned. "Yes you can, as long as you're careful. Don't touch anything, and keep in sight of me."

With a roll of her eyes, Aster nodded. "I know! I'm just going down there." Without another word, the foal bolted down the aisle.

I chuckled. "Well, she's found some energy."

"She's really good at hiding how she feels, until she gets excited." Terra watched the filly run, until she stopped at some grouping of flowers or another and began to examine them. "She's being a lot more open now. It's refreshing to see."

Nodding, I watched Aster. "She's something, alright. I remember her planting sunflowers in the park months ago, not admitting to anypony that she might need help. You've been such an amazing influence, Terra, I wouldn't even be able to recognize she's the same foal."

Terra blushed, something that caught me off guard. "Oh, ah, well, I just gave her some structure, I guess. A bit of room to grow and be herself."

I laughed. "She loves you, you know. You can tell it just by watching you two."

She beamed, eyes never leaving the filly. "I know. None of this would have happened without Aster."

"How did it happen?" I swallowed, thoughts of my own plans coming to fore. "The, uh, the proposal I mean."

"It happened not at all how I expected." Terra shook her head. "I guess I'd been thinking about it."

I recalled her asking me about it before. She'd been thinking about it since before we'd left for Ostfriesen. "So you asked him, then, right? I remember you asking if I'd think it was weird if Dusky asked me."

She laughed. "Only sort of. I thought about proposing to Stalwart, and really just couldn't stop thinking about it, and then Aster started asking me questions about it. She asked if I liked her Dad, and started telling me how much he liked having me around. We talked about it, and I made sure it was okay with her. I didn't want her to feel like I was trying to butt in."

"I can imagine that being tricky." I frowned. "For both of you."

Terra nodded. "Harder for me than for her, I think. I was a bit of wreck. She told me it'd be okay, and that she'd like for me to be around more too. Hah. The little sneak."

I blinked. "Sneak? You can't tell me she's not happier with you around."

"Oh, she is. But I'll tell you one thing, Flurry. Foals are way smarter than you think. They're devious little things. I found out later that all the time she was telling me that, she was telling Stalwart that I was talking about him, and telling him how much she wanted me to stay around."

A grin slowly spread over my face. "This is sounding awfully familiar."

"Well, I told Aster I was going to propose, and she suggested I take Stalwart out to dinner. She suggested Stalwart propose at that dinner too. So, next thing you know, there's the two of us stumbling over each other to propose. All because the little sneak egged us both on."

I couldn't help but laugh. "So, at last, you, um, met your match, eh? No wonder you got so attached to Aster."

Terra rolled her eyes. "Hey now, I'm not going behind ponies’ backs arranging marriages."

Still smiling, I raised an eyebrow. "You're not? Are you sure?"

She shot me a dark look, but finally broke into laughter. "Maybe. Haven't arranged yours yet, now have I?"

This time, the heat was in my face. She certainly hadn't, but I was already in motion to do so, and I didn't doubt for a moment that Terra would take the credit. "I suppose you haven't. Unless you've been talking to Dusky about me behind my back."

"Who, me? Oh, I'm not, no." Terra grinned wickedly. "But Dusky certainly talks about you. I think she really likes you, Flurry. She seems to think you're something special."

"And now you're just trying your foal’s tactics." I paused, unable to keep the smirk off my face. "But, when you see Dusky next, um, make sure you tell her I think the same of her."

Terra giggled. "Well, Aster got such good success with this method. I guess for us, she just decided to push us together faster than we would have on our own."

I continued to laugh. Terra was still Terra, that much was sure. "I appreciate the effort. I, um, thankfully don't think it's necessary. You can focus your attention on somepony else."

"You think I haven't? I have my hooves in many schemes, Flurry. Mahogany, Starshadow, Spring, they're all free. Single. I can fix that for them!"

"What about Merriw—" I blinked. "W-wait? Spring?"

She laughed ominously. "You should know, Flurry, nopony is safe. I have several candidates around town already picked out. Once I'm back from my honeymoon, at least."

"I don't know if I should feel sorry for her, or you. Um, good luck, I suppose." I sighed, feeling an odd mix of emotion over that thought. On one side, she was my sister. On the other side... she was my sister. It was a bit hard to explain. "Just... don't push her."

Terra feigned a look of shock. "I am all about finding ponies their one true soul mate, Flurry. You and Dusky aren't my first, nor last, success."

I couldn't help the smile that crossed my face. "Mmhmm. Well, um, I'm not sure you—"

A sudden loud throat-clearing turned our attention to our side, where Aster stood, a bundle of white flowers in the basket she'd been carrying. She glanced between us in disapproval, like a teacher catching her students passing notes, then nodded to the flowers. "These ones."

Terra's smile immediately shifted from her matching making one to one of genuine joy. She levitated the flowers from Aster and examined them closer. They were a beautiful white, bell-shaped flower with a yellow core, bundled together into a neat bouquet. "Oh, honey, these are really pretty, but we haven't even looked at everything yet. I'll put them in the maybe list while we look."

Aster narrowed her eyes and jut out her lip into a pout. "No. Your wedding needs the best flowers. Those are the best flowers. I checked."

The filly's mind was apparently set, but it'd be worth finding out what exactly was going through her head. "Well, Aster, um, why is that the best choice?"

She pointed her hoof at the bundle. "They're Calla lilies. They smell really nice, look pretty, and last a very long time out of soil. The petals won't fall off under stress, so you can have them shipped without worrying about them arriving all bad, and if we transplant them, they should survive fairly easily in any soil."

Neither Terra or I spoke for a moment, both of us just collectively trying to process everything that Aster had just said. The Calla lilies certainly looked nice, at least.

I glanced at Terra, managing to get my jaw back into place. “I, um, think somepony knows their flowers.”

Terra slowly began to nod, her shock giving way to what appeared to be pride. “She sure does. I don’t think I can argue with that logic. Alright, honey. Calla lilies it is.”

Aster beamed in triumph, then scampered back the way she came. “They’re over here! Come on!”

Following the excited filly, I chuckled. “I didn’t even need to keep you on task, Terra. We’re done way earlier than expected.”

She scoffed. “Keep me on task? Is that why Dusky sent you? My own Maid of Honor can’t even trust me to pick out something as easy as the floral arrangement.”

It was hard not to smirk. “Dusky said you’ve been a bit indecisive, but I’m starting to think we should just let Aster pick out the rest. She seems to know what she wants best for the wedding, considering it was all her plan anyways.”

Terra laughed, “Oh, no, no we’re not letting her make all the decisions. It is my wedding, Flurry. Some day, you’ll see. Dusky is going to go through just as much trouble picking out what color tablecloth she needs for her big day.”

That same familiar heat rose in my cheeks thinking on that. “I think you’re wrong on that front, Terra. I think Dusky will have it all planned out. And what she hasn’t planned, she’ll figure out pretty fast. She’s… decisive.”

“Hmm, you might be right. Only one way to find out, though~.”

I glanced away to try and hide the blush, but that only made Terra’s grin grow larger.

“Oh, yeah, you’ll definitely find out soon. I can sense it. Aster may be good, but I’m the best.”

I bit my tongue as I thought of just how right she was. Or at least, how right I hoped she would be. “We, uh, should get those flowers before Aster decides you need to add more colors to the arrangements. Besides, we’ve still got a few more stops on Dusky’s list for the rest of the decor.”

Terra pondered for a fraction of a second before her pace picked up in pursuit of Aster. “Alright, let’s go get those lilies, and then we’re off to pick out place settings. Sound good?”

With a chuckle, I nodded. “It’s your wedding, Terra. You’re the boss.”

62 - Drinks, Dresses, and Devotion.

The train down to Orlov had been a pleasant, if packed, trip out of Ponyville. Mahogany and I had sat together, amongst a whole group of ponies I’m not sure either of us recognized. Dusky and Terra had taken a train down with Merri and Star, as well as the rest of the wedding of the party. By the time we arrived, they should be already set up.

I’d hoped to get a bit of breathing room once the train disembarked, but came to realize that nearly everypony was heading in the same direction as we were, very likely all friends and relations of Terra and her fiance. It made me wonder just how much traffic came to Orlov that wasn’t related to any given wedding ceremony.

It was a beautiful city, with the sky a spotless blue and the sun shining brightly. There were palm trees similar to what I’d seen in Myrtail, and the distinct tang of the ocean in the air. This time, I could actually take in those sights with a much lighter heart, without any of the fear and pain that had shadowed our purpose for visiting Myrtail.

It was easy enough to follow the crowd towards the resort center, and once we were on the grounds, there was plenty of signage directing us to the Sapphire Lagoon hall for the ‘Stalwart / Terrabona Event’.

We arrived early, walking in from the beach level to find our way towards the deck where the ceremony was open. Some ponies were already heading in that direction to reserve seats. A few staff ponies walked through the crowd, offering drinks. I waved a hoof at the offer, but Mahogany grinned and took a glass. “I’m not much of a wine drinker, but I’ll take a good cocktail. Can’t wait for the reception though, that’s when they break out the champagne. It’s like the tea of booze, Flurry. You’d like it.”

I raised an eyebrow as Mahogany took his first sip. “The tea of booze? I thought tea sucked, though?”

He smacked his lips. “It does. Unless it’s alcoholic tea. Ever heard of a hard ice tea?”

“I can’t say that I have.” I glanced at a second tray that had arrived with a snack platter. I took a cube of cheese and popped it into my mouth.

“It’s good. It’s no Buzzard, but I mean, what is?” He paused. “Actually, forget I mentioned it. Someday, I’ll buy you some tea. My treat.”

I rolled my eyes. “I think I’ll pass.”

Soon, I managed to find somepony serving cups of actual iced tea, and after making sure that it was indeed non-alcoholic, I started to relax.

“Oy! Oy, Night! Mahogany!” As we crossed through the hotel towards the Lagoon hall, we suddenly heard Merri called out, waving a hoof to grab our attention. She was wearing a light sea-blue dress, which stood out mostly as a contrast to the darkened scale mail armor that I’d so often seen her wearing. “Over here, you two!”

We walked over, away from the other guests. Mahogany grabbed another cocktail on the way. “Hey Merri, you all ready for the big moment?”

“Pfft. As if. It’s not my big moment. Still, did you know there’s three groomstallions? And there’s only two bridesmares. Three on two, know what I mean? Maybe that other sexy weatherpony friend of yours will be there, eh, Night?”

“Wait, you don’t mean Dusky. You mean, um…” I blinked, totally caught off guard. I tried to wrack my brain for who else she could mean. “Rainbow Dash?”

“Nah, I’m talkin’ about that other stallion. Gray fellow, snowflakes on his butt. I figured if Dusky did so well with you, I should sample one too~.”

I stammered, blushing, but before I could answer, a round red pincushion collided with the back of Merri’s head.

Starshadow’s voice came from within the room, drawing closer as she admonished her sister. “Did I just hear you imply that you were going to attempt to seduce all three groomstallions, in addition to myself, into some horrible act of depravity? Disgusting!”

Merri waved a hoof between them. “Hey now, I was joking! Joking! We talked about this!”

“Do not make that kind of joke today!” Star opened the door the rest of the way and glanced out. “Ah, greetings, Night Flurry. Mahogany. I am afraid you have caught us just as we were finishing.”

Mahogany grinned. “Hey, it’s cool, we’re just waiting for them to let us in. Should be any minute now if you’re getting ready to go.”

Merri snickered. “Yeah, if we’re not in the prep room on time, I’m not sure who’ll be madder, Dusky or Terra.”

“Honestly, I do not wish to have either of them upset at us. Terra has placed a good deal of trust in us to perform this duty for her, despite our… past indiscretions.” Starshadow awkwardly cleared her throat and looked down.

“Aw, c’mon, Sis’. If it weren’t for your spell, this ceremony wouldn’t even be happening! I think she’s forgiven you.” Merri leaned in and nudged Star. “I’ll bet you bits for bagels that she’s not still worried about that spell when the honeymoon comes around, eh? Now stop worrying. This isn’t like back home. We’re here to support our friend, and have fun, and look sexy on the dance floor!”

Star sighed, “I suppose you are correct on most of your points. Now we should go. Night Flurry, Mahogany, enjoy the ceremony. We shall see you there.”

Mahogany grinned. “Don’t sneeze or anything! We’ll be watching!”

Merri stuck her tongue out at Mahogany. “Goes for you too. In Ostfriesen, it was a Royal offense for a wedding guest to sneeze during the ceremony. You’d be lucky if they just exiled you for that.” With that, she closed the door.

I glanced at Mahogany. “So, exile?”

“Now I really want to sneeze during the ceremony…” He squinted his eyes, wiggling his snout a bit, then gave up. “Sucks that you can never sneeze when you’re thinking about sneezing. They just sorta sneak up on you.”

Breaking a smile, I shook my head. “I think Terra would probably make good with Merri’s joke.”

Mahogany frowned. “Right… Terra. Yeah, lets not give her any more reason to freak out today, I guess.”

We waved them off and then walked back to join up with the main group, heading down the hall to find our seats in preparation for the ceremony.

We were seated towards the back of the hall, on Terra’s side. The whole thing was decorated in a similar aquamarine color as Merri and Starshadow’s gown had been, with valances hung around the room, and colored cloth streamers overhead around a large centerpiece. The whole room was decked out accordingly, but not so much as to be overwhelming. The eyes were drawn up to the front stage.

Mahogany had a particularly large smile on his face, surprisingly so.

I turned and raised an eyebrow. “Hm. I never figured you’d be so happy to be at a wedding.”

He laughed. “You should know I love a good party. Besides, this is Terra! She’s my best drinking buddy! Of course I’m happy for her!”

Grinning back, I nodded. “I might just like weddings.”

“Yeah, well, I give it until the vows start.”

“Until the vows start?” I tilted my head.

Mahogany grinned. “Before you’re crying. Let’s face it, Flurry, you’re definitely the kind of stallion who cries at weddings.”

I felt my cheeks warm, but didn’t let my own smile fade. “I, um, don’t see what’s so wrong with that.”

“Nothing wrong with it, just saying.”

We were prevented from going any further by the music starting up, and all eyes turned towards the back of the hall.

The officiant led the way with a confidence that came from performing this very ceremony a hundred times before. She knew exactly where she was supposed to stand, and took little time in getting into place so that the real wedding party could enter. Then came the grandparents, each walking together before taking their seats in the front row.

After a moment, the first pair of the wedding party emerged up from the stairs, and Starshadow stepped out with an accompanying stallion. She proceeded through the room with precision to the music, almost at a military pace, head high, much to the mild confusion of the stallion by her side.

As Starshadow reached the front of the hall and took her place, Merri emerged from the stairs, flanked by two stallions. Mahogany snorted next to me and leaned over to me. “Guess she wasn’t joking about her plans for the reception.”

I shook my head, not quite able to keep from chuckling.

Merri definitely was into it, though. She wasn’t quite strutting, but there was a clear and obvious swaying to her hips as she made her way up to join her sister. Star simply rolled her eyes, as Merri stepped up alongside her, winking to the stallions.

Then, it was Dusky who rose up from the stairs. Though she wore the same blue colored outfit as Merri and Star, on her, it looked absolutely amazing. Or, I suppose it just made her look that much more amazing. She moved with a grace that stilled my heart.

As I watched her, Mahogany nudged me once more, leaning over to whisper. “You didn’t even make it to the vows. I should have known it’d be Dusky that got to you.”

I lifted a wing to my face and wiped, realizing my eyes had indeed teared up. “She’s just… she’s so beautiful.”

Mahogany snickered as Dusky took her place, and I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her until Mahogany nudge me once again to turn back towards the stairs.

Stalwart, Terra’s fiance, came next, this time from the back of the hall. He wore a tuxedo, and he wore it well, with a back brace supporting him. Two older ponies were at his side, who I guessed were his parents. His father was trying his best to keep himself together, while the mare, who I believed was his mother, fretted over each step, clearly concerned for his back and making sure he made it okay. He came to the top of the platform and turned to stand alongside the officiant.

The gembearer bounced through next, an overly excited blue foal who nearly got chastised halfway to the stage. After nearly losing the jewelry off his back he eventually slowed his pace to something more reasonable. Then came Aster, who looked more awkward than excited. She didn’t exactly scatter her petals so much as throw them at the ponies closest to the aisle. It was admittedly pretty adorable and amusing for anypony not sitting at the edge.

There was a moment of silence as the two foals completed their paths. I could feel the excitement in the room, everypony looking back in expectation. The music swelled as the band switched to the traditional march and everyone grew quiet.

Terra stepped into the room, dressed in a gorgeous white gown, with traces of blue streaking through it and grinning ear to ear. Her parents walked with her, escorting her down the aisle and onto the altar.

My eyes turned back to Dusky as she and Terra exchanged a glance, and Terra turned to gaze at Stalwart. Dusky was practically holding her breath, only releasing it as the music stopped, and the officiant began the ceremony. “Dearly beloved…”

63 - Traditions

The whole ceremony was beautiful. Following the processional march, Terra and Stalwart exchanged their vows, amazing words expressing just what they’d come to mean to one another. If I hadn’t already been crying, by now I’d have been a mess for sure. The pair exchanged matching pendants, and then leaned in to share their first kiss as a married couple. It was all so emotional, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face.

Soon enough it was over and the wedding party moved out through the hall. The hotel staff waited in the wings as the hall was emptied, and we all moved back out into the waiting area, where again they had drinks and snacks at the ready. The wedding hall itself was closed off as the staff went about resetting it for the reception.

I walked out to where I could look out over the beach, and watched the wedding party pose for photographs. Terra and Stalwart stood out in their attire, and Merri and Starshadow were striking enough even from a distance, but my eyes were on Dusky alone.

I wanted to give her a day like this. As many days like this as I could, full of love. It sounded sappy even to me, but I couldn’t help it. Weddings always made me feel warm like that. The thought of planning my own seemed so foreign that I may as well have been thinking about flying off to the moon, yet here I was, with an engagement stone back home just waiting for the right moment.

The wedding party soon finished up, and they all moved back up the beach to the hotel. I watched them go, then turned my attention back out to the ocean. My second view of the ocean, and Dusky had been right. It was so different from the first.

The reception was impressive, both in the number of ponies in attendance, and in the fact that the hotel managed to get it all provided to the crowd. Far too many ponies were here, enough to make me feel just a little uncomfortable, despite myself. I didn’t recognize the majority, save the very few of us from Ponyville who were Terra’s good friends.

After dinner, with everypony settled down, the speeches came. The best stallion stood first, shuffling through a few note cards before he cleared his throat and addressed the waiting crowd. After a moment of silence, he looked away from the cards and spoke confidently.

“Construction. Building from scratch. This has always been Stalwart’s calling—so much so, that when his very passion collapsed on him, he took it as a challenge. From a deficit, he reconstructed his life, his career and his love. Terrabona is much the same way and, like the various alloys, the two of them together are stronger than ever. It will be my honour to watch this couple as they one-hundred-and-ten percent their way through life.” He lifted his glass, and we all raised ours in response for the toast, many ponie stomping their hooves in applause.

As he took his seat once again, it was Dusky’s turn. She approached the small podium, her mouth giving a slight twitch of nervousness before she took a deep breath. “I’ve known Terra a long time and the big thing she’s always been about is matching. Just look at her store: it’s a whole business built around bringing people together with the things they need—even if it’s one of the more obscure things around. She’s even tried it with people. And while she can sometimes seem a little pushy, it’s only because she has a big heart. I’ve wondered many a time, when she was going to find a match for herself, for that big heart of hers. Well, today, we can say, with certainty, that that was the day she met Stalwart. Congratulations, you two.”

I smiled, resisting the urge to cheer, but making sure to stomp even louder in response to her speech. I could see the relief wash over her as she stepped away to sit back down next to Terra.

There were a few more speeches after Dusky’s, friends and family of the couple each coming up to express their regards to the marriage. As Terra’s parents finished their toast, the best stallion returned to the podium as the applause died down. “That concludes our speeches, which means it’s time for a slow dance.” He turned to the wedded couple and grinned. “Get on up there, you two!”

Terra and Stalwart made their way to the dance floor as quickly as they could manage. The only thing that slowed their pace was Stalwart’s back injury, his brace limiting him. The music was upbeat, not quite the type of close slow dance which I enjoyed, but certainly romantic and intimate all the same. The upbeat tune, and the eagerness with which the married couple moved, were all more than enough to keep everyone’s attention on them.

As the dance ended, the ponies around the dance floor began to stamp their hooves, and a number of unicorns levitated silverware to tap against their glasses. Terra and Stalwart responded to the demands with a kiss, drawing a cheer from the crowd.

“Wow. What a dance! Try not to burn up the floor before the rest of us get out there.” The best stallion called out from the podium, laughing. “Speaking of which, the dance floor is now open. Please join the parents of both Terra and Stalwart in celebrating their new union!”

As ponies began to step out onto the dance floor, my eyes traced back to Dusky. She was already heading over towards me.

Once she reached the table, she dipped her head with a grin. "Care to dance?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Dusky." I smiled back with equal glee as I stood from the table. "Some ponies need to show this wedding how it's done."

She raised an eyebrow as she smirked. "Oh?"

We stepped out to the center of the dance floor and the music started with a lively, upbeat number. Dusky bowed and I took the lead, setting a pace to the music that I knew she could follow, even if her dress slowed her down a little. Between the few times we'd gone dancing on dates, the strange combat dancing we'd found in Ostfriesen, and our sparring sessions under Mint's guidance, it felt like we were in sync closer than ever before. It might have only been my imagination, but I felt like on the dance floor, we were moving as one.

I changed my pace to let Dusky take the lead, and without hesitation she ran with it. I was grinning wide as we spun, ending the song face to face. As the music slowed to transition to the next song, I couldn't help but laugh.

Dusky smiled and laughed along, the festive atmosphere infectious.

The music changed to another recent hit, and I moved in closer to sway along with the music besides her. "See? We've got this."

She giggled. "It's not exactly a competition."

"But if it were, we could win it all."

"Maybe." She rolled her eyes with a laugh, swaying along to the music. "I'm just glad you're having a good time."

I nodded. "I... I love weddings. So full of love and laughter and, um, cake. Went to a few as a colt. Sun's and Mint's."

"They're very nice." Dusky's mouth quirked, and she shook her head. "Though, with the amount of work that went into planning it all, I should hope so."

I glanced towards the wedding party's table, where Terra and Stalwart sat side by side. I nudged Dusky to look as Terra laughed at some joke, then nuzzled into Stalwart, her face beaming. "I'd say you succeeded for the pony whom it matters the most to."

Dusky watched Terra a moment and nodded. "Definitely a success."

Giving her a nuzzle of my own, I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. "The ceremony was beautiful. And you look stunning in the dress."

She dipped her head back to look at the long aquamarine gown. "It's a little bit much for my tastes."

I tilted my head, considering her typically simple style. I traced the lines of the gown upward across her back and up her neckline, stopping to stare into her eyes. "Maybe. Then, I think maybe it's just you who's stunning."

Dusky shook her head, then leaned forward to kiss me. She pulled back and smirked. "Flatterer."

All I could respond with was a wide smile as we continued to dance.

After the third song, a much more fast-paced song began, and Dusky leaned in to shake her head. "I don't think I can keep up with that in this dress. Let's sit out a few."

I nodded and moved to lead her towards the table where I'd been seated. Dusky sat in Mahogany's seat, as he had since planted himself at the reception bar. Shifting closer to her, I settled down besides her and we watched the other ponies dance.

Our attention shifted over to the wedding party's table, as Merriweather eagerly began to drag the two stallions she'd walked the aisle with out at the same time. The first shook his head, ducking out and sneaking back to the table to escape her grasp. The second stallion wasn't quite so lucky, as he seemed more than ready to dance. As he trotted after at a leisurely pace, Merri apparently decided it just wasn't fast enough, and with a shimmer of her horn, magic pulled the hapless stallion in close, his expression caught somewhere between enthusiasm and discomfort.

Unsure if she was drunk, or if it was just Merri being Merri, I sighed. "I, um, hope she goes easy on them."

Dusky giggled. "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"Not sure she's who I'm worried about."

She grew quiet, soaking it all in. At last, she shifted in her chair. "Are you sure you're comfortable coming along on my trip?"

Turning to smile at her, I nodded. "I've got everything you recommended all packed up back home. Once I can pick it all up, I'll be all set."

Clearing her throat to announce her approach, Starshadow stepped up to the table from behind us. "How long will the two of you be gone?"

"Just about a month."

Starshadow smiled. "Not too long, then. Good. I hope you both enjoy your journey. We shall miss you both."

Dusky nodded, then chewed her lip a moment before she spoke with a more serious timber. "I'm counting on you and Merri to watch over things. To look after everyone." Her eyes glanced back towards the wedding party, lingering on Terra.

Following Dusky's gaze, Star nodded. "We will keep an eye on things. Don't let /that/ worry you." She leaned in on the emphasis.

I sighed, but nodded. "I'm sure everything will be fine. And if you need it, you know how to reach my sister, right? My dad?"

"We shall reach out to your family only if necessary." Star smiled to Dusky. "But I agree with Night Flurry, everything will be fine. You just enjoy your trip."

I shifted to set a hoof against her side and smiled. I could understand her worry, considering everything we'd been through, but I couldn't stand the thought of her missing out on what brought her the most joy. I'd seen her in Ostfriesen, in Oasis. I'd seen how happy it made her to see new sights and experience new things. I wanted to be there while she did it on her own terms.

A sharp whistle drew me out of my thoughts and towards the wedding party's table. The best stallion waved everypony's attention towards him as the music ended. "Will every single mare please take the dance floor. Our lovely bride, Mrs. Terrabona, will now be throwing the bouquet. Good luck, ladies!"

Dusky seemed to have snapped out of her thoughts too, glancing at me with a grin. "I suppose I should go give it a try."

"I, err, oh? You… you want to try to catch the bouquet?"

She giggled. "I don't see why not. Coming, Star?"

Starshadow glanced out at the dance floor, where Merri seemed to be staking out a prime piece of the floor, her previous dance partner quickly escaping. "I believe I shall pass. It is best if I do not compete with my sister over these types of things."

"Suit yourself." Dusky walked out onto the dance floor again, stepping alongside Merri and saying something to her. Merri responded, then turned to look back at me, wiggling her eyebrows.

I sighed, feeling my face blush. "Star, your sister is..."

Star sat down at the table next to me. "Incorrigible? Overexcitable? A poor listener?"

Shaking my head, I chuckled. "Yeah, all of that."

"She is enjoying herself a great deal, though. This wedding has been a blessed event." She laughed quietly as we watched the last of the mares participating line up and Terra taking her place. "I never would have foreseen the path that led here, but I am glad that Merriweather and I were able to attend."

"Everypony ready?" Terra turned away from the dance floor, holding her bouquet aloft in her magical grasp. As the ponies cheered, Terra lifted it high, then spun, not exactly throwing back and more throwing forward, like spiking a volleyball with her horn, straight into the crowd.

Reacting fast, Dusky threw up a wing, catching the bouquet before it struck her. She glared at Terra, who only smirked in response.

Starshadow leaned in closer and whispered. "Perhaps we shall have a second wedding to attend soon, hm?"

Terrabona was staring right at me, an evil grin spread over her face. Her words from within the flower shop coming back to haunt me. 'Haven't arranged yours yet, now have I?'

I had the engagement stone all packed up back home, set in a small box alongside all the things Dusky had listed out for me to have at the ready. I had it all planned out, more or less, to find Dusky's favorite place, the place on the trip she wanted to show me the most, and to find the perfect moment to ask to continue our journey together, not just through Equestria, but through life.

My eyes fell on Dusky. She was staring at me, holding the bouquet. I almost wanted to shout out an apology, or to just sink under the table, unsure why I felt so embarrassed at that moment.

She watched me a moment, then simply nodded.

My heart beat wildly, but I drew in a breath and nodded back. As Dusky smiled and turned to head towards the front table, stepping up to prepare for the throwing of the garter, I turned to Starshadow. "Just... maybe. Yeah."

64 - New Experiences

Once Terra and Stalwart had departed for their honeymoon sendoff, the guests began to filter out of the reception. The best stallion was going foalsit for Aster while the newlyweds were off, carrying her away as the filly's energy finally died out. Some of the guests had booked rooms at the resort hotel for the night, but Dusky and I had train tickets back home.

After a few more dances, some cake, and a wonderful night with friends, we said our goodbyes to everypony. It wasn't just goodbye from the wedding either, but in preparation for Dusky's big trip. We'd only be gone a month or so, but I was still feeling a little anxious about it all.

The train back to Ponyville was nice, if quiet. The long wedding and the anticipated flight ahead of us resulted in Dusky napping on the train, resting against me sleepily, a state which I was more than happy to indulge.

I gently woke her shortly before the train pulled back into Ponyville. The sun was setting low to the horizon, and with a hug, we parted for the night. We each planned to head home, gather our things, and meet up to start our journey first thing in the morning.

Up at sunrise, I made sure Spring had everything she needed while I was gone and ate a quick snack to tide me over. I strapped on my flight satchels, filled with the various items Dusky had recommended to me for the trip, said goodbye to Spring, and set out.

"Canterlot first." Dusky had said as we started on our way, Celestia's sun just breaking over the horizon. "I don't want to overwhelm you at the first stop."

Strangely, the part I was least expecting was the hotel. In part, I think I'd assumed we'd be camping out in the wilderness, a more cross country trip. Instead, Dusky had booked a room at one of the smaller scale hotels in the Lunar District. It wasn't one of the big fancy hotels, but it was certainly more than I had been thinking.

We received our room keys and dropped off our luggage when Dusky turned to me with an apologetic smile. "I've got some last minute things to take care of now that we're here. I promise I won't be long."

I asked to go along, but she'd told me that this was something she had to do alone. They weren't just ordinary errands, but meetings with contacts that wouldn't know me, and wouldn't trust me. As much as I wished Dusky didn't need to do that kind of thing, I had seen too much not to understand. I gave Dusky a hug and asked her to be careful, and with that I was on my own.

The room itself wasn’t anything special. It reminded me of Myrtail Beach, except the generic beach artwork here was replaced by more generic artwork of flowers and mountainsides. Our flight satchels were set down on a wide desk set against the wall.

There was a small sofa facing a window, with the curtains still drawn. Between them was a low table on which sat several tourist brochures neatly spread across it. The part that tripped me up was the bed. Dusky had booked a room with only a single bed. It both did and didn’t feel strange to me. We’d spent a few nights together, both after everything that had happened in Fillydelphia, and during our travel to Ostfriesen. Still, this was different, somehow. This felt deliberate in a way those other times had felt impulsive, or forced.

I wasn’t going to complain, however. It was as much the reason I’d come along as anything else. I wanted to be with her. This was a sign that she wanted to be with me as well. This whole trip was a sign of that, despite how hard it was for me to believe.

I slung my flight satchel from the desktop over to the table and started to unpack. It was worth double checking, or in this case triple checking since I’d gone through the bags once that morning. I set everything out carefully on the the table, reciting to myself the list Dusky had given me of what to bring. The trip to Ostfriesen had been something of a primer, though this time I’d had a bit more time to get everything together.

I dug through the various care products and pulled out the small bit purse stowed in the bags. Beneath that sat the tiny black box that I had packed especially for this trip. I flipped open the lid and looked down at the piece of jewelry inside.

This was insane. I was insane. Still, there was nothing else I could do. If I could go on this trip with her, if I could find the courage to explore the world with her, then there was no reason I shouldn’t ask.

Unless it really was insane. I’d been across Equestria and beyond, always on the heels of crisis, and it always left me feeling terrified and unsure. I took a deep breath as I stared down at the table, covered in all the travel goods. The voice in the back of my mind told me I was just a fraud. It was only a matter of time before I disappointed Dusky. I might panic, or be too stressed to stay with her, or even in the proposal itself. This was all such a bad idea. I had no right to be here.

My ears perked up as I heard the door unlocking. I don’t know how long I’d been sitting there over thinking, but as Dusky pushed the door open, I hurriedly closed the jewelry box and shoved it back deep into my flight satchel. I stood swiftly and spun to face her.

She trotted in with a small white bag tucked under her wing and a beautiful smile on her face. “I’m back.”

I twitched, glancing back at the mess on the table and sighed, then forced a smile and tried to push away the darker thoughts. “W-welcome back, Dusky. You, um, find what you were looking for?”

Dusky nodded, “Yeah. Plus a couple extra goodies.” She extended her wing to hold up the paper bag.

I tilted my head, trying to make out the logo. “A… bag? What’s that?”

She just grinned as she set the bag down on the desk. “Donuts.”

The bag logo showed a yellow unicorn stallion in a chef’s apron standing inside the ring of a donut, a speech bubble proudly proclaiming ‘Donut Joe’s!’ to the side.

It was certainly not what I had been expecting, but that was starting to become a trend. “Sounds good, then!”

Dusky unfolded the bag to reveal a half dozen doughnuts of various variety. “I hope you like honey-glaze. If not, I got some chocolate sprinkles and… Boulonnais Creams.”

I stepped over towards her and nuzzled her cheek. “I… I’ve never tried a honey-glaze donut before.”

“Really?” She lifted a donut out of the bag. “Well, you’ve been missing out.”

So much of my life had been wasted on my fears and doubts, her statement could have applied to anything. I lifted a donut out of the bag and stared down at it. “I… I really have, yeah.”

It was such a small and simple act, bringing donuts, but I don’t know if Dusky could have done anything more perfect to snap me out of my head. She always knew what to say, what to do, to raise my spirits.

I ate it eagerly, letting my smile grow as I chewed. It was sweet, almost too sugary, with a crispness to the outside of the cake. I savored it, not just for the flavor, but for the feeling. I finished and stepped up to hug Dusky tight.

She giggled. “Glad you liked it.”

Shaking my head, I released her. “It’s not just that… I’ve just felt a little… anxious. Anxious about the trip. I’m still not sure what I was expecting, and it’s been building all morning. What am I doing? Just a feeling that… that I shouldn’t be here. And then… you bring me donuts.”

Dusky gave me a quick nuzzle. “I understand the anxiety. There’s a lot to think about, but you can’t let every little thing get to you.”

I sighed. “I’m just worrying over nothing, but there’s so much I’m missing out on. It might be silly, but that includes honey-glazed donuts… and I shouldn’t get worked up when I have you to guide me.”

“I’m just happy to help. And happy to have you with me.” She nibbled at her own doughnut.

Climbing over to the bed, I settled down on my side and watched Dusky. “You’re… you really are my best friend, Dusky. Thank you. I really do love you.”

Finishing her donut, she followed me up onto the bed and lay down, nuzzling her head against into my mane. “I love you too, Night Light.”

I grinned wide, my fears momentarily forgotten. “So, with your contacts met, where are we going next? Any plans for Canterlot?”

She nodded, leaning against me. “I’ve got a few places in mind that I thought you might like to see. What would you think of an insider tour of Canterlot University?”

I extended a wing to cover Dusky’s side. “There’s a lot of places I’ve never been to. And I’ve never toured Canterlot University beside the most beautiful mare in Equestria.”

She giggled and leaned more heavily against me, shifting her weight against my side and resting her head against my neck. “You flatterer, you.”

Giving her a squeeze with my wing, I grinned. “Just the truth, Dusky.”

Dusky leaned up to kiss my cheek before resting back down. “It’s fortunate that the mare happens to have the sweetest stallion she’s ever known accompanying her, then.”

“And… my day only gets sweeter.” I blushed, letting Dusky rest against me as we lay on the bed. “You… want to head out, then?”

She smiled. “I’m in no hurry. We’ll be here for a few days, and I’m content to stay like this for awhile, my sweetest, most considerate coltfriend.”

I blinked, feeling the heat rise in my face. “Now and forever, Dusky. I’m in no hurry at all.” I nuzzled against her mane, shifting beneath Dusky to let her snuggle closer.

She took advantage and let out a deep, contented sigh as I squeezed my wing around her again. This was not how I had been expecting our trip to start. I didn’t know where our path would take us, but at this moment it didn’t matter. Feeling her heartbeat, her breathing, both so close to me, I was positive there was nothing in Equestria or beyond she could show me that would be more beautiful than her. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, holding the moment close.

66 - Ancient History

The University tour continued for a few more hours as we poked through obscure nooks and crannies. Ruby was clearly enjoying herself, giving a ‘behind-the-scenes’ tour that was half sales-pitch, and half faculty gossip. By the end, I knew all the graduation statistics for students who attended Canterlot University, but also all the tawdry details of a recent inquest into a teacher’s gross misuse of gravity magic upon her students in her physics lectures.

The tour itself was relatively mundane, though Ruby did her best to keep us moving and inject plenty of humor and personal stories. Still, with few exceptions, one classroom looked much like another. I might have gotten a bit bored, but there was plenty to pay attention to beyond just the long corridors and bizarre art.

The most fascinating part of the tour was in watching Ruby and Dusky interact. It was clear that they were a more than just friends. There was a level of trust between them that I rarely saw Dusky show with any pony. It was almost unbelievable to think that I was one of those few lucky ponies as well. It wasn’t as if Dusky had dropped her guard, but she had certainly lowered it.

Ruby walked with us back towards the University’s main entrance, giving Dusky a hug as we prepared to depart. “I’ll see you again when you get home, yes? I look forward to seeing what kinds of puzzles you bring back for me this time.”

Dusky laughed and hugged back. “I’ll keep my eyes open for something special.”

Releasing Dusky, Ruby turned to me and frowned, growing surprisingly serious considering the attitude she’d had on display during the tour. “And you, Night Flurry. Dusky is a rare one, but she certainly knows how to get herself into trouble. You take care of her, you hear?”

I started to speak, but hesitated as I realized that Ruby surely knew about the things that had happened in Dusky’s past. Her request was more than just a friendly reminder, it was a mandate, from one pony who knew what lie behind those words to another. It was a massive display of trust in me from a pony I hardly knew. I dipped my head out of respect, but also to hide the blush in my cheeks. “In so much as I’m able to, I will. You can count on it.”

She stepped forward and gave me a surprisingly tight hug as well. I nearly cried out in surprise, but after a moment I managed to awkwardly lift a hoof to hug back. She backed up with a grin. “Good. You two take care. And when you get to Lunar Lake, enjoy the show.” She winked.

“The show?” I glanced at Dusky, having no clue what Ruby was talking about. She hadn't made any mention of us seeing a show.

Dusky only shook her head with a wide smile, and an enticing promise. “You’ll have to wait and see.”

We bid our farewells and then flew out from the front of the University, Dusky giving me a flyover view of the well-kept gardens which surrounded the University before we steered back over the streets to return to our hotel.

The Canterlot Museum of Art and History was in the same district of the city as the University, and several other prestigious institutions which I had never been to. Boasting the ‘greatest collection of pre-Equestria artifacts’, as well as a special display on Princess Platinum’s royal gowns, the Museum was filled with a lot of things I’d never dreamed of seeing. I was understandably excited, and Dusky was grinning just as wide as she guided me through the exhibits.

Past the initial displays, the most impressive thing to me was the Hall of Armor. I gaped like a foal as I looked across the rows of armor that had once been worn by the Pegasus Royal Legion, now on loan from the Cloudsdale archival collection. There was still some magic in it all for me, in those heroes of old. I’d grown up hearing stories of Flash Magnus and the Royal Legion, along with the stories of our own family heroes who had for so long served as a part of the Equestrian Guard which had been formed in part as an evolution of the Royal Legion.

One suit of armor was a recreation, using original materials to show what these artifacts would have looked like when they were originally worn. While impressive, the recreation wasn’t nearly as impactful as the authentic pieces. Those had been restored by the museum to clean them and prevent further decay, but they had not been repaired. The old holes were left unpatched, and battle damage had been left alone by the restoration team, grim reminders of how many of the Royal Legion met their ends.

It was a more powerful exhibit to me than it may have been to most. These were things which had belonged to true heroes, legends which I had once wished to emulate. It made me feel a strange kind of shame that I hadn’t felt in years. Knighthood and duty had been proven to not be for me, though. The shame was countered by my more recently discovered resolve. I had found something else to be devoted to, and she was worth it all.

Dusky nudged against me, drawing me back out of the exhibit. "Something up?"

"Oh, seeing all of this, set up like this, it just reminds me of the things I used to want." I turned to smile at her. "Before I found something better."

She laughed, but the grin on her face was genuine. "Flatterer."

We started to move to the next exhibit, but it felt like a good moment to slip in the question I'd hoped to hear her answer in anticipation of my other plan. My proposal. "So... all these places you have planned for us to visit on this trip, um, do you have a favorite?"

She glanced up as we walked, considering for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't really have a favorite. I think every place has its own charm."

I frowned, hoping she might have a more definite answer, but I tried to recover my expression quickly. Maybe I just needed to shift the question. "There's no place that you're more excited about visiting? Or, which is more special?"

Dusky must have caught it, because she gave me a strange look before she answered. "Well, every place is special to me for its own reasons. Reasons unique enough that comparison is quite difficult.”

With a nod, I glanced over at one of the other exhibits. "I suppose it's like this museum. Everything in here is important, and unique. I guess I was just wondering if there was a place that impacted you more so than others."

She shook her head, "Yes and no. Everyplace I visit leaves some impression on me. I guess you could say I included all my top picks when I planned our route, though."

Everyplace was special. We were visiting all of her top picks. That certainly made things harder to select just the right place. Still, there was something special about that in itself. I smiled. "Well, I'm looking forward to it, then. I want to see more, and see why every place is so special to you."

Dusky smiled back warmly. "Sounds like a plan."

Nothing else in the museum was quite as impactful, or as impressive, as the Hall of Armor, but there was still plenty to take in. It was like walking forward in time, over a thousand years in the past forward into the more modern days, seeing how Canterlot, and Equestria, had evolved.

Dusky seemed to linger longest on the expansive artifact collection which had been funded by A.K. Yearling. "I suppose it shouldn’t be any surprise that someone who writes about this kind of stuff would help fund real expeditions, but at the same time, I think the sheer amount she’s put into this is quite admirable. t's just impressive that somepony who writes about these kinds of things so extensively turns around to invest her money back into uncovering history. She must really love the subject matter."

The room was huge, and filled with all sorts of strange and unique artifacts from all corners of Equestria, and beyond. The collection was enough on its own, without knowing that it had all been found because of a single mare's devotion to archaeology. "Well, I guess it gives her more material for her books?"

Dusky giggled. "Probably. I really need to loan you my copies of Daring Do. I think you'd really enjoy them."

Though the life of Daring Do was probably a far cry from the real archaeology work that had been done to unearth these relics, seeing them like this was inspiring. The art that came afterwards just wasn't nearly as exciting, and we Dusky was certainly still thinking of that last exhibit, trying to tell me about the Daring Do series without spoiling the books for me. About an hour later, we'd completed our circuit around the museum, coming back around towards where we began.

Dusky leaned in closer as we approached the exit. "So, what do you want to do for supper?"

"Nothing too fancy... I'm not sure I'm all that interested in high class Canterlot portions."

Dusky giggled. "Well, this is the university district. It's a little less fancy than all that. You in the mood for anything in particular?"

I shook my head. "No. Maybe something new? There's a lot I haven't tried, and you're very good at surprising me."

"Something new, then. I think I know the perfect place."

We made our way for the door, but I slowed as we passed the gift shop. There was a small problem that had been bothering me since before we'd left, and suddenly a solution had presented itself. "Hey, Dusky? While we're here, I'm going to get some postcards."

Dusky turned to walk me. "Sure. You thinking of sending a few back home?"

I started looking through the designs, pulling out a few displaying the exhibits I'd enjoyed the most. "Yeah, it's something I've been feeling a little guilty about. I mean, I just reconnected with them, and then I'm leaving again, even if just for a month."

She smiled. "I'm sure they'd appreciate that."

One for Mom and Dad, a postcard apiece for each of my Sisters, one for Merri and Star, another for Mahogany. One for Terra, though I didn't know when she'd be back after her honeymoon to get them. One for the weather office. I turned to Dusky. "Anypony you want to send a postcard to? Should I get one for your parents?"

Dusky laughed. "I should be fine. I'm sure they'd appreciate it, but they can be a little more difficult to get a postcard to when they're on the road together."

"Oh right, out trading." No place to really send that postcard where they'd get it quickly or easily. I pondered. "What about Ruby?"

"She'd probably get a kick out of getting a postcard or two." She stuck out her tongue. "But I doubt there's anything in this museum she hasn't seen."

I nodded. "Well, I can pick one up for her at our next stop, then. In the meantime, I'll just get one for everypony else!"

She looked down at the stack of nearly a dozen postcards. "Are you writing to everyone in the bar? Or everyone in Ponyville? Be careful you don't get writer's cramp."

Stepping into line, I sorted through the postcards and counted them out to myself. The stack wasn't that big. "I'm used to doing lots of reports at work. These will just be a quick update, and an address. Easy. And I think it'll be fun, too."

Dusky leaned in closer to nuzzle against my mane as we waited to pay for the postcards. "I'll have to pick out something for dinner that'll give you the energy to write all those postcards."

I flashed Dusky a smile, feeling excited about everything in that moment. "Whatever you pick will be perfect, I'm sure."

67 - Moon Lights

Flying towards Lunar Lake, I have to admit I was growing more and more curious with every mile. Down the mountain out of Canterlot, and then over the main road and out across a forest. It was a mundane flight in many ways, but I still drank in every detail. At some point as the town came into sight, Dusky pointed a hoof down to direct me down to ground level.

We set down and walked for the final stretch to enter the town. It had a look wholly unlike Ponyville or Canterlot. The buildings were surprisingly plain, almost as if they were trying to avoid the flair and design choices which made the buildings in other cities stand out. Everything was trying to be… old, or to seem uncared for, but a second glance revealed that the lack of care was all a very, very carefully crafted deception.

It was all a front. A town trying to appear old, and certainly parts of it were old, but there was a lot of care in making sure it still looked old. I only had to look at their weather work to see just how much they were keeping things up to date. The sky was well maintained, with wholly up-to-date placement and patterns. I began to suspect that if I could just look a layer beneath all the appearance, the town was a lot more than it appeared.

“Well, it, um, certainly looks old?” The streets were filled with ponies with cameras, bearing colorful shirts and large hats that clearly painted them as non-natives.

Giving me a knowing look, Dusky giggled. “That’s part of the experience.”

“It does feel like a really big museum.” I started to see the charm, though it certainly wasn’t what I was expecting after how much it had been talked up by Ruby. “Is that why you find Lunar Lake special?”

“Kind of. But this is more of a prelude to the real show.” Dusky grinned wickedly, preempting my next question. “And no, I’m not telling.”

I glanced at one of the houses, an old time shop which had even gone so far as to set-up a hoof carved sign listing out their wares. “Well, I look forward to the surprise.”

She shook her head. “Sorry to say you’ll have to wait a bit longer. The show isn’t until tonight. Besides, we still have to check into the hotel.”

“That’s fine.” I smiled to myself, thinking of the time in Canterlot, just snuggled up with Dusky in the hotel. “More time, with, um, a beautiful mare for me.”

She tilted her head towards me and smirked. “Flatterer.”

The Lunar Lake Inn was an impressive sight, for such a humble sounding name. It sat at the end of the main road, only two stories high, it made up for its lack of height by stretching out down the street.

In front of the entrance were several carriages with the hotel’s moon logo etched on the door. Ponies in uniform stood at the ready to load up any luggage for visitors. I glanced at the nearby sign. “Cross-grounds taxis?”

Dusky giggled. “Tourism is big here. But, due to their authenticity rule, they can’t build up. So, they decided to build sideways, which has led to this rather unique situation.”

She lifted her hoof, tracing down the length of the hotel, but then motioned further beyond that to next building, and the next. She shifted weight to point to the buildings on the other side from the central building as well.

“W-wow.” At least five buildings, two on either side of the main building, and if they needed taxis to reach the rest, then there might be more than that. All for this one hotel.

“We shouldn’t need it though. I booked us in early enough that they should give us a room in the main building.” She motioned forward and started to head in.

“Oh.” I spent a moment more looking at the carriages. Something about the moon icon seemed familiar in a curious way. I almost regretted the chance to ride in one, just for the experience.

As predicted, we checked in and found ourselves on the second floor of the main building with a view facing out over the street. The room was as rustic looking as the town itself. The beds looked like they were just fashioned from old wood, though still smooth enough not to actually disturb a pony’s rest, it seemed. On the wall were old fashioned oil paintings, the kind we’d just recently seen in the Canterlot Museum of Art and History, dated back a few hundred years.

Dusky came alongside me. “So, what do you think?”

I glanced around the room, taking it all in again. “They’re really serious about this, aren’t they?”

She nodded. “Of course. Tourism is their livelihood and quaint is what sells.”

I considered, looking out the window. “They, um, need to work on their clouds, then.”

She glanced up towards the pegasi moving through the sky. “Oh?”

I nodded, thinking back to my first impressions of the town. “Too many weather workers. They should drift freely.”

With another giggle, she leaned in closer to me. “You can take it up with management the next time we go down.”

To say that the blindfold caught me off guard would be an understatement. Dusky lifted up a strip of cloth and grinned sheepishly. "I just want you to get the full experience. Part of that is the surprise."

I nodded, shifting forward as she reached forward to tie the blindfold. I closed the eyes as she brought the cloth across my face, and when I opened them again, it remained dark.

She didn't wrap it too tightly, and once she had it secured I heard her voice next to me, still as lovely as ever. "You'll have to let me guide you there."

"Easy enough." I grinned as she came closer alongside me. "You know I trust you."

She giggled a little. "Good. Now, just step forward, and follow my lead." Her wing wrapped around my body, and with a gentle nudge, we began to walk.

I'd never quite had an experience like this. There were times, tackling storm clouds for work, when they could block out everything, completely dominating my sight. In those cases, it was like the storm clouds swallowed me whole, and it was the only thing in my perception. Instead, the blindfold just cut off my sense of sight, rather than overshadowing it. There was darkness, with vague hints of light around the edges, but not enough of anything for me to make out where I was, or where we were going.

The nearby sounds gave hints, however. The ambient noise of the hotel were first, hooves on the floor and the wheels of luggage being dragged behind ponies as they checked in to the sound of a ringing bell at the front desk. We pushed through the revolving door carefully, and back out onto the streets of Lunar Lake.

Once we’d stepped out of the hotel, the crowd noises increased. It wasn’t the standard city sounds I’d have expected after coming from Canterlot. Rather than the sounds of carriages and the din of hundreds of ponies all going about their own business, Lunar Lake had a strange tranquility to it. There were hoofsteps and quiet talking, and the occasional sound of one of the cross-grounds taxis. Maybe it was only because of the blindfold, but there was a sense of peace all around.

Dusky pulled in closer, and I could hear the excitement in her voice. “Just a little further.”

As she said that, I began to notice the city sounds were fading out, and my ears twitched at the sound of nearby water. The cobblestone beneath my hooves switched to wood, and all around me was a gentle hum that almost sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

I continued forward down what I assumed was a dock out over the town’s titular lake.

Dusky signalled for a halt. When I stopped, her wing lifted off my back and she continued forward. I could hear her hooves stop before she turned in place in front of me. “Okay, you can take it off now.”

Excitement rose in me as I brought up a hoof to my head, raising the cloth off of my eyes.

The first thing I saw was Dusky, a wide grin upon her face that melted my heart. Behind her was a small table, with two cushions set side by side. On top of the table there was a small reservation card with our names on it, surrounded by bowls of snacks, along with glasses of water and a pitcher, and two menus. A romantic dinner out upon the lake, sitting next to Dusky in the midst of this peaceful town was more than I could have imagined. I looked back at Dusky, but she only smirked, and arced her eyes upward.

I followed her gaze upwards and froze. The moon loomed, seemingly bigger than I’d ever seen it, even when I’d flown up into the atmosphere to be closer to it. Warmer too, tinted yellow like a giant paper lantern hanging overhead. As I tried to take it in, I saw the movement around us. I spun, trying to see it all. With the moon directly overhead, the whole lake glowed in reflection, as if we sat in the midst of a sea of gold. Motes of light flickered up from the water, tracing ribbons through the air, fading slowly before being replaced by new designs moments later.

All I could do was laugh, swept up in the show. “It… it’s amazing.”

“I’m glad you think so.” Dusky giggled, nudging me forward towards the cushions with her wing.

I vacantly moved forward, unable to pull my eyes away from the beauty all around me.. “I… do. I absolutely do. I had no idea there was a place like this in Equestria. I had no idea there was a place like this anywhere!”

Dusky nodded, pointing her forehoof out to trace one of the colored strands of light. “This only happens when a full moon touches the water. No one has been able to explain why, but some of the older legends claim it was a gift from Princess Luna herself. One thing I do know is that out of all the times I’ve been here, the lights have never been the same twice.”

“Amazing… just… amazing.” I lowered my eyes back to Dusky as she leaned in to steal a kiss. I met her lips, holding the moment there amidst the lake, and all the wonder and power of the lake faded into the background in comparison. When she pulled back, I blushed. “But it still doesn’t compare…”

Dusky took a seat on one of the cushions, and raised an eyebrow. “Compare to what?”

I followed, settling in on the cushion next to her. “To you.”

She blinked once, then blushed as she stared back at me. “You really believe that?”

“Of course I do… you’re beautiful. Your coat, your wings, your mane… your smile. Your eyes…” I stared into them, the reflections of the dancing moonlight reflected in their depths.

Dusky laughed awkwardly, shifting in her seat. “To be honest, you talk me up so much, sometimes I wonder if I’m the mare you think I am.”

With a frown, I slumped slightly. “A-am I coming across too hard? I mean… I don’t mean to embarrass you.... I mean, I used to think you were perfect… and that’s a bit too far. But… you really are beautiful… the good and the bad.”

She leaned forward to nuzzle against my neck. “Well, that’s good. I’m not perfect. I think that you can see that is a good sign of how far we’ve come. Even if you get carried away by your romantic side.”

I chuckled in return. “Well, I’m far from perfect, too, after all. When we started dating, you… you would say things about me that I didn’t think were true. I guess it’s that same feeling… just… ‘how can she see me in that way?’”

Dusky glanced up. “You didn’t put enough stock in yourself.”

“I didn’t… but I guess, it feels like you don’t put enough in yourself either. I… it may seem silly but… I’m…” I felt my face growing red, feeling extremely uncomfortable, even though I knew the words were truth. “I’m very attracted to you… I mean… ph-physically. You’re so beautiful.”

She stared a moment, then wrapped her forehooves around me. “I… thank you, Night. I feel the same way about you.”

I took a deep breath and hugged back. “That’s almost too good to believe. No matter what you look like, Dusky, once I got to know you, I fell in love with you for you. And you’re so beautiful to me because I love you.”

She smiled, slowly letting go of the hug. “That’s more than I could hope for. I love you too, Night Light.”

It struck me like lightning. This was the moment. This had to be the moment! The perfect moment, between the moon and the golden lake, surrounded by light and love. I reached back with a wing and froze. My packs were back in the hotel. Dusky had blindfolded me to come here, then guided me out. Everything was still there, engagement stone included. My face fell.

“Everything alright?”

I blinked back to the moment. “Yeah… yeah. Just… thinking of something else. Sorry.”

She nuzzled my cheek, then glanced towards the table. “Well, handsome, we’re missing a one-of-a-kind show, and haven’t even touched our food.”

I smiled guiltily, “I… suppose I can watch you any time, but I can never see this show again, can I?”

Dusky nodded and turned back to look out over the lake. “You’ll never see another show like it.”

Shifting on my cushion I turned towards the moon, watching the lights dance across the water. I let out a peaceful sigh, simply marveling at the sight. Yet still, every so often that night I would sneak a look at Dusky. Surrounded by the most unique spectacle in Equestria, it could still not compare to the joy in the eyes of the mare I loved.

68 - Rooftop Rendezvous

I couldn't sleep. We'd gotten back to the hotel late after finishing the most wonderful, beautiful dinner of my life. Everything had been perfect, the atmosphere, the food, the lights, and of course, Dusky. The only flaw was in me, that I couldn't ask her the question when the time was right.

The room was dark now, only a sliver of light through the curtains from the full moon. I had never seen anything like the light show over Lunar Lake. The dancing ribbons and sparkles of light had been entrancing, drawing me in to watch for hours as Dusky and I had eaten our dinner, an amazing meal that seemed mundane in comparison to the show on display just for us, out in the middle of the lake.

I’d shared that moment with Dusky, and it would be a memory I would treasure forever after, but still, I felt like I’d screwed up. I’d spent all this time looking for a perfect moment, hoping to surprise Dusky when everything was right, when the moon aligned with the stars. I hadn’t expected that to be literal, but it had happened over the Lake that night, and I’d failed to be ready.

I sighed beneath my breath as I watched Dusky sleep. She was curled up, resting her head against my mane. Her fore hooves were pulled in close to her chest. Her mane was untied, the elastic she used to pull it into a ponytail sat on the hotel counter. It gave her a natural look, wild. Beautiful.

A frown crossed her lips, and I responded in kind. I didn’t like to see her upset, not while she was awake, nor while she was asleep. Though she might not think she was anything special, in my eyes, she was beautiful beyond compare. The poetry that sprung into my mind whenever I looked at her made me want to weep to see her face in turmoil

I leaned my head in, kissing her forehead gently. “You deserve so much, Dusky Down. To have a good, normal life, to go where you please without fear. To see the world and all the beautiful things in it. You just… you deserve to be happy.”

I can’t imagine it would do anything to help, but not for the first time I found myself wishing for my words to guide her somewhere safe. Whatever she was dreaming about, a look of determination fell across her face, and slowly it turned back into a look of peace. I waited to ensure she was alright, then slowly turned back to my thoughts.

I wanted to tell her my plans. I trusted her advice, but she was the one pony I couldn’t tell what I was going to do without ruining it. It made it frustrating and all the dumber that I had failed to ask when the time was right.

The sliver of moonlight called to me. For as stupid as it seemed, the moon was perhaps the only other pony I could trust. It had been a long time since I’d felt the need to talk to her. In the past, I’d always spoken to her when I was alone, and thanks to Dusky, to Mahogany and the others at the Lusty Seapony, it had been sometime since I’d been alone. Maybe it would help clear my mind.

Making sure I didn’t disturb Dusky, I quietly slipped out from beneath the covers of the old wood bed. I snuck over to the desk, grabbing a quill in my wing and a piece of hotel stationary with my hoof, I penned a quick note, just in case Dusky were to wake up. “Need some air. Please, don’t worry. I’ll be back.” I signed the note, and grabbed my flight satchels.

One last look back at Dusky to make sure I hadn’t disturbed her, and I was out of the room, closing the door behind me as quietly as possible.

The hallway was exceptionally quiet, making each of my hoofsteps sound intrusive as I slipped over towards the stairs. I moved down and crossed through the lobby, smiling awkwardly at the pony currently standing behind the counter as I headed towards the door out into the night.

The taxi carriages were all still present, but no pony was there waiting to provide service. Despite it being the middle of the night, it was surprisingly bright out, the moon nearly as bright as the sun on a cloudless day, illuminating everything. Lunar Lake’s limited verticality and clear weather didn’t give me many options, but the moon was big enough in the sky that I just needed an unobstructed view, and the hotel rooftop was as good as any.

Flying up took only a few seconds, and I landed on the roof with ease. No wind, no clouds, the air was perfect. I walked up to the edge of the roof opposite the street, and looked back out over the lake proper.

There were no lights this time, no golden moonlight reflected into the water. The moon hung in the sky over the horizon, nearing the end of its nightly journey.

It was blank, of course. It had been years since the Mare in the Moon disappeared, after the dreadful event with Nightmare Moon. A shiver ran down my spine, thinking of that moment, helpless within the town hall when she'd appeared. The Mare in the Moon herself, but not as I had imagined her. When Princess Celestia returned to the town and introduced her long forgotten, long suffering sister, Princess Luna, that was the pony I had felt like I'd known for years.

My Father once told me that I was named for the second of Celestia's gifts. My eldest sister was named for the sun, and I, for the night. Maybe it was part of why I felt so apart from my family’s expectations. They had expected a colt favored by Celestia. Instead, I was always more comfortable in the light of the moon. Until Princess Luna returned, I simply never had a name or a face to put with the sense of peace I felt when I looked into the night sky.

I wasn't naive enough to think she could actually hear me, of course. It was all for my own comfort. Still, it was somepony to talk to when I had no one else who would listen. I dipped my head respectfully towards the Moon, closing my eyes before I began.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it? I guess... a lot has changed. I'm not even sure how long it's been since I last talked to you, but... I don't know who else to turn to. I... I can't talk to Dusky about this."

I sighed as I sloughed off my flight satchels to reach down inside and pull out the tiny box that was the focus of all my anxiety. I clicked the box open to look at the small setting within. "It's not like I don't trust her... I just... well, it's obvious."

The moon didn't answer, of course.

I laughed at myself, feeling silly about it all. "I just..."

"Night?"

I clapped the box closed in an instant, turning to see Dusky standing several feet away. "I... um, Dusky... I... didn't think I woke you."

She shook her head, looking me over with concern obvious on her face. "Are you okay?"

"I... yes? I... no. I don't know." I slumped slightly in place, feeling all the worse for worrying her.

She unfolded a wing, reaching out to lift my chin up. "Don't know?"

Nodding, I turned my head to look back at the moon. "I needed... I don't know. I needed s-some time, and... someone to talk with about..."

She brushed her feathers against my face to tilt my head back towards her. "Talk about what, Night? Is something wrong?"

"N-nothing wrong... I just..." I reached up to wipe away tears pooling in my eyes with a hoof. I couldn't lie to her, especially not now. Not like this. "I-I just worry about the things that I can't talk to you about..."

Her ears dropped, a frown crossing her face. "Like what?"

"Like..." I grew quiet, suddenly ashamed. I couldn't look her in the face and say to her that I couldn't talk to her about... I paused. About what?

Nothing. There was nothing. I opened my mouth, and closed it again.

She watched me closely, leaning closer. "Night? Are you sure you're alright?"

I laughed once, feeling a weight lift off of me. I was such a fool to worry, when the answer was right in front of me. Dusky was right in front me. I took a deep breath. "Dusky?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"You know, from the moment I saw you, all I wanted was to be with you. To see you smile, and hear you laugh. I just wanted to make you happy, but I wasn't able to tell you that. It was just chance that we met in the bar that night... maybe fate, but that doesn't matter now. It set me on a path which changed my life."

I looked up at her, seeing her tilt her head curiously before I continued. "I couldn't have walked that path alone, but you were there, and for some reason, you decided to help guide me. The more I learned about you, the more I longed to be with you, and not just in the good times. I want to stand with you in the hard times, to comfort you... to be your Night Light in the darkness."

She smiled.

"We've faced darkness. Time and again, we've seen the worst life has to throw at us, and we've overcome it. We've grown stronger. Together, there's nothing we can't do. I love you. And I look into your eyes, and I know I'm the luckiest stallion in Equestria, because I can see that same love returned."

I reached back into my flight satchel to retrieve the box, holding it in one hoof. "There is nothing that I could deny you. Nothing within my power to give that you cannot have. And nothing you could ask of me that would be too great a task. There is literally nothing in this world I could give you that says how deep my love is, and so all I can offer are shadows, trinkets that pale in comparison to what we have."

I snapped open the lid of the box, revealing the hairpin, crafted into the gear-shape representation of her cutie mark and set with a black diamond in the center. Between each of the teeth was a small blue sapphire, and Dusky's face fell from a smile into a shocked surprise.

"Dusky. Dusky, please, will you do me the honor... the privilege, of allowing me to spend the rest of my life with you." I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling my heart beat out of my chest as I finally said the words. "Dusky Down, will you marry me?"

She stared down at the hairpin for only a moment before she looked back up at me. I could each heart beat in my chest. One. Two. Three.

"Yes." She croaked out a whisper, before she broke into a wide smile. "Yes, Night Light, I... yes!"

She lunged, wrapping her forehooves around me and kissing me firmly on the lips.

I barely comprehended it at first, excitement and terror rising within me for an eternity before I finally recognized that she'd answered, and by then, her lips were already pressed against mine. I wrapped my wings around her as tightly as I could manage and blissfully returned the kiss.

Lunar Lake as a town of incredible wonder. A beauty beyond imagining. The light show over the lake was once in a lifetime. Yet, the moment which I will never forget until the day I die was when I sat upon a mundane rooftop in the earliest hours of the morning, and held the mare who had agreed, against all odds, to become my wife.

69 - Rising Anxiety

Fiancée.

It was a word I’d never considered before. A word I certainly never thought I’d be able to call somepony else. Nor that I could be engaged as somepony’s fiancé myself.

My fiancée. I flew alongside Dusky over the hills as we departed Lunar Lake, heading to a town called Crystalside, with several stopovers planned along the way. The first was Las Pegasus, a city whose name I recognized more from reputation than from any real experience. It would certainly be interesting to see, even if we weren’t spending more than a single night there.

The travel out of Lunar Lake was easy, and my spirits were high. I felt reckless, wanting to fly up and beyond anything rational and shout to the world just how much I loved Dusky Down. I wanted everypony to know how much she meant to me, and if that seemed unreasonable, who could judge me? The mare of my dreams had just agreed to take my hoof in marriage

As we got closer to the city, Dusky waved us down to ground level, and I grinned, sensing the pattern here. Sure enough, she guided me to the rather impressive Las Pegasus highway. It was all tightly packed cobblestone, so well managed as to be nearly completely smooth which meandered its way through the hills. It seemed less convenient than flying, certainly, but Dusky wanted me to experience the view.

“What do you think?” She waved a hoof down over the side of the path at one particularly sharp dropoff. Here, the road overlooked a massive field of tall grass, each blade capped with a long fluffy head that swayed in the wind. It dominated almost everything in my sight, with only the hint of a river and small patches of trees hiding along the edges.

“It’s beautiful.” I drank in the sight of it all, but knew it paled in comparison. “Almost as beautiful as you.”

Dusky giggled, shaking her head. “Never would have guessed you’d say that.”

I blushed, feeling just a bit predictable, but I didn’t really care. “Well, it’s true.”

She leaned in close to share the view. “Flatterer.”

We continued to follow the path along the hills, the treeline that had only been hiding in the corners of the field coming closer. It wasn’t quite a forest, but the trees were soon thick enough to border off the hills.

It wasn’t long before something a bit unexpected crept up on me. It was almost a familiar smell, reminding me of the scent of ash from the fireplace in the Lusty Seapony back in Ponyville. There, the scent was welcoming, pleasant. This scent, however, replaced all the pleasantness with an acrid stench that was not welcoming in the least.

I glanced at Dusky. “Is something… burning?”

“Possibly. We should have a quick look. If a fire gets out of control here, this entire hillside is going to go up in smoke.” She started forward, but stopped herself. “Carefully, though. The source might not be friendly.”

Nodding quietly, I began to move forward with her, trying to go as quickly as I could without making a noise.

The smell grew only a little stronger, but there was no noise, no inferno in the trees ahead of us. Instead, we found a bit of wooden debris, splinters broken along the highway, with wagon tracks breaking off the side of the road and leading down into the trees.

Making only a few quick gestures, Dusky signaled caution, and quiet. She glanced around the highway for a second, then like a shadow she slipped down the hill. As she reached the treeline, she glanced back at me as I did my best to stay with her. She waved forward, and followed the trail.

It was all so quiet, I could hear every step we took through the underbrush, following the wagon tracks further into the trees. There was no sound of fire, no voices or cries for help, just us moving through the forest as carefully as we could. Dusky must have spotted something first, as she made a sudden motion to duck behind a tree for cover. I followed as best I could.

Ahead was the end of the tracks, a small clearing amidst the trees, and filling the clearing where three wagons. One was wrent in half, having crashed into a tree that now rested on top of it. The second had flipped onto its side, spilling its contents into the clearing and generally making most of the mess. The third still sat upright, but plenty of damage to the side showed that it had not crashed, but been forced open.

At first glancing around for any sign of injured ponies, I caught Dusky’s eye. She turned to look at me, drawing a circle with her hoof in the air, then pointing down at her wing. I paused, then nodded and followed her around the perimeter.

We made a slow loop around the clearing, with Dusky stopping at points to examine the tracks, or glance back at the wagons, until at least she had determined that whatever we were looking for was inside the wagons. She stopped, waiting only a fraction of a second before stepping into the clearing and heading towards the wagon on its side.

She began slowly, making a loop around the wagon just as she’d done the clearing. Slowly, methodically, she ducked to get as good a look inside as she could afford, given all the debris around it.

I kept an eye out as Dusky explored the wreckage, feeling that same sense of dread I’d felt in Ostfriesen when we’d crept through the city of Olymponis. She walked to one of the crates, carefully examining one which had split open in the crash. It looked to be filled with gaudy-looking tourist shirts and fliers.

She continued to explore the wreckage, clearing out the wagon crushed by the tree, and examining the shirts more carefully. At last, she eyed the third wagon. Moving up to it slowly, she approached it almost in a combat stance, ready to pounce or dodge if something were amiss. When she at last let out a sigh of relief, I let go of the breath I didn’t realize I was holding as well.

Dusky pushed through the opened door, bending down to lift up some papers as I came up behind her. Whatever she saw clearly turned her stomach, her face going pale as she read the pages.

Ears dropping back in concern, I leaned in to whisper. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s them.” Her voice was hoarse, not quite afraid, but… “This is one of their shipments.”

I felt a chill run down my spine, already afraid of what the answer was going to be. I glanced back at the crates, hoping I was wrong. “Shirts?”

“That’s how they’re transporting it. Like the ice in Fetlock. Look.” She pointed towards the logo that was stamped on the crates. “The pattern surrounding the letter looks pretty nonsensical in a fancy way, right? Well, see the bottom-right corner?”

“It’s a… leaf.” No. No! It was the worst thing I could image finding, not just for what it was, a drug shipment, but because of what that might me for Dusky. For us.

She nodded. “They need a way to communicate to their people inside, but they can’t just go announcing it any old way.”

I couldn’t keep the disgust off my face. “Um, okay. Right.”

“It’s a trick the Guard told me years ago,” She laughed bitterly, staring down at the logo. “I suppose the Cartel's got a few things that keep coming back to haunt them, too.”

I grit my teeth, feeling… angry. Angrier than I liked feeling. Letting out a sigh, I did the only thing that I could. I moved closer to Dusky, and nuzzled against her neck. There was no one to fight here, nothing that I could do, save to give her my support.

She nuzzled back for a moment, then turned back to the wreckage. “Of course, something isn’t quite right. Whoever attacked had to have known what they were doing. The guards wouldn’t have gone down easily. They had to know there was a prize, so why is the product all untouched? There must be thousands upon thousands of bits lying out there in the dirt.”

I glanced around at all the hoof prints in the dirt. There had been a struggle here. “Maybe something scared them off?”

“Perhaps. But it’d have to be something really crazy to keep them away. The greedy ones would inevitably be back with this kind of money on the line.” She went deeper into the back of the wagon.

It was a bit cramped, but I came in alongside her. She was looking down into an open crate, inside of which was a metal vault practically built into the box. It was empty.

“Or maybe they found something more valuable?”

“Maybe. But the question is wha—” She shuddered, something striking her to her core.

“Dusky?”

“We need to head for Las Pegasus as quickly as possible. The Guard needs to know about this.” She turned to exit, stopping only to give me a dark look. “Rumor was that the Leaf sisters were the only two who know the refining process for the product. Without that, their whole endeavor is lost. But I seriously doubt they would want to take the knowledge entirely to the grave. No, they’d probably have something secreted away for either a descendant or apprentice. I think someone found out—and they aim to be the next leader.”

With the caravan incident reported, I wanted to do everything possible to get Dusky’s mind off of the lingering thoughts of the Cartel’s continued existence. Though she seemed outwardly collected, there were still signs that it was eating away at her, and I knew it would only serve to raise her guard. I had no intention of making her lower her guard… but I wanted to at least make sure she could still move forward. That she knew we could always move forward, together.

It was the Leaf sisters who’d wanted her dead. The Leaf sisters and White Riot. They were all dead now. No one else in the Cartel should care about her, I hoped. I prayed.

That was why when she proposed we spend the rest of the day touring the Las Pegasus strip, I eagerly agreed. The quickest way to bring a smile back to her face was to continue our tour, and to let her show me all the beautiful things she loved in this world. Las Pegasus, however, was not something I was entirely prepared for.

Our hurried flight in and careful trip to the nearest Guard outpost hadn’t quite given me time to really take in the scope of the city. It was… overwhelming.

The whole city was a massive cloudscape similar to Cloudsdale, the heritage of a city founded, and named for, the pegasi who founded it. The first difference between Cloudsdale and Las Pegasus was the large islands of stone that sat atop the clouds, with long bridges straddling the gap between them. Balloons and Airships brought in Earth pony and Unicorn tourists from all over Equestria, and the mixture of cloud architecture with stone and wood gave them plenty of space to walk.

The geography of the whole place was intriguing, but was swiftly drowned out by the other differences, the crowds, and the lights. The strip’ as Dusky had called it, was a long avenue crowded with ponies of all types, all talking, shouting, taking photos, and rushing about. Trying to get down the strip was like trying to navigate a river, everypony flowing in one direction, and just hoping you could get in and out of the flow of traffic to your destination.

Unlike Lunar Lake, this was not a place ponies came to admire the beauty. At least, I couldn’t imagine that was the reason any pony would want to come here. Everything was overly garish, every building trying its best to be more ridiculous than the last, all lit by lights that flashed too brightly even in the broad daylight, rainbows and flashed with neon lightning, sights pointing and buzzing every direction, and ponies with flyers pushed their way through the crowds trying to pull ponies into whichever building they stood in front of.

All of it together had quite the opposite effect from what I’d been hoping. I’d wanted to make Dusky smile, instead, I was completely overwhelmed by the sounds and sights, and felt like I was the one on edge, my anxieties and fears all bubbling up. I stopped trying to take in the sights and instead just tried to keep my sight on Dusky, fighting off a nagging fear of losing her in the crowd.

Seeing right through, she leaned over to offer a sympathetic smile. “We can stop to rest if you want.”

I met her eyes and nodded meekly, feeling awful for stopping our walk. “It’s just… so much. Maybe… just a short break.”

She pointed a hoof off the path, towards a small alcove of benches. She cut through the crowd quickly and I pushed myself to keep up.

The benches were surprisingly unoccupied, no ponies stopping to take the time to sit down in the midst of Las Pegasus. I sat down with a sigh, taking a deep breath to center myself. “It’s just… so many ponies. All the lights, and the noise… it’s almost… oppressive. Not even Canterlot is like this.”

She nuzzled at my neck to comfort me. “I understand. This city’s so busy, it’s a rarity when someone doesn’t feel that way the first time they come here. Just take your time.”

“It all feels like it should be amazing to me… but, it’s just so alien…” My ears dipped back as I looked at Dusky. Part of me felt like I was letting her down, not giving the city a chance. “S-sorry. I’m still not that comfortable with big cities, or, um, crowds.”

“It’s okay, really.” She smiled. “It’s not for everyone. You don’t need to apologize.”

Taking another deep breath, I gathered my courage as best I could and smiled back. “I… alright. I… I really do want to enjoy it, if I can. And… I know I can, so long as I’m here with you. Are… you ready to continue?”

Dusky’s smile creeped up into a grin. “As long as you feel up to it.”

“Yeah… yeah. I’m better now. I just needed space to breathe for a minute.”

She took my hoof to help me up and motioned with a wing. “Let’s go.”

We kept walking at what felt like a crawl, working through the traffic. Everything was still so bright and loud, but after we’d walked another ten minutes or so, I raised my eyebrow at a large neon sign outside an ornate building, like a giant dining hall. I tilted my head. “Quick Change’s Lightning Fast Weddings?”

Dusky stopped and looked up at the sign with a giggle. “There’s more than a few ‘minute wedding’ chapels in Las Pegasus. They basically rush the whole process. You get in, you say your ‘I do’s, and you sign some papers, and that’s it.”

“And that’s it?” I frowned, and looked at Dusky. “Doesn’t sound… I don’t know, romantic.”

She shook her head. “Las Pegasus isn’t exactly about ‘romance’. It’s more about being too impulsive.”

Looking at all the flashing lights, the ponies shouting out casino names over the crowd and tossing flyers to passing tourists, that all seemed to make sense. “Seems like this whole city is preying on ponies being too impulsive. Maybe that’s why I don’t like it…”

Turning to step closer, Dusky nuzzled against me. “If it makes you feel any better, I’d much rather wait and have a proper wedding with our friends and family there.”

Feeling my cheeks warm at the thought of the wedding, I nuzzled back. “It does… I want to be married, but not impulsively… err, not anymore impulsively than I’ve already asked, that is.”

Dusky giggled. “Well, the timing felt perfect to me.”

Giving the sign for Fast Weddings one last glance, I shook my head. “So… is there anything we can do around here that’s, um, not impulsive?”

Looking back down the strip, Dusky grinned. “Maybe we can find someplace good for dinner. So long as we avoid the casinos and the buffets.”

I grinned. “Well, you have impeccable tastes, so… lead the way.”

70 - Hidden Treasures

Leaving Las Pegasus was a bit of a relief for both of us. Though it had been particularly disorienting to me, even Dusky seemed to have been impacted by the city. Her sleep was more uneasy than ever, and I couldn’t help but notice how anxious it all seemed to be making her.

Crystalside was about a half day’s flight out, and I tried my best to keep Dusky’s mind on our trip, and not on the lingering reminders of the Cartel which had cropped up. It wasn't a stretch to realize that encounter more than anything was what was keeping her on edge. We flew on in near silence, and I simply kept my eye on her.

When we arrived at Crystalside, I was instantly reminded of Lunar Lake. Though, where that town had been trying almost too hard to maintain authenticity, Crystalside just was authentic. It might not have been terribly old, but the houses were all simple, small, and more than a bit beaten up by the weather.

By the time we arrived, it was already well past noon. Rather then stopping at one of the relatively small, clearly for tourist restaurants on the way through town, Dusky insisted we head to the town’s main attraction first. An archaeological dig site that purported to be ‘the greatest source of knowledge on the ancient Crystal Empire’. I raised an eyebrow at that claim.

"Last time I visited Crystalside, it was much busier." Dusky glanced around the dig site as we walked down the marked path, a meager group of ponies walking along with us. "The dig site had unearthed a fabulous treasure, the Crystal Rainbow—which was a sculpture cut and fused in a way no one thought possible. People were coming from all across Equestria to see it."

The tour walked us through the lower points of the valley in which this town had grown up, where a dedicated team of archaeologists were working. Set up like an outdoor museum, there was a hard-packed dirt path which wound through the dig, giving ponies a self-guided tour through the archaeologist's work sites. The archaeologists themselves were working very carefully to extract tiny shards of pottery and unearth stones without damaging them. It might have been a far cry from Daring Do, but it was just as fascinating in its own way.

"They called that gem the last and most beautiful reminder of the Crystal Empire." She giggled, "Of course, when the Empire itself returned, tourism all shifted there, but I 'd already grown to love this place. It's beautiful in its own right, and I have a lot of good memories I've shared here."

I smiled as Dusky's voice grew nostalgic and stopped to examine one of the display cases set alongside the tour route. It was filled with old bowls and cups, all crafted out of dulled gemstone and crystal of some sort, mostly cracked. "And what about the Crystal Rainbow?"

She let out a bit of a sigh. "It was as beautiful as they said. But they returned it to the Crystal Empire about a year ago. A lot of the original findings we saw were moved to Canterlot for study."

Grinning, I stepped away from the case to steal a nuzzle against Dusky's neck. "Well, it's all pretty wonderful to me too."

She laughed again and nuzzled back. "And we haven't even gotten to the best part."

Leaning back to steal a kiss, I grinned wide. "Pretty sure the best part is right here."

She shook her head and smirked back at me. "Flatterer."

"Always." I motioned my head onward. "Well, then, lead the way."

She grinned and set off, walking us the rest of the way through the dig tour site, before opening her wings to take to the skies.

We pushed up above the treeline and Dusky slowed to a lazy glide after reaching the altitude she wanted. I came up alongside her, looking out over the valley with a grin. "You said you'd shared this place before? With your parents?"

Dusky shook her head. "No, with a very good friend. Her name is Ivory. She's..." She tilted her head towards me with a curious glance. "She's someone very important to me. We fought together, and... well, it's harder to explain than you'd think. You'll just have to trust me."

"Easy enough. I'm honored to meet anypony you trust that much, Dusky. Any friend of yours is a friend of mine." That was certainly true, but Dusky’s evasiveness left me wondering about who, exactly, Ivory was. Back in Canterlot, Ruby Result certainly hadn’t been what I expected, but it was easy to see why they got along, and Dusky hadn’t exactly tried to keep any of it secret. So why was she so hesitant to talk about Ivory?

Dusky seemed relieved though, nodding. "I think she'll be happy to hear that too."

Soon, she tipped a wing to steer downward, leading me down to where the forest around the valley suddenly ended against the rising hillsides, and a basin opened up below us.

It was like a deep bowl of water, shimmering in the sunlight. A waterfall burst forth out of the hillside some many hundreds of feet above the pool, cascading down majestically into the basin. I gaped in awe as Dusky led me down to a little alcove, nestled above the pool opposite the waterfall.

"This is my favorite part of this whole valley. I found it when I was exploring. The history and the dig site and the town are all fine, but, finding things like this..." She trailed off, settling down to just look up and stare.

I sat by her side, looking up at all the water cascading down. "It's like... Fetlock Falls..." That seemed so long ago now, my first taste of the world beyond just Ponyville, or even Cloudsdale. A train ride that would change my life in ways as numerous as the drops of water that cascaded over its edge, all leading me here. "It's beautiful..."

Dusky leaned against me, resting her head against my neck. "I love coming out here and just watching and listening. Everything is just so calm and serene."

I closed my eyes and steadied my breath, just listening, letting the sound of the waterfall wash over me. "I can see why... It's like sitting on a cloud, listening to rainfall."

She nodded, "It's all the better when it's shared with someone."

"It's everything I could hope for, and..." A sudden idea jumped into my mind, and I slowly stood up, lifting a hoof. "Actually, it could be more... just... stay here, Dusky. I'll be right back."

She tilted her head, but simply nodded as I grinned wide at her, kicking up into the air and flying back up out of the basin.

I flew up, and up, high over the valley as quickly as I could until I could start to feel the chill in the air through my coat. I spread my wings to glide, letting my feathers spread out slightly to collect moisture out of the air. In short order, I had gathered enough to put together a decent-sized cloud. It wasn't enough to hold any kind of sustained rainfall, but it would work perfectly for what I needed it for.

Back down into the basin, pushing the cloud in front of me. I slowed my descent as I reached the top of the waterfall, slowing to a gentle glide down. I glanced to the alcove to see Dusky watching me curiously, and shot her a grin, then set the cloud in place towards the center of basin, between where she sat, and the waterfall.

Grinning all the while, I set up behind the cloud, and with a nod to Dusky, I kicked it backwards smoothly, not enough to break it, but to propel it into the waterfall, then dashed forward to land back in the alcove and turn to watch.

The fluffy cloud practically melted away the moment it struck the falling water, disintegrating into a fine mist. The moment the cloud had exploded, the show began. Just like at Fetlock, the water and the mist caught the light, reflecting back across every tiny droplet and through the falling waterfall to create a kaleidoscope of rainbows that filled the basin.

Dusky's smiled widened. "That's quite a show."

"Just for you." I looked out from the alcove as the mist faded, and the rainbows slowly diminished. "It's no Lunar Lake, but... what could ever surpass that?"

She giggled, shaking her head. "I think something else might have biased you towards Lunar Lake."

“Maybe something incredible, yes." Stealing a kiss from my fiancee, I grinned. "I want to do this with you forever."

"This? As in, travelling?"

I nodded. Dusky didn't know about the steps I'd taken at work, and I'd been at least a little reluctant to tell her until after I'd proposed, but now seemed perfect. "I don't think I could do this every year with you. My vacation time wasn't going to last forever... so, I made a change."

She tilted her head. "What'd you do?"

"I took a new job before we left. I'll be a Coordinator with Weather Bureau Regulations and Standards. Less weatherwork and more deskwork, but... it requires travel every year. So, I thought... maybe we could plan out a few stops for my job along the way, and then the rest is up to you."

“That’s an impressive amount of planning.” Dusky raised an eyebrow at first, but then relaxed into a smirk. “You sure Lunar Lake was as spontaneous as you thought?”

I blushed. The truth was, it’d been planned for months. I’d been thinking of that moment since… since before we even left for Ostfriesen. Part of me wanted to say it’d known all along, but, that was before I’d truly gotten to know her, and to love her. “Um, well, I always planned to ask. I just didn’t know when.”

“I see.” She smiled and laughed softly, then rested her head against mine. "In any case, so long as you're not stuck working all the time, I'm sure we can figure something out."

My face was still warm as I let out a deep breath. "Thanks, Dusky. I've seen how much this trip means to you. I want to be there with you, somepony to share it all with, always."

Dusky grinned. "Anytime and always, Night Light."

We fell into silence as we kept watching the falls, drinking in the peace and majesty of that little alcove that for now at least was ours alone.

71 - Night Light

“You’re just a little coward!” A hoof came at my face, stopping short, but I still remember flinching away. “A scared, stupid little Night Light.”

I pushed her away, or tried to, but I was seven, just a little colt without a cutie mark, and she was much bigger, and older than I was. “I… I’ll tell!”

My sister, Diamond Light kicked a foreleg, throwing me aside into the clouds, but the fluffy cushion did little to help. She sneered. “No you won’t.”

“Diiiii!” Spring had pouted. “You’re ruining my game! Stop kicking Nighty!”

I rose up on trembling legs, tears running down my face as I tried to speak between sobs. “I… I’ll run away! I… I’ll change my name! I won’t be Night Light anymore! And… a-and!”

Diamond walked in close, lowering her head down to stare me in the eyes. “You’ll come running back to Mommy. Go on. Run. You won’t be missed.”

I should have said something. Done something. Thrown a hoof into her face. I wanted to be brave. I wanted to be strong. Instead, I ran.

Dashing out of the yard as fast as my little legs could take me, I pushed through the door and up the stairs to my room, slamming the door behind me. I started throwing a few loose belongings into my backpack. I could glide to Canterlot. I could go find Dad and live with him.

“Night Light? Are you okay?” Mom knocked at the door before she quietly opened it to look in on me.

“N-no!” My voice broke as I desperately tried to stay angry, trying to hold onto the idea that this was Diamond's fault, not mine. The voice in my head told me it was all because of me, though. “No! I’m not Night Light! I hate that name! I never wanted to have such a d-dumb name!”

Mom frowned, walking into the room to gently take a toy out of my grip before brushing the tears off my face with a wing. “Were Diamond and Spring making fun of you again?”

Diamond ruins everything! I wanted to scream it. Not that I’d even wanted to play Spring’s stupid game, but she’d forced me. I bit my tongue, slumping onto my flank. “N-no.”

She sighed and sat down next to me. “Night, your name is very special. You are a little flame in the dark, a Light to keep the Mare in the Moon company.”

I continued to sob, I’d heard it all before. “It’s dumb. I… I’m dumb.”

“No, Night. You’re my son.” She stroked a wing down my back and around to lift my head up to meet her gaze. “You’re not dumb, and never believe anypony who says that you are. Even your sisters.”

“I want to be a hero. L-like Dad.”

She smiled sadly and kissed my forehead. “Not every hero has to fight monsters. Sometimes, a real hero only has to be there for somepony else.”

Those old still memories hurt, but not like they'd used to. There were moments like that which stuck with me to this day, words that hadn't made sense when I was a foal, but which resonated now in moments of reflection. My mom couldn't have foreseen where life would take me, but sometimes it felt like she'd always known.

It had taken me a long time to find my path. To find myself, and finally see my own worth. I would not deviate now.

Especially now, when there was somepony who needed me to be there for her.

It had been a perfect day from the start, and the waterfall had only made it better. Beautiful sights, good food, the greatest of company. Dusky and I had rested against one another beneath the waterfall for what seemed like ages. It was everything I’d wanted in the world, and an old, familiar thought lingered behind. Another moment that I wished would never end.

It did end, and all too quickly we returned to town to check into our hotel. Though the day had been wonderful and the fresh air and exercise were tiring, sleep did not come so readily. As had been the case far to often this trip, it was the night which was proving to be difficult.

Dusky once more pressed against my side as she slowly drifted off to sleep, resting almost on top of me, a practice which had slowly become the norm, and which I was not opposed to letting continue at all. I could feel her heartbeat, her breathing, rhythmically in and out. It all seemed so beautiful, but I couldn’t help but feel like something was off.

It wasn’t the same as it had been in the hotel at Lunar Lake. It wasn’t some nagging thought or misplaced fear keeping me awake, at least, I don’t think it was. Instead, something felt off about her. Tonight, as Dusky’s eyes fell closed, I chose to wait and watch her. Something was wrong, and I'd come to realize that something had been wrong since we’d left for our trip. Since Canterlot, at least. I couldn’t tell what, only that… I knew.

She’d downplayed it at first. I’m sure she couldn’t put her own hoof on it either and didn't want to worry me. But it’d grown more and more noticeable with each passing day. She was just so tired. Despite getting a full night’s rest every night on this trip, it seemed like she was running herself ragged. When she was awake, she was herself. A little exhausted, but very obviously the mare I loved. At night, though, she could get no peace, and that I could not allow to continue.

Dreams.

They’re odd things, or so I’ve been told. In all my life, I’d never had a dream I could remember upon waking, nor even a recollection that I had been dreaming. I had aspirations, dreams of who I could be, but never when I slept. The Mare in the Moon, Princess Luna, had never visited me.

Nightmares are the other side of that coin, of course. Dreams that seem real, exhausting, and terrifying. The only nightmare I’d seen was Nightmare Moon, standing tall in the city hall and declaring her return. If the nightmares that visited ponies in their sleep were half as terrifying as that moment had been, I wouldn’t wish them on anypony.

Dusky, however, had been suffering from nightmares since I’d met her. From the train that carried us to Fetlock, to the longest day of my life in Myrtail Beach, and the nights we’d spent together after Fillydelphia, and then in Ostfriesen. And now, even now, when nothing else should be weighing upon her mind, she suffered in her sleep. Memories of the past, of the things she’d seen, and the things she’d done.

Dusky was haunted by her past, and it ate away at her every night. I wouldn’t allow it. Not while there was anything at all within my power to help her. I lay besides her now, her head still resting upon me, and I held her close. She was my fiancé, and that meant so much. She was my best friend, the pony who had helped me to become so much more than I ever believed I was capable of, she was the better half of me. Someday, in some distant half-formed idea, I hoped she would even be the mother for our foals, our family. But for now, she was Dusky Down, and I was going to be her Night Light. What else was the purpose behind my name, if not for this very reason?

Her breathing grew sharp, and her heartbeat accelerated. The pained expression on her face told me everything I needed to know. She was afraid, but she was fighting. I grit my teeth and shifted to wrap my hooves around her.

“Dusky, you’re not alone.” There was a brief moment there where my own voice took me by surprise, but my confidence grew with each word. “You’re not alone, I’m here. I’m here, and I will always be here, not just besides you, holding you close, but in your heart too.”

I sighed slightly, shaking my head as I kept careful watch over her expression. “I know, I know. It’s a bit sappy… I can’t help it. I can’t look at you without losing my breath. You are… everything to me. And I’ll be damned if I ever stop giving you flattery, because I’ll never stop loving you. Not like this.”

Her expression deepened intently, worry and fear flashing across her face, but I only tightened my hug. “Don’t give into it, Dusky. I… I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m here for you, and I’m going to help you, okay? I’m your Night Light, and I mean it.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at myself. “Night Light… when did that happen, hm? From the first moment you said that name, I knew it had always been meant for you.”

“So… here I am. Night Light, and… I’m yours. Your husband-to-be. I will do everything in my power to bring you peace, Dusky. I will fight by your side. And… if nightmares plague you, then I shall stay up, every night if need be, and I shall say whatever I can to bring you peace. You heard my voice in Myrtail Beach. Maybe that was because of Twilight’s magic… or maybe it was because of who we are. If you can hear me now, then know that I’m with you, and that you are never alone.”

I watched her, her expression still grim, and her face still filled with pain. I could talk to her every night, but if that didn’t help, then...

“Celestia… Luna…” Then I’d have to ask somepony else. “Princess Luna, help her.”

Almost as though I was dreaming, her eyes shot open, her heart still racing as she glanced about in panic, the terror only starting to fade away as she let her gaze settle on me.

I needed to make sure she was alright, that she knew she was safe, but first I needed to make sure she hadn’t been hurt by… whatever that was. “Dusky? Are you okay?”

“I… I think so.” She glanced at me nervously, then looked away and shuddered. “It felt real. Too real. They got you. They got everyone. And I couldn’t fight back. It was like striking air, yet… it could strike me.” Her wing unfolded to wrap around me gently.

“They didn’t get me.” Tightening my hug, I leaned my head closer to press against her, feeling a bit of that same fear, because part of me worried over just how close I’d been to losing her just now. I felt her heart rate slow just a bit. “I’m here.”

“I know. I know that now. But in the moment…” She’d gathered her wits, but still she sighed, looking more worn out than I’d ever seen her.

Before she could speak, I practically knew what she was about to say. Something was wrong. These weren’t just nightmares, they were something more, and we needed to get help.

“There’s something wrong. The nightmares were never this bad—this real—before. We need to leave. Tomorrow, I mean. We need to cut Crystalside short. I need to see someone who might be able to magically analyse this and the closest person is Ivory.”

72 - The Monsters of Pasture

Just as Dusky wanted, we departed from Crystalside that morning, making a straight line for a town called Pasture. It barely registered on the map, and from what little Dusky had said, it wasn’t much of a destination in itself. It was where her friend Ivory lived, and that was who Dusky needed to see.

Something beyond either of our understanding was happening to here, and she needed somepony with magic to see it. Somepony she could trust. In Ponyville, that would have been Twilight Sparkle, but this far from home…

It was fortunate that Dusky had friends. Strong friends. She seemed to inspire that with the ponies she allowed to get close to her, myself included. Still, she seemed reluctant to tell me much about Ivory. Something about it was making her nervous, something more than just the thought of introducing two mutual friends to one another and hoping they get along.

The route to Pasture was a few days flight, made with due haste. The nights on the road were tense, as if we could come under attack at any moment. It was when Dusky slept that it was the worst. I’d vowed to stay up and watch her as best I could, insisting when she’d tried to tell me not to. Something was wrong. I was no Princess Luna, but I wouldn’t let her down.

She’d only relented when I’d agreed to sleep in shifts, so that we each got at least some rest. While she slept, I stayed awake and quietly talked into the night, keeping her company in the darkest moments. Dusky slept restlessly in those hours, but she claimed the nightmares weren’t as extreme, or as real. My own sleep was just as restless, worry keeping me from getting any real rest, even if I wasn’t plagued by any kind of nightmares.

Still, Dusky was only getting worse as the lack of good sleep wore her down, and it felt like there was nothing I could do. I only hoped that Ivory would have a solution for whatever was happening, once we found her.

Just one day out, Dusky had insisted we walk rather than fly, just so she could keep a lower profile. The area was hilly, with sharp rocks and rough, difficult to climb reaches that we slowly made our way across. All the while, Dusky kept a lookout ahead, pausing as we crested each rise to scan ahead. Her expression and body language both told me she was all but expecting something to jump out at us at any moment.

She hesitated as we neared the top of one of the hills, pondering a moment before she turned back to give me a sympathetic look. “How are you holding up?”

“Well enough.” I smiled, not sure what else to say. She knew I was tired, but it was nothing compared to her. I was used to long night shifts, even if I hadn’t worked one in awhile.

“The forest should be just over this hill. Once we clear them, keep your voice low.” Her expression dropped slightly. “The people who usually walk these roads aren’t exactly on friendly terms with me.”

I started to ask a question, but closed my mouth. If this was really hostile territory for us, there wasn’t time to get a full explanation. As much as I wanted to know, it could wait until we were safe.

“Sorry, Night.” She sighed, looking guilty “I’ll explain more once we get to Ivory’s hut. It’s about a mile and some change into the forest.”

WIth a nod, I smiled at her once again. I was sure there were good reasons for it all, though I did wish she’d been able to tell me before. Regardless, she knew my response, but I would say it anyway. “I trust you.”

She smiled back tiredly, then turned towards the hill, climbing up the rest of the way. As we reached the top of the hill, Dusky bent down low, crawling forward toward to take cover from the road.

I hesitated behind her, my own skill at sneaking not nearly so good as hers, but I slowly came up alongside her and peered through the bushes. Below the hill was a crossroads. A single main road ran up and away from the hill, while a smaller, less used path was beaten off into the forest. A group of ponies stood at the crossroad, all milling about, speaking amongst themselves.

Dusky watched them, her ears rotating as she tried to listen, and a dark flash crossed her face.

“What is it?”

She shook her head, eyes staying on the ponies gathered near the road. “I can’t be certain. But the mayor does have a reputation of the… unsavory sort.”

“This is a waste of time!” The talking had been indistinct, but suddenly one of the stallions raised his voice, making it quite clear how he felt. “How do we even know she’s coming?”

I crept forward alongside Dusky to listen as best I could.

“Because the Boss said so, duh!” A second voice was clearly just as agitated, his tone making it clear this was not the first time the question had been asked, or answered, with this same response.

A mare wearing a large bandana over her mane, tilted her head. “New Boss or Old Boss?”

“Who do you think?” The second stallion snapped at her, clearly not wanting to deal with any of this. The rest of the ponies in the crowd had all grown quiet as two stallions confronted one another.

“Old Boss is dead,” The dissenter snapped back. “Which is why listening to some hallucination is a waste of time.”

“She ain’t no hallucination.” The stallion taking the lead lowered his voice. He started to glance around, as did several other ponies in the crowd. They looked around nervously, as if their boss was going to be standing behind them, overhearing the whole conversation.

The dissenter stopped pacing, digging in as he turned back to confront the other stallion. “Oh, I’m sorry. Listening to some dumbass dream is a waste of time. Better?”

The mare who’d stepped forward before almost seemed divided, but at last spoke up to support the ringleader. “You wouldn’t say that if you saw it like the rest of us.”

Several ponies in the group nodded in reply, but the dissenter only dug in further. “I would. It is a dream. Not real.”

Dusky shivered besides me. These ponies weren’t here just by chance. They’d had a dream, seemingly real, which had directed them here. The terrifying conclusion was that whatever it was influencing them was almost certainly the same thing afflicting Dusky.

The ringleader frowned. “A dream all of us had. It’s gotta mean something.”

“It means you had a coincidence happen to you. Problem solved.” The dissenter stepped forward confidently towards the crowd of thugs, shaking his head.

That brought more murmurs from the group, the ponies glancing around nervously once again, but the ringleader didn’t let it deter him. “Really? All of us is coincidence.”

“Yes!”

The mare with the bandana eyed the dissenter. “Then why are you here?”

“Because some fools wandered off into the wilderness because of a stupid dream. So here I am.” He threw up his hooves dramatically.

I glanced over at Dusky. She was pale, clearly shaken. Her ears dropped down slowly, and her eyes were darting, as if her enemy could be anywhere, and she had to find it before it found her. She wasn’t quite panicking, but it was as close to it as I’d ever seen her come, the terror of that moment was plain upon her face.

I turned to look at her, keeping my voice low, but firm, to call her back into the moment. “Dusky?”

She focused her eyes on me and began to calm down immediately. With a sigh, she slipped her head forward to nuzzle against me for comfort. “Sorry, Night, I… there’s a lot going on here that I don’t fully understand, but I believe our enemy is somehow aware of our plans and movements.”

“I… yeah. I gathered that much.” I frowned, staring into her eyes. I felt helpless again, but couldn’t let that overwhelm me. I couldn’t let it overwhelm Dusky either, as much as I wished she didn’t have to be the one to face any of this. For now, she was better at planning then I was, and thinking through the problem at hand would help her focus. “What do we do?”

“Hmmm. We’re already in rough shape. We can’t let this draw out. If we try to go around, they might be alerted to our plans.” She glanced towards the crowd. The dissenter was still arguing out the stupidity of all of this with the ringleader. After a moment that stretched out far too long, she sighed and met my eyes again. “This is going to sound crazy, but I think we have to do something that’s difficult to react to. We need to get as close to the road as we can, then bolt for the forest. If we can reach the edge, we should be safe—at least from those thugs. As far as whatever is watching us or how we’re being watched, I can’t say.”

I blinked, suddenly not so sure. This wasn’t quite the plan I’d expected, but maybe she was more tired than I’d believed. “Are you sure? This really isn’t like you.”

“I know. I’d really prefer not to, but my usual methods are compromised. I can’t stubbornly stick to them. I have to adapt. That’s why… this.” She shrugged, not liking it anymore than I did. She pointed a hoof down the side of the hill, a path that wrapped down towards the road.

WIth a deep breath, I nodded, feeling extremely tense. As Dusky began to climb down, I followed. For the first time in a long while, part of me wished I still had Bellerophon's hoofblade, but that thought passed with a shiver.

We climbed down slowly, keeping low in the scarce cover. The hillside was uncomfortably exposed, and the crack of dry grass and snap of loose sticks with every hoofstep put me even further on edge. The journey down the hill couldn’t have taken more than a few minutes, but it felt like it’d taken hours.

My heart was beating fast as we slipped into the thicker brush that bordered the road. It was just as dry and brittle, but it was something. Hearing the dissenter continue to shout down the others was a blessing, because it meant everypony’s attention was held firmly on that conflict and not on the road.

Dusky glanced back at me as she neared the edge of the road. She gave me a short nod that spoke volumes. Be ready. Then she stepped forward onto the road.

“You wanna be a skeptic?” The ringleader called out, sounding frustrated and tired. “Fine! But do it over there. The rest of us have got work to do.”

“Know what? Maybe I will. Just don’t come crying to me when they lock you up in an insane asy—” He turned and stopped, staring at us in the open road. I froze, unable to stop staring back, and a look of disgust crossed his face. “What’re you staring at?”

His sudden shout was unexpected enough that the others, who’d all been turning their attention back to the ringleader, looked towards whatever had drawn the dissenter’s attention. Suddenly, they were all staring at us. And several of them began to grin with a terrifying glee that froze my heart.

The ringleader broke the stalemate. “It’s her! Kill her and we’ll be free!”

“Go! Go! Go!” Dusky shouted and immediately launched forward into a gallop.

I kicked my hind legs against the road as hard as I could, determined to stay close. Flying might have seemed easier, but the sudden hail of stones and blades made it clear that this group was ready for fliers. Instead, I pressed on, keeping my eyes glued on Dusky.

The forest wasn’t too far now, though the distance seemed to be shrinking slower than I’d have liked. I wasn’t sure how we’d be safe, but hopefully Dusky knew this place better than they did and we could lose them amongst the trees. Even just being able to fly up over the canopy, any earth ponies or unicorns wouldn’t be able to track us there.

A sharp pain across my rear leg nearly ended my mad dash. I let out a cry of pain, but managed to keep upright. Dusky turned back, her eyes widening in fear. The damage didn't feel terrible, but the cut was slowing me down. My rear leg wasn’t working as fast or as well as I wanted, and I could see Dusky pulling away ahead of me.

My first thought as adrenaline seemed to slow down time was Run! Save yourself! But I knew she wouldn’t. It was my worst fear. My own weakness would be the thing that would make her surrender to them once again. She’d be captured again, just like Fillydelphia, all because of me.

Dusky pressed harder to reach the forest’s edge, the gap between us widening as I pushed as hard as I could. I’d get there too late. I glanced back, seeing the ponies in pursuit had decided that if they couldn’t reach Dusky, they’d settle for me. They’d overtake me soon.

“H-help!” I heard Dusky shout out, drawing my gaze back to her in panic. If there were more ponies waiting in the forest, we’d been doomed from the outset. My heart started to sink, only to be filled with an even greater dread as I saw three sets of eyes, glowing vaguely in the woods. They turned to regard Dusky, moving in an unnatural unison as she turned and pointed at me. “Friend! Protect!”

The things emerged from the forest as if by Dusky’s command. Ponies. Almost. They were shaped like ponies, but wrong.Their skin was as parched and cracked, open wounds which were long past the point of bleeding out. Their eyes were empty, devoid of any emotion, not love or joy or fear or hate, only a dull purpose. Hair was withered, skull exposed, teeth missing, hooves bent. They were dead, yet still walked. I couldn’t process it, and was still running towards them, knowing the ponies to my back were doing to kill me just as readily as these monstrosities were.

“Bandits! Stop them!” Dusky yelled from the treeline, standing behind the monsters. “Keep coming, Night! They won’t hurt you!”

I glanced at the three things moving towards me with fear and horror and utter, complete confusion, but for now, training and terror worked together to keep my hooves moving forward, and before I knew it, I’d run past the zombies and through the treeline into the forest.

Unable to keep the pace as the trees grew thick around me, I slowed and turned back, panting for breath. Dusky stood at the edge, watching as the thugs attacked the zombies, a well-aimed stone striking one in the head, to no effect.

Dusky chuckled grimly. “You really thought that was going to be effective?”

There was a deathly silence, followed by screams. “Agh! Necromancer! She’s a necromancer! Run!” The pursuit broke off, the unstoppable undead having routed them completely.

Dusky turned back and began to run, waving me after her. I kept up as best I could, the pain in my leg having dulled to a dim throb as adrenaline kept me moving forward. At long last, Dusky came to a stop, her whole body slumping as she let out a deep sigh.

I came up besides her, panting for breath. When I’d finally found my voice, I stammered out in shock. “Wh-what was that?”

“I’m sorry, Night. I should have said something earlier. Ivory has a very… special special talent. But she’s not a bad person. Please trust me on this. The matters are just complicated.” Her words came out jumbled together, the rush from the pursuit fading back into exhaustion.

I stepped up closer and pressed myself against her, opening up my wings to wrap around her neck and drape over her back. My heart was still in my throat, the eyes of the dead ponies coming towards me still boring into my mind. Dusky said it was okay, and everything I’d seen said she knew exactly what was going on here, but that didn’t make it any less horrifying. Still, I put on a brave face. “I believe you. You know that. It’s just… weird, is all.”

Dusky lowered her head and pressed back against me. “Thanks, Night. Once you meet her, it will all become clear.”

I glanced up slowly amidst the darkened forest, fear rising in the pit of my stomach as I wondered just who or what Ivory Hope actually was.

73 - Ivory

We weren’t clear of danger yet, though what exactly was the biggest threat, I couldn’t say. The thugs had been lying in wait, a trap clearly intended to catch us. They were a known threat, at least. The zombie ponies that Dusky had directed to ‘rescue’ us had been equally, if not more, horrifying to me.

Above it all was the spectre of whatever was behind it all, the demon that haunted Dusky’s dreams. The thing that had somehow summoned those thugs here to find her, and which even now could be waiting for us up ahead. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, threatening to explode. It was bad even even without pushing ourselves to sprint through the woods to… wherever we were heading.

Our pace wasn’t exactly panicked—both of us were too exhausted to do much more than keep going along the tiny trail that only led us deeper. What had created this trail, I couldn’t say. This forest didn’t seem as foreboding and ominous as the Everfree, but considering all I’d seen today, I was ready for anything. Every tree concealed some threat, every shadow disguised a monster of some sort or another. We’d fled from one danger into another, I just couldn’t be sure where the next strike would come from.

Dusky slowed down ahead of me, pointing a wing forward at a gnarled tree stump that sat just beside the path. “That stump marks the halfway point. There’s a small break in the canopy ahead. Why don’t we take a moment there?”

I peered about the path, pausing to cast a look behind us. No signs of pursuit. If that meant anything at all. “Are you sure we have time?”

“We’ll have to make some. We still have to cover this distance again.” She smiled tiredly, looking more exhausted than I could imagine. I knew that I needed to catch my breath just as badly as she did. “If we don’t take a breather, we’ll collapse before we make it to Ivory’s.”

Taking a quick breath, I sighed. She was right, of course. “Alright.”

As Dusky promised, the forest broke not much further ahead, the tall tree canopy breaking away to reveal a bit of open sky, even if the clearing wasn’t exactly all that ‘clear’. The sunlight still felt good as we walked carefully through the thick forest growth to stop in the center.

I took a long breath, looking up to the sky, realizing just how strangely claustrophobic the forest had felt. It was like a trap, from which we were only now breaking free.

Dusky turned back and stepped in close, pressing her muzzle against the forelock of my mane before looking into my eyes. She sighed deeply. “Sorry. You really deserved better than that. I know you know I didn’t do it on purpose, but I should have put more thought into it. I should have trusted you. Instead, you got the scare of your life.”

“I forgive you.” The words came out quickly. Apparently too quickly, as Dusky immediately raised an eyebrow, but how could I not? Not that long ago, I’d been making a very similar apology to her in Ostfriesen for all the trouble I’d dragged her into. I laughed quietly in that isolated little alcove. “It’s only fair. Celestia knows you’ve put up with all my regrets.”

The pain in her expression melted away into a much more welcome smile. “This is such a Terra statement, but I guess that just proves how compatible we are.”

Had I not been so exhausted, and perhaps after giving her forewarning, I’d have lunged forward to hug her tight. For now, I just mirrored her grin. “Guess so.”

The sudden sound of hooves through the forest returned me to the dire stakes we faced. Dusky’s ears went up, and she fell into a ready stance, prepared to fight. I fell in right alongside her, training kicking in as best it could, even through my exhaustion.

The noise grew closer. Running. Noisily, too. Whoever they were, they made no attempt at concealment, and they were definitely coming right towards us. I tensed, but to my surprise, Dusky almost seemed to relax her stance. She stepped aside as if to give the assailant an opening, and then leaned in to watch.

A pony emerged from the opposite side of the clearing from which we’d entered, galloping through the woods. They had a silvery-white coat, but any other features were concealed by a dark cloak. With a bit of movement, they saw us and turned, pushing into the clearing.

“Dusky!” A mare’s voice emerged from with the cloak, It covered her head, only her snout and the tip of a unicorn's horn emerging from the within. Despite her hidden appearance, she seemed relieved as she called out. “What happened? Are you okay?”

Dusky practically dropped there, her stance fading away as she smiled. “Yeah. Sorry for tripping your sentries like that, but a rather large band of ruffians decided they didn’t want to play nice.”

“Sentries?” It was the first word that stood out to me. There hadn’t been any sentries. Only the ‘ruffians’, and… the dead.

“Not those. Well, yes those, but more importantly the dark pres—” The unicorn suddenly clenched her jaw, staring at me like an unwanted rain cloud. “Who is that?”

There was a moment’s hesitation before Dusky pointed a hoof back at me. “This is Night. Night, Ivory. Ivory, Night.”

Ivory. So this was her. I glanced at Dusky, unsure how I should respond, then back to Ivory. “Um, hi.”

“Oh! The boyfriend!”

I blushed a bit, suddenly feeling more awkward than I could have imagined.

Dusky grinned at me. “Fiance now.”

“What? Since when?” Ivory almost seemed ready to lunge forward at me, her stance going rigid, when just as quickly she dismissed it, waving a hoof. “Never mind. Tell me later. We should get you back to my cottage. To be honest, you two look like you were dragged a mile under a cart.”

It wasn’t too far from the truth, and Dusky seemed almost embarrassed. “Yeah… it’s, uh, been a rough few days. There’s been a lot going on that we don’t understand. Speaking of which, what was that about a dark presence?”

“Later. The details are going to be long and you should get some rest first.” Turning without flourish, Ivory stepped back onto the path and led us onward. “Just know that you are safe from it for the time being.”

I raised an eyebrow. Just what kind of pony was Ivory anyways? Dusky seemed perfectly at ease with her, the two clearly speaking to one another like old friends. Ivory seemed like a pony cast to play Starswirl the Bearded in a school pageant, and wore the mystique as easily as she wore her cloak.

We walked on in silence until we came around a long bend into a wider pathway that lead straight through to a cabin set amidst the woods. It was a simple log cabin, no color and no decoration, just a single building without anything significant, save for its location this deep into the woods.

With a glow of magic, Ivory opened the door and lead us inside. The most striking feature within was the small hearth that burned along one side of the cabin, welcoming both in its warmth and the pleasant crackling of the flames. Bookshelves lined the wall, crammed full of bound books and sheaths of parchment and rolled scrolls. Beyond that, there was a well worn dining table and chairs.

Her head bobbing about, Ivory orchestrated her magic to pop open a white cabinet set beside the book cases and pull out a pair of cots, levitating them out towards the fireplace. Once they’d opened up and been set into place, she at last lifted her head to let her magic pull back her cloak.

Ivory’s face was lined with age and a fair share of sorrow. Her shimmering white coat was balanced by a black mane, darker than Dusky’s own charcoal coat. Her eyes settled on me first and she started to say something, then stopped and started again. “I know it isn’t much, but I hope you can forgive the sparse accommodations. Beds are a bit hard to come by out here.”

I felt like I could cut the awkward tension with a knife. I kicked a hoof and dipped my head. “Oh, it’s, um, fine.”

Dusky nodded. “He’s no stranger to camping on the road.”

“Good.” Ivory lifted her head and smirked. “I can’t imagine anypony with less fortitude being your fiance. Now, get some rest, both of you.”

Frowning, Dusky pursed her lips. She started to open her mouth, but closed it as Ivory shook her head.

“Sorry, Dusky. I understand you must have many questions, but trust me, you will want to be well rested and coherent for this discussion. It will be long and the solution will not be easy.”

“That’s… ominous. But, well, okay. I’ll do my best to make sure I’m prepared.” Dusky looked towards the bed for only a moment, then back at Ivory with a grim look. “Just one thing: would that dark presence be able to touch dreams?”

I glanced at Dusky, suddenly worried as well. Ivory said we were safe here, but did that just mean against the thugs and that darkness? If Dusky was still vulnerable in her dreams, this was no better than the hotel in Crystalside had been.

Ivory raised an eyebrow. “Quite the specific question.”

“I’ve been having nightmares,” Dusky frowned, nodding to me before returning her attention to Ivory. “ones that I suspect are being magically tampered with.”

Watching Dusky carefully, Ivory narrowed her eyes. “What makes you says that?”

“Mostly, a hunch. The intensity is well beyond anything I’ve ever felt. Everything about it just seems wrong.” Dusky’s voice faltered towards the end. It was a little hard to blame her, considering how little we knew and how tired we both were.

Ivory managed a smile, bowing her head into a slight nod. “Given what I’ve gleaned thus far, you are probably right. Were it any kind of curse or enchantment, I would at least be able to detect it, and you, Dusky, are magic- free.”

With a heavy sigh, Dusky smiled back, hesitant, but the relief was obvious. “Thanks, Ivory. I’ll see you in the morning.” She smiled at me and at last moved to the cots. As she climbed onto it, and set down her head, she must have fallen asleep immediately, nearly two days of exhaustion and terror behind her.

I glanced at Ivory, but she was already moving towards her bookcases, beginning to levitate out several books. I sighed, and climbed into the second cot. I looked back towards Ivory as I drifted off, and found that she was looking back, watching me before turning her attention back to the books. Following Dusky’s lead, I let my exhaustion drag me into sleep as well.

It sadly didn’t last. For a long list of reasons: the Cartel, zombies, the dark presence that stalked Dusky’s nightmares, and foremost of all, Ivory herself: sleep came and went. I don’t know how long it was, but I found myself returning to consciousness. Tossing and turning, I tried to let the exhaustion overwhelm me again, but at some point, I simply couldn't take it. I pulled the blankets off and stepped out of the cot to stretch my legs at the very least.

Dusky, thankfully, slept deeply with a look of contented exhaustion on her face. She needed a peaceful rest far more than I did, and I was happy to see her get it. I took a moment to watch her for any signs that she might be struggling, that she might be trapped in a nightmare once again, but there was nothing.

I leaned in, brushing a strand of her mane out of the way to kiss her forehead.

"You should get more rest while you can." Ivory's voice came from the far end of the room.

She sat on a woolen rug, surrounded by several piles of books as she went from one to the next. She would flip through each tome quickly, only occasionally stopping when something caught her interest, then she'd levitate a quill towards a scrap of parchment, make a note, and move on.

Quietly stepping away from Dusky, I moved closer, stopping short of her ring of books. "I couldn't sleep now even if I wanted to. Too much on my mind... her especially."

Ivory set her current book down to look at me, an expression that I couldn't quite place. She was trying to read me, but her own emotions were hard to place. She’d acted so familiar with Dusky, but now she was nervous, not quite afraid, but certainly unsure. "She's safe here.”

I smiled as warmly as I could. Concern for Dusky's wellbeing was a very strong common ground. "I know. That’s at least one burden off my mind, for now.”

After a pregnant pause, Ivory returned a somewhat awkward smile. "I'm glad she has somepony like you."

Nearly laughing, I shook my head. Somepony like me. Who was I? Night Light. "I'm glad she has somepony like you too. She put a lot of faith into you in coming here. Thank you for helping her."

Ivory tensed slightly, the smile falling away. "She is one of the very few ponies who has been willing to look past my title."

"Necromancer."

She flinched as I said it, as if I'd just threatened to strike her, but her eyes went hard, and I realized that she hadn't been nervous about me, at least, not entirely. She was afraid of what I would think of her.

"A year ago, I wouldn't have believed such a thing existed." I took a step closer to Ivory, extending a hoof towards her. "Dusky trusts you, Ivory. She trusts you with her life. That puts you into a very, very special group, which I would be honored to consider a friend."

Watching my hoof carefully, she at last lifted a hoof to press against my own. She relaxed slowly, letting a far more natural smile break across her face. "She's a very special pony."

I sighed as I looked back at her, sleeping calmly. "She is... If it's not too personal to ask, how did you meet her?"

Ivory's smile faded again, and she sighed, walking out from within her books to walk towards her fireplace, levitating out a very welcome-looking pot. She glanced back at me and waved me to her table. "Come. Sit down. Do you drink tea?"

"I, err, yes! All kinds. Whatever you've got." I followed over and sat at her table while she put a kettle over her fireplace.

"Chamomile, mint or black tea." She dipped her head apologetically. "It's not much, just what I grow myself."

"Chamomile, then."

She set out some mismatched cups from a nearby cabinet and silently worked to mix some leaves into them. When the kettle nearly came to a boil, she pulled it out before it could whistle. Without flourish, she poured hot water into first her cup, then mine.

I watched the tea seep, blowing slightly as its color deepened. I blew the steam away after a moment and took a careful sip, savoring the taste of the garden-grown tea leaves.

"Dusky and I met years ago. She always carries a weapon on her, and my..." She hesitated for just a moment, swallowing her words a moment before she continued. "My sentries mistook her for a bandit. She crashed in the forest, twisted one of her legs. I had her brought here. I mended it as best I could."

I winced. Every pegasus had a crash story at some point in their life. They were never fun, not to mention the terror of seeing the 'sentries'. I’d had Dusky to at least give me some reassurance that they weren't the enemy. Dusky had been attacked by them.

Ivory sipped at her own tea and took another breath before she continued. "She was scared, of course. She'd heard the stories about the Necromancer in Pasture, I couldn't blame her. But then she surprised me. She started asking different questions, opening up and asking about me, instead of about the Necromancer."

"That doesn't surprise me at all... not anymore. Deep down, she's curious. She wants to know everything, see everything. It's what I love most about her, the look on her face when she sees something new, and her mind starts working through all the possibilities."

Ivory nodded. "Curiosity and kindness, tempered by hard life lessons... she and I are kindred souls in that respect."

I set my tea down, frowning. "Are... other ponies really that afraid of you? I mean... you're clearly not the monster whatever stories they tell in Pasture say you are."

"They fear what they don't understand. The appearance of my undead does little to help alleviate their concerns." Her ears dropped, and so did her voice. "And there are some who hate me for their own reasons."

I slumped in my seat. "I... admit, I had trouble seeing through my own misgivings of you at first. Dusky didn't tell me what to expect, and of course she didn't foresee whatever is causing her nightmares, which meant we rushed in to get here. I didn't know what to think, save that Dusky said that you were important to her."

She smiled again, staring down at the table. "You're better than most. There are few who are inclined to give me the chance, let alone share tea at my table, even with Dusky vouching for me."

"She's never lied to me. I trust her, and... she trusts me. We have to, after everything we've been through."

Ivory nodded. "I understand completely. But you have to know, if you stay with her, there will be more hardship to come."

I chuckled. "Well, too late for that warning. If she's cursed to face hardships, then I took that curse upon myself the moment I proposed. I plan to face them by her side. It's the least I can do for her."

She raised an eyebrow at me. "You have an odd idea of 'least'."

“And you?” I glanced over at all the books. “I’m guessing you don’t spend most nights doing this much research.”

The edge of her mouth crept up. “It’s the least I can do for her.”

I sipped the tea, thinking to myself. Ivory seemed content to let the silence linger on, and I realized just how lonely her life must be. Dusky was one of, if not the only pony to have given her a chance, to learn who she was and judge her on that, rather than on rumors and fear. Ivory was alone, save for these precious moments when Dusky visited on her trips.

I closed my eyes. “I have to assume it’s not over. What do we need to do?”

“I’m still looking, but I have the beginnings of a plan. She’s safe so long as she’s here, but I know her. She would feel caged here before long. This research is to find a way to resolve the issue at its source, but it’s better if I fill you both in at the same time.”

I sighed. Ivory was right on all counts. “She would, yeah. If… if there’s anything I can do to help, just say the word, Ivory. For her… but also for you.”

She stiffened slightly, watching me again, but nodded. “Thank you, Night Flurry. For now, I think, you should get back to sleep. The hard part will come later.”

My eyelids had been growing a bit heavy from the tea, and after stifling a short yawn, I smiled. “Dusky was right. When you put it like that, it’s a little too ominous to say right before someone goes back to sleep.”

Ivory gave me a sad look. “Sorry, I don’t get much practice hosting guests.”

“It’s fine. Thank you for the tea, Ivory. And, well… everything.” I rose from the table, stepping over to give her hug before I wandered back to the cot.

She stiffened again, and I feared I’d overstepped myself. started to stammer out an apology when she began to return the embrace. “Thank you, Night Flurry.”

Just as quickly, she let go, and I leaned back and nodded. “Thank you. I’ll go take your advice now. Good night, Ivory.”

She nodded, setting her tea cup down and glancing back to the piles of books. Her reply was unexpected, but lacking any sort of irony. “Sweet dreams.”

I glanced at her curiously, not quite sure if it was a joke or not, then decided to just laugh it off. Tiredly, I walked back over to the cot and slid under the covers.

74 - Haunted

To say my day was surreal would be an understatement.

Dusky continued to sleep deeply, catching up on desperately needed rest. Other than a few checks to be sure she was still resting peacefully, I left her alone. The last thing I wanted to do was wake her now, though I’m not sure I could have if I’d tried. It was as if some other force were helping her rest, but not in the same way that dark entity had. There was something reassuring to me about it all, though I couldn’t say why.

I woke up twice more after my first talk with Ivory. The first was brief, willing to let me fall back to sleep after settling nature’s call. During that interruption, Ivory had taken little notice of me, still sitting in the same position she’d been hours earlier, the only difference was in the quantity of books surrounding her.

When I woke the last time, I felt fairly certain there’d be no going back to sleep for that day. Years of working the night shift had taught me how hard it was to break sleep cycle patterns without a lot of training.

With that in mind, I rose up and stretched, considering what I could do in Ivory’s home to pass the time until Dusky awoke. Ivory remained in the same position, though it looked like at one point she reshelved the entire book pile, only to start again, as she was now surrounded by new, shorter piles, with one set close at hoof, perhaps books which offered something she needed.

I walked up behind her and cleared my throat. “You, um… need anything, Ivory? Anything I can do to help out?”

“No.”

I blinked at the short response. Her face was still buried in a book, making more marks on the parchment as her eyes scanned rapidly. “Um… alright. Want me to make you something? Tea? I’m not a great cook, but I get by if you need something to eat.”

She sighed. It wasn’t a terribly patient sigh, but it didn’t feel outright dismissive to me. “Night Flurry, please stop. I appreciate your efforts, but I need time to study. Uninterrupted time. This is for Dusky’s sake, after all.”

I shifted away, ears dropping back. “Right… I know. I just… maybe a quick walk will clear my head a bit.”

She turned from her books, raising an eyebrow. “Just don’t stray too far. My sentries don’t know you like they know Dusky. I’ll eventually have to train them to recognize you.”

That gave me pause, and a lot of things to think over… if I really wanted to. I’m not sure I wanted to think about it too much, honestly. “I just… want some fresh air is all. I don’t plan to go into the forest beyond this clearing, Ivory.”

“For the best if you didn’t.” She replied matter-of-factly as she turned back to her books.

Not quite an hour later I came back inside. There was little outside Ivory’s cabin other than trees and the ominous feeling that I was being watched. I could almost feel the eyes on me. Undead eyes, staring. Never blinking. Still not trained to see me as a friend, and waiting for me to make one wrong move. I couldn’t be sure if was real, or just my imagination working overtime. Ivory didn’t look up as I stepped back inside.

I moved towards the table again and, this time without talking to Ivory, I set about making tea, just as she’d done the night before. It was a little trickier to set the kettle over the fire without the use of magic, but I managed all the same. Just as Ivory had done, I watched it carefully, only pulling it out of the fire just before it would begin to whistle, and prepared my drink.

As I poured the water, Ivory rose up from her work, levitating the scroll she’d been working on and rolling it up, binding and sealing it.

She let out a long sigh. “It’s done.”

“Your research?” I glanced towards her counter and retrieved a second cup for Ivory.

She smiled as I moved the tea cup towards her, taking it with her magic. “My research. I feel that I’ve found what you’ll need. At least, as much as I can on such short notice. Given more time...”

I nodded. “You’ve worked too hard as it is. You’re going to need sleep as badly as we did.”

“I doubt I’ll get much sleep until I hear this whole situation is resolved.” She glanced towards Dusky, then lowered her gaze to stare into her cup.

We fell silent as we sipped at the tea. It wasn’t as awkward as the first time, but close. As the minutes dragged by, I tried to think up something else to ask her about that wouldn’t sound forced, anything at all. Ivory seemed to be avoiding eye contact, and maybe she was struggling to find something to talk about too. We were both saved from it when our attention was drawn towards the cots.

Dusky wearily rolled over, extending a hoof out to grab hold of something next to her. Failing that, she rolled over and lifted her head up. When she finally looked over at us, she stared in a moment of confusion.

Ivory spoke up first, cutting straight to the point. “How are you feeling?”

“Better. If a bit groggy.” She wobbled a bit as she dragged her legs out of bed and stood upon solid ground, then began to stretch out her limbs carefully. “I feel like I slept for a week.”

I glanced at Ivory and the unicorn nodded.

“Twenty-six hours,” She replied.

“What?” Dusky blinked, then slumped in place, though not from exhaustion this time, at least. “And you’ve been awake this whole time?”

“You were awake longer.” Ivory smiled and raised her cup to her lips.

“Yeah, but not by choice. Sorry, Ivory, I—”

Waving Dusky’s concerns away, Ivory shook her head. “Don’t be. It’s an emergency. Time is of the essence.”

I nodded, frowning at Dusky. Ivory hadn’t explained it all to me, insisting she wait for Dusky to wake up, but what I had pieced together was more than enough to keep me worried. “Ivory’s been working hard to get ready to fight this dark presence when it returns. H-hopefully it’s not returning too soon, though.”

“No. No yet, anyway. It will not approach me.” Ivory’s voice was level, her tone undeniably certain. She had not been lying when she said Dusky was safe here.

“Then it’s undead.” With a better understanding of what was going on than I had grasped thus far, Dusky immediately grabbed onto some subtext of Ivory’s words. She shuddered. “In my dreams, Summer Leaf said the attempt on her life only made her stronger. If what she says is true and something strange happened with the explosion, add in her having some kind of magical hold over me and the Cartel thugs… Does that make her a lich?”

Ivory shook her head. “No. Definitely not a lich. Were it such a being, it would be far beyond my power to control. No, this is more like a ghost or banshee.”

She was a necromancer, after all. I still had some trouble accepting that, or at least, really coming to terms with what that meant. I shuddered at the thought of the zombies in the forest. It was worth remembering, Ivory was very, very powerful, and had a very unique talent.

“Control?” Dusky sounded more than a little shocked. I suppose even she didn’t know everything Ivory was capable of. “You can control it?”

“Could, if it would approach me.” Ivory sighed, shaking her head at Dusky. “When you first entered the forest, it pursued you. I could sense it, of course. So I reached out, touched it. For a brief moment, it was within my grasp and I felt something: fear. That was when it fled.”

Dusky only smiled, despite the sudden weight in the room. “Even if it got away, you gave me time to rest and recover.”

With a frown, Ivory shook her head. “I’m afraid that will be short lived. Once you leave my protection, it will return.”

“Then what can we do?” It almost wasn’t a question, as she seemed so sure that Ivory would have a solution. Still, I couldn’t quite tell if she smirked when she added, “ I’m pretty sure I can’t stab a banshee.”

“This.” On queue, Ivory produced the scroll she’d been working on over the past twenty-six hours. “This is a list of spells and details on how to combine them to trap the banshee on the same plane as you.”

Dusky lifted a hoof to her chin, glancing down as she thought it through. “I see. Then my blade will work once it is trapped with me?”

“In theory, yes. This is not something the nature of which I can readily test. But if the spells come together correctly, then you should be able to strike at it. Just be aware that it will not be easy prey.”

“Of course. Nothing is ever easy.” Studying the bound scroll a moment, Dusky tilted her head. “But why are you giving this to me? I’m no mage.”

“Then you shall have to find one,” Ivory bowed her head low. “Perhaps several.”

“Wait, what about you?” I stood from the table, setting down my tea. “I thought all of this study was so you could help her? I mean, n-not that this isn’t helping, I just mean… well, not to sound insensitive, but you’re a necromancer. Who could be better for this than the one who wrote the spells?”

Dusky a raised a hoof towards me and shook her head. “It’s fine, Night. If she could, she would. She must have a good reason. Ivory?”

“I am embarrassed to say, but my powers are a bit of a double-edged sword. I am as much a beacon to the undead as they are to me. I had but a single chance and now it knows to stay clear of me. The very thing protecting you is preventing me from giving you direct aid.” Her posture shrank, slumping into something between apologetic and ashamed.

With a simple shake of her head, Dusky smiled. “Ivory… this is already more than I could hope to accomplish. Even if I need someone else to cast it, this is your work saving me. So, thanks.”

I nodded. “Thanks to you, we know what this thing is… and, even if you aren’t there with us, we have a way to fight it.”

“Don’t thank me just yet.” Ivory lifted her eyes, her voice ominous “There is much ahead of you.”

Dusky perked up. I could almost see the pieces falling into place for her. “Right. I know just who to ask, but we will need to make it back to Ponyville.”

“Not just that. Once your journey is complete, you will have to muster the strength to defeat the banshee. You should rest as much as you can before setting out.”

“Agreed. But first, we need a plan.” Dusky crinkled her nose a moment, thinking things through. “The Cartel couldn’t be here just for me. Pasture is too far out of the way for them to intercept me so readily—especially when there was so much dissonance within the group. They must have already been operating out here to begin with.”

Tensing, Ivory’s voice went flat. “They’ve been in contact with the mayor, yes.”

I couldn’t fight the bile rising in my throat, thinking of everything I knew about the Cartel and the way they operate. “What kind of mayor deals with monsters like the Cartel?”

“The kind of mayor that Prideful Policy is.” Dusky’s frown deepened. “He’s been corrupt since well before Ivory and I even met. But I can’t see how he’d get them to work with him. The metals within the mountain have always been an ill-fated bargaining chip. The Cartel simply makes too much off Ghost Leaf to care. And there’s no way starting an op would be worth it. Pasture is so far from any major cities that shipments would be extremely vulnerable. Not to mention that a small town moving such a volume of product through Iron Shoe would quickly draw the attention of the Guard.”

Ivory shifted, and began to nod to confirm Dusky’s suspicions. “It didn’t quite feel right to me, either. Nothing really fit. Not until you showed up.”

“Until I showed up?” Dusky started to tilt her head, then her ears sprung up. “Wait, you think this has to do with the banshee’s powers?”

“Given the nature of the magic, yes.”

Losing the trail, I interrupted the two to make sure I was staying on the right track. “What magic? What else is going on here?”

Ivory hesitated. “There was an incident. Back when Dusky and I first met, we needed to band together to defeat a Shadow Walker, a griffon who sold herself for power.”

Shadow Walker. My blood froze. It was a term I’d heard only once, from Dusky. A pony who’d sold part of themselves for power. For magic. I saw the burning eyes of Broken Tooth, and the meglomaniacal ravings of Fire Tail as the Earth pony spilt blood to cast magic he knew nothing about.

Dusky’s wing gently wrapping across my back and around my withers brought me out of that particularly unpleasant memory. Then came the realization that Dusky had known what a Shadow Walker was because she’d previously encountered one. Here. She’d fought it, with Ivory’s help, presumably. That thought didn’t exactly comfort me either.

Dusky pressed in closer, making sure I was okay before she continued. “She openly used her powers in front of the town as we fought. I imagine word of this eventually reached Summer Leaf and she sent her thugs to investigate, seeking to claim this power as her own.”

Summer Leaf, the pony who so hated Dusky, enough to sic an entire criminal organization after her, now possessing the power of a pony like Firetail. I couldn’t hold back my shudder. “And she got it, didn’t she?”

“I suspect it didn’t quite turn out how she planned.” Ivory glanced over towards the research books. “At least, the rumours I’ve heard never involved the Shadow Walker dying. However, she did achieve something that is proving to be nearly as problematic.”

With a hoof to her chin, Dusky’s eyes worked through some invisible calculations. “Well, this probably won’t be much different than those bandits. Maybe even easier, since there’s a marked disconnect between these thugs and their mistress. If we bring down their base, they should scatter and even if Summer Leaf coerces them into returning, the remoteness without a base will greatly hamper them.”

“There is no need for something so complicated.” Ivory set down her tea and pushed herself up from the table. “My zombies will cover your escape. Then you can return to Ponyville.”

Dusky blinked, quickly responding.. “But what about you?”

Ivory sighed, sounding far older than she looked at she smiled sadly. “These thugs are nothing. I’ve been dealing with bandits all my life.”

Quickly narrowing her eyes, Dusky shook her. “Ivory, I can’t just leave you. This is a real—”

“Problem. Yes, I know, Dusky. They can’t be allowed to remain as they are forever and they won’t. But right now is not the time to look out for others. You need to look out for yourself. Deal with the banshee first, then you’ll be free to do as you wish.” Ivory clenched her jaw, her eyes giving Dusky a look that that sent a shiver down my spine, because I could relate all too well.

She didn’t want to be alone again. She didn’t want Dusky to die. She’d only just been coming to terms with having a friend, truly learning how much Dusky meant to her, finally feeling like she mattered to somepony, only to see them in terrible danger, feeling unable to help, unable to do anything but sit back and wait.

I’d been there. I’d been there when Dusky had been attacked in Ponyville, and as we’d fled to Myrtail Beach. I’d been there before Filllydelphia too, feeling like she’d gone beyond my reach. I glanced at Dusky. Ivory and I both needed her.

Dusky knew it too. She stiffened, trying to control herself, but her eyes began to water. She let the tears run down her face, then took a deep breath. In, and then out. “Okay, Ivory. You’re right. But the moment we win, I’m coming back. I swear it.”

I narrowed my eyes, knowing I could only agree, because it was right, and because she’d come back for me. In fact, I was almost sure Ivory would too, if it came to that. Maybe that was what Dusky and Ivory shared. Maybe what I shared as well. That burning loyalty to my friends, no matter what.

We brave few. A very special group, I’d told Ivory, who Dusky trusted with her life. Maybe that was because we trusted her with ours just as much. If we survived the banshee… we would return. Because Ivory was trusting in us to return.

I had no response to that moment, as Dusky bravely stared through her tears with a passion to do the right thing, and Ivory lowered her head, anxious and alone, but trusting in her best friend. I could only nod, knowing that when the time came, I’d do whatever it took to be right there with each of them.

75 - Unexpected Booty

With Ivory’s help, Dusky now had a plan. She had the tools and the means to end the Banshee haunting her at her hooves, but first we needed to get home, and that delay made her antsy. It wasn’t the same as before, though. Before, it had been from the not-knowing which kept her on edge, eating away at her. Now, she was focused on the task, and just counting the moments until she had to fight her old foe. All the tension in her was wound tight, like a spring, ready to pounce. It didn’t make me happy, seeing her like that, but it was preferable to seeing her the way she’d been before we reached Ivory’s hut.

She was ready to go as soon as we could, and I could hardly blame her. The sooner we were back in Ponyville, the sooner Ivory’s spells could be cast, and the sooner Dusky would be free of fear. The Cartel and Summer Leaf had haunted her far too long, and Dusky deserved to live her life without constantly looking over her shoulder. Summer’s apparent death had seemed to free her at last, but instead it was only the start of something much worse.

Despite our eagerness to have it finished, Ivory insisted Dusky rest up for at least another night before trying to head back home. She agreed, but since she'd just woken up, going to back to bed that moment wasn't an option. She set about preparing her travel pack, and sharpening her blade. That initially left me with nothing to do but watch, but Dusky had plenty for me to do to help.

Following Dusky's lead, I set about double checking our supplies, gathering whatever we’d need from Ivory’s generous offer of aid, and packing things as best I could for a speedy flight home. At some point, in the midst of packing my own bag, I became aware of just how quiet Dusky had grown. She sat off to the side, her own task momentarily forgotten. Her eyes were on me, but she wasn't really looking at me.

I frowned as she focused her eyes once again. “Dusky? Is something wrong?”

She laughed softly as she shook her head. “Nothing we haven’t discussed. I’m just… sorry. We’re supposed to be on vacation, but here we are preparing to run off and fight another supernatural horror.”

Nodding, I moved up closer. I’d said it before as well, but it was worth repeating. “It’s okay.”

“Is it really, though?” She stared at me with a pained expression and sighed. “This weirdness that follows me, it’s why I was always afraid for my friends. Why I was always convinced I’d never have a special someone. Are you really sure you want to marry into this?”

That broke my heart to hear, but I knew what she meant. She wasn’t the only one at risk anymore. “M-maybe not that in particular, but… everything else makes it worth it.”

“Everything?” Her expression changed rapidly, from one filled with pain and regret, to a smile I’d rarely seen on her face. It was almost… playful? She leaned in closer, “Even this?”
She spun, and before I could react, I found myself staring at her rear end as Dusky wiggled her rump at my face.

What else could I do at that moment? I stared, feeling the blood rush to my face. Something resembling words came out of my mouth. “U-um, yes. I, I mean no. I mean it’s not the most important—”

Dusky turned back, pressing in close and nuzzling against my neck. She giggled softly and whispered. “I know what you meant.”

Once everything was packed up, I spent the time pressed close to Dusky. I couldn’t say if she found some kind of escape or solace so close, but I also wasn’t about to complain. Any comfort I could give her before we set out again was more than I could hope for, and in truth, I needed her just as much as she seemed to need me. That seemed to be what we both felt, more often than not.

Ivory left us to pack, busy with her own preparations. She went out from the cabin to check with her sentries, to ensure we had a path clear of any remaining bandits or thugs who might be lingering at the forest's edge. There would be no ambush this time. Not here, at least.

Dusky slept easy that night. Even after all the build-up and preparation, she was still overtired and in need of sleep. We shared a cot that night, and Dusky cuddled up against me. I think we both slept better that night than either of us could have hoped for in the circumstances, but we awoke all too soon.

When the time came to go, I stood back, my flight satchel in place, while Dusky and Ivory said their goodbyes. They were both teary-eyed, beyond a simply parting of friends who only saw each other once in a long while. They both knew the risks of what we were about to do.

It was Ivory who stepped forward first, voice breaking as she did her best to hide her emotions. “One last gift for you before you go.”

Her horn began to glow, and she lowered her head to point it at Dusky, a purple cloud of light flashing outward to surround her.

Dusky stood as still as she could, discomfort crossing her face as she waited for the magic to pass. “What was that?”

Ivory smiled. “A ward of my own devising. I’m afraid it’s a bit crude. It will neither hide you nor bar the banshee from approaching you. However, it will radiate magic that her kind will find quite painful.”

“Which means if she’s determined, she can still affect me?”

“Sadly, yes.” Ivory frowned, shuffling awkwardly. “I wish I could apply a stronger enchantment, but it would not last long enough to be meaningful.”

“Thanks, Ivory. I appreciate it—and everything else you’ve done.” Dusky moved forward and embraced Ivory tight. The unicorn didn’t tense as she’d done when I’d hugged her, she hugged back just as tightly without hesitation. “How long do I have?”

“Twenty-four hours at best. You’d better get going.”

With a ticking clock before her protection wore off, we set off as quickly as we dared. Dusky was understandably pre-occupied, calculating a three-day flight to reach Ponyville, if we pushed ourselves. That meant she’d be vulnerable for two days, one night’s rest at the least, if the Banshee found her again. When it found her again.

Our flight path would take us straight south away from Pasture, and the plan was to stop in Las Pegasus. It wasn’t my preferred place to stop, but as mother had once said, ‘Any safe cloud in a storm.’ Dusky should be safe, if Ivory’s ward held out overnight. If not, I was ready. My words didn’t have any effect on the Banshee, I was sure, but they did what they could to bolster Dusky it seemed. If need be, I would stay up once again.

As we approached the edge of the forest under Ivory’s protection, Dusky tilted her head towards me. “Full disclosure, the Gooseneck Galley is a known Mob-owned hotel.”

I nearly stopped mid-flight, staring at Dusky. “W-wait, a Mob hotel? Why?”

“This may sound strange, but as long as we don’t stick our muzzles in their business, it’s the safest place to be.” She sighed. “The Cartel will be at a severe disadvantage if they try to start something in a Mob establishment. In the very least, it should give us time to escape. Otherwise, it’s probably our only chance for a decent rest once we leave these woods.”

I chewed on that for longer than I should have. The Mob wasn’t exactly a group I’d want to associate with, and if this hotel was a known Mob building, I felt like it should be reported to the Guard, or avoided at all cost, or… something other than getting a room there. Then again, my experience in Fillydelphia told me it wasn’t ever that easy. “Alright, Dusky. If you think it’s best. I don’t like it… but I trust you.”

When we reached the forest's edge, everything was eerily quiet. There was no ambush, nor was there any obvious escort, but I suppressed a shudder once again, just knowing that Ivory wouldn't leave us unprotected until she was sure we were outside her sphere of influence. The dead were still watching. It was so very strange to consider that they were on our side, as it were. Ivory was very kind, and it was obvious now why she and Dusky were friends, but it still made me uneasy, more than I really wanted to admit. I knew why Dusky had kept the truth hidden for so long.

From the forest, we flew on through the day, the sun arching over us on its journey across the sky. When twilight finally fell, the sky had grown cloudy, as it seemed the local weather team was setting up for a long summer rain. The glow of the sun faded below the horizon, but we couldn’t see the moon rise. It wasn't much, but it seemed to me a bad omen to stop under a moonless sky, and I was glad when Dusky decided we should push ahead until we reached Las Pegasus.

It took another few hours before the bright city lights began to grow ahead of us. They were all lit, like another moon sitting on the horizon, gaudy and garish but just as bright. Coming in just as impressive it had been on our trip out. Up close, I still found it to be too much.

We navigated in through the evening traffic, Las Pegasus seemed to never stop being busy, and landed a few blocks into town. From our landing point, it was only a trip across the street to one of the giant, looming hotels. The Gooseneck Galley Hotel was a towering building painted in gaudy gold, made all the worse by the glaring lights pointed at the building to make it reflect that much brighter.

Inside the gated courtyard, the building’s ugly paint and ominous size was put in bizarre contrast with an awkward looking boat, I assumed this was the titular Gallery. It sat above a water fountain that gushing up a pillar of water, made to look like it was supporting the large model boat, despite the numerous metal poles that actually supported it. More lights were arrayed upon the water, so that the bubbling water reflected along the bottom of the vessel, giving at least some appearance that it was sailing atop the sea.

The boat itself was remarkably plain, with wood that looked like wood, not painted up in overly bright neon color, and the thick sails seemed to catch some breeze in the air, as they billowed out to speed the boat along its immobile journey. It’d all be impressive, if not for the terrifying goose carved into the bow. Another carving stood on the deck, an earth pony mare, made to look like a storybook pirate, complete with a skull-and-crossbones upon her hat. The overall look defused any ability to take the galley, or the hotel named after it, seriously.

If Dusky hadn’t forewarned me that this hotel was a front for the Mob, I’d have thought it was an attraction for foals. It was almost too ridiculous, like someone had taken a young colt and asked him if he were a Mob pony, where would he hide, and he replied, ‘in a pirate ship!’.

“You ready?” Dusky’s voice snapped me back to the moment.

I glanced at the ship again, raising an eyebrow. “I… I don’t know.”

“We’re just a couple of tourists, wandering into a nice, overly fancy hotel so we can do what everyone comes to Las Pegasus to do.”

“Right.” I took a deep breath. “Nothing to be nervous about.”

“Exactly.” Dusky moved up and nudged me onward, then crossed the street to enter into the courtyard.

We passed through the gate and around the ship to reach a pair of oversize glass doors, surrounded by golden frames. With a touch of magic, they slid open on their own, and my general impression that they’d let a five-year old design this place suddenly felt a bit too on the nose.

It was all gold, with all the things a five-year old colt would guess were aboard a pirate ship scattered through the room, from treasure chests that served for tables and piles of 'treasure' set in a display case, to various paintings of boats, treasure, and ponies in pirate garb. Bright purple throw rugs made up of entirely too thick shaggy carpet were placed throughout. A gold plated tavern bar blocked off one wall, behind which sat two receptionists, both, naturally, dressed like pirates, one of them even wearing an eyepatch.

One of the receptionists, a stallion sporting a dark blue bandanna over his head, called out to us with a wave. “Arrr! Welcome to the Gooseneck Galley! What can I do you for today?”

Dusky stepped up to the receptionist, and I followed close behind. She smiled wide and cheerfully responded. “We’ve come to see sights and sounds of Las Pegasus, and decided that the experience just wouldn’t be complete without staying a night in a ritzy hotel.”

”Yar! Then you’ve come to the right place. We offer only the ritziest rooms, decorated by the very best of our plunder!” I almost broke, the stallion’s accent and performance was nearly too much. “What be your name, lass? And how long will ye be stayin’ with us?”

“Evening Star. And just one night.” Dusky looked back at me and grinned. I smiled back, a bit forced, but I wanted to make it all look good. The seriousness of our plight was definitely clashing with how… ridiculous this all was.

“One night… for Miss Evening Star. That’ll be four hundred doubloons.”

I almost fell over at the cost, and even Dusky nearly skipped a beat as she turned back to the counter. She simply nodded to the receptionist and started to count out the bits from the coin-purse in her flight satchel.

Once the receptionist finished counting out the bits, he placed a large silver key on the counter and grinned. “Yar, we be settled! Elevators be just down the hall. Take ‘em to the second floor and ye be the third door on the right. Enjoy yer stay and don’t forget the buffet runs until midnight!”

Dusky thanked the stallion, taking the key and heading off in the direction he’d pointed us towards. I craned my head back to try to wrap my head around it all, feeling so strange about this entire endeavor. This was the last thing I’d been picturing happening today, that was certain.

With a laugh, Dusky leaned in close. “Enjoying the theatrics?”

“Um, I guess. I’d have probably loved this place as a colt.” I glanced over at Dusky and forced a smile, feeling like an idiot. “Now it just seems to be a bit much. And… a bit weird, for a few reasons.”

“I get what you’re saying.” Dusky spared a glance back, then shook her head. “But, it’s not like they can have a sign outside advertising their true nature. Nor can their employees do anything that might give them away. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure that receptionist was in the know.”

A brief elevator ride up, and we were at the threshold to our room, guarded by an overly lavish golden door. Everything was so over the top, I was almost afraid the room would be worse, a glaring yellow nightmare that was as likely to keep us awake as any thoughts of danger. Dusky fit in the key and pushed open the door, stepping in just far enough to let me through before she closed the door behind us.

I stepped into the room and felt my jaw drop. The room was probably bigger than my house, with a spectacular bay window that, while not offering the best view from the second floor, still let the city lights in to play across the room. A large wooden desk took up half the wall, barren save for a quill, parchment paper, and a menu of the hotel’s breakfast offerings. I stepped up towards the window and glanced up, at last seeing the moon poking out from behind the clouds.

The centerpiece of the room was a large king-size bed, in a grand wooden frame, complete with a thick red privacy curtain that could be pulled around the bed, concealing it from the floor all the way up to the ceiling.

Dusky walked behind me, striding up to the bed and setting a hoof down on it. “Guess we don’t need to worry about room service walking in during our private moments.” She giggled and smirked at me, that same playful look in her eyes.

The image of her wiggling her butt flashed before my eyes, and the heat rose in my cheeks once again. She couldn’t be serious. “R-right. We wouldn’t want them to, um, see how rowdy we get.”

“Indeed.” Her expression didn’t change. She leaned in closer and kissed my cheek, only making me blush harder.

Dusky turned back towards the room, taking it all in and checking each room and closet.

I sighed, staring at an oversized painting of a large parrot in full pirate attire that hung on one wall. Between all the over-sized furniture and on point decorations, it actually did give some illusion to being in a private cabin aboard some luxury ship. “A-and I thought Myrtail was too much.”

“This is definitely well out of my normal budget range, that’s for sure.” Dusky laughed from the bathroom as she finished checking everything. She slipped out and came back over to the bed to sit beside me. “Would you believe me if I told you this is only a mid-high-grade hotel when it comes to Las Pegasus?”

That nearly took me aback, but then I thought back to the sheer scale of some of the ornate buildings Dusky had shown me on our first visit. “Yeah, um, after seeing the strip, I think I would.”

“Still.” She leaned in closer, grinning wide, and it felt good to see her as relaxed as she was. We hadn’t made it yet, but the first step was over. For the moment, we were safe. “As far as hideouts to hunker down and fortify, we could have chosen worse.”

76 - Reinforcement

The playful mood didn’t last long. We were in the middle of enemy territory, even if this enemy wasn’t looking for us. Our true enemy was looking, and might already know we were here. Maybe Dusky had only been teasing me to try and lighten the mood, but it couldn’t last forever. Shortly after, her instincts towards safety and survival took over.

Dusky worked quickly, closing the blackout curtains across the windows, blocking out the view, then turned out to look from the corner of the window. Seemingly satisfied, she proceeded to walk a loop through the room, checking the door, then out the window, and back. She proposed we use the same sleeping rotation we’d adapted in the rushed trip to Ivory’s, switching shifts on watch every two hours, and clearly she was going to take first watch.

The biggest problem was, just getting to this room had been an anxiety-ridden experience, and I was unlikely to sleep anytime soon. Dusky’s pacing didn’t help, and I tried to lay down, only to end up watching her.

I wanted to do something to help, even being able to get some sleep might have given some relief in that at least one of us was getting rest. I turned over everything Ivory had told us in my mind, sifting to see if there was anything I could do. But the problem here wasn’t the Banshee, at least not entirely. It was the Cartel. Whatever Summer Leaf could do to Dusky’s dreams wouldn’t matter much if her thugs caught us out in the open again. So if I couldn’t help against the Banshee, then maybe…

I sat up from the bed and looked at Dusky. “I think I have an idea.”

“Hmmm?” Dusky glanced back at me from the corner of the room, where she was just peering through the curtain, out at the street once again. She tilted her head at me, curious. “Idea for what?”

“The trip home, when the ward has worn off.” I stood up from the bed and moved closer. “We can send for help and meet up part way.”

“It’s a good idea, but I don’t know if I have the right contacts to get it delivered in a timely matter. I guess I could ask around a little.”

“You don’t have to. After Fillydelphia, my dad gave me a special address. He said if I ever found myself in trouble, I could send a letter to it through the Guard and it would reach him in a day. I’m not sure it can help us with a banshee. But it might mean some extra protection on the road, at least. If I can give you peace of mind, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

“I appreciate the concern.” She stepped closer to nuzzle against my mane, humming thoughtfully. “Guess it might be time to send out those postcards.”

“Yeah.” Nuzzling Dusky once more before I pulled away, I moved to the massively ornate desk. It took me a moment to even figure out how to sit at it, but I managed to get myself up onto a seat and pick out a postcard leftover from my pack, reading “Crystalside Archaeological Digsite Tour!”. Grabbing one of the quills, I began to write what sounded like a perfectly innocent postcard message.

Hey Dad!
Crystalside was a lot of fun! Beautiful Scenery and an amazing old dig site. It’s no Daring Do, but it’s still neat. The flight out was a bit rough, ran into some trouble with the weather. Just like that time in Myrtail Beach, remember? We took to ground near-

I paused, then looked back at Dusky. “Where can we meet?”

She tilted her head back to consider, spending a long time pondering. “Without knowing how fast he can get people ready to meet us, it’ll need to be someplace that gives them a head start. There’s a number of options, but I think all the best routes will take us near or through Cloudcrest. It’s a bit old and isolated, but your father should know it. That should give him and his people the advantage in reaching it and settling in before any significant Cartel force can arrive.”

“Okay.” I set the quill back down, continuing where I left off.

near Cloudcrest to wait for the weather to pass. We’d hoped for clear flying, but you know what Mom says, Sometimes being a pegasus means getting tossed around like a leaf in a storm. Wish you were here!

-Night and Dusky.

I slipped the postcard into my flight satchel.

Dusky reached out, pulling her own satchel off the desk and sliding it over her back. “Since we can’t sleep, let’s go for a stroll down the strip. Maybe play a round or two of roulette.”

I raised an eyebrow, unsure if I heard any of that right. “I thought you didn’t like gambling?”

“I don’t” Her expression dropped, and she sighed. “But if we go straight to our destination, our hosts may get the wrong idea. We need to act the part. At the same time, I don’t want to bankrupt us. However, these tables tend to get pretty busy. So, I figure we go over, lose a few spins, then find someone on a winning streak and pretend to be in awe. That should let us kill enough time to be safe.”

Again, the reality of this hotel, a Mob front, sank in. Heading straight to the Guard would definitely raise some eyebrows. It all stunk, but I nodded at Dusky’s plan. “If you think it’s necessary.”

Tossing on my own flight satchel, I followed Dusky out of the room and out onto the strip. Thankfully, it was far less crowded than it had been earlier, giving us a little room to breath on our way. It wasn’t empty, though, with plenty of ponies heading into any number of casinos, each trying to outdo the others around it on the basis of bright lights and loud noises.

We wandered about, Dusky keeping a slow pace as we passed casino after casino, until at last she pointed towards a gaudy neon sign reading Rehaa’s Beginner’s Night! The words blinked one after the other in bright yellow, each designed to look like they were made of smoke emerging from a genie’s lamp in some old story. The lamp itself was adorned with an arrow pointing to a wide door cut in the shape of a playing card spade. Without hesitation, Dusky led us into the parlor.

It was like being punched in the gut by lights and sound. I didn’t even know where to look, everywhere around us were ponies cheering, cursing, crying, shouting, all surrounding bright green tables. The staff, at least, were easy enough to find, each dressed in a stereotypical Saddle Arabian garb, complete with turban. The tables were all grouped together by game, with big neon signs announcing games like ‘Blackjack’, ‘Roulette’, or ‘Baccarat’.

I stayed close to Dusky, but she seemed to be taking it all in stride. In fact, she almost seemed to have relaxed, despite the crowded, overly busy environment. Or perhaps because of it. I could definitely see how easy it could be for a pony to disappear into a crowd here, and Dusky wanted to be sure no one would have any reason to question who we were or why we were here.

She led the way to the Roulette tables, only stopping to pull out some bits and exchange them for casino chips. Turning to me, she grinned, not entirely convincingly to me, and pointed a hoof up to the big number board below the roulette table. “All we have to do is guess which section of the wheel the ball will land. What do you think, black or red?”

“Oh, um…” I looked down at the board, glancing around all the various numbers, each also assigned a color, trying to see if any number stood out to me. I didn’t see anything, then glanced down. My eyes fell onto Dusky, her beautiful dark coat giving me the obvious answer. “Black.”

She giggled, taking the chip in her hoof and setting them onto the table. “Okay. Five on black!”

The dealer nodded and took the bet, sliding the chips into a black bar on the table. After a few moments with other ponies adding their own chips to the table, the dealer held up a small metal ball before the crowd, and spun the roulette wheel. The numbers became a blur of gold amidst the blended red and black squares, until at last the dealer dropped the ball into the wheel.

I tried to follow the ball as it bounced about, clattering across the wheel until the wheel slowed down, and the ball found its resting place. “Black twenty-six!”

Dusky nudged me as the dealer began to move chips about. “Hey, good call!”

“Um, thanks?” I forced a smile, trying to sound confident and excited. We were tourists here to gamble, nothing more. Though, in truth, I didn’t see the appeal, even though we won.

“Let’s see if we can double it again. We’ll stick with our lucky colour.” Dusky put our increased chips back on the table, and the dealer set them back on black.

The wheel spun once again, and the ball slowly came to a halt. “Red three!”

“Aw. That didn’t last long.” She kicked a hoof out in the air. “Well, don’t worry. We can win it all back and more. Think we should swap to red?”

I shrugged, flashing her a grin. In truth, I was growing more amused at Dusky’s act than I was at the game. “Yeah, maybe that will be luckier.”

She placed the bet with the remaining chips she’d held back from our initial bet and grinned as the roulette wheel went back into motion.

“Double zero!” The cry was met by groans all around the table.

I looked about, the shifted my eyes back to Dusky. “That doesn’t count as red, does it?”

Dusky stared at the table a moment longer then shook her head. “No. No, it doesn’t. Maaaaybe this is a sign we should take a break. Hey, that guy’s got a lot of chips. Let’s see if we can figure out how he does it!”

We spent about an hour going from table to table, watching ponies on winning streaks and cheering them on as they harvested chips. In truth, it was more fun watching somepony else win than I think I would have had trying to win myself. Roulette felt too random, win or lose. I was surprised at the end of it just how much fun I’d had.

Still, once we were back outside in the late night, the town felt just as oppressive. We found the Guard station quickly, and without much preamble, I gave the receptionist the postcard, asking if they could pass it along. She eyed me curiously, almost like I were crazy to suggest the Equestria Guard were some kind of postal service, and then slipped the postcard out of sight with barely a nod.

Back in our room at the Gooseneck Galley, we resumed our attempt at a sleep schedule. I passed in and out of an uneasy sleep, keeping an eye on Dusky and when my shift on watch came up, I watched her more than I watched the street, looking for any sign of a nightmare. She seemed to get some rest at least, and wasn’t struggling against an unseen foe or grimacing in pain. I prayed to Luna that Ivory’s ward held out at least long enough for her to get some rest tonight, knowing that tomorrow would be even harder.

The night had passed without incident, either external from any sort of attack, or internal, against Dusky. She said she’d been restless, vague images at the corner of her mind, but nothing she could remember, nothing as extreme as what she’d been suffering.

Thus, we were at least somewhat well rested, enough to set out from Las Pegasus early the next morning. The flight wasn’t quite a straight line, as Dusky wanted to stay high and avoid any major cities, but it all passed by without incident.

We reached Cloudcrest just before dusk set. The sky was a formless gray, streaked with the fading red tendrils of the setting sun, still too bright to reveal the stars, not yet dark enough we couldn't see.

Cloudcrest Hill itself sat in the midst of a large plain of wheat, the one feature sticking out amidst an otherwise level land all around it. The top of the hill reached upwards sharply on all sides, save the northern side where it sloped away, and long paths wound their way up to the summit.

From the sky, the hill was exposed, save for several old stone structures. In the fading daylight, those stones cast long shadows, like a dark hand reaching out eastward, over the plains. An old pegasus waypoint station, long left abandoned as Equestria outgrew it.

We did a high-altitude loop over the top as Dusky kept an eye out for anything that looked suspicious. She paused to settle in on a high cloud and waved me closer, then pointed a hoof down, motioning from stone to stone.

One. Two. Three. Her hoof stopped at the fourth structure, and I saw what she was looking at. Somepony stood in the shadows, leaning against the large stone cairn. I squinted at the figure. "Mint?"

"It looks like. There's no one else that I can see, and she's not exactly hiding." Dusky scrunched her nose as she considered. "But it could also be an impersonator. I can’t really tell from this distance. What do you think?"

I leaned down, peering as close as I could. They weren't wearing anything as bulky as guard armor, but her stance as the pony waited just felt right. "Yeah... almost certain that's her. Want me to go down first, just in case?"

She shook her head. "No. We'll check together. Head down carefully, and keep your eyes open. I'll circle around, and if anything's amiss, get out of there."

With a nod, I slipped off the edge of the cloud and began to glide downward.

The tension didn't last long, as about half way down, the figure in the shadows glanced up. Catching sight of me, Mint stepped out of the shadows into the fading daylight to give out a whistle and a wave.

My glide became a more active dive. There was no other movement on the hilltop, and Mint herself was glancing around carefully. Even still, it all seemed right. I finished my descent to touchdown on the stony hilltop. "Mint?"

She stepped forward, out into the open, her golden mane was tied back into its usual ponytail. But she was disheveled, and her eyes were grim as she practically pounced forward to hug me. "Nighty? You alright? What's happening? Where's Dusky?"

"Here." Dusky set down before I could answer, giving me a quick smile as I hugged Mint back. "I'm glad to see you, Mint. Thanks for flying out with such short notice."

Mint let out a deep sigh of relief, but her voice was still frantic. "Thank Celestia you're okay. We've been hearing reports of Cartel activity all over the place. Some big power struggle after the Mob escalated things and Summer Leaf fell. The Guard's been cleaning up the pieces, but they've suddenly been on the move, organizing fast. Dad's been keeping me up to date... and then we got your postcard this morning."

"It's a lot more complicated than someone winning the power struggle, but that's certainly part of it." Dusky smiled sadly, and I could see the weight of it on her. "We're going to need all the help we can get to put an end to this."

My sister straightened up and saluted. "You have my hooves, Dusky, Night. Is this new Cartel leader targeting you?"

Dusky forced a laugh. "Yes, and no. First, we need to make camp. We can deal with Summer Leaf once we reach Ponyville."

Mint blinked, "Wait, Summer Leaf? Isn't she dead?"

"It's a long story..."

"Right, and we don't have time." Mint glanced eastward and thought. "There's a Guard safe house about an hour northwest of here. We'd get there after dark. You two both able to keep going?"

Dusky's expression hardened, eyes dropping to the ground.

I remembered what she'd told me. The last time she'd been in a guard safe house, the location had been leaked, the Cartel had attacked, and having barely gotten out alive, Dusky had carried the survivor's guilt with her ever since. I can't imagine she relished repeating the situation. "Maybe that's not the best idea, Mint."

Shaking her head, Dusky sighed. "No, it's probably the best option we've got for a good rest. So long as you hadn't planned this ahead of time, Mint. We're in a situation where what we say, and where we are, is compromised, so your safe house won't be safe once we leave."

With a raised eyebrow, Mint nodded. "Right. You really need to fill me in as soon as we're secure."

"We will, Mint... it's... well, complicated and weird." I shrugged and moved closer to Dusky, nuzzling against her neck. "But it's still worth it."

Dusky smiled. "Flatterer."

Mint laughed loudly. "Celestia bless her, Nighty, but your marefriend is nothing but trouble."

I couldn't help but laugh, as I remained lost on Dusky's eyes. "It's worse than that, Mint. Much worse. She's my fiance now."

"Well, I'll be. I win the bet. All the more reason to get this all settled and behind us. Gotta look out for my little brother." She hummed quietly behind me before she added, "And my new sister, too."

77 - Hideaway Home

Mint took the lead, flying us fast and low over the plains as Dusky felt it best to get us to the safe house as quickly as possible. The sky was rapidly growing dark now, making the great wheat fields that surrounded Cloudcrest into an eerie gray ocean, its waves swaying beneath us with every gust of wind. Even if we had second thoughts at what might be lurking in that seemingly endless sea, we were committed to using the safe house the moment we set out.

We must have traveled nearly an hour from dusk, well into night, before we saw a light glowing in the field. Mint guided us onward, beginning a slow descent towards the light, and hopefully towards safety.

I had no idea what to expect from an actual Guard safe house. Myrtail Beach hadn’t exactly been an ‘official’ safe house, as Dad had thankfully had the foresight to keep it, and our presence there, off the books. I knew Dusky’s experiences had been horrible, and that had been a purely physical attack. Now, even if we were safe from that kind of ambush, there was still the banshee to contend with, and Ivory's protection was likely all gone now.

As we descended towards the light, the ocean of wheat-grass parted around a square of land, where a little farmhouse sat. Our guide had been the faint light of a lantern post, lit at the edge of the fields. Fireflies filled the clearing, blinking on and off peacefully, admittedly bringing a smile to my face despite the circumstances. Looping wide around the house, we passed over a small pumpkin patch, towards the barn and descending to the light.

Mint set down, reaching a wing out to take the lantern, then turned to wait for us to land behind her. Quietly, she nodded and headed toward the barn. Its doors were closed, but Mint passed them by to turn the corner. There, several rocks sat embedded in the ground, and with the lantern light leading us, Mint moved around them and past the second large stone, where a half-hidden pair of cellar doors led beneath the barn.

I glanced up at Mint as she flung open one of the thick doors and waved us in. I started to follow when I noticed Dusky had stopped in her tracks.

Her face was frozen, a look of horror and guilt upon her face that I’d seen before. My heart sank, knowing exactly where she was at that moment. It was no nightmare she was seeing now, but an event which had haunted her for ages, and had been all too real.

I came as close as I dared so as not to startle her any more than necessary and whispered. “You okay?”

She jumped regardless, eyes going wide before they focused on me and she came back to the moment. “I’ll be fine. I just need a few moments.”

I watched her carefully as she took a few deep, calming breaths, then nodded. I turned back to Mint and headed down into the cellar. I glanced back to make sure Dusky wasn’t far behind, and once we made it down into the darkness, Mint closed the door behind us and followed down with the light.

It wasn’t much, just a small stone cellar, filled with random, uneven shelves. Nothing was even being stored here. It didn't have any kind of amenities, not exactly what I’d been expecting from the Guard. It felt more like a panic room than a safe room.

Mint swung the lantern across the room and whispered to us with a soft smile. “Almost there.”

“Almost?” I glanced back over the room and let out a sigh of relief. Sleeping on the stone floor in this little cellar was not, in my opinion, an improvement over the camp we could have set up on Cloudcrest in much less time than it had taken to get here.

Mint nodded, walking past us towards the back of the room. There, she placed herself against the wall and pressed. She pushed twice more. On the third shove the solid wall gave way, sliding open to reveal a hidden second room not quite as large as the main cellar, but sporting a trio of cots and a stock of wooden crates around them.

She turned to let us inside, then set about setting the thick wall back into place. Once the large stone slab was restored, Mint pointed about the room. “Food’s on the left. Water in the middle. Other basics on the right. We need to get out of here fast, there’s another door in the back-left corner.”

“Okay.” Dusky nodded, then swiftly fell back onto her haunches, weariness flooding her face and drooping her posture.

I frowned, moving closer to her to wrap a wing around her. I couldn’t think of anything to say to reassure her, knowing where her mind was at, both from being in the safe room, and from the presence of the Banshee.

She looked up at me and smiled through the exhaustion. “Thanks, Night. I’ll be fine.”

Dusky fell asleep so fast I was almost afraid she’d miss the cot. Once I’d tucked her in, I watched for a moment for any signs of nightmares, knowing for certain that even without the banshee, she’d not sleep well tonight. Not here.

Mint set down the lantern on one of the crates and lowered its shutters, dimming the room. She sighed, keeping her voice quiet. “So... just what the hell is going on, Nighty?”

I glanced over at my sister. Her concern was obvious, and having rushed out this far to help us, I owed her an explanation. “I… don’t exactly understand it myself, but I can try to explain it.”

She nodded and motioned for me to continue.

I gave her the rundown of our trip, starting in Canterlot and learning what had happened to the Cartel, through our journey across Equestria, with Dusky’s growing nightmares, our run ins with the Cartel shipment outside of Las Pegasus, and then to Ivory, the revelation of just who was stalking us, and lastly our plan to stop it, insomuch as I understood it.

Mint took a minute to process it all before she finally closed her eyes. “That’s… crazy. All of it. But you’re hardly Spring, are you Night? This isn’t just a flight of fancy you’re making up. Summer Leaf survived, and is running the Cartel as a... ghost? And now she's driving her enemies insane through their dreams. I mean… it all fits in how things have been playing out too, that’s the scary part.”

“There’s a lot of scary parts… that somepony could even be so crazy as to go this far to hurt somepony else that she’d give up her… I don’t know. Her self? It’s terrifying to me.”

She nodded. “Not all monsters are born that way Night. A lot of the worst ones start off as ponies just like you and Dusky, and they trade away pieces of their soul to get more and more power, until they’re just so far gone that they’re unrecognizable. I don’t even mean they all end up as some kind of Banshee either.”

I lowered my head with a sigh. “No, I get it. I’ve seen it before. I’ve seen too much of it in the past year, honestly… ever since…” I glanced over at the cot where Dusky lay sleeping.

“She’s had a hard life, Night. She’s a good pony, but I worry about you.” Mint looked me in the eyes, as serious as I’ve ever seen here. “Are you sure you can handle this?”

I nodded without hesitation. “For her? Yes. You say she’s had a hard life… then, it’s up to me to ensure she gets the happy ending she deserves. Maybe I can’t do everything, but I can try, damn it. And I won’t stop trying. Her smile is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and that anything conspires to take that from this world is just... wrong.”

Mint's serious expression broke, and she actually giggled, punching my side playfully. “Okay, calm it down now, lovercolt. She’s not even awake to hear that rousing speech.” She shook her head. “You’re not wrong. I hate bullies… have ever since I was a foal. It’s why I went into the Guard. Not because of Dad, or the family. But because… I just can’t stomach letting anypony do whatever they want when it hurts others.”

“I guess I’m not nearly as good as you. I… guess I’m too selfish.”

“You’re not selfish, Nighty.” She grinned wide. “Well, not too selfish. But you’re like, ‘normally’ selfish. You just want to be happy, and to keep your friends safe.”

I nodded, looking down at the cobblestone floor. “I… guess, yeah.”

Mint stepped closer to pull me into a hug. “You’ve grown up a lot, Nighty. I don’t care if you are a bit selfish, you do your sister proud. Now, go get some rest. I’ll keep watch. Then we can go do this plan to kick that banshee’s incorporeal ass, or whatever.”

I hugged back tight, managing a laugh. “You sound way too excited when you say it like that, Mint.”

“It’s another item off the list of things I’ve always wanted to say. Now go. Shoo. Get some rest.”

“Thanks, Sis.” I turned back to Dusky and frowned. The signs of her having a nightmare were already there. I stepped over and kissed her gently on the forehead. “Mint’s got this, Dusky. I’m here for you too, no matter what.”

A nudge against my flank turned my attention back to Mint, who pointed to the cot next to Dusky. “Bed. Now. That’s an order.”

I sighed, then climbed over to the cot and pulled the blanket up, and before I could even say good night, I fell into a deep, much needed sleep.

Dusky waved us down just as Ponyville crept into sight on the horizon. Our travel from the safe house all the way back to Ponyville had been quick and uneventful, thankfully. Now, I could almost make out the speck of cloud in the sky that was my house, but I could tell exactly what Dusky was thinking. If the Cartel been ready to ambush us outside of Pasture, they might be lying in wait here as well. They had to know this was our goal.

Instead of following the main road in, we hiked a path along one of the many forest trails that meandered through the Whitetail Woods. Unlike the Everfree Forest on the opposite side of town, the Whitetail Woods were relatively peaceful, even as twilight approached. With no need to worry about a roaming pack of Timberwolves or a patch of strange blue flowers with magical properties, we could focus on other potential threats.

Mint went into town first while we waited at the border of the forest, a stone’s throw away from town. She was least likely to be recognized at this point, and could gather intel easily. If anything was out of the ordinary, she’d be able to tell. If they were ready for her, she was confident she could get back out to alert us. It was risky, but a risk we had to take.

I peered through the trees from our makeshift hiding spot while we waited. A few familiar forms in the market went about their business just as they did every day of the week, and a bit of homesickness struck me, so close and yet still so far. Dusky was nearby, staying equally out of sight as she scanned for any sign of something wrong.

Feeling somewhat at odds with myself, I sighed. Homesickness from being at home, and something else was bothering me as well, something I expected, but still hadn’t been ready for.

Dusky shifted back from her vigil to nuzzle against me. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s… home.” I glanced back into the market. “I mean, we’re back… but it still feels like we’re so far away.”

She nodded. “I know. But even here we can’t be too careful. Once Mint gets back and the market closes, we should be able to move quickly and reach the library before the sun sets without anyone seeing us.”

I tilted my head, then chuckled. “And it’s not just that. I mean, as silly as it sounds in the face of everything… our trip. It’s sorta… over now, isn’t it?”

Dusky raised an eyebrow, but then a smile spread onto her face. “One of many more to come, I promise.”

“I just didn’t realize until now, how much I wanted to keep going.”

She wrapped a wing around me. “We will, in time.”

I leaned against her, doing my best to keep my voice low. There was one thing that I’d simply grown too accustomed to on the trip. Something I knew I could never go back from. “Dusky I… I want you to move in with me. Or, to move in with you. It doesn’t matter. I just… I can’t go back to sleeping alone.”

“I assumed we would move in together, what with getting married and all.” Dusky smirked. “There’s still a lot that needs to be done first.”

Suddenly feeling foolish, I couldn’t help but blush. Here I was asking her to move in after I’d already proposed. Next I’d be asking if it was okay to hold hooves. I shook my head. “R-right, right. Of course. Sorry.”

She slipped in closer and kissed my snout, causing my blush to only grow brighter. “Nothing to be sorry about. I know this hasn’t been easy for you, but I appreciate you seeing it through with me.”

“For better, or worse Dusky. I… I knew what I was getting into when I asked that question.” I’d thought about it a lot, in fact, but the worse had never seemed insurmountable in the face of how I felt for her. “This trip has been wonderful… and terrifying. It’s been beautiful, and breathtaking, and exhausting. But even now, I wouldn’t have traded it for anything, Dusky. Thank you.”

She grinned, then leaned against me, pressing her lips against mine to steal a short, yet passionate kiss. “Thank you, Night Light. I’m glad the rough patches didn’t put you off.”

I had nothing more I could say. Just as she’d stolen that kiss, she’d stolen my breath, and it had been a long time since she’d stolen my heart. I simply nodded, smiling.

She shifted back into position to keep watch on Ponyville. “Assuming nothing’s wrong, Mint should be back from scouting soon. Another hour or so and we can head in.”

With a nod, I fell silent as we monitored the town. It wasn’t exactly watching a sunset, but even sitting besides her like this, I found strength. We were going to survive this.

78 - Hatred's Face

It wouldn't take long for Twilight to plan out the ritual, and we didn't gain much from resting, as that only gave the Banshee more time to attack Dusky. Mint's scouting revealed nothing, and though it was likely that I was a known entity to the Cartel, I was the best option to venture out into Ponyville to bring in our friends. Dusky didn't like me heading out, but we had limited options.

I walked through Ponyville as stealthily as I could to avoid any unwanted attention. This late, flying could potentially draw watchful eyes to my coming and going. Easier to walk, and quieter too. Mint shadowed me, keeping far enough back that I couldn't see her, but she could see me. The town hadn't changed since we'd left, but even so it would have been easy to get the drop on me alone, and we couldn't afford that.

Most ponies would be asleep at this hour. Thankfully, our friends tended to be night owls, and if they were anywhere, it would be gathered together at the Lusty Seapony. Though most every other building was dark, the Seapony's lighted porch still shone like a beacon. I glanced back into the gloom, nodding in signal to my unseen sister, then pushed my way inside the bar.

Familiar smells filled my nostrils, along with the sound of the hearth burning beyond the tables. The sight of Merriweather, sitting alone in one of the gauzy dresses she'd brought back from Ostfriesen was new, though. She sat at a table practically directly in front of the door, batting her eyes at me for a moment before she stopped. "Whoa, wait? Flurry? Flurry! You're back! Where's Dusky?"

I cringed as she cried out, but had expected some fanfare. I raised a hoof to my mouth to quiet her down and walked up to her table. "Merri, it's... a long story. Just you tonight? We... sorta need some help."

"Just me, for now. Sis’ is upstairs, though. And sure! What do ya need help with?" She slowly raised an eyebrow at me. "Or is this like... 'Fillydelphia help'?"

I sighed. "The... the latter. As soon as you can."

She paused to take a deep breath and rose from the table "Right. Guess date night's cancelled for now. Let's get Sis’."

Frowning, I muttered out an apology, but Merri just waved it away as she led the way up the stairs of the bar towards the room she and Starshadow had been living out of since they'd first arrived. Stopping at the door, she knocked and waited.

With surprisingly quick timing, Starshadow opened the door. She was wearing a long sleep cap with a toothbrush levitating at her side. She eyed Merri up and down, then noticed me. "Night Flurry. Ah. Come in, then."

Merri stepped in first, and I followed. The moment the door closed, Merri turned on me, eyes narrowed in concern. "Where's Dusky? What happened?"

I nodded. "She's safe. She's with Twilight at the Golden Oaks Library. She wanted me to get you two, and tell you to be ready to fight."

The twins exchanged glances, and Starshadow took the lead. "Dusky is safe with Ms. Sparkle then, hmm? I take it time is of the essence?" She'd already taken her sleeping cap off, setting it down on the bed.

"Yeah. Dusky and Twilight can explain it all better." I still had no idea what fighting a banshee would look like or how it would play out, but I pushed down the worry and nodded to the pair. "My sister's with us too. I don't know if five of us is enough but... it's all we can do on such short notice, I guess."

Merri smirked. "Okay. Gonna head home, pick up my stuff and uh... call off the date. I'll meet you at the Library."

Her sister nodded. "Travel safe, Sister. Give our apologies to Icicle."

"I'm sure I'll find a way to pay him back~." With a flourish, Merri brushed past me and out the door.

Starshadow turned away, her magic opening a drawer to remove the familiar scaled armor she'd been wearing when I first saw her. Setting it out, she begin to magically remove her pajamas. "One moment, Night, and I shall be ready."

I cleared my throat as I waited for her to prepare. "So, um, Merri then? A home? A date? I guess I'm a bit behind."

She chuckled as she slipped into her under-padding. "Merriweather returned from Terrabona's wedding inspired. She ensnared a weather pegasus associate of yours, and has recently moved in with him. I say she is imposing, but she insists it was his idea. I admittedly did not argue much, as it meant that I get this room to myself now."

"An associate... Icicle? Wait, Icicle Gleam?" I blinked and shook my head. "What about Terrabona, then? And Mahogany. I'm a bit surprised I didn't see them downstairs too."

"Mahogany is much as he was. He spends a night or two here, then a night or two at another bar. I do not believe he likes me." She chuckled lightly, then glanced at me after sliding her scale mail into place. "There's been little other company here, with you and Dusky gone, and Terrabona is often with her family now. She is pregnant."

My ears perked up at the news. "Pregnant? I mean... Wow. I guess that makes sense, after the wedding and, um... well, still, that's amazing. I'll have to congratulate her, I just... wasn't expecting."

Star stretched her neck back and forth to let the armor shift into place. "It's been an eventful month, since the wedding. Things have felt like they have moved quickly, but such is life."

"Well... It's not like I thought your lives all stopped just because Dusky and I were gone. They just feel like some big changes. All for the better, it sounds like?"

Star smirked, and her horn lit up to levitate a stack of papers off her dresser. "They are not the only changes, or so we have heard." She flipped the first one, and I immediately recognized my own wing-writing.

"My postcards?" I blushed, recalling the news I'd passed along. "Oh! Right! Our engagement! Well... yeah, of course. That's our biggest change."

Star smiled at me as she finished her preparations, sliding her hoofblade into place as the final move. "Well then, lead on Night Flurry. To Dusky's side."

I turned back towards the door, Starshadow's armor clinking behind me as we moved down the stairs and back into the night.

Merri was waiting patiently at the door to the library. Clad in her scale mail, she looked almost bored as we approached. She only half whispered as we approached, “About time!”

I led, with Mint and Star flanking me. Starshadow glared at her sister, then nodded to the door. “I am sure it is locked for the night. You have a means of entry, Night Flurry?”

I nodded, pulling Twilight’s spare key out from my saddlebag. We’d made arrangements before Mint and I left, both for how I’d get back in, and to confirm that everything was okay once I was in.

The door creaked open as I slowly pushed it open, stepping just inside the main room.

“I-I, um…” I heard Mint snickering behind me, and Merri started in as well, but Star shushed them both and I continued. “... found a filly who fell upon a fuchsia futon.”

There was a moment of silence, and then Dusky stepped out from behind the curtain where she and Twilight were setting up. With a wave, she smiled at me. “Welcome back.”

I smiled at her as the others follow me in. “Thanks.”

The back room of the library had primarily been cleared out, making a hugely vacant space where Dusky had been resting earlier. Twilight Sparkle stood in the back with a large chalkboard and Ivory’s scroll, jotting down formulae that quickly went over my head.

With the door closed and locked behind us, Starshadow looked around. “Now that we are in private, what are we fighting?”

Dusky’s face dropped apologetically. “Er, well, it’s something rather unusual: a banshee.”

Clearly caught off guard, Star gaped. “I… beg your pardon?”

“She said a banshee. Geez, Sis’, pay attention.” Merri poked at Star’s side, grinning.

Star glared back, her horn lighting up to gently shove Merri's hoof away. “I know that. That is just not something I expected to hear in Equestria. Vengeful spirits are a very Ostfriesen problem. Are you sure your bloodline does not extend back to our people, Dusky?”

With a tired smirk, Dusky shook her head. “I have no idea. I also have no idea if that would be more or less helpful. Perhaps I can ask my mom when this is all over, but for now, we should focus.”

Mint stepped past me, her voice betraying an unexpected excitement. “So, what’s the plan then?”

Dusky almost seemed to blank out for a moment, and I started to step towards her when she shook her head. ”As far as tactics go, it’s pretty simple: we corner the banshee and defeat her. On the magical side, well, I’ll let Twilight explain that.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded and turned her attention away from her equations. “First, I’ll have to construct a parallel artificial plane, then apply a planar summoning to allow and the banshee to materialize in that realm. Following that, I’ll have to apply several essence-binding enchantments to the plane, which will bind you and the banshee.”

She’d lost me at ‘parallel artificial plane’, and as I looked around, almost everypony else too.

The exception was Star, who nodded long, studying the chalkboard behind Twilight.

Dusky stepped over and tapped Twilight on the shoulder, halting her explanation. “Uh, Twilight, as much as I enjoy hearing the details, perhaps they could wait until we’re in a less dangerous situation?”

“Oh! Right, of course!” She cleared her throat and started over. “The short version is I’m building a small, temporary area for me to trap the banshee. The rest will be up to you, since maintaining so many spells at once will take all my concentration.”

Star grinned with an eager glint in her eye. “Clever. How will we signal you when we are finished?”

“I’ll be able to monitor the battle, since I’ll need to bind myself to it in order to do all this. However, my binding will only be partial, so I won’t be able to interact with anything.” Twilight proudly continued to walk through the equations, but stopped suddenly with realization. “Oh, and I’ll need someone to keep any distractions away. If the spells break and the bindings come undone incorrectly, it could cause catastrophic damage to our spirits. This includes the banshee, but given what you’ve told me, I don’t think she’ll be too concerned about that.”

Dusky blanched, and she began to look us over. “I… this is really dangerous. Is everyone sure about this?”

Merri moved up to Dusky, wrapping a hoof around her with a laugh. “You’re really asking this after what happened in The Forge?”

Dusky glanced at Merri and smiled. “Well, when you put it that way…”

Starshadow stepped forward. “I agree. Aside from the fact that we owe you, it would not be right to abandon a friend.”

“And I knew what I was getting into when I proposed.” I grinned awkwardly. “I’m staying.”

Merri grinned from besides Dusky, wiggling her eyebrows at me. “Proposed already~? Night, you casanova~.”

“Sister, not right now.” Star sighed, shaking her head.

My own sister was last, but not from lack of resolve. She locked eyes with me and nodded. “If my baby brother decided you’re family, then guess what? I’m protecting my family.”

Twilight Sparkle turned to Dusky and grin. “Now this feels more than a little familiar. As Dash would say, no way am I going to leave you hanging.”

“Thanks, everyone.” Dusky lowered her head, and I could see tears threatening to break free. “I guess we should get back to the plan. This won’t be an easy fight, but I think our best bet is to end things as quickly as possible. To that end, I want to outnumber her as much as we dare without putting Twilight in undue danger.”

“I shall stay, then,” Starshadow straightened up. “The rest of you go to the parallel plane.”

Dusky tilted her head, “By yourself? Are you sure?”

“Do not worry about me. We are in the heart of the most guarded part of Equestria, with a plan the enemy will have little time to react to.” Star’s predatory grin would have chilled me, had she not been on our side. “Plus, I know a glyph or two that such hooligans will find to be a rather nasty surprise, should they think they can overwhelm me.”

Twilight smiled, nodding. “If that’s the case, I have no objections.”

Dusky closed her eyes to take a deep breath. “Right. What’s our first step?”

“Come to the back. I’ll need about an hour for the first component, but you’ll have to stand in the circle.”

I’d never enjoyed unicorn magic. There was something disconcerting about it to me, a feeling like pins and needles going through me whenever somepony was using it. When I was the target, that feeling was magnified, though in this case, I barely had time to react once it started.

Twilight’s library faded away as a white nothingness ate my vision. I wanted to scream, but found I had no throat to do it with. It didn’t hurt. It didn’t give me any sensation at all, other then a piercing sense of wrongness that filled me.

Then, like nothing had happened at all, I was somewhere else. Dusky was already there, and she became my anchor. Standing on an unfamiliar floor of purple mist, I needed something to ground me, and Dusky’s eyes did just that. I took a breath to steady myself. “Th-that was…”

Dusky looked at me and shook her head. “Yeah. I don’t know how to describe it, either.”

“Whoa!” Suddenly, Mint appeared, standing approximately where she’d been standing what felt like ages ago in Twilight’s library. She shuddered, then nodded. “Okay! Everything’s still there. That’s good.”

Only a moment later, Merri winked into existence, her face betraying no shock or fear, only a type of satisfied curiosity. “Huh. So, that’s what Sis’ meant.”

“Meant about what?” Dusky turned to watch Merri curiously.

“Oh, just some of Sis’s magic theory mumbo jumbo.” Merri waved a hoof dismissively. “I’ve always been more of a hooves on learner~.”

“If you say so.” Dusky slowly smiled at Merri before she started to look around. “Now that we’re all here, we’ve got a job to do.”

“How?” I looked across the vacant landscape, nothing but that pale purple mist everywhere. It was like we were trapped inside a vast thundercloud that stretched on forever. “There’s nothing for miles.”

Mint shrugged. “I bet if we start walking, make a little noise, Summer Leaf’s bound to find us.”

Stepping up, Dusky eyed the horizon. “Yeah, that’s probably our best—maybe even only—option. Stay on your guard.”

We stayed close, walking forward through the magical storm. After a few minutes, we saw a purple light, stronger and larger than any of the flashes of light and stray magic that suffused this place. It remained solid, flickering from time to time like the edge of a flame.

The whole place seemed to be without. Without time and without form. It took us far longer to reach that purple flame than it had seemed like it should have. Every step forward made our destination two steps further away, but at last, we found it. Twilight Sparkle floated suspended within the flame, eyes closed and a look of deep focus upon her face.

“That’s… weird.” Dusky paused. “Though, I suppose not much weirder than the whole concept of wandering off into an alternate dimension to kill a ghost.”

“I think she’s trying to keep things simple.” Merri laughed. “This whole place is imaginary. It could look like whatever she wanted. Fancier means more places to hide. But, looks like she couldn’t resist a little symbolism~.”

Dusky prepared to respond, but was cut off by a sudden flash. A knife cut through the air, followed by a green blur that pierced straight through Twilight. The flame, and Twilight herself, parted in the strike’s wake, reforming moments later. On the other side stood our opponent, a hulking green earth pony. She rose up, raising her long blade and striking it into the ground as she turned to glare at us.

“So she’s not as stupid as she looks.” Summer Leaf rose, spitting at us as she stared down Dusky. “But she’ll get hers once I’m done with you.”

Dusky tensed, shaking her head. “Aren’t you tired of this?”

The banshee remained focused on her, as if her gaze alone could strike Dusky down. “No shit. Which is why this is the day I end you.”

“And then what? Keep killing until the world drowns in blood?”

“If that’s what it takes to put our enemies in their place.” Summer Leaf’s glare turned from rage to amusement, and she began to laugh, unhinged laughter that sent a shudder down my spine. “Don’t give me that look. You know what it’s like to leave bodies in your wake to get what you want.”

Dusky dug in. “It’s not because I want to. I only do it to protect those closest to me.”

“Just like we help ours.” Summer sneered. “Only difference is we’re on opposing sides.”

Merri snorted, letting out a mocking laugh. “As if. Last I checked, Dusky doesn’t go out and terrorize ponies for fun and profit.”

“Yeah! You’re nothing but a common bully!” Mint cracked her forehooves, ready for action. “And I hate bullies.”

Summer’s words slapped me, filling me with disgust. Was this what Dusky had been forced to deal with in her nightmares night after night? This condescending bitch taunting her, telling her they were no different. That Dusky was the same as her? I couldn’t imagine a greater lie.

“Comparing Dusky to a monster like you?” I couldn’t keep the hate out of my voice. “Could you be any more wrong?”

“Bully? Monster? Get out of your ivory tower, you judgmental little shits.” She threw up her head, posturing. “You think you’re the only ones who care about anything?”

“I understand if you hate me.” Dusky tilted her head. “But I wonder, what about those you’ve wronged in turn?”

Summer lowered her head and swung her hoof through the air. “Bah, too bad for them. If they were smart, they would have chosen the winning team.”

Dusky looked back at us, giving the barest hint of a nod. I readied myself as Dusky turned back to Summer. “Then I could say the same about Autumn Leaf.”

“You!” Half screaming, half howling, Summer lunged, taking her machete back into her mouth and attacking Dusky with a reckless strike.

Dusky back-stepped out of range, then raised her wingblade to strike back, but Summer was ready.

I moved with the Merri and Mint as if on cue, We surrounded her, but even as we did, she seemed to become a blur. I struck out, hoping to break her focus on Dusky, but my hooves struck some barrier.

“Dusky! Now!” Mint called out as she threw herself into the banshee. Mint’s tackle was pointless, and even seizing on the moment to strike, Dusky’s blade found only air as she slashed through the flickering green ball that had been Summer mere seconds before.

I kicked up my forehooves, unable to get through the barrier to strike at Summer, but only struck nothing. Mint was back up, edging in besides Dusky, but as I eyed to my right, I found that Merri was missing.

She’d backed away, preparing to circle Summer like prey. As we all stopped to catch some breath, Summer took a coherent shape again. She glanced back at me with a vicious smirk, and that’s when Merri struck.

She’d kept her crossbow at the ready, magically holding it behind her until the moment that Summer materialized. Then she’d raised it over her flank and fired, the arrow striking solidly into the banshee’s chest.

Summer screamed like a wounded animal, a wholly unnatural wail that seemed to shake the world around us. Dusky leapt at the opportunity, driving her wing forward into Summer’s throat, but the opportunity was gone too quickly. The banshee dropped down, or, almost melted down into the ground, the blade passing through her and Merri’s crossbow bolt dropping to the ground as Summer Leaf vanished beneath us.

“Don’t let your guard down!” Dusky called out, spinning and keeping her attention above us.

“Call her out if you see her!” Mint responded as she did much the same, covering Dusky’s blind spot.

I nodded, eyes darting for some sign of our foe. “R-right!”

After a moment without response from Merri, Dusky called out “Merri! You okay?”

She stood shakily, but nodded as she regained her stance. “Yeah. Something just threw me. That’s all. I’m fine now.”

The whole world echoed with Summer’s voice as it seemed to surround us. “What’s wrong? Afraid of the dark?”

Mint spit. “Seems to me you’re the one who’s afraid!”

The voice responded, but this time it wasn’t the same, it was a stallion’s voice. “Really? When you’re always worrying about losing me?” Mint’s eyes widened in recognition, but she recovered quickly.

A second voice joined the stallion, this one easily recognizable as Starshadow. “Even you, Merriweather. You hide behind ridiculousness because you can’t bear to think about it.”

“It’s why you told me not to be a hero. You’re afraid of everyone dying around you.” I felt a chill run down my spine. That one was my own voice.

The fourth was Dusky’s. “That’s why you’ll throw yourself away. Everypony is worth more than you!”

“Trying a little too hard, are we?” Merri shouted back, unshaken.

Mint nodded, just as ready. She waved a hoof in challenge. “Get on with it!”

The four voices responded as one. “Fine.” “Fine.” “Fine.” “Fine.”

“You know, of everypony here, you disgust me the most.” Dusky, but clearly not Dusky, stepped forward out of the darkness in front of me. “You’re just a sycophant, hanging on in hopes that one day she’ll fuck you.”

I froze, backing away as Dusky—no, the banshee, practically sauntered towards me. “Sh-shut up. You’re not her!”

“Aren’t I, though? I look like her. I sound like her. I’ve killed like her. She and I are the same.” She laughed, but I couldn’t take it anymore.

I lunged, a stupid reckless strike, but anger clouded my vision. She dodged aside, and kicked a leg into my side, toppling me over. I could hear Mary’s voice shouting amidst the melee, but my ears were ringing, and not-Dusky’s voice was still taunting me.

“Ha! Maybe I was wrong. Maybe you’re not a sycophant, You’re no better than she or I.” Her face twisted into rage, unlike anything I’d ever seen from Dusky. “You’re the one who killed White Riot. I’d say she deserves you, but she doesn’t deserve a damn thing.”

I pushed myself upright, everything she’d said only making me angrier, but some part of me knew that’s what she wanted. “She… she deserves more than you do.”

She sighed. “You’re making this very hard on me. I just can’t stand your face, or your voice. Do I kill you and drag your corpse back to your whore, or do I just leave you bleeding out and kill her in front you? What do you think?”

“How about… you die first.”

The banshee wearing Dusky's visage only grinned. “Feel free to try.”

This is just like sparring with Dusky. N-no big deal. I just… can’t hold back. I leapt forward, bringing my hooves down hard, but she dodged out of the way. For a moment, it became just like sparring, but I couldn’t let myself lose sight of the fact that this wasn’t Dusky.

I struck hard, striking her in the chest with a kick. She audibly gasped, but then I felt an impact in my chest, as if the kick hadn’t only struck her, but had echoed back against me. I cried out for a breath, staggering back, but she was there. “Enough playing around, love.”

She hefted her wings, striking me in the head. Already off-balance, I struggled to stay upright, and as she moved in to take a second strike, I lifted my hoof to block, only to find that she’d not been relying solely upon her strength. I felt the wingblade stab into my leg, my vision going red momentarily as I cried out in pain.

The banshee twisted the blade with a grin, when she suddenly looked back over her shoulder to sneer. “Damn her… good news, runt, I’ve decided you get to watch your beloved die.”

I staggered, trying to stay upright on my bloody leg. Before I could make a move, she turned to gallop away. I struggled to chase after, unwilling to let her hurt my friends, and especially not my fiance.

She broke away, and soon enough I saw her target. Dusky. The real Dusky. I started to call out, but it was too late, as the Banshee lunged. Dusky only turned around just in time to catch her in mid-air, sending them both tumbling to the odd cloud-like ground.

They barreled over one another, a mess of tangled hooves and wings as they each struggled to push the other off. They were both throwing punches, kicks, attempting to slash at one another in an awful mess.

They paused a moment, and one of them met my eyes. I stammered out, “W-who… who do I help?”

“It’s… me, Night!” The first one called out.

The other gritted her teeth. “She’s lying!”

The were both exhausted, struggling, one swung with her wingblade, narrowing missing the other’s face.

“Hit her, Night!” Mint’s voice came from behind me, as she galloped towards us.

“Which?”

“Both!”

“What?!” I could barely hit the Banshee before, when I’d known it wasn’t Dusky. Both of them before me, unsure who was who, I felt like that wingblade was in my heart. “Are you crazy?!”

“Damnit, Night!” Mint came up to me, face in intense focus. She waved a hoof over her head towards Dusky and the Banshee. “Merri, follow my lead!”

Merri ran past me, horn lighting up to blast the two apart in an explosion of red. Mint tackled one, flipping her to the ground and pinning her. Merri held the other one in her magic.

Mint wound up, then kicked, hard.

Dusky screamed, “G-gah! M… Mint!”

Mint barely hesitated, waiting for something, then quickly released Dusky and charging after the pony Merri was holding.

The pieces fell into place slowly. When I'd struck the banshee, I'd been hurt as well. Some spell or power that I didn't figure out, but Mint had. She'd struck Dusky, and felt no retribution, meaning this was the real Dusky. Shaken, I stepped up to Dusky, offering my hoof. “S-sorry…”

“For what? Know what, never mind. We’ll worry about it after.” Dusky sounded exhausted, and I couldn’t blame her. She stood up, only to have her legs nearly betray her. I quickly braced her as best I could, but my own leg wasn’t exactly feeling much better.

Together, we hobbled over to the Banshee. She struggled, still holding onto Dusky's form while Merri and Mint held her in place. She glared at us, a look that was nothing but raw, primal hate.

Dusky lifted her wing, the hoofblade set upon it, and without fanfare, she slit the other Dusky’s throat.

I turned away too late, only hearing the gurgling after the fact, but I already saw the image of Dusky dead, and for a split second I had the terrible thought that we’d picked the wrong one. I looked back as the Not-Dusky melted apart, breaking up until she was nothing but mist. The mist climbed upward, falling apart bit by bit, until the last of it broke away into nothingness. There was nothing left of Summer Leaf.

Dusky turned, throwing up. After a moment, she staggered aside and collapsed, panting. I had to take a moment to gather myself.

“Did we… did we get it?” Mint walked closer to Dusky, still in a defensive stance as she peered around. She was bruised and battered, but overall still looked fine.

“Its magic is gone now.” Merri's horn was glowing. She followed after Mint, looking unphased by the whole experience. “It’d be pretty hard to come back from that.”

I laughed feebly, joining Dusky to lay down and do my best to hug her with my good foreleg. “Then… we did it. We did it, Dusky.”

“So it seems.” She leaned against me, and I could feel just how exhausted she was. “Let’s go home.”

79 - Recuperation

I opened my eyes as if it had all been some kind of dream, but the pain in my foreleg instantly hammered home just how real it had been. I staggered forward, catching myself quickly as the others all opened their eyes around me. Tired, bruised, bleeding, there was really only one viable solution; the Ponyville clinic.

Twilight Sparkle was too tired to be much help, ‘typical exhaustion following extended use of a unicorn’s magical reserves’, she’d stated. Starshadow agreed, and volunteered to remain with Twilight to help clean up and ensure that nothing unexpected occurred while the rest of us went to check in to the clinic.

Taking the pressure off my leg, I flew alongside the others as Dusky, Mint, Merri, and I made our way through town. It was still late, and without much other hoof traffice, we reached the clinic quickly. I set down, carefully holding my injured leg up as we stepped inside.

Behind the desk just to the side of the entryway, Nurse Redheart turned to stare at us, her eyes immediately narrowing with a mix of judgement and clinical appraisal.

Dusky started to speak, but Mint stepped forward first, lifting a hoof to motion towards our little party. “Guard business. Any open wounds have been caused by magic.”

Redheart relaxed slightly, moving out from around the counter, but she still demanded to see some form of proof. Once Mint had dug out a badge and identification, the Nurse’s entire demeanor shifted, and suddenly I was finding Redheart alongside me to support the weight of my bad hoof, calling out for a bed to be brought out.

The clinic staff jumped at her call. I stood there waiting for a bed and looked to Dusky, feeling awful. I’d nearly screwed it all up, and again my lack of preparation had gotten me hurt. It was just like… well, just like the last time I’d been in this clinic, ready to be carted in with magical debris cutting through my wing. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet here we were again. I couldn’t help but smile, and as I looked at Dusky, her sad expression had shifted as well. There was something about this moment that almost seemed too ludicrous, and if either of us hadn’t been so exhausted, I think we’d have have broken into laughter.

The moment passed as Redheart’s aide arrived with one of the rolling beds. Quickly helped up, I was wheeled to one of the larger side rooms, where Redheart proceeded to pull out some manner of magical tool to scan the wound. I glanced down, but her aide continued to gently hold me in place, and I was too exhausted to fight back.

Redheart ran the pen-like tool over my leg, studying the output on some kind of magical screen. At last, she waved to her aide, sending him over to start pulling supplies from the cabinets. She turned to me with half a smile. “The good news is that there isn’t enough residue to be life threatening.”

Magical residue had done a number on my wing before, and had been nearly too much for my body to handle. The banshee’s knife certainly felt like a real knife, but considering it had all taken place on another plane of existence, all projected via unicorn magic… it could have been much worse. Still, the way Redheart had phrased it made me nervous “What’s the bad news?”

“It’s a pretty deep cut that isn’t entirely free of residue. In the very least, you’ll need stitches. I’d also like to monitor you overnight. This magic is very likely to dissipate by then, but if it doesn’t, I’ll need to have the doctor examine you.”

I sighed. There wasn’t much to be done about it, and I was lucky that it was the only damage I’d sustained. The only substantial wound any of us had taken, for as brutal as the fight had been. I glanced at Dusky, and found her giving me a gentle smile. With that, I simply nodded to Nurse Redheart and lay back on the gurney.

The aide returned, and began to treat the wound. No stitches just yet, but he dabbed at the leg with some cotton balls, soaked in something that just smelled medicine-y. It stung at first, but soon the pain dulled as whatever he’d applied seemed to take effect.

As her aide worked on me, Redheart turned to Dusky. She lifted the same pen tool towards her, and started to wave it over her wounds. After a moment, she pronounced a similar diagnosis. “Same case for you, minus the stitches. Your cuts are rather shallow, but numerous. I would like to monitor you overnight to ensure they aren’t a collective issue.”

The aide finished the last of his work on me, then nodded to Redheart. “Shall I prepare another bed?”

“Please.” She turned to Mint and Merriweather, standing nearby. “Now as to the rest of you…”

I couldn’t be sure how much time had passed when I finally awoke. I still felt tired upon waking, but not tired enough to fall back asleep. Instead, I glanced around the sadly familiar looking clinic room. Mint and Merri sat in the corner, leaning against one another as they dozed lightly.

They’d both been cleared by Redheart after she’d finished checking up on Dusky. Mint had suffered some bruises, and a hard kick to the face had been the worst of it. An ice pack was enough to take the swelling down. Merri was even better off, with only a few minute cuts and some light scores under her armor, the barding having absorbed most of the blows. Both of them were full-time warriors, more or less. I… was not. Dusky wasn’t either, even though it always felt like she was on a level above me.

I shifted in bed to look at her. She was curled up under the blankets of another hospital bed, sleeping peacefully. I hadn’t seen her so content in her sleep in a long time, since we’d first started our trip together, in fact. Not even at Ivory’s had she seemed quite so… content as she’d slept. We’d succeeded.

Unable to get myself back to sleep, I lay content watching my fiance sleep. The biggest disadvantage to our being in the clinic was simply that I couldn’t be right there next to her. Part of me wanted to slip out of bed and cuddle up with her. It probably wasn’t worth the risk of waking her, nor the risk of Redheart’s wrath.

I’d guess nearly an hour had passed when she began to stir. Waking slowly, Dusky stretched. She yawned again before pushing herself upright, blinking blearily as she took in the room. Something was still bothering her, but it wasn’t like her nightmares had. This seemed to be something else. She turned her head, and her eyes settled on me.

I smiled at her, but kept my voice down. “Morning, beautiful. You, um, look like you slept well.”

“Just a bit. Flatterer.” She smiled back, nodding as she stretched out the kinks in her neck. She sighed as her gaze dropped to my leg. “How are you doing?”

I lifted the bandaged limb up, “Fine. Barely feel it, now. I’ll be fine in no time.”

She sighed, looking down at her sheets. “Good.”

I shifted, trying to lean closer. “Hey… I’ll be fine. This isn’t your fault, if anything, it’s my fault. I… sorta screwed up again. I’m… sorry I couldn’t do more to help.”

Dusky shook her head. “I’m sorry you had to be involved, and that you got hurt.”

I fell silent, but after a moment, I couldn’t help but laugh quietly. “Some pair we are… always apologizing for… for things that aren’t our fault. It’s not like you wanted me to get stabbed, or… or that I wanted to get stabbed.”

Her smile returned, just a little. “No, but I still feel bad you had to go through this.”

“Well, don’t feel bad. I feel bad for… for you having to end things the way you had to. I should have been stronger… but I couldn’t hurt you, even when I knew it wasn’t you.”

She shook her head. “Well, don’t feel bad for that either. That whole thing was just… weird in general.”

“Then we’re agreed?”

Dusky tilted her head. “Agreed to what?”

I grinned. “Not to feel bad. We… you did it. You’re free.”

“I hope so.” She frowned, and looked down at her sheets.

I shifted in bed, reaching out towards her with my good forehoof. “Dusky… just remember, I love you. I’m here for you. No matter what.”

“Love you too, Night Light.” She smirked, then leaned over out of her bed to meet my hoof with her own.

I pressed my hoof against hers before I pulled back, still grinning.

Dusky spent a moment considering, the smile slowly falling. She turned to look at the other two ponies sleeping quietly in the corner and sighed. “You can stop pretending to sleep now, Merri, I’ve got a question.”

Merri, half-snuggled up with my sister, cracked open an eye. “Aw, how’d you know? I was kinda hoping you two were gonna start making out. Night’s been watching you for awhile, I almost figured he was gonna climb into bed and at least snuggle with ya, Dusky. I considered it myself, but Flurry’s sis’ here is pretty fluffy~.”

My cheeks burned red, “I… what? You and Mint… I... H-how long have you been watching me?”

“Hmm. Don’t know. How long were you watching her~?” Merri grinned wide, clearly feeling like herself.

Dusky shook her head, cutting me off before I could respond. “Not now, Merri. I need to know something.”

The knight’s expression shifted from predatory flirt to serious concern in an instant as she nodded to Dusky, “Err, sure. What’s up?”

“Could you close the door first?”

Merri stood, with Mint wearily waking besides her. With a spin, Merri stepped to the door, and just as she was about to swing the door shut, came face to face with Starshadow, nearly colliding with her sister in the doorway.

Star took a step back, glaring as she scolded in a half-whisper, “Merriweather! Pay attention!”

Merri only responded with her typical grin, the previously serious look gone. “Oh, hi, Sis’! Good timing! Dusky has serious questions and you know how good I am at those.”

Pushing past her sister, Star walked up alongside Dusky, shutting the door behind her with her magic. “Is something the matter?”

“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” Dusky let out a short sigh. “But first, how did things go on your end?”

Starshadow straightened, like a military soldier giving a report to a commanding officer. “Not a peep. If they had anyone in place, they retreated when their leader was defeated. Do not worry about Twilight Sparkle—I left her in the care of Rainbow Dash.”

“Right. Then… Merri, when we defeated the banshee, you said that it would be difficult for her to come back from that. Does that mean…” Dusky glanced at me, and I gave her a supportive smile. She turned back to look at Merri with a sigh. “..that she could be back someday?”

“Nope.” She shook her head, but then brought her hoof up to think. “Not usually, when it comes to banishment spells, anyway. I guess there have been some cases where it didn’t work, but, uh… hey, Sis’, you wanna take over?”

Star dipped her head with a sigh. “What would you ever do without me? When a spirit is affected by a banishment spell, it finds itself unable to interact with anything for a long period of time. While there have been reports of spirits with a particularly seething hatred returning for another bout, for the most part, thirty or forty years is a long enough hint to move on. However, Merriweather, what have I told you about casting spells without proper study first?”

“Huh?” Merri gave her sister a sidelong glance, then straightened suddenly, “Oh! You think I did it. Nope, wasn’t me.”

Turning her glare back at her sister in full force, Star met Merri’s eyes. “Do not lie to me, Merriweather. I appreciate that you mean well, but putting everypony in danger like that is not a commendable act.”

“Um, can someone fill me in here?” Dusky interjected before the two began to argue any further.

Star turned away slowly to bow her head to Dusky’s request. “Banishment magic is a very fine art. Even in Ostfriesen, only the most powerful of unicorns have a natural affinity for it. While our knight academy covers the barest of the basics, the rest of us must spend well over a decade studying at the Exorcist’s Guild if we hope to master a spell such as what Merriweather cast.”

Merri snorted. “I’m telling you, I didn’t!”

Her frustration shifting into curiosity, Star began to tap her hoof. “If not you, then who?”

“I just assumed Twilight did it.” Merri shrugged. “She’s got an affinity for all magic, right?”

“While that is correct, did you forget that she was busy concentrating on the planar spells?” Star peered at Dusky. “Was a banishment spell in the plan?”

“No, not from what Twilight told me.” Dusky sighed.

“That is troubling.” Star’s expression grew more serious as she thought through the mystery. “Such powerful magic does not simply appear from thin air.”

Mint stood up, apparently fully awake now. “Are you sure we didn’t have anypony else helping us? Did you send for anypony else? Maybe they arrived late?”

Dusky glanced at me and shook her head. “Only those who Night contacted.”

“And you were with me the whole time.” I added. There’d been barely enough time to get Merri and Star, let alone anypony else.

Mint nodded slowly, her face mirroring Star’s in her concern. “That’s true. “What about Twilight? Did she send for anypony?”

“Not as far as I know.” Dusky frowned. “She was rushed enough with the spell preparations.”

I looked at Dusky, offering the only explanation that came to mind. “Ivory?”

“If her reach was that long, I doubt we would have had this issue in the first place. The ward would have also long lost its power.” Dusky hesitated, thinking hard. “Maybe…”

She grew distant, looking down at her sheets. She had something in mind, but there was more to it, and she clearly wasn’t satisfied with whatever answer she’d come to.

“Dusky?” I broke the silence at last. “Maybe what?”

She blinked, looking over at me and then simply letting her thoughts flow out. “Well, sometimes, when I was having my nightmares, Princess Luna would do little things to alter their course. I rarely even knew she was there until after I woke up, but I think I owe my sanity to her. I guess I wonder if she could have had a hoof in this. She certainly has the power, but… I don’t know. We were on an imaginary plane, which technically isn’t the dream world, right, Star?”

“You would be correct.” Star shifted her position thoughtfully, tapping her hoof once again. “However, I would certainly think it within the realm of possibility that she could access it if she decided she really wanted to. At this point, there really does not seem to be any other logical explanation.”

Dusky sighed, “Ugh, then why does it feel like we’re trying to fit a square peg into a round hole?”

The silence lingered on, but no pony had a satisfying answer.

80 - Parting

There was a strange sense of deja vu after Dusky had been released from the clinic, yet I remained. She’d gone home to check on things, and to be fair, I’d been sleeping more than I’d liked. The wound was healing well, so Nurse Redheart said, but my body was overtired. My lack of sleep staying up to watch over Dusky on the trip home, combined with the exertion of the fight itself, had just pushed me over the edge.

Still, I wish Dusky had been nearby. Instead, it was too much like it had been in the past. Just me, on my own. I certainly didn’t expect Dusky to be with me twenty-four seven, but I’d grown far too accustomed to waking up besides her on our trip.

My thoughts were rather quickly interrupted, though, with a swift knock at the door before it opened. A somewhat disheveled Dusky poked her head in with a frown.

“Dusky?” I paused, her expression more dire than I anticipated. I let the smile fall off my face, recognizing that look. “What’s happening? What do we need to do?”

She looked at me with an apology in her eyes, and I could feel the pain behind her words. “It’s Ivory. They burned the forest, and I’m certain they’re hunting her. I have to get back there.”

I’d known that was coming, but I’d hoped we’d be able to get a little more rest at least. That didn’t matter now, time was forcing our hooves. I slowly sat up in the bed. “They?”

Dusky frowned, and at last she let out a sigh, voice dropping to a whisper. “The remnants of the Cartel. The ones allied to the mayor, who has held a grudge against her since before we even met.”

Pushing out of bed, I cringed slightly as my leg protested in pain. “Then we have to go.”

She stepped forward, putting a hoof against me and easing me back down. “No, Night. I need to go. You’re still injured.”

I winced. “Dusky… that’s… that’s not what I signed up for, and you know it. I owe Ivory for helping you, and even if I didn’t… I won’t just sit back and let you run off into danger. We’re in this together.”

Dusky shook her head. “We are in this together, but we also have to be practical. I need to go now, and get to Ivory as quickly as I can. Once you’re better, I want to you follow, bringing whoever you can gather, and be ready.”

“Be ready? You’re… not just going to get Ivory, are you?”

She glanced away. “Ideally, I would and that would be the end of it. But it’s not that simple. Pasture has been a powder keg for years. These ex-Cartel might just be the fire that sets it off.”

I forced myself to hold Dusky’s gaze, frowning. “Y-you’re not making me feel better about you going on without me.”

She came in closer to the bed and pulled me into a hug. “I know. I wish things weren’t so dire, that I could wait. But, I can’t. And I know I can’t do it alone. That’s why I need you to bring backup so we stand a chance if the worst comes to pass.”

I hugged her as tight as I could. Doubt and fear fought with my feelings for her. That resolve won out at last. “How will we find you?”

She stayed close, resting her head against me as she thought. “There’s an old, abandoned estate about a mile out of town, near the edge of the forest. One of the buildings there is an observatory. Once I’ve had a chance to look around and determine the safest place to meet, I’ll leave a message there.”

“Old observatory… okay.” I leaned against her, not wanting to let go. “Then what?”

“If things are somehow simple, then Ivory and I will meet you in Iron Shoe. If not… we’ll need to improvise. I’ll try to gather as much information as I can while I’m searching for her.” The way she said improvise told me that she already knew that was how things would most likely pan out.

I sighed. There wasn’t anything I could do now. The leg injury was bad enough that I’d be useless if I rushed off with her right away, and she’d likely already factored that in. “I… I don’t like it. In fact, I hate it. Promise me you’ll be careful.”

She forced a smile. “I promise. I didn’t get this far by being reckless, after all.”

I kicked at the bed with a hoof, feeling myself tear up. “D-damnit Dusky… you shouldn’t have to face things like this… not alone. … I… I promise you, when we’re back, when we finally have the time to breathe and be together… I—”

Dusky eased forward and interrupted me with a kiss.

My face flushed, but I returned her kiss with a sigh, not wanting it to end. When Dusky pulled away, I looked up at her sadly. “I love you, Dusky. Stay safe.”

She nodded. “You too, Night Light. Love you too.”

She turned back towards the door and hesitated, seemingly split between going or staying.

Indecision simply wasn’t befitting her, and I already knew the choice she had to make, as much as I hated that she had to make it at all. “I’ll… I’ll see you soon enough. Tell Ivory… tell her that her friends are coming to help.”

She looked back at me and gave me a weak smile as she steeled herself to fly out to fight once again, ready to risk her own life to save her friend. “I will.”

I smiled back, and tried to speak louder, but the words died in my throat. “Don’t be a hero…”

Dusky moved to the door, opening it to head out. She gave me another look, a sad smile, all of her pain and fear and bravery on display in that single moment as she went out once again. That smile was maybe meant for me alone, it was Dusky at her most vulnerable. It had been from her deepest core, and said more about her in one moment than I could say in a lifetime.

I should have been at her side. Instead, I fell back into bed, feeling useless. Merri and Star would be visiting soon enough, I’m sure. Mint as well. I wanted nothing more than to see this finished, and to give Dusky a chance to be happy without worry for her friends or fear for herself. We’d taken the first step, the Banshee had been defeated, but it wasn’t over yet.

Of course I couldn’t get back to sleep after that. Even if I’d wanted to. Dusky’s departure had been like a shot of adrenaline. I couldn’t do anything but sit there in silence and wait. She was flying off into a warzone. I should be there with her, and instead, I was here, second guessing myself for not pushing harder to leave right then and there.

My wound was deep, but didn’t do much more than sting horribly so long as I didn’t put any pressure on it. A day or two, Nurse Redheart had said. Then she’d patch the leg up one more time and so long as I promised not to overexert myself, I could walk out without a cast. I would refrain from telling her that I was instantly rushing off to fight alongside my fiancee against criminal thugs and the bloodthirsty townsfolk hunting our friend. Best she not hear about that.

Dusky had said to gather up everyone to help. Backup. I’m not sure if she’d said that just to make me feel useful or… no, she didn’t know what was coming, and needed allies, even if I couldn’t be so sure who else would be with us other than Merri, Star, and Mint. Maybe I should tell Mahogany about this, or have Mint get Dusky’s friend who helped us in Fillydelphia, Blaze. The only pony I for certain couldn’t get involved was—

Terrabona pushed open the door, a mix of emotions on her face, “Dusky! Flurry! You’re back!” She looked about the room, but slowly realized it was only me.

I waved my good hoof. “Um… Hi, Terra. What um, what’s up?”

The conflicting fear and relief vanished, and at last her face settled on annoyance. “Why? Why didn’t you tell us?”

“T-tell you? Tell you… what now?”

She came in closer, poking a hoof against me. “This! That you two were back! That you’d been hurt! That… that... anything!”

I bit my lip, “W-well… we just had… something we had to take care of first… um, something… urgent.”

Terra narrowed her eyes. “Oh, I know. Merri told me. At least somepony felt I deserved to know that my friends were fighting and had gotten hurt! C’mon, Flurry, seriously, what the hell?”

Wincing as her tone shifted, I shook my head. “Star said you were pregnant… I didn’t want to put you in danger. We needed fighters, and Dusky—”

“Hey yeah! Where is Dusky?!” She glanced around the room as if Dusky had been hiding from her.

I frowned. “She’s… already left.”

Frowning, Terra prodded me again. “Left? Left for what!? Isn’t she injured too?”

“Not as badly.” I lowered my head. Terra deserved to know as much as any of our friends, but this wasn’t the best spot for sharing. “It’s not over yet. We won a pretty big victory, we think. But… there’s still more that has to be done, for Dusky. For her friends who are still in trouble.”

Terra glared at me, but her expression slowly began to soften as the implications sunk in. “Damnit, Dusky. I’m your friend too. You could have at least said hello.”

I sighed. “If she’d had the time, she would have. The only reason I’m not with her is because she needs her friends to follow after.”

“Follow after… This is like Myrtail isn’t it?” Terra frowned deeper, voice dropping. “Like Fillydelphia?”

I nodded slowly.

“D-damnit Dusky. H-how bad is it, Night? How worried should I be?”

I took a deep breath. I didn’t want to scare her, but I couldn’t lie to her. I knew that if she’d been able, Dusky would have told her the truth. “I mean, y-you’re fine. Everypony here is fine. Nothing else is coming after her… but… I… I’m petrified. She’s going after them this time. I… I think she knows it’s going to be rough.”

Terra laughed loudly and awkwardly, staring up at the ceiling. “Ha! Petrified, right! Right… So, I’m safe, but my friends are all rushing off to danger once again, and all I can do is sit here in Ponyville and wait. That’s no real relief, Flurry!”

I looked down at the bed. “It’s really not…”

She rolled her eyes, “You have no idea. At least I wasn’t worried about you two while you were on your trip, but I guess I should have been. I’d drink enough for both of you, but I can’t now.”

I managed a smile. “I take it you don’t want to come meet up with Dusky, then?”

“What, are you crazy! I’m pregnant! I can’t go rushing off into a brawl! I couldn’t even kick a hoof before I was pregnant. I’ll leave that to you all. I guess that’s all I can do.” She sighed.

I poked her back at last, raising my hoof and forcing a grin. “Congratulations, by the way. Hopefully Starshadow didn’t ruin any plans to make it a surprise for us.”

“What? Ah, nah. And thanks…” Some of the weariness fell away, and was replaced by the most wicked smile I’d ever seen. “And according to your postcards, you deserve some congratulations as well, eh? I knew it, from the first moment I saw you two, I knew you and Dusky would make the perfect pair.”

“I guess you were right, then.”

“I’m always right.” She began to laugh, “Or at least, I’m eventually right.”

Laughing along, I took a moment to forget a bit of the things troubling us, but swiftly felt that weight return. Terra’s laugh petered out and we both tried to keep up the pretense. We were both worried to death about our friend.

Terra slowly sighed. “When you see her, tell her she better damn well make it back in one piece and tell me the whole story. She owes me.”

“Yeah… trust me, Terra, we’ll be around. She’ll have to spend an afternoon with you giving you all the details.”

She grinned once again, “Perfect. I’m holding you both to that, Flurry.”

81 - Party Roster

This wasn’t exactly the the homecoming I’d hoped for. A quick flight home from the clinic, bandaged, alone, and afraid. Dusky was already gone, flying into danger, and I was still here in Ponyville, waiting to leave. It had been two days before I could even convince Redheart to let me go, and that was all on the promise that I wouldn’t do anything strenuous on it for the next week. A promise I was almost certain I wouldn’t keep.

I’d let the others know what was happening, and Merri and Star had quickly volunteered to go along, despite Merri having some trepidation about the train ride. They’d gone off to get ready, and Starshadow had assured me that they’d be there when the train left. Merri had even promised a ‘surprise’, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything helpful.

The other member of our party had briefly returned to Canterlot. Mint had decided to give a quick report to Dad, and to bring back another ready party member. Blaze was Dusky’s friend, a guard trainee who had helped us in Fillydelphia. Their link had been forged in Pasture, and Blaze had stakes in Ivory’s fate just as much as Dusky did.

We’d all agreed to meet up at the earliest possible train out to Iron Shoe, the closest stop to Pasture available. That left me with one last night in Ponyville, to toss and turn restlessly while the others did their final preparations. Sleep came at some point, but it was late enough that I’m not sure if it helped at all.

Arriving early the next morning, I purchased a private train car and five tickets for the afternoon train trip out to Iron Shoe. The plan was to head there first, then make our way across country to the observatory where Dusky would either meet us, or leave a message, and then we could plan out from there.

I stood off in a corner of the train platform away from anypony else. The others were coming soon, ready to embark on our mission, such as it was. It was strange. If I’d had time to talk with Spring, she’d probably have said it was like something out of a spy novel. Nopony else knew why I was there, or what I was preparing to go do. Best if we kept our meeting and talks private.

"You ready for all this?" Mint walked towards me with a simple rucksack across her back. "It's different from Fillydelphia, isn't it? This is a lot more like heading out on deployment."

I smiled as she stopped alongside me. "Like going out on a mission? Yeah, I was just thinking that. Almost like there’s less rush, but just as much worry. Maybe more worry."

She nodded. "Funny, isn't it? Got a chance to fight side by side, just like if we were in the guard together. Just like you'd promised."

"Heh. That's one way to look at it, I guess. I'd have been content if our sparring matches had been all we'd needed to fulfill that, though." I tilted my head. "Just you? Where's Blaze at?"

Mint frowned. "That's going to be a slight fly in the ointment, but I'm hoping it'll all work out. Blaze is already out on deployment. To Pasture."

I blinked. "Well, then... crap."

She sighed. “It might not be as bad as all that, but if the horse apples are heading for the fan the way Dusky seemed to think, no big surprise that even the guard is getting involved. The only question is, are they going there to cull this ‘necromancer’ friend of yours or to stomp out the Cartel remnants.”

“You don’t know?” I raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t Dad have any intel?”

Mint shook her head, but shrugged apologetically. “Orders didn’t go through him, and I’m out of that loop. Not sure why. Could just be outside my sphere of command, or…”

I shook my head, feeling the weight of everything on me, “Just… don’t start with the conspiracy stuff, alright? As if things aren’t probably already worse than we’re thinking. Just… one problem at a time, alright?”

She nodded, and after a moment she hugged me. “Dusky will be fine on her own, Night. She’s a smart mare. She did pick you as a special somepony, am I right?”

“How smart that really was remains to be seen, I guess.” I gave her a brief smile as I saw Star approaching, and began waving her over.

She was out of her armor, carrying two suitcases alongside with her magic. “Night Flurry. Sergeant Creme.”

Mint waved a hoof, smirking. “Just Mint. You’ve held me at knifepoint, so formalities are out the window after that. Unless you really want me to call you Knight Starshadow.”

“Unnecessary.” Starshadow chuckled, but her expression sobered when she looked to me. “Merriweather is following after. With help. You won’t like it, but…”

“Wait, what? What won’t I like?”

“I promised to let her explain herself. I shall let the final decision fall upon you, but this is my opinion on the matter.” She straightened up, as if she were about to issue some formal declaration. I somehow felt like I wasn’t far off. “Let it be known that while I disapprove of this, all involved parties agree, and fully understand what we intend to do. To the best of their abilities.”

Mint simply stared for a moment as I think we all tried to process that. She snapped out of it first though. “Riiiiiight. Well, good luck with whatever that is, Night.”

I stared blankly as Starshadow plucked two tickets out of my hoof with her magic, passing one to Mint. She grinned as she began to stride towards the train. “Try not to over-worry.”

That was hardly reassuring. Mint butted a wing against my side and smirked as she turned to follow.

I sighed. I knew they meant well, trying to keep my spirit up, but it wasn’t making me feel any better, compared with the looming worry about Dusky. She’d have easily made it to Iron Shoe by today, while we were still a few days behind. Time was a huge factor, both for Ivory, and now for Dusky as well. As much as I’d told Mint to only think about one thing at a time, I was struggling to figure out just what we were going to do to be able to fight of the Cartel, the townsfolk who were after the Necromancer’s head, and maybe even the Guard all arrayed against us.

“Flurry!”

I flailed backwards as I suddenly found Merri in my face. “G-gah! D-don’t do that, Merri!”

She grinned and put a hoof against my head. “Did Sis ruin the surprise? I brought back-up!”

“Bwah? Um… backup? Okay? Um… who?”

She stepped aside, and behind her was a familiar, light gray pegasus, his black mane covered by a pair of iconic flight goggles. “Hello, Night. I hope you don’t mind me coming along.”

“Icicle?” Icicle Gleam. A coworker on the weather team. Pieces started to come together as I stared. “I… Merri? What?”

She was way too excited about this. “He’s my coltfriend! Been dating since we got back from Terra’s wedding. Bonus; he’s a fighter too. He’s going to help us out!”

I raised an eyebrow at Icicle, who stood by, smiling entirely too calmly. “A… fighter? Merri? Really?”

Icicle answered with a nod. “I’m not really much of one yet, but my Grandpa was in the guard and used to show me the basics. I’ve been sparring with Merri now too, so I’m sure I can help you and Dusky.”

And he already knew we were going to help Dusky. I glared at Merri. “How much have you told him?”

She shrugged. “Pretty much everything you told me. Hey, no secrets between lovers, Flurry~.”

Icicle had the decency to blush, but it didn’t seem to impact the serious expression on his face. “I want to help, Night. I’m here to help Merri, and help her friends. That includes you and Dusky both.”

“This… this isn’t some kind of fun adventure, Icicle. And it’s not a date, Merri. This is serious.” I raised a hoof to my head, massaging between my eyes. “This is serious, and Dusky, Ivory, all of us will be in real danger.”

“All the more reason for me to help.” He shook his head. “I’ve hardly done any real fighting, I know. But I can’t just sit back and wait while my friends are in trouble. I want to help, because I know it’s the right thing to do.”

I almost did a double take. These were almost my own words being thrown at me. I had a flashback to another train, a ride home from Fetlock Falls, and my first step into the world that Dusky had lived in her whole life. It was so very different from the world that I’d thought that it was, that sometimes I wished I’d never taken that train ride. But then again, the friends I’d made, the growth I’d undergone… and Dusky. Dusky alone made it all worth weathering.

I looked at Merri for confirmation. She simply nodded.

“Alright… just… this isn’t about fun and games, Icicle. This isn’t about being a hero.” I thought of Mint’s news that we might even have to worry about the guards. “It might not even be about doing what’s right. There’s blood on my hooves, Icicle. Blood that doesn’t come off. Are you sure you really want that? We’re not playing around, and Merri won’t think any less of you if stay behind. Right, Merri?”

She flashed a smile. “Of course not. Honestly, Flurry’s making me feel guilty for even dragging you along this far.”

He set his jaw and nodded, throwing a salute. “I know the stakes. I don’t want to take a life, but I know it might come to that. I want to help. If Merri’s going and risking her life, you really think I could just stay behind? I know she’s a knight. I know what she can do. But I still want to be there for her.”

I sighed. I couldn’t argue against that. Not when those were the same things I’d said to Dusky time and time again. “Damnit, Merri… an extra set of hooves can’t hurt, I guess.”

She practically squealed in delight, but cut it off when I scowled at her. “But this isn’t a game, damnit. Just… just… don’t be a hero, Icicle. If you or anypony else gets killed… I… d-damnit.”

Merri stepped forward to put a hoof against my side. “Dang, Flurry… It’s fine, okay? Trust me. I wouldn’t be bringing him if I didn’t think Icicle could handle himself. Sis and I have been training him. Like we helped trained you. I know this isn’t easy for you, but you gotta trust your friends. That’s why we’re all going in the first place.”

“Because Dusky trusts us. I just… I don’t want to screw this up. Dusky does trust us. I don’t want to let her down.”

She pulled her hoof back and nodded. “You won’t. We won’t.”

I sighed, but couldn’t deny their arguments, even through my own self-doubt. I extended out a hoof towards Icicle Gleam, hoping I wasn’t making a huge mistake. “A-alright then, Icicle. Merri says you can handle yourself. So… welcome aboard.”

82 - Occupation

The clack-clack-clack of the train wore at me. It was an ominous countdown that made it feel like we were already behind and rushing to catch up. Dusky was rushing the clock as well, but she had a head start, hopefully enough of one to make a difference.

I suppose it would have been a best-case scenario for us to arrive to find that Dusky had been able to successfully get Ivory to safety. I was just afraid we’d arrive too late.

I found myself sitting alone at some point, sitting in our private room. Merri and Icicle had wandered off, and Mint and Star had gone to get some food, but I wasn’t feeling particularly hungry. Instead, I sat alone, trying to read some of the magazines from the train instead of thinking over everything that had happened that had led me to this point in my life. I was mostly unsuccessful, but as much as I was worried, I still couldn’t say I’d have changed any of the choices I’d made.

After an hour, the door to the room slid open and Icicle stepped back inside, sitting across from me with a sigh as he looked out the window.

I tilted my head and set my magazine down to examine him. I already knew he was a good weather worker, but he’d never struck me as much of a fighter, but then again, who had? Dusky hadn’t either, when I’d first started trying to get to know her. “You, um… having second thoughts, Icicle?”

He glanced over at me and smiled, “Nah. I was just trying to sit with Merri. She said she and train travel don’t get along. I was going to keep her company, but she ended up locking herself in the restroom. Not much I can do from there.”

I thought back to our train ride to Myrtail. I hadn’t seen much of her, and had been preoccupied watching Dusky at the time, but Terra had said something about her feeling off. I more directly remember our flight out to Fillydelphia, wherein Merri had spent most of the trip curled up, trying not to look down from within the wagon.

“Huh. I hadn’t thought about it much, but I guess she never really liked traveling by train.” I chuckled, “You wouldn’t think it to look at her. She just kind of seems like she could handle anything. Starshadow too.”

Icicle laughed along, “I certainly wasn’t expecting it. I figured the same, but that’s a bit unreasonable.”

I nodded, but then stopped as curiosity gripped me. “So… how did… I mean, no offense, but how did you and Merri of all ponies actually start dating? She almost makes it sound like you didn’t have much choice in the matter.”

He continued to chuckle, shaking his head. “Nah, she definitely approached me first, but it wasn’t anything like that. To be honest, I started coming to the Lusty Seapony because I’d seen how it affected you. Merri was pretty welcoming, and we got to talking. I just kept going back to the bar, and talking, and I think we both just realized there was something more there.”

“That’s sweet, Icicle. Sweeter than I might have given Merri credit for.” I paused to consider his first words. “But… you came to the bar because of me? I mean, I’d have introduced you to everypony if you’d wanted, but you knew I was scheduled for vacation time.”

“Well, I’d covered your shift a few times, but I didn’t really see it until the meeting with you and Bree, over your promotion. I saw the change in you then. I know a lot of it was probably Dusky, but there was something else, there. I decided I wanted to see for myself.”

“If it led you to find your special somepony, I’m happy for you, then. That bar… well, it led me to Dusky I suppose. We worked hard to get onto the same path, but we wouldn’t have been able to find those first steps without our meeting there.”

He smiled back, thinking a moment as his gaze fell back out at the passing scenery. After a moment of silence, he glanced back. “Is this friend of yours really a Necromancer?”

“Err… Ivory? Well, yes and no. I mean, no sense hiding it from you, she… she can definitely raise the dead.” I cringed. “But… she’s not like, a storybook Necromancer. She’s not a monster, or a villain. She’s… just a pony.”

“That’s powerful magic, that’s for sure.”

I frowned, thinking. “I suppose? I don’t… I only met her once really. She’s Dusky’s friend, and… I admit, the necromancy magic is still a little uncomfortable to me. Nothing I can say will prepare you for the first time you see one of her… ‘guardians’. But inside, she just… seemed lonely. I guess it just felt a lot like how I felt before I started meeting new friends.”

Icicle chuckled, “And now she’ll get to meet a lot of new friends too, right?”

“I certainly hope so…” I looked out at the passing landscape as the sun moved towards dusk.

I was right to be concerned about our timing. Iron Shoe was practically an occupied town, and from the moment we got off the train from Ponyville, we were under scrutiny. Soldiers, or at least, ponies pretending to be soldiers, stood watch over everypony as we disembarked.

They were dressed in golden-painted armor, mocked up to look like Guard armor, but with an embossed green symbol on the breastplate. Recalling Dusky and Ivory’s story gave me all the information I needed on their affiliation. Moss. These were Cartel thugs trying to look legit, on their very real crusade.

My heart skipped a beat as they looked us over, and though I’m sure my nerves should have given us away, I wasn’t the only pony coming off the train who wilted at the scrutiny. The others fared better, even if Mint looked ready to snap at these ‘guards’. When one of them approached us, Merri quickly turned on the charm.

The young stallion stuttered as Merri came up front, getting a little intimate with his personal space. “Ah, um, h-hello, Ma’am. Please don’t mind the added security. We’re working with the Guard, to ensure your safety during the crisis.”

Merri blinked, looking back at us, feigning concern. “Oh? Maybe we shouldn’t stop here? I didn’t realize we weren’t safe here.” She turned back to the stallion, inching forward until she was just a step away from making out with him. “We have tickets for a train north to the Crystal Empire tomorrow. Should we be worried about spending the night here?”

He shook his head, flustered now, but still trying to exude whatever authority the Cartel had over this town. “Oh, uh, no, Ma’am. Just be informed, we’re enforcing a curfew so uh, d-don’t stay out… after dark.”

Merri giggled, “Oh, don’t you worry about what I’m doing after dark. C’mon everypony!” She smiled back at us and waved a hoof forward. Whatever they were looking for, it wasn’t a group of five ponies with plans on continuing on north to the Crystal Empire. No, I suspected what they were looking for was a single pegasus mare, charcoal in color, with a prominent teal scarf. The fact that they were looking so publicly was a bad sign, but the fact that they were still looking meant she’d hopefully eluded them and was already with Ivory.

The town was far too quiet, and the majority of ponies we saw on the street were rushing to get from one place to another. There was little background noise like I’d have expected. It’s not like the town was anywhere near as big as Canterlot, or even Fillydelphia, but I still expected some of that city traffic I’d seen elsewhere.

There was a sickness here, one which had originated in Pasture, but now managed to infect even ponies this far away. They were afraid, and that fear had festered over the years into a deep terror and hatred for the Necromancer, even if until yesterday they had only believed her to be a legend.

Mint insisted we avoid the main roads, keeping out of the way of those golden soldiers. A short trek away from the train station, we found a humble little inn with a few rooms large enough to accommodate us. We unloaded our luggage, then gathered together into one of the rooms to debrief.

Icicle spoke up first . “Okay, so those guys obvious weren’t with the guard. Who are they?”

Mint snorted, “Cartel for sure. Or some poor saps tricked into thinking they’re doing real heroes’ work, by the new head honcho, Moss the Paladin. Hrmph.”

Starshadow considered. “Well if this town is not the center of power for Moss, then we can be certain that Pasture is. The fact that he is confident enough to waste resources here, in full view of the local guard, speaks volumes.”

“Considering the guard is sending reinforcements to deal with ‘the Necromancer’ and not to deal with these wannabe crusaders means the ponies here are scared.” Mint shook her head. “It’s hard to say if the curfew was put in place by these Crusaders to keep ponies under control, or by the Guard simply to keep ponies safe.”

Icicle hummed quietly. “So the Guard has to tolerate these guys because they’re making the ponies here feel like they’re safe from the Necromancer. They just don’t know they’re handing over the keys to the city to the Cartel.”

“Correct.” Starshadow paced slightly. “This entire situation is more complicated than anticipated, I would wager.”

I nodded. “They’re trying to seem legit. Hunting the Necromancer is just a front to do whatever they want in Pasture, and the Mayor there is more than willing to help because he’s apparently got a personal vendetta against Ivory. Everypony who should be opposing the Cartel is just unknowingly doing everything they can to help them.”

Mint frowned. “Yeah, it’s a real garbage situation. We’ll have to be careful heading out of town in the morning.”

“Just how are we going to head out in the morning?” I glanced at our luggage, mostly filled with armor, all our supplies in our travel satchels. “They’ll be watching the roads to Pasture, I’m sure. Even if they’re mostly looking for Dusky, I’m sure any group traveling that road is gonna be suspicious.”

With a laugh, Merri grinned at the four of us. “Ha! Nothing we can’t handle. Between your sister, Starshadow and I, we’re an elite force! You and Ici can hold your own too.”

Icicle raised an eyebrow at her. “Still seems a little reckless to go in like that, Dear.”

“Heh, I know, I know.” Merri smirked, then shrugged. “I just figured we go by the woods along the main road to Pasture. We stick close and stay quiet, right?”

I nodded. “Right. We’re not heading straight to Pasture anyways. Our first stop is the estate just outside of town. Dusky said she’d leave a message there for us. We don’t want to start a commotion and lead anypony to what might even be her and Ivory’s hiding spot. The less ponies who know we’re even around, the better.”

Mint sighed, “Especially with the Guard siding with this militia until they can find the Necromancer.”

“And with luck, they won’t find her.” I wrinkled my nose, realizing what that would mean. “Which just gives these crusaders all the more time to do what they want. It’s win-win for them, isn’t it?”

“An intelligent play, overall. But that is in part why we are here.” Starshadow set a hoof upon my shoulder and smiled. “We will not let them hurt Dusky’s friend. Or ours.”

“Right!” Mint clapped her hooves together. “I’m going to go talk to the local guard, play the dumb tourist and see just what exactly has been going on around here. Everypony else… rest while you can. Once we head out of town tomorrow, we’ve got a long march ahead of us. Alright?”

We were all nodding, and with that our impromptu planning session ended. It wouldn’t be easy to rest that night, but part of me was eager to get out of Iron Shoe. The town was definitely sick, but I knew that the soldiers in the gold armor and the fear in the streets were symptoms of that much more dangerous disease that was still waiting in Pasture.

84 - Interrogation

We were walking a fine line. Pasture was too well fortified and too well defended to keep spying on without risking getting caught. We needed more information, but our choices were limited. The obvious choice was to catch one of the mercenaries, as they were the ones who were leaving the town on what seemed to be a regular schedule.

It was a sad sight, the burnt remains of the hut where not too long ago, I’d sat drinking tea with Ivory while Dusky slept. The forest clearing where her little cabin sat was scorched now, splintered wood and ashen stone where once had been a home, and a pony. I just hoped that while the cabin was gone, the pony had gotten away in time.

It wasn’t the best place to stage an ambush, but with just a single mercenary stationed there during the day, it was the best option we’d found.

He wore lacquered armor that looked like it was leather hide, emblazoned with the crimson hoof, but other than that ominous reminder it was clear that this wasn’t what he wanted to be doing with his time. Likely stationed there just to catch anypony stumbling into the clearing, he seemed quite sure he wouldn’t be seeing any action today, as he casually leaned against the remnants of Ivory’s chimney.

Icicle, Mint, and myself waited, watching his routine for most of the morning. Once the sun arced an hour past noon, Mint took the lead and began our little operation. My sister had a lot of talents, but a knack for stealth wasn’t one of them. To fill that gap, Icicle and I would have to sneak in. While the three of us could certainly overwhelm this lone pony, the less noise our whole encounter made, the better. We couldn’t be sure who or what else was in these woods.

Icicle and I moved quickly into position, across the burnt remains of the field and hut. The debris made stealthy movement tricky, but a keen eye and a careful hoof won out. Icicle and I reached our positions. The moment we were ready, Mint gave us a distraction, drawing the stallion’s attention. As he moved to investigate, Icicle moved first, rushing in to deliver a swift hoof to the stallion’s temple. He tumbled to the ground, and I followed after, making sure he was down. Mint got there quickly, and almost too easily, we had our prisoner.

We dragged him to the edge of the clearing. I frowned as Mint tied his hooves, thinking back to similar tactics we'd employed in Ostfriesen. It always made me feel like, maybe we weren't on the right side of things. Though, I suppose in a lot of ways, we weren't. We were on our own side. I glanced over at Icicle, who's face had a look of similar distaste upon it. Still, he kept silent for the moment, letting Mint do her work.

Once our captive was restrained, his hooves tied and his mouth gagged, we waited. He didn’t take long to recover consciousness, and immediately set about struggling against the bindings, making a muffled commotion through the gag.

Mint was directly in his field of vision, raising a hoof to her mouth to signal silence. “There’s three of us, and one of you. No noise, no funny business. You answer our questions and we all walk away tonight without any regrets or broken bones, got it?”

Clearly not happy with the situation, the mercenary glared daggers, then slowly nodded his head.

Mint removed his gag.

He began to laugh, a low chuckle. "You have no idea what you're up against. I talk, I’m as good as dead. Better to let you waste your breath and wait ‘til you get bored with me."

Mint frowned, giving an exasperated growl, but it was in part an act. This was what she’d been hoping for. He wasn’t supposed to talk, but this stallion certainly wasn’t going to shut up if given the chance. We just had to press and let him get careless.

“We already know you’re working with the Cartel. Tell us about Moss. What’s his game out here?”

He chuckled, “Cartel? You think ‘Moss the Paladin’ is who hired us? Ha! He had the contacts, sure, but there’s no big conspiracy, babe. This is all legit. It’s funny how you think you’re the good guys here, but the truth is, it’s us.”

Mint spun on him like a lightning bolt, her eyes wild. "You think this is funny? I can promise you, it won't be so funny when I break each bone in your body. Freelancer scum." She spit to the side. "This is Equestria! The Guard doesn't put up with your kind doing what they please to its citizens."

The mercenary laughed, "Oh, honey, you're awfully cute when you're riled up, but the Guard don't mean shit to us. We've got them eating out of our hooves, and once the boss flushes out that necromancer and breaks her pretty little neck, then the Mayor will hail us as heroes."

Icicle sighed beside me. “No hero I’ve ever seen holds a village hostage just to kill one mare, who as far as I can tell, has done nothing wrong.”

“That’s where you’re wrong, kid. Prideful invited us in. The village wants us there to keep them safe. This one mare is a menace. A monster. But I guess now I know whose side you’re on, eh? Must be sided with the necromancer. So maybe you tell me where she is, and then you let me go before you really get hurt.”

Mint applied pressure, her hoof pressing into his chest carefully. I knew it was part posturing, part necessary, but where was the line? Mint growled low as she threatened the stallion. “You’re really in no position to negotiate. Now tell us more about Moss the Paladin, hmm? Before I lose my temper.”

Something changed on his face, and it wasn’t from the pain of Mint’s hoof. Suddenly, his whole demeanor shifted. The frustration and the bravado faded, and his voice grew chill. "You're trying to make me afraid, but it won't work. See, I've known true fear."

Mint raised an eyebrow, “What I want is your cooperation, not your fear.”

“You don't join up with Crimson Haze without facing true, raw terror and coming out the other side intact. The rest just get broken and left behind.” His ears had perked up to attention, and a wicked grin grew on his face. "Just like you're about to be, girlie. Now go to hell."

Mint's expression turned to confusion, but before she could ask, our captive's threat became clear. Something was galloping through the woods. Fast. Thunder heralding the storm, the approaching hooves thump-thumped the ground with a terrible purpose. It was heading straight for us with all the speed and caution of an oncoming train.

Before anypony could call warning, the figure emerged from the foliage not so far from us. The massive camel stopped almost effortlessly, Crimson Haze himself, fully adorned in his heavy red plate. He snorted as he spotted us, and tilted his head as he made eye contact with me. I felt a shiver go through my spine before his eyes moved on. Me. Then Icicle. Lastly Mint, where his eyes seemed to linger. He grinned, a wicked looking smile with unnatural seeming teeth. Then, almost as if magic had propelled him forward, he was on top of us.

The scent hit me then, like a snorting too much of a strong spice,. My eyes immediately began to water and my throat parched, but that wasn't the worst of it. The worst of it was the fear. Fear wasn't even an adequate way to describe it. It was just a massive sense of wrongness, like suddenly everything was out to get me. In the midst of that was the Camel, the absolutely epicenter of everything wrong. I had to get away from it. I had to run, or just this sensation felt like it would kill me.

Icicle hadn't fared much better, standing stock still opposite me, the Camel in between. He stared at the monster in armor which stood amidst us, mouth agape and wings already rising into ready position to flee. I'm entirely sure mine were instinctively preparing to take flight as well.

Mint tried to stand firm, but she clearly wasn't expecting his speed. Though Starshadow had forewarned us, she clearly hadn't expected her reaction to that primal fear that was was now utterly immobilizing us either. When he reared up over her head, her eyes grew wide, and I could see panic grip her. Not able to bring up any kind of defense, the camel's forelegs came down into Mint's chest.

He laughed as he stood over Mint, and the chill of his voice made my fur all stood up on end. "Damned ponies. Not a one of you is the necromancer, but maybe you know where she is, eh? Little eyes, little spies. I can beat the information out of you, then pluck those eyes out, yes? Might be fun."

I felt the terror burning in my head, making each of his words drive in all the deeper. It felt like I’d stuck my hoof onto a stove burner, but for some reason couldn’t bring myself to pull away. The fear penetrated each and every fiber of my being. Every single muscle in my body begged to cut loose and run, fly, do whatever I could to get away from this monster. At the same time I was frozen in place, unable to make a move. All I could do was watch as the Crimson Haze advanced on Mint's limp form.

"Not talking? Got nothing to say? Or just too afraid?" He laughed again, striding up to put a hoof on Mint's head. He began to apply pressure. "Maybe one of your friends will be able to help you, hm? Or maybe they'll just stand there while I pop your head like a grape. It's always funny to wait and see what kind of cowards you ponies are deep down."

Mint screamed as his hoof pressed against her, grinding her down into the ground. She flailed her wings and hooves, desperately seeking some kind of purchase, but that only seemed to drive Crimson Haze on as he continued press down in sadistic glee.

I could hear my heart in my ears, almost drowning out Mint's screams. I wanted to shut my eyes and drown it out entirely, but I held on, gritting my teeth. True fear. That was nothing this camel had control of. I'd known true fear before, hanging by a thread as the dragon Broken Tooth had attempted to snuff out my very existence. I'd been afraid when Dusky had been taken to to Fillydelphia, that I might lose her forever. I was afraid of a lot of things, and had always been afraid that I just wasn't good enough.

In that moment, I decided that one thing I wasn't afraid of was Crimson Haze.

Before I could rationally process my actions, I was across the gap, wings pushing as hard as they could to drive my hooves into the side of the camel's neck. My hooves were only answered by the dull clang of metal as I slid past, but while I maybe didn't do the kind of damage I had hoped for, my attack was enough to knock him off balance, enough to get Mint free.

He staggered to the side for only a second, then recovered and moved like a viper, his elongated hoof arcing out to swat me from the air. The blow struck me dead on. Fortunately my momentum carried me away even as I lost control. I spun into the ground, digging a short groove as the cold, harsh dirt grated into my face.

My head rang, and I tried to shake it off, forcing myself upwards, only to find myself looking up at the camel's toothy grin. "Little shit. You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that, but all it bought you was a much quicker ticket to hell." He raised his hoof up, but just as he prepared to bring it down, he howled in pain.

Behind him, Mint had crawled into place. There, she’d struck, raising her armored hoof and driving it into his knee as hard as she could. His right leg buckled down, and he reared up the left leg to kick, but Icicle was already there, having broken through the fear enough to swoop in and pull Mint back.

The camel’s left leg lashed out, but Mint was was just out of range, with his reach stopping just inches from her head. His armored tail slashed recklessly and the blade affixed to it caught Mint's foreleg, but before he could do much else, she’d slipped out of Icicle’s grasp, and beat her wings to lower herself into a standing position.

She glanced at me, keeping one eye on the camel as she yelled out to Icicle and I. "Go!"

Without hesitation, my wings were moving. I spun, hearing the camel curse out in a language I didn't understand, but the intent was clear enough. Sparing a glance behind me as I climbed over the treeline, Icicle was at my side, and I spotted Mint following just behind, clutching a hoof against her wounded foreleg.

We skimmed the top of the trees for quite awhile, just pushing hard to get as much distance as we could. We dived back down under the tree tops, taking cover in the upper branches to make sure we weren't unintentionally leading anyone watching back to the manor.

Mint rested, checking her wounds, her voice a harsh whisper as she recovered her breath. "N-nice moves. Both of you. You two pulled my flank out of the fire there."

"Likewise, Sis." I nodded, and sighed. "How do we even stand up against something like that? I don't think we even scratched him."

Icicle sighed, “I couldn’t even move, I totally froze up, sorry.”

“Not your fault, Icicle. I froze up the moment I saw him, or we wouldn’t have been in that situation.” Mint frowned. "I don't know how we can fight that. Hopefully, if all of us are there and we can push through that initial fear and let adrenaline carry us, we can take him. Merri and Starshadow would have definitely been a help... but even then, he's no joke."

I sighed, “We didn’t even get anything out of his stallion. He wasn't going to cooperate unless we... unless we really pushed him. I... I wouldn't have felt comfortable if we'd gone that far, Mint.”

Mint raised her uninjured hoof to pat my side. “I wasn't going to torture the poor bastard, Night. And, well, we got one thing. Crimson Haze wasn’t hired by Moss. He was hired by the Mayor. He mentioned ‘Prideful’ inviting them into town.”

“Dusky said Ivory had a history of some kind with him. I didn’t realize it was this kind of… blind hate.”

Icicle nodded, wings rustling in agitation. “What kind of Mayor sells out his town like that? Moss the Paladin, the Cartel, and Crimson Haze’s mercenaries? All this to kill one mare? What kind of history do they have to warrant that kind of thirst for revenge?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know… but maybe we need to get a look at Mayor Prideful for ourselves.”

85 - Eye of the Storm

We were flying against the clock now. We needed to learn more about Mayor Prideful, and that meant getting into Pasture. Unfortunately, we only had the remnants of the day before Crimson Haze returned to the town with his forces, assuming he hadn’t gone straight back, or worse, was hunting us down even now.

It was a sure thing that Mint, Icicle, and myself would be compromised among his thugs and the militia there, unless we went now, but we were in no condition to head to Pasture.

Mint had a deep gouge across her foreleg, Crimson Haze’s parting gift. For as bad as it looked,i t didn’t seem it was enough to slow her down, but it would definitely be enough to raise questions.

She waved a hoof suddenly, catching Gleam and my attention. Up ahead, a dark shape lay just barely concealed in the foliage. We slowed, ready to face this new threat.

Thankfully, the familiar form of Merri rose up from her hiding spot. Her dull red barding had been dirtied up to ensure it only barely showed against the trees. Already having spotted us, she waved as if we were overdue party guests.

Icicle darted ahead, grinning, "Merri! What's happening?"

"Heh, heya sexy." She smirked as she hugged Icicle, then stepped back to examine him. "Thought I heard a ruckus. I was just out scouting the road. How'd it go?"

Icicle looked over his shoulder at us. "I think we're all a little shaken. Things definitely could have gone better."

Mint landed on her hooves with a harsh laugh, "Definitely. It was fine in execution, but we didn't get much before we had a run in with that camel. Goes by Crimson Haze. He caught us off-guard, I got this before we escaped." She motioned towards the cut on her leg.

"Aw, that's no good." Merri moved forward, horn glowing as she examined the wound. "Crap. That seems fine, but it's deep and I'm no expert. You need to go see Sis', make sure that's not poisoned. I'd bet a creep like that is just the kind of guy who'd poison his weapons."

Mint's face went ashen. "I hadn't even considered poison. I was more focused on getting away."

Merri was quick to hold up a hoof, "Don't get panicky, I don't sense anything, but Sis' is way better about that kinda thing. I just want to be sure."

I sighed. "We've got a lead, but time's short. We need to try to find the Mayor of Pasture, a pony named Prideful."

Merri snickered. "With a name like that, I'll bet they're just a real humble, down-to-earth pony."

"Getting to the Mayor means we need to get inside Pasture, but I don't know if we can do it. We saw the defenses."

"Oh. Well, I can get in there no problem~." Merri grinned. "Been watching the road, and we're not alone out here. There's still some traffic between Iron Shoe and Pasture, mostly merchants but a bit of on-hoof travelers who probably have no clue what's going on beyond the increased presence of ponies in armor. A little bit of sweet talking and I'm sure they'll let me pass~."

I felt a weight growing on my shoulders, and knew that if I walked away now, I'd be kicking myself later. I breathed out a sigh. "I... I need to come too."

She eyed me carefully. "Oh? You sure? If that camel does come back early, it could be a lot of trouble, Night. If this guy is that good, he's gonna inform his company to watch out for you three."

"I know, I know but... I need to be there. I need to figure this out for myself. If anything's happened to Dusky..."

Merri relaxed a little, walking over to set a hoof on my shoulder. "Dusky's fine, I'm sure of it. But if you need into that town, I will get you into that town."

I nodded, smiling up at her. "Thanks, Merri. Besides... same reason I needed to go out this morning. I can't just sit back and watch you all do it for me. I have to help."

She turned back to Mint and Icicle. "Get her to Sis' and make sure to tell her how she got that wound."

Mint nodded, "I'm sure it's fine, but better safe than sorry. I'll let Star know… be careful, Nighty."

“I will be, Mint.” I felt myself flag a little, the adrenaline of the fight with Crimson Haze wearing out, but the day wasn’t over yet. “I won’t be a hero. I’ll see you back at the mansion.”

Merri grinned. "And Icicle, keep the bedroll warm for me~."

"Will do, dear." Icicle saluted with a grin, and helping my sister, the two flew off back to our basecamp.

"So then," Merri turned to offer her hoof to me. "Shall we go raid the town?"

It was definitely odd to switch tactics from sneaking through the forest, to sauntering straight down the road. Merri led the way in, practically whistling as she trotted down the packed dirt that connected Iron Shoe to, some great distance later, Las Pegasus. Pasture was just a minor detour along the way.

I soon recognized a part of the road, someplace where I had been not that long ago. At the time, I’d been fleeing alongside Dusky into the safety of the woods, before my first introduction to Ivory. I definitely hadn't thought I'd be back here so soon, and so casually. Hopefully none of the ponies that had chased us that day were still in Pasture, ready to point me out.

Merri smirked, leading the way down the road away from the main thoroughfare and towards the small town. She'd stowed her barding away in a hidey-hole, taking the time to clean up a little after the past few days, and now she somehow looked like she’d just stepped off the train again. She was definitely confident, and as we got closer, she turned to me and winked. “Just follow my lead~.”

The fortifications around Pasture gave off an eerily similar sense to the frontier forts of Ostfriesen, sitting at the edge of the Badlands awaiting the imminent monster attacks. Two ponies stood at the gate in the plain heavy plate of Crimson Hoof's band.

The first was an older earth pony mare with a purple coat. Her gaze was filled with menace as she watched our approach. On the other side of the gate was a rather bulky-looking yellow unicorn who looked more bored than intimidating.

The mare stepped into the center of the road as we got close. "Pasture isn't open to visitors. Turn back."

Merri tilted her head, then glanced back down the road. "Not open? We heard about some trouble further on in Iron Shoe, but didn’t know it’d reached out here. How far is it to Iron Shoe?”

The mercenary shrugged, “Couple hours, not my problem.”

Before I could blink, Merri had slipped in-between the two guards, a hoof wrapped around the mare. “Look, Iron Shoe isn’t safe, and Las Pegasus is too far away to get back to. This is the closest town. What’s going on in there that two travelers can’t get a room for the night, there’s an inn right?”

I was a bit surprised the mare didn’t do something to throw Merri away from her. Instead, she sighed, “Look, the town doesn’t want visitors. You’re not going to be getting a warm welcome, miss.”

“Silvertongue. Miss Silvertongue. Now, please, we’re just looking for a room. ” She grinned, letting her hoof fall off. “Tomorrow morning, we’ll be out on the road same way we came in, back down to Las Pegasus, I guess, if we can afford a room.”

I mirrored her sigh. “I think we can, provided we don’t stay in one of the big hotels.”

She nodded, then looked back at the mercenary, “Oh, shoot, hey, that really isn’t your problem. Just, uh, well… what do you say?”

The mare glanced over at the other guard, who just shrugged. “Boss said keep an eye out for anypony suspicious. Search the packs and let ‘em in.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, fine. Saddle bags on the ground. And step over by him.”

We complied, Merri slipping out of her saddle bags. My flight satchels were back in the mansion, so no worries there. I just hoped Merri had thought ahead far enough not to have anything incriminating.

The mercenary glanced in, rummaging through Merri’s first bag and pulling out a hair brush, some snacks, a bottle of suntan lotion, toothbrush, and then she stopped, looking up to give Merri a withering look. “Lingerie?”

Merri smirked, “Gotta keep things interesting, even on the road, right dear?” She glanced back at me and winked.

I blushed hard, starting to stutter out an answer but the guard cut me off. “Whatever. Let’s see the other bag.”

With a smirk, Merri watched my face. “Just some postcards and souvenirs in that one. And a few toys, of course~.”

My face only went redder, but the mare stopped. “You know what, forget it. Just get out of here.”

Gathering her things back into her opened bag, Merri levitated them both back onto her back, leading me into town.

I muttered a quiet “S-sorry,” to the guard as we walked past, but she remained stone-faced. The stallion was clearly suppressing a laugh though.

Somehow, we were inside Pasture. Now, all we had to do was find the Mayor’s house, and whatever else we could find. I glanced over at Merri, “Does the other bag actually have, um… well…”

She shrugged, “Nah. But it has a few things that’d be hard to explain. Your face sold it though.”

“G-glad I could help?”

Merri took the long path through town, circling the outer edge for a bit, just close enough to the wall to get a good look at everything, while just far enough into town so as not to look like we were snooping. From the forest, we’d observed the town long enough to map it out mentally, but knowing the layout didn’t help us as much as I’d have liked once we were inside.

We walked along, talking casually about the weather. Despite the heavy log walls and the ominous guard tower in the back, this could have passed for any town in Equestria. The sun was only a couple hours past noon at this point, and the townsfolk were out and about on what seemed like a daily routine.

At last, Merri stopped by a little shop as close to the town hall, eyeing some fresh produce. “What do you think, Night? Fresh? Imported?”

I looked down at the produce. “I don’t see a whole lot of farms around here… Maybe imported from somewhere around Iron Shoe?”

“Yeah, I dunno.” She glanced into the shop, calling out, “Hey shopkeep? Sir? Sorry to bother ya, but is this produce fresh?”

An older unicorn stepped out, eying us cautiously. “It’s fresh. Even through the crisis, we’re getting food, thanks to those ponies the Mayor hired. I’d be afraid to think what’d happen if they weren’t escorting the wagons from Iron Shoe.”

“Is… is that why they’re here? Escorting wagons?” I blinked, catching onto Merri’s game. “What’s attacking them, um, timber-wolves?”

The shopkeep glanced up and down the street, lingering on the town hall a moment, then gave us a look as if he were giving us the passcode to Celestia’s secret vaults. “You’ve heard of the Necromancer of Pasture, haven’t you?”

Merri took in a sharp breath, then shook her head. “Necromancer? Like, the dead? That’s horrible magic!”

He nodded. “It is. Some ponies say she’s just a legend, but we know the truth here. She’s older than any of us, sloughs off old bodies like a snake. She was even bold enough to attack the town a few years ago.”

“She’s really real, then?” Merri shivered rather convincingly. “Explains all the security, we had no idea!”

“N-no… none…” I hoped my lying passed off as just nervousness at the ‘terror of the necromancer’, but I didn’t much hear the response. Instead, my ears perked up at the rather loud slamming of a door. A Green-yellow pony in the same kind of flashy armor as the makeshift militia in Iron Shoe was storming up to the door, not bothering to knock.

I glanced over towards Merri, and she looked back and winked, then bowed her head as she flipped the storekeep some bits. “Thanks, for the apples and the warning. We’re just here for the night, and I’m all the more eager to get away from this town, no offense.”

“None taken. It’s my home, but… between the Necromancer, and these new guards, I just don’t even know sometimes…” He took the bits and headed back into the store.

Merri tossed me an apple. “C’mon. Let’s go find a nice shady tree to snack under.” She started heading towards just such a spot near the town hall.

Clutching the apple in one wing, I nodded, trying not to look back at the door. “R-right.”

Flopping down with her back against a tree, Merri whistled a bit, as she took a bite out of the apple, motioning me to sit down across from her. “Let’s just see here… if I were the Mayor, where would I want my office. Second floor, rear? No… Front and center? Yeah, he’s the sort to stand and look out over his town I bet.” Her horn glowed, and she pulled a little cup-shaped object out of her satchel.

“What’s that?” I leaned in to examine it.

“It’s a cup. Now hush. I don’t wanna do this too loudly, so eat your apple, and make sure no pony can see me from that angle.”

I glanced back towards town, then shifted in place, taking a bite as I did so. As Merri focused, soon enough, a voice began to emerge from the cup.

“-ting stupid, Moss! Those mercenaries are bleeding me on purpose, and I am getting sick of their excuses!” That had to be Prideful’s voice.

The other voice was obviously Moss, and though he’d entered the Hall rather agitated, he spoke rather calmly to the Mayor. “She’s either gone, or she’s holed up somewhere they can’t find. She’s spent years hidin’. And if I were you, I wouldn’t go tellin’ Crimson Haze he’s tryin’ to cheat you.”

Prideful practically spit, “Enough of that damn camel. He doesn’t scare me anymore. You go tell him he’s got ‘til the end of the week, you hear me! Burn the rest of the forest. Raze the mansion. I don't care what you have to do so long as you guarantee the safety of Pasture and bring me that monster's head!”

86 - Night In

As soon as Mayor Prideful had finished his last sentence, Merri cut off her spell. In a swift motion, she snatched the cup up from the ground and made it disappear behind her like a street magician practicing sleight of hoof. “Crap.”

“Raze the mansion? Do they know we’re—”

Merri quickly quieted me with a glare as her whole body tensed. Slowly, she relaxed, her voice a whisper “No, or he’d be saying to burn it down tonight, or have already given the order to bring us in. The problem is your run-in this morning. The second he hears back from Crimson Haze about that, he’s likely to step things up.”

I nodded, and whispered back. “Our tight timeline just got tighter. D-damn it, I wish Dusky were here.”

“If we’re lucky, and face it—so far we’ve been pretty dang lucky, Dusky is in a Las Pegasus hotel room with Ivory now.” She tilted her head towards the town hall window she’d been eavesdropping upon and waited a moment. “We need to get out of here. Fast.”

I glanced around our position, trying to look casual. The wall surrounding the town was solid. There was that watchtower over the south end of town and otherwise the only way out would be the front gate, or over the wall. The latter would be easy for me, but not so easy for Merri, and if we were seen doing it, it’d just cause further problems.

Frowning, I tried to think of something, speaking more to myself than to Merri. “Okay, we… we can’t panic. We can’t run. We can’t stay.”

Merri closed her eyes, hoof tapping against the ground. She looked more like her sister for a moment, focusing intently on a problem instead of her typical easygoing demeanor. Then, a smile slowly crossed her face. “Yep. Just means we’ve gotta stay cool. Be sneaky. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that we’ve got some time. Just not a lot. So, we’re gonna have to be careful, and put on a show, hm?”

“A… show?” I raised an eyebrow, trying to read her expression.

“We sorta knew, didn’t we? We weren’t gonna just be in and out. The problem is this info is a bit more urgent than we thought. Still though, we gotta just do what we said. So we’re gonna finish off our apples, head over to the local inn, get a room, and stay the night. Then, we leave as quietly as possible first thing in the morning.”

I sighed. “So we’ve just got to wait this out to avoid suspicion, then?”

She grinned. “Yep. If we knew they were marching out tonight, then sure, I’d say let’s go out and do something stupid and reckless. But for tonight, I’ll follow Sis’s advice and use my head, and not, well, I’d say it but you’d blush again.”

I blushed anyways, though I suspected that was Merri’s intent. She knew what she was doing far better than I did, so for now, I’d just have to keep playing along.

We took a moment to finish up our impromptu picnic, then walked back towards the main street, past the market. The townsfolk gave us a mix of expressions, from doubt to fear to outright anger. It wasn’t hard to understand, considering the occupying force keeping them under what was essentially martial law. It seemed like they could still roam about as they pleased, but I had doubts just how far that extended. I’m sure they did too. They had a lot of reasons to distrust outsiders right now.

The inn was easy to find at least. It was one of the only structures bigger than one story tall, and it was easily seen over the other buildings in the market. From the side hung a painted sign featuring a faded yellow sun set on a sky blue background. The text read ‘Sunny Skies Inn’.

Once inside, we found a cozy enough looking inn that wore its age like a badge of honor. The blue paint was cracked and faded, and the wooden floor creaked with every hoofstep. A fireplace sat in the back yet unlit, but in a way it reminded me of the Seapony back home.

This was the point where Merri proved that ‘playing along’ mostly meant letting her embarrass me. Much like at the gate, Merri’s unsubtle hints and advances towards me left both the innkeeper, an earth pony stallion named Still Repose, and I blushing. She made sure to say that we only needed a single bed at least four times in getting us a room.

We settled into the common room of the inn, ordering a quick meal. It was nerve wracking, with the afternoon wearing thin, the likelihood of the mercenaries returning was increasing. Any moment now, a pony could walk through the door who’d just been warned to keep an eye out for a blue pegasus matching my description. When the innkeeper brought out the food, I barely tasted it, overthinking all the ways this could end in disaster.

A few other ponies sat in the commons eating or reading at their tables, they appeared to be regulars who the innkeeper spent some time gossiping with as he served their food. Overall they seemed to pay us no mind. Once our meals were finished, we stayed just long enough to not raise any questions. With a wink and a sultry tone that left implications no pony would want to follow up on, Merri led us up to our room.

The room was nice, if plain. It wasn’t large, but that was fine with me. It reminded me of a few of the hotels Dusky and I had stopped at on our trip. It was laid out in a very simple, utilitarian style, with a small table, a couple nightstands, a desk… and the single bed, just as Merri wanted.

I sighed.

“What? It fit our alibi!” Merri wrapped a hoof around me. “If anypony comes knocking, we don’t want them to find us in separate beds, what would that look like?”

“I get that… only… you know how I feel about this. You know I’m with Dusky, and now you’re with Icicle. So… why do you do this?”

The smile slipped off her face, “Whoa now, it’s not like I’m actually making advances on ya or anything. Trust me, if I were here with Dusky, I’d be making all the same moves. Wouldn’t even have to lie about finding her attractive. Not that I was lying about you either.”

My face grew hot, but I did my best to glare at Merri. “That's surprisingly not very comforting. Do you just find everypony attractive?”

She just shrugged apologetically, giving me a grin. “Maybe it’s just pegasi. You’ve got those fluffy wings~.”

I glanced back, stretching my wings out slightly. “Is that why you’ve gotten Icicle mixed up in all of this?”

Merri moved over towards the bed, climbing up and rolling onto her back. “It’s… different with Icicle. I mean, sure, I sorta pulled him into the bar because I was a bit jealous of you, and Dusky, and Terra. Maybe I just wanted a one-night stand, you know? But he’s different…”

Tilting my head, I decided to push this, feeling like, this was something she needed to talk about, and I was guessing she hadn’t felt like confiding in her sister just yet. “Different, how?”

She didn’t sound like her usual self as she spoke, but it strangely was as if she was acting more herself than usual. “He was just… so honest with me. He wasn’t put off by me being me like a lot of ponies are. He didn’t care if I was from Ostfriesen, he just… liked me, ya know? He made me feel like I belong here.”

I blinked at the response, staring at Merri a bit slack-jawed. “Err… well…”

She chuckled, “What, you expected me to say something lewd, huh~?”

“No just… you really love him then?” The answer was already obvious, just from hearing how she talked.

Sitting up slightly, Merri looked me in the eyes, then laid back down on the bed. “Maybe. I mean, we only just started dating. But yeah. There’s something there I don’t want to let go.”

I swallowed slightly, knowing my next question would be hard, specifically because it would be hard for me if I were asked. “You’re worried about him right now, aren’t you?”

“Of course not! He’s with Sis, and with your sister too, they’re both competent! He knows what he’s doing, well enough to stay alive at least…” The initial enthusiasm in her voice slowly faded.

“Doesn’t mean you’re not worried, no matter how much you know they can handle it.”

She lay silent for a moment, staring up at the ceiling. “Well… yeah. Then I guess I’m worried about him. I probably shouldn’t have dragged him along, but I feel like, if he’s going to get involved with me, he’s going to need to be ready for this kind of thing. Sis and I don’t exactly lend ourselves to ‘normal’ lives. You know what that’s like, though. Do you regret Dusky pulling you into this?”

I couldn’t help but laugh, as weak as it was. “Alright, fair point. I’d say I forced myself along more than Dusky pulling me into it, though.”

“Heh. You know what I said to him when this all started? When you came to find me to help fight the banshee? I told him I had to go help a friend, and he asked ‘What can I do?’. I told him not to worry, and I’d make it up to him later, and he just frowned at me. ‘Are you sure?’” She sighed.

I frowned, definitely feeling a bit of deja vu. “There… there wasn’t much he’d have been able to do against the Banshee.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Merri rolled onto her side. “When I went to his home and told him I had to go to help a friend again, he gave me the same look. ‘What can I do?’. I’ll be damned if I was going to tell him to stay behind again.”

“That’s… no, you’re right. I keep thinking it’s the wrong choice, but I can’t hold it against you when… well, were it me, I’d want Dusky to trust me enough to help her. I mean, that’s why we’re here now.”

Merri smiled at me, nodding. “Thanks, Night. They’re both going to be fine, alright? So, let’s get some rest while we can, eh? We’ll need to be off as early as we can manage tomorrow.”

I managed to smile back, as awkward as it would be sharing a bed, the sooner we could get out of Pasture, the better. A bit nervously, I slipped into bed alongside Merri. “Alright… just... “

She giggled, “Hey now. It’s me. I’ll be a perfectly classy mare.”

“Right… of course.” I took a deep breath and settled into the bed, eager for the morning to come.

We woke up rather early, and Merri went down to the commons to scout things out. She reported back that the common room was empty, meaning the mercenaries either weren’t staying here, or hadn’t woken up yet. Either option was fine, as we either had to move early, or wait for them to head back out into the forest to resume their searching. Neither of us really wanted to wait any longer, and if Crimson Haze’s troops were going to march straight on the manor, it was best we beat them there, not follow in their wake.

Luckily, we didn’t have anything to bulky to pack up, and with Merri giving a genuinely friendly wave goodbye to the innkeeper, we set out to leave Pasture. The sun was sitting just below the horizon, Celestia not yet ready to raise it for the new day, and a low mist hung over the town, filling the whole scene with a strange sense of dread. In a horror movie, this was when the zombies would wade out of the fog. The irony was, in this case the zombies would be on our side.

The gate was still guarded, with two of the mercenaries standing just outside the town, passing a thermos of coffee between them. This would be the hard part. If Crimson Haze came back, if he’d issued orders to be on the lookout for Mint, Icicle, and I, then this could be trouble.

Merri approached it with the same demeanor that had got us in, a wide smile and a distracting caress of her hoof had one guard blushing, and the other rolling his eyes, and before I could blink, we were out of the town. I wanted to glance back at the guards, fearing it was all just a ruse to catch us from behind, but also didn’t want to seem suspicious or give them a chance to get a second look at me. Despite my fears, no sounds of pursuit or sign of a secret ambush came.

Still, better safe than sorry. We took the south road towards Las Pegasus. If they or anypony else was bothering to watch, they’d have no reason to suspect anything more than Merri had told them.

Once we were out of sight of town, we looped back around, cutting through the forest’s edge to skirt around Pasture and back towards our base in the manor. Merri made the proper signals to let her sister know we were coming in, waiting to hear Star’s response from somewhere up above before we quickly slipped through the front and entered the observatory.

Merri very quickly maneuvered herself to Icicle’s side, relieved and happy to see him again. It honestly made my heart ache, the doubt and fear of where Dusky was right now.

Mint’s leg had been bandaged better, and she seemed in good spirits, if eager to hear what we’d learned. As Merri moved past her, she came to me with a concerned look. “What’s up? What’d you learn?”

I swallowed. “This place isn’t safe. We need to move out of here, and fast. They definitely hasn’t found Ivory yet, but it’s making the Mayor impatient. He made it pretty clear he wanted the forest, the mansion, everything burnt to the ground to ensure they find her.”

My sister frowned. “Wonderful. I’m guessing he’s going to make this move soon?”

I nodded. “Within the week. Probably ordered the camel to do it when he got back into town, and they’ll start whatever their final preparations are today. I… I don’t know where we’ll go to hide from here. There’s been no sign from Dusky since we found the note here.”

From behind Mint, Icicle chimed in, “No word here either, it’s been quiet all night. Star’s been keeping watch waiting for you two to return. She figured you might have to stay the night in the town.”

Merri chuckled, “Sis knows how I operate. They never even gave us a second glance.”

“So you say.” Starshadow’s voice echoed into the room as she opened the door. “But we may already be too late. Another group is approaching the manor. They are moving quietly, and I could not get an exact location or head count. Not without giving away my own position, at least.”

I turned to Mint, fairly certain the panic on my face was visible. “Th-then we have to go now!”

She shook her head, “But where, Night? We can’t do this blindly.”

Starshadow took a deep breath.. “We have two options. We go, or we stay. We are in the likely scenario of being outnumbered and under-prepared. As we have seen, these are seasoned mercenaries.”

“Assuming they’re on par with your average Equestrian Guard, we can handle them.” Merri confidently grinned, “Now, if that camel is with them, then we might have bigger problems.”

Mint turned to take us all in. “We have three experienced fighters, and two, no offense you two, rookies. We can’t afford to get into fights where we’re not picking the battlefield.”

Star considered for only a moment, then nodded. “Agreed.”

“I… yeah. Agreed.” Giving up this position meant giving up the one place Dusky knew she’d directed us towards, but it wouldn’t help her at all if she only found us as captives… or worse. “Let’s go.”

Mint quickly began directing the evacuation, leaving what little supplies we had behind in favor of getting us all gathered and out of the observatory.

We’d only just begun our escape when Merri stopped us, “We might be too late. Stay hidden, everypony. They’re already here.”

87 - Strategies

Time stood still.

Every breath, every beat of my heart in my throat, sounded loud enough to alert everypony in a mile radius that we were here. I didn’t move, my eyes watching Merri and Star ahead of me as they quietly motioned back and forth. Behind me, Mint and Icicle waited. The tension grew as we did nothing.

There was nothing coming, whatever shapes Merri had spotted had ducked out of sight. We didn’t know who or what was down there, but they weren’t foolish enough to charge straight in. That only meant that it probably wasn’t the whole mercenary crew, but even a scouting force finding us would be just as bad in some ways.

Then, I heard a noise behind me. A long, low tweet, followed by a soft warbling noise. I turned along with Merri and Star to investigate, only to find Mint whistling, one hoof raised to her mouth to indicate silence. We waited. A moment later, a second bird responded from closer to the gate. Tweet, tweet, and another long tweet. If I hadn’t seen Mint whistling, I wouldn’t have thought anything of it, but Mint grinned.

“It’s somepony in the Guard. I’ll give the all clear and step-out, wait until we know it’s alright.” She stepped past me, making another series of bird impressions, then moved past Merri and Star and cautiously stepped into the open, “Sergeant Mint Creme, reporting.”

The response was immediate, as a familiar orange mare popped around the corner, a wide grin on her face, “Sarge!”

Mint blinked, once, then broken into a smile as well, but she kept her voice low, “Blaze. Get in here, quick. We need to stay out of sight until we can move.”

She nodded, then turned and looked back, “Hold on. I’ll get the others.”

Blaze hadn’t been available when Mint came to back me up. She’d already been deployed to Pasture because she knew the area, and knew the ponies in the town. She was Dusky’s friend, and Ivory’s too, I’d wager. She wasn’t alone, though, and other guards might not be so ready to believe why we were there.

I tensed, still unsure if we were out of danger just yet, and hoping Mint would be able to talk our way out of this if any other guards were present.

Nodding professionally, my sister glanced down, considering. “Others? Who else is with you?”

Blaze nodded eagerly, grinning. “There’s me, Sergeant Reed, Dusky, and Ivory!”

Mint cringed, then let out a soft laugh that became a sigh and looked back towards me with a smirk, waving a hoof forward. “Explains the preliminary caution, then.”

The sudden swell of anticipation in my chest buoyed me up out of all of my fears and doubts. Dusky. She was here. She’d succeeded. We’d held out and found them, and now, we could be away and out of this war zone. I stepped out from around the corner of the building, feeling my emotions overtake me. “Dusky?”

I heard Merri snicker as I walked past, and blushed slightly as she whispered rather loudly, “Go get her, loverboy~.”

Dusky stepped around the wall, coming into the yard with an odd look at Blaze before turning her full attention on me. “Night—”

I’d already leaped up, my wings propelling me into Dusky to wrap my hooves around her tight, tears of relief streaming down my face. “Missed you, Dusky… Love you.”

She returned the hug, just as tightly as I held her, nuzzling against my neck. “I missed you too. Did you have much trouble getting here?”

I frowned, reluctantly breaking the hug, but still staying close. “Nothing getting here… plenty of trouble after that, though. That… that matters less now, though. You found Ivory?”

She nodded, “And some other company. Blaze, and her commander, Sergeant Feather Reed. How many did you bring?”

“Myself, Mint, Merri, Star, and Icicle. Not as many as I’d have liked, but these are the only ponies I could trust to come.”

She raised an eyebrow at me when I mentioned Icicle, tilting her head to spot our weather bureau co-worker walking alongside Merri. “If there’s a good reason why he’s here, then alright.”

Merri grinned, “I vouched for him, Dusky.”

Dusky looked at me again, and all I could do was shrug, not really sure how much more explanation I could offer than that. She breathed out the faintest of sighs and nodded. “Alright.”

Mint walked closer, eyeing the other two ponies following up behind Dusky. “Sergeant Reed, hm?”

I recognized Ivory, though she somehow looked even more tired than she’d been after staying up for nights without rest, researching rituals to eliminate the Banshee. The other pony, who was unmistakably Sergeant Reed, had a golden yellow coat that almost matched her armor. With her reddish mane, she almost looked like my sister, Sun, though quite a bit more athletic. She was keeping her emotions close to the chest, and it was hard to tell if she was friend or foe from her stoic expression. Only the fact that she’d arrived with Dusky and the others pointed to the fact that I could trust her.

She and Ivory walked up side by side, though Ivory stopped next to Dusky. I turned to give her a gentle smile, and she cordially dipped her head. She seemed grateful, but clearly on edge. I could hardly blame her for that, though, considering everything we’d been through already, I was sure she'd had it far worse.

Feather Reed saluted, “Sergeant Creme. I wasn’t aware you’d been assigned to this… problem.”

Mint shook her head. “I haven’t. Not officially, at least. That’s my brother, and the mare you’ve been working alongside is my sister-in-law, and I’m not the type to stay behind and let anypony in my family get hurt. You’re here more officially, yes?”

Reed nodded, “Sent to investigate the veracity and the threat presented by the legend of the Necromancer of Pasture. Findings are… inconclusive.” She glanced back and gave Ivory a long, curious look.

Ivory glanced away, but she was just as stone-faced as Reed was.

I tried to figure that out for a moment, but more pressing issues were at hand. “Listen, we’ve been scouting Pasture, spying on the mercenaries’ movements, and on the Mayor, and we need to move. We were just getting ready to leave.”

Suddenly looking back up at me, Ivory narrowed her eye, “Why the hurry? What did you find out?”

“This mansion, this forest, this whole area, Mayor Prideful is ordering those mercenaries to burn it all down to find you. That camel and his fighters could be here any moment now.” The words all rushed out of my mouth, and watching the expression on Ivory’s face sink, my ears lowered. “I’m… sorry.”

Ivory cringed as if struck. “Burn the mansion? He can’t… he wouldn’t?”

Merri spoke up from behind, “We heard it ourselves. Him and Moss, but the Mayor’s the one who ordered it.”

Ivory slumped, and Dusky turned to offer her support. “I know it’s hard to leave it behind, but we still need to get you out of here.”

“I can’t, Dusky. I can’t. If that’s what Prideful ordered, if he’s ready to go that far… I need to stay. I need to find a way to end all this bloodshed. Nopony else should get hurt because of me.”

“That’s… you can’t do that, Ivory. It’s not just Prideful Policy anymore, he has a whole mercenary camp hired on to hunt you down. Moss has ponies all the way out to Iron Shoe looking for you.” Dusky’s face dropped as she pleaded with her friend. “Staying here is… it’s crazy!”

I knew the look on Dusky’s face. She’d looked at me like that, more than once. Don’t be a hero.

Ivory nodded. “I know. Yet… I don’t think there’s any choice left for me now.”

After a moment, Dusky sighed, looking over the whole group of us gathered there in the mansion’s courtyard. “No… we’ll find another option. We just need a plan.”

Now with our party ballooned in size from five to nine ponies, we journeyed into the mansion proper for the very first time. Once inside the long abandoned manor, Ivory led us to a secret passage that led down to a large room, filled with several cots and stacks of carefully placed boxes. The dust here wasn’t nearly as thick, and it was easy to see that Ivory had long prepared for needing just such a space.

Dusky wanted us all inside to talk over our next move, but agreed with Merri that somepony needed to keep watch, especially knowing the manor was on the target list. With that, Merri and Icicle headed out to keep watch, while the rest of us set about unpacking some dining room furniture to serve as our new headquarters.

“If the problem is that he won’t stop until you’re gone, what if we make a show of you taking the highway out?” Sergeant Reed sat with her forehooves folded in front of her, looking down thoughtfully. “There would still be some danger, but far less than fighting until only one of you is left standing. If his opponent is gone, continuing with this war would only make him look like a fool.”

Across from her, sitting between Dusky and Blaze, Ivory sighed. “Pasture trusts him too much. He could keep sending mercenaries to chase me to the ends of Equestria and they would accept it.”

“Or worse.” Blaze leaned forward, looking around the table at each of us. “He’d spin it as a trick, that there’s no way Ivory would give up her power over us. She’s just rebuilding her army, hiding a bit farther back until they let down their guard. Believe me, I… I used to buy into that schlock.”

With the last sentence, she turned to Ivory and dipped her ears back apologetically, but Ivory only responded with a light smile and a nod.

Sitting between Blaze and Reed was Starshadow. She frowned, tapping a hoof quietly on the table. “He is adept at politics, I will give him that. I do not think that engaging him will have the result you desire. Even if we bring him down, Pasture will see him as a martyr, and you, a villain. It is then likely that the Equestrian Guard will have to step in and I doubt there is anything Sergeant Reed could say to quell that momentum.”

“Much as I hate to admit it, she’s right.” Mint sighed to my left, her face telling me exactly where she wanted to shove Prideful’s 'momentum' at that particular moment. “No matter the intention, a large-scale battle always looks bad. A crisis force will be sent to respond.”

“Then running really is the best way to keep suffering to a minimum?” I looked about the table, not wanting to sound like a coward, but also not wanting to get into a fight we knew we couldn’t win. We were nine ponies facing a fully armed mercenary outfit, plus civilians who didn’t understand that they were being duped.

With a sad shake of her head, Ivory dashed my hopes of getting out of Pasture by nightfall. “If I simply disappear, nothing will change. He’ll see ghosts and shadows around every corner.”

To my right, Dusky suddenly perked up, a moment of inspiration clearly breaking across her face. “What if we let him win?”

“Dusky, you… uh, feeling okay there?” Blaze nearly poked Dusky, as if she’d suddenly vanish, clearly not real. “I thought I just heard you suggest letting him win.”

“I did.” Dusky turned to Ivory, the wheels in motion behind her eyes. “What are the chances we can create a zombie that looks like you?”

“It would take some time, but the necessary spells are not terribly complicated. It will take more effort to mask the smell.” Ivory blinked, stopping a moment to stare at Dusky incredulously. “Are we… faking my death?”

Dusky nodded. “Think about it. If he believes he has thoroughly won, to the point that he has found a corpse, then he cannot pursue this any further. He would never undermine his own victory, so he’d have to let his vendetta go, hopefully becoming a better mayor in the process.”

“We would need to make it believable,” Star lifted her hoof off the table, considering. “A stallion like him would not accept a kill that seemed too easy. If he suspects anything at all, we run into the same trickery problem.”

Blaze leaned forward, nodding, “We could pretend to attack Pasture. Let him believe everything bad he’s said is true. He’d take to it like a bass on a crankbait.”

Sergeant Reed shot her a grim look. “No. We can’t endanger civilians.”

Blaze raised an eyebrow, letting her head tilt a bit as she leaned back. “I said ‘pretend’.”

Dusky turned to shake her head at Blaze, “She’s right. Fighting is chaotic, even if Ivory keeps her zombies in check, the mercenaries and townsfolk will be in a frenzy. Accidental collateral is almost a certainty.”

Mint leaned back, then got a sudden grin, raising her hoof up over her head towards the ceiling. “Then why not here? We know they’ll be here sooner or later, so why don’t we take advantage of that?”

With a blink, Dusky stopped, then looked down for a moment. A small smile broke over her face as well, as I could see things clicking into place for her. “That’s… perfect. We draw them in, stage a battle and let them push the zombies back. When the body double goes down and we’re certain the mercenaries have confirmed their ‘kill’, we retreat into the safe room and disappear into the wilderness.”

88 - Dead and Tired

Working through the list of preparations was no small task, and everypony had at least one job. While Ivory was busy preparing her double, the rest of us were preparing defenses and keeping watch. I’d fallen into the role of messenger between everypony, rushing back and forth between them and Dusky to keep us all up to date, passing along orders, and generally making sure everypony had what they needed.

Right now, that meant walking with Icicle to meet up with Blaze. She had been watching over the hidden entrance through the hazardous rocky side of the wilderness, a secret path into the mansion where Ivory had been bringing in her reinforcements. I suppressed a shudder. Despite knowing Ivory, the zombies were still an uncomfortable presence.

Once Icicle and I were through Ivory’s barrier, I came to a halt a short distance behind Blaze. I cleared my throat to get her attention. “Um, heya Blaze. Sergeant Reed wants to talk with you and Mint about some kinda tactics thing. Asked me to fetch you. Dusky said it’ll be fine so long as someone is keeping watch.”

She turned and grinned, “Night? Got to warn you, this is a boring post.”

I shook my head, pointing a hoof to Icicle as he stepped besides me. “Won't be me. After this, I need to make sure Starshadow has finished fortifying the front door. That's why I fetched Icicle.”

He stepped forward and gave a salute. “Icicle Gleam, I don’t think we’ve formally met.”

“Trail Blazer. But my friends call me Blaze.”

He shrugged. “Sounds good to me. You can call me Icicle, or just Gleam. Whichever.”

“Well, let me tell you what to expect here. Nothing. But if you do hear something, hide out by that—” she broke off as we all began to hear hoof steps upon the dirt.

With a nod, she pointed towards the side alcove that several large rocks nearly completely blocked from view. The shadow cast by it made the whole thing appear solid, but there was enough room to allow a few ponies to hide out of sight of the path. We quietly hid and waited.

I tensed, but before I knew it, the culprit passed by Blaze's post. A wretched thing, clearly undead, empty eyes staring straight ahead, unblinking, and its skin torn away at the shoulder to reveal rotted muscle and broken bone. It seemed more rot than flesh, yet still it walked forward. Honestly, the speed it moved was unsettling, nothing so broken should move so quickly.

As it passed, Blaze paused, listening for anyone or anything that might have followed it, then slowly relaxed and stepped back out. ”As I was saying, hide in there until they pass. I uh, never know if I should try to talk to them or what. I guess Ivory can hear through them? So it's just like taking to her. I tried a few times but got nothing. Now I just let them pass and make sure they weren't followed.”

Blaze's words echoed quietly in the silence.

At long last, I heard Icicle swear to himself as he pulled his gaze away from the receding zombie.

Blaze nodded slowly. “Yeeeah, the first time you see them, it’s rough. That first instinct is to run, or scream… or stab at them, as hard and as fast as you can, before they have a chance to get you. That… that’s how it was for me anyways.”

Icicle sighed, “It’s not that… it’s… nothing, sorry.”

Watching his face, it was clearly much more than nothing. “No need to be sorry, Icicle. Even with Dusky telling me they were our allies, I nearly panicked the first time I saw them, coming out of the forest. Just the noises they make… I... I can understand why some ponies might think the way they do, if they only ever met these and not Ivory herself.”

“Exactly!” Blaze tapped my shoulder with a hoof. “I was just exploring the woods when one of these things practically jumped me. Then I went all fight or flight, and next thing I know… well, I attacked it, of course. It took everything in me to stop it, too. Now I sorta wonder if I asked Ivory about it today, if it was even trying to attack me at all.”

I tilted my head at her. “You just… killed it? Well, rekilled? Is that a thing?”

“I was just a teen, but it scared the sun and stars out of me. That’s when I realized that if there was an army of these things, Pasture was doomed. So… I sorta started asking travelers who looked sturdy enough if they’d help save our town.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that how you met Dusky?”

Blaze blushed, embarrassment making the answer obvious. “Uh… maybe?”

“I thought they'd be more… whole.” Icicle whispered, almost to himself. He seemed to be more disappointed than disturbed.

I tilted my head, “Would… would it be better if they looked more… alive? I guess they'd be less disturbing in some ways… I think it'd scare me in another way, though.”

With a sigh, Icicle sat back on his haunches, “No, no… it's just… part of me sort of hoped they'd be more… who they used to be. More the pony and less just the corpse.”

“That sounds kinda creepy.” Blaze pointed a hoof at Icicle, a weird look on her face. “You know that, right?”

“It's just something I used to think about a lot.” He shook his head. “Yeah, it definitely sounds creepy now, but… I made a promise once, a long time ago.”

The pause was pregnant. Neither Blaze nor I speaking, she was likely as unsure as I was if we should ask, or just let it drop.

Blaze broke before I did. “What promise? What happened?”

Icicle shivered, though there wasn’t a draft or a chill to be found, his voice faltering for just a moment before he cleared his throat to continue. “This was… six? No, seven now. Seven years ago. She was newly assigned, had just graduated out of the academy, and I… she… d-damn it.”

I blinked, “Icicle? You don’t have to—”

He cut me off with a shake of his head. “No. No… she should be remembered, if nothing else. Her name was Sun Shield. She was the best pony I’d ever met. Kind, and generous, and loyal to a fault. All she wanted to do was make Equestria better for everypony. She… she got an assignment to go up north. Out beyond the border, back before they found the Crystal Empire again. She... never came back.”

I felt my heart ache for Icicle. “I’m… sorry.”

Blaze nodded, “I, uh… yeah, wow. Sorry for your loss.”

“It’s… I’m better now. By the time I’d moved to Ponyville, I think I’d gotten over it. Then I found Merri, and she’s so much like Sunny was… but still so different. But back then, I was a broken pony. I wanted so bad to bring her back, I said I’d do anything to restore her.” He glanced back down to where the zombie had been only moments before. “A little part of me still wondered if this could bring her back. If I’d known about the Necromancer of Pasture after she… died. What would I have done? I wanted her back, but… like this?”

With a dark frown, Blaze shook her head. “Not like this, Icicle. Trust me.”

“Yeah, definitely not like this.” Icicle turned to look at me, and his question nearly broke my heart. “Night, if Dusky died… would you…?”

I felt myself tearing up, but the answer was clear as day. “No… no I couldn’t. I think… I think Dusky would hate me if I asked Ivory to do that. Especially since… I think Ivory would do it. I don’t even know if it would still be Dusky anymore, and if it was… th-that’s not living. It would rip my heart out… but I just couldn’t.”

Blaze sighed, “I’m with you on this one Night. It’s, well… maybe I just don’t have a special somepony to compare it with. But if it were me… death seems better.”

I shuddered at those final words.

Icicle didn’t seem to be faring much better with his own thoughts. “I don’t want to let Merri go, not when I’ve only just met her. I already had to let Sun go too early. But I understand that this just isn’t the way. She deserves to rest in peace now.”

I couldn’t imagine having to let go of Dusky now, let alone having already lost somepony just as special. Icicle had done that, and found somepony else that was just as special. This had to be why Merri had insisted he come too. Far from just ‘Merri being Merri’, she knew it would eat him away inside if she was in danger like Sun Shield had been, and so she had ensured he came along. This was painfully sincere, and I didn’t ask so much as state the fact. “Merri knows.”

He nodded. “She knew most of it already, but I told her the rest after she helped you fight the Banshee. She told me all about that too. When she said she had to go again, I told her everything about Sun, and why I had to go with her. To be here for her.”

Blaze blinked, “Because you weren’t there for her? Do you even know if you’d have made a difference?”

“All I said to her was ‘I’ll write’. Those were my last words, Blaze, to the mare who told me she loved me.” He slumped. “I don’t know if I would have made a difference. I don’t know if I’ll make a difference here. But I think I’ve trained enough not to be a liability.”

Shaking her head, Blaze sighed. “You’re both nuts, honestly. Perfectly nice colts getting mixed up in all this. But I guess I’m one to talk.”

I managed a somewhat forced laugh, “Yeah, probably all three of us… for what it’s worth, I’m glad you came, Icicle. I… I more than anypony can’t fault someone for doing whatever it takes to be with the pony they love. We’ll make it through this.”

He nodded. “Yeah…”

Blaze grinned. “We definitely will.”

Honestly, after everything was said and done, all the preparations done for the day and all the worrisome thoughts sloughing off from sheer exhaustion, there was nothing I wanted more in that moment than to hold Dusky tight.

I wearily made my way out of the main hall and back up to the rooms we’d decided would serve as our makeshift resting quarters. There, we‘d managed to set-up bedrolls amidst the long forgotten furniture and dust. We didn’t have a lot of room in the safe rooms hidden inside the mansion. Some of it was dilapidated from age, but the rest was just cluttered and long forgotten. These three rooms were the best place we could find for the tired group of ponies we’d collected together to fight this war.

I lit the candle on the old dresser before I settled in to lay down, and almost as soon as my head hit the ground, the door began to creak open. The light reflecting off the dark charcoal coat was all I needed to reinvigorate my mind, even if my body protested. My sore muscles could protest all they wanted, though—nothing was going to stop me from hugging my fiance.

She met me halfway across the room, pressing against me to nuzzle gently. “Sorry I kept you waiting.”

I pressed my snout against her, rubbing gently before I pulled back to smile. “It was worth it.”

“How are you holding up?” Her eyes traced up my body as she did a typical quick assessment, but her eyelids were sagging a bit, exhaustion clearly pressing upon her.

I tilted my head at her. “How am I holding up?”

She shook her head, the tired smile creeping upwards. “‘So tired that we’re worrying each other’, for both of us, then.”

I nodded, sighing, “Better than worrying because you’re in danger.”

“I know the feeling.” She reached forward to press herself close, “Which makes it even more important that we take advantage of this now. Once the battle begins, we won’t be able to rest until we’re well clear of the fighting—maybe not even until we reach Iron Shoe.”

I knew that tone in her voice. “You don’t think the fake Ivory is going to work?”

“I don’t know.” She sighed as she dipped her head, staring downward. “This whole plan stands on a razor’s edge. I can only guess at how the mercenaries will approach, but if they do too much that’s unexpected, we’ll have to adapt, likely retreat. If we’re lucky, the double won’t be compromised and we can try again within the forest. Otherwise… I don’t know.”

This was always the hardest for me. Because I didn’t know either, and it pained me to see Dusky so wracked with doubt and worry. I pulled her closer for the best hug I could offer. “I wish I could do more. I wish you didn’t have to do this all the time. But all I can do is be here for you.”

She hummed quietly, her wing curling around me to squeeze gently. “I know. And I appreciate it.”

There was a quiet knock at the room door, and Dusky and I both turned to look towards the interruption.

Dusky pursed her lips, steeling herself against what was likely to be bad news. “Who is it?”

Without another word, the door cracked open, and Merri stuck her head in. “Just us—oh, hey, Sis’, it’s bad timing. They’re about to get jiggy together~.”

Feeling Dusky pressed against me, the implication made my cheeks burn. “Th-that’s, um…”

“Only in your head.” Starshadow pushed the door open the rest of the way, pushing Merri aside as she slid into the room. “I do not believe Dusky would be so irresponsible as to ‘get jiggy’ when the enemy could attack any time now.”

Merri recovered without effort, quickly turning to point a hoof at us. “No, see, they’re getting all cuddly and romantic and stuff. I bet they were just seconds away from the good stuff. Until you ruined the mood, anyway~.”

“If anypony ruined the mood, it is you,” Star tsked and shook her head, then glanced at us. She seemed to hesitate, as if she only just noticed our embrace as well. “Is this a bad time?”

“Maybe a little,” Dusky, somehow, calmly stated.

Merri’s glee was terrifying, as she tossed up into a triumphant pose. “I knew it~!”

“No, we were just talking.” Dusky sighed, shaking her head. She turned her head to look at me and smile. “About our journeys—and this whole situation. Is something wrong?”

Star quickly raised a hoof. “Nothing urgent. During one of my sister’s rare bouts of maturity, we have been discussing the situation as well, and came to a conclusion.”

“We brought you a gift!” Merri turned towards the door with a rehearsed pose, her horn glowing as she levitated a set of heavy scale mail into the room, each scale seeming to catch the light of Merri’s magic and reflect it back in a dazzling array of colors.

Star’s horn lit up, and her own magic aura enveloped the armor and yanked it away, breaking Merri’s crimson aura. “This was supposed to be for your wedding, but this is clearly a more pertinent time.”

I immediately frowned, the memory of Bellerophon and the bracer Merri and Star had gifted me all too fresh, and still painful to dwell on.

Dusky’s expression seemed to mirror mine, her thoughts probably going to exactly the same place. She circled around the armor slowly, assessing it as one would assess a venomous snake. “I’m… grateful, but I don’t think I’m ready to deal with any more Ostfriesen artifacts.”

“What?” Merri seemed to have a moment of genuine confusion, before her eyes went wide. “Oh, no, no, no. This isn’t an Ostfriesen artifact. It’s honest-to-Tapioca vengeful-ghost-free.”

Stopping her circle mid-examination, Dusky raised an eyebrow at Merri. “You sure? Where did this come from? Do you even know?”

Starshadow cleared her throat quietly and raised her forehoof. “I can vouch for it. This was made by an Equestrian smith, one Platinum Anvil of Canterlot. Though the enchantment is Ostfriesen, it is my own magic. There will be no undesired effects.”

Dusky nodded slowly as she took in the information, eyeing the armor once more before smiling sheepishly at Star. “Sorry, just being careful.”

“Do not apologize for prudence.”

Turning her attention back on the armor, Dusky lifted a hoof to her head and pondered. “So, what are the desired effects?”

Starshadow straightened. “There is just one for now. Time was running short and careless enchantment risks destroying the armor. We settled on weight reduction, since we know you like to stay light on your hooves. It should feel about half as heavy as normal. Try it.”

Starshadow levitated the armor into place over Dusky’s back, and she nodded. Ducking her head down to slip through the neckpiece, she let Star lower it down and secure it into place. She slumped down slightly as Star’s magic faded, then stood up straight and began to spin in place.

“Snazzy!” Merri sat back to clap her hooves. “How’s it feel? Like a sexy new mare~?”

Dusky finished her test motions and stopped to think a moment. “I’m really not used to this, but I think it’s light enough that, all in all, if I can find a couple hours to practice, I’ll be comfortable enough to wear it in battle.”

“Excellent. If you are to be at the forefront of the battle, you should be suitably protected. These foes are not to be taken lightly.” Starshadow smiled, a rather cold smile, but this was a rather cold subject.

It struck me then. Armored barding for a wedding present, and just how quickly it had become relevant, before we’d even gotten married. It struck me just how sad it was that Dusky needed such a consideration when most mares would have preferred something more frivolous or fun or… practical. In a more mundane way, at least, as this barding was perhaps the most practical thing Merri and Star could have given her.

I slowly nodded, giving Dusky a sad smile. “I prefer you without the barding, but if it has to be this way, I’d rather you be alive.”

My sober statement was undercut by Merri snickering.

“Don’t even say it.” Star muttered under her breath.

Even saying that was very clearly Starshadow kicking the cloud after the rain had fallen.

“Oh, fine, I’ll refrain from saying that Lover Boy here prefers naked Dusky butt.” Merri feigned a moment of surprise, then smirked. “Oh, wait. Oops~.”

My face flushed once again, both from the triggering words from Merri, and because of Dusky herself. She still stood in front of me in her sleek metal barding. I would never admit it to Merri, but I definitely had to admit to myself, Dusky had a pretty great butt.

89 - Opportunity

For all our worries that the mercenaries might catch us off guard, it was almost a relief to hear their forces smashing through the forest. At least we knew where they were coming from, and when they'd get here. Dusky and Starshadow had some initial concern that they might be using the noise to distract from another, stealthier force, but both Mint and Blaze scouted out the surroundings. The mercenaries were just coming straight through, no tricks, just the tactical subtlety of using a sledgehammer to pound in nails.

They spent a day approaching and forming into position. Enough time for our preparations to be completed. Ivory was stationed as far back as possible, visible to the mercenaries to make a show of it, with her army arrayed between her, and the mercenaries. It was her job to coordinate everything, and when the battle reached the height of confusion, to get lost, substituting herself for the double. Then, she could escape deeper into the mansion, into the safe rooms, and out the hidden tunnel in the rear.

Dusky was waiting in the mansion, there with Star, Feather, and Blaze, to make sure the safe room was undetected and safe for the retreat. I waited with Merri, Mint, and Icicle at the rear entrance, making sure that once they were heading out, they didn't meet an ambush in the rocky corridor that would lead us out of this nightmare at last. I tried not to let my concern for Dusky get to me.

That gut feeling that Dusky had shared with me that the plan might not work at all wasn't helping. She tried to cover her bases in that direction too, and she'd told us a signal she'd give if she needed backup. If that was the case, it'd mean our escape tunnel was compromised, or just impossible to reach, and our small force would have to take off around the mansion and try to flank the mercenaries to buy time. It wasn't the best wildcard, but it was really all we had.

I was on the ground, anxiously pacing between the canyon walls. I had no desire to watch the battle, even if in theory, nopony alive was going to get hurt. Ivory’s zombies were disturbing enough, let alone seeing the gore of the battle. But I didn’t have the luxury of completely tuning it out, so I kept my ears up to listen, and to watch the canyon exit for any stray mercenaries who might spot us.

Mint was carefully perched atop one of the walls of the canyon, doing her best to lay low and spy the battle, both to keep an eye out for any air support snooping too close, and to watch for Dusky's signal. She glanced about, keeping her head low. "We're lucky, not many pegasi. That might keep us safe, and will definitely help Ivory move when she needs to."

Icicle glanced up at the sky from his position beside Merri. "Cloudy, though. I don't think there's rain planned, but lots of space to hide reinforcements up there, if they're willing to hide out at that altitude."

Merri, the sole unicorn in our group, sat near the magical barrier, as she and Star had convinced Ivory to teach them the spell to open and close it. She hummed quietly to herself as she lifted her head to follow Icicle's eyeline. "Hope not. If they are, let's hope we're too boring to notice hiding out here. The shows all up front this time. Shame Sis is gonna have all the fun."

I shook my head at Merri’s comment, but almost felt the same way. Not the 'fun' aspect, but I was certainly nervous about Dusky being that much closer to things. Hopefully her gut was wrong, and the distraction would be enough to ensure none of us were in harm's way. Somehow I doubted it, though. Dusky's gut seemed pretty reliable.

A horn cut through the forest, echoing in the canyon and we all went stiff.

Mint leaned forward up above. Being the only one watching things directly, she was going to be giving us the play-by-play. "The camel’s here. He’s moving forward now. Guess things are getting started."

The booming voice filled the air like thunder, loud enough for us to hear the words clearly from the back. "Necromancer filth! Today is the day the Crimson Hooves bring your tyranny to an end! Forward!"

Anything else he might have said was drowned out by the shouts of the mercenaries and their clanging weapons and armor. The initial collision between them and Ivory's zombies made me flinch, and then the noise just became a single unintelligible cacophony. The war had started.

Mint watched, eyes scanning back and forth to follow the battle. "This... isn't going too badly. If they keep up like this, at least."

"Uh, I don't think that's their plan." Icicle pointed a hoof up at the sky where he'd be watching. From above, a few pegasi had indeed descended out of the cloud bank, carrying some kind of pots tied to their hooves.

Mint's eyes went wide, as we watched them sweep around the battlefield and out of view of the canyon. "Oh hells. They're making good on their promise."

The roar of the fire and the shadows it cast filled the canyon. Merri glanced up. "That Mayor may be an ass, but I guess he wasn't exaggerating. They're burning it all."

With a sick expression, Mint nodded. "Yeah, the zombies, themselves... by Celestia..."

I watched the sky above the canyon as smoke billowed upward, the clouds above reflecting the glow of the fire. I wanted to fly up towards Mint and peek for myself, but also knew I wouldn't like what I saw. "Are... are we still good? Any sign from Dusky?"

She shook her head. "Nothing from Dusky or the others. It's a mess but—"

Another voice rose above the din, but unlike Crimson Haze's voice, this one didn't roll across the battlefield. Instead, it was like somepony was whispering through a tube. I could hear it, but couldn't make it out. I twitched my ears, wondering if I was hallucinating. "Anyone else hearing that?"

Merri stood up slowly, craning her head. "Yeah, but that's really weird. It sounds way too quiet for us to be able to hear, but there it is. Got to be some kind of magic, but I can’t get a sense of it from here."

Icicle tilted his head, "It's like I'm eavesdropping on somepony's private conversation, but I can't make it out."

I glanced up at Mint, "What is that? Any clue?"

"No idea but... there's something else weird over there. I think that's..." Mint wasn't looking towards the battlefield, instead she was looking off into the west, away from the mansion. Suddenly, an odd look crossed her face. "Oookay. I think we need to move out."

I frowned. So it had come down to the worst case scenario. "Did Dusky give the signal?"

"Nah, this is way better." Mint slowly smiled and motioned everyone closer, waiting for Merri and Icicle to move in as she continued to watch to the west. "I've been keeping watch expecting the odd pony to stumble this way, or even a little squad to scout around the premises, but nothing. Instead of an army, I just spotted the biggest fish in the pond, just waiting for us to reel him in."

Merri perked up, taking my sister's meaning and clearly growing just as excited at the prospect, "Ohoho, you can't mean he came out here personally?"

Mint grinned wider as she peered down at Merri, "He absolutely did. Mayor Prideful Policy came with his personal entourage. He's got a small camp set up to give him a good view of the Manor entrance without being so close as to put him in danger. It's outside the ring of fire too, so I’m afraid he won't even be getting reinforcements from the force at the mansion."

Returning Mint's eager smile, Merri clapped her forehooves together. "Ha! Beautiful. How many with him?"

She turned back and squinted. "I count eight, but I'd wager there's a good dozen. These don't look like the mercenaries either, they're all green. These are just townsfolk playing soldier, probably only there so they can see Prideful revel in his 'victory'. We can handle this."

I waved a hoof to try and pull their attention away, "Whoa whoa, wait. The mayor? So that's four on, what, thirteen ponies? The odds are already against us here, and as anxious as I am just waiting for Dusky, that doesn't mean we can just run off on a... a crazy suicide mission."

Icicle sat back to consider. "So, what does getting the mayor get us? The battle's already happening."

Merri laughed, "For one, he's holding the purse strings on those mercenaries. You'd be amazed how quickly ponies like those stop fighting when the bits they've been promised disappear."

I blinked. "You... think we could actually stop the fighting?"

Mint shrugged. "Might, might not. I want him for Guard reasons. The abuse of power going on here, and the deals that Prideful's been making here in Pasture and Iron Shoe means the Guard will be very interested in talking to him. Catching him out here red-hooved just gives us that much better leverage on him."

"So it might stop the fighting now, but if nothing else, it'll let us remove him from his position and deliver him to the Guard." Icicle shrugged. "Sounds almost too good."

"And what if Dusky needs us while we're fighting there?" The odds were stacked against us on all sides, and if we were supposed to be the turning point of the battle if it went south... and if we weren't there when Dusky needed us...

Mint's ears fell back. "We'll have to capture him fast so we don't miss Dusky's signal, if she needs us out there."

"There's a lot we could gain here, Night." Merri stepped closer and set a hoof on my shoulder. "It's an opportunity no pony could anticipate, including Dusky. But there's risk, too. Dusky's your fiance, Night. It's gonna have to be your call."

I closed my eyes, my first thought being to wonder what Dusky would do in this situation. Dusky wasn't the type to take the easy way out. She'd do the right thing, but what exactly was the right thing in a situation like this? To stick to the plan, or to… do the right thing? That almost seemed to be the answer all by itself, but before I could think on it any further, Mint called out once again.

She whistled, waving her hoof up to me. “Hey! Get up here, Night. Something else is happening.”

I blinked, then hopped into the air, flying up to my sister’s side. She pointed, a hoof off towards the observatory we’d been using as our camp, but it had clearly become the center-point of the conflict, filled with holes like swiss cheese and the dust of recent debris shimmering as it caught the reflections of the dancing fire all around. There was a large hole in the wall on the top floor, giving a good view of the collapsed telescope and the interior of the third floor.

In a sudden flash of light, a cloud of shrapnel and debris rained down from the ceiling, another part of the wall came down. Peer through the widening hole, I gasped as two figures came into view. Dusky, and another pony, a stallion. My wings flared up, but Mint put a hoof against me to keep me from rushing off. Grimacing, I nodded and slowly settled back down, just as Dusky charged at the stallion.

Smashing against each other, the two figures seemed to hold still, pressing against each other. They seemed to hold still there, locked together head to head, as the seconds crawled onward. Then, Dusky pulled her head back and cracked it forward. The stallion staggered for only a second, and Dusky whirled in response, swinging out her wings, and likely her wingblade, against him. As her spin completed, she delivered the coup de grace of her attack with a sharp, solid kick that made me cringe.

The stallion’s head lopped back at an angle that definitely wasn’t natural, and he went limp. Dusky’s momentum was the only thing moving him as his body stumbled over the wall, falling three stories down.

Mint whistled. “I, uh… I think the plan’s officially off, now.”

I slowly nodded, watching as Dusky stood still, staring off, before turning back to rush down into the observatory.

“I, uh, guess so.” My mind raced over what I’d just seen. “I guess… she saw an opportunity to take out an important target… and she took it.”

Mint tilted her head at me and slowly grinned. “So, you saying what I think you’re saying?”

Prideful was the key to the mercenaries, and the central figure that enabled everything to build to this. I couldn't stop thinking about Dusky's doubt that the body double plan would fail, and Ivory's insistence that so long as she were alive, Prideful would always come after her. That vendetta, that open wound between the two, made up my mind completely.

If we captured Prideful, we’d stop the mercenaries, we’d end this damn war, and we could all go home that much faster. For Pasture, and for Ivory.

"Let's get him."

90 - Pride Cometh

The fire and the roar of battle in the mansion behind us made stealth the best, and possibly the easiest, option. The air still had a few pegasi in it, enough to make flying too dangerous. The underbrush around the mansion and into the forest made it harder to sneak, but as we grew closer it became clear that no one was really watching nearby. Prideful and his retinue's full attention was on the mercenary's assault.

Their vantage point was a very good one, a raised hill on the western side of the forest. It was high enough to give him a view of the courtyard where Ivory's zombies still fought against the Crimson Hooves. The eastern side facing the mansion was a steep, rocky outcropping that would prevent anypony from approaching the hill without making a great deal of noise and easily being seen, and the north and south were both dense with underbrush and a steep climb. The western side was the obvious approach, a long winding path up the gently sloping ground that seemed like it had been well used once upon a time.

On the top, the hill leveled off. It would have made for a beautiful picnic spot, but the hellscape it overlooked now gave a much less romantic impression. With Mint in the lead, we moved towards the hill until we reached the sheer edge. From there, we turned and quietly climbed the northern side. Merri did her best to clear away brush and twigs with her magic to avoid any extra noise, while the rest of us would slowly fly just over ground level, keeping silent until we reached the top.

There were thirteen ponies in total, as Mint had predicted. Twelve guards, eight of which were all standing ill at-ease as they watched the battle. Four more stood close by a large, fancy tent, where Prideful himself sat with a triumphant grin on his face. The Mayor of Pasture sat on a purple cushion, eyes glued to the same scene as his guards. If his ‘troops’ all seemed uncomfortable watching what was happening, he seemed positively delighted by it. This was his moment of triumph.

Mint’s plan was simple enough. There were only four of us, but the guards around Prideful weren’t trained mercenaries, these were all townsfolk of Pasture. They looked more scared than happy at the scene ahead of them. Mint wanted to give them one last chance to surrender, to let Prideful turn himself in. Merri had objected, resulting in something of a compromise. Mint would step out and offer them their chance to give up. Merri would sneak around back with Icicle and take out anypony they could if, or when, negotiations went poorly. I was going to back up Mint.

Mint kept quiet in the last moments before we struck. She communicated simply by giving a few hoof signs. Merri nodded, giving a signal in response, and then she and Icicle disappeared back into the brush. Waiting a few moments longer, my sister signaled to me to get ready, and then she strode forward with her head held high, emerging into the camp.

There was a moment of pause in the clearing, uncertainty flashing over the faces of several of the guards, none quite sure what they were supposed to do or say to someone emerging out from the bushes. Perhaps Prideful had assured them they’d all be safely out of harm’s way, and the doubt flashing over their faces made me hope that Mint was convincing enough to make this work without violence.

“Prideful Policy, Mayor of Pasture.” Mint stared right at the earth pony with a devastatingly serious expression. “I am Sergeant Mint Creme, Canterlot Royal Guard. Tell these ponies to stand down. You’re coming with me to end this, and report for questioning.”

Prideful leaned forward from his tent, raising an eyebrow. "A single, unarmed, unarmored, totally unknown claiming to be from the Canterlot Royal Guard? Please, I wasn't born yesterday."

Mint smirked, but kept her tone the same. "I didn't say I came here alone." She glanced around at the guards, then addressed them. "You all can just put down your weapons and end this. No pony has to get hurt."

They were hesitant, a few moving their weapons into place, but the rest were looking at Prideful, waiting for an order.

"It pains me to do this too, my dear, but I can see through your lies." Prideful sighed, closing his eyes a moment, then stood up and addressed the ponies around him. "This poor mare has been deluded. No true Guard of Canterlot would fall for the Necromancer's words, but this poor mare has fallen victim to her poisons, be on guard! Now, please, my dear, let me give you the same chance, surrender, and no blame will be held against you for the Necromancer's treachery."

As he spoke, the eight ponies who had been overlooking the town had turned, lifting weapons, from spears to short swords. They walked closer to carefully encircle Mint, all eyes on her.

Mint sighed, "I really wanted to do this easy way, but if you call me 'my dear' one more time I'm going to vomit, so the hard way it is." She raised one wing and dropped it down.

Almost immediately, one of the guards outside Prideful’s tent dropped to the ground, Merri seemingly appearing from nowhere. As the other three guards near his tent turned to watch, Icicle lunged out of from the other side, bringing his forehooves down on the furthest guard, dropping him to the ground as well. The two turned to look at Prideful, the remaining two guards aiming their spears towards the pair and back up to protect the Mayor.

Prideful roared. “More traitors! Defenders of Pasture, stand true at my side! We will persevere through this treacherous assault! Copper! Spritely! Frame! Fall back and help us!”

Of the eight ponies that had been surrounding Mint, three glanced back, splitting off to help the two left at Prideful’s tent. The other five had weapons raised at Mint. One, an older mare in armor more well-kept than the other defenders, frowned. “Miss, just stand still and you won’t get hurt. We’re not here to kill anypony, we’re just here to stop the necromancer and save our town.”

Mint sighed, “Yeah, we don’t want to hurt anypony either. We’re here to make sure no pony has to die at all, including the necromancer. So, sorry about this.”

She moved like lightning, rushing towards one of the spear ponies before he could react. The older mare lunged, and Mint was quick to dodge out of the way, grabbing the first pony she’d reached and spinning him into a second, tumbling them both to the ground.

The other mare spun to follow her movement, and I leapt out of my hiding spot to assist Mint, rushing in to throw a hoof at the mare. She must have caught sight of me from the corner of her eye, as she turned just in time to turn my strike.

I flapped my wings to pull back quickly, trying to prevent her from getting in a strike at my open side. She was good, though, and already had her spear pulled back, letting it graze across my leg, the same leg that had taken the injury from the banshee. The wound split open once again and I bit my tongue to drown out that pain.

The mare, perhaps a retired guard or adventurer in her own right, didn’t press the attack, “We’re trying to protect our home. Stand down.”

I shook my head, “You’re trying to kill a pony who’s wrongfully accused. T-this isn’t protecting anything, it’s insanity.”

“You don’t understand what it’s like living in fear of her power.” She lifted her spear towards my other leg.

My eyes widened, and I tried to swallow my panic. “And you don’t understand that you’re being misled.”

She shook her head sorrowfully, clearly intending to prevent me from fighting any longer, but as she stabbed at my foreleg, I kicked forward on my bad leg, pushing through the pain. She didn’t startle, but her strike went wide as my wings buffeted against her head, knocking her helmet loose. She swung her spear wide and caught my side with the wooden pole, but it let me pull in my wing and grasp the spear handle.

Locked in close, neither of us refusing to let go of the spear, she tried to pull it free while I tried to spin it loose from her grasp. Tired of the tug of war, she dug in her hooves, and as she prepared to pull with all her might, I let the spear go and charged. Unprepared for the sudden lack of resistance, she fumbled the spear, leaving herself open as I headbutted her as hard as I could.

Head ringing at the impact, I stepped backwards, only for my leg to give up beneath me, forcing me to the ground. Looking up, I watched the mare wobble, a bit of blood running down her muzzle. She staggered back, dropping to one side, then she collapsed to the ground in front of me.

Mint was close by soon after, spinning one of our assailant’s spears in her wings and cracking it on the ground, breaking the metal tip off to leave her with a wooden staff. “You okay?”

I wearily stood back up and shook off the fuzziness of the impact. “Y-yeah.”

She leveled her makeshift shaft at the remaining three opponents, having apparently knocked one out while the first two she’d thrown had recovered from their fall. “Easy. You with me, Night?”

“I got your back, Sis.”

She smirked, keeping her eyes forward. “Just like you always promised, eh?”

I couldn’t help but smile, but did not have time to reply as two of the ponies charged forward, the unicorn levitating a rusty looking sword up and took a sloppy swing, but Mint batted it away with her staff. I galloped into the gap, passing Mint as she spun to strike one of the other ponies, and back to back, we batted aside our assailants.

Time stretched, and though perhaps only a minute or two had passed, but it felt like we’d dragged this fight on far too long. My leg ached from the renewed injury, threatening to fail me at any moment, but as we finished another series of strikes, Mint brought down the staff on the third pony’s head, sending him into unconsciousness. Only two remained.

A sudden cry drew my attention away from our foes. I glanced towards the scream of pain, immediately recognizing Merri’s voice. My heart sank, unsure what could have hit her that would possibly make her cry out so loudly. but before I could fully ascertain what had happened, my eyes locked onto a deep red shape disappearing down the hillside.

"Focus!” Mint’s voice drew me back to the fight before us.

I spun, eyes searching for an immediate threat. Mint was holding the last two of the defenders at bay, and I frowned. "He's getting away! Prideful!"

Mint swore, lashing out a wing to throw one of the two off balance. She was growing tired too, but as she sidestepped back from another spear strike and nodded to herself. Not looking toward me, she called out. "Night... mrph... go get him!"

My concern grew, but I didn't have time to sit and think about it though. I unfurled my wings and called out to my sister, "Mint! I'm counting on you! Stay safe!"

I took off before I could hear her response. No time for anything fancy, I just had to speed over the hill and down to spot the mayor, then dive in for the catch. I spotted Merri, clutching her side, a pool of blood on the ground below her as she backed away from her three combatants.

One of the ponies facing her looked back, a pegasus holding a long spear in one hoof. He spotted me, lifting his spear in his forelegs and taking to the air to intercept me. I'd have to slow or take the spear at full speed, and losing time in dogfighting this pegasus was going to cost me Prideful. The longer he had to run, the easier it would be for him to disappear into the forest, and if he got back to Pasture or any of his other forces, it was safe to assume we'd never get another opportunity like this, regardless of the outcome at the mansion.

The spear pony angled himself towards me, weapon ready as I began to slow. He wasn't smiling, and he started speaking to me, saying something that neither of us would get to hear as a sudden gray blur smashed into the hovering guard. Icicle Gleam dove into the pony, forehooves forward as the two of them collided, both collapsing together on their way down, corkscrewing together into a mess of limbs and wings. I hesitated, about to jump down to help Icicle, when a second voice shouted out.

"GO!" Merri called out, still fighting with her two remaining ponies.

Without any more hesitation, I went.

With the air clear and my friends holding the guards at bay, I pushed my wings to give me every bit of speed I could manage. I was no Rainbow Dash, never one to value speed in flying one way or another, but I could still outspeed a galloping earth pony if I had to. And right now, it felt like a lot depended on doing just that.

Prideful was running, but he hadn't deviated his course to try to get lost in the forest. Either he hadn't thought of trying to hide off the main path, or he didn't think it was necessary, I couldn't say. He didn't even look back as I caught up, and in emulation of Icicle's strike against the spearpony, I angled my hooves into a dive and let my wings fall back, dropping me like an arrow into the mayor.

I struck him at the top of the barrel, dropping him to the ground and tossing me forward as the momentum of our collision flipped me over his head and down the hill. I could hear him grunting somewhere behind me as the ground and the sky spun around me, my head smashing into something on the road, a sudden burning on my left temple. I finally came to a stop, catching my breath for a moment.

"Damned fool. You don't get it, do you?"

Adrenaline perhaps the only thing helping me move so quickly, I rolled upright and stood. Prideful's belly was covered in grit and patches of blood from his fall, his face bearing a nasty cut across the cheek, but his eyes were all fury.

"The things she brings back aren't even ponies anymore, just monsters, suffering endlessly. I've seen it since the beginning."

My left eye struggled to open, and wiping my hoof over it I found a stream of blood covering it. The gash on my head throbbed. "F-funny... to me, I only see one pony responsible for all the suffering today. A-all Ivory wants is a bit of trust, a-and all you've done is spread hate."

"And so this is revenge for her?" He dug in his hooves, making it clear this was going to be a fight.

I shook my head. "My sister would say justice. The guard is going to have a lot of questions, no matter what happens today. But, I just hate this... all this fighting and pain... and I think you're the pony in the best position to stop it all."

He chuckled grimly. "And what makes you think I'm going to stop any of this?"

"Y-you don't really get a choice... sorry." I lunged.

The ponies from town had been old veterans, ponies who were long out of practice, and ponies who had eagerly taught themselves to fight but had no real experience. They were backed into a corner, and fought fiercely. Prideful Policy was none of those things, and I doubted he'd ever seen a fight in his life. He talked a big game, but that was all.

My lunge was reckless, but he didn’t know that. Drawing up a hoof, I began to throw a feint to his right, and he fell for it with a smirk. He brought his hoof up to counter, leaving his left side exposed. I swung my hoof hard and struck him in the temple, a single blow was all it took to shut him up.

I panted as he collapsed to the ground, after everything else leading to this point, it was almost anticlimactic. Prideful Policy had caused enough pain that I couldn't feel sorry for him now. I hefted up the rather large earth pony, struggling under his weight, and began to carry him back up the hill to hopefully put an end to all of this.

91 - A Ray of Sunlight

Sore, bleeding, and totally exhausted, I hauled the heavy earth pony back up the hill. The sound of battle at the top of the hill slowly died away, and by the time I reached the top, it seemed the fight was over. We had won. Here, at least.

Dropping Prideful off my back, I took a moment to take a survey of the damage.

Mint rushed forward, steely eyes scanning me up and down and I looked her over in turn. She seemed fine, a few scrapes here and there, but she had navigated the fight with the strength and form I'd seen in our training. Mint was a trained soldier, and she was frighteningly good at it.

"I'm guessing he didn't want to come back willingly." She knelt down to lift Prideful with a practiced ease, carrying him over to where she had set the other fighters, some she'd already tied up, others were unconscious, waiting their turn, but now Prideful had priority.

Shaking my head, I sighed. My throat was dry, "Not exactly, no. I uh, had to persuade him the way you taught me."

"Yeah, my methods are pretty convincing." She chuckled as she began to tie Prideful's hooves. "Nice work, Night."

I nodded, managing to crack a smile for my sister through the tiredness washing over me. "Sort of felt like it should have been more satisfying, but now I'm just sore and tired."

Mint frowned. "It's not satisfying because we're not done yet, remember. There's still the main event."

Dusky's battle was still being fought in the east, the shadows of the flames through the trees like writhing limbs reaching out to engulf us.

"Right..."

"Go check on Merri and make sure she's good to go. She took a big hit." She locked eyes with me and smiled. "Hey, this is a win, Night. We can hopefully make a big difference now. Just keep your hooves ready, and your hopes up."

I forced a smiled back, part of me feeling like it would never end. "Right. Not much else to do right now, is there?"

Turning away from my sister, I marched towards Icicle and Merri. He was bloodied all over, scraped up and dirty, but other than his generally banged-up appearance, he seemed to be in good shape. Right now, he was attending to Merri, wrapping bandages around her barrel and flank.

Merri, despite the deep wound, now looked like she'd barely even broken a sweat. She had to have suffered a good deal of blood loss, but somehow she was shrugging it off. She grinned at me with that same lopsided smile, only interrupted by a sudden cringe as Icicle cinched the bandages tighter. "Oof, heya Flurry. Nice work!"

"Mint wants us ready to move down to the manor, if you're able. How's the wound?"

"Meh, I've had worse." She giggled, giving Icicle a smoldering glance. "Besides, that's not the first pony to pierce my flank this trip, but definitely the least pleasant~."

Icicle had the decency to blush, clearing his throat. "W-well, that is to say, the wound was deep but didn't hit any vitals. I think she needs stitches, but for now I've bound it as best I could."

I eyed the wound. The bandages were stained crimson, but weren't bleeding through. "Right... probably best you two stay here, then."

Merri shook her head, "Sorry, no can do. Sis is still over there, and so is Dusky, and so long as I still got blood left in me, I'm gonna fight for them."

"Just... don't overdo it, Merri. We're not heroes here."

She giggled, "Coulda fooled me."

Icicle nodded. "I already tried to talk her out of it, but she can still do magic, even if she can't strain herself physically. I'll stick close to her and watch her flank-"

"Yeah, you will~."

He couldn't help but grin, "Maybe a little. We're with you, Night. Let's go see this through to the end."

With everyone gathered together, we slipped down the hill along the south side. It was hard not to want to hurry through the forest, but we needed to move carefully towards the manor. It was still a battle going on over there, afterall. Merri’s wound slowed her down, but she made up for that by carrying the unconscious Prideful in her magic. All in all, we just couldn’t justify leaving anypony behind, not when the woods could be filled with more of the camel’s mercenaries.

Judging by the glow of the flames, it felt like we’d need to leave Merri behind eventually anyways, just to be able to fly Prideful over the fire. But we’d have to get there before we could worry about that, and the woods between us didn’t have a clear path like we’d found leading down the hill back into town.

Soon after we’d reached the bottom of the hill, our prisoner began to rouse himself awake. “Ugh… my head. Where am—You.” He spit out the last word, glaring at us, upside down in the grip of Merri’s magic.

Merri winked at him. “Hey there, enjoy your nap?”

“I am the Mayor of Pasture. You have no idea how much trouble you’re in for what you’ve done today. Your heads will roll when I—” A magical gag prevented him from going any further, but only caused him to struggle further.

Merri rolled her eyes. “Ugh, this guy. Quit your wiggling or I’ll send you off to take another nap.”

With a snort, Mint turned her head. “Hey now, don’t rough him up! We’d prefer him to be awake and cooperative, Merri.”

“Yeah, fine. Still not taking that gag off.” Merri turned her eyes in the direction of the mansion. “Uhhh… We might want to hurry. Somepony is throwing around some heavy duty magic over there.”

Icicle frowned, following her gaze. “Your sister?”

She shook her head, “Nah, no way. This is way bigger than anything she can cast.”

I glanced back, thinking back to my limited encounters with powerful magic. “Like… how big? Like… Broken Tooth big, or… Discord big?”

“I couldn’t tell ya on Discord, wasn't around for that, but this isn’t quite as strong as ‘crazed omnicidal dragon’ magic.” Merri frowned. “Close… though.”

Icicle raised an eyebrow and deadpanned. “Oh. So it’s not another apocalypse, at least. That’s… comforting.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “Another apocalypse or just somepony going too far. Either way, I gotta admit that I wouldn’t mind having Twilight and her friends here. Or at least some—”

Mint raised a hoof and we quickly fell silent. She frowned, but didn't lower her voice at all. “...we… we’re surrounded.”

“What?” Merri’s eyes darted, surprised that our attacker had apparently caught her off guard. “Where?”

Just ahead of us, five ponies emerged from the woods, silent despite the golden armor that could in no way be mistaken. Equestrian Guards. The foremost, judging by the plume on their helm, was a Captain. The four others flanked her, raising spears in our direction.

She raised an eyebrow at us. “Halt. Down on the ground. Lower your… prisoner, and cease all magic casting.”

Icicle and I exchanged a glance, and Mint nodded over her shoulder. We slowly lowered ourselves down.

Merri complied with a snort. “If you say so, but I'll warn you, once I do that, he's going to start talking again.”

Her magic released none too gently, and Prideful plummeted. He hit the ground with a thud, and immediately squirmed about in his restrains to turn himself towards the Captain. “Thank Celestia, a real Guard. These ponies are in league with the Necromancer! They have assaulted me, killed the villagers I was protecting, and seek to turn me over to face torture, death, and who knows what else! You have to free me!”

Mint straightened up, still standing and admirably ignoring Prideful, “Captain? Sergeant Mint Creme. These ponies are with me. We’re assisting Sergeant Feather Reed.”

“Sergeant Creme. We’d heard you were here helping.” She glanced over towards Merri and Prideful as her troops lowered their weapons. “I’m Captain Golden Banner. Canterlot Guard. Solar Company. You and your friends can rest now, we’re handling things from here. At ease.”

Awe washed over Mint's face. “Solar Company? Like… all of Solar Company?”

Icicle slowly stood, stiffening to salute, "My Grandfather was in Solar Company... it's an honor, ma'am."

Merri glanced between them. "What? I mean, cool..? Yay, glad they're on our side and all, but what's the big deal about Solar Company?"

I blinked, unable to hold back my own shock. Solar Company wasn't just any guards, they were the Guards. Anypony with even a bit of training or time with the Guard, like I'd had long ago, knew who they were. They were, quite simply, Celestia's best. No wonder they'd been able to sneak up on us in full armor. “Solar Company? Then… The fighting’s over?”

Golden Banner shook her head. “Not yet. But we’re about to end it.”

I glanced back at Prideful. “W-we can end it, Ma'am. With no more violence.”

She stared me down, no emotion on her face. She lifted a hoof towards the direction of the mansion. “I think we’re past the point of no violence. Fire, a band of mercenaries, an army of zombies. I’m here to put a stop to it all, and I somehow doubt either the Crimson Hooves or the zombies are going to listen at this point. No matter what Sergeant Reed’s letter said. And if you hadn’t noticed, there’s enough magic being thrown around over there to raise the sun and moon.”

Mint cleared her throat, “We have the pony who hired the Crimson Hooves… the Mayor of Pasture. We just need them to see there’s no more reason to fight, then you can move Solar Company in without putting anymore lives in danger, Captain.”

“You’re not seriously going to believe this drivel, are you, Captain?” Prideful struggled against his bindings, trying to flop his way towards her.

Golden Banner nodded, and motioned for Mint to continue. “And the zombies?”

I stepped forward, instantly drawing glares from the other guards, but Golden Banner raised a hoof to still their weapons. “Ivory… the necromancer, she’s our friend. She didn’t want to fight in the first place, this whole thing was a ruse to fake her death. We didn’t think the Mayor, or the mercenaries, would take it so far.”

“Deluded. All of them! Deluded fools! If you let them take me to that monster, then you’re committing murder, Captain! You’re murdering an elected Mayor, sworn to Celestia! And I will Not—”

The Captain spun on him with a stare that could melt stone. “You will not say another word. We’ve received reports of exactly what you have been doing, Mayor. And I am under orders from Princess Celestia herself to end the fighting and bring you and the Necromancer in. Alive. If you want the Princess to give you even the tiniest bit of consideration after everything you’ve done, the least that you’re going to do is cooperate with us. Am I understood?”

Prideful seemed to have swallowed his tongue, trying to get a word out in his defense. In the end all he could do was give her a meek nod.

“Good.” Golden Banner turned back to Mint and nodded. “Sergeant Reed had similar thoughts to yours. Take the Mayor and go. You have fifteen minutes, then we’re moving in with the full Company and will subdue anypony putting up any resistance. Including the Necromancer, if need be.”

Mint spun towards us and nodded. “Right, fifteen minutes! Let’s make it count!”

WIth a frown, Merri sat down on her flank. “Okay, cool. At this point, I'm only gonna slow you down. Take him, and fly. I’ll stick with the Captain here, 'cause now I wanna see what makes Solar Company so special.”

Icicle smiled at her as he went to lift Prideful, “We won’t be long, love.”

I went to his other side to lift Prideful along with Icicle. The earth pony, his hooves still tied, seemed legitimately cowed by the Captain’s shouting. For his part, he didn’t struggle or even say a word as we lifted him up.

Golden Banner saluted, then pointed a hoof towards the path. “Good luck.”

Fifteen minutes. Mint gave the signal once we were ready, and flew into the air. Pulling Prideful with us, Icicle and I followed.

Soaring over the treeline, we made a straight flight right to the manor gate. From the air, we could see where the previously overgrown plants were now all trampled and burnt. The astronomy tower had nearly completely collapsed in on itself, and nearby was a circle, more of a crater now, where the mercenaries and the zombies had formed up around it. I saw Ivory there, and the camel, but almost all of my attention was drawn to the darkened figure lying off to the side.

"Mint!” She glanced back, and I pointed a hoof towards the ground.

Dusky lay on her side, I would know her anywhere, though the her coat was bloodied and her mane thick with soot. She looked like she'd been through Tartarus and back again. It had been hard enough to let her go off to fight this battle without me, but I would be damned if I didn't go to her now.

My sister had spotted her as well. Looking back at me, she understood, giving me a nod. She fell back from the lead and gently switched places, taking Prideful’s weight out of my hooves before she and Icicle began to descend towards the fight with him in tow. The mayor seemed oddly calm in the face of it all, or perhaps he was simply much better at hiding his emotions than it seemed. Whatever he was thinking, I didn’t have time to ponder. Dusky was down there, and I needed to be sure she was okay.

“No, no, no, no, no...” I quietly cursed at myself for letting her do this on her own, for letting her rush off to save Ivory in the first place. All the worst possible scenarios ran through my mind, as I dove down towards her.

Clearly still alert enough to be on the lookout, she tilted her head up to the sky. Her resolve burned brightly on her face, but the hints of fear were creeping behind her eyes as she turned to face what was most likely a new foe. The fear quickly faded to concern as she recognized me. “Night?”

Fighting back tears, I landed next to her, gently wrapping my forehooves around her. She was as bruised and battered as she'd seemed from above, worse than I was by far. The last time I’d seen her this bad had been when she’d been ambushed by the Cartel, broken and bleeding and clinging to life outside the Seapony. “D-Dusky… thank Celestia you’re still alive.”

She flinched at the hug at first, clearly in pain, but quickly her weight pressed against me.

“You too, Night." Before long, she pulled back. She cringed as she put her weight back onto her own legs. "It’s not over yet, though.”

I nodded, releasing the hug but keeping a hoof on her side. “No, but it’ll be over soon enough, Dusky. We… we captured the Mayor. And the Guard has reinforcements coming in a matter of minutes. I can’t tell if we’ve won or lost anything at all, but it’s over, and we're still alive.”

She nuzzled at my neck, propping herself against me for support. “Yes. And now we just have to make sure everyone else is still alive too.”

92 - Ashes

We stood in the ash and dirt, covered in blood and bruises, but none of that mattered anymore. Our mission was over, or at least, the hardest part. From here, we could let the guard handle things. Or at least, that was what I’d hoped. Of course, Dusky wouldn’t rest until she was sure. Considering how far she’d come to get to this moment, I suppose I couldn’t blame her. What I could do was support her, and no amount of plans or need was going to get me to leave her side now.

Easing her weight off of me, Dusky began to limp back towards the battlefield. I stayed with her.

We were heading towards the camel, and the strange ring of crystalline spikes surrounding him. Crimson Haze sat still, watching the ponies around him. He was just as bloody as the rest of us, the crystal blades torn through metal and flesh to pin down one of his legs. My guess was that this was the end result of the ‘heavy duty magic’ that Merri and the guard had warned us about. I was still unsure who had done it, as the only powerful unicorns on our side of the battlefield were Starshadow, and Ivory.

The other mercenaries had stopped for the moment, confusion and unease crossing their faces as they watched their leader catch his breath, though he was making no more aggressive movements, either because his leg had been pinned down, or wasn’t willing to fight anymore. The rest weren’t sure what to do, and the zombies formed a nauseating wall between us and them, a standoff, for now.

As we got closer to the camel, we spotted Dusky’s first target. Blaze. The orange mare had been sitting near Crimson, catching her own breath. She rose as she spotted Dusky and staggered towards us, trying to let the fear and pain fall off her face to give us a smile. The effect made her seem all the more scared. She’d seen combat before, she’d been with us in Fillydelphia afterall, but my guess was nothing on this scale.

I frowned at that thought. I’d seen too much of combat the past year. It wasn't as if this scene didn't affect me, just... it was disturbing how accustomed I'd grown to the violence around us. I tilted my head to look at Dusky, the concern for Blaze already playing over her face.

“Phew, glad that’s over. That guy smelled worse than pig dung sunning all day. Thought I was gonna ralph all over his—” She stopped and suddenly spun away from us, only making it about halfway before she vomited. I had to look away, or I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t be joining her.

The smell of the zombies was certainly competing with any number of other things here to win the award for ‘worst smell’, and those few zombies nearby were in terrible condition from the fight, enough to make anypony want to lose their lunch.

Dusky frowned, stepping away from my side to move closer to Blaze once she recovered. “You okay, Blaze? Let me see your ribs.”

Once I managed to swallow back my own sick, I followed Dusky. Blaze looked half dead, her orange coat marred by a deep purple bruise showing vividly across her barrel. Her ribs had definitely taken a heavy hit, and it would be a miracle if they weren’t cracked, or more likely, broken.

“They’re fine, just a little sor—” She cringed in pain as Dusky brushed a hoof against the bruise. “Ow!”

“Now is not the time for that, Blaze. Let me patch you up.” Dusky reached into her satchel to pull out some supplies, and I couldn’t help but stare. For all the damage Blaze had taken, Dusky looked like she’d taken twice as much. She tilted her head at me. “What?”

I frowned, watching her carefully. “What about you?”

Dusky took a second, then mustered up a smile, “It’s weird, but Ivory’s magic negated the worst of my wounds. I can get the rest fixed up once we have more supplies.”

I glanced back down her body in doubt. She looked like she was barely in any shape to talk, let alone treat anypony else. Though, I’d come to know her well enough to understand that she understood her own limits. Though, she was also the first pony to push herself past her limits in order to save someone else. I thought back to Merri’s snarky comment back on the hilltop. We’re not heroes here. Could’a fooled me.

In the end, all I could do was nod, and trust that she knew how far she could push herself. I’d be here for her if she went too far.

Giving me a nod in return, Dusky turned back to attend to Blaze, getting her wrapped up as best she could with limited time and supplies. Blaze definitely had a few cracked ribs, but nothing more serious. If the fight with the camel was as brutal as it looked, she got lucky. We’d all gotten lucky to get this far.

Blaze grinned as she carefully stretched. “That does feel a bit better. Thanks, Dusky.”

My ears twitched, and I turned to focus on the sound of hooves approaching over the dirt. Starshadow and Sergeant Reed tiredly paced towards us.

It was probably a sign of just how tired Dusky was that I’d noticed it before her, as she began to acknowledge Blaze’s thank you, she suddenly stopped and spun, spotting the newcomers, “Star! Feather!”

They picked up their pace, the two likely having moved slowly to avoid startling us until they were noticed. Star looked like hell, but moved like nothing bothered her at all, same as Merri had on the hill. She was likely more hurt than she was letting on. For her part, Sergeant Reed’s training and armor clearly served her well, as she looked just as awful, but not dead on her hooves like the rest of us.

“Looks like you have the situation under control.” Star nodded to Dusky, her eyes still scanning the battlefield.

Dusky smiled with a deep breath. “Mostly thanks to Ivory. I’m so glad to see you’re safe! Where were you two, anyway?”

“Once I saw Ivory’s true power, I became certain I couldn’t do anything to help without hampering her own abilities.” Sergeant Reed glanced at the camel, then back at us, her formal tone falling away slightly. “So I made it my mission to make sure there was no interference from his side.”

“The battle itself seemed to discourage the main force enough. For certain, approaching Ivory from the front would have been suicidal,” Starshadow smirked, “Which is why we stuck to the flanks, watching for anypony who thought they could sneak around.”

Dusky sighed, glancing around the group with a smile. A simple moment, surrounded by her friends, “Thanks for covering us.”

A sharp whistle came from behind us, and all heads rose up to spy two pegasi hovering over Crimson Haze’s position. Mint and Icicle, carrying Prideful Policy downward between them. Mint called out, “Mercenaries! Militia of Pasture! This battle is over! The Equestrian Guard has claimed your leader! The rest of our forces will arrive shortly! If you value your life, you will lay down your weapons and cooperate! Do this and I will guarantee your safety!”

The low murmuring and unease that had surrounded us slowly died to an eerie silence, with only the crackling flames filling the void. All eyes were on Prideful, and before the silence lingered much longer, Mint prodded him with a frown. He had the nerve to clear his throat, lifting his head upwards despite being tied up and carried. “It is as she says! Do not throw away your lives!”

That got everyone’s attention. The mercenaries weren’t putting down their weapons, the majority glancing towards Crimson, clearly the true leader of this group now. The camel wasn’t making any move one way or the other, but his hoof was still bound in jagged crystal. All he was doing now was looking up at Prideful. The thought crossed my mind that maybe it wasn’t Prideful he was looking at, but my sister and Icicle. I was sure he still remembered our last encounter.

Mint and Icicle came down to the ground, lowering Prideful with them until all three were resting on the ashes.

Prideful seemed just as cowed as he’d been with Captain Banner, but he managed to muster up a glower for Crimson Haze. “Oh. You’re still here.”

The camel turned towards Prideful as if he were regarding an insect, considering if he should crush it or be content to just watch. “We aren’t your fanatics. We don’t fight to the last for such a paltry sum.”

That triggered the mayor, all signs of composure falling away as Crimson just chuckled. “P-paltry!? Why you—”

“Prideful.”

From behind us, Ivory’s voice cut through the crowd. There was stress, exhaustion, and pain bleeding through, and although she hadn’t been touched by hoof or blade, she looked just as bad as Dusky did. Now, here she was at the end of it all, facing her persecutor. I hadn’t considered this when I’d thought of bringing Prideful here.

“Necromancer.” He spit the word, all pretense of civility gone. “What now? Are we all to become your zombie slaves? Is that your endgame!?”

Ivory sighed. “I’m tired of this. Aren’t you?”

He struggled against his ropes, staring her down despite Ivory giving nothing back. “Of course I am! Why do you think I was trying to get rid of you?”

“And you think this was all worth it?” Ivory waved a hoof across the remains of the manor lawn and woods, the flames at last dying down in the distance. “Destroying my home, burning down the forest, imprisoning your people—”

“Protecting them. From you.” Had he been standing, Prideful would have dug in his hooves. “They were scared, Necromancer, so I built them fortifications.”

Even now, he was trying to spin this. Disgusting.

Ivory was in pain, this confrontation apparently digging up old memories and sorrows. A range of emotions crossed her face, but she remained silent, watching Prideful as if she were still looking for him, or looking for something within him she couldn’t find.

“Well?” Prideful broke the silence with an impatient sigh. “What are you waiting for? You’ve wanted this for years, haven’t you?”

She simply shook her head. “Look… Prideful, I’m sorry.”

“What?” His face fell slack, I was convinced he’d have fallen over backwards, if he wasn't tied up. As it stood, he was shaken, completely taken off guard. An apology was clearly something he’d never considered happening, especially not at this point.

“I was young and the magic was unstable. I shouldn’t have volunteered something I didn’t fully understand, especially not for something as important as your grandma.” Ivory lowered her head and sighed. “So, I’m sorry. But, Prideful, this has been going on for a very long time. Do you really think a single slight justifies all this pain and destruction?”

Prideful, against all logic, simply started to laugh. Small at first, but he swiftly lost control into a full fledged fit. It took some time for him to recover, Mint and Icicle both stepping forward to hold him in place until his laughter died down.

“What’s so funny?” Ivory peered at him, guarded suspicion back in her voice.

“‘I’m sorry. Never did I think I’d ever hear those words come out of your mouth.” He shook his head and looked back at her. “I could question your sincerity, but… I suppose your point stands regardless, doesn’t it? Fine, you win. We’ll do things your way. It’s not like I have much of a choice, anyhow.”

I turned to look away, wholly confused. Judging by the looks on Blaze, Star, Feather and Dusky’s faces, it wasn’t just me. “What was that, even?”

Dusky sighed. “I think it’s about as close to an apology as Ivory is going to get.”

Sergeant Reed nodded, “Of course. The ‘politician’s apology.’”

“Certainly one of the things I do not miss about court.” Star hummed in displeasure, shaking her head.

Blaze, the one pony who had grown up knowing everything Prideful Policy had stood for all these years, rolled her eyes, dipping her head in exaggeration, rolled a hoof towards him. “Fillies and gentlecolts, the Mayor of Pasture.”

I gave out an unimpressed hmph. “Makes me wish I’d hit him harder. Hard enough to knock out his ego. But that’d probably have been impossible.”

Dusky’s lips started to form a smirk, but suddenly her gaze went upwards. Gleaming with the light of dawn, a dozen golden guards from Solar Company were now descending upon the battlefield, the forerunners to the rest of the Guard's reinforcements.

I looked towards the forest behind the mercenaries, spotting the marching line of armor approaching them. Golden Banner had arrived.

As the pegasi set down around us, a large mare stepped forward, her voice projecting out in a commanding tone. “Weapons down! Hooves where we can see them!” The Battle of Pasture was over.

93 - Wreckage

There was something surreal about it all, after the fact. I’d been either knocked unconscious or fled after each of the battles we'd fought. Never had I been able to just stick around and watch the battlefield get taken down, like it was some kind of local carnival event. The show was over, and everypony had to go home.

Crimson Haze was quick to surrender to the guards, having already been defeated by Ivory, it was at least partially what we’d hoped. There was no reason to fight without any bits to back him up, and knowing Prideful Policy was in no position to bail him or his mercenaries out, he told his crew to stand down. His word was enough for them, and seeing those ponies lay down their arms was enough to bring the rest of the militia in line.

At the same time, Ivory’s zombies didn’t really have any weapons to set down. In a way, they were weapons unto themselves. Ivory’s weapons, which she couldn’t exactly dismiss. Instead, she began to have them simply lay down in place, lowering their heads as the guards surrounded them.

The rest was a blur as, true to her word, Captain Banner ended any further sign of resistance swiftly, taking everypony present into custody with the full force of Solar Company. Roughly one hundred and fifty elite ponies brought their strength to bear to reestablish order in the name of Celestia. We were practically an armed rebellion, fighting a foreign mercenary corp and an untrained, if passionate militia.

They made it perfectly clear as they began to process through the combatants; resistance was not to be tolerated. Considering the scale of the conflict here, it was hard not to see their point of view. That’s what made it so hard when they reached Dusky and I. They patted us down for weapons, examining us each for injuries, and then they called for a stretcher.

I tried to push past the guard frisking me to reach her, but they had none of it. “Sir, are you resisting?”

I stopped, shaking my head, “No, but, she’s my fiance! I have to—”

The guard stopped me with a sympathetic look. “Then cooperate. She’s being taken to the medical tent. The sooner you cooperate, the sooner you can see her.”

I frowned, but didn’t have much choice but to comply, and do my best to reunite with Dusky at the first chance I got. That chance wouldn’t come for some time, though, as the guard quickly turned to call out. “Medic! This one’s all clear, get him off the battlefield!”

A stretcher came for me, just like for Dusky, as two ponies bearing a stretcher came for me, easing me down. One began checking me over as the other magically lifted the stretcher. “Hmm. Concussion, bruises along the side, deep cut on the rear leg, possibly a broken bone there too.”

The two continued to carry me away, and after a long night of worry, battle and pain. I wanted to push everything into staying up, wanting to cling to awareness so that I could follow after Dusky, but at last, my body refused to agree. I slowly faded into darkness.

Fire and death were all around me, my friends, my foes, all dead, dying, and somehow it was all my fault. Blood on my hooves that would never wash clean, so much blood, rising up and threatening to drown me. I flailed as it rose up over my head, and taking one last breath, I suddenly woke. I panted for a moment, gasping heavily as I tried to breath through all the blood, only to find myself perfectly capable of breathing, lying on a soft surface, under a flimsy blanket.

“Hey there, Nighty. You okay?” Mint’s voice came from my side, and I struggled at first to turn in the tiny cot to face her.

I rarely ever had dreams I could remember, and the memory of this one stuck to me. With a shudder, I nodded. “M-Mint? I’m fine… just a bad dream… where are we?”

“Pasture. City Hall, actually. Solar Company has temporarily converted it into a barrack for the wounded. That includes you.”

I lifted the blanket and glanced down across myself to take stock. My leg was bandaged again where the Banshee had cut it, and the fight against Prideful’s forces had reopened it. Further bandaging stretched across my barrel, under the wings. I reached a hoof up to find my head carefully wrapped too, but a sudden thought struck me as more important than any of that.

Rising from the bed, I glanced around to find her. “Where’s Dusky?”

Mint moved from her seat to press against me, settling me back down. “Shh, it’s alright. She’s perfectly fine. They put her in her own room at the local inn. She’s still resting.”

“I need to be there for her. I… I said I’d be there, and if she’s hurt…” I glanced around the room, taking in the rows of cots with various bandaged and sleeping ponies in them.

My sister nodded. “I know, I know. Sheesh, Flurry. Think a moment, okay? If she were in danger, do you think I’d be here?” She grinned. “She’s been sleeping since the battle, same as you, actually.”

“W-when can I see her?”

Mint shrugged. “You’re awake now. I can get you cleared to come into the inn with me now. You can see her tonight when I meet up with the doctor out of Iron Shoe.”

I slowly nodded, feeling anxious, but relieved to know Dusky, and Ivory, were both alright. “And the others?”

She hummed, setting a hoof to her chin. “Well, Blaze and Sergeant Reed both have duties, being assigned here and all. They’re in the inn with Captain Banner. Icicle agreed to help on errand duty, and he’s been flying messages back and forth to the camps. Merriweather and Starshadow were both pretty banged up, but they’ve insisted on helping the wounded too, though I think they’re both resting at the moment. I’ve just been keeping an eye on you, beyond reporting in to Captain Banner.”

Laying back on the cot, I sighed. “Thanks, Sis. Don’t know what we would have done without you.”

Mint shrugged. “Can’t say. I’m just happy that we didn’t have to find out.”

“I almost can’t believe it’s over.”

She grinned. “More than you know, Nighty.”

I smiled, “I hope so, for Ivory’s sake in addition to ours.”

She tapped my shoulder with her hoof and nodded. “Well, if you’re feeling up to it, why don’t we go for a walk?”

“I… yeah. I think so. Let’s go.”

A quick walk around Pasture showed a world of difference. The Guard presence was everywhere, and the town itself was in full disaster recovery mode. Half the citizens had enlisted in Prideful’s militia, as well as Moss’s Paladins and Crimson Haze’s mercenaries, and they’d all taken injuries in the battle, many serious injuries.

Despite it all, almost solely because of Ivory, in fact, the entire battle had ended with barely any loss of life.

“The only pony who died was… well, complicated.” Mint explained, “Sources at the battle witnessed Dusky killing Moss the Paladin, but the corpse recovered from the base of the observatory was a completely different pony.”

“Completely different?” I tilted my head. If Dusky had killed them, there was likely a reason, and the very idea of the deception spoke volumes.

“Smokey Mirror. One of the last wanted ponies from the Leaf Cartel, and the last of their leadership. Expert illusionist, wanted for a laundry list of charges. His presence here is pretty disturbing, and still being looked into, but with him out of the picture…”

I blinked, not daring to believe it. “The Leaf Cartel is… over?”

She grinned, “I can’t say for certain, since they flee like cockroaches, but… signs look pretty good.”

A pair of Guards stood at the entrance to the Sunny Skies Inn, saluting Mint as she led me in. Inside, the living room was filled with more Guards, most eating and drinking off duty. Mint motioned a wing towards the rooms in the back and then led on.

As we entered the hallway, a stallion in a bright white coat looked up at us and sighed. “You must be Sergeant Creme?”

Mint nodded with a smile. “I am. And you are Doctor Panacea, yes? Captain Banner said you wanted to speak with me.”

“I did, yes. I want you to understand that I appreciate what the Guard is doing to help us with all the wounded. The battle’s toll was high, and there’s only so many of us to go around.”

“I understand completely, Doctor. We have sent your requests for additional supplies and help to Canterlot, but the train only moves so quickly. Until it arrives, we’re doing the best we can to support you.”

He nodded, but the exhaustion was clear on his face. “And we’re doing our best, but there’s one problem that I just… don’t know what we can do about.”

She raised an eyebrow, “One problem? You said before that you’d be stretched thin, but so far you've got everything in hoof.”

Doctor Panacea sighed, looking at Mint desperately. “You must understand, when Golden Banner asked us for assistance with the wounded from some infighting, we were not prepared for... him.”

I frowned, knowing exactly who he meant. Having faced Crimson Haze face-to-face, I knew what that feeling was like. The smell of the camel was enough to give even the most valiant of fighters pause.

With a sigh, Mint tilted her head, leaning in closer to the doctor as if confiding in him. “Look, between you and me, I’m not too keen on him either, but he surrendered and came peacefully. We can’t just leave him to his wounds.”

“I’m not saying that. I’m saying my staff are doctors, not soldiers. They’re not trained to deal with… whatever it is he does to them.” He shook his head, then sighed, “I’ll see what I can do.”

Mint looked back at him and gave him the best smile she could manage. “Thank you, Doctor Panacea.”

“Yes, of course. I do have one other patient I have to attend to first.” He adjusted his glasses and started walking again, turning the corner to reach the last set of rooms in the inn. Suddenly, he stopped, almost back-stepping out of the hallway as he quickly regained his composure. “Oh, you’re up! You should not be moving around on your own like this.”

My ears perked up. Considering the one patient I had an interest in was the only one we hadn’t seen, that meant only one thing. “She’s up?” I pushed past the doctor to look around the corner.

Dusky stood not far around the corner, the guarded expression on her face melting into a smile as I rushed around the corner to gently hug her. Her bruises were still on show, but where I’d been worried she’d be asleep for days, seeing her up and awake this early was like a miracle.

“Careful! Calm down!” I could hear the Doctor behind us, but in the moment I didn’t care. “She is still in the late stages of recovery!”

Dusky hugged back, lowering her head to my side to nuzzle against me. Now, no fire, no battle, no imminent threats, we could take a moment just for ourselves at last.

“That is calm. “ Mint’s voice added, “At least, compared to before.”

Dusky laughed quietly at my side, “Oh?”

I didn’t have to look to see my sister’s smirk. “When he found out you were in separate rooms, he wanted to move right away. I had to talk him out of rushing out past the guards before they’d even sorted out who was who.”

Pulling back from my side, Dusky gave me a questioning glance. “Is that so?”

Heat crept into my cheeks, but I gave her a small smile, “I was worried.”

Her expression softened into a smirk, “While that’s sweet, you know I’m not helpless. Plus, we’re among friends now. There’s no need to do anything rash.”

My ears dropped back, and I stepped closer to nuzzle against her. “R-right, I just…”

She settled her head back against me and hummed quietly. “I know. I missed you too.”

Doctor Panacea cleared his throat politely. “Sorry to interrupt, but I do have another patient waiting. I’ll try to keep this brief.”

Our hug ended slowly, as Dusky turned her attention to the doctor, and I shifted to her side once again.

She looked from me, to Mint, then smiled. “Go ahead. They’re family.”

He watched Dusky a moment then cleared his throat again with a nod. “As I said, you are in the late stages of recovery, from life-threatening wounds that should have taken months to recover. You are very fortunate to have been the recipient of some of the most powerful healing magic I have ever seen. That said, you are not fully healed. If you must move about, you must be accompanied. And this goes without saying, but do not do anything strenuous. Do I make myself clear?”

Dusky nodded. “Of course.”

I raised an eyebrow at Dusky, knowing just how long she’d been pushing herself when she knew she needed to rest. From the banshee onward, Dusky was in dire need, but that would likely need to wait, even now. I wagered she wouldn’t be happy until she knew Ivory was okay.

“Good. If you need anything, the nurse’s station is around the corner, third door on the left.” With one last nod, he turned and headed back down the hall, no doubt to try and deal with the issue with the camel.

I turned my head to give Dusky another look.

She unfolded a wing to wrap around me, returning a sad smile. “Sorry about that. I know that gives you more reason to be worried, but I’m fine. Ivory and I kept each other alive.”

I leaned my head against hers, just taking the moment to feel her warmth against me. I sighed, just happy to be here with her again. “I’m glad.”

For a few moments, the rest of the world didn’t exist. Just her and I, and that was enough for me.

The illusion was shattered when I heard Mint snicker. “You two are adorable together.”

Dusky laughed, “Believe it or not, that’s a common opinion.”

I looked at Dusky and smirked, “Even if one of them is Terra’s.”

Mint grinned, giving a mock shrug, “Well, you have my totally unbiased opinion to make up for it.”

Dusky laughed, such a wonderful sound, “Right.”

“Anyway, I’m about to go talk to Golden Banner about the whole situation.” Mint waved a wing to motion us on. “You two are free to come along if you’d like. I’m sure Blaze would be happy to see you up and about.”

Dusky took a moment to glance back at herself, then nodded. “Sure. I’d like to check in on everyone else, anyway.”

A hall off the side of the inn led to three conference halls that Merri and I hadn’t even noticed in our initial ‘visit’. These were clearly new additions built onto the older inn, perhaps in anticipation of Prideful’s plans for the town’s future, a future lacking the necromancer. Instead, they were being used by the Royal Guard as a central command hub in Pasture as they set about cleaning up the mess Prideful had made of the whole situation.

Four Guards stood at attention outside the door, making no movement towards us as Mint led the way. They saluted my sister, but barely noticed us otherwise. Inside, Guards dashed about busily, cross checking crate contents and working on paperwork spread across a large oak table.

Golden Banner stood in the rear of the room, glancing up at a standing chalkboard with a crude looking map of Pasture sketched onto it. She was still in her armor, only her helmet removed as she spoke with our three companions. Blaze and Reed stood to either side, also in armor, and Ivory between them, definitely looking the odd mare out without any armor or even her usual cloak.

“Captain Banner.” Mint straightened up once she’d led us around the table, clopping her hooves together as she stood at attention.

“Sergeant.” Golden Banner turned away from the map to stare down my sister. “You’re late.”

Mint gave a single, precise nod. “Sorry. Crimson Haze’s arrangements took longer than expected. The medical staff isn’t too keen on him.”

She frowned in response, but gave a small sigh. “Of course. Truth be told, I’d heard stories, but never imagined it would be that bad.”

“As many things in the field go.” Feather added, raising a hoof to her chin as she turned to consider us.

“So it would seem.” The Captain turned her head, and her attention now settled squarely upon Dusky. “Dusky Down, yes. How are you feeling?”

Dusky stiffened, “I’m fine.”

Golden Banner raised an eyebrow, watching carefully, then shook her head. “Relax. This isn’t an interrogation. Several members of our force have already vouched for you, my protege included. What I would like to ask is a favor."

Already on edge, Dusky’s voice betrayed her suspicion in the Captain. “What kind of favor?”

I could already make an educated guess, and knowing Dusky's past, it made my hair stand on end. They wanted eye-witness testimony.

“Detailed third-party accounts of all that has gone on out here are in regrettably short supply,” Golden Banner responded almost mechanically, she’d likely asked this same ‘favor’ of many ponies. “I’d like you to tell me what you know, and commit to testimony, if necessary.”

I almost cringed. Dusky had done exactly that, twice, in her life, and both times it had backfired on her one way or another.

Dusky didn’t hesitate too long before she raised a hoof. “On the condition that I give my input in Canterlot, alongside Ivory’s.”

With a frown, Golden Banner stared at Dusky with an eerie sort of calm, like a gambler who was giving nothing away. “I’m afraid that is beyond my authority to grant. I can put in a request to add you to the interview, but the best I can promise is that a written copy of your testimony will be in that room at the same time.”

Staring back, Dusky frowned in turn, clearly not happy with the answer. I glanced around at the others, only to find both both Blaze and Reed glancing at me. I looked at Ivory, only to find the unicorn smiling.

She spoke up, her smile growing as she her quiet voice cut through the tension. “It is alright, Dusky. You’ve already given me the push I needed. These are steps that I need to take. I’ll be fine.”

Taking the cue, Feather nodded, “Besides, she won’t be entirely alone. My presence has also been requested.”

Dusky slowly smiled back, and as I watched, a great deal of tension left her shoulders, more than I’d have expected. I suppose she’d been worrying about Ivory for years, since long before we’d even met, and for the first time it felt like things were actually going to work out okay. “Okay, Ivory. I’ll be waiting in Ponyville. And when they decide that they can’t possible imprison such a good person, we’re going to find the best tea shop in Canterlot and get you the finest celebratory tea you’ve ever had.”

Ivory’s grin turned into a short giggle, the first time I’d ever heard the unicorn laugh, as she dipped her head to Dusky, “It’s a deal.”

95 - Freedom

Things were normal. At least, as close to normal as things around Ponyville ever got. Normal was always relative, especially around Dusky, and especially with the idea of moving forward together. She had started to make preparations to move in with me, as well as starting to make the plans for our wedding. The fact that it was all real and moving ahead was enough to shake me out of any illusion that things were ‘normal’.

Before we could get to any of that, however, Dusky wanted to be there for Ivory. After what Mint had told me the Canterlot Guard was labeling ‘The Pasture Incident’, Ivory had been a ‘special guest’ in Canterlot Castle. Mint had assured us it wasn’t anything ominous, but it was enough to put Dusky back on edge. Even if in her head she knew Ivory wasn’t being mistreated, her heart worried for her friend having to suffer more after a lifetime of persecution.

I gave her my best smile in support, as we made the flight to the castle together to meet with Ivory for the first time since we’d returned home.

We landed outside the castle and made our way to the guard house where we were expected to meet her. It was the same purple and gold motif as the rest of the castle, the stones a stark white, making it utterly unobtrusive amidst the grand towers and pinnacles above the tiny-seeming two-story square of a building. Between us and our destination was a simple iron gate with two Royal Guards watching over it, a sight that made Dusky tense for a moment before she released the worry.

It wasn’t a long wait. Beyond the gate, the door to the guard house opened, and a white-coated figure emerged. Ivory had no dark cloak this time, instead she wore a sheer purple mantle with a silver edge on it.

Her sister, Feather Reed, followed after, but by the time she had shut the door behind her, Ivory was practically galloping to the gate. It took a moment before Feather caught on and rushed to follow after. Besides me, Dusky bounced in place like an over-excited filly. My smile grew as her worry and paranoia fell away.

The guards stood ready, watching carefully as Ivory slowed down on the other side, grinning wide. They showed no reaction one way or another, only turning their attention away from Ivory as Feather caught up. Sergeant Reed, though not wearing her armor at the moment, shook her head and smiled, walking up to exchange a few words with the guards, and a moment later, Dusky and Ivory were reunited.

Despite a moment of awkwardness from Ivory, the two embraced each other. I turned to Feather and smiled, and I’m pretty sure we were on the same page. It was good to see these two so happy together, as both Dusky and Ivory had suffered so much to reach this point. There were few in Equestria who knew that fact better than myself and Feather Reed. She nodded back at me, turning to watch the pair of friends catch up.

Ivory hugged Dusky tight, “Dusky! I am so glad to see you.”

Squeezing her hooves around Ivory, Dusky nodded. “Likewise, Ivory. I hope they treated you well?”

Ivory released her hug, stepping back to nod at Dusky, “They didn’t keep me in the prison, if that’s what you were worried about. They took me to another room, in one of the far wings. While they made it clear that I wasn’t allowed to leave, it was almost like one of the rooms back home. It made me feel a little nostalgic.”

Feather chuckled, “They knew she was no evil sorceress. The only reason we even needed to go there now was to settle the final paperwork.”

Dusky nodded, but she still turned her head back to carefully appraise Ivory . At last, she smiled, “Nice outfit. I’m guessing that’s not standard issue.”

“No.” Ivory glanced back at her flank, her dress mostly obscuring the cutie mark beneath it. Her face betrayed just a little bit of pain beneath her smile. “Even after they cleared my name, I… I wasn’t so sure about letting the whole world see my cutie mark. I don’t think they’re ready.”

“Sadly, it’s true.” Feather saw the expression and dipped her head towards her sister. “It is difficult to convince ponies to break their prejudices. Better to be cautious.”

Ivory reached a hoof up to her neck, glancing down at the dress. “Which is why I wanted my cloak.”

Feather cringed a little and sighed, “Sorry, Ivory, but there’s no way the smell of… you know… is coming out of that old thing. Besides, what better way to mark a new beginning than with new clothes?”

I smiled, hoping to help Feather move the conversation back to more pleasant territory. “I think it looks good.”

“Me too.” Dusky nodded, appraising the mantle again. “As far as modern fashion goes, it’s very you.”

Ivory paused, taking a moment to let all of it sink in. At last, she nodded, “I guess I’m just not used to anything so fancy anymore. Thank you, Feather.”

Feather answered with a grin, “It’s the least I could do after so many missed birthdays.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Feather and Ivory definitely had a lot of catching up to do, and it strangely reminded me of myself and my siblings. Maybe not so strangely, though our circumstances were greatly different, the distance and the strangeness of being family again was still there.

Ivory smiled at her sister, then looked towards Dusky and I. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“Stardust Tea Temple,” Dusky motioned away from the castle. “Just three blocks down the road.”

Feather raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I’ve heard of that one. Isn’t it a bit gimmicky?”

“Most of the high-end places are.” Dusky shrugged, “Stardust does private rooms, though, so we have a bit more control over our environment.”

I jumped in, “They have high quality tea, too. For all the gimmicks, they actually care about the flavor of the tea.”

Dusky had asked me to help her make a selection. She wanted somewhere close, wanting to make sure Ivory would be comfortable, but still high quality. Or at least, high quality enough. Stardust was as gimmicky as Feather had guessed, and a little on the pricey side, but at least they served good food and tea.

For her part, Ivory was fairly quiet on the walk into the city, as she watched the city with mixed curiosity and nervousness. Both were understandable, my own first visit to Canterlot wasn’t too long ago, under much different circumstances. Hopefully, Ivory’s nerves would be offset by walking with friends.

Three blocks went by fast, and we had soon come to the Stardust Tea Temple, an oddly designed storefront made up to look like an ‘authentic temple’, with a low porch that served as a walkway, guiding guests up a gentle slope into the wooden wall adorned with thick paper windows, all acting as the entrance into the cafe.

Chimes rang over the door as we entered. Inside, a vaguely floral scent hung in the air alongside the smoky smell of burning candles, a little much but not altogether unpleasant.

An earth pony dressed in a traditional looking robe stepped out of the shadows and dipped her head. “Welcome to Stardust, where you can set your mind at ease. How can I help you today?”

“Reservation for Dusky Down.”

She grabbed four menus and slipped them into the side of her robe, then nodded, motioning us to follow, “Right this way.”

The building was set up as one long corridor that looped around, with private rooms all set off the side, and a larger open area in the center. The paper windows let in enough light that the private rooms weren’t completely dark, but they weren’t exactly well lit. Between that and the incense, there was a rather restful aura to the place.

The server directed us into the reserved room, laying down the menus before bringing a pot of chamomile tea. Then, she bowed to the group, and slid the door closed.

I began to pour the tea out into the teacups and pass them around.

Dusky took her cup and smiled, sitting between me and Ivory. “So, now that you’re free, what are your plans?”

“I don’t know.” Ivory took her tea and looked down into the cup. “It’s strange. Now that Prideful is in jail and I no longer need to deal with his machinations, I just… don’t know. I know that’s supposed to be a good thing, but I guess it had been going on for so long that I never thought about what I’d do if this ever happened.”

“That is an odd thought, isn’t it?” Dusky blew across her tea, “He was the one pushing for change and yet, his inability to let go of one grudge left him as the pain point, the thing keeping things in stasis. But, now you and the townsfolk are free to choose your own fate.”

Ivory sighed, looking up past us all. “I… suppose I’d like to rebuild my home. The manor has been in a sad state for far too long.”

Feather leaned against the table, humming softly. “Is that wise? The Princesses may have cleared your name, but it could be some time before Pasture accepts that.”

“I know, and yet, it’s my home, Feather.” Ivory took a breath and sighed. “I just can’t abandon it. I can’t.”

Dusky shifted to put a hoof on Ivory’s shoulder. “I think I understand. No matter where I go or what I do, I always return to Ponyville. It’s my home and being there just feels right. I don’t know much about carpentry, but you can count on me to help you however I can.”

I perked up, “We could make sure the skies stay clear while everypony works.”

“Good idea.” Dusky grinned at me, and I could see the wheels turning, “I could talk to Terra and see if Stalwart’s crew wants to take the job.”

“Not to be a wet blanket,” Feather smiled apologetically, “but I still think we should wait. I’ll definitely help when the time comes, it’s just we should make sure everything is settled with the villagers. It wouldn’t do to start work and then get into conflict with them.”

Ivory slumped a little, looking back into her tea again. “Oh. Yes, that does make sense.”

Feather paused a moment, swallowing. I could tell, she’d been waiting for this moment, but wasn’t quite sure. “I have an idea: why don’t you come see Mom and Dad?”

Ivory stiffened, her gaze not moving up from her cup. “Mom and Dad… I, Feather, I don’t know. Would they even want to see me?”

My heart broke for her. I was pretty sure I’d said those exact words about my own family not too long ago.

Feather had clearly wanted to arrange it, the look on her face was both pained and hopeful as she nodded at her sister, “Of course! I know it looks like they might not, but trust me, they miss you.”

“They left me alone in Pasture.” Ivory’s tone was hollow.

“I know. I can’t speak for them, but I can tell you what I know.” Feather closed her eyes a moment and frowned. “I was too young to understand the situation at the time, but I could tell they were terrified beyond imagining. There was lots of angry shouting outside. The help was running all over the place. Everypony inside was calling, ‘Where’s Ivory?! Where’s Ivory?!’ They didn’t want to leave. I could feel it. But they had to. There was no other choice. I guess that doesn’t really excuse anything, but if you can find it in your heart to forgive them, I can tell you right now that they’d be happy to see you.”

I knew this was different, but I could hear Mint’s words to me echoed in Feather’s plea. I nodded slowly, “I also can’t speak for them, but I know after being separated from my parents for a long time…they missed me. I had made a lot of mistakes, but so had my parents. We all regretted where it had brought us... might be worth the chance, just to hear them out, at least.”

Ivory sat quietly, keeping her eyes locked on her tea. I fell silent again, and neither Feather nor Dusky interrupted her thoughts. The server opened the door, peaking in with a refill on tea and the intent of taking our order. It seemed even she could feel the weight of the moment. She quietly excused herself to give us a few minutes more.

Ivory finally sighed, “Alright, Feather. I… I’ll try it. On the condition that you’re there too.”

“Of course!” Feather nearly cheered, nodding her head happily. “Just say when and I’ll make the time.”

“And… if I’m to say good-bye to Pasture for a while, I need to go back one last time.” Ivory glanced towards the window and the muted sunlight.
Feather furrowed her brow, considering, “Well, if you lay low, I guess it would be okay. You’re not worried about mercenaries occupying the town again, are you? Because I can guarantee that won’t be a problem.”

“No, I just have a few things I’d like to clean up. Maybe a few I’d like to bring on our trip.” Ivory reached out for her tea, but did little more than rest her hooves on the cup.

Dusky leaned in towards Feather, “Speaking of mercenaries, are they keeping true to their promise?”

Feather kept her eyes on Ivory, but shifted her gaze to Dusky to think. “As far as I’ve heard, they haven’t even approached the border towns for resupply. In all honesty, when they said that work would be more plentiful in other countries, they were right. I suspect we won’t see them again, though if we do, we should know long before they can start causing trouble again. Why do you ask?”

“It’s… complicated.” Dusky wrinkled her nose, “I guess the long and short of it is that I’ve done things in the past that have made me long-standing enemies. It’s a relief to know that it’s very unlikely in this case.”

I bit my lip, hoping that her fears were unfounded. The circumstances that had made an enemy of the Leaf Cartel were very different, but I knew there was a fear there, that the Crimson Hooves and their Leader might try to mark her, to hunt her, just like the Cartel had done for so long. I wanted her to finally, finally feel safe.

Dusky saw me, turning her head to smile. Even if there was a concern, at least she wasn’t letting it worry her too much.

Feather nodded. “Understandable. I cannot guarantee that you will be safe outside of Equestria, but rest assured, within the borders, should the Crimson Hooves return, the Guard will take care of it.”

“Thanks, Feather.” Dusky lifted her cup and took a long sip of tea. When she set the cup back down, she was smiling. “Now that that’s settled, I have one more thing I’d like to ask Ivory.”

I knew what Dusky was about to ask, and I imagined it’d be simple compared to the difficult questions about the life ahead of her and reuniting with her parents. I took a long sip of tea to hide my growing smile.

Ivory indeed seemed a little guarded now, peering at Dusky. “Well, then, out with it.”

Surprisingly, it was Dusky’s turn to be nervous as she smiled at her friend. “Well, as you know, Night and I are engaged and hoping to tie the knot within the next year. Plans are still in the works, but—and no pressure or anything—I was wondering what you might think of being a bridesmaid.”

Ivory stiffened again, but she didn’t look as unsure as she had before. Despite how much she’d tried to be ready for anything, Dusky had still managed to catch her off guard.

Dusky raised a hoof, “Ivory? No pressure, remember. I don’t need an answer now.”

Releasing her teacup, Ivory moved her hoof towards Dusky, waving it dismissively, “No, no, it’s fine, Dusky. Just… another one of those questions I’d never thought I’d ever have to answer. I think… I think I’d be honored.”

Love

“Do… do I look alright?” I looked at myself in the mirror, dressed up in the bespoke snow-white tuxedo, a black bow tie at my neck.

“You look like a goofball.” Came Sun’s reply, my sister standing off to the side in the ready room. “But the suit looks really good, Night.”

I turned to frown, rolling my eyes, “Ha ha. I guess it’s too late to change my mind on the choice of suit now… but I just don’t know…”

On the opposite side of the room sat my mother, Guiding. She clicked her tongue in her mouth and stood up to walk closer. “Your sister is just being difficult. You look just fine, Night Light.”

“I do wish Dad were here to help me with this. I feel like the whole suit feels… off.”

“Well, your father is off playing security guard with Mrs. Ward.” Mom shook her head. “I think it’s silly. No pony’s going to try and disrupt this wedding.”

Sun giggled, “Not with… I don’t know? How many members of the Royal Guard are sitting in the audience?”

I laughed along, “If there’s somepony out there who can get through Dad and Mrs. Ward… I don’t want to meet them.”

The truth of it was, Windy had insisted on leading up what she called ‘Security detail’. I’d objected at first, not wanting Dusky to have to think about that kind of thing on her wedding day, but her mother had insisted that having her coordinating with my dad would guarantee that Dusky would have absolutely nothing to worry about today. This, combined with a few strings getting pulled in places we couldn’t see, resulted in a group of Solar Company volunteering to attend the wedding in full duty armor, along with personally picked friends of my father.

“Well, your father and Mrs Ward can have their fun. If nothing else, they do love sharing combat stories from ‘back in the day’.” Mom glanced over at Sun and frowned, “Sun you should go make sure the twins are ready. I’m sure they’re giving Frost a hard time.”

Tilting her head a moment, Sun suddenly snapped to attention, “Oh! Right, I’ll just head out and make sure they’re properly dressed and all. You know how kids get. Uh, later, Mom. Good luck, Nighty!”

I watched as my sister headed out, then turned back to my Mom as she walked around me and smiled.

She raised a hoof to my cheek and smiled. “Oh, my little Night Light, you remind me of your father on our wedding day.”

“Like Dad? That can’t be right… I mean, Dad and I are so different.”

Mom chuckled, “In temperament, maybe, but you have the same strength of character. It was just buried deep down, waiting for the right pony to draw it out. I’m glad Dusky found you.”

I blushed, nodding, “W-well, I think I found her first. I needed her more than she’s needed me, though.”

“Nonsense. Maybe she’s helped you more in finding yourself, but I can tell just how much you’ve helped her, and I don’t just mean all the fighting.” She snorted. “You give her something that she needs. You give her someone she knows she can trust. It’s why I know you two are going to last.”

“I… I think so to. I’m going to do my best. I know Dusky is too.”

Mom smiled and stepped up to gently wrap her wings around me. “I know you are. You’ve gotten so much stronger since you left. You make me and your father so proud.”

Biting back tears, I leaned into her hug. “I’m sorry I was gone so long, but I’m glad you’re all here today.”

I stood on the dais in my tuxedo, awkwardly fidgeting with the bow tie. I glanced up at the sky, the clouds had all been cleared that morning, and there was no chance of any stray weather creeping in from the Everfree. It was going to be a perfect day, and not just because of the weather.

To my side stood my groomsponies. Mahogany, my best stallion, followed by Icicle, Merriweather, and Starshadow. Across from us were Dusky’s bridesmaids, Terra standing opposite of Mahogany, followed by Twilight, then Ivory and Blaze, all wearing teal dresses that had been custom commissioned from Carousel Boutique. Merri was similarly dressed, while Mahogany, Icicle, Starshadow and I were all wearing bespoke snow-white suits.

Mahogany noticed me looking and nudged me with a hoof, “You actually ready for this?”

Merri grinned, “He’d better be. Sis, if he runs, you go right, I’ll go left. Gleam and Mahogany will have to intercept him from the air.”

Rolling her eyes, Starshadow sighed, “Do not be cruel, Sister. This is his day.”

“Hey, I’m just looking out for Dusky too!” Merri smirked, but her sister’s expression was having none of it. “Alright, alright. I mean yeah, you got this Flurry.”

I slowly smiled as I listened to them banter, “It’s… it’s fine. I mean, I’m nervous, b-but I don’t know why. It’s just a wedding, right? Not like it’s a dragon, or a banshee, or… or an army of mercenaries, right?”

Laughing, Merri nodded, “Yep! Just all your friends and family! And Dusky, of course. Dusky in all her sexiness, sauntering up to you to say just how much she loves you bef—” She oofed as Star struck her side with a hoof.

“Quiet, Sister. It is starting.” Starshadow directed her hoof over to the side, where the local band was set up just behind the chairs. The cello player tapped out time with her bow, then bowed to the band and began to play the opening wedding march.

“Let’s get this party under way!” Pinkie Pie popped up on the dais, wearing a strangely solemn gray dress, the only ornamentation being the golden necklace with blue cut gem in the center shaped like a balloon.. “Cause I am READY FOR YOUR MARRIAGE!”

I nearly jumped out of my place as the pink pony shouted, but a wing from Mahogany settled me down, “Uh, yeah, absolutely, Pinkie. Thank you for doing this.”

“Well, duh, it’s no problem, Night! You and Dusky are just so perfect for one another, and by the power invested in me by this big powerful necklace of friendship, I’m going to ensure you get married in front of all these awesome ponies so that this is the best wedding party ever!”

She beamed, and out of the corner of my eye I could see Twilight Sparkle hide a smirk behind a facehoof.

First down the aisle came my nieces, Sun’s twins Halo and Gentle, scattering flower petals behind them as they excitedly bounced down the aisle. They were in simple white dresses with teal ribbons tied here and there. To complete the flowerfilly’s look, they wore woven crowns of white and blue flowers.

The crowd d'awwed, watching the two fillies run up the aisle, until they reached the front where my sister reached out to wrangle them in. I gave them a smile, nodding in thanks before the music picked up, and my attention become wholly undivided by the entrance of my beloved.

She was gorgeous, wearing a beautiful custom dress she’d help design herself, one which I hadn’t gotten to see until just now. It was sleek, aerodynamic, if one could describe a dress as such. Dusky didn’t want to trip herself up on a long train or traditionally bulky wedding gown, instead giving herself freedom of movement. The shining blue and silver fabric was complemented by the teal collar that blended down into the dress in such a way to resemble her scarf. It shimmered with every step she took, the color playing across the waves of the dress to give it a spectacular impact.

Yet it all paled next to the mare who wore it. The way she walked, the way she smiled, it all struck me hard. If it were possible, I would have fallen in love with her again right there.

Before I knew it, she was stepping up onto the platform to stand alongside us all.

I smiled at her, and she smiled back, a look so full of love and trust that I wanted to break down and hug her then, but there would be time for that later. There would be all the time in the world, because I didn’t intend on ever leaving her side. Not after everything we’d been through, everything we’d built together. I trusted her with my life, and she trusted me with hers. Everything we were going to say and do today was just the confirmation of how we both already felt.

This was only the beginning of our travels together.

It barely registered to me as Pinkie Pie began the ceremony, “Good afternoon, everypony! We’re gathered here today…”

1 - The Angel

Even after all these years, it would be hard for me to forget that day. The first days of winter were always special to me, but even amongst them this day stood out. This was the day I first saw her.

The conversations throughout town hall all blended together into one overpowering din. My goal at these kinds of events was to just keep my head down, stay quiet, and don’t draw attention to myself. The others were all sharing their stories and plans for the upcoming winter, but I was only there out of necessity. My hooves were tied.

I don’t often go to parties. Or any kind of social gatherings, really. If I could have just excused myself and stayed home, I would have. No pony would have missed me. Of course this wasn't a party, this was work. Normally, I would have been working alone, in the blessed quiet of the night shift, but for these really big events needed the whole weather team. From the full-time team members to the temporary volunteers, every pegasus was here to prepare the first snow of the year.

It was some consolation that all of this excitement was about the first day of winter, and not the Summer Sun Celebration, or one of the other big events. Despite all the other ponies crowding so close, I couldn't keep the smile from my face as I spared a look backwards to the snowflake and star that adorned my light blue flank. It brought back a flood of memories. Some of the happiest moments of my life were tied to this day, and once all the work was done I had a tradition to uphold. The reward was well worth the wait.

The meeting was just another obstacle I had to get through and I tried, as inconspicuously as possible, to blend in at the back of the room. No pony wanted to talk with me, anyway, and if they tried, they’d just be disappointed. At least, that’s what I’d told myself; it was probably true back then, if only because I’d made it that way. And so I just sat in the rear, waiting for the meeting to end. All of my thoughts were focused on the end of the night, when I could sit alone with the stars, and the Moon and the wonderful night.

If there was one thing dependable about Rainbow Dash, it was that she never left anypony waiting too long. She got everypony’s attention quickly, and with an overconfident ease—which I admit I envied just a little—she detailed her plans for the team. Well, my plans. Not that I had said anything. She needed help with weather plans, and I just didn't want to make waves. Besides, I knew snow, which makes planning these kinds of things pretty simple.

Once Rainbow dismissed everypony, I turned towards the door and prepared to head out. And that was when I heard it. Why it was that phrase, I don’t know. It was a simple sentence, mundane even. It seems a strange thing now, but my ears couldn't help but perk up as her voice cut through the growing din of the crowd, and a single line burned into my memory forever more: “It seems like a solid plan.”

My heart caught in my throat. I lowered my hoof away from the door, barely registering the way my foreleg trembled. I’d never heard a voice like that before, one that pierced me like an arrow to the heart. I turned to watch the crowd, desperate in a way I couldn't quite understand.

She was a beautiful black winged angel. The most amazing, radiant, wonderful pegasus I'd ever seen. Charcoal coat like the pitch night, her head crowned by a brilliant blue mane, her stunning features accentuated by a teal scarf. I stood still, not daring to move lest the vision of her fade away. When she laughed, the melodic sound filled my ears. Her coat glowed with a brilliant sheen, and her smile filled the room. Most stunning of all, her eyes, like deep pools, threatening to drown me as I continued to look, but woe, that I was unable to pull my gaze away!

I don’t know how long I sat there, staring. I was brought out of my reverie by a sharp “Ahem.” I barely registered the other pegasus standing there, tapping his hoof impatiently. He nudged his head to the side, directing me out of way. I felt the heat rise in my cheeks, and scrambled to comply. I must have seemed so stupid, my sorry-self rushing towards the side of the room. I slipped into the corner, falling to my haunches and trying to hide my face.

That amazing pony was still standing where she’d been, talking, smiling. There was some point where time stopped, and at the same time every second rushed past in a blur and before long, I watched her wave goodbye and trot towards the door. She stopped there, turning her head, and for an instant, her eyes met mine. A moment, that was all, but in that second, I was utterly lost. Before I could even realize it, she had slipped out the door. She was gone.

If there had been a crushing weight upon me before, it was only in contrast to the emptiness I felt afterwards. It was gone, and so was my ability to move under my own power. Breathing took considerable effort, as if it were new to me. Or maybe I was taking my first breaths after being born anew. In reality, I think... I was afraid, even if I couldn't recognize it.

My legs were trembling, threatening to betray me. All from one little glance. I pushed forward anyway, searching out anything that could help distract me. And there, amidst the crowd, was the familiar multi-colored mane of Rainbow Dash. Of everypony in the hall, she was the only pony I ever really talked to, if only because she was basically my boss.

I pushed my courage to its limit, trying to overcome my strained nerves. "H-h-hey R-rainbow Dash?" I flinched at my stuttering. That was an old tic that cropped up whenever I was nervous, or self-conscious. So quite often, unfortunately. I dropped my gaze down to the floor as I waited for a response.

"Um, yeah? Hey Flurry, what's up?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, but could barely do more than sigh. "I... I... um...”

Rainbow let out a low breath, raising a hoof to her forehead. "Oh come on Flurry, talk to me! I'm amazed you're still here, so it must be important."

"T-that pegasus... w-who?"

"Pegasus?" She looked about the room, still filled with the greater majority of the Ponyville weather team. "You're gonna have to be a little more specific."

"B-black coat..." I couldn't stop myself from stammering nervously as I finally looked up at Rainbow. "A-and a s-scarf..."

Her expression was somewhere between pity and annoyance, but at last a flash of recognition crossed her face. "Oh! Are you talking about Dusky? Oh yeah, she's great! Wonderful weather pony. What, you mean you've never met her?"

I started, shaking my head as if to deny some accusation of terrible impropriety. "No! I... I mean... n-no... I haven't..." And with that, I was unable to hold Rainbow's gaze. "H-how long has she worked for the team?"

"Like, a couple years. But she's pretty part time. She's always volunteering for these big gatherings when we need extra help, but of course, you’re never at them, so that explains that too." She nudged me gently with a wing, an oddly supportive gesture. "Hey, don't let it bother you Night. You just... get through tonight, and if she's still bothering you, I can talk to her about leaving you alone, alright?"

She waited a moment for a reply, but I offered nothing, unsure what she was thinking, or even what I was thinking. A moment later, she murmured an apology, making an excuse to leave the awkward moment, but that was fine.

Gradually, I looked at all the other Pegasi gathered together, but I couldn't talk to them. Even in the crowd, I was alone. I think I needed to be alone then. I started the slow walk out of the town hall, and considered everything that had happened. And despite the terror of the moment, and the confusion looming through my mind, I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from rising, the faintest of smiles upon my face as I spoke softly, letting her name play across my lips. "Dusky..."

I finished work on time as expected that night, and the snow fell right on schedule. With the job done, I started to make the preparations for my own little tradition. I lifted one of the smaller, now empty, snow clouds further up into the sky. Scoping out the empty heights, I kept a critical eye upon the town, seeking the best view. It was a simple matter to find the perfect spot; it doesn’t change much year to year. Once the cloud was in place, I opened up my flight satchel and begin unpacking, setting out a modest spread: a blanket to rest beneath, with a small thermos of hot tea.

With everything in its place, I settled down upon the cloud, making myself cozy as I gazed down at Ponyville. Below, the world sparkled in a glittering display. The fresh coat of snow covered everything as far as the eye could see, and the waning moonlight illuminating the ground as if presenting it solely for me. This was my tradition, to wait and watch the sunrise over the town. Since I'd moved to Ponyville, and since starting my job with the Weather Bureau, I’d taken this time for myself to cherish the beauty. This moment had been everything to me, my reward, the peace that oft eluded me. In the years when I was alone, here, more than anywhere else, was where I had been happy.

The moonlight filtered down to reflect in a million shining lights upon the ground. It was a stunning spectacle that I had always, and will always hold dear. But that year something was wrong. The happiness and peace that I'd always found here was being gnawed at by more than just my lingering doubts. No, instead there was almost nothing. Like a hole had been drilled through my heart and some vital piece had gone missing. I said before that looking back, I needed to be alone that night. But upon that cloud, the weight of that loneliness came crushing down upon me. And that pain was only made harsher when I thought about how she had me feel.

"Dusky..." the name escaped my lips unbidden, although perhaps to no surprise. I let the word sit in the chill winter air as if my breath would solidify into that mare that had set my heart ablaze. The thought of her smile, her eyes, it threatened to push me over the edge. How could such a beautiful thing even exist in this world? It didn't seem fair. Not only because of how badly it hurt my heart to know of her, but the utter certainty that she was far too good for me. I was, after all, only Night Flurry, not somepony of importance or means.

I let my eyes rise up to the moon, feeling that odd sensation of tears cutting paths down my face. "What do I do? H-how can I make this pain go away?" I lowered my head back to look at my hooves resting upon the cloud. I was unsure I even wanted it to go away. There was something strong in that pain, something affirming. "I... I just... I want to see her again..."

I sat in that early morning silence, watching Ponyville through blurry eyes. It stretched on, the moon falling, and the sun rising as Celestia officially began the first day of winter. The light of the sun crossed over my face, I blinked the tears out of my eyes and gave the day my best grin. "And... I will."

Maybe it was the bright new day, or that place, high in the clouds above a scene of infinite beauty, but there was some strength of resolve in that moment that I desperately needed. I grabbed it with both hooves. "By Luna... By the Goddesses, I will see her again. Dusky! I promise you! I... I will find you... I will... I will meet you."

15 - The Knight

I tripped again, fumbling in the middle of the drill. I flapped my wings to regain my balance, but was too late as my face plowed into the ground. I sighed, spitting out the snow and dirt before I pushed myself up and prepared to resume.

"Hold, Night Flurry." Starshadow called from the sidelines. "That is the third time this evening you have erred during your routine."

Merriweather chuckled. She'd insisted on coming out to our training session after saying that the bar was '‘too boring tonight’. Now, she sat on a makeshift picnic blanket with a small spread of food, levitating a glass of wine as she watched. "If you wanted to eat dirt you coulda just asked Sis’ for another duel."

I took a moment to dismiss the hoof blade, then shot a frown at Merri. I turned to Starshadow as she walked over. "I um... s-sorry... just... no, I'm okay. I'll push through it."

Starshadow shook her head, coming closer to look me in the eyes. "No, if you continue to push, you will only injure yourself. Know your limits, Night Flurry." She considered me carefully. "Three errors, all during points of the drill routine which you have previously had no problems in completing. You are not yourself tonight. You seem distracted."

Merri trotted forward to join her sister, waggling her eyebrows. "He's all hot and bothered thinking about Dusky, I'll bet."

My face flushed with heat. "M-Merri! I w-was not! We're just friends."

She snickered. "Well you are now~." Merri nudged her sister. "They went on another trip together, Sis. Who knows what they were doing?!"

"W-we weren't doing anything! Th-that was just a trip to Canterlot to see—" I twitched. "W-wait... did you follow us again?"

Merri's only response was more laughter.

Starshadow glared at her sister. "Sister, please. I hardly believe Dusky is the kind of mare to engage in the same frivolous activities as you. If I am correct, this was a trip with regards to the Leaf Cartel and the smuggled contraband."

I struggled to get my composure. "Y-yeah... we met with... um... my father..." I lowered my ears, still considering our rooftop conversation in Canterlot, and trying to sort out the feelings it had brought out.

Merri continued laughing, covering a hoof over her mouth. "Introducing her to the family already, eh? Flurry's a smoother operator than I imagined."

My cheeks burned brighter as I shook my head. "I-it wasn't like that! He's... he's a guard. He'll use Dusky's information, and... and... everything will be fine. He... I..." I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head.

"Is that what is bothering you?" Starshadow raised her head, then rested a hoof on my side. "You are concerned for Dusky?"

"Well... yeah..."

"Ha!" Merri’s laughter broke in like an errant thunder cloud. "You're so bad at this, Sis’."

Starshadow withdrew her support from my shoulder and turned to Merri. "What? I am attempting to assist him."

Her sister grinned wide. "Yeah, but he told you exactly what's wrong and you completely missed it."

I broke back in, walking out of the dirty clearing towards the blanket. "Err... no... Starshadow's right. I… I am concerned about Dusky."

"You're cute, Night. But a terrible liar." Merri winked at me, then smiled at her sister. "Of course he's worried about Dusky. He's been worried about Dusky for months. But that worry drives him!"

Merri stalked forward with the grace of a predatory cat. "No... this is different. This is distracted worry." She circled slowly, then stopped and jabbed a hoof into my wing.

I instinctively spread the wing outward and stepped away before I spun to face the crimson unicorn. "H-hey! Don't do that!"

She had already rushed forward, practically nose to nose with me with a disturbing grin on her face. "You're worried about your father~."

My eyes went wide. "M-my f-father?" I tried to laugh, but could only keep stammering. "W-what about my f-f-father?"

She tapped my forehead, then sauntered back toward Starshadow, pumping her hoof in the air. "Nailed it!"

Starshadow's jaw lowered. "Your methods are... unorthodox, sister. Still, intriguing results." She let her gaze fall back on me as Merri returned to her side. "Your father caused you distress?"

I shook my head. "D-distress? No, he... well..." I deflated, not really sure what to say to them. "I just... it made me think, that's all."

Merri grinned. "Sounds dangerous."

Starshadow nudged her sister. "That would certainly explain your preoccupation during our training session."

I absently nodded, looking down at the bracer set upon my hoof. There was a path there, that I couldn't see the end of. I recalled my father's words from that night. Beneath Luna's moon, in the pure winter night, he'd given me so many answers. Now, I had to be honest, and to do the thing that would make my father proud. To be myself.

"Starshadow... Merri... I think... n-no... I know. I'm sorry. I can't do this..." My hoof shook as I removed the bracer. "I've done this before... when I joined the Guard, years ago. I thought... Knighthood would be different somehow, but it's the same. It's just n-not who I am. I... I don't know..."

Starshadow exchanged a glance with her sister, her voice was low. "Do you not wish to protect your friends?"

"Of course! Of... of course..." I looked at the bracer, tilting it over in my hooves. "I want to be strong... I just... I don't know... I can't be my father."

I felt a bit of confidence as I continued my confession, still hoping they wouldn't hate me. "I'm not a pony who can fight for the world, a knight, rushing off to fight m-monsters and villains. I just wanted to be able to fight for my friends." I presented the bracer to them. "I... I'm sorry to have wasted your time like this."

They were silent for longer than felt comfortable. At last, Starshadow, against all odds, broke into a laugh. "Ah, Night Flurry, thank you."

I raised my eyes to find Star glancing back at Merri with an uncharacteristic grin. Merriweather sneered back.

"Bah. I still thought he'd have lasted longer." Merri kept her dark look a moment longer, then stuck out her tongue. "Still though, I think the noble resignation has got to be worth something, right?"

Starshadow chuckled, "Perhaps, perhaps. But, you cannot deny that I have won."

I blinked, lowering the bracer. "W-wait... won?"

Her face tightened into a serious expression. "I am afraid that, after confronting my Sister as to the circumstances surrounding your knighthood, we made a wager in regards to how long you would remain within my service."

Merri waved a hoof cheerfully. "I was betting at least a year. I was cheering for ya, Flurry!"

"Th-this... was all a... w-wager? A joke?" I slouched down, defeated. "I... well... I'm glad you got some enjoyment out of it..."

Starshadow moved closer. "You misinterpret our motivations. Night Flurry, it has been apparent to me that you are... ill-suited for more Knightly pursuits."

My ears dropped as I sank my head down further. "Oh..." It really had all been a bad joke. I should have suspected it, from the moment Merri had 'tested' me through Starshadow's training, it had all been wrong.

"Ah, wait no!" Starshadow waved a hoof frantically. "It is not like that! We simply did not believe you were fully capable of—"

Merri interrupted, pushing her sister aside. "Sheesh, you suck at this, Sis’. What we're trying to say is, we believe in you Night. Still do. But you're right. Being a knight isn't you."

I watched Merri, unsure what exactly they were trying to tell me. "So... why even bother training me?"

Starshadow returned, recovered from Merri's strike. "Because, you desired it for unselfish reasons. My sister may have established your knighthood falsely, but I have been sincere in your training."

Merri grinned. "Flurry, I'm sorry to say, you just aren't the kind of pony that's wired to serve others selflessly."

Star smiled in unison with her sister. "You are the kind of pony who opens his heart to a precious few, and will do anything for those whom you care about. There is no shame in this."

I sat quietly. Was that what being a hero was? Selfless service and sacrifice for some greater good. What Dusky had done in Hoofington hadn't been heroism, it had been for a friend, despite the risks. That was what I wanted to be able to do. Dusky didn't need some knight charging off to save her, to protect her. She just needed a friend who'd be willing to stand at her side, and who was capable of doing so.

"Thank you... for understanding." I raised the bracer back to Starshadow.

She straightened up, placing her hoof atop the bracer. "I, Countess Starshadow of Ostfriesen, Knight Commander of the Coral Vale and holder of your oath, release you from your service. You are freed of all responsibilities and duties to which this title once entailed."

The bracer seemed to grow cold in my hooves as Starshadow spoke. Her words have no weight. I narrowed my eyes at the thought. Starshadow's words might have been pointless, but they still had weight to them, if only for the sake of the gesture. Oaths cannot be cast aside so carelessly!

The clearing began to fade from my view. My eyes went wide as I lunged forward to reach for Starshadow, but she was gone. Suddenly, I was somewhere else entirely. I threw open my wings in preparation to escape, but only met with an endless white expanse.

I shouted to the void. "W-what?! What's going on? M-Merri? This isn't funny!"

The world faded back into view, but rather than the familiar Whitetail Woods, I found myself standing in a great hall.

It was like something I’d have expected to see in Canterlot, had I been able to enter into the Royal Palace. The white expanse was replaced by an immensely large room, with great white columns and a high ceiling that made me feel extraordinarily small. It was both beautiful and terrifying in its foreignness.

A blood red carpet led to the central feature of the room, a massive presence that demanded attention. Raised above the room on ascending steps was a golden throne, covered in cushions and adorned with gems. A tapestry hung behind the throne, dominating the wall. It depicted a light colored pony raising a hoof, and a massive black dragon bowing before her.

I began to step away from the throne, darting my head back and forth for any potential threat or exit. More tapestries were hung upon the walls, embroidered murals depicting ponies in armor, wielding weapons and magic against one another, as well as against gryphons and other creatures and monsters I didn't recognize. There was a repeated theme upon them all, that same great black dragon, looming over the battles.

“He has arrived, your Highness.”

I spun on my hooves at the voice, falling into one of the defensive stances that Starshadow had drilled into me.

Ponies filled the room now, flanking the central walkway. They all stood at attention, clad in scaled armor; similar to the kind worn by Merri and Starshadow, if not quite identical. Unlike the dull painted scales the two sisters wore, these guards all wore brilliantly polished, jet black chain and plate.

I spun back to face the throne and now found it occupied by a single mare. She filled the room with a piercing stare that instantly reminded me of Starshadow. She was a tan pony with a dirty white mane that flowed down her head in a wave. She was draped in all the trappings of authority, but the crown on her head was unnecessary to know she was in charge. This was the pony depicted in the great tapestry that hung behind the throne, and seeing her face to face there was no question that she could force a dragon to bend its knee to her.

I staggered back, just trying to keep from panicking, unsure if I should bow, or run. "M-ma'am!? I'm... I'm sorry! I didn't m-mean to um... I... I-"

Her voice was controlled as it broke into the room like a thunder clap. "Stand down. Let him through."

Before I could respond, a second voice shouted in response. "Tapioca! I demand audience!"

I turned, only just having time to jump aside as the speaker marched towards the throne. His face was severe, and he wore golden scale armor that instantly awed. I gasped as I watched him pass me by, my eyes instantly drawn to his forehooves. He wore a bracer, identical to the hoofblade Merri had given me.

I frantically searched for its twin, feeling a certainty that it was the reason I was here. I’d removed it, holding it out to return it to them. Then, it had gone cold as Starshadow had spoken. Now, it was gone. I felt the terror in my stomach spike, before the mare upon the throne spoke.

"Lower your tone, Lord Bellerophon! Remember that before all things, I am your Queen."

The name made it only more obvious. This was Bellerophon. The legendary first knight whom Starshadow had claimed originally owned the bracer. How he now walked before me, I couldn't say.

He snorted in disapproval. “You are not my ruler, Tapioca. Not if this is how you treat those who are faithful to you.” The guards standing to his side tensed, and Bellerophon glared to one side, one guard actually stepping backward. It was clear that while Tapioca was an imposing ruler, Bellerophon was no stranger to intimidation.

“I do not care, Lord Bellerophon. I will rule this country as I see fit. You have long been my most loyal knight and trusted advisor. I will forgive much of your trespasses.” Her eyes narrowed. “But do not test me. After all we have fought for, Ostfriesen must come first.”

Bellerophon’s eyes turned from the guards to Tapioca. “Ostfriesen must come first.” He parroted her tone. “Yet now you plant the seeds of its destruction. This union will strangle the country to death.”

Tapioca rose from the throne, somehow managing to become more imposing. "It is my union to make, and it is not your place to question it. Depart from my presence now, Lord, before I strip that title from you.”

Bellerophon’s eyes were unwavering, despite the obvious emotion creeping into his voice. "My oaths cannot be cast aside as carelessly as a title. I took up this responsibility of my own free will, not some thrice-cursed dragon’s promise. I will not stand by idly while our country, your country, is brought to ruin."

The Queen responded in kind, her fury tempered by some great sadness. "We have had disputes in the past, Bellerophon, but this is different. This time there can be no negotiation." She sighed, giving him one final plea. "Please."

"I will never stand down from this. I will have justice, if not from you, than from your heirs. I gave my oath to defend Ostfriesen, and nothing will stop me." He turned his back to throne and began to march out of the hallway, his last words echoing through the now silent throne. "Not even you."

From where I stood, perhaps only I could see the rage upon his face, the tears in his eyes. He trotted away from the throne towards me, then stopped as if reconsidering.

Rather than turning back, Bellerophon lowered his head as if to examine me more closely. "You."

I blinked, only just realizing he had acknowledged me. After whatever drama had just played out, I’d nearly believed that they couldn't see or hear me. "Um… m-me?"

He narrowed his eyes and began to speak, but I couldn't hear the words. The world began to fall away once again, the throne and the castle hall fading, then the ponies, and lastly Bellerophon himself, disappearing into whatever terrible fever dream had spawned him.

I opened my eyes to find the forest clearing exactly as it had been.

Starshadow stood before me with Merriweather alongside her. “Are you alright, Night Flurry?”

Merri leaned her head in to examine me more closely. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Or Dusky making eyes at ya."

I blanched. "N-no... it... a ghost." I slowly looked at the bracer still held in my hooves. I let it drop and quickly stepped back. "B-Bellerophon... she called him that... h-he saw me."

Merri gasped. “Bellerophon!? ...Who’s that?”

Starshadow sighed. “Sister, please.” Her horn glowed, and a curved caliper of magic appeared before me.

I shrank back as the caliper opened and moved forward. Starshadow peered at me, and I felt a slight pressure against the sides of my head.

“No apparent mental damage. No magical disturbance.” She flashed her horn into my eyes. “Pupils are dilating normally. Can you describe what you experienced?”

With a sigh of relief as the caliper lifted away, I explained just what I’d seen in the odd vision, the castle hallway, the murals, the Queen, and Bellerophon. “He… was saying something… but I couldn't make it out. H-how long was I… um… g-gone?”

Merri waved a hoof, “Like, a hundred years! Oooooooo! Spooky! Right?”

Her sister sighed slightly, raising a hoof to her head. “You were not ‘gone’. You were here the entire time. However, you grew unresponsive for nearly forty-five seconds.”

I gaped at Merri, but took a deep breath as Star answered me truthfully. “W-well, that’s good… right? W-will… it happen again?” I looked down at the bracer lying upon the forest floor.

“It might…” Starshadow seemed to be deep in thought. “Your vision contained an eerily accurate depiction of our capital city’s throne room. I have only been there once, and that was before sister’s exile. Though, Queen Tapioca and Lord Bellerophon are long dead.”

Starshadow considered a moment longer. “I believe this to be a case of psychometry. A memory or event imprinted upon an object through magical means. It is not completely unheard of in my studies, though I have never personally witnessed somepony experiencing it.”

“I-is… is that bad? Psy-psycho...metry means… I’m crazy?”

Merri smiled wide behind her sister. “No more than the rest of us.”

Starshadow closed her eyes. “Merriweather, this is serious.” She leaned down, carefully picking up the bracer from where I’d dropped it.

“What? Just trying to lighten the mood, make the poor stallion stop worrying a moment.”

“I thought you said worry was part of his drive.” She spun the bracer in her hooves, examining every angle.

“Well yeah.” Merri shot me a wink. “But I don’t want it to drive him away.”

I gave Merri my best smile. “Err… thanks?”

Starshadow concluded her examination and returned the bracer to the ground in front of me. “I believe this may have simply been a unique experience, Night Flurry. There appears to be no trigger, no lingering magic, no cause. If it happens again… I suppose then we shall have to investigate more possibilities. Please, inform me immediately if you experience any other such incidents, yes?”

“O-of course…” Nervously, I eyed the bracer. “Are… are you sure you want me to have this? I… I feel like… I don’t know… like I deserve it anymore. Since, well... I’m… I’m n-not going to be a knight any more.”

The sisters exchanged looks, and Starshadow smiled. “Of course. It was intended as a gift, and so it remains. You may take it and do with it as you please.”

Slowly, I reached down, as if I expected the bracer to lash out like a snake. It didn't move, and eventually I gathered the nerve to take it. I weighed it upon my hoof for a moment, expecting the forest to fade away once more. Nothing happened. “Then… I suppose… I’ll see you around?”

Starshadow nodded. “We shall, of course. Does this mean you wish to end your training tonight?”

I stopped in mid-motion, “I… well… I assumed… I’m not a knight… so…”

She chuckled. “Your knighthood was never a condition of your training. You said it yourself, Night Flurry. You are our friend.”

Merri grinned. “Yeah! You said you want to protect your friends! Well, we don’t want to see anything bad happen to our friends either!”

“Including you.”

“And including Dusky~.”

“And so, I shall continue to train you, if you so desire.” Starshadow bowed her head. “No longer as a Knight of Ostfriesen, but as a friend.”

I glanced back and forth between them, eyes welling up with tears. To protect my friends. To honor them, and not deny the gifts I had been given. Not to die for them. Not to hurt them. Not to be a hero. It all felt so very... right. “Th-thank you… thank you both. Alright, back to training, then.”

22 - The Date

Merri and I returned to the hotel as the sun set over the ocean. We'd found a little cove, blocked from view of the hotels and tourists, and worked out through some simple sparring. Now, tired and soaked with sweat, the walk back along the shore was a good cooldown.

I shuffled aimlessly as the elevator climbed, and my thoughts turned to Dusky once again. I needed to ask her, Terra and Mahogany's planned party. I took a deep breath as the elevator opened to our floor.

Merri leaned into my ear as we started to walk. "You need me to wait while you knock?"

"Err, w-what?" I tilted my head towards her.

"You've been quiet. You get like that when you're trying to think of what to say. And there's only one pony you think that hard about what to say something to." She gave a meaningful glance down the hall, grinning.

The hall didn't stretch on nearly long enough. I slowed my pace to a halt. "Well... I... it's a lot to ask."

She rolled her eyes. "Pffft. Not as much as you might think. Go on. Knock. I won't even listen in, alright?"

"Well... I was going to anyways... but... if you're not standing there, I um... might be a little less nervous." I returned a shaky smile, knowing Merri meant the best.

Her horn glowed, and she slipped towards the door to her room. With one final nod and a wide smile, she mouthed. "Just do it!" and closed the door slowly.

I took a deep breath, and knocked at Dusky's door once again. "Um... Dusky? You in there?"

The hallway silence weighed upon me. It'd be just my luck that she wouldn't be back in yet. I gave the door another knock.

Unexpectedly, her voice came from behind me. "Oh, hi, Night. Did you need something?"

I turned slowly and froze. Dusky shone as she neared, a thin sheen of water clinging to her coat. "I... um, wh-whoa..." Once again, I was struck by just how beautiful she was.

"I, um... y-yeah! Hey, Dusky. I was, um... downstairs, looking at all the stuff and, um... well, I had... we had this idea." I sighed, frantically trying to pull myself together.

She smiled glancing over me. "Oh? Find something interesting?"

"Kind of? It, um... Mahogany and Terra, and—" I blinked as I noticed Starshadow standing just behind Dusky, "—a-and Merri and Starshadow, of course! Well um... they want to do a little get-together. Just... all of us, there to hang out. So... I, um... I wanted to ask you."

She glanced back at Starshadow and giggled. "That sounds like fun. Count me in."

My relief was palpable. "Ok! Um... Terra said she'd get a private room, and, um... Mahogany said he had drinks taken care of... so... they said I just needed to be sure to bring you."

She grinned. "How thoughtful. Do you want to go out and get some food before we meet up with them?"

"Err... d-do I? I mean, yeah! Sure! Mahogany had mentioned drinks, but nothing to eat. A quick bite would probably be for the best if we'll be spending the night in the bar. Did, um... you have anywhere in mind?"

She shook her head. "I haven't really looked around town yet."

I frowned. I should have thought of that, but I was planning to look around tomorrow when I went searching for a gift box. "I... I haven't, either. I guess we'll just have to find somewhere close. Wherever you'd prefer."

Her expression grew dark a moment, like she was thinking through a difficult problem, then broke back into a smile. "I'll find us somewhere nice. We can head out a little earlier, before we meet everyone at the bar."

Merri's head peeked back out from the door. "Did somepony say 'Bar'? Count me in!"

Starshadow glanced at Merri with a barely concealed grin. "If you heard that, then you know we were invited, Sister."

"Right! Perfect! We'll see ya then!" Merri disappeared back into her room as rapidly as she'd appeared.

I blinked. "She, um... said she wasn't going to listen in..."

Star shook her head. "Sister sometimes has difficulty with her word. We shall see you both later."

Dusky waved her off. "Have a good night, Star. I'm going to shower off and get ready for bed."

I was suddenly aware of just how terrible I must have looked, covered in sand and sweat as I was. "Um... yeah. Me too.."

Starshadow opened the door to her room and was answered by a muffled oof.

Merri tried to sound innocent from inside the room. "What? He said he'd be more nervous if I was standing there listening in! What?!"

Starshadow sighed, "Come, Merriweather. Leave them be for tonight."

"Fiiiine! I already learned what I needed to know, anyway~." She shot me a wink as Starshadow closed the door behind them.

I shifted slightly and brought my eyes up to meet Dusky's. "A-alright, then. See you tomorrow?"

“Yeah.” Dusky opened her hotel room and stepped inside, turning her head back. "I'll come get you once I'm ready."

"Then... i-it's a date."

She grinned as she closed the door. "So it is."

I spent the next morning attempting to keep myself together. I felt my heart fluttering at the infinite possibilities of what tonight might bring, while my mind raced through a list of all the things that could go wrong.

Mahogany came up behind me. "What you should do is get out of here for awhile. Go walk the town."

I wrinkled my nose, guessing how his day was planned out. "Like find a bar?"

He grinned wide. "Aw c'mon, Flurry! It's the ocean! I'm gonna go swim. May as well make use of this fake vacation."

My thoughts drifted towards the ocean. It had been so impressive yesterday, though I still needed to prepare for tonight. "Well, I need to find a box for um... a gift."

"Oh? Standard shipping box? Did you pack it yourself or do you require packing peanuts? Bubble wrap? Delivery receipt? Total'll come to twenty five bits, please." He gave me the biggest, most forced grin I've ever seen.

"Err... I was thinking a gift box." I carefully brought out the sand dollar and grinned awkwardly. "Just... to give this."

He blinked.

"Oh. Right. Beach. I can't even get away from it here." He glanced at the shell and nodded. "Yeah, fine. A nice velvet-lined box, and maybe a card. Classy."

I smiled, picturing it in my mind. Still, there were Terra’s warnings to consider. "But um, not fancy?"

Mahogany laughed. "Nah, not fancy at all. Classy is totally different. You want classy. And you, Night Flurry, are the classiest."

Classy. I could do classy. "Alright then, classy it is."

I found a box without much issue, a little wooden one, lined with a simple blue velvet lining that would cushion the sand dollar. The ponies running the store looked at me strangely when I'd picked it out without anything to put in it.

It was difficult to believe there wasn't a suit shop anywhere along the shopping area. All I could find was shops for sun hats and bathing suits, for the ponies who enjoyed wearing some kind of fashion on the beach. There was nowhere I could be fitted for something ‘classy’ at all.

I'd wrapped up the gift box in a simple wrapping paper, then slipped into the bathroom, cleaning up as best I could. I'd never been one to worry about how I looked before, but I needed to be sure I at least looked presentable. An untangled mane, fresh coat, brushed teeth.

The anticipation in the air felt different than ever before. A nervous excitement that spun through my mind, keeping all my fears at bay. Despite that, I still jumped when I heard the knock at the door.

I opened the door, wholly unable to keep the grin from my face.

There she stood, wearing her scarf, of course. The color seemed faded, but that only made her mane stand out all the more, the hair hanging loose and unbound with a tiny flower set onto a hair band.

"H-hi, Dusky!" I had to stop myself from cringing at my stutter. So strange that I wanted to make a good first impression, when we’d already known each other for months.

"Hi, Night." She smiled warmly. "Ready to eat?"

I nodded quickly. "A-absolutely!"

She turned, motioning with a hoof to the elevator. “Let’s get going, then.”

With a glance back at me, she lead the way.

I hiked up my flight satchel, making sure the gift box was secured, then followed. "S-so, um, you found someplace to eat?"

She pressed the button and nodded. "I think I found someplace fairly simple, hopefully that's alright with you."

"Y-yeah. Simple is good. Whatever sounds good to you." We stepped into the elevator and headed down.

"I'd prefer not to pay a small fortune for Canterlot portions." She looked back and grinned. "I found someplace a little homelier."

In short order, we arrived at a pleasant looking pasta restaurant adorned with neat little lanterns around the border of their windows and door. Stepping inside, Dusky raised a wing, holding up two primaries to the pony behind a small table. "For two, please."

Inside, a large common room surrounded a central fireplace, with rounded tables covered in striped table cloths, and cushions set upon the ground. It all looked far more inviting than anything else around the hotel. The server took our drink orders, then moved off, leaving us together in the low lantern light and the reflection of the flickering flames.

I took a deep breath. "I... you... Dusky. You, um... you look good tonight. Y-your mane, that is. It's... nice."

My cheeks burned as a I fumbled for a menu.

"Thanks, Night." I felt her eyes on me. "You're looking pretty good, yourself."

As if I wasn't red enough, but I managed to push out a laugh. "I... I barely did anything. But, thank you."

The waitress returned with our drinks, a water for Dusky, and a kettle of hot water and tea for myself. We placed our orders, and as I poured the water over the leaves, the scent of the chamomile helped me relax.

I glanced at the fire place, then back to Dusky. She was watching me with a faint smile on her face. "This is nice."

Dusky nodded, shifting in place. "Just being in here makes me feel like I'm relaxing on a sofa."

Letting myself sink into the cushion as well, I chuckled. "Not fancy at all. We should tell Terra about this place."

She giggled. "Yeah. Finally, a place where we can get her to eat without being on the verge of a heart attack."

I glanced down, pulling my flight satchel closer. "I... I, um... I wanted to do something else for you. I mean... it's our first d-date. So..." I lifted the box up, and slid it towards her.

"You got me a present?" She raised an eyebrow, taking it carefully.

"Its um... its nothing special. Just, something I found." I swallowed the lump in my throat as she unwrapped the package.

Her tone wasn't accusatory, but tinted with what sounded almost disappointed. "Still, you shouldn't have."

I lowered my ears.

"I know... just... it made me think of you." I glanced up as she opened the box. "I found it on the beach. And, that was a first. The beach, and ocean. The world. It's something beautiful, and there's so much I haven't seen. That's just a little piece of it. So... I wanted to share it with you. As... as a thank you."

Dusky was quiet as I stared at the table. At last, her voice cut through our silence. "It's very pretty. Thank you, Night."

"L-like I said... just something I found." I looked up a bit sheepishly. "I mean, it's probably nothing to you. I'm sure you've been to beaches before."

"I have." She nodded slowly, as she carefully lifted the sand dollar. "But every beach is different. And everyone sees them differently."

I tilted my head. "Oh? Really? Well, what was it like for you? This beach. Or... or the first beach you ever saw?"

Surprisingly, she shrank down a little in her seat. "Well, I was just a foal, so I don't remember much, but I think it involved a lot of splashing."

I blinked, the image of a young Dusky, splashing carelessly in the water. I couldn't help but laugh at how absurd it seemed. "It's hard to picture you like that, just... an over-excited filly."

"I guess that’s just how curious, young people do it." She smirked, sounding almost nostalgic. "Just try it out and see what happens."

This was something I hadn't quite seen in her before. A wonderful curiosity, which surely explained some of her desire to travel. I smiled at her as the waitress returned with our meals, linguine with grilled vegetables for me, a bowl of penne for Dusky.

As we began to eat, Dusky poked about her own bowl of pasta, nibbling slowly at first. Oddly, I thought of that bit of curiosity in her. It’s right there, just below the surface in the smallest little ways.

She was about to raise another noodle to her mouth when instead she glanced at me. "So, tell me a bit more about yourself, Night. Besides your Dad, I don't know much about your family. What are they like?"

I swallowed my pasta and stopped. "My... family? Well... I mean, you met my Dad. He's fine. So's my Mom." My ears lowered back. "And... my sisters are... complicated."

She tilted her head. "How so?"

"Well... I was the youngest, and the only colt. And... kind of a waste." I frowned, lost for a moment before I shook it off. "I mean... Sun was already moved out when I was born. Mint was always my friend, but once she joined the Guard, I barely saw her... and Diamond and Spring didn't want me around."

"They didn't?"

"Well, that's what I thought. But... that night. When you got," I paused, not wanting to start up here, and knowing how vivid those memories were. "I-injured... Spring was there. She said they all missed me."

Dusky smiled. "Aw, I guess that's the thing about family. Even if they're rough on you at times, they still love you."

"Y-yeah... I suppose... I kinda miss them too. I didn't realize it until I saw Spring again." I gave a weak smile. "But, I don't know if I can ever open that door again."

"Well, why not? You said Spring came looking for you, right?" She considered a moment, aimlessly poking at her pasta. "What about Mint? You said you two were always friends."

Mint had always been the most painful part of my decision to leave the family. "I made a promise to her... the day she left to join the Guard. One day, I promised I'd join her, and we'd fight side by side."

I shrugged. Dusky knew how that ended.

She chewed a moment, watching me. "Do you think she holds that against you? You know your father doesn't."

That gave me pause as well. "I... don't know. Maybe someday..."

She nodded. "I'm sure you will. You're stronger than you think."

She said that like it was obvious.

I chewed thoughtfully on my linguine. Warm food to warm the soul, my mother had said. My eyes moved to Dusky, and slowly, I felt my mouth turn back to a smile.

"Dusky... I, um... I'm glad that I met you."

Her own smile grew as well. "Likewise, Night Light."

We sat in the golden light of the fireplace and enjoyed dinner before preparing to head out to meet our friends. The waning sunlight filtering down, casting everything in a low red and orange, and the scent of seawater pervaded the air. The sounds of the city about to kick off its nightlife surrounded us, but it was all drowned out by the wonder of that moment, and the mare who’d chosen to share it with me.

35 - Open Positions

A single drop of water emerged from the spigot. It seemed nervous, there was a big world out here for it to face, outside of the massive tank of water where it had been stored. At last, it released its stubborn grip and plummeted down into the unknown.

I caught the lone tear in a tiny dish just for this purpose. Then, I carefully lowered it down into a jet of cold air, and pressed my hoof down to, ever so gently, shift the water. With just a touch of magic, I felt the water's shape stretch out and solidify. I lifted my hoof and held up a single perfect snowflake.

"Haven't lost your touch, eh?" Blizzard Breeze stepped up besides me to admire my hoofwork.

With a grin, I delicately set the snowflake down in the queue. From there, it'd be sent along with any others made today, and eventually reach the careful eyes of the quality inspectors. "I wouldn't deserve my cutie mark if I couldn't make a snowflake."

Bree laughed. "If you say so. I know quite a few weather ponies who can buck clouds, but wouldn't know a dendrite from a plate snowflake, and probably don't care."

I stepped away from the water tank and adjusted my helmet. The Cloudsdale Weather Factory issued work coats, helmets, and protective eye-wear to any ponies before they were allowed to enter, though I admit I’d never seen a pony injured by an errant rain cloud. "Well, it's not that important to know, I just like snow."

"You have passion, Night." She put a hoof to my side and smiled. "Absolutely nothing wrong with that."

We continued our walk through the factory, staying out of the way of the workers as they hurried about. They were busy managing the clouds and directing water to regulate rain across Equestria. Others were mixing rainbows and creating snow to store for the winter, and just about anything else weather related.

I'd only been to the factory proper a few times before, mostly on personal tours. Any pony who'd grown up in Cloudsdale had been there at least once, usually on a field trip in school. A good portion of the city’s population worked for the factory in some regard. For me, today, the trip was work related as well.

"There's no real applicants for the night shift in Ponyville." She opened the door to one of the record halls. "Though, to be fair, you've not opened an actual position."

I dipped my ears as we walked into the long hall of filing cabinets. "Well, that's mostly my fault. Things got... busy."

"Well, it's fine. And I'm listening to your recommendation on this one, but if she doesn't seem to be up to the task, we'll have to search elsewhere." Bree's eyes traced across the cabinets until she located the right one, flying up to open the drawer.

"Yeah, no problem. I'm confident she can do the—" My jaw dropped as Bree lifted the file out. it was easily three times as thick as any other file, crammed full of papers.

Bree raised an eyebrow, giving me a sidelong glance as she lowered back down with the file. "You sure?"

I nodded. "Err... yeah. I'm sure it's not as bad as it seems."

Spring Showers. We flipped open the folder to find a mix of minor disciplinary notes and transfer requests. Position after position within the weather factory, she’d transferred from job to job at an alarming rate.

I checked the date on the most recent transfer. “Well, it seems she stopped jumping about just over a year ago. She must have found a position she liked.”

Bree frowned. “Or she gave up.” She lifted one of the pages, reading through it. “Pranks and general horseplay. Nopony ever got hurt, her supervisors weren't even angry, just asking her to focus on her work a bit more.”

“Well, that certainly sounds like Spring. Except the giving up part.” I sighed. “Though, Mint did say she’d been in a rut.”

“Maybe this assignment will do her good. If she’s willing to take it.”

I hoped she would. Both because it’d give me somepony I could trust as an employee, as well as, just maybe, bringing my sister and I closer together. “I don’t know. I don’t want her to take the job because she feels like she owes me. Spring’s work with clouds is as good as mine with snow.”

“Makes ya wonder why she stopped here.” Bree gave me a strange look. “Maybe underestimating yourself runs in the family.”

“Well… maybe.” No more of that, though. If I was able to get to a point in my life where I could see myself as more, maybe I could help Spring do that too.

Good to her word, Merri insisted on buying a round for the table when we next met at the Lusty Seapony. Whiskey, cider, Mahogany's buzzards, she even took care of getting tea for me. There was something comforting in just everypony being back together. There was something else comforting too.

Dusky sat close beside me, sipping at her cider. She'd been released from the clinic with a clean bill of health and no more traces of Ghost Petal.

Across the table was Terrabona, grinning like a madmare. "So, you two are just, a thing now, out in the open, eh?"

Dusky giggled. "I think you already know the answer to that, don't you?"

"Well, I just wanted to say it's about time!" Terra raised her glass, thrusting it into the air before she leaned it back to drink.

"Yeah, but it was funnier when Flurry was all embarrassed and Dusky didn't know he existed," Mahogany spoke into his buzzard glass. "You ask me, it's a step backwards, comedy-wise."

Terra snorted. "Bah, you're thinking about it all wrong, Mahogany! There are fresh new ways to embarrass Flurry now! Like kissing! How much have they kissed? And for how long?"

Laughing loudly, Merri leaned in and grinned. "At least once we've seen. Really long one too~."

I felt my face blush, but didn't care. After what we'd been through, that wasn't going to stop me anymore. I leaned towards Dusky and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Well, um... there's one more."

Dusky responded with a giggle and my smile grew. She leaned against me.

Mahogany rolled his eyes. "They're so pwecious! So cyoot! So... saccharine. Bleh."

Terra prodded at Mahogany. "Well, I'm happy for you two at least. Another Terrabona success story."

"Alright, Terra. Thank you for all your hard work." Dusky stuck her tongue out.

"Damn right." She turned her gaze from us towards Mahogany, Merri, and Starshadow. "Two down. Three to go."

Starshadow glanced up from her book. "I will pass, thank you."

"Awww, come on! I bet I can hook you up with so—"

"Mahogany Forest!" A great shout cut through the bar. A pegasus stormed towards our table.

He was solidly built. His coat was dark brown, and a gray mustache sat over his lip, impeccably trimmed in a fashion to match his straight-groomed mane. His face was stuck somewhere between rage and disgust as he slammed his hoof on the table. "Celestia's Hell, Mahogany, I was afraid I'd find you in some rundown slum and I can see I was right."

Mahogany, meanwhile, had shrank down in his seat, ears folding back.

"Hey, now. No need to shout." Terra turned to shoot the stallion a glare. "We were trying to have a pleasant conversation before you interrupted."

He stared back. "Ma'am, I am this colt's father. I can interrupt any time I choose."

Dusky straightened in her seat. "Well, perhaps it would be best to move into the back room to—"

He cut her off. "He's my Son, and I'll speak to him where I damn well want to."

I glanced over at Mahogany, who sat quietly, face down at the table. His voice was surprisingly low. "Guys... don't."

"Right. At least the colt still has some sense. I'm here for a simple conversation with my son. It's my privilege as his father."

Mahogany sighed. "What do you want, Dad?"

"Hmph. Some respect first. And an apology, for wasting years of your life out here, when you should have been back home, helping your family."

"Dad, I don't want anything to do with the company."

"Well, you've had your chance. It's been four, almost five years? You've moped around in this backwater wasting your time in this bar with these little friends, but now it's time to admit your mistakes and come home."

Mahogany's mouth moved, but he just nodded.

"You've wasted all your time on that terrible job, but at least your boss had the sense to call me when you failed to show up for a whole month, and again when you failed to show up last week."

Dusky leaned forward to catch his eye. "Sir, in case you haven’t noticed, Mahogany is a full-grown stallion—one capable of making his own choices."

"He's a child. He could barely make it through school, and when I offered him real responsibility, he ran. He's been running ever since. Usually into a bottle. And I'm done tolerating his crap. It's time to go home."

"H-home?" Mahogany rocked in his seat.

"Home. Time to leave your filthy little apartment, and your pointless job and gray nothing life with these so-called friends behind." His father straightened slightly, raising his head. "You've got a position to fill, and a purpose greater than the pathetic little box on your flank. Now come on. Your little vacation is over."

Mahogany looked awful, the color drained from his face. He slumped down lower, but on the table, his hooves were shaking.

Terra stood up, pointing a hoof at the stallion. "It's not a vacation! It's his life! Do you have any idea what he's been through?"

"Do you have any idea what he's put me through?" He snorted and stepped over to Mahogany, then grabbed his mane by the teeth, pulling him from his seat. "I've got train tickets for the eight-thirty train home. Come on, Mahogany."

Dusky tensed besides me, and I prepared to follow her lead.

"No." Mahogany barely croaked out the word as he pulled himself from the floor.

Birch looked over at his son with a look of fury I could never imagine on my own dad's face. "I'm sorry, did you just tell me no?"

Mahogany's voice cracked, but there was confidence creeping in now. "I did, yeah. I'm not going to come back with you."

"You're not serious." He looked at each of us, pointing a hoof across the bar. "You're throwing away your only chance for what? For this? For these so-called friends? You're in a gutter, Mahogany, and they're just draggi—"

"Shut up!" Mahogany spun, his hoof flailed at his father, and it struck hard with a crack against his father's jaw. He stopped inches from his father, face to face with him as he shouted. "You've ruined every good thing in my life. All you ever cared about was the company, the company, the company! You've never cared about anything I wanted, or that I could be!"

His father was enraged, spitting out a thin line of blood. "I am your father! You can't treat me like that! I'm not afraid to teach you a harsher lesson, if you refuse to listen."

"Better ponies than you have taken shots, Birch." Mahogany took another step forward, standing his ground. "You're a monster, and you're no father of mine. You, sir, are no White Riot."

The insult meant far more to Mahogany than it did to his father, who just snorted in disdain. In the corner of my eye, I saw Dusky’s frown deepen, that name surely invoked bad memories. I stretched a wing out, gently brushing against her in as comforting a motion as I could manage.

The two stared at one another, on the brink of violence, and nopony seemed able to make a move.

At last, Birch Forest stepped back, sneering. "You think this is over? You think you've won? Fine, let me give you what you've always wanted." He stepped towards the exit. "As is my right as patriarch of the Forest family, I cast you out! As of today, you forfeit your shares of the company, your inheritance, and your family name! Choke on your miserable little life."

He turned and shoved his way out the door, the whole bar staring after him.

Mahogany deflated as noise slowly came back into the bar. "Never wanted to be one of you anyways."

Our group stared in silence as the bar returned to its normal level of noise. Terra spoke first. "Whoa... damn, Mahogany..."

He moved back to his seat and unceremoniously flopped down. "That was the hardest thing I've ever done."

I had always known Mahogany had issues with his family, we'd talked about it before, but perhaps I'd let my own family experiences cloud just how different we were. "He's wrong, Mahogany..."

He let out a grim laugh. "He's wrong about a lot of things, but so am I, usually."

I nodded. "Well, sometimes. But you're not worthless... and we are your friends. We'll support you."

Dusky moved closer to Mahogany and gave him a light hug. "Just like you've supported us."

48 - Alone Again

The dark smoke dissipated slowly, as if the magic itself was stubbornly clinging to this world, but eventually it faded entirely. In its wake stood Firetail, Or at least, his body.

The earth pony's dim white coat had once glowed in the flames of the forge, now it had been washed out in a pale blue, disturbingly similar to my own coat, but his mane a bright sky blue. He removed the gaudy plumed helmet and set it down at his hooves, looking around the gathered ponies.

I cringed. I glanced down at my hooves, the idle horror passing through my mind of just how easily he'd done that. Firetail had died, Broken Tooth dragging his mind, his spirit, his self screaming into the same magical abyss that had consumed the dragon. To the others, it must have seemed like he'd only collapsed, but they hadn't been able to see things like I had.

Bellerophon stretched his neck, tilting his head back then forth. "Ahhh. Such an odd feeling. Another unfamiliar body, and no wings. That shall take time to adjust to."

Amethyst Vein and the others, save perhaps Old Ed, all stared on with wide eyes. At last, Amethyst lifted a spear and cautiously stepped forward, voice betraying her doubt. "Is this a trick? Who are you? Firetail? Lord Bellerophon? I... I won't let this farce repeat."

He stepped forward towards the tip of her blade, bending down on his forelegs to kneel and letting the tip of the spear all but rest against his throat. "I was once Swift Wing, who took the title Lord Bellerophon, First Knight of Queen Tapioca, Justicar of Ostfriesen. But now, I renounce all those titles, all those legacies, and bow to you."

Amethyst Vein let the spear drop from his throat. "You are Lord Bellerophon. Y-you can't just renounce! We need you! You're—"

"I'm an old fool, who let his anger rule him for far too long." Bellerophon rose once more, but kept his head bowed respectfully. "I will be a guide, Lady Amethyst, but little more. I wish to see Olymponis restored, but not through war and conquest as Firetail wished, nor the bloodshed which Broken Tooth intended."

Old Ed laughed from his position against the stone bench, he tried to rise, but a cough wracked his body, sending him back down. Still, he spoke firmly, a far cry from the old guard who'd first met us at the gate. "I've served your family line as long as I can remember. Always, you've treated your position with respect, and those under your rule, fairly. I would serve no other, be they noble lord or prophesied hero."

"On that, I agree. No more prophecies." Bellerophon looked up. "No more oracles. It is time that you simply do what is best for Olymponis, and its people."

Amethyst shook her head. "I don't even know where to begin. I'm no noble, I'm just..." She turned to look out at the soldiers who'd come with her to battle. Wounded, tired, they'd all stopped to watch.

"What do they need?" Bellerophon asked.

She pursed her lips. "Food. Good food, better than the scraps and mushrooms we've had. Supplies too, so we can repair the city. We also lack good healers and medicine."

Bellerophon smiled. "You know better than I what your people want. What they need. I will help." He let out a sigh, and sounded tired beyond just exhaustion. "For as long as necessary."

Amethyst Vein lowered her head. She closed her eyes, and no one spoke in the pregnant silence. "Very well."

I started as a sudden cheer filled the chamber. Bellerophon was a mythical savior to them, a figure of hope, but Amethyst Vein was one of them, and it seemed she was much more than just a title.

There wouldn’t be anymore bloodshed, at least. My mind started to drift towards the images of the dead, but I shook my head.

“And you.” Amethyst Vein stepped towards me. “You have our thanks. You returned Lord Bellerophon to us, and through him, delivered us from this oppression. We owe you much.”

I stepped back, “You don’t owe me anything. I... I’m just glad it’s over.”

“Nothing? Surely, we can find something for you. Some weapon, or armor. The old vaults still have some items from the Forge. A new hoofblade, or perhaps a—”

“N-no, please. Nothing.” My head dipped away. “I don’t want anything.”

Starshadow cleared her throat, stepping between us. “What Night means to say is that we accept your offer most humbly, but our journey home will be quite difficult. If you could see to our supply needs, that would be an incredible boon.”

Amethyst Vein nodded, though her eyes continued to watch me, some disappointment in here gaze. “As I’ve said, we haven’t a great deal of foodstuffs, though I believe we may find plenty of good rations when we examine the quarters where Firetail’s rabble were housed.”

Starshadow bowed, “Whatever you can spare will be more than enough, Thank you Lady Amethyst.”

“Dame Starshadow, a moment.” Bellerophon set a hoof to his jaw, pondering. “I do not believe there would be reason for you and your sister to return to Equestria.”

“What do you mean?” Starshadow raised an eyebrow.

Merriweather moved up alongside her sister, not quite limping, but definitely still not to one hundred percent. “Yeah, Belly? I was exiled. For sleeping with err… well, you? Kinda gross now that you’re in there.”

He nodded. “Precisely. The accusations made against you, Dame Merriweather, can now be cleared quite decisively. In fact, your part in this battle shall surely prove that you had Ostfriesen’s best interests in mind—not only in preventing civil war, but in securing a new ally. I am certain your Queen will be very pleased to hear of your exploits.”

Merri bit her lip, glancing over at Star. “Sis’… do you think...?”

“Very likely, yes.” Star’s head tilted upwards, her eyes closed. “With Bellerophon’s unique circumstances and the considerable evidence of Firetail’s misdeeds, there is almost certainly enough evidence to clear your name.”

“Oh… well, that’s uh, great, eh Sis’?” Merri smiled, but her voice didn’t exactly sound enthusiastic. “We can go home.”

“Even in the meantime, I am sure that Regent Amethyst would be willing to allow you to stay here.” Bellerophon glanced at Amethyst Vein, who nodded in response. I doubted there was much Bellerophon could ask for which she wouldn’t allow him at this moment.

Still, it was sobering. We’d come all this way to save Merri, and we’d done it, but, she wouldn’t be coming back with us. I suppose that was good for her and Star, this was their home, after all. If there was anything I could appreciate about their situation now, it was the homesickness.

We’d not even been gone that long, and I wanted to be home in Equestria. Ostfriesen was beautiful in many ways, but so frightening and strange in others. If I were Merri or Star, I’d surely feel the same about Equestria.

Merri took a breath and nodded. “Well, good. Everything turned out great, then. We got Night all de-possessed, and we get to go home.”

Star frowned. “Sister, are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. We’ve done more harm than good in Equestria, anyway. I mean, first Terra, then Flurry.” Merri looked towards me with an apologetic smile. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been properly pampered anyways.”

“Very well, then.” Star returned to her more formal pose, dipping her head. “I am honored, Lord Bellerophon, that you would make such a consideration on our behalf, but I am afraid I must decline.”

Merri nodded gravely, then tilted her head as what Star said registered. “Wait, what? Sis’?”

Starshadow turned back to her sister with a smile. “I long to see home, and it would do my heart good to know that I could return someday. For that, I would be most thankful. However, for now, my sister and I have found a new home in Equestria. It may not be where we were born, or what we are familiar with, but it is quite peaceful, and we have found ourselves quite fortunate to have several wonderful friends. Friends who are willing to cross over deadly badlands, fight terrible creatures, and brave the darkest of situations to save those they love. It would be a disservice to abandon them.”

“Sis’…” Merri looked at me once again and nodded, then gave Dusky a wink. “You guys are too much~.”

For as exhausted as she looked, Dusky managed a smile in return. “If you want to be pampered, I’ll take you to the Ponyville spa once we’re home.”

Merri laughed. “It’s a deal.”

“Dusky?” Starshadow stood watching her carefully. “Are you okay?”

Exhausted, disgusted, so completely over our limits, Amethyst Vein had us escorted to the sleeping quarters in the Keep, where Firetail’s loyalists had been housed. Though it was a far cry from home, the clean room and beds were welcome sights for all of us. Honestly, I was too tired to care where they’d put us, and more than a little distracted by the blessed experience of being alone with my thoughts.

To complicate things further, Dusky had insisted she lead a group out of the mountain to recover the patrol mare we’d tied up on the journey in. The mare had been alive, if not terribly happy, but she’d recover. Dusky had returned, and much like the rest of us, she’d immediately gone to the bed, exhausted.

Now, Dusky stirred to face Star, her expression distant. “Yeah, sorry. I must have zoned out a bit.”

Star bowed her head. “Perhaps it was too soon to go out.”

I shifted to look past her, to study Dusky carefully. She looked awful, face tired and coat messy, but that reflected all of us at this point. There was something else, though—a look I’d started to notice in her eyes when she had been dwelling on something. Something was bothering her, and I’d been too tired to notice, causing a pang of guilt.

Dusky shook her head. “No, that mare had already been tied up for nearly two days. If one of us hadn’t guided the rescue party, it might have been too late. Besides, I’m not the one who had to fight off an ancient dragon’s super magic.”

In the bed behind me, Merri spoke up. “Is that what’s bothering you?”

Dusky almost slumped in place, letting out a tired sigh. “You could say that. I was able to guess what was going on at times, but when things got more intense, it was like trying to watch an invisible fight. There was nothing I could do—I was kind of just... there.”

“I’m glad you were there!” I shifted forward in the bed, to look at her, speaking before I thought. I felt the heat rise in my face as I tried to gather my thoughts. “I… I mean, wh-when Broken Tooth was attacking me, I thought I might break, but just knowing you were there… it made me stronger.”

“Thanks, Night.” Some of that worry seemed to fall away as she grinned. Her gaze lingered on me, almost as if she had more to say, but all it it did was make me blush harder.

Star interrupted the moment, drawing Dusky’s attention back. “If you want an explanation, I can give you one, but the details are a bit complex.”

Merri snickers. “Just leave all the in-depth spell theory out, Sis’, geez.”

With a dark look, Star rolled her eyes at Merri. “I was not going to go in depth.”

It was a moment of annoyance that I could relate to, in a way. Star was nothing like her sister, and those differences were pronounced at times, even causing conflict, but as much as Merri poked fun at Star, the two still loved each other deeply. I couldn’t help but smile, an image of my own sisters coming to mind.

Dusky was smiling wider as well, watching the two. “I’d appreciate it.”

Star nodded and assumed a more somber expression. “It all began with a mind-link spell. It was a stronger version than any I have heard of. More dangerous as well.”

I shuddered. The Dragon’s very presence had been like an inky blackness in my head, and worse—when I’d been out of my body.

Dusky seemed just as affected, and I almost wanted to ask what it’d felt like from the outside. “You’re talking about the results of the final clash?”

“Precisely.” Star pursed her lips. “From what I could observe, there was no limit on the amount of energy that could pass between the link, something that could result in a long list of feedback accidents—or what Broken Tooth did. No sane mage would willingly employ such a spell.”

“Then that dumbass replicated the spell without knowing what it was.” Merri settled back down into her bed, stretching.

“The case for his sanity was always questionable at best.” Star sighed, shaking her head. “Somehow, I do not think knowing would have stopped him.”

There was one glaring issue with all of that, though, which struck me out of the blue. “Wait, wasn’t Firetail an earth pony?”

Dusky flinched, and gave me a strange, apologetic look. “He was a Shadow Walker. They sacrifice part of themselves to wield powerful magic, regardless of species, race, or natural ability.”

Star closed her eyes. “In Ostfriesen, they are known as Warlocks.”

“Or Soul Strippers or Hornless Hexers,” Merri called out.

Star turned back towards us with a sigh. “Could you be serious for a second?”

“I am! Those names are what they are for a reason!”

I shuddered. Bellerophon had been extremely skilled, even without magic, but the cost for that power was… annihilation. To inflict it on yourself, willingly? “Why? Why would anypony ever do that?”

Dusky strained. “Because for some people, power is the only thing that matters.”

Power as its own ends. Even at the expense of who they were? The spell Broken Tooth had weaved was as insidious as the dragon was insane. The idea of a pony willingly giving up a part of themselves for that kind of power was just as insane, yet I’d just lived through the proof of it.

Star cleared her throat before she spoke again, but I couldn’t look up at her as she continued. “Anyway, these connections, dangerous as they were, would theoretically allow him to transfer his mind—an act that could shatter it in several ways.”

Shattered. Lost. Destroyed. I’d seen the edge of that abyss. I’d clawed at it, desperate and terrified. What power was worth even risking that kind of fate? The claustrophobia of being so far underground was nothing compared to the unease that ate at my mind as they spoke.

Dusky grew quiet. “Seems like hardly an obstacle when he was insane from the start.”

“Quite likely.” Star continued onward like a professor giving a lesson. “In fact, I am convinced that Bellerophon’s transfer to the bracer was his prototype for this task. As for Firetail, like the brute he was, he only used the channel to throw around his weight. Once Broken Tooth was wounded, it became clear just who was the real master of that tactic.”

Dusky’s shifted. “But not master enough to win against you, Merri and Bellerophon, right?”

In the bed behind me, I heard Merri cough.

Star laughed quietly. “Were that so, we would not have struggled so much. We were on the defensive the entire time, weathering the storm. What happened to Broken Tooth, he did to himself. I cannot say for certain, but while Old Ed hit a vital spot, the wound was not so deep as to be inevitably fatal. Had he been able to seek help, it is possible he would have survived. But, by then, he had already turned his allies against him. Even if he had not, I somehow do not think he would have accepted aid from the ponies he so hated. Instead, he seemed to draw from his life force, much like Firetail, converting all of it into magic. I very much believe that when he said he was going to take us all with him, he fully intended to destroy everypony and everything in that room.”

Everyone would have died, because of me. Every step of this journey had been because of a decision I’d made, a choice I’d made, hoping to be stronger, hoping that I could do something. Most disturbing of all was just how accustomed I'd grown to the thought that Bellerophon had become a part of me. I'd gotten so used to it, it had felt normal. I was no better than Firetail, and that horrified me. In that moment, I just needed to get out of there before I screamed.

I stood from the bed slowly, shakily. "I... I need to step outside… s-sorry." Without waiting for a response, I moved out the door of the guest quarters.

Were I back home, I'd find a cloud and take it as high as I could and hide up in the atmosphere, as close to the moon as I could get. Here, underneath a mountain with no sky, no weather, I felt lost. I weaved through the corridor blindly, until I reached a balcony of some sort, but the view did nothing to help.

Tired, scared, and disgusted with myself, I curled up and let all the emotion bottled up inside me vent out into sobs. I didn't even hear the hoofsteps as they approached.

"I'm sorry." Dusky sat next to me, brushing a wing across my back.

"Y-you're sorry?" It was so ludicrous, I had to laugh. With entirely too much effort, I pushed myself up onto my haunches, glancing over at her. "This... this is all my fault. If I hadn't been so reckless, so stupid, a lot of ponies wouldn't be... wouldn't be d-dead."

Dusky lowered her head. "That's not your fault. This was going to end in violence, one way or another. I just hope that bringing Bellerophon here saved more lives than were lost."

I nodded, but it was easy enough to say that. There were still the lives I knew had been taken. There was that guard, the first to fall, when the guards had approached us in the hall, and I'd given Bellerophon control. I gave him my body. He'd done what he had to, but I'd known exactly what he was planning and still I'd given him control. I couldn't shake the guilt.

He wasn't the first pony I'd killed, White Riot would always stand out as the first life I'd taken. This pony, though I would never learn his name, would always stand out to me. I hadn't killed him myself, but I had just as surely allowed him to die.

"Night? Night, it's okay. Just take a deep breath, alright?" Dusky's wing stretched out once more, wrapping around to embrace me.

I took a deep breath. In, then out. "I came so close to losing it all, Dusky. I didn't even know what it would be like, to just... t-to let go, to lose myself, and then... then when everything was over, he was standing there, in Firetail, and... th-that could have been me."

Dusky's wing hug quickly turned into a full hug. "But it's not. It's over now."

"Y-yeah. Yeah." I slumped in her grasp. "I... I wanted this. I thought, this would make me worthwhile, make me a better pony. Part of me believed it... p-part of me believed maybe... maybe I should just let Bellerophon take control."

"That's not true." Her voice grew quiet as she squeezed tight. "That's your old self-doubt talking. When it starts saying that, just remember that you're Night Light, and there's no one else I would rather you be than yourself."

She was right. Through all that fear, deep down, I was still myself. Bellerophon was gone and I was still Night Light. I hugged back, just letting the warmth of her body press against me. There was still a lot of pain. I wouldn’t get over what I’d seen, what I’d experienced, but despite all that, I’d emerged intact.

I wasn’t alone, either. It wasn't Bellerophon who had given me strength. It had been my friends. When I'd struggled upon the edge, it was Merri and Star who had rushed to my aid, their magic at the ready. Most of all, it was Dusky who had given me a reason to live. I gave her a squeeze, words unable to convey how I felt, but my mouth trying to fill in what was in my heart. "Y-you're amazing, you know that? You always know just what to say to make me feel better."

"I'm glad."

"Dusky? Will you... I mean, do you think you and I could..." I bit back the words. I was never one to speak rashly, but in that moment, I wanted to know she would always be there for me. I wanted so badly for that hug to never end, but this was not the place. We were deep underground, and emotions were still too tense, even now that everything was over. I would never associate this place with a pleasant memory, too much death and misery clung to it. I didn't want to burden my feelings with the weight of all that.

Dusky nuzzled against me, urging me on. "Do I think we could what?"

I blinked. If not that, then what? I couldn't ask her what I wanted, not here, not now. It wasn't right. I wasn't ready, not really. What I wanted was to be with her always, but for now, perhaps, there was more I could do.

"T-train." The idea surprised me as it came out of my mouth, and I still couldn't keep myself from blushing. "Train together. Y-you know. You and me. Together, um, sparring. If... if I really want to be prepared, that is. I, we... we should probably... um... train together?"

Dusky kept her head resting against mine. "Mmm. I'm no trainer like your sister. I don't know how well I could teach you, but it might not be a bad idea."

"R-really? Then... we should do it?"

"I don't see why not." She slipped back and grinned. "I don't usually have a sparring partner, it could be good for both of us."

That smile, it had been too long since I'd seen it. If felt like forever, since we'd left for Ostfriesen at the very least. It was that smile that told me everything was actually going to be okay now. Somehow, we'd crossed this dangerous land, we'd faced down a dragon, and survived a revolution. Merri was safe. My mind was my own again, and we had each other.

I smiled back at her. "Dusky, I love you." Those were words I would never grow tired repeating.

"I love you too, Night Light." And those were words I would never grow tired hearing.

65 - Seas of Knowledge

Dusky’s muffled voice brought me out of my slumber as I began to feel her restlessness.

Her head was pressed against the back of my neck, having cuddled up with me after we’d spent the night talking, watching the stars above Canterlot's skyline. It had been perfect, as far as I was concerned, but now her quick breathing and sudden movement was drawing me back. “Mmmm? Dusky?”

She shifted again, taking some of her weight off of me. “Sorry to wake you, Night. I just had a… dream.”

The first time I could remember her having nightmares had been on the trip to Fetlock, as she recovered from exhaustion. I’d gently prodded her about it afterwards, and been dismayed to learn these were an all-too common experience for her. I lifted my head to watch her carefully. “Another nightmare?”

I was never one who had dreams, not that I could remember, at least, and that included nightmares. They’d always been something I felt I was missing out on, something equally interesting and terrifying, but I knew from talking to Dusky that for her, they were never pleasant experiences. My name is Night Light, a light in the dark that was supposed to keep somepony safe. I just wished there was a way I could do more to put her mind at ease.

“Yeah.” Dusky’s ears dropped back, almost as if she was ashamed of it, as if I expected her to be stronger.

My expression dropped at her tone. “What is it? Does it have to do with what you found out tonight?”

“Yeah, it’s… it’s weird.” She sighed and lowered her voice. “The Cartel is in shambles. Their boss was blown up, along with their headquarters. Bodies confirmed and all that. And yet… I can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t over. The dream was… they crashed Terra’s wedding. Subdued everyone and I didn’t even notice until it was too late. I want to believe it so badly, to say that maybe, just maybe, I’m finally safe. But, deep in my gut, I know I’m missing something. They’re missing something. Maybe it was a body double.”

Still resting in bed, I unfolded my wings from my side and wrapped them around her, pulling her into a close hug. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“You don’t think I’m worrying over nothing?” She leaned into my hug, lifting her head to look me in the eyes.

I met her gaze. “No, I don’t. I’m not really good with this stuff, but I trust your instincts. I’ll support you, no matter what you think.”

She stared a moment before letting a smile creep onto her face. “Sweet talker.”

“I mean it.” I squeezed my wings, hugging tighter. “You always help me. I want to help you, too.”

“I appreciate it. I really do. It’s just, I can’t ignore it because being blindsided would be catastrophic. And yet, heeding it, how long do I need to watch our back with extra care? Without any further information, I think we’re stuck. And unless I pay a fortune, I don’t think anyone will be scrutinizing every obscure detail. Even then, there’d be no guarantee anyone could get close enough to ground zero.”

“I… I’ll help. I can keep watch too.” I was already training alongside her, and although I hated to see her so worried and worked up, I certainly understood her reasoning. If I could do more, I would. “You might need to tell me what to look for, but if I can lessen the load at all, I’ll do it.”

She stared at me, then started to nod. “Not everything can be taught. A lot of it is a sort of feel that needs to be adapted on the fly. The best I can do is lay some groundwork and you’ll have to figure out the rest.”

“Then I guess we’ll just have to do our best for each other. Besides, you, Star, Merri, you’ve already helped me with that groundwork.

She reached her head up to nuzzle my mane. “For better or for worse.”

Those were wedding vows. Surely Dusky hadn’t intended it in that context, but I couldn’t help but grasp onto that thought. For all the chaos, the oddness, the adrenaline and the fear, for everything that had happened since I met her, it had all been for the better. “I wouldn’t trade our time together for the world.”

She laughed quietly as she snuggled back up against me. “Sweet talker.”

Dusky led us through the polished marble halls of Canterlot University with a confident familiarity. She only glanced back on occasion to ensure I was still with her, but for my part, I was trying to take it all in.

The whole University was as big and grandiose as Canterlot itself, with long pillared hallways and tall stained glass windows that cast brightly colored shadows across the floor. A few younger ponies, most but not all of which were unicorns, walked through the halls at their own pace.

We navigated through three halls before Dusky stopped at a large door labeled ‘Archival Stacks’.

When she opened the door, an elderly unicorn, lifted her gaze from a nearby counter and tilted her head, eyes settling on me before she spoke up. “Ah, good, there you are. Right on time, Dusky.”

She was a bright, vivid red pony, even in the dim lit of the archive room. Her mane had a soft pink hue to it, with a long forelock down over her eyes. She wore scholar’s robes that certainly told you her role here, but she had all the authority she needed without them. She set down an unreasonably large book she’d apparently been reading while waiting for us to arrive and grinned.

Dusky mirrored her expression as she walked up to her friend. “Ruby, good to see you again. This is Night Flurry, my coltfriend. Night, this is my good friend, Ruby Result.”

I blushed a little at being called Dusky’s coltfriend, but dipped my head out of respect to her. “Ruby Result, a, um, pleasure to meet you.”

“Coltfriend, eh?” She walked past Dusky to look more closely, peering over her glasses. “Well, he’s cute enough. Did you know your marefriend once fought off six Timberwolves all by herself?”

“Ruby, stop.” Dusky shook her head. “I didn’t ‘take on’ so much as ‘ran away from at top speed’.”

“That’s not what the filly said.” Ruby turned to Dusky and half-whispered to her. “Now shush, I’m trying to help you.”

“As if Terra wasn’t bad enough, you too, Ruby? Besides, Night’s not shallow like that.” Dusky laughed, glancing towards me with a sympathetic smile. “She was four, and it was just a search and rescue. She might have exaggerated a bit after the fact.”

I glanced between the two, both of them were clearly in their element with this kind of banter. I smiled. “True or not, I already know that Dusky is pretty incredible… I don’t really need more evidence of that.”

Narrowing her eyes, Ruby examined me carefully then chuckled. “Good. I like him, Dusky.”

Dusky shook her head as she watched me grow red. “Weren’t you going to give us a tour?”

“Of course I am.” She walked past me and motioned back into the hallway. “Well, coming?”

We followed after, back into the long halls as she began her tour. It started out somewhat mundane, with a lot of typical school talk. I attended Cloudsdale University before I’d moved to Ponyville, and this was all more or less the same selling points.

That all ended as we walked into one of the back halls. Ruby stopped at a massive painting that spanned across the wall. It was… odd. A great white room, with a table made of cloud, surrounded by six chairs. In each chair sat a pony with long fins, and fish tails in place of their back legs. A small plaque to the side of the painting read 'Seas of Knowledge'.

I tilted my head slightly and stared.

“This is perhaps the most controversial thing we have in the university—well, aside from from some students’ theses, anyway.” Ruby laughed at her own joke, then waved a hoof towards the bizarre painting. “Donated to us by Fine Arts Alumni Caspian Coolbrush, when this painting arrived, many of the staff didn’t even know what to make of it. Half saw it as just plain ridiculous and wanted to just store it away in the university warehouse. The rest of us saw its beauty, that it represented student ponies through the seaponies, pushing for the nigh-impossible as they swim through the clouds that are their dreams, even if it could sometimes be seen as a significant gamble. Such was an inspiration that should be visible to uplift all of our students. With the whole council deadlocked, we had to ask Princess Celestia to step in. The rest is history.”

I tried to think of it that way, letting the whole thing wash over me. It was still very bizarre. “Wow, I, um, didn’t think of it that way.”

Dusky giggled as she stood next to me. “Neither did I.”

“Perhaps you two just take cloud walking too much for granted.” Ruby smirked, just a bit of playfulness in her voice.

“Could be.” Dusky shook her head. “In any event, I think we might be ready to move on.”

“Right this way then.” Ruby moved past the weird seapony mural and led us to a set of rooms filled with all sorts of beakers, vials, and all sorts of other equipment I didn’t recognize. “Speaking of Princess Celestia, her School For Gifted Unicorns may steal our thunder when it comes to magic, but we still have world-class labs. For those who aren’t suited to her school’s particular regimen, or a more specialized interest in alchemy, we have facilities that can easily match theirs.”

I took in the room, then gave Dusky a side look, leaning over to whisper. “Bit of an, um, sticking point?”

She grinned, glancing at our guide. “You know people and rivalries. Right, Ruby?”

“It’s all in good fun,” Ruby smiled proudly. “We have a good working relationship with Celestia’s School. Can’t make a fine draught without a little pressure, right?”

Leading us back down the main hall, Ruby brought us to a huge set of double doors. Pushing them open with her magic, Ruby dramatically introduced us to the grand library. We walked out onto an overlook, flanked by stairs that led down to the main level, and up to higher levels. Just the main floor we looked out over had more books in one place than I think I had ever seen in my life.

Taking her place in the middle of the landing, Ruby turned and grinned. “And this is where I first met your marefriend. One of the biggest libraries in Equestria and I found her looking for a Daring Do book.”

I gave Dusky a sidelong glance, barely suppressing a laugh. “Daring Do?”

“What? It’s a good series. Besides, Trials was almost impossible to find when it first came out, I couldn’t find a copy anywhere.”

Ruby laughed. “Come to glamorous Canterlot, and spend the week holed up in the hotel with a novel. With all the things you’ve seen and done, you’d think I could get you to read better books than Daring Do.”

Next to me, Dusky stuck her tongue out at Ruby, and that was enough. I couldn’t hold back my laughter any longer. The whole picture of it was so adorable, and it took me back to our first date in Myrtail, when she’d told me about her first time in the ocean. That adorable mental image of a young filly Dusky splashing about, just curious to see how the world worked. Now, it was matched with the picture of her curled up with an oversized book, intently focused on the story .

Dusky turned at my sudden outburst and giggled. “Look what you did. You broke him.”

“Not my fault.” Ruby laughed. “It was just too easy.”

I struggled to gather my wits, still chuckling as I caught my breath. “B-broke? Nah, just… Sorry, Dusky, but there’s that image of you again.”

“Image?” She raised an eyebrow.

“Just… you.” I leaned forward to kiss her snout. “Reading Daring Do when you could have been out exploring. You were cute. You still are.”

She blushed a bit and smiled. “Well, it was really popular, so they only let me check it out for a week. I had to buckle down and read it while I could. Besides, I still managed to explore Canterlot quite thoroughly, thank you very much.”

“She did. With a little bit of help.” Ruby gave me a wink. “And speaking of help, what’s next on your agenda? You’re so close to Canterlot most of the year, you don’t tend to put it on your trip itinerary.”

Dusky smirked. “I thought it’d be good to start easy this year, for a few reasons. We’ll be staying in Canterlot another day or so, then flying out east to Lunar Lake.”

Ruby closed her eyes, and mused to herself. “Lunar Lake… I’ll have to make another trip of my own, before my old bones collapse on me.” She drew back, then stepped forward to hug Dusky.

Returning the hug, Dusky smirked. “Really? Seems to me you’ve still got plenty of spunk.”

She stepped back and waved a hoof. “Bah. So you say. Come on, then—keep up.” She turned and walked forward through the library.

I raised an eyebrow at Dusky, and she smirked in return before stepping to follow after her friend.

I glanced around the library, almost as if I expected to see a young Dusky sitting amidst the stacks with a Daring Do book even now. I stepped forward to follow after, my smile never fading.

83 - Concealment

“That’s a pretty big house.”

I nodded as we looked up the uneven road towards the once great structure. It now sat in a sea of overgrowth, with great walls covered in ivy, nearly covering the empty windows. The mansion wasn’t totally in ruin, but it had clearly been neglected for years and nature was slowly retaking it.

Despite all of that, it was still impressive, that anypony had once lived there and kept the place maintained was incredible, and that only left the lingering question of what, exactly, had driven them away. The legend of the Necromancer alone didn’t seem like enough to drive ponies away from all of this, but I’d have said it didn’t seem like enough to cause all the panic back in Iron Shoe either.

Yet, here we were.

Mint shook her head and continued. “It’s sorta ominous and excessive, but comforting. Or at least, it probably used to be comforting.”

“I wonder what made it fall into ruin?” Icicle echoed my own thoughts as he gazed up the road. “Other than the obvious lack of repair.”

I frowned. “I don’t know. I guess we can be grateful that it’s just out of the way like this, if it can give us a bit of safe haven.”

We waited, perched off the main road to Pasture, crouched in the underbrush, while Merri and Starshadow did a stealthy patrol around the property’s perimeter. They’d been gone nearly a half hour now, and we were getting edgy.

There’d been no traffic on the road that morning, once we’d slipped out of Iron Shoe. No patrols walking the road, and no ponies fleeing from Pasture. Everypony who could get out either already had, or Moss’s Paladins had the place on lock-down tighter than Iron Shoe. I was far more worried the latter was the case.

Before we could continue our conversation, the twin sisters were back among us, Starshadow her typically grave self, while Merri’s expression unexpectedly mirrored her. We stood as they grew nearer, Mint and Icicle both turning to eye the main road for anypony nearby.

Starshadow spoke first. “There’s no signs of occupation within the mansion itself, at least, none recent. A few odds and ends have been disturbed, but we don’t think anyone is inside now.”

Merri sighed, “That’s the bad news. Also sorta good news? Dusky might have snuck in, but she didn’t stay. She probably proceeded onward making the same conclusions we did. We can definitely camp out there tonight if we need to, and probably won’t raise any attention.”

“Right. That’s probably for the best.” I looked up towards the sky, noting the time. Having someplace relatively secure to rest in was definitely preferable to camping out in the open while we were in enemy territory. “What about the observatory? She said she’d leave a message for us there.”

Merri at last broke into her more usual smirk. “That’s the other good news. We’re pretty sure somepony was there, and recently. There’s a lot of evidence that they fiddled with the front door, probably had to force it open.”

Starshadow nodded. “The observatory is a separate building off the main yard. It is not hard at all to move through the grass while staying totally unobserved from the road. We are confident Dusky was there.”

I wanted to breath out a sigh of relief. Even knowing she got this far was encouraging, even if the greater danger was up ahead. “Then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go find her message!”

With Mint and Icicle watching our backs, we made our way through the long grass as quickly and quietly as we could, towards the rubble of the stone wall that the two sisters had used to climb in. It wasn’t completely crumbled, but there was enough for the two agile unicorns to vault over with relative ease. For the rest of us, we risked a quick flight over the walls and down, into the overgrown front yard of the mansion.

Once inside, we could breath a little easier, as at least we couldn’t be spotted from the road outside. The tall grass and tree growth gave us plenty of points to hide, but I wanted to get to the observatory as quickly as possible. I motioned Merri and Star to lead on.

The estate grounds were impressive,if completely overgrown. There were large bushes that I imagined were once properly cut, but were now tangled messes. Long grass grew up through broken cobblestones, but it all provided ample cover.

Looming ahead was the tall, domed building that had to be the observatory. The roof was sadly long faded, and though the opening for it still existed, there was no great telescope pointing out into the sky. I imagined that, had I seen it in its prime, the building that might not have looked out of place in the upscale parts of Canterlot.

The door was once an ornate hardwood masterpiece, and some of the no doubt vibrant purple paint still clung to it. I stepped up onto the raised step, eager to get in, and tested the door knob. It turned easier than I expected, and with a nod backwards to the others, I pushed it open.

It groaned in protest, and I looked back again out of fear that somepony would hear, but we were still alone. Merri and Star already had their weapons drawn, crossbows and blade pointed into the observatory door, but when I turned back, there was nothing there.

I stepped in quickly, not wanting to linger in the open any longer than necessary. The others followed me in, spreading out around me. Starshadow entered last, closing the door behind her. The inside of the Observatory was dusty, run-down, and filled with broken furniture. A stairwell in one corner led up to where the remains of the telescope undoubtedly lay collapsed. I looked up, making sure nothing was waiting up above.

As if in anticipation, Mint came alongside me, “I’ll go check it out. Seems pretty quiet in here though, and I trust Merri and Star’s scouting, but it won’t hurt to check.”

I nodded, “Right. Just be careful.”

“Tell that to anypony thinking of ambushing me.” She grinned, then flew up towards the stairs.

“Hey, Night.” Icicle called over to me. He pointed a hoof down towards the floor. “The dust was disturbed. There’s still some pretty clear hoof prints, and I’m guessing they’re Dusky’s.”

Glancing down, I saw the trail of hoof prints through the ages long dust. They crossed back and forth with themselves a few times, but at one point, they clearly turned aside from the center of the room towards a far wall. I followed the path, and looked up at the wall where they ended.

Lunar Phases of the Moon. The poster was pretty large, dark black with four large yellow discs printed upon it, each showing the moon, depicted there with the Mare in the Moon still imprinted upon it. I grinned. It seemed like the perfect place to hide her message.

It didn’t take much to pull the poster aside, the right side already about to give. Sure enough, pulling it down revealed a small, folded piece of paper, neatly wedged against the wall. I quickly unfolded it, reading the seemingly vague message.

N-
Still searching, but so are they. If feeling safe, scout out town. Beware red armor.
-D

She’d been here, and not long ago by the looks of it. I sighed, the hope that she and Ivory would already be out safe fading.

Mint swept back down the stairs. “Top floor’s all clear.”

I nodded grimly. “Then I guess this is as good a place as any to spend the night. Tomorrow, we’re going to scout out Pasture.”

We rotated watch through the night, but there was nothing else coming or going from the mansion. Save for the sound of the wildlife, crickets and birds, it was quiet all night. When morning came, we decided that Starshadow, Mint, and myself would go scout out Pasture. Starshadow and Mint had more tactical knowledge than the rest of us, and their observations would be invaluable, and as for myself, I simply was too antsy to stay behind. Merri assured me that she and Icicle would be fine keeping watch on our fallback position there at the mansion.

The three of us opted to stay off the road as best we could. Mint and I could fly quickly and quietly just above the forest floor, and it was shocking how silently Star could move through the trees when she wanted to.

The treeline broke a few hours later, leading into a thick grass field surrounding the town. Mint kept us low, not wishing to attract any unwanted attention. Even if the ponies of Pasture didn’t know me or the others, they’d undoubtedly be suspicious of anypony lurking around. Fortunately, between Starshadow’s magic and Mint’s training, we had the advantage, or so we initially thought.

“This place isn’t a village, it’s an outpost.” Mint sat on a tree branch just above myself and Star. She was holding a spyglass in hoof as she watched the movements of the ponies within the town. “Those are practically military fortifications. They expecting the Crystal Empire to invade?”

Star nodded thoughtfully, “That is definitely more of a defensive structure than I would have expected this deep into Equestria. I would have argued they are meant to keep out local wildlife, but those walls all appear newly constructed.”

I frowned. “Local wildlife, or an army of undead. At least, I’d wager that’s what the populace thinks.”

Mint nodded. “I’d say you’re right, Night. I can see some of the townsfolk moving around in there… but there’s way more guards… actually… what even are those guards?”

I tilted my head curiously. “Well, we know the Cartel has ponies here, it could be their guards. Or it could be more of those paladins?”

Mint shook her head. “Those aren’t just villagers playing pretend like those ponies in Iron Shoe. They wear that armor too comfortably. Take a look, Star.”

Starshadow took the spyglass from Mint with her magic and peered through. “Definitely professional soldiers. If I had to guess, they are mercenaries. And there is something else… That symbol they wear upon their armor… there is something familiar about it.”

“I saw that too, some kind of split hoof print. But I can’t place it. Not a lot of work for mercenary squads in Equestria.” Mint lowered her head.

Still peering through the spyglass, Star suddenly frowned. “Oh dear. That would most certainly explain Dusky's warning. There, towards the center of town. He’s hard to miss.”

Mint took back the spyglass, “Hmmm… I don’t… wait, no. By Celestia, what is that?”

She passed me the spyglass, pointing out in the direction where I should look. There, in the town square, was the object of Mint’s shock. A massive, seemingly distorted, hooved being in thick, deep red armor. Its every moment seemed wrong, the legs bending oddly, its back was arched up in a permanent hunch, and its thick skull seemed completely off proportion. I stared, trying to comprehend it.

“That is a camel.” Starshadow stated gravely. “The leader of this mercenary group, if I had my guess.”

“A camel? I’ve never heard of camels…” I continued to stare, at last giving Mint back her spyglass.

Star sighed. “Ostfriesen rests to the east of the Badlands. Camels hail from further west. We have seen them rarely, often as raiders on our outlying forts. They have the most terrifying natural defense against us. Something in camels raises our most base instincts when they draw near, and no matter what, you will be afraid. You cannot help it.”

Mint raised an eyebrow. “Afraid? Star, I’ve been in fights before, I know that fear.”

“Not this fear. It is something deeper. Like the instinct to jump when you find a spider crawling upon you. All the hair upon your neck stands up, and even the bravest of knight has to fight back the instinct to run. Just run.” Star grit her teeth. “I experienced it once. I had never thought that I might encounter another camel, never mind here of all places.”

“Sounds like he could use to have his flank kicked.” Mint frowned, watching the camel longer.

“You would be within the minority if you could manage it.”

Mint’s expression deepened. “That just makes me want to try all the more.”

Star glanced down. “Regardless, we have more than enough information on the town’s defenses. And with those mercenaries there, I do not think it safe to investigate deeper.”

I glanced at Mint, seeing an odd spark in her eyes. “She’s right. We should head back to the mansion and let Merri and Icicle know what we found… and try to figure out our next move.”

Mint nodded slowly, at last putting down her spyglass. “Right. Well… if this camel is as bad as you say, I just hope Dusky didn’t run into him.”

I nodded, looking back towards the town. The distant figure of the camel was out of sight now. “Yeah… me too.”

94 - Return

I was happy to leave Pasture behind. Maybe under any other circumstances, I’d find the town as charming as I’d found Crystalside, or as endearing as Lunar Lake. But for me, now, it was an ugly town, with a fair share of scars that would take a long time to heal, and probably never fully fade. The sooner we were home, the better.

It had taken nearly a week, but Solar Company had been nothing if not efficient. The gates around the town had been quickly dismantled. The mercenaries, including Crimson Haze, had been forced to surrender their weapons and armor, something the camel himself was clearly not happy about, but begrudgingly agreed to. In exchange for clemency for a number of his soldiers of Equestrian origin, he agreed to leave the country’s border, and not to work jobs inside Equestria. He gave a disdainful snort as he led his troop out the gates, a small pegasus escort flying overhead to ensure he left exactly as promised. Crimson Haze’s last words as he began to head out of town were flippant and filled with arrogance, “The money’s better down in Klugetown anyways.”

After that, the town tried to restore some kind of normalcy, even though the Guard proceeded to pull in pony after pony to give testimony on what, exactly, had all led up to this point. I gave my own testimony during this point, as did Merri, Star, and Icicle. Mint probably did too, but she wasn’t present when I had to speak to what I had seen and done.

Soon, Dusky had recovered once again, and she was eager to be up and about, her whole demeanor giving me flashbacks to our time at Myrtail beach. As soon as Doctor Panacea had given her a clean bill of health, Captain Banner had brought her in to make her own official testimony, a much longer inquiry then I’d gone through, but then Dusky had known Ivory for years longer than I had. To me, this battle had been the climax of nearly a year of worry and misadventure trying to keep up with Dusky. To Dusky, it was the end of a much longer battle, parts of which had started in one of the Guard’s safe rooms years and years ago. I couldn’t imagine what that must feel like, everything coming to a head here and hopefully being resolved at long last.

With all of us still injured or exhausted, Captain Banner offered us safe escort home with the Guard. It was too good an offer to refuse. This gave us the security of both a march back to Iron Shoe alongside the full company, and our own train car, attached to the armored cars that had transported the guards from Canterlot, and would be taking them home again.

I watched Dusky as the train clamored down the track. She looked so tired, but not in the same way I’d seen her before. It wasn’t a desperate kind of tired, the kind I’d seen during those days rushing back home to confront the banshee. She looked like she’d just worked an overly long shift, and was ready for a long, peaceful rest in her own bed. There was still an edge of caution in her, unwilling to let her guard down, but it made me happy to see her like this.

She leaned back in her seat, looking away from the window to give me a smile, leaning her head in to give me a gentle nuzzle. “Now that things are settling down, you want to let me know what happened on your side? Something about putting a hoof in Prideful Policy’s face?”

My smile slipped slightly. Sure, I’d helped capture him, but it felt a little wrong to take pleasure in hitting the stallion, no matter how much he seemed like he’d needed a good punch in the face. “W-well, we found him watching the battle like it was some kind of sick show, and, um, then he tried to run away, so I had to stop him.”

In front of us, Merri rose up over the back of the seat with a wide grin. She gripped the top of the seat, “Prideful’s bodyguard fought us with bitter resolve, locking us in battle long enough for their master to make his escape. As he stood upon that hill, laughing and twirling his mustache, he flipped his black cape, cackling, ‘Muhahah! You will never catch me!”

She raised a hoof from the cushion to make a dramatic gesture, waving it in front of her, “That’s when Night swooped down, standing tall and heroic! ‘Halt, fiend! In the name of justice, you shall turn yourself in and trouble this town no longer!’ With a gasp, Prideful tried to flee, but Night brought him low with the Hooves of Justice!”

I shrank in my seat. While not exactly untrue, Merri’s version definitely painted things a little more dramatically.

From the opposite aisle, Starshadow leaned across to give Merri a doubtful eye, “Sister, you were not even there for the decisive moment.”

“Shhhh! Neither were you!” Merri turned towards her sister to motion for silence, as if Dusky and I weren’t watching the whole thing. “For all we know, that’s how it could have gone down! Besides, you know it’s how the bards would sing it~.”

“Or we could ask the stallion who was right there.” Star sighed dramatically, “And last I checked, you are not a bard.”

Dusky laughed, smirking at Mary. “Perhaps it’s time for a career change?”

Besides Merri, Icicle lifted his head up over the seat as well, giving her a big dopey smile, “You know I’d be at every show.”

“Aw, shucks.” Merri lifted her hooves to her cheeks, milking the moment. “You know I couldn’t just leave poor Sis’ to do all the fighting by herself. Maybe I could take it up on the side, do it parttime, like those bards who embed in a platoon. Crossbow in one hoof, saxophone in the other.”

“Saxophone?” Dusky raised an eyebrow at Merri, clearly skeptical.

Merri’s smile increased tenfold. “Yeah! For smooth jazz~!”

I tilted my head, “Um, how will you sing?”

Dusky nodded, “Plus, correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think smooth jazz is typical bardic fare.”

Merri shrugged, waving a hoof, “Details, details.”

With a hum, Dusky suddenly leaned into my side and smiled. “How did it really happen?”

“Well, um, he did leave his guards behind and try to run away from us. But he didn’t stop to gloat and let me use any, um,” I glanced at Merri, blushing slightly as she winked. “'Hooves of Justice' on him. It was all a bit of a blur, but I remember flying after him and tackling him, then I hit him and he went down. There wasn’t anything glorious about it.”

Dusky leaned in closer, pressing her snout against my mane and nuzzling gently. “Regardless, thanks, Night. Things might have gone differently if we hadn’t had him at a disadvantage. Thankfully, we can rest easy now.”

The train pulled into Ponyville as the sun made its arc into the west, bathing the town in a golden orange light, with purple clouds hanging overhead. It almost felt like the town itself was welcoming us back. It had been such a long time since we’d been ‘home’ just to be home. It felt good.

We stepped out of our train car and found Golden Banner leaving the armored car ahead of ours, waving others out after her. Mint, alongside Blaze and Feather Reed, stepped out with Ivory. The pale white unicorn seemed to glow with the sunset, her coat shining in the light. She almost seemed to be a completely different pony then the sad, lonely mare I’d met in the little cabin in the woods. She smiled, walking towards Dusky, who met her halfway for a hug.

Ivory clung tight, reluctant to release her friend. “Dusky, I… thank you. Again.”

As Dusky backed away, still holding Ivory’s hoof, she smiled wide, “Any time. Don’t forget, I’ll be waiting.”

Ivory slowly smiled back in mirror, a look that suited her well. “Yes, of course. I will look forward to tea time.”

“I’ll be up to check in every so often,” Dusky turned to look over the three guards standing there, Mint, Blaze and Feather, each of them having proven themselves her friends or family. “If any of you are free when I’m in Canterlot, I’d be happy to meet up.”

“Hey, don’t think you’ll be the one putting in all the effort,” Blaze grinned, giving Dusky a wink, “Ponies think I have a knack for getting into trouble, but by Celestia, Dusky, I think you’re the one who needs ponies watching her back.”

“Fair point,” Dusky laughed, smiling at the ponies around her. “I assume that means you’ll be coming down every so often?”

Blaze straightened herself up with a grin, “You’d better believe it.”

“I’m sure I’ll see you often, too.” Mint grinned, tilting her head to look over at me with a wink. “You’ll need help planning a certain festivity soon enough.”

I matched her smile, nodding. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“And when tea happens, I’ll be there.” Feather stated, but a shred of doubt entered her voice at the end. She looked at Ivory and tilted her head. “That is, if you’ll have me.”

Ivory turned to her sister and smiled, “We do have a lot of catching up to do.”

“Ahem.” A hoof tapping the train car behind Ivory turned everyone’s attention back towards Golden Banner, who stepped forward from the edge. “Time’s up.”

Dusky smiled, dipping her head slightly to Ivory. My sister, Ivory’s sister, and Dusky’s friend all turned back, and Ivory gave us a nod in return, a smile on her face, and entered back into the train. There wasn’t a goodbye, because I knew Dusky wouldn’t let it end here, and Ivory knew it too. For Ivory, this was a new beginning, and we’d all meet again soon enough.

I stepped up besides Dusky and gave her my best smile. The train door closed, and slowly it began to pull away, sunlight flooding down on us as the final car pulled away.

“Soooo, party at the Seapony~?” Merri broke the silence, waving a hoof from the staircase off the train platform.

Starshadow turned with an exhausted stare. “Sister, we just finished a long journey.”

“All the more reason to kick back and relax~.”

“I’d be up for it,” Dusky spoke up, “After all this, having an ordinary evening sipping on a cider with my friends is all I could ask for. That said, we should give everyone some time to unpack and freshen up.”

“Oh, right, yeah.” Merri nodded. “Split up and meet there in an hour?”

“Sounds good to me.” She turned to Star, “That acceptable?”

Star shrugged back, “If you are all willing to put up with Merriweather’s antics, I shall get by.”

Merri, Icicle and Star all headed off ahead, heading straight for the Seapony. I glanced at Dusky, “Can I uh… can I walk you home?”

“That’s sweet, Night.” She leaned in to kiss me on the cheek, “But that danger is past. I’ll see you at the Seapony?”

“I’ll be there.” I hadn’t been worried about any lingering danger, more that, I just wanted to spend time with Dusky, just her and I. It felt like so long since we’d just gotten to be together, no one else around, no worries and no fears. Still, there’d be plenty of time for that to come.

Dusky headed for her home, and took the moment to turn to watch the sunset before I headed for the Seapony.

I walked through the town as twilight took over, the sun ending its journey and the moon beginning its ascent. I smiled up at the familiar orb and nodded. “Been a long journey, but here we are again... “

I found the Seapony much the same as the first time I’d entered, the smell of fried food and bitter drinks, ponies indulging in too many conversations, and the ample fireplace that filled the room with a friendly light.

“Barkeep! Another Buzzard!” My ears perked up as Mahogany’s voice came from the bar.

I grinned, taking a seat next to my best friend. “And a tea for me, please.”

“Tea sucks.” Mahogany tilted his head, then turned so fast he nearly fell out of his seat, “Holy crap, Flurry? Is that really you, or have I finally reached ‘so drunk I’m hallucinating’?”

“Nah, err, I mean, maybe? But it really is me.”

He grinned wide, raising a hoof to set on my shoulder, “I’ve been asking Terra where the heck you and Dusky were, but she’d just shoot me a dirty look and say ‘they’re away, stupid’. At least, that’s what her look said. Mostly she said you stopped by then kept going on your vacation with Dusky, but Merri and Star left too? See, now that’s suspicious.”

Taking the cup of hot water set down by Barkeep, I set about soaking a teabag, nodding, “Well, it is suspicious, I admit… and it’s a long story. Dusky and Merri and Star will all be here soon, and I’m sure you can get a full story then.”

“Nuh-uh, not good enough. You know Dusky will be all evasive and give that little mystery smirk she gives when she can’t say anything.” He waved his hoof towards me, holding his Buzzard. “So spill it before they get here.”

“I'm not going to spill anything… well, other than the stuff you probably already know, like Dusky and I getting engaged.”

He rolled his eyes, “I got your postcards, until I stopped getting your postcards, yeah. That’s when I started asking Terra what happened, and then she just got mad at me.”

“Right, sorry, I just… probably can’t talk about it all out here, even if it all ended fine.”

Mahogany tilted his head to examine me carefully, then nodded “Mph… I figured. So long as nopony got hurt I guess. Still shoulda’ come get me for help.”

I nodded slowly, thinking. “Well, I mean… I do need your help for one thing, at least.”

“Hmmm? Wass’that?”

“I, uh, do need a best stallion. And seeing as you’ve been my best friend ever since I came to Ponyville… well… what do you say?”

Mahogany raised an eyebrow at me, the slightest bit of smirk crossing his face. “Hey, marriage is your funeral, buddy. But… I’ll make sure you don’t panic and run off the altar if you want me to.”

I grinned, raising my mug of tea in salute. “Thanks, Mahogany. There’s no one else I’d rather have up there to tackle some sense into me if I tried.”